We Can't Go Back to Where We Were
By Deathswings

(Yes, I know that some of this didn't really happen this way. It's a dramatization. Thank you for not whining. The song is from (the musical) The Scarlet Pimpernel by Frank Wildhorn.)

I see you try to turn away,
I hear the words you want to say.
I feel how much you need to hide
What's happening inside you tonight...

The tree bark scratched into her back, but she didn't really care. All of her mind, all of her attention, was focused on the man sitting next to her. Maxfield Stanton... Neflite. She knew that everything he had ever told her was lies... all lies, but she had loved the man that the lies created, and the man behind the lies had just saved her life, and become seriously wounded in the process. Serena had said Maxfield Stanton was bad news, and Sailor Moon had said Neflite was evil, but she just couldn't see it. Maybe he was to others, but he was always very kind to her, at least, from what she could remember anyway. And he had just saved her from those horrible creatures at the expense of his arm. She could see the blood soaking through his sleeve. Did that hurt immensely? Did he need any help? Did she dare ask? He was powerful, so much more powerful than she had originally thought. Could he really need any help from a nobody like her? She gathered all of her courage and blurted out,
"Maxfie- Neflite? Are you all right? You're hurt... Is there anything I can do?"
He turned and looked at her. She was so innocent, so naive. But she had such a large heart. She loved him! Him! No one, at least to his knowledge, had ever really loved him before. Oh, there had been women, but they either meant nothing to him, or he knew that he meant nothing to them. He meant everything to her, and despite himself, he was beginning to find that she meant an awful lot to him. And that put her in an awful lot of danger. If Queen Beryl ever found out about him actually caring for a human, she'd have his head on a platter, and she'd probably take Molly's too, just for good measure. But he couldn't just get up and leave. She'd never understand that he was doing it for her own protection. She'd be hurt, and he couldn't stand to hurt her. She looked up at him, worry in her eyes. It was just a scratch really, hardly worth noticing, but she was so eager to help...
"Yes, Molly. Help me get my jacket off, would you?"
Oh... there was an awful lot of blood there for such a small wound. She was sure to worry even more about him. He opened his mouth to tell her it wasn't as bad as it looked, but she was already tearing off a piece of her nightgown top to bandage him with. He found that oddly endearing, and he felt a smile tug at the corners of his lips. Much to his surprise, she picked up on the smile, and beamed back at him sunnily. And he could slowly feel her lighting up his world.

Come meet my eyes one moment more.
Our eyes are different than before.
This night, so beautiful and strange,
This night begins to change who we are...

He locked eyes with her as her smile burned it's way into his heart of ice. Wincing he turned away. This was mad! It was deadly for both of them! He was a general of the Negaverse, not some love starved schoolboy for godsakes! He could not, *would* not fall in anything remotely resembling love with this earth girl. That's all she was- an earth girl. Some human girl, with petty human emotions, emotions he could twist and use to his advantage, and that was all. Right? His firmly held convictions were being shattered, and all through one little smile.
He felt his eyes being drawn back to her. No... more than just one little smile. Her adoration washed over him like a tidal wave. *That* is what pulled him towards her. She knew. She knew that he'd lied. She knew he was evil. Yet she still smiled at him, she still cared. And that amazed him, and made all of his previously held conceptions about humans tremble, and threaten to fall.
She placed a hand on his shoulder, concerned. He looked so far away... so sad. And yet there was something burning behind his eyes. She wondered if that smoldering look was for her.
"Neflite? Is something wrong?"
"No... Nothing's wrong, my dear."
Amazing! Amazing that she cares! Why does she care? She shouldn't! Look at the way her eyes flicker with the simple words 'my dear'. My dear... yes, that sounds about right. I'm not in love with her, I'm not! She's like a pet, a little pet, a curiosity, nothing more.
But he knew his heart didn't believe him.

Don't turn away it's only love,
Quietly coming to you,
Whispering through you.
Take my hand- it's only love.
Let it come through you slowly,
Don't be afraid, it's only love.

She thought she saw something in his eyes when he said that. The words 'my dear' floated in her head like music. She had to know. She had to know if he loved her. She knew he *must* care for her quite a bit, after all, he'd saved her from the... the... things that had been after her. But love... love was another matter.
She took several breaths, trying to ask him, but no sound came out of her mouth. She couldn't speak, and she could sense that their time here was quickly passing, and would soon be gone. Her mind was in turmoil. She could lose him if she asked. She could lose him if she didn't! She had to know... and if she couldn't speak, then she had to act. And she had to act now. She took a deep breath, and moved.
He had just gotten himself under control. He had finally managed to convince himself that all he thought was true, that she was merely a pet, a passing fancy that would soon fade... and then her lips had pressed fleetingly against his. It was a chaste, brief, almost childish kiss, but it shattered his whole word. Such a simple little kiss, nothing compared to the intimate joinings he had shared with many a servant of the Negaverse, and even a few unsuspecting humans. Still... it was earth-shattering. He shouldn't have felt anything for this girl, and the kiss should have been tiny, unremarkable. Instead, he felt his soul catch on fire and blaze just for her. She was his world, his universe. And she was going to be the death of him. This he knew without a doubt. This was betrayal of the worst kind, and Queen Beryl would *not* be pleased. Her minions would hunt him down, and eventually, they would win. But he couldn't give this up, not now... not ever.
Distantly, he felt himself raise his hands to his lips, astonishment all over his face. Distantly, he saw her turn away, embarrassed, misreading his reactions. It was her voice that brought him back to reality.
"Sorry about that Neflite... I guess... I guess that's just kid's stuff to you, isn't it?" she shivered in the damp chill of the evening air... and perhaps with something more. He gently took his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, leaving his arm there, holding her close. He might have years with her, he might only have days, but he was going to live his life to the fullest now, blazing like a supernova, with her in his arms, and in his heart.
"No... no I don't think it's kid's stuff at all, Molly..."
She turned swiftly towards him, shocked beyond belief, and thrilled beyond her wildest dreams and...

We touch, the dark begins to stir.
We can't go back to where we were.
Don't be afraid to make it real,
Don't be afraid to feel tonight.

... And his lips covered hers. She could feel her eyes getting as wide as saucers. He was kissing her. *HE* was kissing *HER*. This was impossible... something out of a dream, a crazy dream that she was desperately hoping she wouldn't wake up from. She relaxed into the kiss, his *real* kiss, a little hesitantly. This was much more of a kiss than her little peck had been, and she was just barely more than a kid. But all of this felt so... right. He loved her. He loved her and that was all that mattered in the universe.
He could sense her brief hesitation, and made an effort to calm down the kiss. The last thing in the world he needed right now was to have her panic on him. He pulled back from the kiss slowly, unwillingly, and looked into her eyes. He died in fire a million ways at the hands of Queen Beryl in those eyes, and he went on to live countless beautiful lifetimes with Molly. He reached up and touched her face gently. She was so pure, and so beautiful- in a very different way than he was used to. So fragile...
He pulled her against his chest, barely even noticing the pain in his arm as he did. He couldn't bear to lose her. His own death he would take willingly for even just this one moment, but the loss of her... he didn't know what he would do if he were ever the cause of Molly's death. He stroked her hair gently, smiling slightly as she cuddled in next to him, one hand laying calmly on his chest. For a moment, both were at total peace with the world.

Don't turn away it's only love.
Only a touch that frees you,
Let it release you.
Take the chance-it's only love.
Open your heart and show me,
Don't be afraid- it's only love.

But that's all it was, a moment. A pair of eyes watched from the darkness, and a pair of white gloved fingers snapped once, calling his youmas to dispatch of this traitor quickly. Queen Beryl would be most pleased...

Neflite felt the air stir, and saw the projectile heading straight for Molly.
"NO!" and before he could even think, he was getting in the way, the projectile ramming into his shoulder instead of Molly. Pain flared up red hot around the wound, but the pain didn't matter. Nothing mattered except saving Molly. He looked down at the branches that had lodged in his body. They dripped green ichor down the front of his shirt. Poison! For the first time in his entire existence, he felt a tremor of real fear. He was dying. Those poison branches were spreading their slow death through his veins even now. He felt the world swim around him, and he fell to his knees. If he could just run away... be given a few months to heal...
He staggered to his feet, preparing to leave, when he heard Molly's scream. Molly! His decision was made in a heartbeat. They could take him, he'd been dying since the day he was born anyway, but they couldn't have Molly. They couldn't! With immense difficulty he drew his sword, his vision slightly blurred.
"Molly! Run! Get away from here! Go!"
The monster turned to look at him, ignoring Molly.
"No, I want to stay with you. You're still hurt! You can't fight it by yourself!"
Even through his pain, he was amazed. She would still stand by his side? She loved him that much? She would die beside him rather than live without him?
He'd told her to leave, but she couldn't possibly. He'd saved her life twice now, the least she could do was fight for him now, when he needed her the most. She wished feverently that she was like Sailor Moon, that she had *some* kind of powers. But she was just an ordinary girl, and she had nothing to fight with. But they would *not* hurt her Neflite any more! Determined, she picked up a nasty looking stone. Hey, it worked for David, right? Her eyes narrowed at the creature that had wounded Neflite.
The creature reared up, and Neflite swung helplessly at it, his vision blurring out of control from the poison. His feet fell out from under him and he landed on his back.
"You win Zoicite... You win..." he closed his eyes, and prayed that Molly would have the sense to run.
"Take this you freak!"
And the monster was gone, headed after Molly instead. Idiot! He thought around the sudden warm blaze in his heart. The girl couldn't see when they'd lost. And just then, a noise that he dreaded to hear,
"On behalf of the Moon, we will punish you!"
Oh... the last thing he needed right now were the Sailor Scouts. But much to his surprise, they actually seemed to be attacking the monster. And that freed Molly up to race to his side.
"Neflite... You're going to be okay... We'll get you to a hospital. You'll be okay."
But he knew that no doctor on this planet could administer an antidote for the poison in his veins.
"No... no, Molly. I'm not going to be okay. Molly... I... I... I love you. Don't forget me..."
"No! Don't say your good-byes yet! Neflite!"
He smiled slightly up at her, managing to lift his hand to her face, though the blackness was closing in. He felt no sadness at moving on, only that he would be leaving his angel behind here. He had to give her solace. He had to find a way to make it all right for her.
"Look up at the stars... Do you see all of them? Aren't they beautiful?" he felt her nod through his palm, "Well, I'll be watching you from one of them... do you understand? I'll always watch over you... my love..."

Don't be afraid-it's only love.
Only a touch that frees you,
Let it release you.

She felt his hand grow limp in hers, and she shut her eyes against sudden, overwhelming tears. They'd had so short of a time... no time at all really. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Sailor Moon standing over her.
"We will not let his death go unavenged, Molly. I promise you."
For a moment, there was an unconditional caring in her eyes that reminded Molly of Serena, but that was beyond crazy, right? She nodded,
"Thank you... thank all of you. I... I think I'd like to go home now...."

Take the chance- it's only love.
Let it come through you slowly,
Open your heart and show me...

She was at home again. Her mother didn't even know she was gone. Her whole life was back to normal, this whole thing was just a crazy dream... but she knew it wasn't. Her life would never be the same. She opened her window so that she could look up at the stars... and then quietly sobbed herself to sleep. Please be up there watching me... Neflite, please tell me you told the truth this time...

Don't be afraid, it's only love...