Loving Again

Disclaimer: I don’t own Sailor Moon or any of its characters.

---

“What do you mean you turned him down again?” boomed the voice of fourteen-year-old Serena Tsukino.

“I just couldn’t go out with him Serena. It’s still too soon,” fourteen-year-old Molly Osaka replied. She was talking to her best friend Serena over the phone.

“Oh Mol, you’ve got to get over Nephlite! You know he wouldn’t want you to be sad,” Serena said softly.

“I loved him with all of my heart Serena. It’s not as easy as you think it is!” Molly replied, fighting tears. She heard Serena sigh over the phone.

“I’m sorry for making you cry Molly,” she apologized.

“No, no, you didn’t. I just can’t help crying when I talk about him,” Molly told her friend while she dried her eyes. It had been just over a week since Molly watched the man she had fallen in love with die.

“If you say so. Just be nice to Melvin though, okay? He really likes you,” Serena said.

“I’ll try,” agreed Molly.

“Great! I’ll see you at school tomorrow! Bye Mol!” Serena exclaimed and hung up her phone. Molly sighed and hung hers up as well. Serena was hopeless. She loved playing matchmaker and it was partially her fault that Melvin liked Molly. “I’m sorry Melvin,” Molly said aloud to herself. She pulled the red ribbon from her brown hair and changed into her pyjamas. ‘All I need is a little time before I can fall in love again,’ she thought as she climbed into bed.

“Goodnight Molly,” her mother called from outside the door.

“Goodnight Mama,” Molly called back. She laid her head on her pillow and closed her eyes. ‘I will love again...’

---

Molly dragged herself out of bed the next morning. She was dead tired. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop herself from dreaming about Nephlite. All her memories of him were still vivid and they were influencing her dreams. She sat down at the table for breakfast.

“Oh Molly! You look so tired! Is something wrong? Are you sick?” her mother asked worriedly. Molly looked at her mother. She wanted so much to say yes and to crawl back into bed, but she couldn’t. Her school attendance was already bad enough. She had been to school twice since his death. She even promised Serena and Melvin that she would start going to school again so they wouldn’t be worried.

“No Mama, I’m fine,” she lied. Her heart felt like it had been cut to pieces. Nephlite had been an evil man, but that didn’t matter to Molly. Her love was unconditional. She hadn’t even minded that he had lied to her so much. She knew he didn’t have any feelings for her to the very end and that stuck with her. If he hadn’t died he would love her right now and she would love him.

“You should get dressed while I make you some breakfast,” her mother told her.

“Yes Mama,” Molly said and obediently went back up to her room. She grabbed a clean school uniform and started to dress. “I hope Melvin’s arm has finally healed,” she said absently, smiling a little. Melvin had protected her from the person who had killed Nephlite.

Before she started going back to school, Serena and Melvin had taken her out to cheer her up. They had somehow made their way to a cemetery. Molly left her friends without them noticing and had wandered off on her own. She found a priest and decided to talk with him about Nephlite. Zoicite showed up and had Nephlite’s Black Crystal. Molly tried to take it from the orange haired general but she couldn’t get it. Zoicite was going to attack her and Melvin had pushed her out of the way.

“My love for Nephlite got him killed and it almost got me killed too,” she murmured as she folded up her pyjamas.

“Molly! Your breakfast is ready!” her mother yelled from the kitchen.

“Coming Mama!” Molly yelled back and ran downstairs.

---

“Tuxedo Melvin?” Serena choked. She knew she had told Melvin that he should act like Tuxedo Mask, but he had taken it a little too seriously. She and Molly had just been walking when a dog barked at them. Melvin jumped out, dressed like Tuxedo Mask, and was going to attack it with a hammer. Fortunately for the dog, the owner attacked Melvin. Now Molly and Serena were standing over Melvin, who was lying on the ground.

“Melvin, you’re such a dork,” Molly frowned.

“I just wanted to protect you!” he whined as he rubbed his head. Molly blinked a few times.

“C’mon Serena, let’s go to the arcade,” she said finally and dragged Serena away. Serena just looked at Melvin and frowned. She would have to try harder to set them up. It was deathly obvious Melvin liked Molly and Serena knew that Molly was starting to fall for Melvin.

“You didn’t have to be so harsh with Melvin,” the blonde spoke up. Molly just glared at her friend.

“You put him up to that, didn’t you?” the brunette demanded.

“No! Why would I do that?” Serena laughed nervously. Molly sighed and shook her head.

“You’re hopeless Serena,” she mumbled. The two girls were about to enter the arcade when Tuxedo Melvin threw himself on the ground in front of them.

“You’ll have to walk over me if you want to go in there! You both should go home and do homework!” he exclaimed. Molly grinned and looked at Serena, who was also grinning.

“If you insist Melvin!” the laughed and stepped all over his back. Melvin yelped in pain as the girls stepped through the sliding doors of the arcade.

“Hey Serena!” Andrew waved from behind the counter.

“Hi Andrew!” Serena waved with hearts in her eyes. Andrew smiled at her and held up two tickets. Molly watched in amusement as Serena babbled to the older man that she would love to go on a date with him. She laughed when Andrew ignored her insane rambles.

“These are tickets for the Redman show. I’m too old for it, so I thought you girls would like them,” he told her. Serena fell over in shock.

“We’re too old for Redman shows too,” Molly spoke up. Serena quickly jumped up.

“We’ll take them!” she exclaimed and snatched the tickets from Andrew. The blonde turned to her friend. “You can take Melvin!” she said and shoved the tickets in Molly’s hand.

“What? Serena, no!” she started to protest.

“I would be honoured to go with you Molly!” Melvin exclaimed. Molly’s eye twitched.

“Okay Melvin,” she conceded. Melvin cheered and ran off. ‘Please Nephlite, help me endure this!’ she prayed. After a few minutes, she smiled. ‘Maybe this is just what I need to start loving again. Please give me strength to move on Nephlite!’

---

Molly watched in horror as the now possessed Redman pounded Tuxedo Melvin into the ground. She knew that Zoicite was behind this. She had seen the orange haired general in the crowd. ‘Melvin! He’ll get hurt like Nephlite!’ thought and ran to help him.

“Melvin!” she cried.

“Molly, run!” Tuxedo Melvin yelled. Redman turned to the brunette and threw a marimo ball at her. The green mossy ball encompassed Molly and started to grow around her. She closed her eyes as she started to run out of air. Memories of Nephlite flew through her mind. She felt herself being transported back to the scene of his death.

---

Nephlite pushed Molly out of the way as Zoicite’s monster shot her energy draining thorns at them. Nephlite growled as they pierced him through the chest. Molly watched in horror as he fell to the ground.

“Nephlite!” she cried.

“Those thorns will suck the life out of you!” the monster told them. “Give us the Black Crystal if you want her to live!”

“Very well,” conceded Nephlite. “Hurry, run!” he told Molly.

“No!” Molly said defiantly.

“Run!”

“No! No!” Molly cried and ran to the brown haired man.

“Idiot! Run!” Nephlite exclaimed and pushed her away.

“No!” Molly cried and grabbed the thorns. She started pulling with all her might. Nephlite watched in awe as the young girl risked her own life to save his. He wouldn’t let her die.

“Hurry! Hurry up and run!” he pleaded. “That’s enough, it’s okay!” Molly ignored him and kept pulling on the thorns. The two she was pulling started to loosen and move. “What!” he gasped. The monsters were shocked as well. Tears were welling in Molly’s eyes.

“Nephlite, please don’t die!” she cried. One of the monsters attacked them and Nephlite quickly got them out of the way.

“Are you okay?” Nephlite asked her when the smoke from the attack cleared. He collapsed just as Zoicite and the Sailor Scouts appeared. The Sailor Scouts turned the monsters into moon dust. Molly cradled Nephlite in her arms. Nephlite placed his hand over Molly’s and looked up at her, smiling softly.

“I’m sorry. I don’t think we’ll get to eat a chocolate parfait together,” he told her. Molly held his hand to her face as he slowly died. “I’m glad I met you,” he whispered.

“Nephlite!” Molly cried as Nephlite’s body started to vanish. She cried her heart out with the Sailor Scouts watching on. “This... this isn’t fair! Nephlite!” she cried.

---

‘Melvin...’ Molly thought as she felt her life start slipping away from her. Before she took her last breath, the marimo ball vanished and her body gently fell to the ground.

---

“I had a wonderful time tonight Melvin,” Molly said as she and Melvin walked back to her home. It had been a week since the Redman show. She and Melvin had finally started dating. She realized that Nephlite wouldn’t want her to waste her life crying over him. She quietly took Melvin’s hand in her own and walked closer to him.

“Really Molly?” he asked her.

“Yes Melvin,” she nodded. Melvin blushed softly and gently squeezed her hand.

“I’m glad you’re not sad anymore. You look much prettier when you’re happy,” he said shyly. Molly blushed softly.

“I’m glad you’re not Tuxedo Melvin anymore. That was really dorky,” she laughed. Melvin laughed with her.

“That was all Serena’s idea!” he told her.

“I know,” Molly laughed. She was glad that she was learning how to love again. Melvin was a wonderful guy even if he was a computer geek. There was a lot more to him than people knew and she was glad that he chose her. She was glad he was by her side and in her life. She would do anything for him and she knew he would do anything for her.

“Here we are,” he said when they stopped in front of her house.

“Thank you for walking me home,” Molly thanked him. Melvin grinned.

“You’re welcome Molly!” he told her and kissed her on the cheek.

---

Molly smiled as she shut her door. She couldn’t help but laugh. Melvin was probably still standing there, blushing madly. She had really surprised him when she kissed him. She went up to her room and changed into her pyjamas.

“Molly, is that you?” her mother called. Molly stuck her head out the door.

“Yes Mama, it’s me!”

“Did you have a good time?” her mother asked, coming upstairs.

“Yes Mama,” answered Molly.

“I’m glad you’re finally over that Maxfield Stanton person. He was too old for you,” her mother said. Molly’s smile vanished for a moment then returned.

“I’m tired Mama, so I’m going to go to bed. Goodnight,” Molly said and shut her door.

“Goodnight Molly,” her mother walked away. Molly slipped into her pyjamas.

“I may seem over him, but you never get over your first love Mama,” she said softly. Molly climbed into bed. She knew she wouldn’t be fully over Nephlite for a long time. She was glad that Melvin understood and she was glad that he wanted to stay by her side and wait. ‘The loss of your first love cuts like a knife,’ she thought as she pulled the covers over her body and laid her head against the pillows. She closed her eyes and as she drifted into sleep a voice in her head murmured, ‘I will love again.’