Cassie rolled over and covered her head with a pillow, vainly trying to muffle the sounds of her father's off-key singing.

"Always when he's cooking," she muttered, flinging the pillow across the room in frustration. With a sigh, she pulled herself out of bed and stretched. The smell of her dad's famous blueberry waffles drifted up the stairs, accompanying the tone deaf strains of "Livin' La Vida Loca."

"Couldn't he at least pick a different song?" Cassie continued to grumble as she gathered her clothing and headed for the shower.

As if on cue, the Ricky Martin song on the radio ended, and her father immediately switched songs as well. Whimpering, Cassie pulled the bathroom door shut to filter out her dad's version of "Mambo #5."

*Ohhhh, it's gonna be a long day...* she thought humorlessly.

Showered and dressed, Cassie made her way downstairs. Her father was already seated at the table, munching contentedly on a stack of blueberry waffles and trying not to spill his coffee on the morning paper. Cassie dropped a kiss on the top of his head as she passed, relieved to note that his musical theatrics had subsided into soft hums. As she sat down beside him, he looked up and smiled at her.

"Morning, princess. Sleep well?"

Cassie made a face. "Yup -- but we gotta talk about these wake-up calls of yours, Dad."

He swatted at her playfully. "Gotta exercise my voice. If I don't use it, I lose it."

"Too late," she quipped, helping herself to some sausage and waffles. They bantered back and forth as they ate, finally drifting into a comfortable silence.

A knock on the door drew their attention, and Cassie stood up first. Still drinking her orange juice, she answered the door and let Peter in.

"Hello, Mr. Starr."

"Hi, kiddo. Pull up a chair, I made waffles." Cassie's father had accepted Peter and the rest of his daughter's friends without question. It was a little weird -- a grown up who acted more like one of the kids.

"No, thanks, I've eaten. I just came by to see if Cass wanted to go to the lake with us. Serena's parents are driving us all out this afternoon." As he spoke, Peter sat down next to Cassie to wait for her.

" 'Sfine with me, princess. Dunno why Peter wants to be stuck with six girls in swimsuits, though -- it might make him nauseous. I hope Darien's going along, for your sake, Pete."

Peter managed to keep a straight face. "You do realize, sir, that you're the only person I let call me that."

Seth Starr grinned. "Of course. Just like you're the only one who can get away with calling my daughter 'Cass.'" With a roguish wink, Cassie's father stood up, draining his coffee quickly. "Just be back by dark, okay, Cassie?"

She nodded, and he rumpled her red-gold hair affectionately. Whistling an indeterminable tune, he grabbed his battered briefcase and set off for work.

Cassie let out a relieved sigh as soon as the door closed behind him. "Good Lord, he's hyper this morning. I wish he'd stop with this 'princess' stuff, it makes me nervous." She rolled her eyes good naturedly.

Peter laughed. "He's always hyper, it seems. Your dad's pretty cool, Cass, don't knock it." He stood up and pulled her to her feet as well. "C'mon, grab your stuff. I think the girls want a senshi meeting before we head to the lake."

Peter and Cassie left her house an hour later. They ambled toward Serena's house, in no hurry to join the others.

Mistaking Cassie's contented silence for discomfort, Peter attempted to draw her out and make her laugh. He offered up a largely fictitious account of his first dew days in Tokyo, complete with a mangled Japanese accent.

Cassie giggled as he explained meeting Darien, throwing in quite a few witty remarks on his part. Finally, she reached up and smacked him lightly on the back of the head.

"You're just fudging, now. I was there when Darien told us all how he met you, and you weren't nearly that charming in his version."

Peter looked offended. "You don't believe me? I'm hurt, Cass. I happen to be oozing charm -- it compliments my rugged good looks."

Cassie stifled a squeal of indignant laughter. "Sure, and it offers a stunning alternative to that ego of yours."

Peter chuckled, his blue eyes sparkling with humor. In mock fury, he caught Cassie around the waist and pulled her to his side possessively. Ignoring her startled cry, he stuck his nose in the air pompously. "If I were a bit more humble, I'd be perfect."

He glanced down at Cassie and winked playfully. She laughed, and to his surprise, looped her own arm around his waist as well.

Stunned, Peter blinked down at her and caught the mischievious twinkle in her brilliant green eyes. He decided not to question the action, but instead fell silent, marvelling at the girl on his arm.

Cassie and Peter neared Serena's house a few minutes later. As they started up the path, Peter narrowly avoided a head-on collision with Lita.

"There you are," Lita exclaimed breathlessly. "We were getting worried." She paused and looked at them strangely; it took Cassie a moment to realize that she and Peter still had their arms locked around each other.

Blushing furiously, Cassie disengaged herself, trying desperately to ignore the amused twitching at the corners of Peter's mouth.

Lita shook her head and winked conspiratorially, a huge grin suffusing her pretty face. "Don't worry, your secret's safe with me," Lita chuckled. "Don't expect Serena or Mina to be so understanding, though."

Peter, for his part, positively gloried in the look of guilty mortification on Cassie's face. *This looks promising...* he thought contentedly.

Lita led them quickly into the house, where the other girls were waiting, along with Darien. Cassie noticed Lita sharing a grin and a wink with Amy, but dismissed it self consciously.

Luna hopped up onto a low table and flicked her tail impatiently. "All right, now that we're all here, we can get started." She turned to focus on Cassie and Peter. "We've all heard about what happened earlier this week -- have there been any new developments?"

Peter struggled to keep a straight face as Cassie shot him a warning glare. "Nope," she answered. "It's been really quiet lately, almost boring. I'm not even having nightmares anymore."

"Nightmares?" Peter repeated, narrowing his eyes at her accusingly. "You didn't mention that."

"That's because I didn't think it was important. I told Raye about it weeks ago. She did a fire reading, and got the same images I kept seeing: four beams of light, all different colors, surrounding this purple mist... and that guy, the one we saw together the other day." Cassie shuddered at the memory of the shared vision. "He frightens me, and I don't know why. And..." Cassie trailed off, turning pink with embarrasment. She glanced up at Peter. "And you're always there. But -- different, somehow."

Peter nodded thoughtfully. "Flashbacks, not dreams. Your memories have been trying to resurface while you sleep, when you're least likely to fight them."

"Then why have they stopped?" Cassie replied anxiously. "How come I'm not dreaming anymore?"

Peter shrugged. "Beats me. I've never done this before, your guess is as good as mine." His casual response made Cassie relax slightly, and she stared at the floor without speaking.

Mina jumped up suddenly. "This is depressing, you guys. Come on -- let's go to the lake. I need some sun."

Serena quickly echoed the statement, and the group followed the two bubbly blondes gladly, welcoming a distraction fron the puzzle of the Elementals.

Later that night, a much more relaxed group of senshi returned to Serena's house. They were calling out their goodbyes when Cassie suddenly cried out in pain.

Peter was at her side in an instant, gathering her into a comforting embrace. "What's wrong, Cass?" he murmured.

"He's here, he's here," she rasped hoarsely. "He's come for me himself..." Cassie buried her face in Peter's shoulder, shaking uncontrollably.

Peter held her tighter and looked up at the others grimly. "Looks like you're about to get some answers. Apparently, Spirit isn't too pleased with his Elementals' tactics -- he's taking matters into his own hands."

Amy recovered first. "So, what do you need us to do?" she asked quietly. When Peter turned his head to stare at her, she smiled softly. "Well, you're the one who best understands the situation. I think your advice is the most reliable at the moment."

Peter nodded swiftly and eyed the girls. "I'm not leaving Cass alone, and I think it's safe to assume that he's coming after her. We should probably meet him on our own terms -- which means we act first. Mercury, Jupiter, Mars, here's what I need you to do..."

The group listened closely as Peter began to bark orders.

Midnight. How appropriate.

The dark figure materialized near Tokyo Tower. Soundlessly, he flitted through the streets, passing from shadow to shadow effortlessly.

*She knows I'm here,* he thought, unconcerned. *Too bad she can't do anything to protect herself...*

He paused as he passed an alleyway that led to one of Tokyo's open air markets. With a flash of too-white teeth, the figure slipped through, muttering gleefully to himself.

He stopped abruptly as the shadows ended. The main square of the marketplace was flooded with light; four large spotlights sat in each corner of the square, all trained on a single figure.

A second look -- no, make that a pair of figures. A tall, blue-eyed young man with tousled brown hair supported a smaller figure: a frightened girl. The girl's green eyes looked haunted.

"We know you're there, Spirit!" Peter called. "Did you honestly think you could come without Cassiopeia's knowledge? Your link is a double-edged sword -- it can be used to track you just as easily as you use it to track her."

With an incoherent growl, the dark figure stepped from the shadows, and Cassie got her first unobstructed view of the man who had hunted her for a thousand years.

He was taller than Peter, so the top of Cassie's head would only reach his chin. Dark, angular features were framed by an unkempt tangle of greasy black hair. His eyed flashed blood-red, and his lips were pulled back in a mirthless grin, baring his teeth.

"Hello, my princess," he growled, his voice deep and gravelly.

Cassie stared at him, transfixed. His presence was overpowering, almost as if he could smother any resistance to his will with a glance. She struggled to keep her thoughts clear.

"It wasn't this bad last time we met," Cassie whispered, so softly that only Peter could hear. She was locked in a dreamlike state, simply staring at the man before here. "He was charming, and tried to persuade me. Now he's trying to crush my will with his."

Cassie fought harder, and Spirit suddenly turned his red eyes on Peter. "Why don't you let me have a little chat with the Empress-Heir, good sir? Do you honestly fear for her safety?"

Peter now faced the full force of Spirit's smothering gaze, and he faltered. "I won't let you hurt her. Her will is her own, and she does not love you."

Spirit laughed. "Oh really? And who said love had anything to do with it?" He held out his hand, palm forward, toward Peter, and a purple beam of energy smashed into the younger man.

Peter groaned, and his legs buckled beneath him. The band of purple energy enveloped him, and deposited his limp form some distance away.

"My, my, isn't this familiar?" Spirit chuckled, circling Cassie slowly. "Alone in the middle of nowhere, not even your beloved prince at your side -- ring any bells, princess? None at all? It's a shame, I suppose -- I remember you quite vividly."

Tears coursed down Cassie's cheeks as she struggled to speak. "I-- I won't surrender. I'm not alone this time. I still have my friends."

"Friends!" Spirit snorted. "Those pathetic sailor senshi? And just where are your friends now, princess?"

"Funny you should ask that..." Jupiter's voice echoed throughout the square. "We were wondering the same thing about your little Elemental toadies."

Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Venus each stepped out from behind a spotlight. Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon crept out of the shadows flanking the entrance to the square -- Spirit was surrounded.

Spirit laughed, delighted. "Now this is a surprise! My Elementals will be so pleased -- they really have developed quite a hatred for you girls." He snapped his fingers peremptorily.

The four Elementals appeared, ringing Spirit and Cassie. Their master grinned maliciously. "Play nice, now, children. Princess Cassiopeia and I have things to dicuss."

The Elementals attacked, and the square erupted into chaos. Marine channeled geysers of water directly at Mercury and Moon, Blaze tried to set Mars' hair on fire, Terra lashed out at Venus and Tuxedo Mask with pillars of solid rock, and Breeze grappled hand to hand with the formidable Sailor Jupiter.

In the middle of it all, Peter lay perfectly motionless, unconsious, and Spirit grabbed Cassie by the wrists and pulled her toward him.

"Join me, princess, and maybe I'll let them live."

"No..." Cassie gasped, her face pale. "Leave me alone -- what do you want from me!?"

"The same thing I've always wanted," he purred. "Your body -- your mind -- and most of all, your spirit." He laughed gratingly. "And the Sapphire, of course. Let's start with that, shall we?"

A flash of searing white light slammed into Spirit from behind. Eyes wide with shock, he whirled to face his attacker, holding Cassie in front of him as a human shield.

Peter's sapphire blue eyes were dark with fury, and his hands danced with the same white fire. "You know that's not going to save you," he remarked dangerously, nodding slightly to Cassie shielding his target. "You must have heard of heartfire before, and you should know what it does."

"Oh really? Remind me." Spirit was still badly shaken by the attack, and he was stalling for time.

"Let her go; she isn't protecting you. My heartfire won't touch her, but it will eat you alive."

"And how do you expect me to believe that?" Spirit spat. "If you attack me, the princess is as good as dead, and from your own blast."

"Damn you, Spirit, you're not stupid. My heartfire is as much a part of her as it is of me. The physical manifestation of a heart-bond never burns the bonded." Peter's eyes drifted of their own accord to Cassie, and his voice softened. "Cassiopeia and I are bonded, and I could kill you without harming a hair on her head."

Spirit blinked. "Heart-bonds only form between pure spirits," he whispered. "But you--"

White heartfire darted from Peter's fingers, weaving around Cassie until it latched onto Spirit. He writhed in agony and released Cassie, who crumpled to the ground in shock. She managed to crawl a few feet away and looked back at the sight in awe. Peter was standing over Spirit now.

"You've always been blinded by Cassiopeia's pure spirit, haven't you? I've told you before: hers is not the only pure spirit in the universe. There are others."

Spirit stared at Peter in horror, his lips moving soundlessly. The heartfire dissipated suddenly, and Spirit curled into a ball.

"Leave this place, Dark One," Peter warned. "Your search for pure spirits will lead you elsewhere."

"I -- don't -- want -- just -- any -- pure -- spirit --" the dark haired man muttered through clenched teeth. "I want -- HERS!"

And the world exploded around him.

Peter was moving before Spirit even finished speaking, and he threw himself over Cassie, shielding her with his own body.

The fighting around the three figures stopped abruptly. The four Elementals vanished without a word, and Spirit stood over the prone forms of Peter and Cassie triumphantly.

"Embrace your death, young prince. Then you won't have to watch me take her away from you." And with those words, Spirit disappeared as well.

The senshi staggered to the center of the square, all of them wounded in some way. Jupiter's ponytail had fallen, and she and Venus both nursed their arms. Mercury was limping slightly, as was Tuxedo Mask, and Mars was covered from head to foot with minor burns. Sailor Moon's face and arms were smeared with the blood of countless small cuts and slashes.

"Oh, are they okay?" Sailor Moon asked, hysterical.

Jupiter managed to roll Peter off Cassie and onto his back, and Mercury cradled Cassie's head lightly. The red-haired girl groaned and blinked up at Mercury, waving a hand to show that she was fine.

"Peter, you witless moron, wake up!" Jupiter was raging at the young man's pale form. She looked up at Mercury, tears in her eyes. "Something's wrong, he's not responding."

Cassie shot straight up, eyes wide with disbelief. "No!" she cried, choking. "You're not leaving me here alone, not after the sword, not after the heartfire! Fight, Peter, I can't do this without you..."

Peter's ragged breathing faltered, and with an ominous rattle, stopped altogether.

"NO!!"

Cassie's anguished howl was punctuated with a brilliant starburst of blue and silver. The Star Sapphire was in her hands, color swirling over its surface. The eerie silver-blue glow lit up Cassie's face, her features set in despair and resolution.

A whispered chanting filled the air, voice upon disembodied voice weaving together, sifting among the group. Cassie's voice joined them, whispering softly, pleadingly.

"Sapphire of the Stars..."

"Destroyer of ambition..."

"Defender of true brotherhood..."

"Hear me..."

"Aishiteru, Peter -- my Xander..."

A strangled gasp tore itself from Peter's throat, and his blue eyes shot open, instantly focusing on Cassie.

The other senshi stepped back, awed. Even the Silver Crystal had never given such a spectacular performance, and they sensed that something earth-shattering had just occurred.

Cassie helped Peter sit up and cradled his head on her chest, crying softly. Peter gulped in huge breaths of air, and his eyes filled with unshed tears, as he heard the very words he had missed so desperately tear themselves from Cassie's lips.

"Aishiteru -- I love you... Xander..."

"Aishiteru, Cassiopeia. Always."