Konnichi wa, minna-chan! Here's the third story in my "Usagi and Mamoru's Love" series, with the previous being "Blossomings" followed by "Surprises." This story, "Childbirth," consists of only this one part, being a short one. On the advice of my buddy Shana, I'll say NOW that this story shows Mamoru in a very unlikely personality mode. This was done on purpose, just to explore what he would be like in this situation. You may hate him like that, you may love him like that, but the bottom line is I KNOW Mamoru doesn't usually act the way he does in this story, but I just did it for a change. Enjoy! -Lianne (LianneSen@aol.com) *Usagi and Mamoru's Love: Childbirth* Usagi's eyes popped open. She put her hands on her round, pregnant stomach and bit her lip. She knew it. Without a doubt in her mind. She turned her head slightly to see Mamoru. He was fast asleep at her side, his arm draped over her and his face buried in her hair. She squirmed as gently as she could and took his shoulders, shaking him gently."Sweetie! Honey, wake up!" "Mmmmmm?" He blinked tiredly. "Wassa matter, baby?" "Mamo-chan! We gotta get up! The baby's coming!" He shot up, eyes huge. "Nani?! NOW?!" Usagi nodded quickly. "Hai. I know it is. We gotta go to the hospital." Mamoru covered his mouth. "Oh God. The...the car...we gotta... where's your stuff?" he asked quickly. "In the trunk, sweetheart. We just need to go." "Uh...hai. Hai." He looked around. "Um, lemme get you something... to wear...oh God..." He tried to get out of the bed, but only managed to fall out. Usagi got up quickly, holding her stomach carefully. "Sweetie, please hurry. It's...it's coming..." Mamoru ran to her and grabbed her shoulders. "Don't worry, Usako. We'll get you there. Just don't panic!" "I'M the one that's panicking?" Usagi cocked an eyebrow as Mamoru ran to the closet and started throwing various articles of clothing behind him like a dog kicking up dirt while digging a hole. Usagi started to groan painfully and cry out as she felt another contraction coming. Mamoru ran to her, some indistinguishable clothing clutched in his hand. "Usako! Are you O.K.?!" "It's...a contraction..." She bit her lip. He threw his arms around her and held her tightly. "Don't worry, baby," he said quickly. "Just be strong." "Mmmmmppphhhh. Maao-chnnn. A cnnt brithe." He immideately let go. "Oh. Gomen." He shook out the cothing he held. It was one of Usagi's simple maternity dresses. He began to unbutton her nightgown. "Don't worry, honey," he mumbled. "I'll get you dressed..." His hands were shaking so badly he couldn't manage to unbutton more than a few, and he fumbled with them desperately. Usagi put her cool hands over his. "Mamo-chan. Sweetheart. Calm down. I can do it. Just get dressed." "Uh...right. Right. I'll...get dressed." He started to run back to the closet. Usagi rolled her eyes as he tripped again and fell flat on the floor. "Oh, Mamo-chan..." ************************ Usagi screamed and covered her eyes with her arms. Mamoru jerked the wheel of the car and got back on the correct portion of the road as another driver honked loudly at him. "Gomen nasai," he breathed quickly. "Mamo-chan! You're driving like a maniac!" Usagi jerked her head at him. "Just CALM DOWN! You can't drive like this!" "I...know...baby, I'm sorry..." Usagi rolled her eyes and sat farther back in her seat. "If I'd a know you'd be THIS high-strung I woulda driven myself." She looked out at the dark road, and her eyes shot open. "MAMO-CHAN!!!! WATCH OUT!!!" Mamoru slammed the wheel to the side as a car squeeled by them in a screeching of tires. He jerked the wheel to straighten the car out. "MAMO-CHAN!" she yelled at him. "YOU'RE DRIVING ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!" "Shimatta," he mumbled with wide eyes as he screeched the car onto the right side of the road as another car narrowly missed a head-on collision with them. It's horn honked at them as Mamoru's hands shook on the wheel. "Oh God," he mumbled. "Oh God oh God oh God..." "Baby," Usagi asked him. "What're you so nervous about? YOU'RE not the one having the baby!" Mamoru ran a hand through his hair nervously. "I...I'm sorry sweetheart. It's just...I'm so nervous...I...I'm gonna be...a daddy..." Usagi's eyes softened. "Oh, sweetie..." She leaned over gently and softly kissed him on the cheek. "Don't be. Being a daddy's one of the greatest things in the world. Unfortunately, you WON'T be a daddy if you crash the car and kill us all." "I...know..." She placed a gentle hand over his on the wheel. "Calm down, baby. Everything's gonna be fine." Mamoru took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He turned to her and smiled. "Usako," he said. "I'm so lucky to have you." "Mmmmhmmm. Watch the road." "Oh. Uh...right." Mamoru's blue eyes focused on the dark road as he turned the upcoming left turn. Usagi suddenly cried out. "Usako?!" he exclaimed, trying to keep his eyes on her and the road at the same time. "What's wrong?!" "Just...a...contraction," she said through clenched teeth. "It's...O.K...." She took in deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. "Just... get to...the hospital..." "Oh, God..." Mamoru bit his lip worriedly. His eyes were blinking rapidly as he looked strenuously for the right turn to get to the hospital. He was looking so hard he started to wander into the next lane, and nearly crashed into another car that was switching back to the lane. The tires on their car squeeled as Mamoru jerked it back. "Mamo-chan!" Usagi yelled angrily. "Gomen, Usako..." ****************************** Mamoru ran to the front desk, accidently sliding forward on the tiled surface and ramming into it rather roughly. The nurse behind it blinked. "Uh...sir? Can I help you?" "Uh...hai." Mamoru said quickly, making motions behind him. "Mmwffeshavnabbyy...shshavnnhrrscnntrctins...shhhddemmm innacrrrhrrr..." "Sir..." the nurse said gently while putting down her clipboard. "I'm afraid you'll need to speak more slowly; I can't understand you." Mamoru took a deep breath. "My wife's having a baby," he said shakily. "She's having her contractions...she had them in the car here..." "All right then." She pulled out another clipboard from under her desk and pulled a pencil from behind her ear. "I'll need your name." "Chiba Mamoru." he said quickly. "My wife's name's Usagi." "Usagi," the nurse hummed. "Cute name." The nurse set the board down and picked up a phone. "Please sit in the waiting section. A doctor will be with you shortly." "Arigato." Mamoru quickly ran back to where he had left Usagi sitting in the waiting section, sliding on the tiles again as he did so. He stumbled to keep his balance. Usagi, breathing heavily, looked up through half-closed eyes. "Mamo-chan?" Mamoru dropped to his knees in front of her worriedly and took her hands in his. "Are you O.K., Usako?" Usagi nodded with half-closed eyes. "Hai. I'm...O.K.," she breathed. "Did you...get a doctor?" "He'll be around in a minute." Mamoru brought her hands to his lips. "You makin out O.K.?" She nodded, and he took her face in his hand. "Don't worry, baby," he said quickly. "Everything's gonna be fine. The baby'll be no sweat, K? And then you'll get to show off to all the girls that you were the first one to give birth." Usagi managed a weak smile, and Mamoru kissed her gently. Usagi put her hand around his neck and pulled him closer, trying to keep him close to calm herself. She suddenly broke away and made a stifled cry as she held her stomach. "Usako," Mamoru asked worriedly. "Another contraction?" She nodded as she bit her lip with closed eyes. A man with a wheelchair came up. "Chiba Usagi?" Mamoru nodded and turned to Usagi. "Sweetie, the doctor's ready to take you. Let's get you into the wheelchair, all right?" Usagi nodded painfully as Mamoru gently helped her in the chair. She breathed heavily as she leaned back in it. Mamoru went to the man. "Can I come with you?" "You the husband?" Mamoru nodded. "You got a few more immideate things to fill out at the front desk, but you can come right after that. Shouldn't take you more than a few minutes. We're taking her to room 546, so you can join us there." Mamoru nodded. "Arigato." He squatted down to be at eye level with Usagi. "Usako, they're gonna take you to the room, O.K.? I'm gonna go up there in a few minutes. You gonna be all right?" Usagi nodded, biting her lip. He took her hands. "Be strong, baby." He quickly kissed her, then the man started to wheel her away. Usagi held Mamoru's hand, tracing her fingertips across his until she no longer could. "Come soon, Mamo-chan," she called. ******************************** Usagi yelled in pain, holding her stomach with her eyes squinched shut. "It's OK, Chiba-san," the female doctor said, putting an arm around Usagi's back. "You're doing fantastic. This contraction is almost over, all right?" Usagi nodded. After another moment of huffing and yelling, she relaxed slightly. "Done?" the doctor asked. Usagi nodded quickly, her head bobbing up and down shakily. "Hai." "Usako?" The door opened slightly, and Mamoru slipped in. Usagi held out her arms. "Mamo-chan!" Mamoru went to her and hugged her tightly as she buried her face in his shirt, clutching it around his back with both hands. The doctor stood up. "Mr. Chiba, your wife is doing very well. Her contractions are right on schedule, and everything's going like clockwork." "Thank God," Mamoru breathed. "In fact," the doctor continued, "I don't think she's going to be in labor very long, which is a stroke of luck. Some women go into labor for days before the baby is born, but I think your child will be born in a few hours at most." "Really?" Mamoru asked. The doctor nodded. "Usako, that's great," he said into her hair. The doctor stood up. "We have a very brief break until the next contraction, so I'll leave you two alone until then." She exited the room. "Mmmmmmm..." Usagi moaned sadly in Mamoru's embrace. "Mamo-chan...it...it's hard..." Mamoru held her tighter. "I know, baby. You're so brave, Usako. You're so strong to do this." He stroked her hair softly, whispering into her ear. "Usako...my sweet Usako...I'll hold you in my arms forever...just stay with me until the stars die...never stray far from my embace...never leave my arms...my beautiful Usako..." Usagi closed her eyes sadly as she let him whisper in her ear to calm her. She sometimes just needed to hear his soft words to keep herself from going into panic. She closed her eyes as she lost herself in his soft shirt. Her breathing slowed down again, and her heart stopped pumping as hard. "Mamo-chan..." she whispered. "I...love you..." He kissed her cheek softly. "I love you," he whispered back. "Be strong, my Usako. You've beaten so much more than this." "Mmmmm..." Usagi breathed him in, relaxing in his arms. "I love you..." Mamoru held her gently, closing his eyes. They were a lost a minute in their mutual affection, forgetting all that was around them. But a minute later, the doctor came back in. "Usagi-san?" Usagi looked up fearfully. "H...hai." She went up behind her. "The contractions are gonna start any minute now, OK? Get ready." Usagi bit her lip fearfully, nodding shakily. Mamoru pulled away slowly as Usagi started to breathe hard again at the arrival of another contraction. "Mamo-chan...!" Mamoru held her from the side so as not to hinder her. Usagi clutched at him as she started to cry out. He hugged her tightly. "Usako, be brave!" he whispered in her ear. Usagi looked over at him, then smiled shakily, trying to cover up the pain on her fair face as she worked on her practiced breathing. "I will be," she breathed, her voice strained. "For you." ************************ An hour had passed, and the baby was almost ready. The doctor was pleased with how Usagi was holding up - the woman physition had thought - but she was worried about Usagi's husband. He was looking VERY pale. "Mr. Chiba?" she asked as Usagi was bearing herself for the birth. "Are you all right?" Mamoru hugged Usagi's arm tightly, his arms white. "No." Usagi looked over at him as she breathed heavily. "Baby, calm down. It's gonna...be all right." Mamoru started to shake as he squeezed her arm tighter. Usagi made a slight expression of discomfort. "Usako," he stuttered. "I...I can't...stand up... to this..." "You?" Usagi looked at him shakily, trying to make as much of a smirk as she could manage. "You, who so often has told me to be strong, who has never lost his cool, who has always been the master of the situation and could handle everything, no matter how intense?" Mamoru closed his eyes as he squeezed her. "But I'm gonna be a DADDY!" he cried. "What if I'm not READY?!" Usagi made a hoarse laugh as she traced a finger down his cheek, at the same time trying to indescreetly loosen his vise-like grip on her arm. "Sweetie, of COURSE you're ready. You've been ready for years." He looked at her, eyes quivering. "Usako..." She kissed him softly and full of care, holding his face with a gentle hand. She seperated from him and pressed her forehead against his. "Be strong, baby," she whispered with a smile. Mamoru looked down. "Usako," he whispered fearfully. "I...I'm the most scared I've ever been in my entire life. I...I've never faced something I was so unsure I could handle. I'm...I'm really scared..." "Never fear something you know you can handle," Usagi whispered back. "I know you can. YOU know you can." He started to shake. "But I -" "You can." Usagi cut him off, firmly but gently. He looked up at her sweat-glinted, smiling face, her blue eyes soft and full of love. He smiled back shakily. "Usako..." he whispered. "I love you so much..." Usagi smiled once more before she started to breathe heavily. She braced herself as the doctor took her hand. "All right, Usagi-san, we're gonna push on the contractions this time, OK? That baby of yours is ready to come out." Usagi nodded quickly as she started to huff. The doctor got in a ready position. "All right, Usagi-san...get ready. Mr. Chiba, please stop squeezing the circulation out of her arm. Ready...PUSH!" Usagi screamed as she started to push with all the strength she had. Mamoru cried out and threw his arms around her head, eyes squinched shut and hugging her for dear life. "MAMO-CHAN!" Usagi screamed. "GET OFF!!!!!" "Keep going, Usagi-san!" the doctor called encouragingly as she smiled. "It's coming!" Usagi screamed again as she pushed, Mamoru's arms blocking out her vision and half her face. "MAMO-CHAN!! STOP IT!!!" Mamoru's arms immideately let go, only to grab her around the arm again, squeezing so hard she could hardly feel it. Usagi tried to ignore the pain he was causing as she continued to push. She screamed, using it to help her put all effort she could muster from within her tired body to get the baby out. She kept her eyes closed, all of her strength focused on the birth. She pushed as hard as she could, and a moment later, the doctor laughed. She looked down at a small bundle in her arms. "Congratulations, Usagi-san! It's a girl!" Usagi fell back against the headboard of the bed, breathing heavily as she smiled shakily. "The...the baby! Oh, Mamo-chan, LOOK!" She laughed hoarsly, shaking him weakly with a free arm. "Mamo-chan, look! You're a daddy!" Mamoru's eyes were squinched shut. One blue eye slowly and hesitantly opened. The doctor held the baby towards him. "Congratulations, Chiba-san," the doctor said with a smile. Mamoru's other eye opened, and his grip on Usagi's arm slowly loosened. He couldn't keep his eyes off the baby. He chuckled nervously, his body shaking madly. "Our daughter," he choked. "We...we have...a daughter..." He collapsed in a dead faint to the floor. The doctor looked down at him with wide eyes. "Oh, goodness." Usagi slapped a hand to her forehead as she collapsed against the headboard. "Oh, Mamo-chan, you baka..." ************************** Usagi looked over at her husband. "C'mon - touch her." Mamoru smiled nervously as he reached a finger down towards the tiny baby in his wife's arms. "H...hi, little one," he whispered. The tiny hand curled around his finger gently, then pulled it into her mouth and started to suck it. Usagi laughed as Mamoru giggled weakly. "She likes you, Mamo-chan," Usagi laughed. Mamoru rubbed a hand on the back of his head as he smiled. "Um...that's good." He looked down at the small child, then smiled. "Oh, Usako...she's so beautiful." Usagi giggled as her eyes got glassy. "Hai. She is." She gently reached up and stroked the baby's soft, pink fuzz on the top of her head. "And she's ours, Mamo-chan. We're parents." Mamoru choked back a sob as he touched the baby's face. "We...are..." Usagi looked at him softly. "There's NO ONE I'd rather attempt parenting with than you, Mamo-chan," she giggled. "She's ours. And she always will be. OURS." Mamoru smiled at her shakily. "Usako...I love you," he whispered. "I love you, too, baby," she whispered. They kissed deeply, the small baby in Usagi's arms snuggling deeper in her mother's arms silently and continuing to suck her father's finger. Mamoru reached up and held Usagi's face as they kissed, blissful in their moment of joined happiness. A moment later, the doctor walked in. She smiled. "Excuse me?" Usagi and Mamoru parted quickly, blushing and looking away. The doctor laughed. "Don't be embarrassed! The birth of a child causes any couple to become particularly loving towards each other. It's perfectly normal." Usagi giggled, her blush still remaining slightly. The doctor walked to her other bedside, looking at a chart in her hands. "You're baby is perfectly healthy," the doctor said with a smile. "No health problems whatsoever. And she's really quite beautiful. Takes after her parents in that, I suppose," the doctor said with a smirk. Usagi and Mamoru blushed harder. The doctor laughed as she looked down at the baby. "Hey, sweetie," she cooed. She touched the baby's hand. "Do you know what you're going to name her?" Usagi looked at Mamoru, biting her lip and smiling. Mamoru laughed silently, then nodded as he looked deep into her eyes. Usagi smiled back at him as she looked down at her daughter, her eyes a very light shade of blue. She nodded. "Hai. We know." "What's it gonna be?" the doctor asked. Usagi blinked away tears happily as she stared at her now-sleeping daughter. Her heart was the lightest she had ever felt it to be. She smiled. "Usagi." The End -Well, that's it! I trust everyone knows about Chibi-Usa - her real name's Usagi. Well, her full name in Crystal Tokyo according to manga 16 is Princess Usagi Small Lady Serenity, but there are even debates over that. But I'm not getting technical. This was the third story in my series, and you can expect the first part of my NEXT story in this series, "Strike," to be out next week. I absolutely LOVE the plot for that, and I'm going to really try to make it great. Thanks to everyone who supports me with your wonderfully kind e-mails, and especially to Amethist, Alpha, Leia, Razzz, Pandora-sama, Jen Wand, the OTHER Jen, Jenn (note - TWO n's with that one ^_-) Sue, Shana, Laurel Anne, Sailor Dolphin, Fushigi Kismet, Ninx, Sailor Charon, and SO many others. I'm working HARD on my web page at http://members.tripod.com/~Lianne_Sentar/index.html and I currently have a few previews of upcoming stories you can only find there, so check it out if you're bored. Thanks to everyone who's complimented what I have on "Fraternity Days" up there so far, and for all those of you that have been lovely enough to visit my page. ^_^ I hope everyone who celebrated it had a merry Christmas! I sure did! Happy holidays, minna-chan! ^_^ -Lianne(LianneSen@aol.com) *Sailor Moon and all its characters are copyright Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha Ltd./Toei Animation, Co., Ltd. and the English adaptation is copyright 1995 DIC productions, LP. This story is copyright Lianne Sentar, December 1997. **DOWN WITH DUB-BASHING!!!