I know, I said this wasn't coming until the fall - but ya know what? I'm so GOOD to you all I said, "I really can't leave them all waiting so long after Strike. I'll sit down and work EXTRA hard this week and write this thing!" How much do you love me? How much? ^_- Ok, as always - this is #5 in the "Usagi and Mamoru's Love" series, preceded by, in this order - "Blossomings," "Surprises," "Childbirth," and "Strike." You WILL NOT GET a LOT of this unless you've read those stories, particularly "Strike." This is a one-part story, so this is the whole thing. It's quite different from the 4 preceding stories, and it takes place over several years, so make note of the times mentioned or implied so you can follow the timeline in this thing as best you can. Shouldn't be *too* confusing, but then again, I'm not the one reading it. ^_^ This was intended to be a collection of scenes that trace the several years following "Strike" and the developments that occur during that time. So, please bear with it. ^_^Worked hard, so I hope you like it! Sit back and enjoy the ride, minna-chan! ^_^ -Lianne (LianneSen@aol.com) P.S. - Oh, and for everyone who asked me about Seiya and Setsuna ever coming back, I have just one thing to say to you - life isn't always fair. And neither are stories. Life is hard, minna-chan. Not everything ends happily. Gomen... *Usagi and Mamoru's Love: Newcomings* A lone girl sat in a dark room, huddled on a wooden chair. Her long legs tucked against her budding chest, her thin arms hugging young knees...her face was buried from sight, the single, faintly glowing lamp sending dancing shadows across her midnight hair. The door quietly creaked open. Large, green eyes caught touches of the faint lamplight, shining on long lashes..."Hotaru?" The melody of the voice was softer than it usually was, weaker... Hotaru slowly looked up, purple eyes shining faintly under half-closed lids. "Yaten-san..." "Don't call me that." His voice didn't have the firmness to back up the words. Delicate fingers nudged the door open slightly, letting the thin figure slip in. The dim light from the hall outlined a body too skinny to be healthy, normal slimness replaced by a fragile look of sickness. The large eyes were in a sharper, thinner face, shining emerald pupils glinting in the darkness..."May I...stay here with you?" Hotaru looked down again, her expression still blank. "If you want." Yaten quietly made his way over to her, his cat-like footsteps hardly whispering on the carpet. He sat in the empty chair beside her, folding his hands on his lap and looking at them noiselessly; a few moments of silence passed before Yaten broke it gently. "I know it still hurts." Hotaru closed her eyes, burying face within knees once more. Slender arms around her legs tightened weakly. "It still hurts..." she whispered, her voice muffled. "Two months, and I still keep thinking I can hear her talking and laughing in the other room with Michiru ma-ma..." Yaten looked down. "I...know. I still keep thinking when I can't sleep at night that if I turn over he'll be in the other bed..." Hotaru's body hiccuped, her voice quivering slightly. "She's been my mother for six years..." she half-sobbed. "Six years...the only mother I had left and I can't hug her anymore when she gets home from work." Her body tightened, the sound of her voice filling with gummy tears echoing through the silent room. Yaten gently enclosed her in soft arms, resting his cheek against her shining hair as her body quivered under him. "She...she missed my Sweet Sixteen," Hotaru sobbed through her knees. "We...we found that finished photo album she was planning to give me...of all the years we've...been together...just seeing her in there with me and Michiru and Haruka laughing and hugging just...drills a hole in my heart..." Slim fingers, running over her sleek hair..."I know how...empty you feel..." Yaten whispered softly, his voice trembling slightly. Hotaru started crying harder, her empty sobs suffocated against her knees. "I can't stop...crying..." she sobbed. "Always... I think of her...or I see a...picture of her...and I...I can't stop...the tears..." A tear squeezed out through long eyelashes and fell into her hair. "Hotaru-chan..." Yaten breathed. "It's ok... you can cry..." "Doushite?*" Her broken voice was so soft it was hardly audible. "Why did they...have to die...I'd give my life to have them back..." "So would I..." Yaten swallowed a sob as tears fell from his eyes, splashing silver in the darkness. "So would I...but...while God took them from this Earth, we've...been given new life in return." Hotaru slowly looked up, tear-filled purple shining in dim light. "W...what?" Yaten let go slightly to look at her, watery emerald like twin pools of light in the dark. "Usagi's...pregnant again." ************************* *="Doushite?" means "Why?" ************************* "Shinji nai!*" Minako's eyes were huge. "You've *got* to be kidding me!" Mamoru glanced at her skeptically. "Do you think we would kid about something like that?" "Oh my God..." Michiru slapped a hand to her forehead. "Usagi...how'd this happen?" Usagi, breastfeeding Chibi-Usa, turned bright red and scowled. "Looks like *someone* wasn't paying attention in health class..." "This is impossible." Luna stood from her curled position on the floor and began to pace. "How...how could you *possibly* have any more kids? Chibi-Usa was always your only child!" "Things change, I guess." Ami cupped her chin and looked down. "A lot of the things that've been happening lately don't seem to match up with what we learned our future to be years ago. Maybe... we really *are* changing the future." "Hmph." Haruka crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "I don't know if we should be celebrating or huddling in the corner awaiting the apocolypse." She looked up with a frown. "And where're Taiki and Artemis?" "I kicked them out." Mamoru played with a string on his sleeve absently. "They and Yaten can't be in here as long as Usagi's breastfeeding." "Why not?" Mamoru looked up darkly. "'Cause I *said* so." Makoto tucked her hands within her crossed legs. "Should we...be leading our lives to lead up to the ultimate future we were told is going to happen? That doesn't sound right to me. We could end up screwing things up worse that way." She cocked her head and frowned. "We should probably just live and hope it all turns out all right." "I don't see anything else we can do." Mamoru bit a fingernail, thinking; Usagi, beside him on the couch, slapped him upside the head. "That's a bad habit," she reprimanded. "Quit it." Mamoru rubbed his head and frowned as Michiru brushed hair out of her eye. "Could this have anything to do with...Seiya and Setsuna's death?" She looked away. "I mean, I'd hate to think what's going to happen to the Time Gate with...Setsuna-chan gone..." "I don't think we could do anything about it, anyway." Haruka scowled. "Setsuna was no fool. She knew what she was doing was sacrifice. She wouldn't have done it if she knew the world would end because of it." Ami looked down. "She may have..." she whispered, "for us..." Everyone grew silent, the only sound in the room Chibi-Usa's quiet sucking. After a moment, Rei spoke up. "It appears things may not be what we always thought they were," she stated quietly. "Setsuna never told us our whole future - she knew that would be too dangerous. There may be things that happen that we had no idea would. I don't think we have any control over it." Makoto looked up. "So what do we do?" "What do we do?" Haruka looked at her skeptically, then, slowly, her face broke into the first smile she had had in almost two months. "We do the only *practical* thing - we celebrate the fact that there's going to be a new member of the Chiba family." ************************* * = HOW MUCH VOCAB?! LIANNE, YOU'RE KILLING US!! ^_- "Shinji nai" (sp?) means "I don't believe it". ************************* Mamoru threw out his arms and spun around happily, sticking his hands in his coat pockets. "How do I look?" Usagi looked him up and down, made a face, and went back to her ice cream. "Ugly." Mamoru gave her a skeptical look. "Thanks a lot, sweetie." Usagi giggled and winked. "Kidding, baby. You look unfairly gorgeous in a doctor's jacket." Chibi-Usa gooed loudly from her high chair and flung a pickle across the kitchen in agreement. Mamoru grinned and lifted Usagi out of her chair, spinning her around and pressing his forehead against hers as she gave a laughing yelp. "You know I'd wear it only for you if you wanted me to," he whispered lovingly. Usagi pecked him on the forehead and threw her arms about his neck. "No need," she stated with a smile. "You earned the right to wear that thing." She giggled and bit her lip. "Mmm...I'm so proud...my hubby's finally a doctor..." Mamoru shrugged and pulled her closer, rocking her lazily as he smiled dreamily. "Well, I figured it was about time. That lab wasn't enough for me, anyway. Besides, you deserve to be married to someone with more prestiege." She laughed. "And one that looks *so* good in his lab coat, too. I'm too lucky, ne?" "Too lucky." Mamoru pulled her in for a kiss, only to have another pickle bonk him in the forehead before he got close enough. Usagi laughed and buried her face in his collar as Chibi-Usa gooed indignantly. Mamoru glared. "Ahem. Is *someone* over there *jealous*?" He ducked as another pickle flew by in response. Usagi fingered with Mamoru's hair as she winked at Chibi-Usa. "Chibi-Usa, sweetheart - now's not the time to be jealous. You're gonna have a new little brother or sister soon." Usagi grinned as she slipped her hands down her round stomach and snuggled closer to her husband. Mamoru smiled and let his fingers toy with her golden curls. "You just had another sonagram yesterday, right?" he whispered in her ear. "Mmmm..." she hummed lazily as she closed her eyes. "And everything's still ok with the baby, right?" "Mmmm..." "And you're positive of the gender now, right?" "Mmmm..." "And you're gonna tell me now, right?" "Not a chance." Mamoru scowled and looked down at her. "Why NOT, Usako?" Usagi giggled and snuggled closer. "'Cause it's fun to keep it a surprise for you." "But I don't WANNA be surprised!" "Mamo-chan - you sound like a baby when you say it like that." "I don't care!" Usagi giggled and leaned her head up to peck him on the cheek. "Just relax, sweetie. The baby's fine. You just won't know anything about it 'till it's born." Mamoru made a face. "Oh, yeah - *real* fair." "Just deal with it." She grinned broadly. "And think of it - only 2 more months and we're gonna get a new baby in the house!" A pickle flew by Usagi's head. She whipped around. "Chibi-Usa!" Mamoru gave a lop-sided grin. "Someone doesn't wanna lose attention back there." Usagi slid from Mamoru's arms and quickly went over to the loudly gooing baby, taking a napkin and wiping pickle juice from her hands. "Chibi-Usa," she muttered. "You're so messy..." Usagi took a pickle from the jar and crunched it as she wiped off her daughter. "Ewwww!" Mamoru made a face. "Usako...you were just eating ice cream! How could you *eat* that?" Usagi shrugged and stuck the pickle in her mouth so she could use both hands. "Bg deel. Am prgnnt. My cravngs are wrrd." "Is that why you keep eating that odd tofu-and-yogurt stuff?" Usagi glared at him. "Are yu mkkng funna me?" Mamoru shrugged. "Nah. Eat what you like." He grinned and winked, walking towards the doorway and tapping his toe against the edge of the doorframe. He stuck out his tongue. "Just don't get fat on me. I wanna be able to carry you around *after* the kid's born." He ducked out of the room just as a half-eaten pickle flew through the air where his head had been a moment before. ************************* That night, Usagi was abruptly shaken out of sleep by a sudden jarring. Her eyes popped open, then nearly popped out of her head as she was squeezed mercilessly; she choked, fighting to get her head free of entangling arms and kicking to release the tension on her pregnant stomach. "M...Mamo-chan!" she coughed. "Qu...quit it! Mamo-chan!" Through her struggles she suddenly felt Mamoru's chest heaving with choking breaths against her - her eyes widened. His sweat and tears rolled down her face, panicked breathing whispering words of denial into her hair..."Mamo-chan!" she cried, grabbing the front of his shirt and shaking him worriedly. "Mamo-chan! Wake up! It's just a dream - WAKE UP!!" "N...nani?" The word was so choked with tears and fear she could hardly distinguish it. She felt his arms relax slightly in surprise; she quickly slid her hands up his face and through his hair, pressing her cheek against his and whispering into his ear. "Baby, calm down...it's just a dream...I'm here..." "U...Usako?" She felt his body go tense a moment, then quickly engulf her in arms again and hug her for dear life as tears leaked in streams in her golden hair. "Usako...oh God... oh thank GOD!...oh GOD..." Usagi winced as she fought to get her stomach free of the frightening pressure, then wrapped soft arms about his neck and held him gently. "Baby..." she whispered. "Baby...it's ok... it's ok..." "Oh God..." His arms tightened around her. "I lived it again...it keeps coming back..." She could feel him shaking under her arms. She held him tighter, closing her eyes. "Mamo-chan...don't cry... it's over, and it's *not* going to happen again..." Tears rolled into her hair. "I keep seeing you, and Chibi-Usa...dying...I feel myself slipping from sanity and not being able to *do* anything...I keep seeing those red eyes laughing at me and saying they're going to kill you!" He sobbed, grabbing the back of her nightgown with trembling fingers. "It keeps coming back...I keep *dreaming* it...and...and everytime I do I have to see...them...die again..." Usagi bit her lip, her head suddenly lowering. She felt a lump rise in her throat; she fought it back, tears breaking free of her eyelashes and rolling down her face. "M...Mamo-chan..." "They're always smiling..." he whispered shakily, his body trembling. "I keep...seeing Seiya winking and...smirking...and I keep seeing Setsuna looking down on me and telling me it'll be all right..." Usagi hiccuped and pressed closer to him, her arms trembling. "Mamo-chan..." she whispered. "I...I miss them, too..." "Why?" he breathed. "Why do I...why do I have to...to keep *living* their last moments..." He broked down sobbing. "Living and knowing they saved me so I could come back to you..." Usagi lifted a hand to his cheek, pulling his face down to hers. "Mamo-chan..." she whispered through glazed, half-closed eyes. "They...they died because they love us. They...died so the rest of us could live on..." He closed his eyes as tears splashed against her fingers. "But...but why me? I was there...why couldn't it have been me instead of them? What...what gave me the right to live over them..." He gripped her again, pulling her to sob into her shoulder. "Setsuna... she told me everything was going to be all right...she and Seiya were willing to die and let me live on..." "They loved you." Usagi gently stroked her slowly-calming fingers against his hair. "They loved you, Mamo-chan...they were willing to die for you because they loved you..." Mamoru broke down crying, his body trembling in his wife's arms. Usagi was silent, her fingers brushing over the softness of his hair, her eyelashes brushing against the skin of his cheek...she closed her eyes slowly, his tear-filled sobs filling the air with sorrow and echoing through the shadow-filled darkness of the room, the soft silver moonlight through the window slowly fading into the night. ************************* Two months later. Mamoru laid his face in his hands, running nervous fingers through his hair. "Oh God...this is *not* something I can deal with..." Haruka shrugged and popped vending-machine peanuts into her mouth. "C'mon, Mamoru-kun - you've stared death in the face. Of *course* you can deal with this." "You don't understand, Haruka." His voice was muffled through his palms. "This is different." Haruka cocked an eyebrow at him, sandy blond hair reflecting the white-yellow lights of the hospital hallway. "Oh, no? After what Usagi told me happened the *last* time she went into labor, you should consider yourself lucky we didn't let you in for the birth this time." Mamoru groaned. "But it's even *worse* when I don't know what's going on and when..." Haruka sighed and tossed her bag into the ashtray on the waiting table. "C'mon - it'll be fine. And Usagi wants you to be surprised at the gender, right? So, she'll get to keep her surprise." Mamoru tiredly looked at her through light, exhausted blue eyes. "Did she tell *you* the gender?" Haruka shook her head. "Nope. I didn't wanna know." She smirked. "Course, all the *other* girls do. Yaten and Taiki, too." She grinned goofily and threw an arm about his shoulder. "Dakara*, the surprise's on us today!" Mamoru sighed weakly. "The others didn't wanna come?" Haruka shook her head and crossed her legs. "Nobody else knew. Usagi called me 'cause she knows I sleep lightly. I didn't feel like dragging anyone else outta bed." She chuckled and ran long fingers through scraggly bangs. "Funny how she always wakes you up to bring her to the hospital in the middle of the night, isn't it?" "Hilarious," Mamoru grumbled. Haruka rubbed his hair in painful affection. "C'mon, Mamoru-kun - lighten up. Before you know it you're gonna have another little bundle of joy!" Mamoru moaned and buried his face in his hands. "Haruka... I can't *do* this...I feel like my HEAD'S gonna explode if I wait any longer!" "You'll be fine." Haruka brushed a few crumbs from her jeans. "Speaking of bundles of joy, do you feel ok leaving Chibi-Usa with Ami and Mako-chan overnight?" "They've done it before," he mumbled. "They'll be fi-" Screaming from the hospital room in front of them cut him off. Mamoru's eyes popped open. "That's - OH MY GOD!!" Haruka threw her arms around his neck from behind and dragged him to the floor before he could kick the door open. Haruka quickly slipped her arms under his own and back behind his head, locking him. "HARUKA!" he screamed. "LET ME GO!! I HAVE TO GET IN THERE!!" Haruka gritted her teeth and kept her hold on him as best she could. "Ma...Mamoru! Calm down! Usagi's delivering - you can't go in!" "LET...ME...***GO***!!!!" Mamoru kicked and fought to drag Haruka with him as he strained to reach the doorknob. A passing nurse stared at them with wide eyes and nearly dropped her clipboard. Haruka flashed her a toothy grin before slowly dragging Mamoru away from the door, crawling backwards on her knees. "Mamoru," she grunted through gritted teeth. "Just...calm...*down*...I'll get you a soda..." "USAKO!!!" Mamoru screamed as Haruka slowly pulled him to his feet with her and jammed him down the hallway and around a corner. His screams echoed through the hospital, curious staff members wondering why the screams of a man in the hallway sounded louder than the ones of the woman giving birth. ************************* *="Dakara" means "Therefore" ************************* 15 minutes and a dozen black-and-blue marks later, Haruka ran through the hallways after the dashing Mamoru, glancing nervously and thanking God no more staring doctors saw them. "Crap," she muttered as she saw Mamoru fly around the corner in front of them. "He can be *slippery* when he's determined..." Grabbing the corner to keep her sneakers from sliding her past the turn, Haruka saw Mamoru nearly tackle a nurse leaving Usagi's room with a bundle in her arms. Haruka ran to them as Mamoru nearly scared the nurse to death with his frantic questions. "You...there...my wife...is she ok? Is the baby ok? Did she have...did she...ARE THEY OK?!" The nurse blinked as a sweatdrop appeared on her head. "Oh... you must be the husband." She suddenly blinked. "Hey...you look familiar. Aren't you...a doctor here?" "Yes yes..." Mamoru practically spit the words out at her, he was hyperventilating so hard. "My wife...Usagi...is she ok? Did she have the baby?" The nurse smiled. "Of course, Chiba-san." She held out the small bundle delicately. "Congratulations. You're the father of a beautiful baby girl." Mamoru stopped breathing as the warm, wrapped body was placed in his arms. The tiny face peeking from within the layers of blanket crinkled with the new smell of the hallway, tiny mouth making an almost pout and squinched eyes creasing under stringy strands of midnight black hair. Haruka covered her mouth and laughed. "Oh...oh my God..." she breathed, her eyes glazing over. "M...Mamoru-kun..." Mamoru choked, his eyes going watery as he bit back a smile. "Oh God..." he whispered. "Oh...oh God..." He bit his lip. "She's..she's beautiful..." A rough hand patted him on the shoulder. "She looks like you, Mamoru," Haruka chuckled. "Only...smaller." The nurse smiled up at Haruka. "And are you the brother?" Haruka scowled. "The friend..." she muttered. "The *female* friend..." The nurse blushed and looked down as another nurse came from the room carrying another bundle. "Ano*..." She went to Haruka. "Are you Usagi's husband?" Haruka clenched her fist. "I'm a GIRL..." Mamoru glanced up from his daughter. "I'm Usagi's husband," he answered. "Is she ok?" The second nurse smiled and walked up to him. "She's fine. Congratulations, Chiba-san." She held the bundle towards him and pushed the layers of cloth with long fingers so he could see inside. "You're the father of a healthy baby boy." Haruka suddenly stopped her arguing with the other nurse and froze. Mamoru blinked. "W...what?" He motioned to the bundle in his arms. "I...I already...*got* my kid..." The nurse blinked. "What?" "His daughter." Haruka stepped quickly to the second nurse, glancing into the bundle as she did so. "He already got his - oh my God." Haruka covered her mouth, her sea-blue eyes freezing on the bundle. The nurse suddenly laughed. "Oh - I see! No, no, Chiba-san - that *is* your daughter, but this is your son." She smiled sweetly. "Your wife had twins." Mamoru froze. His lips slowly parted, as if to speak - but then closed again. "Haruka," he whispered slowly, his eyes locked unseeing at nothing, "hang onto this thing for me?" Haruka was numbly handed the baby girl. She looked up, her eyes wide. "Mamor-" The first nurse cried out as Mamoru suddenly fainted to the floor. The second nurse covered her hand with her mouth and stared at him with wide eyes. "Oh my God..." she whispered. "Is he...ok?" Haruka let a breath out of the side of her mouth, then gave a lop-sided smile. "Yeah," she remarked casually, smiling as she stuck her finger at the baby girl in her arms. "He does it all the time." ************************* *=GOD!! LIANNE, STOP WITH ALL THE NEW WORDS!!!! AAAAHHHHHH!!!! Ooohh...so fun. ^_^ "Ano" is a way to say "Excuse me" ************************* Usagi smiled weakly at Mamoru's scowl. "Sweetie...I'm sorry..." Haruka laughed and punched Mamoru in the arm. "Don't be, Usagi-chan - seeing his reaction's gonna give me dreams that'll get me up and laughing for the next year." Mamoru glared at her before gently touching his daughter's nose. "Usako," he breathed, his eyes going light as the newborn crinkled her face again. "I...I don't *believe* this..." Usagi smiled and closed her eyes, leaning back in the bed. "I thought it'd be a good joke to not tell you..." She grinned wickedly. "To get back at you for calling my eating habits weird." Mamoru giggled nervously; Haruka gently ran her fingertips over the head of the baby boy in her arms. "They're such *lookers*, you two," she commented. "Gonna be good-looking kids." "They look like you, Mamo-chan," Usagi whispered. "You got a boy and a girl that look just like you..." Mamoru giggled and bit his lip, a tear breaking unwillingly from his eyes. "...Cool." Haruka ran a fingertip across the baby's cheek. "So, what are ya gonna call these darlings?" Usagi let one pale hand rest on Mamoru's. "I was thinking... Sorano* for the girl and Kazeno** for the boy." She smiled. "If you like those, Mamo-chan." "Hey!" Haruka's face lit up. "Those are great! Name them that!" Mamoru looked at her skeptically. "They *do* sound like names that Haruka would like..." Haruka stuck her tongue out at him; Mamoru rolled his eyes and looked back down at Usagi. He smiled. "I love them. Very poetic." Usagi giggled dreamily. "Mmmm...well, so are you." They kissed softly, the baby girl in his arms crinkling up her face as they did so; Haruka smiled and looked back down at the baby in her arms. "Kazeno..." She rolled the word around in her mouth, smiling. She touched his forehead. "Chibi-Kaze," she whispered with a smile. "I have the feeling you're gonna be a *lot* like me..." ************************* *= Direct translation of "Sorano" - "Of the sky." I know, there *was* a character in the manga by this name...but I think it was his last name, and most people don't know about him anyway. Anyone? Anyone out there know who Sorano was in the Sailor Moon manga? ^_^ And then, there was always big Sora from "X/1999"...ok, so maybe it usually *is* a boy's name, but it's *not* here, ok? ^_^; **= "Kazeno" means "Of the wind." So, you can probably figure out why Haruka liked those names...^_- ************************* Mamoru frowned. "Do we *really* have to go?" Usagi rolled her eyes and shifted her hold on the infant in her arms. "Mamo-chan...c'mon. You've been saying that all *day*. Let's get going, already." Chibi-Usa sucked her pacifier and hugged his leg tiredly. Mamoru looked sadly up at the apartment building and pulled the sleeping form of Sorano closer to him. "It's just...y'know, I've lived here for the past ten years of my life..." Usagi smiled fondly, walking up to him and kissing him lightly on the cheek. "I know, baby. It was cute. I'm gonna miss it, too." Mamoru frowned. "Just don't think the neighbors are gonna miss US...*" Usagi giggled. "Yeah. But, I wouldn't have insisted we moved if we didn't have the twins. It's just getting too crowded there." Mamoru sighed sadly. "Yeah..." Usagi reached from under the quietly fidgeting Kazeno in her embrace and tugged Mamoru's sleeve, smiling. "C'mon. That beautiful house of ours is finally open and waiting for us to come and call it home." Mamoru nodded tiredly, then walked slowly beside Usagi as Chibi-Usa waddled with them, her diaper making quiet crunching noises in the still afternoon air. Mamoru looked down and closed his eyes. "Home..." he whispered. "Sayonara..." Usagi laughed and tossed her hair behind her gently. "And you say you're not romantic..." ************************* *= If you don't get the joke about the tenants of Mamoru's apartment building not liking the happy couple yet, you obviously didn't read "Valentine's Day" or "Usagi and Mamoru's Love: Strike" Part 3. ^_^ ************************* "CHIBI-USA!!" Mamoru chased the toddler through the house, a wailing, one-year-old Kazeno on his hip, nearly tripping as Chibi-Usa threw a plastic wagon behind her to hinder him in his chase; he barely dodged it, then grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Chibi-Usa screamed and kicked the whole way, but Mamoru held her firmly and glared down at her angrily. "Chiba Usagi, WHAT did I TELL you about hitting your little brother?!" he growled. Chibi-Usa squirmed and screamed mercilessly, tears of anger and indignancy rolling down her round cheeks. "PAPA!!" she screamed. "NO!! Kaze...Kaze BAD!!!" He squatted and yanked her closer, probing her tear-filled red eyes with angrily flashing blue. "Kaze is NOT a bad boy, Usagi - but YOU are CERTAINLY starting to act like a bad little girl." "NO!!" Chibi-Usa writhed fitfully. "Usa...USAGI GOOD!!" "You may not EVER hit your brother or sister in anger EVER. Do you understand me?" he hissed. "PAPA!! Kaze...Kaze take toy..." Mamoru glared. "Kazeno is smaller than you and if he wants to play with your toy than you share it with him." "NO!!" Chibi-Usa kicked his shins brutally. "NO!! PAPA, NO!!!" Mamoru tugged Chibi-Usa forward and over his knee, spanking her firmly. She wailed in protest. "You're going to learn," he spat. "You're going to learn that having younger siblings is a privelege..." "PAPA!!!" Chibi-Usa bawled brokenly, pulling from his knee and pouting wretchedly at him with watery scarlet eyes. "PAPA...PAPA BAD!!" she cried before running away, sobbing, to her room. Mamoru winced as Kazeno sniffled and rubbed his eyes on his father's shoulder. "Ouch," he commented. "*That* hurt." He looked over at his son, smirking sadly as Kazeno rubbed his nose and blinked the tears from watery blue eyes. "You don't think your Papa's bad, do you?" Kazeno blinked, then sniffed, then leaned forward and started sucking Mamoru's nose in response. Mamoru made a face. "Great. I'm only a giant pacifier in *your* eyes." He sighed. "But, I guess that's better than being called 'bad Papa'..." Usagi suddenly raced in from the other room, desperately fumbling with a blinking Sorano in her arm. "Mamo-chan!" she cried, shoving her other hand over her mouth and making gagging noises. Her skin was turning a faint shade of green. "Usako?" Mamoru blinked as Usagi shoved the baby at him and ran towards the bathroom, choking all the way. The sounds of deathly puking followed a moment later, and Kazeno suddenly ceased his sucking, looking up with puzzled blue eyes. Mamoru frowned. "Your mother's throwing up again?" He looked down. "That's funny...I though for sure she had one of those 24-hour bugs and it'd be gone by now..." Sorano lost interest in the up-chuck noises and casually turned to look at her brother as she sucked a pacifier quietly; Kazeno stared at her a moment before taking the pacifier from her mouth and sticking it in his own. Sorano blinked. Mamoru started. "K...Kazeno? That wasn't very nice..." Kazeno ignored him and wrapped chubby arms around his father's neck, leaning his head on Mamoru's shoulder and closing his eyes tiredly. Sorano watched him, then sniffed as tears filled the blueness of her eyes and her lip began to tremble. Mamoru's eyes flickered light as he immideately began nudging her face with his, his full arms rendering him uncapable of any other movement. "Oh...Sora," he mumbled. "Sweetie, don't cry...do you want me to get you another one?" Sorano sniffed and rubbed away her tears with a pudgy hand, then leaned forward and starting sucking Mamoru's nose contentedly. Mamoru sighed and frowned. "All right," he breathed tiredly. "If that's what you want..." ************************* "You're PREGNANT AGAIN?!" Shingo threw his arms into the air and fell into a chair. "Geez, you two...what are *doing* spitting out kids all over the place?" Kenji slapped the back of his head angrily. "Watch your mouth, Shingo," he growled. Usagi glared at her younger brother as Mamoru laughed nervously and held Chibi-Usa's writhing hand firmly. "Well...we weren't really expecting another kid so soon..." Ikuko giggled and took Mamoru's face in her hands, beaming. "Oh no - it's WONDERFUL!" she giggled. "Mamoru... you're giving me so many beautiful grandchildren!" Mamoru blushed and looked down while Usagi gently pulled her mother from him. "Mama..." she mumbled. "You're embarrassing him..." Kenji looked over at them slowly. "It's not...triplets, is it?" Mamoru turned bright red as Usagi threw her hands out and laughed nervously. "Uh...no no! It's just...a single this time..." Chibi-Usa broke free of Mamoru's grip and ran to her uncle, jumping into his lap and burying herself in his arms. Shingo wrapped his arms around her contentedly and pecked the top of her head. "Boy or girl?" he asked as he rested his cheek on Chibi-Usa's curly hair. "Boy," Usagi replied, quickly glancing at Mamoru. "I decided... to tell Mamo-chan this time." She winked, and he rolled his eyes. Kenji smiled. "Well, congratulations, you two. You certainly are proving quite the family-makers." He flicked a glance at Shingo. "Unlike *some* young men who can't even *date* seriously..." Shingo frowned indignantly as Chibi-Usa jumped on his knee and pulled his hands into her lap. Shingo bounced her, and she squealed playfully. "Aww...c'mon, Dad..." Shingo whined. "I still have two more years of *college*..." Ikuko brushed it off with her hand. "Fine fine, young man." She glared at him from under half-closed lids. "But after your sister's record, I'm expecting at *least* three kids out of you..." Shingo groaned and turned to the giggling Chibi-Usa. His face slowly broke into a smile. "Hey, Onee-chan," he called. "I can't believe Chibi-Usa's *your* kid. She's *so* much cooler than you." Usagi made a face. "Thanks a lot, Shingo." Chibi-Usa turned around and stuck her tongue out at her parents. "I wanna stay Uncle Shingo," she called. "Papa bad." Mamoru frowned. "Geez...is she *trying* to make me feel bad?" Usagi put a hand on her hip and scowled at her daughter, getting a better grip on Kazeno sucking a pacifier in her arm. "Chiba Usagi, you are *not* to say such things about your father, do you understand me?" Chibi-Usa flipped pink curls out behind her and stuck her nose in the air. "Papa bad." She giggled and threw herself back into Shingo's arms, her uncle giggling with her and hugging her tightly. "Ooohh..." he commented, grinning wickedly. "She is *so* cool..." Usagi threw an arm into the air tiredly as Mamoru frowned and gently repositioned a now-sleeping Sorano on his shoulder. "I think I finally learned where Chibi-Usa gets her bratly nature from," Usagi muttered. Ikuko's eyes softened happily at Sorano, and she held her arms out at Mamoru. "Aww...Mamoru, can I hold her?" "Sure." Mamoru gently handed the baby over to her grandmother, Ikuko cradling her fondly against her bosom and sitting in a chair. She rocked the child gently, humming a lullaby as the deep blue eyes slowly closed... Kenji smiled and reached over, touching the midnight hair gently. "They're beautiful, you two," he said softly. "Mama baka!" Usagi whipped her head back to Chibi-Usa, giggling wickedly as Shingo whispered another phrase into her ear. Chibi-Usa flicked devilishly glittering red eyes back to Usagi. "Mama ugly!" The two fell back into the chair laughing hysterically. Usagi turned red as her fists clenched white and steam blew out of her ears. Mamoru laughed nervously and waved a hand through the air to assure Usagi's blinking parents. "Daijobu sa," he said nervously. "She's... just a little moody now that's she's pregnant again..." "MAMO-CHAN!!" A thin hand grabbed his collar and yanked him to stare into steaming sky-blue eyes. "WHAT did you say?!" Kenji blinked and quickly slid to slip Kazeno from his fuming mother's arms. Ikuko frowned and held Sorano closer as Shingo and Chibi-Usa watched Usagi's fuming with humored faces. "Maybe...maybe *we* should take care of these three until Usagi gives birth again..." Ikuko suggested quietly. ************************* Usagi quickly devoured a piece of cake, then reached for the peanut butter as she bit into a carrot. "Mamo-chan," she mumbled through a mouthful. "Pass me a piece of bread?" Mamoru did so slowly, his eyes a worried shade of ocean-blue as he watched her randomly shove food in her mouth. "Usako," he asked quietly. "Are you...ok?" "Cravings," she breathed between a bite of cheese and a piece of turkey. "I can't control them..." He slowly brought up a hand, brushing a fingertip across her cheek softly. "Baby...maybe you should...slow down?" His voice was very quiet. Usagi shook her head as she downed a glass of milk. "I...can't..." she breathed. "So...hungry..." She picked up a cookie and was about to put it in her mouth when her hand slowed to a stop. Her eyes unfocused, her hand slowly lowering to the table..."Usako?" Mamoru's eyes went light with concern. "Doushita no?*" Usagi put a hand over her mouth, bending over and clutching her stomach. "Mamo-chan..." she groaned. "My...stomach..." He was at her side in a moment, gently pulling her into his arms. She moaned, closing her eyes and pressing her cheek against his chest, trembling hands clutching his shirt..."Mamo-chan..." she mumbled. "I feel... awful..." He stroked her hair with his fingers and pecked her on the forehead. "It's ok, baby," he whispered. "It's not your fault..." Tears filled her eyes, and she buried her face in his shirt. "Mamo-chan..." she whimpered. "I...I get so hungry, and I...can't stop eating...and then I feel sick and wanna throw up..." "You'll be fine." Long fingers, sliding down her cheek..."It's just the pregnancy...it'll go away, baby..." She sobbed, squinching her eyes shut. "Mamo-chan..." Her voice quivered. "Why...why am I crying?" He pulled her close, wrapping her in his arms gently and whispering into her ear as she cried. "Usako..." he breathed, his fingers wiping away her tears. "It's ok, baby...I'm here..." ************************* *= "Doushita no?" means "What's wrong?" And HOW much more vocab could I POSSIBLY use in this story? ^_- ************************* Taiki frowned. "Mamoru sent the kids to Usagi's parents again?" Minako nodded and hopped up on the kitchen counter beside Yaten, looking down. "Yeah. Fifth time this month." Yaten brushed silver bangs from his eyes silently. "Usagi that bad, huh?" "Yeah." Artemis jumped into Minako's lap and curled up as Luna did the same with Yaten. "The pregnancy's hitting her really hard for some reason. She wasn't *nearly* this bad carrying Chibi-Usa or the twins." "That's rough." Taiki crossed his legs on the couch and cupped his chin in his hand, leaning elbows on his thighs. "She getting sick a lot?" "Sick, binge eating, mood swings, low self-esteem - you name it." Luna's eyes were sad. "Poor Usagi...she's really a reck. Crying all the time...and she's still got two more months 'till the baby's due..." Yaten looked down at her tiredly. "Does it have something to do with the baby's position-thingy or whatever they were talking about last month?" "The baby's sideways, Yaten." Violet eyes stared unseeingly forward. "It's in an odd place in Usagi and it kicks a lot...all that stuff could easily be putting her through such a terrible pregnancy." He closed his eyes. "And if the baby doesn't turn, she's gonna need a C-section." "Ouch." Yaten looked down. "Poor Usagi-chan." Minako sighed. "Mamoru, too. He's really upset seeing her how she is and all, and she's always crying on his shoulder or leaning on him for support..." She closed her hands over themselves. "It's really rough for both of them." "No wonder they keep dropping the kids elsewhere." Yaten sighed. "Man...I hope this kid gets born ok..." "Mamoru's keeping his eye on her." Artemis closed his eyes tiredly. "If anything starts going wrong with that kid, he'll know. He *is* a doctor, after all." Yaten frowned. "That may be, but based on the stories Haruka tells about when Usagi had the twins and Usagi's tale about Chibi-Usa's birth, I'd hate to see if he *could* handle a dangerous situation should it arise." He let an absent hand play with Luna's fur. "Seems like...when it comes to his family, he gets real...unstable." Minako stared at the floor. "No kidding...Ami told me about when we were all...sick with that disease a few years ago, right before...Setsuna and Seiya...died..." Her hand over Artemis's back tightened slightly. "Ami...she said Mamoru was so distraught by Usagi and Chibi-Usa being so close to dying she was scared that he had...lost it. I mean...*really*...lost it..." Taiki looked down. "Seiya and Setsuna...they probably knew. Their last...moments were with Mamoru. If anyone knew how lost he was, it would've been them." Minako bit a thumbnail. "I don't even wanna *think* about how far he fell from...sanity before finding his way back. Just remembering back then, about what happened, about what happened to Ami and Mamoru and Seiya and Setsuna...God it scares me..." Her eyes quivered. Thin fingers touched hers as Yaten looked away. "Then...then don't...we were so close to losing everything it's miracle we all...survived..." He closed his eyes, blinking away tears. "But...not *all* of us...did..." Luna lowered her head into her paws. "Mamoru...he never talks about it. Any of it. I saw Rei try to ask him about what happened while you were all comatose, but...he could hardly speak of *anything* that went on...it's like he doesn't remember all of it. Or...doesn't want to." She closed her eyes. "He went for the final fight with Setsuna and Seiya and was the only one to return, but...he never says what happened. None of it. But I hear him with Usagi in the middle of the night...he gets dreams about it, and wakes up crying or screaming..." Artemis leaned his head on Minako's folded arm. "He phases out sometimes," he said quietly. "Sees a picture of Seiya, or that necklace Setsuna gave him at their wedding, and his eyes go outta focus and get all light...it scares Usagi, too. He gets totally out of it, and won't answer when she calls for him. She gets really upset and tries to shake him out of it, but it never works...and then he just starts crying again, and Usagi can never find out what it was that made him break down..." "Good God..." Taiki ran his fingers up his forehead, closing his eyes. "Never...*never* have we been so close to dying...whether or not Usagi started pulling through in the end, had we not gotten that cure when we did she and *all* of us would've been killed..." He buried his face in his hands, his voice going high. "And...and we lost...Seiya..." Minako bit her lip, her eyes squinching shut. "God," she whispered under her breath. She could feel Yaten's hand trembling over hers, heard him as he sucked back a sob and put a hand over his eye..."God..." she breathed. "Please let Usagi and Mamoru's child be all right..." ************************* Mamoru tiredly thunked up the dark stairs, carrying a very pregnant Usagi clutching him about the neck. She closed her eyes, biting her teeth together and holding him tighter..."Mamo-chan..." she breathed. "I think...I think I'm gonna puke again..." He weakly brushed his cheek across her forehead. "It's ok, baby..." he breathed. "You're gonna be fine..." She squinched her eyes tighter. "Mamo-chan," she whispered , frightened. "Oh, Mamo-chan...don't leave me..." He gently kissed her forehead. "I'm here, sweetie..." he whispered, his movements tired. "I'm here...I won't leave you..." He foot caught, and he fell to one knee on a higher step; Usagi screamed and squeezed her arms around his neck in a deathly grip. "MAMO-CHAN!!" "It's ok," he breathed quickly as he stumbled to get back upright and carry her up the few remaining stairs. "It's ok...baby, I'm sorry..." Usagi whimpered as he carried her to the bedroom and laid her on the bed carefully, sitting beside her and resting a hand on her forehead. "You ok?" he mumbled through half-closed lids. The blue of his eyes was light and weak in the dim lamplight that wanly filled the dark room. "You want me to take you to the bathroom?" Usagi hiccuped, tears filling her eyes as she shook her head and pulled his fingers to her lips. "Mamo...chan..." she sobbed. "I'm... I'm sorry..." "What for?" Mamoru leaned over her worriedly, his other fingers brushing bangs from her teary eyes. "You have no reason to be sorry..." She closed her eyes and pressed his fingers up her temple. "I'm... I'm always sick...and I'm...helpless...and I always cry..." She sobbed and turned her head. "I'm...I'm such a bad wife..." Mamoru's eyes flickered light. "Oh...Usako..." He brushed away her tears, nudging her face toward him; but she wouldn't face him. "Usako... you're not a bad wife..." he whispered. "You...you're the most beautiful and wonderful wife any man could ask for..." "I'm fat!" she sobbed. "I'm...I'm fat and ugly and...oh, Mamo-chan, I *hate* this!" She pounded a weak fist against the bed cover, her tears melting into the fabric. "Why is...why is this baby so hard? Why can't I... why can't I handle it? It's just...making me...so stupid..." He quickly tugged her forward, into his arms; Usagi sucked in a breath with wide eyes as he pulled her into a sitting position, cradled in his embrace. "You're not..." he breathed into her hair, his arms protective around her. "You're not stupid...none of this is your fault. None of it. You're doing this for our son and I won't ever leave you alone because I love you and him and the whole reason I was put on this earth was to love and protect you." He put his lip near her ear. "Nothing..." he whispered. "Nothing will ever take you away from me again...nothing will ever take *me* away from you again...God made me a man so I could protect you when you're fighting so much pain for our son..." Usagi buried her face in his shirt. "Mamo-chan..." she sobbed. "Don't...don't ever leave me...please..." "I'm yours," he whispered. "I'm *yours*...never will I ever be *anyone* but yours..." Usagi clutched him tightly, her jarring sobs racking her weak body...he held her nurturingly, his slightly trembling fingers brushing her back. The night moved on, the silver of the stars beyond the window eventually glittering on two embraced forms cradled and sitting on the bed, asleep in each others arms. ************************* Motoki smiled, gently pulling Mamoru into a light hug. "Hey," he said softly. "How ya holdin' out?" Mamoru shrugged tiredly as Reika hugged Usagi tightly and made noises of pleasure and happiness as she beamed over Usagi's round stomach. "Ok," he sighed. "I guess. Things *could* be worse." Motoki smirked. "Really?" Mamoru let out a breath, smiling dryly as he looked to the floor and shook his head. "Not by much." Motoki chuckled, rubbing Usagi's head in a sign of affection. "Hey, Usagi-chan!" he declared cheerfully. "Ya look great! Little bun in the oven ready yet?" Usagi blushed shyly. "Motoki," she said softly, her cheeks red. "You're teasing me..." Motoki winked as Mamoru let Usagi take his arm. "It's what I do best, isn't it?" Reika sighed fondly and punched her husband on the arm. "Ignore him," she said flatly. "C'mon, you two - you look beat. Lemme help you find a place to sit." Reika led the couple to the living room, helping Mamoru gently lead Usagi into the couch. Mamoru sat beside her, putting his arm around her and letting her curl against him. Reika's eyes went soft as Motoki walked up from behind her, watching as Usagi closed her eyes sadly and Mamoru brush his lips against her forehead... "Geez..." Motoki whispered under his breath. "This pregnancy must be *really* hard..." Reika brushed her fingers against his before sitting down in another seat and putting on a cheerful face as best she could. "So," she said pleasantly. "When *is* the baby due, Usagi-chan?" Usagi let a hand rest absently on her stomach, opening her eyes halfway and resting her cheek on Mamoru's chest. "About 3 weeks," she said quietly. "Though it's expected to be...premature." Motoki looked down. "Has...has it been moving into a better position?" "A little." Mamoru stared at the floor. "It may not be quite ready, though...it's been a while since it was last checked, so we don't know if it's totally turned yet." "Hm." Reika crossed her legs absently. "How're...the other kids?" "We left them at Usagi's place." Mamoru half-smiled. "They like it there. They're all doing fine, though Chibi-Usa's as difficult as ever." Motoki smirked. "Hmmm...some things'll never change, will they? I think she got *your* attitude, Mamoru-kun." Mamoru looked at him skeptically. "Thanks a lot." Usagi giggled, sliding her fingers tiredly through Mamoru's; Reika stood up and brushed out her skirt. "You two want anything to drink?" Mamoru shook his head. "No thanks. But...um..." He smiled. "Could Usako have some...milk?" Usagi turned red and Motoki laughed. "Awww..." he cooed. "Kawaiiiiiiii..." Reika smiled. "No no - that's fine! That's good for the baby, so don't be embarrassed, Usagi-chan." She chuckled. "I just hope...*you* like, milk, though. God knows you have to *drink* a lot of it..." Usagi smiled. "Yeah," she said softly. "I do." ************************* Motoki laughed hysterically, clutching his sides as he looked at a scowling Mamoru through watery eyes. "Crap, Mamoru-kun! Those kids *really* give you a run for your money, don't they?" Mamoru humphed and pulled a resting Usagi closer to him. "It's not *my* fault. They like to beat on their daddy, is all." "Mmmm..." Motoki squinched an eye shut playfully. "So, Chibi-Usa dropping your car keys out the window and down the sewer had *nothing* to do with your personality?" "Don't push me, Motoki." "Who'd want to? Your stories make you sound like your life is *more* than full enough." Reika leaned over, giggling, resting her elbows on her legs. "Tell us about the twins, Mamoru-kun - how are they?" Mamoru looked to the ceiling. "Well, they're pretty quiet...get along with each other really well, though poor Kazeno is always getting picked on by Chibi-Usa. Sorano never seems to want to stand up for her brother, though..." Motoki cocked an eyebrow. "Is it 'cause she's *scared* of Chibi-Usa?" he drawled. Mamoru made a face. "No...I think it's that...she wants her brother to stand up for himself..." "Wow," Reika commented. "Sounds like their relationship is really something special." "They're very similar." Mamoru rested his cheek on a fist. "Very intelligent...they're doing stuff at just 20 months that you wouldn't believe..." He made a half-frown, thinking. "I think...I think they're growing up kinda linked, in that everything they do seperately they seem to understand as if they did it together..." Motoki leaned back. "I heard twins can be like that growing up, even if they're fraternal. They're going to be very close - I think Sora's desire and expectancy for Kaze to stand up for himself is testimony of that." "Sorano's the older one, right?" Mamoru nodded, and Reika touched her chin with a fingertip thoughtfully. "I think she's trying to get Kazeno to learn and be independant. Very motherly of her. I think she's going to be quite protective of him as they get older. Or the other way around." "And they'll probably be really stupid and have no common sense." Motoki winked. "If they take your looks *and* your character, Mamoru." Mamoru's eyes flashed dangerously. "MoTOki..." "Mamo-chan?" The weakness and fear in Usagi's voice made Mamoru look down at her abruptly. She was pressed tightly to his chest, a handful of shirt clenched within a pale hand. She was trembling, her face white and her eyes squinched shut..."Usako?" Motoki and Reika sat up at the urgency in Mamoru's voice. He tried to tip up her chin, but her body was so tightly wound he was unable to. "Doushita no?" "Mamo-chan..." she whined fearfully through clenched teeth. "It... it hurts..." "Usagi-chan?" Motoki got up and went towards them - only to suddenly choke and fall back as Usagi's water broke. "Oh my...God..." "Usagi!" Reika jumped to her feet, but Mamoru was already up, quickly and carefully laying his clutching and screaming wife out on the couch. "Reika." His voice was suddenly very serious and urgent. "Come here." "MAMO-CHAN!!" Usagi's hands were clutched so tightly to his shirt he could hardly pry them free. Tears ran down her cheeks as her body tensed. "MAMO-CHAN!!" she screamed. "THE...THE BABY!!" "Prop her head up." Reika did so as Mamoru ran his hands over Usagi's sweaty, tear-streaked face. "It's ok," he whispered as Motoki ran up from behind him and stared at Usagi with wide eyes. "It's gonna be ok, baby..." "MAMO-CHAN!!" Usagi gripped his hand fearfully as she sobbed uncontrollably. "Oh God...Mamo-chan, PLEASE!!" Mamoru brushed away her dampened hair. "Call an ambulance," he said quietly. Motoki blinked. "M...Mamoru..." "Call it." Motoki stared a moment, then nodded shortly and left the room. Reika quickly massaged Usagi's arms to loosen them as Mamoru ran his hands over Usagi's stomach. The brunette's eyes focused worriedly on him. "Well?" "They were right when saying it'd be premature..." Mamoru muttered. "3 weeks...this kid's giving me a hard time and he's not even *born* yet..." "Mamoru!" Motoki suddenly rushed back in the room, his eyes wide. "There's...there's a major accident on the outskirts of town!" he cried. "They aren't any ambulances available - they don't know when they can get here!" "Then we'll...drive her..." Reika said shakily. "We...we can get her there on our own..." "The hospital's *outside* the town!" Motoki's hand gripped the doorframe shakily. "The only way to get there'll be blocked by the accident! We'll...we'll never get there in time!" "MAMO-CHAN!" Usagi screamed as her body pulled tight. "It...it's the contractions! It...it HURTS!!!" Her tears rolled over his fingers, splashing onto the cloth of the couch... Mamoru's eyes hardened as he brushed loose hair from his eyes and gently held Usagi's writhing body on the couch. "We can't wait," he said quickly. "This baby's gonna be out *very* quick. I'm gonna have to deliver it here." "WHAT?!" Reika's eyes quivered. "Are you...SERIOUS?!" "But...but you said you didn't know if it'd turned yet!" Motoki grabbed Mamoru's arm. "What...what if the baby's still sideways? If it needs a C-section, Usagi and the baby'll both..." "We have no choice." Mamoru's eyes were unreadable. "I'll have to do what I can. I just pray this kid'll have turned enough for me to get him out..." Usagi sobbed and clutched her stomach. "Mamo-chan..." she whispered shakily through her teeth. "It...it hurts so much...I...I don't wanna...lose the baby..." Tears rolled down her cheeks freely, Reika gently brushing them away... Mamoru reached out and touched her tear-streaked face. "Don't worry, baby," he whispered. "Everything's gonna be fine." He turned to Motoki. "Motoki, go out to the car. In the trunk there's a big white bag with a lot of medical supplies. Everything I need should be there. Bring the whole thing, k?" Motoki's eyes were wide as he slowly nodded. "Right. I just hope you know what you're doing..." Mamoru rolled up his sleeves. "Of course I do," he said flatly. "I'm trained for this kinda thing." He reached into his pocket and tossed his car keys at Motoki; he caught them and quickly left the room. Mamoru went to Usagi and picked her up, bringing her gently to the bedroom. She clutched at him, tears streaming down her face, as he propped her up on the pillows of the bed to try to make her as comfortable as he could, Reika settling beside her and holding her hand. Usagi grabbed Mamoru's shirt and pulled his face closer to hers. "Mamo-chan," she whispered painfully, desperation and hopeless fear in her voice. "Please...take care of our baby..." Mamoru softly reached out, running his fingertips down her cheek. "I will..." he whispered, his eyes going soft. "Usako...be strong...I won't let anything happen to either of you..." Motoki came back in with the bag, setting it beside Mamoru and racing to be on Usagi's other side. Mamoru felt Usagi's stomach carefully once more before turning searching through his bag, pulling out with a syringe and a small vile. "I think it's turned enough," he said quickly, filling the syringe. "It's not all the way there, but it's turned enough..." He pulled Usagi's arm toward him gently, holding the syringe in his other hand. "Baby," he said softly, "I'm gonna give you a drug to knock you out...it's gonna work really fast so don't panic, ok? It's better if you're not conscious for this..." Usagi nodded fearfully, closing her eyes and biting her lip; Mamoru quickly injected the fluid, then took Usagi's tear-filled face in his hands and kissed her lips gently. She opened tear-filled sky eyes at him, sobbing softly as he pressed his forehead against hers..."M...Mamo-chan..." she breathed shakily, her eyes going out of focus. "Please...save our baby..." "Don't worry." He put his lips to her ear, breathing softly..."Be strong for me..." She closed her eyes as darkness faded in. "I love you..." she whispered, her weak lips trembling against his cheek. "I love you..." he whispered back, his eyelashes brushing her temple as shadows slipped under her eyelids, and she fearfully slid into empty blackness. ************************* White light. Usagi squinched her eyes shut tightly once more, unused to the brightness...slowly, she parted one set of eyelashes hesitantly so she could see. White light. And it smelled specific around her - like...sterility and medicine...her eyes popped open, then quickly closed again, fighting their way against the brightness as she sat up in the bed and rubbed her eyes, blinking them open as best she could. "H...hospital?" Her eyes quivered. "M...Mamo-chan...the...the baby..." "Usagi?" Usagi blinked and turned around; tucked weakly in a chair to the side of her bed sat a weary-looking Reika, her eyes hollow and watery. Usagi sucked in a breath, then winced and leaned back only as much as she absolutely had to to keep a biting ache from gnawing at her body again to stare at the older woman with wide eyes. "Reika!" She clutched the sheet over her body. "Mamo-chan and the baby - where are they? Are they ok?" Reika's eyes watered, and she clapped a hand over her mouth, swallowing a sob; Usagi's heart froze. A clawing hand, squeezing her throat from within..."Reika!" She fought to get up, but couldn't...she fell back, her eyes wide. "Reika!" Usagi cried. "Reika! What happened? WHAT HAPPENED?!" "Usagi," Reika choked, tears filling her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, biting her lip..."Usagi..." she said shakily. "The...the baby...hadn't turned completely when...Mamoru tried to...deliver it. He almost...couldn't... it wasn't coming out well...on its own...and he practically had to pull it out...and...and then he saw...why it wouldn't...come out by itself..." She faltered slightly, her eyes quivering at the floor..."It...it had the umbilical cord around...its neck..." Reika choked again, wrapping her arms around herself and squinching shut her eyes. "It...it had stopped...breathing..." "Oh my God..." Usagi's breath could hardly push past her throat. Blue eyes wide, trembling, going transparent...she threw a hand to her mouth. Her heart stopped, painfully abrupt in her chest..."Did...did..." "It was blue..." Reika sobbed, her body shaking. "It was...limp... I never saw...Mamoru work so fast...he got the baby out, but...it was still... not breathing...he...he did CPR..." She doubled over, sobbing fitfully and squeezing her arms about her ribs. Usagi slipped from her body, her eyes freezing as darkness crept up around her...she felt like she was looking at the room from other eyes, staring at the sobbing brunette and the empty shell of a blond upon the bed..."Reika..." The words spoke themselves, her eyes empty. "Did...did the baby...live?..." Reika tucked her head in her knees. "...yes." Usagi froze. "He...he was breathing into it, and...and the baby started...crying... Motoki and I were so scared, but...Mamoru...he never stopped working until the baby...was safe..." She hiccuped. "...and when it started crying, he...he just held it and...cried..." Tears filled Usagi's eyes, rolling down her face in shining rivulets; she started to cry, hugging herself and burying her face in clenched sheets. Reika weakly looked up, her eyes full of tears, as Usagi trembled and buried herself in white cloth..."Mamo-chan..." she breathed. "M...Mamo-chan..." Reika reached a hand out shakily, gently touching Usagi on the head. "U...Usagi-chan..." "My baby..." Her whispers came muffled from the sheets. "My... my baby..." The door slowly creaked open. Reika looked up to see a tired Motoki carefully look in the room. Reika sniffed as more tears rolled down her face... Motoki went to her and gently helped her up, leading her out the door and leaving the sobbing blond undisturbed. Reika reached out slowly, as if she wanted to stay with Usagi - but Motoki shook his head, pulling his wife close against him and giving a last, wistful glance at Usagi before disappearing from the doorway and into the hall. Usagi didn't notice. Her world was tears, splashing into fabric and against skin and kissing eyelashes...she couldn't stop crying, her body hurting but her emotions rendering her unable to stop. She clutched the sheet with white hands, her body trembling weakly as her sobs filled the empty room... "Usako." Usagi's eyes opened, trembling as they stared at her legs; she flicked her head up, biting her lip as she saw her husband standing in the doorway. He looked worn, his eyes red with former crying, his clothing wrinkled, his arm weakly against the door frame...Usagi's eyes filled with new tears, dropping the sheet as she weakly reached out for him. "Mamo...chan..." And he was by her side, holding her tightly, his face buried in her hair as she cried into his chest...her hands clutched his shirt weakly, burying her face in the warm folds of cloth that held the smell of him deep within their fabric. "Mamo...chan..." she breathed through her sobs, clutching him as tightly as she could. "Don't...don't...let...go..." His fingers buried in her robe, his eyes squinching shut against her hair. "Never..." he breathed shakily. "Never...I'll never...never..." She held him tighter, crying harder...and the sounds of the hospital beyond the doorway were lost to nothingness, the sound only heart and breath, the feeling only body and cloth...and the world was lost, lost forever in the eternal and undying shelter of their arms. ************************* Motoki looked through the glass, his face unreadable. His green eyes were slightly clouded, worn...they stared out through half-closed lids as he slowly reached up to rest a fingertip on the window. "There." Reika looked up from his chest, watery eyes locking on a small, blond child asleep in a crib in the hospital nursery...all the other babies were crying or wailing around him, but the blond slept as if he didn't hear them...Reika bit her lip. "He...he looks like...Usagi..." Motoki pulled her closer, resting his chin on her head. "I...I still can't believe...he's ok..." Reika's eyes filled with tears, blinking them away. "It...it was God's will...God's will that let him live..." Motoki closed his eyes. "Thank God..." he whispered. "If...if he had died..." Reika closed her eyes. "Don't," she breathed. "I don't...wanna think about it..." She bit a fingertip. "Did...did Mamoru tell you what... they want to...name him?" Motoki pulled her closer. "They hadn't talked about it," he said quietly. "But...Mamoru named him already. Named him as soon as the baby was put it the hospital and he could see his son being cared for and protected...as soon as he knew his wife was ok and he could go see her...he said...there wasn't anything else they *could* name him..." Reika's eyes opened, staring with quietly-contained tears at the sleeping child through the glass. "What?" Motoki rested his cheek on Reika's soft hair, whispering quietly through gently parted lips. "Aino.*" The End *="Aino" means "Of love." ^_^ -Ok, there we go! I'm in a super hurry right now, so I'll explain some things later - for now, all I have to say is I hope you enjoyed it and PLEASE write me and tell me what you think. Some of this story was... questionable. And yes - I *know* Minako's last name is Aino, but that doesn't mean they can't name their kid that, ok? ^_- Ja, minna. And thanks! ^_^ -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, July 1998. **DOWN WITH DUB-BASHING!!!