I'll Be There For You
Part 2 - The Awakening
By: Andrea Readwolf
Rated: PG/PG-13


Okay, this starts part two. I'm sorry for all the mix-ups. I'm
really trying, honest! I know it's a little confusing for all you out
there trying to read, and I appreciate you hanging in there.
I think I've managed to fix the disclaimer (like we all don't know what
that's gonna say) and the prolouge (which you might or might not want to
read...it's up to you).
I'm still working on part 4 - Relationships...it's almost
done and will be out next week for sure.
Also, I understand we had
problems with the e-mail address...it also should be fixed now. I
appreciate all those who tried to send my comments last week...even if
I didn't get any 'cause I messed up on my address (I'm getting better!
I promise!)
Anyhoo! Here's Part 2. Enjoy! And please let me know what you think,
even if you really HATE it, but especially if you really LIKE it! ^.^
Andrea
************************************************************************

"Serena!"

The four senshi rushed around her. Mercury was first and fell to the
ground beside her friend. She grabbed Serena's hand, feeling desper-
ately for a pulse, breathing heavily herself. Relief flooded her face.

Mars was falling beside Serena across from her. She looked at
Mercury questioningly. Mercury raised a small hand up to feel Serena's
forehead. She frowned, reached up to touch an earring, and studied
the Serena's body.

"What's wrong?" Lita and Mina cried as they stopped short from run-
ning into the three girls on the ground. They were leaning over,
hands on their knees, panting.

"All her vital signs are normal," Mercury said not bothering to look
at them. "For what I can tell, she just-fainted!" She look up at them
then. "I won't know more until I run a full diagnostic, and then-"

"Serena! Serena?" Mars was slapping Serena's cheek-lightly.
"Serena, wake up!"

"Fainted?" Venus was saying, sounding confused.

"I've never known Serena to faint before," Jupiter added, scratching
her head.

"Serena!" Mars shouted now.

"Please, Raye," Serena said very softly. "Don't yell." She tried
to open her eyes, but the bright afternoon sunlight forced them shut
again. "Wha-what happened?"

"You fainted," Mars said, sounding extremely disgusted. If one
didn't know better, no one would have known this was the same girl
who looked sick with worry just a few short seconds ago.

"Fainted?" Serena asked in disbelief. She braved opening one eye
and saw Mercury. She nodded her blue head. "Sailor Moon does *not*
faint!" She said pushing up from the ground.

Mars pushed her back down.

"Well, *you* did!"

Before they could get into the argument that was about to start,
Mercury spoke up. "Serena, I would like to run a diagnostic-"

"Is it going to hurt?" Serena cut her off, sounding worried.

The shy girl shook her head and smiled. "Not a bit."

Serena stared at her friend and then grudgly agreed.

"Great!" Jupiter shouted. She powered down and then reached a hand
down to her and pulled Serena up. "Common," she said. "Let's get
some food into you. That'll help."

"Cookies?"

The three girls groaned and sweat-dropped. They powered down and
followed Lita and Serena into the temple.

"Hey, Serena, Lita!" Chad greeted them, stilling the broom. "What's
wrong?"

"Serena fainted," Mina answered, smiling at him seductively.

Chad shot a nervous look at Raye and then smiled back at Mina.
Mina just shook her head and went inside.

"You know," she said closing the door behind her. "He's still
madly in love with you."

"I know," Raye said, shooting her a quick glance before turning back
to Serena. "But there's nothing I can do about it."

"You could give him a chance," Mina suggested.

"He can bearly withstand my temper," Raye said, sounding annoyed.
"He'd never survive my passion." And that was that. Or at least Raye
thought so.

"Still," Mina said, not giving the subject up. "I bet he'd be a lot
of fun."

Raye ignored her and helped Serena onto the bed. "How're you
feeling now?" she asked, sitting next to her.

Serena smiled but it was evident that she wasn't feeling much better
by the pallor of her skin.

"Serena," Amy was saying, "I need to take some blood. Just a little
bit!" She rushed when Serena looked ready to protest. "I promise it
won't hurt."

Serena swallowed, but nodded.

Quick and efficient, Amy was running the test in less then five
minutes. But she frowned when the results started reading out. She
typed a few keys and bit her lip. "That's strange," she said more to
herself then to the girls. She typed some more keys.

"What?" Serena cried. "What's strange?"

Amy looked at her and frowned. "Hold on," she murmured and typed
in another key. She shook her head and then looked up at Serena.
"I think," she said looking back at the screen. She nodded her head,
"I think," and then looked back up. "I think you might be pregnant,"
she finished softly.

**********************************************************

0.0*

**********************************************************

"PREGNANT?!!!!"

Amy bit her lip and typed in more keys into her computer. "I could
be wrong," she suggested weakly.

Weakly because the all knew Amy was never wrong.

Lita walked in with a tray of milk and cookies. Seeing the dumb-
founded faces of her friends she was quick to ask: "What? What hap-
pened?"

"Serena's pregnant," Mina said from the seat she'd slumped into.

Lita looked from Mina-who looked dazed, to Serena-who looked stunned,
to Raye-who looked shocked, to Amy-who looked confused, and back to
Serena.

"Chibi-usa-Rini?" she asked on a whisper. She set the tray down on
the table because it had begun to shake in her hands.

Serena shook her head and wet her lips. "It's too soon," she whis-
pered back. "Not for at least another five-ten years." She swallowed
hard.

"Rini never mentioned any brothers or sisters," Mina said looking at
the rest of them.

"She was young-" Raye began.

"Not the last time," Amy countered.

They were quiet, puzzling over this new piece of information.

*****

Serena wrapped herself in closer to Darien. Even in his sleep his
arms closed around her, holding her closer to him. But this sign of
love and affection did nothing to sooth her wild emotions tonight.
Her thoughts were on this afternoon.

After leaving the temple and the girls behind, Serena had headed
straight for the drug store. Not that she doubted Amy...she was just
hoping that for once, Amy would be wrong. But the tiny pink plus sign
supported Amy: 17 year old Serena Tsukino, year 4, ready to graduate
in another five months, was going to have a baby.

She had rushed home and locked herself in the bathroom, reading the
directions carefully. The full minute it took for the results to ap-
pear was one of the most terrifying moments of her life. When the re-
sults said yes, Serena had walked to her room like a zombie. She sat
there for what seemed like hours, thinking, until she remembered
agreeing to meet Darien for dinner. Luna had asked her what was wrong
(Luna and Artimis had not been at practice. Every-now-and-then, they
liked to go off on their own.). But Serena hadn't told her. Her mother
had come in asking if she was all right. She told her she was fine.

But the thoughts were making her physically ill.

A baby.

A little Serena and Darien...

And then she began to think about how Serenity had met Endymion a
thousand years ago in the Moon Kingdom. She thought about how Sailor
Moon had met Tuxedo Mask so many years ago. She thought about herself,
Serena, and Darien. About the first time they'd made love. Darien
had been so sweet and considerate. She thought about the day she
might have conceived...nearly three months ago. That would have been
about the same time Raye had had her vision.

Then she thought about Rini-her future daughter. It was too soon
for the baby to be Rini, she knew. When they had traveled into the
future to save Rini's mom, to save her future self, they had also met
Darien's future self. The King of Earth had looked older that her
Darien did now...older more then just five or six years...
But Rini had never mentioned any brothers or sisters on either of her
visits to the past. Surely had there been...

Serena shook her head. Neither the King of Earth nor Sailor Pluto
had mentioned any other children other then Rini.

But then...

Was it possible it was a mistake?
Serena had made the decision to visit Puu the next day before leaving
to go to Darien's that night. Not that it changed the fact that she
was pregnant...but at least talking to the older senshi would make her
feel better about the whole thing. And who knew? Maybe Setsuna would
say sometime helpful this time.

Darien stirred beside her, pulling her away from her thoughts.

"Hello," he said, wiping sleep from his eyes.

Serena smiled and sat up. "Hello," she answered and leaned over to
give him a small kiss.

"Mmm. What a nice treat to wake up too." He yawned and then asked,
"What time is it?"

"Almost one."

He pouted, realizing it was time to take her home.

Serena smiled and kissed him again. He moved to pull her closer but
she pulled back, still smiling.

"We still have to be at practice tomorrow," she told him, at which
he groaned.

She hopped out of bed and started to get dressed. He just laid
there on the bed and watched her, appreciating the view of her lovely
body.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered.

She looked into his eyes, saw the undying love shining there for her
and debated telling him about the baby. In the end her previous
decision-not tonight, held.

Instead she said, "You aren't so bad yourself," and walked out the
door.

*******************************************************************

Setsuna was in the front of the store helping a customer when Serena
walked in. She looked up at her and gave her a sad smile.

'She knows,' Serena thought. And then, 'Is this what she meant? Is
this the trial that I must face?'

Serena's mind whirled. 'Is this what Raye's vision prophesized?'

Setsuna walked her customer to the door and then locked the door
behind her. She turned around, leaning back against the door, and
faced Serena. "Serena," she said softly and opened her arms.

Serena flew into them with no needed incentive. There she cried
out all her fears and frustrations on her shoulder. Setsuna held her,
petted her back, smoothed her hair, and soothed her spirit. All with-
out saying a word. When Serena's tears had spilled themselves dry,
Setsuna moved her to the back room, sat her down at the small table
there, and sat a cup of tea in front of her.

Serena hiccuped, but drank the tea willingly.

Setsuna smiled, looking sympathetic.

"What I am going to do, Puu?" she asked, taking another sip of tea.
"What can I do? I'm seventeen-I can't have a baby!"

Setsuna didn't answer, but took a sip of her own tea instead.

"Is this what you meant? Is this the trial that you spoke of? Is
this what Raye's vision meant?" Serena rushed.

Setsuna smiled sadly and shook her head. "This is only the begin-
ning, my princess. This is only the beginning."

Serena digested that for a minute and then, "Is it Rini?"

Setsuna did not answer right away but took another sip of tea. And
then, she shook her head.

Serena bit her lip and then swallow. "Will it-will it survive?" she
asked finally.

Setsuna was about to say something when the front door was unlocked
and opened. Both women looked towards the front of the store to see
who was intruding on their conversation.

"Setsuna?" a young girl's voice called out. A moment later Hotaru
appeared. She looked startled to see Serena there and the youngest
senshi immediately asked if there was trouble.

"Nothing to concern yourself with now," Setsuna told her.

The girl looked at her mentor, bit her lip, and then nodded. "Then
it has begun," she said and turned to leave.

Serena shot a look at Setsuna. "What has begun?" she demanded.

Setsuna did not answer but stood up to leave. "I must go," she said.
"I must call Haruka and Michiru." She turned at the door however and
looked Serena straight in the eye.

"You should tell Darien," she said. "He will understand and he will
be mad if you don't."

******************************************************************

Serena sat on the temple steps waiting for the other girls to show
up (Serena early???)

She hadn't fallen asleep last night, and giving up on any sleep,
she had finally gotten and dressed and just left her house.

Her mind was moving full speed ahead, giving her little time to really
stop and think about what was happening.

She was seventeen years old.

She was pregnant.

She was Sailor Moon.

She was a pregnant Sailor Moon.

She was a Senior in High School.

She was now a pregnant Senior in High School.

She was Darien's girlfriend.

She was Darien's pregnant girlfriend.

She shook her head, trying to chase these thoughts away.

But more thoughts were there to take their place.

The trials had begun...

But this was just the beginning.

Meaning there were more?

Serena's stomach rumbled.

Well, at least she knew she wasn't coming down with the flu, she
thought, placing a hand over her belly.

A baby. A tiny shiver went through her.

A shiver of excitement. Anticipation.

She smiled.

Yes, she had to tell Darien--something.

But what?

She could just imagine it now:

A romantic dinner, a dozen red roses on the table...

"Darien," she would say smiling seductively.

"What, my love?" he would asked smiling back at her.

"We're going to have a baby!"

Or:

They would be laying in bed after a wonderful bout of love making...

She would turn in his arms and look into his eyes and whisper:

"Darien, I'm pregnant!"

And then there was his reaction when she told him.

Setsuna had said he would be angry if she did not tell him.

But she didn't mention how he would be when she did tell him.

"He'll understand?" But what did that tell.

He better understand! He was a doctor after all.

Serena sighed and rolled her shoulders releasing the stress that was
steadily building up there.

"Hey, Serena," Raye said padding outside onto the porch of the temple
where Serena was sitting. "What are you doing here so early?" Raye
wiped the sleep from her eyes and yawned as she stretched her sleep-
ridden muscles.

"Couldn't sleep," Serena answered.

Raye looked at her best and closest friend. "Did you tell him yet?"
she questioned softly.

Serena shook her head. "I don't know how," she said weakly.

"You could try, 'Hey Darien, guess what? We're having a baby!'"
Raye said with a smile.

Serena smiled. "I'm sure that would go over easy."

"Hey!" she said with a shrugged. "Why not? He's a big boy. He
knows what can happen."

Serena shook her head. "We never thought--" she shook her head and
then looked at her best friend. "We never thought to use any protec-
tion," she said softly. "I'm actually surprised something didn't
happen sooner." She shook her head and placed it on her knees. After
another few seconds she looked back at Raye. "What am I going to tell
my parents? 'Hey Mom, hey Dad! I'm pregnant but don't worry 'cause
Darien and I will one day be married and we're going to rule Crystal
Tokyo in the future and everything will turn out alright in the end!'"

"Well, it's a start," said another voice. A husky voice. "But I
don't think you should include the last."

Raye and Serena looked up to see the Outers standing at the bottom
of the steps (in street clothes). The girls were taken back in sur-
prise.

"What are you girls doing here?" Serena asked with surprise.

Haruka shrugged and said very nonchalantly, "Setsuna said you girls
were holding practices. She said we should come."

Raye and Serena both paled.

If Setsuna had sent the Outers to come practice...then something big
was definitely coming.

*********************************************************************

Serena parried off with Amy. She was annoyed, even though Amy was
one of her closest friends. All the other scouts were pushing them-
selves harder and harder each day. Yet they refused to let her,
Serena, Sailor Moon, work hard, let alone harder.

"Don't be mad, Serena," Amy told her as she went through a series
of kicks. Serena blocked them easily.

"Why should I be mad?" she asked with false sweetness. "Just
because everyone's treating me like a little kid!" She went through
her series of kicks while Amy blocked.

"We are not treating you like a child," Amy defended. "We're
treating you like your going to have a child." She kicked. "You
must be careful not to over stress yourself."

"I am not over-stressing myself!" Serena cried, sending a rather
vicious kick towards Amy's midsection.

Amy went down with a cry--not having blocked the kick soon enough.
She looked up at her friend with a shocked expression.

"Ames, I'm--" Serena began to apologize.

"Sailor Mercury," Pluto said, coming up to them. "Perhaps you
should join the others now."

Amy looked up to the leader of the Outer Scouts and nodded. She
left without a backwards glance. Setsuna did not watch her leave
but studied Serena instead. If possible, the young woman looked more
beautiful then ever before. There was a strong resemblance to the
Neo-Queen of Crystal Tokyo whom she would one day become.

"Puu--" she began, and then stopped. She sighed with heavy weari-
ness.

Setsuna smiled sadly, a maternal look in her eyes. "You have not
told him yet."

Serena shook her head and then fell to the steps. "I don't know
how, Puu," she sighed.

Setsuna nodded, think that over, and then told her, "If you wait
much longer you will not have to tell him at all."

Serena's hands pushed against her stomach. It was hard, and not
just from all the stomach crunches she'd been doing...and it had
begun to swell. Hardly noticeable, yet. At least not to anyone who
wasn't on very familiar terms with her body, like herself...and Darien.
But Setsuna was right. Darien would soon begin to notice the subtle
changes brought with pregnancy.

"You should tell him soon," she told her before walking away.

*****

Monday night Serena went over to Darien's for dinner (this was a
common occurrence for the couple). She laid back against his chest
afterwards, watching on of their favorite movies: The Lion In The
Winter. But Serena wasn't very much into it tonight.
Darien's arms were wrapped around her, his hands clasped beneath
her breasts. Her own hands played over his, and then she took them
up and squeezed them--more to gain courage than to get his attention.

But she got that, too.

"Darien, we need to talk," she said softly.

She felt him stiffen behind her and then he relaxed.

"What about?" he asked, kissing the nape of her neck, a sign of
affection, of encouragement, of trust.

She was quiet for several seconds--worst possible scenarios played
out in her mind, and then, placing his hands flat over her womb, she
whispered, "I'm pregnant."

Darien was very quiet. Shell-shocked would have been the better
saying. He closed his eyes and pulled her body back, more closely
to his, wrapping his arms around her tight...almost afraid to let
her go. And he let the emotions come.

They raged through his mind, through his body, through his heart,
though he remained silent, calm, cool, and connected Darien. Aloof
Darien. No sweat Darien. You-can't-hurt-me Darien. On the outside.
Inside he was a wreck. Anger, fear...pain, sorrow...loss, hope...and
overwhelming all, was the incredibly overwhelming love he felt for
the girl he held in his arms. Close at its heels was the thrill of
excitement.

He felt a little bad about that, but...he had no memories of his
mother or father. Not even from the Earth Kingdom. None. He never
regained the memory of his childhood. It was a fact that had always
hunted him. And now...

And now Serena was giving him the one thing he wanted most: A family.

He moved her around in his arms so her cradled her. He looked into
her beautiful blue eyes and saw the fear they could not hide. Then
he felt worse.

She was still so very young...what if she didn't want the baby?
Darien's heart gave a sick little lurch.

Serena bit her lip and tried not to cry. What was he thinking?
Was he angry? Was he happy? Sitting as she was, with him behind
her, she had no way of telling. But then he moved her around in his
arms and she saw the love shining in his face. Her fear melted away
and he smiled at her.

"Thank you," he whispered against her lips before kissing her.
He kissed all her fears aside, all his fears aside, and filled the
empty spaces with undying love...for her, and now their child.

******************************************************************

Serena stayed with Darien the entire night. In the morning he went
with her to practice. The girls were all sitting out on the temple
steps, waiting for her, when they walked up. The conversations drop-
ped dead when the girls noticed the two.

"I told your mom you were already asleep when she called last night,"
Raye said, giving Serena a 'look.' The other girls all shared smiles
and knowing looks.

"Thank you, Raye," Darien answered, drawing Raye's attention to him-
self. "We appreciate your help."

The girls all shot looks between Darien and Serena. Their future
Queen was shining, radiant with Inner Light and love. Of course,
their future King wasn't looking bad at all himself! They smiled and
laughed and ran forward to congratulate and embrace the couple.

"So, when's the wedding?" Haruka asked, the first one to step back,
and folded her arms under her chest.

All the girls pulled back now, circling the couple, in anticipation.
Darien's face filled with color--annoyance, not embarrassment, and he
looked at Serena. The girls, following his direct stare, all looked
at Serena, too.

"There's not," she said with a determined smile. The girls gasped.
"At least not now," she amended.

"But--" seven girls were crying.

"Don't you *want* to get married?"

"Why not?"

"Darien, didn't you--"

Darien held his peace, and again, it was Serena who answered.

"The decision was mine," she said loud enough to be heard over all
the talking girls. "I'm not ready to get married yet."

"But Serena--"

"Surely--"

"No," she said with such finality that everyone's mouths shut tight.
"I will not get married just because I'm pregnant." She looked at
each and every one of them. "I'm not ready to get married yet," she
repeated. "That doesn't mean that it's never going to happen. It
just mean it's not going to happen in the next five months." She
smiled than. "Darien understands this and he supports my decision."

The girls all shot Darien a look that stated that they clearly
thought him nuts. He smiled too.

"We won't be staying for practice today," he said then.

"We have to try and go explain this all to my parents," Serena
said, looking a little ill at ease. "My father's going to flip!"

Behind her, Darien did a major sweat-drop. The girls hid their
amusement and excitement well until the couple had left. But the
second they were out of the temple gates, the courtyard burst to
the seems with eager chatter and trickling laughter. All save
Setsuna, who smiled and nodded, but who's eyes never lost their
hint of sadness that followed the two young lovers.

****************************************************************

I'll Be There For You
By: Andrea Readwolf
Part 2 - The Awakening
Rated: PG/PG-13

Serena and Darien were more than just a little bit nervous as they
drove to Serena's house. For the first time he could remember, Darien
actually drove up into her driveway and parked the car there. When
they got out of the car he stopped to look back at it, sitting there.
And he wondered why they never confronted her parents earlier about
their relationship.

Serena walked right into the house without waiting for him.

"Mom!" she called at the top of her lungs.

"In here, bunny," came the happy reply, followed by, "Why aren't
you at school?"

Ikuko's face fell when Darien walked into the room. "Mamuro," she
said nodding her head to the younger man.

"Mrs. Tsukino," he replied, trying to smile, and finding it hard.
"Call me Darien. All my friends do."

"Mom, sit down," Serena said pushing her mom towards a chair.
"Darien and I have something really important to tell you."

Serena stepped back to stand next to Darien and took a deep breath.

"I wasn't at Raye's last night," she said looking her mother
straight in the eye. She paused. "I was at Darien's."

Ikuko was quiet. She nodded her head and tears glistened in her
eyes.

"There's more," Serena said, trying not to loss courage in the
face of her mother's tears. She reached down and grabbed Darien's
hand. He gave it a squeeze of encouragement.

"I'm pregnant."

"I know," Ikuko whispered through her tears.

Serena and Darien were both surprised and seeing this the older
woman smiled and gave a sad little laugh. "I live in this house,
Serena," she said, looking at the walls around her before looking
back at her daughter. "I clean this house every day." She paused.
"Have you never noticed that the rubbish is always removed from the
house everyday?" She shook her had. "You should be more careful of
what you through away."

"But that was--"

Ikuko nodded. "I guess I was in denial. I didn't want to believe
it." She gave another pitiful laugh.

"Does Daddy--"

Ikuko laughed out right at that. "Oh, gods no!" She smiled. "He
doesn't even know you two are seeing one another. As far as he is
concerned, he's" she nodded towards Darien, "Still seeing Raye."

"But that was centuries ago!"

She smiled. "I know. I know everything that goes on within this
family," she said eyeing her daughter. "Everything," she repeated.

Serena's eyes went wide with that implication. Her mother nodded.

"I'll let you know it has not always been easy covering for you
either," she said shaking her head with a smile. And then the smile
fell. "It was worse waiting to make sure you came home safe every
night." She closed her eyes. "I used to have terrible nightmares
of you dying or being seriously hurt if you weren't bed by the time
I fell asleep."

She opened her eyes and stared at her daughter, tears streaming
openly down her face.

"Mama--," Serena cried, falling to her knees at her mother's feet
and laying her head on her mother's lap. Ikuko smiled and smoothed
her daughter's hair. "Oh, my beautiful Bunny," she said, and then
placed a kiss on top of her head.

Darien hung back, embarrassed to be witness to such a...loving,
family moment. Ikuko looked up at him now, standing in the doorway,
almost afraid to come in.

"And you, Darien," she said to him now. "Thank you for keeping her
safe."

Darien did color with embarrassment then. "It--it was an honor,"
he said, looking into Serena's eyes.

**********************************

It had been hard telling her mother. But Serena dreaded telling
her father. Finding out that her mother knew the truth about her life
helped a lot, she thought. Though she wished she'd known her mother
knew. She might have done a few things differently. Yes, she
definitely would have done some things differently.

Ikuko called her husband at work and told him to come home. At
first Ken put up an argument, but when Ikuko insisted, he finally
gave in. The thirty-five minutes it took him to leave work and come
home were tense filled moments in the Tsukino residence.

Darien was the biggest wreck: he asked if all the brooms were locked
away; he asked if there were any shotguns in the house; he nearly wore
the rug to the ground with all his pacing. Serena and Ikuko could not
smile at this, though. They too were worried about how Ken would take
the news that his only daughter, still in high school, was pregnant
and by a twenty-three year old man.

Serena asked Darien if he wanted to leave, but he insisted on
staying. She hugged him then, and Ikuno, carrying a tray of tea into
the living room, smiled. It was obvious the two loved each other very
much. This made her happy.

Darien and Ikuko both looked up when the front door opened (Serena
had gone to the bathroom).

"Kuko, whose car's in the--YOU!" Ken hissed when he saw Darien.
"What's going on here?"

Ikuko was up and smiling as best she could. "In here, dear, please,
come and sit down." Her voice was falsely pleasant and she tried to
usher her husband into the room.

"What are *you* doing here?" he demanded, refusing to be led into
the room.

"Mr. Tsukino--" Darien began.

"You are not allowed in my house," Ken shouted. "Get out of my
house!"

"Papa!" Serena tried, running into the room and clenching onto his
arm. "Please listen!"

"Out of my house!" he repeated.

"Mr. Tsukino, if you would just--"

"Ken, please--"

"Papa, we need to tell you--"

"Out!"

They were silent. All breathing heavily. Ken was seething with
rage not one of them understood....considering he didn't know yet
about the baby...

"Daddy, please," Serena pleaded, her blue eyes large, her lips
puckered out in a pout.

They could physically tell when he relented and let himself be led
into the room.

There was a collective sigh as Ken sat down in a chair across from
Darien and picked up a cup of tea.

"What was so important that I had to be dragged away from the
studio?" he asked, sipping his tea.

They all looked at each other, silent. Finally, Serena spoke up.

"Daddy," she said, taking a deep breath. "This is Darien Chibi."
She paused long enough for her father to acknowledge Darien.
"Darien's my boyfriend."

Ken started to say something but Ikuno place a hand on his arm,
urging him to just listen.

Serena swallowed again. "We've been going out for three years
now--"

Now Ken *was* getting upset.

"And we love each other very much!" Serena said before her father
could say anything.

"You're too young." He said flatly, no room for discussion, even
though he didn't know what the subject was. Serena seemed to falter,
her lip trembling. Darien stood up to take her hand and Ken's eyes
narrowed.

"We're not asking your permission," Darien said then, shocking Ken.
"We're here to tell you the facts. I love your daughter very much,
and," he looked at Serena, "I want to make her happy."

"You're *not* getting married," Ken said, standing up.

Serena's and Darien's eyes flew to her father. Ikuko stood up,
biting her lip. They had told her that they didn't plan on getting
married...but she knew her husband. Knew him well enough to know
that in another minute he would be *demanding* that the two get
married...or worse.

"We're not getting married," Serena said hesitantly.

"Not yet, anyway," Darien added with a wink to Ikuko.

"Daddy," Serena squeezed Darien's hand for extra support. "I'm
going to have a baby."

Darien didn't know what he was expecting: more ranting and raving,
a lot of yelling or screaming or shouting. A threat of death
definitely. What actually happened shocked him more.

Ken Tsukino dropped back into his seat. His face lost all color.
No expression crosses his face, save those few tears that escaped
his eyes.

"Get out," he said softly without looking at either one of them.
"Get out, both of you."

Ikuko gasped with shock. Serena cried out with pain. Darien didn't
show any expression what so ever.

"Daddy," Serena tried.

"Don't call me that," Ken said, not looking at her.

"But--"

"I no longer have a daughter."

********************************************************

Darien drove home to his apartment. Serena didn't say a word. She
was silent all the way up the stairs and down the hallway. He was
beginning to worry when, inside the door, she turned to him and busted
out crying.

"He--he *disowned* me," she cried with disbelief.

He didn't know what to do, what to tell her. So he held her as she
cried on his shoulder. He held her, and then he made love to her.

Later he got up the courage to ask her a question that had always
bothered him.

"Why does your father hate me so much?"

She looked at him, at a loss for words. And then she shrugged. "I
used to think it was because he was overprotective of me. Because he--
he loved me." Tears began to form in her eyes.

He felt bad and tried to make light of the situation. "Do you think
he would change his mind if he knew I were a prince?" he asked with a
smile.

"Do you think it would change his mind if he knew I was a princess
and you my destined husband?" she said flatly.

*****

Serena didn't eat dinner that night and she went to bed early. The
next morning she was up and at the temple at five o'clock.

"Serena?" a nasal voice called her. "Are you alright?"

Serena looked up at her long time friend and tried to smile.

"I don't mean to be nosy or anything," Molly said, sitting down next
to her under the tree. "And I know we haven't been the greatest of
friends since Junior High, but," she paused and mused her lips. "I'm
really worried about you, Serena."

Serena did smile now.

"Thanks, Moll," she said sighing. "It's good to know some people
still care."

"Do you wanna talk about it?" the red headed girl asked.

Serena thought about it. She really did. 'It would be great to talk
about some stuff with people who didn't know my future. Who didn't
know what would happen in a couple more years. It would be great--'

"I'm pregnant, Molly," she said before she could think of a reason
not to. Everyone was going to find out soon enough anyway.

"Oh!" Molly went white with shock. "I thought maybe--whad are you
goin' ta do?"

"The same as I've always done," she said with a sad smile.

"Whadda 'bout your folks?" Molly asked. "Aren't they goin' ta flip?"

Serena's smile vanished and she bit her lip. "My father's disowned me,
Moll," she said softly.

"Oh!" Molly didn't say anything for a full minute. "Well, I'm still
here for you, Serena, if you need anything."

Serena's eyes filled up with tears. "Thanks, Moll, that means a lot
to me." And she gave the girl a great big hug.

*****

Serena didn't tell the girls about what happened with her folks.
They sort of found out the hard way.

Mina was calling Serena's house to ask if she wanted to go shopping
when her father answered.

"Oh, hi, Mr. Tsukino," Mina said. "Is Serena home?"

There was a moment of silence on the other end and then, "I'm sorry,
there's no one who lives here by that name."

"Oh, I'm sorry! I must have gotten the wrong number. Bye!"

Mina checked the number and tried back again. When she got the same
reply she began to wonder. She pulled out Darien's number to give him
a call to ask what's up when Serena answered.

"Oh, hey, Serena!" Mina said all happy and bubbly. "I just tried
calling your house and a man who I thought was your dad, said you
didn't live there!"

"I know," she answered, and said nothing more.

"But--"

"Were you calling to ask something?" Serena cut her off.

"Oh, yea! Did you want to go to the mall? I hear that new Dillard's
store has a great sale going on!"

"Sounds great," Serena said, not sounding great at all. "You invite
the others?"

"Not yet!" Mina said. "We'll be over in fifteen!"

**************************************************************************

Setsuna stepped through the portal, her long dark hair flowing be-
hind her like a cape. Her sailor skirt waved in the wind of the portal
and then stilled as the portal closed behind.

"You are here." The other woman stood next to the Gates of Time,
staring into the open doors.

"Yes."

"It has begun." The woman turned to look at her. Brown eyes
burned so passionately, they looked red, stared at her.

"Yes."

The woman nodded and looked back through the Gates of Time.

"You must travel to Illusion and seek out he who knows all, the
ruler of that domain."

Setsuna nodded and pulled her staff in close to her body.

"He will call upon the powers of Earth to recall her protectors,
the four Generals of Earth."

Setsuna remained quiet.

"You must stay and protect the princess no matter what."

"Always."

"Then go and good luck. May the Powers of Pluto guide your way."

Setsuna nodded and walked through another portal.

"May the gods protect you all," the woman said. "I pray you succeed
where we have failed."

And with that, Sailor Pluto walked through the Gates of Time.

*****

The tall dark haired woman stepped out of the portal. A strange yet
familiar land surrounded her. She walked forward, through the mist.
Here she would find him.

"Stop!" a voice cried from the darkness.

She stopped were she stood and stood poised for action, whether it
be fight or flight.

"Why do you come through the portal to enter the realm where dreams
lay?"

"I seek the one who knows of my world."

"Which world would that be? There's many, y'know."

The woman smiled.

"It is good to see you again, Elios."

A man dressed in long black robes stepped out of the mists.

"You too, Mistress." He eyed her. "Or is it Queen now?"

"No," she answered, pulling her long staff up against her body.

He threw back his coat, revealing the surprisingly bright white
tunic underneath, and laughed. "Come now, Warrior Woman," he said
with a smile. "You do not think I would harm the girl."

"I would kill you where you stand if I did," she replied, smiling
also.

He smiled sadly and nodded his head.

"I come on other matters this day."

"Is it time then?" he asked with all seriousness. She nodded. He
seemed to think on that a moment.

"Is the child still alive?"

"It has yet to be born."

He thought more on that. "And they do not know?"

"Not even Setsuna." He frowned at that.

"Are you sure that is wise?"

She shared his worried but told him frankly, "That was not my
decision to make."

He nodded. "Very well. I know what I must do." He smiled
mischievously. "I'll see you soon!"

"Imp," she called to his departing back.

The portal opened behind her and she walked through it without a
glance back. Just as the one portal closed, another opened. A dark
haired young woman stepped out.

"Stop!" cried a voice.

The young woman stopped and stood poised for action.

"Why do you pass through the portal into the realm where dreams
lay?"

"I seek Elios, ruler of this domain."

A cloaked man stepped out from behind the mists. "Then you have
found him," he said.

"Earth's guardians are needed once more," Setsuna said.

The man smiled and replied, "I know."