I'll Be There
Part 4 - Relationships

The three girls walked away from the temple, each lost in
their own thoughts, each feeling just a little bit sick to their
stomachs. It was Mina who, as they passed the Crown Arcade, spoke
up first.

"I'm hungry," she said, tilting her head and looking over at their
favorite hangout. "Anyone else up for burgers and French fries?"

"Really, Mina," Lita said with a grin, even as they began to cross
the street. "You're getting as bad as Serena! Imagine wanting
French fries at this time of morning!"

"Yes," Amy was adding. "Why it is only--oh, my!"

Both girls turned around to look at Amy, who had stopped short.
She looked up at them with surprise.

"Why, it is noon already!" she said, amazement in her voice.

"Wow! I didn't realize it was so late!" Lita said as Mina smiled
with an 'I told ya so' look at her.

"*Now* are you guys up for some food?" she asked still ginning.

When they entered the soda shop together, they were surprised to
see someone sitting in *their* booth...and not just one someone, but
two: Darien and Serena.

"Hey you guys!" Serena called out when she saw them.

"Serena!" Lita said as she slid into the booth next to Darien,
pushing him closer to Serena. "I thought you guys were going home!"

"We were," Darien mumbled as he slid over to make more room for
Mina and Amy.

"I decided I was hungry," Serena answered with a smile.

"Well, pregnancy sure hasn't affected your appetite any!" Mina
giggled as the waitress brought a tray to the table. The girl placed
three plates piled high with food before Serena...and a cup of coffee
before Darien.

"You should eat something, too, Darien," Amy said, frowning at the
cup of coffee before him.

"I do," he said with a smile, reaching over and snatching a French
fry from one of Serena's plates. She pouted, but smiled when he gave
her a pop kiss on the cheek.

The waitress took Amy, Mina, and Lita's orders (they've been going
there so long that they don't need menus...isn't that scary?) and
then, when she left, Serena jumped on them.

"So???? What happened after we left?" The words were barely out
of her mouth before she stuffed more French fries in it.

"Oh, a little of this, a little of that," Lita replied very non-
chalant.

"Raye and Jedite got into another fight," Mina giggled, trying to
take of sip of water and failing terribly 'cause of it.

"Darien," Amy said, sounding extremely serious. "Do you remember
anything about the Generals from the Earth Kingdom?"

He frowned...and then shook his head. "No. No I don't," he said
frowning harder. "In truth, I don't remember much of anything.
Nothing at all...except for Serena."

Serena smiled up at him, lovingly, and presented him with another
French fry, followed by another pop kiss.

"You girls would probably remember more about it than I would,"
he said, chewing on the fry. "You've got most of your memories
back. More than I do."

Amy was frowning, though. "I don't trust them," she said softly.

"Oh, Amy," Serena said sounding very sympathetic. She even put
down her chocolate milkshake to look at her friend with undivided
attention.

"I know how hard this must be for you," she started.

"No," Amy said, softly, cutting off Serena's words, shaking her
head slowly from side to side. There were tears pooling in her
watery blue eyes.

"Amy--"

"No, Serena," Amy said in a choked voice, a tear streaming down
her cheek. "I'm sorry," she said quickly, sounding...embarrassed...
scared. "I should really...go...home."

She had pushed off, out of the booth and was near out the door
before anyone could react.

"Amy! Amy wait!" Serena cried after her.

She tried to follow her, but Amy's lithe form was out the door
and around the corner before Serena's hunkering body managed to
get out of the booth.

"Oh, Amy," Serena sighed.

"Let her go," Darien said softly, squeezing her shoulders. He
pulled her back into the booth and held her tightly to his side.
"She has a lot to think about right now," he whispered hoarsely.

Serena bit her lip but nodded. "This must be so incredibly hard
for her," she cried, hiding her head in his shoulder. She took a
deep breath and then pulled back, looking straight at Lita and Mina.

"Amy has been by my side longer than both of you," she said softly.
"She has been with me since the very beginning. She has fought beside
me and died beside me and has helped me through a lot of tough things.
I owe a lot to her," she whispered, looking out the window at a passing
couple. "We all owe a lot to her," she added, looking back at the two
girls.

"She fought all the generals...so many years ago..." She shook her
head. "You never had to fight Jedite or Nephrite," she said as softly
as before. "And you really didn't...Kunzite till the very end,"
she said, looking at Mina. "Amy has faced them all...Even more
than Raye." She shook her head, saying, "Raye is strong, but...Amy-"
she bit her lip.

"And now she's told to accept them and, and *love* one of them?"
Serena swallowed and shook her head again. "Even *I* have problems
accepting that."

The girls stared at her...almost afraid to speak, especially since
Serena was talking so seriously.

"Please help her," Serena said after another moment. Her voice
quivered with the intensity emotion raging through her. "I wish I
could...that I could be there for her...for all of you, but..."
Another tear escaped and found its way down her cheek. Her small
hands rubbed her belly that was swelling more and more everyday with
new life.

"Don't worry, Serena," Lita told her, reaching across the table to
take her hand in her own. "We'll be there for you, too."

Mina smiled. "We'll help you and Raye and Amy as best we can."
She winked in a completely Mina style and said, "Senshi sisters
stick together forever!"

Serena smiled too and then laughed and then thanked them both.
But by then the waitress had brought out the girls' food, frowning
when she realized one of the girls was gone.

"I'll take it!" Serena said happily before she could take the plate
away.

The waitress's eyes rounded and she looked over to Darien, as if
she needed to ask his permission to give her the food. He smiled,
laughed even, but nodded. The waitress took the other two plates
(Serena had already wolfed down two burgers and fries) and left the
fourth, shaking her head as she walked away. Mina, Lita, and Darien
were all laughing...softly, of course, but still laughing.

"Hey, Darien, Serena, girls! Still packing it away in that black
hole you call a mouth I see."

"Andrew!" Serena wailed as Darien clasped hands with his long time
friend.

"When you get back into town?" he asked, sliding over to make room
of him to sit down.

"Last night around midnight," Andrew replied, sliding in beside
Serena. "I tell you, Africa is nice and all, but--Hey Serena, what
happened to you!"

Serena nearly choked on the French fry she was eating...Darien
almost spewed coffee across the table. Luckily, neither one did.
Lucky for Lita and Mina-who were giggling like silly schoolgirls.
Poor Andrew's eyes had practically popped out of his head as he
stared at Serena, or, rather, her stomach.

"Nothing *happened*, " Mina said through giggles.

"Not...unless...you count...having a baby...and something," added
Lita.

"Oh, Andrew," Serena said, looking just a tad bit embarrassed.
"I forgot, you had already left when we told everybody." She bit her
lip and looked up at him apologetically.

He was still shocked. "Gosh! I'd hate to have been there when
your father found out!" he said, shooting a look Darien, whose face
colored...but Serena paled.

"Ex-excuse me," she said, pushing at Andrew to get free from the
booth.

"Serena! Serena, wait!" Darien called after her. "Damn!" He
looked back at the table and pulled out his wallet.

"Don't worry about it," Andrew said. "I'll cover you. Hey, what
was that about?"

Darien looked at him and sighed. "Thanks, I'll pay you back, and,"
he looked at the door Serena had rushed out. "I'll tell you later."
And then he was gone too.

Andrew whistled and sat back down. "So," he said, looking back to
Mina and Lita, both who looked uncomfortable. "Wanna tell me what
that was about?"

"It's a long story," Mina hissed.

"That can be summed up in three sentences," Lita added.
"Serena's dad didn't like Darien. He didn't like her pregnant.
So he disowned her."

"No shit," Andrew whispered, staring out the window where Darien
was holding a sobbing Serena across the street. "Damn," he added,
in sympathy?

************************************************************************
okay, so I know it's not my thing to add a lot of end notes or anything
but i just wanted to say, I know Andrew's a really nice guy and I don't
see him as cursing a lot or anything, but...'oh shit' was a big
reaction of most people when they found out Serena had been disowned...
I think it's just a natural reaction.
************************************************************************

Mina felt her hand being crushed and sighed. "Maybe this isn't such
a great idea," she said, staring up at the mansion looming up before
her.

"No, no," Lita said with a shaky voice. "I can do this."

Mina almost giggled. She'd never seen Lita so shaken up before.
Imagine: the senshi of thunder, nervous over a guy! Of course, Mina
hadn't been around when Lita had a mega-huge crush on Andrew so long
ago...

"On second thought," Lita said turning around.

"Hello."

Lita stopped inches away from a very male chest. She looked up into
Nephrites smiling brown eyes.

"Er, hi," she managed to say after a completely embarrassing moment.

"Were you girls coming or going?" Jedite asked with an amused smile,
leaning around Nephrite to look at them.

"Coming."

"Going."

"Well which is it?" Euclase asked with a laugh.

"Common in," Tellurium said, pushing past them both, two large
grocer's bags in his hands.

"Hey, Jup, is there any chance you'd cook something for us?"
Meliphane asked, passing her, also with two grocer's bags.

"Yea, I'm famished," Sardonyx added, passing, again with two grocer's
bags in hand.

"Well, er...I guess I could--"

"Great!" Jedite said, pushing past Nephrite now...and guess what he
had in his hands...

"Well, it certainly looks like you'll have enough food to work with,"
Mina said smiling.

"Uh huh," Lita said, not at all like her cheery self.

"You know you don't have to cook," Nephrite said softly.

She looked up at him and smiled. "I know," she practically
whispered. "But I like to cook."

He smiled. "I remember." And then he too disappeared inside the
mansion.

"Common," she said, turning back towards the huge home. "Let's see
what they've bought for us to work with."

"'Us'?" Mina piped. "Uh ah! I am not going near that kitchen! It's
all you woman!"

******

If she was nice, she would have let him know she was there...but
then, girls were always made with a lot of sugar...and even more
spice...

"Ahh! You scared me!"

Mina giggled. "Sorry," she said coming farther into the room.
"What were you thinking right now?"

"It doesn't matter," Zoicite replied, filling up the brandy glass
and then turning back towards the window.

"About Amy?" Mina asked daring to come closer into the room.

He looked at her, and with one look she felt like she'd been
punched. There was so much emotion in that one look that she felt
like her heart was going to be ripped from her chest. She felt tears
spring to her eyes. 'Was Amy so blind?' she asked herself. But then,
a second later the look was covered up and Zoicite turned back to the
window. 'No,' she thought. 'Zoicite's just as damn good at covering
up his emotions as Amy.'

"Better," he whispered hoarsly.

She looked up, startled. "How did you-"

He smiled and dragged himself over to the sofa. "Have you ever sat
a just marveled at the wonder of it all?" he asked holding the brandy
glass to refract the sun light. He looked at her...and then away. "To
each his own. To each her own. One soul, two lives, bound, for all
eternity."

He swallowed the remaining brandy in one swoop and winced. "Gods,
that is horrible stuff."

"Then we do you drink it?" Mina asked, daring to sit down across
from him.

"Because it dulls the pain," he answered with a grimace.

"That would be something I would expect of Jedite, not you Zoicite,"
she said...and then frowned.

He shot her a look and smiled. He'd caught it too. "And you know
us so well, do you?" He shook his head. "You should've seen him last
night." His smile broadened and then he added, "On second thought,
it's probably better that you didn't."

Mina bit her lip, not sure what to say to that.

"It's okay, you know," he said, setting the glass down on a side
table. "You can tell me anything you want. I won't hurt you." He
paused. "You can asked me anything you want. I will tell you."

The trust he dealt in those words would have knocked her off her
feet had she been standing. Luckily she was sitting. She stared at
him, open mouthed and wide eyed.

"Yes, anything," he answered her silent question.

"What was it like?" the words were out before she could think to
retract them. She looked horrified, but he smiled.

"You mean being a woman?" he asked with a sad smile. She nodded
silently.

He nodded his head too and looked out the window. "There is so
much you girls don't remember," he said softly. He looked at her
then. "I will tell you this in confidence, Sailor Venus," he said
hoarsely. "They others would not be open to it as much as you are
now."

He stood up and walked to the window that held such fascination for
him. "As protectors of Earth's son, each of us were given special
powers that dealt directly with four of the five elements of earth:
Earth, Air, Fire, and Water." He turned around again and faced her.
"The fifth element was Endymion, himself: Spirit, a union of all that
was and is Earth."

"And you were..."

He smiled. "Water, yes. Fitting, isn't it? Fight fire with fire,
earth with earth, air with air..." he swallowed. "Water with water."
He sighed and walked over to the fire place.

"I think that is one of the reasons why we were so drawn to each
other, the senshi to the generals...not just the bond that bound us
to Serenity and Endymion, but the bond to each other."

"How's that have anything to do with being a woman?" Mina asked with
a frown.

He smiled. "My special power was that of Metamorphesis." His head
fell to his chest and his body began to shimmer.

Mina gasped.

"I could change into anything I wanted," Zoicite said, lifting a
hand to her-yes her- chest and smoothing the front of the Negaverse
uniform. "I never did look good in this suit," she said, and then her
body shimmered and there stood Zoicite, the he-form.

Mina was shaking, almost completely terrified. Zoicite tried not
to noticed, but it wasn't easy to overlook.

"But, why--why a girl?" she finally managed to ask.

"That's easy enough," he replied, refilling his glass with amber
liquid. "When that she-demon possessed us she reduced us to our
weakest shadow of ourselves. For me, it was the female version of
my self or a mind without wisdom. For Kunzite it was a shell of a
man without a heart. For Jedite it was passion without love."

"And for Nephrite?"

"For Nephrite it was strength without compassion," Zoicite answered,
taking a deep breath.

"Whoa," Mina said, lacking for anything else to say.

Zoicite nodded and then downed the rest of his drink. "Sailor Pluto
was wrong, though," he said. Mina snapped around to face him. "We
were reborn," he continued. "I remember. That she-demon did *not*
get to us before." He turned to look at her. "We did not fall to her
until this lifetime," he said hoarsely. "And then only because we
did not know better at the time."

Mina digested that piece of information...and then the reason for
her visit came back to mind.

"Zoicite," she began, nervously.

He smiled. "I never stopped loving her," he answered. "I couldn't
stop even if I died."

Mina smiled, bit her lip, and nodded, trying to ignore the tears
that were falling from the man's eyes. Finally she got up and left
the room.

******

"Hand me those radishes, will you?"

"You're not seriously going to put those *things* in our breakfast
are you?" Jedite asked, handing her the package of reddish roots.

"Of course not, silly!" Lita said shaking her head. "These are
going into lunch!"

"Oh!" He said, as if that made complete sense...and then he frowned.

"Here! Peel those, will ya?" Lita thrusted a bowl of potatoes at
him. He looked at it, taken back.

"Uh, sure." He sat down at the table and looked at the bowl. How
exactly did one peel potatoes?

"Well, don't just sit there!" Lita snapped. "Here!" she handed him
the peeler.

It took him another minute to figure out how to use the darn thing.
Shaking his head, he swore to buy take-out for the rest of his days.

"So," Lita said, moving pots on the stove. "Do you still like Raye
or what?"

The peeler slipped, nearly slicing his finger off in the process.
"Ow!" She turned to look at him and saw him sucking on his finger.

"I take that as a 'yes'," she said, turning back to the stove.

"What makes you asked?" Jedite asked just a little sullenly,
looking at his finger. Damn that hurt!

"Curious, is all."

"Like hell you were," he mumbled.

"Watch it!" she snapped. "Or you won't get anything to eat."

He grinned at her. "After I was nice enough to help you?"

"You mean after you were the only one left who didn't bale out quick
enough," she answered.

"I won't be so slow next time," he mumbled.

"I heard that." Lita moved one pot off the stove and moved another
on. "So what are you going to do about it?"

"Do about what?" he asked, trying to concentrate on holding that
damn peeler steady-it wiggled like a worm.

"About Raye, duh!" Lita wiped her hands on a towel and turned
around to face him. Seeing his miserable progress with the potatoes
she took them from him, sat down at the table, and began peeling them
herself.

"Nothing," he answered, washing his hands off.

"Why not?" She set two potatoes down next to his one.

"Because it has never done me any good before and I don't think
she's changed in the past thousand years for it to do me any good
now." He sat back at the table and watched her peel one after another
potatoe.

Lita shrugged. "I don't see how it could hurt," she said, beginning
to slice the potatoes.

Mina came in and snatched one of the slices away. "Neither do I,"
she said, munching on the potatoe slice. "Taste better cooked."

"Well, no one told you to take one," Lita told her. Mina stuck her
tongue out.

"So what's your power?" she asked, sitting down. "Fire, right? That's
Raye's too. What's your special ability?"

Jedite looked at her, frowning.

"What can you do with fire?" Mina asked. "I'm sure you remember how
to do something that would impress her."

"Especially if it deals with fire," Lita giggled. "Raye's a regular
pyro!"

Mina giggled too. "So?" she asked, sneaking another slice.

"I don't know," he said, leaning back in the chair. "And why do you
girls care anyway?"

"Hey! The Senshi of Love not care?" Mina asked, a hand to her
chest. "You've got to be kiddin'!"

Jedite pushed off from the table. "I'll think about what you've
said," he said turning to leave.

"Oh, hey, Jedite!" Lita called after him. "You are coming to the
Baby Shower tonight, right?"

"I suppose I'll be dragged along, why?"

"Oh, no reason," she said smiling. "Just making sure."

Both girls turned to each other and smiled wickedly.

"Do you think what we're doing is right?" Lita asked as a second
thought.

"Of course it is!" Mina told her, stealing another potatoe slice.
"When's breakfast gonna be ready?"

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

"Oh, this would be sooo cute!"

"Oh, get real, Mina! She really doesn't need another one of
*those*!"

"Common guys! We can't keep going over the same thing over
and over again!"

"Why didn't she just register or something?"

"Why don't we just split up?"

Eight girls/women stood in a loose circle in the center of
the mall. They were there to find gifts for the surprise baby
shower that night.

"You know, if you had given us more time," Haruka said, her arms
folded across her chest. "We could have planned this a whole lot
better."

Mina winked at her. "If I had given you more time, someone might
have leaked the news!" She giggled. "I had trouble keeping Artemis
from telling Luna!"

"Does anyone even know what to get?" Hotaru asked, twirling and
strand of dark purple/black hair around a finger.

"Thank you," Michiru was saying to Meliphane as he handed her a
soda. She turned back to the group. "Baby clothes," she suggested.
"Diapers?"

"What? Nothing for me?" Haruka asked as Sardonyx came up beside
her with his own soda.

"You said you didn't want one," he said, taking another sip. She
gave him a 'look'.

"And?" she asked, wagging her head.

He smiled at her. "And of course I got you one," he answered
reaching over for the third soda in Tellurium's hands.

"Good boy," Haruka praised.

The Inners were watching this exchange closely-their faces contorted
in silent mirth. Haruka turned back to the group to see every one
looking at her.

"What?" she asked. "What?"

Raye shook her head and tried to get back on track. "Okay," she
said. "So we'll split up into groups of two, kay? Four for you
guys," she said, looking at the Outers.

They nodded and paired/grouped off.

"Listen, we'll all met back here in another hour," Mina was saying.
"We still have to go to the apartment and get everything decorated
and Lita still has to get the food ready."

The outers left, Hotaru, Setsuna, Tellurium and Euclase in one
group. Michiru, Haruka, Meliphane, and Sardonyx in another. Lita
and Mina nodded at each other and then went off, Lita with Raye and
Mina with Amy.

"I saw Jedite and Nephrite yesterday," Lita said as the two girls
headed towards one end of the mall.

"Oh, that's nice," Raye said, dodging a couple of kids.

"Yea, they're staying at the mansion...in our rooms."

"That's nice."

"Are you even hearing me?"

"Huh? What, Lita? I'm sorry." Raye stopped and looked at her.

"I was *talking* about Jedite," Lita said with exasperation. "I ran
into him yesterday."

Raye looked a little pale. "Oh," was all she said.

"He asked about you."

Raye cut between two people and made it to the entrance of a small shop.
Lita dodged after her, smiling and shaking her head when she saw it
was a candle shop.

"We're supposed to be getting something for the shower," she said,
catching up with Raye.

"Look," Raye said, whirling, a small baby bootie candle in her out-
stretched hand. "Isn't that cute?"

"I should've known you'd try to find something to do with fire."
Lita took the offered candle and turned it upside down. "It's not
very practical," she said, handing it back to Raye.

"Oh, posh!" Raye snapped, placing the candle back on the display
shelf. "It's not everyday a Sailor Scout has a baby."

"It's not everyday Serena has a baby," Lita corrected her. Her
smile faded. "Hey, um, I kinda invited the generals to the shower."

Raye snapped around. "Why'd you do that!"

"Cause," Lita mumbled.

"Well, you'll just have to go and un-invite them," Raye said,
turning away.
"I can't do that!" Lita said, frowning.

"Sure you can. Just explain to them that it's a girls-only type
thing."

"When Darien, Euclase, Meliphane, Sardonyx, and Tellurium are going
ta be there?"

Raye's shoulders sagged. "Why'd you have to go and invite them
for?" she asked.

"More presents," Lita replied with a grin.

Raye sighed.

*****

"What do you think of this baby monitor? It has a range of--"

"Sure, Amy. How much does it cost?" Mina pushed pass her and
grabbed another stuffed animal.

"It's only--oh, my!"

"That bad, huh?" Mina grinned. "How 'bout a cute little stuffed
bunny?"

"Mina," Amy said with no lack of exasperation. "Serena already
has so many stuffed animals. She really doesn't need any more!"

Mina frowned. "True, but it's still cute!"

"Maybe we should try to look someplace else," Amy suggested,
turning to leave.

"Oh, hey, that sounds like a good idea." Mina followed her out
the store, casting side-glances at her friend as they walked the
mall. "So..." she said after a couple of minutes. "What do you
think of the generals?" And then she rushed on. "I'm mean, they've
been practicing with us for a week now and they certainly are strong...
and cute."

Amy stiffened. "I try not to think of them," she answered before
turning into another store.

"Oh, common, Aimes," Mina said smiling. "Don't you think they're
just the tiniest bit cute?"

"I suppose they could be considered good-looking by some," Amy
answered agreeably.

"You're not even the tiniest bit attracted to them?" Mina asked,
shaking her head.

"No," Amy said, simple as that, as though she couldn't care less.
"Look at these one-piece jumpers. They look nice."

Mina sighed, blowing her bangs off her forehead. She sure hoped
Lita was having better luck with Raye.

*****

There is some genetically altered gene within the female
body that demands for her to 'ohh' and 'ahh' when babies or any-
thing having to due with babies are present. Put eight females in
one apartment, showing off and wrapping baby gifts and you had your-
self one hell of a chorus of 'ohh's and 'ahh's.

"Oh, Michiru! That's a great idea!" Mina cried, holding up the
baby tub with all sorts of goodies inside it. "Look!" she cried.

Inside were bottles of baby shampoo and baby conditioner and baby
body wash and baby power and baby lotion and baby Q-tips (yes, believe
it or not, they actually have baby Q-tips out, now) and baby bubble
bath and baby water toys. In another small basket were a baby brush
and comb with tiny baby barrettes.

"Ahh," rang out the chorus of female voices.

"Hey, Lita, this was a really great idea!" Haruka said pointing at
the baby-changing portable pad and the baby diaper bag. "The question
is, who's gonna be using it? Darien or Serena?"

"I got in green, so it doesn't matter," Lita replied, laughing with
the other girls.

"Oh, Setsuna, this is so lovely!" Mina cried, touching the delicate
lace of a bassinet.

"I agree," the woman answered. "But unfortunately it is not my
gift."

"That was mine," a timid little voice said softly.

All eyes flew to Hotaru. The girl smiled shyly.

"It's really lovely," Lita said in awe. Hotaru bit her lip and
blushed.

"These are a really good idea," Setsuna said, sorting through a lot
of the baby clothes.

"Do you think so?" Amy asked biting her lip. "I wasn't quite sure,
so I bought a variety."

"Yes, babes go through a lot of these tees, and these bibs are
really cute."

"The bibs are mine," Mina piped up, happy to have her gift acknow-
ledge.

With all the pumpus and fuss, it took the girls a full two hours to
get everything ready. Lita was a devil in the kitchens while Mina
and Raye fought terribly over the decorations. Haruka helped Michiru
finish wrapping the rest of the gifts, while Hotaru braved the kitchen
and Setsuna faced the war raging in the living room. It was a miracle
things were ready by seven thirty when the doorbell rang.

Setsuna got the door and opened it to eight grinning, stunning,
beautiful, breath-taking men. She smiled a radiant smile and lightly
kissed Euclase.

"Right on time," she said, holding the door open for them to enter.

"You would know," he smiled back at her.

"Um, so where should we put these?" Kunzite asked, holding up
presents.

"In the bedroom with the others," Michiru answered, breezing into
the room and into Meliphane's arms. "Hello," she said in her soft
voice.

"And don't mess up the other ones!" growled Haruka chopping on a
celery stick.

"Don't eat the food!" Lita's voice yelled from the kitchen.

"I love what you've done with the place," Jedite said with a raised
eyebrow. "Very..."

"Colorful," supplied Zoicite.

"Not exactly my choice of words," Tellurium said smiling, "But it
fits."

The men stared with amusement at the room before them [and you would
too!]. One side of the room was decorated with huge bows in pinks and
yellows and even oranges. Streamer practically covered the ceiling
and walls. The other side of the room was practically the same...
only with bright reds and blues and, yes, and dark purples. Balloons
flooded the place, covered the floor, hung from the fan, fell from
the lampshades, taped to the walls. And in ever color imaginable:
reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, and whites [plural,
as in more than one: pearlized, opaque, clear, frosted...there are a
lot of balloon colors out there!].

"Wait till they bring out the silly string," Hotaru giggled, bringing
another platter of food out to place on the table already laden with
ten other platters.

"Jup-Lita's cooking?" Nephrite asked with a wicked smile.

"As if anyone else would dare to upspur our culinary expert!" Amy
replied, also carrying another platter.

"I'd like to see them try!" Lita said, following Amy out of the
kitchen, the cake in her hands. "There!" she said with relish,
placing the cake at the center of the table.

"Yum! That looks good enough to eat!" Mina said hovering dangerously
close to the table. Lita swatted her away.

"Not yet, you don't!"

"Oh wait!" Hotaru cried with excitement. "I see Darien's car!"

"Quick! Get the lights!"

"Everybody hide!"

"I can't see a damn thing with the lights out!"

"Oow! That's my foot you stepped on!"

"Hey, don't stand to close!"

"Quiet! They're gonna be here any minute!"

"Shh!"

"Shhsh yourself!"

POP!

"Aahh!"

"Oh damn! There went a balloon!"

Giggle.

"Shh! Here they come!"

Ding-dong.

"Lita?" Serena's muffled voice came through the door. "Lita are you
in there?" she asked again after a moment.

"Oh, hey, Serena! Common in!" Lita called out, trying not to laugh.

The door swung open, the hallway light shining behind Serena and
Darien, shining into the dark room. A balloon bounced out of the dark
to Serena's feet.

"Lita?" she called again.

"SURPRISE!!!"

It's hard to say what happened first. The lights came on. Sixteen
people jumped up and screamed 'surprise'. Serena yelped, falling back
into Darien's arms. Everyone started laughing. A huge clap of thunder
cracked outside, shaking the building. Serena screamed. The lights
flickered and then went out. And a whole huge amount of balloons
decided to popped at the same time, causing all the girls--and the
guys too, though they'd never admit it--to scream.

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

Nervous laughter started up.

"Imagine," Lita said, a shortness of breath in her voice. "Sailor
Scouts, frightened by a power outage."

"Um, does anyone have a flashlight or something so we can see?"
Haruka asked from somewhere across the room.

"Um, I think, er, I might have I lighter in my purse," Raye offered.
"Does anyone know where I put my purse."

"I know I have a flashlight and some candles in the kitchen," Lita
offered.

"Here." A soft glow of light filled the room, causing them to shut
their eyes. Gradually they could open them again...and saw Jedite,
fist raised...and...his fist was...glowing.

"How did you--" Raye started. He smiled at her.

"There are a lot of things you don't remember," he whispered to her.

"Jed, bring that light over here," Nephrite was saying.

"Coming mother," Jedite said pleasantly enough, brushing past Raye.
She gasped, his body brushing hers...and shook her head as if to clear
it from cobwebs.

"Hey, meatball head, don't leave the door open," Raye called softly
to the doorway. "Someone might see."

Serena was still standing in the open doorway, one hand pressed
against her flying heart, another protecting her protruding belly.
Darien nudged her inside the room and closed the door behind them.
Her eyes were wide with fright and her lips trembled.

"Surprise," Mina laughed nervously. "It's a baby shower," she added.
"Common, why don't you sit down over here."

Mina practically shoved everyone out of the way as she led Serena to
the sofa. "There, sit." She pushed her down on the sofa and smiled
at her.

"Here we go everybody!" Lita called out, flashlight in one hand,
candles in the other. "Pass 'em around!"

"Raye, you said you had a lighter?" Michiru asked.

"Uh, yea, anyone find my purse?" Looking around at the balloon
covered floor.

"In this mess?" Haruka asked. "You've got to be kiddin'."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"Jed," Kunzite called out.

"'Jed this, Jed that,'" the person in question mocked. "Oh,
alright."

"If you don't like it, you shouldn't have volunteered." Kunzite
shot him a look.

Jedite returned the look but then closed his eyes to concentrate.
In their hands the candles sparked and then flared to life. The girls
all gasped and Amy and Mina nearly dropped their candles.

"How--how did you do that?" Amy asked, clearly overcome with
amazement.

Jedite smiled at her and then looked at Raye. "Just a little trick
someone taught me a long time ago," he told her, never looking away
from Raye.

"But how?" Raye asked, her eyes narrowed with interest.

He shrugged. "There are a lot of things you girls taught us," he
said turning away from her. He twirled his candle in his hands. "A
lot of the stuff you don't even remember."

"Like what?" Lita was quick to ask.

"Like stuff I'm sure we could discuss later," Euclase said.

"I would like to know," Serena said softly, turning to look at them.

"So would I," Darien added.

Euclase frowned, but nodded...what was he going to do? Oppose his
princess? I don't think so.

"Like what?" Lita repeated.

"Simple things," Nephrite said.

"Complex things," Kunzite added.

"How to start a fire," Jedite said, very nonchalant.

"How to put one out," Zoicite said with a smile.

"How to make things grow," Nephrite said, and a small vine grew out
of his shirt and into his hand. He opened his hand and a small
blossom opened in it. He handed the blossom to Lita and she smiled at
him.

"How to use the powers given us to the fullest," Kunzite said,
ignoring Nephrite.

"Do you think--" Mina started and then bit her lip as if to silence
the words.

"You already know the answer," he whispered to her. There was an
intense moment in which no one said a word...and then:

"I'm hungry."

Every one turned to look at Hotaru, who had spoken. She looked back
at them.

"Well, I am," she said. "It wasn't easy staying in that kitchen and
not eating anything." She pouted.

Serena laughed lightly. "You know what," she said, smiling. "I'm
hungry too. Where's this wonderful food you promised me, Lita?"

"Like you didn't see it on your way in!" Mina giggled at her.

"Of course I did," Serena replied. "I've just been practicing will-
power is all. Is it showing?"

"Admirably," answered Mina, her eyes twinkling.

The room erupted into conversation as everyone grabbed a plate and
headed for the food, chattering happily...all except Amy and Raye, who
both were frowning and strangely silent--at least for Raye.

And it could be noted that throughout the night both Raye and Amy
could have been caught staring at Jedite and Zoicite...if you were
looking that is...and two somebodies *were* looking. At the end of
the night when everybody started to get up to go, those same two
somebodies noticed with delight, that Raye and Amy both allowed
Jedite and Zoicite to walk them home. Mina and Lita smiled at each
other.