A new Part, and a new Chapter! Aren't you just all excited! I
appreciate all and any e-mail that I hope you all have been sending
me.[Hint Hint!]
This is the last part of my story...but it really tells so little of
what is going on, so, by request, I have aggreed to continue this
story in multi-points-of-view. What the heck is she talking about?
Well, it's like this, I'm probably going to be going back over the
realationships from each realationships...giving more attention to
each couple...since this story was mainly about Serena and the baby,
and Part 4 - Relationships was an add on extra...well, look for more
about just exactly what *did* happen with everybody...especially Amy,
Raye, Jedite, and Zoicite...since everyone's so interested... but I
promise not to forget about Mina + Kunzite, Lita + Nephrite, Michiru +
Meliphane, Haruka + Sardonyx, Setsuna + Euclase, or Hotaru + Tellurium.
Also... Hotaru + Tellurium did NOT *sleep* together...I felt it
important to tell you all that...especially considering the nature
of this story and how I left of Hotaru's 'Relationship'... My gods!
she's only, what? twelve? maybe fourteen? Not even, I think, though
I'm not sure. The point is, Tellurium might of kissed her...forgetting
that this was a child and not his very-much grown up wife, but he didn't
get that far carried away with his emotions...save that for Haruka and Raye.
Oops! I've said to much I think...er...oh! just read on and let me
know what you think. Kay?
Andrea Readwolf

I'll Be There For You
Part 5 - The Loss of Innocence

Serena woke up with a start, her beautiful blue eyes wide
with pain. A dull ache ripped its way through her insides, causing
her to gasp. She dragged several cool breaths of air into her burning
lungs, willing the pain to go away. Finally, the pain receded and
she slipped out of bed, padding her way to the bathroom.

Harsh, bright white light assaulted her eyes, burning them, and
she squeezed them shut. Walking over to the basin she splashed cold
water on her face and then looked up in the mirror.

'It was a fluke,' Luna's voice told her in its calm, knowing tone.
'Lots of women have pre-labor pains months before they actually give
birth. Nothing is wrong, Serena. It's all very normal. Just go
back to bed you meatball head. You've got another big day ahead of
you tomorrow. And a test too!'

She took a deep breath and then crawled back into bed. Darien's
arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer to him. One hand strayed
lower to rest over her swollen belly where their child slept. Serena
sighed, feeling completely at peace, wrapped in the warm blanket of
Darien's love.

Two hours later, however, she was wrenched awake again with another
driving ache. She took several deep breaths, promising herself that
she'd talk to Amy tomorrow morning before practice and run another
diagnostic...just to make sure everything was alright.

It took her a half-hour to fall back to sleep, and when she woke
again, sunlight was pouring through the window.

"AH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Serena flew from the bed and raced into the bathroom. [It's really
amazing how quick she was considering she's pregnant and all...must
be from all those years of practice, ne?]

"I'm going to be SO LATE!!!!!!!!!"

"Relax, meatball head," Darien said from the doorway, and he was
laughing.

"Darien!! Why didn't you wake me up!!!"

"I did," he said, following her into the bathroom. His arms
wrapped around her and he placed a little kiss on her neck. "I had
to stop when you hit me with the pillow."

"I did not!" she sputtered through a mouthful of toothpaste.

"I assure you, you did," he said, leaning over and biting her ear-
lobe. "Relax, Serena. The girls will be here in another twenty
minutes to pick you up for school and breakfast is already ready."

He kissed her again (this time right behind her ear on her neck)
and his hands moved protectively over her belly. The baby kicked and
he smiled. "I even took the liberty of making you your lunch," he
whispered in her ear.

"Mmm, if my mouth wasn't full of toothpaste, I'd kiss you right now,
Dr. Chiba," she said, smiling at him through the mirror.

He backed away, still smiling. "No thank you. I've already brushed
my teeth think morning. I'll meet you in the kitchen," he said,
walking out of the bathroom.

Serena smiled after him. A smile that quickly turned into a frown
when another pain made its way through her. She bit her lip, a hand
moving protectively over her belly. Blood tasted in her mouth and
she spit it out, looking at the image in the mirror. Fear shone back
at her.

*****

"Hey Serena, you look terrible."

"Gee, Molly, thanks for the pick-me-up," Serena said, pushing food
over her plate.

"Oh, I didn't mean it like *that*," Molly said, sitting down beside
her in the grass. "Where are all your friends today?"

"They had to, um, go take care of something," Serena mumbled. What
was she supposed to say? Another yoman-the seventh one this month-had
been sighted downtown and the sailor scouts-minus sailor moon-had to
go take out the trash? Nope, no way, think again.

"Oh!" Molly said. She bit her lip. "Would you like some company
than, Serena?"

"Sure, Moll, that'll be great..if you don't mind, that is," she
added hastily.

"Oh! I don't mind at all!" the redhead relied cheerfully.
"Melvin's being a complete pest about this Economics test today.
He was complaining about it *all* night last night!" Molly rolled
her eyes. "It's like sometimes, school's *all* he can ever think
about!"

"But you don't want to break up with him." It was a statement,
not a question, but Molly answered the question anyway.

"Naw, I could never do that." She blushed. "He may be a complete
moron at times," she sighed, "but at least he's *my* moron."

Serena smiled and shook her head. "I just don't see what it is you
see in him, Moll."

"Tell ya the truth, Serena," Molly said in a loud whisper, "Neither
do I!"

They both giggled like junior high school girls. And then the
smile dropped from Serena's face.

"What's the matter, Serena? Are you feeling alright?" Molly put
a concerned hand on her shoulder.

"I'm fine, Moll," Serena said with a false cheerfulness in her
voice. "Just a little stitch in my side."

"What's it like, Serena, to be pregnant?" Molly asked with a hint
of whistfullness.

Serena smiled at her and squeezed her hand. "It's indescribable,
Moll," she said softly.

Molly saw the light shining in her friend's eyes and felt a tinge
of jealousy eat at her.

"Hey, Molly! Serena! Guess what!"

"What is it now, Melvin?" Molly asked rolling her eyes-they were
having a fight after all; she had to play the part out, didn't she?

"There's been another yoman attack at the downtown trade center
and *I* hear the sailor scouts got hurt *bad*!"

Serena paled. No, she did more then pale, she turned dead white,
the color completely fading from her.

"Serena are you alright! Oh my gosh! Melvin, get the nurse!"

Serena didn't stay conscious long enough to see the nurse rushing
to her side.

*******

"NO!!!"

Serena sat up straight in the tiny bed, the cold compress falling
from her forehead, hyperventilating.

"Easy Serena! Please, calm down, please." Amy pushed her back
down into the bed, worry and concern knotting her brow.

"Oh, Aimes," Serena cried, panting. "Please tell me everyone's
okay, please."

"Call down, Serena," Amy said, one hand holding her down against
the bed, the other crushing blond wet bangs from her forehead. She
looked up to make sure no one else was in the room and then sighed.

"Mars was hurt pretty bad but she'll be fine. Jedite is at the
temple now watching over her." She bit her lip. "Haruka and
Sardonyx got hit--" she shook her head, at a loss for words, "Pretty
badly, too," she finally said, though the truth was they were hurt
more then just 'badly'.

"And the others?" Serena asked, her lips trembling and tears
welling into her eyes.

Tears clouded Amy's eyes as well. "Mostly scrapes and bruises,"
she said hoarsely. "Lita sprained her ankle. Mina dislocated her
shoulder." She swallowed. "Michiru has a bad bruise on the side
of her face." A tear slipped down her cheek.

Panic seized Serena's heart. "What, Amy?" she cried. "What aren't
you telling me?"

"Euclase and--" she blinked and swallowed. "Zoicite were knocked
unconscious," she whispered hoarsely.

Serena cried out, sharing the pain of her friend-secretly glad
that it hadn't been Darien. She pulled Amy down and wrapped her in
her arms. The blue-headed genius sobbed uncontrollably.

"It'll be okay, Aimes," she whispered against her head. "Shh.."
Tears fell from her own eyes. Her friends and their loves had been
hurt... "Maybe you should go to him," she suggested.

Amy pulled back and shook head. "We've a test today," she said
softly. When Serena would have protested she stopped her with eleven
simple words that showed how close the two once-enemies had become in
the past month. "He would be upset if I missed it because of him."

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

The sharp crack of the pencil as it snapped sounded
loud in the tension-filled classroom.

Amy's blue head darted up and looked over at Serena, a worried expres-
sion radiating from her lovely face. She reached for one of the four
pencils lined up neatly on her desk and handed one over to her friend.

"Eyes forward, ladies," Ms. H. said looking straight at them, eyes
narrowed with warning.

Amy's concerned blue eyes snapped back to the test on her desk, but
she sneaked another worried glance at the blond pig-tailed girl sitting
beside her.

The pain began to recede from Serena's middle and she, too, tried to
concentrate on the test in front of her.

'Common,' she told herself. 'Please just let me get through this
test. Please. I studied so hard-'

Teeth bit back the moan that wanted desperately to escape her throat.
She closed her eyes against the pain, a tear escaping down her cheek.

'No,' she begged silently, shaking her towhead from side to side.
'It's too soon. Not now. Please, not now.' She counted the seconds
in her mind, praying for the pain to go away.

Finally, the pain ebbed and she looked up at the clock hanging over
the teacher's desk. Her tear-stained eyes caught those of the teacher's
and a look of sympathy passed between them.

It was a look Serena had grown to despise over the last several months.
It was a look that had been directed at her all too many times, followed
by words like, 'Poor child,' or 'Poor baby.' It made her sick.

The pain came again and this time a small whimper managed to escape
Serena's strangled throat.

"Serena-" Ms. H was saying, standing up from her chair.

"Serena?" Amy asked, looking over at her friend again. Her quick eyes
picked up on the pallor of the girl's skin, the sheer sheen of sweat that
covered her face and beaded her forehead.

Serena shook her head. Pleading. Pleading with Amy. Pleading with
the teacher. Pleading with the gods who ruled our lives. Pleading with
the baby who was fussing beneath her heart.

'Not now,' she begged silently. 'Please, not now!'

The class had stopped their test and all eyes were focused on the blond
girl who was already the center of so much talk: the great freak show.
The only girl in the entire school who had a baby swelling her stomach.
The only girl who-

Serena cried out, the pain finally too much. Tears clouded her eyes
and began to stain her cheeks.

"Serena!"

She could feel them, their power surrounding her, lending her their
strength. Serena looked up into the loving faces of her friends.

'Not all of them,' a voice reminded her. 'Some of them were at the
temple...hurt...'

"Serena?" Mina asked, clasping her hand in her own.

"It's too soon, Mina," her hoarse voice whispered to her friend, her
eyes pleading with the other girl to do...what?

Mina bit her lip and looked at Serena hopelessly. She looked up at
Amy and Lita. Lita shook her head, hopeless to tell her what to do.

Another cry slipped passed Serena's tight lips as yet another contrac-
tion consumed her body, rocking it violently with its spasm.

Amy frowned. "Serena! How long have your pains been coming?"

"Since...last...night," she managed gasped out on weak breaths.

The girls inhaled with shock.

"Oh, wow! Is Serena having her baby now?!" Melvin cried over the mur-
mur of the other students in the classroom.

Molly slapped him over the head with the now-forgotten test.

"Oh my!" cried Ms. H as she looked at Serena, then the class, and then
back to Serena.

"Ms. H." Mina began. "May we be excused to take Serena to the hospital?"

Ms. H looked relieved at the suggestion and nearly pushed the four
girls out the door before another con-traction could make its presence
known. Lita and Mina helped support Serena down the hallway-she was
surprisingly weak-as Amy ran to get her car.

"It'll be alright," Lita said, wincing as not only another contraction
caused the trembling girl to yelp and tighten her grip on her two friends,
but as she stepped down hard on her tender ankle.

"We'll be right here with you," Mina repeated the promise all the Senshi
had vowed some months before, biting her lip against her own pain radiating
from her shoulder.

"No matter what," Lita added, ignoring the tears springing to her eyes.

"Thanks, guys," Serena sniffed, and then she started to cry. "Someone
forgot to mention just how bad this was going to hurt," she said tightly,
choking on her sobs...

Imagine...Serena holding back her tears...

******

"Amy! Please!" Serena pleaded from the backseat of the tiny car.

"I'm sorry, Serena!" Amy cried, biting her lip. "There seems to be
a traffic jam!"

"Who ever heard of there being a traffic jam at this time of day!"
Lita cried, looking nervously between Serena, Amy and the line of cars
in front of them.

Serena was panting again. Mina mopped sweat from her forehead, smiling
encouragingly at her.

"I swear to the gods," Serena groaned. "If this isn't Rini, she's
not being born! I swear I'm never doing this again!"

"Now, now," Mina said, smiling at her. "Once you have your brand new
baby in your arms I'm sure you'll be singing a different song." Serena
glared at her.

"So help me, if these cars don't start moving soon I'm going to moon-
dust them all!" Serena grounded out, breathing heavily.

Mina giggled. "It could be worse," she said. "There could be another-"

"Yoman!" Lita cried.

"Oops! Looks like I spoke to soon!" Mina said following suit and
opening the car door to get out and transform.

"Stay here, Serena," Sailor Jupiter cried back into car.

"Don't you move!" Venus added, bounding off after Jupiter.

"Serena," Amy said, biting her lip. "Do you want me to stay with you?"

"No, Mercury, go," Serena gasped out. "Go, get that cursed creature
and then let's get to the hospital!"

Mercury looked at her and then nodded and ran after Jupiter and Venus.

"Alone at last."

Serena looked up and saw Alicia standing beside the car. She gasped,
recognizing Darien's old girlfriend.

"Alicia, what--"

"Grab her," the woman called out.

"Wha--?"

Two yoman reached into the car and dragged Serena out of it. She
screamed, struggling, trying to fight them off...but Sailor Moon had
never been very strong at hand to hand combat, and a very pregnant
Serena was even worse. Her struggles ended soon enough when one of
the yoman popped her one over the head.

Alicia laughed, pinching Serena's chin between her thumb and forefinger.

"Revenge is mine." And she laughed, teleporting to...

"Serena!"

Sailor Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter raced to the abandoned car...but
they were too late.

"Mercury, can you trace them?" Venus asked out of breath.

"I can try," she answered pulling out her super computer and punching
in some keys. After a moment she shook her head. "I can't find her
anywhere!" she cried.

Lita cursed and punched the car leaving a dent.

Mina started to cry. "We weren't there for her," she whispered hoarsely.

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

The three senshi bounded up the temple steps. They hadn't
bothered to detransform from their sailor outfits. Their minds had
been too caught up with Serena's disappearance to even bother worrying
about being seen in their senshi grab.

They ran through the temple, falling into Raye's room. Mina fell to
her knees sobbing. Lita fell back against the side of the door trying
bravely to hold back her own tears. Amy fell into a heap next to Zoicite's
cot.

"What's wrong?" Kunzite asked, rushing to Mina's side.

"Sh-she's gone!" she gasped, clutching him close.

"Wha-what?" came the weak reply amongst all the gasps.

Lita looked at Darien, her lip trembling, her head shaking slowly
from side to side. "She was there," she said swallowing. "We told
her to stay in the car."

She shook her head, unable to continue. Nephrite limped over to her
side, pulling her into his arms, mindless to the many bandages wrapped
around his torso.

"She's gone, Darien," Amy whispered, looking up at him with huge eyes.
"She just...disappeared."

"No," he grunted, pushing up from his cot. He fell back to the cot
with a cry, the bandages around his chest and shoulder pulling tight.
"Serena!"

"Why were you girls away from school?" Zoicite asked softly, eyes shut,
his hand holding Amy's.

The girls' faces crumbled. Amy hid her face against Zoicite's side.
Lita's knees gave out and she crumbled to the floor, dragging Nephrite
with her. Mina was rocking and heaving huge gulps of breath.

"Why?" Raye's voice rasped from another bed. Jedite tried to hush
her, but the fiery senshi pushed him away and struggled to sit up. She
looked at first Mina and then Lita, her eyes pools of raw pain and
dangerous fury.

"Why weren't you at school?" she asked again through gritting teeth.

"We--we were on our way to--" Mina began before another sob choked her
words.

"Where?!" Darien demanded, turning his head to look at them.

"Serena was in labor," Amy's voice drifted out from the cloth of
Zoicite's uniform.

"Raye! Wait!" Jedite tried to pull her back but she pushed him off.
"Where are you going?"

"The fire room," she said, limping out of the room.

*******

They crowded into the small room, the healthy supporting the hurt.
All eyes were focused intently upon the beautiful priestess as she con-
centrated upon the scared fire leaping and dancing before her. Not a
sound broke the silence of the room.

Finally Raye cried and whispered a small little, "Please, Serena.
Tell me where you are!"

The girls let out tiny whimpers, tears sliding down their cheeks.
The men in the room all stared at the priestess, willing her to find...
something. None more intensely than Darien.

Raye slumped forward with a cry. Jedite was there to catch her.
She shook her head, looking up into his face, tears pooling in her
fiery eyes. "I can't find her," she choked. She looked over to
where Kunzite supported Darien, shaking her head. "I--I can't find
her anywhere."

Darien shook his head in denial. "No," he said hoarsely. "No,"
he repeated with more power. "SERENA!"

********

"Darien," she whispered, her head shaking from side to side as
consciousness threaten to return.

"Give it up, Serenity," a cold voice said from beside her.

Serena's eye snapped opened and shut just as quickly, a bright white
light blinding her. She moaned, the aches and pains of her body making
themselves known. She froze as memory washed over her. Her hands flew
to her belly and the tension eased from her muscles as they caressed the
huge mound there.

Carefully, she blinked her eyes, adjusting to the light quickly. She
stared at her surroundings, stop-ping when she came face to face with a
blond haired young woman in a dark red dress. The woman smiled at her,
a twisted look pouring out of her.

"Darien can't help you, my dear, sweet Serenity," Alicia said one of
her hands lifting to brush away a bang from Serena's eyes. Her lips
pursed. "Unfortun-ately he had the misfortune to jump in front of one
of my yoman." She titled her head. "I don't think he's in much of a
position to help anyone right now...let alone you."

Tears welled in her eyes and a cry escaped her tight throat. "Darien?"

"Relax," Alicia said, smiling again. "I would never hurt my husband."
Her smile widened, seeing the shock written on the girl's face. "You, my
dear, are another matter entirely."

Serena's hands wrapped protectively around her swollen belly and Alicia
laughed. "Oh, no," she said, venom dripping from her honeyed words. "I
wouldn't dream of hurting Endymion's child," she whispered, feeling power-
ful in the presence of the trembling girl. "But the child *will* need a
mother..." she smiled. "And someone will have to console Endymion when
he realizes his *love*...is dead."

***********

"Darien, please," Mina whispered through her tears, her hands pushing
against his chest.

"No!"

"Darien--"

"You must have seen something," Darien said harshly.

Raye shook her raven head, tears sliding down her cheeks. "I--I'm
sorry," she cried, feeling torn to pieces.

"What about you, Darien?" Amy asked quietly. "Do *you* feel anything?"

The others bit their lips and looked at him, praying for--for what?
Darien looked at them, tears already staining his cheeks. His head fell
to his chest than and he shook it dejectedly.

"I--I haven't been able to 'sense' her for the past eight months," he
breathed out on a sigh. They all gasped.

"Serena never mentioned--" Amy began.

"I didn't tell her," Darien cut her off. He smiled. "I didn't want
to worry her anymore. She's already been so upset." He growled, his
fist raised to her temples.

"We'll find her," Lita promised him, her own fists clenching at her sides.
"We have to."

A portal opened beside her whipping her ponytail into her face. Setsuna
stepped out, Euclase at her side, leaning on her. Behind them Meliphane
supported Sardonyx and Michiru helped Haruka. They moved aside and allowed
Tellurium, holding a very weak Hotaru, walking into the room. The portal
closed behind them.

"Pluto," Mina sighed, relief flooding her face.

"Do you know where she is?" Darien asked, his deep blue eyes pleading
with the senshi of time to answer yes.

Setsuna frowned, her own face close to tears.

"How can you *not* know!" Raye yelled, thrashing against Jedite.
"You're the damn senshi of time! You're *supposed* to know *everything!"

"I'm sorry," Setsuna whispered through dry lips, still shaking her
head. "I do not know."

They looked at each other, sharing their hopelessness.

"There has to be something we can do," Haruka rasped, breathing heavily,
her head resting on Michiru's shoulder.

"Oh! You're still--" Amy began, rushing towards her.

"I'll be fine," Haruka cut her off, nodding her away.

"If we had the crystal..." Kunzite said softly.

"Only Serena and Rini can use the Silver Crystal," Michiru said sharply,
her eyes narrowed.

"Rini," Hotaru whispered, turning her head to look at the others.

They all looked at the small girl and then looked at Setsuna. A tear
slid down her cheek as she shook her head.

"I--I can't," she whispered brokenly.

"Why the hell not!" Lita raged before anyone else could.

Setsuna looked at them all, her friends, her sisters. And then she
looked at Darien. The raw pain in his face was written there like words
on a page. She shook her head and took several deep, choked breaths.

"I'm sorry. I can't," she repeated.

"Why?" he whispered, the feeling of betrayal sounding plain in his voice.

"I--I can not open the Gates of Time," she answered softly, a crushed
look on her face. "They--they are locked."

There were gasped as this news was shared.

"But--" Mina swallowed.

"How is that possible?" Amy asked sharing the look of confusion most
in the room were wearing.

"Who could've locked the Gates of Time?" Raye asked with anger.

"Only one person," she answered, looking straight at Darien. "Sailor
Pluto is the only person who could have locked the Time Gate."

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

Serena was moaning--her breaths came in deep heavy pants, ending
in whimpers. A hand squeezed hers as another reached up to push sweaty
bangs from her eyes. Serena looked up at the other girl--staring in-
to her dead blue eyes, and unspoken question reaching out with her own.

"I hate you, you know," Alicia said, looking back at her. She didn't
smile..she didn't frown. But there was a...a sadness in her blue eyes
that gave her a...soft look.

"From the very first moment I saw you, I have hated you," she said
calmly...devoid of any emotion.

Serena licked her dry, chapped lips. "But--why?" she asked through a
parched throat. She closed her eyes--she was so tired...so very tired--
and sore. The pain--oh gods, the pain! It never seemed to cease now...
just a continual aching in her body.

"Because he loved you," Alicia answered. "Because I loved him so much
and he loved *you*." She gave a pa-thetic little laugh, her nails biting
into Serena's palm, drawing tiny, bloody half moon circles--Serena was too
tired and weak to complain.

"Even in this lifetime!" Alicia snarled. Her blue eyes filled will her
hatred, spilling over and twisting her crimson/black stained lips. She
gave a small shake of her head, her bleach blond hair danced over her
shoulders--but then a small smile teased her lips as fond memories washed
over her.

"We went out for six months," she said with a wistful sigh. "I was the
only girlfriend he'd had." She smiled widely now, her eyes hooded with
satisfaction. "Every girl in our school wanted him--every girl who'd
ever seen his picture wanted him--but *I* had him."

As suddenly as the smile had appeared, it disappeared. "And then out of
no where, one day he's says we shouldn't see each other any more..." She
shook her head again and tears pooled in her eyes. "He broke up with me,"
she said tightly, "And I didn't even know why. There was no reason he
would give me. I--I didn't understand...at least not at first."

She dropped Serena's hand and turned to walk around the bed the
laboring girl was lying in, staring at her. Serena tried to follow
her, but her lids felt so heavy...

"I began to have dreams," Alicia said, stopping at the other side of
the bed. "I began to remember." Her red-nailed fingers scraped Serena's
brow as she pushed another strand of sun blond hair from her face. "Do
you know what I remembered?" Her nails trailed down Serena's cheek,
leaving a wide red mark in their wake, and seized her chin.

Serena licked her lips again. "Wha-what?" she gasped through her dry
mouth, swallowing hard.

"I remembered Endymion," Alicia hissed, "And *you*, in a beautiful garden
on the moon, with a beautiful full Earth high in the sky." Her eyes
narrowed as she leaned in close. "He was handing you a rose...a red rose."
She was leaning so close Serena could feel Alicia's warm breath against her
cheek. "Do you remember that, my dear, sweet Serenity? Do you remember
that night on the moon?"

Alicia pulled back, moving away from the bed. "I left Tokyo then...
I couldn't stand to be so near to him with him wanting nothing to do
with me. I ran away really...but I couldn't run far enough to out run
my dreams. They followed me, and I remembered more and more." She
swirled, her hair and dress whipping around behind her. "And then I
remembered my mother. My dear, sweet, loving mother," she sneered.
"I danced and laughed and sung the day she died," she said with a sick,
smug smile, walking back to the bed.

"It was one of the happiest days in my life." Her eyes feel from
Serena to her stomach. "Six months... six long months." She walked
back to the bed, staring at Serena. "I hate you because *you* took
him away from me. Because--" she looked back at the mound where the
baby laid. "Because he gave you what he wouldn't even share with me--
in six months," she whispered.

She gave another sad, pathetic laugh. "Six long months," she said
wistfully, "And I hoped so hard that--one day, one night...but no," she
sneered. "Never. Never more than a chaste little kiss here or there..."
Her eyes burned with renewed hatred. "Even now--a thousand years later,
he could not love me...because of *you*."

She smiled--evil oozed from the lifted corners of her lips. "But that
will change--one you are dead."

Serena heard her words--she even listened to what the older girl had
said--but she was so tired. She felt nothing but repulsion for this sick,
pathetic woman whostood by her bedside and squeezed her hand when the
contractions came.

"Then why don't you kill me and be done with it?" she asked, too
drained to care if she should die at this point. Death would be pre-
ferable--than at least the pain would stop--then at least she could rest...

Alicia laughed. "Soon enough, soon enough," she said, pushing another
bang from Serena's face. "But first you must deliver the child." She
smiled down at the weak girl. "I *will* have Endymion's child."

Serena paled.

"She well never have the child if you tell her that," a cold, harsh
voice rasped from the corner of the room.

Serena bit her lip and tried to ignore the wave of panic that that
voice brought--the fear, the dread, the pain... Alicia's eyes narrowed
as she looked up.

"Go away, mother," she said, her voice equally cold. "Your presence
is not wanted."

Queen Beryal--or the ghost she had become, laughed. "YOU think I care
what you want, daughter?"

"I think it doesn't matter," Alicia replied, without the slightest hint
of emotion--even her face had droppedits expression. The dead queen's
dematerialized--but Serena's shaking did not vanish so quickly.

"Rest now," Alicia said, pushing another sweaty stand of hair away.
"You've a long way to go before the baby arrives."

Serena nodded. Fear clashed with fatigue--fatigue won and her hers
drooped shut.

******

"That doesn't make any sense!" Mina cried.

"Yea," Lita pitched in, frowning. "Why would you lock yourself out
of the Time Gate?"

"I didn't," the green-haired senshi replied. "At least not yet."

"What the hell is *that* supposed to mean!"

"Sailor Mars!" General Euclase snapped, leaning heavily on Setsuna.
"You *will* watch your tongue."

"You can't tell me what to do like I was some child!" Jedite's hands
gripped her arms--as much to hole the fiery senshi up as to hold her back.

Shouting erupted, filling the fire room with layers of voices. Louder
and louder.

"Enough." It was a hoarse whisper.

"Enough," Darien repeated a little more loudly. Amy, Mina, and Zoicite
were close enough to hear him and quickly shut their mouths--looking at
him...

Darien's body was glowing--glowing bright and brighter--golden light.

"Enough!"

Silence followed the word that seemed to echo in the room--even though
Darien had barely raised his voice. All eyes flew to Darien and mouths
gasped with shock.

"Endymion--" Kunzite began, in a choked voice.

Darien looked at him--his eyes fierce, burning with a heated intensity.
The glow radiating from his body, surrounding him, surrounded the room--
shining brighter then the sacred fire.

"I will hear no more arguing," he said, each word deliberate, each word
barely above a whisper. "It is not helping her; it is not helping Serena.
We must focus all our energies on Serena--not on squabbling like little
children. We must find her. We must find--"

He crumbled, the light fading with his strength. A chorus of concerned
voices rang out as Mina and Kunzite helped him to the floor.

"Do you have the crystal?" Kunzite asked hopefully. "Do you know where
it is?"

Darien breathed deep and shook his head--his lips held in an expression-
less pause. "I do not know who does."

"But I do."

Every head turned to Setsuna. The senshi focused on some unseen object.
Behind her a portal opened with a gust of wind. Long green hair flew over
her shoulders and whipped at her face. She looked down at Darien.

"If you will follow me, I will take you there," she said, and then she
turned and stepped into the portal--still supporting General Euclase.
The outer senshi followed: Haruka and Michiru, Meliphane and Sardonyx,
and Tellurium cradling Hotura.

The Inner senshi and Earth Generals looked at one another and then
looked at Darien. He struggled to his feet, with the help of Kunzite
and Mina. He walked to the portal and stepped through.

"Let's go, guys," Mina said, a serious note in her usually cheery voice.
The girls nodded and, two by two,the Inner senshi and Earth Generals
stepped through the portal.

*****

"How much more of this must I take," Serena moaned, her head thrown
back against the pillow.

"Not much," Alicia said, wiping her sweat stained brow with a cool
cloth. "Not long now. You're almost fully dialated."

Serena looked at the girl, confusion mixed with pain in her light blue
eyes. "Why are you being so nice to me?" she asked through her parched
throat.

Alicia's hand stilled. "You carry Darien's child," she said after a
moment. "My child."

"Wha--what are you going to do to my baby?" Serena asked, tears of fear
and pain streaming down her cheeks.

Alicia looked at her, her cold blue eyes meeting with Serena's emotion
stained ones. "You'll be dead," she said. "So what does it matter?"

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

They stepped out into a world shrouded in mists--it was dark, like
night, but there were no stars in the sky--there were no stars, just
billows of mist that hung above their heads.

"Show yourself!" Setsuna called out into the mists.

"And if I chose not to?" a lyrical voice taunted back.

"Then you will not be pleased when we find you!" Kunzite replied--
anger seething through each word.

The mists parted to reveal a young man--no older than fifteen or
sixteen turns by the looks of him--standing before them. He frowned,
looking at Kunzite
directly.

"Is that anyway to speak to your father?" the boy asked.

There were gasps. Mina could feel Kunzite stiffen beside her and
looked up at him.

"You are not my father anymore than you are Endymion's," he said, his
voice filling the void that surrounded them. The boy frowned.

"You forget yourself, Kunzite--"

"I forget nothing, Elios."

He seemed to think that over and then he nodded acceptance. "So be
it, then."

The mists lifted...to reveal a beautiful dream world full of birds
and songs and green fields and waterfalls with blue lagoons. Creatures
of every mythical race played with abandonment. All reveled in the joy
of freedom. Off in the distance, on the horizon, a castle of clouds could
be seen, hanging in the blue sky, a watchtower over all.

The senshi and Moon Generals gaped in awe at the wondrous world that they
now found themselves in. Mina bent over and plucked a small orange flower
that had appeared at her feet.

"This place is magnificent!" Michiru said, turning around to see all.

"Is that a--" Amy's words cut off as a flying gold/green/red dragon flew
past them. She mouthed a silent O.

"You know why we have come," Setsuna said, ignoring the world around her.

Elios' eyes narrowed and he nodded--his head barely moving in the gesture.
"But then--I know more than you do now, don't I?"

The glare in her eyes made him laugh.

"Come," he said turning away. "Make haste."

His body shimmered and where Elios had once stood now pranced an
elegant pegasus, and single golden horn crowned his forehead. The great
beast shook out his wings, stretching them wide, and then beat them down-
ward, sending up a gust of dirt as he stretched his legs into midair.

"Ah, Elios!" Lita called up. "*We* can't fly!"

The beast hovered in the air above them. 'Welcome to Illusion,' Elios'
voice said to them in a calm voice--as if he was standing amongst them.
'Welcome to the Land of Dreams.'

As he 'spoke' the senshi and generals were surrounded. Raye gave a
started yelp when she saw the dragonhead lying to her side. The rest
turned to look and were also surprised.

'I will not hurt you, Lady Mars,' the dragon 'said'. 'Glad I am of your
return.' A purring could be heard and Raye were surprised to realize it
was coming from the *dragon*!

"Enough, Surya," Jedite said, scratching the dragon beneath its large
jaw. "Surely you have missed *me* as well?" he asked giving Surya the
dragon an affectionate pat.

The ruby eyes half closed and the purring increased.

'Surrrrely.' Jedite laughed and Raye smiled, too.

'We have all missed you,' another (male) voice said from behind them.

"Aldebaran!"

"Antaries!"

Kunzite and Zoicite ran up to the two sphinxes, respectively.

"You've been gone a long time," a female voice pouted. Zoicite smiled
and smoothes the already smooth fur coat under one wing. Antaries smiled
and shook her blue sky blue mane forward before flipping it back. She
stood up and allowed Zoicite's hand to move down her back, gliding over
the silky darker sky blue fur, before skimming down the tail.

Antaries prowled over to Amy, her lean lion's body moving in graceful
motion. "Lady Mercury," the female sphinx said, nodding her head. "It is
good to see you well."

"An--and you, Antaries," Amy replied in shock.

"Hello Lady Venus," the large, pale pink--almost lavender--sphinx said,
stopping before Mina. He sat his lion hunches on the ground, a huge front
paw rested in front of Mina, his tail lashed at his side.

"Wow! Artemis would get a kick out of you!" Mina said, sweatdropping
at she looked up at the huge 'cat'. Aldebaran tilted his head to get a
better look at her and then yawned--showing off his gleaming set of white
teeth.

"Baran," Kunzite said, realizing everyone's pallor. The sphinx snapped
his mouth shut and leaned forward. In one swift movement, Kunzite was
aboard its back reaching down for Mina. She giggled nervously but took
his hand and soon she was seated in front of him.

"We could probably carry two more," Kunzite offered, looking down at
the others.

"Easily," Aldebaran added sounding bored.

The others stepped back quickly. Kunzite smiled challengingly. He
caught Sardonyx's eye and a brow raised.

"Oh, by the dark of the Moon!" cursed the Moon General before snatching
Haruka's hand. She began to protest but then he looked at her. "Scared?"
he asked, taunting--just as Kunzite had taunted him.

Her face steeled over, her shoulders stiffened. "Never."

"Good," Kunzite replied, reaching down to pull her up and seating her
before Mina. Soon Sardonyx was there, too. Kunzite turned to look at
the others and saw Zoi and Amy helping Michiru and Meliphane up onto
Antaries back. Jedite, Raye, and Setsuna were helping Euclase up.

Kunzite frowned. The Moon General should have been healed by now.
Even Sailor Uranus and General Sardonyx were doing better. And the
weak one, Sailor Saturn was at least standing now.

"Hathor, will you get over here already," Nephrite said with exasperation.

"'T is too crowded," came the reply.

"Now," came the stern demand.

"Did the mistress bring food?" came the hopeful question.

Nephrite looked over to Lita. "Ah, I have some cookies," Lita said
surprised. Nephrite raised a questioning brow. "We're usually hungry
after fighting," Lita mumbled, blushing.

"May I have them, please?" he asked, smiling at her. "Ah, sure," she
mumbled, reaching into her 'special pocket' and pulling the baggie with
cookies in it. She tossed them to him and he tossed them up into the air.

"Here you go, you voulcher!" he cried. The cookies swung high into
the air and then disappeared. Lita felt the air move beside her but
hen she looked she didn't see anything.

"Hathor," Nephrite growled.

The air shimmered and where before there was nothing, now there was
a large griffin (half lion-half eagle) picking at the baggie with its
beak. The creature looked up at Lita. It tossed her the bag.

"Open."

Lita stared in shock, having caught the baggie tossed to her by reflexes.

"Hathor!"

"And what if I don't?" Lita asked, a cocky smile on her lips. The
creature screeched in outrage. It stood up and flapped its wings angrily.

"I'm hungry!" it screeched.

"Nephrite, control that creature!" Kunzite yelled at him.

Nephrite sweatdropped. "If you'll recall," he said becoming very
annoyed with the animal in question, "She was still a baby when we--
disappeared."

"You're hungry?" Lita asked as the creature screeched like a spoiled
child. "Then sit down and shut up."

The creature did stop its screeching and looked at her. "Sit," Lita
repeated nodding to the ground. Hathor titled her head, but then she
sat. "Good," Lita said, pulling a cookie out of the bag, she tossed
up to the griffin. The creature gobbled it up.

"Now, I believe we are going to get on your back and you are going to
take us were we need to go." The creature tilted her head in the other
direction.

"Will I get more food?" Hathor asked plaintively.

"I believe that can be arranged." The creature nodded and Nephrite,
Lita, Tellurium, and Hotaru climbed upon its back.

"What about Darien?" Raye asked, looking down at the only person still
standing.

Even as she spoke a black stallion came galloping up into the center
of their 'circle'. The horse reared, it's hoofs pounding the air before
returning to stomp the ground underneath. Darien took a step back.

"I've never ridden a horse before," he said, holding an arm up.

"Midnight has never thrown you before, Endymion," Elios said, stepping
up beside the horse. He threw his head and the black mimicked the gesture.
"Come," said the pegasus. "We have wasted much time. The princess needs
your help. We must make haste."

That settled the matter. Darien was seated upon the black stallion in
no time. He looked natural--like he had been born upon the huge horse's
back...or the two had ridden together their entire life--which was closer
to the truth.

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

Continue Part Five...