Luna greeted them in human form. "Welcome home, Majesties. We trust everything is well?" she asked.
"Yes. Everything is well. Vivien sends her love and says to visit when you have a free moment," Serena said.
"I will. Everything's a bit of a mess. I trust you'll all be staying here for the night?" Luna asked.
"Yes we will, Luna. Are our rooms prepared?" Serena asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty, they are," Luna said.
"Please don't call me that, Luna. Yes, I know that it's my title, but you've known me since birth. Just Serena, please," she pleaded.
"Very well. Serena then. I trust you all remember where your suites are?" Luna asked.
"Yes they do. You've been informed of everyone's situations, right?" Serena asked her.
"Oh yes. I meant to ask how your honeymoon was," she said.
"Fabulous, Luna, simply fabulous," Kaden said.
"Good for you. I hate to drag your wife away, but there is something I must speak with her about," Luna said. Kaden nodded and everyone went to their rooms.
Serena followed Luna into the office just off the front of the palace, usually used for staff. "What is it Luna?" Serena asked.
Luna looked at her. "Serenity, did you know that your father was immortal?" she asked.
"No, why?" she asked.
"You may want to sit down," Luna said. Serena sat. "Your father is alive. He was wounded mortally, but he was also immediately treated for his wounds. He healed and survived with a few scars. He's here. He had no memory of who he was until just recently. He's been anxiously awaiting your arrival," Luna said.
"I'm glad I'm sitting down. Where is he?" she asked.
"In the back parlor. He's waiting to see you. Go on," Luna said.
Serena stood on shaky legs. She walked quickly back to the back parlor and threw open the doors. Her father stood with his back to her but quickly turned around. "My God, Serenity," he said softly.
"No, just Serena. Everyone still calls me Rena," she said softly. He smiled, stepped forward, and pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back. "I thought you were dead," she said through tears.
"No, even your mother couldn't kill me," he said.
Serena pulled back, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm really emotional when I'm pregnant. Hell, I think I would be anyhow," she said with a sniffle and a smile.
"So I'm going to be a grandpa, huh?" he asked.
"You already are. Erin and I both have children. I have two eight-year-old daughters, Rini and Grace. Grace will rule after me. We found that out recently. I'm sure Luna's told you everything, right?" she asked.
"I asked her not to. I wanted to hear everything from my daughter. You look like your mother. Did you know that?" he asked.
"Yeah, I know. We saw her a few weeks ago. I needed some closure. It hurt to be hated so much," she said.
"I suppose this came as a complete shock to you?" he asked.
"Yeah. I didn't know you were mostly immortal," Serena said.
"Your mother was supposed to be, too, but the spell must not have worked," he said.
"I don't know. She used the Crystal to trap Beryl and send us into the future to be reborn while everything was being fixed. Unfortunately, we got stuck on the surface of Earth, and didn't know our way back until recently. It was quite a learning experience though. Kaden and I got married finally," she said.
"You always did have a thing for him didn't you? I remember seeing the two of you in the gardens on my last visit here. I take it that's where you always met?" he asked.
"Yes. When were you here? I never saw you," Serena said.
"I know. I just came to check on my favorite princess and make sure you were doing all right. You looked like you were. You were about thirteen. About a week before I lost my memory, so around the end of August," he said.
Serena winced. "That would be the first time that Kaden and I had seen each other since I was six. That was also the same night I got the hell beat out of me for seeing him. She didn't stop me though. I didn't care if she damn near killed me. I kept seeing him. It was the only time I broke one of her set rules," Serena said.
"Your mother had a problem, Serena. She liked to drink. I discovered that after we married and she was pregnant with the three of you. Daily, after that I had to keep any alcohol out of the palace until after she gave birth. You don't drink do you?" he asked.
"Not usually, but that's how I got pregnant this time. Kaden and I were both drunk when we slept together. We'd all thrown a celebratory party for everything that we'd all accomplished. At the time, we didn't know that each other remembered the affair that we'd had here. Truth be told, we had both remembered for almost ten years. We were too, err, I don't know, stubborn maybe, to talk to one another about it," Serena said. He laughed. "Will you let me go get him and the girls? I want them to meet you. And Ari and Erin and Gabe. Hey, that's right, you don't know about Gabe. The last time you were with Mom, she got pregnant. I'm not the baby of the family, Gabe is. She's thirteen and Gabe is short for Gabrielle. She looks like Grandma. Your mom. I had pictures before the final battle. I' m going too fast, huh?" she asked.
He smiled. "Yep, but it wouldn't be you if you didn't go twenty miles over the speed limit. So, my princess isn't the baby, huh? By all means then. How come your mother never mentioned her?" he asked.
"She was kidnapped right after birth. Mom damn near lost it. She thought it was Beryl again, but it wasn't. She did have Ari though. Anyhow, I'll go get them. They'll be thrilled. You don't mind, do you?" she asked, stopping suddenly.
"No, Princess, I don't mind. You're still going to be my favorite though," he said. She smiled, and ran up the back stairs just as she had as a child.
"She's really grown up, hasn't she Trenton?" Luna asked from the doorway.
"Yes, Luna, she has. She may look like her but she reminds me of myself," he said.
"You did the best you could," Luna said.
"Do she and Adriana look alike at all?" he asked.
I don't know. I can't say that I really paid attention. They're still wary of her though. Beryl raised her after all, and she attacked them. Serena healed her, but still they keep a close eye on her. I watched Serena tonight. She could see her out of the corner of her eye at all times. She also stands guard at all times. I think she expects her mother to come out and beat the hell out her at any minute," Luna said.
"I wish I could have been there to protect her," he said.
"I grew up just fine without it, Daddy," Serena said as everyone came into the room.
Luna started to leave. "Feel free to stay, Luna. We don't bite," Erin said as he sat down.
"I have things that I have to see to," Luna said.
"Stay a while, Luna," Serena said.
"Are you sure, Serena?" Luna asked.
"Yes, Luna. I'm sure," Serena said.
"I didn't realize that everyone would come," Luna said.
"We wanted to see this mysterious person, too," Lita said.
"Ahh. Serena didn't tell you who it was, huh?" Luna asked, noticing that Trenton had left the room while everyone settled in.
"No, I didn't. You can come back in now," she called out the door.
Trenton stepped through the doorway and several gasps were heard. "How is it possible?" Lita asked.
"Immortality," he answered.
"So the spell worked then?" Travis asked.
"Yes it did. Mind you, we were all children when we did it. I have no way of saying one way or another if your parents are alive, " Trenton said.
"That you're alive is amazing," Darien said.
"Mama, who is that?" Grace asked.
"Come here a minute, ladies," Serena said. Both girls got up and walked over to her.
"Gods, Rena, you said you had two daughters. You didn't tell me they both looked like you as well," he said.
"They act like her, too," Lilly said coming in the door.
"Well hello, Lilly. I was just about to ask where you were," he said.
"I had to do something that couldn't wait. Far be it from me to keep you all waiting though," she said softly.
"Are you OK?" he asked.
"Yes. I have the flu, so I'm a little under the weather," Lilly said.
"I see," he said.
She sat beside Rei and leaned against her. "Poor Lilly. It'll get better I promise," Rei said.
"Sorry about that. Lil's been sick all day," Serena apologized.
"No one can predict when they're going to get sick. So, now which one of these young ladies is which?" he asked.
"This is Rini. Short, of course, for Serenity. And this is Grace, short for Gracelynn," she introduced.
"We stay up the latest because Mama lets us," Rini said.
"Rini's more outspoken, as you can tell, and Grace is more of an observer. They like to think that I cant tell them apart when they dress alike, but I can. Rini's almost an inch shorter than Grace. They act different too. Rini is more outgoing like her father, and Grace is more strong and silent, they say like me, but I don't know that I'm silent," Serena said.
"That's for sure," Erin muttered.
"Shut up, Erin. You have no manners at all," Lilly said.
"I have more manners than you. I don't walk in late," he countered.
"I was late because I was sick," she said.
"I doubt it, probably just slow," Erin said.
"ENOUGH!" Serena, Rei, Darien, and Lita hollered at the same time.
"I see that hasn't changed. They're still at each others throats, huh?" Trenton asked.
"Yes. All the time," Lita said.
"How would you know, Lita? We're not married anymore," he said.
"And this is why," she said, ignoring the argument he was trying to pick.
"Grow up, Erin. People get divorced all the time. Be a man or I'll send you back," Serena snapped.
Erin looked at her like she'd smacked him. "I'm sorry," he apologized.
"When we get a chance, I can explain a little better what's going on. Rini, Grace, I want you two to go upstairs and crawl in bed. Don't tell me you're not tired either," she said.
"Goodnight, Mama. Night, Daddy. Night, everyone," they called and walked up the back stairs.
"They seem familiar with the place already," Trenton said.
"The mansion is designed after the palace. They're pretty good," Serena said.
"I heard that you have dogs. What Kind?" he asked.
"Pitbulls, and I didn't bring them because I wasn't sure how they'd react to Luna, Artemis, and Diana," she said.
"Then they're at your mansion?" he asked.
"Yes. We left plenty of food and water for a week," Serena said.
"Thanks for the warning, but more often than not, we're in human form. We don't get as much done in cat form," Luna said.
"Then I'll bring then in a few days after everyone has a chance to settle in and for me to get a few things organized," Serena said.
"We'll be prepared," Luna said. They all talked about everything for awhile before they called it a night.