Story Title: Oh! Me! My Baby!

Disclaimer: Naoko Takeuchi still owns Sailor Moon.

Author's Notes: Chances are likely that this idea has already been done, but I guess I'm willing to chance that. I could be wrong, of course. I don't read many fanfics, even then I only read YYH ones. I just write the ideas that interest me. I guess that's my other disclaimer…

Chapter One: Sounds of Clocks Ticking

Michiru smoothed the pale blue bed sheets and stepped back to view her work. Finally, she was pleased that there was not a single wrinkle on the bed. After slipping into a loose, flowing nightgown, she brushed her wavy hair and pulled it back while taking a few light steps around the bedroom. So far, this penthouse apartment was fairing out nicely, but still Michiru wanted to find a permanent house. After her tours and bouncing from top hotel rooms all across Japan, Michiru and Haruka usually found a place to stay until Michiru's next tour. Or until some new threat occurred, in which they would have to move and stay near Usagi for protective reasons. Whichever occurred first.

"Ah! How did this get here?" As she was putting away her brush in a drawer, Michiru was surprised to find a photo lying underneath her ornate mirror. The picture had been taken at least five years ago. It had been a spring day, and Michiru and Haruka had taken Hotaru, when she was baby, to see the cherry blossoms.

Michiru sat down on the windowsill and momentarily peered out the high vertical windows, slightly open. The city was dancing with twinkling neon stars. The full white moon sparkled and rippled in the nearby ocean's dark waves. In the distance, a cruise ship steadily drifted away. A single balloon, not properly tied, left the seafaring party and rose into the star-studded sky.

Through the slight opening between the two window halves, the clean scent of night mixed with the spray of the sea as Michiru stared at the photograph. Hotaru lay cradled in Michiru's arms. While she was still smiling and laughing from playing with Haruka, Haruka quickly snapped a picture of all of them. On the back were the words, "A Happy Family", Michiru had later written in her elegant cursive handwriting. It was meant to be a playful little joke, though when Haruka saw it, she said nothing and quickly handed it back.

Haruka came in smiling from her shower wearing only a towel around her. After changing into some pajamas, she roughly rubbed the towel through her hair as she walked over to Michiru.

"So what's that?" She asked, wrapping her arm around Michiru's shoulder and leaning down. "That's a cute picture." Giving her a light peck on the cheek, Haruka made her way toward the bed and turned the covers down for them.

Returning the picture to the bottom of the drawer, Michiru soon slipped into bed next to Haruka. Sleep usually came quickly for her, but tonight, she lay awake and stared at the ceiling. She tried to fall asleep, many times in fact. She tossed and turned to no avail. Finally, Michiru gave up attempting to force sleep and returned to staring at the ceiling.

"Haruka?" Michiru whispered and lightly nudged her shoulder. "Haruka?"

Being a light sleeper, Haruka awoke and turned onto her other side, "Something wrong?"

Her girlfriend shook her head no. "Not really, but I've been wondering if…" Her voice slowly trailed off as she stopped herself. Watching her yawn as her eyelids drooped heavily, perhaps now wasn't the time to ask Haruka. Maybe she shouldn't even mention it. It was a sort of spur of the moment idea anyway…

"Wondering what?" Haruka asked through a yawn.

Michiru smiled and wrapped her finger around a piece of Haruka's slightly damp hair, "It's nothing. Go back to sleep."

Michiru turned onto her side and faced the wall. Her face didn't express that it was just nothing to her. Why couldn't she bring herself to ask her? Haruka wrapped her arm around Michiru's waist, pulled herself closer to her, and nuzzled against her. They rested there and enjoyed the warm comfort of being with one another. Michiru gently stroked her girlfriend's arm. She tried to reason why this sudden desire for a baby came up, but there was no real reasoning for it. Just a feeling. That it was just "time". Silly, wasn't it?

Michiru shifted onto her back. Haruka laid her head down on her shoulder as Michiru wrapped her arms around her. "Haruka?"

The young woman answered but didn't open her eyes, "Let's have a baby."

Haruka rose from her arms. Michiru sat up as well. She wasn't quite sure this was the reaction she expected from her or if this was a good reaction at all. She was hunched over, yawning, and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Haruka looked at Michiru. Sitting with a dazed, groggy expression, the young woman could barely remember what made her get up so quickly in the first place. Michiru was watching her and holding the loose covers close to her.

"What?" Haruka took a deep breath, "A baby?"

Michiru nodded, "Yes. Maybe we should think about having a baby."

Haruka washed her face with her hands, "Michiru, you know I can't give you a baby."

Poor thing, Michiru smiled. She rubbed Haruka's back, "You're still not awake, are you? Of course, I know that. We'll talk about how later, now I just want to know your feelings about it."

Haruka didn't know what to say. She didn't want to flat out tell her no because, honestly, she didn't know what she felt. Haruka never gave any thought about children before. Their lives were just too busy. With their individual careers and being Sailor Senshi, any moment of peace they had with each over was devoted to just being in love.

"What brought up this?" Haruka replied.

Michiru's eyes widened slightly. She hadn't expected Haruka to ask…but then again, it was a perfectly legitimate question. Lowering her gaze, she gently wrinkled the sheet in her hand. "I don't exactly know. If I had to lay a claim, I guess that photo."

The photo…Haruka thought, running her fingers through her bangs.

Michiru laid her hand over Haruka's hand, "It's late. How about we go to sleep and give each other a few days to think more about it? We'll talk more later."

Haruka nodded. Leaning in, she pressed her lips against Michiru's as they pulled the sheets around them. Minutes later, Haruka was sleeping again and, in time, Michiru drifted off as well.

–end chapter

Author's Notes: This is unusually short for me, especially for an opening. I usually have at least three scenes per chapter, but this one is only one, so subsequent chapters will definitely be much longer.