King Endymoin stepped into the room his wife, Queen Serenity, was encased in what appeared to be some sort of glass thanks to the Four Guardians. "I'll find a way to get you out of there, Serena. I promise you," he said using her given name. He put his hand on the makeshift glass case. "I love you."
King Endymoin stepped back, fisted his hands, and started to walk toward the door. He stopped when he heard the moan. He turned around to look at the love of his life. "Serena?" he said sweetly as well as softly.
Queen Serenity opened her eyes to look at her husband near the entrance of the room. She smiled at him. "Darien," she said smiling using his given name.
Just then the makeshift glass case disappeared, but King Endymoin didn't need a second invitation. He ran to her. Just as she was starting to sit up, he scooped her up into his arms and kept her close in his arms. "Serena," he kept saying her name not sure if she was real or just a figment of his imagination.
"I'm alright, my love, my Darien," she said as she let her husband cuddle her closer in his arms.
"Now I know how he felt," he said referring to his own future self.
Queen Serenity smiled at him. "Yes, I know. I imagine he said the same thing about his future self," she said and moaned a little.
"Serena?" he said worriedly.
"Still a little weak," she said to him assuring him that was all it was. "Rini?"
"Still in the past with our past selves," King Endymoin assured her. "Remember?" He tried a little humor.
She gave him a short laugh. "Just double checking," she told him.
The Four Guardians came striding in. "It's about time you woke up," Raye said harshly. "It gets tiring just to preserve this timeline."
Queen Serenity looked down for a moment before she spoke. "Yes, I know," she replied, "and I thank you for putting up with it."
"Putting up with it?" Raye asked. "Is that how you think of it? We're the ones protecting the castle grounds while you've been sleeping for over a month."
Queen Serenity smiled at her friends. "Amy, Raye, Lita, Mina," she said using their given names and then looked over at her husband, "Darien, those moments-all those moments-years ago led to this. Things can't happen unless someone does them."
"You mean like how the future Darien gave this Darien and you nightmares all those years ago?" Lita asked.
"Yes," Queen Serenity answered, "and I know you well enough, Darien Shields, to know it was harder for you to make our past selves have those nightmares than actually having those actual nightmares."
"Apology accepted?" he asked.
Queen Serenity looked at her husband. She was smiling at him without answering him.
Amy looked at her friend intensely. "I don't believe she would've stayed, married, or borne you a child if that was the case, Darien," she replied. "She forgave you and him a long time ago."
"Right as usual, Amy," Queen Serenity replied easily.
"Hey, isn't Rini bound to be home soon?" Mina asked.
"Yes," King Endymoin replied, "she is."
"She'll need us to welcome her back home," Queen Serenity replied. "It'll help to remind her that she is loved."
"Why don't we have a little party for her for when she comes back?" Mina said. "She'll love that."
"Yes, she will," Lita replied. "I'll make everything she likes."
King Endymoin watched his wife with a careful eye. He knew the party was a good idea, but he doubted that his wife was strong enough to do anything other than walking and greeting Rini home.
"You guys let's not get ahead of ourselves," Amy said, "Serena may have been sleeping for a month, but she's still a little weak. I doubt if she's up to planning anything other making sure her daughter comes home safely."
"No, I can do it," Queen Serenity replied. "I want to help." She winced while holding back a moan.
King Endymoin scooped her up in his arms. "Serena, you need to rest," he said. "You're still weak, and it hurts you more than you think. It's either planning this party or welcoming Rini home."
"Darien-," Queen Serenity started.
"Serena, you're not doing both, and that's final," he said concernedly. "I already know which one you want, so I'm hauling you off to bed."
Queen Serenity crossed her arms knowing she wasn't going to get her way with her husband being so stubborn.
King Endymoin started to walk towards the door, and then turned to the Four Guardians. "Can I leave you four to plan the party?" he asked.
"Maybe as long as you come back and help, Darien, after you've tucked Serena into bed," Raye said knowing that the couple have tried and succeeded to get out of those things to have some alone time. Normally she'd let it slide, but this was important. She figured that if Queen Serenity couldn't help, King Endymoin could.
King Endymoin nodded. "Alright," he said and turned to walk out the door.
"You know, Darien, I could've stayed and helped the guardians," Queen Serenity replied after they were out of earshot of the room. "It would've been only right. She's our daughter."
"It so happens, Serena, I'll be helping them after I put you to bed," he said. "There's nothing to worry about."
"But Darien-"
"Serena, that's enough arguing," King Endymoin said as he walked into their bedroom quarters. "Look me straight in the face, and tell me you'll be fine planning and decorating the party."
Queen Serenity looked into King Endymoin's eyes. She could see all the worry and love in them only a wife could understand. "You're right," she said sighing giving in to his wishes. "I do need to rest, or I won't be able to greet Rini home with my full strength. We both know it's me that she wants see."
"Yes, we do," he said. King Endymoin walked over to the bed to lay Queen Serenity on it.
"I love you, Darien," Queen Serenity said as she hugged him close. "I don't know what I would've done without you in my life." She let her arms loose.
"Serena," King Endymoin murmured as he saw that his wife was already fast asleep. He smiled at her as he grabbed the bedside clock that had said it was eight in the morning. He set for four hours from now, and gently set back on the nightstand. "I love you, too, and I don't know what I would've done without you in my life either." He laid a hand on her cheek, and gently pressed his lips to hers. He left a present for her on his pillow.
King Endymoin quietly left the room and prayed that she'll be fine to welcome Rini home.
Four Hours Later...
Queen Serenity heard the alarm going off at noon. She rolled over and turned it off. "Noon!" she said surprised. Since she and King Endymoin married, she has never slept that late. Then she saw the red rose on his pillow. She smiled then and decided to give him a break. She changed, and went to the party room.
Queen Serenity looked around the room. The decorations were up that included a sign saying 'Welcome Home, Rini.' The tables were out with food stacked on top of it. "Wow!" she said. "You guys got a lot done."
"You know we'd do anything for Rini," Lita replied putting the last of the food out on the table. "You know that, Serena."
"Yes, I do know," Queen Serenity said. "And you'll never know how much that means to me."
"I think we have an idea," Lita replied. "Besides Rini is what's important."
Raye turned the corner. "Now, you grace us with your presence, Serena," she said.
"Darien set the alarm for noon," Queen Serenity informed them.
"And you're looking much better than you did before," Amy replied, "but I imagine that you won't feel better until Rini comes home."
"I don't think any of us will feel better until we see Rini again," Mina replied.
"Come on," King Endymoin said leaning against the door. "It's time to go greet Rini."
"Yes, it is," Queen Serenity said walking to him. "I can't wait to see her."
The six of them walked along the castle grounds. It was as if the invasion didn't take place."It seems like when you woke up and the two silver crystals were used," King Endymoin said, "they restored everything to its rightful place."
"It seems like everything is brighter and more beautiful than it was before," Queen Serenity replied honestly.
"It does seem like that," King Endymoin replied, "doesn't it?"
Queen Serenity smiled at him and then stopped as she spotted her daughter running towards them. "Oh, Darien," she said as her eyes welled up with love for their daughter. "She's home!"
Rini stopped in front of them and curtsied. She ran to her mother. "Mommy," she cried.
Queen Serenity fell to knees to catch her. She held her daughter tight. "Welcome home, my darling," she said
After the welcome home party for Rini was over, Queen Serenity put her darling daughter to bed. "Thanks for the party," Rini said with a smile.
Queen Serenity smiled at her daughter. "Well, I can't take full credit as it was the Four Guardians' idea to throw the party," she told Rini.
"But you helped throw it," Rini pointed out.
"Yeah, I did," Queen Serenity replied at her daughter's answer. Queen Serenity sat on her bed and looked into Rini's eyes. "You'll miss them, won't you?"
Rini nodded. "I will, but I shouldn't because you, Daddy, and the Guardians are all right here."
Queen Serenity smiled at Rini. "Oh, Rini," she said. "We may be the same people, but we were all different back then. Besides I've faith that you'd go back to the past and see all of them again."
"Will I?" Rini asked.
"You will," Queen Serenity confirmed. "Now, are there any more questions?"
"Just one," Rini replied.
"Well, let's have it," Queen Serenity said.
"Why didn't you or Daddy ever tell me you were Sailor Moon or he was Tuxedo Mask or the Four Guardians were the Sailor Scouts?" Rini asked.
"It was something you had to find out on your own, and my, your father's, and the Guardians' past is your future." That was the last question was going to answer. "Now into bed you go."
Rini climbed into her bed wondering about her mother's words. "Mommy," Rini said.
Queen Serenity turned around and glanced at her daughter. "Yes, my darling?" Well, maybe just one more question.
"I love you," Rini said and snuggled into her bed.
"I love you, too," Queen Serenity said and walked to the door. "Good night, my daughter."
"'Night, Mommy," Rini said from the bed snuggling in the bed even more.
Queen Serenity turned off the light and stepped out of the room. She closed the door and leaned on it for a few moments thinking of what she just told her daughter.
"Rini got off to bed okay?" King Endymoin asked.
"Yes, she did," Queen Serenity replied then fell silent. When King Endymoin didn't say anything, she looked at him. "I'm just worried."
King Endymoin smirked at her answer. "That's a parent's right," he said wisely pulling her into his arms. "I've been known to do that too."
"Oh, Darien," Queen Serenity replied leaning against him for support. "We both know that we'll send her back to the past as a sailor scout because it was meant to be that way."
"Yes, it is," King Endymoin said as he wrapped his arms around her. "And we both know it's harder because you already know what she will go through as the future Rini went through."
"Obviously we all came out of the other side of that one," Queen Serenity said. "That also included Rini."
"But that doesn't stop us from worrying about her because this Rini hasn't been through it yet," King Endymoin replied. "Come on. It's time I put you to bed." He picked her up and went to their bedroom quarters, but it was a long time before either of them got to sleep.