Hello everyone! After a long hiatus, I'm finally back

in action! Thank you for your patience, everyone! As a "thank-

you" gift, I've got updates to "If Ever You're In My Arms Again",

"5 Scouts, 5 Generals, 5 Near-Wedding Disasters, and "The Color

Silver"! AND!!! As a bonus, TWO Christmas stories!!! Isn't

that a GREAT gift?!

I know, it's early for Christmas, but I just couldn't

wait! So here it is, two months early!

Anyway, here's one of the two Christmas fanfics.

There are three different versions of this song but I've placed

all three. The song really touched my heart and it does exemplify

what I would like for the world. This is my gift to my readers,

the world, and a message to whom this is dedicated for.

Santa, this is for you from an old friend.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS NOT MY PROPERTY. THE SONG IS WRITTEN BY

DAVID FOSTER AND LINDA THOMPSON. SAILOR MOON IS NOT UNDER MY

OWNERSHIP EITHER. I DON'T MAKE A PROFIT FROM EITHER.

Visit my Website!

http://www.moonchick.cjb.net

MY GROWN-UP CHRISTMAS LIST

By: Callista "Moonchick" Matthews

E-Mail: Callista_Matthews@sailormoon.com

Rated: PG

"Mommy! Lookie! Lookie! I'm writing a letter to Santie Claus!"

With blond meatballs bobbing on top of short, cute pigtails, a

three-year-old Serena was eagerly showing her mom Irene her pink

stationery with what Irene thought looked like an attempt at writing.

"I'm gonna put lots of toys in my list so Santa can put them under

the tree this year!"

Irene smiled down to her only daugther, a two-month old

Sammy in her arms. "Really, honey? What did you put down there?"

Little Serena pointed to her "number one" wish. "Well, first

I want a Prince Cha--, Chari--"

"Charming?" Her mother helped.

She brightened. "That's the one, Mommy! I was gonna put down

a baby brother but you said that the 'stok' dropped him by already.

Then I want a dollhouse, a Barbie, a bunch of flowers..." Serena

just kept on with her list.

"What kind of flowers, sweetheart?"

Little Serena thought for a minute. "Roses! Red ones..."

She happily exclaimed.

Irene just smiled at her daughter once more, then to her

little son. Serena suddenly went silent. Her tiny blond brows wrinkled

in deep thought. Her gaze mysteriously wandered toward the buring fire.

With the flames flickering, the logs crackled in the fireplace.

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Do you remember me?

I sat upon your knee

I wrote to you with childhood fantasies

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"Mommy! Lookie! Lookie! I'm writing a letter to Santie Claus!"

A three-year-old exhuberant Reeny was eagerly showing her mother the

letter she was writing on her mini-desk. "I've got ALOT to ask him this

Christmas!"

Serena smiled from her armchair behind Reeny. Snapped out

of her reverie of the past. "Do you, sweetheart? Let me see." She

stood up and knelt behind her daughter, looking over her shoulder.

"Hmm, that does look like a lot, doesn't it?" Giving her pink-haired

bunny a kiss, she picked her up, drawing and excited shriek from

Reeny and placed her on her lap. "How about I help you with your

spelling, hmm?"

"Mama?" Reeny turned her adorable face toward her mother.

'Definitely takes after her father.' Serena thought.

"Yes, pumpkin?"

"Did you ever write to Santie Claus when you were little?"

"I sure did, honey. Santa and I were regular pen-pals. I

remember, when I was six, I asked him for a small doll house, but

I got a BIG one instead! I was very excited when I woke up and found

a doll house next to the tree." Serena smiled in remembrance. "I

asked him for many things when I was small...But I haven't lately."

"Why not, Mama?" Reeny wanted to know.

Serena looked thoughtful. "I don't know, sweetheart. I really

can't remember why."

Reeny turned back to her letter-writing as her mother looked out

to the snowy night through the window, gazing at the skies. 'Santa...'

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Well I'm all grown up now

Can you still help somehow?

I'm not a child but my heart still can dream

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'This must seem really silly, but what do I have to lose?'

Serena took out a sheet of pink stationery. 'Besides, maybe my wish

will be heard by an old friend.'

Dear Santa,

It's been awhile, hasn't it? I've changed a lot since we last

talked. I guess that by what has transpired in my life, I should

be jaded and cynical. Fortunately, I didn't turn out that way,

but I did stop writing to you. I guess, I started to get too

serious and lost sight of the wistful things that gave us hope

and dreams. I have a daughter now who is writing you a letter

of things she wants, just like I did in the past when I was

her age. But this Christmas, I'm asking for something else.



Since my teenage years, I've fought for love and justice...

But I've also fought for a peaceful future for us all, but most

especially for my daughter and the children that we will never

get to see.



I wish for peace, not only for Earth, but for the

universe. I wish for love to reign above all obstacles. I wish

for the strength of forgiveness so we can forgive others for

their wrongs. I wish for wisdom and fairness for Justice...

This is what I, as well as my Scouts and Darien, have been

fighting for all our lives. This is our purpose for existing.

Our lives are dedicated, not to ourselves, but for the people

of the universe. Maybe you can help us in our mission, Santa?

One last time for old times' sake?

With Love, your old friend,

Serena Tsukino Chiba"

"Serena! Honey! I'm home!! Hi my little munchkin! How's Daddy's

perfect little girl doing?" Darien's voice carried through the hallway

and into the small office.

"I'm coming, sweetheart! I just have to wrap up something!" Serena gave

the letter one last look before folding it up and placing it in an envelope.

She placed it on the windowsill, turned out the lights and headed to the living

room to greet her husband.

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So here's my lifelong wish

My grown up Christmas List

Not for myself

But for a world in need

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"We're being invaded! We're being invaded! Everyone to the

battlements! Sailor Scouts to the throne room! Civilians take cover!"

Shouts rang through the crowded halls of the Moon Kingdom. People

started to panic and scream in terror as the final days of the Moon

Kingdom began to play out. "The Negaverse is attacking!!"

"Earth has joined them! We have been betrayed!"

Meanwhile, in the throne room with Queen Serenity, the Sailor

Scouts, Princess Serenity, Prince Endymion, and the queen's cats, Luna

and Artemis, an emergency conference was being held."

"We have contacted Uranus, Neptune, Saturn, and Pluto, Your

Majesty, but our allies will never reach us in time!" Queen Venus, the

head of the Moon Kingdom's defenses reported. "It will more time than

we have at our disposal to gather an army!"

"Maybe I should go out there and convince my people to halt.

Surely as their prince, I would be capable of convincing them to stop

this unecessary attack! I must do something, Your Majesty!" Prince

Endymion passionately declared.

Despite the stressful moment and the palpable tension in the

air, Queen Serenity gave the Earth Prince a small thoughtful smile.

"I know you want to help us, Prince Endymion, and I also know you

have played no part in this war. Your people are not to blame either.

They are being used as mere pawns by the Negaverse. This attack is

by no means with their will. However, as my daughter's fiancee and the

future king of the Moon Kingdom, you must be protected along with the

Princess and her guardians. If worse comes to worse, you are my

daughter's last line of defense. My guardians and I will handle this

situation. Protect my daughter."

With that, the queen and her guardians raced outside to face

the coming invasion. The course of fate ran then. In the end, there

was neither a winner nor a loser. They were equal at that point in

time. The Negaverse was contained, but at a price. The Moon Kingdom

was destroyed and Queen Serenity gave up her remaining energy to

activate the Emperium Silver Crystal to send her daughter, her

prince, and her guardians to the future.



'We will learn from the past.'

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No more lives torn apart

That wars would never start

And time would heal all hearts

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"This can't BE!" Queen Beryl's last scream echoed through

the deserted frozen landscape as her life was ended by a huge

ball of light that originated from Princess Serenity and her

Guardians.

"Help me, Sailor Moon!" The Doom Tree pleaded with

Sailor Moon and its wish was granted as it was reborn by the

Silver Crystal.

"You cannot defeat me!" Wiseman's voice reached Neo-

Queen Serenity's as she prepared to use her life energy to

protect her daughter, her lover, and her friends from the

evil growing around them. With a look of determination, Neo-

Queen Serenity held on to her strength. "Moon Crystal Power!"



'We will continue to fight for our future, our children,

and the universe...'

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Every man would have a friend

That right would always win

And love would never end

This is my grown up Christmas List

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A flash ran through the Sailor Scouts' heads at the same

time, putting a halt into whatever they were doing.

Raye saw her younger self helping her grandfather drag in a

Christmas tree and decorating it with garlands and ornaments. Her

sick, but smiling mother bed-ridden next to the tree. Her mom was

getting weaker and weaker, but she insisted on helping thread the

popcorn on a string.

Amy remembered the smell of the Christmas cookies she and her

mom would bake for the holidays. Little Amy would then join her father

in front of the fireplace as he drew their beautiful Christmas tree.

Mina reminisced all the Christmas carols she would sing with

her toy microphone. Her parents were amused to no end with the

knowledge their daughter would be headed for stardom someday.

Lita was tearing the wrappers off the gifts she received with

gusto, her parents siting together watching their only child attack

the gifts under the tree during Christmas morning. A smile on tiny

Lita's face lit the whole room.

A scene of Darien playing with a remote control car with

his parents in the park flashed through his mind. His father had

helped him assemble the remote control and placed batteries in it

while his mother gathered all the discarded gift wrappers with a

loving smile on her lips.

Serena saw the time when she decided to make a one-year-old

Sammy one of Santa's reindeer by placing a headband with antlers on

his head. Serena and her father were laughing at the hysterical look

of baby Sammy while her mother gave them both a tolerated look but

chuckled softly to herself.

'We will cherish the memories of happiness...'



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As children we believed

The grandest sight to see

Was something lovely

Wrapped beneath our tree

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Then the devastating memories began to set, clouding

their momentary happiness of happy Christmas memories.

After that Christmas, Raye's mother had died of cancer.

Feeling lost and helpless, a four-year old Raye sucumbed to depression

as her happiness died with her mother. Her grandfather took her in and

helped her cope with not only her mother's loss, but with her father's

uncaring attitude towards his wife and their daughter.

Lita's family also died the following year, leaving Lita

with no family to love her, forcing her to grow up before her time.

Spending her childhood in an orphanage, she started to get into fights

as a direct result of her rage at the world.

Darien was made an orphan two years after his memory of Christmas

was made. A car accident one dark night turned an innocent, loving

boy into a cynical and hard man. It would be several years before he

would let another human being into his heart once more.

Feelings of betrayal and hurt still ache in Mina's heart. A few

years ago, she was dating a man named Alan whom she was truly in-love

with. Mina always thought that Alan felt the same way about her, but

she realized she was horribly wrong about a year later. Intending

to surprise her boyfriend with a gift, she accidentally came across

the scene of her boyfriend and her best friend, Katarina in a lovers'

embrace.

Shouts and accusations rang through Amy's head. Once again, she

heard her parents constantly arguing about principles and goals. Her

mother, the ever scientist and doctor, clashed in ideals with her

father, the hopless poet and artist. Amy would never forget the day

when the shouting finally stopped, but it was also the day when her

father left.

Serena's recent memories of heartache came from the brainwashing

of her soulmate, Darien, and the feeling of her heart being halved. But

it was nothing compared to the feeling of loss and heartache from Darien

leaving her of his own accord. When Beryl took him away, he had no choice.

But when he walked away, he was in control. Nothing ever compared to that

time in her life.

'We will overcome and learn from heartache and loss...'

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Well heaven surely knows

That packages and bows

Can never heal

A hurting human soul

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'Wonderful' A lone figure with green hair and a Garnet Orb

wistfully gazed on an open doorway. She was mezmerized by what she saw

within one of the Gates of the Future. 'I'm gazing at what we have

spent and fought all our lives for...' Before her lay the scene of peace

and tranquility, a land filled with joy and justice. No wars ravaged

the land, no catastrophe devastated the people, no injustice done

against fellow men. It was the Perfect Future.

Pluto returned to reality and giving one last look inside the

doorway, she closed it. Although she longed for what she saw, it is

still up to the universe to decide which future they wanted. As she

walked through the wide corridor, she passed through similar gates,

each showing all the possible futures the universe may end up with.

"I hope we end up with that one..." Her whisper echoed through the

Hall of the Future.

'We will strive for the future's existence...'

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May kindness rules our lives

Not just the strong survive

Sweet tears for all the thousand years on mind

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"Fiore, let me help you. Help me be your friend." A

ribbon-surrounded Sailor Moon implored. "Help me set you

free."

"Darien's rose came from you! Help me, Sailor Moon.

Help me to be free." Fiore's tears ran down his cheeks, but

they were tears of happiness. He finally felt free...

'We will help each other...'

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This is the world I pray

We will all share some way

Help me begin by reaching out your hand

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After tucking in their baby girl for the night with the

promise of presents, Serena and Darien settled in front of their fireplace.

Snuggling up in her husband's arms, Serena let out a

deep sigh.

"Why do you sigh like that, honey?" Darien asked while

brushing aside a small lock of hear from her forehead and placing

a small kiss.

"Do you ever get tired of it all?" Her voice oddly detached

and serious. Very unlike Serena.

"Tired of what?"

"The fighting. Saving the world so many times at the

expense of our lives and our future. Sometimes, I just ask

myself, 'Why keep doing this?'. I get so weary of fighting and

I wonder if this is how our lives will always be. In both of our

lifetimes, we've been fighting evil. Will it ever end?" She clutched

her mug of hot chocolate harder, unconsciously.

Darien tipped his wife's face so he could look into her

troubled eyes. "Serena, we both went through more things in our

brief lives than any other living human ever has. In some ways,

it was good experience, but in most, it was devestating. I guess

the only think we can do would hope for the best and continue to

strive to make the future as best as we possibly can for, not

only our daughter, but for the children of the future." His lips

captured hers, sending them into a world that was uniquely their

own.

'We will continue to love..."

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No more lives torn apart

That wars will never start

And time will heal our hearts

Every man will have a friend

That right will always win

And love will never end

This is my grown up Christmas List

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Outside the warm home, the chilly winter air softened

and tenderly whisked the solitary leaves drifting by. For

once, everything in the world seemed like it was in perfect

harmony.

'We will continue to dream...'

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Why is this illusion called the innocence of youth?

Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth

No...

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"Beautiful." Serena whispered, looking outside their

bedroom balcony window and into the view of the winter

wonderland. Snow was falling softly to the ground and the

sun was setting.

All of a sudden, Serena felt detached from her world,

her realisty. A vision filled Serena's head. It seemed

like all time stopped in the moment.

Serena's mind was then snatched from her reality

and into another world. The world her consciousness landed

in was entirely different than her own.

She saw the world of the future through her eyes.

Her beloved husband, the king of Earth and the Moon, with

undying love in his eyes for her to see openly, was waiting

for her inside their bedroom, his hand stretched out for her

to take. He led her to the balcony of their bedroom, placing

his hand on the small of her back to guide her. A teenage

Reeny's smile greeted her at the balcony as the husband and

wife walked.

The sight she saw took her breath away.

Outside the palace she saw the city glittering under

the sun. People hustling and bustling around on the streets

below, happy families walking around in the sunny park with

their children running all around. A teenage boy was helping

an elderly lady cross the street. Motorists were cooperating

with each other and giving way to pedestrians with smiles.

Shoppers were walking leisurely about with Christmas gifts

in their hands. Couples walked hand in hand, beaming smiles

on their faces. The whole city radiated love, peace, and

joy.

With tears she could feel, she thought, 'This is

it. This is all I could have ever hoped for. This is what

we fought for and continue to protect...'

'We will keep that star in sight...'

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No more lives torn apart

That wars would never start

And time would heal our hearts

Every man would have a friend

That right would always win

And love would never end

This is my grown up Christmas List

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"Come on, little bunny, we need to go to Grandma and

Grandpa's for your presents there. Aunties Mina, Rei, Lita,

Ami, and Michiru as well as Uncle Haruka with Hotary will be

there." Darien helped his tiny daughter with her small woolly

jacket. "You've got so many presents this year!"

"Really Daddy? Do I really?" Reeny looked up into

her father's eyes, excitement twinkling in her pink gaze.

"Of course cottoncandy head. Now go get ready by the door

while I get your mommy."

Darien guided his daughter to the door, momentarily

stopping to just enjoy the moment. He saw clearly in his mind

the first time he held his newborn baby girl in his arms, the

first few steps she took towards him, the first time she ever

smiled at him, her face filled with innocent happiness and

beauty. A soul unmarred by the hardships in life, feeling

protected and safe.



He then went about the task of finding his missing wife,

at last finding her standing by their bedroom window. He was

about to call out to her, but he sensed something was not as it

should be. She seemed too still, very unlike the animated and

lively girl of his past, and the woman of his present and future.

Instead, he slowly creeped up behind her, capturing her softly

spoken words.

"Beautiful." She whispered.

Darien wrapped his arms around his wife's waist, embracing

her with the warmth and love that was his essence; something she

could always feel. "What's beautiful, meatball head?"

Moments of silence passed by. Finally, Serena looked back

to his beloved face, the only constant in all of her lives and

softly kissed his lips. Darien returned the kiss with equal

passion, equal love. When the kiss ended their foreheads met,

quietly contemplating all that had transpired between them and the

future ahead.

"I'll show you someday, honey."



Walking hand-in-hand across the park with their

skipping cottoncandy head ahead of them, they looked like the

quintecential happy family with a bright future waiting for

them. Reeny's tinkling laughter filled the winter air, giving

off the feeling of wamth and family.

Something urged Serena to look back toward their house,

a soft tug. When she did, she saw their window quietly opening

and a gust of winter wind whirrled around her letter until

finally carrying out into the winter night.

A soft smile appeared on Serena's lips.

"Thanks Santa."



'Until someday, that one sweet day. We won't have to fight

any more...'

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This is my grown-up Christmas List

This is my only life-long wish

This is my grown up Christmas list

Christmas list

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