Of Midnights and Candy Kisses

4/4/08

A side note that has nothing at all to do with this story: I think its funny everyone has Mamoru studying to be a doctor, when some say he hates hospitals after the accident; others say he wants to help others in a way he wasn't helped. I don't think he was going to be a doctor, I mean that was Ami's dream and while there can be two and that is something they can talk to each other about, I doubt it still. I mean they are both so smart; they can do anything they want to. Ami makes sense in following her mom's footsteps but I think Mamoru was something else.

AN: this is an oddity for me, recently I've been very interested in the neo-tokyo era, the crystal Tokyo as it were, and usually I stick to silver millennium with a twist or first season. I tried dabbling in R season, didn't feel it and went back. Recently as well, I haven't uploaded yet, but I've been messing with S season or was it super S? I'm not that strong in it because I have only a vague recollection of what went on, so it'll be a while before I put that out, I'm trying to make it the best I can. However, this one, is the second or third I've attempted of this season slash nonseason, considering the manga ended with the wedding. (Also an oddity because of my hatred for the brat Rini). I think the reason I like doing these now is because I can morph this timeline into anything I want to do. I can add demando, I can take him out, I can push him off, I can have him over and done with. I can add another child, I can destroy Rini or I can change her character completely. I can have her go to the past, or not at all. I can have her go once, them never knowing she's their daughter and never to return to mess with their relationship again. I love the power I have as an author to take characters I love and morph them into my own crazy thoughts. Interestingly enough, the ones of crystal Tokyo all seem to focus on the child, and I'm also keen recently to Darien's thoughts. I figure it's partly because the male mind is such a mystery to a woman that we try to reason it out, even though that is one mystery that we'll never fully solve, but then again, we'll never truly figure out our own gender either. We can only write what's in our hearts. So with that said, I think it was enough of a summary to guide you into my story, so here it goes.

Chapter 1

"Mamo-chan." Usagi whined as she turned over and pushed at her lumbering husband. "It's your turn."

A squeal echoed throughout their room, coming from the baby-moniter on the night stand to give her words a more emphasis.

"I quite clearly remember its yours." Mamoru snorted in his sleep, having a child was more work than he thought it would. This was the third time tonight, and it was already midnight, it had been going on since the little tike learned it had lungs and that it could use them to her best capability, just like her mother, for the last four months.

The first two Mamoru had jumped up at the smallest whimper and took care of it, not wanting to disturb his peaceful wife, who he was still worried would suddenly collapse on him after that long and difficult pregnancy.

Ami had suggested not trying for another kid any time soon.

His dedication got old, and fast.

Besides, after recovering as fast as she could, Usagi too had wanted to see her child, worrying over ever small detail, just like her husband, a total change for Usagi but everyone was proud of her vested interest in her child. That too had quickly died and it had become a whose-turn game.

Usagi clearly remembered getting out of bed five minutes ago to feed the girl who came out of her womb; she'd even looked at the clock. It was most definitely her husband's turn and she pushed him again. "I don't think so." She said with a little bit of an edge in her voice.

Mamoru opened one eye to look at his wife and he sighed, there would be no winning this one. He rolled out of bed and went to go check on his little bundle of joy. It wasn't an angry thought, just at times like these he doubted he'd ever get the hang of this whole father thing, he wasn't even sure now if he wanted to be one if this is what it was going to be like for the rest of his life.

He turned the corner and walked into his daughter's nursery. She'd been a complete surprise. They hadn't been planning on having kids for another couple of years but despite Usagi being on birth-control and him using a condom, here she was. He didn't regret it, when those baby lids opened and pierced him with that deep blue gaze that almost looked green at times, under the long black eye-lashes, he melted every time and just wanted to hold her close.

He loved his daughter with all his being. Her mother on the other hand-

He shook his head, her mother and his wife was the sole light in his universe, without her, he'd be completely lost, even without a child, he'd have been content just to hold her and never let her go, because she was his family. He wanted to have a large family, but he'd doubt if that would happen now.

Not just because of Ami's warning.

That scared him though, but not as much as the pain Usagi seemed to have gone through during this labor. It seemed unnatural but Rei had teased him and said that's what all husbands thought, and all mothers. Except he'd seen Rei and Ami share a look, like they knew something more was going on. The fact that Ami had to eventually give Usagi sedatives and watched her closely for the next week also spoke volumes.

They also didn't allow Usagi to feed her daughter for awhile, saying Usagi needed to regain her own strength before allowing her to help her daughter. They bottle fed her and kept her in the natal care unit, NiCU. Mamoru had watched all this with a quiet but thoughtful manner, trying to figure out exactly what was going on, which they refused to tell him.

Usagi had been early too.

Rini, named for Rei, had come too early, a full two months early. Rini was seven months and twelve days to term. She was tiny like her mother, and he wondering why it happened. Usagi hadn't told him what transpired to make her go into labor so early. He'd tried gently coaxing it out of her and tricking her into telling him but nothing would get her to say. He didn't ask outright, for fear of a negative reaction. Usagi was still a little emotional and sometimes he feared for her wellbeing.

As far as he could tell, no one else knew either. He'd asked Rei outright, but she only shook her head sadly and said she hadn't the slightest clue.

But Rei had been honored to be named after for Rini. Makoto and Ami were her godmothers. Usagi had thought it only fair considering Minako had been her maid of honor at her wedding.

Usagi was going to move onto the outers very soon, she figured Setsuna should have been a godmother, but she'd talked to the woman a long time ago and knew that Setsuna would have been happy, but knew she couldn't take up that job; it was a hard job to follow through with her career already.

He checked out Rini before rocking her back to sleep and putting her down in her bed. At four months, she was getting pretty big and Mamoru smiled at the pink-toned hair poking out from the top of her head. It was an interesting shade of strawberry blond.

Ami knocked on the door and he turned to the sleepy doctor with surprise.

"Ami, what are you doing here?" He asked looking over her form; she was wearing a terry-cloth robe over sleep pants and slippers.

"The girls and I have decided to take turns every midnight to relieve you guys of getting up, but I guess this shift I over-slept." She laughed, embarrassed. "It just goes to show how good I am at this. The other girls will make fun of me because they don't go to bed until almost one and I go a lot earlier."

"Thank you." Mamoru sighed as he looked down at his sleeping child but shook his head. "This is something Usako and I need to be able to handle."

"That's another thing." Ami looked down and Mamoru walked towards her and put a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at him in surprise; she hadn't meant to say anything.

"What is this other thing?"

Ami's eyes shot to the baby-moniter where Usagi could no doubt hear them.

"She's sound asleep." Mamoru told her gently.

"Even so, I'd like to discuss this outside."

The palace grounds were covered by guards, but there was a special block on this door, nobody feared for an attack, but Mamoru knew better than to be blind to the possibility of an uprising, or using their daughter against them. The same block was on each of the senshi's rooms and theirs too. Only those with permission were allowed to enter and exit those rooms. The permission granted was to a small few in numbers, those that could be trusted implicitly.

Ami and the girls were allowed. He learned a long time ago that these girls weren't going anywhere, no matter how awkward the moment sometimes, he thought with a smile.

"I think the girls and I should help because of the complications with Usagi- it'd be best if she didn't strain herself for awhile."

"It's been four months since she gave birth." He reminded Ami.

"I know, but I checked her out the other day and while she's healing well and obviously faster than normal, she hasn't completely done so and I'd like her to relax a little more and get better sleep. I know she won't like being separated from her child anytime soon and we won't be, but I still would like her to get at least four hours of uninterrupted sleep a night."

Mamoru nodded and looked at Ami thoughtfully. "What are you not telling me?"

"What do you mean?" Ami asked trying to look anywhere but at him.

"I know there was some type of complication you aren't telling either us about, but Rei knows, doesn't she?"

"I'm not sure Usagi can have another child." Ami replied and when Mamoru opened his mouth to ask another question, Ami cut him off hurriedly, she thought she heard Usagi stirring. "I don't mean she can't conceive one, but I'm not sure if she'll be able to go full term again. Rini wasn't even full term, I know, but she should have, and if Usagi does go full term-" Ami broke off with a furative glance towards the door next to them, but it remained undisturbed.

"If Usa goes full term, what?"

"She might die." Ami answered and looked Mamoru in the eyes. "Do you understand now why I was hesitating to tell you about it but knew I needed to?"

"Yes." Mamoru said tightly, he wasn't angered at Ami, but he did feel like putting his fist through a wall. Anything that threatened Usagi's life made him furious, except this time there was nothing he could do about it.

"I'm sorry." Ami whispered and straightened, she'd woken up completely since running into him. "Rei told me not to tell you because this was just a fluke and with Usagi's healing she might be able to, nobody knows for sure, but I had to warn you of the implications. I also needed to tell you why the girls and I decided to help out more than the occasional baby-sitting."

Mamoru nodded in dismissal and Ami bowed her head and then took off down the hallway as fast as she could, she hadn't meant to tell him any of this tonight and she wasn't sure if it came out the way she meant it, but during the next few weeks, she'd find out if he took it the wrong way or as she meant him to.

Mamoru entered through the main door and not the one that connected Rini's nursery to theirs. Usagi stirred, she wasn't expecting the light that came from the hallway and Mamoru winced, he didn't think about the low sconces.

"What did Ami want?" Usagi mumbled, still half asleep.

"Nothing, she was wondering if she and the girls could take over the midnight shift." Mamoru answered and he slid into bed along his wife and pulled her into his arms.

"Oh." Usagi drifted. "That's nice of them." He knew the second she fell back asleep.

"It is nice of them." He agreed in his low voice. He kissed the top of her head and held her close as he stared at the ceiling, thinking and making decisions. When Usagi wiggled a little in her sleep, he relaxed as she settled back down and he slowly fell to sleep even though his mind was still running in circles.

His thoughts followed him into his dreams and his dreams followed him into the morning and throughout the next day.

Usagi noticed but didn't say anything as she worked with the latest conflict and those involved.