Chapter 5

Passion

Usually brides need to be reminded to take slow, measured steps when walking into their wedding. Not Usagi. She walked slowly and made many small pauses on the way to the palace's main staircase. She stared at her toes as they peeked out from under her dress and sighed with every few steps.

Finally Mamoru stopped and turned her to face himself. "You're not having second thoughts, are you my Usako?" he asked gently, pushing a tendril of hair away from her face.

"I," Usagi looked up at Mamoru, and then quickly looked back down. I dunno. Umm… it's a lot to take in. I mean, we're on the moon for one. And my mom, gosh Mamo-chan, my mom has a body. I got to hug my mom tonight for the first time in thousands of years. And then there's Crystal Tokyo and becoming a Queen and the thousand years of war and, and… and I'm so overwhelmed!" The last words flew from her lips as Usagi fell into Mamoru's arms and wept.

"But!" burst out Usagi a moment later. "But then there's the wedding. My mind is racing and I'm so overwhelmed, but when I think of getting married right now, today, I feel nothing. I'm not excited or scared or nervous or any of those feelings I'm supposed to have. I think about marrying you and I'm just numb. Shouldn't my heart be racing or my palms be sweating? Shouldn't I be dizzy or something? Why am I so calm?"

Usagi looked up at Mamoru with intensity in her eyes and he had to stifle a smile. Usagi was anything but calm at the moment, but she had every right to be feeling mixed up. Mamoru led Usagi to a bench just outside the main foyer and settled her down on it. "Usako, my love," He began gently. "I know your head is a jumble. We've learned a lot tonight and it's understandable that you haven't sorted it all through yet. Your emotions about the wedding are not as obvious to you because you've had years to get used to them. We know that we are meant to be together as husband and wife. You've thought through this and had so much time to be emotional about it. Under normal circumstances, I think you would see those feelings rising up to the front of your mind, but you have so much new information to sort through today that your mind isn't concerned with the wedding because it's a done deal. Whether we get married now or in a week, we are getting married, and you are prepared for it, emotionally and otherwise. So lets go out there and get married my love"

Usagi stood slowly and cautiously, but on her face she wore a peaceful smile. She took Mamoru's hand and allowed him to lead her to the staircase where her mother was waiting for them with tears in her eyes.

When they stopped in front of the Queen, she nodded, wiped away a tear and began, "I'm going to keep this quick because I don't have much time left, and because you will get your whole ceremony in a week. Don't think less of its importance in light of today." She cleared her throat gently and bowed her head. "Great goddess Selene, protector of the moon and her people, we come before you today to ask your blessing on her future king and queen, Endymion and Serenity. Their love is true and pure and they seek to be joined as one on this day. Please bless their union and their reign. Help them to love one another always and lead their people with love. Amen."

Looking up at Usagi and Mamoru, Queen Serenity smiled and held out her hands. When both Mamoru and Usagi stretched out their hands in return, she held Mamoru's hand up and asked, "Endymion, prince of the earth, do you take Serenity to be your wife for this moment and forever?" When Mamoru had whispered 'I do', she held up Usagi's hand. "Serenity, princess of the Moon Kingdom, do you take Endymion to be your husband for this moment and forever?" As Usagi murmured her reply, the queen joined their hands and smiled, "You are one, for now and forever."

When the two pulled away from a deep kiss, Queen Serenity stepped forward and laid a hand on each of their shoulders. "I hate to interrupt your joy, but I must say goodbye now. I give you my best wishes for your future, my children. Turning to embrace Mamoru, she stated with a longing sigh, "Endymion, I couldn't be more proud of you if I had borne you myself." She reached up and kissed him gently on the cheek before turning to her daughter.

"Serenity," she breathed the word as she approached her daughter. "I don't know how to say goodbye to you. This is so final, but I know that my death is your life. I love you more than you know, but when you have your daughter, think of me. I will be thinking of you. I… I must go. My time has come. I know you will never forget me, my dear child, but don't spend too much time remembering. You have a new life unfolding in front of you. Go now with my blessing." As she disappeared, she blew one last kiss to her beloved children.

Usagi stood in stunned silence, her hand reaching out to the place where her mother had stood. How many times had she stood like this, watching someone she loved disappear? But though she had thought it the end, they had all been brought back to life. Her mother was gone forever. Usagi waited for the tears to come, but they would not. She only heard her mother's words and knew that she was not supposed to mourn. She had mourned the loss of the moon kingdom many times during her life as Sailor Moon. Today was a day to move forward. Nothing was taken from her today, but rather, the whole world had opened up to her. Today was the beginning of a new phase of life.

Usagi turned to Mamoru who was standing off to the side expectantly, not knowing how his wife would take the final goodbye with her mother. He was relieved to see a peaceful smile on her face. She walked towards his slowly, her hand outstretched, "Come on Mamo-chan, let's see what this life has in store for us."

With a sigh of relief, Mamoru returned her smile and held out his arm to her. "Okay my wife, lets head to the bedchambers."

As the couple walked through the long-abandoned corridors, Usagi stopped to peek into rooms along the way and lay her hand on the walls at many points. It was hard to believe that it had been thousands of years since she had lived inside of these walls. Her memories were patchy, but those she did have were very clear.

When they passed into the royal chambers, Usagi immediately headed towards her old bedroom, but Mamoru caught her wrist before she could push the door open. "Usako, no. This will be Chibi-usa's room. We will spend our lives together in the master chambers, and that is where we should start it."

Mamoru put his hand on Usagi's shoulder and began to lead her away from the princess' chambers, but she shook off his hand and returned to the door. "I just want to see it Mamo-chan. I want to remember. My life as a princess is still a little foggy to me. I need to remember."

When she pushed the door open, they saw that the room was destroyed almost beyond recognition. Usagi gasped and took a step backwards. "Beryl really was out to get me, wasn't she?" Usagi murmured through her fingers. As she picked her way slowly across the wreckage, a small bit of bright pink shone through the debris. When Usagi reached down to unearth it, she found her old diary. Flipping through it, she read the last entry, "I finally found him: my prince. I love Endymion so much. I just know I'm going to marry him someday soon."

Laying the book down gently, she turned and began to pick her way back towards Mamoru. "Lets go live out our dreams Mamo-chan. We've been waiting for this moment our whole lives—my husband." She held her hand out to him and allowed him to lead her from the room and down the hall. When they reached the archway that separated the queen's chambers from the rest of the royal bedchambers, Mamoru stopped and scooped Usagi into his arms so quickly that she gasped. He couldn't help but take advantage of how close her face was to his, laying on his taut chest. He dipped his head and drank a deep kiss from her waiting lips. He ended the kiss only when he felt his arms grow weak and Usagi began to slide down his chest.

With a laugh, he looked into her eyes and said, "I'm a hero who has fought countless youma, but when you kiss me, my Usako, I'm weak. I could die in your arms, but I feel so alive."

He turned and used his elbow to depress the handle on the door and nudge it open. Pushing the door open with his back, Mamoru turned to face into the room. Unlike the rest of the palace, it was nearly untouched. A section of the ceiling had caved in so that the starry sky was visible, brighter than more beautiful that it could ever be seen from earth. Strangely, there was no sign of the rubble from the cave-in. The room seemed to have been cleaned and repaired just for them.

Standing in the middle of the room was the large canopy bed that had been Usagi's mother's. She remembered crawling in with her mother when she was scared as a child. And when she grew older, she and her mother would have girl time together, tucked under those silk sheets with steaming mugs of hot cocoa. She remembered sitting there when she was fourteen, tugging on the ears of her pink bunny slippers and telling her mother about a boy she had met at the snowflake ball. "He's a prince, Mama. And he's so handsome. He has the shiniest black hair I've ever seen, and the kindest eyes. He danced with me Mama, and when we finished, he bowed and kissed my hand. I'm going to marry him Mama; I don't know how I know, but I'll marry him some day Mama."

Usagi's cheeks turned the softest pink as she sat on the bed and caressed the soft sheets. "I married him, Mama. I told you I would marry him." Usagi looked up at Mamoru with tears in her eyes, and as he sat beside her and pulled her into his strong arms, the tears spilled over onto her cheeks and she wept softly, surrendering herself to her husband's embrace. "I married you, I really married you." She looked up into Mamoru's warm gaze and smiled softly. Leaning down, he kissed away her salty tears, finishing with a tender kiss on her moist lips.

"We've really been through a lot, haven't we Usako? It's hard to believe that our marriage will start a war. But we're together now and we will be for the rest of our lives." As Mamoru said this, he felt a twinge in his heart, but ignored it, figuring that he was just feeling emotional after his impromptu wedding. Shaking his head to clear the thought, he shrugged of his jacket and gently laid Usagi down on the bed.

Just as he was leaning in for a kiss, Usagi sat up suddenly, banging her head into Mamoru's shoulder. She rubbed her forehead as tears filled her eyes and turned to look at a stunned Mamoru. "Mamo-chan, our bags! They never arrived; we must have teleported without them!"

"Oh, is that all?" He asked with a smile. "I have everything I need right here in front of me. Besides, I don't plan on needing many clothes for the rest of the week. We are the only ones on the whole moon and we'll spend most of the week right here." Mamoru patted the bed as his eyes shimmered with love, but again Usagi gasped and looked crestfallen.

"My, but, I… I don't have it. I planned to wear, I... It's our wedding night and I have nothing to wear." Usagi's eyes began to burn as they filled with tears for a third time.

"Now Usako, I thought you had gotten past this constant tears thing," he teased gently as he brushed the first one from his cheek. I married you for you, not for your clothes. Mow come here." He gently pulled her into his embrace and kissed the top of her golden head.

The sun was now completely hidden from view by the earth and the stars shone brightly through the hole in the roof. Mamoru pulled Usagi down onto the pillow beside him and painted up as a shooting star past over the opening in the ceiling. With a sigh, Usagi laid her head down on Mamoru's shoulder and looked up into his eyes. "You're right Mamo-chan; I'd rather be here with you right now, married to the man of my dreams, than back on earth with all of my clothes." With that, she reached over and firmly grabbed the front of Mamoru's shirt to pull him in for a kiss, but as she pulled, three of the top buttons popped off of the shirt and bounced musically on the marble tiled floor.

Usagi stared at Mamoru's bare chest for a moment before she began to slowly back away from him, but Mamoru slid his arm behind her back, pulling her close. "Oh my dear little klutz, they're just buttons," he said as he began to kiss her with intensity. He pulled his shirt off, releasing the two remaining buttons with a firm tug, and pulled Usagi into a close embrace.

After a moment, he pulled back and gently moved his hand over the zipper of Usagi's dress. When she answered his questioning glance with a nod, he slowly drew the zipper down the length of her back. Usagi gasped as a shiver of electric anticipation ran up her spine at the touch of his hand. As Mamoru let go of the zipper, the dress cascaded to the floor and puddled around her feet. When Mamoru's eyes traveled back up Usagi's shapely legs, he was surprised to find her dressed in a stunning silk corset with exquisite lace edging. "Usako, you are so beautiful. I don't know why you were complaining about your clothes."

Looking confused, Usagi followed Mamoru's eyes down and gasped at the sight of the corset. "I, I don't understand," she stuttered. "This is, I picked this." She smoothed her small hands over the delicate lace and silk that hugged her petite body. The corset she wore was the same style as the one she had chosen for her honeymoon, but it was constructed from the finest quality silk and lace and tailored to fit her every curve. "My, my mother really did plan all of this out, didn't she?"

When Mamoru saw tears threatening to spill from her eyes once more, he swept his wife up in his arms and laid her gently down on the bed. Without breaking eye contact, he quickly released the button and zipper on his pants and stripped them off. Usagi smiled sweetly when she saw that he wore fine silk boxers that displayed a small gold embroidered crown with the words 'Fit for a King' below it.

Now it was Mamoru's turn to look down in surprise. "I guess the queen always did have a sense of humour," he laughed as he lay down beside his wife. "But enough about your mother. The only woman I want to think about right now is my wife." With one swift move, he caught Usagi up in his arms and rolled her on top of himself.

Usagi settled her face down on his chest and inhaled the tangy scent of his skin. "Oh Mamo-chan," she breathed as she ran her fingers over his muscular chest. "Is this real? Are you sure we're married?"

Mamoru nodded a happy yes and Usagi shifted to snuggle him closer, but fell off of him, landing on the floor with a stunned look on her face.

"What is it Usako? What's wrong?" Usagi's face was quickly turning a bright shade of fuchsia.

She placed her hands on her flaming cheeks and mumbled, "I forgot." Mamoru gently took her hand with a questioning look and she glanced towards his boxers and repeated, "I forgot. I mean, I knew, and I was prepared, and I've been waiting for so long, but…" Usagi's voice trailed off and she looked down at the long tendril of hair she was twisting in her fingers.

"Oh Usako," murmured Mamoru as he pulled her up and into his embrace again. "I am eager to be a husband to you, but you know I would never force anything on you. We have an entire week to ourselves, so lets just relax and enjoy it." He reached up and began to remove pins from the tightly coiled odangos her hair was fashioned into and let it fall down her back like a golden cape. As Mamoru began to work a hairbrush through the long tresses, the fragrance of her shampoo was released into the air. Usagi relaxed against Mamoru's chest and even began to caress his back with her fingertips. As she worked her hands over his back, he moaned with pleasure and began to kiss her again. Usagi's fears melted away as Mamoru pushed her hair aside and began to work the laces of her corset open.

When she lay skin to skin with her husband, Usagi suddenly remembered every moment of forbidden desire she had ever had for Mamoru. With a new sense of boldness, she reached down to let him know that she was ready for him, marveling at his obvious desire for her. Mamoru felt a surge of desire for both Usagi's body and her soul. As he drew her to himself, he realized he would never be able to let her go.

(Scene Change)

Usagi stretched and opened one eye. 'Still dark,' she thought. 'Good, I can sleep some more.' But when she settled her head back down on the pillow, she couldn't get back to sleep. She started to twist and turn but found her legs tangled in the sheets. Usagi finally gave a firm tug and her leg came free from the sheets, her knee striking a dark object in the bed beside her.

"Ahhh!" Screamed Usagi as she launched herself far away from the object and landed hard on the marble floor. The floor was cold under her naked body, shocking her awake. When she heard a soft groaning coming from the bed, she suddenly remembered that she was in the moon palace with her new husband. Scrambling to get up, she hurried back to Mamoru who lay clutching his stomach in a sleepy daze.

"Oh Mamo-chan, my sweet Mamo-chan. Are you okay?" She leaned over him trying to see the spot where she had kneed him.

"I'll be okay my little klutz, but why are you up in the middle of the night?" Mamoru looked up to the starry sky and back to Usagi.

"Oh Mamo-chan, I couldn't sleep! This has never happened to me before. I can always sleep. And then I bumped into you and I forgot where I was and—"

"Usako!" Mamoru interrupted when he saw his wife stop to take a breath. "It's twelve o'clock" he said tapping his pocked watch. When Usagi wrinkled up her brow and opened her mouth he spoke again. "Twelve in the afternoon. We slept all morning."

Usagi wrinkled up her forehead a little tighter and began to chew her lip. She stood and paced around the room. After looking back and forth between Mamoru's watch and the starry sky several times, her expression cleared into one of understanding. "How could I have forgotten? It takes a full month for the moon to cycle around the earth. We must have caught the last light when we arrived yesterday evening. It will be dark for a week and a half. How could I have forgotten so much about my life here on the moon?"

"Hush my little Odango Atama. We have a whole week to remember. Besides, you never lived here in this body. They are memories from a past life. Maybe part of your mother's plan was to let you understand those memories a little better before you become queen."

Usagi nodded in agreement and Mamoru caught her hand, pulling her onto the bed beside him. The arm that brushed his shoulder was so cold that he gasped. "Usako, you're freezing. We need to get you dressed."

Mamoru reached for Usagi's dress, but she pulled him back onto the bed. "Come now, King of the bedchamber, surely you can think of a better way to warm me up than a dress." Usagi seductively pulled her hair back over her shoulders to reveal her bare chest, making sure that she rubbed up against his arm in the process. Mamoru slowly shook his head, but Usagi saw that his body was responding differently.

Acting boldly once more, she reached down and stroked him teasingly. Mamoru gave a deep groan and grabbed Usagi, flipping her down on her back in one swift motion. "Usako," he breathed the word into her neck as he pressed his body down onto hers. Kissing her roughly, he roamed her milky body with his hands, touching and feeling every inch of her. He moved with such and intensity that Usagi could do nothing more than lay there, frozen with anticipation.

When his desire became too strong to wait any longer, he moved to enter her, but saw her draw back slightly. Mamoru realized that He had let his desire for his wife overwhelm him. He dropped down on the mattress beside her, pulling her close and slowing his hands down in gentler exploration.

Usagi responded to the gentler approach and joined back in on the lovemaking session with a passion she had only read about.

When their desires were satisfied, they laid back down and fell asleep, wrapped only in a cascade of golden hair.

(Scene change)

Late in the afternoon, Mamoru awoke and gently crawled out from under Usagi's arms. Seeing that she was still sound asleep, he took the opportunity to explore the master chambers. He had spent much time in the Palace in his past life, but had never been into the queen's chambers. In fact, he had only been in this section of the palace once, when Princess Serenity had snuck him into her own room during a long and boring ceremony.

The Master Chambers consisted of a small sitting room with a breakfast nook, a washroom with a large Jacuzzi style tub, a dressing room, and of course the bedchamber itself. The dressing room was the most intriguing room at that moment. When Mamoru stepped through the door, he discovered that it was stocked with clothing in their sizes. There were several royal uniforms for each of them and a large selection of pristine casuals as well. The table in the center of the room held a large Jewelry box and a note that read "Your royal wardrobe and the Bride's trousseau." Please enjoy your new wardrobe while you are here. It will be transported to the future along with the palace. The moon crown awaits Serenity's coronation." Mamoru gently opened the wooden case on the table to reveal the Queen's crown surrounded by a large selection of fine jewelry: the royal jewels.

Usagi would want to see this. He quickly pulled on a pair of silk lounge pants and snatched up a pink silk robe patterned with cherry blossoms that he discovered hanging on a hook on the back of the door. Robe in hand, he ran back to the bed where his wife lay, hugging his pillow and wrapped in a shimmering blanket of hair.

"Usako," he whispered her name gently into her ear and she smiled, hugging the pillow tighter. He tried again, "Usako, I found you some pretty clothes." Usagi just smoothed a section of hair over an exposed arm. "I found Jewels Usako, Diamonds and the Queen's crown even." Usagi smiled and squirmed, but still would not wake up. "Big jewels honey, rubies the size of cherries."

Mamoru gave up and turned to walk away from Usagi, but her eyes snapped open and she lifted her head. "Honey? Cherries? Food?"

Mamoru laughed as her turned to look at his wife. "Oh Usako, we haven't fed you at all today, have we? I'll go see what I can find." Mamoru walked out into the sitting room, which also acted as a foyer. He was surprised to find a covered try on the breakfast table. 'That wasn't there a minute ago, was it?' he thought to himself. Mamoru went to the table and lifted one of the covers tentatively; he was greeted by a delicious aroma. The queen really did have her secrets, he mused as he went back to the bed for Usagi. He stood her up and wrapped her in the silk robe. "I found some food Usako."

"Food?" She perked up again and finished tying the sash herself.

When Mamoru had settled her at the small table and removed the domed lid from her tray, Usagi offered a brilliant smile that rivaled any he had seen previously. "Dinner is served my Queen," he said with a bow.

"Oh Mamo-chan, how could this be any better?" she asked as her fork made a beeline for her mouth.

When Mamoru and Usagi had finished their dinner, he led her into the dressing room that he had discovered. Usagi was even more thrilled than he had been when she spotted the note and the jewel chest. She stood in front of the mirror in nothing more than the thin silk wrapper and the glittering jewels. With great awe, she lifted the moon crown from the velvet-lined box and held it just above her head. It would be a thousand years before she could wear it, but it was hers now. The glittering crown in her hands was proof that the Moon Queen, her mother was truly gone, but it also caused her to look to the future when she would be queen of crystal Tokyo.

When Usagi had modeled the entire collection of jewels for Mamoru, she fastened a delicate pink sapphire and diamond necklace onto her neck and moved towards the racks of clothes along the walls. As Usagi moved through the racks, Mamoru caught her looking for price tags a time or two. "These are really mine?" she asked again as she walked around the room, brushing the garments with outstretched fingers.

When Mamoru nodded again, she walked back to a rack of sweaters, finally pulling a soft creamy cashmere sweater to her body. She let the robe fall from her shoulders as she pulled the wrap sweater around her, tying it loosely under her bust. She paced around the room one more time, stopping in front of a luxurious rose coloured satin skirt. As she removed it from the hanger and held it up to her body, Mamoru moved towards her again with a mischievous glint in his eye and handed her a silky pink thong. Usagi took it and looked beyond him to a tower of drawers. They were all filled with the finest silk, satin, and lace undergarments she had ever seen.

Usagi finished dressing quickly as her eyes misted. "She really did think of everything, didn't she?"

"Yes Usagi. She anticipated many of your needs as future queen and gave you everything she could. I am sure that one day you will care for our own Small Lady in much the same way." Mamoru was rewarded for this comment with a warm embrace and a long, deep kiss.

When Usagi finally released him, he stretched his back and began to lead her out onto the balcony that overlooked the queen's private garden. Usagi saw the circular staircase leading down into the garden and her face began to glow in the starlight. She pulled him down the stairs, laughter lighting up her features as she ran with her new husband through her childhood playground.

(Scene change)

"I can't believe it's Friday already," Usagi moaned as Mamoru sat her up in the starry darkness of their last morning on the moon.

"Hush, Usako. Our wedding is tomorrow and the very next day we will awaken in this palace as king and queen." Mamoru continued to lead his sleepy wife towards the dressing room as he spoke. Besides, tomorrow the palace here will disappear. We have to go back.

Usagi dressed quickly in a flowing pink silk dress and covered her shoulders with a snowy shawl. "Let's just walk around the grounds once more before we leave," she pleaded. "The palace may be reformed for us on the earth, but the grounds and the view will never be the same again." Usagi motioned towards the blue-green orb that filled much of the horizon.

"I know Usako. This has been a very special time, but we belong on earth. Everyone we care about is waiting to attend our wedding tomorrow. And if we're not there, or specifically, if your ginzuishou is not there, none of them will make it to Crystal Tokyo. It's our duty to return. Come on my queen, let's go." Mamoru held his hand out to Usagi and when she laid her hand in his, he led her back to the palace steps where they had teleported just one week earlier.

Usagi gently touched her fingertips to the ginzuishou and was transformed in a flash. A feather fell softly to the ground and she sighed, remembering her first days as Sailor Moon. Her henshin phrase had felt alien on her lips, but now she could henshin with a mere thought. Sailor Moon was so much a part of her now, but she wondered if she would ever feel as comfortable as Queen.

Mamoru cleared his throat and she looked up to see him transformed, holding his tall top hat in his hand. With a final glance at the moon that was once her home, Usagi stepped towards Mamoru, grasped his hands, and shouted, "Silver moon teleport!" She had never heard the words before, but knew instinctively that they would get her home. In an instant, the ginzuishou exploded into a thousand beams of light and faded away just as quickly.

Usagi blinked and found herself standing in the same empty field she had left a week earlier. Mamoru dropped her hands and looked around, stunned. The Queen had said Usagi would be at full power on the moon, but he had not realized how quickly they would be able to teleport. He looked up at Usagi in surprise and saw that her face held a dazed and happy expression. She nodded slowly, "I know."

Usagi recovered first and held out her hand to Mamoru. Let's go home Mamo-chan. They began to walk towards the small red car they had left at the edge of the field. "Yes, Chiba-san, let's go home."

(Scene change)

Mamoru turned the key in the lock and swept Usagi up into his arms. He was about to carry her into the apartment when he heard someone clear their throat behind him.

"Practicing for tomorrow are you Mamoru?" Mamoru turned to see Motoki standing behind him, wearing a silly grin.

"Uh, yeah, of course," he stuttered, setting Usagi back on the ground.

"Well, I'm glad to see that you are back. Can't believe this little woman let you take a business trip so close to the wedding." Motoki winked and slapped Mamoru on the back.

"Uh, well…" Mamoru shot Usagi a worried glance. They had forgotten that no one could know the true reason for their absence. Usagi finished explaining for him, "It was urgent, important. And all of the planning was finished already."

"Well, no harm done. You're back just in time to enjoy your last night as a single man." Motoki gave another exaggerated wink and another slap on the back.

Mamoru gulped and tried to stall. "Umm, well, I've been gone so long and I need to unpack and get settled in." He motioned towards the small black overnight bag that one of the girls had dropped off just inside of his door.

While the guys talked, Usagi wandered into the apartment, still overwhelmed by the change of returning to earth. Seeing the light flashing on the answering machine, she pushed the play button and continued to wander around the living room. The messages droned on, but it was the fifth one that caught Usagi's attention instantly. Rei's voice rang out from the tinny speaker, edged with panic. "Usagi, you have got to come home as soon as you get this. Something horrible has happened. The—oh I can't even say it on the phone. Just get here as soon as you can." The machine beeped and identified the message as being left forty-five minutes earlier.

Mamoru had heard the message and already had his keys out of his pocket. "Let's go, Usako; I'll drive you home."

(Author's notes)

Thank-you all so much for your comments. Knowing that you have all been longing for a new chapter helped me to carve out some time for it. I've had some big job changes and been very sick with pneumonia, but hopefully the next chapter will get finished a little quicker.

Keep up the comments. I'd love to hear your predictions of what you think will happen. Watch the comments for updates from me.

Nessa