Christmas was approaching quickly, as was Usagi. She was two months pregnant and knew that she wouldn't be able to keep this pregnancy hidden from her parents and everyone at school for very much longer. Thus, her and the Senshi had decided that she had to leave her parents' house before they found out and caused too much stress on her. She had packed most of her stuff in boxes and put them in her closet without her parents noticing (they didn't go into her room often). Then when her Parents and Shingo had left for a few hours to go shopping Usagi called in some help. They helped pack all of her stuf into the back of Mamoru's car which Jadeite had "borrowed." She then left her parents a note telling them that she had moved out because she was pregnant and didn't want to bring shame upon the family. She also told them not to come looking for her because she didn't want to be found and too much stress was bad for her baby, which she was sure that they would heave on her.
When Jadeite, Usagi, Makoto, Rei and Nephrite arrived at Mamoru's apartment building they made two trips up and back for Usagi's boxes and Usagi settled herself in Mamoru's bedroom.
"It still smells like him in here," Usagi mumbled to herself as she entered Mamoru's bedroom while the others were bringing up boxes.
"I'll move out if you want me to Usagi," Jadeite said when they were finished.
"No, I don't want to live alone," Usagi said sadly, "Thanks for your help guys, I would have called the others but they were busy."
"No problem Usa," Makoto replied smiling, "we're always happy to help."
"Yah, but you could at least offer us something to eat for helping out," Rei said, slapping Jadeite in the arm.
"We would be delighted to invite you all to lunch," Jadeite said offended, "but the problem is 'I' don't know how to cook anything but pancakes."
"How do you live then?" Nephrite laughed at him.
"You shouldn't laugh Nephrite, if I can recall you didn't know how to cook either until I taught you," Makoto laughed.
"Mamoru used to cook for me. He always grumbled that I needed to learn someday and 'there is no day like the present,'" Jadeite quipped.
"How have you survived since Mamoru was cap…" Nephrite began but stopped suddenly as Usagi bent her head down.
"It's alright," Usagi tried her best to smile.
"Well, every morning I have pancakes. Then I live off of McDonalds!" Jadeite laughed.
"My man is going to get fat," Rei said rubbing his stomach.
"Not with the exercise you put me through," Jadeite taunted and Rei blushed.
"Alright guys," Makoto said suddenly as an odd feeling of awkwardness had ascended, "I'll cook."
Everyone cheered.
"Hey guys," Usagi said, finishing her delicious meal, "it's the first day of December and we still haven't decorated!"
"Then lets get to it," Rei said happily.
"I don't think that Mamoru has any Christmas decorations," Jadeite put in, "with having no family and all I don't think that he got into the Christmas spirit or found the need to decorate."
"Well, he's going to have a family now so I'm going to have to buy some Christmas decorations, aren't I?" Usagi said simply.
"How are we going to get the money Usa? We barely have enough for th bare necessities. Luckily, Mamoru pays his rent for a year at a time or we wouldn't even be here," Jadeite reasoned, "I have to get a job. It's partly my responsibility to look after you and protect you baby, he or she is the heir to the Earth Kingdom."
"We can bring over some extra decorations tomorrow for you," Nephrite smiled.
"Yah, we have plenty left over," Makoto smiled.
"I think that the temple has some too," Rei said.
"Thanks guys, you're great," Usagi smiled gleefully, "besides, I think Minako would have hung us all if we all decorated without her."
"I agree with that, she'd have gone ballistic," Rei laughed.
Everyone laughed and joked around until they had to leave and Usagi was very tired out from all of the energy she spent.
"Jed, I hate to leave you to clean up, but I'm completely worn out. I'm going to bed okay?"
"Alright, Sweet Dreams Princess."
"Goodnight Jadeite."
Usagi walked into Mamoru's room, changed into one of his shirts and collapsed on his huge bed. She inhaled the sweet scent of chocolate and peppermint that his shirt still held. Then she remembered something.
"Endymion!" She said angrily in her mind as she stood up.
"Yes Sere," he said seductively into her ear as he popped in behind her back, thus causing her to jump.
She turned to him with delight and kissed him as hard as she could. Slightly shocked it took him a few minutes to respond. Then she broke away. He looked down at her wearing on of his shirts, which fell to her knees, then looked around. Raising an eyebrow he asked,
"Sere what's going on? Why are you wearing my shirt and why are you in my bedroom?"
"That doesn't matter right now!" she said angrily and hysterically, "I demand that you stop this Negaverse nonsense! It's crazy! You're only going to succeed in getting killed, then who will care for me and this baby? Do you want your father to be fatherless? To be motherless? Because if you die I will lose the will to live!"
"Of course I don't want that Sere! What's gotten into you! I'm only at the Negaverse in the first place to ensure that the battles don't come regularly on you, which I have succeeded in doing!" Endymion said back bad-tempered and hurt. Why would he want his child to grow up like he did? Of course that wouldn't happen, he/she would have the Senshi, but that was besides the point…
"Do you know that if you hadn't paid your rent a year at a time I wouldn't have anywhere to live right now. Neither would Jadeite," Usagi cried knowing that she had hurt Mamoru with what she had just said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"
"It's alright," Endymion said gently as he wrapped his arms around her and placed his head in the crook of her neck, "You have to calm down though, remember what Ami said about stress?"
"Yah," Usagi said calming down in his embrace, "where do you keep your Christmas Decorations?"
"Usako, I don't have any Christmas decorations. But feel free to but some. Use my credit cards, they'll be good for quite some time. Buy gifts too for everyone," He said kissing her on her cheek and getting his wallet out from one of his drawers.
"But…" she started.
"Use them for whatever you need. I have a very large trust fund in my bank account. My payments automatically come out so don't worry about bills or money okay? If anything happens to me it is all entitled to you and our child," he smiled.
"You always have an answer don't you?" Usagi smiled as she turned to face him.
"Always," he kissed her lightly on the lips, "but I have to be going before Beryl notices me gone. Goodnight Usako, my beautiful wife."
"Be careful Mamo-Chan," Usagi whispered as he vanished.
The next day Usagi a bit of her shopping in the morning. She picked up some groceries, a few presents and some decorations. She also picked u some stuff for the Christmas party she intended to throw on Christmas Eve for the Senshi and Generals. When she got home, loaded with bags, the Senshi were already there and had begun to decorate. Seeing Usagi loaded with bags they all abandoned what they had been doing and helped her.
Christmas approached and the apartment shown with Christmas lights and the beautiful Christmas Tree that Jadeite had brought home for Usagi to decorate. Usagi was immensely relaxed and festive. On Christmas Eve all the Senshi and Generals came over for Usagi's Christmas party. They drank eggnog, sung Christmas carols and exchanged gifts. After they left Usagi helped Jadeite clean then made her way to bed. There Endymion visited to wish her a Merry Christmas, give her a present that he had bought when he had a few spare moments and Beryl wouldn't notice.
On Christmas morning the Senshi and Generals went back to the apartment to watch Jadeite and Usagi open the rest of their gifts. Usagi got a few things for the baby, but the rest was 'for the baby shower,' as Minako said.
By January Usagi was starting to pop out a lot more and her energy level couldn't be higher most of the time. Ami had been watching Usagi closely and making sure she was alright. Usagi was ecstatic when Ami told her that her chances of a miscarriage were reduced now that she had entered her second trimester. She was in seventh heaven though when Ami told Usagi the reason why she was bigger than usual at this point. Apparently during the last scan Ami had found two heartbeats, meaning that Usagi was having twins!
Never before in all the history of the Moon had the Princess, heiress to the Moon Kingdom, had they ever been able to bear more than one child, and that child was always female. Not long into the month of January, around the middle or so, Usagi felt the first flittering movements of her children. The Senshi and Generals were so excited upon hearing the news that they decided to take Usagi to the hot springs for a weekend getaway. Usagi objected to the pampering, saying that she was way too fat, but lost in the end. Now they were on their way to the hot springs up north.
"You guys, this really isn't necessary," Usagi complained.
"Nonsense," Zoycite replied, "a bit of relaxation should be good for all of us."
"Alright then," Usagi subsided. She was really frustrated that all of the Senshi could share experiences like this with their loved ones, but she couldn't with Endymion. Then she remembered Minako and smiled, she could always confide in her. But she still had to tell Endymion about the twins! She hadn't seen him since she had found out.
When they arrived at the hot spring resort and checked into their hotel rooms everyone immediately made their way to the springs.
"Guys, I think that I'm going to go for a walk by the lake. It's a beautiful, clear night, the moon is full and I love the reflection it casts in the water," Usagi informed them as they all began to slide into the pool of water.
"Do you want us to come with you?" Minako asked with fake cheerfulness. Her heart was broken, just like Usagi's, for not being able to spend this time with her loved one.
"No, I'd rather be alone right now so I can think. But thanks, don't worry I'll be back in a bit," Usagi smiled reassuringly.
After not hearing from Endymion for a little over a month Usagi was starting to get anxious, thinking something had happened to him. Her being four months along now didn't help much with the anxiety either. She walked the moonlit path slowly as she approached the beautiful resort lake. She walked up to the striking statue and her star locket popped open and began to play it's soft, lulling melody.
.: Negaverse:.
"I feel some strange energy emitting from the lake near the hot springs in north Japan," Queen Beryl said to Endymion and Kunzite.
"The energy is very close to that of our youmas…" Kunzite commented.
"I sense that," Queen Beryl nodded, "Endymion, go check it out."
"Yes Queen Beryl," Endymion bowed then vanished.
"Queen Beryl," Kunzite said once he was sure Endymion was gone, "Endymion has been acting rather strangely lately. I think that his memory may be returning."
"Impossible with the amount of dark energy we placed in him," Queen Beryl shook her head, "but I'll try and keep my eye on him, just in case."
"Yes My Queen," Kunzite said bowing and exiting.
Usagi returned to her friends at the hot springs, but stayed out of the pool just in case it affected her pregnancy in any way. So instead she just soaked her feet in the beautifully warm water and began to relax. That is until she sensed Mamoru's presence nearby, then she spotted his figure down by the lake.
"You know what," Usagi said, brows furrowed, "I'm actually tired out from my walk. I'll see you guys back at the hotel okay?"
"Okay, sweet dreams Princess," everyone said.
"Thanks," Usagi smiled at everyone, then took the path. But instead of taking the turn to the hotel she returned to the lake.
When Usagi got to the lake Mamoru was gone, the only thing left was the statue of the lovers that her mother had once told her about. Her locket once again opened and started playing.
"Hello Usako," Mamoru's voice came out through the woods surprising her.
"Mamo-Chan, I thought that you had left," Usagi let out the breath that she had inhaled sharply at her surprise.
"So how are you and the baby fairing?" Mamoru laughed at Usagi's surprise.
"The babies and I are fine," Usagi smiled.
"That's gre… wait. Did you say babies?" Mamoru asked, his face had visibly blanched.
"Yah Mamo-Chan, we're having twins!" She laughed happily as he swung her around in excitement.
"That's the best news I've ever heard! Wait, I thought you could only have one child? The heiress to the Moon Kingdom?"
"I'm guessing that since your Kingdom only ever had male children and my ancestors only had female children that our genes crossed and we're going to have a little boy and little girl! A heir to both our kingdoms!"
"That's marvellous!"
Usagi and Mamoru caught up for a while, then sat in comfortable silence just staring out over the lake.
"Did you know that this is the place where my earth parents met?" Usagi asked smiling at the moon.
"I didn't have any idea," Mamoru replied.
"Mom and Dad used to bring me and Shingo here every year. She always told us about the legendary lovers of the statue behind us. Two people in the village fell in an unbreakable love. However, a girl of the village was already in love with the man and turned into a horrible youma when she found out about the couple out of jealousy. The couple and their love managed to seal her off beneath this lake. This statue is supposed to symbolize their undying love," Usagi explained.
"Kind of sounds like a twisted version of what happened to us on the moon," Mamoru added.
"Yea, kind of," Usagi said, laying her head on Mamoru's shoulder.
"Listen Usako, you have to leave the hot springs. There's going to be a youma battle here soon and I don't want you to be part of it," Mamoru said gently.
Usagi lifted her head quickly and looked Mamoru straight in the eyes,
"How many times must we have this argument? I'm Sailor Moon, it's my job to destroy the youmas and protect the Earth!" She replied exasperated.
"It's your job as a mother to protect your young," Mamoru retorted as he laid a hand gently on her stomach, "I don't want to know what the Negaverse would try when they realize that your pregnant."
Usagi smiled up at him weakly. She didn't want to find out either, but she couldn't just abandon her Senshi. They weren't strong enough yet to defeat a youma by their selves.
"Someone is coming," Mamoru said suddenly, "I have to go. I love you."
And with that said he disappeared into the forest.
"I love you too," Usagi whispered to the wind.
"…I only wish Usagi were here. I don't know what she was thinking…"
Usagi heard those voices coming nearer, voices that she had instantly recognized. She looked around for somewhere to hide, anywhere. But alas, they had spotted her.
"Stupid girl, I swear her head is full of moon beams," Mamoru grumbled almost silently to himself. He was still rather upset that Usagi had refused to give up being Sailor Moon until she had given birth, "Well, I guess this youmas as good as any to convince Beryl."
Endymion then summoned up the youma at the bottom of the lake.
"Give him back!" The snake-like youma screamed as it immerged from the lake. She glanced at Endymion, but continued on, apparently dead-set on finding someone in particular.
"Usagi?" Shingo asked as he looked at the girl in front of him who had disappeared about two months ago.
"Um, hey guys," Usagi answered nervously as she soothed out her robes.
"Hey guys? That's all you have to say for yourself after running away pregnant? Well, young lady, I hope that you're glad that you've ruined your life. And over some bum boyfriend who got you knocked up and probably has you living in the streets now," Kenji raged at his daughter.
Tears began to roll down Usagi's cheeks at her father's explosion. When suddenly she began to get a horrible pain in her lower stomach. She clutched on, her face crinkled and began to panic.
"Now look what you've done!" her mother reprimanded Kenji and quickly ran over to her daughter and began to calm her. She repeated phrases like, "you're going to be alright", "Calm down honey", and "Breathe." Once she was calm she turned to her father in a rage.
"I hope your happy daddy. Just to let you know I've been going through a very tough pregnancy and any amount of stress may result in a miscarriage of my children. That's right, children. I am having twins. Furthermore, my fiancé is not a bum. He's a pre-med student that has a rather large trust fund, so don't worry about me or your grandchildren living on the street. They'll be treated like a Prince and Princess (AN: No Pun intended)."
"There you are!" something screeched from above their heads and swooped down. Usagi's eyes grew wide when she saw a youma land in front of her and her family. She was just about to turn into Sailor Moon to protect her family when a black rose caught the youmas attention.
"Run!" Endymion yelled towards Usagi and her family.
"So, you want to get in my way?" the youma asked sadistically and began to attack Endymion.
' have to help him,' Usagi thought desperately.
"Shabon Spray!" a fog surrounded the area and Usagi's family ran as Usagi hid behind a tree and transformed.
"DIE!" The youma yelled as it spotted Sailor Moon and ran towards her.
"Crescent Beam!"
"Supreme Thunder!"
Sailor Jupiter and Venus hit the youma dead-on with their combined attacks and yet it didn't even faze it. Frightened, Sailor Moon tried her tiara but that had no effect either.
"That thing isn't a true youma," Mars announced as she read it's aura.
"This is the creature from the bottom of the lake," Endymion replied, "this is my problem Senshi. You should take Sailor Moon and leave."
"Oh no, this is my area of expertise," Mars retorted and threw on of the temples anti-evil papers at the youma's forehead, freezing it in it's path.
"Moon Healing Annihilation!"
The youma then turned back into a beautiful young girl and began to ascend into the heavens. She thanked Sailor Moon for setting her free, then smiled and waved at Endymion. Once the pretty young woman had vanished Sailor Moon turned back to Endymion, but he was gone.
"Queen Beryl, did you notice something strange about Sailor Moon during the last battle?" Kunzite asked.
"What do you mean Kunzite?" Beryl snapped.
"She wasn't the only presence in her body. There were two others, and her stomach was much bigger," he replied.
"Are you telling me that Sailor Moon, Princess Serenity is with Child? Or rather children? Impossible! The only person that she'd even consider…"
"Endymion. They must have conceived before he was turned,' Kunzite said.
"Make sure that Endymion learns nothing of this," Queen Beryl commanded, "and destroy Sailor Moon and her children immediately!"
"It will be done," Kunzite bowed and exited.
Unbeknownst to both, Endymion heard the whole conversation while lurking in the shadows and masking his presence. He was beginning to worry a lot more about Usagi and their unborn children.