Chapter Twenty-Eight

A Dysfunctional Family

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

Hey everyone! Thanks for the wonderful comments for the previous chapter. Here is the next installment of Ever After. Enjoy!

The sunlight shone brightly throughout the windows of the rooms of the east wing of the villa. Mina purred with a wide smile as she awakened nude underneath the covers in bed lying on her side cuddled in Jason's strong arms. He lied sideways as his bare chest brushed against her back and muscular legs interwined with hers as he leant down placing a soft kiss on her shoulder blade. His big hand splayed over the her soft arm that felt as smooth as velvet. Mina stretched her body out like a little cat as Jason let out a throatily laugh. She turned around in his arms until she faced him. She gazed into his beautiful green eyes on his handsome face. She tried to find a flaw in him but he was perfect in every way. She stared into his eyes and saw nothing but pure love and admiration for her. For the first time in their relationship, they were completely at ease with one another like everything was out on the table.

Mina moaned. Two days had passed since the incident. They were still staying at Darien's villa with her mother and sister. Mina was saddened when she woke up to find out that Serena was gone. It's been over two months since she last saw Serena in person.

The Shields family was oblivious to the fact that Alex had really been Serena. Neither Karen nor Darien would speak about why Serena was gone or Alex as they referred to her as. The children were deeply upset that she left. Karen and Darien were in bliss. Mina wondered if they were the reason why she left. Ariel pretended that seeing Mina and Jason together did not bother her, but it did. How could you stand to see the man that you love, be happy with someone else?

Ariel and Mina still had not talked. It was not that she was upset. It was just an awkward thing to talk about. For ten years, they were sisters. Mina knew that she was Ariel's birth mother, but she always saw Ariel as only her sister.

Mina lied flat on back and sighed. Jason grinned as he pulled the covers back and began to cupped, sucked, kissed, and nibbled on her perfect, soft breasts.

Jason was amazed at how relaxed Mina was now. Even though the world around them was a living hell, everything was right in the world to Jason with Mina. A weight was lifted off her shoulders. She opened up to him and no longer tried to manipulate their relationship. Their lovemaking was otherworldly and he felt her giving all of herself to him. She no longer held back. She no longer was afraid to love him. She gave him her heart, soul, and body. Every inch of her body was his as every part of his body became hers. She constantly told him how much she loved him and needed him. He smiled because to hear those three little words from her were rare. She was full of hope and optimism. They spent their time talking and making love and talking after making love. Everything between them was perfect, at least for now.

"I'm worried about Serena." Jason lifted his head.

"What about her?" His mouth descended on her other breast. Mina moaned as her body melted to his hot mouth engulfing her breast.

"I'm afraid that the more she remains Alex, the less she would want to be Serena anymore."

Jason's head rose up. "You're afraid you're losing her." His hands ran over her soft flat stomach to her thighs.

Mina nodded. He flicked her hard, erect nipples with his finger. Jason rolled back on his side with an arm spread out on the pillow. Mina turned to Jason as he spoke. She shifted her body closer to him and rested her head on his arm. "Well, can you blame her? Her ex-husband is happy with another woman. Her children are calling another woman their mother. She's kind of has been replaced by Karen. You can't really blame her for wanting to be someone else."

Mina sighed. "I know, but I'm afraid that I'm losing her. We're all afraid. We're worried about Raye too." She had not heard from Raye in months.

Jason's eyes narrowed for a moment as he tried to remembered Raye. She talked about her friends constantly over the years, but the first and only time he saw them was the night of their engagement.

"Is that the one sleeping with the married guy?"

"Yup…"

"Yeah, I'll be worried about her too."

"Why?" Mina cuddled next to him, resting her head on his chest listening to his heartbeat. He automatically slid his arms around her waist.

"She's stuck in life. She can't move on. She was wasting her life away at that temple. When we are twenty-five and younger, we think we have all the time in the world and we will never get old. But once you reach twenty-seven and haven't accomplished something, it hits you that you are no longer young and that you don't have all the time in the world. That's what I think is happening to her. Her friends are successful with careers and families of their own while she has nothing. So she's borrowing someone else's husband to satisfy her loneliness."

Mina snorted, "Very deep, Dr. Phillips."

Jason chuckled. He was talking like his character Dr. Phillips on Society. Jason said, "And Dr. Phillips is correct. And I'm twenty-nine and I am missing something too."

Mina rolled on her side and teased her lover, "What could you be possibly missing? You're rich. You're handsome. Women loved you. Men envied you." Jason delighted in Mina's boasting about him as her hands caressed his rock hard stomach. "You have millions of fans throughout the world. You accomplished your dreams. You have achieved the highest honor for an actor. And most importantly, you're marrying a beautiful blonde bombshell like me. So what are you missing?"

He looked down at her. "I want a child with you."

Mina became silent. "I thought we were going to wait a couple of years."

"I know, but you asked and that's what I want. I want to be a dad. I want to instill the knowledge that my parents gave to me into our child. I want a child that I can spoiled rotten like my wife. I want to give my mother a grandchild."

Mina grinned lifting her head to stare into the eyes of her lover and fiancé. "You said wife. We're not married yet."

Jason shrugged, "Why wait? Let's get married now."

"Jason? What about our parents?"

Jason laughed. "You just told me like a week ago that our wedding date is the end of the world. My mother only wants to be at the wedding while yours worships the devil and sacrificed you for money to some psychotic bastard who fucked you up in more ways than one for the last twenty-five years of your life."

"Probably longer than that."

Jason shook his head. His grip on her tightened. "No, we're going to get you some much needed therapy as soon as the New World Regime, who your mother is a member of, stops trying to kill us."

Mina asked, "So when should we have this wedding?"

Jason said, "I want to immediately, but how about the Fourth of July?"

Mina smiled. "Okay. And who will be there?"

Jason said, "A small party of our friends and family." He looked around. "We could do it here. We can ask Darien and Karen if it's okay."

"Decorations? The cake?"

"We'll ask Lita and Andrew."

"The dress?"

"I'll pay for it."

"My mother is going to hate me." He frowned. Mina saw on his face that he did not care much for Patricia. "I hated my mom for over twenty years. I don't have the energy to hate her anymore. So I am asking you to forgive her too."

Jason said, "I can't." Mina looked slightly disappointed but nodded in understanding.

Mina smiled. "I don't want to get pregnant if the baby will never be born or actually live."

Jason smiled. "I believe you and Sailor Moon will figure out a way to save the world like you always do."

Mina smiled. "Everyone keeps saying that. Raye and Serena made it seemed so final and hopeless. Serena can no longer transform into Sailor Moon and is stuck as Alex. I lost my powers. I'm normal. I've been extraordinary for fifteen years. Now, I am ordinary. It sucks."

Mina fell back on the bed and threw her head back on the pillow. Jason smiled. "You are many things, but ordinary is not one of them. With or without your powers, you are pretty extraordinary."

Mina smiled at him. "I am not ready to be a mother yet, but can we practice?"

"Okay, we can wait. But you have to talk to Ariel today, and it's time I go salvage my reputation."

"I can join you. It will be better if they see us as united front."

"Nice try. Talk to Ariel. I got this."

Jason smiled at her as his leaned down and kissed her. Jason rolled on top of her. His mouth covers hers in a tantalizing kiss as he threw back the covers and began to make love to her once again.

Ariel moved her hand to knock on the door, but stopped midway when she heard the sounds of lovemaking from inside the room. She held a tray of breakfast that Marissa had cook for them. They had missed breakfast for the last two days. They spent most of their time together and in bed making love.

"They are still at it?" She turned around to see Darien strolling down the hallway towards her. He was dressed casually in blue and white plaited dress shirt with a matching blue tie neatly tucked inside dark slacks.

Ariel blushed. She nodded.

Darien laughed. Mina needed to rest and Jason's career was flushing down the toilet very quickly. He was not doing anything to save it. All he cared about was Mina.

Darien took the tray from Ariel. She moved to the side as Darien knocked loudly on the door.

"Breakfast!"

Mina cried, "Go away Darien."

Darien yelled amused, "As your doctor, I cannot allow to go without eating. Unless you want to come to the hospital with me, and I can admit you to some hospital food that is nowhere as good as Marissa's cooking."

He closed his mouth when he heard Mina let out an earthshattering scream of pleasure from behind the door. Darien and Ariel waited for a few minutes outside the bedroom door in an uncomfortable silence as the blood drained from Ariel's flushed face. Jason soon opened the door dressed in the same wrinkled clothes that he wore when he first arrived two days ago. Marissa had washed them for him.

Jason smiled sheepishly as Mina stood behind him wearing the t-shirt that he borrowed from Darien. Jason looked embarrassed when he saw Ariel. There was awkwardness between them and she heard him having sex with her sister or mother, which really confused him. Darien noticed the awkwardness between them.

Mina stared uncomfortably at Ariel. The two had not spoken in two days.

Jason turned to Darien. "Hey, Dare, can I borrow one of your suits today?"

Darien said cynically, "You can get the hell out of my house and get your own damn clothes."

Jason frowned. "Fine." He grabbed a slice of toast off of the tray. He took a bite of the toast. He leaned over and kissed Mina on the lips. "I'll see you later." He glanced at both Mina and Ariel pointing at both of them. "You two talk it out." He walked off.

Mina frowned at Darien. "That was totally uncalled for."

Darien said, "He's wearing my clothes, reading my newspaper, and sitting in my favorite chair. I want your boyfriend out of my house."

Mina placed her hands on her hips. "Well, if he leaves then I leave."

Darien shrugged his shoulders. "Okay, I am totally fine with that."

Mina said, "You're such a jerk."

Darien said, "Yeah, this is the thanks I get for saving your life. And here." He pushed the tray towards her. "Eat so that you can leave."

He gave her the once over. Mina said in an irritated tone, "What?"

"You're wearing my shirt."

Mina angrily took off of her shirt. Ariel said outraged, "Mina!"

Darien looked in an amused nonsexual way as Mina stood naked before him and threw his shirt at him which he easily caught. She grabbed the tray and pulled her sister inside of the room. Mina licked her tongue out at Darien before slamming the door shut in his face.

Darien laughed. "Thanks for the show." Darien strolled down the hallway.

Out of nowhere, a fist connected with Darien's face knocking him to the floor. He nursed his bruised jaw. He looked up to see a pissed off Jason.

Jason said angrily, "What's the hell what that?"

Darien stood up. "It was nothing, man. She's like a sister to me. We've seen each other naked many times." That did not come out right.

Jason took a step to punch Darien again. Darien crawled back and held his hands up in defense. "I'm sorry. That did not come out right. I've seen her naked when she transformed along with the other girls. At first, it was weird, but then it became a normal thing. Plus, I am a doctor and I am used to seeing naked bodies. It's nothing sexual."

"So you never…"

Darien shook his head.

"With any of the girls…"

"Well, I dated Raye, but we never went all the way. It was only Serena for me." Jason looked at him like him in disbelief. "Think of it like we are nudist and we are comfortable walking naked around each other."

Jason sighed. "You guys are really weird."

"I know. I totally agree. If it makes you feel better, Mina has a great body."

Jason shook his head. "That's doesn't make it any better."

A thought occurred in Jason's head. "But what you can do to make things right is let me borrow one of your suits, and give Mina and I permission to have our wedding on your estate on the Fourth of July."

Darien protested. Jason injected sarcastically, "And I will totally forget to tell your wife that you saw my girlfriend naked. I know you don't have the best track record with being faithful."

Darien looked up at Jason. "Fine, but you're not perfect either. Did you with Ariel?"

Jason quickly shook his head.

"She definitely has a thing for you. I saw the way she looked at you…"

"No, I haven't…"

"Eve got you into a lot of trouble."

"Tell me about it."

As they hurried down the stairs together, Jason asked, "And what about mommy dearest?" It was their code name for Patricia.

Darien said, "We'll discusss it tonight." Mina was unaware that Darien and Jason had Patricia tied up downstairs in the basement questioning her about the New World Regime. Ariel knew. She seemed unpleased with it, but she agreed that it was a necessary evil if it helped them in their struggle against the government.

"Mina told me that Raye and Serena do not believe that they can stop Judgment Day."

Darien paused. "What?"

Jason looked confused at Darien. Jason stopped and turned to Darien. "What?"

"You used Raye and Serena in present tense."

Jason played it off as if it was a simple slip of the tongue. "I'm sorry. I mean did." Jason patted Darien on the back. "See you tonight." He walked off.

Darien stood there for a moment bothered by Jason's mentioning of Serena in present tense. He did not understand why it bothered him along with feeling Serena's aura when he was with the young nanny, which they had not seen in over a week. He shook it off. Serena was dead.

Lita walked around the kitchen of her house as Zayden, Sarah, Josh helped decorated the house for Zayden second birthday party. Today they were celebrating his second birthday and all their friends and family were coming into town this weekend. Saturday, they were throwing his birthday party and Sunday, they were going to send a priest over for the christening of the small child. All houses of worship and religion were pulverized by the government since the only religion allowed was the belief of Dragon. Many people publicly declared their allegiance to Dragon, but their hearts still belong to the truth faith that they believed in before the New World Regime took over. They had secret services of worship for their beliefs in the privacy of their homes amongst believers of their faith. They knew that if caught, they will be reborn so they were extremely careful. Rumors had it that the humanoids were becoming more humanlike and it was taking humans longer to notice the specks of red in their eyes. One day they will live in a world where they could not tell the difference between human and humanoid or worst, humans will be extinct and humanoids will take over the world.

Andrew stood under a hot spray of water underneath the shower stall. He could hear the ruckus outside of him as every television was on in the house, toys scattered across the floor, the children driving Lita crazy as they ran around the house yelling and screaming loudly while Zayden very slowly tried to follow them around. He constantly tripped and fell as he walked but he got right back up as he giggled and followed his brother and sister. They now referred to Josh as their son. He called them Uncle Andrew and Aunt Lita. Zayden slowly crawled up the stairs towards his brother and sister since the steps were bigger than him.

Andrew's mind played tricks on him. He saw his children with Lita. He saw his children with Rita. He played with Zayden as a baby. He played with AJ as a baby. He remembered the birth of Zayden. He remembered being in the hospital room with Rita when Amber was born. He saw her face looking at him as she held their baby girl up wrapped tightly in a pink blanket then the blanket turned blue and the baby was his son AJ. She lifted up the baby for him to hold. The baby kept changing from his son to his daughter along with the color of the blanket and the room kept flashing black then white. He remembered arguing with Lita then she changed into Rita and Rita was now arguing with him. He saw himself having sex with Lita then Lita became Rita. He saw his life in Switzerland. He saw his life in Tokyo. He saw images of him going to social gathering with Lita in a sparkling green dress then Rita was in the sparkling green dress with his arm around her waist.

"Andrew!" He opened his eyes to a bright life. He was no longer in the shower and he was in a room surrounded by four white padded walls dressing in a white scrubs. He panicked as he looked around the room. He looked up and saw a glass wall and a group of doctors with serious faces dressed in white lab coats with clipboards in his hands taking notes on clipboards. He rushed to the wall window and screamed at them pounding against the glass wall that simply vibrating mouthing that they let him go since he lost his tongue and could not speak anymore. Everything was silent even when they opened their mouths to speak to another. Andrew blinked his eyes as it seemed like his eyes were playing tricks on him. It was playing like a movie as he saw the heads on the doctors changed. Two doctors' heads changed to Ami and Eddie's. Then they returned back to original doctors' faces. Another doctor's head changed to Darien's head. Andrew stilled as he looked into his eyes of his best friend who stared at him like they were strangers. Andrew saw his reflection through the mirror and saw the speck of red in his eyes. He panicked as he slowly back away from the glass wall. He turned around and saw Rita standing in front of him dressed in a black cat suit. She grinned at him with malice in her eyes. She pointed a revolver at him. She said, "You should have been on the plane. Andrew or were you?" Was he on the plane with them or wasn't he? He questioned himself. He questioned his sanity or insanity. Was he alive? Did he die on the plane or in the hospital? Was his life with Lita real? Was he still married to Rita? Had he ever left Tokyo? His memories and mind were scattered and he could not tell what was real and what was fake anymore. Rita pulled the trigger and shot a bullet through his head as his blood and brains spattered across the white walls. His dead body collapsed to the floor.

His eyes popped opened. Images flashed through his head like a movie. He remembered the cops chasing after him. He remembered stopping his car in front of the apartment complex and grabbing his pistol out of the glove box. There was no point in trying to run away. The government had his license plate and within minutes knew who he was or where he lived. They heard the conversation with Rita and Serena on the phone since all conversations are recorded. The police cars surrounded him. He ducked as he raced out of the car dodging their bullets as he fired shots at them racing into the lobby of the building. The doorman greeted him as he entered the building. Andrew shot him in the head since he knew the doorman was a humanoid. Humanoids were controlled by the government and could instantly become threats and attack him. He raced in the elevator and pressed the button for the twenty-sixth floor. The doors of the lobby opened and Andrew watched in horror as SWAT entered the building in formation pointing guns. Andrew's eyes widen as they fired guns at him. He quickly moved the side next to the buttons barely missing their gunfire as the elevator doors closed.

Serena gasped for air as she lied on the floor. She was shot in the abdomen and her body was bleeding profusely as she held her wound. The warm blood seeped out of her body and all over her hands. Her eyes vacant as she saw an image of Raye's numb body lying on the floor next to her. Raye's eyes were lifeless as she stared at her. Her body became light and she imagined the comfort of death and how easy it would be to give up. Karen had replaced her as Darien's wife and the mother of her children. Her parents loved Karen. Her death brought her father and Darien together, and they were now like father and son. Katie's face lit up when she saw Karen's pretty face. She even made the stubborn Serenity Rini Shields smile. She remembered offering Marissa help in cleaning up the house. Karen and Darien were out and the children were outside in the garden playing in Marissa's vision. Serena walked into the Shields' master bedroom. She stood in awe at how large and spacious the bedroom walls with a large king size bed in the center of it with silky deep blue sheets that matched the color of Darien's eyes. The walls were colored dark blue and decorated with beautiful artwork. Serena found it ironic that one of the paintings was from Jake Kelly of a woman sitting in a garden by a river dressed in nineteenth century garments of a first class woman. Her face looked nothing like Serena's but her eyes matched the sadness inside of hers. The woman looked like she had everything. Beauty, money…anything she wanted and still was not happy. In the far distance in the painting, the woman sees the lifeless face of her own face submerged from the water. It was haunting yet beautiful. Did the woman kill herself? Was she thinking about committing suicide? Or was it a representation of pretending to be someone else and being dead inside.

Serena looked around the room. She saw a large glass mirror that had a long black line that separated it in half. She realized that something was behind the wall. She pushed it aside and saw that it was a large walk in closet that was size of a medium size bathroom. One side was Karen's and the other side was Darien's. Karen's side looked like the clothing racket of a department store corner. Beautiful dresses for every occasion hung up neatly on a built in clothing rack on one side and on the other size pants and skirts hung up neatly on the other side with pants hangers. In the center of the area was a built in wall full of designer and expensive shoes that cost a small fortune. She walked over to Darien's side and he had the same arrangement with shirts and designer suits on one side and pants hanging on the other in the center a built in rack filled with expensive suits of casual and dressy occasion. She heard the sound of footsteps coming inside of the room. Serena panicked not wanting to be caught in their room. She prayed that it was the children but froze when she heard the sounds of laughter that belonged to Karen and Darien. Serena quickly closed the door to the closet sealing her in the small area. Serena turned around her and saw something that shocked her when she accidently hit the wrong switch on the wall and saw that the mirror became a two way mirror. She could see right through the mirror into the bedroom. She watched as Karen lied on the bed with a big smile on her face as Darien knelt above her equally happy as he untied the strings of her blouse with his hands. His thigh was between her legs and his hand next to her head on the bed to balance himself.

Darien smiled down at her. Karen looked at him as a comfortable calmness came over them. He said, "I love you."

Karen smiled. "I love you too."

He gently caressed her body with his free hand. He cupped her supple breasts making her breath still. He touched her stomach. He knew she wanted a child with him. She was unaware that he had the powers to read her thoughts. It gave him an unfair advantage in their marriage because he knew exactly what to do or say to make her forgive him when he screwed up during their marriage. She wanted a child with him created by an act of love like he created Rini and Katie with Serena. She wanted him to love her like he loved Serena, but that was impossible. He could never love someone like he loved Serena. Serena was on a pedestal inside of his heart that no woman could ever reach, not even Karen. Yet, he did love Karen. He always cared about her. He did not remember the blackouts that Fredrick told him about in medical school, but a part of him knew that Fredrick was telling the truth. She was the only woman that he ever looked at besides Serena, and she wanted his child.

Karen looked at him with dark eyes full of love and desire for him. She whispered, "Make love to me like you would do to her."

Darien was shocked that she would say such a thing. They never mentioned her name in their house, but he knew who she was referring to. Darien shook his head. Karen became embarrassed as she turned red from saying such a thing. It was a sign of insecurity. She knew Darien hated meek women.

Darien grinned at her. "I love you Karen. You are my wife. You are the moon to my stars now. I only want you. She is my past. You are my future. Let's create a life together." Karen smiled at him as her eyes became full. He spoke those words like he had the power to create a child.

Serena's eyes widen. Darien had the power to decide when he had children. Serena remembered the way he made love to her and how he constantly entered her body. He knew that he was impregnating her. She remembered the calm manner he acted when it was revealed she was pregnant. He knew. The night he made love to her. His eyes glowed golden. He was trying to impregnate her. Katie was his daughter. She had his eyes. Her heart told her that this was true.

Karen exhaled as she saw Darien's eyes turned golden like they did the night that they created Derrick. She held her breath. Her heart pounded quickly in fear and excitement. He descended his head as she mentally prepared for what was about to come. Serena closed her eyes and turned her head. Karen held on tightly to Darien's naked body as he made love to her with so much intensity and force that she thought she was going to die multiple times. She constantly climaxed over and over and Darien went on nonstop as the room filled with the sounds of her moans and his body repeatedly slapping against hers. Serena placed her hands over her ears trying to block out the sounds but she could still hear them go on for hours until the sun fell and the moon rose. She tried to teleport but it was like something was stopping her. She could not concentrate. She had to concentrate in order to teleport but she could not.

Karen lied limply in Darien's arms. Her hair was messy and clinging to her sweaty skin. Her body perspired and exhausted. She whimpered weakly as Darien continued to move inside of her. His body covered with sweat as he continued to make love to her with no sign of slowing down. It was almost as if he was punishing her body for being disobedient in the ways he made love to her. They were going at it for hours. Derrick tried to come in earlier. Karen was too weak to respond to her child. Derrick saw that the door was locked. He could hear strange noises from inside. He walked away knowing that a locked door meant that he was not to disturb his parents. He loved his father and feared him at the same time. When the clock struck ten, Darien finally released himself inside of her one last time. He emptied out of his seed inside of her. A golden aura surrounded them as she lied paralyzed on the bed not able to take it anymore. His body collapsed sideways as he fell on his back next to her. His arousal finally went down for the night. He breathed quickly trying to calm down his rapid heartbeat. His hands rested on his chest. He looked at his wife now sleeping next to him. He impregnated her with his seed hours ago, but he still wanted to fuck her with the same intensity that he did Serena. He always made love to Karen because he saw her as a delicate, little flower. She could not handle the intense love making like tonight that he shared numerous times with Serena. Darien grinned wickedly but he enjoyed the release that he got as he came inside of her so many times he lost count. Darien soon drifted off into a deep sleep. When Serena saw that they were finally asleep, she quietly opened the door and slipped out of the room completely traumatized and feeling broken inside.

Serena blinked her eyes. The memory disappeared. Raye disappeared. She heard Katie's voice telling her about her powers, "No, my mother told me that she never ran away from her fight. She would try to protect those who she loved even if she lost her powers and could never be Sailor Moon again." She saw Katie smiling brightly at her. Serena smiled as she watched Katie faded away. She lost Darien, but she still had her children. She still had friends and a family that loved her. Raye would kick her ass if she gave in to the government and die like a punk. She rolled on her back and saw Michelle and Haruka mocking her for being such a weakling. She blinked again and saw Hotaru and Sestuna.

She heard Sestuna say, "Serena, the future is what you make of it. One small event can change our paths or decide what path we go through in life. You can still create the life that you desire."

Michelle's voice said, "Save our children, Serena. Figure it out. You can rest another day. Not today."

Serena said, "I don't have my powers anymore. The little ones I have left are fading away."

Katie's voice said, "I believe in you."

Rini's voice said, "You're always Sailor Moon, with powers or not."

Serena saw Rita standing over her body with a gun in her hand. Andrew rushed into the room. She slowly turned her head to see Andrew standing in the doorway upside down.

Andrew cocked the gun. He said, "Rita, drop the weapon."

Rita turned to Andrew and grinned with the gun still pointed at Serena aiming at her head. "Come on, Andy. You're dead anyway. The military will be in here in minutes. They will kill you and turn you into a reborn like me." Rita smiled. "We'll be together forever."

Andrew said, "You're dead Rita."

Rita smiled at him. "In a few minutes, you will be dead too. We outnumbered you Andrew. Your fight is worthless. You cannot win. We control the world, honey."

Andrew said, "I will never give up on mankind."

Rita said, "Always the optimist. No wonder you are such a failure. You were always a weakling as a husband. You are nothing without the Furuhata name. I mean your new wife turned your pathetic little business that your daddy gave you into an empire. You are shit."

Andrew said, "Fuck you."

Rita grinned. "Oh I already did." She looked over his shoulder. "Children, daddy's home!"

Andrew's eyes widen as he slowly turned his head. He saw Amber and AJ standing in the room behind him with guns pointing at his head. They had not aged in the three years they were dead. They said simultaneously in a spine-chilling voice, "Hi daddy! We missed you."

Rita turned back to Serena who was staring at her. She looked at her apologetically with amusement in her eyes. "I am so sorry I neglected you. Domestic problems." She knelt down in front of Serena on top of her body. She pointed the gun to Serena's mouth. Serena felt the cool metal scrape her cheeks.

Serena asked, "Are you going to kill me?"

Rita shook his head. "No, Dragon wants you alive. You gave him quite a scare. He thought you were dead for a moment. Then, that gorgeous ex-husband of yours stripped your children of their Lunarian powers." Serena eyes widen. Darien took their daughters' powers. He used magic to take away their powers. No wonder she did not sense their powers anymore. Their own father did this to his own children.

Serena asked more to herself than Rita, "Why would he do such a thing?"

Rita laughed. "Idiot, you're the ultimate good. Dragon is the ultimate evil. He needs someone of Lunarian blood to bear his seed, the Anti-Messiah so that he can walk on the earth once again. With this child, he will control the heavens, earth, and hell dimension. Since hubby removed your daughters' powers, that leaves only mommy left. So you are not going to die. You are going to bring forth the Anti-Messiah."

Serena yelled angrily, "I'll kill myself."

Rita laughed. "He's a god. He'll bring you back to life, and he will continue to kill everyone you love until you submit to him willingly."

Andrew held his hands up as the children made him get on his knees until he was their height. AJ made him drop his gun as Amber kicked it away as it slid down the hallway.

Amber asked loudly, "Can we kill daddy yet?"

Rita said loudly, "In a moment. Let me knock the moon bitch unconscious first."

AJ said, "Okay mommy."

Andrew said as AJ circled him with the gun, "AJ, I'm your daddy. You can't kill your daddy."

Amber said angrily, "You're a bad dad. You should have been on that plane with us."

Andrew said as his body trembled and he feared his upcoming death. "Amber, you don't mean that. I had to work that day. My boss would not let me off."

Amber said, "You always chose work over us. Too busy to come to our award ceremonies and our games. Too busy to even showed up for my birthday party." Amber stomped her feet startling Andrew. "Family comes first!"

AJ pressed the gun to the back of his father's skull. Andrew trembled. "Guys, you have a little brother now. His name is Zayden. Do you really want me to abandon him? He's going to be two-years-old in a few days."

Amber grinned scaring him. "Don't worry daddy. He'll join us soon. Along with your pretty little Betty Crocker wife." Andrew's eyes widen.

Rita flipped the gun around in her hand and knocked Serena unconscious with the butt of the gun. Everything turned black.

The doorbell rang. Lita groaned in frustrated. Her head was throbbing and her blood was boiling as she saw red. The children were driving her crazy. It was like they had lost their minds. Running around the house chasing after one another. Zayden threw up his lunch on her staining her shirt and laughing at her like it was the funniest thing in the world. Lita spanked his little bottom. He screamed and cried until his face turned red. Then he saw his sister and running around the house after Josh trying to kill him. Josh apparently told someone little boy that Sarah liked him and now she was trying to murder her brother. Zayden giggled in his onesie and socks as he tried to follow them on the dirty floor. The sink was filled with dishes. Andrew left earlier like a mad man not telling her where he was going. The floor needed sweeping. The children had the house a mess. Her shirt was stained and she was fervently trying to get the mash potatoes stains off her shirt. The doorbell rang again. She could not think clearly and all she did was argued with Andrew complaining about being a housewife while he ran the business and always used it as an excuse to go to when he was tired of arguing with her. Now, everyone was going to be there in a few days and nothing was working out for her. The doorbell rang again.

Lita yelled out angrily, "I am coming. Damn it! Wait!" She could hear the children yelling at each other loudly upstairs. "Be quiet!"

Lita opened the door and wished she hadn't. There stood the military with Nick standing in front of her in a dark suit and tie. He grinned. "Hello Lita. I'm back." Lita panicked with fear especially when she saw the guns that they were carrying and the speck of red in the military men's eyes. She swallowed her saliva.

Karen smiled happily as he could not restrain herself as she stood in the bathroom in front of the wall mirror. She was dressed in pink tank top and tights and running shoes. Her red hair was brushed back in a high ponytail that swung from side to side. Her eyes were bright with happiness and excitement as she looked at the pregnancy test in her hand. She was pregnant. It was only two days but she was pregnant.

She rushed downstairs to tell Darien, only to find out from the chauffeur that Master Endyimon had already left in his Porsche to go to work. She was on cloud nine. They were going to have another child. Maybe it would be a little girl that looked like her. She always wanted a daughter. She loved Serena's children but it would be great to have her own little girl. Maybe they would have a son and that would be perfect also since that would make two boys and two girls. Derrick always wanted a little brother. He was envious of how close Katie and Rini were.

She could not contain herself. She had to tell Darien or her head would explode from trying to contain the news. Derrick saw his happy mother practically glowing. He saw that she was going out without his father's permission. His father told him that when he was gone, Derrick was the master of the house and was responsible for his sisters and mother. Derrick took his father seriously when he saw no amusement in his father's face. He tried to convince his mother to stay and not leave. She would not listen to him. He sighed. It was tough being a ten-year-old. No one takes you seriously. He told her that if she would not listen, he was coming with her. She agreed.

They took the Mercedes. Darien had it custom made for her since she could not drive a stick shift to save her life.

Against the chauffeur's orders, Karen sped off from the property with Derrick in the passenger seat and passed the protective barriers of the estate. Darien never wanted her to leave the estate without him with her ever since the day that Katie was taking into the hell portal. When they returned home from their shopping trip that day with a thousand dragoons worth of merchandise, he gave them all strict orders not to leave the estate without his permission. Karen knew that she could get away with a lot of things with her husband. But when he spoke in a certain resolute manner, she knew that he meant business. She never crossed him except for today. She figured that he would not be too mad if she went to the hospital to tell him that she was pregnant. His shift was fifteen hours long at the hospital. She couldn't hold it in that long.

She flipped on the radio to try to distract her thoughts as she felt anxious thinking about how excited she was. They listened as the media reported how Jason Hunt, dressed nicely in one of husband's designer suits, made a public statement saying that he was not an abuser. He was raised by a strong mother who taught him to respect all women. He had two sisters. One was a college professor and the other one was an eighteen-year-old college freshman. He loved his sisters and he believed that a woman should be loved and protected not hurt and abused. He announced that he was donating millions of dragoons to domestic violence centers for women throughout the world. He loved Mina Aino and he was going to marry her, but he would cut off his hands before he laid a hand on her. When asked about Mina's bruises, he told them that it was a private manner and he would leave that up to Mina to explain to the world what happened. He answered comment after comment even addressing some of the reporters by name with his charming smile. He knew he was winning the crowd over when the women started to get flustered when he looked at them focusing completely on them and the guys laughed as he stood in front of the podium. He was asked questions about the wedding. The room went into pandemonium when he announced Mina and his decision to move up the wedding to the Fourth of July. They asked him if he planned to do any movies this year. He told them that he did not. He only wanted to be a good husband to his wife and hopefully a daddy soon. They started to ask question after question on whether Mina was pregnant and carrying his child. He politely wrapped up the interview and thanked them all for coming as he walked off the stage with his management team trailing behind him.

Derrick smiled as he looked up at his smiling mother. She was the most beautiful to him when she smiled. Over the last six months, she had been so happy. Both of his parents were happy. Her life was tough before she gave birth to him. She always told him that the happiest day of her life was the day he was born and how he smiled up at her as she held him in her arms. She loved his father Peter, but he was a dreamer and left her mother paying the bills since he was constantly in and out of work. His mother worked full time as a financial advisor at a bank, placed him in daycare, and went to school at nighttime to finish up her master's degree. She worked thankless hours as she rose through the ranks, but she still took out time to show up to his award ceremonies and sporting events when she could. She stayed up late and helped him with his homework and she kissed him good night every night before she went to bed even if he was already asleep. She took care of him when he was sick. Her kisses and soft chocolate chips cookies always make him feel better. She made him happy. He was the center of her universe and she did everything she could to make sure he had a good life and never wanted for anything. Sometimes he would watch her and her façade would drop. He would see the sadness in her eyes and discreetly watch her cry as she stood over the stove. It was like she was missing something in her life. He learned to stay away from her in those moments. If he approached her she would instantly stop and pretend to be happy. He later found out that the reason she was sad was because she still in love with Darien, even though he was happily married with a wife and kids. When his father Peter died, she was sad. Not because she necessarily loved him. She cried because she wanted Derrick to have a father figure and constantly told him that a boy needed a father.

When Darien entered their life, he frightened her. She worshipped him like a god and he seemed so perfect and untouchable even Derrick was in awe of him. Darien stole his mother's heart a long time ago before he was born. She always told him that the night he was created. It was magical and that was why he was so special and different from the other children. He watched as his biological father put his mother through pure hell. He came home drunk and rumors circulated that he fornicated with other women. She always threatened to leave him but she never did. His father always knew the exact thing to do or say to stop his mother from leaving his father and taking him with her. Their first home in a remote village in the heart of Africa was very small. It was almost like living in a mobile home with no running water or electricity. He would listened to them argue and fight from his bedroom. They would eventually stop fighting and he later heard weird noises and their bed squeaking through the thin walls. It freaked him out. He tried to block out the noises by covering his head with his pillow. Thanks to Rini, he had a small battery-operated cassette player with noise cancelling headphones that he listened to block out the strange noises.

His mother was always happy the next day and everything was good between them until he had another psychotic break. Derrick grew to hate his father and knew that he was crazy. There was something dark and dangerous about his father that scared the crap out of him, especially when he was drunk. He terrified his mother as he knocked things off of the table and broke dishes. She had to calm him down when his eyes started to glow and things would move around the room like a small hurricane was inside of their tiny home. His mother would always yell for him to leave out of the room. Derrick protested feeling a natural instinct to always protect his mother. She ordered him to leave and he would reluctantly leave. His mother grew stronger and learned not to fear his father. She walked through his hurricanes and his fits standing strong and unafraid. She started to defend herself and tossed whatever hateful comments he made about her straight back to him. Sometimes he took her wildly wherever they were as she held on to him tightly. Other times she would listen to him as he cried and smoothed his black hair like she was his mother and he was her child. When his father realized that Karen was not going to go anywhere and that she was not going to cheat on him like Serena did….when he realized that she gave a damn about him and her love for him went deeper than looks or money, he fell in love with her. He became a better husband and father. Whatever darkness that haunted him, she banished it with her kindness and affection.

Mina smiled as she listened to the radio from the privacy of their room. She smirked. "Bastard." She surprised herself when she found her hands touching her stomach. It occurred to her that she was having unprotected sex with Jason for months. She was able to use her powers as a birth control. She no longer had her powers and she had raw, vulnerable sex with him for the last few days. Could she be pregnant with his child? A few years ago, heck even a few days ago, that would have frightened the crap out of her. Now, she found herself smiling and everything seemed cleared. Food tasted better. The air was fresher. Everything seemed right in the world. She then turned around to Ariel staring at her seating on the bed that was messy from her loving making to Jason. She could see the hurt in Ariel's eyes, the pain, and inner turmoil she was feeling. Ariel was not built like Patricia and Mina. Her heart was not hard and thick skinned as they were. She was honest, sensitive, and happy. She saw the best in people and wore her heart on her sleeve. She had crushes but she never been in love. The only man that ever made her smile or eyes lit up with excitement was Jason. She loved him ever since Mina brought her home when Ariel was twelve-years-old. She was full of sunshine and roses and they broke her and turned everything she thought she knew about her family and herself into a lie. She hated them. She hated all of them. She hated Jason for making her believe that he cared about her when he really wanted Mina. What made Mina so damned special? She was getting old and her career was flopping. She got her boost from her performance in Les Mis, but Ariel was the star of the family now. She was the one that everyone wanted. She was on the cover of every magazine. She had millions of fans throughout the world. Thanks to her performance in Les Mis, the music industry wanted to offer her a deal to make her own music. She could choose pop or rock, both looks suited her. Her life was fucking perfect, but she was always in Mina's shadow. She turned to see her sister staring at her. She looked beautiful standing on the balcony, dressed in her lover's shirt, the wind blowing through her long golden hair, and the golden sun setting behind her giving her a golden glow and making her look regal.

Ariel placed on her happy façade pretending to be okay with the Jerry Springer type situation her family had put her through. She pretended that she was happy for Mina. She pretended that she still did not love Jason as she brought her sister and Jason breakfast in bed. She pretended that she was not upset with her mother Patricia. It was weird to think of Mina as her mother or Patricia as her grandmother. So she continued to refer to them as sister and mother. She was sympathetic as she brought her mother food in the basement and bathed her and fed her with a spoon or fork. She played with the children in a childlike manner. She laughed when Karen and Darien offered her the job as the children's new nanny. Ariel smiled at her sister.

Mina asked worried, "Are we okay?"

Ariel smiled happily, "Of course we are." Mina smiled too feeling content that this awkward moment had settled.

"So can we go back to being sisters?"

Ariel laughed happily, "Of course we can. You'll always be my sister Mina, and Patricia will always be my mother. We're family after all." Mina ignored the brooding feeling of how easily her sister was taking the news. She shrugged it off. She did not want to think about it because for the first time in a long time, she was finally happy.