Promenade

By: Camigwen

-Chapter 8-

He had to be one of the most lazy and incompetent men she had ever met---person she had ever met! Even Usagi herself wasn't this bad during her teenage years. Well, at least Duo didn't wail and whine at the top of his lungs in ear-piercing decibels.

Michiru sighed in exasperation and reached over to the stack of tapes sitting closest to her, selected one, and lightly pushed it into the VCR rather than using Duo's method of violently shoving the tapes in.

He head jerked up to the screen before her as the television flashed to life. What appeared made her gasp.

The tape she had randomly selected was from the day she and Kolanto arrived on Earth from Neptune. She watched as she and her husband made their exit and Duo and Haruka returned back to work. IT seemed like they were going about 'normal' routine when Haruka suddenly used her powers to teleport away when Duo turned his back on her to retrieve what looked like a blue-print.

She hastily ejected the tape from the VCR and looked to it's label to get the date and time so that she could look for other tapes around that area, but the date and time weren't readable, for in large, bold letters, "SEWELL" was written across it.

"Hey Duo," Michiru said casually, "who or perhaps what, is 'sewell?'"

Duo didn't bother to look at her--his eyes were locked onto the glowing television screen as if he were in some sort of a trance.

What did Haruka see in this man, anyway?

"Sewell..." Duo responded in a dull, dry tone, "...I think that's the name of the FBI agent that's stationed here for a while to observe how the Preventers run things."

He managed to tear his away from the screen to glance at her, but he was too late--she'd already bolted from the room.

The Shinigami gave a light shrug of his shoulders and once again locked his gaze onto the television. "Man, I could go for some popcorn about now."

+§¤§+

This wasn't happening! This is NOT happening...but it was...

Michiru ran down the hallways that connected the various Preventer buildings as fast as her legs would carry her. Teleporting back to her room would've been faster, but she was now afraid of doing that, afraid that it might be caught on tape.

She felt a tiny pang of guilt for leaving Duo alone back there without giving him an explanation. Not even a made up one. But, this was now Senshi business and it didn't involve him.

She hadn't really kept in contact with the other senshi over the years, especially the Inner Senshi. After they all went their separate ways, they sorta lost contact with each other. But, she was going to have to contact Usagi and Mamoru on the Moon to let them know what was going on, and perhaps Minako on Venus incase she needed back up.

She had complete unquestionable trust and faith in Haruka, but, she also had a good idea of what the FBI might be doing to her former lover to get information out of her. There was no telling what they could've dragged out of Haruka so far.

Kolanto met her at the door, somehow sensing that something was afoot. "Michiru, what's wrong?"

"Sorry, Kol," she quickly as she brushed by him, "but I haven't got time to explain."

He didn't question her as she strolled quickly to their bedroom and dug around in her bags for her wrist communicator. She finally located it and pressed in the code that would contact Usagi. "Please, oh, please let this stupid thing still work..."

+§¤§+

"Do you hear something?" Endymion asked his wife as the two strolled into the main throne room of the palace. "A beeping sound..."

Serenity walked over to her throne and shoved her hand underneath the cushion and drew out her communicator. "Hmm... I was wondering where I put this."

Her husband sighed, "You still haven't changed."

She stuck her tongue out at him and opened her communicator. "Moon here."

Michiru's worry stricken face appeared on the screen. "Usagi--er, Serenity, something's horribly wrong."

The queen shot a quick 'I told you so' glance to her husband. "What exactly, Michiru? Activity on Earth has been quiet for a while now. If another enemy has arisen, then we--"

"It's not an enemy, exactly," the oceanic senshi interrupted. She let out a shaky sigh and looked down. "There's no way to put this, Serenity, then to just say it." There was a long pause before Michiru gathered her words. "Haruka's been captured...by the FBI. They caught her teleporting on tape and an agent found the tape and they got her."

"Shit!" Serenity swore. "Michiru, I'm coming down to Earth. We'll sort this out when I get there. Don't do anything yet. I'm going to contact Minako and Rei incase we need help."

Michiru nodded. "Thanks."

Serenity smiled and shut her communicator. She glanced at her husband and gave him a sly look. "Ready to put on your mask again, dear?"

Endymion looked puzzled--he hadn't caught all of their conversation. "Huh?"

"I think it's time Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Kamen made a brief comeback."

+§¤§+

Michiru clasped the communicator to her wrist and drew out her transformation wand from her pocket. She'd kept it with her at all times as more of a security blanket than a weapon. But, now it was going to have to be put to use again. She would be putting the new life growing inside her at risk, but she owed it to Haruka to help--she'd saved her life plenty of times.

"Your going to become Sailor Neptune again, aren't you Michiru?"

"If I have to, I will." She leaned back against her husband as he came up behind her.

"But what about..." He placed both of his hands on her stomach. "...our baby."

"Kol, the FBI's got Haruka and if it weren't for our baby, I'd've already transformed and gone after her. But, I've agreed to wait for Serenity to get here before I make any rash decisions."

Kolanto jumped slightly. "S-Serenity? She's coming here?"

She sighed, "I still have yet to see why you're so scared of the Odango Amatta. Is it just here title that scares you? 'Cause you know--" she turned around in his arms, "--I'm a queen and a senshi to. So, why aren't you scared of me?"

He smirked. "Oh, I'm plenty scared of you."

"Good."

+§¤§+

BAM!

As Duo rounded a corner he smacked into someone and fell to the ground. He groaned and rubbed his forehead as he stood. "I'm sorry, it was--"

"My fault," the person he collided with replied. "I'm Ser--Usagi. Usagi Chiba. I'm a bit lost. I'm looking for Michiru Kaioh. Do you know where I can find her?"

"Oh! Uh...Michiru, right." He pointed to the hallway across from them. "Go all the way down to the end of this hallway and it's the second door on your left, I believe."

"Thank you," Usagi replied and strolled past him.

"Hey!"

She stopped and turned her head to glance back at him. "Hm?"

Duo gestured to her hair. "Has anyone ever told you that your hair looks a pair of meatballs?"

"Why does everyone think that!?" Usagi let out a growl before stomping off towards Michiru's room.

**TBC**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Gundam Wing. They are © their respective owners, not me.

AN: I'm sorry that it's taking me so long to update. I've been overwhelmed with summer reading for English and marching band practice nearly everyday from 9 in the morning to 8:30 at night, so I've a had booked schedule. I'll try to update as often as I can--I'm not giving up on this fic--you're just going to have to bear with me here. ^^;;

8/5/03