Chapter 20

A Trusting Heart

"Serenity . . ." The princess looked up from where she had fallen to her knees, numb and aching in the thick dust on the moon. Tears flooded her eyes, spilling over in hopeless streams.

Her parents stood only a few feet from her, her mother's hand raised over her mouth to smother a gasp of sorrow at the absolute despair on her daughter's face. "Serenity . . ."

Serenity's voice was thick with agony and weak as a whisper. "Mama?" She could barely keep her eyes open, she was beginning to tire and her eyes felt so dry though her tears still overflowed.

Her father answered. "My dear, look around you. What do you see?" His voice was warm and rich, strong and steady. Just the sound of his voice filled her with a light warmth, like the afternoon sun on her skin. She wasn't used to hearing his voice so kind and soft; he was such an intense, passionate person, always direct but calm and unchanging.

Without a thought, she obeyed him.

Her brow creased gently as she studied the land surrounding her. Her own little pocket of grayed, dead dust ended where her parents stood, side by side. From there, the world blossomed. Her marble palace stood in emerald grasses. Gardens of thousands of different flowers from all over the galaxy, forever in bloom, the Sea of Serenity glittered with ethereal iridescence. She had picnicked beside that sea with her mother so long ago. Had sung beside the fountain, hid and ran away to earth by way of the gardens. The ballroom overlooked it all and everything that had happened in that room still shivered in her mind.

All around, not a sound caught her ears, not a bird, no music, no laughter. The revelation made her tense, frowning with uncertainty. But when she replied, her voice was just as calm and tired as she felt. "Peace, quiet, so much silence. Gentleness and memories. And you."

"That peace and gentle quiet will always be here. You know that in your heart and mind. You have always found your strength and serenity here. Your memories, Serenity, will be a part of you forever, good and bad. That will never change. And we- we will always be here. Waiting for you. But as much as we love you, dear child, we do not want to see you here. Not for a long time. A thousand years is still not long enough." Serenity listened carefully, almost smiling.

'No,' she thought, 'Mama and Papa should never wish me dead, even if it would reunite us after all this time. And I should never want it either, to forfeit Mother's sacrifice, what she did to make sure I lived.' Visions of her Scouts fighting beside her filled her head. Protecting her, falling in her defense, dying for her. Tuxedo Mask had done the same on many more occasions, giving his life in every sense of the word to her, to save her, even when it was beyond hopeless. He never gave up on her . . .

"Serenity, look now on your prince and kin. What do you see in them?" The king needn't have asked, her eyes were all ready focused on the loves of her life, her reasons for smiling, laughing, weeping . . . dying. It didn't take her long to state exactly what she saw as she saw it.

"I see weakness and anger, Father. Fighting, battling. Determination, strength, devotion. Mortal fear and worry, grief . . . Desperation. Tears, magic, innocence."

"Is that all?" Her mother urged. Serenity's eyes never wavered from her family as she replied with a sigh and a cynical smile.

"I see rebellion." Her grin softened. "And love. The strongest kind of love that not even death can stop." Her voice fell to a whisper directed to her prince. "Only delay it for a while, my dear Endy."

"Is it worth living for?"

She smiled at her parents, inhaling deeply as she slowly stood. "Yes. And it's worth fighting for too." She made her decision. She had held the hope of this decision in her heart even when her mind knew it was impossible to ask for anything more.

Serenity ran into her mother's arms and hugged her as tight as she could, her father laid an arm around her shoulders and gently embraced them both. "Mama, Papa, I'll love you forever . . ." The queen smiled and kissed her daughter's forehead.

"And we love you, my bunny. Always." Serenity suddenly felt herself lifted into the air and she squealed and laughed as her father spun her in the air as if she were a child. She squeezed her eyes shut and laughed at her father and the sensation of flying.

"Papa!" She cried, unable to stop giggling as he set her down again, hugging her close just for a moment longer.

"I've missed you, my bunny, but I have always watched over you, and now, with your mother- we're even closer to you. We will never be far apart, my Rini, my little Serenity . . ."

"No, Papa, we never will." He let go of her and she stepped away. Serenity turned to her would-be rescuers and let her parents fade away without seeing her regretful tears.

"Then I'm history."

Teal mists rose from Darien's body, golden pink magic drifted around the twins, flowing over the still figure of Princess Serenity. Her skin was only a few shades lighter than the gray of the dust she lay in. Her gown seemed more translucent with the darkness it lay spread against. Rini's fingers curled tightly around her cold, outstretched hand, ignoring the sharp chips and tiny shards of the shattered Silver Crystal that pricked her palm. Maybe her blood would help Serina where her tears failed.

A silhouette, or a mirroring shadow, of the blonde formed in the rising mystic mists and hung over Serenity. The shimmering figure coalesced, still transparent, taking with it the dress, crescent, and aura of Princess Serenity. On the ground, left behind by the magic, was the ordinarily clothed body of Serina; pale, silent, and frozen.

The glittering spirit of Serenity, barely more than an outline of stardust, shifted to kneel opposite the trio that fed her the desperately- needed strength and power. She smiled and placed her hands over Serina's heart where the Silver Crystal's necklace setting lay empty. The clear shards of the magic diamond liquefied and ran like silver mercury to pool under her incorporeal palms. The Imperium Silver Crystal solidified around a sprinkling of the sandy, glinting particles that drifted from her languidly swirling, hazy body.

The ghost moved with an ethereal slowness as she turned from Serina to face each of the girls and Darien, giving the illusion that she was miles underwater. They could only make out the light shadow of her features and the rest of her hollow body as she raised a hand to her lips and soundlessly blew them a kiss, her entire coruscating being rushed away on that intangible breeze, twinkling over the tiny family as she disappeared.

"United we're invincible!"

Serina winced as she slowly opened one eye. The sun was shining- she could feel it on her hand but all she could see was a blurry mass of green and dark tan- a couple spots of color too; magenta, white, black, shadowed pink.

Serina blinked open her other eye, realizing she was squinting up at a face hovering above hers.

"Good morning, Serenity. How are you feeling, my impatient little princess?"

"You haven't called me that in so many years, Aunt Trista." Serina whispered and let her eyes slip shut and tried to raise a hand to remove an errant strand of hair over her eyes. She sighed when her hand wouldn't move more than a half inch in the right direction. Soft, tingling fingertips caressed her face, brushing the golden threads away. "I'm tired, Aunt . . ."

"Which is why you're so impatient!" Sailor Pluto sat back in her chair beside Serina's bed, giggling. "You should have slept another two or three days but you were never one for long recoveries. I knew you would be waking up soon so I brought some tea for you." Serina opened her eyes and allowed her oldest guardian to help her up.

"How ever did you know . . ?" Serina weakly grinned as her 'aunt' set a pillow on lap and handed her a cup. Trista settled back into her chair again and sipped her own tea.

The Scout of Time smiled primly. "I'm the daughter of Chronos, God of time. I have that privilege." Serina rolled her eyes, blowing gently into her tea, swirling the little bit of froth before taking a drink. She sighed gratefully as she indulged in the taste. Aunt Trista made the best tea, just sweet enough and the perfect temperature.

Sere looked down at herself. She felt heavy and not just tired but- old. "I'm normal again, aren't I? Human, mortal?" Trista nodded. "What's been happening, Aunt Trista? Why are you here?"

Trista crossed her legs, easing her incredible length olive hair over her shoulder with one hand. "Actually, I'm here to pick up the girls. Their parents would like to see them some time."

Serina nearly spit out her tea in shock, she swallowed quickly, her eyes widening and mouth agape with Trista's abruptness. She wanted to steal her children all ready?! She'd just woken up from battle and hadn't even seen them yet!

"WHAT?! Bu- but they just got here- I didn't get to say good-bye, or take them out or apologize for all the horrible, stupid things I've made them go through-"

Trista softly smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry, Serenity. I won't take them home till you're ready-"

"I don't think I'm ever going to be ready. I don't want to let them go, Rini's become one of my best friends in all the time she's been here and I've only just gotten to know Irene."

"There was a time when you couldn't wait to get rid of the 'spore.' If you thought she was a terrible child wait until she's a teenager." Trista slowly shook her head as if she pitied the blonde all ready.

"Are you trying to warn me?" Serina tried to swallow her giggle.

"There's two of them. Plus an annoying little brother." She reminded her.

Serina groaned and let her head fall back to the piles of pillows. "You're right. Make Serenity deal with them. She's their mother." Serina's grin faltered as she lifted her head again and stared glumly into her tea.

So much had happened so far. So much that Rini had made happen, that she started with just her appearance one day, falling from the sky, landing smack in the middle of her life. From that moment on, time had been altered, the future revealed, changed and returned. People had died and come back, enemies were destroyed and turned and made to be best friends. Her world, her entire life as she knew it had been changed. Forever. Sailor Moon she could live with. She'd even come to terms with her past, being a reborn moon princess with a prince and a dead kingdom and four eternal protectors.

But Rini showed up, bringing the future with her. Nothing could ever be the same.

She would continue fighting in the name of Sailor Moon, she would save the world, reawaken it, marry her prince, become a queen and- a mother.

Where did school and college go? What career had she decided on and studied for if she were only to marry and rule the world? Did Ami ever go to Germany and become a doctor? Did Mina ever do anything with her talents? Would Lita ever open a restaurant or did Rei inherit the shrine or give it to another? Were these hopeful futures never even possible for them? Were their lives set paths and they now just followed roads already paved for them? Everything they did was for naught if destiny had set their lives in cement before they were even born. They had lived before Luna woke the scouts' spirits. What happened to the dreams they had before then?

It wasn't that Serina ever wanted to change it, this was everything and more than she'd ever dreamed- just, it didn't seem fair to the others. Destiny didn't give choices . . . But this was the one she wanted. She wanted Rini and Irene more than anything. She wanted Darien to be hers forever. She couldn't wait for her wedding, for her family, for a time of peace and a world that was all hers to explore with her husband and children for the rest of eternity.

It was silent a moment while she thought and Trista patiently let her be. She knew Serina had a lot to contemplate, she'd gone through too much these last weeks. And she had just gotten through the worst of it. Serina looked up, her eyes solemn though she smiled. "Just give me a day to say good-bye properly. It'll only be for a while, right, Aunt Trista?"

"I promise on my Scout's honor and in the name of Pluto, you'll see them again. In a little while." Serina's eyes fell, remembering the last time she'd heard that promise. It had taken a while but her guardian hadn't lied. "As a matter of fact," Serina glanced up to see her Scout smiling. "I seem to remember you had two flower girls at your wedding. And you knew your ring bearer very well."

Serina met Trista's garnet gaze, her smile returned and eyes content. She laughed. "Hmmm, how wonderful. Trista? Where are . . ."

The solitary Scout set aside her cup and stood, dark-green hair rushing down her back, all ready knowing what her question was. "They're waiting for you. Mars is in a royal huff and the others are just as worried about you. Your clan friends have been checking in too but you've only been out for a half a day. Darien brought you back with the twins several hours before dawn this morning."

"How are they? The twins and Darien? They must have given a lot to get me back. I was so far gone by the time they-"

"They're fine, Serenity. The little princesses are sleeping in, Ami and Mina are with them. Your prince has been fighting sleep for hours but time always wins. He's in the guest room, hopefully sleeping."

Serina smiled at the thought then her face fell. "Oh. Are ALL the girls still here?" She really didn't want to see too many people all at once and Rei's temper was definitely too much to handle any time soon- like in the next century or so. Lita would probably have a few choice words too. And what would her parents say?! And now that the battles were over, how would the clan feel? They had no purpose in this time, this wrong world. What would they do? What would she do with them?

Serina winced again as she thought of Rei's fury on top of her parent's protectiveness and Darien's hurt feelings that she had left him behind. There were quite a few reasons she'd rather go right back to sleep.

"Seems to me, the last time I saw you, little one, you were begging me to see your court again." Trista laughed.

"I was a young, impressionable girl then! I know better now- Rei is NOT someone I want to deal with right now." Serina's lips pursed tightly, her glance skittering away with a guilty cast. She refused to look up as she confessed to her friend. "I- I told her I wasn't coming back, that it was too late and I was dead and I didn't want to go back."

Trista stopped, her smile fading as she tilted her head and studied at the bedridden blonde. "You have grown up, princess. You know when to make tough decisions and take responsibility for their consequences. Even if you felt like you betrayed your friends, you must have known somewhere in your heart that it could never last. You've too much to live for and you knew that or your spirit could have never healed you. You're to be married to your prince, you've saved this world your mother loved so much, you'll have three wonderful children in a future as perfect as the Silver Millennium. Your mother would be so proud."

Serina settled in a bit, yawning, and smiled softly in response, remembering her mother's eyes only a few hours ago. "I know she is."

"Rini, where's your sister?" Darien asked as he and his fiancée walked up to the little girl. The small family had spent a warm, breezy afternoon in the park. Darien had been able to spend time with his daughters and learn a bit more about each of them, their likes, dislikes, hobbies, memories, the pranks they pulled, how fun they were to have around, how adorable they could be-

They had enjoyed the early afternoon picnicking under an enthusiastic sun, eating Serina's homemade lunch which wasn't that bad since her mom had helped out a great deal. The girls had snowcones and played frisbee, something both Serina and Irene were particularly good at, while Darien and Rini flew the kite he had bought for both of them. He didn't want it to end but the sun was falling, the food was gone, and the girls were slowly dropping off on the grass after running around all day. He hated to wake the adorable pair as they lounged side by side in the green, velvet carpet but Sailor Pluto, Serina's Aunt Trista, would be by any moment now to escort the twins home to the thirtieth century.

He and Serina packed up as the girls raced off, carrying their picnic blanket like a cape behind them. The couple quickly set off after them, having lost them in the small woods of the park only to find half their quarry on their way to the parking lot.

Rini stood, arms crossed and her foot tapping impatiently, at the bottom of a tiny vale between the streets and the park, where children played hide- and-seek and couples snuggled under the trees among the flowering bushes. The area was thick with sweet, woody scents, showers of white and yellow petals glittered like confetti when the frolicsome breeze danced among the trees. The small, cotton-candy haired girl looked like any other pouting imperial princess who was displeased with something and expected someone else to fix it for her. Now.

"Small Lady . . ? Where's your sister?" Darien cajoled again, eyeing the area suspiciously. He'd expected some kind of resistance but not from Irene. He'd noticed since the other child showed up that the older twin was the dominant one and Rini would do just about anything to protect her even when she was doing something wrong.

However, Rini also had no problem tattling on her sister when she personally disagreed with what Irene was doing. Rini was a good girl and he felt he could trust her to let him know when he needed to step in. She was vastly mature for her age, at least when she was on her own. He was very proud of her and impressed by her. He and Serina must have done something right in raising the girls. She was much more docile and easy going than her sister, more like Serina than either would dare admit. Irene was quite the rambunctious handful, always trying new things, dangerous or not, with the ceaseless curiosity of a kitten. She, he liked to imagine, was as much like him as Rini was like her mother.

As it was, Rini now stomped her foot and glared at the sky dappling her in gold. "Papa, Irene's doing something she's not supposed to." She complained with a heavy sigh.

Darien's eyebrows flew up in interested surprised then he half grimaced. Rini was standing alone beside a tall, slick branched tree, no sign of her twin sister anywhere. Darien turned his questioning gaze on Serina, an eyebrow arched. Serina tilted her lovely flaxen head, sensing her elder daughter but . . . She stared into the leafy green branches of the tree, concentrating on a whisper in her mind.

"She's around here somewhere . . . Irene, sweetie, it's time to go, Aunt Trista will be here soon to pick you up and the girls are waiting to see you off." Serina called in her gentlest voice, glancing back at him. They both had the feeling that that was exactly why the child was hiding.

"I don't WANT to go!" A shout echoed in the small valley, trembling the trees and kicking up a half dozen tiny dust devils. Darien frowned at the whirlwinds and they dissipated. It seemed the earth reacted to her the same as he reacted to it.

"Irene, you have to go, your parents miss you girls. You knew you were only visiting." Darien's sea blue eyes searched the valley as he listened to his fiancée's voice and set down the picnic basket, brushing the rind of the planet with his fingertips. His eldest daughter's feet stood not on the earth. Rini continued frowning irately at her young parents, her cinnamon glance flicking between the canopy and the safe, solid ground.

"No! I'm staying here; I'm having fun. I don't wanna leave yet. Rini got to stay longer."

Serina pursed her lips, scowling at the tree. "Rini was on a mission. You both are just on vacation now. Don't you miss your parents? You mother's been asleep for God knows how long and your father naught but a ghost for nearly as long and now that they're okay and want to see you, you turn around and run away? What kind of kids did we raise?!" She directed the last comment to him, but Darien just grinned lightly at her incredulous expression. That was his forever-contrary Serina. She was both joking with him and seriously pouting at their parenting skills. She blushed under his contented, adoring gaze and switched tactics on the little girl. "Don't you miss your parents, Irene? Are we so mean in the future that you hate us . . ?"

"Mama . . ." Irene groaned. "That's not gonna work this time, I figured out that trick. You know we love you this time and every time, past and future and no matter how often you threaten to send us to the past or you threaten to send us to the future, you love us and we love you and nothing can change that. You're never mean just overprotective. And I don't want to go back to school and Luna ordering us around like babies again."

The mention of Luna sparked an idea. Darien remembered the twins' little friend, Luna and Artemis's polite, goose-down gray haired daughter. "What about Diana? Don't you miss her?"

There was sad sigh but Irene remained firm. "Well, yeah . . ."

Serina jumped in before she could justify remaining away from her friend. "Lady, aren't you a little old for this? This is something your sister would pull, not you!"

"Mama!" Both Rini and Irene whined in unison, pulling a smile from their father. Serina marched up to the tree her daughter was hiding in, hands on hips, a worried crease between her golden brows.

"Imbrium Rose, get down here before you hurt yourself." The young mother begged having a sixth sense for such things. She looked to Darien and he mimicked her frown, a familiar shiver in his brain. "Darien, DO something-"

"I'm not gonna fall, Mam-"

His heart skipped a beat as he heard a rustle and his daughter's yelp, the pit of his stomach dropped and kept going- "Irene!" He gasped. The young father was under the tree in two steps, Serina beside him, pulling her baby out of the way of her tumbling sister, trusting him to catch Irene. The lavender haired child fell from the sky like a gymnast from uneven bars, a trick the twins must be becoming experts at, and landed with an "oof" in his waiting arms.

He caught her and his breath at the same time, his heart still racing, holding her tight to his chest, her short arms wrapped, trembling and squeezing, around his neck. He felt Serina's cold fear wash away in a wellspring of relief. He looked down at the small six-year-old in his arms expecting to hear her crying at the fright she'd just had. She was white as paper but her grinning, sorrel eyes were alight with excitement.

"Cool!" The pair was suddenly attacked from behind by both Serina and Rini, crushing them in hugs, Irene's young mother-in-training anxious to assure herself of her future daughter's well-being and her sister just recovering for the echoes of her twin's and mother's brief but powerful emotions.

"Irene! Irene, are you alright, sweetpea?" Serina took the girl into her own arms, checking her over for scrapes and chapped hands and bruises but Irene seemed to escape unscathed except for a scuffed palm where her hand had slipped from the branch she held. Serina kissed it, still squeezing Irene close, before dropping to her knees and letting her go.

"You scared me, Lady! Please don't do that ever again!"

"Mama . . ."

Darien stepped up behind his fiancée, placing a placating hand on her shoulder, the other draped over Rini's shoulders where she stood quietly beside his leg. "You have to be more careful, Irene, you could have really hurt yourself." He told her gently. The girl looked at her feet, all he could see were her lavender buns pointed at him and Serina.

"I know . . ."

Serina glanced her glittering eyes heavenward, taking a deep fortifying breath, drinking in the steadfastness and calm Darien sent her through their clasped hands to her still racing heart. "If you're going to climb trees, Irene, please promise me you'll be more careful?"

Irene looked up, properly contrite, a small smile on her lips. "Yes, Mother."

Darien smiled, helping his love to stand, taking up Rini in his arms, the picnic basket cradled in the little girl's lap. Irene humbly walked between her parents, the blanket folded up and balanced on top of her head, pouting up at both of them until Serina rolled her eyes and offered to carry her as well.

"You're both getting to old for this, baby rose."

"Uh huh, but you'll keep doin' it, wonchya?" Irene replied for her sister. Darien gave a small laugh, Serina's lips pursed in an indignant smirk, Rini's face crinkling in a cute grin, and Irene's in a mirroring, wicked smile.

Boy, was he going to have his hands full some day.

And he couldn't wait.

"'Responsibilities of the Moon'

I guard a sleeping world

Contemplate the mysteries of the universe alone

Reflecting my sister, the sun,

To illuminate the night I summon the tides to my side with my waxing and waning

And imbue in the young that of true love.'"

'Hmm . . . Red for love, pink for friendship . . . Yellow's- remembrance and . . . hope. Purple for creativity, blue is serenity! Light blue's for loyalty. White is-' "Purity!"

"Huh? What're you muttering about, Meatball head? I'm not listening to you so who could you possibly be talking to?" Rei mumbled, looking away with a smug tilt to her lips. "The moon has NOTHING to do with purity."

Ami frowned at Rei's stinging comment but when she glanced at her blonde companion, her eyes were gleaming but dazed, staring with a wide, dreamy smile at the wisps of clouds chasing the sun down over the bay. They'd all been silent, watching the sun set as Ami read from her book of poems.

Lita leaned over, Rei's nose still in the air, her eyes closed and waiting for Serina's outburst. "I don't think she heard you . . ." She whispered. Rei's violet eyes blinked open, her face falling to glare at the petite girl lying in the grass beside her.

"Re-na . . . Whatcha thinkin' about?" Mina lilted, softly calling to her horizontal companion. She didn't want to wake her princess from her daydreams completely, just enough to hear her thoughts.

"I'm silly . . ."

"Duh- Ouch! Lita!" Rei rubbed her head, growling.

"I was just thinking about the colors . . . that I want to use for my wedding . . ."

Mina giggled and Lita and Ami smiled. "That's years away. You don't know who's going to be here, where you'll be, WHO you'll be-"

"Yeah, but don't you ever wonder anyway?" Serina continued in her singsong, dreamy voice.

Ami gently fell back to the soft, thick grass, her book laid across her stomach and legs crossed daintily at the ankles. She folded her hands behind her head and stared at the clouds like Mina and Serina were. "My mom used to want me to wear her wedding dress, back when she and Father were together. Now she thinks it'll bring me bad luck and wants me to choose my own or use my cousin's which used to be her mother's. They both have happy marriages but theirs is not a white dress like I wanted. I've always wanted a simple white gown with blue lace or pearls or embroidery . . . Something light and flowing, like water."

"That's beautiful, Ames." Mina sighed. A bird and it's two companions flew over the group, winging into a tree overhead and began to sing as the evening dimmed.

"Nah, I was gonna go all traditional. Gramps has my grandmother's wedding kimono. Mom and Dad had an American style wedding. I'm respecting my religion and honoring my ancestral country. But you guys should see it. Fiery gold accents and gorgeous reds with deep violet and pale lilac blossoms. Even the same gold headpiece Obaa-chan wore. Assuming of course, I even have time to get married."

"Wow! That'd be great if you did though!" Mina's nose scrunched. "Do we have to wear bright kimonos too? Do you even have bridesmaids in the ceremony?"

"For you guys, yeah, definitely. And yes, you WILL wear what I tell you to." Rei laughed, toppling back onto the grass with her companions.

"It's wonderful that you're going to follow your grandfather's traditions, Rei. That's brave, and it's sure to be a unique experience for all of us. But didn't shrine priestesses stay-"

Mina rolled onto her side, pointedly ignoring Ami, and half-smiled at her tall friend. They both had identical, melancholy frowns. "Look's like we're in the same boat, Lita. Neither of us has family traditions to follow. Not that I haven't thought of it. I'm gonna have the perfect princess wedding- No offense, Sere! I mean more like Princess Diana. Back when I was in England, she and my sis- er, SHE was my idol. I want to marry my own prince and have a huge wedding that half the country would be invited to and the whole world would be watching! I'm still waiting for Prince William to ask me-"

"WHAT?!"

"No, really, me and him were destined- he just doesn't know it."

"Mina, you're as bad as Spaghetti brains over there. What about poor Andrew then, hmm?" Mina's starry eyes snapped open and her glazed smile dropped.

"Eek! Er, uhh, well- Shucks, I forgot about him. Guess I can't have both!" Mina's embarrassed face flushed and her hand flew to the back of her head.

"Lita? What about you?" Ami hoped the conversation wasn't upsetting their orphaned friend. She had no family to fall back on either, no traditions, no mother or sisters to guide her. She glanced over at the brunette now lying with the rest of them, staring indifferently at the sky.

"Are you kidding?! I know everything from the church to the food I'll be making for my wedding! I've been dreaming of getting married ever since- actually . . . since I realized I didn't have a family. I wanted to make one of my own, get married and have kids and . . . never leave them, ever. And I'm gonna make all kinds of hors d'oeuvres! Little mini wedding cakes and fruits and recipes from all over the world!" Lita grinned abashedly. "Problem is, every time I try a new recipe I wanna use it in my wedding! I've got hundreds all ready!" The girls laughed, Rei shaking head as Mina and Serina started drooling at the thought.

"What were you thinking about, Serina?"

"I actually haven't thought about my wedding day much."

Someone whispered, "Yeah, the DAY!"

Serina blushed, smiling but trying not to. "Stop it! I just knew it was gonna happen so I didn't worry about it. But now that I do have to worry, I don't know what to start with!" She lifted her face to the sky again, comparing the sky's color of deepening twilight indigo to the golden lining of orange-gray clouds.

"I think I want you guys to wear the palest pink we can find with bouquets of forget-me-nots and yellow daffodils or roses- in memory of our time on the moon. With silver-white bows for the Silver Millennium and the dresses will have- well, something with light blue on it- I haven't decided yet. But I do want my Royal Guard, the sisters and Emmi and the others, to wear light blue. It represents loyalty. I want Rini and Irene to be the flower girls, of course, wearing white with pretty, deep blue bows and they'll drop petals from every flower in every color we can collect. And, if he can, I want my son to be ring bearer . . . The only other thing I've decided is that my bouquet will be white roses and irises and lilacs."

"Mmmm, I love lilacs . . ."

"Yeah, those, gardenias and orange blossoms are my favorite scents in the whole world!"

"Oranges and gardenias are too small for the bouquet but I'll definitely have some lying around. And, I want bubbles, you know, instead of rice? Bubbles and white rose petals . . ."

"Mmmm, you're gonna have the prettiest wedding, Sere." Mina softly declared.

"I don't care if it's big or small, pretty or not. As long as you guys are there and Rini and Irene. Sailor Pluto promised they would be."

"I kinda got the impression we'll be seeing them sooner. Irene just had that wicked gleam in her eyes."

"What? Are you suggesting my kids would do something they know they aren't allowed to do?" She sat up, challenging Lita.

Rei scoffed. "If they're really yours they will."

Serina gaped at her best friend. She couldn't even get her lips to move she was too- shocked. "Wh- why YOU!" And she launched herself at Rei. The priestess quickly rolled out of the way, crawling over Ami and jumping to her feet.

"Come on, Meatball head! We've had this discussion about your terrorizing twins before." Serina didn't bother getting to her feet. She just glared at her from where she knelt on the ground then sniffed, her nose in the air and laid back down.

"Whatever, Rei. They're little angels, or did you all ready forget that present they gave you before they left? You're supposed to be their Godmother so be nice." Justified, she stuck out her tongue, blissfully ignoring Rei's reaction.

Then she suddenly sat bolt upright again, staring at the dark sky. "Oh no! What time is it?" She glanced at her watch but couldn't read the numbers in the dark. Ami twisted her wrist to see her own watch.

"It's nearly seven. Why?"

"Oh great! I'm gonna be late!" Serina stood, gathering her coat. "Darien and I are going out to the movies at seven thirty but I promised Garry and Robert that I'd visit for a little before they left tomorrow! I gotta go! See ya tomorrow!" Like the last traces of sunlight, she quickly slipped away into the darkness.

"That's too bad they gotta leave- Garry kinda reminded me of my old boyfriend . . ."

"You don't ever have to be lonely again, I promise."

Serina ran as fast as she could towards the brothers' home. They were moving out tomorrow, heading to the future where King Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity had offered them a place in the world. They hadn't fit in here though all their friends were here. They were allowed to visit often but their new jobs in planetary security were expected to be demanding.

They had left the house to the four sisters- but soon there would only be two staying there. Prisma and Catsy were moving in with their guys, Catsy was going away with Robert but Serina wasn't worried about not seeing her- she was too close to her sisters to not visit often.

Emmi, too, was staying with Diamond and Sapphire. Nothing was planned yet but it looked like that relationship was moving faster than hers was.

Serina turned the corner to her street, the same the brothers lived on. Or used to.

She bit her lip and fought a frown. She shouldn't cry, not when all her friends were so happy. They loved their new lives- Serina's eyes blurred anyway. Rubeus had saved her life, but it had taken everything in her to turn him away from the powerful lure of evil. And Garry, too. She'd laid her life in his hands, trusted him, believed in him, and he had never let her down. He was so sweet and caring and Rubeus was so loyal and passionate. She was going to miss them . . .

Serina started to sniff and her lips trembled with hidden sobs. She slowed down, trying to control her breath, not wanting to arrive with tear- stained cheeks-

"Serina? Serina, what's wrong?" The voice floated toward her, directly ahead of her. She stopped and wiped her eyes, searching the deepening darkness punctuated by streetlights. She had to smile when she realized Garry was standing in front of her.

"Oh Garry!" She threw herself into his arms and hugged him tight. "I'm gonna miss you!" Surprised again, the young man reacted on growing instinct and held her carefully.

He softly chuckled as he gently squeezed her and let go. "We're not leaving till tomorrow, princess."

Serina stood back and wiped her eyes again. "I know. But you're taking Rubeus with you and Catsy too. She's been such a great friend helping me out and all. And Rubeus has been great too, and you're my friend- I don't like my friends leaving me."

Garry turned, placing an arm around the small blonde's shoulders and walking her to her home where Darien would soon be waiting. "I hope Darien doesn't get jealous over this." He smiled down at her. "We're not that far away, princess, and we'll be visiting. For you, I'll come as often as possible."

"Promise?" She asked sternly. He wasn't much older than her and all ready had the responsibility of a full-time job. He was like an adult and in Serina's eyes he wasn't supposed to be, not yet.

"Yes. You are my princess. And my friend. I'll be here if you need me."

Serina looked up at him again, her eyes light but expression still demanding. "Well, I will need you. For no reason at all, just like all my other friends, I just need to talk to you, see you, hang out. I'm only happy with my friends, you know that. You and Rubeus and Catsy leaving me is a thrice blow on top of Rini and Irene leaving."

"We'll just be around the corner, with the rest of your family, in your future." They stopped in front of her house, the lights inside glowing a warm yellow.

"I know. I'll see you tomorrow and the day after and the day after . . ." Garry smiled and as Serina turned to look up at him. "Everything started with you." She whispered. "Thanks. For everything, Garry." She hopped on tiptoe and impetuously kissed his cheek then turned and rushed to her house, waving from the door.

Belatedly, Garry waved, one hand carefully touching the spot she'd touched. "You never cease to amaze me, princess." He whispered and turned away, glancing around nervously. "The king's definitely going to kill me for that."

"Always, for you . . . ."

This line, not quite a quote, but among the top romantic sayings in a movie, is from The Princess Bride. This line is dedicated to my friend, Noble, whom gallantly claimed it not only to be his favorite movie, but the most romantic line he's ever heard. Isn't that so sweet!

This poem is a copyrighted poem in some anthology. The author was 14 year-old Nicole Wooster from the USA. Congratulations, Lady Poet!

We've finally reached the end of this incredible epic. Sorry for the delay, this story was supposed to end at chapter sixteen. Thank you for following me on this journey, keeping faith in it's eventual conclusion and I hope you enjoy future works of mine as much as this one. I promise they will be finished before I post them on sites other than my own. ;D I can't stand it when some one posts a story and years later I'm still waiting for the next chapter!

Thank you very much and please send me your comments and suggestions, I love to hear from my readers. Please check out the fan art I've done for my stories, I love to draw as much as write and do them equally well, if I may be so bold. Either look on the internet for Nicole Cherre art or request it from me directly.

See you next time, my friends!