THANK YOU FOR ALL THE REVIEWS!!!

Disclaimer: Sailormoon and all its characters do not belong to me. Any resemblance to any other story is coincidental and not intentional.

This story happened after the senshi defeated Beryl and deviates from the original version. It is a continuation of my other story, Failure.

At the Crown Arcade

Usagi burst through the glass doors

"Motoki!"

"Hey Usagi! Great to see you!"

Usagi sat on one of the stools. "One of your chocolate sundaes, please!" she smiled.

"Coming right up!" Motoki set to construct his masterpiece for Usagi.

"So how was the trip, Usagi? How's Mamoru doing?" Motoki inquired about his best friend. Silence fell upon the bench.

"Usagi?" Motoki repeated. He turned to see a daydream look on Usagi's face, "Usagi?" he asked again.

Snapping out of the state, Usagi shook her head, "What… Oh, the trip, it was great! Mamoru is fine! But he doesn't have much time to socialize."

Motoki grinned, "And that's even better for you, huh?"

"Not really, it's good that he doesn't have another girlfriend but I'm afraid that he doesn't get out enough" she said.

"Well, you know that Mamoru is trying to get this degree finished in record time, so he can come home earlier." Motoki reasoned.

Usagi sighed, "I know and I feel bad about it." She looked up, her eyes wide and shimmering with unshed tears, "Do you think I'm being too unreasonable?"

Motoki frowned, "What do you mean, by unreasonable?"

Usagi placed her chin on her hands, "Well, by making Mamoru finish the course so quickly, he must be swamped with all those extra courses he has to take. And also for him to be loyal to me while he's there."

Surprised at the question, Motoki quickly reassured her, "No it isn't. You know just as well as I do that Mamoru hate being separated from you. He's doing this for himself as well as for you."

Usagi sighed once again and looked down at the counter where her hands were wringing each other.

Motoki sighed as well and pushed the ice cream in front of her. "Here, I hope this will cheer you up! It's on the house."

Usagi looked up with great glee. "Thanks! And she started to dig into the dessert.

Motkoi sweatdropped at the speed Usagi was able to drop an obvious difficult subject for her and also for the speed she was shovelling the food into her mouth.

One year later

Usagi woke up with a start and moaned. It was still dark outside but by the way the shadows were falling over her bed, she knew dawn was coming soon. She picked up her smiling moon bunny alarm clock and groaned when she saw the time.

"Why am I awake so early?" Usagi asked herself as she rubbed her head in confusion. "I feel like there is something I should know."

Suddenly, she remembered why that day was important.

Mamoru was coming home today! Finally!

Usagi quickly sat up and clap her hands in glee. "Yeah! Mamo-chan is coming back! Mamo-chan is coming back!" she sang, jumping up and down on her bed.

"Usagi!" scolded someone form the corner of the bed.

Usagi looked towards the sound and found an upside-down Luna in the midst of the bed's blankets. She rushed towards the angry-looking cat.

"Luna!" Usagi apoligised as she quickly went through the blankets to untangle her cat. "I'm so sorry!"

"Well, Usagi…" Luna began but was interrupted by Usagi pulling her close to her chest and hugging tightly. "AH!!! U….sa….gi…!!! Ca…n't breathe!"

Usagi jumped out of her bed, still holding Luna and danced around her room.

"Mamo-chan is coming back! Mamo-chan is coming back!" she repeated over and over again while swinging the unlucky feline around.

Luna decided to try one more time before she passed out from lack of oxygen, "USAGI!!!" she yelled.

Usagi suddenly stopped and glanced down at the now- blue cat.

"AH!" yelled Usagi as she dropped Luna onto her bed. "I'm so sorry, so sorry, Luna! Are you okay?"

The exhausted cat managed to lay spreadeagle on the bed panting and when she had enough breathe, she pushed herself up and looked at her charge who was kneeling next to her.

"I know you are excited about Chiba-san coming back today but you don't have to be so careless, Usagi!" scolded Luna. "You've been doing so well these past few months, please don't ruin it today!"

Usagi pouted. It was true that she had been making an effort since she came back from her visit but today was not her fault. She was just too excited!

"I'm sorry, Luna. I'll try to make it up to you!" apologised Usagi. She got up from her knees and started to look into her closet. She stuck her head into the hanging clothes, trying to find the perfect outfit. "What should I wear to the airport, Luna? I want to look especially nice for Mamo-chan!" Usagi's muffled voice came out.

Luna got off the bed and stalked over to Usagi. "Why don't you wear that new dress you got last week, Usagi? The one that cost a whole month's allowance?"

A yelp could be heard from the closet, "Yeah! That would be so nice! And this will be the first time I wore it! Mamo-chan will love it!" Usagi pulled back from her intensive searching for the white dress, pulling out the item with her.

"Ah, Usagi…?" asked Luna.

Usagi turned and looked at Luna who was now sitting next to her. "Yes, Luna? What is it?"

Luna glanced up and then to the clock on the bedside table. "Do you know what time it is? Isn't it a bit early?"

Slowly, Usagi remembered her previous thoughts when she first woke up. She turned to look at the alarm clock and saw the red lights blinking an early 05:30.

"ARGHH!! It's only 5:30! Wah!!! Why am I so early? I have to wait 6 more hours before Mamo-chan gets here!" she cried out, tears bursting.

Luna sweat-dropped at the childish behaviour and sighed. There were just certain characteristics of Usagi that would never change.

A few hours later

A scream and a crash could be heard upstairs as Ikuko prepared for the incoming tornado she knew to expect. As she organised the table with the breakfast meal, a muffled yelp came from above and all heads turned to see the frantic teenager rush down the treacherous obstacle course known as the staircase.

"3…2…1…" counted down Shingo and as he started to say "0"… Usagi tripped right over the last step and fell flat on her face.

"OWWW!!!" cried Usagi as she laid face-down just outside the dining room.

Ikuko rushed over, hands full of band-aids (she had expected this from past experiences) but was brushed away from the suddenly quiet girl.

Usagi held her tears in as the pain flared up her leg when she stood up. She thought to herself, "I have to act mature. Mamo-chan is coming back today. I have to show Daddy that we can be a proper couple." She looked up at her family, the males sitting around the dining table with breakfast in front of them and her mother, standing next to her, a worried look on her face. Usagi smiled.

"Good morning!" greeted Usagi.

Dumbfounded, her father swallowed at the speed of which his daughter could forget about that full fall she had a few seconds ago. Unfortunately, he had forgotten he had a mouthful of eggs in his mouth and started choking.

"Oh no Dad!" Usagi rushed over to his seat and whacked him on his back several times. "Are you choking? Is this helping?" referring to the bone-jarring thumps she was applying.

Kenji turned a slight blue and tried to respond, "Uh….stop… (gasp)…please… (gasp)….Usagi!" His hands reached out trying to stop the girl.

Ikuko rushed over once more and pried Usagi's hand away from her father's back. "Usagi! I think your father only needs some water. Please Stop!"

Usagi blushed and looked at her father who was now gasping for air and hoping his face would return to its normal colour.

"Are you okay, Dad?" asked Usagi.

Kenji nodded, still not trusting his voice.

"Oh Okay!" Usagi exclaimed and sat down happily to eat breakfast.

Shingo, who during all this time was sitting amusedly at the table, grinned and said, "Hey, Odango, isn't today when Mamoru-chan gets back?"

Usagi looked up from the plate of food, her mouth full. "Uh…umm…ayh…." She mumbled.

"Usagi! Do not talk with your mouth full!" scolded Ikuko.

Usagi swallowed the large bite and nodded, "Sorry Momma." She turned to Shingo, "Yeah, it is, BRAT. And my name is Usagi!"

"Well, you better eat fast then, ODANGO," retorted Shingo, "Isn't his plane arriving at 11:30am?"

"It's U…Sa…Gi…, brat. And yeah, so what?" Usagi replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Usagi darling," soothed Ikuko, "Dear, it's 10:00am already."

"WHAT!" screeched Usagi, "Ten? Already?" She stood up quickly, pushing her chair back and making a horrible noise as it scraped against the floor. "OH NO!!!! I have to get ready for Mamo-chan!"

And with that, Usagi rushed back upstairs to prepare herself to go to the airport.

A now recovered Kenji, scowled deeply at his wife. "I still don't like that Chiba guy."

Ikuko smiled demurely at her husband, "Dear, they've been going out for so long now, don't you think it's time to accept the fact?"

Shingo snorted, "I still don't get why a guy like Mamoru-san will go out with HER."

"I still don't like it," pouted Kenji, like a schoolboy.

"Just get over it, dear. Chiba-san is a nice man and he's very good with Usagi. They love each other," said Ikuko as she sat down to her breakfast. "Anyway, we started dating at their age and if you don't want to sleep on the couch for the next two weeks, then I suggest you act civil when Chiba-san comes around to visit!" threatened Ikuko.

"But, you know the couch is lumpy and uncomfortable to sleep on!" protested Kenji.

Ikuko stared the evil eye at her husband and he fell silent. He remembered the last time he had slept on the dreaded sofa. It was after the promise-ring fiasco.

FlashBack

"Is that a ring I see around your neck, Usagi?" asked Kenji sternly who still wasn't over seeing his little girl with a grown man. They were in the middle of eating dinner.

Usagi's hand immediately went up to the object in question. "Urgh . . . yes, daddy. It is a ring."

Ikuko added, "It's from Mamoru, isn't it Usagi? Isn't that sweet, Kenji?" she asked looking at her husband.

In the background, Shingo made gagging noises and then an exclamation of pain could be heard when Usagi kicked him under the table.

"A ring?" exclaimed Kenji. "An engagement ring? Erghhh!!!" He stood up and looked around.

"What is it, dear?" asked Ikuko.

"Where's my shotgun! I need my shotgun! Where is my shotgun?!" shouted Kenji as he stalked around the dining table.

"Daddy!" Usagi caught one of his hands as he passed by her seat. "It's not an engagement ring!" She paused.

"You paused!" exclaimed Kenji, as he stopped walking behind his wife's chair. "You had a pause there! What do you mean by not an engagement ring?"

Usagi began slowly. "Well, it's actually a promise ring, Daddy. It's . . ."

"What kind of promise is that Chiba guy promising!" barked Kenji. "What?" as Ikuko reached up behind her to hold her husband's hands.

"Honey, let Usagi finish. I'm sure there is a suitable explanation for all this. Keep going, Usagi," encouraged Ikuko.

"Yeah, Odango, continue digging yourself into a hole," added Shingo, an interested spectator.

Usagi scowled at her brother and then looked up at her parents. "It's a promise of an engagement, Daddy. Mamoru knows I'm too young to be engaged but we wanted something to show for our love for each other," she explained as she fingered the diamond ring hanging on the necklace.

Ikuko sighed at the romance.

Kenji, not satisfied but acknowledging Usagi's answer was legitimate, started pacing again.

"I still don't like this. My shotgun will still need to ready just in case." Kenji looked around. "So, where's my shotgun. Did you hide it again, Ikuko?" He stalked out of the dining table.

Sighing once again, Ikuko shook her head at her husband's stubbornness.

"Mom!" Usagi's plea reached through her mother's thoughts.

"What is it darling?" Ikuko replied as she looked up at her children. Shingo had resumed eating while Usagi's plate still contained some food.

Usagi looked worried and asked, "Daddy's not really going to shoot Mamo-chan, will he?"

Ikuko chuckled, "No, he won't. I promise I will stop your father before it gets that far." She leaned towards Usagi and whispered, "And between us two only, I hid the shotguns in a place your father will never look."

Usagi leaned back in relief. "Thank goodness. Thanks mom!"

She smiled at Ikuko and begun eating again, scoffing down the food like there was no tomorrow. Ikuko sweatdropped.

End of Flashback

Kenji inwardly groaned. That night, Ikuko had threw his blanket and pillow outside their bedroom and told him only to come back when he could accept the ring. Kenji had spent the entire night tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable spot on the couch but ended up with more stress than before. He was torn between protecting his little girl from a big bad wolf or from sleeping on the sofa. He did not know what to do… and plus, his wife still had his shot guns in hiding.