Hearts and Hopes MY SEASON 3 Chapter 4: 4, a sailor moon fanfic

I doubt I have to introduce this chapter given the title – you think?

Hearts and Hopes

Chapter Four

Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday Desiree!

Molly opened her eyes and quickly realized that she was laying on her and Neflyte's bed. How long had she been out of it? The last thing she remembered was everyone feeling sad on the boat ride home. She must have dozed off leaning against her husband. Then Molly remembered their friend who had lost her own far too soon. She felt so badly for Kateri. Molly remembered just how close she had come to losing Neflyte not long before.

Then the twinge that first woke her pulled Molly out of those grief filled thoughts. It was low in her back and traveled down her hips and thighs. She panted and groaned, alerting her youmas – one of whom went for Neflyte. The other three came forward. "Mistress?"

"I think it's still early yet, girls. But could one of you get Neflyte for me?" Molly groaned as the hurt throbbed slightly.

"Roghen already has mistress. There is a blizzard settling on the city and he is at the office making sure that all of the human employees are taken care of." Tyrol soothingly said as she tried to keep their mistress calm.

Molly for a moment only nodded, it was that painful. "I need to go to the bathroom. Can you girls help me?"

"Yes Mistress." Two of them helped Molly stand and walk; the third opened the door. All worried that something was very wrong. Molly felt better as she got both businesses out of the way, for some reason it had felt urgent. The truth dawned on her when she saw it – blood and mucus! Her bloody show! Her baby was coming out of her! "Girls, hurry Neflyte up! And get Amy's mom here!"

"Mistress?"

"It's time!"

Neflyte and Malachite relaxed back in the former's office. When the storm came in Malachite volunteered to return to help with the job of getting their employees home safely with enough supplies and equipment to take care of them each for at the least a week. Zoicite too returned to see the first strong snowfall in years for her. She was at the mansion looking out the nursery window and through the ceiling illusion. Jedite was seeing off the last group of employees with all they would need for a week. Malachite grinned over at his friend and superior knowingly. He sensed his spell had at last worn off. Molly had caught up all of her lost sleep and the time had come. "Hope you're ready for at least one very long night, boss."

"Whatever are you talking about, Malachite?" Neflyte was exhausted from one of the longest days he had since regaining his freedom and honor. His friend's smirk and vague comment was not helping at all.

Malachite couldn't help chuckling. Just then Roghen appeared and bowed. "Lady Molly has sent me, Lord Neflyte. She said that it is time."

Time? Time … its time! "The baby's coming?"

Malachite smirked, chuckled harder, and nodded. Jedite came in on the scene and was at a loss. "What's going on?"

"Molly says the baby's coming!" Neflyte about exploded in his joy. "I'm going to be a father!"

"I thought we all knew that earlier. Congrats anyway boss." Jedite couldn't help but chuckle along with Malachite at the stupid smirk of elation on Neflyte's face.

Neflyte looked over at Roghen worried. "Has Amy's mother been notified?"

Roghen closed and smiled as she nodded. "Yes, she is with Lady Molly now. So far the pain is tolerable, and she is only two centimeters dilated. She has a long way to go before it is time for her to push. Amy's mother has six other mothers in labor now as well at the hospital, and might have an emergency cesarean to perform later on. She's returning to the hospital, but Lady Molly wants you with her."

They had waited this long, he could wait a little longer to hold his daughter for the first time. He looked over at his friends and couldn't hide his pride from his voice as he spoke to Jedite. "Is everyone home now?"

A second later Jedite nodded with a smile. "Yes, Mrs. Hine just walked into her home. She was the last home. One child is between school and home but one of the youma has her safely in a car now and is taking her home as we speak. Go on and get to your lady already."

Neflyte didn't need to be told twice, a heartbeat later he was gone. The pair chuckled and shook their heads as they gave all the staff the holidays off unless they were assigned to someone – knowing that those youmas would be celebrating with their charges anyway. Then they quickly left to be with their expecting ladies.

Malachite sat behind his new bride and pulled her close as the snow fell. His hands covered the small bulge in her belly where their unborn daughter was growing. This was their first snow as a legally wed couple. Being there for their niece's birth was important for them both. To be honest, being close to their extended family during the holidays was more appealing than locking themselves away on an island with only sun, surf, tropical forest, and beaches. This was a time for fires, snow, hot chocolate, and family.

Speaking of family, they could feel her joy as she ran through the halls to get to the nursery and her family long before they heard Glorianna's giggles and joy-filled glee. "Daddy's hoooommmmeeeee!"

"That is a sound I can't seem to regret. Now all of our sweetest dreams are real, my love … my King." Zoicite smiled and sighed as she looked at the door, just waiting for her daughter to burst into the room.

Malachite too waited expectantly for his first baby. "That I agree with you on … my Queen, and bride, and one love. Am I the only one who is still not accustomed to a title?"

"No, I haven't gotten used to it yet either. Several of my maids-in-waiting came by to visit while you were gone to ask for my opinions about various household aspects. None of them would drop royal protocol, and seem so scandalized by how the others treats us as family rather than royal guests and by how Glorianna doesn't yet treat me as a Queen. She was so upset when one of them told her how she should ask to get in my lap and should curtsy to us when she comes in our presences." Zoicite shook her head.

Malachite sighed. He forgot how strict his uncle had been about all of that. He refused to do such with his children outside of court. "I hope you explained things to them and our baby Glorianna."

Zoicite nodded, but still looked so upset. "Glorianna still feels like she is a bad girl for it."

A knocking on the door interrupted them. Malachite called out. "Where's my bubbly angel girl?"

Glorianna giggled and went into the room slowly, shutting the door behind her and curtsying very Princess like. With a sparkling smile and a twinkle in her eyes she rushed across the room into her father's arms. "Daddy!"

"Baby, when we are not in court, you don't have to act like what others think a Princess should act like." Malachite was angry that his baby was hurt so. When Glorianna carefully climbed into her mother's lap and snuggled into Zoicite's embrace they knew she was happy again. "I like being me, mommy."

"I like you better as you too, baby girl." Zoicite sighed as she embraced her first baby tighter just so. Malachite embraced his wife and children just as the youngest spoke up. 'Don't anyone love me?'

Glorianna rubbed her mother's belly softly. "We all love you sissy. I was just thought daddy would hate me because I should know how I was supposed to act. But daddy says I can be me when we're not in court."

'Okay. Desiree isn't talking to me. She said something weird is happening and she would talk to me later, but she stopped talking.' Hope whimpered.

"Hope, Desiree is being born. Sometimes it takes a long time for babies to come out of their mommies." Zoicite sighed.

Hope giggled. 'Goodie! I want born today too!'

Malachite chuckled at that. "You are too young right now, baby. When it gets hot outside and it is summertime is when you're going to be born. Today is Desiree's expected birthday."

'Okay, daddy. But, then can I be born … when summer comes?' Hope whimpered sadly.

"That is your expected birthday baby girl – first day of summer." Zoicite smiled. She could hardly wait for that day to come.

Across the hall, Neflyte couldn't believe the day had arrived. He walked in to find his wife groaning curled up on their bed. He almost wished that he hadn't gotten her pregnant, seeing the pain birth was putting her through. And then Jessica chuckled in their minds, "the pain that Molly is going through is normal, Neflyte. Oh, and would this be a bad time to tell you both that I am expecting?"

"She finally make me a big sister when I am in the middle of having her first grandchild!" Molly shouted out as a soft contraction rippled her muscles.

"Actually, Ian has asked me to marry him. It will be a few months before I announce that you are going to be a big sister, Molly."

Neflyte sat beside his wife and began to rub her back where she was in pain. "Congratulations mom. Am I safe in expecting that the two of you are downstairs?"

"Actually I am coming through the door, but yes Ian is downstairs." Jessica chuckled. "Molly, breathe baby. That's right Neflyte; keep massaging her back when the pain gets bad. And don't worry, the two of you are doing great. Listen to your instincts."

"I want to get up!" Molly cried out. Neflyte helped her sit up and get on her feet. They walked for a few minutes, until the pain was gone. "Sorry, I was crying. I didn't know it was going to hurt that bad."

"It's alright my angel. Better?" Neflyte kissed her after Molly nodded. "Just think, sometime today we'll have our daughter in our arms for the first time." That got Molly to flash him a beaming smile.

Jessica chuckled at them. Yes, they'd survive this. "Just an idea, if you're sitting the rocking chair you can rock through the rougher contractions."

Neflyte sent the request to Malachite who carried the rocker in a few minutes later. By then the pains were worsening. Amy's mom came back a few minutes later and checked to be surprised that Molly was at seven cm! The birth was going a little faster than any expected. There were still three mothers who needed her, so Amy's mom had to go back. Luckily Amy was there and had gone over birthing videos and various scenarios with her mother for months. If anything went wrong, she'd be able to handle it. All that Amy could need was moved to the manor and stored in case of an emergency. Thankfully they considered it.

Within an hour after Amy arrived and her mother left, the city was shut down due to the blizzard, and Molly was moving into pushing labor fast. Amy's mother couldn't be teleported out to the hospital without being seen, and she was in the middle of being prepped for the Cesarean section she had warned everyone about.

Amy was a pro in Molly's eyes with how calm and strong the Sailor Senshi Princess of Mercury acted. Amy had Serena bring in some calming music, while she and Neflyte prepped the bed and Molly for the birth. As Amy got herself prepped, Zoicite brought in ice chips and some juice and Neflyte put the oxygen mask on his wife's face. Darien brought in some water and a rag for Neflyte to wipe Molly down with just after Molly's water broke. But none stayed for long. Through the majority of the birth they all waited for the news down in the living room.

Amy could see that Molly was scared. "Molly, you're doing fine. Listen to your body. You move this by what you feel."

Looking past Neflyte, Amy could see that another contraction was about to hit. On time Molly cried out and panted. Neflyte wiped her face and spoke gently. He was amazed that she had yet to curse at him or blame him as the second and third time fathers in their Lamaze classes had warned him would happen. But, Molly panted, cried, groaned, and breathed – never hated. She was stronger than he had ever given her credit for. Amy checked again and was shocked – she couldn't believe that she was really doing this! "I can just see the baby's head! She's got lots of beautiful red hair!"

Molly and Neflyte both chuckled hard at that. Molly suddenly gasped, "I want to push!"

"Okay real easy pushes, Molly. I don't think that you want to tear. Bear down. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight … that was really good Molly." Amy coached over Molly's cries. Obviously the young mother was feeling the ring of fire that comes from the baby's head being birthed. "Again Molly. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. Take a breath Molly! That's it! Come on."

Neflyte took over the counting, while Amy massaged and tried to help her friend's body opening stretch. Before long the baby's head was fully crowned. Molly cried out a couple of times when it was just too much for her to take. Those cries slightly alarmed Zoicite. But Jessica assured her that the pain was normal and would be forgotten the moment that baby was cuddled against her chest.

It hurt and burned worse than anything Molly imagined as the baby's head was birthed. Blood and more fluid came out, but (as a soldier) Neflyte didn't feel ill from the sight. If anything he was amazed by what his love and he had done their wedding night that was then sliding out of Molly's body. Another push and the baby's head was fully birthed. Molly flung back into Neflyte's arms and panted in relief. Amy cleaned the baby's nose and mouth. All that time Desiree was crying. 'I want my mommy! I want my daddy! I'm cold! Mommy … daddy!'

"Desiree, you're being born today. It's cold because you head is outside of your mommy's belly for the first time." Neflyte tried to calmly explain.

Desiree continued to whimper, but her screams were quieted for the meantime. Molly, seeing the baby through a mirror one of the youma held up for her, found new energy to push with (never knowing that a portion of it came from her husband). A few pushes later, Molly was resting back against the pillows and Desiree was in Amy's arms. Amy cleared the baby's airway and mouth, wiped away some of the blood, wrapped her up and laid her on Molly's stomach.

That moment was magic for the couple, in her arms Molly held that little life that never had the chance to be born over a thousand years before. The daughter they had once lost was feeding off of Molly, and it felt as if the universe was righted at last for the pair who cooed over their infant child. Amy delivered the placenta and tied off the umbilical cord. "Do you want to cut it, Neflyte?"

He looked up in amazement. Molly smiled and nodded. He took the scissors and in two snips severed Desiree from Molly. He gave the scissors back and then rubbed his little girl's cheek for the first time. He couldn't believe it. There in his wife's arms was his daughter. Amy took Desiree to weight the little girl while Neflyte massaged his wife's belly to help stop her bleeding. Ten-forty that Christmas Eve the couple were the proud parents of a healthy and beautiful seven pound eight ounce daughter.

"Here you go Neflyte. I seem to have a little girl who wants her daddy." Amy smiled as she came back with the baby in her arms. She had given the girl a vitamin K shot and eye drops, and fitted a hat on her head to keep her warm.

Neflyte was shocked. "What if …"

'Daddy? I want my daddy. Please aunny Amy. I want my daddy.'

Gently Amy settled the baby in her nervous father's arms. Neflyte was instantly in love. "Happy birthday, my precious Desiree."

'Hmm, daddy.'

Molly was happy as she watched her husband holding their newborn daughter. It was a moment they had waited over a thousand years for. Amy went downstairs and announced Desiree's weight and birth time. Everyone was anxious to see the little girl, but Amy was able to buy the new parents some time alone with their baby.

Molly and Neflyte sat there as she fed their daughter. Desiree was both hungry and tired after the long birthing process. Yet, her parents felt all of her love. After an hour, Neflyte picked up both his wife and daughter and carried them across the hall to Desiree's nursery. He was happy when one of the youmas brought in Molly's rocking chair and sat it beside the couple before respectfully bowing and exiting the room. Once his family was settled beside him, Neflyte began the ceremony he had been dreaming of since the morning they discovered that their daughter was on her way.

He opened himself and his family to the stars and the universe. "Stars … I, King Neflyte Pution Taro Stanton of the Royal House of Kaphiri and ruler of the Moon Dragon Clan and your named guardian do summon your attention."

'Our beloved son and guardian, this is a night we have waited so very long for.'

Molly smiled. This was the first time that she too heard what the stars were saying to her husband. 'It is the connection between your symbols of rulership, our dearest daughter. I told you that they would heighten your own powers while giving you all of the powers of the Queens that came before you. If you remember, I also told you that my son had my talent for star talk.'

"Mother? Oh, you are still with us?"

'Yes our daughter. And we will always be. Now I believe that the time has come for an introduction?'

Molly smiled up at her husband as she laid their daughter into his arms, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek in her pride and love. She knew what mother was talking about. Molly could feel that her body was already healing from her birth at an accelerated rate. Neflyte sighed in adore as he accepted the child from his only love. He couldn't help cuddling his precious bundle a moment, to the joy of his wife and the stars. Looking up at the stars, he had never felt as whole as he did at that moment. "Stars … guardians, guides, mother … I present to you my first born daughter and heir to mine and my Queen's throne as well as future guardian of you, Princess Desiree Namid Renee Stanton."

'She will be a Princess, Ruler, Guardian, General, and Granddaughter who will make us all very proud. Welcome to the world Desiree, blessed child who dances forever with the stars.'

'Grammy! Love you Grammy!'

'And we love you little granddaughter.' Came chuckling from the stars.

A heartbeat later the scene above the family changed to focus in on one of the grouping of stars. Molly looked up, but could see in her husband's startled face that it hadn't happened because of him. She wondered if it was the stars, until the truth came out in one word. 'Grammy.'

'As talented as her father was at that age I see. Hello darling. I think it's nap time.' The voice of the stars chuckled as Desiree yawned.

Molly wiped away her tears of pride and joy as Neflyte again rested their daughter into her arms. Before Desiree dosed off for the first time after her birth, she yawned once more. 'Love mommy … Love daddy … night-night.'

"Goodnight little darling. We love you, my daughter." Neflyte kissed his daughter's forehead, and then his wife's lips.

Molly rested her head against him as she smiled at her daughter. This was the sense of love she had felt growing in her belly for nine months. This was that weird feeling of movement had been. This was the child she had always dreamed of having by her love, even before the truth came out. This was indeed was her daughter. "Goodnight sweetheart, sweet dreams."

By then Desiree was asleep. Neflyte again carried his wife and child over across the hall to find that the bed her and his wife shared was cleaned up, the equipment was put off to the side, and a feeding pillow was placed in the middle of the bed. Molly grinned as she softly called out, "thank you girls." Her youmas came forward, saluted and bowed, and then returned to the shadows.

Neflyte laid his wife on the made and turned down bed, and Molly rested their daughter in the opening of the pillow. This way Desiree gained security those first few nights of her life outside of her mother's womb.

By that time Molly was drained. The moment she relaxed next to her daughter, she was unconscious. Neflyte smiled and covered his love before draping a soft blanket over his daughter's body. Once again his had the family he once created long before. A soft knocking brought him out of his thoughts. "Come in."

Quietly everyone filed in to glance on the little girl they had all waiting so long to see. The Generals all stood around their friend and leader. The others gathered around the bed. None poke loudly, wanting both mother and daughter to rest.

Kat forced a smile on her face, but inside she was dying. She had no idea that her love was already reborn or just how soon she would see him again.

Sorry that this one was so short and long in wait, I'm back in school and that means homework first – plus I'm also working on a Harry Potter fic that I will not send out until I have it at least near completion.