Chapter Seven

A Crazy Proposal

Your heart began to be scorched, and there was a smell of it.

It was the end of your dream, and the start of everything…

-Moments by Ayumi Hamasaki

The silence in the room was overwhelming, the absolute quite nearly stifling, yet no one dared break it. No one knew what to say.

It had been like that for nearly twenty minutes, ever since Usagi claimed a sudden urge for air and excused herself from the group to step outside of the apartment. Haruka had wanted to follow her, that had been obvious to everyone, yet she had allowed Usagi to go alone. Strange, but no one said anything about it. No one asked her why she stood in front of the glass sliding doors that led to Ami's porch, just staring up at the peach colored sky as the sun set over Tokyo, rather then go after her princess.

But how could they ask when not one of them could muster up the courage to go and talk to Usagi either? When not one of them could think of anything to say to her. She was pregnant. Their princess was pregnant, long before she was destined to bring about her heir to the Moon Kingdom's throne. How could this be? What was happening in their world?

"This is too weird..." It was Minako who finally broke the silence, a troubled look twisting her pretty face.

"That's one word for it." Despo commented from her place beside Haruka. With Ami's permission, she had pulled up a kitchen chair and, slid the glass door open to let the smoke from her cigarette drift out into the swiftly cooling air. She took a drag and blew smoke from her puckered lips.

"How is this even possible?" Rei sighed, shaking her head in disbelief.

Despo smirked. "Well you see Rei; when a man and a woman love each other very much-"

"Stop it Despo." Haruka commanded curtly. But the redhead's smirk never wavered as she watched the way that Rei seethed in her spot on the couch. The only thing that seemed to be keeping her quiet was Minako's hand softly gripping her knee.

"Well, Usagi and Mamoru have been an item for quite a long time." Ami mumbled, seemingly more to herself then to the rest of the group. Though her glasses lay perched upon her nose, instead of mirroring one of her many books, her eyes instead stared intently at the tops of her knees that curled toward her chest. She sat upon the floor, her back pressed into the edge of her coffee table and her arms around her shins. "It is only natural that they would..." Her cheeks flushed pink and she was unable to complete her sentence.

"But this is Usagi we're talking about!" Makoto chimed in. She had sat herself right on top of the coffee table, her legs straightened and dangling open casually in front of her. "She can't even say the word penis without giggling. Who'd have thought she and Mamoru were actually having sex?"

She voiced the question so nonchalantly as she tilted her head backward to stare at the ceiling. The discomfort in the room seemed to grow. But Makoto had only voiced what the other girls had silently been wondering.

"It's like the plot of everyone of those perverted little graphic novels you Japanese seem to love so much." Despo simpered as she dropped her finished cigarette into the small cup of water she had been using as her ashtray. "It's always the innocent ones." Makoto smiled and nodded her agreement.

"Everything's just one big joke to you isn't it?" Rei glared over at the redhead and Despo merely shrugged.

"The world is a funny place."

"Oh hilarious." Rei sneered and Minako gripped her knee even tighter. "What I'm interested in knowing Despo, is how the hell you knew Usagi was pregnant. It's obvious by the way you acted. That was why you pulled Haruka into the bathroom isn't it? You told her, or do you expect us to believe that Haruka ran out to buy a pregnancy test on a hunch?"

"I've been wondering the same thing actually." Ami admitted, raising her eyes to Despo.

The woman simply stared at her cup and nodded. "It's true."

"How could you possibly have known?" Minako spoke up. "All you did was shake her hand."

"I'm the same as Michiru." Despo admitted, raising her eyes to stare up toward the sky. "She knows things or, rather she feels them. But my premonitions are more intense and, only experienced through touch. I saw the life growing inside Usagi. I saw her daughter when I held her hand."

The room fell into silence as the girls absorbed the truth. It wasn't hard to believe, in their years as Sailor Soldiers, they had heard far more unusual things. So the thought of Despo having such abilities wasn't what plagued them. The changes happening in their world, the effects such changes were having on their princess, those were far more pressing matters.

"Regardless of all this, we came here for a reason." Minako spoke up and clasped her hands over her thighs. "Ami-chan, you have information to share with us about the new enemy don't you?"

The bespectacled girl nodded swiftly. "Yes, yes right." She pushed herself up off the floor and turned to Minako. "I've been analyzing the matter attached to the dead tree branch you brought me that night. It's remarkable stuff, terrifying really." She explained, with more zealous then was perhaps necessary.

"Usagi-chan should hear this too, shouldn't she?" Makoto questioned and Ami nodded once more.

"Of course, I'll go get her." Ami agreed and headed for the front door.

"Well this has certainly been an interesting night." Despo commented to Haruka, who pinched her nose and closed her eyes through a long-winded sigh. "You weren't kidding when you said you guys needed help."

"I hardly see how you're offering any help." Rei cut in, drawing Despo's golden eyes her way.

"Do you have a problem with me Rei?" The redhead asked, clearly more then a little bit amused.

"As a matter of fact-"

"Rei-chan..." Minako's stressed whisper cut her off, prompting the raven haired beauty to look her way.

"She's so full of herself, it's obnoxious!" She defended, none to quietly.

Despo laughed. "Funny, I was thinking the exact same thing about you." Haruka sighed once more and Makoto raised her hand to shelter her amused little smile. Rei bit the inside of her cheek, enraged as she turned upon her newest comrade, garnering an annoyed eye roll from Minako.

"You know what? You-"

But Rei was cut off as the front door swung open and Ami came tripping over the threshold. There was barely time for anyone to look her way before she called into the room.

"Usagi-chan isn't outside! I can't find her anywhere!"

"Maybe she decided to go home." Despo offered, clearly unconcerned. The fierce dislike in Rei's gaze sent chills through the room.

"Well she did get some pretty shocking news tonight." Makoto reasoned, trying to break the friction shooting around Ami's apartment. "She's probably emotionally exhausted!"

"Perhaps..." Ami agreed, though she still appeared troubled and did not stray from her place in the doorway.

"I know where she's gone." All eyes drew toward Haruka. She had turned her back on the glass doors, her face fixed in a hard, unpleasant sort of look. "We have to go after her."

Ding

The elevator doors folded back in cold welcome but, Usagi was hesitant to venture through them. She had gone there for a reason but, having arrived she was growing steadily more unsure of herself. She'd ridden that elevator hundreds of times, never once feeling apprehensive about it. But that was back when everything in her world made sense. Things were different, her world had changed.

Mamoru's apartment no longer held the appeal of a second home for Usagi. Standing in that elevator, there was no joy in the thought of entering the home of her fated beloved. It had changed from a safe haven, to a dwelling haunted by the ghost of an unspeakable heartache. That apartment was where her dreams had shattered into jagged glass.

The elevator doors began to close and Usagi staggered forward through them into the hallway. She huffed panicked breaths, feeling her heart hammer painfully in her chest. She felt ridiculous, but the thought of facing Mamoru sent the poor girl into hysterics. She wanted to cry. She didn't want to see him, but it had to be done.

Her legs were jelly as they carried her across the hall to his door, her eyes glazed with tears but set in a hard stare. She had to be strong. A hand rose to her belly and, taking comfort in the life she now knew grew inside it, Usagi straightened her back proudly and rose her head. It didn't matter what had happened then, all that mattered was Chibiusa and the future destiny had promised her.

She knocked—having left her key behind the night she had fled the apartment—and waited with even breaths for the awkward meeting she anticipated. But Mamoru did not come to the door. Again Usagi knocked, louder this time but, still there was no answer.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi called out, giving a few loud pounds with the edge of her fist to the door. "Mamo-chan I need to talk to you!"

There was no reply from the other side of the door, no sounds of movement. He had to be home, Usagi knew he was not scheduled to be at the hospital that night. Had he gone out? Was what had happened between them so trivial in his eyes that he could go on with daily life without the slightest inkling of regret? Or was he ignoring her? Was he laying quietly behind the door, pretending he didn't hear? Was Michiru wrapped in his arms?

The thought made Usagi's heart ache so severely that she couldn't help but to curl in upon herself. Her palm flattened and pressed against the door, holding her upright as her free hand clutched at the loose powder blue sweater draped over her throbbing chest. The pain was overwhelming so much so that Usagi could no longer hold in the tears lingering inside her reddened eyelids.

"Mamo-chan..." A strangled cry past her lips as her forehead rested against the door. "Mamo-chan!" She shouted, pounding her fist against the door. "Mamo-chan! Mamo-chan!" She screamed over and over, beating both her fists into the wood, sinking toward the floor until she had fallen to her knees.

She hung her head then, cradling her swollen, sobbing face into her hands. Her desperate wails echoed around the hallway, mocking her as she sat in front of his door—her side propped against it—and cried until her lungs were raw. She was pathetic. She was a fool. She was weak. So weak, too weak to deal with such a harsh reality of life. There were no such things as star-crossed lovers, and fairytale endings were meant only for books to lull little girls to sleep at night. In the real world, not even a princess could find everlasting love.

"I'm pregnant." Her voice was cracked and hoarse as she whispered the words, her cheek pressed against the door. "I'm pregnant Mamo-chan." She said a little louder, not bothering to wipe away the tears that inflamed her cheeks. "Chibiusa is coming." She lifted her trembling hand, staring blurry-eyed at the small ring that encompassed her finger. "Our future is almost here. What am I supposed to do without you?" She asked quietly, privately, as if searching desperately within herself for the answer. "I can't do this alone." She hiccuped, pressing her face into her palm once more as renewed tears shook her shoulders.

"Silly kitten." A sighing drawl brought Usagi's head up and with a sniffle she craned her neck around to find Haruka standing in the hallway. The others lingered behind her, all bearing similar expressions of sorrow and support, Minako was actually in tears.

"Haruka-san? Everyone, why-" Usagi's face was confused, her voice questioning.

"You're not alone Princess." Haruka answered as she stepped toward her, crouching down to bring their blue gazes at level. She reached out a hand to stroke her gentle fingers along Usagi's warm, wet face, gathering the tears that marred it. "I'm right here." She flashed that elegant smile that made Usagi's stomach flutter, her eyes glowing with their comforting wisdom that helped to hide the sadness in her soul.

"And we're right over here." Despo called nonchalantly with a careless wave of her arm so as not to be forgotten. Rei glared moodily but, Minako hooked their arms to keep the woman quiet as she swiped at the tears in her eyes. It made Usagi laugh just slightly through her own tears.

Haruka cast the group a look, feigning an easy-going laugh, though there was something almost embarrassed about it . "Yes, we're all here." She corrected as she made to stand upright, taking Usagi's hand carefully to take the younger girl with her. "And we're going to take care of you." She assured, swinging out her other hand to pat Usagi's stomach lightly. "The both of you."

Usagi laughed again, this time more heartfelt as she rubbed the moisture from her cheeks with one hand. The utter hopelessness that had gripped her heart was quickly dissipating with the reassuring squeeze Haruka offered her hand. She drew her head back, staring up at her oldest and wisest soldier with a soft smile touching her lips. Maybe it was her age and experience that offered Usagi so much comfort and reassurance. Maybe it was the calming serenity that shone in her eyes, mingled with a tragic sort of understanding that made Usagi feel an intense sort of kinship. Greater then she had ever felt with her other soldiers.

They were all in this together but, more then anything it was Usagi and Haruka who held the greatest stake in all that had happened. They had both lost so much, had both found themselves scorned by the harsh reality that was life and love. Yet there Haruka was, planted firmly on her feet, an unwavering and unyielding pillar against the waves of hardship that bore upon them, keeping Usagi from being swept away. Her strength was inspiring, contagious almost, for the tremble that rocked Usagi's soul had passed. With Haruka holding her hand Usagi felt as if she could not only face the ugliness before her, but that she would indeed overcome it.

"Thank you." She breathed the word softly, privately and in reply Haruka nodded. Her regal mouth curled into the softest of smiles that made her deep sapphire eyes radiate light. Usagi felt her heart flutter. "All of you." She tore her eyes away to look toward her other soldiers, her cheeks flushed with her previous sorrow and a strange heat the garnered from her belly.

Makoto was grinning broadly, cocky as always though there was a teasing glint in her green eyes. Ami's smile was small and girlish in comparison, her cheeks kissed by a soft shade of pink and a telling look in her all knowing eyes. It made Usagi feel oddly exposed so that when Despo winked at her, her embarrassment was more then clear. Rei's smile was forced, her demeanor still rather hostile. It was obvious that the tension that had grown between she and the group's newest affiliate would not be quick to release.

"We are going to have so much fun!" Minako squealed as she shot forward, claiming Usagi's hand from Haruka to grasp both her palms as she bounced excitedly. "Baby shopping is the best kind of shopping! We're going to get Chibiusa soooo many cute things!" She gushed and a long absent excitement overtook Usagi.

"Pink! Pink everywhere!" She exclaimed, joining in on Minako's dance of motherhood joy. "Bows and ribbons and frill!"

"She'll look like a lolita shop vomited on her and it will be the cutest thing ever!" Minako agreed, pulling Usagi in close as they both began to hop around and shriek merrily.

"Well I guess everything's back to normal. Sorta." Makoto laughed as Ami bounced happily in her place beside her, clapping her hands rapidly.

"Oh and books! Don't forget the books! She'll have all the classic childrens' tales known in literature!" Usagi and Minako paused to look toward their bookworm friend with animated disapproval. Ami blanched. "With pictures of course."

The vivacious blonde duo gave a high-pitched cry of approval, pulling a surprised Ami into a twirling three way circular hug of joy. The others laughed genuinely. Finally, after so many days of worry and stress, there was some happiness to be shared.

"What the hell is all this racket?" A gruff voice cut through the girls' merriment. "I just got three different complaints about girls crying and screaming on this floor." Every female in the hallway turned their eyes upon an elderly man seeming intent on breaking up their little party. He was short, whether from genetics or age no one could say and, what little hair he did have left surrounded the crown of his head and was a peppery, unattractive gray. He wore a scowl on his face, yet it looked so natural with his features that it was hard to tell if he really was all that upset or, if that was just the way he looked normally.

"I'm sorry Nagashi-sama." Usagi straightened her stance and released her hold on Minako and Ami. She turned to face the man, her embarrassment clear as she gave a curt bow and an awkward sort of laugh. "We didn't mean to cause trouble." He was the building's manager.

"Oh it's you." The old man spat and rolled his eyes. It was not the first time he's crossed paths with Usagi and, clearly those times had been just as unpleasant for him. "What are you doing here? Figured I wouldn't have to see you again what with Chiba moving out."

"Moved out?" Makoto questioned. "When did he move out?"

"Why are you bothering me with questions?" Nagashi scoffed. "She's his girlfriend, shouldn't she know?" He wagged an almost accusing finger in Usagi's direction, but she didn't notice.

Her gaze had cast itself to the tip of her toes, a baffled and hurt expression twisting her pretty face. Collectively the other girls glared at the insensitive old man, static tension filling the hallway to the brim. Nagashi obviously felt it and seemed to grow more docile under the six murderous stares that were bearing upon him.

"About two days ago." He corrected with a particularly nasty clearing of his throat. "He's supposed to come back to claim his security deposit and the rest of his mail. Hasn't shown up yet."

Haruka moved to Usagi's side, touching a hand softly to the young girl's shoulder. She kept her head hung for a minute longer and, when she rose it, her eyes turned up to her tall soldier's face. A sad smile curled Usagi's lips, but there was resilience in her eyes as she touched her fingers together.

"When he returns..." Usagi began as she looked toward the old man and held out her hand to him. "Will you give him this?"

Nagashi reached out, far too intimidated by the young women confronting him to refuse and took from her fingers the small ring that had symbolized the love Usagi and Mamoru had shared. He nodded once, turned and headed off down the hallway. With Haruka by her side and the rest of the girls following in tow, Usagi made her way back to the elevator. A strange sort of emptiness had filled her in letting go of the ring she had so cherished for so long. Yet Usagi felt strangely at peace without it and, entwined her newly free fingers over her belly.

"I'm proud of you Princess." Haruka said quietly as they boarded the elevator.

Rei nodded her agreement. "A strong woman has no need for a man." She kept her eyes forward, even after noticing the funny look Minako was giving her.

"Well studies show that a child does flourish when there is both a strong male and female figure in their life." Ami mentioned tactlessly, earning a swat to the shoulder from Makoto. "Ah-oh but that's not always the case of course!" She laughed awkwardly.

"Don't sweat it Ami, Haruka's all the male-figure that kid will ever need." Despo laughed, prideful of her own comedy as Haruka gave a mildly amused snort.

"I just thought of something." Usagi broke through the lighthearted conversation, her voice the epitome of strain and anxiety. She threw her head back, groaning pitifully as the elevator doors closed. "What am I gonna tell my parents?"

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this!" Usagi uttered in a panicked whisper, ringing her hands in her lap.

She could not remember a time when she had felt more anxiety then she did on that day, sitting on the couch in her own living room. Her heart was hammering so hard against her ribcage she swore she could feel her bones cracking under the pressure. Haruka seemed regally blassé as always, which only added to Usagi's stress. How could she possibly be so calm?

"I can't say I'm happy about it either." Luna piped up from her place beside Usagi. Her feline posture was rigid, making her appear less as a cat and more like an unhappy mother-in-law. "This-this situation is so troublesome. I'm both completely overjoyed and extremely upset." She huffed.

"You two are worrying too much." Haruka sighed, garnering a hard look from both Usagi and Luna, which she brushed off easily with a shrug of broad manly shoulders. "Everything will be fine."

"Fine, fine you say? Have you looked at yourself? This is ridiculous. A completely misuse of power!" Luna scolded and for once, Usagi agreed with her.

The person who sat beside her—acting completely unaffected by the crisis before them—was indeed Haruka. Yet it wasn't. By appearances, the person who shared the couch with Usagi was Mamoru, at least that was what Usagi's parents' would see. Yes, that had been Haruka's brilliant plan; use the disguise pen to pose as Mamoru and accompany Usagi when she informed them of her condition. That way, everything would seem at least somewhat normal.

It was an idiotic plan. Usagi had been the first to point that out, surprisingly enough. But, with lack of a better one put forward and, not wanting to have to explain the truth to her parents, it was the one they had gone with.

"If it's to help the princess, I hardly see how it's an abuse of power." Haruka challenged mildly. Luna did not argue but, she was still obviously very unhappy.

"Tea's ready!" Usagi's mother sang cheerfully as she entered the room, stilling any further conversation on the matter. She brandished a tray containing a lovely little tea set, setting it down on the coffee table. "Your father should be home any minute now." She explained, serving Haruka a cup with a hostess' smile.

"Thank you." Haruka bowed her head and accepted the tea. She had dropped her voice an octave to sound more manly and, she had achieved her goal but, she didn't sound a thing like Mamoru. Usagi's mother didn't notice of course.

She didn't notice any of the telltale signs that the person who sat in front of her was not the person she pretended to be. But then, how could she? They were such small details that hardly anyone would notice. Usagi did though. In Haruka's high society posture, in the delicate way she sipped her tea and in the deep blue eyes that looked her way, crinkling with a soft smile. They were not Mamoru's eyes at all. Yet they still made Usagi's heart feel warm and her face feel flush.

"So Mamo-chan, how are things at the hospital?" Usagi's mother inquired as she claimed the chair to the side of the couch where Haruka sat.

"Oh fine." Haruka said conversationally. "The hours are long and, the work is stressful. But I really feel like I'm making a difference." She continued, her voice oozing false modesty. Usagi had to bite the inside of her lip to keep from rolling her eyes.

"Ah yes, being a doctor is such an important and admirable job." Usagi's mother gushed with a proud smile that wold make one think Mamoru was her own child. Usagi couldn't help but feel a pang of jeaousy.

"Thank you." Haruka bowed her head appreciatively.

"Oh! I think I hear your father." Usagi's mother flapped her hands and rose to her feet, excusing herself from the room.

"I think I'm going to vomit." Usagi confessed quietly. Her hands were trembling violently.

"Morning sickness?" Luna asked, turning to her with concern.

"Princess." Usagi heard Haruka's whisper close to her ear, feeling her warm breath breeze down the back of her neck. She turned to her soldier, to find Mamoru's face hovering close to her own, it made Usagi's stomach jump unpleasantly. But the large hand that encompassed both of Usagi's in it's own, sent a jolt to Usagi's heart to make it pitter-patter once more. It was gentle, soothing, feminine. "It will be alright." Mamoru told her in Haruka's voice, with Haruka's touch.

Usagi nodded her head, the corner of her lips turning up just slightly into something of a smile. She didn't notice her parents entering the living room. Only when her father cleared his throat loudly could she manage to tear her eyes away from the depths of Haruka's. She looked up to find her father glaring first at their touching hands, then straight into Haruka's face with something of a disapproving scowl. Her father never really had warmed up to Mamoru, or rather the idea of his only daughter having a boyfriend.

"What's this all about?" His suspicion was obvious as he claimed the chair. Usagi's mother came to sit beside her, shooing Luna away carefully. Luna hopped from the couch, but found a new spot to sit below the coffee table. She would not leave Usagi.

"Daddy..." Usagi began, her voice cracking. Haruka's squeezed her hands comfortingly. Her father's eyes were mere slits. "I... we have some-something to tell you." Her mind was in a frenzy, her stomach was in knots and, Usagi was sure that if she hadn't have had Haruka to lean against, she would have keeled over. "I'mpregnant,you'reagrandfathercongradulation s." She spat it out so quickly, she wasn't sure her father would be able to decipher what she had said.

The wide eyes reflected behind his glasses and, the green color rapidly overtaking his complexion told that he had. Usagi looked away from his dazed eyes sheepishly, turning instead to her mother who instantly turned red and began to blubber incoherently, gripping Usagi's arm.

"Mama." Usagi teared up as well, sniffling and hiccuping as her shoulders began to shake.

Her mother pressed her forehead to Usagi's shoulder, reaching down a hand to rub her belly affectionately. "M-my bay-byyy's ha-having a-a babyyy!" She choked, her body racked with the kind of happy and horrified sobs that only a mother watching her child become an adult could experience.

Usagi clung to her mother as they both cried, rocking together on the couch as Usagi repeatedly apologized and her mother insisted everything would be fine. Her father simply sat there in silence, gripping the arms of his chair so tightly that his knuckles had gone white. He was staring over his wife and daughter's heads, lost in his own shock, unable to come up with any words to properly explain what was going on in his mind. He looked a painful mixture of enraged and nauseated.

"Sir." Haruka called out, prompting Usagi's fahter to turn his eyes very slowly, threateningly to Mamoru's face. "I'm in love with your daughter. I have been ever since I first met her, I had always intended to spend the rest of my life with her." She set her teacup on the table, curling her hands over Mamoru's knees. "What I ask you to let me do now is not out of sense of duty or obligation. It is from my heart. Please allow me to take responsibility for your daughter and my child."

For a long moment Usagi's father was eerily quiet, letting only the sounds of Usagi and her mother's sobs and, his own ragged breath fill the room. He stared at Haruka, seeing Mamoru's face, looking like a man on the brink of a mental fracture. Murder shone in his eyes and, Haruka would have been lying if she had claimed later on that she hadn't been scared to death that he would lung at her and strangle the life from her lungs. He stayed firmly planted in his chair though, seething in his own mind, though his anger was anything but private.

"Well go on then." He breathed through clenched teeth, his leg trembling.

Haruka nodded. "Usagi..." She called gently, touching a hand to Usagi's quavering back. The young girl turned to Haruka, staying wrapped in her mother's embrace as she wiped at her wet cheeks and swollen nose. She watched as Haruka retrieved something from her pocket and tilted her head curiously.

It was a small white box and, when Haruka opened Usagi was in awe of the lovely little ring that sat inside. It was a sophisticated antique gold, it's color dark and rich, forming delicate petals like a rose around a large pink pearl. It was stunning and, Usagi marveled at it's beauty before the sound of her mother's gasp cleared her mind. She hadn't noticed, but when she managed to bring her eyes back up to Mamoru's image she found him down on one knee in front of her.

Realization dawned over the ditsy blonde and, instantly her shining blue eyes were wide. Her lips grew unspeakably dry and her throat uncomfortably tight as she stared at the face in front of her. The eyes bore an impish sort of stare and, slowly the image of Mamoru's face dissolved in front of Usagi's vision until she was left staring at her handsome blonde soldier. Haruka smiled, wistful as a summer breeze.

"Will you marry me?"

If I could flow like the wind I would reach you.

If I could shine like a moon I would keep shining on you.

I'll be anything if it can stop you from being seized with fear.

-Moments by Ayumi Hamasaki

Hello lovlies. Did you miss me? ;P I know I've been away for a long while and I apologize. Life has become rather difficult. It's been hard to write but, I have no intention of abandoning this story. It means too much to me and, your support means even more. So I hope all of you are happy with it and, excited to see just where I'm going to take this messy storyline.

And don't be too discouraged by the cliffhangers, they're kind of my trademark. ;*

Reviews?