Third Time's the Charm

By Bashfulglowfly

Chapter Five

Endymion watched as another of Serenity's memories unfolded in his mind.

Sailor Moon stood awkwardly in the doorway. Something inside her that she only vaguely recognized led her here. Inside the room was a man who was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. King Endymion. It was obvious that he was badly hurt; one leg was in a cast and his chest and right shoulder were wrapped in bandages. He had looked up when the door opened and stared back at her, startled to see her.

King Endymion removed his glasses and set aside the computer tablet he was reading. Carefully he moved closer to the right side of the bed and held out his left arm to the girl in doorway. "Hello, Sailor Moon. Please, come in."

She stood for a moment longer, trembling, then rushed to his side, crawled onto the bed, laid her head on his chest and began to cry. Her hot tears soaked through his bandages as her sobs shook her body. He gently stroked her hair and back with his good hand while whispering quiet words into her hair. He knew that she wasn't really listening to what he was saying; it was the tone that she really needed to hear.

Eventually her tears stopped and she rested quietly on his chest. King Endymion didn't stopped his gentle stokes or the soft murmurs. Finally, Sailor Moon raised her head and looked up at him.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For crying all over you and getting your bandages all wet."

"I dry." He smiled at her hiccupping laugh. He knew what was troubling the girl. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

Sailor Moon chewed on her lip for a moment then quietly spoke. "Demando scared me. A lot."

"I see."

"I thought he was going to…to…make me…" She turned anguished eyes to him but all he did was looked back at her, waiting for her to say what she needed to say aloud. She laid her head back down on his chest. "I thought he was going to r…rape me."

"But he didn't."

"No. Kunzite got there in time. But I was so scared."

King Endymion lightly kissed the top of her head. "Of course you were, darling girl. It WAS something to be afraid of and there is nothing wrong with being afraid."

"But, I'm Sailor Moon. I'm supposed to be strong all of the time."

"Says who?"

There was a long pause. "No one." She replied in a small voice. "Except me."

King Endymion hugged her close. "We do more to punish ourselves than any other person." He felt her nod. "It will take time but it won't be as bad after a while." He tilted her chin up so that he could look in her eyes. "You're going to met Mamoru soon." Her eyes widened at that and he smiled. "Yes, soon. I promise. And I want you to promise me that you will tell him everything you remember about what Demando did."

"I promise."

"Pinky swear!" King Endymion frowned sternly at her and held out his hand with the pinky extended.

Sailor Moon giggled at the sight of the King of the Earth wanting a pinky swear. She hooked her own pinky through his and did as he asked. Then she stared at him. There was something different about him now than how he looked in the hologram. "OH! You aren't purple!"

King Endymion stared blankly at her. "Purple?"

Sailor Moon grinned. "In the hologram your hair and tuxedo were purple. I thought that you had REALLY bad fashion sense like that ugly green jacket you wear in the pictures the Shitennou have shown me of you."

"That was a nice jacket!" Even after over a thousand years he still missed that jacket. He just KNEW Serenity and the girls did something with it just before the ice covered the world. "The hologram made my hair and tuxedo purple?" He sighed, he knew who was to blame for that stunt. "Neph's going to pay." He muttered.

Sailor Moon giggled then jumped at the voice that came from behind.

"DAD!" That single word was voiced in a tone utter shock.

The pair turned around and there in another doorway stood two boys around ten and eight years of age. The younger one stared opened mouthed at the strange woman lying on their father's hospital bed. The older narrowed his eyes and stepped forward. "Sailor…Moon?" he said cautiously.

"Boys, this is Sailor Moon. She came from the past to this time to rescue your sister. She was upset and needed to talk."

Sailor Moon stared at the boys who looked so much like the man in the bed next to her. She pointed at them and asked, "Who…who are they?"

"They are our sons." He pointed to the older boy. "That's Masanori. And the younger is Mitsuo."

Sailor Moon stared at the two boys then at King Endymion. "So, are they 900 years old like Chibi-Usa?"

King Endymion choked. Mitsuo just stared at her like she was insane. Masanori rolled his eyes. "See, Dad! I TOLD you the brat was a liar!" He turned to Sailor Moon. "She's not 900 years old. She's five."

"Oh." That was about the only thing that she could think of to say. She was a bit surprised that learn that she would have three children. "I though I was only able to have one child…a girl."

"Well, that was true for your mother and your other ancestors. But none of them ever considered having children with a Ruler of Earth."

"Oh. WOW! Three kids!"

Mitsuo frowned. "There's four of us…not counting the baby that's gonna be born."

"Mitsuo! Stop talking!" King Endymion frowned at his son. Sailor Moon was going to be taking too much knowledge of the future with her.

"Five kids!" Sailor Moon was shocked.

"What are you two boys doing in here anyways? You're supposed to be helping with the other children."

Masanori spoke. "Sorry, Dad but we wanted to let you know that the Rips were really fussing about seeing Auntie Rei. I didn't let them because I knew that if they did, they would break her concentration. But I did take Emi and Aya to look so that they could let everyone else know that the Aunties are okay."

It was Sailor Moon's turn to frown. "The Rips?"

"The Rips are Rei and Jade's triplets. Rampaging little monsters." Said Masanori.

"Masanori!" Masanori just grinned at his father's scolding tone.

"Well, they ARE only three." Said Mitsuo. "Dad, did you see what Auntie 'Taru did a few minutes ago?"

King Endymion closed his eyes. Sailor Moon could tell that he didn't really want to know but had to ask anyway. "I was busy. What did she do?"

Mitsuo squirmed. "She's really, really, REALLY angry."

Masanori added. "Uncle Jade would say that she's 'effing pissed!'"

King Endymion just groaned. "Never mind. I don't want to know. I'm sure we can get it fixed…eventually."

Sailor Moon giggled at his exaggerated pain.

He glared at her then smiled. He caressed her cheek with his good hand. "You better go. Kunzite will probably be checking on you soon and if you aren't where he left you, he'll tear the Castle apart."

"Okay." Sailor Moon stood up. She looked at the two boys who still stood there. "Can I hug you?" Masanori and Mitsuo grinned at her then stepped forward, hugging the girl who would eventually become their Mother.

King Endymion smiled. "See you soon, Usagi."

Author's note: Emi and Aya are the first names of two of the seiyū who voiced some of the Senshi. So guess who the Mothers of Emi and Aya are! ;)