"Wufei?" Rei asked as she looked around Wufei's bedroom while fiddling with her engagement ring as he was packing for his departure to her world.
"Yes?" He stopped packing then looked up to see Rei looking at her engagement ring. Forgetting his clothes, he walked up to her and placed his right index finger under her chin as he asked with worry, "What it is, Rei?"
Rei looked into his coal black eyes for a brief minute then glanced back at her ring. "I . . ." she sighed and walked over to his bed to sit down. "This . . ." she slid off the ring and clutched it in her right hand, "I don't think it would be right if I showed up and my grandfather saw this on my hand."
Wufei looked at her closed hand as he walked over to her and knelt in front of her as he asked, "Are you questioning my love?"
"No." She said softly as she looked up and into his eyes as she furthered explained, "I just don't want my grandfather to be crushed. I never thought I'd be going back to my world and now that I am . . ."
Wufei leaned forward and kissed her forehead as he stuck out his right hand, "You want me to ask for his permission?"
"Yes."
"You're barely showing, so do we also tell him you're pregnant?"
"I think he'll figure that on his own."
"So you want him to hate me and then ask for your hand in marriage?"
"Something like that." She joked.
Wufei chuckled as he shook his head from amusement as he asked, "How soon do you want me to ask for your hand in marriage?"
Rei smiled and gently placed her left hand on his right cheek as she answered him, "When he sees how much you love me."
"Then that might take some time." He joked while he winked at her.
Rei laughed as she leaned into him as he mimicked her and then kissed her. "I love you, Chang."
"I love you, Onna. Come on, help me pack."
"Serena?" Heero asked as he saw Serena taking in deep breaths as Sailor Pluto arrived. Heero raised an eyebrow as the woman he knows as Dr. Trista Meioh was wearing a ridiculous outfit as she held a giant key like staff.
He was about to ask another question until Serena looked at Trista and addressed her, "Pluto, I'm leaving you in charge."
Trista gave her a nod as she looked to Heero and asked, "How much longer until-"
Heero smirked when Duo's voice bellowed throughout the apartment, "Let's get the show on the road!"
Trista shook her head with amusement and looked to see Serena wince from pain and asked with uncertainty, "Hime, are you sure about this?"
"Pluto, I'm sure. I'll be fine." Serena replied while she felt the contraction subside.
Pluto gave her a nod then looked to see the inner scouts along with the Gundman pilots were beginning to walk towards the bedroom. Whispering to Serena, "Alright." Pluto helped Serena from the bed with Heero on Serena's left side and wrapping his right arm around her waist. Pluto glanced to the hallway and instructed, "Gather in the living room."
Mina being the first in command to the inner scouts asked, "Will we need to transform," while she saw Serena wincing from pain and began to pull out her transformation pen.
"No. Although," Pluto answered Mina as her garnet eyes locked onto Rei's violet colored eyes, "you need to brace yourselves because your families know the truth."
"What?" Rei shrieked as she looked at Serena to see Serena was holding up her right hand while shaking her head no. "Serena, tell me you didn't . . ."
"Hai." Serena answered weakly as she looked to Pluto and commanded, "We need to go."
"Serena!" Rei yelled as she looked at her princess and leader but was stopped from Heero's death glare.
Pluto looked to the fiery scout and answered, "They needed to know, Rei. We can discuss this later. Right now we need to get back so Dr. Mizuno can help stop Serena's contractions." She took the time staff and pointed it towards the window and opened a portal as she motioned for Serena and Heero to walk in first. The Gundam pilots all stared in awe as they then looked with admiration at the six women standing in their midst and then followed their fearless leader.
21st Century
"I can't believe they're all coming home," Ilene said as an icebreaker as her and Ken were standing in the sacred grounds to the Shikawa shrine. Her azure eyes glanced over to the family members to her daughter's friends and protectors as she smiled with pride.
"How long has it been?" Mina's mother asked as she looked to the Tsukinos.
"Almost a year," Dr. Mizuno answered as she smiled knowing her daughter is finally coming home as she commented, "Now I understand why Serena's been so stressed."
Ilene laughed nervously as she remarked, "You're no longer in the dark, Aiya."
"A good thing too."
Amara shook her head as she stood tall as she spoke up, "They're coming."
The group all looked to the opened area and saw a dark purple hole appear as Serena came walking out with a young man next to her. This young man had dark brown hair, piercing Prussian blue eyes, and wore loose jeans and a white buttoned up shirt. Sammy shook his head as he mumbled, "For coming from the future, they don't dress any differently."
The man chuckled as he noticed the teenage boy gulp as Serena's laughter along with her friends greeted the sacred grounds to the shrine. "No, Sammy, they dress very similar except for the school uniforms we had to wear."
The adults all stood still as they saw their daughters but looked on in amazement at the men that accompanied them. Ilene took a hold of Ken's hand as she noticed how protective the man with the Prussian blue eyes was of their daughter. They continued to observe as the man looked at Serena with worry as he placed his right hand over her swollen stomach. "Serena?" Ilene asked with concern as she didn't want to draw attention from the happy parents whom were uniting with their daughters.
Amy quickly rushed up to Serena's side as she smiled at her mom but turned serious as she looked at Serena and demanded, "We need to get you to the hospital."
"What's going on Amy?" Dr. Mizuno asked with concern as she then took out her cellphone and dialed a number while giving Serena a scolding look as a male's voice came on the line, "Shields, get a private room set up for Serena, she's going into active preterm labor. Yes, whatever stunt she pulled by going back to that world put enough stress on her and the baby."
Amara pushed her way past the Tsukino's as she looked at Dr. Mizuno, "I'll drive. Everyone meet us at the hospital."
Serena fought past the pain as she looked at her friends and their family as she spoke up, "Sorry for ruining your . . ."
"Come on," Heero said as he picked her up princess style and began to follow the tomboyish woman.
"Heero it's . . ."
Heero glared at her as he spoke up, "No, Serena – you've put you and our son in danger. We could have stayed until you recovered from your stupid stunt."
Serena matched his glare and crossed her arms as she argued with him, "MY stunt? I wasn't the one who got shot!"
"I'm not the one whose pregnant, loving to time travel, use magic to heal the wounded soldier, which then drained myself from much needed energy." Heero argued.
"You did what?" Amara yelled as she opened the backdoor for Heero and Serena as she glared at her princess and felt frustration as she asked, "You just said you were checking on the battle!"
Serena winced from another contraction as she clenched her teeth while whining, "Not you too, Amara!"
Dr. Mizuno slammed her door shut as she turned back to look at Serena as she spoke to everyone in the car, "Amara and you," she said pointing to Heero, "are not helping the stress the baby's in, and you," she said pointing her finger at Serena, "need to do everything you can to calm down. The most important thing right now is stopping these contractions. Now," she said turning back around in her seat to see how crazy Amara's driving was as she closed her eyes to help stop the motion sickness as she continued to speak, "Amara, I know you are one of Serena's guardians, but when we get to the hospital, I will need you to keep everyone out of the room. Darien will be there in the room to help me try to stop the contractions. Until we can get them to stop, I'll allow a few of you in the room at a time. Ah-" she said interrupting Amara from arguing while holding up a hand, "I know how protective everyone is of Serena, but right now all of the yelling, fighting, and arguing is only making things worse. I need to help calm this storm so we can protect her and the baby."
Heero silently observed the woman driving and the doctor as he was running his fingers through Serena's golden locks. He glanced down to see another contraction as Serena was beginning to wince and clench her jaw as he stopped running his fingers through hair to rub her back, "I'm sorry," he whispered as he received a smile.
"You were right."
"Your world is very . . ."
"Ancient?"
Heero chuckled as he shook his head no and wrapped an arm around her as they were jerked forward from the rapid stop. Heero glared at the female driver as he saw Dr. Mizuno quickly get out of the car and saw she motioned for some help. He got out of the car and helped Serena as he glared at the male nurses. Picking Serena up princess style he looked to Dr. Mizuno, "I don't want them near her."
Amara smirked as she looked at the nurses and commented, "Good call."
"Hn." Was his remark as he missed Amara's balled up fist from his curt reply as he followed Dr. Mizuno into the hospital.
The four remaining Gundam boys all looked at their new surroundings as they were following the girls' parents along with the girls to the automobiles. Duo laughed as he looked at a Toyota Highlander as he commented, "We came from how many years from the future, and to think the automobiles we drive are exactly the same."
Mina laughed as she glanced back to see Ilene talking on her cellphone. Mina looked at her friends and asked, "Who thinks Amara will try to strangle Heero the minute she can get him away from Serena?"
The Gundam boys said nothing, Ken and Sammy both smiled, as the girls all raised their hands. Duo snorted as he answered her, "Babe, I bet that chick won't be able to land a punch on Hee-man."
The girls and Sammy all laughed as Mina poked Duo in the chest as she batted her dark eyelashes as she answered, "You're on, Maxwell."
Rei growled with frustration as she looked at her friends and began to direct them to the vehicles, "Will you two stop and get in the car so we can leave?"
Ken just chuckled as he opened the door to their Highlander and spoke up, "We'll meet you at the hospital."
"What in the hell did you do, Meatball head?"
Heero glared at the man and pulled Serena closer to him as he heard Serena's weak laugh as she answered the raven haired man, "Darien, I'm so thrilled to know you still can't remember my name at times."
"I remember your name perfectly, but at times likes these your nickname fits." Darien looked to the other man in the room and chuckled as he shook his head. "You must be Heero."
Heero glared even more as he felt Serena pinch him. Glaring at her, she smiled, "Heero this is my friend Darien."
Amara closed her phone as she pointed a finger at Heero as she threatened, "After things have settled, I'ld like a word with you, Heero Yuy."
Serena's yelp caused the tension between the three to be broken up as they all looked at her as Dr. Mizuno came walking in and demanded, "Serena, get dressed. Dr. Shields I have ordered four doses of Terbutiline."
Darien gave her a nod and looked to the couple as he spoke to Heero, "Heero, I'll give you some time to help Serena get dressed. I'll come back with some nurses." Darien looked to Serena as he saw the fear in her eyes. "I'll go let everyone know what the status is."
"Thanks, Darien." Serena answered as she looked to Heero and then saw Darien was no longer in the room as the door shut.
Heero walked over to her and asked, "Is he your ex-boyfriend?"
"Yes."
Heero gave her a nod as he helped take off her shoes as Serena was taking off her shirt. "We should have stayed in my world, Rena."
Serena helped Heero with the nightgown as she laid back and winced as she ordered, "Get Darien."
Fifteen people filled the waiting room as they all kept their eyes on the round clock which hung above the door. Wufei and Rei were sitting on one of the couches as he was rubbing her right hand with the left thumb as his raven eyes would glance to his fiancée to the old man that was sitting on the other side of her. "She'll be okay," he whispered as he was the one to break the silence.
Ilene smiled softly at Serena's group of friends as she commented, "Serena told us stories about how you met these good-looking men, but I'm afraid she failed to mention names."
Mina smiled at Ilene as she was sitting in a chair with Duo sitting on the left arm as his arm was wrapped around her shoulders. "This didn't go like I'd imagine it would," she said with a nervous smile as she looked to her parents, "Mom and Dad, this is my boyfriend Duo Maxwell. Duo this is my mother Helen and my father James Aino.
Duo stood from the chair to shake Mina's and commented, "Now I understand where Mina gets her looks from."
James glared at the man as he also had blonde hair and blue eyes as he firmly shook Duo's hand as he asked, "What are you intentions with my daughter, Mr. Maxwell?"
Mina quickly stood up as she laughed nervously and wrapped her arms around Duo as she began to pull him back and spoke, "Daddy . . . Duo is a great guy."
"You are gone for how long, and you're finally home. Are you also knocked up?"
Duo glared as he took a step forward and spoke up for Mina, "No!"
"Are all of you girls knocked up?" James asked as he glared at each of the Gundam pilots as he saw the blonde blushing profusely while Ami spit out her sip of water. "Are you? Is that why you came home to tell us the news?"
Rei stood up as she pointed her finger at Mina's father and spoke up, "How dare you! You know nothing of the situation and you accuse your daughter and her friends of being pregnant just because we came back home with our boyfriends or fiancé?"
"Rei-" Wufei said trying to get Rei to calm down, but closed his mouth as Rei glared back at him.
"No Wufei – Mr. Aino, I respect you but you just drew the line in accusing your daughter of things that are not true. " She turned her attention to her Grandpa as her fiery temper was still rising, "I'm sorry Grandpa, I thought I could wait to tell you but you need to know that I'm engaged to Wufei and we're expecting a child –" she turned back and pointed her hand at Mr. Aino and spoke up, "just me! Quatre and Ami aren't even dating! Trowa and Lita just got engaged! As for your daughter, Duo was hoping this day would come so he could ask permission to MARRY YOUR DAUGHTER!" She felt someone grab her hand, and yelled at the person, "What?"
Wufei glared at her as he stood from the couch as he asked, "Did you just have to blurt everything out, Onna or is it the hormones?"
"Don't you start, Chang! My friend is in a room and because of her good intentions and stupid decision for us to come home, she's loosing the baby!" Wufei quickly wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close as he felt her latch onto his black shirt and began to cry.
Amy sighed as she spoke up, "She's going to make it, Rei. Darien is in there –"
Dr. Mizuno stepped into the room as she asked as she looked to a twelve-year-old girl with shoulder cropped raven black hair and wearing a purple dress was standing next to Amara and Michelle. "Hotaru, will you please come with me?"
"Aiya, what's going on?" Ilene asked as she felt Ken's arm tighten around her waist as they all looked to Dr. Mizuno with heavy hearts.
"I have given Serena the maximum dosage of Tributilne to help stop the contractions, and Darien is doing what he can and has asked for Hotaru."
"And Heero?" Quatre asked.
Amara snorted and ignored the glare she received from the Gundam Pilots as Dr. Mizuno looked at him and sighed as she answered the blonde, "He's worried."
Hotaru looked up at Amara and Michelle as she spoke up softly, "Take me to Serenity-hime."
Heero watched intently as Darien sat on the left side of Serena while holding her hand and was emitting a gold-light. "What are you doing?" Heero asked and felt useless for the first time.
Darien looked up at the man Serena fell in love with and smiled softly as he answered, "Transferring some of my energy to her. What energy she has is being sucked into the Imperium crystal to keep her alive, so I'm trying to give Serena an energy boost. I've asked Dr. Mizuno to get Hotaru due to she has the same ability."
"Serena also has the same ability?"
"Yes. She's going to make it, Heero."
"What about the baby?"
Darien sighed as he looked down to Serena's swollen stomach and then back to Heero as he answered, "I think he'll make it – her contractions have finally stopped."
The door opened and Hotaru walked in and to the bed as she pulled another chair up alongside of Darien and placed both of her hands on her stomach as she leaned down and whispered to the unborn child, "You may not be my best friend, Chibi-Usa, yet I know your mother will be devastated if she were to lose you." Hortaru's violet eyes glanced up to look at Heero as she then smirked as she continued to speak, "Saturn Crystal Power," she said as her hands produced a light violet glow around Serena's stomach.
Heero sat on the right of Serena and stared in awe at the two as he grabbed a hold of Serena's right hand and intertwined his fingers with hers as he closed his eyes and silently thought, I can't lose you again, Serena . . .
The group of fifteen found themselves staring down at the blue and green commercial carpet as Amara startled the group by punching the soda-pop machine. "Amara?" Ilene asked as she looked up at the most protective of Serena's guardians and saw Michelle place a hand on Amara's right shoulder.
"It's all that damn boy's fault!"
"What?" Wufei asked as he glared at the woman that accused Heero for the situation they were in and looked down to see Rei beginning to sit up from his outburst.
Quatre groaned as he could feel all of the different feelings in the room and addressed the whole group with agitation, "Enough!" Squaring his shoulders back once he caught attention of everyone in the room to look at both Amara and Wufei as he continued to speak, "We're not helping the situation by pointing fingers on whose to blame. You can hate Heero, but whether you want to believe us or not when I'm speaking as Heero's friend is does he loves her. You may want to kill Heero for getting Serena pregnant, yet for being trained not to show any emotions since he was five until now – I can assure you that Serena is the only thing that matters to him." He glared at Amara as he continued to speak, "Serena was the one that chose to come back and help in our last mission, and she was the one to make the decision to heal his bullet wound – he tried to stop her from leaving when the contractions began –but seeing the mannerisms of the women from this world, she's too damn stubborn to know when to quit!"
Duo whistled as he joked, "Qu-man, I didn't know you had it in you."
Quatre groaned as he then pinched the bridge to his nose as he grumbled, "Duo, you're not helping!"
Ami stared in awe as she was the next to speak up, "Quatre is right, Amara. Whatever is going on in that room not only will it affect Serena, it will also affect Heero. From our point-of-view," she said indicating to Mina, Lita, Rei, and herself, "we saw what damage Serena caused to Heero when she left six months ago – she also caused the Imperium . . . ." she trailed off as she turned to look at the other Inner scouts, "We have the piece of the Imperium silver crystal with us!"
"What are you talking about, Ami?" Michelle asked as she looked to Amara and back to the Inner scouts to sit down with her head held in her hands and groaned out, "Please tell us Serena didn't cause a piece of the Imperium Silver Crystal to be with you when she left."
Rei sat up as she looked to Michelle and sighed, "She did." She looked to the Inner scouts with a look of determination on her face as she then looked to Amara and Michelle as she asked, "Are you coming?"
"We're coming-"
Mina turned and shook her head no at Duo as she then smiled softly at Ilene, "We're sorry we didn't think of this any sooner, but would you, Ken, and Sammy come with us."
Duo sat back down in the chair with a pout as he mumbled, "This sucks!"
Rei grabbed a hold of Amara's hand as she cautioned, "Now is not the time to start a fight with Heero, Amara."
Hotaru fell to the bed depleted from her healing ability as she whispered softly, "I'm sorry, Hime that I can't do more."
Heero noticed Darien continued to focus his attention on Serena to speake up, "Thank-you, Hotaru."
Hotaru opened her eyes to look at Heero as she smiled, "I can see why she was drawn to you, Heero Yuy."
Darien chuckled as he held his thoughts due to the door opened to reveal the rest of the Sailor Scouts, minus Pluto. "What are you six doing here?"
"We're Sailor Scouts, are we not?" Mina asked, taking charge as she held the door open long enough for the scouts and the Tsukinos to step into the room.
Darien chuckled again as he saw Heero stand up only to be greeted with a hug from Ilene as they heard Ilene asking him, "How are you doing, Heero?"
Ken smiled at the young man his daughter had chosen as he walked over to him and spoke up, "We never did introduce ourselves, Son. I'm Serena's father, Ken, that is her mother, Ilene, and her younger brother, Sammy."
The girls all looked at each other as they heard Ken call Heero, son, and then smiled as they saw Ken pull Heero into a hug. "We need to get started." Mina spoke up as the girls all stepped towards the bed as Mina placed a hand on Heero's left shoulder as she explained, "We're going to need to surround Serena so that we can also transfer some of our powers to her. Once we're done, you may sit next to her."
Heero gave her a nod as he reluctantly let go of Serena's hand as he felt a hand grip his shoulders to see it was Ken. "She was also miserable without you," Ken whispered as they watched the girls begin to glow their respective colors as Serena's body glowed like the rainbow and then to white as the Imperium Silver Crystal came forth from Serena's chest to envelope Serena like a blanket. Just as quickly as the light came it was gone and the girls continued to kneel on the floor smiling at Serena. "What happened?" Ken asked.
Rei smiled as she stood and answered him, "We were able to give Serena back what power she gave to us when she left. With Darien and Hotaru's added energy, the crystal's power has finally been restored until Serena decides to do something stupid."
Ilene hugged each girl as she saw Amara pick Hotaru up and thanked them as she looked to Darien and asked, "Is it okay if we stay awhile?"
Darien looked to Heero and then back to the Tsukinos as he answered Ilene, "I'll be back to check on her and the baby."
"Thank-you, Darien."
"Anytime, Ilene." He looked to Heero to see how he was trying to handle the display of affection that was directed towards him as he asked, "Heero, why don't you come with me and I'll buy you some coffee."
Heero looked to the Tsukinos and back to Darien and gave him a nod.
Darien walked into the cafeteria and grabbed two coffee cups and gave one to Heero as he spoke up, "If you're wondering, the Tsukinos have accepted you into their family the minute Serena told them about you."
Heero glared as he poured two packets of sugar into the coffee as he spoke up, "I don't deserve-"
Darien cut Heero off as he spoke up, "Yes you do. The reason why I say this is because I was once you – closed off, didn't care for other people, and then Serena happened. She turned my world upside down and before I knew it my walls were demolished. We've dated for about a year and we were shown a future. I'm the one to break her heart because I fell in love with someone that I could make my own future with and because I knew Serena deserved better."
"You think I'm better for her?"
Darien chuckled as he paid for their drinks and began to walk back to the room as he answered him, "Yes, I do. You can protect her better than I ever could, Heero."
"Serena, you have some amazing friends and Heero's picture doesn't do him any justice." Ilene said and then blushed as Heero walked back into the room.
Heero looked at Serena's parents and shook his head as he began to open the door, "I'll step-"
"Heero, you don't have to leave." Ilene said as she could see how much pain and worry Heero was trying to mask as she saw the turmoil in his Prussian eyes.
"You need some time-"
"Heero . . ." Serena asked weakly as she felt some of her sedatives wearing off as she smiled softly at her parents and saw how quickly Heero was at her side as she asked, "the baby?"
"Is fine," he answered as he leaned in and kissed her on the forehead, "get some sleep," he ordered as he set his coffee cup on the nightstand and then turned his attention back to Serena as he brushed back some of her hair as he whispered, "I'm right here."
Serena smiled as she rolled onto her right side to get closer to him as she felt him combing his fingers through her hair as she whispered, "This has been a disaster."
Heero chuckled as he looked up at the Tsukinos and then back to Serena as he answered her, "Everyone is getting along fine."
Ken and Ilene both stepped to the bed as Ken spoke up, "Heero's right. Get some sleep, you've been through a lot."
"You haven't killed him yet, Dad?" Serena joked.
Ken laughed as he looked up to see Heero staring at the floor as he answered her, "I wanted to when he first stepped through to the portal, but then I saw how protective he is of you and know you're in good hands, Sweetheart. I still don't agree you two didn't wait until you were married or waited until you were both done with school, but . . ." he sighed as he looked at Heero as he spoke up with a proud smile, "seeing how you've been reincarnated, you're a princess to a long forgotten race, and you're Sailor Moon – I believe you're capable of making your own decisions and if he can allow the world to be lifted from your shoulders, then I have no objections."
Ilene smiled at Heero as she leaned down and kissed Serena's forehead as she spoke up, "You're father doesn't want to admit it, but he's actually grateful Heero's around your age."
Serena chuckled as she squeezed his one hand as she spoke up still groggy from her meds, "I love you guys."
"We know, Sweetie. Get some sleep." Ilene said as she kissed Serena's forehead again and saw Ken do the same they both looked to see Heero staring at Serena as they both smiled at each other. "Heero," Ilene spoke up to see she got his attention and ordered, "get some sleep as well."
Heero gave them a nod as he watched her parents and brother leave as he saw Serena looking at him with droopy eyes as he asked, "Aren't you supposed to be asleep?"
"There's room on the bed."
Heero shook his head as he then walked around and laid down to see she was rolled onto her other side and already snuggling up to him. "Happy?" He asked with amusement.
Serena gave him a nod and closed her eyes to find herself quickly back to sleep. Heero closed his eyes as he began to run his fingers back through her long tresses as he found himself staring at the ceiling and whispered, "I could get used to this."