We do not own "Sailor Moon" nor any of the characters.
"SAILOR MOON ETERNAL"
The 6th Season of the Sailor Moon Saga
Chapter 28
"Secrets of Married Life"
Later that wonderfully exhausting night, Sayer Starr awakens, vague, but very aware of Alex's presence, and dazzled by the deep red sparkle of the special U-shaped ring on her finger resting beside him. It reflected crimson on his cheek and as the sun slowly rose, shooting a beam of reddish sunlight into their bedroom.
I love you, Ally. Sayer's mind sings as the ring reminds him of the promises they'd sworn to each other—of the life he wanted to live always, vibrantly in her arms…
But that was when the glimmering red beam of light streaking across the ceiling reminded him of someone else entirely, her sweet olive scent enveloping the whole penthouse in its fragrant, flowery warmth.
Someone else he would die to protect, and to live his life for, too. As friendly and playful as their relationship had become, filled with the warmth of familial love and caring, and more than all that—Fireball was his Princess. The one he swore to protect, the one he vowed to care for no matter what. It wasn't guilt, exactly, at leaving her and their newfound homeworld behind, it was more of absence. A small piece of his otherwise full and overflowing heart wanted to see his dear Princess Fireball again. To tell her he loved her still—and missed her. To share with her the overwhelming happiness he'd found on Sailor Moon's Earth, of the new love he felt for Sailor Uranus, Alex Sokova.
It didn't take anything away from the feelings his passionate soul had always ample supply for his own galaxy's first Princess. Just it was here, on Earth, with Alex, that he felt was he should be now. Yet still, Sayer missed his "sister" more than his lyrical voice's words could say.
"I miss you too, my darling Fighter. So much so sometimes, I feel I may cry." Fireball's sweeping voice transcends the millions of miles into Sayer's mind, straight into his heart.
"You are so special, my dear one. I've known since you returned to me, that you were not long for Janus—for my world much longer. Deep inside, the companionship you've longed for called you once again to the Earth. I could never stand in the way of your caring passionate heart, my Fighter. I'd never want to, for you are so precious to me."
Sayer could feel Fireball's spiritual arms wrap around him in a warm embrace. Her scent was so potent, so familiar as tears come to both their eyes, though across the distance, at the sweet concern for her "littlest" brother she had adopted to her life, her soul, her heart, so long ago.
"You have given me so much. Your presence is still here with me. My life is full now, too. You and I will always love each other, my little one. I am here for you and you are here for me." Fireball's ghostly presence touches one hand to her heart and the other on Sayer's chest over his, as her contact fades with a warm smile. "You're in good hands now, I know." Her final whisper disappears into the rising sunlight dazzling Sayer's eyes, a soft tear of gratitude falling from his cheek to Alex's chest he had been nestling on.
"Are you drooling on me, Starr?" Alex's green eyes snap open, her mouth smirking as she gazes down at her lover, totally unaware of what had just passed between him and his Princess a million miles away. Sayer takes one look into Alex's beautiful eyes, and knows that despite all their arguing and bickering, here was a person who truly did understand his soul, just like Fireball had said. Though as different as night and day, his sweet, gentle Fireball also saw this tough soldier named Amaralexis Sokova as just what her tender-hearted Sayer Starr needed, and he concurred unconditionally.
"Just trying to tell you how nice and moist my lonely mouth is." Sayer teases, out of his reverie, his eyes having a sweet nostalgic look in them.
Accepting that open invitation, Alex leans down and tastes those indeed moist lips with a slow, lingering kiss. After a bit of playful foreplay, the two young lovers fall back to sleep, the morning still early. Drifting awake a little while later, Sayer drowsily notices Alex's ruby ring gleaming again in the rising sun, its diamond studded gold initial U illuminated around the large ruby's vibrant red aura glistening on the ceiling above. Its dancing radiance reminded him of Alex's strong golden glow and his Princess' tender red sentiment too, symbolizing both the important women in his life, whose love was the bond wrapped around his very full, happy heart.
The crisp days of winter slowly melt into the warmer rebirth of spring. Marriage settles in despite little troubles for our argumentative pair, while another marriage flourishes brightly, blossoming in the fresh springtime.
It was a normal occurrence to see this "Mrs. Starr" at the musical rehearsals, helping Terry with memorizing lines, makeup, and of course, her hobby of fashion designing.
On one such morning, Susan awakens him with a soft kiss "Happy Birthday, my darling." Her tall, responsible husband was merely 20 years old this day, and Susan could hardly believe how young he was. But in terms of love, age has no limits, she herself was over 1000 years old.
"Good morning, my lady." Terry smiles with a laugh. "How are you feeling?" Terry was growing more and more concerned with her health, as in the last few weeks, she had been tired and worn out.
"I'm fine—just a little queasy, probably from that cheesecake we had last night." Susan smiles, not wanting to mar her husband's day with any worry.
"Are you sure you don't want me to take off today? We can stay home and rest." Terry suggests, still anxious about her.
"Don't be silly. Today is a busy day for me, and I'm perfectly fine. Really." Susan tells him, she had planned a surprise backstage party for him at the rehearsals.
"Very well, but take it easy, my lady. Promise me?"
"I promise." She vows with a gentle kiss to his lips.
"That was great, everyone!" The director's voice could be heard booming somewhere above the stage.
"Loved that final kissing scene with Sandra, Rob. You're turning out to be quite the ladies' man, aren't you?" Sayer jabs his brother, winking wickedly as he towels the back of his perspiring neck. Robin makes a face at Sayer in return.
"Yeah, well, at least I didn't "accidentally" slice a long slit up my leading lady's skirt in the sword fight scene." Robin ribs back, never at a loss for exchanging sharp words with Sayer.
"Robin, Sayer, really. Try to get along?" Terry says, playing mediator as always, but right now as the noontime bell rings, Susan is nowhere in sight. He begins to worry, knowing she without fail was at his side at this time, with sandwiches, kind words and companionship. Where is she?
"SURPRISE!" The girls, along with the "in on the secret" cast and crew sing out "Happy Birthday, Terry!" Bright smiling faces proffer gifts and a catered lunch festival.
"Susan," Terry smiles at the beautiful woman he knew was responsible for the celebration and bows to his lady, kissing her hand. "You are too good to me."
"Nothing is too good for you." Susan whispers back, before Mina, Serena and Lizzie, dying to get the party rolling, start screaming and giggling all at once.
"Presents! Presents! Here's mine! Can we have cake soon? Oooh, Terry, you look sooooo handsome in that! Can I have tickets to the show when it opens? You were so great!"
"Hey! What about us!?" Sayer says sarcastically, he and Robin both feeling just a trifle left out.
"Yeah, what about you?"
Sayer doesn't even have to turn to recognize the angry tone of his wife's deep voice behind him. She was standing in her racing car outfit, arms crossed, her look foreboding.
"What exactly is this 'Sandra' to you, Robin, dear?" Michelle stands in a similar pose behind Alex, with an even more accusing face.
"And what is this I hear about a 'slit skirt', Sayer, DEAR?" Alex cracks her knuckles threateningly. Robin and Sayer exchange guilty, defeated looks.
"Skirt? What skirt?" Sayer giggles at Alex's raised eyebrows. When she turns, he mouths silently to Robin "BIG MOUTH."
"I think you boys have some explaining to do." Michelle coos, her face smiling, but her eyes were ablaze. Robin gulps and looks daggers at Sayer.
They go behind the curtains and to add to the birthday theme, the partygoers could hear loud bangs and pops. They never realized that those "special effects" were two poor boys being given their UraNep just desserts.
Driving home, a while later, Susan, in her excitement, almost forgets her doctor's appointment. She didn't enjoy these visits much, having to avoid many questions and even spin some fables about her age, birth and other pertinent information. But Terry insisted she have a check up to see why she was so tired as of late and she agreed.
On her way there, the ill feelings came back, but she considered it nervousness and the running around she had just done. She parked the car and walked into the office, only to collapse into the arms of the nurse she was conversing with.
"Mrs, Starr! Mrs. Starr!" Susan comes back slowly into focus under the bright white lights of the doctor's examination room, to the soothing voices of the several nurses around her.
"I'm sorry. I must've...fainted. I do...sometimes, now. I'm working too hard, I'm sure that's all it is." Susan tries to explain away her weakness to the worried group of medical professionals surrounding her. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. Just here for a check-up." Susan keeps smiling, trying to disguise the feelings beginning to overwhelm her again.
"Of course you're fine, Mrs. Starr." The old doctor's crackling voice comes out somehow warm and gentle. "You're in excellent health, my dear." He takes her hand, and pats it softly. "Considering your condition, that is."
"My condition?" Susan asks, worry filling her eyes. The pain was so intense at this particular moment, that her mind raced to think which of the many illnesses it could be…
"You don't know yet, dear?" His mysterious eyes behind his glasses frightened her all the more. Susan shakes her head in a daze, not wanting to be sick. She didn't want to be a burden on thoughtful Terry.
"Then may I be the first to congratulate you, Mrs. Starr. I'd say in a little over 6 months, you're going to have a baby!" He finally smiles. Who couldn't at the immediate reaction overtaking Susan's lovely features?
"A baby? Are you certain?" Susan whispers dreamily, happiness evident on her face. She couldn't believe the event she'd prayed so hard for was suddenly staring her right in the face.
"Yes, a baby. I've been practicing over 30 years now, Mrs. Starr. I'm fairly certain this time,too." The doctor smiles at her naïve sweetness.
"A baby! A baby! Oh, my darling!" Susan suddenly, uncharacteristically jumps up, bubbling with delight, and hugs each face around her. She couldn't begin to describe what she was feeling. Oh, my love! I'm going to have your baby! Our baby! Susan's smile was contagious as the doctor attempts to calm her down with a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"I take it your husband will be pleased?" He smiles, always glad to see this kind of young mother, the care and attention of a willing father made all the difference in the mother's emotional and physical well-being at this time.
"Pleased? Oh, yes! Very pleased." Susan's own feelings of joy overwhelmed any small pains she had felt before and she knew her husband would be equally thrilled.
"Yes, I'd say in about six months time..." The doctor confirms again, more to himself.
Time, Susan's mind hears the word so important to her very soul. Yes, Dear Lord God, I thank You for this chance You've given me. First my Terry—my freedom with him, and now…
Susan's heart bursts in bliss, her eyes fill with tears, at the thought of her once impossible dream now becoming reality.
Far across town, back at the musical rehearsals, Terry feels a sudden surge of unknown happiness course through him—the bonds of Time that their love had forged—and he feels his lady's soft touch on his soul.
DONG!
The school bell signals its final farewell to the noisy crowd of children happily screaming of their freedom for the rest of the day. Once a lively member of this crowd, Sammy Hart now finds himself hanging back from the loud boys he used to call friends, instead spending most of his time with a shy and timid girl named Tara Tomoe. The other boys were still frightened of the "mouse" as they tended to call her, thinking her strange and "uncool" at the same time.
Sammy often found himself rushing to her homeroom across the hall, enduring the endless teasing of their classmates when he shared lunch with this girl, or walked her home often on their bicycles to her rural home on the outskirts of the city.
Lunch was skipped on this particular day, as Tara was whisked away by Sammy's older sister, Serena, for some birthday party or other such nuisance. She had returned to school so late that day, that she had to make up an important exam after school. After quickly finishing the test, she leaves the building to find someone leaning against it, waiting for her.
"Hi, Tara! How'd the test go?" Sammy asks kindly, quite unsure about talking to a girl, but then again, she wasn't just "any" girl. Sammy had become quite enamored of her as of late.
"Fine. Thank you." Tara answers in her polite, quiet way. "But you didn't have to wait for me. Susan knew about the test and should be here in a few minutes." Tara glances back at the monstrous school clock hanging on the Crossroads Junior High School building.
"I—uh—just though you'd want some—uh—company while you're waiting for her." Sammy nervously fusses with his bicycle helmet's strap.
"I always appreciate your company, Samuel." Tara, nervous herself, smiles shyly as they walk along the school's lane edge. Blushing red, Sammy looks down and spots a tiny, little delicate pansy flipping its assent to him in the breeze.
"Here." Scooping it up, he hands it to the girl next to him.
"It's pretty." Tara puts it in her hair, smiling sweetly. "Thank you." Tara's large, mysterious purple eyes lock with Sammy's.
"Tara…I was thinking." He says, embarrassed, pulling away from her gaze.
"Yes?" Tara looks up, waiting for the boy's coming question.
"Are you…? Could you…?…Maybe…Do you want to go to see a movie tomorrow? It's Saturday and…I've already bought the tickets." Sammy says, all in one rush.
"A movie? I—" Tara says in surprise, just realizing that Sammy was asking her to go on her very first date when a familiar car horn blows in the direction of the street where the school stood. She sees Susan happily waving to her from the driver's seat in the car.
"Well?" Sammy swallows hard. This had taken every ounce of his courage to ask this pretty girl out on his first date, too.
"Well…" Tara's mind races as she glances back and forth to where Susan and the car waited for her. "All right!" She smiles brightly, feeling a strange giddiness within her, all the way to her fingertips.
"All right?" Sammy repeats in disbelief that she had accepted.
"Yes!" Tara nods her head up and down as she skips off jubilantly towards the car.
"I'll pick you up at 2 o'clock, okay? The movie starts at 2:30!" Sammy calls after her, his little heart bursting with pride in his own bravery.
"That sounds very nice!" Tara waves as she bounces into her car.
"Goodbye, Sammy! I'll see you tomorrow, then!" Tara says as she closes the back seat door behind her.
"Bye!" Sammy calls out.
"Have a wonderful day, Samuel! Don't you look handsome today?! Isn't it beautiful out?!" Susan happily sings out the window, bubbling over as she pulls away.
Sammy and Tara exchange "weirded-out" looks though the car window as they drive off. Susan was usually so serene and quiet, and now she was singing along to the tune, which happened to be a Three Lights hit, playing on the radio. Tara momentarily puts her own joys of young romance aside as she wonders what has happened to Susan in the few hours that have passed since she last saw her. She had never before seen her so…happy…
"Here you are"
"Owner of my heart"
"Just the way that love should be"
"And there is something I must say to you"
"If you promise to believe, that it's you I'm living for"
"And I could not love you more…"
Susan's lilting voice echoes through the sedan as she sings the words to the newest hit the Three Lights had just released. It had immediately gone to Number 1, due to its oh-so-romantic style and powerful lyrics.
Quietly enjoying the music, Tara, an observant girl, knew something important was "afoot."
"Susan?" Tara asks, pushing those thoughts away, going back to her own ecstatic emotions. "Is it all right if Sammy and I go…out tomorrow? To a movie only, of course." Susan turns down the radio just as the song ends.
"Of course, Tara! Of course. That's wonderful! Samuel's such a sweet boy!" Susan happily sings out, though Tara wondered if she was really paying attention to what she had said.
"Do you think Terry-papa would mind? I probably should ask him if it's—" Tara begins to say, more to herself, knowing that Susan was out of it for some reason.
"Terry-papa? Oh! Terry-papa!" Susan sighs blissfully at how well the name suited her strong husband. Tara blinks in astonishment as her calm, serene guardian explodes into a sea of reveling giggles as they pull into the driveway. Susan rushes out of the car, (actually running!) to the front door, and dashes in.
Tara, curious, follows after her, but doesn't find her in the kitchen, living room, nor even in her bedroom, let alone anywhere else in the house for that matter.
"Susan-mama!" Tara calls, wondering where she could have disappeared to so quickly.
"In here, Tara dear!" Susan's happy voice calls back from the guest room, that had once been Michelle's room. Tara had never been in it once since Michelle-mama had moved out.
Tara goes into the room, and her youthful eyes astonished at what she sees—a baby's room—a nursery, fully decorated, even the soft carpet in shades of lavender purple. Little deer prance about on the wallpaper, stuffed dolls everywhere, and a baby crib in the center of the darling room. One look at Susan's blissful face is all Tara needs to understand.
"Susan? Are you—?" Tara asks, biting her lip in excitement.
"Yes!" Susan nods up and down, a smile spreading across her face. She holds her arms out to Tara and envelops her in a hugging embrace.
"Oh, Susan! That's so wonderful! Does Terry-papa know yet?" Tara asks. She knew personally of the warm feelings these two could lavish on a child.
"No, not yet." Susan says, touching Tara's cheek softly.
"Then what a nice birthday surprise it will be for him!" Tara smiles back, glad to be a part of their joy.
"Yes. But don't say anything to him yet. I want to wait for just the right moment to tell him."
The right moment, the right words...
"Terry, darling" Susan whispers at the thought of announcing to him her pregnancy. Susan dreamily sighs, tenderly touching her tummy that held such a precious treasure within her.
Driving home as soon as he could get away from the set, Terry arrives at the door of his home. Susan drops what she is doing in the kitchen, rushing to his eager arms with a tender embrace and kiss, in which the observant Terry can feel something…different…in his wife's demeanor.
Is there a slight tremble about her? He wonders as he looks her up and down.
"Happy Birthday, my own darling! Did you have a very nice day?" Susan does a very good job of masking her over jubilant emotions, this woman of secrets wanting to keep hers for just a little bit longer.
"Yes, I did, thanks to you, my lady." Terry shakes off his curiosity, chalking it down to excitement over the birthday party she had held for him earlier that afternoon. "You really are the most wonderful wife a man could ask for. You're too good for me, you know, princess." Terry kisses her again.
"How could I be too good for you when you're the most perfect husband?" Susan asks coyly, taking off his jacket and leading him to the dining room where Tara awaited them.
Tara anxiously looks from Terry to Susan and back again to see if the secret had been revealed, but from his casual expression and regular actions, she knew that Susan had not yet told him of the wonderful news. Tara could easily see Susan's dancing eyes, laughing with excitement, and she herself remains silent on the subject as she had promised. But, she couldn't help but be anxious to tell Terry of the new addition soon to join the family. Our family…my family… She thought to herself, smiling as she helped Susan serve Terry one of his favorite meals, shrimp scampi, on this 20th birthday of his.
"Shrimp scampi? You're spoiling me." Terry teases them as they all sit down to the delicious looking dinner.
"I know it's your favorite, darling." Susan says sweetly.
"Especially when these hands make it for me." He reaches across the table and takes Susan's hands delicately.
"—Both my ladies." Terry doesn't forget to include Tara, kissing her hand sweetly with a fatherly smile. Susan noticed from this exchange once again, that he would make the most perfect father in the world for their baby.
After saying grace and a bit of gossip from that afternoon's party, her schoolwork and test scores, Tara decides to share the rest of her day's eventful news.
"Terry-papa?" Tara watches him gently chastise Susan for barely touching the food on her plate as he lifts a forkful up to his wife.
"Tara, dear?" Terry smiles as his obedient wife takes the food with a grateful smile.
"Is it all right…if I…go to the movies tomorrow?" Tara's question starts out simple enough.
"Of course. What would you like to see? An outing to the theatre does sound like a pleasant diversion to pass away one Saturday afternoon together." Terry says, thinking she meant for all of them to go.
"Not with us, darling," Susan gently corrects her husband, "but with Sammy Hart." Terry picks up Susan's tone to mean a budding romance between their charge and the Moon Princess' brother.
A bit overprotective, and a thinking man who knew all too well a teenage boy's intentions, he assesses the situation, thinking of his responsibility to Tara's well-being and also the consequences to her youthful heart.
But he himself had come to like Sammy and felt that maybe he could trust him with their Tara…
"Certainly, Tara. If you believe you are ready, we believe in your judgment, as well. Sammy is a very nice young man." Terry says in his fatherly way. Tara, very happily, gets up and hugs him for his thoughtful decision. She was a wise child beyond her years who realized that Terry-papa had been considering this with his responsible way and still came to a trusting conclusion that was more than satisfactory in her grateful eyes.
Susan smiles as she watches this conversation, and begins to clear the table, imagining again what a perfect father her Terry would be.
With dinner over, the two girls listen in rapt attention in the conservatory as Terry's deep voice recites poetry after Susan had played "The Grenadier and the Lady" on her harp just for him. When the poetry reaches a romantic air, Tara, very considerately, gets up to go to bed.
"Good night, Terry-papa. Happy Birthday." Tara kisses him as she sees added in his poetry book the poems she had written for him and Susan as his birthday gift, compiled together in words of her gratitude and love for her new family, written in a girlish handwriting.
"Good night, Tara, and thank you. You are a very sweet and talented young lady." Terry kisses her good night.
"Good night, Susan-mama." Tara didn't always attach "—mama" to Susan's name, but stressed it a bit tonight, exchanging a knowing, happy look with her guardian.
Susan clears away the drink glasses and returns to find Terry playing the piano, singing along a new tune he'd just composed. Joining him on the piano bench, she snuggles up close as he begins to sing his new ballad of 'Love's Bonds of Infinity' with all the passion he felt deep inside:
"Only you can weave the threads of my life
And this being here with you now
Holding you passionately until there is
No tomorrow as my pulse races
So absolutely aware I will never
Hesitate nor lose my way
Face any danger, I'd give up my life for
Lady mine, take this love and
Fascinate me…"
Later that night, Susan was unable to sleep at all, and could no longer hide the secret, feeling the time was finally right.
'Terry darling," Susan coos into his ear, leaning on his chest tenderly.
"Hmm?" He murmurs in reply.
"Terry darling." Susan repeats, realizing he was drifting off to sleep again.
"Hmm?" Terry, half asleep and half awake, was only certain that Susan's warm touch was close to him.
"Terry darling…" Susan says calmly, the silence about to be broken by her next few words. "I am with child." Susan says softly as Terry snaps awake at her announcement.
"Hmm…Wait! With…child? Oh, Susan! My love!" Terry props himself up, taking a good long look into her beautiful eyes.
"Our baby." Susan whispers, touching her stomach tenderly, her eyes filling with tears. So overwhelmed with joyous emotions was she as she sees the happiness reflecting back at her in Terry's eyes as well. "Are you pleased?" She hardly needed to ask, she knew him so well, but she wanted to hear him say it.
"Pleased?! I couldn't be more ecstatic! Our baby…!" Terry's hand joins hers, as Susan feels the love and caring in his touch, knowing the miracle conceived from their love was within her.
"Susan, my lady, my own..." Terry delicately caresses her cheek and she closes her eyes, burying her face in his hand. She couldn't begin to describe the feelings as her far-off dream was suddenly becoming reality.
A distant fantasy of a millennia ago that lonely, outermost planet guardian Pluto held all those countless years in watchful solitude to have a normal life someday. Then when her future self lived again in solitary confinement for eons in Time's Doorway and she, by chance or by fate met King Endymion and Queen Serenity's Small Lady, Sailor Pluto's early desire to be 'normal' became a longing to have a family, a child of her own someday.
But that far-off vision turned only reachable when she re-encountered the amazing man who could make it all possible—her wondrous, self-sacrificing, indefatigable, beautiful Terry/Star Maker, who had given up so much to be her partner through all time.
A child of time, my beloved. Oh, how I can't wait to introduce our future child to Rini!
…Small Lady? Oh!
But suddenly, somewhere in the chaos of Susan's giddy, joyous thoughts running a million miles a minute—which said a lot of a guardian of time—her heart turned to thoughts of her dear little pink friend who dared to sneak in the doorway to befriend the lonely woman, and Susan recalls her duty.
"Darling! We must tell the Prince and Princess of this news! I…I hope they will permit me, as a guardian of the doorway of time, to be granted the luxury of bearing a child—oh, they must! What if…what if…it is taboo for a sailor soldier to be burdened by the natural instincts of a mother to protect her child first and foremost? What if King Endymion will not allow his Neo Queen Serenity's protectors to be so encumbered? What if—?!"
With each passing question, Susan's anxiety was building that her dearest dream may not be feasible for her as a sworn protector and soldier, after all.
"Susan. Don't." Terry's deep voice abruptly enters her malaise of worry with the calm gentility she needed. "Please, 'Let not your heart be troubled, nor be afraid'." The scholarly man adds some quoted wisdom from the greatest instructional doctrine ever written to bring to his lady his point succinctly as he pulls his trembling wife close to him.
"You need not worry yourself so, my darling. The Prince and Princess—our dear friends, Darien and Serena—are not distant, cold, unfeeling people. They are kind. Serena's heart is the most tender I've ever glimpsed, beyond yours, of course, my pet." Terry strokes Susan's dark green tresses lovingly, to give her some tranquility in this emotional storm.
"As you know so well, my love, they have a daughter themselves and will surely understand the desire to fill our lives with the joy of raising a child, like they. I cannot ever imagine either of them being so strict or cruel to deny you—one of their dearest friends, more than mere soldier—a beautiful, perfect life as the Lord intended. Let's not mar these happy moments with a single worry. We will speak to Serena and the others tomorrow and clear this up for you, all right? It will be fine, I promise you." Smiling optimistically, Terry delivers these comforting words of wisdom to his bride, who was, by now, in tears of gratitude and calm surrender to his better judgment than she in her confusion right now.
"Thank you, my prince. It's not possible and yet, I am more and more in love with you every day I know you. You are the other half of my soul…" Susan whispers as she presses her head to her sagacious husband's chest.
"And you are mine, my precious princess. I am nothing without you." Terry whispers back, pulling her into his arms fully now, both filled with happy dreams again of what was to come. They were both certain there could be no two happier people on the face of this wondrous Earth than they. Their eternal love for each other was beautified yet again in God's joyous gift of a child.
The morning dew already disappeared from the grassy fields outside the window. The Saturday sunshine beams into their second story bedroom as Susan slowly awakens, sparkling with a radiant light which shines ten times brighter as another figure enters the room.
"Good morning, my lady. Or should I say "good afternoon?" Terry kisses his wife gently and offers her a variety of breakfast foods.
"Did I sleep that long?" Susan whispers softly, glancing at the wall clock. The excitement of yesterday, the thrill of their news all contributed to this usually early rising woman's overtired, well-deserved rest.
"And why not? You're sleeping for two now after all, and eating for two as well, my love." Like a faithful attendant seeing to his queen's every whim, Terry sets out his wife's array of breakfast delights. Susan, though touched and grateful, takes one look, and her fragile stomach decides against it.
"Thank you, darling, but—I don't think I'm up to it right now." She never was much of an eater—having never had to eat in the Doorway of Time—and often had to be prompted to eat by her caring husband. Susan was about to discover that his gentle prodding could become firm in its good intention.
"Susan, you must eat. I've spent the morning reading the few books in the library that touch upon the subject of pregnancy and birth and they all agree that the healthiest mothers and babies are the result of good nutritional balance early on." Ever the scholar, Terry's eager mind thrived on whatever literature he could find on this now pressing subject.
"Yes, my darling, but I don't think I can…" Susan, though the well-prepared meal looked scrumptious, could not bring herself to eat it.
"Just a spoonful or two for me? That's all I ask." Terry says with a firm gentle smile, spooning some eggs to her lips.
"Darling, I…" Susan starts to shake her head.
"My love, please?" The look in his eye gave her a glimpse of just how doubly overprotective her already protective husband was going to be through the next few months.
How sweet you are, Terry darling. How wonderful it feels to be watched over, cared for, loved by someone so much. Susan smiles softly as she accepts a tiny nibble of the spoonful. Terry didn't want to push her too much, but just felt an overwhelming responsibility weighing down on him—what he read in those books worried him, too. He knew Susan was a delicate woman and this danger, no matter how slight nowadays, and the pain that would come to her, was somehow all his fault.
"There." Terry is satisfied after she takes a few small mouthfuls and removes the tray, sitting lightly on the bed's edge, stroking her dark hair lovingly.
"Are you feeling all right, my precious? I think you should get some rest now. Yesterday was very strenuous for you." Terry gently fluffs her pillows, intending for her to rest quietly for the remainder of the day.
As he watches her drift off to sleep, holding her hand, he was certain the child was going to be a girl—he wanted it to be a girl—so that she would be as beautiful as her mother…
"…Darling? Didn't we promise to meet Alex and your brother at her important racing event today?" Susan responsibly remembers, speaking softly.
"Ah, yes. Well, I'll tell them to go on without us—" Terry starts to say.
"Please, can't we go? I'm feeling fine…really." Susan smiles her loveliest smile, fluttering her eyelids (that always got him).
"I don't think the hustle and bustle of a race track is a suitable place for you in your condition." Terry says authoritatively, knowing the raucous crowds, besides the smoke and dust from the vehicles. But upon seeing her disappointed eyes, Terry concedes a bit.
"We can stop by their apartment and tell them the news before they go to the race. That will give you your chance to talk with Alex and Michelle. That's what you're really after, isn't it, my lady?" Terry says, teasing, knowing full well all Susan wanted to go to the racetrack for was to tell everyone their good news.
"Yes, that will do nicely." Susan replies as a knock comes on the door.
"Susan, can I see you for a minute? Just a teeny, tiny second…" Tara barges in their room, looking for a little womanly advice. Her first date was weighing so heavily down on her mind.
"Of course, Tara dear." Susan says in a motherly way, as she leaves Terry with a kiss and goes to help Tara.
"Did you tell him then?" Tara forgets her own little worries for a moment.
"Yes! He's so happy." Susan smiles brightly, hugging Tara's thin shoulders as they go into her room.
"I knew he would be. Terry-papa will make a good father, and you'll be a good mother, Susan." Tara said from experience.
"It's all so wonderful!" Susan sighs.
Suddenly, a look of pain crosses her face as Tara asks "What's wrong? Does it hurt?"
"No, no. Not that much." Susan smiles, every inch of herself rejoicing in feeling such pain. For she knew that with it, she was a step closer to having her long forgotten dream from a thousand lonely years ago, come to fruition. "What did you want to see me about, Tara?" Susan changes the subject upon seeing the concern in Tara's eyes.
"I just wanted to ask you if my hair was nice enough for a—for a—" Tara stumbles on the cherished word.
"A date?" Susan smiles at her sweet innocence, remembering how shy—terribly beyond shy—she was on her first date (official one anyway) with Terry, which now seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Your hair is beautiful! It suits you perfectly." Susan strokes Tara's hair, trying to imagine what color hair her baby was going to have.
"Thank you. May I wear the new silver necklace Papa just sent me?" Tara asks, fingering through her jewelry box.
"Of course. This is a special occasion, isn't it?" Susan says as she clasps the expensive necklace around Tara's slender neck.
"Yes, it's very special. Susan…I'm so excited!" Tara whispers, giving her beloved guardian a hug, pushing away the horrible vision of the future she had been having these past few weeks…
"I want to be happy like this always!" Tara hugs Susan tighter, as they talk about babies and Saturday dates, chatting away the morning together.
THUMP THUMP THUMP!
"Hi." Sammy's unusually meek voice shows he was just as nervous as Tara, in this, the first step in their relationship.
"Hi." Tara answers, meeting his eyes for a second, then quickly pulling away.
"Are you, um…you look…oh…these are for you." Sammy hands over a little bouquet of white and pink pansies and carnations to her.
"Thank you, Samuel." Tara toys with the sweet fragrant flowers, the two of them nervously standing in the doorway, uncertain of what to say to each other as Terry comes down the hall with a book in his hand and his eyeglasses on.
"Good afternoon." Terry says politely. "Won't you come in for a drink on this warm day? Or have some cookies before you go? I can easily make something in just a few minutes…" Terry says, until Susan arrives, taking her husband's arm.
"Susan." Terry gives her that "don't overexert yourself" look that she was getting quite accustomed to seeing, as he pushes his glasses up firmly. Susan smiled at how cute he looked in eyeglasses.
"Yes, darling." She replies easily.
"Oh, no, thanks, um, sir, ma'am, but the movie starts pretty soon and it's a long ride so we've got to get going." Sammy smiles, as he and Tara head out with a wave.
"Would you like us to drive you—" Terry starts to call out, realizing the distance the poor boy had to bicycle and now with a passenger no less. But Susan stops his sentence with a tap on the lips.
"Let Sammy show off a little, darling. Not that he really needs to. Tara's quite taken with him, you know." Susan says, arranging Tara's flowers in a vase on the desk.
"Like I am with you?" Terry says softly, as Susan repeats "Like I am with you."
"Well, I hope she's not that taken with him." Terry fatherly, and with a little worry in his voice says as they watch the two bicycle off to the city.
A while later, Terry and Susan walk up to the Starr & Sokova residence, and find no answer to their repeated ringing of the doorbell.
"Yeah?" Alex finally opens the door, looking rather disheveled and upset.
"Oh, hello, Alex. I'm so sorry, but we can't make it to your car race today." Susan starts gently.
"Hmph. That figures." Alex says sarcastically, pouring herself a drink and leading them to the kitchen, off-handedly offering them both a drink as well.
"Don't bother talking to Ally. She's in a bad mood today." Sayer says sourly as he looks up with the black eye he had been on the receiving end earlier, where he sat on the couch nonchalantly, playing his video games.
"I am not! Just because there's a flu epidemic going around on the track, they had to go and cancel the race. Fool men." Alex crosses her arms, indeed in a bad mood, standing over them with venom at all their stupid sex in general.
"See? You are in a bad mood. I was right! I'm just glad you didn't catch the flu, too! You're really rotten when you're sick." Sayer says with a twisted lip up at her as he gives a pitiful rub to his swollen left orb, still sore from yesterday's 'misunderstanding'.
"Sayer, I don't think you should speak to your wife in that—" About to berate his younger sibling's sharp tongue, Terry is cut off abruptly by the blunt 'damsel in distress' herself.
"You stay OUT of this!" The full wrath of Alex Sokova whiplashes upon the unsuspecting, tall 'knight in shining armor' for his foolish attempts to nobly defend her 'delicate sensibilities.'
Terry raises his eyebrows, still wondering how his brother could say such things to his own bride, even if she was capable of awarding out both physical and verbal shiners. But the usual mediator in him decides it may be better just let this argument ride out without getting further involved.
Sayer must learn on his own how to deal with this one…if that's even possible… Terry was glad to welcome his less combative angel of a bride into his warm arms as Susan snuggles to his chest to just lean back and watch the fireworks fly.
"No, I caught something worse—you." Alex unapologetically presses the cold glass to Sayer's neck, causing the man with her big fisted shiner to shriek girlishly and spill the cold water all over the cluttered carpet.
Terry and Susan exchange nervous chuckles as they watch this little marital argument in amusement.
"Sit, you two." Alex orders once she shows who's the boss, as Sayer finds himself flat on his back, his video game controller wrapped around his neck.
"Thank you." Terry nods politely, used to seeing Sayer in awkward positions nowadays. However, upon looking around, he finds nowhere to sit, with all the clutter about.
"Alex, did you have a party last night? I'll gladly help you tidy the apartment if you'd like." Susan says, busying herself by clearing off the love seat so that she and Terry could sit.
"Susan." Terry, with one word, tells her not to clean up after them.
"A party? Well, I guess you can say that, but it's always like this anyway." Sayer says blatantly honest, not caring a bit as Alex blushes slightly.
"Alex, why didn't you ask for help? I'm fairly adept at housekeeping now, so I can teach you—" Susan starts to say innocently.
"I made it perfectly clear to him at the onset: I'm not cleaning up after his mess." Alex, firm on the subject, folds her arms, and gives Sayer a sideways glance.
"My mess! You're part of this, too!" Sayer answers back, not taking this lying down.
"I clean up after myself. You're the slob! I'm not here to be your maid, Mr. Starr. It's a matter of principle." Alex says in her stubborn way.
"Alex, it's not principle, it's good housekeep—EEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!" Susan's calm voice squeaks into a screech as she, continuing cleaning anyway, lifted a discarded paper plate and a creepy crawly roach comes scurrying out, disturbed from his tasty lunch.
Instinctively, Susan, terrified of insects, leaps without a second thought into Terry's arms as he immediately came to her rescue, burying her face in his neck. "Kill it! Get it!"
"Susan, darling! It's all right, I've got you. It's only a tiny insect—and it's gone, don't think about it." Terry tries to calm his wife down, holding her tightly in his arms. He looked with concern at the frightened features on his usually rational wife's face. He couldn't fathom how one small insect could have such an effect on his Sailor Pluto. But if it mattered so much to her, then it mattered to him. He soothed her with calm words and a kiss to her forehead.
Alex and Sayer both spring into action, one with a rolled up newspaper, and the other with a slipper and…
SMASH!
Both paper and slipper come down with a whacking thud, while Sayer trips up in Alex's long legs, both of them smashing down to the floor in a crashing heap, and everything going down with them.
Yet, the nasty little uninvited guest keeps on crawling under the TV cabinet, totally unaware his small life was in danger, leaving the room behind him in total chaos.
"Susan, my love, please don't be so upset. In your condition, you shouldn't be so excited." Terry continues to soothe his terrified wife, still clinging tightly to him, wondering again how his serene, calm lady could transform into a scared, whimpering paranoid girl at the sight of a minuscule little creature.
"What condition?" Michelle's airy voice enters the room as she just lets herself and Robin in.
Sayer and Alex were both trying to extricate themselves from one another as one of the new party comments on the state of their apartment.
"Ick! What a disgusting mess! We heard screaming and I knew it had to be you, Sayer." Robin crinkles his nose, making a sour face at them.
"Gee, thanks, Rob." Sayer says sarcastically, glad to see his fellow 'offendee' from the theater fiasco yesterday was also still nursing his own bruised, slapped cheek.
"You try to live with him." Alex points an accusing finger as she forcefully shoves Sayer away from her.
"I've already been there. No thanks." Robin responds smugly, rearranging his silver coif to stylishly cover the unsightly booboo Michelle had slapped on him in a wave of jealousy.
"Was that a roach I just saw?" Nonplussed after having the 'talk' with her boyfriend mentally all morning, Michelle raises one high-class eyebrow at the low class thing, her delicate sensibilities quivering in disgust.
"Where?!" Susan cries, panicking again, as she was just getting settled down.
"It's gone, my darling. Don't worry." Terry kisses her forehead comfortingly, as she was still in his arms.
"You're going to have to fumigate the place now." Robin looks around the living room with disdain.
"Good idea, Shrimp. Michelle, you can put me up for a few—" Alex starts to state, asking only an unnecessary formality since she and Michelle were that close she never had to pose the question.
"Oh, Alex, I'm sorry. But the mansion's closed. It's being worked on right now for…a special remodeling." Michelle smiles sideways at Robin, his eyes suddenly scared, knowing exactly what she meant.
"I'm going to be staying at my place here in the city…with Robin." Michelle coos dreamily, looking into his unsuspecting eyes.
"What?! You didn't tell me that!" Robin's high pitched voice says, really quite attached to living alone—especially knowing what fate (and Michelle) had in store for him soon.
"Oh, didn't I, dearest? I waited, like you said, Amara, until you returned from your little tryst in the mountains with your man." Coy Michelle says to her domineering cousin in an accusing way, leaving both Alex and Robin speechless for several seconds.
The aqua maiden knew her silver stud could do absolutely nothing about it (it is my apartment, after all), and maybe this could finally be her chance to really get to know Robin even more…
Like you and Susan have become so very close cohabitating with your starlight soldiers… Mine's the last lonesome luminary. So, it's my turn to bask in his glow now…It's only fair…
"Then, thank you, Michelle. We will." Alex smirks, helping her husband from the ground. She knew Michelle very well herself.
"'We will' what?" Michelle asks flat-toned, turning to Alex with trepidation of curiosity.
"Yes, Starr and I will stay with you at the city apartment. It's very kind of you—both—to ask." Alex smirks facetiously, raising her eyebrows at Robin especially.
Michelle's hopes of her chances alone with her significant other were sinking.
"You're welcome anytime, Amara dear." Michelle sighs audibly, knowing, at this point, it was a losing battle to fight with Alex.
"Hee, hee, Rob. Break out the coffee." Sayer snickers as Robin rolls his head in his hands now. Not only losing his pleasant bachelor pad to Michelle's fancies, but to Alex's torture as well, with rotten Sayer thrown into the deal, for the fun of it.
That tense situation settled, everyone calms down to the cup of tea Terry very domestically makes for them all, with Susan still clinging to him close, in fear of small intruders.
Suddenly Michelle remembers her question from before as she sips her tea daintily. "So Susan, what is this about your condition? Do tell." The sensitive empath asks in a very probing manner, wondering what new emotion she was feeling emanating from Terry and Susan, and maybe even a third party, too...
"I Could Not Love You More' - written by Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb 1997
"Love's Fascination- Bonds of Infinity" - sung by Narumi Tsunoda 1997