(AN: I am not finishing Mamoru's thought as it is just a recap of what he asked the golden crystal to do earlier in the chapter)
Luna and Artemis got comfortable on the couch as they watched the young couple leave and Kenji head to the bedroom. With Queen Serenity involved they weren't about to leave things unattended.
Putting Usagi on the bed to rest, Mamoru set an alarm to remind him to check on Ikuko as he really had no idea on how long it would be before she went into labor. He then got comfortable next to Usagi intent on enjoying as much time as possible with her like this as she was.
Mamoru looked at his angel, "How are you feeling? Do you want me to help? Or set up the pump?"
Usagi closed her eyes as if assessing her body, "You could, but I should be ok while I nap." Mamoru nodded as he moved the robe to help while he let his hand slide down and caress her baby bump. Usagi just lay there running her hand through his hair as she dozed.
Mamoru got up after helping empty his girlfriend's milk, he looked up to see her sleeping. He kissed her forehead before getting up and grabbing his phone and pulled up an ordering app. Mamoru hoped that the Tsukinos would be ok with Subway for lunch. Checking on Usagi once more he decided to check on Ikuko, [I'll just teleport as it will be quicker.] He thought and in a flash he was back in the penthouse, computer in hand.
Scanning Ikuko he stood in the doorway. "Would you like a coffee?"
Mamoru jumped at the sound of Kenji as he offered the young man a cup of coffee, "Oh, thank you."
"Usagi still sleeping?" Mamoru nodded. "Ikuko slept a fair amount during the third trimester with both Usagi and Shingo," he paused taking a drink of coffee. "But they were singletons. I don't know how I would have dealt with twins."
Mamoru nodded as he looked down at the computer, "Ikuko is doing just fine and appears to be at about 6 months. Based on her progression so far she should be ready to deliver early afternoon."
Kenji nodded and put his hand on Mamoru's shoulder, "Let's let the women sleep, they need it."
Mamoru nodded, "I hope you like subway. I ordered a variety of sandwiches for delivery."
"That will be fine," Kenji said as the two men sat down across from each other in the living room. "I am sorry I gave you such a hard time. You really do care a lot for my little girl."
"I would die for her." Mamoru said honestly, getting up to finish the dishes.
The men sat talking intermittently as they drank their coffee until they heard Ikuko stirring. "I'll do another quick scan before going to check on Usagi and lunch should be here in the next 30-minutes." Kenji nodded as he got up to help his pregnant wife. "I think I will go and check on Usagi. We will be back up in time for lunch." Mamoru told the older couple as Ikuko was trying to wave Kenji off. [So much like Usako.] He laughed. "Ikuko, you seem to be averaging a month an hour. So, we should be ok for another couple hours."
Ikuko nodded, "Thank you, Mamoru. I will be fine; however, Kenji may not be if he doesn't stop hovering!" She growled as Mamoru disappeared in a flash of light.
Mamoru ran a weary hand through his hair as he shock his head. [So, that is where my Usako gets her independence.] He laughed as he headed to check on his girlfriend and was surprised to see her up and pumping. He leaned against the doorframe watching and imagining watching her nursing their children. The King was careful with his words but, the implication was there that Chibi-Usa and the twins weren't their only children and he had to wonder just how many children they would have.
[Instead of just standing their watching, why don't you come hear and make yourself useful.] Usagi giggled.
Mamoru came back to the present and walked over to the bedside and collected the bottles and cups. [What were you thinking about?] Usagi asked as she cleaned her breasts and grabbed a dress from the closet.
[May be later …] Mamoru answered as he finished with the milk and returned to the room. "In the meantime, let me help you wash and get dressed before lunch."
Usagi smiled as she let him help her shower and get dressed. Mamoru checked the time as he gave the cups a quick wash before they headed to the elevator.
"Kenji Tsukino! I will castrate you nifty you do NOT BACK OFF!" Ikuko threatened as the elevator doors opened.
Usagi gasped at the sight of her overly pregnant mother threatening her proud father. Mamoru just laughed, [That could be us in the future.]
[Not if you don't treat me like glass or put me under restrictions.]
"Ikuko, you are nearing the end of your pregnancy. Please calm yourself." Mamoru said as the elevator dinged signaling someone had called for it [Probably, lunch.]
Ikuko nodded and sat down at the table with her juice and allowed Mamoru to check her over and scan her. Luna jumped up on the table as she waited curiously for the scan's results. "Usako, can you get some extra blankets and towels. Kenji, can you put a pot of water on to boil and a kettle just to make sure we have enough water."
The two nodded, Usagi searching Mamoru's mind for where to find the extra linen. "I am not in labor yet." Ikuko insisted. "And besides that, I could be in labor for hours or even days." She said as the elevator dinged signaling the arrival of the car.
Mamoru quickly read over the results nodded in response to the older woman's comments. He got up and went to let Yoshi in with the food. "Good day, Sir. I brought the cart after seeing how much food was here."
"I didn't even think of that. I am sorry, Yoshi, I should have given you the heads up." Mamoru said helping unload the cart as Usagi came to sit and grabbed what he knew would be her first of two to three that she would eat.
Ikuko forced herself to wait until the cart was emptied onto the table before grabbing one. Kenji and Mamoru saw Yoshi back to the elevator. [Why didn't he ask about the amount of food especially after seeing that it was only four of us?]
[Oh, my sweet Usako, He has worked for our family for long enough to know not to ask questions for fear of the answers.] Mamoru laughed taking a seat and grabbing a sandwich.
Luna kept an eye on the computer screen as it continuously scanned Ikuko's condition. It indicated that the pregnancy was entering the ninth month. Luna looked to Mamoru who was keeping an eye on Ikuko out of the corner of his eye and Kenji was looking from Mamoru to Ikuko. When she suddenly stood up. "Would you all stop this! I am not made of glass and haven't even started labor…" She froze as she felt water dripping down her legs.
Kenji was on his feet and supporting her, "Are you sure about that, dear?" She glared a murderous look at him as Mamoru got up.
Mamoru turned to Usagi, "Blankets and towels?"
"In the bedroom." She said getting up and waddling to the bathroom as the men helped Ikuko slowly to the bedroom as her contractions started.
Usagi dropped the towel on the mess as with her own belly she wasn't sure on the getting back up from the floor and so used her foot. She turned when she heard her mother suddenly gasped "I don't remember things happening this fast," she said slightly concerned as she grabbed her stomach.
Mamoru held Ikuko as Kenji helped her out of her underwear before they helped her on the towels that Usagi had spread on the bed. The men switched spots so Kenji could hold his wife's hand as another contraction hit. He looked and growled as he saw Mamoru looking under his wife's dress, Mamoru sighed, "I have to see how far dilated she is, so I can tell her when to push."
"Can't you use your computer thingy?"
"It isn't as accurate and once she starts pushing, I will need to see so I can catch the baby." Mamoru said as his patience was wavering.
"Boys!" Usagi said sternly entering the room. "Can we not argue about semantics and modesty? We have a baby to deliver and questions to get answered."
The men looked away ashamed of the admonishment they had received. "Thank you, Usagi." Ikuko said through another contraction. "Now, don't let any of this scare you… women have been doing this for centuries…gggaaahhh!"
Usagi nodded and looked to Mamoru, "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Not right now but, we may need your milk once we are done." Mamoru said looking to Ikuko's chest which hadn't changed with the accelerated pregnancy.
and Ikuko looked from him to Usagi in somewhat shook, "You are already pro…" she gritted her teeth as she was hit with another contraction, "lactating?" She said using a shorter phrase.
Mamoru silently wished his generals were there as Kenji looked ready to kill and was thankful as Ikuko had another contraction to distract Kenji.
Meanwhile Jason and Zach and Rhea teleported into the command center as Kevin and Nathan looked up as the door opened to allow Roselyn, Minako, and Chibi-Usa entry. "Well, that saves some time," Katherine Rhea said weakly.
The group all looked at her surprised except for Roselyn, "She is like Pluto. She always knows more than she lets on and never tells you the whole story."
"We need to get to the penthouse." Rhea told them as she almost fell over.
"Hold up there, Rhea. You just woke up from a coma a little over a day ago." Zach said.
"And you let her teleport here?" Kevin yelled.
"Woah, hold up there, Kev. Have you ever tried to stop Rhea or Endy?" Nathan asked.
Kevin sighed, "I guess you are right but, Rhea you really should still be in bed."
"Not when I am needed. I can sense Endymion and Usagi's concern and Pluto explained the situation to me before I woke up." Rhea said. "Now let's go!" She commanded.
Zach looked her over and shoved her in the middle with Chibi-Usa as the generals formed a circle with Minako and Roselyn and the group transformed before teleporting to the penthouse. They arrived in time to hear a woman screaming from the bedroom. The generals looked to the woman and ran to see what was happening.
"Ok, I see the head. Big push on the next one to get the shoulder." Mamoru said without looking up.
Zach pushed past everyone and moved to where Mamoru was, "How is it going?"
"Hey! Now, why is he looking?" Kenji yelled as Ikuko pulled and squeezed his hand as she pushed through another contraction.
"She hit 10 centimetres about 10 minutes ago and started pushing about 7 minutes ago. Third child. Accelerated pregnancy but, scan showed full term." Mamoru said filling Zach in.
"I am two years ahead of Mamoru in med school." Zach answered as he switched with Mamoru. "Good. Well done .." He looked up as he hadn't met this woman before and didn't know her name.
"Ikuko," Usagi supplied.
Realizing that they would be of no use in the bedroom the three generals joined the three senshi and Chibi-Usa as they set up a board game at the kitchen table.
Several screams and about 15-minutes later a baby's cry could be heard. Zach smiled as he handed the baby to Mamoru had a towel and blanket ready. "Congratulations! It's a girl." Zach said looking up at Kenji as Mamoru wiped the baby down. "I am going to go, wash and change."
He left the room stopping at the table to say, "I will be back shortly please wait for me to find out what happened."
Mamoru handed the baby to Ikuko and her forehead stopped glowing as the baby's forehead started and the two of them started to glow. The baby cried and then Usagi cried out. The three other occupants turned to see that Usagi's dress was now soaked in milk. "Ikuko, if you can help Usagi feed … um … her sister? Mother?" Ikuko nodded. "Kenji let's you and I give the girls some privacy."
Mamoru excused himself to get cleaned up and Kenji looked from the bedroom to the gang of teenagers and young adults playing a board game with Chibi-Usa. "Where is Shingo?"
"Shingo asked to get dropped off at a friend's house." Minako answered.
"Considering all the excitement this morning it was decided he would spend the night." Roselyn continued.
Kenji nodded and collapsed on the couch, between his wife's pregnancy and giving birth all in one day and finding out his daughter was … well it was all too much. He took his glasses off and rubbed his nose. 'I have somehow ended up in the twilight zone.'
Ikuko was taking all this a lot better as she shushed Usagi to calm her down, "It is ok, honey, you will have to get used to things like this happening." Usagi looked up tearfully, "Grab one of the facecloths and clean yourself up and then come here." Usagi did as she was told as her mother shushed and rocked the infant. Usagi sat down next to her mom on the bed. Ikuko smiled. "This will be easy compared to when you have to do this with the twins." She laughed.
Ikuko patted her daughter on the shoulder as she pulled the strap of her dress down, "Ok, so, you use one finger to open the baby's mouth and then you stick the nipple in as far as it will go… just like this" Ikuko explained as the newborn latched and started nursing.
Usagi soon relaxed as she felt her let-down and the milk draining as the baby nursed. "She seems to be sucking harder each time," Usagi noticed looking at Ikuko who was still glowing but seemed to have gone into some kind of trance. Not wanting to disturb the baby she reached out to Mamoru, [Come here…please.]
Mamoru's head bolted up as he was stepping out of the shower. Grabbing a towel, he raced to grab some pants, [What is wrong?] He asked as he rushed about.
[I don't know… and I don't know if it is wrong.] Usagi said as she looked at the baby who appeared to have aged just as quickly as she had in the womb if not faster, as she switched her to the still full breast.
Seeing the child through Usagi's eyes Mamoru raced even faster to get presentable and teleported into the room. "Oh, my lord. That cannot be the same baby that we just delivered." He stated as Ikuko and the baby became encased in light and the light burst forth filling the penthouse.
Again, everyone including Zach who was last to arrive raced to the penthouse's master bedroom. The room was spotless and Ikuko was busying herself by folding the blankets and towels. "Ikuko, dear, I really think you should be resting. You did just give birth not too long ago."
"Oh, Kenji. Quit worrying, I feel fine." She said passing him the pot of water.
All eyes were on Ikuko as she tidied up the room that no one, but the prince and princess noticed that a toddler was nursing on her chest, where a newborn should be. The toddler pulled away and smiled at them, [Breathe, Serenity. This is all going to be ok.]
Usagi looked up at Mamoru, [Did you just hear that? or am I going crazy?]
Mamoru nodded as the baby took hold of one of Usagi's long strands, drawing the girl's attention back to her. [Now, my daughter, please use the crystal on me. It will know what to do.]
Usagi nodded as she transformed into Serenity, drawing the attention of the rather large crowd around the door. The crystal appeared above the toddler and for the second time that day the room was filled with blinding light.