We do not own "Sailor Moon" nor any of the characters.

"SAILOR MOON ETERNAL"

The 6th Season of the Sailor Moon Saga

Chapter 26

"In the Home Stretch"

The flight back to Tokyo runs smoothly, though our now smaller group returning than arriving was concerned about their missing companions, wondering if everything back in France was all well for Michelle and Robin. They were hoping sincerely that it was, for their happy team would not be the same if those two integral participants were broken apart.

Upon arriving back in Japan, Terry offers to make the long walk in the hot 11AM, late July sun to pick up the sedan they had left in the airport's secured parking lot. Before the foursome set out on the trip home, there were more than a few luggage mishaps at the airport.

Trying to lighten the heavy mood for the two anxious Outer ladies left with him, Sayer optimistically insisted 'everything had to have panned out for Rob, since 'Chelle is so head over heels for him, she just has to sniff that musk mint rat stuff of his and he's got her again.'

For some reason feeling a little more boisterous than usual, the young man cooped up on the seventeen hour plus flight felt the urge to climb up the motorized, circulating conveyer belt airport luggage contraption in the contrary direction. He was in search for Susan's one lost hatbox suitcase, containing a special, very expensive chapeau pour dame (ladies hat fascinator) that her new fiancé had purchased for her on their last day touring Paris together. Sayer was singing 'Search for Your Luggage' in their notable trio's most famous song's cadence with his silky voice the entire time, making quite the entertainment for the gawking public who watched the athletic young stud balance like an acrobat up on the conveyor in the precarious feat. Once his target was found, the dark-haired singer and the unexpectedly weightless bag almost came in for a crash landing as result of his over-the-top, off-equilibrium yank showing off to an exasperated, rolling eyes Alex.

When Terry pulled up with their ride, no one spoke aloud of the vacant seating arrangement, where only Robin's unattended bags sat in place of the missing two passengers.

Alex opted to drive them home, needing to feel the wind's pavement beneath her wheels hitting the highway in her angst over her best friend and partner Michelle's heartache and conceivably devastating breakup, still all up in the air since they had left Paris.

Home at last, Alex finds the front door unlocked.

"I locked this door before we left." Her alarms immediately going off, the tough protector female drops her suitcases arbitrarily on the ground, pushing the others away. Alex was always the suspicious, overcautious one of intruders invading the three single ladies' rural, out-of-the-way, quiet abode. In 'Sailor U' mode, sword at the ready, Alex readies her stance for danger as she kicks the door in cautiously and looks around.

"Maybe you just forgo—" Less over-cautionary Sayer starts to say as he enters Michelle's manor behind her, very "gentlemanly" not bothering to retrieve her fallen luggage spilled on the doorstep. (That was left for Susan to tidy up and Terry to carry in.)

"SURPRISE!" A chorus of voices sing out merrily as the lights in the house pop on to reveal the joyful faces of Tara, Rini, Mina, Rei, Amy and Lita, plus little RiRi, too. They were all crowded in front of a recently-returned-from-her-honeymoon (and looking none the worse for wear) Serena, who was holding a pale blue frosted cake with nineteen red candles on it, already set ablaze.

"Happy Birthday, Sayer!" Serena Shields leans over the cake, and kisses the surprised birthday boy on the cheek.

"Meatball! You remembered." He smiles, their friendship warming his heart, and the sight of the delicious cake makes his mouth water, as well.

"Of course! Today you turn nineteen years old, exactly one month exactly after I did on June 30! How could I forget? I'm a responsible lady wife now, you know." Serena smiles with a trying to be mature, but still mostly mischievous, with a mysteriously haughty air about her.

"Yeah, I know. So where is that lucky devil Dar?" Sayer winks back at her, as he fingers a scoop of the icing off the cake and pops it right into his mouth.

"He's working right now. But he'll be here soon. Don't worry, he wouldn't miss your party!" Serena slaps Sayer's wandering fingers from devouring the entire cake before it was served. That is, until he raises another stolen finger scoop to her lips, and the sweet-toothed blonde ditz was unable to resist his irascible charms. With a playful giggle, she licks Sayer's proffered finger behind his hand conspiratorially.

"Lita made the cake, so you don't have to worry about it being bad for you or something ill-advised inedible Serena cooked up, either." Stressing several key words pointedly at the scene, Rei pipes in. In new husband Darien's absence, Rei felt the need to break up the cozy pair giggling and licking one another's digits in that intimate way.

"Yeah, well I decorated the room, Rei." Unaware she was doing anything unseemly with her (non-existent ex, in her eyes anyway) friend, Serena rebuts the hissed criticism. Though now a grown-up married 'lady wife,' the bright-as-the-moonlight, effervescent gal still wasn't above her little quarrels with her favorite sparring partner, Rei.

"YOU decorated the room!? We all helped decorate, Serena!" Rini, looking silly with an angry face and little grey kitten Diana atop her head, was the third cog in the argument. Tara obediently nods in agreement with her best friend. After their week-long visit where the pair were practically inseparable 'sisters' on timeless days full of fun sleepovers and secrets, Tara was glad Rini had decided to stay here in this era for a little while longer.

The bouncy pink sprite had enigmatically said she had one more important wedding to attend before she left for good, making Tara wonder why Rini was seriously staring at Susan and Terry's intertwined hands since the pair came in the room.

"Don't forget how I brought the balloons! Didn't I, Artemis?" Mina says haughtily, just as one of those balloons decides to pop on a sharp edge from the grandfather clock, with a loud bang, scaring the catnip out of Artemis who jumps up to the large room's ceiling fan with a high-pitched squeak.

"Oh. My hero." Luna bitingly complains of her feline companion, already in a foul mood that her idolized Robin did not return to Tokyo with the others.

"Girls, let's not argue about who did what. This is a party. We all did it together for our friend." Always the voice of calm reason, Amy tries to smooth over, smiling apologetically at Terry and Susan, for the studious young medical student was embarrassed at the girls' rude behavior.

"Yeah, let's get to eating all the frosting off the cake before the candles melt and wreck it!" Sayer jumps right in the fray, taking hold of Serena's arm and guiding her—and that tasty cake—to the table which was chock full of even more divine sweets.

Soon the cake slices were dispersed around the room (after Sayer blew out the candles in one big leather lung puff!) and then the gossip begins.

Sayer busies himself with chatting up the livelier, noisier set of females congregated in the large living room of Michelle's rural mansion—Mina, Rei, Serena, RiRi and Rini (who eyes the birthday rock star for dubiously conversing with her future mother so friendly tight.)

Having been through an emotional rollercoaster in France this past week, Sayer was happy to be part of their more youthful, simple group, since he was always a kid at one—AKA the life of any party—especially at a totally surprise one for himself.

Terry and Susan calmly converse with Amy, Lita and Tara, the more subdued members of the gabbing girls. Although, the happy couple leave out a certain bit of fortuitous news they too had to share that was just the tiniest bit significant as they wait for just the right moment to spring it upon their friends.

Watching the merry crowd before her, Alex finds herself amused at how boyish a playmate Sayer Starr became around them. He still possessed that sweet, childlike innocence about him that she would always find so attractive.

"Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday?" Alex asks when the girls all scurry off to fetch their presents for him. Sayer simply shrugs.

"He told me this morning not to tell you." Terry interjects with a tease, feeling a mite playful himself, as if trying to stir up trouble. Susan takes her place on him when the mahogany ponytailed composer sat on the loveseat and wordlessly patted his lap invitingly.

"What? Why?" Alex asks with an incredulous chuckle at how strange men could be at times. Even this intergalactic hybrid of one.

"Cool guys don't really care about birthdays and parties and that sort of thing. That's why I'm only playing along so the girls don't feel bad." Sayer smiles the lie, but Alex could see in his bright eyes that it was all a big show and this party animal was truly enjoying himself to no end.

"Oh, I get it." Alex smirks condescendingly, though letting Sayer think he got away with that sorry bluff. It was his birthday, after all.

"PRESENT TIME! PRESENT TIME!" Mina sings out as she trots back into the room. Not looking where she was going, the blonde bombshell almost steps on poor Luna, while holding something behind her back.

"Close your eyes, Sayer." Serena sweetly orders, as she peeks her bunhead around the corner before coming in.

"And don't you dare open them!" Rei warns like a firestorm cloud when she follows Serena into the room, planning to keep a hawk-like eye on the cozy pair until Darien arrived later.

Amy, Tara and Rini follow close behind them, secret surprises filling all of their enthused hands.

"Okay, okay." Sayer smiles, while obediently keeping his eyes closed. "What're you guys doing anyway with all that rustling fabric and banging hard objects? Remember, there are some children and ladies present." He jokes in curiosity, ears easily recognizing the sound of quick-change clothing sliding down the rear as the salivating rogue stood there in the midst of the room with eyelids tightly shut.

"We are ALL ladies here, except for you and Terry, of course! Oh, and you too, Artemis." Mina twists her lip at Sayer's risqué jab, giggling to herself as she scruffs her cat's not-feeling-so-manly head from where he and aforementioned fellow male Terry Starr had been ejected from the impromptu changing station.

"You can open your eyes now!" Lita coos, as all the gang scramble behind the table they had just placed their collected gifts upon, everyone assembled appropriately dressed to match the occasion.

Sayer's one eye, then the other which his self-control had to keep in check while all those tantalizing sounds were afoot, pop open wide. There to his astonishment, lying on the table was a beautiful, long, wooden baseball bat, a professional leather catcher's mitt and softball. On top of them all was a light blue baseball cap.

It was a baseball fan's dream come true and Sayer Starr was certainly an avid one.

"Wow! Guys, this is great! Thanks!" He picks up the glove, and sees an inscription on it, written in indelible navy blue ink.

"It's a fortune I chose just for you today at the temple." Rei smiles, glad her handiwork stood out and not Mina's chasing down and catching (pun intended) of that ultra famous baseball player for a week to sign that dumb old softball.

"'Keep on reaching for your dream.' Well, I sure got a dazzling one to reach for now." Sayer reads aloud, and as he does, his eyes travel across the table, at Alex, who looks away from his intent stare quickly. She never wanted to look weak in front of Lita and the other girls.

"Thanks, gang! You're the best!" Sayer's smile envelops all the girls as he cups the pale blue baseball cap on his noggin and gives them his own famous thumbs-up. "You can count on it!" He throws another thumbs-up back to Alex, who finds his gaze today too tempting to turn away from this time.

"WAIT A MINUTE! The great Nomo Hideo himself signed this ball personally?! NO WAY!"

Alex changes her mind though, shaking her head when her ears were near deafened by the fanboy's abrupt cry upon seeing the famed signature embedded on his new pitcher's softball.

"WAY! Chalk it up to the goddess of Love's professional powers of persuasion!" In true Venus fashion, Mina's even more earsplitting scream of triumph had Artemis on her shoulder seeing stars, while Luna and the rest of the troupe burst out in laughter at the poor, dizzy white kitty cat.

Sayer soon recruits the whole gang for a proposed game of softball. The friends trot outside the green grassy field to the back yard, and quickly turn it into an impromptu baseball diamond. It was complete with a few old leather school bags, one of Michelle's fine lace couch cushions, and even some of her fine dinner china, in literal place of the four 'plates' around the diamond.

Sayer chooses a spot in the field, and piles up with his sneaker a small mountain of dirt with that soon, never-again-white doily cushion for the pitcher's mound. He would be the pitcher to proudly stand upon it, of course.

The girls had changed into either pale blue jogging pants or hot pink shorts, which Lita had supplied, to fairly coordinate with the girl's league volleyball t-shirts Mina had thought to procure (okay, it was Amy's suggestion) from the gym at Tenth Street High as they divide up who was to be on whose team. The birthday boy naturally assumed the role of team leader and coach for those less than athletically inclined.

Serena, an old trainee of his from a past not so long ago, felt confident enough in her baseball knowledge to take the head of the opposing team when Alex surprisingly declined.

The taller blonde sports competitor had refused, even at Sayer's insistence that she had the athletic makings of a great baseball player and coach with her past experience in track and field. Alex had sourly responded that she had 'something more important to do than play games with the children,' and soon took off in her much missed Ferrari to speed down the rural roads on the outskirts of Tokyo instead.

This turn of events cast a bit of a downer disappointment for Sayer, but the other girls cheered him up soon with throwing themselves into the game with their not-so-inspirational baseball tactics.

Terry and Susan had opted to watch them play from the sidelines, happily supplying the two teams with homemade lemonade and iced tea on this hot summer day. They even prepared a lunch together for the hungry players.

RiRi, in her excitement to nearly catch a foul ball, had a little 'accident' pretty early on in the second inning. So the players were forced to call a halftime pause in the game on account of a different kind of 'rain,' where 'Mother' Serena had to call a 'time-out' to set the little sprite right again. Everyone else soon came in to take a break from the steaming late July day for the scrumptious Mediterranean style lunch Susan had made with (or despite of distracting nibbling—and I don't mean the foodstuffs) Terry in the kitchen while the others played another type of game entirely.

Darien soon arrived, joining his wife, and gave Sayer some not so 'sincere birthday salutations,' as well as a pair of dagger eyes. Particularly when the dark haired young singer had playfully tossed his new cap to hang on Serena's head, and the over-friendly action was accompanied by a familiar wink. The sober Prince of the Earth had listened to his wife and her girlfriends gossip over the latest buzz about their older comrade Michelle, after Serena had confessed she had picked up the mansion's ringing phone when she came in.

Michelle had placed a long-distance telephone call from Paris to make certain that the residents of the house had arrived home safely. Soon, nosy Serena had grilled her Sailor Guardian of Neptune on all the juicy romantic goings-on there with a certain hunky idol star of their mutual acquaintance.

"Michelle said Robin actually faced her strict parents down, totally unafraid! He told them he loved her too much to leave without her, couldn't go live without her, and promised to love their daughter forever before French kissing her, bold as brass, right in front of them!" Armed with the life-altering, romance significant, titillating first-hand gossip, Serena nods up and down seriously. Being the one who had answered the phone, the Moon Princess—now an experienced married lady of her own—could sense how terribly in love Michelle was with Robin Starr, just from the tone of her voice on the other end of the phone line, now more than ever since their momentous trip to the City of Love.

Serena had informed every splashy detail to all the girls right after she had gotten the gossip first-hand from their elegant friend.

"After Robin braved them—literally swooping in like a knight in shining armor—big sigh—did her parents really say they'd consent to allow the two of them to stay together on trial, courting for one year to see if their love lasts?! It's like something ripped right out of a riveting romance novel of old! How thrilling!" Mina squeals and sighs in turns, the self-prescribed 'goddess of love' almost in tears just imagining how much courage—and how much love—it took for her favorite teen idol to do such a thing.

"Michelle is a very fortunate young lady." Luna remarks with a trembling lip at the winsome star of Healer who had also stolen her heart with his divine eyes she was still "weak against." Poor Artemis, though elated the silver haired singer had been snagged by Neptune, still felt pangs of inferiority in comparison with the now unanimously hailed 'romantically heroic' young man he was in secret competition with for Luna's affections.

"Wow! Robin's soo romantic a boyfriend!" Rei reiterates with a starry eyed, cheek cradling drool as well, as the rest of the girls all around nod in dreamy agreement.

"Oh! Robin's soo romantic!'" In a rather believably effeminate high voice and tossed girlish hand, Sayer mocks sarcastically their feminine tendencies and praise of his snobbish, argumentative, absent brother. "Get real, guys." Sayer smirks as the hungry young man polishes off a second grilled cheese sandwich Susan had dished up especially for the birthday boy. Even though the delicious luncheon was a hit with all the others, Sayer had opted out of the fresh Mediterranean pasta, vegetable and pesto fare the Italian woman had whipped up.

"Makes a guy almost sick to see them all blubbering over Rob like that. Don't you think, Dar?" Sayer sits back and gives Darien a familiar, elbowed nudge, for the serious college grad had expertly asserted himself to sit between his new wife and this youthful cad.

"I don't know about that… Sayer." Darien gives the athletically nimble man of similar hair coloring an all knowing smile. He wraps a possessive arm around Serena, who was happily chomping away at a bowl of potato chips. Rini and RiRi were in close competition with her on the other side of the table so that the potato crisps in the bowl Terry had brought in were quickly depleted.

"I believe romance does have an important place in this life which one must hold precious, like a rose petal." With his usual imparted idioms, Tuxedo Mask's alter-ego gives his newlywed a quick kiss on the forehead. With her mouth full of chips, Serena smiles, giggling even as chip crumbles escape her cute lips, which causes Sayer to snort in a chuckle at the sappy, far-out comparison.

"I am glad to hear you say so, Mr. Shields." Terry's deep voice speaks suddenly from his quiet seat across the table, and, with a simple gesture of a held out hand and pat to the empty seat next to him, Susan instantly puts down the soda bottle she was pouring drinks from and hands it over to a jaw-dropped Rei to finish the job. The slender beauty immediately comes to her lover's beckon, and quickly rushes over to claim the seat beside Terry.

"'Mr. Shields,' Terry? So formal still?" On the other hand, Darien found himself liking this man and his innate respect towards him more and more.

"What I am about to ask of you is a very formal request, Your Highness." He bows his head down reverently at Darien and then at Serena. "Princess." He lowers his eyes in deference to the blonde ditz.

"Wow, 'Princess?!' Terry! What's up!?" Serena exclaims in shock, and almost chokes on her potato chips at her very dear friend's sudden formality.

Terry looks up at them, with his eyes intent and serious. "I do realize that we, as Soldiers, should be fully prepared to devote our lives to you and you alone, Princess. It is a task in which my brothers and I—and I know I may speak for them both—have discussed the subject at length, being now permanent residents of this lush green planet. We have wholeheartedly pledged our loyalty to you and this bright Earth kingdom of yours, Prince, destined with the moon and the stars in this solar system." Terry exchanges a nod with Sayer, whose demeanor goes all serious to award Serena with a short, respectful bow of his head to her, as well.

In shock, potato chips fall out of her gaping mouth onto the table.

"And as Soldiers of your court, we three shooting stars will lay our lives down for you if necessary, Sailor Moon. This we vow to you." Terry bows his eyes down, much to Darien and Serena's awestruck gazes. "But through all this, I am not only a Guardian, but now a man as well. One who is desperately in love with a fellow Guardian under your command, here in this room."

All eyes turn to Susan at his side, who suddenly, for support, grips Terry's hand on the table firmly. "I will swear to you her protection, her safety, and both our eternal devotion to you still, your Majesties." Terry looks into Susan's eyes as she gives him a quick, encouraging smile.

"I am officially asking your permission to take this lady's hand in marriage." Terry finishes with a final, flourishing bow like a true gentleman before Serena and Darien. His wisteria eyes lower once more as Susan looks up hopefully to the royal pair whom she had sworn her duty to millennia ago past and future.

They look at each other, then back across the table, blinking.

"Why, Terry, Susan, of—" Serena was still in training before she could take her rightful place as Queen, ready and willing to share in their joy like a friend would. But Darien understood his station well, and holds up a hand, sending his young wife into immediate, obedient silence.

"Sailor Star Maker, Sailor Pluto." The stoic, serious faced Guardian of Earth addresses the pair before him in all seriousness, with a pregnant pause. "You have our permission to wed." Darien adds ominously, knowing to deserve such respect, he, as future King Endymion, would have to earn it first and uphold the command they expected of him. But, upon sensing his future Queen's bursting to squeal in joy at the prospect for her dear friends, the older man's face relaxes to a genuine smile, as Terry and Susan gaze at each other tenderly, squeezing each other's hands in utter joy at their success.

"Whee! This is the BEST news EVER! Now I won't be the only 'married old lady' now!" Giving Sayer a scrunched nose for ragging her before on the baseball field for her marital status, that somehow deemed her as 'old' and 'dull,' and definitely made her 'a rotten ball player.' Serena then giggles in pure unmitigated delight that the first of her Sailor Soldiers—her precious friends—would experience the fullness of life as she always prayed they could. Dropping her snacks, Serena rushes over to hug Susan, throwing her arms around her more womanly form with all the warmth of her immense moonlight.

"Thank you, Princess!" Susan whispers in Serena's yellow hair. She embraces her dearly loved monarch back just as warmly for approving of and sharing in this once thought lost-to-time woman's moment, as Darien shakes Terry's hand proudly.

"Thank you, your Majesties." Terry smiles, triumph in his soul. He feels his path with Susan was now totally clear of all obstacles.

Watching the scene in silence until now, the rest of the gang all burst out at once in congratulations and "Oh-my-gosh! This is phenomenal!," not to mention Mina's over-dramatic fainting spell.

Susan was no longer reluctant to show off her beautiful engagement ring that she had kept hidden all day thus far from the eager eyes of the younger girls.

"Good job, Ter. A little talky, but…great job. At landing a beauty like Susie, too." Terry soon feels Sayer's loud slap on his back. The older brother smiles himself, feeling pride welling up in his soul as he exchanges another loving gaze with his Susan across the room.

After the excitement of this announcement dies down a bit (well, as much as dreamy teenaged females would permit), and the sun starts to sink low in the July sky, the gang goes back out to finish their game.

Darien takes over poor, trodden upon Artemis' unenviable task as the umpire, and he tallies up the two team's scores so far. He finds to his wife's and Mina's chagrin, that their team had fallen way behind the stronger team's opposing force, for it consisted of Team leader/Coach Sayer, powerful batter Lita, with determined crack shot Rei and even little firebrand Rini pulling their weight.

As for the other side, Serena had taken RiRi under their wing, even though some good she was to their team, mostly blundering in their way. Mina, Amy, and Serena all had to dash to pull her out of the way of incoming balls and stolen bases in her inept path.

So in the bottom of the eighth inning, when all seemed lost to the "Moon Team" (Sayer had named his the "Stars Team") it just happened that Sayer was last at bat. One of his signature home runs would cinch the game for his overconfident team, who were already throwing jabs and jeers at their 'less athletic' opponents (sorry Amy), to which ace volleyballer Mina took great offense.

Glancing nervously at the makeshift scoreboard Luna and Diana were expertly controlling, up at bat Mina saw that her team only sadly had one home run. But that was on account of her "Oh, look! What's that up there in the tree?!" which had caused pitcher Sayer to look up and slow his fast ball just enough for Mina to wham it into the outfield triumphantly. Although, it nearly knocked Rei's brains out in the process.

The opposition had 10 homers, 3 of which Lita whipped out with her strong arm; one that Rei had expertly fielded between Serena and Mina, causing them to crash into each other; with the other six chalked down to Sayer's serious aim expertise.

Sighing at her assured defeat, elected pitcher Amy closes her eyes as, though calculating the exact trajectory to perfection, she did not allow for the indomitable spirit of a sportsman. Amy's curveball pitch was not enough to elude Sayer's wicked batting skills. The softball hits the wooden bat with a loud CRACK, sending it high through the air at a blinding speed.

Sayer had given it that extra "oomph" knowing this perhaps-a-bit-cheating-star-powered-slug would be the winning hit.

As he drops his bat, Sayer Starr leisurely trots from first base to second, singing a triumphant tune as he ran, basking in his team's sure win, then second to third, third to—

When he looks up after hearing his teammate's screamed warnings over his gloating song, Sayer finds it too late to stop at third. Somewhere far out in left field, a sudden new player had entered the game, in place of (literally) benched RiRi.

This new competitor, ball in hand, dashes forward towards the batter making for home on third. The tall new player, disguised under that hot pink baseball cap of the Moon team, taps a floored Sayer out with such force, that she knocks him to the ground mere centimeters from his reaching home plate.

"OUT!" Darien calls, almost too happily for Sayer's frowning taste. But it wasn't he that Sayer's attentions were now fixed upon in rapt astonishment.

"You heard the ump, Starr." Alex holds her hand out to help him up, that perpetual, smug smirk painted across her face.

"I thought you weren't playing this 'children's game.'" Sayer stands up on his own without her assist, dusting his pants off with several tight slaps.

"Somebody's got to help those poor girls on the other team you're trashing, Slugger." Alex smirks at that cute, pouty expression on his face as she playfully tickles his lower lip and ruffles his dark curls beneath his new baseball cap in a rather intimate fashion. Then, despite the shocked gasps of the audience watching their star player intently, she familiarly strokes the dirt smudged across Sayer's cheek with a licked thumb, to clean him up.

Everyone in view drops their jaws to witness the rather personal scene in public between this most unlikely pair, save for Terry and Susan. They had seen something along these lines between these two replayed too many times, particularly in Paris, where something seemed to upgrade in their relationship, to take much notice any more.

"I wish I could go to Paris…" Equating this interlude—not to mention Susan's thrilling engagement to Terry sigh—with the three Outers and Starlights' recent French rendezvous, Lita audibly sighs. All the girls nod their heads with starry eyes in absolute agreement with her. The sporty girl, who was still full of romantic dreams, smiles quixotically in encouragement at the outwardly romantic, totally unexpected scene between her tough and independent older friend she so looked up to, and that wild card of a rock star.

In the moment's adrenaline pumped, exhilarated awe of herself, Alex gazes at the changed look on Sayer's now pleased-by-her-caring-touch features and pulls the blue cap down over his eyes. "Now let's play ball, birthday boy!" The confident, tall golden blonde dashes off to impart strategy to her underdog team, though she does all the talking. Her skillful direction and agile playing techniques quickly even up the score into the next inning, until the "Moons" and the "Stars" were at a tie. Sayer was the last hitter once again, but this time, in Amy's place, Alex was the star pitcher.

Staring each other down across the field, the tension of all varieties in the air was palpable, as Alex readies her curve ball. She winds up the pitch and sends it flying like a speeding bullet towards the plate. Sayer's keen eye follows the difficult ball which the breeze seemed to carry capriciously, he waiting, waiting…

Don't overjudge it! SWING!

WHACK!

With precision aim nailing Alex's expert fast-ball pitch, a mighty hit sends the ball soaring so high into the sky that one might think for a minute it may actually hit the sun as it disappears into the tree line, like a shooting star.

Everyone claps and cheers for one another's competitive spirit at this dramatic ending to a perfect summer day in July. All of them were exhausted from the close game and rush into the house for some cool refreshment.

That is, except for Sayer, who sticks around outside, to practice swinging his new bat while marveling at the signed softball with which he had just claimed victory. Leaning against the shade of a plum tree, he stops Alex when she passes by in those long, hot pink sweat pants he couldn't take his eyes from in the setting sun.

"Thanks, Ally." He smiles appreciatively with the two simple words.

"For what?" Alex asks, brushing her own loose hair out of her eyes, sweat dripping from her soaked bangs after she had volunteered to gather all the borrowed 'plates' up before Michelle came back and noticed the expensive porcelain dishware missing, or her antique lace cushion that was too irrevocably trampled and muddy.

"For just being you." He hooks his own sweaty blue baseball cap on her head, and trots away into the house with the others, a smug, satisfied expression on his winning features.

"He knew." Alex smiles to herself the whisper, proudly putting the hat straighter on her head as she considers how perhaps the game was thrown to favor the person whose birthday they were celebrating.

How easily the racing champ of all things track and field could've struck her opponent out. But it was something far more, something deeper inside of her than victory that made her throw the game to this traveler from another galaxy.

"Happy Birthday, Starr." A mysterious expression on her unreadable face, Alex quietly murmurs to Sayer's departing form as she watches his sleek back move away from her.

Another week passes by, with Robin and Michelle staying on in Paris for an extended vacation. The two of them utilized their time in France to really enjoy the city this time—and more importantly, each other. They understood that what they had would be able to go on forever now, and that knowledge made them cherish one another even more as the young lovers could explore the romanticism of Paris as they should, without anxieties or expectations, to embrace their destiny together.

The gang back home in Tokyo run themselves into a frenzy of excitement over Susan's rushed wedding preparations. They had recently experienced the flurry of wedding arrangements that had taken planning of over three months just to get Serena and Darien's marriage off to a flourishing start.

Serena's dress just had to be made by that now famous fashion designer friend of hers, Peggy. But Susan, on the other hand, as a seamstress, wanted to make her beautiful and elaborate wedding gown herself.

"But you don't want to delay this wedding any more than it already has been!" Rei had said with insinuations and with a tongue-click at the rumors of Terry and Susan's naughtiness prior to their marriage.

"Never mind all that! She's marrying one of the Three Lights! AHHH! Susan sooo is lucky!" Mina had to often be slapped back into reality by Lita, who herself had sighed.

And to Terry too…sigh… Lita always had a soft spot for the Three Lights' tall, handsome, gentlemanly composer.

After informing their new agent, Mr. Pym, of Terry's "good" news, the poor man nearly went into shock, looking like he was about to have a nervous breakdown.

"MARRIAGE!?" He had shouted incredulously. The staff at his office all stared at each other over the loud yelling with the Three Lights behind closed doors. (Well, Two Lights, plus Susan.)

"Are you crazy, boy? You're only nineteen! How do you expect me to promote you as an eligible bachelor idol if you're no longer a bachelor?! What will my advertisers say?!" Mr. Pym's red balding head would have looked comical were he not so angered with them.

"I expect you to promote me as I am, Mr. Pym, sir. And I don't care what the advertisers say. I believe the fans will learn to accept it over time. I don't see my marriage as a problem to anything, as long as we keep up our singing and songwriting quality as usual. Anyway, even if it did, it still wouldn't matter." Terry firmly states his position on the subject, and pulls an intimidated Susan closer to him defiantly.

Pym, for once, was at a loss for words to rebut this eloquent young man.

"Besides, Pym, old man! You've still got me to promote as your sex symbol to please the ladies out there." Sayer leans strikingly against the doorway, his shirt was hanging open, and the familiar wicked smirk was in his devilish eyes, proving his worth as any girl's fantasy idol.

"Yes, weeeee—llllll…" Pym was starting to see there was still a small light through this dark news just dumped upon him. "You had just better give it all you've got, Sayer! Even more so with your one brother off gallivanting with that Moreau woman in Europe publicly, when he should be here hard at work. And now this other one…" Pym offhandedly motions at Terry and the lovely bride to be in his arms. Pym sighs audibly, and shakes his head as he gives up trying to convince Terry's set mind against this unwise career move into marriage. He saw this young man seemed to care more for love than for career anyway. Sigh Kids these days!

"Congratulations, anyway, you two. She is lovely, Terry." Pym wasn't the totally heartless sort. For even through his money grubbing eyes he could spot true love when he saw it as he shakes Terry's hand.

"Thank you, sir. Of course, you are invited to the wedding in one and a half—"

"Just one." Susan corrects gently, getting more and more excited as she was counting down the days.

"One." Terry repeats, corrected, with a gratified smile, as he too grew impatient for the joyous day to arrive. "In one month, if you would honor us as a guest at our wedding.' Terry finishes, and gives the older man a respectful nod.

"Yeah, yeah. I'll be there. If only to make sure the bloodhound reporters and brainless photographers—whom you know are going to leech onto such an event—take all the right shots and get the right stories down. Might as well not waste the free publicity." Pym, ever the promoter had the attitude 'if you can't beat 'em, you might as well join 'em.'

"All right." Terry and Susan chuckle at this funny man as they head for the door.

"And Sayer," Pym puts a fatherly hand on his young charge's shoulders. "Don't be getting any ideas from your big brother here. Some of us weren't meant for the old ball and chain life. Right?" Pym says, almost pleading, not wanting to lose his overwhelming female crowd-pleasing star to such a horrifying thing as marriage. He had been through two of those mistaken atrocities already himself, and vowed never to again.

"ME? Get married!?" Sayer almost shrieks, his pain-stricken face in shock at the thought. "You don't have to worry one little bit about that, Pymmie." Sayer says with a nervous giggle. The very idea was mind boggling, old-fashioned fuddy-duddy to him as he follows Terry and Susan (who, for some reason, were laughing at him) out the door of their agent's office.

"Oh, good, Sayer, my boy. At least I can count on you." Mr. Pym plops at his desk, and continues to sort through good mail (advertisers) and junk mail (bills) before this unsettling meeting with his most successful clients had happened.

"Poor young Terry, with his head in fairytale books and eyes on stargazing clouds. He has no idea what he has wrought upon himself at this early age." Twice wed and twice divorced Mr. Pym glances out the blinds on his window to watch Terry and that stunning fiancée of his strolling out to the parking lot, arm in arm. The cozy couple was stealing a few kisses along the way, ignoring Sayer who was bouncing up behind them without a care in his bachelor world.

"A fine looking woman, with that indefinable quality about her I can't quite put my finger on. But, still…poor boy." Pym clicks his tongue at Terry's foolish mistake, to which the young man full of dreams and romance now coming true himself would disagree wholeheartedly.

For this star of Maker knew this beautiful fantasy which Pluto's planet guardian had granted him was not a mistake, but the best thing God ever blessed to happen in his entire life.

The month of September shoots by like lightning, where Mr. Pym, purposely it seemed, had filled the Three Lights work roster with recording projects in the studio; a few late night, live music television spots; and even a cameo movie role with the Three lights performing on a cruise ship, to a frantic pace.

Before young Terry Starr would take the plunge off the deep end.

Even within this worldly old bird, goodness won out in the end, as he relented to give the busy, industrious singers a final full day off, the day before the wedding to spend as a singular bachelor trio, for the last time in their lives.

Robin had returned from Paris in a sunny disposition, well, sunny enough for him, a certain undeniable light in his mint eyes every time Michelle came into the room. Or more likely into his wide open shared soul where the idol in love seemed to genuinely prefer to swim nowadays with his destined partner. Whispering to one another intimately, anywhere, anytime, on any topic, at all hours—Robin and Michelle's love story was even more well-versed than ever before.

And though he would miss his brother very much, Robin was not overly distressed about Terry's departure from the way things had been for the three of them living in one another's pockets for forever it seemed. Just the three of them had been together as a family since childhood, traveling across the galaxy through war and strife, as the closest three brothers this world or any other had ever seen. As the oldest, and most prosaic member of the group, with the assurance that Susan, like Michelle for him, was Terry's destiny, Robin simply saw this as the next step in their physically growing into male adulthood and soulfully maturing as star spirit guardians.

Sayer, on the other hand, had a harder time of seeing Terry's marriage like that. His hidden serious, often moody, more contemplative side saw this as not only 'the end of everything fun and exciting,' as movies and media professed marriage to be. But Sayer also knew that things would never be the same for the three Star Soldiers, who had lived, and sung, and grown up protecting the Princess they loved, as one unit. They finished each other's sentences, completed one another's brotherly thoughts and aspirations, relying on the unbreakable bond between the three.

Sailor Star Fighter was sure their truest strength was their harmony's cosmic fusion that joined the Starlights' arpeggio chord energy together as one triad. And for these past few weeks he had held this anxiety that it would all be diminished somehow, if Terry was to live apart from them, explore a new kind of family dynamic, one where Susan would be his best friend now instead of either of his brothers.

Don't get him wrong, Sayer loved Susan like a big sister already, and was glad Terry had a wonderful woman like her in his life.

But, still that tiny bit of uncertainty remained inside that Terry's intense, all-enveloping love for her might replace the deep bond between he and his brothers. However, Sayer didn't show it—not at all. He was determined to be boisterous and teasing, happily jabbering at every mention of the upcoming wedding like it didn't bother him whatsoever.

But Terry knew Sayer, knew his tendency to cover up his true feelings that were burning a hole inside his passionate soul, and could see the pain of their soon-to-be separation in his brother's blue eyes. Because, more than Robin—who always lived inside his own introverted shell since the war-torn child Healer was adopted by Queen Melodia years later than they both were as refugee babies—and as close as the three of them were, it was always, in the end, the two of them, Maker and Fighter, who were inseparable.

Sayer and Terry, Terry and Sayer. Two people as different as night and day, but deep inside they shared the same passions, hopes and dreams that made them more than merely brothers—more than best friends. They were each other's unspoken confidant, protector, conscience and inspiration.

And now, Sayer felt like it was all going to be changed. All may be slipping away from him, and there was nothing he could do about it. As much as he liked Susan—and that truly was a lot, he respected her not only for her beauty, but as a Soldier of this solar system greatly—and as much as Alex was taking hold of him, body and soul, Sayer Starr still felt this underlying sentiment of loss intensely.

For his best pal would no longer be always at his side.

Becoming good friends with Terry in the few weeks they had come to know each other, 'old, experienced' married man Darien, along with his best friend, Andrew (who had decided Terry was an all right guy now that his intentions seemed to be far flung from Lita), throw the younger man a bachelor party on the night before the wedding, with all the usual trimmings.

The guys attending were pretty much the same gang that had graced Darien's bachelor shindig not so long ago. Through their associations with their respective young lady friends, this group of men, consisting of Darien, Andrew, Chad, Greg, Ken and the Three Lights had slowly become a close-knit bunch. (As far as men usually go, that is. Artemis, who tagged along with Darien, included.)

Sayer was not in the mood for as much mischief as he got into last time, though. He tried for Terry's sake, to put on a brave face, and Terry did his best to lift his usually light-spirited brother's mood, and he succeeded somewhat, as the bachelor party stretched long into the night. Chad had even egged them all into 'playing backup' like at Darien's bach-out to the would-be rocker's latest song he had written for—who else?—his gorgeous Rei.

Terry wondered why they held such events on earth, and was told that 'a party' was held on this last night before a wedding, so there could be no regrets of things missed as a single man. But Terry was ten thousand percent certain, deep inside his heart, that there COULD be no regrets if Susan de Venici was to be his wife tomorrow.

Across town, in Serena's new apartment that was basically Darien's old flat, the girls congregate together. It might have been a single man's spartan abode before, but now the high story penthouse was changed totally around. For in these past two and a half months since their own wedding, the rooms had been transformed. Each was touched here and there by clumsy hands with happy family photo frames, smiling bunny and Luna-reminiscent kitty head shaped couch cushions. There were bright yellow stars strung from the living room ceiling, with flower and butterfly arrangements dotted everywhere to make the brightly painted place more her own.

It was Susan's special request to her Princess to have a final sleep over with them as a single lady. Without a second thought at the exciting idea, buoyant Serena Shields had told her husband Darien 'not to come home after Terry's bachelor party.' With a giggle, she had essentially kicked her hubby out for the remainder of the night to go find someplace else to sleep while she happily hosted the bachelorette party sleepover in his totally female occupied bedroom.

For once, this ancient, forgotten soldier who stood in the background at the edge of Time and Space for millennia alone, was at the center of all the attention now. For this was her moment at last, with all the Sailor Scouts, who had become the best of friends all gathered around the timeless woman, treating her as one of them. At Serena's friendly encouragement, Susan enjoys all the hair and makeup painting, friendship bracelet creating, sing-along-songs, carefree giggling and rumor filled chattering about so many subjects—particularly the Paris adventure and Michelle's recent romantic drama with one thrillingly heroic Robin Starr—immensely on this girls' night together. Finally, they all change into their sleepwear, preparing for sleep.

Amy was donning a cute polka dot pale blue and white nightdress; Lita wearing a slouchy green blue sweatshirt and tight black leggings; Serena in pink frilly shorts and matching hoodie pajamas, Rini was a velvet pink, floor length nightdress dollie; Rei was sporting a tie dyed nightgown and red toned ombre shorts as she laid out to get her nails done by go-getter Mina.

But none of the other Inners' cute and girlish outfits could compare to vivacious Mina's showy, low-cut nightie which rivaled their older Outer sister's usual more risqué fashions. Mina flashily showed off her lacy palest melon negligee to Diana, but Luna soon deemed it too adult for her age.

Even Michelle's newly acquired, fresh of this season, frilly pale aqua French chemise de nuit and Alex's long pale blue robe/loose pantsuit attire were more modest than usual in comparison; Tara's classic palest lilac Victorian girl's night frock and matching cap was as very sweet as the chocolate brownie late night snacks she and Rini had crafted with Susan in the kitchen earlier.

But, once the snacks were depleted, upon wondering where Susan had disappeared to in Serena's small apartment, they all sneak a peek into the fifteen minute occupied bathroom. Only to find the bride-to-be trying on and readjusting endlessly a very tiny, very lacy lavender lingerie adorned with tiny rosettes from her wedding trousseau. The mysterious older woman had been obscuring the undergarment beneath her own fashion designed stylish, similarly toned lavender and orchid layered, billowy long, shoulderless negligee, and all night had been dying to inspect how it looked on her.

"Susan!" They all exclaim, in unison at the extremely revealing skimpy chiffon 'nightdress' which was really little more than a strategically draped in see-through fabrics brassiere.

"OHHH! Girls!" The enviably tan-skinned female quickly pulls on a long sleeved button up shirt, rather embarrassed to have been seen posing in front of a mirror in such lingerie in front of these young women who were her respected fellow Soldiers.

"Pretty lady has nothing to hide." Alex declares with a satisfied roving eye, leaning against the bathroom door behind all the rest of the troupe, as Michelle chuckles in a tease, leaning against her tall friend in the doorway. "I'm sure Terry will be very pleased to play with his lovely dolly in that this time tomorrow, eh, Susan dear?" The Frenchwoman's words cause Susan to blush and the other girls to sigh at the dreamy fantasy.

"Yeah for Puu!" Rini and Tara, with Luna and Diana in hands and Luna P floating over their heads, were bouncing on Serena's bedraggled bed in order to see as well, and they raise up a cheer in Susan-mama's honor.

"Lucky Susan!" Mina sighs, and her nose begins to bleed (as 'doctor' Amy grabs up a clean tissue and attends to her anemic friend, holding the blonde's head backwards) at the very thought of marrying an idol, especially one as gorgeous and famous and talented as Terry. "You're marrying Terry Starr of the Three Lights tomorrow!" She was strangling her poor physician with her romantic enthusiasm, while Lita and Serena were treating Rei—squished in between the sink and the bathtub they had all squeezed into—in the same manner.

"Yes, I am. I am the luckiest woman in all of Time…" Susan trails off, in a wistful voice and expression as her radiant eyes gleam like garnet jewels in the mirror before everyone's pleased gazes.

"My handsome Terry will be mine tomorrow, and my eternal song will be his to play forevermore…"