Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ After the Battle is Over ❯ Chapter 13: A Parent's Love (Part 1) ( Chapter 13 )

Authors Notes:

Thank you so much to those who wrote me and reviewed. I'd like to say a special thanks to Andrew who really inspired me to ignore my exams and write this instead. Thanks! (At least right now, after I get my report card might be a different story *S*).

Thank you also, to moon legend wolf and qnofserenity. It's been so long since I updated (sorry) that your reviews meant all that much more to me.

Lottio: I'm afraid I had to do a few things before that particular event, but don't worry, I will get there. Enjoy the story until then.

Taxi: Just let me know if he starts to get unrealistic okay. *S*

Here is the first half of this chapter. I will have to finish it when I get home for the holidays (yes my exams are starting to catch up with me). This was turning out to be longer then I had planned and I just have to study! The second half should be up by next week or so. Keep your eyes out for it.

Chapter 13: A Parent's Love

Part 1

Shingo's POV

It sounds like this little girl was a real pain in the butt! The way Rei-san's describing her I can almost picture her! It must have been nice to have someone else to focus on though instead of worrying about Usagi all the time. I almost wish I could remember.

".... then Mamoru-san suddenly broke up with Usagi and it took us quite a while to figure out what was going on there. At first we only noticed how upset Usagi was all the time, but she wouldn't tell us what was going on. It wasn't until Ami noticed that Usagi wasn't talking about him any more that we finally put two and two together. By this time she was hardly eating and Luna said she was having nightmares almost every night. It didn't help that youma were showing up on a regular basis!"

I flicked my eyes over to Chiba-san in time to see him flinch and hold my sister even closer against him. He almost seemed to be shivering. But his eyes, they were the scariest part. They're so shadowed I'm surprised he can see out of them. Actually, I don't think he is. He seems to be staring at something that none of us can see (I looked toward the door just to make sure, after all, it wouldn't surprise me to see anything else weird here).

As Rei-san's description went on, getting more descriptive as it went, I watched Mamoru-san intently. I know a kid my age isn't supposed to see this type of stuff but come on, he's sitting right in front of me. Rei's not in an easy spot for me to see from my position on the floor so it's natural that I look at him . . . at least that's what I keep telling myself.

Ikuko's POV

I start when I feel my son twist around at my feet to stare into my husbands face. What is he looking at?

Oh dear, I'm glad I'm still holding his hand. What is causing him to get angry again, I thought that was settled earlier?

Oh that. My gaze swings back to Usagi just in time to see Mamoru-san's hold tighten another notch, although I think she may be running out of oxygen at this point his hold looks to be so tight. What's wrong with the poor boy? I look down and see my son, also staring at the young man across from him, but with an expression of pity.

It's amazing how different the children are from the parents. Ken-chan is getting angrier while Shingo is sympathizing. He knows what it's like to worry about Usagi. (Which I must admit knocked my socks off!) Kenji, on the other hand, can only understand that he was hurting his little girl, and is right now holding her way too close.

My goodness, Mamoru looks like he's going to pass out! He's so pale and he's trembling. I wonder what . . .

Mamoru's POV

I have to get out! I can feel myself falling apart and I need to get out of here before that happens but, I don't want to wake Usako. What can I do, what can I do . . .

Gently, slowly, I ease Usako out a little and start to stand, but crap! ... I can't take her with me. Her father would have a tornado! I can't leave her behind! My arms tighten convulsively but then I see Shingo staring at us from the floor. Irrationally that helps, he's here, and he'll protect her. It's obvious he's had some practise at it (in his own misguided way). I quickly turned around and laid her out on the chair again, her head propped up with a pillow.

"Sleep on Usako."

Turning abruptly I look at the occupants of the room, who are all staring me. "Gomen nasai minna-san. I....I ...Please Rei continue." I can't hear anymore!

Rei's POV

I starred at the door of the bedroom as it shut quickly behind our Prince.

Shimatta! I never even thought about him! What a baka I am!

"Rei you baka! Didn't you even think about Endymion-sama when you were laying it on so thick? He looks like he's going to fall apart! You know how much he hates himself for what he did! Your just adding fuel to the problem!"

I could hear Minako almost yelling and nodded silently starting to feel a little nauseated with myself. "Gomen, I didn't mean to do that. I was just about to the part where they make up anyway!" I tried to defend myself out of habit but one look at Mina and I could tell that she was having none of it.

"Where are his parents?"

Haruka's POV

I don't know how long I knelt on the kitchen floor while Hime-chan cried on my shoulder but it felt like eternity. I kept replaying the look on her face when she flinched away from my hand and I want to cry too. But no, I can't. This isn't about me, I deserved that, this is about her.

"Ruka, Hotaru-chan, lets go into the den. Come on." I felt a hand on my back and another under the hand holding Hotaru. She gently eased us upwards, Hotaru still in my arms, and pushed me toward the den. I went without protest. Yes, it's time to talk about all of this.

Ami's POV

I jerked slightly as I felt a hand squeeze my shoulder and turned to see Mako-chan staring concernedly toward the now vacant door way. "Do you think they'll be all right?"

"Hai, Mako-chan. Hotaru isn't an ordinary child and she understands why they did it, she just needs hear it from them. They'll be all right." I lay my hand over top of hers and squeezed it in reassurance. "However our diner won't be if you don't get back to the stove! I'll finish the potatoes."

She flashed me a smile, still under laid with concern, and headed back to the stove.

'I just hope I'm right and EVERYONE is all right.'

Michiru's POV

I settled my two girls in the den and waited. I knew it wouldn't take long for Hotaru to calm down, it never has, and so I wasn't surprised when her sobs quickly tapered off into sniffles. Gently I reached over and brushed her feathery black hair out of her face. "Should we talk first Hime-chan, or do you want to?"

Her eyes widened in surprise and I just smiled a bit. "There's more then just Chibiusa bothering you isn't there?"

Haruka's POV

I can see the indecision and fright flickering in her eyes and I can't believe it. The same girl who faced down Pharaoh 90 and every other danger she's come across without batting an eyelid is scared of talking with us. My god, what have we done?

"Haruka-papa! Don't squeeze me so tight!" I jumped and immediately loosened my grip on my little girl.

"I'm sorry Hotaru-chan, I'm sorry!" I didn't even realize that I was crying until a little hand (compared with my huge paws anyway) swiped gently across cheek.

"Don't cry Haruka-papa. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell."

"Oh Hotaru it's not your fault, you haven't done anything wrong." I'm supposed to be the strong one here, so why am I the one crying! I buried my face in her sweet hair waiting for the tears to stop.

"Michiru-mama, why is Haruka-papa crying?"

Hotaru's POV

Did I do something wrong again? Are they going to leave too? Why is my papa crying?

Haruka's POV

My head came up as Hotaru's arms tightened, this time around my waist. "Please papa don't go, please don't go too!" She was trembling now and I looked at Michiru in astonishment knowing we'd finally figured out the crux of our little girl's problem.

"We're not going anywhere Hime-chan." Michiru said soothingly as she rubbed Hotaru's back. "Why would you think we're going somewhere?"

"Because everyone is leaving! You left before! I didn't want you to leave!" Her crying had resumed even harder then before.

"What? Who's leaving? When did we . . . oh my god, we did leave." Michiru's face contorted in self-disgust and it was all I could do to look her in the eye. "We did leave Haruka, what we did was as good as abandoning her wasn't it?"

Rei's POV

"Nani?" Whew, surround sound.

Shingo, Setsuna (apparently even she hadn't seen this one coming), Mina, and I all stared at Mrs. Tsukino as she calmly asked again, "Where are his parents? Don't they have the right to know about all of this as well? Have you already told them?"

"I um . . . they aren't . . . we haven't . . . " Mina stumbled over her words trying to find a way to answer the question, all the time looking at me like 'Say something! You're the one telling the story!'.

"He doesn't have any parents, they died when he was six." Mina gasped in horror at my pronouncement, Mrs. Tsukino gasped in surprise and Mr. Tsukino's scowl temporary relaxed.

"They asked Mina. I know it's really not my place to tell but Endymion-sama isn't in any shape to answer the question right now is he?" I glared at Mina defensively and she gradually sat back down in her chair again.

"What happened?" Mrs. Tsukino was staring thoughtfully at the door of the bedroom.

"They died in a car accident when he was six and he got amnesia. He was in an orphanage until he was 18 and then he moved out on his own. They left him money but that's about it, he knows next to nothing about them." I leaned forward trying to impress upon them what I was telling them, trying to make them understand. "Don't you get it? Usagi is his family. That's why separating them would be so horrific. She's the only family he's got, the only family he's ever known, she is his life." The words still hurt a bit but I knew them to be true. I'm not jealous of what they have anymore because I've finally realized that I've had it all along. I was just too stubborn and scared to accept it. It's amazing what kind of insights you get as your dying.

"That's horrible!" Mrs. Tsukino was obviously upset with this new bit of information but Mr. Tsukino didn't seem to care too much.

"He's still too old for her. Maybe having such a weird upbringing warped him somehow." All he received for that comment was a universal glare.

Shingo's POV

Sometimes my dad can be a real jerk! I can't believe he just said that.

"Mamo-chan . . . no . . . doushite? . . . Mamo-chan."

"Okaa-san look, Usagi's saying something!" I crawled across to her chair (not the most dignified but, after all, I wasn't going that far) and stared down at her. She wasn't waking up but her hands were fluttering and her face was contorted into an expression of confusion and worry.

A hand came over my shoulder and gently wiped at Usa-chan's brow. "It's all right little one, go back to sleep, Mamo-chan is all right. Sleep." Her shifting seemed to stop and her face lost some of its tightness but the worry was still there as she slept on. I glanced up at my mother as she continued to stroke her face. "She's worried about him." Her statement was soft but audible.

"Serenity-sama used to have nightmares like that all the time when he had been taken by the Dark Kingdom or during the period when he had broken up with her. She was constantly worried about him. She knew something was wrong, but he wouldn't tell her and it tore her apart inside." Luna was sitting on the back of the chair, gazing down affectionately at my ne-chan.

"Why didn't we hear them then?" demanded my father as he too approached the chair and joined our group.

"Because I generally managed to get her to calm down and go back to sleep. You did hear them a couple of time though. She wasn't talking coherently when you happened to come in both times. Thank goodness!"

"Why is she worried now? He wasn't acting like this when she fell asleep."

Luna shrugged (or at least what looked like a shrug for a cat) and looked my parents straight in the eyes. "They're soul bonded. She knows."

Haruka's POV

I have to admit I almost dropped Hotaru in shock. Michi was right, we had left her.

"Yes you did! Chibiusa left, my father left, the others left, you left, everybody left me! Why??" She collapsed again sobbing and I held her closer.

I was absolutely astonished. I had thought to be defending my actions to her because she was mad at us for turning traitor, but this . . . this I hadn't expected. I have no idea what to do, what do say.

Michiru's POV

Haruka's eyes were pleading with me to do something, anything, to make Hime-chan feel better. I can tell Haruka's floundering but I don't know what to say either. Well, I'll follow Hotaru's own advice and start from the beginning.

"Hotaru-chan, Chibiusa didn't leave you. She just went home. You'll see her again someday."

"I know *hiccup*, but why did she have to leave so *hiccup* soon after I was normal again *hiccup*. We didn't have *hiccup* any time *hiccup* and I won't see her for so long!"

Haruka had taken over rubbing her back and manoeuvred her up a little straighter. "Come on Hime-chan, take deep breaths . . . that's good another one . . . that's right. Feeling a little better?" She certainly looked a little better, she wasn't as white as she had been and the recently developed hiccups had abated again.

"I know you won't see Chibiusa for a while, but you will see her again. Maybe she'll come back and visit, you never know."

"You think so? Do you think Setsuna-mama will let her come back again?"

"I'm sure your older self is with her right now using your puppy dog eyes and begging that she send her back to visit because your younger self is so lonely." She giggled slightly at my description but then sobered up.

"I'm sorry I freaked out like that. I didn't mean to." She looked down at her hand, twisting in her lap, "I should go tell Endymion-sama about diner."

"Not quite yet, little lady, we've still got to apologize to you."

Hotaru's POV

What on earth would they have to apologize to me for? They haven't done anything wrong!

"You were right, we did leave you, we didn't mean to, but we did." Haruka-papas voice was thick and I could see the remnants of her earlier tears.

"Iie, Iie, you didn't! I was just upset and I wasn't thinking straight. You never left me, you came back for me and helped me grow up and you did what you thought you had to against Galaxia. It almost worked to, it was really smart to try and I don't . . . " I wasn't allowed to finish because I was pulled into another hug . . . this time by Michiru-mama.

"You are way to wise for your own good sometimes. Yes you know why we did it, but there are obviously a few unresolved issues here. Why did you think we'd leave you?"

Try as I might I couldn't twist myself out of her grasp. I could see the pain that my attempted escape was causing but I couldn't give them any ideas. If I told them they might do it and I couldn't give them the idea. I couldn't! I didn't even tell Setsuna-mama! I can't!

Shingo's POV

What is she doing?

Endymion's POV

Gotta calm down, gotta calm down, I'm waking her up. Come on Chiba, get a grip on yourself!

I was sitting on the edge of the bed facing a large picture window, trying desperately to get myself to calm down. I just hadn't been expecting Rei's detailed description of the hell had I put my angel through and so was totally unprepared for the feelings of guilt that came washing over me.

Oh we had talked about that time, and Usako's forgiven me but I've never really forgiven myself. The fact that it was me twice over makes it all that much worse!

Ikuko's POV

I gently push open the bedroom door and silently slide into the room. I know he hasn't heard me yet and I think I'll just take this time to study the man my daughter has chosen. I've never had anything against him but I sometimes have to agree with my husband in a way. My problem is with Usagi though. She's so young, how can she know what she wants for the rest of her life? Not to mention, sometimes she drives me nuts and I'm her mother, how can this young man think he wants to keep her for the rest of their lives when she's this young? Be that as it may, I've never seen anything that would suggest that he cares about any of that. In fact he goes out of his way to not let those things bother him, or so it seems.

He seems so calm and collected (except when staring down my husband) and so utterly different then my little girl. But then, I suppose he's seen a different side of her then we have. He's seen her saving the world again and again, we haven't been that fortunate. He claims that Usagi is his family, his only family, well I hope he doesn't mind having a bit more because we all come as a package deal.

I walk slowly over toward the bed and he continues to be oblivious to my presence. His head is in his hands and it almost looks like he's chanting something to himself.

"Mamoru-san."

Endymion's POV

Who? What?

I lifted my head out of my hands and it connected with some fingers which gently swished through my already messy hair. They were gentle and soothing, and in a way they reminded me of my Usako. But they were different, they were a bit longer and . . . just different. My turn my face and see Tsukino-san staring at me, her slate blue eyes worried and sad.

"What's wrong Mamoru-san?" Her soft question was accompanied by another gentle brush with her hands and that gentle touch undid me. It had been so long since I had needed any comfort but I needed it right now.

Ikuko's POV

He broke down right in front of my eyes. The tears started abruptly and I suddenly had my arms full of a trembling young man. Yes, he is young. For all that's he's so much older then Usagi, inside there is a part of him who's still a scared young boy who's never known love. In this case a mother's love.

I pull him closer and start to whisper all those inane little saying that a person who is hurting wants to hear. The difference in this case, is that I know that they are all true. Things WERE going to be all right, NOBODY was trying to hurt Usagi right now and everyone WAS fine. He gradually calmed down and I felt him start to stiffen slightly against me.

"Arigato Tsukino-san." His eyes, when he pulled away, were red but not too puffy and his slightly purple hair (another question for my book) was in even worse disarray.

"Would you like to tell me what's wrong sai?"

More to come . . .

LoneMala@hotmail.com, any suggestions are welcomed!

Note: Sai means 'my son' (at least that's what the dictionary told me!)