Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Road to Hell ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

(The same night as the army base raid)

Usagi tossed around fitfully on the bed, nearly crushing Kura, who was thankfully a sound sleeper and therefore wasn't aware of her recent brush with death or bodily harm. The same dream that had been plaguing Usagi almost every night ever since her meeting with the Universal Council was back, but this time, things had changed. The dream still took place in a garden of some sort, and she still found the baby tangled up in thorns. As she had done in previous dreams, she freed the child and handed her off to the shadowed man and woman to investigate the sudden appearance of the door.

Usagi's dream

The door appeared out of nowhere in the garden and, wanting to investigate ,she gave the baby to the woman and opened the door. Instead of the vast open space she was accustomed to seeing, Usagi found herself at one end of a seemingly endless tunnel.

'What's going on? This isn't how the dream is supposed to go,' Usagi thought. She turned back to the man and woman behind her but found that they had vanished into thin air. 'At least they followed the script tonight.'

Gathering her courage, Usagi stepped through the threshold and into the tunnel. She didn't feel the excruciating pain that usually followed the second she was through the door, and she didn't hear the evil laughter that echoed in her ears every time she lost consciousness. Getting a little bolder, Usagi took a few more steps in the tunnel. She could hear a faint sound getting louder and louder with each step she took.

The sound seemed to be coming from a thousand sources all coming at Usagi at different beats, creating an irregular rhythm and making them hard to decipher. In the distance, Usagi could hear a lone bell toll at regular intervals as the wind pushed against Usagi, fighting her with every step.

The bell rang one last time, its clear tone loud enough to block out the other noises in the tunnel. The sound vibrated through the corridor and shook Usagi to her very core. As the sound died out, Usagi saw two doors open in the distance, and a flickering light emitting from what lay beyond it. She picked up the pace when she heard muffled, but familiar voices having an oddly familiar conversation coming from the other side of the doorway but before she could get any further, she suddenly felt herself being pulled back to the world of the waking.

'No! It's not time yet! I have to find out what this means! Don't wake up, Usagi! Don't wake up, damn you....'

End dream

"No...don't wake up. Don't...wake...up" Usagi gasped softly as her eyes opened. Her heart was racing and her body was beaded with drops of sweat. Looking around the room, she was relieved that she hadn't awakened any of her friends and especially the little girl curled up in a tiny ball beside her. 'This dream was different from all the other dreams I've been having. I wonder if it's trying to tell me something.' Laying back down on her pillow, Usagi tried in vain to get back to sleep. Finally, after 15 minutes, Usagi decided to head to the kitchen to get a glass of milk. As quietly as she could, Usagi got up off the bed, pulled the covers around Kura more tightly and placed her own pillow on the edge of the bed to prevent her from accidentally rolling off. She made her way to the door as carefully as she could and narrowly missed stepping on Haruka's hand, who was softly snoring on a mattress placed on the floor beside Michiru.

Once she was in the safety of the empty hallway, Usagi breathed a sigh of relief. 'I have to be an acrobat just to get out of this room.' Tiptoeing silently to the kitchen, she opened the fridge and proceeded to pour herself a glass of milk. 'Looks like we're running low. I'd better leave some for Kura tomorrow and then send someone out to get more.'

"Couldn't sleep either, eh Usako?" Usagi whirled around and, in her surprise, accidentally sprayed Mamoru's face with milk. Eyes widening, she tore a sheet of paper towel from the roll and wiped Mamoru's face down.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you were asleep. I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No, and if I was still asleep, I'm awake now for sure." Usagi smacked him in the shoulder.

"You scared the crap out of me," she accused in a fierce whisper. "What are you doing up?"

"Couldn't sleep. I've been sitting here for the last five minutes drinking milk when you walked in. I guess you didn't see me standing in the corner," he replied sheepishly. "Why don't we go sit down on the couch and you tell me what's got you tied up in knots?"

"Only if you tell me what's keeping you up too. Deal?" Mamoru nodded and led the way to the couch. The sheets were arranged over the cushions and the blanket was tossed to one end with the crumpled pillow on the other.

"Excuse the mess. I wasn't expecting company this evening," Mamoru joked as he attempted to straighten out the rumpled bed. Usagi sat down beside him sighed. "So what are you doing up at this time of night, Usako?"

"I've been having this recurring dream ever since we came back from the meeting with the Universal Council," she whispered, not wanting to wake up the others.

"Tell me about it. If this dream is bothering you, you should tell someone about it before it drives you crazy. Take it from me, I speak from personal experience," Mamoru said. He shifted his body so that he faced her and she did the same. After some time, Usagi began to tell him about the dreams she's been having and how this night's dream was far different.

"I just can't help but feel like it's telling me something important. Maybe it's a warning about Metallion, or maybe it's telling me how to defeat her. Why did the dream change tonight? Does that mean something's going to happen soon and that I need to be prepared for it? I just don't understand the significance. The baby in the thorns, the couple enshrouded by fog, the door. The weird ticking sounds in the tunnel and the voices I heard. The last part of the dream seems so familiar to me; almost as if I've been there before and I heard those voices saying those things a long time ago."

"Do you remember what those people were saying?"

Usagi shook her head. "I couldn't really understand what they were saying because of all the background noise in the tunnel. I just heard bits and pieces of their conversation and it sounded like there was an angry person speaking to other people. It just seems so familiar...somehow. Like I've heard it all before. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Anyway, forget my crazy dream. Tell me what's keeping you up? It's not this couch, is it?"

Mamoru gave her a grin that made Usagi's knees feel weak. If she weren't already sitting down, Usagi felt like she would fall to the floor. "It's not the couch, although it does play a big factor in my insomnia. It's just a lot of things all jumbled up in my head."

"What things?" Usagi prodded.

"Things like, what's Metallion going to do now that her plans to brainwash the world's leaders has been foiled. What's she going to do with our friends and family; what's her next move. Or better yet, ~who's~ going to make the first move, her or us. What's in store for the future? I don't even dare to speculate on that one because as I've learned the hard way, nothing's set in stone. Crystal Tokyo might never happen and my safety net is gone. I don't even know if there's a future left to fight for," he whispered sadly.

"Of course there's a future to fight for. We still have a lot of issues to work through once we've obliterated Metallion and I'll be damned if she robs me of that chance. All our struggles are leading up to us-all of us-working through our problems and building our lives from the ground up. Do you know what it is I've been thinking about these past few days?"

"No." Mamoru refused to let himself hope that she had been thinking about the main reason he had been unable to sleep that night and the night before.

"You. I've been thinking about you and that kiss we shared. It's all I can think about lately. Sometimes I wonder if I did the right thing by kissing you. I lay awake at night doubting myself and my love for you. Then in the morning when I wake up and see your face, those doubts are erased as if they had never existed. I've come to realize that the first step to healing is to let go of past hurts." Usagi's heart raced as she picked up his hand and caressed it.

"How can you say that after all that I've done to you?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that I want to ~feel~ emotions again. I want to experience life to the fullest again. For so long, I've been hiding behind my wall, afraid to let anything but anger, bitterness and hate through because I thought that the world couldn't hurt me anymore if I shut myself off from it first. I thought that if I hurt you first, then my pain would stop but it just kept building up to the point where I got physically and spiritually weary just trying to maintain it. The hate was beginning to consume me and I was scared that I wouldn't be able to find my way back," she whispered, unshed tears threatening to spill over. She sniffled as she blinked them away.

Mamoru had tears in his own eyes. "Do you think you can find it in your heart to forgive me after everything I've done?"

"I'm willing to try. I don't want to see my baby in the afterlife without trying to reconcile with his or her father. There's no hate in heaven so I'm sure our baby forgives you. I know God has already forgiven you, so if He can do it, why can't I?" Usagi wrapped her arms around Mamoru, whose tears had already fallen. She felt his warm breath on her neck and his tears falling on her back. Mamoru pulled away once he had calmed himself down.

"Thank you Usako, for forgiving me, even if I don't deserve it," he whispered raggedly. Usagi shushed him and raised her hand to wipe the remaining tears from his eyes. Then, leaning closer to Mamoru, she began to kiss his cheek softly, tasting the salty tearstains on her lips. Placing both hands on his face, she guided his lips to her own and kissed him tentatively at first, then more deeply when she felt him beginning to respond.

Mamoru, on his part, wanted to take things more slowly. He kissed her back, holding himself back so as not to scare her off. He placed his hands on her waist lightly, as if asking for permission before resting them there. Usagi moaned into the kiss and deepened it, twisting her tongue with his. She halted him for a moment by placing her hand on his chest and pushing away lightly. Usagi looked him in the eyes and saw the desire he was reigning in.

"Make love to me, Mamo-chan," she said softly.

"Are you sure, Usako? We don't have to do this..."

"I'm sure. I want to feel connected to you again, mind, body and soul. Don't tell me you don't feel the same way," Usagi questioned.

"I want this to happen too, but I don't want to push you into something you're not ready for," he replied, already feeling the last dregs of self-control leaving him.

"Who says you're pushing? I want this, and I want you." Seeing his doubtful expression, Usagi stood up and pulled Mamoru up with her. Sliding her hands underneath his shirt, feeling the rippled muscles of his abs and chest, which had gotten firmer undoubtedly because of their nightly excursions, she whispered, "please Mamo-chan. Please let's just forget about everything tonight. Just for tonight, I promise. Let's forget about all the awful things that's happened since the rape. Let's forget about our mission, Metallion and the world. Right now, let's just focus on us and our relationship. We can worry about all the rest in the morning. Please Mamoru, I need to feel whole again, and the only time I'm whole is when I'm with you." She couldn't say anything more because Mamoru had planted his lips on hers once more and began to explore her back with his hands.

Slowly, they divested each other of their clothes, kissing and caressing as each article of clothing fell on the floor. Finally, when both had nothing left to remove, they began the process of reacquainting themselves with their bodies. Usagi gently urged Mamoru to sit down on the couch and stood in front of him.

"Are you sure, Usako? If you want to stop, I will," Mamoru said. Usagi took his hand and placed it on her warm centre, already flowing with her juices.

"Does it feel like I want to stop, Mamo-chan?" Without waiting for an answer, Usagi knelt on the couch, with Mamoru between her. Using one hand to hold on to the back of the couch, she used the other to reach down and guided Mamoru to her opening. She teased his manhood at her opening, coating his tip with her juices and feeling herself getting more and more excited. Feeling him throb in her hand, she purred, "I take it you don't want to stop either?"

Mamoru groaned with desire. He had almost forgotten how she liked to tease him before they made love. "Please Usako..."

After what seemed like an eternity for Mamoru, Usagi lowered herself slowly on his manhood, savouring the feeling of once again being joined with him. Both gasped softly as a wave of pleasure swept through them. They stayed that way for a moment, Usagi enjoying the feel of Mamoru filling her completely, while he was rejoicing in once again being enveloped in her warm walls. His mouth closed around her hard nipple, sucking it and making Usagi moan above him. Letting go of the couch, Usagi tangled her hands in his hair, holding him firmly to her breast while she rode him up and down.

"Oh...that feels...so good, Mamo-chan. Don't...stop. Harder," Usagi managed to gasp out. Mamoru complied and gently bit down, eliciting a low moan from her, all the while pumping her hips. This time, Mamoru met her thrust for thrust and managed to get even deeper into her than before. They kissed, muffling their moans of pleasure. The only sounds that could be heard were the creaking couch springs underneath them, as they continued to make love.

Mamoru kissed his way to her earlobe and sucked it into his mouth before continuing down to her neck. "Usako...I love...you." Mamoru felt her walls tightening around him, indicating that she was close to the edge. Knowing that she liked to scream her release, Mamoru covered her mouth with his once again while at the same time, pressing down with his thumb on her button hidden amidst her folds. As predicted, she screamed into the kiss and fell over the edge, pulling him along with her.

Once Mamoru had released the last of his seed within her, Usagi buried her face into the crook of his neck and sighed with happiness. Their bodies glistened with sweat and their eyes were glazed in the afterglow of their lovemaking. Still joined together, Mamoru reached over and wrapped the blanket around Usagi's bare back, before swinging them both over so that he lay on his pillow with Usagi laying on top of him. It was a tight fit on the small couch, but it only served to make them hold onto each other more firmly.

Both were silent for a while, Usagi drawing lazy patterns on Mamoru's smooth chest while he tangled his hand in her hair. Taking Usagi's silence as a bad sign, Mamoru asked, "do you regret making love, Usako?"

Raising herself on her elbows, Usagi looked deep into Mamoru's eyes and saw that he needed to be reassured. "No, my love. I don't regret making love to you tonight, or ever for that matter. We compliment each other, in a way only soul mates can. Rest assured, I love you now more than ever."

Feeling better, Mamoru pulled her down for another kiss. "I love you too, more with each passing day."

Running her fingers over his lips, Usagi smiled. "I think our love can only grow stronger from here on out. Back then, we were just two naive people who took the world for granted because they thought their future was set. Although I don't regret ever making love to you before, I now think that we did it for the wrong reasons. We thought that since we were destined to rule the world, nothing should stop us from taking our relationship to the next step. We weren't prepared for the responsibilities that came with committing our bodies to each other." Usagi paused her psychoanalysis, as a shudder of pleasure made its way through her body caused by Mamoru suckling on her fingers. She raised her eyebrow sardonically, as if asking if she could continue. He just grinned rakishly as a low moan of pleasure escaped her lips. "I think that now we're better prepared to face the world in our new relationship because of all the trials we've gone through to get to this point. We took our relationship for granted, and it took so many tragedies for us to realize it."

"You're right, Usako. Before, we thought that making love was the next logical step in our relationship but logic shouldn't dictate a relationship. Knowing our future played a big part of that logic and, although we were prepared mentally for what was going to happen, we weren't prepared emotionally to make love. We rushed ourselves and didn't fully understand why we were making love. Sure, it felt good and right, but we made love because we thought we were fulfilling our destiny," Mamoru said.

"Don't you see, Mamo-chan? After being torn apart for so long, we're better able to appreciate our love for each other. We've realized that even without our soul bond, our love is eternal. In a way, our love is on stronger foundations now that the bond has been broken. We don't have that issue of whether we love each other just because of our past or not hanging over our heads. I know that that was a big fear of mine throughout our relationship. I was worried that you just loved me because you loved the princess I was a thousand years ago," Usagi whispered, unable to look into Mamoru's eyes. He lifted her chin with a finger.

"I have never felt that our relationship was just based on prior events we don't even fully remember. I love every aspect of Tsukino Usagi, not just the part of her that was Princess Serenity. Usako, you are the missing half of my soul. Without your love, I am nothing." Satisfied with his declaration of love for her, Usagi lowered herself on his chest once again, listening to his heart beat in synch with hers.

"Do you know what I want to do once this whole Metallion mess is over and done with, Mamo-chan?"

"What, Usako?"

"I want to retire from the superhero business. The way I figure it, the universe owes me a few hundred years worth of back vacation time and hazard pay. I think this is the last favour I'm doing the world and the Universal Council for a long, long time. I want to find an uninhabited island somewhere in the South Pacific and live there for the rest of my life with you and Kura. We'll start our relationship anew and build our future the way we want," Usagi said as she licked his nipple, earning a groan of appreciation from his lips.

"That sounds wonderful, Usako," he gasped as her tongue did wicked things to his senses.

"Do you think we can keep our relationship from the senshi for a while longer, maybe even keep it from them completely?" asked Usagi. When she felt Mamoru's body stiffen underneath her, she gazed at his face and saw hurt written all over it. Realizing that he misunderstood her intention, she rushed to remedy to situation. "It's not what you think, Mamo-chan. I just don't want them interfering in our lives again. Don't you realize how much they influence us? If they found out that we're working on our relationship again, they're automatically going to assume that that would mean picking up where we left off, with Crystal Tokyo looming in the distance and our destiny once again on its right course. I just want to live like a regular girl with Kura as my daughter and you as my husband and fade into anonymity. Before we can even think about building Crystal Tokyo, we have to think about building us and our family up again, without outside input. Please say you understand, Mamo-chan. I don't want to pretend that I don't love you, I just want to keep our love private," she gazed pleadingly into his eyes and was relieved when his expression softened as he took in her logic.

"I completely understand. I'm honoured that you're still willing to marry me after all this time..."

"As of this moment, everything that happened in the past, stays there. We will continue to mourn our child's loss, but everything else will be forgotten, including the curse I placed upon all of you. What I cannot give you back is your powers to transform, I'm afraid, and the soul bond is forever broken. But it doesn't matter, because you're still Prince Endymion, ruler of earth, and the girls are still the rulers of their planets. You all still have the power to fight Metallion as the royal court. The soul bond cannot be reforged, but this only means that we'll have to work twice as hard as we have before to make us work. I'm willing to try if you are," Usagi said.

"As I said to you before, I will work for a thousand years to get your love back."

"Good, because I personally wouldn't mind a thousand years of really good make-up sex," she said mischievously. She giggled softly when she felt him stiffen inside her. "It feels like you wouldn't mind it either."

Mamoru growled and flipped them over, nearly causing her to shriek in delight. Her giggles turned into sighs of pleasure once Mamoru started to thrust slowly into her. She urged him to speed up by wrapping her legs around his hips and curling her toes. "Harder, Mamo-chan. Go faster." Mamoru obeyed until he too, was groaning out loud, not caring any more whether the other occupants heard them or not. They continued to make love until their release ten minutes later. They dozed for a while until Usagi looked out the window and noticed dawn approaching.

Regretfully, she woke Mamoru up, who had fallen asleep on top of her. "Mamo-chan, I have to go. It's almost dawn."

"Do you have to go, Usako?" he said while nuzzling her neck. Already, Usagi could feel her desire returning but forced herself to clamp it down, but not before an incoherent cry escaped her lips.

"You're making this so difficult...But what if someone comes out? Or worse, what if Kura wakes up wondering where I've gone and finds us out here like this? You'll have to explain the birds and the bees to her then." Picturing Mamoru trying to explain the facts of life to a four year old who liked to ask too many questions made her stop and get up. "Come on, help me get dressed."

Needless to say, it took them even longer to get dressed than to get undressed, for Mamoru kept on trying to make sure that Usagi's clothing, particularly her panties, still 'fit her'.

"Come on, Usako. Let me just make sure that you're all covered down there..." he said after checking for the fourth time. He ran his fingers around the leg holes and felt around, making a thorough inspection. Usagi looked down at him with an expression mixed with amusement and lust. "Yep. Just as I thought. I have to go in for a closer look..."

"MAMO-CHAN!" Usagi hissed. "This is the fourth time you've gone in for a 'closer look.' We've already been spent twenty minutes just trying to get my underwear on, for Kami's sake! In an hour and a half, everyone will be up and in here. The last thing I want them to see is your face between my legs going in for a closer look! I don't know about you, but I want to catch some sleep. Don't worry baby, we have a thousand years of getting to know each other again, we don't have to rush it. Not this time."

"All right, you win." He stood up again to face her and pouted unconsciously. Usagi laughed and pecked him lightly, tasting herself on his lips.

"You've been hanging around Kura too much. Good morning, my love. Sweet dreams," she said as she started walking back to her room.

Sighing with happiness, Mamoru turned back to his bed only to hear Usagi calling him. "Psst! Mamo-chan!"

Turning towards the sound of her voice, he asked, "what is it, Usako?"

"This." She lifted her night shirt to expose her breasts. She cupped them and laughed at Mamoru's hypnotized expression as she began to tweak her own nipples. "Down boy. I think you need to get some rest. Your breathing is a little short." That being said, she let him have one last look before she dropped her shirt back down and headed back to her room for the last time. Mamoru snapped out of his trance two minutes after she had gone. 'Huh? What happened? I could have sworn Usako was just here.' Shrugging to himself, he lay on the couch and thank all the Kamis in heaven for another chance with Usagi.

Usagi cautiously opened the door to her room. 'Good, everyone's still asleep. I feel like a new woman now that Mamo-chan and I have reaffirmed our love. I think the future will be even better now. I don't need to live in a crystal palace or to rule the world to be happy. I just need him by my side.' She gingerly tiptoed her way around the sleeping girls on the mattresses strewn about on the floor. She carefully eased her pillow out of Kura's embrace and climbed carefully into bed so as not to disturb Hotaru and Serena who were asleep beside Kura. As soon as was under the covers, Kura snuggled back into her side. Feeling something warm hugging her back, Kura sleepily opened her eyes and saw Usagi gazing lovingly at her.

"Usagi-chan, you're back. I woked up but you weren't there so I went to look for you. I sawed you and Mamowu wrestling on the couch. I wanted to pway too but it was too dark to see and I was so tired. Why didn't you ask me to pway wif you guys? I thought you liked me," sniffled Kura innocently, hurt playing on her delicate features. Usagi's eyes bugged out as her worse fears came true. She scrambled for an explanation.

"Oh baby. Mamoru and I weren't playing on the couch. We were...doing the secret club dance. That's it...the secret club dance. We didn't ask you to play with us because...you're too young to...dance like that. Promise me you won't do the secret club dance before you're old enough," faltered Usagi, cringing at the lame excuse that just popped into her head.

"I pwomise, Usagi-chan. When will I be old enough to do the secwet club dance? It looks like fun. You kept telling Mamowu to dance faster and harder. Was Mamowu making the steps too easy and that's why you wanted to dance harder, Usagi-chan? Can Mamowu teach me the secwet club dance when I'm old enough?" Usagi had the grace to blush as she heard Kura recount her time on the couch with Mamoru. She hadn't realized that Kura was still awaiting an answer and was startled out of her daydream when she felt something tugging on her shirt.

"Huh? Oh sorry about that sweetie. You wanted to know about the secret club dance. Let's see...well, you need to find the right partner before you can even ~begin~ to think about learning the secret club dance. Then you have to make sure you're ready-REALLY ready. The secret club dance is very special and you have to make sure that the your partner is the one you want to dance with forever. So, in answer to your question, Mamoru and I had lots of fun...dancing. When you're old enough, you have to find someone you love and learn how to dance together. Our dance together was very special so I'm going to trust you not to tell the other girls about it, okay? Can you do that for me, honey?" Usagi asked, desperately hoping that Kura would buy it and not ask any more embarrassing questions.

"I pwomise I won't tell, Usagi-chan. It'll be our little secwet," she replied sweetly. Yawning softly, Kura curled herself into Usagi's side. "I love you, Usagi-chan. I wish you and Mamowu were my mommy and daddy for real."

"I love you too, Kura. And Mamoru and I wish you were our baby for real," replied Usagi, her eyes misting over as she kissed the now sleeping girl before falling asleep herself.

On the other side of the bed, Serena had heard the entire whispered conversation between Kura and Usagi and smiled softly to herself. She was by nature a light sleeper and, coupled with her secret agent training, was highly aware of the things going on around her, even in her sleep. She had heard the door creak open when Usagi crept out of bed three hours ago and thought little of it until she fell asleep again. The next time she heard the door open, she assumed it was Usagi coming back after being away for a few minutes and was astonished to find that it was almost dawn. She was about to question her counterpart about her three-hour disappearance when she heard Kura voicing her questions on the other side of Hotaru. Attributing her nosiness to concern, she unabashedly listened in and was amused at Usagi's 'secret club dance' excuse and by Kura's innocent questions. 'So she and Mamoru finally patched things up. Good for them. At least she still gets to be happy with him. Oh Darien, wherever you are, I love you so much. Wait for me, my love. I have a feeling we'll see each other very soon.'

---

Usagi woke up a few hours later, pleasantly sore and fully refreshed after her recent activities. Looking around the room, she once again noticed that she was the last one to wake up. Smiling inwardly, she forced her face to look calm and demure as she walked out the door. She bumped into Mamoru in the hallway, who was making his way to her room to wake her up.

Looking around stealthily to make sure there was no one in the vicinity, she grabbed him by his shirt and gave him a short, but steamy kiss. "Hey handsome. Kura saw us last night on the couch so I told her that we were doing the 'secret club dance.'" She quickly filled Mamoru in on her early morning conversation with Kura and finished off by telling him that Kura wished that they were her parents.

Mamoru couldn't stop the blush from creeping up his face when Usagi told him that Kura saw and heard their clandestine affair. Nevertheless, he couldn't help but chuckle at Usagi's quick thinking save. "I'm impressed, Usako. You managed to explain what we were doing without being too specific. Plus, you managed to throw in a moral to the story. NOW I know why Kura kept looking at me and giggling. She's been doing that all morning. I have a feeling our little secret isn't going to be one for long."

"Hmmm. As long as we're together at the end, I'm happy. So what's everyone doing?" she asked as she leaned into a kiss.

"Oh, the girls and the cats decided to go to Central a half hour ago to hunt down Metallion and her headquarters. They didn't want take Kura with them just in case something goes wrong and I wouldn't let them wake you so I volunteered to stay behind to take care of the both of you." Usagi smiled.

"How chivalrous of you, my prince. Am I to understand that we're alone in this apartment? How ever will we pass the time?" she asked coyly as Mamoru lifted her up against the wall. She wrapped her legs around her waist and was just about to unbutton his shirt when Kura appeared in the hallway, putting a stop to their passion. Mamoru and Usagi stared at Kura like deer caught in the headlights.

"Good morning, Usagi-chan. Are you and Mamowu going to do the secwet dance now? Nobody's home so you guys can do it now." Mamoru and Usagi winced at Kura's accurate choice of words. "Can I watch?"

Eyeing each other and silently debating who would explain their predicament to Kura, Usagi sighed as it became apparent that she would have to do it. She knelt down so that she was at eye level with Kura. "Remember what I told you when I came back from dancing with Mamoru? The secret club dance is very special and it's to be shared only between people who love each other. So, I'm afraid that we can't show you."

Kura tilted her head to the side. "But I thought you loved me too." Mamoru joined Usagi and Kura in the conversation.

"Of course we love you, Kura. But the secret club dance is only for people who love each other like mommies and daddies. Besides, you're too young to know about the dance. We should have been more careful about dancing around you."

"That's okay, Mamowu. You and Usagi love each other like a mommy and daddy does. Does that mean you love me like your baby?" Usagi and Mamoru smiled and nodded with tears in their eyes. Kura reached out and engulfed them in a hug. Mamoru picked her up and tossed her into the air, causing her to squeal with delight when he caught her in his arms.

"Mamoru! Be careful!" Usagi scolded, already feeling like the overprotective mom. Mamoru and Kura just rolled their eyes at her exaggeratedly and giggled. Usagi heaved a long-suffering sigh and just accepted that she was fighting a losing battle when it came to them ganging up on her. She couldn't help but smile when Mamoru and Kura bent down and kissed her cheeks. "Let's get some breakfast." Laughing, the trio made their way to the kitchen, the picture of a happy family.

Usagi sat down on Mamoru's lap as they ate breakfast. Feeling left out, Kura asked to sit on Usagi's lap. Usagi picked her up and set her down on top of them. Mamoru groaned, pretending to be crushed by the added weight. "Oof...help me! I...can't...breathe!"

Kura giggled helplessly. "You're so silly, Mamowu!"

"He is, isn't he Kura-chan?" said Usagi in a whispered that was meant to be heard.

"Yeah, but you love him," Kura concluded happily.

"I do."

And so, the happy family continued to take full advantage of their time alone. A few hours later, the girls and the cats came back to the apartment after conducting a fruitful search for their arch nemesis and saw Kura asleep on the couch, laying on top of Mamoru and Usagi's thighs, while they watched TV. Their eyes widened at having been caught, while everyone else tactfully didn't say anything, although they were dying to. Serena smiled secretively at Usagi, who in turn gave her a questioning look. Serena nodded and smiled even wider as she gestured almost imperceptibly with her head at the sleeping child cradled between them. This time it was Usagi who nodded and blushed. The girls watched the whole exchange but knew better than to question them.

Finally, after much innuendo between the two girls and Mamoru, who had caught on to what they were silently discussing, Mina cleared her throat tentatively. "Um, Usagi-san? We found out some interesting things about Metallion."

"Sure Mina. Hang on for a second while I put Kura down in our room." Mamoru helped Usagi shift Kura over so that she could carry her. The girls couldn't help but notice the tender nature with which Mamoru helped Usagi pick up the sleeping girl, or the gentle kiss he lay upon Kura's forehead. Mina was dying to ask if they had reconciled, but knew that she had lost the right to pry such questions out of Usagi.

"Do you need help carrying her, Usak..gi?" Mamoru blushed when he almost slipped on Usagi's name and prayed that the others had missed it. By their confused faces, he doubted it.

"No thanks, Mamo...ru. I'm sure everyone's really hungry from being at Central all day. Have you guys eaten yet? Mamoru, why don't you feed them with the leftover pasta we made for lunch while I put Kura to bed? She's all tired out from playing house and reading stories. I'll be right back." The girls-except for Serena and Makoto, who was beginning to put her own conclusions together-and the cats' jaws dropped to the floor. Since when was Usagi in such a good mood, or for that matter, concerned about their state of hunger? And since when did Usagi and Mamoru play house together, even if it was for the sake of a four-year-old girl? All eyes turned to Mamoru, who was busying himself with heating up the leftover spaghetti and trying his hardest to ignore their stares, although it proved to be quite a feat, for these girls weren't known for their discreet natures, especially when it came to relationships.

Thankfully, before the inquisition could begin, Usagi came back into the room. "I'm back! So what did you guys find out?"

Luna stepped forward and jumped into Ami's arms. "Well, since we now know Metallion's assumed identity, we were able to track down where she goes when she's not out and about. Apparently, she has already taken over the Imperial Palace and has locked up the Royal Family in a dungeon."

"A dungeon, dungeon? Like, with bars and shackles on a stone wall with water dripping down from the ceiling and rats running all over the place like in the movies, kind of dungeon? I wasn't even aware the palace had one of those," contemplated Mamoru with a faraway look on his face. Usagi shot him an annoyed glance and he smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Apparently it does because they're locked up in there. We tapped into the security system and used the cameras to take a peek inside," explained Michiru.

"How did you guys manage to do that? I would have thought that there would be a security code or something like that," inquired Usagi.

"We're just getting to that. Since the Imperial Palace was the government headquarters in Serena's world, she took a wild guess and typed in her access code and voila! We got instant access to everything, including the layout of the building," Hotaru explained excitedly. Even though she was a senshi, she was still a child and was therefore easily impressed at being part of the espionage. Out of all the senshi, Hotaru was the most eager to go out at night on their missions.

"Did you feel any weird vibes, Rei?" asked Usagi. The others shifted their attention to the former priestess who lingered in the background, seemingly hesitant to offer any input as to what they have discovered about Metallion. This was the first time Usagi had spoken to Rei since their big blow up.

"Um yeah, out in the gardens. I felt a tremendous power gathering there. My guess is that Metallion's preparing to open up the portal between worlds. But I don't know, it's just a hunch," faltered Rei.

"That would make sense. Her plan to capture us has failed, her plan to brainwash the world's leaders has failed, and there is no more Metallia in this world to assimilate with. Why not just ditch the entire operation and start on a new world?" hypothesized Usagi. "Ami, could you and Serena determine whether or not Rei is right about this?"

Ami nodded and booted up the laptop. Serena tapped into the palace security system and scanned through the various camera angles in the gardens until she found Yamada standing in the middle of the hedge maze. The image was fuzzy but the girls could see that she was standing in front of a small portal. Ami did some quick calculations based on the approximate size and electricity emitting from it. "My guess is that Metallion is indeed preparing to open up a portal and that it will be ready by midnight tonight."

Mamoru cursed underneath his breath. "Is there any way you could be wrong about this, Ami?"

Ami looked slightly affronted at Mamoru's question. "Yes there is. I calculate the margin of error to be 0.02%. Any more questions?"

Usagi smirked at Mamoru's peeved expression. He looked like he couldn't decide who to throttle first, Metallion or Ami. "Oh by the way, guys. I've been thinking about this for a while, and I've decided to lift the curses I've placed upon you. You're no longer linked to each other, and you aren't doomed to live eternally without the ability to die."

The girls looked at each other in astonishment. "What about our senshi powers?" asked Makoto hesitantly.

Usagi shook her head. "Unfortunately, stripping a senshi of her powers is irreversible as Luna as already told you. If it were, I would've reversed her spell by now. But don't worry, you'll still be able to use your planet powers. Just don't forget your chopsticks. You'll need all the help you can get to focus your powers tonight."

"Do you mind if I ask you what made you change your mind?" asked Mina timidly.

"No...I just thought that I don't want to carry around all this hate anymore. It's become more of a burden to carry than the pain of your betrayal. I wanted to be free of all negativity just in case..."

"So...you forgive us?"

"I'm working on it. That's all I can say for now."

"So what's the game plan for tonight?" asked Haruka after an awkward silence.

"Simple. We go in, kick Metallion's ass for a while, destroy the portal and go home, secure in the knowledge that once again, the senshi have saved the world from certain annihilation," joked Makoto.

"Precisely. This is our last chance to rid the world of the threat of Metallion. If we fail tonight, Metallion will not only destroy our world, but she'll also be free to move on to another. There is no need to plan for this. We're not looking to sneak into the palace and sneak out again. We blast our way in and blast our way out," Setsuna said grimly as the others gulped nervously. "The fate of the world hangs in the balance. Tonight is our last chance. We must stop that portal from opening before midnight or all is lost. The key to her destruction is most likely that black crystal hanging from her neck. We have a big advantage over her, however. Once we get in, we cover Usagi-chan and Serena-chan. They must conserve all their energy if they are to use the crystals on Metallion. She apparently doesn't know about Serena or the fact that she has a second Silver crystal. If we all pool our powers through Usagi and Serena's crystals, we just might be able to defeat her."

"No pressure, right Setsuna?" drawled Haruka, earning her a scowl from the Time Guardian.

"We have another problem. What do we do about Kura? We can't take her with us nor can we just leave her here with the cats. She needs someone who is able to protect her in case something goes wrong and we don't come back..." Usagi trailed off. She turned her frightened eyes to Mamoru.

"Why don't we take her to Okata? He seems trustworthy and he already knows who we are. We can tell him about the mission tonight and ask him to take care of her while we're gone," he suggested.

"I guess that'll have to do. We don't have much choice," conceded Usagi. "Mamoru and I will go to the club and ask him to help us. If Kura wakes up, tell her that we've gone out for a walk and that we'll be back soon." Looking cautiously out the window, Mamoru and Usagi climbed out on the fire escape and made their way to the strip club where Okata's group was situated.

---

"Usagi-chan, Mamowu, pwease don't leave me here! I want to go with you! You pwomised to be my mommy and daddy!" Kura sobbed brokenly on Usagi's neck, unwilling to part from her newfound family.

Usagi wept along with her as she held onto Mamoru for support. Okata looked at them piteously, regretting the fact that the little girl would probably never see either one of them again. He backed off into the corner to give the broken couple some time alone with their adopted daughter. "Kura, my little girl, we have to go. We have to stop the bad guys from destroying the world. We love you, baby. Don't worry, we'll be back to get you tomorrow."

Kura cried harder. "I don't want you to go! Pwease mommy, don't leave me! Daddy..."

"We love you Kura. Be good for Okata-san, okay? Please understand Kura. This is the last time we'll leave you alone, we promise. When we come back, your mommy and I will take you on a vacation, just the three of us. We'll live in a beautiful house and we'll be a family. We promise. We love you more than anything in the world," Mamoru said, unshed tears gathering in his eyes.

"You pwomise? We'll be a family? You'll be my daddy and Usagi-chan will by my new mommy?"

"We promise Kura-chan. The three of us are a family already. We love you," whispered Usagi through her tears.

"I love you too, mommy. I love you daddy." Giving them one last kiss and hug, Kura watched her new parents walk down the stairs and out the door.

Once outside, Usagi sank to her knees and broke down on the sidewalk. "Oh Mamo-chan...why does this have to be so hard? Why are my children always being taken away from me? Don't I deserve to be a mother?" For once, Mamoru didn't have an answer, so he just let her cry on his shoulder. When she was all cried out, they made their way to the sewers where the rest of the girls were waiting.

"How did it go?" whispered Setsuna. She didn't get an answer for Usagi buried her face in the crook of Mamoru's neck. By now, the others had pretty much figured out that Usagi and Mamoru had patched things up and obviously didn't want the others to know or interfere. Without a word, the sad couple turned and led the way to the palace, leaving the others to follow behind at a respectable distance.

---

Once they had reached the gates of the Imperial Palace, Usagi stopped and faced the group with a look of determination upon her face. "You guys know what to do, right? We blast anything that comes our way, youma or civilian. We shoot first and ask questions later. Cover Serena and me once we're in. Metallion must not know that Serena has another crystal so she stays in the background until we're ready to take her on. The Outers can transform into their senshi forms and Mamoru can transform into Prince Endymion. We can't transform into our princess forms until we're face to face with Metallion. Don't worry; you'll still be able to use your powers like back when you were training in the apartment with Setsuna-chan and Hotaru-chan. This way, we conserve our energy and our dresses won't trip us up. From this point on, Serena will be the leader. She's the one most familiar with the surroundings, so whatever she says, goes. Any questions?" Rei raised her hand timidly. "Yes, Rei?"

"Um...we know how to channel our powers through our...chopsticks, but how do we transform into our princes forms?"

"Simple. Say, I Princess (state your name), invoke the power of (state your planet). There's no fancy lightshow or acrobatics when we change into these forms. You just say that phrase in your head and poof! you're a princess. Anything else? Let's go," Usagi said.

One by one, they climbed out of the sewers and flanked Usagi and Serena. The Outers and Mamoru had already transformed and the Inners had pulled out their chopsticks. Serena directed them to an area of the garden wall closest to the portal. Stealthily, they scaled the smooth stone wall and dropped silently down the other side. Using hand signals, Serena indicated that they were to head for the hedge maze located a few hundred feet to their left. Usagi looked around the garden filled with rose bushes and cherry trees. A thick fog began to roll in over the hills of the estate. 'This looks like the garden in my dream.'

As they ran to the maze, they encountered a few of the palace guards, whom Mamoru had quickly taken care of by running his sword through their bodies. They opted to wound the youma just enough for them not to be able to pursue, instead of exerting vast amounts of energy to dust them in order to save their strength for the final battle with Metallion. Serena led them through the maze's twists and turns without error. Just before entering the centre of the labyrinth, the girls turned into the princesses they were more than a thousand years ago.

Princess Serenity (Usagi) and Princess Serena peered around the corner and found about a dozen youma circling Yamada and Sato, both of whom were holding a conference by what looked to be a portal, growing larger by the minute. Suddenly, Yamada looked up. "So you've come at last, senshi. I can feel your power emanating from you and let me just say, it's no match against mine. Prepare to meet your doom." Before their eyes, Yamada's flesh turned pale and sallow. Her chin length black hair grew down to her waist and turned dark purple. Her hands became gnarled and her nails turned claw-like while her sleek business suit morphed into a low cut, form-fitting black dress, and her black crystal nestled in the valley of her breasts. Upon hearing her speak, Sato retreated behind Metallion, intent on staying out of harm's way.

The senshi, both Inner and Outer, stepped out of their hiding place accompanied by Prince Endymion, leaving Serenity and Serena enshrouded in the shadows. Endymion glared at Metallion and gripped the handle of his sword. "Get off my planet, witch."

"Why Prince Endymion, how nice of you to make an appearance, but you must be mistaken. When the bell in the clock tower tolls midnight, your world will be no more," Metallion replied. She scanned the girls in front of her and did a quick calculation. "But what's this? Don't tell me your little girlfriend decided not to show up to the party. How rude of her."

Motioning to Serena to stay put, Princess Serenity stepped out into the open. "I'm here, you bitch. Let's get this over with."

Metallion smirked. "So you have more guts than I thought you did. Your little crystal is no match for my dark crystal, however. I have merged with a thousand versions of myself from different dimensions and concentrated our power into this crystal. Go ahead girlie, give me your best shot."

"Gladly." Metallion nodded her head and the youma pounced on the senshi.

"Don't tell me you're going to try and poke my eye out with that thing," a youma sneered as Minako waved her chopstick in the air, before blasting a hole through it's heart, causing it to disintegrate immediately.

"See ya in hell, bitch," Mina quipped, already moving on to the next monster dueling with Haruka.

The girls blasted the youma with their powers while Endymion charged his sword with his powers and used it to hack at the youma. Serenity watched the battle between the senshi and the youma, never taking her eyes off of Metallion. Both women stared each other down, each daring the other to make the first move. Sparks shot out of their crystals, getting them ready as if the were cars whose engines were being revved at the start of a race. Serenity barely noticed Sato fading slowly into the background, assuming that he was retreating like the coward he was. The battle raged on for another ten minutes until the last of the youma had finally been reduced to dust.

Endymion turned to Serenity, breathing heavily, exhausted from his battle with the youma. His eyes suddenly widened as he caught sight of Sato about to stab her with a knife. Without even thinking, he thrust his sword into Sato's side but not before the knife made a tear into the skirt of Serenity's gown, barely grazing her back. Sato sank to the ground, his hand over the wound trying in vain to stop the bleeding. He took large gulps of air before twisting his mouth in an ugly sneer. "You'll never win, Tsukino. My mistress is all omnipotent. Once Metallion-sama kills you all, she will make me her right-hand man. She is the key to greatness. You should have quit while you had the chance."

"What about Kura and your son? Where do they fit in your grand plan, Sato?" Mamoru snarled.

Sato smiled madly. "I offered up the boy's energy to our cause but the girl ran off before I could perform the ritual. It wasn't a big loss; I had already proven my undying loyalty to Metallion," he said, coughing up blood.

"You son of a bitch. How could you kill your son for that monster?" Princess Serenity cried. Unable to hear anymore of his misguided praises, she picked up the knife that was meant for her and stabbed him in the chest, ending his life. "I did you a favour, Sato."

Behind her, Serenity heard Metallion's cold laughter. "It was so easy to lure him to my side once I've lured him into my bed. No matter, he was just one of my little pawns; he's of little importance. Say hi to Queen Serenity for me, will you?" And with that, Metallion shot a beam of energy at Serenity, who was just able to dodge it.

Rolling on the ground, she saw that the Outers had formed a protective barrier where Serena was hiding and that the Inners had formed a similar barrier around her. Endymion knocked her back down to the ground just as another blast of energy was hurtled towards her. Serenity focused her power on the crystal, making it glow.

"You think you can stop me with that worthless rock?" sneered Metallion.

"No but two of these 'worthless rocks' should be enough to kick your ass good and dead," countered Serena, emerging from the shadows. Metallion whirled around at the sound of her voice in shock. "If you think you're seeing double, think again. I was brought in by the Universal Council from the last dimension you destroyed to help this world get rid of you."

"Ah yes. I enjoyed killing your little friends and especially killing your lover," taunted Metallion.

Refusing to take the bait, Princess Serena made her way to Princess Serenity, flanked by the Outers and stood by her side. The girls stood behind the princesses and Mamoru, holding hands. Each girl invoked the powers of their planets and gave it to the holders of the Silver Crystals. Endymion, being the most powerful one next to Serenity and Serena, fed his energy, which was amplified by his close proximity to the earth, to Serenity, who in turn used it to strengthen the crystal. Both crystals now received power boosts that equaled the power of Metallion's black crystal. Undaunted, Metallion began gathering her energy as the portal behind her grew ever larger.

"You'll never beat me, Moon brats. It's already too late. The portal is nearly at its peak. You won't be able to close it, not even if you had another crystal with you," laughed Metallion. The portal was pulling everything in, from the dead bodies of the youma and Sato to small shrubs and rocks. The roar of the wind made it hard to hear anything.

Both sides blasted each other at the same time, Serena and Serenity's silver energy meeting Metallion's red energy in the middle. They fought for control but were evenly matched. At times, Metallion gained the advantage, pushing their energy back at them, and at other times, it was Metallion struggling to maintain control. Serenity called to her senshi mentally, begging them for more power and rallying them for another round. With their strength draining quickly, they began praying to their planets' guardians for more power. Endymion called to Mother Earth and felt the power seeping into his body and flowing to Serenity's. Their bodies began to glow in their planets' colours as they received the much-needed energy. Just as they managed to break through Metallion's defenses and shattered her black crystal, she shot an energy ball of her own to Serena, knocking her down. Their strength gone, the senshi also fell to the ground in exhaustion, unconscious. Serenity and Endymion were the only ones left standing.

Metallion's dying screams were drowned out by Serenity's scream as she watched Serena fall. "NO!! Serena!" In the distance, the bell began to toll as the hour approached midnight. Around them, small fires burned the hedges, the wind scattering the ashes like snow falling from the sky. Metallion lay on the ground with her eyes wide open, dead.

"Serena hang on! I have enough energy left to heal you with the crystal!" Serenity cried as she cradled Serena's body.

Serena shook her head weakly, her face already pale as her blood escaped from the gaping wound in her chest. "Don't you dare, Usagi. I have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Finally, I can see my Darien again." Serenity wept as Serena's breathing slowed. "He's waiting for me on the other side. Good-bye, sister." Serena stopped breathing as the bell struck midnight, the clear tone resonating throughout the garden.

The ground beneath them rumbled as the portal had finally reached its peak. 'Kami-sama! This is my dream! The bell...I know what I must do.' Setting Serena gently on the ground, Serenity rose and turned to Endymion. "My love, I must stop the portal from destroying the earth."

Endymion looked at her worriedly. "How are you going to do that? Metallion said that once the portal was opened, we couldn't close it."

Serenity smiled sadly. "She's wrong, there is another way. I must go into the portal itself and use the crystal to stop it from inside."

Endymion gripped her arms in a fierce hold. "I won't let you do it, Serenity. It's too dangerous."

"I must; it's my duty. Don't worry love, one way or another, I'll see you again."

"Then let me go with you."

"You must stay behind for Kura. Now that her entire family is gone, she's going to need you to take care of her," Serenity said tearfully.

"Usako please, let me come with you. We can close this thing together," pleaded Endymion.

"I know what I'm doing, my prince. If all goes according to my plan, we'll see each other very soon and everything will be as it should be. If not, I'll await your arrival in heaven with our baby."

"Usako..." Knowing that Serenity had already made up her mind, he kissed her deeply until he felt her gently pushing him away.

"I have to go, Endy. I love you with every fibre of my being. I'll see you soon."

"I love you too, Usako," whispered Endymion as he watched Serenity hurl herself into the abyss. Sparks shot out of the portal before it imploded in a brilliant white light followed by a shockwave like that of an atomic bomb, knocking Endymion to the ground. When he could finally see again, Endymion saw that the hedge maze had been flattened out and everything within a few thousand feet of the portal had been destroyed. In vain, he searched for Serenity but could not find her. Around him, the senshi began to stir and awaken. They too, helped him find Serenity but gave up after fruitlessly searching for a half hour.

"She's gone forever," Endymion whispered as tears rolled down his face. Suddenly, the winds picked up as lightning streaked across the sky. The earth started to shake violently underneath their feet as the sky darkened ominously overhead.

"What's going on?!" cried Hotaru. She got no answer however, as one by one, everyone and everything started to fade from existence.