Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ The Road to Hell ❯ Epilogue ( Chapter 11 )

I wake up to the sound of the waves crashing on the beach coming through the open window. The balmy breeze flutters the curtain and ruffles her hair until I am surrounded in my own curtain of gold. I look at the golden angel sleeping next to me, with her head on my shoulder and her arm across my chest, and I shudder to think that I almost lost her that night fifteen years ago. I hold her tighter as the memory comes back to me, as clear as if it just happened yesterday.

'What am I doing here?' I thought to myself as Rei ranted about Usako's behaviour for the past few weeks.

"...I say we kick her off the team," I heard Rei say.

I reflect back on the last two weeks and indeed, I could understand what Rei was talking about. She was right; Usako had been acting a little strange during the youma fights and she won't tell me what's bothering her. If Usako isn't more careful, she could wind up getting seriously hurt and that is the last thing I want. I feel my mouth opening and hear myself tell them that I agreed with Rei and that threatening to kick her off the team just might scare her enough to take her responsibilities more seriously.

The meeting progresses until Rei wonders whether or not Usagi's powers could be taken away from her without her knowledge. Is that what I want? If we take away her powers, she won't be able to fight in the battles anymore. She'll be safe from harm and we'll be able to protect her better. Her safety is the number one priority in my life.

"Now wait a minute, everyone. Don't you guys think we should talk to Usagi about this before we make such a decision regarding her life?" I hear Artemis exclaim. Good point, Artemis. It's not our right to strip her of her powers without her here to defend herself. "Who are we to talk about taking away her powers? Don't forget, you're not just talking about Sailor Moon, you're also talking about your princess and future queen." Yet another good point. How's Usako going to react when she finds out that we conspired to get rid of her powers?

Luna dismisses Artemis' concerns as she always does and one by one, the girls rationalize getting rid of Sailor Moon. The girls that Usako thought of as sisters don't deserve her friendship after hearing what it is they really thought of her. It hurts to think that I'm a party to this but if I want to keep Usako safe then this is what I have to do...isn't it?

"...We all know that Usa-chan is the worst fighter on the team," finishes Makoto rather arrogantly in my opinion. They all look to me as if they were expecting me to say something. I want to defend my princess against their verbal attacks, prove to them that they were wrong in their opinion of her. I want to tell them not to go through with this betrayal.

"If she's not fighting anymore, we'll be able to protect our princess from harm during the fights. She'll be able to focus more on her studies and her duties as the future queen." DAMN! That is NOT what I wanted to say but it's already too late. I can't take it back. I stare at Artemis wistfully as he leapt out the window. Please take me with you, Artemis. I've just betrayed my love in the worst possible way.

I nod blankly as Luna asked us if this is what we really wanted. This has gone too far. I should stop this. Why am I just sitting here watching Luna about to perform the ritual that would undo Usako's birthright? Just as Luna began to chant the words of the spell, a bright light flashed throughout the room and a portal appeared. The girls immediately transformed but I chose to wait and see what was going to step out of the portal before I actually attacked it. Beside me, I hear Luna continuing the spell, so deep in her trance that she doesn't even realize what's going on in front of her.

To my shock, Usako herself stepped out of the portal. She took one look around the room and seeing Luna chanting, she shouted "NO LUNA!" before she sent a shockwave in her direction, breaking the spell. The girls saw this as a hostile action and immediately started to power up their attacks. I jumped in front of Usako, shielding her with my body just as the attacks came our way. The girls forcibly reigned their attacks in when they realized that I was protecting her.

"What are you doing, Mamoru-san? Didn't you see that she tried to kill Luna?" exclaimed Rei.

"Can't you see that this is Usagi YOU'RE trying kill?" I countered.

"If this is Usagi-chan, why would she be trying to harm one of her friends?" Minako asked.

Behind me, I felt Usako stiffen in anger. "If you were MY friends, why would you be trying to remove my powers without my knowledge?" We gasped in surprise. How did she know what we were about to do? Did she feel us doing the spell? "I'm Usagi about nine a half months from the future. I came here to warn you that what you are about to do is the catalyst for the end of the world. When I left my time, the world was about to be blown to bits because the enemy opened a portal that would destroy it before she moved on to the next. I can't tell you much more because I don't have much time."

The girls look at Usako in skepticism. Makoto stepped forward. "Oh yeah? If your world did explode, why aren't you dead?"

Usako growled in impatience. "I've been having dreams warning me about the final battle. In the last one, I was warned to escape through the Time Corridor just before I destroyed the portal from within. I followed the Corridor until it led me here. I realized that to give myself everything I had lost on this night, I had to stop you all from accomplishing your task."

"Everything you lost? What do you mean?" I asked her.

"That is for your Usagi to tell you, but you must hurry. As we speak, Usagi is headed for your apartment, Mamoru, with some important news. You must find her before what happened to me, happens to her."

My blood chilled at her ominous warning. "Tell me where she is."

"As I remember, I was just three blocks away from your building when it happened. Look for her in the alley between the flower shop and the video store," she replied. Alley? What would Usako be doing in an alley at this time of night? Usagi looks at me as I finally realize what it was she was trying to tell me. "Hurry, you don't have much time."

"Let's go, senshi," I commanded after I had finished transforming. We were on our way out the door when I hear her calling back to me.

"Just another thing. Watch out for a Yamada Yuko in the coming months. She's the key. The enemy will use her to get to you, but before she does, you MUST destroy the black crystal. Promise me that you'll do that," she pleaded.

"I promise...Usako. Thank you," I replied, repeating the name over and over in my mind so I won't forget.

She smiled as she began to fade from existence. "I love you, Mamo-chan. Don't worry; I'm sure she'll forgive you. I did."

We raced to the alley where Usagi told us she would be. As we approached it, I heard a menacing voice say, "Bitch, that's the last time you run away from me." I heard Usako's frightened voice begging him not to hurt her and to let her go. I increased my speed and reached the opening of the alley only to see that the attacker had knocked her out and had begun to remove her clothes. Usako's transformation broach lay a few feet away from her.

Seeing Usako lying helpless on the dirty ground fueled a rage in me that I did not know I was capable of. With a flying leap, I tackled the man to the ground and started to beat him senseless. I didn't stop until I felt the girls trying to pull me off of him. I struggled against them, wanting to feel the life being squeezed of him as I wrapped my fingers around his neck.

"STOP Mamoru-san! You're going to kill him!" cried Rei as she tried to restrain me.

"So, is that such a bad thing?" I growled. I lunged at his unconscious body again only to have Makoto grip me in a headlock.

"Mamoru-san, you have to check on Usagi. I think she's just unconscious but it's better to be safe than sorry. Ami-chan has called the police already so we better detransform," she grunted, struggling to keep me in her hold. When she felt me detransform, she released me and reverted to civilian form. I couldn't resist kicking Usako's would-be rapist in the ribs before I ran to check on her. I felt her neck and was relieved to feel her pulse beating steadily.

When the police and the ambulance arrived, the rapist was placed in handcuffs and Usako on a stretcher, ready to be taken to the hospital. Before I left in the ambulance with her, I told the girls to call Usako's parents to let them know what had happened and that she was okay.

At the hospital, the doctors ran tests on Usako and determined that she hadn't been raped. Since Usako's parents weren't there yet, and I had told everyone present that I was her boyfriend, the doctor decided to give me their diagnosis on Usako's condition.

"Well Chiba-san, although you aren't related to her, I felt I could make this exception in your case seeing as how you're her boyfriend. You'll be happy to know that Tsukino-san and your baby will be fine," Dr. Yashida pronounced.

I felt my knees go weak. "Baby?"

Dr. Yashida paled. "Oh my, she didn't tell you yet. Well, I guess the cat's out of the bag, as the saying goes. Yes, Tsukino-san is indeed six weeks pregnant. The baby wasn't harmed in any way, so don't worry about that. What I would worry about, however, is Tsukino-san's emotional state when she wakes up. Please try to keep her as calm as possible for the sake of the child. Also, I think you should start to worry about what her father's going to say about this. I think I'll let you two break this news to him yourselves."

I felt myself sinking to the chair as Dr. Yashida patted me on the back in sympathy and congratulations. We're going to have a baby? Usako's carrying MY child? This must have been what the future Usagi meant when she said that she was giving herself back what she had lost on this night. If we went through with our plan to get rid of Usako's powers, she might have lost the baby. I feel guilt mixing in with my relief that Usako's okay and sheer happiness knowing that our baby was fine.

The doors to the waiting room burst open and Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino and Shingo hurried through, worry etched on their faces, followed by the girls. Upon seeing me, Mrs. Tsukino ran into my arms and wept.

"Thank-you Mamoru-san, for saving my baby tonight. The girls told us that you found her being beaten in the alley and stopped the man from doing more harm to my Usagi. I don't think I can ever thank you enough," she cried, squeezing me so tightly that I could hardly breathe. Now I know where Usako gets her tendency to give such powerful bear hugs.

When Mrs. Tsukino pulled away, I was surprised to see Mr. Tsukino step forward and grudgingly shake my hand. "Yes, well...I too owe you my gratitude for saving my little girl tonight. Please know that you are always welcome in my home and you are free to court my daughter without my objections." I bowed respectfully and gratefully, although wondering how he would react once he finds out that I had gotten his little girl pregnant.

The girls and I wait while the Tsukino family visits Usako in her room while I filled the girls in on Usako's condition.

"She's pregnant! Why didn't she tell us?" asked Minako in disbelief.

"According to the future Usagi, she was on her way to Mamoru's apartment tonight to give him some important news. My guess is that she was going to let him know that she was pregnant tonight," said Ami.

I filled them in on my hypothesis that were we not stopped by Usagi, she would have been raped tonight and lost the baby. The girls gasp softly.

"What have we done? We were going to risk Usagi-chan's life and the life of her child because we thought she was being irresponsible. We don't deserve to be her friends," whispered Makoto. I couldn't help but agree with her on that.

"It's all my fault," whispered Rei. "A few weeks ago, I overheard her tell Haruna-sensei that she was one month pregnant while she was in detention. I waited for her to tell us about it, but when she didn't, I thought that maybe she was afraid of what our reactions would be. I also feared for her safety and the safety of the baby during the youma fights so I decided to try and get Usagi-chan kicked off the team, or have her powers taken away, so that we can keep her out of harm's way forever. Please forgive me, minna. I was only trying to do the right thing by our princess."

My heart softened at Rei's intentions, although in hindsight, taking away her powers would have been the most ineffective way of protecting Usako. I patted her shoulder comfortingly and made sure that she knew I bore no ill feelings towards her. Suddenly the door to Usako's room opened and her parents stepped out.

"Mamoru, girls, Usa would like to see you now," said Mrs. Tsukino.

When we got inside the room, we saw Usako lying on the bed facing the window, rubbing her stomach in a maternal way. She turned when she heard us come in and smiled. She looked beautiful despite the bruise on her cheek.

"Mamo-chan, minna," she cried as she opened her arms to hug me. I felt Usako shaking in my arms as she wept. "Thank you for saving me from that monster tonight. I have something to tell you Mamo-chan, but I don't know how you're going to react. You see, I was on my way to your place tonight to tell you that I'm pregnant."

"I know," I replied, smiling at her astonished face.

"How did you know?"

"The doctor accidentally told me after he finished running tests on you to make sure you're okay. I'm so happy Usako. You've made me the happiest person in the world," I said, hugging her.

Usako beamed. "There's just one thing I was wondering. When I fought that guy in the alley, my transformation began to reverse. A few seconds after it started to reverse, it started to go back to normal again just as the guy found me. Don't worry, he didn't see my transformation because he knocked my broach from my hand when he hit me from behind. Do you guys know what happened?"

The girls and I looked at each other guiltily. We started to explain to her about our secret meeting at the temple, her future self warning us to stop what we were doing and what was happening to her at that moment. Usako took the news in with a cold, blank look upon her face, her posture rigid and her breathing heavy.

"Please forgive us, Usako. We didn't know-"

"Get out."

"Please Usagi-chan, listen to us..."

"I said get out. I need to think and some time away from all of you." We nodded our heads sadly and walked out the door.

Usako was discharged the same night and I sat outside her window all night, watching her cry. It broke my heart to see her so sad but knew that it would take time for us to mend our relationship again. She cried all through the night, her parents assuming it was just because of what had almost happened in the alley but I knew better. I did this to her.

Two weeks later, Usako showed up at the arcade and explained to me and the girls that she forgives us for what had happened but that she has decided to raise the baby on her own and that she has decided to quit being a senshi for the sake of our baby. The girls were shocked but they filed out of the booth to give us some privacy. She told me that I would always be welcome in the baby's life, but that she wasn't ready to get back together with me just yet. I told her I understood and that I would be there for her and the baby always. I asked her if she has some names picked out and she said that if it's a girl, she would name her Kura, after Detective Sato's daughter, who managed to charm her after a brief visit to her home. Detective Sato told her that the man who was about to rape her, Sakai Haru, was a monster who had raped 32 people, including 12 children under the age of 10. She said if the baby were a boy, she would name him Tori after her grandfather. She asked if the baby could have my last name even though we weren't married and I told her that I would be honoured.

When she couldn't hide her pregnancy anymore, we confessed to her parents. Kenji-san was angry that we weren't going to be married and kicked Usako out of the house before storming out of the room. I offered to let her stay with me but she refused, saying that she had anticipated this moment so she called the Outers ahead and asked if she could stay with them in their mansion. I followed her to her room to help her pack and was surprised that she had already done so. I picked up her bags for her as she bade a tearful goodbye to her mother and brother. I drove her to her new home and was greeted with a stern-faced Haruka, who promptly slammed the door in my face once Usako was inside. A moment later, the door opened again and a sheepish-looking Usako stepped out and reminded me of her doctor's appointment later that week.

The next few months, Usako was busy trying to get her life together. She studied hard to get her GED, signifying that she had completed high school early. She also got a part time job at the library reading books to children. I sent her cheques every month for her living expenses but she never spent them on herself, preferring to save them for the baby. We continued to live apart, only seeing each other when we have to go to doctor's appointments. We found out that the baby was a girl at her ultrasound and Usako decided to name her Chiba Kura. I couldn't think of a more fitting name.

As for Yamada Yuko, the senshi found out that she was the mayor's assistant and have been following her ever since. One night, when Usako was seven and a half months pregnant, Rei, Mina and I, who had been watching Yamada's house noticed a portal, similar to the one Usagi used that night at the temple, opened up in Yamada's living room and an eerily familiar woman stepped out. She grabbed Yamada's throat and introduced herself as Metallion. Just as she began to merge with Yamada, I saw the black crystal hanging from her neck. Remembering Usagi's words, I threw a rose at the crystal, shattering it. Metallion screamed as she realized what had happened and died as she released her hold on Yamada, who had fainted. The girls and I lay her on the couch and left, removing any traces of our presence, including Metallion's corpse. We decided to burn her body in Rei's temple, hoping to exorcise any evil remaining, thus ending the threat that Usagi had warned us about.

Usako had reconciled with her father in her eighth month of pregnancy when she proudly showed her parents the ultrasound pictures and video of their future granddaughter, although she continued to live in the Outers' mansion. When Usako went into labour, her mother and I were in the delivery room with her, supporting her. At first, the doctor wouldn't allow us both in there, but I 'explained' to him that I wasn't missing the birth of my child and Usako needed her mother there with her. In the end, the doctor saw things my way and let us stay, provided that we stay out of his way. My little Kura was born 29 grueling hours later. She was the most perfect baby I had ever seen, with her curly black hair and blue eyes, the perfect little angel. I know, I know. Every new father says that about his child, but in this case, I'm right. She smiled every time Usako and I held her in our arms, melting our hearts and making us fall in love with her.

The girls cooed over her and fought over who got to hold her first. In the end, Haruka got the honour of being the first 'aunt' to hold little Kura. It was slightly surprising that a tomboy like Haruka-chan could be such a gentle person around a baby. When I teased her about her maternal instincts and her biological clock ticking, she quickly passed the baby on to Makoto, who happened to be standing beside her. Detective Sato and his children, Kura and her older brother Taishi, visited Usako a day later. Four year old Kura was delighted with her namesake and declared to the entire room, which included Usako and I, as well as Kenji-san, Ikuko-san and Shingo-kun, that she was now an aunt. We smiled fondly as she sung the baby to sleep before falling asleep herself on Usako's bed. Her father smiled and thanked us for letting them visit before picking up his sleeping daughter and herding his son out of the room. That was the last time I saw them, however, two years later, I was surprised and delighted to see a wedding announcement in the paper for Sato Ueda and Yamada Yuko.

Kura and Usako continued to live in the Outers' mansion until Kura was about one and a half years old, when Usako had managed to save enough money from her job as a secretary for one of the top publishing companies in Japan and moved into an apartment building across from mine, making it even easier for me to visit Kura every weekend. It elated my heart every time I came over to pick up Kura for our weekend and she would toddle her way to me screaming, "Papa! Papa! Wuv you!" before I would scoop her up and toss her in the air, much to Usako's protests. Kura would just giggle and kiss me on the nose as she waves bye to her mother. "Bah mama, wuv you!"

This all changed when one month before Kura's second birthday, Usako frantically called me up at work to tell me that she had to take Kura to the emergency room because she had a high fever, stiff neck and hadn't stopped vomiting since the night before. My heart stopped beating as I listened to her tick off Kura's symptoms. I rushed out of the lab I was working in, explaining to my boss that my child was terribly sick and in the hospital. When I arrived at the hospital, I was told that Kura had been taken to the pediatric intensive care unit on the sixth floor. As soon as I stepped out of the elevator, Usako rushed up to me in tears and told me that the doctors were still treating our baby and wouldn't tell her anything. I held her trembling form as I guided her to the waiting area, forming my own diagnosis. A few hours later, a tired doctor found us and told us that Kura came down with bacterial meningitis, confirming my beliefs, and would have died if she went untreated for another few hours, but that she was now receiving antibiotics to reduce the swelling in her spinal cord.

For the next two and a half months, we watched our daughter battle to get better. My heart broke to see my little angel weak and pale on the bed, struggling for each breath, when she should have been running around outside, chasing Luna and Artemis in the park. Usako and I kept and almost constant vigil by her bedside. We used up all our vacation time and sick days during that period so that we could watch over her. Sadly, we had to celebrate Kura's second birthday in the hospital, but at least she was still around for us to celebrate her birthday at all.

When Kura finally got better and was able to go home, I would call Usako everyday to find out how she was doing. Those daily phone calls turned to weekly lunches, which soon turned to every other day. Eventually we would get together as a family and have dinner once a month. Finally, after about five months, Usako and I officially started dating again, and although our dates usually included Kura, we didn't mind one bit. When Usako announced that she was pregnant three months later, I asked her and Kura to move in with me so that we could become a real family. Of course, Kenji-san didn't approve of our living together without getting married, but he could do nothing since Usako was already over eighteen.

When our son Tori was three months old, Queen Serenity performed the ancient Lunarian wedding ceremony, witnessed by the senshi and the cats, that not only bound us together, but also the moon and earth's powers, creating a new age called the Crystal Millennium. Usako and I talked about our future together and have opted not to build Crystal Tokyo and rule the world in such a manner. We realized that we didn't want the Crystal Tokyo life; we preferred to live in anonymity, ruling the world even though no one knows about it. Usako and I decided not to get married in the eyes of the law because in our hearts and souls, we were already married. Our souls have been married since the first day I saw her sneaking around my gardens during the Silver Millennium. We refer to each other as husband and wife because that's what we are, and the lack of a marriage certificate isn't going to change that. In our minds, there couldn't be a more perfect wedding than the one Queen Serenity officiated underneath the full moon that night twelve years ago.

As a result of our binding ceremony, the earth began to receive the moon's dormant powers and began turning into the utopian society the moon was thousands of years ago. The ozone layer began to repair itself at a fast rate, life expectancies became longer and slowly, peace began to fill the world. Scientists have attributed this radical change to the wonders of modern man, saying that because of their efforts to repair the damage done to the ozone layer, UV rays cannot harm humans anymore extending the lives of humans to an infinite amount of years. The peace that swept through the world was attributed to man's evolution to a higher form of intelligent life due to the extremely long lives that we are now leading. It still amuses me when I have to take out the garbage or do some other mundane task even though I am technically the king of the world, but I know that I wouldn't trade my life now for anything.

I feel Usako stir beside me as she holds me tighter before waking up. I kiss her forehead as she stretches like a cat. Speaking of cats, Luna and Artemis have decided to revert to their human forms at our binding ceremony and are now married with two children.

"Good morning Mamo-chan. Happy twelfth anniversary," she smiles sweetly, giving me a kiss on the lips.

"Happy anniversary, Usako," scooting down so that I was now hovering over hear stomach, I whispered, "good morning Chibi-Usa. Today is a very special day because it's your mama and papa's 12th anniversary. It's only three and a half months before we all get to hold you in our arms. We can't wait." Placing my ear to Usako's stomach, I listen to Chibi-Usa's heartbeat before I place a kiss on it before getting back to my original position.

Usako snuggled back into my arms and sighed happily. "Can you believe it's been twelve years since the binding ceremony? It seems like yesterday that Kura was just three years old and Tori was just a baby."

I grinned. "I can't believe that Chibi-Usa is our sixth child and we're only in our thirties." Usako laughed heartily. It's true, Chibi-Usa is going to be our sixth child. Two years after we had Tori, Usako became pregnant with our twin boys, Kenji and Ryu and four years after that, our son Hiro. Today, my little Kura is now 15 years old, Tori is 12, Kenji and Ryu are 10 and Hiro is 6. To celebrate our anniversary, Usako and I took the kids to Hawaii, where we're staying at a guest house on the White Sands Resort for a whole month. Sometimes it pays to be the king and queen of the world. To the outside world, Usako is a famous author of children's stories while I'm an artist. Sometimes we collaborate on our projects where I illustrate her stories, or she writes a story about one of my paintings.

"I still can't believe that my father is still mad at you for not legally marrying me despite having explained the binding ceremony to him-which he continues to denounce as 'new age nonsense' by the way- and having five children with one on the way," she teased as I stroked her swollen tummy, where Chibi-Usa has been residing for five and a half months. "He keeps asking me when I'll stop 'living in sin' and 'settle down' like all my other friends."

"The other week he asked me when I'll make an 'honourable woman' out of you," I hooted. The two of us continued to laugh at poor Kenji's expense, but what he said was true. Not about us living in sin, but that the girls had all gotten married, even Hotaru, who was now 27 years old and happily married for 5 years. Out of all the girls, Usako and I have the largest family, with only Minako and Kyle, an American man who bears a striking resemblance to Kunzite she met while on a fashion shoot, coming in a distant second with three kids.

Our rather large family has become the source of many jokes at our expense from the girls and their husbands. In fact, on my 35th birthday, Rei and her husband Jason made sure that all our kids were out of the room before slipping me a shoebox sized package. Seeing everyone's sly grins and knowing Jason's sense of humour, I opened the box cautiously, aiming the box away from my face. When nothing exploded, I peered in the box and was astonished to find condoms...lots of condoms.

"Like them, Mamoru-kun?" Jason asked excitedly. Picking up one of the foil wrapped packets, he added, "see, it's not just a gift for you. It's for Usagi-chan too."

Usako blushed furiously as she read 'Ribbed for her pleasure' on the wrapper while I laughed good-naturedly. "How many did you give me?"

Haruka grinned wolfishly. "365. One for everyday of the year. Of course, with you guys, I'm willing to bet they'll get used up within six months."

Usako groaned as she buried her face in my shoulder. Rei grinned. "She sure lives up to her name eh, Mamoru?" Everyone howled with laughter as Usako stuck her tongue out at Rei, blowing her a raspberry.

As Haruka predicted, Usako and I had used up the condoms within four months. With a wife like mine, who can resist making love to her more than once a day? I find it kind of ironic that Chibi-Usa was conceived when one of those condoms broke while we were making love in a broom closet during Kenji-san's retirement party taking place in a hotel ballroom in Tokyo. It was hard to maneuver in that tiny closet in Usako's floor length evening gown and my tuxedo, but with five kids, we were experienced in making love in the most extreme conditions. Luckily for us, the loud music drowned out Usako's screams of pleasure.

I move my hands from Usako's stomach to her breasts, stocking them to arousal. We kiss hungrily, knowing that with the arrival of Chibi-Usa, our family would finally be complete. I flip us both over so that Usako is on top to ease the burden on her stomach.

"Yes, Mamo-chan!" Usako cries out as I continue to fondle her nipples with my hands. Just as Usako was about to lower herself on me, a sharp knock on the door startled us.

"Hey Mamo-chan, Usako! Sorry to interrupt but breakfast is ready and we're hungry!" our son Kenji called out from the other side of the door. We could hear his laughter fade away as he walked back to the breakfast room.

Grumbling about bad timing and rude children, Usako and I got dressed in our discarded nightclothes and put on our robes. I don't know why we bother to sleep clothed because we can never seem to keep them on the whole night anyway. We made our way to the breakfast room overlooking the beach and was startled to find a large banner that read "Happy Anniversary" draped above the window.

"SURPRISE!" our children yelled. "HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!"

I smiled as Usako started to cry. Our youngest, Hiro, was startled to find his mother crying. "What's wrong, mama? Don't you like our surprise?" he asked in an injured tone.

Usako bent down and embraced Hiro in a huge hug. "Of course I love it, baby! But you know what I love more?"

"What mama?"

"All of you. Come here," she opened up her arms and all the children ran up to us and gave us a hug.

"Sit down Papa, we made breakfast for you and mama!" chirped Kura. Could this teenager really be the tiny little girl I cradled in my arms fifteen years ago? Shaking my head at the passing of time, I reached over and fondly kissed Kura on the forehead.

"If you cook anything like your mother does, I'm sure it'll be...edible," I teased.

Both women looked affronted as they simultaneously said "Hey!" before smacking me on the shoulders.

We ate a wonderful breakfast with each child bragging to their mother and I about what they cooked for us. Kenji, taking after his grandfather and namesake, loudly boasted about the coffee he made for me, urging me to take a sip. Put on the spot, I tentatively picked up my mug of black sludge and warily took a sip. Not wanting to disappoint Kenji, who obviously worked hard on the coffee, I swallowed the gritty concoction and forced a smile.

"Best coffee I've ever had. Thanks son," I said weakly, as Ken beamed proudly and Usako and Kura tried to hide their grins.

Ryu, the quieter one of the twins, handed Usako a glass of orange juice. "Here mama. I made this myself. I heard that pregnant women need to drink a lot of folic acid and I know that orange juice has a lot of that."

Usako's eyes misted over. "Thank you, sweet pea," she said as she took a sip. "Wow, Ryu-chan. That's the best orange juice I've ever had," she added sincerely. Ryu smiled shyly as he continued to eat his eggs. "What about you, Tori? What did you make?"

Tori grinned in the way I used to grin at his mother when she was about Kura's age and I wanted her to stop ignoring me. I can already tell that at 12 years of age, my oldest son is going to be a heartbreaker. "Well, since I inherited your cooking skills mama, I decided to just make the sign. But I did help Hiro make the toast."

Usako pretended to look at Hiro in shock. "YOU made the toast, sweetheart? Why, it's the best toast I've ever had. It even beats your Aunt Makoto's."

"Oh yeah? I helped butter them," added Kenji, not wanting to be left out of his mother's praises.

"You did a great job, Kenji. The way you spread the butter so evenly makes me wonder if I should just designate you the official family toast maker," Usako said, her eyes twinkling.

Kenji's eyes grew round as saucers as he tried to back out of the hole he dug for himself. "Uh, that's okay mama. Hiro did most of the work."

"What did you make, angel?" I asked Kura, who rolled her eyes in mock exasperation at her little brothers.

"Everything that's edible. I made the eggs, pancakes, bacon and sausage. I swear mama, I can't wait until Chibi-Usa is born so that things even up just a little in this family."

Usako and I smile and roll our eyes at our daughter's dramatics. After the dishes had been cleared, we all decided to head to the beach for the rest of the morning.

"Kenji! Get back here! You know you're not supposed to go swimming only fifteen minutes after you eat!" yelled Usako, snatching our energetic son from the water. Kenji pouted, a trait that he has picked up from his mother, until Ryu convinced him to help them make a sand castle.

"I swear, that boy is a handful," Usako grumbled as she eased herself on the beach towel. I find myself staring in awe of my beautiful Usako as she places a hand instinctively on her round belly. "What are you staring at, Mamo-chan?"

"You. Do you know that you get more beautiful every day that you're pregnant?" I said as I leaned over and kissed her passionately.

Usako's eyes were glazed when I pulled away. She giggled coyly, acting like the innocent school girl I knew she wasn't and never was when it came to our sex life. "You sweet talker you. Keep that up, and my father might just chase you through town with his shotgun."

I kissed my way to her ear where I began to suck on her earlobe, earning a low moan from her. "I think it's worth it."

We both look up as we heard gagging sounds coming a few feet away from us. Kenji and Tori were pretending to stick their fingers down their throats and gagging. "Please you guys, keep it to yourselves! For Kami's sake, there are children here!"

"If we had 'kept it to ourselves,' you children wouldn't be here," I mumbled as Usako giggled. We just sat back and relaxed in each other's arms as we watched our children play in the sand and surf. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a teenage boy approach my daughter. I immediately sat up and watched as he continued to flirt with my little girl. Usako opened one eye when she heard me growl menacingly.

"What's wrong, Mamo-chan?"

"That...that punk kid is trying to put the moves on our little girl." Usako peered in Kura's direction and smiled fondly.

"He reminds me of you, baby. Look at his dark brown hair and dark blue eyes."

"WHAT?! How dare you put that little weasel in the same category as me? I KNEW I shouldn't have let her out of the house in that bikini. Why didn't you stop me?" I start to rise when I saw that kid brush some hair from Kura's face. I look down when I felt a firm grip on my wrist. "Usako, let me go."

"MAMO-CHAN! She's fifteen, for Kami's sake! Don't you remember that I was only FOURTEEN when we first started going out?"

"That's different."

"How is that different?"

"We were meant to be. I had nothing but the best intentions for you. Who knows what this punk is capable of?" I sigh with relief when I see the boy walking away and Kura looking dreamily after him.

"Oh how the tables have turned. Isn't this how my father reacted when we first started going out?" Usako teased. I said nothing in reply and sulked. A few minutes later, Hiro walked up to our blanket, clutching something in his hand.

"Mama, Papa, I lost a tooth." He smiled at us, revealing the gap between his front teeth.

Usako kissed his forehead comfortingly. "Don't worry, baby. The tooth fairy will come and give you some money if you put it under your pillow tonight." Hiro gave the tooth to his mother for safe keeping and settled down between us.

"I'm sleepy mama. Can I sleep here with you, papa and Chibi-Usa?"

I smile as Hiro referred to his unborn sister as if she were already here. "Of course, son. Here's a towel you can use for a pillow," I said as I placed a rolled up towel under his head. He was asleep after a few minutes. Usako stroked his hair, smiling lovingly at him as he breathed softly in his sleep.

"He's so sweet, Mamo-chan. Don't you wish he would stay like this forever? All our babies are growing up so fast," she sighed wistfully.

"Don't worry, Usako. We still have Chibi-Usa to think about."

"I can't wait for tonight, Mamo-chan. Do you think the kids suspect something?"

"Nah. They're too busy having fun to think about the surprise we have in store for them later on."

"I hope you're right."

"I'm always right," I said smugly and she hit me playfully upside the head.

We decided to eat lunch in the restaurant located in the resort's main building. We had a great time laughing about how Tori left Kenji buried up to his neck in sand for twenty minutes while he went swimming, and how Hiro, who had been playing with his loose tooth with his tongue, sneezed the tooth out and hit Ryu in the face with it. To my chagrin, the boys started teasing Kura about the boy she was talking to, who admitted that he gave her his number, but upon seeing my face, hurriedly explained that she wasn't going to call him any time soon.

"Why don't you two go have some alone time while Tori and I take care of the twins and Hiro?" Kura offered. Usako and I looked at each other and silently debated whether or not to let Kura take care of four children on her own. "Think of this as another anniversary present."

After a moment's hesitation, Usako said, "alright Kura. But don't let them out of your sight, especially Kenji."

"HEY!" yelled the offended little boy.

"I just meant that you mean so much to me that it would hurt me if you got lost, sweet cheeks," appeased Usako. "Please meet us at the gazebo near the house at five thirty. Dress semi-formally."

"Why the gazebo, mama?" Kura asked.

"Because your father and I have something special planned for our anniversary this year and we want you kids to be there with us. Promise me you'll have the kids ready and at the gazebo by five thirty."

"I promise, mama."

As we went our separate ways, Usako and I overheard Kenji say to Tori, "I bet they're just going to go back to the house to do it again."

Tori snorted in response. "That's why there's so many of us."

"Wise guys," Usako murmured under her breath. We hurried back to the house where we proceeded to make love just as our sons had predicted. We spent the rest of the afternoon in bed, sometimes making love hard and fast-our preferred method-and sometimes slow and teasing, and other times just talking about our lives and what we had planned for tonight. We dozed off in between our lovemaking before finally rising at quarter to five to take a shower together. Upon stepping out of the shower, Usako changed into a white sleeveless sundress and arranged her hair in a simple bun, adorning it with white orchids. I changed into a pair of beige khakis, a white tank top and a cotton button down shirt which I left open. Together, we walked barefoot hand in hand to the gazebo to oversee the preparations and to await our children's arrival.

True to her word, Kura had all the kids washed, changed and at the gazebo in one peace at exactly five thirty. By then, the hotel staff had arranged tiny white Christmas lights all around the gazebo and a string quartet to play soft music in the background. A white cotton runner stretched out over the sand, acting as a runway from the path to the gazebo steps.

"What's going on?" the children asked themselves, apparently not noticing us standing behind them. Usako cleared her throat, causing the children to jump in surprise. They whirled around and faced us.

"Oh mama! You look so beautiful," breathed Kura.

"Hey, what about me?" I asked, pretending to be hurt. Kura giggled and kissed me on the cheek.

"You look very handsome too, papa. What's going on?"

Usako smiled. "We're getting married and we want you to be our witnesses."

"Married? How come you never told us?" Tori asked incredulously.

"We've been planning this night ever since your father and I found out that I was pregnant with Chibi-Usa. Your father proposed to me that night and I decided to wait until our anniversary so that we could celebrate both our weddings on the same day. Plus, we wanted to surprise you."

Kura had tears in her eyes. "Oh mama! This is wonderful. We're going to be a real family, at last!"

"Yeah papa. Now grandpa won't be so mad at you anymore," teased Kenji as we laughed.

Usako turned to Kura. "Honey, I have a favour to ask you."

Kura sniffled and smiled. "What is it mama?"

"Would you be my bridesmaid? There is nobody I would like better than..." Usako was cut off as Kura leapt into her arms.

"Of course I'll be your bridesmaid! Thank you mama!"

"You're welcome, baby. Here's your bouquet," Usako said, handing her a smaller version of her white roses and orchids bouquet.

I turned to Tori. "Son, would you be my best man?"

"Sure papa. Wouldn't have it any other way."

Turning to the twins, I asked, "could you boys walk your mother down the aisle?" They nodded eagerly. For once, Kenji was rendered speechless.

I felt a tugging on my shirt. "What about me, papa?" asked Hiro.

I picked him up and handed him the simple platinum bands that Usako and I will wear on top of the other rings we've been using since the binding ceremony. "You, my boy, will be the ring bearer. Your job is to walk in front of your sister and your brothers and mama and stand beside me and Tori when you're done. When the minister asks for the rings, you give them to Tori, okay?"

"I get to walk first?"

I nodded.

"Cool."

And so, Tori and I took our places in the gazebo while Usako and the rest of the children waited around the bend for the music to cue them. As the music started, Hiro walked down the carpeted path followed by the teary eyed Kura. I watched with growing anticipation as the music changed to the familiar strains of the "Wedding March." My heart started to beat faster as I saw Usako make her way to the gazebo barefoot, escorted with a twin on each arm. When she finally reached her place by my side, she passed her bouquet off to Kura and gave me a bright smile.

The minister began the ceremony serenaded by the waves crashing on the shore not far from where we stood. As we exchanged our vows, tears fell from our eyes, knowing that we did the right thing by waiting until this perfect moment to have our wedding.

"I, Tsukino Usagi Serenity, take you Chiba Mamoru Endymion as my lawfully wedded husband," Usako said, smiling at the 'lawfully wedded' part, "to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live."

"I, Chiba Mamoru Endymion, take you Tsukino Usagi Serenity as my lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, as long as we both shall live," I repeated as I felt tears fall from my eyes. Usako reached up and wiped them away.

We were lost in each other's eyes as the minister blessed our union. Before we knew it, we had finished exchanging rings and we were pronounced husband and wife. I looked at the minister expectantly and he nodded. Stroking Usako's cheek with my finger, I tilted her face up to mine and kissed her tenderly. The children applauded and Kenji hooted with glee. Laughing, Usako and I led the kids to the table set up in a tent where our reception dinner will be served. We posed for pictures taken by the photographer we hired to capture the wedding on film outside the tent. Inside, we were served with a delicious seven course dinner, including salmon sashimi for starters, prime rib with garlic mashed potatoes and gravy for the main course, and a strawberry shortcake for dessert.

To our surprise, Tori stood up with his water goblet held high. "May I propose a toast? I just want to congratulate our parents for getting married tonight on the twelfth anniversary of their Lunarian wedding. Even though some people don't like the fact that they never got married legally, I could never ask for a better family or better parents. We love each other with all our hearts, and it is thanks to our parents that we have learned what to look for in a life partner. A marriage isn't about signing a piece of paper and having a ring on your finger. It's about finding someone you love with all your heart and never letting go, in spite of all the obstacles in your way. Our parents taught us that love is the only voice we should follow, and so far, they have been doing a great job. So here's to you, mama and papa; may we also find the love that you two share in abundance. Cheers!"

"CHEERS!" We repeated as we clinked our glasses together. Usako stood up and hugged Tori very tightly, tears of joy and pride streaming down her face while Tori blushed sheepishly.

When it came time to turn in, we walked the children to the main building where we set them up for three days in their own rooms so that we could have private time. I carried a sleeping Hiro into the room he was going to share with Kura and said goodnight.

"Papa?" whispered Kura as I turned to leave.

"Yes sweetie?"

"Thank you for tonight. I will never forget this for as long as I live. You and mama showed me exactly what I want in a marriage and now I know what to look for in a perfect husband and life. And although grandpa doesn't think so, I think you and mama make the perfect role models on how to make a marriage work. I love you papa," she concluded.

I felt tears prick my eyes. For the first time, I truly felt like the man I was meant to be. "Thank you sweetie, I love you too."

"Oh and papa? Take care of her; she's something special," Kura winked as she gave me a hug and a kiss goodnight.

"You bet, honey. Your mama is the most special lady in the world."

Back at the beach house, Usako and I danced to the tune of the crickets chirping in the grass and the ocean in the distance.

"I'm so happy, Mamo-chan. I never thought I could be happier than I have ever been since Kura was born but now I know that's not true," Usako said as I held her in my arms.

I kissed her forehead as I watched the starts twinkle in the sky. Not knowing what else to say that would prove to her the depth of my feelings for her, I said the only thing that came to mind. "I love you Usako, my beautiful bride."

"I love you Mamo-chan, my wonderful husband."

And with that, Usako and I went into the house where we made love for the first time as a married couple, and certainly not for the last. Our dreams have come true. We have beautiful and wonderful children, our relationship was stronger now than it had ever been and we literally ruled the world. What more could I ask for? Wrapping my arms around my sleeping wife, I kissed her shoulder and closed my eyes for the night, dreaming about the years to come.

---

The Road to Hell is the first fanfic I ever wrote and published on the Internet. The writing style may be unpolished, but I believe that I've grown leaps and bounds since this story has been written two years ago. This story opened so many doors for me; had I not written it, I never would've known Aria and Ladysolo, two of my best online friends. I never would've grown as an author if I didn't take the first step in writing this story. I had a story to tell and I hope I told it well, as unskilled as it was. I hope you've enjoyed reading this story--I know I thoroughly enjoyed writing it