Hidy ho minna-chan!! Finally I got chapter 8 out!! Yeah me!! *grins* I promise there should be no delays getting chapter 9 out, infact I may get it out this week ^^ We're taking a small break from all the nega-verse crap -- just for the simple fact that I'm over writing it for a little while -- two chapters to be exact ^_~ Anywho, this is suppose to be slightly humourus(sp?) But I ain't promising anything. As always -- HUGE thanks to my editors who are sooo great to me! **HUGS** BTW, a little info. here for ya - a bunch of us are getting together on my message board and writing a fanfic (totally funny) and would appreicate any help! Thanks to everyone who has helped me so far - I'm hoping to wrap it up by this weekend and get it posted ^_^ Please visit my web page - http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/9333 Over Christmas vacation I totally redone it and I hope everyone likes it better! Usual disclaimers apply - I don't own Sailor Moon, but I sure do own alot of her merchandice! Especially since Sam Goody's decided to start selling Sailor Moon action firgures, key chains, posters, shirts ect. ^_^ Imagine how *thrilled* I am about that!! I also want to thank everyone who has emailed me about my story, you guys were so nice ^_^ *hugs* ~*~ Japanese Translations ~*~ Ne - roughly means "okay" gomen ne - I'm sorry nani - what Hai - yes Sou - right arigato - thank you minna - everyone mo - geez ****************** From the Beginning - Round Two Title: Some time off Chapter: 8 Author: Bethany ^_^ Editors: Meara, Luna's Meow, Don, Heather, Amercia Author Email: Bethany212@aol.com ****************** (3 months later) "Ohhhhhh, that's cold!" Usagi squealed as the doctor rubbed her stomach with a clear cream. She squeezed Mamoru's hand, gritting her teeth. "Calm down sweetheart," Mamoru cooed, more for his own benefit, so she would let go of the death grip on his hand. The doctor braced himself before placing the cold surface of the equipment on her stomach to do the ultrasound. "This will be cold, but only for a second, ne?" "Mmm Hmm," Usagi said, cringing despite herself. He placed it on her stomach and surprisingly, she didn't seem to think that was so cold. A few minutes later Mamoru and Usagi watched in wonder at the black and white screen showing the life inside her. The doctor suddenly got a confused look on his face. Mamoru was the first to notice the changed pace. "Doctor, is everything alright?" The doctor smiled warmly, relaxing his features. "Do you see this?" he asked the couple, pointing to the screen. Usagi studied it, then noticed what he was talking about. "What is that?" He smiled widely, "Your going to have twins." *THUNK!* "Mamo-chan? Mamo-chan!! Are you alright?" Usagi asked frantically, watching her husband's passed out form on the floor. 'Oh yeah Usagi girl, you've got your hands full and you haven't even given birth yet.' She sighed heavily while laughing. ****** "Mamo-chan?!" Usagi cried, shaking her husband. Nothing. Haruka and Makoto had managed to carry him to the car and help Usagi get him in the apartment. Chibi-Usa slapped a hand to her forehead. "Geez, I haven't seen dad this stressed out since. . ." after a reprimanding look from Setsuna, Chibi-Usa refrained from telling her mother about her younger brother. "Gomen ne Setsuna-chan." Setsuna smiled, "Don't worry child, he was worse when you were born." Both of them shared a laugh that Usagi missed due to trying to wake Mamoru up. "Geez Mamo-chan! I'm five months pregnant, I can't be sitting here trying to wake you up!" she screamed in frustration. "I'm hungry!" she declared, leaving him on the couch in a beeline for the kitchen. A few moments later she emerged with a jar of pickles and spoon of peanut butter. Mamoru had managed to come to, only to gawk in disgust at what his wife was eating. "Usako, how can you *eat* that?" "Nani?" she looked up, then back at the pickle in her hand. She walked over toward him with a devilish grin. "Wanna bite Mamo-chan?" she giggled, shoving the peanut butter covered pickle in his face. Haruka, Makoto, Setsuna, Chibi-Usa and Minako busted out laughing as Mamoru ran across the apartment in fear, hiding behind Chibi-Usa. Usagi pouted, her lower lip quivering. "You think I'm fat, don't you?" "Huh?" was all Mamoru could say. 'One minute she happy, the next she's crying. Am I going to live through the next four months?' Knowing this routine by heart now, he walked back over to her and wrapped her in his arms. "Of course not Usako. You're beautiful and pregnant. But sweetheart, I just don't have a taste for pickles, you know that." He put on his sweetest voice possible and nibbled on her ear lope. That got her every time. She had the grace to blush due to the five sets of eyes staring at her. "I love you Mamo-chan," she sang out, obviously happy with herself again. "I love you," he whispered back, still kissing on her ear for good measure. Knowing if he stopped too soon, she'd revert back to God only knew what mood. She sighed, content for the moment, and rubbed her stomach. "I'm going to take a nap, will you get some Chinese for dinner sweetie?" He bowed gracefully in front of her, taking her hand to his lips. "Of course my princess. Your wish is my command." She giggled, and floated out of the room. Mamoru shook his head. "If I have to eat Chinese one more time this week, I'm going to go live there." "CHIBA MAMORU, I HEARD THAT!" came the scream from the other room. Everyone, save Mamoru, started laughing. He sighed, forced to face his fate and started toward the bedroom to confront the worst of enemies... ...a pregnant Usako. All the senshi in the room stood to attention, hands over their hearts, humming the funeral march. "Dumbbbbb da dumbbbb, da da dumbbbb," Haruka managed, and evil smile on her face. Mamoru turned shortly. "Yeah, yeah. So that was dumb, don't rub it in!" he yelled, opening the bedroom door, taking a deep breath and preparing for the worst. Minako set out in a fit of giggles, "Remind me to bring my video camera over here one day." "Why?" Chibi-Usa asked innocently. Minako was joined by Haruka, "So I can win 10,000 dollars on Japan's Funniest Videos!" (AN: okay, I don't know if they have that, but it seemed like a good idea! ^_^) ***** (some odd weeks later - apx. 3:48a.m.) Mamoru sleepily turned over, his arms searching for Usagi. When he couldn't find her familiar form, his eyes snapped open. "Usako?" Silence greeted him. "Usako?" Again nothing. Worried now, he ran out of the room. She wasn't in the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room or the balcony. "USAKO?!??" Chibi-Usa stumbled into the room, rubbing her eyes. "Dad, what's wrong?" "Where's your mother?" he asked frantically. Chibi-Usa snapped her attention out of the remainder of her dreams, and began running through the apartment. "Mom? Mom!" "Usako!" screamed Mamoru at the same time. Desperate now, Mamoru ran out into the hallway. Emptiness greeted him. "Usako?!" With nothing else to do, he got out her communicator. Hitting the 'all call' repeatedly. The first senshi to answer was Rei. "Mamoru-kun, what's wrong?" "Usako, I can't find her!" he yelled frantically. "NANI?!? How long has she been gone?" came another voice of a now wide awake Ami. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "I don't know. I woke up and she wasn't in bed." "Have you searched the apartment?" Minako asked, now fully aware of the situation. "YES, I can't find her, damn it! Where is she?" Another voice came across the communicator. "Mamoru-san, calm down. I know where she is." Mamoru stopped short in his hysteria. "Mako-chan?" "Hai, she is over here." Relief ran through Mamoru's veins. Finally he caught hold of his breath. "Why?" "Why don't you all come over here, it's nothing serious, but Usagi-chan could really use her friends support right about now, ne?" "Sou," came seven voices from all directions. Mamoru stayed on after everyone else sighed off. "Mako-chan?" "Hmm?" "Tell her I love her?" Makoto smiled, "Sure thing Mamoru-kun." Mamoru was the last to show up cause they had to take the bus. Usagi had taken the car and he wasn't going to let Chibi-Usa ride on his motorcycle. He entered the now full of female senshi apartment. "Mamo-chan!" Usagi cried out, coming up to him and wrapping her arms around him. He allowed himself the comfort of knowing she was alright before starting in on how irresponsible she had been for leaving without saying a word. Before he had the chance, however, Minako stopped him. "Usagi- chan, may I have a moment with Mamoru?" Usagi smiled, "Sure." Mamoru followed Minako to the balcony. "Nani?" he asked, just now really letting himself calm down. "I know your first thought, or maybe your second, was to yell at her for leaving without saying anything. But I would advise against it," she started in a very unlike Minako serious tone. Mamoru looked up at the crescent moon. "Why?" he asked finally. "She needs encouragement, and a lot of it. Telling her anything but how good she is right now, is going to make her feel worse." Minako swallowed here. "According to Makoto, Usagi had a dream that she was an awful parent and you took the twins and left with them. She was shaken up badly and for some reason was afraid to tell you. So she came here." Mamoru felt his anger die down, along with his fears. 'So she feels the same way? That we aren't cut out for being parents. . .or better yet, I'M not cut out.' He sighed long and hard. "I know how she feels." "Doesn't every parent?" Minako said with far more wisdom than Mamoru ever remembered hearing from her, "babies don't come with manuals or how-to guides. No parent knows what they are doing. But I can tell you that you and Usagi practically raised Chibi-Usa for the better part of her childhood and look how wonderful she is. You're ready, believe me. Well, as ready as your ever going to be." Mamoru turned and hugged Minako briefly. "Minako-chan, arigato. Really, you've helped a lot." She smiled, "Anything for my friends, now," she began on a lighter note, "Let's go before Usagi eats Makoto out of house and home, and convince her of the same thing." "Sou." Usagi took another egg roll from the plate on the table and sighed. "I'm so scared minna, what if I can't do this? What if that dream is real?" It took all Rei had not to roll her eyes, just when they thought they had gotten through to her, she started in again. "Usagi, you're ready. Look, no one is ever completely ready for children, but you'll do a good job, don't worry." She smiled, giving her a friendly hug. Mamoru came back in the apartment and sat down next to Usagi, completely calm and feeling a lot better about his own fears also. "Usako, don't worry, ne?" Before realizing that he hadn't said enough, she started crying again. "I just want them to grow up healthy and happy, but what if I can't do it!" Mamoru started to comfort her when a small hand reached out and took his. He looked up to see Chibi-Usa mouthing something. Finally he figured out she was saying, "Give me a chance." Mamoru smiled and moved over to allow Chibi-Usa in-between them. The small rabbit somehow managed to sit on her mothers lap even with her very swollen tummy. "Mom?" "Yes sweetheart?" Usagi said without even thinking about what she was doing. Hearing Chibi-Usa call her mom was common as hearing Mamoru call her Usako. Chibi-Usa held her hand. "You are a wonderful mother to me, and you'll do a good job with the twins. Believe me, I know," she added, winking. Usagi found comfort in that fact. Yes, Chibi-Usa was a wonderful child - a little spoiled maybe, but she reasoned that was Mamoru's fault, not hers. And of course she would know if the twins were happy and healthy, she was their younger sister. Usagi smiled brightly and hugged her. "Arigato Small Lady, but you know what?" "Nani?" "You'll always be my first baby," she said in a whisper. Chibi-Usa smiled, remembering how her mother in the future would often say that. All the inner senshi, cats and Mamoru watched this scene with a faint smile. "Now that that is straight," Ami said, "It is four o'clock in the morning, and I'm sleepy." Usagi pouted out her lower lip. "But guys, I'm hungry!" The room erupted in laughter. Makoto brought in some rice cakes. "Why don't all of you each find a blanket and stay here the rest of the night? We haven't had a good sleep over since we were all staying at Usagi's." "Speaking of which," Luna began and everyone groaned, here it came; another senshi meeting. Suddenly a pillow came flying at Luna. "It's too early for a meeting!" Minako giggled, another pillow in her hand incase Luna insisted. "Okay, but ten o'clock, Rei's temple. It's scaring me how quiet it has been for the last six months. Just simple youma attacks? Something's up and we need to be ready." To everyone's surprise, Usagi agreed. "Yes, and as the temporary leader of the sailor senshi, Chibi-Usa needs some training before another major attack." Luna smiled proudly. In all of Usagi's nineteen years, she never thought she would see her say that. Her proud moment was not to last. "But only until the twins are born, then it's back under me. But first, I want popcorn!" Luna sighed, "Always thinking about her stomach." For once, Mamoru took the defensive, "Wait a second, Usako is eating for three now." "Wasn't she always?" Haruka laughed. A rice cake flew across the room, hitting Haruka in the face. She opened her eyes in surprise, but Usako was busying herself with something that only she could see on Mamoru's shirt. ****** An army of dark soldiers stood against the wall, waiting for Beryl's inspection. She had been waiting millenniums for this moment. She walked slowly down the line, closely checking each individual. "You - no good. Go back to training." She pointed to a youma, holding her nose up in disgust, "How dare you call yourself a soldier worthy enough to work under me." "Yes my queen," he said, everyone else down the line straighten their spines. Again she walked down the line. Satisfied that everyone presented was good enough to at least wear the sailor senshi down, she began her speech. "You are here today because you have chosen the dark path. You have chosen the winning side. We are preparing to start a war. All of you will not come back alive, but those who do will be pleasantly rewarded for your efforts when I rule the universe. Until then you are to train. We will defeat them." "Yes, Queen Beryl," the group said, bowing. ***** "Come on Small Lady, I know you can do this, now concentrate!" Usagi encouraged, watching Chibi-Usa try to use the princess halacation wand. Mamoru watched worriedly from the side. "She's eight months pregnant, she don't need to be out there, she needs to let everyone else train Chibi-Usa," he mumbled for the twenty time in the last half hour. Haruka smiled. "She knows what she's doing, don't worry." "That's what worries me." He watched as Chibi-Usa finally got the sequence right and gathered the energy to the wand. "Now put it down, don't shout the activation words yet, we don't need you destroying Rei's temple," Usagi said gently, obviously tired. Haruka sighed, "I'm going to go train." Mamoru kept his gaze straight ahead, watching with worry as Usagi sat down and rubbed her lower back. Usagi flinched as one of the babies kicked her stomach. "Stop that you two, your gonna bruise the inside of my stomach," she told them gently. There was a deep chuckled behind her and she turned to see Mamoru watching her with glassy eyes. "Nani?" "You talk to them like they can hear you," he informed her, sitting down and starting to massage her back and shoulders. "They can hear me, they stopped kicking." He laughed again. "Wonder if they'll listen that good once they are born?" Usagi didn't answer him right away. A tightening pain shot across her back. But just as quickly it was gone. She dismissed it as back aches and smiled at Mamoru. "I doubt it." "Come on Mars! You can aim better than that!" Venus yelled, dodging her fire sniper again. Mercury was training with Neptune not far from where Venus and Mars were fighting. "Chabon Spray!" "MERCURY!!" they all yelled. "No since in training now, I can't see my hand in front of my face!" Jupiter said, throwing her hands up dramatically. Haruka slapped her on the shoulder, "That's okay, we need a rest anyway." They all powered down and sat on the steps in front of the temple. "So," Seiya started, looking around, "What now?" Usagi leaned back on Mamoru, feeling tired very suddenly. "Usako, you alright?" he asked, pushing the bangs off her forehead. She was starting to break out into a sweat. "Yeah, just so tired." Rei sighed, "Well you ought to be after getting out there and training with Chibi-Usa." Usagi didn't have the strength to argue with her. "Can I go lay down in your room?" Rei scrunched her eye brows up but nodded yes. Chibi-Usa watched as she slowly entered the temple. "Small Lady, go with your mother," Setsuna said. Chibi-Usa nodded and followed her, leaving a confused Mamoru in her wake. Usagi laid down carefully, lifting her shirt to rub her stomach. "What's wrong with you guys today?" Chibi-Usa stopped outside of the room to listen. Her mind was searching for a date, a date when the twins birthday was. September, no. . . oh no!...today! "Crap Mom, say something so we can get you to the hospital," she whispered, opening the door to the bedroom. Usagi smiled up at her. Chibi-Usa walked in slowly, amazed at how huge her stomach was. "Go on, you can feel them kick," she whispered to her daughter. Hesitantly she placed her small hand on her mother's round stomach. She felt a slight budge and giggled. "I think they are ready to come out." "I think your right," Usagi agreed. ***** Mamoru half listened to the conversation about the negaverse. He didn't want to listen at all, he wanted to be with Usagi. However, one of them needed to hear this and since she wasn't here, it had to be him. "I hope they gave up, but probably not," Minako stated. Mamoru had this over bearing compulsion that he needed to be with Usagi. He stood up and went inside only before he got there to be plowed down by Chibi-Usa. "Dad! Dad! Hurry!" Mamoru took off in a run for the room where Usagi was laying. Chibi-Usa continued outside. "Minna!! Hurry!!" The senshi, cats and lights ran inside after the bouncing pink haired girl. Fearing the worst. When they got there however they weren't ready for what they seen. Mamoru was helping Usagi up and the floor was soaked in water. "What's going on?" Minako asked, before Michiru hit her upside her head. "Mo Minako-chan. . .can't you see that Usagi-chan is in labor??" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~` ahhh, what a good place to stop, ne? *grins before running from objects thrown by readers* hehehe ^_^ Email me please!! I LOVE feedback!! "Email! Email! I loooove E MAAAAIIILLL!!! I lo-*thunk*" See Bethany singing email song again... ... see Serenity Raye knock Bethany out for singing email song agan. HI SERE!!!!!! *waves*