I don't think I should have to say that I don't own Sailor Moon but…. Well you 
know the truth so on to more serious matters….

I know that in Perspectives I and in this sequel to Perspectives, I have 
mixed and matched the Japanese and American versions as I saw fit. While I feel 
more comfortable using the American version of SM, there are places in which 
the Japanese version seems far more suitable. The Japanese surnames are far 
more comfortable for me, and some of the minor character names will be 
borrowed from the Japanese version. I doubt there will be any confusion at all so 
I suggest just accepting the story at face value.

Serena stared out her office window without really seeing the scenery before her. 
What she saw in her mind however brought a smile to her lips. Somehow it was all coming 
together. She glanced down at the beautiful engagement ring on her finger and smiled.
Soon her friends would share the same happiness she and her sister Irene were 
feeling. Jay was already on his way to finding the love of his life, while Zach had his with 
him right at this very moment, Nicholas preferred not to be told where his love was at the 
moment, if it were destiny it would find him. He had never been more right.
She thought of Mina with a slight frown on her lips, but it would all work out 
wouldn't it? That thought brought the significantly more serious matter of their future to 
mind. Her mother couldn't have been more right when she said the future had changed.
She spent many hours these past few days with Darien and the mysterious senshi 
Sailor Pluto. Pluto had shown her many things, things that could have been but no longer 
would be. She was constantly reminded that the future was completely in her hands. There 
was no planned path of destiny for her or anyone else.
She suspected, better yet, she knew Setsuna was lying, but she supposed she had 
good reason so she had left it at that. The truth is Setsuna wasn't the only one who could 
see what could be. Of course there was no definite path for anyone, but there was always 
the most probable and no matter how many times she looked ahead, she always saw the 
same thing. One day soon life as she knew it would change for her and everyone she loved.


Raye woke up slowly abandoning the world of dreams. She didn't 
remember her dreams but she had a faint feeling of something disturbing. She 
got out of bed slowly, her bare feet on the cold wooden floor. She winced a little, 
she liked the heat, but she had forgotten to close her windows last night when 
the temperatures had dropped steeply from the relatively warm fall day. She 
had been too toasty warm under her comforters to take note.
She walked over to the windows and closed them. She ran her fingers 
through her short black hair that was layered to just touching the nape of her 
neck, trying to loosen any unruly knots left over from sleep. She had cut it not 
long after leaving Tokyo. She hadn't wanted many reminders of who she had 
been. It brought back too many good memories she felt guilty for ruining. Those 
times were now long gone and terribly missed.
She went to the bathroom and the thoughts that had plagued her for the 
last few years followed her as she took a shower and got dressed. While drying 
her hair she realized just how much she'd changed in such a short time. She had 
truly succeeded in becoming someone else. After the death of her grandfather in 
her last year of high school, she had become her father's daughter, traveling with 
him to Washington D.C. They had resolved their differences on the surface, but 
as they rarely saw each other, there was little room for conflict. She was in 
college and he was as usual busy working on politics and business, as both 
matters tended to coincide.
She'd lost some of her fire, as the guilt she felt in her heart seemed to 
overshadow so many aspects of her life. As she looked in her mirror at her red 
silk nightgown and fashionably cut hair, she tried to recall some of the fire she 
had once had in her unusual violet eyes. There was a slight flicker and then it 
was gone. Maybe it was her imagination. When she looked in the mirror she 
didn't see the fire that had once been there, instead she saw guilt, unhappiness, 
and acute loneliness.
She knew in her heart that this was all somehow her fault, that she had 
somehow earned all this pain. If only she had kept her temper in check, a fiery 
one she rarely allowed anyone to glimpse anymore. Now all people could see 
was the cold façade she put on for the world. She was always reserved, always in 
control.
How she missed who she had been. More than that, she missed the 
people who had shaped such a great part of her life and more importantly she 
missed the one she had hurt.
Serena. 'Can she ever forgive me?'  She asked herself. Yes, Serena would. She 
always did. The greater question was would she ever forgive herself. She didn't 
know the answer. She hadn't yet, maybe she never would.
She got dressed, in a red turtleneck sweater and black slacks. First she'd 
attend her morning classes and then she'd go to work. She was working for Jack 
Davis, a first time republican candidate for the Senate. It was a small job but it 
was a start. She one day hoped to be a campaign manager for a presidential 
candidate but at such a young age, that was still a long time away if at all.
She was studying hard in her political science major and she was one of 
the best in her class. She had to work hard and she pushed herself hard enough 
to rival Amy, well almost. With none of her friends close she buried herself in 
her schoolwork.
When she had first arrived in the United States she was painfully aware of 
the absence of her friends. Despite the fact that in her final year of high school 
they had all grown apart after Serena left, they had still been around that she 
could have talked to them had she chosen to do so. That was no longer true. She 
felt every mile of the distance between them. She had never been good at making 
friends, having always pushed people away with her temper and distant 
persona.
Serena had been one of her first and best friends. That day when Serena 
had first come barging into her life had been a turning point. With Serena came 
friends and someone who didn't shy away from her fiery temper or turn away as 
a result of the way she tended to distance herself from others. Instead Serena had 
bridged that distance.
Having Serena around had given her a feeling of purpose. She sometimes 
felt as though she was the one to take care of the ditzy blonde. She had tried to 
push her into responsibilities but maybe she had pushed too hard, too often, in 
the wrong direction, and the wrong way.
Despite the fact that the other sailor scouts had been mad at Serena that 
day, Raye felt completely responsible for Serena leaving. She had made the 
young blonde cry so many times when she had yelled at her. She had never 
meant to hurt her only to push her to be the leader she knew she was capable of. 
She had good intentions but as she knew, "the road to hell is paved with good 
intentions."
There were many days when she had wished she could go back and do it 
all over. If she knew then what she knew now she would have kept better control 
of her temper. She would have tried to be more understanding. Too many what 
ifs and it would forever be too late to fix what was already broken.
She glanced at her watch and realized it was time to leave. She left her 
apartment but before going down to the parking lot she picked up her mail. She 
sorted through them as she went down the steps; The phone bill, her credit card 
bill, an invitation to a birthday party she had no intention of attending, and a 
letter in handwriting she easily recognized as Mina's. She saved the letter for 
when she got into her car.
As she was about to look up, she tripped over a bucket that had been at 
the bottom of the steps. She prepared herself for the pain that would come when 
she hit the black and white tiled floor. Instead she landed in a pair of strong 
arms. She looked up into a pair of sunglasses-covered eyes and a handsome 
face. She was tempted to scowl but restrained herself.
"Thank you Mr. Hudson." She said politely and without a touch of 
emotion. She disliked this man who was her next door neighbor. To many 
women, that would seem ridiculous. He was tall, handsome, and had a career as 
a lawyer. To her however he was slick, egotistical, and annoying. He never 
stopped hitting on her. Right now he was grinning his flashing white teeth at her 
and he still held her waist in his large hands. She wriggled free. Oh how she 
disliked oily, ambulance chasing jerks.
"I've asked you many times to call me Mark, Raye," he said in his deep 
voice."
"I really have to go Mr. Hudson, I have a class to attend." He still blocked 
her path.
"When you're done would you like to come to a party with me? I 
guarantee a good time."
"No thank you Mr. Hudson. I'm busy."
"Oh come on. Nothing you could be doing could be so good that you'd 
give up a great party."
"And just who would be attending this party?"
"Just you, me, and a bottle of wine," he said in his most seductive tone. 
What he really sounded like was a salesman.
"No thank you. Please I have to go." He got out of her way, slightly miffed 
at her refusal.
"You're missing a good time," he yelled at her disappearing back.
"Jackass," Raye muttered under her breath. She glanced at her watch. 
Thanks to Mr. Ambulance chaser, she would barely have time to get to class with 
consideration to traffic and no time to read her letter. It would have to wait until 
after class. She sighed and got into her car driving off into the distance.

Ikuko said goodbye to her only son as she watched him get into the blue 
car in the driveway and leave the house with his friends. At seventeen he was 
already close to six feet tall. His brown hair had darkened to a deep mahogany 
contrasting beautifully with his hazel eyes. His jaw line was now strong and 
defined and he had the looks many girls wanted in a guy but unfortunately for 
his growing female fan club, he only had eyes for his girlfriend Mika.
It was unusual for a boy Sammy's age to be committed to the same girl for 
such a long time. They had gone out for a while in junior high and then broke up 
only to find themselves together again in the summer previous to their second 
year of high school. They had been dating steadily for almost two years now. 
They had their arguments like many couples but they always stuck together. 
Their commitment reminded Ikuko of the recent new commitment she and her 
husband had made.
Sammy may have been the one thing to keep her and her husband 
together after Serena left to be with her real father. The secret of Serena's 
paternity that Ikuko had kept for years had nearly ripped their family apart. 
When Kenji walked out of the house that day, leaving Ikuko to see Serena off to 
the airport, it had been well over a week until he returned and when he had he 
hadn't intended to stay.
He had come to get his things and walk out of her life for good but she 
had pleaded with him to listen to her and consider the welfare of their twelve-
year-old son. Things had been rocky for weeks. He had barely spoken to her, 
never told her when he was leaving or where he was going. Eventually she had 
broken down in tears begging forgiveness for her deceit and impropriety. She 
pleaded for him to remember that despite her biological origins Serena was his 
daughter. He had raised her for sixteen years of her life.
It had taken quite sometime but eventually their relationship was on the 
mend. There were no more secrets between them. Even though there had been 
moments when she had thought things wouldn't work out, they had, and a year 
later they had gone to California to Serena's high school graduation together. 
They made a commitment to stand by each other and keep their relationship 
strong.
The relationship between Serena and Kenji however, would never be the 
same. They were a little more distant from each other than they had been. Things 
had gotten very uncomfortable with Richard at the graduation and the party 
afterwards but they had gotten past the uncomfortable moments and enjoyed 
seeing their beautiful daughter graduate. They had both been so proud, even 
Sammy. He and his sister now enjoyed a different, less conflicting relationship, 
the distance between them having eliminated their sibling rivalry.
After watching her son leave, she picked up the mail. It contained the 
usual trash, one or two bills, and a letter from the United States. She walked into 
the house and set the rest of the mail on the table. She held the letter in her 
hands, knowing it was Serena writing her usual letters. She was about to open it 
when the phone rang. She put the letter down and went to answer the phone.

"Lita's temper was threatening to blow. Luckily she wouldn't have to deal 
with much more of the general annoyances of the life she now lead. Her greatest 
annoyance and the one making her hair stand on end right now was Jacques 
Depardieu, the French Chef from hell. The famous chef had been known to send 
many of his students running in tears.
In Lita's case he simply inflamed her temper. He criticized her French, her 
attitude, her height, and most annoyingly her cooking ability, which to many of 
her peers were extraordinary. The knowledge that he was simply jealous of her 
abilities at such a young age did not make her like him anymore; nor did the fact 
that as head chef and owner of one of the best restaurants in Paris he was the one 
signing her pay checks. The man was even annoyed at the fact that she was too 
tall for him to look over her shoulder to make sure she wasn't making any 
mistakes.
She couldn't wait to be out of there. Granted, the jerkoff with his gigantic 
ego and superiority complex had taught her a great deal, but it was time for her 
to leave and be on her own. She wanted to own her own restaurant someday but 
for now she'd settle for an offer from a great restaurant in New York called Blue 
Lagoon.
She was leaving in two weeks and it wasn't soon enough. Tonight in front 
of all the other students he had mocked the way she spoke French with her 
Japanese accent. To top it off he had her remake the soufflés she had made 
because she had added extra ingredients she thought would improve the flavor.
She stormed angrily down the street towards her apartment. She heard 
footsteps running behind her. She turned around to face the person, hoping it 
wasn't trouble. She could handle trouble but she wasn't in the mood.
Most people who saw her on the street didn't approach her. She was 
rather intimidating at almost six feet, with an athletic body born of hours in the 
gym. She worked out, by kickboxing these days, more out of a need to release 
aggression than any real desire to stay in shape.
She missed being a sailor scout. Not only had it provided a physical 
outlet for her anger and aggressive tendencies, but also it had been what had 
drawn her to her friends.
She missed them so much. Every day that she went to the gym she kicked 
and punched the large bags, angry with herself for having ruined what had been 
the best years of her life. Even the success she was achieving now did not create 
the fulfillment that being with her friends had. She mentally cursed herself for 
having allowed petty emotions to drive away the focus of her life, her duty to 
protect her princess and her friend, Serena.
She still spoke to the other scouts occasionally but there was a distance 
between them that had little to do with the oceans and continents that separated 
them. Nightmares she hadn't had since she'd become a scout now plagued her 
nights. The void that had once been filled by her love and duty to Serena and the 
friendship of the other girls was now once again open and the memories of the 
death of her parents came rushing back.
Her body tensed up instinctively as she turned to face the owner of the 
footsteps. Looking around she saw, not a prospective enemy but the face and 
figure of a friend.
"Ah you heard me. I was just about to call out to you to slow down. The 
way you were walking, it seemed like you were upset."
"Oh hi Jeanette," Lita said to the skinny brunette approaching her. The girl 
had beautiful blue eyes and short brown hair that was blowing in the wind. She 
was about Lita's height and her high cheekbones and full lips made her an 
excellent model.
They had met when they had bumped into each other in a department 
store when Lita was looking around to find a few things for her new apartment. 
Back then Lita had been in her last year of culinary school. They had hit it off and 
had been friends ever since.
"What are you doing out here?" Lita asked her. "It's almost one a.m."
"I had dinner with a few other models and I decided to walk home. What 
about you? You seem upset."
"I'm just getting back from work. Monsieur Jackass Depardieu was being 
himself again. The man really hates me and I can't figure out what I ever did to 
him."
"I wouldn't worry about it. He probably has an entire tree up his ass. He's 
most likely just jealous of you." 
"Yeah but it doesn't make working with him any easier," Lita said frowning. 
"Luckily I won't have to work with him much longer. I'm leaving for New York 
in two weeks."
Jeanette was surprised. "You're leaving Paris? I'm going to miss you so 
much." She made a silly pout that made Lita smile. She would miss Lita but she 
was very happy for her. Finally she would escape her annoying boss.
"Me too," Lita replied. "I have some friends in the United States, we used 
to be close, but we grew apart. I'm hoping to see them again, maybe renew what 
we once had. I'm not sure though. I'm going to be working in New York and they 
live far away so things might never be as they were."
"I hope everything works out for you. I'm sure I'll be able to visit you 
when I go there for some of the fashion shows."
"That'd be great. I'm so excited about going. I've always wanted to visit 
New York."
"It's great, but it's very hectic, but you're from Tokyo, an even bigger city 
so it shouldn't be too bad."
"I certainly hope so."
They arrived in front of Lita's apartment building and said goodbye to 
each other, giving each other a hug in case they didn't see each other before Lita 
left for the U.S.



Serena groaned and covered her head with a pillow as the muffled sound 
of someone singing came through the slightly open bathroom door, if you could 
actually call it singing. What it really sounded like was a dying wild beast 
uttering its last painful grunts as it left the world. She attempted to cover her 
head once again, but the voice wheedled itself beneath her pillow. She groaned 
and tossed the pillow aside in frustration.
She sat up in bed with a disgruntled look on her face. With the messy halo 
of blonde fuzz all around her and her wings expanded to full length. She looked 
like a messy disgruntled angel. She prepared to kill the beast, but not before 
giving it due warning.
"Darien, Michael Chiba" she yelled. It's Nine-o-clock on a Saturday 
morning. If you don't shut up right this minute. You are going to be dead meat." 
The room was suddenly silent, as all that could be heard was the sound of the 
shower. She smiled enjoying the silence and went back to bed. She hadn't been 
in the mood for a hunt anyway.
Despite the fact that Serena enjoyed sleeping in on a Saturday she found 
herself feeling guilty for having silenced the beast; she hadn't been really 
sleeping anyway. She often, lay awake for an hour or two before finally dragging 
herself out of bed a little before midday. She had a rule about sleeping past 
midday. It wasn't oversleeping unless she allowed herself to remain in bed past 
twelve.
For so many years she would always tell herself on a Friday night that she 
would get up bright and early the next morning when her body told her to. She 
never managed to fulfill that promise however. As soon as the call to awaken 
and face the day came with the brilliant sunshine she would have a pro vs. con 
argument with herself as to the benefits of actually getting out of bed. Needless 
to say the call to sleep always won and she managed to pull an extra hour of 
sleep before her restless body forced her to wake and lie there for the next hour 
or two contemplating any thought that happened to cross her mind.
Incidentally, this morning her thoughts were on the beast that had 
managed to avoid a quick and painful slaying by the heroic angel. In just a few 
weeks after their reunion, their relationship had gone full speed ahead. Things 
were quite different than they had been in the past between them. She no longer 
relied on Darien for every source happiness in her life. Over the years she had 
proven to herself and others that she was a beautiful, strong, successful and 
independent woman.
Their love, rather than their dependence on each other had become the 
focus of their relationship. As a result Darien did not take her or what they had 
together for granted, (he had learned his lesson in that area and would not risk a 
repeat of the same mistake) nor did Serena accept his every word and belief as 
law. They argued and had romantic moments like most other couples and had 
learned to put up with each other's quirks. She hated his coffee addiction, and he 
sometimes got annoyed when she unconsciously unfurled the wings on her back 
while she slept.  Although she had gained control of her transformation over the 
years, intense dreams often brought on the transformation that was becoming 
more natural to her than her human form.
She rolled over in bed and with an appreciative eye, studied the large 
engagement ring on her finger. It had a large diamond in the center of a platinum 
setting studded with rubies. It was absolutely beautiful and it represented what 
she had wanted for so long.
Everyone was so happy for her. Michael and Irene were trying to convince 
her to have a double wedding. She liked the idea although she and Darien had 
yet to set a date. Zach and Amy seemed to be getting along extremely well, and 
if things went as Serena expected there would be another engagement on the 
way.
Serena smiled as she thought of a time when Amy had been staring into 
Zach's green eyes so intently she had actually tripped and fell into his arms, 
performing an act that used to be Serena's trademark when she was younger. She 
was happy to see at least one of her friends were happy. She wondered how 
Mina was doing in LA.
After gaining a small part in a bad movie, Mina's career had actually 
improved, surprising everyone. Who knew she was actually capable of good 
acting? Mike and Jay had actually been in LA recently and had been invited on 
the set of her new movie. They were amazed to see she was really quite good. If 
the movie did well in theatres she could actually be on her way to a successful 
career as an actress.
Thinking of Mina, as she turned onto her back, staring up at the ceiling, 
enjoying the smell of breakfast wafting through the open door, made her wonder 
about the other girls. What were they doing? Mina and Amy had told her Raye 
was in Washington and Lita in Paris. It seemed they'd all left Tokyo for careers 
elsewhere.
The scent of good food eventually became too overwhelming for her and 
she rolled out of bed, pulling on her silk robe as she walked out the door and 
made her way towards the kitchen. Standing over the stove flipping pancakes, 
stood a beautiful male specimen, lacking a shirt. Even after having gotten taller 
and generally filling out due to adulthood, he was still much bigger than she 
was. It seemed he'd grown more muscled during their time apart and she 
admired his handsome figure. She walked up to him and put her arms around 
his bare waist. "Hmm, I can't decide just what I want for breakfast. You or the 
pancakes?"
"I'm insulted that I'm in competition with food."
"No competition. I want pancakes." She grinned at him playfully and he 
smiled and shook his head, skillfully tossing a pancake in the air and catching it 
in the pan.

Amy sighed and tried to pay attention to the chart before her. She was 
making rounds and she was not only exhausted but also anxious. Ever since 
meeting Zach, it seemed as though the focus of her world had changed. There 
were now so many days when she found herself staring out the large glass 
windows of the hospital out over busy San Francisco, wishing she could escape 
to spend the rest of the day with him.
She no longer spent all her days poring over medical volumes. Her texts 
were no longer her only comfort and she came to realize that although her 
studies were important and it was important to be the best she could, there were 
things in life she often missed out on. She looked back on her life and now saw 
so many opportunities she had wasted in the library or at home studying when 
she could have enjoyed a sunset and so many of the little things that made life 
beautiful. Her natural intelligence could have made up for one or two days of 
missed studying, and now that she could see that she found herself allowing 
room for growth and mistakes instead of constantly seeking the unattainable 
perfection that had once been her only goal.
Amy returned the chart to its file drawer and walked over to the windows 
directly across from the receptionist's desk where she had been standing. 
Looking out, she could see the some of the smaller high-rise buildings fading off 
into the trees and hills in the distance. The hospital was on the outer edge of the 
business center and a park was just a few blocks down the street. If she could 
finish the last of her work, she would meet Zach there for a late picnic after 
which they would go wherever their hearts led them.
She found it so easy to talk to him. His features seemed gentle to her and 
his soft green eyes invited her to tell him everything she had in her heart and 
sometimes she did. Their conversations often led them from discussions of 
advances in genetic studies, life in Tokyo, to their hopes and dreams for the 
future.
Amy glanced at her watch. She had been on duty since five in the 
afternoon yesterday; it was now two in the afternoon and she couldn't wait to be 
out of the hospital which by the moment grew more stifling. She sighed again 
and turned away from the window. If she didn't stop daydreaming and start 
getting some work, she'd never leave.
She smiled at the thought of daydreaming. Serena would be amused to 
find the ever so studious and always attentive Amy daydreaming on the job, a 
habit that Serena had always been known for. Lately Amy sometimes even had 
daydreams of marrying Zach and the perfect wedding she'd have. Had she 
known daydreaming could be this fun, she would have tried this in her high 
school chemistry class in which she had never really needed to pay much 
attention but had done so out of a sense of habit and duty.
Oh how happy she was these days and yet things were not yet perfect. 
She had a loving boyfriend, a good job in which she was excelling, and 
wonderful friends. It had been a relief and a surge of happiness when she had 
received Serena's forgiveness. It had seemed a large weight had been lifted off 
her shoulders and for the first time since she had left Tokyo she felt content to 
move on with her life and pursue the happiness she had been denying herself.
It was amazingly easy to take for granted the effect a friend has on one's 
life. Serena's disappearance had changed her life returning it to its former 
lackluster oppressiveness. She withdrew into her shell and back into the world 
of textbooks and perfection where she secretly hoped her knowledge would 
distance her from the people she had never felt apart of, and whom she feared 
would reject her because of her intelligence.
When Serena once again became a part of her life she remembered what 
the petite blonde had done for her so long ago. Instead of being intimidated by 
Amy's intelligence and rejecting her like so many others had, Serena had drawn 
closer to her showing her the fun things in life outside of textbooks. Amy had 
tried to return the favor by attempting to help Serena in her studies. Serena 
hadn't wanted that at the time however and looking back now Amy realized that 
Serena needed to make her choices for herself and not be pushed into making 
her decisions.
Maybe her decision to begin to do better in school would have come too 
late had they not had the fight they did, but it was never hers or the other scouts 
decision to decide when and what Serena should have been doing with her life. 
Watching her friend now, she saw the strength and independence in her that had 
always been there for others to see had they watched closely enough. Had they 
waited with patience they could have watched Serena grow into the woman she 
was now.
As she got to know the new Serena she recognized significant changes in 
her personality. She was so strong and independent. She also had an aura of 
power that sometimes made Amy nervous. There were moments when she 
seemed almost god-like and Amy resisted the urge to bow before her. She 
sensed that Serena knew things of which she could only imagine. Amy turned 
and went down the hall to finish her duties. There'd be more time for 
introspection and daydreaming later.

Raye was even more annoyed now than she had been earlier in the 
morning. She slammed her apartment door behind her as she slumped down on 
the couch. She had heard some dumb bimbo whispering behind her back when 
she'd gone to class that morning. It wasn't so much what that stupid red-haired 
bitch Liz and her friends thought about her, but she would have preferred not to 
have heard it.
They thought Raye saw herself as better than them because she had a 
wealthy father, and stuck to many of her Japanese traditions. To top it off she 
paid no attention to the stares she got from many guys acknowledging her 
beauty and was always quiet and reserved. All this only served to give them the 
impression that she was a snob.
To top it off, she'd gotten a speeding ticket, which had made her late for 
work. When she'd finally arrived, late and flustered, she'd found that Davis had 
gone down in the polls increasing the amount of work everyone had to do to 
make sure he could keep in the race. Worse yet their limited budget limited 
what they could do to assure that Davis would win the election.
She soon discovered that sitting on the couch being miserable was not 
going to help the situation, besides she was hungry. As she got off the couch she 
noticed the letters she had tossed on the coffee table when she came in. The letter 
from Mina rested on top. She hadn't heard from Mina in a long while, but then 
she only heard from Mina when she had a lot to say and that wasn't very often.
As she read the letter she noticed the tone of the letter was so different 
from ones Mina had written before. It seemed she had regained the excitement 
and love of life she had had when they were teenagers in Juuban. The letter was 
long as Mina had plenty to say. Most of it came as a shock to Raye.
To Raye's great surprise and relief, Serena and Darien had gotten back 
together and were now engaged. She was not the only one seriously involved, 
Amy who was working at a hospital in San Francisco and was dating a geneticist 
friend of Serena's. She claimed she had heard from Lita not too long ago and She 
was moving from Paris to New York where she was working at some new 
restaurant. Raye hadn't even known, Lita was in Paris, she had thought she had 
planned to move to London after high school. Obviously she had changed her 
mind.
Andrew and Rita were in San Francisco. Rita had some kind of 
archeological convention to attend and she had brought Andrew along with her. 
It was a good excuse to visit his old friend Darien. Raye wondered why Andrew 
and Rita hadn't gotten married yet. They had been engaged since she was in 
high school.
Raye read the entire letter slowly taking in each piece of information like 
a new breath of air. With every word she felt a slight renewal of the attachment 
she had once had to these friends. It wasn't her only feeling. She was happy for 
Serena and Amy but jealous at the same time. She wished she had someone to 
love and to love her.
As she came to the end of the letter, she found herself wishing there were 
more. She wanted to know everything. She wanted her friends with her again. 
She wanted to know everything that went on in their lives. And then there it was:
P.s. I know you're not going to believe this but I just found after writing this long 
letter. I'm still trying to grasp this as well. I don't know what to do. I'm pregnant, and 
Andrew's the father.
To say Raye was shocked, would have been the understatement of the 
century. It was a while before she got her mind to work and managed to snap her 
jaws shut.

Lita slumped on the moldy old couch of the dark apartment. She hadn't 
realized how hard it was to find a good apartment in New York at a reasonable 
price. Luckily she'd come across this apartment just two blocks down from the 
hotel at which she'd been staying for the past three days. The old lady, who had 
lived here, had recently moved down to Florida leaving the majority of her 
furniture behind. It was still more expensive than she had hoped for, but for a 
two-bedroom apartment in Manhattan, not far from her job, it was priceless.
The apartment smelled like a litter box and the old drapes were blocking 
out what little sunshine would have come in at this time of day, as the sun was 
setting. Despite all this she was grateful for the fact that the apartment was 
furnished so she would not be looking around in desperation for furniture. She 
relaxed, kicking off her shoes and putting her feet up on the coffee table. It had 
been a long day.
She had gone to the restaurant this morning and had been shown around 
by her boss Anthony. He was gorgeous; he looked so much like her old 
boyfriend, with those same beautiful light brown eyes. The restaurant was 
impressive. It was decorated in deep dark blues and green that gave the 
impression of deep water as the name indicated. The other chefs seemed really 
nice too. There were two others, Alice and Brett and three assistants. It was very 
different from her old job and a welcome change.

Amy ran her hand over the pale, slinky, lilac fabric nervously. She licked 
her lips and made minor adjustments to her shoulder length hair. She wasn't 
sure why she was feeling so nervous, she was always comfortable with Zach. She 
was lying to herself. She knew exactly why she was nervous, although logically 
she shouldn't be considering her expectations.
She knew this night was going to be particularly special, one of the 
reasons she had bought this expensive but incredibly beautiful dress. It was 
worth every penny, as she knew he would love her in it.
She suspected that Zach would propose tonight. She wasn't sure why, but 
she knew she would be disappointed if he didn't. She had, in a rather childish 
fashion, gone over every way she could say yes and had always come up short. 
She supposed the moment would have to dictate her reaction.
She was curious as to what he'd say and how he'd do it. Neither of them 
was particularly creative but she was sure it would be very special. It didn't 
really matter however; she had no intention of saying no, no matter how he 
chose to propose.
"First date?" the cab driver asked looking back at her nervous passenger.
"No, not at all. I suspect this is the last."
"Planning to break up with the guy, huh. You sure do get all prettied up 
for someone about to break bad news."
Amy blushed lightly and smiled. "No, not at all. Actually, I suspect he'll 
be proposing tonight. After tonight, I should be officially engaged."
"Wow! That's something. You're so sure he's going to propose why are 
you so nervous? That's his job."
"I know. I just can't seem to help it." She smiled nervously once more.
"Well you look beautiful. Whoever he is he is very lucky to have you."
"Believe me, I'm the lucky one," Amy stated.

The cab came to a stop outside the restaurant. She paid the cab driver and 
thanked her. She adjusted herself again, as the doorman held the door for her. 
She pushed her shoulders back and held her head high attempting to infuse 
herself with more confidence, as she prepared herself for what she believed 
would be one of the most memorable moments in her life.

The maitre d smiled at the stunning woman before him as he took her 
coat. He had no doubt that the man she was meeting here was one of the luckiest 
men in the room. Her beautiful dark blue locks surrounded her face, 
highlighting her gentle features. Her slinky, knee length lilac gown, was cut low 
straight across the chest and seemed to slide over her curves with every move. 
He wished he were in the shoes of the man waiting at the table he directed her 
to.
Zach wished someone else was in his shoes too. He was very nervous and 
not quite sure if he could make it through the evening and the proposal he 
intended to make. He wanted everything to be perfect for tonight.
He gained a new resolve when he saw the beautiful woman headed in his 
direction. He couldn't remember seeing her look this incredibly sexy, outside 
her general ability to look good in anything. His eyes roamed over her perfect 
figure and he suddenly considered all the other things he could be doing with 
her besides proposing. He instantly reminded himself they would have the rest 
of their lives to do whatever they chose if he could get through this one night 
without making an ass of himself.

They somehow managed to get through dinner, but with far less 
conversation than they were used to. There was a lot of smiling and nervous 
tension between them but the evening turned out to be perfect. Amy was 
somewhat disappointed when the proposal didn't come at the end of dinner but 
her disappointment didn't last.
When they stepped outside the restaurant, they were met by a horse-
drawn open carriage. The carriage driver gave her a bouquet of white roses, her 
favorite color. When they were seated she relaxed a bit, resting her head on his 
shoulder as he held her in his arms enjoying the warmth between them. She 
loved him so much, his kindness, and his intelligence. She hadn't expected to 
ever love someone so completely and without resistance but their love was 
something she now depended on in her life.
The carriage came to a stop, at the park where they often spent a good 
deal of their time. They got out and walked together in silence for a while. They 
came to a small Japanese-style arched wooden bridge over a lily pond. The 
moon was in the perfect position to shine down on them, creating a reflection in 
the water, and in addition to the dim street lamps, created a rather romantic 
setting.
Zach took her hand and smiled nervously at her. "I'm not sure exactly 
how I'm supposed to do this. Everything has been perfect up to this moment and 
I want it to be this way forever. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I 
love you more than I have ever loved anyone, more than I ever thought it 
possible to love anyone."
A tear ran down both their cheeks and Ami smiled at him, urging him to 
continue. He pulled a small box from inside his coat and taking her hand he got 
down on one knee.
I would be honored, Amy Michelle Mizuno, if you would make me the 
happiest man in the world and be my wife." With that, he flipped open a box to 
expose a gold band with a single band of silver in the center topped by a 
brilliant diamond in the center of equally stunning sapphires.
She let out a tiny gasped at the beautiful engagement ring, exposed for 
her to see. "It's… It's beautiful, Zach." He removed the ring from the box and 
placed it on her finger. She immediately pulled him into her harms for a warm 
embrace, and a deep passionate kiss beneath the moonlight.
"Is that a yes?" He asked jokingly, when their long kiss had finally ended.
She slapped him playfully on the shoulder. "I practiced so many ways to 
say yes, but that wasn't one of them."
"You knew I was going to ask tonight?" He questioned, surprised that 
she'd known.
"Of course, why else would I be this nervous all evening? If you hadn't I 
would have been very disappointed. I would have had to take tomorrow off 
from work to go ring shopping, so I could propose to you."
He chuckled. "I love you so much."
"I love you too, she replied sultrily." They kissed again, enjoying every 
moment they were together.


Ikuko picked up the phone slightly annoyed at having been interrupted 
just as she was about to open Serena's letter. She enjoyed every communication 
between herself and her only daughter. She had grown up so much over the 
years. Seeing her accomplish all that she had and being so happy almost made 
up for not having her around the past few years.
"Hello?" Ikuko said smoothly into the receiver. …"Really? …Is that 
right? … Uh huh…" "I see."
Ikuko could hardly wait to get off the phone. Unfortunately Kimiko was 
highly talkative and she could see no end in sight to Kimiko's chatter. Kimiko 
was an endearing woman but a horrible gossip and today was just one of the 
days she had everything to say. Normally Ikuko might have been interested in 
neighborhood gossip, but today she simply didn't care much at all.
She decided to try a tactic she had learned in college when she had to talk 
to her mother on the phone. The tactic would work very well with Kimiko. She 
would simply ignore her and do what she had to do. She walked over to the 
table where she had left the letter, cradling the cordless phone in the crook of her 
neck as she walked. She added a few 'uh huhs' as she went to make Kimiko feel 
as though she were paying attention. She would have gotten off the phone with 
her but she didn't want to hurt the poor woman's feelings.
She picked up the letter and began to read it.

Dear Mom and Dad,

How's everything? You won't believe what happened! I'm getting married! Can 
you believe it?

And so began the letter. Ikuko was shocked, surprised, and extremely 
happy. She completely forgot about Kimiko who was continuing to ramble on, 
as Ikuko ran to the door to open it for her husband who had just come up the 
driveway. She ambushed him as soon as he got out of the car, hugging him and 
kissing him with the phone in one hand and the letter in another.
"Nice to see you too sweetheart," Kenji said, confused and amused by his 
wife's greeting.
"You won't believe what happened!" She squealed.
"I most certainly won't if you don't calm down and tell me."
"Our daughter is getting married, Can you believe it?"
"What! Is that her on the phone let me talk to her!"
"Oh dear I completely forgot," she said, covering the mouthpiece of the 
phone. She put the phone to her ear and was greeted with Kimiko's high-pitched 
chatter.
"Ikuko are you there? What's going on?"
"I'm so sorry Kimiko, I'm so excited, My daughter's getting married? Isn't 
it wonderful?!
"Who is she marrying?" Kimiko asked happy for her friend and hoping 
for some gossip to tell the rest of the neighborhood.
"I… uh… I don't know. I didn't read that far." Ikuko was surprised at 
herself she hadn't even read the whole letter. All she knew was her daughter was 
getting married and she didn't even know to whom? Just who was this Darien? 
She asked as she read further. That was of course the first question her husband 
asked.

Darien relaxed a while at his desk, pushing the chair back as far as it 
would go and putting his legs up; no one was around to see him. The computer 
screen before him showed a vast amount of information; none of which he could 
see clearly with eyes as tired as they were right now. He closed his eyes and 
massaged his temples. Organizing his files was not only boring but 
painstakingly slow. In his mind he found himself conjuring the images and 
remembered sensations of a hot shower, and warm bed, one with his beautiful 
fiancé Serena in it.
Not too long ago this was the furthest thing from his mind. He had 
assumed he'd always be alone, not living the wonderful life he had now. He had 
a great job a beautiful woman at his side and great friends.
He had grown rather close to Serena's friends and family, particularly the 
four men who had once been members of his royal guard. They all seemed to 
embody major traits he found within himself. He had Zach's intelligence, 
Michael's strength, Jason's humor, and Nicholas' romanticism.
Serena was the only one with complete memories of the silver millennium 
although the other guys seemed to have recovered a vast part of their own. His 
own memory was slowly returning to him and he remembered many minor 
details of his past life. It made him feel more complete as a person to remember 
things of the past.
He remembered the first time he'd seen his princess. He had been visiting 
the moon palace for the first time. He was being introduced to Queen Serenity 
when the main doors of the throne room were flung open and in flew a seven-
year-old, out of breath, ball of white silk and blonde hair, pulling behind her a 
dark-haired slightly smaller child in a blue dress.
Halfway across the wide expanse of marble floor she tripped over the 
edge of her gown bringing both girls down flat on their stomachs. Endymion had 
been unable to restrain himself from laughing for which he'd received a glare 
from his parents and the little red-faced blonde girl.
She had definitely broken up the stiff formality of the affair and even his 
usually rigid and serious first guard Malachite relaxed, after he and Endymion 
had helped both girls up off the floor.  He smiled now with the memory of it all. 
So much of it was blurry but there were always images that drifted on the edge 
of memory not nearly complete. Such moments consisted of images of all the 
guys dumping Jadeite in the lake and cutting Zoecite's hair while he slept. They 
were incomplete in that they were simply disconnected images but they made 
him smile.
He rubbed his eyes and shut off his computer. He wasn't going to get 
anything more done tonight. He picked up his jacket and coat and walked out of 
his office closing the door behind him. He was impatient to get home to Serena.
As he walked down the halls, where most of the offices, now empty as 
most of his peers had gone home, he found himself thinking of his future. He 
admired Serena's family, both of them. He hoped that one day he could have the 
same happiness Mr. Chandler enjoyed on a regular basis with his wife and three 
daughters.
Serena's youngest sister was a beautiful, energetic child that reminded 
him so much of Serena. Her cheeks were so pink and her blue eyes shone with 
childish excitement whenever he and Serena visited. He hoped one day that he 
and Serena could have a child like her.
The day was coming closer to when he'd finally marry the woman he'd 
waited an entire millennium for and quite frankly he could hardly wait for the 
moment when they'd finally recite the vows of love that would join them 
together in marriage.  He smiled as he opened the door to his car and got in, 
thinking about how long it had taken him to find the right ring. In the end after 
dozens of jewelry stores he had spent a great deal of money to have the ring 
custom made and engraved with his promise to love her forever. He grinned 
even wider when he remembered what she'd given him in return, he increased 
his speed down the highway; he really needed to get home.


Mina found herself feeling chilled despite the warm day. She was sitting 
on the balcony of her apartment enjoying the sun and the unusually quiet 
Sunday. Here she was back in LA feeling confused and worried. Why was it life 
never went the way she planned. Just when things were going well, a visit to San 
Francisco to see her friends had forever changed the course of her life.
She had finally completed shooting her latest film and the cast and crew 
had had a great party. She had been overjoyed at this latest success in her life. 
The film would open in Christmas, and although she had not seen the edited 
version she and the other members of the cast were convinced it would make a 
big hit with the audience. There was no guarantee however, but despite all that, 
she was happy to finally have true success. This role would undoubtedly lead to 
others.
That same weekend after hearing about the completion of the movie, 
Serena had invited her up to San Francisco to celebrate her success as well as the 
arrival of Rita and Andrew who were visiting. It hadn't taken much convincing 
from Rita to get Andrew to accompany her to San Francisco. It was a prime 
opportunity to see Darien, his best friend whom he hadn't seen in years.
It had been fun. But Rita hadn't been able to attend the party. She had a 
previous engagement with an entomologist and fellow member of the 
archaeological team with whom she'd worked on a dig in North Africa. The 
party had been fun though, Serena had really went all out.
Mina couldn't help feeling a certain detachment from Serena now. With 
each time she saw her, she seemed to grow more regal and distant. She always 
seemed to have something on her mind. She had changed so much since they'd 
been in school together.
They used to be so much alike, but it seemed in the last few years Serena 
had really changed a lot. She was more like the Queen Serenity of the Silver 
Millennium than the Serena she remembered. She was still one of her best 
friends and the most honest person Mina had ever met but she was slowly 
realizing that Serena was not and would never be the same flighty air head she 
had once been.
Serena had spent a good portion of the evening being a good hostess and 
the other half talking seriously with Darien, those two were definitely intense. 
Amy had been no fun either, spending all her time with Zach, they were 
definitely nauseating. She hadn't had to spend the evening alone however, after 
all she was a friend of guest of honor number two.
Andrew had been just as she had remembered him with the exception of 
being even more handsome. He was just as sweet as he had been in the past and 
she was beginning to understand how this man had been Serena's first big crush.
They had spent a good portion of the night talking. They basically caught 
up on their lives up to this point. Andrew was now a certified MD at Tokyo 
General Hospital, Pediatrics naturally. It suited him. She found herself deeply 
attracted to him.
How typical. Strange how the daughter of the planet associated with love 
had no luck in the affairs of the same name. It was true irony. She didn't think it 
was as ironic as it was depressing. Here in front of her was the perfect man and 
he was already attached, and had been for a really long time.
Her depression had grown more intense as they had gone outside by the 
pool to continue their conversation. She tried to cover it up with her sunny 
smiles and warm-hearted laughs. Andrew was very much in tune with her 
emotions however, and easily recognized the shift in her emotions.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"Why do you think something's wrong?" Mina asked smiling up at him?
"Call it male intuition," he said grinning.
He had the most beautiful smile. His eyes seemed to twinkle and the way 
the corners of his eyes wrinkled was just so very cute. Mina found herself simply 
staring into his pale blue eyes. Could it be she was actually about to kiss him? 
That would be too embarrassing, he belonged to someone else.
She found herself in a daze. She was in a flurry of overwhelming emotion 
and shock when she found his lips closing over her own. With him this close she 
could smell the sweet scent of his skin and feel the warmth of his body as his 
hands came to rest on her hips. She closed her eyes and let herself go. She was so 
lost in him it would be morning before she realized she hadn't kissed him, he'd 
kissed her but it didn't matter anymore; they spent the evening kissing each 
other.

Lita hugged herself, trying to keep out the chilly wind as she walked 
down the busy street to work. It hadn't taken her long to find a good gym in 
New York. It had been one of the first things she sought out. She hadn't needed 
one for the first few days or so as it had taken her a lot of energy to figure out the 
source of the litter box smell in her apartment.
She had gotten rid of the drapes and dumped the carpets and the couch. 
Her credit card had taken quite a beating, finding a nice couch to replace the 
smelly old furniture the old woman had left, and a complete redecorating job. It 
was all worth it of course as her apartment was now truly her own.
As she walked she bumped shoulders with someone she was trying to 
pass. "I'm so sorry," she apologized hurriedly. She turned to make sure whoever 
it was she'd bumped into was ok. She found herself staring into a pair of bright 
blue eyes. This guy was quite a bit taller than she was, quite an accomplishment 
in height, and the wavy auburn hair that hung past his shoulder made an odd 
but attractive combination with his business suit and full-length black coat. She 
opened her mouth slightly to say something but found her mind was empty.
He simply smiled at her. "It's ok, really."
His voice was so deep. She was silent. She was staring at him. Why was 
she staring at him?
"Is something wrong miss?"
She was silent for another second, before she found her voice. "I'm so 
sorry," she began hurriedly, in a nervous tone she was not used to hearing from 
herself. "I didn't mean to stare it's just that…" Her brain began the hurried 
process of trying to come up with something other than 'you're absolutely gorgeous'  
"It's jut that… I… uh… You look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?"
"I'm afraid that's unlikely, I'm not from around here."
"Neither am I."
"Your accent is familiar. You wouldn't be Japanese would you?"
"Yeah, I am but I was living in France for a while before I moved here."
I Live in San Francisco; I'm here on business.
"That explains the suit." He grinned at her bluntness.
"Yeah, I'm one of those graphic design people, mostly the business side 
of it of course. You?"
"I'm a Chef," she glanced at her watch, "a very late chef."
"Where do you work?" He asked as they began walking together. "I was 
on my way to lunch, I wouldn't mind having something you cooked."
Lita smiled at him. He liked her smile as much as she seemed to like his. 
"I work at the Blue Lagoon."
"What a coincidence. That's where I was headed. I heard it was really 
good. It just opened right?"
"Yeah that's right. It's not a good time for me to be late for work."
"I'm sure your boss won't mind. You were after all convincing a potential 
customer to come in… Well. What exactly is it that you serve? You have to give 
me a reason to come in, you're supposed to be convincing me…"
"Well… we serve…"

Darien somehow managed to get home to his wife, no his fiancée in good 
time despite the late evening traffic. He was always tempted to call her his wife. 
That's what he called her in his dreams. That's what he longed for her to be.
Every time he stared into her eyes, so different now than when she was 
younger, he wanted to touch her and hold her. Not long after their reunion he 
had begun to wonder if he could live with the woman he had long devoted 
himself to love and honor always. She was so much different from the princess 
he had known so long ago and even more changed from the klutzy immature 
teenager that he had fallen in love with just years before.
She used to need him so much, never really able to stand on her own 
without the help of those she loved. She was so fiercely independent now, the 
first few weeks he had been sorely disappointed to discover that she really 
didn't need him at all. She was fully capable of standing on her own. This new 
Serena seemed to need no one; it seemed she had no weaknesses.
His disappointment hadn't lasted too long however, as he came to realize 
that she might not need him in the way she used to. Instead they both shared a 
desperate need for each other, a need that would prevent them from being 
lonely, as they would undoubtedly be forever without each other.
It was this same love and need, the deep longing he felt that made him 
want to hurry home to be with her every day. He found himself running up the 
stairs to the apartment they shared. It was never too soon to be with her. 
Naturally, it didn't hurt that she happened to be the sexiest most incredibly 
beautiful and seductive woman he'd ever known.
The vision that greeted him when he entered his apartment only served to 
confirm his beliefs. He sucked in his breath at the sight of Serenity, in a slinky 
full length white gown that hugged every soft and rounded curve, and there 
were plenty of those.  Her wings were open and her hair seemed to float around 
her.
Without warning he pulled her into his arms and gave her an enormously 
passionate kiss, one that made her shiver in his arms with excitement.
When he'd released her mouth, she took in a deep breath of air and 
giggled a little. "Aren't we a little… stimulated."
"That has to be the understatement of the year," he whispered huskily 
into her ear. In then next few moments he was fascinated by how easily the 
slinky gown fell of her body, unto the floor in a pool around her legs revealing 
nothing beneath. Ah the wonders of modern fabrics, he thought as he placed a 
gentle kiss on her bare shoulder, feeling her breath like a warm breeze through 
his hair.

Exhausted, Serena lay in bed beside Darien drifting off into sleep. She was 
getting that sinking feeling of unconsciousness when Darien snapped her out of 
her restful state.
"Let's get married."
"We are getting married Darien," she groaned sleepily.
"I mean now. Let's not wait for a big wedding. Let's elope, you know run 
off to Vegas or something." Serena wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"I was seriously beginning to consider what you just said until you said 
Vegas. I didn't know you were into that level of corniness. Then again when you 
consider your Tuxedo Mask speeches…"
He rolled over on top of her, straddling her with his legs. "You're gonna 
pay for that one," he growled. He began to tickle her until she was giggling 
uncontrollably, begging for him to let up.  He got off her and lay down next to 
her holding her hand.
"Now, seriously Sere, what's keeping us from getting married? We're 
practically married as it is."
"Well, it's not that I'm opposed to the idea of getting married, it's just 
well… I guess I've always dreamed of having a big wedding. Also, don't forget 
my sister, I think she'd be a bit disappointed if I ran off and got married and 
deprived her of sharing a wedding day with her big sister.
"I guess I understand. I just want to have the privilege of introducing you 
as my wife in public. Can't we hurry this thing up? I really can't wait to be 
married to you."
"Sorry sweetheart, but you're going to have to wait a bit more. Planning a 
big double wedding takes time. Besides I have a feeling that if we wait a little 
longer we can get Raye and Lita out here. In the mean while, I guess I'm going to 
have to find other ways to keep you happy. She rolled over on top of him, 
settling her legs around his narrow hips. She dipped in and placed gentle kisses 
on each of his eye lids before kissing him passionately on the lips.

Raye decided she had to get up before her depression and shock from 
Mina's announcement forced her to become a permanent fixture on the couch. 
Besides, she had to have dinner with her father tonight. He was having a few 
business people over and he wanted his beautiful and successful daughter there to 
impress them, at least that's how he'd phrased it to her. Fortunately for her she 
didn't fall for his political tactics like everyone else so she didn't feel too bad 
when he broke any of his promises or behaved contrary to what he said.
Having him in her life had been quite a change. Even without her psychic 
senses she could see that he was fake. Beneath his smooth outer charm, 
controlling personality and cold exterior was a scared little man fighting off his 
inner demons.
He hadn't told her, but she had not too long ago seen into the dreams that 
tormented him. Ever so often he relived the nightmare of her mother's death and 
the voices that blamed him for it. His wife had begged him to slow down, but he 
was young and reckless, he had argued that they would be fine, that was of 
course before he'd seen the other car headed right for them.
After her mothers death he'd spent a few months drinking himself into a 
stupor trying to drown out the voices that kept telling him he could have been a 
better husband, he could have listened. Later those same voices would tell him 
the same thing regarding the way he'd left his daughter behind with his father-
in-law so he could pursue his political career.
She pushed thoughts of him out of her head, after all she had resolved her 
feelings about him, at least that's what she'd been telling herself these past few 
years. She pulled a dark violet suit out of her closet and proceeded to the 
shower.
When she'd dressed and put on all her jewelry she looked herself over in 
the mirror. She didn't have any real opinion on her appearance other than 
wishing she had her hair back. For the first time since she'd had it cut she found 
herself wishing she had her long black tresses hanging down her back once 
more; just another wish for things to be as they were and as they'd never be 
again.

Michael was getting very frustrated. True he did very little of the actual 
designs any more, leaving most of the actual work to the employees of his 
rapidly expanding firm, instead attending to the business side of things 
something he and Nick seemed to be unusually good at, considering their field 
of expertise. Their profit potential was amazing, which was why Nick was in 
New York doing an interview for Forbes Magazine. Not only were they growing 
leaders in the graphic design world, they had expanded to include software and 
Internet services.
He was sitting at his desk surrounded by papers.  Some were junk some 
were important and right now he was having a difficult time deciding which 
ones were which. He was quite jealous of Nicholas' opportunity to relax in New 
York for a couple of days. Granted he'd made the choice to stay here and take 
care of business, but that was before he realized how much work Nick had left 
him to do while he was probably seducing women in New York. Ok, So maybe 
he wasn't seducing; he was attending to other business as well.
He slumped down into the leather chair, around his desk. The office was 
rather dull, with only one large photograph of the Golden Gate Bridge on the 
wall. The only thing that made the office really personal was the picture of his 
absolutely beautiful fiancée resting on the desk and another of all his friends by 
his computer.  He had taken the photograph himself on a day at her parent's 
house, when she'd been relaxing and laughing with Serena.
He was beginning to wonder if it wasn't unfair to the rest of the world that 
he was this happy. Irene had the most beautiful smile and playful personality. 
She brought out a side of him others rarely saw. She made him laugh and enjoy 
life to the fullest. She completed and complimented him in every way.
Of his friends, he'd been the first to find love. She had just walked into his 
life, just as if she'd stepped out of the past. Unlike her sister she was very much 
the same. She had that same way of making life less complicated, the same way 
she used to back in the Silver Millennium. She created a carefree mood in 
everyone around her. She was his little fairy princess.
They had first met when he had picked her up off the throne room floor 
during the first meeting between the families of Earth and Moon Kingdoms.  
Later on, when she was a blossoming young woman she had dumped a cup of 
raspberry juice off her balcony and unto his head, after which she had given him 
the most dazzling smile he couldn't even frown at her. It had gotten harder not to 
scowl all week however, as he was to object of ridicule with his pink-splotched 
hair. She had taken to calling him candy, as his hair now reminded her of the 
pink and white candies her mother enjoyed so much.

Raye walked into the room with a regal air befitting any princess. As 
usual her father's dinner parties were rather large. She looked around 
wondering just what to do at that moment when she noticed her father heading 
directly for her. Her father was just below average height, stocky but handsome 
and sported a mustache, with him were three men two of whom she recognized 
as Congressman Bill Roberts and Senator Janet Daley.
The one she didn't know was considerably younger and much taller than 
the other two and had all the arrogance of one who had been born into wealth. 
His golden blonde hair and bright green eyes gave him the appearance of an all 
American boy, but he was old enough to be considered a man, just a few years 
older than her she assumed.
The group made their way over to her. "Representative, Roberts, Senator 
Daley, I'm sure you remember my daughter Raye."
Both parties nodded and Raye shook both their hands.
"Yes of course, I remember this beautiful girl of yours. I hear you've been 
doing well at Georgetown," Senator Daley said.
Raye didn't doubt the source of that information. He would have said the 
same even if she had been on the verge of flunking out. "I see my father's been 
boasting again," she said smiling.
"He has every right," Roberts added.
"Raye, darling," her father began, "I would like you to meet Jason Scott, 
my new financial adviser."
Raye shook his hand and was annoyed by his bright smile and twinkling 
eyes that hinted mischief. Somehow he seemed familiar to her.
"Mr. Scott is from San Francisco, he is here for a short time, reviewing my 
accounts and giving me some advice; excellent advice may I add."
"I do my best," Jay added."
There was absolutely no reason why this man should annoy her, he just 
did. He wasn't like any of her father's other business associates. To start, he was 
much younger, significantly more good looking and he didn't seem as anal 
retentive as the others, and he wasn't going bald any time soon. He was too 
perfect. She was very wary of perfection.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Hino." His voice was smooth and light.
She nodded and returned his greeting without a touch of emotion. Raye 
the Woman of Ice had returned in full force.

Jay greeted his new protégé's daughter, his brilliant smile had everything 
to do with the fact that she was even more gorgeous then he'd remembered her 
being so long ago in the moon kingdom. This sophisticated beauty before him 
was his soul mate. He was definitely going to enjoy this, he suspected it would 
be as it had been before, she would hate everything about him before she gave 
up partially out of exasperation at having met her match and partially out of the 
fact that even she couldn't deny love.
He had sought out Mr. Hino when Serena had informed him, he was 
Raye's, Sailor Mars' father. He had offered his financial advice so he would have 
an opportunity to meet and get close to his daughter Raye, the princess of Mars. 
He had spent plenty of time considering just what he would say to her when he 
saw her, how he'd woo her, everything he'd do to win her over.
He suspected it would be a battle, one that he'd enjoy every moment of. If 
he remembered correctly, she disliked not being in control. When she felt out of 
control the fiery anger inside her blazed and flared like a raging volcano or the 
surface of a star. He remembered enjoying every moment he had managed to 
drive her to the limit, and the beauty of her face as she had yelled and screamed 
her anger at him. He almost never heard what she had to say at those times and 
it absolutely infuriated her.
For the rest of the evening Jay spent a good deal of time staring at her. 
Even when she wasn't looking she could feel his eyes on her, and it was 
extremely unnerving. It would be just like her father to choose a psychotic 
stalker as his financial advisor. He wasn't a particularly good judge of character.
Raye considered herself extremely lucky not to have been left alone with 
this strange, though handsome, man. If she had, she would have told him just 
what she thought of his staring. Even as she was thinking this, her luck ran out 
and it seemed everyone she had been talking to just moments before had simply 
disappeared leaving her with this strange man.
He father had excused himself to speak with the caterer who was just 
about ready to serve dinner and Senator Daley and Mr. Roberts had moved on to 
speak to their fellow politicians. That left her with the handsome Mr. Scott from 
San Francisco.
Jay was surprised when Raye calmly turned and spoke to him. It was very 
unlike what he'd remembered of her. His staring should have sufficiently 
annoyed her, so much so that she should have turned around and snapped at 
him by now. Instead she spoke in a smooth emotionless tone and stated: "I really 
don't appreciate your staring Mr. Scott. Is there something the matter? If you find 
something about me that's faulty, I'd be pleased if you'd let me know."
"Beauty is never a fault, Sailor Mars," he said smiling at her, his voice 
barely above a whisper. Her eyes widened in equivalence to his grin. Good, he 
thought, I've managed to shock the icy mask of her face.
Raye was stunned, shocked, and scared. She couldn't find anything to say. 
She hadn't been Sailor Mars for years, but it was too late to deny any knowledge 
of her alternate identity, as the shock on her face betrayed her. Jay stepped closer 
to her and whispered in her ear, his breath warm on her skin. "Don't worry, it 
will be our little secret, princess."
He began to walk away, from her leaving her to ponder the puzzle of this 
strange man who seemed to know everything about her. She wasn't about to just 
let him walk away however. She regained her composure and before he could 
walk away from her, she grabbed his arm and held him tight.
"Who are you?" Jay hadn't expected her to be so composed so soon and 
was surprised when she felt him grab his arm rather tightly, her grip barely 
allowing him circulation; she was stronger than she looked. "How do you know 
who I am? What do you want from me?"
"So many questions, my dear and…" a glass clinked loudly as her father 
called attention to his guest by tapping a champagne flute with a small fork.  
"…It seems dinner is served," he said smiling one of his brilliant shiny white 
grins at her. He was as relieved at the interruption as she was annoyed by it. He 
just wasn't ready to tell her everything just yet, not when she would be so much 
more annoyed if she had to wait or figure it out on her own.
Raye let him go, unwillingly as all the guests proceeded to the dining 
room. There were many thoughts running through her head at the moment. After 
all these years could he be a new enemy? Could she handle him on her own if 
she had to? How did he know who she was? Why did he seem so familiar?
All through dinner she pondered the answers to these questions without 
arriving at an answer. She was so deep in thought she hardly noticed Jay's 
glances, smiles or the fact that despite being hungry, she'd barley touched her 
dinner.
Much to her annoyance, she didn't get an opportunity to speak to him 
again for the rest of the night. Even when she went home and prepared for bed 
her mind was still on him and for the first time in a long while her dreams had 
nothing to do with her guilty feelings about the past. Instead, they seemed to 
center around Jay, his face whirling around in her mind. The thoughts grew 
darker and her dreams had a certain desperation to them. Eventually she found 
herself sitting up in bed in the early morning hours, his name on her lips, 
"Jadeite."

Mina paced her apartment; she was just short of climbing the walls. She 
was thankful to whatever Supreme being controlled this screwy world, that 
Artemis and Luna had chosen this time to spend together at Amy's place. Right 
now she couldn't have handled the questions and the lectures.
After the scouts had split apart, their guardians' opinions began to hold 
less and less weight. Their objections about what happened to the relationships 
between the scouts became irrelevant as their splitting up had become 
inevitable. The two felines had eventually given up the lectures and given in to 
what seemed to be fate.
Luna who had been living with Amy had decided to go with Artemis 
when Mina decided to return to London, and ever since, Mina had had both cats 
in tow wherever she went, although they lived very separate lives these days, 
hardly intruding on Mina's day to day affairs. Had they been here today, she 
doubted she could have kept her temper in check, as they would have 
undoubtedly chosen this moment of utter frustration to put in their two cents. 
She twisted her fingers as she continued to pace.
She had, to the surprise of her friends, spent an extra month more than she 
had planned in San Francisco after the party carrying on a covert affair with 
Andrew. It hadn't been too difficult considering Rita had always seemed to be 
busy with some colleague of hers. She had even stayed three weeks longer than 
the convention lasted, 'collaborating with her colleagues'. To her surprise, 
Andrew had also extended his leave from the hospital to stay here with her.
The month just hadn't been enough for Mina however; she desperately 
wanted him here with her. However, he had had to return to Tokyo and to his 
job. She had just called him, but he was doing rounds at the moment and she 
was waiting impatiently for him to call back, after all, she had news, important 
news.
She had been to the doctor earlier today and now resting on her coffee 
table were the results of her visit. In the brown manila envelope on the coffee 
table were the ultrasound images of the small baby growing inside her, the 
product of their love. He had to call her back, She insisted nervously to herself. He 
had to.
She paced some more before sinking down in the couch to try and 
compose herself. She picked up the only picture she had of Andrew, the one she 
had bought a frame for when he'd given it to her before he'd left and the letter 
she had been writing for a while now, and added a final note to Raye. She 
touched the picture and smiled, hoping that everything would be ok, amazed at 
the thought of a part of him growing inside her.


Nicholas sat in his seat on the plane, checking his e-mail on his laptop. He 
was reading it but it wasn't that interesting. It had allowed him to pass time, but 
it wasn't enough. He closed the laptop and put his head back and relaxed. The 
Stewardess came by and offered him champagne, which he politely refused, to 
her disappointment. He hadn't given her a good reason to strike up 
conversation. It wasn't everyday that a man this gorgeous was sitting in the 
business class. They were usually fat, unattractive bald businessmen, or snobby 
ladies.
Nicholas' thoughts were distracted even as he tried to relax. His mind 
kept straying back to the beautiful chef who had served him one of the best 
meals he'd ever eaten. He had left her his business card, he wondered if she'd 
ever call him. He doubted it; she had no reason to.
He remembered the way her long brown curls had framed her face as they 
fell all around her to her waist and her big emerald eyes had stared at him. The 
last thing he'd expected her to be was a chef. He wasn't sure what he'd expected 
her to be really.
She was beautiful, nothing like Serena who at first glance appeared to be a 
delicate angel. Lita was angelic in her own way, she had to be to create a meal 
that heavenly. But she wasn't delicate. She was far taller than most women he 
knew, which made her the perfect height for him.
He hoped she'd call. He needed her to. Waiting for the plane to land in 
San Francisco was making him very impatient.

Andrew walked down the hall from the ICU at Juuban General Hospital. 
He was grateful that he had at last finished his rounds for the day. With any luck 
there would be no complications with any of his patients and he could finally go 
home and get some rest.
He was so completely and utterly frustrated. Normally the long hours he 
put in at the hospital didn't bother him at all, but ever since he'd returned from 
San Francisco he just couldn't seem to focus on anything. His feelings were a 
muddle of confusion, love, guilt and the stress of it all was beginning to give 
him a headache.
For the first time, to the surprise of the assisting nurse, Yuka, he had lost 
his patience and become irritable. He was snapping at people, even the mother 
of one of his patients, not that she hadn't deserved it, constantly intruding asking 
what he was doing to help her son, and wanting to know each and every detail 
of what he was doing. It wasn't as though the boy was seriously injured, but he 
should have been more understanding.
Where he wanted to be right now was in Mina's arms and the thought 
made him feel guilty for neglecting Rita. He had been in a relationship with this 
woman he thought he'd loved for so long but these past few years they had been 
growing apart. They'd been engaged for such a long time, but they're 
relationship had long grown stale. It was a fight to stay together. A silent fight, as 
they rarely said much to each other anymore.
He would have to tell her about Mina soon. He couldn't go on like this. 
He didn't know where he'd go from there but he supposed he'd have to figure it 
out soon.
He came to the nurse's station and leaned against the counter, waiting for 
Isuke one of the few male nurses he was friendly with, to give him his messages 
and any other information he needed before he could leave. Caught up in his 
thoughts he didn't see or hear the three other nurses that worked at the counter 
smile and sigh as he let out a breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He was 
aware that half the female staff seemed to have a crush on him, which he thought 
flattering though for the most part he paid no attention.
He shuffled through the papers, that Isuke handed him; general notes 
from nurses and his colleagues and most important of all, a message from Mina. 
He'd call her when he got home. Rita wouldn't be there. For all his knowledge, 
he couldn't figure what an archaeologist could be working on so late at night.

Serena and her sister were enjoying the beautiful fall day. Although it 
wasn't quite like Tokyo, or Irene's Paris home the falling leaves and golden 
sunsets over the bay were absolutely beautiful. It was a bright day and it seemed 
everything was just perfect in the world. Irene had met Serena at their favorite 
café and decided to enjoy the afternoon outside drinking tea and talking about 
ideas for their wedding.
Irene looked over at her sister. She was stirring her tea, looking into the 
depths of the steamy brown liquid as though it were the most fascinating thing 
in the world, but her mind was elsewhere. A slight frown registered on her face.
"Earth to Serena, anyone there? Is something wrong? You seem a little out 
of it today? You and Loverboy had a fight or something?"
To Serena's annoyance, Irene enjoyed hearing about or watching the two 
argue, they knew each other so well and were so generally agreeable on 
everything else it was amusing to watch the two argue over minor, and 
extremely petty things. She and Michael couldn't help grinning and eventually 
laughing hysterically, when the couple had argued over the fact that Darien had 
woken up with feathers in his mouth one morning. Of course she had countered 
with the fact that maybe if he kept his mouth closed when he slept, and didn't 
snore so much, he wouldn't have a problem; Besides why was he chewing on her 
wings. The argument had only gotten more amusing from that point on.
"No we didn't have an argument! This isn't about me at all, this is about 
Mina."
"Mina? What about Mina? She just left a few days ago. I'm sure she was 
happy to return to LA, she probably has another acting job planned already."
"Incidentally she left around the same time Andrew did."
"What are you getting at, Sere?" She hated when Serena did that. What 
often seemed so obvious to her, due to her ability to know just what people 
were feeling, was often completely lost on others.
"There's something between those two," she stated simply. I guess I 
shouldn't be too surprised. In a way I expected something like this to happen, I 
just didn't expect it to be with him, it didn't seem very likely.
"What are you talking about? I thought you said Andrew and Rita have 
been together for years?"
"No one's perfect, Ren."
"Are you saying that Andrew's having an affair with Mina?"
"Yes. But this isn't just any affair; they're in love. I'm worried about what 
could happen. I didn't see much of Rita when she was here but I have to assume 
she would be very upset if she ever found out.
Irene was completely shocked. She had never even noticed anything 
between the two while they were here. But she figured she just didn't know 
Andrew that well, so maybe there were signs she simply missed.
"I know, I would be," Irene said. "I can't even begin to consider what I 
would do if I found out Michael was cheating on me."
"It's not a good feeling to think the person you love doesn't love you 
anymore," Serena said seriously. "Although I know now that Darien wasn't 
cheating on me, it hurt so badly at the time. My entire world seemed to fall 
apart. I can't say I approve of Mina and Andrew's relationship, but it isn't my 
place to tell them what to do with their life."
"Isn't it?" Irene questioned. "You are our princess Sere. Even as your 
sister I am a part of your royal guard and subject to your rule. If you think what 
she is doing places her in danger it is your right to object and restrict her from 
doing any such thing."
"Ren, when I left Tokyo I gave up my right as leader of the scouts, a 
position that is rightfully yours anyway. Even as their Queen, I wouldn't dare 
intrude on their life or force them to make decisions that they are against. I can't 
protect Mina from heartbreak. It is my job to protect her physical well being, but 
her life is hers to lead.
I may have the power to control everything they do but that would make 
me as bad as any of the enemies they have faced in the past. Besides," she added 
with a smile, "I have a feeling that she and Andrew belong together despite his 
relationship with Rita.
Irene smiled at her sister's wisdom. She was happy she was not in her 
position of leadership and power. She would have been overwhelmed by the 
power Serena held; a power that could destroy worlds and heal millions.
Just when Serena had finished her lecture, her cell phone rang. She went 
hunting through her bag for the small phone, and it took another four rings 
before she was able to answer.
"Hello?"
"Serena, this is Mina," the voice said hurriedly. "We need to talk."
"Yes. We do."

Andrew opened the door to his dark apartment; he didn't bother to switch 
on the lights, as the lights from the city coming through the open curtains were 
enough for him to see. There'd been an accident in town, making his commute 
home a little longer and more tiring than he'd planned. He dumped his briefcase 
by the couch and slumped into one of the chairs. He intended to rest a while 
before finding something to eat and going directly to bed. No, he probably 
should call Mina before he went to sleep.
As he was about to get up off the couch, he noticed something. The light 
streaming through the glass doors of the balcony set the coffee table and 
everything on it aglow in a rather eerie manner. On the edge of the table was an 
envelope, he hadn't noticed when he'd first walked in.
He picked up the envelope and read the writing on the front. It was 
addressed to him in Rita's neat curvy handwriting. He opened the unsealed 
envelope and pulled out the folded note. It wasn't very long; he began reading. 
When he was done, he put the letter down and for a moment just sat there, 
completely stunned. For the first time since he'd left San Francisco, he laughed. 
He laughed until his sides hurt.
When he was finally tired. He picked up the phone and made a phone 
call.

Lita tussled the long wet dark strands hanging down her back. She never 
blow-dried her hair; instead she put it up in a clip, messy but practical. She 
planned on relaxing for the rest of the evening and eating a cold meal she'd fixed 
before.
She sat down on her couch and turned on the television. Naturally, there 
seemed to be nothing on. She glanced around the room in her relaxed manner. It 
had been a good week. She loved her job and her new apartment, but there was 
plenty more she was wishing for right now.
She hadn't spoken to any of her friends in a while and she wondered if 
she shouldn't try and get in touch with one of them. She still had Raye's number 
from the last time she'd written, quite some time ago.  She rummaged through 
her ugly green crochet pocketbook she'd left on the couch, one that everyone 
else seemed to hate.  She found her address book and began flipping through 
the pages. As she did so a small white card fell out and she reached sown to pick 
it up.
"Nicholas Von Amburgh, Golden Millennia Designs" she read out loud. 
He was that absolutely gorgeous businessman who had walked her to work. She 
couldn't believe it when he'd handed her his card. She'd been instantly attracted 
to him but had expected nothing to come of it. Nothing ever did. She'd given up 
the boy craziness of her youth as soon as she'd realized that men never seemed 
to want to have a relationship with her. One or two one-night-stands that she 
thought would lead somewhere had taught her that lesson.
She looked over the card wondering if she should call him. For a change 
things were completely in her hands. He didn't have her number, so it was up to 
her to decide whether or not anything would come of their meeting.

Mina was upset. Andrew hadn't called and she was beginning to wonder 
if he cared or if all there had between them was an affair based solely on sex. 
She'd been very upset when she'd called Serena at her apartment to pour out her 
troubles as she paced across her apartment. She hadn't been there so she'd called 
her cell phone number.
Serena had listened to Mina's troubles without saying a word. She hadn't 
sounded as surprised as Mina had expected. She was almost disappointed that 
she hadn't surprised her. Serena had assured her she had been very discreet, 
she'd simply read her emotions.
She was in the middle of venting all her worldly cares including and 
excluding Andrew on poor Serena, who was calmly listening, when the doorbell 
rang. She was annoyed at the interruption and stomped across the room to the 
door showing her displeasure. She struggled to open the door as the knock came 
again.
As the lock came loose in her hand, she flung the door open and her 
mouth fell open.  A dozen red roses obscured the face of a tall man. The roses 
slowly came down revealing the boyish grin and twinkling blue eyes she knew 
so well.
"Andrew!" she squealed loudly, before tossing the phone aside and 
throwing herself into his arms.  Serena, on the other end of the phone line winced 
as Mina squealed in her ear and then yelled Andrew's name. She smiled as she 
clicked the end button on her cell phone, knowing Mina's problems were solved, 
at least for now.


"You! What are you doing here, what do you want?"
"Are you always this hostile on a Saturday morning?" With that he 
pushed past her into her apartment. He glanced around taking note of its neat 
appearance. He headed right for the kitchen and sat down around the kitchen 
table, pulled a bagel out of a brown paper bag he'd brought with him, and 
started covering a half with cream cheese.
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?" she snapped, standing in 
the doorway, glowering at him. She was cute, like this, but not nearly as pissed 
off as he expected. Her hair was a mess, and she was wearing a black silk robe 
and an annoyed expression.
"I'm making breakfast. What does it look like?"
"Oh, I see," she said calmly. "A perfect stranger, who I suspect may be an 
evil being from another universe, knocks on my door, early one Saturday 
morning, invites himself into my apartment, and starts slathering cream cheese 
on a bagel and I'm just supposed to be ok with this?"
"I knew you were brilliant!" he said grinning. "Now sit down and have 
some breakfast."
Raye could not believe this. A guy she'd met only once, who knew 
something about her that very few people did, had just barged into her 
apartment and demanded she have breakfast with him. Oh well, she thought, and 
sat down. She grabbed the bagel he had in his hand from him and started eating.
He grinned at her again, chuckling lightly. "What!" she snapped.
"Nothing," he said smiling.

"So was that as good for you as it was for me?"
"What!"
"Did you enjoy your breakfast?"
"It was a bagel. They aren't well known for their wonderful flavor."
"Hmm. I suppose next time I'll have to cook." With that he got up from 
the table ignoring the incredulous stares she gave him. Curious as to just what 
he was doing, and hoping to prevent him from doing any damage, she got up 
and followed him. He invited himself into her bedroom and looking around 
directed himself to her closet.
"Just what do you think you're doing?" She snapped at him, annoyed at 
the way he seemed to be battering at her walls of carefully constructed control. 
He didn't answer, but continued moving her clothes aside, searching for 
something.
"I hardly think we wear the same size," she said snidely. "I haven't met 
many Negaverse warriors who were into cross-dressing." He smiled but said 
nothing. It seemed he'd come across what he was looking for.
He pulled a soft red sweater and a pair of black leather pants she didn't 
really remember buying, although she thought it might have something to do 
with those GAP ads she'd been seeing everywhere lately.  "Get dressed!" he said 
sweetly, despite the commanding tone, handing her the outfit.
That's when she snapped. "Just who the hell do you think you are, 
waltzing in here like you own the damn place and telling me what to do! This is 
my life, my apartment and I don't give a damn how much you know about my 
identity. You can return to whatever dark corner of hell you came from and stop 
ordering me around!" Her face was bright red and she was breathing hard.
She was absolutely beautiful and his smile widened as he watched her 
temper rise to the heights he remembered. His fiery goddess was back in all her 
glory and not a moment too soon. He pulled her in close to him, taking her waist 
in his hands.
He lowered his head to hers and pressed his lips to hers. In her surprise 
she opened her lips to his as she felt his tongue tracing along her lips. His mouth 
enveloped hers in the most passionate kiss she'd had up to this point in her life.  
She'd been kissed many times before, but what was happening between her and 
Jason was an exotic fiery mix of passion, wilder and more beautiful than she'd 
felt before. By the time he lifted his lips from hers, her heart was racing and her 
lungs heaved as her chest rose and fell.
He smiled down at her sweetly. "Now, will you please get dressed" he 
said, pushing the outfit towards her again.
"I uh… I uh need to take a shower." She said quietly, confused as to what 
just happened.


Lita picked up the phone, stared at the numbers and put it back down. It 
was too soon. What if he thought she was desperate? But then again, if she didn't 
call she would never know what she was missing. The more she thought about 
his blue eyes and auburn hair, the more she felt the urge to call him. She picked 
up the phone once more and began dialing the number she had long since 
memorized after having spent so many times contemplating whether or not to 
dial his number.
"Hello," a deep voice answered, sending shivers up her spine.
Nick felt a deep sensation of relief and rising excitement when he heard 
her reply. He was surprised he'd recognized her voice. He rarely remembered 
this much about any of the many women he'd met, especially one he'd only seen 
once and hardly spoken to. But she was different somehow, and he was 
overjoyed to hear her voice.
"I'm glad you called. I was waiting."
"You were?" Lita questioned, surprised. She'd expected to have to remind 
him of who she was. She was impressed and pleasantly surprised that he had 
remembered her and said as much.
"How could I forget?" he said. I've never eaten a better meal, or seen a 
more beautiful chef." He was already laying on the flattery, not that she minded. 
It wasn't as though he were lying. He really did mean every word.
Lita found herself blushing, and was happy he wasn't there to see it.
"You don't have to flatter me you know."
"I never use flattery. I'm simply stating a fact. A fact, I find impossible to 
believe you haven't noted your self. All the chefs I've seen were short and fat, 
ugly, obnoxious or just all together strange. But then I don't suppose I've met 
many chefs, except those I've seen on cooking shows…" He couldn't believe he 
was rambling. He couldn't remember ever having done that before.
"It sounds to me like you met my former boss. He was all of the above in 
addition to being an absolute slave driver. He was one of the reasons I left Paris, 
to work here."
"I'm glad you did."
Their conversation was off to a wonderful beginning and before they 
knew it they had spent and entire evening on the phone talking and laughing. 
Both were beginning to wonder how it was possible to feel such an instant 
attachment to someone they had only met once.

Mina trailed a finger up Andrew's bare chest. The room was dark and 
they were enjoying each other's warmth in silence. It was late, but neither of 
them slept. The stillness of the room was comforting.
There was not much left to say really. He was here and that was most 
important. His presence was the best surprise she'd received all year. After she'd 
gotten over the shock of having him show up at her door, the questions as to how 
began?
She hadn't known whether to comfort him, considering the benefits she 
received from the situation that brought him back to her.  Apparently Rita had 
walked out on him, leaving him for some entomologist she had been seeing 
behind his back. Naturally he had been very relaxed about the situation 
considering he was hardly in a position to judge.
She had comforted him, ok maybe that was a rather inappropriate term for 
what they had done together. It was far less comforting and more celebratory. 
She hadn't told him about the baby yet, but she would, in the morning, after 
they'd slept. She could already hear his breathing slowing to the even tones of 
sleep.  She rested her head on his chest, and closed her eyes, enjoying restful 
sleep for the first time in days.

Raye was somewhat annoyed at the fact that she was actually enjoying 
herself. So far they seen just about everything here was to see in Washington 
D.C. Somehow, like an infectious disease, he had sneaked into her life and today 
had made a tour guide out of her. According to him she had missed her calling.  
Naturally she hadn't taken it as a compliment or regarded it as a joke.  That fact 
alone seemed to amuse him endlessly.
In fact there seemed to be little about her he didn't find amusing or 
enchanting. Outwardly she berated him for it, accusing him of taking pleasure 
out of her discomfort, which he didn't deny, but inside she was flattered and 
amused. She still couldn't figure out what it was he wanted from her and it was 
driving her insane the way he seemed to set her temper off with the slightest 
comment or inflame her passion with the lightest touch.
He was possibly an enemy, she warned herself not to let him get too close 
although with every moment he seemed to be coming closer to breaking down 
her carefully constructed emotional walls. She wasn't supposed to feel like this. 
She had even laughed when they had stopped for hotdogs and he got a bit of 
mustard on the end of his nose.
Her effect on him was no less amazing. He kept feeling the need to 
restrain himself from just taking her into his arms and spending the rest of the 
evening. The closest he'd gotten was when he'd convinced her to go ice skating 
with him on the reflecting pool between the Washington Monument and the 
Lincoln Memorial. She had almost fallen as they had stepped out unto the ice 
before she'd gotten her bearing.  He had taken hold of her small waist, holding 
her steady for just a bit longer than was necessary.
He had stood to the side for a moment watching her glide over the ice 
with a grace that came naturally in everything she did. He hadn't expected her to 
do nearly as well as she had but obviously she had acquired skills she hadn't 
had in the Silver Millennium when she'd had a particular aversion to ice and the 
cold.  She had even managed a camel spin, amazing considering her leather 
pants.
Raye found herself wishing he'd kiss her again the way he had this 
morning. She had to admit his brilliant green eyes seemed to be calling out to 
her to touch him. He was so handsome and she had loved the way his strong 
arms had held her, making her feel so petite in comparison to his height and 
strength.
The sun had set with them on the ice. The lights from both memorials had 
come on creating a rather romantic setting on the ice-covered lake. They had 
been skating together for some time and tired, had simply stood there together. 
Raye found herself feeling rather out of breath, not from exhaustion but rather 
the effect of standing so close to him.
"Who are you?" She whispered staring up into his eyes.
"Not who you think I am," he whispered huskily, his face drawing closer 
to hers staring into her mysterious violet eyes "and I'm sure that's a good thing." 
He kissed her deeply, and she responded with fire and warmth.
"How come we don't act like that anymore?" A woman asked her partner 
jabbing her elbow into his side as she watched the couple kissing passionately 
on the ice.
"That's probably because we're eighty-five and it's not nearly as cute. 
Besides I don't want to share my love for you with anyone else." Saying that he 
kissed her gray head and continued to watch the loving couple as he embraced 
his wife. "They must have great lungs. They haven't come up for air in a good 
while!"

Lita was chatting and laughing with her co-workers as they began 
preparing for the mid-day lunch rush. The restaurant had grown in popularity 
these last few days. She enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the restaurant and the 
rush of life in the city.
Once you got past the smog and traffic, NY was really cool. She wondered 
if any of it would ever grow old. She enjoyed the artsy feeling of the village, the 
performers in the parks, the way you had to avoid being run over by the roller-
bladers, joggers and cyclists in the morning. Most fascinating was the endless 
variety of food. She doubted she'd ever get around to trying everything but God 
help her she was going to make a serious attempt.
"Hey Lita," Brett yelled from the other side of the kitchen over the sound 
of clattering pans and sizzling food.
"Yeah. What is it?" She yelled back.
"Annabel says you've got an admirer." Annabel one of the young 
waitresses and also a student at NYU stood next to Brett in the back, holding up 
a bouquet of red roses. Lita raised an eyebrow in surprise. She wiped her hands 
on her apron and picked up two plates of food, she handed it over to the girl in 
exchange for the flowers.
They smelled wonderful. "So who's the guy?"  Alice, her fellow worker 
asked peeping around her shoulder. Lita removed the small note card from the 
bouquet.  It read: I'll forgo any cheesy messages and simply wish a wonderful day to the 
best and most beautiful chef in NY. Scrawled in his messy handwriting was 
Nicholas' signature. Lita blushed lightly. He was already sending her flowers. 
She couldn't recall any guy doing that before.
"How romantic," Alice sighed. "I wish someone would do that for me. 
Who is he? Do I know him?" Lita just smiled and kept smiling for the rest of the 
day. It wasn't possible to love someone you'd only met once was it?"

Andrew awoke to the flowery scent of Mina's thick blonde tresses tickling 
his nose as her head rested on his chest. The golden California sunshine shone 
through the window highlighting her hair in a most curious fashion creating a 
vas array of color from the palest blonde to the darkest gold. He relaxed against 
the fluffy pillows gazing around at the walls of her bedroom.
It was very feminine and warm, even with the white walls.  It had a 
youthful summery feel, with lush peach carpeting and white furniture. One wall 
held a framed Andy Warhol print of Marilyn Monroe side by side with a 
bamboo shutter poster of a handsome Japanese idol singer left over from her 
teen years.  Over her windows she had vertical blinds instead of the curtains he 
had assumed she would have gone for; they probably came with the apartment.
He slowly pulled his body from beneath her careful not to wake her. He 
pulled on the pants he'd been wearing before and left the room to explore the 
rest of her apartment. The living room was simple and decorated in the same 
summery fashion as the rest of the apartment.
He found himself levitating toward the glass doors on the far side of the 
living room. He pulled aside the vertical blinds and opened the doors, stepping 
out into the brilliant sunshine streaming unto the balcony.
The view was lovely, but not spectacular. The balcony of the apartment 
like all its neighbors opened unto a courtyard, filled with greenery and a kidney 
shaped swimming pool. It was definitely much nicer, and warmer than his place 
in Tokyo.
As he was about to return to the apartment and busy himself by making 
some coffee, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to face the beautiful 
woman who had reentered his life like a whirlwind, awakening within him 
romance and passion. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately, 
as he was always tempted to do when she was around.
As the kiss broke off, Mina took in a deep breath. Andrew was confused 
at the distressed, worried look in her eyes.
"What is it Mina? What's wrong?" He asked in rushed tone, extremely 
concerned as to what could have caused the worried look he saw I her eyes.
"We need to talk," she said with such finality that he immediately 
followed her inside and sat next to her on the couch without uttering another 
word.
"I don't know if you got my message to call me, while you were at the 
hospital in Tokyo, but I wanted to talk to you about this," she said handing him 
a brown manila envelope.
"What is this?" He was surprised and curious. When she didn't answer, he 
opened the envelope and stared in surprise at the black and white ultrasound 
pictures. "Is this what I think it is? He asked almost choking, in shock at the 
thought of what the objects he held in his hand meant.
Mina could only nod, hoping he wouldn't be upset with her.
"You mean, you're…?"
"Mhmm."
"Oh my God! Mina!" he grabbed her into his arms and hugged her 
tightly."
"Andrew, I need to breath she gasped."
"Oh sorry." He was so rushed, his face was red with excitement, leaving 
Mina completely and utterly confused."
"I don't understand. You're not upset?"
Andrew gave her a rather confused look, as if she'd just asked him if he'd 
like to give birth to the child himself. "Why would I be upset Mina? The baby is 
mine isn't it?"
"Of course," she said hurriedly, insulted that he would even question the 
fact. "I just wasn't sure if you would want to have a child so soon."
"He took her face into his hand and caressed her cheek, looking directly 
into her eyes. "Sweetheart, I moved thousands of miles, left my life and my job to 
behind to be with you. I plan on being around for a while Mina. I've been ready 
to be a father for a long time and I've always been ready to be with you." He 
wiped away the tears streaming down her cheeks and placed a gentle kiss on her 
forehead.
She was so happy, she threw her arms around his neck in a warm 
embrace. "I love you so much Andrew. How is it possible that someone like you 
exists?"
"It's simple. I was meant for you."
Mina smiled, only slightly reassured considering there was much more to 
discuss. She had not informed Serena yet of her plans but she supposed she 
should have. What she was about to tell him was her concern as well.
"Andrew," she began, "there is much more to tell you. You know 
something, now that I think about it, I shouldn't have started to say anything just 
yet. It's just that when I told you this first thing, I thought I should probably tell 
you the rest and then I really thought about it and now, I don't think I should 
just yet, but I will tell you eventually but for now, you'll have to just pretend I 
didn't say anything at all. But…
"Mina! Slow down! Breathe. You're rambling and I have no idea what 
about.
"It's nothing. I'll tell you later. I need to talk to Serena first.
"You are one very confusing woman," he said smiling at her. "Why don't 
I make breakfast while you talk to Serena. I'd love to know what this secret of 
your is."

Nick was in a love-induced frenzy. Since he'd come back from New York 
he'd been riding on a cloud. For a while he'd been in a rather good mood after 
spending hours on the phone speaking with the woman who seemed to fill his 
head almost every moment of the day. He wasn't in a good mood anymore.
Here he was, reading through numerous documents, unable to 
concentrate, all the time with Mike giving him strange looks. He was growing 
more and more and more impatient as of late, wanting more and more to be with 
Lita in New York. All this work was rapidly growing very tedious.
"If you're not going to concentrate on anything, quit sighing like the love 
sick fool you are and go home," Mike said without looking up from the 
document he was reading by the window of Nick's office.
"How'd you know?"
"How could I not? Ever since you came back from New York you've been 
on cloud nine, grinning like a fool and whistling love songs. It's a wonder you 
haven't started skipping and singing show tunes."
"Ha, ha, very funny," Nick said sarcastically.
"Who's being funny? I was being very serious I can just see it now. You're 
hopping and skipping across the meadows, singing: "the hill's are alive with the 
sound of music. It's the most nauseating thing I've ever imagined, chills me to 
the very bone." He made a horrified face, so real in it's emotion, Nick almost 
believed him for a moment.
"Oh shut up! I'm out of here. See you later."

Raye groaned. She couldn't possibly sleep any longer. The light from the 
window was blinding. She squinted so she could get a look at her clock but only 
succeeded in increasing the throbbing pain throughout her skull to excruciating 
levels. She rolled over to face the other direction, away from the bright lights, but 
she was so tangled in her sheets she fell with a thump to the floor.
"Owww!"
As if mocking the pain she was suffering the blurry figure of a tall blonde 
man stood over her grinning down at her messy head, with set of teeth so white, 
their glistening rivaled the light from the windows.
"You know, I thought Serena wasn't a morning person but you have 
somehow managed to exceed her grumpy morning personality."
Raye just stared at him blankly. Her mouth had a rather disgusting taste 
and her tongue felt rather fuzzy. Her mouth was dry and she didn't doubt her 
breath smelled somewhat skunky.
"Really, dear; you need to learn how to hold your liquor better than this."
With that statement the previous day came rushing back to her with the 
speed and force of the Japanese bullet train, making her head ache. He had taken 
her out to dinner and to some club, whose name she couldn't remember right 
now and they had gotten around to shots. Obviously she had done one shot too 
many which had certainly led to a rather interesting night after they both 
dragged their drunken carcasses up the stairs and into her apartment.
"Just help me up and quit lecturing me," she snapped.
He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.
"Hey! You know damn right, that's not what I meant! Put me down this 
instant!" She began beating on his back weakly but seeing she was having little 
effect, she took to admiring his tight butt instead and wondering why he wasn't 
as hung over as she was. She swallowed, a faint nauseous feeling coming over 
her. Her head continued to pound with all the blood now rushing to her head.
As he was about to dump her unceremoniously unto the living room 
couch, the doorbell rang. Instead of putting her down, he headed for the door 
with her on his shoulder. She didn't weigh much anyway.
He swung the door wide open to face a generally handsome man with 
slicked back dark hair and a rather oily look to him standing in the doorway 
looking rather arrogant. He was decked out in tight jeans, a leather jacket, and a 
smug look on his face.
"Good Morning Sweet…" He stopped when he saw it wasn't Raye who 
had answered the door, but a very tall handsome blonde man he'd never seen 
before, with broad shoulders and two smooth, slender, bare, female legs, 
obviously belonging to Raye, hanging over his shoulders.
"Yes, can I help you?" Jay asked the man in front of him. The man had a 
rather stunned look on his face. He guessed he didn't often see guys with girls 
on their shoulders answering doors.
"Ugh… oh fuck!" He muttered under his breath. "Fucking slut…," He 
muttered again, guessing that jay didn't hear him as he turned to walk away 
from the door. "I musta had the wrong door," he called out as he walked away.
"The hell you did!" Jay said in a controlled but angry tone. With that he 
reached his arm back and struck Mr. Hudson in the face. He put Raye down on 
her feet beside him.
"What the hell did you do that for?" she yelled.
"Yeah, what the hell was that about, you fucking Neanderthal?" Hudson 
yelled, holding his bloody nose.
"Oh come on. This guy is a complete jerk! Did you even hear what he said 
about you?"
"Well no, but it didn't warrant you punching him in the nose, she yelled." 
Inside she was whooping for joy and hoping he had some excuse for punching 
the guy, because God knows he deserved it.
"Raye! The guy called you a slut among other things."
"Thank you Jay, but I guarantee you, I don't need you going around 
fighting my battles for me. I assure you I can take care of myself.  With that she 
turned towards Hudson who was holding his nose and mumbling something 
about suing.
"Mark honey," she sang seductively, "why don't you let me take care of 
that."
He removed his hand from his nose and smiled a smug satisfied smile at 
her while Jay looked on in shocked amazement. With his guard down, she 
swung her right arm back and with a heavy-handed forceful punch she punched 
him hard in the left jaw. Hudson said nothing as his body hit the ground with a 
thud.
Jay was so shocked, he simply stood and stared at her as she shook her 
hand a little.
"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," she said as she 
turned and smiled the most brilliant smiled he'd seen displayed on her face. She 
reached up and pulled his head down to meet hers in a kiss. Obviously she was 
still drunk. They went back inside the apartment, leaving the slumped, half-
conscious body of Mark Hudson in the hallway.
Moments later as they sat over breakfast, Jay smiled mockingly at her 
once more. "So… How's the fist?" her hand was resting a tub of icy water as she 
nibbled on toast."
"I keep reminding myself that it was well worth the pain. I haven't had a 
more satisfying moment in a long while."
"Really! I'm disappointed! I feel so…" He clutched a hand to his heart, 
pretending to be mortally injured. I guess I'll just have to do better from now 
on."
Raye's face turned a brilliant shade of red. "You know what I mean! Get 
your mind out of the gutter!"
 "Do you think he'll sue?"
"No," she said confidently. He's really a wimp. Besides, even if he does, 
he's so conceited, he'll insist on representing himself, in which case he's bound 
to lose. He's an ambulance-chasing loser. He probably got his law degree from 
some backwater school further south."
There was a pause, a comfortable moment of silence when none of them 
said anything. Raye broke the silence when reality came rushing back to her, and 
her hang over no longer having any real effects allowed her to think clearly.
"How do you know Serena? How do you know she's not a morning 
person? Who are you really Jay?"
"I postponed telling you who I am because I wanted you to get to know 
me for who and what I am and not because you feel obligated or influenced by 
whom I represent to you."
"Why would I…" He cut her off before she could finish.
"I'm not Jadeite, at least not the evil one you remember. In fact as afar as I 
am concerned, I've never met you before in this lifetime until now. We've been 
together before, in the Silver Millennium. I was a member of Endymion's royal 
guard and you a princess of Mars.
"I loved you then, as I love you now," he continued solemnly and with 
great emotion causing Raye to look at him in surprise. She didn't doubt him 
when he said the words. Somehow coming from him they seemed natural. 
Surprisingly she didn't doubt she had similar feelings towards him.
"I met Serena when she'd just come from Tokyo to San Francisco. She's 
one of my best friends."
"She used to be my best friend," Raye said sadly, lowering her eyes to her 
hands to avoid looking at him so he wouldn't have to see how guilty she felt.
"She can be your friend again, Raye. She's already forgiven you, you 
know. Don't you think it's time you forgave yourself?"
"I don't think I can. I just don't think I deserve it."
"Try. For me."
She smiled slowly.
"I will."

Mina was in the middle of a conversation with Serena. She was pacing her 
balcony even as the smells of breakfast wafted through the open doors. Andrew 
maybe ok with having a child but she wasn't so sure she was. What about her 
career? She wanted children but now that she really thought about it she wasn't 
sure.
Would he be sure when he found out she was the beautiful and powerful 
Sailor Venus? What if something came up and she had to fight again; how would 
she protect her child?
Those were just some of the many questions she had thrown at Serena 
when she'd picked up the phone, not nearly as grumpy as she usually was in the 
morning. By the time she had completed venting she didn't really feel any better 
now that she had identified all her problems.
Serena had given her permission to tell Andrew about her secret identity 
if she felt it necessary and was in the middle of helping Mina deal with her fears 
of motherhood.
"You know," Serena began, "I used to worry about the future and my life 
too. It was so scary it prevented me from being the best I could be. In my mind 
I'd tell myself that I wasn't worthy, that I was too stupid and too weak to be who 
I was and do the duty that destiny had bequeathed me.
She paused before continuing with her story, one that obviously was very 
important to her. "It was hard to come to terms with holding the power of the 
universe in my hands. When you're as young as I was and trying so hard to fit in 
with the world around you that no matter how many times you tell yourself you 
want to be better, stronger and more special than everyone else, the truth is you 
just want to belong. Finding out that I was unlike any being who has ever lived 
and that I had the responsibility for the lives of everyone around me was 
extremely difficult to handle. With so many people depending on you for their 
future, it all becomes so massive. I grew up though, and accepted it and I 
wouldn't give this responsibility up to anyone because I know now that I was 
chosen because I can handle it. This baby inside you knows you are capable of 
being a mother.
There is a rhyme and reason for all things and this is what has been 
chosen for you. Think about things that you have done, you help to protect the 
very earth on which we live.  A small child is not so great a task for so great a 
woman. You're not a child anymore, as wonderful as it would be to reclaim 
those times, it is time to give those things up and be what you are now, a 
mother."
Mina actually felt much better after talking with Serena. She had never 
realized Serena had felt this way. She was so strong, so wise. Mina felt very 
grateful; her problems seemed minor right now. As different as things would be, 
it would all be ok.  Women had been facing the challenge of motherhood for 
centuries, surely she could manage.

Lita was bored out of her mind. She had called Nick's place earlier today 
but he hadn't been there. She had refused an invitation to hang out with Alice 
and Annabel today because she had thought to spend the whole day talking to 
Nick on the phone. Now here she was stuck at home alone on the couch, remote 
in hand.
After another hour on the couch, she grew frustrated and couldn't sit 
much longer by herself and decided to go window-shopping. She liked checking 
out furniture stores and household items. She might even buy something new to 
wear.
Her decision was made and she changed her clothes. Unable to find her 
shoes in her closet, she remembered leaving them in the living room. She found 
one foot in front of the couch and suspected she might have kicked the other 
beneath the couch. She bent over and reached for it. As she grabbed it and began 
pulling it on, the doorbell rang.
She hopped across the floor attempting to put her shoe on as she went. 
She pulled the door open and found herself staring into bright blue eyes. She 
went still in shock and let the shoe go only to miss her footing, expecting to land 
balanced on both feet. Instead the imbalance threw her off and she fell forward 
into Nick's arms.
"I'd hoped for this greeting, but I certainly hadn't expected it. Hello Lita."
Lita flushed a bright red, and managed to extract herself from his arms, as 
common courtesy demanded, however unwillingly.
"How did you get here? What are you doing here?"
"I'm suddenly feeling not so welcome." He pouted just a little, a facial 
expression he wasn't even aware he was capable of.
"I'm sorry," se said suddenly feeling rude and guilty for making him feel 
unwelcome. "Come in," she said directing him inside her apartment, even as she 
picked up her abandoned shoe.
"To answer you questions," he began, whirling around suddenly so that 
they were face to face; closer than the chemistry between them would allow them 
to stay without something between them occurring. "I flew here because I…" He 
paused for a moment trying to find the right words. He looked into her emerald 
green eyes and the words his mind had been searching for came out before his 
brain was aware of them. "I need you. I think, no, I know I'm in love with you. I 
want to spend the rest of my life with you and I hope I didn't scare you off." He 
felt like a wimpy teenager he'd never been, asking the most popular girl in 
school out.
Lita was completely stunned. He had saved her saying the words herself. 
"I need you too," she replied understanding the question his heart had asked 
her own.  She looked into his eyes and felt the tension and magnetism pulling 
them together, increasing the heat and passion between them. She pressed her 
lips to his, in a kiss that seemed too passionate and emotional to be their first.
When they'd finally broken off and gotten their breaths and their wits 
back, Lita looked him in the eyes and asked the question he would have asked 
given the opportunity.
"So, when are we getting married."
Nicholas wasn't surprised by the question. In fact he had been quietly 
pondering the very same notion since before he'd found himself walking down 
the street to her apartment. On his way there, it had been a matter of whether 
she'd say yes or no.  Now he realized he hadn't even been given the opportunity 
to ask the question that had been asked and answered in the kiss they'd shared. 
It was now entirely about finding a good date.
Without delay, Nicholas pulled a small diary from inside his jacket and 
started flipping through it. "Let's see…" he began mumbling dates under his 
breath. "Monday?… no that won't work… no I have a meeting and…" Suddenly he 
looked up after a minute of flipping through his planner, he snapped it shut. 
How about today? He asked suddenly."
"You're kidding, right?"
"No. You're not busy today are you?"
"Well no but…"
"Well…" he said, challenging her to refute his logic.
"Ok. Let's do it!"
"How exactly do we do this?"
"I don't know. But I suspect it involves leaving this apartment."
"Good plan. I'm glad you're my fiancée."
"Thanks, honey. Let's go."

Darien groaned. He was used to shallow sleep, being on call often for 
Meditech. His workload was less than that of a regular hospital but there were 
still emergencies, with some of his patients now and then that needed attending 
to. Being used to interruptions did not however make them less annoying.
It hadn't been his beeper that had gone off however. It was the bedside 
phone. Serena lay beside him, deep in sleep. She slept like a rock. It would take 
the bed sheets to burn to wake her up.
He ended the ringing by picking up and muttering a deep husky "hello" 
into the phone.

"Hello?" "Who is this?" Where is Serena?"
"I'm her fiancée. Who is this?" The voice on the other end of the line 
grunted in displeasure at Darien's announcement.
"I am her father," the voice said authoritatively.
"Mr. Tsukino!" Darien said suddenly very awake. "I'm sorry sir.  I didn't 
realize it was you."
"Of course not," Mr. Tsukino said sternly. "We've never met."
Darien didn't miss his hint. He was understandably upset that his 
daughter was marrying a man he had never met. His well practiced, however 
rusty, protective fatherly instincts had kicked in despite the lack of biological 
connections. There was also the obvious fact that she had neglected to tell him 
that she was also living with the man.
"May I speak to my daughter?"
"I'm sorry sir, but she's sleeping. " Before the man could say anything 
else Darien decided to amend the situation and improve diplomatic relations.
"Mr. Tsukino, I know this doesn't seem to be the best of situations but I 
just want to reassure you that I love your daughter very much. I hope we haven't 
offended you too much by not having met with you before coming to this 
decision. "
Serena had definitely caught herself a charmer, Kenji thought to himself. 
The man was so damned polite.
"Well then, Darien, is it?"
"Yes sir, Darien Chiba."
"What is it exactly is it that you do for a living?"
"I'm a doctor sir. I work for Meditech, here in San Francisco."
A doctor, not bad. Serena might just be redeeming herself after all.
"And how long have you known my daughter?"
"I've known her since she was fourteen sir? I used to tease her a lot when 
we lived in Tokyo."
Hmm. Well the relationship wasn't rushed and he was Japanese. Not bad 
at all. This interrogation could be cut short. He seemed like a normal, successful, 
young man. Wait a sec fourteen?!
"And what may I ask was the capacity in which you became familiar with 
my daughter at such a young age?"
Darien almost froze. Serena had never told her parents they were dating, 
for the short time they had been involved while they were in Tokyo.
"I only knew her casually sir. We had mutual friends" and enemies he 
added silently. Judging by the silence on the other end, it seemed Mr. Tsukino 
had accepted the statement for the moment.
"Well then, Mr. Chiba, you seem nice enough but we will meet soon 
enough."
He hung up the phone leaving Darien to wonder if that was a warning 
and if he'd passed whatever test Mr. Tsukino had just given him. He was 
beginning to wonder about why on earth he had thought that Serena had come 
from a normal family. It was plainly obvious they were definitely not normal. 
Then again he didn't have one of his own and wasn't really a good judge in such 
matters.
There he went again putting a depressing spin on his life that was 
otherwise almost perfect. Who was he kidding? He had a family. He had Serena, 
Irene, and Serena's father, stepmother and baby sister Catherine. They were 
everything he used to wish for. Reassured by that thought he pulled in closer to 
Serena and went back to sleep with a smile on his face.

Irene was running around the apartment she and Michael shared, giggling 
like a child as he attempted to catch her. She tried to defend herself from the 
threat of being tickled, with a pillow. She was of course overcome. He was by no 
means small or weak.
He picked her up and threw her unto the bed and began to tickle her until 
she screamed for mercy. If his friends ever saw him like this their jaws might 
drop in shock. No one else shared this part of him.
He had decided to leave his work in the office where it belonged for the 
weekend, in order to spend more time with his fiancée. He had seen neither hide 
nor hair of Nick since he'd told him to leave, once again leaving him with a lot of 
work he'd decided to forget until Monday.
When they'd finally run out of energy breathing heavily as they lay 
together side by side on their large bed, Michael asked: "So have you and Serena 
come up with a good date for the wedding yet?" 
"No not yet. We haven't really spoken much about it. I don't think she's 
really ready yet. "
"I'm not quite sure I can be as patient as Darien. I want to get this out of 
the way as soon as possible. Like say, this weekend?"
"You have to be kidding!" Serena would have my head on a platter. She'd 
moon blast me into outer space."
"Oh come on. She can't stay mad forever. Once it's over there won't be 
anything she can do about it. Besides, I'm not very into his double wedding 
idea. "
She sat up and glared at him. "Don't you think you could have said 
something to me before I suggested the idea to her? Now, if we back out she's 
going to be upset."
"Oh come on sweetheart," Mike began in his most pathetic pleading 
voice, "she'll forgive you. Marry me, today." 
"I can't believe this," she muttered. "Worst yet, I can't believe I want to do 
this." 
"You won't regret this!" Michael almost yelled, grabbing her face in his 
hands planting a big kiss on her forehead. He jumped off the bed and ran to the 
closet.
"I already do," she muttered. "I can just see Serena's face when I tell her 
we're eloping.  My parents won't be happy either." 
"Irene," Michael said exasperatedly, "the whole concept behind eloping 
is not to tell anyone until after the wedding. He looked down at her from his 
position on the bed before sighing and picking her up. I can't wait another 
moment. Get dressed already!" 

Mina sat down to the wonderful breakfast Andrew had prepared for them 
both. She took a bite and realized it tasted as wonderful as it smelled. "It's a 
good thing you can cook because I've been living off Ramen and Cheesy Mac. 
We all used to tease Serena about her cooking abilities but I never realized how 
little I knew about cooking until I had to live on my own."
"Well considering how much Serena's changed I'm sure there's hope for 
you yet." He grinned at her, the type of wide faced, sparkling grin that made her 
stomach feel like Jell-O.
"Have you decided on what it is you have to tell me just yet?"
She had thought he had forgotten about her earlier hysterics. Obviously 
she'd been wrong. It was just as well however, she was prepared to tell him 
everything. 
"I've been wondering if and when I'd actually have to tell you about this 
since the first day you came here with Rita. I love you very much, and I want 
you to know everything about me. I don't think there should be any secrets 
between us.
"And what could this big secret you have be?" Andrew asked, intrigued 
and humored at the possibility of Mina keeping a secret.
"Well you see, I'm a Sailor Venus of the Sailor Scouts and I protect 
Princess Serenity of the Moon and the planet." She waited a bit for his reaction, 
watching him go from bug-eyed to skeptical.
"What!" 
"I'm not insane Andrew, " she said seeing his shocked, confused and 
completely disbelieving expression. "When I say princess I mean Serena." He 
looked even more confused. "Ok maybe I'm going about this all wrong. You see, 
a thousand years ago…


Nick and Lita were standing in line somewhat impatiently.
"You know this was definitely not what I had in mind when I thought of 
my wedding." She glared at the dreary white walls of the City Hall. 
"I know, but think of the honeymoon," Nick whispered in her air, his 
arms wrapped around her waist.
"There's a honeymoon?" She questioned in mock surprise.
"Of course there's a honeymoon! I'm not sure where to just yet, but I'm 
sure we can arrange something."
"But what about our jobs? I haven't even told my boss about this yet. I 
can't just take off! Maybe we should have thought this through."
"We don't have to do this if you don't want to," Nick said but couldn't 
help sounding a little disappointed.
"Are you kidding? We're getting married today, no question about it! I 
just need to come up with an excuse for running out on my job."
"I think getting married is an excuse within itself Lita. I'm sure he'll give 
you time off for a honeymoon."
"Still I wish I could have told him the good news."
"Why don't you?" She looked at him oddly only to have him pull his cell 
phone from his jacket and hand it to her.
She kissed him on the cheek causing him to blush as the many people 
around watched and smiled at the young couple in love. "That is so cute!" She 
grinned at him.
"What?" He looked around attempting to find what she had been looking 
at; a small child? An old woman?
"You, silly! You're blushing again." He returned her smile as she began to 
dial Anthony's number.

Raye sat at her desk sighing hopelessly.  Could this job get any more 
boring?  It's not like Davis had much of a chance anymore. She played with her 
pencil as she drank the remnants of her luke-warm coffee. She drifted off a vision 
of a barely clothed Jason Scott giving her provocative glances, playing through 
her mind. He looked just like that guy on the cover of that romance novel next to 
Serena's on the shelf at…
"This is something I haven't seen before," said a voice breaking through 
her daydream.
"Huh?" she muttered somewhat flustered.  
"It seems you were off in la la land for a second there," a short, plump 
redhead said, smiling at her. "What are you in love or something?" She asked 
cynically knowing that love was probably the last thing on the ice-queen's list of 
things to do in life. 
"Something like that," Raye said dreamily. Emily stared at Raye in shock. 
"I guess miracles do happen," she muttered under her breath.
"What was that Emily?" Raye asked.
"Oh, nothing. I just came over to tell you Jack wants to see all the senior 
staff in his office. I think he's finally decided to drop out of the campaign. 
"Took him long enough," Raye whispered quietly to herself.

"I'd like you all to know I really appreciate everything you guys have 
done and all the hard work you've put into this campaign," Davis began. "I'm 
definitely going to miss working with you all. …
Raye was slowly getting very annoyed. Could his speech possibly get any 
longer and more boring?  What was it with politicians and their ability to drag 
the simplest of things on for hours without end?
As he finally came to an end, the group began filing out of his office, 
knowing it was time to start looking for a new job if they hadn't yet begun, as 
this one had just come to an end. As she turned to join the group, Davis called 
out to her to prevent her from leaving.
"Yes? What can I do for you?" She asked politely.
"Actually, Raye, it is a question of what I can do for you. You see you've 
done such a wonderful job on this campaign that I recommended you to a friend 
of my mind. Her name is Julianne Fordham. She is currently a representative for 
the State of California but she'll be campaigning for a republican seat in the 
senate." He handed her a business card with the congresswoman's information 
on it. 
I know it's far away and wasn't sure you'd be interested, but I know you'd 
do a good job managing her campaign. I hope you do this she is a wonderful 
woman. But if you chose not to I'd be happy to give you a recommendation for 
whatever else you choose to do. It was a pleasure working with you. " He 
reached out and shook her hand."
"I'll definitely think about your offer, Jack. Thank you so much." Raye 
was very surprised. This was definitely unexpected and she was very grateful 
and said as much. The day was suddenly not so dragging, but her thoughts still 
wandered to Jason and what he was doing right now.

Jay slumped on the couch of his hotel room, and sighed. He had been 
looking over Mr. Hino's account records and what he had been thinking to be an 
easy job was quickly turning into a real job. Whoever the man's former 
accountant had been had obviously been a complete ass. 
The vast amounts of money Hino had were basically sitting around in 
accounts doing nothing instead of making money of their own. He was in the 
middle of making a new investment plan for his client when he decided to take a 
break and think about the love of his life and his plans for this evening. 
With that in mind he reached in his jacket and flipped over the small 
black velvet box.  He had gone ring shopping yesterday and had picked up the 
ring this morning. It was absolutely beautiful, as well it should be considering 
how much he'd spent on it.  A large ruby was set in the midst of tiny diamonds 
on the gold band. It was perfect and engraved with words of love. He 
desperately hoped she'd say yes at dinner tonight. If she didn't, he just might 
choke and die.
 
"I can't believe this! I must have been out of my mind when I agreed to do 
this."
"Oh come on. It's not that bad!"
"Not that bad?" She just about screamed at him; a dramatic contrast to her 
usually calm temperament. He was sweating under the collar just listening to 
her. The heat didn't help any either. 
"That dirty little man pinched my butt! He looks like a fat drunken 
blonde Elvis and to top it off he claims to be Elvis' long lost twin! Do not tell me 
to calm down! I refuse to be married by that… that flea-ridden elf!"
"He couldn't remember her being this upset before. Something told him 
he'd be lucky if they spent the night in the same hotel room. Eloping to Vegas 
was obviously not one of his better ideas.
"Sweetheart, look. Why don't you just calm down and we'll go 
somewhere else ok," Mike said in his calmest voice, attempting to placate his 
fiancée. 
Irene sighed in exasperation.  She was hot miserable and the white heels 
she had chosen to wear with the short white silk dress were not comfortable and 
she was getting cramps. 
"Can we just go back to the hotel please," she asked tiredly. I'm tired, hot 
and miserable. I just want to go home."
Michael put his arm around his fiancée and led her out of the gaudy 
chapel, leaving behind the short fat blonde man with missing teeth to preside 
over his other weddings. This had not been the best of days for either of them.
"I'm sorry sweetheart. I guess this didn't work out quite the way we 
planned." Even as he said the words, a bright streak of lightening flashed across 
the sky and the Thunder rumbled loudly and the clouds burst open, pouring 
down on them.
She smiled wryly. "It most certainly didn't." She stood in the rain twirling 
around in the downpour for a few moments as her fiancée watched, enchanted 
by her beauty. 
"Figures," she grinned, "The one time we're in this desert city, it rains! If 
that's not a sign I don't know what is! The good news is though, we'll never have 
to tell Serena we eloped.  
He gave her a quirky grin of his own. "That is a good thing. Although this 
idea was mine, I wasn't really looking forward to her temper. I've seen her mad. 
It's not pretty," he winced at the thought. "She's almost as bad as Princess Raye."
They walked back to their rented car and drove the rest of the way to the 
hotel in comfortable silence.

He stared at her blankly, silently as if he wasn't really seeing her. She was 
beginning to wonder of she'd miraculously developed another head or there 
was some monstrous growth in the center of her forehead that was so 
devastatingly horrendous he had lost all ability to speak at the sight of it.  At any 
moment now he'd go into a panic and run screaming from the room.
"Andrew? Are you there?" Mina waved a hand in front of his face hoping 
to get his attention.  She was on the verge of tears. If only he'd say something, let 
her know how he felt, give her something, anything to go on.
"I don't know what to say." He said finally after a pause that had been on 
the verge of driving her insane. This was not what she'd wanted to hear. She 
wanted to be comforted, and reassured that this little thing wouldn't change their 
relationship. 
That was idealistic however. She knew when she told him who she was 
that it would change everything. She just hoped it would be for the better. She 
understood this would be difficult for him to accept but she wanted their 
relationship to continue to grow. She wanted him to be a father to her child. 
They were both silent for a few more moments. His eyes expressed the 
fact that he was deep in thought while hers freely showed her concern and 
uncertainty. Finally he gave her a gentle smile, from across the small breakfast 
table. 
"I'm sure that this will affect our lives greatly from this moment, on. I 
don't know how things will change but I'm sure they will.  There is one thing I'm 
sure of though, I love you now, I'll always love you, no matter who you are or 
what you do."
Mina smiled brilliantly. She was so happy. He'd accepted this easier than 
she'd even dared to hope.
"Thank you," she whispered never feeling more grateful than she did 
right now. "Just one more thing."
"There's more?" He asked his eyes widening.
She couldn't help but smile. "No, I just wanted to know why did you just 
believe me without proof."
"I know you'd never lie to me, not about this." She was amazed at the 
complete trust he had in her. Whether due to being pregnant or just a general 
sense of complete joy, she burst into tears, only to find herself laughing like a 
mad fool moments later. Life was beautiful, especially when it included perfect 
men like Andrew.

Raye looked herself over in the mirror once more. She had bought the 
dress on a whim a while back, it had been too beautiful to resist despite the 
exorbitant amount she'd paid for it.  Until this moment she had never truly felt 
justified in having paid such a high price as she had never found any reason to 
wear it.  It was a long red silk gown covered in a second layer of sheer black 
fabric that hugged her body like second skin. It had long fitted sheer sleeves and 
was cut low in a square shape across her bust.  The back was non-existent; 
making her feel rather self-conscious at the sight of the material draped low right 
above her butt.  She slipped her feet into the torturous, however sexy, black 
heels she'd decided to wear for the night, and double-checked her makeup.
She knew there was some rule about making a man wait but she was too 
excited to be bothered. When he came to the door she'd be ready to go. This was 
their first sanctioned date and Jay had insisted on making it an event to 
remember.  Even as she pushed another stray strand of her short hair behind her 
ear nervously, she heard the doorbell ring.
She gracefully hurried to the door and swung it open. Jay stood before 
her, a dozen red roses held directly below his chin. She kissed him lightly on the 
cheek, surprising him. 
"Thank you."
"I think I'll have to remember to do this a lot."
"Yes you will," Raye said taking the flowers in hand and heading 
towards the kitchen, with Jay behind her, for a vase of water for her new roses. 
As she turned around, Jay got a glimpse of her bareback and the curves, the 
dress hugged oh so smoothly. He let out a long whistle causing Raye to turn, 
smiling and blushing.
"You like? I accept whistles but if I hear wolf calls…" He understood the 
barely veiled threat.
"You look magnificent," he said. He took advantage of the opportunity to 
take her small waist in his hands and plant a gentle kiss on her neck.
"Oh no you don't!" She snapped turning in his arms, still smiling. "If you 
start now we won't ever get out of here, and I did not put this dress on just to 
stay home!" She planted a kiss on his nose as he groaned.
"Yes ma'am!" He answered.
They managed to make it through the door and down to his car without 
any further distractions. Although Jay had to admit her swinging hips, as she 
walked before him, were very distracting. She had a black cashmere shawl 
wrapped around her shoulders. He was tempted to throw her over his shoulders 
and carry her back upstairs. He resisted temptation however, knowing that she 
would hardly approve of any Neanderthal behavior at the moment.
Jay pulled up in front of what Raye knew to be the best and most 
expensive restaurant in Washington D.C.  He actually assisted her out of the car, 
a dangerously chivalrous move in this the later part of the twentieth century. Jay 
glared at the doorman who was looking a little too intently at Raye's cleavage.
They seated themselves down to enjoy one of the most glorious of meals 
ever presented before them. Raye was however beginning to get suspicious 
despite how wonderfully perfect the evening was turning out. Jay had been even 
more attentive than usual but there was definitely something up. She chose to let 
his strange uncharacteristic nervousness slide so that she could chose this perfect 
moment to announce her choice to accept the position in LA as Mrs. Fordham's 
campaign manager. She had spoken with Julianne earlier today and the woman's 
charm had completely disarmed her. She had no doubt that they would become 
fast friends. She had yet to tell her father she would be moving, but that could 
wait until later. She wanted Jay to be the first one to know. Truthfully, in such a 
short time he'd become her best friend and in fact, her only real friend. 
"Jay, I have some wonderful news!" Raye announced more gleeful than 
any jay had heard before. He was quite surprised, he thought tonight would be 
all his for announcements and such. He was willing to let her take a moment 
however.
"I've gotten a job representing Julianne Fordham. She's running for the 
California Senator and she wants me to be her campaign manager. It's so 
unbelievable!"
"Did you just say California?" Jay asked surprised. "As in, the state I live 
in! You will be moving closer to me?" Jay asked disbelievingly. "There is a god, 
and he loves me!" Jay whispered.
Raye smiled at first but gave into girlish giggles as she watched Jay close 
his eyes and thank God.
"It's nice to feel wanted," Raye commented sweetly.
"That has to be the understatement of the year."
"Whatever do you mean by that?"
"Well," Jay began taking a deep breath before taking the plunge, "I want 
you in every sense of the word, but there is so much more. I loved you for so 
long. Serena used to tell us so much about you I thought I knew you long before 
I had the chance to meet you. I have to admit that I finally got up the guts, tired 
of waiting and dragged myself all the way out here to meet you finally. I sucked 
up to your father to make the meeting between us a little less awkward. I hope 
you don't think I'm an obsessed stalker or anything, although I have to admit 
that wouldn't take too much imagination. 
The simplest way to put this Raye, is to tell you, I love you. I loved you 
so long ago in times I know you don't really remember but when I saw you 
again I fell in love all over again. You are the most amazing woman I have ever 
met." 
He reached into his jacket and pulled out the small black box and flipped 
it open. Raye gasped in shock and tried to keep a hold of her consciousness. It 
was absolutely the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen and this had to be the 
most amazing experience of her life.
" I would be honored if you would take this ring, and bless me with the 
pleasure of becoming my wife." He slid the ring unto her finger and let out a 
deep breath, preparing for the moment in which her answer would change the 
rest of his life. 'Please say yes, please say yes,' he whispered in his mind.
Raye was momentarily speechless. She couldn't even begin to form the 
words her heart was pleading with her to say. 'say yes, say yes. Damn it say yes!' 
Her heart screamed at her.
"Yes, absolutely yes!" Raye replied exuberantly. She reached across the 
table and planted a kiss right on his lips. 
Jay had expected an answer but he had only dreamed of one so 
enthusiastic. Some of the restaurant's other customers were staring at them 
amusedly. One man and his wife smiled and gave him two thumbs up. The 
newly engaged couple turned two brilliant shades of red.

Nick's cell phone rang, causing the two newlyweds to start.
"I can't believe you brought that thing with you!" Lita groaned from her 
prone position on the lounge chair on her balcony. Beyond her the sun was 
setting before them over the clear blue Caribbean Sea. The sky was ablaze with 
the most beautiful shades of purple, pink, orange and blue and the sea sparkled 
like the ring on her finger that she and Nick had chosen just the day before.
"I couldn't very well leave it!" Nick replied.  He flipped the phone open 
as he sat up from the lounge chair. "Hello," he answered in his deep voice. 
"What do you know, it's for you." Nick said smiling.
Moments later, Lita was pacing the balcony as Nick admired her body, 
clad in a sexy emerald green bikini. He had never done anything so 
spontaneous, and life changing as marrying a woman he'd met in person only 
twice, if one were to count the day of their wedding. Not for a moment, 
especially considering the wonders of their honeymoon in the Bahamas thus far, 
regretted the impulsive act. He had not even informed his friends as yet. He 
would, instead surprise them later. Watching Lita's shocked look and her 
hurried speech and pacing, she had no doubt she had a surprise of her own. The 
person on the phone had been Anthony, her boss, the man who had graciously 
allowed her to run off with him.
When she'd turned off the phone, she turned to face him.
"You are not going to believe this! Anthony just had the most amazing 
offer for me. None of the other Chef's can take it because they all have family and 
commitments here but this is what I have always wanted to do!"
"What is it?" Nick asked tentatively.
"Anthony's opening more restaurants. He's had some help expanding to 
Miami, LA, Chicago, San Francisco and Boston. He wants me to take over as 
head chef for one of them. He says he already has a chef for San Francisco but the 
guy wants to move to Seattle and he knows you're from San Francisco and 
seeing as how we just got married, he wants me to take over!"
"The stars have certainly smiled on us! I thought I'd have to convince 
Mike to move to New York but if you're moving to San Francisco, this solves all 
our problems!"
"Isn't it great!" Lita hugged her husband. They hadn't even thought about 
the problem of living on different ends of the country. This was quite frankly the 
best wedding gift she could have ever hoped to receive.

Raye looked out the window of the plane as it began to touch down in her 
new home city, San Francisco. She was slightly nervous. She had packed up 
everything she thought would be useful to her and hopped on a plane with Jay. 
She had left a short message on her father's answering machine informing him 
that she was moving to California with his new financial advisor as they were 
now officially engaged, no need to worry Jay would get back to him on his 
financial affairs once they arrived in the city she would eventually call home. 
She had no idea what her father had thought when he'd heard her 
message. He most certainly must have been shocked. Raye had never been so 
impulsive that she'd run off with someone she'd known for such a short time. 
She had even for a moment considered eloping but had rethought that entire 
plan. She wanted a traditional Shinto wedding to honor her grandfather. What 
her father would think of that was irrelevant.
She was relieved when she left the confines of the airport to stand outside 
in the invigorating fresh air. She had been restless and nervous for the entire trip. 
Here, in this city, were many of the friends she had once been so close to. She 
would see them for the first time in years. Most importantly she would see 
Serena, the source of much of the guilt she had felt over the years. Once again 
she would meet the princess she had abandoned, maybe she'd be able to forgive 
herself for all that had occurred. 
She and Jay had told no one of their arrival. They would surprise his 
friends with the news of their engagement and hopefully she'd have a happy 
reunion with everyone. She realized she'd have to meet his parents but from 
what Jay had told her they were rather relaxed and welcoming people, an 
unusual trait for a long standing wealthy family. She certainly hoped things 
would go well.

"Nick, slow down!" Lita yelled at her husband as he pulled her behind 
him. They had very little luggage with them. She had gotten her friends and co-
workers to help her pack everything but would have them send everything later. 
Nick had needed to get back to work and she couldn't wait to settle in San 
Francisco. They had skipped the return to New York, made a short stop in 
Florida and flown directly from the Miami to San Francisco. 
"Oh come on, I know you're in shape! I just want to get you home and 
have you all to myself for one more night before I turn you over to the mercy of 
my friends. My parents are in Europe so you won't be seeing them for a while, 
but everyone else should be here. It's not too much for a man to want to spend 
some more time with his wife is it?"
Lita rolled her eyes. He was obviously happy to be home, if slightly 
disappointed at having to give up the luxury of their honeymoon.  She giggled 
as he pulled her close to him and kissed her for what had to be the fiftieth time 
today. It was quite obvious to anyone who saw them that were two newly weds, 
passionately in love. 
She couldn't wait to see his place. A shower was in order. Her hair, which 
he'd convinced her to wear loose, hanging to her waist, was a mass of tangles. It 
was blown away from her face as they exited the airport into the bright sunlight. 
Suddenly she heard Nick yelling and saw him wave to someone. She 
squinted and saw a blonde man and a dark haired woman about to get into a 
cab. They hurried over to meet the couple. The blonde man was very handsome 
though not more so than Nicholas, although she had to admit that she was 
somewhat biased. Although the woman's short hair caught her off guard, she 
easily recognized her as Raye.
Her jaws fell open in shock, as she matched Raye's expression.  In but a 
few moments they screamed each other's names and flew into each other's arms. 
This was a strange but wonderful coincidence. It had been so long since they had 
seen each other and they held on to each other as though their lives depended on 
this moment in time.
When they finally separated, they spent a long silent moment looking 
each other over, examining the changes that time had wrought. To Raye it 
seemed Lita had grown more beautiful, though not weaker, she easily judged by 
the feel of Lita's powerful arms around her shoulders. Her hair was long and her 
eyes shone with a happiness she hadn't seen the last time she had seen her. She 
supposed Lita would see a similar look in her own eyes. 
 Jay had brought so much laughter and joy to her own life in unexpected 
ways. She was grateful. She supposed he had managed to assuage some of her 
guilt, letting her know that despite all, Serena was happy. She had regretted not 
being as close to her friends both physically and emotionally but it seemed that 
whatever damage had occurred as a result of the past was being put behind 
them. She could see it all in the eyes of this woman who had once been so close a 
friend.
Lita was surprised that Raye had lopped off her long shiny locks to attain 
this picture of shorthaired sophistication.  She was quite radiant. It seemed she 
had crawled out of the shell she'd withdrawn into when Serena left. Her eyes 
immediately fell on the tall handsome man by her side and she wondered if he 
was the cause of the warm glow on her friend's face. It was plainly obvious they 
were a couple, as his arm encircled Raye's tiny waist. She supposed she had a bit 
of explanation herself, suddenly remembering her husband.
Both men were grinning at each other, fascinated by their partners' 
outbursts. Obviously the two women knew each other as well as the two men 
knew each other. Nick had discovered over his honeymoon, the secrets his wife 
held, he supposed he had expected this reaction when she saw all he friends she 
had been apart from for so long. He hadn't been too surprised when he'd 
discovered he'd found his true love of the past and present in Sailor Jupiter. Lita 
however, had been shocked to know whom he was and that he knew about her 
and her friends. In a way, exposing and sharing the experiences of the last two 
years had renewed a bond that had been broken well over a thousand years 
before.
"I see you've found your princess Jay," Nick commented.
"Yeah, I suppose I have. Obviously you've been busy as well with a 
princess of your own!" jay stated glancing at Nick's tall female counterpart.
"Jay, I'd like you to meet Lita Von Amburgh, my wife, Lita this is one of 
my best friends, Jason Scott." Nick was grinning like a fool as he made the 
introduction. He didn't doubt Jay would be shocked. He rarely did anything 
impulsive. Running off and marrying a woman he hardly knew was definitely 
an impulsive act worthy of Jay but definitely not him.
As expected Jay stared at a grinning Nick in silent shock, completely 
dumbfounded. Raye's eyes opened wide as she grabbed Lita's hand to stare at 
the ring on her finger. She stared down at the beautiful rectangular cut diamond 
on Lita's slender hand, her mouth hanging open in shock.
"You're married?" Raye squealed.
Lita nodded rapidly, grinning like a Cheshire cat.
"You ran off and got married and didn't tell anyone?" Jay yelled at Nick. 
"When did this happen?"
"I never got the chance, not that I wanted to tell anyone just yet, but I 
wanted to spend sometime alone with my wife before you guys took the 
opportunity to monopolize her. We got married just a short while ago and took 
a short honeymoon before heading out here."
"I haven't seen you in so long and now I suddenly discover you're 
married! I feel like I've been gone for a century!" Raye explained.
"I know exactly what you mean. I've missed you so much." 
Lita hugged Raye yet again but as they pulled apart, she suddenly took 
note of the stunning ring on Raye's left hand. She took Raye's hand in her own. 
She looked at Jay, her eyes twinkling in amusement.
"It seems we're not the only one in the marriage business!" Raye blushed 
and Jay suddenly realized he hadn't introduced his fiancée to Nick.
"You'll have to excuse my fiancée," Raye began he's not in the business of 
good manners. I'm Raye Hino. " 
Nick shook her hand amused at Raye's introduction. 
"I believe I know exactly what you mean. I am Nicholas Von Amburgh. 
I'm glad he's finally gotten someone to keep him out of trouble. Serena has her 
hands full now with Darien so he's been a bit out of control.
Jay rolled his eyes but was unable to withhold the grin spreading across 
his face. To say he was proud of the gorgeous woman at his side was an 
understatement.
"I think your cab driver's getting pissed," Nick said nodding to the short 
hairy man who was impatiently waiting for his passengers to cut their chatter 
short and get in the cab.
"Why don't we meet you at Serena's place in about two hours," Jay 
suggested.
It was just like Jay to suggest something like that. Fortunately for Jay, he 
was in the mood to pop in on Serena and Darien and make it a nice surprise for 
them both.
"That should give us enough time to drop our stuff off at my place and 
head over to Serena's," Nick said, glancing at his watch.
"Good, then we'll see you both there," Raye added. "It was nice meeting 
you Nick. I think we'd better go before this guy drives off with our luggage." 
They said their goodbyes and left the airport in separate cabs.

Mina called her mother for the second time that afternoon. There was still 
no answer. Her mother was probably running around London on an almighty 
shopping spree. She winced at the vision of her mother in one of those strangely 
futuristic Alexander McQueen creations. It was unlikely but not impossible. 
Somehow her mother had acquired the exalted position as a buyer for one 
of the chicest fashion boutiques in London. In all her years Mina had never in her 
life known her mother to hold a job. There had never been a need, as her father 
did extremely well in international business law.
She sighed. Her mother had always been somewhat distant. It wasn't 
something she blamed her for. Her mother had tried to be more affectionate but 
had always come off somewhat false. It just hadn't been in her personality. Her 
mother was finally asserting her independence and unfortunately for Mina, it 
came at the one time she really felt it necessary to impart important information 
to her.
She had been so excited to let her know she was getting married. She 
supposed she'd have to leave the information to her father's secretary. He'd get 
back to her a week later or worse yet after she'd said the vows and maybe even 
given birth to their first grandchild. She didn't doubt her father loved her, he 
occasionally showed it to her at rather odd moments but the man seemed unable 
to concentrate on more than one thing at any given time and more often than not 
some very important contract caught hold of his attention.
She spun around and smiled brilliantly at her relaxing fiancée. He hadn't 
really proposed; they'd simply arrived at the decision, having wanted their baby 
to have his father's name. She frowned at that. She supposed she should make 
him get down on his knees. The mental picture caused her to smile. She hoped 
their baby looked exactly like him, well maybe without the five o clock shadow.
"Well?"
"I guess we'll just have to inform them later.  It seems they're very busy at 
the moment." She settled into his warmth on the sofa.
"I say we get busy ourselves." Andrew whispered in her ear. His breath, 
like a warm summer breeze, tickled and sent shivers down her spine. She 
giggled. 
"Let's get ourselves a witness, a minister and a garden and have a quiet 
little ceremony on a hill somewhere, just you, me the minister and the 
photographer.  In his mind he could just see himself kissing her as the minister 
pronounced them man and wife even as the desert sun set casting the white clad 
couple in a brilliant orange glow. 
It was a mere fantasy however, one unlikely to happen, she probably 
wanted something more formal with all her friends. It was her choice; he'd fulfill 
whatever fantasy came to mind. Whatever she came up with would 
undoubtedly be perfect and beautiful, because she was perfect and beautiful 
and any moments he spent with her would be as beautiful as any he had in his 
own mind.
"Okay," She whispered. She watched as his eyebrows shot up before his 
face lit up in one of those brilliant smiles she loved to see. He was Adonis in the 
flesh. 
She was amused at his reaction. She was no mind reader but she could tell 
by the look he's had on his face he had an image in mind. She wished she could 
have shared the moment with him, seen into his mind. She would instead settle 
for the reality that would be the result of whatever fantasies he sought to bring 
into their life.

It was not too long after, Mina found herself reliving Andrew's fantasy. It 
was more beautiful than she had dared to imagine. Here she stood arm in arm 
with the man of her dreams on a small hill overlooking the ocean beneath the 
setting Southern California sun. 
Both she and Andrew had worn casual outfits of white crinkle cotton. The 
long, beautiful, white summer dress blew in the wind exposing a good deal of 
tanned leg and threatened to blow the wreath of white flowers of her curled 
blonde hair. The flowers held their place however, even when Andrew tilted her 
head back for a passionately hard and thorough kiss that had left the minister 
clearing his throat as the photographer took the perfect shot. It was one she 
would hang in her office for future customers. She had never captured a more 
perfectly romantic moment on film of such a beautiful couple.
They had spent the next three days in Acapulco basking in the sun and 
the light of their love, between bouts of morning sickness.  It was not a time 
either of them was likely to forget especially since they vowed to do it all over 
again. By the time they got back to LA the wedding proofs were waiting for 
them. They were so beautiful, they had the best shots framed and engraved with 
their names and eternal vows of love that very day. There would be no doubt for 
future generations of the Furahata clan that the two had been very much in love.

"Not now! Damn it! I refuse to get that. Whoever it is can come back 
later."
"If it's someone we know, they know we're home. Our cars are in the lot."
"Good! The they'll figure out we're busy when we don't answer."
"They're not stopping. Sweetheart, get the door."
"No!"
"Get the door."
"No!"
"Then get off me so I can get the door!"
"Ughhhhhh. Fine! I'll get the damn door!"
Darien rolled off his dear sweet Serena and pulled on his pants hurriedly, 
grumbling as he struggled to put his shirt on backwards. Barely managing not to 
slide across the floor on Serena's satin bra, he made his way to the front door, 
mumbling all the way. It had better be a damn good reason because if this was 
one of his friends' ideas of a joke it sure as hell wasn't funny.
"What!" he roared as he flung the door open.
Before him stood a grinning Jay, an embarrassed Nick, and two wide-
eyed women he slowly recognized as Raye and Lita. It was quite obvious; from 
Darien's state of complete disarray that he had been in the middle of something. 
Darien's face turned a shade of red that Jay had thought impossible for a human 
being. He was stuck somewhere between complete embarrassment, white-hot 
anger and complete shock.
Before Darien could let out an angry blast or an embarrassed spiel of 
words, Serena came up behind him looking completely unruffled, as fresh as a 
spring day, and as beautiful and refreshed as a dew-covered rose at dawn. He 
was somewhat annoyed that she managed to come off looking perfect while he 
stood in their door with his hair a shameful mess, his shirt inside out and open, 
and only two of the five buttons on his pants done.
"Don't just stand there Darien," She smiled, "let them in!" Obviously she 
hadn't seen all their guests clearly, he thought, or she wouldn't be standing there 
looking cool calm and collected as though she had awoken refreshed from a 
yearlong nap rather than what was more akin to a tussle in the hay.
As he stepped aside to let their guests in and was soon satisfied by the 
shocked squeal of delight, amazement, and confusion his formerly composed 
fiancée let out.
Without further ado Serena promptly assaulted her two old friends with a 
hug reminiscent of her younger days. She pulled back only to hug them once 
again planting kisses on both their cheeks.
Raye certainly hadn't expected a welcome of this magnitude and it 
showed as tears ran down her cheeks. She wasn't the only one caught up in the 
emotion of the moment. Lita shared her tears as the three friends reunited with a 
fervor that three men watching found vastly amusing and, though they wouldn't 
say it aloud, enormously touching. 
The next few moments were filled with meaningless apologies, tear filled 
stories of the past few years and iron bound promises for the future. The 
situation, much to Darien's relief, had distracted everyone from asking any 
questions that would place him in the embarrassing position of having to 
explain just what he was doing before he answered the door.
He was soon reminded of his own upcoming wedding when to his great 
shock, they discovered that Nick and Lita had tied the knot while Raye and Jay, 
an odd pair, were well on their way to a wedding of their own. To tell the truth 
he was the only one really surprised, it seemed Serena had been expecting, if not 
waiting for these very events to occur. He was starting to get the feeling that he 
would always be out of the loop. He frowned at the thought but easily realized 
he couldn't care less, he was finding he liked surprises, particularly when they 
came from her.


"You're nervous."
"I'm not nervous!"
"Yes you are!"
"No I'm not! If I were nervous I'd let you know. I'm not nervous."
"Ok so you're not nervous. You're just pacing and snapping because it's 
particularly enjoyable."
"Ok so I'm a little nervous," Darien finally admitted. 
The wedding invitations had been sent and the wedding plans were 
beginning to come together. They had finally set a date, the dresses, and 
Tuxedoes had been bought, gifts had already begin to arrive, the announcement 
had been made and the vast preparations from rings to limos and flowers had all 
been taken care of.  It had certainly been nerve-wracking but there was still one 
more hurdle, one that Serena considered minor but one he was finding rather 
nerve-wracking. He was, for the first time, sitting down with the two people who 
had raised the perfect woman who sat quietly following his pacing back and 
forth in the waiting room of the airport. 
It might not have been so bad had he not already given Mr. Tsukino good 
reason to hate him. He didn't doubt that Kenji saw him as the man who had 
stolen his little girl and led her down a bad path.  He had not even known Serena 
was in a serious relationship needless to say engaged to a man with whom she 
was living. 
He was forced to stop his nervous pacing when he Serena got up and 
began waving at two people approaching them. Darien swallowed hard as he 
saw Kenji and Ikuko

Kenji looked over every inch of the tall frame of the man who would be 
his son-in-law.  He looked decent. He supposed he would be called handsome. 
He didn't' smile even as his wife whispered into her daughter's ear as the 
hugged that he was absolutely gorgeous.
"So, I take it you're the young man who's supposed to marry my 
daughter."
"Yes sir." Darien replied as strongly as he could. Even though Kenji was a 
whole head shorter than him he found himself intimidated by the older man. 
Kenji resisted a smile. The poor kid was actually nervous. With those 
broad shoulders and the hint of muscles he saw beneath Darien's shirt there was 
no doubt as to who was physically stronger and yet it seemed the young man 
was unnerved by his presence.
He was proud of his ability to instill a certain amount of fear and respect 
in his new son-in-law. He was also reassured that Darien cared enough about 
Serena to make an attempt at impressing her parents. He took pity on him.
"Relax young man," he said in a commanding tone that contradicted his 
words. "I have no intention of shooting you here. They don't allow you to 
transport weapons on the airplane these days and my grandfather's sword 
wouldn't fit in my suitcase. You're safe, for now."
"Daddy!" Serena screeched indignantly.
"I'm sure Darien knows I'm kidding sweetheart." Kenji smiled at his 
daughter.
Darien chuckled nervously. He was not at all reassured.
 After her parents had settled in the guest room of their apartment, the 
couple let them sleep off their jet lag. Darien had eventually relaxed but only 
after the seemingly endless questions her parents had had for him had ended. 
He felt as though he were being interviewed and investigated for a job for the 
CIA; they were that thorough. 
He had easily warmed to Serena's mother, instantly recognizing the same 
gentleness in her he'd found in her daughter. He had to admit however, that in 
some cases genetics overrode years of nurture. Serena didn't have many of her 
mother's features or Kenji's personality quirks. She was very much like Richard, 
the father he knew well and was comfortable with. 
It was obvious to him however, that Kenji and Ikuko had instilled all their 
own values within their daughter and had raised her to perfection. Many of the 
things he appreciated about her came from the two people he'd met today and 
for that he was deeply grateful.


Serena awoke the morning of her wedding feeling extremely nauseous. 
Mina had warned her about this god-awful feeling. She hoped she wouldn't feel 
this way for the rest of the day. She had stopped taking her birth control pills a 
good three weeks ago, knowing Darien wanted children as much as she did and 
as soon as they were married. She had intended to surprise him but if she threw 
up all over his tuxedo in the middle of the ceremony, it wouldn't be quite the 
surprise she'd intended.
After spilling her guts to an accommodating toilet bowl she felt much 
better. She went over in her head all the details that three mothers and two 
fathers and a host of aids and a wedding coordinator had taken care of.  All had 
gone smoothly and here she was the day of the wedding more excited and 
hopeful than she had been at any other moment in her life.
The entire female section of the wedding party had stayed at her father's 
house, While Darien Michael, and the other guys had spent the night in the hotel 
in which the bachelor party had been held. She wasn't too worried about what 
went on, after all how badly could Darien or Michael have misbehaved with 
their fathers-in-law in the same room?

He knew he was dying. He must be dying. His head was pounding 
beyond all belief. The light from the windows was piercing through his skull 
like a hot laser. 
"Uggggggghhhhh." Darien tried to get up but half the body of his fellow 
groom-to-be Mike was thrown across his, in the same condition as his own. 
"Get off me, you ass!"
"Oh shut up Darien! I'm trying to move damn it!"
"Will you two please cut it out! I have a headache!"
"Shut up Jay!" Mike and Darien yelled at the price of having the ringing 
of their own voices echoing through their ears. From below them somewhere on 
the ground, Nick groaned, his fingers still hanging on, as if for dear life, to a 
large bottle of Russian Vodka.  What the hell had they been thinking?"
"Room service," two cheery male voices sang out, mocking the horror of 
their situation. 
Everyone groaned, squinting through half open eyes to see the two 
fathers-in-law-to-be walking through the door looking far more refreshed and 
spry than anyone should be allowed after a night like the previous one.
"We've brought the cure for what ails you!" Richard yelled to his 
inattentive audience.
"Move your lazy butts, you've got a wedding to attend! I'll be damned if 
I'm going to let my daughter be surrounded by drunken fools on the most 
memorable day of her life!" Kenji yelled.
"Darien, Michael! Get your drunken asses over hear and get some of this 
medicine," Richard yelled at the two grown men sprawled on the mattress like 
strawless scarecrows. The young men groaned but managed to drag themselves 
up and out of their drunken stupor.
They stared at the glasses of brown liquid skeptically, taking a whiff of 
the disgusting smell emanating from the glasses.
"This is a cure for something?" Darien question skeptically. "Smells like 
pureed shit and dog pee!"
"Just drink it!" The two men yelled, watching as Mike and Darien 
tentatively lifted the glasses, giving them one last long hard stare. The two men 
gave each other a final look as if wishing each other the best of luck in the 
afterlife, before pinching their noses and pouring the brown concoction down 
their gullets.
Moments later, gasping and sputtering, but cured. They screeched out 
their disgust.
"What the hell was that shit?" Michael yelled slamming the empty glass 
down.
"An old family recipe, Kenji said, maybe I'll pass it down to Darien one 
day.  Works fast doesn't it?" He grinned at the two disgusted but now sober 
young men who glared at him. It was very fortunate that looks couldn't kill or 
he'd have died a very painful death.
Neither Michael nor Darien bothered to mention to Richard and Kenji that 
their being drunk was mostly their fault. They'd insisted on challenging the two 
young men to a drinking contest. Obviously Darien and Michael had lost but 
they had no doubt in their minds that they had somehow been tricked.

Irene awoke to a rather enormous mess of blonde fluff sitting atop her. 
"Wake up call, it's your wedding day!"
"Yes it is, and  I'm entitled to sleep late without your fat butt on top of 
me!"
"Don't make me bite you! How can you think to spend so much time in 
bed. It's our wedding day for crying out loud! Get your lazy butt out of bed!"
There was no hope for it. She would have to get out of the comfortable 
bed. Serena was obviously excited, not that she wasn't, but a little extra sleep 
never hurt anyone. Serena got off her and allowed her to get up. Serena however 
was now standing on her bed, bouncing like an over-excited rabid bunny.
"I have news!" Serena was practically hopping with excitement. She had 
at first thought to let Darien be the first to find out but after the enormous plus 
sign had popped up in the bathroom just a few minutes ago she had to tell 
someone.
"Wait let me guess," Irene muttered sarcastically, "you're getting 
married." Serena was not to be deterred, she merely rolled her eyes.
"Guess again!"
"Just tell me!" Irene sapped irritably. She didn't like waiting for surprises.
"I'm pregnant! I'm going to have a baby!"  Serena squealed hopping up 
and down. She hopped down from the bed when she soon felt that nauseous 
feeling building again. It probably wasn't a good idea to be hopping about like 
her little sister.
Irene's jaws hung open in shock, before she let out and undignified 
squeal. 
"I'm going to be an aunty, I'm going to be an aunty!" They were both 
yelling and squealing happily and hugging each other until Serena, due to all 
the excitement, ran to hug the toilet bowl again and Serena's mother and CeCe 
came bursting in through the door.
"Is everything all right in here?" Ikuko questioned in a panicked tone! At 
the sight of Irene jumping around the room like an excited five year old who'd 
just been informed of a trip to Disney world, the two mothers sighed, reasoning 
that she was merely excitable because of the glorious day before them.
They reformed their opinion as they heard Serena finish the last of her 
retching and exited Irene's bathroom looking pale but composed.
"What's the matter sweetheart?" Ikuko rushed to her daughter's side. 
"You don't look so well. You're so pale!"
"I'm fine mom," Serena replied grinning happily, "You're going to be a 
grandmother!"
"What!" CeCe and Ikuko shouted simultaneously.
"I'm pregnant." Serena squealed for what wouldn't be the last time that 
day. Soon the entire house of females from Irene's mother and sister to the 
housekeeper, her bridesmaids, half of whom were more pregnant than herself, 
and the maids, knew Serena was going to have a baby. 

It was as though a special request had been put in for the perfect day. The 
sun was shining and the view of the San Francisco bay and the Golden Gate 
Bridge seemed more beautiful than any previous day. Flowers and tents were 
being set up at the country club overlooking the bay while Serena and Irene 
stood in the living room of their house looking each other over. Neither had seen 
each other look more beautiful.
Serena's long pale hair had been piled atop her head in a mass of curls 
and topped by a crystal and sapphire tiara in a silver setting. Irene's brown curls 
had been put up in a similar fashion with deep mahogany tendrils drifting down 
to frame her face. Her own hair was topped by a silver tiara of amber and crystal, 
the colors shone in the sunlight every now and then reflecting the myriad of 
highlights in her hair.
Their dresses were very different from each other. Irene had chosen a 
modern gown with a fitted satin bodice that cut straight and low across the chest 
giving her cleavage that could make men blind, it had spaghetti straps and a was 
cut across the middle of her back. The tight bodice ended just above her hips 
where the layers and layers of sheer taffeta settled around her like a ball. She 
looked like a princess.  The image was complete with two-tiered necklace of 
silver and white and yellow diamonds that were at least five times her age.
Serena had gone for something vintage. It was an extremely sexy slinky 
sleeveless white silk gown. That cut in a deep V down the front and an even 
deeper cut of draped fabric down the back that ended just at the lowest curve of 
her back. She wore a white satin choker with a single pear shaped diamond in 
front and had a long silver and crystal chain that ran down her back splitting into 
three separate chains that connected to the two sides of open fabric, the central 
chain ended just in the curve of her back in a round diamond solitaire that 
nestled itself in the delicate hollow formed by her curves. The dress had a 
moderate train and both brides had decided against veils. 
Irene decided that her sister looked like an old Hollywood movie star. 
They smiled at each other enjoying the moment before they both went outside to 
the limos. Serena was happy to share the joy of this day with her sister. She 
could only hope they both remained this happy for all eternity. She didn't doubt 
in her heart that they would always be together; their immortal souls would 
forever be intertwined in an endless dance throughout time and space. 
She also knew that one-day things would be very different. Although 
she'd made a promise to Raye and Lita that they'd be friends forever she 
couldn't promise them they'd always be in the same places.  Destiny and the 
natural flow of life was guaranteed to take them all down different paths much 
as it had over the last few years. The memory of this day, more than a wedding, 
would be one of a time that they had been together physically but they had also 
been bound together spiritually. Even when they weren't all in the same place, 
in spirit they'd always be together.
She knew she should probably save the deep thought until after the 
honeymoon. There was no point in ruining her makeup with tears of mixed 
emotion now. She had a man to marry.
The bridesmaids awaiting the two gorgeous brides on the front steps 
were all beautiful in icy lavender silk. The gowns were simple spaghetti 
strapped dresses, with high straight necklines and low backs. They looked 
perfect even on the slightly swollen stomachs of Amy and Mina. In addition to 
Raye and Lita, two other tall women had arrived from Paris, friends of Serena's 
sister Irene. One was a tall beautiful blonde, the other, a slightly shorter aqua-
haired beauty. 

Darien waited nervously glancing at his watch every few seconds. Mike 
didn't seem outwardly nervous but Darien knew better. The poor guy was so 
stiff he wondered if he'd be able to move when the ceremony demanded it.  The 
girls weren't late yet but by god was she cutting it close.
Had he not been too nervous to think, it might have occurred to him that 
Serena had never once been earl as far as he'd known her. She had been better 
recently and most people considered her reasonably punctual but by his 
standards she was always at least 49.5 seconds late for every event.  He glanced 
at his watch again. If she didn't arrive soon she would be lat in approximately 
25.42 seconds.
He began tapping his thigh again.
"Cut it out you're making me nervous!" Michael snapped through gritted 
teeth. Their four friends, Andrew, Nick, Jay, and Zach, as well as two new men, 
William and Marcus, grinned at the two nervous men.
"You don't need any help, you're as stiff as a board!" As if to negate that 
fact, Mike straightened the rose on his Tux. Darien opened his mouth to say 
something but lost the will when he heard the music began to play and a 
pregnant Amy led off the bridesmaids and Zach met her half way down the 
aisle. They were five seconds early.
He was getting more and more impatient as one bridesmaid after the 
other came down the aisle. It wasn't that he didn't want to see them, they were 
all very nice girls, but they were more like obstacles in front of his true goal.
Michael was equally impatient. When he finally did see her, the stiffness 
that had been in his body left him suddenly. She was like a princess. Women 
like her only existed in dreams. The tafetta swirled around her and every now 
and then he got a glimpse of her dainty feet in delicate silver slippers. He looked 
her over from head to toe his eyes resting for a long moment on the curve of her 
breasts before resting on her beautiful face.
Richard held her hand firmly in his as though not quite willing to give his 
daughter up to him. Irene gave him a reassuring pat on the arm however and he 
let her go placing her into Michaels care. She gave him a brilliant smile that 
made him want to toss her over his shoulders and jump to the honeymoon. He 
restrained himself however and continued the walk up the remainder of the 
aisle.
Darien could barely control the whoosh of air that left his body 
unwillingly at the sight of Serena walking down the aisle with the bouquet of 
cream and peach roses in her hand. Perhaps she should have lifted the bouquet a 
bit higher to cover the exquisite display of cleavage the daringly revealing low v 
of the gown exposed. Of course there was also the sway of her curvy hips to be 
concerned about and nothing could be done about that.  He couldn't wait to 
capture her from Kenji. The view of her beautiful skin as she turned slightly to 
kiss her father on the cheek almost stopped him in his tracks as he got his first 
glimpse of the back of the gown.
He sucked in some more air so he could manage to breathe again and 
took her hand from her father who gave him a look of warning before letting him 
take his daughter's hand. He was never happier when she looked up in his face 
with unconcealed love and joy. Had he been made of sugar he might have 
melted on the spot. He couldn't wait to take her into his arms. They might never 
see beyond their hotel room when they finally began their honeymoon.

The vows had been said, the champagne drunken, cake eaten and dances 
danced. The wedding had been pronounced an expensive exhibition of 
sophistication, class, and beauty born of pure romance by the society pages. The 
guest list had been exceedingly long, consisting of some of the wealthiest, most 
beautiful, and successful people to be found anywhere. The newly wed couples 
had hardly taken notice.
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Strafford and Mr. and Mrs. Chiba left the party held 
in their honor far earlier than anyone had expected. It had been no surprise 
however, considering the way the two men were taking in their new wives 
watching them like a stealthy lioness and her prey. They had taken the first 
opportunity to pounce on the beautiful women as soon as they had escaped the 
laughing, drinking guests.
  Darien had been most impatient to get his new bride to himself, 
especially after she had merely whispered in his ear the most important news of 
the child nestled between them as they dance closely together. He had stopped 
and stared for a long while before kissing her to his hearts content. This was the 
stuff dreams were made of.
Tomorrow Michael and Irene would be settling in a small open hut 
surrounded by endless blue water, somewhere in Tahiti. Darien and Serena had 
chosen some hidden lodge in Austria surrounded by lush hills and snow-
capped peaks. No one would be seeing them for a while.

Isn't she adorable? Darien held the baby high in the air, staring adoringly at her 
giggling, drooling face. 
"She is sooooo cute!!"
Andrew and Mina rolled their eyes. They had never seen a man so nauseatingly 
obsessed with a small child before, especially one that was one of his own. Looking at him 
you'd never have guessed that he'd ever had to change a diaper, or quiet a squealing babe. 
He was so in love with his two young children. It was positively embarrassing!
"Oh please! He's fascinated because that little girl is a tiny replica of his wife." Lita 
said grinning, holding Darien's quiet son resting on her lap. 
"Is Serena this nauseating with these kids of yours?" Andrew muttered. His own 
son was waddling around in a sandbox. The child was so unlike his mother, quiet and 
independent but with a brilliant smile he only offered to special people. 
"Oh, please! What does she have to complain about! She gave birth to a pair of 
twins and then shrank down to a size four two weeks later," Raye said bitterly. That is 
neither natural nor fair.
"Oh let it go Raye," Mina said. I'm sure you'll be equally resilient once you've give 
birth. It's not our fault you feel fat right now.  We've all been there and done that, well 
except for Lita and Irene of course. Lita stuck her tongue out. She wasn't ready to have 
children just yet. Being surrounded by her friend's children however, she could almost 
change her mind. Irene had decided against having children so soon as well, she wanted a 
little more time alone with her husband. Lita supposed she felt the same way. 
She hadn't known him long but at the same time she felt as though she'd known 
him forever. They were so in love and completely infatuated with each other. They figured 
they'd soon get tired of seeing each other for hours on end and then they would have 
children. So far she didn't see that happening. He was still and always would be the most 
beautiful man she'd ever known.
She looked over at Mina and Andrew sitting together under the tree their son a few 
feet away under their watchful eye. Raye was enormously pregnant, sitting on a bench 
waiting impatiently for her husband to arrive to rub her back. Amy and Zach were off 
together doing whatever it was they did when they were alone, probably a medical 
convention. Their tiny brunette angel of a daughter had been left in Mina's care and was 
playing happily with their son.
Life was so beautiful now that they were all together. One could only hope that it 
would last… forever.