A New Love and A New Life

Chapter 1.

My screams of despair echoed all around as I watched my princess fall to her death. Okay I will be blunt. She leapt to her death. Finally it had come, after years of torture from her parents, her inner senshi, her prince, her guardian cat and even her child. Yes, I said child. This child was a spoiled nothing of a brat from the future, a piece of nothing that I would have loved to hang from the nearest rafter and disembowel with a soup-spoon. Finally, my princess had had enough. More correctly, her mind and heart had had enough. Even if the bone deep gashes in both arms had not been enough. The wind had whispered in my ears about the bottles of pills swallowed by the once sunny, happy young woman. It had watched her and told me.

So great was my despair, I had not realized at first that I had leapt off the cliff after her, catching her just before she hit the rocks below. Although I commanded it and loved it; at rare times when necessary; the wind can be my enemy. However, today it had been my friend. Telling me of what she had done and then letting me reach bottom before her. While it had sped me, up. It had slowed her. She closed her eyes and smiled just before I caught her. Probably she was thinking that finally her time of pain was over. In-fact even I could feel her soul trying to slip free of its' mortal shell. Yet something, though I did not know yet what. Kept her soul tethered to her body.

The shock in several pairs of eyes as my feet touched topside once more had me looking down at myself quickly. I wore a navy blue silk dress. It was the short version of a dress I had not worn for over a thousand years. A dress, which I knew if I looked, would be fast turning black from my princess' blood pouring out on it. The wings that I faintly felt at my back and the fact that the skirt part of this dress wasn't any longer than my senshi skirt, and was actually just a tad bit shorter, meant only one thing.

I had, in an effort to save this girl, had gone into my final and ultimate form. That form being, Haruka Miranda Urania Kaze Tenou. Senshi Queen of Uranus. I was a true eternal now. Never will I visibly age or even die. Even when my age is in the thousands, I will look as I do now. I was un-killable by all now except by one of equal or greater power. Alternatively, heaven forbid by my own hand. My eyes searched their faces, and, like hers, landed on the one who had hurt her most, MINAKO. The two girls had once been so close; they could have been sisters. Yet because of a stupid misunderstanding, she too had turned on her sovereign.

Now because of them my princess was dying. Dying before I could admit to her the truth of my feelings for her. Those feelings being that I loved her. Only I, my cousin Sailor Neptune, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn had been privy to a secret the princess held. A secret that had these vipers had known of it, might have caused them to turn on her much sooner. My princess, like me, was a lesbian. A secret she had confided that night at the Rose Ball as she and I danced. You may ask why it was not the almost hateful actions and words uttered by us Outers since that night did not send her over the edge. Well I will tell you. It was all an act. One thought up by the princess herself, to help hide her secret. It wasn't until those vipers had gone several seconds without blinking that I knew why the pain filled soul of the princess hadn't completely slipped free of its' shell.

"Pluto you used Time Stop! Damn it why? You'll die too this time!" Pluto did not answer me. It was Queen Serenity. Materializing before me, she said. "Senshi Uranus. It is the one hope left in her heart that keeps my daughters soul tethered to her body. The hope that someone, anyone, will love her just the way she is."

"I love her! With all that is in me, I love her! Not for whom she once was in the past or for whom she is destined to be. However, for whom she is. Please Queen Serenity. Tell me how to save her!"

"Look and see that you have already done your part. Look and see your love singing through the senshi bond to her. It too is keeping her light anchored. See how her energy is reaching out to yours. Just as Pluto's', Neptune's' and Saturn's' links are reaching out to her."

I looked and saw that what my queen had said was true. All four of our energies were reaching out to her. My link reaching the strongest filled with all of the yet unspoken words of love.

"Make no mistake Senshi Uranus. Hotaru CAN still heal her. Nevertheless, I should warn you she will spend the next several days in a comatose state to recuperate. And that my daughter may not thank you at first for saving her instead of letting her die."

"I don't care! I can handle anything she sends my way. Just as long as I don't lose her!"

"Then it'll be as you wish. While time is stopped, the Ginzuishou and Hotaru can work together to heal her. Just do me one favor Senshi Uranus?"

"What is that my queen?" I asked. As no favor, this woman asked of me would be too great. For her and my princess I would do anything. For example, although I would hate doing it, if either the princess or the queen ordered me to walk into a bank and commit the crime of mass murder, I would do so, trusting that the deaths would be serving a greater purpose. That their sacrifice would help the billions of people on this planet continue to live. I must have spoke that particular thought out-loud for my queen laughed softly and said.

"I don't and will never require you to do that Senshi Uranus. Just tell my daughter that I love her. And that the wish she made after the fight with Galaxia was granted."

"May I ask what that was? She never said."

"Her wish was a far reaching one. It actually reached to the very edges of the universe. She wished that any and all who'd even remotely been touched by Chaos and all the evil his existence spawned be healed and restored."

"Are you saying what I think you are?"

"Yes Senshi Uranus. All of your kingdoms and mine exist again and are thriving once more. My senshi and I are flesh once again. Even Beryl has been restored to her rightful position. That being. Sailor Earth. The senshi queen of The Golden Dream Kingdom of Elision. With her restored, there will no longer be a need for the great sleep. The Earth will be able to heal itself, now that she is back on the throne. The brief of all this is very simple really. While me and my senshi/your mothers, continue to watch over and protect this system from above. You are to continue your duties here on Earth. We just ask that you visit home often."

"Don't worry Queen Serenity we will."

It was as I blinked tear filled green eyes that were rapidly drying. That I realized my queens' short visit had served another purpose. That purpose being to keep me distracted. So that I would not see my adopted daughter dig so deeply into the well of her healing powers that she passed out and slipped into a coma. However, my princess still was not moving. Still would not respond to my cries. Bringing on a fresh round of tears for myself.

It was while I stood there holding my princess in my arms, wondering what to do. That the image of her favorite fairy-tale 'Sleeping Beauty' popped into my head. So similar to that tale, while still holding the princess in my arms and lap, uncaring of the rain, I knelt down in the wet grass and brought my lips to hers. How long we stayed that way before she responded to the stimuli not even I could say. I only broke the kiss when I felt her move, felt her body curl further into the shelter of my arms. As my green eyes watched, baby blue eyes flickered open.

When those baby blues flickered open, a groan and words full of emotional pain spilled past her lips. "I wanted to die! Why wouldn't you let me die Haruka?" Those simple words of pain tore at the remaining barriers around my own heart and brought them crumbling down. Uncaring that those assholes could now hear and see everything I told her. "Because you are my light and hope. Without you this world and even my very own existence means nothing to me. I just could not let you go! Because... Because I love you! Faults and all I love you Usagi! My Koneko-chan I love you!"

To prove my words I brought the princess even tighter against me and claimed her lips once more. Only not as gently as the first time. Instinct was warning me to give no quarter this time around. When finally she melted into my embrace and parted her lips. I let my tongue slip in and taste the sweet honey that was Usagi Serenity Tsukino. My joy flashed through the bond quicker than light. Nevertheless, it was when her soul sang back to mine that I discovered a secret. A secret she had kept hidden from even me. The princess loved me as deeply as I loved her. Nevertheless, had kept it hidden out of fear that I would not return her love. Fear that I too, would turn on her for wanting to create a peace that did not involve Crystal Tokyo coming into being.

Knowing spoken words would carry more weight now I broke our kiss. As I stared into those eyes, I let my fingers explore a beloved face. "Koneko-chan. I swear on all that is in me I truly do love you and promise I will never deliberately give you cause to doubt that love. I cannot promise we will never argue because all couples do from time to time. However, I can promise you this. My love for you is strong. And as long as you never turn from me or run, we'll always work things out."

"But Haruka what of the future? What of the peace we've been promised?"

The tiny woman in my arms was beyond amazing. Even though they had betrayed her, and caused the princess to come the width of a hair from death. She was still thinking of them. Of us all really. As my right hand gently cupped her face, I let my thumb trail across her lips. "Do not worry yourself on that score Koneko-chan. Your mother and ours have everything covered there." I then told the princess all her mother had told me. Shock won out over the clouds of pain in the eyes of my princess, as it settled in her mind that not only had her wish reached to the very edges of the universe. It had also done something only a select few of the gods, Sailor Pluto and Sailor Saturn could do. It had crossed even the boundaries of death and time.

A hesitant smile that contained all the hope fast returning to the heart of my princess spread across rose-colored lips. "Haruka! Your mother! Mine! All of our mothers and people have truly returned to us!" An answering smile spread across my own lips. "Yes Koneko-chan they have. And all that they ask is that we visit home often." Then before I could lose my nerve, I spoke the words I had been aching to say since the day I realized I loved this girl. "Usagi I love you with all that's in me. Leave your parents home and come live in mine. Be my life's partner in all ways. Both on and off the field of battle. I guess what I am saying is. Usagi I love you. Will you marry me?"

I had not needed to hear her words as her answer had sung through our senshi bond. Of-course the lip-lock she planted on me helped too. A kiss that was interrupted by the much hated, at-least by me, Prince of Earth. It was when he dropped the fake concerned act and started shouting that I realized a certain pink haired brat had faded from existence. Moreover, none too soon in my opinion. If the little monster had said one more wrong thing in my presence. I would have strung her up in the nearest tree with her own intestines. "Usagi you selfish moronic bitch! How dare you consign my daughter to death! How dare you take up with her and her disgusting ways! When I am your prince! I'll teach you to grow up and to not be so selfish!"

Then before the hand he had raised could lower and strike my love, not that I would have let it land anyway. A golden rose cut across his palm and exploded in a flash of light. A flash of light that had we not been senshi, would have blinded us. There before our eyes was Pegasus; and sitting astride his snow colored back was his one and only true mistress, Beryl. In all her restored glory as the Senshi Queen of Earth. Her earth toned fuku a near perfect copy of Galaxia's golden one, minus that butt-ugly headdress. "Stay your hand Chiba Mamoru for you know nothing of what you speak! Not once has Usagi ever truly been selfish! She had and still has the power to kill me. Yet she saved me. Just as she has saved the lot of you many times, and at great cost to herself. Does that sound like someone who is selfish! She knew if she killed me. That just like that fictional Krypton; the Earth itself would have self-destructed taking half this solar system with it!"

Then with just the flick of a wrist, Beryl called the henshin items of the inners and the knight to her hand. "By orders of the gods and goddesses each of you represent I am confiscating these until you've learned some very valuable lessons in respect!" I must say Beryl surprised even me when she slid from the back of Pegasus and delivered a teeth-rattling slap to her step-sons face. "Pegasus deliver my son to Demeter for his lessons!" When Pegasus and the ass-wipe vanished from sight. Beryl; henshin items in hand. Raised her hands skyward as if beseeching the gods themselves for aid. Which as it turned out that is exactly what she had done.

"Zeus, Ares, Hermes, and Aphrodite! Claim your traitorous representatives and begin their lessons!" Between one blink and the next, henshin items, inners and even Beryl had vanished from sight. It was after standing and helping the princess to her own feet that I noticed Setsuna and Hotaru were nowhere in sight. "Michi where are Sets and Hotaru?" She replied. "Setsuna took her to Queen Serenity so she could care for Hotaru over the next few days. She said to tell you she would meet us at the Tsukino's house."

We had surprisingly very little trouble getting the things my princess wanted to keep from her parents' house. I think it helped that Setsuna had broken yet another taboo. The one about not revealing ourselves to civilians. Not many argued with Sailor Pluto. Her angry blood red eyes, stance and the sight of her Time key was just daring them to speak out of turn. I have to wonder what they said to piss her off. As truly, pissing her off is next to impossible. They even willingly signed some emancipation papers Pluto had produced so Usagi and I could marry right away if we chose too.

"Hime, I've already placed several boxes in your room. Show Haruka and Michiru what you want to take with you. They can pack it up while you shower and change. After-all you don't want to go shopping in blood spattered clothes." There was a mixture of sadness and fear in the eyes of my princess as she looked around her room. Both of which was understandable as she had spent the last sixteen years in this room.

"Haruka did you mean it? What you said in the car about taking me shopping for all new things."

"I sure did Koneko."

"Then after I shower lets go. Except for the things on the top two shelves of my closet and my computer there's nothing here I want or need."

I could understand why my princess wanted only the things in the closet as she had purchased that herself. She'd put them up high and out of sight to keep the spore from stealing or breaking them. As she had been wont to do, just to hurt the princess from time to time. Hell even the snow globe containing a tiny crystal replica of The Moon Kingdom, I had commissioned and had given to the princess for Christmas. Had fell victim to that demented brat. The computer I could understand too. Usagi had been saving her allowance to buy herself a new dress. However, when she had seen the computer in a yard sale for only 50 dollars she had snatched it up. The only thing wrong with it was that it had needed a new keyboard. As I have a bad habit of tossing my keyboards across the room when I get frustrated, I buy the suckers in bulk. Therefore, it had been no trouble to give her one of my spares. The way her eyes had lit up when I handed it to her a person would think I had given her the Hope Diamond. When all I had given her was a twenty-dollar generic brand keyboard. Usagi had even wound up the new dress she had been saving for. As Michi had accidentally-on-purpose, bought the exact same dress in the wrong size.

It was as Michi and I worked to pack up Usagi's things that Setsuna finally joined us. "They are contained for now." Knowing Setsuna I probably did not want the details. However, Michi was another story. "We don't want details Setsuna. But I would personally like to know how you've been getting away with breaking the rules right and left today." A rare smirk touched the mysterious woman's lips. "My dear father, bless him. Knows when it comes to the well being of our princess. I will take any liberties I see fit with my power." Did I forget to mention somewhere in this tale that Setsuna not only draws her power from Chronos but is his daughter as well.

I did not realize it until I had packed away the last crystal figurine. However, every item I had just packed, had a reference to an outer kingdom or the moon hidden in its' design. What was even weirder was that each piece seemed almost like a 3D puzzle piece. It was when I placed the lid on the box I noticed Setsuna had opened a couple dresser drawers and was hurriedly packing up notebooks, drawing pads, colored pencils, music CD's and the like. "Setsuna she didn't ask for any of that stuff." She replied. "I know Haruka but you and Michiru should look at it later. You might find it very interesting."

I did not argue with Setsuna, as she was probably right. The shopping trip itself proved eye opening. I had been in the former home of my princess several times and had seen the fancy clothes, electronics and other things that had been Shingo's and Chibi-brats for the asking. But at-least Shingo had actually earned his things, by doing the chores for the elderly of his neighborhood that they could no-longer do for themselves. However, the few things like that Usagi had. She had been made to earn on a below poverty level budget. Good grief, ten dollars a week allowance for doing ninety percent of the household chores, is not only demeaning, it's cruel. Yep I learned very quickly to pluck the price tag off an outfit she really liked. Because I knew if she saw it. She would try to find something less expensive.

After we got the majority of her wardrobe replaced, we took a break in the malls food court. I am relieved to say Usagi's stomach would not let her argue with me about the money I spent there. Not that I had spent terribly much the entire day anyway. Between her clothes, the food and our engagement/wedding ring sets. I had only spent a little over nine thousand dollars. That paltry amount is pocket change for me. The princess was exhausted and sound asleep when we finally made it home at six this evening. She did not even wake up when I laid her on what would now be our bed, and took off her shoes after carrying her into the house.

Haruka saved what she had been writing then closed the journal program she had been using on her laptop, when Setsuna called for her to sit on the sofa. So Haruka could look at some of the things she had packed. After quickly leafing through a drawing pad full of pictures with thought bubbles and words, Haruka let out a long slow whistle.

"Dear lord Sets these are good. Given half a chance she'd make a mint as a manga writer and illustrator."

"I know. Which is why I am going to see to it that this makes it into the right hands? Hell it just might get picked up by Ani-pike and turned into an animated TV series."

The rest of the drawing pads contained more of the same. In-fact they all tied into the first one. Usagi had created an entire series from its' first to final episode. It was about a demon hunter named Dante, which was half demon himself.

"What did she title these Sets?"

"Devil May Cry. You know forget manga. I'm going to take this directly to Ani-pikes producers."

Michiru tossed the notebook she had been looking through into Harukas' lap. "She even wrote music to go with it. The music she wrote to go with the episode she named 'The Rock Queen' is off the hook!" Haruka could not help but laugh. It was not often the classy violinist let teen lingo spill past her lips. After looking through the note book for herself Haruka took a music CD from the box. Holding it up she said. "I can't believe I'm saying this. However, the only people I know of who can do this music justice is these three. Now how do we go about getting them back here?" Haruka wondered about Setsuna's sanity when she giggled like a child, instead of acting like the 10 thousand and more that she was.

"Queen Serenity already took care of that too. They'll be here tomorrow."

"Did she tell them why we needed them back here?"

"Ah... No."

Haruka took off her reading glasses and tossed them onto the coffee table before transforming. "I'm going there now to talk to them. They need to know before they get here." Haruka/Uranus could admit she had made mistakes in life and as a senshi. However, teleporting into the main section of Kinmokusei Palace, without announcing herself first and asking for an audience. WOULD, top the list of bone-headed moves. Luckily, for her the three people she had come to see were part of the group of about a dozen Starlights that surrounded her. Of-course that is not counting the six Starlights it had taken to tackle Uranus to her knees. When she started to run through the palace, screaming for Seiya and her band. Star Fighter had to laugh though when one of the six got her nose broken badly enough by Uranus that she would need corrective surgery.

In an attempt to get a firmer hold on one of the wind senshi arms, the woman had shifted her weight and accidentally stepped on a wing. Bringing a yowl of pain from Haruka heard even outside of the palace. Reacting on pain filled instinct alone Uranus had freed herself and had taken out the offending starlight between one blink and the next, growling. "Watch where you put your feet bitch, you damn near broke my fucking wings!"

When Uranus fully stood. The purple eyes of Star Maker narrowed angrily as they took in Haruka's' new form. "I've studied everything we have on the Moon Kingdom Uranus. Therefore, I know damn good and well what it takes you to reach this form. What the FUCK has happened to your princess!" That one made Star Healers eyes go wide. As Star Maker had never used the 'F' word before. Uranus replied. "If there's some place we could talk privately, I'd be more than happy to explain Star Maker."

Star Maker and company led her to the in-palace apartment the three of them shared. The living room itself was filled with carefully tended flowers whose scent did much to sooth Haruka's' frayed emotions. It also did not escape her notice that it only had one bedroom. To further relax the Wind Senshi and put a smile on her serious face Star Fighter made a comment about her ring. "Does that ring on your left hand mean you finally got your head out of your ass and told Usagi how you really felt about her?"

Taking the seat Star Healer indicated Haruka looked at the ring on her hand and replied. "Yes. But I was almost too late." Haruka then told them everything. Not bothering to hide the fact not even she had known just how bad things were until it was almost too late. The pencil Star Maker had been twirling through her fingers as she listened was snapped in two. "I knew it! I knew that soft heart of hers would get her into some majorly deep shit one of these days. However, I also expected something like this would happen with them eventually. They were always hot to defend her to us. Yet whenever they thought we were not there or looking. They were on her like a starving pack of wolves on a three legged cat!"

After downing, the double shot of brandy she had poured herself. Star Healer said. "Haruka you know me well enough to know I don't say please to anyone. Not even Seiya and Taiki. Nevertheless, I am saying please do not be upset or pissed by what I am going to say. You said Hotaru passed out and slipped into a coma, before she could erase the resulting scars themselves. Well I can finish the healing erasing the scars. However, honestly, I do not think I should. I completely understand things had reached a point Usagi felt she had no other options. No other way out. However, suicide is never the answer. It is not only stupid and selfish. It is cowardly. I think she needs to see those scars everyday for the rest of her days as a reminder of those facts."

Haruka sighed. "You're right of-course Healer. Removing the scars would be like a reward for something good when just the opposite was true." Uranus then turned her head. "You've been awfully quiet over there Fighter." Star Fighter pushed away from the wall she had been leaning against. "Just planning which one to start with first on my beat the shit out of them list." Uranus' lips quirked up into a half smirk. "Sorry Fighter but you're shit out of luck there. The gods they represent and their true mothers have already beaten you to them. Personally, I would not want to be Rei right now. Ares and Queen Belladonna can be merciless when they are truly pissed off. Ares especially so as he is the God of War." Uranus stood. "I better get going; she'll be waking up soon. I just wanted to prepare you guys for the situation you'll be walking into and invite you to share a room at my place until you find one of your own."

Star Maker quirked an eyebrow. "And just what makes you think we'll only need one bedroom?" Uranus rolled her eyes. "I may be a blonde but I'm not a complete idiot. Despite what happened downstairs. One bedroom in this apartment. One big bed. It would not take a genius to figure out you people are in a three way relationship. Just one question though. Your male forms. Are they full out physical transformations? Or merely optical illusions like what Usagi can create with her disguise pen?"

"Optical illusions for Seiya and Yaten, real for me. Why?"

"No reason just curious. Well, we'll see you guys in the morning." Star Maker was quiet for a couple minutes after Uranus left. Then she said. "Fighter, Healer, finish packing right away. We are going now. Uranus had a reason for asking that last question. If we surprise her by showing up early we might get the truth."