PAIRINGS:

TAIKI/SEIYA/YATEN

HARUKA/USAGI

REI/HOTARU

TRANSLATIONS:

Koneko - kitten

Dolce chibi onna no kaze - sweet little girl of the wind

I will not bother writing the usual disclaimer, as we all know Sailor Moon is not mine. Just this story is. I hope you all like it. In addition, please forgive grammar errors.

Loving Eyes

How many times now? How many times had Star Healer seen that stoic pose of the wind senshi after a hard battle? Too many to count in this life, that was for sure. Unlike the tall blonde-haired woman, she remembered the Silver Millennium. The taller woman's attitude had not changed much, that was true, but what was equally true was that she had smiled more often then. The reason for both things could be found in a certain princess. Haruka loved the girl just as much now as she did then. Star Healer could feel it, even if Haruka did not show it, or admit it to herself. During the Silver Millennium, her duties as the moon princess had kept Usagi on the outer planets more than her own patron moon, which had allowed both girls to be free with their emotions during those times.

Star Healer remembered accidentally walking in on her cousin and the Moon Princess once while they had been making love. Both of them had been so afraid she would tell the queen. However, Star Healer had promised as long as they continued to make each other happy she would not say a word. However, what none of them had counted on was Michiru from a different vantage point seeing the same, then going to the queen. It was not but a week after that, that Queen Serenity forced her daughter to marry the Earth Prince known as Endymion. From then on Haruka had become the hard-nosed unforgiving warrior that she was now. Even with herself, she tolerated no deviance from the status quo. Healer knew if she could arrange a situation where the two could be very alone for a few days that instinct would come into play. That eventually they would hold each other, maybe even kiss. Then nothing would be able to stop their memories and Haruka's love breaking free once again. Luna had been able to tell Healer that much. However, Healer was at a loss as how to go about it. Even though Mamoru had gone back to America months ago, and Michiru had gone on a European tour and was not due back for a couple months yet. The inners were always with her.

Seiya too had been studying Haruka's posture just as the shorter of her two lovers had been. However, her placement had allowed her too see something no one else could. Something was wrong with Haruka's eyes. They were blank and unfocused as if she could not see. That is when a memory from the battle popped into Seiya's head. The youma had expelled some vile green goop in Sailor Moons direction. Uranus had jumped in front of her to take a full frontal attack to protect her princess. Seiya remembered some of it actually hitting the wind senshi's face.

"Damn!" Seiya then jogged over to where the inners were leading Usagi away.

Skillfully she disengaged Rei's hand from Usagi's arm, saying. "Hey guys we need to borrow Usagi for a week or two. Taiki sprained her wrist bad in the fight. So we need Usagi to stand in for her in the group until Taiki can play her keyboard again." Since it was not the first time Usagi had helped the group out in such a manner, they bought Seiya's lie and left Usagi in her care.

Once they were out of earshot Seiya lowered her voice to a whisper while gesturing to where Haruka still stood unmoving. "Odango, when she took that attack for you some of that goop got in her eyes. She is blind. Drive her home, and no matter what, don't leave her side until she proves she can see again." Usagi heard the hidden message of the girl who had once been her sister in the far past. However, she did not know it. 'Now is your chance.' Usagi had confessed to Seiya long ago that she loved Haruka, not Mamoru. Haruka had been about to swallow her pride and ask for one of the starlights help, when a small hand wrapped around her arm. The soft voice of her princess sounded. "Come Haruka, I'll take you home."

Haruka groaned inwardly. She trusted Usagi with her car, she truly did. As she had been the one to teach the princess to drive. When her parents had refused to allow her to take the driving course the high school offered. However, it was not the car; she had brought to town this morning. Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Koneko, I brought the bike to town, not the car." Though the wind senshi could not see more than light and shadow, she still heard the amusement in her friend's voice. "Well then, I guess it is a good thing Taiki taught me how to operate a motorcycle." Haruka was a bit shocked. When they got to where she had left the bike without incident she said. "You mean to tell me she let some-one other than herself near her baby." Usagi laughed while handing Haruka her helmet. "She sure did."

After they got on and she started the bike Usagi continued. "I'm going to take you to your country house, since I imagine you'll feel safer there okay. The less who know about your eyes for now the better." Haruka agreed as there were so many ways she could hurt herself if she tried to stay at the mansion. The four bedroom country house was perfect, no stairs to fall down. However, there was still a problem. "That's fine Koneko, but there are no groceries, you will have to bring my sedan into town and get some." Usagi shouted over the roar of the engine. "No, I don't want to risk the inners seeing me and following. That house is your sanctuary, I do not want them knowing where it is. When we get there I'll call Seiya and the others and have the food brought to us."

During the hour-long drive, Haruka thought about many different things. Mostly to distract her from the fear that what happened to her sight might very well be permanent. How would she be able to function in her chosen career, much less as a senshi if she could not see? Haruka knew they were nearing the turn-off to her drive when she smelt the pine trees. She wondered what was going on though when Usagi stopped the bike at about half way up the mile long drive. "What is it Koneko?" Usagi replied. "There is a purple truck in the drive and your garage door is open. Do we need to hide out at the mansion after all?" Already feeling freer because of being away from the city the older girl chuckled. "No Kitten-chan. Taylor-sama lives on the farm about four miles over. He comes by once a week to keep the place cleaned up for me. He is in his seventies and a great person. Sometimes his mind is stuck in the past though, so do not be too shocked if he calls me Amara. It was my grandmothers' name. I think he may have been sweet on her when they were kids."

"Is it Alzheimer's?" The wind senshi replied. "Yes but in its very early stages. I know it is wrong to say this but I cannot help it. It is just how I feel. Ever since I found out, I have been praying Kami takes him in his sleep. Before it gets so bad, he has to be put in a nursing home. It is not a dignified way for anyone to go. Especially a former soldier such as him." They had just pulled into the garage and gotten off the bike when the elderly man brought an empty mop bucket and the mop out and put them away. He knew something was seriously wrong when the elder of the two girls would not lift her head and kept her hand on the bike as she walked around it.

"Haruka Eloise Tenou, lift your damn head and let me see your face now!" Haruka winced. She had kept her middle name a closely guarded secret. Even from Michiru. However, she had also learned early on as a child, that if her full given name came from this mans mouth, she had damn well better do what she was told. Jonathan Taylor had always thought of her as one of his own, and had never been above taking a switch to her backside if he believed she truly deserved it. Therefore, per his instructions, she looked up in the direction his voice came from. Showing a face that looked slightly sun burnt and blistered, with swollen eyes. Leaving Usagi to follow behind them he took Haruka's arm and guided her to a chair in the kitchen.

Running arthritic fingers through short sand colored hair he said. "Well, it looks like you're going to be here for a while this time. It is supposed to storm later so I am going to show your friend here how to get the genny going if the power goes out. Then when I get home, I will send Mike over with some salve for your face and some special eyewash for your eyes. Now how bad is it?" Haruka replied. "Light and shadow but that's about all." Softly stroking the strawberry birthmark on her left wrist with his thumb, he said. "That is good. That means there is hope. So don't give up child." Haruka smiled. "Taylor-sama I am a grown woman not a child." The man who was of Asian/Italian extraction kissed the top of her head. "You will always be my dolce chibi onna no kaze."

When she heard the screen door close behind the two, Haruka relaxed the nonchalant facade she had put up. Now with no one to see, her deep-seated fear showed clearly on her face. Only for a minute or two, before her stubbornness and personal resolve took back over. Standing and keeping a hand on something at all times, she carefully navigated the shadows that was her home. After reaching her room safely, Haruka was thankful; she was a bit anal-retentive about things being kept in place. Because that made it easy to grab a pair of panties from the dresser, and her favorite robe from the closet. Since it was already late in the afternoon, she did not see the sense in completely dressing again, when she would only have to undress again for bed in a few hours.

As she stepped under the luke-warm spray of the shower and began to lather her hair, Haruka idly wondered what Usagi would think of her home, as it was the first time she had actually been in the house, and the clothes she chose to wear while here. Haruka laughed sardonically. The moon princess would highly approve of the long cotton peasant skirts and tank tops. Where as Michiru, never would. Not even in the privacy of the mansion, had Haruka been allowed to dress like the woman she was. The thought of the ocean senshi soured her mood somewhat. The damn woman did not have a faithful bone in her body.

In the beginning, Haruka had loved the ocean senshi so deeply that she had not had a problem with giving in to her demands that Haruka dress as a man and act like one when they were in public together. However, over time Michi's constant demands and constantly catching the woman in the act of cheating had eaten away at their relationship. It had been over six months since they had last shared a night of passion and even longer since, they had shared a room and bed. Now when certain urges hit her Haruka took care of the problem herself with her own damn hand, as she did not want to risk catching something from Michi that Ajax could not scrub off. In addition, with as much as Michi liked to sleep around, catching a venereal disease would have been inevitable.

However, here lately over the past week or so Haruka had an insane feeling she had not spent the night completely alone. Every morning she had woken up with her lips swollen and tingling as if she had been kissed during the night and her arms and body would be warm as if she had spent the night holding some one while they slept. The only clues that it had happened and proved she was not really going insane was the dent in the pillow next to hers and the scent of lavender blossoms that had been left behind.

It was about an hour and a half later that Yaten showed up with several bags of groceries and some of her own clothes for Usagi. Although the seventeen-year-old girl had her own small three-bedroom house now, thanks to a trust fund from a grandmother. Yaten had not wanted to risk going to Usagi's place. It was not until bedtime Usagi noticed Yaten had forgotten to bring her something to sleep in. The golden haired girl shrugged her shoulders in an oh well gesture. It would not be the first time she had slept in just her panties.

Haruka was not sure how long she had been asleep when the unmistakable sound of a power transformer blowing from a lightning strike woke her. After running, a quick mental check of the food stuffs Yaten had brought them, Haruka decided what they had would not be hurt if they waited to morning to start the genny. Haruka was about to let herself slide back into sleep without waking the princess, when she heard a whimper and muffled scream from across the hall. The senshi of wind cursed herself for forgetting the Moon Princess was deeply afraid of storms.

Propping herself up on one elbow, Haruka tossed back her blanket in invitation and yelling, "Yo, Koneko-chan. Why don't you sleep with me until the storm is over?" The Moon Princess did not have to be told twice. Seconds later Haruka found her arms full of a frightened princess, which was clinging to her as if the older girl was her last lifeline to sanity. As she was busy soothing the frightened princess, it took a full five minutes for Haruka's conscious mind to register, what her body, subconscious and olfactory senses were telling her. Usagi had been her late night visitor.

Not stopping the soothing movements of her hand on Usagi's back, Haruka asked. "Even if you are afraid I won't like the answer, be honest with me Koneko. Why, why have you been sneaking into my house and bed?" Usagi's honor as the last surviving Lunarian demanded she hold nothing back. "Because once, just once, even if it was for only a night or a few. I wanted to sleep next to someone of my choosing. Kiss someone of my choosing, not who destiny had chosen for me." Haruka knew how the others tormented the smaller girl, especially Mamoru and Rei. So even though she was both honored and humbled, that the princess trusted her enough to experiment with, she was angry that the girls self confidence was so low she had been afraid to outright ask if they could share a bed, even if it was only for a night or two.

Haruka had felt a sexual attraction for the petite young woman from day one and had never acted on it. Even though she was now in a situation where she was free to act on those impulses, she still needed to know a few things. "How long have you been curious Kitten? Maybe not about me but about girls in general. You are so beautiful you could have anyone, so why choose me at all?" Usagi sighed. "I am not just curious, I am gay Haruka, and I have known since I was twelve. I chose you because I have always cared about you, a lot more than I should."

"What are you really saying Koneko-chan?" Usagi lifted her hand to let her fingertips touch soft yet firm lips. "I am saying I love you Haruka. I have loved you from day one and always will. So please, even if it is only this one time. Will you give me the love and passion I need, before I am forced to embrace a destiny and man I don't want?" The hole that had been left in Haruka's heart and soul because of the ocean senshi's constant betrayals was suddenly filled with warmth, light, and maybe even hope. Grasping the small hand Haruka kissed her palm before placing said hand against her chest over her heart.

"I am not saying no Kitten. I will give you what you want. However, I do want to wait just a little while. I want you to first get to know the me I am here, that is the real me. Nevertheless, I want us to wait for another reason too. I want my eyes to be, as they should before we make love. I want to be able to see, not just hear your reaction to everything I do to you. I want to be able to watch you lose your ever-loving mind as you fall apart beneath me in climax. I want to be able to watch you fall asleep from the exhaustion of it. Grant me those boons princess, and you will have what you want." Usagi was suddenly uncaring of the storm raging outside the house. She was right where she had longed to be for the past four years. Wrapping her arms around the older woman's waist, and snuggling ever closer, Usagi gently kissed the pulse point on the other girl's throat. "Princess of the Winds, I grant you your boons." Moments later, both girls slipped back into sleep.

From that night onward, the two girls shared the same room and bed. Over the next several days, they grew to know each other better than even their own families knew them. Not that Haruka had any family left except for that bastard father of hers, who had been over seas in Italy for the past eight years. Taylor-sama had finished raising her after her father had taken off. They connected on so many levels it surprised even them. They knew what made each other cry tears of joy, and what made them scream in fear. They could feel a soul bond forming, and both knew, once they made love, there would be no going back. That the future would be forever changed. Not that Usagi minded that last part much, as she did not want to deal with bedding Mamoru and birthing a certain spoilt brat.

Each new day had also brought improvement to Haruka's eyesight. With each new day, the shadows had taken on distinct shapes. They had been there a little over a week when Haruka had woken up to find some color had been added to the dark blurry world she had lived in for the past week. They both figured in about another week, her eyes would be completely normal again. After supper had been eaten and the dishes cleared away. They decided to celebrate the newest development by having a glass of Champaign.

However, instead of retiring to the sofa they took the single flute of Champaign to their room. In reverence of the peace that had settled upon the land as nature went to sleep for a few hours. Their voices were kept low and soft as they talked and cuddled close. "So Koneko-chan, how do you like my home?" Laying her head against a bare shoulder the Tsuki no Hime replied. "It's so beautiful here Haruka, so peaceful. I wish we could stay here forever." Haruka sat the half-empty flute on the nightstand before reaching under her pillow to retrieve the small jeweler's box she had secreted under there when Yaten had brought it to her this morning.

Placing the box in Usagi's palm and closing her fingers over it Haruka said softly. "If that is what you truly want Usagi, we can make this place OUR home. Not mine, but ours. All you have to do is say yes." Carefully Usagi opened the small box. The contents had her holding her breath for a moment. The very simplicity of the matching gold bands is what made them beautiful. Without the taller woman having to speak a single word, the Moon princess knew what was being asked of her. Though gay marriages were not legal in Japan, Haruka was still asking if Usagi would be her mate, her partner in life and all that goes with that life. Haruka heard the unspoken yes in Usagi's soft gasp and the whispered, "Oh Haruka." Taking Usagi's ring from the box Haruka lifted her left hand and slid it onto the proper finger. "Together." Usagi completed their private ceremony by doing the same for her love and whispering, "Forever." That night both young women fell asleep with a knowledge that they felt in their hearts. They were now headed towards a future actually worth fighting for. Of-course, the sleep came AFTER Haruka had gently coaxed Usagi into and through making love to her. One so she could achieve the true sexual release her body had been craving for months. However, mostly and more importantly, so Usagi would know what to expect to be on the receiving end of when Haruka made love to her for the first time. Once her eyes were fully healed that is. She did not want her petite lover frightened by anything.

After breakfast, the next day the new couple discussed if they should keep the country house as their private retreat or move into it on a permanent basis. Keep the mansion or have Haruka move into her place while they looked for a place together. Usagi walked around the table and sat in her tall loves lap. "As much as I would like us to be here all the time Haruka. I do agree that because of starting college this fall it would be easier on me if we stayed in the city and came here on the weekends."

Haruka kissed her loves shoulder. "Now, what about the rest of it. Would you mind terribly much if I dumped the mansion in Michiru's lap and came to your place? I have never really liked it myself. But she always liked it for the status symbol that it was." Usagi giggled and gave out a fake sigh of relief. "I'm glad you said that and I didn't. I hate it too. It always made me feel like I was in a museum and that if I breathed wrong I would break something." Haruka smacked her loves bottom. "Then woman we better get dressed and head back into town, we have a lot to get done before nightfall. First of which is to get the stuff out of there I want to keep. Once I deed it over to the bitch, it won't be legal for me to be there." After telling her love what size of moving van she would expect to need, Haruka asked Usagi to call the starlights and tell them to meet them at the mansion in two hours with said van.

Their first stop when they reached town was the bank. That way Haruka could in one stop cancel any credit cards in both hers and Michiru's name before opening new accounts and placing Usagi's name on them. In addition, their joint savings and checking. However, those Haruka only removed the money that was strictly hers and had her name taken off the accounts. Before once again opening new ones and having, Usagi's name placed on them as well. Then they went to the utility companies and had Harukas name removed from those accounts as well. Haruka was not so mean as to have the utilities shut off. Just take her name off them. Things were going so smoothly that Usagi just new that a glitch or two would eventually pop up. The first one came when they got to the mansion and found the starlights already inside and dismantling Haruka's piano for transport. It took a supreme effort for Haruka to calm herself. Only partially calmed she growled before heading upstairs, "Scratch it and you all will die."

After everything, Haruka wanted to keep was loaded into boxes and placed in the living room, Haruka called the realtor. Giving verbal clearance, for Usagi to come in sign Haruka's name to any necessary paper work that needed to be signed, for the mansion to be moved into Michiru's name. The second and major glitch Taiki handled herself so Haruka would not have to. The last of Haruka's things had been loaded into the van and she and Yaten were going to follow Haruka and Seiya with Haruka's convertible to Usagi's place. When a taxi pulled into the drive and out stepped an aqua haired woman.

Michiru had ended her tour early because her latest boy toy had dumped her. She had come home intending to beg Haruka's forgiveness for once again cheating. However, what she found had her so floored she could not even form a word. Taiki waved at Seiya and the blonde-haired woman to let them know she would handle the situation. That they should go on and that she and Yaten would follow in a minute. When Michi collected her wits, she started to step forward only to be stopped by Taiki's fierce grip on her upper arm. Snarling dangerously soft and low she said. "Don't even think about it."

"She has had enough of your shit. She has found someone who loves her, for her. Someone who loves her enough to let her be free to be the real her. Not the person you wanted the public to think she was. Therefore, I am warning you now. If it does not involve senshi business, or your obligations as musicians, do not even think of bothering her and her life-mate. Because if you do, I promise you, the three of us will make what Galaxia done to you personally, look like a picnic in heaven." Anger, frustration and regret had Michiru visibly shaking and starting to tear up. "You mentioned senshi business, which means her new lover is a senshi. Who is it, who stole my Ruka from me?" Taiki's growl was filled with all her anger. "You whorish bitch, Usagi didn't steal a thing from you. You drove Haruka away with your own actions. Oh and do not even think about warning another former lover of yours, Mamoru I do believe it was, about what has happened. Because he has already been warned about how he is expected to act now around them. By Usagi herself." Taiki did not bother to tell the woman that Mamoru had actually been happy for Usagi. As it seemed he had always only thought of her as a sister.

Michiru managed to look smug. "What about what Pluto thinks of all this. Moreover, what about Hotaru? Is Haruka just going to abandon her?" Taiki barked with laughter. "You really don't know do you?" When the ocean senshi shook her head, Yaten filled her in. "Hotaru is Haruka's child and hers alone. Haruka kept your name off the adoption papers. Hotaru stayed with us all this week. Nevertheless, right about now, she should be in the middle of arranging her new room at Usagi's to suit herself. As for Pluto, who do you think packed up Hotaru's things? Congratulations Kaiou-san. Because you wanted to lie on your back, and spread your legs for anything that walked, instead of devoting your love and body to only one person. You have lost the one good thing that makes life worth living." Getting into the passenger seat Yaten slammed the convertibles door. "Drive Taiki, if we don't get this car to Haruka in the next thirty minutes. Haruka will pitch a hissy fit." They pulled out of the drive leaving Michiru behind, too impotent to stop the events her own actions had set in motion. Lifting her head to the sky, she looked to where the moon would be if it were night instead of day. Michiru said, "I will still serve you faithfully as a senshi princess, my pride as a senshi demands it of me, but don't expect me to be yours or her friend ever again." Michiru then went into the mansion to try to figure out how to live her life without Haruka.

At the house, Hotaru was literally vibrating with excitement when first Usagi pulled up on the motorcycle and Seiya with Haruka backed the van into the drive. Letting the drapes drop back into place she turned to the four inner guardians. "They're here. Now remember guys go easy with teasing her, she's going to be scared enough as it is when she sees you." The raven-haired girl known as Rei rolled her eyes. "Geez Taru you act like we're mad at her for this. When the truth is we have known this was going to happen from day one. We're just surprised it took this long for them to act on their feelings." Lita laughed a bit. "Of course Hotaru-chan you will be in a world of hurt if Haruka ever figures out you're the one who not only let that bugger out of the Negaverse, but redirected its attack to her face." The senshi of ice shrugged her shoulders and answered for her friend. "In four years they hadn't taken their heads out asses and admitted their feelings. Drastic measures were called for." Minako herself giggled. "Of-course if they ever find out about any of this, they will probably only be thanking Lita. Since she knocked out that power transformer. However, I am wondering why Haruka hasn't used the healing power of our transformations to fix her eyes?"

Unfortunately, for Hotaru, yet fortunately for Usagi's nerves, a window had been left open, and those out on the lawn had heard everything. Usagi knew her friends were accepting of her relationship, Hotaru however, was about to find herself in some serious trouble. Slipping into the garage undetected the wind senshi pulled out her henshin stick whispering, "Uranus Crystal Star Power!" Uranus then quietly slipped into the house and living room, sneaking up on five young women who were once again trying to peek out the drapes. "Mercury, Mars, Jupiter and Venus! Get your carcasses outside and start helping with the unloading. You Hotaru however are grounded to your room for the next week and grounded from the arcade and mall for the next month. You could have gotten one of us killed with that stunt!" When they did not immediately move Uranus shouted. "Are you deaf? I said move it!" Laughing Rei quickly kissed Hotaru before running outside. "See you in a month my love." When all five girls scattered as cockroaches running from a flashlight Uranus laughed until her sides ached. Still laughing Haruka let her senshi form slip away and walked outside.

"Hey guys, if you bring in my piano first and reassemble it. Then do the bulk of the unloading while I tune it, I'll spring for the pizzas and soda." Yaten who had a big weakness for pizza said. "If the pizza comes from Kaye's pizza you have got a deal." Yatens mouth was watering just thinking about their cheese pizzas. Just the way some oil still floated on top is what made their cheese pizzas perfect. "Kaye's it is then, now let's get moving guys." It only took about an hour to completely unload the van while Haruka tuned her piano. Though the older woman was wearing a skirt, it did not surprise the girls that Haruka had brought a good deal of her male clothes. Of course, the way they were styled Ami would have called them gender-neutral clothes.

What had all the girls amazed was Haruka's massive collection of blown glass birds. The crowning grace of the collection, gilded gold cage, cage stand and all, was a life size copy of Hedwig the owl from the Harry Potter movies. Carefully hanging the cage on the stand Minako said, "She's beautiful Haruka." Haruka smirked, "How do you that owl is a girl?" Minako laughed. "Only an idiot wouldn't recognize Hedwig." Putting a book onto a bookshelf Ami asked. "What I don't get is how you managed to retain your glass collection. From what you and Usagi have told us Michiru was very controlling." Haruka replied. "It's really very simple. From the start I made sure she understood, that while I was willing to do a great deal to accommodate her. Getting rid of my collection wasn't one of them."

Although it had only taken a little over an hour to unload the van. It had still taken almost three hours to unpack, arrange, and re-arrange to make everything perfect for the two women. Mostly because midway through Haruka had to leave to pick up the pizzas. When she had come out of the bedroom wearing male oriented clothes Usagi told her. "Haruka I told you don't have to dress like a guy if you don't want to." Taking her jacket off the coat rack, she replied. "I know Konecko-chan. However, I do like wearing male clothing. It was just being made to wear it all the time is what was pissing me off." She kissed her loves forehead. "Now behave while I am gone, and no going into the bedroom. I don't want you seeing my surprise until I am ready." She then told the four inner guardians. "Come on girls, you are going with. I am not carrying all those damn pizzas myself."

The inner guardians had known the moment Haruka had ordered them to come along she wanted to talk to them away from the princess. Therefore, it did not surprise them that she did not immediately get out of the car after shutting it off at the pizza parlor. When Haruka gathered her thoughts, she told the girls about Usagi's late night visits to the mansion and her reasons for them. Told them about the things they had talked about while at the country house. Once that was done, she continued. "Girls I finally understand that in teasing her like you did, and going on some of the things said by Mamoru when Usagi called him, That you've been trying a form of reverse psychology with Usagi. That you did all this in an attempt to get her to act on what she truly felt."

"And I will admit my own hard-nosed dedication to the mission did not help matters. I love her, but even I can admit she is not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to things like this. Nor I guess, am I. A more direct approach was needed. Had a more direct approach been used against us, Usagi and I might have gotten together a lot sooner." When the blue haired genius grimaced, Haruka laughed. "Let me guess Ami, you have been telling those miscreants in the backseat for years they've been going about this the wrong way." The flush that stained the cheeks of all the girls was a big flaming yes to Haruka's question. Haruka chuckled, "Thanks girls for trying now let's go in and get those pizzas, before our princess decides her wallpaper looks tasty." None of the girls had to be told twice.

It was ten in the evening when Haruka bid the last of their guests' goodnight and started locking up and shutting out the lights in preparation for bed. Usagi had disappeared into the guest room and bath some thirty minutes ago for her nighttime shower. When the last light had been extinguished the ruler of wind and sky turned and found her beloved silhouetted by a shaft of moonlight. The girls' ethereal beauty had her holding her breath. Usagi's hair had been taken down and brushed til it shown. Her bangs were secured away from her face with hair clips. The virginal white silk and lace nightgown completed the look. Making her look like the goddess from which she drew her power. Gently, almost reverently Haruka took the tiny woman into her arms. One hand going to the small of her back, the other coming up to gently cup the girls face. Gently stroking a delicate cheek with her thumb, the racer murmured. "If I am sleeping, never let me wake. If I am awake never let me sleep." She then lowered her head to claim Usagi's lips for her own.

Without breaking the kiss, Haruka lifted the girl into her arms bridal style and carried her into their room. Only the need for air caused Haruka to lift her head away moments later. She then lowered her loves feet to the floor. While Haruka locked their door and stripped out of her clothes Usagi's eyes traveled around the room. Her bed was gone, secreted away somewhere, replaced by a massive mound of black pillows with a down comforter for covering, creating a perfect foil for the lavender blossom petals sprinkled on them. White taper candles had been lit and placed on every available surface. While piano music played softly on the CD player. With the resources available to her in this time, Haruka had recreated their first time together on Uranus all those years ago.

Slowly one strap at a time Usagi reached up to remove the gowns straps from her shoulders. Letting the gown slide off her body to the floor of its own volition. Stepping out of the pooled silk, she turned and grasped her loves hand. Whispering softly, "Let's go to bed my love." As she followed and lowered her body to cover that of the princess, and feeling soft thighs grip her own hips gently. Haruka knew she would never forget this night for as long as she lived. Moreover, she would live, for a very long time as would all the senshi. For Pluto had let it slip one night when she had had a little too much Sake to drink. This generation of senshi was not just the reincarnation of their past selves. They were also the reincarnation of the very gods that had given their lives over ten thousand years ago to create the senshi in the first place. So yes, as she lowered her head to take hold of her loves lips yet again. Haruka knew she would never forget this night as long as she lived. For it was the night she had first looked into loving eyes.

THE END

A small note if I may. Kaye's Pizza is a real place. You can probably Google it. They make the best damn cheese pizzas ever. Just the way some oil from the cheese floats on top, damn it's like an orgy in your mouth. It's heaven.