This chapter wraps the story up.  Extravagant thanks to Masked Maiden 
and my dear Lost One, for their never ending willingness to read my 
amazingly long run on sentences (like this one). I'd be most grateful 
if you would write to me.  All comments, critiques and commitment 
papers may be sent to me at Mearari@aol.com – and remember to be kind, 
please.  The good you do comes back to you, but bad karma is forever!

Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Sailor Moon and the attendant 
characters.  Nor do I have the licensed right to them in North 
America.  But happily, neither does DIC anymore!   


********************



"Blessed Event"
Chapter Three – Bundle of Joy

By Meara


*********************



While Mamoru was nervous about leaving Usagi all alone, having 
someone glued to her every move was going to make the Queen of Earth 
and the Moon a basket case in short order.  So when Mamoru pleaded 
with Ami to keep an eye on his gravid wife, she readily agreed.  As 
soon as he was out the door, Usagi sighed then mumbled that she was 
going to go and sit down for a few minutes.  Ami merely smiled at 
her, confident that her dearest friend was more than capable of 
asking for help if she really needed it.  So Sailor Mercury sat down 
in a large, comfy looking chair and set to work on something she'd 
ignored for far too long.  Reaching into her large black medical bag, 
she produced a tattered copy of "Hound of the Baskervilles" (by Sir 
Arthur Conan Doyle) and lost herself in 19th century London.

Ami finally looked up from her book at the unmistakable sound of 
rapid footfalls approaching the door.  She had known her friends so 
long and so well, that Ami could recognize who was coming by the way 
they ran.  The short, sharp curse word that came to ears even through 
the door sealed it for her.

"Hello Rei-chan," said Ami as the door opened to reveal the huffing 
Senshi of Fire.  There was a satisfying look of confusion on Rei's 
face.  Ami had to keep her reputation as the resident genius up, 
after all.  

"How?"  Started a breathless Rei

"How did I know it was you?" finished Ami.  "Elementary my dear Mars, 
I simply used my keen powers of observation."

"Which means, please?"

"I looked at the schedule."  Ami laughed gently as she produced the 
dog-eared piece of paper she'd been using as a bookmark.  Mamoru was 
nothing if not obsessively thorough.  To make sure that Usagi 
couldn't have the baby when he wasn't looking, he'd drawn up a 
schedule to make sure she was never really alone.  Ami was going to 
have to explain to the King the difference between a vigilant husband 
and a pain in the butt.

"Where's her pregnant Majesty, anyway?" asked Rei to cover the blush 
that came to her face.  

Sailor Mercury gave a long stretch as her petite form blurred.  Rei 
could have sworn she heard the faint sound of flowing water as Dr. 
Mizuno Ami took the place of the Senshi.  "In the nursery.  Since 
you're here, I'm going to go and check on that ultrasound equipment."  
She closed the book with a sigh and put it back in her bag.  "I guess 
Sherlock Holmes will have to wait until later.  Will you be all right 
here alone with Usagi for a few minutes?"

"Indubitably, my dear Mercury, indubitably." Replied Mars with a 
wink.

Ami gave a liquid chuckle as she headed out the door.  Rei took a 
deep breath, fighting down the nausea that threatened to erupt like a 
volcano.  She spent years learning the art of being a serene Shinto 
Priestess and, damn it, she was going to be calm if it killed her!
Putting on her best game face, she moved to the room that had been 
designated for the nursery.

Rei found Usagi sitting in the rocking chair that Mamoru had gotten 
from a small shop in old London.  Usagi had chosen the room for the 
nursery because of its southeastern exposure.  This meant that it 
would be filled with sunlight for most of the day.  The walls had 
been quickly changed from pastel pink to a more neutral sea green.  
The rocking chair was in one corner, by a large window that over 
looked the gardens.  Rei stopped at the doorway and took a moment to 
look at her best friend.

Usagi's eyes were closed as she slowly rocked back and forth.  She 
held a white, stuffed polar bear in her arms like a baby and softly 
hummed a lullaby.  Moving the bear up onto her shoulder, she nuzzled 
the soft, white creature and sighed.  Rei held her breath, not 
wanting to break into Usagi's private reverie.  And so she watched 
her Queen rock back and forth, back and forth, back and forth….

Usagi's pleasant daydream was interrupted by the sound of Rei's 
distressed voice moaning, "Oh Kami-sama…!" as she tore by Usagi and 
into the nearest bathroom.  The lyric sound of the Senshi of Mars 
throwing up her lunch (and breakfast and last night's dinner from the 
effort she put into it) came to the Queen's delicate ears.  Putting 
the bear down, she hurried to aid her friend.

Rei heard her coming up behind her and waved her back.  "I'm fine," 
she moaned with watering eyes, "just fine!"  Then turned back to 
grasp the commode like a lover, holding it close.  

Usagi ignored her and went to Rei, taking her long, black hair and 
holding it up off the floor and away from her face.  A strange sense 
of deja vu filled her mind.  The picture of Mamo-chan holding her own 
hair away from her face as she had done battle with the foul scourge 
of morning sickness filled her mind.    Filled with a sudden but keen 
grasp of the obvious, Usagi rubbed Rei's back as the Priestess 
attempted to vomit up her toes.

Rei finally finished this round in the never-ending fight with nausea 
(score: Nausea 3 – Rei 0) and gasped for air.  She raised her still 
watering eyes to Usagi who gave a small smile and put a hand to her 
very round belly.  The Queen looked down at her unborn child once 
before raising an eyebrow.

"Rei-chan…?" the question hung in the air.

With a sigh, Rei gave a vigorous nod.  "The stick turned blue!"  She 
moaned.

The Queen of earth got a small wash cloth and ran cool water on it.  
"This is wonderful!  Oh Rei, how long have you known?  Have you made 
an appointment with Ami?  Have you told Yuri-kun, yet?"

"Three days, things have been a little too busy lately to tell Yuri, 
and no not yet."  Replied Rei as she ran the cool cloth over her face 
and neck.

Helping Rei to her feet, Usagi took her into the master bedroom.  She 
sat the still green Senshi of Mars on a small divan that matched her 
complexion then went to her nightstand.  "Well, you tell Yuri-kun 
that I said you two better be married and soon.  No one gets one of 
my best friends pregnant without marrying her and lives to tell the 
tale!"  She fished out a package of saltine crackers and handed them 
to Rei.

Rei took the crackers and began to laugh at Usagi's choice of words.  
It was not so long ago that she'd thought the very same thing about 
Mamoru.  "Oh we will!" she said to cover her laughter.  "We'll set 
the date just as soon as you have the baby.  Please don't offended if 
we don't do the whole western wedding thing – just a nice, simple 
Shinto ceremony."

Usagi sat down beside her friend, careful not to bounce the sofa.  
"I'm sorry you feel you have to wait, Rei-chan.  You really don't you 
know!"

"Yes, we do." replied Rei through a mouthful of dry crackers.  "You 
can't be one of my attendants in your present condition and I want 
you to be there.  Besides, on my wedding day I'm going to be the one 
treated like the princess for a change.  It'll be such fun to have 
you waiting on me."  She paused and looked at the cellophane wrapped 
package.  "Man, these things are disgusting.  And they're supposed to 
be good for you?"

"Yep," said Usagi as she put an arm around Rei.  "Taste like salted 
sandpaper don't they?  Oh Rei-chan, this is going to fun!"

"Fun for you, Odongo!' replied the Senshi of Fire.

Usagi gave a large smile of satisfaction.  "That's exactly what I 
mean, Pyro."


				********************


The world had certainly come a long way since the twentieth century. 
The days of the internal combustion engine were long gone, as was the 
pollution it engendered.  Television was gone too, replaced by the 
new holographic systems that enabled the viewer to feel as if the 
action was taking place in their living room.  The petty feuds 
between religious sects had given way to a new found respect for the 
beliefs of others.  In many ways, the rise of Crystal Tokyo had 
signaled the end of mankind's dark ages of superstition, fear and 
ignorance.

So why couldn't they find a way to make the gel they used in an 
ultrasound warm?  Usagi grimaced as she awaited the frigid touch of 
it on her oh so sensitive abdomen. Even though it was expected, she 
squealed like a piglet when it came into contact with her skin.

"EEEE! It's cold!" Usagi protested loudly, "Cold, cold, cold!"

"If you wanted hot then you should have arranged to have Rei as your 
obstetrician." Said Ami with small smile.  "I may not be able to 
divine the sacred fire, like she can, but let's see if I can't solve 
a mystery or two today."  She hummed happily to herself and took up 
the ultrasound wand.  It took a moment of sliding it around Usagi's 
belly like a skater on fresh ice, before she was able to find what 
she wanted.  "Ah ha…" she mumbled more to herself than anyone else.

Mamoru was standing beside his wife.  He craned his head to try and 
see what had gotten Ami's attention.  "What do you see?  It is 
twins?"  There was barely concealed panic in his voice.

"Sorry, only one baby." Replied Ami as she concentrated on the grainy 
black and white picture.

"Ohhh, shoot." Usagi sounded very disappointed.

"You can do twins next time, Usagi-chan."  Ami replied, then got very 
quiet for a long moment as she tried to make sense of what she was 
seeing.

"Well?" asked Usagi as Ami put the ultrasound wand in odd places in 
her belly, "Is the baby a boy or a girl?"

Ami slowly shook her head; "The baby isn't the right position.  I 
can't tell."  She leaned toward the screen even as she shifted the 
wand yet again.  "Try rolling onto your side Usagi-chan."

With Mamoru's help and a good deal of huffing, she managed to do just 
that.  "This is definitely your child, Mamo-chan." She grunted, "so 
damned secretive!"

Mamoru looked at the screen once again; "Actually this is definitely 
your child, Usako." He laughed loudly, "Look at the screen and you'll 
see that our bundle of joy is mooning us!"

Sure enough, as Usagi looked at the picture on the small screen, she 
could see the outline of buttocks prominently featured.  "Oh come 
one, baby…" she cooed to her belly, "…please roll over for Aunt Ami 
so mommy and daddy will know what to name you!"

But the picture didn't change and Ami sighed loudly.  "I'm sorry but 
you're going to have live with a little mystery in your lives.  This 
baby is as stubborn as you two are, and refuses to let us take a 
'peek'."  She leaned over and clicked the machine off.  "But the good 
news is that the baby has dropped and is in the right position.  You 
may not have long to wait."

Usagi flopped onto her back.  Mamoru handed her some tissues and she 
began to wipe off the slimy gel.  "Any idea how long, Ami-chan?  I 
can't wait to hold this baby in my arms instead of around my hips."

"From what I can see, any time now." Replied Ami with an educated 
shrug.  "Your cervix is a little more dilated today than yesterday. 
But babies are notorious for coming in their own sweet time."

With grunt, Usagi lurched to her feet.  She opened her mouth to say 
something pithy, then stopped suddenly.  Her eyes grew wide and she 
gave a short gasp.  

Mamoru was at her side in an instant.  "Usako?" he asked, worried.

"That sweet time may be right now, Ami-chan." Said Usagi with a curt 
shake of her head.

"Usagi-chan you've been going into false labor on an off for days." 
Replied Ami in a reasonable tone of voice.  "A few stray contractions 
are normal at the end of a pregnancy.  It's just your body's way of 
getting ready for the main event, so to speak.  Really, I…"

Ami's voice trailed off as a small puddle of liquid suddenly appeared 
on the floor between Usagi's legs.  The Queen had an oddly satisfied 
look on her face and Mamoru broke into a huge smile.

"However" continued Ami smoothly, "When your water breaks, that's a 
pretty sure sign that the baby is going to be born."  She ignored the 
smug smile on her friend's face.  "Mamoru, go and help Usagi change, 
and then your Majesty – walk!  Moving around will help your labor to 
progress.  I'll go and alert everyone else then I'll open up the 
birthing room."


********************



Mina released the long anticipated press statement that the Queen was 
in labor and attended by both the King and her private physician.  
She made it quite clear that no other news would be forth coming 
until after the actual birth. 

"Why can't you give us a more exact time for the birth?  Surely the 
doctor in charge can give an educated guess," a young male reporter 
had asked.  "Are you trying to hide something?"

While Mina grasped for a way to couch the words, 'drop dead you jerk' 
in a diplomatic fashion, one the older, female journalists came to 
her rescue.  "You go ahead, Mina, and be with your friend.  We will 
educate this young fool on the realities of child birth!"  The young 
man noticed that he being surrounded by every woman in the room – and 
very irritated women at that.  The female journalist gave a knowing 
smile.  "Just let us known when the baby comes.  And give our best 
wishes to the Queen."

Makoto double-checked that all the pre-arranged security measures 
were put into action.  She looked around, flustered, then handed 
command to the more than qualified Sargent at Arms. He smiled and 
gave her a fatherly pat on the shoulder.

"Don't worry so, Lass.  Everything will be fine here." With a twinkle 
in his eye, he added, "And tell the King that I'll be ready when the 
bairn is come."



********************



Maybe it was due to all the time that she spent going into false 
labor.  Maybe it was due to all the walking that Ami made her do in 
the first few hours.  Maybe it was due to all the company she had 
while doing that walking. Mamoru was glued to her side as she 
strolled endlessly through the halls and gardens.  First Rei came to 
help then Mina and finally Mako. (Just when had labor become a group 
participation sport, Usagi wondered?) The Queen of Earth and the Moon 
progressed from one stage of labor to the next with impressive speed.  
By the time the sun had set she was fast approaching the blessed 
event.

Usagi had retreated to bed as the contractions mounted in both 
frequency and pain.  Ami was very pleased with the way things were 
going and hummed happily to herself constantly.  Mamoru sat beside 
her, held her hand and lovingly coached her to breathe through each 
contraction.  Mako, Mina and Rei took turns coming into the room to 
give her words of bright encouragement. Mamoru was so aggressively 
positive and cheerful that each time she was wracked by dreadful 
pain, he seemed positively delighted.   

Another contraction over took her as Mamoru smiled and urged to 
breathe her way through the pain.  Ami hummed a song called "Fly Me 
to the Moon" as she bent over to check her patient's cervix. 

"Come on, Usako, cleansing breath now."  He inhaled loudly as he 
demonstrated.  Usagi gave him an unpleasant glance that informed him 
that despite the pain, she did still remember how to breathe, thank 
you!  

"It hurts!" Usagi replied loudly, "I've changed my mind, Ami.  I want 
drugs, lots of them - right now!"

"That's just the pain talking Usagi-chan." Replied Ami's voice from 
the foot of the bed.  "You made me promise not to give you drugs no 
matter what."

"I lied. Give me morphine." Her words ended in a screech as a 
powerful contraction grabbed her like a bulldog.  "Oh shimatta, not 
again!"

Taking Usagi's face in his hands, Mamoru made eye contact with her.  
"Listen to me Usako, it's just about over.  You need to breathe with 
me.  You can get through this pain if you breathe with me."

As he began to huff loudly once more Usagi reached up and grabbed 
Mamoru's nose.  Giving it a twist the caused him to rise right out of 
the chair she shouted at him, "Come on Mamo-chan, breathe through 
this pain!"

The pain subsided for both of them and the King of Earth rubbed his 
sore nose.  "I get the point, Usako.  Do you want to go for spinal?"  
The procedure would block all sensation from about the waist down and 
was a common alternative to pain killing drugs.

"It's too late for that now," said Ami as Usagi began to tense once 
more.  "It's show time!  Let's get ready to push, Usagi-chan."

Her hair had long ago come out of its customary odongos and was 
clinging to her sweating forehead.  Mamoru pushed it out of her face 
then took both of her hands in his.  "Squeeze as hard as you need to.  
Don't be afraid you'll hurt me, go ahead.  Let me share your pain."

"I love you, Mamo-chan, you baka." smiled Usagi as she tensed again.  
The feeling that swept over her was readily identifiable and she 
expressed it at once.  "I need to push, Ami.  I need to push right 
now!"

Though Ami's reply was only delayed by a fraction of a second, it 
seemed an eternity to the laboring woman.  When she heard the words, 
it was like manna from heaven.  "All right Usagi-chan, go ahead and 
push!"

Mamoru took a deep breath with her as she sat up and leaned forward.  
Her grip was surprisingly strong as she clutched her husband's hands. 
Usagi gritted her teeth, shrieking with effort.

"Again!"  

Mamoru climbed into the bed to support Usagi's back as she shook with 
the strain of her exertions.  Another deep breath and she howled as 
she closed her eyes.  Usagi threw her head back, pushing with all her 
strength.

"Once more should do it!"

As Mamoru whispered words of encouragement in her ears, Usagi balled 
her hands into fists and pushed until she thought she would explode.  
There was brief, sharp pain followed by a rush of relief as the baby 
slid from her body. Usagi began to weep as she collapsed back into 
the arms of her beloved.  He hugged her tightly and kissed her head. 
The joyous, reedy wail of a newborn child filled the air around them.

"The baby, is it a girl or a boy?" Usagi called out.

Ami held the small bundle of new life in a soft, warm and clean 
towel.  She moved to hand the new parents their first born.  As Usagi 
extended her arms to take her child she heard Ami's answer.

"It's a boy!  A Prince for Earth!"

As she held her child for the first time, Usagi knew any pain was 
worth this reward.  He was miracle, pure and simple.  The baby was so 
tiny, yet so perfect, right down to impossibly small fingernails.  
Her heart over flowed with love as the little prince looked at his 
mother and father with wide eyes.  His tiny mouth opened and closed 
experimentally a few times as Usagi and Mamoru cooed at him.

"Oh Mamo-chan, he looks like you." Said Usagi through tears of joy.  
Indeed the young prince seemed to look very much like his father with 
his short, damp mop of fine black hair.  Though the shape of his eyes 
was like his father's they were a piercing green, not blue.

Mamoru reached out and gently stroked the baby's cheek.  "He's so 
beautiful, Usako.  My son…I have a son!  Oh God, how can I ever thank 
you for this gift?" 

Before she could answer the room filled with intense golden light.  
Mamoru reflexively covered his wife and infant son.  The staff he 
carried on state occasions, the one held the Golden Crystal, suddenly 
appeared.  The little prince tried to turn his head toward it as 
Earth's stone of power welcomed it's rightful heir.  The staff 
floated toward them, then gently settled on the ground.

The Senshi, Luna and Artemis had burst into the room with sudden 
light.  They stood quietly once they realized what was happening.   
Mina picked up the King's staff and handed it to him.

"Does this mean what I think it does?" she asked for them all.

Usagi's smile glowed as brightly as the crystal had.  "Yep, it's a 
boy!"  She nodded at her friends, as they seemed torn between not 
wanting to intrude on a private moment and the desire to see the new 
baby.  "Come and meet your nephew."

The Senshi gathered around them, and the cats leapt onto the bed.  
Luna put two gentle paws on Usagi's arm as she peeked at the infant.

"Hello, little one" she purred softly, "I'm Luna and this is 
Artemis."  The white cat perched on Mamoru's arm.  "We welcome you in 
the name of the Silver Millennium.  If you will just remember that 
Luna is always right, then we'll get along perfectly!"

Usagi gave a laugh despite her growing fatigue.  "Not if he's my son, 
he won't."

"Oh Usagi-chan" cooed Makoto; "I'm going to spoil this little boy 
rotten!"

"I guess this means that I'll have to teach him some discipline, 
then, ne?" said Rei as the stroked his tiny arm. "Never you mind 
about Luna, little prince.  It's Auntie Rei that's always right."

"Sure, just ask her," added Mina.  "Have you two decided on name?"


Mamoru and Usagi gave each other a loving look.   "His name is Mamoru 
Endymion." Said Mamoru with pride.

Usagi held her husband's eye as she added, "No, his name is Mamoru 
Hitori Endymion."  The look of gratitude that Mamoru gave her made 
her want to start crying again.

"Hitori?" he said softly, "after my father?"

Ami sighed loudly, "That's so beautiful.  Thank you Usagi-chan and 
Mamoru-kun, for letting me deliver this sweet boy."

Any response from the new parents was cut off by the sound of distant 
music.    It seemed to be carried on the wind and its source was very 
hard to place.  The haunting melody was joyous yet sad at the same 
time.

"What is that?" asked Mina as she looked around.  "It sounds like 
someone's torturing a cat!"  She winced at the look Artemis gave her.  
"Sorry…"

"That," replied Mamoru, "is our resident Sargent at Arms on the 
bagpipes.  It's supposed to be a tune about welcoming royal babies, I 
think. In any event, MacLaren said it's good luck."

Luna looked down at the bundle of joy cradled in Usagi's arms.  "And 
if this child is anything like his parents, were going to need all 
the luck we can get."

***Bulletin from the Palace - For Immediate Release – This evening at 
8:23 p.m., Her Majesty, Neo-Queen Serenity, was safely delivered of 
an eight pound, three ounce son.  He will be known as Prince Mamoru 
Hitori Endymion.  Mother, Father and child are all doing well. ***