Hi minna! here is chapter 6, edited and ready to go! Gomen nasai that I didn't have this up on Thursday like I hoped too, I'm also trying to write a christmas fic with Serenity Raye (you need to read it!) and we gotta get done by THIS afternoon at 5 ^^ HUGE thanks to my editors!!! Luv you guys!!! **HUGS** Usual disclaimers apply and all that jazz! Merry Christmas minna! ************************** From the Beginning, Round Two: Part VI Title: A Spark of Hope Author: Bethany ^_^ Rated: PG 13 (language) Editors: Meara, America, Heather Authors Email: Bethany212@aol.com ************************** "Come on, we are almost there!" Venus said happily, she could make out the four figures on the ground ahead of them. The senshi put the last energy they had into the run toward their princess. ****** Mercury looked up when she thought she heard someone, or something coming. She stood up, ready to attack, when the figure called her name. "Ami-chan!!!" She shined her light in the direction of the voice. "MINAKO-CHAN!?!!?" The petite blonde crashed against Ami, trapping her in a bear hug. "We are SO glad we found you guys!" Ami watched excitedly as the rest of the senshi and star lights made it to where they were sitting. All of them exchanged hugs. Suddenly there was a scream that erupted from Hotaru's throat. Ami turned quickly, eyeing the child to keep quiet about Chibi-Usa's wound. She widen her eyes then glanced at Mamoru. Saturn understood quickly and calmed down. "Is she okay?" she whispered. "She's hurt pretty bad, as is Usagi. We have to get them out of here." "Can I help?" Saturn asked. Ami nodded, hoping that it would do some good. Hotaru placed her hand over the wound and it started to glow with the energy she was transmitting. After ten minutes she fell back against the ground and started to cry. "I can't," she fumbled. "I'm too weak." Neptune went over and hugged her. "It's okay, she'll get better." Ami pulled them out of Mamoru's ear shot. "Minna, we've got problems." "Iie, we can get out, through Pluto's time staff," Mars said easily. Mercury shook her head. "No, it's not that. Usagi is full of dark energy. And the crystal is gone." She cleared her throat and whispered even lower. "Usagi's pregnant." Venus jumped, "She's--" quickly there was a hand over her mouth. "Be quiet Minako-chan!" Jupiter said in a hush, "Mamoru doesn't need to know that." Venus shook her head with understanding and Jupiter let go of her. "This couldn't be at a worse time. She could very well lose it," Mercury explained, feeling her tears coming on. "But Chibi-Usa. . ." Uranus said. Merucry shook her head. "I don't know if it's her or not. . .it could be another child. I don't know." "How old is Chibi-Usa?" Mars inquired. Saturn looked up from where she was listening. "Twelve years old." "So that would make her born in?" Venus looked to Ami for the calculations. Another few minutes and a breath of relief later, Merucry closed her computer. "It's not her." A simultaneous sigh of relief was let out across the group. "So now what?" "We get the hell out of here," Jupiter said, picking up Chibi-Usa. Mamoru watched the group with a slight curiosity. He knew they were talking about his wife and child's condition, but it was obvious they weren't going to tell him. When Jupiter picked up Chibi-Usa, he done the same to Usagi. Pluto said some weird things, that no one except her and Mars understood, and a time portal to the time gate opened. They stepped inside and closed it behind them. The familiar fog surrounding the time gate spread out across the land. "Is everyone here?" Pluto asked, sweeping the fog away with her staff. "Hai," came eleven replies. She picked up the staff above her head and opened the time gate so that they entered Usagi and Mamoru's apartment. They all entered and the gate disappeared. (2 hours later) "It's MY turn to shower!" Rei said, stomping her foot. Minako stuck her tongue out. "I'm your leader, so I go first." "Don't matter!" Rei retorted, grabbing a towel off the stack that Mamoru had brought out. Michiru grabbed another towel. "While you fight over it, I'm getting in." She smiled and left the two standing in the hall looking after her. The senshi that had taken their showers already were in the living room with blankets and coffee. Telling Luna and Artemis what all had happened. In the bedroom off to the right was Usagi and Chibi-Usa laying uncoincense on the bed. Diana was laying on Mamoru's lap and he was absentmindedly petting her. He got up from the floor to sit on the side of the bed. Both girls were running high fevers from the dark energy. He replaced the cool clothes on their heads and went once more the floor beside the bedroom door. "Prince?" "Hai Diana?" She nestled closer to his stomach and purred as best she could. "Don't worry, they will be all right." "I hope so Diana, I hope so." ****** "Ami-chan? Any changes?" Minako asked as Ami came in the kitchen going straight for the coffee pot. "Iie," she mumbled sleepily. It was two'clock in the morning, all of the senshi were asleep except Mamoru, who was holding Usagi in an attempt to giving her his life force. And Minako who was keeping the coffee coming to Ami to keep her awake. "Don't you think you should get some sleep Ami-chan? No offense, but you look like hell." "Thanks Mina-chan," Ami mumbled into her cup. "Iie, I need to keep an eye on Usagi and Chibi-Usa." "I promise to wake you if anything happens," Minako said, putting her hand on Ami's shoulder. "You need to sleep." Ami weakly raised her eyes to meet Minako's. She sighed, "Hai. Make sure they keep cold clothes on their foreheads and check their temperature often." "Don't worry," Minako said, giving her a friendly hug. "It'll be okay." She watched Ami grab a blanket and lay down next to Makoto and Rei on the floor. In seconds she was asleep. Minako walked softly into the bedroom. Mamoru had his arms wrapped tightly around Usagi's waist, pressing himself against her as tightly as he could. Luna and Artemis were laying on the dresser, talking softly and Diana was curled up on Chibi-Usa's stomach asleep. She sat down in a chair off to the side. "Mina-chan? Are you okay?" Artemis asked worriedly. She slumped further down in the chair. "Hai. . .I mean, iie. I wish there was something I could do." Luna looked up to make sure Mamoru was asleep. "When are you guys going to tell him?" "I don't know. I'm sure Usagi didn't even know. She hadn't said anything. Ami-chan said she's only one month." Luna pondered for a minute. "I hope she'll be all right, and her baby too. Both of them," she sighed, laying her head on Artemis' back and slipping into a fitful sleep. Artemis licked her head slightly before laying his head down also. "Wake us if you need anything," he whispered, closing his eyes. Minako watched them for a minute before getting up to get new clothes for Usagi and Chibi-Usa. She sat down on the side of the bed and wiped the sweat off of the child's head. "Lady Venus?" Diana asked sleepily. "Hai," she replied, continuing to wipe the seemingly never ending moister on her head. 'Wait a minute' her mind thought, 'she wouldn't be sweating this much unless her fever. . .' "She's not as warm now," Diana said, placing her paw on her master's chest. "I think her fever is breaking," she smiled slightly. "I'll go get Lady Mercury." She slipped under the bedroom door and into the living room where there was senshi laying everywhere. "Lady Mercury," she whispered in Ami's ear, nudging her with a paw. "Wake up." Ami didn't stir. Frustrated now, she poked her head under Makoto's chin in an attempt to wake her. "Huh?" she mumbled, turning over. "Lady Jupiter. . .wake up." Makoto grumbled slightly, "Diana, I told you to call me Mako-chan, not Lady Jupiter." "Sorry Lady. . .umm, I mean Mako-chan. It's what I have always called you, and it's hard to break old habits." "That's okay," Makoto said, scratching her under the chin. "So what did you need?" Diana perked up as she remembered Chibi-Usa's fever going down. "It's Small Lady, she's getting better! We need Lady Mercury to come and e--xxass---" she stuttered on the word. "Examine her?" Makoto said gently. "Hai, that," she admitted. Makoto nodded Ami, "Ami-chan, girl wake up!" she almost screamed. Ami didn't wake, but Seiya, Setsunna and Rei did. "What's going on?" Rei asked grumpily. Makoto slapped Ami lightly on the cheek. "Wake up! You need to check on Chibi-Usa, Diana said her fever is going down!" "Really?" Rei inquired, getting up off the floor. "Hai." Slowly Ami opened her eyes, then focused in on emerald ones. "Mako-chan?" "Get up!" Ami shot up, "What's wrong?" All of them giggled. "Nothing, but Chibi-Usa's getting better!" ****** Mamoru opened his eyes to see Minako sitting on the other side of the bed, fussing over Chibi-Usa. "Mina. . .ko. . .chan?" "Hai Mamoru-kun, Chibi-Usa's fever is going down!" "Nani?!" he said, sitting up. He felt her forehead and sure enough it was cool to the touch. He grinned, "Oh thank goodness," he breathed. Chibi-Usa started moving her eyes under her lids. "Mommy? Daddy?" she said in a small voice. Minako moved so Mamoru could come closer to her. "Chibi-Usa? Come on, wake up" he urged gently. Her eyes moved more until they started opening. "Dad?" "Hai," he responded, smiling widely. The bedroom door opened and Ami came in, followed by Rei, Setsunna, Seiya and Diana. "Well Chibi-Usa, your awake!" she smiled. Reminding herself of her mother when she greeted a patient. Chibi-Usa tried to sit up, but couldn't manage. "Don't try to get up yet, your still very weak," Ami advised, opening her computer yet again. Silently she mused that she was going to have to buy new batteries soon. ******* Beryl sat on her throne, silently looking into her crystal ball. "How the hell did they manage out of there? They should have been trapped. How?!" she demanded. No one answered. "Never mind, they are gone. We must recapture them and kill Sailor Moon, I won't rest until she is destroyed and the universe is mine!" "A thousand pardons your highness, but this was found twenty or so feet from where the princess and her child landed." He handed her a heart shaped locket with wings on it. Beryl studied it for a minute before opening it. She smiled evilly. "I finally have it. And now the universe will be at my feet." In the darkness of the room the ginzuishou shined brightly. A lone figure, standing to the back of the room, cursed silently under his breath. 'I have to get that back, or the Princess will die.'