~*Chapter Three*~
It was hard to tell whose mouth dropped open faster, King Endymion's or Queen Serenity's.
"Whaaaaaat?!" Endymion screeched.
"I'm PREGNANT?!!" Serenity cried. She pulled a pillow from underneath her head and covered her face with it to muffle out the cries and sobs.
"Are you sure, Mercury?" Endymion asked, still trying to absorb the fact that his wife was. . .pregnant.
"Positive," Mercury sighed. She looked at the queen, who was still sobbing under the pillow. "Serenity. . .?" she started.
"My life is OVER!" Mercury heard her cry. It was still audible, even with the pillow. "This isn't supposed to happen. . .now everything is messed up!"
"How?" Mercury asked.
Queen Serenity threw the pillow across the room. She started speaking more softly. "Remember, back in the twenty-first century. . .back when I was Sailor Moon, and when the Black Moon family came. . ."
The scout of ice covered her mouth with her hand. "Rini. . ." she whispered.
Endymion didn't say anything. Boy, was he pissed. He had fallen in love with Rini back in the twenty-first century, and couldn't wait until he was king to see her again. Now it looked like he would never.
Sailor Mercury cleared her throat. "Should I. . .tell the other scouts about this?" she asked.
"Sure, go ahead, the whole world's going to find out anyway," Serenity mumbled. Fresh tears were starting to spill down her cheeks.
Mercury nodded and swallowed, slowly walking out of the room.
When she was gone, Serenity looked up at her husband. He was staring at the floor, not making any kind of emotion.
"Endymion?" she asked.
He stared at the floor for another second before looking at his wife. "Yes?"
"Do you. . .hate me now?" she said, twirling the corner of her blanket around her finger.
"Good God, no!" Endymion cried, and lay on the bed next to Serenity. He hugged her gently. "No, of course not. I loved you, I still love you, I will always love you."
Serenity's response was a sob mixed with happiness and sorrow. She buried her face in Endymion's shoulder, getting tearstains all over his shirt, but he didn't care.
~*~The Next Day~*~
Neo-Queen Serenity slept until nearly noon the next day. She was so worn out, emotionally and physically. Plus, every few hours, she got sick and needed to go to the bathroom to throw up.
When Serenity opened her eyes, she saw a tray on the nightstand next to her, with some orange juice, waffles, and grapes on it. A rose in a small glass vase told her who left it there.
"Endymion," she sighed. She felt so much better knowing that he didn't think any different or less of her now that she was pregnant with Niyoshi's baby. . .but she was still uneasy. She knew that this baby could not be Small Lady, so she wasn't sure she wanted to keep it.
Then again, maybe time had somehow changed. Maybe in the twenty-first century Neo-Queen Serenity wasn't raped and had Rini. Maybe she was now supposed to have whatever baby was inside of her.
Serenity was lost in her thoughts until someone slowly opened the door. She smiled as King Endymion stepped in.
"Good morning Serenity. . .or should I say 'good afternoon'," he laughed as the clock clicked to noon.
Serenity smiled. "Thanks for leaving me breakfast."
"No problem. Did you eat any of it."
"Not yet," Serenity said, making a little face. "I don't know if I can handle food right now."
Endymion chuckled and sat on the bed next to his wife. "So, how are you feeling this morn-afternoon?"
Queen Serenity smiled slightly then sighed. "I don't know. I've been thinking. . .about this baby."
"And?"
"And. . .I'm not sure if I want to keep it. . .I mean, we're supposed to have Rini, and not someone else's baby."
Endymion took Serenity's hand and rubbed it. "I can't tell you what to do," he said. "But I think you should keep that baby, no matter whose it is. WE will both be raising it. . .not you and. . .Niyoshi," he said, wincing at the name.
Serenity stared at the floor for a minute before looking up into Endymion's eyes. "You're right," she whispered. She rubbed her stomach with her free hand. "I'll keep the baby."
King Endymion smiled and kissed Serenity. Things were going to be all right.