(Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is the property of Naoko Takeuchi. This is a fan work.)

~*~Chapter 15: Happily Ever After~*~

Helios spent 1,000 years in loneliness, lost in the comforting distraction of duty. The prince and princess put forth great effort in keeping him company, and it was greatly appreciated. Helios even performed the ceremony for their marriage. As the years passed, Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity took the throne and they began their laborious work of uniting the world and working towards the birth of Crystal Tokyo. It was around this time that Chibiusa was conceived.

Helios hid away in Elysion, by the urging of Sailor Pluto. He must not meet or see Small Lady until after the time she had returned from defeating Nehelenia. Even then, he had to keep his distance and keep silent of how he felt for her until the time in which he would try and save her from Salvo and die… Only then could he embrace the princess as his heart wept to do.

There were times before the princess had been born, while he knelt at the tower of prayer, deep in meditation, that he would almost swear that he sensed her there with him. A gentle breeze caressing his face or the warm glow of the sun, and he could almost smell her perfume and picture her long tresses of pink hair cascading over him.

And yet, the most torturous part of waiting was watching the child Serenity suffer from immense loneliness. Under the weight of the loneliness he himself felt, her nightmares of being left alone and forgotten sent daggers of ice into his spirit and he prayed desperately that his little maiden's spirit would be revived and she could see the love all around her.

Then Nemesis attacked and he had to wait in Elysion, fearing for Chibiusa, knowing that she was frightened and alone. How he admired her nerve and bravery. Even as a terrified child she fought for her people, going back in time to a place foreign to her in an attempt to find Sailor Moon. Once she vanished into the past, there was nothing he could do for her.

Then when she returned… it was… not her. The disgusting people of Nemesis had broken his little maiden's spirit and warped her into something she was not. He had never felt so much rage towards another being in his life. If it weren't for Eos and Aurora he might have done something very out of character that day. He wanted to charge out and tear wise man apart, himself, but in the end he knew he had neither the skill nor the strength to do so. He considered several times venturing into Chibiusa's dreams and trying to console her spirit, but he remembered his oath to wait… and so in deep prayer and meditation he spent several sleepless days waiting.

Once peace had returned to Crystal Tokyo, Chibiusa was sent to train as a Sailor Senshi in the past. Helios was summoned to the Crystal Palace. Endymion requested that Helios should take a position at royal court as the queen and his personal advisor. Helios graciously accepted and he was introduced to the fellow nobles in court as High Priest of Elysion and Endymion's Royal Advisor.

Helios was kept very busy between his duties in Court and his primary duties in Elysion. Time passed quickly. Soon the day approached when his Serenity returned from her adventures in the 20th Century. He had been in court advising Endymion's generals on strategic ways to set up palace security for the princess's welcome home ball when he heard her laughter as she trailed after the king and queen. He dropped his pen onto the table and his eyes widened about three sizes. He could feel tiny little pinpricks on the tops of his ears. It was like several angels had burst out into chorus all around him.

He actually overheard Serenity ask her father, "Oh Papa, he's still alive right?" she sighed. "He's still there isn't he? In Elysion?" She laughed and said. "Someday when I'm a real lady like Mama, he's going to be my Mamo-chan."

Helios felt his heart warm with happiness. All the same, he slipped away. Time to see Serenity would come soon enough.

It actually came much sooner than he ever expected. To his surprise, Endymion continued to call for his assistance at Court and upon one such occasion he stumbled into the young princess (who seemed to be about 13 at the time) on his way to the throne room where Court was being held.

"Helios!" she grinned happily.

"M-my lady…" he breathed nervously. It was the first time she had spoken to him in so many years. He was near speechless.

"I found out from Hotaru-chan that you worked for Papa in this time! I've been waiting to talk to you!"

"You wanted to talk to me?" he blushed some.

"Of course!" she beamed. "After all, I promised I'd come see you again someday."

Helios laughed, "And as promised, my lady, I have looked forward to seeing you again… with all my heart."

Serenity blushed deeply. Helios, now clearly a grown man, felt very awkward professing such sentiments to a girl who looked barely more than a child, but his heart had run away with him.

"Did you miss me?" she asked.

"More than you could possibly imagine," he replied.

She blushed deeply. "I know it wasn't nearly as long for me… but I missed you too, Helios." She pulled a little Crystal Bell out of the pocket of her summer skirt. "I think this is broken. I tried to use it several times but you never came."

Helios felt great warmth spread through his chest. His maiden seemed to love him already. He took the little bell from her hands and smiled, "Then I will have to fix it." She reached after the little bell, seeming to be very attached to it. He took her reaching hand in his own and placed a light kiss upon her fingers.

Her face flushed and she turned away. He held the bell in his hands and whispered a simple prayer, handing it back to her. "It will work just fine now, little maiden. However it will only summon me if you are in some danger. It will not work otherwise."

The princess frowned deeply, "But what if I just want to talk to you?"

"I'll be here in the palace from time to time," he promised. "For now, I'm going to be late for Court if I do not hurry. It was very nice seeing you, Small Lady."

"I'm not so small!" she called after him in dejected tone. He suppressed laughter. She was so cute and charming, yet compared to the lovely young woman she would blossom into over the next two years, she was still quite small, not that he loved her any less that way.

The next two years passed quickly, the romantic tension between himself and the princess was constantly rising, almost to the point of torture. They each kept an arms length away from the other, but the lingering gazes and the occasional slip up and a gentle touch here and there, even something as innocent as brushing shoulders in the halls of the Crystal Palace made life immensely difficult for both of them. He could tell that Serenity was waiting for him to confess his feelings, but things had to happen a certain way.

Then Salvo came into the picture and Helios was present in court the day that Serenity, through many bitter tears, accepted the offer of marriage. Even knowing the outcome of all of this, the experience had been heart wrenching for him. So when he and Endymion met with a few generals he had been very keen in urging them to send Serenity back to the past.

That was when the princess suddenly showed up in the small study. "Helios!" she ran to him in tears, seeming to have reached her breaking point. "I don't want to marry Salvo," she cried. "I love you, Helios!"

Helios's eyes widened in shock at the sudden confession. She starred up at him through tear stained eyes, waiting for an answer. Endymion gave the order to have Serenity sent back to the past. As the guards pulled her away she wept and struggled against them.

"Serenity!" he called back suddenly, not being able to bear watching her pain. "I love you as well! More than words can say!"

She stopped crying then and smiled warmly at him as the guards carried her away.

The wait was almost over.

~*~

"Helios!" Chibiusa shook the priest. "Stop daydreaming and pay attention really quick!" she urged him. "Should we use this shade of blue for the wedding invitations or this shade?"

Helios laughed, "Serenity, which do you like better?"

The princess gave him an annoyed look, "I asked you which one do you like…"

Helios considered for a moment and then pointed to the darker of the two, "Honestly, I think that shade is more practical. It will be easier to read."

Serenity shrugged, "Yeah, that's what I was thinking, but this other one is so pretty and it kinda reminds me of your robes." She playfully brushed her fingers against the transparent collar around his neck. "You're right though, we should use the more practical shade."

~*~

"Hmmm, we still need something borrowed and something blue," Hotaru announced as she paced around Chibiusa.

Chibiusa was staring at herself in the mirror. She was wearing a pure white bridal down with soft pink accents. On top of her head small white wild flowers were wrapped around each of her cone shaped buns. A long veil hung from a golden tiara. On her left hand ring finger was the beautiful crystal engagement ring that Helios had crafted for her in Elysion. She was finally getting married.

Eos and Aurora rushed over and each woman giggled (the wedding preparations were being held in Elysion so that the maenads could be involved somehow). Eos held up a pair of crystal blue earrings, the exact ones that Helios wore. "These are blue AND you can borrow them."

"What a clever idea," Hotaru laughed.

"Wait, isn't Helios wearing them?" Chibiusa cocked an eyebrow at the girls.

"Yes, but he does have more than one pair you know," Aurora commented.

Chibiusa smiled. "I like this idea." She graciously accepted the crystal earrings and put them on after removing her usual pair of golden hoops.

"One last touch!" Ceres grinned as she handed Chibiusa her boquet of Elysian Roses. "Now you're ready to go get married!

The sailor quartet, who were her bride's maids each wore elegant dresses in the same color as their sailor fukus. Hotaru wore a long purple dress; she was the maid of honor.

Hotaru took Chibiusa by the arm, "It's time to go back to the Crystal Palace now. Are you nervous?" she asked.

Chibiusa shrugged, "I'm only nervous about so many news reporters and camera men being there. I hate feeling like people are watching me."

Hotaru laughed, "So why did your parents decide to hold the service open to the media?"

"It was my choice," Chibiusa admitted. "I wanted the people to share in our happiness." She smiled. "I'm so happy, Hotaru. It would be selfish of me to hog so much happiness all to myself."

Chibiusa nervously placed her hand to her abdomen. She was in her second trimester now and just barely beginning to show. "Do I look pregnant to you?" she asked her maid of honor.

Hotaru laughed. "No, your dress flows quite nicely. No one will notice. I promise."

"And I don't look fat?" the princess pressed.

"CHIBIUSA!" Hotaru scolded. "Really, enough! You are lovely! And I'm sure your groom will agree."

The sailor quartet caught up to them and the six girls joined hands and teleported back to the Crystal Palace.

The wedding was being held in the gardens and Sailor Mars, in her miku robes, was going to perform the ceremony for them, which would be a western style wedding with slight touches of Rei's Shinto background spicing it up.

Their wedding would also be a bit unconventional as the father of the bride was also serving as the best man and his four generals served as groomsmen. They were not the same shitennou of the past, but they were like them in many ways. It was debatable that they were possibly reincarnations of the old shitennou.

The music began, a lovely rendition of Canon in D, lead by Sailor Neptune on her violin. The girls marched down the grassy path set for them side by side the four generals. Hotaru walked the aisle alone. They waited to the left of the alter (a gazebo in the garden) as the music shifted to the bridal march. Diana, who was perhaps a little too old for the role, but small enough to pull it off, pranced down the aisle scattering flowers here and there before joining the quartet and Hotaru at the altar.

King Endymion took his daughter by the arm, "You look so beautiful," he whispered to her as they walked. "I've never been so proud of you."

Chibiusa felt like punching him for saying something so sweet while her pregnancy hormones were still raging. Tears had been threatening to collect in her eyes all day, she was so happy. Her father's sweet words nearly pushed her over the edge.

It was Helios's gentle golden eyes staring at her with such deep love and devotion, though, that finally caused the tears to fall. She did not sob or cry, but tears gently leaked from her eyes as she smiled with pure happiness at her priest. Once they reached the alter, Endymion stood on the right hand side along with Helios and the generals.

Serenity and Helios held hands and gazed lovingly into each others' eyes. Serenity was taken aback when Helios, himself, was moved to tears. Watching him crying gently, despite his perfectly happy smile, made Serenity want to embrace him right then and there. She gently tightened her grip on his hands and rubbed small circles against his wrists with her thumbs as they listened to Rei address the crowds of guests and media.

"We are gathered here today to witness the coming together of two people, Crown Princess Lady Serenity and Helios Priest of Elysion, whose hearts and spirits are entwined as one. They now desire to profess before all the world their intention henceforth to walk the road of life together." Rei said with confidence and clarity.

"To these two young people, this marriage signifies the birth of a new spirit, a spirit which is a part of each of us, yet not of any one of us alone. This "birth of spirit" reminds us of spring, the season when all life is reborn and blooms again. It is appropriate, therefore, that this wedding of Princess Lady Serenity and Priest Helios be in the spring, and that it be under the open sky, where we are close to the earth and to the unity of life, the totality of living things of which we are part." Rei held her hands up to the sky and as if the all of nature rejoiced over Serenity and Helios's happiness, two small black crows flew down and rested on each of Rei's shoulders.

"This union also represents the dawning of a new era, in which the Earth and her spiritual reflection, Elysion, are held in tighter unity than they ever have been before. This marriage is a blessing to all the world."

Rei gently turned to Serenity, "Do you Princess Lady Serenity, knowing this man's love for you and returning it, realizing his strengths and learning from them, recognizing his weaknesses and helping him to overcome them, take the priest Helios to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

Chibiusa smiled at her 'aunt' Rei and nodded eagerly. "I do."

The crowds burst into thunderous applause. "Then place the ring on his finger," Rei said as a young boy held a pillow with both wedding bands up to the princess.

Chibiusa took the small white gold band from the pillow and gently slipped it on to Helios's left ring finger. She caressed her fingers through his soft white hair and then brushed his tears away lightly with her finger tips before joining hands with him once again. "I love you, Helios," she cooed softly. He smiled warmly at her in return.

Rei then turned to Helios, "Do you Priest Helios, knowing this woman's love for you and returning it, realizing her strengths and learning from them, recognizing her weaknesses and helping her to overcome them, take Princess Lady Serenity to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," Helios said past his shaky voice as he cried into the microphone, though the pure happiness in his voice was overwhelming. His joy silenced the audience. It took a moment before the applause kicked in, just as wildly as before.

"Then place the ring on her finger," Rei instructed.

This time, Helios reached for a white gold wedding band and slipped the ring alongside Chibiusa's engagement ring, "I love you, my maiden." He whispered to her.

"Let these rings serve as locks," Rei said. "Binding your hearts and souls together as one, for all eternity."

Rei announced to the crowds, "Now you will feel no rain, for each of you will be sanctuary to the other. Now you will feel no cold, for each of you will be warmth to the other. Now there is no isolation for you. Now there is no more loneliness. Now you are two, but there is only one life in front of you. Go now and enter into the days of your togetherness. I pronounce you as husband and wife." She smiled with warmth and joy at Helios as she said at last, "You may now kiss the bride."

Chibiusa practically threw herself at Helios as he delicately reached to cup her face with the hand that now wore his wedding band. He gently held her face in his hand as their lips joined in a soft and heartfelt kiss, long and sweet. The crowds burst into thunderous applause, clapping and shouting out in joy. Children blew bubbles and threw bird seed as Helios scooped Chibiusa up into his arms and carried her past the threshold of the aisle.

The reception was just as amazing, also being held in the palace gardens. Chinese lamps hung all across the gardens and candles were lit on each table. Makoto had prepared most of the food herself, with some assistance from Palace servants. She personally baked the wedding cake, a five layer masterpiece with pink roses decorating the white frosting. At the lowest layer of the cake she had placed an ornament of a Pegasus and a young girl standing with it. At the top of the cake stood the traditional bridal ornaments, perfect likenesses of Serenity and Helios.

After eating the meal, the first dance was announced. Helios blushed, "I'm a clumsy dancer," he said. "We don't really dance in Elysion. So I'm horribly out of practice…"

Chibiusa only laughed in return. She joined him in their first dance as Michiru played on her violin and Minako joined her in song. People stopped to watch as the two danced in each other's arms. Chibiusa stumbled against Helios at one point and he caught her easily. "Are you okay, Serenity?" he asked, voice full of concern.

Chibiusa laughed and cradled her arms around his neck as she stepped up on her tip toes to whisper in his ear, "Serenity and Selene are dancing to I think…"

Helios laughed in turn as he gently slid his arm tighter around her to caress her abdomen. "Do you want to sit down?"

Chibiusa shook her hand, "Let's just hold out until this dance is over. Then, yes, sitting down sounds good." She laughed.

The song slowly ended and as the last note of music fell, they shared a tender kiss. "Ok, let's go sit down," Helios guided his maiden back to one of the small garden tables.

"Man," Chibiusa laughed as she stared at the food tables. "Aunt Mako made so much delicious food and you know what's driving me crazy?" she blushed.

"What?" Helios asked as he kissed her cheek.

She leaned into his embrace. "I'm seriously craving an American style cheeseburger right now. I would like… teleport straight to a McDonald's to get one… Rats…"

Helios laughed at her. "I bet I could get one of the servants to bring you something like that."

"No! I don't want to offend Mako-san!" she blushed deeply.

"I think she will understand given the circumstances…" he teased. "Wait here a moment…"

Helios returned to her after about 15 minutes carrying a tray with, YES, a cheeseburger. "I love you even more, now," she joked.

"All for a cheeseburger?" he teased. "You're so easy to please. No wonder a simple cleric like myself was able to capture the heart of a princess."

She glared at him playfully. "I am hardly easy to please. I'm very picky!" she remarked. "An entire legion of suitors and I only wanted you," she smiled. She took a big bite of the burger and smiled. "It's so weird," she said after she swallowed the bite. "I normally hate these things, but just now I really had to have one."

Helios teased, "Maybe the twins are cheeseburger fans."

"Maybe!" Chibiusa laughed in turn.

"It looks like Rei's about to announce something again," Helios said as he pointed to the raised stage where the musicians were playing.

Rei announced that it was time for the father of the bride to share a dance with his daughter. Chibiusa got up from her seat and wiped a bit of mustard off of her lips as she walked to meet Endymion on the dance floor. Helios was surprised as Neo Queen Serenity asked him if he would like to dance with her. He was rather touched by the kind offer, feeling like he was really part of a family now. He graciously accepted.

Later that night Chibiusa through her bouquet into the air and it was caught by none other than Minako as she nearly pummeled Ceres trying to get to it.

"YES!" Minako did a little victory dance. "It's about damn time I had some luck in the department of love!"

Then it came time for the cake to be cut. Poor Helios, not as well versed in modern Earth customs as most had no idea that Chibiusa was going to smash the cake in his face and he looked at her with surprise wondering what he had done. Chibiusa laughed as she explained it was just a silly tradition. "Oh…" he smiled as he in returned dipped his fingers in some frosting and smeared it all over the princess. "HA!"

After cleaning up and enjoying the cake, Chibiusa had to admit she was exhausted. The reception was still scheduled to go on for a couple more hours, but she was too tired to hang around. "Helios," she yawned as she leaned into him. "Let's ditch and go to bed."

Helios laughed. "I think we should let your father do the toast before we go. He seemed to be looking forward to it."

Chibiusa nodded. "Okay. Can you go tell him to just do it now?"

Helios caressed her face and kissed her forehead. "Of course, maiden. One moment…" He led her to a table once more, where she sat down and waited as he spoke with the king. When he returned and sat down with her, he wrapped his arm gently around her and pointed to where the king was standing with a glass of champagne. The king tapped the glass with a spoon as he gathered the crowd's attention. Everyone turned to face him. "I'd like to propose a toast," he said called out. The servants busied themselves pouring champagne for all the guests. When Chibiusa politely declined having champagne the servant looked rather shocked and instead poured the princess some sparkling cider. Helios graciously accepted some champagne on his part.

"Let us raise our glasses and toast the happy couple. My Chibiusa has been like a ray of pearly moonlight on my soul from the day she was born. Now, she begins a new life and there will be another man to whom she will turn for love and protection. But I want her to know her father will always be there for her. Cheers." Everyone cheered and brushed their glasses together as they toasted the happy couple.

"I have a toast as well," shouted Hotaru as she tapped her glass with a spoon. Everyone turned towards the maid of honor. "To Helios," the crowd cheered, "…who through his love has shown me a different side of my best friend, Chibiusa. You have made her happier than I have ever seen her, and I can't wait to witness how your love continues to help her grow. I am so happy that she has you in her life. To Helios!" Everyone cheered and tipped glasses again.

"OOOH we want to propose a toast!" the quartet jumped up and down.

"It seems like everyone wants in on the fun," Helios laughed.

"Or they're just trying to get everyone drunk," Chibiusa teased. She kissed Helios lightly. "What Hotaru said about you was very sweet. It made me happy."

"To Helios and Chibiusa," Ceres shouted.

"We're not sure which of you is more girly and prissy!" teased Juno.

"Here here!" shouted Vesta.

"Helios in your dress over there and pretty earrings," Ceres hiccoughed. "It's really a hard call…"

"But Princess Lady is clearly the fairer sex!" Pallas laughed.

The girls giggled, "To a very beautiful couple!"

Everyone laughed and toasted as they drank.

"I think they were drunk already," Helios said as he held his hand to his head in embarrassment. "Am I not… manly?" he asked.

"Pffft!" Chibiusa kissed his cheek. "You are a beautiful man. What's the shame in that? I like it!"

Helios blushed. "You know… I have a thing or two to say myself…" He called for the crowd attention. "I have a toast as well."

The crowds turned to Helios curiously, not expecting to hear a toast from one of the guests of honor.

Helios cleared his throat, a bit awkwardly, not used to public speaking… "I raise my glass and ask you to join me in a toast to the parents of my lovely bride. They must have done a lot of things right to raise such a beautiful and gifted daughter as my Bride. I promise to live up to the trust they have placed in me, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart."

Endymion and Neo Queen Serenity smiled warmly and accepted the praise as they toasted their parenting.

Helios then knelt down on one knee and kissed his bride's finger tips. He said loudly as he blushed, "And a toast to my dearest Serenity, my Lady, my love. My heart is eternally yours."

The crowds cheered and Chibiusa blushed deeply as she brushed her cider glass against Helios's own glass and she drank to his love for her.

She yawned and Helios stood up, cradling her in his arms. "The bride is tired," he announced.

"Take her to bed already, you dog you!" shouted a very drunken Vesta.

Helios blushed deeply. "Goodnight…"

~*~

Helios gently assisted his bride in removing her complicated dress and jewlry. He kissed her cheek as he removed the cone shaped buns and gently brushed her hair. He undressed himself as well and pulled her down with him into the bed they now shared in Elysion. He spooned against her and kissed her cheek as she fell asleep in his arms. "Goodnight, my darling wife."

~*~

"I feel like a beached whale," Chibiusa complained as they walked through the streets of Crystal Tokyo together.

Helios ran his fingers gently through her suger pink hair. "You don't look like a whale…."

"Yes I do," she retorted. "I'm nine months pregnant with TWO babies. I am a WHALE. Remind me why I agreed to go out in public?"

"Because I'm taking you to the ice cream parlor and then shopping to pick out something nice for the twins," he kissed her cheek. "But most of all because it's good for you to get some fresh air and be out of the palace occasionally."

"Everyone's starring at me," she moaned.

"It's because you're the princess," he commented. "And because you are so beautiful…"

She blushed, "Even when my stomach has its own orbit?"

Helios laughed and held her hand gently as they walked, giving it a soft squeeze. "You don't have an orbit Serenity."

They laughed and joked together as they walked through the shopping district. "Oooh," Chibiusa cooed as she held up a pretty light blue infant pajama. "I like this one."

"Isn't blue traditionally a boy's color?" Helios asked.

"Well, yes, but you remember what pretty white hair they had when they came to save you, yes?" she asked.

Helios nodded.

"This shade of blue will look so pretty on them!"

Helios laughed at her, "If you say so, my maiden."

"I do," she smiled back. They went to make the purchase and then as they were standing in line something unexpected happened, about three weeks too soon.

"Aaah!" Chibiusa stuttered as copious amounts of warm water leaked down her legs, collecting around her feet. "Helios…" she stared up at him anxiously.

Helios's eyes widened in mild panic. He gently cupped his hands around Chibiusa's face, "Serenity, look at me," he instructed. "This is a good thing. You can do this. Let's call your parents and let them know to have Mercury and Saturn ready to check up on you. I'll get you home." He kissed her forehead.

Chibiusa nodded as she pulled out her communicator. "It's happening," she announced into the small device. "My water just broke. Helios and I are coming home now."

~*~

Helios held his wife's hand tightly and kissed her finger tips. She was squeezing his hands in turn to the point where it almost hurt. "I'm here," he soothed her.

She cried in return, "It hurts so much…"

"I know," he caressed her cheek and kissed her. "Hang on just a little big longer, my love. Mercury says you only need dilate another inch or so." Helios kissed her again. "You're doing so well, Serenity. You are so brave, as always."

Chibiusa nodded, "I love you Helios. I couldn't do this without you." Then she gasped again as another painful contraction hit her.

Helios hummed gently in her ear ran his fingers through her hair, helping the moment pass. She squeezed tightly on his hand once more.

Mercury walked over and checked. "You're ready," she smiled at the princess.

Chibiusa smiled weakly, "Finally…"

Hotaru walked over with a cool cloth and handed it to Helios who wiped the sweat from his wife's brow.

Mercury instructed Chibiusa on when she should bear down and push. Helios allowed his love to continue squeezing the life out his poor hand and watched anxiously. "Just breathe, my maiden," he cooed in her ear. "It's almost over."

"Now," Mercury instructed. "Push."

Chibiusa screamed loudly as she tried her best to push the baby out.

"Serenity," Helios cooed as he brushed her bangs with his free head. "You can see her little head. Soon one of our babies will be born."

"That was only the head?" she cried. "It felt like it was the whole baby!"

Helios laughed gently and kissed her. "The head is the hardest part. The rest will be much better after she crowns."

"It's time to push again," Mercury interrupted.

Chibiusa bared down with everything she had and soon the baby slid gently into Mercury's waiting arms. Quick as lighting, the senshi wrapped the child in a blanket and handed her to Helios. Chibiusa reluctantly let go of her husband's hand as he reached to cradle the new born princess in his arms. He traced the shining crescent moon on her forehead with his finger tips and smiled with joy at the precious little girl in his arms. He held the baby down to Chibiusa and kissed her cheek, "Look my love, our little girl…"

Chibiusa smiled warmly at the baby, "Serenity… That's our little Serenity."

"A moon princess is born," he cooed as he brushed his finger's over the infants snow white tufts of blood stained hair. He kissed the baby's cheek and she seemed to smile.

"It's time again," Mercury said. "Push, Serenity." Helios handed little Serenity to her grandmother and Neo Queen Serenity cradled the sweet child in her arms. Helios gently cupped his wife's hand in his once again. "You can do it, Serenity."

Again she screamed and pushed with all she had. In one three more series of pushing, the other twin slid out into Mercury's arms. Mercury handed the bundled baby to her mother. Chibiusa cried with happiness at her little girl. "My little Selene…" she kissed the baby's cheek. "Look Helios, she has your mark on her forehead." Chibiusa touched the red teardrop shaped gem on the girl's forehead. "She takes after you already."

Helios reached back for the other baby and the queen gladly handed the precious girl back to her father. Helios cradled little Serenity in his arms and held her so that she was close Selene and her mother. "Look Serenity, your Mama and sister."

"Quick, someone, take a picture!" gushed the queen.

Hotaru waved a camera in the air. "One step ahead of you, Usagi." She teased.

~*~

"Wow," smiled Serenity, or Kohime-chan as she was often called. The little girl bounced on her bed as her snow white curls bounced up and down with her. She jumped up onto Helios's lap and snuggled against him. "Did all that really happen, Daddy?"

"No. I made the whole thing up…" Helios replied as he ruffled his fingers through his daughter's hair. She pouted at him and he explained, "I'm just kidding, Kohime-chan, of course it happened."

Selene, or Chibi-chan, as she was affectionately called, curled up next to her sister on her father's lap. "Tell us the part again where we came from the future to save you!"

"Yeah I like that part!" Serenity agreed as she started to jump on the bed.

"Now girls…" Chibiusa scolded as she walked into the room. "It's time for bed."

"Yes, Mama…" they pouted as they curled up into together in Selene's little bed. Helios pulled the blanket up over both of them and each girl snuggled a little Pegasus shaped stuffed toy. "Goodnight girls," he said, kissing them each on the forehead.

"Goodnight daddy…" they yawned.

"Goodnight," Chibiusa said gently as she turned off the light.

"So…" Helios said as he walked with Chibiusa hand in hand towards their room. "Do you want to know how the story ends?"

"I think I already know," Chibiusa smiled at her love.

"They lived happily ever after," Helios leaned in to kiss his wife tenderly.

"I love you, Helios."

~*~ FIN ~*~