Title: Reunion
Author: Angel Leviathan
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, the characters, concept, etc, aren't mine.
Rating: G
Notes: Set when Chibi Usa goes back home to the 30th Century the second time. (Not the time in the final arc.)
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Haruka and Michiru watched as their nervous ‘daughter’ smoothed imaginary creases out of her best black dress, her heels clicking on the marble floor as she paced back and forth across the corridor. Serenity had called her daughter back from the past and today was to be the day that Princess Lady Serenity returned to the thirtieth century. Hotaru had been longing for this day for over a thousand years. She had waited and waited, patiently and calmly, for her princess to grow from a young baby into the girl she remembered as her best friend. She had watched her from afar, protected her with the others, always waiting for her to become the soldier she knew and for her to remember who the dark haired girl with the glaive was.

A tornado of pink hair and skirts flung itself through the door and into the older girl’s arms with a delighted cry. Momentarily stunned, Hotaru allowed herself to be spun about the room in a whirl of pink and black silk. Her laugher joined that of her princess, no longer just her princess, her best and oldest friend again. Usa knew. She had lived through the battles of the past and she knew, she remembered.

Usa’s laughter softened. “Don’t cry, Hotaru-chan!” she exclaimed.

Hotaru sniffed and tried to compose herself.

Haruka gave the young princess a formal bow. “It’s good to have you home, Small Lady.”

Usa didn’t release her grip on Hotaru. “It’s good to be back, Haruka-san,” she replied, smiling.

It had been moments for one and years for the other. Now Usa finally understood why the pale figure, the youngest of the senshi, had always looked out for her even if she was horrible and bratty in return. They had both been marked by time. She had lost Usagi and gained a mother. Hotaru had lost a friend and gained a princess to protect. Maybe now things would start to balance out again.

“I’m sorry,” Usa said softly.

Hotaru shook her head. “Don’t be,” she said. She gripped Usa’s hand tightly. “All that matters is that you’re here now. I missed you.”

Usa smiled. “You were always with me.”

“I know. But you weren’t always with me.”

Fin