(Note:  This story violates continuity.  A lot.)

				MISCONCEPTION V
				by Scott K. Jamison
				(Takeuchi disclaimer)

	Usagi wrung out her handkerchief.  She was already out of dry ones 
again and facial tissues just didn't cut it with her tear volume.  
	The apartment rang with the sudden silence.  She and Mamoru had 
had another fight.  It had ended with her bursting into tears as usual, 
but this time he had simply walked out.  Angry as she had been at him a 
moment before, Usagi desperately wanted him to come back and hold her 
now. 
	"Oh, Mamo-chan, what are we doing wrong?" 
	This fight had been about money.  Usagi had never really thought 
about money before.  It was something she got in allowances, and if she 
overspent, she could just get an advance from Papa.  Mama had always told 
her money didn't grow on trees, but somehow Usagi had never quite grasped 
how true that was.
	Mamoru's trust fund paid for the apartment and his college 
tuition, barely.  He'd been using his odd jobs to pay for food and 
transportation, after finding out he couldn't have a decent modeling career 
and stay in school at the same time.
	And Usagi, being a high school student with no marketable skills, 
wasn't adding to the household funds at all.  She wasn't looking forward 
to trying to finish school and being a full-time mother at the same time. 
	The wedding present money was being saved to buy all the baby 
supplies.  In the meantime, Usagi was having to learn how to manage a 
budget.  She'd whined today about how difficult trying to stretch half 
the necessary money over twice the expenses was, Mamoru had made what he 
thought a witty retort, and they'd fought.
	Some ice cream will cheer me up, Usagi thought, then remembered 
she'd eaten the last of it last night, and there was no money in the 
budget to buy more for a whole *week*!
	"Besides, I'm getting fat enough already," she teased herself, 
patting her belly.  Five months into the pregnancy, she was really 
starting to show.  And she was only going to get bigger.
	But it was all going to be worth it.  She was going to have a 
son!  She even knew his name.  Ichiro.  
	Though Usagi was dying of curiousity, she'd refrained from asking 
Chibiusa any more about her big brother.  A short conversation with 
Setsuna a while back had involved a warning that knowing *too* much about 
the future was a very, very bad thing.  So, she'd just have to wait out 
the intervening time to see how Ichiro came out.
	There.  She felt a bit better now.  Usagi fixed her face, then 
decided to call Ami.  She located her Senshi communicator, and punched in 
Ami's number.
	The picture stayed blank for several seconds, then Ami's face 
appeared.  "Yes?"
	"Anything going on, Ami-chan?"
	"No, everything's quiet, Usagi.  Just like the last three times 
you called.  Say, is anything wrong?"
	"No, no, I'm fine, Mamoru's fine, the baby's fine.  Everything's 
A-okay!" 
	"You had another fight, didn't you?"
	"Yes.  I'm worried, Ami.  What if he doesn't love me anymore?" 
	"Usagi, you know he loves you, and you love him.  All married 
couples go through times when they fight..."  Ami looked sad, then spoke 
quickly, "But just because you get angry at each other, doesn't mean you 
don't love each other.  It just means you're going to have to work things 
out.  What was the fight about?"
	Usagi told her.
	"I see.  Okay, Accounting isn't my strongest subject, but I'll 
come by tomorrow and see if I can help you with your budget.  Now get 
some sleep.  Mamoru will be back soon, and we'll call you if we need 
Sailor Moon."
	"Thanks, Ami-chan.  You're a pal!"
	Sailor Moon.  She hadn't been seen much action lately.  Mina had 
taken over as field leader of the Senshi, and Uranus and Neptune had 
stepped up their activity.  Fulgurite had been their main opponent ever 
since the wedding.  He didn't seem to be all that powerful, maybe on a 
par with Jadeite, but he was a lot sneakier than the other Dark Kingdom 
army people had been, and had actually managed to keep some of the things 
he was trying to steal.
	It seemed to be mostly historical items Fulgurite was after; none 
of them had been able to discern a particular pattern to them yet.  And 
he'd struck all over Japan, requiring quite a few Sailor Teleports.  
Still, the team was handling him adequately without Sailor Moon.
	"So I guess I'm down to just being the `Princess'."  She sighed.  
For all Usagi's whining and protests, and the fear she felt during every 
battle, she'd grown accustomed to her warrior role, even proud of it.  
Now there was someone else to think of, and Luna had insisted she 
transform as little as possible.
	"There's no telling how the magic might affect him, and the 
Silver Crystal would be even worse," the cat had said.
	At least she was doing better at school, since she wasn't 
spending her nights fighting evil and could stay awake. 
	There was a knock at the door.  Mamo-chan!  No, wait, wouldn't he 
have just come in?  Usagi went over and opened it.  
	"Hi, kaa-chan!" chirped the pink-haired girl standing there. 
	"Chibi-chan!"  Now that Usagi had married Mamoru, Chibiusa had 
begun acknowledging her as her mother more openly, though still never at 
home.  Usagi knew it hurt Chibi a lot that she had to pretend otherwise, 
but that was the cost of having a secret identity.
	"O-baa-chan sent over some cookies!" said Chibiusa by way of 
explaining her presence.
	"That sounds yummy!  Why don't you open them onto a plate while I 
make some tea?"
	They chattered happily for a bit about Chibi's school, and 
Shingo's latest stupid hobby, popsicle stick sculpture.
	"I like it, 'cause I get to eat lotsa popsicles!" 
	"You're eating nutritious food too, right?"
	"Aw, you're no fun anymore!"  They both giggled mightily.
	"O-baa-chan wants you to come to dinner tomorrow.  She thinks 
it's time you told Shingo about the baby."
	"Really?"
	"Yeppers!  I think she's worried he'll do something hentai with 
Mika." 
	Oh boy.  The "facts of life" speech, with live demonstration 
model.  Still, the look on Shingo's face should be worth it.
	"Okay, tell her I'll be there at the usual time."
	"Tou-chan too!"
	"Um, that might be a bit of a problem..."
	"Why?" asked a male voice.
	"Mamo-chan!"
	"Tou-chan!"
	Mamoru had returned, looking a little damp, but his face 
relaxed.  
	"I'm sorry about before, Usako.  I let my mouth get ahead of my 
brain."
	"I know.  I'm sorry I blew up on you like that.  I'm going to 
have Ami help me with the budget."  Usagi smiled.  "Would you like a 
cookie?"
	"Don't mind if I do.  I talked to my boss at the temp agency, 
they can give me a bit of a raise, given the special circumstances and 
all.   Give your father a hug, Chibi?"
	"Okay!"  After a nanosecond, Usagi joined them in the hug.  The 
rough times weren't over, not by a long shot, but they could get through 
them together, as a family.  


TO BE CONTINUED