Hi, everybody! ^-^ How are you all? This is the first part of a story

 were doing. We're trying to decide if ChibiUsa & Hotaru should come out

 pretty soon or if we should keep waiting for a while. We really love

 hearing from you so after reading the story please e-mail us your

 thought's on the subject. ^^ Anyway, this story was written along with

 Minako, the newest member. We decided rather than change the name to

 Amazoness Trio to change it to the Quartet (Yay!!! Who get's to be

 PallaPalla?). We don't have a fourth member yet, but we can hope. ^^

 This story is a Sekkushiaru Roman and for mature audiences, so please

 enjoy. ^^ It takes place several years after Sailormoon Sailor Stars.

 ChibiUsa & Hotaru are both 15 years old. For technical things about

 the story: (and we're really sorry if we screw any of this up ^^)

 The legal age to get married in Japan is 16.

 Ikuko and Kenji are Usagi's parents. Shingo is Usagi's brother. Usagi

 is married to Mamoru and lives with him while ChibiUsa continues to

 live with Ikuko, Kenji, and Shingo.

 That's about it for now. All the character's are copyright of Naoko

 Takeuchi & others.

 Thanks to everyone who reads our stories. ^-^

 

 

                                 Moonlit Nights

 

                          By: The Amazoness Quartet

 

         ChibiUsa rolled over in bed, not quite asleep, but not yet awake.

 She pulled the blanket around herself tighter, trying to get back to

 sleep.

       "Wake up, ChibiUsa," she heard a familiar voice say. She rolled

 over again, trying to ignore it. "Come on, ChibiUsa-chan. Wake up,"

 the voice repeated.

        "I'm too tired to go to the banquet today. You and dad go,"

 ChibiUsa mumbled sleepily. She felt the weight of the bed shift as

 someone sat beside her.

        "I'm not your mom, Odango-chan," the voice said, amused by the

 girl she was trying to wake up.

        "Good," ChibiUsa said satisfied. "Then I'm going back to

 sleep."

         Hotaru started absentmindedly running her fingers through

 ChibiUsa's soft pink hair. "Odango-chan," she said sternly. "If you

 don't get up you'll be late for school."

        ChibiUsa sat up in bed, trying to find out where she was. She

 blinked her eyes several times before focusing on a half clothed

 Hotaru. She at her lover. "I could get used to waking up to this."

        Hotaru blushed when she saw ChibiUsa's gaze lower along her

 body. "It was great waking up with you by me," Hotaru said smiling

 back at ChibiUsa. "Now if only you'd wake up before making us both

 late."

        ChibiUsa pulled the blanket over her head. "If I'm at your

 house it means it's the weekend, right? Please say there's no school

 today..." ChibiUsa had had many ideas about what she and Hotaru could

 do that day after waking up beside her, but they were all for nothing

 if she had school.

        "Sorry, Odango-chan, but its a school day. Usagi's parents let

 you spend the night probably because they think I'm a responsible

 young lady and that I'd get you to school on time. Which is what I

 intend to do, so they'll let you stay over on school nights more

 often. You aren't a morning person, are you, ChibiUsa-chan?" Hotaru

 asked as she pulled her skirt on.

         "I can be, if the conditions are right," ChibiUsa answered

 before yawning. She pulled the blanket down. She blushed when she

 realized she wasn't wearing anything under the blanket. 'I'm not used

 to waking up naked in Hotaru's bed. I hope we do this enough that I

 can get used to it. That would be fun,' ChibiUsa thought.

         "And what would those be?" Hotaru asked innocently. ChibiUsa

 giggled. That look rarely meant Hotaru was innocent.

         "Well, first we'd have to stop that silly idea of yours about

 going to school. And second, you'd have to get out of those school

 clothes," ChibiUsa said quietly.

         "I'm sure you'd be willing to help. Now get up and get

 dressed, before I have to dress you myself," Hotaru said in warning

 tones. ChibiUsa pulled the blanket up over her head again.

 

         Several minutes later, an exhausted looking Hotaru walked out

 of her room with ChibiUsa. ChibiUsa's clothes were rumpled and in

 disarray.

         "I told you I would do it," Hotaru panted. "We could have

 taken a shower together if you'd waken up earlier," she said as she

 and ChibiUsa headed for the stairs.

         "You should have tried to wake me up. That would have been

 great before school," ChibiUsa said regretfully.

         "I tried. You said you wanted to sleep, so I let you sleep a

 little longer and took one by myself." Hotaru looked at ChibiUsa.

 "Don't you remember?"

         ChibiUsa laughed nervously. "Not really. Like you said, I'm

 not a morning person. I don't do well this early."

         "Maybe I can help you," Hotaru said softly. She leaned towards

 the pink haired girl. One arm went behind ChibiUsa, stopping at the

 small of ChibiUsa's back. She pushed deeply into the kiss. ChibiUsa

 half closed her eyes as her hands started to wander over Hotaru's

 body.

 She settled into the kiss with her hands on either side of Hotaru's

 slender waist. Their breath mingled as the girls kissed passionately,

 their tongues touching.

         ChibiUsa heard some footsteps coming up the stairs. She pulled

 away from Hotaru, startling the dark haired girl. Hotaru looked at

 ChibiUsa worriedly to see what was wrong.

        "You two better get going if you want to get to school on

 time," Setsuna said as she walked past them hurriedly.

        Hotaru stared at ChibiUsa, realizing why her lover had pulled

 away. "Come on, ChibiUsa," she said angrily.

        ChibiUsa flinched. She was surprised that Hotaru was upset. She

 knew Hotaru hated pretending that they weren't a couple, but she'd

 never made the dark haired girl angry because of it before. Hotaru

 started down the stairs.

         "Taru-chan, I'm sorry," ChibiUsa said as she tried to catch up

 with Hotaru. She ignored ChibiUsa's apology and continued towards the

 door.

        "You forgot your backpack upstairs," Hotaru said without

 looking back at her. She opened the door and walked out.

         ChibiUsa hesitated for a moment. "Hotaru, matte!" she

 yelled before running back upstairs to get her backpack.

 

         ChibiUsa caught up to Hotaru down the road. She tried to catch

 her breath as she walked alongside the angry dark haired girl. She

 looked down at her shoes. "I'm sorry, Taru," she said in a small voice.

         Hotaru walked along for a moment in silence before answering.

 "I love you, ChibiUsa. Why am I only allowed to love you at certain

 times? Why only when we're alone? I have to live a lie in front of my

 parents. They're the people I trust the most, and I can't tell them

 that I'm in love. You pushed me away because Setsuna-mama was coming.

 You pretended I didn't mean anything to you in front of her. You're

 the most important thing in my life. That's why it hurts so much that

 you pretend we're only friends until no one's looking. It's such a

 strange feeling being in love, but it feels great. I don't want to

 hide it." She finally turned to ChibiUsa. "When? When will we tell

 everyone? When can we stop this stupid charade?"

         ChibiUsa couldn't meet her gaze. She was ashamed of herself.

 She knew she'd hurt Hotaru badly that morning. "I'm... I'm sorry,

 Hotaru. I love you. I don't want to hurt you." She stepped forward and

 genty clasped Hotaru's hand with both of her own. She looked into

 Hotaru's beautiful purple eyes. The raven haired girl still looked

 angry and depressed. Hotaru blinked and her gaze started to soften.

 ChibiUsa kissed her hand before continuing. "I'm so sorry about this

 morning, but I'm still not used to everything, yet. I know you don't

 want to keep this up, but I'm not ready to tell everyone yet."

         "Why not?" Hotaru demanded, some of her anger returning. "If

 you love me, then why do we have to keep it a secret. What are you so

 afraid of?" Hotaru pulled away from the pink haired girl and began

 walking off again.

         ChibiUsa grabbed Hotaru's hand and turned her around. She

 looked at her sadly. "This is all so new to me. I want to make sure

 everything works out for the best. I love you, Taru-chan, and the

 last thing I'd want to do is hurt you. I hate knowing that you're

 sad. I'm sorry about not telling everyone, but I'm still shy about

 the two of us. I don't know what to say or what anyone will think.

 You're more important to me than that, though. I don't want to hurt

 you anymore. Please, wait for me a little longer."

         Hotaru stared at her for a moment. She sighed. "It's so hard

 to stay angry with you, Odango." Her arms went around the pink haired

 girl. "Do you promise we'll tell them sometime soon?" she asked as

 she held the other girl.

         "Hai," ChibiUsa said, nodding. "I'm really sorry about this

 morning." She was glad Hotaru wasn't angry with her anymore, but she

 still felt bad for how she'd acted. The two girls hugged before

 continuing on their way. "You really want to tell everyone, don't

 you?" ChibiUsa asked Their fingers intertwined as they held hands.

         "If we told everybody, we wouldn't have to sneak around

 anymore. We wouldn't have to pretend there's nothing between us,"

 Hotaru said as she looked into ChibiUsa's crimson eyes.

         ChibiUsa knew she wasn't being fair to the dark haired girl.

 Hotaru hadn't wanted to hide anything from the beginning. She had

 strenuously protested against hiding that they loved each other in the

 first place. She had finally relented because she didn't want to hurt

 ChibiUsa, but she continued to try to convince ChibiUsa to do

 otherwise every chance she got.

         "Come on, Odango-chan. Let's not worry about it for now."

 Hotaru smiled. "Besides, eventually we'll either have to tell

 everyone or they'll find out anyway. It would be hard to pretend

 we're just friends after we get married."

         ChibiUsa laughed. She always got nervous when they talked

 about marriage. How was she supposed to propose to her best friend?

 "I was thinking it might be nice to get married when we were sixteen,

 like my mom. It's only about a year away. Or we could wait until

 we're 17 when we're more mature."

         "How about now?" Hotaru asked calmly. She loved the pink

 haired girl and dreamed about marrying her.

         "Now?" ChibiUsa asked surprised. "But we can't now. We have to

 tell everyone first. And I've got to talk to my parents first and see if

 you can come back to the future with me or if I need to stay in the

 past with you. Westill have the high school entrance exams and..."

         Hotaru cut ChibiUsa off. "I've already got an engagement ring

 for you." Both girls stopped suddenly on the sidewalk. ChibiUsa stared

 as Hotaru pulled a small ring box out of her backpack and brought it

 up for ChibiUsa to see.

         "It's beautiful," breathed ChibiUsa.

         Hotaru was pleased with ChibiUsa's reaction. She'd been

 worried that ChibiUsa would protest against her buying an engagement

 ring already. "How long have you had it?" ChibiUsa asked.

         Hotaru blushed. "Since a couple weeks ago. I've been wanting

 to marry you for a long time."

         "Taru, we're too young," ChibiUsa argued nervously.

         "Don't worry, Odango-chan. I'm nervous about it, too," Hotaru

 said.

         "Nervous about what?" ChibiUsa asked.

         "About proposing," Hotaru said smiling. "If you're too shy to,

 just tell me and I'll be the one to propose. I'm kind of confused

 about which of us should propose and I thought you might want to. The

 only reason I haven't yet is because I haven't actually worked up the

 courage to ask you yet. I just want you to know that I really want to

 marry you. You mean so much to me."

         "Hotaru-chan," ChibiUsa said, not knowing how to reply.

         Hotaru sighed again. "Could I at least see what you'd look

 wearing it for now?" she asked hopefully.

         ChibiUsa nodded shyly. 'I didn't know Hotaru was looking so

 far ahead with the two of us. I'm so lucky to have her. She's really

 thinking about us.'

         Hotaru slid the ring onto ChibiUsa's slender finger. Hotaru

 held up the pink haired girl's hand and looked at her longingly. She

 couldn't wait for the day when ChibiUsa was her bride.

         "How is it?" ChibiUsa asked. She flexed her finger and looked

 at the ring. ChibiUsa was blushing a deep red as she looked from the

 ring to the dreamy look on Hotaru's face.

         "You look beautiful as always, Odango-chan. You just look like

 my cute Odango-chan that's engaged to me," Hotaru said smiling. She

 brought ChibiUsa's hand up higher and kissed it before sliding the

 ring off. She placed it back in the box before putting it back in her

 backpack. "After seeing you wear the ring, I'll have to propose soon.

 I really want to marry you now."

         ChibiUsa waved her arms. "Taru-chan, We've got plenty of time.

 You shouldn't be too hasty about things like this. We should wait till

 we're older."

         "Well, then you could always say that to me when I propose,"

 Hotaru said as she walked towards the school gates. She faced ChibiUsa

 and walked in backwards. "But could you really say no to me?" She

 asked smiling.

         "No one ever told me having a girlfriend would be so much

 trouble,"ChibiUsa said quietly.

         "Or so much fun. If your girlfriend happens to be your best

 friend, it just makes it even more interesting," Hotaru whispered.

         ChibiUsa giggled. Hotaru smiled. All the tension she had been

 feeling earlier had drifted away. 'I know ChibiUsa-chan's worried

 about telling everyone, but soon I'll be able to get her to go along

 with it. I just have to be ready to convince her. I'm sure I can.' Her

 smile broadened. She mouthed the words 'I love you' to the pink

 haired girl.

         The pink haired girl smiled at her and whispered back. "I love

 you, too."

         Both girls held hands for what seemed like an eternity before

 Hotaru walked off to her class. ChibiUsa turned around and saw Momoko

 standing there. The Chinese girl had her purple hair done up in a

 singleodango. She had an odd expression on her face as she looked

 from ChibiUsa to the retreating form of Hotaru.

         'Did she see anything?' ChibiUsa thought frantically. 'What

 did we do? Hotaru seems pretty obvious about us even when we are in

 public.' "Ohayo,  Momo-chan," she said nervously.

         Momoko stared at her strangely for a second before replying.

 "Ohayo, ChibiUsa-chan. How are you?"

         "I'm fine," ChibiUsa said. She smiled, glad that Hotaru wasn't

 angry with her anymore. "Actually, I'm feeling great right now." She

 spun around in a circle. 'I've felt better than I ever had since

 Hotaru and I got together. Now that Hotaru's happy with me, it feels

 like it'll be a great day. I've slept better then usual even though

 we stayed up late talking and enjoying our time together.' She sighed

 happily while blushing at the thoughts of what she and Hotaru had

 done the night before.

         Momoko leaned towards ChibiUsa, the strange look returning to

 her eyes. "You're fine, huh? Then why are you blushing?" the lavender

 haired girl asked.

         ChibiUsa looked down. "Because..." she said simply.

         "Because what? I'm your friend. What aren't you telling me?"

 Momoko asked. Momoko and Diana were the closest people to ChibiUsa,

 besides Hotaru. She didn't keep things from either of them often. She

 didn't know if she was ready to tell Momoko about what she and Hotaru

 shared, but if Momoko was already on to it there wasn't a lot she

 could do.

         "It's nothing," ChibiUsa said unconvincingly.

         "It has something to do with Hotaru, I know that. Why won't

 you tell me?" Momoko asked sadly.

         "I'm sorry, Momo-chan, but I can't tell you yet. Soon, though.

 I promise." ChibiUsa waved at her and started walking for class.

         "ChibiUsa, please..." Momoko started.

         "I can't. Not yet," ChibiUsa said.

         Momoko sighed. "I'll see you in class, ChibiUsa-chan."

         'I'm sorry, Momo-chan,' ChibiUsa thought. 'Someday.'

 

         Hotaru looked around for her pink haired girlfriend. She

 spotted a pair of familiar odango on the other side of a bush. She

 made her way around it and smiled at ChibiUsa. ChibiUsa was sitting

 and enjoying the shade with her bento box next to her. ChibiUsa

 looked up at Hotaru. She smiled back and patted the ground beside

 her. "Sit down, Taru-chan," ChibiUsa said happily.

         "I'm glad I found you. Not that you're too hard too find,"

 Hotaru said as she sat down next to ChibiUsa. She brushed a leaf out

 of the other girl's pink hair.

         "I'm glad you found me, too," ChibiUsa said quietly. Hotaru's

 hand went under her chin. ChibiUsa looked around quickly. She could

 hear some of the other students, but none of them could see the two

 girls. As soon as she turned back, she felt Hotaru's soft lips press

 against her own. She giggled lightly as Hotaru kissed her again.

 ChibiUsa's hand went down past the raven haired girl's skirt to one of

 her legs, clothed by the dark stockings she wore. ChibiUsa knew she

 should stop now. If someone walked past and ChibiUsa pulled away

 again, Hotaru would be angry. If she didn't, whoever was there might

 very likely notice the two girls. Hotaru's tongue pushed between The

 pink haired girl's lips. Hotaru moaned softly as they kissed.

         Both girls turned as they heard a rustling from the bush

 behind them. They blushed as ChibiUsa pulled her hand away from

 Hotaru's thigh.

         "Diana?!" ChibiUsa said surprised as the small gray cat

 walked out of the bush. She had a paper in her mouth. She set it down

 in front of ChibiUsa. "I don't know if you needed this or not, Small

 Lady, but you left it at home. It's some of your notes."

         "Arigato, Diana. You didn't have to," ChibiUsa said, glad

 that it had been her guardian cat.

         "Don't mention it. I'm glad I could help." She began to leave,

 but turned back. "Hotaru-san? Were you teaching Small Lady how to

 kiss? I'd just like to say that it looked like you were doing a great

 job." Diana smiled happily and walked off. Both girls eyes went wide

 as they sweatdropped. Hotaru blushed deeper. Diana was ChibiUsa's age,

 but she still seemed very innocent.

         Hotaru and ChibiUsa sat in silence for several minutes.

 Before they could talk about what happened, Ruruna and Naruru popped

 up.

         "Hello, ChibiUsa-chan! Hi, Hotaru-chan!" Naruru said happily.

         "Have you two heard about the dance?" Ruruna asked.

         "What dance?" Hotaru asked confused.

         "We didn't think so. Anyway, there's going to be a dance this

 Friday.

 Ruruna and I are going to make sure everybody knows since we're both

 helping to organize it." Naruru smiled.

         "Friday? But today's Wednesday!" ChibiUsa said.

         "Yeah, so you don't have much time to get a date for it, but

 we know you can if you try," said Ruruna. "If you need any help, just

 ask us."

         "We've got to go for now, but we'll see you two later. Ja

 ne!!" Naruru and Ruruna waved as they walked off.

 

         ChibiUsa walked home as soon as school had ended. Diana was

 on top of her head and chatting away about what had happened the day

 before while ChibiUsa had been at the Outer Senshi's house. Usagi had

 made her curry while visiting and this time it didn't look like

 garbage. Mamoru had visited along with her and eaten the tasty food,

 Rei and the other Senshi had visited and talked to the two about

 "Sailor business" mostly for old times sake since the only senshi

 living there was ChibiUsa.

         "Diana," ChibiUsa interrupted, " What do you think about

 Hotaru?"

         Diana climbed down so that she could see her mistress's face.

 She was smiling. "Hotaru is a very nice friend," she said. "It's nice

 she's teaching you how to kiss. Now when you get a boyfriend you can

 be ready."

         ChibiUsa smiled. 'She's teaching me more than kissing.'

 ChibiUsa stepped up to her front door and walked inside.

 Usagi's mother, father and brother were watching a movie.

         "Good afternoon, ChibiUsa," Ikuko said smiling, Kenji nodded

 in greeting. "Usagi's upstairs, probably talking on the phone again

 with that boyfriend of hers."

         "Bo-boyfriend!"," Kenji said frilling up like a cats coils.

         "Dad," Shingo said trying to calm him down. "She's been

 married for years now. Of course she's talking to him on the phone. I

 think your having flashbacks since she's visiting."

         "A boyfriend who likes to run up our phone bills," Kenji

 commented.

         Shingo buried his face in his hands in frustration. "Dad...."

         ChibiUsa smiled and walked up to Usagi's room and felt

 Diana jump down from her head. The small grey cat nuzzled next to her

 mother. Chibi-Usa sat down next to Usagi, and Usagi turned and smiled

 at her future daughter. She had been talking on the phone.

         "Konichiwa ChibiUsa," Usagi smiled. "How did you like

 spending the night with Hotaru-chan?"

         "Interesting," she answered. "I made it to school on time.

 Usagi... you love Mamoru, ne?"

         Usagi looked at ChibiUsa strangely, and answered. "Yes."

         "Then do you think I could fall in love?"

         "ChibiUsa, most people would say you're too young, but I fell

 in love with Mamo-chan when I was fourteen. Your over that age and I

 think you could fall in love any time now."

         "Arigato, Usagi," ChibiUsa said and got up to leave.

 'I already am,' she thought.

 

         "So what do you think?" Hotaru said over the phone.

         "I don't know 'Taru-chan," ChibiUsa answered fidgiting with

 the phone cord. Hotaru had just asked ChibiUsa to the dance. The one

 that Ruruna and Naruru had told them about at lunch.

         "Come on, you're not still afraid are you?" Hotaru

 answered a bit of anger in her voice.

         ChibiUsa knew that all that Hotaru wanted was to be able to

 be open about their relationship. ChibiUsa's heart beat grew faster.

 'What do I say?' "Taru you know I love you, but....I just can't. Not

 yet," ChibiUsa said. "You know the risks that come with any kind of

 love that grows. Look at everything Usagi and Mamoru went through.

 We'd have a lot more to deal with if we told everyone."

         Hotaru sighed. "Odango-chan," Hotaru answered, "I don't know

 how long I can take keeping this a secret...I just want what

 Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa have."

         "And all I want is what my mother and father have," ChibiUsa

 replied, "I'll go with you 'Taru, but this isn't my official

 outcoming."

         "In other words 'friends only'?" she asked.

         "...it has to be," ChibiUsa said.

         "Alright Odango-chan, for you."

 

 

         Hotaru was lying in her bed. She had several pillows propped

 up behind her, to keep comfortable. She was trying to read. It

 usually helped her when she was thinking about something too much.

 This time, though, it didn't seem to be helping at all. She reread a

 sentence over again. She set down the book in frustration, unable to

 concentrate on it. She reached over to a nightstand and picked up a

 picture frame she had on it. She smiled when she looked at the

 picture. It was of her and ChibiUsa. She had an arm around

 ChibiUsa's waist, while the pink haired girl had an arm over her

 shoulder. They were both smiling oddly and Hotaru was blushing

 slightly. It was from before they'd talked about their feelings for

 each other. At the time it had just been a silly pose they were doing

 for the camera, but she remembered how ChibiUsa had clutched her

 shoulder and brought her closer before the picture was taken. The

 picture was one of her favorites. Her fingers brushed the glass over

 the image of ChibiUsa. Hotaru rolled over and sighed. 'I don't want

 to go as friends,' she thought. 'I don't care what everyone else

 thinks. I want them to know I love her. I want to go as her

 girlfriend. We've been best friends for the longest time. Why does

 she want to keep acting like that's all we are? A dance sounds fun

 and I want her to take me.' She hugged one of her pillows tightly

 against herself. 'Odango-chan.'

         Hotaru heard a knock at the door. "Come in," she said.

         The door opened and Haruka walked in. "I brought you some tea,

 Hime-chan." She handed her daughter the cup.

         "Arigato, Haruka-papa," she said gratefully. She felt better

 as she sat with Haruka. She drank a bit of the warm liquid, relaxing.

 Haruka ruffled Hotaru's hair.

         "Haruka-papa, I'm not a little girl anymore. I'm 15," Hotaru

 protested.

         Haruka laughed. "You're growing up, but both you and ChibiUsa

 still seem like little girls. I'm glad about that. I wouldn't want

 you growing up too fast. I remember when you were a small baby."

         Hotaru giggled. "That was only a couple years ago."

         "See? You're already growing up too fast because you had to

 reage and be Sailor Saturn again. So how was school?" Haruka

 asked.

         Hotaru sighed and hugged her pillow again. "It was pretty

 good. I had a really nice lunch with ChibiUsa."

         "And you didn't have much homework, so the day seems to have

 gone well. What else happened, Hime-chan?" Haruka looked at the

 younger girl.

         "I found out that there's going to be a dance this Friday,"

 Hotaru answered.

         Haruka smiled. "Ohhhh...So the girl you want to go with

 either doesn't seem to know you exist or you don't think she'd go

 with you." Hotaru stared at Haruka. "Okay, maybe that isn't it. Have

 you found someone to go with? You can always take ChibiUsa. I think

 she has a crush on you."

         Hotaru stared at Haruka again. She teased Hotaru about

 ChibiUsa every so often even though Hotaru hadn't told her about

 the two of them. She didn't really know what to say. Before, she

 always told Haruka that they were only friends, but that had been

 before she'd admitted to herself that she was in love with the pink

 girl.

         "So why wouldn't anyone want to take a pretty girl like

 you?" Haruka continued.Hotaru sighed, glad that she hadn't had to

 come up with a response.

         "It's complicated, Haruka-papa. I'm going to the dance, but

 not the way I want to," Hotaru tried to explain.

         Haruka nodded. "It sounds confusing. Is there anything I can

 do to help?"

         "I don't think so," Hotaru said. She looked up. "Do you think

 ChibiUsa-chan can spend the night with me this Friday? She could come

 back here with me after the dance."

         "I don't see why not. Let me talk to Setsuna and Michi first.

 Otherwise, I'm sure she can," said Haruka.

         "Thank you, Haruka-papa," Hotaru said happily. Haruka smiled

 at her as she picked up the empty tea cups and prepared to leave.

         Haruka turned to Hotaru before leaving. "Hotaru, don't worry

 about it. If there's one thing I know, its that you can't run from

 fate. Whatever happens, I'm sure it'll turn out alright."

         Hotaru contemplated what Haruka said. "Thanks, Haruka-papa."

         "No problem. If you need any help, just ask. Sorry about the

 dance, but I hope you enjoy yourself anyway." Haruka opened the door.

         "I'm sure I will." Hotaru waved as Haruka departed. Hotaru

 sighed and fell back on her bed.

 

         The next day after school, Hotaru and ChibiUsa were at the

 Crown Cafe discussing the dance.

         "What if you wore boys' clothes, like Haruka-san?" ChibiUsa

 asked.

         Hotaru sweatdropped. "I don't think that would work. I'd just

 look like a girl cross-dressing."

         "We could give you a short pony tail," ChibiUsa suggested.

         "I'm glad you want to go as a couple, but I still don't think

 that would work. That does give me an idea. What if you let your hair

 down? You always wear it in the odango hair style at school, so

 noone's seen you with it down before," Hotaru said smiling.

         "For one thing, everyone would see me with you, so if they

 didn't think it was me, they'd still think that you were going with a

 girl," ChibiUsa said.

         Hotaru smiled a bit more. "I don't mind if they know I've got

 a girlfriend. You're the one who doesn't want anyone to know."

         "Even then, I'm the only girl with pink hair at school.

 Everybody would just think I was trying a different hair style at the

 dance." ChibiUsa sipped her drink.

         "I like my idea, even more if everyone would notice that

 we're going out. I've got another idea, but you're not going to like

 it," Hotaru said. She waved to Unazuki as she served another group of

 people.

         "What is it?" ChibiUsa asked, curious.

         "The reason you don't want to go with me as your date is

 because then everyone would find out about us, right?" Hotaru asked.

         "Yeah...."

         "Then all we have to do is tell most of our family and

 friends today, and we won't have to worry about them finding out from

 other people who were at the dance." Hotaru smiled at the pink haired

 girl again.

         ChibiUsa stared at Hotaru. "But the dance is tomorrow."

         "So if we get moving now, we should be able to tell everyone

 in time. We could always have them meet us at the Hikawa shrine,"

 Hotaru said. "Or we could tell them all on Saturday. I doubt they'll

 have found out by then." Her hand clasped ChibiUsa's beneath the

 table. "You should relax, Odango-chan. The whole reason I want to go

 to the dance with you is because it sounds fun. And because it's with

 you," she sighed, "even if we are going as friends. I still don't

 promise I'll act like your best friend."

         ChibiUsa squeezed Hotaru's hand back. "How can I relax if you

 give me reasons to worry." She smiled as her fingers intertwined with

 Hotaru's.

         "And you wouldn't have to worry if you'd just let us come out

 to everyone. I'm sure everyone would be happy that we have each

 other." Hotaru leaned across the table and kissed ChibiUsa lightly in

 the public cafe. ChibiUsa kissed her back tentatively, trying to

 control her blushing. Her tongue pushed into Hotaru's mouth. Their

 tongues met as they kissed. As they pulled away, ChibiUsa noticed

 that the dark haired girl was blushing as well.

         "Taru-chan?"

         "I understand how you feel about everything, ChibiUsa. I'm shy

 about these things too. But I love you and I want everyone to know

 that. I understand why you don't want to tell everyone yet. I'm

 nervous about it as well, but I don't want to have to hide how much I

 love you," Hotaru said in a soft voice.

         ChibiUsa smiled at her. "I'm glad you understand. You always

 understand me."

         "It's because I can read you like a book," Hotaru said with a

 smile.

         "Oh, yeah?" Then what am I thinking right now?" ChibiUsa asked.

 She stuck out her tongue.

         "You're thinking that since neither of us have much homework,

 it would be fun to go over to my house and cuddle for a couple of

 hours." Hotaru said with her chin on her hands.

         "I was thinking we could go get Ice Cream or something to eat,

 but that does sound a lot better," ChibiUsa said happily.

         "Darn. I was sure you had your 'I want to cuddle look' just

 then, not your 'let's spend Hotaru's allowance on food' look."

 Hotaru gave her another quick kiss before they got up to leave.

 

 _____________

 That's it for part one. ^^ We hope you enjoyed it. Please tell us what

 you think. Bye!!!