'TIS THE SEASON #3: LITA
A Sailor Moon Sekkushiaru Roman

by Sailor Mac
	"Wow! Lita, did you leave anything in the store?"
	Ken watched her unpack bag after bag in his parents' kitchen. She was
spending Christmas with him and his family.
	"I told you. . .I wanted to give you all the best Christmas dinner you've
ever had!"
	"It'll be the best, all right. . .and the *biggest*!"
	"You'll never forget it," she promised, loading the fridge with fresh
vegetables. She closed the door, turned around. . .and found him blocking
her in with his arms.
	"Oh, I know I'll never forget this Christmas," he said. "Having you with
us. . ."
	She laughed. "Ken, I've spent Christmas with you before."
	"When we were kids. Things are. . .different now."
	She put her arms around his neck. "They're different now, all right. And I
wouldn't have it any other way." She brought her mouth to his, and they
shared a long, sweet kiss.
	There was a noise at the kitchen door, and the couple broke apart quickly
as Ken's mother entered. "Oh. . .hi, Mom!"
	"Hello, Mrs. Shinozaki! Um. . .we were just unpacking the groceries. . ."
	Ken's mother looked at them with a knowing smile. . .but it was also a
smile that conveyed warmth and approval.
	"Well, it's nice to see that we're all going to be spending the holiday
together," she said. "Ken, your father is outside with the tree. . .want to
help him bring it in?"
	They spent the next couple of hours unwrapping ornaments and hanging them
on branches, stringing tinsel and holly garlands throughout the room, and
even spraying the windows with canned "snow." Finally, they all relaxed,
sharing coffee and Christmas cookies.
	"That's quite a display we've got this year," Ken's father said. "You've
got great design sense, Lita!"
	"Oh, I don't know about that."
	"It's the best-looking tree we've ever had, anyway."
	Ken smiled. "Dad, you say that every year."
	"Yes.  . .but this time, I *mean* it."
	"And I agree with you," Ken said.
	Lita looked up at the tree, at the twinkling lights and sparkling
ornaments. And she felt memories stirring within her, memories that always
came back at this time of year and only made her feel sad. . .
	She saw herself at age six, tearing into brightly colored paper, yanking
out the thing she wanted the most. . .
	"An Easy-Bake Oven!" she shouted.
	"That's right," her father said to her
	"Oh, I love it! I want to try it out right now!" She ran for the kitchen
with the box, her mother following her.
	"Now Lita," her mother said, "you don't want to just throw your cake
together, do you? You want it to be fancy!"
	"I wanna make the best cake ever made!" Lita said. "I'm gonna be a
world-famous chef someday!"
	"I'm sure you will, honey. You can be anything you want to be."
	As they set up the oven, her father came into the room with the camera.
"Smile, you two! I want to get a picture of the two most gorgeous gals in
the world at work."
	"Daddy," said Lita, "will you come to my restaurant when I'm grown up?"
	"Of course, sweetheart. If you're cooking there, I'll eat in it every
night! Nothing could keep me away. . ."
* * *
	"Lita? Are you all right?"
	Ken's voice brought her back to present-day reality. She blinked back her
tears and said, "I'm okay. . .I guess I'm starting to nod off. It's getting
late."
	"It's probably a good idea for us all to turn in," his mother said,
getting up to give both of them a kiss goodnight. Lita and Ken headed for
the stairs, hand-in-hand.
	"I'll slip into the guest room later," he whispered.
	"Ken. . .tonight, I think I really want to *sleep.* Remember, we're going
to be together almost every night between now and New Year's. . ."
	He smiled. "Well, if you change your mind. . .I'm right next door. Just
sneak in and slip into the bed."
	"Okay." She threw her arms around him, and they shared a deep, long kiss.
"I love you," she whispered.
	"I love you, too."
	Once she was in her room, Lita allowed the tears to come. She missed her
parents so much at this time of year. . .there were times throughout the
other 11 months when she felt their absence like a pound of fleshthat had
been wrenched away from her, but at Christmas. . .
	I'm with the man I love and his family, she thought. I should be happy.
But I just feel so, so alone. . .
	She took off her clothes and pulled a big, baggy nightshirt over her head,
took down her ponytail and crawled between the sheets, trying to sleep. But
sleep eluded her. Her head was too full of images of Christmas past, images
of her family all together, smiling and happy. . .
	Lita got out of bed and headed for the stairs. She sat on the living room
floor and reached for the switch for the Christmas tree. The lights came on
and began their steady blink, blink, blink.
	She stared at the shifting patterns of color, trying to count her
blessings and think of all the good things that had happened to her over
the past couple of years. The most important had been becoming Sailor
Jupiter, finding her wonderful friends. . .and realizing that she and Ken,
her best friend since she was a small child, were more than friends, they
were soul  mates.
	My life is so rich, so full, she thought. But still, I feel so empty
tonight. . .
	If only, she thought, I could see them, talk to them, one more time. . .
* * *
	Somewhere in the celestial realm, a certain deity, one with good reason to
be interested in Lita's welfare, heard what she was thinking. Compassion
flooded him.
	He left his palace and went to the realm of his brother in the underworld.
He's got reason to be sad as well, the god thought. He's also had someone
precious to him unfairly taken away. . .
	"Pluto," Jupiter said to his brother, "I want you to help me give the
young woman who is my champion and priestess a Solstice present. . ."
* * *
	Lita remained in front of the tree, staring at the lights as the tears
slid down her face. She didn't notice the gentle shimmering behind her.
	"Oh, Mom, Dad, I wish I could see you again. . ." she said aloud.
	"You can, Lita," said a voice behind her.
	Lita turned around with a start, and gasped. There, standing at the back
of the room, were her parents. They seemed to be glowing with a soft light,
and she could see that their forms were not quite substantial. . .but it
was them!
	"M. . .m. . .Mom! Dad!" She got up and ran toward them, reaching out to
touch them. Her hand passed right through. "A hologram of some sort?"
	"No, darling," her mother said. "It's really us. We're in pure spirit form
right now, awaiting rebirth."
	"How. . .how did you come here?"
	"The god Jupiter sent us to you," said her father. "Oh, Lita. . .you're so
beautiful, you're more beautiful than I ever dreamed you'd be."
	"I've missed you so much," Lita said. "I couldn't sleep, or enjoy
Christmas. . .all I could think of was when we were all together."
	"You don't have to miss us, Lita dear," her mother said. "We've always
been with you."
	"We've seen what you accomplished, what's been happening in your life,"
her father added. "And we can't tell you how very, very proud we are of
you."
	"You've seen? Then you know that I'm. . ."
	Her mother smiled. "When I was pregnant with you, I had dreams over and
over of a majestic-looking man appearing before me and telling me that the
child I was carrying was one of the Chosen Ones. Now, I know what those
dreams meant."
	Lita felt tears welling up in her eyes again, but for a very different
reason. "When I've been in battle, I've always felt a warm, loving presence
nearby, helping me and giving me strength. Now, I know that it's always
been you."
	"Yes, Lita," her father said.
	"And we also know the turn your relationship with Ken has taken," her
mother said, "and we can't tell you how happy we are for you. Ken's a
wonderful young man."
	"He's perfectly suited to you," her father added. "And he has the
potential to be a marvelous husband and father."
	"Oh, I hope so," Lita said. "I want a marriage as happy as yours was. I've
always said that I would never get married unless the guy and I love each
other as much as you and Dad."
	"And do you love him?" her mother asked.
	Lita smiled. "Yes. With all my heart."
	"I'm so glad, honey. You deserve happiness."
	Just then, the light emitting from the forms in front of her began to get
dim. "Mom? Dad?"
	"We're running out of time," her father said. "We have to go."
	"But we're with you all the time, darling," her mother said. "Remember that."
	"I'll remember. . .I love you so much."
	"We love you, too," her mother said.
	"Be happy, sweetheart," said her father. "And we can't wait to see that
restaurant."	
	Both parents blew Lita a kiss, and she returned it. . .before they faded
from sight.
	She hugged herself as she looked at the place where they had stood. "Thank
you," she whispered to her guardian deity. "Thank you so much. . ."
	The melancholy was gone. Lita felt herself flooded with wonder and joy and
love. She fairly danced around the room.
	"Hey!" Ken's voice called. "What's going on down here?"
	Lita rushed to the foot of the stairs and greeted him with a huge hug, so
big it almost knocked him off balance. "Whoa! I thought you were so tired?"
	"I got my energy back." She brought her mouth to his for a long, deep kiss.
	"Sure feels like it," he said. They hugged each other again, and he looked
at the tree.
	"It's beautiful like this, isn't it? The tree being the only light in the
entire room?"
	She smiled. "When I was a little kid, I'd come down before anyone else was
up, turn the tree lights on and then lie with my head under the tree,
looking up through the branches at the lights."
	"You too?" He started to move toward the tree, leading her with him.
	"Ken? What are you doing?"
	"You're never too old for this," he said, pushing some of the presents out
of the way - clearing just enough space for them to lie side-by-side,
looking up at what seemed like an endless amount of colorful twinkles.
	"It's beautiful," she said. "Just as beautiful as I remember."
	He squeezed her hand. "Lita. . .remember the Christmas when we first met?"
	"I sure do. We were six years old. Our parents had just met and become
friends. . ."
	"I was playing my new video games when you walked in. And I can remember
when you challenged me to a game, how I didn't want to get girl-cooties on
my brand-new machine. . ."
	"You said that girls don't play video games. And then I sat down next to
you and proceeded to beat the crap out of you. Three games in a row."
	He laughed. "I think it was then and there that I realized you were the
only woman I'd ever love."
	"I wish I'd listened to my heart when I was younger. I would have known
that you were the only guy for me, ever. . .and I could have avoided that
fiasco with Freddy. You told me he was a jerk, that he'd only break my
heart, and I didn't want to hear it. . ."
	"Lita. . .that's all in the past. We're together now. And we'll be
together forever. I love you."
	"I love you too, Ken."
	They turned toward each other, careful not to knock the tree over, and
kissed. Lita remembered what her parents had said, about how she and Ken
were perfectly suited to each other and how they can be so happy together.
. .
	Mom, Dad, I will definitely be happy with him, she thought. I promise you.
	When the kiss broke, she said, "Maybe we'd be more comfortable if we moved
back upstairs?"
	"I like that idea. A lot."
	They slipped out from under the tree, stood up, and fell into each other's
embrace, their arms tightening around each other, their lips parting to
allow their tongues to meet and dance. She tangled her hands in his hair,
trying to pull him as close to her as possible, close enough so it felt
like they were melting into each other.
	The kiss went on and on, and they reluctantly parted only to climb the
steps, which felt like Mount Everest, so very eager were they to reach the
top. Once they were in his bedroom, he wasted no time in closing the door
behind them, untying her robe and dropping it on the floor.
	"You are so very, very beautiful, my love," he whispered before bringing
his mouth to hers again. They moved over to the bed, slowly, then tumbled
upon the mattress when when they came to it. Their hands moved over each
others bodies, feeling heated skin under fabric. She rolled them over so
that she was atop him, and his hands came up to squeeze her breasts through
the fabric. She couldn't bear it any longer. . .she wanted to feel his
touch on her bare skin. She pulled away from him just long enough to take
off her nightshirt and toss it on the floor, and he began to stroke and
caress her nipples. She threw back her head, moaning, moving her hips so
her womanhood rubbed against his manhood, the thin layers of fabric between
them feeling like a barrier a mile thick.
	"Ken," she panted, "if I can't feel your naked body against me *now,* I
think I'm going to lose my mind."
	They broke apart just long enough for him to remove his pajamas and her to
toss her panties atop them. Her mouth claimed his hungrily, her tongue
urgently probing his mouth as his hands rubbed her breasts again. She
moaned deeply in her throat, feeling hot sensations build and build. . .
	He rolled her onto her back, and his mouth replaced his hands. She let out
a soft cry as he sucked her right nipple, took it out of his mouth to flick
his tongue over it, then started sucking again. He moved to the left one
and did the same thing, as she felt hot dampness spreading between her
thighs.
	As he started to kiss over her stomach, she whispered, "Wait."
	"Lita?"
	"I don't want to do it like that. I want. . ." And she rolled him onto his
back again and positioned herself so her legs were on either side of his
head, and her mouth was at his manhood. She took him in her lips as she
felt his tongue slip between her folds, and both of them made low sounds of
pleasure. She began to slowly move her head up and down, taking him in and
out, slowly at first, trying to stimulate him in just the way he needed it.
. .Meanwhile, he was running his tongue back and forth between her entrance
and her jewel, teasing one, then the other. . .Finally, he pushed it inside
her with one swift thrust, and she jerked, increasing her own speed to give
him as much pleasure as he was giving her. He pulled his tongue out of her
and moved it upward, lashing her pearl with quick strokes, and she let out
a cry as hot spasms began wracking her, as hot, electric pleasure shot
through every inch of her.
	She eased her mouth off him and rolled on her back, gasping as the last
spasms faded, then relaxing into the afterglow. Dimly, she heard him go
into his nighttable drawer, heard the sound of a packet being torn open. .
.
	His lips were on hers again, his thumbs caressing her nipples, and then
she felt him pulling her legs up and out. His hands returned to her breasts
again as the tip of his maleness began to probe her.
	"Yes, darling," she whispered. "Make me one with you. . ."
	Ken gave a big thrust, and she cried out at the feel of her lover entering
her. He moved slowly, oh, so slowly at first, and she began to pump her own
hips, encouraging him to go faster. He kissed her ear, whispering, "Be
patient, love. . ." But soon, he was picking up the pace, and her moans,
which started out soft and low, became louder, higher, more urgent as she
felt his maleness stroking her jewel again and again. Her hands clutched at
the sheets, then she threw her arms around him, pulling him tighter and
tighter into her. . .Then, she felt the explosion come again, and she cried
out his name as she spasmed, and he answered her cry with one of his own as
he achieved his own paradise.
	He fell down next to her, and they clung to each other, sharing one last
tender kiss, a farewell to the beautiful madness of the evening.
	"Merry Christmas," he whispered. "I love you."
	"I love you, too. Merry Christmas."
	He pulled away from her just long enough to dispose of the condom, then
they fell asleep.
* * *
	She was awakened the next morning by his lips, laying soft kisses all over
her face.
	"Hmm," she said. "Now that's a good way to wake up!"
	"You're so beautiful when you're asleep, I was reluctant to do it. . .but
if you were asleep, I couldn't give you. . .this." He handed her a small
wrapped box.
	"Oh, Ken!" She pulled the paper off, opened it, and saw a gold,
heart-shaped locket with their initials on it.
	"It's beautiful!" she said.
	"Open the locket up. See what's inside."
	She pushed the little catch, and saw a picture of them together when they
were about seven years old, taken at an amusement park photo booth. She
felt a lump come to her throat.
	"Lita," he said, "you were my best friend back then, and you're still my
best friend now. . .but you're so, so much more than that. You're my lover
and my soul mate, and I can't wait for the day when I can also call you my
wife and the mother of my children."
	She pulled him into her arms. "Oh, darling. . .you're all that to me and
more. You're the light of my life. I love you so much. . ."
	Lita thought about the vision of her parents last night, about how they
had told her how happy they were for her, how much she and Ken were suited
to be a couple.
	We will be happy, she thought. As happy as my parents were.
	And she knew that somewhere, they were smiling.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This is #3 in my Christmas series (next installment will be
about Raye). Many thanks to my dear friends and support network, Mark,
Sonya, Yohann, Galos, Jeffrey, Kenton and Alhana. . .words can't express
how much you mean to me, guys. Thanks also to Artemis and Luna, whom
without this wouldn't be possible!

Standard Sailor Moon disclaimers apply. These characters ain't mine, I'm
just borrowing them for a little while.