I took a harsh intake of breath. I needed to get to Uranus and Neptune's chambers as soon and as fast as I possibly could. They needed to know how I felt after they delivered the harming blow of hate a few days back. But, as of a few hours ago, I was helping Makoto test her cake batters for my daughter's upcoming birthday. I wanted to tell Uranus and Neptune just what I thought of them, but I needed to be involved in the process of preparing my beautiful young daughter's birthday. I didn't care to notice that Makoto looked a little jealous at the sight of Ami and Taiki holding hands. Is it possible that she wouldn't have married Motoki if the Starlights hadn't developed such a closeness to our hearts - would she have married the bluenette Ami instead? Makoto frantically started working on the icing, as if she was attempting to detach herself from Ami. But it was hard to detach yourself from an old flame. I knew that from experience. I tested the orange and almond flavoured batter as she worked on the icing, which I was sure would look amazing. I needed to make sure my daughter wasn't disappointed on her special day. Her birthday is next to nothing in her mind - it is as important to her as Christmas is important to Santa Claus.

Mako looked at me, and I knew that meant she wanted to know how the cake batter tasted. I dipped my finger into the side of the bowl and pulled it back out again, at which point it was seeping through my nails and running up my left hand. I put my finger in my mouth and let the taste of the batter wash over my body. I licked my lips. I shouldn't be any portion surprised with how fabulously wonderful the batter tasted - Makoto was a cake connoisseur. My face contorted itself into a confused but happy grin, and I gave my friend, and cook, the thumbs up. She smiled up at me whilst spreading the icing across the cake with a contented smile, and she then proceeded to work as hard as she possibly could during the time in which she was baking. It made my heart ache to see my friend do something with such joy and confidence. The only things that gave me joy these days were my friends, Chibi-Usa, Seiya and eating. And I rarely got the chance to enjoy those four things without the implausible worry that Uranus and Neptune would foreshadow improbable darkness and Chaos regenerating. I wish I could just enjoy living, but there was only a matter of time.

I continued taste testing the batters and baked goods until I felt horrendously ill, ill enough to throw up a mountain of vomit and potentially get my hips a lot wider than I originally intended. I smiled at Mako as she finished up her preparations, and then went to bed to have a relaxed and contented slumber and let the hours before Chibi-Usa's birthday run away from me. I let out a yawn and fell immediately into the deepest and best sleep I had ever had. I dreamt of a new world where danger and worry were non-existent or completely irrelevant. I dreamt of a flower field, Seiya and being cute like the rest of the couples in the castles. Nobody felt jealous of anybody. Everyone was living in peace, and nobody cared about destiny or who was in love with whom. I couldn't help but wish that was right now, but I knew that it wasn't going to be entirely possible. None of my dreamt up futures were anywhere near remotely plausible. I slept on. I still dreamt of the exact same future, but with Ami and Mako as a couple. They seemed to be happier, somehow. I continued to sleep onward, dreaming of happy things and happy people, with no judge or jury to decide on my fate. I wanted to give up on this dream, but something made me continue dreaming it, even though it was entirely illogical and an impossible future. As I didn't eradicate Chaos completely, as Cosmos reminded me, my comrades will have to fight for love and justice once more. I felt slightly saddened and still continued to sleep, even though I didn't want to. I find it impossible to fully enjoy sleep these days.

I felt warmth inside my bed, and I snuggled down further. I needed to help celebrate my wonderful daughter's birthday, and show my love and support for her and her love and destiny bond with Hotaru. Destiny bonds can't be faulted, at least rarely. I wanted my angel to have a wonderful birthday and my mind filled with thoughts of anticipation and worry. I needed to make sure my daughter's birthday was entirely perfect, just so she was happy once more. There was no reason for her to feel saddened or awkward on her birthday, even if it was how I felt when I thought of the coldness of my two least favourable comrades. I didn't feel entirely up to talking to them on my daughter's special day, but I'd have to communicate with them eventually. I couldn't keep putting off the inevitable, even if it was what I wanted to happen. After all, the two should understand love like mine and Seiya's - they are in love with each other, aren't they? I frowned when I thought of their reaction.

Warmth soon hit my face, which wasn't enough to wake me from my seemingly endless slumber. I wanted to stay asleep for all eternity and then have somebody tell me that I were dead and needed to be revived. I continued sleeping, even as I felt someone's hand tugging at my comforter. I rolled onto my side.

"Mama!"

I didn't wake.

"MAMA!"

Didn't even evoke a remote stirring from me.

"Jeez, do I need Papa to cart Seiya in here or can you just wake up? Lazybones!" The hands tugged at my comforter again, but I refused to let myself blink.

I didn't wake, even when the comforter was pulled off of my bed entirely.

"Jeez, have it your way. Not even good wishes. Happy birthday to me."

The hands completely stripped my bed bare.

"MAMA! WAKE UP, YOU'RE SO LAZY!"

The child, who I figured out was Chibi-Usa, stormed out of my bedroom.

A warm hand wrapped around my hand and entered quietly into the room.

"Odango," the voice of its owner whispered.

I blinked and rubbed at my eyes. "Seiya?"

"Your daughter's very mad," she added. "She stormed into my chambers and said that I should hurry up and come in here so you could get up and wish her happy birthday."

"It was my fault!" I started to sob. "She's unhappy and it's all my fault!"

"You can't help being a deep sleeper." She smiled at me. "Let's get you ready so you can eat breakfast with Chibi-Usa."