Hey everyone! Its my first fic here, so I'm sort of still trying to get used to this place. (Right now me and this document manager are at WAR). It take place in Europe around 1895 and focuses on that classic couple...

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon? Mine? Nope, that'd be Naoko Takeuchi. If I owned Sailor Moon, Chibiusa would not have pink hair, so thats how you'll know when she' switched ownership.

"Tighter Mina, tighter!" cried out Serenity.

"Sere, I CAN'T"- the sunshine blonde was cut off

"TIGHTER!"

"Sere, if I make this corset any tighter your ribs will snap! You are gorgeous as is. Honestly, I found other ways to make men fall for me when I turned eighteen apart from shrinking my waist…," Mina trailed off and her face fell into a smug smirk.

Serenity blushed at the last words her handmaid had said. She remembered low-cut dresses worn by Mina and the dashing passionate stories retold and whispered while everyone else was asleep. Today had been her eighteenth birthday, but while Serenity had in the moments been completely indulged in her presents and compliments throughout the day, she knew that her real prize waited with nightfall. She would be allowed to go to parties, late enough to dance, late enough to know what she didn't know and only heard through stories. This evening's party would be held at the heiress Rei Hino's estate.

Her father, Kenji Tsukino, was strict. She was an heiress, and that wasn't enough, yet also too much at the same time. He hadn't inherited the large amounts of money he had today. No, he had worked and labored for the majority of his youth with his own father to start his textile business. The Tsukino family name was just beginning to be cemented into a long line of money, a name associated only with money, such as Chiba or Mizuno. At the moment everyone knew that the Tsukino fortune had been made in the textile business, the sheer amount of fortune had not yet robbed that fact from the general public's mind. And that's why Serenity was threatened in her father's eyes. There was still plenty of room for the family and its name to be destroyed. She had to be brought up a real lady; she had to transcend fortune and be the model for the perfect woman so that only the same in a man would be suitable for her, and ensure prosperity for generations to come.

While her father was mildly blinded by his notions that money could solve anything, he was not a fool. Most women began courting by sixteen, but Serenity would come home before it was completely dark and read to her father instead. She was growing, and it was overdue for her to begin having suitors. At eighteen, he decided with conflicting feelings, she would be allowed to stay out past dark.

"Um…Mina?", Serenity slowly began to inquire, "Do you think that maybe, um, well," she was fidgeting. "Maybe I could, well, you know, borrow one of y-y-your dresses for tonight, you know, um the o-ones with t-that cut…," she managed to stammer out, blushing now to the color of a rose.

Mina burst out laughing. "Oh, my poor dear Sere! Look at you, to ask that? Why I thought you had already figured it out! You must have thought me awful, that I didn't even get you a birthday present!"

Serenity looked down a bit sheepishly at this comment. She had been wondering what had happened to her gift from Mina, or if perhaps Mina had forgot.

"Go look in your wardrobe, Sere," said Mina with a wink.

Serenity couldn't get there fast enough. She jumped away from her vanity causing many small object and trinkets to fall to the floor and ran across her room to the old mahogany wardrobe. As she ripped the doors open she was greeted, enchanted by the most beautiful dress she ever saw. It was a color between white and cream on pure silk, with lace trim. There was silver and gold lining-and, yes! - It was very very low-cut.

All of this was expressed by Serenity in a single gasp.

"Mina…where did you get this?"

Mina laughed. "Where both you and I get ALL of our dresses. Only this one won't go on sale until next month. I talked with my brother Andrew, and he managed to convince your father that he needed to get a really special dress for a woman he was pursuing-yes, your dear friend thought ahead and knew your father would NEVER let you leave the grounds wearing it- and your father got together his best fabric and sent message to Chiba-"-

Serenity cringed at that name. Chiba. Darien Chiba. To say that she hated him would be both incorrect and an understatement. He came from a ridiculous amount of wealth, his father's family had made a fortune in the Americas during the Western Expansion and his mother's family had been making upper-crust clothing for generations. Not that either family had to. In fact, Darien spent most of his time working with Mina's brother, Andrew, tending to the garden and stables. Oh, and of course in his spare time he would torment Serenity.

"And called up Chiba--Serenity? Serenity! Let go! You're going to wrinkle that dress before you even wear it!"

Serenity had been clenching onto the dress' hem with a vengeance as thoughts and images of Darien filled her head.

"Uh, eh, Sorry Mina," and Serenity quickly let go of the dress trying to reclaim some sort of calmness.

"Right…" the maid said rolling her eyes. "Anyways, the Chiba family gladly indulged your father's request, and you know Serenity I do believe your families get along quite well, so it's really shame that you and Darien-"

But Serenity cut her off, "Enough, Mina".

Mina paused, considering that she probably shouldn't try to push the subject any further, but with her impish determination decided to probe further.

"Its not like there's anything you can do about it anyways. I know your father wanted Andrew to work for him after being impressed with my services to you, but Andrew had already been in contract to assist the Chiba family, Darien in particular. The agreement your families made was that Andrew would work for your father, but Darien would be allowed on the grounds and to request Andrew for any of his services at any time. I mean, you have to understand. It'd be the same way if someone else wanted me to work for them, which you should know I'd NEVER leave your side-", Mina continued on, but Serenity began to lose herself in her own thoughts.

It was a fact that Serenity knew all too well. It was even part of the reason why she hated Darien, particularly envied him. Here he was, like her, someone soon to receive a large fortune. Yet, he didn't have to do anything with himself. Unlike her, he was free. Her days were filled with timed lessons in academic, etiquette, and presentation skills. Not only was he free to do what he wanted with his time, but he didn't need lessons. He was born being the person he was supposed to be in society. He had the freedom of choice, so if he wanted to come over to HER estate and work with or help HER servants then there was no one to stop him. He was free to do whatever he wanted, and that included teasing, mocking and humiliating her.

"I mean, I know he does like to tease you, but its nothing really hurtful. It's all in good fun, and really kind of endearing. He just looks at you like the little sister he never had."

"Exactly," whispered Serenity, hey eyes lowering so that she did not have to meet her reflection in the mirror.

"Ohhhh," replied Mina, in a soft sigh. 'So that's how it is,' she thought to herself. She began brushing Serenity's hair and became very pensive.

Serenity had been sitting under the shade of a large oak tree furiously scribbling away in her diary concerning what she had just seen:

Oh Diary,

You wouldn't believe it! I was on my way to get more thread for Josephine's dress when I decided that I would take a slightly longer route and go through the gardens. It was such a nice day and I wanted to enjoy the sunshine and colors around me. I was heading towards the fountain, to dangle my fingers in the water, of course, when I saw them. Mina was completely wrapped in the arms of the carpenter we had hired to build me a new bureau! I'm embarrassed just to even remember it. His hands were slowly going up her leg while his head began to move down her neck to her chest. She tilted her head back and I ran, hopefully before either of them could see me! Yet that look on her face, oh I can't even believe it, you mustn't tell anyone diary, you see you would think that she was fainting or tired, but even with her eyes shut all that I could see on her face was bliss…Truthfully, Diary, I wonder what it would be like. I know Mina has encountered so many men, and she always tells me a little, but nothing like what I just saw. I'm embarrassed to be feeling this warmth in my stomach right now, why I feel hot all over! …But truthfully, I wish I could do something like that. Feel someone's arms around me. Would his grasp be tight? I'd feel safe I think. To feel his lips on mine, or whispering in my ear…Such things, well I could only imagine, but secretly I long for them, secretly I-

"Serenity? Serenity, where are you?"

Serenity dropped her quill and slammed her book shut. It was Mina calling out to her. Had she seen her watching? Was she going to scold her? Serenity had been sure that the embarrassment she was feeling could not be any worse, that her cheeks could not be a redder shade, yet a sudden churning feeling in her stomach told her otherwise. Quickly trying to think of an excuse she ran to the garden, while a man who had been watching from a distance came to pick up the forgotten book.

Serenity tried to keep her eyes closed as she ran towards the center of the garden, the fountain. She knew that Chad, the carpenter had probably gone back to work, but the previous image plus the reaction on Mina's face to being spied upon kept her eyes shut. As a result she tripped on a stone. This then lead her to go flying head first into the fountain. Her torso broke her fall, as she lay slumped over, her upper body doused in the water and her legs and rear on the ground.

"Very, very elegant Serenity," Mina said with a grin. "You know, it's hard to defend you against certain young men who tease you when you do in fact prove true of the names they call you."

"I am NOT a klutz, Mina". Water dripped down Serenity's face, through her gritted teeth and Mina only laughed tenderly at the site of her mistress and good friend.

"Whatever you say, Serenity. Now, it um, seems you left something in the garden." Serenity had been wringing out her hair in frustration when she suddenly jerked her head up to look at Mina. Extended out to her, Serenity saw Mina holding her doll, Josephine. "It's rather strange though, I thought you had been sitting under the great oak designing a new dress. You always fit what you're designing on Josephine, I wonder how she ended up all the way over here…," Mina took one last look at the doll, "A doll is a nice companion Serenity, she can see and hear everything, but she'll never tell your secrets," and with a very sly grin and a twinkle in her eye Mina left the doll to Serenity and made her way back to the estate.

With the red fully restored to her cheeks, Serenity raced back towards the oak tree. She would take her diary, fabric, and any remnants of her being and lock them up with her in her room where she would hide for the rest of the day. No more evidence of leaving the estate, no more evidence of witnessing passionate exchanges, she scowled and looked at the doll on that last thought.

She reached the oak tree and gathered up all of her things when she noticed one item was missing. One crucial item was missing. Panic began to rise in her blood; everything that ever was private, secret or wished for was in her diary. She began crawling on the ground looking for the book. Bit of dirt and grass began to stick the wet parts of her dress. Hot tears were welling up in her eyes as she began to stand up in despair and dirtiness.

Before she could fully stand she felt two strong arms grab her from behind. Serenity wanted to turn to see who her captor was, but his hold on her was tight. Despite being unable to see this man, she could feel his warmth surrounding her. Her heart felt like it was caught in her throat, and while his embrace was strong, she could also tell that her own body tensing up contributed to her inability to free herself.

"Is this what you wanted?" his voice asked.

'Yes!' thought Serenity. It was the only thought however that her mind could come to. Her emotions and blood were running through her body in a way she'd never known. She couldn't think coherently. She couldn't realize that she knew very well to whom that voice belonged.

"What's it like to feel my arms around you, Serenity? Is my grasp tight? Or do you feel safe?" said the voice with a slight tone of sarcasm in it.

It felt as if a sheet of ice froze over Serenity. All of sudden her mind caught up with her. It was Darien. Her heart softened and her exterior hardened at the realization. It had been two months ago that she had told him… 'And ever since he's been nothing but cruel to you!' she thought to herself. The tears began to form again, because now, what was worse was that he had read her diary.

"Chiba…" was all she managed to snarl under her breath.

"Now, now Serenity, that's not the right attitude, you're going to make your pursuer head for the hills. Though, I suppose it's better to get it over with ahead of time before he sees you for what you really are…"

"Chiba, let go of me…NOW!"

The strong arms that could have been holding her midair let go, and felt her feet in contact with the earth, she felt herself back into her own control. He ran a hand through his hair and turned to look at the abandoned doll on the ground.

" You wouldn't be able to handle a real man anyways,' he smirked. "After all Serenity, you're still playing with dolls. You're right. I shouldn't be fooling around with a kid". He pulled out the diary from his back-pocket and dangled it above her briefly before dropping it in front of her. "Go on now, go back to playing," and with that he walked away.

Serenity grabbed her things and ran straight into her room and cried. Never had she felt so humiliated before in her life. He had made a complete fool out of her. How much of her diary did he read? What did he know? He had always teased her, but this was too personal, too raw, too blatantly cruel. It was too much because it was too true. If he had been wrong she could have shrugged it away. But she still was a child, not by her own choice of course. Her father put strict limitations on her and how she lived her life. 'And despite all that, in his arms'…Serenity let out the most heartwrenching sob and then muffled the song of her sorrow in her pillow.

Serenity furrowed her brow into a scowl as she remembered that particular instance with Chiba just three months ago. Things only got worse after that exchange and she had turned him into a symbol of everything she hated and secretly envied.

Mina continued to brush through the blonde's long hair pondering Darien Chiba. She knew Darien teased her, to what extent was less clear. It seemed as if Darien would manage to always find her alone and then unleash his insults. Personally, Mina found Darien to be a bit cold, but nevertheless a harmless man, charming even, when he wanted to be. Yet, mostly mysterious. All in all he was really quite attractive in every way. But she didn't doubt her mistress. She had seen Serenity in tears because of him, and she had heard a few accounts of what he had done to her, though most of the time Serenity would just shake her head and say it was too embarrassing to tell.

She also knew of the incident that had occurred five months ago, she sighed. Serenity wasn't all that innocent. In fact, she knew that Serenity's first kiss had in fact been with her brother Andrew, but quickly shrugged that fact off and focused back to what was really perplexing her. Serenity and Darien were never best friends, they always did like to argue, but they at least used to be able to coexist, to be in each other's presence, and yes, sometimes even be civil. 'But even so...' she thought… 'I can understand the situation, but it's not like Darien to-'

"MINA! I said STOP!" cried Serenity.

"Hmm…What?" Mina looked down at the brush in her hand.

"You're pulling out all of my hair Mina, what on earth are you thinking!" huffed Serenity.

Mina laughed nervously trying to excuse her daydreams, and promptly began to finish Serenity's last knot and tie up her buns and pigtails. 'I guess now is the time to break it to her, poor thing,' thought Mina.

"Well, Sere, you know your father insists that you have an escort to any party, whether or not you've turned eighteen".

Serenity arched her brow slightly. Obviously, it was her father they were talking about. "Of course I know that, I'm having Andrew take me of course! He's always so kind and he lets me have fun when I wan-"

Mina looked down a bit sheepishly. "Andrew is going with someone else, the new apprentice girl to the chef here. Uh, Kimi, no, Kino, yes. Kino something is her name".

Fret began to show on Serenity's face, "Then who…who will I?"

"I couldn't stop it, he volunteered in front of your father before I could even suggest Andrew. You know your father is quite fond of him."

"No," whispered Serenity, shaking her head.

"Yes. Chiba."