Disclaimer:I do not own Sailor Moon. If I did it would not be as awesome as awesome as it was/is. It wouldn't have so many fanfics written about it. I repeat, I do not own Sailor Moon.

Summary: MamoUsa Break-up. Apart of my One Story a Month Challenge. This is more a prelude to a longer possible story. What if Seiya came during this break-up instead of later? Dare/Sere-shipper :D

A Lying Smile

Darien opened the door, the broken down image of his beloved stared back at him – she wanted to make him see reason again, she wanted to remind him again of their love that had thus far lasted thousands of years; she wanted to make him love her again. His eyes closed tightly, forcing himself not to reveal anything to her – forcing himself not to think of the irony of it all.

She didn't need to remind him or persuade him to think the way she thought for he had never, not for one moment fallen out of love with her. The love that Endymion had had for Serenity, had never faded and had only been enhanced through the years separating them; now, he found it safe to bet that Darien loved Serena much more than Endymion had ever done…

He opened his eyes to find her looking at the tiny shoes set neatly in front of his door, "She's here isn't she? I know she's young but I can't help but think she's taking my place in your heart."

"Don't be silly Serena, it has nothing to do with Rini," at least that statement was true – he was afraid nothing else after those words would be.

"I know – but," she shook her head as though she didn't want to argue the point no longer, "Darien – don't you remember, how on the moon we –"

He couldn't stand it, he couldn't watch the tears fall silently down her face – he had seen her cry so many times, whines and wails; extremely loud wails that had made him wipe her tears and coo her out of it, tease her to stop yet here, he watched her cry from deep within her heart but there was nothing he could do. If you stay with her…she will die.

Clenching his fist he slammed his hand against the wall, "I just don't want everything I do to be forced upon by what my past life did – He, Endymion loved you, but I, Darien Shields do not."

"Darien –" She covered her mouth sobbing, she looked up at his stern face and turned away her heart breaking, bursting into mere dust, "I'll let myself out."

Serena stared back at her friends' worried glances with a rather blank face – they somehow expected her to burst into more tears since they were alone at Raye's temple, and she knew that all of them felt for her even if they thought she should not shed tears. Each and every one of them felt pain as they watched their princess cry; it was their mission to protect her but they usually needed her to finish the fights, unable to finish monsters without her on the battleground, and still they could not even protect her emotionally as her friends.

As her soldiers they failed her. As her friends, whom in one way or another she had brought out of solitude…they too had failed her. To watch a girl who from the start of their friendship had only shed sunlight with her smiles cry was like a spear in their heart twisting, twisting until their hearts were mere messes.

"Come on Meatball head, he will come around," Raye, whom had always teased and planted seeds of doubt in Serena's mind tried her best to cheer her friend up – she truly believed that he would.

Serena looked at her, and shook her head silently.

"Serena," Ami reached over to pat her hand lightly – Serena was her best friend and even though she proud herself in understanding a lot of things in their world, she could not find much else to say her friend.

Serena's lips pursed together trying to bring a reassuring smile for her blue haired friend but she could not.

Mina came straight over, and pulled her friend into her arms, "Raye's right Serena," she paused to stroke Serena's hair lovingly, "There is no way Darien doesn't love you – remember I'm the soldier of love, you'd think I would know."

Serena let out a breathless scoff – not much of laughter but held a tad of amusement.

"Come on," Lita said with a grin as she brought over a cake, "Vanilla slice."

Serena looked at her with sad eyes then pointed at her throat, her friends look on confused, and finally she opened her mouth for the first time that day to speak rather croakily, "Hurts."

"You're really alright, Serena?" Luna asked as she rubbed her face against Serena's shoulder.

Serena nodded as she slurped the sundae that Andrew had prepared just for her – she had her friends behind her, she had her family to worry about let alone the whole of Tokyo. She needed to be alright, and she would be alright. So what, if he didn't love her anymore? It was his loss.

She would definitely be able to find someone better, someone who treated her well from the get go; someone who didn't tease her about her bad marks, someone who would pat her head and reassure her of their love rather than call her lazy. She would find someone more suave than tuxedo mask – what was it that the negascums said every time he came to the battle with his lone rose? Outdated.

Yes, she would find someone her age…someone who would love her for more than a thousand years!

Resting her elbows on either side of her sundae she held the straw between her fingers and twirled with a grin on her face, "That's the plan!"

Luna blinked, "What plan?"

Three Weeks Later

Serena stood outside of the Arcade leaning on a small pillar as she waited. Her eyes travelled around studying the people around her – girls, boys, couples, adults, Darien, more adults, more kids…

Her eyes went back to Darien, he stood there looking straight back at her. She smiled at him and lifted her hand in greeting, he returned the gesture then handed the girl beside him his spare helmet, making Serena's smile falter a bit – it was her helmet.

"Sorry, did you wait long Sere?" a gentle yet strong voice questioned her.

She looked away from Darien – not missing that he was now looking at her with curiosity – and smiled, "Seiya, no, it's alright –"

Seiya smiled at her as he pulled his cap down and hid his illuminating eyes behind a dark pair of sunglasses, "I made the date start early so that I could spend more time with you but then my manager made me check something out, I'm sorry."

Serena shook her head with a smile, "I understand, you have your priorities – I just hope if I ever run late, you would understand too," she was thinking of her out-of-the-blue fights with the unknown monsters.

"As long as you weren't clutzing out!"

She whacked him as they both laughed, "Seiya!"

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and they began to walk…and for hours that's what they did…

"Darien, Darien let's go this way~" Rini pulled at Darien's hand…

Serena looked up from her ice-cream at the sight before her – the pink haired girl was pulling at Darien's hand, as though bumping into her and Seiya was something that she wanted to prevent. Serena did her best not to retaliate in kind.

Darien smiled at Serena as his heart squeezed painfully, he turned his head slightly to look at the tall figure that stood beside his ex-girlfriend, "Serena, will you introduce us?"

"Yeah, Meatball head, don't be so rude!"

Serena smiled brightly ignoring the young girl's rudeness, "Seiya, Darien, Darien, Seiya," then she pointed at Rini with distain, "And that one….is apparently my cousin Rini."

"Apparently?" Seiya asked confused.

Serena shrugged, "Hard to explain."

"Serena, you'll make her cry again," Darien scolded.

Serena shrugged still keeping her smile as bright as the sun – she could've healed any human turned monster just with her smile, "Well, she has you to make her feel better," she leaned in closer to Darien with the sweetest smile and whispered right into his ear, "Thank you for breaking up with me."

She leaned back, and watched him smile…

Ladies and Gentlemen…I want you to keep in mind that during that whole experience, Rini didn't even flicker out of existence once…

And by the way, you can't say Serena is using Seiya – she is trying, she thinks she likes him, at least more than she does Darien at that moment…but what can you do when Seiya is actually really a girl? And that Darien does love her unconditionally and eternally?

There are just some obstacles in life that you have to clench your teeth to get through…

Sure I find what Serena did in the anime to be endearing…how she kept trying to get Darien back no matter what, no matter how long and no matter the setbacks. But at the same time, I despised it. Why? Because it was always Darien that didn't love her anymore, it was always her trying to mend their love. I wanted to see at least once where Darien had to try to make her love him again – sure there were times of jealousy, but even then those spouts of jealousy weren't called for and Serena had her fair share of that.

I want Serena to have a moment where Darien felt the desperation she felt in almost every season… When he became the Dark Prince of Negaverse, when he forgot his memories, when he broke up with her, when he died…

So here my friends, I put them on equal grounds. Serena is trying her best to move on, and at that moment her hatred towards Darien is so great that she could use her purest asset to become her greatest weapon. A smile of kindness and elatedness that could fill his heart with warmth when it was directed to him, but when it was to another man, it was like a thousand pins piercing his heart.

So I want you to imagine what it would be like when she finds out he did it all for a dream – who cares that he saves her from Diamond, who cares that she and he would both know what their future held…she would still hold him at arm's length until he can once again prove it to her…and promise her he would never do something so idiotic again.

That is my story.

© Detective Mango

11:11PM 2011-01-24

Written as my monthly story challenge with Mich. =D it wasn't great, but it was something. I was going through my posters to see if I could use something for a one shot but the ones I had all had some sort of idea that I wanted to be at least 5-10 chapters long so I didn't wanted to waste them xD. And then I remembered this title. I started to write a Skip Beat! Story because it would make sense, but then at the same time I didn't know how to write it. So I erased the little part that I had and wrote this instead.

I rambled on a bit at the middle, and I ended up not doing a full end. But I suppose you could call this a prequel to a story rather than an actual full fledge one. Maybe one day I shall write the story xD but it'll be long…and I don't think I want to write this topic hahaha.

Anyway. My first story for the Challenge. One month down, eleven to go.

Bye!