A/N: I Don't Own SailorMoon, but I do own Hallie, Ben, Tyler and Diana in the story as well as the plot.
Shout out to temptingtruth, who though does not know it, has given me the courage to post this up after months of it just sitting in my computer, and when i mean months people i mean before A Life Without Destiny. Also a shout out to CrazyCarrie, who though doesn't write for Animes as far as i know, is the intire inspiration for this story and for my career on FanFiction. And lastly (really) to Kyralla Orchid, who also doesn't write for Animes, but is by far the best writer I have ever seen and whom is my role model for my writing. Thank you all.
BTW this is my distraction from ALWD, I thought of this FF story while writing a chapter of ALWD and reading a few other FF stories. For those of you waiting on ALWD, I really am the WORST updater ever, but I promise this will be short. This was supposed to be a oneshot but I thought I ended it here for a good little cliff hanger.
So ENJOY!
The lights in the Arcade shone brightly as kids from near by schools came after school to unwind, and hang-out. The Crown Arcade had expanded over the past few years taking over the entire block and filled with video games from all over the world in different languages and from different decades. People all over the world would flood in just to see this monument. The owners had been approached dozens of times to sell to corporations, but Andrew Crown had refused all of them. His father had founded the Crown Arcade and he was going to keep it in the family. Plus his wife, Rita, had met him here and he wasn't going to lose a place where all his favourite memories had been formed. Being in his late thirties he had been working at the counter for years, but still refused to retire. It was his place, a position where he was comfortable.
The Crown Arcade was famous mostly now for its burgers. They hardly sold anything besides fries, burgers, and sodas. But Andrew had kept the ingredients for milkshakes and coffee in constant supply. Besides the odd coffee, milkshakes were never sold, partly because no asked and partly because it wasn't on the menu. But Andrew kept hope that his friends would rejoin. Years after Serena and Darien broke up, the entire group lost communications, with him at least. Darien sent the occasional Christmas card and Happy Birthday, even showed up to his wedding to be the Best Man, but besides the occasional interview with the local Tokyo newspaper Andrew hadn't seen him in the longest time. He had recently gotten an email from Mina, that she was rounding everyone up for her wedding in Japan and because the group hadn't seen each other in nearly twenty years. Andrew shook his head at the thought of Mina, leave it to her to round everyone up to celebrate her. Andrew was just giving a customer another soda when he heard a shriek.
"ANDREW!!!!! It has been too long!" screamed the bubbly blond, or rather brunette. Mina had become incredibly big after she started dating some big Hollywood director in America. After being casted for movies she had won several awards, and this year was nominated for an Oscar. She of course had moved on from the director and was now dating a lawyer by the name of Mark George and from the looks of it was being dragged across the arcade by his fiancé.
"Mina! Look at you! You finally grew!" At this Mina hit him squarely in the chest, "Ouch! Remind me to never suggest for you go for another action movie. I'm Andrew Crown by the way, and I take it you're the odd fellow that decided to get down on one knee to this lunatic," a comment that earned him another slap in the chest and a hearty chuckle from the man standing beside Mina.
"Actually the magazines got it wrong. She actually proposed to me when I was drunk," laughed Mark.
"Ok, enough making fun at my expense. I see you too will get along nicely which is good since you'll be seeing more of one another in the next couple of days. Which reminds me Andrew, do you know if Serena will be joining us? I want to prove to Mark here once and for all she is my twin! And win my perfect honeymoon!" Mina said as she rubbed her hands together manically as she glanced at Mark.
"I don't believe anyone looks anything like my wonderful fiancé, that and I want to go home to Belgium to see my grand mother for our honeymoon," Mark declared looking at Andrew.
"That doesn't sound too romantic for a honeymoon," Andrew commented as they headed to the back room.
"Exactly! See sweetie, even Andrew, the most unromantic man on the planet agrees with me that seeing your grandmother is a mood killer!" Mina dramatized to her fiancé while dragging him to sit with her on one of the couches.
"Hey!" came a reply from Andrew as he got them coffee as Mark laughed at his fiancé's antics.
"Maybe your right, but my grandmother is already missing the ceremony, so I promised her that we would go see her immediately afterwards," Mark said.
"Yes, but why can't we just go see her after our honeymoon? It won't make any difference!" Mina complained as she waved down Rita who was passing by the door.
"Mina! Oh my god is that you! You look fabulous as always!" Rita exclaimed as she ran through the door.
"You do too!" Mina shrieked. Mark and Andrew covered they're ears.
"My god woman! Lower the decibels!" Mark said to Mina.
"I whole heartedly agree!" Andrew yelled jokingly, "I don't think I can hear anymore!"
"Oh screw you two! Andrew quit faking! You and I both know Serena was MUCH louder than me many time over the years" Mina said as she plopped down beside Rita pouting as Rita covered her mouth trying not to laugh out right at her companion.
"Maybe Mina, but my ears aren't used to it anymore. That and I don't want to lose my ability to hear," Andrew said smirking as he took as seat beside Mark as the girls began ignoring both men as they caught up on old times.
Sometime around midday, two women with long black hair entered the arcade, heading straight to the counter where the two couples were eating lunch. One had deep black hair, almost blue hair. Her hair was just below her shoulders and was slightly wavy. Her blue eyes gave her away as Amy, while her companion was Raye. Raye's hair was that same length as it had been when she was younger except the top part of her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, while the lower half was out. Amy was dressed in beige pants and a light yellow tank top. Raye on the other hand was wearing a striped black and white skirt that fell to her knees and a three-quarter white shirt that had English writing all over it.
Running from behind them a tall tanned woman dressed in high heels, which accosted for her running slowly, and white elegant knee shorts accompanied by fuchsia t-shirt. Brown hair cut to her shoulders, Lita wrapped an arm around each girl and hugged tight surprising Raye and Amy.
"Oh my GOD!" squealed Lita, "I can't believe we're all here! Raye you look ever same, in a good way of course. Amy what did you do to your hair? And you Mina, I've been meaning to ask you if your new do had anything to do with the fact that you knew brunettes are better."
"Oh please Lita, quit joking and give me a hug!" Mina said, laughter evident in her voice as she pulled the three girls into a squished hug between her and Lita.
"Oh please let us go!!!" laughed Amy, surprising the two brunettes.
"Seems someone finally found her voice," joked Lita as the four girls, well women approached the counter.
"Oh shut up. After dealing with some nasty patients, you learn swearing in front of them is the least of their problems. Well, there's that and the fact going through a person's stomach, even when your interested in what you're doing, is very disgusting," proclaimed Amy as she took the Pepsi Andrew offered her. As Mark gave a questioning glance at Mina, the rest of them laughed.
"I think you changed the most Amy," Andrew said.
"Well only for the better. I'm still the Amy you know and love just a little louder," Amy said reaching for a straw across the counter.
"Well, I for one am glad," Mina said, "Amy, Lita, Raye this is Mark, my fiancé."
As the group exchanged greetings the girls went into the back room leaving Mark and Andrew to talk.
"So, how do you know all of them? I don't think any of them were ever in your grade," asked Mark.
"I met them all through Serena," replied Andrew, "They all pretty much were alone until she befriended them."
"This Serena person must be a great gal."
"She was," Andrew said dejectedly.
"What do you mean she was? What happened?"
"It's a long story," Andrew answered vaguely.
"Well considering my fiancé I don't think she'll be leaving anytime soon, so I guess I got all the time in the world."
"Well, I guess you could say it started with a test..."Andrew began.
For the rest of the afternoon Andrew explained everything he knew about the girls, from the way they met, to the way they left. They characteristics of each and every girl the other room, and the friendship they share, or rather shared. The only two people Andrew was hesitant to talk about were Serena and Darien. And Mark noticed.
"You've barely said anything about Serena and Darien. I thought that she was like a sister to you and him your best friend?" Mark asked.
"She is, and he is. It is just that, well they're a sore subject. They didn't really part on good terms," Andrew said.
"What happened between them if you don't mind me asking?"
"They were a couple."
"I thought they fought constantly?" Mark asked more than slightly confused.
"They were a couple, but after all the fighting. One day though after them knowing each other for months, they just decided they were in love. Don't get my wrong though, I thought it was the best thing for him," Andrew said.
"What about her?" Mark asked again, becoming increasingly curious about these two people.
"Well she was like my little sister and Darien wasn't exactly what you'd call an open person. A lot of things had happened to him, so it was understandable. I was just worried he wouldn't be able to show Serena the type of affection she gave off."
"Classic blue-eyed blond?"
"Kind of. She wasn't all that great in school, but she was an incredibly loving person. She would have given you the blouse off her own back if it made you happy."
"She does sound incredible. So what happened to make them end on bad terms? Did he not return her affection?"
"Well no, he changed dramatically. At least when she was around. He was always this tough mysterious guy. For girls he was the basic tall, dark and handsome. Not only that he was polite, knew how to cook, and always good in school."
Mark laughed. "Did you want to date him?" he said jokingly.
"Oh ha ha very funny. But that was the way he was. But around her, he was protective, open, honest and huge sap. She was his world, and he was hers."
"Are you trying to confuse me? I thought you said they ended on bad terms. They sound like they would die for each other." Mark said scratching his head as he enclosed his other hand around his Pepsi to take another sip.
"Well Serena was four years younger than Darien and she was fifteen. Darien was nineteen, and had the hormones that came with it." Andrew explained. And that seemed like a good enough answer for Mark.
"I see. So he cheated on her?"
"Well basically yeah. But he told me afterwards that Serena had opened him up. But she was still young. He needed someone more mature to help him run that multi-billion dollar company I told you about. He said Serena, as much as he loved her, was a free spirit and needed to be able to mold her own life. He found Hallie, and she was perfect for him."
"Was she really perfect for him? I thought Serena was just the type of gal to get Darien open."
"She was. But Darien needed someone more secure. Darien was set in his ways, and anyone that knew them could see right away that they were complete opposites. Like day and night completely in different worlds. Suffice it to say, Serena took the news bad and left. After that the girls kind of dispersed into the world." Andrew finished sadness evident in his voice.
"What happened to Darien?" Mark asked giving his empty glass of coke to Andrew to refill.
"He married Hallie. They are now Mr. and Mrs. Darien Shields with two sons and a daughter, while they run a multi-billion dollar company that is rising everyday. To the world they are college sweethearts and are perfect for each other. Both beautiful…"
"As are their children and their life." Mina finished for Andrew.
"Hey, you guys done?" Mark asked as he draped an arm around Mina, kissing her cheek.
"For now. Are you guys talking about Darien and Hallie?" Mina asked.
"Yeah, besides what he did to Serena, he sounds ok. What are the names of his children again?" Mark asked.
"Tyler, Ben and Diana, they are soo cute!" Mina exclaimed.
"Thanks Aunt Mina!" said a small girl with ebony hair cut to her shoulders.
"Diana! What in the world are you doing here!?" Mina exclaimed scooping the child into a hug.
"We brought her here along with the boys for the wedding," said a woman with black hair in a ponytail that reached her the middle of her back.
"Yeah, I hope you don't mind Mina," Darien said holding the hands of two boys. Both boys had ebony hair like their sister's, and looked strikingly like their father. Darien looked as if he had not changed at all. His muscular build had remained as had his tall manner.
So tell me what you think. Remember I'm a work in progress. Thanks for reading.
