"Why did you do that?" Her voice was both curious and panicked and as he looked around he realized they were no longer in his apartment.
"Where are we?" Darien looked curiously at the bright open hallway and the starry sky outside the large windows.
"Someplace you are not welcome. What is going on Serenity?" Darien turned to see a blonde man being forcefully restrained by an aqua haired woman. "Let me go Michelle, Phillippe and Edward were too easy on him, they left the bastard in one piece." The aqua haired woman struggled against the man's new burst of temper and Darien actually felt frightened.
"Amara control yourself my friend, he is not staying. Nor will any of it matter soon." Darien noticed Serenity's eyes were downcast and when he looked toward Amara he noticed both their faces had lost all color. "Darien take my hand and I will return you home." Serenity's voice was monotone and it sent chills throughout him.
"Tell me first what you are planning Sere." He noticed all of them flinched at the use of the nickname. "Edward said you were going to sacrifice yourself, tell me! I cannot lose you again! Deny my love for you, banish me from your heart if you must, but please Sere, don't do anything to hurt yourself." Darien did not even notice he had gotten down on his knees and was holding her hand.
"It is not possible to hurt anymore, my heart has been broken into too many pieces to have any feeling left." She began to teleport back when Darien pulled himself from her grip. She stopped and sent him a look of frustration.
"You still have that same caring spirit and you still love me as I love you." He heard Amara scoff behind him and decided to do whatever it took to prove himself to Serena. "You can still feel Serenity, that is why you came to my apartment last night, and no matter how much you try to convince yourself we're better off apart, your heart knows that it is not true."
To prove his point Darien conjured a rose, and had Phillippe been there his motives might have been known, but the others only looked up at him strangely. Without hestitation he shoved the rose into his shoulder and conjured another, though the pain from the wound caused him to stumble to his knees.
"Darien! What are you doing?" Serenity moved to pull the rose from his hand, but he pushed her away, and pressed the second rose into his stomach, gasping at the pain before conjuring another.
"Darien stop! Please stop! I don't want to feel anymore! I don't want to cause anyone anymore pain. I can't stand the pain either Darien. Please Stop!" Amara and Michelle had now snapped out of their mute reverie and ran to Darien able to overpower him in his weakened state. They pulled the rose from his hand.
"Serenity! What's wrong?" Edward, Phillippe and Jonathan had come running at Serenity's cries. They looked with shocked faces at the sobbing Serenity and the pale and bleeding Endymion. Phillippe nodded to Amara and Michelle to take Darien away.
"No! Serena! Ashiteru!" Darien was too weak to struggle against the powerful senshi and allowed himself to be carried to the nearest bedroom.
"Serenity…Serenity…" Edward and Phillippe wrapped their arms around Serenity desperately trying to figure out what had happened.
"I am going to do it, I don't want to feel anymore and I do not want them to suffer anymore because of me." Her brothers looked away, even Jonathan understood what her words meant, and they all longed for their sister to change her mind.
"Serenity please, I would gladly endure all the sadness I the world to remain by your side. Do not do this!" Edward had tears glistening in his eyes and his voice was breaking. Jonathan was trying to soften his own cries, and even Phillippe seemed unable to withstand the news.
"That's the problem isn't it? This way I can protect Earth and all of you can live your lives happily, without destiny." A tear fell upon Serenity's hand and she looked to see that Phillippe had also begun to cry.
"You cannot mean to take our memories as well? Serenity! Our home, our mother, our lives and you! You cannot mean to take that away from us!" Phillippe realized he was shouting but didn't care, he was frightened to lose knowledge of all that he cared about.
"This is not a decision you can make for us Serenity, we choose to remember you, we choose destiny no matter what that means. If you will not be swayed from this path please allow our memories to remain."
Serenity looked at the panicked faces of her brothers, and with a flick of her wrists, conjured three crescent necklaces.
"I will give you these my brothers, Amara and Michelle as well, if living your life your spirit feels as if something is missing, if you truly long for your other half, the necklaces will restore your memory. They will be with you always." The brothers frowned but each took a necklace, fully aware that their memories would be theirs, because no life without their sister could ever be whole.
"When?" Jonathan choked out, tears still spilling from his face.
"Once Darien has recovered from his foolish attempt to prove I still love him. If I did not still love him, I would not have to fear the strength of my own emotions." With those words she left her brothers and went off to check on how Amara and Michelle were faring with Darien, and to inform them of her decision.
"How is he?" Serenity asked softly as she approached his sleeping form.
"The moron damaged himself pretty good, his healing ability is helping but you'll have to use the crystal if you want to ensure his survival." Serenity was surprised to hear such bitterness coming from Michelle, they were all so protective of her that at times it was suffocating.
Serenity sighed and placed the crystal above Endymion's earth symbol and willed the power to spread to his wounds, she closed her eyes and was able to see the white light closing up the deep holes. When he was fully healed she pulled back and left him in a peaceful sleep.
Having finished she turned toward Amara and Michelle, in the past few months she had not even mentioned to them what she had been planning.
"I have decided to grant everyone a life without destiny…without me. Darien and the inners will be happier that way and I believe you will be too." Serenity looked away from them and at Darien, preparing herself for their arguments.
"No." Amara's voice was stern and when Serenity turned she saw Michelle nodding solemnly.
"No?"
"The Earth and you must be protected, any sacrifices I have had to make in order to do that have always been worth it. Knowing you is the greatest honor of my life, you are my dearest friend." Amara's eyes were fierce and determined as she spoke.
"You are not the only one that remembers the Silver Millenium, it is a part of who we are, to fight for you and to its memory, I can think of nothing I would rather do with my life." Both bowed as Michelle finished and Serenity sighed. With a wave of her hand again, two new necklaces, one of Neptune and one of Uranus, dangled from her fingers.
"I grant you these, as I did my brothers, if your life truly is not happy and complete without the pull of your destiny the necklaces will restore your memory and powers. Though the Earth will have no need for protectors." Amara and Michelle each took their necklaces.
"How will the Earth be protected without the senshi?" Serenity turned to Darien, her eyes filling with tears as she thought of how her friends would take the news.
"I am going to surrender my body and spirit to the silver crystal, the goddess blood within me shall keep my body immortal, and my energy will constantly feed the power of the crystal. The crystal will create a shield around the Earth that will keep away any dark forces."She paused knowing that were just as horrified as her brothers had been. "I will be able to protect the Earth without having to feel anymore, I won't have to live with this pain anymore, please understand my dear friends."
Amara and Michelle shared a glance and then nodded.
"If this is what you wish, ten we will not prevent you, but when our memories are restored, we make no promises that we will not try to free you."
Serenity nodded. "I knew you would feel this way, but the hold will be strong and I will fight you, it would take the power of everyone to free me, but it is better for the people of Earth if you leave me be, they will never again have to suffer the destruction of youma attacks."
"Will Endymion and the inners be given necklaces as well?" Though Amara did not want them to be forgiven she was already plotting to gather them all.
Serenity shook her head. "No, they have already shown that they do not like their destinies, but to Endymion…"
Serenity pressed her palms together and closed her eyes. Her crescent moon began to shine.
"I call upon the powers of the moon and the Goddess Selene, watch over this son of Earth. Protect him and guide him to happiness, he is the holder of my heart and has given his life to your defense. Grandmother, Mother answer my prayer." The room filled with light and Serenity looked to see the silver crescent of the moon, shining on Darien's forehead, just below the golden symbol of Earth.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she whispered a "thank you" that she knew her mother and grandmother heard. The light receded and Amara and Michelle were amazed at what they had witnessed. Never before had someone been granted a symbol that was not their own. Though Amara's mind was already filling with hope, if Endymion was truly only happy with Serenity, then the power of the moon would be helping to free Serenity and bring the couple together. Michelle looked at her strangely and Amara realized her thoughts had brought a grin to her features. She composed herself and motioned to Michelle that she would explain later.
"Watch over him. I must make preparations and find a suitable place to merge with the crystal."
"Darien is gone guys, I wonder what happened" The senshi had arrived to his apartment with more questions, and they were a little worried about how he was taking the news of Serena. The senshi turned to Mina wondering if she knew something about him like she did with Serena.
"He would not do anything if Serena was still alive, he will hold onto that hope. I think he went to find her." Mina's eyes were bright, but the breathless arrival of Raye changed that.
"Guys, I saw something in the fire, I don't know what it means, but when I tried to find Serena, I got this feeling that she was gone…not just missing but it was as if she never was, like she never existed. And then I got a vision of all of us, but we weren't friends…and we weren't senshi." Raye spoke quickly too panicked to slow down and think just what the fire was telling her.
"Maybe Serena, as Princess Serenity has the power to change destiny. Maybe with her brothers here she no longer has need of her protectectors." Ami's voice was more timid than usual.
"She always had her brothers, and she always had us, she must still need us." Lita spoke unsure but her loyalty kept her from believing Serena would leave them.
"Maybe we hurt her too much, it would be like Serena to think she was the problem and decide to set us free." Raye spoke with her head down, laying most of the blame upon herself.
"I wish we could just talk to her." Mina said looking out the window. The other senshi followed her gaze wondering where she was.
"You're awake." Even in his groggy state Darien could sense the bitterness in his voice. He sat up and only at his lack of pain did he fully remember the previous day.
"Serenity healed you." Phillippe said at Darien's curious look. "But now that you have awoken she will act upon her plan and I will lose her all over again. I know I was never the closest to Serenity, having the gift of foresight – I didn't want to be close to her, to be a part of all the suffering she was going to endure, and yet I could not help wanting to protect her and I could not help loving her. I realize I have failed once again…" Darien watched Phillippe carefully, having so many questions about what Serena was planning, it took all his self control to remain silent and listen to what Phillippe was trying to tell him.
"There will come a time when I will go against my sister's wishes and I will finally be able to protect her the way I have always wanted. Edward was right in that you were always the only one that could make her truly happy. This may be the last time I speak to you before all comes to pass, and I need your promise that you will love and protect my Serenity the way she deserves."
Darien answered without hestitation. "I love her more than my own life, and I will always be ready to sacrifice it for her. I know you do not trust me, and you have no reason to, but I promise you everything I have ever done was in the belief that it was for Serena's own good. Though I see now it was only killing us both, I will never forgive myself for how I almost lost her."
"Then I can trust you will never take her for granted again Endymion. Serenity is a powerful being, the granddaughter of a goddess and ruler of the civilized universe; she has always had tremendous responsibility upon her shoulders. It was not until she met you that she ever felt strong enough to protect her people, and it was not until she met you that I had ever seen her truly smile. You showed her love Endymion, treated her like she was nothing more than your lover, when to everyone else she was the destined princess. Remember always that she pulls her greatest strength from you, as you do her. Together with your birthrights, you will bring peace to the Universe again."
Phillippe offered him a sad smile. "You have waited patiently so I will tell you what my sister is planning in the hopes that we will one day free her from it."
"This place will do perfectly, especially if we put a barrier so that only those with the power to teleport can reach it. No one will be able to stumble upon it accidentally."
"I cannot imagine that happening anyway Sere, this place is dreary. How did you know about it?" Edward asked wrapped his arms around himself in hopes of keeping out the chill.
"It was where we found the silver crystal and where Endymion realized who I was. I finally got him back right here. It is only fitting that I be set free in the same place."
Edward looked at his younger sister carefully, and for the first time he saw through all of her facades, to the truly suffering girl within. He hoped that if he and the others succeeded in their plan, that Serenity would believe how much they all needed her. He went to her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders.
"I will let you do this Serenity, I see now how much you need it, just as much as Endymion and the inners need it. When you awake Serenity things will be as they should be again, I promise."
Serenity nodded, glad to have Edward's support and relieved to know that soon she would be free of this ever present pain, but yet part of her was filled with such anxiety that she wanted to abandon her plan and remain with her brothers.
"Are you sure you know how to do this Sere?" Edward asked gently, unable to ease his worry.
Serenity nodded. "It used to be tradition, you know." Edward started at the news, if it was so hard to break the connection, how could it have been so commonplace. "Haven't you ever thought brother, why I needed guardians when I wield the power of the silver crystal? The Senshi's original purpose was to form a strong bond with their princes so that they could pull her from the crystal. If the princess died it was considered that she was never meant to rule. That was why Grandmother sent Mother to rule, the royal line died out, and only the daughter of a goddess would be accepted as the new Queen without complaint."
"But why did they merge in the first place?"
"They were mortal, merging increased their connection with the crystal and therefore the power they could draw from it. I am hoping it will do the same for me, if you succeed, then I will be better able to protect Earth."
"How long?"
"When I merge, I will not be rewinding time, not even Pluto has that power, I will simply be changing the past to reflect my lack of existence, changing only memories. From what Mother told me a mortal would merge for a maximum of two years, any longer and their body would give out. I will never have that problem, so I will be fine for however long it takes for you to set me free. And if what you believe about Endymion and the inners is true, then your biggest problem will be finding Saturn."
Edward nodded, unwilling to show that he had no idea where to even begin to search for Hotaru especially without Serenity or youmas to awaken her.
"Start with finding her, without her you will fail with the others."
Edward opened his mouth to question what she meant but she shook her head.
"Find Saturn and everything else will fall into place, but watch over them when you can."
Edward nodded again, he would do as she said and he knew they would succeed.
"How can you let her go through with that?" Darien was furious, though even that term seemed far to weak for the emotion coursing through his veins.
"She suffers Endymion, such pain you would not believe, this will grant her peace, and she'll awake to a happier reality. By freeing your memories and her, you will prove your dedication to the love you seemed to have betrayed. Until then do not expect her to listen to any explanation, words cannot soothe the pain she feels now, no matter how sincere they are." Phillippe sighed again. "She needs this Endymion both for the peace it will bring her and for the power the crystal will grant her. And if you love her Endymion then there is little to fear."
Darien still refused to concede, he knew there had to be some way to talk Serena out of it. This wasn't like her…but the more his mind dwelled upon it the more he realized it was exactly like Serena. Any sacrifice for her friends.
"You are sure we will be able to free her?" Darien's voice was meek and pleading as he looked to Phillippe.
Phillippe nodded. "As long as you and the others really do long for your destinies, Serenity will be freed and have more power than any of us could imagine."
"Is he awake? Serenity is ready, we have to send him back now." Edward's voice was surprisingly upbeat and Phillippe realized that Serenity had gotten through to him. He was glad that his brother understood that in the end this was for the best, which was no doubt the reason their mother had told Serenity about it in the first place.
"Yes he is well enough to be returned. We will see you soon Endymion, though once again you will not remember us. Keep her in your heart Endymion, as you always have." Darien nodded slowly but did not fight when Phillippe closed his eyes and his crescent began to shine.
"Remember her Endymion." Edward's voice was the last thing Darien heard before the white light engulfed him and left him peacefully sleeping once again in the silk sheets of his bed.
"Goodbye my friends, it is time you were sent back to where you belong as well." Tears welled in her eyes as she hugged all of them, Jonathan longest of all.
"Please let us stay until…" Jonathan asked wanting to spend every last minute with the big sister who was always the one to look after him. Telling him stories and playing music whenever he got upset or discouraged.
"Of course." Serenity said with a smile and light in her eyes that resembled their sister as she was upon the moon.
Holding the crystal floating between her hands, Serenity closed her eyes and allowed her crescent to shine as she concentrated on its power. The light of the crystal and the crescent continued to grow until it erupted in a blinding light. When it disappeared Serenity lay encased in crystal, a small peaceful smile on her lips as she remained completely still within the power of the silver crystal
"Rest in peace dear sister, but not for long, we will set you free." Edward spoke looking at he determined eyes of all around him before they each disappeared from the cave.