Author's Note:

I'm so sorry about taking a while to update. For some reason the teachers at the here have decided that they must get in all their tests before holiday break and my D isn't helping anything with my parents. More importantly: I had this chapter all planned out in my head… and then I lost it. Which is why this is shorter than I wanted it to be.

This chapter is made possible by a snow day. Therefore, it is dedicated to Reginald MacDonald who is superintendent and decides when we don't have to go to school. Even though Reggie isn't going to read this I just want to say: Thank! You!

Disclaimer:

Darien is in love with Serena in Sailor Moon. That there should tell you right off that I don't own the Sailor Scouts.

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~*~ That Simple Magic ~*~

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Chapter Four: Best Seller- Ami's Tell All Conversation

There was a long, crusty scab running right over my left eyebrow. That description just sounds plain disgusting. I still can't believe that Luna did that! My cat had just suddenly gone lunar and tried to take me out! What was wrong with the world?

"Stop picking at it," Molly said, walking into my office with a pile of folders. Her red hair bounced in its pony tail as I sat behind my desk. "A Mister Darien Shields called to say that he expected you to lock up his place so that he wouldn't be robbed by the time he got back from Europe. Said something about 'leave it to Meatball Head to…' but I wasn't really paying attention. I'd just gotten a run in my nylons." She blew a strand of hair out of her face and looked at me. "So…."

"Yeah?"

"Well aren't you going to tell me what's that all about? I mean, how often do guys call you? How about never Serena Tsukino!"

"When you say it like that," I sniffed. Sheesh, it sounded like I never had any boyfriends. Actually… well you can't blame a girl for getting hung up on a sexy man in a tuxedo. Was it really my fault that I never found out who his alter-ego was? No! So just because I was holding out for the one day when I'd see my Tuxedo again didn't mean I was a loser. No way.

"Fine," Molly grumbled before leaving. She could be positively brutal when it came to extracting gossip. I was just glad she was going to go easy on me for once. It wasn't like I was taking the loss of my moon crystal particularly well. I missed it a lot. I still had the fragmented pieces but it was like getting an ice cream sundae without the whipped cream and cherry. It was just ice cream and fudge- and that's no way to make a sundae!

"I can't believe he left!" I said snappishly, slurping on my chocolate milkshake. It was later and the day and all the girls and I were gathered in a booth at the Crown Arcade. In half an hour we were going to pick up Mina from the airport. "We had to… talk… and stuff!"

"Sounds like Darien deprivation to me," Rei grinned from across the booth. "I always knew you had a crush on him, Meatball Head."

"I do not, repeat not have a crush on that waste of material," I retorted. "But I think you'd agree that there was something there that HAS to be discussed."

"This conversation is ending right now," Ami's soft voice interrupted. "I am not going to be sucked into another conversation about sex. Once was enough, thank you." We all stared at her and her complexion turned slightly pink. "What?" she demanded, fiddling with her silver bracelet. "I'm just saying I don't like where this is going."

"Mina would be so proud of you, Ami," Lita said winking at her. Ami blushed more and she looked studiously at her burger. "Who knows… perhaps Ami will get a little more experience."

Ami's jaw snapped. "I'll have you know that I have more experience than you think!"

I choked on my milkshake, Lita's soda sloshed over the side of her cup, and Rei burst out laughing.

"Oh- oh, that's a good one," she giggled. Then she froze, "Oh my god, you meant that!"

"Seriously?" I gasped. "Ami! I can't believe you were holding out on us like that!" Then I smiled viciously. "Can I be the first one to tell Mina? Please, please, please with sugar on top?" I shivered with delightful anticipation. Mina was going to die- as the soldier of love she felt she had first dibs on our love-life gossip. I eagerly began to dry wash my hands, a cackle forming in my throat.

"Actually, she already knows," Ami said taking a small bite out of her burger. "It was six years ago, quite a long time ago actually."

I screwed up my nose, counting backwards. "You were sixteen?" I exclaimed in horror. My first was… well, I didn't even want to go there. I had an inkling that it had ended up being Darien Shields because up until a month ago, I hadn't gone that far with fooling around. I told you I took making love seriously, didn't I? I still couldn't understand why I wasn't so upset about that particular incident… um, incidents. It was like there was some wall that was supposed to be there was neglecting its duties when involved with Darien. And let me tell you, this "wall" was due for a chat. I wasn't about to go thinking romantic thoughts about my enemy! There was still a lazy, hinting feeling in the back of my mind that I didn't mind that Jerk so much. That was just a silly notion.

But the though that even Ami had reached that point before me- well, words fail me! The humiliation, the scandal. And it was thanks to Darien Shields that I wasn't left out of this club. I'd call rape but it was my crystal that had been emitting the whatever. So technically, it was my fault. Stupid crystal!

"Well," and Lita whistled. "This was a little more… revealing… luncheon than I had realized it was going to be. Anyway, we'd better get moving. Mina would never forgive us if we stood her up at the airport."

"I'd say she deserves it," Rei grouched, slinging her purse onto her shoulders. "Holding out on us like that!"

If it was possible, Ami's face turned even pinker.

Mina was in such a buoyant mood, she was positively floating. She was perched cheerfully on the edge of a counter chatting to an airport official, twirling a strand of her long blond hair. Dressed in a classy cream colored dress that could only be straight from a designer's rack, a red pair of stilettos, and a matching purse slinking down her arm, I envied the money Mina had to buy such clothes.

"Sere-chan!" she chirped, immediately hopping from the counter much to the official's disappointment. She hurriedly crushed me in a hug. "You have to tell me everything! I tell you, I've been getting the oddest sensations from you."

"What?" I stammered. Then I remembered that as the leader of the senshi, Mina had some extra powers of her own. They weren't limited to just the Princess.

"You and Darien, you little minx!" Mina giggled. "Although he is a fine looking man, I can't believe you waited so long to jump his bones." She licked her lips. I groaned- this must have been the same way Mina had figured out about Ami and her rendezvous.

"I don't even want to talk about it," I said, sticking my nose in the air. "I don't see how it's any of your business."

"Don't be silly darling, you called a Meeting about it," Mina retorted. "I remember because I threw the communicator at the wall."

"I know," I answered. "And I want to know who that man was that was in bed with you." The three others turned to regard Mina curiously and her ears turned red. Today was just a day for blushing.

"I really don't see how that is any of your business," Mina gathered her dignity.

"Right- so no more thoughts about how Darien and I get kinky together."

I don't know why I threw that comment in but it was worth every word to see the way every single one of my friends looked ill or at least very green. So worth it.

"Ew," Rei wrinkled her nose as if getting a whiff of something nauseating. "Way too much information there, Meatball Head." I narrowed my eyes venomously at her.

"I thought I told you never to call me that!"

The cathedral was just as it always had been in my dreams. The stained glass cast jeweled tones over my friends in their pink bridesmaid dresses. Mina looked like she was in blissful raptures, Ami was sniffling, and Rei was batting her eyes furiously. Lita beamed at me, the grin splitting her face even as a couple of tears made their way down her face. I smiled back

I glanced back from where I was standing. There in the front row was my family; Mum was holding a tissue over her nose, Dad still looking suspiciously at my future husband, and Sammy ready to burst with pride. I busted with pride for him, in his handsome suit and narrow tie. Gazing at my baby brother, I realized how much he had grown. It probably wouldn't be long until he was standing at the alter himself.

The aisle was strewn with dusky rose petals and the pews were decorated with large bows. I was holding a bouquet of crimson roses against the thick folds of my ivory dress. It was a winter wedding. My husband-to-be stood next to me but the odd lighting obscured his face. All I could see was the thick coal black hair lightly dusting his ears. Figures that my future husband couldn't even get a hair cut at our wedding even in my dream!

The priest droned on and I tuned out- we had already made our vows. My lover turned, bending closer to me. I stared fixedly at his shiny shoes where I could see my reflection His hands descended gently, lifting the lacy tulle veil over my head. Then his hands turned my chin up to see his face. This was usually where my dream ended and I woke up. My jaw dropped and I recognized the familiar, heady cologne and passionate blue eyes.

"Odango Atama," he said the endearment softly, in his native language. I wet my lips and stepped closer. I reached for him, longing to hold him close, caress his lips with mine, and never let go forever. I rose to my tip toes and his head lowered. I was brushing his lips with mine….

"Ahh!" I screamed, bolting upright in bed before proceeding to fall to the floor. The tangled sheets had twisted around my legs during slumber caught my flailing body just before my nose smashed into the floor. There was a pattering of feet outside of my door and I stared disgustedly at the pattern on my carpet.

"What happened? Where is he? What's wrong? Don't worry, I'll get it!" Mina panted, looming in the doorway. After she scanned the room, she realized there was no one there but me. "Okay, what the heck just happened?"

"Dream," I mumbled sulkily and let the rest of my body hit the floor. I climbed out of the blankets and into my fluffy pink bathrobe. There was no more sleep for me today, that was for sure! "More like a nightmare!"

"Well," Mina's presence had diminished when she had decided there wasn't a threat. "Well. What was the dream about? It was about a guy, wasn't it? Oh I know it was! Let me guess, there was an evil villain chasing you through a haunted castle with ghosts while your true love searched frantically for you in the enchanted forest," she trailed off and pursed her lips thoughtfully. Her eyes half focused as her mind drifted onto her own true love and whether she would ever find him. Then she snapped back. "You had a dream about Darien, didn't you?!"

"NO!" I yelped. "Are you kidding? Yuck, ew, why would I have a dream about that jerk?" Jerk indeed. I can't believe he wormed his way into my favorite fantasy like that. Can't he tell where he's not wanted? That was just rude.

"Oh sure," Mina wiggled her eyebrows at me as she turned at the door. "As Lita would say, 'Me thinks thou dost protest too much!'"

I scowled at her and sorted through ideas for Mina's painful death. Most of them I was forced to discard because I wasn't sure where to get a man-eating alien that could take Mina away on his ship, strap her in a chair, and force her to watch the episodes of Sailor V over and over again. She always hated that haircut (although I really didn't see the difference between that and what she had today).

A little while later I emerged from the foggy bathroom where I had been seeking refuge under the warm shower. My hair was slightly damp as I braided the long strands of my hair. I had dressed in the large shirt folded neatly on top of my dresser. Please, like I was really going to make an effort to look nice after waking up at the ungodly hour of nine o' clock! On a weekend!

"Good morning," Mina chirped, twirling the phone cord around her finger. She was in an absolutely glowing mood as I trudged to the refrigerator and hoped fervently that it had nothing to do with my dream. My luck had been running off course ever since I woke up so I should have expected that all I would find would be the remains of an orange juice bottle and moldy cheese. I started searching through my cupboards blindly for coffee mix or something. I didn't usually like to drink caffeine because it gave me such a high that I actually like Darien during it but I was desperate enough to gulp some of the bitter liquid down. Besides, Darien had gone to Europe. Jerk.

"No, no, don't be silly darling," Mina was cooing over the phone. She giggled. "Yes, you have to come. I want you to meet everyone! Don't you want to meet my friends, sweetie?"

"Mina!" I gurgled through a disgusting gulp of coffee. Note to self: always buy espresso drinks at a café, never make it. "That better not be long distance!"

Mina pouted and said goodbye to whichever boyfriend was presently on the phone. She claims to never have had more than three at a time but I distinctly recall her juggling five one summer. How come she got five and all I got was Tuxedo? I didn't even get to see him anymore! This so wasn't fair.

"So, Sere-Bear," Mina said, looking at me slyly. "You weren't dreaming about Darien Shields?"

"No," I frowned, wishing that lightening would just strike my friend down. "Never."

"Then why are you wearing his shirt?"

"I'm not-" I began distractedly and glanced at what I was wearing. Sure enough, I should have known from the crisp fabric and the way it hung to my knees… not to mention the scent of Darien that clung to it even after three washings. I wrapped my arms around me. "That," I said coldly, "is really none of your business. Unless you want to tell me who that white haired man is. I'm really quite curious."

Mina glowered at me even as pink blossomed over her rosy cheeks. "You should now by now that I don't kiss and tell."

"Well, neither do I," I answered with a happy feeling fluttering in my chest. Chalk one up to Serena Tsukino!

"Oh, so you admit you've been kissing him then?" Mina pounced on the statement. I 'hrumphed' and stalked out of the kitchen with as much dignity as I could.

"I always knew you loved him!" Mina called joyously from her seat. Love? Who said anything about love? I didn't love Darien and I never would. I knew that for a fact. Despite the nagging impression in the pit of my stomach that was waiting for Darien to come home so I could feel safe, I knew. There was nothing between us but extreme hatred. At least there was that.

But indifference was worse. From the way hair was raising on the back of my neck, I could figure that things were going to be changing between the two of us. I just hoped it didn't involve him and a supermodel girlfriend.