Title: DARK DECEIVER
Disclaimer: I don't own anything about Sailor Moon
Authors Notes: My work is really picking up this week. I don't have as much time to write as I usually do. I promise to get the next chapter to you all soon, be patient. But don't worry, because no matter what happens, I always finish my stories. The bad part is that I just read the greatest story by Mockingbird Julia called Summer of the Moonlit Maid and it's given me the greatest idea for my next story. I really want to write it, but it's going to have to wait until this one is finished, and this one looks to be a little longer then my usual. Anyway, if you haven't read that story, I totally recommend it.
Serena paced back and forth, feeling the seconds tick by one by one, in the slowest most painful agony. Raye was somewhere back there, probably dead. She had to be dead. Or it wasn't Raye. It could have just been a girl that looked like Raye. But nobody really looked like Raye. She had those violet eyes that were completely unique. She had seen her. But maybe it had all been in her imagination.
She looked at the three girls sitting in a line in the plastic hospital chairs, watching her. Hotaru was looking beside her, at air. Michiru looked anxious, holding Haruka's hand tightly. Haruka had her long legs crossed, looking as composed and calm as she always did. Whatever thoughts were running through her mind, she didn't let them show on her face.
"Was it really her?" Serena asked softly.
All three girls looked at her. It was Michiru who silently nodded.
Serena went back to her pacing, wishing with all her heart that the doctor would come out and tell them something, anything. It had been hours. It was probably getting close to morning already. This was to much.
Serena looked at them, seeing that Hotaru was smiling at something again. She furrowed her brow as she watched her, wondering what was going through the mind of the mysterious little girl.
"Were you telling me the truth before?" Serena asked, not looking away from Hotaru.
The two older girls were silent.
"Were you?" Serena asked again.
"Yes," Haruka said seriously.
Serena walked up and knelt in front of Hotaru. She felt the other two girls stiffen as they watched her. The young girl just smiled at her, her eyes full of life and energy. Despite all she had been through, she still enjoyed life. She still found delight in small pleasure. Serena admire that.
"What are you looking at?" She asked in a soft voice.
She could feel the tension around her and she tried to ignore it as she focused on only her.
Hotaru smiled. "Are you ready, my princess, to believe in the truth?"
Serena tried not to tremble.
"Is he really alive?" She asked with tears forming in her eyes. Her voice cracked and wavered, despite her effort to keep it under control.
"When you believe it could be true, then it might be true."
Serena sobbed as she looked down at the floor. Tears leaked from her eyes and she couldn't seem to stop them. It couldn't be true. Despite everything that had happened, it couldn't be true. She had seen him die. She had lived through it.
"Serena, we wouldn't lie to you, not about something like this," Michiru said.
"Then why can't I see him?" Serena demanded angrily.
She saw the flinch in Michiru, but not in Haruka.
Serena sat on the floor, feeling her heart breaking again. She couldn't believe this was happening. She had gotten past it. She had learned to live on her own. If this was a joke, or someone was playing with her, she knew she wouldn't be able to survive loosing him again.
"I don't think so," Hotaru said.
Serena looked back up at her, but the girl wasn't looking at her. She was looking beside her again. Serena sat up, startled. Was he right there? Was he sitting right next to her right now?
"Hotaru?" Serena asked. "Who…….."
"Miss Tsukino?"
Serena turned around to see the doctor walking towards her. She quickly stood up, still distracted by the idea that Darien could be standing so close to her and she couldn't even feel him. She tried to, but it had been a long time since she had even tried.
"Is she alright?" She asked quickly.
"Your friend has been through a lot. She doesn't seem to remember anything of what happened to her, and that's probably for the best. I think she's been treated very badly. There is evidence of abuse and starvation."
Serena just nodded as her throat seemed to close.
"I think she'll be fine. We've given her something to help with the pain, and she's already had something to eat."
Serena looked at him startled. "She's awake."
"Yes, and she's asking for you."
She breathed out, going completely numb.
The doctor looked past her and frowned. Serena barely noticed, but his next words caught her attention again.
"I would also like to take a look at your friend," he said. "He looks to be in about the same condition as she is."
Serena froze. Every inch of her body tingled in unexpected pain as her muscles seized up. She slowly turned around, half hoping to see him and half dreading it.
She felt disappointment blanket her as her eyes drifted over air.
Hotaru just looked up at her happily, a smile on her face.
Haruka stood up and walked towards her, taking her hand gently.
"I'll take her to see Raye," she said to the doctor, not indicating any more about Darien. She pulled the stiff girl through the swinging double doors that lead into the rest of the hospital.
Darien could only sigh in complete defeat as he watched Serena disappear through the doors. He looked at Hotaru who smiled as happily as if she had just received her first birthday present and it was exactly what she wanted. The doctor walked up to him.
"I'm fine," he said offhandedly.
"That's a nasty bruise you have on your cheek," he said.
"It was an accident. I wasn't watching where I was going."
The doctor seemed to study him. "Are you related to the girl we're treating today."
"Why would you ask that?" Darien asked.
"She's got the same color hair and the same wounds. Perhaps something happened to the two of you together."
Darien crossed his arms. "It didn't and I'm fine."
The doctor hesitated, but then stood up. "Very well. I would suggest only one person sees her at a time. She seems to be in quite a bit of shock."
"It'll all come to something soon," Hotaru said happily.
Darien leaned back, resting his head against the wall behind him. This was all too much. He felt like he hadn't stopped in days. His body and mind were both exhausted, and yet he was afraid to relax. What if this was all some sick and twisted dream, and he would wake-up to find something worse. What if this was how it stayed forever. What was worse, not being with her or being near and no being noticed by her? He was a ghost in all of this. And worse, he was hurting her. The pain in her eyes had been obvious and it shot cold daggers through him. He hated hurting her.
"We could talk to her, for you," Michiru said. "You could tell me what to say and I could tell her."
Darien shook his head.
"Why not?" She asked. "With Raye here now, she has to believe that it's possible. Don't you want to speak to her?"
"How can you even ask me that as if it were a question?" Darien said in a low voice. "Of course I want to speak to her. I also want her to be able to see me. I want her to not have feelings for another guy and I want her to believe that I'm alive."
"Then why….."
"Because it wouldn't matter!" Darien said loudly. "It's still not coming from me."
"But it would be coming from you," she argued.
Darien reached up to rub his eyes in tired frustration. "No, it wouldn't be coming directly from me," he said. "I want her to be able to hear me. My voice, my words. I know her and I know that if she can't hear me, then she won't believe it."
"She….."
"Would you just stop arguing with me alright!" Darien said loudly. "Don't you think I would show myself to her if I could?"
Michiru looked about to argue again, but she closed her mouth, deciding against it.
"We just need to find a way to get to the other girls. We can't sit back and hope that they'll all be let go, like Raye."
"And you," Hotaru said. "You were let go."
Darien nodded. "Yes I was." His brow furrowed. "But why?"
"You said this is some sort of game to her. She's trying to get to Serena."
"No she's not," Darien said trying to concentrate. "She said she wants Serena to fight alone, because she doesn't think she'll be as strong by herself."
"That's true," Hotaru said.
"No it's not," Michiru chided. "Serena is stronger then any of us if she wants to be."
"Not without he heart," Hotaru said.
"What do you mean?" Darien asked. Fear had suddenly enveloped him like a blanket.
"Serena fights with her heart. Her love and devotion to her friends is what make her strong. If she's got nothing to fight for, then she's going nothing to fight with."
Darien lowered his eyes, letting her words sink it.
"That's why we continue to love her even if she tries to push us away," Hotaru said. "So that even though she can't see it, its' there for her if she needs it."
Unless that love was taken away.
"She would fight in their memory," he said.
"Yes, but a memory is not the same."
Darien looked towards the doors Serena had just walked through, wanting to go to her. He wanted to comfort her. He wanted to love and support her so that she could be her strongest all the time. But how? She couldn't even see him. And worse, she didn't truly believe that he was even there for her. To her, he was dead.
Serena pushed the door open slowly and walked alone into the small hospital room. She could hear the beeps of monitors softly chiming away around her.
Raye sat on the bed, with the fluffy white pillows around her, and she looked tired.
"Raye?" Serena asked, still not believing what she had seen.
Her eyes flew open to reveal the unmistakable violet color the was unique to only her.
They were completely still for a moment, staring at each other.
"You look like you've seen a ghost," Raye said smiling.
Serena nearly broke down as she all but threw herself at Raye, wrapping her arms tightly around her. She couldn't help the tears that came uncontrollably from her eyes, even when Raye laughed gently at her reaction. She just hugged her, with everything that she had.
She couldn't believe it. This was Raye. She recognized her feeling and her smell. She recognized her laugh and her smile. It was her.
Serena pulled away only slightly, already up on the bed with her. Her tears still flowed from her eyes and she tried to pull herself together.
"I can't believe it's you," she said breathlessly.
"Neither can I," Raye said.
Serena couldn't help but smile softly when Raye reached out to wipe the tears of her cheek. Her hands were cold.
"What happened?" Serena asked.
"I don't really know," Raye said, then her eyes widened. "Where are the other girls?"
Serena was at a loss. "I don't know," she said slowly. "Until we found you, I thought they were dead."
Raye looked down in concentration for a moment. "What about Darien?" She asked. "They carried him away from the rest of us, to another part of that….place. He was injured. Is he alright? Have you found him yet?"
Serena felt her insides tie into knots.
Raye watched her, feeling dread wash over her. "When was the last time you saw him?"
"Three years ago," Serena said quietly. "Almost to the day."
"Oh Serena," Raye said with worry in her eyes. "What happened?"
Serena shook her head, feeling the tears again. "There was a battle, and you died. You and the other girls. Darien as well."
"But we didn't," Raye said.
"I saw you, with my own eyes. I watched it happen."
"But it couldn't have," Raye argued. "We were together. The four of us, and then Darien was there as well. The others are alive, I saw them."
Serena nodded.
"We have to find them. If that woman still has them, she could kill them. And Darien too. Serena, we have to hurry."
Serena nodded again. "I'll get the scouts, the outer scouts, and we'll find a way to find them. Maybe we can track where you came from."
Raye nodded.
"But Raye, you have to rest. The doctor said you've been abused."
Raye didn't seem to hear her. Her eyes had become distant. She was lost in thought.
"Raye, can you hear me?"
There was a pause.
Serena opened her mouth to speak again, but Raye cut in.
"You said goodbye," Raye said softly.
Serena looked at her confused. "What?"
"It's the first thing I remember. That woman, she chained us all to the floor, and then they brought in Darien. He looked beaten and half starved. I was afraid for him. She said something about you fighting alone and finally giving up on us, and then she showed us……..you."
"She showed you me?"
Raye nodded. "You were saying goodbye. You said you were moving on and that……you had found something else."
Serena felt her heart sink. "She showed you when I said goodbye?"
Raye nodded.
Serena felt every feeling of guilt and fear wash over her and it was as if someone had stopped her breath from reaching her lungs.
"And Darien heard?"
Raye nodded again, slowly.
Serena shook her head. He wouldn't have heard if he was dead. But Raye was not the first person to say the he was alive. She found herself praying that he was dead. If he was alive and he had heard her, she couldn't even imagine how much she might have hurt him.
"Who are you leaving him for?" Raye asked.
Serena looked at her. "I……I'm not……It's not like…….I thought he was dead."
Raye nodded. "I understand, but he's not."
For the first time all night, Serena thought of Seiya and once again her heart squeezed painfully in her chest.
"Oh no," she said realizing what had happened. If Darien was still alive there was no question, she loved him. She had always loved him. She loved him with her whole heart and nothing could ever change that. But what about Seiya. The guilt of what she had put him through washed over her. She had allowed herself to get attached to him only because Darien was dead. She hadn't thought that she would have to pick between them.
"Serena, what's the matter?" Raye asked worried.
"I think I've done something awful," Serena answered with wide eyes.
Serena sat impatiently on the back of the couch, watching Haruka talk quietly with Setsuna. She hadn't seen the older girl in awhile and part of her wanted to great her fondly, but she was to full of anxiety. She tapped her foot nervously on the floor, trying to be patient.
"You're making me nervous," Hotaru said softly.
Serena looked at her, and smiled. "Sorry." She stilled her foot, moving to actually sit on the couch. "I'm just nervous."
"We'll find the other girls," she said softly.
Serena just nodded, wishing it to be true. She was anxious for them. Raye was not in very good condition. If all her friends had been treated like that, for three years, she wouldn't forgive herself for no going after them.
"Why don't we watch TV while we're waiting," Michiru said softly. She sat down next to them and clicked on the TV.
The noise filled the apartment, making any thought of hearing the conversation going on impossible. Serena tried to pay attention to it, but she couldn't. Her mind flitted around, resting on each of her friends. It had been three years to her, but only weeks or maybe days to them. Had they changed? Raye had grown, so they obviously had been in a place where time still mattered. What about Darien? Was he really injured? The doctor seemed to think he was. He had said she looked like Raye.
She leaned over to ask Hotaru if he was alright, but then the news flashed on and the announcers words caught everyone's attention.
"It's been exactly three years since a disaster of this magnitude has occurred," the newscaster said. "Reports are coming in that some sort of monster is trapping at least a dozen people in the mall. It is unclear whether or not they're still alive, but…."
Serena took off without hearing the rest of the news. She heard someone call out for her, but she didn't stop. They would follow her, she was sure.
She sprinted across the city, knowing the route instinctively.
When she got there, the sounds of screamed pierced through her, and she transformed immediately. She felt the pull as Raye transformed. It startled her. Raye was supposed to be resting upstairs. She quickly looked back to the see the fiery girl run up beside her.
Sailor Mars smiled at her. "Just like old times," she said.
Serena couldn't help but smile. She stood and faced the monster in front of her.
"You ready?" She asked Sailor Mars.
"Let's burn this thing to the ground."
Sailor Moon smiled when she heard Mars call out her attack. The fire arrow moved swiftly through the air, connecting with the monster making it scream in agony.
'world shaking' thundered across the ground, hitting it from another angle.
Darien watched from a few feet away, confusion written all over his face as he watched the scouts fight. He was transformed, ready to help in a moments notice, but it didn't make any sense.
"What are you thinking?" Sailor Saturn asked from beside him.
Darien didn't take his eyes off Sailor Moon. "If she wanted to see how Serena fought on her own, why is she giving her back her friends, one by one. Why would she let me go so that I might be able to help her. And now Raye is back. It doesn't make any sense."
"It will when her plan unfolds."
Darien wasn't so sure. The more the plan seemed to unravel, the more he worried. How could he be prepared to protect her if he wasn't sure what was coming? Apparently she had killed them all the first time they'd met. Why hadn't she just finished them off?
He watched her fight, tall and graceful. They had said she hadn't fought much in the last three years, but she didn't seem to have suffered much from it. She moved easily through the air, attacking when the moment was right. Her long beautiful legs carried her swiftly and steadily. She wasn't a child anymore.
Darien found himself wanting to go to her, like he used to. He never liked her fighting. She was strong, there was no doubt, but he never liked her fighting. He always protected her, pulling her out of the fight as often as possible. Now she was on her own and the feeling didn't sit well with him.
When the fight was over, and Sailor Moon had destroyed the monster, he relaxed every so slightly. Sailor Mars had been just as strong as she had been the day they'd died. She would be able to protect her again.
He saw her smile at Sailor Moon triumphantly, and then her violet eyes met his.
Darien wasn't sure what he expected, but the sudden excited happiness that sparked into her eyes was almost overwhelming. She could see him.
Darien felt his heart stop.
"Darien, you're alive!" Raye exclaimed.
The first thing he did was look at Serena.
Serena looked around widly and he could see the hope in her eyes, and then the disappointment when she didn't see him. Her shoulders fell and her whole posture seemed defeated. It broke his heart.
"She can't see me Raye," he said deliberately.
Raye looked at him confused, and then back at Serena who was watching her with a frown on her face.
"What do you mean she can't see you?"
Serena looked around again and Darien felt awful.
"I'll explain when we're alone. For now, just stop talking to me. You're confusing her and that's the last thing I want."
"But…."
"I said stop Raye!" He said loudly.
Raye seemed startled and she took a step back. She nodded, feeling Serena's eyes on her the whole time.
"You can see him?" Serena asked.
Raye looked at the other scouts for help, but they just watched. Haruka was as stony as always.
"I…..well……I'm confused," she said finally. "I just thought..... but ........why can you see me then?" she asked.
Raye saw the tears in Serena's eyes and she quickly made her way towards the girl, wrapping her arms around her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."
Serena shook her head. "I'm so confused."
"I know," Raye said. "We'll talk about it later." Her eyes drifted over to Darien again who watched with pain filled eyes. "Let's get out of here."
It seemed like all he could ever do was watch her walk away from him. He turned to look at the four outer scouts that stood a short distance away. Haruka had no emotion in her eyes, but he could tell that her mind was spinning. Sailor Saturn was the first to start following Serena, and they all followed.
"Will you come with us?" Sailor Neptune asked.
Darien nodded. "I can't leave her."
"It's not fair that you can see her but she can't see you," Sailor Pluto said. "Maybe you should stay away."
"Nothing on this earth could make me leave her this time," he said sternly.
Serena and Raye sat together on the bed. It was late at night and the rest of the house seemed eerily quiet. Serena looked completely distraught. Her usually happy eyes didn't hold any of their spark.
"So you thought he was dead, and Haruka and Michiru were telling you they could see him?"
Serena nodded.
"Whoa," Raye said with a breath. "That really sucks."
"Tell me about it," Serena said. "I wanted to believe them, but I just couldn't. Not after three years. But then Hotaru saw him and the doctor saw him, and you can see him. Apparently I'm the only one who can't."
"You and Seiya," Raye corrected.
Serena nodded. "Yeah, I guess."
"But do you believe he's there?"
"I think so," Serena said. "Otherwise the world is going crazy and I'm the only one staying sane."
Raye smiled.
"Is he really alive?" Serena asked.
"You've asked me that already."
"I need you to tell me again."
"Yes," Raye said. "He's really alive and he's here. You just can't see him."
Serena tried not to cry. "I wish I could talk to him," she said.
"You can talk to him through me if you want."
Serena shook her head. "It's not the same. I want to hear his voice. I need to in order to truly believe it. What if he dies for real this time, in a battle? I'll never be able to see him. It will be like loosing him again without ever having been able to talk to him. That would be worse then loosing him in the first place."
Raye nodded.
"I have to tell Seiya," Serena said.
"I'm confused about that a little bit," Raye said. "You said you never really started dating him."
"I didn't," she explained. "But I've lead him to believe that we have a future together, it's just going to take me time to get there. He thinks that I just need a little more time to get over Darien and we'll end up together. I've basically confirmed that for him. And I meant it. I do care about him a great deal, and I can't be alone my whole life."
"Oh, that makes more sense. So you're upset about hurting him."
"He's been with me through all of this Raye. In one day I lost everyone that was important to me, and he helped me get through it. I do love him, it's just….it's not the same way I love Darien."
"Then tell him that."
Serena sighed. "Let's talk about something else now."
"Like what?" Raye said crossing his arms. "Apparently I've been dead for three years. I want gossip, and talking about your messed up love life is the closest I'm going to get to that right now."
Serena giggled softly. "It's just two guys."
Raye rolled her eyes. "Yeah, two guys love you, your life sucks."
"I can't see one of them," she said.
"See," Raye said smiling, "it's like a soap opera."
Serena laughed. "I guess it is."
"Come on, let's just try and relax. You look all tense and twitchy. The Serena I knew could never be that uptight. I haven't seen you fall down since I got back. That's no fun at all."
"You're awful, you know that?" Serena said.
Raye just shrugged happily. "I told you, just like old times."
"I think I located them," Setsuna said walking into the room.
Darien looked up at her surprised. "Where?"
"We'd have to teleport to get there."
He noticed all four girls in the room look up at the ceiling. Serena would be right above them right now.
"Then let's go," Darien said. "Without her."
"She's not going to like that," Hotaru said softly.
They were quiet.
"She doesn't have a choice," Darien said. "We're going to go and get the girls back, and then we'll deal with Serena. She'll be fine when she knows they're all safe, I know she will."
"That's very optimistic seeing as you know nothing about what she's been through the last three years," Haruka said crossing her arms.
Darien looked at her uncertainly. "What?"
"You've been back for two days and already you're taking her out of the fight, just like you did before. Haven't you learned anything," she said seriously.
Darien stood up, rising to his full height. Even she was not as tall as him.
"I will do whatever I can to protect her," he said slowly.
"You shielding her from the world is why this woman thinks she can beat her."
"You're blaming my desire to not see her hurt," Darien said.
"I'm saying that she's never going to learn to fight on her own if you don't even let her fight with the scouts. We were built to protect her. She's strong enough to handle anything that comes at her. Your job is not to make decisions about her well being."
"I love her," Darien said. "She's my whole future."
"And she's not ours?" Haruka asked.
Michiru put her hand softly on Haruka's arm, trying to calm her down. But the tall girl was obviously determined to win.
"I will not do anything without my princess."
Darien gritted his teeth. "You would put her in danger?"
"There's a difference between protecting her and keeping her away from every life experience. She's not as innocent as you think. She can handle this. She handled your death fine and even managed to almost move on from it."
Darien felt the words hit him like a ton of bricks, but he desperately tried not to let it show. She had moved on. "I won't let her go."
"It's her decision to make," Haruka said.
"We're going around in circles," Setsuna said cutting in. "It doesn't matter which one of you is right. She's going to find out either way so we might as well tell her."
Darien went to protest, but stopped himself.
"Darien, you can't protect her from everything. She has to be able to protect herself if the times comes," Michiru said.
Darien just shook his head. "She shouldn't have to."
"I'll tell her," Hotaru said quickly jumping off the couch and racing across the room. Haruka went to stop her, but the little girl escaped her grasp and was gone.
Darien sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"You should stay here."
Darien looked up at the taller girl in surprise for the second time that night. She looked at him intensely, only seriousness in her eyes.
"Are you kidding?"
"You're just going to be a distraction to her," she said.
"She can't even see me," Darien said. "What kind of a distraction could I be?"
"He's going Haruka," Setsuna said. "We need all the help we can get and he's the only one who's been there before. It would be foolish not to take him."
Haruka didn't argue with her, which surprised Darien but he kept his mouth shut. He was going. Apparently they were all going. But the sudden change Haruka had towards him startled him. He wondered, not for the first time, what exactly she was thinking.
When Serena came into the room Darien's breath caught in his throat, just like every time he saw her. Her eyes were slightly red from crying, and her hair had come loose from her buns. She was beautiful. He stepped towards her, reaching out to touch her. But again he couldn't. It was like something stopped him from moving any further.
He just wanted her to look at him. Her eyes glanced around the room, resting on everyone but him. It killed him. Too be so close and get so far away. But at least he could see her. At least here she stood, right in front of him, safe.
"When do we leave?" She asked.
End of Chapter Four
Please Review!
