The ebony haired man stared silently down at the cold concrete slab with the words "Tsukino Serena" Written on it in black. The blood red roses in his hand seemed to glow with a shine that was unexplainable. Chiba Darien stood there silently as the out of season snow fell silently around him and he just stared. Every year on this date he would come to this site and remember.

"I Love you Serena...I miss you." He whispered as a tear fell down his cheek. It had been 7 years to the day since Serena had taken her life...all because of their callous words and selfish outlook at life. Slowly he kneeled down and placed the flowers on the little stoop in front of the marker. Still kneeling one hand reached out to reset across the name. "I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry..." He repeated over and over again in agony as his eyes blurred and his heart burned in pain again. The pain was sharp...the same sharpness that he felt as he lay there holding the cooling body of his beloved, her blood running rivers over his clothes...it was as if it was yesterday. Even to this day he woke up in a cold sweat shivering and crying out her name. She was his love...his life...and in his own selfishness he had allowed it to end...to be taken from him...

Every night he still saw her beautiful blue eyes dim as she whispered her love for him and her life force took flight to the world unknown. Every night her parting words haunted him

FLASH

"Your free..n-now Darien" Serena said softly as she opened her eyes for a moment. "I'm so s-sor-sorry. I will always love you..." And she shut her eyes forever. And her heart stopped beating.

FLASH

Logically he knew that because she had pierced her heart she should have died instantly...but the silver crystal kept her alive until she had finished saying her farewell...a farewell that broke his very soul.

He knelt there for hours and once the chill of the air finally penetrated the black trench coat he was wearing he sighed and stood up. With one last look at the stone he turned and headed back to his car.

Scene Change

"You went to visit her?" Hino Raye asked as she slipped into the booth next to Darien. He looked over at her and gave her a half-hearted smile as she made herself comfortable.

"Yeah." He said softly. The years had changed him. Gone was the egotistical cocky College kid and in his place was a serious, quite psychologist who worked with kids and teens hoping to make their lives better...in memory of his mistake and lost love...

"We'll be going over on her birthday..." Raye said as the silence stretched on. Darien nodded his head but stared into his teacup. "Arisa wants you to come over soon" She continued mentioning her 3 year old daughter and Darien's goddaughter. Again he nodded. "Amy's coming back from her trip to Germany...it was a success...She is officially the proud owner of a Nobel peace prize...I mean Dr. Mizuno" Raye added chuckling slightly. Again a nod from Darien. "Lita's getting married...She asked to find out if you would give her away?" Another nod from Darien... "Mina's doing great...She sends her love and she said to let you know that she'll be dropping by to visit you...I think she's on boyfriend number 14 right now..." Raye mused thoughtfully. Darien nodded again. "Artimis and Luna mentioned something about why the attacks stopped so suddenly..." This got Darien's full attention and he put down the sandwich that had been halfway to his mouth.

"What?"

"Their theory is...based on all the data and scenario's that they've run...that when S-Serena...Left...a need for this planet ended. The crystal was the big attraction to Earth and it's carrier left so with it the crystal...And for those not after the crystal...They think the Crystal itself created a sort of seal for the loved ones of Serena to keep them safe in her absence..." Raye finished and try as she might she could stop the silent tears from falling from her eyes.

"Oh..." Darien muttered...

"Darien!" Raye said sharply brushing her tears away. "You can't go on living like this. It's been 7 years...You have to move on...she would have wanted that..."

"Without her...I don't have a life." Darien stated staring at Raye. She gasped as she stared at his eyes...They were like lifeless voids...

Standing up Darien pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and threw a couple of bills down on the counter and without another word to Raye he walked out.

"Oh Serena...We miss you..." Whispered Raye as she stared at Darien's retreating back.

Weeks later Darien, Raye, Amy, Mina, and Lita sat around the Shrine now run by Raye and her husband Chad...Her grandfather had died just after Arisa had been born, leaving the upkeep to her. Currently Chad had taken Arisa out...knowing what day it was.

Luna ad Artimis were having their own private celebration of the moon princesses birthday as they did every year...as was tradition since the time of the first moon Queen.

"So why are we here? We usually meet up at the graveyard to celebrate her birthday..." Lita said as she leaned back on the stairs stretching her arms.

"I noticed an odd energy signature coming from the shrine..." Amy said in her no nonsense tone as she typed across her blue micro-computer.

"What kind of energy signature?" Mina asked as she came up behind Amy and tried to read the symbols flashing across the small screen...but all she managed was to give herself a headache.

"I do not know. I am running my scans but it is getting stronger as the seconds go by...It is situated inside the great fire room" She said pointing behind her to the rice paper sliding doors.

"Well then let's go in!" Raye stated as she pushed up the sleeves of her miko garb and slid the door open. Darien stayed silent as he followed them in...He always did.

"My Goodness it can't be!" Amy exclaimed as she read the notations on her computer screen.

"What!" Asked the girls getting worried, as they looked around. Amy never got this excited anymore...even her speech when she accepted her award was...less than exciting.

"Serena?" Darien whispered as the energy eloped him...He would know that feeling anywhere. The girls around him gasped and stared at him wide eyed and wide mouthed (in Mina's case).

"What?" Raye demanded coming to stand next to him.

"I sense Serena's presence..." He said in awe as he stared hard over the great fire pit which was currently empty.

Suddenly the room started to shimmer and change. They all got into their fighting stance except for Amy and Darien who had a suspicion they knew what was happening.

The room wavered violently one more time before they all stared in shock at their surroundings. They seemed to be in some sort of dungeons...

"Were on the moon!" Darien exclaimed..."I know these dungeons... The late Queen Serenity had me thrown in here when we first met due to mistaken identity" He said in awe as his fingers trailed along the bars.

"Wow...but why are we here?" LIta asked as she and the other girls looked around in wonder.

"It's because this is the only place I have enough energy to speak to you all." Came a voice that the group thought they would never hear again. Their eyes widened as they whipped around and stared in shock at Serena...or Princess Serenity in all her regal garb...standing outside the dungeon bars.

"SERENA!" They all cried out in shock as they rushed forward but the bars held and they were thrown backwards by an invisible barrier.

"Please..." Serena began as she rushed forward...but careful not to touch the bars. "Please stay where you are...you cannot attempt to come to this side."

"Serena...is that really you?" Asked Amy..

"Yeah Ames it's me." Serena said sounding like her old self for a second as she gave a warm smile to the woman in blue. Then slowly her eyes trailed over the bunch...lovingly caressing each of their faces as tears fell from all of their eyes. Her eyes came to rest on the man who stole her thoughts and dreams so long ago. "Endymion...Darien..." She whispered as her tears fell faster. She reached out but in the last second pulled away. "It's wonderful to see you all..." She said moving back and addressing them all.

"Are you..." Raye asked as she stared at her best friend.

"No...I'm dead. Well actually I'm more a spirit or a goddess of the moon now...Apparently every royal of the moon is part god or goddess and they return to that form after death...until they are ready to be reborn. " She said...sounding slightly flaky when she said 'a spirit' just like the old Serena that it made the group laugh... "I can't stay long...My powered were mostly used up transporting you all from earth here."

"Why did you bring us here?" Mina asked softly. "Why couldn't you come to Earth?"

"Because silly goose...I'm dead...I am of the moon and unto it I shall return upon my death" She quoted the old scriptures of the moon and then giggled.

"But-"

"No...I don't have much time...I have had 7 years of energy built up and unfortunately it will only last but a while. I brought you all here to tell you that I love and will always love each and every one of you...Amy...I'm so proud of you...The peace prize eh?...but having passion for life is not a bad thing...Don't feel guilty every time you save or don't save a life...Each life has a separate beginning and end...and it is not up to you to take the blame for the end..." Amy stared at Serena, and then she burst into tears covering her face. Serena smiled at her and moved on. "Lita...Don't give up...stop picking fights...you couldn't have done anything to save me...and fighting others and using them to fight your own demons will not make anything better...Be the warrior I know you to be...Marry Ken, have lots of babies and open that dojo you've always dreamed of..." Lita smiled sadly at her old friend, tears cascading down her cheeks as she sat there...Serena's smile grew and she continued. "Mina...I wish I had more time with you...Capitan of my scouts...my body double...and my confidant...Stop the destructive behaviour you have begun on. Find yourself one good man...before it's too late...Live the life you were meant to...please...you're destroying so much by doing what you are..." Serena said but this time there was a plea in her eyes and a few tears made their way across her cheeks. Mina hung her head in shame as tears flawed from her eyes...And then a barely there nod and Serena's eyes cleared and she smiled in content. She then moved onto the next one. "Raye..." She said softly. The fiery eyed woman stared at Serena hard, her eyes watering but she refused to let them fall. "Raye...you are everything I always wanted to be...and I am so happy that you have gone beyond your grief and have admitted true love and a beautiful child in your life...but please stop blaming yourself. My death is irreversible...but you are still alive...live your life...don't just exist...Thank you for taking care of 'him' for me..." She said. Raye nodded sharply as she furiously brushed at her eyes before the tears could fall.

Serena took a deep breath and then turned to stare at the man who had never once let his gaze waver from her. "Darien..." She said softly. The voice filling her heart with an aching pain. "We can't seem to catch a break eh?" She said laughing softly as she let her love for him show. "At every turn someone is ready to tear us apart..."

"Serena I-"

"No...Please...I love you...I have loved you for centuries and lifetimes and I will continue to do so until we are reborn again together...and finally have a chance to be with each other..." She brushed a tear away as she stared into his eyes. "Please Darien...Don't fall asleep...wake up. There is still so much out there to live for...live for it. Move on...Find yourself a woman to love and share your life...Our time was brief together but sweet and you and I both know that our souls are tied to each other but don't let that stop you from loving another...I know that our bond does not allow us to love another with the passion we have for each other...but please find happiness in this lifetime...I want your joy...not your sorrow...It's been too long since I saw your smile..." She said now openly weeping. "Please Darien...move on..."

"Serena...I love you."

"I know...and you should know...all of you should know that my time may have come unexpectedly but I don't regret it anymore. My death was just another bump in the road...overcome it and live full lives...it is a treasure that is beyond any value...I don't blame any of you...we all were careless children...who were thrust in a world that was beyond us." She took a deep breath to calm herself. "We were never meant to fight until we were older...in the past we have had the love and support of our families and friends...in this time we were alone and we acted accordingly...please my friends...my family don't punish yourself on past deeds..."

"Why can't I touch you one last time?" Darien asked his eyes pleading with her as he reached for the bars again.

"NO!" Serena cried. "Don't touch it Darien...it is all that protects you from the spirit world. Regardless of how much I wish to be with you...I want you to live...live for me Darien..." She said softly. Then as she said those last words the world wavered again. Her eyes filled with sorrow as she cried out "I love you all...and I will be watching...live your lives..."

"SERENA!" "NO!" "COME BACK!" cries were heard throughout the room but before they knew it they were back in the room surrounding the great fire. They lay there for what seemed hours weeping at the thought of Serena and what she had said...they had indeed wasted a precious gift called life...but no more...

Lita got married two months later. It was a grand affair in which Darien proudly walked her down the aisle and her bridesmaids trailed ahead (Mina, Raye and Amy). Not soon after she announced she was pregnant and opening her very first dojo...of many that would come in the future.

Mina bumped into an old crush of hers at the wedding and they hit it off so well that they started going steady. A year later he proposed and she said yes...they eloped.

Amy continued healing patients and researching cures for new diseases. She wouldn't find her better half for a few years but when Greg came back into the picture she was known throughout the world as the miracle worker as she saved 10x as many patients as she lost. It was said she could cure anything.

Raye Chad and Arisa welcomed a new baby girl by the name of Serena into their family a few years later and Raye blossomed. The shrine never looked so wonderful, the attendee was at an all time high, and the family was kept busy but happy, Raye even had time to cut an album which brought both joy and a modest income into her life.

Luna and Artimis, although sad they missed the trip to the moon knew in their hearts that they would meet up with Serena again so they lived as best as they could waiting for the day that they would be called to serve the house of the moon again...in the meantime they had a little grey kitten named Diana to look after.

Darien never married. He did try dating as Serena had requested but thoughts of her still haunted him...no longer did he wake up at night drenched in a cold sweat. Darien went on to adopt numerous 'damaged' kids...and with his degree in psychology he was able to help each and every one of them get over their problems and grow up to live long productive happy lives...he was known as their dad and Serena as their late mother...Every night Darien would tell Serena he loved her and would sleep with a light heart and a smile on his lips...Every night Serena would smile down on him and brush her lips over his before floating back to the moon to await her prince charming...hopefully not too soon...but not soon enough...

AN: I am free...