Disclaimer-Sailor Moon does not belong to me.


Chapter 7:

Weeks passed and Darien not only continued to help Serena with the little things, such as meeting her every morning to ensure her timely arrival to school, but he also readily resumed his duties as Tuxedo Mask. Serena wasn't sure what had kept him away in the first place. Maybe it was because he was afraid to run into her. Maybe he had taken the evasion tactic one step too far. Maybe he honestly thought they didn't need him anymore, or worse, that they didn't want him. Regardless, he was back and for that she was grateful. She was grateful for everything he did for her and she continued to voice her gratitude despite his protests.

Currently, she was grateful for the donuts he had slipped into her bag that morning. The note on the paper bag read:

Good luck on that algebra test.

There were a few basic formulas scrawled underneath the well wishing and Serena hurriedly recommitted them to memory. He had helped her study the day before after discovering her in the arcade, trying to make heads or tails of the equations printed in her textbook while slowly tugging her hair out in frustration. Honestly, he was more coherent than Ami had ever been. Maybe it was because he knew her so well. But how well did she know him?

She pondered this as she took up Lita's usual morning position: propped up against the wall next to the entrance of the school. Recently she'd been beating the brunette to school due to Darien's help, which gave her more time to herself in the morning to think about things. This, in turn, helped her concentrate more in class. If only her ex knew how much good he was doing. Maybe one day she would tell him.

"Hey Serena," Lita greeted, signaling that it was time to head towards their lockers. Serena nodded in response as she pushed herself off the wall and followed her friend. "You're quiet this morning, what's up?" the brunette asked curiously.

"How well do I really know Darien?" Serena asked, abruptly voicing her thoughts. She had become much more verbal with the girls about the Darien problem since that training session all those weeks ago. They deserved to know what was going on, especially since she was destined to marry him. "I mean, I know him," she continued, addressing Lita's confused expression. "I know his name. I know where he lives, what he does, his stories, what he studies, who his friends are, his likes and dislikes. I even know what's most important to him, even though he sometimes doesn't make the best decisions regarding those things, people and ideals. But… I don't know."

"Serena," Lita began hesitantly as they approached her locker, "Can I be completely honest and blunt?"

"Always, Lita," Serena replied with a frown on her face as the brunette quickly, yet nervously, grabbed what she needed from her locker and led the blond down the hallway to hers.

"Darien is exactly who you think and know he is. He's the man who loves you so much that he spends his free time tailing your friends trying get us to tell him anything that could gain him half an inch of space in your good graces. He's so worried about your feelings that he's always walking on eggshells around you, barely letting himself get comfortable escorting you home or giving you a ride even though he's been doing it for weeks because he's scared you might one day suddenly decide you don't want the attention anymore. He's so devoted to you that even as he sits in the arcade, trying to study, he's constantly pestering Andrew with plan after plan to get you back," Lita explained. One of Serena's hands froze over a textbook while the other clutched the donut bag tighter. Why hadn't anyone told her? Why hadn't she noticed?

"He does all of that?" Serena asked softly, her eyes studying the insides of her messy locker. Anything to keep from looking at her friend and seeing the beseeching look on her face.

"And more," Lita confirmed before continuing, "You're all he wants and needs. You know his past and present. You are his future, but only if you let yourself be. Yes, he messed up, but he's done everything I, or any of the girls, can think of to fix it. He's learned from his mistake. What do you want him to do? Take a bullet for you? Don't let it be the life threatening injury and bedside vigil that scares you into realizing that you've forgiven him long ago. You've found your soul mate. Don't let it go to waste."

Serena remained in a shocked standstill as tears filled her eyes. Lita was right. How could she be so stupid? How could she do this to him? How could she do this to herself? How could she do this to the girls? Who was she to fight what was so right, so perfect? And she called herself the champion of love and justice.

"I need to go find him," Serena gasped as she forced the tears back, her realization making it harder to breathe.

"No," Lita disagreed gently. "You both have school. You know where he'll be."

"The Crown. He's always at the Crown, waiting for me," Serena managed as every detail of Darien's dedication flooded her at once, overloading her heart and head with images of what she had been denying herself, of what she had been ignoring. "I'm such an idiot."

"No, not an idiot," Lita assured as she reached into Serena's locker, grabbed the books she would need for the morning and pulled the blond back so she could close her locker and steer her towards class. "Just a little slow on the uptake."

"Do you think he'll forgive me?" Serena asked miserably, unable to think of anything but her memories of Darien, the bag of donuts still in her grip and the equations written on it.

"There's nothing to forgive," Lita shrugged, all the while guiding Serena to her seat in the middle of the room, behind Ami and across from herself. "You were both idiots and now you're not."

"I thought you said we weren't idiots," Serena countered as she slowly slipped back into the real world.

"I lied," the brunette winked just as the class began. Serena returned the teasing gesture with a weak smile as she flipped open the books Lita had dropped on her desk seconds earlier and slipped one of the donuts out of it's bag. All that emotion and thinking had made her hungry.

"Who's an idiot?" Ami hissed, twisting in her seat to risk a whisper as the teacher turned his back to the class. As Lita and Serena silently giggled in their seats at the innocent question, their shy friend frowned and turned back around, clearly resigned to getting the story later.

"Serena's finally figured it out," Lita muttered as she leaned across the aisle, taking her chances as the teacher bent over a student's desk to assist them.

"Well thank Mercury!" Ami exclaimed softly. "Even I was getting impatient!"

Serena's smile widened at this. She was impatient too. She wanted to fix this. She wanted to be in Darien's arms. She wanted to feel his breath on her hair, go on dates with him, hold his hand as they walked down the street, rest her head on his shoulder, tell him about her day in detail and then hear about his in turn. She wanted the stalemate over with and she didn't think she could wait until the school day finished to end it, but she would have to try.


A/N: YAY.

I think this might be the fastest I've ever updated. I was just so excited by the fact that this chapter came so easy. So in return, maybe review? Lots of reviews? I like those things.

But thanks to those who have already reviewed. And read this story. I'm sorry I didn't have direction until like three days ago... I really must apologize about that yet again.

Oh and please visit my profile and take my poll before continuing on to read other stories!

Love and Luck,

Gaby