A/N I hope you guys aren't too pissed at me for not updating. All I can say is that I've had a wild couple of weeks. Long story made short, I've just about lost my mind between a new baby in the family and animals. I haven't slept in my own bed or seen my husband in over a week because I had to go out of town, and my grandmother's pull out couch is killing my back. But I am dedicating this chapter to my new niece, Samantha, and to my Beagle that I have had for over fifteen years, Copper, he had a little health scare but is doing fine now, and to my grandmother'sPekinese that has now gone to doggy heaven, Winston.
Okay, now that the mushy stuff is out of the way. This chapter is only slightly shorter than what I usually post, but still pretty long. I just haven't had time to write. I'm also writing this on a different computer than usual, and the word processor is different than the one I use at home, so I hope the editing isn't too bad.
Moving on! I want to thank all of my wonderful reviewers. You guys keep me inspired and I adore you all. Time for me to give you your hugs! BIG HUGS TO:
James Birdsong
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Thank you so much guys! I love reading what you have to say. I can't wait to get home so I can get serious about my writing again. I hope this gives you a little something to chew on for now.
ENJOY!
The Galactic Trinity
Chapter 9
Cupid Strikes Back
Serena looked around the club with a certain amount of pride. She was so happy that it seemed that her friends were enjoying some success in their normal lives. Raye, Lita, and Mina had all had phenomenal openings of their own businesses. Amy had doubled up on her college courses and was scheduled to start medical school in the fall. Trista, of course, was busy keeping an eye on time. Amara had her racing and Michelle her music. And Hotaru was finishing her first year of college.
The reincarnated moon princess watched carefully as the youngest of her scouts was escorted to a table by her brother and he leaned down to kiss her cheek before heading off in the direction of the bar.
Serena had discovered from a conversation with Amara and Michelle that Sammy and Hotaru had been seeing each other for almost a year now, but they had both kept it quiet because they weren't sure how she would react.
She had been surprised to hear that. Sure, she and Sammy hadn't always seen eye to eye while they were growing up, that was just the nature of sibling rivalry. But she had always held a place in her heart for both him and Hotaru, and if they had feelings for one another she wouldn't stand in their way.
After a quick word to Darien, Serena made her way over to the scout of silence. Hotaru looked up, wide eyed, at her approach. "Princess," she greeted as she inclined her head.
Serena laughed lightly. "Hotaru, I have always told you to not be so formal with me. Besides, with you dating my brother that makes us almost family."
The dark haired girl blushed furiously. "You mean you don't mind? I had met Sammy a couple of times before, but when I saw him at your last birthday party we got to talking and everything seemed to click. But I don't want to do anything to offend you."
"Hotaru," Serena comforted the younger girl. "You and Sammy are both special to me. If the two of you are happy together, then I have no problem with it. But I know how my brother can be, so don't take any crap off of him."
Hotaru actually giggled at that. "I think I have him under control. But I hope you know, Serena, I would never let anything happen to your brother while I'm around."
Serena laid a comforting hand over Hotaru's. "I know that. And I can't tell you how much that actually comforts me. I have been concerned about my family's safety every since I became Sailor Moon, but knowing that you are keeping an eye on them along with me helps me feel better."
"We broke the news to your parents tonight," Hotaru said softly. "Your mom squealed a lot and your dad actually started crying, so I guess they were okay with it."
Serena grinned. "That sounds like them. Mom acted like that when she found out that Darienand I were dating, but luckily you won't have to go through what Darien did when it comes to my dad. Mom had to hide dad's shotgun because we feared for Darien's life. But I think he's finally coming to terms with it. The last time I was at the house he actually said that he couldn't wait for the wedding so that Darien could finally make an honest woman out of me and then give him some grandchildren. I asked mom if she had spiked his tea. She claims that she didn't, but I'm not entirely sure."
Hotaru laughed lightly as she looked over to where Rini and Helios were sitting with their heads pressed close together as they talked. "I wonder how your dad would react if he found out that he has actually known his granddaughter for years."
Serena laughed as well. "He'd probably have a heart attack or an aneurysm. Then he would live out his worst nightmare when he woke up in the hospital and found out Darien was his doctor." Then she sobered some. "So how much does Sammy know about, well…us?"
Suddenly the young man in question stuck his head between them. "You mean do I know that my sister is the hero of love and justice, Sailor Moon, and has been running around Tokyo fighting monsters for the last six years in a skirt that is short enough to give our dad a stroke? Yep, I know that much."
Serena jerked back in surprise. "Sammy!"
He chuckled and set a glass in front of Hotaru before taking a seat next to her. "Don't blow a gasket, Serena. It's not news to me. I've known your little secret for years."
"Ye…years?" Serena stammered.
He rolled his cobalt blue eyes. "Yes, Spaz Queen, years. It really wasn't all that hard to figure out once I thought about it. Everyone else always thought that you were just a big Sailor Moon fan because of the hairstyle, but you had been wearing your hair in meatballs for years before the sailor scouts showed up. And then I started watching for signs. Every time there was an attack, you would disappear. Then there were your injuries. You were always covered in bruises and scrapes. Now I knew you were a klutz, but that was a bit much, and I also noticed that you recovered from them really quick. So like I said, it was fairly easy to put two and two together. Once I had that, the identities of the other scouts was a cinch to figure out."
"Why didn't you ever say anything?" Serena asked quietly.
Sammy howled with laughter. "Are you kidding? If I had told you that I knew who you were it would have ruined all my fun. I would have never been able to get away with picking on you all those years if you thought you could sic Sailor Moon on me."
Serena shook her head and chuckled. "Unbelieveable! I never would have guessed a little parasite like you had it all figured out."
He smirked at her. "I always told you I was smarter than you gave me credit for. Now beat it, Meatball Head, I'm in the middle of a date with my girlfriend."
She scrunched up her nose at him. "You better watch it Samuel Shingo Tsukino, you may be almost grown, but I'm still your older sister and I'm not above pounding the snot out of you."
Sammy snorted into his drink. "Whatever you say, your highness."
Serena rounded on Hotaru with wide eyes. "Geez Hotaru! What all did you tell him?"
The younger girl tossed her dark hair behind her shoulder, her amethyst eyes meeting those of her princess without wavering. "I told him everything. We have no secrets between us. I cleared it with Trista first and she said it was fine and that he needed to know. It's not like it's going to be a secret forever."
Serena rubbed her temples. "Is the whole world going crazy? Maybe I'll wake up in my bed and discover that all of this is just a dream. Anyway, you two enjoy the rest of your night."
She stood and was making her way back to where Darien sat talking with Jadeite and the newly engaged Kunzite when suddenly the ground shook beneath her feet and a loud boom could be heard over the music.
Chad scrambled quickly to kill the music, and when he did terrifying screams were heard from outside. One of the bouncers stationed at the door ran in and yelled, "Somebody call emergency services! The café across the street just went up in flames."
There was a mad dash for the door as people began spilling out of the club and into the street to see what all of the commotion was. The building across the street that had once housed a small café and pastry shop was indeed engulfed in crackling fire and thick, black smoke. Soot covered café patrons were rushing out the door, coughing as they gulped in deep breaths of fresh air.
Darien, Zoicite, and Amy wasted no time. They began making their way through the people to see if anyone was seriously injured and in need of immediate help. The café's owner was among the victims.
"I don't know what happened," he told Darien. "It sounded like something blew up back in the kitchen, but that's impossible. All of the ovens were turned off for the night."
"Did everyone get out?" Darien asked him as he held a napkin to a cut on the man's head.
"I don't know," the man said in a hysterical voice. "It's late so we weren't very busy, but we did have some customers. But the smoke was so thick in there that I couldn't see if there was anyone left behind."
Darien stood and looked toward the burning building and then a neighboring dark alley. He had only taken one step toward the alley when he was stopped by a hand on his arm. He looked down into his fiancé's big blue eyes.
"No way, Darien!" she snapped. "You are not running off to play the hero tonight. Raye and Jed have already felt it. That fire is out of control and the whole building is about to come down. You can't go in there."
"But Serena…" he began in a stubborn voice.
"No buts!" she fired back. "We can't save everyone from everything, Darien. No matter how much we want to."
At her words there was a loud crash as part of the building's roof fell in. Then a loud scream from inside the building pierced the night. "Ahh! Somebody please, help me!"
Darien flung off Serena's hand. "I have to try!" He began running toward the building, seeing his generals rushing to join him. They all pulled up short when another scream split the air.
"DJ! Stop! Come back!" Katie cried from the front of the crowd. Everyone looked to see a dark haired young man ducking into the building.
"What the hell is that boy thinking?" Darien growled as he lunged after Katie, cutting her off when she attempted to follow DJ. He grabbed her by the arm and thrust her toward Jess and Andrew, who were standing nearby. "Don't let her follow us!" he ordered as he turned back to the fire.
Just then, the whole front of the building exploded.
DJ's stomach felt like it was full of butterflies as he looked down at the girl he had pinned between himself and a tree. Strands of her pale hair brushed her delicately flushed cheeks and her eyes had taken on a mossy green luminescence as she gazed up at him. He couldn't believe that this was finally happening. He had thought for sure that she would shoot him down when he worked up the nerve to tell her how he felt about her, but by some miracle she returned his feelings.
Her lips were cherry red and slightly parted, just begging for him to kiss them again, so he did. He dipped his head down and brushed his lips softly against her. He heard a ragged whimper come from deep in her throat and smiled to himself as he increased the pressure of the kiss.
Then a loud explosion, accompanied with screams rocketed through the night.
"What the hell was that?" Katie exclaimed as she jerked back in his arms, her hand going automatically to her transformation pendant.
DJ put a comforting hand over hers. "Calm down, Kat. I don't think we're under attack. But it sounds like something's going on."
They both looked and saw an orange glow that was lighting up the night sky.
"DJ," she whispered. "That's the same direction as the Crown."
He heard the concern in her voice and he immediately thought of his family and friends. They were all together at the club right now, and he seriously hoped that the fire wasn't coming from there. "Let's go!" he said tersely, taking Katie's hand and running through the park.
'Please don't let it be the club,' they both were pleading as their footsteps pounded down the path toward the park's exit. They paused for a moment in a mixture of relief and horror when they made it out to the street to find the Crown untouched but the building across the way ablaze.
"Oh my god," Katie hissed under her breath. "What happened?"
"I don't know. Let's see what we can find out," he answered, grabbing her hand and leading her toward where he could see Darien and Serena standing and talking.
Before they could reach them there was a loud crash as part of the building fell in and a blood curdling scream came from inside. Reacting purely on instinct, DJ dropped Katie's hand and ran toward the burning building. He heard her scream after him, but he was running too high on adrenaline to stop. The urge to protect people ran strong and hot in his blood and pounded through his veins. He was the son of Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, after all.
He ran through the door, dodging the flames as he held the sleeve of his shirt over his mouth and nose so he could breath. His eyes stung and teared up from the thick smoke swirling in the air as he looked around for any signs of life. Tables and chairs lay on their sides and broken dishes and spilled food littered the floor, but there was no sign of any people.
He felt a change in the air and heard a whooshing sound. He dropped to the floor just seconds before a solid sheet of fire raced across the ceiling. A loud explosion rang out as the windows shattered and part of the front wall blew away.
Above the roar of the fire and the crash of glass, DJ heard a sharp scream that broke off into a pained gasped. His head snapped up and whipped around. "Hello! Is anyone in here? Where are you?"
He heard coughing somewhere to his right. And then a raspy voice choked, "Here! I'm over here. Help me, please!"
DJ crawled across the rubble in the direction of the voice. He had gone about twenty feet when he finally came across the owner of the voice. It was a girl that looked to be about his age, dressed in an Azabu High uniform. She was pinned to the floor by a section of wall that had fallen on her. The parts of her that were visible were covered in soot, but he could clearly see the light blonde hair and the pain filled, soft green eyes that stared back at him.
DJ paused for a moment. Through the haze of smoke and heat, he almost thought that it was Katie lying on the floor before him. But his brain quickly told him how idiotic that was. Katie had been with him when he heard the first scream, and he was pretty sure that she was safe and sound outside with the others. At least she better be.
"Please! Help me!" the girl wheezed in a soft voice.
He snapped back to attention. "It's going to be okay. I'm going to get you out of here," he told her gently. He eyed the pile of sheetrock and wood that laid on top of her before grabbing part of it and lifting. His muscles bulged with the effort, and he was suddenly thankful for all of the hours of strength training that he had been made to endure over the years.
It took quite a bit out of him, but he was able to move the debris off of her. She sighed in relief before breaking into a fresh round of coughing from the smoke.
He stooped down next to her. "Are you okay? Is anything broken?"
The blonde head shook back and forth. "I don't think so. I'm banged and bruised, but I think I'm okay."
He grinned at her, a flash of white teeth against his soot blackened face. "Good! Then let's get out of here before the whole place falls in on us. Can you walk?"
The girl let out a pained moan as she pushed herself up into a sitting position. "I think so. Just give me a minute."
Another section of the ceiling fell in. "We don't have time for that," DJ told her as he gathered her up in his arms. "Just hold on and I'll have us out of this in a minute."
She sighed and looped her arms around his neck as he picked her up bridal style. "Thank you."
He felt a rush of protectiveness as he held her and began looking for the best way to get out. Fire had completely consumed the front of the building, so going back out the way he came in was not an option. He peered through the thick smoke, looking for another way and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a side entrance that would go out to an alley. He hurried to the door and flung it open. They were almost home free.
Then the burning roof fell in.
"Let go of me! Let go of me! DJ!" Katie screamed as she struggled against the iron grip of Andrew's arms around her. Her escape attempts were futile because there was no way she could break his hold in her hysterical state.
She felt hands grip her face and found her blurry, tear filled eyes staring into the concerned sapphire gaze of her future mother.
"Katie, sweetheart," Jess said in an even voice. "Try to calm down some. Getting yourself all worked up isn't going to help the situation. Everything will be fine."
"What's going on?" Alex asked as he appeared with Emma at his side. "Kat, I could hear you screaming a block away." He looked around slowly. "Where's DJ?"
At the mention of his friend's name, Katie sagged in Andrew's arms as her knees gave out and her body began to shake uncontrollably as sobs tore from her throat. Alex was at her side in a heartbeat, pulling her from their future father and into his embrace.
"What has that stupid son of a bitch done now?" he muttered. He knew that this had something to do with his friend by Katie's reaction and the looks of concern he saw on everyone's faces as he looked around. Serena looked just as distraught as his sister and it appeared that Darien's arms were the only thing keeping her from crumpling to the ground. Rini had her head buried in Helios's chest. The scouts and generals looked extremely concerned well.
He felt his sister's hot, wet face against his neck and heard her mumble. "The idiot gave into that hero complex of his. We heard somebody scream from inside the building and he ran in after them. Darien and the other guys tried to follow, but the building started falling apart. I'm scared for him, Alex. I don't know if he'll be able to make it back out."
"Shh," he shushed her quietly as he gently rubbed her back. "You're not thinking clearly. If you calm your mind you might be able to sense his aura and tell if he's okay."
Her head snapped up. "Omigosh! You're right! But I've never tried to search for his life force before. I may not be able to do it."
Alex shook his head. He and Emma had discovered the bond that they shared together not long after they started dating, and he knew from listening to his girlfriend's enthusiastic ramblings earlier that the same kind of bond existed between his sister and his best friend. He had suspected as much when DJ had let it slip one day that he felt Katie coming to join them in the cafeteria for lunch two minutes before she actually got there. So if DJ was able to sense her so easily, Katie should be able to pick up on his presence in return.
"You can do it," he told her as he led her slightly away from the others.
She sat down on the curb and clamped her hands over her ears to block out all the sound and screwed her eyes shut as she tried to clear her mind.
"What is she doing?" Jess asked as she walked over with a supporting arm around Serena.
Mina was on the blonde's other side, holding her up as well. "Good grief! Has she gone catatonic too?"
Emma snorted from nearby. "I figured you, above anyone else, would be able to recognize when someone is reaching out with a soul bond. But this is the first time that she's done this, so it may take her a minute to locate him."
Mina eyed the brunette speculatively. "You seem to know a lot about how soul bonds work."
Emma's lips twitched like she was fighting back a smile. "Let's just say that I'm not ignorant about them and leave it at that."
During this exchange, Katie had been focused on nothing but locating that glimmer of aura that would let her know that DJ was still alive. She reached out with her mind, sorting through the shimmers of the other auras all around her, looking desperately for the one that she had felt brush hers a few times before.
She could feel the energy from the people nearest her and the other scouts that were further away in the crowd, each one glowing with their planet's respective color. She sensed her father and the generals where they were circling the block, trying to find another way into the building. Her heart skipped a beat when she caught a flash of gold, but she quickly determined that it was Darien she felt, not DJ.
She was about to give up, certain that DJ must be dead, when the strangest sensation came over her. Golden energy reached out to entwine with her silver, and then she felt the heat. She felt like she was choking as the smell of smoke filled her nose. Then, as quick as it happened, she felt a rush of cooler air as a loud crashing sound filled her ears.
Her eyes popped open just in time to see the roof of the burning building cave in, but she didn't pay any attention to it. She was focused completely on that sparkling golden aura, and nothing else mattered.
She jumped to her feet, crying softly, "He's okay!" before running through the crowd. She reached the front just as the first fire trucks and ambulances pulled up. She felt his presence growing closer, and she looked around wildly, searching for her dark prince.
Then, like a slap in the face, his aura slammed into hers full force. It may have been her imagination, but she could have sworn she heard his voice in her head. "Chill out, Tinkerbell. No sense getting your back up. I'm fine."
Then she saw him, covered in soot, but gloriously alive as he came out from the smoke filled alley beside the building. As a matter of fact, it felt like his aura had been shoved up her nose, but there he was.
Katie almost fell to her knees. He was rumpled and covered in soot and ashes, but she had never seen a more wonderful sight. When he walked over to an ambulance and placed something on a waiting gurney, she realized that he had been carrying someone in his arms.
She ducked past two firefighters that tried to stop her and ran to him, barely remembering to not call upon the added speed of her alter ego. It would look suspicious if she moved so fast that she blurred out of sight.
"DJ!" she cried as she drew near him, and he turned just in time to catch her in his arms as she flung herself at him. "You big, dumb, stupid…jerk! What the hell were you thinking?"
She heard him heave a deep sigh in her ear as he held her tight against his chest. "I'm all right, Kat."
She reared back to glare at him furiously. "You and your stupid hero complex! Only an idiot would run into a burning building like that! I could strangle you for being such a dumb ass!" New tears began to stream down her cheeks.
DJ saw the fear and hurt on her face and felt a flash of guilt for worrying her the way he had. He hugged her close again. "I'm sorry."
There was a choked laugh from next to them that broke off into a cough, and they both turned to the gurney beside them to find the girl that DJ had rescued watching them with a smile on her black streaked face. "Girlfriend?" she asked in amusement.
DJ felt his face flush warm and he rubbed the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. "Uh, yeah. I'm DJ by the way, DJ Shields, and this is my girlfriend Katie Fu…Morgan. Are you okay?"
She grinned and nodded. "I am now, thanks to you. I would have been charbroiled if you hadn't been brave enough to come in after me. I'm Susan Wellington, and I knew who you were the moment I saw you. We have Advanced Biology and Calculus together every afternoon."
"Really?" DJ said, thinking hard to try to place her face. "I'm sorry. I thought I was familiar with everyone in my classes. I guess I haven't paid as much attention as I thought."
She laughed lightly. "I'm not surprised. You haven't been at Azabu all that long, and you always sit up at the front of the classroom. I usually stay in the back."
"Oh," DJ mumbled, but he was cut off as he was hit by a flying blur of gold and pink as Serena and Rini tackled him. Katie stumbled back a few feet to avoid getting trampled.
"You are in so much trouble!" Serena scolded her future son in a shaky voice. "If you weren't almost seventeen years old I would be tempted to bend you over my knee! As it is, I am tempted to ground you for the rest of your life."
DJ winced. As the son of Neo Queen Serenity, he had been blessed by the power of the Silver Crystal just like everyone else in the future. Therefore he had a lifespan that bordered on immortality and would never age past his early to mid twenties. That was a long time to spend under house arrest.
Luckily Darien chose that moment to arrive and he decided to intervene. "Leave him alone, Serena. He was only doing what he thought was best."
Serena huffed and crossed her arms across her chest. "Of course you would agree with him. You two are so much alike. You would have run in there right along with him if the front of the building hadn't blown up."
Darien rolled his eyes. "I'm not saying that I'm happy that he put himself in danger, but it all worked out." He turned a professional eye on Susan. "Besides, he saved this young lady from dying. You can't be mad at him for that."
"Well I can!" Rini growled as she grabbed her brother by the collar and gave him a shake. "You have done some stupid things before, but this one ranks right up there with that time when you were twelve and you…mph!"
DJ quickly covered her mouth. "Ix-nay on the uture-fay!" he hissed.
Rini's eyes went wide. "Oops!"
"Well you're a lucky girl," said the nearby paramedic that everyone had forgotten was there. "You have a few bumps and scrapes, but other than that you seem to be okay. I don't think you even need to go to the hospital, unless you feel the need to see a doctor."
Susan shook her head and jumped up from the gurney. "No, I'm fine. As a matter of fact, I better get going. My parents were taking a carriage ride in the park and they knew I was here. They're probably freaking out right now. Thanks for everything DJ! I'll see you at school!"
"Wow! And people used to say I was hyper," Katie said as she watched her schoolmate disappear quickly into the crowd.
"Whew! What a night!" Jess said as she walked out of the bathroom and threw herself across the bed. "I haven't seen this much drama and action outside of a movie in a long time."
Andrew chuckled from where he sat with his back against the headboard. "Yeah, it was wild night. But it was a good one too. The part about the fire sucked, but the dinner and dancing was nice."
"Mm hmmm," Jess purred as she snuggled up with her head on his lap. "I think everyone had a good time, and I'm glad DJ didn't get hurt when he pulled that idiotic stunt. Serena would have had a meltdown if something had happened to him."
Andrew snorted. "Right! And everybody knows that a Serena fit is almost as bad as one of yours. I'm glad we were all spared that."
Dark blue eyes glared at him as Jess sat up. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"
He patted her on the head. "Nothing honey. I was just simply pointing out that you are kinda known for your over the top dramatics. And let's not even get started on the subject of your temper."
WHAP!
He shook his head and blinked as he looked over at his fiancé. She sat there holding a pillow on her lap with an innocent expression on her face.
"Did you seriously just whack me with a pillow?" he growled.
Her lips twitched. "Who…me?"
Hazel eyes narrowed. "Yes…you."
"Now why would I do a thing like that?" she asked, not quite able to smother the laughter in her voice.
WHAP!
Now it was her turn to blink. "Oh no! You did not just hit me with pillow."
Andrew snickered, holding his own ammunition in his hands. "Payback's a bitch, isn't it princess?"
Jess's cheeks flushed pink. "Ooo, those are fighting words, sun boy! Prepare to eat feathers!" She launched herself at him.
"Ha!" he crowed when he successfully dodged her. "Too slow! Maybe you do need to start training again."
She smirked. "That's what you think." She moved so fast that she blurred. On second she was sitting, and the next she was on his back shoving a pillow in his face. "Whatcha gonna do now, hmm?"
"I'm sure I can think of something," came his muffled reply. He somehow reached behind him until his fingers came into contact with her ribs.
The response was instantaneous. Jess shrieked and let go of him to flop back onto the bed. "No, please! Not the tickling! That's playing dirty. You know how ticklish I am."
Andrew grinned devilishly as he turned until he was hovering over her prone form with his face only inches from hers. "No, it's called being smart and knowing your enemies weaknesses so that you can use them to your advantage."
Her blue eyes twinkled in merriment. "So that means that I can exploit your weaknesses as well." She raised up slightly and began applying kisses to his neck, making her way up to his ear. "Do you surrender?" she breathed softly.
He pulled back a little to look down at her. Her face was flushed and her eyes swirled with passion. Her breathing was already affected as well and escaped her lips in rapid little puffs. His own elevated respiration gave testament to the fact that he was in a similar state.
"Marry me," he whispered to her.
She smiled at him. "I think you already asked me this before and I said yes. I have the ring on my finger to prove it."
His hazel eyes darkened. "No. I mean marry me now."
Jess sighed. "Drew, I…"
"Look, I know you said you wanted to wait until after you finished school. But I don't see any reason to keep putting it off," he broke in. "I love you and you love me. We're already living together. So why wait? You already said that you don't want a big wedding, so we'll keep it quiet. We'll elope if that's what you want. I don't care as long as you become my wife."
She began to look a little irritated. "Why do you have to keep pushing this? Yes, I love you, and I will marry you. I think the two kids down the hall are proof enough of that. But we don't have to rush this. Things are so hectic right now. I have graduation coming up in a few months. You are in the middle of a rapidly expanding business. We have this deal with the kids going on. And we have Serena and Darien's wedding that we are both involved in. Don't you think we have enough on our plate?"
Andrew wouldn't be dissuaded. "All the more reason to do something for ourselves. We can just go somewhere quiet and say our vows. There's nothing I want more than to officially make you Mrs. Furuhata. That way I know that you are mine and nobody else will have claims on you."
She reached up and caressed his cheek. "I am yours, and nothing will ever change that. I do want to become your wife. If it will make you feel better, I promise to think about us getting married sooner than I planned. Okay?"
He grinned. At least he was making progress. Usually she stood firm by her decision to wait. First it had been until the summer. Then she moved the date back to the fall, after Serena and Darien's September wedding. She said that she didn't want to overshadow their special time by having people focusing on them for being newlyweds. This was the first time she had considered his idea.
"Okay," he agreed happily. "I won't say any more about it. You think about it and let me know. I'm ready whenever you are."
Jess giggled. "Fine. Now stop talking so much and give me a kiss."
Andrew's head lowered. "As you wish, my love."
"What are you thinking about?" Darien whispered softly as he trailed his fingers lightly up and down Serena's bare back.
"Mmm," she mumbled into his chest as she snuggled closer. "All kinds of things, I guess. How much I love you, how I would still like to take DJ over my knee for being reckless, school, Sammy and Hotaru, Mina and Kunzite, and last but not least, how to keep from strangling my mother over wedding plans."
Darien chuckled. "That's a lot of things to have running through your head at once."
"Tell me about it," Serena moaned. "And that's really only a small part. I have so many thoughts going through my brain that sometimes I feel like I'm going to explode."
"You take too much on yourself," Darien told her as he combed his fingers through her long silky hair. "You always worry so much about everyone else and never about yourself. You need to concentrate on yourself. Let everyone else take care of their own relationships. And as far as your mother goes, well, you are her only daughter and she only gets one shot at helping you plan our wedding."
She raised her head off his chest. "But that's just it, she's not helping me plan anything. She's completely taking over. Every time I pick out something she contradicts me."
"Oh no, dear, you don't want a chocolate wedding cake. White is traditional to have," Serena said in a perfect imitation of Ilene Tsukino's voice. "No, the bridesmaids can't have different color dresses. They all have to match. Not red roses, white or pink would be much more suitable. Actually, carnations may be more appropriate."
Darien laid a hand over his heart and gasped, "No! She dismissed my sacred roses so easily. How dare she!"
Serena swatted at his arm. "Don't be a smartass! I'm being serious. I've dreamed for years how my wedding would be, and she's destroying every bit of it. You should have seen us when we were looking at dresses. She made me try on this horrible thing with five miles of ruffles and a skirt at least ten feet wide. It was absolutely hideous! Then she stood there with a big smile and told me that I looked just like a princess. I had to just about bite my tongue off to keep from telling her that I never wore anything that horrendous even when I actually was a princess."
Darien wrapped his arms around her. "Honey, you're overreacting. She's just trying to help. I'm sure if you told her how you feel she'll be more than happy to help you put together the wedding that you want."
She pushed away from him and sat up. "I tried that already and she just brushed me off. She even told me that I didn't have to worry about any of the details and that she would take care of it. All I have to do is show up at the right time and place. She's even roped Andrew's mom into helping her now, and they're completely taking over. She won't listen to anything I say. Can you see me walking down the aisle in a big poofy dress with white and pink carnations all around and all of the girls in pink dresses? It will be a disaster!"
Darien thought for a moment. "Well, there is one thing you can do. Have you tried talking to your dad? I'm sure he could make her back off."
Serena shuddered. "No. I don't want to drag him into this. He gets uptight every time the wedding is even mentioned and I don't want to cause problems between him and mom. Maybe we should just elope. That would solve everything."
The ebony head shook back and forth. "No Serena. You always said that you wanted a big wedding with all of your friends and family there. So that's what we're going to do. It will be a day that we'll remember for the rest of our lives, and we're going to do it like you want it. I don't care if you want to recite our vows in jeans and t-shirts, as long as you are happy."
Serena sighed and lay back down in his arms. "I'm tired of thinking about it tonight. I'll figure out something tomorrow."
"I'm sure you will," Darien murmured as he rested his cheek against the top of her head.
In minutes they were both asleep.
Discord fixed a fake smile on his face as Sasha stepped through the portal and into the time plane. "So how did it go?"
A feline smile curled her lips. "Like a dream. The first phase of the plan has been set in motion. Those idiots will have no idea what hit them. By the time I'm done they will be ready to rip one another to shreds. Instead of attacking them from the outside, they will be slowly destroyed from the inside. Then they will be easy pickings."
Nearby Jack snorted. "What makes you think this will work? This isn't a whole lot different from what we tried before, and that backfired on us. So why are you so sure this plan will succeed?"
Sasha tossed her strawberry blonde hair over her shoulder. "Because they were already fractured when we moved in before, so there wasn't a lot of damage we could do. But now the three of them have grown impossibly close. I felt it earlier, they have formed a bond between them so strong that they practically sense each other's locations and feelings. They may even already be able to communicate telepathically."
"So why have we stopped the attacks?" Jack snarled. "The longer we wait, the stronger they become. And the stronger they come, the closer they come to claiming the power of the gods."
"Tsk tsk," Discord admonished his young protégé. "Haven't you ever heard the phrase 'The bigger they are, the harder they fall'? I believe that fits most appropriately here."
Sasha giggled. "Except maybe it should be 'The stronger they are, the more they will shatter when they fall apart'. It will be amusing to watch them crumble. I don't particularly have anything against Alex, but I want to see DJ and Katie suffer. I want them to pay for thinking they are so much better than everybody else. The supposed hatred they felt for one another in the past will seem tame compared to the raging emotions they will feel by the time I get through with them. We may not even have to kill them ourselves. They just might succeed in killing each other."
Jack's brown eyes gleamed. "Sounds good. Do you need any help?"
Sasha eyed him speculatively. "Maybe. I'll let you know. I'm going to take this one slow and easy. I don't want to jump the gun."
Alex looked at his girlfriend through slightly bleary eyes, an evil grin turned up the corners of his lips.
Emma looked back at him warily. "Uh oh! What are you thinking, Alex? I don't trust that look."
The grin spread. "I dare you to take off your shirt."
Katie almost spit out the drink she had just taken a sip of. "Are you kidding, Alex? God, I never knew that you were such a perv."
The brunette boy knocked back a shot of rum. "Hey, I thought we said anything goes."
"Nice," DJ drawled as he tossed his own shot into his mouth.
The four teens had congregated on the roof of the apartment building after coming home from the club. Emma had blatantly misused the power of the Luna Pen to turn herself older and go into a liquor store to buy the rum they were drinking. It wasn't anything they hadn't done before. As a matter of fact, it felt a little bit like old times, just without as many people. Skye, Lita and Nephrite's daughter, always seemed to be able get a hold of booze when they were having a party. No one ever asked her how she did it, she was kind of intimidating.
"I'm not doing it," Emma said with a shake of her head. "I'm not into public nudity, and it's not exactly summer out here."
DJ snorted a laugh. "It's a good thing Jayden isn't here. He'd dare you to strip butt naked and dance in the street."
"Oh please," Katie retorted. "That boy is a mental case. The last time we let him hang out with us he almost set himself on fire after only one drink."
Jayden, Raye and Jadeite's fourteen year old son, was one of the youngest members of their group that hung out. They normally didn't allow him or Amy and Zoicite's daughter, Hannah, to drink alcohol. But the last time they had been together as a group the little punk had snuck some. It must have hit him pretty hard because he had somehow managed to set his pant leg on fire with his powers.
"Well the point is he's not here and I'm the one that made the dare," Alex with a dismissive wave of his hand. "So what's the verdict, Em? Either do the deed or pay the price."
Emma grimaced as she drank down the large double shot of rum that was before her. "Yuck! I don't see how you guys drink that stuff straight. It's worse than battery acid."
"Here! Chase it down," Katie told her, handing her a glass of cola.
"Thanks," the golden blonde replied, guzzling half the glass in less than two seconds. "That was disgusting!"
"Tell me about it," Katie agreed as she took a sip from her own rum and coke. "It's much better when it's mixed."
"But you catch a buzz quicker by drinking it straight," Alex protested. "Mixing it just drags it out. Anyhow, Emma didn't complete her dare, so it's my turn again."
His dark blue eyes pinned Katie, and she felt a shiver run down her spine at the mischievous look in them. This was not going to be good.
"I dare you, sis," he began slowly. "To kiss DJ."
She shook her head in confusion. That was it? " Okay. That's simple enough." She leaned toward her new boyfriend.
"Uh, uh, uh, just a second there," Alex interrupted. "I mean a real kiss. I'm talking fully involved and lasting at least thirty seconds." A wide grin spread across his face as Emma leaned over and whispered in his ear. "While sitting on his lap."
Katie flushed brick red at his words, but the gauntlet had been thrown. She had two choices, make out with DJ in front of her brother and his girlfriend for thirty seconds, or drink that disgusting glass of booze. She was already feeling a little tipsy from what she had drank, and really didn't want to press her luck. Andrew, Jess, Serena, and Darien would all hit the roof if they were hung over tomorrow.
She looked over at DJ and saw that he looked mildly embarrassed as well. "Oh what the hell," she muttered as she slid into his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck before pulling his head down to engage his lips in a scorching kiss.
DJ's mind went completely blank for a moment as he was taken by surprise at the feel of her mouth on his, but he quickly regained his thoughts enough to respond back just as eagerly as she was. He felt her tongue swiping against his lower lip, and he quickly opened to allow her access. He felt the vibration as she moaned softly into the kiss.
Katie forgot that they had an audience as she reveled in the feelings she was experiencing. This was what she had dreamed of for the last couple of years, only more. Much, much more.
"Uh, guys," Alex's voice piped up. "Your thirty seconds are up. You can stop now."
'Go away!' DJ growled in his head.
'I am going to peel his skin off if he doesn't leave us alone!' Katie thought violently.
Alex started as he heard both his sister and his best friend's voices cursing him inside his head. "Whoa!" he exclaimed as he jumped to his feet. "How the hell did you guys do that?"
The smooching couple reluctantly withdrew from each other.
"What are you talking about?" Katie demanded crossly.
Alex opened and closed his mouth several times before his voice would work. "Would you really skin me alive, sis?"
Katie looked confused. "Huh? Are you drunk? I didn't say anything."
Alex shook his head. "I heard you. You said you were going to peel my skin off if I didn't leave you alone." His eyes shifted to DJ. "And you growled at me to go away, just like a grumpy old grizzly."
The still embracing pair's mouths fell open at this proclamation. "But I only thought that!" they exclaimed at the same time. Then they looked at each other. "Jinx!" they cried together.
"Wait a minute, I want to try something," Alex said closing his eyes. A few seconds later, Katie and DJ both clearly heard his voice saying, 'You two kiss like you're sucking lemons.'
"Holy shit!" the pair shouted at the same time.
Alex's eyes popped open. "Do you guys know what this means?"
All three of them spoke together, "We can speak telepathically!"
Zeus, the king of the gods, paced back and forth in front of the three he had assembled. "I hope you three know what you are doing by choosing these…kids to grant these powers to. It didn't work out so well last time."
"I said the same thing," Apollo said nonchalantly. "They are total train wrecks. At least two of them are. I have a certain amount of confidence in my choice. He seems like a pretty well grounded boy."
"Oh, you did not just go there!" Gaia shouted as she sprang to her feet. "I think my choice shows just as much promise as yours does. After all, he has the royal blood of the noble house of Terra running through his veins, even if his father is a reincarnation."
"Would both of you hotheads pipe down for a second!" Selene snapped uncharacteristically. "I understand what Zeus is trying to say. I have faith in Katie the same as both of you have in DJ and Alex, but this could get ugly before the end."
Apollo waved a dismissive hand. "I'm sure they still have some trials to overcome, but I think they are coming along great, better than I thought they would the first time we came across them in that cave when they were bickering among themselves."
"You have to admit he has a point," Gaia inputted. "The three of them are closer now than they have ever been. Serenity, Jonathan, and Edward never achieved this level of solidarity."
Zeus rolled his eyes. "At least one of you seems to understand the volatile situation that could be brewing. Have either one of you other idiots actually thought about the ramifications of the choices you've made? This whole thing could blow up in your faces. You got lucky that the first three you picked were able to seal Discord away with their own powers."
Apollo sat up straighter. "What do mean? I just had to wait until someone that was a descendant of Jonathan and blessed with solar power was born. How could that backfire?"
Gaia tossed her mahogany hair back. "Right! I would have chosen the young Princess Serenity if she hadn't inherited the power of the moon from her mother instead of her father's power. I still don't understand why Selene didn't claim her."
"I had my reasons," Selene retorted, making a show out of studying her nails. "She wouldn't have been as compatible with the other two. But have the two of you thought about how all three of our little chosen ones share similar bloodlines? They may each control their own little slice of the galaxy, but they are all very much the same."
Apollo paled under his everlasting tan while Gaia's mouth fell open.
"I never thought of that," the Earth goddess whispered. "This could be intense."
"That's right," Zeus confirmed. "While your little pets may individually control the power of the Earth, Moon, and Sun, they are also a mix of all three bloodlines through their parent's reincarnations. That means that there is a possibility that the power you intend to bestow on them could be distributed between the three of them. If they aren't properly prepared this could have disastrous results."
Apollo shook his head. "Crap, we're screwed! I can't believe we never thought of that. If we don't grant them the power of the Trinity, Discord will destroy everything. And if we do they may self destruct and not even survive to face him."
Zeus's almost colorless eyes narrowed in thought. "I wouldn't jump to conclusions. They have the makings of being a strong united force. But the three of you must be completely sure they are ready for the power before you give it to them. As long as any doubt resides in their hearts, they are doomed to failure. Such is the burden we gods share when we decide to tamper with the fate of mortals. But without them we have no reason for existing."
"Dad, I need to talk to you," Serena said as she sat down on the couch in her childhood home.
"What is it, pumpkin?" Ken Tsukino asked as he lowered the newspaper that he had been reading while lounging in his armchair. His brows pulled together in consternation. "Darien didn't do anything to hurt you, did he? Do I need to pull out my shotgun?"
"No, no! Nothing like that!" Serena quickly reassured him. She had thought long and hard about Darien's advice before deciding to ask for her father's help in reining in her rambunctious mother. "It's just…well, I have a problem."
Ken jumped up from the chair, steam pouring from his ears. "Oh my god! You're pregnant, aren't you? I'll kill him! I don't care if he is a well respected doctor! I'll see him six feet under for daring to dishonor my little girl!"
Serena quickly stood. "No dad! I'm not pregnant! I have something else I need to talk to you about."
Ken visibly deflated and sat back down in his chair. "Okay sweetheart, what is it?"
"Well," she hedged. "It's about mom."
He perked up. "What about your mother?"
Serena finally broke. "I don't know what to do, daddy! I want to plan my dream wedding, and mom keeps railroading me. Nothing is turning out the way I want it. So far she has shot down every idea that I've had. This is my wedding and supposed to be my day, but mom is taking over. I don't want to hurt her feelings, but we have totally different tastes. I hate the dresses she picked out and the flowers are hideous. What about what I want? It's my wedding! If I want chocolate cake, then I should have chocolate cake!"
The eyes behind the man's glasses misted over as he looked at his distraught daughter. "Oh honey, I was afraid that something like this was going to happen. You know how your mother has a tendency to take control of things like this. Would you like me to talk to her?"
Serena beamed a trembling smile. "Would you, daddy?" She flew across the room to hug him tightly. "Thank you so much! You don't think I'm a bad person for not wanting to do things the way she wants, do you?"
Ken opened his mouth to reply, but was stopped by a feminine voice from the doorway.
"No. You're not a bad person, sweetheart. I guess I have been overbearing and not considerate of what you want," Ilene said from the doorway.
Serena jumped at the sound. "Mom! I thought you were out shopping."
Ilene smiled at her. "Well I'm done now. And I guess it's good thing too. I suppose I'm in the need of a reality check."
"You mean you're not mad at me?" Serena asked tremulously.
"Not at all," Ilene reassured her. "Every girl dreams of her wedding from an early age. I guess I never thought of that. We'll start over from scratch. And I promise that we'll do things the way you want it."
Serena flew across the room and embraced her mother. "I love you mom!"
Ilene hugged her back. "I love you too, darling. Now! Would you like to stay for lunch?"
Serena glanced at her watch and shrieked when she saw the time. "Oh no! I'm supposed to meet Darien for lunch in five minutes! I've gotta run! Bye Mom! Bye Dad!" She dashed out the door, slamming it behind her.
Ken chuckled. "I guess some things never change."
"I don't want to go," Emma said tearfully as she held tight to Alex.
"I don't want you to go either," he told her as he clung just as tight to her. "I'm going to miss you."
Her arms clenched convulsively around his neck. "I'll miss you more. Home's not the same without you there."
Sailor Pluto cleared her throat. "Emma, it's time."
The golden haired girl pulled back and sniffled. "I know."
Alex brushed the tears from her cheeks with his fingertips. "I promise I'll be home as soon as I can. Don't forget about me."
She flung herself back into his arms. "I could never forget you! I love you, Alex. Please be careful so you can come back home to me."
He took her face between his hands. "I love you too."
Katie looked away, tears stinging in her eyes, as her brother leaned down to give his girlfriend a goodbye kiss. She felt an arm around her shoulders and looked up into the face of the one she loved.
Even though she and DJ had officially been a couple for only a little more than twelve hours, she couldn't imagine being separated from him. If she had to go home and leave him here in the past it would tear her apart.
"Let's take a walk and give them some privacy," DJ whispered in her ear.
She nodded slowly and allowed him to take her hand to lead her out of the small grove that Pluto seemed to favor when she was making time jumps.
"It's sad, isn't it?" she said softly when they had walked far enough to be out of hearing range. "I mean, they only had one day and night together after being apart for so long, and now they have to be separated again without knowing when they'll be together again. It sucks!"
"Yeah, it does," DJ agreed, kicking a rock in his path with his toe. "All we can hope for is for this crap with Discord to be over soon so we can all go home where we belong."
She blinked back tears. "Yeah. I really miss mom and dad. Having Jess and Drew around is cool, but it's not the same."
He nodded. "Same here. Serena and Darien are great. It's nice to see the more casual, laid back side of my parents, but I miss the ones that I've known all my life."
Katie sighed and stared up at the sky. "This whole situation pisses me off sometimes. We never asked for any of this. I was happy with my life the way it was. I had my music, my family, my friends and…well, even though we fought, I had you. I just wish I knew exactly what we are supposed to be doing so we can go back to our lives."
DJ grinned in an attempt to lighten the mood. " So when we get back to our wonderful lives, does that mean that we go back to being mortal enemies again?"
She looked at him shyly. "I don't think I could ever see you as an enemy again. Honestly, I wonder if I ever truly considered you an enemy. It was probably just a defense mechanism because I never thought you would look at me twice."
He smirked. "Oh I looked at you all right. I always looked forward to seeing you. And then you would open your mouth and make me feel like strangling you. I guess you could say you brought out the best and the worst in me."
She grimaced a little. "How did you put up with me acting like such a psycho all those months? Most people would have written me off as a lost cause and moved on."
DJ shrugged. "I would be lying if I didn't say the idea never crossed my mind. But my mom has always told me to never lose hope. I knew the real you was still there, buried inside. So I just made up my mind to stand beside you no matter what. I figured sooner or later the true you would resurface."
Katie shuddered at his words. "I'm glad you did, because I didn't. I felt so lost and weak, like I was drifting in an endless abyss of darkness. I pushed myself to train hard, thinking that it would make me feel stronger so the pain and lonliness would go away. I shoved away everyone that I loved, even my brother, my twin, thinking it was for the best. Sometimes I even felt like I was dead, as if I had truly died that night in the bay, and it scared me. The only time I felt alive was when I was fighting with you. When I was with you I could believe I was still living. The darkness and despair is a powerful force, and I hope to never feel that way again."
He pulled her close and held her tight. "I promise," he whispered to her. "You'll never go through that again. I won't let you. I'm going to be here by your side, no matter what."
"Okay! Break it up!" Alex's voice broke into their conversation. "I've got some serious moping to do, and I can't do it if the two of you insist on being so disgustingly lovey dovey in front of me."
The two teens sprang apart and looked at him guiltily. "Oops! Sorry!" they said together.
Alex pinched the bridge of his nose. "You know, I'm used to me and Kat talking at the same time, but hearing the two of you in stereo surround sound is going to take some getting used to. Anyway, I'm depressed. Let's go to the arcade and drown ourselves in milkshakes."
Katie glanced at her watch. "But it's barely ten in the morning."
He shrugged. "It's never too early for sugar therapy. And with the way I feel right now, it's either that or going back to the apartment and finishing off what's left in that bottle from last night."
Katie looped her arm through his. "One chocolate and peanut butter milkshake coming up."
Discord sat at the time gate alone, watching his prey through the river of time. He growled deep in his chest. His existence was becoming more and more complicated by the day. He had hoped that those troublesome gods would have given up on their grand scheme to dispose of him after the failure of Serenity, Jonathan, and Edward, but it seemed they were determined to get in his way.
Once upon a time he had been the most feared being in the universe. He had conquered galaxies without a second thought and with little fuss, until he had come to this one. He probably should have moved on when he had met with such a strong resistance from this galaxy's protectors, but the amount of power that flowed here only made him more determined to claim it for himself.
A snarl ripped its way up his throat. It was pitiful that he, one of the supreme beings in the universe, felt threatened by mere children. It was an idea that he would have found laughable a few millenia ago.
"Aww, what's the matter?" a soft voice crooned from the mist. "Is the big, bad Discord feeling frustrated?"
"Who's there?" he snapped, looking around warily. Sasha was off planning the next phase of her mission with Jack and his guardians and sentinels were secreted away at his compound outside Crystal Tokyo. He should be alone.
A tall, slim figure stepped into view. Dressed all in black, they wore a long cloak that trailed behind them like a cape and a deep hood that hid their face.
"Looks like you could use some help," the person answered, ignoring his question.
"How did you get here?" he demanded. "No one should be able to get inside the time plane without my permission."
The dark dressed figure chuckled and held up a hand, showing him a glittering time key. "But you're the one that sent me here to help. Well your future self did. In the future I come from you control everything, and I am your right hand. You sent me back in time because without me you will fail."
Discord felt anger course through him at the mention of his possible failure. "How do I know you're telling the truth? This could be a trick of Neo Queen Serenity's to try and defeat me."
He shot a blast of dark energy at the person, only to stare in open mouthed shock as they deflected his attack with a mere flick of their fingers.
"Oh please!" they scoffed. "Just because I work for you in the future doesn't mean you have any power over me. Trust me, I'm not a pushover. And if you don't want my help, that's okay too. I'll just go away and let you fall flat on your ass. Then the future will change. The Trinity will never be fractured and your revenge will not be complete. Your enemies will mow you down like a dog in the street. And believe me, I couldn't give a shit either way."
Discord paused to consider what the cold, sneering voice was saying. Help that had been sent to him by his own future self could be advantageous in this situation. "If I agree to your help, I think I at least deserve to know who I'm relying on."
A dark chuckle came from inside the hood. "I guess you do. Hold on to your socks, oh mighty one, because they're about to be blown off."
A pale hand reached up to push the hood back, and Discord's mouth fell open in shock at the sight of just who his mysterious visitor was.
A wide smile curved full lips. "Surprise! I bet you never thought you'd see me standing here, did you? You have to admit that I can be much more help to you than Jack or Sasha."
An answering smile spread across his face. Now he had a secret weapon. One that his enemies would never see coming. He had no idea how or why this person had come to be in his service in the future, but he wasn't about to pass it up.
His look turned smug. "Welcome to the battle."
A/N I hope this wasn't as much of a cliffhanger as what I have been leaving. I'm heading home tomorrow, so I hope to have the next chapter out in a more timely manner. Discord has a new accomplice. Who could it be? Hmm...I'm not telling, at least not yet. I'm sorry again for the delay, and I hope you enjoyed. Don't forget to drop me those reviews. I live for them! Later gators!
~Sere~