Bye, Bye Love

An: I'm sticking with the anime version of Zoicite and Malachite, and the male Zoicite as opposed to the American female Zoycite.

Chapter 10: 99 Bottles

Jadeite reappeared in the mansion. "Ugh, Malachite, we have a problem." He was about to explain when he saw what was going on.

A man with short black hair and a wrinkled pink shirt was slumped over the sofa. He practically reeked of alcohol, sweat and a few other less pleasant odors.

"Holy," Jadeite gagged, "who is this bum?"

Malachite glared. "This bum is your king's past self. Show some respect."

Jadeite cocked an eyebrow. "Sorry, Mal, it's hard to show respect to a man with a floating liver. What the heck happened to him?"

"We went looking for him after you left," Zoicite began. "I remembered him from our last battle, the name he had used then--Darien. I also remembered that he liked to hang out at this arcade. We went there, asked the hottie at the counter where he went, and when we went in the direction he pointed us in, we found him sitting in a bar, totally plastered."

Nephrite shook his head. "I would have thought our king's past self would be a lot more responsible. Perhaps this is why Serenity left him, not because some enemy, as the King put it. Although you could classify alcohol as an enemy."

"Or he could have been getting drunk because Serenity left him," Malachite suggested. "Whatever the issue is, we're going to have a bit of a problem on our hands. Zoicite, go to the kitchen and whip up one of your special formulas please. He's going to need it."

Jadeite looked at Nephrite. "Hey, if I ever get this depressed, just shoot me."

***********************

The next morning, Darien slowly opened his eyes. He cringed at the bright lights. "Mmmm, what happened to me? Why does my mouth feel like it's stuffed with cotton balls."

"Good morning, Master." Zoicite greeted softly when he noticed him awake. "How are you feeling?"

Darien gripped his head. "Don't whisper so loud."

Zoicite put a straw to his lips. "Drink this, you'll feel better. And don't ask what's in it."

Automatically, Darien started sucking in some foul liquid. But he didn't spit it out, to his credit. As soon as it hit his stomach, the pain he was feeling vanished. "Where am I?" he asked a little more coherently.

"Malachite, he's awake!" Zoicite called into another room. "You're in our home, Master."

Darien's senses were finally working and he recognized the blonde in front of him. "Zoicite?" he started to stand in a panic but his legs just didn't want to cooperate and he fell back down onto the couch. "Crap, what next?"

*********************

Raye was still out of it from the night before; that reading had been much more intense than anything she had ever experienced! "I have to get up. I have to go tell Serena what I've discovered." She hastily threw on her kimono and ran out her door.

Outside she stopped when she saw Mr. Sage talking with Chad.

"Young man, I have rarely heard such a solid voice as yours," the man told him. "I have friends in the music industry. If you could make a demo tape for me, I can see if either of them are looking for a new client."

Chad stood up straight. "Really, you'd do that? Wow, you're a pretty cool dude! Thanks."

Frowning, Raye walked over to them. "Good morning, Mr. Sage. Chad will you go tell Grandpa he has a guest?"

She turned her untrusting gaze on the older man. "Did you come alone today Mr. Sage? That's a difficult journey for a man in a wheelchair."

He nodded, ignoring her rude comment. "Yes, Erik is busy fussing over his attire this morning. Yesterday, your grandfather invited me over for morning tea while we commiserate over our respective wards." While he didn't exactly smile, the glimmer in his eyes told Raye that she was being teased. That did not help her mood.

"In fact," he continued, "your grandfather expressed an interest in seeing some old photographs of mine." In his lap was an ornate book with a Celtic Moon image, facing downwards.

"What is that?" she asked, pointing to the crest, her finger trembled slightly. That crest is almost exactly what I saw in my fire vision last night! She hesitatingly reached into her robe for one of the banishment charms she carried. If he didn't have a good answer now she was going to slap him with a charm and beg pardon later, wheelchair be damned!

Mr. Sage looked at the book's symbol. "Ahh yes, that is the crest of our family. Our ancestors were of Celtic origin. Erik is part Irish and part English. It is a tradition in our family that each child have their photo album documenting their growth. This is Erik's album."

Raye nodded slowly, wanting for Serena's sake to believe him. After all, that could have been the symbol she saw in the fire last night; she hadn't really gotten a close look at it before it abruptly vanished, and here she was seeing how different the two symbols really were. She tried her hardest to recall exactly how that symbol had appeared in the fire. Yes, she was sure of it. The symbol on the album was what she had seen. She had simply tricked herself into thinking it was the Black Moon's symbol. She wanted to heave a huge sigh of relief.

"Well, would you like me to get you some tea or breakfast while you wait for Grandpa? He should be done with his duties soon." She slipped the charm back into the pocket. With the relief came a greater show of courtesy.

Mr. Sage smiled, "I would like that very much young lady."

There, everything was solved, Wise Man thought to himself. That girl called herself a priestess? She hadn't even noticed him reaching into her memory and altering the appearance of that symbol. He knew that if he could appease this one's suspicions, the others would never suspect him themselves.

********************

It had taken the good part of an hour, but eventually Malachite and the others had been able to explain their presence, including profound apologies for their actions during the battle with the Dark Kingdom.

Darien's face was much less ashen by the end of their explanation. In fact, his expression looked downright hopeful. "Then you're telling me, that you are from the future? My future self--Endymion, King of the Earth--has discovered the presence of an enemy back here in the present, and this enemy has influenced Serena against me?" He looked up to the ceiling, realization finally dawning in his mind. "That explains everything: the terrible nightmares telling me to stay away from her, her suddenly being so cold and giving up on us, even her infatuation with that Erik guy. It means I still have a chance."

Malachite quirked an eyebrow. "That's why you two are having problems? You had some bad dreams about her?"

"Yes," Darien stated. "Terrible nightmares. They said if I stayed too close to Serena, she would be killed and the Earth destroyed. I couldn't chance it."

Jadeite and Nephrite looked at each other for a short moment before bursting out into simultaneous laughter. Zoicite was keeping himself composed, but only just. Malachite glared at all of them, although the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.

"Forgive us Master," Jadeite pleaded. "You had a beautiful, albeit clumsy and not all that bright, young girl like her. And you let some bad dreams get to you? If that's the enemy's plan, it's honestly not a very good one."

"Did you at least take her aside and explain the dreams to her?" Nephrite asked. "Before you broke up with her?"

Darien looked away. "Well, not before. But eventually."

Zoicite sighed, "When it was too late... Forgive me Master," he reached over and slapped him upside the head. "Even a six-year old knows that nightmares are just that--Nightmares, not real--They are simply messages from the subconscious, or your case, the enemy."

"But…I still have a chance to get her back. I just need to explain that it was this enemy giving me those dreams." Darien sighed heavily. Even with hope, this was going to be a long uphill trudge back into Serena's affections.

"Well that, and maybe accepting responsibility for being dumb enough to believe the dreams," Nephrite stated.

Jadeite rolled his eyes. "Whatever you or we do, it has to be done fast. I found out that guy intends to ask Serena's parents if he can court her. Not date, court. It's pretty serious."

Darien's eyes widened with alarm. "No…no…I can't let that happen. I can't let her date him. We belong together. She and I, it's our destiny. I love her." He fought to stand up unsteadily. "I have to get to her house, I have to talk to her."

Malachite nodded and touched Darien's arm, vanishing together.

********************

Later in the morning, after Wise Man had returned from his "visit", he and Diamond made their way across the street to the Tsukino home. The two of them now sat in their living room, having a lively discussion while waiting for Serena to fully wake up and join them.

"You know Erik," Ellen said conspiratorially, "I think Serena is rather smitten with you."

Ken gasped. "Ellen, don't say that. You'll embarrass them. Besides, while he's certainly better than that Darien, he's still too old and she's still too young to date."

Erik and Mr. Sage both grinned, sharing glances.

"Actually, Mr. Tsukino, Mrs. Tsukino, that's why we came over. I wish to ask your permission to court your daughter." Erik asked.

Ken turned a glaring eye on him. "What? You barely even know my daughter and you're way too old for her."

Mr. Sage interrupted, "Is it really so strange for an eighteen year old to court one who is nearly fifteen? Why my own dear wife, rest her soul, was a good fifteen years younger than myself."

"What Ken is saying," Ellen said, placing a placating hand on Ken's own. "Is that it is strange for a boy and a girl to start dating only a day after they've met. I merely meant I thought she had a crush on him. Teenage girls crush an awful lot. She's still very young. She has school to think about and college, I hope. We feel a boy in her life right now would distract her."

"Mrs. Tsukino, her life isn't going to get any easier," replied Mr. Sage. "After graduation comes the real world. You can't say that's easier or any less distracting. And as for that other boy, that cad, that's all the more reason to see her with someone who will treat her properly and will be able to support her if they should, God willing, marry someday. Erik has a sizeable inheritance from his mother and father that he will be able to claim this year. He can put her through a secondary education if she desires it and can afford to hire maids and cooks so that she won't have to worry about housework while she goes to college. And as for the here and now, Erik is quite intelligent and I myself used to teach College-level courses back when I was a much younger man. He can help her with her homework, I can tutor her in any classes she may be having problems with."

Ellen nodded, "Well, what about Serena? She should have a say in this."

Erik smiled. "I talked to her last night when I took her to dinner. She said if I were to ask you for permission, she would be agreeable to a courtship between us. And you have my word as a gentleman, that I will never hurt her, not ever. I have fallen deeply in love with her and if she will have me, I intend to see that she is the happiest young lady alive. I intend to treat her with the respect that she deserves, nothing more or less than that. My intentions are honorable I assure you."

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation. Ellen stood to answer it.

"Well," Ken began.

"Oh, good morning Darien." Ellen's chipper voice greeted.

Erik turned to glare towards the front of the house. What was he doing there? Hadn't he given up yet? "That idiot is a glutton for punishment," he whispered only loud enough for his grandfather.

"Mrs. Tsukino, I have got to talk to Serena. Please, is she awake?" Darien pleaded. "It's important."

It was that moment when Serena came downstairs. "Darien? What are you doing here?" She could practically feel her dad's angry eyes on the back of her head.

"Serena, please…hear me out, talk to me." Darien grabbed her hands. "I can't give you up."

Ken started to come over, "Now hold it right there…" Ellen stopped him with a knowing look.

She pulled her hands away. "Darien, no." She saw Erik behind her and quickly slipped behind him. "I don't love you anymore. I'm with Erik now."

"But Serena…" Darien moved for her again.

Erik put his arms around her. "I'm going to have to insist that you do as my fair lady commands, sir. I have tolerated your harassment of her up until this point. However, if you approach her without due permission again, I will have to take action.

Darien ignored him. "Serena, please. You don't love him. You're just using him to get back at me. I'm sorry for putting you through so much and I love you. I need you."

Erik released Serena and stepped forward, "Leave, Mr. Chiba. I don't want to have to get violent. I would certainly hate to mess up Mrs. Tsukino's lovely home."

Darien stared down the man. "I will not leave. I will not let you brainwash her against me. I will have her back!"

"That's it." Erik grabbed Darien's elbow rather forcefully and pushed him out of the door, slamming it in his face. He turned back to Serena, taking her protectively into his arms.

Ellen looked at Ken. "Dear?"

"Serena," Ken came to his daughter. "I will give you permission to date but I have some conditions."

Serena nodded, not wanting to come out of Erik's hold. "Yes, Dad?"

"I am giving you a lot of privilege here. I expect you to handle like a mature teenager, not like a child. I expect you to improve your grades. If I see anything lower than a C, I won't let you see him anymore."

"I understand Dad." Serena answered.

Diamond looked down at the beautiful girl in his arms. He had her, finally.

AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. It was fun to write.