Chapter Eleven: Helpless and Frustrated

Eventually, the dream became so horrible that Serena began trying to avoid sleep. She started out subtly, being careful not to alarm her friends and family. Diane had been asking her frequently about her dreams, but the blonde continued to withhold that information. Nothing would permit her to allow anyone else to be burdened with her secrets.

She began pinching herself to stay awake, began to drink coffee at least four times a day. She would pretend to be asleep when her aunt came in to check on her, kept her eyes closed if Luna sniffed at her face. Luna often did that; it was her way of making sure the blonde was all right. Serena began to wear concealer in an effort to hide the smudges under her eyes. It worked for the most part. Sometimes her friends asked why she was wearing makeup. Her answer; zits.

Days turned into weeks, and Serena continued her no-sleep regimen. She was desperate to avoid nightmares. However, it began to show. Since she was so tired, her appetite dropped, and some days, she barely touched her food. Since she wasn't eating, she lost weight, and she had no energy. Since she had no energy, she spent more time inside, and grew pale.

Her worried aunt tried to get her to talk to her, but Serena just smiled and said she was fine. Maria had moved into their father's house and was there to stay. It was nice knowing that she could see her friends and keep going to the same school, but it also meant that she had someone hovering over her.

Of course, her aunt wasn't the only one who was worried. Trista had taken her aside and asked her if she was all right. Serena gave the same response; she was fine. Mina kept dragging out window shopping, and Rae had started being gentler. Lita kept trying to get her to eat something. Amy stopped nagging her about her studies and instead discreetly inquired about her state of mind and emotional health. Amara kept an even closer eye on her than usual, and Michelle seemed to become more serene than usual, as though she were trying to calm her fears by radiating serenity.

Serena continued to smile and act like she wasn't slowly killing herself. She knew that she couldn't go on like she was, but her fear of the nightmare was stronger than anything else. She knew that she was being foolish, but the nightmare was too terrible to put from her mind.

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Rae felt helpless. She hated feeling helpless. The worst part was knowing that nothing could protect her friend from what she was suffering. This time, Serena's pain wasn't being caused by a monster or something else; it was heartbreak. First, Darien had left and effectively shattered their perfect future, and then Serena's parents had died. And there was nothing she could do.

The fire soldier knew that these events had taken their toll on her friend and Princess; after all, that episode she'd had had been…intense, to put it mildly. Serena had always felt too much. She loved hard, and that was what made all of this leaving so hard on her.

However, this new development, Serena's diminished appetite, et cetera, was frightening. It was scarier than that episode she'd had. Nothing anyone did was helping; the blonde just continued to grow pale, thin, and sickly looking. Something had to be done, or they would all lose their dearest friend. This thought was unbearable, and so they resolved to do something about it. The only problem was that no one knew where to start.

As Serena continued to fade, the Scouts found themselves becoming increasingly frustrated, and feeling desperation enter their hearts. Their friend and Princess was dying, and they didn't know how to stop it. They were helpless.