Hey again!

In this chapter, there will be a 'Third Person P.O.V.'. If you do not know what this is, it is simply a point of view told in the third person, with no "I" or "me".

~Miss Moon Rose~

~Darien's P.O.V.~

"What a coward."

My body stiffened at the words of Fiore. Anger bubbled inside of me, and it took everything I had not to kill Fiore then and there.

"I saw how you abandoned your so-called friends; what a wimp," he finished. That was it; I couldn't hold it back anymore. I felt a strange power within me, so I took advantage of it.

"TUXEDO SMOKING-"

"Stop!"

I paused. The ground shook beneath me, and I turned around to find a giant weed growing out of the ground. And attached to the weed was...my friends.

"Surrender! Hand over your "magic sword", or lose your friends," Fiore said. A pink light surrounded the weed, causing my friends to writhe and scream in pain. But they couldn't escape; their bodies were being held to the weed by thick vines. Seeing them in so much pain killed me inside...I felt like my heart was being torn out of my chest.

I was losing everyone.

"STOP!" I shouted frantically. Their screams stopped and they hung there, almost lifeless. "How could you be so cruel…?" I asked, only loud enough for Fiore to hear.

"All's fair in love and war. Now choose: your sword, or your friends. It's your call."

I looked back and forth from my friends to Fiore, then to my sword. I can't lose them. They are more important than this stupid piece of metal.

"Not the sword…" Jadeite said. I gasped and looked up. His eyes were open, along with everyone else's.

"You can never give it up," Kunzite added, his voice strangled.

"Don't let him use us against you," Nephrite added.

"The sword belongs in your hands only…" Mercury almost whispered.

"You can't surrender it, not even for us," Rei finished.

My hand clenched around my sword.

"What's your choice? Are you going to abandon them again?" Fiore snapped.

My grip loosened, and my sword fell out of my hand and onto the ground.

"Never," I stated, "you win."

The cackling of the monsters died down, and all was silent once more. I looked up at my friends, trying to prevent myself from falling to my knees in defeat.

"I'm sorry...I can't turn my back on them. Without my friends, it's not the same. I give up."

Rei and Ami were crying, and Nephrite and Kunzite were looking down at the ground.

"COWARD!" Jadeite yelled. "FIGHT THEM!"

"I can't...I know I can beat him...but then all of you will get hurt...and I couldn't bear that."

I hated myself for being such a coward. A cheesy, stupid, careless coward.

But this is what Serena would do; I'm sure of it.

Fiore started to groan, and I turned around to see him clutching his head. The monsters that were surrounding him started to disappear.

The vines binding my friends disappeared as well, and they all fell to the ground. I ran over them and fell to my knees, examining them for any wounds. I could hear Fiore and the Kassinian Blossom talking behind me.

"What's happening to me? I'm not used to these...emotions…" Fiore said, his voice sounding strangled.

"Fiore, don't listen to them. All Tuxedo Mask wants to for his friends to help him take Serena away from you again," Kassinian hissed. "But your friendship with her will never come to life until Tuxedo Mask and his friends are gone!"

"My friend...he can't have her," Fiore said strongly.

"If you help me fight him, I'll make sure Serena remembers your special bond," Kassinian said. I turned around, and a pink cloud surrounded Fiore, causing his eyes to glow a bright red.

"Together, we are invincible!" Kassinian yelled. There was a flash of red and I stood, turning around and facing Fiore.

His hair was now pink, and his uniform red. What looked like a pair of arms were wrapped around his shoulders, making him look zombie-like.

This was it. The final battle.

~Serena's P.O.V.~

I couldn't take it in here any longer. I knew Darien was out there, trying to save me. But Fiore is too powerful with that Kassinian Blossom...Darien doesn't stand a chance. Fiore is crazy...and he needs to be stopped.

I pressed my hands against the glass that was keeping me imprisoned, moving so that my feet were pressed against the other end. I pushed with every bit of strength I had in me, wincing and moaning at the pain coming from my wound. But I won't give up...Darien needs me.

I pushed harder and felt the glass cracking on the other side. I gave it one more strong push and it shattered, causing me to fall out onto the ground. I bit back a scream of pain, pushing myself up on my hands and knees.

"You are not my friend…"

~Darien's P.O.V.~

I was about to grab my sword when Fiore sent a powerful force my way, sending my body flying backwards into a rock that jutted out of the ground. I felt the rock crumble behind me and an arm going around my neck, choking me.

"Raise your hands if you want to try this energy," Fiore hissed, his breath foul. Thousands of pale hands reached out of the ground, and a white light surrounded us. Flower petals swirled in the air, and I felt a wrenching ache in my chest. I screamed in pain, squeezing my eyes shut and praying for the pain to stop.

"You can yell all you want, but my followers won't give up until I tell them," Fiore said. "So give up your claim on Serena's heart, and I'll tell them to stop! You don't know what it's like to be lonely without true friends, Tuxedo Mask, or you wouldn't try to take Serena away."

~Third Person P.O.V.~

Sailor Mercury looked up, hot tears stinging her eyes as the man who saved her from Queen Beryl's wrath was tortured. She owed her life to him, yet she was forced to sit here helplessly while his energy was sucked from his body.

Nephrite's fists clenched at Fiore's words:

"You don't know what it's like to have everyone shun you because you're different!"

A tightening feeling erupted in Nephrite's stomach and he found it hard to breathe as the bad moments of his past rushed back to him. How he would fight people, all so he could get rid of the pain he was in from losing his parents. And how he would sit alone while people stared and bet on how long he would be staying at that school until he got kicked out again. He had never stayed at one school for so long, until Darien came along. The last time he got into an actual fight was when he was saving Darien's ass.

"Maybe you'll understand how much Serena means to me if you get a glimpse at true loneliness," Fiore continued. Kunzite forced himself to his knees, trying to block out his past memories from clouding his vision. He remembered walking home from school, hearing the harsh words people would say about his hair, and how closely he resembled General K. He couldn't remember the last time someone called him stuck-up or a jerk. Being friends with Darien changed all of that.

"Do you know how it feels, never having anyone to talk to? To share things with?" Fiore said. Mars looked over and reached for Jadeite's hand, remembering the things he told her about how his life was before he met Darien. How he was always alone, without a friend to talk to. And how people would think he was crazy just because he was a psychic. The pain in his eyes was evident as he watched his closest friend being tortured before his eyes.

They were helpless.

Darien's screams stopped and Fiore let go, causing Darien to fall onto the ground with a thud. He was barely breathing, and his eyes were empty and lifeless. Fiore stood above him, smirking.

"You're history, Tuxedo Mask," Fiore hissed. The arms that were wrapped around his shoulders extended, turning into sharp points. Tuxedo Mask was incapable of moving, or even processing the fact that he failed. He failed everyone.

"Good-bye, thief of hearts," Fiore said. The sharp points extending from his shoulders were about to plunge themselves into Tuxedo Mask's body when a sharp voice stopped him.

"Don't. DON'T!"

Fiore looked up to see Kunzite and the others standing up, fists clenched and eyes ablaze. Kunzite fell to his knees, but his aggressive expression didn't falter.

"Tuxedo Mask has done more for me than anyone," Kunzite said confidently.

Nephrite took a shaky step forward and said, "He's the greatest friend you could wish for; just ask Serena. And he would be your friend too."

Mercury joined him, clutching onto his arm for support. "You could join us, Fiore," she said, her voice shaky but defiant. "Put your powers towards building more friendships."

Fiore's eyes narrowed. "You think I'm an idiot? You're just trying to trick me into letting him go so he can take Serena away!" Fiore snapped.

Jadeite took a step forward, with Rei by his side. "You're the one who's been tricked," Jadeite said.

"Kassinian Blossom wants to rule alone," Sailor Mars continued. Her eyes started to water. "She will destroy you, Fiore."

"Once she gets what she wants, you're history. And Serena will be too," Jadeite finished.

Fiore looked down at Darien's inanimate body. "NO!" he yelled. "Kassinian is no traitor! She'll find a place for Serena in her plans! And Tuxedo Mask...is the big obstacle to making that happen. TIME TO DIE!" The sharp arms extended from Fiore's body, causing everyone to yell and scream in protest, doing anything they could to stop him. But they couldn't move. Mercury and Mars shielded their eyes as the lethal weapons approached Tuxedo Mask's body, bringing death with them.

There was a crunch, and all was silent.

~Serena's P.O.V.~

I did it...I saved Darien. I managed to throw my tiara and hit Fiore a split second before the sharp spikes came in contact with my love's body.

I stood there with one arm extended, catching my tiara. My legs were shaking, but I forced myself to stand.

"You choose them…?" Fiore asked, eyes wide as he looked at me. I fell to my knees, lowering my arm.

"Yes…" I managed to say.

"She escaped…" Kunzite said in awe.

I fell over, landing hard on my side. I wasn't strong enough...but I didn't let my eyes close. I kept them on Fiore, who was looking down at the cracks appearing in his body. The sharp spikes that were surrounding Darien's body retracted, and Fiore staggered backwards, screaming in pain. His body arched and the red suit given to him by Kassinian shattered, bringing him back to his normal state.

He fell backwards, clutching his chest. Kassinian's robotic voice caused goosebumps to appear on my arms.

"Why don't you go after her? She's weak. Get rid of her!" Kassinian demanded.

"We're like siblings…" Fiore gasped. "We shared the same pain...all I'd hoped for was to be friends once more…"

Tears stung my eyes. "I'm sorry, Fiore," I said sadly.

"Good-bye, Serena. I hope you're happy with your choice."

I watched as Fiore looked up at the sky, and the millions of flowers started to disappear. The ground was demoted to a hard, gray rock.

"It's bare…" Mercury whispered.

"The flowers vanished," Nephrite said.

Sailor Mars fell to her knees with a sigh of relief. "Earth is safe," she said gratefully. "We've foiled Kassinian's mission."

The ground started to shake, and that was when I realized the meteor was coming apart. The pieces that made up the flower petals drifted away so that we were only on a small circular asteroid. The force of the asteroid moving through space made it almost impossible to move, or even sit up for that matter.

Fiore's laughter caused my stomach to drop. He was standing, his long hair flying all around him. The malice in his eyes made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"I forgot to give you your parting gifts; wouldn't want you to think I was rude. I've programmed the core of this asteroid to self-destruct on Earth. In a few minutes, you'll be on a crash course home without enough power to teleport off this rock!" Fiore laughed.

"And once we've landed, I'll suck the Earthlings dry in your memory, my faithful servant!" Kassinian said to Fiore.

I clenched my fists, channeling all of the strength I could muster. I forced myself to my knees, ignoring the pain in my chest.

"You'll do no such thing, Kassinian!" I exclaimed. I summoned my Crescent Moon Wand, removing the Silver Crystal from the crescent. It shimmered in my hands as I transferred it to my transformation brooch so that I could extract it fully. My body glowed, and I could feel strength returning to me. I closed my eyes, ignoring the protests of the others.

"Not that!" Jadeite yelled.

"Don't do it, Sailor Moon!" Sailor Mercury cried.

"The Moon Crystal is too powerful!" Nephrite said.

"It will take all of your strength!" Kunzite finished.

"Don't do it!"

Darien's voice telling me not to do this gave me pause. I knew this was risky...but I couldn't just sit here while the Earth and everyone I love was killed. I looked back at him with tears in my eyes. He was on his stomach, looking up at me with so much pain and sadness in his eyes that I almost stopped myself from using the Silver Crystal.

"Don't worry," I said softly, "everything will be alright."

I lifted my hands to my chest as was about to remove the Silver Crystal when a hand clasped over my brooch, causing an unidentified pain to shoot through my body. I squeezed my eyes shut and cried out in pain, forcing myself to look at the hand I knew was Fiore's.

"If you think you're going to change this asteroid's trajectory, you're wrong," Fiore said in a voice that didn't belong to him. "Give me the Crystal!"

I felt my transformation coming undone as crimson ribbons flowed around my body. Instead of fighting, I looked up at Fiore and gently placed my hands on his.

"I can make you better. Your heart is still pure. We can be friends again...if you trust me," I said kindly.

"You're lying!"

"Maybe you'll believe me if I show you how Darien and I first met." I closed my eyes and willed myself to share my memories with Fiore. I could feel the Silver Crystal glowing as it engulfed the two of us.

I was sitting in my bed at the hospital, sobbing. I had been brought back for a check-up the same day Fiore was supposed to be leaving. He told me he would meet me on the roof of the orphanage when I returned to say good-bye. My door creaked open and a warm hand engulfed mine. I opened my eyes to find a little boy with his head on my lap."Who are you?" I asked. He looked up at me with his big blue eyes and smiled."My name is Darien," he said. "Why are you crying?"I looked away, the pain of losing my only friend coming back to me.

"Because...my friend is leaving...and I'll never see him again. And...he's the only friend I've got." My shoulders shook with sobs.

"No he isn't!" the boy said. I looked at him questioningly. "From now on, I'll be your friend too. My mummy had a baby boy today, and I got these roses for her," he said, showing me the large bouquet. He removed one and handed it to me, smiling. "Here, it's a present."I smiled.

"Thanks, Darien." I reached for the rose and was about to grab it when the scene paused. Fiore stood in the corner, his eyes wide in shock.

"Your rose came from Darien…" he said. "It… was a token of his friendship?"

We were back at present time. "The Crystal is changing…!" Fiore exclaimed. He removed his hand and my crystal came out of my brooch in the form of… "A flower!"

"Fiore! Take the Moon Crystal and get rid of her!" Kassinian yelled. "FIORE!"

Tears were streaming down Fiore's face. My friend...I could only imagine the pain he went through all these years. Kassinian screeched as the light from the Crystal disintegrated her, and Fiore was sent flying backwards. His body faded in a shower of white sparkles.

We were approaching Earth at a fast rate. I knew what I had to do.

I opened my eyes and looked up, outstretching my hands and holding the Crystal out. I lifted it into the air, feeling the crimson ribbons that were previously surrounding my body transform into the white dress that belonged to me as the Moon Princess. I was standing, feeling the enormous amount of strength entering my body. I now understand the power of the Silver Crystal and what makes it so strong.

Friendship.

"Silver Crystal, protect us! In the Name of the Moon!" I shouted, lowering the Crystal. I held it out, my arms shaking from the power erupting from the small Crystal. A white light extended from my hands, surrounding the entire asteroid. But it wasn't enough; we were still advancing towards Earth. I gritted my teeth together, moaning from the stress of all of this power. I couldn't hold myself up for long, the Crystal was too strong.

"I ask you to help me save them! They are family to me, and our Kingdom depends on them!"

"Come on! She needs our power!" I heard Sailor Mars yell behind me. I smiled, glad to have such dependable friends.

"This is what it all comes down to!" Mercury exclaimed.

Pieces of the asteroid started flying towards me, and I felt the wind push me backwards. I dug my heels into the ground, struggling to stand.

I can't do this. I can't do this. I can't do this.

I was about to fall backwards when a pair of strong hands landed on my shoulders, supporting me. I looked back to find Darien, dressed in the armor of his past-self. He looked down at me with love in his eyes, and I felt a new strength within me.

I can do this.

I looked back at my friends, who were on their knees with their hands joined together. I could tell by the way Mars and Jadeite were looking at each other and the way Mercury, Kunzite, and Nephrite had their eyes glazed over that they were thinking of their loved ones.

Pieces of the asteroid were shattering all around us. It was working. I looked down and closed my eyes.

My friends...for the first time in my life…

"I am not alone."

The colors of all of my Scouts and Darien's Generals flooded into the Crystal. They were with me. Even the ones that weren't here were sending their strength my way.

"MOON CRYSTAL POWER!" I shrieked.

The Crystal glowed pink, engulfing the entire asteroid in pink light. My hands felt hot, and I could feel the Crystal shaking in my hands. I suddenly felt tired...as if I couldn't hold myself up anymore.

And then the Crystal shattered.

~Zoisite's P.O.V.~

Sailors Venus and Jupiter stood next to each other, holding hands as their tiaras glowed. I clutched my transformation pen, sending all of the power I could to Darien and the others.

Luna and Artemis sat side-by-side, looking up at the sky. It was past dark by now.

"I wonder how they're doing…" I said, breaking the silence.

Jupiter's hands were shaking, and she didn't look up. "I couldn't bear it if anything happened to them…" she said quietly. For once, she wasn't acting all tough. I guess when it comes to people you care about, all of your strength sort of falls apart.

Sailor Venus looked up with worry in her eyes but hope in her smile. "They're alright. They're protected by the powers of the Moon and Earth. They will get back safely," she said.

"It's taking so long…" Luna said.

We all looked up at the sky, praying to whatever God was up there that our friends and loved ones would come home safely.

~Darien's P.O.V.~

I held Sailor Moon's lifeless body in my arms, feeling numb. The image of her lifeless eyes was still vivid in my brain. The Crystal just...shattered. It shattered and she fell..right into my arms.

The others were surrounding us, sorrow clear on their faces. Sailor Mars was shaking Sailor Moon back and forth, crying uncontrollably.

"Wake up! Wake up, Sailor Moon! You did it; you stopped the asteroid! Sailor Moon...no! You said everything would be alright!" Mars sobbed. Jadeite wrapped an arm around her shoulders, offering comfort, but to no avail.

"The Moon Crystal used all of her strength…" Mercury whispered, "we can't lose her!" Tears were streaming down her pale face as she covered her face with her hands.

Jadeite, Kunzite, and Nephrite were silent, but I could tell by the paleness in their faces that they were feeling the same pain as the girls were. But they didn't know my pain...the pain of losing your soul mate. She was gone...the one woman in my life who made me feel whole. She made me want to be a better person, to do better in school and at home. She gave me a new purpose, and without her, all of that is gone. I'm never going to see her smile, or see the way her eyes light up when she walks into the room. Or the way her voice has a strange way of calming me...or feel her lips against mine. She was gone...and there was nothing I could do about it.

No...this can't be happening. Not after all we've been through. We were destined to be together, to share our lives together.

"I made her a promise, Darien," Fiore's voice echoed. I looked up at Fiore, who was kneeling next to me. I didn't have the strength to punch him.

"Fiore…" I said quietly.

"You saved me. You and Sailor Moon delivered me from Kassinian's destructive grasp. Thanks to you, I'm still able to give her this…" Fiore held out his hand, opening his palm to reveal a white flower that resembled a lily, "...my life."

Fiore's form changed, and he was now standing as a little boy. "This is the Friendship Flower. It holds my life energy. Give it's nectar to Sailor Moon," he instructed. I nodded and leaned down, pressing my lips against the soft petals. I looked down at Serena's sleeping face and pressed my lips against hers, sending a silent prayer for her to live. I had one hand around her back, supporting her, while the other was holding her hand. I pulled back a few inches, opening my eyes to meet hers.

And there she was...staring back at me. I looked up to find Fiore sailing away inside of a tiny bubble and looked back to Sailor Moon.

"We saved Earth…?" Sailor Moon asked quietly.

"Yes," Kunzite replied. I could almost hear the smile in his voice.

"Thank you…!" Sailor Moon said, looking at her Scouts and my Generals. She looked back up at me and smiled. "Without you…I never could have held the Crystal until the very end. So, from now on, when I say it will be alright, you'll believe me?"

Tears filled my eyes and I nodded, letting the tears spill down my face. "Yeah…" I said, smiling.

Sailor Mars threw her arms around Sailor Moon, crying into her shoulder as Sailor Mercury started shaking her head back and forth, covering her face with her hands. Nephrite put a hand on her shoulder and she couldn't help it, she threw her arms around Sailor Moon as well.

Nephrite, Kunzite, and Jadeite stood, crossing their arms over their chests as they smiled down at us.

Kunzite glanced towards Earth with longing. "What do you say we get back home?"

Yayyyy, happy ending! Just kidding, it's not over yet! There's probably gonna be like, twenty more chapters until this story is completely over.

Anyway, to those of you who put me on story alert/favorites, thank you so much! I never thought this story would be so succesful! This may be the last update until Christmas, so I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

~Miss Moon Rose~