Author's note: Thank you so much for your reviews (and your patience). I realise I haven't updated in a long while. I've been really sick and I haven't been able to write. I have every intention to finish this story (and A Moonlit Walk in Elysium) but it might take me longer than usual. I try to do an update each week but that might not be the case at the moment, so please do stay with me! I hope you enjoy this chapter. The story is moving forward. I've included more interactions between Darien and Serena which I hope you enjoy. Please leave me some reviews and let me know what you think! - R

Chapter 24

Her voice was but an echo to him. He was aware that she was calling his name, but it didn't register in his mind. It was as if he was a 100 light years away from her. It couldn't be real.

"Darien. Darien!" her voice continued to prompt frantically.

Except it was real. His head felt like it was ready to split open with just one final gentle nudge. He was conscious of his hands gripping his head, but he didn't have a spare hand to grip at his chest where his heart felt like it was on fire. Its quickened beat with every effort to pump the blood through his veins was beating loudly in his ears. It was deafening, but only just.

"Darien!" she cried. "What's happening? Darien?"

He was acutely aware of a hot damp spill down his trouser leg and he couldn't think how that came to be. But the heat from the liquid was nothing compared to the pain thrumming through his temple. Steadily, he felt the pain ebb away and his vision slowly came to him again. The first thing he saw was a coffee cup just to his side, a tiny remainder pooled inside the container on its side. Then he realised the dark, damp patch on his trousers was the result of spilled coffee that he must have dropped when he fell to his knees. However, he was taken aback that he hadn't immediately become aware of the person kneeling at his side.

"Darien?" she asked again.

He looked up at Serena to see tears swimming in her eyes, her brow furrowed in worry and her cheeks flushed with stress. She had her hand resting on his shoulder and her other hand gripping one of his tightly. There was a pile of books in a pile next to her as if she had dropped them or thrown them away from her in a hurry. He felt her hand squeeze his fingers harder.

"Are you okay?" she whispered.

Of course, they were in the library. After their lavender oil escapade, Darien suggested they head to the library to pick up some books that he needed for his chemistry paper and offered recommendations for books to help her with biology. She readily agreed, anything to get his heady scent and feel of his lips on her skin out of her head. Except suddenly, Darien was gripped by an overwhelming pain that he couldn't pinpoint, and he lost all perception of self. They were deep in the stacks where no one else decided to venture at that moment so there was no one for Serena to call out to when she watched him fall to the ground.

"Serena," he breathed, sitting up more fully, glancing around at the shelves upon shelves of books that surrounded them. "What happened?"

"I wish I knew," she replied. "One minute we were talking and the next you suddenly fell to the floor like an eel, clutching your head and groaning in pain. I didn't know what to do. There was no one around but equally, I didn't want to leave you."

"How long did this happen?" he winced, feeling the effects of a migraine.

"Minutes," came the answer. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I think a migraine is coming on," he admitted.

"Is your leg okay?" she pointed at the patch of spilled drink down his trousers.

"Honestly, I didn't notice it," he admitted. "I think I should go home for some rest."

"I'll come with you," she announced immediately.

"No, Sere," he objected. "I just need a lie down."

"At least let me help you get home," she insisted.

Darien said nothing and pulled himself to his feet, almost toppling over when the effects of being on his feet again made his head swim. He felt Serena's hands on his arm, stopping him from meeting the ground again.

"Please," she said firmly.

"What about all of the books?"

She cast her eyes over them dismissively.

"Not important," she replied. "Come on."

She led him out of the library, with Darien trying his best to not look so ghostly pale, her arm linked securely through his while he tried his best to avoid putting his weight on her small form. He thanked the heavens that his place was a five minute walk away from the library so that they didn't have to go far. They didn't say anything as they made their way to his apartment building and up the lift onto his floor. The stepped out and stopped in front of his door. In a daze, he brought his keys from out of the depths of his pocket and slid the key in the lock, allowing them to gain entrance. They crossed the threshold, slipping off their shoes and sat down on the sofa. It was then at that moment that Darien was acutely aware that Serena's hand was clasping his own. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye.

Serena sighed audibly.

"Are you okay sat here?"

He raised his eyebrows, looking down at her.

"I'm fine, Meatball Head," he assured her, a playful glint in his eyes.

It said it all that she didn't argue the nickname.

"Fine isn't the same as being okay," she rebutted.

He peered at her more closely, noting the stress weighing on her shoulders and the worry in her eyes. His eyes flickered to her fingers interwoven in his, pressing his lips together when he really took notice of the grip she had on him. He was suddenly overcome by the sensation that his heart skipped a beat. It was almost painful but in a different way to what he'd felt in the library.

"I'll lie down later," he murmured, nudging her with his shoulder gently.

Her brows pushed together as her eyes stared into his midnight blue gaze. She missed his eyes. She was hyperaware of his touch against her skin, and as much as it pained her, she knew she had to let go. This isn't the man she loved. He was buried somewhere underneath everything he forgot, the life he lived with her. Raye was the only other person who had heard particular words pass her lips that articulated exactly how it felt. She tried not to think about them. Every time Serena so much as looked at Darien, she felt like she lost him every time.

"Lie down now," she suggested, her words sounding more like an instruction, as she stood to her feet and tugged him gently, her hand still grasping his. "You look wiped."

"But devilishly handsome as always, of course," he winked jokingly.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Don't push it," she warned, secretly agreeing that he absolutely is.

She pulled on his hand again and he relented, getting to his feet, and following her down the corridor to his bedroom. They paused at the door, unsure how to proceed and he felt the loss of her contact as she let go of his hand, nodding her head towards his bed as if she were silently telling him to get in there. He passed her and got up onto his bed, pushing his pillows up at an angle so that he wasn't lying flat. He glanced at his door and frowned, seeing her standing there.

"Are you going to stand there or join me?" he asked, slightly taken aback by his final words that he hadn't consciously thought of in his mind.

She blinked at him, shocked. She hoped this wasn't going to hurt later. She inhaled and hesitantly stepped into his room. She reached his bed and climbed up, not quite allowing herself to relax or lie down next to him.

"Is this better than the sofa?" she breathed.

"Of course," he smiled in response, the tiredness evident in his voice now, as he closed his eyes.

"So, I'm probably not such a meatball head, then," she smirked.

She watched the smile spread across his face.

"Are you kidding?" he muttered. "You'll always be my meatball head."

She stared at him, feeling the flutter in her heart again. She watched his breathing slow as he fell into a slumber. She reached over him and into his pocket where she found the lavender oil she'd given him. She opened the bottle and squeezed the pipette gently to sprinkle some of the oil on his pillow, the scent of the lavender filling the room. She smiled at the smell, the memories coming back to her of her childhood. They were warm ones. That was when she noticed the small smile at the corner of Darien's lips. It seemed her memories were comforting him, too.

She reached over him to place the bottle on his bedside table and that was the moment that Darien chose to turn over, his hand catching her arm. She dropped the bottle which bounced on the carpet and she found herself unable to shift herself without taking him out of his light slumber, as she knew he wasn't completely asleep just yet. Instead, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, she nestled herself down on the mattress and rested her head on the pillow next to him. His arm draped over her side, his hand resting on her shoulder blade. She gazed at his face as the tiredness overcame him, and she knew she wouldn't be caught taking him in like this. It was at this moment when the words she tried so hard to avoid in her head flickered through her brain, the memory of when she first said them to Raye springing to mind as the feeling overwhelmed her.

They say that it's better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all. Whoever wrote that clearly never experienced the love of their life forgetting their whole existence. It makes you want to be alone because you can't lose what you never had.

When they say that you could cut the tension with a knife, they neglect to say how big the knife is. If this were the wild west, there would have been tumbleweed blowing across the room between the girls and the guys. Raye and Lita were sat next to each other and across the room, Jackson and Neal were sat in a similar position. No one had said anything since they left the ice rink and came to the Cherry Hill Temple. It seemed that words had failed them all. Lita shot a look at Raye, but the raven haired priestess only pressed her lips together firmly.

"I feel like someone should say something before the atmosphere suffocates us all," Lita broke the silence.

The guys looked at each other helplessly. What could they say? Jackson however tore his eyes from his good friend and stared at Raye.

"Alright, Lita," he nodded. "Why doesn't she start?"

He pointed at the silent priestess who refused to make eye contact with him. Lita blinked at her.

"Why Raye, Jackson?"

"She already knew who I was before we recovered our true memories… 30 minutes ago," he stated flatly.

Neal sat up straighter, a frown getting deeper with every minute.

"Wait, what do you mean she knew before you recovered your memories?" Lita exclaimed.

"I saw it in her eyes," he explained. "I don't think I could ever forget the wisdom and intuition she has in those eyes of her when she has insight that others don't."

"What did you want me to do?" Raye exploded, making Lita jump. "Take you by the shoulders and shake you, telling you to remember that you were one of the Earth's Shitennou? Oh, and that Killian's new friend in physics just happens to be your amnesiac prince? Honestly, Jack, what did you want me to do? The girls couldn't see any of you for who you were because none of them see what I can. As you know, it takes something to make it click. It's more than planet power. It's buried deep inside. Even I can't undo that."

"How did you know Jadeite was… Jackson?" Lita asked, her brow furrowing in confusion at the question.

Raye looked at Jackson and quickly tore her eyes away from him.

"His eyes," she confessed. "The eyes are windows to the soul and as corny as that sounds… it's true. I can see someone's true heart. At the time, I was using pyromancy to see the future and my senses have been heightened." She turned to Jackson who was fixated on her. "When I met you, I knew. You might remember how I greeted you."

He looked back at the moment he laid eyes on the beautiful shrine maiden for the first time and smiled with a nod.

"You called me by my true name," he said.

"I'm sorry, I didn't tell you," she breathed. She turned to Lita. "And I'm sorry I kept this from you, and the girls."

"It's just like Serena," Lita shrugged. "It's not your fault. It wouldn't have changed anything. Think how long Serena has been with Darien and nothing's changed."

At this, the guys were sat rigid in their seats. The girls noticed and frowned.

"What is it?"

"Our prince," they said simultaneously. "Would he have his memories back, too?"

A loud bang made them all start, and four heads shot towards the now open door to find Amy, Mina, Zane, and Killian stood there.

"Would anyone like to explain what the hell happened this evening?" Mina demanded.

"Zoicite? Kunzite?" Neal uttered in disbelief, really seeing his friends.

"Yep," Zane nodded, striding across the room, and taking his hand in a shake and pulling him in for a brief hug before moving onto Jackson.

"It seems we recovered our memories," Killian stated, crossing the door's threshold, and plonking himself down on the sofa across from the girls.

"And the award for stating the obvious goes to…" Raye grumbled.

Mina sat down next to her and elbowed her in the side.

"So, what happened?" Amy asked, her eyes flicking between them all.

"We were attacked at the ice rink by the Croatoan," Lita informed her. She saw out of the corner of her eyes the four guys lean forward with interest, opening their mouths to ask for more details on that new information. "We'll explain that later." She turned to Amy and Mina. "Basically, Neal saved me from an attack from the Croatoan. I think that's what did it. He performed an act of selflessness… one that he would have done when he was Nephrite. And he just… knew me. Even as Sailor Jupiter."

"What happened to the Croatoan?" Amy pressed.

"It disappeared," Raye told her with a shrug. "I'm intrigued as to why."

The cogs in Amy's brain were practically whirring away as the lightbulb was starting to heat up and brighten.

"I think I might have a theory," she smirked.

"This is why she's the brains of the group," Mina cried, clapping her hands together.

"Do you remember when I first discovered the name of the Croatoan through some old legends I found in my research?" Amy asked the girls directly. When they nodded, she continued, addressing the guys now. "Some time ago, more specifically in the days of the Silver Millennium, there were rumours of a demon that hunts what lies beneath, feeding on what humans hide in the deepest recesses of their souls: their secrets. Therefore, absolute honesty in the presence of this monster is key to their survival. If one dared to contain their secrets, legend states that the demon won't allow their victim a final chance to process, or at the very least, scream. With a sharp burst, the monster will pierce their victim in the throat, forever trapping the secret within." She shrugged, looking at the girls. "I said that there was an imbalance in the world, one that needed to be corrected. This is what the Croatoan's existence is about." She looked at the guys pointedly. "You were that imbalance. That's why the Croatoan faded after you recovered your memories. The imbalance was solved with Neal's act of selflessness."

The smug look on Neal's face could be seen from orbit.

"Well, that comes back to the original question," Lita said slowly, rolling her index finger in the air as if to rewind. "Does Darien continue to be an amnesiac?"

"Well, technically, he was always an amnesiac," Mina pointed out.

"Mina!" Raye hissed.

"It kind of took something exceptional to wake Darien up from his stupor," Amy recalled.

"Yeah, but Serena is awake," Mina reminded her. "What would it take now?" She gestured at the guys. "I mean, no offence, but Darien was always on another wavelength to his Shitennou."

"You don't think they'll be connected?" Lita wondered.

Mina shook her head while Amy nodded.

"Of course, they're connected," Amy countered. "I don't think their recovered memories will impact Darien's ability to do so as well. He's connected to the Earth in ways that no one else is, just like we are connected to our planets. If the world holds an imbalance, he'll react to it."

The room fell silent.

"What do we do then?" Neal asked.

"Live our lives," Raye suggested.

"And how do we do that now?" Zane wondered, his eyes fixed on Amy.

The girls couldn't bring themselves to answer. Even after experiencing for the second time waking up as their true selves, they had no advice to give. They grieved the lives gifted to them by Queen Serenity when it was tore from them when they were awakened to protect the planet once again, but they also rejoiced at being reunited. It was a double edged sword.

Late in the evening, the guys were sat in Killian's living room, each with different thoughts swirling around in their brains but equally with one person on their minds.

"Who could have guessed this when we woke up this morning?" Jackson said tartly, rubbing his fingers against his temple.

"Well, I wouldn't have placed bets on Neal expecting his date to go in the direction it did," Zane laughed, swallowing a throatful of water.

"This isn't funny," Neal scowled. "This is a disaster."

"A disaster? We're ourselves again!"

"I agree with Neal," Killian interrupted. "We can't very well storm Darien's apartment and demand to know if he remembers who he really is. If he continues to not remember his memories, then this presents a problem."

"You're right," Zane conceded with a sigh.

"What can we do then?" Jackson asked.

"Actually, it turns out that Killian is a helpful guy," Killian smirked to himself. "I'd already invited Darien to hang out with us sometime and he agreed. So, already, we have an excuse to integrate him into our group. We can be there to protect him."

"Protect him?" Zane cringed. "Honestly, if Prince Darien heard those words, he would probably give you a thundering headache after delivering a well-earned smack."

"Well-earned?" Killian retorted. "We are his protectors, you dumbass."

"It's really not Darien's style."

"Well, tough because he's the one who is currently at risk of being hunted by a demon we've never fought against before," he said firmly.

"Speaking of which," Jackson piped up, "how exactly are we to protect him when it's been a while since we even exercised our abilities to be able to?"

"Jack, it's like riding a bike," Neal boomed, slapping him on the shoulder.

"Oh yeah?" Jackson challenged, raising an eyebrow. "I dare you to try bringing down lightning from the sky."

"I'll take you up on that," Neal agreed, getting to his feet.

"Not in here, you don't!" Killian argued, launching the nearest pillow at Neal's head. "We need to practice. I'm sure the girls needed to do exactly the same."

"Yeah, but the girls are very different to us," Jackson reasoned. "They were born into their planet power. We have access to our power through our prince."

"It'll take some practice," Killian reassured them all. "Let's not worry about it right now. We have a plan to keep him close. And I know that the real him is surfacing."

"How's that?" Neal inquired with interest.

"He's feeling something for Serena. He's confused by it though. Presumably, that's the amnesia taking over." Killian paused then laughed. "I teased him about it though."

"You teased him for having amnesia?" Jackson blinked.

"No, you dunce," Killian replied, rolling his eyes. "Teased him about Serena."

"Oh, right."

"Anyone else feel sorry for that girl?" Neal sighed.

The guys went silent as they considered the question. It didn't really require an answer: of course, they did.

"They don't seem to catch a break, do they?" Killian asked. It was a rhetoric question.

"Do we?" Zane pointed out.

"Fair enough."

"How is this going to change our relationships with the girls?" Jackson wondered, his demeanour falling despondent.

"I guess that's something we'll find out," Neal sighed again.

Silence reigned over them once more, but they found themselves exchanging looks, which eventually turned into fond smiles.

"It's good to see you guys again," Killian admitted. "Really see you this time."

"Hear, hear!" the guys chorused back, which then set them off chuckling.

A few hours had passed by and Darien was fast asleep. It was late in the evening but not so late that Serena's parents would be worrying where their daughter was. She'd accidentally fallen asleep next to Darien, his arm still draped over her. She considered his peaceful face as he slept, already seeing that he looked better for the rest after his episode in the library. She felt her heartbeat quicken as she allowed herself to pretend that he loved her, as he once did. She felt her communicator vibrate in her pocket and she reached down to pull it out to peer at the message that she knew she'd find there.

It was from Raye.

Text your parents that you're staying at mine tonight. I know you're with Darien. Come over in an hour. You missed out on some mysteries surrounding the Croatoan. – R

Serena's eyes widened and she sent off a reply.

Is everything okay? – Sere

A reply immediately came back.

Does Darien still not remember anything? – R

No, why? – Sere

Then everything isn't okay. Don't worry right now. We're fine for now. Stay with Darien and come over later. We're getting to the bottom of this mystery. – R

I'm worried, Raye. – Sere

Don't be. You're where you should be right now. I'll catch up with you later. – R

Serena sent off texts to her parents to let them know she'll be sleeping at Raye's then she pushed her communicator back into her pocket. She rested her eyes on Darien's face and felt herself calm. Raye was right. Rushing off wouldn't achieve anything and she trusted Raye with her life. If she told her all was fine for the moment, then it was. She was giving Serena the gift of time, being with Darien when his guard wasn't up. She pondered the past couple of months and how lonely she'd felt, despite that she was surrounded by her closest friends. If her friends were the brain, Darien was the heart. Her friends kept her fighting, supported her to continue on through the most difficult times, kept her laughing and warm. But Darien made her feel alive throughout all of that. He helped her to see the world not as it is, but how it should be, even on days when the world crumbles.

She snuggled herself closer to Darien, feeling his arm tighten around her. She felt his breath on her skin, and she knew he was in a deep sleep. She did what she hadn't dared to do while he was aware and awake. She raised her head, hesitated for a moment, and pressed her lips against his gently. She felt her heartbeat strongly for him while her lips were against his, but she also felt the yearning in her chest. She missed him so much.

The thing about being alone is that it can never last. At some point, we all need to reach out and find comfort. At first, to what we know: the people, the places, how everything used to be. But things change. And no matter what you do, it's never going to be the same. So the question becomes: where do you go? What do you do? Maybe it doesn't matter as long as you go somewhere.