Blueeyeddevil06, thank you so much! You are a fabulous beta and friend.
There is a new one shot in Finding Love, Dreaming. Darien is having vivid dreams with Serena every night and then has to see her in school.
Chapter 48 - Welcome Home
Rui already loved Serena. She was the one who had been there for her at the worst moment of her life. Now she thought about it, she was there for her best too. Sapphire was holding her hand and released from the dark energy controlling him. Serena was beaming, and Darien was smiling at her fondly.
The four of them walked into the penthouse and made their way to the living room. The rest were going to join them a little later. They wanted to have time for Sapphire to adjust to everything.
They all sat, and Sapphire looked uncomfortable. Of course it was Serena who tried to put him at ease. "Do you like the penthouse?" He nodded. "Good. We have a room already set aside for you. We don't have a change of clothes for you, but I have something you can sleep in tonight. It used to be Darien's."
Sapphire was completely shocked, "Wha… What? You want me to stay here?"
Serena seemed uneasy, "Unless you don't like it…."
"No! No, this place is amazing. Why would you want me to stay here though?" he asked.
Darien knew Serena's sweet nature wasn't going to help Sapphire understand, so he jumped in. He asked, "Are you going to betray us to Beryl? Is it the case that you weren't under the influence of dark energy and you wanted to attack us all?"
"No! I won't betray you!" Sapphire stated, unequivocally.
"Let me outline it for you then. Either you are evil, and we have to destroy you, or you let us help you. See my wife there?" He pointed at Serena. "She will fight for anyone. That includes you. If you waste that gift or abuse it, I will take it personally, and I have four men who would be more than happy to follow my orders and destroy you, if I asked. If you accept the gift, and treat her and Rui as you should, you will have no problem being someone I call friend. Make that decision now."
"I won't betray either of them." Sapphire stated.
Darien nodded, "Then you stay here, with us. You have nowhere else to go, and Rui doesn't need to take responsibility for you yet. Surely you don't want to be a burden on her."
"I don't want to be a burden on anyone." Sapphire said.
"Then don't be." Darien picked up a notepad with a pen and tossed them at Sapphire. "Write down everything you remember about Beryl, Metalia and why you served them. Do that, and you will be a huge asset to us."
Sapphire nodded, "I will do that, happily."
Darien nodded at Serena. She smiled and said, "The others will come over soon. You don't actually want to kill Molly, right?"
Sapphire's shoulders slumped, "I don't. I was ordered to by Beryl. Apparently her dead cousin hated Molly. She is after revenge."
Rui squeezed his hand and said, "Molly and Andrew are soulmates like us. Apparently in his past life, Andrew was married to Bazzite. She didn't love him, but she objected to someone else being above her in his eyes."
Sapphire was horrified by what he learned. "How can you all ever forgive me?"
Darien looked Sapphire in the eyes and said, "Get over it. This whole thing goes a lot slower if you keep blaming yourself. From this moment on, now that you are in control of your actions, we will hold you responsible for them. Deal?" Sapphire was hesitant, but nodded.
Serena looked at Rui and said, "Why don't you show him where he will be staying. Talk to him. Come back out in thirty minutes."
Rui nodded and led Sapphire away.
As soon as they were out of sight, Serena hugged Darien. "Thank you for trying to make him understand. You are amazing."
"Why did you send him away?" he asked.
Serena gave him a loving smile and said, "Could anyone get through to you more than I could? They need time so she can talk to him in private. We have done our part. It's up to her now."
He leaned down and kissed her. "You are right, of course."
She smiled and said, "I know how to handle a stubborn man. I have practice."
Darien lifted her up from the couch and put her into a fireman carry. He grabbed her bottom, squeezed it, and then marched to their bedroom and threw her on their bed. He said, "I would feel badly for every other man who doesn't have you, but I refuse to share."
She smiled up at him and said, "You are more than enough man for me."
He chuckled and got down to hover over her on the bed. "We are going to have to make this quick."
She smirked up at him, "You were the one who couldn't wait until tonight."
"I can't resist you." He grasped her breast.
"Good, I don't want you to."
Thirty minutes later, the four of them had reconvened in the large living room. Sapphire was looking more confident as everyone arrived.
Rui walked over to Serena. She smiled as she said, "He feels like I do. You saved him from death and servitude. Thank you for protecting us both. Most of all, thank you for giving him back to me.
Serena hugged her, "You know I am always on your side and the side of true love."
Once everyone else had arrived, Serena introduced everyone. When she got to Sammy, she said, "This is Sammy, he's my brother and lives here too. He is in the room closest to you. He is also Darien's reincarnated brother from our past lives."
Sapphire looked stunned, "So, if you are all reincarnations and soulmates, am I?"
Darien shrugged, "Truth is that we don't know. I don't remember you from my past. I have Endymion's memories. My guess is that soulmates didn't only exist thousands of years ago. It would make sense that they are still being born."
"So, I traveled across the solar system corrupted by evil and found my soulmate?" Sapphire asked.
Rui smiled up at him, "That isn't any less plausible than Darien and Serena's story."
Sammy laughed, "You have a point there. Wait until you meet the talking cats!"
Artemis jumped up on the coffee table and said, "You mean me?"
Sapphire looked stunned, "I didn't know anyone survived from the planet Mau!"
Luna jumped up next to Artemis, "Two of us did."
"Amazing!" Sapphire said. "I am glad to know that. It was horrible to think that your whole race was gone. Well, it would have been had I had any empathy. Diamond ensured I didn't."
"Diamond?" Serena asked.
"My brother. He is a horror. He made a deal with someone who calls himself Wiseman and was given power. It was in the form of pure evil. That was the evil energy you healed me from. My brother made sure Wiseman infected me against my desires as well, and then he made a deal with Beryl. She would have been under his rule once she had the Legendary Silver Crystal with my help."
Darien laughed, "Somehow I don't think it would have worked that way."
"No, you are right. Metalia and Wiseman would have been fighting in the end after they destroyed their puppets, of course. They don't see that."
"It seems there is a lot we need to know. I am glad you are able to help us." Darien replied.
Sapphire bowed in front of Serena, "I submit my powers and my knowledge to you and into your service. I vow to always act in your interest and never betray you."
Serena smiled at Darien and winked, "Rise Sapphire, my first General."
Rui teared up and started crying.
Sapphire panicked, "What? What is wrong?"
Rui gave him a small smile, "I am just so happy. I was so afraid that you would be lost to me. I am so glad she gave you back to me." She kissed his cheek.
He smiled down at her, "I am so glad your friends saw it in themselves to rescue me. It says a lot about their love and affection for you."
Mina flashed the Sailor V sign and said, "It also shows that we know what it is like to have a soulmate."
Raye rolled her eyes, "If they ever get it in their heads to propose, I mean really! What are you actually waiting for, Jadeite?! Do you think someone else better will come along? Jerk!" She huffed and crossed her arms.
Jadeite laughed and leaned back in his chair. "All I was waiting for was for you to yell at me. It's really sexy when you do, and I love it when you take charge. I am so glad we are finally engaged."
"Wait, what do you mean we are engaged? You didn't ask!" Raye yelled.
"No, but you did." he pointed out. "I say yes, I'll marry you."
"Ass!" she fumed.
He nodded, "Yes, but you like my ass. You told me so."
She cracked a smile as he pulled her close to him and he said, "Please, tell me you will marry me."
She nodded, "Yes, it would have been nice if you had a ring though."
He pulled a red ruby ring out of his pocket and asked, "Will this do?"
Her eyes misted up and she nodded. He placed the ring on her finger and she beamed at him.
Jadeite stood and pulled her up with him. "Well, you all can figure the rest of this out. We have some celebrating to do."
After they left, Rui laughed and said, "We really are all incredibly weird."
Serena shrugged, "But we are never boring."
