"So Serena, rumor around our castle is the last two nights your dear prince was found outside your office sleeping." Mina said throwing a kick that Serena dodged.
"Meen if you are trying to distract me it is not going to happen." She connected a gloved hand to Mina's padded face.
"No, she is really not." Rei tried to grab her from behind only for Serena to slide under for the two girls collide.
Serena put her hands up for a time out. She was catching her breath. "What are you guys talking about?"
"Oh come Sere," Rei put her hand on her waist. "People are talking about a little tift that occurred in the office last night."
Serena looked at them confused.
"Pfft that 6'2 child trapped in a man's body." Lita asked taking a sip of water. "Good slide by the way, getting way better."
"Thanks."
Lita put her cup down. "There was no tift, I handled it." She walked to the girls. "Throwing another one of his stupid mantrums."
"Well Sere, we talked about you sleeping in your office." Mina squared up, fist in the air, ready for the next round.
"I know. I know." Serena took the same position. "I just-"
"Had so much to do, you must have fallen asleep?" Ami completed. She set the timer and waved her hand down signaling the girls to go. "Sere, if you don't get your rest, you are going to be tired. And if you are tried during an attack..."
"I know Ami, I put the entire kingdom at risk." Serena sighed.
"And this is exactly why we will never leave you." Rei leaped and the landed to the left of Serena to take a punch, missing her by an inch. "You have too much going on. You are not taking care of yourself."
"Please don't say that." Serena dodged Lita and Mina's kicks.
"Rei you really should take some time off you know..." Lita stopped to point out before ducking under one of Serena's kicks. "I hear we may need to get bridesmaids dresses soon?"
"Wait..what?" Mina landing gracefully on the ground.
"You got some air in that jump." Rei observed.
"Thanks, but do not change the subject." She demanded.
The other girls also stopped what they were doing, to turn their focus on Rei.
"Guys, we are training! Get back to focus!" Rei tried to assert herself.
"You're getting married?" Ami whispered, trying to contain her joy.
"Ugh... really Sere?"
Serena exhaled. "I am sorry! I didn't mean to. It just slipped!"
"How the hell did it just slip?!"
"After the incident with Darien and Malachite..."
"Wait a minute Malachite was involved? And nobody informed me?" Mina took a step closer to the scouts.
"I was there. I had it taken care of." Lita explained.
"Again! Let's get back to how the hell Jed and I became the topic." Rei clapped bringing the the girls back to focus.
"Sorry, Re" Lita too walked over.
"Look...Rei. After the incident with Darien and Malachite, Lita stayed a little longer than I wanted her to."
"Again just make sure she was going to be okay." Lita interrupted to explain.
The scouts acknowledged her with a simple nod, then turned back to Serena.
"Then I started talking about work and how far behind I was, and I needed to get things together, so you guys do not have to worry about me, and try to build your own lives." Serena sighed. "I let it slip that I feel guilty the man of your dreams proposed and you won't say yes...because of me."
Rei closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. In a quick flash a vision of her wedding came to mind. Her in her dress. The scouts in theirs. Flowers every where. Being presented for the first time as "man and wife. And just like that her heart sunk, as the vision of her walking back up the aisle, arm linked with Jed's, walking further and further away from Serena. Leaving her vulnerable to any attack.
Her eyes opened. "I made vow to always protect you." She whispered. "I am never going to leave your side, for my own selfish."
"Rei, please don't make me fire you."
Confused looks appeared across each girls face.
"You guys are all my friends, no sisters. Above all else. I need you all to be happy. And if letting you all go is the only way I can guarantee that..."
"You really put some thought into this, haven't you." Lita asked concerned.
"I love you guys all, I know it will kill me to fire you, but I am not going to be the reason you all aren't happy." Her arms dropped her side. "So, effective immediately, if you don't start taking time off, or I feel your duty as my scout is interfering too much with your personal life..." She could not bring herself to complete the sentence one more time. "Do I make myself clear?"
The other just nodded.
"I think that is enough training for today." She walked to a small table, grabbed a towel. Patted herself off, and started towards to exit doors of the hall.
"Do you guys think she is serious?" Lita whispered low enough for Serena not to hear.
"Yeah...she is." Mina answered.
Serena did everything she could to keep her composure, as she walked down the hall. "Just a few more steps, you can cry in your office." She whispered to herself the last thing she wanted was the servants to see her upset and more rumors fly. She itched her eye incase someone saw her they would think she just had something in her eye. She sniffed back the tears. She was so close she could see the door handle.
"Princess!" Her name was called down the hall by familiar male voice. It was not Darien's.
She instantly surrendered. Her head dropped and the tears flowed.
"Princess." The voice came closer.
She turned around.
"Princess what is wrong? What happened?"
"I am okay, Mal." She said again, taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly.
"Obviously not." Malachite observed.
"Really I am okay... what do you need? I have a meeting." She wiped away her tears and wiped her hands on her dress, then placed both hands behind her back.
"Princess you cannot be going to meetings looking like this, you are a mess, and someone is going to think...?"
"Think what Mal, I am a spoiled, semi-divorced, brat, that can't keep her palace in line or protected?" She nodded. "They are not far from the truth."
"Not what I was going to say at all." Malachite defended. "I would never say those words."
"Not to my face anyways?" She rolled her eyes, then looked back at Malachite. "I am fine. What do you need?" She sniffed. "What are those papers in your hands?"
Malachite composed himself. Fixed his posture. Exhaled. "The prince asked me to give these to you. He would have done it himself, but he is packing." He handed her the papers, which she grabbed.
She quickly sifted through and scanned them. She took a deep breath. "He signed them."
"And arrangements have been made. We will be leaving tonight. The prince asks that I give you his sincerest apologies. He did not mean to lose himself last night, and he apologizes for causing any distraction during your busy week."
She just stood there, observing his signature.
"It is official now."
"The advisor still has to process the originals, but ummm..." Malachite shrugged. "Basically, you're a free women."
She scoffed. "I thought I would feel different...like maybe this time the feeling would be easier? Or maybe not so much easier, but I just thought I would feel, something else. Does that make sense?"
"I don't think it will ever be easier, princess."
"You don't have to call me that anymore." She smiled.
"We all told you...regardless of your marriage to the prince, above all else, you will always be our first princess."
She couldn't help but smiled, and without thinking she threw her arms around him and pulled him in for a hug.
"Thank you guys for all you did." She whispered. "My kingdom will forever be grateful." She felt him lightly hug her back, so stiff, and unnatural. "Geez, is this how you and Mina, hug?" She tried to joke releasing him.
Malachite did not say a word.
"I think you should ask her to go with you."
"What? Who?" Malachite tried to play dumb.
"I know you love her, and I know she loves you, and you two should really give it a go. Two of the universe's best protectors." Serena nodded. "You two would unbreakable... and your kids." She smiled, while Malachite coughed.
"Kids?" The word was difficult to say.
"Ask her to come with you."
"You know she will say no." He replied.
Serena shook her head. "You won't know until you ask." She gave a simple smile, and turn around to walk to her office.
And it was like something written in a movie. The cheesy ones, that he never believed in, because the moments always lined up just so perfectly. But it happened the second Serena closed her office door he turned around to see Mina, slumping down the hall. Her face defeated. His palms got sweaty. His knees weak. "Is this what it really feels like...?" He thought to himself. She was coming closer, he needed to get himself together. He gave himself an internal nod. "Mina."
"Not now Malachite, I have too much on my mind, and I need to talk to Serena." She tried to brush by, but he quickly grabbed her wrist.
"I need to talk to you."
"I have heard everything you have had to say." Mina said sternly.
"We are leaving tonight." He informed her letting go of her wrist.
She took a small step back. "Wait? What? You... you just got here. You all just got here... what?"
Malachite nodded. "He sighed the papers. We are headed back tonight."
Completely overloaded from the conversation earlier, Mina struggled to formulate the words she wanted to say..."But...but you just got here..." Was all she could get out.
"Last night did not go as planned. I am not really sure if there was a plan. But whatever happened, and everything that was said. He is letting her go. So we are headed home."
Mina put her hand over her chest. "Does... does she know?"
"I just told her."
"Is she okay?" Mina looked down the hall to her office. "I need to check on her."
"Wait Mina, she is fine." He took both her hands. "But I need to know. Are we okay?"
Her head whipped back around to Malachite. "Wait, what?"
"I want you to come with me." His grip around her hand tightened.
Only noise she made was light scoff, like she was trying to push the correct words out, but nothing could make it through.
"Before you say no, it is not forever, just a week, maybe two. I will take time off and...please come with me."
"Serena..." She was all she could say.
"Will be okay, but I want to make sure we are okay. Please come with me." He pleaded.
Her eyes locked on his desperate eyes. Hand still holding his. She just nodded.
"Yes?" He smiled.
"I have to talk to Serena, but yes." She nodded. She felt the warmth of his body pulling her in to him. He kissed her forehead.
"I will tell the servant to pack a few of your things. Go talk to Serena." He kissed her forehead again, as she nodded.
The rest of the day was deja vu for Serena, and she felt ask empty and weak as she did the first time he left. People avoided her eye contact. The scouts watched her like a hawk incase she broke down. And though time was ticking by, closer to the time the shuttle took off, it was like everything stood still, until someone told her it was time.
She got herself together, and met the scouts, and the guards.
"Sorry, the prince had to..." He was not sure why he felt obligated to make an excuse of why Darien was not there. They were divorced afterall.
"It is okay Malachite, it is better than this way. I wish him all the best." She tried to force a smile.
"Serena, you do not have to be here." Mina wiped her tears.
"Yes, I do... I feel like this is the longest I am ever going to be away from you. So I have to say goodbye."
"You call me, anytime, and I will rush back." Mina hugged. "I don't care what we are doing."
"Stop." She pulled out of her hug. "Enjoy your time off with him." Serena nodded. "Tell me all about it when you come back."
"And we got her Mina, don't worry." Rei stepped up.
Serena turned and looked at Rei, then peaked over to see Jadeite standing there, looking down at the ground, then turned back to Rei.
"Actually Rei, you will not be." She put her hand up. "Before you say anything, remember our conversation today. I was serious."
Rei nodded.
"Good, so you won't set me on fire. You are going with them."
Rei made a little peep.
"Don't fight me on this, I was serious about what I said you need this time. I had the servants packs some of your things too. You going with them."
"Serena." Rei's voice cracked. She pulled her in for a hug. "Who is going to protect you?" She whispered.
"I will be okay, I promise. Now go plan that wedding. Tell me all the details when you come back."
"Serena." Mina spoke up.
"Mina, I will be okay. you guys go." She nodded.
"We got her." Lita and Ami said standing behind her.
"At least let me have Nephrite and Zoisite stay!" Malachite offered.
"Yeah... we don't mind at all." Nephrite inserted himself.
"We can't have you not protected." Malachite explained.
"I will be okay. I promise." She clapped her hands together. "You guys get going before he gets mad, I am sure Rei jumping on isn't going to thrill him."
"Please call us if you need anything." Rei gave her another hug.
"Please don't pick out an ugly dress for me to wear to spite me."
The two just chuckled.
Then one by one, the guards bowed and walked on to the shuttle.
"We got you Sere, don't worry." Lita started to rub her back.
"I know you do." She looked to Lita and Ami. Then watched as the shuttle took off. "It is going to be so weird with out them. I can hardly remember the last time we apart like this."
"It will be quiet. But weird." Ami corrected, trying to break the awkward moment. "Let's get you in before it gets too dark."
Back on the shuttle, everyone sat buckled, through take off.
"Wow I can't believe you are actually coming!" Jadeite could hardly hold in his excitement.
"Why because you think Serena is selfish and only thinks of herself?" Rei automatically got defensive.
"No...Rei."
"I have you know Jed, she threatened to fire us because she said she would be damned if we gave up her happiness for her. So next time you want to think ill of my princess, remember that." Rei unbuckled her belt.
"Rei we are not cleared to remove our belts, sit down."
"I am a scout, I will live." She got out of her seat and cautiously moved up the aisle to an empty one.
"Are you sure you want to get married. I can tell you from experience it is not easy." Darien teased. "One minute you are in la la land, the next you are going back and forth between planets, only to return home empty."
"You did the right thing Darien." Jadeite empathetically expressed. "You put the ball in her court now. She knows how you feel, and if it was meant to be."
"Yeah... I know... it will be." Darien said looking out the window, watching as the moon got smaller and smaller. "You think I will ever get over her?"
"Nope." Jadeite answered. "But at least next time you will do it the right way. No legal contracts. Not clauses about heirs. Nothing. Just you two."