It had been another week of him tolerating Serenity's surprises, antics, and sex games, and yet he still knew not of what she

It had been another week of him tolerating Serenity's surprises, antics, and sex games, and yet he still knew not of what she thought of him. After being cooped up his palace all day, he opted to take a walk in the park to clear his hazy mind. One would not think that very strange, for someone to take a walk in the park, but if they were to fly halfway across the globe in their private jet so that they could walk around in a particular park in a city known as Savannah, then it would be a different story.

His mind filled with memories of him sitting down on a particular bench and watching one particular female jog around the park track. He sighed when he noticed that he was not to far from that particular spot; he slowly walked over and took a seat.

He smiled warmly as he recalled that he had never actually got any jogging done that day. Though he would never tell Serena, as soon as he saw her he was floored; she was the reason he had to sit down. Of course his ego demanded that he keep that bit of information to himself. His eyes trailed over the whole track as he was able to recall exactly how many times she had jogged it before opting to sit down; thankfully, at his bench. Sometimes he wondered, what would have happened if she had chosen to sit somewhere else? What if she got tired and decided to sit at another bench where there was another man? Would he have even approached her at all?

Images of him and Serena making love suddenly filled his head. He arose quickly, in his mind that bench was cursed; it brought him memories of a woman whom he loved, whom didn't reciprocate the feeling. He shuffled his feet along, not really looking where he had been going, when he bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see where I was…Darien?" He heard a familiar voice say. No...it couldn't be...Why would she be here? Now of all times!

"Serena?" He looked down at her, his eyes clearing up, he hadn't realized before how short she was compared to him, just about a foot in difference, enough for her to fit right beneath him. "How are you? What have you been up to lately?"

"I've been…catching up with my life. " She looked down to the ground, hands gripping her purse as she swayed in one spot. Was it his imagination, or was she trying to avoid looking at his eyes?

"Well, you look great." More than great actually.

"Th-thanks." She was stuttering; a trait he knew she only picked up when she was hiding something. "S-so do you."

Darien you are an idiot! How can you talk about loving one person while you're fucking someone else? Maybe I'm not in love...maybe I'm just in love with the idea of love. The possibility that there would be that one person, who would always smile just for me, always laugh for me, always be there for me...that would intrigue anyone right? He sighed. I could drop a pin right now and here it falling...I'm such a damn mess, who do I want Serenity or Serena? Serenity's exciting, sexy, she's playful...boy is she ever playful! But Serena's sweet, kind, beautiful, innocent...she's not even my type. Serenity's my type...why am I having this conversation??? I wonder what she's thinking.

He smells so good...he even looks good. What am I saying? He always looks good! And of course, I look like a mess. She carefully tucked a stray tendril behind her ear. Look at me; I'm practically falling all over myself again. I can't do this anymore. Not now, he's no longer mine. He belongs to the princess now, he couldn't possibly love me or have any feelings for me...have we been standing here for five minutes in silence?? I can here a pin dropping if I wanted...please say something, anything...

"Serena...there's something that has been bugging me, that I don't understand." He sighed. "How is it that you know Mina?"

Anything but that...why did he have to ask that? She moved that pesky tendril from her face before speaking.

"Well-" She was about to answer him when a man walked up to where they were standing, Justin at his side with his hand in his own. Oh no, I almost forgot! Of all the times...

"Darien!" Justin exclaimed.

"Hey sport." He smiled, before looking back up to the man he knew not of. Who is this guy?

"Darien, Usagi has told me all about you...and Justin speaks highly of you as well." He reached his hand out in greeting. Darien looked at her questioningly because of the unfamiliar name and the obvious endearment. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation." He began before turning towards Serena. "You didn't tell him who you are?" She crossed her arms before speaking.

"I was not allowed to tell anyone of whom I was, or anything about the moon." She knew Darien was starring at her now, she could feel his eyes on her.

"Oh yes, of course. But now that the ban has been lifted, I see no problem in informing him of your position." He looked back to Darien and continued speaking. "On the moon, Usagi was Princess Serenity's Lady in Waiting." Darien looked to Serena in shock, as she stood there immobile, before looking up with finality, confirming the news.

"I don't understand...who, who are you?" He looked pointedly at the man, unsure of where he fit in the whole picture.

"Darien…this is James, he's…he's Justin's father." She finally blurted out. He tried to mask the pain that this new knowledge was accompanied by, but he knew that deep down he was insanely jealous.

"It's nice to finally meet you." He replied when he had finally gathered his composure. "You're a lucky man."

"Thank-you...but every time I look at them, I know this is true...I've searched the planet over for her and now that I have found her, I shall not let her go." He smiled triumphantly.

"So...what are your plans?" He shoved his hands in his pockets as he looked to the seemingly happy family.

"Well, we have talked about it, and we have decided to get married." He replied.

"Oh, congratulations Serena, James, I-I hope you're happy…together." It took him so much of his pride just to say those words; he should have been the happiest man in the world with what he had going for him, but he still felt like a loser in the end.

"It will take sometime to get things going again, but I know things will work out, because it was meant to be." Darien tried for the umpteenth time to look to Serena's eyes, but she turned her face away from him.

"Well, it was nice to meet you Darien. Let's go Usagi, we have to see to getting that chapel secure."

"Right…well, it was nice seeing you again…Darien." And then she was gone; once more leaving him confused and disoriented. He suddenly began to think back to the time when she had told him something about being punished for some kind of wrongdoing; he vaguely wondered if it had something to do with the princess.

Darien was pacing the floor in circles in his private chambers while Malachite watched him from a cushioned chair; he stopped and glanced towards his direction.

"So what do you think? He asked.

"I think it's safe to say that you still love her." Malachite replied nonchalantly as he placed his newspaper down on his lap.

"That's not what I asked you." Darien began. "Look, I've traveled down that road before and I think it's dumb for me to travel it again. Besides, I'm supposed to love Serenity remember? That's the only way I can become King and finish those dumb tests." He paused before continuing. "Now, back to the real question at hand, doesn't this guy just seem too perfect to you?"

"Funny, you didn't think the tests were dumb before." He lingered for a moment as he leaned back in his chair. "Darien, forget the fact that whenever you were with her you argued, forget that when you two were together, all that seemed to radiate between you was detestation. The thing is, around her; you seemed normal, and more alive. Now you, excuse me for saying this but, you are acting like a pig-headed, sophisticated class act jerk." He sighed as he rubbed his hands over his face. "If this is the wrong answer, if this is not what I am supposed to think, then tell me why you are talking to me in the first place? What do you want me to say?" He paced the floor before him for a while longer, before he paused and looked at Malachite solemnly. "You came here expecting to hear what you wanted to here but all you got was the truth…what you didn't want to hear…maybe she's moving on…thing is, you can't give her a chance to do that."

"You're right." He slumped down into the chaise and buried his face in his hands. "Things are so complicated now; I've agreed to some stupid challenge all because I thought I could finally reach some kind of closure in my life. I thought that I would never see her again, and now I find out that she's close to the Princess...I don't, I don't know what to do anymore...things have just gotten so…so…different."

"Well, the truth usually works." Silence was the reply to his comment. "Darien, you are going to have to face her and this time, not let her go."

"I know, I have done that, but what if she doesn't love me?" He extended is hands in the air with gesture. "What if she really doesn't love me? I don't know if I could take that kind of rejection again. I already went through hell and back the first time."

"Well, maybe you should just tell her that...tell her how she hurt you, tell her how she made you feel. Love should be shown without the use of the word love, she could think that you are merely falling in love with love, instead of falling in love with her…look at it from her side. She had a kid with a man and he has now come back to take claims on her. Why shouldn't she want the chance to have a family with the first man she had fallen in love with? Isn't it only fair that he get a chance to have her again?"

"No! Because she's in love with me now damnit!" His voice became soft before he spoke once more. "And I fell deep a long time ago."

Darien sighed as he languidly lie back against Serenity's chest, this was definitely not the place one should be when trying to figure out whether or not they were in love with another. The sounds of giggling filtered through his head as she dipped the crème colored sponge in the water and lifted it to his chest once more.

He opened slitted eyes to survey his surroundings; both he and Serenity had decided to retire after a long meeting in a huge white ornate tub, filled with water and scented oils, layered with rose petals. To their right on a small stool sat a vast golden embroidered bowl filled to the brim with chocolate covered strawberries, to their left a bucket of ice, a bottle of champagne, and two wine glasses. He'd be a damn liar if he didn't admit that being where he was, was as comfortable as heaven.

His fingers mindlessly trailed up and down her calved muscles that encircled his waist; of course, the fair maiden had been ignored for quite too long and was no longer content with the silence she was being delivered. He flinched slightly when playful hands found their way silkily, to wash his pride esteem.

"What are you thinking about?" She leered. "You have been quite too hushed in my company for too long…lord knows we mustn't have that."

"Nothing important." He sighed.

"It must have some value if it has kept you occupied for such a time." While wrapping her arms around him and hugging him close to her chest, she placed a light butterfly kiss at the nape of his neck. He thought for a moment, considering whether or not he should discuss the matter with her, when he finally decided against it.

"It is merely trifling matters of the state, nothing you should be worrying your beautiful face over." For some reason, Serenity felt that he may be lying to her, but decided not to press it; she didn't quite understand her feelings for this complicated man.

Minako sighed as she lounged back on the sofa of the girl's lounge suite in the Earth castle.

"Where's Serenity again?" Lita asked from her position near the ceiling high window.

"She's with her Endymion again on a diplomatic meeting with the council." Ami readjusted the glasses on her face and flipped the page of her book.

"Oh..."

"It so boring around here!" Rei exclaimed as she jumped up from her seat and began to pace back and forth. "If I don't get out of this forsaken castle, I think that I shall go mad!" She ranted. "Where are those stupid royal guards anyway? They're supposed to be escorting us and they are fifteen minutes late!"

"Ladies and gentleman, the bitch has spoken." Jedite commented as he entered the room. Before he could think twice, Rei was already at his side, hand raised in the air; he caught it easily.

"How dare you speak of me that way?" She spat.

"Don't mind him Reianne, that boy is so hot to trot for you that he finds that your anger is the only way he can get your attention." Malachite joked as he walked into the room, the other men filing behind, and sat next to Minako.

"I think they make a cute couple, Rei needs someone who can defuse her fury." Minako commented with a sparkle in her eye as Malachite presented her with an orange hibiscus flower.

"And once in a while it's nice to know there is someone out there who doesn't stand for Jedite's shit." Nephlite laughed deeply as he encircled warm arms round Lita's waist.

"What are you reading my dear?" Zoycite smiled as he plucked the book from Ami's hands. "Today is a day for excitement, no reading allowed." Ami blushed as he removed the glasses from her face.

"It's about time someone was able to pull that girl from her books...if there is anything you ever need Zoycite, I am in your debt." Rei laughed as she looked towards where the two sat quietly on the chaise opposite Minako and Malachite.

"How bout 3 hours, a room, and Ami alone...I think that should cover anything I ever do for you."

"Zoycite!" Ami's eyes became wide at the hidden meaning in his words, a light red tint appearing on her face once more.

"Get a room!" Jedite exclaimed as he looked at the two in mock humor.

"That's what I just asked for." Zoycite smiled mockingly.

"Enough talk, you have come to escort us have you not? Where can one find a skating rink?" Lita questioned.

"Skating?" Jedite scowled. "We do NOT skate."

"Oh, come on, we're going skating girls." Rei smiled, happy to have found something to agitate her escort with.

"Ugh, no, we are not." He combated.

"Let's get dressed, it shall be fun." Ami replied as she pulled Zoycite from his seat. Each girl pulled their counterpart from their place and in the end, their male companions were forced to take them to the skating rink.

"You know what, you guys are like Endymion, he always tries to pull us out here on the rink." Malachite chuckled as he skated with Mina's hand in his own.

"Fascinating, a man whom is not afraid to show his artistic side." Zoycite sighed as Ami spoke; he pulled her even closer to his warmth.

"He's always saying that it improves our agility, and forces us to become extremely flexible." He commented.

"He is right you know." Rei smiled.

"Yes, but I'll be damned if I'll let him now that." Jedite swung Rei in front of him so that he was guiding her movements; she glared daggers at him as she turned her head to face him and was caught off guard when he held her tightly to his body.

"So, do the best skaters come here?" Lita asked.

"Yes, sometime they hold free lance competitions." Nephlite replied.

"Free Lance competitions?" She arched her brow, a curious look on her face.

"Well, during free lance competitions, they allow everyone to get on the ice. Then they watch as everyone skates around the rink." He explained the matter further, filling in on more of what it entailed.

"From the skaters on the rink they pick ten skaters, and that lucky group gets to compete against each other in the competition." Malachite finished for him as he leaned at an angle when they neared the end of the rink. "If they tap you, you have to get off the rink. When there are ten people left on the rink, those are the ten competitors."

"Wow, sounds exciting!" Lita exclaimed as they continued to glide around the rink.

"OK baby, that's it nice and slow." Serena smiled as she led Justin by the hand onto the ice for the first time.

"Mummy, itso hard." His short legs wobbled back and forth as he attempted to stand without falling.

"Tell you what Justin, maybe we should just try teaching you when there's less people on the rink." She sighed and then suddenly changed her demeanor. "Hey, you want me to pick you up?" He nodded his head enthusiastically, knowing what that meant. She swung him in the air and he laughed as she began to spin with him in place; the sounds of their giggling and laughing echoing all over the rink.

"I wonder why your voice is echoing so much?" She murmured, but when she stopped spinning, she got her answer. Everyone was practically off the rink except her and a few others. "What's going on?"

"Serena, is that you?" She heard a voice call her name out. She turned around to see Lita coming towards her.

"Lita, what's going on?"

"It's a competition, and you have obviously been chosen to compete." She replied triumphantly.

"No, I can't" She argued. "Besides, I'm here with Justin, I can't leave him here alone."

"Problem solved, the others are here; they weren't chosen." She laughed.

"I just couldn't." She held Justin in her arms as she continued to defend her case.

"Yes you could mummy."

"See, even Justin agrees, I'll take him to the others." Without giving Serena another word edgewise, Lita quickly grabbed him and began to bring him across the rink, Serena hot on her trail.

"No, Lita really, I don't feel like skating anyway." She yelled. "Lita!" She sighed before deciding to pick up the pace. When she reached, the way she was skating everyone thought she would hit the wall, but she made a sharp turn and came back at them. "If you don't mind, I'd like to have my son back."

"Oh come on Serena, Lita needs some real competition." Ami suggested as she looked over to her friend from behind the wall.

"Yeah, she needs someone to whoop her but...that's what she needs" Rei triumphed, throwing her hand eagerly in the air.

"Har, Har, Rei" She crossed her arms over her chest, an evident scowl on her face.

"Look, I don't feel like it OK."

"Really Serena, why not?" She knew the voice without even looking up to check.

"I just came here to teach Justin to skate."

"What better way to teach your son, than to show him from someone who has better skills. I heard you were a pro, prove it."

"Look Darien, I have nothing to prove, to you or to anyone else." She looked to them all with a steadfast glare.

"Please mummy." Justin pleaded with soft eyes. "Everyone always says your great, how come I never get to see you skate?"

"Well, because, I…uh, OK..."She sighed in defeat. "But just for you baby." She gave him a small peck on the cheek before following Lita to the other side.

"This I have to see." Darien replied.

"Everyone else already picked numbers, so you two will be last, you and then you." A man with a rurly mop of brown hair explained to both Lita and Serena when they arrived on the other side of the rink.

"Oh, great, not only did you guys sucker me into this, but I have to be last." Serena sighed as she sat down on the bench nearest to the short wall.

"Hey, you know how they say they saved the best for last." Lita joked.

"Yeah whatever." She crossed her arms and sighed in contempt, this really wasn't what she wanted right now. "This is really stupid."

"No it's not, it's fun. When was the last time you had fun?"

"Right before you dragged me to the other side of the rink." She commented. "You know this is really unfair, I have years of experience against these people."

"Hey, but you haven't skated since you were sixteen."

"Like that really makes it better…"

"Well think of it this way, now you could show the people of Earth some new tricks." Lita's laughter died as Serena turned away with a sigh. "Listen, I know things aren't the best right now for you…but you have to take it all in stride, have fun…let go." She silently wondered how Serena could be so melancholy, especially since she had just discovered who Justin's father was. She thought for sure that that would make Serena the happy person she used to be again, but she knew that was for not when she heard her next words.

"God knows I'm trying Lita." She sucked in a breath and licked dry lips as she looked over to the other side of the rink where Justin sat on Darien's shoulders, both looking on at the competitors. "God knows I'm trying." Lita followed her line of vision and then suddenly understood.

"Hey Miss, you're on." She looked up startled, as the man looked pointedly at her.

"Well, here I go, wish me luck." Serena watched as she arose and went to the entrance to the rink. "Oh, and Serena?"

"What?"

"Don't you dare think of chickening out!" She stepped out onto the ice, hearing Serena's voice filtering through her ears in the background.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm doing this for Justin remember?" She shouted before focusing careful eyes on her friend's technique.

"She's good, but not as good as me." Serena turned just as a woman with long wavy red hair approached her from behind.

"Excuse me." Arching her brow at the woman's obvious bratty behavior, she crossed her arms and turned fully towards her.

"Well, around here they call me the champion." She began. "Because you see, I am just the best."

"Oh really?"

"Really, in fact, I think they should just hand me the trophy right now."

"How can you be so sure of yourself?"

"Because, you see, there's some dents in the ice, just little chunks missing, and well…let's just say I hope she doesn't fall. You can't do anything about it now, and no one will believe you, they think they checked the ice completely and thoroughly already, so don't try to tell the authorities." Serena quickly ran to the wall and shouted over it at her friend.

"Lita!" she screamed off the top of her lungs. "Watch out!" Her eyes scanned over the ice for the dent and then found it. She attempted shouting and pointing at the same time, but neither seemed to get her friend's attention.

"Hey, what's Serena shouting?" Malachite inquired; Darien followed her eyes to the ice and saw what she was looking at.

"There's a dent in the ice!" He yelled. They all watched in horror; Lita was skating right to it.

"Lita! Watch out!" Nephlite screamed. Hearing his voice, Lita attempted to stop skating, unfortunately she was unable to keep her balance and ended up sliding and then falling on her rear. Almost immediately, Serena and Nephlite were at her side.

"Lita, you all right?" Serena asked frantically.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She began. "But I think I may have twisted my ankle. Why did you guys stop me?"

"Because of that, Serena saw it first." Nephlite replied, pointing at the dent. They watched as the maintenance man along with the manager got on the rink and took notice of the dent.

"Get someone to patch that up now!" He yelled. "Are you all right miss?" He switched eyes over to Lita with concern.

"She's fine, no thanks to you." Nephlite retorted as he picked Lita up in his arms and carried her over to the others.

"Sir, there are several dents in the ice that have somehow gone on notice…what should we do?" The maintenance man inquired.

"So what's going to happen now?" Serena asked as she followed the manager to the side of the rink where the competitors were.

"Since the ice is messed up, I guess we're going to have to call a winner from the previous skaters." He commented. "Sorry." She looked to the other side of the rink where Nephlite was carrying Lita in the booth where the others were, and then she looked to the other snotty competitor. She watched as the manager got up to the microphone to speak. "Ladies and gentleman, since the ice is dented, we're going to have to call a winner from the previous skaters. So the winner of this competition is..." Serena pulled him by the arm and whispered something into his ear. "Oh, ladies and gentleman, there's been a change in plans. It seems the last skater still wants to skate." He announced and then whispered to Serena. "Are you sure about this?"

"You can't let her skate, if she gets hurt it will be on you." The woman argued.

"What is she doing, I thought she was crazy, but not this crazy!" Darien argued as he watched Serena talk with the manager. "She could hurt herself." The girls simply looked at him and then laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Well, you just said that Serena was going to hurt herself skating!" Lita giggled when she saw the men's puzzled faces.

"Will someone explain something to us, because we are obviously in the dark on something." Zoycite looked on with a skeptical face.

"It's just that, when Serena skates…" Mina began.

"She never makes mistakes." Ami finished.

"Yeah right, I'll believe it when I see it." Jedite replied skeptically.

"You soon will." Rei laughed as they looked back at the other side of the rink. It appeared as if they were having an argument.

"I'm going to go see what's going on." Darien placed Justin in Mina's arms, then left them and crossed the rink. "What seems to be the problem?" As soon as she saw him, she turned away; she felt slightly embarrassed about him fighting her battles.

"She wants to skate, but if she gets hurt, I will be held accountable." The manager replied. "It's really a policy of ours, the ice must be in perfect condition before skaters are allowed on it…"

"Then why were you going to let her skate before?" He crossed his arms in wonder as the man began to stutter. "Never mind that, you will not be held accountable, you have my word on that, I trust that she has the skill to maneuver it."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" The woman voice angrily. "Do you plan to pay for this man's license when his rink becomes revoked? I know that I have won, just give me the trophy." For the first time since he arrived, Darien noticed the angry woman and was bothered by her selfishness over a silly competition; he merely arched his brow at her.

"Are you going to let her skate, or shall I personally close down your rink now." He spoke with authority; the man immediately recognized who he was and bowed to him. Darien rolled his eyes. "Enough of that please, just let the woman skate."

"Your majesty, I'm sorry I did not realize." She started spurting off apologies while secretly admiring Darien's rugged handsome appearance. Ignoring her presence, he walked over to Serena.

"A few moments." It was a command; everyone left the area so that it was just he and Serena. "This means a lot to you." His voice was soft and tender, to Serena it felt almost like a lover's caress that blew against her neck…

Perhaps…no, he couldn't possibly.

"I wanted to do it for Justin, and for Lita." She ringed her fingers before her, afraid to turn around and look him in the eye. "Did you mean what you said, you really trust me?"

"Why is it you don't believe that I trust you?" She turned around with finality and suddenly realized how dangerously close to him she was.

"Because you've never seen me…skate."

"Yeah well, I was over there and the other girls were bragging about your expertise, so I thought I had to see it for myself." He chuckled deeply at her obvious discomfort. Perhaps…no, she couldn't possibly.

"I haven't been on the ice like this, since…since"

"You had Justin." He finished for her; she looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank-you." Lips dangerously close to his, she whispered, before moving aside and pecking him on the cheek. "Wish me luck."

Oh no, she's not getting away with that one! Love or no love… He quickly pulled her close and kissed her hard on the lips and then quickly released her. "Now, that. Was a good luck kiss…from a friend." She got on the ice, a slight hue on her cheeks and a wide grin on her face. So that's why she's so used to the cold weather. He watched as she began to pick up speed by running a lap around the rink once at a fast pace.

Mmmm, it feels so good to be back on the ice again like this. I haven't done this in such a long time. She began to bend forward on one leg, extending one arm forward, the other arm and leg she extended backward as she began to spin really fast. She closed her eyes so that she wouldn't get dizzy. I haven't done the camel spin in a long time; it sure felt good to do it again. She picked up speed once more and took off from the backside, inside edge of her right skate blade. Jumping in the air, she performed three complete mid-air turns and landed on the back outside edge of her left skate blade. She giggled to herself as she began to skate backwards, constantly looking over her shoulder, and building up speed. I haven't done those moves in a while! I feel so free. Hmmm… the dents in the ice are coming up, if I aim right, I'll take off right before them…and then I can do a quick figure eight perhaps….

"What is she doing?" asked Malachite. "She's going right towards all of the dents!"

"Yeah, whatever." Mina rolled her eyes unfazed and looked at her friends; they adorned equal expressions.

Darien watched as she was getting closer and closer to the dented area.

"Is she crazy, what is she doing?" She couldn't possibly miss them.

50 centimeters.

40

30

20

All the men wanted to close their eyes at this point, but that's when she did it. She jumped when she was ten centimeters away. She had taken off from her right foot, jumped in the air, spun counterclockwise, and landed on her left foot. With quick agility she figure eighted around a few more spots and then fancifully danced around the rest on the tips of her blades. The men stood in shock while the females along with the crowd cheered.

Serena skated to the center of the rink and then bowed, her eyes searching for the snobby woman. She had purposely danced around the dents in the manner in which she had because she had wanted to mock her efforts…but the woman was no where to be seen.

"She's better than Darien!" Malachite commented.

"She's the best I've ever seen!" Jedite added.

From the other side of the rink, Darien merely looked on with aspirated eyes; he was even more confused now than ever.