The
little group dispersed, and Rei stood up from her knees.
"Wow,"
she said and wobbled unsteadily. A pair
of hands grasped her waist and helped her stand up.
"Hey,
still don't have your full strength back yet huh?" Chad asked from over her
shoulder.
"No,
I guess that I used all my mental powers trying to find out who did this to
Serena and Darien," Rei answered. Chad
gave her a gentle hug.
"You
did your best, babe, you don't have to be perfect," he said softly.
"But
the Sailor Scouts count on me for stuff like this," the keeper of mars retorted. Chad kissed her neck and nuzzled her ear.
"Rei,
the girls know that even you have your limits; they don't demand an answer from
you; they know that you always give your best regardless of what it is," he
said firmly. Rei turned her head and
smiled at him.
"Thanks,
Chad, I needed to hear that," she said happily and gave him a quick peck on the
lips. She turned around and moved into
his embrace.
"Hey,
I know from personal experience that you always give your best," he
chuckled. Rei lifted her head and gave
him a sultry smile.
"Just
what are you implying?" she asked with a raised brow.
"That
you're a goddess, my dear Rei, a goddess of fire," Chad said with a tender
smile. Rei wound her arms around his
neck and pulled him down for a kiss that proved just how much fire she had
inside her.
"Thank
you, my long-haired stud, just what else do I do best?" Rei asked with a wicked
smile. Chad bent down and touched his
forehead to hers.
"Babe,
do I really need to elaborate, or…" he teased and picked her up, "…do I need to
show you first hand?"
"Well…I
always remember better visually than verbally- so show me," she ordered.
"My
pleasure," Chad said and kissed her hard and deep. Rei felt herself becoming lost in their kiss, and he gently
backed off. Her eyelids drooped
slightly, and she leaned against him.
"Rei,
you need to rest," he stated. Rei gave
him a pouting look, but a sneaky little idea wound its way into her head.
"Can
I have some company?" she teased. Chad
grinned at her and carried her towards her room.
"Of
course, my darling, you know that I'd do anything for you," her man stated
lovingly. Rei slid open her door and
closed it after Chad carried her inside.
"I
know you would, Chad, that's one of the reasons why I love you," she laughed. He laid her down on her futon and tucked her
in. He slid under the covers and hugged
her tightly. Chad kissed her forehead,
and Rei buried her face in his shoulder.
"Goodnight,"
she nearly giggled and settled into his arms.
"Goodnight,
you wicked, little temptress," he fired back. Rei elbowed him in response, and they both laughed softly. Chad kissed her hair, and she settled into
his arms to rest.
Mina
reached her street and strolled up the sidewalk with Artemis at her side.
"I
knew that something was fishy about all of this," Mina stated.
"I
know, Mina, but at least now we know all the facts," Artemis added.
"You're
right, Artemis. I just hope that Serena
forgives him."
Woman
and cat walked on in companionable silence until they reached Mina's
house. When she turned up her walk, her
eyes caught sight of something that made tears fill her eyes.
"Hey
cutie," a familiar voice said lovingly.
"Glen!"
Mina shouted and ran towards him, almost trampling Artemis in the process.
"Hello
Mi…hmmph." Glen was shut-up as she caught him in a deadly lip-lock. Mina nearly devoured him on the spot, and
the poor young man had to literally pry her off him.
"Wow!"
he gasped when he got a chance to breath. "Remind me to go away more often." Mina just hugged his neck.
"You're
back early!" she giggled in delight.
"Well,
I had a beautiful woman waiting for me," Glen answered.
"How
did things go with your grandfather?" Mina asked. Since the first time that she and Glen had met, Mina could tell
that he and his grandfather had been very close. It must have devastated Glen to find out that he had died.
"Fine,
Mina, he's resting in a peaceful spot. We buried him next to my grandmother; now, they're finally together
again," the young man stated. His eyes
moistened slightly, and Mina kissed his cheek.
"I'm
sorry, I wish that I could've come with you," she said sadly.
"Me
too, but I don't want to talk about death anymore. I want to talk about life, specifically…our lives," Glen stated.
"How
long are you back for?" Mina asked with a hint of sadness. She knew that he was only here for limited
amount of time, but she wanted to make the most of it! Glen gave her a big grin.
"Well,
that's what I was going to tell before you decided to play tonsil hockey," he
teased.
"Hush
you!" Mina said and blushed.
"I've
got a surprise for you, sweetie, you're gonna be stuck with me for a long
time," Glen said with a smirk. Mina's
eyes lit up brighter than the stars.
"What
do you mean?" she asked hopefully. Glen
drew her closer and kissed her gently.
"While
I was at home, my parents told me something very interesting. It appears that the president of our Tokyo
branch plans to retire at the end of this year, and they are looking for
someone to replace him. So, I volunteered
to take his place," the young man explained.
"You're
here to stay?" Mina nearly shouted.
"Yup! My parents asked me if I'd mind staying
someplace so far from them, but I simply answered that I've got a beautiful
girl waiting for me to come home to her," Glen added.
"Glen!"
she said passionately and pulled his mouth onto hers. It intensified with each passing second, and Mina had to fight
the urge to push him down the grass.
"Let's
take this inside," she cooed softly. Something rubbed her leg, and Mina looked down to see Artemis staring at
her.
"What
is it?" the blond asked.
"Mina,
remember, you have to get up early in the morning," her guardian advised.
Glen
watched the little interchange. He
found much it easier to believe that his Mina was also Sailor Venus rather than
believing that her pet cat could actually talk. When she'd first told him, Glen had felt overwhelmed that he was
in love with a 'superhero', but Mina kept reminding him that she was still an
ordinary girl.
"Don't
worry, Artemis, I'll remember." She
turned towards her boyfriend and gave him a sultry smile. "Now you, we've got some catching up to do…"
Glen
enveloped Mina in his arms and kissed her long and hard. She danced out of his arms and ran to her
front door.
"Come
and get me," she cooed and curled her finger at him. Mina disappeared inside her house, and Glen raced after her
laughing.
"You're
gonna get it, you naughty girl!" he called after her.
Artemis
made decision right then and there that it would not be a good idea to stay
with Mina tonight.
Serena
sat up in her bed; she couldn't fall asleep. Gazing at her clock, she noticed that it was almost two in morning!
"Why
can't I fall asleep?" she asked herself. Serena looked at the empty spot beside her. For once, she was glad that Reine was sleeping at Melissa's
house. (Or so she thought.)
A
bright light drew her attention, and Serena turned towards the opposite corner
of her room. The flash began to take
shape, and Serena recognized the person immediately.
"Hello
Serena," a loving voice said warmly.
"Mother?"
the young blonde gasped. Queen Serenity
walked up to the bed and sat down next to her daughter. She saw tears forming in Serena's eyes and
wrapped her arms around her.
Serena
wasn't sure how it was happening, but she could actually feel her mother's
warmth surrounding her. She felt her
mother's hand wiping away her unshed tears and smiled.
"My
child, something is troubling you deeply. Tell me what it is?" Serenity asked.
Serena's
strength melted under the look of absolute tenderness in her mother's eyes, and
she dove her head into her chest.
Queen
Serenity listened to her daughter's sobs while gently stroking her blonde
hair. She listened to Serena tell her
everything that had happened- Darien, her leaving the scouts, everything!
Eventually,
Serena lifted her head and wiped her eyes.
"Forgive
me, mother, I know that I shouldn't cry like that," Serena said softly.
"My
precious daughter, you're human, and humans cry when they're sad. Considering the circumstances, I think that
your tears are quite justified. In
fact, your tears are the reason that I'm here," Serenity stated.
"How
so?" her daughter asked. Queen Serenity
brought Serena to her feet, and her face became a little stern.
"Serena,
I know what you saw Darien doing, but you must believe that it wasn't true,"
the queen stated.
"But
mother, how can I? I saw it with my own
eyes, and regardless of the circumstances, Darien enjoyed it!" Serena said in
her own defense.
"Because
he thought that it was you," Serenity retorted.
"Excuse
me?" her daughter gasped.
"Take
my hand, Serena, I want to show you something," her mother instructed. Serena did as her mother instructed, and the
two suddenly appeared in Darien's apartment.
"What
is this?" Serena gasped.
"This
is the night when you found Darien supposedly cheating on you. Now come with me," Serenity stated.
Serena
wasn't thrilled about having to relive this moment again, but she trusted her
mother and followed. The two passed
through the wall like it wasn't even there, and Serena once again saw the
horrific scene.
"Mother,
please, don't make me watch this," she pleaded. Serenity took her daughter's hand.
"Serena,
let me show you what Darien is seeing right now."
The
young princess watched as the red-haired woman on top of Darien changed into
her! It looked exactly like her- right
down to the meatballs!
"That's
me!" Serena said in shock. Her mother
nodded.
"Exactly,
that's who Darien thought he was making love to. Now, watch and see what happens," Serenity advised.
Serena
watched in painful silence as the little 'affair' drew to its conclusion. The red-haired woman slid off of Darien and
laughed menacingly.
'I
know that laugh!' Serena thought silently.
"Now
Darien, you're princess will hate and there is nothing you can do about it."
The woman changed back into her original form, and Serena's eyes widened in
horror.
"Beryl!"
she nearly shouted. Anger welled up in
her blue eyes, and she wanted to rip the dark queen's head off!
"Serena
stop! There's nothing you can do here;
we are merely watching this scene replay; it has already taken place," her
mother interjected.
"Beryl…that
evil witch! I thought we banished her a
long time ago," the blonde nearly growled. Queen Serenity waved her hand, and the two women reappeared in Serena's
bedroom.
"Yes,
Serena, you and the other scouts banished her but did not destroy her. She's been gathering her strength and now
intends to exact revenge on planet Earth. She wants to destroy you and everyone you love," Serenity stated. Serena's fists were clenched so tight that
her knuckles were turning white.
"I'll
make her pay for touching my Darien!"
"That's
not the end of it, Serena," her mother added. "She's also taken Reine." Serena's anger disappeared and concern filled her eyes.
"What? When did this happen?" she nearly
demanded. Serenity hugged her daughter
gently.
"Queen
Beryl attacked earlier today. One of
her minions captured Reine during the fight," she explained.
"What
have I done?" Serena cried as tears flowed down her cheeks. "Not only have I lost Darien, but now I've
lost Reine too!"
"No,
Serena, you haven't lost anyone. You
can put things right again," her mother said confidently.
"Yes,
you're right. I'll make that sleaze
queen pay for touching my family," Serena growled.
"My
daughter, you must be careful. Queen
Beryl is far more powerful than she was before." Queen Serenity stopped as if
she was contemplating something.
"Is
something wrong mother?" her daughter asked.
"I
see that each of the scouts have found companions," Serenity said out of the
blue.
"Is
there anything that you don't know about?" Serena asked with a smile. Her mother grinned at her softly.
"I
keep my eye on all of you from time to time," she replied.
"So
why are you interested in the girls' boyfriends?" her daughter stated.
"It
would be better if I explained it to all of you together. Have the scouts bring their 'boyfriends' as
you call them to a meeting place. I
want you and Darien to come as well; there I will tell all of you something
very important."
Serena
was really baffled by what her mother was saying, but she just shrugged her
shoulders.
"Okay,
but you're really confusing me," the blonde laughed. Queen Serenity giggled softly and gave her daughter a hug. She kissed her cheek and backed away.
"Use
the moon crystal to call me, and I will come. I must go now but remember that your greatest strength comes from the
love in your heart, Serena. Let your
heart guide you." With that, Queen Serenity's image faded away, and Serena took
a deep breath to clear her mind.
"Love
is my greatest strength, and my greatest strength comes from those that I
love." Serena hopped off her bed and quickly changed her clothes. 'Please, let him still be up!'
Darien
was a nervous wreck! It was almost
three in the morning, and he still couldn't sleep. His mind was a whirlpool of emotions from misery and despair to
anger and frustration.
"How
could this have happened? How could I
lose Serena and Reine in one day?" The
young man ran a hand through his short black hair. His eyes where nearly bloodshot, and his heart was pounding.
He
was surprised to hear someone almost banging on his door.
"Who
would come by this late?" he gasped.
Upon
opening the door, Darien found his beloved Serena standing in the doorway. He didn't know what to do or how to react?
"Darien!"
Serena gasped. She jumped up and
wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Wha…hmmph?"
Darien was shut-up as Serena kissed him with everything she had. At first, he wasn't so sure if this was the
'real' Serena or not, but when he tasted the inside of her mouth, he knew that
it was his princess.
"Serena!"
he said passionately and enveloped her in his arms. Shutting the door behind them, the two young lovers locked into a
hungry embrace. It felt like ages had
gone by since they'd held each other like this. Serena grasped his hair in her hands while Darien stroked his
fingers through her golden silk.
"Darien,
forgive me, I was such a fool; I know now that what I saw you doing wasn't your
fault. You thought that it was me,"
Serena explained. The life came back
into Darien's eyes, and a broad smile crossed his handsome face.
"Serena,
I'm sorry for not realizing it sooner. I should've known that it was Beryl from the beginning, but I…hey wait a
minute!" he gasped wandering why she seemed to know what really happened. "How did you know?"
"My
mother came to see me," his princess answered.
"Queen
Serenity?" Darien gasped. Serena gave
him the story in a nutshell. Upon
hearing the tale, he swept her up in his arms.
"My
darling, forgive me, I lost our daughter once again!" he said sadly. Serena cupped his face in her small
hands. She raised his head up until
they were eye to eye.
"There
is nothing to forgive, my prince. We
both should know by now that nothing can ever come between us. We'll get Reine back just like we always
have," Serena said firmly. She rested
her head on his chest, and Darien set his head on top of her hair.
"I
love you, meatball head," Darien said softly.
"I
love you too, Muffin," Serena answered. Their pronouncement was sealed with a passionate kiss, and Darien picked
her up.
"Darien,
let me heal you, my love, let me make you pure once again. I want to rid you of everything that witch
put you through," she said firmly. He
carried his princess to the bedroom and laid her down.
"My
sweet, I've missed you so much," Darien almost cried. Serena ran her fingers down his temples and cupped his cheeks.
"I'm
right here, Darien, there's nothing to worry about anymore," she said
soothingly. Darien let himself be drawn
into the loving arms of his princess.
As
the early morning hours approached, Serena and Darien's souls were becoming one
once again. Their love had been bent
but not broken, and now, their hearts were making up for the lost time that
they were apart.
Author's Notes: Just what will Serenity tell the Sailor Scouts? Stay tuned and find out! Next chapter will be up soon. Please review this and let me know what you think!