i don't usually put quotes or notes at the beginning of the
story unless i feel it is necessary, but this quote i really
liked. It fit this part of the story perfectly. i just have
to put it in. The war the woman is referring to is not just war
but rather any hard, traumatic struggle in a person's life, such
as what Serenity and Wesley have both been through.

"Sometimes after the war is the hardest. That's when you have to
fight the hardest not to give up." This was said from a mother
to her daughter in the Lifetime movie "For the Love of my Child:
The Anissa Ayala Story."

Chapter Thirteen, Evil Emerges:

As Serenity and Serena walked outside the gate, Wesley had
just been escorted off the shuttle by two guards who turned
around and reentered the shuttle. His eyes matched hers, dull and
lifeless. His body was slumped as he stood there motionless.
Serenity's straight, tall body also stood motionless. As the shuttle
took off they simply stared into each other's dead eyes, making no
movement or sound.

Serena was the first to break the silence. She tugged on
her mother's dress and looked at her questioningly. Serenity's eyes
wandered slowly to her daughter, and she nodded her head. "That is
your father," she said quietly. Serena ran up to Wesley and tugged
on his pant leg. Wesley and Serenity slowly staggered towards each
other. When they were face to face, they weakly embraced. Each one
still lost in his/her eternal world of pain. They remained silent
as they entered the palace, and she solemnly walked with him until
they found a room they both liked. She had purposely gone to the
other end of the palace from the room she and Raymond had stayed
in. She could tell when she reached one she liked that he agreed by
his silent nod of the head. They went inside and stared at each
other the whole day while Serena ran through the palace with Miriam
and Maria. When night descended and Serena was still with Miriam
and Maria, Wesley slept on the floor while Serenity slept in the
bed. Serenity had gotten in the bed expecting him to join her, but
he went to the floor instead. She did not question him or even ask
him about it. She simply lay in bed, trying to fall asleep, but
finding it difficult. Whereas before she had lived for each next
moment of sleep, she now found sleep elusive. Hard to find, harder
to catch, and even harder to keep. She noticed throughout the night
that Wesley did not sleep either. She was not sure if he slept at
all; she managed to catch a few hours of sleep from 4-6 and again
from 8-9 in the morning. Each time she woke up he was still laying
there staring blankly at the wall. Upon awakening at 9 a.m., she
stared at the ceiling, lost in her own world until Maria, Miriam,
and Serena entered with breakfast. Wesley had long ago sat up, but
he strangely remained on the floor while Serenity ate breakfast in
the bed. Serena jumped on the bed for awhile while Miriam and Maria
took turns talking to each other as well as to Serenity and even
Wesley for awhile, but he was more unresponsive than Serenity was.
She occasionally grunted or gave a one word answer. The week was
basically spent this way. Upon the end of the week, Miriam admitted
that she would only be able to stay anotherweek before she needed
to go and resume her duties alongside Michael as the Queen of Venus.
So she spent the week getting Serenity reacclimatized to her job
and life. Miriam helped Wesley learn some things as well, but
Serenity asked Miriam to not teach him much and told Wesley not to
worry about it for now because he was only barely able to hold a
conversation and sleep on furniture again. He only slept on the
big chair in the room though, still not wanting to sleep in a bed.
After Miriam did leave to return to Venus, Serenity took over her
duties as the Queen. This ended up being a good distraction for
Serenity from her inner torment despite the fact that most days it
took all the strength she could muster to simply get up in the
morning, let alone get through her duties. She put off most of the
unnecessary engagements citing she was sick as a reason and did
only the essential acts. She did however manage to pass a few new
laws. The first one being that there were no more maids. Lunar
beings could employ someone for housework but as an equal, a
housekeeper, like on Earth. In addition she made half of the palace
into a shelter for the homeless. Anyone off the street was welcome
to stay there for as long as they needed. She hired people to go to
that side of the palace everyday and help the lunar beings there
find jobs and get a new place of their own eventually. She divided
the other side of the palace into her and Wesley's large home and
workplace, and she left the other much larger side as places that
could be rented. Often the homeless lunar beings who first went to
the free side of the palace were the ones who ended up renting one
to three rooms for themselves on the renting side of the palace
eventually. Otherwise others who were in danger of losing their
jobs, about to take a pay cut, or otherwise in a bad financial
situation often stayed in these rooms for awhile since the rent was
cheap. Not wanting to put anyone out of jobs, she kept the palace
maids and cooks on as housekeepers and cooks who got larger pay
though and nicer rooms and were considered equals. She used a small
portion of the money from the rented rooms to pay her salary,
Wesley's salary, and the salary of the palace staff. The rest of
the money obtained from those rented rooms was used to ease the
food shortages in the towns and better the more poverty-stricken
towns. Maria stayed in the palace for free as a friend rather than
as a staff member, but she got paid considerably for her
babysitting services. She enjoyed watching Serena for them while
Serenity was working or needed a break.

A week later was when Serenity began to approach Wesley.
For that first week she was getting adjusted to the job and also
dealing with her own flashbacks and nightmares that consumed her
nights and many parts of her days. She preferred to be alone as
much as possible as did Wesley, but she was scared for him and
wanted very badly to reestablish a connection between them. So that
evening she came and sat on the floor beside his chair. She did not
speak or move closer so as not to frighten him. She did this for
the next five evenings before she finally reached out her hand, and
he took it. From then on they spent their evenings together holding
hands and later sitting next to each other on the large chair.
Eventually she got Wesley to get more comfortable by at least
laying out to sleep on a couch she had brought into the bedchamber.
They never said a word, but she knew he got a great deal of comfort
out of her touch as did she from his gentle touch.

A month after he had arrived they managed to speak. They were
short chats about small things, like the duties and when they would
get married and Serena. Most of their talks revolved around Serena
actually. They both felt worried about her, but neither one was able
to do a lot about it because they were too lost in their own pain.
They simply let Maria look after her most of the time. Neither of them
spoke about the last year. They tried for awhile to pretend it did not
exist, but deep down they both knew they could only pretend for so
long. After all, despite pretending everything was the same, they were
both drastically changed and forever negatively influenced by it. They
could ignore it all they like, but their lives were constantly being
affected by it, day and night.

They did get remarried shortly before Wesley's 24th birthday.
Thus he became the King of the Moon Kingdom, and he began to distract
himself with his duties alongside his wife. They both began forcing
themselves to spend more time with their daughter. She would be
traumatized for life they feared if they did not keep up the bond with
her as her parents. She did bring them great comfort, but she also
often caused them a great deal of worry and pain. It was hard work for
them to try to remain as happy as possible around her so as to give
her some joy in her already hard life.

Then again everything was hard. It was hard to get up in the
mornings or to go to sleep at nights. It was hard to do their duties.
It was hard to be around one another. It was hard to be around anyone.
Both of them would have preferred to lock themselves away in a room
all alone for eternity. Neither of them got that luxury though.

Serenity was haunted by constant flashbacks. She relived those
nights with Raymond over and over again. Sometimes it was a smell that
would trigger her into one. Whenever she smelt his deeply rich scent on
someone or something else, she would have to leave the room because the
smell would overpower her and make her feel weak and scared. Sounds
would trigger her too. Raymond had a certain way that he opened doors
when he was angry, and when someone else made the same sound opening a
door it sent her into a blind panic. Then there were the visual
triggers. Beings that walked the same as Raymond would also send her
into a flashback. She would see a whole night with him as though it
were happening all over again. She could see him throwing her onto the
bed. She could see him pin her arms down and get on top of her, smiling
at her pain. Certain touches triggered her as well. Raymond had a
habit of grabbing her arm. So if anyone touched her arm or grabbed it,
she would find herself panicking and going hysterical. Sexual touches
anywhere on the body made her freeze, and she would relive those nights
all over again. Instead of a visual flashback, she would often have
body memories. Where she could feel the whole thing happening again:
feel him pinning her down, feel her struggle, feel his breath, feel his
tongue, feel him enter her. The nightmares were no better. Sometimes
they were visual, and she could not feel the pain and would watch the
whole event as though she was apart from her body and looking down on
it with absolutely no feelings attached to it, numb. Other times
feelings were all she had. She could not see him. She could not see the
room or the bed; she felt him raping and beating her. Anxiety filled her
every day. Some days the anxiety was so bad she thought she would never
be able to breathe again. The anxiety would choke her, cut her off from
the world. She could not breathe, could not think, and could not move.
She was dying inside. Raymond may have been gone, but in her mind he
was real and present every single second of every single day. Still,
somewhere amidst all this deep pain, anxiety, depression, and
flashbacks, she worried and thought about others. She especially
thought about those dearest to her. She worried some about Miriam. She
had been greatly affected in those four years and knowing how much she
had changed just in this last year alone made her wonder what all Miriam
went through and if Miriam would be all right. She worried a great deal
about Wesley. He seemed to be experiencing much of the same pain she
was. It was apparent he experienced a horrible trauma. She wanted to
talk to him about it and be there for him, but she thought it was unfair
to ask him to talk about it whenshe would not talk about her experience.
Besides she was not honestly sure she had much comfort left in her to
give to others. She was so lost in her own pain. She was most worried
about Serena though. She was the light of her life, and some mornings
she rejoiced to see her daughter acting like a carefree two year old,
enjoying life and curious about everything. So many days those she awoke
to despair, seeing her daughter moody, agitated, screaming, crying, or
even worse silent and locked up inside. *Some days she seems to be
mimicking me,* Serenity thought, realizing that she was locked up inside
like that too. She did not want to affect and damage her daughter's life
this much. She did not know how to help her as she could not change the
feelings she was experiencing, but she put all her effort into making
sure Serena was comforted, loved, healthy, and as happy as possible.

It was at the beginning of November that they finally began to
speak about their experiences. They still did not sleep in the same bed
though they remained in the same room, each with his/her own bed. Both
of them preferred it that way in the beginning. Serenity had not been
able to sleep all night, and she had heard Wesley tossing and turning in
agitation as well. She turned towards his bed. "Wesley," she whispered
quietly.

Wesley turned slowly towards her but was silent for a few
minutes before he responded. "Yes?" he asked quietly.

"You cannot sleep..." she said in a half question, half
statement.

"Neither can you," he responded.

"I know," she said.

They were both silent for awhile until she finally spoke again.
"Wesley?"

"Yes?" he asked again.

"Tell me about it please," she asked softly.

Wesley was silent.

"Are you upset with me for asking that? I do not mean to pry
Wesley, but...you need to talk about it sometime. If not to me then at
least to someone."

"You are the only one I would consider telling Serenity, but I
do not know if I can talk about it. It is in the past anyway. Let us
just move forward."

"So, I am supposed to just move forward from something that
haunts every moment of my life?" she asked, hurt and upset. A choked
sob came from Wesley as he got up slowly and sat beside her on the
bed. He gently put his hand on her head and began to run his fingers
through her hair, bringing them both much comfort. She closed her eyes
and snuggled a bit closer, enjoying the feel of his gentle fingers in
her hair. She was not even feeling triggered by his presence since he
thankfully did not lay down beside her. After a considerable amount of
time had passed, he spoke. "I do not know what happened to you
Serenity, but I am so sorry I was not there to stop it. I wish I could
take it all away for you."

"I wish I could take it all away for you Wesley." She sat up and
touched his cheek gently, running her fingers through his hair and down
his face. He closed his eyes, allowing himself to experience her soft,
gentle touch.

Although they did not either speak about their traumas that
night, they did both manage to get some more restful sleep for awhile.
The next night she got up and sat beside him in his bed, running her
fingers through his hair again. "Please Wesley. Even if you can
only say a little."

He sighed. Not an exasperated or annoyed short sigh or even an
over dramatized long sigh. It was a deep, painful sigh echoing with
years of horror. She continued running her fingers through his hair, and
though he could not see it, her eyes were full of compassion and pain
for him. His words came slowly and were short, but they were a start.
"The prison had daily beatings and weekly torture sessions," he said.
And it was left at that, but Serenity could imagine the torture sessions
were brutal psychologically, emotionally, and physically. She did not
have any words, knowing the pain was too great to be described in mere
words. So she hummed softly for a long time until he managed to fall
asleep, and she tossed and turned through the night haunted by her own
nightmares as well as some imaginings of the horrible terrors Wesley
must have experienced. It tore her apart inside to think of her love
beat down and tortured to his core like that. She would have given
almost anything right then to be able to free him from that pain.

The next few nights neither one of them felt able to talk.
They were both too burdened and lost in their own pain. A few nights
later though, Serenity did sit beside him on his bed again. She ran her
fingers through his hair. "Can you tell me more about it Wesley? Please
try..."

"I do not know," he choked out.

She hummed softly to him, and he closed his eyes in contentment.
"Please Wesley," she asked again a few minutes later. He shifted
uncomfortably, and she backed away to give him some space. "No please,"
he said. "Stay near," he begged. She nodded and moved close to him
again. "Thank you," he said quietly. She began running her fingers
through his hair again, but he held out his hand like a child. She put
her hand in his, and he looked into her dull eyes with his own pain
filled ones. "Sometimes the torture was simply being tied up and
whipped. Other times...other times..."

"Take your time," she said softly. She held his hand
comfortingly.

"There was burning," he said quietly.

"Oh Wesley," she said. "I am so sorry," and she hummed some
more, running her fingers through his hair again until he finally fell
asleep hours later.

The next night went similarly. He spoke some about the beatings.
How they would get daily beatings for no reason as well as additional
beatings for any small thing they did wrong, even if they did not know
the rules as none of the newcomers did. The newcomers learned over time
through the beatings what the rules were, but one never knew if one was
breaking a rule whenever one did something even slightly different from
before. Causing constant fear, anxiety, and panic. She hummed softly,
running her fingers through his once again soft medium brown hair. He
was crying and sat up for a hug. She hugged him gently. "I love you,"
he said softly.

She cringed. *His hands were moving down her body. "I love
you," his smooth voice taunted her.* When she came back to reality,
Wesley was holding her hand and staring at her in concern. "Your eyes.
You went away. Closed off, shut down. Where did you go?" he asked.

"I...I...the past..." she said quietly, her head bowed down in
shame.

"Oh Serenity," he ran his fingers through her hair. "What did
he do to you?"

She averted her eyes. His were filled with compassion and pain
for her.

"He...I was a terrible wife," she admitted.

"No," he said with strong conviction. "He was a terrible
husband. You would not think you were terrible if you were terrible. He
did this to you," he promised. "Please Serenity, try to tell me."

Serenity nodded sadly. "He...at night. He told me he loved me
and that is why he did it. Love is pain," she said in deep pain.

"Oh Serenity. No, love is not pain. He lied. What he did was
not love." He gently put his hand under her chin. She flinched. "I am
sorry Serenity," he swiftly apologized, removing his hand. "I was going
to move your head up to look at me again. You need not look down in
shame. He is the one who should be ashamed. You are goodness. You are
light. You are the reason I made it through that prison hell."

"You and Serena are the reason I made it through the hell up
here," she admitted.

"Yes Serena. I thought of her often, and she drove me to fight
too of course," he said. "I will not say those words until you are
comfortable with them Serenity, but please know that what he did to you
was not love."

Serenity nodded. "Thank you," she said quietly.

"Would you like me to run my fingers through your hair until you
fall asleep?" he asked.

"Yes, please," and he did.

"Yes, thank you," Serenity said as her ambassador left the piece
of paper on the crystal table. She picked up the treaty, and she read
through it slowly three times to ensure she did not miss anything and to
ensure that she understood it all completely. She nodded. It was a good
idea to form an alliance with the moons of all the planets in the solar
system as well as Tritan she decided. There was far too much petty
rivalry between the moons of the planets, and if they could be brought
into the Silver Millennium Alliance, it would help to eliminate that
constant bickering she hoped as well as make the Alliance stronger. As
she was signing the treaty there was a quiet knock on her door. "Come
in," she said.

Maria entered the room. "I am sorry to interrupt Serenity."

"It is all right Maria. Come in whenever you need or want to.
Is Serena all right?" she asked, suddenly alert.

"She is fine. She is with Wesley. I already gave Wesley his. I
wanted to give you yours."

"My what?" Serenity looked at her in confusion.

"Well," Maria became quiet and shy. "I got you this. I hope it
is all right..." she trailed off.

Serenity looked at her and smiled comfortingly. "You got me
something? How thoughtful. Thank you Maria. What is it? If I may ask."

Maria handed her a small colorful book. "It is a journal," Maria
said after some hesitation. "I was just thinking that maybe...it
could help Wesley and you in your two's healing?

"Oh Maria," she hugged Maria closely. "Thank you. You are so
kind and thoughtful. It is the perfect gift. It means so much to me."
Maria smiled happily and hugged her back happily.

When she left Serenity's face fell out of that unusual shape it
was in...a smile. She had smiled. She had not smiled in probably a year
now. Serenity looked down at the journal feeling a mixture of emotions.
She felt thankful and grateful for Maria's thoughtfulness. She felt
relief because she now had somewhere to write all her private thoughts
and nightmares and flashbacks that plagued her. She felt fear...what if
seeing them in writing made them more real? She felt anxiety. Could she
handle this? Was she ready? She felt sadness that she needed it. When
Serenity came to her bedchamber for the evening, Serena and Wesley were
in there doing a small child's puzzle together. The last big piece was
being put in its place by Serena though Serenity was sure Wesley had
done most of the puzzle. A strange wave of emotion tided over her. She
had not felt such strong warmth and comfort since...since she lived on
Earth with Wesley and Serena. The wave was just that, a wave, and it was
gone only a second after it came. However, it gave Serenity a small bit
of hope. A reason to keep fighting and surviving. She looked at Wesley
and made a half attempt at a smile. He half smiled back. Serena turned
around in excitement. "Mommy!" she said. *Thank goodness she seems happy
and healthy today,* Serenity thought, glad. "Daddy got a pretty book,"
she said happily.

Serenity smiled a bit and knelt down beside Serena, taking out
her colorful journal. "I got one too, see?"

"Yay!" Serena said in excitement.

Wesley and Serenity looked at one another in a brief moment of
amusement.

When it was time for bed, Serenity looked at Serena. "Time for
bed precious," she said softly.

Her face fell, breaking Serenity's and Wesley's hearts. "Please
can I stay?" she begged.

Serenity looked at Wesley. He nodded. "Sure precious. Come on,"
she said. Serena jumped into bed with her mother, snuggling close
happily. Serenity ran her fingers through her daughter's hair, humming
her to sleep. It did not take very long for the excited little girl to
doze off, content in her mother's arm. So different from the hours it
took her and Wesley to fall asleep even with the same comfort.

The journals helped them both though they ended up falling into
a bad habit because of them. For awhile at least they were a step
forward on the healing journey. Each of them would write and draw
continuously in their journals most every night, every afternoon, and
often in the mornings too. Releasing all the emotions helped them both
greatly. It helped them move out of their denial and into other
feelings: sadness, confusion, anger, shame, guilt, fear. Shame was the
most difficult for Serenity. No matter how much she wrote about it, and
no matter how many pictures she drew she could not release the emotion
very well or admit that it was not her fault. Wesley's toughest emotion
was anger. He had sadness constantly, so in a way that was his constant
as well as Serenity's constant. However Serenity could begin to feel
anger towards Raymond eventually. Wesley had never been a person very
in touch with anger. He felt it was a dangerous emotion that he did not
want a part of, so he buried it deep inside a long time ago even before
the torture. With the torture it only went down deeper and deeper. He
could not find it, and Serenity told him that he could never move
forward in the healing process if he could not find and express that
anger somehow. He would shake his head, saying he had no anger so it
did not matter, but deep down he knew she was right. The journals had
been a step forward, but after a considerable amount of time of using
them, they became a stopping point. Perhaps even a step backwards
because neither of them spoke about what they went through anymore.
They never liked speaking about it anyway. Writing was an easier form
of release for them both. However this allowed them each to close off
in his/her own world again without any real closeness or deep
interaction even between one another. Miriam often visited with Michael
and their daughter Mina. Often for a week every month, sometimes only
for a few days on the busy months. So Serena now had a playmate. Mina
had the same full, vibrant hair her mother did though it was much
shorter. She had the same light blue eyes as well. In fact, she
reminded Serenity of a small Miriam though her nose was slightly
different, more like Michael's. Mina was very quiet, and she and
Serena would often sit together silently. Although Serena could be
more outgoing, most of the time she was as quiet as Mina. Sometimes
Serenity had to wonder what games they played since often she found
Mina in a corner by herself bunched up. When she asked her about it
though, the girl remained silent. She did speak to Miriam and Michael
about it, but they said she had always been quiet like this since she
was a year old anyways. "No baby is quiet," Michael said, and they all
laughed. *How true.* Still, Serenity felt worried. Something in the
little girl's eyes reminded her of herself. She was much too young to
have that look, but she knew Miriam was a good, caring mother and would
look out for Mina. So she tried to dismiss it from her mind.

It was Maria who finally pointed out to Serenity and Wesley that
they were stuck in the same place by asking if they shared their
journals with one another. They both said no. They preferred to have
their privacy about this incredibly personal trauma. However, it got
them both thinking. While it was understandable that they each needed
his/her own space to write down private thoughts, they were not speaking
about it to one another at all. That night Wesley mumbled, "Serenity?"

"Yes?" she asked, turning towards him.

He held his pillow close. "Do you think we should be talking
about it to each other?"

Serenity looked down. "It is so hard though," she said.

"I know," Wesley said, leaving it at that for the moment.
However, half an hour later, he asked her again. "Do you think we should
be talking about it to each other?" he asked again.

Serenity sighed as she opened her eyes. She had not been
sleeping, but she wanted to be left alone with her thoughts. "It is too
hard Wesley."

"I know," he agreed. "I did not ask that though. I asked if we
Should be."

Serenity sighed and almost blurted out, *No, leave me alone."
She thought better of it though and contemplated the question for a
few minutes. Despite her wish not to, and how much she hated the idea,
she had to be honest. "Probably..." she said hesitantly.

Wesley got up and sat beside her in bed, holding her hand.
"Yeah, that is what I think," he said honestly. After a silence, he
said, "we did it before."

"Barely," she half-agreed.

He nodded his head. "True, but it was something. It was really
hard, but releasing some of it to you helped ease some of the ache
and sadness in my heart."

"Releasing some of it to you helped me see you still cared for
me and that you did not hold me accountable, so I guess it did ease
some of my guilt and even a little shame."

"I think we need to Serenity. Not every night. Just a few nights
a week at least. Even if it is only a few words, but we should try
to always be saying more as time goes on."

"Where is this passion coming from Wesley?" she asked curiously.

"I am tired of bathing in this melancholy," he admitted. "I want
to fight back. Those assholes do not deserve to take my life away like
that just as that asshole has NO right to your life or soul Serenity.
They took nearly everything from us. Left us empty and hollow inside."
Serenity nodded in agreement, tears streaming from her face at how true
his description was. He continued. "They took nearly everything but not
everything Serenity. No, not that deep inner core of our soul. No one
can touch that," he said with conviction. "We will never be the same
again. We are forever changed, but we can fight back and things can get
better."

Serenity hugged him hesitantly. He hugged her back gently.
"Perhaps I am not as strong as you," she admitted. "I do not think I
have any fight left in me."

"No Serenity, you are just as strong maybe stronger than I am.
Most days I do not have any fight left in me either. There are rare
days though when I have some left, and I draw on that on those days. On
the rest of the days, I just trudge on. If we talk about it, write about
it, and work on it though, it can get better. I hope," he added.

"It will never go away Wesley."

"No," he said sadly. "You are right. It will not."

"You really think it can get better though?"

"I hope so," he said. "And without hope what do we have left?"

"Nothing," she admitted. "That is what I had for so
long-nothing, no hope. All right. We will try," she agreed.

"I am glad," he said, running his fingers through her hair until
she finally managed to fall asleep.

The talking and writing and drawing and spending more time
together and with Serena did help them both tremendously over time.
Wesley finally felt ready to sleep in the same bed as his darling
Serenity. He brought the subject up that evening. "Darling, do you mind
if I began sleeping with you again in the same bed?" he asked. "I feel
ready."

She looked down. "All right..." she said hesitantly, not wanting
to disrupt his healing process with her own insecurities, doubts,
and fears.

He put his hand slowly and gently under her chin so as not to
startle her and lifted her face to look into his own. "You matter
just as much as me, more in my eyes," he said softly. "I will not come
into the bed with you until you are ready too. So I ask you, are you
honestly ready?"

Serenity shook her head a little and with hesitation. He put his
hand in hers. "Oh Serenity, no need to be afraid of me. I will
not come until you want," he promised.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really. I care bout you with all my heart. I would never force
you or rush you into anything."

She hugged him gently, and he hugged her back.

Serenity and Wesley had begun to have days where some things
actually caused them to Want to smile. A huge step that they celebrated
with cake with Maria, Miriam, Michael, Mina, and Serena. The whole time
was quite festive, and Serena and even Mina began to get excited and
giggle together for perhaps the first time in Mina's life for all
Serenity knew. She smiled in delight at this.

It was not much longer before Wesley began to feel his anger. He
and Serenity and Serena were all outside walking through the gardens,
and he ran off. Serenity watched him run into the palace in surprise.
"Where daddy going?" Serena asked curiously.

"You are always curious hm?" Serenity asked in amusement. Serena
looked up at her and smiled happily. "I have no idea where Wesley is
going precious. Want to go check on him and see if he is all right?"

"Yes," Serena nodded her head vigorously.

As they went into the palace, they did not find him in the
throne room or the office, so they went to their room. Even as they
approached the room, they heard the noise inside. It sounded like he was
throwing things and pounding things in the room next to theirs. Serenity
almost smiled as she heard it, but she had to comfort Serena who got
scared at the noise. She carried her back outside. "Hush precious," she
said as she rocked her gently back and forth in her arms. "It is all
right. You are safe. I promise." Serena quieted down as she laid her
head on her mother's shoulder for comfort. The words slipped through
Serenity's mouth without a thought. "I love you," she said softly to her
daughter. Her eyes filled with tears. She had said it and meant it. That
word no longer had power over her. When Serenity found Maria, she asked
her to watch Serena for a bit as she ran to Wesley. "I said 'I love you'
to our daughter," she said in excitement as she burst through the door.

Wesley smiled happily. "That is great," he said, hugging her
gently.

"And someone got in touch with his inner anger," Serenity
teased. *Did I just tease him? It has been forever since I did that.*

Wesley smiled more. "Yeah," he said.

"I am soooo proud of you honey," she said.

"Thank you."

In the time that passed Wesley got more and more in touch with
his anger. Serenity would begin to notice the signs when his anger
would boil over again. He would twitch, move awkwardly, look at the
door, and run out through the door. She knew he would go to that bedroom
again. She had agreed it was good for him to be able to throw things and
pound on things in the room. After he was done, he often tried to draw a
picture expressing his deep anger and pain. Serenity also used that room
now on occasion since before her journal was her only outlet for her
also intense anger.

Serenity's shame began to get less and less every day. Some part
of her would always feel dirty and used, but she slowly became more and
more satisfied with herself. Her hate for herself and shame dissipating,
and her hatred going to the man who deserved it, Raymond.

Of course there were many times they took a step or steps
backwards. Some days Serenity felt a few waves of her old content
feelings come back, and some days she would get a glimpse of the old
Wesley showing through. Though the word old was more appropriate for
them now. They were both so old. They may have appeared young on the
outside, but on the inside their souls were old. They had been torn,
ripped, and beaten, but somewhere deep down their souls had managed to
survive. They hung onto that. Many days they barely hung on in a
clinging desperation. Each of them often just walking shells of
emptiness or conversely old souls full of deep pain. Still, the good
days came every once in awhile and provided a small relief though it
made the old feelings much worse as they soon inevitably returned.

One morning when Miriam, Michael, and Mina were visiting, they
all went on a walk through the palace gardens together. Serenity and
Wesley, Miriam and Michael, and Serena and Mina holding hands as they
took the leisurely stroll through the beautiful, sweet smelling gardens
and then past the enchanting, clear water fountains. When they stopped
at one of the fountains on the left side of the gardens near the exotic
flowers, Wesley picked Serena up and began to spin her around much like
he used to do on Earth. She giggled happily, spinning around in his
strong, safe arms in delight. When he placed Serena down, she said,
"pick Mina up too please daddy."

He smiled. "Of course precious." He put his arms around Mina,
but she froze with the most terrified look on her face. He let go. That
look was the same look Serenity gave him sometimes. He looked at
Serenity in concern, and she looked at him with pain-filled eyes,
nodding her head. Michael and Miriam noticed their daughter's reaction,
but they did not seem to notice the exchange of glances between
Serenity and Wesley.

"She is so shy. Maybe another time," Miriam said, picking her
daughter up and patting her gently on the back. Mina smiled some
from the comforting gesture.

It was nearly another month later before Serenity asked Wesley
if they could sleep together in the same bed. "I cannot have...I
cannot do that though with you Wesley," she said, looking down in
shame. "I am sorry. I am such a bad wife."

"Serenity, you are such a wonderful wife. The best I could ever
ask for. Sex is not what our relationship is based on. I am not sure
even I am ready for that emotional closeness right now, but even when I
do feel ready, we will not do it until you are ready again."

"What if I am never ready?" Serenity asked, afraid of his
answer.

"That is all right Serenity. If you are never ready, you are
never ready. We have more than enough happiness in each other's arms
and with our precious daughter Serena."

She smiled and nodded in agreement. "Thank you for being so
understanding Wesley."

That night they lay in bed, snuggling in one another's arms in
contentment.

Once June came around, Wesley insisted on going to find his
parents. Serenity had already spoken to him about her parents. They
went through the streets together, holding Serena's hand. Fortunately,
the houses all looked sturdier, many were larger, and some even had
decorations. Serenity and Wesley smiled, glad that there plans to
better the whole Moon Kingdom were working. Serenity held Serena's
hand who stood between the two though Wesley was walking a bit faster
in his anticipation of the reunion. When they arrived at the location
of where his parents hut used to be located, there was a hut there, but
it was diagonal and to the left of where it used to be situated. It was
larger and more sturdy with a beautiful garden in front of it though no
decorations. She looked at Wesley. "They must have moved it," he
mumbled. Both of them knew though that inside they were both fearing
that his parents had moved or even worse, died. He swallowed. She
patted his back reassuringly.

When they got to the hut, he knocked on the sturdy wooden door,
and an older man with thinning gray hair answered the door. "Wesley!"
he screamed in excitement. Serena went behind her mother's back a bit
shyly.

He embraced Wesley in a huge bear hug, and he went to hug
Serena as they heard his wife yelling. "Did you have another dream
about Wesley returning darling?" She approached the door when she saw
it open, and her mouth opened wide in shock. She stared at Wesley,
and tears sprung to her eyes. "Our baby is home," she said in delight,
wrapping her arms around him and squeezing him tight.

"Aww mom," he protested.

She looked at Serenity. "Oh and my daughter," she said happily,
embracing her as well. Serenity smiled in contentment. After she let
go, she looked into Serenity's eyes, and concern filled her eyes. She
turned to Wesley only to have her concern doubled.

She opened her mouth to speak when her husband blurted out.
"So who is this young one?"

"This is Serena," Serenity said quietly.

"Your granddaughter," Wesley said.

"Well, hello there Serena," Tim offered his hand. Serena looked
at her mother who nodded, and she took it happily. "I am your
grandpa. Can you say that?"

"Grandpa!" she said happily.

"That is right," he said as jovial as ever.

"Nice to meet you Serena. I am your grandmother," and Fran
extended her hand. Serena took it happily and smiled at her. Fran
smiled back.

"Well come in, come in. No need to stand out there. We will
have a feast tonight."

Serena's eyes lit up in joy, and Serenity smiled happily. She
took her hand, and the three of them entered. Whatever Fran had been
going to say, she seemed to have thought better of it because she went
into the kitchen with Tim to prepare a larger dinner fit for them all.
"How is the food shortage?" Serenity asked worriedly.

"Much better in our town and many of the other towns," Tim
said, poking his head out of the kitchen.

"Oh good. We have been working on that."

"I heard that Queen Serenity and King Raymond were ruling our
Kingdom some time back, but I never saw them at royal appearances. I
assumed and hoped that could not be you Serenity," Fran said to make
conversation.

"We are King and Queen now," Serenity said.

"News does travel slowly out here," Tim said. "I suppose we
will hear about it soon enough. How long have you two been ruling
here? When did you leave Earth?"

"It is a long story," Wesley said quietly. "We will tell you
about it another time."

"All right then. Another time. We are so glad to see you again
though. You have been in our thoughts and hearts every day," Tim
said.

"Ours too," Wesley and Serenity said together as they turned
and smiled at each other.

"Oh how cute, they finish one another's sentences," Tim
teased.

"Not usually," Wesley admitted. "We are really strongly
connected though, so I am surprised we have not done it more often
before."

"When eat? When eat?" Serena asked in excitement.

"When Do we eat," Serenity corrected her gently.

"Oh, let the kid have some fun saying it how she wants. She
will get the hang of the right way in time. Let it come to her
naturally," Tim said, poking his head out again.

"Well, I usually do," Serenity said. "I thought it might be
time to start trying to correct her on some of her grammar though."

"No way. That is no fun," Tim said, laughing.

He turned around to see his wife behind him with a large
wooden spoon in one hand, patting the other hand with it and mock
glaring at him. "Serenity you do what you know is right. That child
should start learning some good grammar dangit, or she will turn out
like this man here," she said. She was pointing to Tim with her wooden
spoon for dramatic effect. They all laughed.

"Naw, you are right Tim. I will let it come naturally for
her."

Once the feast was over, they were invited to stay the night.
Serena slept with Serenity in the guest bedroom they had now been
able to add on, and Wesley had his old spot on the couch. Serenity
giggled at him. "Look who is stuck on the couch," she teased.
"Hey! Come back here," he yelled as she ran off giggling. "Aw what is
the use," he sighed and lay back on the couch in exasperation. Tim and
Fran came to stay at the palace often, and Serenity, Wesley, and
Serena visited them every once in awhile in their nice home as well.
Serena became quite attached to Tim. He could bring a smile to her
face on any occasion, and that brought Serenity some happiness and
peace of mind as she saw most of the traces from the past trauma her
child went through disappearing through time. She knew Tim's humor
and jovial attitude was a big contributor as well as the constant of
having her mother and father completely in her life again.

When Serenity;s and Serena's birthday came at the end of June,
Wesley took them out for a long walk to the woods where they had a
picnic by the river he and she and Miriam used to meet at when they
were younger. Serenity smiled in remembrance of those good times, and
Serena squealed in delight as she put her foot in the cold water of
the river.

"Happy 22nd birthday," Wesley said in happiness as Serena
splashed around in the refreshing river. He handed Serenity a
beautifully wrapped gift.

"Oh Wesley. Why did you do this? I never got you anything for
your 24th birthday," she said guiltily.

He smiled. "Does not matter."

"I cannot accept this. I feel so horrible."

"Oh Serenity, if it helps you feel any better you can get me
two big gifts on my 25th birthday," he said in a teasing voice.

"Deal," she said, unwrapping the paper gently. Her face was
covered with astonishment at the gift inside. "Oh Wesley, it is
perfect," she said. She kissed him for the first time in nearly two
years on the cheek. Wesley smiled happily, glad that she liked the
scrapbook. He had gone back one evening on the transport pod to Earth
and found their old apartment. Although another couple was living
there now, they gladly allowed him to search for the box that they
had in the back of their closet with all their pictures from Earth.
Sure enough, the guards had missed it and not cleared it out of the
apartment as he had hoped. The scrapbook had all these pictures as
well as some other pictures the grandparents had taken of them all
together. Even a few pictures with the grandparents in it.

"Go to the back," he requested.

She did, and she saw a beautiful poem he had written for her.
It was dedicated to the light of his life who had gotten him through
the dungeon of darkness on Earth. Tears sprung to her eyes. "Oh
Wesley, it is beautiful," she said, reading the poem to herself and
touched by the deep and strong emotions.

"Hey Serena, you want your gift?" Wesley asked, raising his
voice some so she could hear him.

"Yeah!" she yelled in excitement, running up the slope to
them both and sitting down in between them. He handed her a large
gift, and she tore into the wrapping paper in an excited frenzy.
Serenity smiled in amusement, remembering the days she longed to tear
into the paper like that too. She looked down in the large box to
see a huge, fluffy white teddy bear staring back at her with small,
adorable light black eyes. She squealed in excitement and stood up
on her tiptoes, struggling to reach into the box and grab the huge
stuffed animal that was larger than she was. Serenity laughed and
brought it out. Serena smiled and hugged the big teddy bear in
comfort.

"He will always comfort you precious," Wesley promised.
Serena smiled and hugged it even closer until Serenity placed her
gift in front of Serena. Serena tore into it in excitement.

"Is a pretty box," Serena said, holding it tightly.

"Careful precious," Serenity cautioned. "It is a music box.
It plays beautiful music. You can listen to it to fall asleep while
hugging your teddy. How does that sound?"

"Yay!" Serena exclaimed. Serenity and Wesley giggled, and
Wesley brought a big cake out of the picnic basket. Then he brought
out a small one and placed it in front of Serena. Wesley and Serena
sang "Happy Birthday" like Wesley had been teaching her as Serenity
blew out her 22 candles. Serena clapped her hands happily. Then
Wesley and Serenity sang "Happy Birthday" to Serena as she blew out
her three candles.

"Happy 3rd Birthday!" they both exclaimed. Serena giggled
in delight.

Wesley picked Serena up and spun her around. As he put her
down on the ground gently, she said, "more, more daddy please." He
smiled and picked her up again. Spinning her around and around. She
looked down at his kind brown eyes and smooth brown hair as the
colors of brown and green blurred around her. She squealed and
giggled in delight.

July brought many changes. Serena's speech improved
considerably. Tim and Fran met Miriam, Michael, and Mina. Serena
began being more outgoing with Mina and in general, and thus she
was able to make Mina happier often and even a little more talkative
sometimes.

One night as they lay down in bed together, Serenity and
Wesley both just began crying as they remembered this time two
years ago when they were separated and each one's separate hell
began. They cried and held each other for comfort. It was one of
the most releasing things either one had done in a long time, so
they made it a habit to do that many nights when they were both
feeling especially bad.

Although officially there one year anniversary was still to
come in a short time, Serenity and Wesley knew that in truth it was
their fifth year anniversary on August 10. They may have been
separated for over a year, but they had still been together in their
hearts. She may have been married to Raymond legally, but in her
heart her marriage was always to Wesley. The day was good for them
both as they enjoyed eating out alone together and giving each
other back massages. As they lay down for the night, she snuggled
in his arms in contentment, and he ran his fingers softly through
her long, light purple hair.

As Serenity entered the throne room to have a discussion
with Wesley before the annual meeting of all the Kings and Queens
of the Silver Millennium Alliance, she wrung her hands. She was
nervous. It was always hosted at the Moon, but she had asked Miriam
to host it last year so that she and Wesley would not have to go.
She had been to one the year she was with Raymond, so she had some
idea of how it would work. She was still very nervous though.
Wesley was also very anxious, so they just held each other for
comfort. Mina was already in a room with Serena, and Miriam and
Michael had chatted with them some before going into the meeting
room to await the arrivals of the other royalty. They had come
early to reassure them and offer their support. "Please, will you
do most of the talking?" Wesley asked. "I really do not know how
these meetings are run."

Serenity sighed. "All right. I do not remember really
either, but I will do my best."

He held her hand in reassurance. "I am sorry. Next year I
will participate equally, I promise. I am right there with you
though all right? I know you will do so well."

She laughed. "Oh no mister, you are doing it all next year
if you are sticking me with it this year."

"Not a chance!" Wesley exclaimed.

"We will debate this later," she said as Maria entered to
tell her that she saw the King and Queen of Mars arriving.

King Wesley and Queen Serenity went into the entrance area
to greet them. "Is the meeting room ready?" Serenity asked Lydia,
the girl in charge of that.

Lydia nodded. "Yes, it is Serenity."

"Thank you Lydia."

"Anytime," she said, walking off.

"Wait a second," she said, looking at her husband. "Queen
Raven did not have a husband last year," she said in confusion. "I
did not hear of her marriage."

"Well, perhaps it was back when were lost in our own world
of pain," Wesley offered.

Serenity nodded. "Perhaps..." she trailed off, and her body
stiffened in fear as she saw Queen Raven's husband. It was Raymond.

"Serenity?" Wesley asked quietly.

Queen Raven came up and curtseyed to Queen Serenity who did
not nod back, frozen in fear.

King Raymond bowed low to King Wesley though there was a
mocking smile on his face that Wesley did not miss. Wesley nodded
back, but he looked in concern at his wife. He noticed their young
daughter standing behind them. The girl came forward. "I am Princess
Raye," she said curtseying to them both meekly. Wesley nodded as
Serenity once again did not, still paralyzed by her fear.

Wesley pointed the three year old, Princess Raye with her
long black hair, to the room down the hall. "It is the first room to
the left," he said. She would go in there and spend time with Serena
and Mina and the other girls when they arrived. After the King and
Queen went into the meeting room, Wesley looked at Serenity in
concern. "Are you all right?" he asked. "Can you do this?"

"That was...Raymond," she barely managed to get out.

Wesley's eyes lit up with a fire of anger. "That asshole.
How the hell did he get her to marry him? He came here to mock you.
He is going to get a taste of what he deserves," Wesley said,
running into the meeting room. Serenity grabbed him and pulled him
out.

"As much as I would like to see you beat him up Wesley, we
have guidelines to follow and a meeting to run."

"Are you kidding? With him in there?"

"It does not concern our meeting," Serenity said icily.

"Serenity...you cannot do it."

"I can do it. I Need to do this. I need to prove to him
that he did not destroy my life. That he may have changed me, but
he never touched my inner soul."

Wesley sighed. "I am right there with you. I will do this
with you equally all right?"

Serenity nodded. "Thank you," she said.

King Andrew and Queen Alyssa of Mercury arrived next with
their daughter whom Serenity was seeing for the first time,
Princess Amy, who had recently turned 3 years old. She was also meek
like Raye, but she had a more polite countenance than the girl with
the long black hair did. Serenity felt there was a fire brewing in
the heart of Raye.

Then came the King and Queen of Neptune, Matthew and Melody.
Then the royalty of Uranus, Alan and Anita, with the two princesses
who walked off holding hands. *They must be five now,* Serenity
realized as Princess Michelle and Princess Amara walked off
together. *They are so adorable.*

Next to arrive were King Tritan and Queen Tamara, the King
and Queen of Pluto. With them was their nine, nearly ten year old
daughter, Princess Trista. She quietly curtseyed and walked off,
lost in her own world.

King Lester and Queen Lily of Jupiter arrived next with
their daughter, Princess Lita. Princess Lita would not curtsey and
ran off much to the dismay of her ashamed parents. *She is still
only two like Mina. Give her a break,* Serenity thought in
exasperation.

The pregnant Queen Helen and King Henry arrived last.
"How far along are you?" Queen Serenity asked politely after the
curtseys, bows, and nods.

"Over five months now," Queen Helen said proudly. They
went into the meeting room, and Serenity looked at Wesley as she
began shaking and sweating. Her heart pounding at the thought of
facing Raymond again.

Wesley did his best to calm her down, and Serenity did
amazingly well for her situation. She remained mostly calm on the
outside and did not show much of her anxiety as she went through
the meeting. *Take that Raymond,* she thought, though she felt
unsure. She knew she had shaken a few times, both her voice and
body. Surely he had noticed.

Wesley reassured her after everyone but Michael, Miriam,
and Mina had gone that she had done wonderful. "You were great
Serenity."

"Are you sure? I was shaking a few times."

"I doubt anyone noticed, and if they did, you still showed
Raymond that you have moved forward from his crap."

"Yes, definitely!" Miriam said strongly.

"I did not notice any shaking," Michael added.

"Oh thank you all," Serenity said.

"Now can I beat him up?" Wesley asked.

"I will join you," Michael said.

"Count me in," Miriam exclaimed.

Serenity smiled. "Thank you all. That means so much to me,
but you know we may not like all the other royalty of the other
planets, but that is what an alliance is. We are forced to
tolerate each other for the union, strength, and peace of our
alliance.

Miriam grunted. "Who sounds like me two years ago now?" she
asked.

"Oh all right. You were right in Some ways," Serenity
admitted, emphasizing some.

"All right," Miriam conceded. "I will admit in some ways I
was most definitely wrong." They embraced as Mina and Serena
entered the throne room. Michael and Miriam and Mina left, waving
goodbye.

Maria came into the throne room. "How did it go?" she
asked, hugging Serenity and then Wesley. They hugged her back.

"We managed," Serenity said.

"Is it true Raymond is the King of Mars now?" Maria asked.

"Yes," Serenity said tightly.

"Oh Serenity, how did you make it through? I am so sorry.
You are so strong."

"Oh Maria, thank you," she hugged her again.

A dark light flashed throughout the room, and Serenity
jumped, grabbing onto Wesley as Maria grabbed onto Serenity.
A woman with long, curly auburn hair, a cruel face, and twisted
fingers with long fingernails appeared, floating in the air. "I
have something for you two," she said, sending a dark black power
ball of energy at Serenity and Wesley. They jumped out of the way.
Serenity got ready to send a power ball of light purple energy at
the woman, when the woman spoke, surprising her.

"You?!" she looked at Maria. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING ALIVE?"
she screamed, her voice grating through the air sounded like
fingernails running down a chalkboard.

Maria backed away in astonishment. Serenity jumped in
front of her. "Leave her alone," she commanded strongly. She held
her power ball of energy, ready to throw it when the woman
surprised her again.

"Damn," she said angrily, disappearing.

Serenity's power ball fizzed out. She looked at Wesley
quickly in concern, and then she embraced the shaking Maria. "Are
you all right Maria?"

"Yes," she answered shakily. "Just shocked is all."

"Why did she think you were dead? Do you know her?"

Maria shook her head. "I have never seen anyone like that
in my whole life.

They immediately did research and discovered that it was
Queen Beryl. "She must be still trying to release Metalia,"
Serenity said quietly.

"I thought Lune and her husband, William, destroyed her,"
Wesley said gravely.

"So did I," Serenity said. "She must have thought she did."

"She failed though," Wesley said solemnly. "Honestly, what
chance do WE have if a witch as powerful as Lune could not defeat
her? You are nowhere near her level, no offense."

"None taken. You are right. Miriam has had a little more
practice, but she and I combined probably still do not equal Lune.
Even if we do, that is obviously not enough as she is still alive."
Wesley nodded gravely in agreement.

"What is going on?" Maria asked.

They turned to Maria. "Oh my," Serenity said, seeing Maria
again as she had seen her when Queen Selenity first brought her
back to the Moon over two years ago.

"What is it?" Wesley asked anxiously.

"I think I know who you are Maria," Serenity said.

"What? I know who I am." Maria said in confusion.

"No," Serenity shook her head. "You do not actually. Who
are your parents?" she asked.

"Krista is my mother. Roth is my father."

"Where do they live?"

"On the outskirts of Trotcha...they are peasants...I
thought you knew that."

"They are not your real parents though."

"Yes they are," Maria said.

"Ask them just to be sure," Serenity said.

"What is this about Serenity?" Wesley asked in frustration.

"I think she is Luna, Lune and William's daughter. Now I
know why I mistakenly called you Lune when I first arrived,"
Serenity explained.

"I do remember that..." Maria said hesitantly. "What are
you speaking about though?"

Serenity and Wesley solemnly told her Lune's whole story.

"Can I meet her? If she is my mother, I want to meet her."

"She is...dead now too. I am sorry," Serenity said sadly.

Tears filled Maria's eyes. "I have to go ask my parents
right now," she said in desperation. "I have to know." She ran out
of the palace.

Wesley started to go after her. Serenity put her hand in
front of him. "Let her be," she requested.

Wesley nodded. "All right."

"Wesley, if she is Luna, we have to protect her. She must
have quite a lot if not all of Lune's power running through her
veins. She might even have more," Serenity said anxiously.

Wesley nodded again. "You are right. No wonder Queen Beryl
was so anxious and upset to see her."

"And shocked," Serenity added. "Remember she thought her
minion Jadeite had killed her?"

"That is right," Wesley remembered.

They sent out requests to each of the planets offering a
large sum of money and begging that they urgently needed a strong
witch to come and help them. They needed someone more powerful and
wise than they were they decided to help protect Maria/Luna. They
were hoping a powerful traveling witch would see the notices on
one of the planets. A witch like the one who had taught Lune. That
would help a lot, they hoped.

Maria came back in tears. "I think it is true," she said.
"They said I wandered into their village when I was a young girl,
and they looked after me and eventually ended up adopting me. They
said they did not want me to know, so they never told me. How
could they keep this from me? They assumed I was four, and since I
arrived on May 5, they made that my birthday. I do not even know
my real birthday or my real age for that matter," she said, tears
flowing from her eyes.

"You were only a few months over three. Your birthday is
not in May. Your birthday is January 13," Serenity told her

"You mean I am a year younger than I thought? I am only
26?"

"Correct," Wesley said.

Serena came into the room and began crying when she sensed
the tension and anxiety in the room. Serenity held her and rocked
her back and forth, humming to her softly. Maria/Luna left, saying
she needed some time to herself. Wesley and Serenity looked at one
another in concern but let her be.

Wesley's birthday came and went. After Queen Beryl's
appearance earlier that month, feelings had been tense and
everyone in the palace had been worried all month long. This was a
chance for them to get a break and some relief from that. They
decided to simply let loose and enjoy themselves. They went to see
a play, and then they came home to have cake and ice cream. After
all, they could not resist bringing back some of the traditions
from Earth for themselves. "Happy Birthday you old man," Serenity
joked.

"Hey, I am only 25," he pouted.

"Aww, I am just joking Wesley. Here is your gift," she
handed him the shiny wrapped up gift.

"Can I open? Can I? Can I?" Serena whined.

Wesley chuckled. "Sure precious. Go ahead," and he handed
the shiny gift to his daughter.

She smiled happily and tore into the gift. Inside Wesley
saw Serena lift up a back massager. "Ha, Ha, thank you Serenity,"
he said honestly. "I could use that with all the stress."

"Yeah," she said. "Hmmm...I seem to remember quite some
time ago getting that from my husband and hearing something about
me using it on his back as well if I was a kind wife that is. So I
guess the same applies to the husband. A good husband would use
his gift to give his wife back massages too," she said sneakily.

He looked at her in amusement. "Really? Well geez you just
got this for yourself then," he whined, almost reiterating the
words of Serenity those years ago on her birthday. He smiled. "I do
not remember ever getting a back massage actually," he said slyly.

Serenity pouted. "Oh you know I will give you massages too
silly," he promised, kissing her on the cheek and then lifting
Serena up and spinning her around. Serena giggled happily, her
long blond ponytails spinning around in the air.

They got a response to the witch notices at the beginning
of the next month. They brought Luna into the room and explained
everything to her about the notices and the need to protect her
because of the likelihood of her possessing a large amount of
powerful magic-even if she had not gotten in touch with that magic
yet.

"Most importantly though you are so dear to us. Maria, are
you all right? Or Luna I mean," Serenity asked.

"I suppose as well as I can be in this situation. It is
just such an adjustment, and I cannot get used to being called
Luna."

"Serena sure has not learned. She does not understand why
we all want her to call you Luna now instead of Maria," Wesley
said.

"Aww," Luna said.

A strange twist of events occurred after the witch had
come and gone. The witch did not have any solution except to
disguise Luna. "I still think the disguise she chose is most
bizarre," Wesley said.

Serenity was trying not to giggle as Luna was now a black
cat with red eyes standing before her. "Are you all right?" she
asked, her hand over her mouth.

"I will not be laughed at," Luna whined.

"She talks," Wesley laughed.

"Hey," Luna said sharply. "I feel strange enough in this
body. There is no need to rub it in."

"How are we going to explain this to Serena?" Serenity
asked.

Wesley giggled at the thought, but then he shrugged. "My
guess is with her child imagination she will understand it better
than any of us."

Serenity smiled. "True."

At the end of October, Serenity and Wesley and Serena went
to Venus for Mina's 3rd birthday party. Serena brought Luna with her
to the party, and she showed her to Mina who found it amusing as
well. Luna groaned. She hated having to stay with the children.
Wesley and Serenity had asked her not to speak to any other adults
besides them, Michael, and Miriam because they wanted to keep this
a secret from Queen Beryl. Although everyone was worried that she
had not shown up again, they managed to mostly enjoy the party. It
was only two nights later when Serenity was practicing her magic in
the training room, Wesley was practicing dueling with a sword, and
Luna was attempting to get in touch with her magic without success,
that Queen Beryl shimmered before them. She floated in the air
again.

Unfortunately Serena was also in the room, watching them
train in amusement. Serenity jumped in front of her daughter
protectively. Wesley remained still, staring at her, his eyes
determined and his mouth set in a firm line of determination.
Serenity had a fierce look of determination on her face, protecting
her child. Queen Beryl sneered. "Where is that woman that was with
you? I should kill Jadeite for this, but I may need the useless
minion in the future."

"She is gone," Serenity answered simply.

"Gone where? Gone as in dead or gone as in she moved to
another place?" Queen Beryl asked coldly.

Serenity shivered from the chill the woman gave off. Serena
thankfully stayed quietly behind her.

"None of your business," Wesley said, glaring at her.

She laughed then turned serious. "I would find that amusing
if I was not so fucking pissed off right now," she yelled, a dark
energy ball forming in her hands. Then Luna jumped on her from
behind, clawing at her. She dropped the energy ball in surprise,
and Wesley took that opportunity to run at her with his sword and
plunge it into her body. Queen Beryl gasped but shot him back
quickly with a deadly energy ball.

Wesley hit the wall hard and fell down, unconscious.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Serenity screamed. She
formed an energy ball in her hand, but the woman shimmered and
disappeared just as she threw it. It went straight for Luna who
barely jumped out of its way.

Serenity ran to Wesley's side, tears streaming down her
face.

"Mommy?" Serena asked, crying now too from all the noise
and fear and from the pain on her mother's face.

To Be Continued...

Author's Notes-The after-effects of a trauma such as war, rape,
torture, witnessing the violent death of someone, enduring a
violent crime, enduring a terrifying natural disaster, or
anything else that threatens a person's life or well being and
causes them great fear and helplessness sometimes results in
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (Ptsd). Symptoms include
many things such as what was discussed in this chapter with
Serenity and Wesley-flashbacks, nightmares, triggers, body
memories, the need to be alone/seperation from others,
difficulty falling or staying asleep, outbursts of anger,
exaggerated startled responses as well as many other things
like difficulty concentrating, hypervigilance, avoidance of
thoughts, feelings, conversations, places, or activities
somehow associated with the trauma, inability to remember
part of the trauma, inability to have certain feelings (such
as love), sense of a shortened future (similar to the
hopelessness many people with depression experience), and
more. It is a serious condition that lasts at least more than
a month, and if it lasts more than three months it is
considered chronic. It affects a person's social and occupational
life as well as other facets of a person's life greatly. Therapy
(individual and/or group) and medication are some ways to help
treat this disorder and help life after the trauma be more
manageable for the survivor though it will never again be the
same.