I realize this has been slow in coming and to tell you the truth it will probably seem a bit rushed since I had to battle my way through writer's block this morning.  BUT  I woke up this morning determined to update a fic and this is what happened. ^_^;;

Come Undone

2

A Friend's Happiness

The rest of Endymion's visit found him with me.  I occupied every ounce of his free time, not allowing once for his mind to slip back to Seiya.  He was giving up on her; his greatest conquest was slowly dissolving from his mind.  The season was just right, in my mind, for romance and I took full advantage of this, from the picnics in the gardens to the late nights that we just spent talking on the patios.

Before I'd realized it, two weeks had come and gone.  Don't get me wrong, I still found time to spend with Seiya, though it seemed as though she was growing distant from me.  I knew that her mood was directly affected by my daunting affection towards Endymion, but my goal was to keep the three of us together, not drive her out of the picture.

The night air was sweet and the lightning bugs sprinkled the grounds as though mirroring the night sky.  All of the necessary preparations had been made for my birthday celebration tomorrow night and I was free to just sit back and relax.  Endymion was off do a few last minute errands that he refused to tell me about and so I taking in a view of the stars alone.

My ears perked up when I heard the delicate notes of a piano touch my senses.  The tune was soft at first but once I strained myself to hear the notes they worked themselves into an all too familiar melody.  Seiya… My mind wandered and as my feet carried my body towards the source of the music.

I hadn't meant to hurt Seiya in all of this and hopefully one day she could forgive me, seeing that it was for the good of all of us.  The tune was so sad and caused a shiver to run down my spine.  Across the room I saw another familiar face, it didn't look as though Seiya had noticed her either.  She continued playing as though she was the only one on the face of the moon.  Her long black ponytail hung down her back and swayed with her body when she found a moving part of the piece.  The midnight blue of her eyes was hidden under her dark lashes and her head was down in deep thought.

Yaten stood across the room from me, oblivious to my presence as well, her silver hair rustled in the breeze that had picked up in the early evening.  The sweet serenade of a piano was echoing through the halls as Seiya's fingers danced over the keys lost in thought.

The tune was familiar.  No, it wasn't famous, but we both knew it well enough.  The piece was one that Seiya had just started playing one day and would bring out occasionally.  These times Seiya would seem unusually depressed though no one knew why.  Today however seemed different, she hadn't sat down to play it in such a long while and it was the day before Endymion's departure.

There was little light in the room, but what scarce light had filtered in seemed to shine directly on the locket that Seiya wore around her neck.  A beautifully crafted golden locket hung on a delicate chain and I couldn't remember a time when I had seen Seiya without it.  I'd always assumed that the golden casing guarded a treasured memory, most likely her love Endymion.

"Go away."  Seiya spoke up while not losing the rhythm of her song.

Yaten shook her head slightly signaling to Seiya that she wasn't about to leave.  "Your presence was missing at dinner." 

Seiya continued her playing but now louder and with a bit more vigor than before.  "I thought you'd be happy that Endymion was leaving tomorrow."

Again Seiya's tempo sped up and her notes became heavier.  "You've been like this ever since he beat you that one day.  What the hell is your problem?"

"Go away!"  Seiya stood this time, slamming the mahogany that covered the keys down on top of them. 

Yaten caught the glare in her blue eyes but didn't make a motion to leave, in fact her small frame began to make its way over to the piano.  Seiya's body was still ridged and she just stared at Yaten's insubordination.  I could tell she was about to blow, giving Yaten a small piece of her mind, but it never came.  Her gaze had shifted and I found those gorgeous eyes resting on me now.

Seiya blinked back her emotions and her head lowered, cutting off her confrontation with Yaten before it had a chance to truly start.  Turning her back on the both of us, she simply walked away not bothering to announce her parting or looking back.

°  °  °

Today was it, the excitement flowed through me like a coursing river.  Today was my birthday.  All throughout the day, everywhere I walked, I found evidence of the grand ball that was to take place that evening in my honor.  To make the day even more special was the fact that Endymion had told me that I was to receive a special birthday gift from him.  He was scheduled to leave the following morning so I was going to soak up every last second of his time that I could. 

I hurried my pace down the hall, speeding by a few palace workers carrying trays of sinfully delicious looking food.  Momentarily I was torn between sampling the food and finding Endymion, but finally my heart won over my stomach.  There were only a few hours left until we would all be assembled in the grand ballroom, this was the last chance I had to see him before I had to start getting ready.  I was the belle of the ball after all! 

To my great pleasure, I found him to be in his room, unfortunately he wasn't alone.

"I'm leaving tomorrow, but I wanted to ask you something before I left."  Endymion's voice appeared low and somewhat hindered by what he had to say. 

Across the room sat Seiya, she was wearing a pair of navy blue pants and a white button down shirt, it seemed so common, but for some reason looked extraordinary on her.  "Well then ask me already, I haven't got all the time in the day you know, you pulled me away from something important for you little 'talk' here."  Her response told him of her annoyance, her position in the chair set off the tone of almost abhorrence for the time she was asked to spend here with him.

"That's just it…"  Endymion started, moving across the room towards her.  "… before, you used to actually MAKE time to spend with me and now it seems like you purposely try to busy yourself to avoid me.  What happened to us?"

Seiya's eyes narrowed on his figure as though her glare alone would tell him that he shouldn't have asked that question.  "When would I have made time for you Endymion?  Should I have checked with you first to see if you weren't already busy prancing around with Serenity?"  There was sarcasm in her voice, a harsh tone that showed her scorn.  "No, I think you should have made time for me…"  She stood again moving to the side of the chair.  "… but why bother to waste your time with some one insignificant when you could chase after a princess?"

I couldn't believe she had said that, admitting her jealously openly like that.  Had she really loved Endymion that much?

Endymion growled in frustration.  "What did you want me to do?  You stormed off like a baby and I was left behind to entertain her!"

"Entertain her?!"  Seiya spun around.  "You don't entertain her!  She's not some child that you need to keep an eye on-"

"I just want you to be happy."  Endymion had cut her off from her ranting.

"Happy?  What is supposed to make me happy right now?"

"I want you to be happy for us."  Endymion spoke a little calmer as he came upon Seiya once more, placing a hand on her shoulder.  "I want you to be happy that two of your good friends have found love."

Even from my place across the room I could see every muscle in Seiya's body tighten at his words, her hands clenched into fists and her eyes closed quickly, tightening as though they were holding something back.  "You think you love her?"  Her voice cracked as she spoke the words.

Endymion's head nodded with a small smile appearing on his lips.  "Yes I do, and I'm going to ask her to be my wife tonight at the ball."

Seiya's head shot up displaying her eyes wide in shock.  Small tears had sprung up in the corners of her eyes despite how hard she had be struggling to hold them back.  My own heart had leapt into my throat at his words.  He was going to ask me to marry him?  I couldn't help but smile, my plan had worked itself out beautifully.

In a smooth motion, Seiya had removed Endymion's hand from her body, and moments of silence had passed by.  "Why are you telling me this?"  She asked her body shaking slightly.

"Because I wanted you to be the first to know, that and it's only right that my 'best man' be present at my announcement."  Endymion smiled, hoping that this would finally prove to her that she was still important in his life.  He had pushed any hopes of being with her from his mind and moved on, but I could tell that he still valued her friendship.  "You're my best friend, we've been through so much together, I don't want to get married without you by my side."

"I'm not your best friend."  Seiya spoke darkly, her eyes cast to the side, not bothering to look at him directly.  "You took away the only reason I had for living… I can't be your friend."  Her harsh words were followed by a hasty retreat.  Her determined strides brought her to the door that I had been listening by.  Swinging the door open further, I saw her face up close for the first time since I had begun spying on them.  It appeared flushed with anger, and her beautifully entrancing eyes were bloodshot and trying their hardest to hold back all the emotions that wanted to spill out of her.

"Seiya…" I spoke gently, now for the first time I saw the true heartache in her eyes, and knew that I had caused it.  I was as much to blame as Endymion; I had taken him away from her.  Her eyes turned away from me in sadness as she proceeded to walk down the hall towards her room.

"Serenity!"  Endymion piped up cheerfully.  He ushered me in the room and gave me a warm embrace.  "Shouldn't you be getting ready for the ball?"  He winked as he looked down at my face. 

I knew I should be happy right now, after all, I had gotten what I wanted, but the memory of Seiya still nagged at my mind.  I tried my best to display a smile to hide my true concern and I knew that Endymion was doing the same for me.

°  °  °

The ball had started and from the sounds of the echoes in the hallways, every person in the kingdom had turned out for my birthday celebration.  Unbeknownst to them, it would turn out to be a whole lot more.  I smiled to myself already knowing what was coming and what awaited me this night.  I watched nervously from behind the curtain on the top of the grand staircase.  My senshi had already arrived and had begun mingling in with the guests and staff.  They all looked extraordinarily beautiful in their gowns, all but Haruka who had showed up in a tuxedo… like I had expected anything less from her.  Michiru didn't seem to mind as she continued to cling to the taller woman's arm. 

My eyes continued to scan the crowd, though I was happy that this day had finally come, thoughts of Seiya were still plaguing my mind.  My search turned up her two companions, Yaten and Taiki, but failed to spot her among the fancy dresses and silk suits.

"You're spying on your own party?"  A masculine voice asked, startling me and nearly causing me to hit the ceiling in my surprise. 

"Endymion!"  I shouted and hit him lightly on the arm.

He laughed before wrapping his arm around my waist drawing me into him.  "You look beautiful tonight, you're glowing."  I smiled showing my appreciation for his compliment.  "I don't know if I want to go to the ball now, I'm thinking about keeping you all to myself for the night."

"Well if you share tonight, then maybe they won't mind letting you keep me forever after."  I smiled slyly at him before he kissed my forehead lightly.  "Come on, I want to see everyone."

"Ne, you just want to see the desert table."  Endymion joked as I drug him unlady-like towards the entrance.

"Yeah you're right, is that a bad thing?  Food doesn't judge people the way people do, I can appreciate it for its simplicity and honesty!"  I pulled harder telling him to hurry before passing a smiling glance back at him.  He merely shook his head in response before telling me I was over analyzing the matter.

Taking one last look in the floor length mirror that hung in the hallway, I tugged the announcer's coat tails signaling that I was ready.  He nodded and parted the curtains for us to step through and onto the top of the staircase.  "Now announcing her royal highness, Princess Serenity, heir to the thrown of the moon and Prince Endymion, heir to the thrown of Earth."

Each guest turned their heads at our entrance and I couldn't help the butterflies that had surmounted in my stomach.  There were 'oh's and ah's' escaping random people's mouths but amidst the sea of ball gowns something caught my eye in the back of the room.  A faint flicker of golden light had captivated my senses and brought my eyes to it, allowing me to see nothing else.

There in the back of the ballroom was a woman sneaking in one of back doors.  The golden locket that hung around her neck had caught the light of the chandelier and reflected just right to catch my attention.  The light flickered once more as she turned around to face the festivities.  Seiya…

Her midnight blue eyes turned up to meet mine momentarily with an enticing stare, before they were quickly taken away and drawn elsewhere.  She was wearing a gown, but not just any gown.  This dress played on her curves just right, the red fabric spilt over her body looking like hot lava and flowed all of the way down to the floor.  She was truly breath taking.

"Serenity!"  Endymion's voice brought my thoughts back to reality.  "Are you all right?"  He asked securing his hold on arm.

I turned to him and smiled, trying to show that he had nothing to be concerned about.  He nodded in my direction and we proceeded down the stairs to meet with the guests.

Throughout our whole meet and greet session the only thing I could think of was Seiya.  I hadn't seen her again since the staircase and was beginning to wonder if it was all just a figure of my imagination.  "Happy Birthday Princess."  Yaten spoke disdainfully to me.  She never showed any emotion besides aggravation in my presence and the only times I could ever remember her smiling were when she was with either Taiki or Seiya.

"Yes Happy Birthday Serenity."  Taiki said with a cocked smile.  "I hoped you enjoyed your stay here Endymion."  There was an odd look in the tall girl's eye with her statement and it made me wonder just how much information Seiya had shared with the two.

"Have you seen Seiya?"  I asked abruptly, not even really meaning to ask the question in the first place.  I had just opened my mouth and that is what had come out.

Yaten's eyes narrowed a bit but Taiki smiled contently at me.  "Yes we have, and what a sight that was!" 

"What are you talking about?  She's wearing that god awful tuxedo again, isn't she?"  Endymion asked rolling his eyes.

"No she's…"  Taiki started and just as she did I caught a glimpse of the flaming dress that Seiya was wearing.

"Excuse me."  I said breaking away from them not waiting for an acknowledgement.  I made my way through the crowd as they parted for me, a few guests here and there would occasionally try to stop me and converse, but I had to politely decline and continue on my way.

My eyes never left her, or that dress as she weaved through the people.  This pursuit seemed endless, almost as though she knew I was behind her and she was trying to elude me.

Finally she turned around and looked right at me.  No longer was she hurrying away, but standing firmly in one spot… waiting for me.  Her eyes settled on me, unmoving.  A dance had begun and the ballroom came to life around us.  Before I could get to her a young man approached her to ask her to dance, I swear she didn't even acknowledge his presence and only continued staring at me.

Her eyes held me captivated as I took my final steps towards her.  I didn't speak, though I knew it was my place to do so, I could only stare into her eyes that were locked with mine.  I couldn't tell you how long we stood there, just gazing at each other, but I didn't mind and it didn't seem that she did either.  Before I knew it, the music ended and the motion of the floor stopped.

"What is in your locket?"  I asked, the golden piece of jewelry hung in plain sight for me to see, it was haunting me to find out its secret.

"Shouldn't you be with Endymion?"  She asked, her body once again becoming animated.

I assumed my original thoughts to be true since she wouldn't answer me and changed the subject to none other than Endymion.  "He's…"

"Right here."  Endymion came up behind me and smiled over my shoulder.  "You look ravishing tonight.  I never thought I would ever live to see the day that you wore a dress."  He was joking with her but I could see the pain in his eyes, in his memories.

"Thank you, will you please excuse me?"  Seiya said politely, and sugary sweet trying to make her escape.

Endymion nodded and let her leave without any further confrontation.  "Did I scare her away?"  He chuckled, not aware that I had heard their conversation earlier.  "Besides, I don't know where she's going, it's not like she can play around with those little girls in that dress."  Endymion was referring to the fact that Seiya had always worn a suit or a tuxedo to any formal event, and in doing so would flirt with the girls just for entertainment.  It was a sort of game that she and Endymion had, to see who could get more attention and admirers.

I felt my heart sink a bit in remembering those times.  Even though Seiya flirted with the other girls at the events, she would always come to ask me to dance, and come to think of it, I don't remember a time that she had ever danced with anyone else.  It didn't look as though she was going to keep up her ritual tonight however.

"Come Serenity, I have something to show you."  Endymion's hand wrapped around my own and directed me towards the terrace just outside the ballroom.  How cliché, I thought to myself, but went along with him anyway.  I couldn't help but watch as Seiya's form disappeared into the see of lackluster guests as though they were snuffing out her flame.

The night was warm and inviting.  A sweet fragrance played in the air and filled me as I breathed it in.  Lightning bugs danced along the greenery below in a lighted ballet.  "Serenity, these past few weeks that we've spent together…"  I tried to listen as he spoke, knowing already what he was about to say, but my mind had decided to play tricks on me and conjure up a ghost.

My thoughts were still on Seiya and as Endymion spoke I swear I saw her leaning on the railing behind him, still wearing that alluring red dress and looking sadly down at her locket in her hands.  My answer here was going to seal her fate and break her heart… but what about my own?

Endymion had stopped speaking, but instead of waiting for an answer his brow was knit closely together as he strained to stare off in the distance.  "What is that?"  He asked, drawing my attention to the same spot in the sky. 

Suddenly the palace alarm went off, a loud moon shaking siren, and brought my attention inside.  My inner senshi rushed out to surround me while I saw the Starlights go to stand as protection for my mother.  The outer senshi took a hurried pace towards the communications room to see just what had happened.

"Are you alright?"  Minako asked me, slightly winded from running the long distance.  I nodded showing her I was fine.

"What is going on?"  Makoto asked, looking around at the guests who were scurrying about.  Ami looked to her and shrugged.  "Do you think it was just a false alarm?"

I tuned them out unconsciously and watched as Seiya was speaking to my mother, Taiki and Yaten.  Every movement she made continued to distract me more.

"And just what were you two doing out here all alone?"  Rei asked slyly, raising her eyebrows up and down before nudging me in the side with her elbow.  Endymion's face flushed red and I was saved from answering her question by Haruka's return.

Haruka proceeded to rush down the stairs directly towards my mother.  I wasn't about to just sit here and not know what was going on, so I began my walk over to my mother and all the commotion.

"… they tried to hold them off, but their forces are being depleted."  Haruka was speaking to my mother in a grave tone, and the look on my mother's face was anything but thrilled, in fact, it bordered on shock.

"What's going on?"  I asked hastily, holding my hand to my chest, subduing my pounding heart.

Seiya turned to me to give me my answer.  "The outer planets are under attack."  She stated bluntly and then turned back to my mother.  "I will go and lead the new forces along with Uranus and Neptune my Queen."  She spoke.

"No!" I shook my head as my hand came up to cover my mouth.  Seiya didn't even turn back to look at me after my outburst but patiently awaited my mother's approval… which eventually came.