Chapter Nine:
Understanding
Authors Notes: Oh my gosh…I am soo~~ sorry that this chapter is this late getting out. Some things have happened and to be honest I forgot about everything I was writing because I had to put it on hold. I really hope that everyone isn't really, really mad at me for it.
And so on to the story…
Serena and Rini had taken a detour through the park. She wanted to talk to Rei but knew that she shouldn't go back there anytime soon. Rini was starting to complain about being tired and Serena was really beginning to felt the same, so she decided to go a head and head back to their new home. Luckily it wasn't that far and they made it fairly quickly.
The last thing that Serena expected to find when they arrived was the guys and Darien sitting on the floor reminiscing about times that were long passed. She stood in the doorway listening to them for a minute before turning quickly and running down the hall to the elevator that was too slow for her. The ride down took forever as soon as it had stopped and the doors opened she was once again running full force out of the lobby and down the street.
@~%~Meanwhile back at the Condo~%~@
Rini had walked in when they arrived thinking that her mother was behind her. She had no reason to fear going into the room where her 'uncles' where. She skipped in with her hair bouncing behind her. When she reached Nate, who was sitting with his back to the door, she threw her small arms around his neck and put her head over his shoulder.
This caused him to jump and the other guys to laugh. He reached around so that he could grab her pulled her around so that she was sitting in his lap.
"Hi, Uncle Nate." Rini said smiling brightly up at him.
"Where's your mommy?" He asked her in response.
"Mommy there." She stood up and pointed over his shoulder and looked. Her eyes got big as she scanned the area, Serena wasn't there and she was a moment ago. "Momma?" With that she ran towards the open door and into the hall. She was getting scared now, her momma had just been there and now she wasn't. The guys followed quickly behind her. Jag caught up with her and picked her up in his strong arms.
"I'm sure she forgot something in the lobby, that's all Rini." Jag looked at the other three in mute appeal, Darien for the time forgotten.
"I'll take the south part of town." Nate spoke up first.
"I'll take west." Zane was next.
"I call east." Kaz was next.
"I've got north, then." Jag added in last.
Darien wasn't sure if he should volunteer or not but felt as if he should do something. "I'll help, I'll go get the scouts and we'll break off like you guys did."
Kaz spun on his heel so quickly that the guys thought that he might have fallen. "The scouts will not know. She has her reasons and we will respect that. They are not to know."
"Fine. I'll take the roof tops."
"If you find her you just watch her, do not go near her." Nate added in. They all had begun to think of Serena as a sister and they wouldn't let her be hurt again.
Darien nodded in agreement and led the group down the hall.
"Who is Rini going to go with?" Nate asked as they stepped on to the elevator.
"I think it should be up to her." Zane answered him.
"True. Rini who do you want to go with?"
She looked up at Jag as if asking permission and then back at Nate. "Stay with Uncle Jag." Everyone nodded in agreement to this and they stepped off the elevator and were soon out of the hotel and on their way in the direction that they picked.
Nate decided to stop by The Crown to see if she had by any chance come in. He had no luck there but Andrew did agree to keep a look out for her. With that done he continued on his way.
While the other guys searched in their own way, Jag decided to try their link. He was thinking about what he was going to say when Sere called him.
'Jag? Nate? Kaz? Zane? One of you?" Her voice sounded in his head and could only guess that it did so for the others as well.
'Sere where are you? Are you hurt?' Zane was the first one to answer.
'I'm fine; you are not going to find out where I am right now. And don't worry if anything happens I will let you know.'
'Ok…but you had better be careful.'
'I will…now Rini is tired if one of you would lay her
down for a nap…'
'Sere she wants her mommy and you know she won't lie down for us.' Jag cut her off before she could get any further. Sere was quiet for a minute and didn't answer.
'Ok, I'll meet you guys at home.' With that their link was cut and it left them all state of shock.
'Maybe we should have warned her about Darien.' The thought ran through all of their minds simultaneously. They had warned Darien to stay away from her hopefully that would be enough.
Serena hadn't gone far and made it back to the condo before the rest of them. She hadn't thought when she had left the condo. It was only after she was about a block away did she realize that she had left Rini and probably just blew any cover she could have had.
The guys met in the lobby of the apartment, all except for Darien and they had no way of getting a hold of him, their link hadn't come back yet. They waited around for about ten minutes before deciding to go up to the room. Sere was lounging on the floor in front of the floor length window and looked like she was daydreaming. While she had waited for them to come back she had come up with a plan as to where she had been incase Darien was with them. She may even use it if he wasn't.
She set the book down that she was holding and sighed, the guys stood and watched her from the doorway for a minute. She looked sad and beautiful at the same time, the moment was broken when Rini slipped from Jag's arms and went running up to her causing them both to fall over backwards.
Sere was caught by surprise and didn't have time to keep them from falling; instead she wrapped her arms around the child in a hug.
The guys watched the two of them for a minute before saying anything. "Sere where were you?" Nate finally broke the silence, voicing the question the other guys where thinking.
"Listen guys I know I shouldn't have run away like I did, but I realized I was wrong before I got too far. No lectures. As for were I was, well…I had made it about a block away." She told them the truth deciding that it would be better to. "I am NOT ready to see him. Or should I say I COULDN'T see him yet. I'm not ready. The scouts need to know that I am here before he does. They are the ones that I owe the explanation too." She paused to take a breath before continuing. "I know you guys have a duty to Darien and I don't expect you to go back on the word that you swore so long ago. Just as I have a duty to the… Scouts…" The truth had finally sunk in. She knew that she had been wrong to leave them like she did, but admitting out loud that she had a duty to fulfill to them made it all sink in.
"I've got to go…I've got something that I've got to do…" she looked at the guys they were standing speechless and looking at her with a bit of concern in their eyes. She looked down at Rini and smiled a little. "Rini I've got to go somewhere, I'm going to leave you with your uncles, okay?"
Rini's eyes widened and she shook her head while clinging on to Sere's arm. "Listen Sere, she freaked out when you left earlier, I don't think that it would be wise to leave her again. I'm sure that whatever you need to do she can go with you right?" Zane spoke for the group.
Sere nodded in agreement she still wasn't used to being a mother, but considering there was no way of knowing how long Rini would be there she would need to get used that that role fairly quickly. "Okay then…let's go Rini." With that she stood up and offered the little girl a hand up. "Will you guys be here when the movers get here?"
"Yeah don't worry Sere."
"Thanks guys, you're the best!" With that the girls left the apartment and where on their way down the hall towards the elevator when Jag ran up behind them.
"Sere take this." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the folded piece of paper that Rei had given him earlier that day. "I just remembered that I had it, you may be able to use it." He shoved the paper into her hand and jogged back down the hall to where they were staying. Sere looked at the paper confused but shrugged it off. Once they were on the elevator and on their way down Sere unfolded the paper and read it.
@~%~ The Note ~%~@
5:00 at the temple
@~%~ End ~%~@
Sere was slightly confused by the cryptic message but played it off as being Rei. She wandered why Jag had given it to her; after all it was obvious that he was deeply in love with her. "Want to go meet a new friend Rini?" She asked smiling down at the girl. Rini smiled in response and nodded. "Good. Do you remember the lady from earlier today, the one with Uncle Jag?" Rini nodded again.
"That is Rei, she's got a temper on her but you will like her." They walked the rest of the way in silence; occasionally Rini would let out a yawn that she tried to cover. After about the fifth one Sere finally asked her "Do you want me to call one of the guys? I'm sure they will come get you so that you can take a nap. Or I can take you back myself."
Rini shook her head as she responded. "NO! Please let me stay with you."
"Okay, but if you get too tired let me know." She told her,
trying to sound like a mother. 'How did my mother put up with me? I must
have been a whole lot of trouble. I hope I'm doing the right thing. The note
didn't say whether it would be Scout meeting or not…this could be interesting.'
They walked on in silence until the came to the steps that led up to the temple. "Rini are you sure you don't want one of the guys to come and get you?" Sere asked before starting up the temple steps. Rini nodded her answer and started up before Sere.
About half up the steps Sere was beginning to have doubts
about this. 'I don't know if I can face Rei's anger. But I'm going to have
to…after all I am the one that left them…that was not the brightest thing to
do. I know that now.'
She sat down on the steps and watched as Rini climbed a little ways more before stopping and turning around. "Momma? What's wrong?"
"Nothing little one…just nervous."
"What is ner…ner…vous?"
"Afraid."
"What's there to be afraid of? Is the bad people there?"
Sere shook her and had to smile. "No the bad people aren't there. But the person who is used to be my best friend…and I don't know how she will react." 'I can't believe that I am explaining this to her. She doesn't need to know.'
"Oh…daddy used to tell me that you had to give up at times to win." Her face scrunched up as she tried to remember the way he said it. It was the only thing that he would say when she asked about her mother.
"You know he was right. Might as well go on." She stood up and held her hand out to the little girl and they continued up the steps together. There had to be a way for this to work, otherwise Pluto wouldn't have suggested it. 'But what if she was wrong? I can't let myself think like that. She knows what is going to happen and probably the best way to get there. True, but the second thoughts still come. And they always will. Now, back straight, head high, walk with the grace and pose.' Those thoughts brought them to the top of the steps.
Sere looked around and half expected to see Sailor Mars standing there ready to fry them, again. All she saw was Rei's grandfather hurrying across the grounds to where they stood.
"Hello. Hello. What can I do for two beautiful young ladies today? Dinner maybe?"
'Always the flirt, something never change.' Sere smiled as Rini scooted a little behind her. "I was told that the priestess here could 'predict' the future…I was wondering what it would take to get a meeting with her." 'It'll work…but I won't ever get away from him other wise.'
"Ah…well I'm not exactly sure where my granddaughter is at the moment."
'Time to pull out some tricks from the past.' "Oh…I apologize…someone as handsome as yourself must have many other things to worry about than the whereabouts of your granddaughter. I do hope you will forgive me."
This caused the old man to start stuttering so bad that he couldn't get a whole sentence out before he finally gave up an went on about his other duties, as he said. But Sere saw the group of young girls that had just come around from the other side of the temple and shook her head.
'So Rei, where are you in this temple?' She took Rini's hand again and started walking to where the main part of the temple was. "If grandpa didn't know where she was, that must mean she has been meditating for a while and he forgot. Which could also mean that she will be at it for a while. First stop the 'Fire Room.'
She led Rini through the corridors until they came to a room with the door shut, the door couldn't hold in the heat that was radiating out from the room. Sere slid the open quietly and peeked inside. "And so I was right."
Rei sat with her back to the door staring intently into the fire, and seeing only she knew what. Sere led the way into the room and to the other side of the fire where they took a seat, to wait. She knew from past experiences that it was NOT a good idea to 'break' the trance that Rei was in now.
@~%~ Rei ~%~@
Rei sat before the fire with her eyes closed. Her meditation was the deepest one that she had had in a long time and for some reason it was the most calming. When Sere entered the room she felt a tickle of something at the far edge of her mind but it wasn't enough to make her come back to Earth.
@~%~ Serena ~%~@
Rini yawned again and rubbed her eyes. Sere saw all of this out of the corner of her eye. 'I should have left her with the guys.' She thought as she looked at her.
"Lie down. If you fall asleep then you do, if not oh well. We will probably be here a while, might as well make ourselves comfortable." Sere whispered to Rini, who was once again yawning. Rini did as she was told and laid down with her head in Sere's lap. She moved the hair back from the little girls face and was surprised at how quickly she had fallen asleep.
"She really was tired."
"I'm sure that my grandfather can help you with whatever it you need." Rei's voice jerked her from her thoughts.
"That's fine I'll wait." Sere responded her voice low. It was obvious that Rei was still somewhat in her trance.
"If you have a question ask it now."
"How do I go about reinstating old friendships and asking forgiveness for my own stupidity?"
Rei was silent for a moment. 'I wonder what it is that she see.'
"They will take you back once everything is explained."
A smile lit Sere's face. "Thank you. I needed the reassurance I guess." 'Does Rei even know that she can predict her own future? Let's hope this one is the truth.' Somewhere in the distance a church bell rang five times, naming the time five in the afternoon. 'Wow, it's been an hour. It doesn't seem like that long.'
The ringing of the bell called Rei from her meditation. She kept her eyes closed for a few extra minutes feeling the power and solace of the fire escape her grasp.
"I told him five o'clock. Can the boy not tell time?"
Sere held in a laugh as Rei spoke. Jag could tell time very well…when he wanted. "Hello Pyro." Sere spoke her voice normal thinking of distracting the priestess from whatever course her mind was beginning to take. It wouldn't do to have Rei and Jag in the middle of a fight.
Rei's eyes flew open at the nickname that she hadn't heard in forever. Once Serena left the other girls didn't use it. "Serena?" Her voice was strained as if she wasn't willing to believe her own eyes. Sere didn't say anything except to cock her head to the side.
"Okay, dreaming, just dreaming."
"Humph. I'm not a dream. At least not last time checked. But it does feel as if we are living in one doesn't it?"
"SERENA!" With that Rei was up and around the fire in an instant.
"Whoa! Wait a minute!" Sere told her before she could tackle her. She moved Rini so that she was lying on the floor. That was when Rei hugged.
"You're back."
'But for how long?' She decided not to answer that one. "Rei I need to tell you something. Sit down."
"Let's get out of here first. It's hot."
"And here I was thinking that you liked the heat." She picked up the sleeping form of Rini and gave Rei a slight smile, when she saw Rei's questioning look. Oh she had some explaining to do.
Sere followed Rei out of the fire room and into her bedroom, they walked in silence. "You can lay her on the bed."
"Thanks. She is kind of heavy." Sere laid her on the bed before joining Rei on the floor. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry leaving all those years ago, for leaving you guys here alone to fight, for breaking the friendship that we had, for not keeping in touch, and for not giving any of you an explanation. I don't know if you can forgive me or not, but you've got to know that I do regret it."
Rei looked her over and knew that she was telling the truth. Should she tell her that they knew why she left? Maybe it would be better to leave that little bit untold. "Why did you leave?"
"Why did I leave? I left because there was too much pain here. Darien and I broke up; I don't remember the reason though. I was hurt I didn't think straight. I packed and I left. I should have told you guys something. But I wasn't thinking."
"Well…I guess I forgive you." Rei said as if it was a great deal of trouble.
Sere smiled, knowing that she meant it. "THANKS REI!"
"I want to know everything. Start talking."
"Okay I left Tokyo, and went to America. I traveled from California to Atlanta, GA. There I found work in a club, became a singer, and met four of the best guys any one ever could. They had a group, and after hearing me sing one song I was their new lead female vocalist. We made it big there, went on an international tour..."
"Hold on. And this group would be?"
Sere blushed. "The Earth Squad." She said looking sheepishly.
"WHAT?!"
"Yeah."
"You are with that gorgeous blonde?"
"NOT LIKE THAT I'M NOT!"
Both girls burst into a fit of giggles at that. "But if you are referring to Jag yeah he's there. He's trouble too."
"He can't be that bad."
"Want to bet? If I had your power he would have been fried on more than one occasion, the first being the pool incident."
"Pool incident? Tell."
"Okay, okay. It was when I first met them I was staying with them and was up in my room when the door was threw open and Jag walked in. He had this grin on his face that was just screaming trouble. He picked me up from where I was sitting and the next thing I know I'm in the air and then hitting the water of the in ground pool in the back yard."
Rei was laughing so hard that she had tears starting to form.
"Well needless to say the 'jackal' wound up in the water beside me. It was worth it just to see his face."
"I bet." Rei was now somewhat in control of herself.
"Momma?" A small voice said from the bed.
"Uh-oh. It's okay Rini, you can go back to sleep." Rini was beside her now, and looking at Rei curiously. "Guess not. Rini I would like you to met Rei. The nice lady that I was telling you about."
"Hi." Rini said shyly and curtsied a little.
"Hello." Rei answered her. Once Rini was sitting down beside Sere, she looked at her questioningly. "Your daughter?"
"Yes, she is my daughter."
"Who is the lucky man? Let me guess the one with the long silver hair? Mina is going to love this."
"Umm…well you see…it's not Kaz…and it's not Zane either, so don't say him. It's none of the guys." How was gong to tell Rei that she had no idea who the father was?
"Serena?"
"Rei it's Sere now. Might as well tell the truth. Promise you won't say anything?"
"Yeah I promise."
"Okay well you see…Pluto sent her here, I don't know where she is from or anything about her, but as both of them have said I am her mother."
"Pluto? What does she have to do with any of this?"
"Everything since I got back to Tokyo."
Rei looked like she wanted some more answers but thought it best to leave everything alone for now.
'Hey Re, which bedroom did you want?' Jag's voice came in her mind.
'Huh? Oh umm…the one with the best view of the street.
A corner one preferably. You know what I'll be back in a few minutes. We may
have company please make sure that…'
'Don't worry he's gone. See you then.' With that his voice faded. And she was left staring into the eyes of Rei.
"What was that about?"
"Oh the furniture arrived and they wanted to know which bedroom I wanted. I told him that I would be back in a few minutes. They probably have a mess of things already. Want to come? I'll introduce you to them…again."
"YES! Let me change." With that Rei was up and into her closet as fast as lightning.
"I thought that Lita had the lightning!"
"Whatever!" came Rei's muffled response.
"Ready to go home little one? I'm sure your uncles have made a big mess by now." She could just picture what their new home looked like, boxes strewn everywhere, it probably looked like a tornado had been through it. The thought caused her to cringe.
"Uncles going to be in trouble?" Rini asked as Rei walked back into the room dressed in a pair of black pants with a red tank top.
"If they are I think I'll let Rei fry them for me. I'm sure that she would like the practice."
"Hmm…interesting idea. I get to see Jag run."
"More like crawl behind something or someone and hide, that someone being namely me. The other guys aren't going to stay around long with fire going everywhere."
"Hey now. It doesn't go everywhere just where I want it to. Well what are you two waiting for? Let's go!" She tugged Sere to her feet and practically dragged her out the door.
"Slow down. You act like you have a hot date."
"GRANDPA! I'll be back later! I might have one for tonight that's why I'm in a hurry." She responded as they headed down the steps.
"Uh huh."
"So where are you staying??"
"Darien's apartment building, top floor with the condos. We've got the whole floor to ourselves, well mainly. There's only one other person there and that's…"
"Darien."
"Yeah."
"No, Darien. There, just ahead of us." She pointed to a man that was a little ways in front of them.
"Umm…damn." Sere mumbled and felt Rini's hand move from hers, then Rini practically running down the street.
"DADDY!" She called as she reached him.
"Damn again. Rei please cover for me." Sere begged her with her eyes. Before Darien turned around.
"You're not daddy." Rini's face went white as she began to back away from him.
"Hello there. Are you lost?"
'Please Rei? I'm not ready to
face him.' Sere spoke quickly.
'You are going to face him.
You are not Serena…you are Sere from the Earth Squad. And you are her mother.'
"Momma?" Rini had bumped into her legs and was now clinging to them. That was not her daddy, her daddy always smiled when he saw her, even if the smile was sad. This man smiled but it wasn't her daddy there was something wrong.
"It's okay Rini." Sere said kneeling down behind her daughter. "Sorry, sir she thought that you were someone else." Sere said not looking up.
"Hi Darien, where ya off to?" Rei spoke for the first time.
"Hey Rei. No where just going home."
"Oh…I'd like you to met an old friend of mine. I'm sure you remember Sere from the Earth Squad. She's the daughter of a friend of grandpa's."
'Thank you Rei. You're the
best.'
'It took you that long to figure it out?' Her words were softened with a smile that she showed as Sere stood up.
Sere held her hand out to him. "Nice to meet you again."
"Yes you too." He shook her hand. "For you two to be friends you didn't act like it after the concert Rei."
"We didn't recognize each other. It has been a while since we last saw each other." Sere explained not giving Rei a chance to. She would get it for that later.
There was something going on between the two of them and he didn't know what it was. It was enough to drive him insane. Not like he wasn't already on the brink of it anyway. Darien nodded to the statement. He could always ask Rei about it later.
