Chapter Seven

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Darien's thoughts followed him into his dreams, which ended up being a jumble of memories, playing through his mind in no particular pattern.

Darien looked up from the sidewalk. He already knew whom he had run into but he was not prepared when he saw her. She looked completely different, the missing ponytails totally changing her. "Aaron likes it better this way," she said.

Walking into the arcade, he expected to see Serena, to ask her about her comment that morning. However, he could find her nowhere. When he asked Andrew about it, he said that she had not been to the arcade in nearly a week. "The place has started to seem almost quiet without her tripping over something," Andrew had added.

Turning the corner, he saw a familiar blond walking towards him. He quickened his step to reach her sooner. When she saw him, she turned and ran in the opposite direction. Hindered only slightly by the baggy jeans she seemed to be wearing more often.

The rain soaked him through to the skin, and he was shaking with the cold. He could only imagine how Serena must feel. This time he was not going to let her run away. When he caught her he didn't hear her words so much as he extreme fear when she pleaded, "Please Darien, don't take me back to him."

She was curled in as tight as a ball as she could get. He wanted to comfort her, but when he reached out, she screamed and jerked viciously away from his touch.

From there the dream took on a less coherent quality. Flashing through all the times she had evaded his questions, run from him rather than talk to him, or shied away from any contact. Over laying it all was her fear and Aaron's words, "Have you been enjoying her visit? I know I did…"

He was jerked from his sleep by a terrified screaming. Sitting upright, he threw off his blanket and ran to his bedroom. Serena was thrashing against the covers, even in her sleep her face pinched with fear.

"Serena," he called, holding her still so she didn't fall off the bed. When she woke, she stared at him without seeing him, still caught in her nightmare. "Serena," he repeated, more gentle than before.

Her eyes cleared and she saw him, "Oh god, Darien." Then she burst into tears. Darien felt helpless. He settled himself on the end of the bed, unsure if she would let him get any closer. "It was horrible Darien, so horrible."

"You don't have to tell me," he told her, because suddenly he really did not want to know if his suspicions were truth.

"Yes, I do," Serena insisted, "I want you to know that it wasn't my fault. It wasn't like he said."

All Darien could do was sit and listen as she poured out the story. When she reached the end and told him how she felt like she was dying, he felt like he was dying right along with her. Incredible guilt overwhelmed him. He knew Aaron; he had seen how strangely Serena had been acting. He should have guessed what was going on. He looked up to see she was waiting for him to say something. "I'm sorry Serena. I should have known...." He tried to tell her what he was thinking.

Suddenly her finger cut off his words over his lips. "Shh. How could you have known what he planned, what he was doing to me? I didn't talk to anyone; I hid from all my friends. He seemed like the perfect guy."

"But I knew him from before. I know how mean he can be, how careless. I should have been able to know and stop him. It's my fault...." He truly felt as if it was his fault too. Looking down into her sapphire eyes, he saw the pain that still lingered and his guilt became more weighted.

He was surprised to suddenly find himself in Serena's embrace, to hear her whispering in his ear. Assuring him that none of this was his fault. When by all rights, he should be the one telling her that. It seemed that when faced with his pain for her she had immediately forgotten her own and could now only think of comforting him. He tried to tell her that, but this time, instead of using a finger to stop his words, she used her mouth. He reacted immediately, wrapping his arms around her, burying his hands in her hair, which she had let down. She seemed determined to pick up where they had left off when Aaron interrupted them, so he let her. Darien became vaguely aware that the position they were sitting in was uncomfortable. Without breaking contact, he leaned forward, laying her down on the bed and following her.

Darien felt a surge of hope when she whispered, "Please Darien, make all the memories and fear go away." At first, he was all too happy to oblige her. What she had asked of him was the exact thing that had been haunting his dreams. His kissing became more intense, his tongue invading her mouth, his hands trying to feel all of her at once. Serena was keeping up with his every move and he was extremely aware of her small hands running across his bare chest and back. Each finger seemed to leave behind a path of fire on his skin. Then, somehow, common sense broke in and he pulled away from her slightly. Looking down at her, her eyes closed, her breathing fast and shallow, he couldn't help but realize just how much she trusted him. She was vulnerable right now. He could not believe he had almost taken advantage of that.

"Serena," he whispered, his voice hoarse with desire.

She didn't say anything, but she did open her eyes to look at him. His breath caught, her eyes, which were normally a light sapphire blue, and darken to almost a navy color. He wanted to believe that what he saw shining in them was love, but he couldn't let himself hope. "I can't. Not now."

Serena closed her eyes in embarrassment. Gently he laid a kiss on each eyelid, and then waited for her to look at him. "I want to Serena. It wouldn't be fair, not to you or me. And not for the reason you said."

He made to get up when he saw that she understood but she stopped him. "Don't go," she said. When he was about to protest she added, "Just hold me." Darien found himself unable to deny her. Moving around to the other side of the bed, he crawled under the blanket and pulled her into his embrace. He watched as she fell into a peaceful sleep, but he was sure it would be a long night before he finally relaxed enough to be able to fall asleep himself.

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Snuggling deeper into his arms, Serena smiled. She could see the faint light of dawn through the window and she couldn't stop the thoughts that kept running through her head. Serena hadn't realized how much she loved Darien until that moment. What he said had made it clear to her. How could she do anything less but love him. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that he was still asleep. Turning over so she could use his shoulder as a pillow, she kissed him softly, careful not to wake him up. Then she told him what she was to shy to say when he was awake. "I love you Darien."

If she had kept her eyes open long enough, she would have seen him smile.

The next morning, Serena didn't open her eyes right away. Rather, she reached across the bed, seeking for something. Opening her eyes, she found that Darien wasn't there. Stretching, she allowed her self a small smile of self-indulgence. She was in love and didn't particularly care who knew it. Getting up she made her way into the kitchen, hoping to find him there. Disappointment clouded her features when all she found was a note that read:

Meatball Head

I'm sorry I'm not going to be here when you wake up. My vacation is over, I'm at work now. Thank you for talking to me last night. I'll be home around six tonight.

I love you too

Darien

Serena blushed; he had still been awake last night. Then what he had written sunk it. 'Darien loved her!' Clutching the note, she danced around the apartment. Finally coming to rest on the couch. After catching her breath, she got up again. There was no way she could sit still so she made her way out to the balcony. Looking down she felt a little dizzy. This was higher than most of those rides yesterday. 'Oh well,' she shrugged, 'At least this isn't moving.'

She continued throughout the day like that. Cleaning to get rid of some of her energy, then going out to the balcony to rest. Every five minutes it seemed, she would pull out the note and reread it. Soon it was already starting to rip along the fold lines.

Darien was due home in a half an hour. She was just about to start supper so it would be ready for him when she heard an annoying beeping. Serena almost didn't recognize it; she hadn't heard the communicator in such a long time. Remembering what it was she ran to the bedroom and pulled it out from among the clothes she had grabbed at her house. Hitting a button she said, "Serena here."

Sailor Mars appeared on the small screen. "We need your help. Get over here!"

Serena was about to protest when she remembered her conversation with Luna. She couldn't back out on her friends, not now. "Directions?" she asked abruptly. After Mars told her where to go, she dropped the communicator in her back pocket. Raising her hand into the air she yelled, "Moon Prism Power!" With a flurry of lights and ribbons, Serena could feel the power draw into her as she transformed. In only seconds, Sailor Moon was standing in Darien's bedroom.

Racing out into the living room, she considered the front door only briefly. She could travel faster if she went by way of the roof. Starting at the far end of the living room, she started running, picking up speed quickly. When she reached the balcony, she jumped up onto the rail and launched herself over to the next building. Luckily, it was lower than Darien's apartment, because it was easier to jump across than to jump straight up. Landing, she stumbled just slightly, her gloves protected her hands and her boots protected her knees. Without a second thought she was up and running, performing almost perfect leaps to the next building. She was so busy concentrating that she never saw the sleek, black car pull into the garage below Darien's building.

The battle was going full force when she arrived. Mercury had just shielded the entire street in fog but thanks to the small jewel in her tiara, which cast a clearing light in front of her, she was able to see where she was going. Meeting up with the other scouts, she found out what was happening. They had no idea what this creature was, and everything they threw at it was repelled back at them.

The fog cleared and she got a good look at their opponent. It appeared to be a large, red rubber ball, entirely covered by small white hands. The hands at the bottom moved it along while the hands at the top hurled what looked like spears of black lightening. The other hands all seemed pretty much useless to Sailor Moon so she hung back, determined to find out what they were for. Jumping around the cardian, she observed closely where ever one of the scout's attacks hit it. She didn't catch it the first few times and when she did, the movement was so fast that she thought she might be imagining things. That is, until a new attack joined the barrage. A red rose flew through the air and just as it appeared to hit the creature, all the little hands that were within reach moved and grabbed it.

"The hands!" she yelled, running over to Mercury. "It's catching the attacks with the hands. Can you freeze them?"

"Sure can try," Mercury said. Running towards the monster, she stopped only a few feet from it and folded her arms. "Mercury Bubbles Blast!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

"Yes," Sailor Moon screamed, jumping up and down. It appeared that not all the hands could catch the attack, only the ones right in the center of the hit. All around those few hands was a ring of frozen ones. "Aim at the frozen hands!" she yelled, trying to maneuver into a good position to make the final blow.

"Good job, Sailor Moon," Tuxedo Mask said, joining her where she stood waiting for enough hands to be blown off.

She smiled at him briefly, "Thank you." Then she turned her attention back to the fight. Maybe it was because she had Darien but Tuxedo Mask no longer seemed as great as he used to.

Almost all the hands were gone and Sailor Moon saw her chance. "Moon Tiara Magic," she yelled and threw the tiara turned discus at the area with the least number of hands. The tiara hit and the cardian burst into dust, leaving behind only a small, blackened card. Then all her adrenaline left her and she fell in exhaustion.

Tuxedo Mask caught her. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, gaining her feet. She smiled triumphantly at the scouts as they gathered around her. When she felt Tuxedo Mask leave, she smiled at them and turned to go, "Darien is going to be back soon. I have to beat him there."

Taking to the roofs again, she saw Tuxedo Mask taking the same path ahead of her. Since they were going in the same direction, she followed him. For some reason she felt that she had to make sure he did not see her. She started getting curious when he never turned off the path she was going; instead, it appeared as if he had the same destination in mind as she did. When he jumped down between buildings, she followed him. Confusion over took curiosity when he entered the garage beneath Darien's apartment. Staying in the shadows, she watched him walk over to Darien's car. 'Oh no,' she thought, 'He's already home. How am I going to explain my disappearance to him?'

It seemed she didn't have anything to worry about though. Sailor Moon saw him take a quick glance around to make sure he was alone then the unbelievable happened. She saw him detransform and suddenly standing there was none other than Darien.

She covered her mouth with a white-gloved hand to stifle her gasp. 'Darien is Tuxedo Mask!' her mind screamed at her. It was all she could do to stop herself from running over and throwing herself into his arms.

Staying behind him far enough that he couldn't see her she followed him out of the garage. When he entered an elevator she ducked into the stair well and started running. She made it to his floor just as he closed his door behind him. Standing just outside the door she could hear him calling for her. Opening the door, she stepped inside. She knew the exact moment that he realized she wasn't there and she saw him when he found the open balcony door.

It appeared he couldn't help but try once more. "Serena?" he called, but it was obvious from his tone that he wasn't expecting her to answer.

His back was to her when she stepped into his view. "Darien."

He turned at her voice and she saw how shocked he was to see Sailor Moon standing in his living room. Darien recovered quickly, "Who are you?"

Smiling Sailor Moon said, "You know who I am, just as I know who you are, Tuxedo Mask."

Suspicion turned his eyes a stormy color. "What are you talking about?"

"At least I know I can trust you to keep a secret. I saw you in the garage."

His face became hard, taking on that arrogant look she knew so well. "Why did you follow me?"

Sailor Moon shrugged, "Why not? You were going in the same direction I was." Before he could say anything she asked, "Aren't you even wondering where she is?"

"Who?" he looked confused for a moment. "You mean Serena? What do you know about her? Have you done something to her?"

"Darien," she sighed, "It's not nice to assume things like that. Especially after all the times we have helped each other. I know everything about her because…" She stopped. He probably wouldn't believe her unless she showed him.

"Because why?" he asked impatiently.

"Just watch." Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her powers. The first time she had done this it had been difficult to detransform but now it seemed she could do it with a mere thought. When she opened her eyes, it was to see a surprised expression on Darien's face. "Now you know how I felt when I found out you're Tuxedo Mask."

Taking a step toward her, he asked uncertainly, "Serena?"

"In the flesh," she laughed. Before she could go to him, as she wanted to she had to know one thing. Pulling the note out of her pocket, she unfolded it and looked it over. "Is it true? Do you love me?"

The stunned look left his face and he smiled at her. "More than anything."

That was just what she wanted to hear. Laughing in delight, she flew across the room and wrapped her arms around his neck. Without waiting for him to catch his balance, she captured his mouth with hers.

They finally parted on the couch. He was laying down on it with her on top of him. Smiling she laid her head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. When he talked, she could feel his chest rumbling. "How did you become Sailor Moon anyway?"

So she told him the story about how she had found some boys harassing Luna one day. Saving the poor cat, she had discovered a strange crescent moon on its forehead. She continued the story to include discovering Amy, Raye and Lita were Sailor Mercury, Mars and Jupiter respectively. The final story she told him was the one were they found out that not only was there one more scout, Mina as Sailor Venus, there was also another talking cat.

When she was finished, Darien remained silent for a moment. When he did talk he said, "I believe all of it, except that your cat can talk. That is just too close to being crazy, Serena."

"Believe what you want. You'll find out the truth tomorrow when I call them all here for a meeting." She laughed when he groaned at the thought of all those girls invading his apartment again. "How about you. How did you become Tuxedo Mask?"

"I didn't have as much of a choice as you did. I didn't even know it was happening at first. In the beginning, I just got these weird headaches and then I would black out. When I woke up, I would be in a completely different place with no memory of how I got there. After while I started having these dreams where there is this princess calling for Tuxedo Mask to help her. It took having that dream only a few times before I realized that I am Tuxedo Mask. When I figured that out, I stopped blacking out. Now I had more control over what I was doing, but I still transformed automatically when I got the headaches. Soon after that, I made the connection between you and my headaches. It seems that whenever you transform, I get a headache. I now have control over my own transforming, though I have to transform to get rid of the pain. If I don't they just get worse."

"I'm sorry," Serena said. "I never meant to totally mess up your life."

"Don't worry about it so much. Once I had everything under my control, I found that it was actually fun fighting along side you guys. Almost as much fun as arguing with you is."

"Oh Darien." Serena kissed him lightly then laid her head back down. They talked about their secret lives late into the night, until they both fell asleep without moving from where they were laying.