Hi again. I feel very flattered that my fanfic is liked, particularly because it is my first. Just pray that I don't blow it! Ok, I am going to tell you from this chapter that Chapter 4 is going to be extremely long And Chapter 5, at beginning, that's when the NC-17 rating is going to begin being applied. I'm sorry for the long wait and I hope you don't mind, but I find that rushing ruins a good fic; don't you? But anyway, you've been fore warned! And this little message is for Red Potato: No, I'm not trying to make Darien cruel or cold-hearted. He really did love his parents and he does miss them. But hey, I don't mean to sound crude or anything, if you just found out you went from dirt poor to owning 72 billion in cash, wouldn't you be smiling too?! I do not own any characters from Sailor Moon, blah, blah, blah, do not sue me, blah, blah, blah, Thank u.

"School?!"

Darien's usually handsome face was distorted in a fit of rage.

"But Aunt Momo! Everything I need to know I learned at the Institution!"

Momo put down her cup of tea and looked sternly at her nephew.

"While that may be so, the Institution did not hand out degrees, and believe me, the system over here does not hand out their diplomas like they grow on trees, and you need a diploma as proof of formal education! You will have to show them that you do know what you claim to know, and in order to do that you will have to attend 3 full terms of school."

He was about to respond but she held up her hand to silence him.

"However unpleasant this may be for you, you will have to do it. How else are you going to make it? And NO, you are not going to live off of the inheritance, although you damned well could," she added lastly, immediately seeing what he was thinking from the gleam in his eyes.

"I want you to show the people around here that you are more than just a pretty face with money in your hand. You must also show that you have the intelligence to back it up, and you must also be well rounded in the sports and arts of the upper class. And so," , she pulled out a brochure. "You are being sent to St. Alban's Academy for the Elite. It's where all the children from this area attend school and it's where you shall go. No questions asked, no arguments allowed. Now go upstairs and get dressed, the maid has put your clothes in the main suite. We have to go to the tailor's to get you fitted for your uniform."

"Uniform?!" He exited the dining room and stormed up the stairs, almost knocking down the descending maid and her armful of stacked cloth napkins. She looked up, bewildered at the retreating irate youth. She approached her employer and placed the napkins on the dining table.

"Here you are Mrs. Chiba. The napkins you wanted." She placed the napkins on the table and then placed her hands on her hips.

"Not a very agreeable one, is he?" she asked, jerking her thumb in the direction Darien had gone. Momo looked at Sune. This maid had the brightest disposition. She couldn't help but smile.

"No, it's not so much that. He just doesn't like being told what to do. He has his father's stubbornness and silence but underneath he has his mother's good heart. He's a good boy and with my help he'll meet a good end. Wait, it's half past eight?!" she exclaimed suddenly, rising from her chair. "Darien must get fitted today and I must call Yuko Tsukino to see if she and Serena are coming to the gala tomorrow night. Tell Kemarou to fix the menus and have samples ready to taste when I return." Momo walked briskly over to an ivory phone on the wall that connected only to the servants quarters. She pressed a button and waited for a response. "Yes, hello, Ino-tenshi. Please bring the Royce around. Young Master Chiba-Stone and I are going to Ketoba's Tailoring Shoppe."

* * * * * *

In her algebra class, Serena rubbed the back of her left leg with her shoe. She didn't think she'd ever been so bored in her life. She counted the ceiling tiles and then shifted to observe the beautiful scenery outside of the window. She closed her eyes and pictured Sammy and herself running down the hill, playing a prolonged game of tag, which, in the end, would prove futile because they were the only two playing. Hot tears threatened to ooze out from behind her tightly shut eyelids. She was led back to reality by her teachers annoyed voice.

"And how, Miss Tsukino, can you tell that this particular equation is that of a circle?" He was obviously expecting her to stammer out a confused 'I don't know.'

"The variables x and y are squared." she replied without missing a beat.

"And the square root of the sum of the equation of a circle is…?"

"The radius of the circle."

"Very good, Miss Tsukino, although I wish you'd give me your undivided attention rather than to the birds in the trees."

Serena blushed, nodded and then buried her flushed face in her textbook. As the teacher began to dictate another question, the chimes signaling inter-class exchange rang and the students hurried to get up from their seats and on to family recreation.

"Could I please see you, Miss Tsukino?" The teacher motioned for her to come to the front of the room. "I will issue you a tardy slip. I just want to speak to you for a moment."

Serena walked slowly to the front of the room as though she were being led to an execution chamber, her mind obviously on other things.

"Come, come, Serena, I don't want you to be later than you have to. Now, what seems to be the problem? You are one of the best students in my class, and since last Tuesday, it's as though you've taken a first class trip to your own little world."

Serena looked beyond him and out the window. She seemed to float away again. She blinked and her eyes focussed on him once more. Sighing, she looked down and dug her toe into the marble flooring.

"I'd rather not talk about it."

"Are you sure?"

"Hai, Mr. Shouga, I'm fine."

"Alright, but if you ever need someone to talk to, well, I'm here."

"Hai, and arigatou for the tardy slip and your concern."

She bowed and left, dashing to family rec.

She arrived just after the late chimes. She removed her shoes and place them by the door with the other shoes and, handing her tardy slip to Miss Hina, apologized for her lateness and sank down onto her assigned mat between Mina and Ami. Ms. Hina smiled at her as she sat. "It's okay, Serena. You're never late and you came in just after the chimes so don't hold it against yourself."

Mina nudged her friend.

"Why were you late anyway?" she whispered. "Usually you're the first person in here."

"Well, Mr. Shouga…"

"Oh no, don't tell me. That crab bitched on you again because you didn't hand in the assignment; or you weren't paying attention?"

"Well, he did catch me daydreaming…"

"Ah-ha! I knew it!" she shouted.

The entire family unit turned to look at them.

"Miss Aino! Please!!"

"Gomen."

Mina bowed her head sheepishly and twiddled her thumbs.

Rei, who was sitting on Mina's left, glared at the back of the blonde's head. "It's always something with you!" she hissed. "Can't you ever contain your excitement?" Serena sighed. "Lay off her, Rei. It's partly my fault. If I hadn't responded to her; if I'd told her to wait--" But Rei cut her off. "There you go again, always apologizing. You really need to get out of that habit. Besides, you were quiet when you spoke to her and you would think that someone would learn from your example and follow it," she said, looking meaningfully at Mina.

Serena wasn't really paying attention anymore to the quiet argument that was going on between Mina and Rei, although she was sure Rei would win. It had started to rain outside, and she closed her eyes. She blocked out everything else and concentrated on the one, simple sound of the pattering of wet drops against the windows.

"Sammy, come on! Mom's waiting for us and it looks as though the sky is going to let us have it any minute, and I don't want to get wet."

"Alright, alright! But at least slow your pace, will you! Besides, I don't feel that good."

She ran back to walk beside him.

"What do you mean? How do you feel?"

"Well, I don't know." His breathing was labored. "I've been feeling a little odd for a while now, but it wasn't so bad at first. Not as bad as it is now. Like…there's someone squeezing my chest, you know? And my muscles…they're so tight." He faltered for a moment. "Pain…pain everywhere." He stumbled.

"Sammy?" The worry in Serena's voice caused it's tone to rise a note.

"Serena." The fear in his eyes couldn't begin to describe what he was going through. "Can't breathe…run…get help…GO!" He shoved her as if to give her a head start. She watched in horror as his eyes rolled back into his head.

"Sammy?! SAMMY!!" Her scream echoed throughout the streets. She tried to pick him up and carry him, but he was far too heavy. She dragged him to a storefront and ran inside to the nearest desk.

"Please…help…phone…emergency…my…my brother…outside… he…" The sales manager needed no more prompting. He dashed to a telephone and rang up emergency services.

She rocked back and forth, silently sobbing. Hot tears made their way down her face. Automatically, she licked them away when they reached the corners of her mouth. She'd done this since she was a little girl, drinking her tears. To her, it was drinking in her sorrow; reabsorbing it.

Yuko held her close. "I'm so sorry Serena. So sorry…" Tears of her own were falling, starry drops against blonde sheen before disappearing into nearly invisible spots. She rested her chin on top of Serena's head. She held Serena tighter in an attempt to still her daughter's sob-racked body. "They announced him dead on arrival." Serena cried harder.

"I should have gone for help when he first told me he wasn't feeling well!"

"Don't blame yourself, Serena." Her mother's voice was unsteady but clear. "He would have died anyway. His medication…who would have thought that the very drugs that were to preserve his life would end it." Drops anew fell from her reddened eyes .

A nurse approached them, sympathy in her face and eyes. She placed her hand on Serena's shoulder in a gesture of comfort and looked at Yuko. "Would you like to view the body?"

Serena was whimpering now, short, harsh sobs escaping her. Tears fell faster that she could drink them, and a dark wet spot formed on her black and red plaid skirt. Rei finally noticed the girl's forlorn condition. "Shut up, Mina. Why didn't you see that she was upset before? You and your stupid arguments…" She came over on her knees and put her arms around her friend. "Serena, what's wrong?"

She looked at Sammy. She couldn't believe he was gone. He looked so peaceful lying there—almost like he was asleep. She brushed his bangs away from his forehead and traced the features of his face with her forefinger. "Sammy." She whispered his name as though she was afraid that she would wake him. She spoke to him softly as if her was still there. "Sleep well Sammy. You've got a battle to fight, and it won't be short or easy." Her voice trembled as she said the last sentence. It had been one of their favorite phrases, and now they wouldn't be able to say it together at night anymore. She threw her arms about his body, laid her head on his chest, and wept.

Rei was shaking her. "Serena! Serena! God, you scare me when you space out like that. Serena, speak to me!"

Serena slowly raised her tearstained face toward Rei. "He's gone." She sank into her friends arms, crying into her shoulder. Rei held her and stroked her head.

"What's wrong?" Ami came over, her face displaying sincere concern. "What happened to her? Did Diamond say something to her?"

Lita's head popped in. "Is she sick?"

Rei look up, a small but sad smile on her face. "No," she replied. She reached into her knapsack, pulled out a tissue and proceeded to gently wipe her friends face. "She's letting out something she'd been keeping in for a long time. She's finally grieving."

* * * * *

I am so glad to be finished writing that chapter…It seems so much longer when you're typing it. I hope it's the style you guys prefer and that it didn't get messy. If I start slacking off, please let me know so that I can smack my cheeks and wake up and start being the good writer that I am supposed to be! Chapter 4 should be out 1-2 weeks from now so keep your eye out for it…Sometimes I forget to post the updates. You guys know what do from here. R&R people. Until next time, always remember to keep a dream and a song in your hearts…

~ Moonlight Siren ~