Destiny Can Seem So Wrong

Disclaimer—I do not own Sailor Moon.

A/N: Thanks to all my faithful reviewers, you all really uplifted my spirits every time I saw a new review appear! I hope you'll all stick with me for the next story I plan to write. It's going to follow Serena's adventures... as a promising new pop princess taking the world by storm. For this reason I'm going to title it "Storm Warning." So with any luck you'll decide to love my new creation as much as you loved this one. Okay, this is the last chapter you'll get of *Destiny Can Seem So Wrong." So enjoy it—if any of you feel that I should do a sequel, feel free to tell me in any reviews you send me for the last chapter of this story! Thanks heaps for your support! – Eli K*

Chapter 10— To Have And To Hold

The man behind the mask was nervous; so nervous his entire body trembled. There was nothing he could do to control it—the reason being that Sailor Moon was near him and that was the reaction she caused in him by simply being within his reach. This time around, though, he was baring his soul, which only added to the strength of the uncontrollable shaking he was suffering from. If she could see his eyes, she would see nervousness, defeat, uncertainty... and fright. Darien was frightened.

Frightened because he had just given away the secret locked so deep within his heart that he had needed to battle to find the key to set it free. Love was a strange emotion to Darien, one he had little known over his lonesome years on this Earth. He was certain now, as the minutes passed, the silence grew, that he loved Sailor Moon.

Which meant he loved Serena.

How could he have been so arrogant? So stupid? Could she ever truly forgive him for the pain he had caused her? Darien bowed his head, deeply ashamed with the callous actions he had conveyed towards Serena. Why hadn't he given the girl a chance? He had known there was something about the girl that had strangely attracted him to her right from the start, so why had he not listened to his heart?

"Serena," Darien said hoarsely. "Please don't sit there in silence. Say something."

Serena reached out and took his hands in hers. "I don't know what to think."

"I know I haven't been the best guy to know, but please don't turn away. Tell me how you really feel. Is my being Tuxedo Mask too much for you? Would you rather I just left you alone from now on? Because if that's what you want, just say the word. You'll never hear from me again."

Darien almost physically flinched at his words because they hurt so much to say. No matter how much he wanted to have and to hold this girl, he had to respect her wishes. Even if it ruined him, he was determined to let her go if that was what she wanted, let her leave without telling her he loved her.

"I'll never turn away. I want to be friends, Darien, I really do but...I don't know ..." Serena ignored the tears trickling down her face. "If we're going to fight evil together, think about this. What if we had a falling out? Would you still be there to help me if we were to fight ourselves?"

"I couldn't desert you. It's my destiny to protect the Scouts, and especially you, Serena," Darien reminded the confused young girl.

"I know," Serena said, "but I can't help feeling a little freaked at this whole thing."

Darien nodded. "I understand, Serena. Just take some time to think clearly."

Suddenly those amazing blue eyes flew open in terror. "And what about Raye?"

A heavy feeling crushed Darien as she uttered those words. It felt like his heart was being squeezed by a vice—he had completely forgotten that Serena and Raye were friends. Then an idea occurred to him. "Serena... if you wanted, we could be friends as Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon, not Darien and Serena. Raye wouldn't even have to know. All we'd have to do is transform and hang out someplace."

Serena shook her blonde head. "As much as I would love to agree to that, we can't, Darien."

"Why? In case we're spotted?" Darien sighed. "Serena, that's paranoid. There are heaps of places we could go without being seen by people."

"No, that's not it, Darien." Serena scrubbed at her cheeks in frustration. But the tears still flowed freely, so in the finish she gave up trying to stop them.

"What is it, then?" Darien asked gently.

"Raye is Sailor Mars, Darien. She would find out very fast if we were sneaking around in our warrior forms." Serena stared at the ground. "I see her every day. There's no way I could hide our friendship from her. Not when I have to see her so often."

Darien felt a shock wave drown him as Serena filled him in on this. "She's Sailor Mars?"

"Yes, and she is also my best friend. I couldn't do it to her, Darien." Serena was openly sobbing by now, in as much pain as Darien, although hers was apparent, his was not. She had no idea why he was coming up with all of these different schemes just to see her. He'd never cared so much before he had found out she was Sailor Moon.

"Oh." Darien leaned back. "Surely we could be friends and she wouldn't object to that?"

"You don't know her that well, do you, Darien? She really loves you, you know that? If I decided suddenly that you were wonderful, it would break her heart. You might not have to worry about that, but I do." Serena hated how harsh she sounded. All she wanted was to pull him into her arms and hold him and kiss him and hug him, but it was just so damn difficult to get around the fact that Darien and Raye did have a past, and that Serena had sworn she was not interested in him the way Raye was.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm pushing you." Darien got up and started pacing. "This is such a goddamn mess!"

Surprised at Darien's unexpected explosion, Serena jumped. "Whoa! Where did that come from? Darien, what's wrong?" She ventured over to where he stood and touched his arm slightly. "There's something else you're hiding from me, isn't there? It's no good hiding it; we already know each other's deepest secret. Come on. Out with it."

Darien clenched his fists. "It doesn't matter now, Serena."

"Yes, it does! You're my friend and I don't want to see you upset." Serena's eyes radiated seriousness. "Hear that? You are my friend. That means you can talk to me. I don't care anymore. I don't care what Raye will think. I want to be your friend more than anything else."

"You're true?" Darien risked gazing back at her.

"I'm true." Serena nodded emphatically. "I'm allowed to have friends."

Darien broke out into a smile. "It's good to know I can call you a friend now."

"But there is something else upsetting you, and you have to tell me, because friends don't lie to one another," Serena said promptly.

'Okay, you want me to come clean? You really are sure about this?" Darien asked.

"Yep." Serena's ponytails bounced as she bobbed her head.

God she's gorgeous, Darien thought. She's right. I can't lie to her. "Okay. This is why I was pushing to be friends. I want to see you whenever I can. I want to see you every day. I want to protect you. You know why?"

Serena's eyes shone with unshed tears. "Why, Darien?"

"I love you, Serena."

Two gloved hands flew to an open mouth. A pair of blue eyes snapped right open. A tentative hand reached for the white mask covering his eyes—she wanted to look into them and hear him say it again. "What did you say?"

"I love you, Serena." Darien pulled the tiny frame of the girl to him. "I love you."

"You really mean it, don't you," Serena whispered fuzzily, her words resonating through the room. "Do you mean it, really, Darien?"

"Really, I mean it, I can look right into your eyes and I can say it. What more proof do you need?" Darien shrugged. "I know you feel the same way, so the question is, what next?"

"I'll show you." Serena's cheeks flushed deep red.

Darien shook his head and held a finger to her lips. She stared up at him in wonder. He gently removed the finger from her lips and lowered his head to allow her mouth to join his. The feeling of kissing her was too much for Darien to describe in words. All he knew was, he wanted to do it again and again and again...

"This is destiny, isn't it, Darien," Serena breathed. "Just you and me, forever, isn't it? Don't you feel it, too?"

"I like the sound of that," Darien laughed.

"You know," Serena whispered, "I just realised something."

"What's that?" Darien grazed her luscious lips once more.

"We've finally realised things aren't always as they seem." Serena tightened her hold on Darien. "Am I glad I persevered, though!"

Darien buried his head in her long, perfect hair. "Persistence pays off... but in this case, I'm glad you deceived me or we wouldn't be here right now." He laughed again.

Serena rested her head contentedly on Darien's chest. "Destiny can seem so wrong."