When Serena awoke, night had already fallen and Darien was asleep beside her. She studied his features. He looked like a little boy during sleep, dreaming of faraway places and more adventurous things, saving the damsel in distress like he'd done earlier that day. She kissed him softly on the forehead, blessing him in her mind.

She slid carefully out of the bed, hoping that he would stay in his slumber. She discovered her ribs had been wrapped, but they ached quite a bit. She gained her balance fairly easily for someone in her condition. She used the bed posts to help her and made her way to the window. She opened it slowly, allowing the cool night breeze in, as well as the moonlight. She looked up at the Moon. The sun was reflecting off the entire surface, a night when the crystal would be the strongest.

She looked at the sleeping prince, then back at her home. Her decision was made. She focused on the crystal inside of her, something that she hadn't done in a long time. She stretched the warm, silver power across her body until she was blanketed in the magic. Slowly her body separated, her molecules spread on the wind. Until nothing was left in the room but a slight essence, which soon disappeared into the night. Serena was gone.

The next morning when Darien rolled over Serena was laying there, eyes open and smiling. He smiled back at her.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said and pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"Darien," she said in a blissful tone. His name rolled luxuriously off her lips. "Thank you."

"For what?"

She hugged his neck and her words tickled his ear. "For being here."

He slipped his hands around her back. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

They were locked in another moment when he could smell the fresh scent of rose petals in her hair, and where she could feel every drop of warmth flowing from his body. She closed her eyes and let her soul drift through the feeling of Darien. The warmth, the strength, the-

The love?

She pulled backwards and left his arms feeling strangely empty. She stood and stretched, walking small, wobbly circles. She smiled down at the lean figure sprawled across the silk sheets. She forced back desire quickly, just as he did upon seeing her slim body.

"Are you going to get up lazy?" she asked.

He shook his head no with a smile on his face.

"All for the better I guess. More for me at breakfast."

He got up then and scooped her up in his arms playfully.

"You think so?"

"Two plates are better than one."

He laughed and she could feel it bounce through his rib cage. He was happy. She made him happy.

So why wasn't she more happy?

Because, she thought, he doesn't know what you've done, and you do. You know what's going to happen soon, and you're all ready nervous.

"Serenity?"

She looked up at his concerned face.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yes, why?"

"Because you just made your lip bleed."

She touched her fingers to her lip and a red liquid was left on their tips.

"Oh," she said. And they left it at that.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Breakfast had been warm and flaky, salty and sweet, smooth and creamy. She'd never had so many taste buds work at the same time like that. And now her skin was working over time. It was busy soaking up every ray of sunshine and the softness of Darien. She was curled up beside him in the grass, her face in his chest, his arm around her shoulders.

She let her mind take a break as she floated through the gentle utopia. She drifted into the essence of the day, the smell of grass and sunshine, the comfort of Darien's arms, the sound of gentle winds sweeping across the hills. Darien did the same. They were lost in the discovery of their love, lost in the paradise of each other.

It was nearly an hour after they had begun their morning dreams when Serena felt what she'd been waiting for the entire time. The toe of an all too familiar boot, swiftly digging into her side. Her eyes flew open, and out of pure habit she stood up. She threw her head down, expecting to see stone below, but instead she found Darien's face. His eyes met hers, anger burning within their dark depths.

He stood up with more class and refinement than Serena had. He then stared, his nose wrinkled in anger, at the tall figure of King Diamond.

"What do you want, Diamond?" he said with a layer of ice coating his voice. Serena had never heard his voice become so dark.

"My business is with her," Diamond said with equal coldness.

Serena suddenly realized how quickly she had become docile, and her body went less rigid. She looked up into his eyes, forced back a shiver, and let the fire in her heart show.

"I know what you did, your lowness," he said in that same evil tone he'd always used.

"And I don't regret a second of it."

"Well you're going to," Diamond said and his hand let her cheek stinging.

Serena couldn't take it. Freedom was so close to her fingertips and he was here to rip it away. Her hand wound up and her arm muscles snapped into motion.

Diamond held his cheek like a little girl.

"You bitch!" he yelled.

"What did you think I was going to do? Let you get away with it?! All those years of pain and now you're back?! Don't expect to leave without bruises!"

She jumped on top of him with great agility for someone with broken ribs, then she let it all go. All those wishes to get back at him, all the pain he'd caused her, both emotionally and physically. She smacked him so many times his mouth bled. And it wasn't until she started to grow tired, her adrenaline running low, that she regretted doing it.

Because he gripped her neck, tightly, cutting all the air from her windpipes. Her feet were left dangling in the air as he stood.

"Release her, Diamond," Darien said. The silver blade of his sword glinted next to Diamond's ear. "Or you'll regret it."

Diamond let her go, and she landed roughly on the grass.

Darien sheathed his sword.

"What the hell did you think you were doing?" he asked Serena.

She answered with her eyes.

"And what exactly did you do that I don't know about?"

"She took a little trip," Diamond said, sniveling. "to the Moon. She removed every portrait of the

Dark Moon family from the hallways of the palace, and she burned them. In the ashes of the portraits she wrote, 'The Moon Kingdom will return.'"

Darien looked at Serena incredulously.

"Is it true?"

She nodded. Her aura floated around her, surprising everyone.

He shook his head, and she knew she'd be dealt with later. Diamond was his main concern was Diamond. "Leave Diamond, now. Don't ever return to my planet and don't think you can discipline my slaves."

"Well," Diamond said leaving. "Somebody had to. It seems the master is the slave, and the slave is the master. Don't let her charm get to you, Endymion."

With that he disappeared, and Serena let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Darien turned to glare at her with those dark and frustrated eyes.

"I can't believe you were stupid enough to do something like that. Did you really think burning paintings would do anything but make him mad?"

"No," Serena answered. But that's not all I did, she added to herself.

"And what did you think you were doing stealing one of my capsules?"

"I didn't steal a capsule," she said and regretted it instantly.

"Then how did you get to the Moon?"

"I... I..." she sighed. She summoned the crystal once more, and after vanishing for mere seconds, she reappeared behind Darien. "I did that only farther."

He spun around, shocked to see the girl standing there.

"You can teleport using the crystal? But then why didn't you escape Diamond earlier?"

She looked away. I won't answer, she thought. I won't tell him.

"Tell me, Serenity. Tell me or I swear I call him back."

She gulped. "I couldn't because of the slave laws. He commanded me to never to use the crystal's

power to escape, but when I was sold to you his command was broken."

Darien nodded. "Serenity, I command you-"

He was broken off mid-sentence by her hand softly pressed against his lips. She looked up at him, begging him silently to not speak the words.

"Please, do not finish that command. Do not tell me to stop."

He was numbed by the touch of her hand. He longed to kiss her palms, kiss her face, taste her lips. His eyes traveled to her mouth...

She felt the tension between them grow, and felt his eyes on her lips. She quickly removed her hand, turning her face away from him.

"I can't tell you why, but just please do not limit me to this planet. Let me go where I please. You will not regret it."

"Serenity, I command you..."

She looked up at him, hope in her eyes dwindling. Her body locked up, her attention focused on his words alone.

"...to always return from your journeys."

Her lips tugged up into a small smile. "I will."

Seconds later, she was gone.

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*

Serena walked down the dirt path, collecting mud on the bottom of her bare feet. The trees swayed as a strong wind blew through, at her command it softened. The grasses and vines reached for her, twisting across her path to caress her legs and ankles. The rocks themselves seemed to recognize her presence back on the Lunar soil. The ground trembled slightly in happiness.

"If you don't stop making such a fuss," Serena whispered, "they'll notice I'm here."

Immediately everything slipped back to normal. She crept along the path a little faster, waiting for the last bend that would reveal her destination. It finally came, and immaculate light spilled across the ground. She smiled, closing her eyes and opening her arms to the warmth. The Gateway to Elysian was in front of her. She took a step forward, and the world sped past her. As soon as her foot struck the lighted soil, she began flying towards the Land of Dreams. She opened her eyes and sighed,

"Elysian."

"Serenity!" a cheerful voice came. A white-haired man bounded down a flight of stairs, running joyfully towards her. "It's been so long. I thought you'd never retur...."

Serena looked down at her feet, unable to look at Helios. He did not know what happened outside his home, he hadn't learned of the pains of her life. But now he saw the bruises, he could probably feel the mourning of her soul.

"What happened?" Helios said wrapping his arm around her shoulders.

"So much," she said, her voice cracking. "I am a slave, Helios."

His eyes widened. "But..."

"My mother is dead."

"Serenity..."

"My court is gone. I am alone except for the Prince of the Earth."

Helios hurried to try and take this information in. He did not tell her that the Prince often visited

him. It was not lying, merely not telling.

"What have you come here for? What is it that you need?"

"I need your prayers."

Helios nodded. "You have them."

She looked up at him. "I need you to watch me, should it seem I may.... die, then I want you to bring me here and wrap me in dreams."

Helios' turned away from her. "But Serenity then you may never wake up."

"I could wake up. Years may pass, thousands of them, but I could still be here for my people. The Universe would still have a chance."

He nodded. "I will do it."

She kissed his cheek as she began to disappear from the dream world. "Thank you."

When she had disappeared, Helios returned to his temple, and along with his priestesses began to pray. He cried inside his mind.

"Goddess, how could it come to this?"