Hi, sorry about the delay in this story. Like the last chapter of Homicide, this one was written months ago, yet I wasn't in the mood to tweak it. But I have gotten the motivation to edit and submit, and with your reviews, I will be compelled to write the next chapter much sooner.

Hope you enjoy!

A Tangent in the Future

By Crystaldove

Chapter 16

Serena transported the group from the gates after speaking to Sailor Pluto for a few moments. She seemed drained but Ceron knew she was upset about the lengths that Luna went, in order to hurt her. The others watched as she tried to compose herself. They also wondered what Pluto said to her…it seemed to upset her very much.

Darien wasn't fairing any better; he was in the middle of a 'royal' tantrum. He lost Serena due to stupid mistakes; Luna was gone and it wasn't that he missed her, but she did anything for him. And topping things off… Reeny was still with him. She wasn't giving him the silent treatment anymore; in fact she was more annoying than she was when he first met her. She ran uncontrolled through the apartment, coming and going when she pleased. Unbeknownst to him, she was testing Pluto, putting herself into danger, knowing that if something was about to happen to her, she would be saved.

Darien didn't care, after all he experienced today, he wouldn't care if the Dark Moon, whatever was left of it, would come and take her. And if he hoped long enough, he just might get his wish…

"I am your master; you can call me…Wiseman!"

Rubeus and Emerald stared in awe… he was afraid but Emerald embraced this new destiny fully and kneeled to him, yielding to his rule. It took Rubeus a moment and since he didn't want to be destroyed, he to bowed to the floating apparition.

"Yes, you are our master Wiseman…what do you request of us?"

"It is good to find loyalists among us… Your orders are simple, destroy the Princess of the White Moon!"

Emerald's eyes once again tinged with an eerie yellow glow. She reached her hands towards the monolith and embraced it as one would their lover. Her green hair flailed wildly around her as she absorbed power.

"YES!! This is what I was promised; this is what Diamond didn't deliver… Power flows through my veins I command all I see… I am the vessel that will bring the White Moon to utter devastation!!"

Wiseman lowered his 'head' and if you looked close enough, you could see his demonic smile.

'The gullible wench… she will be the pawn that weak Diamond wouldn't be… I will have the Queen of the Universe bowing at my feet and her crystal fueling the coming of the Doom Phantom!'

"Are you ok princess?" Ceron looked at his liege with compassion and worry. "You did what had to be done, not only in accordance with the rules of the Millennium, but for your own safety."

Serena didn't speak, just sighed and shook her head. Ayden and Blake just looked at the others. They were both equally curious as to what happened but felt that they shouldn't ask.

Mina and Lita noticed the problem and took them to the side and told them what happened.

"I'm sorry everyone, but in not in the mood for a picnic now. I need sometime alone."

The others understood and wordlessly left. Lita waited for Ceron and Mina started walking with the brothers.

"Ayden…"

"Yes love."

"What I really need is time alone…with you, don't go"

Ayden paused… he saw Mina and Blake wink at him before joining hands.

"Take care of our princess Ayden." Mina whispered before they walked off.

Ayden walked up behind her, gently placing his arms around her and kissing the side of her face.

"I thought he loved me at least once in this lifetime…"

"Are you upset about that." Ayden relaxed his grip, bracing himself for rejection.

"No, I'm not… I'm not going to lie to you Ayden. I don't want secrets between us. The feelings I have for Darien were mostly based upon an illusion. He was right about something…I loved Endymion. I loved the personae of Tuxedo Mask, but I only cared for Darien. But I was willing to bring to honor my mother's sacrifice… I wanted to know who he is now. His past is so sorted and full of pain… but I was willing to overlook all of it. I was lead to believe it was a blessing in disguise that he had lost his memory. I could get to know him and he could learn to love me for me."

Serena turned in Ayden's loose embrace and clung to him. He let out the breath he was holding and firmly placed his arms around her.

"I listened to Luna… she knew of the past I didn't know of…" Serena grit her teeth and balled up her fists. "She manipulated me… made a fool of me and my people and caused great pain."

Serena let go of him and walked toward the Koi pond at the park. He noticed that she grew more troubled the more she discussed this, yet he knew she had to get her feelings out in the open or it would fester within her.

"She controlled my heart, my will, my drive…but never again! Ceron thought I was upset that I banished her, putting her to an unavoidable death… but I'm angry that I couldn't kill her…myself."

She felt shame, the princess of all that was pure and good, wanted to kill someone with her bare hands. Serena could face Ayden, she knew that he would think differently of her.

He watched her for a few moments before walking up to her and taking her face in his hands.

"Strong, intelligent and beautiful… you are the one that has endured so much, yet has the strength to go on. If I could be half the person you are my people wouldn't have suffered by Endymion's rule."

"You're not mad at me?"

"Why would I be; I know how it feels to be controlled by someone…" His eyes darkened from a recent event. "…Whose interests result in the gaining of something for themselves…"

"I'm glad, I thought that this would change your opinion of me."

"Oh Serena, how could you think that? You have given me more than I could ever have wished for."

Serena raised her eyes to him surprised.

"What have I given you Ayden?"

"You've given me…love. I love you Serena."

Her eyes widen at his statement before filling with tears.

"You love me Ayden?"

He leaned in and kissed her, making her feel light-headed. She embraced him and the motion filled him with joy. Finally he had someone that cared for him. He didn't care if she loved him right now, but as long as she reciprocated some sort of emotion, that made him happy.

After a few moments, Serena ended the kiss and looked up at him.

"But why… I'm supposed to uphold the ideals of peace and forgiveness, yet I contradict myself by wanting to kill Luna. How can you love someone like me?"

"It's because you are able to feel, able to express your emotions is why I love you. I would think it strange if you just let everything go and allowed Luna to remain in your life."

"I'm glad you really understand, I was afraid that you wouldn't."

"No my princess…I do"

Serena embraced him again. She pressed her head into his chest and was comforted by the manly scent of musk verses the feminine smell of roses that clung to Darien. She inhaled deeply and looked Ayden in his eyes.

"Ayden…you aren't the only one that feels love …I'm not afraid to admit my feelings anymore; I haven't had the best luck in relationships. But you have taught me not to fear anything… especially about denying the way I feel. I love you too Ayden…very much."

His breathing became labored and got light-headed. He grabbed Serena by the shoulders and looked at her.

"Am I dreaming…did you say that you love me?"

She laughed sweetly and nodded her head.

"Yes…I love you, not some personae, not some guise, not who you used to be…but you."

He picked her up and spun her around.

"She loves me! Do you hear that world, Serena loves me!" She laughed as he swung her around in the air. After a few moments he placed her back on her feet, kissing her again. "I have a life, friends and you; everything I have ever wanted, what else can a man ask for?"

***

"I have the strength, I have the power and I will have the man…what else can a woman ask for?"

"Yes my dear Emerald, you have the power…now what are you going to do with it?"

"Well Master, from what I have witnessed in this time and what I remember from the future… the rabbit adores her father and is smitten with his past self. I think we can use that to our advantage."

"How do you suppose that will be useful?"

"Only those who are born of the White Witch's family are able to wield the power of the Silver Crystal; controlling the rabbit will control the crystal." Emeralds' horrid shrieks filled the room. "And all we have to do is give her, her deepest desire…Darien."

***

"Reeny would you just sit down and shut up!!"

"You can't talk to me like that Darien, you aren't my father!"

"No, not presently, but I am biologically. Your life hangs in the balance and I think that if you want to be born, you will do what I say and help me get Serena back!"

"I don't know why you are worrying, Puu won't let anything happen to me."

"Puu huh… the same Puu that told Serena how I was planning on cheating on her in the future. The same Puu that told the others why Luna was working with me against Serena."

He walked up to Reeny and lifted her from the floor.

"The same Puu that allowed THOSE BASTARDS from the Black Moon to transcend the time barriers and settle here!!!"

Reeny looked at him with fear in her eyes; tears streamed down her face while she tried to remain strong.

Darien put her back on the ground and patted her head.

"Is that the Puu of whom you speak?"

"She loves me and won't let anything happen to me…not like you or Serena!"

"Then maybe she should be your parent and you should stay with her…so what are you waiting for; run along and find her."

"I can't."

"What was that, I didn't hear you because I thought you said that you couldn't."

"I don't know where Puu is, I haven't seen her since right after I started living with you."

"Really…and what did you talk to her about?"

Darien took a seat on the couch and patted for Reeny to join him. The spark for him that had been smoldering began to grow brighter. She grinned and sat down.

"Well, we discussed lots of things."

"Did she give you any reason for why she hasn't been able to see the future?"

Reeny gasped and looked at him.

"How do you know about that?"

"She came to see me… we talked about Serena."

She looked at him surprised for a moment, then nodded in understanding.

"She said that there were too many lines forming and she couldn't see beyond this present."

"Hmm, the fact that you and those 'guests' of Serena are here changed things… creating a tangent in the future."

"Tangent? What is a tangent?"

"Well it's a change in course. Think of the time from now to your time as a straight line. When you came here, it changed things; caused a different line to form from this time to yours, and I am experiencing things your father hasn't."

"Ahhhh!!"

Reeny gasped. Her mind became flooded with images.

~ Flashback ~

"I used to be able to open the gate to the 30th century, but now I only see a void where the door used to be. I know no more than you about the future. Serena's pain transcends through the stream…her experiences, which have differed from your mother, have passed through the doors. That is the only thing that I don't have control over. Why do you think I never let you go through the gates? I knew your presence would have seriously altered things."

~ End flash ~

"That's what she meant; new lines were created from the moment I got here!"

"You understand now. She told us about it when I was confronted with the truth."

"The truth…?"

For the next hour, Darien and Reeny came clean with each other and what they have done to Serena.

"You lied about having amnesia?"

"Well you lied about the crystal and why the Black Moon was after you."

"I know…it's my fault this happened; if I didn't run away and protected Crystal Tokyo like my mother would have, 'Ayden' wouldn't be here and you would still be with Serena."

"I'm not going to refute that; Serena and I would have still been together because I wouldn't have the dreams."

"That's true, but then again she would still be weak and whiny yet controllable."

"You shouldn't say that."

"Why not, you control her in the future. My mother has no say in anything because you always say that it is your planet, your rules."

~ flashback ~

"My dear wife, she has always been so trusting, so open…so stupid. This is why I make all the decisions. She's not capable of seeing beyond the present, not grasping the greater picture. You will not be the cause of future conflict! I hereby decree that you and your followers are banished from this planet!"

"No stop this, as your Queen I order you!"

"Sorry Highness, but this is a direct order from the King, your orders are second to his."

~ end flash ~

"I was there when my father banished Ayden and the other protesters to the Dark Moon. He never respected her or her opinion. She was the one that saved everyone… and if you mentioned that to him, it was the dungeon for you."

Darien thought for a moment, he thought about all that he and Serena went through. She was the one that sacrificed her friends and her life for him and his planet. He could imagine things progressing as he tightened his grip on her. She was already very accommodating, so he knew that she would give up more of herself to please him.

The power he would have, controlling the strongest person in the galaxy. It was very enticing; the power, the prestige… the greed. From what Reeny hinted at, he knew that Serena's terran guise would fall in the future, once again revealing her silvery-blue eyes and silver tresses, pouty lips and full breasts and hips. He thought of her as he never did. Lust entered his vision and gave away to anger as he thought about Ayden having what he wasn't able to.

Darien smiled after a moment, the key to the future was sitting beside him… and as long as Reeny existed, he would be King.

End chapter

I hoped this made sense, maybe I need a Beta reader or something. I will be happy if you enjoyed this and I get many reviews!!

Ja Ne,

Dove