Note: Ok, guys, here's the deal: My computer crashed and took EVERYTHING I had about this story with it. Yeah, a whole lot of suckage. Anyway, I am trying to get this fic sorted out. Bear with me, ok?
Disclaimer: I continue to fail to own Sailor moon. But I refuse to all this to hinder my profitless borrowing and tampering with the affiliated universe and characters.
Chapter 20
The music was loud, the beat was hot, and right now that was all that mattered in the universe as she moved and twisted her body along with the rhythms. Her mind was a tumble of shifting thoughts, impressions of the bodies around her, the heat of them, a flash of silver from someone's jewelry, a shriek of laughter, the startling clarity when a familiar someone pressed against her. She turned to him, caught his eyes with her own and laughed, before she slid back into the haze of the dance once more.
He lounged in the booth quietly, ignoring the buzzing conversation going on around him, preferring to sip the Crystal and watch the dancers. His eyes finally found her, dancing in the other's arms, and he smiled. Old habits died hard, it seemed, but he didn't mind. He had learned his lessons well, as had they all, and the mistakes of the past would never be repeated. His eyes softened as he watched her laugh, saw the wildness and freedom he had feared was lost to her returning. Finally he tore his gaze from her and returned his attention to the others at the table. "Thea, want to dance?"
She laughed and shook her head. "I'm too far gone, I'm afraid.' He shook his head.
"No you aren't!" he told her, grabbing her hand and pulling her out of the booth, down to the dance floor.
Gabriel watched them go, laughing. If only things could just stay this way! He loved a good fight, but truthfully he loved a good time with his friends far more. Why couldn't the rest of the world just leave them be? He wondered angrily. All right, to be fair, it wasn't the rest of the world he was angry with, it was the pesky 'Sailor Scouts' and their pet boy-toy. They had been all but stalking Serena, until the rest of the Court had made sure she was never alone. If she wasn't at Illianna's penthouse or Theirry's suite at the Ritz, then at least two of the others were with her. It wasn't a hardship by any means, but he knew Serena was beginning to long for the ability to walk alone through the park. If any of them could ever be considered alone, he thought with a smirk. Even now he could sense the others' feelings, and he could glimpse their thoughts if he focused, though currently there wasn't much thought going on- with the exception of himself, Dee, and Puck, the others were on the dance floor swept up in the rush of the music.
"Gabriel!" Dee leaned across the table and thumped his chest. "Wake up! We're trying to plan a covert operation here!" she was annoyed. He flashed her his best bad boy grin.
"Sorry Dee, just thinking about how delicious that top of yours looks," he said, glancing pointedly at her caramel colored tank. Dee just rolled her eyes.
"Whatever. You were thinking about how much you'd love to pummel that idiot ex of Serena's." No sense arguing with the truth. He shrugged.
"The guy deserves it. He treated her like dirt."
"Agreed," Puck nodded. "And that would be why we need to get him to understand the relationship is over. Sea doesn't need a stalker on top of her psycho friends."
"What about their Scout power stuff?" Dee asked.
"Thea and I have some ideas about that," Diana answered as she slipped into the seats. "Gods, my feet are killing me!" she added, shaking her head. The others smiled sympathetically.
"So, let's hear about the ideas," Puck suggested, leaning forward eagerly.
"It's simple, really," Diana said. "First we need to select a group to just talk to them, you know? I mean, no sense fighting a battle if we can avoid it. And then if not, we do have several advantages over them…"