Chapter Twenty-One: Problem Resurface

AN: My best friend Sakura helped me write this chapter. I needed someone to argue with and she gave me the perfect opportunity. So a lot of the verbal fights are what we would say...if we were put in the position. Thanks for the reviews and enjoy the chapter!

The next morning, Darien woke up feeling refreshed, happy, and whole. For the first time in seven years he has actually wanted to get up and face the day. He turned to his side, where he had last seen the love that had given him that emotion, only to see she wasn't there. He jerked himself up and looked around frantically. No sight of her. The thought that it was all a dream was running through his mind. Darien hurried out of bed and noticed that he was butt naked. He saw that his boxers had been throw to the ground, and next to it was a limp robe. Ok, it wasn't a dream..where the hell is she? Darien pulled on a pair of jeans and tugged on t-shirt and ran out of his room. He made his way down to the main chamber to see that everyone was there. They were gathered at the table, with anxiety written all over their faces. He spotted Serena near Miki bent over a large piece of paper. She was wearing one of Darien's shirt and a pair of her jeans. Her hair was down and scattered as if she had just woken up herself.

"What's going on?" He asked as he ran a head through his hair and walked over to the others.

"Red Beard." Serena said and looked back down at what Darien could make of it, as a map.

"Apparently he has gotten a hold of Pronto." Miki finished.

"Pronto was some territory in the Inner Realms that we were protecting. We had them hidden well. Someone accessed into the main frame of our network and found them. We just discovered that they were attacked yesterday. No survivors." Serena went on.

"That means that we have a traitor amongst us." Raid, one of the crew members near Serena, added. Darien's blood ran cold and he went pale.

"A traitor. Do we know who it is yet?"

"No. We are going under investigation. Sumi, Raid, Aiden, and I are taking one of our cruisers up to the main ship. Miki is heading to Farfalla and speak with Master Ajax." Serena spoke as if she was ready for this to happen. Darien hesitant asking, but had to know.

"When...when are you leaving?"

Serena looked up at him with sad eyes, but they turned cold quickly. As if she didn't want him to know how much she was hurting. He held his breath.

"In an hour." she finally said, in a low whisper. She turned to the others. "Get packing." The ones chosen to go with her, left as soon as possible. The others watched as Serena and Darien stared at each other. Mina cleared her throat and motioned for the rest of audience to leave the couple alone. Once everyone was out, Serena sighed and moved to clear the table. She didn't want to face Darien. Not now. He didn't see it that way. The man walked over to her and turned her around. His arms moved around her waist and pulled her in close. Serena attempted to struggle but decided it wasn't worth it. Her eyes studied the ground, wanting to be any where else but in his eyes.

"I warned you, Darien. My mission comes first. I can't let your cloud what's important."

"Why are you doing this Serena?" He said, almost in a broken voice. Serena looked up at him, but made sure to keep a wall around the emotions she was feeling. She moved away from him, and he allowed her to. She leaned in at the table and they stood in silence before she turned around with a passion in her eyes.

"I saw the end of it all, Darien. I saw it all. I stood by and watched as every...single...person..I loved die...and for what? Me! You all died because of me!"

Darien walked closer to her and cupped her face. He had a serious expression on his face. He had a hold of her shoulders, as to not let her get away from him. "Show me, Serena. Show me what you saw for your own eyes." Serena looked up at him with bewildered eyes. He was asking her to relive the experience again? He shook her to get her attention. "Show me." Serena wrapped her hand around the necklace she had worn for seven years. Then she repeated the dreadful words that brought her to this dreadful nightmare once again.

"A time for everything and everything in it's place. Return what has been moved through time and space. Winds of time, gather around. Give me wings to speed my way. Rush me on my journey forward. Let the future be today."

A flashing bright light surround the couple, and Darien held onto the blonde as the passed through time and space. All the while Serena had her eyes cast down, not wanting to relive all this again. It hurt so much. Then the light vanished and the two stood in the Crystal Tokyo palace. Darien glanced around at the silence. He saw a few guards rush pass them, and even through the couple. Darien gasped at the feeling of being walked through.

"We're only shadows. We only see what's going on." Serena answered Darien's silent question.

She grabbed a hold of his hand and lead him through the palace. Noises of a battle surround them. Blasts coming from the sky hit the palace and caused everything to rumbled. Serena lead him through the main hall were the Inner and Outer Scouts fought against the barbarians. As they passed, the two witnessed the deaths of each scout. Serena had her eyes on the ground, not wanting to see it over. Darien was mesmerized by the sight and couldn't keep his eyes off of the battles. He saw that Red Beard walked through the hall, heading for the thrown room. The couple automatically appeared in the thrown room where Neo Queen Serenity and Neo King Endymion stood holding each other.

"It's the end my love. We must go through with this." Serenity said as tears flowed down her cheeks. Endymion held on her tight and kissed the top of her head. Red Beard busted through the doors with his sword at hand. Endymion lifted his lover's head and rested his lips on her as Red Beard neared them. Then Serenity whispered.

"Maybe next lifetime, my love."

As the two kissed once more, they started to glow. Endymion was showered in a golden light as Serenity showered in a silver light. Darien watched as Red Beard was thrown to the ground my the light's emerging from the couple. He bent his head down to Serena.

"What's going on?" He asked, never taking his eyes off the scene before them. Serena waited for the light to dim down before she spoke.

"We used out crystal's power to defeat most of Red Beard's men, and weaken him. That way when General Miki came back, he could kill him."

Darien watched as the couple laid limp on the marble floor, in each other's arms. Red Beard had scowled and fled the palace. He saw that the couple didn't move. Tears filled his eyes as he looked down at a crying Serena. Darien held onto her tight as chills ran up their spine.

"Are we-" He began. Serena nodded abruptly as her head leaned in on his chest. Within another flash, they were back in the main chamber of the shrine. He let out a breath and kissed the top of her head.

"I promise you Serena...this will never happen. We will defeat Red Beard."

Serena was silent and she stayed still for a long time. Darien wondered why she hadn't said anything, or at least moved away. He took hold of her shoulders once again and pulled her at arms length to study her. The blonde's head was down and refused to look at him.

"I have no doubt we will defeat him." she said quietly.

"Then what is it?" he asked he tried to search her for the answers.

"In order to defeat Red Beard...the chosen one has to die...I'm the chosen one, Darien." She finally looked up and saw that he froze. His skin, as it usually did these past few days, was pale and cold. His eyes were wide and filled with questions, loneliness, anger, and love. The stood that way until Miki came in and told Serena it was time

The group got together and loaded onto the cruiser. The blonde turned to her former friends and hugged each of the. For some reason she felt as though she really was leaving them for good. Serena walked away and Darien watched her go. Then he said something that Serena didn't hear. She stopped and turned around.

"What?"

" I asked why you were doing this. Why not be selfish like most people would? Why not stay her and let the future come to us. With this information we can change it."

Serena straightened up and the most determined expression filled her face. "Because lifetime after lifetime...I have watched the ones I loved die...for me. It's my turn to die for you. For you to live without pain and death. It is my duty."

Darien got angry and walked up to her. Again he grabbed at her shoulders, for that was the only thing he could do as to not strangle her. He started to yell.

" SCREW YOUR DUTY! I want to be with you. Live for now, why risk losing everything when we have what we have now? To actually spend what time we have with each other, rather than try to do your duty and maybe end up losing everything in the end. I want to be with you forever and forever isn't only in life, we can make it if we fight together! Let us help you, Serena."

The blonde smiled and blushed at the warmth of his words. It means so much to her to hear them. She cupped the side of his face and kissed his lips softly then back away. She examined his rage with her decision. Then smiled at him as she did all those years ago.

"I love you, Darien." She turned to leave and he caught her arm. Serena turned around and Darien opened her hand. In the palm of her hand, laid the golden locket he gave her more than a thousand years ago. A tear dropped from her eyes and without a second word she was gone.

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Serena stood at the door with a small square shaped window. She held the locket close to her heart and watched as she got further away from Earth. Before she knew it, they were docking with the mother ship. Raid let her know that they were there and the group boarded the ship. Serena was half way out when she noticed she didn't have her locket anymore.

"I'll meet you all in the control room.'

She spoke out as she went back to the cruiser to retrieve her locket. Accidently, Serena had dropped it by the door and picked it up. To make sure she didn't lose it, she attacked it around her neck. As she walks along in the main corridor one of the lights began to flicker. It was odd to her at first, the she realized the ship may need to land on it's home planet and refuel. Serena opens the control room doors. As they slide open with a 'whoosh' sound the lights in the hall go out. Serena turned around and raised an eye brow then shook it off. When she faced the control room, her face lit up in horror. Bodies lined up, bloodied and parts scattered everywhere.

"What the-"

The blonde felt something behind her and swirled around to come face to face with a green haired scout. Her eyes held an unknown secret within them.

"Pluto? What are you doing here?"

From the shadows in the hallway, a large figure began to appear in the light of the control room. It came closer and closer until it stood behind Sailor Pluto. Red Beard.

"...oh shit..."

Before Serena had time to react she was hit hard upside the head with a heavy object. She fell limp on the floor with a wound to the head. The last thing she remembered before blacking out.

AN: SORRY FOR THE CLIFFHANGER! I've been wanting to do that part since the beginning. How did you like it? THREE MORE CHAPTERS AND AN EPILOGUE TO GO!