By: Moonlight Rose
Edited by: Melanie B
Chapter Four:
I Don't Want to Lose YouSerena walked slowly down a back alley, which lead to the Mall. She had decided that this man, who ever he was, would be watching all the main entrance ways to the Mall, so she took the back alley, so she could have time to think of how she was going to do this.
The alley was dark and creepy like a hallway in a haunted house. Papers and garbage was scattered everywhere. Trashcans were tipped over on their sides and dumpsters blocked Serena's way.
Oh, This was a bad idea, She thought. But she had to do it, even if it cost her, her life. She didn't want any harm to come to Darien or her parents.
Serena emerged at the end of the alley into the parking lot of the Mall. It was dark, like a ghost lot. Some cars were parked here and there.
Serena walked forward clutching her backpack, which held her moon locket, Crescent Moon Wand and her Moon Scepter. Her heart pounded in her chest. She had never been this frightened in her whole life.
She stopped in the middle of the parking lot so this mystery man would be sure to see her.
"So, you decided to show." Serena whirled around and looked up. The man was dressed in black and standing on top of a lamppost. He jumped down to the pavement. Serena's mind was racing with fear, but she controlled it.
"I sort of wished you didn't. I haven't seen Endymion in such a long time. It would have been nice to pay him a visit and cut his heart out, but anyways, down to business." The man said, taking a few steps towards her.
"My name is Zentraff. I won't be surprised if don't remember that name." Zentraff smiled. He thought this might be hard, but she didn't even remember him. This is going to be a piece of cake, He thought.
"How do you know so much about me and Endymion?" Serena asked. She decided that it would be better not to mention the name Darien uses now, just in case this guy can find him with only his name.
"Well Princess. Who doesn't know about you and your Prince? Your mother kept us in the Peace age for the longest time. Even if people have forgotten that there was actually a Peace age, there is of course the legend of it to read about." Zentraff just wanted to rip out Serena's heart here and now, but he couldn't. He was under orders and needed her.
"What do you want me for?" Serena was trying to stall the battle she knew would follow for as long as possible.
"I'm under orders, plus I don't really need you, just your blood. But I figure, why not torture you and make Endymion come running to your rescue which then of course, I can torture him too." Zentraff laughed. His laughter echoed through the parking lot.
Serena realized what Zentraff really meant to do to her, but she wasn't planning on letting him get away with it. She knew she couldn't delay the battle any longer. She pulled out her moon locket.
"Moon Crystal Power!" Serena yelled with her Moon locket high in the air.
Zentraff watched in horror as Serena transformed into Sailor Moon.
"So you're this Sailor Moon I've heard so much about. Oh well. It won't do you any good though." Zentraff looked disgusted.
"Ya, but your wrong. You're the one who's going to get beaten up really badly pal." Sailor Moon jumped in the air and pulled out her Moon Scepter. She figured the best way to die would be to go down fighting. She suddenly wished she had called Darien, just to hear his sweet voice one last time.
"Moon Scepter Elimination!!!" She yelled.
Zentraff avoided her attack with ease and came up behind her. She didn't have enough time to get a clear shot. He kicked her in the lower back where she had gotten that big wound last week.
She fell to the ground screaming in agony. Pain filled her lower back and it burned like fire burns skin.
Zentraff jumped into the air and sent a surge of power hurling towards her. She managed to jump out of the way, but she wasn't fast enough to miss the next one.
Sailor Moon was sent flying back into a car. Glass shattered and metal twisted with the impacted. She was now to weak to even move a finger.
I guess this is it. Oh Darien. I'm so sorry.
"Now your mine. Ha, ha, ha!!!" Zentraff started walking towards her. She tried to crawl away from him, but she wasn't strong enough. She started to cry. She didn't want it to end this way.
Zentraff was no more then two feet away from her, when suddenly, a red rose landed in front of her. Serena's eyes flicked. The last thing she saw before the darkness of unconsciousness took her over was the shinning red rose in the light of the Moon.
Serena opened her eyes. Her vision was blurred and she could hardly move. She found that her wounds had been cleaned and banged up. Using her blurred vision, she tried to figure out where she was.
The surface that she lay on was soft and puffy. It seemed familiar, like she had sat there before. She glanced around. She made out a balcony with glass doors (it was still dark out). She saw a chair, a sofa, beside table, all of which seemed familiar to her.
Her vision cleared a bit. She now knew where she was. The way the room was shaped and that familiar feeling she got was because she had been there dozens of times before. She was in Darien's apartment, but how did she get there? She had been so sure that she was going to die in that battle, but she didn't.
She saw something hovering over her. Her vision wasn't any good to see what ever it was.
Her mind panicked. She started to move away from the thing. It grabbed her. She almost screamed but was silenced by a wet face cloth that was placed over her forehead.
The figure then backed away to give her some room. It still wasn't far enough for her to see who or what it was. She was able to make out some features like short black hair, black turtleneck, and blue jeans. It looks sort of familiar, but she still had no clue who it was. Her vision cleared almost to the point where it was perfect again. Ocean blue eyes and a worried, concerned face. Serena's eyes opened wider.
"Darien." Serena gasped in a dry voice. She could hardly believe her eyes. Darien was back, right here, with her. He looked a little hurt and she could understand why. She hadn't talked to him in almost two weeks; she had tried to move away from him when he was trying to help her.
"How?" Serena asked.
Darien still looking hurt answered, "Raye called me." He said simply.
Serena felt hurt by that. He had always made his sentences detailed and reassuring when talking to her, and now he wasn't. She didn't think she had hurt him that bad. She had thought he would have understood how she was dealing with the situation once Raye had called. But Raye wasn't supposed to call him. She had promised She wouldn't and now she had made Serena even madder at her. First she makes Serena feel bad with that 'comment' and then she goes and breaks her promise.
Raye is so going to get it when I see her!
"Now, on to my question. Why?" Darien's Ocean blue eyes turned to ice. Serena never realized how much she had hurt him. She never meant to hurt him at all. What a mess she has gotten herself into. This Zentraff is after her, Raye has pissed her off, and now Darien's mad at her. What else could go wrong today?
"I'm sorry, Darien. I never meant to hurt you. You're the last person I would every want to hurt. I was just afraid that if I called you, this Zentraff, or whatever his name was, would track the call to where you were and hurt you, or maybe even kill you. I was only trying to protected you, but I forgot to protect you from me."
Serena's eyes watered. She didn't want to lose him over something as stupid as this. She could hardly handle the last three weeks without him. There was no way she could live the rest of her life without him.
"I understand." Darien stared at the floor.
Serena was shocked by his answer. She had thought that he was going to say something like 'Fine Serena. I never want to see you again, we're over,' or 'I think we need to be apart for a while, Serena', but he said 'I understand'. Serena was surprised.
"What?" Serena's face stared at him, puzzled.
Darien looked up at her. His eyes were warm and loving. She had missed those eyes for so long. She was happy that he didn't look mad at her anymore, just concerned.
"Serena, I understand. If I were in you position, I probably would have done the same thing. But being in a relationship means you don't have to face things alone. You should have called. It may have lead Zentraff right to my door, but I can handle that. I was worried sick about you. I didn't know why you didn't call me. You wouldn't have had to face this by yourself if you called. I could have been on the next flight over here, like I was tonight." Darien stared at her with loving eyes.
"I know, but this guy knew things. He knew about our past. He called you Endymion and only you; the scouts and me know that name. He was also very powerful. I didn't want you getting hurt. Plus, you've been studying a lot and I didn't want you to miss stuff by having to came back her because of me." Serena began to cry. "I just didn't want to lose you again. Not like this." She looked down at her hands as she played with the bed sheets.
Darien came over and sat down on the bed beside Serena. She fell into his arms. She cried even harder. She felt safe in his arms and never wanted to lose thins feeling.
"I could have lost you tonight. If Raye hadn't called, I wouldn't have been there to stop him from…"
"I'm sorry Darien. I just love you so much that I wasn't thinking straight." Serena wrapped her arms around him. She wanted to stay with him like this forever.
Darien pulled away from her and looked deep into her sky blue eyes. He saw only love and the fear of loosing him. "When Raye phoned me and told me what happened, I was so scared that if I didn't get here before 10 o'clock, that I would have lost the only reason I have for living. Serena, we can't be sure of anything, but I don't want you doing things like that alone. Please promise me you won't." Darien's eyes filled with fear.
"I promise." Serena turned and leaned into him. He wrapped his arms around her.
They sat still. Neither of them moved. Serena felt herself trembling harder. She heard Darien swallow hard. She was certain that she heard his heart beat faster, or was that her own pulse racing, as his arms cradled her?
She turned her head and leaned into him. She breathed him in. Tears welled. She was overcome by his nearness, by the fact that she had almost lost him. That tonight, she had thought she might never see him again.
"I almost lost you today."
His fingertips stroked her arm as he held her, with tension in his body. She knew he was being careful of her; he was struggling against what was taking them both over: the fear and the need.
He said, "I thought I was going to lose you as well."
She started to cry harder. "Darien I felt like… if I lost you…" She caught her breath. "You're right though. We can't be sure of anything." She moved her lips to the side of his face and wept.
'Ssh. I…"
She opened her eyes, waited. Moved to face him. "You what?"
"I Love You."
And when he said it, her eyes brightened in happiness, though the tears were still there. Darien loved her. It was what she had longed to hear, for such a long time; and yet, there was tremendous sorrow in his words, and knowing what she had barely dared to dream. Darien loved her, and now, knowing that, she had so much more to lose.
"I try not to, but I can't stop," he said brokenly.
"Me, too." Her voice cracked as she was overcome with emotion. "I can't either." She pressed her nose against his.
They kissed. The kiss grew. They were crossing a bridge; they were going somewhere together they had never been before. In the Past and in the present. Serena's heart pounded with the knowledge that this kiss was the beginning of something much bigger; this was a seal and a promise, and a first step.
Their passion grew. Serena was starving for the taste of him; she shook with the need of him.
Panting, he pulled away," Serena, maybe we shouldn't."
"Don't," She touched his face, held it. "Just kiss me."
Their lips met again and again.
Darien drew Serena down into his bed. She's so beautiful, he thought. She feels so amazing. Her skin her hair… He breathed her in: the scent of her, the softness of her neck, her hands that were caressing him.
Oh, Serena, let me loose myself in you. Love me
As they melted into each other, Darien soared with joy. For the first time in 12 years since his parents died, he had hope of heaven.