Authors Note: Hey everyone! This chapter sort of snuck up on me and I couldn't stop thinking about it. I hate it sometimes when that happens, especially when I'm supposed to be studying for tests. And I'm deliriously happy, no one has told me the last chapter was confusing, Yay! Hope you like.

Disclaimer: I don't own sailor moon, much as I'd like to.

Chapter Five.

" Whose bright idea was this?" Serena called out to Darien exasperated, trying to stuff yet another pair of the socks her mother had been knitting for her for the last few weeks, into the huge suitcase that was already over filled.

Darien stuck his head around the door and smiled slightly.

" Ok, ok, don't give me that knowing look, Mr. I know it was my idea, but you could have told me it was a stupid one." Serena said lightly, seeing the intense sadness that had lurked in Darien's eyes ever since the day she had told him about the job offer.

Darien dumped the spare suitcase he had been hauling up the stairs at the end of the bed.

Not stupid Serena. More a great opportunity Darien signed, walking around the bed to sit on the suitcase while she did it up.

" Now that's not fair! How comes it goes down when you sit on it, but I couldn't get it to budge?" Serena complained and was rewarded by seeing a slight sparkle come into Dariens eyes.

I'm shocked, with that huge butt and all the extra weight you have sitting under your chin, I'm surprised you didn't flatten it Darien joked.

" Why you.... Aargh!" Serena yelled at him, punching him lightly on the shoulder and ending up sprawled in his lap looking up into his face.

He looked down at her and let his eyes wander over her face and body. He saw her squirm slightly when his gaze slid over her breasts and the edges of his mouth twisted up a bit.

" I like this. I'm going to miss being close to you more than anything." Serena whispered.

Darien just shook his head and shut his eyes, trying not to think about her departure. She was booked on a lunchtime flight the next day and Darien was having a hard time not to forbid her to go, threatening her with death threats if she didn't agree. But he knew he couldn't do that to her, it wasn't fair. He ran his hand through her hair gently, feeling the texture and thickness. He then ran the hand around her face and down her neck, then traced the path back up. When Serena couldn't take anymore of his gentle exploration, she curled onto her side on his lap and wrapped her arms around his waist, letting all the tears she'd been holding in since the day she had told him soak his shirt. Darien bent over her and held her tightly, allowing himself to cry with her.

" I can't go Darien, not without you." Serena said.

Darien shook his head against her shoulder, where it had come to rest. He rubbed her back soothingly.

" Promise me you'll come and visit me." Serena pleaded, needing to know she would see him soon.

Darien moved his hands in front of her face and signed:

I promise, whenever I get a chance I'm going to be by your side. But you have got to promise me that if you feel anything is getting too much for you, then you'll come home.

" I promise. Will you help me get this suitcase off the bed and just hold me tonight?"

Sure

The sky Serena looked out at was dark with storm clouds and matched her depressed mood exactly. The huge windows looking out onto the runway reflected her face back at her and she knew she looked like she was going to a funeral. As her most comfortable cloths happened to be all black, she'd worn a tonne of make up to try and hide some of the evidence of her sorrow from Darien and her eyes were dull, it wasn't very hard to figure out why. She saw Darien coming up behind her and turned to face him. He handed her her ticket and picked up the rucksack she was taking with her on the plane.

Serena panicked.

" I don't have to go through customs for another hour yet, we don't have to start heading over there just yet do we?" She said urgently.

Darien smiled and hefted the pack onto his back, freeing his hands.

Relax Sere, I was only going to take it over to one of the tables over there.

Serena sighed her relief and linked her hand through the arm he extended for her. They sat down at a table outside one of the shops.

You're nervous Darien pointed out, watching Serena fiddle with her hands.

" Just a bit. Do you realise I've never been away from you? Never for longer than a day. I feel as if I'm a teenager leaving home for the first time ever."

Darien nodded.

You've never lived by yourself. It's going to be weird for you and probably a little scary. That's one of the things I've always felt bad for. You've never been able to get out on your own and be free to do what you like when you liked.

" Don't feel like that." Serena said, catching Dariens hand." I've loved every minute of the time I've spent with you. Every second. I've loved spending my time on you. I love you, and nothing is ever going to make me regret marrying you when I did, even if it meant that I never experienced life on my own. I don't think I would have been able to cope with that...I don't think I'm going to be able to cope with it now." She said quietly.

Darien leaned over and kissed her gently. Serena knew it meant 'you'll do fine', but it din't reassure her.

They wasted a half an hour just sitting and drinking in each others presence, then headed over to the stairs leading down to customs. Darien handed Serena her back pack and pulled her into a tight hug, burying his face in her hair. 'I love you' he mouthed into it.

" I love you too." Serena whispered. " I promise I'll come home."

Darien just nodded and pushed her towards the stairs. She went reluctantly, taking a step at a time, looking back over her shoulder to look at him before he disappeared. She had managed to keep her tears in check in front of him, but knew they would flow when she got on the plane and took off. Right now she had to worry about getting herself on that plane, and she couldn't do that properly with tears streaming down her face and her mind in a muddle. She pulled herself together and went to the end of one of the lines snaking towards the customs desk.

Darien watched her plane take off, from the big windows and mouthed a silent good bye, already feeling her loss. It was going to be a very long couple of years.

Authors Note: Oh look I've made myself cry...but then again that's not unusual, so I gues I won't be offended if I didn't make you cry. Sorry it's so short and that it has taken me so long to get to this point, but I don't believe in going straight to the heart wrenching bits, until I've set down some ground work. Please Read and Review. Tandem.