Chapter 10

Realizing that crying wouldn't help Darien, Sailor Moon calmed herself. Gently laying him back down, she reached for her communicator, the new calculator-looking pink things with the small round screens at the top.

"Hey guys," she said urgently. "Raye, Lita, Amy, somebody come in."

A moment later, Raye's face appeared on the screen. "There you are, Serena, where have you been? It's been so long since you ran off, and why are you still transformed?"

Serena started to tell them what happened, but went to fast, still worried about Darien and wanting to let them know as quickly as possible.

"Well, I didn't find Tuxedo Mask, but I did run across Darien, and then Zoycite showed up, and she tried too kill me, but Darien got in the way, and now he's hurt, and-"

"Whoa, Sailor Moon, slow down!" Raye said quickly, stopping her.

Amy's face took the place of Raye's. "Yes, please, we can't understand you."

"Yeah, we can tell you're upset, but we can't help you if we don't know what you're saying, Serena," Lita added, appearing on the screen. "Try again."

Serena's fist clenched. "Guys, I don't have time to try again! Darien's dying, and I can't get him the hospital by myself! I need your help, now!"

"What!" Raye cried. "What do you mean, he's dying, what happened to him?"

"I tried to tell you; Zoycite showed up and tried to kill me, but he got in the way," Sailor Moon said. "Now would you three quit jabbering and get over here!"

Amy came up again. "Just calm down, Serena, we'll be there as quickly as we can, all right? Don't worry. We'll get Darien to the hospital, and he'll be fine, okay?"

Serena swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded. "Okay…"

"That's a good girl, now just stay there. There's no need to try to tell us where you are; I can pinpoint your location with my Mercury computer. And like I said-stay calm, Serena."

Serena nodded again, and then the screen went blank.

The three sailor scouts looked at each other as they changed the direction they were walking down the street to go back towards the park instead of farther away. Raye was the one who looked the most worried.

"Guys, I think we should transform again. We can get there faster as scouts than as ourselves," she said almost immediately.

"Sounds like a good idea to me," the ever-ready Lita agreed. "What about you, Amy?"

"Let's do it," she nodded.

Sailor Moon sat quietly at Darien's side, silently begging him to hold on, when a sudden image flashed through her mind. She jumped in surprise. It had happened so quickly that she didn't know what it had been or where it had come from. She looked around her, but saw nothing unusual. Sighing, she looked down at Darien again. He hadn't moved since he had blacked out, and that worried her, but she didn't know what else she could do but stay here with him until the scouts arrived and could help her get him to the hospital.

That was when the image came back. This time she got a better view of it. It was of a handsome young man with his back to her, speaking to an evil-looking woman that somehow was floating in front of them. It was still to short for her to make out any words, but the man's voice was familiar, and that profile…

But then it disappeared again.

"Darien?" she whispered.

It returned a second time. Now it almost as if she was inside it, there, but in no control of what was happening. The scene was bizarre. Around them was what looked like a crumbling kingdom. The young man in front of her was dressed like a prince, and she like a princess. The prince said something to the woman in front of him that angered her, and above them the morbid-looking clouds crackled with green energy. The young man turned, putting his arms around her to protect her, and that was when she saw his face-he looked exactly like Darien. If she had had any control over what was happening, or over whatever body she was in, she would have gasped.

But she didn't have time to wonder why she couldn't, as at that moment the green energy in the clouds shot down, destroying everything in its path and finally settling over the balcony they stood on. Shouting in alarm, the prince that looked like Darien was sucked into its midst, and Serena was knocked down.

"Darien, what is happening!" she cried. What? Why did I say that? And why did I call him Darien? That can't be Darien! What's going on! Serena thought frantically. But she got no answer.

"Serena, run! Just run!" the young man called even as he was swept away.

What? How does he know my name? Am I me? What is this!

Still with no control over her body, Serena stood and ran toward the edge of the balcony. "No Darien, I want to be with you!" Huh? she thought. Be with Darien? Somebody help! I'm confused! I don't like Darien! And who is this guy? It can't really be Darien!

"No, Serena, you can't!" the prince called. But she continued to run anyway, and seconds later jumped into the whirlwind and was sucked up, toward him, yelling in fear. "Serena, don't! Serena!" he cried.

"Darien!" she answered, reaching out to him. He reached out for her as well, and finally their hands clasped. For some reason, Serena suddenly felt like crying, and she was sure that her real body was. It was obvious that whoever's body she was in, and whoever this Darien and Serena were, that they loved each other, would even give their life for the other, and now it seemed that both were going to die.

But why am I seeing this from the point of view of the girl, and not just seeing it happening? Who are these people? What is this place?

But then, another beam of energy shot from the clouds, this time deadly. It struck the prince and princess and, screaming each other's names, they were pulled apart. Seconds later, everything went black for Serena.

Serena gasped as she opened her eyes. She looked around her; she was back in the alley. Her face felt cold. Touching it, she found that it was wet. She 'had' been crying during the daydream. Or was that what it had been? Then why had it seemed so vivid?

Drying her tears, Sailor Moon looked down at Darien. He seemed even worse than before, more pale. Oh Scouts, you'd better hurry up!

A moment later she looked up when her name was called.

"Sailor Moon!"

It was Sailor Mars, in the lead as all three sailor scouts ran up to her and Darien. Raye knelt on the other side of him. Putting a hand on his shoulder, she shook him gently.

"Darien, can you hear me?" she asked.

"He won't answer you," Serena said. "He's been out for a while."

Raye looked at her and gulped. "Then come on; we'd better get him out of here."

"I agree," Amy said. "He looks bad. If we don't hurry…" She trailed off.

"This happened to him because he tried to protect you?" Lita asked worriedly.

Tears filled Serena's eyes and she nodded. "Yes…" she whispered, and then looked down at him once again. "Oh please, Darien, don't die on me!"

Later that day, Serena sat on the steps of the temple with Raye, Lita, and Amy. She sighed heavily.

"Do you guys think Darien will really be all right?" she asked again.

"Would you stop asking that?" Raye asked in annoyance. "We stayed until they had him stabilized."

Amy nodded. "Yes, but he isn't through the worst of it. They said that if he made it through the night, though, that he should be all right."

"What do you mean, if!" Serena cried.

"Do you have to me so frank, Amy?" Lita said, then put a hand on Serena's shoulder. "Don't worry, Serena. Yes, there's a chance that he might not make it, but the doctor also said that they were optimistic. Darien will be fine."

"All right," Serena sighed. "Thanks guys." Then she looked up at them, worry on her face again. "Wait…" she began. "We were transformed when we brought him in earlier, so how am I supposed to get back in to see him tomorrow?"

"His condition should have improved by tomorrow, so they should be able to let you in to see him as a friend."

Raye giggled. "Even though they're not exactly friendly with each other."

Serena glared at her. "Oh lay off, Raye." Then she stood. "Guys, I don't really feel like hanging around anymore today. No offense, but I think I'll just go home, okay?"

The others nodded, wished her a good night, and then watched her go, concern on their faces.

"What I want to know is if 'she's' going to be all right," Lita said when Serena was gone.

Luna stood, now awake from her nap on the steps, and stretched. "Oh, she'll be fine," the cat answered. "I know she's a meatball head, but she's stronger than she seems, or thinks she is. She'll make it."

"You really think so, Luna?" Amy asked.

Luna nodded. "Of course. What I'm still trying to figure out, though, is why 'Darien' would want to protect Sailor Moon. I know Tuxedo Mask probably would have, and I could even understand Darien wanting to keep 'Serena' safe, but Sailor Moon? He doesn't know Sailor Moon, I and know he doesn't know that Serena is Sailor Moon." She shook her head. "I just don't get it."

Raye nodded. "Me either, but maybe Serena will find out something tomorrow when she goes to see Darien. If she doesn't, then maybe I can. I'm going to go see him, too." She sighed. "I just hope Darien's still okay by tomorrow."

That night, Serena tossed and turned, nightmares of Darien not surviving and revisits to the vision she'd had converging to make an all too uncomfortable sleep. Luna kept watch over her from the end of the bed, silently hoping that Darien would be all right in the morning. If he wasn't, there was no telling how Serena would react, but it certainly couldn't be good for her.