Chapter 4

"Where are you taking me Seiya?" Serena asked as Seiya led her down a small path in the park. It's been a year since Darien's "death". Serena had a hard time trying to lead a normal life. Her thoughts often turned to Darien. Many nights she would lye awake on her bed thinking about him and crying too. Yet her friends, family and Seiya helped her a lot and she was so grateful to have them. Especially Seiya, he was one of Darien's best friends. He likewise had a very hard time dealing with Darien's death. Both he and Serena drew closer through the months afterwards, especially since he is a member of the Sailor Starlights. They worked together with Sailor Moon to protect the world.

"I have a surprise for you." He said as he turned back to give Serena a huge smile. His blue eyes sparkled as he smiled at her. His long black hair, which was tied in a pony tail, swayed from side to side as he walked in front of Serena. Serena followed Seiya as he continued to walk. She honestly felt warm inside whenever she was with him and she hadn't felt that way with any other guy since Darien's death. Since then, Seiya would always did what he could to make Serena smile, and it always worked. It had been awhile since Serena fell in love with any man and Seiya made the transition come naturally for them. On her worst day's, he was like the sunshine that took away the gray clouds. Serena couldn't imagine that anyone could make her feel the way that Darien made her feel. For the first time in a long time, she felt alive.

"We're here." He said as he stopped in front of her and turned to look at her. The cool spring breeze blew in through the trees. Serena shivered a little being that she was only wearing a t-shirt with a pair or jeans. Had she known that they would be out doors, she would have dressed better. Seiya had called her earlier that day and invited her out at the last minute and he was rushing on the phone as well. Seiya took off the jacket that he was wearing and wrapped it around Serena's shoulders.

"Oh Seiya, I'm ok…I don't need your jacket." Serena said as she began to pull it off her.

"Don't worry about it Serena, I'm fine. Look…" He said as he tugged on his long sleeve shirt, "I'm wearing a long sleeve shirt, I only took off my jacket cause I knew that you'd get cold."

The only response that she gave him was a smile. "So…were are we?" She asked after a moment of silence.

"Oh right!" Seiya said as he snapped form his thoughts. "I know that you are graduating from high school in a couple of weeks, but I couldn't resist this." He stepped a side so that Serena could see his surprise. Serena's eyes widen at what she saw. In the distance there was a picnic blanket laid out across the bright green grass and there was a picnic basket on top of it. Both were under a huge weeping willow tree with the branches reaching almost to the ground, making a canopy around it and not too far from that was a huge lake with the sunlight dancing across it.

"Oh Seiya!" Serena cried out with joy as she ran into his open arms gave him a hug and a kiss. "How…why?" She asked in disbelief.

"Well, I remember how you said you wished that you could have a picnic under a weeping willow tree but that you never had the time…" He took Serena's hand and he drew her closer to the tree. "Do you like it?" He asked as he turned back to look at her.

"Of course I do! I just can't believe that you went through all of this trouble. This is one of the most sweetest things that any one has done for me before."

"Oh, it wasn't any trouble, especially for you…" He stopped and took both of her hands and looked her in the eyes, "You deserve this."

"Deserve this?" Serena echoed as she looked at Seiya with confused eyes.

"Yes," Seiya said as he continued to lead Serena to the picnic blanket. "You have been through a lot this past year. You never cease to amaze me because no matter what you went through, you would always put on a happy face and help us all…even though you were almost dying inside. I wanted to do this for you; it's about time that someone made you happy." They stopped in front of the picnic blanket and sat down on top of it.

"I….I don't know what to say." Serena said as she tried not to cry. This was not the first time Seiya did something like this. It's not that no one cared, because they truly did. But they would simply say something rather then do something. Seiya was different; he never once asked her if she needed something…he would just do it. It was almost as if he could read into her thoughts and know just what she wanted or need at just the right time.

"Well," Seiya said as he opened the top of the basket. "Let's eat!"

Serena's eyes lit up. "I can agree to that!"

After both had finished eating, Serena leaned back and lay down on the blanket. She turned to her side with her elbow underneath her propping her head up. She looked at Seiya as he continued to eat. "I'm stuffed!" Serena said.

Seiya stopped eating and looked at Serena. "I'm shocked! You're the only girl who I know that can eat more then me! And you're telling me that you're stuffed?"

Serena sat up and playfully shoved him. "Oh shut up!" She said playfully

"Whoa!" Seiya cried out as he fell backwards to the ground.

"Oh Seiya! Are you ok?" Serena asked concerned. "Here let me help you up." She reached out her hand to help him up but instead of pulling himself up, he pulled her down over him.

"Aagghh!" Serena cried out as she fell on top of Seiya. The both of them started to laugh. Serena pulled herself off from a top of Seiya. Seiya sat up while Serena moved her way to sit next to him. He put an arm around her shoulder. "Serena?" Seiya asked as he looked at her.

"Yea?" She replied looking back at him.

"I don't know if I ever told you this before…" He started as he dropped his arm from around her shoulder and turned to face her.

"Yea?" She asked as she turned around to face him.

"I was so afraid to mention this to you before; I didn't know how to say it or when it would be a good time. Serena, I love you. I love you so much and I always want to be with you."

Serena's eyes widen, her mouth dropped open in shock. She couldn't find the words to say. "I….I…" was all that she could muster the strength to say.

"I'll understand if you don't feel the same." Seiya said with a hurt look in his eyes. He started to get up to leave, but Serena grabbed his hand.

"No…No, don't leave." She said. Seiya sat back down and looked at her. Serena continued, "I never thought that I would love again but you made it come naturally. I feel alive when I'm with you and I couldn't imagine a life with out you."

"You really feel that way?" Seiya asked with sparkling eyes.

"Of course I do!" Serena said heartfelt. "Since Darien's death, I couldn't imagine that I could be as close to someone as I was to Darien. Now with you, I see myself marrying you and having your children. I see us growing old together and dying together. I've never felt this complete since last year…" She drifted off as she started to cry but she managed to continue. "I'm so happy that you feel for me the way I feel you."

"Well…" Seiya said as he got on one knee in front of Serena and pulled out a small box from his pocket. "I guess you made this next part much easier for me."

Serena looked at him confused. "What are you doing? And what is that box? And why are you on one knee?"

Seiya fell to the ground in disbelief but got himself back up. He knew Serena was dense, but he couldn't imagine that she was this clueless! He got back on one knee and grabbed Serena's hand. Looking deeply into her eyes he said "There is a second part to my surprise. Serena, I'm madly in love with you. You make me a better person and…." His voice trailed off as he tried not to get too emotional. Finally he managed to say, "I want you to have this." He opened the box and a beautiful diamond ring sparkled from inside.

"Oh! What a beautiful ring!" Serena said in surprise.

"Do you like it?" Seiya asked

"I love it!" Serena said happily

Seiya slipped the ring into Serena's ring finger on her left hand. "I'm so happy!" He said as he kissed her

"Me too! It's such a pretty ring!"

"We have to tell your family and the girls…"

"About the ring?" Serena asked confused

"What ring?" Seiya asked confused

Serena looked at Seiya confused and held out her left hand. "This ring." She gave him the 'are we on the same page' look.

Seiya returned the look to her followed by a confused look. "I'm not talking about the ring; I'm talking about the wedding."

"What wedding?

Seiya's eyes widen in disbelief. He couldn't imagine purposing to Serena would have been this challenging; he figured that he may be the one to mess up, not the other way around. "Our wedding." He said.

"We're getting married?" Serena asked confused. Suddenly, she had the look on her face that everything was now coming together. Serena stared at him in surprise, and then she looked at the ring and back to him. She couldn't believe what was going on. Seiya wanted to marry her! "Oh Seiya!" Serena cried out with joy as she hugged and kissed him. "I will! I will marry you!"