CHAPTER ELEVEN

Prince Darien looked around cautiously before turning his full attention on her "Who are you? How did you get into the Palace undetected?

The young blond sighed, "You know who I am. And I wanted to see you. I needed to see you."

Darien looked at her suspiciously "The only time I've seen you is in a dream."

She smiled at him sadly "I know. It's a sad fate we've been sentenced to"

"What are you talking about? What fate? And how were you able to enter my dreams? Is this some sort of test of Beryl's? "Well answer me?" demanded when she remained silent

She gave him a wistful look "I can't tell you what you want to know. You wouldn't believe me anyway."

"Try me."

She shook her head "I can't it's too dangerous. For me and for you." trying to change the subject she looked past him over his shoulder "Who's that?"

Darien didn't even bother turning around "That's Malachite. A prime example of how love is a weakness to be exploited."

"You believe love is a weakness." she stated sadly "That caring for someone more than yourself is a waste."

"That's right. Just look at him. His love for Zosite will be the key to his destruction. I don't know why he doesn't just forget about her and move on." His mind flashed to Sailormoon and his unexplained response to her. Is this what Malachite felt for Zosite? He wondered for the first time. Did he feel this uncontrollable need to be with her? Did he hunger for her like he hungered for Sailormoon? Darien shook his head. She was driving him crazy he couldn't stop thinking about her. Something had to be done.

"Some bonds are unbreakable.," she said softly bringing his attention back to her "You can tear at them. Pretend they don't exist" her eyes filled with a haunting sadness "or simply don't know you have one. It doesn't matter it's still their."

"I've had enough of this" he snarled completely frustrated. Here he was thinking about how sweet Sailormoon tasted and how much he wanted to kiss her again and now the goddess from his dreams was teasing him with riddles "I want answers. I want to know who you are and what you're doing here and I want to know now." If someone was messing with his mind he'd make they them very, very sorry.

Getting angrier by the minute at the idea that someone might be playing with his mind he reached out and grabbed her by the arm.

"Don't be angry." she pleaded, "I have so little time here. I have to go back soon. Being here like this is very draining on me."

"What do you mean by that? Tell me." he demanded. Grabbing her by the other arm he shook her. "Stop playing games with me."

"Darien please stop it," she cried as he shook her again.

………………….

Sammy paced back and forth. He hated waiting. Serena slept peacefully a few feet away but Sammy knew that something was terribly wrong. His sister had cried as if her heart was breaking and he was afraid of what that could mean. He didn't believe her for a minute when she insisted that it had nothing to do with a guy. And if this guy caused her to have this kind of reaction it could only mean one thing. Darien was back.

………………….

Malachite was torn. Now that the thought was planted in his head he couldn't get rid of it.

It was suicidal. If Beryl found out before he could complete his plan both he and Zosite will not stand up well against her anger. But what other choice did he have? He had none and he knew it. He had to do this for Zosite. Fate had given them a second chance. He had to take advantage of it. No matter what the risk or the cost.

He turned to caress her cheek lovingly. Although she was trapped in stone he knew she felt him. "Don't worry Zosite you'll be free soon. I promise my love."

……………………

Sammy had known that one day Darien would come back he just never thought about what he would do when that day finally arrived or how he would feel.

He remembered everything. He remembered how the two of them were together. Even as a young boy he could tell that their was something special between his sister and Darien. It was almost magical. Of course he never said so back then it was more fun to torture his sister than anything else. It still was. But knowing what he knew and having to keep it from her hadn't been easy. And pretending that everything was the same and that nothing was wrong was the hardest. Because he was one of the few who knew just how wrong everything had become.

And now Darien was back. He had to be. Nobody else could cause this reaction in Serena. Nobody affected his Sister like Darien did. Good or bad the reaction was always explosive.

He knew Darien never intended for him to remember and in fact he had erased his memories along with those of his parents. He still didn't remember how. All he really could remember was Darien inviting them over to his apartment to discuss Serena's illness. They had sat around his living room drinking some tea he had prepare for them when he told that Serena was going to be fine and that they were not to worry. And was all he could remember clearly. Everything else about that day was a blur.

He wasn't sure what was going to happen now that he was back. He loved Darien. He was the older brother he always wanted. And Darien had treated him like a much loved younger brother instead of some pest he was stuck with because he was in love with his sister. Darien would always listen to him when he had a problem he couldn't talk about with his parents. And they even hung out together. Just the two of them. Although it drove Serena crazy he had loved every minute of it. But all that had changed the day Serena and Darien had gotten married. Sammy knew what Darien did to save his sister and now he knew what his sister as Sailormoon must do to save the planet.

"Sammy what are you doing in here? What's wrong?"

Startled Sammy jumped. When he turned around he saw that Serena was still sleeping but he watched as Luna hoped down from the window seal onto the bed.

"Darien's back isn't he Luna?"

Luna shot a frantic look at Serena but thankfully she was still asleep. She looked at Sammy with tired hopeless eyes "Yes I'm afraid he is."

……………………

Darien looked down at her in disbelief "You know me but I don't know you?" he whispered Why can't you just tell me? I need to know." And he did. He didn't know why it was so important but something told him that it was vital that he know who she was.

She didn't answer him she but continued to look up at him with those big beautiful blue eyes of hers. Eyes that begged for him not to ask her any more questions but to just except that she was here with him because she wanted to be.

Darien shook his head. He had to have answers. With enemies all around him he had to be careful. He was to close to his objective to let anything or anyone stand in his way. And that included Sailormoon and his golden goddess here.

"I have to go she" whispered tearfully as if the thought of leaving caused her pain.

"Your not going anywhere. Not until I get some answers"

"Oh how I wish I could stay here with you." she sobbed "But I can't" and with that said she simply disappeared

Darien stood their in stunned disbelief. One minute he was holding her and the next minute she was gone. She hadn't been a ghost or some figment of his imagination. She was real. He had touched her. Breathed in her sweet scent. No she was real. But just as quietly as she had come she was gone. And he was no closer to finding out the answers to the questions he sought. But he would. Oh yes he would if she came to him once she'd come again and when she did he'd get those answers one way or another.

………………..

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sammy demanded He was angry and a little hurt that Luna had left him out of the loop. He should have been told immediately. After all it had been Luna who had given him back his memories. She told him that she needed his help. She needed him to help her keep an eye on Serena.

At first he couldn't except that Darien was now an enemy of the Scouts. He wouldn't believe it. He hadn't believed it until he saw his sister again. She was looking better a lot better than the last time he had saw her. But something had been missing. A spark. His sister always had a way about her a spark that drew others to her and being with Darien had made that spark even brighter and now it was gone. He didn't need to ask her if she remembered Darien he could tell by looking at her that she didn't and whether anyone else realized it or not his sister was not the same.

"How do you know about Darien?" She shot a half panic half suspicious look at Serena. "Did Serena say something?"

"My mother thinks Serena has a crush on some guy and by the way she was acting tonight I'd have to agree with my mother"

Luna sighed her relief "Oh Is that all?"

"I think the guy she has a crush on is Darien. They have meet again haven't they she has seen him?"

"She saw him once briefly" Luna protested "it has to be someone else."

Sammy was unconvinced Serena was hurting badly and he didn't believe anyone but Darien could affect her like this especially on such a short time span. If it was Darien and he believed it was than his sister would consider him the enemy and that itself might explain those tears. He was about to explain this to Luna when Serena's communicator went off. He hurried from the room. He didn't want Serena waking up and finding him in her room she'd want to know what he was still doing there. Signally to Luna that they were not through he shut the door behind him

"Serena. Serena get up" Luan cried jumping up and down on the bed

"I can't" Serena moaned "I cant stay. I cant."

SERENA. WAKE UP THE SCOUTS NEED YOU." Luna hollered

Serena shot up in the bed "What is it Luna is it time to leave for school already."

"That was Amy on the communicator she's getting very strong readings from the park. Theirs something going on there."

Serena jumped up from the bed "Another attack? So soon?"

"Theirs no time questions and guess. We'll will find out what the Negaverse is up to soon enough. Now hurry up and transform."

…………………

When the Scouts arrived at the park were the readings had orientated from but their was nobody there. There was no sign of the Dark Prince or Jedite

Sailormoon looked around in bewilderment "What's going on?"

"It might be a trap" Mercury advised, "I'm still getting a reading so be on the alert."

"I thought you would never get here Sailormoon."

The Scouts looked up. It was Malachite. Malachite lowered himself to the ground but stayed at a distance. He didn't want to provoke them into a fight he had come here for another reason altogether.

"What are you up to Malachite?" Mars demanded immediately suspicous

"I need your help Sailormoon."

"You've got to be joking" Jupiter gasped "why on Earth would we want to help you?"

Sailormoon looked at him in confusion "What could you possible want with me? How can I help you"

"Sailormoon you can't be serious" Uranus cried, "You can't trust him"

Malachite ignored them. He just had to worry about convincing Sailormoon of his sincerity the others opinion didn't matter to him.

"When Jedite resurrected Beryl he also resurrected me and Zosite. Beryl can be…" he hesitated searching for the right word "she can be very unforgiving. She punished Zosite for past mistakes" his mouth twisted bitterly "Beryl said she needed to learn patience so she cast her into stone"

"That's awful" Sailormoon gasped with a look of horror on her face. How could anyone be so cruel? She looked at Malachite in sympathy.

Malachite seeing her compassion took a step towards her but stopped when Uranus stepped in front of her.

"I don't have time for this. I need for you to trust me."

"Why should we trust you" Mars asked bitterly "you've done nothing to earn it you've tried to destroy us on many occasions before and after your resurrection why should we believe anything you say"

"I was just following orders" Malachite snapped "Beryl is my Queen as you follow Serenity's orders so must I follow my Queens."

"Than why are you here" Venus asked curiously sensing his pain. Maybe he was telling them the truth after all. Maybe all he really wanted was Sailormoon's help

Malachite stared at Sailormoon intently "I want Sailormoon to heal Zosite for me turn her back to normal."

"You can't be serious?"

"Are you crazy?"

"No way. Sailormoon would never do something so stupid"

"I know it's a lot to ask after everything I've done but I'm out of options. Beryl may never change her back. I know you have no reason to do this for me but if you'll help me I'll give you something in exchange."

Uranus looked him over in contempt "What can you offer us?" she didn't trust him for a second.

"The truth about a certain Dark Prince."