HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope everyone had a marvelous Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa etc. Sorry for the delays, I hope this chapter is what you've been waiting for. I want to send shots to all of those who have e-mailed me with your guesses of 'who did it?' Thanks to Sailor Leo, Chris T, Braves66boy and Cat's Meow for guessing. Thanks to Angel of Serenity, Hell's Hauntress, Sadiqa D, and Mina-Chan for the encouragement!

I don't own Sailor Moon. Santa didn't give it to me for Christmas. OH YEAH, I've been questioned about some personalities of some of the characters. I meant to tell everyone that there are cases of extreme out of characterness. But I have only done what the animators have to a greater extent… in comparison to the manga. Ok, enough of that. Now without further ado…

Homicide: The Death of Serena

By Crystaldove

Chapter 7

Opps, I noticed that I wrote the last date as Nov 3…it was supposed to be October 3. Sorry

October 3

6:15 p.m.

Tsukino Household

"May I help you?"

"Mrs. Tsukino, we haven't officially met, but I am Detective Monroe of the Juuban Police. I'm in charge of the investigation on the disappearance of your daughter. I was hoping to ask you a few questions."

"Come in, can I get you a beverage?"

"Some plum juice would be great if you have it."

"Yes we do, have a seat."

When Mrs. Tsukino left the room the detective took the opportunity to look around. He noticed an array of photos of Serena at various ages. Bright smiles adorned the child's face but in some it didn't reach her eyes.

"That's Serena at her first Girls Festival*, she was 6."

"She seems to be upset even though she is smiling."

"You can see that? Sammy spilled his juice on her kimono. I didn't have time to clean it. I patted the stain as much as I could but she was still upset."

"I would assume so… the girls' festival is an important event and her first one at that, then she had to wear a stained garment."

"She told me I didn't love her, that it was my fault that it happened. I had just told her she couldn't have any juice because with her clumsiness she might have spilled it. But Sammy has always been a careful child so I gave him some…he was supposed to be in the kitchen. He said he was sorry though, but Serena got mad because I didn't punish him."

"Why not?"

"He was 3 at the time."

"A three year old still has to be supervised when eating or drinking and they are capable of understanding right and wrong."

"That is what her father said."

"Do you discipline your children?"

"I ground them; deny them certain privileges and stuff."

"How often?"

"How…often?"

"Yes, every once in a while, once or twice a month or so much that there could be a problem."

"Well Sammy maybe once every other month or so… but with Serena I uhh…guess it's um weekly."

"Weekly… is she a delinquent?"

"No… it's her grades and her tardiness. She misses her curfew then whines excessively about people being unfair to her."

"Really?"

"Yes her grades are really pathetic."

"Do you assist her with her work, or enlisted a tutor?"

"Why should I help her, that's what these teachers are getting paid for?"

"Oh so you don't see anything wrong with that, what about Sammy?"

"He's doing fine. I check his work for him when he's done."

"So you 'help' him?"

"No, I just check…"

"And let him know if it's incorrect…in other words you only help your son. What is it about her tardiness?"

"She never responds to her alarm clock, so I have to yell at her everyday around 7:50"

"7:50… school for her starts at 8:30. It's a 20 minute walk from here…no wonder she is always late. What about Sammy."

"I wake him up around 7:15. He is so stubborn so I have to shake him in between gathering his clothes. Oh my little Samuel, he is so adorable when he's sleeping."

"And Serena gets an alarm clock…Mrs. Tsukino you do realize what 'you' have committed?"

"What are you saying?"

"You've neglected your daughter by denying her the same caring woman that dotes on her brother. From what you have admitted, you shower love and attention on Sammy and treat her worse than a common beggar."

"No I haven't!"

"Really? Do you realize that her 'antics' as you called them could have been a shout for attention? Some children misbehave on purpose; negative attention is better than receiving none at all. I spoke with several classmates and with that teacher Miss Haruna earlier this afternoon. Did you know Serena is constantly belittled…by her teacher no less? That she refuses to do her job, as you said, in assisting your daughter in areas she doesn't understand. I had surveillance placed in her classroom without her knowledge and found that her 'teaching' consists of reading out of the textbook will little or no examples of the work. So most children refer to tutoring or going to the juku to learn what they should have during normal school hours. And her means of discipline depends on if she has a date or not, which is usually the case then she takes out her lack of commitment on her students…mostly your daughter."

"I had no idea."

"You didn't, I'm not surprised, you don't pay Serena ANY attention. You said that people were being unfair to her, perhaps…she did tell you and you accused her of whining and being lazy perhaps?"

"I uh didn't…"

"Of course not Mrs. Tsukino a person would have to be plain stupid not to notice the anguish their child was feeling; but then you didn't know."

Mrs. Tsukino swallowed loudly and began to sweat.

"Tell me about the day she ran away?"

"I was called to her school to meet with her teacher…"

"Tell me about it."

"Well Miss Haruna seemed concerned…"

Flash

"Mrs. Tsukino it's nice to finally meet you, I'm sorry that it had to be under these circumstances."

"And which would those be?"

"You see Serena is doing very poorly in class, she refuses to pay attention during my lectures and her tardiness is inexcusable. I'm going to be honest with you, she is in serious danger of failing. This could be a blow that could ruin her chances of even getting into a mediocre high school."

"Oh my, isn't there something…can't you do something? I mean arrange a special class for her, get her some tutoring?"

"Mrs. Tsukino, I understand your frustration, there are Juku's that offer remedial help only if the student 'wants' help. I don't see anything that 'could' help your daughter and I can't waste any more of my time on her. School isn't for everyone, but be comforted...at least she has her looks."

End flash

"Was Ms. Haruna implying that Serena become an escort or a Geisha? Something that would rely on her appearance because she isn't mentally capable to do anything else!"

"Uh I didn't see it like that. I didn't think about it."

"You don't think about much in the terms of you daughter…do you?"

"What do you mean?"

She responded with a lot of stuttering and a flushed appearance.

"Why are you so jittery Mrs. Tsukino? I'm just asking you some questions?"

"I just don't like where these are headed."

"Got something to hide; do you know who wanted to hurt you daughter?"

"No, of course not! Why would I?"

"Seems to me you feel life would be better without her. No disappointment that makes others believe you are a terrible parent. She wouldn't have a mother that tends to neglect her; leaving her with no one to reassure her when the pressures of adolescent life gets her down."

Det. Monroe turned his attention to the window and looked out of it.

"Are you parents still living Mrs. Tsukino?"

"Yes they are." She quickly answered releasing the huge breath she was holding.

"Do you feel you were raised properly? Did they make you feel like somebody, someone important?"

"Yes…why?"

"I didn't have the pleasure of knowing my parents…well my mother. She died in childbirth. My father was so heartbroken by it that he resented me. It didn't help that I look exactly like my mother. In his opinion he felt that I cheated him out of his happiness, reminding him of something he would never have. He died several years ago. I was only a burden to him; he didn't come to see me graduate college or the academy. I dropped my sir name when I was 18 and no longer an obligation to him. My name was actually Jared Monroe Nuzuma."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"I'm telling you this because I know how it feels to live in an unloved home. How it feels to know that the person you need the most thinks of you as a waste of space, just because he couldn't find any way to deal with his grief. Both of my parents died the day I was born; my mother physically, my father emotionally. I never met that exuberant father I saw in pictures with my mother. Serena had both parents and she still grew up in a loveless home…at least my father had a 'reason' to be neglectful. She had to endure her mothers' favoritism of her brother and her absentee father 'plus' the ridicule of the outside world. I wasn't completely unloved though, I had my maternal grandparents…they raised me and used their retirement, when my father refused to contribute anymore funds, to send me to college. They cheered for me when I graduated from the academy."

Detective Monroe released his pent up emotion, he turned back to face Mrs. Tsukino and she watched as tears ran down his face.

"I didn't realize…I guess my daughter is a stranger to me. I wanted her to excel, to push her in the right direction…I just pushed her away. Boys are so rare in our family, when I had Serena I'll admit I was disappointed. In our society, girls are viewed so much differently. They aren't expected to do more than get married and raise a family; so I didn't encourage her."

She admitted with a touch of guilt in her eyes, but her expression suddenly changed to joy.

"But when I had Sammy, I was so happy and Ken was overjoyed…he is the first grandson. I wanted only the best for him and if that meant neglecting Serena…"

"It just meant that you neglected Serena. And it wouldn't matter if she was dead because Sammy is ALL you care about!"

The detective looked at her with contempt and noticed her expression didn't change with his statement.

"You don't care about your daughter. YOU DON'T CARE IF SHE IS DEAD! As long as you have your 'precious' Sammy…"

"I never said that!" She shouted while coming face to face with the detective.

"And you didn't deny it either. Well whatever you may or may not feel for her, you may never have the opportunity to tell her. If this was just a runaway case…I wouldn't be involved; I work in the homicide division…"

"She's… dead?"

The fire that was burning in her eyes died and the color drained from her face.

"This is why people shouldn't put off things for tomorrow. My father died thinking I hated him, if he only gave me a chance… I forgave him years ago. Good evening…I 'will' be in touch."

The impact of his final statement affected her deeply. Mrs. Tsukino took several deep breaths to regain her composure she was unsuccessful. She fell to the ground in a dead faint.

End chapter

*The Girl's Festival is an actual event in Japan. I couldn't recall the actual name but it celebrates the attributes of girls with various themes and uses the colors white, green and pink…if I am remembering correctly.

I hope this chapter appeased your appetite for suspense. I'm sorry for the delay, but I've been feeling poorly…please forgive.

You know, I seem to have a lot of men crying in this story… it doesn't mean they are weak; just compassionate. READ MY OTHER STORIES TOO, I WANT 100 REVIEWS FOR ALL STORIES!

Thank you very much!

Please review and keep those guesses coming!

Dove