Hey there, people… Hope you liked the last chapter and that you'll find nice this piece right here… Ok, I'll let you reading now and remember that I don't own sailor moon, as much as I'd love to…………………..

"Boy, you're lucky!" Mina grinned from one ear to the other. On the other side of the room, in a big armchair, stood Rei, who couldn't believe neither her ears nor eyes. There she was, congratulated by Kane's cheerful wife on her new relationship with the fast man. She couldn't believe it because the impossibly excited attitude inside Mina made her blush like mad. Who would have ever thought that she, Rei Shields, the one who had passed through so many, would blush like mad while listening to one of new friends talk about her and her "guy", as Mina now called Jade. It looked like every one of the girls was finally getting a love-life. Looking around her, Rei glanced at the empty seats which were usually filled by the ones forming Kane team: after years of struggling, Nick finally got Lita all for himself, the fearless leader was already married with the woman of pretty much every man's dreams, Darien's employee had found his angel, literally, in the young and child-like doctor and even she got a boyfriend of her own, who seemed to be much more than just fond of her. For the first time in her life she actually felt that she belonged to something stable, that she belong to a place of her own, that would always give her comfort and protection. While talking and laughing with the enthusiastic blonde, Rei discovered that she loved this new feeling and that she wanted to keep it forever. The only problem that now remained was Serena…

"Are you ok?" Mina's voice suddenly sounded concerned and Rei's eyes turned around, to see a very pale woman, with several sweat drops on her forehead.

"Am I ok? Mina, you look bad!" Rei jumped from her spot and got up, noticing that the blonde was doing the same thing.

"No, seriously Rei, I'm fine!" she waved her arms in defense, but didn't manage to convince the raven-haired beauty. "God, I'm the last person you should be worrying about! As happy as I am with the way things are right now, I can't help but be worried about Rena! I've known her for a very long time… not to mention that she happens to be my sister-in-law. I'm not saying that we always get well, because God only knows how many stupid things she had done and how many times we've had our own fights. But in the end, we've always forgiven each other and…" she didn't get to finish. Turning around fast, Rei heard a slight thump on the floor and saw Mina body collapsing exhausted on the floor. She knew something was wrong with the blonde the moment she had tried to hide her true condition.

"Mina! Mina, can you hear me!" the miko fell in her knees next to her and tried shaking her body in order to get a response. Still, the blonde remained unconscious on the floor, with her eyelids closed and her skin getting paler and paler. "Help! Kane, Jade! Come quick!" she finally shouted loudly, while holding Mina's wrists and shaking her more.

One second later, three men and a woman burst inside the room. Rei looked up with scared eyes to see Kane and Jade approaching fast, with Lita and Nick, both dressed in training clothes, following them. Kane almost threw himself on the floor and asked fastly.

"What happened?"

"I noticed that she was pale and something was wrong, but when I asked her she denied. The next I knew she was down!"

"Alright, let's get her to Ames… she'll know what to do…" Kane tried to hold himself together and grabbed Mina's body, pulling her up in his strong arms and taking off to where Amy worked along with Zack, breaking one of the world's toughest databases. The entire group followed the silver-haired man, all worried about the blonde former model.

It was the tenth time that Zack gazed at her in the last hour and Amy was already feeling her cheeks go hot and red. She turned away, hoping that maybe he would understand and stare somewhere else, like the computer he was supposed to use in order to track down Darien Shields and, hopefully, Rena as well. Still, she could feel his burning eyes just staring dumbly at her, his green orbs probably admiring parts he wasn't supposed to. That thought made her blush ever deeper and lower her head closer and closer to the files she had been reading, or pretended to read, for some time now. If she didn't return with the information he had asked her for soon, he would start suspecting something. Damn that man for making her think weird things. Two days before that moment her mind was filled with the excitement of ending the final chapter of her equations book and now she could only think at the wavy-haired man's boyish grin and his bright green eyes hidden behind the modern glasses, much different than her own. Then again, he was hot and she was not. Or was she? Ugh, these last few days only made her more confused. Now she didn't even know what she wanted from her life anymore… and all thanks to a more than just adorable hacker with a smile always prepared especially for her.

"You done there, Amy?" he asked his face right in front of hers, while his body was leaned over the same table, but on the other side of it. Suddenly feeling him so close, she refused to rise her head and simply responded.

"Not yet…"

"What? I gave you those half an hour ago and you praised yourself earlier about your amazing reading speed." He teased her while approaching his head even more, with only few centimeters separating them.

"I told you I could easily scan simple texts! You asked me to extract certain information from these papers and that takes longer!" she spoke angrily and rose up her face, which was now red from the anger and not embarrassment. He looked at her with a strange sparkle in his eyes and her appearance suddenly turned shy again.

"No, don't! Amy, you can really be a tigress sometimes… and I liked you tough and all…" He mumbled while staring into her eyes with a gentle and caring look on his face. Amy blushed even deeper, discovering how much she liked his "nice guy" looks. It fitted the slight curls in his hair perfectly, but not the glasses too. "Don't get scared with me… I promise that you have absolutely no reasons to…" he ended in a whisper and leaned to her, supporting his body weight more and more on the table separating them for the time being and getting closer and closer, his eyes never leaving hers, not even for a second. Amy considered this moment almost perfect for her first kiss and even managed to rise herself up a bit too. They were impossibly close now and Zack couldn't wait to taste her. He leaned even more, closing the space between them. However, before he could reach her entirely, he heard her voice.

"Oh, my God! Mina!" she shouted and ran out of the room, forgetting all about the upcoming kiss and leaving behind a Zack who was ready to burst in tears. After staring dumbly at her track, he fell in his knees and looked at the ceiling.

"God, why are you doing this to me?"

"What happened?" Amy burst inside the infirmary again and ran to the bed which now held Mina's still unconscious body.

"I was hoping you might tell me." Kane said, holding himself calm with all his strength. "One moment she was talking to Rei and the next Rei was shouting for us to come and help her."

"Give me ten minutes and I'll find out!" Amy said confidently and smiled, assuring Kane that his wife was in good hands. Noticing the lost look on his face, the same that he had the moment he found Mina hurt in the woods and Rena missing, she spoke further. "Hey, don't worry, I'm sure it's nothing serious. She must be worn off after everything that happened in the past week or the drugs I gave her might have had some side effects that I forgot about!"

"Thanks, Ames. I know you're best and I appreciate that more than anything." He walked to her and gave her a strong hug, almost a fatherly one, which Amy received and returned with all her might. The truth was that she had always considered Kane a sort of a father figure… and she always loved and respected him for that. Giving him one last smile, she returned to her patient and started immediately her equipment, checking up firstly Mina's vital signs. Kane's eyes wondered to his wife's silhouette while his mind only thought at one thing: Mina was his life… and without her his whole work would have been in vane… and his life worthless…

For the first time in a week or more, Serena refused by any means to face Darien Shields. Ever since the nightmare incident she had been extremely confused and didn't know what to thing of the tyrant anymore. That night he had looked so human… that night she had seen his normal side… and, most important and painful, she had liked that side of his. That scared her more than anything at the moment… including the possibility of ending in some dark cell at the end of the world. The reality of actually feeling something for Darien Shields gave her more than just chills. It was true that she didn't feel any butterflies in her stomach when she saw him… actually, it more like a strange desire of hitting him in the stomach… or any other parts that could do a lot of damage. She hated hearing his demanding tone and seeing the infinite fire burning in his gazed, but, to her great displeasure, during the last week or so, she had discovered that she was fascinated by that burning and cruel glare of his. Inside that look, she could see beyond the flames, she could see even the child that had been separated from his mother and twin sister and learned how to hate them both. Just the thought of how his father must have treated him during his mother's absence… or how that woman ever had the heart of leaving her son behind, knowing what kind of monster was raising him.

Absently, she got out of her room and started walking inside the house, feeling as if she was alone. And she pretty much was: as long as she didn't ask the creep more questions, he wasn't forced to talk to her. In the end, none of them would say anything… and, although they practically lived in the same apartment, they even barely saw each other. While passing right in front of the balcony door, she saw through the windows a tall and dark silhouette standing outside, staring at the city lights. His face was both enlightened by the moonlight and the light managing to reach their floor from down the streets. She found herself gazing at him, entrapped by his damned good looks, admiring the black hair and the blue orbs which seemed so lost at the moment. Deciding that it was time to finally speak to him, she got outside, forgetting that the nights could get pretty cold and that Darien himself wore a simple jacket over the blue shirt and black suit trousers. She stepped next to him, looking at the landscape he was admiring. Soon, she starting to feel cold, but then his voice spoke and seemed incredibly warm, making her forget about her lack of normal clothes and the cold outside.

"I was five years old when they ran away…" he started and Serena felt a strong emotion rising up inside her. "I remember my mother entering our room and getting Rei dressed. She was sleepy and confused… she had no idea why mother had woken her up in the middle of the night and was asking her to get ready. But I knew… I knew it ever since I saw that look in her eyes… She had always thought of me to be exactly like father: cold, distant, a true son of a bitch. But I wasn't… I was just like Rei… I wanted as much as her to help my mother during their fights, but I also had no power… So I became solid rock and learned how to keep my emotions for myself, never showing. That night, I kept my mouth shut while my mother dressed Rei who was crying and begging her to take me as well, for the simple reason of me being her brother…" he spoke further, his eyes turning like glass, but holding a huge amount of feelings inside. "I saw when they left and I saw the last look my own mother gave me before leaving: she hated me with a passion. She hated so much that she left me alone with him… she left me back, so that I could become my father's true heir. And I did!" he gave a small and sarcastic chuckle. Then, he turned to Serena, who was standing next to him, staring into his eyes. "You wanted to know why I hate, or hated, Rei so much." He concluded and took off his jacket, covering her naked shoulders with it, in order to keep her warm. "I hated her because she had been mother's favourite. She had always loved her better… because she considered us so different… when, in fact, we were exactly the same. I learned how to control my powers and hide them, while Rei exposed her own with pride. When that started happening, I reacted just the way my father had with my mother, just in a less painful way: I locked her away and kept on threatening her that I will kill her. I never wanted to complete my task and I've always hoped that she would just stop and accept me and this bloody world. But she has been stubborn ever since I can remember her." He looked down at Serena again, noticing the tears falling from her clear blue eyes. He reached out a hand and erased several tears, also warming her pale cheeks. She smiled shily and stared at him. "I'm sorry, but I couldn't let her free… just like I couldn't let you be taken by that murderer. Diamond cannot and must not find you… so I'll protect you… just like I tried to protect Rei… and managed to, with the price of her hatred." He ended and looked away, back at the city.

"You mean, Diamond tried to kill Rei?" she asked, amazing the man in front of her. That was not the question he had been expecting.

"Yes… locking her up was the only chance I had so that he wouldn't find her. I also looked for her every time she escaped, because I knew that assassin could have killed her any time. I wasn't able to just let her life be taken like that… Hell, even I'm not that cruel!" he chuckled again and felt a soft had caressing his left cheek. He stared down on his right, and saw Serena looking at him with a strange sparkle in her eyes… a sparkle he seemed to enjoy. Slowly, she traced his jaw and pulled him down to her. As if charmed by some unknown spell, his face lowered, pulled by her hand. A moment later, she was kissing him sweetly… and he was accepting the kiss. Amazed by his own actions, he tried to pull away, but found himself stuck to the young woman and more than that… he found himself liking a bit too much what was currently happening. He closed his eyes entirely and snuck an arm around her waist, the other covering her shoulders. When he felt her arm surrounding his neck he knew where this was going. Few moments later, he backed away and looked at her seriously.

"I can't… It wouldn't be fair…" he wanted to go further, but her finger pressed on his lips stopped him.

"Maybe not for you…"

"Your brother will kill me…"

"Since when do you care about my brother?"

"Since I hurt his wife and kidnapped his sister."

"Details…" she whispered one last time and allowed herself to be kissed, lifted up, settled down and taken completely. Weather she liked it or not, she was in love with the enigmatic creep that had taken her hostage and she believed that she started to mean something more for him than just a way to get to Rei. To her delight and his pain, by the end of the night, she understood that she meant much more for him. For the first time in his life, Darien Shields was taken by surprise and opened entirely his heart and mind to this cheerful and strange blonde. There and then, trapped in each other's arms, the two had finally learned all about love and life.

"Here are the addresses that you've asked me to find… and here is his current address, where you will most probably find him with your sister." Zack entered Kane office and threw an entire folder on his desk. He then stood right in front of his desk and watched him from distance. Kane glance several times from the man to the folder and back. Rising an eyebrow, he asked:

"Should I take it that you want to be released?"

"Actually…" Zack started a bit embarrassed and took the leader by surprise. "I noticed you've got some nice toys around here… not to mention some network breaches. Things that can be handled, of course…" he explained.

"Is this getting somewhere?"

"Yeah… If you don't mind and have place… do you think I can remain, at least for a while, your hostage?" he asked, almost giving puppy eyes. That attitude scared the hell out of Kane. He stared at the younger man with a dumb look on his face, not believing his words.

"Is my doctor having a good influence on you?" he questioned.

"Well, she may be your doctor, but she's my angel!" Zack bit back, seeming almost jealous.

"I couldn't have said it better myself!" Kane got up with a happy look on his face. "Ok, you're in! But, remember, you'll be watched closely due to your past… oh, and if you hurt Ames… I'll break you're neck… into more pieces that you can count… got that?" he asked with a grin, staring at the younger man, whose face was already freaked out and sort of bluish. He laughed out a bit and then signaled Zack to get out… which he did, with a remarkable speed.

Amy was checking all over again the entire blood test. It was just amazing… almost impossible. She couldn't believe her eyes. Therefore, she re-ran the test for the tenth or eleventh time now, thinking that maybe, maybe, the result would change this time. When she read the same thing once again, she left out a deep sigh and looked at the sheet of paper hopeless. A touch on her arm made her jump back and yelp. She met the blue eyes of Mina and calmed down.

"Mina… you scared the hell out of me!" she complained like a child.

"I noticed." She smiled tiredly.

"Shouldn't you be sleeping? I mean, you got all of us worried back there… I thought Rei and Kane were about to have heart-attacks. Rei got so scared when you fainted… and Kane was pale as a ghost when he brought you here…" she said and her voice drifted off, while her sight snuck at the paper again.

"Have you done my blood tests?"

"Yes…" she answered, somewhat uneasy.

"Ok… has anyone else seen them?" she asked again and eyed her weirdly. Amy was starting to feel strange, as if she about to do something bad… very bad.

"No… Only me… Mina, Kane really needs to know about this!" the young doctor pleaded.

"No Amy, he can't!" she said determined and grabbed the dark-haired girl's hands tightly into her own. She just shook his head as a definite "no". "Listen to me! Amy!"

"Mina, it's his right to know!"

"Amy! You don't understand, he wants this fight, this war… he's always wanted it… he wants to be a part of it and who am I to stop him from doing this?" Mina asked, while staring openly into the girl's bright eyes, which were now on the verge of bursting out in tears.

"You are his wife! He has a duty!"

"He knows that duty and he will fulfill it! But I can't take his dream away from him… I can't force him not to go there, not to fight… I can't!" she almost shouted, begging for the doctor's silence… at least for the time being.

"What if something happens?" Amy asked, already seeming to agree.

"I'll be fine… You shouldn't worry about me! I'll be fine!" she repeated and smiled between her tears, caressing the girl's cheeks. Amy also started crying and she ran into the elder woman's arms.

"Mina!"

"Shhh, that's it! Calm down! There's nothing to be afraid of anymore!" she spoke on a motherly and soothing tone, receiving the doctor in her arms and comforting her. After all, she had to get used to it pretty fast…

Darien stood with his head resting on Serena's tummy, both of them hiding their bodies below several dark blue sheets, calming down their pulses and thinking about what they had been through in the past weeks. Serena's fingers were playing with his hair, while his right hand was caressing her covered thy. This was a strange scene, especially for them… but it seemed to normal… so right. Suddenly, Darien turned around and stared at her. She stared back, her fingers unhappy with the fact that they couldn't reach his messy strands anymore.

"You're beautiful… did you know that?"

"So I have been told…" she smiled and blushed, in spite of everything that had happened between them.

"I hope you know what will follow now…" he said, a bit disappointed and even sad.

"I can imagine… Are you sure you have to do this?" she asked and got up in the bed, in the same time as he was. They were staring into each other's eyes with absolutely no more walls between them.

"When the time comes, I will protect you with my life, if it will be the case… and Rei as well."

"Darien!" she pleaded.

"Listen to me, Rena! If something happens, I want you to tell Rei that I had no other choice… that everything I did to her was to prevent more terrible things to happen to her… Ask her forgiveness for me!"

"I won't have to! You'll be there to ask her yourself!"

"Rena! Don't make this harder than it already is!" he almost begged her and added a kiss to try and keep her quiet. Still, faster than she would have wanted, he pulled away and stared outside the windows with a strange look. He seemed to be in some kind of trance.

"Darien, what is it?" she asked scared. He turned to her and answered.

"They found us!"

"Who?"

"Your brother…" he responded one moment later and got up from the bed. "I'm not sure about Diamond…"

"Ok, what's with this Diamond guy? I understood that he tried to kill Rei, but what does that have to do with me?" she asked while she let him take her hand and rise her from the bed as well, motioning her to a closet somewhere near.

"You may not know this, but Diamond's true name is Damien Restro…" he answered and noticed her jaw dropping.

"What!" she burst and stared at him amazed.

"Shall I take it that you know him?" he inquired while getting dressed, this time in a more informal outfit.

"Yeah… he pretty much had a crush on me when I was a teenager… and it turned into an obsession during the years. The guy freaked me out a lot." She explained and put on some casual clothes she found in the huge closet. When Darien's head popped out from behind the door and sent her a curious gaze, she rose her shoulders. "He was one of the main reasons for which Kane took me with him." He entered the room and admired her once again. Noticing his silence and burning gaze, she blushed and came to him. "You know… you could get dressed like this more often… it looks really good!" she smiled at his leather jacket, with matching trousers and black and white sleeveless shirt.

"Yeah… we would make a very cute pair!" he chuckled, which seemed very weird even for him, and kissed her once again. She made quite an impression on him, even dressed with the simple long jacket, which covered the upper part of her baggy trousers with many pocket and the white top she chose to wear. Indeed, they did make a nice couple. Five minutes later Darien exited the apartment holding Serena's hand and walking with her towards the exit. For anyone who knew them, that view would probably represent the approaching of the Apocalypse; for anyone else, they just made a beautiful couple going out to some club.

"Where are we going?" Rena asked as soon as she got in his car and he started the engine.

"I left a trail for your brother, but I think the others might get it too… I want at least to choose the place where we'll "switch" you two." He answered and paid attention to the road.

"What if Damien… Diamond, doesn't appear?"

"Well, then I'll officially consider myself the luckiest man in the world. I'll talk to your brother and explain everything to him… but most importantly, I'll apologize to Rei… that I promise!" he said and felt Serena's gentle nudge, probably a way of thanking him for his change of heart.

"Let's hope for the best!" Serena said and sealed her words with a final kiss after they stopped next to an unfinished building, in the east side of the town, away from any other houses of blocks of flats.

"How long do you think it will take them to find us?"

"Half hour… maybe less…" he said, got out and got hold of Rena's hand, squeezing it tightly and leading her to the building and inside it.

Was that enough Darien and Serena for you, dear readers? LOL. Anyway, I'm not very sure if you'll find out next time or not about what's going on with Mina, if Zack will finally manage to get the kiss he wants so bad, if Rei forgives her brother or not and if Diamond will take Rena. For the Lita/Neph fans: sorry to keep you waiting, but I promise something special next time.

As I've warned you before, the story is coming to an end pretty soon and I promised a great epilogue… I know, I know… I'm already working on it… Until then, please submit more reviews and offer me your suggestions. See'ya'll next chappie! (Oh, and I'll try to finish this week, but I don't promise anything).