A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers! I am very much obliged and since you requested longer chapters…I hope this will suffice. The other two I already had written and uploaded before I checked reviews so I am sorry about that. But here goes….I hope you like it!
Darien could not sleep that night. His dreams of a wedding with Serena, changed to him having to watch her marry another. He finally gave up and decided to take a walk. As he dressed and walked down the hall he heard voices talking below by the fire.
"Are you okay Serena?" Andrew asked looking at his sister as he bandaged a cut on his arm. She nodded softly her mind elsewhere.
"They're becoming too bold Serena, that was too close to the palace, next time we may not get there in time to stop it before it hurts someone. Our enemies are drawing closer, they're hoping to weaken us. Luckily we have been able to fight their minions easily, but we will still have to save our strength and our soldiers if we are to provide a defense against Saturn."
Serena looked toward her brother and a tear fell down her cheek. Andrew shook his head.
"So you've decided then. Serena we can manage, you don't have to do this. What did Prince Endymion say, I can't believe he is supporting your decision."
"Of course he is, he knows I have no other choice." Andrew stood up and walked toward his sister furious at her words.
"You have all the choice in the world Serenity, you are Queen. This is the Prince of Saturn, the planet of destruction, they do nothing but destroy their own planet and attack others. How can you let their Prince become ruler of the Moon Kingdom? Think about who would be a better King for your people, Prince Endymion will become a King worthy of fighting for, just like a happy Serenity is more than worth fighting for." Darien felt hope rising in his chest at Prince Andrew's words, but as he glanced at Serena he saw her face was still down cast.
"He has promised the aid of his warriors when the ruler of the Negaverse makes his attack." Andrew shook his head, this wasn't like Serena, she knew her strength and her powers and she knew that she could easily suppress the power of Saturn, and he knew she had the strength to defeat the fight against the Negaverse.
"Damnit Serenity! Why do you suddenly doubt your own power? And what of Darien, and the Senshi and even the Generals or me? You have all the aid you need Serena. We will all help you in your fight." Serena shook her head, she could hear her brother's anger he thought she was being foolish and stubborn, but he had no idea what she felt.
"I feel weak Andrew, I don't have the strength I once did. Even as Sailor Moon I felt stronger than this…but now. I was wounded in a simple fight, a fight that any other day I would have easily won, and because I faltered you could have died and the soldiers could have overtaken the palace. I will fight in this battle brother, but I fear I will not survive it." Andrew looked at his sister, the worry he felt was apparent on his face, indeed even Darien watching above felt worry for his beloved Serena.
"What is it Reny? When did you start to feel this way? Why didn't you tell me?" Andrew's tone soften instantly and he went to take his sister in his arms.
"I don't know Andrew these past few battles have taken so much out of me that even now I fear I can't fight any longer. I've felt like this ever since a battle a few weeks ago with the scouts. One of Beryl's minions had gotten ahold of a little girl. The scouts distracted her while I went to get the girl, something went wrong and it wasn't fooled it still came after me, I went to block the girl and then all I remember is waking up in Darien's arms. Ever since then it seems like I lose more and more energy and more power with each day."
Darien turned away from the scene below and leaned against the wall closing his eyes. He remembered that fight all too well, he had been busy, he had known Sailor Moon needed him but wanted to get one last bit of work done, but the time he abided by Sailor Moon's call for help he had found her, lying unconscious on the ground, still protecting the little girl. He thought back to every battle since then, it was true Sailor Moon had felt weak after each battle, now that he thought back he was surprised none of them had noticed it before. He grimaced they had probably all just assumed it was normal weak Sailor Moon.
He decided to walk down and make his presence known, perhaps he could at least comfort Serena in her worry and not let her face any of this alone, especially since he hadn't been there to protect her when she had needed him.
"Serena?" Darien called softly as he came up behind her. Serena turned to look at him, how she loved seeing him dressed as a Prince once again, it suited him so.
"Darien." She said simply, one look in his eyes said all she needed to know about why he was still awake at this hour. She walked into his welcoming arms and somehow just being within his strong arms made her feel better, though no less weak.
"Serena we have to find a way to get your strength back…have you talked with the doctor?" Serena nodded, and then shook her head. Her visit to the palace doctor yesterday showed no reason for her weakness, but it had certainly shown just how weak she had become.
"Perhaps Ami or Raye can figure out what happened, in the morning we'll have Ami take a look at you and Raye can consult the fire. Maybe even a call to the outer senshi will help, Sailor Pluto can sometimes see aspects of the past and future that we cannot." Andrew said ignoring the Serena's glare. "Serena you are too stubborn for your own good, you need help so let the senshi try and help you." Serena sighed.
"Alright, but at least give me until morning until all Hell breaks loose." Serena said with a smile and bid her brother goodnight and once again took Darien out to the balcony.
Darien stood helplessly by her side as Serena's sadness bore down upon them both.
"Do you remember this balcony Endymion?" Serena asked softly, choosing to use his real name in the hopes of jogging his memory. Looking at his surroundings Darien realized he knew this balcony well, it had entered his dreams when he first began searching for his Princess, and still to this day his dreams centered around it.
"I lost you on this balcony." Darien whispered, remembering how it was here that Beryl had cornered them and forced Queen Serenity to send all them into the future in order to save their lives.
"What happened during the battle Darien? I know you were listening to Andrew and I. So tell me why weren't you there that night Darien?" He looked away from Serena's stare his conscience not allowing him to meet her eyes.
"I don't know Serena, I was busy trying to get something done for work and even though I knew you needed me I just kept trying to tell myself that the Senshi could handle it and that I would be there soon. But when I got there…the only other time I have ever felt so scared was when I failed you on this balcony, and I failed you that night." She nodded, she knew now why her powers were failing her…and she wondered if there was anyway to bring them back in time.
"My powers stem from my heart Darien, and my heart belongs to you, the reason my powers are failing me now is because my heart is failing me. You weren't there for me when I needed you, you were too busy to protect me and though I survived that battle Darien, without my powers I will not survive the next." Darien looked at Serena, horror filling his eyes, he had lost her, he had lost her trust, but she still loved him and that was why she could no longer fight. Her heart was broken.
"Serena I love you, I just I don't know what came over me that night, I have always loved being your protector, and I could never let anything happen to you. But somehow that night…I don't know Serena, I was different, everything was different…I'm sorry Serena." She nodded again. She didn't know what to do, she wanted to hold him in her arms and tell him it was okay, that she forgave him and that she loved him too. But her heart and her powers were more complicated than that.
"I love you too Endymion, but the heart does not recover so quickly, no matter how sincere the apology, the offense still stings." With that she turned away and left him alone. She needed to be alone as well, to think over a way to regain the love and trust she once had with Darien.