A/N: Yay! Over 100 reviews! I can now die happy….okay maybe not so much but eh. Thank you as always! Stay tuned for more drama in this Sailor Moon soap opera, meaning yes it will get more depressing before it gets happy but it will get happy…or at least hopeful…maybe I'll end it all optimistically…I'll do my best to end it happy…sigh
Guitarbabe2005: hmmm a new reviewer to this hodgepodge of angst? Well welcome and I'm glad you enjoy it. I am having an awful good time writing it.
Alicia: I still have yet to give you a decent description of Carin…I promised it and then it didn't happen.. I'm awfully sorry. I have him pictured in my head as like a male version of Hotaru and then every time I tried to describe him it came off seeming really feminine so yeah I give up I'm sorry. And yes I am getting awful proud of my cliff hangers…Thank you!
Katie: I'm very glad you enjoy it! I hope you will become one of my loyal reviewers who show me that people are crazy like me and enjoy stuff like this.
Ajrin: speaking of loyal reviewers! Yes I was quite proud of that and I'm sorry I had to put her thinking of Caril in there because I want Serenity to doubt her heart a bit as that will weigh heavily on what happens in the next few chapters. Thank you once again!
Nikitamjo: yes yes you are. Wow that is something I would do.
Cherrybunny: Well here's the next chapter! It may have taken awhile for me to post it but yeah here it is.
Silver Moonlight 81: Well Avery does die I promise you that and it will be a big surprise but I don't know if I will do it in this chapter or not…in either case she'll die in the next few chapters. Thanks for reviewing!
Team E-R-I-C: yes I like your idea and I'm going to use it but not in the way you think…mwhaha. Thanks for the review and the inspiration!
Sailorstars16: you don't handle cliffhangers very well do you? Well no worries your questions shall be answered!
Starangel07: Sorry if the update took a little while in coming but I tried…I blame it on college starting back up
Serena221: yes and all of your ideas have been great! I owe you much keep it up and I'll have to put you as co-author. Your inspiration would be very helpful on Defying Destiny…Juilliard I have brilliant ideas for but that one I'm hitting slight writer's block…sigh
Mobileholmes: ummm yeah about that…don't kill me for this chapter. You won't see Serenity kicking ass for awhile…it will happen just not for awhile.
Serenity arose from her position next to Endymion and saw with a smile that he was resting peacefully. She hoped the prescence that had awoken her, did not awaken him. She felt another unwanted visitor in her castle and went to investigate.
She teleported to where she felt Prince Diamond and saw him grinning evily at the Senshi, Andrew, the generals, Caril and of course the guardians.
"Ah Serenity just who I was looking for. You don't look too happy to see me and here I thought you'd be greatful, I came to tell you that Avery will no longer be bothering your Prince. She is returning home with me." Diamond's words seemed full of sincerity and everyone gathered did not like it one bit.
"Forgive me if I do not seem grateful Diamond. But what has occurred that had caused you to send away the woman that has been causing this castle such distress. It seems it would be to your interest to have her stay and rip apart my castle." Serenity would not back down to Diamond so easily. She knew he was up to something, and she was going to make sure he paid for the pain he had brought upon her and Endymion.
"Well I sensed that you would still trust Endymion and that didn't bode well for my plan to break your heart and then attack. So I came up with a new plan. Poison Endymion and then propose an exchange in order for the cure." Serenity paled. With a look she sent the generals to Endymion's side along with Mercury, since Nephrite was no where to be seen.
"What makes you think we can't cure him ourselves?" Serenity asked knowing the power of her crystal and believing that Mercury would find out a way to cure him.
Diamond laughed at her naiveity. "Princess, what makes you think that in the entire span of my world I could not find something that you lunarians know nothing about. I promise you Mercury will be able to find out nothing but the fact that your Prince is dying. In fact you should be starting to feel it yourself Princess."
She turned her eyes away from Diamond not wanting him to see that she could sense that Endymion was getting weaker by the moment. She wondered when he had been able to poison her prince, but with a grimance she thought that it must have been Avery who did it.
"Fine, say we can't cure him. What do you propose as an exchange?" Serenity stared at him pushing her feeling back and trying to look up to her regal position.
"You. I will give you the power to save him, and you will from then on belong to me. At which point I will no longer have any reason to come after your precious moon. You and I will live out our days ruling the negaverse." Diamond grinned down at her. He was enjoying this.
"We won't let you turn Serenity evil!" Jupiter spat at Diamond.
"My dear Jupiter, I never said anything about turning her evil. Serenity would remain just as she is, memories and all. But she would remain my prisoner with the promise to follow all my orders…and your prince and your precious moon kingdom will be safe from harm." Serenity blanched at the thought of being held by Diamond for the rest of her life, but then she couldn't let Endymion die. It was then that Mercury's thoughts interluded her own.
I'm Sorry Serenity, but I can't find any reason to why he's losing all of his energy. We can't find anyway to stop it, he'll be dead soon. You have to find out what Diamond did to him!
Diamond laughed as he saw Serenity's frown. "So you have found out that Mercury can't save your precious prince…what is your answer Serenity…he can't hold out much longer." Serenity looked toward Andrew and her Senshi with sad eyes. She tried to tell them that she had no choice but she knew they would never accept her decision.
"Fine, I will go with you. Now tell me how to save Endymion." Serenity's words were cold and emotionless.
"Serenity no! You can't do this!" Andrew screamed. Caril and the Senshi were spellbound. They couldn't comprehend what Serenity was doing.
"Alright my Princess…kiss me and you shall receive the power you need to save Endymion. After that you belong to me Princess." Serenity grimaced at the thought of having to seal the deal in front of the Senshi and Andrew but she knew that she would do anything to save her Endymion. She stepped slowly over to Prince Diamond keeping back her tears, trying to be strong she was too proud to allow Diamond to see how she suffered.
As their lips touched Serenity felt her heart breaking and aching to be with Endymion. She would do anything to be with him once again to kiss those lips and snuggle against his chest. To feel him kiss her forehead and whisper I love you softly in her ear. As the kiss ended she felt energy running through her, dark energy.
"There my princess, save your prince and then return to me. We will be going home." Serenity nodded and teleported away. Glad to be away from him for however brief a moment it was.
She entered the room to find Mercury and the generals gathered around the bed where Endymion's breathing had become ragged. They all looked up to her with sorrow in her eyes but she ignored them and continued walking to the bed.
She took out her crystal and felt tears fall from her eyes as she began to heal him. She ignored the questions from Mercury and the generals as the crystal began to give off a dark light instead of the white one they had all become so used to. She felt utter joy when she saw Endymion's eyes open and look to her.
"Serenity…" he reached out to hold her and she fell into his embrace. Trying to impress upon her heart the feel of his arms around her and she turned in for one last kiss because she felt Diamond's impatience ringing in her mind. She pulled apart and ignored his questioning eyes as she teleported away.
Serenity appeared before Diamond giving him a glare of pure hatred. "Ah now Serenity behave or your time with me will not be pleasant." Diamond's threat caused the Senshi to gasp but to Serenity there was nothing worse than being taken away from her love.
She turned to them, trying to remain strong. "Please make something up for Darien. Make him understand that he cannot come after me. I have given my vow, and it can never be broken as is the binding law of the moon kingdom."
"But Serena you saved Darien you can just leave!" Venus called out desperately. Serenity looked to Andrew to explain as Diamond was motioning for them to go. With one last look at those she loved Diamond and Serenity disappeared.
In a husky voice Andrew tried to explain to the Senshi what Serenity meant. "Serenity gave her vow as Princess and holder of the Imperial Silver Crystal, if she breaks that vow the crystal will kill her and anyone else who tried to break the vow. I am afraid there is nothing we can do for her." Andrew felt weak. His beloved sister was gone. Had he brought her back to the Moon Kingdom just to have her taken away? He should have left her on Earth where she was happy…
"Where is she?" A pale faced Endymion approached them. He was still weak but his heart ached for Serenity.
"She's gone, and she's never coming back." Caril's voice was filled with bitterness and sadness. Serenity had given up her life for a man that betrayed her and she hated him for trying to protect. And now? Now he would never see her again.
Endymion searched the eyes of Andrew and the Senshi. "What is he talking about where is my Serenity? Where is Serena?" Endymion's voice grew louder and more desperate with each word.
"She gave herself to Diamond, in order to find a way to cure you. She gave her vow to spend the rest of her life by his side." Andrew spoke softly…Endymion knew what it meant when Serenity gave her vow.
"No…please Selene no. She doesn't deserve to suffer because of me. She deserves to be here protecting the people she loves." Endymion's eyes filled with tears. He couldn't help it. He didn't care about being a Prince, he didn't care about anyone seeing him cry. He only cared about the bond he felt with Serenity and the sadness and anguish she was going through. It would be torture to always know how she was feeling but to never be able to touch her, to see her, to make all her pain go away.
"She still is. Diamond promised to leave the Moon Kingdom alone if she went with him." Mars said her eyes never leaving the ground.
"How could she decide to sacrifice herself body and soul to him knowing the power she possesses. She could come back here and destroy the Moon Kingdom herself…." But as Endymion trailed off he felt a power inside of him, it seemed as if Serenity's spirit was building up inside of him. In moments the cause of the power appeared in his hands. She had bonded him to her crystal. He was to take her place as leader of her people.
"There is always hope Endymion. Diamond said he wasn't going to erase her memories to take control over her. He knows her vow is enough to keep her by his side…maybe we can find a way for her to break her vow…" Mercury trailed off wondering if something like that was even possible.
Endymion's anguish grew at Mercury's words. So Diamond knew she would suffer more with her memories intact. He wondered at the things Diamond would do to her…if he would hurt her or take her. "I'll save you one day Serenity…it is worth dying to save you. I promise you we will find a life in which we can be together, be it this one or the next."
A/N: told it was depressing…sigh I'm half tempted to end it here…but then I kinda had ten more way intense chapters leading to that all important happy ending….but then I still kinda like this ending…who knows I'll decide soon I promise!