A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update again, it just college and fraternity life have been wearing down upon me. Go figure that it's a week from finals when I actually find time to update.

The group was piled into a booth at Andrew's arcade, the girls squished into the booth, while the guys pulled up another table and chairs to sit at. Andrew popped up glad to see his friends again, but noticing the worried look on Serenity's face wondered what they were up to.

"Andrew! Come over here!" Jedite waved him over, and he was glad because the more pale Serenity got the more he really wanted to know what was going on.

"Alright what are you guys planning?" Andrew said crawling along in the booth behind Serenity, so he could reach over and hug her shoulders protectively.

"Planning? We're not planning anything, we don't plan, we improvise." Jedite said with the sly smile that made everyone want to hit him.

"We're just helping Serenity get back together with her Prince, is all." Mina said with a seemingly innocent smile. Andrew was about to say something when the man of the hour walked through the door. He looked over at them and raised an eyebrow at Andrew who still had his arms wrapped around Serenity's shoulders. Andrew quickly pulled them away as if Serenity had turned into hot coals under the silent stare of Darien.

"Alright guys after he sits down for a few minutes you guys and make your move." Lita said in a hushed whisper. Her voice made Nephrite pale as he knew what the guys had planned instead.

With a quick glance at the others Jedite began. It was an age old game they all used to play, one that would be sure to get Darien to come over, and it would definitely awake something in his memory.

He motioned for Andrew to move so that he could sit behind Serenity, and with a wary glance toward the blonde Princess he reluctantly moved.

Jedite came over and began in a loud whisper gradually increasing in volume until the entire arcade could hear him.

"I'm superior, you're inferior

I'm the big attraction, you're the small

I'm the major one, you're the minor one

I can beat you at fighting and that's not all"

"Anything you can do I can do better,

I can do anything better than you"

Serenity did everything she could to resist giving her response and yet she couldn't, it was too easy to fall into their old game and as much as she didn't want to resort to such childishness it did have a habit of always cheering her up.

"No you can't"

"Yes I can"

"No you can't"

"Yes I can"

"No you can't"

"Yes I can, yes I can"

Then it was Serenity's turn to pipe up and her voice floated throughout the arcade, and then dropped to show fake anger.

"Anything you can be I can be greater

Sooner or later, I'm greater than you

I can do most anything"

"Can you bake a pie?" Lita called out to the pair. Serenity looked over at Jedite before shaking her head. "No." Jedite shrugged his shoulders "Neither can I"

With a smile Serenity looked over to Lita.

"Anyone you can lick, I can lick faster

I can lick anyone faster than you"

Amy raised an eyebrow and this and looked toward Serenity.

"With your fist?"

"With my feet" Serenity responded with a laugh.

"With your feet?" Mina asked feigning a disgusted look.

"With a sword" Serenity replied.

"No you can't" Malachite called with a knowing grin.

"Yes I can, Yes I can!" Serenity called indignantly.

Jedite looked over to Mina and without thinking began the next challenge at Serenity.

"Anyone you can love, I can love better.

I can make anyone love me forever."

Nephrite blanched and rose from his chair in an attempt to stop Jedite, but he could not get the blaggard to shut up before he was finished. Before Jedite could realize what he was saying the deed was done, the look of pain on Serenity's face signaled the end of the game and wordlessly everyone got out of her way, to allow her to leave the arcade.

"Jedite how could you?" Rei cried as soon as Serenity was out of the arcade.

"I…I…don't know. That was always the next line, that was always where Endy came in, and I guess I got carried away and…" Jedite looked down in defeat. It had been too much like old times. The others slowly nodded and looked toward where Darien had been sitting only to find his chair empty.

"This isn't right, she needs him, he needs her, and we need them, why do things have to be this way." Mina said throwing herself into the embrace of Malachite. The senshi all nodded and clung for a moment to their lovers.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Serenity fell down by a small pond in the park. Letting out the tears that had been threatening to fall in the arcade. It had been too much like old times, and being faced with the line where her Endymion was supposed to come in and proclaim his love for her, just drilled in how far away that time actually was.

"This isn't fair, this isn't right. How can he not love me. How can he not remember our love. Why must I go on…without him." Serenity words came in between choked sobs. If only the royal court could see her now, she thought with grim self loathing over her own weakness.

"Maybe he doesn't love you because you're such a Meatball Head." Darien called from behind her. She looked over ready to scream at the man who would dare insult her at a time like this. But as she turned his eyes were completely serious, Endymion only looked like that when he was trying to make a point with her.

"What do you mean?" She asked softly trying to wipe the tears from her eyes.

"Well what kind of guy wants a girl that's desperate and clingy? Guys want girls that are confident and strong, someone that won't break down on them everytime they miss a date or don't call. They want someone understanding, someone who they know is strong enough to survive on their own. Because lets face it, it shows more emotion to stay with a guy when you don't have to, rather than staying with a guy because you can't stand to be alone."

Serenity looked over at Darien, those eyes still seemed to bore right into her soul. He was right though ever since she had found out he was alive she hadn't been able to function on her own. It seemed as if the strength and confidence she had gained over the past nineteen years had left her.

"You're right, how can anyone love me if I don't have the confidence to love myself without them. It's just hard to love someone your entire life, and then suddenly to have it seem like none of it meant anything, and being faced with the fear that you'll never get it back." Darien heaved a sigh and knelt down beside the girl, even though he did not know her name, he knew he needed to get to know her, somehow she held the key to his dreams in her locket, and she needed to be comforted.

"Listen I don't know you but perhaps I could help you get your confidence back. I mean there's nothing that works better to get a guy to realize what he's lost than seeing her with someone else. I mean I'll help you get your confidence back and then whenever we're around him we'll be sure to make him jealous. Come on I'll show you just how wonderful and attractive, those clothes definitely do not show off how beautiful you are."

Serenity looked down at the baggy shirt and jeans she had slipped on her in glum mood. She gave a small laugh and wondered at how she must look.

"You're right, but I'd hope he'd see more to me than my looks." Serenity said, hoping Darien would say that was not all guys cared about.

"Of course not, but looking good is what gets the guy interested, what gets him to stay and fall in love with you is your personality. And your personality is just what we're going to bring out and flaunt. Now you have the voice of an angel, I know that much but what else are your talents? You seem very smart and graceful…" Darien began hoping she would reply with more talents. But instead she asked a question of him.

"How do you know I can sing?" Serenity asked. Darien paled slightly and for a moment didn't know how to respond knowing that she probably didn't want to know he had heard her the night before. But then he remembered her singing a bit in the arcade.

"In the arcade, you were singing a bit with your friends." Serenity blushed a bit, she didn't realize she had been singing her responses.

"But you're right that was hardly a good way to find out you can sing. So sing something for me, something that bares your soul as only music can." Darien said softly looking deep into her soft blue eyes, seeing the pain hidden deep within. As he stared he knew he recognized those eyes from somewhere, but when he saw them in his mind they were happier, free from the sadness that lived within them now.

Serenity gave a slight nod, she knew exactly what song she would sing for him.

"Deep in my soul,
Love so strong,
It takes control,

Now we both know,
The secrets bared,
The feelings show.

Driven far apart,
I'll make a wish,
On a shooting star.

There will come a day,
Somewhere far away,
In your arms I'll stay,
My only love.

Even though you're gone,
Love will still live on,
The feeling is so strong,
My only love.

There will come a day,
Somewhere far away,
In your arms I'll stay,
My only love.

You've reached the deepest part,
Of the secret in my heart,
I've known it from the start,
My only love,"

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Darien looked at her wide eyed. Did she truly love someone that much? Why did he feel his heart tug at that realization? Did he feel sorry for her or was it something more? Darien shook his head clear of those thoughts he had his Princess after all. And if getting close to this girl and helping her out, would her to tell him what she knew than it would all be worth it. Then she could be happy with whoever she loved and he could be happy with his Princess, who had comforted him and gave him strength since the day he lost his parents.

"Come on lets get you into some better clothes, and maybe put out a record with that voice of yours." Darien gave the girl beside him a smile, but with a sigh he noticed she was still stuck in the fantasy world of her song. If she truly loved this man so much it was going to be hard to give her the strength to be herself without him. But then a stray thought entered his head And who would you be without the Princess? What would happen to you if she suddenly left your dreams, and left you alone?

Darien's face paled as the fear of his Princess ever leaving him echoed through his mind. Maybe he shouldn't be so hard on the young girl, but somehow she had to gain her confidence back, she had to be able to survive without him. Little did he know that she had not survived without him, the last time they had become separated.

"I'm Usagi by the way." He heard her mention beside him as she finally broke free of the song's spell.

"I'm Darien." He said giving her a sweet half smile before taking her hand. The pair sat in silence for a few moments just looking at the Koi swimming merrily in the pond.

A/N: How was that? A somewhat long chapter to make up for a very long absence. I'm sorry I'm going to try and update more often I promise!