So here's the late chapter 9. I'm sorry it was so late but life has been hectic. I'll try to get one in before i go on my cruise on the 6th of August. Hope ya'll like it! Luv yas!

I don't own Sailor Moon.

Collides With Beauty

By: Rini

Chapter 9: Astray

" Will she be ok?"

" She just needs some rest."

" But she's so frail and pale looking."

" Give it some time. She just needs to build up her strength."

" I'm worried Luna."

" Don't worry Rini. I know my sister. She'll bounce back before ya know it."

" But I wonder. What could have left her this broken?"

' Serena. You need to wake now. There's much to be done. Besides, I feel it. Can't you? Someone is here. Someone came through. We need to find them before something else happens. Please. Wake up.'

Serena groggily opened her eyes. Burnt amber and ruby eyes stared back. Her vision focused more and she reached a hand to her head, feeling a bandage and a good-sized bump. Serena pushed herself up, but quickly stumbled and had to sit against the wall of her bedroom.

Rini rushed to her side," You can't push yourself like this. You're hurt. Pretty badly too."

" It's nothing. I'll be fine."

" Serena," Luna started," What in Selene happened to you?"

" It was Emerald. She set me up," Serena winced.

" Please Serena. You have to lie down."

Serena swatted away Rini's hands and used the wall to stand up.

" Luna. It was a trap. The whole thing."

Luna shook her head," What are you talking about? I don't understand."

" Emerald. She was destroying the buildings downtown to lure me and the Scouts to her. We were fighting when I blasted her and I guess Darien and all the girls showed up in time to see me attack her. Then Rubeus. That bastard!"

" What do you mean? What did he do?"

" He told Darien and the girls that I past the test. He said that I was a part of the Family now. He made it look like I wanted to be in the Black Moon Family. He fed them lies about Diamond and mine's relationship. He used some dark crystal to project an image from the Silver Crystal."

" What! How is that possible?" Luna gasped.

" No one can use the Silver Crystal!" Rini shouted.

" I don't know how he did it, but he changed the memories by the lake. When I died, he didn't show my mother bringing me back. He showed Diamond do it and he showed me kissing him and pledging my love and allegiance to him. They bought it."

" That's impossible!" Rini cried out," The girls would never betray you! Daddy and all the others. They love you! They're family."

" Well they didn't!" Serena snapped.

Rini drew back, her eyes wide in fright. Serena dropped to her knees and pulled Rini into a fierce hug. Rini sobbed into her shirt and Serena held her closer.

" I'm sorry Rini. I'm so sorry."

" What do we do now?" Luna murmured.

Serena picked up Rini and laid her down in her bed. She kissed her forehead and drew up the covers.

" I'm going to make him pay."

Luna shook her head violently," You can't go back out there."

" Luna. I don't have a choice."

" The Scouts. They'll look for you out there and if they see you and they believe what they saw, they will attack you."

" I can handle them," Serena said as she unwrapped her bandages and made her way to the bedroom door.

" Then what about Darien?"

Serena stopped abruptly, her hand on the doorknob.

" Keep an eye on Rini. I'll be back as soon as I can."

Serena walked out the door, her locket clutched in her hand and nothing but pure determination on her face. Luna padded over to the bed and jumped up onto it. She purred as Rini held her in her arms at her side.

" Luna," Rini spoke softly.

" Everything will be fine. Rest and dream. She'll be back. I promise."

" I wish none of this had to happen."

" So do I Rini," Luna whispered," So do I."

" So this is Tokyo as it was in the 20th Century."

Diamond walked down the street with eyes that absorbed everyone in and all the different stores and places. He had on black dress pants with an ice blue dress shirt on and did his best to blend in, although his piercing eyes, white hair, and icy demeanor was hardly convincing otherwise.

Diamond walked the streets in hopes of running into a certain silver maiden that stole his heart with a mere glance. He knew it would be easy enough to draw her out by causing a big commotion, but after the report from Rubeus about her condition, Diamond decided against it. He didn't want to meet Sailor Moon. He wanted to meet the girl beneath the uniform. The girl whose curves fit him so well. The girl who could dance with no inhibition.

Serena hurriedly walked down the streets towards a familiar apartment. She needed him to understand that it was a lie. She loved Darien, not Diamond. But her mind was a jumbled mess of words and images. Nothing seemed to fit into place and she wished someone could just erase the world from her mind forever. Was everything worth it? Was it worth fighting for now? What was there left to fight for?

Diamond felt something tug at him and he looked up from the corner of the street to see his deepest desire. Her watched her face drawn into a sad frown. Her eyes were dimmed but nonetheless beautiful. She wore a short white skirt that flared at the ends and a deep blue sweater that fell off her shoulders. The waves in her hair were a slight mess from either running or from her fight earlier, but Diamond found the slight imperfection all the more alluring.

Serena could see his building right in front of her now. She was mere feet from the door.

" What do you hope to accomplish here?" A voice behind her called out.

Serena swiftly turned around, but now the voice was behind her again.

" He won't understand. He never understands does he."

Serena turned around rapidly again and her eyes drank in the sight of Diamond leaned oh so casually against the glass front doors of the apartment building. Serena wanted to wipe that smile he sent her off his face. She wanted to scream and blast him to the moon and let him suffer.

" Don't talk about him like you know him!" Serena yelled at him.

She pulled out her scepter and aimed it right at Diamond's heart. She knew she didn't have the strength or clarity needed to defeat Diamond, even on one of his bad days. Her arms burned and unwilling tears started to form along with a lump in her throat. Her scepter fell from her hands onto the cement sidewalk and faded away like grains of sand in a gust of wind.

" You don't need to suffer anymore."

Serena felt the lump in her throat grow even larger and the sting of tears was threatening to over spill. Diamond took a confident step toward her and wrapped her into his arms and rested his head on top of hers. She let him teleport them away to an alley. He held her hand and walked out onto the busy street over to a restaurant he made note of earlier.

It was a café. A local place for first dates and quiet outings with friends. It was mainly a place for older people with a sophisticated air to the design and paintings inside. The inside was painted in rich deep tones of ruby, sapphire, and gold. Outside, where Diamond had sat Serena down, were small tables with two chairs to each table. There were six tables altogether.

Serena noticed some people on dates. Most of them were older than she was, but she noted with a sad sigh, they were as old as Darien. They had books and were holding hands and laughing. They kissed and hugged and whispered only words known to their lovers. It was somber for Serena, though it once would have seemed brighter. Only with him.

" Do you wish to order something?" Diamond asked politely from his chair to her right.

" Are you going to poison it like you poisoned them?" Serena bitterly spoke.

" I much like the drinks they serve here. I know how you earthlings love to drink this stuff. What is it called again? Coffee?"

" I don't drink coffee."

" Yes, but I think you'd like this drink. It's called a mocha and it's chocolate and coffee. I know you love hot chocolate."

" How would you know that?" Serena's eyes shot open.

Diamond reached to hold her hand," Because a lover should know everything about the woman he loves."

" You aren't my lover and stop saying you love me."

Diamond kissed her hand," But I do love you."

A waiter came out, a young man with rusty red hair and dark brown eyes. He took Diamond's request and brought out two coffees for the pair. Diamond sipped his drink as his hand still remained around Serena's. It would have been easy enough to pull it away, but she didn't want to. She just stared down at it, his hand so lovingly caressing each knuckle.

" I do like this city. I find it dark and fascinating. Much better than the future."

Serena tore her eyes away from their clasped hands and stared bluntly at the man sitting next to her.

" Such a wonderful future for this city. All forms of darkness removed and replaced with shining crystal of hope. All the crime gone and replaced with brotherly love. Such a perfect waste."

" How is love a waste? Peace is something everyone wants and deserves."

" But look at this city. The bright lights. The dark contours of the buildings in the starlight. This city is polluted and blood runs down the streets. It's filled with hate and protected by love. Such a perfect blend of light and dark is displayed here. Gaze upon its glory. This city will never be more beautiful than it is now."

" But if you love it so much, why do you want to destroy it?"

Diamond sipped at his drink and left money on the table. He pulled Serena up from her chair and slipped her hand through his arm and led her down the streets. She didn't pull or try to run away. Serena let her hand rest even more in the soft folds of his silk dress shirt. Diamond smiled down at her small frame against his taller one.

" How much has the Rabbit told you?"

" Rini. She won't tell me much about it. I only ever asked once and she told me she made a promise. Then it was over and I never asked again."

" Would you like to know about it?"

" I know what I need to."

Diamond smirked," You know very little but what your teenage heart wants to know."

" I know I'm Rini's mother in the future and Darien is her father. Which means I won't be running away with you anywhere. That's all I want to know."

" Now how can you be so sure of that? I am here to change the future. This all might just be a temporary thing."

Serena gazed up into his eyes," You won't take her away."

Diamond smiled down at her," You're right. I can't do that to you."

They walked on in silence. It was disconcerting to be walking around with a man you swore you'd destroy. Why was she still with him? Was it some trick? Was this all a part of his plan to rip her friends farther away? Or was it simply because for the first time in so long that she felt needed? That she felt wanted. That for once, someone was accepting her for all her faults.

Serena was so lost in though that she failed to see the world around her. Everything was a dim blur of sounds and noise. Nothing seemed to catch her attention anymore. She felt utterly alone and wasted. No one was on her side anymore. Was that really true? Did no one have faith in anymore? What was left to call home?

" Would care to sit down now?" Diamond chuckled.

Serena was startled out of her thoughts. Diamond was sitting on a familiar wooden bench. Serena turned around and saw a lake. It was a comforting thought. It was like being home after never being able to find it.

" This is where it all began," Serena sighed softly.

She walked over to the water and sat on her knees slightly to the side. She traced her fingers slightly over the top of the water, sending little circles outwards. The water felt cool and crisp to the touch and as refreshing on a summer day as possible.

" How did you ever meet?"

Serena kicked off her sandals and slipped her feet into the water.

" I meet him not very long ago, but it seemed like forever since I'd held him. I was still just a lame teenage girl. My grades were less than stellar and I wasn't too concerned about it either. One day I was sitting down staring at yet another failing grade and I got so frustrated at my own shortcomings that I threw the paper back. I just happened to nail him out of everyone.

I guess that's how it started. He was friends with Andrew who was more than a brother to me. He used to constantly tease me about how klutzy I am or how I couldn't pass a test if my life depended on it. He even used to call me Meatball Head because of how my hair used to be.

Our fights used to get so bad on some days that I swear I just wanted to strangle him. But there was always a thought in the back of mind. I'd notice how nice his hair looked today. I'd watch the colors reflect in his eyes. I'd try to get him mad so he could flash that cocky grin of his. I may not have wanted to admit it, but deep down I really cared about him."

Diamond sat next to her on the grass," Is that when you started to date then?"

" No. I had my duty first. Luna came to me and told me I was Sailor Moon. I mean, here's a talking cat telling me I need to save the world and find some Moon Princess. It was beyond believing. What was I supposed to do? I had a job that Luna believed I could do.

So I tried my best to fight, but I had no idea where to even begin. I had no idea how to fight and no one was there to help me. I would have been better off blindfolded. I was a mess, but Tuxedo Mask always showed up to rescue me. Of course he was dashing in that tux and so handsome. Every girl wants a fairy tale hero to rescue her from the monsters.

Eventually, I found the other Scouts and we were a family. They were my support. I needed them and I honestly believed they needed me in return. Sure, we had our share of fights, but all families fight. It's a part of life and growing up. But I became infatuated with Tuxedo Mask, but more so with the idea of how perfect it would be if Tuxedo Mask were him.

Soon enough, we gathered all the Rainbow Crystals and I followed him to where he was going to battle Zoicite. I didn't understand why Tuxedo Mask wouldn't work with us, but I knew he wasn't going to let us stand in his way either. So I followed him to the top of the tower and there he was. Darien was Tuxedo Mask and he sacrificed his life to save me.

Of course, I guess the rest is history. I transformed for the first time into Princess Serenity and he into Prince Endymion. The Silver Crystal appeared. Endymion was brainwashed against us. We battled Beryl. I destroyed her with the powers of my friends and wished to return to a normal life. Where here I am now, fighting against you and on my own once again."

Diamond reaches out a hand and caressed Serena's cheek. Serena closed her eyes and leaned into his touch.

" Why must you suffer so much? Why do you continue to sacrifice everything you are for them?"

Serena's eyes opened slowly. A pool of tears glittered in her silver blue eyes and brought a gasp from Diamond.

" Because even you fight for love and family."

Diamond's eyes widened as he drank in the simple radiance of the girl in front of him. The movement of his hand stopped as it stayed cupping her chin. His thumb gently brushed across her bottom lip. They felt like petals against his skin and he drew closer to her and leaned his forehead against hers. She sighed and that was when Diamond grazed his lips gently against hers before he pulled her further into his arms to kiss her completely.

A lone teardrop slid down her cheek from a closed eyelid.

' Darien.'

" Serena."

Darien stared up at the ceiling noticing noting at all. The world was simply spinning on the edge and he was waiting for the moment where he would just fall and say good-bye to it all. Love truly was a fickle thing. He fought for the ideal and defended it with his life. He gave up a future of endless bliss and was left with nothing. His moment of happiness wasn't worth a lifetime of everlasting lonely nights.

How can this be fair?

How can after lifetimes together they were still torn apart?

Was there really no justice?

Darien ran a hand through his disheveled hair. He walked over to the glass doors and gazed out into the rapidly darkening day. He looked even worse than before, but in his mind's eye he saw himself smiling. A short blonde walked over and wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a kiss before letting go to rest against him, his own arms encircling her waist and holding her possessively against him. Her smile lit up the room and those bright blue eyes emitted such a glow that even the moon and stars were jealous.

Darien shoved the doors open and shook his head. Even his own thoughts were betraying him.

' Just like she did.'

Darien leaned against the railing of his balcony and watched the city full of so much life. She would never have betrayed him. She was incapable of betraying anyone or anything. She was just too pure to ever do something so distasteful. Yet there it was right in front of him. But he couldn't forget the broken look in her eyes when he turned on her.

' When I turned on her? Was I really the one who betrayed her?'

His eyes caught something white down below and for a second, his heart raced.

" Serena. I was wrong. Please. I don't care what either of those two say. I want to hear it from your own lips. Wait for me."

Darien leapt over the edge of the balcony, but it was Tuxedo Mask who took off into the heart of the city.

' This isn't right. Serena snap out of it. You have to remember who you are.'

' I don't want to remember.'

' Then what about Rini? Or Darien? What about all the girls?'

' I don't have anyone anymore.'

' Please Serena. Don't give in.'

" I just want the world to fade away," Serena whispered against Diamond's chest.

His arms tightened around her," Then come away with me. We can fade away together."

Diamond tilter her chin up towards his face. His eyes glowed a light blue color and the black moon appeared on his forehead. The slit opened to reveal his hidden third eye. The eye glowed light blue as well. Serena tried to look away, but soon her eyelids were drooping further and further.

" Come out my Princess."

' Serena. It's not too late.'

" Oh. But it is. Come out. My love. My queen. Princess Serenity."

A golden crescent moon flared to life on the prone girl's forehead. It was a blinding light and her whole body became engulfed in it. Diamond stood up and grabbed the hand of the woman in front of him. Her hair was longer now and still the same spun silvery color with gold framing her face. She no longer had a skirt and sweater on, but a dress of the purest silk in the purest color of white imaginable.

Diamond crushed her body against his in a hug.

" I have waited my life for this moment."

The girl moved her head up. Her eyes were no longer the expressive orbs they used to be. They were a blank color of pale blue. They were enchanting nonetheless, but there was no depth or longing in them. The symbol on her forehead was no longer bright and forceful. It was now a mute yellow instead of rich gold.

Diamond framed her face in his hands and smiled down at her. She was everything he could ever dream of her being. He kissed her deeply as the moon rained down its light on the couple. Serenity snaked her arms around his neck and absorbed all of his warmth. Diamond moaned and dropped his arms to pick her up princess style.

" Let's leave this world of loneliness my love."

" Get your hands off her!"

Tuxedo Mask threw a rose past Diamond's head, which impacted on a tree just behind him.

" Your are too late as usual."

" Serena!"

Serenity stayed motionless in Diamond's arms.

" She is no more. You have all driven her past the point of no return. You have broken her spirit and heart with all your senseless betrayals. She has no will left to remain here."

Tuxedo Mask shook his head," No! That's a lie!"

" Look at yourself Endymion. This mess is all your own doing. You have pushed her away far too long. You were the one who chose to break up with her. You were the one who left her to die alone. You were the one who turned your back on her again."

" Stop it," Tuxedo murmured.

" Wake up already. Do you think you could just toss her around forever? She is a person who needs love and support. Do you have any idea how hard it is to be the Moon Princess and the hope for the universe? She depended on you."

" Serena!" Tuxedo Mask yelled," Open your eyes! It's me! You have to remember me!"

Serenity stirred in Diamond's arms and Diamond placed her on the ground. She walked over to the tree and plucked out the scarlet rose embedded in the bark, turning it white in her hand. She walked back over to Diamond, but walked farther away until she was just before Tuxedo Mask.

" Serena?" a broken Tuxedo Mask spoke.

Her eyes remained half-closed and empty. She inhaled the deep aroma of the flower before letting it fall to the ground. Blood dripped down from her hand as the razor thorns cut her hand. Blood dripped down her fingers onto her dress and onto the rose until it too was stained in blood.

" She has no room for you anymore. Not even your roses can bring her back now," Diamond spoke softly.

" I won't give up on you. I love you too much. Serena."

Diamond held out his hand and Serena walked over to him and held onto him. Her arms wrapped around his waist and her head rested on his shoulder. The crescent moon on Diamond's brow glowed black and the pair started to disappear.

Teardrops fell down from Serenity's pale eyes and she reached out a hand to Tuxedo Mask before she completely disappeared.

Tuxedo Mask reached out a hand to her, but it was already too late.

" She's already gone."