A/N: Yay already another chapter I know you love me!
Serena spent the day smiling to herself and watching as the contractors desperately tried to make sense of her blueprints. So maybe they weren't perfect and maybe her ideas were structurally impossible but she had an idea and somehow she would make it work. When the sun got too hot she retired to her window seat to look for interior design ideas and still be able to watch construction on her dream.
"Mom will I get to see Darien again?" Serena turned toward her daughter and smiled.
"Of course you will. He's your daddy isn't he? From now on he'll always be around to take care of you just like me. In fact he'll be here to tuck you in to bed tonight." Amaya's face broke out into a large smile and she ran off to her room.
"I have to pick out a story for him to read me!" Serena laughed as she ran to answer the phone.
"Hello?"
"Hello Beautiful. Is it too early for me to come by?" Serena broke into a smile as she recognized Darien's voice.
"Of course I just told Amaya you would be coming, she's already picking out a bedtime story."
"Hmm does that mean we could put her to bed early and have some time to ourselves?" Serena could almost hear Darien's sexy smirk.
"You can put her to bed as early as you like but I have to be out of here by eleven. Malachite knows to be back by then."
"Eleven? That's a bit late. What do you have going on?"
"Just a late meeting, no worries."
"Oh well… I'll be there as soon as possible."
"Okay can't wait!"
Serena hung up the phone and prepared to run to tell Amaya Darien was on his way when Malachite appeared behind her.
"You seem happier than I've ever seen you."
"Darien is on his way over. I am excited to see him get to know his daughter.
"Have you told him anything yet?" Malachite's tone was enough to give Serena a guilt trip and she sighed before turning back to him.
"Tell him what? Hey I love you but I'm married to another man who is slowly turning me evil?"
"Well you could tell him that but I meant more along the lines of "Hey I love you, I race motorcycles, and party all night, just to come home just in time to wake up our daughter?"
Serena grimaced. "Oh that. I don't know. Is that really important?" Malachite stiffened and worked hard to keep from losing his temper.
"Damnit Rena! You can't live your life avoiding your real problems. This carefree attitude has got to stop! You have a daughter for crying out loud!" Serena's face contorted in anger.
"Are you telling me that I am a bad mother?" The doorbell rang and Malachite moved to answer it but was stopped by Serena. "Answer me Malachite! I have already proven I would do anything for that little girl. I have no regrets but DO NOT deny me the one escape I have!" Malachite was speechless as he realized how his words sounded. Serena sighed and went to answer the door.
Darien was busy trying to act like he had not heard the shouts. Serena however was not fooled. "No use pretending I'm aware we were not that quiet. We'll talk later. Right now Amaya is dying to see you." Darien nodded and gave Serena a hug and a kiss before heading off to his daughter's room.
Serena decided to leave them alone and she wanted to be left alone with her thoughts. Perhaps it was wrong to go out every night, but it was so hard to face the idea that she would not get to see her daughter grow up, that her daughter would have to grow up without a mother. That's not true Darien could get married. The thought was a blow to Serena's heart but she knew it would be cruel to deny him that.
She was unaware how long she had been out on the balcony till Darien came up from behind and wrapped his arms around her. "I read Amaya a story and put her to sleep now would you mind telling me what that fight with Malachite was all about?" Serena turned and looked at him right in the eyes.
"He doesn't approve of my method of escaping my problems. He just doesn't understand that as much as I love Amaya and as much as she is the light of my life I just need this escape. I really don't see why he disapproves so much." Darien grimaced, there was so much about his Serena that he didn't know. Why did she have to change into this dark soul when she used to be a shining light like Amaya?
"Show me." Serena raised an eyebrow and looked at him strangely.
"Show you what?"
"Take me with you when you go tonight. I want to know everything about you now that you are back. You're different Sere but that doesn't mean I don't love you and it doesn't mean I don't want to be a part of your life."
The words wounded Serena more than she had expected. He was right she was completely different from cheerful Serena she used to be. Back then nothing could get her down, it would be nice to try and be that way again. Heck why couldn't she? She had her friends, more friends even and she had Darien, and a wonderful daughter. Being reckless would not solve her problems all it really did was shorten what little time she had with Amaya. But then the night brought on the pain and darkness, if she couldn't escape that there was no way she could be a happy cheerful mother for her daughter.
"No."
Darien was taken aback by her response but she continued.
"Long ago when this all started I promised myself two things, One I would never let him see me cry and Two I would never let you see me run."
Serena's words chilled him to the soul, they were cold and harsh nothing like the Serena he loved.. He squeezed her closer to his chest.
….Flashback…..
Darien strolled into the arcade grinning like a madman. Things had been wonderful since he had finally started his relationship with Serena. She was everything to him. He sat down at the counter and noticed a glum Andrew looking at a group of depressed girls. Darien instantly recognized Serena's friends.
"Andrew what is wrong with everyone today?" Andrew's face paled with the realization that Darien didn't know. He looked toward the girls for a moment wondering if maybe one of them would tell him but decided against asking.
"Serena disappeared. Last night she never came home. We've been looking ever since but we have no idea where she could be or what could have happened to her."
Darien felt every fiber of his being grow cold Not his Serena, anything but his Serena.
The next few days consisted of nothing but searching and wondering.
…..End Flashback…..
To think they had all given up hope of ever seeing her again, and he had her snuggled up in his arms.
"Well if you're going out…mind if I stay the night with Amaya?" Darien looked at her like a begging puppy and Serena relented knowing full well he only wanted to know when she came home.
"Alright but I don't have to go out for awhile they're not expecting me till 11. We could stay here and watch a movie if you like."
Darien was overjoyed at the thought of holding Serena in his arms for a few hours. He eagerly agreed and ran to pick a movie from her large collection only to despair when he only found cartoons.
"Sorry I guess we've all kind of adjusted to the parental role around here, nothing but a kid friendly house."
"No it's ok I suppose I should get to know what movie Amaya likes, and I never got to watch movies like this when I was a kid so it will be a nice change." He picked a happy kids movie and the pair couldn't help but make fun of how cheesey the movie was. The four generals returned from dinner just as the movie was ending and each shared a sad look with Serena as she prepared to leave.
She gave Darien a kiss and went to get ready, shooting a hard glare at her four friends daring them to try and stop her.
While she was changing Darien decided to inquire of these men about Serena and his daughter.
"What does she do at night?" The men shared looks and for a moment they debated with themselves to whom they held more loyalty, their prince or their princess?
"It is a matter not to be discussed while she remains, we will talk once Rena leaves." Darien winced at the nickname, they were all so close, he felt like he had missed out on so much of Serena's life and of Amaya's.
"I've missed so much, and I don't know if I'll ever be able to catch up or form a real bond with Amaya." Darien's eyes watered and Jedeite wanted to ease his prince's pain.
"Do not fear, Amaya knows that soon you will be the one to watch over her and she has heard much about you from her mother. She already loves you and knows that you love her just as much as her mother."
The other three stared in shock at what Jedite had unwittingly revealed. Darien's face had paled completely and he looked at each of them his eyes pleading for an explanation to Jedite's words. Jedite suddenly realized what he said and looked to the others for help. He was granted a momentary reprieve by Serena bursting from her room.
Darien's jaw dropped at the sight of Serena in a leather biking outfit. She looked surreal with her silver hair, and purple makeup. He would never have imagined his Serena wearing something like that. To his surprise as he stared her eyes slowly changed color to a deep purple, perfectly matching her makeup.
"Stop staring. If I remember you used to ride a bike, nothing moves and stays out of the way like leather. Not to mention it offers great protection. I'll be back at the usual time, I have the communicator if you need me or anything." Serena dashed off to give Darien another kiss and run out the door before he could ask anymore questions.
"I'm sorry but it's still creepy to see her change her eye color." Zoisite said cringing slightly at the thought.
"How is she able to do that?" Darien asked, knowing that while there were more important questions that needed to be asked, his curiosity could not be contained.
"A side effect." Nephrite's answer was brief and he showed no signs of offering any more.
Darien gave a sigh and realized it would be slow going to get any information from them. "Now tell me what Jedite meant."
The generals hesitated, it was not a story they wished to tell, indeed it wasn't even theirs to tell.
"Endymion you are our prince and we would do anything for you. But I'm afraid this is not our story to tell." For a moment it looked as if Darien was going to accept that answer and the generals breathed a sigh of relief.
………………………………
Serena raced through the darkened streets, her black motorcycle streaked with purple and silver sped through the night faster than anything Tokyo had ever seen. In mere hours Serena had won enough money to live off of for months and had gained lots of jealous enemies.
"Hey Silver! This way there's a party down at The Cycle downtown you've got to come."
Serena grimaced at the stupid name, yes her club would certainly change the nightlife around here. Still a club was a club, and where there was a club there was a bar to spend her winnings at. She revved her bike and headed off in the direction of the other motorcycles, loving the feel of the night air blowing against her face.
…………………………………….
"What does she do when she's out at night?" Darien decided to try another tactic to get information out the four men. Somehow he had to find out what was going on with his beloved.
"She runs." Nephrite again spoke simply, using the term Serena often used.
"What does that mean?" Darien was not about to let this question go unanswered.
Malachite gave a sigh and realized as always that he was going to be the one to answer the hard questions.
"The only way for Serena to escape from all that's happened to her, is to escape from herself. In the night she transforms into someone I doubt you'll recognize. None of us like it, but it is better than the way things were before. That is all we can tell you. The rest you must learn from Serena. You are our Prince and we would give our lives to you, but this is not a story for us to tell, and there is much even we do not know."
Darien glared at the men, they were hiding so much from him, but then they were right. It was really Serena that was hiding from him. All of it seemed so surreal, that his clumsy, wailing Serena should have become this? She had become a strong woman, and yet something tormented her and caused her to lose everything he had once loved about her.
"You must forgive her Darien. She may be different, but you have no idea how hard her struggle is. She had more hope than most would in her shoes."
…………………………….
Serena went immediately to the bar and prepared to begin the nightly ritual of drowning her sorrows. It angered her that alcohol did not affect her the way it seemed to affect most humans, but with enough of it she could make her thoughts cloudy enough to forget. "Damn lunarian blood" she muttered under her breath.
The barkeep brought her first round of drinks but not before shooting her a curious glance. He'll know me soon enough she thought.
Before she could even bring the first drink to her lips she felt it. The pain seared every fiber of her body. No! Not Yet! Her mind screamed. I'm not ready!
She forced back the pain and ran to her bike, she had to get back, there had to be some way to stop it.
………………………………
Darien was beginning to realize his efforts were futile when the door burst open to reveal a pale and shaking Serena. Her palor was quickly matched by all those who saw her.
"Already?"
"No it can't be!"
"Come on Rena fight it! You can still fight it!"
Malachite watched as his three companions tried to give Serena strength. He looked toward Darien, and knew that if anyone could save his princess it was his prince.
"Perhaps we should wake Amaya, that will get Serena to fight." Malachite became furious at Jedite's suggestion.
"No! Amaya will never see her mother like this! My Prince you are the only one that can give her the strength to fight against the pain. Hold her. Talk to her. Transform and give her strength, anything to keep the darkness from overpowering her."
The fear in their eyes was too much for Darien as he gathered her into his arms. As he lifted her up he saw the locket he had given her so long ago still hanging around her neck.
"Oh my sweet Serena." He opened the locket and let it play, the music instantly stilling her trembling body. "Come on Serena, fight against this, whatever it is. Amaya still needs. I need you. Please Serena you can't leave me." Darien buried his head in her shoulder willing his beloved's eyes to open.
Seeing her still motionless Darien did the only thing he could think of, he softly kissed her lips, expressing all the love her had for her in that one simple act.
"Watch what liberties you take with my wife, Prince Endymion!"
A/N: Man this story is soooo Fun!
