We do not own "Sailor Moon" nor any of the characters.

SAILOR MOON ETERNAL

"The 6th Season of the Sailor Moon Saga"

By Haruka Kou

Chapter 5: Approach the Beautiful Morning

Racing down the backroads of Tokyo on a Friday night is no easy task, but for an experienced race car driver like Alex Sokova it's usually like a walk in the park — usually. That's if an extremely annoying unbelievably noise dark-haired man was not sitting next to her in the front seat, constantly asking silly questions or cracking meaningless jokes. And the suspicious silence from the two inhabitants of the back seat didn't help Alex's disposition much either.

"Never been to an art exhibition before, have you, Ally?" Sayer tries to make pleasant conversation. "Sounds kind of boring, not the kind of place I'd take a girl like you for," he says not quite knowing how to lead into the question on his mind.

"No one asked you to come," she snaps closing the door on him once again.

"So, you two are quiet back there," Sayer turns his attention to Robin and Michelle.

"Nervous, Rob?" He teases his brother.

"Of course not, Sayer," Robin retorts. "I've been to several art exhibitions, not that I could ever get you to something as classy before."

"Hey, I've got my reasons for coming," Sayer glances at Alex through the corner of his eye. "What're yours?" he wickedly raises his eyebrows in Michelle's direction.

"I asked Robin to come because he was very interested in my works," Michelle smiles back innocently.

"Ri~ght." Sayer answers with an insinuating smirk, as the car comes to a stop in front of the monstrous building and a valet comes trotting out.

Stepping from the car, Alex hands the man the keys in one motion, used to bringing Michelle to these high-class functions. Yes, they were a bit tiresome, so full of pomp and circumstance, certainly not Alex's speed or style, but she had to put up with the endless barrage of ceremonies for Michelle's sake.

And for Michelle, I would do anything. She watches with annoyance as it was Robin to help Michelle out of the car and not herself this time. Alex's anger boils as Michelle takes his arm so naturally, how to anyone else they looked so right, the perfect couple. But to Alex the scene couldn't look anymore wrong.

Following them inside, her jealous concentration is broken by a low yet loud whistle from beside her. She turns to see Sayer looking in astonishment at the hundreds of paintings surrounding them inside the museum's great hall. She wasn't the only one who heard him though, as the upper-class snoots all turn in horror at such a rude sound in the otherwise subdued room. Some even turn their noses up and leave the room, while the others choose to simply ignore them. Michelle and Robin spin around.

"Sayer you must be quiet in here!" Michelle whispers, fiercely embarrassed.

"What? You can't talk?" Sayer asks in a disbelieving whisper.

"You can talk you just can't—can't -" Michelle can't even bring herself to whisper the word.

"You can't whistle, Sayer," Robin finishes it for her, annoyed as they turn a sharp corner, leaving the miscreant and Alex behind.

Feeling chastised, Sayer looks down, not quite knowing what to do with himself in such a boring dump, feeling totally out of place.

"Actually," he hears a low voice rumble in his ear, "I thought it brought some life to this old tomb for once." He looks up to see Alex's amused smile, her laugh gentle, her eyes sparkling. His eyes lock with hers for a fleeting moment, a strange feeling sweeping through him. She breaks it off quickly.

"Don't let it go to your head," she saunters off in search of Michelle and her new 'companion'. But even as she walks away, Sayer can't rid himself of that feeling, the sound of her voice, of her laughter ringing in his ears, that look in her eye and her smile. In his mind he could still see her smile, that wonderful, beautiful, dazzling smile.

"Do you suppose they're having fun?" Susan asks Terry, who looks up from his work and smiles.

"Knowing Sayer, I'm sure of it," Terry answers with a chuckle, then turns serious, "Are you sorry you didn't go with them?"

"Oh, no," Susan looks alarmed, not wanting him to think she was bored here with him. "I don't usually go to those sorts of things. I'd rather just stay at home and read or do my studies." She lifts her paper filled folder in explanation.

"Me too," Terry agrees, finding it almost hard to believe there was someone else who'd rather spend a quiet evening at home than a Friday night out on the town. Gazing into her dark fuschia eyes, Terry wonders if there could be a more perfect woman, so quiet and kind, so beautiful and—

Susan jumps up from her seat with a start, feeling his gaze on her. "I must go check if Tara needs any help on her homework," she makes an excuse.

"No, please allow me," Terry gets up quickly, "You keep going with your work," he lightly pats her shoulder as he walks by, unknowingly sending shockwaves through her body at his slightest touch. She tries to concentrate on the paper in front of her, which was, in actuality, barely getting done at all tonight.

"Tara?" Terry gently knocks on her door. "Are you still up?"

"Oh!" He hears a scurrying of little feet across the floor. "Yes, come in, please!" The door opens for him and Tara peeks out.

"Please sit," she hurries, throwing papers and books off the corner of her bed.

"Alright," he sits and she climbs up beside him.

"I just came to check if you need any help with your homework."

"Oh, my homework," she says, a little disappointed, hoping he'd come just to see her.

"Do you have any questions, maybe?" Terry tries to be helpful. "Come on, don't be shy, I'd be only too glad to help in Susan's place tonight."

"Well," Tara looks down at the ground, summoning up all her courage, then asks, "Do you believe in love at first sight?" she holds her breath.

"Well," he pauses at this personal rather than scholastic subject the girl suddenly broaches.

"There was a time when I would've said 'no', Tara, but now…."

He gets a far-off look in his eye, as if he knows exactly the emotion involved.

"Then you do think so too," Tara says nervously.

"I'm sure of it," he smiles down at her warmly, although a pair of fuschia eyes look back at him in his mind.

"Really, truly?!" Tara says excitedly, reading into his words a totally different meaning.

"Absolutely." He smiles at his own sudden awareness of the subject.

Then realizing responsibility, he strokes Tara's hair, unaware of the feelings the child has for him and says, "It's been a long day, and tomorrow's an important one. You get some sleep so you'll be bright and pretty for the Wedding, alright?" His innate fondness for the little girl taking over, he kisses her goodnight on the forehead. "Goodnight," he whispers, leaving the room.

"Good Night," Tara answers back, "my love," she giggles gleefully. On Cloud 9, she races to her diary to write her greatest and latest entry to date.

"'Dear Diary', can life be anymore wonderful? Terry just told me he loves me too and he kissed me goodnight and everything. Oh, I feel so happy, so much in love, everything is so perfect now!'"

Robin's jaw hangs down in awe as he and Michelle enter the room sectioned off for her exhibit. Over 20 beautiful works hang around the room, the centerpiece being her self-portrait, as beautiful and stunning as it was elegant.

"Beautiful," the word barely escapes his lips as he moves closer to it, but halfway there, they're waylaid by some rather plump bejewelled older ladies of Michelle's acquaintance.

"And here we thought you weren't going to show for your own exhibition," one matronly lady laughs.

"Michelle, dear," the old biddy swinging her pearls coos, "who is this handsome young thing, you've shocked us all with?"

"Well, he's—" Michelle starts to introduce.

"Don't tell me you're already engaged, dear!" The opals and lace cries out.

" , we're just—" Michelle blushes.

"Oh, dear, do your parents know? I think you should at least tell them," another busybody sticks her nose in.

"Michelle, dear, did I hear someone say engaged?" A stately looking woman comes into the crowd of nosy old ladies forming around the couple.

"And I've been trying to tell them it's just not true," Michelle finally gets in with a polite smile, used to the hubbub that always surrounds socialites and their new companions.

"We're merely…" Michelle searches for the word to describe their relationship, "merely…"

"Is he your boyfriend, then?" a younger girl, more her age asks with envy. Michelle looks at Robin and blushes, not ready for these questions to be asked in front of all these people.

"Yes. Yes, I am," Robin finally breaks his silence, looking at Michelle meaningfully. Gazing into each other's eyes, the crowd fades away.

"Oh, dear, it looks serious," one old lady crows in the background.

"What was his name? Did you catch it, Mildred?" They continue to whisper behind their fans.

"No, no, he looks well-bred though, but I'm not sure of his hairstyle."

"I hope he comes from a good family—for his own sake. You know all about her parents."

"Oh, yes, I've heard some sordid tales…" and the rumor mill circles around the room. What intended to be an exhibition of her latest paintings and portraits turned into a free-for-all gabfest about Michelle's social life.

"Michelle," Robin whispers her name sweetly, "Is there someplace we can be alone?" he glances arounds, nodding and smiling at the gaggle of old ladies spying on them, and doing their very best to pretend not to.

"Yes, there's an open balcony on the roof." She still looks dreamily into his eyes, rather liking the honest resolve in his voice as Robin claimed in public to be her 'boyfriend'.

"Good." He takes her arm, "let's go." They leave in a hurry, shocking the old snobs once again.

"Young people these days," one says with a "hmph".

As if by some mysterious arrangement, that is just the moment Alex arrives, with Sayer close at her heels.

Looking around, seeing no sign of Michelle, she stops the nearest passerby.

"Have you seen Ms. Moreau?" she asks, her eyes still scanning the room for her wayward friend.

"Oh, yes, we've all seen her, dear," a high-pitched giggle comes out.

"Well, where is she now?" Alex feels her temper slipping.

"We don't quite know. She and her boyfriend just vanished, poof! A few moments ago."

"BOYFRIEND?!" Alex tries to hold back her anger.

"Oh yes, it's a known fact—she just introduced us to him herself," she says matter-of-factly.

But Alex doesn't wait for further explanation. She quickly turns on her heel in hot pursuit of her misled friend.

"Ally, wait up!" Sayer turns to follow, on the way out seeing a waiter with a tray full of hors d'oevres. "Those look good," without missing a beat he reaches out, grabbing a handful of the more edible looking ones from the neatly arranged tray, dropping a few on the floor as he does so. Popping some into his mouth, he waves back to the waiter, "M'mmh tasty!" he calls back, his mouth full, shocking everyone's delicate sensibilities. While all eyes watch his hasty departure, a pair of waiters not looking where they were going crash into each other, spilling drinks all over the guests and the floor, causing utter chaos in the usually refined establishment.

There was a breathtaking view of Tokyo from the roof of this twenty-four story art museum in the center of the city's busiest section of town. And on a Friday night in the summer it was especially stunning.

But it was not the scenery, nor the elegance of the museum. It was the sight of the most beautiful woman in the world that took Robin Starr's breath away as he watches her soft curls wave back and forth in the breeze, her delicate white shoulders peeking out from beneath her shawl, her simple elegance, her graceful beauty.

Such feelings, such emotions, I never knew I could fall for another person. I always shut myself out from the world. But now I've found you. Robin gently strokes her aqua curls, almost afraid to touch such a work of art.

"Robin," Michelle turns to him, her eyes wide, "did you mean what you said down there? Are you…are we…?" she looks down shyly, not knowing how to manage her own feelings.

So badly I want you, but I'm scared, she thinks.

I want to tell you, but…what if you don't feel the same way? Robin's mind races. I want you to know. I need you to, he opens his mind, reaching out to hers. Closing her eyes, she enters his mind, his heart, his soul again. She feels every part of him, every hope, ever wish, every desire, and in the few moments it takes for her to do this, she is sure. All fears wiped away, she opens her secret heart to him, combining their hopes and desires, making them one. When they open their eyes back in reality, Michelle feels the tears of joy in her eyes.

You love me, her mind whispers. She knows it in a way only formed by such a bond.

I love you, his soul answers back as he caresses her cheek, running his fingers through her hair under the bewitching moonlight.

Closing their eyes, they kiss, at first tentative and scared, then slowly becoming something more. His arms wrapping around her, Robin wonders how such a wonderful woman could love him, just as Michelle wonders how she could have lived without him all this time. A kiss of perfection, a kiss of wonderment suddenly broken by a strong arm thrusting Robin aside so violently he skids across the ground.

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Never had Alex's voice been angrier, more threatening.

"Amara! NO!" Michelle pleads, rushing to her new-found love's aid.

"Michelle, I warned you," her eyes flashing, her voice low, "men are men and they're only after one thing! You know that!"

"Amara, he's different! He's not like that at all!" Michelle's voice gets more determined.

"Michelle we don't need any man!" Alex shouts through gritted teeth. "Remember you and I…" she tries to remind her cousin, a sadness behind her angry tones.

"Amara nothing changes between you and I. But things have changed with my view on love. Robin is—" Michelle tries to explain.

"No! You're just not going to see him anymore. We're leaving," Alex decides. Michelle is too weak at the moment to make up her own mind.

Big mistake.

"What! You can't just tell me what I can and can't do!" the little lamb roars, fiercely kneeling to him and clutching Robin's arm as he watches in shock.

"Michelle, you don't know what you're doing!" Alex flings back.

"Why do you always think you know what's best for me? I'm a grown woman now Amara!" Michelle loses her cool, anger clouding her words.

"AND THIS IS MY LIFE!"

The words hit Alex harder than the blade of any sword. Shocked by them, she meekly backs down, turning to leave as quickly as she can, tears stinging her own eyes.

Sayer, watching the scene from the shadows, takes off after her.

Robin stands up to his feet, worriedly watching Michelle frozen still there shaking, her fists yet clenched.

"Michelle…." He starts, not knowing what to say.

"I'm fine," she turns, smiling the lie. "If she wants to be stubborn, so can I," she puts her nose up haughtily. Robin looks down, feeling guilty that this is all somehow his fault.

Down the stairs, at the elevator, wait for the doors, wait for the damned doors. Alex bangs the poor innocent elevator doors with a mighty blow, making the rest of the people waiting for the elevator suddenly want to take the stairs. All except one.

"Ally—" Sayer just squeezes in the elevator before the doors shut.

"Don't talk to me," she angrily says, not wanting him of all people to see her tears she turns her back to him.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it," he tries to calm her.

"You don't understand," she brushes him off. He considers this a moment.

"Listen. I don't know what you and Michelle are to each other," he chokes on the thought, praying it's not true but… the way she's acting…

"But, hey, sometimes we gotta let even people we love do their own thing even if we don't like it."

Hearing some reason in his words, she turns to him. "What do I expect you to say anyway? You're just a man now." She almost laughs at herself at her own choice of words.

"Yeah, yeah, men are worthless and stupid, women are goddesses and geniuses. Yeah, I know," Sayer teases, treading on dangerous ground.

Chuckling, Alex's mood lightens slightly. Amazing how mad this one can make me and then he can make me laugh too. I'll get around to Michelle later, she tries to forget the angry words from before, but not quite doing so successfully. "Alright, alright, go and get them before I change my mind and drive off without you," she says as the elevator opens to the lobby and she steps out.

"Oh, and, Sayer," she pauses, watching his eyebrows raise in curiosity. "For your information…it's not like that at all."

"That's good to hear," Under his breath he smiles at her as the doors close.

Why did he look so relieved? It's not like it's any of his business anyway, so why did I say that! Alex turns toward the front door, shaking her head.

"Did she need any help?" Susan asks Terry when he comes back in the dining room.

"Not really," he answers, "Just a few questions we cleared up. How about you?" he looks at the pile of papers and notebooks on the table.

"Oh, well I…" Susan stumbles, losing all composure whenever he directs those orchid eyes at her.

"Here let me help, then you'll be done twice as quick," Terry pulls his chair closer to Susan's, sending her heart rate through the roof.

"Really you don't have to," she says nervously.

"No, I want to - if you'd like me to, that is," Terry looks at her, smiling hopefully helpful.

"Of course, it would be very kind of you," Susan answers shyly.

"Good," he pulls his chair even closer, "what are you working on now?"

"Well these are the final designs on our bridesmaids dresses for tomorrow."

"You designed all these yourself?" Terry sifts through the drawings, impressed.

"Yes — well the girls gave some input in the styles and colors," Susan adds.

"They're beautiful," Terry watches her blush at the praise," I especially like this one," he pulls out the sketch for gorgeous dress, purplish in tint, elegant in beauty.

"Oh," she blushes even deeper, taking the paper, "that's the one I'm having trouble with — it's mine."

"Beautiful," Terry smiles approvingly, his eyes dancing with delight. "Where are you having trouble?" he tries to focus back on the technical side but finds himself keep imagining how lovely Susan will look in it, her dark hair cascading down the silken folds of her dress, the tan shades of her velvet skin blending so well against the violet fabric, her bare shoulders…

Terry catches his wandering thoughts with a personal chastisement. He watches with interest as she sketches in another ruffle in the flower on the bodice. How talented she is, a true artist, such lovely hands, so thin and delicate….

"Would you like a drink?" Terry jumps up suddenly, looking for escape from his amorous thoughts.

"No, thank you," Susan answers politely. As he gets up and leaves for the kitchen, Susan sighs. I must be so boring. I never know what to say but whenever I look at him my heart does somersaults. And I can't do that….but he's so kind. I don't want him to think I'm cold. Oh what do I do? I know! I'll ask him a question. Yes, then we can talk about that.

When Terry returns with that drink he really didn't want, Susan looks up as he passes.

"Do you think I should raise this shoulderline a bit?" she regrets the question as soon as it's out of her mouth. Terry looks at the sketch ever her shoulder, kneeling down.

"You mean like this a little?" he takes the pencil from her fingers, caressing them as he does, and draws a light line slightly above the original. Susan can hear her own heart pounding as she feels his warm breath on her neck. No longer focusing on her sketching, not even hearing his words any longer, the sound of her heart resounding in her soul.

"I think I liked it better where it was before…." He doesn't even hear his own words anymore as he turns his head, gazing at her fuschia eyes, her tan skin, her crimson lips….Terry moves forward, their lips just touching lightly, gently. Pulling back, their eyes lock for a moment, the attraction for each other evident and suddenly they kiss again, this time passionately, wildly. Susan wraps her hands around Terry's neck as the kiss gets deeper and deeper. Feeling breathless and lightheaded, she prays for the kiss to never end and it doesn't seem like Terry intends it to as he pulls her body closer to him, his kiss becoming even more intense, his hands making their way up and down her back. I must be in dream, Susan thinks, her mind spinning from her endless years of an unquenched thirst for love.

Tara smiles at her reflection in the mirror. "He said I was pretty," she giggles. "Oh, what time do I set the alarm for?" she remembers, scampering out of the room to go ask Susan. When she reaches the dining room she stops in the doorway, in shock at the sight awaiting her. There was her Terry in there with Susan and they were kissing!

How could she do this to me? How could she! Tears spring to Tara's bright eyes as shock turns to anger at Susan. My Terry! She silently dashes out the back door into the woodland behind, tears streaming down her heartbroken cheeks.

Unaware of her sudden departure, Terry and Susan continue to kiss, long and hard, unbridled passion filling their senses, both letting go for the first time, making the passion even hotter. Suddenly a door slams loudly, making Susan jump up, gasping for breath, scattering papers to the floor, finding Alex, Sayer, Robin and even Michelle looking at them in astonishment.

"Go Ter," Sayer smiles, always the first to recover with a quip.

"I don't believe this!" Alex explodes after a long pause. "Has the whole world gone insane!" She stops looking at Sayer, Terry, and especially, Robin.

"It's just since you three came, my whole world's been turned upside down," she shouts. "I want you OUT, OUT of this house NOW, TONIGHT! I never want to see any of you again," she screams, unable to stand anymore.

First Michelle and that shrimp, then Susan and that other one, and him, ahh! I won't think about that, I just want them gone, out of my life, then everything will go back to normal.

"No, Amara, you can't do that," Michelle gets enough guts again after total silence between on the uncomfortable car trip home with only Sayer's vain attempts at banality.

"Why! Because it's 'your life'!" she throws out, obviously still hurt by Michelle's blow before. Michelle looks down, ashamed to have said such a thing to her dearest friend but still unrelenting enough not to say she's sorry.

"Fine." Alex looks Michelle right in the eye, "Then I wash my hands of it all." and with that she stomps out, slamming the door behind her, leaving five astonished people in her wake.

"Fine," Michelle repeats in a whisper, "she can be that way, just to spite herself," she feels the tears behind her eyes.

"Michelle, it's my fault," Robin says, sensing her true anguish.

"No, it's her own doing, she's always been like this," Michelle feels a tear sting her cheek. Robin puts his arm around her. Sayer looks out the door, watching the yellow Ferrari speed away into the night, feeling like all the light had gone away with it.

Terry gathers the papers Susan knocked to the floor as he tries to catch Susan's attention, but she purposefully keeps her eyes away from his, avoiding his glances.

"I'll go see if Tara's alright after all this noise," she quickly disappears but soon returns with sheer angst on her normally complacent features.

"I can't find her!" Susan looks to Terry beseechingly, her usually calm voice filled with worry.

"What?!" Sayer asks in disbelief, "she must be here somewhere."

"No, I've looked everywhere. And she knows better than to just disappear in the dark of night!"

"We've got to find her," Terry says authoritatively, placing a firm hand on Susan's shoulder for assurance as he, Sayer and Robin rush out the door.

"How could she do this to me, I thought we were friends!" Tara runs deeper into the forest, tears streaming down her cheeks. She splashes through a small stream, her feet getting soaked but she doesn't seem to notice as she trudges forward towards nothing in particular, just away, far away.

"Where am I?" She finally stops to catch her breath, suddenly feeling the cold dampness of the night air on her. She races off again, the cold reaching all the way into her shattered heart, until she trips on an unseen root. She crashes down into the mud, feeling lost and lonely and bruised, the tears flowing freely. I've never been afraid of the dark, but right now I'm so scared. She tries to get up but finds her body trembling and weak. An animal cries in the distance, the wind cutting cruelly into her. Tara shrieks in terror.

"Why? Why!" The question burns through her soul. Thinking of all the people around her, how nobody seemed to care, her depressed mind, tormented and lonely, reverts back to a time when none of this mattered, before she was with Alex and Michelle and Susan, before she had to grow up, before everything. To when there was someone who loved her, who would always understand, who would scoop her up in his strong arms whenever she was sad or lonely.

"Papa," she whispers into the darkness, "what do I do?" her tears start anew. Closing her eyes, she feels his presence, his warm arms around her. How nice it was, how happy we were, she smiles, remembering her father's gentle eyes. Suddenly she hears his voice calling her name, shaking her as if waking her from a dream.

"Tara, Tara," his voice, concerned, says softly, but suddenly Tara realizes the voice was not her Papa's. She looks up to find herself in Terry's arms.

"Terry," she says, surprised, shocked, and above all embarrassed.

"We were so worried about you. What are you doing out here?" He wraps his jacket around her shivering shoulders.

"I…" she doesn't know what to say to the man she'd fallen in love wih. How can I tell him what I'm really feeling? How can I tell him I love him when Susan…she feels short of breath and starts to wheeze, coughing her old asthma complaint acting up in times of distress.

"Are you alright?" his kind eyes look worried, the concern for her, the gentle kindness making Tara love him even more, the pain in her heart growing.

"Let's go inside," Terry scoops her up, holding her small chilled body to his chest. That feeling again, just like Papa, Tara thinks hugging Terry tightly, wishing they could just stay like this forever.

"You found her!" Sayer's voice cuts through the darkness as Terry carries the missing child towards the house.

"Is she alright?" Robin asks coming from the opposite direction behind them.

"She's fine," Terry squeezes the child, feeling a strange sensation of caring and responsibility as he takes her to the house.

"Tara!" Susan runs out the door to them,."Are you alright? What happened? Why did you leave so late at night?" There was utmost concern in her voice evident as Terry puts the girl down.

"I'm fine," Tara looks up at her rival coldly," you don't care anyway, you're always so cold and unfeeling," she adds, staring Susan in the eye.

"Oh Tara, that's not true! I do care!" Susan can't understand what happened between them, their relationship was always good previously. But Tara looks away, ignoring her. Susan feels tears biting behind her eyes at Tara's cruel words. Am I cold? Everyone always says I am. I had to be. What was I thinking before? I can't be with him. I have to stay cold. Alone.

"Tara, Susan was so worried about you. How can you say that to her?" Terry tries to defend her. Tara looks at him, hurt.

"Why did you run out? Was it because you heard Amara—" Michelle doesn't finish the question as Tara turns to her.

"You don't understand!" Tara bursts at Michelle, "None of you understand!" She runs off down the hall to her room, slamming the door behind her.

"Well. This is turning out to be quite a night," Michelle looks down the hall after her, a sneaking suspicion of what the girl's problem was, as she intuitively sees the way Terry looks at Susan and how Tara looked at Terry despite her own troubles.

"I'm sure she didn't mean it," Terry comforts Susan, trying to think why the sweet child would turn on them so suddenly.

"She must just have been tired from all the excitement. It's fine," Susan covers for the girl despite the harsh words that cut through her so badly.

"I guess she wouldn't want to go to Serena's dinner then, hmm?" Michelle thinks aloud.

"Oh, maybe we shouldn't go either then," Susan says worriedly.

"Don't be silly, Susan!" Michelle says, "she's 14. She's old enough to stay home and sulk by herself. A lot of people are off sulking tonight and we won't be part of it. We're going!" Michelle says defiantly, still miffed by Alex's departure.

"Don't worry, we'll stay here," Terry smiles at Susan, looking for something in her eyes which she darts away quickly to his concern.

"Oh no you're not," Michelle orders. "The three of you are going to Darien's bachelor party. I already promised Andrew when you were out. It's all been arranged."

"Bachelor party?" Sayer smiles wickedly, suddenly cheering up. "Sounds good to me," he elbows Robin.

"Yeah-I guess," Robin looks distractedly at Michelle, his thoughts too busy for any trifles of pleasure.

"But—" Terry starts looking worriedly down the hall towards Tara's room.

"Don't worry! She'll be fine. It'll do her good to just sleep it off," Michelle looks at Terry and shakes her head. Men really have no idea, do they? Even these special cases. It's obvious—she must've seen him and Susan before. Her first love now turns into her first heartbreak. It must be hard for her. Michelle sympathizes with the young girl's feelings. But as wonderful as it is love also has a way of hurting those closest to us, Michelle's memory burns with the painful expression on Alex's face when she said to her those horrible words. No it's her own fault, she pushes the blame away. I'm going through with this. I don't need her permission. Michelle reaches out, grabbing Robin's hand tightly.

"Come on, let's get going," she smiles falsely, trying to project a happiness that wasn't there. Robin tries to ask her if she's really alright in her mind, but discovers she has shut him out totally. She must really be hurting, he feels such worry for her, but what could he do? It's my fault, I split them apart, they had something so special. Somehow I've got to set it right! But how? Robin smiles back at her as his mind tries to sort it out.

"I'll go talk to Tara," Susan starts towards the room.

"No," Michelle grabs her arm, "I'll tell her we're going and see if she wants to come," Michelle doesn't want Tara to spoil Susan's evening anymore than she already has, concerned for her serious friend despite her own troubles.

"You boys get ready, the party's already started I believe," Michelle calls back over her shoulder.

"I'll go get changed," Susan quickly leaves the room, avoiding Terry's searching eyes.

"I don't know if I'm up for a party," Terry wonders why Susan keeps avoiding him.

"C'mon, Ter! A bachelor party! We've never been invited before but I've heard…" Sayer smirks, "that's where the fun really begins!"