We do not own Sailor Moon or any of its characters.

Story based on "Sailor Moon Christmas" Poem, Prologue, & Album.

This holiday tale takes place in between Sailor Stars Episodes #187 and #188.

"Sailor Moon: Sailor Stars Movie"

"Merry Christmas!"

By HarukaKou

Prologue

"A Christmas Wish"

"Dear Darien,

Hi there! How are you doing? Christmas Eve is coming up soon, so I'm having so much fun getting ready for it! Party and cakes and cookies…and Santa Claus…and PRESENTS! I'm so excited and happy!

…..Really…really I am, Muffin. There's such a pretty sunset now. I just had to write you about it. Stars will be coming out soon, and a blue moon too, everyone says. But I think the clouds are closing in around me. Sometimes I'm sure of it. Really, this year is so full of expectations of me…my varied, varied heart…"

A golden head gazes out the window, towards the sunsetting evening sky. Her heart pounds in her ears at the silence surrounding her teenaged bedroom. The pen slips down to the desk, that this young girl sits writing at. She bites her lip as a tear or two rolls down onto the letter, that she was so painstakingly trying to sound lighthearted in.

But I'm not happy, am I? Oh Darien I miss you so much! At times like this especially. At Christmas especially. Everyone should be together at Christmas. Everyone who loves each other should be-WE should be, Darien! We should be…..

Serena Hart hangs her head down for a moment, the pain of her beloved being so very far away was heartbreaking for this sixteen-year-old teenager. More than that, for this child of moonlight who has come to know her true and destined partner in life. For him to so heartlessly leave her, some would say, without neither letter nor phone call, nor communication of any sort, for months now, since he left for Harvard University in America. But Serena, desperately in love with this man, her sweet loving heart so perfect and pure, could never see it that way. She never believed her love to be cold and cruel. She never once thought that Darien was the one wrong to leave her-that he was never wrong. It was just that she herself wasn't strong enough. That she was wimpy and weak and-Darien, I know you must be too busy with projects and work to write me, so I'll see if I can cheer you up from all that hard school work!

Quickly wiping away a forbidden tear, Serena scoops up the fallen pen, and begins to scribble again in her scrawled handwriting. Only those who loved her could truly decipher it. Determinedly, she starts where she left off, crossing out the last few sad lines and writing again after the "…happy!"

"…It's going to be so much fun! Mom said I could invite all the girls over for our Christmas party. Too bad though, Susan is taking little Tara to see her Dad in the recovery hospital he's in in Switzerland now. That's where he and Tara are from originally. Did you know that? I guess it's good though anyway that's she going to be with her daddy on Christmas, so-"

Serena's yellow meatball head bobs up and down as she chews on the end of her pen, thinking what else to write.

"-mmmh! And Alex and Michelle said they might come. But I don't know for sure. OH! I'm forgetting something! Alex is Amara! Since they've come back into our lives now, she's told all us girls that she wants to be called "Alex" not Amara. Michelle of course still calls her Amara, but if any of the rest of us do…watch out! I don't know why she doesn't want to be called "Amara", it's such a pretty name. Can you think why? Anyway, we do what she tells us and so she's "Alex" now to all of us! We're all pretty close now, but Ama-no, Alex and Michelle still have their "secrets" they keep from us. I wish we could break down their barrier even more. Alex sounded a bit…I don't know…like Alex on the phone. So I hope they do come. We'll set out two places for sure anyway. You should see the tree my dad's putting up! It's so beautiful and extra super big too! Me and Mom and Sammy too, but he's been SUCH a pain this year, I don't think Santa will bring him anything, have decorated the house and we'll going to do the tree tonight, with Rei, Lita, Mina, and Amy too. I'm going to have all my bestest friends around. And it's going to be so much fun tonight…I know! Just like last year. I still remember last Christmas how you and Rini-"

And there the pen stops short again, lost in not so far off memories of a Christmas past. When Serena could clearly recall the joy of being about to be kissed under the mistletoe by a certain handsome young man with shining blue eyes, just for her. And then a pink jellybean, decked out with Christmas ribbons and finest velvet had ruined the tender scene (purposely, Serena was sure) by accidentally spilling her egg nog all over Serena's white fur trimmed party dress. (Her face and hair, too.)

At the time, Serena was furious at her wicked "Small Lady". Rini had not even feigned innocence at her "mistake", sticking her tongue out and laughing tauntingly as Serena had chased her round and round the Christmas tree. Everyone had dodged the pair as Darien tried to calm them down without much success. That evening had ended, after much ado, with Serena and Rini finally making up (after some of Mom's delicious Christmas pudding together, in which Serena got a little back, smashing with delight plum sauce all over Rini's smug round face). Rini had been angry at first, but one taste of the pudding was enough to soften her to want to reconcile for the presents and picture time. The two bickering meatball and cone-headed girls had forgotten all arguments of before, joining together with smiling faces in a portrait with beloved white "Tuxedo Darien", in which the three looked so much…a family…

"Rini…oh, Darien! I miss you both so much!" Serena's eyes fill with tears again…tears of pent up months of loneliness. Rini went off to the future first, and then Darien… "Darien, I want to be with you now." His name echoes throughout her soul. His scent, his touch, his protective arms, just having him near, that safe feeling he always gave to her. Serena could no longer take it, the tears on the verge of spilling out uncontrollably.

"Serena?" Rei's voice pierces the silence of Serena's bedroom from outside the door.

"Serena are you in there?" Amy's softer tones echo the question.

"Rei? Amy?" Serena's saddened mind tries to pull herself back from the flood about to break open as she turns around, and does not even hear them come in, so engrossed was she.

"Luna said you've been quiet all afternoon, Serena." Lita's firm hand was on her shoulder now.

"So we've come to cheer you up in the way only we can do, of course! Right, Artemis?" Mina's happy voice fills Serena's depressed ears.

"Guys?" Serena was still blinking back the tears, and the four girls filled with worry, exchange looks. They knew when their dearest friend was depressed…and they all knew exactly why.

"Is that a letter to Darien, Serena?" Lita asks gently, looking over her shoulder.

"Mmhmm." Serena nods at the unfinished letter on her desk absently.

"Did you tell him how much fun we're going to have tonight?" Mina interrupts with her brightest smile-and it was bright enough to light the entire world when she directed it to.

"Mmhmm." Serena tries to return the smile, finding it almost impossible to pull her emotional heart from it's doldrums. She wanted just to give up and…

"Serena?" Rei's voice filled with such worry, looks to her friend, right in the eye. Amy, Lita, Mina, Artemis and Luna, all too look at her with concern.

They're all so worried about me, aren't they? NO! I won't give up. "I can't stand people who give up." Somebody just told me that and I'm gonna stick to it! You're right, Sayer, you're right. Serena's mind smiles at yet another recollection, a recent one of a young man whom she had slowly accepted as a friend. One who had wormed his way into her heart, and had slowly become the strength and courage over these past few months Serena has needed, since her Darien had left. For Sayer was very, very special to her. Now, more and more…

"Hey! Everyone, I'm fine! Let's go on down and help Mom decorate the tree, okay? It'll be such fun! And I think she's got a new batch of sugar cookies going too! Oh boy! I'm hungry!" Serena had learned to smile through her pain, jumping up and grinning at her beloved friends, making them all smile big again.

"All right! That sounds good, Serena." Lita leads the way towards the door, glad Serena was ready to enjoy things with them today, despite the sadness her friend had deep down. For none of them were aware that Darien wasn't writing back all those endless stream of letters Serena had been scribbling on every day. But they did understand the sadness enough of not having him near, especially during this holiday time.

"Sure does! Race you guys down to the kitchen!" Combustible Mina explodes out the door, dragging an unbeknownst Amy out and down the stairs. Artemis and Luna chased the thundering, hungry girls down, warning them not to run and fall. (Which Mina nearly did anyway, if not for Lita's strong arm.)

"Serena?" Rei's voice was still there, still tender with concern. She was a girl with a deep soul, and knew what it was like to have affection for a certain man. And she understood Serena's much deeper bond with him must be in torment. As she turns, she sees Serena stop and hesitantly goes to her desk.

"I'll be all right, Rei. You go on. Just gotta wish Darien a 'Merry Christmas' and I'll be right down, okay?" Serena grabs her pen, determined to finish her letter off, in the brighter mood she was slowly growing into. She didn't want Darien either to sense the torture her heart was going through for him.

"Okay." Rei sees Serena needs a moment more alone, and goes out the door, leaving the room quiet and still again. (Except for the chattering and clattering going on downstairs in the kitchen.)

"This year's going to be just as fun too! I wish you were here, Darien. But I'm sure you're having a good time with all your new college friends and everybody. Have a Merry, Merry Christmas, Muffin. I hope this letter reaches you soon. I'll save my present for you till you get back. Can't wait for that time. I love you. Merry Christmas, Your Serena "

Serena quickly scribbles, and puts down her pen, folding the letter to send off tomorrow. She nods in the determination someone else had instilled in her not to ever give up. Serena races out the door, to find Rei still there. Taking hers, arm in arm, they walk down the stairs. Rei, upon finding Serena's spirits lifted enough, scolds her about eating too many cookies and making a mess with the ribbons. And how little Ri Ri was a little "piggy" just like her in eating the doughnuts Lita had just made and-the eve before Christmas Eve was surely going to be a good one.