AN: please note that within this story bold is for thoughts and cursive is everything that is connected/comes from Serenas dreams.


Mina detransformed halfway to the temple grounds. It being the nearest place they headed there, and the girls didn't really want to worry Serena with arriving at the apartment carrying a half awake Mina and Rei with a busted lip.

To their surprise, Serena was already there, and seeing Sailor Jupiter holding Mina rushed towards the girls, her worry visible on her face. "Is she okay?!" she helped to lay Mina on the bed once they were inside Rei's rooms. "I heard there was another youma attack and I came to see if you were alright." Serena answered the unvoiced question of the girls.

Ami, having detransformed with the rest of the girls on the temple grounds, quickly soothed Serena's nerves with a calm voice and short gentle touch to her shoulder, "don't worry, she is fine, just exhaustion from using too much energy." It seemed to be the wrong thing to say. "Why was she using too much energy, the rest of you look fine. Is it because of me? Because I can no longer transform and you have to work harder?" Serena asked anxiously, not daring to look at her friends, her gaze resting on the unmoving figure of Mina.

Lita lightly put a hand on Serena's upper arm, "it's not your fault. We are just getting used to the new uniforms and Mina here used too much energy wielding her new weapon, it has nothing to do with you."

New outfits, new weapons, all this after I am no longer a Sailor Senshi. I was the one holding them back to evolve, it is all MY fault. And they know it, they are not helping me to understand why my brooch broke, they don't even try to invite me to the Senshi meetings anymore! Anger and disappointment was bubbling inside Serena. Lita felt Serena tense under her touch. All their new stuff, even the four new warriors. They don't need me anymore... The voice from her nightmares haunting her with the chant I won't hurt you. I am not the one that has left you. I am not the one who betrayed you.

She slapped Lita's hand away and stood up, her gaze with an indifferent expression going over the three standing women in front of her. Seeing Rei's hurt lip, her façade cracked a bit, but she quickly schooled it back to one of indifference. She reached in her sub-space pocket, taking the shards of her brooch and handing them to Ami, "I don't need this." She said quietly. Ami took the pieces in confusion. This wasn't like Serena, she's never this cold.

Lita stepped forward, hoping to reason with Serena, ready to speak and but was interrupted before a sound could pass her lips. "I won't be home tonight." With that simple sentence Serena left. "Let her go, Darien will take care of her." Rei stopped Lita from following their blonde friend, hissing a bit from moving her lip.

"Should we tell Luna and Artemis?" asked Lita, knowing that the two of them were worried about Serena. "I don't think so. They went to the Moon to get answers on our new transformations. They trusted us to keep an eye on Serena and we are. She just needs someone else at the moment, and we are letting her go, even if it's just for a little bit. Once Luna and Artemis have what we need from the Moon's supercomputer, they will come back." Ami reasoned.

"Ami, do you really think they will find what they need? What if the underground structures of the Palace have been destroyed as well with the fall of Silver Millennium?"

"Honestly, Lita, I'm not sure. The Crystal had after all destroyed all the evidence of life on other planets and Earth's kingdom. But they have been gone now for couple of days, so I'm hoping that they have found something." Ami expressed her hope.

Rei, who had sat down by Mina's side during Ami's and Lita's dialogue, stood up, "I will make us some tea, and prepare us where to sleep. I think Mina is out till morning."


As soon as Serena was out of sight of the temple, she started to run. Knowing that going back to the apartment is not an option after her declaration, she quickly made up her mind to go to the one place where someone could just be there for her, without questions and, most importantly, without any of that Senshi and youma business she was starting to get sick of – always protecting someone, always worrying about someone. Putting her wishes and dreams in the background, not anymore.

She now stood in front of the door of Darien's apartment, a bit wary of him with her disappearance yesterday; she rang the doorbell and waited. He opened the door with an unreadable expression and Serena launched at him, hugging him and tears she was holding back so hard sprung from her eyes. "I'm so stupid. Stupid…" She mumbled in his chest.

Darien was surprised at her tears; he guessed Serena had left him because she felt afraid. He could understand. They, sort of, skipped few steps in their relationship, like a date. Just few moments ago, he was happy that she was standing at his door. But now, that she had started to cry he wasn't sure what to say. He closed the door and slowly tried to move her with him further in his apartment.

"Hey, calm down, why would you think you are stupid? Is it because of yesterday?" Darien tried to entangle himself from her hug, to look at her face, but she was very adamant of not showing her face to him. She was crying and her nose was running. But he was being so calm and not angry or anything that all her fears and doubts disappeared, even if just for the time while she was with him, and she just started to talk about everything that's on her mind, her words unguarded.

"The girls don't need me anymore." She spoke in his chest. "They have their new uniforms and new allies, and I can't do anything because Sailor Moon is gone, forever. And I was so angry at them and starting to blame them for leaving me out, not inviting me to Senshi meetings, but now that I think of it, maybe they have changed because something needs to replace Sailor Moon. And who could be it better to replace me than them, right?" She then looked up at him, and seeing his confused and a bit shocked expression, her mind realized what her mouth had spoken.

Darien had known that the Sailor Senshi had new outfits, along with the fact that there were four men helping her girls. He remembers the Temple incident all too well. His thoughts having been full with Serena, the other girl's lack of attendance in all the resent youma incidents had escaped his mind. And the Moon Senshi had been for a time an important part of his life but for a different set of reasons that the blonde in front of him.

In his mind Darien went over Serena's words. The last time he saw the Senshi was when there was chaos in the amusement park. Sailor Moon did not show up at that time. How did he miss that? Senshi meetings. Senshi... Not even the public called the five girls Senshi, it was a name they had given to Tuxedo Mask. Sailor Moon had used the name. If Sailor Moon is gone… How can she be gone? Replacing Serena? Replacing her with new outfits? Why would anyone need to replace Serena unless she was the one who has disappeared. And if they need to replace Serena then this means that…

Serena knows that Sailor Moon has not showed up to any of the battles, and at the same time neither had he. As most of his appearances had been mostly due to the feeling in his gut that Sailor Moon needs him. A feeling that hasn't been there for over a year now.

Serena watched as Darien's expression of confusion got even more pronounced with every second that passed. How could she be so careless with her words… Serena wanted to look away from his speculating eyes. And somehow, she noticed the moment he understood. Serena could not explain how could he figure it out, but that look in his eyes, it told the truth that she had said too much. She just hoped that when he starts to speak she will have the strength talk.

"You are Sailor Moon?!" Darien knew this made sense. Her and four friends, five Senshi warriors. The bruises she seemed to be hiding from everyone, but he had noticed. And never found out where she got them, as they were gone so quick he sometimes thought that he was just imagining things. From his own experience of hiding bruises and the occasional deep cuts. And there was only one variable that could would explain it all – superhuman healing abilities. Abilities that would be more than handy for someone like a Senshi.

Serena did not respond to his query. She didn't have the strength to say it aloud. A secret that for few months now wasn't even true anymore. Knowing that he needs an answer no matter the specifics, she just gave a nod. As soon as she did it, Darien let her go and Serena let her arms fall free from his form. She watched him stop few steps away from her. Darien extended his both arms, slightly bent at the elbows and with a snap of his fingers two objects were in front of Serena. A red rose with steeled steam in his right hand and a white domino mask in his left.

The importance of the objects presented made Serena slump on the floor. "It's been you the whole time." She felt him kneel in front of her on the floor, the objects gone from his hands. Darien wasn't sure if she would welcome his touch and he just sat on his knees on front of her.

"Remember that kiss on radio tower? I was thinking of you." He spoke, his voice quiet, knowing how much they have just revealed to each other. "There was a time when I had feelings for both of you, and when we shared that kiss I just knew that Sailor Moon would never be what Serena was to me."

For the second time that evening, Serena wrapped her arms around Darien's middle and he hugged her back, "it was the same for me too." He heard her say, and then she looked up at him, "I'm so glad it's you. If I ever have the means to be Sailor Moon again, it makes me happy that you can be there for me and I don't have to hide." She reached up and kissed him on the lips. She felt him tighten his embrace and kiss her back.

He pulled her even closer to him, deepening their kiss, his hands slowly exploring her back, bringing her in his lap. Their position reminding them the one they were in the day before, Serena straddling him, her hands in his hair. Feeling him growing hard under her, her body getting hot. And when they stopped from the lack of oxygen, their quick breaths washing over each other's faces, they both knew that tomorrow morning Serena won't run away.


Demande knew that there was no need for constant surveillance on all the involved parties. There was nothing that could happen that would endanger his plans. After all, he only needed to wait for the Princess to be asleep to invade her mind. After the first nightmares it was just Wiseman trying to getting a hold of the small Princess with his shadow monsters. He knew Wisemans plan, and in due time he will deal with him. It was just a part of his game. Just like the Earth's prince and his protectors. Although, he had to admit, with the girls having gained their warrior uniforms it was a matter of time before they had their past memories and abilities, like the Prince's protectors most probably have, otherwise the four men wouldn't be so close to that Terran.

For the time being, the Senshi couldn't even defeat Wiseman's weakest creations with their current powers. With both the Terra's Prince and Moon's Princess unaware of their heritage and the crystals dormant, the eight warriors were not at their full potential and thus on his part they posed no immediate danger, but they did provide him with entertainment – watching them struggle did have some appeal to Demande.