Hi all,
Here is the Chapter 18, Sorry for the delay in writing, being really busy!
I hope you enjoy this chapter, hopefully this will leave you with some questions about what is happening next. Hopefully I will be able to update soon.
PP
Chapter 18
Serena woke up with a start, the final question of the bodily voice ringing around her head. What was it that she just experienced? Was she supposed to take this as a serious threat, or was this a taunt thrown at her by this new enemy? She didn't know what to think, she sat up from her bed, leaned forward head in her hands.
"What does this all mean?" She whispered. Her mind flashed to the tombstones that she saw, were they really because she couldn't bring her team together. Was that the reason why she had this vision? Was she meant to try and make her two teams' one? Or was this her over active imagination reacting to her families deaths, and this was the grief and the depression effecting her.
Meanwhile downstairs Darien was tidying up the house once the guests had left, the only people that were left were the inner court, and they were helping Darien by cleaning the kitchen after the caterers had left.
They had set up a system of cleaning and packing up the dishes in the Kitchen as well as packing up the rest of the kitchen as directed by Darien. Rei was leaning against the counter holding dish towel to dry the plates as Lita passed them to her wet. Rei let out a sigh, "Should someone go and check on Serena? She has been upstairs for a long time."
Mina grabbed the dried plate from Rei and placed it on the newspaper and started wrapping the plate, "Don't you think about it Rei, you don't need to get involved, Darien said that she was still sleeping when he went up 15 minutes ago."
Ami nodded as she grabbed the wrapped plate from Mina and placed it in a large box that said 'chinaware'. "Today has been stressful for her, she will let us know when she needs us, and we don't want to push the friendship."
Rei turned to get some support from Lita, who just gave her a sympathetic look and handed her another plate, not going to disagree with Mina, especially considering they are all on very thin ice with the Princess.
Darien walked into the kitchen with a fresh stack of dirty dishes. He looked at the girls, happy that they had stuck around to help him out, he was so busy with looking after Serena he had forgotten about the fact that the house had to be packed up. "This is the last batch, thanks for your help with packing up the kitchen." He said placing the stack on the bench next to the sink.
Mina smiled politely, "It is our pleasure, anything we can do to help just let us know."
"Thanks, but I think this will be enough for one day. I don't truly know what she wants to do. But I know that until she finishes school she won't be able to stay here." Darien said scratching his head with a sigh. He look up at the ceiling when he heard footsteps up stairs, the other girls looked up at the ceiling as well. "She is up, I will be back."
Darien walked up the stairs, he was pretty drained from all of this, Serena was just an empty husk of herself at the moment, the drama from her court was getting to him too, and he was behind in his study as well, and exams were right around the corner. He reached her door, and gently pushed it open and he saw her standing in the middle of the room. A bag sitting at her feet and she had changed from her black clothes into a comfy looking tracksuit and running shoes on her feet. "Going somewhere?" He asked lightly.
Serena looked up at his face from the piece of paper she was reading, "Away from here?"
"Anywhere in particular?" He asked, slightly confused by her pink get up, and her actually responding to his questions.
A sad look quickly crossed her features; she quickly recovered with a blush, "Oh sorry, I just assumed that we would be going to your place tonight. I don't want to stay here."
Darien saw the look that crossed her face and went forward and hugged her, "Of course Serena, I just didn't think you would be so prepared."
Serena let out a sigh, she was slightly on edge after the dream, and the confrontation with the girls, she wasn't sure what she was thinking, "Thank you." She said into his chest.
Darien smiled and kissed her head, "Just so you know the girls are down stairs I can ask them to leave before you come down?" He asked warily.
Serena shook her head, "I need to talk to Rei, could you maybe send her up here."
"By herself?" Darien asked shocked, Serena nodded, "Are you sure?" Serena nodded again, "Okay, but I do advise against this, especially today."
"I know Darien, this has to happen today, and it needs to happen now, while I have the courage." Serena said her blue eyes looking up at him. Darien let a worried smile slip across his lips, which Serena hastily planted a kiss on them, in hopes to reassure him. Darien held her close and he made the kiss last longer and then left the room to go down stairs. Just before Darien left the room, Serena stopped him, "Thank you Darien for all of this so far." Darien just smiled at her warmly and winked as he rounded the corner.
Walking downstairs he went into the kitchen. The girls were just putting the final tape strips on the boxes, "Hey Girls, great job," The girls smiled at him, and registered the worry that was on his face. "Rei, could you go up and talk to Serena? She was asking for you to talk to her."
Rei's eyes went wide, and she looked at Mina for direction, she didn't want to disobey orders, but she had been asked for.
"I will go with you," Mina said with authority but Darien shook his head. "Just Rei by herself?" She asked Darien and he nodded.
Rei hesitantly left the room, and Mina gave Darien a stern look, "I don't like this Darien,"
Darien shrugged, "It wasn't my request Mina, so don't shoot the messenger. I am going to sit on the couch, you girls are welcome to wait with me," He turned at walked into the family room and lounged on the couch.
Upstairs Rei gently pushed into Serena's room, and she saw the blonde girl sitting on her bed, looking at a piece of paper that was in her hands. Serena looked up when the girl came in and patted the bed next to her to sit down.
Rei followed her instructions and sat down, waiting patiently for Serena to speak to her.
"You had a vision didn't you?" Serena asked, looking at the Raven haired girl.
Rei went to answer but no noise left her lips, she tried again but no sound would leave her. Frustrated Rei's eyes flared with anger.
"I am also to assume that Mina has told you not to talk to me about it." Rei nodded still frustrated. "I will take that as a yes to both my questions. Is this why you were pushing me away?" Rei tried to answer again, but Mina's ruling stopped her again. "That magic is strong isn't Rei." Rei nodded defeated. A sad smile was plastered on her lips. "We need to work on this Rei, I need to know what you have seen. I need answers for your behaviour Mars, as your Princess I demand answers."
Rei felt like a weight had been lifted from her throat, and with Serena's demand as Princess she was able to talk about the dream. Over the next hour Rei explained to Serena what happened in her visions, she explained that originally she had assumed that it was Sailor Moons fault as they didn't know who the Princess was and Sailor Moon didn't have a grave in the visions. Serena nodded and asked questions when she needed answers.
Once Rei had finished, Serena stood up, "This is a step closer to fix things, but we need to repair this relationship one step at a time, but you need to repair the damage that was done to my court in our past lives." Rei nodded grateful that Serena didn't get angry and had remained calm during their conversation. As Serena picked up her bag and made her way to the door to leave, "Oh and Rei, as Princess, you cannot talk about our conversation." Rei nodded, knowing that this would be a similar power to what Mina had, Serena then said, "Oh and Mina will not be able to break my influence unless I am in Danger. So don't think you will be able to tell even her. I hate using this power, but this is what has to happen."
Serena walked down the stairs, and Rei quietly followed her, Rei's face showing now emotion, she was just thinking through the last 45 minutes of her life to find some answers or a loophole so that she could discuss it with the girls. Serena looked into the Family room, and announced, "I believe it is time to go. Thank you for staying ladies, I will be in touch."
The other three looked at Serena and then to Rei who was still lost in her thoughts. They got up and each hugged Serena and left. She then turned to Darien, "Let us go back to your place, and you can relax, or do something for yourself. You don't need to babysit me."
Darien gave her a funny look, but wrapped his arm around her shoulders. They left the house together and made their way back to Darien's apartment in the City.