Author Note: I send my thanks out the my amazing reviewers. TropicalRemix, Jenbunny, and Pamela... thank you guys for sticking with this story. It feels good to just throw an idea out there, though it's admittedly not anywhere near my best, and just run with it. I know that the timeline is very vague and I'm sorry about that. I want a short story and am too afraid to add details to drag it out.

Disclaimer: I own nothing Sailor Moon.

Even Angel's Cry

Chapter Three

I brushed my stray blonde side bangs out of my face as I dropped the last cardboard box on the floor. My long hair, which had begun to grow past my waist, was no look for a college girl. That hair, I decided, was in my past. It was also another reason to give to a charitable cause. My hair was now styled in a longish bob haircut that ended about an inch or so from my shoulders. It went well with my tanned skin and heart-shaped face. Although my face didn't look like Reese Whitherspoon's, it still had the same shape.

My eyes were large and sky blue, my lips nice and full, and my nose small but just fitting for my face. All in all, the haircut and my new appearance looked incredible with my thin yet sexily curved figure. Strong arms scooped me up, bridal-style, and I giggled. The husky voice whispered into my ear, making me squirm and giggle more. "Hello gorgeous."

"Andrew you loser, put me down!" I teased and he complied, not without a kiss on my forehead first.
"We have to worry about unpacking before you run around placing kisses all over my face. I want this to feel like home."

I had to admit, with medication and moving away from Cali, I had improved a lot. I allowed myself to get closer to Andrew and accepted the fact that Darien was dead – more so than before at least. Now I was moving in with Andrew, who seemed like he really cared about me. My heart wasn't completely healed, but that didn't mean Andrew couldn't help mend it.

My cell phone rang and I ran to pick it up, without even looking at the caller ID. The voice was that of an old friend who I had recently departed from. Her concern was ringing through the very center of my brain – with all good intentions of course – and her mouth was running at a million miles a minute. I took a deep breath and braced myself for the upcoming conversation.

"Raye… Raye… Raye… RAYE!" I finally screamed into the phone, impatiently, and was rewarded with her attention (at last!), "I'm fine and we're moving in alright. We've barely had the chance to unpack, though. The place is as nice as it was on the internet and the beach isn't too far away. It has a different beachy air about it than California though. It's not as homey to me, I guess."

"Maybe you should come back here than, Rena. I mean, you have all of your friends and memories over here. I'm barely able to keep myself together by myself. I will need some hardcore shopping time with Lita, just so you know. Did you track down Amy yet? That is your psychiatrist's daughter's name, isn't it? Amy?" Raye pressed me for more information.

"Like I said Raye, we've barely had time to settle in. Once everything is unpacked I'll give Amy a call. Her mother said she needed to get her nose out of the books every once in a while, anyway. I fear it won't be until tomorrow though. I never really realized how much room everything I own takes up. Mostly my clothes, of course. Anyway, I better go and help Andrew. He may be a macho man but he can't do everything himself. I send my love, Raye. Buhbye." I smiled.

"And I send mine; goodbye Rena!" Raye chirped before I hung up. With a knowing smile I shook my head at my crazy friend's calling antics. She acted like I was going to get raped if we didn't talk on the phone 24/7 and I was out of her sight.

"I think we should warm this place up." Andrew whispered into my ear as strong arms slipped around my waist. He bent his head to line a trail of kisses down my neck, soft lips meting soft flesh. I broke out of his hold and eyed him sternly with my arms crossed under my ample chest.

"You know how I feel about stuff like that, Andy." My tone was serious and warning.

"I know Serena but I can't resist you much longer. The day that I finally make you mine will be the best day of my life. You will be my beautiful little wife someday, and an amazing wife you'll be." He smiled, hands now on my hips. He leaned in and placed a kiss on my forehead. "I'll wait until you're ready but I hope you know it's killing me."

"Not before marriage!" I stated promptly. "Now let's get unpacked."

Not before marriage? Was I really saying that to be truthful and meaningful or as an excuse? I knew that if Darien was here this very second that I would have thrown him on a bed and forced myself upon him. I would have no trouble getting on top of him and indulge in sexual activities but this was Andrew and it was different. Part of me was afraid that I'd pretend it was Darien while we were engaging in the activity.

I didn't want to hurt Andrew in using him like that. His intentions were sweet and charming and I didn't want to close my eyes and imagine myself in somebody else's arms. At the same time, I didn't want to disappoint myself. I was guessing that I was mainly being selfish, for once. I knew that when I woke up I'd be heartbroken to see Andrew instead of Darien and I couldn't bare the thoughts. Sharing a bed with him would be awkward enough, I was sure.

Darien

If there was one thing life in the military had taught me, it was that you couldn't trust time. Time didn't exist when you were out there fighting. They'd said I'd have a break after a year of service… I had went two years hanging on the brink of death. I had tried to hold onto the times when I had been with Serena but they were fading away, like the rest of me. Yet, with time, I had arrived back at the very camp grounds I had started off in. I was like a ghost to the camp and they couldn't believe me. Everybody swamped me with questions.

I took off the jacket and shirt of my uniform to expose the once wounded flesh that was still horribly scared. My face was burnt and I peeled off my one boot to hold it in my hand. I stared blankly past the large group before me. "If you don't remember me, my name is Darien Shields. I was a Sergeant Master when I left and traded myself to the prison camp…

"I spent weeks going through various forms of torture until I was lead to a river area. I saved a boy and ended up in a coma for the past two years. They had healed me and kept me fit and let me go. I walked across the desert, a process that took three days of miserable-ness with freezing nights and scolding days. I had a McMahon Viper strike at me…" I lifted up to expose the sole of my boot, "I barely kicked it in time. I'm dehydrated and confused and weak… I want to go home and see my girl."

"Koga…" a familiar voice from my past spoke up. I turned to see my old partner, Jed. He faced was traced into a frown. "Koga, we all thought you were dead… You can have the letters, I kept all of them. I couldn't… I couldn't bring myself to throw them away. I knew you were too strong to die but, when you hadn't showed up… Would you like to read the letters?"

Finding the most recent one I quickly ripped it open. My hands were shaking so bad that it was troublesome to unfold it. My bloodshot eyes read carefully over the words as I said them out loud in a shaky voice. This is the last letter I will write to you… Goodbye, Darien Shields. Love, Serena. This had to be a cruel mind trick, the desert messing with my brain due to lack of abundance of water and oxygen to my brain. "No… No… No…"

Despite my dry body I hit my knees before groveling in a ball and crying my eyes out. I was strong; I had always been strong… I wasn't this strong. My biggest fear had come true: Serena had left me in her past and thought I was dead.

"We'll notify the news, right away." Jed encouraged.

"Don't bother… I won't be missed. I was as good as dead anyway. I don't belong – don't exist – in that world anymore. Why go through all the trouble over something that doesn't even matter? Fuck fixing that obituary; tell me what my next mission is."

"You're crazy Darien, you need to go home." Jed encouraged.

"You know what Jed? Angel's cry… they bawl their fucking eyes out but not for me and not tonight. Now figure out what the hell my next mission is, all right?" I yelled.

"Darien, there's something else you don't know…" Jed whispered sadly.

"What?" I growled, unsure I'd be able to take anymore bad news. A man handed me a water bottle and I immediately downed it all. I was giving a piece of bread, as well, to keep my stomach at bay for the moment and not overfeed myself.

"Your mother passed away… seven months ago." Jed's voice was barely audible. I stopped chewing on the bread and looked at him. I was scanning for any sign that he was joking or that this was a dream. Who would joke about matters like this, though? "Why don't you visit home or go somewhere to calm herself down and make sure you're still sane?"

"The only place I want to go is on another mission." I argued, furiously. That was, until a higher-up came and appointed me on a mandatory leave. If I wasn't willing to comply, he explained how I could have my position ripped out from under me in the military. I wasn't sure where I could go though, I didn't want to be anywhere near California.

Serena

I sighed as I rested my head against Andrew. We were sitting quietly on the beach and watching the waves move in soothing, flowing motions. The sunk was sinking into the horizon, against the pool of blue that outstretched forever. The quality quiet time between the two of us felt nice. Andrew moved around to face me and look into my eyes with so much emotion it scared me.

"Serena, you are a gorgeous girl and I couldn't imagine one day of my life without you. If I hold this off any longer, I may never have enough courage to ask you. I'm truly and deeply in love with you Serena and I will give you everything I have to offer. I hope you love me as much as I love you, baby. Will you marry me?" He revealed a velvet black jewelry box from the pockets of his athletic basketball shorts.

My mouth dropped open and I wasn't sure what to say. I wasn't completely in love with him but I couldn't afford to hurt him after all he had been through with me. He had done so much for me I couldn't resist. Against my better judgment and the heeding of my heart I agreed to the marriage. He gathered me in his arms and kissed me passionately but I didn't feel anything. I was numb. I wanted to crumble up and cry but I couldn't do that. I had to be strong. I plastered a fake smile on my face as he slipped the sparkling diamond on my finger; the golden band reflecting with the sun's shrinking rays. I hated gold.

"Andrew I don't know what to say…" I spoke quietly as I eyed the ring on my ring. I kept my smile but secretly wanted to ask him what the hell he was thinking. I wanted to inform him that I had given my heart away a long time ago and had never gotten it back or would probably never get it back ever again for that matter. I let a few tears slipped down my face. "It's a beautiful ring Andrew. Thank you so much, I love you."

"I love you too, Serena." He smiled back.

The tears rolling down my cheeks weren't those of happiness. They were full of regret and guilt. They were full of sad memories and thoughts of Darien. They were a reminder that I wasn't purely happy in this relationship, not matter how hard I attempted to convince myself. It wasn't Andrew's fault he would never be Darien but it wasn't my fault that I could never love Andy.

Why did he have to be dead? Why?

I felt the rain start to pour down and become freezing cold. Andrew suggested that we go back inside. I wanted to refuse, though. Part of me wanted to stand here and wait for the rain to fill up and drown me with the ocean. I wanted to become part of nature and ignore the pain shooting throughout my heart. Typically I would rather be pained than numb, to know I was still alive, but my mind had reversed itself.

That numbness from before? Yeah, that would be great right now.