(blinks once, then twice) Wow. You. Guys. ROCK! (runs from verbally abusive reviewers) Sorry I had to leave it on a cliffy! It just couldn't end any other way! On with the show!

Disclaimer: Don't own Strictly Ballroom or Sailor Moon (warning…short than it seems. Lol.)

'words' Serena

"words" anyone else

Last time: Her vision was blurry with tears, and her hair stuck to her face. She didn't care because the rain was too thick to see through anyway.

She also didn't realize where she was, nor did she care. Her moves were mechanical. She didn't want to face the world right now. The screams of other people didn't register to her. So she didn't know what happened when car wheels screeched and her vision went dark.

Can't Stop the Music

Chapter 11

Where was she?

Darkness surrounded Serena on all sides. No matter where she ran the darkness followed, with no escape in sight. For one who had grown to love the sunshine and bask in the warmth, such a cold, desolate place was disconcerting.

And incredibly lonely…

Her movements were seemingly soundless as she wandered around in the dark abyss. After what seemed hours of searching, Serena sat and curled herself into a ball. She should just give up. The way out of such a dismal place could be anywhere. A shiver ran down her spine.

Was this what death felt like? Is this how the rest of her time was to be spent? In eternal silence? Where was everyone else if she was dead? A lone tear slid its way onto the floor.

Or was it the ceiling?

The heartbroken girl wept silently. Secretly, she reveled in the sound of her weeping. It gave her at least some noise in such a deserted and unfriendly place such as this. By now small tears had become fat drops and her weeping loud wails. Minutes later she thought she heard mumbling. It was faint, but any sound was comfort.

She stood up and followed the almost significant sound hoping it would not disappear just as quickly as it had come. Her eyes squinted as she struggled to see anything through the darkness around her. Her footsteps were heavy as she stumbled across an indistinguishable floor. Soon, the sound became a little easier to decipher.

"She lost quite a lot of blood miss. The car damaged many important vertebrae in her body. The impact on ground was in no way cushioned during her fall. It's very unlikely she'll wake up from her comatose state. I'm…sorry."

Comatose? She was in a coma? She wasn't dead? A feeling of relief flooded her whole being. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life floating in the shadows. But how could she get out? It's not like there was a door leading to her freedom.

A female voice filled the once empty space. Its warmth flowed over her like a gentle embrace as she listened. "Thank you, Doctor. For everything."

Who was that? Were they here to see her? And why couldn't she tell if it were a male or a female. The were too many questions and not enough time for what she needed to know.

The sound was becoming clearer every step she took. Where were the voices coming from? Which direction should she choose? She waited patiently for the calm voice to speak again. After all, it was here only choice. It was either that or she sit there and rot.

"Oh, Serena. What were you thinking when this happened? Why did you do this to yourself?"

The once calm voice was wracked with sobs. What did she mean 'to herself?' Was it her fault she was here now? Why couldn't she remember how she got there in the first place? She pleaded silently with the voice for more answers.

"Please wake up, Sere. I don't want to lose you to this." The voice became very determined. "You're stronger than this and you know it. Don't let it beat you like this. Don't waste all that unfound talent on death. Not after all you've been through. Fight it!" Serena struggled to find a way out.

'I'm trying! I don't want to die! I want to live!'

"I won't let you die here, Sere."

A dim light appeared up ahead. At first, Serena was sure she was seeing things. Staring into the dark for long amounts of time can make you do that.

Her steps were timid as she got closer to the light she slowly reached out to feel its warmth. It was real all right. Darkness could never radiate that kind of warmth.

Was this the way out? Would she finally be free of the loneliness? If not, there was always a 50 percent chance she'd live through this! Great odds, actually! As she touched the light, a wave of intense pain traveled over her. It hurt too much to attempt anything. Even blinking.

'What's happening to me? Why does it hurt so much?' Maybe she had chosen the wrong thing.

Well there went that fifty percent chance.

Part of her wanted that blissfully painless darkness back again. To feel nothing like this pain once more. Regardless of what a small part of her wanted, the bigger part wanted to live. To feel sunlight, taste wonderful things, hear beautiful sounds.

She stepped forward further into the light. She was slightly afraid of what awaited her on the other side. Who wouldn't after hearing an unknown, friendly nonetheless, but still unknown voice talking to her?

As she fully stepped onto the other side, light engulfed her. Slowly, very slowly, everything came into focus. The faint sound of beeping could be heard as well as other soft voices.

Startled, she sat up quickly as her eyes shot open. Suffice to say that was the last thing she should have done. Her breath was knocked out of her and her whole body pounded to an unknown rhythm. Never skipping a beat, the intense pain sprung into action.

"Owie….that smarts. Where the hell are my pain killers?"

Sooner than the words were out of her mouth Serena was wrapped up in an oddly familiar embrace. Another wave of pain arrived. She had to fight off the urge to take a swing at the evil hugger.

Slowly this time, she cracked her eyes open to see. Her vision was filled with light and dark blurs that gradually got better as time went by. In time, tearful green eyes came into view followed by curly brunette hair back in a very familiar ponytail.

"Ungh…Lita? Is that really you?" She wasn't going to try to sit up again. That would just be stupid on her part. Lita embraced her again. (gentle this time) "I was so worried you would never open your eyes again!" The fiery brunette gave her a sound slap to the arm. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!"

Serena's grin was sheepish and full of pain. Did she have to hit her for it?

Wait.

Give HER a scare? How about the scare she gave herself? It's not everyday you wake up in a hospital plugged into a million different machines! Just what had happened to her again? Train wreck? She waited until Lita had ended her not so gentle embrace.

"I'm really sorry, Lita. I'm just so confused right now. Do you know what's wrong with me? It's seemed to have slipped my mind for the moment" Yeah right. More like can't remember a single damn thing.

She tried to look down at herself but a blasted headache impeded her movement. The beat it was making sounded oddly like a conga she used to know. Lita looked away ashamed while tears filled her eyes yet again. What was wrong? Was she still going to die or something?

"Lita?..."

She fixed her gaze on the girl, but Lita looked away hastily. "I don't know if I should tell you right now. After all, you've just been in a really bad accident, Sere." Instead of giving her the answers Serena thought she damned well deserved, Lita went about brushing back her bangs and fluffing her pillows.

"Would you stop tending to me! It's not like I'm going to up and keel over! I've been standing on my own two feet for a long time and I still can!" That familiar pitiful gaze appeared once more. "I really should go. The nurse will only let me visit for so much longer before she kicks me out."

Before she could get up to leave Serena grabbed her hand. There had to be a reason she was avoiding the subject like the plague. I really bad one.

"How bad Lita?" Lita just hid her gaze under her bangs. A stillness went through the room as time froze.

"Dammit! Lita…how bad?" Lita looked up, but the look in her eyes was nothing compared to what she had to say next. "Please, Lita. I need to know. Am I going to be ok? Lita regained a little of her composure while wiping away fresh tears. How was she going to tell Serena?

Her gaze traveled to the injured blonde looking so small and defeated on the bed.

"Serena….

you're paralyzed."

Darien didn't know what to do.

No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't get the easiest of moves down. Usually the moves came as easily as his name. He made them up, for crying out loud!

But when the time came for him to practice all he could see was the crushed and betrayed look of a certain fair-haired woman. Her liquid blue eyes appeared wherever he stared, and her soft voice haunted his dreams the night he got rid of her. For some reason his dreams had been filled with rain and powerful sadness.

What was it trying to tell him?

He decided to just give up for the day. Auditions had gone nowhere, which was sort of a surprise. He could have sworn he put 'ability to dance well' on the flyer….

He gathered his bag and left the studio full of good and bad memories. If he gazed long enough, he would believe he could see a young girl dancing in the window. A chill went over him. He made his way to the arcade to have a coffee and catch up on news. It would be good to see a familiar face and have a calming cup of joe.

When Darien finally arrived at the arcade, most of the lights were off. But why would Andy be closing the place so early? It wasn't like him. Something terribly bad must've happened to cause this reaction. That familiar feeling of foreboding passed over him again, but he shook it off. He waved his hands for Andrews's attention and waited for him to open the door.

Andrew had never looked worse. He clothes were the same from the day before and he could definitely use a shave. "What the hell happened to you? You look like you haven't slept in days!" Andrew shrugged his jacket on and locked the door. "I fee like I haven't slept in days. Why are you here? This is the last place I thought you'd be."

Darien just looked on, confused. Why wouldn't he be here? He always came here for a hot cup of coffee. Why would he go anywhere else on his pay? "What are you talking about? I've always come here. Is today some type of holiday or something? Did I tell you I wouldn't be here today?"

Andrew looked at Darien disbelievingly. You mean he didn't already know what had happened? Why would he be the last person to know such important information? "You really have no idea what I'm talking about do you?" Darien just gave a sarcastic smile. "Enlighten me, please." What kind of joke was this?

"Darien, Serena's in the hospital. She was hit by a car last night. I thought you knew." Andrew might have gone on but Darien heard nothing else. Serena was in the hospital? Right outside the studio? The rest of his words were carried of by the wind.

For Darien was already sprinting towards the hospital.