Hello everyone! I'm sorry this chapter is so late, but the school work has been mounting up on me. When they say junior year is the most stressful year of high school they mean it, lol. Please forgive me for this chapter for being so late, but I hope you guys enjoy it BIG NEWS! I GOT AN EDITOR!

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Chapter 6: How do we act?

Darien had been looking for Serena all day, but he had not seen her at all! Before he'd had no problem of running into every day more than once, and now when he suddenly wanted to find her she'd disappeared. In his dream last night Serena had told him she would be coming back today. Since he was going through so much trouble to look for it was obvious that somewhere along the line he'd begun to believe the dreams were actually real. They certainly felt real enough, but just the thought of it seemed absurd.

When Darien finally collapsed into his stool at the arcade his patience and attention span was very, very thin. Andrew set Darien's coffee down in front of him, and watched Darien sip it solemnly.

"What's wrong Darien?" Andrew asked.

Darien sighed and ran his hand through his hair, a true sign of agitation and frustration. "Nothing Andrew."

"Pfft! You can't expect me to believe that," he watched Darien take another long sip of his coffee, "I dumped ten packets of sugar in there and you haven't even noticed."

Darien sputtered and spit the coffee out instantly, just now noticing the intense sickly sweetness.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Darien said wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. Andrew knew he HATED sugar in his coffee.

"My point is made! What's bothering you?"

Darien sighed again, "Have you seen Serena today."

"Serena, why?"

"I don't know!" he said in frustration, "What has this girl done to me Andrew? I can't think straight, I've been a wreck for days," Darien's head thunked down onto the counter.

Andrew stood there a little confused, but he knew that his friend's feelings had changed towards Serena." If it makes you feel better Darien she's right over there," Andrew said.

Darien sat up and whirled around looking in the direction Andrew had gestured and Serena was indeed sitting in a booth. What surprised him was that she had her nose in a very old looking volume and was reading it with rapt interest. So many and too many things rushed through Darien's mind.

The dreams were obviously a little more than just dreams, they were far too correct in reality. All he wanted to do was run over and embrace her, but he had no right to. As far as he knew nothing had changed between them. He wanted to even go over and say something, have a conversation with her, but he had no idea what they would talk about. He would most likely end up making himself look like an idiot.

Darien stood, paid for his coffee and walked out of the arcade, he needed to do some serious thinking. Where was his relationship with Serena? Did they have one at all? How was he supposed to act around her after such realistic dreams? Too many questions with no answers, Darien son found himself wandering through the park, no one else seemed to be around which suited him fine.

Darien wasn't sure what to do about him and Serena, it was all too confusing. Something had changed so rapidly it was out of control and Darien was left trying to find his footing. He could talk to Serena about the dreams he had, but she would probably only laugh him off. What the hell was going on? Darien wasn't used to being so off kilter, he was always in control and knew what was going on. That feeling was completely gone; he was lost in this situation.

"Darien!" he heard someone yell behind him, he recognized the voice with a groan knowing there could be no escape. Sure enough two seconds later Ann had latched herself onto his arm pressing her breasts against him.

"What do you want Ann?" Darien asked unaffected by her blatant attempts at seduction.

"I was just wandering Darien if you've heard of the Spring Dance coming up at my school," she said batting her eyes lashes at him.

"No I haven't heard of it," Darien said lying blatantly; he'd had several girls approach him about it. "I have absolutely no interest in going Ann."

"Darien!" Ann wailed, putting on her best crocodile tears. An expert at getting what she wanted Ann could summon up tears at any moment she wanted, Darien would take her to this dance if it was the last thing she ever did.

Darien looked at the tears rolling down her face and sighed in annoyance. Ann was much too persistent and wouldn't stop bothering him until he said yes. He could afford to humor her for one night if it would get her off his back.

"Fine Ann," he said hoping she would leave him alone now. She let out a shout of glee and pranced off probably going to tell the world they were now going out. It would cause Darien a lot of trouble, but he'd never cared about what other people said, Ann could be dealt with later. Whatever was happening between him and Serena needed to be taken care of now, but how was the question.

Darien looked up to see where in the park he exactly was intending to head home, but he spotted Serena sitting on one of the nearby park benches. It seemed ironic that they would eventually end up in the same place together, and Darien couldn't resist not talking to her. He couldn't make himself walk away this time; in fact he found his feet moving forward by themselves.

"Where have you been Meatball Head?" he asked tenderly staring down at her. She looked up at him in surprise from the book that she'd been reading; she hadn't expected him to approach her so quickly. She'd been feeling so much better when she'd returned home. She was able to concentrate on her school work and her life as Sailor Moon. She didn't cry herself to sleep at night, but she couldn't erase his face from her mind.

"I've been on the moon Darien," she said smiling up at him, she knew he was still in a dispute about the dreams; she could only wonder how he would react.

"The moon would suit you Serena," he said with a smile. Serena scoot over a little on the bench she was sitting, a silent invitation to sit down. Darien sat down without a second thought, eager to spend time with her.

"Have you ever wondered about the past Darien?" Serena asked staring out at the setting sun over the lake.

"There are many things I don't remember apparently I lot more than I thought I did," he said thinking back to the dream conversation he and Serena had had. "I've had some strange dreams about you."

"What were they about?"

"You kept crying and talking about the past, there were also more pleasurable things we did."

He saw a blush creep up her face.

"But it's brought into light that you might know more about me than I do, and that maybe I don't know you as well as I like," Darien said watching her more closely looking for any sign that she knew what he was talking about. He found that he wanted the dreams to be real, he wanted there to be something more between him and Serena. Maybe he'd always wanted that but for some reason it shined right in front of him like a blazing neon sign. Had he always felt this way about her? Had he just been denying his feelings for her? It was all very confusing and Darien needed as many answers as he could get.

"Memories are fickle things Darien."

"Don't I know it," he said reaching over to capture her chin in his hand turning her face to his, his expression grew serious. He could see it now, the false happiness that he'd been falling for; he could see the underlying sadness in her eyes; had they all been so blind? "You've been crying a lot Serena."

"No I haven't," she denied immediately, she tried to turn her face away afraid that he would see too much, but his hand held her face in place.

"Not recently, but you're sad, and I find that I don't like you sad, you should be happy. Why are you pretending to be fine when you're obviously not?"

"The man I love can make me happy," Serena said knowing he would think of the dreams. His questions were hitting a little too close to home, he had to regain his memories on his own, if she told him he would never believe her. That would hurt even more than him never regaining his memories.

"And what if that man doesn't deserve your love?"

"Well that's not for him to decide now is it," she said with a smile. "Don't worry the guy I love is pretty smart, I'm sure he can figure out what to do." She reached up hesitantly and did something she'd been longing to do since she'd seen him again. Her fingers lightly brushed away the bangs lying in his eyes and tucked them away. Darien reached up and caught her wrist staring into her eyes searching for some kind of understanding. She knew he knew what they were talking about and she was sure he knew the dreams couldn't have been more real.

"SCREECH!"

They both turned at the same time in the direction of the horrendous screech that couldn't have been human. A huge yoma came crashing out of the trees sending civilians running and screaming all over the place. The yoma had hands that were a pair of wicked looking claws, it shot dangerous looking metal spikes out form its hands to pin people against the trees of the park and suck their energy from them.

Serena stood from the bench calmly and began to walk towards the yoma intending to meet it in battle, but she'd forgotten she was with Darien. He grabbed her wrist and began pulling her in the opposite direction. Serena began to follow him in a dead run, knowing she had to get back to save those people, but not while she was with Darien.

There was another deafening screech and Serena looked back over her shoulder. The yoma had swung its head around to stare in their direction. It had sucked the rest of the occupants in the area dry, they were the only ones left. The yoma licked its lips in anticipation and charged after them.

"Darien we're going to have to move a little faster," Serena said. Darien looked over his shoulder and cursed softly under his breath. They had to get somewhere safe, he had to get Serena somewhere safe. He felt an elemental need to protect her; he couldn't let anything happen to her.

"Darien."

"What Serena?" Darien asked trying to lead them through the labyrinth of trees around them.

"It's going to catch up with us," she said looking constantly over her should as the yoma began to close in on them with a triumphant grin on its face.

"Serena you have to-"Darien was cut off as he was suddenly pinned against one of the trees surrounding them. The yoma had cast one of her metal pikes and used it to make Darien immobile. He couldn't move a muscle; the metal had some sort of magic shield around it paralyzing him.

"Serena run!" he yelled knowing that she was still free. Serena was looking up at him with fear and worry in her eyes, she didn't want to leave him for the yoma, but she had to transform so she could come back and help him. She gave him a weak nod then turned to began running in some random direction, but a screech from the yoma startled her. She turned around and saw the yoma quickly advancing on a frozen Darien. Its long metal claws were outstretched and it had apparently become excited by the chase they'd given him. Instead of moving to drain his energy, it aimed one of its metal pikes for attack.

Serena knew she wouldn't have time to transform and save Darien, he was going to get seriously hurt if she didn't do something. Before her brain even began working again her feet were moving back towards him the fastest run she could pull off. She hurtled to s stop in front of him and she saw he had adverted his face waiting for the blow to come. Serena smiled at him; she would never let that thing hit him, he didn't know about the powers he possessed, she could always use the crystal to heal herself, Darien was more important. Darien was more important than life.

Serena closed her eyes and she felt the metal spike spear through her back in one swift movement. She opened her eyes and let out a scream as white-hot pain blossomed over her blotting out her vision and her ability to breath. Her legs went out from under her, sending her falling to the ground. She landed on her beck, she felt the sickening movement of the pike as the weight she'd put on it pushed it further through her. She quickly rolled onto her side and already saw the pool of blood surrounding her; she glimpsed a dark metal protruding from her ribcage.

"SERENA!"

"Mars Fire Ignite!"

Serena knew form the scream that the Sailor Scouts had arrived, that was good, she couldn't battle now. Serena felt a large thick bulge rise in her throat and she opened her mouth in a vicious cough, there was even more blood on the ground. She coughed again and more blood spat onto the ground. She looked at it in a daze, she must be more injured than she realized.

"Serena!" Darien yelled again tugging wildly at whatever bonds that held him. When he'd opened his eyes and saw Serena standing in front of him her legs collapsing out from under her, his heart had ceased to beat. Why had she stepped in front of him when he'd told her to run? His angry and frustration at the bounds that held him grew, he glanced over and saw the scouts had arrived and were battling with the yoma. Darien saw red his need to get to Serena was paramount, he felt a flash of…something, he wasn't sure what it was. But power began to fill every inch of his body, this sudden heat was startling but the longer he stared at Serena lying there on the ground, hurt and bloody more power filled his body.

He fell suddenly to the ground as his bonds released him suddenly, but he hardly thought about it for a second. He rushed over to Serena's panic beginning to settle inside of him, there was so much blood on the ground already.

"Darien," Serena croaked seeing his face appear over hers, his eyes were wide, panicked.

"Why did you do that Serena?" he asked her helplessly, he thought he was going to die. Just seeing her lying her so broken and vulnerable.

"You're safe though," she said her words beginning to slur together, Darien knew he had to do something fast. The Sailor Scouts were too preoccupied and couldn't help; the source of her injury was obvious. He was too afraid to try to pull the pike out of her, she could end up bleeding to death, but he didn't like the idea of leaving it in her either.

"Take it out," Serena moaned her eyes already clouded with pain began to close.

"You can't fall asleep Serena!" Darien said urgently knowing he needed to keep her awake.

"Take it out," she repeated beginning to reach for the pike herself.

"Ok Serena I'll take it out," he said brushing her hands away, there was no easy way to prepare her for this. He settled his hands around the pike in a firm grasp and looked at her apologetically, "This is going to hurt Sere."

He took a deep breath and pulled on the pike with all of the strength he possessed, and in one quick movement the pike was free of her body. The scream Serena let out was one of intense agony and suffering, her body tried to move around it rid itself of the pain but that only made it worse. Like he'd predicted and feared the blood was flowing much too freely now, he immediately began to apply pressure to her wound.

"Darien!" she screamed as the pain continued to flow in waves through her body, there was no stopping it, no ending it, it just went on forever.

She was losing too much blood, if he didn't do something soon she would end up just bleeding to death in his arms. She couldn't die, she couldn't die, he would rather give up his own life than watch her lose hers.

That overwhelming felling of power rose up within him again, this time with startling force. Something else inside of him seemed to know what do and without hesitation he felt the energy within him pour in to Serena like a waterfall. He could even see it; this blazing wave of golden energy surged through them both, making them both light up like a blazing fire.

Darien removed his hands in amazement the bleeding had stopped and he heard Serena let out a soft sigh, she looked up at him with eyes still pained, but content.

"Thank you Darien, it hurts less now," was all she whispered before she fell unconscious. The energy continued to rush through them both, Darien could feel the wound stitching shut, the muscle and flesh welding back together.

The energy suddenly left the both in an unexpected rush just as it had came, leaving Darien feeling weak and light headed. He fell to the ground beside Serena and could only stare at his surroundings in a daze. He could feel darkness pulling at him telling him it was time to go to sleep. Darien gathered Serena up in his arms unwilling to let her go, and only then did he let the darkness enclose about him, as long as Serena would be fine, so would everything else.