Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. Yah... er... don't give me those looks cuz I didn't do a funny one... I can't think of any at the moment... :-D
A/N: Thanks for the many reviews! This is going out to: cardcaptor eternity, Randa-Chan, x.spanish.eyes.x, mae-E, Connie, heatqueen, and fan gurl.
Self Destruct
Rated T
Chapter 9: "The Man in the Rain"
"Oh my word!" Amy exclaimed as the five exitted the Mall. Outside, the sky had turned a murky gray, even though it was early afternoon. Even now, droplets sprayed down faster and faster, threatening another dismal downpour. Thunder crackled in the distance.
"Where on earth did this come from! It's so out of the blue!" Mina whined, gazing up at the sky and receiving a face full. "Where did the sun go?"
"We won't make it back to the temple in time," Raye stated, observing the sky with a wary eye as they hid out under the safety of the Mall's roof.
"I for one am hungry for lunch," Lita put in. "Fruit Parlor Crown is just a few blocks from here."
"Let's go," Raye said, tugging on a quiet Serena's arm as they began to make a break for it, luckily not weighed down by shopping bags, as none had bought anything. They had been going to, but with the incident with Serena, everyone had decided it would be best to leave early.
The said blonde was unresponsively silent, and hadn't said a word since coming out of the dressing room, leaning heavily upon and almost supported by Raye. Her face had been tearstained, and her clothes had looked haphazardly thrown on. The whole way out of the Mall, she had remained close to Raye's side, and Raye often would slip her hand into the girl's or put a comforting arm around her shoulder. It almost looked like the two had an unspoken agreement not to mention anything of what had just happened, and the others took the hint, saving their questions of her for Raye later.
A few drenched minutes later, the girls were shaking the water off their soggy clothes and taking solace in the warmth of the cafe. The friends slid into their usual booth, and Lizzie appeared at their table, pad in hand, chuckling.
"Wet?"
"Like falling in a lake, if that's what you mean," Lita responded, twisting her hair as rainwater dripped from it, as if it were a brown sponge.
"Can I get you guys anything?"
Amy scanned the menu. "A burger sounds really good right now. With an orange soda."
"Fries is all I'd like, thank you," Lita replied, still fighting for dry hair.
"And Mina? I'm sure you'd like... champagne?" Lizzie giggled, remembered their last conversation.
Mina pulled Lizzie's ear down to her, whispering dramatically, "Don't tell them or they'll all want some!"
Raye smacked the blonde upside the head. Mina scowled at her, rubbing the offended area, then sweetly continued, "Or some lovely french wine-"
"Which is what you'll be doing when I'm done with you," Raye cut in in a menacing low growl.
"Cool your jets! Jeez, you'll give yourself a heart attack before you even leave the teenage years," Mina chuckled, waving a nonchalant hand.
"Undoubtedly by you, nevertheless," Raye snapped back, temper on edge with all that had happened and from her worry for the silent blonde next to her.
"What do you want, Raye?"
"Hmm, a sundae."
"Me too!" Mina chimed in. "Extra hot sauce."
"Serena?"
"Nothing," the girl mumbed, head in her arms. She glanced up only for a moment to give each Scout a glare in turn, as if daring them to order something for her. Considering the blonde's previous outburst, no one wanted to prompt another tear session and respected her wishes, even if they didn't agree with the method she took to ease her sorrow.
Lizzie hurried away and an uncomfortable silence took over the Sailors' table. No one really knew what to say to break it.
"Er... dismal out, hmm?" Amy broached.
"Oh, yah," Lita replied, a bit too quickly. "Absolutely dreadful."
"Who agrees we just throw on our bathing suits and go swimming in puddles?" Mina giggled.
"Me!" they all called, excluding one. She was sighing, and knew they were just trying to liven up the tense atmosphere that had ladened on all at her response.
"I want to go home."
"What?"
Four heads whipped around to Serena, still wearing the same melancholy face.
"I said, I want to go home."
"Shouldn't you wait till the storm passes?" Raye said, just as thunder rumbled again, as if in agreeement.
"I'll be fine, Raye. You worry too much. I want to be alone," Serena near growled out, and everyone was astonished. Their sweet little Serena? Growling at them in clear anger?
"O-okay," Raye returned shakily, honestly speechless and more than a little worried by Serena's callously said comment. It wasn't in the blonde's nature. Well, neither was depression, or so they'd all thought.
Serena stood, pushing by everyone. She was so tired, and wanted to sleep and not have to think... think about Darien, think about her new malnurished body...
Raye caught a glimpse of her face; pale and milky white.
"Serena-" she began, but before the words she was going to say came out of her mouth, the blonde tripped, clutching the table. Or, it looked like she tripped. A closer look and the raven girl saw the blonde's legs shaking with the effort of holding herself up. The Moon girl's hand clutched the table, knuckles white. The other hand was at her head.
"I feel faint," she mumbled, almost incoherently.
"You haven't eaten at all today," Amy suddenly said, just realizing that this was their first eating stop. "Serena-"
"I'm not hungry!"
She straightened up suddenly, fury flashing in her eyes, and visible self-hate. "Serena do this, Serena you should do that... I'm sick of it! It's my life; leave me alone! I can deal with this!"
She whirled on her heel and ran from the cafe, mirroring a few days ago.
"Serena!" Raye called, jumping up to race after her. But a hand grabbed her arm and held the priestess back. Raye looked around. It was Lita.
The said brunette shook her head. "Let her go. She wants to be alone."
Reluctantly, and with a last yearning glance at the door, Raye slowly slid back down into the booth.
oOo
"Why do they keep badgering me? Why can't they leave me to my misery?" the blonde sobbed openly, tears mixing with rainwater. Lightening flashed and she held back a frightened whimper.
"I know they mean well... but I don't want to bring them in on my pain..." Serena said aloud, her thoughts spilling forth. She needed to get all these feelings off her chest.
Rambling and sorrow-filled, the blonde kept stumbling on, until a hard obstacle stopped into her.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was-"
Her eyes moved up as she quickly apologized, and her speech became slower and slower as they moved up. Black slacks, a pea-green jacket that could be spotted for miles, a face chiseled in perfection... her eyes came to stop on ones only a shade or two darker.
"Going."
Terror, sadness, horror, and even anger bubbled up inside her like a volcano bursting.
"YOU!"
"Serena," Darien choked out, eyes wide. Millions of emotions ran through his eyes. But the prominent one was shock, because a small hand reached up and smacked him across the face.
"How dare you! How dare you even show your face to me! After all... after all..." Serena's face was contorted as she tried to say the words she'd been wanting to scream at him ever since the day of the break-up.
"Serena," the ebony haired man said again, voice pained. Whether from his feelings or the slap, Serena didn't know, but she didn't really care either way. Since when did Darien ever care for her? When he broke up with her? He grasped her arm and Serena struggled.
"What are you doing!? Let me go!" the one named Sailor Moon demanded furiously.
"Please, you've got to listen to what I have to say! That day-"
"Listen to you? Listen to you? I don't give a damn what you've got to say!" Serena shouted. "Now let me go this instant!"
"Please, you've got to hear me out, I didn't mean to-"
"Shut up!" Serena wailed, voice cracking. "Leave me alone! You've caused me enough pain!"
She ripped her arm free and ran, crying again, leaving the man in the rain far behind her, staring with an utterly broken expression she never saw.
It was as Darien had thought. She did not want to forgive him.
Or, she was unwillingly to listen to him.
And she had perfect right not to, Darien thought, but it did not stop the hurt that clouded his brain as he yearned for her love that he had lost... because of him and his stupid dreams. God, he hated himself and for following his original instincts, because it had cost him the most beautiful thing he had ever had.
oOo
"Damn you, Darien... damn you..." Serena sobbed, uncaring of where she went or where she ran to. She just needed to get away; get away from it all. Seeing him only made it hurt worse...
Unfortunately, Serena was not watching where she was going and suddenly found bright lights on her.
Two, very close, very bright lights.
Car headlights.
She didn't even have time to scream. It was too late.
She was a deer caught in headlights; headlights so near and going too fast that they surely would not stop. Terror engulfed her and Serena knew she was going to die.
Suddenly, something hard rammed into Serena from the side. It sucked all the breath from her, and she found herself feeling... weightless.
A/N: (Drumroll). Gah! What's happened? Review and you'll find out, since I update ASAP the more reviews I get!
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AngelMoon Girl