Hello everyone, I'm still on my holiday currently sitting in an internet café in Venice. Its strange writing this in English while speaking Italian, lol.
I'm on a cruise a lovely surprise from friends and family for passing my exams.
A big thank you to everyone who reviewed sorry I can't answer you all personally I don't have a lot of time here and can only see reviews through emails on my phone.
I own nothing, not even the computer I'm using to upload this. :)
"Everything ok?" Darien asked as Serena got into the car.
She smiled and nodded explaining to him about the scouts finding the battle and thinking they had missed it.
"There is going to be a heap of questions tomorrow," he said when she had told him about the meeting.
"We will work something out, Amy mentioned something about the wand taking more energy to use the other day," she giggled.
"You gonna tell them about Venus?" he asked as they got to the restaurant.
"Nope I'm gonna tell them about Artemis, would seem strange if I didn't ask about a cat with the same markings as Luna after all," she drawled.
They didn't have reservations. The host looked at the couple spending longer on Serena who threw him a brilliant smile and asked if they had an available table.
The host faltered a bit at the attention before smiling back and leading the couple to one of the booths.
"I swear, you can bring any man to his knees just by smiling at him," Darien said as soon as the host had left them with their menu's.
Serena blushed, he always surprised her with sweet comments and gestures. She was about to reply when the waitress appeared at there table.
"What'd it be dears?" she asked with a friendly smile. Serena breathed a sigh of relief the woman wasn't throwing Darien suggestive looks or ignoring her.
.
As soon as they were alone Serena pulled his present out of her bag and slid it across the table without a word.
Darien smiled before opening the box. He spent ages looking at the intricate design of the watch before running his fingers over the inscription on the top.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Serena beamed she didn't need any more to know he liked it. She felt through there link how much he did.
When they had finished eating they left the restaurant leaving a nice tip for the waitress. Darien drove them to the coast. The stars were out and the full moons shine illuminated Serena as if its rays were meant just for her.
Darien sighed as he watched her look out towards the ocean, her hair had a silvery sheen and her eyes reflected the moons surface giving them a twinkle that made his breath hitch. The part of him that was Endymion sighed in the memory of her sneaking down to earth. Of seeing her just like this and instantly knowing she was the other half of his soul.
She turned to look at him then. After so many years together it still amazed her, how she had such power over him, how he saw her. She counteracted by showing him how she saw him, how her heart skipped a beat every time he heard his voice or saw him smile.
Stepping closer he leaned down placing a soft kiss of her lips, that gradually became more heated and passionate. He silently thanked the privacy of the moment. The both of them saying without words how much they felt for each other.
Refusing to be parted Darien slipped his arm around her waist as Serena curled her body into his the seem between the two becoming almost on existent if not for the contrast of there clothes. They walked back to his car in a comfortable silence.
They held hands all the way home. Serena's arm being jostled by Darien's driving and the need to keep contact with her.
Serena's father was waiting on the doorstep watch in hand. He saw the car pull up and with a smile and almost proud nod entered the house letting the couple have a few more minutes to themselves.
Serena giggled at her fathers antics, he had only been giving her a curfew on there dates recently realising his little girl wasn't so little any more.
Darien rolled his eyes before pulling Serena across the seat so she was sat almost on top of him.
He held her close to his chest kissing her softly but content with just her warmth pressed against him.
"I don't want to let you go," he said softly into he neck feeling slightly vulnerable.
"Never," Serena responded burrowing further into his chest and holding him tightly. It was how her mother found them when she wondered out ten minutes later at her husbands insistence.
She knew it was a difficult time in Darien's life, his birthday also the anniversary of his parents passing. Most years Serena had been allowed to spend the whole day and night with Darien. She shook her head at her husband's sudden rules when it came to Serena and Darien's relationship then knocked on the window of the car.
She smiled softly as the window descended a look of understanding softening her features more then her easy smile.
"Come on you two, inside the both of you," she said before straightening and heading towards the house only looking back to make sure they were following.
They did slightly confused.
"Darien, you are a big part of Serena's life meaning you are as much part of this family as she is now it is late so the both of you off to bed," Serena's mother said while handing Darien his birthday gift from the family a new pair of pyjamas, midnight blue silk with his initials sewn onto the breast pocket.
"Thank you," Darien said all tension from his form leaving as the couple headed upstairs. Saying hello to Luna they took turns in the bathroom getting changed before falling onto her bed and to sleep immediately.
Serena's father gaped opening and closing his mouth like a fish before turning to his wife to argue about the two sharing a room.
"Come now dear you have trusted the boy for this long and he has never done anything but respect us and our daughter." she said before he could say a word.
Readying themselves for bed the two parents checked on their children. Serena's mother sighed leaning against Serena's door frame they saw Darien laid flat on the bed Serena curled on top of him there arms around each other in a sleeping hug.
"He needs her, especially tonight and she needs to be there for him," she sighed softly.
Her husband just nodded looked at the couple sleeping deeply he wrapped his own arms around his wife before leading her off to their own room.
Luna padded around the bed softly wondering what Serena's mother had meant when she had said the couple needed each other tonight. She watched as Darien's had moved to his chest Serena's own hand moved to be firmly grasped in his and Luna gasped softly.
A flash of the exact same moment before her eyes. Seeing the exact same thing happening in a different place in time. It was gone before she could fully grasp the memory.
Maybe, she thought. If the couple were in her memory from the Moon maybe just maybe they were meant to be.
Sure the couple were sleeping deeply she curled up on the pillow beside Darien's head before falling asleep herself.
Their dream that night was strange in the simple fact they were not together. Darien ran through the palace desperately searching for her when something shiny caught his eye. He looked at the small object with fascination before picking it up and slipping it into his sub-space pocket.
"Darien," Serena sighed in relief when she found him.
He breathed his own sigh of relief before taking her hand and wrapping his arm around her.
They slept in late the next morning even Luna who enjoyed the extra warmth. It was Sammy who woke them the door to her room having been left open for the night he barged his way in loudly telling them to wake up.
Serena grumbled before glaring daggers at her little brother while Darien laughed at her attempt to glare all sleepy eyed.
He smiled thinking how gorgeous she looked waking up in his arms. Her hair, messy but still falling around her perfectly and the way her cheeks were just the right side of rosy and her eyes sparkled as the sleep left them.
Catching on to his thoughts Serena smiled and favoured him with a quick morning kiss causing her brother who had sat down on the floor to gag and shield his eyes.
"Please, there are children in the room who do not want to go through years of therapy in there adult life," he said.
Darien chuckled again before the couple turned there attention to the boy in the middle of the room.
"As you know next week is my birthday, I have decided I want a party this year and not the traditional birthday dinner," he started completely serious.
Serena sat up regarding her brother who had started pacing the room like a general addressing his troops. It was actually kinda cute considering he would be turning 11.
"Ok well I'm sure mum and dad wouldn't mind," she started to say.
"No, they wont but I don't want them planning it or even being there," Sammy said quickly.
"Sammy you know your birthday is also our anniversary," Darien said knowing where this was going.
Sammy nodded then adapting his best hurt puppy look started to speak again.
"It's just I've been having some issues at school because Jack Johns older brother apparently had a party for his home coming from college and Jack got to stay up late and party with all the cool college students. I just thought if Serena planned my birthday party she would leave out all the lame stuff like musical bumps and pin the tail on the donkey. And it would be so cool having my own party like that," he explained in a rush.
"So if I plan it without the 'lame stuff' why can't mum and dad supervise?" Serena asked.
Sammy looked at his sister in exasperation.
"Because mum will be hovering over me telling all my friends that her little boy is growing up so fast, that runs the risk of BABY PHOTOS and dad will probably try to dance," he said as if the answer was obvious.
"Well his birthday is on the Friday, I suppose we could have our anniversary date that afternoon and plan the party for Saturday," Serena said looking up at Darien for approval.
"Sounds good to me," he said smiling at Sammy who had started jumping up and down in excitement.
"We will talk to mum and dad about it, there will be rules Sammy. I promise no lame stuff though" Serena smiled as Sammy nodded eagerly before rushing from the room.
Luna jumped onto the bed then catching there attention.
"Are you sure you will have time to plan this party?" she asked a little worried it would interfere with there other duties.
"That's the best part Luna, Darien and I were going to go away for the weekend but we figured with all the attacks it would be best of we didn't," Serena started.
"It actually works out perfectly Serena and I were going to go up to my cabin in the mountains we went last year but I think her parents might appreciate a break together," Darien smiled.
"We can set up the pool outside and grill food have music playing and let Sammy have his friends stay the night, we will limit friends to 15, all planned he gets a slightly older birthday party no parents and he's happy," Serena finished.
Luna nodded in agreement telling them she planned to stay with Amy if a bunch of pre-teens would be running amok in the house for two days.
Serena laughed as they both got up and wondered downstairs for a late breakfast.
They spoke to her parents about the plans for the next weekend the older couple were delighted at the idea of a weekend getaway and not having to plan there 11 year old's birthday which was stressful no matter how many times you planned a birthday.
After that Darien headed home still dressed in his pyjamas as Serena got ready for the scout meeting.
They agreed to meet at the temple Luna had left ahead of Serena not knowing Serena planned on walking and not wanting to risk having to ride in the car again.
Luna wasn't surprised to see Amy sitting patiently on the temple steps a full half hour early. Raye seemed to be rushing around doing chores and Lita was no where to be seen yet.
It was around 10 minutes later Raye sat next to them both letting out an exhausted sigh.
Luna and Amy had been sitting just watching her with the occasional scratch behind the ear for Luna when they saw Lita wonder around the corner. Being so high up it was simple to see people from the top of the steps all the was down the street.
"Serena's going to be late again," Raye sang with a small grin. Trying to convince the others she was jesting.
"I doubt it, Serena maybe a bit of a flake but Darien has never been late and I believe she is coming with him," Luna said.
Lita reached them then with a grin she joined the crew on the steps stretching slightly before plopping herself down.
"Isn't that Serena?" Amy asked pointing to a girl turning the opposite corner.
"Looks like she's early," Lita smiled.
"It's a miracle! Luna I thought you said she was coming with Darien?" Raye giggled as she asked.
"I assumed he would be coming back to drive her over after he left this morning, I guess not," Luna tried to shrug.
"This morning? They spent the night together?" Raye said staring at the back cat with fire in her eyes.
Luna shrunk back slightly in confusion. Raye seemed more then just upset.
"That does sound highly inappropriate," Amy added biting her lip with worry.
"OH!" Luna jumped realising what her statement had implied.
"No they just slept, Serena's mother was quite insistent that Darien stayed."
Raye crossed her arms as Serena appeared half way up the stairs.
"I swear these things are gong to kill me one of these days," she smiled when she saw the girls and Luna.
"Sooner rather then later would be good," Raye muttered to herself refusing to meet the blondes eyes.
"How was your date Serena?" Amy asked masking Raye's muttered comment.
"Great," Serena said with a small smile before sitting down with them.
"Just great? A little bird told us it lasted all night," Lita grinned.
Serena blushed heavily at the implication she also didn't miss the glare Raye was covertly sending her.
"He slept over yes, but we just slept," she said still blushing.
"Why?" Raye suddenly snapped.
Serena turned slightly to look at her. The fiery look in her eyes was slightly disconcerting.
"Its really hard to explain, we had a wonderful date and after we just didn't want to be separated. I guess my mother took pity on us. I love him so much sometimes its like I just can't bare to be apart from him," she said with a small smile.
"So what you just clung to him like a little girl? surely that gets annoying," Raye said in a shrill voice.
Serena giggled as if taking it as a joke causing the tension that had fallen on Lita and Amy to fade.
"It's the same for him, I can't expect you to understand Raye, at least not yet. When you love someone so much sometimes you just need that comfort to hold that person even in sleep to know they are there its, I cant describe it," she replied just as Darien's car pulled up.
It didn't take Darien long to reach them, his height making it possible for him to cover 3 steps at a time. He immediately noticed the tension as Serena stood to greet him. He focused on her completely silently asking what was going on.
Serena sighed reaching up for a small kiss she promised to explain later as he wrapped her up in his arms almost shielding her from the negativity that surrounded the area.
"Were all here shall we get this meeting started?" Amy asked also standing.
The others nodded in agreement and stood slowly following Luna into the temple.
Both Raye and Lita deviated to the kitchen to retrieve drinks and snacks allowing the others to get comfortable. When they returned and sat Luna took point neatly sitting herself in the middle of the table.
"First, Serena, Darien do you have the rainbow crystal you retrieved yesterday?" she asked the couple.
Serena smiled from where she sat cross legged between Darien's legs. His arms wrapped themselves around her waist.
"Darien has it," she answered.
"We thought if I kept hold of it and we dispersed any others we find among the group we would not be targeted individually," Darien said.
"Good I was going to suggest something along those lines. Second what exactly happened at the battle yesterday?" Luna asked.
The question had everyone interested. The whole group seemed to lean forward in their seats staring unblinkingly at the couple.
Serena turned to look at Darien and he nodded for her to go ahead and speak.
"Well Darien and I were at the church," Serena started to say.
"Why were you there I thought it was Darien's birthday?" Lita asked innocently.
The other girls and cat were equally intrigued a church didn't seem like a place to go for birthday date.
Serena looked up at Darien, a worried frown on her face silently asking the question she didn't want to voice out loud.
Darien smiled down at her and sighed relaxing his body and moulding it to the back of hers needing to be as close to her as possible. He looked back to the room before answering.
"We were there visiting my parents, they died when I was 8 on my birthday so we visit there graves every year on the same date. Its also the reason I don't enjoy celebrating my birthday. We were just about to leave when Serena spotted Zoisite turn a priest into a monster," he explained.
Lita, Amy, Raye and Luna all looked at him with varying degrees of shock, pity and understanding. It was Lita who spoke first.
"My parents died in a plane crash last year, their buried with my grandparents in a family plot back home. It still hurts thinking about them, I cant imagine having to share your birthday with such a tragic event,"
.
"It was a long time ago, I met Serena a week after the crash and I wouldn't change that for anything," Darien smiled down at the girl in his arms.
"As you were saying, the battle, every detail," Luna stressed.
"Oh right, yeah. Well we saw Zoisite holding the crystal so Tuxedo mask knocked it out of her hand and I picked it up," Serena started.
"I distracted Zoisite fighting her while Serena uhh kept the monster busy," Darien said sheepishly.
"Busy? That's nice, thanks sweetie but I pretty much ran around with it chasing me. The thing liked boxing," Serena explained.
The girls relaxed it was something they could easily believe. It still didn't explain how the monster and Zoisite were taken on.
"The monster caught up with Sailor Moon who screamed, distracting Zoisite momentarily. I threw some roses at her but she disappeared," Darien continued.
"The monster must have been tired out after all that running. He didn't use any magic attacks just kept trying to punch me. Tuxedo mask showed up and distracted it by actually fighting while I powered up the wand," Serena said with a sigh.
"It took longer then usual to heal him after which Serena passed out still transformed I managed to get her to my car unnoticed and she woke up as we reached her house."
"So the use of the wand did wear you out, but with what I calculated you should have been out for a lot longer," Amy said looking at her computer.
Serena and Darien looked at each other, glad they were right about down playing the battle so much. It was a little worrying how suspicious the scouts seemed to be, also how easily they had taken their story.
Serena shrugged in answer to Amy's question pretending to be clueless as to why she wasn't passed out for ages, not that she had passed out at all the energy taken to heal the daemon had not been enough to register. Thinking this she was glad she had been training with the crystal for years if Amy's calculations were right her life would have been so much harder now.
"Well we know we heal faster in our transformed state, maybe her powers kept her transformed for a reason?"Lita asked sheepishly.
Amy nodded still not looking up from her mini computer she in-putted the information she had then gasped.
"If my calculations based on the information I have are correct that battle could have killed you," she said.
"Oh Amy. It wasn't that bad I had a god night sleep and I feel fine," Serena said.
"I've studied how all our powers effect our energy, and your use of the wand is more draining then our use of powers. Without us there to weaken it first, healing the monster would have taken a lot of your energy. I hypothesise if you had not stayed transformed when you passed out you could be in a coma or worse," Amy stressed.
Amy was really worried Serena was first and foremost her friend and she would never forgive herself if something happened to her.
Darien sensing the seriousness of the situation straightened demanding the attention in the room as only he could.
"It wouldn't have happened, I would not have let it happen," he said his tone was different confidant and powerful.
"Doesn't sound like you had much of a choice Darien," Raye scoffed.
She had never seen Darien like this despite having studied him for the past few weeks an honestly it scared her a little. She was also the only one to notice Serena's reaction to his tone and posture.
The blonde had also straightened, her posture almost for lack of a better word regal. She turned from her place in Darien's lap lightly running her fingers down his cheek making him look at her. The couple shared a small smile before relaxing again.
"I heal," Darien said almost a whisper now in his new relaxed state.
"Yes Darien we all heal when were transformed we know that," Amy said trying not to sound patronising but feeling as though she was not being taken seriously by the couple.
Darien shook his head producing a steel tipped rose he looked down at Serena.
"If it's ok my love?" he asked. Serena smiled holding her arm out towards him and nodded.
The scouts gasped as he used the rose to create a small scratch on Serena arm. it wasn't enough to cause her any more pain then her usual trip down the pavement would cause but enough to bring blood to the surface of her skin.
The rose was discarded within seconds and Darien's hand covered the wound. A millisecond later he removed his hand showing the clean unmarked skin underneath.
"I heal,"he said again.
Luna wasn't shocked her realisation last night seemed cemented now.
"It makes sense," she said with a nod of her head.
"If anything this has gotten a whole lot more confusing," Lita said shaking her head.
Raye and Amy nodded in agreement the former not taking her eyes from Darien.
Luna licked a paw thoughtfully swiping it over her head as she contemplated a way to explain her theory.
"As you know you girls were protectors to the princess and the silver crystal on the Moon. It was a time of great peace but the royal palace still had a small army protecting the kingdom. The army wasn't needed much and mostly dealt with petty crimes within the kingdom," Luna paused here not sure how to articulate the rest lucky for her Amy had figured it out.
"You suspect Darien was one of the army?" she asked the feline who stood and stretched out her back legs before walking around to face Darien.
"Exactly, a general at least only the high ranked guards in the army had use of magic, I had thought there were only 4 high ranking generals but I could be wrong," she explained.
Serena turned to Darien trying to keep a grin off her face. Luna had been right of course there had been 4 generals on the Moon who's main role was to protect the Sailor scouts when they appeared in there royal forms. Darien however was not one of them and as far as she knew none of the old generals kept there powers from the Moon, Andrew had been proof of that.
Darien shrugged. Luna's theory was a good one and it would keep the scouts from asking to many questions about his powers.
Serena squealed loudly suddenly remembering she had been silent for far to long.
"Do you think we were a couple back then?" she said excitedly at the romantic prospect.
Darien nodded a sly grin striking his features.
"I don't doubt it, I can't imagine I would be able to stay away from you in any life time," he chuckled.
Raye didn't believe it for a second. Though it did make sense if Darien was with her in the past, it would explain why the fire led her to him and also why she felt such a deep connection to him. Just as she was about to protest Serena turned to Luna again.
"Hey speaking of the Moon, Luna are there other guardians like you?" the blonde asked.
"Yes one. Why do you ask?" the cat said shocked.
"Well Darien and I met a girl yesterday. She had just moved her and was looking for her cat and Luna he looked kinda like you with the same crescent Moon on his forehead. Oh but he was pure white instead of black," Serena said hurriedly, excitement still lining her voice.
Luna's face was an odd mixture between hope and fear. Hope that Artemis had finally found her and with the 5th scout as well it seemed. Fear that Serena had been mistaken, she had seem some girls stick stickers on there pets to imitate herself, wanting to be like the elusive Sailor scouts.
"Are you sure he had the same mark?" she stressed to Serena.
"Positive Luna, I think the girl, Mina called him Artemis," she said thoughtfully.
Luna gasped happiness lighting her features to a degree Serena had not seen since they were on the Moon. Her heart broke a little realising Luna must have some memory's of Artemis judging her reaction. Her guardian must have been missing her soul mate terribly all these years.
"Artemis, finally,"Luna sighed softly.
"If he is another guardian does this mean the girl they met is our final scout?" Lita asked.
"Most likely I can't imagine Artemis would take to anyone else," Luna smiled in excitement.
"Were finally going to be a complete team," Amy also smiled.
Raye also smiled her earlier thoughts forgotten over the prospect of finally finding the last scout.
The meeting ended soon after. Serena and Darien went off to get some party supply's for the following week making sure to invite the girls.
The girls went there separate way Luna stayed for a while before heading to the streets to see if she could spot Artemis.
No action in this one sorry but romance and now some understanding. Hope you all enjoyed it, don't forget to review the emails keep me smiling.
Next chapter, Sammy's birthday party. Mina and Artemis and maybe a couple of battles I feel like taking this story up a notch now :D