Welcome back again! Thanks for sticking with me! I really meant to have something up sooner, but I've been having horrible laptop nightmares! I'll try to update more often now as the course I'm on is almost over and I'll be home soon! YAY!

Thanks to the following, who have yet to fully give up on me:

Nazi Hater - Let's see ... first of all, Canadian spelling IS British spelling. We were a commonwealth until ... I think it was 1981. I could be wrong with the year. Again, you'll have to give me examples. I'll bet most of the errors you are finding are typos though.

1) Princesses, princesses everywhere and not a ... never mind.

2) I'll do my best, but I'm not entirely in control here.

3) Doppleganger means copy or double ... that was to smooth over the different demises in the anime & manga. In the anime, Neph died in Molly's arms after protecting her from Zoisite's minions who were searching for the Crystal.

4) Typos, typos everywhere ...

5)Considering the connection between them, I think she did ...

6)BINGO!

Prince of Crossovers - Welcome back! Sort of! Hope you catch up soon ... been missing ya! Glad you recognized the episode I borrowed!

Cyndaquil-babe - Evil laughter rings forth.

Meico - Glad you are happy. Darien poofed? Where?

Rosa Lunae - I have missed you and your nags! I half hoped one would appear while I was on course, but I guess you were busy too. Darn Life ... always getting in the way!

Yeah, enemies suck that way ... give them an inch ...

He transported from his apartment ... where do you think he's gone? sigh Everybody thinks Darien is evil.

innocent whistling

Do not feel stupid ... I love creating mystery with the obvious. It's just never obvious to anybody else! No one else has noted them either, hai?

Glad you enjoyed it once again! May I never disappoint you! And when is the special occasion for the saved up nag? I need to be prepared!

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Chapter 16

The Faded Scent of Romance

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Darien arrived at the steps of Elysion to find Helios waiting for him. He looked up hopefully, even though he knew there was little hope of hearing what he wanted. Helios just shook his head. There was no change in the Princess.

He took the bag from Darien and they walked to the room where Serena lay. Darien almost shuddered at his first sight of her. She looked like she was "laying in state" before a funeral. He quickly moved to her side and took her hand.Helios lay the bag on the cot he had set up in the room and quietly departed. Closing his eyes, Darien concentrated on the warmth of her skin. He remembered how it felt to hold her and thought of how much he needed her back. Opening his eyes, he was faintly pleased to see that a bit of colour had entered her pale cheeks. Only a tiny bit, but he'd grab any improvement.

A small knock at the door startled him and he turned.

"Enter."

"Darien?"

Darien got up from bed side and opened the door. There had been a cautious concern in Mars' voice. She held a small package in her hands. It had been carefully wrapped and ribboned in shades of pink. A red rose was tucked in the bow. Frowning, Darien reached out and flipped open the small tag. It was addressed to Serena. Raising his eyes to Mars', he saw the conflict in them as she fought her need to look around him to see for herself how Serena was doing. He sighed to himself over his thoughtless selfishness.

"Mars, get the others and come visit her. Perhaps you will see something I have missed. You can tell me about the box when you get back."

Mars nodded and ran down the hallway.

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Molly woke slowly. Rubbing her eyes as she sat up, she realised that she was sitting on her own couch. Scratching her head and frowning, she wondered how she got there when the sound of a door opening and closing caught her attention.

"Molly? Are you home?"

"I'm here, Melvin," she called, quickly stretching, then rising to meet him part way.

"Did you have a good time with Serena and the other girls?" Melvin hadn't changed a whole lot since school, except to get a bit taller. He still wore the same coke-bottle glasses, cotton dress shirts and slacks. She had gotten him to comb his hair in a neater fashion, but he ran his fingers through his hair while he was thinking and it never lasted long. By the time he came home, you'd never know it had been properly combed once.

Melvin's question brought to mind the plight her friend was now in, but she knew she could say nothing to Melvin. He was such an info hound ... digging up what he could and running around showing it to everybody. He'd learned to be a bit more discrete as he matured, but still ...

"It was great to see the girls again," she smiled. "I was able to help them with a special project for some friends of theirs." She glanced at the clock on the wall. It said 9:38. She would have thought she had been gone much longer than that. "Are you hungry, Melvin? I could quickly make some fried shrimp."

"Shrimp? You know me so well, Molly. Yes, please!" He gave her a quick squeeze and a peck on the cheek and went to wash up.

Sighing, Molly went into the kitchen to make a quick supper. She wondered how Serena was doing and hoped she was able to help. There really hadn't been much for her to tell.

"Oh, Serena, you've got to get better!" she whispered softly. Hearing Melvin come back, she assumed what she hoped was a pleasant look on her face and told herself to have faith. If anybody can make things right, the Sailor Scouts can.

But where was Sailor Moon?

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Raye and Amy sat huddled on the steps, their heads almost touching as they spoke softly to each other. The glow from Amy's Mercury computer faintly lighting their intent faces in the dimming light of the Elysion day. They had been one of the first to go and see Serena when it was concluded that the room really wasn't big enough to fit all of them at once. Amy had, of course, scanned Serena with her computer while Raye tried to see if she could Sense anything. Now they were comparing notes.

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Darien sat on the cot that had been set up in Serena's room. In his hands, he held the boxthat had been addressed to Serena. He could find no hint of a trap from the outside. Mina watched him from where she knelt beside Serena. She knew she could do nothing for Serena right now and was content for now just to be close by.

"You going to open that, Darien?"

Lita glanced up. She had been sitting on Serena's bedside. "Whatcha got, Darien?"

"Raye said that this box was delivered to the Temple for Serena. At least, that's who it's addressed to. But it had been placed in the room with the Sacred Fire and nobody is allowed in there. Chad and Grandpa don't go in there very often and didn't know about the box."

Lita frowned. "That sounds awfully suspicious."

Darien nodded, still looking at the box. "I can't find any traps though."

"Open it."

Darien looked at Mina, who nodded encouragingly.

"But," he tried to argue.

"Open it." Mina said again. "It was left in a place where it had to be found by Raye. It has a red rose, your symbol, but Serena's name. It would have been even more suspicious to find something in Raye's temple with your name on it. And," she concluded, "you said yourself that you can't find a trap. Open it." Then Mina gave one of her famous grins. "Besides, I'm dying to see what it is!"

Lita brought her free hand up over her eyes and shook her head lightly. Darien looked up and met Mina's curiosity filled blue eyes with a small smile. He couldn't fault her reasoning ... or her reason. Nodding, he began to open the present. Putting the rose to one side, he loosened and removed the ribbon and pulled off the lid.

The scent of lilacs gently filled the air.

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'How long have I been here?'

That question bothered Serena as she sat with her knees pulled up to her chest. There was absolutely no way to tell the passing of time inthis place. Her eyes were used to the dark now, but all she could see were different shades of dark. It didn't exactly enlighten her as to her surroundings or where she might be. Even space isn't this dark. She wished Darien or one of the other girls were here with her. Not that she wished they were captured, of course, but she did so fear being alone. Even in the final fight with Galaxia and Chaos, she hadn't truly been alone. Chibi-chibi, or rather Sailor Cosmos, had been there ... and later, in the Cauldron, she'd been able to call upon all of the collected star crystals for help. Her friends and Darien had all been there. But here? Who else was here?

She was alone. Her greatest fear had finally come true.

She put her head down on her knees and silently wept.

Suddenly, she raised her head and wiped the tears away angrily. No, she wouldn't just sit there and cry. She would not give up. Hope was supposed to spring eternal, right? Wasn't she Eternal Sailor Moon? Wasn't Darien always telling Rini, and will be telling her, that Sailor Moon was invincible?

Standing, she looked carefully around at the shadows that surrounded her. Nothing. No forms, no movement but a faint shifting of shadows. You can't have dark without light. Hadn't somebody told her that? In order for shadow to exist, you must first have light with which to create it.

"I think it's time I shed some light on the subject. SILVER MOON ETERNAL MAKE UP!"

Closing her eyes, Serena waited. She could feel the tingling of the power, but it was very faint. Opening her eyes again, she looked down at herself, her hands moving to confirm what she thought she saw.

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Luna padded back and forth along the edge of the bed that held her mistress. Artemis was in the Control Room researching what ever he could to help. Pacing back to sit by Serena's hand, she curled her tail around herself tightly, a sure sign of her distress, and touched Serena's hand with a paw.

"Serena, you've got to pull through! You've just got too! Show us how to help you! Give us a sign!"

A strong flash of light caused her to cry out as she twisted and leapt to the doubtful safety of Darien's cot. Looking back at the bed, she was stunned to see that "Serena" was gone ... replaced by Eternal Sailor Moon. Luna was dumbfounded for a moment. She had asked for a sign ... was this it? It certainly appeared to be.

Luna dashed out the door to fetch Darien.

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Sorry this is so short, but it's better than nothing:) I promise to get a new chapter out very soon and I'll work on fixing up the past chapters too! Now that there is an edit device, I can take advantage of it! Yay, Keep up the good work! Now if only we had our borders back!

You know the drill! Please Review!

Thanks bunches!

"Speak the truth, but ride a fast horse!"

Jade's Rose