A/N: This whole "death concept" thing goes a lot deeper and is a lot more complicated than I anticipated. I kind of confused myself when writing this chapter and I had to stop and think a few times. I found myself thinking of a simple question which would then lead to another question and then would yet again lead to another question and so on. There's just so many questions and possibilities and just when I think I've answered it, there's more questions that appear, but if I were to answer those questions, it would only complicate the story even more. I tried my best however to keep it simple as I possibly could. Here's the next chapter and I do admit that it took longer to write than I anticipated. Nonetheless, here it is:

CHAPTER 16 - Tea With the Queen

Serena inhaled sharply at Hael's reply. She gripped his arm a little tighter. "One person?" She asked urging him to continue.

He quickly glanced at her nervously as if he was about to disclose forbidden information. "Yes. Not many know about it. It was a very long time ago." He sighed and looked away into the distance. "She was a young girl--about the same age as you. It just so happened, I was her guide when she first arrived in this realm. She told me she died defending her Princess."

Serena's eyes widened in interest. "Defending her Princess?" She asked prompting him to tell her more. She didn't want to push him too much seeing as he was already reluctant to talk about this with her.

He nodded slowly, releasing a nervous breath. "She was adamant on leaving this realm, explaining that she needed to protect her Princess. She was a warrior, a sailor scout as she explained to me." His eyes narrowed a little. "Like you."

Serena felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. For a few moments, her mind simply stopped. Try as she might, she wasn't even able to begin to guess who it was. She was in too much shock. A couple of minutes passed when her brain finally recovered. "A s--sailor scout?" She asked, her voice coming out shaky.

Hael slowly nodded as he fidgeted with the pen in his hand. "Yes." Serena waited for him to say more, but no other words came from his mouth.

"Did she tell you which one she was?" Serena asked, her heart beating faster.

Hael stayed quiet as he tried to recollect his memories of that time from long ago. The silence was starting to make Serena sweat.

"My memory might be a little hazy, but I think..." Hael said trailing off as he wracked his brain for information. Serena dared not move in case she might break his concentration.

"She said something about the one of space, a planet...of love..." Hael said slowly, but then shook his head as if to say he couldn't go on. "My memories don't go farther than that."

Serena slumped back in her chair.

"Oh wait, hold on! Sailor Venus! That's right, she was Sailor Venus." Hael perked up when his memory suddenly returned.

Serena gaped at him, her mouth shamelessly hanging open with eyes the size of saucers. "S-sailor...v--venus?" She couldn't believe her ears! She felt like she was going to pass out. Suddenly, her breath wasn't catching up with her and it felt like she was moving in slow motion while the world was spinning around at top speed. She forced herself to breathe and focus. When she was finally able to see straight, she concentrated on her breathing hoping that it would return to normal. I don't believe this. Mina?? Mina was here?? How did she die? Did she secretly die and come back to life in one of our battles when we only thought she was unconscious? Why didn't she ever mention this place? You would think that once you experience being in a place like this that you would never forget it. Furthermore, how did she escape? Serena forced herself to retract from her haze of questions to focus on speaking with Hael.

"How did she...leave?" Serena inquired, her curiosity now reaching its peak.

Hael gulped. "That's the thing, I don't really know how it happened. One moment she was here and the next, she was gone. All records of her ever being here just vanished into thin air." Hael sighed trying very hard to recall everything that happened the day she disappeared. He lightly pressed his fingers to his forehead as if to physically draw out information. "All I remember is that there was this bright light that swallowed her whole and then...she was gone."

Serena slumped back into her chair dejectedly. This wasn't enough information. If Hael didn't know how Sailor Venus had been able to leave this realm, how was she going to find out how to leave the realm herself? She let her arms fall loosely to her sides. "She was the only one who ever left this realm?" Serena asked hoping for one last bit of tiny information.

"No."

Serena shot up in her chair and snapped her head in Hael's direction. To her surprise, it was clear that he wasn't the one who had spoken that last word seeing that he was looking just as astonished as she was.

"No, there were others."

Slowly, Hael and Serena turned around to a voice coming from behind them. David stood in the door way leaning against its frame. His eyes held a mysterious and abstracted look as he stood with his hands in his pockets.

It seemed like long moments of silence passed before anyone made a move. During those moments, Serena became aware of the sound of distant trotting hooves and carriage wheels rolling on the pavement amidst a low murmur of townsfolk in the distance.

"What did you say?" Hael asked in a quiet whisper that Serena wasn't sure David heard.

David lost the abstracted look in his eyes and apologized. "I'm sorry for eavesdropping. I really didn't mean to, but when I passed by the window I could tell something wasn't...I could tell you weren't just discussing the typical things a guide usually talks about with a new citizen."

Hael didn't seem to register this as his mind was still occupied on David's previous statement. "What did you say?" He simply repeated himself in the same quiet whisper that he had used before. Serena would have laughed at Hael's bewildered expression if they had been discussing a different subject.

Serena could see the muscles in David's jaw tense--that jaw that was exactly like Darien's. "There were others who've escaped. I've heard stories...and I witnessed one myself."

Serena drew in a sharp breath and subconsciously held it. She forced herself to speak. "You've...seen it?"

David nodded looking at neither Hael nor Serena, but simply staring out into the large garden. "It happened just like Hael said. One moment she was there and next thing you know, there's a bright flash of light and then she's gone."

"How did you know her?" Hael asked, his initial shock wearing off.

"She came into my shop one day looking at the cherry blossoms. Said something about how they reminded her of home, something about how she would always have to sweep them off the ground." A far-away look occupied David's features.

With a nervous voice, Serena asked, "What was her name?"

"I didn't really ask. I remember she had long black hair and violet eyes. She said she was a sailor scout."

Serena grasped the fabric of her white robe tightly. David didn't even have to say her name. She knew who he was talking about.

"Serena, are you alright?" Hael asked worriedly noticing the blood had drained from her face.

She managed to nod as she swallowed.

David continued. "Then that's when it happened--that bright light. One moment she was in my shop and the next, she wasn't."

All three remained motionless in deep contemplation for several minutes, none really knowing what to make of this unexplained phenomenon. Not even Serena who was finding it a challenge to come to terms with what David had said. Rei was here? Rei died? When? Could it be...when...she died at the hands of Beryl? But wait, that meant that all the scouts have been here...since they all died that frightful day on our way to fight Beryl. That explains why Mina was here too!! Then why hadn't they ever mentioned the realm of Good Souls? Most important of all, exactly how did they leave this place?

Serena had intended to find an answer to her question. If anything, she now only had more questions. She knew, however, that now the ball had started rolling and it couldn't be stopped.

"What have you heard from others?" She heard herself ask although she didn't really remember thinking to ask it.

David strode over to a chair across from Serena and lowered himself onto it. "I've heard a couple other stories from some friends. One happened a the library. A girl with blue hair reading a book. She was gone after a bright light appeared. Another happened in a restaurant kitchen. A brunette, the new cook for a restaurant simply disappeared with a flash of light."

Hael fidgeted with his pen once again. "What do you think this all means?"

David shrugged and shook his head. "I don't know. All I do know is they all had one thing in common. They were all Sailor Scouts."

Serena's stomach flipped and her heart raced yet at the same time, a bud of hope bloomed within her. "So...what you're saying is that only sailor scouts have the ability to leave this realm?"

David shrugged his shoulders again. "It's true that they were all sailor scouts, but it didn't seem like they actually had the power that took them from this realm. If I remember correctly, that girl with the long black hair who appeared in my shop told me she wanted to go back, but didn't know how. It's as if some outside power was able to reach from another place and travel into this realm."

Serena stifled a gasp with her hand. The Imperium Silver Crystal was the power that had brought all the girls back to life after the defeat of Beryl. Could it be that the Silver Imperium Crystal was the key to returning this whole entire time? She wanted to knock herself on the head for not realizing it earlier. But how would she access it when she wasn't able to hold it? Just when she thought she'd heard it all, David said something that caught her attention.

"I think there's one person who would know more about this than any of us combined."

Hael and Serena subconsciously leaned forward toward David. "Who?" Serena asked.

"Her name's Serenity. She was a Queen before she died."

Serena's eyes rolled upwards and before anyone could do anything, they heard a loud THUMP!

David and Hael shot up out of their chairs to tend to an unconscious Serena who had fallen out of her chair.

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Rei stumbled back out of her sitting position in front of the fire. Her breathing was ragged and her heart beat was wild from the image she had just witnessed. She quickly staggered out of the room to where all the other girls were. She nearly tripped as she hastily slid the door open.

"I saw..." She spoke between taking gulps of air. "I saw something!"

Ami, Lita, and Mina looked back at her, their sorrow faces turning into startled ones. "What did you see?" Mina asked.

"It was...It was her! Her!" Rei pointed at Serena's dead body that had been carefully laid down on a bed. The rest of the girls sat shocked and waited for Rei to finish.

"Her...she was...she was reaching...her hand was stretched out...as if...as if she was asking someone to help her escape." Nobody moved or spoke a word. The shock of Rei's words immobilized them.

Rei carefully made her way over to Serena's body and knelt beside it. Rei looked at her pale face and dull skin. All signs of life had long ago left her body. "Serena, are you there? Can you hear me?" She whispered.

Ami quietly came up behind Rei and carefully placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know it's hard to believe, but she's gone." Ami sighed. "She's really gone."

Rei briskly moved her shoulder away from Ami's hand. "I know what I saw, Ami!" She snapped. Despite Ami's stunned expression, Rei continued speaking. "It was Serena reaching out to me, or to us. She's not gone. I don't believe it."

Ami stood in the same spot simply looking at Serena's limp and motionless body. Her scientific knowledge knew better and told her that it was impossible and that there was no chance she was still alive. Still, her heart refused to listen and wouldn't let go of the miniscule piece of hope that Serena would open her eyes and come back to them.

"I think we should call her parents soon." Lita murmured not wanting to say it and squeezing her hands into fists.

"No! Not yet! Just please...give it time. She'll come back." Rei didn't blame the other girls for thinking she was deranged. If she was listening to herself, she would be thinking the same thing. She didn't care though. She knew what she saw in the fire. "Please, just wait." She whispered with finality.

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Serena awoke on a bed with a massive headache. It took her a little while until she fully remembered where she was and the events that had ocurred before she had fainted. She could barely make out the faces of four other people in the room. Groggily, she said, "How long have I been out?"

Darien scampered over to her side and took her hand. "Maybe five minutes. How are you feeling?"

She brought her other hand to her forehead. "It feels like someone hit me over the head with sledge hammer."

David chuckled. "That might be because you hit your head when you took that fall."

Serena groaned.

"Here dear, I've got some ice for you. I think I see a little bump forming." Lilyanna said as she handed Serena an icepack who gingerly took it and pressed it to her aching forehead.

"What exactly happened out there on the front porch? Did something happen that caused you to faint?" Lilyanna asked looking at Serena for the answer.

Serena saw David and Hael's eyes instantly darken upon hearing Lilyanna's question and she knew that perhaps it wasn't right to say anything for now.

"Everything is fine...I feel fine." Was all Serena replied. Her head began to spin in circles when she recalled that David had mentioned Queen Serenity, her mother from the Silver Millenium was here. Several questions began to pour into her mind like water pouring from a waterfall. What did her mother know about leaving this realm? Howcome she has't decided to leave if she knew so much about it? Has she ever tried to leave this realm? Where is she? How does David know her?

"Serena? Serena, hello? Serena?" She immediately looked towards the voice and discovered that everyone else had left the room with the exception of Hael.

"I asked everyone to leave so that I could have a word with you." Hael explained as if he knew she wasn't paying attention in the previous moments. "Listen, I don't know what this is all about. I'm just as much in the dark about it as you are. However...now I'm curious and I don't think I could go on pretending that I never heard what we talked about. I need to find out more and I take it you do too."

Serena nodded gingerly, wincing when she felt a pang of pain from the bump on her forehead. "How are we going to find out more?" she asked, still clutching the icepack.

Hael inhaled deeply with a pensive expression. "We're going to go to Queen Serenity. Tomorrow, David and I are going. Are you coming with us?"

Serena held his intense gaze. "Absolutely."

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Serena woke up from her nap in a cold sweat. The discoveries she had made about the sailor scouts leaving the realm of good souls reminded her of their deaths and the memories of that horrid day haunted her dreams. Over and over again she saw Sailor Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, and Venus dying exactly as they had on their way to Beryl. She shuddered and pulled the covers tighter around her.

After a few minutes of tossing and turning, she found it was useless to try to resume her sleep. She quietly got out of bed and tiptoed to the door. Hoping it wouldn't creek, she slowly opened it a crack and peeked out into the hallway. She peered at the clock on the wall and saw the time was 2:48 am. It surely didn't look like 2:48 am because it wasn't dark at all. It was as if it was still daytime and she recalled what Hael had told her when he said that there was no such thing as night in this place. Slowly, she stepped out in the hallway hoping not to wake anyone.

"Boo!"

She covered her hands with her mouth to avoid letting out a yelp. "Darien!" She hissed as she slapped his chest. "Don't do that!"

He quietly laughed as he clutched his stomach and gently pushed her back into the room she had been sleeping in. "Where were you going?" He asked as he took a seat on her bed.

She took a seat beside him and cleared her throat. "I um...I was looking for you. I...wanted to talk to you about something."

He ran his hand through his hair and said, "Yeah, I've been waiting for you to wake up. I've been meaning to talk to you too."

She raised her eyebrows wondering if David had told him the conversation between him, her and Hael. "You go first. Mine can wait." She said.

"Well, first of all, I was wondering if you were ok." He gently ran his fingers across her forehead, but drew back when he touched the bump and caused her to wince. He apologized and continued. "My Dad mentioned he's taking you out tomorrow to get to know you better." He laughed and shook his head as his eyes shone. "I hope you're ok with it. It means a lot to me that they're accepting you and trying to get to know you. Growing up I never had to introduce my girlfriends to anyone. I'm so happy you got to meet them and that they got to meet you." Serena gulped. She knew that was just an abili. The truth of the matter was that tomorrow, they were going to see Queen Serenity. She had no idea why David chose not to tell anyone, not even his own son and wife. She wanted so badly to tell Darien the truth, but what if tomorrow turned out to be a disappointment and they found out the whole thing was just a fluke and they couldn't return? She couldn't get his hopes up. Or what if he didn't even want to return? He seemed so happy here to be with his family. She had never seen him this complete and so full of joy. She couldn't take that away from him. She had no right to. At that moment, she decided not to tell him until after the meeting with Queen Serenity.

"Besides, Serena, I know you'll knock his socks right off." He smiled at her and she couldn't help but smile back. "Now, what is it you wanted to tell me?"

She sat quietly for a while not knowing what to say. Initially, she did plan on telling him about the conversation with Hael and David, but that would have to wait until tomorrow. She sighed and rested her head against his chest. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm so happy you found your family."

Darien wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in closer. "Me too." He whispered. "Me too."

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The next morning, Serena entered the carriage with a million butterflies uncontrollably fluttering around in her stomach. She had no idea what to expect. Part of her was nervous, part of her was excited, and another part of her was afraid of the unknown. What if they received only bad news? She lightly shook her head to rid herself of such thoughts. She had to relax and couldn't jump to conclusions. On the other hand, she was very excited and nervous to see her mother. The door of the carriage was shut after David and Hael had entered the carriage.

"To Palatial Estates please." Hael called out to the driver. It wasn't long before the carriage began to move and the now familiar sound of trotting hooves filled the air.

"David?" Serena asked while she looked out the window.

"Yes?"

"How do you know Queen Serenity?" She asked absently watching the vendors offering pieces of bread to children as they played in the streets.

"She was my guide." Serena's eyes widened at the prospect as she turned her head towards David.

"She...was...your guide?" Serena repeated his answer.

David nodded. "Yes. She was a guide, but that was a very long time ago. That was long before I opened up my flower shop." Serena pictured her mother doing what Hael did. She found that she easily saw her as a friendly guide kindly showing newcomers around the realm.

The rest of the journey was ridden in silence as all three pondered the answers they might receive from today's excursion.

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All three stepped out of the carriage and surprisingly, Serena's two feet made it down without slipping or stumbling. She looked up at the marvelous buildings that took on the appearance of a grand palace. The sight was simply too marvelous for words. She breathlessly let her eyes roam over the sight before her.

"Palatial Estates..." Hael said as he too looked at the sight. "This is the area in the realm reserved for royalty."

"Well we've got answers we want, am I right? Let's go!" David said as he began to make his way to the palace doors. Serena and Hael scampered behind him, all the while examining the sculptures and statues that lined the pathway to the doors.

The doors were opened to reveal a butler clad in a white tuxedo who stood to greet them. "We'd like to see Queen Serenity." David said hastily not wanting to waste any time. The butler nodded politely and led the three into a grand seating area with four arm chairs arranged around a marvelously carved coffee table. Each one took a seat in an arm chair nervously awaiting Queen Serenity. Serena wondered what it would be like to see her after...how long had it been since they had last seen each other?Breathe Serena, Breathe! She told herself.

Suddenly, approaching footsteps were heard and all three looked up in the direction of the sound. Serena held her breath as an elegant looking woman with silver odango-styled hair walked into the room. Tears unexpectedly sprang into Serena's eyes as she caught sight of her mother. "Mother!" Serena whispered aloud.

Queen Serenity's eyes widened when they landed on Serena. "Serena!" Her voice broke as she ran forward with her arms outstretched abandoning her Queen-like entrance. Serena ran willingly into those arms and clung onto her mother, her tears now running freely down her face. "Serena, my darling what are you doing here? It's too soon! You shouldn't be here...not yet!" Queen Serenity exclaimed as she held onto her daughter and her own tears began to flow.

Serena sniffed and simply kept her hold of her mother. David and Hael exchanged bewildered looks after witnessing the interaction between Queen Serenity and Serena but they dared not say anything to interrupt this precious moment. When they finally broke the hug, Queen Serenity suddenly remembered the presence of the two other people in the room. She abruptly turned to them and recognized David.

"David! It's been a very long time!" She said as she grabbed hold of Serena's hand wishing for her to stay near.

David bowed. "It's a pleasure to be in your presence again Queen Serenity. This is Hael, Serena's guide." He extended a hand in Hael's direction who also took a bow and greeted Queen Serenity.

Soon, all four were seated in the arm chairs around the coffee table. A butler came in and served them tea and for a few moments, silence hung thick in the air as all three kept their gaze on Queen Serenity.

Suddenly, Hael blurted out, "I don't mean to intrude, but...you're...related?" He asked Serena.

Queen Serenity merely laughed kindly. "She's my daughter." She looked at Serena with an evident display of affection and pride.

David and Hael's jaws nearly reached the floor.

"Then that makes you a princess!" Hael exclaimed.

Serena smiled shyly and nodded.

Queen Serenity laid a hand on her daughter's and said, "No need to be shy darling. You are Princess Serenity."

David and Hael immediately stood up and bowed to her. Serena shot up out of her chair and waved her hands frantically in front of her. "No, no, no, no! No need to do that, please! It's really not necessary!"

To change the subject, Serena said, "Mother, we have questions we need to ask you."

That seemed to remind David and Hael of their inquiries and they both sat back down in their seats.

"Your highness," Hael began. "We were wondering if you knew anything about..." He paused searching for the right word. "the disappearances."

The Queen's eyes dawned with the recognition. "What about them?" She asked implying that she in fact did know about them.

"Well..." David cleared his throat before continuing. "We were wondering if you knew how they happened. Both Hael and I and a couple friends of mine have witnessed these disappearances, but none of us can explain them. All we know is that the disappearances have to do with Sailor Scouts and since I remember you telling me that you personally know the sailor scouts, I thought you could tell us more."

Queen Serenity carefully brought the little teacup to her lips and gingerly set it back down on the coffee table. "Where do I begin?"

Hael and David exchanged glances while Serena didn't move her gaze from her mother.

Queen Serenity sighed and began to explain what she knew. "There is only one power that I know of that can make these 'disappearances' occur. That power comes from something called the Imperium Silver Crystal. A very limited number of people have access to that power." Queen Serenity glanced over Serena while saying the last bit. "Leaving this realm, however, does not occur without consequences. It appears that once you leave this realm your memories of this place vanish as if you had never been here."

Serena took some time to absorb what she had just heard. That explains why none of the sailor scouts remember ever being here.

"I've also discovered," Queen Serenity began again after a quick sip of tea. "That there's a certain cut off time for when you can leave. After having spent a certain amount of time in this realm, not even the Imperium Silver Crystal can bring you back."

Serena swallowed hard at this information. "How...how long is that period of time?"

Queen Serenity shook her head and said, "I don't know the exact amount of time. I know this only because I tried to return a few times and I wasn't able to. I think the first time I tried to return was when I had been here for three weeks."

Serena gasped. Darien had been here for two weeks. What if the cut off time was two weeks? On the other hand, if he left this realm...that would mean...that he wouldn't remember ever meeting his parents! That would be horrible! That can't happen now that he had grown so close to them. This was a huge dilemma! Her thinking was cut off, however, when Hael spoke.

"Wow, I can't believe this. So Serena, when do you plan to return?"

David looked at her with shock taking over his features. "You--you plan to leave?"

Serena forced herself to look him in the eye. "Yes, I had a duty, no I have a duty on earth and that is to protect its people. I can't abandon that."

Queen Serenity looked at her daughter with pride. "My darling, you've grown to be so responsible. How long have you been here?"

"A little over a day." Serena replied.

Queen Serenity nodded with relief. "Then I wish you all the best."

Serena smiled thankfully, but still didn't understand the whole concept of returning. "But Mother, I don't know how to access the Imperium Silver Crystal's power. How can I when I'm not holding it?"

The Queen smiled and took her daughter's hands in her own. "My daughter, the Imperium Silver Crystal follows your heart's desires. You simply have to tell your wish to it and it will be granted."

Serena nodded, understanding her mother's words. "I have to do this."

Queen Serenity agreed. "I know. Be well my daughther. Know I am always thinking of you." She planted a kiss on Serena's forehead. "You must go and be on your way then."

Hael and David stood up and bowed to the Queen as they thanked her for her time.

Serena gave her mother a farewell hug as one last tear fell from her eye. "Thank you." She whispered against her ear.

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"Darien, can I speak with you?" Serena asked as he sauntered from out of the kitchen.

"Well hello there beautiful!" He greeted her by kissing her cheek. "How was the day with my Dad?" He couldn't wipe the silly grin off his face.

"Can we sit down?" She asked as she began to make her way to one of the couches in the living room. Darien merely followed and took a seat beside her.

He watched her face for a while as she seemed to be searching for words to say.

Finally she released a sigh and said, "Look, I don't know how to say this so I'm just going to say it. I'm planning to leave this realm. I'm going back to the scouts."

She hesitantly looked up at Darien from underneath her eyelashes and discovered that he looked as if he was frozen in time as he sat on the couch stunned by her words.

"How?" He finally managed to say one word.

Serena then proceeded to tell him about her conversation with David and Hael and their trip to Queen Serenity and all the while Darien's facial expressions changed between astonishment, bewilderment, and utter shock as she spoke.

"You weren't planning on telling me this until now?" Darien said, bitterness creeping into his voice.

Serena regarded him with apologetic eyes as she took his hands. "Darien, I'm sorry. I just didn't know if I should tell you. I see how happy you are with your parents and you seem to really enjoy it here. All your life you wondered what they were like and if they loved you and now you know. Believe me, I want you to come with me more than anything, but I'm not going to force you. I'll understand if you want to stay."

She sighed before murmuring, "Remember that my mother said that once you leave this place, you'll have no memories of ever being here."

She saw Darien's jaw muscles tensing. His eyes darkened as he averted his gaze to the floor. It was silent for a long and grueling while before Serena noticed that Darien's eyes were becoming glossy and eventually a tear began to fall down his cheek.

"Oh Darien..." Serena said as she reached up to wipe it, but before she could, he hastily rubbed it off his cheek.

Gathering up his courage and without taking his eyes off the floor, he said with obvious hurting in his voice, "This is the hardest decision I've ever had to make. It pains me to say it, but I choose..."


A/N: Are any of you confused? If you guys have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask and I'll try my best to answer it.

sailorsun: It's Darien's earth parents (not his royal parents)

silvermoon8573: Thank you very much! I think if I wrote the first half of the story, I probably would have wrote it differently. But it's too late now and I really want to finish this. Thanks so much for sticking with it and continuing to read even though it was boring in the beginning. Thanks also for taking the time to review!

storycrazy22: I suppose you got your answer in this chapter!

NeoQueen Serena: You got part of your answer in this chapter. Darien's parents have surpassed the cut off time for leaving the realm so now Darien has to choose between them or Serena.

Tori Kay: Don't worry, I didn't think your review was dull. I'm just happy that you left one in the first place! Woo hoo, pride and prejudice!

Li'l Albatross: yeah, this story is totally different from anything I've ever written! Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I hope your new year is going well so far.

TrueWinolo: Thanks so much for the compliment! Your review is one that made me think and yes, you did have influence on who appeared in this chapter. Because of you, Queen Serenity made an appearance so I thank you for your review and your thinking mind! Now that I think about it, I don't know who else would have told them all that information if you hadn't suggested that she should be in the realm. So I thank you very much!! It just goes to show that review are important for stories!

lunamoon08: Thanks you very much! I love that you love it! Thanks for taking the time to review and I hope you like the rest of the story.

Unknown reader: Yes, even I had many questions about where my story was going and questions kept leading to more questions which kept leading to even more questions so eventually, I had to stop myself from asking questions. You're not bothering me with your questions at all because it's the exact same questions that I ask myself. Thank you again for reading and reviewing. Are you living in France? If so, where? I love french culture! I want to go to France someday--that is one of my goals before I die, to go to France.

Lunarian Princess Serenity: I'm glad you like Darien's mother's name! Honestly, it took me a really long time to come up with it. I went and searched on baby name sites for the perfect name and I just couldn't find one. I literally came up with it two seconds before she actually told Serena what her name was. I remembered she was cutting lily stems at the shop and I decided to combine it with a common name, hence Lilyanna.

skye668: Hael doesn't have any romantic feelings towards Serena, but when she begs and pleads, who can resist her? heheh. Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Hannah42992: I'm sorry you didn't get your answer this chapter, but I guarantee you that you will get it next chapter.

ella: I'll definitely try and put in some more darien and serena "alone" time just for you! I'm a hopeless romantic as well and I am not ashamed to admit it.

sailormoonforever: I'm sorry for leaving you hanging like that! And..I'm sorry for leaving you hanging again with this chapter. I'll try to get in the next chap asap. Thanks again for reading!!!!

raven-the-dark-princess: I love that word too! Skedaddle! I'm glad that you didn't think it was too mushy. I love romance, but not corny romance. You got your question in this chapter about whether or not it was Queen Serenity who escaped.

Also thanks to: UF GAtor, Nandini709, serenity11287, markus777, empty-spaces, SerenityDeath, and Lady Sylver for reviewing!! I love ALL of you!