Hi Guys! Sorry this is taking me so long to wind up to, i know it's starting to drag a bit so this chapter hopefully will remedy it. Things should start hotting up now! Thanks to my reviewers for keeping me reasonably on track. I've gone over the other chapters and found loads of mistakes. Little things but, gomen ne minna! I'm sorry! I thought i had them all.

Oh, and we still have some spots open on that site. It's www. sailor-moon-live. proboards. com (just take out the spaces). Check it out if you wanna join in. Still missing Pluto and StarHealer so if you wanna help us feel free! Other spots are open too. :)

Enough from me, on with the story people! STAGE ON!!! ~Eb~

Serena held the phone to her ear with both hands, staring miserably into space. She had decided to call Darien to apologise for her behaviour, but he wasn't picking up. She wondered if he was ignoring her - he had caller ID after all - or if he was genuinely not home. But then, where was he? It was seven in the evening. He should be home from the hospital by now.

The answer machine clicked on and she heard Darien's voice cheerfully asking her to leave a message so he could call back. When she heard the beep she spoke.

"Darien, it's me, Serena. Listen, I know you're angry with me, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have acted so ungrateful to you after you took me out for dinner. It's just I'm so fed up of people acting as though I can't look after myself, or being hostile to other friends for no reason, that I just . . . well I guess I just snapped and I'm sorry for that. Please call me back? I need to talk to you. Bye." her voice was sad, pleading even, as she hung up.

She stood there, one hand still resting on the phone, her face titled to the ground as her shoulders shook and a tear slid down her cheek.

Serena was confused and scared. Maybe she'd completely messed everything up this time. What if she had? What about Rini, and Crystal Tokyo?

The phone rang under her hand, startling her into staring at it, her eyes still watery with unshed tears. The ID read Darien. For some reason she couldn't explain Serena really didn't want to pick up the phone.

She did so anyway. "Hello."

"Hi." Darien's voice was a little cold and she winced. He was so mad at her!

"How are you?" she asked. Her voice was so quiet, subdued.

"I've been better."

There was silence on both sides for a while. Sammy had stopped behind the living room door and was listening to his sister's voice with one fist clenched.

"I didn't expect you to ring back so fast." Serena admitted after a minute.

"I just walked through the door." was the reply. 'He's not gonna make this easy is he.' Serena thought sadly.

"Oh." then she added, "Where were you?"

"Why do you want to know?" he paused then explained. "Shopping."

Serena thought he'd been shopping a lot lately. "Oh, ok. So, I take it you heard my message."

"Yes."

He really was angry with her.

"Ok." Serena took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing.' "I wanted to apologise for the way I acted."

"Go on."

She blinked, she'd already explained all this in the message. Why did he want her to say it again?

"It was wrong of me and ungrateful." she supplied, unsure of how to react. He was being so cold to her and it confused her even more.

"It was." Darien agreed. Serena snapped again.

"What do you want me to say? I've already apologised Darien I don't understand what you want me to do!"

There was a pause on the other end of the line and then "Bye Serena."

"No! Wait!" she cried hurriedly. When she didn't hear the click that meant he'd hung up she took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me lately I'm just . . . stressed. I guess it's from the troubles at the flat."

She didn't add that the repairs were almost finished now and that she'd be moving back in there next week.

"I suppose." said Darien. Another awkward silence. "Maybe we should take a break." he suggested finally.

She thought her heart had stopped. "What? Why?"

"Serena," he sounded irritated or bored. Maybe both. "We're at each other's throats. I just think it'd be for the best."

Serena had a flashback to five or so years ago when he'd broken up with her because of a dream. A dream! She hadn't said at the time but that had seriously annoyed her. She came out of her reverie in time to hear her name.

"I'm still here. I was just thinking." she took a deep breath. She needed some answers and if she didn't get them now she might not get the chance. "Do you trust me?"

There was silence on the other end of the line. Shocked or hesitant, she couldn't tell. Serena held her breath as she waited.

"Of course, Serena. Why wouldn't I?" she frowned; his voice sounded funny.

"It's just, sometimes it doesn't seem it. Especially the other night at dinner." she paused. "When the StarLights walked into the restaurant, you were acting as though they were a threat to you. I want to know why."

"I just don't trust them." Darien said dismissively. "What's not to understand about that? They're not from this galaxy. And when I wasn't here Seiya kept trying to put the moves on you."

"Seiya did not try to put the moves on me." she snapped. "He tried to be a friend and console me when I thought my boyfriend had abandoned me."

"I was dead Serena."

"I didn't know that!" she put a hand to her forehead tiredly. She could feel a headache coming on and she didn't like the way this conversation was going.

"Amara doesn't like him either." Darien said pointedly.

"That's because Amara is over-protective of me. And it's no excuse for the way you behaved that night."

"Forgive me for not liking it when another guy swans in and tries to get close to my girlfriend." said Darien sourly.

"Will you stop being jealous?!" Serena had had enough of this. "You're acting like a little kid."

"I'm not the one shouting." Darien stated calmly.

"No, but you are the one letting jealousy and mistrust get in the way of this relationship. Like it or not Darien, Seiya and the others are my friends. They're not even originally guys; they are girls. You're just going to have to trust me."

"I don't trust him."

"Then I'm sorry, but you've no choice."

She thought she heard him mutter 'we'll see' but couldn't be sure. All she definitely knew she could hear was silence. She imagined crickets chirping in the stillness and shook her head to get rid of the thought; this wasn't the time for silly daydreams.

"Look, I've got to go. I'm meeting some of the other members of the research team for dinner and I've got to get ready and leave in the next five minutes."

Now that irked her. She was his girlfriend, surely their relationship was more important than that, especially if it was on the rocks. Nor was it the first phone call to end this way.

"Don't let me keep you." she said icily. If he didn't want to sort this out together then she'd just have to do it alone.

"Ok." he said distractedly. "Bye Serena." he hung up.

She stared at the phone in her hand in disbelief. 'He didn't say 'I love you'. What's going on?' then she blinked and felt a lump in her throat. 'Wait, did he just . . .'

She replaced the phone in a daze and stared at it.

Sammy unclenched his teeth and fists and walked through the door, putting on a normal façade for his sister. "Hey Serena, was that Darien? Everything ok?"

She turned to look at him. One minute her face was blank, devoid of everything but shock. The next there were tears in her eyes. "I think . . . I think he just . . . Broke up with me." the tears began to overflow, one or two slipping down her cheeks.

Sammy walked over to her and hugged her reassuringly. Growth spurts meant that he was now taller by a few inches. The hug broke the dam and Serena's tears flowed freely as she sobbed into his shoulder.

Mina put her cell phone down on the coffee table and stared at it. Amy watched her carefully; the Senshi of Venus was deep in thought.

Amy had just finished telling her about what her mom had said when the phone rang. Mina's voice and face had gone from curiosity to shock and then to sadness.

"What was it?"

Mina shook herself from her thoughts and looked at the Senshi of Ice and Wisdom unhappily. "That was Sammy, Serena's little brother." she looked around her living room as though it would help say the next words. "Darien called Serena. They had an argument and I think he's broken up with her."

Amy looked at her hands folded in her lap. The girls' tea sat forgotten on the table between them.

"I spoke with the StarLights and got some answers for Serena," Mina continued quietly. "I also asked Seiya to talk with her, as it would help him and he might be able to help her. Goddess knows we haven't been much good." Mina's hand fell limply onto the table, her voice thick with regret. Amy put her own hand over Mina's comfortingly.

Mina smiled at her, withdrew her hand and picked up the phone again, dialling a number that Amy couldn't see. "I need to make a call. Please help yourself." she gestured to the tea and cookies and then she was gone. Amy heard her voice as the other person answered and glanced at the biscuits.

As a Senshi she felt useless; she hadn't protected her Princess during the final battle with Galaxia and had had to entrust her to others' care instead, a job she should have been able to complete. As a friend she felt worse still; she had no idea how to help Serena, one of her very best friends, through this and how to make it right again.

Mina walked back into the living room to find the soon-to-be-again Mercurian staring at the tea cup without seeing it. "Amy," she said gently. "Is something wrong?"

Amy looked up, roused by the blonde's voice. "I just feel so helpless. We can't do anything to help her and right now the future we know should happen is spiralling out of sight. I don't know what to do."

Mina nodded and resumed her seat opposite the cerulean-haired girl. "I know how you feel." she replied simply. Then she looked at Amy thoughtfully. "That's not all, is it." she stated suddenly. It startled Amy, who blinked at her a few times before her expression softened. She smiled gently, but it was a smile that showed the sorrow Mina knew lay heavy in her heart, and shook her head as admission.

"So what is it?"

Amy hesitated, unsure of how to phrase it. "I'm worried, Mina."

"About what? Serena? I'm sure it'll all work out in the end."

Amy shook her head "Not that, about the StarLights."

Mina looked at her quizzically and Amy sighed, knowing she would have to continue.

"Mina, what do you feel for Yaten?"

Mina moved back a few centimetres before she realised what she was doing and stilled. She avoided looking into Amy's sapphire eyes and bit her lip. Good question, one she hoped she knew the answer to.

"I care for him." was her vague reply. Her voice was quiet and guarded.

"No, I mean really, how do you feel?" Amy looked almost pleading, as though begging Mina to understand.

Mina opened her mouth to speak, closed it again, then sighed and answered. "How did you get so observant about these things, Amy?" she chuckled weakly. Amy smiled and Mina took it as a cue to continue. "Honestly, I'm not sure. All I know is I was happy when they were here. When they left, when he left, I was crushed. I'd been hoping, perhaps selfishly, that they'd stay." her eyes, previously downcast, now looked up. Mina closed her eyes and smiled. "I guess . . . I guess you could say I love him."

"Love, not loved." Amy said, needing to clarify. When Mina nodded she smiled to herself. "I'm glad I'm not the only one." she spoke after a while.

Mina looked at her, suddenly sad. "So I am right; you do love Taiki."

Amy nodded, a tear spilling onto her clasped hands. Mina was instantly beside her, enveloping the fragile-looking girl in a reassuring hug.

"He seemed a little disappointed when he opened the door and saw I was there." Mina told her, hoping the thought would cheer Amy up a little. Amy chuckled quietly and Mina felt encouraged. "Seiya was worried about Serena, deeply so. And when I woke up Yaten was staring down at me and his eyes were wide and almost scared."

Amy nodded; Mina had told her about the fainting spell.

"So, I'm not sure they did move on. But I think Taiki and Yaten are scared to be back." Mina confided in her. Amy looked up at her, blue eyes searching for a hint of dishonesty in Mina's clear blue orbs. Her gaze turned from searching to questioning.

"Why would they be scared to return?"

"I'm not sure. Yaten explained that he and Taiki had opposed the idea at first, but they came around eventually." Mina didn't want to disclose Seiya's recent adventure. It was his story to tell. "I think they wanted to return, but after they finished restoring Kinmoku they kept putting it off for one reason or another, I think. I'm not sure, they're just so confusing, but I do know that they are all scared and worried."

Amy nodded and wiped a tear away.

"I called Seiya." Mina told her quietly. "I asked him to go see Serena tomorrow, to give her chance to calm down a little and let it sink in. He wanted to go tonight but I said it would be too soon."

Amy nodded again in agreement. It would be too soon. A day or two would at least allow the news to sink in and give Serena some time to sort through her mind and emotions.

Amy looked up suddenly, her whole posture taking on a determined air. "Excuse me Mina, but there's something I need to do."

Serena awoke the next morning to sunshine gleaming through her window. 'How ironic' she thought dully. She lay there for five minutes trying to recall why she was so sad. She frowned as she struggled through the lest dregs of sleep to remember. Then the memories came back, sharp and clean-edged as a sword, and the tears fell anew.

It was a full half hour or so before she stopped. Serena was surprised she had any tears left at all. Poor Sammy had been her shoulder to cry on for a couple of hours after that dreadful phone call. Then he'd sat her down in the living room and gone to make her some tea and she had heard his voice in the kitchen talking to someone on his mobile. When he came in it was to find her staring at the ring on her hand. Him merely saying her name had made her cry.

With a sigh she heaved herself out of bed and into the shower. A part of her hoped that the hot water would wash away the pain, but she knew it wouldn't. Afterwards she padded dolefully back into her room to dress in jeans and a t-shirt. She looked at the bunny on her stomach and sighed. It was going to be a long day.

"Serena, honey, are you awake?" Ikuko asked warily as she edged around the door. Serena watched her in the mirror. Ikuko took one look at her daughter and sighed, wrapping her in a secure embrace.

"Sweetheart, I know it hurts, but I promise you that the pain will fade eventually. Time heals all wounds, even those of the heart."

Serena didn't answer, only sobbed into her mother's arm. Ikuko held her even after the crying had subsided; Serena wasn't meant to be this way, upset and depressed. She had come in from shopping yesterday to find Sammy looking lost and angry in the living room with Serena crying with her head on his lap and Sammy stroking her hair awkwardly. Ikuko had relieved him and five minutes later a ball had been kicked very hard several times against the back wall. Serena didn't have an outlet for her pain like that, and Ikuko was at a loss as to how to help.

"Serena," she said after several minutes. Serena "hmmm'd" in response. "I'm baking bread in the kitchen, would you help me knock back the dough?"

Serena nodded and followed her mother into the kitchen. Sammy had a party that weekend and he was taking rolls for the barbecue, so Ikuko was making them ready. There was a lot of dough to bake. The first few Serena half-heartedly pulled and kneaded but then, on the fifth or sixth batch, she suddenly punched it so hard Ikuko heard the thud of her hand hitting the counter.

Ikuko Tsukino watched her out of the corner of her eye warily. Her daughter wasn't usually violent, in fact Serena detested violence, but it was good to see her letting off some steam. A few more punches and some tears later those batches of rolls were in the oven.

"Thanks mom." Serena muttered, understanding her mother's intention. Ikuko smiled and enfolded her in another hug before pushing her towards the living room where Sammy was playing a video game. Serena joined in half-heartedly for a while before announcing she was going to take a walk.

Serena realised that saying it was all well and good, but now that she was out of the house she wasn't sure what to do with herself. She meandered her way into the park and walked through the trees, avoiding the open sunny places where she knew couples would be.

When had it all gone so wrong? She supposed from the start after Galaxia. For a few months she had continually compared Darien to Seiya in her mind. Then she had managed to push it all away. Then she and Darien had started growing apart.

Little things at first; phone calls were spread out, so were dates. Darien began to work more and Serena had gotten a job. 'Actually I'd better call in and apologise for not turning up last night' she thought darkly. She then proceeded to do just that. Her boss said not to worry and to come in tomorrow.

She was grateful to Mina and Amy for trying to support her by getting answers, and she knew that both had things to tell her, but she didn't want to face any of them just yet.

As Serena examined her feelings she slowly realised what subconsciously she had known for a while.

She dimly heard her name being called and turned slowly. Kakyuu was standing by a tree about ten feet away, disguised as Blaze once more in black jeans and a grey t-shirt. Her hair today was in a high ponytail and gave the impression of a fiery cascade as it flowed down her back.

"Are you alright Serena?" Blaze repeated. Serena nodded and hung back, unsure of whether to continue walking or to join the red-headed girl. When Blaze motioned to Serena to join her the blonde decided to.

Blaze led her to a small pond hidden by a screen of willows and sat on a small boulder beneath one of the trees. "What is wrong? I can sense you are unhappy, Serena."

Serena hesitated and opened her mouth to say that she was fine, but what poured out instead was the truth and her tears. Blaze listened patiently and comforted the girl until her tale was finished.

"First I would like to thank you for keeping my identity and presence a secret. I do not wish to be known for the time being. Only yourself, Lady Mina and Lady Mercury know who I am." Blaze began quietly.

Serena nodded. "I figured you wore a disguise for a reason. So long as you don't become Kakyuu in front of them the spell to prevent them from recognising you will hold. I still don't understand why you allowed me to know. But Amy and Mina will keep your secret I promise." she sniffed.

Blaze nodded. "I know." she gathered Amy to be Lady Mercury. "And as for your story, I am afraid that there is only so much you and the others can do. If it is his wish to go then you must let him."

Serena began to cry again and Blaze put a comforting arm around her shoulders. "On Kinmoku we have a saying; if you love something you must let it free; what comes back to you is meant to be."

"We have that saying as well." Serena said around her sobs. She sniffed and looked at Blaze with watery eyes. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"To answer the question you won't speak aloud, I returned with my StarLights because they were unhappy and to help two very dear friends." Blaze smiled gently as Serena looked at the water. "To answer your spoken question, unhappiness does not suit you at all. Seiya was right; your shine should never go out." she smiled again, "Did you know that I once knew you as Serenity?"

Serena's stare told her she didn't. "During your life a thousand years ago I was also alive. My mother and yours were allies and friends. During your early years my mother, Queen Keahi visited often and brought me along. We used to play together in the gardens of the Moon Palace."

Serena realised that it was true; small memories filtered through her mind for her to examine. A young Princess Kakyuu and herself playing in a field of flowers and laughing together.

"We were close then, and I still feel close to you now. You haven't changed much in a thousand years; you can still make almost anyone like you." she chuckled. "But if anything you are less sheltered now, and I love the wisdom and grace I see in your new eyes. In many ways it makes you even more beautiful than you were and adds something to you that never was, and I know you're not as naïve and complacent as you pretend."

Serena ducked her head guiltily and Kakyuu chuckled again. Her voice was melodious like the breeze through the willows. Serena realised she felt at ease with the Kinmokune Princess.

"Now then, how about you and I go for some ice cream? I still haven't tried it yet and I just know it would cheer you up." Blaze smiled.

Serena returned the smile a little. Somehow she knew that Blaze/Kakyuu would support her in whatever decisions she made now. Together they walked into the sunshine and warmth and headed for the ice cream parlour that was nearby.

Sailor Pluto stared intently into the depths of the Garnet Orb. She could see vague images. Crystal Tokyo; Fading. Small Lady in danger of vanishing too without a trace. The future was altering significantly. And it had been since they had arrived.

She frowned. Something had to be done. The Inner Sol Senshi were doing nothing; only helping the disruption further. She didn't know what Neptune and Uranus were going to do; Uranus especially was loyal to the Earth Prince. Neptune would follow Uranus she knew. Saturn usually tried to stay neutral, although she was not fond of these outsiders returning; they had brought danger with them last time.

Sailor Pluto looked behind her to the Time Gate. Still solid. She remembered when she had been initiated as a Guardian as a young girl. Others had been initiated with her.

The main Guardians of Time, Light, Shadow, Fate and Souls had all grown into strong women. The lesser Guardians she had not known so well. The Keeper of the Souls, being High Princess of her kingdom and daughter of the previous Guardian Senshi leader, as well as the strongest of her generation, was charged with keeping the others in line as well as protecting Fate and Time as one. Through her eyes, the two entwined. Pluto answered to her as well as to Princess Serenity, the Princess of her own system.

The Guardian Leader rarely became involved with events, preferring instead to send others to investigate the matter first.

Pluto had sensed their arrival, if not their identities.

Sailor Pluto looked at the Orb again and her dark eyes became darker still. She had to do something to correct the mistakes that had been made. But what?

Somehow she would have to get Princess Serenity and Prince Endymion back together. But how?

She pondered the matter further as the mists swirled over her realm.

Mid-afternoon.

Seiya walked along the path in the park, for once at peace with himself. He had missed this; being able to stroll in the company of others who didn't recognise him as a Protector of Kinmoku and its Princess. It filled him with a sense of calm.

He felt selfish for dragging his brothers here. They were hurting worse now than they had at home. Home. For Kinmoku the word rang hollow in his mind. For Taiki and Yaten he wasn't so sure of where they felt they belonged any more.

He heard a familiar tune playing nearby, recognising it as one of his own he smiled. 'Chasin' After You'. One of the last he'd written. One of his favourites. He smiled in the warm sunshine and fresh air.

All in all, he guessed he'd just missed this whole damn planet.

Seiya remembered Mina's visit and the phone call he'd received from her last night and his expression darkened. How dare Darien treat Odango that way. She didn't deserve it. She was too precious. Hers was a light meant to shine forever in the darkest of nights. A light that to many meant hope and life. How dare he threaten it.

He took a deep breath to calm down. Seiya hoped she was alright. The brief glimpse of her in the restaurant suggested she was, although he'd vaguely noticed her glare once or twice at her boyfriend.

Was he her lover? If he was her boyfriend then surely that would follow. But maybe they weren't at that stage. Yet.

He shook himself and glanced at his watch. Four in the afternoon. Maybe he should go see her now.