Ooh, sorry for the delay. I have assignments coming out of my ears! But I have opted to update in celebration of my 5th year anniversary with my own beloved prince :)

Thanks to: Twighla Shields, sailormoon489, nami, moon86, SabrinaGrace, Moon Princess Selene, life705, Stacey, SerentiyMoonGodness, TaliMoonAngel668, ScarletL, x-YingYing-x, Jenbunny, UniversalBunny, SulliMike23, Miss Katrina Malfoy, Jessica, Anne Heartwood, deedee and CharmedSerenity3 for reviewing the previous chapter.


Title: Akai Ito
Author: Crystal Saturn
Rated: T
Chapter: 11- Gone

"She told him that she believes in living
Bigger than she's living now
But her world keeps spinning backwards
And upside down"

Serena roused from her dreamless slumber to find herself in a foreign bed, wrapped in Darien's green jacket. She knew the girls would have covered for her if her parents had called, so there was no rush to get out of bed. She was fully content to spend yet another whole day, lazily wrapped up in Darien's bed, surrounded by all his things.

"What's that, Dar? You'd like a coffee? Sure! Maybe I'll make you some pancakes too. I've never made them before, but it's the least I can do since you made me lasagna last night." Serena pretended to hear his voice. Ironically, pretending that he was still haunting her was the only thing keeping her from going totally insane. "No no, you stay in bed. I'll bring it to you."

Knock knock knock

"Serena! We know you're in there." Lita's voice bellowed from the other side of the door.

Knock knock knock

"Serena. I know this is really hard for you, but you have to come out now. You have to come with us. Darien's funeral is today." Mina coaxed gently.

"You need closure. This isn't healthy anymore." Ami added. Her voice conveyed much concern for the sanity of her friend.

"Serena! Stop being stubborn. You know you'll regret it if you don't go. You have to say good bye." Rei began to feel impatient, waiting.

"Please be quiet. Darien's home and he's sleeping right now. You'll wake him." Serena paused, knowing exactly how crazy she sounded. If her friends didn't believe she was being haunted by Darien's spirit before, they sure as hell were not going to believe her now. "He said he'd spend the rest of his life with me." A bitter tone carried through the sweetness of her words.

"Serena," She loved the way her name sounded when he said it. She imagined the feeling of his arms wrapping around her from behind. "Sere, you have to go with your friends."

"I don't want to." She shook her head stubbornly and frowned at the fact that her internal monologues were turning against her too. "I'm not ready."

"Sere," He cooed softly as he kissed the back of her neck for encouragement. Cool electric tingles travelled up and down her spine. "You know this isn't real. It's time to let me go."

"I can't, Darien." Serena turned to face him, but he wasn't there. "Darien…" She called out to the empty apartment. No reply. A few moments passed and Serena slowly shuffled towards the door. It creaked quietly as she hesitantly opened it, revealing her miserable, disheveled state. Her long blonde hair hadn't been washed for days, dark circles had formed under her bloodshot eyes, her lips were cracked from all the crying and lack of fluid intake. She was thin, pale and still wearing Darien's green jacket. As the door opened wide enough, Serena was greeted with four familiar faces, and pulled into an embrace.

"You're not alone." Rei wrapped an arm around Serena for support.


The ceremony was simple and intimate. Andrew had been the sole beneficiary of Darien's will, and also had the tough task of putting the funeral together. In addition to Andrew, a number of Darien's fellow classmates attended, but none had gained as much attention as little blonde high school girl who, although wrapped within Darien's jacket, did not shed a tear.

As the casket was lowered into the ground, the thought crossed Serena's mind, to fling herself upon it as a last dramatic act of grievance, but her feet remained firmly rooted to the ground. She had cried all the tears she had for him, and now there was nothing left for her to do but to return home and live out the rest of her life, waiting and hoping that Akai Ito meant that she would see him again in the next one.

But that's never how the story ends. Not when your enemy is the Dark Kingdom.

The blustery weather began to intensify and tousled Serena's hair about her as the last prayers were spoken. She shuddered and tossed her red rose into the grave. The cold, crisp wind of late Autumn whipped about, lashing at exposed skin. It added another stinging component to the already painful occasion.

"It's funny," Serena murmured under her breath as she pulled the green jacket around herself tightly. "Even though you're gone, it feels like you've never left my side."


"I'm glad you let me walk you home." Andrew briefly placed a reassuring hand on Serena's shoulder. Luna followed two steps behind them as they slowly began the walk back to Serena's house. Since the events at the Starlight Tower, she had stayed with Mina and Artemis to discuss their next plan of attack. She felt that it was also good for Serena to have some time and space to herself to become comfortable with the idea that she was the legendary Moon Princess, destined to one day rule the world. Little did she know that their princess was rekindling a long lost love with the disembodied spirit of her comatose prince.

"I would've been fine regardless," Serena stared at her lead filled feet as she walked. "But thank you for offering, Andrew."

"You should know Serena, Darien cared for you very much." Andrew began. "He'd never admit it to anyone, not even to me, but there's no mistaking the fact that your happy-go-lucky attitude affected him in a positive way. I'm sure if things had turned out differently, he would've told you that himself." Andrew turned to see Serena in deep contemplation. The constant silence and emotionless expression on her face made her difficult to read.

"You know," Serena continued to stare at her feet as she walked. "I saw him. Before he…" she cleared her throat and took a moment to collect herself. "He was outside the arcade, and then he followed me to the park."

"I know what that's like." Andrew nodded, surprising Serena. "It's been hard for me too. Every day this week I've pulled out a cup for Darien's morning coffee, simply out of habit. When you follow the same routines every day, it's difficult to adjust when that routine suddenly changes. It's no wonder you've seen him around, the two of you would bump into each other on a daily basis." Andrew smiled reassuringly. "I'm no psychologist, but I'm pretty sure it's a normal coping mechanism. It takes time."

"I see." Serena decided to drop her line of thought. "Well, thanks for walking me home, Andrew." She added as they approached her house. "I really appreciate it."

"It's no trouble at all, Serena. If you need to talk or anything, you know where I am." Andrew placed a hand on Serena's shoulder for emphasis and support. "And about Darien's apartment-"

"I have the key right here…" Serena reached in to her pocket and began to dig around for the little key. Andrew shook his head quickly.

"No no, the landlord has told me that Darien's rent has been paid up to six months in advance, so if you want access to the apartment, for somewhere to be, then by all means Sere, keep the key. If not, let me know and I'll go through his things and clean up the place." He watched the teenage girl for a while. She smiled weakly and nodded her head, clutching on to the key and holding it to her chest. Darien's green jacket barely clung onto her shoulders and she almost looked like she was being swallowed up by the layers of fabric. Andrew gave a bittersweet smile and shook his head once again. "You know Serena, it's a pity that Darien could never muster up enough courage to ask you out on a date. You would've been good for him. Once the two of you got past your preschool teasing, I think you both could have been happy."

"I guess it just wasn't meant to be." The melancholy tone in Serena's voice masked a pain that pierced viciously through her heart, and a spark of hope that refused to die. She watched the back of Andrew's head for a few moments as he began his trek back home. As she walked through her front door, she announced her presence and walked up the stairs towards her room, only to stop with her nose pressed up against the door gently.

"What's the matter?" Luna whispered quietly as she watched Serena stand at the entrance of her room, staring at her closed door and drawing in deep sniffled breaths.

"I don't want to go in there."

"Why not?" Luna looked up at her charge curiously.

"I just spent the past week in there thinking that I was with the spirit of Darien. He spoke to me in there. He confided in me, in that room. He made me paper origami roses in there. I was the only one who could see him. I told him I loved him. If he really was following me around as a spirit this week then the roses should be on my study table, but that means that I've truly lost the man I love. If the roses aren't there, then it means that it was all in my head and that I'm going crazy. It means that he died not knowing how I felt about him, and I'll never be able to change that." Serena clenched her hands into fists with nervous anticipation. They became clammy as her heart began to drum in her ears. "I can't do it. I can't go in there, Luna"

"Serena, either way, Darien's gone. You can't change that, but what you can do is open that door, and start your first steps towards going on with your life. Besides, I'm sure Darien knows. If his spirit is floating around, I'm sure he just heard what you said." Luna nudged against Serena's ankle.

Serena nodded solemnly as she reached for her door handle. Turning the knob and slowly pushing the door open, she entered the quiet room with caution. Eagerly, she found herself immediately turning her gaze toward her study table, her eyes searching with desperation.

Nothing.

The paper roses that Darien had crafted were not there. The paper breakfast he had cooked up was also missing. Only her homework and some study notes lay strewn across the timber desk. Looking at her room, there was no sign that Darien had ever set foot within those walls. Serena slowly walked over to her desk in disbelief. With one hand over her mouth to stifle her cries, and another clutching at her chest, it dawned upon her that the week she thought she had spent with Darien was a lie. It was all a cruel concoction of her mind.

"Serena?" Luna cautiously approached from behind.

"The roses are gone. He never knew... I never got the chance to tell him that I loved him." Serena sobbed quietly, before shaking her head and wiping her eyes. "I'm fine, Luna. I'll be fine." She attempted to smile through her tears. "It's over, right? Now I know."

"Serena, it's alright to cry if you want."

"No, Luna. I think I've cried enough." Serena shook her head vigorously. "You're right. I need to move on. I never told Darien how I felt, so nothing changed between us. He's still the obnoxious jerk that teased me all the time. Maybe in another lifetime…" Her voice trailed off as she continued her silent line of thought. "No, I can't think about that now. The world still needs a hero."

"That's right Serena." Luna nodded approvingly. Although she admired Serena's new sense of responsibility, she could not help but feel a little sad and mourned for the loss of her innocence. "But Serena, you believe in Akai Ito right? So please don't give up hope of finding love."

Unbeknownst to Luna, destiny had not yet had its final say in regards to the song of Serena's heart, and as she stood at her balcony and watched the lives of those below her carry on, the invisible red thread tied around her right ankle stretched and pulled. Eventually the tension in the thread began to relax, for the distance between the two ends had dwindled. Serena shuddered as a draft of frosty air brushed across her cheek. Winter was coming. She recalled the way Darien's touch felt so cool against her skin and applauded her imagination for going to such extreme lengths to keep his spirit alive. It all seemed so real to her. Even as she reminisced about her time spent with him, her lips tingled and her heart skipped a beat. She closed her eyes languidly and relished the feeling.

"It still feels like you're here with me."


. . .

I have to get back to my assignments. On a side note: how romantic was the royal wedding? Awwww! Loved it!

Please review!

Crystal Saturn