Vegas Chapter 6

Fear clung to Serena as she tried to go through her belongings that the bellmen had transferred from her old room. Her head ached and she slowly called upon the power of the crystal to heal her hangover. As much as she wanted to use the crystal to fully remove the body ache and nauseous stomach, Serena knew that she deserved this feeling. No matter how much she used the crystal it would never remove the pit of despair she was slowly circling around like a drain. Why had she been made the one to save the world, when she alone made stupid mistakes? A twinkle caught her eye as she frantically dug through her clothes. The pink diamond on her hand glistened casting a thousand tiny fragments of light to shine on the white wall. She loved the ring… it was amazing how well it fit her personality. How had he known?

She shook her head at the thoughts of them staying married, having children, buying their first house with a dog and a cat… a sob caught in her throat. She couldn't love him. She needed to hate him. Yes, hate him with every fiber of her being. She was meant to be with Endymion and to prove her love to him she would have to get an annulment from Darien. Quickly she found the outfit she had been looking for and changed. It was time to face the firing squad.

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Darien gave one last look in the mirror as he called upon the golden crystal to liven him up a bit after last nights one too many drinks and bad choices. "The meatball head. I married the fucking meatball head". 'What was I thinking? Her father is going to kill me! Darien why are you so dumb, you are supposed to be the smart reserved one who does not act on his fantasy's about the damn meatball head.'

He sighed loudly. He could easily remember his past as Endymion. The only part he struggled to remember clearly was Serenity. She was a blank in his mind. He knew without a doubt Endymion loved her, he could feel it. He loved Serena like that, she was his god damn it! His fist hit the counter and pain shot through him. He looked up in the mirror again breathing heavily, the eyes of a mad man. The eyes of Endymion. The eyes of Darien. They were the same… he felt it. The power of his past self swept over him as he struggled to maintain his more sensitive less aggressive side that was Darien.

Oh yes, Endymion had declared Serena as his as well. This was odd.

"Darien…" a gentle knock on the door quickly sobered up his previous thoughts.

"Yeah." His voice was gruffer than he had anticipated it to be.

"Umm… I don't think it's wise to keep the guillotine awaiting." He couldn't help but chuckle at her reference of execution.

"I didn't know you knew such a big word, meatball head." He laughed.

Serena kicked the door. "Hurry up Baka. The faster we get down there the faster we can end this sham of a marriage." Her face became red and she stormed away from the bathroom.

Darien on the other hand quickly calmed his features as she mentioned yet again annulling the marriage. He opened the door of the bathroom and stalked to where Serena sat waiting for him on a couch near the door. Darien had pushed out his macho man mentality and he had to think about what was best for Serena and that was for her to have her own life. A life of safety that did not and would not ever included superheroes or the negaverse.

He refused to look at her and she the same. They exited the hotel room in which only a few hours before they were engaged in love making some thousand years over due. It was quite odd to both really how they could almost feel their souls calling to one another as they walked down the hall way to the elevator. They ignored the calls and proceeded in to the elevator pushing the L button that would lead them to the lobby.

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Serena smoothed the folds in her skirt as she nervously approached the table where he parents sat. She knew that as Serenity she had often felt this feeling when her mother the queen of he moon summoned her for her mischievous ways, but those feelings were nothing as ominous as this one. She tried to keep ahead of Darien just in case he father charged him like a mad man so she could try to stand in the way of his lunatic ways. They remained still as the 'Chibas' approached her parents. Darien stood firmly at her side as his eyes flicked from Ilene and Ken's stone faces. Darien pulled out the chair for Serena she graciously accepted. It was in this moment Darien realized he was not nervous of the judgment Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino would give and he sat down next to his wife, Serena.

Ken Tsukino watched as his beautiful daughter squirmed is her seat. He knew that it was slightly unfair to make her suffer like this when in reality it was his and her mother's fault she was in this predicament. Ilene gave his hand a squeeze and he knew that she was thinking the same thing.

"Serena Tsukino what were you thinking!" Ken's voice was slightly raised above his normal speaking tone. However, Serena did not even wince as her father began and she quickly took over.

"Dad, I am sorry. I just wanted one night of fun and I took it too far. I over extended the power you gave me from my fake id. I accept all of the blame." Serena spoke like that of her true form. Her mother, father and Darien's mouths were slightly agape. Serena fought the urge to roll her eyes. She knew that they were all expecting yelling and wailing.

"Sir, Serena is correct. We accept the blame for our actions we never anticipated a marriage as a way to complete the night. I know that you must think that this looks beyond bad but I assure you that I never meant to hurt your daughter by making false statements in the eyes of God." Darien finished for her.

"Darien and I have decided to annul the marriage." Serena said regally.

"Excuse me! Over my dead body" Ilene spat. She had worked to hard for this and gosh daren't Serena would realize how much she loved this man so help her God. Serena and Darien were shocked by her outburst.

'Mother, I cannot and will not be married to him. It may be over your dead body!" She screeched at her parents! Had they no clue of the future of salvation, for Peat's sake! She threw her hand up in the air.

"Young Lady, don't speak to your mother that way. Serena how dare you embarrass us this way." Ken stated.

"We are sorry, we are just trying to make this right for Serena's future." Darien cut it hoping to lessen the blow to his new wife.

The tears in Ilene's eyes were real. She did not want Serena to make a choice that would push her soul mate away from her.

"Serena can you even imagine how shocked your father and I were when we woke up this morning to the staff congratulating us on our daughters marriage! We thought no, not our Serena she would never do that! And you Dr. Shields do you think that marrying my daughter with out us there was okay? We are so embarassed we were not invited to the wedding. We have no pictures to show our friends now..." Ilene sobbed.

Serena was stunned. "You can not be serious! You don't even care that we were married but you are upset about not having pictures!" Serena's face was red. Vegas truly had made her parents nuts.

"Yes honey and with all this talk of an annulment? I mean our only baby girl was married and we are happy for you both." Ken nodded in agreement.

Serena was fuming. Her voice became rough as she seethed between clenched teeth. "I want an annulment."

"We said no, Serena. End of story!" Ken replied back

"Sir I never intended this to happen, but my only wishes are for Serena and if she thinks an annulment is best I support her wishes." Darien put in his two cents again as least pretending to try to Serena could not yell at him later.

"There will be no annulment." Ken was firm on this.

"Yes, there will be!" Serena yelled.

"Serena." Ilene sobbed. "We are a traditional Japanese family. By annulling this marriage you will bring shame to us. Is that what you want? To shame your family?"

"No, but…" Serna stuttered.

"You and Darien will stay married." Ken said firmly. Darien's face lit up. The turn of events was so much more than he expected.

"No, I can not and I will not." Serena was standing firm on this. Ilene's face went from looking extremely irritated to almost serene in the matter of seconds.

"Okay, Serena, you can have your annulment on one condition." Ilene stated. Serena knew that she shouldn't have taken the deal.

"Fine." She crossed her arms.

"If you two did not consummate the marriage last night you can have your annulment, but if you did in my eyes and in the eyes of the law you can not end your marriage. And I believe if you have fully given yourself to this man there is no turning back."

Serena knew at that moment she had lost to her mother; however, she didn't feel fully defeated. She felt some how she had won and she was angered by these feelings that were taking over her. She would divorce him.

"Fine." She growled. "I will remain married for the time being."

"Serena you will not divorce. We do not divorce in this family. Darien, son, when do you fly out?" Ken knew what she had been thinking and he tried to change the subject. Darien was just trying not to be smug about the whole situation. He would get to keep her and somewhere deep down inside he knew that he wouldn't even let her go even against her wishes. He fought the urges of his lips to upturn in to a smile.

"I fly out in the morning." Darien said.

Serena shot him a glare. How could he do this to her? 'This is what you want… you have always wanted him' 'Shut up, I do not want him. I am destined for Endymion.' ' He never came, he will never come…' ' Yes… he has to… for the future.'

She could not believe she was arguing with herself.

"I think it best you change your flight to today. Ilene and I have to fly out in the morning for the conference. I just got the memo and change in schdule. Serena starts school next week and I think you two should settle in together before she goes back."

"I think that is best, sir." Darien said taking a huge gulp of air.

"Move in with him! I cannot move in with him! This is nuts… insane. Darien, stop this. We cannot be married. We don't even love each other. Say something, please." She begged.

He looked in to her big blue orbs that were shimmering with tears… he loved her he knew he did and always would, but he could not give in. He knew this was supposed to be. Endymion and Darien… they would fully one now.

"Serena, I am sorry it has to be this way but your parents are right. If we get this annulled or even worse divorced back in Tokyo I could lose my residence and we in turn would shame your parents. It is not as easy back home as it is in the states for a girl to be alone. And with your dad traveling if anything ever happened to you the only person legally who can take care of you is a husband. I know you don't want to be with me and I understand but let's at least try…" Darien reasoned out some bull that actually made sense.

She thought about his words and some how they gave her hope. Hope that destiny would not fully change but that it would alter. The scouts were going to kill her… hummm.

"Fine, but on my conditions." She said crossly.

"What conditions, honey?" Ilene said knowing that it may come to this.

"One, we don't tell my friends." She ticked off on her fingers.

"Seriously?" Darien said throwing up his hands.

"Yes, seriously. They are not to keen on me being around men and I think it best if we keep it low key. Plus, I have my own reasons and I wish you would respect them and let me tell them on my own time." She finished.

"Fine… anything else…" He muttered.

"Yes, one year. We give it a try for one year and after a year if it is not working we come back to Vegas to have it annulled or have a mutual divorce. I know you will go for this one because it is not fair for anyone to remain in a marriage if they do not love the other person." She needed this one. One year.

Ken and Ilene had to agree with her. Serena could be one tough cookie but they knew she loved him she just had to find a way to admit it when she was sober.

"Okay, Mrs. Chiba. I agree." Darien stated.

"Welcome to the family son and by the way you are one lucky son of a bitch that I actually really like you or you would be dead by now, Chiba." Ken smiled evilly.

Darien gulped. "Yes, sir."

"Okay, let's eat." Ilene said smiling acting as if nothing had happened like that their daughter had not been married. If anything during the whole lunch, where Serena for once was not hungry, her mother and father acted as if Darien and her had been married forever. Darien tried his best to act normal in this situation, throughout the meal his eyes drifted to Serena as she picked at her food. He felt horrible about this but it was for the best. She would be his queen one day. He listened as Ken went over things.

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Serena and Darien said goodbye to her parents as they went to shop. She had figured out why they were so happy, so understanding. Her poor parents were in denial and she was glad she would be far away when they came to the realization that this man had taken their baby the night before. Worst thing about it was she didn't even remember her first time.

Darien and Serena had yet to talk to one another. They had remained silent, each trying to go over details in their heads.

"Oh! Mr. and Mrs. Chiba! Mr. and Mrs. Chiba!" Darien and Serena turned around only to find a man in a suit walking toward them at a quickened pace wearing a huge smile on his face. His name tag read 'Michael'.

"Ah, how is my favorite honeymoon couple? Are you enjoying the suite… I knew you would! Oh, my I have never seen a pair as much in love as you two were. Sure you may have been slightly intoxicated but oh the love in your eyes. It only happens every once in a while. Well I hope you two are enjoying your stay! Bye!" and he scurried away as quickly as he had come to greet new arrivals.

Serena snorted at the action. "In love… pish."

Darien was angered by her remark and he was quickly going to set her straight when he realized he was staring at a particularly angry brunette with emerald green eyes.

"Darien.." she hissed. "What is the meaning of this! Are you together now?" She pointed at Serena who was clearly taken aback by the woman's anger.

Darien didn't say anything but clearly his face gave him away.

"How could you do this? With this slut! We had so much together!" Andy yelled at Darien's face causing a scene.

Serena did not know what was going on but this woman clearly knew Darien and suddenly she was angry.

"Andy, I told you. You and I are not involved. We were never involved." Darien said in hushed tones.

"Why do you say that? I know you love me… not her!" Andy whined.

"Excuse me… but I would appreciate if you did not talk to my husband that way." Serena piped up. Oh, shit. Did she say that.

"Wha… what? Husband?" Andy stumbled back a bit. 'No…. married… what…'

"Yes, my husband. So please, let us be and leave him alone before I contact the manager." Am I seriously still talking… oh Serenity.

Andy laughed at the petite blond. "He would never marry an ugly bitch like you."

Serena was now beyond mad. Serenity was beyond mad. "Listen, I swear if you ever come near my husband again you will regret it." Her eyes flashed silver.

How dare this insolent little princess talk to the great Princess of Andromeda this way? She raised her hand to smack that pretty little face… Serena didn't even see it coming. Andy's hand was ready full force when Darien grabbed it forcefully as it almost came in contact with Serena's fair skin.

"Touch or come near my wife ever again and you, Andy, will deal with way more than you could ever imagine." She cowered back noticing how his body glowed ever so slightly. Endymion had returned and she was not ready right now to deal with him or the golden glow.

Slowly she turned on her heels and click clacked away as quickly as she had come.

Serena was not ready for this, all of it, the tears came quickly and she grabbed hold of Darien's shit to burrow her face to hide her face taking in his sweet smell of roses.

Without even thinking he tightened his arms around her small form and swooped her up in to his arms headed for their room. He was so proud at how long she had stayed brave in front of him and her parents. Andy would pay if she ever made Serena cry ever again.