Hey Guys, I'm so sorry for the late update, but I was really busy with schoolwork... I was also really debating whether this is what I wanted for this chapter. There were several ways I could go to reveal the truth, but I decided to stick with this one. I debated a happier version, but every story needs some drama! Anyway, this is what I've decided on, I may post an alternative chapter at a later date, but I have this written and I do want to share it and know what you think. Also, just a note, I made Zoicite a male character as he is originally in the manga, despite using the TV series names... Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter, it's a long one, I'm not the best at fight scenes, but it is good to practice! Please review! Lots of love! :)

Chapter 8: The Truth Revealed

She couldn't believe him, why did he do this to her? He had kissed her voluntarily on New Year's but then proceeded to avoid her for three weeks? What was wrong with him? Why would he do this? Tears clouded her eyes as she thought back to that night. She thought everything was going to change after that kiss, she thought it meant he cared about her, just as much as she cared about him! But it couldn't have, otherwise he wouldn't be avoiding her. He must regret it, why else would he completely ignore her? Her frustration overwhelmed her and tears leaked out of her eyes. She didn't want to cry over him, but somehow, when it came to him, she just had no control.

"Oh Luna," she sighed as her black cat came into the room and jumped into her lap. Serena leaned her head back against her headboard and stroked the black cat's fur. "What am I supposed to do?"

"What is wrong with you? How can you do this to her? Seriously Darien, I thought you were in love with her!" Andrew yelled at his friend who was laying on his couch, looking severely depressed.

"I didn't invite you over to yell at me," Darien muttered, his hand moving to his forehead.

"Well, what did you expect I'd do, pat you on the back for a job well done? That girl has not looked herself in weeks! The first week you didn't show up, she'd keep coming in hopefully only to be devastated when you weren't there! The second week, she tried to act like she didn't care but now... now I can tell that she's heartbroken. She can't even finish a milkshake! Serena can't even finish a milkshake, that just screams something's wrong!"

Darien sighed as sadness flowed through him. He had been so hopeful that night, it was the most perfect night of his life, he couldn't have asked for anything better or anything more. A feeling of deep depression overcame him, if only he had known... then he wouldn't be putting her through this now.

"Darien, you have to do something, apologize or just at least show up! You can't keep avoiding her! Why you regret kissing her, I don't know, I thought the two of you were perfect for each other!" Andrew continued.

Darien sighed, he thought they were perfect for each other too, but he couldn't hide from his dreams anymore, or his nightmares. He shuddered at the thought of her being hurt or killed by the Negaverse.

"Andrew," he whispered, "I've been having dreams…"

"Dreams? That's what's keeping you from seeing her, some stupid dreams? God Darien, man up!" Andrew cried angrily.

"In my dreams, there's this woman, who calls to me and is pleading for me to help her, to find the Sacred Jewel."

Andrew sighed and sat down in the chair, "You mean this is all because of some Tuxedo Mask crap?"

Darien nodded, sitting up on the couch, "It's just that I feel like I belong to this person, like I have no choice in the matter. I have to help her and because of that, I can't be with Serena, lord knows I'm in love with her, but I can't ignore this pull either!"

Andrew looked at his friend, "Darien, you're saying that you're going to listen to a dream rather than reality, rather than what's actually in front of you?"

Darien looked at him, nodding slowly.

"Well then, you're much stupider than I thought you were! I can't believe you're going to let a dream about some girl you don't even know ruin your chance with Serena and break her heart!"

"Andrew, I don't have a choice!"

"God, man, look at yourself! This is tearing you apart and you think you don't have a choice?" Andrew stood up, fuming at Darien, "You know what you don't have a choice about mister Shields? You are going to move your stupid butt off that couch and march down to the Crown and offer Serena some sort of explanation. You are not going to make her wonder what she did wrong anymore. I don't care what crap you feed her, but you are not, and I repeat, are NOT going to let her keep going on confused about where she stands with you, do you understand me?"

"But Andrew…"

"No buts, mister, she is like a sister to me and if you don't move your butt now, I'm going to beat the hell out of you until I can carry you down there myself! Now move!" Andrew cried, anger coming off of him in waves.

Darien nodded, sighing, Andrew was right, Serena had the right to know what was going on or at least where she stands. He got up and put on his green jacket, following Andrew meekly out the door.

That afternoon at the Crown, Serena walked in slowly with her friends who were talking animatedly about this that and the other. Serena just slumped into her booth without even bothering to look around. Mina hurried over to Andrew at the counter.

"Have you learned anything yet?" she whispered.

Andrew nodded and tilted his head towards the booth in the corner. Mina gasped when she saw Darien, he looked like crap! What the hell was wrong with him? But then she glanced back at Serena and anger overcame her surprise, "I'm going to give him a piece of my mind!" she growled.

Andrew grabbed her arm, "Don't, it's very complicated, even I don't understand it, but I can't argue with him. I dragged him down here because he's got to talk to Serena, she needs to find closure and move on because he is not budging on his reasons. I just want Serena to be happy again," he sighed.

Mina sighed too, "Me too, but somehow, I don't think this is going to help, not for a long time."

Darien then stood up and went over to Andrew, and had the decency to blush when he saw Mina, "Hi Mina," he said softly.

"Humph!" she replied as she turned and headed back to her table.

"I can't do it Andrew, I can't tell her. I can't break her heart!" Darien pleaded with Andrew.

"You should have thought of that before you began avoiding her, Darien." Andrew replied, turning away to head into the kitchen.

Darien looked at Serena, she looked lost as she stared out onto the street. Sadness overwhelmed him, where was his happy, bubbly Serena? He had done this to her? He sighed and steeled himself for what had to come. He walked over to the table and all the girls looked up in surprise except Mina, who knew he was there, and Serena who didn't even notice, she was so lost in her own thoughts.

"What do you want, jerkface?" Rae asked him angrily. As much as she argued and teased Serena, she would do anything for her; Serena was her friend and leader after all.

"I, I just want to talk to her for a minute, please," Darien said softly.

Lita stood up before him, her full angry height sending waves of hostility towards him, "You don't deserve to talk to her, you jerk! Haven't you done enough damage already?"

Darien sighed, he was getting a headache again, he could feel the sad weight he had been pulling around for the last three weeks bearing down on him again. "I know," he sighed, "but I need a minute to explain, to apologize."

Amy then stood up too, anger flashing in her eyes. Darien stepped back startled, he hadn't know that the small girl was capable of so much emotion, so much anger.

"You broke her Darien, she gave you her heart and you broke it without even having the decency to explain why! I think you should leave," she said resolutely. Darien hesitated and Serena's eyes finally tore themselves away from the window and turned towards him. They looked haunted, lost, lifeless, and broken, as if the soul she had, had been torn out of them.

"Now," Amy said firmly, and Darien nodded as tears filled his eyes. What had he done?

The girls sat back down and Rae put a comforting arm around Serena who was staring down at the table.

"Girls," Mina said softly, "I think we should let him talk to her."

"Are you crazy Mina," Lita asked, "You know what he did, and look at her!"

"But maybe it would help –help them both. Darien looked just as lost and upset as Serena does."

"Darien's upset?" Serena asked quietly. The four girls turned to look at her.

Rae shook her head violently, "No, he's not upset, he's too much of a jerk. And if he is, well then he deserves to feel that way for what he's done to Serena!"

Darien's upset? Serena thought to herself, going back to staring out the window. I wonder why?

Serena finally begged off from her friends, saying she needed to be alone and headed towards the park. There she walked slowly, lost in thought. She wondered what Darien had wanted to say? Would it change anything? She doubted it and sighed. She continued walking slowly, lost in her thoughts while in the distance she saw someone who looked like he was in pain. Coming closer she could see that his shoulder was bleeding.

"Sir, are you okay?" She asked, running over to help him. Then she realized who it was, "D-darien?"

"Serena! What are you doing here, you have to leave, now!"

"What are you talking about, you're hurt and I'm going to help you, you big jerk!" she cried.

"Serena, you don't understand what's going on, I don't even understand it all, but I need you to leave now! Please, I couldn't stand it if you got hurt!"

"Oh, so now you care about me, do you? Well tough luck for you, Darien Shields, it's too late for that and I am not going anywhere. I don't care if you hate me or if I'm angry at you, you're hurt and I'm going to help."

All of a sudden the light around them shifted and turned red and a ball of energy enclosed around them.

"Darien, what's going on?" Serena asked.

"Serena, you have to get out of here!" Darien cried, but it was too late, the ball of red energy lifted them into the air and deposited them on the bottom floor of the Starlight Tower.

"Does anyone know where Serena is?" Amy asked.

"She's late, as per usual," Rae grumbled.

"Yeah, but you have to give her some space, she's going through a hard time, remember," Mina said.

"But she shouldn't be skipping Sailor Scout meetings, we agreed to keep these separate from our everyday lives!" Rae replied.

"It's true, and she's later than normal," Luna said, "she would have called us by now!"

"I can't get her on the communicator," Amy said worriedly.

"Well then what are we waiting for guys, let's go!" Lita said as she led the way off the shrine.

Serena woke up dazed, to see Darien arguing with Zoicite of all people and about the rainbow crystals! What did he know about those? All of a sudden the room turned to ice and huge icicles began to fall from the ceiling, narrowly missing them.

"Hurry, Serena, run!" Darien cried pulling her to her feet as the two dodged the icicles and ran to the elevator. The doors on the elevator disappeared as they started to move upwards.

"What's happening?" Serena cried.

"Don't worry Serena, I won't let anything happen to you, I promise," Darien said.

That made Serena angry, hadn't he been the one avoiding her for the last 3 weeks? What were his promises worth to her? Nothing!

"What do you mean you won't let anything happen to me, you jerk! You've already let tons happen to me!"

"I won't let Zoicite hurt you," he replied, his eyes downcast.

"Zoicite, why should I be worried about Zoicite? The person I'm worried about hurting me is you! You kissed me and then ignored me... for weeks! No notes, no calls, no explanation! You played with my heart and then stomped on it! I thought New Year's Eve meant something, I thought everything coming up to this moment meant something! But apparently it didn't. You didn't even have the courage to face me and tell me you didn't want to be with me. So no, I don't believe you when you say you won't let anything happen to me. You've let far too much shit happen already." Serena said angrily, finally expressing the hurt and resentment and depression she'd been feeling for the last 3 weeks out.

Darien looked devastated, "You're right," he whispered, "and I have no excuse. Not one that you would understand, anyway."

"Try me," Serena said.

"Well you know that I was in a car accident when I was young and got amnesia, I don't know who I am at all. But lately, I've been having these dreams, about a beautiful princess who wants me to find her the Imperium Silver Crystal. There's just something about this girl in my dream, I feel connected to her somehow and I feel like as long as I'm having these dreams, then I can't be with you, it wouldn't be fair. Because I'm searching for her, and when I find her, I feel as though I will be more complete, more me." Darien explained, staring out the window.

Tears filled Serena's eyes, "That's a stupid reason to ignore me!" she said.

"I know."

"You could have just told me about the dreams or just said you weren't ready or something instead of ignoring me you know!"

"I know," Darien replied, "I seem to be making a lot of stupid mistakes lately," he glanced at his shoulder and winced.

"And what the hell happened to your shoulder, how did you hurt it? And why does Zoicite want to fight you? What is going on Darien?" Serena asked him

But before he could attempt to answer, the elevator suddenly stopped. Confused, Serena and Darien both looked up to see huge orange flames licking at the walls above them and coming down towards them quickly.

Oh no! Serena thought, what do I do? I can't let him die, but if I transform, he'll know who I am!

Darien was thinking the same thing; how could he get Serena out of here safely without revealing his secret? But it was too late for him to make a decision, because Serena had already made one.

Serena glanced at him and his injuries; despite everything he'd done to her, she still needed to protect him, that was who she was; her choice was made. With a blush on her cheeks, she raised her hand and called out, Moon Prism Power!

Darien stared at her in awe as the beautiful girl in front of him transformed from klutzy, loud Serena into the graceful Sailor Moon, champion of justice. He had no idea, it just couldn't be, Serena was Sailor Moon?

With a huge leap, Sailor Moon quickly avoided the flames and pulled the two of them out to safety.

Landing softly at the top of the elevator shaft, she asked "What do you want Zoicite?"

"What I want has nothing to do with you, little Sailor Scout," Zoicite replied, "it has to do with Tuxedo Mask."

"But Tuxedo Mask isn't here," Sailor Moon replied.

"Oh yes I am!" a voice behind her called. Sailor Moon turned to see Darien pull a red rose out of his coat.

"You're Tuxedo Mask?" she asked him incredulously. You've got to be kidding me!

He nodded and transformed quickly. "Get out of here now, Sailor Moon, this fight doesn't concern you!"

"Seriously, are you kidding me?" Sailor Moon said, "One, I can't get over the fact that you're Tuxedo Mask, and two, if we stick together, we can beat Zoicite!"

"No, I have to do this alone!" Tuxedo Mask said, turning to face Zoicite.

"So you can find your Princess?" Sailor Moon asked sadly.

He turned back and gave her a sad smile, "Yes."

Zoicite interrupted them, "Are you ready Tuxedo Mask? Or did you just want to give up?"

"Never," Tuxedo Mask replied, "But first you have to guarantee Sailor Moon's safety."

"Of course," Zoicite replied, with a glint in his eyes.

Sailor Moon watched him closely then heard something behind her. A large, sharp piece of rock had been raised off the ground and was flying towards Tuxedo Mask! "Watch out!" she cried desperately, but it would be too late. He would never move in time! She summoned her powers and took a giant leap, pushing him out of the way. The sharp rock lodged itself into her stomach, just under her ribs.

"Uhhhh," she cried out as it hit her and she fell to the ground.

"Sailor Moon!" Tuxedo Mask cried out! He rushed to her side as Zoicite watched laughing. The Sailor Scouts suddenly appeared at that moment, having finally made it into the building and run up all the stairs to try and reach them.

"Sailor Moon!" They cried out and rushed to her side. Tuxedo Mask stepped to the side as the other scouts took over.

"You'll pay for this Zoicite," he growled.

"What, did your precious Sailor Moon get hurt? What does it matter to you, Darien, aren't you searching for your princess?"

All the scouts gasped in shock, turning to Tuxedo Mask. He was Darien?

"But how?" Mars whispered.

"And does he know who Sailor Moon is now?" Venus questioned.

Tuxedo Mask fired a rose where Zoicite was standing and it scratched his arm. Zoicite laughed, "You think you can stop me with a measly rose?" He launched an attack at Tuxedo Mask, blasting him with dark energy and the already injured Tuxedo Mask slammed into the wall.

"Tuxedo Mask!" the Sailor Scouts called out. They all rushed to his aid except Mercury who stayed with the still unconscious Sailor Moon.

One by one they unleashed their attacks on Zoicite, but he just laughed, "You think a little fire or thunder will stop me and the power of the Negaverse?"

Mercury got up to join the battle and the four girls and Tuxedo Mask delivered their attacks simultaneously, but it was no use, Zoicite was barely scratched.

"Mars, we've got to get Sailor Moon out of here!" Venus cried.

"You're right," Mars replied as she dashed over to her fallen leader and picked her up carefully to take her to safety. But Zoicite was watching her and, despite the other girls trying to distract him, he launched an attack that sent Mars flying into the wall, draining her energy.

"Mars!" Mercury cried out. One by one, the girls were taken down by Zoicite's dark energy attacks and soon it was only Tuxedo Mask standing between Zoicite and Sailor Moon.

"And now we come back to our fight, Tuxedo Mask," Zoicite smiled at him, "Are you prepared to die with your precious Sailor Moon?"

"Never!" Tuxedo Mask cried as he fought off the attacks Zoicite was throwing his way. But it soon became too much for him and his injured shoulder. He collapsed at Sailor Moon's feet. "Serena," he whispered, crawling to her side, "I'm so so sorry…" He pulled himself onto his arms and raised his head to kiss her softly on the lips for one last time, because if he was going to die, he needed to taste her, he needed to let her know the truth... "Serena, I love you…"

All of a sudden Serena began to glow; a pink light was emanating from her body and the rainbow crystals that Malachite had been protecting suddenly disappeared from before him and appeared in front of Serena. Slowly her body rose up, her injury sealing itself back up while the rainbow crystals surrounded her. Their colourful light merged with hers until only a bright white light was left and out of her chest, next to her heart, a bright silver crystal emerged. The blinding light blazed out of her as the crystal fell into her hands. Then the light began to fade slowly until it was only a small glimmer surrounding her. She opened her eyes and appeared before them as the lost Princess of the Moon.

The light had blinded Zoicite temporarily, distracting him from the scene, but for the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask, it filled them with new strength, a strength and hope they had never felt before as they gazed at Sailor Moon. They realized that the Princess they had all been searching for was right there in front of them the whole time.

"Serena?" Tuxedo Mask whispered.

Princess Serena, with the Imperium Silver Crystal in her hands, turned to Zoicite and said, "I don't approve of people who use their powers to hurt others, especially my friends and my family."

Zoicite reacted angrily, "Give me the Imperium Silver Crystal little Princess or you will meet the same fate as your friends!"

"No," Serena replied.

Zoicite screamed angrily and through a blast of dark power towards her, but by putting her hands that held the crystal our in front of her, Serena deflected it easily around her, protecting her friends with a great white light.

"Moon Cosmic Power," she whispered looking at the crystal in her hands, bringing it close to her heart and then thrusting it out towards Zoicite with a fierce determination in her eyes. The power emitted by her attack sent Zoicite flying back in pain.

Malachite suddenly appeared on the scene and tried to help Zoicite up, but it was too late for him, Zoicite was too seriously injured. Malachite turned to the Princess and said, "If you want a fight Princess, then it will be with me!"

Malachite was much stronger than Zoicite and his attacks were harder to deflect. They cut through the shield of the crystal. She was growing weak, his last attack had knocked her to her knees! Serena could feel herself fading away, but she thought of her friends that she had to protect, her family, her city! She thought of Darien's confession and strength flowed through her again. She stood up and unleashed the full power of the Imperium Silver Crystal just as Malachite sent an attack flying her way. Her power was too much, too pure for him, it was draining him and he had to flee. The pure light that she radiated returned the city and the tower back to normal, but her concentration on her attack prevented her from being able to defend herself against Malachite before he disappeared. The black energy he had thrown at her, collided with her body, sending her flying back across the room into a wall. She fell to the floor and hit her head on the hard concrete, completely drained of her energy. Her princess dress disappeared and she returned to her normal school outfit.

"Serena!" the Scouts and Darien cried.

Darien rushed to her side and cradled her in his arms, "Serena, wake up, please talk to me!" he whispered to her. But she would not wake up. The transformation, the new memories, the fight, it had been too much for her.

Venus checked her pulse, "She's alive, she's just worn out."

"And it looks like she has a nasty bump on her head, she may have a concussion," Amy said, "We should get her to a hospital right away!"

Losing his cape and tuxedo, Darien detransformed and picked Serena up in his arms before dashing down the staircase with her. The scouts followed after him quickly.

"Serena," he whispered to her as the ambulance arrived, "please be okay."