FINDING LOVE

Hey guys…so here's the fourth chapter and I hope you enjoy it. As promised this one has a lot more Endy x Serenity moments and scenes, so a lot more romance! And I know a lot of people want me to keep the pace slow and let the story develop at a steady rate and I do plan on doing that. But, you have to realize that this is a fanfiction and not a novel so I don't really have the autonomy to keep dragging it out or it would get too tedious. So I plan on developing the story but it will move at a slightly faster pace. That being said, Endymion and Serenity won't fall in love so easily, but you have to realize that they will be attracted to one another.

A special thank you to my BETA reader, Loki. You're the best!

Oh and keep checking my profile page. I'll post updates/news about my stories occasionally so if you're wondering about my progress with Finding Love, just check my profile page! Or just PM. And if you're in the mood for something light and fun to read, checkout my other story, Lunch Time.

DISCLAIMER: The characters in this story belong to Naoko Takeuchi but the ideas are all mine.

Chapter 4

The Hazy fog clouded Serenity's vision as she walked in a daze. The fog cleared slightly and Serenity noticed she was in a garden that looked very familiar to her. As she walked towards a wooden bench, situated near a pond, she had the sudden realization that this was Grandmother Rose's garden. Sure enough, off in the distance, she could see her Grandmother's spacious cottage home.

As she moved closer to the spot where she had spent a good portion of her childhood reading and painting, Serenity noticed the figure of a woman sitting on the bench.

Quickening her stride, Serenity reached her destination and gasped.

"Grandma Rose?" she gulped.

Her Grandmother sat with her usual poise, elegance and grace upon the bench. Her blond hair, streaked with white, was up in its usual style, loose curls cascading over her shoulder; her soft blue eyes twinkling at Serenity.

"Yes Serena, I could feel you calling me and I will always be here for you when you need me. Just as I promised."

"Oh Grandma, I've missed you so much," gushed Serenity as she enveloped her Grandmother in a hug; clinging to her tight as the older woman ran a soothing hand back and forth across Serenity's back.

Leaning back, Serenity wiped the tears away that had built up in her eyes.

"I know honey, I've missed you too," said her Grandmother.

"Grandma, I'm so confused, I mean you're a healer and I just found out I'm a healer; why didn't you tell me?" pleaded Serenity.

"You were too young, and it wasn't time for you to know. It was better for you to find out yourself, love," she said, smiling.

Serenity was so overwhelmed that she found herself bombarding her Grandmother with questions, "But I don't know if I can do it. I don't know anything about being a healer."

Grandma Rose placed a comforting hand on Serenity's knee and said, "You can do this Serenity. You were chosen to be a healer by Selene herself; not everyone in the family is given this power."

"But how can I save lives when I don't know what to do," begged Serenity. She felt the tears building again and tried diligently to hold them back.

"Serenity, listen to me. I've known you your entire life. You are kind and compassionate and I see so much of myself in you. You have this power inside you, you were born with it, and you will learn how to use this power. Just believe in yourself Serenity."

Serenity found herself pulled into another hug.

"Thank you Grandma. I'll try my best to make you proud," she whispered.

"I know you will. That's why you're my favorite Granddaughter," she said, kissing Serenity's cheek.

Serenity giggled at her Grandmother's antics and suddenly her heart felt much lighter. It felt better to share her worries with her grandmother Rose. She knew she would always miss this about her.

"Hmm…if only that insufferable jerk would disappear. I can't stand that arrogant, pig-headed Prince," Serenity spat.

Her Grandmother let out a chuckle, "He's not as bad as you think Serena. I've met him a few times, when he was younger of course and I'm sure he must have grown to be quite a looker."

"I hate him. He is hell bent on making my life miserable."

"There is a thin line between hate and love, my dear and I am sure you will come to understand our Prince better than you think," her Grandmother proclaimed.

Serenity's vision began to cloud and she felt herself drifting away from her Grandmother.

"It's time for you to wake up now Serenity. Remember one thing, I believe in you and I will watch over you every step of the way," she whispered as everything started to fade.

"I love you, Grandma," Serenity managed to squeeze in before everything faded to white.

Serenity forced her eyes open and found herself in a room that wasn't hers.

'Oh right. This is my new prison cell.'

She didn't want to get up and snuggled deeper into her covers, but fate had other plans.

Hearing a knock on the door, Serenity mumbled a sleepy, "Come in."

"Oh good, you're finally awake. I was beginning to get worried about you," called Raye's familiar voice.

"Good morning Raye," Serenity greeted as she moved the covers off her face.

Raye had moved to the other side of her bed and was yanking open the curtains, shielding the huge windows.

Serenity blinked and squeezed her eyes shut as she was blinded by the sunlight blaring in through the windows.

'Why on earth was it so bright already?'

"Raye, what time is it?"

"Umm…it's about 12:30," answered Raye from the far end of the room, apparently rummaging through an armoire.

"12:30? Oh my gosh, I've been asleep for that long?" Serenity exclaimed as she shot out of bed.

"M-mm, but it's time for you to take a bath and change those filthy clothes; you have to get to know that castle a little and get some fresh air, it'll be good to clear your head," said Raye with a knowing smile.

"That sounds like a good idea," she said, moving towards Raye.

Raye gave Serenity a white chiffon dress with gold detailing. Serenity moved her hands over it in admiration; the material was so light and soft.

"Thank you so much, Raye, I love it!"

"Well, you can't walk around dressed in those clothes; you would draw too much attention to yourself. So, Endymion commissioned this dress for you this morning and I agree that it suits you perfectly," she said, her eyes moving between Serenity and the dress in her hands.

"Why would he do that for me, and wait a minute…he commissioned this dress this morning and it's ready?" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise.

"He is the Prince, Serenity; it does have some benefits. And as to why he would do such a thing, I believe he may feel as if he caused your little fainting lapse and is apologizing or he may have taken a liking to you," Raye said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Oh, that's highly unlikely. That jerk of a Prince probably did it to gratify his own ego—he probably can't stand the thought of having someone dressed inferiorly in his court" Serenity said, but Raye was already calling servants to ready her bath.

She blushed, remembering her fainting incident. She didn't usually faint so easily, but yesterday wasn't an ordinary day either.

'Great, the Prince must think me a weakling.'

She shook her head to clear her thoughts, it didn't matter to her what the Prince thought. Serenity looked about the room for the first time; this was her room. She would be lying if she said it wasn't beautiful. It had large windows covering one wall and a four poster bed sat in the middle of the floor. Serenity sighed; she almost felt like a Princess herself.

While she had been daydreaming it seemed that her bath had been prepared and now two servant girls were watching her expectantly.

"Oh, thank you very much," she said, moving into the bathroom.

As expected the bathroom took her breath away. Beige porcelain tiles covered the floor and a masterpiece of a bathtub took center stage. It was entirely made of marble and had intricate rose engravings around the edge. It looked almost too beautiful to use.

As Serenity moved to take off her clothes she noticed the two girls had followed her into the bathroom. She stared, waiting for them to say something. The girls stared blankly back.

Clearing her throat she asked, "Yes, may I help you?"

"We are supposed to help you undress and assist you with your bath," said the girl on the left, annoyance evident in her voice.

She didn't have to take that tone with her, she was honestly confused.

"I am perfectly capable of undressing myself. You may leave," she said in a cool voice.

Without a moment's hesitation both girls stalked out of the bathroom.

'What rude little wenches! That buffoon of a Prince must still have me pegged as an enemy.'

Serenity stripped off her sundress and sank into the warm waters of the tub. She couldn't believe that people in this time needed help taking baths.

'Couldn't they do anything on their own?'

Shrugging the thoughts out of her mind, she concentrated on her bath. This felt good and it smelt heavenly. A whiff of vanilla combined with coconut was overwhelming her senses and she felt herself relax for the first time. Thank god.

While relaxing in the warm water, Serenity decided she would explore the castle next; maybe head out and get some fresh air. Yes, it would be best to get to know the place she was considered a prisoner.

After about half an hour of soaking, scrubbing and unwinding, she stepped out of the tub and attempted to get dressed. Raye had laid out that beautiful dress on the marble countertop, at some distance from the bath.

For the next twenty minutes Serenity put on layers and layers of clothing. There was a chemise, a petticoat and various assortments of frills, laces and ribbons. So this was why there were servants to help her take a bath. She was an idiot! She should have trusted Raye's judgment.

Putting those thoughts aside, Serenity concentrated on tying the ribbon fastenings on the back of her gown. She tried for the next five minutes but couldn't manage to fasten them. Frustrated, she gave up and caught her reflection in the mirror. Her cheeks were a deep pink from frustration and annoyance. That's when she heard a noise from outside –a thud.

Raye must have come in to check on her.

'Thank god!'

Serenity opened the bathroom door and burst into the bedroom.

"Raye, I really need your help with my –" she paused.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" cried Serenity, outraged for the Jerk sat comfortably on her bed.

"I need to ask you some questions because you see, unlike Raye, I am not so easily misled," Endymion retorted.

"Yes, you're delusional instead and you seem to have a hard time believing the truth," she bit back.

She expected a retort but he just stared at her. His eyes moved over her form slowly; pausing at areas where the gown hugged her figure. Serenity felt her breath catch in her throat at his blatant staring. She should smack some sense into him but she could barely breathe, let alone move.

His eyes followed the line of her dress until it reached her shoulders and his gaze lingered at that point before rising and meeting her eyes. His disconcerting hot gaze bored into hers. She noticed that his sapphire eyes had darkened to a midnight blue shade. She felt trapped by those eyes and found that she couldn't look away.

Endymion said something; she had no idea what it was.

She watched as his alluring eyes turned even darker and murmured, "Huh?"

"Your gown is slipping," Endymion informed her, all the while not breaking eye contact.

"Ah-hmmm," Serenity said and then his words set in.

Serenity looked down to find that the top of her gown had indeed slipped exposing her creamy shoulders and the top of her breasts. A blush set in as she held the gown closer to herself whilst glancing at the Prince. Endymion was staring at her quite openly with a smirk set on his face.

'That bastard!' He seemed to understand exactly the effect his gaze and ogling had on her.

Angered by his arrogance, Serenity shouted, "You pig! You are such a pervert! How dare you enter a woman's room without her permission anyways?"

The smirk on the Jerk's face suddenly grew bigger.

"I'm not sure if your little brain comprehended the fact that this is my home and it is my duty to protect it from harm," Endymion said, narrowing his eyes at her. He continued to add, "You are not a guest here because I do not trust your intentions, so you will not be treated as a guest. It's quite simple actually." With that said, the bastard continued to lounge on her bed.

Serenity started to reply when she felt her gown slip more. She grasped the material to her chest and realized that something had to be done about her gown fastenings.

Sitting up on her bed, the Prince questioned, "Why does your gown keep slipping? I believe it was made in your size."

"My gown is untied. I needed help doing up the fastenings on my gown and I thought you were Raye when you barged into my room."

"I see, but shouldn't there be servant girls helping you with your bath?"

"They were being rude so I sent them away," she answered defiantly. "But I didn't know about the fastenings…" she added truthfully.

"Well Raye has gone on an errand but I could do them for you, if you want," he drawled.

Serenity's eyes widened in surprise and she exclaimed a "No way!"

"Suit yourself."

They both sat in silence and Serenity's resolve crumbled. She had to do up her gown eventually. She couldn't sit in her room, waiting for Raye's return.

She peeked at Endymion from the corner of her eye; he looked bored as he glanced about her room.

Mustering up her courage, she mumbled a, "Fine," in Endymion's direction.

"Fine what?"

"Y-you can help me with my dress," stuttered Serenity, fidgeting with the skirt of her gown.

Serenity missed the knowing smile playing on Endymion's lips.

"Fine, if I must," he sighed and got up from her bed and moved towards her.

Turning around, facing away from him she reached for and pulled her ponytail over her shoulder, exposing her back to him.

Endymion stepped closer and she could feel the warmth radiating off his body. Her heartbeat, for some unknown reason increased speed. He reached for the first ribbon and began tying it.

She focused her thoughts on examining her room. Every little detail, anything to keep her thoughts away from him; it was quite large and beautifully decorated in pastel tones and deeper shades. She really liked her bed, it was a four poster bed; she found it quite elegant and beautiful. She absolutely loved the large windows and the view was so spectacular – Serenity felt her breath hitch in her throat at the sight.

Meanwhile, Endymion's fingertips had moved in a casual manner having accidentally brushed against her skin.

"Sorry," Endymion whispered in Serenity's ear.

She opened her mouth to respond but no words came out. Endymion had moved on to the next ribbon and began fastening it. Serenity tried to return to her previous line of thought - her room, right. But try as she might, she was unable to focus on anything other than the man behind her.

'Is he getting closer? Was that even possible?'

She felt his warm breath on the back of her neck just as his hand slipped and caressed her skin one more time. Her breath hitched higher in her throat, and her stomach did a somersault.

"Sorry," Endymion repeated, closer to her ear this time.

Serenity shuddered; all of a sudden the room was getting unbearably hot.

Endymion continued fastening her dress, his accidental touches lingering longer with each 'sorry' he uttered. His caresses were doing weird things to her insides. She felt her body becoming more in tuned to Endymion's every action and movement. With each passing touch, Serenity's mind grew more hazy, clouded with thoughts of only the Prince.

Endymion had no idea what he was doing. It had started out as a joke. He loved seeing Serenity all flustered and nervous. She looked adorable all fired up, but then he had touched her. Electricity had coursed through him when he touched the velvety smooth texture of her skin. Then she shuddered; her responses stirring something deep inside him. His desire to touch her and her reactions to his caresses made him continue touching and caressing her.

He noticed that his own breathing had become labored and the world had faded away to just himself and Serenity. His senses were heightened and riveted on the woman before him.

As he finished fastening her gown he realized he didn't want to let her go. Letting his hand drift back down her back, feeling her silky soft skin beneath his callused fingers; the prince heard her gasp as his hands brushed her lower back.

Serenity gasped. 'My god, I've never felt this good before!'

Her back ram-rod straight, her entire body tense; anticipating, waiting for his touch.

Suddenly, Serenity was spun around and found herself in Endymion's arms. For the second time that day, she was mesmerized by beautiful blue eyes. Why was he so gorgeous? Endymion's eyes bored into her own before his gaze dropped to her mouth. They were merely a few inches apart from one another now. She wanted him to touch her more.

Endymion closed the gap between them and claimed her lips with his own. Why he had done so, he hadn't a clue. She may be a traitor, but he couldn't deny that she was breathtakingly beautiful. All he knew was he wanted to be close to her; he wanted to taste her. He wanted to feel her against him, to feel her soft lips. Serenity's eyes were wide with surprise at his sudden invasion and struggled a little. The kiss started off, coaxing Serenity into a heady daze. She was twisting and moving against him, but this only fueled his passion further. His lips moved over hers in a gentle motion. He felt her give in to the pleasure and relax in his arms.

Wanting more, he traced her lips with his tongue and nibbled on her lower lip. Serenity gasped and let out a small moan, surprised at the pure surge of pleasure running through her veins. Endymion used this opportunity to slip his tongue into her open mouth. At first, the sensation of his tongue's caresses dancing with hers was incredible.

'Oh gods; she tastes like chocolate and honey, it is pure heaven.'

He watched as her eyes fluttered shut and she became putty in his hands; taking this submissiveness as a sign. Tilting her head to a better angle so he could taste her sweet mouth, a far better angle; no kiss had ever been this good, not even close. Endymion deepened the kiss; his tongue moving faster and harder against Serenity's tongue.

She moaned, "P-Prince-"

His name on her tongue sounded erotic but he wanted to hear his real name. He wanted her to say Endymion. The kiss turned fiercer, more erotic, and more animalistic.

'God, I've never felt this way before. What is it about this woman that turns me into an animal?'

The need for oxygen became more predominant and he broke away from her heavenly lips only to trail wet kisses down her neck. Her gasping and moaning made him want more and more. The prince felt her every curve and contour before finding his way to her chest. Moving to her right breast, he began stroking it with feather light touches. His eyes moved to Serenity's face and he noticed that her eyes were still closed. But her expression held him captive. Her face wore an expression of pure, unadulterated pleasure with those flushed cheeks, swollen red lips which were parted slightly. He stroked the tip of her breast and she let out a deep moan, those eyes squeezing shut tighter.

Endymion wanted her to feel more. He wanted to hear her scream his name. Watching her face, Endymion squeezed Serenity's breast.

Serenity's eyes shot open and Endymion watched the haze clear from her eyes. Realization dawned upon her and she realized exactly what they were doing.

"W-what a-are you doing?" her hoarse voice cracked as she spoke.

"What do you mean what am I doing?" Endymion said as he let his hand fall from her chest.

Serenity's expression turned frantic and she pushed Endymion back, falling out of his embrace.

"How dare you touch me! Y-you pervert, stay away from me!" shrieked Serenity, regaining her voice.

"A-a pervert?" Endymion sputtered stupidly. "I was not doing anything alone. You were actively participating in what just happened," he added indignantly.

"I was not; I DID NOT want any of w-what just happened," Serenity spat in disgust. She moved further away from him, tears brimming in her eyes.

Endymion stared blankly at her. What the hell was wrong with her? He knew he wasn't the only one enjoying what they were doing. So why was she actingthis way now?

Letting out a frustrated sigh, he decided he didn't care. He didn't have the time for her antics.

'I was an idiot to have kissed her in the first place! Why did I do that? I don't even know if she works for Beryl or not, I just need to stay away from her,' he concluded to himself.

"You know what, you can believe what you want, but you wanted what just happened as much as I did," shouted Endymion as he moved towards the door.

He left the room slamming the door shut behind him in frustration.

'God, I hate that woman!' he thought furiously.

He walked away, leaving a distraught Serenity behind.

Thank you for reading and I hope you liked it. Tell me what you think, and whether you like the direction this story is taking. I love hearing from you guys. Oh and if you want something less intense to pass the time, check out my other story, Lunch Time.