"Serena?" Mina called snapping her out of her trance. "Are you okay?"
"Huh?" She looked at Mina with a blank stare.
"Are you okay?" Mina asked again, taking the seat next to her.
Serena looked out the window of the shuttle. Then back to Mina. "I...I...pffft..."
"I know the last couple months have been an adjustment for us all." Mina rubber Serena's hand. "And I told you if you get too uncomfortable, we can leave, and I will leave with you."
"I cannot do that to Rei. It is her engagement party, and we will just be here 3 days." Serena slowly exhaled as she felt her heart begin to race again. "I can make it three days." She continued to convince herself. "I just wish..."
"That Rei and Jed chose to host this on the moon?"
"Or Mars?" Serena suggested.
"Well you, engagement parties are more of an Earth thing, so it is only fitting." Mina explained.
"I know. I know. And I will not make this about me. " She shook her head. "This is about them, and their love."
"You're allowed to feel uncomfortable, you haven't seen or heard from Darien in some time now."
"And I don't want any updates on him!" Serena interrupted.
"I wasn't going too. I was just going to say, it is natural to feel uncomfortable."
"What if he has someone there with him?" Serena asked with a disgusted face. "Actually do not answer that. I don't care. We are divorced, for real this time, and I don't care."
Mina, sighed, and chuckled. "Look, I know you claim you don't care, but this is the first time I have heard you say that phrase. So I am going to clear the air. The last three times I have visited, he has never had any guest over, and like you, he has buried himself in work. I am 100 percent Rei can confirm my report. What you want to do with it go ahead. But you know you care, because at the end of the day you wouldn't ask."
An annoyed look appeared across Serena's face. She crossed her arms.
"Sere, no matter what we got you. Stop sulking we are going to land soon."
"Who is picking us up?"
"Ami and Lita. Which reminds me! You are not allowed to send us all away at the same time! You were sitting duck!"
"Oh shut it Mina, it was one day!" Serena disputed.
"Because I rushed back the second they landed, it would have been three." Mina explained.
"2 and a half." Serena corrected.
"Regardless, you cannot do that! It is dangerous!"
"You all trained the guards, they did fine. I am fine!" She made a cheesy smile, in hopes Mina would have smiled too. She didn't. "Would you stop being angry. I am fine okay."
"Serena! Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mina, our palace is still rebuilding, and I just divorced the universe's most noble prince. Now I am a giant target." She rolled her eyes. "Can we please stop this! We are here to be happy for Rei, and now I am getting annoyed because I am again paying for a marriage I didn't even want!"
"Keep telling yourself that Serena." Mina whispered, throwing herself back into her chair.
The shuttle shook as the landing gear dropped. Mina watched as Serena gripped the arm rest. She chuckled to herself, shook her head, and grabbed her hand and sooth her. She observed as she exhaled slowly, and felt her grip loosen.
"Thank you." She whispered.
Mina just nodded.
"Welcome to Earth your majesty." The attendant smiled, pointing her hand towards the exit.
Serena nibbled on her lower lip, looked out the window. She saw the black elongated SUV, with tinted windows pull up. Who was in there? Was he in there? He wouldn't be in there. Her stomach flipped.
"Sere..." Mina whispered.
Serena looked at her.
"We ca-"
"No, we are here." She nodded. "Let's go."
Mina got up, moved to the side to let Serena go.
"I will get your things." Mina advised.
Serena just nodded and headed out. She walked out slowly. Nodded to the attendants, who were bowing. Took one deep breath in, closed her eyes and stepped out of the shuttle. She opened her eyes, and peered around from the top of the stairs. The door to the SUV opened, out came Rei, Ami and Lita, with Malachite and Jed right behind them.
She smiled, ran down the stairs, bypassed the girls standing there with their arms opened, to hug both men.
"Wow." Rei stood there dropping her arms. "My feelings aren't hurt."
"Oh shut it Rei, I saw you two weeks ago! I have not seen them in so long!" Serena hugged them again. "I missed you both!"
"We missed you too!" Malachite said patting her on the back.
"Seriously Malachite, how do you and Mina do anything with hugs like that?" She stepped back.
"I am trying to work on them princess." He said pathetically.
"Yes, and I love the way he is!"
"Let me get those bags for you." Malachite walked over to her, grabbed the two bags from her hand.
Mina stood there face looking at him with a big smirk. He looked at Serena, then back at Mina, then at Jadeite, who was trying not to laugh.
"Oh god! Would you just kiss her already!" Lita demanded. "We all know the things you do behind closed doors."
"LITA!" Mina yelled turning red.
"Look you guys should know, there are only like three secrets we have from each other." Serena explained. "One is, what color is Mina's real hair?"
"I am blonde!" She yelled. "They always do this!"
"We love you Mina, you know it!" Lita teased.
"Come on we have so much to do, let's head back to the palace." Ami instructed.
"P..P..Palace? I am staying at the palace?" Serena asked.
"Of course you are? Where else would a princess stay?" Jadeite asked confused looking at Rei. She quickly elbowed him in the stomach. "Ow!" He cried, yelling his stomach. "Where else would she stay?"
"I thought I was going to stay in one those hotel things, I saw in a movie." She explained.
"No."Rei answered abruptly. "We are too busy to travel back and force to make sure you are safe."
Serena looked at Mina. Then back to Rei. "Okay I just thought."
"You will be okay." Lita whispered guiding her in the car.
Serena admired the scenery as they drove to the palace. She didn't feel like she was gone that long, but still she felt like the area changed so much. "Will we get to see the Children's Hospital?" Serena asked interrupting everyone's side conversation.
"No Princess. Not on this route, but if you would like I can arrange for transport to the Children's Hospital if you like?" Malachite asked.
Serena just nodded.
"After the engagement party!" Rei emphasized.
"I know Rei. I know."
Once at the palace, the guards and servants took Serena's items to her room. Everyone went back to their duties for the engagement party. Serena kept as busy as she could, though many kept trying to take over her task.
"I am really glad you are here." Rei expressed when she finally got a second to be with Serena alone.
"I wouldn't miss it for anything!" Serena smiled.
"Have you...?" Rei started.
"Have I what?" Serena asked.
"Nothing." Rei answered as she started to fold some napkins.
"You are such a dork."
"I know! But you still love me enough to come down here." She smiled and made a squishy face.
"I am beyond happy for you and Jed, but I am still trying to understand these Earth traditions. The bachelorette party? Are we really going to have men naked dancing in front of us?" Serena made a disgusted face.
"Nope!" Jadeite answered. "No strippers. We made a deal!"
Rei chuckled. "I know honey... no strippers."
"Okay... just making sure." He said walking away.
"It is different down here." Rei acknowledged.
"But you love it." Serena smiled. Admiring how happy her best friend was. "I am so glad you are Jed found each other. It is nice to know one good thing, came out my marriage."
"Sere..."Rei threw the napkin.
"I am sorry. I won't make this about me. I am so so sorry."
"No Sere, being down here, I have seen things, and..." She took a second to articulate her words. "Just know some things are not always what they seem."
"The hell? Are you eating those fortune cookie things? What are those by the way?" Serena asked with a curious look on her face.
"I will have some tomorrow. They aren't great, but people go gah gah over them." Rei rolled her eyes, took a box of settings across the room where Jadeite stood with his arms out to take.
Serena just watched as he leaned in to give her a kiss. She saw Rei smile in a way she had never seen before. She was so content and happy being next to him. Despite everything that was going on. People running around them, things being hung up on walls, flowers getting moved from one table to another, people shouting at each other on tasks that need to be done. And yet there they were, in their own little world, nothing was going to ruin this for them.
Serena just sighed and went back to her task, whatever her task really was. She felt like they just gave the easiest and most tedious job of them all, but she was not going to complain. This weekend was about Rei and Jed.
Across the room, opposite of Rei and Jed, Darien watched her. He watched as she avoided all eye contact with him. As she did everything she could to not go to his side of the room. He just watched, and with each second it was like a dagger being twisted in his heart. Nobody said anything to him, because those who knew him, knew now would be the worst time to approach him.
When all the set up was done, Serena excused herself to her room. They asked her to stay for dinner but she lied and said she had some work she needed to take care of. She walked back and forth in her room. It was not the room she had stayed in when she first moved into the castle. It was smaller, did not have much in it. The bed was neatly made, but she couldn't get herself to sit in it, because all she could think of was how many other women had been in that bed. She tried to tell herself she shouldn't care, but she couldn't get the image out of her head. She told herself Rei and Mina have told her they did not see anyone come to palace, but she then disputed herself that he could have snuck them in. This was a large castle after all.
She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep here, so she did the one thing she knew to do. She called for a car, grabbed her suit case that she had yet to unpack, and headed out. She moved through the halls as quiet as possible. She was hoping they would all either be in their rooms, or on the other side of the castle. She scanned the halls as if she were in a jungle and something could pop out at anytime. Getting to the door, was huge relief. She turned to guards, put her her index to her mouth with a stern look. The nodded, opened the door quietly and just enough for her to get through. Where she ran to the car, with no lights on, and was off.
"Where to miss?" The drive asked.
The next morning Rei stormed into the hall where the engagement party was being help.
"Serena!" She yelled. "You went and stayed at a hotel?"
The guards and scouts all turned to Serena, frozen.
"Rei, calm down. I am here aren't I?" Serena spoke trying to calm her friend down. Rei's face expressed nothing but furry. Her cheeks were red.
"That is besides the point! I asked you to stay here! Nobody was available to guard you!"
"AND I FOUND MY OWN WAY." Serena finally shouted back. "MIGHT I REMIND YOU WHO YOU ARE SPEAKING TO."
"This had to be stupidest thing you ever done. Sneaking out? Nobody knew where you were." Rei continued to lecture.
"I am here, and I am safe. Why the hell is she so mad?" Serena looked around at everyone else. "I knew I was not going to be able to sleep in that room. So I need to stay somewhere else. I arranged an early car and I am here before everyone else!"
"Why the hell couldn't you just do this one thing, stayed here?!" Rei's voice broke. "This is my day!"
"And it still is your day! You are the one deflecting it to me. I made it back in time. I was here before anyone knew I was gone. In fact until now, NOBODY knew I was gone!"
"Serena, you really left and stayed at a hotel?" Mina asked concerned.
"It doesn't matter!" Serena yelled again. "Today is about you guys, go about it! Do not worry about what I do."
"Serena, it is our duty to worry about you." Nephrite advised.
"And I am fine."
"Serena, why couldn't you just listen to us, just once! Do you understand how dangerous it is out there. We would have taken you to hotel tonight, why couldn't you just.."
"Because the idea of all the possible women he brought to this castle crawled under my skin. I couldn't do it. You all had amazing memories here, but what about me? I couldn't do it okay, maybe I am insecure. Or paranoid. Or insecure. Sorry. I tried to not make it a big deal. I snuck out, I snuck back in, but again, whatever." She threw her floral arrangement on the table and walked out.
"Rei, you go get ready, I will go talk to her," Lita insisted jumping up.
"No, I will go talk to her." Rei replied.
"OR... Why don't we focus on the party. Everyone cool down, and we will talk later. Serena is dealing with a lot and so are you. Let's just cool down." Ami advised.
They looked at each other then back to Ami, and nodded their heads.
Rei went to get ready, and eventually all the others did too. Serena was called by a servant to come in to get ready, and she obeyed.
The guest started to arrive, and the all made their entrances. Despite what happened hours before, Serena and Rei still moved around with grace and poise. Nobody could tell what was going on inside them.
Wedding party photos were taken left and right. One with just the girls. One with just the guys. Serena's cheek started to hurt, as did everyone else's. They could no run from the photographer fast enough.
Serena gave a speech that moved Rei to tears, causing her to leap into her friends arms. She whispered how sorry she was for yelling at her. And Serena just nodded.
Her speech was followed by Darien's and toast.
And before they knew it. The party was over, and the guest were starting to leave. One by one they said good byes, and they wedding party made their way to each other.
"Yeah... I am not understanding these fortune cookie things. I also ate the paper inside!" Mina expressed.
"Oh you would!" Rei teased. She turned to Serena, who glided over to them last. "Sere, we are going to go into the hall and just have drink and relax, wanna join?"
Serena smiled, again avoided all eye contact with Darien. "I was actually going to visit the Children's Hospital."
Rei's face sank in disappointment.
"I was going to go tomorrow, but the queen asked if I can join her for tea." Serena nodded. "And I really go to the Children's Hospital while I am here."
"You know what? Malachite and I will go with you!" Mina immediately volunteered.
"No, I will be fine, it is a children's hospital what could go wrong?" Serena replied.
"Paparazzi." One answered.
"Someone who hates people of the moon." Another replied.
"A crazy ex girlfriend."
Everyone turned to Jadeite with a "what the hell look."
"Sire I am so sorry." He looked at Darien, who just shook his head.
"Again, I will be fine. I will call the moment I am back at the hotel."
Nobody said anything.
"Stop worrying about me! I am going to be okay. I am Sailor Moon after all." She smiled.
Again not a word, from anyone else.
"Look my car will be here soon. You all have a great night." She waved, turned to Darien and bowed, and walked away.
"I am getting so tired of just watching her walk away...and not being able to do anything."
"Prince Darien..."Ami called but he too had already exited the room.
"So... can we interfere yet?" Zoisite asked looking at Malachite.
"I mean I thought making her stay at the castle would work..." Rei just shrugged. "Guess not."
Defeated they all retreated to the hall as planned.