Hey guys, here's the next chapter. Please R&R!

I do not own Sailor Moon

"So who was that girl last night? You seemed to know her quite well." Beryl's question caught Dairen by surprise as he rinsed his mouth out from brushing his teeth. Their morning routine had become muscle memory for him; Beryl would get the mirror first so she could do her make up while Darien dressed himself then they would switch so Darien could brush his hair and while Beryl bushed her hair Darien brushed his teeth. They did this every morning ever since they moved in together back in New York. The same routine every morning for over a year. His mind would sometimes wander without him realizing that he was dressing himself or combing his hair.

"We use to date in high school. I hadn't seen her since we graduated." Darien replied wiping his mouth with a towel.

"Oh, so an ex-girlfriend?" The tone of Beryl's voice hinted at jealousy.

Darien sighed. "Beryl, you don't have to worry about her. We haven't talked since high school and besides you saw that she has a kid. I'm sure she's in a healthy relationship of her own."

Beryl looked at him then, her emerald green eyes searching for some sort of sign from him that he was lying then she breathed through her nose and looked away. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to badger you. I just hate being away from home for so long. I've never really been outside of New York City except for New Jersey but that doesn't really count. I just feel so out of place being in the county side."

Darien laughed and went to kiss the top of her forehead but Beryl turned her head away quickly not wanting him to ruin her makeup that she spent so much time on. He felt bad for Beryl, ever since they met in college she had always been a city girl. She rarely traveled outside without a designer coat or handbag and he could imagine the culture shock when they landed in Astoria after she insisted on coming with him to meet his family in person.

"You could barely call this place the country Beryl. It's just a small fisherman's town." He walked out of the bathroom and towards his old room down the hall. His parents had moved quite a few things around and gotten rid of the old college and movie posters he had hung on his wall and ever since his mother took up knitting the whole closet was now storage for her yarn, needles and what looked like a spinning wheel from sleeping beauty. The room was quite dark save for the light coming in from the only window in the room. He remembered the night of Serenity's funeral after everyone had gone home, his house was somber in light and in energy that night. Almost everyone in town including his parents knew and loved Serena's mother and attending the funeral was the most emotionally draining and heartbreaking thing he had felt in his life. His parents had gone to bed as soon as they had gotten home and he himself was about to crawl into bed when he heard his window slide open. He had turned around to see Serena crawling into his room through the window, she was crying hysterically saying that she was scared he was going to disappear and she couldn't lose another person that she loved.

"Well, I'll be back on Thursday and then we'll only have a week together before I leave again. I can't believe my dad called me on vacation to help out at the Portland branch. " Beryl grabbed the rental car keys off the night stand snapping Darien back to reality again. God, he has to stop wandering off like that. Beryl grabbed her bag a coat and kissed Darien on the cheek. Right before she reached the doorway she turned him. "Are you sure you can't come back to New York sooner than February?"

"I can't Beryl, my family needs my help right now. But if, by some miracle, I'm able to come home you'll be the first to know."

Beryl nodded with a smile then said a last goodbye and left.

Darien looked around his old room and laughed quietly at all the junk his mother collected and stored in there. It was hardly the room he remembered spending his teen years in studying endlessly for finals and SAT prep classes, playing video games with his friends during the summer and the many nights he and Serena spent watching awful romantic comedies that she picked out or the B rated 80s horror movies that he liked mostly so he could watch Serena hide beneath the blankets and curl up next to him for security. Unfortunately the only thing that remained untouched of the room that he remembered was his study desk. He pulled out the key for it which he still had attached to his house keys and unlocked the drawer. There were a few things he had forgotten that he had left in there like old Polaroids of him and his dear friend Malachite when they took their first trip to Portland without telling their parents, his first failing grade he had gotten on his calculous exam, the broken pair of glasses he was too afraid to show to his mother knowing that they couldn't afford a new pair and a few other papers he didn't remember the significance of but tucked in the back he saw the enveloped letter that he could never forget receiving. It was the letter Serena had written him the night she left. The envelope was crinkled at the corners from the many times Darien had pulled it from the drawer to read it, his name was written in her delicate cursive handwriting and on the back right corner she had drawn the cute bunny caricature she used as her signature. He could never bring himself to get rid of the letter. It felt like he would have been throwing away apart of her, the last part of herself she had given him. Had he thrown it away it would have meant that she was really gone from his life forever. But now she's back.

The ringing from his phone made him jump slightly once again pulling him out of his train of thought.

"Hello?"

"You've been in town for four days and you haven't even bothered to see me yet?!" His cousin's shrill voice strained his ear.

"I was just on my way the shop to see you."

"Oh sure you were. Jeeze, the nerve of you." She joked

"I swear, I'm leaving my house right now. I'll see you in a bit."

...

"Well, did you tell him?" Ami asked opening her car door and pulled her coat closer to her body trying to block out the cold winter wind. She waited for Serena to unbuckle Serenity and join her on the brick sidewalk. She hoped that coming downtown would cheer Serena up after she came home from the market last night crying her eyes out. When they were in high school they spent most of their free time at the boutiques, cafes, and The Crowne arcade. Most of the buildings were remodled but The Crowne still stood the same only now infested with the new generation of teenagers from Astoria High.

"I was going to but then that... siren came along flaunting her chest!" Serena explained as they walked pass the old record store where she and Darien had spent their first date drinking cappuccinos and laughing at all the bad hair choices of the people on the record covers. "He's so different Ami. I mean, he was wearing slacks for Christ's sake."

"Five years can change a person." Ami tried to reason.

"Mommy," Serenity tugged on her mother's coat halting her in mid step. They stood in front of the town bakery smelling the potent sweetness of baked cookies and cakes. Serenity ran towards the glass window displaying fruit tarts, chocolate truffles and French macaroons. "Please Mommy, can I have a cookie?"

As if Ami was able to read the protest on Serena's face she interrupted. "I'll take her. I've been meaning to check up on my wedding cake design anyways. Why don't you keep walking around? Rei still works at the psychic shop. You should stop by."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, go have a nice walk. I'll call you when we're done."

Without any further debate Serena departed from her friend and daughter and walked down the street looking at all the old shops and cafes that were remodeled into new modern atmospheres. All of downtown use to look like an old 18th century city built of many brick buildings and surrounded by elm trees but after the millennium began it seemed to take on the new modern age look. She turned the corner that led to Rei's store and looked up at the building. It was still the same as when she left; a tall two story brick building, the top windows with blue shutters were always open and the bottom story had long, narrow display windows with the bright neon light signs saying psychic and tarot cards. Along the display window were posters of Houdini and other strange men she did not recognize. She pulled open the purple wooden door and walked into the store smelling the inviting scent of incense and some other musty smell that seem to be in every store of the category. Along the walls were books about god knows what and on the many display tables were strange colored pebbles, charms, herbs she never heard of and a book on medicinal tea recipes. She walked to the counter on the far end of the store. She could hear a television on in the back room and soft chatter as if someone were on the phone. She rang the metal bell on the glass counter top.

"Just a minute!" Rei's voice came from the room.

"Rei Hino, you can't expect me to wait for you forever." Serena smiled as she imagined her friend's face when Serena had first used the phrase on her at their high school prom.

Rei pulled back the bead curtain from the door way slowly afraid that it was someone playing a cruel joke on her. But when she saw the blonde hair, blue eyed girl in front of her tears came to her eyes. It was indeed Serena Taylor.

"Serena?" Rei walked out from behind the counter and hugged her friend.

Serena looked at the raven haired girl that was Darien's cousin. She was a few inches taller than her and her eyes were such an odd hue of blue they looked a light purple. She was dressed in a short brown peasant dress, a black scarf warped around her neck and a headband holding back her bangs.

"It's good to see you Rei."

"Oh don't give me that crap. What the hell happened to you? Where did you go?"

"It's a long story."

"Do you see anyone in this shop? Come sit down. I want to hear everything."

As Serena told Rei her story of how she got pregnant and left and had to stop for a god five minutes while Rei yelled at her for not telling her she was pregnant, they sat and ate the sample mood energizer cookies and every now and then Serena would stop and listen to Rei tell her about buying the shop from Jed, the owner, moving into the top story apartment, her on again-off again relationships and family troubles. She was still the same old Rei that she knew and loved and just as she had before with Ami Serena felt saddened at the thought of not being around when her friend needed her.

"You know, he tried to find you after you left." Rei stated sheepishly

"Who?"

"Darien. About a week after you left. He was devastated. We all hoped that he would find you. You could have imagined how he felt when he returned empty handed."

Serena sat silent as she tried to process what Rei had said. She wondered what would have happened if Darien had found her. Would she have gone back with him? She imagined a dramatic scene like that in a movie of rain pouring down on her as she walked down the street and Darien calling out her name, chasing after her. She imagined turning around slowly at the sound of his voice and him running to her saying that he loved her no matter what and then the dramatic movie kiss, tongue and all. But she knew that that would not have happened. If he would have found her she would have told him that she was pregnant and he would realize that he would not want her anymore, not if his future were to be sacrificed. He would have cursed her for her stupidity, turn back and forget her. Just as she was about to tell this to Rei she saw Darien approach the shop from across the street.

"Oh my god! Rei you have to hide me!" Serena jumped from her seat and looked around the shop for something to hide behind. She spotted the drapes on all the windows but then thought of how foolish it would look if her feet stuck out.

"There's a back exit on the other side of the staircase."

Serena made it behind the staircase just before Darien walked in through the door. She stayed and listened to their greetings, listening to Rei try to menuver Darien into the backroom. When she was sure that they were out of earshot she went down the narrow hallway filled with boxes of books and more of those strange charms and just as she was about to reach the door she tripped over a box that had seemed to come out of nowhere.

Darien heard the crash and cry from the back exit through walls of the backroom. He ran over to the base of the cry and saw Serena lying under boxes crying in pain. Both Rei and him ran over and began to remove the boxes on top of her.

"Oh my god! Serena Are you okay?" Rei asked helping her sit up.

"My ankle." Was all she could manage between sobs as Darien lifted the last box off her. He got down on his knees and inspected her purple, swollen ankle.

"It looks like you fractured it." He said placing his arms beneath the crook of her legs and her mid back. He lifted her up and walked out of the narrow hallway with Rei in tow holding Serena's purse in hand. "I'm going to have to take her to the hospital."

"I can't. Serenity..." Serena protested wrapping her arms around Darien's neck as the pain from her ankle increased.

"Don't worry, Rei will tell Ami and Serenity." He took Serena's purse from Rei as she handed it to him and walked out the door.

"I'm sorry Serena! Call me!" Rei yelled after them from the door.

Darien carried her across the street to his car parked by the library. He wished he had parked farther if that meant he could hold on to Serena longer. Unfortunately they arrived at his car in just a few short feet.

"Serena, I'm going to have to put you down."

"No. Please." She sobbed into his shoulder.

"I have to get my keys out. Here, I'll hold you by the waist so you won't have to put all your weight on your foot." He put her down gently holding her tightly by the waist as he fished in his pants pocket for his keys. He unlocked the car, opened the door and picked Serena up once more. As he placed her in the passenger seat her hand slid along his back and down his arm making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He closed the car door and took a deep breath to prepare himself for the ten minute ride to the hospital. He walked around the car then pulled open the door and got into the driver's seat.

"Where's your fiance?" Serena asked more calm now.

"She's in Portland for a business conference."

...

Beryl stood naked looking out the hotel window at the bustling city below her, her red locks draping over her chest. The setting sun cast an orange haze over the hotel room and dust particles floated around in the sunlight. The city was a nice change from that tiny fisherman's town her fiancé called home. The salty stale smell of the coastal wind still lingered on her clothes that were now scattered around the room. Beryl took a wine glass from the room service cart and poured the last contents of the champagne bottle into he cup. She set the bottle back down in the ice bucket and looked at her engagement ring on the night stand. It wasn't the extravagant Tiffany ring that she had pointed out to Darien when they strolled past the store back home in New York. Instead he presented her with this puny little band when he opened the box and it had taken Beryl all her strength not to chuck the ring box at him. She knew that Darien couldn't afford her taste in jewelry or mostly anything she liked for the matter of fact. But what else could she expect from a poor broke country boy trying to make a name for himself in the big city. She wondered if this plan of hers was really going to work or if she was in over her head with this one. Why does it have to be so complicated?

The bathroom door creaked open and the moist steam from the shower flowed out as the man from the bathroom stepped out, a towel wrapped around his waist. He walked over to Beryl and wrapped his muscular arms around her.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked nibbling on her ear.

"How long we can keep up this charade."

"What charade?"

"You know what I'm taking about Dimond." Beryl shrugged him off with her shoulder and grabbed her robe from the floor. It was one of her prized possessions; a silk couture robe Dimond had bought her during their first weekend away together.

"Are you saying you want to end it?" The man said sitting on the leather couch.

"No! I just...everything is such a mess. I just-Ugh! Everything would be fine if my father would just give me the company."

The man gave a long sigh as he prepared himself for the long rant from the woman.

"I just don't understand why Daddy is set in such old ways." Beryl drained the last of the champagne from her glass and set it down on the nightstand. "I need to be married, fucking married, before he lets me even take partnership with him. I sat there with him and his lawyers as they read out the contract to me. He thinks I'm too spoiled and that I need to learn the values of a family or some other shit like that before he gives me the company. God, this isn't the fucking 50s! Yes, he made me a chairman once I graduated college but those old fucking baby boomer colleagues of his don't respect my ideas or me in general. Even though they've known me since I was a child they cant stand the sight of a young woman in power. But if Daddy gave me part ownership they would have no choice but to respect me. But no, fucking no. That would be too easy for Daddy. Then I meet Darien Sheilds in the college library. He was charming and charismatic and still clearly not over his ex-girlfriend but I knew he was the type of man Daddy would approve of. At first it was just a fun game for me, to see how fast I could make him think that he loves me but along the way I started to care for him. Can you believe it? I, Beryl Sampson, caring about a poor broken middle class nobody. Eight months later he hands me the ring and now here we are in this country side city visiting his stupid middle class family and their dog. God I hate dogs. Yet I found myself sitting down with them at the dinner table playing a stupid board game. You know it would be so much easier if my father would let me sell the company so it can go international but no. he has to make things difficult. I want to stay local he says and it would ruin what we stand for. Who gives a shit what we stand for? If he sold the company he wouldn't have to work another day in his life."

She sighed loudly in frustration and threw herself on the bed bouncing up and down until it settled.

"Remind me again why we can't get married." The man said playfully walking towards the bed.

"Because Diamond, our fathers are archenemies. If they knew what we are doing they would disown us and then where would that leave you and me?"

Dimond laid down next to her and rolled over on his side so he could look at her. He slipped his hand in through the opening of her robe and rubbed her collar bone with his thumb.

"That boy toy of yours has made you soft Beryl. Do you remember how much fun we use to have blackmailing all those sad little people freshman year? From what I've heard Cordelia Caldwell still isn't allowed to return to the Hamptons after you mailed out those pictures of her and Mrs. Goodwin's husband in their pool house. "

"Ugh! What's happening to me Dimond? Darien is going to convert me into a middle class housewife!" Beryl threw her hands over her face and muffled an agitated scream.

Dimond lowered his hand down to Beryl's waist and untied the strings of her robe puling it open slowly so he could touch her naked body. "I think you've been away from home for too long." He kissed her neck than traveled down to her breasts and continued lower until he was between he legs.

The sultry red head inhaled with pleasure. This, this is what she wanted; to be back home with Dimond ruling over the elite class of uptown New York as they did when they were teenagers. Darien had somehow made her forget her true nature and had her convinced she was a normal good hearted woman but she wasn't. She was far from it. She was going to get what she wants no matter the cost.

"I'll marry that idiot and once I have my father's business I'll dump him like a dog on the streets. Then, Dimond, you and I can finally live as we please!"

Dimond stood then, removed his towel and picked up the red head whose eyes were now glazed over passion and desire. He threw her on to the middle of the bed and climbed on top of her, bitting her neck. She tilted her head back and let out a moan.

"There's my girl."

...

The hospital was filled with the sounds of telephones ringing and strange beeping noises coming from everywhere he turned. The nurses in the blue scrubs ran down hallways and some pushed carts full of the awful rancid smelling food that they served and all of them saying excuse me or telling you that you were in the way of the patients trying to walk no matter where you stood. Darien stood at the front desk filling out the last of the paper work moving every now and then when a nurse past by worried that he was in the way. He was finally at the last page of the patient information and stumbled upon a question he couldn't answer. He hadn't remembered the exact date that Serena last visited the hospital. The last time that they went together was when Darien had fallen from a tree when they tried to get a view of the sunset. Serena was so scared she had left her sandals by the tree when they went in the ambulance.

He looked over at Serena's medical file on the counter that she had requested when they arrived at the hospital. She left it there once the nurse had wheeled her away in a wheelchair to the urgent care room. The file was confidential, he knew that, but curiosity provoked him. He silently asked for forgiveness and flipped through the pages. He came across the last paperwork filed by her at the end. It caught him as strange that she would go to the hospital alone and that the date was two weeks before their high school graduation. But what made him catch his breath was the ultrasound picture that was stapled to the next page. The date on the ultrasound picture was the day before she left and judging by the picture of the baby she looked to have been three months pregnant. He searched the rest of the papers for anything else that would give him more information but to no avail.

"Mr. Shields?" A black female nurse with frizzy curls came out into the hallway holding a clipboard.

"Yes." Darien raised his hand at the nurse and when she saw him she smiled and walked over to him.

"She's ready to go. If you could just sign this release form we'll wheel her out."

After Darien signed the form and the nurse had gone he took the ultrasound picture from Serena's file, stuffed it in his pocket, filled out the last of the paperwork and returned it to the nurse behind the counter.

The ride back to Ami's house was silent save for Serena's soft snoring. She was drowsy from the medicine they had given her at the hospital and once she was in the car she fell asleep. Hearing her snore made him think of the time when she had woken herself up from snoring so loud after she had fallen asleep on his bed during their study session. They're relationship was just blossoming at the time and Serena had gotten so embarrassed that her face had turned a brighter red than he had ever seen. Darien assured her that he found it cute and not at all unattractive even after he had doubled over in laughter. Those were the memories he cherished and wished that Serena had given him the chance to make more memories like that with her. By the time they had pulled into Ami's driveway it was dusk and a gentle sprinkle had begun.

"Serena, we're here."

She stirred awake rubbing her eyes.

"Oh already? Sorry that I fell asleep. You know I can't handle these drugs they give at the hospitals."

"Don't worry about it. Do you need me to help you into the house?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind. Ami and Zach took Serenity to see a movie so she wouldn't be so worried. Theres a few steps I have to walk down to get to my room and I don't see how I can make it down the stairs with these crutches."

"Oh okay. Hold on let me get the door for you."

Serena opened the door to the house and thanked Ami silently for taking Serenity to the movies. She turned on the lights and made her way to the stairs. Darien stood at the door looking around at the house.

"You're probably getting tired of this but...do you mind giving me a lift." She balanced herself on one foot as she held out her crutches and waited for him to come over from the door.

"I'd never get tired of carrying you." Immedately after making the remark Darien regretted saying it and without any further discussion he took her in his arms and carried her downstairs. He felt his heart pounding in his chest as she placed her hand gently on his shoulder. They finally came to the guest room and Darien placed Serena down gently on the bed and laid the crutches by the headpost.

"Thank you for everything." Serena said with a weak smile.

"No problem. Be sure to elevate your leg." Be sure to elevate your leg? Idiot! Tell her she looks great or that you missed her or that you never really got over her. There was a long silence between them and Darien couldn't bare it anymore. "Well, I'll see you around." He said and began to walk to the door.

"Wait. Darien."

Darien turned around to see Serena limping over to him and he was about to protest and tell her to sit down but then she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tightly. He could smell lavender in her hair and her soft breathing against his collarbone. She was so skinny and fragile compared to him.

"I missed you so much." She said nuzzling her face deeper into his neck.

In response Darien wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in closer. He knew it was the drugs making her say this but he had missed her greatly and wanted for so long to hold her in his arms again. He missed everything about her. Her eyes, her lips her laugh, her golden hair, the way she wrinkled her nose when she was frustrated, he missed being with her.

Serena was about to kiss his cheek but Darien turned his head and their lips met, grazing gently. Not knowing what to do Darien took a step back letting his arms fall from her waist.

"Serena..."

Serena closed the small distance between them and brought the taller man's head down to meet her lips once more and kissed him firmly and passionately. When she pulled away Darien stood there for a minute silently wondering what just happened then he turned around walked out the door, skipped up the steps and out of Ami's house.

Serena stood in the doorway wondering what had come over her. All she meant to do was thank him but it somehow escalated out of control. Oh god, what will happen the next time they see each other? Will he tell his fiance? What was she thinking? She sighed, limped back to the bed, and laid down on the sheets looking up at the celling letting her thoughts consume the night.

In his car Darien sat with his head against the steering wheel cursing himself for leaving without saying something. Wasn't that what he had wanted to happen? Why didn't he kiss her back? He laid his head back against the headrest and took out the ultrasound picture he had stuffed in his pocket from the hospital. He could barely make out the form of a child in the black and white swirls. The date and time stamp of the ultrasound was the one thing he couldn't get his mind off. If that date were correct it had meant that Serena was three month pregnant when she ran away from home. Three months pregnant and he never even noticed. How could he not have noticed? It had also meant that there was a possibility that Darien fathered Serenity but he couldn't be certain. There was that brief period when they had broken up and Serena dated that guy. What was his name? Seiya? Darien didn't know if they had been intimate during that short time that they had dated. He hadn't had the courage to ask her back then.

"Are you the reason why she left, Serenity?"