Marriage of the Will

By Eternity Rose

E-mail: [email protected]

Rated: PG-13

Author's Notes: I'd love to thank all the people reading my story. Especially Nutty Mona. She's the best reader (AN: I'm not sure if I should use 'fan' since I don't think I have enough people reading my story to call it that. I've only had, what, 10 e-mails for this story so far??) of my stories.

Standard Disclaimer: (We all have to write it, no matter how much we hate it...) I do not own Sailor Moon. (Never will, either. I only have lint in my pocket book right now!)

Chapter 11

Serena folded her crisp, white shirt and placed it away in her dresser. She had been living back at home for about two weeks now and her mother had been wise enough to leave her alone. She had appeared on her mother's doorstep at the middle of the night, crying and seeking comfort. Isabelle had stayed silent, helping Serena settle in and left her alone since then.

Looking at her reflection in the mirror in front of her Serena saw herself again nine months ago. Her face had no color, her eyes were pale and her hair even seemed to pale. They were no longer golden and shining beautifully like they had been when she was happy. She sad again. She was ugly and plain again.

Turning around, Serena walked over to her bed and sat down on it. She had done nothing but stay in her room and cry for two weeks. Raye and Setsuna had came over to talk to her but it didn't help. Amy and Greg were away. Lita was in Boston...There was no one to talk to but her mother but Serena was never close to her mother.

Looking down at herself, Serena saw that she was far too skinny. Her arms were like toothpicks, just as her legs. Her waist was nothing. Her clothes were beginning to hang on her. She had been eating but her sorrow just burned away all the calories. And sometimes she didn't even eat of the whole day because of the knot of pain in her throat and stomach to be able to swallow without throwing it back up.

Pulling out her lap top, Serena plugged it into an outlet and booted it up. She waited as it loaded up and quickly signed online. She checked her e-mail and found more work. She printed it out and read it until lunch time when the maids knocked on the door and brought lunch in on a tray. The maid placed it on the bed before turning and leaving the room without another word like she was ordered.

Serena picked up a cookie and slid it in her mouth and chewed on it. She then turned her attention back to her e-mail and found one from Mina. She opened it immediately and read it:

Serena,

I just wanted to tell you that I'm fine and David is fine. The baby is fine. I found out it was a boy! I'm soo happy! David is also very excited. He's been there for me through it all and I love him so much. He's soo sweet. I bet Darien's also very sweet as well. I got your last e-mail and it seemed like Darien and you are getting along real fine.

I felt like were haven't been talking and had a bad feeling that something wasn't going right down there in Baltimore. Is everything okay?

Serena felt tears sting her eyes as she read that bit and quickly wiped it away as she continued her reading.

I know we've never been really close, but know that any time you need someone to talk to, you can talk to me.

Love, Mina.

Wiping away tears, Serena buried her face in her hands and cried. She signed off and shut down her computer without bothering to check out the rest of her mail and cried into her pillow, which had to be changed daily due to her sobbing.

Everyone's so happy, why can't I be happy? She wondered as she cried.

~*~

Darien worked like a madman. It was the only thing he could do. Serena had been gone for two weeks and they hadn't communicated at all. He was still too angry to talk to her. She just up and left with only a short note. Was he so worthless to her that she didn't think saying good bye personally was worth her time? Or was she such a coward that she was afraid of him?

Darien rubbed his temples as he worked away the mild head ache and tried not to pound the desk in anger and frustration. He opened his eyes and stared at his computer screen. He continued typing as he worked on his report. He had received e-mails from Serena with the work and she had done pretty good, he had to admit that. It looked like now all the business interaction was through the Net or through the mail.

A slight knock on the door caused Darien to look up as Beryl walked into the office with a distressed secretary behind her.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Knight. But she wouldn't listen to me when I told her you didn't want to be seen," the secretary said, wringing her hands.

Darien glared at Beryl. "That's all right. Leave."

The secretary nodded and left.

Beryl closed the door behind her and looked at Darien with an evil smile. "So, I hear your relationship with your wife isn't so sweet. What happened, Darien? The blonde not so faithful?"

"Where the hell are you getting this crap?" Darien demanded as he stood up angrily.

"Oh, I hear things here and there," Beryl said mysteriously. She smiled. "Now that the blonde twit is out of the way, shouldn't we admit to ourselves that we love each othere, Darien?"

Darien had had enough. He tried REALLY hard to be nice. But this was the LAST straw!

"Shut the (AN: should I write this little dirty word? ::smiles evilly::) up! Beryl, you've given me so much f****** trouble these last few months. I've really had enough. Your such a bitch, why can't you accept that I can never love a worm like you?!" Darien shouted. "Your just a little parasite that WON'T go away! I want you out of my life, Beryl. Your just a pathetic simpering bitch, so just leave me ALONE!"

Beryl stood there, gasping in anger and hate from the cruel words Darien had thrown at her. She stamped her foot angrily like a tantrum throwing child and hissed.

"Why can't you love me?? I love you so much!" She shrieked, her arms flailing wildly. "Why can't you see how much I love you? Your everything to me but you say these things! Darien, tell me, why can't you love me??"

"Because your just nothing to me," Darien said in a cold, emotionless voice. "You've been nothing but a pain in the ass for me. Butting yourself into my life and ruining my marriage. I loved her, Beryl. Why can't you just accept that and leave?"

"Because I love you!" Beryl screamed before whirling around and running out of the office.

Darien sighed and fell back into his chair. That woman was seriously unstable.

~*~

"I'm going to take a night walk, Mother," Serena said as she hugged her mother before stepping outside and into the Garden. She looked up at the moon and saw it was full. She sighed softly and began to walk slowly around the Garden. Admiring the beautiful flowers that were always kept in good shape. She bent down in front of a red rose and admired it's beauty in the moonlight.

She reached out and stroked it's soft petals. Being around flowers comforted her. She always felt more at ease around them since she knew that they didn't judge, they were just pretty and comforting. She smiled, closed her eyes and kissed the rose gently.

Unbidden, the image of Darien's beautiful face appeared before her closed eye lids. She gasped softly and her eyes flew open. She wasn't going to think of Darien. It just brought on more pain. She straightened and smoothed down her white dress. She was going to go back in.

Serena turned around and gasped as she saw a figure step out from the shadows. Beryl. And she was holding a gun.

~*~

Isabelle was looking out the window to the Gardens from the parlor when she saw her daughter under the pale moonlight. Her face was filled with fear. Isabelle gasped as she saw a flash of a metal. Serena was in danger!

Immediately, motherly instincts kicked in and Isabelle lunged for the phone and called the police. She just hoped they would get there in time. Until then, Isabelle had to do something!

After making the call, Isabelle hung up. Never had she done such a thing. It frightened her. She had never taken control before. It was also very exhilarating.

Are you crazy, Isabelle? Serena is in danger! You've got to help her! Isabelle reminded herself. She ran out of the parlor and tried desperately to think of something she could do. All the servants had been given the night off so they were all back in their homes. There was no one around to help her out.

Her eyes landed on a shot gun hung up on the wall...

~*~

Serena was breathing hard as Beryl stepped more out of the shadows, the gun still trained on the area where Serena's heart was suppose to be.

"Beryl, how did you get in here?" Serena asked, her eyes on the gun.

"I have my ways," Beryl said darkly. She narrowed her eyes and stepped another step forward. "Do you know how much pain you've caused me?"

"What are you talking about?" Serena asked, confused.

"You've taken away the one man that I loved!" Beryl screamed. She was shaking, causing the gun to tremble. Serena was half afraid that Beryl might accidentally pull the trigger. But nothing happened.

"What? But you kissed him that afternoon at the Green Turtle! How can you say I took him away? You have him!" Serena exclaimed. She gasped chokingly as she fought back tears at the painful memory.

"No! I don't! He still belongs to you!" Beryl screamed. "But if your dead, you'll never have his heart! It'll come to me! I know it will! He is mine, Serena!"

Serena shook her head, her blond hair brushing her face. Darien didn't love her. She knew that he didn't love her. What was Beryl saying? Pain racked through Serena's body as she thought of Darien love it. It wasn't true! Why was Beryl saying these things? It tore at Serena's heart to be told Darien loved her when she knew it wasn't true.

"Beryl, he doesn't love me! Now put that gun down!" Serena pleaded as she looked at the gleaming metal that could take her life in a matter of seconds.

"NO! With you gone, Darien is mine! Mine!" Beryl raised the gun, finger on the trigger.

Serena closed her eyes and prepared herself for death. She heard a gun shot go off. She waited for the bullet to tear through her heart but felt nothing. She opened her eyes and trembled from relief and horror as she watched Beryl crumple to the ground. Her eyes were wide with shock and blood was smearing her clothing.

Who had shot, Beryl?

Serena looked around and gasped out a sob as she watched her mother lower the shot gun. Smoke still emitting from it.

"Mother!" Serena sobbed. She ran over to her stunned mother and threw her arms around her.

"Serena," Isabelle whispered as she released the gun onto the grassy carpet and hugged her daughter back. Relief filled her as she weakly held Serena. She had never done such a thing before and it half frightened her. "Oh, my Serena, are you all right?"

"Mother," Serena sobbed as she clung to her mother. "You saved me!"

"I know. I would never let anyone hurt my child," Isabelle whispered as she held Serena. Never have I done such a brave thing. Maybe I do have some guts, after all, Isabelle thought as she held her daughter. I do love Serena. With all my heart. It's the only reason I actually dared to raise a gun and use it.

Serena was shocked that her timid mother would ever raise and gun and she was proud. She had always thought her mother was weak but her mother was far too strong. Pride welled up inside of Serena as she held her mother, crying into her shoulder in relief and happiness that she was alive.

"My Serena, my daughter. Your all right," Isabelle whispered as she stroked her daughter's back and held her close. In the distance she could hear the sirens of the police.

~*~

Last night, Melissa Beryl, owner of Beryl Enterprises, had trespassed on the Blackwood grounds in search of Serena Blackwood Knight, wife of Darien Knight and co-owner of Blackwood and Knight Inc. Beryl had been said to be in love with Darien Knight and attempted to murder Mrs. Knight in attempt to claim Mr. Knight.

When confronted in the gardens, Mrs. Knight had distracted Beryl long enough for Mrs. Knight's mother Isabelle Blackwood, widow of Keith Blackwood, to shoot Beryl in the back with a shot gun. After the shot had been shot the police arrived with the ambulance and drove Beryl to the hospital. The woman had already lost too much blood and died in the emergency room.

Mrs. Knight had been too traumatized to talk to us or give us a comment on what had happened. Mrs. Blackwood had talked to the police, then claimed no comment with the press. Both returned to their home and haven't came out since. The police have been over there, investigating.

As of this moment, not many details are know.

~*~

Darien folded up the paper and threw it down on the kitchen table. Raye glared at him and returned to her cooking.

"At least she's alive," she snapped as she placed a plate full of breakfast in front of Darien. "Eat. You haven't been eating right these last few days."

"Beryl is crazy! How could she attack Serena!?" Darien shouted.

"'Cause the woman is unstable, brother."

"Aren't you worried about Serena at all?" Darien demanded angrily. He wasn't comfortable with Raye's ease at all the news.

"I talked to Serena last night on the phone after the attack. I knew the poor girl was going to flip so I called her. We talked. She calmed down and went to bed. I know she's fine, just really disturbed." Raye frowned in thought, then she smirked. "Serena was also pretty proud of her timid mother for actually using a gun. Mrs. Blackwood was never known for bravery."

"Good for her," Darien murmured in appreciation. He then sighed and pushed his food away. "I'm not hungry. I have too many things on my mind."

"Like Serena?" Raye sighed and placed a hand on Darien's shoulder. "Brother, why did you have to chase her away? She was the perfect woman for you."

"I found her in Seiya's arms," Darien grounded out.

Raye punched her brother.

Darien stumbled out of the chair and glared at his sister as he rubbed his sore jaw. "What the hell was that for?!"

"You’re an idiot!" Raye shouted. "You’re just using that as an excuse 'cause your too proud! Your too proud, Darien! You get angry because Serena left you! You didn't think she would have the guts, but the smart girl did! She's not going to take any of your crap, Darien! She's a strong woman, a woman of her father. He was a strong man and she's a strong woman."

"Raye, your have no right..." Darien growled.

"I have every right!" Raye shouted as she stomped her foot. "Serena is going to slip through your fingers because your too stupid to admit you were wrong." With that, Raye whirled around and left the house.

Darien stood there for a moment. Shocked at his sister's outburst. He knew she had a terrible temper, it ran in the family. But he had never thought she'd actually strike him! Guilt and shame flooded Darien as he thought of her sister's words. She was right, but it was just too late to make up anything. Serena must hate him for putting her in such danger with Beryl.

Rubbing his sore jaw and sighed. He closed his eyes and tried not to cry. He had made so many mistakes so easily. If only it was that easy to take them back and win Serena's love.

~*~

Man, I didn't know I was going to write these many chapters...Oh well.

Eternity Rose