Finally, Finally, Finally. Endless Waters
Chapter 9. I feel really bad that I haven't
updated this story since Christmas...more
than half a year ago. Argh. I was really
busy, but I'll have more time now. Enjoy!!

Sailor Moon belongs to lots of people like
Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha, Toei, etc., etc., etc.

Endless Waters Chapter 9. By Tess. Posted 6-9-02
	
	
	Serena slowly turned around and
was face-to-face with a man with greasy
black, shoulder-length hair and haunting
grey eyes. Her eyes slowly fell to the
nametag attached to his pristine white
shirt. It read, "Ernie Jackson." Serena
quickly thought of a cover up.
	"W-well sir," she stammered. "I
was a-a just trying to a- ok, I admit it.
It's all a prank. My friend made me do
it. See, I lost this bet on how many
cheez-doodles she could eat, so" 
As Serena continued her endless babbling, she
failed to notice the look in Ernie Jackson's 
eyes or the slow way he was approaching her. 
Finally, he spoke. His voice sent a shiver of 
fear speeding down Serena's spine. "Of course, 
dear...a bet. Don't worry...it makes 
no difference." It was like molasses 
on a hot day. Sticky and unbearable. 
He was moving closer and closer towards 
her, until her back was up against the 
wall. Serena's eyes widened in panic as 
she realized the situation that she was in.
	She opened her mouth to scream, 
but no sound came out. Ernie had smashed 
his lips against hers, his breath reeking 
of alcohol and cigarettes. Suddenly, 
something slammed into Ernie from behind. 
Serena's head was forced to crash against 
the wall as he fell sideways, and she 
slid to the ground against the wall. 
Her vision swam in front of her, and 
the last thing she saw before her world 
plunged into darkness was Darien's furious face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
	"Serena!" Darien pleaded, lightly 
slapping his palm against her face. "Snap 
out of it Serena!" He uneasily glanced at 
Ernie's unconscious form a few feet away. 
'We've got to get out of here before he 
comes to,' he thought. Slowly placing one 
arm behind Serena's back and one arm below 
her knees, he lifted her up. They had to 
get somewhere fast, before McNoll realized 
that Ernie was missing. Figuring that he 
might feel slightly awkward carrying an 
unconscious girl to above deck from where 
they were to her room, he thought of the 
closest place to them. 'Of course. The room 
where everyone thinks I'm at.'
	The walk to the room was short. 
When they reached it, Darien gingerly 
placed Serena against the wall. "Serena! 
Serena! Please say something Serena!" She 
stirred slightly. "Serena!"
Her eyes slowly began to open. 
	"Darien?" she asked weakly.
	"Yes yes! It's me Serena!" Darien 
hugged her. 
	"Darien, where are we? All I 
remember is Ernie...and," Serena's voice 
trailed off, and a tear rolled down her cheek.
	"I'm sorry I couldn't help you 
sooner, Serena. But you're ok now...I promise."
	"Thank you."
	"Well I suppose I owed you, huh?" 
Darien joked. Serena used the back of her 
hand to wipe her face and laughed. Darien 
hugged her again, and she was hit with 
the familiar scent of his cologne. She 
let out a small cry, reminded of that awful day. 
	"It's just not fair," she whispered, 
not intending for Darien to hear her, but 
he did, and pulled away so that they were 
face to face. 
	"What's not fair?" he asked 
gently, wiping away another tear on 
her face with his thumb.
	"All of this! Darien...I love 
you. I always have! And it hurts to 
know that you don't love me!"
	"What makes you think that?" 
Darien murmured. For a split second, 
Serena thought that they could work 
out everything between them. Then she 
remembered.
	"Darien, you're married!" 
Darien furrowed his brow, but 
before he had time to respond, 
the door to the room flung open. 
Standing under the threshold were 
none other than Adam McNoll and Ernie Jackson. 
	"Well Well Well, what have 
we here?" sneered McNoll. "None 
other than our excaptain and his 
girlfriend. Or should I say- Arthur 
West and his girlfriend?" Darien 
stood up and helped Serena up, keeping 
her behind him.
	"So you figured it out. I never 
thought you were this smart. I'm not 
worried though. When my father hears 
of this, he'll have you off this ship 
quicker than you can say 'captain'," 
Darien said furiously. 
	"Really? And what if your 
father doesn't find out until it's 
too late. We're not going to tell 
him. We have better things to do, 
like, say, getting rid of you? Ernie 
can have the girl-she's no use to me." 
Serena stared Ernie directly in the eye.
	"You will not touch me," she 
said weakly. Ernie laughed a horrible 
laugh.
	"Really? Well, first you need 
punishing for that little incident 
back in the radio room." Ernie approached 
her, and raised a hand to slap her, 
but Darien got in the way, taking the 
slap himself. "You have feelings for 
this brat?"
	"You can do whatever you want 
to me, even kill me. But don't hurt 
her. Just keep your hands off of her," 
Darien said in a low voice.
	"Oh, sorry, Darien. Maybe we 
forgot to tell you. You don't make 
the rules anymore," hissed McNoll. 
He furiously snapped his fingers and 
two crewmen immediately appeared. 
"You!" he barked. "Keep these two 
company while I go make a special 
announcement." McNoll flicked off 
the lights, and he and Ernie left 
the room. The door closed on the 
two crewmen and Darien, who was 
instinctively putting his arm around 
Serena's shoulders. Another tear 
came down Serena's cheek as the lock clicked.
Darien stared at the crewmen in the 
room, his eyes burning with fury.
	"Traitors!" he spat out. 
"How could you?" He lunged at them, 
but felt something pulling him back. 
It was Serena.
	"Darien...don't."
	"Why not? They deserve it! 
They all deserve it! They claim to 
be loyal to my dad, but the minute 
McNoll tells them something otherwise, 
they go with whatever he says!"
	"Your dad isn't exactly the 
nicest person," Serena said quietly. 
	"What did you say? Keep my 
father's personality out of this! 
Just because he pushed you onto the 
grass that day! And called you a 
brat? Does that make him evil!" he 
screamed furiously. Hurt shone from 
Serena's eyes as she yelled back,
	"Don't bring that up just to 
prove a point! I was just trying to 
point out that he's extremely pompous, 
just like you, so maybe, just maybe, 
people would hate him too!" 
	"Too? So now you hate me! You 
sure didn't ten minutes ago, when I 
saved your life! Maybe I should've 
just left you there with him! Seeing 
how you hate me! Maybe that just 
would've been better! If it weren't 
for you, we wouldn't be in this 
situation! When Ernie comes back, 
you can just go with him since you 
hate me so much!" Anger and hurt 
coursed through Serena's body.
	"Fine," she nearly whispered, 
letting go of him. "If that's the 
way you want it." She turned away 
from him and huddled in a corner, 
desperately trying not to cry 
again. <Great, Serena. Just show 
him how weak you are. It'll just 
make him hate you more.> Her whole 
body shook with fear and her heart 
felt like it was breaking. <What are 
they going to do to us? I'm scared...I've 
never been this scared. Ever.>
	Darien stared at her from 
the other side of the room. It was 
obvious that she was terrified and 
hurt. He'd gone too far, and he knew 
it. <I'm so stupid! I can't believe I 
said all that! She's just as scared 
as I am...we didn't have to take it 
out on each other! It's my fault she's 
in this, too.> He lifted his eyes to 
the two crewmen standing by the door.
	"Trouble in paradise, huh?" 
one of them sneered. Darien ignored 
them, and turned his gaze back to Serena. 
She was shaking uncontrollably. 
Suddenly, the speaker in the room 
crackled and the silence was filled 
with Adam McNoll's oily voice.
	"We're sorry passengers," 
he said, "but there has been a slight 
problem with the engine. We request 
that all passengers return to their 
rooms for a short time until it is 
fixed. Please do not panic." A choked 
sob came from Serena's lips, and Darien 
was by her side in an instant. She didn't 
turn.
	"Serena?" No answer. 
"Serena...I...I'm sorry. I shouldn't 
have said what I said. I shouldn't 
have brought up that day, or Ernie, 
or anything." Still no answer. "I'm 
just...angry...and...I'm sorry that 
you hate me Serena, but if that's the 
way you feel...I have to respect that. 
Again, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." 
Serena didn't turn, but opened her 
lips to speak. Her voice was quiet and 
fearful.
	"I forgive you. And I'm sorry 
too. I shouldn't have insulted your 
father like that, and I shouldn't have 
insulted you either....and....Darien, I 
don't hate you! I couldn't ever hate 
you!"  Darien wrapped his arms around her. 
	"I forgive you too." Serena 
started sobbing in his arms.
	"Darien...I'm scared...I'm so scared." 
	"Shh...It's ok, Sere," he murmured, 
running his fingers through her hair. 
"I am too. But I won't let anything 
happen to you. That's a promise. 
Nothing will happen to you." He 
pulled away to face her and placed 
a hand on her cheek. "Sere...if 
anything happens to me, I want you 
to know something. I want you to know 
how much I love you. So much. Just 
please remember that. If anything 
happens to me, I love you." Serena 
sobbed. She'd waited so long to 
hear those words from Darien's 
mouth. She didn't care about Allison anymore.
	"Darien! I love you too!" 
Darien cupped her face in his hands, 
and they shared a long kiss." They 
continued to sit in the darkness, 
embracing, for about another hour. 
Suddenly, they heard the turning of 
the lock and a sliver of light traveled 
to the corner where they were at as Adam 
McNoll and Ernie Jackson reentered the room.

End Chapter 9.


:):):) Well, things are definetly
 getting a little more exciting, huh?
 Next chapter should have lots of
 action in it (I really don't like
 writing action....it's not one of
 my strong points.) Anyhoo, I
 thought that this story would
 end @ chapter 9, but I added
 in the whole scene inside the
 little room...don't kill me for
 making them fight!! Please tell
 me your opinions in the book!
~*Tess*~