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ETERNAL LOVE
Chapter 5
Sailor Galaxy

Serena shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts. That wasn't possible. 
She wouldn't miss Darien if he wasn't there. Instead, she'd be glad that he 
was gone. Really. 

Darien noticed her preoccupation and wondered what had caused it. He loosened 
his hold on her hand and she snatched it back.

" Believe what you want. I don't care. I'm out of here."

So saying, Serena turned and walked towards the front door. She half expected 
Darien to stop her but he didn't. Closing the door behind her, she wondered 
why that left a feeling of disappointment inside her.

*********************************************************** 

     Darien stared after her even after she had slammed the door shut after 
her. He hoped that she got home safely. He should have gone with her. He 
should have insisted on taking her home. He should have-

'Hey! Stop! Since when do you care what happens to her?'

' Since she nearly died.'

Darien knew that she had been very injured. It might not have looked like that 
when the youma had been attacking her but the great big balls of the youma's 
attack had injured her inside. She had been bleeding internally and he'd had a 
tough job to control the blood even with his healing powers. He'd been shaken 
at the thought of no Sailor Moon. No-one to protect the city. Of course there 
were the other Scouts but it was obvious that they wouldn't be able to hold on 
without the help of their leader.

But most of all, he'd been horrified at the though of no Serena. She had a 
part in his life that he might not have wanted to acknowledge before. He 
realised now that he always counted on his meeting with Serena to brighten his 
day. Serena cheered him up with her fun, happy personality even though he 
didn't show it. She made him come out of his serious shell that he hid behind. 
She gave him life by making him able to tease her back. He saw her everyday 
and it had taken this accident to make him realise how different it would be 
without her.

Now he wondered whether that would happen if he told her that he knew her 
secret identity. That she was Sailor Moon. When Darien had brought her to his 
apartment, her Sailor uniform had faded away to reveal her everyday clothes. 
The magical barrier had gone showing that the famous heroine of the city was 
Serena. 

Darien hadn't been very surprised when he'd looked down to see Serena in his 
arms. Somehow, he had felt that it was right. Now that he knew who Sailor Moon 
was, he felt a faint feeling that all the astonishment he should have felt, 
had already been used up. Had already been felt. Did that mean that Darien had 
known before that Sailor Moon was Serena? But why then, didn't Darien remember 
that fact previously? Had some-one blocked out this knowledge in his memory? 

And if so, who was that person?

Darien thought back to the days when the Scouts and him had been fighting 
Queen Beryl. Alan and Ann. Diamond and the Black Moon. He felt that he had 
known Serena during that time. But he couldn't remember. Everything went hazy 
in his mind when he tried to think back to whether he had known who the Scouts 
were or not. He knew know of course. About all of them. He could take guesses 
and they'd be correct.

Sailor Mercury was Amy. It was obvious. They both had the same quietness. The
same intelligence. The way both always calmed the group down.

Sailor Mars was Raye. The same fiery temper. The same arguments with Serena. 
The no nonsense manner.

Sailor Jupiter was Lita. The loud boisterousness. The way both hated bullies. 
The way both jumped into fights.
 
Sailor Venus was Mina. They were both bubbly. They were both filled with 
friendliness. They had cheerleader characteristics.

And above all, the loyalty they displayed towards Serena, in both forms. 
Darien frowned. The loyalty they had displayed to Serena. He remembered the 
way they had abandoned Sailor Moon in the park that first day. And why hadn't 
they been with Sailor Moon when she was attacked by the youma? 

Something was going on, and he intended to find out what it was. He was going 
to get to the bottom of the mysteries which were currently hounding his life. 
And then he intended to get on with it. 

*********************************************************** 

     Serena stood under her bedroom window and gazed up at it. To transform or 
to not to transform? That was the question. The Scouts could jump that high 
without their Sailor powers. Well, if they could do it, so could she. Taking a 
deep breath, Serena focused on the window and on reaching it. Closing her 
eyes, she willed herself up to the window. She would get there, she would- On 
opening her eyes, Serena gasped as she saw the glass in front of her. Her gasp 
turned into a muffled shriek as Luna's face suddenly appeared in front of her. 
She put a hand on her chest to steady her wildly beating heart.

Wedging her nails under the window sill, Serena pulled it up. Luna must have 
opened it when she had seen Serena coming. She looked down and then frowned 
when she noticed that she hadn't gotton this high because she had jumped. Huh?
Looking at herself again, Serena gasped as she saw that she was hovering! But 
how? Was this a new power? 

Pulling herself over and inside the window, Serena turned and closed it. 
Wincing, as the harsh grate of metal on metal resounded, Serena made a note to 
herself to oil her window. It wouldn't do if her parents awoke to find Sailor 
Moon in their daughter's room, trying to get out of it by using the window. 

" Serena. Where have you been? I've been so worried about you!"

Serena smiled gently at Luna and something stopped her from telling her 
guardian about the fact that she had been hovering. But wasn't that a lie? Not 
telling Luna the truth about what had happened? Lies caused friction between 
people and that never bode well for the future. After all, Serena hadn't even 
told the cat about her new power or the way she was feeling so much more 
responsible and capable. 

' You can't tell Luna everything.'

' Obviously. But this has something to do with Sailor Scouts power.'

' No Sailor Scouts about it. It's more of a Sailor Scout. Singular. Not 
plural.'

Serena sighed as she thought about that. The Scouts hadn't shown up to help 
her that afternoon. They had left her. She had got in touch with them on the 
communicator but they hadn't believed her! They had the nerve to suggest 
that 'Serena was lying and when they did show up, there would be no youma. 
Serena would say that she had dusted it all by herself. There was no way they 
were going to waste their time on the likes of her.'

Serena had to fight the youma alone. And evidently this one was stronger than 
the last because she had lost consciousness while fighting it. If it hadn't 
been for Tuxedo Mask- but had Tuxedo Mask been there? She hadn't seen him. 
Maybe he had gotton there after she had fainted. But did he then leave her 
there, on the floor, while she was vulnerable and in danger of exposing her 
true self to any-one who came along? No. He wouldn't do that. His mission was 
to protect Sailor Moon. He wouldn't leave her. And that meant that Tuxedo Mask 
hadn't shown up. Why not? 

Whatever the reason, it was lucky that Darien had seen Serena lying prone on 
the ground. Or who knows what might have happened. It had been broad daylight 
but that didn't deter some thieves, rapists and murderers. So she should be 
thankful to Darien. He had saved her. But why had he? He hated her, didn't he? 

' Do you hate him?'

' No.'

' But you argue with him. That's probably the case with him too. You annoy him 
and so he squabbles with you.'

' He doesn't hate me?'

' Probably not. You're just a clumsy air head to him.'

Serena didn't know why but that thought sank her spirits a little. Why should 
she care what Darien thought of her? But she know already knew that Darien was 
a really big part of her life and she'd miss him if he wasn't there.

" Serena?"

She focused on Luna and shifted a little as she saw that the cat had been 
staring at her the whole time with a knowing look on her face. Could she 
possible have guessed what and who Serena had been thinking of? Her cheeks 
warmed at the thought. Luna couldn't know about Darien! No way. 

" Sorry Luna. But I'm still upset and..."

Serena trailed off and left Luna to imagine the rest of the sentence. A little 
strand of guilt niggled at her but she pushed it away. It was true. She was 
upset about the Scouts. Was being the operative word. Ever since she had 
awoken from her stupor, she hadn't felt that same well of sadness inside her.
She had felt a little sad at the loss of such a strong friendship but not at 
the people who were involved in the friendship. What was happening to her? Why 
didn't she care anymore about the Scouts?

' They don't care about you. They didn't come when you called them and they 
didn't believe you before that.'

' Yeah but... two wrongs don't make a right. Just because they did something 
wrong doesn't mean I have to do the same thing.'

' No. But maybe you're growing up. Maybe you're getting on with your life and 
doing what you have to. This Moplatial seems to be very strong.'

' Tell me about it.'

' It's strong and to beat it you can't be pinning over a lost friendship with 
people who don't deserve the loyalty you're capable of.'

Serena bit her lip at the thought. Was that true? Had she got over the Scouts? 
But before she could continue that train of thought, Luna claimed her 
attention again.

" Serena.-"

Serena looked at  expectantly but Luna didn't say anything else. She just 
shook her head and wondered off as if disturbed by whatever she had thought 
of. Shaking her head, Serena started taking off her clothes. When she was 
dressed in her pyjamas she went into the bathroom. She would worry about 
everything tomorrow. But now, she was going to go to sleep. There was school 
the next day.

***********************************************************  

     Slamming the door behind herself, Serena rushed down the steps and looked 
back to wave at her mother who was standing behind the window. Turning around, 
she yelped as she collided with some-one. Blinking a little, Serena found her 
face pressed against something green. A green jacket. The only person she knew 
who wore a green jacket was... Darien! 

Her mouth opened but nothing came out. Darien smiled crookedly at her 
speechlessness. 

" Close your mouth, Serena. You look like a gold fish."

Serena shut her mouth and scowled up at him. Poking a finger at his chest, she 
hissed under her breath.

" What're you doing here?"

Darien didn't reply but just grabbed her jabbing finger.

" I came here to give you a lift to school."

Serena froze.

" You came here to give me a lift?"

Darien cocked his head and raised an eyebrow.

" Why not?"

Glancing at his watch, he didn't wait for Serena to reply, but taking her hand 
more firmly in his, he led her over to his car. A red Ferrari. Serena gasped 
as she saw the car. That was Darien's car?

" Close your mouth, Serena. You're doing an even better impression of a gold 
fish this time."

Serena snapped her lips together as she heard his amused drawl. She sniffed 
and turned her back towards him. Reaching for the door handle, she jumped as 
Darien's hand reached it first and opened it. He smiled at her look of 
astonishment and nodded his head towards the interior of the car. Shooting him
one more dumbfounded look, she got in and putting her bag at her feet, 
fastened the belt. Closing her eyes and wiggling a little to savour the smooth 
smell and feel of the leather, Serena heard a chuckle and her eyes fluttered 
open slowly to stare at Darien's openly laughing face. He looked so different. 
More approachable somehow. More warmer. 

As Darien's laughter slowly faded away, tense silence sprung in the car and 
Serena didn't know what it was, but she felt the tension pressing in on her 
from all sides until she had to gasp just to get some air into her lungs. 
Clenching his jaw, Darien wrenched his gaze away from Serena's blue orbs and 
shifted the gears. Without another word, he swept away from the curb and drove 
towards the direction of Serena's school.

Serena bit her lip as the silence continued and grew. What had happened back 
there? What was still happening? 

' Forget that. What are you doing in a car with Darien?'

' He's giving me a ride to school.'

' And since when does he do that?'

' Since today obviously.'

' You shouldn't have gotton in.'

' I was gonna be late otherwise.'

' He takes you home because he sees you unconscious. But that doesn't give him
any special rights.'

' I'd say that it didn't give me any special rights. After all, Darien's the 
one doing me the favour.'

' Why? What reason has he got?'

Serena paused. Why was Darien giving her a lift to school? A lift that she had 
really needed. She might have felt more responsible lately but that didn't 
mean that all of her had changed. She'd still overslept. And she would have 
been late if it hadn't been for Darien.

" Darien?"

Serena hesitated wondering whether she should go on. Darien briefly glanced at 
her and then back at the road, shifting gears once more, making the car go 
faster and increasing the soft purr of the engine.

" Why are you giving me a lift?"

He didn't say anything for a while but Serena could sense a curious stillness 
around him.

" Why? Didn't you want it?"

" I wanted it and I'm grateful. But why are you giving me a lift?"

Serena looked at his profile and waited for him to answer. He remained silent 
for a while but after sighing heavily, deigned himself to give her a reply.

" Because Serena, you needed it. After what they-"

Darien injected the last word with controlled aggression and Serena 
instinctively knew that he meant the Scouts.

"- did to you, you deserve a little friendship. A cat isn't really enough."

Serena's heart stopped at hearing his answer and she wished that he had 
remained quiet. But he hadn't and now it was all out in the open. Did Darien 
know?


How is Serena able to hover? What is stopping her from telling Luna about her 
new powers? And has Darien let slip about what he knows?

Sailor Galaxy 

sailorprincessuk@yahoo.co.uk