ETERNAL LOVE
Chapter 6
Sailor Galaxy

" What do you mean?"

Serena stammered the question out not particularly caring whether she sounded as
panicked as she felt. Darien knowing...? There was silence for a minute or two
before Darien switched his voice to a casual tone.

" Just that I haven't seen you with Raye at the others lately. And the only
other person I've seen you with is Luna. And she's a cat. A cat doesn't provide
much mental stimulation."

' You don't know Luna.'

Serena nearly wilted with relief. Darien didn't know! He'd just noticed that
Raye and the others weren't talking to her. She let out her breath in a whoosh.

" Yeah well. These things happen."

Darien inwardly grinned at her noncommittal reply when he knew that inside she
would have been jumping with joy. Maybe he shouldn't play with her like this.
Maybe he should just tell her. But no. It was much more fun this way. And
besides, his senses told him that Serena shouldn't know that he knew about her
identity just yet. The time would come. 

" Serena?"

Serena turned her head sharply towards Darien. It felt so weird to hear her name
on his tongue. But then it would. He had always called her Meatball Head.

" What?"

Serena winced as she heard the bite in her voice. But an anticlimax made her
snappy. After all, there she was preparing a thousand different excuses to tell
Darien while she was having a heart attack, and she hadn't even needed them.

Darien raised his eyebrows at her and gestured towards something outside the car
with his face. Serena turned her head and saw that the car had stopped outside
her school and Molly was standing outside the school gates with a surprised look
on her face. Maybe surprised was an understatement. Flabbergasted, gob-smacked
and dumbfounded might suit the situation better.

Serena snapped her seat belt off and opened the door. She froze when she felt
Darien's hand on her arm, stopping her from getting out. She looked back at him
and was slightly disconcerted to find that he was grinning slightly as if amused
at something. He nodded towards her bag and she grimaced slightly as she
conceded that Darien was amused because he knew how much she wanted to get out
of the car. Away from him. And they both knew that it wasn't because Serena
didn't like Darien. It was because of something else. Something that Serena
didn't think she wanted with Darien. 

She already had too much trouble with the Scouts and of being one. She didn't
need anything else- like a man in her life. And she couldn't have one anyway
could she? Any-one who was close to her was in danger everyday. If anybody found
out the identity of the Sailor Scouts, they'd target the loved ones first.
Serena wasn't going to chance that. She wasn't gaping to add more people to the
danger list. She was going to keep it as short as possible. It was safer that
way. And better all around.

Serena said thank-you to Darien as she closed the door behind her. He nodded
back at her and gunned the engine of his car. She turned her back on him and
started towards Molly, both ears listening to the purr of the car as it swept
into the traffic. 

Molly continued looking curiously at her and Serena sighed lightly as she
realised that Molly would want to know everything. And how could she tell her
friend what had happened when she didn't know herself? 

" Serena! How come you're early-"

Molly paused and glanced at her watch.

" -well, how come you're not late? And what were you doing in a car with him?
Darien. Your worst enemy."

Serena stopped beside Molly and grabbing the red-head's arm, pulled her along
behind her. They had to get to class if they weren't going to be late. She
wasn't going to throw away an advantage like this. And she couldn't wait to see
everybody's face when she got there early. She wouldn't mind enjoying some of
life's simple pleasures. Even though she didn't get them often, they were
simple. Something that wasn't simple, would be a relief from fighting. Living a
normal life. Like a normal teenager. With all the problems that a teenage girl
faces. Not the problems a warrior faces. That was too much. Especially when her
friends had abandoned her.

Serena stopped walking momentarily as she registered the thought. Why didn't the
Scouts betrayal mean so much to her now? Why didn't a well of sadness and pain
overwhelm her? It looked as if she was getting over them. But that didn't seem
to add up. Serena was an affectionate person. There wasn't much of a chance of
her getting over the loss of her friends and fellow scouts. Well, not so soon
anyway. She might have eventually. But this seemed a little too early. There had
to be something wrong with her. 

" Serena?"

" Huh?"

Serena turned her head towards Molly as she was startled out of her reverie.
Molly was looking at her strangely as if she'd tried several times to get
attention.

" You're not escaping me this easily. Now, tell all. What were you doing in
Darien's car? I want to know every small juicy detail."

Serena groaned but it was good naturedly. This was fun. Talking about something
normal. Not that she and Molly talked about anything abnormal. In fact, she and
Molly didn't talk much these days. And that was a pity. Because no matter how
close her and the Scouts had gotton over the past weeks, Molly was still
Serena's best friend. A friend who made her feel better just by being with her.
And here was a chance to talk like they used to. There was no way Serena was
going to let it slip past her.

" We-e-lll..."

" You're not going to get out of it Serena. You're going to tell me... or else."

Serena laughed as Molly punched her arm lightly. Both turned inside the class
room and Serena smiled as she saw the various dropped jaws and the stunned look
on her teacher's face. Yup. Being with Molly definitely cheered her up. She was
going to forget all about her life for the day. And enjoy it as it came. It
wouldn't last long. This peace and quiet. It never did. But while it did...
Serena was going to make full use of it. 

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

Slipping into the house quietly, Serena turned into the kitchen and jumped when
her mother let out a small shout. 

" M-u-u-u-mmm. You scared the living daylights out of me!"

Her mother put a hand up to her heart and let out a deep breath.

" Not as much as me, finding you behind me all of a sudden."

Serena wondered over to the fridge and upon opening it, she glanced inside.

" I thought you might have been expecting me."

Her voice was muffled as she had her face inside the fridge and her mother came
and stood behind her.

" Yes but you're early today aren't you? Compared to every other day. I wasn't
expecting you so soon."

When she got nothing but a 'hu-hmmm' from her daughter, Ikuko Tsukino pulled out
a chair and sat on it.

" Were you out with Molly? I haven't seen her for a long time. Maybe you should
have asked her back."

Serena straightened and closed the fridge door, a plateful of cake in her hand.

" She had to go home early today. And yes. We were out. It's her mother's
birthday and she wanted to choose a present. So we went shopping."

" Oh?"

Ikuko raised an eyebrow. 

" I don't see any presents. Didn't you get her mother one?"

Serena rolled her eyes as she slid a piece of cake into her mouth. She took a
minute to savour the taste before opening her eyes and encountering her mother's
amused and curious face.

" Yeah. I got her a present. But they packed it at the shop and Molly took it
home with her. If I'd have brought it with me, I'd have done something to it."

Ikuko laughed and leaned back into the chair.

" That's the truth."

Serena smiled at her mother and sat in a chair across her. There was silence for
a while in the kitchen except the sounds of the ticking clock at the sound of
the fork clattering against the plate and Serena ate her cake with great gusto.
She loved chocolate cake. It was so delicious. It ranged by the top of her
favourite food list. Sure it had a lot of calories in it, but she needed them
after all the exercise she got fighting youmas. And besides, even if she didn't
need calories, she deserved them after all she went through.

" Serena?"

She glanced up at her mother and paused eating as she heard the hesitating
quality in her mother's voice. 

" Honey. You know I love you. And your father loves you as well."

Serena's eyes softened. At least there was some-one who loved her in the world.
She hadn't been completely abandoned. Her parents-

' And Sammy.'

' Sammy?'

' Yeah. He's your brother and even though he's a pain in the butt, he hasn't
abandoned you either.'

Serena smiled as a warm feeling invaded her being. No matter what the Scouts
did, even though she mysteriously didn't really care anymore, she had her
family. A family who loved her. Who didn't abandon her. 

" Yes mum. I know. And I love you and dad too."

Her mother cocked an eyebrow.

" And Sammy."

" And Sammy."

Serena laughed as she conceded that fact. Popping another bite of cake into her
mouth, she gestured her mother to continue.

" Your father is at work today or we'd both have this talk with you. As it is,
I'm the one who has to do it."

Serena licked her lips. Something bad was going to happen. Something she
wouldn't want. But then, she didn't want any bad thing. Just take a look at her
life. And the mess it was in at the moment. But she had a feeling that it was
about to get worse. Much worse.

" What is it mum?"

" Well. You know that you haven't been doing very well at school."

Serena put her fork down onto her plate.

" Yeah I know. There's nothing new with that."

" No there isn't. But you're at a stage in your life where you have to be
serious and think about the future. Your future to be more specific."

" And...?"

Serena didn't want her mother to continue. She never wanted her parents to
continue talks about school. But this time, her mother seemed more solemn. More
grave.

" Lately you've been more absentminded about school. You don't pay any attention
to it. You don't do homework or school work and to be honest, you seem tired all
the time."

' The reason might be the fact that I'm Sailor Moon and I'm up every night
fighting. There seem to be more important things to do than school... like
staying alive.'

But obviously she couldn't say this out loud. Her mother would have more than
her living daylights taken out of her. This time, she'd probably have an heart
attack. Her clumsy daughter, Sailor Moon? As if.

" I know mum. And I promise I'll try harder-"

Ikuko shook her head.

" No Serena. That isn't the solution this time. You say that always and it never
makes a different. I'm afraid that- I'm afraid..."

Ikuko trailed off uncertainly and bit her lip. Serena stared at her mother as a
terrible thought crossed her mind. Was she going to- no way. Her parents
wouldn't do that. They wouldn't send her to a private school. But maybe, that
was the only solution. After all, some of the best scores came from private
schools. But the nearest good one was in another city as far as she knew. And
she couldn't go that far away. Not even to escape the mess her life had become. 

' Calm down. That might not be what'll happen.'

' What else could happen?'

' Well. You might get a tutor.'

A tutor! That hadn't occurred to Serena before. But a tutor was okay... kind
of... almost... just a little... okay okay. A tutor was not good. She didn't
want a tutor. No way. He would only be a hindrance to her. Nothing else. Except
perhaps a pain, a nuisance, a bother.

" Are you going to get me a tutor?"

It just burst out of Serena before she could stop herself. Judging from her
mother's face, it made quiet an impact. 

" A tutor? Well yes. That's what your father and I thought. A private school
would be too far away. That's out of the question. So the next best thing would
be a tutor."

" A tutor! Oh mum!"

Ikuko stood up and grabbed Serena's empty plate from the table. She went over to
the sink and started washing it.

" A tutor would solve all our problems. He'll be here for three hours straight
after school-"

" What if I get detention straight after school? Or if I have to go out with the
girls? He'll have to wait then."

" You're going to have to make sure that you don't get detention. And you'll
have to cancel all your plans with the girls for the weekend."

" But I can't!"

Serena was getting desperate now. Her mum seemed determined. And that was bad.
And, here it was. The bad thing that she had a feeling about. And she didn't
like it. Which was to be expected.

" But-" 

She tried once against but her mother turned around and fixed her with a glare.

" That's enough Serena! We organised a tutor for you and you'll have him. And
that's how it's going to be."

Serena opened her mouth to argue but before she could get a word out, the
doorbell rang. Her mother let out a breath and headed towards the front door. 

" That'll probably be the tutor. He said he wanted to meet you before he started
tomorrow. I expect you to be clean and happy when you come to the living room.
Got it Serena?"

Serena nodded sulkily as her mother disappeared from sight without waiting for a
reply. The tutor was here? Why did he want to meet her anyway? If he was trying
to get into her good books, then he could forget it. She wasn't going to like
him. Or her. The tutor could be a girl. 

Listening to the deep voice coming from the living room, Serena decided that the
tutor was a man. She hadn't heard a woman so far who had a baritone voice.
Taking a deep breath, Serena headed towards the room. Opening the door and
pining a fake smile on her face, she looked inside at the man seated there. And
she froze.

No. It couldn't be. No way... but it was.


When will the time be right for Darien to tell all? What is happening to Serena
over the Scouts? Who is the tutor that stuns Serena?

Sailor Galaxy

sailorprincessuk@yahoo.co.uk