Hi. This is a fanfiction based on the idea that being Sailor Scouts was not all that bad – that it probably helped make them stronger people. And I've often thought that Serena does tend to get taken advantage of fairly often; she's teased, yelled at, and yet everyone knows they'll be forgiven because Serena forgives everyone. Being Sailor Moon at least gave her some confidence that she could defend herself. Anyway, this fic follows the premise that they weren't 'awakened' until they were about twenty. I don't own Sailor Moon… yadda yadda yadda. Some abuse themes so be warned. *** A gentle spirit can be as destructive as a harsh one. For a big heart when denied love suffers more then any other type, it feels more pain. Those people who are innocent, who give love completely, and are merciful have no immunity or understanding of hate, jealousy, or malevolence. So it is gamble as to whether or not those who refuse to harden themselves against the world survive or are trampled. A heart of gold runs the risk of being taken. *** A black cat leaped unnoticed from railing to railing, finally reaching the ground floor of an apartment complex. " Luna", murmured the cat out loud, once again surprising herself with her 'human voice'. She still had trouble coming to terms with the fact that she was far from a regular cat. Her new memories would take some getting use to. No, not new. Old memories returning. I'm Luna a guardian, once employed during the Silver Millennium, I have been sent to a different time and place. If my memories are returning it means the sailor senshi, also reborn here, are needed against some danger. And it is my duty to find them and revive them. Luna cast one look back at her former home. It had been a good one as far as pet cat goes and she was sorry for deserting her 'owner' but she couldn't deny her calling anymore nor could she be satisfied with being a regular cat. I wonder how Artemis fared, Luna thought, dodging neatly down a darkened alley. No doubt he's looking for Venus, just as I'm looking for Sailor Moon. It's like trying to find a needle in haystack, she realized, as she paused and looked down at the enormous city of Tokyo. I don't know what she looks like, how old is she? I'll just have to trust my instincts. Along with her memories a certain awareness had returned. Like little blips of light on a map, she had a vague idea of the whereabouts of the senshi. Brightest of all the points was the bright, white, light of Sailor Moon. Luna gravitated towards the light instinctively. No matter where Luna went or how things changed, that light would always shine from Sailor Moon – a symbol of her shining character. And she, like everyone else, would be drawn to her. *** A longhaired woman stepped out of the Grocery store and strode quickly across the parking lot. Nervously she kept looking at her watch, wishing desperately that she could have another ten minutes. Clutching the heavy bags she increased her pace down the street, struggling to find the balance between speed and holding her grip. Spinning around the corner she collided with something that sent her tumbling. " Serena?" said a voice. Serena looked up at the person she had run into and smiled a small anxious smile. " Darien?" " Even after all this time you remembered to run into me. I'm touched", Darien joked, reminding her of the times when slamming into him was nearly a daily occurrence. " I'm very sorry for running in to you. I was in a hurry, I'm late", Serena said in a rush. She didn't want to be rude but she had to get home. Serena edged by Darien and moved away from him. " I am truly very sorry. It was stupid of me and clumsy and entirely my fault…" " It's fine really", he said to her retreating back. She stopped suddenly, turned around and favoured him with another soft smile. " It was good to run into you again", she said and hurried away. Now she was really late. Her eyes, which thankfully had been hidden from Darien behind mirrored sunglasses, flashed with fear. It hadn't been her fault had it? The cashier had been new and it had taken her three times to run Serena's credit card through. And the lines had been long, and there was a lot of stuff for her to have to carry on her own. Excuses Serena, she thought to herself. You're going to have to have to accept the fact that you're incompetent. At last her apartment block, Access Apartments, came into view. As always she was dismayed by the brownish black colour of the outside bricks. It would take so little to have this building looking beautiful again. Polish up the windows, repaint the trim white, make it shine… like crystal. How long had she been here? Nearly two years? Yeah, that was about right. Come to think of it, it was around that same time that she'd last seen Darien. As a girl she'd had a bit of crush on him, plus she had always been a collector of troubled souls. At first they had teased each other but that had stopped after they'd matured a bit. During high school her visits to the Arcade had become less frequent and she hadn't seen Darien as much. The crush had died a natural death. Last she'd heard he had gone to America to study. Well he was back now and he looked good; she hoped he was happy. At her door, she used her knee to keep one bag from slipping while she struggled to slide the key in the lock. Suddenly the door swung open and the bag fell again. This time though it went virtually unnoticed. " Where the hell have you been?" " I was at the store, it's grocery day and…" " Don't be stupid. I know where you were. What I want to know is why the fuck it took you so long today." " The cashier…" Serena tried to explain. She was still standing in the hall way and she looked anxiously at the neighbours doors. No doubt everyone could hear them and already there had been several complaints made to them about their… arguments. " Ohhh", Derek said mockingly, " oh it was the cashier." " Yes", said Serena, finally edging her way inside and closing the door. Derek backed her up until her shoulder blades collided with the wood of the door. She was holding grimly to the remaining bag, futilely holding it in front of her. Derek tore it from her hands and grinned maliciously as Serena failed to meet his eyes. She focused on an apple that lay bruised on the floor. I wonder, since an apple can be bruised, if it feels any pain? She thought, as the first smack ran out. No tears came to her eyes, no anger. She just kept her eyes on the apple. " It wasn't the god damn cashier. I saw you talking to some guy. I passed you in my car. Didn't think I'd be home so early did you? You little slut", Derek said again, his rage making his face purple. " I'm sorry", said Serena pitifully. And she was sorry, so sorry. Why couldn't she make Derek happy? She made everyone happy, looked after them, accepted them. Sometimes she wondered if that was the first thing that had drawn her to Derek - the fact that he needed so much help and because he was so lonely. " Oh, you'll be sorry alright". Later, when it was over, Serena bent stiffly to retrieve the fallen articles. She took a brief glance into the hall mirror and saw that her eye was already darkening. She sighed silently and collected her sunglasses. Making dinner for her and Derek she set the table methodically. They ate in silence. When it was over, Derek leaned back and looked at Serena. Her head was bowed and her hands were cradled in her lap. " Serena?" He said gently. She looked up at him, two brilliant blue orbs that had the power to soothe and the strength to make him feel guilty beyond belief. Sometimes the guilt turned to anger, sometimes it didn't. Serena looked hopeful. " I'm sorry. I saw that guy and I just went crazy. I don't know what I'd do without you. You mean everything to me. I love you so much". " It's okay. It was my fault, I shouldn't have been so clumsy." " Good. I'm meeting the guys at the bar…" Serena's face must have betrayed some of her fear. When he'd been drinking it was even worse. " Don't go pulling that face. Any girl would be happy to be here so don't go messing up my good time." Derek strode out of the apartment. The door slammed rattling Serena out of her scared stupor. She cleaned the spotless apartment and sat down. Putting her face in her hands she started to cry. She was in hell and there was no way out. *** " Is this everything?" Andrew asked Darien, indicating a large box. " Yeah, that's it. Thanks again for helping me move out." " What are friends for?" Darien was particularly grateful for Andrew's help considering that his latest girlfriend had given him precisely one hour to 'remove his crap from the premises'. He wished he could say that it bothered him to have been dumped but to be honest he was just relieved. She had called him cold, distant, and impossible to connect with all of which was true. She had even gone so far as to say that a few arguments might have saved the relationship. Apparently it's infuriating to yell at someone who doesn't appear to be listening. There was only one person Darien had ever felt comfortable enough with to tease and argue with. That person was Serena. Ever since running into her that day he couldn't stop thinking about her. There was a time long ago when he'd considered asking her out, but then he'd been busy at school and later he'd gone to America. It just wasn't meant to be he supposed. Although seeing her that afternoon he could be tempted to try again. Even in the shapeless grey sweatshirt and loose jeans she'd looked spectacular. A little too thin perhaps, and he hadn't been able to see her eyes but she still had the presence of a warm breeze on a cold day. And was he imagining things or had her hair looked a little bit like silver? " Earth to Darien, come back from outer space please", Darien returned his attention to Andrew who was snapping his fingers in his face. " Sorry Andrew", Darien said. What was with him? He was not the kind of guy to moon over a girl. " No problem. I was just asking where you're going to live now", Andrew said. " Access Apartments. It's about all I can afford until I get my loans paid off." *** " Lita, you are a dream come true. I can't thank you enough", said Raye. " No problem. Just make sure you get the cream puffs into a refrigerator if you aren't going to eat them right away." " Sure thing", said Raye, glancing at her watch. " You know something? You did this so fast that I don't have to be at my meeting for another half hour. Got time for coffee?" Lita nodded agreeably and poured them both a cup. They settled down on the couch for a much needed break. Lita worked for a bakery on Tenth Street and most mornings she was up at four and at work at five. Raye was working as part of her business co-op degree. Today was her day to bring snacks for the office meeting, hence the frantic trip to Lita's apartment this morning. " So how's work going?" Raye asked, when the silence began to stretch too long. " It's weird isn't it, being alone together without Serena?" Lita said, deciding to voice the reason for the tension between them. " I suppose. I guess I just haven't been keeping in touch with everyone like I said I would. With Serena around, friendship was just so easy, you know? Now, I always feel like I need an excuse just to call you or her." " I know exactly what you mean. It's like after school was over, every thing was going so well for me that I was just too busy to keep up with everyone and then… when things calmed down I didn't feel right calling because I hadn't made any effort to be there for anyone else before." " Hmm, well that's depressing. She called and left a message on my machine the other day. Wanted to know if I was okay." " She called me too", Lita said, putting down her coffee cup and avoiding Raye's gaze. An uncomfortable silence ensued. " You didn't call back either did you?" Raye asked softly. When she'd gotten the message her first reaction was guilt. That was followed by the rationalization that it was time she put an end to their relationship since it was obvious she no longer had time for it. Raye knew Lita had had a similar experience. Nobody likes to be reminded of the people they used to get where they are. " No. And I'm not going to. I think I've left it too long", Lita said. *** " And then I could not find a lab partner so I had to do the entire experiment myself which wouldn't have been so bad except that it was a timed experiment and I couldn't get it all done. The professor actually came up and tapped me on the shoulder and told me the time was up and that they would grade me on what I had done so far. Oh Serena, what will I do if I fail the experiment?" A pretty blue-haired woman said fretfully over the phone. Amy was in Germany, in her third year of medical school. In many ways she had matured but at heart she was still rather insecure. She kept in contact with Serena however, finding in her a sympathetic ear that was always at her disposal. " Amy, I know how hard you work. Even if you did do poorly on this one experiment, it will hardly matter in the long run. Or if it's still bothering you why don't you speak to the professor and tell him why you didn't finish?" " I can't do that", whined Amy, her voice slightly exasperated. " They'll think I can't handle it." " You're right of course Amy. I didn't think", said Serena, her voice dropping in defeat. It seemed she wasn't any help to her friends either. She was sitting on a stool in her kitchen, trying to wrap her finger in bandages. It was late because of the time change but luckily Derek wasn't home yet. She'd been preparing supper for tomorrow when the phone had rang, startling her and she'd sliced her finger in the process. Lately she'd been wound so tightly… The bandage fell from her hand yet again and rather then put down the phone and interrupt Amy, she decided to wait the call out. It wasn't bleeding that badly. " Well thinking was never your strong suit", Amy said lightly. " True. You've always been the genius of the group. And I'm sure you're also the genius of your school in Germany but as usual you are being too hard on yourself. You know, I'll always be proud of you." " Thank you Serena. I feel a lot better now. But I've spent all our time talking about me. What's new with you? Are you still volunteering down at the hospital?" " Shelter", Serena corrected automatically. She could already hear the disinterest in Amy's voice. Before Serena could talk though, she heard noises coming over the line. " Oh Serena, I'm so sorry but I forgot that I made plans to study with my roommate and her friends. I have to go. We'll talk later, okay? Bye", Amy said hanging up. Amy jumped up from her desk and slid a few books in her book bag. Laughing along with her roommate as she left the room, Amy was able to dismiss the element of sadness she'd heard in Serena's voice. If something were seriously wrong, she would have said something right? Did you give her a chance to? Asked a voice in her head but Amy shook off that errant thought too. What problems could Serena possibly have that could compare to her own? *** " Artemis are you absolutely sure that I'm supposed to be Sailor Venus? I mean the costume and everything was real convincing and I guess the fact that you can talk is kind of cool but I mean really, me a superhero? I don't even do my own stunts. And what about all that secret identity stuff? I'm a world famous actress, don't you think people are going to recognize me?" Mina rattled off. She was walking down the streets of Hollywood, flanked on either side by impassive, though impressive, bodyguards, and talking to her cat. If people noticed (and how could they not?) they were hardly surprised. She was a star and that entitled her to more then a few eccentricities. Artemis scowled but didn't answer. He couldn't answer since a talking cat was beyond the realm of normal even in Hollywood. Later when they were alone in her hotel room, Artemis spelled it out for the flighty, though kind, blonde. " When you transform there's a sort of glamour that keeps people from finding out who you are. And yes you'll have to train to develop your latent fighting skills but trust me they will be considerable." Artemis said seriously, noting that with every word he spoke, Mina's face fell just a little bit more. He continued a little bit more softly, " it's not the end of the world, you know. Or at least it won't be if you accept the responsibility of being a sailor scout. If memory serves, you really enjoyed being a sailor scout in your past life." " Well forgive for not leaping for joy now", said Mina. " But I guess, it will be sort-of an adventure. Oh and that story about Endymion and Serenity is sooo romantic. This will be a great learning experience if nothing else, I might make a movie about it later. And we're going back to Japan right? I'll get to see Serena again. Oh God, I'm dying to see her. I owe her so much and I never really said goodbye. Well I'll get a ticket to Tokyo for as soon as possible but I think I'll go to sleep right now". Artemis just stared in wonder at this girl who seemed to speak about five words to everyone else's two. And she jumped from topic to topic, and mood to mood faster then anybody he'd ever met. How she ever got enough oxygen to complete one of her sentences he would never understand. Oh well, they were on their way to Tokyo and things were starting to fall into place. He wondered if Luna had found the other scouts yet. *** Serena stood next to Derek and waited for the elevator. Derek was in a rare mood, he'd won at poker the other night, and had suggested that they take a walk in the park to celebrate. Serena had dawdled to long in the rose gardens prompting another argument which had turned physical. Serena cradled her arm but said little. The elevators pinged open and they stepped inside. Just before the doors closed, they heard a voice. " Wait! Hold that elevator please", said Darien, sliding into the elevator at the last possible moment. Darien turned to look at his fellow passengers and was pleasantly surprised. " Serena! What are you doing here?" Serena glanced nervously at Derek. " Well answer your friend Serena." Derek said jovially. Turning to Darien he pretended to speak in a confidential tone, " honestly sometimes I wonder if there's anything at all in her head. Anyway, I'm Derek and we live here. Are you visiting someone here?" " No, I just moved in. Apartment 1025." " No kidding! You must live right next door to us then. Isn't that a coincidence Serena?" Serena nodded dumbly, uncertain of her voice. Derek just laughed. " So how do you know Serena?" " Uh, mutual friends when we were younger I guess. Do you still keep in contact with Raye and the other's Serena?" " She keeps up with all her little friends, even ignoring me sometimes to do so", Derek said, eyes narrowing slightly. Serena had yet to be allowed to say a single word and she was beginning to think that this was the slowest elevator in the world. What if Darien realized the falseness behind Derek's words. She'd be mortified. Finally they reached the right floor and stepped off. " Well I'll probably see both of you quite a bit since we're neighbours." " I guess we will. We'll have to have him over for dinner some time, eh Serena? Although it's a good thing she's pretty 'cause she can't cook worth a damn." Serena's face burned but she managed to smile at Darien before escaping into her apartment. Derek lingered in the hallway. " Oh and me and Serena can get pretty loud", Derek said with a disturbing wink. " You know how it is when you live with a woman. Constant work." Darien entered his own apartment, puzzled beyond belief by what had happened. Who was this Derek and what had he done to Serena to make her so afraid? And how was he supposed to pursue her when she was living with someone else? Something told Darien that things had only just begun. *** So where am I going from here? I want Serena to grow a backbone and take the life she wants. Please read and review. Hello. I don't own Sailor Moon. If I did, you can bet I wouldn't be going to school tomorrow. Thanks a million times to everyone who reviewed part one. I admit this has been harder to write then I thought (damn writer's block) so your reviews really helped me to not quit. Enjoy! *** Darien entered his own apartment, puzzled beyond belief by what had happened. Who was this Derek and what had he done to Serena to make her so afraid? And how was he supposed to pursue her when she was living with someone else? Something told Darien that things had only just begun. *** Luna was hungry, hungrier then she ever had been in her entire life. All that soft living as a pampered house cat hadn't prepared her well for her duties as a guardian cat. She wandered down Tenth Street, deftly avoiding falling feet, when she smelled the most heavenly aroma. It was coming from a bakery - the smell of fresh bread wafting on the breeze was like a rope reining her in. People were coming in and out rapidly and Luna had to dodge many a foot until one especially rude man stepped on her tail. Her screech made people scatter, all except for a blonde woman with sad eyes. She bent down and cooed softly, " It's okay, I won't hurt you, I'll just keep you from being stepped on for awhile okay?" Luna was instantly attracted to the gentility of spirit that emanated from the woman and jumped gladly into the waiting arms. " Some things never change. You're still a sucker for a little lost animal", Lita said to Serena. It was two-thirty and Lita was finished work for the day. " Everyone needs a little help now and then", said Serena. " This probably isn't good for you but it's better then nothing", Serena added for Luna's benefit, handing the cat her virtually untouched cream puff. Luna tried to be polite but ended up eating far faster then should have been possible. In between bites she listened to the conversation. " I'm sorry for calling you so out of the blue like this Serena, but I just didn't know who to turn to. I didn't feel right telling anyone else these dreams." Actually Lita knew if she told any of her 'friends' something like this they would laugh at her. Strange that she always called Serena when she had any real problems to discuss. " And you say you've been experiencing them almost every night for the last two weeks?" " Uh huh. See I'm in the city only everything is dark and there's this big glowing red figure in the sky. Someone then yells at me to 'transform' and I yell something about Jupiter of all places and then, poof, I'm enveloped in this big bright, greenish light and there's lightning everywhere. Then I'm knocked about for a moment and then there's a second light, bigger and brighter. Everything gets real light and that's when I wake up." " Well, it could just be a result of over-working or something but I tend to agree with you. It seems to carry some meaning. I wouldn't bring this up but do you think this has something to do with your parents?" " My parents?" " They were killed during a storm when lightning hit their plane. Maybe you've repressed something…" " No, I don't think that's it." Luna had her own theories about Lita's dreams. It certainly seemed like this might be Sailor Jupiter. Luna jumped into Lita's lap and began purring. " Looks like you've got a new friend", said Serena. " Yeah, maybe I have", said Lita, scratching Luna behind the ears. " Maybe I'll take her home with me. Speaking of home, I really should be going but thanks for listening Serena." " Any time. I have to get home too, it's time I started dinner." " I envy you Serena, having someone to go home to and keep house for." Serena tried to smile but faltered. Instead she turned and walked away. Lita stared after her for a moment, experiencing a sudden pang of conscience. Was Serena limping? And what was up with the sunglasses? It wasn't even sunny out. Idly, Lita petted Luna's ears. Deciding to take the cat home, Lita walked to her apartment and opened the door. " Lita?" said Luna. Lita jumped, took two steps backward and tripped over a chair leg. Landing ungraciously she glared at the cat. " Calm down. There's a logical explanation for all of this and I think I can explain the dreams you've been having." " A talking cat is going to make my life easier to understand?" Lita said sceptically. Luna didn't answer. Instead she did a neat little back flip and produced a green and gold stick. " Here, this is for you. Hold it and say 'Jupiter Power'", Luna explained patiently. Lita decided that she must have been dreaming so she decided to go along with it. The moment she turned into Sailor Jupiter however, all thoughts that this was a dream flew from her brain. Everything felt right all of a sudden. She turned to Luna and some memories began to return to her. Luna elaborated on what she could and the two of them spent most of the night talking and planning. " To be honest I was hoping to find Sailor Moon first. I thought I felt her today but then I heard you, and I realized it must have been you that was making me feel something." " How do we go about finding the others?" " Well, you will have been drawn instinctively to Sailor Moon like all the scouts. It's also likely you've met the others without knowing it. The best thing we can do is go through a list of people you know and hopefully I'll feel something about them. Plus our awakening memories mean that danger is approaching and all of you will feel compelled to fight that evil." *** " Oh my God! Amy? Amy Mizuno?" Mina screeched as she swept into the Frankfurt airport with her entourage of bodyguards and agents. Having first stopped in London to pick up a few things from her apartment, Mina was now on her way to Japan. The flight she was on included a stop-over in the huge German airport and there standing right in front of her was none other then her school friend Amy. " Mina? What are you doing here? You look great, I wouldn't have recognized you." " You mean because I'm usually so terrible looking?" Mina teased. " Oh no, I didn't mean it like that. I meant you look great and I wouldn't have recognized you because of the sunglasses and did you dye your hair?" " No, it's a wig. My hair is like a beacon for reporters. I can't get over meeting you like this. I knew you were going to school here, is term over then?" " Yes. I had originally planned to stay in the area and do some sightseeing but… I don't know, I feel sort-of compelled to go home. I've even decided to finish my training in Japan." " You say you feel compelled to go home?" Mina asked; her eyes narrowing as she looked at her from the fresh perspective of a Sailor Scout. " Do you mean that you feel homesick?" " No, it's not that. You're going to think this is silly but I feel like I'm needed. Not very modest am I?" " Amy, how would you like a first class ticket in exchange for that coach one?" " But how…" " You'll just trade with, uh, Larry here, one of my bodyguards", Mina said, changing the tickets without consulting Larry and getting a dirty look in the process. Mina ignored it, knowing she paid their salaries. " Come on. You and I have a lot to get caught up on. And I might as well tell you what I can until you can talk to my cat", Mina said and began herding Amy on to the plane. In the rush Amy barely had time to utter her question, " Talk to your cat?" *** " So tell me again why you placed this friend of yours, this Raye, on the top of your list", Luna said to Lita as they walked towards Raye's temple, Luna draped over Lita's shoulder. " I don't know why, I just got a feeling okay? I mean it's not like you've given me any great leads to go on. What were you 'guardians' thinking anyway, coming down here and looking for people who 'give you a feeling'. Really it's not very professional", Lita said. Luna scowled. As they approached the temple they heard sounds of a struggle. " Transform", Luna shouted, jumping clear and running to investigate. Lita charged into the area (AN: oh, I am so sorry for that pun) with lightning at her fingertips. What she saw at first made her falter. A large purple, fire-breathing, monster thing was attacking her friend Raye. Sailor Jupiter was throwing lightning at it when Raye got ticked – something about messing up the grounds after she'd just finished raking – and then her forehead started to glow with the symbol of Mars. " Raye, you're Sailor Mars", said Luna and produced another magic wand. Raye stared at the talking cat then at the youma, then at the cat again. Picking up the wand she shook her head and said, " I have got to lay off on the all-night study sessions". The two scouts managed to keep the youma reasonably subdued but they weren't able to truly kill it off. " In the name of the moon, I will punish you", said a voice. Sailor Moon appeared on the high temple walls, struck a pose with the moon behind her as a backdrop, and then activated her tiara. Throwing it she decapitated the youma. The youma then turned into dust. The two scouts and Luna turned to stare at Sailor Moon only to discover that the figure was gone. *** Darien was coming home from work when he suddenly transformed into Tuxedo Mask. A few minutes later he turned back into Darien only now he was a long way off from his apartment. Okay, I'm going insane, Darien thought. He stood for a long moment in the middle of the deserted park staring at his hand like he'd never seen it before. I was walking along, everything was perfectly normal, then I suddenly felt the need to pluck a rose from the air. What's wrong with this picture? Darien made a manoeuvre in the air similar to the one he'd seen himself make before and freaked himself out when a rose appeared and he began to change. Instantly he dropped the rose and the transformation stopped. Looking around to make sure nobody had seen his fear of a flower, he repeated the gesture and this time let himself turn into Tuxedo Mask. Okay, I don't know why this feels so familiar but I'm willing to bet that this all has a meaning. De-transforming he made his way back to his apartment feeling like things were falling into place for him. He rode up in the elevator and heard shouts emanating from Serena's apartment. Knowing he probably shouldn't, he stood in the hallway and eavesdropped. " Where the hell were you. I turn back because I forget my keys and already you're gone? How in the hell did you manage to get out and back without me seeing you? Are you sneaking out to sleep with that guy next door because if you are so help me God I will make you regret that you were ever born." " I don't what happened to me, I swear. I just sort of blacked out and when I came to I was back here in the apartment. I must have fainted and you just didn't see me or something. How could I have gotten out anyway? You had the door in sight the whole time." Serena replied in a voice so low that Darien had to strain to hear it. She was so scared by what had happened to her that she forgot that when Derek asked her a question he didn't really want an answer. " So now I'm a liar? Or maybe I'm just stupid because I can't tell the difference between when my girlfriend is home and when she isn't? Tell me Serena, which is it?" " Please just hold me, I'm so scared", Serena said, her eyes full of tears. All she could remember doing for the half-hour Derek said she'd been missing was a vague feeling of rooftops and bright lights. What the hell is wrong with me? Derek was so shocked when she rocketed into his arms and started crying into his shoulder that he forgot to be mad at her. Darien stood in the hallway but couldn't hear anything more so he entered into his own apartment and sat down dejectedly on his couch. His euphoria over discovering he was a superhero dissipated the moment he heard Serena ask for help from someone other then him. It made no sense but somehow the puzzle that was his life just didn't feel complete without Serena in it. But I barely even know her, why do I get the feeling like she needs my help? Needs me period? *** Serena felt Derek's strong arms around her but instead of feeling safe and secure she just felt confused. For the first time since he'd started hitting her, she felt some anger for the way she was treated. It was as if she'd suddenly had her emerald coloured glasses ripped from her eyes and she was seeing things as they were truly meant to be seen. The apartment it was dingy, her life it was so small, her boyfriend… She pulled back to study Derek in the weak lamp-light. He was handsome, and he could be kind but he could also be so cruel. " What is with you tonight?" Derek said irritably. " I wish I knew", she said simply. Derek pushed her away and headed for the door. He was late for the bar as it was. Serena watched him exit and then stepped out onto the balcony and stared at the moon. " Come here often", asked a teasing voice from the adjoining balcony. " Darien", Serena said happily, before glancing covertly at her apartment door in case Derek should return. " Never figured you for a stargazer, I would have thought you more of a sunshine kind-of person." " Oh no, always been drawn to the night sky, particularly the moon." Serena responded honestly. Then narrowed her eyes to tease him a little, " but I didn't you thought of me at all." Darien chuckled and pushed a hand through his hair. " Kind of hard to ignore someone who repeatedly runs you over." This time it was Serena's turn to blush. " I was kind of hoping you'd forget about that". " I'll always remember that. Some days it was the only thing worth getting out of bed for", Darien said softly. Then, realizing what he'd said, he abruptly broke eye-contact with her. " You want hot chocolate or something?" Serena glanced at her watch and knew she had several hours before Derek returned. There wouldn't be any problem. " Sure." " Why don't you come over then?" Instantly Serena tensed. She didn't want to leave the relative security of her apartment. She didn't like the idea of being alone with anyone unless there was three feet of space between them and a ten- story drop to boot. " Let's stay where we are okay? I like the night", Serena said slowly, hoping Darien wouldn't see how nervous she was. He didn't. " Okay, hold on", Darien went into his apartment and a few minutes later he reappeared with a two cups of hot chocolate. He passed one over to her and their fingers brushed. The brief contact made them both jump a little when it imparted more feeling then should have been possible. " Thank you", she said. They sat facing each other, sitting on the railings of their respective balconies, neither of them worried about the long distance to the ground. The silence stretched until Serena thought of something to say. " So you're living all on your lonesome?" " Uh huh. And you, when did you move out of the family home?" " A couple of years ago." " Do you still see your parents quite a bit?" " No", Serena said. It didn't seem like she was going to say anymore when she found herself confessing, " my parents weren't happy that I was moving in with Derek before getting married. My dad, he kind-of disowned me. My mom still checks up on me sometimes but she doesn't like to disobey my father. So, no, I don't see them. What about you, are you close to your family?" Darien took a minute to digest the news that Serena was cut- off from her family. It seemed rather harsh. Then he thought about her question and decided if she could be so open then so could he, " My parents were killed in a car crash when I was young. A car accident – I was thrown free but I awoke with amnesia. I don't even remember what they were like." " That's so sad", Serena said, her eyes wide with compassion but not pity. " It doesn't bother me, I can't miss what I don't remember." " I don't believe you. You might not miss them on a personal level but you miss the concept of family. The security and love that it provides", Serena said. Then she smiled and leaned back against the wall. " But I foresee a family in your future, it's written in the stars", she said giddily. It had been so long since she'd had a real conversation with someone. All this human contact was going straight to her head. And all in all it had been a very strange night. Darien grinned at her, taking in her profile that was bathed in moonlight. She was a contradiction this woman he was beginning to know. Beautiful, there was no question, but completely ignorant of said beauty. Wise but at the same time strangely naïve. The need to protect her was overwhelming but at the same time you felt like she was protecting you. " The mighty meatball head has spoken, it must be true." " And now we're back to the name calling. That must mean it's time for me to go inside. Good night Darien, thanks for the drink", she said, and passed the cup back to him. " Good night Serena." *** " Oh, I don't want to be a Sailor Scout, I don't have time. How am I ever supposed to finish medical school if I spend my time running around fighting crime?" " Would you relax all ready? One, you don't really have a say in the matter so you might as well just accept it. Two, it's going to so much fun – how many people get to be real honest-to-God superheroes? And three, I've had to listen to you complain for the past five hours and I can't take anymore!" Mina said sharply. She was giving up a career as an actress and she wasn't nearly as upset. " I'm sorry Mina, you are quite right. It's just a lot to take in you know?" " I know. But just think, today we'll be meeting Sailor Mars and Sailor Jupiter. Aren't you the least bit excited? I wonder who they are?" " Artemis didn't tell you anything other then that he'd been in contact with Luna, his fellow guardian, and that she had found the two scouts?" " I'm right here you know. Just because I'm locked in a box like some animal doesn't mean my hearing is any worse." Artemis said moodily. First there had been the horrendous flight in the cargo bay, and now he was being lugged along like a piece of luggage. To make matters worse, Sailor Mercury seemed to keep forgetting that he could talk. " Sorry Artemis", said Amy, feeling silly talking to a cat. " Apology accepted", Artemis said automatically. Truth be known, Artemis couldn't wait to see Luna again and was wishing the two women would walk a little faster. Eventually the temple came into view. On the steps, Mina and Amy recognized their high school friends Lita and Raye. " Amy? Mina? What are you guys doing here?" Lita shouted, when the two were in earshot. A strange reunion took place where the four friends stood around nervously, both groups wondering how they were going to meet the other Sailor Scouts with their friends hanging around. " What's in the box, Mina?" Raye asked eventually. " Oh! My cat. Is it okay if I let him out? He's really well trained", Mina said, choosing to ignore Artemis's snort of contempt for the word 'trained'. Raye nodded and Mina released the white cat. As soon as he was free, he took a look around and came face to face with Luna. " Luna?" " Artemis?" " Two talking cats?" asked Amy. " Oh I must be the stupidest person alive! Here we are waiting for Sailor Mercury and Sailor Venus to arrive, expecting them to come in uniform when here we are dressed normally as well. I just never realized it could be you two. So which is which?" Raye said. " Oh, I'm Venus", said Mina, with a trademark flick of her hair and a flash of the V-sign. " Sailor Mercury, obviously. And you two are?" " I'm the Martian, she's Jupiter", Raye explained. " This is so cool." " So Luna, you haven't found Sailor Moon yet? That's odd." Artemis said. " I know. It's like there's something shadowing her, something that's keeping her from reaching her full potential. But I haven't given up yet, and now with the four of you we ought to be able to discover who she is." " Looks like that will have to wait", said Amy, pointing towards town where screams were erupting. " That's our cue!" The four scouts took off at a dead sprint, Venus and Mercury having been provided with transforming wands beforehand, and although they were all inexperienced they felt a responsibility to live up to their new personas. There were three youmas this time terrorizing the downtown district. The scouts used their new abilities to tire the monsters out but couldn't seem to destroy them until Sailor Moon appeared. " In the name of the moon, I will Punish you", said the heroine. Her tiara became a glowing disk that she threw with amazing accuracy. The first youma tumbled into the ground before dissolving into dust. " Look out, Sailor Moon", yelled Mars, as a second youma approached from behind. Before she could react, Sailor Moon, was being lifted out of harms way by a man in a tuxedo. " Who are you?" " Tuxedo Mask. Who are you?" " Sailor Moon. Thanks for saving me", she said, as though things like this happened every day. " No problem, I think that's what I'm supposed to do." Tuxedo Mask put her down so that she could attack the other two youmas. Within moments the battle was over. " Sailor Moon, stop! Who are you?" yelled Luna, rushing up to the young woman. But Sailor Moon was already leaving, her mission completed her body returned to autopilot – taking her home. Tuxedo Mask turned to go as well but Luna had already let one scout disappear, she wasn't about to let another one get away. " Stop him!" Mars went to grab his arm but he eluded her only to trip over Jupiter's leg, placed in his path for that very purpose. " Okay, okay. I get the idea. Can someone tell me what's going on around here?" " Come back to the temple – we have a lot to talk about." The scouts and Tuxedo Mask decided it would be easier on everyone if they just revealed their secret identities and when they did there was a lot of 'I can't believe it' and 'this is so weird'. The group talked long into the night – mostly about how to trap Sailor Moon the next time she appeared. *** Serena awoke the next morning with a pounding headache. Images from last might were still fuzzy but she knew that she had been outside and that she had been doing something important. Derek was snoring beside her and she slipped out carefully so as not to disturb him. Thank God he hadn't noticed she'd been missing again yesterday. Serena went down to the lobby to get the morning's paper. She didn't open it until she got back inside the apartment but when she did the paper dropped to the floor. On the front page was a lavish picture of five Sailor Scouts and a man in a Tuxedo. The night before came flooding back to her along with a dozen or so more memories she couldn't remember experiencing. Raye, Lita, Mina, Amy, and… Darien? Serena thought, pointing to each person on the picture. She knew who they were without a doubt but more startling then that was the figure near the front of the group holding a glowing discus. Sailor Moon, she murmured, I can't believe I'm Sailor Moon. *** Okay, I thought this was going to be a two part story but it turns out it will be three. Sorry. I have a real problem keeping stories to a reasonable length. I'll try to have this finished by the week-end. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, it really got me motivated (hence the length). Keep reviewing even if you hated it, I have to learn somehow. Okay, I started this story with something else in mind but it then became more of a release for me personally and for that I apologize. Thanks to my two reviewers who stuck with me. I don't own Sailor Moon. There's a song at the end called 'The Power of Good-Bye' by Madonna. I don't own that either – it came on the radio while I was typing and I thought it fit fairly well. There is another scene of physical abuse so judge for yourself what you should read. *** Sailor Moon, she murmured, I can't believe I'm Sailor Moon. *** Even as she sat there pondering the news, she felt a sudden surge of adrenaline pump through her. What did it mean? Why did she have the compulsion to jump off the balcony and head for downtown? Because you baka you're Sailor Moon and something must be wrong. Right, well how did she transform? It had happened spontaneously and without her knowledge before. " Make me Sailor Moon", she said quietly to the room, feeling like an idiot. " Hocus Pocus". Nothing. Closing her eyes she put her hands to her head and gave up. Obviously she was mistaken, she wasn't Sailor Moon. Sailor Moon was strong, a fighter, and someone who others could look up to. Who was she? But I so wanted to be Sailor Moon. I thought I could do it. Serena sat on the floor cradling herself all the while the feeling that she was needed somewhere else intensified. That feeling was so integral to her that it began to replace her insecurities. Damn it she was Sailor Moon and even if she wasn't she damn well should be. She could do it. I am Sailor Moon. With those words a bright light engulfed her and a euphoric feeling spread through her body. When the lights and ribbons faded she looked down in delight at the uniform. Yes, this is how it's supposed to be. I'm me again. She ran to the balcony, took a quick look around, and nearly fell off the edge when she saw Tuxedo Mask standing on Darien's balcony. Darien did a double take when, after feeling Sailor Moon transform and therefore transforming himself, he exited to his balcony and saw Sailor Moon exit Serena's apartment. " Serena?" he asked, although he knew without a doubt that he was right. Serena was thinking that her secret identity had lasted all of five seconds, which had to be some kind-of record. She tried to come up with a reasonable excuse for her being there but eventually just said, " No?" " Is that a question?" " Don't we both have someplace to be right now?" " Fine, but we're talking later". The two superheroes made it to the ground almost effortlessly. They raced to the area of the youma attack and found the rest of the scouts already gathered. After a brief battle the youma was destroyed (AN: I'm really sorry but I hate writing battle scenes). The scouts gathered around Sailor Moon like she was an exhibit at the zoo. " Hi guys, miss me?" Serena said nervously. The others continued to gape at her, even approaching closer since apparently this zoo exhibit talked. " Guys, hey, back off. It's me Serena? You know, meatball head?" To prove it she glanced around then de-transformed. Everyone else did the same. " Sailor Moon, we finally found you!" said Luna. " That cat just talked", Serena said. Luna and Artemis exchanged a look. Next time they were reborn they were definitely putting in a request for human form – at least until the introductions were made. " We should have thought of you right away – I mean you're the reason we're all friends", Amy said, shaking her head sadly at her failure to come to such a logical conclusion. " Yeah but Serena? She barely passed high school, she's the leader?" Raye said sceptically. " Oh, sorry. No offence you understand?" " Why would I be offended?" Serena said dryly. " This rocks! We can like rule the world. Five unattached, empowered women – oh and you Darien. We'll be famous, we'll be rich, we'll be desired by males everywhere – I mean just look at these skirts", Lita said, getting louder and more enthusiastic as her speech continued until Serena broke in. " Oh crap, I forgot about Derek. I've gotta go!" Serena said, and took off at top speed for home, panic written into her every action. " What was all that about? I had a zillion questions to ask her", Mina said sadly. " Yeah, she was so rude!" exclaimed Raye. Everyone looked at her. " What? I at least said no offence". " Well we know who she is now, so there will be plenty of time to talk to her later. Although I would like some final words with her. Darien, you say she lives next door?" Darien nodded, saddened to think that Derek was so important to Serena that she would rush home just to be with him. " Tell her we'll have a meeting at the temple tomorrow at five. Okay? And I expect you there as well. That goes for all of you", Luna said in her strictest tone. The five of them: the established intern doctor, the med-student, the business major, the world renowned actress, and the independent worker, all nodded in agreement - not daring to question the rules of a cat. *** Please be asleep, please God let him be asleep. Serena repeated such thoughts to herself over and over, willing them to be true. She took the elevator thinking it might look a tad suspicious to her boyfriend if she walked in from the balcony. She opened the door quietly and shut it without making a noise. The apartment was silent. Glancing at the clock on the wall she realized it was after eleven. Derek never slept that late. " Hello Serena", Derek said ominously stepping into the hallway, blocking out the light from the living room. Serena's heart began to pound. Her breathing, heavy from the run she'd just had, suddenly halted as she choked on the ball of fear lodged in her throat. Wait this was the man she loved wasn't it? Why then did the very thought of him make her pulse race in anticipated flight? Why, when she'd only been gone an hour or so, did she feel so guilty? Why when he looked at her like he was looking at her now did she feel afraid for her life? " Derek, I, uh, went to get the paper." " The paper's right here. Seems to me you would have known that since you're the one who went and got it." Derek said, jaw clenching as he tried to keep his rage in check. " Oh", said Serena, with a note of finality. She could see the change come over Derek like a wave crashing against a rock. He backhanded her across the face with enough force to send her spinning into the wall. Before she could fall he had gripped her by the hair and was pulling her into the living room. " I have tried to be reasonable Serena", he said, releasing her hair and pushing her roughly to the ground. " I have put up with all your shit, looked after you for two years and what's the thanks I get? I get lies", he said and punctuated his words with a punch to her face that rattled her teeth. She clenched her mouth shut to keep her jaw from being broken and to keep from screaming. " You don't appreciate all that I do for you. Who would have you if not me? You ugly, fucking bitch. Without me you'd have nobody." For a while his verbal abuse broke off as his breath became more laboured. A kick to her stomach finally made her cry out. She wrapped her arms around herself in a pathetic attempt to hold back the pain. " You're pathetic", slap, " you're stupid", kick, " you're useless", punch. That last comment echoed in her head for a moment. Was she truly useless? Had she not just destroyed a monster? She remembered when the youma had gotten close enough to touch her, the revulsion she had felt. That sickening feeling when she realized that if she didn't fight back she might die and then she'd be no good to anybody. Was this any different? What good did it do her or Derek when she let this go on? Another kick to her stomach made her see red. " Stop hurting me!" she cried out. Turning around she glared at him, her eyes flashing. His fist came towards in a downwards arc that she blocked before kicking his feet out from under him. She could do little else but Derek was so stunned that it took him a few minutes to pick himself up off the floor. He looked at her as he backed out of the room and nearly stumbled in his haste to open the front door. The elevator pinged just as he reached it - Derek stumbled inside and Darien sauntered out. " Hey is Serena…" Darien started to ask Derek but the elevator was already gone. " And a nice day to you to", he muttered. He left his bag of groceries on his kitchen table and walked back to Serena's apartment to tell her about tomorrow's meeting. He was about to knock on the door but it stood ajar. " Serena? It's me, Darien", he said coming into the apartment when nobody answered. Something didn't feel right to him and he swore he was just going to make sure everything was okay before leaving. The living was empty but as he turned to leave a long tendril of gold lying on the carpet drew his attention. His heart thundering in his ears he stepped farther into the room, past the coffee table that was obscuring his view, and that's when he saw her. His inarticulate cry roused Serena from her stupor. She tried to lift her head but decided there was nothing on earth worth raising her head to see. " Serena? Can you hear me? Are you conscious?" " Darien?" she said in surprise. Then she felt tender fingers gently touching her body, checking for fractures. Feeling nothing too serious he rolled her over and despite his years as a doctor, wanted to be sick when he saw her face. The once angelic, heart-shaped face with it's wide blue eyes was lost behind a sea of red and sky of black and blue. Both eyes were beginning to shut beneath the swelling, her lip was lacerated where her own teeth had bitten into it, and one of her earrings had torn itself free. One of her odangos had been pulled out of position and hung in a loose knot, looking all the more forlorn since the other side of her head remained perfect. As though following his gaze she raised a hand to her head. " It will be okay Serena", Darien said thickly, squeezing her hand gently. " Can you fix my hair?" she asked. " Uh, sure. I can do that. But first we need to get you to a hospital and…" " No!" she said a trifle too sharply. " Please I don't want people to see me like this", she said and fresh tears sprang to her eyes. " Shh, it's okay. Let me take you to my apartment. I have some medical supplies there." Serena nodded. " But do my hair first", she said. Darien realized that this was important to her and did as she asked. He probably made it messier than it was before but then he'd never had to deal with hair that long. Serena felt the tingle in her scalp when the hairs that had been pulled were put right. She reached up to help Darien secure the knot and their fingers brushed again sending off little sparks of electricity. " So explain the hairstyle to me", Darien said to her, hoping to calm her down or maybe to calm himself down. If Derek were to walk in just then Darien would kill him. It was as simple as that. " How would you do it?" " You know I never thought about it. I suppose I'd just leave it down", he said as he ran one hand through her tresses before reminding himself that this was definitely not a good time to be thinking about her that way. " It would trail on the ground if I did that. Stupid though it looks, this way works best", she explained. " It doesn't look stupid", Darien said. " Then why the meatball head comments?" " Because we're all jealous. I'm going to pick you up now okay? It might hurt a little. I think you might have broken a few ribs." " No, they're not broken. That's happened before and it doesn't feel the same", she said quietly. Darien picked her up and gritted his teeth, for now he couldn't think about maiming Derek (much as the thought filled him with glee), he had to look after his angel. Wait, now I'm calling her 'my angel'? What exactly is wrong with me that all I can think about is how good she smells when I can see the pain in her eyes? " Here now just relax. I'm going to get my med-bag, don't move", he said. " Not likely", she said with a small smile. When Darien came back in to the room, she was asleep, the same bittersweet smile on her face. Darien carefully cleaned her cuts and wrapped her in blankets. He was going to put in a call to her friends but he remembered how serious she was about not having anyone know so instead he just sat by her side while she slept. She awoke sometime in the evening. I'm still in Darien's apartment? How long have I been sleeping? Her throat felt parched and her ribs ached. She could barely open her eyes because of the bruising but she was strangely accepting of her situation. She snuggled down deeper in the covers and breathed in the strange smell. It was like roses and earth somehow - Darien's scent. " Hey, you're up. Are you hungry?" " A little", she said. " I'm really thirsty". " Here", he said handing her a glass of water. He helped her sit up while she drank. " Thank you. What time is it?" " Eight." " Has… has Derek come back yet, I need to speak to him." Serena asked shyly. Yeah I've got a few choice words for him myself. And a few other things I'd like to give him, Darien thought. " Serena why are you with him?" Darien asked. He knew it wasn't his place and that he really shouldn't ask but, still, there it was. " Darien, you know what it feels like… to be abandoned right?" What did that have to do with anything? But to humour her he thought about her question. Yes, he supposed that a part of him had always felt a little bit unwanted. Sometimes he blamed his parents for leaving him as they had - though rationally he knew it wasn't their choice. And at the orphanage and the foster homes where he'd been shuffled off to periodically he's always felt like a burden; an outsider that nobody really wanted. " Yes, I know what it's like", he said, and took her hand gently in his. He sat down carefully next to her on the bed. " This is going to sound odd but I always sort of worried about being left behind. At school I could never keep up with the other students, and with my friends I was always the last at learning or doing something new. Like getting my ears pierced or talking about boys or just anything. So I thought if I do everything they do, if I act like them, and if I hold nothing back then maybe I can make them like me – keep them from running away when something new comes along. I met Amy on one of first days at school and I knew she was lonely, like me, and so I made her my friend and I told her that one day she would find a place where her genius was a blessing not a hindrance. And she did, and she left. Raye – Sailor Mars – I met her when people were shunning her for so called ESP powers. I told her those talents meant she had someone special watching over her. She believed me and she moved on. Lita, oh how I envied her strength, I wanted so much to take her in and shield from all the evils she'd already been witness to. I was her friend when people were afraid of her – I'm not her friend now that people adore her. And even Mina. Mina was so beautiful and yet so distant from everyone at our high school. I got offered a movie part, did you know? I convinced Mina to put her hair in odangos and to go to the audition instead of me. The rest is history as they say. But I couldn't stay mad at any of my friends, not really, I was always so pathetically happy when they called or something. And then entered Derek. He was real sweet at first and handsome and the first time I met him he came right up to me without looking at anyone else. I remember thinking, 'wow, somebody likes me before I like them'. It was just so unusual. And later he kept saying how much he needed me… I'm wondering if it's part of being Sailor Moon – this need to protect everyone? When I moved in with him, I was effectively cut off from my parents so when the beatings started I really thought I was all alone but I realized, today, that I had forgotten someone important. Me. Before I could protect anyone else, I had to save myself." " Serena you may not want to hear this right now but I promise you that you're not alone. No matter what happens with you and Derek, you can always call on me and I'll look after you okay?" " Why?" she asked her question so softly he had to lean in to hear her. " Because I see in you the other half of my lost, battered, soul", he said seriously. He loomed over her but Serena wasn't afraid and when he kissed her softly on the forehead it felt like she was coming home. Still she was glad that he hadn't tried anything else – she wasn't ready for that. Their calm moment was interrupted when Serena suddenly got the feeling that Sailor Moon was needed. " I have to go, somebody needs me", she said, trying to get out of bed. " What about you needing yourself? I don't think you're in any condition to go into battle", Darien said but it was already too late. Serena had transformed into Sailor Moon. Darien felt the impossible to resist sensation and summoned a rose. The two superheroes looked at each other. " You look better, maybe you're tougher in Sailor form." " I certainly feel stronger. And I guess there should be some benefit to these skirts – otherwise why transform?" Darien was thinking that there were definitely some benefits to her attire but decided now was probably not the best time for a visit to the gutter. They raced to the park where sounds of a pitched battle could be heard. " Sailor Moon, thank goodness you've arrived", cried Luna. She approached Serena and dropped a crescent shaped wand at her feet. " What's this for?" " The monster we're fighting, it was human once. You'll need this wand to heal it and not to destroy it. (AN: I realize this would mean that the victim carried a rainbow crystal or whatever but I'm not going to get into that)." The moment came and Serena wielded the crescent wand as though it were completely familiar to her. What was surprising to her was how familiar the monster was after she'd healed it. " Oh my God, Derek", she said and went over to him. " Who the hell are you and what's going on?" Derek said, fear mixed heavily with anger. Serena sighed and de-transformed. The others gasped when they saw clearly the bruises and scars that had been somewhat covered by the Sailor Moon glamour. " Jesus Fucking Christ! What kind of game are you up to, pretending to be her?" " I'm not pretending. I am Sailor Moon, Derek", she said meeting his gaze for the first time in her life without fear. Derek saw only compassion in her eyes and it made the guilt in his gut twist into enormous proportions. " " Like hell you are", he said, and took charge of the situation the only way he knew how. He made a fist but before it could connect Serena was pulled away by Sailor Jupiter; Darien hit him in the face with a satisfying thunk. Blood spurted from Derek's nose and he seemed even more disoriented then usual. Darien was going to hit him again when Serena threw herself out of Jupiter's grip and yelled, " Stop!" Everyone turned to look at her. This small, torn, gentle woman commanded their obeisance with one flash of her eyes. " But… Look at what he's done to you! How can you defend someone who treats you like that?" Raye yelled at her. " 'Judge not lest you be judged'" Serena said more to herself then to anyone. It was not her place to punish Derek. It had taken her a long time to figure it out but she knew now that by remaining silent she wasn't helping Derek – rather she was keeping him from the help he needed. The relationship had to end but not with hate and pain – there was no true power in that. You were my lesson I had to learn I was your fortress you had to burn Pain is a warning that something's wrong I pray to God that it won't be long Walk away There's nothing left to try There's no place left to hide There's no greater power then the power of Good-Bye " Why didn't you tell us? We could have helped you", said Amy, not understanding Serena's reactions. Didn't she realize how hurt she was going to get if she let people use her like that? " Yeah, we're your friends. We might have kept…" Mina began, but Serena cut her off. " Would it really have made any difference? I was alone long before I needed someone to help me. And don't you see? That's not the point. I choose to remain vulnerable because I refuse to hide what my heart leads me to do. There is always another way. Strength has many forms", Serena said. She then turned back to Derek. The other scouts pondered her words. " We used her too, knowing she would forgive us in the end", Lita said softly. The other's nodded. " But I think that it's not too late", said Amy. " No, it's never too late. We will protect her from this point on because she needs us. We won't hurt her again", Raye said. " Who knew a heart of gold could be so fragile?" Mina said. The scouts each got down on one knee and looked towards Serena, feeling no guilt because they were forgiven, but alive with a new mission and a new sense of understanding. " Derek, you hurt me but I will move on from this and so will you. I hope someone will find a way to heal you completely but it can't be me anymore", she said. Derek was weeping, in his whole life he had never been so devastated, and yet this angel was forgiving him. It was almost too much. Your heart is not open so I must go The spell has been broken… I loved you so You were my lesson I had to learn I was your fortress… There was searing flash of pure white light that was like focused moonlight and when it faded there stood a vision in white. The gold hair was in it's familiar style; the face serene and wise. She was all power and grace but when her eyes opened it was still Serena inside and you knew she would care for you always. She looked at Derek and placed her hand on his forehead. The crescent moon on her forehead glowed briefly and then Derek slumped to the ground. He would remember none of what had happened this day save that an angel had touched his soul. The scouts bowed their heads grateful that they could be here to witness this show of courage. Darien watched Serena until his heart swelled with such tenderness and love that it transformed him into Prince Endymion. Not that he even noticed, he was too busy watching his angel, fulfilling his promise to be there when she needed him. There was no sacrifice to great that he would not make for this woman who took care of the world. There's nothing left to try There's no place left to hide There's no greater power then the power of Good-Bye Serena' heart soared on wings of light. She was free as she had never been before. Her heart was hurting but it would grow strong from the support of those around her. She was free of Derek's shadow and free of the guilt that she couldn't save him. There was nothing she needed; all the fetters around her had been removed. She felt like she could face anything. There's nothing left to lose There's no more heart to bruise There's no greater power than the power of Good-Bye Learn to say Good-Bye Well I finished it and I hope this doesn't deter you from reading some of my other stuff J! I have a goofy, sappy, Sailor Moon romance planned for my next story. Read and Review – this was a highly experimental story and I'd love some criticism.