		I'm going to apologize right now. It's been over a year and a half since I 
last posted a part to this story - which I believe I began back in late 97 
or early 98 - o dear. Now, here's the question. How many of you actually 
remember this story, or even, remember me? Not very many. So, as a warning, 
if you didn't read the other parts, you'll be confused as to what is 
happening, so I suggest you go back and re-read it (even I had to re-read 
the story because I had forgotten what I had written)
	Secondly, let me apologize for it being so darn late. I mean it. And I also 
know that I've been saying that I wasn't planning on writing a new part. 
Well, I changed my mind. (and, I found a disk in my bag of stuff that had 
the part I had been working on and lost and refused to re-write) so . . .
	Whatever the case, thank you all in advance for reading, and, if you 
remember, for sticking with me, and to all the people who have written to me 
during my long long long hiatus and asked what was up - your concern was so 
incredible, and so wonderful for me, and I was so touched that anyone cared 
after all this time, so thank you - the fact that people have written and 
asked is one of the main reasons why I picked up my cyber-pen and began to 
write again.
	And thanks to W. Bymeeh, who posted the story for me!!! I'm hopelessly 
computer illiterate. (JhyunL@aol.com)

	Queen Serenity smiled, her hand resting against the wall beside the great 
window in the throne room. She couldn't remember how long it had been since 
she had seen her daughter so happy. She should have known it would be 
Endymion that would bring her out of it. Her daughter always seemed to shine 
in his presence. It was a good match. She smiled, closing her eyes. For now, 
the two seemed like children, playing innocently, smiling, laughing, 
content. If only it could last forever.
	She frowned as the room practically vibrated with the force of the 
insistent knocking on her door.
	"Your Majesty! I must speak with you at once! It is of the utmost 
importance!"
	With a sigh, Serenity, turned from the window, motioning for the guards to 
let in one of her less distinguished advisors.
	The little man fell to his knees, his face red from the effort to run to 
the throne room, and breathlessly looked up in a silent plea.
	"You may speak." The queen said, resting lightly in her throne.
	"Your majesty, it has come to my attention that the most grave of tragedies 
has fallen upon your kingdom. A crime of the most heinous sort has been 
committed and within our very own walls! This threat must be stopped and-"
	Serenity raised a hand in exasperation. "What threat would this be?" she 
asked, her voice still regal and calm, yet inside, something felt . . . 
wrong. She could almost sense a coming darkness. Whatever this news was, she 
knew it would not bode well for her and her kingdom, and she was impatient 
to hear the threat given a face.
	"Your Highness, I have undeniable proof that, that the . . . .THAT THE 
DEATH OF PRINCE TYRIAN WAS NO ACCIDENT!!!"
	Queen Serenity fought to stay seated at his words.
	"Explain yourself." She said, trying to keep her calm, despite the anger 
she felt towards the person who had caused her daughter such profound pain.
	We have a hologram, taken from the post out by Saturn where Prince Tyrian's 
ship was allegedly shot down by the enemy from Earth. But, the hologram 
clearly shows that the fire did not originate with one of Metallia's 
fighters. It came from . . . perhaps you would care to see the hologram 
itself?
	"Yes." The Queen said grimly. A traitor in the midst - who was it, and how 
would she keep her people, her daughter, safe. She raised a hand to dim the 
light in the room as he brought out a small golden disk, set it on a table 
and pressed the switch. Immediately, an image appeared, a ship, a moon 
kingdom ship, flying. Serenity recognized it immediately. It was Tyrian's. 
Suddenly, it was being fired upon, a wing catching fire, and the vessel 
began a slow, agonizing plunge. Serenity leaned forward to get a better 
view. The fire came from the wrong direction, had the wrong energy color. It 
had not been Metallia's forces that destroyed the ship. But, if it hadn't 
been her, then who could it have been. Serenity wasn't sure if she wanted to 
know.
	Slowly, a dark ship darted past, hovering over the space Tyrian's ship and 
previously occupied. And then, with a heavy, fluttering heart, she 
recognized the ship. It was a ship from Earth but . . . it was a ship 
bearing the royal shield. And o God, it was the ship Endymion had been sent 
home in . . . it had been Endymion who had killed Tyrian, shot him down in 
space . . . No . . .
	"Masaka." Was all she could utter for a long while as she sunk back into 
her throne, weary in every place, in every possible way.

	Tyrian looked down at her sleeping face, his hands splayed out across the 
glass. When he had woken up inside it, he had been afraid, disoriented, 
confused. Conflicting thoughts dashed through his head. Yet one thing 
remained clear. The need for Serenity. In his every waking though, in his 
every subconscious vision, he saw only her. He smiled down at his golden 
princess.
	"You are finally mine Serenity." He whispered, his grim wide and gleaming. 
As though she could hear him, feel his desire, her eyes fluttered, once 
twice, then opened completely, settling on his face. The sapphire gems 
glittered, fear, confusion, and then, her eyes locked onto his. A smile of 
relief washed over her features, her face lighting up. He fumbled to open 
the lid to her resting place, and, with tears in her eyes, she flung herself 
into his arms, crying.
	"You're here! You came for me!" she cried, hugging him tightly. He let a 
hand trail over her hair.
	"I will never let you go."
	"I was so scared that you'd, that you'd . . . "
	"Shh." He whispered, leaning down over her. And for the first time since he 
had awakened, she had let him hold her, had allowed him to place a sweet 
kiss upon her head. The princess was undeniably his.

	With a contained scream, Darien woke from his dream. He could barely 
remember it, as though the memory was a fleeting strand of golden hair, 
barely touching his skin. He could feel it, but it was so faint, as though 
it hadn't ever been there before. And yet, something strange with him 
stayed. It fought off the despair, the pain, broke through it, gave him some 
sort of light, an indescribable light that seemed to come from no where. But 
the thick blanket of pain seemed to be lifted. And then he realized why. He 
had dreamt of her. No. She had called him. She was, was . . . were those 
tears of joy? No, he doesn't cry. But . . . she was alive. SHE WAS ALIVE!! 
Chanting it, waving the words like a charm, staving off the darkness, his 
mind focused on those three words until he entered a deep sleep no longer 
tormented by her screaming, writhing in pain, her golden hair blackened and 
burnt. No, this time, she called to him, her eyes dancing, her smile wide. 
She was calling him. Thank the gods, she was alive.

	Serenity slumped in the chair wearily, her head resting on her hands. She 
was so tired. And the day was not going to get any easier. At the quick 
rapping at her doors, she immediately straightened up, sitting regal, tall 
and proud. With no fanfare, Endymion walked in, his strong stride and the 
forceful, steady sounds of his feet on the cool marble breaking the silence.
	"Your majesty" he said, curt yet warm. He looked straight at her, never 
bowing his head. This young King was a man to be reckoned with. He did not 
flinch from her gaze, his profile strong, his eyes clear. She didn't want to 
believe what she had seen and yet. And yet, this man wanted to marry her 
daughter. Could she risk her daughters life by giving her to a man who might 
have done such a deed, even if she did not even believe him capable of the 
act? Queen Serenity shook her head slightly, then stood up with an icy 
resolve.
	"Endymion." She said, her voice steel. "I see that you and my daughter have 
become quite close of late."
	Endymion looked at her, suspicious. Something not quit right seemed to be 
going on; the Queen was not one to beat around the bush, rather, she chose 
the direct route. But what?
	"Yes, we have. I," Endymion raised his head so his chin was tilted up 
defiantly. "I do plan on marrying her."
	"Endymion . . . " her voice faltered. How could she doubt this boy, the son 
of her closest friends, her daughter's one support, a child she almost 
considered her own. And then she thought of her own daughter, and the pain 
it would cause her to lose her own Serenity
	"Endymion, I'm afraid that that will not be possible." She said softly, 
regret thick in her voice. Endymion's eyes snapped open, the dark blues 
flashing dangerously, but, he was a warrior after all, and a king, and when 
he spoke it was with control, a dark voice, heavy with an emotion carefully 
hidden. He sounded as he had when he had first returned to the palace after 
battle. 'I'm sorry Endymion. I truly am.'
	"May I ask why."
	She saw the sharp breath's he was taking, the clenching of his fist, the 
anger, the pain. Was she doing the right thing . . . no, she could not 
question the decision now.
	"Endymion, I, I saw something. I saw your ship shoot down Prince Tyrian's. 
It was on a hologram. Do-"
	"AND YOU BELIEVED IT!" he roared, his careful calm shattered.
	"I saw it with my own eyes!" the Queen retorted. "I saw you kill, willfully 
kill Prince Tyrian." Her voice was low, grave now, regret filling it. "I've 
known you since you were a child. I don't want to believe this . . . in 
fact, I'm not sure if I do because I know you but . . . but, would you risk 
her life like that, no matter how small that risk would seem?" she stood 
beside the young King, who trembled with emotion, his eyes shining. Serenity 
placed a hand on his shoulder. "Would you gamble with her life, even just a 
little bit?"
	Serenity could feel the stiffness of his muscles flow out of his body, as 
his flesh seemed to almost sag.
	"You know I wouldn't. Not with her." He said, his voice still remarkably 
clear, noble, righteous. How could she doubt this boy, this man? It was so 
obvious that . . . but what other choices were there? Her own words, 'Would 
you gamble with her life?' She wouldn't of course.
	"I just ask that you leave. Go back to Earth, fight Metallia. But please, 
don't come back. I . . . I don't want to hurt her any more than I have to."
	"It'll destroy her!" he cried angrily, despite his understanding. Had their 
roles been reversed, he would have done the same. And yet, it did not ease 
the pain in his heart. He could feel the emptiness wash over him, 
threatening to buckle his knees from the weight of it all. 'This will 
destroy me.'
	"I have to protect her. Maybe you didn't do it-"
	"I didn't!"
	"Maybe so, but I don't know that you are, without a doubt, innocent. And I 
won't risk her life like that."
	"I would rather die than hurt her."
	"Maybe so. But if you return . . . the hologram will be made public 
tomorrow Endymion. Leave, leave tonight. And, if you ever return, I will 
have no choice but to hold a trial. It will be a capitol murder case. If you 
go tonight, you can make it back to Earth before anyone can stop you."
	Endymion shook his head despairingly. For a moment, Serenity could see the 
vulnerability in it, before the mask of ice returned, a stony face she had 
not seen upon his visage for months. 'Gods, what am I doing? What am I doing 
to him?'
	"May I see her at least once, to say I lo . . . to say good bye."
	"I'm sorry, it would be best if you didn't. There is a transport waiting 
for you."
	He turned, his face surprisingly apathetic, save the burning in his eyes.
	"I understand." He said, closing those tortured windows. He slowly opened 
them, as though reluctant to face the real world again. "At least, give her 
this." He said, holding out a golden locket. "And send her my love."
	The queen silently nodded, taking them from his grasp. Endymion looked back 
at her once, long and hard, making the unshakable queen feel almost 
uncomfortable under his assaulting gaze. If anyone would have been capable 
of the murder of Tyrian, the haunted King was certainly one of them.
	"I wish it didn't have to be this way." Queen Serenity said softly. 
Endymion smiled sardonically.
	"So do I, Your Majesty."

	"DARIEN!!" Serena sobbed, crying against him. "I, I thought, I was afraid . 
. . I was so scared!" she wrapped her arms around him, holding on to him 
tighter as he softly stroked her hair, trying to calm her tears.
	"Everything is all right. I won't let anyone hurt you again."
	"Darien . . . " she sniffled. She wasn't sure how he had found her but he 
had. He had saved her. Her Darien. Though she'd rather die than admit she 
thought of him that way. And yet in his arms she felt . . . she felt . . .

	Rei eyed her transformation stick with disdain. What good was the damn 
thing when it had cost her . . . had cost her . . . it just wasn't worth it! 
She had failed! She turned from the sacred fire, seeing the image of a 
burning building, almost able to hear the cries of a girl, shrieking as the 
fire slowly burned her skin, melted her eyes, her hair darkened stubble 
until . . . she closed her eyes, her fists clenched tight, trying to block 
out the picture. And yet, over and over again, accusing, 'you failed, you 
failed, you failed . . .she died because you failed.'
	"I DID NOT FAIL!!! I, I . . . I didn't fail her."
	'You failed! You're a failure. She left because you failed! They all left 
because you failed . . .' And against her will images of her parents flitted 
by, and the tears could not drown them out. And then Serena joined them, out 
of her reach . . . 'O gods, I failed them.' And now the three were speaking. 
Her father's deep baritone, 'You've failed me Rei, I can't see you again 
until you grow up into a respectful daughter . . . that temper . . . you're 
failure means . . . you're failure . . . failure . . . ' And the soft voice 
of her mother, her eyes crinkled at the sides, accusing her, 'failure Rei, a 
failure as a daughter . . . I can't take this anymore . . . failure . . . 
failure . . . " and the two were fading out of sight, despite Rei's raised 
hands, her cries for them not to leave her too . . . Gods, she was crying . 
. . and all that was left was Serena. She put her hands to her ears, trying 
futilely to drown out the accusations from the burnt creature that had been 
her beautiful friend. "NO! NO! NONONONO!!!!! I'M SORRY!!! I'M SORRY!!!! 
PLEASE!! SERENA!! Serena . . . " and as her own cries died down, she could 
hear Serena's words. Words that did not accuse, that did not hate. Words 
that hypnotized Rei, gave her a drug more potent than any imaginable. Words 
that gave Rei hope.

	"What's the point?" She had always thought that if she studied hard enough, 
she would be smart enough to avoid pain, to keep her loved ones safe, to 
know how to protect them. And despite all the knowledge in the world that 
she possessed, none of it mattered. None of it prevented it from happening, 
none of it explained why, and none of it eased her pain.
	"Ami, there's a call for you dear." Her mother said, looking at her 
daughter, worried. The girl hadn't stopped staring at the fire place after 
she had thrown every book she owned against the wall. The dents she could 
fix, but her daughter's heart, she doubted would mend as easily.
	"I don't want to talk to whoever it is."
	"Ami, please." Her mother asked. "I'm getting worried honey."
	Ami flashed her mother a wan grimace, before nodding slightly to comply and 
take the phone.
	"Yes?"
	No introductions were needed. She recognized the voice, which sounded as 
though it had been crying recently, hoarse with emotion.
	"Lita . . . ?"
	"She's alive Ami! Rei saw her, she knows where she is . . . SHE'S OK!!!"

	Endymion looked down the corridor, seeing it empty. He deftly slid to her 
door, his feet silent on the floor, then, without preamble, walked in. She 
stood with her back to him, not noticing his entrance. Something in the 
garden must have captured her attention, so intent was her gaze through the 
window. Like a ghost he slipped beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. 
She turned to him, a slight gasp escaping her lips, before, realizing who 
the shadow in the darkness was, stepping back away from him.
	"Endymion . . . ?!?!"
	His eyes hardened against the devastating blow that she had delivered. Had 
she truly backed away from him? Was this worth it? Was he worth her? Perhaps 
he should have just left . . . .but . . . . since when had he needed her so 
badly that he was willing to risk so much just to see her.
	"Perhaps I shouldn't have come?"
	" . . . " she only continued to stare at him, confusion, hurt, yes, even 
fear in her eyes. Endymion sighed, his face falling for a millisecond.
	"I didn't do it Serenity."
	"I, I saw . . .!"
	"I didn't do it. You must believe me when I say this."
	"I, I don't know . . . "
	"SERENITY!! PLEASE! TRUST ME!!!!!!!" He cried in frustration, his heart 
slowly getting the better of him, as it usually did in her presence. He 
could never control it when she was near.
	"I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN!!!" she cried, clenching her fists tightly. "I don't 
know if I can trust you! What I saw . . . I just don't know!"
	"Serenity . . . " Endymion sighed, raising a hand gently. Serenity backed 
away from it, and he immediately dropped it back to his side. Serenity 
turned away from him, looking out towards the balcony.
	"Please, please just go away. I can't . . . not again . . . I just . . . 
just . . . " her voice trailed off, her shoulders shaking. "Please go." She 
said softly. "PLEASE!" she suddenly cried, spinning on her heels to face 
Endymion for a split second, tears streaming down her anguished face before 
she ran past him, into the castle.

"Serena, I love you."
	Serena dared to smile at his words. Was this the cold guy she had known 
before? It seemed like a different person entirely! And yet . . . she had 
always known there was more to him than the cold exterior she had grown 
accustomed to. Although, the last few weeks, he had been so different, so 
wonderful. Her smile grew. Did he know that during that time, she had, had 
come to . . . l . . . lo . . . like, she had come to like him a lot. Maybe 
even more, with that smile of his, the real smiles, not the sarcastic ones 
he usually wore. And his compassion too. He had no idea how kind he really 
was. If he did, he'd probably freak out or something.
	"Darien, me too."

	"OK girls, where do we start." Jupiter said, her eyes burning intensely. 
Tyrian was NOT going to get off lightly this time. He was a dead man.
	"I'm not all that sure, but I have this feeling. If I just let it guide me 
. . . "
	"Ok, sure whatever, just find her, Ok, Rei?" Jupiter said impatiently, 
cracking a knuckle. "I wanna make sure Tyrian doesn't EVER walk again."
	"Lita! You can't!" Mercury said with a slight gasp. "You can't do it all by 
yourself. Rei and I want to give him a piece of our minds too!"
	Jupiter smiled, shaking her head. "Never thought you had it in you Aimes."
	"Guys, I'm getting a strong presence of Serena going in . . . that 
direction." Mars said, pointing towards a cluster of buildings.
	"Well, what're we waiting for! Let's find Serena!"

	Endymion stared at the moon, now only a small silvery sphere in the sky, as 
his ship approached earth. His hand clenched into a tight fist, as he rested 
his head against the glass of the window. He wasn't even aware of the two 
tears trickling down his cheeks.
	"Serenity . . . "

	"SERENITY! SERENITY, OPEN UP!" Rei turned to Princess Lita of Jupiter. 
"It's not working. Why don't you try."
	"Like I'll do any better but, OK." Lita sighed, then began banging on the 
door. "OK Princess, if you don't open up I'll keep on pounding on this door 
till you do! Hey, I'll even play requests. How about I start off with 
something new, like maybe some Subspace Boyz music?"
	The door flew open. "Not bad, but I was about to run if you kept to that 
music promise." Rei said, entering the darkened room.
	"Serenity?" Lita asked, walking towards the figure at the window.
	"Sere, c'mon girl, talk to us." Rei said, putting a hand on her shoulder. 
Serenity shrugged it off, still staring out the window.
	"What are you looking . . . oh." Lita said, following her gaze, which 
finally rested on the far-off Earth.
	"Sere . . .?" Rei said, unsure of what else to say. "Everything will end up 
just fine. I mean, I'll bet it was all just a mistake and that Endymion 
didn't really -"
	"I SAW IT!" Serenity shrieked. "I saw . . ." Serenity dissolved into tears, 
sobbing into her hands. Lita gave Rei a helpless look. 'What do we do 
now!?!?'
	"C'mon Sere, let's talk." Rei said softly, guiding her too the bed.
	"He killed Tyrian Rei. He MURDERED him. And then he, he . . . he said he 
loved me! And he, he he did that and he said all that and I, he made me . . 
. I loved him so much!"
	"I know. I know Sere. And I'm sure he still loves you."
	"How could he! He, what I went through when Tyrian died . . . and now, now 
that it's too late for me to not care!"
	"HE hurt you Sere. I know."
	"I don't wanna go through this again. I don't want to lose someone again. 
And then he, he goes and lies, and is deceitful, and is a, a murderer, and 
he made me care so, so much . . . "
	". . . " Rei remained silent, just holding her crying princess as she let 
out all the pain.
	"How could I . . . when he's . . . I loved him! And he's EVIL! He isn't who 
I thought he was! And, and I still do. God, I still love him and I don't 
want to lose him even though I KNOW I have to, and, and, how could he DO 
this!?!?! I HATE HIM! GOD I HATE HIM!"
	"I'll bet he's thinking about you too 'ya know?" Lita said. "I mean, that 
guy was so far gone on you for the longest time. I mean, if he killed 
Tyrian, it was probably to get the guy out of the way so he could marry you. 
Now that is devotion. It's just so romantic!"
	Rei shook her head. "That doesn't sound right. I mean, none of this sounds 
like the Endymion we know. Does it Sere?"
	The princess slowly shook her head. "Not really, but I don't know what to 
think anymore."
	"I've got this feeling. I mean, Endymion has way too much honor to just 
kill Tyrian like that. It just doesn't seem like something he'd do."
	"That what I thought, but the hologram . . . I guess I never really knew 
him. I guess I still don't."
	"Are you kidding!" Lita cried. "You, not know the guy. You two are 
practically Siamese twins the way you're always together."
	"Have you ever thought that maybe, just maybe the hologram can't be 
trusted. Maybe it was some sort of conspiracy of something to get rid of 
Endymion?"
	"You don't think that . . . "
	"O yes I do." Rei said, smiling brightly, her voice growing more intense. 
"I'll bet Endymion didn't know a thing about how Tyrian died other than what 
all the rest of us do. This story of a murdering Endymion just goes against 
everything we know about him, against every action of his. It just isn't 
him. But, who am I to judge. I mean, he was your love, right. Maybe not your 
first, but most certainly your best. So listen to your heart and forget the 
hurt Sere, and you tell us. Is Endymion really guilty of killing Tyrian?"
	Serenity closed her eyes, recalling all her memories of Endymion. He had 
helped her so much, was so kind, so patient with her, her best friend, her 
best and most important person. He had loved her so much, had been so hurt 
yet opened up to her . . . no, the man she remembered was not a murderer. 
She smiled.
	"It wasn't him Rei! He didn't do it! I, I know he didn't! My heart . . . it 
doesn't lie. Not about him!"
	"I thought so. Feel better now?"
	Suddenly, Serenity's eyes grew wide in horror and she shook her head. "But, 
he's gone. And what I said . . . I'll never see him again! O Gods, what have 
I done!" she sobbed, throwing her arms around Rei. "It's too late Rei. It's 
too late."

	Tuxedo Mask landed lightly on his feet in front of an old run down 
apartment building. A few homeless men looked up at him in surprise, their 
faces illuminated by the fires burning from steel trash cans. He stopped, 
his head frozen in place, as though listening intently to something. Which, 
in a way he was. He didn't understand how, but it was almost as though she 
was guiding him to her. Almost like his princess . . . 'Better not to go 
down that path right now, Tuxie.' Darien thought, scowling slightly. The 
princess was the least of his worries at the moment. Right now Serena was 
his main concern. But where was she . . . ? His eyes fell upon the fire 
stairs, and he knew. She was up, probably in an abandoned apartment, but 
definitely up. She was so close now he could almost feel her, hear her, 
smell her. Even if there would never be anything between him and Serena, as 
long as he found her, as long as she was all right . . .He shook his head to 
clear it, not wanting any extraneous thoughts to distract him. Focus. 
Concentrate. He pictured her in his mind and followed where her voice led 
him.

	"Are you sure of this?" Mercury asked, looking around warily.
	"C'mon, let's keep on going. I've got a feeling that we're supposed to be 
going up." Mars said, climbing another stair.
	"How much longer. My feet are starting to hurt?" Jupiter complained, taking 
the steps two at a time.
	"I don't know, but don't you start in about feet. You're not the one whose 
got these stupid spiked heels!" Mars snapped.
	"Guys! Look, isn't that Tuxedo Mask?" Mercury said, pointing through a 
broken window.
	"It is. He must be looking for her too!" Mars said, carefully stepping 
through the window to avoid the jagged glass still in the frame.
	"He better not screw it up like last time." Jupiter said darkly, following 
after Mercury as she climbed into the hallway.
	"This is not going to end up like before . . . we're gonna get her back for 
sure." Mars said, running after Tuxedo Mask.

	"I assume you've heard the news Sere?" Rei asked. The princess didn't 
bother to turn around, but nodded her head in the affirmative.
	"They've banned Endy from the moon. They've banned ANY earthling from the 
moon." Sere pounded on the window. "I HATE THIS! I HATE THIS STUPID WAR!"
	"We all do." Rei said, putting a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder.
	"We're not even allowed to communicate with Earth. I can't even send him a 
message! I-" Serenity's voice dropped low and solemn, "I won't be able to 
find out if he's all right."
	"You know Endy. He's a survivor. He'll be fine. He's got to, if you're 
gonna make up with him."
	Serenity shot Rei a stricken look. "What if he dies. What if he dies 
thinking that I, that I . . . Rei, Rei, I'm scared." Rei pulled Serenity 
away from the window with the gorgeous view of the Earth and pulled the 
princess into a tight hug.
	"It's scary, but you two have something special and I think, no, I know, 
you'll be together again. I can just tell, everything will work out." Rei 
said, hoping to comfort her dearest friend, but even to her own ears, her 
words sounded false. 'Please, please,' the princess of Mars prayed, 'let 
everything turn out for the best.'

	Shadowy tendrils surrounded him. Dark, thick moist atmosphere caressed his 
muscles, pulled at his limbs. Seductively she called to him. His mistress, 
his Queen. She whispered his name, a deep and throaty growl that stirred his 
insides in interesting ways. The air had long since been expelled, used and 
exhaled and gone stale. Death, the violent painful death of a man who 
suffocated, had been so close, as his ship had been struck violently by . . 
. by her, he now knew. His Mistress's own weapons had brought him down, and 
then, she had spared him his death, by merely touching him, by infiltrating 
his senses with her other-worldly being, and making him one of hers, for the 
rest of his immortal life. And now, trapped in his ship, he had only to wait 
until he landed on land, be it the moon, or the earth, or some other far off 
place, and then, with his newly acquired powers, and his princess by his 
side, follow his mistress's orders. Yes, he merely had to be patient. He 
would soon be with his princess . . . with Serenity . . . he just had to 
wait . . .

	Tuxedo Mask sensed the scouts behind him. But he wasn't going to stop for 
them. He didn't have the time. The sense of urgency that was pulling at him 
was too great to ignore, and he couldn't bear to waste the minutes, the 
seconds, that dealing with those girls would have stolen.
	He could feel her, the tug as insistent as that of his princess. This time, 
this time he wouldn't fail. This time, he would not leave her to die in an 
inferno of any kind. He would find her, and he would save her, or he too 
would perish along side her. But even that was impossible. He would not 
leave this building without Serena in his arms.

	It seemed to have been such a long time. Months had passed since she had 
last seen Endymion. Serenity stared out at the Earth and sighed wistfully. 
She had sent letters every now and then, hoping that they would make it 
through, despite the sanctions imposed on the Earth by the Moon Kingdom. 
But, everyday, hope that Endy was all right, that he would come back to her, 
faded. She had yet to hear back from him. And she knew that the Earth had 
practically lost the battle against Metallia. A few resistance fighters 
remained, and Serenity could only hope that Endymion was among them. But 
even if he was, how much longer could he survive? And, even if he managed to 
emerge from that battle field, when would he be allowed back onto the moon, 
back into her life.
	"Serenity?"
	Serenity glanced back to her mother,  then silently returned to gazing out 
the window, across space, hoping her beloved could feel her watching over 
him.
	"Serenity, please." Her mother began. "It's been months."
	"He'll come back."
	"Serenity . . . " her mother repeated, frustration creeping into her voice. 
"I know it's hard. It's always hard, but you will get over him. I know, it 
doesn't seem like it now, but you will, if you let yourself."
	Serenity whirled around, facing her mother with a look of rage marring her 
features.
	"I won't give up on him. I won't send him to die like you did. I won't 
believe a single word of it," Serenity cried out angrily, clutching her 
golden locket. "I won't give up on him, betray him, like you did, Mother. I 
will never give up on him."
	Serenity turned back to face the window, hoping that her tears would remain 
undetected, and concentrated on the blue and white and green swirls of the 
Earth, thinking of the thick black and sapphire blue of Endymion. She would 
wait forever for him, she thought, letting only that sound, the cadence of 
those words, into her mind, and ignoring the tears of her mother as she 
silently left the room.

	And suddenly, the quest seemed to come to a complete stop. A crashing, 
halting stop as, finally, he found her, her hair undone, tangled, yet 
glimmering. Her eyes clouded blue-gray - an unusual color for her, strange, 
hypnotizing colors that seemed so alien, so vacant, on  her dirty, tear 
stained, soot darkened face.
	"Serena . . . "
	He wasn't' aware that he had spoken. But the dry, crackling whisper was 
his. She looked up at him, those grayish eyes clouding for a moment, then 
lightening back to bright blue as she seemed to recognize him, and smiled.
	"Tuxedo Mask!" she exclaimed, as though she had every right to be where she 
was, as though she 'wanted' to be in those arms that circled her waist so 
protectively. He wanted to tear those offending arms from their sockets, 
those presumptuous arms, as though they had every right to be resting so 
lightly on the slight girlish curve of her hips. "What are you doing here?"
	Taken aback. Confused. He didn't realize that he had muddled together an 
answer.
	"Rescuing you?" He took a step closer, and she cocked her head to the side, 
puzzled.
	"But, you didn't have to. Darien saved me." And this was the particularly 
damning part of it all, the terribly cruel twist of fate that dropped his 
heart to his stomach, and his stomach to his feet, and drained him of 
everything  but intense, sickening fear. She looked up at Tyrian, and he saw 
the love, dammit, felt it, overwhelming him, and knew that she directed it 
at him, at Tyrian.
	"Darien saved me from that awful Tyrian just in the nick of time." She 
said, placing her hands over Tyrian's.
	"But Serena . . . "
	Tyrian disengaged himself from Serena's grasp, took a menacing step towards 
him.
	"I'm . . . "
	Serena looked at Tyrian, confused.
	"Don't you dare do it, little prince. Don't even think about it."
	"Darien." And he took off his mask, his eyes free and clear and unclouded, 
bright blue despite the dinginess of the room.
	Serena screamed.

	"Did you hear that?" Mars whispered.
	"That was Serena." Mercury said, quietly, though fire, cold fire, ran 
behind the soft tone.
	"Let's move." Jupiter commanded, fierce and terrifying in her anger, as she 
began to run in the direction of the cries.

	Serenity mechanically nodded at each of her would be suitors. This was most 
certainly a ball of the usual kind, with the usual men trying to woo her, 
trying to marry her, trying to rule her. She ignored them all, barely 
realizing that when they asked a question, she mechanically was answering. 
She would not remember what she even said, but the appropriate, though 
indifferent response was always relayed. There was much to be said about 
etiquette training. It certainly left time to allow the mind to wander, and 
for your manners to go into auto-pilot.
	"Your Majesty, did you hear me?"
	She was rudely shaken from her inner world by the insistent voice of a 
masked young man.
	"I'm sorry sir . . . it's been a long day. What was it you were asking?"
	"I was simply commenting on you unusual locket, Your Majesty." He was 
bowing to her, one knee touching the floor, his head bowed, not meeting her 
gaze.
	"I . . ." she smiled shyly, her face darkening to a pinker hue. "It was 
given to me by an incredible man. I treasure it." She felt the man smile, 
though he had yet to turn his face to meet hers.
	"An Earthling?"
	"Yes . . . why?" she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. The question was too 
pointed. What did he want?
	"I remember that I had given one just like it to a young lady who I had 
hoped would marry me. The tune . . . let me see, how does it go . . . ah 
yes, de dum dum dum, da da da da, de dum dum dum, da la la la la."
	He raised his head, his face obscured by his white mask, smiling a 
cautious, half grin.
	"How did you . . . " she asked, beginning to rise from her chair at the 
individual. "There are no others like it!" she whispered, stricken. The man 
began to grin even wider, carelessly, arrogantly, and then, with a flourish 
of his cape, disappeared into the crowd.
	Serenity quickly descended down from her thrown, and was immediately swept 
up into the dancing crowd. Her eyes roamed through the tide of guests, 
trying to spot the strange masked man, switching partners in the minuet like 
dance, her head whipping to and fro, left and right, frenzied in her search. 
But everywhere she looked, masks surrounded her, black, blue, green, purple, 
but where was white? Where was her white masked man, the man in the tuxedo, 
with the dark hair and the devil may care smile who knew . . .who knew . . . 
and how did he know . . . and the panic was starting to take her over, as 
she forgot the steps and felt herself being whipped round and round, 
changing partners faster than the music called for, feet stopping 
altogether, or stepping a beat to quickly, barely avoiding tripping and 
running into another in her mad search for the man, as desperation began to 
gnaw at her, because this man, this man felt so important, so very 
important, and if he slipped through her fingers she felt as though she 
would have allowed her very soul to drift away and . . .
	"Looking for someone princess."
	She looked up, acknowledged the face of the man who she was dancing with 
for the first time that evening.
	She recognized that smile. The mask hid all else, but gods she recognized 
the smile. She could feel her hands curling around his, clutching at them, 
as though afraid to let go.
	"En-"
	He placed a gloved hand upon her lips, shaking his head.
	"Not here, princess. Meet me outside. In the garden. Where we always meet."
	She blinked and he was gone. And she wasn't sure if it was all a dream or 
not, if his presence was an illusion, but then, the warmth on her hands, 
that was no illusion, and his scent, that was no illusion, and that feeling 
in her heart, no, that was no illusion, no dream, no imagining. And the room 
felt delirious, and her head seemed to be spinning, because HE was here. 
After so long, HE had come back to her.

	 "Tyrian!" Serena spat, trembling. She looked to Darien for help. He glared 
at the other man angrily.
	"Leave us alone. She no longer loves you!"
	Serena wanted nothing more than to closer her eyes, pretend that Tyrian 
hadn't found her.
	"What have you done to her?!?!"
	She shivered just hearing Tyrian's voice. She felt Darien's arms tighten 
around her, protective of her against the threat. She wanted nothing more 
than to hide in his embrace, let Darien keep her safe. But then, would 
Tyrian just follow her again? Would she spend the rest of her life running 
from him?
	God, had Tyrian really been Tuxedo Mask? The thought almost made her 
physically ill. The world felt as though it had turned upside down and spun 
faster on its axis than was possible, and her head was unable to keep up 
with it all.
	"I've done nothing. If she loathes you, it's because you deserve it!"
	Maybe, if she fought him, if she defeated him, he would leave. He was evil. 
An other worldly being. Probably one of Beryl's minions - one of those 
monsters from the Negaverse. She would have no choice other than to destroy 
him.
	"But I'm not you! What the hell have you done to her?"
	Why did he keep repeating that. Darien had done nothing at all. He had 
saved her. And now, she would save him from Tyrian.

	Serenity tried not to fidget, tried to quiet her busy fingers from playing 
with the hem of her dress. But she couldn't help it. What if he didn't come? 
What if he had been caught? Or even worse. What if she was wrong, and he was 
not who she believed he was. If that was the case . . . the tears rose 
involuntarily, and she had to fight them back down again. She would not 
think about that just yet. She just had to be patient. But it was so hard. 
She hadn't seen him in so long, and even then, their last words . . .
	"Princess?"
	She whirled around, taken by surprise by the masculine voice.
	"Are you all right, Princess?"
	She sighed, letting out a great whoosh of breath. She was certain that he 
had seen her heart jump right out of her chest.
	"Just peachy Artemis." Great, great great great great how do I get rid of 
him . . .
	"I just saw you out here by yourself and wanted to make sure everything was 
all right." The cat said, smiling at her.
	"No worries here. Not a one. Nope nope nope." She replied, plastering a 
bright, false smile on her face.
	"Although," she said, her eyes narrowing coyly, a scheming gleam hidden 
beneath the surface. "Luna did come by here. She said she was looking for 
you?"
	Her tone insinuated that she knew there was more to the story, and Artemis 
visibly paled, which was a feat considering he was a white cat.
	"She did, did she." He said, laughing nervously, the tip of his tail 
twitching.
	"She asked if I could send you over her way if I saw you. She's roaming the 
garden actually, looking for you."
	Artemis gulped loudly, is eyes growing wider and wider. He checked his left 
and right, as though expecting Luna to be watching him.
	"Well, you know, I guess I'll go . . . find her then." He said meekly, 
bowing briefly to the princess before darting inside. Serenity couldn't help 
but smile.
	"Same ol' same ol'"
	This time, there was no mistaking the voice. She spun round, jumping up to 
greet him, forcing  herself not to fling herself at him. Instead, she stared 
at him, her eyes wide, watering involuntarily, her heart starting to pound 
against her chest, steadily, faster and faster and faster, and she felt as 
though she could barely hear a thing, though the air was as still as it had 
ever been in her whole life.
	She swallowed dryly, nervous, as though she had never known him before this 
minute.
	"Is it you?" Her voice sounded quiet, meek, and it startled her. He nodded 
slowly.
	"I don't have much time Princess. I came here to warn you."
	"Warn . . ."
	"Metallia has taken gained control of the Earth. Only a handful of us 
remain, and we've all been forced to flee. She's on her way to the moon even 
as we speak."
	She raised a hand to him, resting it lightly on his arm. She could feel 
herself trembling, disappointment drowning her, suffocating her.
	"Is that why you came back. To warn us?" her voice began to raise in 
octave. "Is that the only reason you're here?"
	She knew he would shatter her if she listened. But she did anyway. Just in 
case, just in case he said . . .
	"Yes princess. The only reason I came back."
	And then, she did drown.

	"Leave now." Darien didn't think he had ever heard her voice so low, so 
menacing. "Leave now, before I'm forced to hurt you. Go, and don't ever come 
near me again, Tyrian. Don't ever come back to Juuban, to Japan. EVER!"
	His heart hardened in that minute, before it had time to shatter, like a 
vase, it turned to stone. Ignoring the pain that clutched at his chest, he 
shook his head no.
	"Serena, look at me."
	Let her see. Let her know me. I'm not Tyrian. Why does she think I'm 
Tyrian.
	"I'm Darien. Can't you see that? I'm not Tyrian. I'm Darien."
	She knotted her eyebrows at his pleas, as though confused.
	"Then who's that?" she asked, pointing behind her.
	"That's Tyrian. Serena please." Please see me. His stubborn heart wouldn't 
harden, as it used to be able to, as he had trained it to so long ago. And 
the pain wouldn't go away now, even though he had been the master at that 
trick. His heart had changed, because she had changed it, and now she was 
flinging that back in his face, when he couldn't fight back, when he could 
no longer be strong. And all the pain he had ever lived through was nothing 
compared to how he felt now. But no matter, he refused to give her up, 
refused to leave her to Tyrian. He just had to make her see what he knew, in 
her heart, she knew the truth.
	"I won't let you hurt another person I care about."
	"Serenity." Tyrian placed a cautionary hand on her shoulder, almost as 
though he was trying to hold her back.
	"I won't let him hurt us. I won't let him hurt you." She said, staring into 
Tyrian's eyes with love. Darien could feel is knuckle begin to crack, even 
though he wasn't aware he was doing so.
	Serena turned back to face Darien, fire raging in her unnatural blue- gray 
eyes.
	"It's time we ended this once and for all."

	"What did you think, Princess? That I came all this way . . .for you?"
	His tone was light, mocking, but it was dripping with so much darkness, a 
darkness that Serenity hadn't heard since the first time he had come back 
from Earth, wounded, and emotionally destroyed.
	"Don't flatter yourself."
	"Who are you?" she whispered, trembling, fighting to gain control of her 
voice. It broke anyway.
	"If I told you, would you trust me?" he asked, bitterness masking his 
words, turning them ugly and abrasive to her ears.
	"Endymion." She said it softly at first, as though it was taboo. She 
realized that since he had left, and since she had come to the conclusion 
that he had not been the murderer of Tyrian, she had not said his name 
aloud, and now it was dry upon her tongue, a strange, foreign sound. Much 
like the man who stood before her. Strange, foreign man. O gods, she almost 
sobbed. What has happened? What has happened? She wet her lips, trying 
again.
	"Endymion. Endymion. Endymion. Endymion." It was as though a seductive 
chant had overwhelmed her, and she was helpless but to repeat his name.
	"Endymion . . . please . . . I'm sorry." Her eyes were beginning to tear 
up, and she blinked at them furiously, rubbing her eyes to make them go 
away.
	"I trust you, I swear it, I was wrong, o, was I ever so wrong and now . . . 
please, please, please, forgive me, please trust me, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, 
just . . . please, don't leave me please . . . " and now she did fling 
herself at him, her restraint gone, thinking that he would leave her again, 
after all of that waiting and hoping, and she knew she could not lose him, 
not ever, never again, she would not let him go this time, nor any time 
after. Her hands, small and tiny, fought their way around him, clutching 
tightly to the back of his black jacket, and then, he roving fingers found 
their way up, to his face, tracing the lines and the planes and the curves 
and the hollows and began to slowly, take away the mask . . .
	"I never stopped loving you. I was wrong. I listened to my heart and I was 
wrong and I trust you I believe you because I listened and I saw and I've 
loved you since the beginning and I've never stopped, not really, I've never 
stopped, and I love you Endymion, you have to understand that, I love you 
and the rest of my life, it's yours, because I love you for always please 
believe me, please believe that I love you . . . and . . . and . . . " the 
sobs shook her body, her words becoming incomprehensible in the face of his 
silence. She had lost him. She knew it. She had lost him. And in losing him, 
she had lost herself as well.

	"It's locked!" Jupiter hissed in frustration. She kicked the door, which 
wouldn't budge.
	"Let me try." Mars offered, using her powers to break it down. But her fire 
ball did nothing, and merely bounced off the door ineffectually.
	"Magic. A strong magic is protecting them." Mercury said.
	"Damn." Mars whispered, the clanging banging sounds of a fight audible even 
through the door.

	"Sere."
	She looked up, knowing that she looked a mess. Tears never made anyone look 
good. And she was no exception. She didn't want to see his face, the 
contempt she knew he felt for her. She couldn't bear to see it. Hearing it 
had been bad enough, but to see his hatred . . .
	"Sere, look at me." He commanded, softly, almost gentle, the rough, 
bitterness strangely absent. That alone convinced her to open her eyes.
	She forgot to breathe.
	He was smiling down at her. Smiling. A smile the grew as she stared up at 
him in fear, wonder love adoration . . . she didn't know what she felt, what 
he could see. But he was grinning at her, grinning like a loon.
	"Endymion . . . "
	"Shh." He placed one lone gloved finger, long and strong, against her lips, 
quieting her.
	"I believe you."
	" . . . " her babblings were rendered silent by his voice, a confident 
sound, a voice she had been waiting to hear for so long . . . and she knew, 
she knew, he, he . . .
	She raised her hands to his face, slowly removed the mask, the silence 
surrounding them, and she looking into his eyes, deep dark blue, watering 
with the beginning of tears, eyes that stared back at her as intensely as 
she was staring at him, and she recognized that look, had seen it more times 
on her own face than she could count. And she tilted her head up, raised her 
lips, as he met her halfway, holding her as though he had thought he would 
never see her again, as though she would disappear as quickly as she had 
reappeared in his life. He had tried to say goodbye, tried to leave her, but 
he never could, was helpless, against it, and instead, grasped at her as 
though he had nothing left, no name, no country, no crown. All he had, all 
he had ever had, and all he will ever have was her. And he was helpless 
against it.
	"I love you Sere. I never stopped." Her hands found their way into his, 
slipping her golden locket into his possession, a token of all that she 
could give, all that she would give to him.
	"I'll never leave you. Never again. I love you Endy. I love you."
	And then, explosions rocked the ground, and screams tore through the moon 
kingdom.

	Darien ducked a well aimed kick. Serena could fight. Strange as it was, her 
girlish clumsiness was gone, and in it's place, a well trained warrior 
stood. Where did she learn these moves, he wondered, before stepping back to 
dodge a powerful uppercut.
	He wouldn't strike back, wouldn't think of hurting her. But how would he 
stop her? How could he convince her that he was not Tyrian, that he was 
Darien. Her friend, her . . . Why couldn't she just see the truth.
	"Serena." He ducked. "Listen" dodged "To" blocked "ME!" That last blow 
hurt, leaving his ears ringing.
	"It's me, Darien. Remember. Remember . . . tutoring . . . and cookie dough 
and . . . Serena, meatball head . . . . Goddamn it, I'm Darien, you clumsy 
meatball head!!!!
	She stopped her blows, her eyes unclouding for just a minute.
	"What did you call me?" that's it, that's my girl.
	"Meatball head. What you can't hear me know? Too busy crying?"
	"Excuse me!!" she cried, "What did you just say to me!" Darien began to 
smile, as her voice rose in pitch, until it sounded like the Serena he 
usually met outside the Crown Arcade.
	"Serena, do you see me? Do you know how I am?" he couldn't keep the hope 
out of his voice.
	"You . . . you . . . "
	"Please, Serena, remember we were at my apartment, and we made cookie dough 
and remember what we talked about Serena, remember, please, you know me." He 
was well aware that he was pleading now. But he also knew that he was 
getting through to her. She had stopped, confused, staring at him.
	"You sound, you sound like Darien. But . . . you're Tyrian?!?!" her voice 
was confusion, escalating into hysteria and fear. She looked at Darien, 
blinking.
	"That's enough now." Tyrian said darkly, his scowl betraying her concern 
over Serena's confusion. He was losing his grip on her, and he knew it. If 
Darien could just push it a little more.
	"Serena, I know, I know I look like Tyrian, and that HE" Darien pointed at 
Tyrian, standing in the shadows behind Serena, "looks like Darien, but close 
your eyes, listen to your heart . . . if you listen to your heart, it will 
tell you. Please, and if it tells you that I'm evil then stay away . . . but 
for gods sake, please, just listen to it, and see for yourself who is who."
	She looked up at him, her eyes wide and blue and luminous now, watering for 
reasons she couldn't understand. She couldn't understand anything! She 
didn't see how he could be Tyrian and not be Tyrian, and how Darien was 
Darien, but not Darien, and the voices, the forces that were pulling at her 
were overwhelming, and the world began to become distorted, until it was too 
hard to see with her eyes, and she knew, she knew that her heart wouldn't 
lead her wrong. Just listen to your heart. Just listen and follow it and you 
will be all right.
	"Prince . . . leave now! Leave us in peace!" Tyrian cried, rage overcoming 
him. Tyrian made a move to attack, but a rose cut him short.
	"I will kill you. If you take her, I won't hesitate. Don't you dare 
underestimate me." Darien said, his voice low.
	"Tyrian stopped in his tracks, listening to the voice that had sent him 
running in defeat all those years ago. He stopped where he stood, staring 
icy daggers at Darien.
	"Listen to my heart." Serena repeated. Her eyes remained closed. But she 
felt as though she could see so much better than she had ever seen when her 
eyes where open. She merely had to follow the warmth she saw, yet didn't 
see, feel yet didn't feel. What she saw, what she felt, transcended those 
senses, was all senses in one, and she allowed it to guide her. Taking 
cautious steps, she made her way into warm, welcoming arms. She slowly 
opened her eyes. She smiled faintly.
	"Darien."

	Metallia had won. Serenity knew that. The moon kingdom had finally fallen. 
The bodies of her scouts seemed to surround her. And Endymion . . . 
Endymion. She had promised that she would never leave him again. She 
wouldn't. They would never be forced apart. Never. She would follow Endymion 
wherever it took him. Including the ever after great beyond. O gods, she 
welcomed death.
	"Endymion."

	He was beaming at her, his eyes blinking back tears, and she reached a hand 
up, rubbed it against the side of his face.
	"Is it you?" she asked. He nodded his head, leaning down to briefly kiss 
her. She smiled contentedly, then turned to look behind her.
	There stood Darien.
	She jumped away from Darien? looking back and forth between the two. They 
looked the same. Exactly.
	"Darien. There's two of you." She whispered, frightened.
	The Darien in the black tuxedo muttered an angry damn.
	"I'm the real Darien Serenity." The other one said, hiding in the shadows, 
coming closer and closer to her."
	"Serena. What does your heart say. If there's two of us, let it tell you 
who is the imposter and who isn't."
	She nodded, biting her lip. She was so confused and tired and sick of it 
all. She just wanted to leave. She just wanted Darien. But this, this was 
too much. Who could she trust? Who was the real Darien, and who was the 
fake? Who should she believe? She felt as though she had no choice but to 
closer her eyes. Almost immediately she felt that familiar tug, the one that 
had yet to steer her wrong. And again, she found herself in a warm, familiar 
pair of arms.
	"Darien?" she asked.
	"What does your heart tell you?" he replied.
	"I don't know who to believe."
	"I won't ask you to trust me then." He replied. "But trust yourself Serena. 
And I promise you will be safe."
	She closed her eyes again, as though seeking reassurance. She smiled 
faintly, then opened her eyes, which were no longer gray, but brilliant 
blue.
	"I trust you."
	Darien's lips curved upward, not an outright smile, but Serena knew that 
for him, it was as though he was grinning like a maniac. With each minute, 
she was becoming more and more convinced that this was the real Darien. She 
sent a concerned look over her shoulder.
	"Darien . . . he's . . . "
	Darien spun around to face a charging Tyrian, screaming in rage. Darien 
sent a rose in his path, tripping the angry man, and causing him to careen 
to the left, in the way of the door.
	"You cannot have her." He cried. Serena held tightly onto Darien's hand.
	"He still looks like you." She whispered, fear making her voice tight and 
high.
	"Don't move." Darien ordered, flicking two fingers to his face and 
readjusting his mask. He turned back to face his opponent.
	"You're not leaving here to hurt her again." Tuxedo Mask stated, his voice 
cold. His hands pulled a long cane from the folds of his cape, and he thrust 
it in front of him, wielding it like a sword.
	Tyrian charged, baring a weapon of his own, a long blade, and swung it 
wildly. Tuxedo Mask ducked, lashing out with the cane, bringing it down to 
smack on the back of Tyrian's knees.
	"I won't let you hurt her again!" Tuxedo Mask cried, slicing the cane in a 
vicious downward arc, catching the prone Tyrian in the side.
	In front of her eyes, Serena saw differing images, Tyrian, then Darien, 
then Tyrian, then Darien again. She leaned against the door, trying to 
steady herself, when she heard a distinct ringing, pounding noise coming 
from the other side of the door. There were voices too, familiar voices, 
voices that she knew.
	"REI! AMI!!! LITA!!! I'M IN HERE!!!" she cried, pulling on the door. She 
thought she could hear them say something back, but it was too muffled and 
she couldn't make out their words. She started kicking at the door 
desperately, trying to make it open, but it was stuck. She turned back to 
Darien and Tyrian, or Darien and Darien . . . or whoever it was out there . 
. . 'Darien and Tyrian' she knew, from the deepest part of her heart.
	"NO!!!" she cried, as Tuxedo Mask took a particularly brutal kick to the 
side, the blade following it. He deftly threw his cane up in front of him 
and she breathed a sigh of relief - until the sword broke through the cane, 
hanging mere inches away from Tuxedo Mask and she didn't see how time had 
slowed down, how each moment seemed to take forever, as she reached her 
hands out in front of her, barely aware that she was doing anything at all, 
only aware of the inches, the seconds, she had left to stop Tyrian, who 
would kill Darien, who was trying to roll out of the way, but she knew he 
wouldn't make it, despite his incredible agility. Yes, Tyrian, she could see 
now, and Darien, who she could see as well, despite the mask, and she 
wondered briefly why she was not surprised, but that thought quickly passed 
out of her mind, because Tyrian had hurt her, hurt Serenity for the last 
time, and Serenity knew that she had to do something, because she would 
never leave Endymion, and she would never let him down, because she loved 
him, for always and then she screamed, and felt her hands disappear, felt 
the room disappear, and then, she felt nothing at all.

	"Serena."
	She heard them calling her, but she didn't feel like opening her eyes.
	"How's Darien?"
	"He's starting to come around."
	"I'm still trying to figure out how he got here!"
	"Don't ask me."
	"Guys, my computer says that that was Tyrian."
	"Wasn't even human!"
	"Well, now he's a charred piece of not human."
	"Darien, Darien, can you hear me?"
	Had something happened to Darien. She was worried for just a moment. But 
then something, - your heart - something told her not to worry. He was fine.
-You can feel him - It was almost as though she could see without opening 
her eyes.
	"She's fine. Trust me."
	"You need to rest too!"
	"You can't just - "
	"Yes he can."
	She felt herself being held, her head being tenderly cradled. This was 
nice. Familiar. Nice and familiar. She almost didn't want to wake up. If she 
did, maybe this would go away, and she didn't want that. She nuzzled her 
head against the warmth - his chest- and smiled contentedly.
	"Serena, wake up. Open your eyes now, ok?"
	His hands were tracing some pattern on her cheek now. And he sounded so 
worried. She almost giggled. This felt so nice. But it was time to wake up. 
He sounded so sad, afraid almost. Silly silly boy.
	"Good morning." She whispered, making no move sit up. She slowly opened her 
eyes, and peered straight up into Darien's face.
	"Serena!"
	"Girl, you ok?
	"Don't scare us like that?"
	The scouts. She knew that. They were here. She smiled.
	"Serena. Can you hear me."
	She nodded her head. That was Darien. So warm, so right. Her heart liked 
this one. She smiled brighter, staring up into his eyes intently, searching 
for something.
	"I'm fine. I'm fine." She said, reluctantly sitting up straight, though 
still leaning on Darien.
	"What happened?" She asked, looking at Darien, as though he held the 
answers.
	He shook his head slowly. "I don't know. I don't remember. The last thing I 
remember was coming here to look for you but . . . after that . . . 
nothing."
	"Whatever happened destroyed Tyrian." Mars said. "Darn."
	"Sarcasm much?" Jupiter asked wryly, smiling. "Good riddance. Nega creep."
	"Nega . . . what do you mean?" Serena asked.
	"He was just oozing with nega-vibes. Straight from the negaverse, Serena." 
Mercury said. "I don't know how you two defeated him, but he won't be 
bothering anyone ever again."
	Serena cocked her head, puzzled. "Why can't I remember?" she asked.
	"I don't know." Darien answered slowly. "Although . . . I can't help but 
think that what happened might have been really important."
	Serena could only shrug her shoulders lamely. She had no answer. Darien 
began to stand up, pulling her to her feet as well, unsteady as she may have 
been. She still hadn't let go of him, and he wasn't making any moves to 
disentangle himself from her. She looked up at his face, liking what she 
saw.
	"You came all the way here? For me?"
	Darien nodded his head in the affirmative.
	"For you Serena."
	She stayed silent at that, not wanting to ask any more questions. Just the 
feeling of his hand in hers was enough, for today. Just so long as he was 
near, just so long as she could feel him next to her, she didn't need any 
answers, or any declarations of love, if that was what she even wanted. She 
just wanted him near her - you just want to follow your heart, it always 
knows best, will always guide you in the right direction - and she didn't 
understand why. But her heart seemed to be tugging her in his direction. And 
he still hadn't let go of her hand.
	"Darien . . . "
	He looked back down at her, smiled reassuringly, and laced his fingers 
through hers.
	Awkward. Definitely awkward to be holding hands with Serena of all people, 
But less awkward than kissing her, he thought, as he remembered the past few 
weeks . . . and he smiled down at her, without realizing it. She probably 
didn't know it just yet, and he wasn't about to tell her but he was afraid, 
that she might be, no, he was almost certain that she was his first love.

OWARI

I finally finished. QUE MILAGRO!!! MASAKA!! And all the rest.
Comments and criticism are welcome. Always always welcome - reach me at 
Razzzberi@hotmail.com
Um . . . what else? I have to apologize. Going away to college has changed 
my writing style a bit. (UPENN!!! WHOO HOO!! I have way too much pride in my 
institution sometimes) but anways, the tone might sound a bit different from 
earlier pieces. It's been so long since I wrote anything, and such a long 
time has passed in between writing pieces. I hope I improved instead of got 
worse.
Also, I don't believe I'll be writing much else. No guarantees, but this is 
probably going to be my final piece of writing in the SM realm.
This could change, but it's doubtful.
I want to thank the incredible fandom out here. It's so vast, and so 
supportive, and full of such talented and creative people. Every single one 
of you amaze me. Some of you are such inspirations. Lianne is one of those 
people. I have yet to meet anyone in my life like her, who is so actively 
pursuing her dreams. She will never fail to amaze me and I wish her the best 
of luck in all that she does. Of all the people I have met, this girl has 
given me more inspiration to go for my dreams than anyone. You amaze me.
It's been an incredible time of it all. I loved every minute. Continue to 
love and watch your power grow.
WOW!!!
What an incredible world we have created.
Liz (aka Razzz) Feb. 10, 2000



