Have A Little Faith Part 2
Author: Patch
E-mail: patchkhan1@hotmail.com
Rating: PG

	The next day Serena walked determinedly to Darien's
office and so engrossed in her thoughts was she that she
bumped into someone.
	"Oh, I'm so sorry!" she said and immediately realized
it was Alicia.
	"It's quite alright, Your Highness."
	Serena had a funny feeling that all was not as it seemed
when it came to Ms. Thornton and she truly didn't like how she had
just said Your Highness.  It made her feel inferior for some strange
reason.
	"Can I help you with anything Alicia?" Serena asked.
	"Oh no.  I was just looking for Darien.  I was hoping that he
and I could catch up on the old days.  We shared some good
memories, him and I."
	"Oh really?" Serena was beginning to dislike this woman.
There was something suspicious and highly questionable about her.
She did not want Darien to be alone with this woman so she quickly
made up a lie, "Well, I just came from seeing Darien and he's quite
busy with the Seven Continents Treaty."
	A disappointed look came across Alicia's face but it was
quickly gone.  "Oh well, I guess I'll have to catch him another time,
won't I?"
	"I guess so."  She watched the other woman leave and
stood there for a minute thinking about her words.  All of a sudden
her face lost its color.  Shared some good memories?  She had a
sinking feeling she knew what that meant and she ran to go find Raye.
	She found her in the control room, talking with Luna and
greeted them both.
	"Your Highness, it is good to see you."
	"Oh Luna, how many times have I told you to stop with the
'Your Highness' thing.  God only knows for how long you called me
Serena among some other names I won't mention and then all of a
sudden, poof, I start growing silver hair and you switch over to calling
me 'Your Highness.' Highly illogical and highly unnecessary, I think."
	"Yes, Your Highness."
	"Oh, I'll deal with you later!" She turned to Raye, who stood
watching the two, trying not to laugh. "Raye, I have to speak to you.  It's
important."
	She instantly turned serious at the look in Serena's eyes
and said, "Sure, Serena, let's go to my room."  The two said their good
byes to Luna and headed for Raye's room.  Once there, Serena sat on
the bed and started talking.
	"I think I have an idea of why Darien's been so distant lately.
Two words: Alicia Thornton."
	"Really?  I met the woman yesterday and she seemed pretty
nice."
	"Well, appearances can be deceiving and I know that woman
is up to something and I'm going to find out what."
	"Serena, are you sure you aren't overreacting about this
whole thing?  You know I can usually sense bad vibes from people, and
I didn't get anything like that when I talked to her yesterday."
	If Raye didn't sense anything bad from Alicia, then maybe
she isn't Darien's problem, Serena thought.  But doubts still nagged the
back of her mind and she didn't completely give up on her suspicions
about Alicia.
	"Why don't you confront Darien, Serena?  Ask him up front, it
might be the best thing to do."
	"That's not a bad idea.  I guess whenever we have some time
together today I'll just have to ask him about Alicia.  I just hope he'll 
talk.
I hate this...this distance between us."
	Serena finally found Darien when she entered their bedroom
later in the evening.  He was reading a small slip of paper of some sort
and when he saw her come she noticed him crushing the paper in his
fist.
	"Darien, we need to talk.  This is highly important."
	"Not now Serena, I have to go meet someone.  If you'd like I'll
find some time to talk to you later tonight."
	"What?  So now, my husband has to 'make some time' to talk
to me?" she narrowed her eyes at him, "I don't need an appointment of
sorts to talk to you, Darien."
	"Well, you'll have to wait one way or another.  I have to go
now.  I'll see you later."
	He tossed the paper in the wastebasket on the way out and
as soon as he closed the door behind him, Serena rushed to fish the
paper out.  She found it lying on top and smoothed it out.  It was a note
to Darien...from Alicia.  Her face paled as she read and when she had
finished, the paper dropped to the floor, unnoticed by her.  Alicia had
asked Darien to meet her in her room, tonight and she had written that
he come alone or else.  Or else what? Serena wondered.
	"I have to find out." she whispered to herself.  She sat down
on the bed, chewing on her lip as she thought.  She knew she still had
an hour before the "designated time" in which Darien would meet Alicia.
	"I've got it!" she suddenly yelled to the empty room.  She
knew the room Alicia was staying in had a balcony.  All she had to do
was go in the room (hopefully no one would be there already) and hide
out in the balcony.  It was a perfect plan, she thought, might as well go 
now.
	She quickly walked to Alicia's room and after knocking on the
door and getting no response she turned the knob.
	"Hello?  Alicia, are you in here?  I just had a, um, favor to ask
of you."  No one replied and Serena sighed with relief.  She closed the
door behind her and walked over to the balcony, opened the doors and
slipped outside.  It was a pleasant night, perfect for hiding.  She stood in
the corner, where no one could see her and looked up into the night sky.
	The stars were out and the moon was bright.  A night perfect
for lovers, she thought.  Memories flooded her at that thought.  Memories
of the night she and Darien had reconciled after he had first broken up with
her.  It had been a night much like this one (AN: Love Under the Stars,
people. Read it!), a night where the two had realized their true love for
each other and knew that it was a love that would last for all eternity.
(AN: thank you Aria and Jane! Sailor Star & Sailor Aquablade,
respectively! ^_^)
	"Oh Darien," she whispered, "please prove me wrong."
	She heard voices and quickly flattened herself against the wall
and strained her ears to listen.
	"Oh Darien, I am so glad that you decided to meet me."
	"Yes, well, I know what this is all about so what do you want?"
	"This."
	And when Serena peeked around the corner of the wall, her
mouth dropped open.  Alicia was kissing Darien and apparently he was
taking it!  He wasn't moving away and Serena suddenly turned away,
the need to cry overwhelming her.  A sob threatened to escape her
throat but she contained it.
	"I won't cry, I won't cry," she whispered to herself.  She
suddenly heard footsteps coming towards the balcony and she
panicked. Acting on the instinct to escape, she quickly climbed over
the railing without thinking.  And then she slipped.
	She quickly grabbed on to the bars of the balcony railing
and hung on tight.  She looked down and whimpered.  It was a long way
down, fearfully long.  She heard the balcony doors slide open and then
footsteps run towards her.  Darien's face appeared above her, and
shocked was an understatement to what his face expressed.
	"Serena?"
	"Darien!"
	"Can I ask you what you're doing?"
	"Why should I tell you?"
	At that remark, he narrowed his eyes but then he relaxed his
stance, crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows questioningly,
"Really Serena, what would our people think if the saw their beloved
Queen hanging from a balcony where anyone down below could see her
*ahem* unmentionables."
	"Ooo you!  Help me up!"
	"No no, I kind of like to see you like this.  Now, you haven't
answered my question.  What exactly are you up to?"
	"That's none of your business!  Now help me up.  Are you
going to let me, your wife, fall?"
	"Love, you know I wouldn't let anything like that happen to
you.  Before your hands could even leave that railing, I would be there
to pull you up."
	"Or you could let me fall and then I would be out of your way
so you could marry Alicia."
	"Serena..." he warned.
	"C'mon Darien, admit it!  You love Alicia.  Ever since she
arrived you've been distant and unloving, just like the time you broke up
with me."
	"Serena, this is hardly the time or place to talk about this."
	"Like hell it isn't.  I'm hanging off a balcony, you're standing
there watching me, Alicia's nowhere to be found, the timing couldn't be
more perfect!"
	"Serena, I-"
	"Where is that hussy anyway?"
	"She said she had to go get something."
	"It was probably some more lipstick that she could put on
herself and then kiss you some more."
	"You were spying on me?"
	"Darien, I was scared, I needed to know what was going on."
	A sudden noise startled her causing her to lose her grip.
	"Darien!"  But she had fallen no more than a millimeter when
a strong hand caught hers and pulled her up.  She fell against his chest
and he caught her and tilted her chin up with a hand.
	"Don't ever scare me like that again Serena," he said gruffly
and then kissed her long and deep, possessing her.  She whimpered
softly, the pleasure of his fierce kiss threatening to bring her to her
knees.  He gently pulled away and gazed deep into her eyes.
	"Darien?"
	He stroked a thumb across her lips and said, "Serena, when
I kiss you, it's a feeling like none other in this world.  Everything
disappears around us and all my troubles melt away at the soft touch of
your lips.  I could never feel that way with anyone else, especially Alicia.
What you saw back there was nothing.  I, myself was in shock when
Alicia grabbed me and kissed me, that's why I didn't move away at first."
	"You're not saying this just to...?"
	"Serena, do you have so little faith in me?"
	Before she could reply, Alicia's voice floated out to them,
"Darien?  Where did you go?  I have something to show you."  She
came out onto the balcony and noticed Serena standing there.
	"Oh, I didn't know you were here too."
	Darien's arm tightened around his wife's waist and
replied, "She was looking for me and I brought her in.  I hope you don't
mind."
	"Oh no, of course not," she said slyly.
	Serena, who had been standing silent, suddenly spoke,
"Alicia, what's that?"  A glittering object had caught her eye and a
faint sense of dread filled her.
	"Oh this?" Alicia opened her hand fully and Serena
gasped.  It was the Star Locket.  The locket that symbolized the love
between her and Darien.  "This is just a little something that Darien
gave me when we first started seeing each other."
	Serena swung around to face Darien, "You gave the Locket
to her?  A symbol of our love and you just gave it away?  How could
you Darien?  How could you?"
	His face had gone pale and it was a while before he
answered, "Serena, it was a long time ago and I wasn't in the right
frame of mind at the time."
	"That's definitely obvious!" she snatched the locket from
Alicia's hand and turned to face Darien again, tears streaming down
her face, "You asked me if I had so little faith in you?  Well, here's my
answer!" She flung the locket away from her as hard as she could.  It
sailed over the balcony and landed somewhere in the gardens below.
	Hoarse sobs built up, pounding against her chest, tearing
from her throat.  She gave one last glance to the two of them and
then fled, her silvery hair flying out behind her.
	"She seemed upset." Alicia said.
	"Damn you!" Darien growled and then ran to find Serena.
End.

	She ran, not caring where she went or who she saw.  All
she knew was that she had to get away, had to be alone.  She
stumbled and saw the stones of the pathway rising to meet her and
she flung out her hands in an effort to brace her fall.  She fell hard
and knew she had skinned her palms badly.  But she got up and
continued running finally coming to a stop when she realized tall
bushes trapped her way.
	She turned around slowly and cursed silently.  Of all the
places to be she had landed herself in Darien's favorite place, the
private rose gardens.  Here, roses of all sorts bloomed wildly year
round and their scent could only be thought of as heavenly.  A
fountain stood in the middle, water falling from it softly giving one a
sense of peace and tranquility.  But peacefulness was far from her
mind.
	She sat on the edge of the fountain, trailing her fingers in
the water.  A deep sense of sadness filled her soul, thoughts and
images of Darien with Alicia choking her with grief.  She suddenly
blinked and did not believe her eyes for a second.  There, resting at
the bottom of the fountain, lay the Locket, beautiful in its form and
shape.  She pulled it out of the water and looked at it in the
moonlight. She touched it gently, as if she were afraid it would
crumble in her hands.
	A slight movement caught her attention and she brought
her head up to see her daughter standing at the entrance, looking
slightly sleepy and totally adorable in her long white nightgown.
	"Rini, honey, what are you doing here?"
	"I opened my room door and I saw you running and I
thought something was wrong.  Are you alright, Mommy?"
	"Oh sweetheart, come here," she held out her arms
and Rini gladly went to her.  Serena pulled her onto her lap, hugged
her tight and buried her face in the little girl's hair, thankful for having
been given this little miracle.  "Mommy's just a little sad, Rini.  Nothing
for you to worry about."
	"What happened?"
	"Well...Daddy and I had a little disagreement but it's
nothing very big, so I don't want you to worry about it, okay?"
	"I'm gonna have a little talk with Daddy.  He shouldn't hurt
you like this, it's not good at all."  Serena was surprised at her
daughter's sharp insight of the matter and hugged her once more.
	"You don't have to do that, darling."
	"But Daddy has to know that you're feeling sad.  Hey,
what's that?" She pointed to the locket and Serena let her hold it.
	"That, Rini, is a very special locket.  Your daddy gave
that to me as a gift a very, very long time ago."
	"How long ago?"
	"Oh, I'd say about more than 3,000 years ago."
	"Wow!  That's so cool!  Can I show it to my friends?"
   	"Maybe later, okay?  Right now, why don't you go back to
sleep?"
	"Only if you tell me my favorite story.  The one about the
prince and his princess."
	Serena knew the story very well.  After all, it was about
her life in the Silver Millennium and it was one of Darien's favorite
stories to tell Rini.  Countless times she had come upon the two,
Darien vividly painting a picture of their life with his hands and his
words and Rini looking on, totally captivated.
	Rini made herself comfortable in Serena's arms and
looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to begin.
	Serena smiled at her and began, "Once upon a time
there was a beautiful princess who lived in a beautiful palace.  She
was the princess of the moon and one day she met a prince..."
	By the time she finished, Rini had fallen fast asleep, a
little smile on her face.  Serena brushed a few strands of pink hair
away from her face but stilled when she heard the sound of a footstep
crunching on some leaves.  She knew it was Darien and did not turn
to greet him.
	"Serena..." he whispered.
	"Go away, Darien.  Just leave me alone.  Leave us alone."
	"Serena, please don't do this to me."
	"Do what Darien?  Shut you out like you did to me?  Oh, I
won't do that, I'll tell you exactly how I feel right now.  I feel hurt,
betrayed, angry and dejected.  I just don't understand what you saw in
Alicia and I don't want to know, but that I don't care about very much
since it was in the past. What I can't seem to understand is why you
never told me about her before, you've had all this time."
	"Serena, if you'll just stop and let me explain.  When I had
left Tokyo, I was angry and bitter.  I was the one who felt betrayed at
that time. I wanted to erase you from my mind forever.  No, Serena,
don't turn away, I didn't realize what a big fool I was at the time and
taking your advice, I basically gave that locket to the first girl who in a
way fell for me.  I thought by getting rid of it, life would be made easier
for me, but it wasn't. Your face haunted my dreams, my thoughts,
everything.  I still loved you, had never stopped loving you, I was just
too big an idiot to realize it."
	"So why didn't you bother telling me about Alicia?  Why did
you let me figure it out on my own now?"
	"I didn't think it was important," he regretted the words as
soon as they left his mouth.
	"You didn't think it was important?  I'm just wondering how
many other things you haven't told me because you don't think they're
'important' enough to tell me."
	"Serena, that's not what I meant..."
	"Mommy?" Rini had woken up at the sound of their voices
and was now looking quite concerned.  She lifted her head and saw
Darien.
	"Daddy!" she was about to go to him when she stopped,
"I have to talk to you Daddy.  You've made Mommy very sad and
that wasn't very nice of you and-"
	"Rini, sweet, why don't we talk tomorrow?" he sat down
beside Serena and continued, "I promise.  Now why don't you run
along to your room and get some sleep."
	"Good idea, I'll go with her." Serena was about to stand
up, when Darien stopped her.
	"Let her go on her own.  She's a big girl and besides we
have to talk."
	"Daddy's right, Mommy.  I'm a big girl now!  I'm not afraid
of the dark."
	"But I don't want you to go back alone, Rini."
	"She'll be alright, Serena."
	The two watched their daughter run off and then Darien
turned back Serena.
	"Serena, I never meant to hurt you, that's why I never told
you about Alicia.  I knew if you found out, it would have caused you
more pain, pain you didn't need.  I was only trying to protect you."
	"But Darien, why didn't you just tell me everything when
she first came?  Why become so distant from me?  It solved nothing
and this is what it came to."
	Suddenly, a child's scream pierced the air.  The two froze
and one thought crossed their minds at the same time, Rini!  Darien
ran as fast as he could, Serena close behind him.
	"My baby, my baby, oh God, my baby!"
	They burst through to the entrance of the gardens to see
Alicia holding on to Rini by the arm.
	"Let go of her you witch!" Serena yelled.
	"Mommy!"  Rini wrenched free of Alicia and ran to her
mother where she was picked up and held onto tightly."
	"It's all right, baby, it's alright.  Mommy's here."
	"What is the meaning of this, Alicia?" Darien demanded.
	"I was coming to find you and I ran into her and she must
have gotten spooked."
	"She called me a Serena's brat!"
	Alicia inhaled sharply, "Why you little-"
	"Careful, Alicia." Darien warned, menacingly.
	"Darien, you know I meant no harm!  She had startled me
and I just said whatever came to my mind."
	"It was the wrong thing to say to my daughter," Serena
said, "in fact you coming here in the first place was wrong.  As
Queen, I order you to leave and never show your face here again!
You've caused us enough problems."
	Alicia's face flushed red and she turned to Darien,
outraged, "Darien?"
	He moved closer to Serena and looked at Alicia, his
face forbidding, "I stand by my wife's decision.  Leave this place,
Alicia."
	"I won't! I'll-"
	"Is there a problem here, Your Highnesses?"  It was
Raye, as Sailor Mars.
	"Yes, please escort Alicia to her room and make sure
she packs her bags and leaves tonight."
	"You can't do this Darien!  I'll tell the whole world about
our affair!  I swear it!"
	"You do that and I'll come after you and burn you to a
crisp," Raye said, grinning evilly, "after all, I'm the only one in this
palace who's allowed to play with fire."  She snapped her fingers
causing a slight flame to appear between them. (AN: yeah, u go
Raye! ^_^)
	All color left Alicia's face and she slowly backed away.
	"You won't say anything, will you, Ms. Thornton?"
	"No," she whispered fearfully.
	"Good, now let's get going Ms. Thornton.  Wouldn't want
you to miss the midnight train out of Crystal Tokyo."
	She led Alicia away, leaving the royal family alone.
	"Daddy, we still have to have that talk."
	Darien grinned, and ruffled his daughter's hair.  "And I
promised you tomorrow sweetheart.  Right now, let's get you to
bed. We've all had a long night."
	The three went up to Rini's room and as Rini fell
asleep, Darien put his hand on Serena's shoulder and whispered,
"We need to talk."
	She stilled and nodded slowly.  They walked to their
room and Serena, who was in front, turned around and faced him.
"Well?" she asked.
	"Serena, I don't know what to say to you.  I hope you
know that I'm sorry, that I never meant to cause you any of this
suffering you've been through.  What else can I do to make you
forgive me?"
	"Darien, all I want to know is why you never told me
about this from the very beginning?  You had me so scared, it
was just like back then when you broke up with me.  I didn't know
what I had done wrong and I didn't know what to do to get you
back!"
	 Darien took her in his arms and held her close.  They
stayed that way until he broke the silence and spoke, "I truly
thought I knew what I was doing.  I thought I could handle
everything without troubling you.  I guess I thought wrong, huh?
And then Alicia asked for money and everything just turned
complicated.  I-I just tried to do what I thought best."
	"Oh Darien, I understand.  And I'm truly touched that
you were trying to look out for me, but next time, have a little
faith in me."
	Darien chuckled and tipped her chin up, "You know,
I should be saying that to you.  How could you think that I was
going behind your back with Alicia?  No other woman
compares to you Serena.  I love you, no one else and it'll be
that way forever."
	"And I you, my love." (AN: oh, the mushiness of it all!)

	An hour later found the two in bed with Darien stroking
Serena's hair as she lay her head on his bare chest. (AN: I got the
image from a pic of the two, sooo sweet!)
	 "Thank you," he said quietly.
	She tilted her head up and looked at him, bemused.
"Why?"
	"For loving me, even after all this.  Any other woman
would have probably left me by now."
	"But I'm not every woman Darien, I'll never leave you,"
she smiled slightly, "I'll cosh you with my crown instead."
	He laughed and she watched as he moved his fingers.
It was the movement he did whenever he produced a rose and
she was expecting one.  But instead he produced the locket and
she gasped in surprise and pleasure.
	"How did you do that?  I thought I had left it back in the
rose gardens!"
	"Magic, my love," and he brought her up for a kiss for
which she gladly complied.

	The next morning, Darien was signing some papers
when his daughter walked in, her head held high.  She stopped
in front of his desk and put her hands on her hips.
	"Daddy, we have to talk."
	Darien grinned at the sight and didn't say anything.
	"This isn't funny, Daddy.  Mommy is very upset, I
think she was even crying.  You have to go apologize to her, we
have to be a happy family, not a sad one."
	"Sweetheart, I already apologized to your mother last
night."
	"If you don't make Mommy happy, then you won't be
happy and then the whole world won't be hap-," she stopped
suddenly, "You apologized already?"
	"Yes, Munchkin, I already did and everyone's happy
again."
	"Then I did my job right," she said, nodding her head
confidently.  She stopped and then shook her finger at him, "But
don't make Mommy upset again Daddy!"
	"I promise."
	"Good," and she flounced out of his office, her pigtails
bouncing behind her leaving her father shaking his head after her.