Right, FINALLY!
Author's Notes at the End!
On with the show.


* @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- *

	'Then if it's a dream,' she told herself in a
burst of determined finality, 'I'm going to command
it's final moment...'

	With that, she wriggled closer to Darien and
underneath the pile of blankets they shared, his head
resting against her chest as she gently intertwined
her arms under his, cradling him in an embrace that
brought an instant sensation of warmth before
clinging to her and drowning her with the thick blackness
of a dreamless sleep.

* @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- *

Tempest Ardor
    Chapter 5

By Aimee and Angela



	A few hours later Darien slowly peeled 
his eyes open and blinked groggily, for a 
moment completely unaware of where he was.  All 
he wanted to do was lazily close his eyes once 
more, and snuggle deeper into the incredible 
warmth that surrounded him.  Unfortunately, he 
realized how stiff his muscles felt, and was 
becoming increasingly attuned to a persistent, 
gnawing pain in his upper back.

	Taking a deep breath, he began to tilt 
his head upwards with a yawn, but it died in a 
stifled cry of unexpected shock.  The events of 
the last 24-hours came crashing down upon him 
with the drumming of the rain outside as he 
gazed into the wan, yet angelic face just in 
front of his.  And he realized he'd been so 
warm because of the body he'd been cradled 
against so protectively.

	Darien's deep blue eyes stared back at 
the perfect features so stunningly captured in 
Serena's sleep, and he found himself in 
complete awe.  He swallowed the lump in his 
throat as his eyes lingered on the pout of her 
pale pink lips and recalled with a brief 
exhalation and closed eyes the rather 
intoxicating moment they had shared in this 
very stairwell. 

	'For the love of God, Chiba...what did 
you *do*?'  

	His eyes blinked open.  She *was* still
holding him, wasn't she?  Maybe it hadn't been
so bad after all...and as he inhaled a weary 
breath he realized how badly he hoped he was 
not dreaming.

	Stealing a hesitant glance about the 
walls, he focused on the sounds of the passing 
storm gails outside, frowning when they sounded 
just as tenacious as hours before.  The 
realization that their 'room' was actually lit 
drew his attention to the steps at his left 
side.

	Darien blinked in surprise, looking over 
the amount of supplies before him. No less than 
three lamps, five flashlights, and two packs of 
every single type of battery imaginable lay 
carefully arranged at their side. Glancing at 
the slumbering girl beside him, he commented 
lowly, "Industrious little thing, aren't you?"
	
	The humidity brought soft kinks to the 
long waves of hair strewn over the pillows and 
down the steps below, her bangs curling softly 
above her model-perfect brow.

	Darien felt alarm seize him in a wave 
when he suddenly remembered her probable 
concussion, and he scolded himself furiously 
for being so weak as to fall asleep when she 
needed to be watched carefully.

	"Serena," he murmured, nudging her 
shoulder gently. 'Please, just wake up!' he 
commanded inwardly.  "Serena!" He repeated 
fiercely, giving her a sound shake when her 
eyes refused to open a second time around.

	Her mouth parted with the slightest mewls 
of protest before her eyes suddenly snapped 
open with a fearful gasp.  Darien studied her 
with wide, dark eyes, his own nose mere inches 
from hers as a myriad of emotions and memories 
flickered across her alarmed features.
	
	Her chest heaved as she fought for 
composure, her crystal blue eyes staring 
directly into the ones fixed upon her.  It was 
all she could do just to keep from tightening 
her arms about him and crushing her lips to 
his.  And all he could do.
 
	"I'm sorry..." Darien said, clearing his 
throat, his slightly husky voice easily heard 
in the echoes of the stairwell. "I...hated to 
wake you, but with that nasty bump on your 
head, it's only precautionary that you not 
sleep for long intervals until we're sure 
you're okay."

	"Of-Of course," Serena murmured, 
swallowing as she pursed her lips together and 
tentatively cleared her own throat. She was 
wondering how she was going to disentangle her 
body from his without it being noticeable.

	A faint, low rumble answered her prayers.  
Darien arched a quizzical brow as Serena grimaced 
slightly, clutching at her stomach sheepishly.  
"Sorry," she squeaked. "Guess I'm hungry," she 
offered, shifting her weight more to her side 
and pushing herself to a sitting position. 

	Darien chuckled dryly, finding that he 
had to force a smile to his face as his muscles 
contracted sharply when he sat himself up beside 
her.  Likewise rather famished only a moment ago, 
his stomach now lurched in nauseous protest to 
the intense flare of pain. "Food...would be a 
good thing," he replied. "There's got to be 
*something* in this place we can find.  We just 
have to go looking."

	"More exploring...out there..." Serena 
whimpered, using the wall to support herself as 
she waited for her head to acknowledge that she 
was now on her feet. "Hey, are you all right?" 
she asked suddenly, noticing the tightened 
expression on Darien's now ashen face.
 
	"A little stiff," he replied, getting 
slowly to his feet.  

	"How's your shoulder?"

	"Fine," he muttered quickly, 
straightening.  He glanced over at her, 
frowning at the fact that she looked about as 
white as he felt at the moment.  She was gazing 
warily at the door, and Darien knew what she 
was concerned about.  "It'll be all right," he 
assured her.  "We've made it this far, haven't 
we?" he offered a wan resemblance to his cocky 
grin, but she managed to relax visibly.  

	"Yes, you're right. And I *am* starving," 
Serena nodded.

	"Heaven forbid anything should *ever* get 
in the way of that," Darien chuckled, motioning 
politely for her to go ahead of him. To his 
relief, Serena stooped to pick up a flashlight 
for each of them as she reached the steps, and 
they ascended their way to the door in silence.  

	They stood in the dank darkness of the 
department store's upper level, the heavy 
creaking of the metal door resounding eerily 
behind them.  Their flashlights cut a dim swath 
of yellow light through the murkiness, and the 
walls continued to shudder with claps of 
thunder outside. 

	"This way," Darien whispered, motioning 
with the beam of his flashlight towards the 
right. "There's got to be a staff break room 
around here somewhere. Surely we can find 
something..."

	They inched their way across the store, 
cautious of their footing and acutely tuned into 
the howling of the wind outside.  Serena felt as 
if she were going mad.  The wind and rain was 
endless, scraping and hammering against her 
already shattered nerves.  Hours upon hours had 
passed, and the horrible shriek of the wind never 
tired for a moment, causing her to wonder how in 
the world she managed to fall asleep earlier.  
She had never been able to sleep during turbulent 
weather.

	'He was with you,' she told herself. 
'That's how you managed it.  You feel safe around 
him, whether you want to admit it or not.  Safer 
than you've felt in a long time.'

	Serena blinked in silent confusion, 
wondering what in the world such thoughts could 
amount to.  One thing she did know, however.  
If she was going to mentally survive the storm, 
she was going to need his support...his comfort.  
That meant she had to swallow a little of her 
pride.  Tentatively, she reached out a hand and 
brushed her fingers against his.  He did not 
look at her as he took her hand in his own, nor 
did she really expect him to.

	His words thankfully cut through the 
awkward silence that had shrouded them.  "There's 
nothing to be afraid of."

	She nodded.  He didn't let go of her hand.

	"Darien?  Why does the storm sound so much 
louder out here?" Serena asked uncomfortably. Was 
it her imagination, or had she just felt a few 
raindrops?  Disoriented, she shined her flashlight 
at the ceiling.  No dripping water from leaks was 
to be found.

	Darien halted suddenly, and his hand 
tightened around hers.  The glare of the flashlight 
shone on something quite unexpected at the far end 
of the hallway they were traveling on.  Wet debris 
was everywhere.  Concrete and bricks.  Ceiling tiles.  
Seaweed.  But that wasn't the worst part, by far.

	"Oh, my gosh," Serena whispered, her heart 
hammering angrily in her chest as she inched closer 
to her equally alarmed companion.

	Darien began to back away, grasping her arm 
and taking her with him.  "The tornado," he murmured 
to himself, staring at the gaping hole in the wall, 
leading out into the blackness of the raging storm.  
"It must have damaged this side of the building."  
A wash of seawater spray and rain stung their faces, 
momentarily blinding them.  Darien continued to pull 
her away, grabbing a random piece of clothing nearby 
and covering her with it to shield her from the 
unwelcome gusts of wind and rain.  "This is probably 
the west side of the building.  The wind and rain 
would be much worse if we were pointed out to sea."

	Serena's blood ran cold as something slammed 
into the building with a terrifyingly strident 
shriek, sounding like metal scraping and moaning.  
"What in the world...?" she breathed, holding her 
hands over her ears as the sound crescendoed with a 
particularly strong gust of wind.  As the unseen 
object slammed again into the building, more debris 
fell from the wall and floor, having been weakened 
and dislodged.  "What do you think it is?"

	 "Probably debris hitting the side of the 
building.  Stay here," he ordered.  "I want to see 
what's causing the commotion, and see how deep the 
storm surge has gotten, if I can.  I'll call you 
over if it's safe."

	The unseen object slammed again against the 
building, causing Serena to pale considerably.  
"Right.  I think I'll...just stay here," she 
responded weakly.

	With him went half of the light that had been 
a considerable amount of comfort to her.  She kept 
her own flashlight on his back, not wanting to lose 
sight of him.  Within seconds, he had reached the 
great gap in the wall, and she held her breath as he 
cautiously dared to peer down into the angry waves.  
There, Serena watched him become utterly still, 
despite the rain that soaked him and the wind 
that threatened to knock him off his feet.

	"D-Darien?" she stammered, a chill 
running up the length of her spine.  "What is 
it?"  There was no way he could have heard her, 
she knew, for he was probably deaf to anything 
but the wind.  "Darien?!" she called again, 
louder this time, taking a step from the 
confines of the checkout counter.

	Still, he did not respond, and Serena 
felt fear grip her heart so quickly, all 
common sense and sagacity quickly fled her.  
She ran to him, ignoring the bite of the wind 
and the sting of the rain that had managed to 
find its way into the building.  She was wet 
and shivering once again by the time she 
reached him.  He did not seem to notice the 
voice calling his name or the pale hands 
gripping his sleeve.

	"That's..." he whispered.

	"Darien, what's wrong?  Snap out of 
it!"

	"That's..."  He swallowed with 
difficulty, his face twisted in a most tragic 
expression.

	"What, Darien?  What?"

	"That's..." he spoke with obvious 
difficulty, "...my car."

	Serena blinked in surprise.  For a 
moment, she thought for sure he'd gone mad, 
but upon following his eyes outside, down into 
the raging waters below, she spotted the cause 
of all the commotion.  The beam of her 
flashlight barely made out the shape of a 
bright red hood floating, or rather flailing, 
in the waves below.

	"Look!" Darien lamented, pointing at 
the submerged vehicle.  "I left the lights 
on!"

	Sure enough, two weakly lit 
headlights could be made out amongst the 
darkness of the water.  "Call me crazy, 
Darien, but I think that's the least of your 
worries."

	"Oh, I hope those damn surfers and 
reporters are happy and dry.  I want them to 
be nice and healthy when I hunt them down," 
seethed the enraged man, hiding his face in 
his hands as his car once again smashed into 
the side of the building, driven there by the 
force of the waves.  "I swear, I'll never 
watch the news again.  I hope all their cars 
never start again, and the storm ruins their 
paint jobs.  I hope...I hope the *Negaverse* 
gets 'em.  Ha!"

	On and on he went, so serious about 
his threats, that Serena felt terribly bad 
that she couldn't seem to stop laughing.  
Trying desperately to smother her giggles, 
she patiently led the wildly gesturing man 
away to continue their search for food.

* @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- *

	"It was...*sigh*...a good car," Darien 
lamented.  His anger had somewhat calmed, but 
the utter disappointment of losing his precious 
vehicle had yet to subside.  "I bought it new 
only a few months ago."

	Serena wasn't listening, but rather 
busied herself by ransacking the pathetically 
barren cupboards of the staff break room 
they'd found.  "Geez, there's nothing but 
coffee and creamer up here.  How do these 
people work here?"

	"It still had that new car smell, 
too.  Such a loss."

	"I suppose I could check the 
refrigerator to see if there's anything 
that hasn't gone bad."

	"The best paint job money could buy.  
Customized decals."

	"Phew!" Serena exclaimed, clamping a 
hand over her nose as a bewitching aroma 
attacked her senses upon opening the 
refrigerator door.  "What died in here?"

	"Leather seats.  It even came with 
a personalized coffee mug."  He heaved 
another sigh.  "It was a good little mug."

	Serena paused and fixed him with a 
rather incredulous gaze.  On and on he 
ranted, and if she didn't snap him out of 
it soon, they were both going to be in trouble.  
"Hey look, I found some more creamer, and it 
expired in 1979, which I think is the same 
year this potato salad was purchased.  Do I 
dare attempt to see what's in this Tupperware 
bowl?"

	"God's angry with me, that's what," 
Darien went on, lost in his wretchedness.  
"I knew it from the start, when I woke up this 
mor--THAT'S DISGUSTING!!  Get it away!"

	Serena laughed as he shot backwards 
from the table, knocking the chair to the floor 
in his haste to get away from the open 
Tupperware bowl she held.  "I think it used to 
be Chinese.  I can't really tell through the 
mold.  Still hungry?"

	"Can't say I am, no," he responded 
weakly, momentarily forgetting his car.  "What 
in the world possessed you to go for a sealed 
bowl?  In a break room, no less!  You should 
know better than that.  I think you've released 
enough spores into the atmosphere to spawn a 
new breed of plant life."

	Serena wasn't listening anymore, for 
she'd been busily searching the bottom drawers 
of the refrigerator.  "Hey, I found some fruit!  
Um...at least, I think that's what it is.  I 
never knew fruit to be so...fuzzy."

	Darien shuddered in spite of himself, 
suddenly feeling rather nauseous.

	"Oh wait," she added a moment later, 
"they're peaches.  Silly me!  Here ya go!"  
Through the poorly lit room, Darien missed 
the peach she threw to him and it hit him 
square in the forehead.  "Whoops!  Sorry 
about that.  Gee, I hope the fruit wasn't 
bruised.  Eat up now."

	"But," he protested, looking at the 
peach in his hand horrifically, "it's not 
been properly washed."

	"It's that or Chinese Tupperware 
Surprise," she replied grimly.  "There are 
worse things than unwashed fruit."

	Not looking convinced in the least, 
he grunted unappreciatively as he gazed at 
the fruit in his hands.  With a sigh, he 
took a careful bite and swallowed quickly, 
trying to keep his mind from dwelling on 
the multitude of bacteria and pesticide 
remnants that were probably oozing down 
his throat at that very moment.  Despite 
his disgust, his stomach didn't seem to 
mind his reluctant intake of food.  It 
growled appreciatively in response.

	"I guess I was hungrier than I 
thought," he admitted sheepishly, watching 
her take a seat across from him, fruit in 
hand, a strange half-smile clinging to her 
features.  "What's got you in such a good 
mood?"

	She looked up at him in surprise.  
"Haven't you noticed?  Listen."

	Darien cast his eyes up to the 
ceiling, suddenly aware that the wind and 
rain had almost stilled completely outside.  
He'd been so caught up in the loss of his 
car, he'd hardly noticed the change, 
dramatic as it was.  Taking a thoughtful 
bite from the peach, he considered the 
silence, his forehead grimacing in 
perplexity.  "The storm can't possibly 
be over yet."

	Serena swallowed with difficultly.  
"What do you mean?"

	"We must be in the eye.  Talk about 
a direct hit.  That means we're halfway 
through the storm.  Better than nothing, 
I suppose."

	"Only halfway?" Serena squealed
 in disbelief, her apple completely 
forgotten, "but...it's been hours!  
I don't even know how long!"

	Darien glanced at his watch, 
thankful that he had thought to purchase 
one that was waterproof.  "Roughly thirteen 
hours since the first band moved onshore.  
I'd estimate that we have at least that 
long to go before the rain and wind end.  
Hopefully the storm surge will have 
diminished enough by that time so that 
you and I can get out of here."

	Serena's eyes were wide and stricken
with unmasked horror as she now stared down at 
the table.  The idea of spending practically 
another full day trapped in this dangerous 
prison was paralyzing her with fear.  The 
relief she was feeling with the dissipation 
of the storm's sounds fluttered away.

	Darien watched as Serena discarded her 
Apple and let it roll across the table unheeded.  
He shook his head quickly and reached across the 
table to snatch her hand fiercely, which succeeded 
in snapping her out of her trance.

	"Stop that," he whispered. "It's going to
be okay.  You're just stuck here with me, is all,"
he smirked at her.

	Serena arched an eyebrow, and felt a twinge
of nervous emotion burst from her mouth in a sharp
retort. "And you thought God was angry with *you*."

	Darien grinned back at her. "There's my
girl.  You want anything else to eat from in 
there?" he asked, waving dismissively at the
refrigerator.  "We might as well take a look 
around for a bit before we have to get comfortable
back in the stairwell."

	Serena rose cautiously from the table and
reached into the refrigerator to pluck the plastic
bag of fruit she had found from its drawer.  She
tentatively took her flashlight from the counter, 
and looked across the dim room towards Darien.

        "Ready?" he asked.

        She nodded, and shuffled towards his 
dark outline, following him out into the store
once again. "Do we have to go back to the 
stairwell?" she asked tiredly.  "I don't like 
it in there."

	"The wind is kicking up again outside, and 
the eye wall will no doubt be strong," he argued.  
"The stairwell is the safest place in the store.  
What makes you dislike it so?"

	She scowled, recalling her terrifying 
battle with the youma.  "Bad memories."

	Darien adopted a rather flippant tone of
injustice. "I'm deeply hurt.  I didn't think I was 
that bad of a kisser."

	Serena gasped and immediately flushed.  
"I...I wasn't talking about *that*!  I meant 
the youma, you baka."

	"Oh, so then you liked the kiss?" he 
countered mischievously.

	"You're the one I was kissing.  What 
do you think?" she growled.

	"Thank you," he quipped complacently.  
"I quite enjoyed it myself."

	"Why you...!"

	He laughed and trotted to the side as
she whipped around to take a swipe at him.  
"Calm down.  I'm only kidding."
	
	Serena's arms crossed over her chest as 
she planted her feet against the damp floor in
protest. "Well, I wish you wouldn't kid about 
such things."

	He sighed, but a bit wistful smile found 
its way his lips.  "I know.  I'm sorry...for 
everything." His words held a great deal of weight,
silently eluding to far more than that smoldering
kiss.  "I shouldn't have done what I did in 
the stairwell, and I apologize," he concluded 
remorsefully, turning to continue shuffling across
the floor.

	Serena blinked, her brow furrowing in 
confusion.  She cocked her head to the side and
jogged her way towards him. "What are you talking 
about?" she asked, gazing up at his profile as they
moved along. "You have nothing to be sorry for."

	"Of course I do."

	"But *I* was the one that started it."

	"I didn't exactly try to stop you," Darien
pointed out, intent on keeping his dark gaze forward
as he pushed his way around through debris.

	"I didn't ask you to.  Besides, I 
kissed you first," Serena countered, perhaps a
bit too smugly.

	"So that excuses me from my behavior?" he
half-cried to the darkened ceiling, throwing his 
hands in the air in mild exasperation. "Because I 
wasn't the one who originally instigated the kiss?"

	"Would kissing me have ever crossed your 
mind otherwise?" she shot back quickly.

	There was a split second of impenetrable 
silence. "Fine.  It's *all* your fault," he 
conceded, and before Serena could blink, Darien 
had her tight in his arms.  His mouth came down 
upon hers, drowning out Serena's weak cry of 
surprise.  Releasing her after only a few short 
moments, Darien offered an endearing smile.  
"And now we're even."  With that, he turned on 
his heel and walked off, leaving a petrified 
Serena gaping at his back.  Caught completely 
off-guard, she could do nothing but sputter.

	Darien was suddenly extremely grateful 
for their cursed lack of lighting, for his face
surely had to be a rather unbecoming shade of 
crimson.  Even for a man of his many talents,
what he had just done left him nearly as shocked
and breathless as the girl he had pounced upon. 
But he would never admit that openly. Oh no.  
And certainly not to her. 

	Darien's fingers raised lightly to his 
lips as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath 
to calm himself. In that brief moment, an 
unexpected flash of impending danger registered 
in his mind, causing his pace to slow to a near 
halt.  The wind outside began to howl ominously, 
perhaps at an even greater strength than it had 
in the previous hours.

	"How dare you!!" Serena erupted from 
behind, finally having found her voice, oblivious 
to the mounting roar outside.

	He wasn't listening.  Turning abruptly
on his heels, he strode back to her, clamped 
his hand down over her wrist, and hauled her 
towards the stairwell door.  "Something's 
wrong."

	"Why is it every time we kiss, you say 
that?" Serena groaned. "Ouch! What's your deal?"
she demaned angrily, tugging painfully at her 
wrist. Drug roughly behind him, Serena's protests
stopped, and she seemed to visibly shrink in 
fear when she noticed the way the floor had 
begun to shake...the way the east wall was 
bowing, and *not* due to the shadows of their
flashlights...

	Darien seemingly had noticed, too, 
drawing her up next to him, and now pushing her 
in front of himself. "Let's move."

	They began to run, but the stairwell 
was still meters away.  But as the howling became
a clanging ruckus outside, not even it seemed to 
be a safe haven anymore from such a monster of a 
storm. The deafening roar outside had impossibly 
crescendoed from the levels it had been 
during the first half of the typhoon.  Darien 
eyed the bowing wall wearily and silently 
shook his head in defeat, his breath coming in
painful gasps.

	Serena screamed and flung her hands over 
her face as a large part of the east wall 
crackled and blew in with such force, both she 
and Darien were knocked completely off of 
their feet.  Bricks, glass, and pieces of the 
ceiling filled the air like an angry swarm of 
bees, striking and falling upon them both 
unmercifully.

	Darien stumbled to his feet, dust and 
shattered building material hanging in the damp
air.  Swatting wires and dangling two-by-four's
aside with his good arm, he drug Serena out from 
underneath a pile of ceiling tiles, to her feet, 
and *back* from whence they came--towards the 
opening in the west wall that the car had torn.  

	"Out!" he was shouting, half pushing, 
half pulling the both of them as they scrambled.
"Get out!  Get out of the building!" he screamed 
over the tumult.

	"What?!" she screamed in response, 
gripping his shirt desperately.  She looked about 
her frantically, unable to see what was going on, 
for they'd both lost their flashlights.

	"Now!  This wing of the building is going 
to collapse!"

	"But we can't go out there! We'll drown!"

	"MOVE!!" Darien snarled impatiently, 
ignoring the rippling pain that shot through his
shoulder and across his back as he shoved her over
scattered debris.

	Shock was descending rapidly over Serena's
mind, and she almost felt as if she had been
detached from it. The chaotic noise about her 
sounded absurdly far away, her limbs numb save 
for the fact that she was forcing them to move. 

	An annoying sensation was prickling at
the back of her mind, but she was too attuned
to just staying alive at the moment to care. 
Serena desperately struggled to maintain her
footing, and grimly realized that her companion
was doing the same.  She could hear him wheezing
breathlessly beside her, as if he was unable to
catch a proper breath.

	"We're going to have to jump!" he shouted
at her, the wind picking up horribly with two
open sides of the building now allowing it 
to smash through.

	"We don't know what's out there!"
Serena cried.  "Have you gone completely suicidal?!"

	Darien's grip tightened convulsively on
her arm, and her jerked her so swiftly before him
that she could feel his breath on her face with
their new proximity to each other.

	"Dammit," he roared. "Why does everyone
think that *survival* equates suicide?" he bit
out. "We have no choice!  These walls will fold 
in and trap us, and then we *will* surely 
drown.  We'll have to wait for lightning to
see the water," he continued shouting at her,
their hair tossing and tumbling about them wildly
in the air.  "Try to stay together, but listen to
me...It probably won't work.  We're going to get
separated..." he paused, peering into the darkness
at where he knew her face had to be.

	Serena stared back, knowing that she was
looking into his eyes, even if she couldn't
see them.  He was gripping her arms tightly, and
she could sense he was just as frightened, but
determined.  

	"No matter what, we have to find our way
to safety.  I'll be all right, but I don't want
to have to worry about you, too, you got it?"

	Serena nodded desperately.  The movement
seemed enough for Darien.

	"All right," he shouted again. "You're 
strong.  Get yourself out.  We'll be okay,"
he assured her.  

	"Darien--"

	"And I'll prove it to you," he said
softly, unheeded by her ears.  He stepped in
to her, expertly raising his hands to gently
encase her face in his palms as his fingertips
plunged into her hair, bowing his head and 
pressing his lips once again to hers in a 
powerful embrace that turned her legs to gel.
"Now," he shouted hoarsely in her ear, "We're
no longer even. Time to go."

	"Wha-?" she gasped, her eyes blinking
open.

	Through the thick darkness, Serena 
heard him cry out in pain as something 
crashed into his body.  His hand was ripped 
violently from hers.  "DARIEN!!!" she 
screamed, her eyes hungrily searching for 
him, but all that greeted her was darkness.  
In the distance, she heard him cry out again, 
and she gasped in horror.  His choked voice 
had come from outside...outside in the angry 
ocean.

	Serena looked down into the blackness
in desperation.  She could hear water slapping 
and splashing angrily against stone, and it was
difficult to force herself to inch closer.  
The flooring crumbled beneath her feet as she
found the ledge of what was left of this floor, 
and she gasped, sinking to a crouch to steady 
herself and keep from toppling over the edge.

	She was dumbfounded.  Shaking mightily
with fear and desperation, she wracked her mind
for something to do.  

	"Of course...." she told herself, as
the powerful sense of self-preservation took over
and guided her.  "Transform yourself, Serena," she
murmured, digging into her pocket for her locket.
She just might stand a chance as Sailor Moon.

	Simultaneously squeezing the amulet and
feeling her breath leave her in a rush of power,
Serena turned slowly, the darkness around her
faintly illuminated by her glowing form. Her eyes
were wide and alarmed, but her mouth was drawn
in a grim line of determination as she watched
the remaining walls of the Sears wing deteriorate
in slow motion, falling nearer and nearer to her.

	Turning with deliberate movements, she knew
she would likely be crushed by the tumbling walls 
behind her. Serena had only one option left to her.

	She jumped.


* @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- *

	BWAHA! Angela and Aimee grin wickedly and 
dance around, delighted to finally get another chapter 
finished. 'What?  Not enough for you?' they ask 
fiendishly. 'So sorry.  You'll have to wait for our 
final chapter!'

What?

Did you think we had actually FORGOTTEN our 
traditional parody?  Of course not. It just
had to go at the end, 'lest it spoil the 
chapter. Enjoy!

* @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- *

Livin' Through a Typhoon
(to the tune of 'Livin on a Prayer')

Once upon a storm
Not so long ago...

Tuxie used to have a red car
Typhoon came ashore
And now it bit the dust...it's tough, so tough
Sailor Moon is frightened and hurt
Trembling in the corner, she does what she can
In fear, In fear

She says: We've got to hold on
In this stairwell
'Cause it doesn't make a difference
If I kissed you or not
Stuck with each other, and now we're hot
For love - Let's give it a shot

<Whoa> We're halfway there
<Whoa!> Livin' through a typhoon
Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear
<Whoa> Livin' through a typhoon

Tuxie lost his car in the storm
Now he's rambling like a fool
To bring it back - so tough, it's tough
Sailor Moon is braving the fridge
But when she freaks out again
Tuxie whispers: Baby it's okay, someday

We've got to hold on
In this stairwell
'Cause it doesn't make a difference
If I kissed you or not
Stuck with each other, and now we're hot
For love - Let's give it a shot

<Whoa> We're halfway there
<Whoa!> Livin' through a typhoon
Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear
<Whoa> Livin' through a typhoon

We've got to hold on ready or not
The second half is coming, should we stay and get caught?

<Whoa> We're halfway there
<Whoa!> Livin' through a typhoon
Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear
<Whoa> Livin' through a typhoon

* @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- * * @}->-- *