Destiny Series by -Angel- Episode Nine "Raye's Goodbye" Raye paced up and down the bedroom. She had told Darien and Serena she was taking a nap. But she had gone to sleep for awhile then waken up. "How can I sleep when I'm going to die in one day?" Raye asked herself. She wanted to go home and see Chad. She wanted to die in his arms. She wanted to tell him how much she cared for him. She looked out the window. No way she would be able to go down seven stories and live. Why didn't they have a fire escape? she wondered. She paced around again. There had to be a way to get to Chad. Maybe if she snuck out while Serena and Darien were kissing... She quietly opened the door. She heard Darien and Serena whispering in the kitchen. If she could just sneak by and slip out the door, she would be home free! Serena giggled and Raye stopped moving. Darien chuckled and Serena giggled again. "Stop it tickling me," she said. Raye sighed and walked slowly past the door. Suddenly, the door swung opened and Serena fell flat on her face. Raye instantly looked like she was just about to walk in the kitchen. "Oh, Raye, you're up. Good." Serena said as she stood up. Darien put his arms around her. "Yeah." Raye said, trying to act sleppy. Darien let go of Serena. "How are you feeling?" he asked her. Raye coughed. "Well, considering I have a day to live, pretty well." she said sarcastically. Serena smiled sadly. She had time to get used to it, but she was still going to miss her. "You guys, can we please go over to my house. I want to say goodbye to Grandpa and Chad." Raye said sadly. Serena looked at Darien. He quickly nodded. "We're going to have to hide Serena so those hospital people don't see her." "No problem. I'll use the Luna Pen." Serena said. "Luna pen power! Turn me into a sexy 20-year-old!" Serena was instantly clothed in a formfitting dress. Her two pigtails turned into shoulder length blond hair. She looked great. Darien was shocked, she looked so different. "Whoa, that thing really works." he said and gave her a long passionate kiss. She smiled and kissed him back. Darien had been pleased at her repsonse. Maybe she was willing to do more. Raye looked exasperated. "C'mon guys." she coughed. Tanya sat in her lonely apartment. She stared at her computer book, waiting for the sensor to detect one of the Sailor Scouts. She thought of Darien. He's cute and sweet, she thought. He's also dating someone else. Yet, that girl was only fourteen! Tanya smiled. Maybe Darien would become hers. If she worked hard, he WOULD become hers. Tanya put her book down. It was too soon since her breakup with Scott to go after anyone. And a human? That was absurd! No, concentrate on the scouts, she thought. Get them. Then, worry about the future. The phone rang. She jumped up and went over to it. Who could be calling her? "Hello?" she said into the receiver. "Hey Tanya." a low voice said. "Scott!" Tanya nearly dropped the receiver. "Hey, how are you?" "Oh, okay. And you? You making out okay?" he asked. Tanya paused. Should she tell him the truth? No, don't form an attachment. "Oh, I'm surviving." Scott said, "Good. Um, I called for a reason." "I figured that." Tanya said. "I wanted to know if the Sailor Scouts were still alive." he said quietly. "Unfortunately. Why?" "Well, I've got some information I thought you might want. Mars is dying. She'll be gone in a matter of hours." Scott said. "What?! Where did you get this?" Tanya asked incredulously. "From my computer book. Her genetic sample is deteriorating." Scott said simply. Tanya was silent. That would leave Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon. Perfect. "Thank you, Scott." she said gratefully. "I miss you." Scott said plainly. Tanya paused, then said, "I miss you, too." The phone hung up. Tanya hung up the phone, feeling a tear trickle down her cheek. No, now wasn't the time to cry. The computer book beeped. Tanya ran over to it. "Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars! They're heading to the temple!" she closed the book and ran out of the door. Raye looked at the temple with tears in her eyes. It would be the last time she would ever see it. She took a deep breath and walked to wards the temple. Darien and Serena silently walked behind her, holding hands. Serena looked amazing. Darien took a deep breath to supress the urge to grab her and kiss her until she fainted. The impulse was becoming easier to resist, and he was able to concentrate on other things. He quietly followed Raye. Serena squeezed his hand. She was glad he was there to comfort her, she needed him right now. She felt so alone, the last Sailor Scouts. "We're still with you, Serena," Lita said, reading her thoughts. "If only in spirit." Serena smiled. Yes, they were still there, just not physically. But it would be so different to be the only scout left. She had done it before against Queen Breyl, but that didn't make it any easier. There was no telling what Tanya and Scott could do. Raye stopped at the steps. She didn't know if she could go any further. Serena went up to her and put her arm around her. She whispered words of encouragement to coax Raye along. Raye began walking up the steps slowly. She had to say goodbye, she owed it to the two men in her life. She took a deep breath and reached for the handle on the door. Suddenly a great wind through her towards the temple wall. Raye was confused, she looked around for something that had done it. Serena and Darien were holding each other, looking around for an enemy. Tanya came out of the trees. She laughed evilly. "Well, well, you've finally come out into the open." she said. Serena looked at Tanya. She saw it was the same person that had attacked them at the park. But she remembered that she was in disguise, and decided to play it dumb. "What's going on? Who are you?" she asked innocently. Tanya paused. It wasn't Serena, it was an older girl, about twenties. She was holding the hand of..."Darien!" she gasped. Darien looked at her confused. "Tanya, what are you..." his voice trailed off. She smiled sheepishly, her mind working fast. Finally she got an idea. "Did I frighten you? I followed you guys here and thought I'd sneak up on you." she said. Darien smiled back and nodded, but he knew something didn't fit. Serena knew it too, but smiled back. Raye just stared from the porch. Apparently, Tanya hadn't seen her yet. Darien laughed lightheartedly. Yeah, the three of us were just heading to the temple. Tanya thought quickly. Why did the computer read their DNA patterns as Sailor Moon and Sailor Mars? She glanced around and didn't notice anyone else. The computer must have malfunctioned. "Well, is this Serene?" Tanya gestured toward Serena. "No..." Serena began, but Darien jabbed her with his elbow telling her to shut up. "Yes, this is my girlfriend, Serene." he said. Tanya looked closely at her. She didn't LOOK fourteen, she didn't act fourteen, but there was something familar about her. "You don't look fourteen at all." Tanya finally said. Serena was enraged. Darien had actually talked to this woman, told her the details of his love life! She was able to keep her temper in check and just smiled. Then she turned to Darien. "Muffin, I'm going to the temple. See ya there?" she said, her eyes falshing. Darien saw the anger in her eyes and couldn't figure out why. He nodded shortly. Raye stared at Tanya. She was definitely the one who had killed Lita. But she had also seen her somewhere. She just couldn't remember. "Hmmm..." a voice said. "What?" Raye whispered. "The probe is clouding your memory, Raye. It's gradually erasing some of your long term memory." Amy said. "I can't figure out why." Raye sat up. "Because Tanya doesn't want me to know where I've seen her." she said simply, understanding. "Huh?" Amy said. "I've seen Tanya, our enemy, somewhere before. She's making it so I can't remember. Amy can you stop the probe?" Raye asked. "Sorry, Raye. I can't do it without destroying part of your brain. And that would surely kill you." Amy answered. Raye groaned in frustration. This probe was in control by Tanya. She hated that Tanya could control her mind like this and make her forget. Meanwhile, Tanya sensed the both of the probes activating nearby. That means that Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Mars are nearby, she thought. "I better go," Darien said. "I'll see you around, Tanya." he smiled and went inside. He had a strange feeling that Tanya wasn't being honest with him, but he couldn't pinpoint why that was. Serena stood inside the temple. She was outraged. When Darien walked in, she grabbed his arm and pulled him toward her. "How DARE you tell her our private life!" she hissed. Darien shook his head. "I didn't tell her much, Serena. She doesn't even know your name or what you really look like." Serena was shocked. "You are missing the point totally! Why would you even talk to her?!" "She's my neighbor. Serena, I have a right to talk to other girls. There's no need to get jealous." Darien answered. "Jealous?! What are you talking about? She can't be your neighbor! You can't be friends with her! She..." Serena was so confused and angry. Darien be friends and neighbors to Lita's killer? Never! "Serena, I'll talk to whoever I want." Darien said, a little anger edging into his voice. "But...she's evil!" Serena blurted out. Darien whirled back in surprise. He hadn't expected Serena to get this jealous. To be a little envious of his friendship was okay, but to call her evil? He wouldn't stand for it. "Serena," he said slowly and softly, his voice filled with rage, "Tanya is NOT evil. She is neighbor and a friend. You don't have to like her, but I will not put up with you calling her evil." Darien's face was cold and hard. His eyes had an intense flame of anger in them. His nostrils flared. Serena stepped back, intimidated. "Ok," she said meakly. "It's your decision." Raye walked in on them. She immediately felt the tension in the room. She galnced at Serena. She was pale and frightened. Darien looked like a madman, his eyes burning with rage. "Lita, Mina, Amy? What happened?" Raye asked to the others. "Serena called Tanya evil. Darien is friends with her and would not stand for it. I don't know what side to believe. If Tanya really is an enemy as Serena says, then how can Darien be friends with her? But I can't imagine Serena calling ANYBODY but an enemy evil." Mina said. "Tanya IS evil." Raye said out aloud. Darien turned to her, his face hardening. "WHAT?" he said. "She killed Lita. She's behind our probes. She caused this whole mess." Raye said. "I don't how you can be FRIENDS with her." Raye said. Darien was in complete shock. He turned to Serena. She nodded, agreeing with Raye. But it couldn't be Tanya. Could it? Darien shook his head. It couldn't be Tanya. "I can't believe you guys would say something that nasty about Tanya," he said, anger creeping back into his voice. Serena's eyes widened. He didn't believe her! She turned to Raye. "Raye, tell him!" she begged her. Raye stared at her blankly. "Tell him what?" she said, halfway annoyed. She had come here to say goodbye, and then Serena had started saying...well, she couldn't remember what Serena had been saying, but whatever it was, it was frivolous and it made Darien angry. "Serena," Amy said. "This probe is going bonkers on Raye. It keeps sending signals to her memory. However, if she finds out and struggles against it, it could kill her. She's very weak." "Let Raye say goodbye to Chad and her grandfather," Mina said. Serena was torn. Darien looked at her with intense anger and Raye looked at her with intense annoyance. But Tanya was evil! She had killed Lita and could kill the others! What was she going to do? Serena sighed and looked at Darien. "I'm sorry, Muffin," she said trying to put on her best apologetic look. She had to, for Raye's sake. "I was jealous of...you talking to her. I'm jealous of you guys being together. I don't want to share you, Darien." Serena quickly snuggled into Darien's body so he wouldn't see her look of disgust. "Well..." Darien was thrown off by this. "It's alright my love." He put his arms around her. "I understand you're jealous. But I AM allowed to have friends, you know." Serena nodded. She looked up at him. "I'm sorry, I won't let my jealousy get the best of me anymore." she said. She stood on her toes to give him a peck on the cheek. Darien smiled, scooped her up and kiss her gently on the lips. It took all his willpower to put her down, but he did. He was beating this probe. Serena smiled and turned. A tear trickled down her cheek. After all, it was the first time she had ever lied to Darien. Raye walked out on the porch towards Chad's room. He was probably washing the steps. she thought and went over to the steps. "Chad!" she called. "Raye, is that you?" Chad said. He stood up and wiped his soapy hands on his robe. "Hey, where'd you disappear to? Your grandpa is really mad at you..." he said. Raye ran to him and buried herself in his chest. Chad was thrown off, but he put his arms around her. Raye couldn't help it, tears started streaming down her cheeks. She sobbed into his chest. Chad had only known Raye to cry once, when she found out her friends were in the hospital. He knew something must be seriously wrong. He figured she would tell him if she wanted to, so he just continued to hold her. Raye cried and cried. She had endured so much in the past few days and hadn't really had a good cry since she heard about the disease that Serena, Mina, Amy and Lita had gotten. But so much had happened. She sobbed into Chad with all her strength. He continues to hold her, silently comforting her. He held her close to him, wanting to keep her from hurting. After a while, Raye stopped and just leaned against Chad. He continued to hold her, bewildered but comforting. Finally, she looked up at him. He look at her tear stained face in confusion. "So, uh, mind if I ask what happened?" Chad said finally. Raye smiled. She hugged him again. "I love you." Raye blurted out. This caught Chad totally off guard. He looked surprised and didn't say a word. "Wow." he said finally. "I didn't expect that." Raye giggled. She looked at his soaked shirt. When she looked back up, Chad wasn't smiling with her. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Raye, I think you have the wrong idea." he said quietly, slowly letting her out of his grasp. "I don't love you." he said. Raye whirled back, completely stung. "What? But I thought you..." Chad stopped her. "It's true that when we first met, I was attracted to you. But I don't like you that way. Raye, you're like a sister to me. I love you as a friend. And that's all we've ever been. Friends." Raye stepped back. It was getting harder and harder to breath. "You don't love me?" she asked. Chad turned his back on her. "No, not the way you love me. I'm ATTRACTED to you, there are even times when I want to kiss you, but it's not love, Raye. It's only desire." Raye could start feeling the darkness closing in. She panicked. "Chad.." she said. Chad turned to her. "I'll always be here for you, Raye. You're my best friend. But I can't give you my heart. I'm sorry," he said and walked away. Tears began to cloud Raye's eyes. "Chad!" she called out. Chad turned. He saw Raye standing there, obviously in a lot of pain. But he couldn't help her. "Yeah?" he asked. "Goodbye," she said, and walked down the porch. Chad didn't bother to follow her.