Title: Only 16 Substory 2: Raye By: Azurite Rating: PG-PG13 Email: azurite_moon@yahoo.com Site: www.geocities.com/sailor_andromida/ ***************************************** Minna! Read Lois Fogg's "Fire"!! Must read! Sailor Moon and co. aren't mine, and if you are wondering where the devil part 6 is, well, I TOLD YOU SO! Does anyone know how to play Sailormoon: Another Story? Or for that matter, do that neat little fade-at-the edges trick with pictures? I'm so insanely jealous. Oh yeah, and to all those writers who brag about Tamahome being theirs: well, my goodness. I just saw him for the first time on Saturday, 2/26, and it was the LAST (I think) ep of Fushigi Yuugi. WOW!! HE IS FINE! Send some Suzaku Seven Tamahome my way! Oh yeah, and there are others... like Ginta from Marmalade Boy, Ranma from Ranma 1/2 (as a boy!), and that guy from the lesser known A Couple's Circumstance. Arima, I think his name is. But Mamo-chan, don't worry, we still "Ichiban Aishiteru!" (love you best) *********************************************************** Oh yeah! Remember this is all from Raye's POV! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ No one can blame it on Serena. Sure, she's a clutz, a ditz, a slacker... and you could listen to me list her faults and berate her publicly until I'm withered and gray, but I won't. Despite her many problems, being a complete idiot wasn't one of them. Serena would NEVER succumb to a strange guy's charms, would NEVER give up on Darien as easily as a snap of your fingers, and would never freely give herself -physically- to someone other than Darien. That was why, that first day when I suspected something, that day at the temple when Serena was sick, I knew. Of course, I wasn't sure, and I certainly wasn't going to say "Hey, Serena, are you pregnant?" No way. Besides, that would have been... uh, uncharacteristic of me. What did I know then, pray tell? I guess I had that little inkling that always went off in my head, like an annoying car alarm. It started spouting off worries, doubts and insignificant fussings about anything and everything -trivialities. Amy could say she liked tuna, and I could suddenly think, gee, is she going to buy tuna at Juuban Grocery? What if it's poisoned? What if Amy gets sick and is in the hospital? What if... That's my worst trait, and I try not to let it show. The last thing I need to add to my image is "Raye, aka Sailor Mars, the tough, mean, loyal... worrywart." So, when Serena suddenly keeled over and stumbled to the bathroom to throw up... and mumbled something about not feeling well.... well, I kind of knew. Like I said, I didn't know for sure. But I wasn't likely to forget anytime soon. After the meeting was over, Serena, who still looked sick, gave me a half-hearted smile, probably for not bugging her about Scout duties the whole time. No droid attacks or Nega-energy was on the way, so we were hoping for a time of peace. "Serena?" The girl, whose skin was becoming a sickly shade of pasty gray, I noted, turned towards me, giving me a blithe smile. Here eyes looked red and baggy, as if she hadn't slept in days, and as her best friend, I worried. "Serena , I know you don't feel so hot, so please go see a doctor, okay?" I was sincere in my words, and would make sure the girl went if I had to escort her myself. Serena looked almost suprised, if she had the facial energy to make such an expression, and then nodded wordlessly. And like the other girls, she simply turned on her heel and left for home. When I finally saw Serena again, which was, amazingly, a whole week later, she looked somewhat dazed. I was worried that she hadn't gone to the doctor's after all, and her condition was worsening. She hadn't been to school in a while, or so Amy and Lita said, so they couldn't offer me any info either. Mina, however, told me that Serena had her doctor's appointment today, and like her, was increasingy worried. Why had she put it off for so long? Perhaps she had had another appointment earlier in the week? But what kind of condition would require two visits? Mina called Serena on the communicator, and at home, and discovered she wasn't there yet... her mom told us she must be going straight to the "study group" meeting right from her appointment. We were too afraid to ask, I suppose, so it wasn't until much, much later that we figured out that Serena had indeed had two appointments that week. And her condition? Well, it wasn't going to get better... and it couldn't really be called getting worse... She was late, as usual, but I didn't want to start berating her about her bad habits, not when she looked so ill. But I wasn't the first to mention her sickly appearance. "Serena! Hey girl, are you okay?" Mina managed a smile, and I privately wondered how she could not be worried and show it. Lita was the first to actually make a move towards the girl, who was just standing blindly in the doorway of the meeting room. She took two long strides up to our best friend and shook her gently. "Serena? Snap out of it!" "Yeah, tell us where in the name of Mars have you been?!" I put in, suddenly finding my voice and realizing how upset I was that I ahadn't been told about her appointment, that she was going to be late... that she had basically gone AWOL on us! "I...I..." Serena stuttered, trying to find her voice. "Um... Serena, what's wrong?" Mina repeated, her worried tone increasing. "I...I..." Serena stuttered again. "Maybe we should let her be guys, she looks kinda sick." Amy remarked. Lita nodded solemnly, but Mina and I exchanged worried glances, and continued to stare down our friend, in hopes that she'd tell all. To all our astonishments, two fat tears made their way out of her eyes. She was crying! And for once, it wasn't because someone had teased her, because she had clutzed out... 'Darien. It had to have been Darien!' Lately, Serena cried less and less LOUDLY, and more and more softly, to herself. Usually, if I remembered correctly, a run-in with Darien. But what would he be doing around here? Was it at all possible that he still loved Serena? I sure as hell hoped so, because there was no way I was going to just stand by and watch my friend get hurt like that. Come to think of it, why hadn't I confronted him before? His being my elder or my "Princess's" guardian (or MY ex, for that matter) didn't mean anything to me. NO ONE, but NO ONE hurt my best friend and got away with it! "Serena?" "Serena?" She suddenly clutched her head, as if our soft voices were pounding her from all sides. I'm only so vivid about it because the one thing we have in common is intense headaches. Usually after vivid dreams or visions, and being the Princess, Serena gets them often. "Hmm? Oh, I'm so sorry guys... I just spaced out, you know, girl problems... um, oh gee, look at the time, I better go! BYE!" Serena grabbed her bag and shot out the temple. I stared after her in worry, knowing, like the others, that "girl trouble" was not behind her strange attitude. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ That strange attitude vanished almost as quickly as it had come. I was beginning to forget about my original suspicions, and attriubute her strange mood swings to "girl trouble" or if not that, Darien. I, unfortunately, never got around to talking to him. Though I do the whole job, sometimes I never get around to starting the job in the first place. Raye's bad habit number two: procrastinating. I think it's a habit that rubbed off from Serena. I would have said I hang too much around her, but the truth is, I don't hang around her enough. Maybe if I did, I'd know why she was keeping something from all of us. The weeks passed. By the end of the month, Serena was back to her old self... but she dropped a major bombshell on us all. "Um, guys. I'm moving." "WHAT!?" I screamed. Moving? To where? What about her responsibilities? What about her duties, to us, her friends, to the Scouts, to the city of TOKYO!? "Hey, hey, calm down Pyro." I grimaced at the nickname, and stayed quiet throughout the rest of her explanation. "I... um... well, see, I think I need the responsibility. I mean, in a few years, I'm going to be a legal adult, and I can't depend on my mom waking me up every morning, or Luna biting me on the ankle when there's an attack and I've stuffed my communicator under a pile of dirty laundry." She was unusually quiet, and I swore I saw some tears forming in her eyes. But she managed a smile, and then she looked down, at her balled fists. Why was she acting as if this was hard? I mean... it wasn't outside of Tokyo, was it? If this was her own choice... 'But what if it wasn't?' I couldn't imagine how it could not be, but... "Serena," Amy began, and I heaved an inward sigh of relief. Count on Amy, usually silent, but also intelligent, to break the ice when it came to what we feared the most: Serena leaving us. "Are you..." To my surprise, even Amy, at this point, was speechless. "Leaving you guys?" Serena looked sad for a second, and that ten-ton weight of emotion pounded against my ribs painfully. Serena was very intuitive, I had always known that, but still... "No." Serena smiled, and she grinned wider when she heard unanimous sigh of relief. "I'd never leave my friends like that. I have family, friends... and responsibility here." Serena had sounded so mature in that moment, that if the girl standing before me hadn't had the classic meatball hairstyle and shimmering blue eyes, I would have shook her and said, "Who are you and what have you done with my best friend!?" But of course, I didn't. In the hours that followed, Serena described in detail the apartment her parents had helped arrange for her to get. Though Serena was paying the monthly rent herself, (she didn't say how)the rather expensive place, in an exclusive part of Moto Azabu, the actual reservation for Serena was made by her parents. However, until Serena had fully moved out, and then moved into her new apartment, we wouldn't see anything. "Serena," Lita started, when we were comfortably settled in her room, after we had had lunch downstairs, courtesy of Serena's mom. "Um, what about Luna?" At this subject, Serena looked a little downcast. "Aren't you going to take her with?" Though this contradicted Serena's "wish" for a sense of responsibility, Luna was still a big -no, MAJOR- part of Serena's life, and she couldn't just abandon her. "I could... I could ask and see if the apartment allows cats..." Serena began, wringing her hands in her lap, obviously nervous. "No." We all turned and saw the black feline in the windowsill, looking eerily serious. Though she was a cat, Luna often had the ability to take on human expressions, and it was scary. I wondered if any other humans -like Chad or my Grandpa, for example- had ever noticed this before, and might... KNOW something. "Serena..." Luna started, not quite looking at anyone. "I have to stay here." Serena opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came forth. The room was silent. It was I who broke the ice. "Why?" Luna turned to look at me, but she also looked at each of the others individually, before staring at her paws again. "Serena's right. She needs to develop a sense of responsibility. Plus, each of us has to have easy access to the Central Command at the Arcade, and I, namely am closer. Plus, SOMEONE has to watch over Rini." At this, we all remembered the little girl. There was no way Serena could afford an expensive apartment in the exclusive district of Moto Azabu, AND a cat, AND a child. "I understand." Serena whispered. It had been Luna's choice all along, but it seemed she had made her decision, long before we asked. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ //Two Months Later// Time flew. Serena had matured, physically and mentally, in ways that are beyond description. By the end of the year, she was getting straight A's in school, and even had bought herself a dayplanner to plan out all her appointments. She was never late to a Scout Meeting, and she no longer fretted over Darien and Rini. I knew something BIG had happened, but because of the unfrequency of attacks, and the constant "other things" Serena had to do, I saw her less and less. I missed her dearly, and wanted more than anything for her to just come to the temple, and bury herself in my unread stacks of manga. Where was my best friend, to knock my piles over, to stain them with Chocolate fingerprints, and to laugh so loud that the neighbors could hear? I was about to pick up the phone and call her when my communicator went off. "GACK!! Attack over on Otoharu Street! Get here on the double!" Mina's voice screeched. It seemed as there were a great many people out this sunny afternoon, and because of the confusion at this sudden droid attack, Mina hadn't yet had the chance to attack. I prayed to the kamis that she was alright. I sprinted down the temple steps and down to Otoharu Street, found an abandoned alley, and transformed. As I emerged from the alley, I was greeted with Sailor Venus and Jupiter. Where was Mercury? Or Moon? This was the first attack in a long while, and they seemed the most likely to do it and get it over with, or find out why the heck a droid was attacking when we'd come so close to peaceful times. Jupiter and Venus, on the other hand, looked like they were having *fun* as Jupiter openly taunted the droid, and Venus actually pulled at her Love-Me Chain in eagerness. I felt a sickening pain in my stomach as I joined them in battle, beginning the fight with a burning flame aimed towards the droid. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Only twenty minutes later, the droid was beaten. By ourselves, it was much more of an ordeal, and especially without Mercury to help us find a weakness. They hadn't shown up, and I was extremely worried, to say the least. I moaned in pain, and my right arm hung limply at my side. It was broken, I knew. It didn't take a Sailor Mercury to figure that out. However, I was not alone in my pain. Jupiter's left arm had been cut open with one of the droid's hidden blades, and Venus' had been singed with a reflected burst of fire. My ankle hurt more than my arm, as I had been picked *up* by the droid and thrashed about by a rag doll. I felt weak, both inside and out, and hated to admit it. I never wanted to be visibly weak. Weakness was a thing of the insides, not meant to be shown or shared. I winced. My ankle hurt like the dickens, because of the thrashing it had gotten, and the attacks that it had taken, as opposed to missed. Burned, sprained, and no doubt pulled one way or the other. But through all my pain and self-berating, I heard a faint beep. I pulled my glove down far enough to reach my communicator, and pressed the button. The message was fading, as it was on repetitive relay... and judging from the time stamp, it had been sent almost forty minutes ago. I motioned the others over to me, and we listened to the message. "Scouts...attack... main...park...Rini..." Mercury's gargled and now eroding voice came over the line. I felt my heart plummet to my stomach. If Rini was involved, Serena would surely be there. As much as she was annoyed by the spore, she held a space for her in her heart, like she did with all of us. However, with Rini, it was more like... well, motherly love. With us, it was sisterly... and we all knew it. Forty minutes, and the only ones fighting were Mercury and Moon?! The only words spoken after the indeterminable amount of silence were by me, when the message had finally eroded itself to nothingness. "Oh god." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We would have run there if we hadn't had such bad injuries, would have teleported there if we had enough power. But we didn't. So we ignored the stares we got from passerby as we stumbled to the park... and arrived just in time. "Mercury, what happened? Are you all right?" Jupiter yelled. "Yeah, everything's fine." Mercury told us, somewhat quietly. "Is she okay?" Venus asked. Mercury didn't say anything for a minute, and I wondered if she was holding it back. But Amy? No, she was Serena's best friend too, and wouldn't keep secrets from us, her best friends and comrades. "She'll be soon. Let's get her to some place warm." Mercury said, noting the cool breeze blowing through the park. "Ungh..." I limped onto the scene, as I had been leaning on a tree some yards away. Finally, I got sick of not knowing exactly what happened, and attempted to go over there. "What happened?" Mercury asked, almost calmly. How could she be so collected when our leader was fallen? "We got attacked by another droid on the way here; that's why we're late. Both mine and Venus' arms got beaten, and Mars here is on a sprained ankle." Jupiter informed her. "Oh dear, how are we supposed to get her anywhere?" Mercury asked, motioning to our leader. We shook their heads in response, not knowing what to do. "I'll help." A distinctly male voice announced. We turned in surprise, and were faced with Tuxedo Mask. He immediately went over to Sailor Moon, and picked her up. Jupiter and Venus tried to help, but their arms were too sore to keep lifting. And as I couldn't walk very well in the first place, Mercury had to help me as she led the way. We detransformed, leaving only Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon transformed. We hurriedly rushed the tall man holding our leader into the lobby of the apartment complex that was Serena's home, hoping we'd go unseen. When we finally reached the elevator at the end of the hall, Tuxedo Mask broke the silence. "Why are we here?" "We're bringing Serena home, of course." I responded simply. Then I flushed scarlet, remembering that Darien didn't know that Serena had moved. But Darien didn't say anything, he only looked puzzled. When the elevator chimed to say it had reached the floor Serena lived on, we rushed out. We reached a door marked 'Serena Tsukino-630' and stopped. I reached under the carpet that said 'Welcome' and pulled out a key. After manipulating the lock for a few minutes, I got it to open, and stumbled onto the white leather recliner Serena had in the main room. Everyone else followed suit, with Mina and Lita going to the bathroom to tend to their arm wounds. I watched carefully as Tuxedo Mask took off his mask and hat, and lay Sailor Moon on the black leather couch beside the recliner. Amy started to scan her, and I noted her furtive glance towards Darien. Was there something he wasn't supposed to notice? In any case, he wasn't paying attention. Rather, he was looking around in surprise. If he couldn't tell that this was Serena's own apartment, from all the photos of her and her friends, posters of Sailor V and bouquet after bouquet of red roses decked the walls and endtables... well, then he was just stupid. Darien looked around in awe (probably just as astonished as I was when he saw the NEATNESS of the place...) and moved about slowly. His eyes traveled from the contrasting furniture, the balcony with a view to die for, and the two guest bedrooms that Serena often let us use. Apparently, Amy also noted Darien's wonderments, and she spoke, just barely looking up. I was resting on the recliner near the fireplace, my eyes halfway open and my arm sprawled on the armrest. "Serena lets us stay here sometimes, because she's got two guest bedrooms, and the recliner and the couch fold out." Amy explained. "I think we better stay here tonight." I said from the recliner. Amy agreed wordlessly, and the Mina and Lita, emerging from the bathroom voiced their opinions. "Yeah, she might get drained again or something, so we should keep watch." "Everyone's room?" Mina asked. Mina and Amy each had their own room, while I preferred to sleep on the folding recliner by the fireplace and Lita on the long couch-bed. "Yeah." "Uh, Darien, why don't you help carry Serena into her bedroom, and I'll stay in there, make sure she's okay. You can have my room." "All right." Darien gently hoisted Serena into his arms, the girl sleeping so softly and peacefully, one might think she was having a pleasant dream... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I myself fell asleep a while later, after I had asked Mina to set up the fire. Like at home, I preferred sleeping next to fire. Perhaps it was my affinity to the element, perhaps it was in case I had a vision and needed a flame to purify, to become one and sacred with, and to gather divinations from. The Sacred Flame was my link to my past, my future, and my powers. I wondered, at one time or another, if it could be used to look at the present. To answer so many of the questions I had... "NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!" I bolted upright from my half-sleep and looked around startled. I immediately moved myself off the leather recliner, being careful not to get my ankle or arm bandanges caught on anything. I stumbled towards the door to Serena's room -where I knew the scream had come from. Right behind me was Lita, and just emerging from the guest rooms were Mina and Darien. I pushed the door open, and saw Serena, panting heavily, and Amy, at her side comforting her. For a split second, I was insanely jealous of one of my own best friends. What did Amy know that I did not? Why couldn't Serena share her secrets with me too? Didn't she know that I loved her, just like I loved the other girls, like a sister that meant so much more than the world to me? "SERENA!" I yelled, getting the attention of all present. For someone who had basically had her leg numbed, I was pretty good at springing over everyone else who blocked me, though I had been the first on in the door, I had my injury that held me back. I was at her bedside in a second, urgently staring into her etes which watered with an unknown fear. 'A dream.' A voice inside me whispered. She must have had a nightmare, I reasoned. Judging from her fast-paced breathing, watery eyes and flushed cheeks, it was more than probable. "Serena?" Darien was there as well, looking rather pale himself, but not as haggard as the rest of us, who had been awakened from their sleep. Darien searched Serena's eyes, and I spotted that longing I had known for so many years. True, I had gone out with Darien, but I think I had always known that it had been a crush and nothing more. Maybe the fire within me had insisted on being their matchmaker... Serena and Darien's. And in a way, I was. Serena and Darien expressed their true feelings through insults, but in both their eyes, I saw that gleam, that shine. They both enjoyed that exchange every day, and unbeknownst to all but myself, went back for more, just because of that. I was pondering how I had truly helped bring them together, and how I had to get them BACK that way when we all heard a shattering sound. Or rather, a crack... like the sound of breaking glass. We turned towards the sound, as did Serena, who was brushing away a sheen of sweat that had appeared on her brow. She blanched and was as ashen as a sheet of paper... and I saw where her gaze was directed. A picture of Darien and Serena, his arms around her as she made the 'V-is-for-Victory' sign and smiled brightly at the camera. They looked like two pieces of a puzzle. They BELONGED together. I blinked only once, and then I saw what made Serena turn as white as she did. Darien... slumped over Serena. The light must be hitting the picture strangely, I thought, but I knew it couldn't be. The light was off, and the curtains were closed. How was it that I could see it? As far as I knew, the other girls hadn't noticed anything, judging from their blank looks. "Darien..." Serena breathed. Darien heard this, and followed her glance to the picture. "Oh Darien!" Serena cried, tossing the picture onto the table and reaching for him. Lita, Mina and I watched in silence, and I was praying that whatever had happened between them would be healed soon... Amy glanced at Serena, up and down, and then tapped the sobbing girl on her back. I didn't understand until later why Amy interrupted such a moment, and most possibly, their chance for reconciliation. "Ssh, Serena, it's okay..." Darien was whispering, holding and rocking her like a small child. "Serena." Amy stated quietly. There was a silence for a while, and then Serena looked about. I saw her eyes move from our casts to my leg, and the bruises scattered here and there on our bare skin. Worried, as usual. "Let's go back to sleep guys, we all have a meeting to attend tomorrow." Amy covered. I wanted to stay, but I knew that whatever was going on, I wasn't apart of it -yet. I yawned tiredly and followed Mina and Lita outside. As Mina shut the door to her room and Lita collapsed on the long couch, I cast a glance at the door. Through it, I could see Darien, still holding onto Serena. He still loved her. I knew it then, and nothing would convince me otherwise. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Some minutes later, Darien emerged from the bedroom, and I feigned sleep. He looked truly depressed, and incredibly haggard, as if he hadn't gotten ANY sleep at all. Was he too, haunted by dreams? I contemplated just what might have been said after we left, until finally, curiousity got the better of me. But I couldn't just barge in there and demand to know what in the name of Mars was going on. So I decided to get a glass of water. I was only three feet away from the door when I heard Serena's voice. "And?" I wasn't sure if she was all right or not, and I needed to muster up my courage to talk to her. I was going to wait outside the door, but for what? I knew just what I was doing... eavesdropping. 'It isn't right to eavesdrop...' I wandered farther into the kitchen, to fill my glass, but I still heard Amy's response. "And you are three months pregnant with a heathy baby." I immediately dropped the glass I was holding, and fainted. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next thing I remembered, the girls were all hovering above me, looking worried beyond belief. Darien had also popped out of his room, and was standing on the edge of the confusion. Mina looked the most concerned and was the first to pipe up. I sat up groggily and managed a weak smile. My ankle still smarted. "Unngh..." "Raye, are you okay?" Mina asked me, a frown painting her features. "Yeah um..." I saw a partially suspicious glare coming from Amy and smiled blithely. "Butterfingers?" I managed. "You-You fainted!" Lita persisted. I paled a little bit, seeing Amy's gaze intensify. For the first time in my life, the girl almost SCARED me. "Yeah um... I was feeling dizzy, and wanted a drink of water, but I fainted before I could get it. Butterfingers." I managed yet again. Amy only nodded and went back into the bedroom, while the others seemed harder to fool. Darien, however, must have sensed that whatever REALLY happened, he was not part of, and so let it be. He went back to his room. "Guys, I need to talk to you." "You're all right, right?" "Yeah..." "So it can wait, right? I'm SO tired!" Mina yawned. I rolled my eyes, and found myself yawning. "Yeah..." Lita agreed sleepily. "Fine. But I'll be up early. This cannot wait until after that." I agreed. Lita and I padded off back to our sleeping accomodations in the living room, while Mina retired to her own room. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ //Next Morning// As I promised, I was up early, and so I woke Mina and Lita up early as well. "MMngh? Hey, Raye, it's only 6:00!" "Good. That means Amy and Serena won't be up yet!" I said. "Huh, what does that mean? Why do you care if--" Mina protested, following me out of the room. "Wake up, long fellow!" I hissed at Lita. "Guh?" "WAKE UP!" I hissed again, venom seething in my voice. I had only gotten a few hours of sleep, for the news I had heard the night before had kept me awake, contemplating. Lita's stomach growled loudly, and reminded us all that it was breakfast time, no matter how early, and she rose. I pulled her into Mina's room before anyone could do anything, and started. "You remember when Serena came to the temple, and was acting really nervous?" I asked, in a tone much too serious for everyone's own good. "Yeah..." Mina nodded slowly, along with Lita. "That was what, two months or so back?" Lita asked. I nodded. "And since the Grim Man, there haven't been any attacks... weird, that was almost around the same time." Mina added. "That's not what I'm worried about, though." I whispered. "Huh?" Lita and Mina said almost unanimously. "What's wrong, Raye?" Mina asked. "Serena. It's... ever since then, she's been acting really weird. Until now, I never thought much of it, or why. But..." "But now, you are thinking about it." "Yeah, why? Is something wrong with her?" Lita queried. "I'm not sure... but I overheard something last night." "Well?" Lita asked eagerly, settling on the far end of the bed. "Well um... Serena is... she's sort of... oh, how do I put this?" I fumbled with the words that, in her head, seemed so easy to say. Why was it so hard now? "She's pregnant, isn't she?" Mina breathed. Slowly, I nodded. I didn't think how Mina could know, but then again, she and I were the closest bonded to Serena, next to Darien himself, that is. Perhaps it was logic that finally triggered it, I'm not sure. But a silence enveloped the room, as the truth suddenly crashed onto us with resounding force. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lita made the breakfast, and the wafting smell of her delicious banana pancakes drew everyone out from their seclusion. None of us said anything outright; I had the feeling that if Serena didn't want US to know, she certainly wouldn't want DARIEN to know, and would no doubt say so herself if she knew WE knew... So I told the girls the minute we were alone not to let Darien know. We all agreed to keep our secret secret... though the secret was really Serena's secret that she had been keeping secret from us... oh, never mind. Mina, Lita and I did our best to exchange hidden, knowing glances. While pasuing to flip a flapjack, Lita motioned to Serena's slightly swelling belly. I noticed it too, and was amazed that Tuxedo Mask -Darien- hadn't noticed before, when he carried her inside, in that tight little outfit we all have to wear as Scouts. Or her glow, as pointed out by Mina. No doubt, Serena was no only more mature, but more... cheerful. She was silent, and nervous this particular morning, but considering the circumstances, who wouldn't be? It was uneventful. Somehow, the secret glances Mina, Lita and I had were seen by Amy... and she cast us that warning glance that we all understood: tell no one. ESPECIALLY not *Darien*. We nodded. We all took turns showering, and when I was showering, Mina was getting dressed in her room, and Lita was sent downstairs to fetch Serena's laundry... Serena slipped out. We assumed she had been in the shower, but apparently, she had gone faster than we thought, and gotten out before we noticed. I knew Amy had aided her in her escape, before we forced Darien to leave and interrogated her. But she would be back soon, from wherever she was going. That much I knew. And I would wait. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ But by 11:00, Serena had still not returned. Amy forced us out, saying Serena would no doubt be tired when she got back doing whatever she was doing... no one but Amy and Serena herself knew. We all left, reluctantly, but not half as much as Darien. He lingered at the doorway, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw him saw something to Amy. He looked pained for a minute, as if he hated being left out of her life so much. 'I know how you feel Darien.' I thought to myself, before turning my full attention back to the short-lived conversation in front of me. The elevator arrived soon, and no words were exchanged between us girls and Darien. Darien went one way, we went the other... and then, we all split up, hoping that Serena would eventually call us, and explain everything. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several hours later, after much patient waiting (you know how BORING it can get when there's no droids to look for in the fire?!) and several bags of chips, I recieved a call. Serena wanted us -all of us- to come to her house ASAP. She would explain everything. She had wanted us to be there in twenty minutes, but I knew we would be there in ten. And I was right. We all met out front, marched upstairs and barged in. "Explanation." Mina stated. "Now." Lita added. "Long, Good, Complete." I ordered. "From the beginning?" Serena asked. "The very beginning." Lita nodded. "Welll..." Serena tilted her chin up, and the story began... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In detail, Serena described her dreams... the first one three months ago, when she first suspected she was pregnant, and went to the doctor's only a week later to have that suspicion conmfirmed; the second only recently, and the third, more in detail, the night previous. "Wow." Lita murmured. "I'll say." Mina added, her eyes wide. "..." I was silent. "WOW!" I finally blurted, hugging Serena. "Um, Ow!" I released the girl and looked at her like a sister would, knowing that Serena was going to be a mom... and I felt like I was going to be an aunt. It was like that between us. Like sisters. "Sorry, Sorry, are you okay?" I fretted suddenly. "Raye, it's okay, I'm fine." Serena reassured me, but I was still worried. "Serena, you mentioned you had had a dream at the beginning that kind of clued you in to what was happening with you." Lita changed the subject. "Yeah, I did. The first was so short, I barely remembered it until the second dream, just after I found out I was pregnant, happened. And then the third dream, last night, was more intense, more detailed. I was beginning to suspect that Darien was really involved, and that I hadn't been... assaulted or anything. Then, just this afternoon, before the DNA test I got earlier results came back, I had that third dream that kind of confirmed my suspicions." "How so?" Mina asked curiously. "It showed all the details of when Endymion and Serenity first met, first kissed, first... made love to each other. And I know *I'M* a virgin, so that was the only explanation." "And the test results?" Mina prodded. "Darien... Darien is the father of the child I'm carrying." "Wow." "How?! How?!" I stuttered. I didn't understand it. What did Endymion and Serenity's making love to each other a thousand years ago have to do with Serena being pregnant now, if she was a virgin?! It didn't make any sense, and it also defied the laws of science. "I think I can answer that." Amy said. "You can?!" Serena asked, astonished. I too, was looking astounded at my intelligent friend. "The Silver Imperium Crystal allowed us all to be reborn when we all died by the hand of Beryl over a thousand years ago, here, on present day Earth. And then again, when we all died in the attack against the Doom and Gloom Girls and Beryl in the present time. It's reasonable to assume that the power to rebirth us is in the Silver Crystal, and that power stems not from the crystal itself, but its user's heart." We all turned to look at Serena questioningly. "Every time you wished we could be reborn, to live again, your heart, the most powerful souce of energy, granted the wish. The Crystal only healed our bodies and minds so the wish would be complete." "And this connects to Serena... how?" I asked, motioning to Serena's swollen belly with my thumb. "Serenity DID know about the child back in the Silver Millenium. According to the story Serena told me, Serenity told Endymion the very day everyone died. Serenity knew it was pointless to live without Endymion, and that was why she threw herself into the blast Beryl sent at them. But deep inside, she DID want the child to be reborn. That wish, the wish to bring a hardly formed life back into being, could only be granted with a tremendous amount of power, not just in Serena's heart, either. So when her power level was the same as back then, the child was 'reborn' INSIDE Serena." "Ooooohhhh..." We chorused in understanding. "Do you really think that's the case?" "It's possible, logical... and... well, I can't think of any other way, scientifically." Amy blushed. In return for her response, she got two pairs of rolled eyes and two lopsided smirks. "I don't know." Serena whispered. All eyes turned to her. "Serena?" Mina asked. "I'm just not sure of anything. Should I tell him... I mean, he has a right to know..." "He'll probably feel obligated to take care of you, just like you DON'T want." Amy pointed out. "Yeah, and remember, what kind of a father would he be, leaving his unborn child and girlfriend before he even knows about the kid?" Lita reminded her. Serena paused, her eyes catching a faraway look, like a memory. I thought I saw what she saw, just for a moment: her being held by Darien, her doubts about their breakup, her hopes to get back together, and her fears of being such a young mother. "Yeah, maybe you guys are right." Serena found herself saying, despite what she really thought and felt. And then, I distinctly heard her voice in my mind: 'Maybe they are...' ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Over the months that followed, we did everything in our power to prevent Darien from seeing Serena. Though part of me desperately wanted to tell him, as both her friend and his, I was HER guardian, HER companion, and HER loyal warrior with whom to fight beside. I could not sacrifice the trust bond between us without knowing the effects. Serena told us that she had told Andrew she was pregnant, and who the father was, the very next day after us. We thought it slightly funny that observant Andrew hadn't noticed that slight bulge in her belly before, but maybe he hadn't thought to look. Why would he? And that was the way it happened. Andrew and us prevented Darien from seeing Serena. A part of me believed that this was wrong, that this was destroying the eternal and sacred bond that they had. And yet again, the child she must be growing... soon, Darien would find out, and that bond would be stronger than ever. I knew, from the look in Serena's eyes when I saw her, that she yearned for Darien. And though I rarely associated with him anymore, I also saw that look in his eyes. They needed each other, and badly. The two were coexistent, and could not live without each other. Time passed. Serena hadn't transformed in over half a year, and had left all, if any, scout leader duties to Mina. Mina officially claimed herself as Serena's cousin, in this life (and the last), and this tidbit of news was spread around the Tsukino, Aino and friends families. "I'm gonna be an auntie!" Mina had cried enthusiastically when she finally found the family tree proclaiming her relativity to Serena and her as yet unborn child. She must have been the most excited out of us. Attacks only came once a month, if that, and so we got to live a somewhat peaceful life. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serena was officially at the end of her second trimester, or six months pregnant. She was well rounded, and had to wear "official" maternity wear now. She was only allowed to work at the arcade for half the time she used to, but made up for the lack of hours by working at home, testing out new receipes to be added to the Parlor menu and fixing (or as Mina had slyly put it, rigging) broken games. Her house looked like a strange mix between a nursery (with what had been Amy's room being converted into the nursery), a mod young adult's house, and an arcade, with games set in corners and along walls. Serena was never dependent on any of us, who were still in school. Serena didn't "drop out", per se, she simply didn't attend. She still did all the work, read her text... having a baby meant needing knowledge, and Serena didn't want to be an uneducated mother... In fact, Serena had told us that her role model was Dr. Cunningham, who had told Serena on her appointment earlier that she herself had been a teen mother, and attended night school during her pregnancy in order to pass high school. And she had two part-time jobs that allowed her to pay for her own place, as well as get everything she needed for the baby. When she finally had her child, it was summertime, so she didn't have to worry about school. By the end of the summer, the father found out, and asked to marry Dr. Cunningham, who had been, back then, Laura Detweiler. The father took care of the child during the day while Laura attended Med School and college, and within half the time expected for a teen mother, Laura had her degree and PHd in Gynecology. "I wanted to help other girls who were teen mothers too." Dr. Cunningham had told Serena when she asked why she chose Gynecology. "I have the same idea... in a way. I want to be a nurse, and help cheer people up when they're sick. My friends all say that it's my best trait." It was. "Well, then, you'll be an excellent mother, because, more often than not, your baby will run to you whenever it's upset." "Yeah..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I knew, one rainy day, that something was going to happen. I had had a dream, seen a vision, and consulted the fires. The one I was linked to, and the one in my heart. They all pointed to the same thing. It was going to be tough for them, but I knew they could make it. Smiling, I exited the Fire Room and changed, knowing that in a matter of hours, I would have to rush to the hospital. But at least Serena and Darien would be together again, and no force would EVER change that. I got the call only two hours later, sooner than I had expected. I took the cry of "Serena's in the hospital!" from Lita. Lord knows who she had found out from, probably Rini and Serena's parents. The better half of our time was spent waiting outside Serena's room, where Lita and Rini, both the first people we (that is, Mina, Amy and me) saw upon our arrival at the hospital, were. They explained that Darien had gone into Dr. Cunningham's office, distraught, and then come out moreso, when Serena had cried out his name suddenly. Both Darien and the doctor had rushed into the room, and hadn't been seen since. After what seemed like an eternity, the Doctor exited, and advised everyone to leave the couple some time to themselves. After that time had passed, we urged Lita (being the first one there anyways, and us being too shy, I guess) to peek in on them. She opened the door slightly, and we all peeked in from our seats and smiled. They were sound asleep in each other's arms. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Several days after the inital hospital incident, which I explained to the girls (as the doctors refused to tell us, Serena and Darien were too enraptured with each other, Serena's parents had left and Rini didn't understand hospital jargon regarding the birds and the bees), Serena announced that she and Darien were moving in together. I would miss having a spare fire to read, and I was sure Amy and Mina would miss having a place closer to school (or the mall, in Mina's case) where the could crash after a fight, or a long day. But it wasn't our problem anymore. Like with everything else, life would go on. I found out, almost a week after the incident and only two days after Serena and Darien had moved in together, that they had had a fight the day Serena was preparing to spend her first night at Darien's. Darien told me, many days later, that it was thanks to Serena's kindly landlord that he had been able to get into her apartment, get over himself, his ego, and his hurting, shadowed feelings, and confess his love. Interrupt Mina with a long sigh, the kind she sighs after reading one of those romance novels with a Fabio-look-alike on the cover. The conversation, in all its seriousness is broken, and we all (save Mina) burst out into laughter. Serena finished the story by saying how Darien had complained about how messy his place was, but truth be told, it wasn't at all. We were all gathered around Darien's dining room table, though it was really SERENA's table, that she had brought with all her other furniture. Darien hadn't minded that, as he said his old green furniture needed replacing anyways. Both Darien-ish and Serena-ish things scattered the flawless household, and it looked like the beginnings of a classic married couple's apartment. This thought sparked an idea in my head, and I started to conspire with Mina... but that's another story. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ End of Substory 2 THANK GOD I'M DONE WITH THIS! Over two weeks in the writing!!! ---Gomen ne to all ASMR readers... I thought I sent this in two weeks ago!!--- azurite_moon@yahoo.com www.geocities.com/sailor_andromida