D S This is the revised version. I realized that I had left out a few things in the one I sent. It takes place after "Sailor Venus Makes the Scene" in the DiC version. Thanks again to Alicia Blade for her help. Read her stuff, she is good. Late Night ---------------- I was running. I didn't care where I was runnig to. I wanted to escape the nightmares. Luna didn't understand, no matter how hard she tried. I had almost died tonigt. No, WE had almost died tonight. Malacite had almost killed us all. If Sailor Venus hadn't shown up . . . . I had to stop and catch my breath. My lungs were burning, and my legs were trembling from the effort. I glanced around and tried to get my barings. I blinked in suprise. I was at the park. I sobbed softly. At least here I could cry alone. I felt so lost and scared. I'd been in danger before, in fact I had faced my first monster alone, but we had almost DIED! Luna didn't understand. She kept trying to comfort me, but I'm just a kid. I'm not this great warrior that she keeps looking for in me. I was so scared, so alone. --------------------------------------------------------------------- I was out jogging. I couldn't sleep again. I don't know what drew me to the park, but I found myself jogging down it's familiar paths. I was in my own little world worrying about the princess in my dreams when a soft sound brought me back to reality. It was the sound of someone crying. The sound was coming form behind a group of bushes. When I turned the corner, I recieved the shock of my life. Serena was sitting on a bench, crying as if her life had fallen apart. But it wasn't the wailing and screams I was used to. Her sobbs were almost soundless, but the gentle shaking of her shoulders gave her away. She looked like a little child who was lost and helpless. "Are you ok?" I asked her softly as I walked up. She whiped her head around in suprise; her eyes as wide as a rabbit's caught in head lights. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "Are you OK?" a soft masculine voice asked. I whiped around startled. Who could be out here this late at night? To my shock, it was him. It was Darien. But an even greater shock was that he actually looked concerned. I didn't trust my voice, so I just nodded, hoping that he'd go away and leave me alone. But he didn't. Before I realized what he was doing, he was right in front of me. I started to say something, anything, when he pulled me into a gentle embrace. A strange feeling of warmth filled me. I felt safe and secure as if he would never hurt me. Beneth that feeling, I can feel another deeper one beginging to surface. --------------------------------------------------------------------- Even in the darkness, I saw her nod. But I didn't believe her. I had heard her crying. She was probably just trying to get rid of me. Acting on some impulse, I walked closer and stopped just in front of her. I could see her tears shining silver in the moonlight. She looked so lost and alone. I saw her llips move s if she was going to say something. I knew that whatever it was would ruin the moment and probably turn me back into the jerk she knew so well. To stop her, and try to ease that lost look in her eyes, I pulled her into a chaste little hug. Once I had her in my arms, however, I felt something different. I could feel a strange tenderness. A kind of protectiveness toward her that I didn't understand. It scared me. To hide it, I quickly pulled her to her feet and led her over to the swings. She looked at me with a dazed expression on her face. "Sit," I told her softly and patted the seat of the swing. --------------------------------------------------------------------- "Sit," he said gentlly, patting the seat of a swing. His voice jerked me out of the trance I had been in since he wrapped his arms around me. I wasn't sure what he had done to me, but I liked it. A feeling of warmth and caring fogged my brain as I sat down. To my surprise, he started pushing me as if I was a little kid. For the longest time, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the sensation. When I reached to top of one swing, I opened my eyes. Right in front of me, dazzeling my eyes, was a beautiful, silvery full moon. I kept my eyes on it as I swung back and forth. I felt as if it kept coming closer, then reatreating. I don't know how long we stayed like that until he satrted speaking. He started telling me about his college life. Then he told me some of the most hillarious stories I ever heard. He swore they were all true. Soon, I was laughing so hard I was crying. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I don't know why I started telling her about some of the crazy things that Andrew and I had done up at the college. But it sounded so good to hear her laughing again. I don't know how long we kept it up until I noticed the moon going down. I glanced at my watch and sure enough, it was almost dawn. As her swing slowed and stopped, she looked up at me with a look of regret on her face. I knew, without her saying a word, that she regreted that the night was ending, not what had happened. I couldn't think of anything to say as we stood and stared at each other. "Thank you, Darien," she whispered, an oddly mature look on her face. I called up my best grin and replied, "Your welcome, Meatball Head." I expected her to stomp and scream, but even to my ears that nickname sounded more like an endearment than a tease. I knew I had to get out of there before I did something we would both regret. So I turned and walked away without another word. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- I looked up at him with regret in my eyes when I realized how late, or early, it was. I didn't regret what happened. I regreted that it was ending and tomorrow, actually today, I knew that we would both act as if it didn't happen. I slowly stood and faced him. We stood that way for a long while before I broke the silence. "Thank you, Darien," I whispered softly and I meant it. I was truly grateful for what he had done for me. Then, he suddenly grinned. "Your welcome, Meatball Head," he said teasingly. But that nickname that he had given me felt like and endearment, not an insult, for the first time. I think he realized it too, because he suddenly turned and left. I stood watching him for a long moment, then headed for home. As I walked, I heard a sudden rustling in the bushes by the path. Then, a very familiar and welcome face popped out. "Luna!" I cried softly and picked her up. "Oh, Serena," she murmured, "I was so worried. Are you alright?" I had to smile at that. Because of some help from someone who I used to be so sure hated me, I knew I had the strength to go on. "I'm ok, Luna," I reassured her, "Let's go home." Thanks for reading, DS desandrel@hotmail.com _______________________________________________________________ Get Free Email and Do More On The Web. Visit http://www.msn.com