Elisabeth James
ejames000@ameritech.net
Rating: PG-PG13 

Second chapter, keep with it, I promise it gets better!

	Serena sat under a grove of trees by the pond that was in the middle of the park. 
Tears called to her but she had to be strong she knew they would be here soon. <Oh
Darien, I want you to like me I really do.  Why can't you just give me a chance.>  She
remembered what the fortune teller said, a tall, dark handsome man, comforting me, "As
if!" she added out loud.  The description she gave did sound an awful lot like Darien, but
who was she kidding?  She shut her eyes but one solitary tear leaked though, did he know
how much those words had hurt her, he had never been that mean before.
	She let out a shaky sob and buried her face in her hands, "You're a stupid klutz
Serena, no way anyone as sophisticated as him could fall for you."
	"You shouldn't put yourself down like that." a voice behind her startled her, she
knew who it was she was afraid to turn around and face him.  She brushed the tears from
her eyes and continued to look down.  She begged her heart to cooperate and stop making
her cry, but more tears flowed down her cheeks, "What do you want Darien, to laugh at
me and make fun of me some more?  Come on nothing's stopping you." she told him
softly.  
	Darien sighed and sat down next to her, she gasped as he slid his strong arm
around her small shoulder.  She closed her eyes, trying to stop the tears, but they still fell. 
<I made her cry, I'm such a horrible person> "I'm so sorry Serena, I know what I did was
wrong, I never should have said that."
	"No you shouldn't have Darien, that was way mean.  Don't you think I know that,
no one will ever like me, I'm ugly.  I'll be alone forever with no one to love me." she
shrugged away his arm and inched away from him.
	"You're very pretty Serena, you'll find someone, I'm sure of it."
	"Not the one I want." <Not you or Tuxedo Mask.  I'm a failure in any form and I
shouldn't be Sailor Moon.  Why couldn't it be someone else, someone more capable like
Lita or Raye.> she started to sob harder and Darien was at a loss for things to do.
	Trying again he slyly put his arm around her and pulled her close into a hug. 
Serena's eyes snapped open, <This is a dream, it must be, he wouldn't be doing this right
now in real life.> she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in that ugly
green jacket he always wore.  It was filled with his intoxicating scent, the smell of roses. 
His hands moved softly though her hair, whispering comforting words in her ear that she
probably didn't even hear.  He went to pull away, but sheer terror gripped her heart she
grabbed him tighter refusing to let him break their embrace.
	"Don't let go Darien, please don't let go." she whispered softly to him.  He gasped
quietly and pulled her closer to him.  He didn't want to let her go either, he looked down
at her and saw her looking up at him.  He lowered his face to hers and felt her short
gasping breath on his cheek.  She closed her eyes and put her hand behind his head,
guiding it towards her and he wasn't fighting it either.  Only centimeters away and they
both were losing it, emotions overpowered them both.   
	"Darien, what are you doing?" a loud shrill voice rang across the small park.
	They quickly pulled apart, Serena embarrassed that she would actually do that
and Darien blushed bright red as the other girl looked at him with wide smiles on their
faces, "Hi Raye, I knew you would find me." he tried to smile but she had just ruined the
most perfect moment between just him and Serena.
	"Of course Darien, you just ran off and left me all alone." Raye faked tears and
the other girls rolled their eyes and hit her on her back.  Darien stood up slowly helping
Serena to her feet.  She was still sniffling and tears still ran down her face, <Damn you
Raye, you ruined everything with your stupid crush.> Darien turned her back to Raye and
looked at Serena dreary face.
	"Are you all right Serena, I'm really sorry.  I hate to make you cry." his voice was
low and tender in her ear.  A shiver ran down her spine and she shook a little from the
unseen force of his words.  He still cradled her tiny hands in his, pouring warmth and
caring into her.  <This feels so familiar, like I've held her before, but that's impossible.>
	"I'm fine Darien, thank you for your apology." She looked up at him, his face was
concerned.  She forced a smile and gently pulled away from him.  Her friends were
behind her making kissing sounds, except Raye who was glaring coldly at her.  She
swallowed the lump in her throat and brushed a few stray tears from her eyes, "Did you
all get your fortunes told yet?"
	"No because you had to take off on us, is there anything you don't ruin meatball
head?" Raye snidely remarked.  The other girls moaned, why couldn't Raye lay off for
one second, did she see how much her words hurt Serena?
	"I'm sorry Raye, well let's go back over there, I got mine done already.  It was a
little weird though, that woman freaked me out." she smiled, "She was really shaken up
after the reading."
	Darien suddenly remembered why he had chased after her, that silly vision of him
and Serena together. <If only it were in someway true, I swear I'll never make you cry
again Serena.> "You guys go ahead we'll meet you over there, I have to talk to Serena
about something." the girls nodded and Raye cast another cold glare at Serena before
they walked away.  They sat down a park bench and were silent before Serena gathered
up the courage to speak, "So what did you want to talk to me about?" she still stared at
the ground focusing all of her attention on her shoes.
	"What exactly happened at the fortune teller's Serena?"
	"Well she looked into her crystal ball, and she got this strange look on her face. 
She told me that she saw a man comforting me, with black hair and blue eyes.  She said
she got the feeling that we were meant to be.  She was really shaken up after the reading
was over, and told me that she could sense something different about me." she blushed at
that, she was different, but Darien didn't know. <Oh Darien can't you see what you do to
me?  I only wish that you were the man she described, that way maybe I would have a
chance to be with you.> "All that for 10 bucks, well that certainly maps out my future
doesn't it?" she looked up at him then, his brow was knit in deep thought and his eyes
were closed, "Darien?  Earth to Darien, do you copy?!"  Serena waved a hand in front of
his face.
	"Wha?  I'm sorry Serena I was just thinking about someone." 
	"Who were you thinking about?" <Could it be me?  Oh I hope so!>
	"No one important." he flashed her a warm smile, "That fortune teller was pretty
freaked out huh, I guess you have that affect over people."
	The bright smile disappeared and was replaced by a grimace, "Thank you Darien,
for this lovely conversation, I really enjoyed the five minutes where you didn't insult me. 
I'm going to go and meet up with my friends." she stood up and jogged back to the
fortune telling shop.

********************************************************
	
	Lita watched as Serena raced up the street toward them, "Guys Serena's coming!"
she turned to Raye, "And you be nice, or I'll make you pay."
	"It would serve her right for trying to steal my boyfriend from me." Raye said
loudly.
	"He's not your boyfriend, he doesn't even like you, he likes Serena." Mina told
her.
	"How do you know?" Raye was mad, Darien was hers and stupid Serena was
ruining everything.
	"I'm the senshi of love remember, I know things like that." Mina waved to Serena,
"Are you all better now girlfriend?"
	"I'm better Mina, are you guys done yet?"
	"Amy's still inside and Lita still has to go." Mina told her.
	"So how does your future look Raye." Serena asked gently, she knew Raye was
mad at her for the whole Darien hugging her thing.
	"Nothing like yours Serena, I just had the normal.  Get married, have kids live
happily ever after.  I told you it was a waste of money." Raye softened a bit at her friend
it was impossible to stay mad at Serena for longer than ten minutes.
	"It was worth it for Serena, when we were looking for you earlier the lady came
out and said Darien looked exactly like the guy she saw with you." Lita told her before
she entered the small shop.  Amy walked down the steps and back over to the group.
	Serena let out a gasp, "You guys are lying to me, she said that it was Darien?"
	"It's true Serena and he seemed almost happy about it too." Amy's eyes took on a
mischievous gleam and Serena let out a happy sigh.
	"She told me she saw him comforting me because I was crying, and he was doing
that in the park this afternoon.  Oh wow, she told me she thought we belonged together!"
Serena's heart sped up at that wonderful thought <Could it be that Darien was the one she
saw, oh wow, maybe I have the chance after all!>
	Raye's face fell and only Amy seemed to notice, "Cheer up Raye, we all know you
like him, but it's important to let him choose."
	"I know but, just the thought of him choosing Serena makes my heart ache.  I
know he cares for her, I can tell just by the way he looks at her.  He doesn't feel the same
about me."
	Serena saw how upset her friend was and walked slowly over to her, "Oh Raye
I'm so sorry, I never realized you liked him that much.  If you want him, I promise I won't
interfere." Serena heart broke with every word, but she would give up anything for her
friends.
	"Serena he likes you, we can all see it and if he does love you, I'm not the one he
belongs with.  Let's let him decide and not let this ruin our friendship okay?" Raye half
smiled at her and Serena smiled back.  She gave Raye a quick hug as Lita came out of the
shop.
	"You guys want to go to the arcade, I want to see Andrew!" Lita exclaimed.
	"He has a girlfriend Lita, he loves her a lot.  Darien told me so." Raye couldn't
resist throwing in the Darien remark, friends or not she was still playing for keeps.
	"Who cares, let's go." Lita and Mina started off in the direction of the Crown
Center Arcade.  Raye and Amy fell in step behind them, Serena hung back.  Amy stopped
and walked back to her, "Don't you want to come and see Andrew, Darien might be
there."
	"No you guys go ahead, I'm just going to walk around downtown and then go
home.  I have to sort my feelings out about Darien and my friendship with Raye."
	"I understand, we'll keep an eye on Raye and Darien for you, though I don't think
you have much to worry about." Amy lowered her voice and winked.  She jogged back to
the group and they walked on without her.
	Serena walked slowly in the opposite direction toward the main street of Tokyo. 
She knew that Darien was probably at the arcade and that Raye would be all over him if
he was.  <Why does life have to be so damn confusing?  Especially my life, why can't I
just be a normal teenaged girl who doesn't have to worry about the fate of the planet
being in her hands.  What sets me apart from everyone else?  Why do I have to be one of
the five chosen people to protect this world?  Being a teen is confusing enough without
knowing that I could be killed tomorrow night, a wayward youma attack could get me
one day, the sad part is I doubt anyone would even care if I was dead.  Tuxedo Mask
certainly wouldn't, he never even checks to see if I'm okay after any of these stupid fights. 
Raye wouldn't, it would just give her the upper hand with Darien.  Oh Darien would you
cared it I died tomorrow?  Sometimes I wish I were killed by one of those stupid youmas,
it then I wouldn't be thinking this stuff right now!> she bumped into someone while
crossing the bridge and startled her from her thoughts.
	"I'm sorry, excuse me." she mumbled as she continued onward.
	"Meatball head?"
	"Oh hi Darien, I thought you would be at the arcade." <Yes this means Raye can't
hang all over him!>
	"No I decided to take a walk after you ran away from me earlier, get some
thoughts straight." he looked back out at the water.
	"Yeah me too, I have a lot on my mind, I needed to get away from everyone." she
slowly stepped over to the railing and propped her head in her hands.
	"You were thinking, that's a first!  Where's my camera I need to record this
moment!" his dark blue eyes twinkled with happiness, he had been blessed that this angel
had stumbled across him and not Raye.
	"I can think Darien, and I do often.  You don't know me as well as you think you
do, you have no idea how hard my life is sometimes.  Sometimes I think no one does."
she whispered.  She felt like crying, just pouring everything out to him.  She felt strangely
comfortable with him and would trust him with her deepest secrets.
	He gently touched her arm, "You look so sad Serena, where's that smile you
always wear?" she shuddered a bit at his touch, but she didn't pull away.
	"Life is just too much, too much thinking, too many emotions, too much
confusion.  I can't keep anything straight anymore, everything just feels so hopeless
inside, like I'm fighting a losing battle with myself." she sighed and stood up straight. 
She didn't dare look at him, at fear that he would be laughing at her.  Finally after
minutes of silence she glanced up at him, his expression was stone like, hard to read.
	Darien drew in a breath, "I know how you feel Serena, everyone goes though it. 
Just know that you can tell me anything, I'll be here for you.  I promise I'll be nicer to
you, I had no idea you felt like this.  I thought someone like you would be immune to
feelings like this, you're so happy all the time." he looked down at her face and saw tears
in her eyes, once hidden pain surfacing.
	"Thank you Darien, that's means so much to me.  To know someone cares, I know
Lita and them do, even Raye sometimes.  Still it feels like I'm half a person, incomplete
somehow, I know it sounds crazy."
	"It's not crazy at all Serena, I feel incomplete too at times.  I think there's someone
out there meant to take away my loneliness, there's someone out there for all of us." this
girl was reading his mind, he didn't bother to add that whenever she was near him the
loneliness disappeared, he felt complete.  He fought the urge to wrap his arms around her
and make sure she was with him forever, they could be good for each other.  He felt a
drop of water on his hand and looked up at the sky, "It looks like a storm's blowing in,
how far are you from home?"
	"Not that far but far enough.  I'm going to get soaked walking home." Suddenly
the light rain drops became driving ones as the sky seemed to open up over their heads. 
Thunder echoed though the sky and lighting lit up the sky.  Serena stiffened and grabbed
onto the railing, "I hate storms, the thunder..." she trailed off as she felt Darien's warm
arms wrap around her as another boom shockwaved though the sky.
	"I'll walk you home Meatball Head, can't have you walking though this alone." He
draped his green jacket over her slim shoulders and put his arm around her waist.  She
clung to him tightly, half out of terror, other half out of sheer delight of having an excuse
to do it.  Not that he was complaining about it, he would have carried her home if she
would have asked him to.  

Wow, next part coming soon!