Hi! I know it has been a long time and you have all been patient. The last time I posted I was going to finish this story right away, that was my plan and… then LIFE took over. My grandmother fell very ill, and she spent several months getting well. Between caring for her and my father (Who has struggled for years with his health), I had no time for me at all. My "Memaw" fought and beat every odd and obstacle, never losing faith in her God, or us (her family). She came home from all of the rehabs, nursing homes and hospitals to celebrate her 84th birthday, and enjoy 5 of the happiest days she'd known in years … then she fell asleep in her chair and went to be with God. My family and I are still grieving and finding ways to laugh and live again, we're all getting there together. But because of all of this, I haven't been able to work on the story for a while even after my "Memaw" was laid to rest.
AFTER SIX YEARS, SO MUCH growth as a writer and a person, IT IS FINALLY HERE! THE FINAL CHAPTER of FIFTEEN WAYS TO MAKE YOUR PRINCE REMEMBER YOU EXIST! Not only has Serena regained her PRINCE in these pages! But I hope at least a few of us got to feel the thrills we all got glued to our televisions (or to the pages of our mangas) once upon a time! Writing this has been a thrill and if you're reading these words, you were a part of all of this! I couldn't have done it without you and God bless you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart and I hope this is the ending you all deserve!
Special thanks to everyone who either placed this story on their alert page, or placed me on their 'author's alert' list. Also a special thanks to anyone who has placed this story on their personal favorites in their profile, or placed me as a favorite writer in their favorites.
Special thanks to all of you who reviewed: Tsukiyo Tenshi (I'm sorry it took so long to complete, but I'm thrilled that you enjoyed! Thank you for all of your fun comments for so many chapters! God bless, Merry Christmas and Much Love!), Anon (Oh my goodness, you have got me blushing! Thank you so much for your sweet comments, they really brightened my day(year)! Thank you for taking the time to review and being so unbelievably kind! As for your request of a Christmas story, I told you in another answer {for my other story} it could take a year but I would work on it…. I'm thrilled to say I'm posting the start of that story at the same time as I'm posting this [it's called "Andrew's Christmas Schemes and Steam"] and the first couple of chapters will follow swiftly! I never would have even thought of doing a Christmas tale if you hadn't suggested it, SO the first chapter is dedicated to you! I hope it brightens your day at least a little like you're words have brightened mine! God bless you, MERRY CHRISTMAS and Much Love!), missscatterbrain (Thank you so much for all of your fun notes, they have brightened so many dreary days dear friend! I hope this early Christmas present brightens your day! Much Love, God Bless you and Merry Christmas!), IceQueenBarbarien (I know, man! This took FOREVER! But I hope this is reaching you in happy times, regardless. As for what happened in the elevator [maybe not exactly what Aerosmith had in mind exactly] but yes it was still "Love in the Elevator" no matter how you slice it! LoL! I hope that this is the ending such a great person as you deserves, my dear! Your reviews have always been a joy and I can't thank you enough. God Bless you! Much Love and [early] Merry Christmas), LoveInTheBattleField (You notes and comments have been a thrill! Sorry for making you wait so long, hopefully this chapter is worth it! This experience would not have been the same without you, thank you so much! Much Love, God Bless and Merry Christmas!), Sailor Rallison (I'm so pleased that you enjoyed this story, I hope you're still reading and enjoying! Your reviews always brought so much joy and I hope this early Christmas present is coming your way and brightening your season as much as your words have always brightened mine! God bless, Much Love and Merry Christmas!) tiffany aka basketcase (Wow! Your reviews have always brightened my day God Bless you! Thank you for all of the fun over the years! And for noticing my personal growth as a writer! I get better the older and more experienced I get, I intend on doing it forever and that means PLENTY of more fanfic stories about this group! I hope this is reaching you with plenty of sunshine! God bless you for all of the light and fun you've brought me as well as some of my readers I'm sure! Much Love & Merry Christmas!), Starlight1812 (Sorry that you've had to wait so long for this update, God bless you. But your reviews have always brought a smile to my face! Thank you for all of the fun and Merry Christmas! Much Love!), Queen of Light 17 (Sooo thrilled that my last double update brought you so much enjoyment, (And it was a heart-sweller; personally,mine grew to fill up my entire torso when I was writing it! LoL! That Darien knows how to make an entrance!) However I'm sorry this took so long to reach you! Hope your still reading, hope that you're well and I since this is the end, I wanted to say your words have always been such a joy! God bless you and Much Love! Serena and Darien finally get their date! Happy early Christmas Present!), AimlesslyGera (Girl you are one of a kind, seriously never change! Your reviews always have brought me so much joy and you've been a sheer joy to share with, god bless you! Funny that you mentioned I need to have new story ideas, for when this is done. Because I have one in progress story already up, I'm starting a new Christmas fic when I post this, and I have two more works on the back burner… this isn't good bye, but this is the end for this venue! I hope one of them will tickle your fancy the way this did, and I hope this brightens your day as much as your words have always brightened mine! Much Love and Merry Christmas!), GinnyPotter0183 (THRILLED that you did! Thank for making this experience so Awesome! Hope you're still reading and enjoying! God bless you, Much Love, & early Merry Christmas!), sailor silvimoon (Girl, it has been too long! God bless you and all of the fun we've had! I'm so stoked that you enjoyed this story up to this point and I hope this ending is one awesome readers like you deserve! You're an Amazing friend and I hope this has bright you a bit of early holiday cheer, mi dear! If it weren't for amazing people like you, I never would have made it to this final chapter so god bless, Much Love and Merry Christmas to you! ), Guest #1 (Wow, I feel so much love! Its reader like you that keep me going! I hope you love this ending, and Much Love to you too! Merry Christmas early and I thrilled that Darien got some love too, he's can get so overlooked!), JesusFreak15 (Right! It has been a pleasure entertaining you! Sorry that this is so late reaching you, but hope it has brought you a little early Christmas Cheer! Much Love and God bless you!), iluvSmallvilledDBZSailormoon (I KNOW! Where did the time go, man? Seriously, I think it took me a total of six years to do this and OMG it has been hard saying goodbye! BUT, thank you for making this experience so wonderful, you've reviewed nearly every chapter as they were posted! It's readers like you who kept me motivated and got me here. This chapter and least twenty-two more would not have been capable without you! Sorry for the wait, I hope it brings you a little early Christmas cheer and God bless you! Merry Christmas and Much Love!), ellex0 (THANK YOU! I'm so glad that the love between Serena and Darien felt "tangible." I wanted it to jump off the page! God bless you for being so kind! It has been a pleasure writing for you! God bless you, Merry Christmas, and Much Love!), FGFG (I'm so SORRY your need took a while to be fulfilled! Hope it was worth the wait and hope this brings a bit of early Christmas cheer! God bless you and Much Love!), Guest #2 (I probably got deleted off of your ipad list again, but hope you see the update and enjoy anyways ipad-enthusiast! God bless you, Merry Christmas, & Much Love!) Sailormoon1129 (OOOOOh! Thank you so much! I'm thrilled to my toes by your words! Thank you so much! I'm sorry that you have had to wait so long, but here it is at long last! Hope it brings you a little early Christmas joy! God Bless you, Merry Christmas and Much Love!), Boromonokli (LoL! Yeah, I have the same reaction when I watch the second portion of the second season [R series] I get mad and I feel like a calling to fix it…But I think all the imperfections is why I love R SO much! When I was first watching and learning the overall plot, I would plot with my sister and my friends EVERY DAY between EVERY episode and development. I usually liked what we came up with too, but the chain of events did take some surprising twists that left us spellbound [obviously I'm still here talking about it now] If I do attempt a fic from that part of the story it would HAVE to feature a whole lot more than the dreaded and stupid 'break-up arch' it would have to be on my terms [which would mean I will have messed with that plot to the point of it ACTUALLY resembling these character we love so much, which is HARD in that part of the series], to tell a better and deeper tale of SERENA & DARIEN the story we [my mom, sister and all my friends growing up] believed SHOULD have been told. But I haven't any plans to post any at the moment! Rest assured, I don't intend to anytime soon a truly exceptional idea could convince me otherwise but none have stricken a cord in me just yet! God bless you for all of your WONDERFUL comments, hope this is reaching you with plenty of blue skies! Merry Christmas and Much Love!) merangelgal (God bless you! I'm so ecstatic that you enjoyed my take on things and my style of switching perspectives! I hope you're still reading, still enjoying and hope it has brought you some holiday cheer! Much Love and Merry Christmas!), Guest #3 (Sorry that you had to wait so long, hopefully you like this ending! God bless you, Much Love and Merry Christmas), ObsessiveCumberbatchDisorder (Love the name, I think it should be considered a serious affliction! VERY CREATIVE! On top of that, Oh my… your words meant so much to me! I really wanted readers to feel like they were experiencing the series anew. I took some great pains trying to accomplish that slow build of all three of those ingredients you mentioned, that kept everyone interested. God bless you for saying that! I hope this is reaching you with plenty of sunshine {or starshine if it's nighttime} Much Love and Merry Christmas!), Hotgirllow (God bless you, hope this reaching you with nothing but blue skies. Sorry it took so long to reach you but hope it brings a little early holiday cheer. Much Love and Merry Christmas), and raindropcatcher (Girl, your stories, PMs {and nine reviews} have gotten me and my sister through some dreary days! God bless you! I hope my story can bring a fraction of that fun your way, stories have brought us and that this is reaching you with plenty of Sunshine! Senshi Hugs, muddy butt pat prints all over Darien, who's handing you a loofa asking you to help him reach his back as he complains about Gil. [Messy boy that he is, Anne's influences are coming along nicely I think.] God bless you for all you do! Talk to you soon, Much Love and Merry Christmas!)
Dedicated to every single one of you reading these words right now. I could not have gotten here without you, this would not have gotten this far without you! Bless you all! And to my grandmother we called "Memaw" for teaching me so much in her gentle and fun way; always with a knowing twinkle in her eyes. Her strength, her faith, her love are all something that will never leave me; along with probably one of the most important, she taught me to never be afraid to laugh at myself and share that joy while never laughing at others. I hope a little of that joy can be found in these words! We miss you, and carry you with us in our hearts! Enjoy guys!
"Fifteen Ways To Make Your Prince Remember You Exist"
Chapter 23 – Currently Untitled
Darien's Dream DiaryThere's a reason that I haven't really written much in the last couple of weeks. It's because between my final exams (and helping Serena study for hers), on top of scout meetings and training sessions being SO demanding of all of our energies. Those evils combined leaving little time to ourselves and much less together. In fact we STILL haven't had a chance to go on our first date. BUT TONIGHT is FINALLY the night! After all of the sweat and strife, I finally walked to the park and set up everything for this SPECIAL night.
Who would have thought that it could have taken us this long to get here? I certainly wouldn't have believed that I could wait this long. I don't think I could have lasted this lengthy amount of time if we weren't Super Heroes with responsibilities that kept us in CONSTANT contact every day. We've seen each other every possible moment of every day since she returned. Only problem is I had to share that time with all of the rest of our team and any moment we did experience in that time (any time particular 'closeness') was met with whistles, cheers, groans and other disgusting sounds.
NOT TONIGHT!
No, tonight I didn't have to share her with anyone, and I didn't intend to. I had done a great job of arranging everything and keeping it all a surprise. So she didn't have a worry in the world, all she had to do was show up. After our last attempt to let this date happen I have to admit, I was still afraid that she wouldn't show. It's not that I thought Serena was the kind of person who would stand me up, no that wasn't it at all. It's simply a fear that comes with our occupation as teen super heroes. Not to mention the last time we attempted this, Mina had to come tell me that Serena wasn't coming because she had been kidnapped. I was still half expecting one of the girls or guys to show up and tell me, "Better luck next time, tux."
I tried not to psych myself out, but it is my nature to think of the worst-case scenario. A pessimist trying to be optimistic, has there ever been a harder, more complicated habit to overcome that wasn't tied to substance abuse? It's not so hard when Serena's around, but it is still difficult as hell if I get too caught up in my own head. Before I could think on it much more, I started my walk back home where I got to my car, and a couple of other things I had to have for tonight. Before I was even heading to Serena's house for sure, my cellphone rang. My screen told me that it was Andrew and I answered because I figured he was just checking to make sure I was still breathing.
So I answered, "I'm cool, I'm alive please don't come looking for me, Andy."
"Hello Darien," Luna's voice greets with a razor sharp edge to voice that instantly had me worried.
"Luna, what's going on, why are you using Andrew's phone?" I asked.
"Because you didn't answer any of the other's calls," Luna said with a bit of spite creeping into her already epic tone.
"You guys can handle one night without us, I've been more than patient and I'm not getting dragged into another meeting," I said point blank, and I could hear Luna getting frustrated on the other end, even though all she was doing was breathing in and out.
When she did speak again, she said, "I'm afraid that you don't get to make calls like that, your highness. Serena is the princess of the moon and our leader, you are the prince of this planet and basically our co-leader when push comes to shove. The both of you were born to privilege and with that come specific obligations, if this wasn't so important, I would gladly leave you two alone-"
"No you wouldn't, every minute of every day has been controlled by Artemis and you, Luna. We don't even have any enemies right now, we're in peaceful times! Do you even know how peace works? While I believe that we're doing right staying current, and close knit, there's no way that I am coming to Raye's and sitting through another one of your lectures or team meetings today," I said firmly, with no sign of giving in.
"Oh really, you're not going to come even though I've already gotten Serena to agree to it?" Luna said, obviously dangling a carrot she didn't think I would (or could) refuse.
I wish that I could have seen her little feline face when I said, "I will pick Serena up for our date promptly at the pre-arranged time at the temple. Serena can fill me in on what was said on our date or later, I will not be making an appearance, Goodnight Luna."
Then I hung up and she called me back instantaneously but I turned my ringer off on everyone in my contacts except Serena. Who texted me, "Thanks for getting Luna all revved up, she'd hotter than a firecracker and I didn't help telling her that I was leaving in a few minutes. She was actually going to make us practice!"
"I know," I replied, "That's why I didn't go."
I drove to Raye's and sat in my car at the bottom of the staircase. Serena texted me when she was coming down so I got out and leaned against my car. She came rushing down to me, a vision in a red dress that did wonders for her curves and long legs even though all of this came in such a compact form. I was so off kilter that I almost forgot to kiss her in greeting. She looked up at me through her think and long lashes and asked innocently, "Still so sure that you want to date me, because now is your last chance to back out. I can be a handful you know?"
"So can I," I reasoned.
She giggled. "True."
Seriously, I added, "Believe it or not, I think I've never been more certain of anything before in my entire life."
Her cheeks tinted a lovely shade of pink as she sighed in an attempt to seem nonchalant. "You better watch yourself, talking like that. A girl could certainly get used to it, especially when you clean up so well."
"I should, Tux leaves me in good practice." I smirked, while she played with my bowtie and I was way too distracted by the magic her little fingers were tickling and teasing along my neckline and chest. She tugged me down for another quick kiss, and I managed to prolong it a few moments more than she'd intended. Scooping her up, spinning and sitting her on the hood of my car for a moment. Not only was the kiss longer and hotter, but her legs where wrapped around my waist and I never wanted to let her go. For the hundredth time today, I was amazed this day had taken so long to come.
Out of breath, a few moments later we parted and I gently set her back on her feet and cleared my throat. I stepped over to the car door to open it for her and said, "If we keep on, we'll spend the whole night right here."
She crossed her legs in a way that should be illegal and lean on my car saying, "I don't know, as curious as I am to see what you have planned, staying here isn't looking too bad right now."
Damn the powers she has over me, I know I lost sight of my objective and openly stared at her legs for a full minute. It should also be illegal for such a small and petite little lady to have such life-altering legs in her possession. HOW-HAD it taken this long to get her on a DATE?
I opened the door and told her, "Nope, we're making it this time, get in."
"Why thank you sir," she said as I closed the door and walked over to the driver's side. I climbed in and shut the door but didn't start the engine. Instead I tied a blindfold around Serena's head and then I started the engine. I wanted to surprise her with where we were going, so I drove in a secret back entrance used for events happening in the park, and helped Serena out of the car. Taking her hand and carefully leading her through the hidden doors, I told Serena to take twenty big steps forward and count them off loudly as she walked. While she did that and stepped unknowingly to the center of the room, I quickly lit all of the candles and lit up all of the twinkling lights surrounding us. When I was satisfied with the overall look of my work, I stepped to the center of the room as she finished counting, "18… 19… 20!"
She giggled and her hands fell into mine and she gripped both of my hands tight, she asked, "Can I open my eyes yet?"
"Yep," I chuckled stepping behind her and assisting her with my handy work. She said, "Serves you right to have to undo that professional knot you tied, were you a boy scout or something?"
"Not quite, just teenage vigilante, that's all." I shrugged as the soft fabric came undone and fell away from her face. Her big blue eyes flew open. They had been closed for so long it did take her eyes a moment to adjust, but in no time at all she was staring in awe at her surroundings. Her face in that instant was worth all the strife, planning and patience. It was worth all of the punishment training I was going to face in the coming week for sassing a guardian feline. While she was taking it all in, I was drinking her in and storing her smile in my memories. So whenever I was away or maybe the next time it's so hard to find time together I still have this time we shared, this joy and that face to help me through any hardship…
Serena's DiaryWhen Darien pulled off that blindfold, at first I was completely and totally blind, I saw nothing because my eyes had been covered for too long. So I blinked a few times and finally my sight came back, when it did I was dead center of a dome shaped room with an enclosed ceiling. All of the surrounding walls and ceilings were blanketed in what looked and smelled like LIVE rose-vines of all colors, with thousands of twinkling white-lights on strings either dangling down from the ceilings or embedded in the walls. It was breathtaking and there was also a powerful sounding fountain just in front of me with a teeny table next to it fixed up just for two.
I giggled and reclaimed my hold I'd had on my new boyfriend's arm, admitting, "Alright! I'm seriously impressed. This is seriously the same destination you had planned for the first try at this night?"
"Yeah, a friend of mine keeps up all of the gardens in this park and a few others in town. He taught me all about caring for plants when I was first starting out."
"Ah, and he helped you out?"
"Mmm-hmm, this is a part of the rose tunnels that wind behind our favorite bench, have you ever been down in them before?"
"Of course I have, god, I practically lived in them when I first became Sailor Moon," I confessed before I could catch myself.
"Why, were there a lot of attacks down here, or did you just think it was a great place for our enemies to hide?" he asked, always one for the more logical answers. I, however was very impressed and feeling very flirty so I decided to be completely honest.
"If you had asked me that at the time I would have lied to you and said, 'Well CLEARLY Tuxedo Mask, why ELSE would a girl constantly go down into these dark and sometimes dismal caverns, all alone?' You're answers make more sense; not that that surprises me. You and all of your logic."
He laughed and he said, "Well, then why, for real?"
"Because the smell reminded me of you." I smirked up at him and he smiled back with a glitter in his eyes that I was still getting used to seeing more often (and loving a little more each time I see it). I went on explaining…
"When I saw you the first time as Tux, I felt an instant connection between us. If I'm completely honest with myself I felt it when I met 'Darien' too. Both of you were so seemingly out of reach and I had so many new fears, questions and you know how UNHELPFUL Luna can be sometimes... not that she does it intentionally."
"Of course not, she just can't always help, as much as she'd like to," he said, instantly understanding.
"Right, if it all got to be too much, I would just disappear down here for a little while to clear my head. It was the only way at the time I could feel close to you, even though there were so many obstacles in our way at the time. I didn't know who you were, or even if you would always be there for me the way my heart wanted you to be. The smell and thought of you was so comfortingly here that I would instantly feel better. I forgot how much time I used to spend down here… so its way more than perfect that you selected this as the location for our first date...so points to you."
He looked down at his feet for a second before looking back at me, (a thing he always does just before he lays me out with something he's nervous about saying, I've learned) he shrugged. "Even more so when you're here by my side."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, when I was very young, my orphanage took a field trip to this park for an entire afternoon. It was warm, bright and sunny that day and I somehow got separated from our group. I was lost, it was starting to get colder out and I somehow found these tunnels. It was warmer here somehow and I fell asleep, when I woke up I was magically back at the orphanage and since I was so little I was convinced that my princess had helped me find my way back."
"Because you were even dreaming of her then." I smiled. Though I wish I could say that I had dreamed of him just as long.
"I always connected my princess to these tunnels and this park which is why I liked it so much. When I would come here, nothing else could occupy my mind but my princess and the things I saw in my dreams… until I met you. Like you said, there was an instant connection and from that day forward, every second, every heartbeat, every breath I took… you took over a little more of my heart, my mind, my thoughts till I was a complete and total wreck."
I laughed. "You're far better at hiding it than I am."
He took one of my hands from his arm and brought it up to his lips. "I didn't know what to do, no one had ever made me feel the way you did. Not even my princess could compete with you, my dreams honestly were no match for the real you."
Is anyone else a puddle on the floor right now?!
I don't know how I managed it, but I somehow pulled my prince into a hug and said, "Believe me my dreams could never do you justice either, Darien. I would call you a prince if you weren't so many million times better than any royal I've ever seen."
As he tugged me comfortably into his lap and arms he chuckled. "So says the girl who constantly referred to me as 'her prince' all throughout her musings."
I pulled back in his hold and threw my fisted hands on my hips, mock demanding, "I thought my diary only fell open and you skimmed the pages?"
"I did, I just didn't mention I picked up a little speed reading on the internet and may have noticed that term recurring a lot. The real question is, if 'your prince' isn't me, who is he? Please don't tell me it's Andrew either."
"That's hardly fair, you know that I had a major crush on him back when we first met." I tried to stick to my guns.
Darien rolled his eyes adorably heavenward and asked the ceiling, "Will I ever live down the fact that you liked him better first?"
"I may have liked him first, but I can honestly say he never had even remotely the effect you've ALWAYS had on me. Even when I had no idea what those feeling and effects meant," I said, even though the smoldering happening in his midnight eyes was making every word and exclamation stick in my throat. I was always told growing up that men can't be beautiful, they're handsome, rugged and debonair. I also know the pages of this diary have claimed Darien to be all of these things and so much more… But tonight, in the flicking firelight of the candles, the lowlights from the twinkle lights and the warm aroma coming from the roses, his glistening eyes telling me so much more than he could ever say with words. The warmth, safety, and comfort those strong arms brought me… I've never seen anyone or anything more beautiful in my entire existence. Then he kissed me and I felt like I was going to burst!
When we finally did break apart, and stopped cuddling and kissing as much as we wanted, we did eat, everything was perfect. Honestly, I was reminded of all of the times we'd spent time together, just like this, when we were caring for Jordan. I told Darien looking back it feels like that was sort of like dating too, and he confessed, "That had been the idea."
When I demanded a little bit more info, he went on to own up, "Since no one in the world thought less of me than you and I knew I had a lot to make up for, I was hoping to at least win over a little good will, since we were spending so much time together. I really wanted to show you I could be good and hoped I could convince you to eventually like me and maybe even date me. I had no idea that you were trying to remain normal and unaffected as you could while you had regained your full memory. I can only imagine how you must have felt throughout all of that."
"Well, it isn't a place I wish to ever visit again, I don't think I would wish that kind of isolation on my worst enemies. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have Luna and Artemis. Then again, how much comfort can two talking kitty cats bring a person already teetering on the brink of madness?"
"In your case, plenty, in anyone else's case… maybe not so much." Darien shook his head and we both laughed just before he brought out dessert.
I got to enjoy my dessert from my new favorite seat in the world (Darien's lap). We shared a huge hunk of the most delectable chocolate cake I've EVER had. We also had one fork, and every other forkful went to him (Unless I was struck with momentary stinginess). If I did not stay consistent with this particular pattern, I was punished with a playful pat on my behind or a merciless tickling of my side until I surrender the next forkful to him. Which, after he accept this truce, we sealed every single moment like that with a kiss. The sweet chocolate still lingering somewhere between us and he sometimes tipped me back into a full dip. A few of these interactions lasting a bit longer than they needed to, but peace is important! So I appreciated his thoroughness and his precision in these fun (sometimes downright steamy) exchanges.
What can I say, my guy knows how to make all of the time we waited for this night somehow worth it. Just when I though the night couldn't get any better it was my turn to work a little magic for my prince. I began to get nervous the moment I realized it was my turn to impress and dazzle. How do you follow up the thorough round of schmoozing that I was just subjected to? How I ask YOU?
_
Darien's Dream Diary (continued)After we'd demolished dessert in the best way possible (seriously, never enjoyed a piece of chocolate cake more), it was on to the part of the evening that I had been looking the most forward to. I had convinced Serena some time ago when we were first planning this night together that she would only have one thing to do that wasn't simply show up and enjoy. The night was important to her and she wanted to have some contribution.
Touched, obviously I wasn't the only one who was putting a lot into this night. I suggested if she didn't mind sharing, I would LOVE to see more of her artwork. Before you ask, no I still haven't confessed to scanning the entire thing in to my hidden tux computer… That may just have to be something she never knows about. Besides, when I look at her creations again after she's told me her perspective, the meaning and feeling of the piece changed right before my eyes. I started to see it through her standpoint in the world, she always explains an emotional connection to each one too and I'm not entirely sure she even realizes it. I fall for her (and that specific piece) a little more each time this happens.
As I could see her getting nervous, I assured her that if she wasn't ready to share anymore, it was alright. She had already shared so much with me, but she put her hand on mine and said, "No, it's not that. I just feel like these paintings are even more personal than my diary sometimes. It's silly really, but for some reason it doesn't feel strange to share these with you anymore. Since I know that you probably have the same pictures in your mind's eye. Locked away in your memories and turned up by dreams or similarities you witness around you too."
"Every day and night," I confirmed and she smiled.
"See, I have nothing to worry about," she said, more to herself than me, before continuing, "Except maybe the pictures in your mind can't begin to be captured in any form like the ones I see. To me they'll never be as exceptional as what I actually see, but they are attempts to mimic the idea of what I see-"
I had to cut in and say, "Your works may not be the clarity of your dreams, but that doesn't mean they're not amazing. They carry a signature warmth that expresses how you felt when you saw these things, how you remember feeling that moment, to the point of not needing words to describe them. It's all there, and… they always turn up things inside of me, fresh and new. I haven't had as much time to get used to having two lifetimes and a hidden life all packed in this one mind. There are still so many things that you've helped me remember slowly and I honestly couldn't hope for a better more patient partner in all of this."
I watched her eyes get mist a bit before she blinked back the glittering tears and she sniffled. Then she hugged me and kissed me with way too much feeling for me to let her go immediately. When we finally did part, she gave me a peck on the cheek before pulling the blindfold out of my pocket and securing it around my eyes. Once it was in place and too tight for me to peek she said, "One moment please."
"How can I see your works if I'm blindfolded."
"Uh, the pieces I have decided to show tonight are a bit complicated, and need to be set up properly before I can show them to you. Okay? So I'm gonna need you to be a good and patient big boy for just a moment."
"Well, can you explain the story part now, so I'm not sitting in the dark, bored for too long?" I asked smiling, knowing I was being a pain.
I could hear her growling under her breathe something about me having the 'patience of a porcupine with a coke problem,' which had me giggling as she began her explanation.
"Alright, it's funny how you said that my work usually doesn't need words to make an impact when the pieces I chose for this evening need so much explaining. But in my defense, all of the pieces I am showing you tonight are from the time period where I had no memories of our great victory over Beryl or any of the time that lead up to it. When I would sleep and dream throughout all of that time I would only see colors. Vibrant colors twisting and mixing in abstract designs. The colors were so vibrant and so pretty, they would blend and meld in my daydreams and all of my mind's wanderings till I tried to paint them down."
"Like writers claim their words won't leave them be till they're written, your paintings were torturing you till they were painted," I interjected.
"Right!" She exclaimed, before continuing, "I didn't even know what I was painting I just knew the colors. It wasn't till Luna and Artemis revived me that I realized, every painting I did turned out to have a hidden memory or place from my memories hidden in it."
"How cool," I breathed, you have to admit, impressive story. I simplified, "So you created a bunch of optical illusions like those 'Magic-eye' books we used to all love as kids?"
"Yes, I still have no idea how it happened but I did. So I'm gonna show this to you close up and start to slowly move it back till you see the real picture," she said, untying my blindfold.
She recommended I take a second to get my eyes straight again before trying as I had been blindfolded tightly for a few minutes. I bumped up the dim and romantic lights to a bright setting so I could see a bit better, then finally turned to see the picture she was holding very close to my face.
At first glance, it was a swirling and twisting bunch of colors. By the texture of the paper and the looks (and smell) of the paint she'd chosen watercolors for her medium this time and I could see an obvious place where someone (probably the artist) picked up the paper too soon and had left a few fingerprints just along the right edge. At first glance it really didn't look like any other thing I'd seen her create.
"When you're ready I'll start backing it up till you can see the hidden picture."
I nodded and signaled to start backing it up. This went on for a few minutes, and then all of a sudden the concealed image emerged and I barely got out a strangled sounding, "stop."
From the twisting jumble of colors, lines and blots layered masterfully by a clever artist who was following the instructions of a dream… materialized a peek into my past life's home. Not only was our palace looming in the background, but this specific field had been my favorite meeting place with my Serenity.
Serenity's current form peeked around her tablet, careful not to move it an inch and ask, "Remember that?"
"Well yeah, but... that is incredible." I reacted, and she smiled, then careful not to move it still. She pointed to an area near the bottom.
"Can you see you and me laying in the field over here somewhere? We're teeny," she asked and right under her finger, there was a big armored dark blue shape next to a white shape framed in gold that I knew was pigtails.
"There we are!" I exclaimed gaining a giggle from her and before I could stop myself I stood up and pulled her into an intense kiss.
When she did pull away, she confessed, "Of all the reactions I was expecting that was not one of them."
"If each of the things you show me tonight are like this one, you may get that reaction each time."
"Well, I guess I'll survive somehow," she said with authentic annoyance, tacking on at the end, "twist my arm."
"Do I have to put the blind fold on again? For the next one?"
"No, I think you know how this game is played now, and the punishment you'll get for peeking," she warned sending me a withering glare, just before whirling her sketchbook to face her and flipping through the pages to her next presentation. When she found what she'd been seeking, she stepped up a little too close once more and let me observe her actual painting in its seemingly abstract and haphazard display, when I gave her a nod, she started to back up and I waited for the picture to emerge.
When it did appear, it too stole my breath for it was obviously a picture of all five sailor girls in uniform, with me standing off in the background completely broken off and seemingly unconnected with the girls. Sailor Moon was being pulled by her teammates, but her head was obviously pointed back at the caped and tuxedo clad portion of the picture, even though that figure had his back was turned to her.
It represented so much of what Serena must have gone through, still believing in me, even when I was possessed by evil. When all of the other Scouts must have been telling her to forget about me, and she really had nothing to say in my defense… Serena hadn't give up on me for heartbeat. I felt my own eyes misting and again, my 'stop' was strangled and pathetic sounding. This time I just had to take her in my arms and thank her.
Muffled by my shoulder, she asked, "What are you thanking me for? I'm here because of you, I simply would not have made it without you."
"For never losing faith in me, all this time," I said choking annoyingly on my insistent tears. How many successful first dates have moments where both people on said date are in tears?! I'm by no means an expert but I know enough about relationships to know if you're crying on the first date that can't be good. I was ruining this date, I could feel it, but just before I could freak out or get too mad at myself for ruining this otherwise top notch night… This little hand snaked up and pulled my head down to hers. If this was going half as bad as I feared, would she really be kissing me like this?
Food for thought, you have to admit.
When she did pull away she rested her forehead against mine and smiled. "I can't lie to you and say that it was always easy; but I can say with no doubt that it was all worth it, to be here with you like this now."
I squeezed her closer to me, saying a silent prayer that I never had to let go again. Not after all that we'd been through and all of the things I knew we had yet to face, I prayed to God for this to be the one and only thing that we never had to worry about again. Let us have this, each other, and let us be able to lean on that no matter what. I kissed her a few more times, and allowed her to jump back up.
She giggled out, as she searched for the next illustration, as she asked, "You weren't kidding in your warning were you?"
"I told you it could happen." I shrugged, completely unabashed and unembarrassed at my behavior.
"That you did, but are you ready to continue with these bizarre watercolor magic-eye versions of our past and present?"
"Whenever you are, mi lady," I said, sitting up a little straighter in my seat to show her that I was serious. She nodded to herself and bit her bottom-lip in concentration as she fingered the pages with obvious and practiced accuracy.
I had to grip the arms of my chair to reframe from kissing her again. The effect this little blonde had on me was unlike anything I'd ever known before. And instead of still getting used to it, at this moment, I was getting spoiled rotten in the current freedom I'd found us here, in this new haven. Freedom that we'd been denied all of this time we'd been force to share each other with our teammates and responsibilities. I was finding it all the more difficult as the night went on to keep my hands to myself, even when I knew that letting her share these little bits of herself with me were ESSENTIAL!
When she finally found the depiction she'd been looking for, she stepped closer and said, "Alright, this one is a bit epic."
On sight, this one's color schemes were all very dramatic and bold, as well as the splatters of paint, as she began to back away, I could see the embodiment of Evil Queen Beryl in her final skirmish with Serena. Beryl was in her red dress with green skin and hair, sending an attack at the jagged ice tower where Serena stood in Serenity's gown. It sent a chill down my spine and Serena must have heard me gasp because she stopped and while she was still hiding behind the tablet she began to explain…
"I know you weren't actually present for this part of the fight, but when I was standing on top of that thing facing Beryl-"
"I was with you!" I interrupted her and she meekly peeked over the top of the tablet at me. "I was there, with you and the girls that day. I saw it all like it was dream, but it all really happened."
"You saw this in your head, like it was a dream?" she asked.
I nodded, explaining lamely, "But even though it was a 'dream,' it felt more like a memory. The same way all of my dreams with my princess have felt all of these years. Too vibrant and true to be merely a creation of my mind alone… you know?"
Most people would have called me crazy, but not Serena. She said, "You probably remember the exact way all of us do. Luna, Artemis, all of the scouts and knights have pictures of it in their minds. Even though none of them were around either, physically. I think it is because even though none of you could be there, it still affected you. I know when I was standing up there, I could feel all of you with me. So it makes perfect sense for you all to remember it, the way you do."
Before I could wrap her up in my arms and put a little more of the hurt and heartache caused by that battle behind us. Serena held up her finger and said, "Before we do that, allow me to show my last one of the night. Then we can snuggle to our heart's content and I can fully relax, and not feel so anxious."
"Right, thank you so much for sharing these with me."
"Thank you so much for having the patience to see them. Art like these take a bit of work to even see the real significance. It may not mean a lot to most, but it means a lot to me. Especially when trying to share with our team, things didn't go too well at all."
"I can imagine," I said as she combed through her pad with apt expertise.
"Lita and Amy 'think' that they could make out the meanings, and each guessed correctly but I'm not sure they saw it or not. Mina and Raye were way off, Luna wouldn't try, Artemis never saw 'anything but messy splatters' his words. Surprisingly Chad saw them over my shoulder and got each one without needing me to back up or anything. Ken saw completely weird and out there things I would never even imagine together. While John didn't try, Greg had never been able to get magic-eye art to work when he was little."
I couldn't help but laugh. "One of the most brilliant minds of this new age, and he can't figure out how to work a magic eye picture?"
"I was as shocked as you are." She gifted me with a smile, before switching back in charge and saying, "All right handsome, this is our last piece of the night and I think you'll like it. Even if this optical illusion is the strangest one I've ever seen. The moment you see the picture, let me know because that is not it. Are you ready?"
I nodded and she placed it too close and began to back up. When the portrayal revealed itself it was Tuxedo Mask, up close. Probably a memory from when I had saved her because I was VERY close up. I told her to stop and she asked me, "What did I see?"
I Said, "Me as Tux."
With a slow twisting of the tablet counter-clockwise, the image of Tux faded and an image of me surfaced, just plain and normal Darien, smirking back at myself mischievously. I gasped and almost pulled her from behind the tablet and into my arms when I heard her voice determinedly behind the paper announce, "I'm not through yet, what do you see now?"
"I see me, just Darien," I said falling back into my seat. "Can we start again, I moved and I'm afraid I missed something," I asked
"Certainly," she said, before stepping up close and beginning anew. She pulled it back slowly and this time I was better prepared for the first couple of images. I watched tux appear again dutifully saying stop, with a twist of the pad, he changed to me somehow (as I expected), then with another twist I became Endymion. With a final twist, of her tablet, an image of Serenity and Endymion laying together in that field of flowers (or maybe that was heaven surrounding them, it sure looked like it). They were laying opposite each other in that way so that only heads were right in each other's face, upside down. They were holding hands and about to kiss, both smiling so happy that it made my heart ache.
"Can you see something?" she asked, and I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to hold her, appreciate her. Never take her for granted, never let anything come between us or divide us again. I pulled her tablet down and pulled her face to mine all in one swift motion. I lifted her up and continued to kiss her until we both were in need of air. How lucky was I, to be given this kind of happiness, this contentment? And it was all just beginning.
I'm not entirely certain how we ended up there, but all I am sure of is, when I opened my eyes, I was holding her high up and leaning her into a nearby wall covered in thankfully thorn-less roses. Her eyes were still closed and she was smiling even though her chest was heaving for breath. When she finally could speak, she asked; "Did you… feel the need… to reenact that last image? Is that… what you're trying to do…here… pressed against this wall? That happens to be covering in your… signature red-roses?"
"No," I whispered, "This is me making a new start… beginning…a whole new bunch of memories with you. Ones that I will never forget… and ones that will leave all of our others in the dust."
"You sound pretty confident there, sir," she flirted tightening her legs around my waist. How did those get there, and did she know what they were doing to my heart-rate?
I put a finger to her lips, as she smirked flirtatiously, I shushed her. "Would you just be quiet long enough so I can kiss you?"
"Only if it's half as good as that last one," she conditioned.
"You know very well by now that every new kiss is better than the last," I said, a breath away now.
"Then there should be no pressure." She shrugged just before I silenced her for a long while.
Needless to say… Best Night of My Life… Well So Far!
_
"King ENDYMION, there you are!" Neo-Queen Serenity exclaimed, as my head shot up, I drank in the sight of her and all her glory. I'd married her hundreds of years ago and looking back on those simple and sweet times still warmed my heart. Looking at her even now stole the breath from my lungs. Would she ever have an inkling of the effect she has on me.
"I'm sorry, your highness," I greeted even though we were alone and perfectly secluded at the moment in our conservatory and one of my favorite places to think.
"Where in the stars were you off to? I have been trying to contact you all morning! Haven't you received any of my notices?" she asked, arms crossed and displaying her mid-drift far too well to convince me of her annoyance.
"I'm truly sorry, my dear; I was just looking through these old journals and reliving a bit of our younger days." I showed her and she immediately recognized her teeny pink diary, my more masculine looking dream diary and her old sketchbook.
"Are you trying to distract me out of being cross with you?"
"Is it working?"
"Darien!"
"I sorry, Serena, I had no idea that you were trying to reach me. I told my assistant 'no interruptions, no exceptions.' I guess she takes me very seriously."
Serenity shot me her 'scrutinizing glare,' the one where she's looking me up and down trying to figure out if I'm lying or not. The same glare I'd seen her cast on villains and monsters who would bow down in fear. While I was fighting to keep my face serious and not laugh.
Finally she said, "Those are from our past?"
"Don't you recognize them?" I asked handing her the teeny pink diary with the long since broken lock hanging uselessly down the side.
She smiled and admitted, "I thought these things long gone, and where ever did you find them?"
"I keep them locked up with our private things in my hidden vault in the conservator, you know that," I reminded her while she put down her diary, fingered the pages of my dream diary, and then settled for picking up her sketchbook.
"I knew we keep plenty of the trinkets from our past back there, I just had no idea these made the cut."
"Did you really think I would let anything ever happen to them?" I asked her, and she smiled.
"I love how sentimental you've become," she said kissing my forehead and taking a seat in my lap. Flipping through the age stained and well-loved pages of her old sketch pad she laid her head on my shoulder. I held her tight and closed my eyes as her floaty voice reminisced, "I seem to recall a time I entered your apartment, and while it was perfectly you, clean and organized to a military or surgical standard, it seemed so cold and distant to anyone else who entered it. Your childhood had taught you not to get too attached to anything."
I nodded in agreement as I slumped down in my seat so we could snuggle more comfortably. Pressing kisses to her forehead, ear, neck and shoulder as I said, "Yeah… my youngest years were brutal… but then this little blonde-headed… pigtailed terror came bouncing in… and changed everything for the better."
She sighed. "A Terror I was, however did you put up me?"
"Ah, some tortures are worth suffering through."
"Ya think that was suffering?" she asked just before turning in my lap to straddle my legs and pin me against the back of the chair and then kissing me deeply and soundly. Literally thousands of years and she could still nail me to the wall anytime she wants. If we hadn't known each other so long, if I didn't know her feelings and moods as well as my own, I might have missed the primal edge to her kiss. Since I am the kind of husband that keeps track of all these things, when we parted and I could speak, I had to ask her…
"It really worried you that much when you didn't hear from me?"
"We are living in dangerous times again Darien, I didn't know what was happening-"
"I know, I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. Is our little Rini safely back in the past for her training?"
"…Yes…" She sighed.
"You don't think that has anything to do with your worries?" I asked her, while she hid her face and refused to look at me for a moment. I thought I had won until she sighed and she really looked like she was worried to the brink of tears.
"Serena," I tried to comfort, "She's going to be all right! She's going back and training alongside us when we were learning ourselves. We know it's the best thing for because we were there and we had a blast teaching and growing with our little girl. We bonded and knew about her long before we had her."
"I know all of that Darien," she said snuggling into my shoulder as I tipped us back so she could lie along with me and relax a moment. She said clearly, "But something I didn't know has completely come out of nowhere this morning, and I don't even know how to tell you about it."
"Does this have to do with you feeling under the weather and getting tired so quickly lately?" I asked, preparing myself for whatever she had to say. Telling myself (or really disciplining myself) into not reacting in any way that would make how she feels worse, no matter what she has to say.
She nodded and confirmed, "I was trying to talk to you and arrange a time. Since I couldn't get through I had to bust in here and bombard you with my news. Which I really didn't want to do."
"I'm sorry, I hope that the doctor had good news."
"She did, but I admit I didn't expect this at all, not even a little bit."
"Well if it's good what's the problem?" I asked and I could feel her take a deep breath.
"It's gonna mean big changes."
"If the changes are good, what's the problem?" I asked, so preoccupied in encouraging her that I didn't realize that she was trying to tell me something.
Then I felt her take another breath and take my hand, she dragged it down to rest against her stomach. She turned her head to whisper in my ear. "What if I told you, that after all of these years of having one child, we have a new little bundle, created from our love coming our way?"
"Are you serious?"
"Would I be this worried if I wasn't?"
"Amy's sure?"
"Very sure I'm afraid, in fact according to the growth and dates, our new little bundle seems to be a surprise gift from our first nights together again after I finally reawakened from my sleep, healed and you were well enough for us to love again."
"Wow… Serena this is a miracle, why aren't you as thrilled as I am?"
She finally looked at me and said, "Because I've never heard of us having any other children. I've never met any of our other children. What if something happens and I lose this child? What if it's impossible for someone our actual age to have children? I have too many fears and not enough answers."
"Well, here's what we are going to do, we're going to forget all of those gloom and depressing thoughts and we're going to celebrate! Starting right now!"
With that I picked her up, my world, my partner, my beloved friend and the most important person in all the cosmos to me. I swung her, and tickled her, laughed and cheered like an idiot until she joined in. And for a minute we were right back in those dear days when I was "that jerk Darien," and she was the "Meatball-Head!" We were those teenagers again, and I hoped for the millionth time in my life that we never lost it, not even if we lived another thousand years.
_
Well that is it readers! I'm again so sorry that it took so long to get finished, but I hope it was worth the wait! I love you all, and could not have finished this without all of you! My Beta reader CaseClosed621, I never would have gotten to this point without your encouragement, you notes whenever you didn't hear from me for a while and all of the help you've given me these years working on this story with me! God bless you and I hope you liked it!
To any one reading these words, Thank you from the bottom of my heart, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. Writing this story got me through some of the hardest times of my life. It's amazing how much better one feels when they can escape all of their real problems for a moment or the hours I've gotten to flee realty and enter this world. I hope it has brought half as much light and laughter to your days as it has mine.
Thank you all of you who have reviewed, all of you reviewing right now, all of you who favorited this story or me as an author! It has been amazing writing for you and I plan to continue working on Sailor Moon projects in the future! Hope we'll all meet again sometime soon! God Bless you all, and Much Love!
-SailorLeia