Disclaimer: One disclaimer for the whole story should suffice, so I'll say this now. I don't own Sailor moon or any characters associated with the show, and I never will.

Other characters such as James are a figment of my overactive imagination, and indeed do belong to me.

Chapter 01:

Coffee and Sunshine

"So how do you feel about that?" The blonde man asked as he propped his feet on the table and tapped his pen on his clipboard languidly.

"Do you really have to ask that question James?" The golden tress maiden asked from the couch as she unconsciously began counting the square patterns on the cieling.

Letting out a sigh James plunked his clipboard on his mahogany desk, and chanced a glance at the long legged woman laying smugly on the leather couch. "It's standard procedure Serena, please don't be difficult."

She let out a snort and sat up. "Alright doc I'm ready to cooperate. It all began when I was born…"

The thirty six year old man let out a groan. "As fascinating as it is to listen to the story of your conception, birth, and life, you do realize you're paying me by the hour right?"

Serena pouted prettily and fluttered her eyelashes at her therapist whom she was well acquainted with since she bumped into the back of his brand new Lexus two years ago. He wanted to sue. She reasoned that he was driving 25 MPH in a 45 MPH zone. Unfortunately it was the other way around and she had succumbed to feeding him lies about her tragic life and the reasons that led her to her road rage. Her parents would have taken away her car if things got messy. She didn't know he was a therapist, or that he would insist she see him at least once a month to resolve her 'issues' unless she wanted to be served. So here she was, in his office. They were close friends by now, occasionally meeting each other for coffee or dinner after he found out she didn't really have 'problems' but she insisted on continuing her sessions, it annoyed him, which made it all the more worth it. At the same time, she needed an ear to listen to her problems, and he provided it willingly, albeit with a few quirky remarks here and there, but she enjoyed his company nonetheless.

"Sere?" James prodded breaking Serena out of her reverie.

"Actually I don't feel okay. What's wrong with me?" She scowled and stared at a spot on the ground. "Four failed relationships James, and I'm not even twenty four yet!"

"I don't know what to tell you love, but life just throws you a whole bunch of crap and you learn to dodge it to the best of your ability, or you'll just have to live with the odor for the rest of your life."

"I know but…there really must be something wrong with me. Let's start off with Robert my last love affair whom I met during my last years of college."

At the mention of Robert, James stared at her questioningly. "I thought you said he still loves you? Didn't he treat you well? If I recall correctly he was the 'perfect' boyfriend in your eyes."

"Yeah, he was the perfect boyfriend, and I still love him."

"Then why did that relationship come to an end if you were so hopelessly in love with each other?"

"Because I was in love with Robert, not Rose."

James raised an eyebrow. "And who is this Rose?"

"After Robert got a sex change, he- no SHE changed her name to Rose." She remarked bitterly. Serena had loved him so much, yet he refused to tell her about what was going on in that mind of his even after they had been together for over a year. One night out of the blue he finally confessed. The next day she moved out of his apartment, and didn't contact him until two months after his operation.

"I take it that it hit you pretty hard."

"It's all in the past. I never regretted meeting him though, the other three yes. Rose and I go shopping and have lunch with each other every once in a while. She understands me more than a lot of my other friends do."

"I see. So what happened to the other three before Robert?" He questioned, finally gaining an interest in her slightly off balanced love life.

"Well my first boyfriend was when I was just a teenager. I believe I was sixteen. Thomas was cute, boyish and a little awkward looking because he was still going through that puberty phase, but he was really charming and sweet. And his light green eyes were a bonus. Unfortunately he came from a really sheltered family. He was needy and dependant and extremely jealous. He was smothering me, and yet I didn't have the heart to break up with him."

"But you obviously did." James noted.

"Yes. During the summer before my last year of high school I went on a trip to England with my parents for a month. He told me he was forced by his parents to take summer school courses. It was a perfect opportunity. I told him I needed some space and some time apart, and was hoping that the distance between us would close the gap in our relationship that was steadily increasing in size. He assured me that he understood and that was that."

"So then what happened? He cheated on you?"

Serena rolled her eyes. "Thomas would never have done that, though Steve whom I dated after Thomas, my second boyfriend cheated on me, numerous times. Good thing our relationship only lasted a month and a half."

"Back to Thomas." James urged, not bothering to take notes or doing his therapist duties. There was no point. He knew she was here only for some quality bonding time. He knew he wouldn't charge her. He wasn't too happy that she knew and took advantage of it though.

"During the first week I was in London he called me everyday."

"That's normal. He missed you."

"Seven times a day to be exact, eight on Fridays."

"Oh. I see."

The blonde woman nodded and swung her legs back and forth. "But I didn't snap until my second week in London. There was a knock on my hotel suite and when I went to open it, lo and behold, Mr. Thomas Hermann Melville II stood there in all his boyish glory with a shy grin on his face dragging a suitcase behind him."

"Hermann Melville II?" James snickered ignoring the glares Serena was sending in his direction. "So what did you do? Throw a fit and tell him to go back to New York?"

"Close. I blinked, told him we were through, and shut the door in his face."

"Ouch."

Serena sighed. She knew it was a cruel thing to do, she just couldn't take it anymore. He had skipped his classes and flew to London after borrowing money from his grandparents, deliberately going against his parents' wishes and hers as well. "During my senior year of high school he never spoke or looked in my direction again."

"You're just a magnet for all the strange cookies aren't you?"

Serena merely shrugged and reached forward to pick up her cup of warm coffee off the table. Inhaling its sweet aroma she sighed and took a sip before looking into James' honey brown eyes twinkling with amusement.

"So now that I know the basis of three of those relationships, isn't there one more?"

"Ah yes, my relationship before I met Robert was with Michael. The person I lost my virginity to. Unlike my other three boyfriends Michael and I got together during my 'bad boy' phase. He was wild, untamed, and extremely good looking. You know the whole, tall, dark, handsome and dangerous business. Unfortunately he was a bad influence on me and it reflected on my school life. He kept me away from my classes, flushing my perfect attendance record down the drain. He took me out to parties on school nights, and took me to his illegal races during weekends."

"But you're little miss perfect love! Who would have thought you had it in you." James grinned wickedly at her.

"Oh do shut up. As much as I love you James, I can still hurt you."

"Go on with your story cherie, don't let my little outburst stop you."

She rolled her eyes and continued. "Anyhow one night during his little race an accident happened and one of the racers were badly injured, the police were involved and when news got to my parents they forbade me to continue seeing him. I couldn't go against their wishes, nor did I want to for that matter. It finally dawned me that his lifestyle didn't suit mine, that although it was thrilling to be with him for the first few months, I just didn't see myself with him in the future. But before I was able to tell him I wanted out, he called me and broke it off, saying that he couldn't handle a long distance relationship since he got kicked out of school and his parents were demanding he move back to Chicago. And that was that."

"Quite a history of lovers there Tsukino." James commented as he plunked a piece of chocolate into his mouth.

"And so Serena Tsukino at the age of twenty three and four months has decided to become a spinster."

"Don't you think that's a bit rash, you're still very young after all."

She shrugged and set down her mug of coffee. "I think I've had enough bad relationships for one lifetime. Though my current love triangle has been the talk of all New York don't you know? The biggest love affair since Caesar, Marc Anthony, and Cleopatra!"

"And who pray tell is involved in this scandalous triangle?"

"Serena Tsukino, chocolate, and video games." She wiggled her eyebrows.

James laughed and shook his head. "You are indeed a special one love."

The rest of the conversation was cut off when a knock came on the door. "Doctor, Mr. Garrison is here to see you."

"Alas, our time has been fun my dear but I have to see my real patients now, they have real problems, and they actually pay me." He mocked smiling at her from his desk.

"But I thought my wonderful company was payment enough. After all you get to spend a whole hour with this ravishing creature in front of you." She smiled picking up her coat and making her way to the door, her coffee mug forgotten. "See you later James." She threw over her shoulder as she walked out the door.

James chuckled and picked up his clipboard. Serena Tsukino was special indeed. Over the course of two years he had come to learn so many things about her, how her life as an orphan had changed when she was adopted as a baby by her affluent Japanese parents. How she had transformed from a shy reserved bookworm into a feminine curvy woman that oozed sensuality. She was still uncomfortable in her own skin now and never realized what her affect had on men. Her past relationships didn't really help her current predicament. One day Serena would find the right person for her. She just needed to give him time to find her.

Mr. Garrison plopped down onto the couch with a thump, breaking James out of his thoughts. He looked over at his patient with a professional smile and eased back into his chair.

"Mr. Garrison, how are you feeling today?"

The middle aged man scoffed and answered without taking his eyes off the ceiling. "My wife filed for divorce after she found out about my mistress. My boss fired me when he found out my mistress was actually his daughter. And my mistress left me for my eldest son who is younger and has more stamina. My doctor cut me off from Viagra after my last heart attack. I could frolic in joy, indeed I feel like a fucking happy ray of sunshine."

"I'm sorry for your losses. But I'll be sure to keep an eye open for a good meadow." James muttered the last part under his breath as he quickly scribbled down some notes and checked the box marked sarcastic on his paper. It was going to be a long day. He just hoped he would make it until tonight when he would grace the bar with his lovely presence and proceed to drink until he forgot this conversation ever happened.

"Did I mention a girl smiled at me today from her car?"

At least the conversation was taking a turning point for the better.

"I smiled back at her, but then she turned to the other side and started picking her nose."

Bloody hell.

Serena wiggled her toes as she curled up on her couch with a cup of hot cocoa. She drew the warm fuzzy pink blanket at her foot over her legs and scanned the newspaper quickly for any sign of job openings. Surely it wouldn't be too difficult for a new business graduate to find a job? But of course nothing in life is easy. She could've taken the easy path and ask her father for a job at his corporation, but it was too simple. She wanted to go out and find a job for herself the first year she made her debut in the real world, and after that, she would have to figure out those plans later. Right now, she was having trouble finding a decent starter job let alone a future career.

Sighing, the blonde picked up her remote and surfed through the channels. She felt like crying when nearly every show playing during the Christmas season had some type of warm and fuzzy romantic drama going on within the plot. It made her feel a little empty. But she was single now, she had to remember that, and the aftermath of her recent breakup left a still tender wound that would take more time to heal. She would not rush into another relationship. She's an adult now, no longer the big eyed doe with idealistic notions running around in her head waiting to be swept off her feet.

Glancing at the paper one last time she saw an ad at the corner of the newspaper. Shield's Corporation was looking for secretaries and other people who were willing to do clerical work. Bingo. Hitting the mute button with one hand and uncapping her pink highlighter with the other she quickly highlighted the small section and set it off to the side. A smile graced her lips as she did a little victory dance. Her life was just about to start.

Darien Shields opened his eyes slightly and shifted in his king sized bed. His brain barely functioning from the massive amount of alcohol he consumed just hours previous, and his body was physically worn by sexual activities with his date for tonight. Quietly he lifted the head on his chest filled with red hair and set her head on the pillow next to his. He swung off the bed and headed towards the bathroom, but was stopped short when a sleepy voice spoke softly from behind."

"Darien darling, won't you come back to bed?" The redhead mumbled softly, sleep still evident in her tone.

"In a bit sweet, you should get some rest, I'm not entirely finished with you yet." He grinned charmingly and raked a hand through his disheveled midnight locks.

"Don't take too long." She whispered eyeing him appreciatively through sooty lashes.

Darien headed into the bathroom and closed the door, making a mental note in his head to call Kunzite and tell him he wouldn't be coming into work tomorrow. After all, Charise, his red haired beauty had taken him two weeks to woo. He deserved to enjoy her lovely company for at least another few well spent hours.