Chapter 4 Sailor Moon

Their one month agreement was over but they had been irrevocably bound by their shared secret. Unfortunately, their regular contact was taking a toll on his control. She was in high school. He kept telling himself this but it didn't seem to help any. His growing attraction to the pretty blonde was putting him in a surly mood. As usual, he took it out on her. Right now, they were glaring at each other over the pizza they were sharing in his kitchen.

"What the hell has your panties in a twist?" she asked not bothering to hide her anger.

"You. You're annoying." He said simply.

"Fine. I'll leave. I didn't invite myself over but I'll go with your invitation." She slammed down a half-eaten slice of pizza and shrugged back into her denim jacket. She grabbed up the slice of pizza and headed for the door. He watched her retreating back and swore vehemently. He got up and stopped her bodily. Instead of apologizing. He threw gasoline on the fire he'd started.

"So, you're just gonna run off now?" he snarled. She tore her hand from his grasp and screamed in frustration.

"I've gone out of my way to be nice to you. I've deliberately not picked a fight but you keep picking the fights. Dammit, I don't know how I even put up with your insufferable ego! I must have got hit harder in the head than I believed all those times I drooled like an idiot after your damnable alter ego." She whispered harshly.

"If it weren't for our shared purpose, I wouldn't even bother putting up with you and your friends."

"No one is holding you to this truce. If you wanna go off by yourself you can. I will sing and dance when I don't have to look at you again." She nearly bit her tongue after she said the words. His face hardened and his eyes cleared but not before she saw the doubt and the hurt.

"I don't know what I was thinking spending so much time with a high schooler." He said stonily. He watched her reaction to his words and swore again. She had never been able to hide her emotions. Sad. Happy. Belligerent. He always knew and she made no bones about letting him feel the fury of her emotions. Right now, he saw hurt, anger, acceptance then determination.

"Have a good life, Mr. Chiba." She said in a formal tone. "On second thought, I hope you have a rotten life you idiot." She bent to pick up the back she had dropped when he grabbed her. When she righted herself, she almost gasped at the hard anger that darkened his eyes. But she saw something else. She didn't want to put a word to something as intense as that. She took a step back from the violence pouring off him. She would remember it being a mistake. She should have run.

In the time it took for her left heel to find the ground behind her, Darien had moved, pulling her up against him and covering her parted lips with his. The kiss wasn't gentle – nothing at all like the first kiss he'd given her – but there was still a controlled fury behind it. After her mind registered that, she knew no more. Her body heated and her mind melted in sweet agony. Her breath was greedily taken by him even as she took his. His tongue stroked the inside of her mouth, possessing the warm cavern as his own domain. Her hands found purchase on his solid shoulders, her fingers digging in. He molded her smaller and softer frame to the contrast of his, his obvious arousal poking at her stomach. For the first time, she questioned her sanity in agreeing to come to this man's apartment. Alone. Though he still held her mind with his kiss and touches, she couldn't help but remember that he was a man. A strong man. Twice her size. Older than her. Versed in the pleasures of the world. And he had control over her innocence. She shuddered in fear, pleasure and anticipation.

She hadn't registered the movement from the door to the sofa but now, she was being pressed into it by his heavy frame. She was trying to fight her ready response to his advances but her body betrayed what her mind knew was the right thing. She should be protesting. She should demand to be released. She wasn't ready for this kind of intimacy with anyone. With him. She tore her mouth away with the decision to stop but her words came out as a long pleasured moan when his mouth closed over the pulse in her neck. She felt him shudder above her and couldn't help the instinct that made her widen her legs to accommodate his hips. Hers moved tentatively against his as her skirt rode up her thighs. He grunted slightly but otherwise kept up his attention on her neck and the flesh that her tank top left exposed. When his hand held her breast and flicked the nipple she arched against it. She tugged his head back up and kissed him even as his hand slid downward, pausing at her stomach then definitely cupped her. She jerked in surprise at the sensation but the sudden movement was enough to shake them from the sexual stupor in which they found themselves. Their lips separated with a decisive smacking sound and they stared at each other. They were still. Her hands were still tightly gripping his black mane. One of his hands was still intimately touching her but they seemed too shocked to move.

Almost as suddenly as they had been wrapped around each other, they snapped apart. He fell off the sofa in his haste and she slid as far into the back of said furniture as it would allow. They watched each other warily, still breathing heavily. Serena was the first to move. She stood suddenly, tugging her tank top down and straightening her skirt. She didn't even look at him as he scooped up her bag and rushed through the door.

Darien didn't see Serena for a month after that. He had deliberately avoided the Arcade and the other areas she frequented. From what Andrew told him, she seemed to be doing the same thing. He didn't even show up to the infrequent youma attack. When he decided enough time had passed, he entered the Arcade, smiling at Andrew as he took his normal seat. He ordered his regular hot beverage and brooded. This didn't last long though. Andrew soon pulled him out of his dark mood with his cheerful attitude. But all to soon, her laughter broke through the sunny disposition. He turned slightly expecting to see her amongst her laughing friends. What he saw had him turning fully and snapping to attention. Serena was holding a boy's hand, their fingers threaded intimately. They made their way to a booth. The young man leaned towards her whispering in her ear. She laughed and slapped him playfully. Then before he could blink, their lips were fused. Jealousy flooded his veins. Anger flushed his skin. His hands balled into fists as he stood. Before he even registered it, he was moving towards them. Andrew who had been watching moved to intercept him. He glared at his friend.

"Don't do anything stupid, Darien."

"Stupid? Like what?"

"Beat up her boyfriend. She'd never forgive you. No doubt, she'd kill you. Alter ego or no." The tension didn't drain from his body but he took his seat again. "I don't know what happened between you two, but killing her boyfriend in a jealous rage will not help."

"How long have they been going out?"

"About two weeks now. She made me promise not to tell you. Said you'd find out soon enough. Am I to assume she did this because you would have tried to put a stop to things?" Andrew asked.

Darien glared at the couple before answering his friend. "Maybe." Andrew nodded at his answer.

"Look, you're my best friend but Sere is like my sister and I have to put her first. Let this run it's course. Maybe she'll look your way after." Andrew shrugged.

"I think I should take up my hermit ways again." Darien mumbled. "Does he go to her school?"

"No. He goes to Rei's school. Apparently, he's the son of one of her father's colleagues."

"So, the old man has no problem with her dating him." Andrew chuckled at the idea.

"No. He has a problem. He just didn't need to hold a gun to him like he did you." Andrew finally sobered. "You gonna tell me what happened?"

"And have you try to clobber me with a glass?" Darien asked. Andrew narrowed his eyes but said nothing. "I'll talk if you put down the glass." Andrew complied, curiosity eating him. Darien sighed and began to speak. "Things got a little heated last time I saw her."

"Heated? How?" Darien proceeded to tell him what had happened and when he finished Andrew's shocked expression turned red with embarrassment then anger. "If I didn't know for a fact Serena would kill me for scarring that face of yours, I'd kill you now."

"No need for scolding. I've done enough of that for myself. Serena has fought me tooth and nail but she's never gone out of her way to avoid me. I don't blame her. She's a child for heaven's sake." He said and let loose a string of curses. He jumped when her voice reprimanded him.

"You have such a dirty mouth." She chided. "Shenji, this is the bane of my existence, Darien and you know my first love Andrew." She said calmly. He nodded at both men.

"Nice to meet you." He said to Darien. He smiled at Andrew and added. "Thanks for not scooping her up before I could convince her to date me."

"You're welcome." Andrew nudged the silent and glowering Darien. "Be nice." He whispered.

"Nice to meet the boy who can put up with Serena." He earned a laugh from Shenji and a glare from Serena.

"His sweetness is as fun as his temper." He threw a hand over her shoulder and squeezed her to his side.

"How'd you two meet?" Darien asked gesturing for them to take a seat.

He smiled mischievously and Serena mock glared at him. "My dad asked me to drop something off at her house. When I was leaving, I heard a squeal-"

"I did not squeal. I made sound of surprise." She said defensively.

"Sure you did. Anyway," he said looking at her. "This one was trying to sneak out of her room for being grounded. Her shoe got caught between two branches and she was hanging upside down with her skirt over her head." He chuckled.

"Clumsy as ever."

"You'd think she'd be scared out of her mind. Instead she was fuming. She had her hand folded and she was just glaring hard at the ground."

"To cut a long story short, I tried to free myself and foot slipped out of my shoe. He caught me." Serena finished quickly.

Darien looked at her even as she glared at him. She needed to get away from him. She felt the damnable pull and gritted her teeth against the effect. Her heart leapt in her chest and beat a tattoo of his name against her chest. Her nose flared as it picked up his scent and her eyes widened to take in the sight of him. She looked at him. He was tense. He had a tight rein on his reactions but she didn't miss the pulse at the base of his throat. His eyes were hard, angry and-cautious.

"We should get going." She said to Shenji just as his phone rang.

"Sorry, it's my dad." He said then excused himself. When he came back, he had a grim expression. "I gotta take a rain check on that movie, Serena. My mom has been taken to the hospital."

"Oh! I'll come with you."

"No. I know how you hate hospitals. I'll call you later." He kissed her hard on the mouth before leaving quickly. She turned to see Andrew slinking away and she glared at him. Before she could stall his escape, he was gone and she was left with Darien and his angry eyes.

"It didn't take long for you to find someone who you could handle, huh?"

"Don't talk about Shenji."

"Why? You practically ran from me after-"

"I had every right to." She said in a harsh whisper. "I'm seventeen and I was alone in a man's apartment. Look where it got me. I ran because I had to. What happened was a mistake and I'm determined it won't happen again."

"How? I can see your reaction to me. I can feel it. You want to-"

"Shut up, you idiot. I have put it behind me. I've moved on. I'm hanging with people my own age. I-"

"You are getting from him what you know you couldn't get from me without sacrificing something. You know I'd demand you give me everything and you can't handle that. You wanted a quick fling with the college boy. If I'd know you were so easy, I'd have just taken you there and then." He waited for her reply and when it came, he couldn't say it was unexpected.

"I'll show you easy-" she muttered while she pulled her hand back and laid one of her fists into the side of his jaw. His head swung hard and his vision dimmed for a second. HE never knew that this slip of a woman could hit so hard. Even if she was Sailor Moon. He registered shattering glass and looked to the side to see Andrew standing in absolute shock the broken glass forgotten at his feet. He saw the twitch and knew he was coming to intervene but he'd have to wait. Serena would need a dressing down from him without curious, inquisitive eyes. He stood quickly sweeping her up easily and throwing her over his shoulder before running quickly through the front door. His captive protested angrily all the way. He ducked into and alley then using her preternatural abilities, he jumped to the roof before setting her down but not away from him.

"Don't you ever hit me again, Sailor Moon."

"Why? Would you hit back? I can take you."

"I highly doubt it. But no, I wouldn't hit you. But I will not stand for such disrespect. Do you understand me?" he said crowding her.

She had already regretted her hasty reaction but he had it coming. "Perfectly. Now let me go."

"I'm not done with you yet." He said yanked her forward. He slanted his mouth over her angry lips. She fought the contact but he persisted. She decided to bite him but he would have none of it. He gripped her denim-clad bottom and she broke the painful clasp in surprise. He pulled her closer still as he stilled her head with a hand, deepening the kiss. She had her nails digging into his neck painfully as she fought the intimate contact. She pulled slightly and they both new she drew blood. He continued to kiss her, squeezing her hard.

She recognized the tactic. Punishment. Domination. Possession. And she fought the drugging effects of it. Her fingers had relaxed but she felt the slickness of his blood beneath her palm. She knew it was pointless to push against him so she went into his embrace, throwing his balance and winning her freedom. She suddenly applauded her decision to pay attention in physics class. She pushed out of his hard embrace and wrapped her arms around herself. His eyes were still hard with anger but they had darkened in response to his arousal. She suspected her eyes had darkened too. She wouldn't deny she was attracted to the man, but she would fight him with all her might. She licked her lips as she tried to steady her breathing. She saw his eyes flicker as they followed the movement. She took a step back for good measure. Blood was seeping into his white collar and she shivered. She met his gaze and saw his intent. Quicker than lighting, she called on her cosmic powers and took off. She glanced back to see the dark clad figure following her across the high-rise buildings. She snapped out her compact and sent out a message to all the girls. They all answered.

"Is it s youma?" Ami asked.

"I wish. It's Tuxedo Mask." She turned her head to watch him bearing down on her. "You guys need to help keep him away from me. I can't handle him." She said close to tears. They all nodded and agreed to meet at the park. She shoved the compact into that invisible pocket and ran for all her worth. Years of trying to make it to class aided her flight. She jumped from the last building glancing back to judge the distance. He was in the air behind her. Fighting down panic, she hit the ground running. People moved out of her way and she tore down the street, heading for the park. She nearly cried when she saw the entrance. Her already high pace quickened. She burst through the foliage into a clearing that youmas liked to use. She laughed in relief when she saw the girls poised to fight. She ran to them skidding to a halt as she turned mid-stride to watch her pursuer burst through the trees. She was slightly behind the four girls as they sized up Tuxedo Mask.

"You okay?" Mina asked.

"Now that I see you guys, I'm feeling better." She said breathing hard. Air whistled through her lungs as she struggled for the much needed oxygen.

"Mind explaining what's going on?" Lita said cracking her knuckles. Strands of her hair stood on end as they reacted to the latent charge she held within her.

"I need your help keeping that jackass away from me."

"Why?" this came from Rei. "You guys have been chummy of late." Serena was too close to tears to argue with Rei. She swallowed with effort, as she looked Rei in the eye, real fear clouding out anything else. Rei gasped and looked back at Darien who still hadn't moved. "What did he do to you, Serry?" she said using that affectionate name.

"I told him no and he-I-" she swallowed. "I fought him."

"You did that to his neck?" Ami asked, her blue eyes changing to a light shade in her reined anger. Serena nodded.

"You got anything to say?" Lita asked the still figure.

"Ask her if she didn't like it. Ask her if she didn't cling to me." The girls looked at Serena and she blushed in anger.

"Can you blame me?" They shook their heads. They all knew Serena had a crush on both Darien and Tuxedo Mask since they first met. "I won't deny that I liked it. I won't even deny that I want to kiss you again but I'm not going to. I'm gonna fight this damnable hold you have over me. If I have to ask for help from my friends then that's what I'll do."

"You get that?" Rei asked. "She doesn't want anymore to do with you. Leave her alone or you're going home with a few burns." A fog crept along the ground. It originated from Ami. Electricity crackled at Lita's hands. Mina was still. She did nothing but watch Darien warily. Serena finally stood with her friends.

"Just leave me alone." She said. She could feel the anger radiating off him. He took a step and the ground shook. The girls were perplexed.

"You think any of you can keep her from me?" Serena was hit with a vision so strong she staggered. All of sudden, she wasn't in the park. She took in the pearly white walls of what looked to be a palace. Darien was dressed in armor and was glowering at a woman sitting in a large throne. "I've fought to be with her too long for you to change that." She vision disappeared but the words were the same.

She breathed on name as her mind clawed its way back to reality. "En-Endymion." She shook her head and slumped to the ground in pain. "N-No-no." she whimpered. Mina turned to help her while the others watched the man. She fisted her gloved hands in the dirt, trying to bite back the pain but it didn't help. A gut-wrenching, blood curdling scream tore out of her and the observers stilled.

"What the he-" Lita said. Darien had slumped to the ground but unlike Serena, he was unconscious. Serena was shivering, whimpering and crying in pain. She clawed the ground as she coughed as if to clear her lungs.

"Pick her up. Let's go to the shrine." Ami said taking charge. They detransformed.

"What about him? We can't just leave him here." Mina said.

"I'll take him." Lita said. "You guys look after Serena." She picked up the prone man and immediately, his tuxedo disappeared. Luckily, Lita had 'borrowed' her boss's car. They transferred their burdens to the car and drove to the shrine. Parking in the garage across the road, they alighted then labored with the two up the many stairs. Avoiding Rei's grandfather, they went into the fire room.

Laid out on bed rolls, Ami examined the two. Serena was writhing in pain and Darien was still unconscious. "Their vitals are erratic." Suddenly Serene thrashed about and it took Rei and Lita to hold her down. Her hand swung out and it hooked unto Darien. On a heavy sigh, she quieted. The girls looked at Ami. "She's asleep."

"And him?" Rei asked.

"Awake." They watched as he furrowed his brow then opened his eyes.

"Am I dead?" he asked in hoarse whisper.

"Luckily for you, not yet." He looked at Rei then sighed. He looked to his right where Serena was unconscious. Her fingers were wrapped tightly around his.

"What happened?"

"We don't know yet. One minute we're preparing to kill you and then she screams out. You passed out. She just went to sleep."

"Can I leave now?" he asked wanting to be as far from these girls as possible.

"We would let you go if she would release you." He tested the statement and said girl's hand tightened around his own.

"What now?" he asked.

"We wait until she wakes up." Ami said.

It was two hours before Serena woke up. Her fingers were cramped. Following length of her arm she saw why.

"Good. Now you can let go." Darien said coldly. She obliged slowly. He stood to leave but her quiet words halted him.

"Did you see it too?" he turned slightly to glare at her. "I-"

"Yes. I saw it." He said stonily. "You were right to run from me, Princess Serenity. You and I would only destroy each other." He left with those words. A few minutes after he left the girls entered.

"How are you feeling?"

"Do you know what it's like to find something you didn't know you were even looking for? Then to have it slip from your grasp in a split second?" they looked at each other in confusion. "I'm fine. I'm just tired."

"And Darien?"

She couldn't help the sob that shook her at the mention of his name. "H-he won't be a problem anymore."

Later that evening, she went home. She enjoyed a meal with her family then headed off to bed. A light outside her window puzzled her. She looked out and sighed. "Shenji."

"Hey, girlfriend. Think we can talk?"

"Come on up." He climbed up and Serena climbed out onto the roof. "How's your mom?" She asked once they were seated.

"She's fine. She just had a sprained ankle and bruised rib." He said then explained how she was thrown by her horse.

"I'm glad to hear."

"How are you though? You look tired. Sad."

She smiled softly. "I had a rough day after you left."

"Missed me that much?" he asked. She leaned her head onto his shoulder. She couldn't help that the tears flowed then. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I'm so sorry." She cried through the sobs and sniffling.

"About what?"

"I like you so much." She said wiping furiously at her nose and eyes. He cupped her cheek and help with her task.

"I like you too." He said. "Very much." He kissed her softly and she sighed into the kiss. "But that's not why you're crying."

"No."

He sighed. "Are we breaking up?" he asked softly, touching her face. She looked away but quickly held his gaze again.

"If we stayed together, I'd feel so guilty. I couldn't grow to love you the way a normal girl is supposed to."

"Is it somebody else?" He felt the movement of her head in his hands more than saw it. He held her to his chest now. "I can't kill you for that. I won't lie though. I'm angry. If I step aside, would you two get together?"

"No." She slipped her hands around his waist, loving his solid strength. In her mind's eye, she compared the two men. She held him closer when she realized there were some similarities. The dark hair, the staggering height, and the blue eyes. They didn't look alike. Not one bit. But she realized what she had done. Shenji was a substitute. But she liked him. Really liked him. Yet, her love for that dark man consumed her. She was only seventeen. She shouldn't have to deal with this kind of things yet. "I don't wanna break up but if you want to, I won't stop you." She said softly.

He sighed. "This man has your heart?" he asked. He didn't expect a response because he knew the answer. She didn't answer. "I want to but I can't hang on to you when you're pining after someone else. I'll be content with your friendship." He held her closer, tighter. "And the occasional make-out session." He added to lighten the mood. She chuckled lightly in response.

"My lips are yours." She said and confirmed it by kissing him then. "You're my third guyfriend. But already you're my second favourite."

"Only second?" he teased.

"Andrew would kill me if I gave you is spot."

"So, it's not Andrew you're hung up over?" he asked looking at her.

She smiled. "No, Shenji." She cocked her head to the side. "You want to know who?"

"Sure. It can't hurt more than knowing I've lost the greatest girlfriend." He said and pinched her cheek. She scowled at him rubbing the sore spot.

"It's the other one I introduced you to. The one with the dark hair."

"Darien?" he whistled. "You sure know how to pick 'em." He said. "No wonder he looked ready to kill me the other day. He returns your feelings." She nodded. "So why can't you be together?"

"Some people are capable of destroying each other. No matter how much they love each other. I won't say we won't ever get together but right now, we'd destroy each other."

"Intense." He said. "Look, pretty soon, we should settle into a nice friendship. Until then, I'll play jealous boyfriend." He smiled cheekily.

"Maybe I should set you up with Mina." Serena teased. Shenji turned serious for a second.

"If I took a liking to one of your friend, would you mind?"

"No. oh my god. You already like Mina!" she teased.

"Who wouldn't? You two are a pair. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Long legs. Beautiful in your own ways."

"How long?"

"Before I met you but you just got under my skin. You're contagious. Only an idiot would refuse you." He said touching her hair.

"Mina will flip when I tell her my boyfriend has the hots for her."

"You're joking right? You wouldn't-"

"I can't keep a secret, Shenji. I'll wait until we've settled into our friendship." She laughed at his expression. She kissed his cheek and put her head against his chest.

"Is she the jealous kind?"

"Oh, yes. Don't worry. She'll only knock you unconscious until she's calm." Serena laughed softly. They talked for a while until she fell asleep. He maneuvered her through the window quietly, tucked her in then left.