Chapter 29: Coming Home

"I'm home!" Serena yelled as she entered the door. "God that feels so strange to say…" She mumbled as she put her bags down.

"How was the shopping trip?" Darien looked through the door way of the bedroom to Serena.

"Great! I got this really cute charm for my cell phone. It's got a bunny and a rose on it…ahem." She held it out in her hand, as Darien took a quick glance and went back to the room.

"Looks nice! Seems like theres a theme behind that one." He said.

"Oh just a bit. So…whatcha doing thats gotcha so busy?" Serena said as she stepped into the bedroom doorway.

"Well…" Darien said as he turned. "What you said last night got me thinking, we really do need a nice honey moon vacation just the two of us. With some inspiration from an unexpected resource and a bit of searching I think I found the perfect place."

Serena spotted two suitcases on the bed. One of which was already almost filled. "Which is?"

"I can't tell you Serena. That's part of the surprise." He smiled.

"That's just cruel Darien!" Serena said, as she looked around for a brochure from the travel place.

"You're not going to find anything here to give it away. Pack some clothes, casual and dressy…a bathing suit, pyjamas, maybe some hiking gear…a Kimono maybe…and whatever else you'd like to bring."

Serena went through the items in her mind. "Well that was no help…" She grumbled at the vagueness of the items to tell her the destination.

"Just trust me. It's something I think you'll like and appreciate Serena. It'll be just us two…or at least thats how I arranged it. I still feel terrible for neglecting you, but we have more wars to fight, maybe not with the Dark Moon, but the all people of this Earth may not take to us as kindly as Tokyo has. I've made sure our coming out has stayed as an affair that has not spread much of the national border. But when the world finds out that the defenders and royalty of the galaxy are all home in Tokyo some places might not find that appealing. To be honest the thought of us…at there being life beyond Earth is an abnormal concept of this time, and the Silver Millennium is a lost era in history. With these thoughts in my mind, I guess I never stopped to take in the current, and present of all that we've accomplished so far, and I guess I was too busy looking ahead. Maybe I just want things to go smoothly for us Serena, considering all we've been through. But for now…we…you deserve to leave the stress behind for a while. Just be ourselves for a change."

"Oh Darien." She said as she looked up at him with gleaming eyes. He kissed her forehead.

"So think you can pack so we can head out?"

"Shouldn't we tell the others or-"

"Actually Serena I kind of thought it might be good not for anyone to know we left until after. Just to make sure we get our privacy."

"Oh." Serena wondered what he meant by privacy and started to blush. Darien was being so romantic it was too good to be true! "Well then I'll just pack up quick then. I'm going to at least leave a note though so my parents don't have a cow when we go missing."

"Good idea. You can call them too if you want. I'm not kidnapping you Serena."

"Well technically I am now your wife so you can bring me where ever you want…" Serena thought for a moment. "Well…mostly."

"True. I'm just going to grab some stuff from the bathroom…try to be ready in a few okay?"

"I'll try!" Serena said as he went into the adjoining room. "Ooohh…what am I going to bring?"

Darien picked up some stuff from the bathroom…toilet trees. Still he really hoped his decision on the vacation spot was a good one…he was pretty certain he owed her anyway. He couldn't believe how much he really did end up needing his Shitennou. He wondered how he'd managed in the past to run an empire and win the Princess of the Moon's heart at the same time.

"Almost ready?" He asked as he left the bathroom. He looked at Serena who was sitting on a rather bulging and overflowing suitcase. He sighed.

"Uhm… I think. Just give me a few more minutes…" Serena grunted as she tried to close it.

"Why don't you put some of your stuff in mine? I'm sure I have some extra room. I'd pack another one but we're taking the car so theres not a whole lot of cargo room." Darien suggested.

"Really!? Great! I was afraid I'd have to get rid of something." Serena said smiling.

Darien sighed. "You never change do you meatball head?"

"Hey! You haven't called me that in a long time?What's with?" She asked, as she put some of her own stuff in his suitcase.

"I'm not sure. I mean I'm aloud to nickname you now aren't I?"

"Now?" She wondered if it meant their marriage. She somehow felt like things hadn't changed much. They'd always spent time together, even when they were fighting as Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask. Being together at home was a bit of a change, but they still had things going on in their own lives. I mean really they'd only had one night together…and even that made her still warry. Was she really ready for this grown up life that Darien was probably already accustom to?

"Uhm Serena?" Darien waved his hand in front of her.

"Oh…yea you can nickname me…just…just not meatball head. You were mean back then."

"I wasn't mean…I was just…guarded." He lifted his head.

"Well it was still mean, plus you always did keep your problems to yourself you know."

"Well that will change now. I mean starting during this trip especially Serena. You ready?"

"Yea I think so…I just can't help but think I'm missing something?" Serena said browsing her eyes around the room.

"Do you really think you're going to find anymore hints now?"

"No..no." Serena sighed. "But normally Luna goes everywhere with me too."

"She'll see the note. Plus maybe she needs a break."

"A break from me?!" Serena asked, wondering what he was insinuating.

"No…no. I just mean in general. Like be with Artemis more before…the rest."

"Oh, then yea lets go!"

Darien guided Serena out the door of their apartment after she stuck the note on the door. He went into his jacket pocket as they walked out, making sure she was ahead and looked at the brochure.

"This better be a good one." He thought.

"What's that in your hand?" Serena asked.

"Nothing." He said as he threw it out of sight, half-aware, at a garbage pail. "Just rent."

"Oh."

"Anyway lets go Serena, don't worry. We have a bit of a trip ahead of us."

"You wont be angry if I fall asleep in the car? I actually had a long trip on the shopping spree." She yawned.

"Not at all."

With that the two entered Darien's car, and left in the night. Away to a honey-moon they'd both awaited, hoping for it to be just the escape they needed.

But really…does anything ever go as planned?

:)

coming soon…Beginning of the Future 2: A Hectic and Heartfelt HoneyMoon!