defcaf@email.msn.com (Darcie)

    Rain, Sweat, and Tears

" Do you love me, Darien?", the question was simple and honest, and yet Darien found himself unable to answer. The question its self wasn't what surprised him, it was the fact that his love, his lifemate, Serena was asking it. Of course he loved her! Does she not remember the Silver Millennium, Endymion and Serenity, Chibi-Usa? Does she not remember all the battles they have fought as Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon, did she forget everything? Serena was looking Darien straight in the eye, her passionate blue flames burning into his mind. She had the Why-Is-He-Taking-So-Long-To-Answer look on her face, Darien thought he'd better respond with a good answer soon, or else! 

"Serena, how could you ask that? I love you - have loved you forever, and ever! You know that love would never go away, its always been there, and always will be.", Darien was now holding Serena's hand, stroking it gently. Serena was in deep thought, and didn't even notice her loveling holding her. Instead she looked down to the ground, not wanting to make eye-contact. " I...", she was struggling to find the words, "I know you have loved me Darien, but is that enough?". Darien's jaw dropped, he never expected anything like that to come out of Serena's mouth. Is she serious? "I don't understand, what do you mean by 'enough'?" "I mean is that sufficient? Should we plan our love around some lost fairy tale in a long dead world? I mean, do you love me now because of what happened then, what's "suppose" to be, or do you love me because it's me? Not some extinct princess from some sort of fantasy. I'm asking if you love me." 



Thunder dramatically crashed in the distance, it was begging to get stormy, the clouds started to gather at alarming speed. Darien had never thought about it that way. Everything had been moving so fast that he hardly had time to breath, let alone sit down and make sense of everything. But now he was thinking about it, and the thoughts weren't very comforting. Yes, he felt love for Serena, definitely undying love. Yet, it was old love, love none the less, but it was worn and almost spent. They had played there parts so many times that the surprises and romance that make love what it is, were gone. They both knew that they were betrothed from the beginning of time, they knew they were to be married and rule Crystal Tokyo together, and have a baby girl. It was like all the wonderful things about falling in love were gone, they already knew one another like their own selves, the thrill of the chance to find more out about a person and ending up loving them more was left behind long ago.

Serena brought her head up, meeting Darien's gaze, and they both knew. Single iridescent tears cascaded down Serena's face in rhythm with the now pouring rain outside. The tears dropped onto her and Darien's hands, and beside the noise of their falling it was silent. They both understood that it was time to let the past, all of it, go. Serena tightened her grip on her soulmate's hand, feeling him quake. He too was now crying, biting his lip, trying to control his emotions. This was truly the first time they ever completely understood one another. The first and the last.

Surprisingly, Serena was the one who was calm. She started to get up from the couch her and Darien had been sharing, but felt a little resistance from the young man holding her hand. He was looking up at her with sorrow filled eyes, tears streaming down the sides of his face. Serena couldn't stand looking at him, couldn't stand seeing her Muffin cry. She used her other hand to pry free of his tender grip, still trying to keep her emotions in check. It was hard, so hard and painful to let go, to never be able to feel that touch again. A few tears managed to escape, landing softly on her arms. Lightning flashed, lighting up the little apartment they where in. Normally Serena would be terrified, but now nothing seemed to matter anymore. 

Serena retrieved her long rain coat and umbrella from Darien's closet and began putting her shoes on, relived that she got away from the emotional tension in the other room. Her expression was somber, the stars no longer shined in her blue eyes. Once she was finished she looked one last time at her beloved, he was still sitting on the couch, his back to her. She could tell he was crying, it broke her heart. "Goodbye....Darien.", Serena choked out, it was no higher than a whisper. Reluctantly turning to leave, she opened the door. 

Suddenly a hand grabbed her wrist and she spun around. It was Darien, he now had his arms around her, weeping openly upon her shoulder. Serena almost gave into his embrace, almost welcomed the familiar feel of his hug. She felt so safe, so at peace. But she couldn't, she had to end it now or she never would. "Darien! Don't make this any harder than it has to be, please. Please, Don't! Please.", she almost couldn't say the last words, gagged by her own sobs. Wriggling free from his grip, Serena darted out the door. "Serena!", was all Darien could say, over and over again. But he knew all he could do was stand in the hall and watch his soul run away from him without looking back.

Serena was rushing down the busy streets and sidewalks, not caring about the people she knocked aside while doing it. Her heart was pounding against her rib cage and her sides began to ache, but she hardly noticed. The hurt that was coursing through her veins was a hundred times worse than any physical pain. Serena didn't care anymore, all she did was run. It must have been hours before she finally collapsed, but only when her breath started to come in low, contracting rasps. Serena slammed into the ground, scraping her hands and knees, mixing the rain, sweat, and tears with blood. 

The young girl stayed on her knees for a long time, gasping for breath, and trying to gather her thoughts. The rain was pouring down her back and head, her long champaign colored hair was stringy and sopping, falling around her like a cloak. When her heart had semi-returned to its normal beat, she got up slowly and took in her surroundings. Serena had wandered onto a bridge overlooking Crystal lake. The rain made the ground beneath her feet gleam, and tapped against the water in a soft, sorrowful song. She limped over to the edge of the bridge, looking on to the city before her. Serena looked and thought. She thought about everything that had and probably will happen to Darien and her. Darien .. she wanted to cry again at the thought of her lost love, but she didn't dare. For if she even shed one more tear she knew she'd never stop. So, Serena just gazed on with a tranquillity that she would not possess again for years to come and knew somehow she would come out of this okay. But somewhere, in some far off time, or a place that would never exist, a princess was weeping for her.