Chapter 89

It was a very warm day. The sun was shining, birds were singing. The usual beautiful stuff. Serena and Darrien were standing in the park watching a mother duck lead her children in a row to the pond.

"I never get sick of this place," Serena said.

"Me neither," Darrien said.

"I'm just glad Amy's out of her funk. We were so worried she'd be changed forever."

"Well Serena, she will change. But if I know Amy she'll be able to handle it, and hopefully you won't notice much of a difference."

"I hope so. I would have missed her smile."

"Everyone would have. So..what do you want to do. I don't have any work so I'm free all day."

"Well..let's see...what haven't we done in a while," Serena said to herself trying to think. "We haven't been out on a date in six weeks..ahem..." she said and glanced at Darrien who blushed.

"Anyway..let's go to the arboretum," Darrien said.

"Okay," Darrien said and they headed for his car.

Meanwhile.

"Mina what are you doing here?" Raye said in shock as she realized that her close friend was standing across the sushi bar from her.

"Well..Mike took me here," Mina said.

"Rick took me here...this isn't supposed to happen. Remember?" Raye said.

"Well I guess..I'm not helping things am I?" Lita said.

"What are you doing here?" Raye and Mina said in unison.

"Same as you..weird huh?" Lita said.

"Let's just try and keep our dates separate from each other all right," Raye said as she gathered her plate. One look from the three told her she was too late. Sitting at a table was Rick, Steve and Mike trying to construct a facsimile of Tokyo Tower with straws.

"Don't forget the second observation deck," Mike said.

"I've been there before, okay?" Steve said.

"Steve, we're just being careful of your engineering prowess..since you have none," Rick said.

"Hey..I'll be fine," Steve said.

"Ahem..." the three heard three voices say. Tokyo Tower collapsed.

"Not my fault," Steve said.

The three looked to see Lita, Mina, and Raye glaring at them.

"Nice to see you guys again...after all these years," Mike said and dashed to another booth.

"I hope your company and mine can continue to do business in the future," Rick said and shook Steve's hand before bolting to another booth.

The three girls shook their heads.

"Eudial," Professor Tomoe said quietly.

"Yes Professor?" Eudial asked.

"YOU REALLY STINK AT THIS!"

"But Professor, you're the one creating the daimons," Eudial said.

"SO I REALLY STINK AT THIS..." Tomoe said. "TOO!" he added after a short pause. "Anyway..it's going to be a few days till we get the next daimon egg ready. I thought you might enjoy some time off."

"Oh..well. thank you Professor," Eudial said.

"But..remember Eudial. Friends...know when..." Tomoe said.

"Uh..yes Professor," Eudial said.

"Bring forth my fiddlers three!" Tomoe shouted and pressed a button. A tape recording began.

"Fiddlers three!" a voice shouted.

"Fiddlers three!" a second voice said.

"Ehh...I'd better get out of here quickly," Eudial muttered to herself.

"Hey and I want my pipe too. But if anyone brings me my bowl I will be mightily annoyed!" Tomoe shouted.

"He's losing more of his mind ever day," Eudial said.

"Darrien..why do you think they call it a bed of roses?" Serena asked as she and Darrien stared at a large plot of the red flowers.

"I don't know," Darrien said.

"After all...if you were to jump on them...you'd get scratched up by the thorns," Serena said.

"Well that's why you don't jump on them."

"Of course," Serena said. "Isn't it weird how something so beautiful can hurt you if your not careful."

"Well the thorns protect the flowers from harm," Darrien said. "Some things are so pretty they need to be protected. Like you for instance."

"A thorny rose? Interesting metaphor.or is that a smile?" Serena asked.

"Simile Serena," Darrien said.

"Simile. Oh..right..whatever..Darrien...do you think that's the way love is too."

"How?" Darrien asked.

"Well...love is beautiful right?" Serena asked.

"So I've been told," Darrien muttered. "Of course it is," he added.

"Well you know how hard it is for people to just make things work in a relationship, and to find the person they truly love...it's like life it the thorns, and if you can avoid it...well at least you know..."

"I think I get the idea..yeah and I guess you're right," Darrien said.

"And we've had to deal with a lot of thorns haven't we?"

"I'd say so," Darrien said.

"But they have to stop somewhere...right?"

"Well...maybe...but even if it doesn't. What's a few more thorns?" Darrien said.

They both smiled at each other.

"This is a just a hunch..." Rick began. "You're still a bit angry...that they're here," he said motioning to the tables the other two couples occupied.

"You could say that. Rick...we have something special..and I can't seem to get you away from those two knot heads," Raye said.

"Who? My friends or yours?" Rick asked.

"Uh..good question," Raye replied.

"Sorry...I didn't plan this..but fate..." Rick said.

"Fate..is a very evil thing...never mind..let's proceed with the date as if none of us this has happened," Raye said.

"Okay."

"So..." Raye said and realized she hadn't given any thought into what to say.

"We haven't gone out in so long I've kind of forgotten how this date is supposed to work," Rick said.

"Me too," Raye admitted.

"So I said to the minister....you can't build a cathedral in the middle of the bay.." Mike said.

"And why did you say that?" Mina asked.

"Because there's a fish school out there already!"

"Mike..." Mina said.

"Yes.."

"Shut up and eat your sushi."

"You mean my raw FISH!" Mike said and started laughing again.

"Oh..dear.." Mina said.

"Good sushi," Steve said in between bites. "I like the sushi you make better though."

"You do? Thank you," Lita said.

"Yeah...and for another thing..when I'm eating at your place, I don't have to hear Mike telling all those fish jokes. He knows four thousand of them."

"How do you know?" Lita asked.

"Because I've counted..." Steve muttered. Lita laughed.

"So...you going to the American Style Football game this Sunday?" she asked.

"Yep, wouldn't miss it. Juuban actually has a chance against Central," Steve said.

"Say..Steve..why didn't you play for the football team?" Lita asked.

"Ehhh...just wasn't interested," Steve said.

"But I've seen you. You're pretty good."

"Well Lita, I knock plenty of heads in my other job."

"Most of the time it's your own," Lita said with a grin.

"Hey...as long as it's someone's heads."

"You know...a lot of people would say..that boyfriend and girlfriend really shouldn't be talking football..." Lita began solemnly.

"Yeah," Steve answered equally solemnly.

"But... right now...I don't really care if football is the thing holding our relationship together."

"Me neither."

"So...would you be my escort to the game this Sunday."

"I would be charmed," Steve said.

"Of course not! What would a fish need a washing machine for!" Mike shouted and began laughing, drawing everyone's eyes to him.

"Hi," he said.

Steve and Lita laughed as Mina shrunk down in embarrassment.

"I just came to get my stuff," Amy said as she and Greg entered what had been Amy's studying apartment, now occupied, grudgingly by D.V. Patterson.

"Uh..right..." Patterson said staring at the floor.

"So...do you miss having the war room?" Greg asked as Amy gathered her stuff into a box.

"Of course...but that survived.." Patterson said.

"Then all the data is..." Greg said.

"Saved and the computers are stored in high security at the army base."

"Well I'm sure the other girls would be glad to hear that."

"I'm not about to tell them," Patterson said.

Amy and Greg each carried a box down to her uncle's car and then came back up.

"One more trip," Amy said and began loading boxes.

"Nice place," Greg said. Patterson said nothing.

"Nervous aren't you?" he whispered.

"Never moreso," Patterson replied trying to keep the massive amount of anxiety hidden, and he wasn't doing a very good job.

"Greg..could you take this down to the car?" Amy asked.

"Sure thing Amy," Greg said and carried the box out.

"Here's the key's D.V," Amy said handing them to him. In the process Patterson's fingers brushed up against hers and he shuddered. Amy noticed.

"I do appreciate everything," she said with a smile.

"Uh.." Patterson said staring at the floor.

"Well...I would have thought you would have been angry...at me destroying your house and all..and I'm sorry again," Amy said solemnly.

"It's just a house," Patterson said.

Amy grinned.

"You just don't want me hurt, that's it. If Raye had blown up your house you probably would have been very angry. Am I right?" Amy asked.

"Uh..." Patterson said. Amy already knew the answer.

"D.V. Can I talk to you about something?" Amy asked.

Patterson nodded again.

"Well I'm only saying this to you, because well...I wasn't sure how I felt about everything..and I thought you above anyone else could understand. I mean..there are four of us now, who have lost parents. Darrien, Raye, yourself, and I, but you felt more of the pain," Amy said.

"I showed more of the pain," Patterson said and turned towards the window.

"Oh.." Amy said. "Can I tell you how I felt regardless of what that creature was doing to me?"

"I'll listen," Patterson said.

"I felt scared..scared that after working so hard, that I was going to lose out. I felt cheated. Here I was working when everyone else I knew was enjoying themselves, so I could go to college and then medical school and then I realized that with my parents gone, I would have to find some way to pay and I had always taken for granted that I could pay. Now it was all in doubt. And just the idea of it. Here I was missing out on youth and now with my parents being gone, my youth was ended abruptly. Do you know how it feels?" she asked. "Of course you do," she added.

"I haven't been a child since my parents were killed in front of me," Patterson said trying to keep a tear from forming in his widened eyes.

"Then you know what it's like. To realize that the life most children get to lead isn't the one you have. And the sad thing was that for so many years that was my choice, but now...I have no choices anymore," Amy said her demeanor changing.

"Everything will work out," Patterson said. "May I look away and tell you something?"

"Uh..if you like," Amy said. Patterson turned and looked out the window and began.

"You have a group of friends that waited on a lawn practically every hour of the day ready to be there when you needed them...and I don't think you have to doubt how much they care for you. Greg is as devoted to you as I...ahem..anyone could be...you have something going for you. Your friends..will be there," Patterson said.

"D.V. You're so right. I know this because if you were able to lower your defenses enough to tell me that, you must feel strongly about it."

Patterson just nodded.

"I guess it's my obligation to prove you right," Amy said.

"Uh...whatever..but your friends could have told you the same thing."

"A friend just did, and there's something extra special about you telling me," Amy said.

"Uh..right."

"You're right. I feel so much pain from time to time...but..if I let that stop me..well..I really would be making my worst fears come true. It must be true that some higher power sees effort as important too..and even if I were to fail...unless I had done my best to prevent that failure, I could only blame myself."

"If you say so," Patterson said.

"D.V. We really should talk more often."

"Uh..."

"We'll see then..but before I go...I have one last thing. You know how you promised to tell me the truth if I asked you one question."

"Yes...after I had received four slaps to face from those hypocritical friends of yours..ahem..." D.V. said. Amy burst out laughing. D.V. blushed.

"I'm sorry..it's hilarious when I think about it," Amy said. "And I needed that. Anyway...well...I'd like to ask you that question."

"If you must," Patterson said.

"D.V. Do you trust me?" Amy asked bluntly.

Patterson paused.

"The truth," Patterson said.

"You promised," Amy said.

Patterson felt as if he were being lead to an execution as he brought himself to say the one word.

"Yes," he stammered waiting for her to betray him at any moment.

D.V. smiled.

"That's one of the greatest compliments anyone has paid to me," Amy said. "I've gotta go."

She said and gave Patterson a quick hug before walking out and closing the door behind her. Patterson blushed and then feinted.

"So many flowers, wouldn't it be a great job just to take care of them," Serena said.

"I guess it has it's advantages," Darrien said. "You wouldn't have to worry about enjoying your work."

"Maybe I should take care of someplace like this," Serena said.

"If you want to, I bet you could," Darrien said.

"You don't sound very enthusiastic."

"It's not that.." Darrien said. "There just isn't much money in it that's all..and I..wonder Serena if...maybe you're not aiming high enough."

"But Darrien, what could be higher than this. Spending nice days with all this beauty?" Serena asked. "If you ask me, you're the one not aiming high."

"Serena, there's more to life than just beautiful things, unfortunately," Darrien said.

"Of course you're right, but doesn't that make doing a job you like and feel good about all the more important?"

"Sure Serena, but..I just don't know...that it's right for you to spend you life as a glorified gardener."

"But Darrien..someone has to do the job..why not me?"

"Serena..you're a math genius, as well as an overall underachiever...think of what you could do if you applied yourself. You could make a real difference. It's one thing to take care of a bed of roses, but what if you were in charge of all of them."

"Huh?"

"Like parks commissioner or something. It would be your job to make sure that they were all protected."

"But I wouldn't be the one's caring for them."

"Sure you would, just not directly. And you could care for more than just one group of them. Then you could use your brain as well as your love."

"Darrien..I..you're solution to this whole problem is that I become someone behind a desk?"

"Well..I.."

"I don't get it. You like all this as much as I do. Why are you saying all these weird things?"

"Because I'm worried about you Serena. I want you to have the best life possible, and I'm just worried that you're relying on everyone else to provide it for you, and not trying yourself."

"What if trimming roses is the best life possible! Have you ever thought of that!"

"Serena..it can't be...at least not for you. You see right now..you can come and go in the park as you please. You can enjoy it whenever you want...why would you need to care for these roses? Someone else already does that."

"Because I think it's something I would do well..that I would be good at. It would give me pleasure to look at these flowers every day knowing I was what kept them alive," Serena said.

"Why don't we just drop the subject for now..we're supposed to be enjoying ourselves," Darrien said.

"All right," Serena said.

Rick swigged down another glass of soda in one try. Raye looked at him oddly.

"How many times are you going to do that?" Raye asked.

"Oh....it's just a habit," Rick said.

"How come you haven't done it before then?"

"It's a new habit," Rick said.

"Oh..I see," Raye muttered.

"You know..I have no idea why I do it, but it just makes sense to do it now," Rick said. "I guess I have this other habit of coming up with some sort of mannerism or thing to do when I feel stressed. It relaxes me."

"How?" Raye asked.

"No clue," Rick said. "But with all this heart stuff going on..well..I'm under a lot of stress right now. They're looking for pure hearts right? I just have to figure I'm somewhere on the list."

"You can't know that for sure. And if it's any consolation...I wouldn't worry, if they're looking for pure hearts, you're covered," Raye said and grinned.

"I'm hurt..although..I wonder what happens to a heart when someone dies and then comes back?"

"Don't know....hopefully we won't see," Raye said.

"Yeah.I'm curious..but if it happened I wouldn't be able to see the results anyway..and knowing Steve and Mike, they'd tell me the most ridiculous story they could think of."

"Which knowing our luck would probably be the truth," Raye muttered.

"Ah..the burden of destiny," Rick said and swigged another glass.

"Yeah," Raye said and swigged down her own glass before coughing seconds later.

"You okay," Rick said.

"Ehh..." Raye said.

"Well...Central may have a good offense, but Juuban can stop it if they know what to look for," Steve said.

"And do they?" Lita asked.

"I think so, Coach does have the other side scouted out pretty well."

"Really..."

"Yep..see...you know my father's the coach at West Hill, he keeps tabs on all the other teams..and he's been telling me all this stuff."

"How's West Hill going to do this year?" Lita asked.

"My father won't say..he's very uptight about his own team...and if I even went near a practice...well..he wouldn't be happy."

"Oh.." Lita said.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Sure. Why'd you ask?"

"Just checking."

"Okay. Actually it's odd that you asked. This is one of those times where I feel our relationship is at a high point," Lita said.

"Oh..well..the day I become romantically talented will be the day that.."

"All our problems get solved," the two said in unison and started laughing.

"Mina..."

"Yes Mike," Mina said hiding her disappointment.

"My jokes have really stunk tonight haven't they?"

"On the contrary, they've stunk for more then just tonight. The last month perhaps," Mina said.

"Oh.." Mike said. "Then why haven't you dumped me?"

Mina was so surprised by the question she didn't know what to say.

"Uh...good question," she said and immediately ate some more sushi to prevent her from saying anything she'd regret.

Serena and Darrien stood on a small cliff looking over the bay, and the sun setting. The lights of Tokyo were gradually beginning to come on and the sun was reflecting across the water.

"You know Darrien, when we try to talk to each other about life itself...I mean the nitty gritty, we always end up disappointed and depressed," Serena said.

"You could say that," Darrien said.

"And..after all...that's true for a lot of people."

"Uh huh."

"But we're not together because of life itself. It's more than that. We're not together because we have the same interests, or the same work ethic, or anything like that. We're attracted because destiny has drawn us together, and we share a cause that has nothing to do with our everyday lives. Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask are in love. Princess Serena and Prince Darrien are in love. We only carries these feelings because they do. So..it's through them we're together. Honestly...would the two of us have ever met if not for them?"

"Maybe not," Darrien said. "But then again..does it matter? Serena...it may have been true in the beginning that we loved each other because of those feelings, but it's been a while now..and I can tell you..that even though we had a little fight back there..and even though we seem to be apart as much as we're together that I love you...plain old Serena. Things have changed. Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon fight alongside each other. But it's you and I who love each other."

"You really mean it," Serena said.

"Yes, I know it," Darrien said.

Serena hugged him and he hugged her back.

CHAPTER 66 CHAPTER 67 CHAPTER 68 CHAPTER 69 CHAPTER 70  CHAPTER 71 

CHAPTER 72 CHAPTER 73 CHAPTER 74 CHAPTER 75  CHAPTER 76 CHAPTER 77

 CHAPTER 78 CHAPTER 79 CHAPTER 80  CHAPTER 81  CHAPTER 82 CHAPTER 83

CHAPTER 84 CHAPTER 85  CHAPTER 86 CHAPTER 87 CHAPTER 88 CHAPTER 89

 CHAPTER 90 CHAPTER 91 CHAPTER 92 CHAPTER 93 CHAPTER 94 CHAPTER 95

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