| Title: The Dance Authour: Xaphrin E-mail: MoonPrincessRose@aol.com Moon_princess13@excite.com Rating: PG (Due to Language) Hello! So once again I was going for yeat a quick revision and came up with a rather long story. Hopefully this will be the end. I'm not sure. But if you happen to find another one. . . then it's not the end! Okay then Well the legal stuff: I do not own sailor moon, Dic does. Now that we've cleared that up on with the story. Oh yeah, I have broken the story into two parts, but did not want to mess with the HTML formatting so when you see a line like this ~~~~~~~~ it's a changing of parts. In the center will be hat part it is. I suggest you make a sandwhich before you start to read this. Well thanks! Xaphy. ****************************************************************************** *** PART ONE Princess Serena went to her vanity and looked herself over. *The make-up* She thought, *Needs to be . . . More . . . Noticeable?* A look of confusion came across her face. "This isn't working at all," She said out loud. She sat down and began to fix her make-up. This was the ball in which to celebrate the coming together of Earth and the moon. When she was done she smiled at the girl in the mirror. Then she shuffled to her closet and began flitting throught the clothing to find her dress. It wasn't the normal type of dress you saw Princess Serena in. It was a slinky, floor-length, whitish-pink, with no sleves. In fact it was more pink then it was white.She sighed as she grabbed it and a pair of three qaurter-length gloves. She had been preparing herself for this all week, besides the clothing. She knew she would have to talk to Prince Darien Of Earth, and that ment remarks from the arrogant fool. So she had been trying to strengthen her wit. She was semi-succesful. Darien was one of thoes high and mighty guys who just seemed like it was their way or the high way. But still there was something entracing about him. When she was grabed in her dress she took out her odangos, even though it was a symbol of status in the moon kingdom, she thought that the dress complemented her sky-blue eyes and sun-beam blonde hair. So she went along with it and left her hair down. When she was done brushing it, she looked at the clocked and nearly fell on to the ground. As usual she was late. She hurried up and put on her white strappy sandles, with 3 inch heels, and rushed out the door. When she reached the doors to the ball room, Prince Darien was there, waiting for her. His usually tossled black hair was in place tonight, but it still kept some of it's freeness to it.. His blue diamond eyes seemed to watch her every move, as she gracefully floated down the stairs. "Well, Well, it looks like meatball head lost the meatballs. Although your spagatti string hair makes up for that," He laughed an arrogant laugh. "What are YOU doing here?" She said to him, ignoring all his comments. "I'm supposed to 'escort' you. And you're late," he said the last remark as if Serena had totally ruined the ball. "Spare me your remarks, Darien," She said pushing a strand ouf hair out ouf her face. "I have every right to say such things! We people of Earth, are Perfect in EVERY way," He said him voice over-flowing with arrogance. Serena faked coughed, "Your Ego!" she gasped, "It's sucking up all the air! Allghhh." She continued coughing. "Oh Shut up you little blonde twit," He growled. "Well, look who's talking Mr. High and Mighty!" she snapped, considering throwing a shoe at him. "Our civilization is just-" He stopped as Serena's hand came in rather harsh contact with his right cheek. "What the hell was that for?" "Your arrogance, Dim-wit." She snapped. "Lets just get this over with, Okay?" He said touching his cheek. "Fine with me!" Darien held out his hand and Serena took it gracefully. Then, putting on her regal smile, the duo glidded into the ball room. "My! How nice we people of earth look tonight," Darien said between his smiling teeth. Serena raised her left had to her lips and coughed. But Darien flinched as if she were going to slap him again. "Oh Shut up, twit." "Bite me!" She growled. They stopped infront of the court and bowed. Then the ball began. When the music had started up Serena found the nearest route AWAY from Darien. "Serena!" Mina called after her. Serena turned around to find her friend, in a beautiful Yellow dress, with her golden-blond hair all beautifully placed on her head, with tendrills flowing in her face. "Hey!" Serena said smilling, then started glancing around, "Where are the others?" "I lost them," She giggled. "We'll find them. . . eventually." Serena smiled. "Was that Darien you were walking with?" Mina asked with a glint in her eyes. "Unfortunately." Serena rolled her eyes. "Look!" Mina screeched pointing to behind her. "What?" Serena turned around. "He's staring at you! How CUTE!!" She squeeked. "Uh, Mina, I wouldn't care if he was the cutest guy in the galaxy. And he's probobly staring at-" Serena paused, "Mina, hang on a sec." Serena walked over to where Prince Darien was creating roots for himself by the wall. "You know it is a ball, and people do ENJOY them selves at a ball. But then again who would want to have fun with you," She said in that annoyingly sweet voice. "What do you want?" He said rolling his eyes. "I want you to stay away from my friend, Mina. And that means NO starring at her. Got it, Bud?" She growled into his face. But Prince Darien just smiled this I-know-something-you-don't-know smile and said, "Who said I was starring a Mina?" He looked into Serena's eyes. Serena was taken aback, But decided she had better have the last word, "Uuugh, I don't get your sex. Just go on holding up the wall. You are doing a fabulous job." She tossed one gloved hand into the air and turned around gracefully. Mina's eyes were shinning as Serena walked back to her. "What was that about?" She asked looking Serena right in the eyes. "Nothing," Serena said with a why-do-I-bother-? expression on her face, "He's just getting on my nerves." "Um, He ranks up there." Mina said. "Ranks up there with what?" Serena said confused. "When you said, 'I wouldn't care if he was the cutest guy in the galaxy,' I'm just responding. He ranks up there probobly second or third, but not the cutest." Mina said. "And who would be first?" She said raising an eyebrow, "Hmmmmmm, good point. Then he's probobly first. Do you really want him?" "No! Of course not! Take him if you want him." "Take who?" a voice said from behind her. Serena turned around, it was Lita and the others. Lita was garbed in a rather extravagent green dress. It was tight at the top but the skirt was flowing out ward. Her brown hair was also down. Ami was in a long sleaved, floor length blue gown. And silver streaks in her hair. Rei had a red ankle-length gown with chiffon sleaves. The group looked great. "Darien," Mina said. "Oh, that guy who 'escorted' you, Serena?" Rei said, "He's a hottie." "Well, duhhhh. Didn't I tell you that?" Mina said. "Yeah, but we never belive your gossip," Ami said giggling. The rest of the group joined in. "C'mon everybody this ball is for having fun!" Lita said. The group nodded and went out on to the dance floor to have fun. Because that is what balls were for. ** *She just looked so perfect coming down thoes stairs outside the ball room.* Darien thought to himself as he watched Serena glide across the floor with some friend of hers. *And now look at her! More beautiful then the night sky!* The only reason Darien said the things he did, was because she just looked so cute when she was upset. He crossed his hands over his chest thinking of the fights they had. *Why Do I have to be so damn hard on her? And why does she have so damn tempting? That perfect smile. Her dazzling blue eyes. Just the sound of her voice. Everythings perfect about her.* Darien wished that he could tell her how he felt. Then maybe the bickering would stop. Just then Queen Serenity glidded up next to him. Darien had to pull himself away from the angelic sight of Serena. "You know," Queen Serenity said, "Balls ARE for having fun." Darien shook his head, "That's what your daughter said to me." "I see, and why, Pre-tell, did you not take her advice?" She asked him. "I don't know." He said looking out of the corner of his eye to see Serena switching dance partners. "You seem to have taken a fancy to my daughter, have you not?" Queen Serenity looked him right in the eye. Darien was taken aback, "Well. . .I. . .Uh. . .I. . ." He had no response. "It's okay, Prince Darien. You are different, not like the others. You see who she is inside. And that is who you have fallen in love with, is it not?" Darien turned an extreamly deep shade of red. Queen Serenity contiued, even though she knew that Prince Darien was feeling uncomforatable. She thought that if she got this out, it might be easier for Prince Darien to tell Serena that he loved her. "You haven't asked her to dance? May I ask why?" She asked. "I don't think she feels the same way about me." He said looking at the ground. "You'll never know untill you ask." Queen Serenety said then glidded off to mingle with some of the court. Just then the song had ended, almost as if Serenity knew it would. Darien quicky glided up in front of Princess Serena and said, "May I have this Dance?" Serena just glared at him, "Why? So you can insult my kingdom and I more. How stupid do you think I am, Prince Darien? I refuse your offer." She turned and went up to her mother. *What have I done?* Darien asked his self, *I've ruined everything. I can never I tell her now. She'll never have me.* Tears sprang to his eyes. He blinked them back. Suddenly out of the corner of his eye He saw Serena bow to the court, then leave. One of the girls Serena had been talking to earlier walked up to him. "What did you say to Serena?" She demanded pushing her long black hair out of her face. "How can any human being be that cruel to another human being? Or aren't you a human being?" She crossed her arms over her red dress and stared at him. "I just asked her to dance," He growled. "Why? So you can make more fun of her? You are one of the cruelest people I have ever known and I ought to teach you a lesson, you little-" "Who hold it there cowgirl." The one with brown hair and a green dress came up be hind her. She turned to Darien, "Okay, what did you say to her earlier then?" "Just our normal bickering. I guess we don't get along very well," Darien said, thoughts of their 'conversations' coming into his mind. "Serena is a very sensitive girl, Prince Darien. She's one of thoes girls who needs to be taken care of. Not used as a word punching bag," Said another, with a blue dress on. "I know that, It's just my way of saying . . . Look, Just forget it. I didn't say anything." Darien said about ready to give up on the three girls that stood infront of him. He turned around only to find yet another friend of Serena's standing in front of him. "Are you four EVER going to leave me alone?" He asked, exasperated. "No," They all said in unison. "I need time to think. Would you mind leaving me alone? I'm very upset over some thing," He turned and talked to his parents. Within a minute he had bowed before the court and began to head back to the guest room prepared for him. ** He sighed and trudged up the stairs, his eyes were glued to the ground. Suddenly her heard a soft sobbing. He looked up to see Serena on the top step hugging her knees and crying. Yes, CRYING. Darien almost lost it. *Serena? Crying? What DID I do to her?* He asked his self. He rushed up infront of her. "Serena?" he asked quietly. She looked up. Saw who was in front of her. And started sobbing harder. "Go away, Darien." She said between sobs. Darien sat down next to her and wraped his arms around her. "No!" She cried, pushing him away, "You hurt me. You hit too hard, Darien. And now you want to act as if it never happened?" "Serena, You don't get it." He said trying to save what relationship he had left. "What don't I get? The fact that you hate me. And would like to throw me into the nearest black hole?" "No! Serena, It's just that I. . . I never had the guts to tell you how I really felt. I. . . was a coward. I didn't want to get hurt so I hurt you." "You true intentions? The fact that you despise me!" she sobbed. "NO! Serena, it's the exact opposite of that. I'm . . . I'm in love with you," Darien said, staring at the ground again. "You're lying! I don't ever want to see you again. It's just another one of your sick jokes. Go away," and with that she got up and ran into her room. It was almost too much for Darien to take. He rushed into his room, and threw his self on the bed and tried to choke back the sobs that came. But with no avail. ** Serena sobbed into her pillow. She heard a knock on the door. "It's open," she sobbed out. All four of her friends were standing there. "Sere? Are you okay?" Mina, Rei, Ami, and Lita crowded around her bed. "No." She said into her pillow. "What did he say? What did he do? Tell me and I will go kick his ass. The bastard. He has no right to do this to you," Rei said making fists at her side. "Don't, Rei." Serena said falling into sleep, "He told me something I need to think about." Her eyes were closing. And her voice was getting whispy. "What did he say?" Lita asked. But there was no reply Serena had cried all the life out of her. The girls looked at each other then tuned and left Serena to her dreams. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~PART TWO~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Serena woke up with the heaviest pain you could possibly get in her chest. The kind of pain you get after you've been sobbing your heart out. It was still dark out. She rolled over on her satin sheets and stared at the clock. It said 4:39. She let out a small moan. Still in her clothes from the Ball she walked out on to her balcony. She sat down on a stone bench and contemplated her thoughts and feelings. *Was it really a joke? Or Does he love me? And if he loves me do I love him? What If I do love him and don't know it? If he loves me, why did he hurt me so much? Could I ever love him?* Questions ran through her mind, like water through a cive. She was about to start crying again, when she heard a sound below her balcony. She peered over the edge to see Darien standing there looking up at his planet. Serena couldn't take the fact that he was in her presence. She turned and headed back into her room but stopped when she heard a very soft, "I know you are there, Serena." Serena turned around to find Darien, looking up at her. "Do wish to cause me more pain? Or do you just want to mock me?" She said, chocking back a sob. "Serena," His voice was a soft whisper, "Did any thing I said have any meaning to you? I'm in LOVE with you for christ's sake. I've never felt the way I do now. I could never even begin to fathom loving anyone else. You mean too much for me to lose!" Serena didn't try to hold back any crying. Her tears poured out of her like a fountain. "You are lying. I know that as soon as I give you my heart you will break it. You can not cover my eyes with your fake love, then go and break my heart, Darien" She cried. She turned and headed back to her room. *He can not treat me like this. I am no toy.* Serena thought. She went into her bathroom, and began to draw a bath for herself. Suddenly she wondered if her friends had locked her door. She hurried over there. It was a locked and there between the door and the frame, was a letter. She opened it. It was from her friends. Telling her a few things and remarking about Darien. Serena couldn't help but giggle. She put the note down on her vanity and went to her bathroom. *A bath is just what I need to cure my problems,* She said getting into the warm water, *I'll be fine. . . Hopefully.* She sighed and closed her eyes. ** Darien's heart was being tormented. He loved her. But he had blown it. *Why? Why was I so stupid as to do something like that? I am a bastard. I give up. CAN I give up?* Thoughts were just running through his head. He knew that he would be here a few more days while his parents and Serena's mother would be finishing the treaty. Would that be enough time? Or was he doomed to spened all eternity in this living hell? Hell was not some place where the devil tormented your soul. Hell, for Darien, was a day with out Serena. With out her smile. With out Her laughter. Without just plain her. He trudged back to his room, passing Serena's door. Suddenly some one came down the hall. Well actually. Four some ones. "I guess you were right about not leaving me alone, eeh?" Darien said as Serena's friends came up to him. They were still in their ball gowns, but they had bear feet. "Shhhh," The one with the orange dress said, "Come with us." Darien shrugged and followed the girls to their room at the end of the hall. The four of them sat in a circle, with a space for Darien. The red-dress girl motioned for him to sit there. She sat and looked at the faces in the group. "Okay, now we can talk," The green-dress girl said, as She got up and locked the door. The other girls started laughing. "That must've been hell for you, Lita," The blue dress said. "Okay Okay. Now before you four start to chew me out again, I'd like to know your names," Darien said, uncomforatable by the fact that he was locked in a room with Serena's friends who, a few hours ago, would have killed him if given the chance. Lita sat back down. "I'm Mina," the girl in the orange dress said. "I'm Rei," the girl in the red dress said "I'm Ami," the girl in the blue dress said. "And I'm Lita," the girl in the green dress said. "Okay that's much better. Thank you." Darien said. "Do you know why you're here?" Ami asked him. "I was hoping you could tell me that. Seeing as you kinda draged me here." "We know why you have been upsetting Serena," Rei said folding her hands in her lap. The others around her nodded in agreement. "Did she tell You? What did she say? Does she feel the same way?" Darien's mind was filled with questions he wanted the answers to now. "Hold it there, bud," Mina said, "No, She didn't tell us." "She didn't say any thing," Ami said looking him in the eye. "And we have the answer to your last question. But that is the answer Serena must give herself," Lita finished. "How did you guys find out?" Darien questiond. "Thank you Mr. interrogator, but-" Rei started. "Rei, He has a right to know," Ami said. "I know, but-" "Rei!" all the girls said. "All right!" She turned to Darien, "I asked the sacred fire." "Oh," Darien said a bit sheepishly. He had heard about the sacred fire, from Rei's father, The king of Mars. "We know, how much you love her. But she. . . is afraid of you," Mina said. "Does that mean she doesn't love me back?" Darien felt his heart sinking. "No. Not at all. It simply means for the time being, she will try to avoid you. She's trying to figure out all her feelings. She's afraid, anxious, aprehensive, and many other emotions. But you MUST be paitent. In time, she will tell you," Ami said. Rei's arms were folded over her chest and she avoided all eye contact with Darien. Lita looked at the clock, "Damn," She said, "It's 5:58. I've got to get sleep." "Me too." "Yeah." "Sleep is good." Came the various replys around the room. Mina got up and opened the door for Darien. "Give her time, Darien," She said as he left, "You will soon find an answer." Darien walked quietly out into the hall and back to his room. Sleep WAS good. But he refused to sleep before he did something important to him. ** The sun began to rise, with it's sweet golden rays infiltrating Serena's room. Serena had been up all night. She probobly looked horrible. None the less, she had important meetings to go to. She looked at the clock, it said 6:53. *Mmmmmm, I really do NOT want to go to that treaty meeting.* she thought, *Darien will be there. Maybe I could fake sick? Would Darien come and see me If I was? Wait! Why do I care? It's Darien, there's nothing to say about that.* But in spite her self, Serena found her self sighing at the thought of Darien. It wasn't an exasperated sigh. But one that suggested that she was in love. *I can't be in love!* Her mind screamed, *I can't stand the fool! They way his eyes glint when he's teasing me! That way he laughes when he sees me at a loss for words! The smile he passes me when. . . when. . . oh Damn. Look what staying up all night does to one's mind. Is it true? Am I?* Serena walked out on to her balcony. Sun rises, to her, seemed more beautiful then sun sets. The colors stained the sky as if some artist had an idea of what to paint, but couldn't. She sight and went to the stone bench where she had contemplated her thougths the night before. On the balcony she found one of the most exquisite white roses she had ever seen. She picked it up, only to find a peice of parchment paper tied around it's stem. She untied and ran through the note on it. It was from Darien. He wanted meet with her, and to talk. Pressing her lips together in concentration she considered all posibilities. She really had nothing to lose. Her spirits were enlightened. Giggling for no appearent reason she went back into her room. She shuffled through her closet to find a beautiful, but cassual dress. It was pink. She smiled. Then using all her make-up skills available to her, she made it look like she wasn't that tired. Her hair was still down, she quickly plaited it and hurried down the stairs. By the time she had gotten to the bottom she noticed that she still had the rose Darien had given her. Smiling she floated out into the garden. Darien was waiting for her. "I didn't think you'd come," He said supprised to see Serena's beautiful blue eyes glittlering at him. "I didn't think I'd come either, but here I am," She said walking up to him. "We have to talk, about last night," he said . "I'm sorry. I haven't been true to myself or you, Darien. I guess I . . . shoved all my feelings in the closet. Not wanting to face them. And when . . . when you. . . upset me last night I thought you hated me. And the when you told me that. . . that you loved me I . . . thought it might have been some game of yours." She was close to tears, "I'm so ignorant. Why did I do this to you?" Now she was in tears. Darien hated to see her upset. Even though he was usually the one that made her upset. He walked up and wraped his arms around her. "Can you ever forgive me?" She sobbed into his chest. Darien bent down and whispered in her ear, "I love you." Serena looked up at him, "I love you too." Darien raised her soggy face to his, and he kissed her |