Konnichi-wa Minna! Here's my other dusty old story that I must type up before the mold grows in too thick! Title: "And One Night I Stole Her Away..." *puffs proudly at her not-so-lame title* Just a shorty I scribbled the beginning and end to and then had amiserable time trying to stuff some middle into it (anyone else have that problembesides me?) Rated: predictable G Disclaimers: Rumors that I am the moon princess are greatly exaggerated...but I'm highly flattered *blush*. j.k! j.k! Thanks to: Once again, hats off to this snowstorm trapping me indoors...forcing me towrite all this stuff! ;) p.s. This whole story is written from Darien's POV...I've never tried that but here goes... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~@ ~How can this be? Even though it feels like it makes sense--in some odd way. I feel it in my gut--or someplace deeper....maybe the same place my dreamscome from? My whole life I have been alone. The only person to continuously crash--literally--intomy life, has been Serena.~ I gather her up in my arms a little tighter--watching her silent, stillface, her slow breathing. I picked her up after the last monster and she faced off. She won--butthe blast knocked her out cold. I grabbed her and jumped off into the night. But that was when she was Sailormoon and I was Tuxedo Mask. Both our transformations have worn off a while ago. I will never forget the sensation that washed over me when her Sailormoon identity fadedaway and suddenly I had Serena in my arms. I don't know what possessed me to just pick her up and carry her off in the first place--leaving the scouts just staring after us. Instinct I guess. Everything when I'm Tuxedo Mask is just touch and go anyway. I don't even know who I am. But somehow....finding Serena in my arms has me feeling I'm a little closer to figuring itout.She stirs a little in my arms.... "Serena?" I hear my voice ask uncertainly. Her eyes slowly open and I'm struck suddenly by a familiar sensation of how prettyshe is...as though I've thought it many times before...have I? Her eyes are unfocused, her voice dreamy as she murmurs, "Tuxedo Mask...you saved meagain."Then her eyes focus--on ME."Darien!?" She sits up in my arms and then notices she is no longer Sailormoon. "What the....am I dreaming? What's going on?" She looks back at my face frowning. "Sorry Serena," I say softly, "I carried you off after that monster knocked you out and both our powers wore off before you woke up." At the mention of the monster she starts, "The monster...did I-?" "You dusted it."Then the rest of what I said sinks in."Y-You're Tuxedo Mask?" I nod, swallowing hard. "And you know I'm Sailormoon now." She says, more to herself than tome. "I won't tell anyone." I assure her. ~Like I have anyone to tell! Yeah, hey Andrew guess what? Meatballhead is Sailormoon! Oh, and by the way--I'm Tuxedo Mask-throw roses, fly in and save the day....I don't THINKso.~ "Oh, I won't either." She says as I pull her carefully to her feet. "How do you feel?" I ask, steadying her. "I'm alright." She says...I can't read her face. Finally she sighs, "Well, I feel like something is spoiled." She concludes flatly.I stifle a laugh. I can see why. Dashing hero turns out to be jerk who teases her....I look at her face and there is something so familiar about her--about being the dashing hero that saves her...the beautiful warrior. Suddenly I don't want to lose that--if anything has to change it's the teasing jerk part. I reach behind my back and pull out a rose, "Don't" I say handing it to her, "It hasn't."She takes it and looks at me uncertainly. "I know we didn't get off to a great start." I stammer. ~Oh please get this right.~ "And that's my fault. I'd much rather be your hero than your enemy." My voice sounds soft and my thoughts are spinning unclearly. She's blushing as she looks at me, "Well...what about me?" She asks uncomfortably."What do you mean?" I ask, unsure of her meaning. "We--ll," She says slowly, "How are you going to take me seriously now that you know it's ME that's Sailormoon. I'm just a klutzy junior high kid to you." I laugh and step closer to her, tilting her chin up with my finger. I'm lost to the romance of this. "I always took you seriously," I smile, "I just liked watching your face when you got mad." She frowns at me so I make my best sad face, "Forgive me?" I watch the frown melt into a half smile. She sighs."Yes, I forgive you." (AN: Who could resist Darien making a sad face? All together now... NO ONE! NO ONE! gomen...I got a little carried away there! ;) She touches the rose to her nose and smiles, then looks at me. "What do you think this all means?" She asks and I suddenly realize fully, that she ismost certainly NOT some klutzy junior high student. "I'm not sure." I say. And I'm not. But the sudden maturity of her in that question and the familiar sincerity in her face makes me add, "But it makes me feel better knowingwho you are." And it does comfort me in an inexplicable way to connect my two mysterious identities through Serena. It makes it real and almost...sensible...well notreally. She's watching me with wide eyes."What do you mean?" She asks. I take a breath, at the moment I feel like I would tell her anything--everything about me--thatI WANT to. "I've never really had anybody Serena. I've been an orphan since I was six and I haveamnesia so I don't remember my parents at all. Neither of my two identities haveever made a lot of sense to me. I've always felt like I'm searching..."And it's then I realize I feel comforted because at last I've found something--someone. "But finding out who you are kinda brings them together for me...." I stop as she smiles brightly at me. She knows what I'm trying to say--what I'm too afraidto admit. She takes my hand in a squeeze, "You're not alone anymore." And I'm not. I pull her into my arms...overwhelmed."Thank you." I choke out. She wraps her arms around my neck impulsively--she's always impulsive. We both let go and smile at one another. The camaraderie and security of knowing the truth about each other leaves a nice, warm feeling in my stomach--similar to the one lingering around my neck. I walk her home. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~@ (AN: sigh, minna, I know my attempts to make roses are feeble at best, but I'm bored totears of ******'s!!! Gomen.) The change in our relationship is surprising. Although the shock on Andrew's facewhen we come to the arcade TOGETHER is funny! Serena is a wonderful friend. I feel like I can tell heranything...and I can. But there's something else....since that night we found out the truth about each otherthe connection between us has grown stronger. I swear sometimes...sometimes I can read her thoughts. Miles away I can tell you if she's happy or sad. And she seems more confident in battle--as though I've strengthened her somehow....I walk through the park one night contemplating all this. Trying to piece it together........but I'm coming up blank. I'm starting to suspect the bond that ties me to Serena is one of love--but how can I know? I don't even remember loving my parents! My heart sinks sadly. ~I wouldn't recognize love if I found it.....am I in love? And why does it feel almost....as though I've known her before...?...What do our identitiesmean?~ I shake these thoughts aside...the important question is...do I love Serena here and now? I swallow hard because my heart is screaming the answer while the rest of me shakes with fear.~What should I do? Does she love me?~ These questions echo and repeat in me. Suddenly there is a loud rustling in the bushes nearby and an eerie feeling prickles upmy spine.I freeze and then a terrible Youma leaps out at me. Zoicite laughs hideously behind it. "Well well well, out a little late tonight...aren't we TUXEDO MASK! Where's your Sailor girlfriend to protect you?"I frown--how does she know my identity? I transform quickly, spinning round. But the Youma is fast--and vicious. It claws me and pitches me roughly to the ground. ~I can't beat this alone...~ I realize in horror, and now it's my turn to call out...without realizing, without control....~is this how Serena calls for me?~ And suddenly she's there. Sailormoon. This time coming to my rescue--and just to be pointed about it she lets a single, silver rose introduce her before stepping from the shadows.Even beaten and hurting, I can't help but chuckle at this. She blasts the Youma with a viciousness I've never seen in her before. "How DARE you attack MY hero!" She cries, zapping the now helpless Youma again and again. She dusts it and even manages to give Zoicite a particularly nasty zap to the shoulderbefore she vanishes angrily. Then she is beside me, all care and concern. "Are you alright? Can you stand up?" She helps me to my feet and right then and there, as she grips me with her small arms, I know.I know I love her. It comes home to me. I take her shakily by the shoulders."Thank you." She looks up at me a little surprised, a little vulnerable. Our transformations begin to fade and the exchange of energy between us makes us both catchout breath. In that instant, as we change, something utterly pure flashes between us--a memory? of an emotion so real I swear I can still feel it...though the insight isgone. She looks at me wide eyed and then timidly slips her arms around myneck. The sun is coming up beautifully as she speaks softly, earnestly of the strange connectionbetween us, and of how much she has come to care for me.... Suddenly she kisses me....her lips soft and warm, pressing into mine. Time freezes.Life makes complete sense and no sense at the same time. I feel my self relax and the last thing I am aware of is the sensation of melting into her arms. One perfect moment in my lonely life. One perfect girl. I resolve fiercely to protect her always as I realize she is everything to me with a suddenness and sureness that leaves my heart far more breathless than my lips. I hold her close and kiss her longer....willing it to never end. It'sall-- "Perfect." She murmurs pulling away from me with a dreamy smile. "You read my mind." "Tell me you--" She starts to say but I cut in without hesitation. "I love you." I say quickly. Here eyes widen and she is silent a moment, "I was going to say 'enjoyed that as much as I did'" She breaths.I feel my heart stop."Oh." ~I've ruined everything! Why did I just blurt that out? She's not ready to hear that!~"I didn't think you loved me." She says dazedly. I start to try and choke out something when she adds softly, "I thought it was just me."Pure, perfect joy wells up in my heart. "I thought you just thought I was a klutzy, junior high--" she pauses as though remembering,"--superhero." she finishes with a giggle. "Little did you know I was dreaming of you being MY klutzy junior high superhero!" I joke. She giggles again and then wraps herself around me with a contentedsigh. "I love you." She says softly into my ear.Now I'm the one who is contented. For once I am oblivious to the wide, lonely world. For once I am the one in the park with my arms around a girl. But most of all, for once I am not alone--I am in love. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~&~~~~~~~~~~@ sigh. drip drip drip. I know minna. But I do LOVE that ending...it's one of my favs I think.I had fun writing it! Hoped ya liked? E-mail moi now darlings!