Title: Symbol of a Raven By: Mystical Angel Chapter: 4 Rating: PG Disclaimers: Okay, I want to say thanks to MinMae, for ideas, and other suggestions when I had writer's block. And I would also like to say thanks to Rob, and K-chan for ideas. Sailor Moon does not belong to me, nor ever will. Kay? So don't sue me, please. Symbol of a Raven Chapter 4 She turned her head to face him, and now it was his turn to face his knees trying to hide his embarrassment from her. When he picked up his head Serena was smiling at him; her face still flushed, but more beautiful in his eyes than ever before. He smiled at her. Serena looked away feeling the heat in her neck rise to her face as she once again began to blush uncontrollably. She looked up again to the sky and stared at the stars almost stupefied. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted Darien still staring and blushed all the more. He chuckled and bent his head towards the sky in the direction in which Serena was staring. He saw a constellation of some sort, but the name was on the tip of his tongue, but he could not place it properly. "You are looking at the constellation aren't you?" Serena said not even bothering to break her stare. "Yeah, but I don't remember the name, do you know it?" He said. "It's Virgo. The virgin." Serena mumbled. She cleared her throat and said it again. "Virgo, the virgin." "I heard you the first time Mea- ah-Serena." He saw her face him in an angry type of way and smiled when he mentioned her name. "Well if you put it in that way, I guess I won't kill you. Not kill, just severely hurt you." He chuckled again. They sat in silence, saying nothing after that. That was only because neither of them knew what to say to their 'new found relationship'. Sitting in uncomfortable silence for a while Serena sighed and looked in Darien's direction. He spun his head away, but she knew she saw him stare. 'Is there something wrong with my hair, is there something on my face? I wonder why he was staring.' She thought to herself. 'Wait to go Dare! You where caught like a bug in a net.' He thought. Serena smiled and it soon left and turned into a combined smile and frown, not exactly either, just both were there on her face. 'What is happening to me? Get a grip Serena! This is an arrogant jerk! An arrogant jerk who wants to make peace anyway.' She giggled slightly catching Darien's attention immediately. He smiled. Neither knew what to say, how to act, or anything else that came to their minds. Then something beautiful broke the ice by a single swoosh across the big blue. A shooting ! ! star had swept across the sky and both of their attentions went and fixated on the sky. "Did you see that Darien!?" Serena asked quizzically. "I sure did, but wait for the next one, it should be coming any second now…" He slightly slurred his sentence at the end. A few moments later another star shot across the sky with amazing speed and agility. Serena wrapped her arms around her knees and closed her eye to make a wish of hope. Darien had guessed what she was doing and copied her, and made a wish of his own. He knew he did not have a chance, but it was worth a try. He made his wish and turned his attention back on her face and beautiful features. It was true, and he now could not deny it. He was in love. He was only in love once before, with a girl he hardly knew. He had gotten up the courage to ask her out, and to his surprise she said yes. A few months later, when things seemed as if they could not get any better, he caught her French kissing a fourth year college guy that was in his physics class. He was devastated and vowed never to fall in love again, for he was afraid of the broken heart that had tormented him for a whole year. He broke the vow, but he was happy, he had forgotten how wonderful it felt to be in love ! ! with a girl. Sure Serena was about three years younger than himself and he was nineteen right now, but what would that change? He just had to know how she felt about him before he was sure to go insane. How did she feel about him anyway? He resolved to figure that out tonight. 'But how?' He asked himself. Serena opened her eyes slowly and she still had a smile upon her face. 'Now I know!' She looked at Darien and he had a spaced out twinkle in his eye. Serena raised her eyebrow and looked at him rub his hands together in a mischief way. The twinkle in his eye suddenly disappeared and he regained conscience. He spoke with surprise in his voice. "What do you think about that pouch curse that guy talked about?" "Where on earth did that come from?" She said half laughing. "I don't know, it just came up." Serena laughed more and this made Darien laugh. She stopped laughing all of a sudden and stared at him disbelivingly. "No, but seriously, what do you think is in it? Have you looked? Do you honestly believe what he said?" Darien asked. "I have no idea what is in it, and I do not intend on looking either. Just in case it does have a curse on it." She said. "Hey Serena! Hay Darien! Lucky we found you here. We were about to play football. Want to play?" It was Raye; she was running towards the dock at top speed. She was followed by all of Serena's friends, Andrew, and three other guys Serena did not know. "It's pitch black outside Raye! Are you nuts?" Serena paused. "And, I have a skirt on, how am I suppose to play football in the dark with my new skirt on?" Serena stopped yelling when Raye finally reached them. She was out of breath and gave Serena a one-minute look and she bent down and rested her hands on top of her knees. Serena waited patiently for her friend to stop breathing so hard. As soon as she did Mina had arrived with a pair of jeans in her hands and she also was breathing hard. In a few minutes everyone was crowding around the sitting Serena and Darien. One of the boys who Serena had never seen before winked at her. Darien saw this and his grin faded from his face. Raye finally had control of her breathing and she stood up while starting to talk. "Now do you want to play? Mina brought along a pair of her jeans in case we bumped into you. Normal football, we thought you would like to play with us for a while, and as for the darkness, we thought we could manage. So-would you?" She said. "What size are the pants?" Serena said smiling. "And is there a private place that I can change without being seen?" "Uh, duh?" Raye said. "There's always behind the bushes and the pants are a size…" She took the pants and looked at the in them to see the size. "Size four. Well? Will you play? You too Darien?" "Count me in!" Serena said. "Ditto." Darien said Serena grabbed the pants from Raye's clutches and ran for a bush across the park, just in case the winking guy decided to talk. 'You wish Serena.' She thought. While Serena went behind a bush and dressed Amy walked to the nearest tree and sat down next to a pile of extremely thick books. She picked the top one up and started to read it slowly. A boy that Serena had not seen with the others sat down next to her and started to make conversation with her. At the site of a boy talking to her, she blushed deeply. The boy pointed at the book at to which Amy held in her hands and they instantly made more conversation finding something in common. Darien was still siting down on the dock watching the guy who had winked at Serena walk over to the bush that Serena was at. He walked with his hands in his navy blue jean pockets, and slowly he made his way to her. Darien watched with jealousy and deep concern boiling and welling up in his heart in mind. Lita, who noticed that Darien was not responding to her introduction to the other guys, looked over to where he was staring. She immediately felt the same exact way he did and walked fier! ! cely to the guy, but Mina stopped her not even noticing as to where and why she was heading over there. Lita looked stunned and continued with her introduction. This time Darien was paying attention, well, somewhat anyway. He kept glancing in Serena's direction. After a while he saw that the guy had reached to bush Serena had disappeared. "So? Is everyone ready to play?" Serena had popped up out of no where and the guy by the bush spun around at the sound of her voice and scratched his head in wonder. Everyone else looked equally surprised to see her right next to them. "I saw him coming so I ran for it." Darien smiled in amusement as he watched the other guy run over to where they were. He took Andrew's extended hand and stood up and regained his balance. Everyone had a good laugh and Serena was introduced to Mike, John, and David. The three guys she had never met before. The guy who winked at her was Mike. His was a major flirter compared to the other guys. They were all so sweet. Everyone soon sorted up into two teams. Team one was: Andrew, Mike, Serena, Lita, and John. Team two was: Darien, David, Mina, and Raye. Amy and the other boy were too caught up in their conversation that everyone thought it was best not to disturb them. Team one had the kick off and they were soon in the lead with seven to nothing. Lita had made the first touch down, with all the guys gasping in wonder on how she was so athletic. It puzzled them that they were out run by a girl of 5'10''. While Serena was congradulating Lita Andrew and Mike were just plained stunned. Of course while Serena was still really hyper about Lita's victory, the other team thought it was a perfect opportunity to catch up with them. They scored the next touch ! ! down. The game was long and everyone was dirty by eleven, but the next touch down would determine the victor. Team one had the ball and Andrew was the quarter back and he said his numbers and had said hike. Serena, who was completely oblivious that he had said hike, ran beside Lita and talked. Lita was being covered so she yelled at Serena to run over to the other side of her and talk. She ran quickly and Andrew seeing an opportunity threw Serena the ball in hope of her catching it. Serena had he eyes closed for the moment while still talking and she raised her arms non-chalantly and accidently caught the ball. She immediately stopped talking and looked in her hands, and there it was. Andrew was screaming for her to run for the goal line; she saw the other team mates running to try and tackle her so she ran as quickly as she could. 'I don't want to get hurt! Please don't let me get hurt!' She said as she ran. They were gaining up on her and everyone on her team were still! ! not open so she could not even attempt to throw the ball to anyone. There was still about three-hundred yards to run and she thought that she could make it. Two-hundred yards and closing. One-fifty, one-twenty five. She took a real quick look behind her and saw that Darien and Raye were at her heels. 'Perfect, just perfect. If I fumble the ball both of them are going to laugh hysterically!' She thought. This made her even the more mad and she ran even faster than before. Still holding on the ball her hands began to perspire. It was starting to get tricky holding the ball. It slipped once or twice, but she quickly regained her firm hold. She breathed out of her mouth and the air that whipped past her was making her throat sore and completely dry. She could not swallow and her calves hurt horribly as she ran. Her aching muscles were pleading her to stop for just a moment. It was getting worse by the minute, she could not breathe and she started to slow down, but t! ! he footsteps behind her were getting closer as she ran fifty yards from the goal line. Her insides were caressed suddenly as two strong hands fumbled at her legs and pulled her to the ground. She swivled her body around so that she would not land on her nose, and as she still held onto the ball she fell. In slow like movement she saw Andrew open not too far away; if she could only pull off the pass. She hit the ground hard with a thud. He head almost reached the pavement she was so close to the goal line. Still, her tackler reached up her body to get the ball, but realizing this she threw the ball below Raye's waist and Andrew caught it leading to a perfect play and the last touch down of the game. Team one had won a close match. Serena laid her head back down on the dry mudd below her head and closed her eyes. Her intruder laid his head on her stomach and groaned in defeat and laughed. "Honestly Meatball Head, I did not think you could pull it off." Her eyes whipped open and Darien had starred at her in the eyes. "Don't call me Meatball Head!" Serena yelled. Andrew and the others were watching over them and breathed hard. They all laughed as soon as Serena's reaction had been said. Darien got off and offered his hand to help Serena off the dry mudd that lay beneath her back. She gladly excepted and moaned when she stumbled to her feet. Her whole body felt like an infurno. Her body hurt so bad it burned every inch that she could think of. She set her hands on her back and went to crack it and she spoke quietly, but loud enough for "someone" to hear. "I'm going to have to go to a chyropractor." Darien glared at her and she grinned triumphantly. Everyone soon departed and Serena was left walking on her own to her home past curfew. Her mother would be furious so she took her time walking. Lonely and a little scared she walked down the side walk passed main street and Tokyo Blvd. Past a small memorial garden and the cemetary. 'Maybe I'll go visit Marie's grave.' She thought. The ground looked somewhat hazy to her, and she noted that a small fog had taken place of the clear navy blue sky. She opened the creaky gate and walked through the archway and passed a small corner of graves that were marked from the 18th century. As she walked the weather seemed to be getting colder, for soon she was able to see her breath. "Well this is strange." She said aloud. She reached Marie's grave; feeling a strong pulling sensation to the grave itself she nelt down on her knees and prayed apon Marie's grave. The wind had picked up and the fog was abnormal. It surrounded her with every curve. Serena stood up now scared out of her! ! mind. The fog formed around her bodies curve. Her hair winded around her neck and upper back; the wind was spinning violently around in circles and now she was sure something was wrong. "I must have been tricked or something. Lured here by a super natural being of some sort, or, or from the world beyond." Serena said once again aloud to herself. "That's right my child. You were lured by the world beyond. I am breaking the code one zero six. So I can not stay long my child. Violating the law of the heavens above is a criminal offense and I will be punished." A soft and reassuring voice was above Serena. She jerked her head above her body and the wind suddenly stopped. Her hair flowed silently to her sides and was astonished to what she saw. What she saw was taking shape of something human. What she saw was an apparition. A ghost like form was learing over her body. Serena was terrified. An eerie light had iluminated her surroundings. She tried to scream, but she was chocked. It was an unatural phenomennon, and if Amy were here to see it she would be done studying it already. "Serena, please do not scream. It's Marie, and I lured you here to tell you something so important. Do not give Mr. John Raquelle the pouch. If you do there will be a curse. Only the female portion of the family is to look at it. Then, if by chance they get married that's when the male looks at it. Keep it away from my brother. It is not for him." She quite talking and looked scared for a moment. "Then why do I have it?" Serena asked. But before Marie had time to answer she vanished. The weird apparition disappeared out of nowhere, and Serena was left there by herself, alone. Then some kind of creature or being grabbed Serena's shoulder's with a jolt. Serena screamed and jumped so high that she fell to the ground afterwards and clutched her heart and weezed. She looked with frightned eyes at her attacker and saw that it was no attacker, but an enemy. "What are you doing so far out here Meatball Head?" He puased. 'Shoot, I promised myself that I would not call her that anymore. I guess it is a bad habit that I have.' "Sorry. May I ask why you are talking to yourself? And what are you doing here after curfew so far away from your home?" Serena looked at him with deadly eyes. 'He would not believe me even if I should him. He is too practical.' She thought. "I felt like visiting Marie's grave. And…and pray." Serena looked around, she had the strangest feeling fall apon her. Like someone was praying on her and him. Them together; a stranger in the midst, is what it felt like. Some stranger watching them with death difying eyes, and would leap for the kill. Obviously Darien had the same feeling, because his face went suddenly pale, and grabbed Serena's hand pulling her up and leading her out of the cemetary, and past the graves, and went further beyond the creaking gate that leads inside. Hands on her shoulders he moved her along the sidewalk to his car. "Do you want a ride? There are some strange wackos out this late, and it is best to be with someone walking." His voice cracked. For a moment the feeling of someone had decreased but soon washed over them again and Serena shuddered. She did not hesitate to answer him. Even if he was suppose to be her enemy, she did not like it out here alone, in the dark, and with the feeling that some weirdo is watching her. "Please, Darien." She wimpered. He opened the door to a red sports car that must have cost a fortune, and held her hand as she stepped inside. Darien closed the door behind her and jogged to the other side of the vehicle and opened the door to get inside. Serena's belt was already buckled and neither said anything else except that they both knew that they wanted out of ther, and slow was not an option. Most of the ride was in silence, but near the end and at a stop light Serena started to talk quietly, afraid that others may hear. "Did you by any chance have the weirdest feeling that someone was watching us? It got really cold, and it was really creepy." She said at last. "Yeah, I did. Do you think someone was watching…us?" The sound of his own sentence was foreign to him. Just the word "us", meaning a girl, and not Andrew was strange to his ears. "I do not know, but it was really, really creepy." Serena emphasised really, because that was exactly how she felt. "I agree with you, but fear not m'lady. For I will protect you till the end of our day!" Darien acted as if he was a knight, but the light had turned green as he closed his eyes and this guy behind them honked his horn loudly. Serena laughed as Darien cursed at the guy from out the window. She laughed even harder when the guy cursed back. Darien drove his car slow purpossly and ever once and a while he would look back at the guy and wave. Serena was hysterical. She thought that this was just the funniest thing that she had ever seen. Finally the guy in the other car got so fet up that he turned the corner and went on the other side of thee block. That is when Serena and Darien heard the tires skid and it sped off a lightning fast speed. They both laughed hard and Darien sped up and drove normally all the way back to Serena's house. Darien pulled his car over to a stop by the curb next the sidewalk leading to Serena's home. They were still laughing their heads off at the guy in the other car. They quieted down and Serena reached for the tissue box that Darien had showed her in his glove compartment. She wiped the tears from her eyes and laughed all the more. 'Maybe he is not such a moron.' She thought. Darien was quiet now, grinning, and waiting for her to stop laughing so hard. Soon enough she stopped laughing and they stared into each other's blue orbs filled with amusement ans laughter. Their laughter had died down and the silent seriousness had evaded their space. Serena had just noticed that they were at her house and she was about to open the car door when Darien suddenly leaped over her and slammed it shut before she could escape. 'Nice going Dare.' Serena's arms flared up in the air so that her arms would not be shut in the door. "NO! Don't go…yet." His hand was still reaching on the door handle over her body and she was completely stunned and unammused at his action. She was suspicious. "Why? What on earth did you do that for?" She asked harshly. "Uh, uh…I…'er…do not know." He swipped his free hand through his raven black hair. "Sorry about that. You can leave now." "Thank you." She said. She started to open the door, but he grabbed the door shut once again, and shouted no. She looked uterly confused. He looked down at his knees and cursed. He raised his head to the roof and said a silent prayer. He looked at Serena eyes and they held warmth in every corner, nuck, and cranny. He licked his lips and spoke. "Forgive me." That was all he said before smooshing his mouth against hers. It was hard at first but it gentled real quick as Serena recovered from the shock. This was more than she could handle. Her true feelings for him had erupted from her heart, as she wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes lightly, to let the warmth of the welcoming kiss come. She could tell that Darien was very tense, but after she wrapped her arms around his neck he eased up and made the kiss even more gentle. The house lights in Serena's home were off and the street lights brightened the street, and a car by the sidewalk held two young people showing their emotions for each other. The kiss was only about a minute or so, but to Darien and Serena it felt like eternity in a wonderful utopia. Darien deepened the kiss a little and Serena raised her eyebrows in surprise, and gasped beneath his mouth. When they broke apart there was an uneasiness tension between them; Darien's face was ! ! a bit flushed as he looked downward and said sorry. A police car strolled by slowly acknologing their existance in the parked vehicle. "I have to go, thank you for the ride Darien." Darien looked at Serena's face and saw frightned sixteen year old, sort of cowering beneath him. Sitting up he said sorry again and good-night as she opened the door and quickly walked away into her house. Darien smacked his head with the steering wheel sounding the horn two times. Serena leaned against the back of the front door inside the dark quiet house. Tears swept down her face and into her mouth. Breathing slowly she closed her eyes and concentrated on why she ran away, is that what she wanted? Of course not, she wanted to be there with him, she wanted to still be there in his car with him. It was like a dream that had awakened from within her body. She now just realized how much he meant to her. Sure she could not stand his teasing, but was that just a way of telling her that he also cared? She now knew why he blushed when she accused him of flirting with her that night so long ago. The truth was revealed, but will it last; that was a question she was not sure of herself. She heard the horn honk a while ago, and now just realizing it she looked out the side window hoping that Darien was still there in his car looking at the same window. He was. He stared right back at her in the window. She quickly spun around hoping not to make eye c! ! ontact. 'This isn't what I want. I have to be brave. I have to be.' She thought. She looked out the window again, but he had vanished. Was she halucinating? Was it just an illusion, seeing that car out there and Darien sat there looking back? Was it? She would never know, assuming it was just and illusion tears streaked down her cheecks once more as she stood there watching the empty place where Darien's car had been parked. That's when she saw it. On the lawn were five black ravens all looking at her with their midnight eyes sparkling in the night. Serena jumped back and landing on her behind she squealed in fright. On her behind she backed away carefully hoping that she did not wake her folks or her brother, but no such luck. "Geez Serena. I did not know you had it in you." Sammy was laughing at Serena sprawled on the floor. "Locking lips with that college guy. Wow, good going. I thought you would never love another after the big breakup with Jeff. Wait untill dad hears about this. He'll love it!" Sammy laughed even harder, but Serena was in her own world. Her eyes were wide open and her pupils dileated. She breathed hard as she wiped the remaining tears from her eyes and cheeks with her sleeve. She knew Sammy was making fun of her, but she tuned him out, not really caring at the moment what he had said. Usually she would have pounded him to rubble whenever he spied on her and a boyfriend, but Darien was not her boyfriend, so that made it worse. He father was very over protective of his daughter, and if he ever found out that she was playing smoochy with a much older guy that was not even her boyfriend he would blow, but she did not care. All five pairs of those eyes looking at her ri! ! ght in her own front yard. What were they doing there? Why ravens? She hasn't seen any in a very long time, and then tonight they just showed up out of no where and in her yard. It was just too much for her. Sammy was still making fun of her when Serena finally said something. "Sammy? Do you see five black birds out on the lawn?" Sammy stopped laughing and looked at Serena's scared expretion. "I did not know you were afraid of a few birds Serena!" Sammy burst out laughing at his own joke. "Cut the crap Sammy! I am serious. Are they still there?" Sammy immediately quieted down after he heard Serena's tone in her voice. He went over to the window and peared out. "No, there are no birds out on the lawn. What's wrong with you tonight? Got pms?" He burst out laughing, but noticed Serena did not do her ususal wail, but he saw her gazing out the window. He laughed even more. Serena turned around and walked up the stairs. 'She must really be disturbed.' Sammy thought. Serena trudged up the stairs not even bothering to look where she was going. Luna was in the hallway looking straight at Serena, but Serena did not notice her and she let out a wail as she stepped on Luna's tail. Not even saying sorry Serena walked into the bathroom containing her pajamas. Serena opened the door to the bathroom and locked it behind her; undressing out of her shirt and her new skirt (she took off Mina's pants at the park) she wept quietly. Naked, she sat down on the cold white tiled floor and leaned her head against the wall wondering if tomorrow will act any different than it has been before tonight with Darien. Serena grasped her knees and rested her head on them before getting up to get her pajamas on for bed. There was a silence in the bathroom and there on the counter was the irdescent purple pouch, sitting ther, just waiting for Serena to untie the thin rope that held it tightly closed. 'Should I open it?' She wondered. 'Marie knew I had it, so was! ! it meant for me? Oh, there are too many things going on, I can't concentrate.' Serena stood up and pulled on her underwear and bottom pajamas, then her top pajama and then her socks. Still, she was eyeing the pouch closly, and could not keep her eyes off of it for more than thirty seconds. 'If I open it now, it will not torment me and I will be able to get it off my mind for a while. But there is also a curse. If it really is a death curse then I might die, but Marie said that if John opens it there will be a curse, but I don't want to take the chance.' Serena thought. Serena picked up the pouch and left the bathroom to her room. She has a safe where she keeps all of her valuable things like her diary, her money, photos of her friends and family, and other stuff like that. 'Thirty- four to the right, twenty-seven to the left, and three to the right.' Serena thought. She opened the safe door and stuffed the pouch into the safe. Picking up the safe she threw it into he! ! r closet and closed the door, hopping that it would not aggrivate her anymore. The bed in the corner of her room seemed like heaven, it was almost 12:00 o'clock in the morning and she was exhausted from football and the nightly frights that she had had that very night. Luna jumped on Serena bed as she pulled her down comfortor over her neck and she rested it on her chin. As soon as her head hit the pillow she fell into a dream world. It was heaven. Serena dreamt about sleeping beauty and her prince, though Serena was the princess she could not see who was her prince, but at the very end that was a different story. The prince was just about to kiss the princess to awaken her, and as the princess opened her eyes she saw deep blue eyes, ebony hair, and a smile you would die for. But when he talked, it sounded very unusual. "Wake up Tokyo! It's ten in the morning and what a beautiful morning it is! Today's weather is sunny and mild…" Serena shot up out of bed as she heard her prince's voice, but it was the voice a stupid alarm clock that was set for ten o'clock. The pillow that Luna was laying on was swept out from under her and she was thrown on the ground. The rude awakening was Serena pulling the pillow out from under Luna and stuffing it over her head. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Okay, you know the drill, e-mail me and I will forever be happy! milky_way173@ix.netcom.com