Standing Outside the Fire A SongFic by Moon Faery Rated PG-13 Inspiraton comes at the most unusual times! I was (and still am) soaking in a tub, listening to music with my wordpro nearby when one of my favorite songs came on. Unbidden, ideas struck me. So, here I am, typing in the bathtub (no pictures, please!) with my little imagination rolling, just dragging me along. Oh, but if part of the song doesn't match the events in the story, keep in mind that it doesn't have to match perfectly. So I, Moon Faery, Crown Princess of the Silver Imperium Millennium Crystal Moon Kingdom (you should see my checks!) and owner of the Faery Garden, do present to you, the Reader of These Sailor Moon Fanfictions writen by Moon Faery, Crown Princess of the Silver Imperium Millennium Crystal Moon Kingdom (am I good, or am I good?) and owner of the Faery's Garden said princesses Masterpiece of FanFiction and SongFiction... Standing Outside the Fire Note: I don't own Sailor Moon or "Standing Outside the Fire" the song. Naoko Takeuchi owns Seeraa Muun (I love japanese!) and Garth Brooks owns the song "Standing Outside The Fire". ***************************************************************** They call them cool, those hearts that have no scars to show The ones who never do let go Who never take the falls. ***************************************************************** There she was again, right on time. Serena was running through the crowd, not looking where she was going. The multitude of people opened a path for her, used to Serena running around like that. Darien stepped directly into her path. "Oof!" Darien grinned. "Where you going, Meatball Head? Ice Cream Man just pass?" Inwardly he winced at the barbed comment. This happened every time he ran into her (or she ran into him, literally). He always meant to be nice, to sweep her off her feet. He never managed it, however. She glared at him, and he didn't bother to hide his grin. She was so cute when angry! "For your information, Jerk, I'm late for a meeting with my friends." Serena climbed to her feet and poked him in the chest,. "And further more, this time I know I saw you step in front of me! Why?" Darien hoped that she couldn't hear his heart thumping. She was so close... "What would I do without our fights, Meatball Head? You'e the highlight of my day, you know," Darien mocked her. Actually, it was the truth. He contantly put himself into a position where she couldn't help but run into him. One day he'd been late and had missed her. His entire day had been wrecked from there on. She was like a drug to him. He couldn't let himself have too much, but he still needed her, more and more every day. "You jerk! Stop calling me that!" Serena wailed in aggravation. Darien resisted the impulse to kiss her right then. He wouldn't be able to survive if she pushed him away, if she rejected him. So he kept her at arms length; refusing to let her into his heart where she could eaily break it in two, teasing and tormenting her rather than what he really wanted to do. Darien glanced at his watch. "Well, I gotta go, Meatball Head. Don't eat too many shakes at the arcade. You don't need the calories." Actually, she couldn't have been thinner without looking skinny, but he'd never tell her that. Serena screamed in frustration as he walked off. ***************************************************************** We call them fools, who dance within the flames Who risk the sorrow and the shame That always comes with getting burned. ***************************************************************** Serena stared at Darien's vanishing form. Her hear beat loudly in her ears, and she could still see the deep, ocean blue of his eyes. Why did he always do this to her? Why did she have to fall for the one guy in the world that she couldn't stand? Serena shook her head and strted running. raye was going to yell at her again, she knew it. But she didn't really care. It didn't matter how many times she was yelled at, how many times she was grounded or given detention, she would never change. Life was much to short to let slip by without having fun. There were more important things then responsibility. So, with one last glance at his retreating back, she took off for the Hikawa Shrine. "Meatball Head! Where have you been?" Raye demanded as she dived through the doors. "Raye, give it up," Mina suggested. "She's only a few minutes late." Serena grinned at her supporter. "Thank you. And it wasn't my fault this time. I ran into Darien again, and I would have been on time if he hadn't kept me." Mina grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "Will you two stop it?" A small black cat with a moon shaped tatoo said. "There's a disturbance around the Med. College. It feels like a youma." The tall girl in the corner and a thin blue headed girl tapping on a computer looked up. "Are you sure Luna?" Lita asked. "I didn't pick up anything on my M.C.C. (Mercury Compact Computer)" Amy added. "I'm sure," Luna said. "We need Scout Power!" "Mercury Star Power!" "Mars Star Power!" "Moon Prism Power!" "Jupiter Star Power!" "Venus Star Power!" The Sailor Scouts headed over to the Medical College, prepared to fight evil. ***************************************************************** But you've got to be tough when consumed by desire Cause it's not enough just to stand outside the fire ***************************************************************** Sailor Moon dodged the attack. The youma, a nasty looking blue thing, threw dark energy at her. Mars, Mercury, Jupiter and Venus were out of action. For the first time in months, Serena wondered if she'd make it home that night. "Sailor Moon Kick!" The youma, who wasn't expecting a physical attack, fell back. Sailor Moon tried for a graceful landing, but failed. Her butt hit the pavement hard. A bruise now marred the perfect skin of her left forearm, and her right elbow was bleeding. Even as Sailor Moon, it'd take a few days to heal. "Owww!" The youma grinned evily and threw a bolt of energy at her. Seean didn't have time to dodge. She sat there, watching death approach. Next thing she knew, strong arms held her close. Tuxedo Mask grabbed her and rolled out of the way as the blast dug a hole in the cement. "Tuxedo Mask," she gasped. "Thank you." He grinned and sat her on her feet. "Hey, if you die, I'm out of a job. Now moondust this thing." Sailor Moon lifted her tiara off her forehead. "Moon Tiara-" "Hold it, Sailor Moon." Kunzite appeared from the shadows. He held Venus by the throat. "Throw that and I'll snap her neck." Serena stopped and stared. Venus wasn't even struggling, she was so weak. Only her shallow breathing proved that she even lived. "What do you want?" she asked. "Your broach." Kunzite stepped closer. Sailor Moon instinctivly stepped back. "My broach?" Serena was clueless. She'd thought that he'd at least ask for the rainbow crystals. "Why would you want that?" Kunzite shrugged. "You're a meddler, Sailor Brat. But without that broach you're helpless. I can easily take the crystals from you later, if you can't become Sailor Moon. So hand it over, or..." Kunzite squeazed Venus' thoat menacingly. Serena was torn. She couldn't let Kuzite take the Crystals, but she couldn't let him kill Mina. What was she going to do? Sailor Moon closed her eyes and listened to her heart beat. It whipered in her mind, telling her what she had to do. "You win." Serena dropped the tiara, knowing that it would disappear when she de-morphed. "Let her go, and I'll give you the broach." Tuxedo Mask sucked in his breath behind her. Kunzite held Mina tighter. "Give me the broach, and I'll let her go." Serena glared at him. She knew what game he was playing. "I give you my word as a Champion of Love, I'll give you my broach, but you have to let Venus go first." Kunzite glared back at her, but he knew when he was cornered. He tossed the body of Sailor Venus aside. "Your turn, Sailor Brat." Sailor Moon passed her hand over the broach. Pink light flashed, and Serena stood where the Sailor Suited warrior had. Tuxedo Mask tried to blend into the shadows, mind going in circles. Serena unclipped the piece of jewelry and tossed it to Kunzite. "There, NegaTrash. You've got what you want" Kunzite snatched the locket out of the air. "No, not everything I want." He closer to Serena. "Give me the Rainbow Crystals." A red rose stuck itself in the ground in front of Kunzite's feet. "I suggest you keep your distance." Tuxedo Mask's voice was cold as ice. "Stay out of this," Serena and Kunzite snapped in chorus. "You want the Crystals, Kunzite?" Serena asked. "Come and get them." She took off down the streets of Tokyo. Kunzite chased her for a good half hour. Serena just ran faster and faster. All that practice getting to school every morning, no doubt. Finally, Kunzite stopped running after Serena and made a monumental jump, landing in front of her. Tuxedo Mask put his hands on his knees and panted. He'd been hopping from roof to roof, but he was still exausted. Serena skidded, trying to stop. Her plan was working perfectly, so far. Now, if she could only manage to... She couldn't stop in time and fell right into Kunzite. He caught her automatically, not noticing the hand that dipped into his pocket, pulling out the broach and three Crystals. Kunzite pushed Serena away. She fell backwards, looking artfully terrified. "Clutz!" he yelled at her. "Bitch!" Serena stood up. "I'm going to protect this world, even if I have to die to do it." She aimed a kick at his head. Kunzite laughed and dodged. He tossed a bolt of energy at Serena, who shocked him by gracefully back-flipping and dodging the blast. Kunzite stood there, looking so sure of himself. "You know you can't win. Not with out... without..." he patted his pockets desprately. "Without this?" Serena held up her transformation brooch. "Moon Prism Power!" Sailor Moon stood there in all her glory. "Kunzite, I suggest that you leave, NOW. Becoming Moondust seems to be catching among you bad guys..." Kunzite let out a hair-raising curse and vanished. ***************************************************************** Standing outside the fire Standing outside the fire Life is not striving Tis mearly surviving You're standing outside the fire ***************************************************************** Darien walked into the arcade. He looked terrible. He had had some of the wierdest dreams possible last night. Imagine! Serena as Sailor Moon! Why, his Meatball Head couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time. Woah, boy. Wait a minute. Did you just say *his* Meatball Head? 'I must be sick. I thought that burger last night tasted funny...' Andrew (AN:arcade guy) walked into the front room. Andy took one look a Darien and poored a double expreso. "Man, what happened to you?" Darien's hair was a mess, and kept getting worse since he kept running nervous fingers through his hair. A five o'clock shadow was on his usually smooth face and for once his cloths were in need of pressing. "You look like shit." Darien sent a glare at his best friend. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, bud." He ran long fingers through his uncombed hair again. "Really, man. You look like a train or two hit you. Bad night?" Andrew wiped the counter and refilled his quarter dispenser. Darien groaned. "The worst. I kept having the weirdest dreams." He took a long pull at the coffee. Andy silently encouraged his friend with a I'm-Your-Friend- So-Spill-It look. It worked like a charm. Darien cradled his head in his hands and groaned again. "I was Tuxedo Mask, you know. The guy in the papers all the time?" The arcade doors slid silently open behind him, and Serena, Raye and Mina walked in. "Anyway, Sailor Moon was battling this blue thing. Then some guy named Kunzite theatened Sailor V, so Sailor Moon gave him some transformation brooch, and it was Meatball Head! Somehow, she managed to save V and get the brooch back. She even did a back flip that would have landed her on her butt in real life. Weird dream, huh?" The three girls behind him exchanged a frightened glance, and started backing towards the door. "Imagine," Darien continued. "Me, running around, throwing roses a Demons." He emitted a harsh laugh. "Crazy, huh?" Serena grabbed Raye and Mina and pulled them out the door. Andy watched them without saying anything. Was it his imagination, or did Rena look... scared? ***************************************************************** We call them strong those who can face the world alone Who seem to get by on their own Those who will never take the falls ***************************************************************** Serena paced in Raye's room at the temple. "It's impossible! That... That Jerk is Tuxedo Mask?!" She was furious, sad, happy and several other emotions that she couldn't identify. Amy, sweet, reasonable, good-for-nothing, always right braniac Amy looked up from her computer. "You said he thought it was a dream, right?" Mina nodded, thoughtfully. "Well, then. It's probably his subconscious mind in control as Tuxedo Mask." Mina looked at the small, blue haired girl for a moment. Then her blonde genes kicked in. "Hey! Doesn't that mean that Darien's subcom- subnoc- the part that's Tuxedo Mask. Doesn't that mean that he loves Serena?" Serena groaned. "Exactly why he can't be Tuxy! Darien hates me!" Raye, Amy, Mina and Lita were looking at each other thoughtfully. "That would explain why he always teases her..." Raye offered. "And why he goes out of his way to see her..." Lita tossed back. Serena pulled her hair. "Aren't you guys listening?!" A small white cat with Luna's moon-mark looked up from a nap. "What's going on?" Artemis asked sleepily. "Oh, we just found out that Darien's in Love with Serena," Mina told her guardian cat airily. "Go back to sleep." Artemis grumbled, but did as he was told. Serena gave up. She threw one last venomous look at her so- called friends, and walked out of the shrine. Serena walked down the street, intending on beating out her frustrations on the Sailor V game. She itched at the scab on her elbow, the one she'd gotten in the battle last night. If she'd been able to stay transformed, it would have been healed by now. But nope, she had to be plain old Serena. Plain old Serena with only a ten times faster than normal healing rate. Darien watched her come. Her usual bouncy walk was gone, and she appeared to be deep in thought. That in itself was unusual, but what caught his eye was the scab she was itching. It was on her right elbow... The same place where Sailor Moon had been injured last night. Darien's eyes flickered to Serena's left forearm, which was in plain sight as she picked the wound. A large, but quickly fading, bruise covered the perfect white skin. Finally, praying that what he was looking for wasn't there, he looked at the bow of her school uniform. A purple brooch with a gold crescent moon twinkled back at him. Serena looked up to see Darien staring at her. Or to be more precise, the bow of her uniform... and the brooch attached to it. Serena's wide, frightened eyes met Darien's incredulous ones. "Darien..." she couldn't think of anything to say. Darien shook his head and started backing away. "It... it wasn't a dream..." he mumbled. Then he turned on heel and ran. Serena watched him go with mixed feelings. ***************************************************************** We call them weak who are unable to restist The slightest chance that might exist And for that forsake it all ***************************************************************** Darien paced in his room. He was so confused, he couldn't think straight. 'Serena's Sailor Moon. I'm Tuxedo Mask. How the *HELL* did that happen?' He closed his eyes, remembering the emotions he'd felt last night while battling. 'I love Sailor Moon! How can she be Serena?!' He conveniently forgot his feelings for the Meatballed One. 'Worse, Serena hates me! How could she *possibly* love me?' For some odd reason, the thought was unbearable. 'No, she loves Tuxedo Mask... I still have a chance...' Darien grabbed his jacket and ran out the door. 'She'll be at the arcade...' ***************************************************************** They're so hell bent on living, walking a wire Convinced it's not living If you stand outside the fire ***************************************************************** Serena punched the buttons on the Sailor V game. She'd died seven times because she wasn't able to concentrate. 'Darien can't be Tuxedo Mask! I... I love Tuxedo Mask!' The minature Sailor V was squashed under a Dragon's foot. "Shit," she muttered, and shoved another quarter in the slot. 'What about Darien? Don't you love him?' the Amy-ish part of her whispered. Serena felt a few tears slip down her cheeks. "I do..." she whispered. "But he doesn't..." 'But he might, Tuxedo Mask does,' her mind murmured to her. 'There's a chance... so what are you going to do about it?' The arcade doors swished open, and Serena stopped breathing as an achingly familiar voice called, "Hi, Andy!" "Hi, Dar!" the arcade guy called back. Andrew watched as his best friend passed up the counter and walked up behind Serena. 'Does he have a death wish?' Andy thought as Darien laid a hand on Serena's shoulder. Serena's heart stopped at his touch. "We need to talk," his husky, deep voice murmured. "Now." Serena forgot the game as she turned around and looked at him. "Yes, we do. But not here." There was something in his eyes that had never been there before. It made her heart give a painful '*THUMP*'. "Not near so many people." He took her hand and lead her over to secluded booth while Andrew watched in amazement. ***************************************************************** Standing outside the fire Standing outside the fire Life is not striving Tis mearly surviving You're standing outside the fire ***************************************************************** Serena slid into the seat. "You first." Darien took the spot across from her. "You're Sailor Moon." It wasn't a question. "You're Tuxedo Mask," she said in the same tone. "So, where do we go from here?" Darien was watching her intently from behind the bangs that made her fingers itch to push back those unruly locks. "There's quite a few things we need to clear up." Darien remembered quite clearly everything he'd ever said as Tuxedo Mask now. One of those things had been, "I love you, Sailor Moon". Serena swallowed. Did he have any idea what that look was doing to her stomach? Or her spine? "I guess that if we're going to fight evil togther, we should call off the private war between us." "Can I still call you Meatball Head?" Darien's grin was boyish. "If I can call you Stupid Jerk." Serena smiled back. Darien shook her hand. "Deal, Meatball Head." Serena shook back. "Deal, Stupid Jerk." They sat there for a second, not sure what to do. Then Serena stood up. "I'd better get going... Raye's waiting on me..." It was an outright lie, but she didn't know how long she could sit there without doing something she'd regret. Or something she might not regret. Darien swallowed and nodded regretfully. He stood with her. "Yeah, I guess I wouldn't want Raye mad at me either.." They stood awkwardly, just looking at each other. "Serena..." Darein broke the uncomfortable silence. "Yes?" Serena looked at him, eyes wide, lips slightly parted. She was so close... He could just reach out and touch her if he wanted to... ***************************************************************** There's this Love that is burning Deep in my Soul Constantly yearning to get out of control ***************************************************************** "Yes?" Serena asked. Oh, Gods, was he going to kiss her? She wanted him to so badly... Darien was looking at her intently. In what seemed to be slow motion, but was actually so fast that Andrew didn't have time to blink, he crushed her mouth to his. ***************************************************************** Wanting to climb Higher and higher I can't abide Standing outside the fire ***************************************************************** Serena felt his lips on hers, hard, demanding a response. She eagerly answered his call, wrapping slim arms around his neck and tangling her hands in his silky ebony hair. Darien's arms circled her waist, pulling her closer. She shocked the hell out of him by being the first to open her mouth. Darien eagerly slid his tongue over her parted lips. He could taste her chocolatey breath on his, and he delved deeper. Gods, she was so sweet! Serena gladly let him explore every hollow and dip of her mouth. She felt like she was about to explode from joy. A part of her that she never realized was missing was back. It was the most wonderful sensation of her life. She noticed in the corner ofher mind the Scouts coming in the doos, but everything was too hazy to really register the fact. Darien reluctantly released her lips with one last nibble. He needed to breath, and she probably did too. Serena let Darien hold her up as she sagged against him. "Wow," she panted. Darien kissed the top of her head. "Think Raye will miss you too much if you skip the meeting and come to the park with me?" he asked softly. Serena shook her head, and Darien lead her out of the arcade, one arm around her waist. She let her head lean against his shoulder as the sliding doors whooshed closed behind them. Andrew, the Scouts and the rest of the arcade stared at the closed doors. No one would *ever* believe what had just happened. ***************************************************************** Standing outside the fire Standing outside the fire Life is not striving Tis mearly surviving Standing outside the fire *****************************************************************