Title: A Dance to Remember ? Part 1
Author: Alicia Blade
E-mail: Kammi22@sprintmail.com
Rated G

Hey minna-chan! First off I?M SOOOO SORRY!!! I know I?ve been 
missing for awhile, but I?m back! This is another multi-parter and in a 
way is somewhat like Winning Love for those of you who have read it, 
but I have some VERY new ideas for this and I promise it will be sweet 
and sappy for all you die-hard romantics. So please give it a chance, 
whether you enjoyed Winning Love or not. Thanx!!!
	This is a first season romance taking place before Darien and 
Serena realize their secret identities. There will be no action. Zilch. 
I will try to get out one or more chapters per week. Mark the key 
word there: TRY.
	IMPORTANT: Well, to me at least? some people said they were 
having trouble opening Dreaming of a White Christmas because of the 
zipped file. If you had this problem PLEASE, I beg of you, e-mail me  
and I would be MORE than happy to send you a copy. It would be 
absolutely no trouble, and of course, there?s no obligation to ever 
talk to me again, but I was extremely proud of that story and want 
anyone and everyone to have the chance to read it. So don?t be shy and 
e-mail me. THANX!!
Thanx a million times over and over and over again to Athena who 
is an awesome writer you all must read, Ray who has kept me inspired 
with my poetry and is a great friend, Edeet who is another great author 
and incredibly inspiring, Marie, yet another talented newcomer who 
constantly keeps me entertained with those annoying forwards, Sailor 
Walnut, AWESOME stories, Moonklutz- thanx so much for posting my fics 
and being such a great friend, and thanx a bunch to Patricia Dawson,  
Jade and  Jennifer Wand for your great comments and support as well!
	And lastly: PLEASE E-MAIL ME!!!!!!!!

~ A Dance to Remember ~

Part 1 ? Saving A Broken Heart

	Serena walked into the arcade, her head falling to her chest and 
her shoulders slumped over. Her two blonde pigtails scraped lightly 
against the tile floor with every step. With a sigh, she fell onto the 
stool and let her head fall onto the counter, warm tears ready to fall 
onto her hidden cheeks. Burying her head in her arms, she attempted to 
hold her body still as the racking sobs flooded her senses. 
	?This isn?t fair. Why is life so unfair? All I wanted was to be 
completely happy, just for one night. With no youmas and no scouts and 
not having to worry about Zoicite or crystals or that mean Tuxedo Mask! 
Which, by the way, I cannot figure out for the life of me. I mean, he 
is quite simply the most confusing man ever? except maybe for that jerk 
Darien. But I don?t even want to think about him! What is wrong with me 
when it comes to Darien, anyway? He is so rude and obnoxious and 
conceited and? so why do I get that urge to throw myself into his arms 
whenever I see him? Oh, I absolutely hate emotions. And men. I hate 
men. Even Andrew?s not so perfect anymore. He has a girlfriend for 
goodness sakes! But did that stop him from being so nice and sweet to 
the point I could have sworn he was in love with me?! No! Andrew, 
Tuxedo Mask, Darien, but most of all, I hate Josh! I can?t believe what 
he did to me! I could have broken down crying in the middle of the 
whole school. This isn?t fair. Everything was going to be perfect??

~ 1 week ago ~

	"Hey? uh? Serena? Can I talk to you?" asked a tall boy with brown 
hair cut just above the ears and meaningful deep brown eyes.	
	"Huh? Me? Oh, uh, sure Josh!" Serena stood up from the stair and 
shyly walked away from her friends who had been eating lunch with her 
to follow Josh. He led her under a large oak tree and Serena could feel 
her heart beating rapidly. 
	"Well? um?" Josh stuttered, "I was just thinking? well, actually, 
I was hoping that maybe you would? uh? like to go to the Valentine?s 
Dance next Friday? Maybe? if you?re not going with anyone else or 
anything? if ya want?"
	?What?! Josh is asking ME out? The cutest, most popular guy in 
10th grade is asking ME, little 9th grade Serena to the dance?! This is 
too good to be true!?
	"Sure, Josh, I?d love to go!"
	"Re?really?"
	"Uh-huh!"
	"Great! So then, I?ll pick you up around 6:30 or so?"
	"That sounds great!"
	"Okay, see ya around then."
	"Yup! Bye!"

~ Half an hour ago ~

	"Hey Josh, I?ve been looking all over for you!" Serena bounced 
happily to the guy standing facing away from her.
	"Oh, hi Serena."
	"Well, I was just wondering? do you know my address? I mean, so 
you can pick me up tonight?"
	"Oh, well, Serena, I?ve been meaning to talk to you about that?"
	Serena immediately detected the nervousness in his voice. "Josh? 
What?s wrong?"
	"Um? it?s just that? I just remembered yesterday that I? uh? 
sorta asked out someone else?"
	Serena was stunned. "You? you did what?"
	"You see, I asked Jessica Bentley to the dance a couple weeks 
ago, and I just sorta forgot. So? I can?t take you. I?m sorry."
	He turned and walked away, lost in the crowd of his snickering 
friends. With tears flowing into her eyes, Serena turned and ran from 
the building, grateful that school was over for the day.

~ Present ~

	?Jessica Bentley. I hate her. Why would he choose that snob over 
me anyway? Just because she?s pretty and tall and sophisticated and? 
and? everything that I?m not. Oh, who would want to go to the dance 
with me when they could go with her??
	"Hey Serena, what?s wrong?" asked a familiar friendly voice.
	Slowly, the girl lifted her face to look up at Andrew. He gasped 
when he saw her red, puffy eyes. 
	"Serena? What happened? I?ve never seen you liked this?"
	Serena sighed. "Oh Andrew, it?s awful! Absolutely awful!"
	"What?s so awful, Meatball Head? The ice cream shop going out of 
business?"
	Serena clenched her teeth and slammed her eyes shut as pain shot 
through her with every arrogant word. ?Darien? that?s all I need right 
now. To know I?m even more of a loser.? She let her head fall back onto 
her arms. Her muffled voice was heard, "Please, Darien, not now. I 
can?t deal with you now."
	Andrew exchanged a worried glance with Darien who?s laughing had 
stopped as soon as he heard the true pain in her voice.
	?Meatball Head? What?s wrong? You?re never like this? If anyone 
hurt her I swear I?ll? wait a minute? why am I so protective all the 
sudden?? Biting his lip, Darien cautiously sat down on the stool next 
to her, confusion whirling through his thoughts.
	Andrew said, "Serena? what is it? Something?s really wrong, 
you?re never this sad. You can tell me? us."
	Slowly, Serena lifted her eyes once more. She looked at Andrew 
for a few moments, and then at Darien. She pulled her eyes away quickly 
when she saw the worry in his blue eyes staring back at her. 
	"I? I? can?t tell you?" she concluded. 
	Darien felt his hand slowly reaching for her shoulder to comfort 
her, but he pulled back. ?What am I thinking? You?d almost think I 
cared for her or something? but still? I can?t bear to see her cry like 
this?"
	Andrew took notice of Darien pulling back his hand and seemed to 
realize exactly what was going through his mind. Finally, he reached 
out his own hand to comfort Serena. 
	"Hey? cheer up. Look, if you tell us, maybe there?s something we 
can do to help?"
	Serena thought about it. She knew they couldn?t do anything to 
help? but still, it might help to tell someone? but Darien? Andrew, 
sure, he?s a good listener. But Darien might laugh at her?
	She looked up immediately at Darien. He gasped at her dull blue 
eyes that were usually so happy and full of life. ?Why is she looking 
at me? And why is she so sad? Oh, Serena, don?t cry??
	Closing her eyes, Serena told Darien and Andrew all about Josh 
and Jessica and the dance. "And I was so excited because for the first 
time, I thought I would be the prettiest girl with the cutest guy at 
the dance and everything would be perfect? but I?m not going to. I 
don?t think I?ll even go. People would just laugh at me anyway, going 
to the Valentine?s dance without a date! And I don?t think I could deal 
with Josh and Jessica going together. She hates me, I know it. She 
would probably taunt me and mock me since Josh chose her? oh it?s not 
fair! Why can?t I be gorgeous and smart and graceful? If only? never 
mind? like that would ever happen?" Serena mumbled the last few lines. 
	Andrew and Darien traded worried glances, each wondering what to 
do. It was now obvious to Andrew that Darien was just as concerned and 
just as eager to make Serena happy as he was. But what could they do?
	"Serena, if only what? What could never happen?"
	"If only? I could get a date. Someone mature and sophisticate and 
handsome? so that all the girls, even Jessica would be extremely 
jealous! Ha! Yeah right, though. Who like that would ever ask me to a 
dance anyway? Besides, the dance is tonight. Tough luck!" Serena sighed 
and closed her eyes, letting her head rest on her arms once more. 
	?If only I knew who Tuxedo Mask was? I wonder if he would take 
me? yeah right! He?d be too concerned over those stupid rainbow 
crystals anyway? Give up Serena! This is going to be just another 
Friday night, all alone, playing Sailor V games at home??
	Meanwhile, Darien and Andrew were exchanging silent words with 
their eyes back and forth. Andrew asked, "Darien, why don?t YOU take 
her to the dance?"
	"What? Are you crazy?"
	"Why not? Don?t you want to help her?"
	"Of course, but like she would say yes!"	
	"I bet she would! You are exactly what she described!"
	"To other girls, maybe, but you know Serena hates me!"
	"She does not hate you! Besides, right now she?s desperate!"
	"And that?s exactly the state I want her to be in when I ask her 
out! How romantic."
	"This is your chance to get her to like you!"
	"Why would I want her to like me?""
	"Don?t play games Darien! It is so obvious you like her!"
	"WHAT?!"
	"Look, do you want her to be happy or not?"
	"Of course I want her to be happy!"
	"Then ask her to that dance!"
	Darien bit his lip and looked over to Serena. Her head was tilted 
toward him, her eyes closed. He could see crystal tears falling over 
her cheeks and nearly felt his heart break. He opened his mouth to 
speak, but no words came out. He tried again? Nothing. 
	Serena opened her eyes suddenly and jumped off the stool, 
surprising both of them, though her frown was still apparent and pain 
evident in her eyes. "Well, thanks for listening. I?ll see you guys 
around." She slowly turned around and walked out of the arcade, her 
hair still dragging on the ground. 
	Darien and Andrew watched until she was gone. Darien felt close 
to tears and completely agitated every time he saw her pigtails touch 
the dirty floor. 
	?That?s just not right! They should be soaring behind her! She 
should be laughing and skipping and smiling and??
	WHACK!
	"Ow! What did you do that for Andrew?" Darien asked rubbing his 
shoulder. He turned to see Andrew glaring at him. 
	"What on Earth is wrong with you? Why didn?t you ask her to the 
dance! Didn?t you see how unhappy she was!?"
	"Of course I saw! And it hurt me too, okay? But Andrew, be 
rational! Serena can?t stand me! She would never say yes if I asked her 
to a dance! She?d probably just laugh at me?" Darien let his shoulders 
sink a little with the last few lines, which he was convinced were 
true. 
	Andrew smacked him again.
	"Ow! Hey, stop doing that!"
	"No! Now you listen to me! Serena is not like that! She would 
never laugh at anyone! And you know that! Now Darien, I have never seen 
Serena that sad since I?ve known her, and if there?s anything I can do 
to make her her normal self again, I?ll do it! And right now, I know 
the only thing that is going to make her happy again is if someone like 
YOU asked her to that stupid dance! And don?t you dare try and tell me 
you don?t want to take her because I know you and I know that you never 
look at a girl like you look at her, and my good friend, you are 
sprung, okay? You like Serena a LOT more than you care to admit and I 
am telling you that if you ever want her to return your feelings you 
had better go after her right now and ask her to that stupid dance!"
	Darien stared awestruck for a moment. 
	WHACK!
	"Okay, okay, I?m going!" Rubbing his shoulder briefly, Darien 
stood and ran out of the arcade, immediately taking off in the 
direction he thought she?d taken.

	?I am such an idiot!? thought Serena staring at the sidewalk 
through watery eyes. ?I can?t believe I actually thought Darien would 
take me for a minute back there! Yeah right! Like a handsome, smart, 
college guy would go to a middle school dance with ME! In my dreams. Oh 
who cares? I don?t even like Darien? I think.?

	?There she is.? Darien slowed down his pace and took a few 
breaths to calm his blood rate. His heart throbbed with pain at the 
sorry sight in front of him. He had an incredible urge to run up to 
Serena and purposely lift those two ponytails off the dirty pavement. 
He couldn?t stand that horrible thought of her being depressed? ?But 
not for long? I hope.?
	Taking another breath he walked quickly until he stood only a few 
feet behind her. He could hear her sigh. ?I wonder what she?s thinking 
about? Josh maybe. Or Jessica. Maybe the dance. Maybe? me??
	He cleared his throat. She didn?t notice. 
	"Hey Serena!" he said as coolly as he could, though he was sure 
people could SEE the nervousness in his voice. 
	?Huh? Was that?? Serena turned around slowly to see Darien 
standing behind her. She gasped and stood up straight, quickly wiping 
her eyes with her sleeve. 
	"Oh? uh? hi Darien. Wha?what are you doing here??" Idiot! The man 
can walk wherever he wants! It?s none of your business!?
	"Actually? I was looking for you."
	?What? For me? But? why?? "For me?"
	"Yeah? you see? well, I was thinking that maybe? I mean, about 
this dance? um?"
	"Yes?"
	Darien cleared his throat again. ?Oh God, how am I going to do 
this? What will she say? What will she think? What? What if she says 
no??
	?But what if she says yes??
	"Darien?"
	"Serena? I was thinking? if you want, I mean, if you don?t mind? 
I would? um? I was wondering? no, hoping, if maybe you?d like to? uh?" 
He looked up into her curious, confused, and oh-so-beautiful blue eyes 
and found new strength. "Go to the Valentine?s Dance with me."
	?There, I said it. Please don?t laugh. Please say yes. Please??
	?Did? Darien just ask me to the dance? Could it be? for real?!?
	"Darien?"
	?Uh-oh, that tone of voice doesn?t sound too good??
	"If this is a joke, I will never forgive you."
	?Joke?!?
	He smiled a little, shyly and nervously. "I?m not kidding, 
Serena. If you really want to go, and you don?t mind going with me? 
then I would love to take you."
	There was a moment of silence as the two stared into each other?s 
eyes, blue clashing with blue. Then Darien stumbled back as a force 
came crashing into him, smiling and squealing one word: "YES! Yes! Yes! 
Yes! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"
	Stunned and a bit more than awestruck, Darien slowly wrapped his 
arms around her, a surprised smile spreading across his lips. ?She said 
yes? I can?t believe she said yes??
	When she had finally calmed down, Serena backed away, a becoming 
blush glowing on her cheeks, all signs of recent tears having
completely vanished. 
	"So? uh? what?s the deal?" asked Darien slowly.
	"Um? the dance goes from 7 to 10 and it is at Juuban Middle 
School, and it?s formal so where a tux if you have one. If not, I 
guess? um?"
	"I have one."
	"Great! So? um?"
	"I?ll pick you up at 5 and take you out to dinner, okay?" Without 
allowing time for her to decline the offer, Darien continued, "Where do 
you live?"
	"Oh? uh? 2202 N. Cherry Hill."
	"Great, I?ll see ya later then?"
	"Yup, bye!"
	Darien unwilling let his arms dropped from her waist where they 
had been lingering previously. With a crooked smile, he turned and 
began walking away. About half way down the block, he turned to see 
Serena skipping toward home, two blonde streaks soaring behind her? not 
once touching the ground.

	Darien strolled dazedly into the arcade, once again preoccupying 
the same stool he had deserted only minutes ago. Andrew looked at him 
with a raised eyebrow.
	"So? did ya ask her?"
	Darien looked up, taking his friend?s presence into account for 
the first time. "She? said yes?"
	Andrew smiled knowingly. "What did I tell you? I knew she would 
say yes. Let me guess, she was extremely happy afterwards too!"	
	"Yeah?" Darien paused for a minute before a huge smile lit across 
his face. "I made her happy! I? she said yes! YES! Andrew, I?m taking 
Serena out! ME! And Serena! Meatball Head!"
	Andrew laughed. "Yeah, yeah, I get the point. Now, uh, you?re not 
going in THAT are you?" he asked, sweeping his gaze over Darien?s jeans 
and casual green jacket.
	"What?! Are you kidding? No way! I am going to be absolutely 
dashing tonight! And I am going to get reservations at the finest 
restaurant and then?"
	"Woah, woah? you?re taking her out to dinner?!"
	Darien nodded at him. "Didn?t I mention that already?"
	"NO! Though I fail to see how you could have looked over that! 
Darien? don?t you get it? This has gone from you taking her to a dance 
to make her happy, and her going because she didn?t want to be lonely, 
to a REAL date! She is going out to dinner with you because she WANTS 
to go out with you! This is much bigger than a school dance now, bud."
	Darien pondered over what Andrew had said. "You?re right. This? 
is like a real date? between a? couple. But? aren?t couples supposed 
to, like, be in love or something?"
	"And you?re not in love with Serena?"
	Darien thought over that single question all the way back to his 
apartment to get ready? for a date with Meatball Head.
	

E-MAIL! E-MAIL! E-MAIL!
Sailor Moon doesn?t belong to me, but to the oh so wonderful Naoko 
Takeuchi and all those other companies.

God bless everyone in this new year!