This story does not fit into any episodes of the Anime series or any parts
in the Manga, unlike my first one.  This one is a story in itself.

Again, Uranus and Neptune are only friends,
not gay. It just makes my writing easier.  And I use the Manga 
characteristic of Zoisite, not the Anime, so he is not gay, either.
 
This story is rated PG for language and stuff (Nothing serious, so don't
worry.  The worse thing possible would be the word "damn" (^_^))

Oh yeah, PLEASE email me and tell me what you think of my story.
Critiques, compliments, suggestions, questions, anything would be fine.
Just FEED MY EMAIL INBOX! I think it will die of starvation soon!

Usual disclaimers:  Sailor Moon and all its characters and likeliness 
belongs to Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha/Toei.  English translation is made 
possible by DiC. 

My email address:  ml_eclipse@hotmail.com

<< >> = thoughts
[ ] = author's note

*** For those who were anxious to know, the first of the four new
Generals will be introduced to you in this petal!  All the names of the
new Generals are real names of actual gems and its colors, 
much like the other four.
Well, enough of my babbling! I hope you'll like this fanfic! Enjoy!
                       ============================   
=================>>>     Bloom of the Crystal Rose   <<<==================
                                 by Cosmos
                       ============================
The Third Petal:     Mysterious Emotions


She walked in heavy silence down a beautiful long hallway within what she 
learned was the Earth Palace.  Looking vacantly ahead of her, her eyes saw 
nothing but the beautiful oak door at the far end of the hallway.  The door 
had curious designs that she had never before seen. Built with materials 
that were unknown to her, she must admit this place was far grander than 
anything she had ever viewed in travel magazines.  Even the great palaces 
in India or England cannot be compared to this place.  She had learned that 
the Earth Kingdom was one of the most powerful kingdoms on this side of 
the Galaxy on par with the Moon Kingdom.  <<Moon Kingdom, she thought.  
Why does that name sound so familiar?>> Shrugging her shoulders 
absentmindedly she continued down the hall.

Voices?raging voices rang in her mind.  She tried to ignore them, but it 
was futile.  Why did she care what these strangers say to her? She yelled 
at herself that their words meant nothing to her, but in truth it meant a 
lot; and that was because of what she did that resulted in them yelling at 
her with burning hatred in their eyes.  She had to face them alone after 
they took him away.  Until then she had no idea who they were, but now she 
knew their names.  They were Sailor Soldiers, so she learned, whom guarded 
the royal Moon family long ago.  They're the only surviving members of this 
once powerful kingdom.  She also learned that the eight men that were with 
them were the Generals, guardians of Prince Endymion of Earth.  And that 
was how she learned of his name.  Through the angry shouts and 
accusations?through the tears of pain and loneliness?through the strange 
emotions burning in her heart?that was how she learned of 
his name?Prince Endymion.  So that was the name of the stranger whom 
helped her out there in the forest.  No wonder he was so skilled, but 
he was not like the many princes she had heard of in her world.  
Usually one would think of princes as being arrogant and greedy for 
power, but he was different.  His voice was kind, his touches so gentle, 
and his eyes were sincere.  They say that the eyes were windows to the 
soul.  If the saying was true then his soul must be that of a clear blue 
sky or the strong pristine waters of the deep blue ocean for that was what 
she saw when she gazed into them.

She had not slept well last night and the lack of sleep was taking a 
toll on her strength.  She felt slightly light headed and weak this 
morning.  Their accusations and angry shouts had haunted her throughout 
the night.  Even until now as she slowly strolled down the long 
marble hall, she wondered why their words have effected her so much.

[flashback]

"Will he be alright?" she asked through her tears.

"What does it matter to you whether he will be or whether he will 
not be?" Mars shouted angrily.

"It is all your fault he is wounded so badly," Uranus yelled at her, 
"If you hadn't sneaked off like that he wouldn't have to come and get you!"

"But I was scared," she yelled back now angry at what they said to her, 
"I don't know who the *hell* you guys were.  For all I know you could 
have been plotting to kill me."

"If we wanted to kill you we would have done that while you were still 
unconscious!" Jupiter yelled.

"Great! I thought the crystal was supposed to bring us help not an assassin!"
Mars screamed at her.

[end flashback]

And that was how her first conversation was with these soldiers.  
Tears began to escape her pale blue eyes now.  She wiped them away 
angrily while whispering aloud, "They were wrong.  I did not mean to 
hurt him.  I am *not* an assassin.  I'm just a lonely orphan lost in a 
foreign land with neither a possession nor a friend.  Can't they 
understand that? Can't they even find the smallest speck of sympathy for me?
I guess even among strangers I am ridiculed for who I am, a filthy orphan.
No matter where I go, I will always end up at the bottom of the totem poll.  
After seven years of hopeless dreaming, I thought that maybe someday 
I would find at least someone who would care for me, who would see 
through this dirt and rags."

<<But you have, a voice whispered to her.  Who, she asked it in a tearful 
tone, who would want to make friends with a poor, dirty orphan 
like me? He would, the voice replied.  Who is he? She asked, her heart
beating madly in hope of one particular answer, yet fearing it at the
same time.  Prince Endymion, the voice 
echoed her heart.>>

"No," she whispered aloud, "I was only imagining what I saw in his eyes 
last night.  Besides, it was too dark for me to read his face.  Once he 
knows who I truly am, only a klutzy, dirty, worthless orphan,
he would surly scorn me."

Somehow that thought of him laughing at her, looking down at her with 
disgust broke her heart.  Whenever she thought about his voice, his eyes, 
the way he embraced her last night in that hedge created strange emotions 
that stormed her heart causing her to feel weak in the knees.  What were 
all these strange emotions rising in her, taking over her heart?  She 
couldn't understand it.  She had never been conquered by emotions before.  
She had always been logical. Although her mind does have a tendency to 
drift into dreamland once in a while, she never felt any great surge of 
emotions before.  Perhaps back then only one emotion controlled her, 
sorrow, but now it was losing its grip on her and something else was 
taking over.  <<I'm so confused, she thought, perhaps being dropped 
suddenly into a strange new world was too much on my tiring soul.  
That was probably it.  A strange environment evoking strange feelings.>> 
Yet, something deep within her insisted that what she felt was more 
than simply a chaotic mixture of emotions caused by a sudden change in 
scenery.

Finally, her inner fight was halted by her arrival at the door.  
She looked to her left where one of the Generals was standing guard.  
He looked at her with cool olive-green eyes.  She gazed back at him, 
her gaze steady and challenging.  She was determined not to let them 
disturb her.  Suddenly to her surprise he smiled warmly at her and said, 
"You are a strong one."

She blinked at him in surprise unable to reply to a comment like that.  
His smile widened at the look on her face.  "Don't be so surprise," he 
laughed, "Not all of us are hot heads like Mars or Uranus you know.  
I heard them shouting at you last night.  I must apologize for their 
actions.  Please understand that they can be very nice if you're ever 
lucky enough to get on their good side.  I have my fights with them 
sometimes.  I think one day I would have to cool their heads of."  
He said looking absentmindedly at the ceiling as he contemplated this 
thought.

She looked at him in wonder.  He was different from the ones she met last 
night.  <<He is much friendlier than the others, she thought.>> Knitting 
her brow in thought she tried to recall his name. <<What was it? What 
was--ah, it is General Chrysolite.>>  She saw him with Neptune a few 
times last night.  Always whispering something into her ears that 
resulted in a lovely smile.  She had concluded from observation that the 
Generals and the Sailor Soldiers were in love with each other.  
<<This General must be Neptune's boyfriend.>>  
She observed him carefully, he had nice wavy hair with the color matching 
that of his eyes.  His features were warm and pleasing.  She must admit 
he was handsome, much like the other generals she had observed last 
night.  <<But not as handsome as Endymion, she caught herself commenting.>>
Quickly she jerked her wandering mind back into focus and asked politely, 
"Would it be all right if I speak with your Prince?"

He looked at her and she could see he was contemplating on her request.  
It was not a matter of whether she posed his Prince any danger or not 
but it was merely whether his friend was strong enough to be awakened 
for a visit.  Seeing the sad and lonely expression on her lovely young 
face, he gave in.  "All right," he replied gently.  "But not too long,
he is still pretty weak."

She nodded in understanding and slipped through the door he opened for her. 
"Thank you," she whispered as she passed him.  He closed the door 
gently behind her.

She found herself standing inside a luxuriously large bedroom with a 
vaulted ceiling and a large window with a balcony overlooking the 
magnificent Rose Blanche Garden [White Rose Garden].  Soft blue silk 
curtains float silently in the light breeze that flowed in through the 
open window.  The floor was a strange blue, black, and gold marble swirl 
that was unbelievable beautiful and mysterious.  The strange swirl of 
colors made her feel like she was walking on ocean waves with the faint 
gold rays of dawn reflecting from them.  <<So beautiful, she thought.  
That other room I was in is incomparable to this one.  It seems that 
this palace only becomes more beautiful the deeper one stroll into it.>>

A soft sigh broke into her thought and caught her attention.  She turned 
her gaze toward a large dark mahogany bed with soft beige silk sheets 
located on the far side of the large room close to the window.  "Uh?Prince 
Endymion?" she called softly.  No answer.  She walked quietly toward the 
bed and saw that he was still asleep.  She had heard that he had awoken 
this morning.  <<I guess he must have went back to sleep.>> She gave a 
soft sigh and wondered, <<What am I going to do now? Maybe I should come 
back later when he awakens.>>

However, something deep within her prevented her from unlocking her gaze 
off of him.  Although he was asleep, she felt his being weave an 
enchantment around her, penetrating to the very heart of her soul.  
Almost like a strong magical spell cast by some sorcerer in the fairytales 
of her childhood, this unknown force has captivated her, holding her tight 
before him.  She stood there like a frozen statue, like a mermaid stranded 
on land forever gazing?forever yearning for the blue ocean laid out before 
her.  Suddenly she caught herself gazing intently at his sleeping form.  
In sleep he looked so peaceful, so beautiful.  His ebony hair fell softly 
over his eyes caressing his forehead.  She felt her hands twitched slightly 
in the urge to sweep those loose black silk locks from his eyes.  Instead 
she clenched her hands into a tight fist by her side.  Her gaze swept over 
his soft lush lips and she could feel a strange numbing sensation slowly 
spread over her own lips.  She licked her dry lips warily.  

Again she let her gaze drift down his face onto his strong neck and 
bare muscular chest.  She could see the perfect indentations of his 
muscles on his bare chest.  As he moved his arm in his sleep she saw his 
muscles move in fluid motions beneath that tanned bronze skin.  She 
noticed that the white sheets have covered the wound on his lower chest 
and that of his arm.  She felt a pang of sorrow flow through her as she 
recalled the wounds created by the saber.  She quickly turned away and 
walked quietly toward the balcony.  She needed some cool air to help 
clear her thoughts.

She didn't know how long she stood in silence out on that balcony, but 
she noticed that the sun had begun its slow descent toward the horizon.  
A small chirp from nearby caught her attention.  She looked at the 
railing on the side and noticed a large bush of the most beautiful roses 
she had ever seen.  Its colors were a vibrant splash of crimson 
illuminated by the white marble walls of the palace.  She wondered how in 
the world she could have missed seeing such a sight before.  This was the 
first time she had ever seen real red roses.  She must admit it looked 
*much* more beautiful in real life than in the pictures she saw in the 
old books in the orphanage library.  Again another soft chirp reached 
her ears.  She took a cautious step toward the rose bush and saw a young 
cardinal fledgling caught among the thorns deep within the bush.  It must 
have fallen during its first flight into the great world.  "Sshh," she 
whispered comfortingly, "Don't move, I'll get you of there.  
Don't worry little fellow, I won't hurt you."  With great care she reached 
a slender hand into the bush and pulled the bird out.  Although she was 
extremely careful, she was not fortunate enough to retreat her arm back 
fully without having one of the multitudes of sharp thorns scratch the palm 
of her hand.

"Ouch!" she cried in pain jerking her hand quickly out of the bush 
with the bird safely between her fingers.

"You must be careful around roses," a deep voice said gently behind 
her.  In surprise she jerked her head around to find herself imprisoned 
in deep ocean blue eyes.  It was him.  She must have been too preoccupied
 with retrieving the bird that she did not hear him come up behind her.
========================
He was awakened only a few minutes earlier by a soft angelic voice 
floating into his room from the balcony.  At first he wondered with 
concern who would be standing at his balcony while he was asleep.  
Slipping silently out of bed he sneaked quietly to the balcony without 
even bothering to put on a shirt.  The soft rustles of his pants were 
lost in the wind that blew gently into the room.  The site of her caused 
his heart to skip several beats.  For a moment he forgot to breathe as he 
gazed tenderly at her graceful form beneath the light beige gown she 
had on.  <<Venus probably ordered her to put that on, he mused.  
That girl could never stand the site of seeing anyone in rags.>>  

A soft warm breeze swept onto the balcony and played with her long golden 
hair lifting several strands into the air to only let them fall softly 
onto her back again.  He envied the wind for having the privilege to 
caress her so tenderly while he was, for all he knows, a fearful stranger 
to her.  He gazed intently at her face flushed from the heat of the sun.  
She knit her brow in deep concentration as she carefully maneuvered her 
soft creamy hand out of the bush clutching gently onto the small bird.  
She stuck her tongue slightly out of the corner of her mouth as she 
patiently removed the delicate animal.  She was so beautiful.  He looked
longingly at her like a thirsty man gazing at a glass of water just barely
out of his reach.  The sun's bright rays illuminated her hair 
creating a golden halo making her look almost like an angel.  
To him she was an angel?an angel he wished belonged to him.

A strange warm feeling swept into his heart.  His eyes darkened with 
confusion.  <<What am I doing?>> He wondered, his gaze never leaving her 
lovely tender face.  <<Am I falling in love with her? Already? I mean I 
barely know who she is.  What else is there to know, another voice 
whispered to him.  Well?he argued, like who she is, what she is like.  
Hey for all I know she may turn out to be arrogant and selfish like the 
other girls who tag after me.  Do you see her tagging after you? The voice 
cried back angrily.  Besides if you don't believe in your own conscience 
then simply gaze into her eyes.  The eyes are windows to the soul you 
know.>> Suddenly her shout of pain broke him from his thought and he saw 
that she had scratched herself by one of the thorns.

"Ouch!" she cried.

"You must be careful around roses," he said.  He stepped onto the balcony, 
the warm sun caressing mildly on his bare back.  He gently took her hand 
and removed the bird setting it on the railing while his other hand still 
held onto hers.  He looked down at her warmly.  She gazed back with 
surprise written on her face.  He noticed that no matter what her facial 
expressions were they only made her face even more beautiful.  He could 
feel her hand gently removing itself from his grip, but he refused to let 
it go.  "Don't worry," he whispered quietly to her, "I'm just going to heal 
your wound."

"How?" she asked in bewilderment.  Her voice was light and tender caressing 
his ears gently.

"Watch."

She let her gaze drop from his smiling face onto their hands.  He raised 
his other hand over hers and caressed her wounded palm gently.  Amazingly 
there was no pain, only a warm sensation like a kiss from the sun's warmth.
A faint blue light glowed beneath his caressing hand and she could feel her 
palm becoming warm with a strange soothing flow of energy.  Within a minute,
he removed his hand and the wound was gone.  Her eyes widen in amazement, 
"H-how?how did you do that?"

"I have a special power that enables me to heal wounds," he said 
matter-of-factly.

It was then she noticed that he was still bare chest.  Surprisingly, 
she did not see any large white band aids or bloody wounds on his 
chest?or on his arm.  He noticed her gazing intently at his chest and he 
laughed, "My powers also enable me to heal quite fast."

"I-I see," she stammered in surprise.  Raising a hand toward his chest she 
asked shyly, "May I?"
"Sure, you can see for yourself," he replied taking her hand and placing 
it on his chest where the wound was once visible.  Upon her touch he felt 
his whole being tingle with a strange sensation.  Her brows were knit 
together deep in thought while her hand caressed so gently his soft smooth 
skin.  A smile spread across his face as he looked down at her innocent 
face.  He was really enjoying this.  By the look on her face he could 
tell that she has no idea what she was really doing to him inside.  
A fierce rush of emotions invaded his lonely heart conquering it within 
minutes.  He has never felt this way toward a girl before, but that was 
because he had never met a girl like her before.  Her looks only radiate 
innocence and kindness.  His conscience was right.  Looking into those 
azure gems he could see that her soul was pure and true.  Her heart was 
so kind that he could almost see a warm light radiate from her chest.  
She was perfect in every way.

A strange feeling deep within his heart pulsed greater and greater.  
He could feel this emotion burst into a bright flame that overwhelmed 
his senses.  Confusion no longer lingered in his deep eyes.  He knew that 
there was no denying what he now felt deep within his soul for this girl.  
Besides, he did not want to deny it.  Instead he welcomed this warmth 
brought on by this new emotion.  He embraced it, as he wanted to embrace 
her.  Though his heart accepted this realization with a flurry of 
resplendent prose and poems, his mind acknowledged it in one simple 
sentence that struck true to the very marrow of his bones?I love her.  
<<All right, he admitted to his conscience, I have fallen madly in love 
with this?this beautiful princess.  But does she feel the same way towards 
me?>>

Suddenly her mind snapped her awake from her dreamy state.  She looked up 
to him with shy blue eyes and saw him gazing tenderly down at her with a 
strange light dancing in them.  <<What is that in his eyes? she wondered.  
Is that?is that what I think it is? What I hope it is? No.  It can't be, 
must have been my mind drifting away into la-la-land again.  I probably 
stood out in the sun too long.  The heat must be playing on my mind.>>

She noticed that she was still caressing his chest.  Unintentionally during 
her dreamy state her hand had move slightly up his chest away from the 
place where the wound was.  <<God, she cried in distress, he must think 
that I am such a fool! He probably thinks that I'm some dumb girl desperate 
for him.  That I desperately need him.>>  In truth she did need him, more 
than he knew, more than she even knew.

"A-a-I'm?s-sorry," she mumbled nervously removing her hand from his bare 
skin.

He noticed her sudden nervous state and frowned in concern.  <<Did I do 
something wrong? No don't take your hand away.  I want to feel your soft 
touch, your caressing hands.>>  He had a strong urge to embrace her 
tightly in his arms and kiss the living daylights out of her, but of course 
he refrained himself.  <<Besides, he thought, I don't know of her feelings 
for me yet.  For all I know, she probably doesn't like me at all.>>  
"It's quite all right," he whispered, his voice betraying him, but in her 
nervous state she barely heard him.

Turning to lean on the balcony he asked her quietly, "So how did you get 
into my room?"  At the question, a serious blush crept onto her cheeks 
illuminating her face even further.  <<I should ask these types of 
questions more often>>, he mused as he saw the blush on her lovely face.  
<<She is so beautiful, he sighed.>>

"W-well I," she stammered, "one of your generals let me in.  General 
Chrysolite to be more precise."

"Yup, that sounds like something Chrys would do.  Letting a stranger into 
my room while I sleep."

"I-I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to upset you.  Please don't be angry with 
him.  The fault would be mine.  I knew I should have come back when I 
found you were asleep but I...just wanted to see the view from your 
balcony." <<You're lying, her mind teased.  I am not! I did want to see 
the view.  Sure?sure, her mind said sarcastically.>>

He looked at her warmly.  <<She barely knows Chrys and still she would not 
allow him to be accused wrongly.  I was right.  She does have a wonderful
heart.>>

"Don't worry," he reassured her with a beaming smile, "You didn't upset me 
at all.  In fact, I'm glad you're here now." <<I'm *very* glad you're here 
with me now!>>

"Really?" she asked uncertainly, she could feel her heart melting at the 
sight of his gorgeous smile.

"Yes, because now we can become more acquainted."

"Oh, I already know all about you," she said.

"Really?" he raised a curious eyebrow at her.  She blushed embarrassingly 
at her outburst.

"I-I mean," she stammered, "your friends told me your name last night."  
Suddenly she raised her hand to her mouth in surprise and cried, "Oh! I 
have been rude to you haven't I? I'm so sorry?you highness."  And she gave 
him a graceful curtsey.

"No, no, please!" he cried, "no formalities please!"  Laughing slightly at 
her confused look, he said, "No one calls me 'your highness, or prince 
that, or prince this.  It is simply Endymion or Darien.  My friends call 
me Darien and I really insist that you do the same."

Her eyes widen in surprise, "Y-you would consider me as your friend?"

<<I would rather consider you my love,>> he wanted to say, but instead 
said, "Of course, why not?"

"W-well?I don't know?your friends didn't appear too happy when they saw 
me last night.  They were extremely furious with me.  I know they all hate 
me, but I understand.  I mean, hey, I almost caused their Prince and 
dearest friend to be killed last night.  It was foolish of me to have ran 
away like that."

<<Take note Darien, he thought, you have sixteen butts to kick after this.>>

"No, don't think that way.  It wasn't a foolish thing you did last night.  
In fact, it was a very understandable action.  If I were to have found 
myself in a strange room with weird looking people standing outside my 
door, I'd probably find a way to hightail out of there, too."  He suddenly 
turned to her and asked, "Before we go any further can I ask you something?"

She looked at him in surprise and said, "Yes?"

"Would you tell me your name?"

She blushed furiously, "I-I'm sorry.  Yes of course! My name is Serena."

"Serena," he said absentmindedly letting the sweet taste of the name roll 
on his tongue and find its way to his heart, forever locked in the box of 
gold.  "That is a very lovely name.  It suites you."

She blushed again. "Thank you," she managed to say.

"Tell me," he continued, "where did you learn to fight so well? Did your 
father teach it to you?"

Suddenly the smile vanished from her face, and her gaze dropped to look 
sadly at the beautiful white roses below.  Her change of expression 
cracked his heart.  <<Idiot! He yelled at himself.  You shouldn't have 
mentioned her parents.  She must be missing them incredibly right now.>>

"I'm terribly sorry," he said quickly, "I didn't mean to upset you.  I
understand that you probably miss your parents dearly."

She looked back up at him; her sapphire eyes searched his stormy blue ones.
For a moment she thought he was mocking her, surly he knows all about
her with his great powers and everything.  She searched his eyes fearing to 
find mocking and disgust in them.  Instead her eyes only found kindness and
gentleness.  He noticed that her eyes seemed to be questioning on whether 
she trusted him enough to tell him what she was hiding inside.  She took 
in a breath and decided to trust him.  Slowly she opened her mouth and 
said sadly, "I have no parents.  I'm an orphan."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said gently.  She looked at him again.  
His voice was not full of pity like the many other voices she had heard.  
No, there was something else in his voice?understanding??sadness??grief? 
He was feeling sad, not for her, but with her.  She smiled at him graciously.  
Her smile thanked him for his understanding and kindness.

"Where are your parents?" she suddenly asked.

His gaze suddenly darkened in sorrow.  "They're locked in quartz by the 
Dark Empress," he whispered.  "Their bodies are now resting in the Elysion 
Kingdom for the moment."

"Oh, I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to bring up such memories."  Her gaze 
quickly dropped to the railing as tears began to appear in them.

His heart ached at the sight of having caused her so much pain; quickly 
he tried to change the subject to something less painful for the both of 
them.  "Then where did you learn such amazing fighting skills?" he asked 
curiously.

"I don't know," she said returning her gaze back to the garden below.  
"I never knew I had such skills until last night when something just 
snapped in me and there I was fighting like mad.  I know it sounds strange 
but that was what really happened."

"Hmmm?," he said thoughtfully.  "Maybe that was an inborn skill.  Take my 
powers for example, I didn't learn to do it.  I was simply born with it."

"Maybe, but yours is different.  I mean born with special powers is 
understandable, but with natural fighting abilities? Wouldn't one usually 
have to learn to fight?  Besides, maybe I did learn it sometime in my 
past.  In reality, I don't even know my entire life history."

"What do you mean?" he asked deeply interested in what she was saying.  
There was more to this girl than they knew, than what she actually knows 
herself.

"Well, I don't really know why, but I can't remember any of my childhood 
before 10 years.  Sometimes I'd sit and try to conjure up any images or 
any sound when I was younger but nothing would appear.  I don't even 
remember how I got to living in an orphanage.  The Headmistress of the 
orphanage once told me that she saw a strange beam of light from the sky 
shoot down into the woods beyond the orphanage.  Curious she went to 
investigate and found me there, lying unconscious beneath a pine tree.  
Strange isn't it? I really don't believe in the story myself.  I think 
she simply made it up to stop my crying."

<<A strange beam of light from the sky? Darien thought, 
This *is* strange.  But I have a feeling that there is more truth in 
that tale than it may sound.>>

"Oh, I don't think it's so strange," he said thoughtfully.

She looked at him for a moment and laughed.  The sound of her silvery 
laughter rang like tiny bells in his ears.  He made a mental note in his 
mind to make sure that she laughed a lot.  He simply loved the way she 
laughed and the sound of her laughter warmed his heart.

"I see that I'm not the only one she tricked."  Then suddenly serious she 
turned and asked him, "Tell me why you have brought me here?"

At first he did not say anything then he spoke, "We did not bring you 
here.  It was the Silver Crystal that had brought you into our world."

"What do you mean your world? And what is this Silver Crystal? Please, 
you must tell me everything.  Where I am? How I got here? And especially 
why I'm here."

"Don't you like it here?" he suddenly asked her.  She seemed like she 
didn't want to be here.  His heart ached at the thought of her leaving 
him and returning to her world.  He didn't want her to go.  He wanted 
her to never leave him, to always be with him.

"Of course I do! Why do you ask such a question?" She was confused, 
confused by the soft looks he was giving her and by his strange behavior 
toward her.  Most of all she was confused with the emotions that were 
roaring within her own heart.

"You didn't sound too happy just now," he said sadly.  
<<Why is he so sad suddenly, she wondered.  Could it have been what I 
said? Is he afraid that I might not like it here and leave? But why 
would he fear me leaving him? Unless?no Serena you are just 
misinterpreting his actions again.>>

"Yes?I mean no?I mean I love it here.  Why would I not be? This place 
is so beautiful beyond anyone's imaginations.  It is a place I have 
always dreamt of but would never think of actually being in."

"Would you stay if I ask you to?"

Now that question took her by surprise! A big surprise! So shocked was 
she that she was unable to find her voice to reply.  "I-I," she stammered. 
"I would love to," she barely whispered, the beating of her heart roaring 
in her ears.  "Besides, I have nothing back at the orphanage.  My world 
holds nothing for me, with neither friends nor family, why would I wish 
to return to it? That other place offered me no comfort or love, just 
coldness and harshness.  I have no wish to go back.  
Only, I'm afraid?" And she let her voice trailed off.

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid that you wouldn't let me stay here, or that your world would 
also turn its back on me, offering me nothing but coldness and 
desolateness."

"My world would never do that to you," he reassured her, his voice was so 
gentle like the breeze that was softly brushing her rosy cheeks.

"How are you so sure? I mean your friends didn't seem to like me much."

<<They will after I'm through with them!>> "Because," he said taking her 
hand gently in his and caressing her palm with his thumb, "I would never 
let it turn away from you."  She looked at him, surprised by his actions, 
but also loving it.  He was gazing at her with soft caressing blue eyes 
shining brightly full of?full of what? What is it that she saw in his 
eyes? Is she dreaming? Is this another one of her imaginations? But it 
seemed so real.  His soft thumb tickling her palm and his warm loving 
gaze on her face.  <<Can this truly be happening to me? Am I daydreaming 
again? Well, if I am I don't want to awaken.  No one wake me from this 
perfect dream!>>

He couldn't resist anymore.  Her gentle blue gaze, the softness of her 
skin in his hand, it was a temptation that he could no longer fight 
against.  He could not hold back the will in his heart, the desire to 
embrace her and to kiss her.  He wanted to reveal to her the love he 
felt for her.  He slowly wrapped his arm around her slim waist and pulled 
her closer to him.  Surprisingly she did not resist him.  Instead she 
seemed to desire him to hold her.  His gaze still locked onto hers as he 
bent down lower until their lips were barely a breath apart, but he did
not go any further.  He was waiting, waiting to see her reaction.  He was
unsure of her feelings for him, and he was afraid that she would not return
his love.

She looked deep into his warm blue eyes.  She felt him hesitate.  She saw
the question his eyes asked her, but she also saw the truth of his heart
reflected in them.  She closed her eyes and leaned up to close the gap.  
Their lips met in a passionate kiss that both of them have never before 
known.  This single action answered all their questions of each other and
of their own heart.  He gave a slight groan as he leaned down to deepen the 
kiss even further.

She welcomed it.  She welcomed the rose fragrance from his body, his 
warm embrace, his sweet lips, but most of all she welcomed his infinite 
love.  She ran her hands over his bare chest, feeling his soft smooth 
skin beneath her fingers.  She caressed him so gently like he was a 
fragile porcelain doll.  Instinctively she wrapped her arms around his 
neck and pulled him closer to her.  And for quite sometime they stood in 
each other's loving embrace, oblivious to the world around them.  For them, 
they were the only ones in their perfect little world.  Within each 
other's love nothing could touch them, and nothing could harm them.  
They didn't even notice the little bird still sitting where Darien had 
place it on the railing gazing at the couple with curiosity.

There must have been something between them, something that no one else 
has or will ever have, because this something made him love her the 
instant he saw her lying beneath that marble column in Elysion.  And 
unbeknownst to him, that something made her love him equally as much 
within such a short time.  But it takes only a few breathes and gazes 
to fall in love, and only understanding and respect to seal that love 
into the strong eternal bond in soul mates.
========================================
[Sorry about the length of each chapter in this story.
Any knew characters that does not belong to Naoko Takeuchi, Kodansha/Toei,
or DiC, belongs to me.  So please don't take them.
Next chapter coming soon!]