Laurel8704@aol.com Here, we go again!! Hello everyone!! First, I'd like to thank the TONS of people who have written me about this story. I hope this chapter lives up to everyone's expectations!!! (Scared again. *biting all my nails off*) Thanks to Emily for pointing out my mistakes... I'm working on it!! Now, I'd like to give you a little info about the story... Answers to questions I've been asked and comments that have been made to me... This will be an epic saga, but once it's done, it's done. There will be no sequel. However, I do have a couple of short stories in mind as spin offs, but all they will do is better explain parts of this story that I haven't spent a great deal of time on. All the characters, mine and the true characters of the series, are very humanistic in quality. At least, I've tried to make them that way. I've tried to steer away from the cartoon style and develop them into normal teens and adults, with all the romance, magic, laughter, and fun that Sailor Moon entails. To be honest, it's not easy, but I keep trying! I have made Darien an extremely strong, central character, his main weakness of course, being Serena. He is very much in control of himself and his surroundings, for the most part anyway. I did this, because it seems to suit the mood of the story (and mine too). He's 21, not 19 because that age is more realistic to his moods. Let's see, what else... I can't think of any thing... If you do, please let me know and I'll include it here!! Please read the end for more thank you's and some other information. One last thing... No time passes between any of the chapters unless I specifically say it does. One chapter picks up exactly where the last left off, though maybe not with the same characters as the last chapter ended with. Please send all C&C's to Laurel8704@aol.com. DISCLAIMERS: Everybody knows I don't own any of the characters on Sailor Moon. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi, DIC, Toei Animation and whoever else has rights to them. The other characters are mine!!! The story line is also mine. If you choose to use my characters or story, just let me know. Thanks. Sorry this introduction was so long. Memories of Past and Present By, Laurel Anne Chapter 4 Serena... Gone!?!? Thursday evening After three long, practically sleepless days and nights, Bryce thought longingly of his bed upstairs. He yawned tiredly after he hung up the phone with Nathaniel. "Is it done?" He asked his guest. "It is." Turning around Bryce asked, "I assume you saw to the tiniest of details?" At the nod, "Good, we must be prepared for her, and I want nothing left to chance." Bryce yawned again. "I, for one, am beat. There's no use in you sticking around, nothing's going to happen tonight. Good night, my friend." "Sleep well," was replied solemnly. Bryce was just laying down when the phone rang. "This better be good." He grumbled in to the phone. All Bryce heard was ecstatic, garbled words. "What? Calm down, Little Brother, I can hardly understand you. Hang on a sec, let me get back to the boardroom." Bryce transferred the call back downstairs and hung up the phone. Looking at his guest as he entered the room, Bryce smothered another yawn and affirmed, "I guess it's going to be another sleepless night." In the board room, Bryce picked up the phone again, "Yeah." "Chiba's gone!" Brandon repeated, then rushed, " I sorta... um... listened at the door for an hour to make sure no one was home. I used my... uh... key... to get in when I didn't hear any thing. I went in to that room Chiba wouldn't let me in and you're never going to believe what I found..." Bryce's heart began to race as he listened in anticipation. "Was Serena there?" "No, but she was!" "How do you know?" "There's three suit cases full of enough stuff to last a..." "... Month?" Bryce interrupted. "Yep, and then some. There's also pictures of them together on his bed stand." Brandon told him. He was silently thankful to finally make some head way in this very strange missing persons game they were playing. Feeling a familiar rush of excitement, Bryce asked, "How did they leave?" "I don't have a clue, but it looks like they'll be back, soon probably." "Well, watch for them. I'll send for Ruark." "Already on his way, Big Brother. I'll be outside to let him in and to watch in case Serena and whoever she's with comes back." "Perfect." Bryce said, then quietly added, "But what puzzles me is, where is Raye and Reenie?" "I don't know, maybe they stayed here with them." Brandon replied. "Maybe." Bryce mused. Signing off he said, "Check in every 30 minutes, I want to know if even a mouse squeaks." He laughed even though he knew his brother was serious, "Sure, Brand out." "Interesting." "What is?" Bryce asked his guest. "Why would Serena hurriedly pack a month's worth of clothes to stay at her boyfriend's house? It doesn't make sense, considering she could go home for clothes any time she wanted." "First of all, we don't 'know' if it was Serena that packed the clothes. Second, we don't 'know' if this Darien Chiba," Bryce picked up a photo off the table, looked at the individual in question, then tossed it back on the table in frustration, "is her boyfriend or not. Most importantly, I'd like to know how they, Serena and whoever else, have managed to slip through our fingers since Sunday." His guest thought a moment, "I'll agree to your first and second points, but on your third, remember, you only put in his description last night. If Serena's been there the whole time, then, of course, you would not be able to find her until now." The guest smiled at Bryce, "You'll get your answers. I know you well." Looking closely, he whispered, "The question is, what will you do if he is?" "Huh?" Bryce asked, somewhat confused in the abrupt change in conversation. Emphasizing each word, he repeated, "What will you do if that man," pointing at the picture of Darien that Bryce had carelessly tossed on the table, "is Serena's boyfriend?" Bryce's head snapped around and he gave him a penetrating look. "You know the answer to that." "Indeed?" At Bryce's nod, "Very well." Bryce turned back to the phone and set up a conference call with the group, "I have a plan in the works, listen closely..." Serena came awake slowly. Her first thought was how hungry she was. The second thought, overplaying the first, was her 3 very separate, very unique lives. She sighed and sat up. Standing up, Serena reached behind her and covered Reenie with the blankets. She touched her locket to assure herself of its presence and went to look for the others. Unfamiliar with the temple, Serena wandered around for a few minutes until she heard voices. She reached for the door handle, but shook her head. She shuddered and walked back to a door she'd passed a few minutes ago. It led out the back of the temple. Seeing a small copse of trees not far away, Serena walked to them, not worrying about anyone seeing her, as it was obviously well past dark. Wandering among the trees, deep in thought, she came across a small fountain. After glancing back to make sure she could still see the temple, Serena sat down. Thinking how drastically her life had changed over the last few days, she began to cry. Her crying turned to painful, racking sobs. "Darien, calm down." Luna implored softly, trying not to wake Reenie, who slept on despite Darien's shouting, "Serena has to be here, but the only way to find her is if you calm down." "Luna's right," Raye added. Darien looked up to find the girls standing around him worriedly. He took a deep breath and relaxed a little, letting his instincts take over, "I feel her pain." He shook his head, " No, not pain...grief." He stood up and followed where his heart led him. When Darien found Serena by the fountain, he gently picked her up and held her as her grief threatened to shred what little sanity she had left. The girls had followed him out, with the cats on their heels. They lagged behind a little when they saw Serena was okay. When Darien picked her up, all of them saw her sorrow ravaged face. At the heart breaking sight, Mina covered her mouth and ran back to the temple, choking back a sob. Lita followed her, trying to keep from crying. Silent tears began streaming down Amy's face and Raye breathed a sigh that sounded as if it came from the bottom of her toes. She put her arm around Amy and gently led her back in the direction they had come. The cats turned, and with a quick glance back at the 2 at the fountain, slowly followed Amy and Raye. Serena held on to the only sane thing left in her life. She knew he would keep her world from falling apart. As her sobs finally began to recede, Darien asked, "Are you all right now?" Serena nodded and whispered apologetically, "I am so sorry. Once I started, I could not stop... I just wanted a little time alone." He smiled at her, "I know. I'm surprised you've held up this long. The Serena that's locked away in there," he touched her forehead, "would've fallen apart long ago. Actually," he smiled again, wider this time, "No, she'd have had a full-blown wailing fit by now, as she's highly emotionally charged most of the time." Serena giggled at Darien's words, resting her head on his chest as he carried back into the temple. On seeing Serena being carried again, Raye remarked offhandedly, "Look there he goes again. I swear, Serena, I wouldn't be surprised if, in the future, that >he< is your legs." The other girls chuckled at her assertion. Reenie, who had waken up when everyone came back in, sat up. She couldn't resist defending her mother, "Actually, Raye, in the future, Mommy has wings." Reenie smiled at the look of utter shock on Raye's face. To be honest, Raye couldn't think of a thing to say. Serena looked at her as if to say, "Ha, beat that one!!!" Raye's look caused peels of laughter, through the entire group this time, that couldn't be stopped as the group sat down on the floor. Reenie crawled on Serena's lap and asked, "What's for dinner, Mommy? I'm hungry." The loud grumbling of her stomach, testifying to her words. Raye said, "Carry out." At Serena's uncertain frown, Mina whispered, "They cook the food somewhere else, and bring it here, hot and ready for us to eat. It's good, you'll see." Raye picked up the phone and called the restaurant. She ordered enough for everyone, including the cats, then hung up. "It'll be about 30 minutes. Think you can handle that, munchkin?" Smiling broadly, Reenie nodded quickly. Bryce, knowing it was useless to go back upstairs to bed, was resting on a cot in the board room when the phone rang. Sighing, he sat up and pushed the button. "Ryan here! Raye's back in the temple!" "What...?! How?" Bryce questioned, coming fully awake. "I don't know. I didn't see her go in, but get this..." Ryan paused dramatically, then rushed on before Bryce could speak, "She just called a food order in for >11< meals: 10 adult's and 1 child's." "Do what...? How in the hell...?" "I don't have a clue." Ryan answered, frustrated. "Ash and I have been watching that temple and NO ONE-- I mean NO ONE has gone in or come out. The only way in is through the front gate. The damn thing has a 7 foot wood fence all the way around it, for Christ's sake! There's no way anyone could've made it past us!" "And yet, there, at least, is Raye, with a bunch of others." Bryce said, adding, "It's not your fault, so don't sweat it." Thinking quickly, "Do this, get Ash to intercept delivery. Get a camera on him. Tell him to get pictures of whoever answers that door and anything else that seems important, too. And tell him to call me as soon as he's done." "I'm on it. Ryan out." "Christ, 11 people!" Bryce shouted, beginning to pace the floor. "That's a great number to deal with." The other replied thoughtfully. "Indeed, but not, I think, impossible." Bryce said, going to the bar to pour himself a drink. "For others? I would disagree. But for you and your team?" He only smiled. The kid was easy to con. All it took was to pay for the meals and give him twice the cost of the meals for a tip. Ash grabbed the hat the kid gave him and approached the gate. He walked up the steps and listened for a moment at the door, hearing laughter, male and female, then knocked. A petite blonde answered. She looked at all the boxes Ash had, glanced back and said, "Hey guys, I'm gonna need some in here!" Ash watched as Raye Hino, Darien Chiba, a tall brunette with a pony tail, and a petite blue haired girl came to take the food from him. He heard a woman's voice call to Darien and Ash listened attentively as he answered her with a laughing, "Hang on a second, I'll be right there." After they'd taken all the food, the blonde paid him, leaving a healthy tip to boot. Ash whistled, shaking his head, as he walked back out the gate. When he got back in the car, he picked up the phone. Bryce answered the phone almost before it even rang. "Well??" He demanded. "Chiba's there. So's Raye and another blonde, not Serena. There was also a blue haired girl and a brunette. I have the pictures. Send Nat over to get them. I want to be here in case they leave again." "Anything else?" Bryce asked impatiently. "Yeah, there was at least one more girl inside." "How do you know?" "Well, the blonde that answered the door called to the others for help. The four others, including Chiba, came to the door and a woman called to him from another room and he answered her." Ash explained. "Interesting." "You're telling me." Ashton shook his head, still wondering how the group had managed to get past him and Ryan, "Don't forget to send Nat for the film." "I won't. I want to get a run on these other 3 girls as soon as possible. Great work, my friend." "That's why you pay me the big bucks, remember?" Ashton laughed, thrilled that this mission might, finally, be drawing to a close. "Ash out!" Waiting for Nathaniel to call, Bryce contemplated the new twists this case had taken. "Nat here." "Go see Ash, pick up the film he has of the people in the temple." "People in the temple?" Nathaniel asked, confused. "Yeah, 11 of them, do you believe that?" "Wow, when did this happen?" "We have no idea. All we know is that 2 of them were already there and the rest just >appeared<. Bryce told him. "Let's face it, Bry, there's no way 9 people could have snuck in the temple under our very noses." Nat said sarcastically. "I agree, yet and still, there's a bunch of people there." "Is Serena with them?" "I have to assume she is, although Ash didn't see her directly." "Well, it looks like your search is almost over. I, for one, am most anxious to meet this young lady." Nathaniel stated, then added, "You know, Bryce, I think the only reason why we've stuck with this ridiculous venture this time is because things just keep getting stranger and stranger all the time." "I'd definitely have to agree with you there." Bryce laughed, "If nothing else, we may get answers to the millions of questions this mission has left us with." "Let's hope so." He laughed, too, signing off, "I'll get you the pictures as soon as they're done. Nat out." "Now," Bryce commented aloud, "It is time to flush out our quarry." Serena sighed as she leaned against Darien, petting Luna absently. After the incident at the fountain, her soul had begun to heal and she didn't feel as lost in this world as she did before. Reenie had, long ago, been put to bed. Raye had done a fire reading after that. It told her that Rubeus has been quiet, too quiet, lately. This was something they were well aware of and the question in everyone's mind was, "What is he up to?" Darien answered the unspoken words with two of his own, "Gathering strength..." After conversation picked up again, Serena stood up, giving Luna to Amy. At Darien's inquiring look, she kissed him on the cheek and said, "I will be back in a few minutes." He smiled and nodded, following her with his eyes as she left the room. Serena's one thought now was to talk to her 'time traveling' daughter in the bedroom. The idea occurred to her at the fountain, but until now, hadn't had the time to do anything. Sitting down on the bed, Serena whispered, "Reenie... Reenie, wake up Little One." "Mommy?" "Yes, Small Lady, we must talk." Reenie sat up and looked at her mother, wiping the sleep from her eyes. "Tell me... How did you get here from the future?" The look Reenie gave her was pure mutiny as she said, "I can't tell you, Puu would be >very< mad." "Who is Puu?" Serena asked, more than a little curious. "She's at the Gate." Reenie's answers were not getting Serena anywhere. In fact, they were just leaving room for more questions, "What Gate?" "Mommy, can I go back to sleep now? I'm tired." Reenie laid back down as she started to drift off to sleep. "I'm sorry, Reenie, but this is too important. This may be the key..." Serena started to explain. "Key?" Reenie interrupted, "How did you know?" Serena shook her head as if to shake out her, now very, jumbled thoughts. The little girl was making no sense at all. "Reenie, you >must< tell me." "I can't ." She whined, beginning to cry. "Princess Serena!" She knew 'that' voice, and only one way to answer it... "Yes, Mother?" "You will tell me now, Princess Serena, what I wish to know. Starting with the 'key'." Serena demanded in the sternest voice she could muster. Reenie hung her head in defeat, "Yes, Mother." Reaching inside her shirt, she pulled out a key. Placing it in Serena's hand, Reenie said, "It's this... The Crystal Time Key. I've tried to use it a few times to go home, but I think it's broken because it won't take me there."