Konnichiwa, dear readers--here's chapter two!  Thank you to
everyone who wrote me!  Also, thank you to my wonderful
editors: Kimmie, Sailor Soul, Ni, Bethany, and Mary Jane.
You guys are such a wonderful help!  *hugs*
@--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----
The Coldest December
By Aimee
Chapter Two

	Rain beat a steady rhythm on my window, painting dimly-lit,
spiritless designs on the distant wall of my bedroom.  I watched the
rain droplets in reflective silence, unable to stop the frightened tears
that fell.  I glanced down at my wrists, which were covered in ugly
bruises from where my attacker had so roughly handled me.  Every
time I closed my eyes, I saw ghostly shadows of the man--his muddy
brown hair, his ragged clothing, his horrid face.  If it hadn't been for
Tuxedo Mask. . .	My God--I could have been raped.
	Fear became unadulterated terror in an instant.  Clutching my
sheets closer around my trembling body, I cried harder still, wishing
all the while that Luna was there with me.  She would know what to
say and what to make of the situation.  But she wasn't there.  I wasall alone.
	At least he had been there for me--Tuxedo Mask, the man
who had saved me from such a horrible episode.  His cape, which
had been lying on a chair in my room drying from the rain that had
thoroughly soaked it, had disappeared shortly after I returned home,
and I assumed that the mysterious man had detransformed.
	How Tuxedo Mask knew my name remained a complete
mystery.  It occurred to me that the man Tuxedo Mask was
when he wasn't transformed knew me--Serena.  But who could he
be?  Whoever he was, I was almost completely convinced that he
was not an enemy.  Surely a man who goes around saving girls
from being raped couldn't be corrupt.	Rape. . . what a repulsive word. . .
	Before the memories of my attack could once again resurface,
I arose abruptly and stumbled into the bathroom.  Avoiding the mirror
in a feeble attempt to escape seeing the unsightly bruise that was on my
cheek, I went to the shower, and turned on the water as hot as I could
stand.  I stripped off my clothes and stepped into the burning hot stream
of water.  Paying no attention to the scorching heat of the water-flow,
I grabbed the soap and began scrubbing furiously at the skin my attacker
had defiled with his abhorrent caress.  But the soap could only do so
much to rid me of the horrible memory of his touch.
	The tears I shed quickly became bitter sobs.  I leaned on the
frigid shower wall for support, and after a moment, I slid to my knees,
letting the water wash over me as I cried over all the hurt and shame
inside of me.	"Why?" was all I could say.  "Why?"
@--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----
	I emerged from the bathroom hours later and genuinely hoped
that no one would notice how the corners of my mouth now sagged.  I
felt years old than I should, as though my innocence had been stolen away
from me, but I was determined that I was going to keep my chin up, no
matter how much it hurt inside.  Today, I would smile brilliantly and act
as ditzy as ever. . . or at least try to.  No one could find out what
happened to me--no one.
	With a sigh, I entered my bedroom, glancing at the clock without
interest.  It was 7 o'clock in the morning, and I hadn't been to sleep yet.
	"Serena!" came a sing-song voice.  "Breakfast is ready, honey!"
	I raised an interested eyebrow.  Breakfast, huh?  Now there's
something I hadn't been able to partake of for quite some time.  Being
late for school every day had taken its toll on breaking my fast.  I thumped
down the stairs, a bit groggy from lack of sleep.  My eyes didn't seem to
want to stay open, so I trusted my nose to lead the way toward the sizzling
bacon and eggs that awaited me.
	However, I was rudely awakened by the sound of a glass slipping
from my mother's fingers and shattering on the floor.  "What on earth
happened to your face?!" she cried, alarmed.
	I cupped my cheek in the embarrassed realization that I'd forgotten
about my bruise.  Well, at least I had tried to forget about it--that moment
in my life was not something I wanted to relive again.  How was I going to
explain this to my mother?	"I. . . um, tripped?"
	My mother closed her eyes, and shook her head sadly.  "Honey,"
she began slowly.  "You've got to be more careful.  You could really hurt
yourself one of these days."
	My mouth dropped open.  I don't believe it--the woman bought
my story.  "I know, Mommy," I said, like the perfect daughter that I am.
"I'll try harder next time.  I promise."
	"That's my girl," she beamed, ruffling my hair a little bit.  "Now
let's see if some of my make-up can hide that bruise."
	Breakfast and a chance to wear make-up with my mother's
approval?  Perhaps today wouldn't be so bad after all.
@--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----
	The sun was already up and the grass blades were twinkling
with sparkles of dew as I stepped from the porch.  I was made up
like a model thanks to my mother's expertise in the field of cosmetology.
I smiled and began to walk slowly; I didn't have to sprint to school for
once, which was good because I found that I couldn't move very fast
after such a hearty breakfast.	What an awesome day. . .
	"Hey Meatball Head!" said a painstakingly familiar voice behind me.
	I reiterate.  What an awful day. . .
	"Meatball Head," the voice repeated.  "Wait up!"
	Wait up?  Yeah right.  I purposely began to walk faster but soon
saw the shadow of my archenemy join mine on the sidewalk.  I knew this
day was too good to be true.
	"What do you want?" I asked impatiently, not even bothering to
look at the insufferable man.  I crossed my hands over my chest as I walked,
trying my best to look highly irritated.
	"Well, um. . . " Darien hesitated, and I sensed him looking at my
face rather closely.  What is he up to?	"Yes?" I urged him.
	"How are you feeling?" he asked a little sheepishly.
	What kind of question is that?  Since when is Mr. Darien Chiba
interested in my health?  "I'm fine," I snapped.  "Why?"
	He looked a bit taken back, and he hesitated again.  "Gomen," he
said quietly, backing off a little--something he had never done before.  "You
just looked a little worn out, I guess."
	My mouth dropped open a few inches, illustrating my shock quite
nicely.  Doth my mind deceive me or was he actually being nice to me?
Was that concern in his voice?  He was almost. . . kind.
	"I'll be okay," I answered, less irritated now.  "Thanks for asking."
	"Sure," he said simply, his hands buried in his pant pockets.  I held
his gaze for a few seconds longer before I turned slowly and continuedwalking.
	"Konnichiwa, Darien-san," I called softly over my shoulder.
	"Konnichiwa," was the reply.
	I left Darien behind on my walk to school, but I had the strangest
feeling that he was watching me the entire trip.
@--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----
	"Are you okay, Serena?" Lita asked at the lunch table.  "You look
almost. . . drugged, or something."	Lita always did know how to wax elegant.	
	"I'm fine," I mumbled, stretching and yawning simultaneously.  "I
just didn't sleep very well last night."
	"I didn't either," Amy said, daintily nibbling on a rice cake.  "I was
up most of the night studying for my Japanese Literature midterm.  What
were you doing last night, Serena?"	"Just. . . thinking."
	Had my face not been buried in my arms in a meek effort to get
a little rest, I might have caught the sideways glances Amy and Lita
exchanged.  I felt Lita's hand on my back.
	"Are you sure you're all right?" she asked again, concern evident
in her voice.  "Did something happen?"
	I felt tears sting my eyes, but I fought them back for the millionth
time since I'd been at school.  I should have known my friends would
have sensed that something was amiss.  Heck--even Darien had noticed.
I bit my lip, feeling the dull ache from my bruised wrists and cheek.  As
much as they hurt, they were nothing compared to the ache in my heart.
	"I. . . I don't think I'm ready to talk about it. . . if that's okay," I
said, glancing wearily at my friends.
	They exchanged concerned expressions once again before they
both hugged me tightly.  "Whenever you're ready to talk about it, Serena,
we'll be here for you."@--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----
	The rest of my day went relatively smoothly.  I didn't fail any tests,
mainly because I didn't have any to take.  I did however, find myself getting
sleepier and sleepier.  I scolded myself for not sleeping the night before.
	I trudged home, praying that no energy sucking Nega-monster would
feel like attacking Tokyo.  I felt like a zombie, and I'm sure people were
looking at me rather strangely.  Must. . .  find bed. . . need. . . sleep. . .
	"Hey, Serena. Need a ride?" I heard Darien call to me.  No--it can't
be Darien, I decided sleepily.  He's never called me Serena before. . .
	I turned to face my addresser, and sure enough--there was Darien,
his head stuck out of the nicest car I'd seen in a long time.  "I'm fine, 
Darien,"
I lied, feeling like taking a snooze right on the sidewalk--I probably would
have if it hadn't been so darn cold outside.
	"Come on, Meatball Head," he insisted. "Let me give you a ride.You look awful."
	Boy, he sure knows how to compliment a lady.
	"I'm almost home, Darien," I argued, shivering as I pulled my thin
sweater closer around me to ward off the frigid wind.
	"No, you're not," he countered my lie.
	How the heck did he find out where I lived?  If I ever found out
who gave my address to him, they would soon suffer my wrath.
	Aw, what's the use?  I was too tired to argue.  Might as well take
advantage of a free ride.  Besides, it was freezing outside.  I sighed loudly,
making sure he heard me clearly and got in the car.
	"Arigatou," I said, fumbling with my seatbelt.
	"It's no problem," Darien answered quietly.  He waited until I was
situated before putting the car into drive and joining the rush hour traffic.
	We sat through most of the ride in silence.  I stole a few candid
looks at him, studying his profile as much as I could in a quick glance.
He's very handsome--there's no denying that.  But why on earth did the
wretched man have to be so moody?
	"So Serena," he began, calling me by my real name for the second
time that day; I was impressed.  "Did you have a rough night last night, or
what?  You look exhausted."
	"Um. . . I was just up late," I stuttered.  "I had to study for a mathtest."
	Darien stole a sideways glance at me.  "Is that right?"  Was it just me,
or did he not sound too convinced?  "I wasn't aware you were so dedicated
to your studies."
	Truly, that man knew how to rub me the wrong way.  "Yeah?  Well,
there's a lot of things you don't know about me."
	He raised an eyebrow.  "So I see."
	Why was he looking at me like that?  Like I'd done something wrong
or needed to apologize to him.  What on earth had he been smoking?  I wanted
to go home!  I wanted to be in my nice warm bed cuddling with my stuffed bunny,
not with this evil demon spawn in his fancy car.
	Growing impatient, I raised the sleeve of my school uniform to glance
at my watch.  Darien's eyes narrowed.  He slammed on the breaks and pulled
over suddenly, causing me to squeal.  "What the blankety-blank are you doing?!"
(I didn't really say blankety-blank, mind you.)
	He grabbed my wrist, a bit roughly I might add, and pulled the
sleeve up again. "What the hell is this?" he demanded, pointing to the
black and blue marks there.
	Darn it all, why did he have to notice the bruises?  Darien must
have caught sight of the injuries when I looked at my watch.  He reached
for my other hand, and I struggled with him for a second or two before
giving in to his stubbornness.  He inspected those bruises as well.  "Tell
me what happened," he demanded.
	"Nothing. . . " I said quietly, still trying to escape from his grasp.
"I fell down, that's all.  I fall down all the time if you haven't noticed."  He
looked at me that same way again--like he wanted me to admit something.
Could it be possible that he knew the truth?
	No. . . that's impossible.  There's no way.	"Don't lie to me, Serena."
	How does he know I'm lying?  Well, I certainly wasn't going to
admit it--and definitely not to him, of all people.  "It's none of your 
business,Darien!" I snapped angrily, pulling my wrists away from his grasp and
yanking the sleeves down so that the ugly marks were hidden.  "Like you
care about me, anyway."
	A glimpse of hurt passed over his features, and his eyes clouded
over and darkened like an unfolding shadow.  "You know that's not true,"
he said, his voice quiet and smooth--a tone I'd never heard him speak with.
For some strange reason, his vocal timbre remarkably resembled that of
Tuxedo Mask--how very strange.  "I care about you more than you
probably realize," he continued.
	"Liar--you've always hated me," I growled, tears springing to
my eyes as I unfastened my seatbelt in a huff.  "And believe me when
I say the feeling is mutual."
	His injured face melted into a deeper expression of hurt, and
even as I threw open the door of the car and stepped out, that marred
face stayed with me the entire trip home.  Had I not been so angry with
him, I might have felt sorry for him, but this was not the case.
	I ran as fast as my little legs could carry me, leaving the wretched
man far behind but not forgotten.  I reached my house in record time.
Running up the stairs and into my room, I slammed the door for all I
was worth and squealed, "I HATE HIM!" to anyone who cared tolisten.
	"Let me guess," said a pleasant sounding voice with a hint of
an English accent in her dialect.  "You had another spat with Darien?"
	"I don't want to talk about it, Luna," I told my cat.  She rolled
her eyes and snuggled up in my bed to continue her nap.
	I paced around the room angrily.  Darien and I had arguments
all the time, but this was different.  He hadn't insulted me, but rather
he'd gotten too personal.  He had delved where he was not wanted.
	How dare he!  The jerk!  Who does he think he is?
	Furious, I yanked my homework from my backpack, slammed
it on my desk, and did a quick eenie-meenie-minie-moe job on the
multiple choice questions before throwing it back into my backpack.
	Jerk!  Conceited Jerk!
	In dire need of sleep, I ignored the fact that it was four o'clock
in the afternoon and changed into my night clothes.  In a huff, I yanked
the covers of my bed back causing Luna to go flying across the room
with a loud "Reeeeoowwwww!!"	Darn the man!  Darn him!
	I thumped down on my bed and hastily arranged my hair so that
I wouldn't die of a sudden and unexpected case of asphyxiation.
	Oooooo, he makes me mad!
	"Sleep well, Serena," Luna said pleasantly from the floor.  She's
obviously quite used to my silent rages.
	"Whatever," I growled, shutting my eyes so that I could get down
to the slumber I'd been look forward to all day.  My eyes, however, opened
slowly a few moments later.  Great--now I can't sleep. . . and it's all *his*
fault.	I hate you, Darien Chiba!
	Exhausted from lack of sleep, I began to cry--pitiful sobs that I
couldn't seem to control.  I felt Luna jump on the bed; she walked over
to me and nuzzled my hair.  I gathered her close to me, crying still.
	"Gomen, Luna," I sobbed.  "I'm just so tired, and. . . "  I trailedoff.
	"I know," she comforted me.  "Just try to relax."	Man, I love that cat.
	Can you believe this?  The miserable man made me cry.  Okay, so
a mosquito bite makes me cry, but that's beside the point.  Luna kept me
company while I shed my tears, and soon her soft purring began to soothe
my raw nerves. In no time at all, the fingers of sleep pulled me into a deep
slumber.@--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----
	I learned once in my psychology class about night terrors, which
is a sudden arousal from sleep accompanied by intense fear, but I never
thought I would experience one.  I'm not certain what woke me up, but I
was quickly torn from sleep, sitting up in bed with a strangled cry.
Perspiration drenched by body, and my breathing was labored.  Shaking
off the initial confusion of my rude awakening, I frantically tried to recall
what I had been dreaming about.  I could only remember hints of thenightmare.
	A terrible war. . . an invading force. . . a prince trying in vain
to protect me. . . a terrible ending to it all.  Yes, it was the ending which
woke me up in such a frightful manner.
	I marveled over how the dream seemed so very real.  But what
was I to make of it all?  It didn't make sense.  Hesitantly, I dismissed the
incident as an overactive imagination, but I was still shaken.  Even as I
lay down in bed again, flashes of the dream kept me from escaping
reality in slumber.	Thinking over my restless state for a moment, I decided on
a remedy.  I gently shook the sleeping cat beside me and waited till
her eyes met mine before I spoke.  "I can't sleep, Luna," I told my
pet.  "I'm going to go for a walk.  Maybe some fresh air will helpme relax."
	"So open a window.  It's nearly one in the morning," she mumbled
sleepily.  "You can't go out there by yourself."
	"I go out late all the time for Scout business!" I whined, I suppose
a bit too loudly, since Luna put her paws over her ears.  She's so cute.
	"That's different," she said.  "The scouts are there.  You're notalone."
	But wait!  I could take Luna with me on my little stroll, and
she could ward off any unwanted guests!  A wonderful epiphany--my
ticket to fresh air!  Quickly, I jumped out of bed and grabbed my clothes.
	"Serena, I told you that I don't want you out by yourself," Luna
said, eyeing me with a slightly annoyed tone in her voice.
	"I know," I said, picking her up off the bed.  "That's why you're
coming with me."
	"What?!" she cried, struggling in my arms.  "But I was having the
loveliest dream. . . "
	"Please, Luna?" I begged, using my most effective puppy dog
face.  Luna can't stand it when I do that.
	She sighed and glanced at me with more affection and understanding.
"Well, if it's that important to you, I'll go for a short walk," she relented.
	"Thank you!" I cried, hugging her to my body.
@--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----
	Soon Luna and I were out in the fresh air, enjoying the beautiful
view of the stars and moon.  I felt better already, and the nightmare was
far from my mind.  We came to my favorite place in the park--a little bench
near the lake.  The view was incredible, and I sat there admiring its beauty
for quite some time.  Luna fell asleep in my arms after about twenty minutes,
and I took the opportunity to shed a few more tears.
	I hated the fact that I was a cry baby, but I couldn't help it.  So much
had happened over the past few days--it was just too much.  However, lost
in my little pity party, I failed to hear the soft sound of approaching 
footstepsbehind me.
	"I thought I asked you not to go out unaccompanied," said a deepvoice.
	I immediately shrieked, springing from the bench which I was sitting
upon.  I spun around to see who my visitor was, and sighed with relief when
my eyes met the familiar form of Tuxedo Mask.
	Luna jolted awake at my sudden movement.  "Who?  What?
When?  Where?   Mmmmphhhh!" she hollered, her screeching effectively
muffled by the hand I clamped over her mouth.  Her eyes became wide
when she saw Tuxedo Mask looming before us both, and her struggling
soon ceased.  She began to play the part of a cat, watching him carefully,
trying to learn as much as she could from the man who so often protected
Sailor Moon.	"Y-You scared  me," I stuttered, trying to hide the fact that I was
shaking with fright.  Why did this man unnerve me so?
	"My apologies," he said simply, bowing his head a little for
emphasis.  "But the question still stands.  Why are you out here alone?
I thought we had an agreement."	"My cat is here with me," I answered sheepishly.
	"Your pet isn't exactly what I had in mind, Serena."
	"H-How do you know my name?" I asked, feeling more and more
perturbed by this man with each passing moment.
	"You answer my question, and I'll be more than happy to answer
yours," he said, approaching me slowly.  Luna promptly began to growl.
	"I was looking for my cat again," I told him, holding up Luna for his
eyes to scan.  "See?  I found her."
	"Are you sure that's the truth, Serena?" he asked.  "Is there something
else that's wrong?"
	"You answer my question, and I'll answer yours," I countered, feeling
a bit more brave.  "How do you know my name?"
	He cocked his chin.  "Fair enough.  Your name is Serena Tsukino.
You attend Juban Middle School, and you are perpetually tardy."
	I wanted to ask him what perpetually meant but decided to keep
the issue to myself.  "But how do you know all of that?" I asked, becoming
uncomfortable.  Luna took the opportunity to growl at him some more.
	"I've seen you around, here and there.  I know a lot about you, in
fact," he said.  "And yet you're still a complete mystery to me."
	"What's so mysterious about me?" I asked, my voice wavering a bit.
	"You hide from people; you're hiding from me right now.  For
instance, you've lied to me twice already.  The first time was last night
when I asked you what you were doing out so late, and the second
was tonight when I asked you the same question.  It would appear,
Miss Tsukino, that you're hiding something."
	The man was seeing right through me, and I didn't like it.
	"What makes you think I lied?" I asked, trying to act innocent.
Please note that I was never known for my acting skills.
	He avoided my question and asked one of his own.  "Why wereyou crying?"
	So he had been watching me.  Why was I crying, anyway?
Because of last night's attack?  No, I'd cried enough about that.
Because of my argument with Darien?  That can't be it--he was
just looking out for me.  The nightmare?  No, I can hardly remember
what it was about.  Or had I been crying because of my loneliness?
I don't like admitting that I'm lonely, but it's true, even with my friends
around.  I don't feel complete.  But the Great Tuxedo Mask wouldn't
care to hear about that, so why tell him?  I offered him an acceptable
excuse instead.	"I was just upset about last night," I explained, hoping he
would believe me.  Luna glanced up at me, questions evident inher eyes.
	"You're lying to me again."	Damn, he's good.
	"Serena," he began.  "If something is really wrong, and you're
in some kind of trouble. . . "
	"I'm not in any trouble," I told him, truthfully.  "It's just. . . "
	"Yes?" he prompted me.
	I hesitated, looking him in the eye for a long moment and
soaked in the realization that this man actually cared.  I wasn't just
a nobody to him.	He took my silence to heart.  "You can trust me, Serena.
Please believe me when I tell you that."
	I trusted him.  At least I thought I did. . . but I wasn't sure
if I was ready to open up heart and soul to a person I hardly knew.
"I'd rather not talk about it. . . if that's okay," I said sheepishly.
	He eyed me carefully.  "Well, at least you didn't lie to me
again.  That's progress.  Very well--keep your secret, but I ask that
you be more wary of your surroundings, especially when you're alone.Promise me?"
	I nodded.  "I promise."
	"I hope you know that I will hold you to that promise, Serena,
and that I expect you to be honest with me from now on.  No more
lying--that is never the best option.  It will only get you into trouble,"
he said.	My thoughts turned to my mother and Darien--two people that
I had lied to today.  Perhaps that wasn't such a good idea after all. . .
but what could I do to redeem myself?  Tell them the truth?
	"Do you trust me, Serena?" the man in black asked.  His eyes
gazed at me with intensity that was both intimidating and exciting at
the same time.	"I-I don't know," I answered, completely unsure of my feelings
toward Tuxedo Mask.
	"Why aren't you certain that I am trustworthy?" he asked, taking
a step towards me--I likewise took a step backwards, away from him.
Luna's growls were becoming rather loud.  "Have I done anythingquestionable?"
	"No," I answered honestly.  "I guess I just don't know youvery well. . . "
	A slight smile pulled at his lips.  "Understandable," he said.
	I was gaining more courage.  "Who are you?" I asked with
a bit more volume in my voice.  Luna fell silent, obviously wanting
to know, too, the identity of this stranger.
	Another smile.  "That is something you will have to figure out
for yourself, Miss Tsukino," was his answer, his eyes gazing at me allthe while.
	I was flustered.  "But how can I. . . ?"
	"Do you trust me, Serena?" he repeated, cutting me off effectively.
	I hesitated, looked into his eyes, and saw kindness there.  It
took all of my courage to release the stubbornness inside of me, butI did.
	"I trust you."	"Good," he answered my firm statement.  "I'll never betray that
trust, Serena.  You have my word."
	"D-does that mean I'll see you again?" I stammered.  Luna
looked at me incredulously.	He smiled.  "Would you like that?"
	I hesitated--would I like that?  Truly?  My head was telling me,
'Go for it! This is your dream guy!', but my heart was telling me something
else. . . something I couldn't put my finger on.  What was I to do?  How
should I answer him?
	'Tomorrow night," I said, not really knowing how I had decided.
"Same time as tonight."	Another smile.  "I'll be here."
@--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----  @--<-----E-mail!  E-mail!  E-mail!
Survey of the Week:  What do you think Darien's future job will be?  A
doctor, or a model for the cover of cheap Silhouette romance novels?

Ja ne!
Aimee