Note:  This is the 1st part of the sequel to The End of it All.  This
episode rated Pre-Teen, which is recommended for readers 12+ because of
some gore in the first part of the episode.  This rating is only a
guideline, not something set in stone.  The person(s) running the site this
may be on has final say in what he/she wants to rate it for her site. 



                                Tuxedo Angel

        Serena awoke quickly.  She had been dreaming again.  Actually, she
was
remembering in her sleep.  She kept seeing Darien pick up the sword, and
she always wanted to shout "no!", but she never did.  She saw Darien's
blood exit his body, and she held him close to her.  Every night now, for
the past ten nights, she had the same dream, or rather, memory.
        "Why?" she asked herself as she sat up, and put her face in her
hands, and
began to cry.  Luna saw her every time, and for once, did not blame her for
crying.  She had a right to, did she not?  Of course she did.  Luna tried
to comfort her every night, but to no avail.
        "After everything we went through together," she sobbed.
        "Serena, he did what he had to do, so the rest of the world could
survive.
 So YOU could survive!"
        "I know, Luna," she said.  "I just wish there was another way!" 
Serena
plopped back down, and buried her face in her pillow.  She felt as if it
was all one big nightmare.  But it was all too real.  And there was nothing
she could do to change that.

                                *       *       *       

        The man in a black suit and coat was leaning up against a wall.  In
his
hand was a rose.  It had started to wilt away.  The man groaned. 
"Serena........"

                                *       *       *                          
    

        Amy Anderson was on her way to her computer cram school.  She was
full of
anxiety.  Her mid-term was only 15 minutes away.  And, as she ran to
school,
she was trying to recall every fact that was in that little blue-haired
head of hers.
        She ran to school, but right before she got there, she ran into
someone. 
It was a man in a black suit, and a black coat.  She did not hit him.  In
fact, she could have sworn that she went right through him!  But that was
not possible, was it?  Of course not.   Then again, Amy was almost certain
that she had went right through the man.  The man had not noticed her, so
he kept walking along the sidewalk, staring at the wilting rose in his
hand.
        "Weird," she thought.  Amy decided not to think about it anymore. 
Instead, she was thinking about her exam again.

                                *       *       *                          
    

        Raye was sitting on the front steps at her temple.  She was
thinking about
how tired she was, and how she did not want to do her chores.  Still,
grandpa would probably be upset with her if she started getting lazy.
        "Better get 'em done," she whispered.  Just then, she saw a man in
a black
suit and a black coat walk by.  Since she was not really thinking about
chores, she hollered at him.  "Hey!"  The man paid no attention to her. 
"Hey, you!" she shouted even louder.  This time, the man looked at her.
        "Oh my Gosh!" Raye thought.  "That face!  It looks like...no!  It
can't
be?  Can it?"  The man walked up to Raye.
        "Yes?"
        "Oh, um...uhhh...I was just wondering...would you..."
        "Would I what?"
        "Oh, never mind."  Raye blushed.  The man shrugged, and walked
away.
        "That face...and that voice..." she thought.

                                *       *       *                          
    

        Lita was wandering around town, going from mall to mall.  She had
spent no
money, though, as she had none to spend.  She was only looking at item that
she thought that she might buy when she came back.  The next thing she saw,
however, she knew she would never buy.
        A man in a black suit and black coat approached her.  They
exchanged
glances, but even at that, Lita could not help getting a feeling of deja
vu.
        "I know that man," Lita thought.  The man continued on his way,
still
holding a wilting rose in his hand.  A total of 2 petals had fallen
completely off, and a third was about to.  "Could it be...Darien...?"

                                *       *       *                          
    

        Mina was on her way to the mall.  She was going to meet Lita there.
 She
still felt sorry for Serena.  The same questions went through her head
every day.  What now?  What will happen if someone else attacks?  Will the
Sailor Scouts be able to defeat them without Tuxedo Mask?  Mina had the
answer to none of these questions.
        As Mina was walking to the mall, she saw a man in a black suit and
a black
coat walk by her.  The man looked oddly familiar.  The man looked at her,
and she looked back.
        "Darien," she said blankly.  The man ran away.  Was that Darien, or
a
figment of her imagination?  Mina wished she knew.  All she knew was that
she was confused.  She looked down.  A rose petal was laying there. 
"Weird," she said to herself.

                                *       *       *                          
    

        The man in the black suit and coat ran as fast as he could.  He
never
seemed to run out of breath.  He ran to his apartment, and sat down on his
couch.  Just at this time, he sensed that his love was in distress.  "I'm
coming, my love."  The man put the rose he had been holding in a vase, and
ran out the door.  He ran faster than he had ever ran before.  He ran and
ran and ran.  Finally, he got to his love's house.
        "Serena!" he shouted as he knocked on the door.  Serena opened the
door,
and her jaw dropped.
        "Darien!"  Serena tried to embrace him, but she went right through
him! 
She nearly fell flat on her face, but for once she kept her balance.
        "Serena, I'm sorry about that."
        "Darien, how...?"
        "I am immortal now.  I have come down from Heaven to be with you." 
A
puzzled look appeared on Serena's face.  "Serena, I'm an angel.  I have not
earned my wings yet, but--"
        "What does it matter?" Serena quickly interrupted.  "You're here!"
        "Yes, but I don't know how long I have.  An angel is only allowed
so much
time on Earth."
        "What?  I...I don't under...stand."
        "Serena, once an angel comes down to Earth, it only has a limited
time to
stay."
        "How long?"
        "At least three weeks."
        "And at most?"
        "33 days.  Has something to do with the traditional number of years
Jesus
was alive on Earth."
        "So...why did you come back?"
        "In order to get my wings, I have to do a certain number of tasks."
        "Like what?"
        "I'm not exactly sure.  They just have to be good deeds."
        "Wait a minute.  You knocked on the door, yet I went right through
you. 
How did that happen?"
        "An angel is allowed to touch anything it wants to, but can not be
touched.  I can hug you, but if you try to hug me, your arms will pass
right through me."
        "Well that sucks," Serena thought aloud.
        "I know.  Listen, the reason I came here is that I sensed you were
in
distress.  What's wrong?"
        "What's wrong?!  THIS is what's wrong," she said as she passed her
arms
through Darien.
        "Oh," Darien said.  "By the way, I saw all the others today.  Mina
was the
only one who actually said my name."
        "Did you stay and talk?"
        "Of course not!  I'm DEAD!  They wouldn't have been able to handle
it." 
Darien did notice an old man walking by as he said this.  "Anyway, I
thought you were fighting Nega-scum."
        "No.  I was still upset about what happened."  At this time, Molly
came
walking by.  She had stitches in her forehead, her left arm was in a cast
and sling, and her right ankle was bandaged up.  She had a single crutch,
as she was not allowed to put any weight on her injured ankle.
        "Hey, guys," Molly said in a cheery voice.  She did not seem to
care that
she was almost a walking bruise.
        "Hey, Molly.  Why are you so cheery?" Serena asked.
        "No particular reason.  I'm just going to the Crown Game Center. 
Nephlite
said he'd meet me there."
        "Molly...hasn't anyone told you?" Darien asked.
        "Told me what?"
        "Nephlite's........dead," Serena said.  Molly's eyes became watery.

"Molly, I'm sorry...I know what it feels like."
        "No!  You still have Darien!  I don't have anyone!"
        "What about Melvin?" Darien asked.
        "He's got another girlfriend now," Molly said as she sobbed.
        "Who?" Serena asked in amazement.
        "Some girl from the dissecting club."  Molly went away as fast as
her
condition would allow her.
        "Poor Molly..." Darien said.  He looked Serena in the eye. 
"Serena, I
have to go now."
        "Darien, wait..."  It was too late to stop him.  He had already
disappeared.  Serena just kept staring in the same direction.  "This is
going to take some getting used to," she said.

                                *       *       *                          
    

        Molly went to her apartment, rather, her mother's apartment.  She
went to
her bed, and laid down, hoping to wake up, and find out that this was all
one really nasty nightmare.  But, as things often are, it was all too real.
        Molly raised her head from her pillow, and saw someone she never
expected
to see in her apartment.  "Darien..."
        "Molly, how are you?"
        "What are you doing here?"
        "I'm here to help you.  I know you are going through a tough time."
        "How did you get in here?"
        "Molly, try to hold my hand," Darien said as he held out his right
hand. 
Molly put her hand out to hold his, but much to her surprise, her hand went
right through his!  "Molly, I'm an angel.  I died ten days ago."  Molly was
silent.  "I know it's hard to understand, but I really am an angel."
        "How...did you...die?" Molly asked, still in shock.
        "Fighting the Dark Universe, the same as Nephlite."
        "Nephlite......?"
        "Yes.  I know this may not help much, but you two will be together
again."
        "We will?" Molly said in her quaint little accent.
        "Yes.  Nephlite is in heaven right now, and he is watching over you
at all
times."  Molly thought she was having a dream for sure now.
        "This is too much," she said as she fainted.
        "Maybe I should try a different approach," Darien said to himself
as he
disappeared.


                                To Be Continued.....