Title:  Final Decision 
By:  Mellibea
Chapter 1
Rated PG

This is my second attempt at a fanfic, please be gentle.  This is an
alternate reality type of story, if you like it or don’t like it please let
me know at mellibea@yahoo.com 

Disclaimers:  I don’t own Sailor Moon or any of the characters involved, if
this sounds like something you might have written, sorry.

On with the story…
*****************************

Final Decision
Chapter 1

	It should have been the happiest day of her life, not the worst.  Aren’t
weddings supposed to make people cry of happiness?  Serena felt like
screaming all right, but it had nothing to do with happiness.  It was more
from sadness, disillusion, self-loathing, and shame.  There was no reason
to laugh.
She shrunk back more into the corner of the limousine, looking at the soft,
ivory colored silky waves, where her wide skirt extended carefully atop the
leather seat.  She was speechless.  She didn’t know if she was going to be
able to speak again.  The words were simple.  ‘I can’t marry Darien’.  Why
couldn’t she just say it?
She had a bitter taste in her stomach.  She closed her clear blue eyes
tightly and counted slowly to ten, until the nausea ceased.  After the
party her friends threw her the night before, she should have gone home.
But disastrously for her conscience, she had let Beryl convince her to stay
and take a couple of more shots of cognac while they had a confidential talk.
That was a big mistake.  It would have been better to stay ignorant.  Her
tongue licked nervously at her suddenly dried lips, erasing the last
remains of her peach lipstick.  She had stayed up all night wondering
around the house, thinking about what Beryl had revealed to her, up to the
point of going raving mad.
She looked at her father.  He looked very happy.  Serena didn’t have the
guts to tell him the bad news.
Her heart was beating forcefully.  The car kept moving barely making any
noise.  They were very close to the gray stone colored church.  And to
Darien.  And to the hundreds of guests.  A cold sweat ran down her body.
“We’re running late,” said her father.  “It’s your fault.  But then again,
There’s a lot of people in there!”  His hand full of gold rings and rubies
covered Serena’s vision.  “This is what rich people entertain themselves
with; weddings and funerals add that dramatic touch to their small and
pitiful lives.”
‘There sure is going to be a lot of drama going on’, thought Serena.  ‘This
is going to be a wedding and a funeral at the same time!’ Her whole body
shook.  She was exhausted from thinking about this so much, so she leant on
her father’s shoulder, moving back at the loving welcoming applause from
the people at the church.
	She breathed deeply.
“No!  Don’t go out!  I’m not going through with this wedding!”  The words
made their way out of her dry lips brusquely.  
“Whaaaaaat, Honey?!”  Her father reached towards her trembling hand, but
she weakly removed it.
“No” she answered softly; “I’m not going to change my mind.”
“She has gone nuts!!”  Her father looked down at her frowning.  “Driver,
keep going!  Serena, what do you want to do?  Give me a heart attack?
You’re going to marry Darien even if I have to drag you in there myself…”
“And, you’re willing to let the guests see you dragging the bride, kicking
and screaming, on your shoulder?”  She asked, also feeling a little bit
ridiculous.  She didn’t know whether to cry or laugh.  She had so many
emotions going through her.  “I’m sorry, I really am.  But I’ve made up my
mind.”
“I don’t care.  Are you crazy or what!?”  Insisted her father aggressively.  
“No, finally in my right mind, that’s all.” She assured sadly.
“Since I got here from Ireland five days ago you haven’t done anything else
but talk about Darien!!  You’re nervous, that’s all.  Cheer up, Honey!”
Her father changed tactics, leaving aside his strong character, and going
back to being that charming person that had enjoyed a life full of women.
He put on a smile and continued talking through his perfect teeth.  “Of
course you’re going to get married!  And afterwards the honey moon in
Seychelles, palm trees, blue skies, and a hot sun… Without limits.  Why,
only the trip alone costs…”
“I know.  A fortune.  You already told me.”  Serena smiled weakly.  That
materialistic vein never failed to come out.  “I really am sorry for doing
this to you!”  Her big eyes were begging for understanding.  “Dad…”
“I’ve told you a thousand times to call me Ken!  I don’t like to be
reminded that I’m old enough to be the father of a twenty two-year-old
woman.  And now think!  Fast!”  He ordered slapping a hand on his lap for
more emphasis. 
“That’s the problem, I already thought about it.”  Said Serena, looking
down at her hands.
She was feeling so alone.  It would have been nice to receive a little bit
of love and understanding.  But Ken only did one character: That of the
charming man.  Sadly, she moved her eyes to her father.  The surgery that
he had done on his face made the resemblance between him and the photo her
mother kept of him, to be very minimal.  It was the face of a stranger.
And Darien was a stranger too, she suddenly realized.  The sunlight made
its way in through the window, illuminating her pale face and her golden
eye lashes, and keep going down to hit the surface of the diamonds and
emeralds of her engagement ring.  It had been hers for merely a week; it
had meant a discovery and realization of dreams… Forgotten dreams?  She was
having trouble breathing and had to try very hard to not start crying.
“Ken, please understand” she softly insisted, “I can’t marry Darien.  I
know that there is no time, and that this is going to cause a lot of
problems… But I prefer to face these problems, than marry and regret this
for the rest of my life, or to have to divorce.  I never stopped to think
about this.  Everything has been so sudden.  He has always been pressuring
me and hasn’t left me alone, Darien has been like a steamroller” she tried
to explain.
But she had permitted it!  She had never been able to express her feelings.
 How could she marry someone she had only met three weeks ago?
“Darien is like that.  He insists until he gets what he wants.”  Said Ken.
“How do you know that?”  Asked Serena, “Since it’s been only a few days
since you met him?”
“We have talked about business a few times” aggressively assured her father.
“Business?” protested Serena.  “I thought that you two didn’t like each
other.  Did you talk while I was out working at the hotel?”
“The truth is that we don’t like each other very much,” admitted Ken.  “But
that has nothing to do with anything.  Is too late for you to change your
mind.  You have to behave well for him…”
“I have to what?”  Asked Serena doubting she had heard right.
“Be a good girl and treat him right!  Do what he tells you to!  Don’t
contradict him, Serena, or there will be problems.”  Advised Ken getting
angry all of a sudden.
“Problems?  Aren’t you exaggerating a bit?”  She asked surprised.
“I wish.  I know how he is.  Go with him with open eyes.  Marry him for me,
for yourself.”  Said her father with a grim face.
She went pale with fear.  Under the veil, her blue eyes were popping out of
their sockets.
“I knew Darien was hiding something!  I knew he wasn’t telling me
everything, that he had a secret” said Serena.  “Tell me what’s going on!
I’m not going anywhere until you tell me everything!
	“Oh God!”  Exclaimed Ken.  He didn’t speak for a few moments and she
thought he wasn’t going to say anything else.  Then he spoke suddenly
startling her “Ok, I’m in a jam.  We BOTH have to do what he tells us, or
he will screw me over.  You’re in on the dowry.  Let him have you!”
“The dowry!”  Exclaimed Serena.
All of her muscles went tense.  She let her father’s words sink in.  Her
lips forming a thin line.
“Yes, the jerk has me under his control.”
“You mean Darien?”  The words were barely audible.  She felt a pain in her
stomach; she directed her hand to her stomach, feeling the nausea coming
again.
“Darien” confirmed her father.  “Darien Benedict!!”

*****

“Serena is running late”
Darien frowned at the best man’s obvious comment.
“Bride’s privilege”  He answered dryly.
“Yes.  Are you sure this is in your best interest?”  Asked Andrew
cautiously.  Darien had been nervous all morning.  “You can still call
everything off…”
“And loose the opportunity of my lifetime?”  Answered Darien, getting annoyed.
He moved his head slowly as his eyes scrutinized the isle.  If she didn’t
appear, he was going to crucify her father spill his guts over the contract.
The movement of an elegantly gloved hand caught his attention,  it was
Beryl.  He gave her a weak smile to her attractive face, admiring her
perfect make up, and her sophisticated demeanor.  Beryl blew him a kiss and
his eyes shone with love.  Beryl’s features soften.
He raised a mocking eyebrow and shrugged his shoulders as if asking:  Will
she do it or wont she?  Beryl gave him a secretive smile.  He was hoping no
one would find out before he was well married to Serena.
The fury he had inside was making his heartbeat quicken, the twenty or more
years of bitterness ripping inside of him until he saw nothing but red
smoke in his eyes.
It had already lasted too long.  It had started to ruin his life, menacing
to hurt the woman he loved.  Darien forced his eyes to focus on the altar
and made a decision.  Ten more minutes.  And then he would leave and send
Ken Jardine dancing.
The cruel smile displayed on his face hardened his features making his old
friend, Andrew Fairchild, shift uncomfortably.  Darien had always been a
complex kind of person, with a dark side that no one ever got to see.
“Cheer up, she’s worth the wait” commented Andrew.
“Yes, that’s true”  he responded, giving a quick glance towards the isle,
meeting with Beryl’s caring eyes.

*****

“Driver, Go around one more time!”  Said a nervous Ken while Serena shrunk
more in her seat causing the silky material of her skirt to gather around
her.  “Serena, you have to help me!” he whispered, “My business is in
danger.  Hundreds of employees around the world would be without jobs… And
it would be all your fault.  This would ruin everything!”
“Because of Darien?  How?  You’ve only known him for a few days!”
Exclaimed Serena, she was feeling like the world was plummeting around her.
 She couldn’t belief what was happening.
	“Yes, we just met.  But he’s been after me for years.  After me and
everything I own.  Wanting it all!  No matter at what cost.”
“But… What is he going to gain from marrying me?”  Serena’s voice faltered.
“Half of everything I own.”  Whispered Ken with a weak voice.
“Will he get money if I go on?”  She asked in horror.
“Money, properties, power.  Half of my money and my possessions go with
your dowry, I keep the rest.”  Her father’s mouth twisted in bitterness.
“And as a reward he will keep his mouth shut about my tax evasion and other
doubtful business.  I owe a few million dollars.  That could mean up to 300
years in jail for me.”
“Three hundred Years…!  Oh father!”  She repeated weakly.
Now she understood!  And Beryl had tried to warn her the night before.
Serena felt herself in the middle of a crisis.  It was unbelievable that
Darien had betrayed and lied to her in such a convincing way.  A dowry!
The idea itself got to her heart.
Her doubts about her hurried marriage had become a very harsh reality.  Of
course, she had wanted to postpone the wedding until she fixed a few
things, but she had never thought that she would have to face the
insuperable obstacle of… engaging herself to a man that she could never
respect.  To someone that didn’t even love her.
	“He said… He said he loved me!”  She dared to say, her eyes filling with
hope.
	“Oh, I’m sure!”  Said Ken, too sad to argue.
	“I imagine it wouldn’t be so hard to love a woman totally blind with a
very tentative dowry.”  Said Serena in the brink of tears.
		“You get a lot out of this too.  You will share his half of his so-called
dowry, after all.  And I will leave you the other half when I die.  You
will inherit, you know?”  Said Ken shrugging.
	Serena noticed with pity that he had no intention of leaving anything for
her mother.
	“I hope that you’re not trying to buy my cooperation with this unpleasant
argument.”  She said sadly.
	“You would like to be rich” he interrupted with a bad temper, “anyone
would like that.”
	“I would like to have enough money so mom wouldn’t have to work, is all”
she said while thinking.  “Does Darien know that, apart from the dowry,
that he will inherit your part?”
	Her father nodded his head.
	“He will get everything one way or another.  The complete Trebisonne
inheritance.  And, so what?  He loves you, you love him.  Is not so bad,
right?”
	“Of course it is!  How am I going to marry a JERK?”  Protested Serena
energetically.
	“A lot of women do it.  Why should you be any different?”
	Because she wanted to fall in love and get married and be happy forever.
Because she wanted to have a husband who would be able to step on burning
charcoal for her, that would take care of her in sickness and in health,
leaving every thing behind until death parts them.
	Not someone who could black mail her father because he had evaded paying
his taxes!  Her father had to be very desperate, for him to offer half of
his fortune.  He needed a lot of money to continue his eccentric living in
Florida.  Only the plastic surgery should have cost him a fortune.  And he
had let himself loose half a million dollars in Las Vegas in one day.  He
had expensive tastes.
	“Darien didn’t come to Ballymare by chance, did he?  It wasn’t a
coincidence!”  Serena said dryly.
	“Coincidence?  Are you kidding?”  joked Ken.
	Serena responded with a moan.  Everything had been planned.  The encounter
at the beach.  Darien was poor and was lusting after her father’s money for
a long time… So much that he had opted for black mail.  She had known from
the beginning that he didn’t have that much money.  He only had comfortable
and cheap clothes.  And they had spent their dates walking, talking, and
eating sandwiches.  
	Serena smiled bitterly.  Because according to her aunts, her father had
gotten the Le Trebisonne gymnasium chain through a second marriage with the
widow of Philippe Le Trebisonne.  And now that same empire was going to be
taken away by someone who was using the same tactics… Ironically enough,
also by a marriage. 
	Darien and her father were incredibly alike.  And that scared her.  Two
attractive and irresistible men.  Both liars.
	She trembled.
	“Marry him!”  Begged her father.
	“You are asking me to sacrifice my future for you?”  She asked with
dignity.  “We have seen each other two times before this week.  It had been
14 years without you coming to Ballymare for a visit… And you still expect
me to be loyal to you!?
	Her father’s hands grabbed her tightly by the shoulders.
	“If you don’t marry him, Darien will come with the police and I will loose
everything.  I want to reconcile with your mother.  She loves me…”
	“Yes” she said bitterly, “even though you left when she was pregnant with
me, twenty-three years ago.”
	Her mother had loved her father against everything; infidelities, deceits,
and cruelties.  It was inexplicable.  But she knew that if they reconciled
her mother would be happy.  Unfortunately, her father held the key to her
happiness.
	More black mail.  And she was being dragged in it whether she liked it or
not.
	“We’re here again” said Ken getting out of the car.  “Prepare yourself.
Remember that your mother is sick.”
	Pity dug itself into her like a knife.  The door opened and the gloved
hand of the driver extended to help her out.  She stared onward with a lost
look.  Until her father moved the driver aside with an impatient gesture
and took her wrist in his hands and pulled her out.
	“There are a lot of people who will benefit from this marriage, so fulfill
your duty.”
	Surprised by his lack of compassion, by his cruelty, she walked unsteadily
through the walkway that led to the church, through a multitude of friends
and people who wished her luck.  Words like ‘fragile’, ‘beautiful’, and
‘ethereal’, made their way to her ears.  She could barely think.
	Someone asked her to pose for a picture.  She hated to make a scene in
public, so she let them place her, and beard silently the embarrassment of
the compliments that came from everywhere.  Everybody loves brides, she
thought.  But… What about the groom?
	Darien was mean and a liar and he could become a monster, like her father
had become, when she became his wife.  Her mother had been swept off her
feet by Ken Jardine’s charms.  Why had she inherited her weakness?
	“Smile” advised the photographer.
	She did what she could but her lips quivered.  This was all a farce!  But
it gave her time to think.
	“Take some more” she suggested seriously.
	One of her hands plaid nervously with one of the hairpins in her hair.
Darien had compared her hair with rays of sunshine that glittered at dawn
and had told her that he liked her hair down and straight.  But this
morning, Beryl had made her hair up into estrange curls.  Serena felt like
a prisoner walking towards jail.  If she could have gotten to know Darien
better!  But he was capable to make a polar bear to rip the skin off its body.
	“Everything will be fine.” Ken took her by the arm.  “That’s it, honey.
Remember, it wouldn’t make you’re mother very happy if I was in jail!”
	She went pale and swallowed hard.  Ken was her father, even after his
mistakes, but she couldn’t happily ignore his pain.  All of her life she
had tried to earn his love.  But he had always found her annoying.  And now
he needed her and she couldn’t leave him to his own luck.  She loved
Darien.  She couldn’t imagine a life without him.
	Serena walked from the sunny side to the shadowy part of the porch.  She
had butterflies in her stomach, making her feel weak.  She was afraid to go
on with the wedding… but it also panicked her not to continue.
	Silently and with her nerves standing on end while trying to figure out
what to do, she waited for her friend Raye to finish pulling down her low
cut neck.  Suddenly she felt naked with so much skin being exposed, so she
pulled on the dress and put it up again..
	“Leave it alone!”  Insisted Raye with fervor.  “You’re going to marry a
passionate man, not a monk!”
	“Passionate!”  She repeated in a whisper.
	Yes, he was.  It was noticeable in the darkness of his eyes, in the
intensity of his words and the hunger of his kisses.  He has violent
reactions, had said Beryl.
	“You will have a good time in bed, dear” said Raye, taking her out of her
reverie.  She blushed deep shade of red.
	She shook when the terror seeped into her.  Passion meant masculine lust,
passion meant fury:  The two things she feared to face.  Because she had
seen her mother be destroyed by both.
	Darien had controlled himself, for her.  Serena raised her chin in
determination.  She would marry Darien without protesting and she would
make everything turn out right.  Love will conquer all.  Love would
transform the black mailer.  She had hopes again.  She would show him what
love could do; how it could soften the most desperate men, the most
ambitious men that walked the earth.  She shivered.  Maybe it was too much.
 Her mother hadn’t had luck with her father to the date.
	But if she could win, she could save her mother from a sure heart attack.
She didn’t want to think about her last attack.  It had been horrible,
distressing.  If something happened to the woman who had sacrificed her
life for her…
	“I’m ready, Ken” she said to her father, and she felt pride when her voice
didn’t faltered and sounded relaxed even though she was a nervous wreck.
	“It was about time” he complained, making her start walking.
	The Nuptial tune was heard, silencing her bridesmaids’ giggling.  Serena
made her way to the altar surrounded by the soft shift of her enormous
skirt.  At the end of the isle, she paused.  Her face had a ghostly
paleness under her veil, her fingers dug into her father’s sleeve.
	Curious looks were directed towards her.  To the left pleasant and known
faces of many of her friends in Ballymare that chatted animatedly,
confronted her.  Many of them were from the hotel were she and her mother
worked… and where she had met Darien.
	To the right a group of people with exclusive suits, designer hats and
expensive perfumes made the presence of Darien’s guests known.  She didn’t
expect that much affiliation.  But Beryl had told her that Darien had
relations, like her father.  Did Darien also live above his possibilities,
coveting after money?  She didn’t know.
	“My God, the richest people in the country are here!” Whispered her father
in her ear, triumphantly.  “Smart girl!”
	“Ken!”  Whispered Serena back, blushing a deep shade of red in
embarrassment.  One of the guests shrunk back at the comment.
	Serena, unwillingly, kept walking down the path, among the beautiful
flower arrangements of white roses and baby’s breath, which intoxicated her
with their perfume.
	Finally, she dared to look at Darien.  She stared at his wide back and
shoulders.  Miraculously, the tension in her fingers disappeared.  Her
hands itched with the want of caressing his shiny black hair.
	Oh God! How she loved him!  Her anguished eyes pinned to his back.  If he
turned around, everything would be fine.  It would be a relief if her
worries would disappear like magic.  She didn’t want to hurt anybody today,
not her mother, not her father, not her friends, not Darien… Not herself.
	‘Turn around, Darien’, she begged.  She had to know that he had come.  Her
satin covered shoes resounded on the marble floor.  Everyone was staring!
That didn’t tell him anything?
	Oh Darien!
	“Serena, honey” someone whispered near her.  Serena recognized the warm
voice to be of the woman whom Darien had spent most of his life with.  The
beautiful Beryl, of exotic face, was in front of her.  “You look sick!  Are
you sure you should be here?”
	Serena was thankful.  At least someone cared about her.
	“No!”  She answered dryly, wanting Beryl to save her from her nightmare.
	“Make up your mind!”  Her father’s tanned hand tapped hers.
	Even him, generally insensible to what others felt, had noticed how she
shook.
	Yes, she had made up her mind, which was the problem.  Her mind had
awakened and had been discovering the failures of her dreams.  Her love for
him had been so unconditional, so trusting… Darien was so attractive and
desirable.
	Like her father!  And he had never been good to trust…
	Suddenly Darien turned around, with an impatient look in his face.  Serena
breathed out her relief and her heartbeat quickened.  But she found herself
looking at a stern face and scolding eyes, instead of his usual adoring
looks.  A scolding look that turned chilling when his eyes went from her
father to her.  And the hatred between the two men burst out between their
eyes with a tension that was almost palpable. 
	“Oh no!” groaned Serena.
	Without thinking, Serena let go of her father’s arm and started turning
around, the big dress impeded her from moving.  She would run!  She would
get in the car and she would leave Ballymare forever!!

To be continued…
****
If you like it let me know, if you don’t and would like to flame me, that’s
all right too.  I don’t mind.
Stay tuned for chapter 2.  Please bear with me.
Mellibea