Ah…the final chapter. Another fanfic complete. Be on the lookout for another fanfic after this. It will probably be spring before I begin though, so please have patience.

A million thanks to everyone who has reviewed, not only this story but Change and Twisted as well. Special thanks to those who have been with me here since the beginning, I never expected my alternate series to have any readers, let alone as many as I've gotten. Anyway, onto the last part of Warped.

Darien leaned down, placing a soft, lingering kiss on Serena's lips. As he pulled back Mina gasped as the silver crystal glowed brightly over Serena's chest. A moment later her eyes fluttered open.

"Serena!" Mina exclaimed, not giving Serena a moment's breath before embracing her.

Serena laughed at her cousin. "Mina, I can't breathe."

"Sorry!" the scout of Venus instantly pulled back.

"I swear, Serena, if you ever do that again…" Amara began.

Michelle smiled and grabbed her friend's arm. "We were very worried, Princess, and glad you're alright."

Serena nodded, suddenly looking to Darien who still held her in his arms. Without hesitation she turned toward him, winding her arms around his neck. A moment passed before he finally relaxed, returning her welcomed embrace.

"I love you," he whispered.

Serena pulled back to look into his eyes before leaning forward for another kiss.

King Endymion looked up in surprise as a small hand gasped his own. "Serenity?"

The young queen slowly sat up before she was pulled in the arms of her husband. Luna and Artemis sighed in relief.

"Does this mean Serena is alright after all?" Luna wondered.

Neo-Queen Serenity pulled back from King Endymion to turn to the cats. "Everything will be alright now. We should meet them halfway. I'm sure they'll be weak from battling Wiseman."

King Endymion nodded in agreement.

The scouts and generals made up a rather large group travelling back to the crystal palace. Once they had left behind the fortress of Wiseman they found the formerly stormy sky had returned to a clear blue. At the end of their long procession, Nephrite was carrying Diamond, now wrapped in a white sheet. Sapphire and Emerald walked alongside him.

"Mama!" Rini suddenly called, breaking away from Serena and Darien.

The two watched as she ran toward the two shapes in the distance. The beautiful woman instantly knelt down, accepting her young daughter into her arms.

"You did wonderful, Rini," she praised. "I'm so proud of you."

Rini beamed, looking up at her mother.

"Mother," Terra said in relief before she and Endymion followed after Rini. Neo-Queen Serenity rose with Rini still in her arms to embrace her older children.

Darien gently placed his hand on Serena's shoulder, smiling at her when she glanced up at him. A moment of their future reunion passed before Neo-Queen Serenity turned to Serena. With a slight tilt of the head the queen managed to get Serena to pull away from Darien so she could say a few words.

"I know what you're thinking," she said. "I've been in your place once. Darien has a lot of explaining to do, give him a chance to do so."

"I will," Serena promised, glancing back at her prince.

Neo-Queen Serenity nodded. "Well, it seems we have a funeral to plan. Sapphire, shall we make arrangements to send him back to your time?"

Sapphire hesitated. "If it's too much trouble-"

"Your brother saved all of us," she replied. "It's the least we can do."

Sapphire quickly bowed. "Thank you, your highness."

Neo-Queen Serenity laughed softly. "No need for formalities."

"Queen Serenity," Emerald said, "will we be banished again?"

"Of course not. You were under the influence of Wiseman, he used your past selves' feelings of betrayal and hatred toward the Moon Kingdom to control you. I wish I would have been able to help before it was too late." Neo-Queen Serenity's eyes strayed to the form in Nephrite's arms. "He will be reborn. You will meet your brother again, Sapphire. But until then, you and Emerald can share your knowledge with no one. Time is a funny thing. The smallest mistake can change its course. The two of you will come upon Diamond again one day. Until then, you will only have each other."

Emerald stepped forward to take Sapphire's hand, smiling in reassurance. Neo-Queen Serenity slowly scanned the rest of the group, regarding them carefully as she stopped on her king's past self.

"Let's get all of you back home, shall we?"

"You broke up with me because of a dream, which we now know was sent by Wiseman?" Serena asked.

It had been days since they returned to the past, and they had both successfully avoided each other. When they met up at Diamond's funeral, it was inevitable for the long-avoided talk to occur. Now, several hours later, they found themselves at Darien's apartment. The scouts and generals had backed off, going their separate ways after the burial. Trista took Hotaru back to her own apartment to give the prince and princess some privacy. Of course that didn't mean the inner scouts weren't expecting a phone call within the next twenty-four hours, and Amara was anxiously waiting to see if Darien would be the victim of a hit and run anytime soon.

Darien had decided to make them dinner in a desperate attempt to buy time. It had essentially worked, but now with nothing more to distract them they were sitting at opposite ends of his couch facing each other.

"I didn't know who sent it, or if I was just imagining danger," Darien replied. "I couldn't take any chances."

Serena sighed. "Darien, what is it going to take for you to realize I'm not going to die?"

He took a deep breath and moved closer. "I know you're strong, Serena. You always have been, and I don't think anyone can deny that you always will be."

"I sense a 'but' coming here," Serena muttered.

Darien smiled softly. "I have to protect you. I can't ignore the fear that someday I'll fail and I'll lose you forever. If any harm came to you I would never forgive myself."

"After meeting your future self I guess I can't tell you to stop being so overprotective. But next time some mysterious voice tells you to leave me, you better ignore it!"

Darien sighed in relief, realizing he'd been forgiven. He chuckled as he pulled Serena to lay against him and leaned back on the couch. "Of course, Serena."

Smiling in contentment, Serena rested her head on his shoulder. They were silent for a moment, listening to the rain fall against the windows outside.

"Darien," Serena said softly. "Do you remember when we first met?"

"How could I forget? You knocked me down and got mad when I called you Buns. Or are you referring to the first time we met as Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Moon? You I don't recall much about the first few times I transformed."

"Neither."

Darien gave her a questioning look.

"I didn't put the two together until…well until it was basically laid out in front of me. You were in the hospital after your parents died in a car accident…I was there because Sammy had just been born a few days prior and my father and I were visiting."

"Of course…the rose."

Serena nodded. "Why didn't you tell me you knew Diamond?"

"I never realized it was the same Diamond. I'd actually forgotten about that until now. I suppose by blocking all of the bad memories of that point in my life…I lost the good as well." His hold on Serena tightened. "I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that was you."

Serena smiled. "I went looking for you a few days later when my father brought me back but, you were gone."

"I was taken to an orphanage the day after Diamond left. He was my best friend for a long time. And you, you were my moon princess."

"Funny how that worked out," Serena muttered, turning so that she was facing him.

With Serena straddling his lap, Darien pulled her closer. Serena willingly leaned forward to press her lips to his. The kiss suddenly became more heated as Darien's fingers tangled in her hair, his other hand slid to her waist to pull her flush against him. Serena gripped the cloth of Darien's shirt, pressing herself against him. Darien groaned, half from the pleasure of having his love in his arms and half from the surging lust. The petite girl pushed him back further so he was lying on the couch with her above him. A few moments of exploration and passion passed before the two parted to catch their breath.

"Marry me," Darien breathed.

Gasping, Serena pulled back her eyes wide. "Don't joke, Darien."

"I'm not joking. We've seen our future, Serena. Even Trista swears it's inevitable. You know I love you, why should we wait any longer?"

"Are you feeling alright?"

"Serena-"

"Darien, I'm the one who rushes into things! You're supposed to be the level-headed control freak! What would the others think if we got married? I'm still in high school, and you're still in university. Not to mention my aunt and uncle would never allow it."

Watching her in contemplation for a moment, Serena's shoulder sagged when he gently moved her off of his lap and disappeared down the hallway.

Now I've messed up, she worried.

But a moment later he reemerged from the bedroom with something in his hand. Nudging the coffee table away from the sofa, he knelt in front of her, placing the small black box in the palm of her hand.

"I've been thinking about this, since realizing I didn't like it at all when I realized you might love another. Yesterday I found out that I've taken enough credits to graduate in just a few months, which means I'll begin my residency by the end of the year. I know I shouldn't ask you to be my wife under those circumstances, it will hard to find time to be together and I'll rarely be able to see you…but I really can't stand the thought of you finding someone else in that time. There is no one else in this world -in this life- that I would rather be with than you."

As he spoke Serena slowly opened the box, revealing a small golden ring with a pink diamond in the shape of a heart and small diamonds surrounding it. She let out another small gasp, as she realized he was, in fact, serious about this ordeal. But was she? Was the carefree teen and untamed princess ready for this commitment?

Darien took her hands and looked up into her eyes. "Serena Tsukino, will you marry me?"