HOT CONTROVERSY, PART 6
Sailor Moon Sekkushiaru Roman
by Sailor Mac

	One week after the end of the porn controversy that had torn the campus in two, you would hardly know that anything had happened.
	Students hurried to and from classes, as they always did, stopping to chat, perhaps gossip a little. Posters were hung on trees and bulletin boards advertising an upcoming dance, a performance by the school orchestra, an upcoming bake sale sponsored by one of the clubs.
	There was hardly a trace of the frantic, desperate air that had been on the campus just a few days earlier. No campaign signs remained hanging, no arguments broke out in the middle of the quad. Some students who had found themselves on opposite sides of the bitter conflict were starting to talk to each other again, rekindling friendships that had been torn apart.
	In the library, the only sign that something had happened was that some of the computers that were used for Web-surfing had been quietly moved into a back room. The ones remaining in the main room had been equipped with adult-site blocking software, assuring that students would no longer be able to look up pornography out in the open. . .although in the other room, it was still "anything goes."
	The only echo of the long and bitter fight came in the conversations between students. Not in the form of debates and arguments. . .but in the form of gossip. Because the two starring players in the drama were still very much a hot topic of conversation. . .  
* * *
	Raye stood in the line at the campus pub, searching in her purse for coins to pay for a small soda. She'd stopped in for a drink, since the pub was almost halfway between the temple and the bookstore.
	It wasn't too long ago that I'd be avoiding this place like the plague, she thought. No way was I going to walk into that battlefield. But now. . .it's as if it never happened. . .
	Just then, a short, dark-haired girl wearing a spangly purple sweatshirt bumped into Raye and almost sent her flying. "Hey!" Raye said. "Look where you're going!"
	"Sorry," said the girl. "So sorry. . ." And she rushed toward the back of the pub, where there was a table full of students chatting.
	Wonder what the heck she was in such a hurry for, Raye thought, looking toward the table with curiosity. The girl was saying to her friends, "Hey, was that David and Lori I just saw together?"
	Crap, Raye thought. Is there *ever* going to be an end to this?
	A burly, flannel-shirted guy replied, "Oh, they're together all the time now," before taking a sip from an enormous cup of coffee. "They're best of buddies."
	"Those two?" said the blonde next to him. "Get real. No way could *they* be friends. You ask me, they're spying on each other. Pretending to be friends so they can collect info. And then, once they know enough. . .they're going to start the whole thing all over again."
	Please, Raye thought. Anything but that. . .
	"Gods, I hope not," said the chubby, green-haired girl across from her. "I'm just glad this thing is over. Coming to school was hell while it was going on."
	"You still pissed off at Lori, Maria?" Purple Spangles said to a pencil-thin, pinch-faced girl at the far end of the table. Raye recognized her as one of the people who'd always been trailing in Lori's wake.
	The girl stirred her coffee and stared into it. "Well. . .I don't think I'll ever be able to understand why she did what she did. After everything we went through, it was as if she was stabbing us in the back. But I'm trying to put it behind me and move on. I'd still like to slug her a good one, though."
	"I think there's a few people who would like to slug both of them," Flannel Shirt said. "But I'm with Lisa. I'm just glad it's over."
	"Me too," Purple Spangles said.
	Me three, thought Raye. She had reached the counter, and placed her order, continuing to keep her eye on the conversation at the table. A long-haired boy in a Final Fantasy T-shirt was saying, "Hey, has anyone considered the fact that they might have been friends all along, and they cooked this whole thing up as some kind of massive, sick joke? And it just ended up backfiring big-time?"  	The others all groaned. . .including Raye. "James, that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard in my life," the ex-Lori groupie said. "Lori couldn't stand having his name mentioned in her presence! Geez, next thing you'll be saying they're a couple!"
	"Hey, Carrie Russell thinks they're a couple!" Final Fantasy said. "She was just saying this morning that. . ."
	"Carrie Russell is out-and-out insane! Everybody knows that!" retorted Flannel Shirt.
	"Good Gods, I'm more likely to believe Jenny's conspiracy theory!" said the ex-Lori follower. "The very *idea* of that happening is. . ."
	I can't believe people are still talking about those two, Raye thought. I thought it was *all* over. . .I guess not.
	As she left the pub, sipping her drink, and headed down the road into town, she remembered that she, too, had seen David and Lori together. . .at Crown Cafe, the day after the election was called off. It was probably just a handshake an an "I'm sorry," she thought. Besides, how does it affect me or anyone else if there *was* something else to it? I'm just glad that they're not killing each other anymore. It's nice to be able to go places and not hear people killing each other all over the place, and to hear people talking about something other than censorship and human rights and does-porn-hurt women and all the rest of that stuff.
	When she reached Bookstore Asahiya, she quickly gulped the rest of her soda while peeking in the window. Yep, she could see the big, freshly-delivered pile of small but thick magazines. . .it was time to feed her addiction.
	If someone told me even a few months ago that I'd be going out of my way to buy a yaoi manga, she thought, I'd have told them they were nuts. Hey, *something* good came out of all that crap, right? I would have *never* gotten into this stuff if it wasn't for Lori. And not just me. . .Lita said she and Ken were getting into reading the stories on that site together, and it's done a lot for their love life.
	Picking up "Boy Heaven," she remembered Lori looking through it, proclaiming it "gay porn" and tossing it aside with disgust, as if it were a used tissue. If she'd taken the time to actually *read* it, Raye thought, she'd see that it was *far* from porno. It was some of the most engrossing, best-written love stories she'd ever seen.
	Of course, the fact that said love stories all involved gorgeous guys didn't hurt one bit. . .
	Lori needs to take it easy and enjoy life, Raye thought. I wonder if she's really capable of it? And what about that guy who was her opponent, that David? And all the other people who got dragged into this with them?
	Well, it doesn't matter. *I'm* enjoying life a lot more nowadays, and that's what matters. Things are nice and quiet, my friends all seem happier, and my relationship with Chad couldn't be better.
	She took the manga up to the cash register, planning to rush home as quick as possible so she could start on her favorite story. Dex and Cory had been trying to make each other jealous. . .would they reconcile this issue? Or would they drag their endless dance out a bit longer. . . 
* * *
	Lori was *not* enjoying life.
	She rushed away from the library, her books held tightly against her chest. Meghan and Pamela had snubbed her *again.* Sure, some of her friends had come around, said they'd forgiven her, and started speaking to her again. . .but those two were pretending that she didn't exist.
	Of course, on the few occasions over the past week when they *had* acknowledged her existence, it had been just to berate her.
	"You sold out to David! You turned us over to the opposition!" Meghan had said. "How could you do this? How could you turn your back on us after everything we did for you?"
	"I'm not turning my back on you!" she said. "For Gods' sake, do you want someone else to get shot?"
	"There would have been no more fights. We would have *won* that election," Pamela said. "It was just days away, and you called it off!"
	"How can you say that? There was no way of telling which side was ahead! Who's to say what would have happened. . ."
	"We KNOW what happened!" Meghan said. "What happened was you betrayed us. And we don't have time for traitors."
	Lori had stood there and watched her two best friends storm away from her. It was the last time they had spoken.
	And today, they had given her the silent treatment yet again. Dammit, we were *close*, she thought. We'd studied together, partied together, we'd have bitch sessions where we'd try to solve all the problems of the world. . .
	I feel like a good bitch now. But I've got nobody I can really bitch *to.*
	She was feeling alone, empty, and scared. It was a feeling she'd expeirenced several times before. . .when her stepfather was molesting her, when she was feeling like she didn't quite fit in when she was in high schoo, when she'd first arrived on campus. . .
	And a voice in the back of her head said, "But there *is* someone you can go bitch to, Lori." By the time her conscious mind became aware she'd automatically started walking toward his apartment, she was almost halfway there.
	Gods, imagine me going to *David*'s house for a talk, she thought. Who the hell would have thought it? Not me, that's for damn sure. But he's so easy to talk to, so. . .comfortable.
	He answered the door on the second knock. . .and seemed not at all surprised to see her there.
	"Lori. . .come in. How do you feel?"
	She walked into the apartment, flung herself into the first chair she saw, and said, "Abandoned, that's how I feel. My best friends stopped speaking to me. And when they *do* speak to me, it's to tell me how I stabbed them in the back."
	"You mean, Meghan and Pamela?"
	"Yes! Dammit, we did everything together, and now. . .oh, hell, I know the end of the campaign came all of a sudden, and I can see why they'd be pissed for a few days, but do they have to drag it out like this?"
	She looked up at David, to see if there was any sympathy in his eyes. There wasn't. Instead, he looked thoughtful.
	"Lori. . .are you *sure* that these women were your friends? Your *true* friends?"
	"What the hell do you mean? Of course they were my friends! They stuck with me through the entire mess! They were like my left and right hands! They. . ."
	"They went behind your back and did things you didn't approve of. They were giving your cause a bad name. Lori. . .is that a *true* friend? If anything, it was *they* that were backstabbing *you*, not the other way around!"
	What the hell is he saying? she thought. That I just sat there and let them go behind my back? Okay, so maybe they *did* go behind my back. . .but that was just at the very end, right? When *everything* was out of control?
	And she found herself saying, "Oh, yeah? Well, it wasn't just me! Your so-called 'friends' did the same thing!"
	"What do you mean, 'so-called' friends? I may have had some hangers-on, just like you did, but I had *real* friends on my side. Tommy and Mike and I had been friends almost as long as we all started at the university! They wouldn't. . ."
	"Oh, so *you* had real friends, and mine were just cronies, right? Just temporary hangers-on? Well, let me tell you something. My friends were. . .were. . ."
	Suddenly, she stopped. Oh, Gods, she thought, what's happening? We're back to square one again. We're killing each other. And I don't want that to happen anymore. . .
	The thought was surprising as it was welcome. I don't *want* to fight with David, she thought. I want to be his friend.
	She took a deep breath. "Sorry. . .I just got carried away."
	"I know. . .me too." He gave a small, wry smile. "Old habits die hard, I guess."
	"Yeah. I came here to bitch, and ended up fighting. And I don't want to do that. . .not anymore. It's. . .hard to get to know someone when you're screaming at each other at top volume."
	"I know. And I think we've screamed at each other enough. Now, I just want to *talk.*"
	"I feel the same way. . .look, why don't we just call a truce and go to neutral turf for a coffee or something?"
	"You're on. Crown Cafe?"
	"Fine with me."
	As they left the apartment, she thought about how much she was looking forward to a calm conversation with him. Looks like I lost two friends, but gained another, she thought. 
* * *
	Artemis made his way down the road, certain he could remember the way to Darien's apartment building. He'd told his new protegee that he would be there in an hour, and he still had plenty of time.
	He thought about how fitting it was that the two male members of the Sailor Team would end up working together. After all, he thought, according to the traditional standards of the Moon Kingdom, we're a couple of outcasts. Males neither performed magic nor taught it in those days. The royalty of other planets had been horrified when the Royal Family of Venus had insisted that a *male* Mauian be their daughter's guardian, and there were few people who felt that Queen Cassiopeia's son would be worthy of ruling Earth *or* protecting it as a Sailor Soldier.
	Well, Artemis thought, that all ends now. Darien has so much potential he's not using, because nobody showed him how to use it. Once in awhile, there's a flash of what he's truly capable of. . .but most of the time, he just hangs back and lets the girls take the lead.
	Artemis had long suspected that Tuxedo Mask was not Darien's *true* magical form, that a more powerful being was lurking under the surface and waiting to emerge. After all, he'd proven himself capable of controlling the Golden Crystal, and it was doubtful that a magic-user of limited ability - which was what Tuxedo Mask appeared to be - would be able to handle something so powerful. Once he develops his powers, and gets more confidence, Artemis thought, we'll see what happens.
	As he passed Crown Cafe, he glanced in the window to see if any of the girls was in there. He didn't see any of them. . .but he saw something just as interesting, if not more so.
	There, right near the window, sat David and Lori. Not fighting, not shouting, but having a very laid-back, friendly conversation. David seemed to be telling a story, waving his hands around to emphasize a point.  Lori laughed - good Gods, Artemis thought, I didn't think she was *capable* of laughing - and then leaned over and said something that made David blush a bit, look a little flustered. . .
	To look at them, you'd think they'd been best friends all their lives, Artemis thought.
	He remembered Mina's frantic attempts to get them together, how she'd pinned all her hopes on it - and how she'd sunk into a depression when the attempt failed. She still hadn't fully recovered. . .she'd act like her old cheerful self around her friends, but alone, she'd go through terrible periods of listlessness and melancholy that had Artemis worried. She'd shut herself up in her room, unplug her phone and refuse to let him in.
	I thought she was throwing away all her time and energy on an impossible dream, he thought. But. . .what if she was right all along? It certainly looks that way! Or at least not as bad as it was before. . .Gods, the irony. . .she's right, and I'm a fool. . .
	He considered turning around and running back home to grab Mina and drag her down there. He could imagine her face lighting up, the old sparkle coming back into her eyes. . .
	No, he thought, I can't. I'm going to be late for my appointment with Darien. But I'll definitely tell her when I get home.  . .and I'll tell Luna as well. And then, I want to keep an eye on this situation. . . 
* * *
	Darien waited in the lobby until he saw Artemis come in. He patted the cat on his head and scooped him up into his arms, carrying him to the elevator.
	Once the door of his apartment shut behind them, though, all pretense of this being a "normal" cat vanished. Artemis hopped down from Darien's arms and said, "You look like you're in a very good mood today, Darien. Much more so than the last time I saw you."
	"Serena and I. . .worked a few things out," he replied, sitting down on the couch. Artemis hopped up next to him, sitting with his head on his paws. "I just had so many problems, one thing leading to another. . .I'm just glad that pornography nonsense is over. That's what started everything."
	"The atmosphere on the campus?"
	"Well, that was part of it. I had to shut my psychic senses down because of that. So much nastiness, so much hostility, and me sucking it all in. . ." He sighed. "It felt strange, not being able to have a sense of the future. . .or know if something was wrong with Serena. . .or if enemies were coming. . .it was as if my mind had gone blind, if you can understand that. I felt like I had lost a big part of who I am."
	"You did," Artemis replied. "Your psychic abilities are a true gift, Darien. Ever ask yourself why were *you* given those abilities, and not Amy or Mina or Lita, or one of the Soldiers of the Outer Planets? If you were just meant to throw roses and give advice, you certainly would not be able to feel the presence of enemies long before they appear, or mind-link with Serena. I believe your destiny is to be the true partner of Sailor Moon, her equal in every way, just like your mother was Queen Serenity's equal partner in the Silver Millennium."
	"Why do you say that?"
	"The protectors of Earth and Moon had always worked together throughout history. And they always have been equal in power. I don't think things are any different now."
	Darien sighed. "I wish I could remember back to the Silver Millennium. I'd like to know how I used my abilities, what my life as a prince was like, what my duties were, what my relationship to the royalty of other planets was. . ."
	"I do remember," said Artemis. "You had a magical talent, to be sure. . .you were materializing roses from a very early age. And you also had psychic abilities, because several times you predicted danger was going to come to someone you loved before it materialized. But nobody ever trained you or developed your talents."
	"Why?"
	"People believed that men were incapable of wielding magical power, even when they saw evidence to the contrary right before their very eyes."
	"Even my mother?"
	"Your mother had you in training to take over the rulership of the planet, but not to succeed her as Sailor Earth. She thought the world of you, and was aware of your abilities. . .but she knew the people would never accept a male Sailor Earth. The anti-male bias was just too common. . .it was held by a lot of prominent women." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "Including Luna."
	"She never has considered me a full-blown Sailor Soldier. I've often thought she feels I'm just in the way."
	"That irks me," Artemis said. "She's seen you use the Earth Blade. She knows you're capable of performing real magic. But because you're a *male*, you can never truly be one of them in her eyes."
	"Artemis. . .what does Luna think of *you*?"
	This caught the feline guardian unawares. What *does* she think of me? he thought. We've always been partners. . .but does she consider me her equal?
	He took a deep breath, then said, slowly, "She. . .tolerates me. She knows the Venusian Royal Family insisted I be their daughter's guardian, so we're going to have to work together. But she has always considered herself to be the boss, and me to be. . .well, something to be ordered around." He jumped off the couch and started to pace. Feelings he'd been holding in for a long time were rising to the surface. "There's been a lot of times when I've wanted to direct strategy and policy for the Sailor Soldiers, but I can barely get a word in edgewise, because Luna has to take the lead, and Luna's word is law. And sometimes, all I can do is sit there and see the when she pulls something that I  *know* is going to be a disaster. . ." He stopped, and added, rather sheepishly, "I'm sorry. . .I didn't mean to unload my gripes on you . The purposes of these sessions is for *you* to be able to unload *your* gripes, talk about what's on *your* mind. . ."
	Gods, Darien thought. . .Artemis has had the same problems in war that I have in love. Feeling totally in the shadow of a strong woman, frustration because his hands - or paws - are tied when it comes to lying down the law.
	He knelt next to his friend. "Don't worry about it, Artemis. You have just as much right to talk about what's on your mind as I do."
	"Thanks. And I have a lot on my mind, sometimes. Between Luna and Mina. . ."
	"I can see what you're talking about there. Sometimes, I don't know how you manage to keep your patience."
	"Sometimes, I don't. I just walk away until I calm down. Mina can definitely be a handful. She certainly has a strong magical talent, a good heart and a strong will, but her mind. . .Gods. . .sometimes I think her normal mental state is 'loopy.'"
	Darien laughed. "I know, I know. I've seen her in action plenty of times."
	It feels nice to be able to drop my guard, Artemis thought, to be so candid with him. It's been a long time since I've been able to do that with anyone.
	There was a pause, then Artemis said, "Well. If I can make a Sailor Soldier out of *her*. . I expect to have a spectacular success with you. If we want to prove Luna wrong about you, we have to work on your magical powers. I want to see the full range of what you're capable of now, when you're not under combat conditions."
	"Um. . .here? I think my neighbors are going to notice."
	"Isn't there a wooded area out behind your building? We can go there."
	"Sure." He knew it well. . .when he'd first become conscious of being Tuxedo Mask, he had gone out there frequently to transform and take "target practice," throwing roses into trees, into crevices in rocks. . .
	I did it all alone then, he thought. But now, I'm going to have help. 		He went to fetch the basket he'd gotten for Artemis, more than ready to begin his serious training under his new friend. 
* * *
	David sat in Crown Cafe, alone.
	Lori had just run out a couple of minutes ago, saying she was going to be late for class. David didn't have a class for another hour, so he just lingered over his last cup of coffee.
	He'd very much enjoyed the calm after the storm. Lori relaxed is an entirely different person than Lori tense and on the defensive, he thought. She's actually a great person to talk to. She's intelligent, has interests in a lot of subjects, laughs at most of my obscure and semi-sick jokes. . .
	I wish I had met her under different circumstances, he thought. If we had been in the same class. . .or had worked *together* on a campus-wide project, instead of on opposite sides of a war. . .we probably would have been best of friends.
	He pondered a mental image of the two of them strolling across campus, laughing and chatting, casual as can be. . .it was a mental image he liked.
	Unknown to David, Lita and Ken had entered the cafe, and were now looking at him.
	"I don't think I've seen him this relaxed and calm in months," Ken told Lita.
	"I've never seen him this relaxed *ever*," Lita replied. "I guess he's just glad that the controversy is over."
	"Or that he's never going to have to deal with Lori again," Ken replied.
	Lita remembered when she'd met David, how he'd ranted obsessively about his opponent. . .
	"I have to agree with you on that," she said.
	They approached the table, and David didn't seem to notice them right away. He was sunk very deeply in thought. . .
	Then, he finally looked up and noticed them. "Lita! Ken! How nice to see you!"
	"How's it going, buddy?" Ken said. "Glad it's over?"
	"Hell, yeah! I *never* want to go through anything like that again!"
	"I don't think anybody does," Lita said. "We heard from Darien what happened at the end, with the fight, and someone ambushing your friend. . ."
	"Well, when that kind of crap started happening, we knew it was time to put a stop to the thing. Lori and I sat down and hammered out a compromise. She was just telling me today that if we hadn't done that, someone probably would've gotten killed before the election, and more than likely, it would have been one of us."
	"Wait a second," Lita said. "She was talking to you *today*?"
	"Oh, yeah, we've been hanging out together now and then. Ironic, isn't it? The mortal enemies becoming friends. . ."
	Ironic? Lita thought. More like impossible! First he thinks of this woman as the devil incarnate, and then he sits down with her for a casual chat? What the hell happened? Gods, things have been changing so quickly around here lately. . .
	"Well, I'd better be getting back to the campus," David said, getting up from the booth. "I'll give you a call, we can get together sometime. I've been neglecting my friends way too long."
	"Sure," said Ken. "I'd be glad to."
	"Lita, it was a pleasure seeing you again," David said.
	"Likewise," she replied.
	He waved and left the cafe. "Can you believe it?" Ken said quietly. "He and Lori, becoming friends.  . ."
	"There's just something not quite right about that," Lita replied. "They were such bitter enemies for so long. . ."
	"I've known David for some time now. One thing I've noticed about him is he's very changeable. He can hate someone or something with all his heart one day, and the next day admit that it wasn't so bad after all. Perhaps this is just another case of that."
	"It seems a bit more extreme than that. Almost. . .manic-depressive."
	"Oh, I wouldn't say that about him. He's not a sicko. He just. . .has his moods. And speaking of moods. . .I've noticed that Darien hasn't been himself lately. He hasn't been showing up when everyone gets together, and when he has. . .well, he hasn't done much talking. He's been keeping to himself. . .not like him at all."
	"Oh, Darien is doing much better now. I think he sat down and had a real heart-to-heart with Serena, and they worked some things out. I saw him yesterday, in fact, and he was fine."
	"I think I'm going to pay him a visit. . .just to make sure he's okay."
	"He'd probably appreciate that. Maybe this weekend, we could even. . ." She stopped, and her face fell. "Damn, I forgot that you're working this weekend."
	"That's something I wanted to talk to you about, Lita." He reached over and took her hand. "I talked to the manager. I told him I wanted to rearrange my schedule. . .pick up more hours after school during the week. . .so I could have the weekend free. I want to spend as much time as I possibly can with you."
	"You. . .did? Oh, Gods, Ken, you didn't have to do that!"
	"I wanted to. I spent too much time neglecting you, taking you for granted. I want to make it up to you now. You're the most important thing in my life, Lita."
	She felt tears spring into her eyes. What a difference, she thought, from just a few short weeks ago! He'd barely acknowledged her then. . .and now, he was treating her like gold.
	"Thank you. . .you're the most important thing in *my* life, too."
	He smiled, and said teasingly, "You love me more than your pots and pans and kitchen geegaws?"
	"Tons more. They can't keep me warm at night."
	He leaned over and kissed her. "I plan to do *plenty* of that," he whispered. 
* * *
	David had just arrived home from class, and was checking his answering machine. Almost empty. One message from his mother wanting to know if he got the care package she'd sent him, another from the campus bookstore telling him a text he'd ordered had come in. . .and that was it.
	A far cry from the height of the controversy, when the entire tape would be full of people planning demonstrations, requesting interviews, demanding an explanation for something one of his group members had done to one of Lori's group members without his knowledge. . .
	I don't miss that, he thought. I don't miss it one bit. Maybe I can actually get some *schoolwork* done now.
	He was just settling down with his books when a knock came on his door. He opened it to find Lori.
	"Hi," she said. "Look, do you want a study partner? I'm not used to doing my homework alone. . .I used to do mine all the time with Meghan and Pamela, and, well. . ."
	David had never felt the need for a study partner, he was very content working alone. . .but he didn't want to say no to her. The idea of working with his new friend was somehow appealing.
	"Come in," he said.
	She entered, sitting down on the bed and starting to spread her books out, making herself very much at home. "Thanks. I tried to do it alone, but I couldn't focus. . .it was like the walls were closing in on me."
	"Oh, I used to have that feeling," he replied, sitting back down at his desk. "Freshman year, that godsforsaken dorm attached to the main building. . .there was just so much noise in that place that trying to focus on anything was impossible. I swear, those walls were made of tissue paper."
	"Oh, you must have lived in North Hall. I lived in South Hall. It was just as bad, if not worse. Whenever someone turned on a hairdryer, all the lights in the hall would dim. I swear, those dorms were boot camp. . .they put the freshmen in them to see if they were tough enough to be students at this college."
	"Yeah. . .a lot of people I know just gave up and went home because of those living conditions."
	"Oh, I wasn't going to do that. I was going to stick it out, no matter what. No way was I going home. . ." She stopped, and he saw the pain reflected on her face, pain from the memories she associated with "home." He had seen that look before on his ex-fiancee's face. . .for the same reasons.
	"I understand," he said softly.
	She fell silent for a long moment, playing with the cover of one of her notebooks, flipping it back and forth between one hand and the other. Finally, she brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes, still looking down at the notebook, and said, "You know. . .believe it or not, I used to be a shy, retiring person." She looked up at him with an uneasy smile. "Amazing, isn't it?"
	Diplomatically, he replied, "Well, shy and retiring are not exactly the first words that come to mind when thinking about you."
	"Hey, it's true. After. . . the incidents with my stepfather, all I wanted to do was crawl away and hide from the world somewhere. I was a wallflower among wallflowers. Nobody made fun of me or anything, they just acted like I was invisible. And invisible is what I wanted to be."
	He watched her, her obvious nervousness, her fidgeting with everything she could get her hands on. . .It's taking a lot for her to talk about this, he thought. I remember Tracy going through the same thing, how'd she sweep her emotions under a rug. . .I wonder why Lori's opening up to *me*, of all people? Perhaps because she knows about Tracy, knows I've heard all this before. . .
	"What happened?" he said. "What changed in your life to make you become. . ."
	"Queen bitch?" she replied.
	"I didn't say that."
	"Well, you were thinking it. That's okay, it's what a lot of people think of me, I'm used to it by now."
	"I don't think that way," he said. "At least. . .not anymore."
	She looked down, coloring a bit. . .then continued. "What changed me is. . .one day, I read a newspaper article about Women United. . .the parent organization of my group on campus. They were having demonstrations all around town against pornography, and they were talking about how it hurts women, and I knew that was the kind of thing I wanted to get involved in. So I marched right into their headquarters and joined."
	"And were you the first high-school girl they'd ever had barging in and demanding to be a member?"
	"Oh, they were a bit surprised at first that a high school girl wanted to get involved with their group, but they were more than happy to have my help. And I used to help out *a lot*. I'd wash dishes in the kitchens of battered women's shelters, sweep floors at day-care centers and family planning clinics. . ."
	She got up and started to pace a bit. "And I spent as much time as possible with their anti-porn campaign. I was learning how to organize, how to run an organization. . .so when I came here, I started my own Women United chapter. And that's when I started getting outspoken. To say the least. My first crusade was for more women's sports, and we were very successful with that. Most of my members joined up because of that campaign. Then we worked on getting more women to run for class offices. After that, things were quiet for awhile, until. . ."
	"Until all hell broke loose," he said.
	She sat back down. "I just happened to be in the pub one day, and suddenly, this girl comes in decked out like a Sailor Soldier and starts screaming at this guy, accusing him of posting porn about her on the campus Web site. . ."
	"I know. I was there that day, too. I think that girl was the real Sailor Mercury."
	"No way! What the hell would someone like that want with this place? It was just someone dressed up as her, trying to cause trouble, because they knew Sailor Mercury stories had been posted on the college site."
	"That outfit is kind of elaborate to recreate from scratch just to tell somebody off, isn't it?"
	He had a point there. "Well, until then, I had no idea people were posting porn on the campus site! I couldn't believe it! And then, I did more research and found out about people surfing dirty Web sites in the library. . ."
	He gave a wry smile. "And you proceeded to make my life a living hell."
	"Well, you didn't do too much for me, either. I thought this was going to be a breeze. . .and then, suddenly, I had this opponent who was just as determined as me. And I had to *work* for what I believed in."
	"So did I. I wasn't going to get heavily involved at first. And then, Hurricane Lori struck, and I had no choice."
	"Hell, we should both get involved in politics. With the experience we gained plotting strategy against each other, we could win an election for somebody."
	"We probably could. And things would get *really* interesting if we were on *opposite* sides of an election!"
	"Please. . .I don't think I'd be able to take campaigning against you again." She opened one of her books. "And now. . .I have to study."
	"Me, too." He picked up a book of his own. . .but found himself watching her.
	He thought about what she'd just said. . .about all the experience she'd gained in running an organization, plotting strategy, helping people. . .
	An idea started to take shape in his head. Wouldn't it be something, he thought, if we could take all this experience. . .both our life experiences and our experiences in our organizations. . .and use it to start an organization to help troubled students? Like students who have been sexually abused, or have substance abuse problems. . .we'd be taking all the negativity we've been through and turning it into something positive.
	He wanted to tell Lori the idea. It was right on the tip of his tongue. . .but he held back.
	She probably won't go for it, he thought. Not so soon after the other thing. She probably won't even want anything to do with her own group for awhile.
	And he held his tongue, and started to study. 
* * *
	When a knock came on Darien's door, he was a bit surprised. I have no idea who it could be, he thought. Serena's having dinner with her family now. . .and there's no way it could be Artemis, unless Mina brought him. . .
	He opened the door and saw Ken standing there, which surprised him even more. He'd never interacted much with the other Sailor Soldiers' boyfriends when the girls weren't around.
	"Ken! Come right in. . ."
	"Hi, Darien. . .I just wanted to stop in and see how you were doing. I've been concerned about you lately."
	"Oh, don't worry. . .I'm okay now. Have a seat. . .can I get you something to drink?"
	"Thanks, but I don't want anything."
	Darien sat opposite him, wondering how much he should tell the other young man. What he'd been through was so difficult to put into words. . .he was still trying to get all the feelings sorted out.
	"I just went through, you might say, kind of a blue period lately. I had a lot to sort out about my relationship with Serena, and the direction my life was going."
	"And your having a dual identity?" Darien looked at him with surprise. What does he know? he thought. How did he find it out? Did I slip and give it away?
	Ken noticed the look on Darien's face. Oh, Gods, he thought. . .I shouldn't have said anything about that. After all, I'm not even supposed to know. He said quickly, "Lita told me you were Tuxedo Mask. I'd suspected for awhile. . .after all, you were the only guy hanging around with them all the time. And whenever the Sailor Soldiers were in action. . .Darien Chiba disappeared from the face of the earth. So I asked Lita, and she confirmed it."
	"You. . .haven't told anyone else, have you?"
	"No. I wouldn't dream of it. I was actually surprised that she told me at all."
	Darien felt a bit relieved. . .Ken certainly didn't seem the type to go blabbing their secrets around willy-nilly.	
	"Well, you'd figured it out yourself," Darien said. "And you'd already known the identities of the girls. But in answer to your earlier question - yes, dealing with my dual identity was part of my problem. A lot of things needed working on. . .but I've identified the problems now. And I'm sorting through them, bit by bit. I've made a lot of discoveries about myself, and about Serena as well."
	"I know very well how it feels to have a relationship start to go wrong on you," Ken said. "Lita and I came close to losing each other a few weeks back."
	"I'm sorry to hear that," Darien said.
	"Well, we're doing *much* better now. See, I'd started to take her for granted, think she'd always be there for me. . .we've been friends since we were six years old. She's always been a part of my life. I let the relationship go dull and stale, thinking I didn't have to work on it. . .and, as a result, it almost ended."
	Darien thought about that.  .about what would have happened if his relationship with Serena *had* ended. He didn't know if he'd be able to cope with life without her. She was the center of his universe. . .had been for a thousand years.
	"It sounds like the fact that you and Lita had such a deep, strong bond worked in your favor."
	"Oh, yeah. And I think it's because we had that bond that we were able to. . .well, let's just say we got a bit daring in order to save our relationship. And it paid off."
	A bit daring, Darien thought. . .just like Serena and me. Ken and Lita probably went off on some sexual tightrope as well. He was curious, but was too gentlemanly to probe.
	"Sometimes," he said, "you just *have* to be daring. It's your only choice."
	"Oh, yeah," Ken said. "Especially if she means enough to you."
	"Ken, if you ever run into any problems with Lita again. . .or need to talk about anything else at all. . .I'm here. You can give me a call or drop in any time."
	"Thanks. . .I really appreciate it. And you can call me as well, if you ever need to talk." He got up. "And now, I have to go."
	"Thank you so much for dropping in."
	"Anytime. Seeya!"
	In the elevator going back down, Ken thought, I came here to offer him comfort. . .and instead, he ended up offering *me* a shoulder to cry on when I need it. He seems to have bounced back from his problems so fast, and so completely. . .he's incredibly strong, whether he realizes it or not. He's the kind of person you've gotta admire. . . 
* * *
	Mina was sitting at her computer, trying to type up a book report. She didn't feel like doing it. Not feeling like doing something was a common mood for her nowadays. Her recent failure to get David and Lori together had really weighed heavy on her mind.
	She was totally oblivious to Artemis hopping in the window, onto the desk and on the floor. When he let out a loud "A-HEM," she jumped and shrieked.
	"Artemis! Where'd you come from?"
	"Well, from Darien's place. . .but on the way there, I saw something you'll be very interested in."
	"I don't think too much could interest me nowadays."
	"This definitely would. When I passed Crown Cafe, I saw David and Lori. Together."
	Suddenly, Mina felt like she'd been hit with a lightning bolt. . .and her mood instantly changed. She turned toward her guardian cat, slowly, a look of pure bliss on her face. . .
	"Really? What were they doing? How close were they sitting? Did you happen to catch the expressions on their faces? Did they look happy? Did they. . ."
	"Now, hold on! I just observed them briefly, and they appeared to be having a friendly chat. Nothing more."
	"But. . .it's a start, right? It's *something*! At least they weren't fighting! Oh, Artemis. . .this is TERRIFIC!"
	"Don't get your hopes up *too* high just yet. Right now, I'm just going to keep a careful eye on the situation. This could develop into something, or it could be nothing. Meanwhile, I have to let Luna know. The two of us might be able to take turns going to the campus to keep an eye on them."
	"I will too! I'll go there and. . ."
	"No, it will be far less conspicuous if Luna and I do it. A cat hanging around a campus looking at people doesn't attract attention. You can't say the same thing for a high school girl. Just leave it to us." He hopped back on the windowsill. "I'll be back in a little while."
	Once alone, Mina hugged herself and did a little dance step around the room. She was right! She'd been right all along! Just. . .in the wrong way! Okay, so they weren't meant to come together in a huge, passionate romance. . .well, at least not at first. . .
	She caught herself. Artemis was right, she thought. . .I can't let myself get my hopes up *too* high. I don't want to have them crash down on me again. I'll be more cautious this time. . .more realistic. It might happen, it might not. . .they could end up just friends, or lovers, or go their separate ways altogether. . .
	But DAMN. . .things are looking up so far! she thought.
	She rushed back to her computer, fired up ICQ and looked for Glen's screen name. . . 
* * *
	Amy hung up the phone. Mina had called her at Adam's house to give her the news about David and Lori, practically screaming with excitement.
	I do hope she doesn't pin all her hopes on their getting together again, she thought. It's highly unlikely. Not after what just happened.
	She pulled the robe - which was all she was wearing - tighter around her as her mind scanned through all the psychological data she had stored away, trying to come up with the term for what was happening between them. . .
	Ah, yes, she thought, reaction formation! Going all the way from one extreme to the other, as a way of overcompensating. They were the bitterest enemies, and so now they're going to be best of friends for awhile. . .and eventually, they'll just go back to being two near-strangers on a campus, who'll say "hi" when they pass each other and then go back to their separate lives.
	Still, she thought, this is all very interesting. I'll have to have Adam keep an eye on them and tell me what's going on. After all, this is shaping up to be a most unusual relationship. . .
	Relationships were on Amy's mind a lot lately. She'd made it a point to research the dynamics of what made people come together and form attachments. Especially romantic and sexual attachments. Her thirst for knowledge about romance and sex was insatiable. She wanted to explore every possibility of her relationship with Adam. . .emotional and physical. She wanted to learn everything there was to learn, first-hand.
	She'd found out about a lot of those possibilities by talking to her friends. They were all comfortable with her, and willing to open up in a one-on-one private conversation. . .although they'd all seemed shocked as hell that *she* was asking about such things. Well, I haven't exactly got a reputation as an erotic fireball, she thought.
	She was amazed at some of the things they'd told her about their private lives. Lita and Ken with the erotic stories. . .and Serena and Darien with all the food, and then what they'd done when they were having relationship problems. . .apparently, her friends led wilder lives than she'd thought!
	She went back into the candlelit bedroom, where Adam was waiting for her, naked, under the covers. She dropped her robe to the floor, crawled over to him and kissed him, holding him tight, letting her tongue flutter in and out of his mouth.
	When they broke apart, he said, "Now. . .where were we?"
	"Well, there's several things we could do. We could cover each other in food and lick it off. . .we could model and strip for each other. . .we could try some new positions, like having you sit in a chair and me sit on your lap, facing away. . ."
	He gave a deep sigh. "Research again?"
	"Yes! It's absolutely remarkable. . .I've learned so much, just like Lita and Serena! And I'd like to learn more!"
	"Amy. . .I appreciate that you're doing all this, but. . .I liked things the way they were. I mean. . .we're always doing something you picked up in your research, and it's all so. . .planned. It's not spontaneous."
	She stroked his hair. "I know. . .but I'm just experimenting right now. It's not going to be like this forever. I'm just trying to find new things for us to try out, that's all. And when we find what we like best, it can be a permanent part of our lovemaking. Our *spontaneous* lovemaking."
	"You're sure about this?"
	"Yes. I *never* intended this research to go on forever. Just long enough to put a little more excitement in our lives. You'll see."
	He paused, as if he was considering what she was saying. . .then put an arm around her, drawing her close, kissing her deeply.
	"Okay, okay, I'll bite," he said. "Now what were those choices again?" 
* * *
	David entered the pub and ordered a cup of coffee. He had some time to relax before his class the next hour. He was positive they were going to spring a pop quiz on the class, but he was ready for it He'd actually had a very productive study session the day before, with Lori there.
	Geez, who'd have thought that I'd feel *calmer* with Lori around? he thought. But I do, somehow. . .strangely enough. There's just a kind of strength that radiates from her that's reassuring.
	He took his coffee to a table, staring into it and stirring. I'm actually looking forward to the next time we can get together, he thought. If you had told me as little as a month ago that I'd actually be looking forward to meeting up with Lori Westland, I'd have told you that you were completely, totally and utterly nuts.
	Just then, he heard someone approaching his table. . .a look up confirmed that it was a fellow student, someone who looked familiar. . .
	"David Chase, right?" the newcomer said.
	"Yeah, that's me. And you are?"
	"Darien Chiba"
	"Darien. . oh, yeah! Have a  seat!"
	Darien sat across from the other boy, and said, "Look, I just wanted to congratulate you on the way you handled that mess at school. It took real courage to say 'the hell with what the other students think' and do what *you* felt was right to put a stop to it."
	"I had no choice. I had to do something,  especially after that fight, and the gun going off."
	"I remember that. It was the worst fight in the history of the campus, the dean said. . .even worse than when they had the riots. And you knew that kind of thing couldn't go on."
	Gods, David thought, it is *so* nice to talk to someone who doesn't think I betrayed half the student body! How long has it been since I met someone like that? And he remembered exactly who this nice person was, and what part he had played. . .unwillingly. . .in the porn controversy. . .
	"Look, Darien. . .I'm sorry that my group kept trying to pull you in just so they could use you as a 'chick magnet.' That was a pretty damn rotten thing to do, and I should have put a stop to it."
	"It's okay, David."
	"No, it's not. It was a joke that got way, way out of hand."
	"What do you mean?"
	"Well, at one of our meetings, we were trying to figure out the best and fastest way to recruit, and one of the girls said. . .she was at least half-joking. . .that if we had one of the school heartthrobs on our side, female students would flock to us like birds. She specifically mentioned your name. But some of the others took her joke seriously, and they started going after you the next day. And then they were all over you like a case of rash. I am *so* sorry. . ."
	"David, don't worry about it. Things were crazy then, out of control, and everyone was a bit wacky. Including me. But now, it's all over."
	"And thank the Gods for that," David replied. "I don't know if I would have survived it going on much longer."
	"So now that it's over, what are you doing with yourself?"
	"I'm still trying to figure that out. Quite frankly, I'm feeling a bit rootless and searching around for something to grab onto." But even as he said this, David was thinking, I have this feeling that there *is* something in my life already that's what I've been looking for. . .now I just have to identify it and go after it. "Let's just say this thing has taken a permanent toll on me. . .I mean, I feel like I'm a totally new person now, and I still have to figure out who this new person is."
	"I know exactly what you're talking about, David. I've been there myself. It's not pleasant."
	"You? But you're the most stable guy around. Everyone's always saying how calm and collected you seem all the time. . ."
	"The key word there is *seem*. Appearance doesn't always match reality, you know. There's been a lot of times where I've seemed to be the most together person on the face of the earth, while in reality, it was quite the opposite. I was being torn up inside."
	David shook his head. "I never would have thought it."
	Wow, Darien thought. Finally, I've met someone I have something in common with. . .who has *two* legs!
	"David. . .I've got to go to class now. . .but I'll give you my number. Remember, I'm always there if you think you need to talk. . .if I don't pick up the phone, just leave a message."
	"Thanks," David said, writing out his own number on a piece of paper and passing it to Darien. Geez, what a nice guy, he thought. There's definitely more to him than the mysterious, aloof glamorpuss. I just may take him up on his offer. *  * *
	"Darn it, where is that Artemis?" Luna peeked out from the basket Serena was carrying. "This is where he said he'd be, right? The campus library?"
	"Yes, Luna. I'm sure he'll be here any second."
	"He was *insistent* I come with him to spy on that David and Lori. He *said* it was just for Mina's piece of mind, but I know that tone in his voice. . .he's interested in what's going on himself. Maybe Artemis is turning into a romantic. . .he's getting just as bad as Mina."
	Serena had to admit she was curious about this latest turn of events herself. She'd heard over and over from Lita, from Mina, from Amy about how David and Lori had clashed like two superpowers. . .and now, they were suddenly hanging around together? It didn't seem right. . .
	"Hey," she said, "maybe this David and Lori were friends all along, and just cooked up this controversy thing as some kind of massive goof! It just got a little out of hand. "
	"Will you listen to yourself? You're worse than Mina *or* Artemis!"
	Luna's remark failed to have much impact on Serena. She'd been so calm and relaxed lately that very little seemed to faze her. Her relationship with Darien had not just been revived, it had been reborn. They were like an entirely new couple now, much more equal.
	I think we both know now just how precious our relationship is, she thought, and how easy it would be for us to lose each other. . .and we're never going to take each other for granted again.
	She was snapped out of her reverie by Luna saying, "Well! It's about time!"
	"Sorry about that," Artemis said. "I thought I saw David back there. . .but it wasn't him."
	"Any sign of the other one?" Luna jumped out of the basket to the ground.
	"Nope. But it's almost class-changing time, she may be walking by any minute."
	They sound like a couple of teenyboppers chasing an idol singer, Serena thought. It's kind of cute, in a way.
	"We're going to go look for them," Luna told Serena. "Can you be back here to pick us up in an hour?"
	"Sure, no problem. I'll be in the arcade if you need me."
	Soon after Serena departed, a bell rang across the campus, and students began leaving their 3 o'clock classes. . .the last classes of the day for many of them. The two felines found themselves enveloped in a sea of blue denim and trendy athletic footwear.
	"They *all* look like David to me," Luna mumbled as quietly as possible.
	"I'll know him when I see him," Artemis replied.
	But there was no sign of him. Apparently, he'd headed out to town, or to another class in the same building as his three o'clock. . .
	But they *did* see a familiar redhead flounce past them. They looked at each other, gave a wordless nod, and took off in pursuit. She was headed to the rear of the campus, toward the dorms reserved for those sophomores lucky enough to be winners in the annual room lottery.
	"I hope she lives on the ground floor," Artemis murmured. "I don't feel like climbing a tree right now."
	They paused in front of the building when they saw her go in the front door, and scanned the windows, looking for signs of life. . .
	Sure enough, the light went on in a ground floor window almost all the way to the right of the building. They scampered over to it and peered in.
	"Not much of a housekeeper, is she?" Luna said. "This looks as bad as Serena's room!"
	"Are you kidding?" said Artemis. "This is neat as a pin compared to Mina's!"
	Lori was sitting at her desk, leaning over with her chin resting on her hand, the look on her face indicating she was deep in thought, perhaps puzzling over something, or trying to make a decision. . .
	Then, she got up and crossed the room to the window, opening it wide. A bonus for the cats, who could now hear what was going on in there.
	She picked up the phone and began to dial, still holding the thoughtful expression on her face.
	"Hi, it's Lori. . .Oh, okay, how are you doing?. . . .Really?. . .I've heard about that professor before. He's got a reputation for being a *total* dickweed. . .uh-huh, me too. Listen, do you want to come over here to study tonight? The Idiot Twins next door are going to a party at one of the frat houses, so I can guarantee there'll be no loud rap music. . .Eight o'clock? Fine with me. Okay, I'll see you then! 'Bye!"
	She hung up the phone, grabbed her keys and left the room.
	"It's David!" Artemis said. "I *know* she was talking to David!"
	"How can you be so sure of that? You're jumping to conclusions!"
	"If they're being so buddy-buddy, it's only natural she'd be calling him!"
	"How do you know they're being *truly* buddy-buddy? Serena told me that Darien said there's all kind of rumors going around about those two. Like they're just spying on each other, or they're part of some massive human psychology experiment some psych students cooked up. . ."
	Artemis snorted. "Don't tell me you *believe* something as outlandish as that!"
	"Well, not the experiment part. . .but it *is* possible she's just spying on him and relaying information to her supporters!"
	"*Now* who's jumping to conclusions?"
	Luna ignored that remark, and said, "I just wish we could come back here at eight. But Serena has a test to study for tonight, and I don't think I'd be able to make it all the way here by myself at night."
	"Why, Luna. . .I think you're curious about what's going on!"
	"Just a little. Just because it's so *odd* that they went from enemies to friends so quickly. . ."
	Yeah, right, Artemis thought. You want to see how this is going to turn out just as badly as I do. . .and you'll be back here with me to spy on them again. 
* * *
	Two weeks later to the day, Lori made a similar call, and the same request, one which David accepted.
	As he hung up the phone, he thought that they'd been getting together quite a bit to study lately. . .in fact, it was a rare night that they *didn't* get together.
	It just feels so *natural* for us to be together, he thought. Like it had been meant to be from the beginning. . .and that's what worries me.
	He hadn't felt that way with someone in a long while. Not with the Freedom League buddies, not with any of his other campus friends. . .hell, he wondered if he'dever felt that way with anyone but Tracy.
	What's going on here? he thought. Are we developing a strong, deep friendship? Or is. . .something else starting to happen?
	He thought about how her behavior toward him was starting to change. She was getting.  . .softer. Less combative. She was actually willing to *discuss* something they had different opinions on instead of immediately going on the defensive. Just the other night, he'd said something about "feminists who don't understand what's *really* on women's minds," and had immediately braced for impact. . .but she had just smiled, shrugged, and said, "Well, a lot of the more vocal leaders of the movement *are* out of touch with reality." He'd been stunned.
	In a way, he thought, I miss the arguments, the constant give-and-take, the matching of minds. . .this almost feels *too* comfortable.
	Maybe I should put a stop to this before it goes too far, too fast, he thought. Maybe I should just call her up and make my excuses, tell her that I can't make it tonight. Because if I keep going over there, or have her come here, night after night. . .one of these nights, something could happen. Do I want this relationship taken to the next level? It would be a dangerous game. We *are* former bitter enemies. . .what if we were to get deeply involved with each other, and then something from the past would rear its ugly head and destroy the relationship?
	His thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Is that her? he wondered. I don't know if I'd want to deal with her right now. . .
	But upon opening the door, he saw Darien. "Hi, there," he said. "I was on my way back home from the grocery store, and your place was on the way, so I thought I'd stop in and say hello."
	"Oh, sure," David said. "Come on in."
	Great, he thought. Now I have to make small talk, and I don't know if I can right now.
	Once his guest was seated, David said, "So, um, how is your girlfriend doing?"
	"Serena? Oh, she's never been better. She and I had some problems a little while back, but they're settled."
	"Good, that's good. Wouldn't want to have anything happen to the two of you. Everyone's always saying what a great couple you are. Like the other day one ofthe guys in my building was going on and on about seeing 'Darien and his gorgeous blonde.'"
	Something's wrong, Darien thought. He's babbling. And he's fidgeting all over the place.
	"David. . .is something bothering you?"
	"Bothering me? Why in the world would you say something like that?"
	"Take a look at the bottom of your shirt."
	David looked down, and saw a patch of fabric that was crumpled so badly it looked like the surface of a relief map. He'd been twisting it again and again and again."
	"It's nothing," he said. "Just fidgeting, I do that from time to time. I'm fine."
	"Are you really?" Darien said softly.
	David wanted to say yes. . .but the word was stuck in his throat. He paced a bit more, fidgeted with his shirt a bit more. . .and finally spoke the truth. "No."
	"Sit down," Darien said. "Want to talk about it?"
	He plunked down into a chair. "It's nothing major, really. I just.  . .I just tend to make my own problems with women. And I'm doing it again now."
	"Get in a fight with someone?"
	"No, nothing like that. It's just. . .ah, hell, the worst thing a guy can do is not be able to speak his feelings, and I keep doing it.."
	"Not be able to speak your feeling about what?"
	"Well, there's someone I'm interested in, but I'm afraid to speak up about it because I'm scared. I don't want it to come to a bad end, and. . .there's a lot of potential for a bad end in this relationship."
	Pre-relationship jitters, Darien thought. Something every guy on the planet has gone through. . .but in David's case, I have a feeling it goes deeper than just wanting to ask someone out on a casual date.
	"Do you fight a lot with this person?" he said.
	"No. . .well, not anymore. And that's what's troubling me, it's working out *too* well! We got comfortable *real* fast. I don't want to rush blindly into a disaster!"
	"I can understand you being afraid," Darien said. "This sounds like you're venturing into the unknown. . .is this someone you didn't expect to end up dating?"
	"This is one of the last people in the *world* I thought I'd end up dating!"
	Perhaps one of Lori's supporters? Darien thought. That would certainly explain why he was uncomfortable with it. Or maybe even. . .Lori herself? They *had* been seen together quite a bit lately. . .
	He decided it was best not to pry too far. Instead, he said, "Even though being afraid is okay. . .you shouldn't let your fear dominate you. You'll never know if this relationship will work out unless you take the risk, stop being passive and make a move. If it works, you're a happy man, if it doesn't. . .at the very least, you'll have learned something that you can carry forward into your next relationship."
	David let out a big sigh. "I know, but. . .if this relationship fails, I'll not only have lost a girlfriend, I'll have lost a good buddy, too. I'm not sure if love is worth risking the friendship."
	"David. . .do you believe that this has any potential at all to work?"
	He took a deep breath and said quietly, "Yes. Yes, I do."
	"Then follow through on that belief, and go for it. Happiness is worth going to extremes for." This made Darien think of his own recent troubles with Serena, what they had to do to solve them. . .
	"Sometimes," he said, "extreme measures are necessary."
	David thought it over. Canceling the study session, he thought, would be running away. As much as I don't want our friendship to turn into a broken romance. . .I want to shut her out of my life even less. And I do believe that this *does* have potential to work. . .there's at least as much chance of success as there is of failure. And if nothing happens romantically, we're still friends.
	"Thanks a lot," he told Darien. "You just prevented me from making a big mistake."
	Darien smiled. "Anytime, David. I'm here to be your friend, like I told you before."
	"And I'll be your friend, if you ever need me." He got up and started getting together his books. "I'm sorry to cut this off, but I have to meet someone in a few minutes."
	"No problem whatsoever. Want a lift to where you're going?"
	"It's just back to campus, a few blocks. . .I'll be fine."
	"Okay. I'll see you later, then, pal."
	"You too. . .thanks again."
	Darien walked back to his car and watched David take off in the direction of the college. Strange that a guy who seems so in control of everything would feel so insecure in his relationships with women, he thought. He said that he creates his own problems with women. . .well, that's common enough. A lot of guys do. . .
	And then, a voice in the back of his head asked him, "Do you? What happened between you and Serena? You accused her of manipulating you, of forcing you to take her lead. . . .but did she *really*? Or were you just reacting to everything else you were going through. . ."
	Images of their intimate encounters before the night she gave herself to him began forming in his mind. Was she *always* in control? Was he *always* passive? Did he unjustly accuse her?
	He sat deep in thought for several long moments. . .then gunned the car and headed toward Serena's house. 
* * *
	The car headed out into the woods, toward a spot on the hill overlooking the city. He and I have been here before, Serena thought. He brought me here on his motorcycle one night, and we made love while looking down at all the lights. . .
	It had been a surprise when he'd come into the living room, where she and Reenie were watching some pseudo-fantasy anime or another, and asked her to go for a drive with him, because he needed to talk to her alone. Reenie had begged to come along, but Darien had gently but firmly told her it was to be Serena and him only.
	He's been quiet since we left, she thought. Oh, Gods, what if it's something bad. . .just when things were going so well between us. . .
	They stopped near the spot, and he got out, getting a blanket from the trunk. "Let's sit over here, honey, and we'll talk."
	He spread it out, and she sat next to him, leaning on his shoulder. "Remember the last time we were here, Darien? That was back when I was getting upset over Leanne. . .the stuff that's happened to us since then makes that seem like nothing in comparison, doesn't it?"
	"That's what I want to talk to you about. . ."
	"Huh? Leanne?"
	"No. . .what's been happening lately." He stroked her hair. "When I was in a bad way a few weeks ago, I'd accused you of manipulating me, of using me as a puppet. Tonight, I was over at David's, talking some things over with him, some problems he's been having. . .and it made me think a lot about my own problems. I realize now I unfairly accused you, and I'm sorry. I'm equally to blame. I brought a lot of it on myself."
	"Darien, don't say that."
	"But it's true. I could have asserted myself. . .I could have said no to some of the things you wanted to do. . .but I didn't. I let myself fall into a totally weak and helpless mode. And I created my own problems. I'm so, so sorry, Serena, for putting the blame completely on you."
	She was stunned, as stunned as when she'd heard his original accusation. "Darien. . .it's all right, really. You don't have to say that. . . ."
	"Is it all right, Serena? Really?"
	She started to nod her head yes, and then remembered how she'd felt when he told her she'd manipulated him.
	"No," she said, barely above a whisper. "When you said that to me, I was shocked and bewildered. I didn't know why you'd say such a thing to me. It really hurt."
	He pulled her into his arms. "Oh, darling, I'm so sorry, so, so sorry. . .please let me make it up to you."
	"There's no need to feel sorry, Darien. It was something we needed to go through. We had a problem in our relationship. . .something we both were to blame for. . .and we worked it out."
	He sighed. "That's another thing. . .how we worked it out. I feel kind of guilty about that. I'm wondering if it was necessary for you to have gone to such an extreme to help me." She degraded herself, he thought, in order to do what she thought she had to. . .
	She stroked his face. "Don't feel guilty, Darien. It was a good experience for both of us. It drew us closer, made us realize how much we really trust each other. I feel closer to you than I ever have. The fact that we're sitting here talking like this just proves it. . .we were never able to share our deepest feelings like this before."
	He pulled her closer and stroked her hair. "Gods, honey. . .sometimes you show such wisdom, such insight. . .I can see the queen you're going to be." He pressed his lips to her cheek, her temple. "I feel closer to you than ever, too. . .like I can share anything with you. We're truly *one* now."
	"I love you. . .more than ever before."
	"I love you, too."
	He brought his lips to hers, a feathery touch, a light caress. She responded, kissing back eagerly, her arms embracing him, caressing him. They sank to the ground together, their hands searching for the closures on each other's clothing.
	It was far from the first time they'd tasted love. But it had never, ever tasted so sweet. 
* * *
	When Lori answered the door to her room, David's heart was pounding. I just have this feeling, he thought, that something's going to happen. . .
	"Come in," she said. "Have a seat."
	He sat down on the bed, like he'd done many times before. Gods, he thought, I'm all jittery. . .you'd think I'd never seen her before! Like a 13-year-old going on his first date. . .
	"So how's it going?" she said, sitting down at her desk.
	"Oh. . .fine," he said, opening a math textbook. Study, he thought. Yes, that's right, I'm here for a study session.
	"I'm doing a bit better. 'Course, Meghan and Pamela still aren't talking to me, and I'm beginning to wonder if they ever will again. . .but somehow, it doesn't seem so bad anymore."
	"Well, that's good. . .listen, you had Chumley for math last semester, didn't you? Is it true that he pulls nasty surprises on his midterms?"
	"I did, but. . ."
	"Somebody warned me about him when I signed up for the class, but I decided I was going to take it, anyway." He showed her a page of the book. "This look like the kind of thing he tests people on?"
	"Um. . .yes. . ."
	What the heck is he doing? Lori thought. Normally, we have a nice talk before hitting the books. . .and there's so much I wanted to talk to him about tonight.
	"Good. Then that's what I'll concentrate on." He promptly buried his face in the book, shutting her out entirely.
	Okay, she thought, maybe he's tired, he's had a rotten day. . .maybe he just needs a few minutes to settle in, and then he'll talk to me like normal.
	But soon, 15 minutes had passed. . .and he hadn't looked up from the book at all.
	Lori dropped her own textbook and decided to try to start a conversation. "A couple of people who haven't talked to me in weeks finally sat down with me in the cafeteria for a talk."
	David just grunted and kept studying.
	"They said that they were sorry they've been neglecting me. . .one of them, Lucy, said she was really pissed off at me when it first happened but now that she's given it some thought, she's come around and she understands why I did what I did. . ."
	He just grunted again, not looking up from the book.
	Dammit, she thought, I will *not* be treated like I'm just a part of the furniture! She got up, snatched the math book right out of his hands, and said, "What the HELL is with you tonight?"
	"Huh?"
	"Don't HUH me, David Chase! You come in, sit down, ask a couple of questions about school, then start ignoring me? That is NOT like you. Something is up."
	"Nothing's *up*. I'm fine."
	"Fine? You don't seem fine to me. When you refuse to talk to someone who supposedly is your *friend*. . .that's not fine."
	"Look, Lori, I've got a lot of studying to do. . ."
	"You *always* have a lot of studying to do. And so do I. But we usually have time for each other *before* we start studying!"
	He stood up. "You're being unreasonable!"
	"I'M being unreasonable? Listen to the pot calling the kettle black! You refuse to tell me what's wrong, David Chase. . .so I'm telling you this. Either you fess up here and now, or you get out of my room and forget about any more *study sessions* in the future!"
	He wanted to come back at her with an equally cutting remark. . .but suddenly, his fear was overwhelming his anger. The fear that she would no longer be a part of his life.
	"All right," he said. "You want to know what's wrong? What's wrong is you and me. This is starting to scare me, Lori. We went from mortal enemies to friends. We like being with each other. I feel. . .*more me* when I'm around you. And I'm confused as hell. I don't know if you're a friend to me. . .or something more. And if it's something more, what happens if we start fighting again, and break up? I don't know if I could take that again, not after what happened with Tracy. And the way we used to fight, I think this relationship would be doomed from the start."
	She listened in amazement. I can't believe it, she thought. He's been having the same feelings, the same thoughts, the same fears that I have!
	"David. . .oh, Gods. . ."
	He sighed. "Never mind. Forget that I even said that. Let's go on with the way things were."
	"No. . .we need to talk." She began pacing the room. "I'd be lying if I said I didn't have the same feelings. I've thought about it a lot, David. . .how glad I am to have you as a part of my life now, and how unhappy I'd be if you weren't. And I'm afraid, too. I'm scared as hell. Because I've had a lot of disappointment before this, a lot of failure, a lot of terrible things happening, I just know that if this blew up in my face, it would scar me for life. But I'm willing to risk it, because the payoff is happiness. Hell, I'd put anything on the line to be happy." She turned towards him. "And if you had any guts, you would too!"
	David didn't even try to think of a response. He just followed his first impulse. . .which was to jump up, run across the room, grab her in his arms and kiss her - hard, fast and deep. She stiffened at first. . .and then, she relaxed, and began kissing him back with equal ardor, her arms coming around him, her lips moving against his. They breathed in each other's scents, felt their bodies molding against each other. . .it was the very first time, and yet itfelt so natural, so right, as if they'd been doing this for years.
	When they broke apart, she gave a little sigh, a dazed look on her face. She didn't let go of him, and leaned her head against his chest.
	"That. . .was. . .jeez, why the hell didn't we do this before?" she said.
	"You know. . .I was just thinking the exact same thing."
	"Maybe we should make up for lost time. . ."
	"I like that idea." He held her closer, and brought his lips to hers again. Sweet, so sweet, her scent, her taste. . .like exotic fruits. . .He found it absolutely intoxicating. He let his tongue tease her just a tiny bit, and her lips opened with a tiny gasp.
	That was all the invitation he needed. He plunged in, exploring, caressing her tongue with his own, bringing it out so he could tease the inside of her lips. . .She made a low purring noise in her throat, and he felt himself getting more and more aroused.
	She took her lips from his to tip her head back, inviting him to kiss along her neck. It was one he was *not* going to turn down. As he moved up and down the soft, soft skin, she caressed his chest through his shirt, and he gave a little groan. . .it put other images in his head, images of both of them naked, of her massaging and stroking him all over, of him kissing, licking, suckling her breasts. . .
	No, he thought. Not yet. . .not that. . .
	But for now, this is wonderful. Absolutely bloody wonderful.
	They settled into each other's arms, just cuddling, holding each other close, enjoying the sensation of being so near to this person.
	"Damn," she said, "I think we just crossed the line."
	"What line?"
	"The line between 'friends' and 'boyfriend and girlfriend.'"
	"Doesn't feel much different to me. Except. . .more relaxed."
	"Yeah. . .I feel like we're finally being honest with ourselves, and each other."	
	He laughed. "Damn, that sounds heavy."
	"Sometimes, I surprise myself."
	"Not bad for a loudmouth redhead."
	"And you're not bad for a blowhard stuffed shirt."
	He laughed and hugged her tighter. "Gods, who would have thought we'd end up like this. . ."
	"Not me, that's for damn sure. At least not at first."
	"Me neither. But Gods, am I glad we were wrong."
	"So am I." And she brought her lips to his for another kiss.
	The books sat on the bed and desk, forgotten. 
* * *
	Darien checked his watch. He still had a few minutes to make it to the pub, he didn't have to rush.
	"Hey, watch it!" said a voice from the basket he was holding. "It feels like I'm on the Titanic!"
	"Sorry, Artemis," Darien said. "I'm not used to carrying a cat around."
	"That's okay. I should be very used to it by now. I barely survived some of the trips I've made with Mina."
	"Are you *sure* you want to stay hidden in that basket for however long I'm in there? I could tell you what happened. . ."
	"Nope. I want to see this with my own eyes. The fact that they *both* asked you to meet them there says something's up."
	"Aren't you and Luna still keeping tabs on them?"
	"Yes, but we haven't seen much different than before. Except. . ."
	"Except what?"
	"When they have their study sessions. . .both of them have tended to keep the curtains closed."
	Hmm, Darien thought, that *is* interesting. He hadn't seen the two together that much lately, but he *had* spoken to David alone, and he'd noticed a change in his friend's demeanor. He seemed. . .softer. Less edgy.
	"Okay," Darien said, "we're here. Now remember, you agreed to lay low and stay quiet."
	"No problem whatsoever." And he ducked down into the basket.
	Darien opened the door and walked in. David and Lori were at a booth about halfway back. They were leaning awfully close to each other, talking quietly, as if they were sharing a secret . .
	"Hi," Darien said, approaching them. He noticed Lori got up and moved to sit next to David - the way Serena does when someone joins her and me in a booth, he thought.
	"Hey, there, buddy," David said. "Sit, sit. How's it going?"
	"No complaints," Darien said, putting the basket next to him. "Hi, Lori."
	"Hello, Darien. Haven't seen you around in awhile."
	"Been busy as heck. Midterms, and then some heavy lab stuff. . ."
	David leaned towards Lori and said in a loud stage whisper, "That's spelled S-E-R-E-N-A." Both of them laughed, and Darien had to smile himself. Good grief, he thought, I never thought I'd see the day when either of them would be making a joke!
	"Well, in part, yes," Darien said. "And what have you two been up to? Are you still with your groups?"
	Lori shook her head. "We haven't had a single Women United meeting since the shit came down. And I can't say that I miss it. Like the song says, 'It was great when it all began'. . .but at the end, it was just a mess. Not what I intended it to be at all."
	"Same here," David said. "For all intents and purposes, the Freedom League is history."
	"It's better for me, anyhow," Lori said. "I'd forgotten what it was like to just come home from class, turn on the TV and veg."
	"You don't veg," David replied. "I've seen you watching TV, and you're usually doing homework or looking up something on the Web while it's on. You're not a *veg* person, Lori."
	"Well, you're not, either. I don't think I've seen you sit still for more than a minute. Even when you're studying, you've got your legs jiggling or you're flipping your notebook cover back and forth."
	"This from the woman who paces around the room while she's talking?"
	Wow, Darien thought. They're certainly. . .comfortable with each other, bantering like this. And it sounds like they've been spending a lot of time together as well.
	"You study together a lot?" he asked them.
	"Oh, yeah," Lori said. "My place or his. Somehow, in the middle of all the jiggling and pacing, we manage to get work done."
	"Hey, she's a better study partner than Mike and Tommy used to be," David said. "For one thing, I don't have to listen every two minutes to someone groaning about that cute girl in their 10 o'clock class who doesn't know they're alive."
	Lori put her hand on his shoulder and leaned toward him a bit, saying, "And I certainly hope *I* don't start hearing it." Both of them laughed, a look briefly passed between them. . .then she leaned back to her seat.
	"Well, anyway," David said, "how'd you make out in midterms, anyway?"
	Meanwhile, Artemis was  struggling to see over the top of the basket without giving himself away. Damn it all! he thought. I need a periscope on this thing! Maybe I should have Darien build me a special basket with one. Something is *definitely* going on up there, and I want to know what it is! He could hear the three of them discussing various classes, various professors. . .It's perfectly normal conversation, he thought, but there's definitely something different about David and Lori's *voices.* It's as if someone drained all the anger out of both of them. If only I could see their *faces* as well. . .
	The more he thought about them frequently studying together, the more he was convinced that there was far more going on than mere studying. I have *got* to tell Luna about this, he thought. We're coming down here *tonight*, and we're going to get to the bottom of what's going on if we have to crash through Lori's windowpane!
	He felt the basket lifting. Darien was saying, "I'll see the two of you around. Maybe sometime I'll bring Serena and the four of us can all meet up for dinner somewhere."
	"Sounds great," David replied.
	"Sounds great to me, too," Lori said. "Talk to you later, Darien!"
	And then, there was the queasy sway of the basket moving again. Artemis waited until the sounds of the bustling campus faded away, then poked his head up.
	"Well?" he said. "What do you think?"
	"Let's put it this way," Darien replied. "They've come a *long* way from being enemies."
	"How did they look?"
	"Mellow. Smiling. Gods, I can't remember when I saw either of them smile! And very comfortable. Comfortable with each other."
	"Did it look like they were in love?"
	"I don't want to jump to any conclusions. I didn't see any kissing or hand-holding or anything like that. But there were a couple of points where she put her hand on his shoulder, and it seemed. . .natural."
	"Great! So something *is* up!"
	"I'm not going to jump to any conclusions. It may just be a strong friendship. If it's something more, I'm happy for them. If it isn't. . .well, I'm just happy that they seem to have made their peace with themselves and the world."
	Artemis jumped from the basket. "Okay, I'm going to tell Luna and Mina about this! I'll see you later!"
	As he watched Artemis go, Darien began thinking about the vibrations he'd sensed around them. It was the same kind he'd felt around Serena, the same he'd felt in the presence of any loving couple - Mina and Glen, Amy and Adam, Serena's parents. . .
	It's a good to excellent chance, he thought. They've found love with each other. Ironic. . .but wonderful. 
* * *
	Two hours later, David met up with Lori as she exited the campus library. "Ready for another evening of microwaved cafeteria Styrofoam?" he said.
	"Honestly, I don't know why you eat dinner on campus when you have a kitchenette in your apartment. I live in a dorm, I have no choice."
	"One word. . .laziness. Plus, my cooking has been used to make prisoners of war talk."
	"And the cafeteria food hasn't?"
	"Point taken."
	They began walking across the quadrangle, to the main building. I feel at peace with myself, David thought. It's so nice not to have to worry about meetings or demonstrations or counterstrategy. . .and it's so nice to have someone always there for you.
	Since their first kiss, he and Lori had spent even more time together than ever. There'd been more kissing. . .a lot more kissing. . .but it hadn't gone further than that, and no declarations of love had been made.
	It's good this way, he thought. No strings, no commitment. . .but do I want it to *stay* like this? Do I want to take it a step further?
	She was going on and on about someone she'd seen in the library who had a holier-than-thou attitude, when she knew for a *fact* his personal life was less than pristine. . .He was barely paying attention to her words. He was too busy looking at her.
	All the time we were fighting, he thought, all the time I thought of her as The Enemy. . .I never noticed the way her eyes reflect the light. Or that her hair has a nice natural wave to it, the kind you know couldn't possibly come from a home perm. Or that her favorite thing to wear for almost any occasion is Levi's and a college sweatshirt. . .and on her, they look fashionable.
	Suddenly, he didn't feel in the mood to sit in that noisy cafeteria that always smelled of boiled dishrags and chow down on rubbery, tasteless food. He wanted to see her in a *nice* setting.
	"Lori. . .the hell with the cafeteria. Let's go to Sushiden. I'm buying."
	She looked down at her usual clothing. "I'm not dressed for that place."
	"Since when do they have a dress code? You look fine. Hey, I'm not exactly high-fashion, either."
	She took in his flannel shirt and black jeans. "You could say that again!" But privately, she was thinking. . .he *really* fills out those slacker clothes. Good thing I'm not the kind of woman who falls at the feet of an attractive man and does whatever he wants. . .the pornography thing would have been over in a day!
	"Okay, we're even. Come on, it's just a few blocks' walk. . ."
	"What the hell," she said. Hmm, she thought, the prospect of a nice dinner, a quiet talk with David. . .suddenly, it seemed like the highlight of her entire week.  
* * *
	"I want to come with you!" Mina said to Luna and Artemis. They were in her room, pow-wowing about what Artemis had heard and Darien had seen.
	"Mina, I've told you before. . .you can't," Artemis said. "If they see us, we're just a couple of stray cats at the window. If they see you. . .you get arrested for being a peeping Tom. Try explaining *that* one to your mother!"
	"But what if I go as Sailor Venus? They wouldn't dare arrest Sailor Venus!"
	"If you go in your Sailor Soldier form, you'll just attract twice as much attention if you're spotted," Luna said. "Just let Artemis and I handle it."
	Damn, Mina thought. There's got to be a way. . .
	"Okay, what time do we want to leave?" Artemis said.
	"They usually leave the cafeteria about seven, right?" Luna said.  "We probably want to be on campus by then, so we can figure out if they're going to her place or his. Maybe we can run on ahead and nudge the curtains open just a bit, if they're going to her place and she has the window open. . ."
	"Which she usually does," Artemis said. "I swear, she must freeze to death in the winter."
	Suddenly, Mina jumped up and shouted, "I have it! I'll borrow Serena's Luna Pen and use it to make myself invisible! There's no *way* they could arrest me then!"
	"The Luna Pen was never intended to be used for such foolishness!" Luna snapped."It's for *official* Sailor Soldier business, which this is not!"
	"Oh, yeah?" said Mina. "If it's so *foolish*, why are *you* doing it?"
	Luna, taken aback, was at a loss for words. "Um, well. . ."
	"Look, Mina, just leave it to us," Artemis said. "We'll tell you everything, we promise. You don't want to be away from your computer when Glen comes online, do you?"
	At that, Mina brightened. "No way!"
	"Good," said Artemis. "We'll be back in a couple of hours."
	Mina watched them jump out the window and scurry away. I still wish I could go with them, she thought. But Artemis is right. . .I want to talk to Glen. He'll be thrilled to know about this latest news!
	She thought about how miserable she'd been when their attempt to get them together had failed. . .and how she was the opposite of miserable now.
	I was right, she thought. I was right all along. Hey, it's not for nothing that I'm the priestess of the goddess of love, right?
	But she knew she had nothing to do with them getting together. I'm not about to take the credit for that, she thought. That was just fate. . .or destiny. . .
	She looked out the window. The cats were nowhere in sight. Wonder how long before they come back, she thought. . .I can't wait!
	Meanwhile, Luna and Artemis arrived at campus just as the first students were starting to depart the cafeteria.
	"I don't see them anywhere," she said.
	"It's early yet," he replied. "Just keep watching."
	More and more students came and went. . .and David and Lori were nowhere to be seen. Did we miss them? Artemis thought. No, we couldn't have, they don't leave the cafeteria right away. Darien said that they're both linger-over-a-couple-of-cups-of-coffee types. . .
	"Could they have eaten in the pub?" Luna said.
	"No, the pub doesn't serve complete meals, just snacks," Artemis replied. "My guess is they went off-campus to eat."
	"Hmm," Luna said. "A dinner date."
	A dinner date indeed, he thought. A real *date.* We'd better stick around campus for awhile, things could get interesting when they get back. 
* * *
	"Want some more sake?" David said.
	"You're trying to get me drunk, aren't you? You expect me to fall for that? It's the oldest tactic in the book!"
	He chuckled. "Thought it was worth a try."
	She smiled. "Ah, what the hell. A little more."
	He filled her cup. They'd just had a marvelous dinner, the best food either of them had eaten in weeks, if not months. The restaurant had a great atmosphere, candles on the table, a band playing soft, jazzy music. . .it was hard not to feel warm and mellow.
	Which they definitely did.
	He filled her cup, then his own. "A toast," he said, raising it. "To getting the hell off campus."
	"Amen to that. I was beginning to feel like I was putting roots down there."
	"Me, too."
	"Why are you saying that? You live off-campus!"
	"I *sleep* off-campus. And study with you. That's about it. Rest of my life, I'm in class or the library. So many projects and term papers I put off that I have to catch up on now. . ."
	"Oh, I know how that feels. There's a lot of things I put on hold. . ."
	"All of them having to do with school?"
	She looked down at her little sake cup and sloshed the liquid around. "No, not all of them. Let's face it, my entire life was on hold. Everything was my group and my cause. Even when I spent time with friends. . .the friends were members of my group."
	David suddenly wished that the stepfather who'd abused her was in front of him, so he could pound the bastard into the ground. He stole her soul, he thought. Whatever she might have been before, by the time he got through with her she was nothing but a pile of obsessions. Her entire life was devoted toward trying to wipe out the hurt by wiping out what she thought had caused the hurt.
	He leaned over and put his hand on top of hers. "Lori. . .it's over. You don't have to live like that anymore. You can be *you*."
	She gave a sad smile. "I know. . .but I spent so much time just living for my cause. . .I think I've forgotten who *me* is apart from it."
	"I know. I think I've lost some of *me*, too. But we can both get it back. We can help each other get it back."
	Oh, Gods! he thought. Did I just say that? That sounded so. . .so. . .intimate. . .
	I've never had a man talk to me like that before, she thought. He sounds so. . .loving, so nurturing. . .imagine, David Chase, Mr. Temper, has a loving side! There's so much about him I don't know. . .and so much I want to learn.
	There was a silence, neither one knowing what to say for a long moment.
	Finally, he said, "Do you want to dance?"
	"I'd love to."
	They stood up, and headed to the dance floor. They reached for each other's shoulders and waists, and their hands collided at first. They looked at each other and gave a sheepish grin, then they clasped hands, their other hands on each other's waists. They swayed back and forth to the music, keeping a respectable distance from each other. . .
	. . .and then, they started to move closer, instinctively. First, she took a couple of steps toward him. . .then, her arm around his waist started to tighten. . .his arm tightened as well, and he pulled her toward him, so they were body-to-body.
	So warm, she thought. . .so warm and nice. . .and he smells so good, a bit like wood smoke, a bit like musk. . .She became very much aware of her breasts pressed flat against his chest, of the sound of his breathing. . .and she found her heart quickening, a tingling spreading over her body.
	I'm getting turned on, she thought. *Very* turned on. The thought was frightening. . .and exhilarating.
	He was feeling her hair as it brushed against his fingers. . .so satiny-soft, thick and luxurious. He resisted the urge to bury his face in it, inhale its scent, draw it into his body. . .and then, he felt another urge, to let his hands wander and trace every bit of her. . .
	His head leaned toward hers, and hers tilted towards him. When their lips met, both felt an electric charge, as if a current was passing between them. She made a small noise in her throat, pulling him tighter still, her lips pressing on his more insistently. Yes, yes, she thought, I want this, I want this more than anything else in the world! With the man who used to be my most mortal enemy. . .it's strange and weird and odd and very, very wonderful!
	He let his tongue part her lips, plunging in with force, reaching for hers. . .when he found it, he caressed it tenderly as his hands wandered up and down her back. I want to go lower, he thought. Oh, Gods, I want to grasp her butt and squeeze it, right on the dance floor, in front of everybody. I have to stop this now, before it goes any further. . .He took his mouth from hers, but that was just an encouragement to her . . .her lips began to travel over his cheek to his ear, with slow, maddening precision. His heart was thudding, and he knew that pretty soon, his body was going to react in a way that would embarrass him in public.
	Not that he cared at this point.
	When her tongue touched his earlobe, he let out a groan, feeling his control breaking. He grasped her head between both hands, held it still and brought his lips to hers again. This time, their tongues tangled wildly, and he felt her move her legs. . . so they were on either side of his thigh. . .and then he felt her womanhood began to press on his leg.. . .
	He eased away from her quickly, panting. She was flushed, and panting as well. . .and he could clearly see the outline of her erect nipples through her sweatshirt. He was sure she could see the outline of something else through his own garments.
	"I think we're almost at the point where the police are going to break in and arrest us," he said with a sheepish grin.
	"You're right. I think we should get out of here and. . .maybe go somewhere more private."
	"Your dorm is closer than my apartment."
	"You're on. Let's get out of here." 
* * *
	"Can't we leave?" Artemis said. "They obviously went to a bar or something, they're not coming back right soon."
	"You were the one who insisted on coming here tonight," Luna replied.
	"That was before I knew they'd keep us waiting for hours!"
	"All right. We'll give them a couple more minutes, then we'll go back to Mina's. Honestly, Artemis, I don't know why you. . ."
	And then, he saw a couple of familiar figures coming up the path toward Lori's dorm. . .a couple of figures standing *very* close together.
	"It's them!" he told Luna. "Look!"
	Both cats jumped into a nearby shrubbery and peered out at the two as they passed. It was David and Lori, all right. He had his arm around her shoulders, she had her head on his shoulder and her arm around his waist. . .
	"Holy smoke," Artemis whispered, "it's even more serious than we thought! They look like they're about ready to. . ."
	Without another word, both cats sprang to their vantage point below Lori's window. Sure enough, it was open, and Luna had already parted the curtains enough so that they could both see.
	As soon as the door closed behind them, David backed Lori up against the wall, crushing his mouth down on hers. Her body was rubbing up against his, and she felt hot, so hot, like she was scorching him. . .and oh, Gods, did he want to burn. He felt her lips leave his, and start to move down his neck. He let out a moan. . .
	And then, he blurted out, "Lori, I think I love you."
	All motion stopped. They eased away from each other.
	Oh, no, he thought. I've ruined everything. What the hell did I have to do that for? Stupid, stupid, stupid.  . .
	Did. . .did I just hear him say what I thought he said? she thought. He said he *loved* me? No man has ever said those words to me before!
	There was a pause of only a few seconds, but it felt like hours to the two of them, as they fumbled around in their minds for something to say, something that could possibly ease the tension of the moment.
	"Oh, Gods, Lori. . .	I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. . ."
	He didn't mean it, she thought. It figures. . .I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up.  "It's. . .it's okay," she said, blushing, looking down, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear.
	"Yeah," he said, with a nervous laugh. Now what? he thought. All I want to do right now is run away.
	She was thinking similar thoughts. . .but a voice at the back of her head was saying, "If he didn't mean it. . .why is he so nervous right now?"
	He means it, she thought. I know he does. And I feel the same way. Joy swelled within her, more joy than she'd ever allowed herself to feel since the day her stepfather stole her innocence.
	She took his hand in both of hers. "David. . .I think I love you, too."
	He felt his head spin. She loves me! he thought. After I just made an idiot out of myself. . .she loves me. . .
	And then, his arms were around her again, and their mouths were coming together, soft, little kisses at first, playing, teasing, then deeper, more adult. . .their lips caressing, stroking, sending shockwaves of pleasure through each other's bodies. They pulled each other closer and closer, feeling like they wanted to fuse into one.
	As if they were still dancing, they began to move together, bit by bit, toward her bed. They tumbled to the mattress, hands stroking each other's necks, shoulders, backs, lips fusing together again and again. . .
	. . .and at the window, Luna gave Artemis a whack. "We're *really* invading their privacy now! We've seen enough!"
	But her counterpart continued to stare, as if mesmerized. It's finally happening, he thought. All Mina's dreams for them are coming true. . .
	And then, he felt claws digging into the back of his head, and Luna's voice hissing, "Get away from there NOW, if you don't want to lose an ear!"
	"All right, all right. . .I'm going." He turned and began to scurry away, resisting with all his might the urge to look back.
	Meanwhile, David was feeling suspended in bliss. He had the woman he loved lying next to him. He was holding her close, breathing her herbal, flowery scent, kissing her cheek, her ear, her neck. . .
	Now what do I do? he thought. She was hurt. . .has anyone touched her since then? What if I go too far, too fast? Will she freak? Will she throw me out? He reached for the bottom of her sweatshirt. . .and pushed it up by inches, letting his hand barely slip inside. He touched her stomach, rubbing it a bit. . .
	What the heck is he doing? she thought. I want him to touch me all over, kiss me everywhere. . .he's handling me like a china doll! She felt downright insulted.
	He let his hand travel up her stomach, gradually, by degrees. He was coming near her breasts. . .he lifted his hand and cupped one, for less than a second, then pulled his hand away as if he had been burned. He repeated the move, then let his hand linger a few seconds more. . .
	Enough of this crap! she thought. If we're going to make love, dammit, we're going to *make love*!
	"I'm not made of glass, you know," she said. "I *won't* break."
	And to demonstrate her point, she began to kiss him, hard, and rolled him over to his back.  He was startled. . .where the heck did that come from?
	She was yanking at the buttons of his shirt, almost ripping them  in her haste to get them undone. She pushed the fabric away, roughly, and then began to lick in a long, straight line from his lips down his neck. . .further, further. . .until she found a nipple. . .
	When he felt her tongue flick over it, he cried out, tangling his fingers in her hair. Tracy had never done *that* to him! He never knew a man had sensation there. . .but he did, oh, gods, he did! Her lips closed around it and she started to suck, and all he could do was moan and writhe beneath her. Her hand was sliding down over his stomach, and lower, lower still. . .
	As she switched her mouth to the other nipple, she felt him stroke his erection through his pants, moving her fingers slowly up and down, up and down. . .
	"Lori," he moaned, "Ohhh. . .my. . .gods. . ."
	If he's afraid he's going to hurt me, she thought, I'll put those fears to rest right now. "*This* is what I want," she whispered. "I want *passion*. Give it to me, I can take it. . ." She reached up and brushed a bit of his hair out of his face. "I trust you absolutely. Go ahead, let yourself go. . ."
	He grasped her in his arms and flipped them over so he was on top. His mouth claimed hers, and he reached for the bottom of her shirt again, yanking it up, pulling away from her just long enough to discard it and throw it on the floor. Her bra landed next to it seconds later.
	He looked at her breasts. . .not too big, not too small, the brownish-pink nipples hardened with desire. . .He leaned over and took one in his mouth, suckling hungrily, feasting on her. "Yes!" she cried, tangling her fingers in his hair, pulling him closer. He took it out to lap at it with his tongue, then caress it with his index finger.
	She felt warmth seeping over every part of her like hot honey, and she could only groan, especially when he moved his mouth to the other nipple and started playing with the first with his fingers. Her hips began jerking upward, her pelvis rubbing against him, any part of him.
	She found herself reaching down to unfasten her own pants, wanting them off more than she'd ever wanted anything before in her life.
	He felt her wriggling under him, struggling to get her jeans off with him on top of her. . .
	"Allow me," he said. He pulled away, and stripped off her pants and underwear at once, pulling the rest of his garments off a split second later.  He flung himself onto the bed again, pulling her into his arms, rubbing the full length of his nudity against hers. Both of them moaned, feeling like they were melting, turning into liquid heat.
	She wanted that heat to consume both of them. And she knew how to do it.
	She began to lick her way down his neck again. . .and to his chest. . .When she bypassed his nipples this time, he knew what she had planned, and his whole body stiffened in anticipation.
	Lori worked her way toward her goal, licking down over his stomach, slowing her pace as she got lower and lower. . .She wanted to hear him moan *loudly,* call her name, thrust his hips to drive him deeper and deeper. . .
	When he felt her warm mouth surrounding him, he let out a cry. After all the pain he'd been through recently, the anger, the rejection. . .he'd never felt so accepted and loved in his entire life. Pleasure flooded his body, a hot, sweet tide that began to rise, slowly and steadily. . .
	Lori sucked him slowly, moving him in and out, letting her fingers brush the shaft on the outstroke. She had never known this could be so very, very pleasurable. She felt powerful, yes, knowing she could give this man she'd recently found she loved so very much pleasure. . ..she could feel the growing tension, hear his sounds of desire. . .but it was also such an intimate, loving act, like she was making him a part of her. She *wanted* to be one with this man, to completely lose herself in the moment.
	David was lost in sensation, feeling her suck. . .then take it out and lick. . .then put it in again. . .her fingers, fluttering here, there. . .oh, I could do this forever, he thought. I want to have her take me all the way, want her to drain me dry, suck out everything I have to give. . .
	But he stopped himself. No, he thought, I want to share the pleasure with her. . .
	He pushed up on her head, gently. She eased away. "What gives?"
	"This," he growled, pulling her up to him, drawing her mouth to his. . .and then his hand slid between her legs. She gasped as his fingers slid into her. . .while his thumb began to caress her pearl. She began to thrust her hips wildly, wanting more, more, more of this sweet sensation. . .she was amazed at how quickly the heat built up inside her, going from a tiny spark to a raging blaze in what felt like just a few moments. . .
	"David," she moaned, "that's unbelievable. . .keep doing that. . .ohhh, yes. . ."
	"You're so beautiful," he whispered. "I never thought I'd see anything as beautiful as this, you in passion. . ."
	"More! Please. . .yes. . ."
	"I'll give you more. Just relax. . .you're getting close, I can feel it. . ."
	And then, she felt herself tense. . .and everything let go, hot ecstasy flooding her, throbbing from her womanhood to the very tips of her fingers and toes, and she shrieked. The hot spasms consumed her again and again. . .
	Finally, she sagged atop him, kissing him tenderly. "Wow," she sighed.
	"Good?"
	"Good! Cripes, that's the understatement of the century! Gods, where did you learn to do that? Never mind, I don't want to know." She reached down, and her fingers found his still-erect manhood. She began to stroke it, almost idly. . .
	"Mmmm," he said.
	"Now, what are we going to do about this?"
	"That's up to you."
	She reached into her bedside drawer. . .and pulled out a package of condoms. When she saw his look of surprise, she said, "I bought them about a week ago. . .I figured we'd need them eventually."
	He smiled. "Smart lady."
	"Now, don't tell me you didn't buy them as well."
	He reached for his discarded pants, fished around for his wallet. . .and pulled out a foil package. "Guilty as charged."
	"Well, now that we bought them, we might as well put them to good use, right?"
	He lay back on the bed, and she tore the package open. He felt her lips on his, the condom being rolled onto his erection. . .
	And then, the sweet softness was sliding onto him, surrounding him, bit by bit. He moaned, raising his hips, trying to fill her completely, become fully one with her. . .
	She leaned over, and he kissed her, hard, deep, wet, his tongue sliding in and out, in and out. . .her hips began to move, slowly, then picking up pace, rapidly.
	He feels so good, she thought. It's as if our bodies were made for each other, he seems to fit me like a glove. . .She thrust harder, faster, feeling the pleasure begin to rise within her again. . .He reached for her breasts, and she felt his thumbs slowly brush back and forth against her nipples, making the pleasure more and more and more intense. . .
	He felt suspended in time. He couldn't remember ever feeling this level of pleasure before, and he didn't want it to stop. And yet, he needed release, craved it with every fiber of his being. . .He could only utter cries and moans as the flames within him rose higher and higher, threatening to scorch his very soul.
	She thrust faster still, harder, more intensely, feeling orgasm closer, closer. . .oh, gods, so close but so far away, I'm never going to come, never, never, I need it, I need it so bad, ohh, more. . .more intense. ..yes, yes, it's going to happen, yes, any second, any second now. . .
	And then, she felt the beautiful explosion, and she shrieked again, as a climax that made her previous one seem tame in comparison wracked her. The throbbing and tugging of her sheath was all he needed. . .he went hurling over the edge with her, crying out her name as he released himself, the blazes consuming him at long last, then fading down to warm, glowing embers.
	They snuggled into each other's arms with a sigh. "Gods," she said, "that was *so* intense. . .I never knew it could be like that."
	"Me, either."
	"But you were engaged."
	"It didn't feel like that. This. . .this is unreal. This is unlike anything I've ever experienced."
	She kissed him. "Same here. Wow."
	He held her closer. "Finally, something good came out of all that crap that happened."
	She sighed. "There's just one thing bothering me. . ."
	"What, honey?"
	"This is happening so fast.  . .maybe too fast. Maybe we're just reacting to what we went through. . .you know, going from one extreme to another. . .and this isn't *real*. Maybe this will fall apart any day."
	He stroked her hair and tenderly kissed her lips. "Well, if that's the case. . .maybe this is just something we need right now, at this moment. But Lori. . .this sure as hell feels real to me."
	"It feels real to me, too. I have *never* felt like this before."
	"Why don't we just enjoy the moment. . .what we have now. And if any problems come up. . .we deal with them when they happen."
	She snuggled closer to him. "I wouldn't trade what we have at this moment for anything. I love you."
	"I love you, too."
	He disposed of the rubber, then took her in his arms again, and they drifted off into a peaceful sleep. 
* * *
	"Looks like this is the official end of the porn controversy, if those two have gotten together," Artemis remarked as he and Luna walked back toward Mina's house.
	"About time," Luna said. "It was dreadful. And such a shame our girls had to end up caught up in it."
	"Yes, but they all came through it okay, and that's what matters. Heck, some of them even seem happier and calmer than they did a few weeks ago. Serena and Darien look like they're closer than ever, and so do Lita and Ken."
	"Well, if that's the case. . .they're going to need a positive state of mind. New enemies are coming soon. Very soon. I can feel it."
	Artemis groaned inwardly. Not again, he thought. She is just *so* damn paranoid.  . .I think the girls will get a little more peace before all hell breaks loose again. I certainly hope so. . .I'd like some more time to work with Darien. When the new enemies come, I *definitely* want him to be ready.
	Luna looked up at the sky, to the moon. "Funny how the moon looks from earth how the earth used to look from the moon. I can still remember Princess Serenity standing on her balcony, staring up at it, longing for her prince. . ."
	"Speaking of moons," Artemis said, "did you know there's going to be a total eclipse next week? I heard the girls talking about it today, they're all planning on going down to the park to watch it."
	"Total eclipse?" Luna said with a frown. "That bothers me. . .in the old Earth Kingdom, weren't they a sign of danger?"
	"Luna, to you, *everything's* a sign of danger."
	"What do you mean by that? You're always accusing me of being paranoid. Well, if it wasn't for me, *nobody*! would be on the alert against danger! You say everything's going to be okay and act like Mr. Mellow, when in reality *anything* could be planning an attack against. . ."
	Artemis just heaved a heavy sigh and tuned her out. The girls may have found perfect relationships, he thought, but this one here is *far* from perfect. I'd *never* be attracted to Luna. The porn controversy may be over. . .but some battles will *never* end.

THE END

AUTHOR'S NOTES: At last, the Hot Controversy series comes to an end. But that doesn't mean it's *entirely* over. . .David and Lori will be back in my future fics, and some of the plot points. . .Darien's identity crisis, Amy's sexual experimentation. . .will be factors in my next series, a reworking of SuperS.

A HUGE thank you goes out to my editor on this series, Steve Savage, whose input was, as always, invaluable. I strongly recommend his original fantasy series, Xai, which can be found at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/xai/. Thanks also to my friends in Lemon Tree and to everyone who's written to give me commentary on the stories.

This fic, and my other works, are housed at my Web page, Sailor Mac's Secret Millennium, http://www.seventhsanctum.com/sailormac/.

Standard Sailor Moon disclaimers apply. These characters ain't mine, I'm just borrowing them for a little while.

Seeya at the Dead Moon Circus. . .