A LOVE REKINDLED? (Part 3 of 4)
By Bunny
bunny_154@yahoo.com
Standard Disclaimers apply
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Mina was shocked. She didn't know what to do except run. *How could 
he know?* Thoughts raced through Mina's head. She could faintly hear 
Mal talking firmly to her in the background, but her mind was racing to 
fast to understand any of what he was saying. She began to feel lightheaded, 
and could feel the darkness pulling at her subconscious. It became too much 
for her to handle, and she fainted. Time passed, and then she woke up 
sometime later in a soft, warm bed. Mina was groggy from sleeping so 
long. She focused her eyes and rubbed the sleep out of them. She looked 
over at the clock next to her and it read 12:26pm.

*12:26?* she paused, eyes widening, Mina shot up in bed. She then 
became aware of her surroundings. *Where am I? How did I get here?* 
she wondered. She looked around the room and saw Mal sleeping on a 
chair next to the bad. *Was he here all night? The poor thing. He looks 
so peaceful. Should I wake him?* Mina got out of the bed she was laying 
in and walked over to the sleeping man.  She gently bent over and shook 
him slightly. He woke up right away.

"Huh?! Wha..?" Mal looked around and saw a certain blond leaning over 
him with big, bright eyes. "Mina!! You're all right!" He reached out and 
grabbed the girl, and gave her a giant bear hug. She fell into his lap from 
his strength. "I was so worried about you. I would've never forgive myself 
if you didn't wake up!" His eyes watered slightly. "I'm so so sorry. I should 
have never confronted you like that." He buried his head in her shoulder.

Mina suddenly remembered all that had happened. She backed away 
slightly. Her face almost got a look of fear and confusion on it at the 
same time. She looked down at the floor. *I have to tell him, he already 
knows, but can I trust him?* she debated with herself.

She tried to speak, but she couldn't find her voice. She gathered up all 
her strength and spoke in a soft, quivering tone, "How did you find out?"

"So it is true then," said Mal, and thought, *why did I have to find out? 
Why did I have to ask her like this? Now she's afraid of me.* 

Mal felt terrible. He looked at her. Her head was turned, but he could 
see tears running down the side of her face. The light of the room caught 
them so the looked like crystal drops falling down her flawless face.

Mina nodded, but she kept her head turned. "Yes," she replied at almost 
a whisper, "but how did you find out?" She looked at him now. She didn't 
care if she was crying. *I have to be strong. If he knows about me, what 
if there are others that know too? Does he know about the other scouts?* 
Mina stopped crying.

"Actually, I can't explain it. I just knew. There were several clues, like 
the pen for one, and I just put two and two together." Mal put his hand 
on her tear-stricken cheek and looked her in the eyes. "It's like you're a 
part of me, even though I've only known you a day, I feel drawn to you.
Like I said, I just can't explain it. I noticed the same thing with Sailor 
Venus, only to a lesser extent because I had never known her. When I 
saw a picture of her...you...whatever...today in the newspaper, I couldn't 
take my eyes off her. I kept thinking she was you, then I looked closer 
through the disguise, and I realized it WAS you. That is when I first 
began to suspect it."

Mina looked at him. She didn't know whether to hug him or hate him. 
*Well, he knows who I really am, and he doesn't seem to care,* she 
thought. *I don't think he'll tell anyone, but he did tell Darien. I 
suppose I'd better let the others know what's going on.*

"Where are Darien and Serena?" she asked.

"They're right next door at Darien's. Serena spent the night there because 
she was so worried about you. I called the school today and told them we 
wouldn't be there today."

Realization struck at Mina, "Oh my god! I forgot! You're my teacher!" 
Mina pulled away from Mal immediately. "This is wrong! I like you
too, I think, I don't know what I like anymore, but I know this is a 
major no-no at the university. You could lose your job over me and 
that would be terrible!"

"Mina." He grabbed her hand gently and held it in his own. It fit 
perfectly there. "Not being with you would be terrible. If losing my 
job means I can be with you, so be it." Mina blushed. "I've only known 
you a day, but I already know I love you."

Mina turned a deeper shade of red, and whispered, "I don't know what 
to say."

Mal said, "Say you love me." But before she could answer, he took hold 
of her and kissed her passionately. 

Mina felt like putty in his arms. When they broke the kiss, she walked 
over to the window and looked out. It had turned into a rainy day without 
much sun. Cautiously, she said, "I have to tell you something, but perhaps
they should tell you." Mina remained looking out the window, not turning 
around.

"What's there that I don't already know? I already know you're Sailor 
Venus...wait," Mal paused. He got up and moved to the window, standing 
next to Mina. "...they? You mean the rest of the Scouts?"

"Yes. But first, you call Darien and let both he and Serena know I'm all 
right. I'm going to go to the bathroom and clean up. I can only imagine 
how horrible I look." Mina then untied her traditional red ribbon in her 
hair, letting her long blond hair cascade down her back. She shook her 
head slightly letting her hair fall into place.

Mal stood there with his mouth open, in awe of her beauty. "You are 
always beautiful," he said in a hushed tone, not meaning for her to hear, 
but she did anyway. She blushed. "I'll let you have your privacy. The 
bathroom is right through that door," he said pointing to a door in the 
corner of his bedroom. "I'll go call Darien and Serena now." He walked 
out of his bedroom and shut the door behind him, letting her have her
privacy.

*Wow,* Mina thought to herself. *I can't believe this is happening! Is 
he 'the one'? I hope the other Scouts won't be mad that I'm going to tell 
him our secret, but they can just argue that issue out with Serena. He he! 
I really like him, even though I only met him yesterday, but still, I can't 
shake this feeling I have that I've met him before. Strange. I think I'd 
notice if I had seen anyone as good-looking as him, but the feeling 
lingers. I wonder what it means.*

Mina stared into the bathroom mirror. She frowned at what she saw. 
*Geez. I look like crap. I wish I were in my bathroom at home. That 
way I could at least put on some make-up.* Mina took her blouse off 
and smelled it. "Ugh!" she exclaimed, "not going to wear this one!" 
And she thought, *Hm...I wonder if he'd mind if I borrowed one of 
his shirts..*

Mina walked back into the bedroom. Since the bathroom was connected
to the bedroom, no one saw her partly naked. She walked over to his 
dresser and opened the top drawer. She immediately turned red. "Wrong 
one!" Mina stated out loud, shutting the drawer quickly. "I guess that 
answers the 'boxers or briefs' question!" Mina giggled. She had opened 
his underwear drawer, filled with boxers. After that experience, she 
decided the closet would be a better place to look. She opened it and 
found a whole row of business shirts. She found one that she liked in 
particular...a long-sleeved white dress shirt. She pulled it out of the 
closet and tried it on. It was big on her, but she thought she looked 
very cute in it. She inhaled, and could smell faint traces of cologne 
on it. She smiled at that. 

*Mmmm good taste!* Mina thought. *I always have liked a good 
smelling man!* Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Mina? Are 
you ready? I need to grab a clean shirt out of my closet, or you could
 just hand it to me," Mal said. 

"Sure, which one do you want?" Mina said as she went to the door and 
opened it a crack to she could hear him better.

"The one with the long sleeves that is white. It's kinda dirty since I wore it 
the other day, and since we're only going over to Darien's, I don't want to 
dirty a clean shirt," Mal said looking through the crack of the open door. 
He could see Mina buttoning up a white long-sleeved shirt, and unwittingly 
he saw her bra. He quickly turned away. His face was the colour of crimson. 
He was too embarrassed about looking to notice that it was the shirt he was 
asking for that she was buttoning up.

Mina looked down at her shirt. "Uh oh," she said out loud, "I think I'm 
wearing it. Here, I'll take it off," Mina said as she started to unbutton the 
shirt. 

"No, don't' worry about it." Mal said quickly. His voiced cracked a little. 
"I'm sure it I'll just find another one. Can I come in now?"

"Sure." Mina opened the door all the way to let him in.

"Besides, it looks better on you, anyway." Mal smiled warmly at her.

"Hehe, tt smells good. Here," Mina said as she walked over the closet 
next to Mal. "let me help you find something to wear." She looked through
his shirts and found a silk forest green shirt hidden in the back. "How 
about this one? It's really pretty."

Mal looked at it funny. "uh But it's so...so...green."

"I know!" Mina smiled. "It really brings out your silver hair and eyes. It's 
a good colour for you." Mina held the shirt up against his chest to see what 
the colour looked like against him. She felt how firm and flat his chest was 
and immediately blushed. She lowered the shirt and turned back into the 
closet quickly. "It's all right. If you don't want to wear it, I'll just find 
another one."

"No, that's all right. Green it is!" he declared, and he took the shirt out of 
her hands and started to unbutton the shirt he already had on, not thinking 
ahead that Mina was...well...a girl. "Sorry." He blushed hard and turned 
away.

She was also quite red staring at his 'nice' chest. She quickly looked 
away and walked into the living room waiting for him to get done.

Mal walked out a couple minutes later. He had shaved and put some 
water in his hair so it shined in the light. He had also put some cologne
 on. 

"Oh my," Mina said as she observed the teacher. "You sure look good. 
Didn't take you long either." She smiled at him.

"Thanks. You look cute too!" Mal said returning her smile.

"Not as good as you! You smell good too!" She said as she walked towards 
the exit. "Did you call Darien and Serena so they know we're coming?"

"Yes, they're waiting for us now, and they fixed lunch too, so we can eat 
over there." He grabbed a black blazer and walked out the door. Mina 
followed him.

Mina knocked on Darien's door, and Mal and Mina could hear a stampede 
of feet coming closer to the door from the sound of supposedly Serena's
running. Sure enough, Serena opened the door really fast, and about knocked 
herself over, banging her head as well. Mina just laughed at her friend who 
was rubbing her head.

"Mina!! You're all right! I was so worried about you! Don't ever do that to us 
again!" Serena grasped the girl in a loving hug. Darien appeared behind Serena 
and also gave Mina a hug when Serena was done.

"Yes, I'm glad your okay, too." said Darien walking back into his apartment 
and motioning for the others to follow him. When Mina and Mal walked into 
the kitchen, their mouths dropped at the sight of the food on the counter.

"Wow, Darien! The food looks excellent!" Mina said, "I'm starved...but 
before I eat, I have to ask you if Serena had any part in the preparation 
of this food. It looks good, but looks can be deceiving," Mina teased, 
as she watched a hurt Serena picked up a hot pad and threw it at her friend.

"Mina!! That's not very nice to say." Mal said in Serena's defense.

"Well, normally I would defend the woman I love, but you haven't tasted 
any of her cooking attempts." Darien made a face at the thought. "No, she 
didn't help. Actually, the food came from Lita's restaurant. I just got back 
from picking it up right before you called." Serena slapped Darien on the 
shoulder about the remark he made about her, but knew it was true.

Serena changed the subject. "So tell me, Mina, what happened? Are you okay
now?" Serena asked with concern in her voice.

"Yes, I'm fine now," she said, shooting a look at Mal. "I just had a little too 
much to think about and it was too much for me, so I passed out from the 
stress."

"But what could have stressed you out so much?" Darien asked as he got
 plates for everyone out of the cupboard. "School just started, and you don't 
have a high-stress job."

Mal blushed, but Mina admitted, "Let's just say I got some unwelcome 
news." Mina said gently, aware that Mal still felt awful. She didn't want 
him to feel worse, because she realized that he loved her, and he didn't 
know the power or influence of what he asked her. She added, "Actually, 
you guys may want to know."

"Know what?" Serena asked with her mouth full of a bun she was eating.

"He knows." Mina said quietly. That was all she had to say and now they knew.

"I knew. He told me earlier." Darien said looking at Mal, who blushed and 
looked away from all the attention. Then he realized the meaning of what 
Darien had just said.

"Wait a minute!! You knew too...and you didn't tell me?" Mal asked puzzled.

"I couldn't. I can't. Uh...Serena?" Darien asked nervously.

"Can I, Serena?" Mina asked, meaning about telling him the rest.

"I suppose it would be cruel not to." She answered. "Just make sure he 
knows what he is about to hear he can repeat to no one, not even his 
mother or dead cat."

Mal's eyes slowly widened with realization. "Hm...I think I already know..." 
Everyone stopped eating and looked at him shocked... "and the statements 
on your faces prove it." Mal said jokingly.

"What exactly do you know?" Darien inquired, "or should I say 'how much'?"

Mal smiled. He was having fun with this. He assumed he was the first to figure 
out what he was about to tell them. "Let me guess." He closed his eyes and 
pointed to Darien for effect, "Tuxedo Mask? And if Darien is Tuxedo Mask,
that have to make you," pointing at Serena, "Sailor Moon? You and her are the 
only two people I know with hair made up like that." 

Mal laughed, but he was the only one. Everyone else was amazed that he knew
 all that. They were all silent until Mina spoke up. "How did you know all that?"
 Mina asked, not sure to be afraid or what.

"So I'm right?" Mal looked around the group and the looks on their faces 
confirmed his suspicions. Mal continued, "Actually, by the way they knew 
what you were going to tell me, without you telling them, and I knew you 
were going to tell me, because you told me so...but Darien's reaction led me 
to think something was up by the way he reacted when I told him my theory 
about Mina and Sailor Venus." Mal paused and looked at Darien, who was 
turning red. "Any one else would have called me crazy and teased me, but he 
quickly tried to change the subject, and the urgency in his tone led me to
believe he knew more then he was leading on. I figured out Serena once I 
figured out Darien. Everyone knows Tuxedo Mask is in love with the 
beautiful Sailor Moon, and since you're his girlfriend, that would make you 
her, unless he's cheating on you." Mal teased. "Besides, who else do we 
know HAS a hairstyle like yours?"

Everyone was in awe at what Mal had just told them. "Well, I guess you
 just about summed it up." Serena said. "Gee Mina, why did you have to 
like someone so smart?" Serena teased as Mina blushed.

"Hay, Darien's no rock either!" Mina fired back. Darien and Mal got 
sweatdrops on the sides of their heads. Serena and Mina just giggled. 
"So what now?" Mina asked. No one really knew that answer.

Mal then said, "I guess everything is the same as before, except I know 
a little more about you guys." Mina giggled at the way Mal put that. 

"I guess Mal's right." Darien said. "But you know not to tell anyone, right?" 
Darien asked cautiously.

"Geez, Darien!" Mal acted hurt. "Do you really think I would do that to 
Mina?" Mal smiled at the blond whom he loved.

Darien just looked at him. "I hope not." Darien said, not sure whether to trust 
him with the secret or not. 

Serena and Mina did, but there was something about him that told Darien 
differently. He felt different when he knew Mal didn't know their secret, but
he does now, and that changes things. Something about him feels familiar, 
but Darien was unable to tell if that was a good feeling or a bad one. Until 
he could sort his feelings out, he decided he would let it be. Besides, Mina 
was happy, and who is he to rain on that parade?

Mina smiled with glee now that Mal knew. *I'm so happy! He knows and 
he doesn't care! This is so great! Now I'm finally as lucky as Serena and 
Darien,* she thought as she looked at the two of them standing next to each 
other. She stopped on Darien as she noticed the look on his face. He was 
deep in thought, but he quickly went back to his normal statement before 
Mina could make heads or tails of it. *I wonder what Darien was thinking 
about. Whatever it was, it couldn't have been good from the statement on his
face. Oh, well, I'll have to ask him about it later. But not now, I'm too happy 
right now!* 

Mina glanced at Mal, who was staring at her intently. All she wanted to do 
was rest in his arms. She was still tired from the night before. 

When everyone had finished the lunch Darien had picked up at Lita's, they
 went over to the living room area and had some coffee and chatted about 
some of the adventures and stories the girls and Darien had experienced 
being, well, who they really were.

"So that explains where you were when you disappeared for months at a time 
with out letting anyone know where you went. You were brainwashed by the 
Negaverse. That must have been horrible," Mal said as Serena then told the 
story of Galaxia. Mal could feel this memory tugging at his subconscious, but 
he didn't know what it was, and he pushed the thought aside. He had Mina now, 
and that was all that mattered to him. Not what had happened in the past. A sad 
past. Mal was pulled back to reality when he noticed Mina yawning. "I'm really 
tired, I think I should go home. Is that all right with everyone?" Mina asked, 
sitting up from her lounged position leaning against Mal's chest on Darien's 
couch.

"Yeah, I should probably be getting home, too. I didn't' get much sleep 
last night," Mal said as he began getting up from the couch, reluctant to 
move from the comfy position he had with Mina.

"Okay," Serena said, "I guess I'll see you later then. I'm going to stay 
here at Darien's for the afternoon, so I probably won't see you till later 
tonight," Serena said smiling as she got up from Darien's lap to hug her 
two friends goodbye.

"Okay, Serena, see you later!" Mina said as she walked toward the door. 
"Bye, Darien! Thanks for being so sweet and getting lunch! I'll talk to 
you later!" Mina ran back to give him a hug, then headed out the door.

"Well, I'd better go too, I have some stuff to do and errands to run. Besides, 
Mina has to get her things out of my apartment," Mal said following the 
blonde who was already out in the hall waiting for him. "Bye, all!" Mal called 
as he waved goodbye to everyone. He shut the door behind him when he was 
out in the hall leaving Darien and Serena alone in Darien's apartment. 

Serena and Darien just looked at each other. "Can you believe what just 
happened?" Serena squealed. "I'm so happy for them! Mal knows, and 
Mina's happy! Everything is just great!" Serena moved closer to Darien 
and wrapped her arms around him.

"Yeah, I'm happy too." Darien replied much less enthusiastically.

"Huh? What's wrong, Darien? You don't seem happy." Serena said looking 
up with a worried look on her face.

"I don't know really. It's just something about him that seems familiar, besides
 the obvious. Like we've known him before, and simply forgot." Darien said 
thinking deeply. He ran his fingers through Serena's long silky silvery blond 
hair and smiled. "Hm…...unny you should mention that. Mina said something 
similar to that, but dismissed it earlier. I wonder if there could be something 
more to it than it appears. Well, at any rate, I think we should leave the two 
alone for the time being so they can get to know each other. They deserve it."
 Serena suddenly got a big smile on her face. "Speaking of being alone..." 
Serena giggled and tackled Darien on the couch and smothered his face with 
kisses.

*	*	*	*	*
TO BE CONCLUDED IN PART 4