So Beautiful
By: afallenblackrose
Summary: Darien Shields has become a pop sensation that sings deep meaningful songs about love. Serena Carter, his old nemesis, thinks that he is a fake. But when he throws a concert to reveal the mystery behind one of his songs what will happen? Read to find out!
Author's Note: Thanks everyone who has reviewed this story so far. Especially to Belle Femme, I knew I was forgetting something when I published this story. So sorry.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon (god I wish I did) nor do I own any of the songs/albums mentioned those belong to the wonderful mind of the band Savage Garden (who I absolutely adore).
Darien Shields stood and waited behind the curtain. He could hear the crowd screaming his name and the sound system overhead playing one of his old hits. He loved this feeling right before a show. The exhilaration, the anticipation, and the adoration awaiting him on the other side of this curtain, but tonight was going to be a different performance.
It had been two months since his latest album, "Truly Madly Completely" had released. It was a compilation of his old hits plus some new songs. But the one that was causing the most controversy was "So Beautiful." And tonight he would perform the song for the first time…
He just hoped someone was in the audience or at least watching the performance on TV because a major revelation would be revealed tonight. Something he'd been keeping inside for years.
*
Across town, Serena Carter was sitting in front of her TV waiting for the concert of the year to begin. Serena didn't know why she was even bothering watching it. She absolutely hated Darien freaking Shields.
Her and her friends were able to say that they knew Darien Shields before he became the pop sensation that he was today. Serena had still been in middle school when she met Darien. She would always run into him because she was such a klutz back then. Darien would always make fun of her and they would always get into heated arguments.
Serena never thought that he would become famous, especially for singing deep love songs. Back when Serena knew him he was always down on love. Every time Serena would talk with her friends about some guy she was in love with or even sometimes romance novels, Darien would overhear and give her a big lecture on how love never really existed. He was such a negative heartless jerk.
But now here she was about to watch his dumb concert where he would be singing about, what else? Love. Serena thought that he was a fake. How could someone who didn't believe in love sing songs about it, and actually look like they meant the words they were singing?
She remembered the first time she heard Darien was becoming a singer. Andrew was chatting with her friends one day when she came in late.
Flashback…
Serena rushed into the Arcade breathing heavily and hoping she wouldn't run into her arch nemesis. That's all she needed today was to be insulted by that jerk. But when she looked around she didn't see him. She saw her friends, Mina, Lita, Raye, and Amy talking to Andrew at their usual booth.
Serena walked over to them and overheard Andrew saying,
"Yeah, Darien got picked up by a record company. He probably won't be back here for months."
"The jerk got a record contract?" Serena asked in disbelief. She didn't even know that Darien could sing.
"Yeah, he did. He's really excited about it," Andrew replied.
End Flashback.
When his first CD came out Serena avoided it at all costs. She didn't want to hear it, but her friends all purchased it. They all raved about it after listening to it.
"I don't even recognize him!" Raye had exclaimed. "I mean who knew that this guy was so deep?"
"The songs are so amazing!" Lita had exclaimed. "I just absolutely adore "Truly Madly Deeply". "
"I'll be your hope I'll be your love be everything you'll need," the girls had cooed. Serena had just shaken her head in amazement.
She couldn't believe him at all and was hoping that the fad of Darien Shields would die out. But her hopes had fallen on deaf ears when his second CD Affirmation arrived a year later and sold out on the first day in minutes.
Two years had passed since, and Serena held her breath hoping that Darien was done. But again she was angered when a third CD "Truly Madly Completely" came out two months ago. It was mostly some of the hits from his previous two albums with some new songs.
But this CD was different. This CD made the tabloid news, because of a note in the linear notes. The song "So Beautiful", which Serena had heard countless times on the radio by now, was "for the one who he knew from the start and will always love." The Darien Shields Fan Club was up in arms trying to figure out who this person was.
Everyone had speculated that tonight when Darien performed the song for the first time live, he would reveal who he was talking about. That was the only reason Serena was watching, because a small- tiny – part of her wished it was for her. But of course she wasn't going to tell her friends this.
*
"Darien, you're on in five minutes," his manger, Max, said to him. Darien nodded and took the microphone from the sound guy. He sighed heavily. This was it, he thought to himself. This was when he would finally admit to the world that he was in love.
"Darien!" Max exclaimed. "You're on!" The curtain started to rise as Darien prepared himself. The screams had gone up a full octave. He was smiling when the curtain finally was up all the way.
"Hello Tokyo!" He exclaimed into the microphone and the crowd went wild. "How is everyone feeling tonight?" The crowd screamed some more.
"Now I know why you're here," he silkily said into the microphone. "You want to know who I meant in the linear notes for "So Beautiful" and I will happily tell you, sort of." He smiled at the crowd who groaned.
"So before we begin "So Beautiful,"" the beginning notes rang through the theater and the crowd screamed again. "I will say that Meatball Head I hope you're out there somewhere listening because this one is for you and has been since the beginning." The words fell so easily out of his mouth and he smiled feeling so proud of himself for finally admitting it to the world.
The crowd gasped as the same thought ran through their minds. Who the HELL is Meatball Head? And how is she better than me?!
*
Serena stared at her TV not believing what she heard. Had he really said that the song was for her? Her phone started to ring.
"Hello?" She answered her voice shaky.
"Serena!" Mina exclaimed. "Are you watching Darien's concert?"
"Yes," Serena replied. "Did he really just say that his song was for me?"
"He definitely said Meatball Head," Mina confirmed. "And that was the name he used to call you when we were in middle school."
"My God," Serena whispered. "So I'm the girl…" She trailed off.
"That every member of the Darien Shields Fan Club is going to want dead," Mina finished for her.
"It's a good thing I got my haircut years ago," Serena mused. "Now no one is going to know he's talking about me."
"You're still lucky girl," Mina replied. "You're the girl who has captured Darien Shields' heart. You know how many girls would want to be in your place right now?"
"I know," Serena said. She couldn't believe this. Darien Shields was in love with her. Her of all people and the weird thing was that there was a part of her, bigger than she wanted to believe, that loved him too. "Mina, I got to go, I have an early day tomorrow."
"Sure," Mina replied. "'Bye Serena."
"'Bye Mina," she clicked off. Serena continued to stare at the screen as Darien continued to sing "her" song. What was she going to do?
*
The next morning, Serena woke up and smiled to herself. That was one weird dream to have that Darien Shields dedicated a song to her in front of thousands of people and broadcasted around the world. Serena stretched as she got out of bed and padded to the kitchen to make her morning cup of coffee and watch the morning news before heading out to the Arcade to say hello to Andrew.
When she turned on the news she wanted to spit out the mouthful of coffee she had taken. Because on the screen in front of her was the morning anchorwoman and the picture next to her was of Darien with the words "Meatball Head" underneath him.
"And the world's women population felt their hearts break last night when they learned that the song "So Beautiful" by Darien Shields was indeed for someone that he's in love with. He wouldn't give any names but he did have this to say," and the camera shifted to a clip of last night's performance where Darien had dedicated the song to Serena.
Serena continued to stare at the screen, so it hadn't been a dream. It was real, Darien Shields, pop star, was in love with her, Serena Carter, waitress. She sighed; someone up there was having fun at her expense. She turned off the TV and padded back into her bathroom to take a shower and get ready for work.
The bell over the door to the entrance of the Arcade chimed as Serena walked through the door. Andrew looked up from the counter and smiled.
"'Morning Serena," he greeted her.
"'Morning Andrew," Serena replied with a small smile of her own.
"I'm surprised you came in this morning," Andrew commented. "You have the day off today, remember?" Serena rolled her eyes.
"Of course I do," she sighed. "Mind if I stick around, anyway? I might as well try to do some other work…." She trailed off and glared at the backroom where her laptop case was waiting.
"Going to try getting passed that one scene?" Andrew asked her. "I know you can do it, Serena. You just need some inspiration and I'm surprised you didn't get any last night." He smiled knowingly.
"What are you talking about?" Serena asked as she went in back to fetch her laptop. Andrew followed her.
"You didn't watch the concert?"
"Oh," Serena frowned. "And that would inspire me how?"
"So you did watch it?"
"Of course I watched the concert," Serena replied. "And I watched as Darien confessed his undying devotion for me." She shook her head. "Is he nuts?"
"Serena," Andrew sighed. "As long as you hung out with Darien, you never noticed in all those years that he was secretly in love with you?"
"No," Serena admitted. "It was kind of hard to see past the whole calling me names and making fun of me. Besides the way he used to talk about love? I would never have pegged him as the secretly pinning for someone kind of person."
"Serena, are you telling me that you don't love him back?" Andrew asked.
Serena sighed, "No, I'm not telling you that. I do love him, I guess, it's just I can't believe that he loves me." She shrugged. "But we'll never know, right?" Andrew watched her as she picked the old booth that her and her friends used to hang out at. She pulled out her laptop and booted the thing up.
Serena had been working, slowly, on a novel over the last year or so. But the last time she worked on it, she had gotten stuck on a scene and when the computer had started she opened up the file and stared at it. How was she going to get out of this one when she couldn't really concentrate. All she could think about was Darien and his damn confession to the world last night. After all these years he had finally admitted his feelings for her, but why now?
Serena remembered the first time she had seen one of his music videos. She had nearly had a heart attack.
Flashback...
Serena was at home studying for her final exams in her first semester of college. But at the moment she was taking a break and watching TV or at least she was flipping through the channels until she came across the music video channel. A music video had just ended and all of a sudden...
Serena screamed. What the HELL was that guy doing on her television?!
It was Darien's new music video for "Truly Madly Deeply" and there was a close up of his face.
Serena grimaced at the sight and immediately turned the TV off. This was crazy she couldn't escape him!
End of flashback...
Serena sighed as she continued to stare at her screen. That had been so long ago...and now Darien was in love with her. God, what the hell happened during those years?
The bell chimed as someone walked into the Arcade. He looked around the place and smiled. It hadn't changed since he'd last been in here, except that the usual group of girls wasn't there.
"Can I…oh wow! Look who decided to finally show their face!" Andrew exclaimed drawing Serena's attention to the man who had entered the Arcade. Her mouth dropped open when she realized who it was.
Standing near the counter was a tall, about 6 feet, raven-haired man. Serena knew without being too close to him that he had deep blue eyes and that his hair fell haphazardly into his eyes. Her breath caught in her throat. She never thought she'd see him face to face again.
"Hey Andrew," Darien greeted his old friend. "How are things?"
"How are things? That's all you have to say?" Andrew asked. "Dude, you just admitted to the whole world that you're in love with someone and the next day you're here at the Arcade. What are you doing here, man?"
"I needed to get away," Darien shrugged. "Besides I was hoping to see her. Does she still come in here?"
Andrew nodded, "Are you kidding? Of course she still comes in here, I mean she has to considering she works here."
"She works here?" Darien asked arching his eyebrow. "Does she work today?"
"Actually, she has the day off today," Andrew replied staring back at Serena who was listening in on their conversation. She sighed, Nice cover Andrew.
"Oh," Darien's face fell. "That's too bad." He turned around and stared at the booth Serena was sitting at.
"Who's that?" He asked.
"Why don't you go talk to her?" Andrew asked.
"And why would I do that?"
"Because she's your biggest critic," Andrew replied shrugging.
"My biggest critic?" Darien repeated then stared at Serena. "Might as well." He walked over and sat down across from the girl.
"Can I help you?" The girl asked her voice cold and her gaze still on her computer screen.
"Andrew tells me you're my biggest critic," Darien replied. "I'm Darien Shields by the way."
"I know who you are," she scoffed. "The whole freaking world knows who you are." Darien frowned her voice sounded so familiar.
"Well then, I assume you watched my concert last night."
"Not all of it," she said still staring at her computer screen. "Just the beginning. I'm not really a fan of yours."
"Not a fan?" Darien arched his eyebrow. "Why aren't you a fan of mine?"
"Because I think you're a fake," the girl replied.
"A fake? Why would you say something like that?"
"Because people who don' believe in love shouldn't really be singing about love," the girl said typing something.
"You think I don't believe in love?" Darien asked. "Were you not watching my concert last night? I declared my love for someone."
The girl laughed, "You call that a declaration? You didn't even say the words."
"Okay, who the hell are you?" Darien asked extremely pissed off. "I mean you must be someone of importance to assume such utter nonsense."
"Apparently, I am someone of importance," she mused. Darien stared at her. What was this girl on? She wasn't making any sense and she looked and sounded awfully familiar. He stared at her taking in her features. Her hair was golden blonde and cut to her shoulders. Her skin was pale and she had light blue eyes.
"What's your name?" Darien asked.
"You should know," she replied.
"I should know your name? But how can that be when we just met?"
"You really think this is the first time we've met?" The girl asked. "If this is the first time we've met why would Andrew tell you I'm your biggest critic?"
"Why are you my biggest critic? Who are you?" Darien asked furious.
"Darien, think about it." But he didn't have to. It was the first time the girl had used his name in the conversation and now he knew why her voice sounded so familiar.
"I guess I should have known you were my biggest critic, Serena." He looked at her and she finally looked at him. She smiled a small smile.
"Good for you," she whispered.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Darien asked.
"Tell you what?"
"Who you were?"
"I thought you would have recognized me, but I guess without the "meatballs" you don't."
"So you watched the concert last night?" Darien asked.
"Yes."
"And you heard what I said?"
"Yes," she replied.
"And what do you think?" Darien asked.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes," he replied even though a part of him didn't want to know, especially if she told him that she didn't feel the same way.
"The only reason I was watching last night was because a small part of me was hoping that I was the one you dedicated "So Beautiful" to. But when you actually said that you had, I was in complete shock."
"Complete shock?"
"Yes, because after you told, basically, the world that the song was for me, I realized it wasn't a small part of me that wished it was all of me."
"So does that mean you feel the same way?"
"Like you really have to ask?" She countered shutting her laptop and put it back in the bag. She stood up and walked to the back room with Darien right behind her. When she put her bag back into her locker she turned around to find Darien blocking her way out. But she knew what was going to happen now.
Darien leaned down and kissed her. They're mouths moved together and when Darien ran his tongue over Serena's bottom lip to beckon entrance into her mouth she obliged.
They both broke apart to catch their breath, when they regained their breath Darien took her hand in his and lead her out of the back room and out of the Arcade.
"What are you doing?" Serena asked as Darien opened up the door to a limo.
"Just trust me, please?" He asked his voice pleading and strained. He shouldn't have kissed her so passionately because he knew that this would happen. He wanted her now. He didn't just want her love and her kiss, he also wanted to be inside her.
"Okay," she whispered and got into the limo. Darien followed her in and closed the door. The limo began to move and Darien couldn't stop staring at Serena. Did she know what he wanted?
"Serena," he whispered. She looked at him already aware of what he was going to say. She knew where they were going and she knew the reason why. She wanted him too.
"You don't need to say anything," she said. He stared at her in shock.
"I don't?"
"No," she replied. "I know."
"Okay," he whispered. "Are you sure?"
"Darien, please, I've waited for this for years," she replied. Darien smiled in spite of himself. She wanted him as long as he wanted her. The limo eventually stopped in front of Darien's apartment complex. The driver opened the door and Darien climbed out followed by Serena. Together they entered the building.
The light of the full moon fell into Darien's window and across Serena's body. Darien awoke at the brightness and stared at the angel beside him. The light of the full moon made her golden blonde hair glow and shimmer. She looked absolutely gorgeous and she was his. Almost.
Serena was staring at the moon when she felt Darien's lips at her ear.
"What does this mean?" He whispered.
"It means we're in love," she whispered back and turned over to face him. His eyes were staring at her and she smiled. His eyes held love and devotion. For someone who had ragged on love when she knew him before he was famous he sure knew how to love.
"Really?" He asked. "Are you sure you love me?"
"Darien, why wouldn't I love you?" She asked.
"Because of everything I did to you," he replied. "I'm sorry for that by the way. But when I made fun of you, you got so cute when you were angry."
She laughed, "And here I thought you hated me."
"No," he whispered nuzzling her neck. "I never hated you. It was always love from the start."
"This coming from the guy who didn't believe in love when I knew you," she laughed.
"You never listened to my music did you?" He asked.
"No, I couldn't bring myself to," she replied solemnly. "Why?"
"Because most of the songs were for you," he replied seriously.
"What?" She asked shocked.
"Most of the songs were for you," he repeated. "Hang on." Darien got out of the bed and went to get his iPod. He came back to the bed with his iPod and headphones.
"Here, listen," he said handing it to her and crawling back in bed bringing her close to him. She looked at him and slipped the headphones on and scrolled through his iPod. Staring with his second album she hit play.
After awhile her lips were pursed and Darien didn't know if to take that as a good sign or a bad sign. She slipped off the headphones and stared at him.
"I guess they really were for me," she whispered.
"They were," Darien agreed. "I just didn't know you weren't listening."
"I guess I should have from the beginning," she smiled sheepishly.
"I love you," he whispered.
"I love you," she whispered back. Darien kissed her shoulder and looked up into her eyes. Serena really did love him. Her eyes told it all.
"Marry me," he whispered. Serena stared at him in shock.
"What?"
"Marry me," he replied. "I love you and I don't want to be with anyone else." Serena stared at him, he couldn't be serious they had just admitted that they loved each other and now he wanted to marry her?
She had to admit though he was right, she couldn't be with anyone else. She really loved Darien truly, madly, and completely.
"Yes."
"What?" Darien asked sitting up and staring at her. Serena smiled and sat up next to him. Cupping his face in her hands she laughed.
"I said yes," she replied. "I don't want to be with anyone either. I don't think I could be with anyone else, Darien. So yes, I will marry you." Darien smiled and leaned down to kiss her.
"Serena," he whispered huskily. "You just made me the most happiest man ever."
She laughed as they fell back onto the pillows. "Sing for me," she whispered.
"What?"
"Sing my song for me," she said. "Please?"
He chuckled, "Okay."
Whether I'm right or wrong
There's no phrase that hits
Like an ocean needs the sand
Or a dirty old shoe that fits
And if all the world was perfect
I would only ever want to see your scars
You know they can have their universe
We'll be in the dirt designing stars
And darlin' you know
You make me feel so beautiful
Nowhere else in the world I wanna be
You make me feel so beautiful
Whether I'm up or down
There's no crowd to please
I'm like a faith without a clause to believe in it
And if all the world was smiling
I would only ever want to see your frown
You know they can sail away in sunsets
We'll be right here stranded on the ground
Just happy to be found
You make me feel so beautiful
Nowhere else in the world I wanna be
You make me feel so beautiful
I have lost my illusions
I have drowned in your words
I have left my confusion to a cynical world
I am throwing myself at things I don't understand
Discover enlightenment holding your hand
You are..
So Beautiful
Yeah darlin' you know!
That you make me feel so beautiful nowhere else in the world i wanna be
Yeah you made me feel so beautiful
Author's Notes: I hoped you like this little fluffy one shot. I really love this song and was just randomly thinking and this was the result. Let me know what you thought!