Bait and Switch
Chapter One: Providence
A/N: For those of you who have never read "Ramifications," this is the sequel and I suggest you read that first before reading this one. There will be some references to its predecessor that you might not understand. For everyone else, hope you enjoy this chapter and I hope to have the second one by the middle or end of next week. As always, please review.
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.
Rating: M (for violence, language, and non explicit sexual themes)
The atmosphere was silent, calm, still. In the plush leather sofa that sat atop the wooden floors of his penthouse apartment, Darien Chiba sat, calmly fingering the armrest beside him, his finger moving in rhythmic taps as he waited for a knock on the door to free him from his solidarity and take him into the social throes of the night. He listened quietly, the only audible sounds from outside remained the beating of the rain against the clear paned windows that offered him a breathtaking view of the Tokyo skyline. The streetlights twinkled in his peripheral and even from the height of his penthouse, he could hear the honking of the horns on the busy streets below and the occasional wailing of a siren blasting its shrill sound as it sped down the wet road. The air outside was warm and muggy, the sudden August rain storm surprising even to the cities inhabitants. It always seemed to rain on his birthday.
Glancing at the clock he saw the iron rod tick painfully slow toward eight o clock, his anxiety growing as he waited for his doorbell to ring. In the solace of the moment he couldn't help but reflect on the events of the past year. He had graduated from college, matriculated into medical school, fell in love with a girl, rescued her from harm and bought a brilliant diamond engagement ring. Soon, he hoped, he would have a fiancée, and the loneliness that was his constant, steadfast companion, would be driven away by her sunny presence. At the thought of his beloved he couldn't help but smile.
They had overcome so many obstacles over the short time that they had been together. Despite her coming of age, her father still found their relationship objectionable and her relationship with Raye was still strained. And despite the death of her captor and the life sentence of another, nightmares often plagued her sleep and she would awake crying, images of a man creeping in the distant shadows stalking her thoughts. Darien knew it would be a while before the ghosts of her trauma went away and he would be by her side until they did.
Glancing around the room he noticed the change in the décor and grinned at the progress. He had been a lonely man before Serena captured him; he had many friends, but none close enough to know the blinding isolation that rested so deep within him and she had been the only person who could truly break through his callous exterior to find the loving soul inside.
Reaching down toward his pocket, he let his fingers slide against the lump beneath the fabric; the velvety texture of the box remained plush even through the cotton of his pants. For whatever reason, he found it necessary to carry this box around with him so that when the moment overcame him he would reveal the ring to her and ask her to be his wife. Perhaps the ring was the everlasting emblem that proved that his loneliness would indeed someday go away and the brightly lit horizon full of happiness and hope would bring a wave of light that could overcome the occasional bouts of darkness that filled him.
Serena would be starting school soon; her housing choices were complete, a roommate chosen, her tuition paid. There was no uncertainty that she would be moving away from the clutches of her overbearing father and into the arms of another man that loved her dearly. Her dorm situation could serve as a ruse for things to come, for if she accepted his proposal, then her move into his home would hopefully be immediate. Things in his life seemed to be turning around. He had convinced himself that tonight would be the perfect night, and proposing to her would be a present to himself; she was his greatest gift, after all.
The sound of the chipper chime of his doorbell banished the silence from the room and immediately he grabbed the coat that rested against the top of the couch, put it on, and approached the wooden door. He pulled it open and the passive expression on his face melted into such a display of euphoria that if looking in the mirror, he thought he probably wouldn't recognize himself.
"Happy Birthday," cried the blonde, setting the carefully wrapped gift she had bought him to the ground and throwing herself into his embrace, her head falling into the crook of his neck, her arms surrounding his middle.
He couldn't help but grin at her exuberance. She leaned in to kiss him and with the movement of her lips she filled him with the strongest feeling of contentment, of excitement, of belonging. She released him slowly and he got a true look at what she was wearing. The silky texture of the silver gown flowed and funneled around her body, the tight bodice accentuating her curves, the graceful hem, wide and smooth as it trailed behind her. Her hair was free and wavy, the honey curls contrasting with brightness of her blue eyes. Her makeup was simple and dainty and made her appear slightly older than her true age. She was a mirage in the desert of life and he remained quiet as his eyes drunk in the sight of her before him.
"Are you ready to go, or are you just going to stare at me, birthday boy?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.
"Well if you didn't show up looking so damn beautiful, then I wouldn't be gawking at you like this," he said honestly, reaching for his keys on the glass table behind the door.
"Come on lover boy," she said, her delicate fingers wrapping around his wrist. "You can't be late to your own birthday party."
The ride to the hotel where Darien's party was taking place was quiet and pensive, the comfort between them evident even in the silent car. In truth, Serena hadn't told him much about where they were going and who would be there. Occasionally she would yell out directions for him to take as they drove carefully down the glossy roads. As they neared the towering buildings of the downtown area, inspiration seized him and he suddenly realized where they were going.
His assumption was right and Darien felt little surprise when they pulled up to the Regency Hotel, one of the most elegant and expensive hotels in the ritzy Azabu District. Serena looked in awe, the sophistication of the building with its marble columns and glowing lights even more majestic up close. As providence would have it, Andrew happened to be good friends with the son of the man that owned this hotel and was able to let them rent one of the large lounges for the night at no charge. The news of Darien's bravery had saturated every news station and many people recognized him for his courage. With all the chatter of news running around, the business man's son had convinced his father that having such a local and heroic celebrity at their hotel would be great for publicity, not to mention their public image. All Serena and her friends had to pay for was the catering service they had hired for the night. She had been thrilled with the news Andrew had offered, mainly because Darien had bought her such extravagant gifts for her birthday and also because she felt like Darien deserved a lavish party after what he had done for her.
Immediately a valet driver rushed to their car, opened the door and helped both passenger and driver out, shielding them from the wet skies with massive black umbrellas. Serena tipped the driver as Darien handed him the keys and the two of them entered the glass atrium. The inside of the Regency was even more beautiful than its exterior. The room bled demure elegance and care was clearly taken when decorating the foyer. The ceilings were bedecked with crystal chandeliers, the floors shiny with lustrous marble, the walls sparkling with golden fixtures and paintings of men that had long left the confines of earth.
Darien looked surprised as she led him expertly down the hallway toward the lounge where his friends awaited. His fingers never parted from hers and the excitement that was radiating from her seemed to be infusing him with a similar level of enthusiasm. It had been so many years since he had a birthday party; after the deaths of his parents he instead opted to spend those special days at the graveyard where his parents were buried, murmuring terms of endearment and summaries of his current state of life.
When they entered the room, he was surprised by how many people showed up. There had to be at least fifty people in the room, many of them, he recognized from school or parties he had attended while in college. Several of their mutual friends were present, including Serena's four best friends, a girl with short red hair and young man with large bifocals. As they stepped into the room, Darien was greeted, congratulated and wished a happy birthday by all of its inhabitants.
"Look at all those presents," whispered Serena, her eyes falling onto the table in the back that was creaking under the weight of many gifts.
Darien laughed at the hungry expression on her face. "They're not your presents, Serena," said Lita, laughing at her reaction.
"I bet she'll be over there shaking the boxes before I can even get close to them," said Darien, leaning in and kissing her cheek.
"Not fair. I'm your girlfriend; you're supposed to be on my side."
"You're right. She's right," he said, looking to Mina and Lita. "If there's food she'll definitely beeline for that first."
Even Serena laughed at that comment and agreed that it was true, that she was hungry and there was plenty of food. Soon after all the arrivals had entered, music began playing and dinner was served. Darien was surprised at how much food there was. Then again, he was pretty sure Serena had ordered all of the food and sometimes her eyes tended to be bigger than her stomach. Quickly they helped themselves to some of his absolute favorite dishes: Stuffed Filet Mignon, Shrimp Scampi over Linguini, Steamed Crab and Chicken Cordon Bleu.
Their conversations were filled with happy memories, amusing jokes, and witty rebuts as they ate their way to satiation. When dinner was finished, Serena unveiled a large cake, the white icing reading letters of happy wishes in red and black. Darien cut into the cake and saw the blackness of the chocolate beneath the pristine white of the surface and his mouth watered in anticipation: chocolate by far was his most favorite thing in the world. Slowly they devoured the cake, commenting on its brilliance and sheer perfection of the night. When Darien found out that Serena had been the sole proprietor over tonight's events, his heart was filled with even more joy and utter appreciation for his girlfriend. After the plates were collected, Serena stood up beside him, grabbing a microphone from a nearby attendant and waiting for the room to quiet.
"Twenty three years ago, Darien Chiba was born today at 8:47 pm to Damien and Elizabeth Chiba," she began, the lights dimming and a projection screen ascending gracefully from the ceiling. "And even as a child Darien had a knack for exhibitionism." Across the screen flashed two photos of Darien as a nude baby: one of him resting on a bed, his stomach pressing against the red fabric and the other of him leaning against the bottom of a couch, a happy smile on his face. The room was filled with laughter as they surveyed the dark haired child in all of his natural glory.
"Even as a young boy, not any older than five, Darien was destined for greatness," continued Serena, a photo of Darien in Superman underwear, followed by a picture of him from Halloween, dressed up like Batman, complete with the mask and cape. "And as he continued his journey through life, his sheer determination to be not only a great scholar, but a great human being continued as well." Another photograph appeared, this time of a nine year old boy volunteering with his mother and father at a local animal shelter. "And although life proved to be unpredictable, Darien's insatiable appetite for knowledge and success never faltered." Two pictures emerged: one of him graduating from Mugen Academy, the other from him giving his valedictorian speech at his college commencement ceremony. "And as we are all lucky enough to be friends with Darien, we know that in his skillful hands, he will strive to meet any challenge he faces, that his caring nature will allow him to achieve great things and that after him the world of medicine will never be the same. Because of him, we know that the future will be in good hands. Happy Birthday, Darien. I love you. We all love you."
Darien watched as the room suddenly burst into thunderous applause and he couldn't keep himself from rising abruptly from his chair and giving his girlfriend an enrapturing kiss. The catcalls didn't stop their embrace and only did the need for air cause him to release her from his grip. "How'd you manage that?" he asked, referring to the slide show as his hand caressed her cheek.
"I stole one of your family albums," she said sheepishly. "But I put everything back the way it was I swear."
"Thank you," he said. "For everything, for tonight…it was perfect."
She hugged him before returning to her seat and sitting down beside him. He mused to himself that this was the best birthday he had ever had and mentally noted that next year he would have to outshine her and throw her an even better party. The night was winding down and it was near midnight when a few of his acquaintances had begun to wish him goodnight, congratulate Serena on the excellent party and file out of the room. When only some of his closest friends remained, Darien realized that now was the optimal time to ask Serena a very important question.
With shaky fingers he reached for the microphone that lay on the floor beneath her chair, cleared his throat and switched it on. His gesture broke Serena from her conversation with Ami and she immediately turned her attention toward her counterpart.
"Firstly, I wanted to thank my girlfriend and all those involved for this party. This was the absolute best birthday that I've had in a very long time," he began, interlocking his fingers with Serena's and tugging her hand until she stood up. Shyly she moved toward him, a questioning look on her face as he urged her to face him before bringing the microphone back to his lips. "Undoubtedly, as Serena pointed out, I have several presents waiting for me back there, but the greatest gift I was ever given, is standing right in front of me."
Driven by the verbal sentiment of the crowd, Serena blushed a deep red, a gentle smile gracing her lips as she looked into Darien's eyes. "I have never, nor will I ever, love a woman as much as I love you and I am ready to spend every waking moment of my life with you, to see you smile, to wake up with you in the morning, to experience every aspect of life with you by my side. Give me the chance to make your dreams come true, give me the chance to love you unconditionally. Make me the happiest man alive, by saying that you'll be my wife." Immediately Darien retrieved the velvet box from his pocket and opened it, uncovering a radiant princess cut diamond ring. Serena gasped, her eyes widening as shock reverberated through the entire room. No one spoke as she stood there, her trembling lips unable to form the proper words. And when she looked up to him, she saw so much happiness and yearning shining within his eyes that her mouth found the will to speak.
"Absolutely not," came the deep rumble from the distant voice of man. Her lips were forming the words for her positive response when that statement ruined the moment and caused not only her, but every single person in the room to search for the speaker.
Darien looked around, livid with anger. Who would have the audacity to ruin his proposal to Serena? Everyone in the audience seemed to be thinking the same things. When Darien finally found the culprit, the velvet box dropped from his hand, falling onto the floor, just as the diamond fell from is confines and skidded toward Serena, stopping at the hem of her dress.
"Shame I wasn't in your little slideshow," said a man who had to be in his mid fifties from the doorway, his long fingertips wrapped around the jeweled tip of a cane as he rested against the wooden frame. His black hair, peppered with streaks of gray, shined brilliantly beneath the lights, his deep blue eyes glistened with the sparkle of menace as he stared directly at Darien. "I was and still am, a rather important force in your life."
"What the hell are you doing here?" asked Darien, genuine shock laced in the timbre of his angry response.
"Can't an uncle come and visit his nephew on his birthday?" asked the man, walking toward Darien, the pounding of his cane loud against the cedar floorboards.
"How'd you even know where to find me?"
"Who doesn't know where to find you Darien? The results of your relationship with this blonde little twat have been all over the news."
"Excuse me?" cried Serena, surprise and irritation overcoming her. How dare this man come in and ruin Darien's birthday and his proposal to her.
"Speak when you're spoken to," he responded, waving a fat finger in front of her face.
"Don't talk to her like that Nicholas," growled Darien, his glare threatening.
"Don't give me lessons on how to behave, son. Your little adventure with the police has brought a lot of bad publicity to Chiba Incorporated. You should watch who you associate yourself with."
"You would know all about bad publicity, wouldn't you, uncle?"
Nicholas smiled, his pristine veneers even more brilliant beneath the spotlight. Darien was shocked when the man reached out and slapped him across the face. Disbelief filled his eyes as he stumbled back, his hand gripping the painful side of his cheek where he had been struck. "You forget who you're talking to."
Darien remained quiet, but the vehement glare in his eye spoke for him. Serena watched, shocked at the behavior of both men. Darien had never mentioned having an uncle, especially one as overbearing as him.
With shaky legs the older man bent down and collected the idle ring from Serena's feet, stuffed it back into its confinements and thrust it into the front pocket of Darien's suit coat. "I take it you spent a good amount of your father's money on that ring. Might as well take it back, you won't be needing it," said Nicholas, his eyes falling to Serena. "Go to the front and get the valet to bring around your car, Darien. You and I have many things to discuss."
The younger man remained rooted in the spot, his eyes never leaning his uncle. "Defiant are we? Cooperate, or you might lose something, very important you," he said, glancing sideways at Serena as she watched the exchange between them. If Darien knew anything about his uncle, it was that he wasn't to be challenged. Despite Darien's disinterest in the family business, he knew enough about it to know how ruthless and cutthroat his uncle could be.
He walked toward Serena, removed the small box from his pocket and opened it. The diamond center of the ring winked playfully at her as he held the box before her. "This belongs to you," said Darien, taking the ring out and placing it gently on her finger before planting a chaste kiss on her head. "Thank you for tonight, but I have to go."
He offered her no other response, but instead followed his uncle as he limped from the room. Giving Serena no last glance, Darien closed the door behind him and ventured into the hall with his companion, leaving the entire room in the grip of shock and causing Serena to question who Nicholas Chiba actually was and if she knew the man that she was possibly engaged to marry as well as she thought.