Darcy gets back from a meeting with Bobby and is met by a concerned co-worker. She is wondering about Darcy's actions. Is Darcy too? Please read and review! A reminder-I do not own any characters that you recognize from the show (I did, however, create Elena Holloway). All credits go to Paxson Entertainment and Dave and Gary Johnson.

"Miss DiAngelo, you've made it back - alive," observed Elena Holloway, a fellow reporter. Her raised eyebrow showed her surprise. Darcy nodded and gave her friend a bright smile.

"What else did you expect, Elena?"

"To be honest, Darcy, I never know when it comes to you," Elena said with a certain "look" that proved to Darcy that Elena had a lot more to say.

Here it comes, like it does every other week, Darcy thought.

"Darcy, everyone else goes out and simply interviews," Elena scolded. "You - you don't! You go out and stir up hornet's nests and viper pits. Do you enjoy getting people mad at you?"

"I'm a reporter. That's my job."

"Not doing that, not endangering yourself."

"My title is 'investigative journalist'. What do you expect?"

Elena took a deep breath. "Okay, Darcy, okay. I know that you love to pry and snoop. You go ahead and enjoy that. Just don't you think that you're getting yourself into a bit too deep of a hole this time?"

"What do you mean?"

"The FBI? Really?!"

"I was just reporting the facts, and that Agent Manning seemed to have a problem with that," Darcy said, pulling out her note pad and reviewing her notes.

"Which facts?"

"The facts."

"Darcy, why is it that most reporters do not cause giant uproars, but you always do?"

Darcy smiled and winked at Elena. "It just shows that I'm the best."

Elena rolled her eyes. "It's useless talking to you, isn't it?"

Darcy turned to walk to her desk. She called back over her shoulder, "It's just another story, Ellie, so calm down and let me work."

"You!" snorted Elena.

Darcy smirked to herself.

It's just another story. And I am going to get this story, despite Agent Manning.

...

Darcy paused before going into her meeting. That Agent Bobby Manning had given her some things to think about. He had read her part of an old article that she written years ago, one about the Fourth of July. Despite her confident words to him earlier, she was not quite as sure about herself and her own thoughts when she had thought it over for a bit. Was she really as cynical and hard as she really thought that she was? Was she really that hard? And did she truly want that to be that person-the person that she had become?

Perhaps this was another one of those stories that she was going to regret writing.

But to regret the story of one's life would be a serious mistake.

Could she write another story before it was too late?

...

A phone rang, waking Darcy. She groggily opened her eyes and reached out and grabbed her phone and flipped it open.

"Hi."

"Hey, Darcy."

"Elena?"

"So I tried to call you last night," Elena said over the phone, "but you never answered."

Darcy suddenly remembered the date. "Merry Christmas, Elena!"

"Merry Christmas. So where were you? You never do anything for Christmas. Were you okay?"

Darcy rolled out of her bed as she answered, smiling as she remembered. "I was at a Christmas program with a friend."

"Who?" The reporter in Elena seemed to be surfacing.

"Oh, a guy I know," Darcy said evasively. She looked through her closet and pulled out her prettiest winter dress, a close-fitting green velvet creation with faux diamonds around the neckline. She began to change into it and do her make-up and hair while she continued to talk to her curious friend.

"Out with it. You're hiding something. Who was this guy?"

She'll find out somehow if I don't tell her. Elena, despite her ragging on me, can be even more persistent than I am when she gets on a trail when researching. I'd better just tell her now.

"Agent Manning," Darcy admitted.

For once Elena was speechless and Darcy took advantage of the silence.

"Elena, I have to go. I'll talk to you later, when I return to work tomorrow. Enjoy the holiday!"

"Darc..."

The door bell rang.

"I've really got to go, Elena. Bye." Darcy hung up and took one final glance at herself in the mirror. She applied a final touch of lipstick then headed for the door. A peak through the peep hole confirmed what she had been expecting and hoping for.

Bobby's here.

...

"So is it official?" Elena asked excitedly, hovering around Darcy's desk. Darcy had been able to evade most of Elena's questions until then, but with New Year's past and her relationship blossoming, she figured that it would not hurt to let her friend in on her news.

"Yes," Darcy said as her face shone from the biggest smile that she owned. "We're dating."

Elena's eyes sparkled with playfulness. "So 'that Agent Manning' wasn't as bad as he seemed at first?"

Darcy rolled her eyes. The best way to get Elena to be quiet was to let her have her little laugh while ignoring her, then go on as if nothing ever happened. But inside she was not quite so quiet.

I'm not going to re-write my life story, but I'm going to start on a new chapter. I guess that chapter will be a story of it's own-another story to add to my book of memories. And this story is called "love".