Disclaimer: Sailormoon is owned by Naoko Takeuchi.

P.S. Please bear with me for the long intro.. ^_^

As far as developing cities went, Wellers had been one of those that would be considered a late bloomer. While its neighbors experienced the boom of real estate and influx of jobs due to multinational companies setting up Financial HQs and IT hubs, Weller remained untouched for a long time. The reason being that it was also the only untouched part of the country during the last war many decades ago, protected by the large city walls of which some had still remained until the present day. The area had been turned into one of the many historical sites, and a tourist spot showing how the city had defended itself against the invaders.

However, over a decade ago the city was made to realize that it had gotten itself left behind. That it had remained stuck in an era, while the rest of the world passed by. The local government felt grateful to the first agents of change, as they would call them, for the chance to improve the city. And thus, Crane Developers made its first mark in Wellers.

In the heart of Wellers, amidst the skyscrapers and crowded state-of-the-art malls, was Linden street. On many occasions, people who were not familiar with the area would find themselves wondering if they had somehow stepped into a different dimension when they got off at the west end. Some had even jokingly referred to it as the 'dead end'. Linden's cobbled street was lined up with shops and boutiques that had been constructed before the war began over 50 years ago, some even longer. It was the only part of the city area where the outside portion of the shops had natural plants, and even trees in some. While most of the citizens still treasure this little piece of history in the heart of the city, a quiet refuge for the city life, Cranes saw it as a speck of dust in their blueprints; a smudge in the glass that was proving to be a challenge to wipe off.

Darien checked his watch. It was close to 11 o'clock in the morning and he had a meeting in 30 minutes. He was long past feeling silly sitting all alone in his table at the antique coffee shop for almost two hours. What bothered him more right now were the stares that he got from people who came in, seeing the mild surprise and even shock in the faces seeing him there. For one thing, he was the only one in his demographic inside the cafe. The rest of them were either above 50 years old, or some of the servers were still seemed to be in their late teens. Possibly part-timers. And while they wore plaid flannels and worn denims, he was wearing a crisp black suit and his sleek silver briefcase was on the empty chair beside him.

Scenes and lines played in his head on what he would say to Serena, if the woman still had it in her mind to show up for their 9 o'clock appointment. Her last message to him almost an hour ago was that she was on the way. It was she who had set up this meeting: location, time, and place yesterday. It was the first time, in after a month since his homecoming party, that they talked—a brief conversation over the phone. After being gone for 8 years, it would be the second time for him to see her again as well.

He had been surprised at the call, to say the least. She had told him that it was important and that she couldn't discuss over the phone. Serena worked for the local government, in charge of preserving local parks and historical sites. She knew that he worked for Crane, newly transferred back to his Weller to supervise the newest sites and projects. And one of the sites that Crane had set its eyes on,for some time actually, was Linden street. He was curious to know if it was a strategy of hers to try to persuade him to give up on the project. To try and soften him up and appreciate the beauty of the place, and maybe just for that she was also being late on purpose. But a part of him also discarded the idea, as it was not possible for her firm to know about it yet, or anyone else outside the higher management of Crane, as no plans about it have been made public.

He half-raised a hand to call for the waiter, who had introduced himself as 'Ryan' when he had shown him to his table. Ryan gave an acknowledging nod at him, but continued his amused conversation with the older man who sat by himself on the booth. He raised his hand higher, at which Ryan gave a quick pat to the man he was talking to and half ran to Darien's table.

"Yes, sir. Can I get you anything?"

"Coffee."

Ryan looked briefly at the empty cup and then back at Darien.

"That would be your third."

"Yes."

Ryan shrugged and then wrote on his small pad. "Anything else? Dessert maybe?"

"No. Just coffee."

When Ryan left, Darien took out his phone from the inside pocket of his suit, more out of habit than necessity. If there had been any calls or messages, he would have heart it ring or felt it vibrate. The area was dead zone for data network, as he would have at least been able to go through his emails. He supposed that Uncle Ben's was probably the only area in the country that did not offer wifi connection. Apparently, Uncle Ben, the shop's owner, was against the idea of anything modern in his quaint little shop. At least that was what Ryan had informed him earlier. He hoped that soon he would be able to change that, one way or another.

The chimes of the old glass doors of the coffee shop rang, and as intended, the people's attention was drawn to it. The sunlight behind her created a glow around her blond hair and fair skin that Darien didn't notice that he had momentarily stopped breathing. Smiling, Serena made her way to the counter that was near the entrance. Behind the cash register was a woman who seemed to be in her late fifties, Uncle Ben's wife. He watched as she talked to the older woman, and seemed to be taking her time exchanging pleasantries. The scene both agitated and amazed him. It was as if she didn't care that she was already two hours late for an important appointment, and yet he couldn't help watching every gesture and smile as she talked to the other woman. After a few moments, the latter pointed at him and he felt like a deer caught in headlights when both women turned to look at him. Serena exchanged a few more words with the older woman before making her way to him. She was greeted by three more patrons before she finally made it to his table.

"Hi," she said to him. He was halfway from standing up when she sat down on the chair across from him.

"Hi," he replied as he sat back down.

"Sorry for making you wait so long," she said as she adjusted her seat. "I was feeling a little sick this morning."

Sitting three feet away from her, he could see that she did look a little pale and there was a hint of weariness in her face. "No problem." He stashed away his tardiness and the-importance-of-being-on-time-for-appointments speech. He was sure he would find another day to use the practiced lines in his head on her. "Are you feeling better now? You do look a little pale."

She nodded, momentarily meeting his eyes before reaching for the table napkin. "Yeah."

"Hey Serena!"

Ryan placed Darien's fresh cup in front of him, smiling brightly at Serena.

"Hi Ryan." Serena returned the smile. "How's Minnie?"

The young man's smile was tinted with sadness. "I took her to Dr. Williams yesterday."

"What did he say? Is it serious?" Darien saw worry etched over her face as she put a hand over Ryan's forearm.

"She's going to lose her babies. Possibly all of them."

"Oh Ryan, I'm so sorry to hear that."

He shrugged. "That's life, I guess."

"When is the operation?"

"Tomorrow. Uncle Ben is only going to let me take that day off though."

Serena frowned. "Is that enough?"

"That's all he's going to give me. Says we're short on people as it is."

Serena patted him. "I'll talk to him, don't worry."

Ryan's face brightened. "Will you? Oh, you know you're the only one who can get through that old man."

Serena winked. "Sure. I'm supposed to adopt one of Minnie's little ones. So that practically makes us family."

"Thank you so much, Serena!"

The sound of Darien's coffee cup touching the saucer made the two turn to him.

"Sorry."

"Right." Ryan took out his notepad and pen, turning to Serena. "So, what can I get you? Usual?"

Serena frowned a bit. "Hmm. My stomach might not be up for it right now." She picked up the menu, making a quick read through. "I'll just have two slices of toast and scrambled eggs. And uh, orange juice, no pulp."

"Are you sure? Are you feeling okay?"

She smiled at him. "Been a bit sick lately. But don't worry, this'll pass."

"Alright." He turned to Darien. "How about you, sir? Can I get you anything else?"

"No, thank you."

"So," Serena turned to him when Ryan left their table. "How's it going?"

"Good. I've pretty much settled in."

"That's nice." She smiled lightly.

"And you?"

"A bit hectic at work lately. We're having a council meeting over Rayvern Park next week. Yours?"

The Rayvern project was one he supervised for Crane while he was still based in the main office. He made the proposals for the project, presented it to investors and had been approved. Now it had been handed over to Jed Michaels to take charge of the building project, and all that came with it. Including dealing with Serena's firm.

"Not mine," he replied. "But I know the person in charge of it." He was not used to this, talking to Serena like old acquaintances, and the topic being about work. He expected it, but not the awkwardness and almost absurdness of it all.

"So," he began hoping to make the conversation lighter and towards a different direction. "You're going to be a mother soon?"

If it was possible, she turned even paler when she looked at him. "What?"

"Umm." He shifted nervously and placed his finger around the cup holder of his coffee cup. "What you and Ryan were talking about earlier. You're adopting his kid?" He took a sip of his coffee. "Isn't he a little too young to be …"

Her laugh cut him off. "Minnie's a cat."

"Oh." He couldn't help but smile a little at that too.

Her eyes wandered over to his plate and landed on the untouched slice of toast. "Can I have that?" She pointed. "I'll just replace it when Ryan comes back with my food."

"Help yourself." He pushed the plate towards her.

"I'm famished," she said as she reached for the toast on his plate, fork and knife in each hand.

He let out a small laugh. "When are you not? You seem to still have the appetite of a pregnant woman, I'm starting to wonder when you'd actually look like one."

She dropped the toast a few inches from her plate, her hands frozen in place. Without looking at him, she retracted her arms, her right hand clutched the table napkin beside her.

His eyebrows furrowed a little. Whatever his expectation was over an old joke he used to tease her with, that was not it. The Serena that he knew never took lightly such comments—and in silence, especially if coming from him.

"Sorry." He reached for the fallen toast with his hand and placed it on her plate.

She looked at the piece of toast that was now in her plate.

"Don't worry," he said as he flicked off crumbs from his fingers. "My hands are clean."

He felt the phone vibrate in his pocket. He reached for it, while he waited for any form of reaction from the person sitting across from him. It was a text message from Gina, his secretary, telling him that his clients had arrived for their meeting that would be in less than 20 minutes. His office was about 10 minutes drive from Linden street.

"Serena, what was it you—"

"I'm late," she said before he could finish. She was not looking at him, her expression serious. Another one that's usual for him because he never saw her serious, at least with him. Usually it was jeering, or teasing him, or just plain angry.

He blinked, and then checked his watch. "Two hours, yeah. I was under the impression that what you wanted to tell me was urgent."

She looked away for a moment. Her hand tightened around the table napkin. "I've been late a month, Darien."

His eyebrows furrowed. "What?"

"Figure it out, Mr. Harvard Valedictorian," she said in a low voice.

"Here you go." Neither of them noticed Ryan approach. He replaced the plate with the cold toast in front of Serena with her food. Serena mumbled her thanks.

"A month," Darien repeated. "As in a month ago?"

"Yes."

Darien leaned back, suddenly feeling very self conscious and made a scan of the room, before his eyes went back to Serena.

"Okay. S-so you're.."

"Yes."

"I see." He took a few deep breaths, and ran a hand through his hair. "Okay."

"Will you stop saying that?" She hissed, trying to contain her own anxiety her voice. "It's not okay."

"What do you expect me say?" He leaned forward, trying to keep his voice low despite the jumbled thoughts and emotions that ran through him. "You don't answer my calls, I don't hear from you since… and now you have this big … news for me?"

She looked away, her shoulders slumped. "I don't know. I was … confused. I just thought you needed to know."

Something in him stirred as he watched her, looking so vulnerable. But he pushed that thought aside. There were bigger things to think about now between them.

"Serena, I—"

The sound of his phone ringing cut him off. "Yes, Gina? Yes, I'll be there.. Stall them or something. Give them muffins with their coffee." He put the phone back in his pocket and then reached for his wallet. "I have to go." He took a few bills and placed them on the table. "We'll talk. Later. But right now.."

"Sure," she replied not looking at him. "Go."

"I'll call you. And will you please answer the damn phone this time?"

"Fine. Just go already."

Without another word, he left the table, making one last glance back at her with her back to him before reaching for the door.

AN: This is a finished story-at least the first draft is. My first NaNoWrimo story that I actually finished ^_^