Author's Notes: Chapter 2 revision is under way. Oh, and all the reviews aren't from the first chapter. It's from all the previous chapters that I used to have up, but have taken down so I can revise them. HAHA! I wish I was that popular. XD

Title: The Christmas Spirit

Author: KaBunny

E-mail: PG-13

Chapter Two: Andrew's Friend

Darien just shrugged as he looked at the blonde standing before him. His face broke out into a smile when she gave him the confused look that he had given her on the train. He found himself becoming attached to this woman that he had only met just hours before. She looked as tired as he felt, probably from a long night of work just like he had put in. The way her brows creased over her eyes in confusion was just so cute that it had become amusing to someone that hardly ever showed such a face. "I'm taking the bus, but I have to stop off somewhere first," Darien replied, giving a small chuckle of amusement. She just had a certain charming air about her that brought a smile to his face.

"Oh," Serena uttered just as the waitress finally returned. He placed each plate of food in front of its respective orderer, bending slightly across the table. After making sure that both customers appeared to be content, she flashed Darien another flirtatious smile before meandering off, her hips swaying. The ebony haired man paid no heed, still pretending he had no idea what the woman was trying to do. Serena took no notice of this, lost in her own thoughts. 'That's a first! Some guy got me so confused that I had to answer with a one worded sentence...hm? That's never happened before...,' the blonde thought, beginning to inhale her food. She tended to eat rather quickly out of habit or just being a crazy blonde, no one but she knew.

Darien blinked a few times, astonished. 'I hope she doesn't choke or something...I don't want to have to resuscitate her,' Darien pondered, still staring at Serena strangely. 'Boy, that would sound totally lame if I told her. Hell, it sounds totally lame thinking it! Okay, avert eyes and eat, Shields!' His body seemed to move into function as his brain finally told it just what to do. He scooped up the sandwich that was on the plate infront of it, bringing it to his mouth. As he took a bite, he found his eyes drifting across the table tothe uncourtesy blonde who still appeared to be inhaling her food much faster than appeared humanly possible. He nearly laughed and choked on his food, but instead settled to turn his eyes onto anything but her.

Eventually, Serena did realize the stares that she was receiving and slowed her eating considerably. Shef ound a small, pink tint found it's way to her cheeks. The blonde often found such things occuring when she was found in public places. Her eating slowed to a stop and she found herself pushing the plate away from her and more toward the center of the table, nibbling on the remainin pickle from her plate. "So, Darien, where are you stopping along the way?"

"Well, I figured that since spending the holidays with my friend's family was unexpected, I would have to at least try to get some gifts," Darien stated, wiping his mouth with his napkin. He noted that she had completed eating and was nearly amazed that she hadn't keeled over with a piece of food stuck in her esophagus. "So, after I finish shopping I was planning on getting a hotel room and wrapping the gifts. So, I'll be getting there a day later than expected. I think I will be, but...depends on how long the shopping takes."

"Well, that's cool," Serena said, smiling slightly. "Have you ever spent Christmas with these people before? Will it be more like a party or a small family get together? What are your plans when you get there?" The lawyer in her was sneaking out again and she stopped herself froma sking him anymore questions before he could answer the ones that were already given to him.

"Never even met his family before, so I have no idea what will happen after I get there," Darien responded, looking at her oddly. He felt like he was getting the third degree. He found his plate far more interesting now that she seemed to take a liking to what was going on in his life. "In fact, I've never really done anything for Christmas. The orphanage never really paid much heed and well, after I grew up I was far too busy with college and work to do anything. So, this will essentially be my first Christmas."

Serena was gawking at him. She could hardly believe her ears. 'First Christmas? Now I feel bad...here I am blabbing on about how much my family is a pain in my rear during Christmas, despite the good times I always have there, and he's never even had a Christmas before. How heartless and thoughtless of me,' Serena thought, mentally scowling at herself. She closed her mouth, biting her bottom lip. She felt guilty for even bringing up the subject, having forgotten about what he had said about his past earlier. He didn't seem to mind her bringing up the subject, but this still didn't make her feel any better about reminding him. This mental battle seemed to attract the attention of the other occupant of the table.

'Was she just having a mental argument?' he thought, a smirk gracing his face. He found himself snickering again at this enigmatic girl that showed more expression than he could ever hope to show. 'Wonder why she was arguing with herself.' His mind then trailed off to the kiss that he would always remember receiving from her as an utter stranger. He brushed the thought away knowing that he had set it behind him and the she had to have set it behind her. It didn't stop the unwarranted blush from reaching his cheekbones though.

As his eyes drifted up, he realized that Serena was giving him an odd look. It was the same look that he had given her moments before. He couldn't help himself. He broke out in a fit of laughter. His laugh was rich and intense, heart warming even. He hadn't laughed like that in a few months and it felt good. Serena arched her brow in surprise which only caused the ebony haired man to laugh harder, clutching at his sides in amusement. He had never thought that such an expression on someone who should never look such a way would ever be so amusing.

"Care to indulge me as to what is so amusing?" Serena voiced her thoughts.

"N-nothing," Darien said, regaining his composure. He sniffed, almost losing it again to another bout of laughter. He straightened his face into cleaner lines before deciding to reassure her again. "Absolutely nothing." The blonde wasn't thoroughly convinced, but she was satisfied with his lie for now. She stared at him for a few brief seconds before she looked at her watch. She sighed as she looked back up to him, knowing that they would have to part very soon.

"Sorry to cut our visit short, but I have to be going. If I ever plan on making it to my family's house by tonight, I have to leave in a bit," Serena said, smiling sadly. She locked eyes with the gentleman across the table from her. He was certainly an interesting character. 'It was fun while it lasted.'

"Ah, it's fine," Darien responded, brushing off the lack of his insult about her time schedule. He didn't mind that she had to leave. It had been interesting; that was for sure. The waitress then returned to pick up the plates. She bent over the table again, making sure to pause when she was infront of the ebony haired male, hoping to catch his attention. She set the check onto the table, muttering something about having a good day. She flashed a remaining smile at the handsome blue-eyed male before skittering off with their plates in hand.

Both occupants at the table reached for the check, their hands clahsing together just above the check on the table. A silent war was about to begin as light blue clashed with the deeper shade of blue from across the table. Each soldiers' eyes were alert and their reflexes were impeccable as both readied themselves to steal the check from the other. The check was closer to the ebony haired man, but that didn't deter the fierce blonde in any way as she prepared to do anything to grasp that check in her fingers. Words, then, passed between the two through eye contact.

'I'll pay for it,' Darien's eyes said.

'No, I'll pay for it,' Serena's eyes retorted.

The war was short. Darien was a gentleman after all and he simply used his intellect in this field to surpass the war that would ensue for a few moments. He reached down without removing eyes contact from the blonde, his fingers wrapping around the edge of the paper as he snatched back in the direction of himself.

"Hey! I'll pay for it," Serena said, grabbing the other side of the check. She had cat-like reflexes. Darien looked up at her again, a questioning look in his eyes. What could possibly make her so adamant about such a thing? "Please? I want to thank you for talking to me. Most people would just ignore me, but you didn't. I want to show my appreciation."

"That's not good enough reason to pay...," Darien replied, "...approxiamately twenty dollars." He had read the amount which was right next to a name and a circled phone number. Suddenly, he didn't feel like arguing about this any further. He felt the paper slipping between his fingers, shaking his head at the fact that the waitress had actually left her number for him.

"It's a Christmas gift," Serena replied, pulling the check away from him. "For your first Christmas." She pulled the money out of her purse. Four dollars for the waiter and sixteen to pay for the rest of the check. Darien evidently added the tip into the check quickly. The blonde glanced at it a second time as she noticed the happy face drawn on the paper with a simple name and a number left on the paper next to it. She couldn't help, but smile. That waitress was rather bold.

"I still don't think you should be paying, but since I don't have time to be arguing with you, then I guess I really have no choice...especially if it's for Christmas. Who could pass up a gift?" Darien agreed finally. He took note of the smile on her face, but decided to ignore it.

They both walked out of the restaurant in silence. Darien moved toward the traffic moving down the main street next to the restuarant that they had agreed upon. He reached his arm up high into the air, hailing one of the yellow vehicles over for the two of them. He opened the door, letting the blonde enter the car before him before getting in the back beside her. It wasn't a long ride to the airport. Darien was going to be catching his bus from there and Serena was picking up her rental car. Darien stepped out of the car, opening the door for the blonde. He closed it behind her even as he bent over and paid for the short ride to Logan. Both moved up onto the bustling sidewalk of people wandering every which direction catch planes and rides.

"So," Darien said, feeling awkward. He was staring down at the the shorter blonde at a loss for words. 'Damn one worded sentences...why can't I think of something to say?' He found his mind swimming with thousands of things he could say to her suddenly, but not one of them decided to come to his lips and actually fall out of them. As he drifted back to her eyes, she realized that she was expectantly waiting for him to say something. "Sorry," Darien muttered, smiling slightly out of embarrassment. "I guess now we go our separate ways, huh?"

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Serena said, returning the smile nervously. She brushed a stray, golden cololored hair behind her ear. She shuddered from the cold and wrapped her arms around herself. She was at the same odd loss for words. This situation had awkward written all over it.

"Well, it was nice meeting you, Serena Moone," Darien stated, truthfully. He had plastered on his business smile as his hand moved out. She shook it gingerly before letting her hand fall. She had done that many times in business situations, but it seemed out of place in this more personal setting.

"It was nice meeting you too, Darien Shields," Serena replied, equally as truthful. She had been looking downwards at the small pile of snow on the corner of the street that had crept up a bit onto the sidewalk. Her eyes now moved back up to meet his. "Oh, hey! If you don't end up spending Christmas with your friend next year, maybe you would want to spend it with my family?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I really don't know anything about you. I don't mean to offend, but I'd have to say no," Darien responded, putting his ungloved hands into his pockets. He leaned back, slightly, away from her. Suddenly, he felt that the distance between them wasn't sufficient enough.

"Very true. But, don't you live in Manhattan?" Serena asked, staring up at him, her eye cerulean eyes bright. She also felt that the distance between them was little as well and nearly took a step back. She stopped herself from doing in wonder as to what made her feel suddenly so uncomfortable after being so calm with him the last couple of hours.

"Of course, but-"

"Okay, then, I'll give you my number and we can get together sometime and get to know one another a little better," Serena said, smiling slightly as she gave another shudder. The wind had whipped by her, causing her shoulder to tilt up a bit in protection of her ears. She didn't want to just wander off and never speak to him again. That seemed odd for someone so friendly to randomly have lunch with someone and then never speak to them again. The awkwardness was fading from the blonde as she braved herself to become friends with the male before her.

"Okay...," Darien replied, shrugging slightly. What else was he supposed to say? The blonde began patting herself down as she pulled a piece of paper out of her purse. She admonished it between her slender fingers.

"You got a pen?" she asked, still looking for one. Her left hand was digging around in the small bag that seemed to contain many things that she didn't desire as he other hand was holding up the piece of paper. Darien began to look for pen in his jacket.

"Uh, no," Darien stated, looking back down to her as she sighed in defeat. He had know even before he had looked that he had no pen. All the pens he had were tucked safely away in his lab coat back at his practice.

"Oh, hell," she muttered as she reached back into her purse. She put the piece of paper away a pulled out a small piece of cardboard paper. She handed it to Darien. He didn't look at it as he took it, his attention drawn to the one speaking."It's my business card. It doesn't have my personal number on it, but it does have my cellphone. I don't know how well cellphones work in Maine, so I wouldn't advise calling the number for a couple of weeks."

"Gotcha," Darien muttered, smiling as he stared at the card. "I won't be getting back to Manhattan for a couple of weeks either, so you probably won't hear from me either."

"Okay, bye, Darien," Serena said, waving at him as she walked off. She entered the airport and left Darien standing there, staring at her business card. He had waved to her, but his eyes never left the card. The way the last name was spelled had caught his eyes. Didn't Andrew say something about his cousin, who was a lawyer, who owned a business called Law of the Moone? Darien was pretty sure he did, but he could only snub this off as a coincidence. There were plenty of people with the same last name, Moone, right?

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After driving for what seemed like an eternity, Serena reached her destination in her rental car. She pulled into the driveway of her old house and sighed as she turned car off. She stared at her old house, leaning gingerly onto the steering wheel to do so. It was a two story house with four bedrooms. One for each of the children-Alex, Sammy, and herself- and then one for the parents- Mr. and Mrs. Ken and Ilene Moone. But, Alex was gone now, so his room was free. When family came, Serena usually bunked in there with Sammy and her cousin Andrew. Her parents slept in Serena's old room and Andrew's parents- Mr. and Mrs. Matt and Julie Timbre (AN: Sorry to but in again, but Andrew's last name is different because Julie is Ken's younger sister...Timbre is Matt's last name...she changed it when she got married, get it?) - bunked in the master bedroom. Sammy's room was always left abandoned just in case anyone else ever visited. She didn't mind sharing the room with her brother and her cousin. It always made for interesting conversation and allowed her to catch up on their lives.

No one else ever showed up, but you never know. "Be prepared," Ilene always told Serena as a child. It stuck, but not as well as Ilene could've hoped. The blonde was never prepared for the unexpected. She was always repeating the phrase to others about having a general idea about being ready for just about everything happening, but Serena never took it to heart. She never went the extra mile to prepare herself for anything.

The house was mostly dark. It was 11 o'clock after all. The only light on was the one in the living room. Someone was most likely waiting up for her to arrive because she had no house key. 'Did mom forget that I know where the hidden spare key is? Maybe she moved it,' Serena thought, her fingers sliding over the keys in the ignition. She removed them as an odd thought struck her. What if they were up waiting for someone else? 'That's foolish,' she thought, darting away from any such thought.

She got out of the car and reached into the back seat for her laptop. She grabbed the handle to the bag it was in and pulled it out to set it on her shoulder before closing the car door. She automatically locked the doors and started on her walk to the front door. She walked around to the side of the house and up the front walk. She smiled as she stopped in front of the familiar white door with the Christmas wreath hanging on it. She then rang the doorbell, her finger depressing the button with ease. A small jingle rang out through the quiet house, but she saw a shadow moving.

Her tall, blonde cousin, Andrew, ended up opening the door. His face fell when he saw her at first. Serena saw the look and pouted, feigning hurt. "I'm hurt, Andrew," Serena whimpered, pretending to wipe tears out of her eyes. "Aren't you happy to see me?" She gave a small laugh at the thought of how absurd it would be if he wasn't actually happy to see her after a year.

"Of course I am!" Andrew replied, cheering up immensely. "I just thought you were someone else. You sure you're not hiding anyone in that bag of yours?"

"My bag!" Serena yelped as she pulled the bag closer to her as Andrew came near her to take it. She smiled as he wrapped her in a hug which she returned wholeheartedly. "It's so nice to see my wonderful cousin again."

"Same to you, Bunny," Andrew said, smiling slightly. He kissed the girl's forehead before linking arms with her and walking into the nice warm house. The blast of warm air felt good in comparison to the cold air that Serena had just removed herself from. Andrew closed the door behind the two of them, content that his cousin was with him to keep him company for the moment.

Nobody else seemed to be awake. 'Well, it is late. I guess that's my fault though,' Serena thought, walking over to sit down on the couch. Her mind drifted back to the ebony haired man that she had spent a couple hours with. She knew that she had come to realize that she was attracted to him. However, his suave, charming nature had to be blamed for such a thing and no self-respecting female could resist someone who pulled out her chair for her. She resolved to just being friends with him, leading the thought of her attraction ever growing to anything more than that away from her mind.

The blonde's head jerked up from her thoughts as she had been undressing herself from her winter jacket. She had heard just the tail end of something that the only other occupant of the room had said."Huh? What was that Andrew?"

"I see that you're still a space cadet," Andrew said, giving a chuckle of amusement. This prompted the blonde to roll her eyes a bit, a small smile escaping onto her lips. "I asked you if you were tired and wanted to go to bed."

"No thanks. Maybe in a few," Serena murmured. She leaned back into the couch as warmth enveloped her. The material was a soft as well as plush and the cushion seemed to curve around her tiny frame as she bent into its comfort. It was nice and cozy in this old house of hers. And she knew that she would miss it terribly when she had to leave again, but that was just the nature of the beast. "So, is there really someone else coming here?"

"Yeah, a really good friend of mine that I haven't seen to in awhile. He lives in Manhattan, so you might know him," Andrew stated, smiling at the yawning blonde. The young woman had even proceeded to grab the jacket from just a small distance down the couch and lay it upon herself much like a blanket. The heat enveloped her, her exhaustion rising up on her. She needed to stop doing those late nights at the firm before leaving on vacation.

"I don't know. Manhattan's a pretty big city," Serena answered, closing her eyes. The lids of her eyes suddenly became and interesting swirl of colors as her brain began to bring her off into a world only she had visited, her dream world. As she fell into a slumber, she never heard Andrew's next question.

"Do you know a Darien Shields?"

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Chapter Two revision is completed. I hope you enjoy this. I'm really hoping to hear from some previous readers as I continue on writing this to see if the changes that I make, make the story flow much better.

Stay Tuned for Chapter Three: Breakfast...Darien arrives to find a huge shock, but not as big as the shock Serena will receive in the morning! Mental battles always reveal more than we're ready for!

KaBunny