A/N: Thank you to my reviewers GraphicsChyk, SailorMoon489 (Aww, thank you!), Godloverk, LoveInTheBattleField and anyoumous! Enjoy hsx
CHAPTER 4-
The second week of studying progressed nicely, Serena and I becoming closer due to the car rides I gave her home, allowing us to talk to each other about ourselves rather than studying. On Friday, I came to a stop outside the Tsukino house, and Serena was looking awkwardly at the floor. 'Are you okay, Serena?' She hadn't leant over and given me a hug yet, and she had been avoiding meeting my eye at my apartment.
'Yes, it's just that my mum wanted to thank you for helping me with my school work and invite you around for dinner tonight. I was supposed to ask you earlier, but I was too nervous.' Serena still wasn't looking at me, so I rested my hand on her shoulder and she met my gaze.
'Why were you too nervous?'
'In case you said no. I mean, it's okay if you have something planned for tonight-'
'Dinner sounds great.' She smiled and I parked my car, Serena leading me up the path after we'd gotten out. She unlocked the door and we took off our shoes and put on a pair of slippers just as Mrs Tsukino appeared in the hallway, her hair a mess.
'Serena! Thank goodness you're home!' She hugged her daughter and saw me stood behind her, her hands immediately flying to her hair to try and flatten it down. 'And you must be Darien.' She shook my hand, trying to make herself look calmer which wasn't working.
'Mum, what's wrong?' The older woman began to cry, and an alarmed looking Serena put her arms around her. 'Please tell me, mum.' Mrs Tsukino mumbled something about her husband, then Sammy, then tea, then the weekend, trying not to cry too much since I was stood watching. 'Go and lie down upstairs, we'll sort out everything.'
'Seren-'
'We'll be fine. I'll come and get you if we need anything.' Serena led her mum to the stairs and Mrs Tsukino went up them before Serena walked back to where I was stood.
'What is it?'
'Sammy hasn't arrived home from school yet, when he should have an hour ago, and my mum can't go out and get him because she's trying to cook dinner and pack.'
'Pack for what?'
'Dad's planned a last minute romantic weekend for them to try and sort things out, but she's stressed trying to get everything ready. Can you keep an eye on dinner whilst I ring Sammy's school?' I nodded and went through to the kitchen and stirred the boiling pan of rice and kept an eye on the teriyaki chicken, Serena sat at the table on the phone.
'Hello, this is Serena Tsukino, Sammy's older sister… Could you check if he's still around please? He was supposed to arrive an hour ago… is he? Oh, okay. I'll get there as soon as I can.' Serena hung up and groaned.
'What's wrong with Sammy then?'
'His teacher said he was crying in the toilets because he doesn't want to come home. I need to go and get him. Are you okay staying here?' I looked up from the pan, seeing that she had tears in her eyes.
'It'll take you ages to get to his school. I'll go in my car.'
'Are you sure?'
'Yes. Stay here and look after your mum.' Before I knew what I was doing, I had hugged her and placed a light kiss on her forehead. 'Everything will be fine. I'll be back soon.' She looked up at me with wide eyes and nodded. I left the house and got back in my car, driving to Sammy's school in seven minutes. The ten year old boy was sat on the stone steps in front of the school, hugging his knees to his chest. He perked up slightly when he saw my car roll in front of the school gates and open the door for him. He had been walking home from playing with his friends two nights ago when I dropped off Serena, and he chatted to me for a while to stall going back home. 'Sammy!' He walked over to me, poking his head through the open door.
'Hi, Darien.'
'Serena sent me to come and take you home.' He shuffled his feet nervously.
'I don't want to go home.'
'How about you get in the car and we drive for a bit and we'll talk?' He nodded and got in, shutting the door. 'So, why exactly do you not want to go home?' I asked as I began to drive away.
'Mum and Dad just keep on arguing. It upsets me.'
'It upsets Serena too. Why don't you talk to her when you feel that way?'
'She seems better than she was since she's been with you after school.' He paused. 'You do know that she has a crush on you, right?' I tried not to blush as my suspicions were confirmed.
'Yes. Don't tell her that I know please.'
'Why are you blushing, Darien?' I opened my mouth to brush him off, but he responded too quickly. 'You like her too!' Sammy laughed and I let him, guessing he hadn't laughed like that in a while. 'I won't tell her.' He said in between chuckles.
'Thank you. If you don't feel like talking to your sister, Serena has my phone number. You can call me if you want to talk.'
'Thanks, Darien.'
'Ready to go home?' He nodded and I eventually pulled up outside his house. 'Let's go in then.'
'You're coming in?'
'I've been invited for dinner.' We entered the house, and I noticed a bike next to the front door that wasn't there before, guessing that Serena's father was home. Before I even had a chance to take off my shoes, who I presumed to be Mr Tsukino was stood in the entrance hall of the house.
'Sammy, I expect you home on time next week.'
'Yes, dad.' Sammy put on his slippers and went up the stairs, Mr Tsukino turning to me.
'Darien, I presume?' I nodded and offered my hand to him which he took, nearly breathing a sigh of relief. Why was I so nervous? 'Thank you for bringing home Sammy. Serena says that you're staying for dinner.'
'If that's okay with you.'
'Of course. Any man who knows how to treat my daughter right is welcome in my household. Come through into the kitchen when you're ready.' I nodded and removed my shoes, finding Serena in the kitchen with her mother, preparing the tea, Sammy and her father already sat at the table. 'Take a seat Darien.' I sat next to Sammy, who grinned at me before looking in Serena's direction. I kicked him gently under the table and he laughed. Serena and Mrs Tsukino served the dinner before sitting down, her mother opposite Mr Tsukino at the heads of the table, Serena opposite me who blushed prettily when I smiled at her.
As we began to eat, I could feel the tension rising at the table as no one said anything, and I couldn't work out if it was because of my presence or the lack of an argument between the parents. After another ten minutes, Mr Tsukino spoke. 'So, Darien. Serena tells me that you're just finishing high school.'
'That's correct, sir.'
'And what do you plan on doing with your life after you graduate?'
'I want to be a doctor.' He nodded approvingly. 'I'm planning at studying at the University of Tokyo.'
'I went there. If you need any help with anything, just let me know.' There was a pause as he put down his chopsticks. 'Serena says that you're an orphan.'
'Dad!' I looked at Serena and shrugged telling her that it was okay.
'Yes. My parents died in a car crash when I was five. I have no other family.'
'I have no idea where Serena is staying this weekend, Kenji.' The conversation took a sharp turn and everyone turned to look at Mrs Tsukino.
'I'll stay here. I'll be fine.'
'You're not staying here on your own, Serena. Sammy's staying with Mika, so he's fine. Molly, Lita, Amara and Michelle are all away this weekend, Ami and Mina have no spare rooms… shall I ring Rei at the temple?'
'Please don't make me spend the weekend with her.' Kenji looked disapprovingly at his daughter.
'Serena, you know how important this weekend is to your mother and I. Stay with Re-'
'I have a spare room. Serena can stay with me.' I suddenly blurted out, Sammy snickering quietly next to me.
'You would look after her for us, Darien?' Asked Mrs Tsukino, smiling.
'Of course. She's a pleasure to be around.' Serena blushed and looked down at her food.
'Well, that's settled then. Could you pick her up at nine tomorrow morning and drop her off at five in the evening in Sunday?'
'Perfect.' I smiled at both of her parents and we carried on eating in silence, the tension having gone completely. After dinner, Serena and I sat in her small back garden.
'I'm sorry about my dad.'
'It's fine. I didn't know that you knew I was an orphan.'
'Andrew told me. I'm sorry for telling my dad about it. When he found out where I was going after school, he made me tell everything I knew about you.'
'It's fine. So, I'll pick you up in the morning then?'
'You seriously don't mind me spending the weekend with you?'
'Like I said, you're pleasure to be with.' She blushed again and we walked around the side of her house to my car. 'I'll see you in the morning then.' I hugged her and she went back inside, and as I was climbing in my car, Sammy ran out of the front door.
'Darien!' I turned around and stopped what I was doing.
'Yes?' I asked when he was stood in front of me.
'Did you ask Serena to be your girlfriend?' I blushed, managing to laugh.
'No, I didn't. But whilst we're talking about girls, who's Mika?' It was now Sammy's turn to blush and I smirked. 'Well, I hope you have fun staying with your girlfriend this weekend, Sammy.' Laughing, I got in my car.
'Maybe you should ask Serena out this weekend.' He had folded his arms and was looking at me with an annoyed facial expression through the open window of my car.
'I might. See you later, Sammy.'
