Short chap, really short, but I am trying to do the best in this story. I do have lots and lots of ideas for this story, so read and review!!

WARNINGS!! PLEASE READ: As you may imagine, in this story there are NO sailor senchi! The Kou brothers are THAT, BROTHERS, as in MALES, not bi-sexual! This is a Darien/Serena story and PLEASE, prepare some tissues, it might make you cry. There might be a CP (corporal punishment) scene of a minor, though I'm not sure yet…

Disclaimer: oh, why fight? I'm always claiming it mine, but i don't want sues. 'sniff, sniff' not mine!! Bwaaaahhhhh

III. Truth Hurts

"Why is your apartment so…empty?" the boy asked, walking around and around.

Darien looked around, just like his son was doing. True, his place seemed…oddly cold. Empty, as his child had said.

It wasn't a huge apartment, though it wasn't small either. It was what he needed. Three bedrooms, the master bedroom, was, of course, his, then the one to the right to his was his son's. For a strange reason though, it seemed as if it had never been occupied by a child.

Alex had never taken the time, or the effort, in making it HIS room, something that annoyed his father to no end, but Darien decided not to press the issue, for now.

The first thing that was visible upon entering was the living room. Most of the furniture was of dark oak, mostly matching the wood floor. A small table was placed in the centre, surrounded by three sofas, all of them of black leather. The only thing that made the apartment have a bit of 'life' were some few pictures of his son, in which on even fewer of those, he was there.

He had tried to have some plants, but they always died because of the lack of water. He had no time to care for them, and anyway, he didn't spend much time at home.

He had a maid that came twice a week to clean the apartment, but he never saw her either. She had worked for him since he moved, two years ago, and had only seen her about 10 times, the most.

Just besides the living room, was the dining room, which was only of a table for four, which had never been used before. It was also of a dark color, and in the middle of it a bowl of fruits, which he had never noticed before.

His room was no different. Most of the floor was covered by a cream colored carpet, which matched with the light brown comforter of the bed. A set of tables besides the bed, one at each side. They were both of dark mahogany, which gave a nice contraction to all the soft colors of the room.

To the left was the bathroom door and walk-in-closet. The right wall had a huge window, giving sight to the city, and in front of the window were two chairs with a round small table between them. In the wall opposite to the bed was a furniture of the same dark mahogany as the rest of the furniture, which held his TV and other equipment.

To any other person, his apartment would be like taken out of a magazine, and in part, it was. He had called a decorator, and had told her to please don't use bright colors, but always soft ones. She had done her job, much to Mina's dismay, and he had liked it.

Now, though, he could see what his son talked about being 'empty'. For his child, it was not home, just his father's place.

"Because…it just is." Darien answered his child's questions after a few seconds.

"Well, I don't like it." Alex stated, taking a seat.

Darien just frowned, and looked at him. True, he only saw his child about twice every five weeks, for less than an hour, and it was entirely his fault.

Alex had only stayed with him about two or three times this year, and it was August. It was all, once again, Darien's fault.

Alex had started to get an attitude with him which he absolutely didn't life at all, but he always shrugged it off, who was he to reprimand his son? After all, everybody was right to tell him he was missing Alex's childhood.

OoO

Serena Kou sat quietly at a bench, observing her two children play. Amy Kou, her sister-in-law, and one of her best friends, was off in the bathroom with her 3 year old daughter, Lisa.

"That's something I haven't seen in a while." Her friend said, sitting down next to her. "It's been a long time since I've seen you smile." She said, giving Serena her own smile.

"I enjoy watching them play." Serena explained pointing to the sandbox where Rini, Chibi-Chibi, and Lisa were playing along with other children.

"What parent doesn't enjoy seeing them play together?" Amy said.

Serena shrugged as answer, though she knew Amy's question needed no answer.

"Have you heard about Taiki?" Serena asked.

"Yes. He came to our home about two days ago."

"How was he?"

"Drunk. Yaten is desperate, Serena. He doesn't know what else to do. You know the business is going well. I mean, even if Taiki gets drunk at night, he and the other engineers manage to get everything well during day. But, Taiki's health is worrying us." Amy said.

"He's blaming himself for Sei…" Serena trailed off. She couldn't finish her sentence before a single tear slipped out of her eye. Part of her blamed Taiki too, but that was no reason to see him as destroyed as he was. Before the tear got half it's way through her cheek, she brushed it away rather briskly.

"Sere, you got to move on. For your children, and for yourself." Amy said.

"No, I can't, Ames. I would be treason him."

"No you wouldn't and you know it! He would've wanted you to move on! To see you happy!"

"How can you tell me this, Ames? It's only been…"

Amy caught her off, talking sternly, "a year and a half. It's been a year and a half. A tough year, not only for you, but for all. Rini and Cynthia NEED a father figure in their life."

Serena was about to protest at that, claiming they had Yaten and Taiki in their life, as she had been doing for months now, but once again, Amy caught her short.

"You know as well as I do, that that is not possible. Yes, Yaten and Taiki are the girls' uncles. But, it's not the same. They both spoil the two of them too much. They barely see the girls now. Weeks go by before they see them. Yaten spends too much time working now, and unless you moved in with us, something I know you refuse, it's barely impossible. And as for Taiki, do you think he'll be a good example for them? Taiki needs helps, Serena, and so do you." Amy finished up.

Serena was quiet, refusing to talk as she did always. Amy knew how this finished, Serena knew this. She gave the answer she always gave. She stood up, and moved to pick up the girls; it was time for them to go home. She could hear Amy sigh defeated. But, Serena knew better, both, Yaten and Amy would start the same discussion all over.

"C'mon girls, time to go home!" Serena called.

"But, Mommy, I don't wanna go home!" Rini pouted, though she walked over.

"'tay, Mommy, 'tay!" Chibi-chibi added, joining her sister's pleas.

Serena looked at both of them kneeling down to be at eye level, and turned her head to look back at Amy. She already had a book out, though she was observing Serena. She sighed, an idea popping into her head.

"Well, I thought about having some ice-cream on our way home. But if you want to stay…" That always worked. Both girls LOVED the cold dessert. Who wouldn't?

"I-keem!" Chibi-chibi shouted throwing her little arms around her Mommy's neck, her face bright.

Serena turned to watch her oldest, her face was beaming with the thought of her favorite dessert.

"Can I have choclate?" She asked.

Serena nodded and smiled at her daughter's difficulty to say 'chocolate'. It was one of the words she had trouble pronouncing. Not correcting her in the 'may I', either, she would do that next time.

As reward she gave her Mommy a big hug, joining her sister. Serena enjoyed this, more than anything. She couldn't imagine how she could have bared this year without her two children with her.

Placing Chibi-chibi in her hip and taking Rini's hand she walked over to Amy's so both girls could say bye to their aunt.

Deep down she knew Amy was right. Yaten and Taiki shared their job spoiling them both at every chance, buying them stuff, letting them get what they wanted all the time. But, was she ready, was she ready to start a new relationship?