-Chapter 10-

Andrew waited outside the bathroom for what seemed to be hours. "Serena," he said, "Are you okay in there?"

A muffled voice replied, "Yeah." Then a girl came out holding a covered stick. "Andrew, you look at it. I don't want to...you know."

The sandy-haired boy nodded and took the stick from her. He held it up to where it was eye-level with him, tilting it slightly so the light wouldn't block out the results. "Hold on a second, Serena. It's not done yet."

She nervously nodded.

Darien and the group of teens were lined up, trying to home in on the conversation.

'Is that a...pregnancy test?' Amy thought. But she mentally slapped herself. 'There's no way! Surely Seiya would've used protection. She must be nervous about everything and is just making sure.' Amy's cell phone vibrated. It was a text from Rei. It said, "Amy, is that thing a pregnancy test or a thermometer? Please say it's a thermometer!"

Rei's phone beeped and she read the reply. It said, "It might be. I can't really see from this distance. But I think she's just making sure if it is a pregnancy test."

Lita and Mina were caught up in the situation as well. Eventually the whole group was texting everyone who texted them, and therefore got caught in a web of neverending texts.

Darien had sweatdrops all over his body as he strained to listen.

"Okay. The results say you're..."

Serena shot her head up, hoping for the sake of not ruining her life that the test was negative.

"...That little cross suddenly doesn't look holy... I'm sorry, Serena." Andrew handed her the test.

Serena took it, too shocked to cry even though she felt like running out of the building. She went back inside the bathroom and threw away the test, not wanting to ever see it again.

When she came back out, she said, "And that thing is completely accurate?"

Andrew silently nodded. He went to the counter and brought back a chocolate milkshake, Serena's favorite.

She took it and downed the whole cup within record time. "Thanks."

"No problem. Anything else you need?"

"No. I'll just go now."

Serena's friends were swarming her as she was leaving.

"Serena! What were you and Andrew talking about?" Mina boldly asked.

"Oh, nothing. It was just about a new pastry he was working on." she hastily answered, hiding the sadness in her voice.

"Then why'd you go in the bathroom?" Lita blurted.

"Just 'cause I had to go."

"What was that stick you were holding?"

"What stick?"

"That thing that looked alot like a thermometer."

"Oh. That was a...a..." Serena racked her brain for something other than 'pregnancy test'. "It was a thermometer. For food. Andrew wanted to see how accurate it was, so he told me to test the water in the sink with it and it wasn't very accurate so he said I should throw it away." Yeah, that'll have to do for now.

"Oh. So that's what that thing was. Well, see ya later, Serena. I got loads of homework to do!"

The others ran off as well, leaving Serena alone.

Darien, seeing that the girls were finally gone, walked up to her. "It wasn't a thermometer, was it?"

She snapped her head up. "O-Of course it was! What else could it be?"

"Oh, I dunno. Maybe this might tell?" He pulled out the used pregnancy test. It still had the little plus sign on it.

"I-I've never seen that thing in my life!" she protested.

"Oh, really? Then what was it doing in your hands? And why was this little guy in the trash?"

"I don't know! Ask someone else!" she said, trying to slide into a different subject.

"How far along are you?"

Serena's tears started to shove each other out her eyes. This was obviously enough to tell Darien the truth.

"Why, Serena? Why'd you-"

"Shut up!"

Darien jerked back at her sudden outburst.

"It's not like I wanted to, okay?"

"So you were...forced upon?"

"You could say that... Or you could just leave me alone!"

"But, Serena! You've gotta go to a clinic or something!"

"I'm going to one tomorrow."

"Why won't you just take me up on my offer to stay with me, Serena?"

"Because once this is all over, you'll just make my life a living hell. I hate you, but you don't seem to get that."

"I know this sounds cliche, but I'm serious when I say I can change! I don't want you to suffer, and you don't seem to get that!" he angrily replied.

She furrowed her eyebrows in fury and turned to leave for Seiya's apartment.

Darien dashed in front of her and stopped her. Again. "Okay," he started, "Just listen. What do you think Seiya will do when he finds out about the baby?"

Poor girl went completely pale. She stuttered, "I-I-I-I-I..."

"If Seiya finds out, do you think he'll hate you?"

"No! No, I don't think so... I mean, this is his child and it was his fault. Besides, no father would hurt a pregnant woman." She started to walk past him.

Darien knew she only said this to comfort herself. Deep down, however, they both knew it wasn't true. Perhaps lying to yourself was possible after all. "Serena! Wait."

She glanced back, her eyes full of hatred and pain. "What?" she spat.

"Are you going to take up my offer of the apartment? If you do, I swear, I'll make sure Seiya goes to jail or something! And you won't get hurt!" he pleaded.

She remembered what Seiya had told her. It was something she'd taken into account long ago, but to hear it from him actually strengthened her resolve and bitterness towards all men. "No." she answered simply. "I'm going to figure a way out of this, being as I got myself into it, and you'll leave me alone. Got it?"

Darien furiously shook his head. "Why don't you trust me enough to let me protect you? I can't possibly be any worse than Seiya, can I?"

"It isn't just you and Seiya I dislike. Andrew is the only man other than my dad that I can trust."

"Aw! C'mon, Serena! I haven't been that bad to you!"

She slapped him, letting her anger fuel her actions.

"But I've been wrong before..." he muttered.

"I hate your guts, Darien! I always have, and I always will!" She took a deep breath, trying to regain her cool. "I made a mistake asking you for help. It won't happen again." she told him coolly.

When she tried to walk away again, he smiled and grabbed her shoulders a bit more forcefully than he intended. Fear was now evident in her eyes. "Hold on just a sec. You don't really hate me do you?"

She was frozen stiff.

"So I was right. You don't hate me. You fear me."

His voice was so deep that it frightened her. She couldn't move even if she wanted to. And she did want to, badly.

"Serena, fear just isn't the right word, is it? Terrified would be the right word."

She was about to cry, not knowing what he was going to do to her now that he had gotten hold of her. And not knowing scared her more.

"You can't seriously say that I'm like him, can you? I've never once touched you like he has, Serena! Not one time!"

Serena didn't hear a single word he said. She was thinking, 'I...hit him. He's gonna hurt me because I hit him! Oh, God! I'm so stupid! I asked for this! I really did!'

Darien felt her lean into him. He embraced her back, hoping he'd finally gotten through to her.

They stayed like that for several minutes until Darien was wondering why she hadn't moved a muscle. "Uh, Serena?" he said. He shook her gently. "Serena?" No response. He pulled her off of him and discovered the reason behind the strange action. The earliest sign of pregnancy: fainting. She'd fainted, and unfortunately it had to be on him.

Serena opened her eyes, wondering where she was at. 'Oh that's right!' she thought. 'I'm...' She lifted her head to see Darien holding her up. She unintentionally screamed, surprising Darien and making him drop her. She landed with a thud and scrambled to get on her feet again.