Learn From the Best: 2018-2019

Destiny was just a few months from finishing law school. She was excited even though she wasn't sure what would happen next. She was balancing school, work, being a mom and dating. Destiny lost touch with James a few months after they last met last year. It wasn't long after that she finally could allow herself to totally move on. She hasn't had a serious boyfriend since then but she dates a lot.

Destiny and Darren were at the kitchen table playing cards, I Declare War to be exact. Evan was drawing at the coffee table.

"You're obviously winning." Darren looked at Destiny's stack of cards.

"I'm a winner so you know if you ever need a lawyer, I'm your girl."

"Mom, pops, look at the picture I drew of us." Evan came over to show the drawing.

FLASHBACK:

8 months ago... Destiny, Evan and Darren were at Bubba Gump restaurant in Times Square eating, talking and laughing.

"Daddy, can you read me a story tonight?" Evan asked, catching both Destiny and Darren off guard when he said, 'daddy.' Where did that come from? They weren't really sure how to address it but they knew they should do it then and not let it linger.

"Munchkin... You know Darren isn't your daddy, right? He's our friend. Matthew's your daddy." Destiny said sweetly.

"I know but he doesn't move or talk. Everyone else has a daddy that does stuff, I want one too and Darren does what the other kids' daddies do." Evan explained. Destiny and Darren looked at each other. They felt bad for him. How should they respond? They weren't sure. They didn't expect this.

"Uhhh... Um... Well... I guess Darren has been the closest thing to a daddy like your friends have and the ones you see on TV..." Destiny was at a lost for words. She didn't want to take this from him but Darren didn't sign up for this and she had no intention of having Darren take on the daddy role. It just sort of happened. She looked at Darren. He knew she didn't know how to handle the situation. "E... You're right. Darren has been like a daddy figure to you but he can't replace your daddy, you know. I know it's hard to have a dad you can't interact with... Maybe instead of calling Darren daddy... You can call him something else..."

"Like what?" Evan asked.

"Ummm." Destiny stuttered.

"What about pops? Does that work?" Darren suggested.

"Uh... Yeah. Pops, Darren can be pops. Matthew can be daddy. Everyone knows the difference." Destiny said.

"Ok! So pops, can you read to me tonight?" Evan asked.

"Sure." Darren replied.

That night when they got home, Evan got dressed for bed leaving Destiny and Darren to talk.

"I'm so sorry you were put on the spot like that." Destiny said.

"It's alright."

"I didn't expect that but I should have. You're around all the time, we live together and you're there for him. Truth of the matter is, he has you and he doesn't really have Matthew. We can take him to see him a few times a month all we want but it's not the same as human interaction. I didn't mean for you to play this part in his life. Now he's calling you pops, I don't really mind except I don't want that pressure on you. It's not your responsibility to stick around and be there for him."

"I don't mind. When I asked you to move in, I knew I would be the main male around for him and I accepted that. I offered you two to move here and I said that I'd help you. This came along with the territory. I love Evan. I love you, you're my best friend. I'm not going anywhere, friends for life. I promise."

:END FLASHBACK

Obviously, not much has changed since then. Destiny and Darren are still best friends, they still live in the condo and Evan still calls Darren, 'pops.'

"It's a picture of the three of us." Evan said as he showed Destiny and Darren the drawing.

"That's excellent!" Darren exclaimed.

"It really is amazing. My baby is a genius, a little prodigy." Destiny said then gave Evan a hug and kiss on the cheek. Then there was a knock at the door, Destiny answered. "Hey Shane! Evan's all ready to go."

"Alright, David will bring him back on Sunday."

"Ok. You two are such a big help."

Shane took Evan back to Llanview.

"My baby's gone again... He really is a genius and I'm not just saying that because I'm his mother. What six year old do you know can draw like that or play the piano like he does? He is way beyond the students in his class."

"I think you're right."

-v-

Shane took Evan over to LaBoulaie to see David first. Evan ran to David and hugged him.

"There's my favorite nephew!" David exclaimed.

"I'm your only nephew!"

Starr and Hope walked in.

"We're back!" Starr exclaimed and all the Cramer's rushed over to welcome them.

"My baby is home! I'm so glad to have at least one of you back! Hope, look at how much you've grown." Blair said happily as she hugged them.

"She's cute!" Evan said to David after he saw Hope.

"Those Cramer women will have you in a frenzy. Come on, you're going to hang with uncle David before you go to grandma and grandpa's." David said.

"Yay!" Evan exclaimed.

-v-

Meanwhile, in the three hours that Evan was gone, Destiny and Darren had taken an unexpected trip down memory lane. They were talking about when they were together and talking about the past led to a kiss, a kiss led to them in Darren's bed.

"That was unexpected." Darren said.

"You don't say." Destiny said.

"That was... Wow."

"Definitely!"

They were silent for a few moments.

"Um... I think I'll go to my room." Destiny said, got her stuff and went."

The next morning they met in the kitchen.

"About last night..." Darren started.

"Yeah. It was very unexpected, good but unexpected... It can't happen again. We have to think about Evan. If we go this route and things don't work out then it'd be a problem. I don't want to mess up what we have here. We're friends. I think we should just stay that way."

"You're right... Let's just pretend like it never happened."

For three months, Destiny and Darren carried on as usual but there was a sexual tension in the air that neither of them would speak on. Eventually, they couldn't go on any longer and ended up in bed again... And again, and again, and again.

"We really cannot keep doing this." Destiny said in between kisses.

"You're right, we can't." Darren replied and they continued on.

Later, Destiny got a call from Dani on the new video phone device. Now most calls are video calls, rarely do people call and have a regular phone conversation.

"Hey girl!" Dani exclaimed.

"Hey. What's up, bestie?" Destiny asked.

"Well I'm going to be on the east coast for a few months and I wanted to visit you first."

"I'd love that. We're in serious need of girl time."

A couple weeks later, Dani came to New York and they went to the spa.

"You know if Matthew woke up today, I think he'd be a little overwhelmed by the new technology. Technology is advancing so fast these days... So what's going on?" Destiny asked.

"I am so thankful for this break. Medical school is draining me. I'm so tired all the time and I have no time for Markko."

Dani decided to be a doctor instead of a lawyer after Téa got 'sick' after what Greg had done to her.

"You and Langston still on bad terms?"

"Definitely, she can't stand me. She and Markko had broken up already anyway."

"But you totally broke the girl code."

"What about you?"

"Girl... Darren and I have been... Sleeping together."

"What?"

"I know. It just happened. We were just good old friends for all these years and now it's so much more and we just can't help it. I don't want this to effect our good relationship then Evan gets caught in the middle of it."

"I can see the problem but maybe it will just work out. You were friends first, he loves and accepts your son. What's the problem?"

"It's just dangerous territory because Evan is in the middle so I don't want to try."

"If you find someone who can win your heart like James did then he's probably the one. If that someone is Darren or not, you still have to figure that out."

Destiny and Darren continued on for months. Soon Destiny passed the bar and graduated law school. She was excited and relieved. Not long after that she received a call from Téa.

"Congratulations on passing the bar!" Téa exclaimed.

"Thanks! I'm so happy." Destiny replied.

"I know the feeling. I have an offer for you. You know I love you and I believe in you so how would you like to be my intern for a while?"

"Really? That'd be great. They say if you want to be the best then learn from the best and who better than Téa Delgado Lord?"

"You'd have to move to Pine Valley but I didn't think that'd be too bad. We're here, you have family here. Victor and I talked and you can stay in the guest house. Bella and Evan would be able to play together all the time."

"Thanks Téa! I appreciate this so much! So I guess I'm moving to Pine Valley."

She talked to Darren about it the next day.

"Téa offered me a chance to be her intern." Destiny said.

"That's fantastic!" Darren exclaimed.

"Yeah but this means, Evan and I are moving to Pine Valley."

"... Oh."

"I'm a little concerned about leaving since Evan is so close to you."

"Don't be... It won't be the same as living under the same roof but I'll visit, you'll visit. We just have to talk to him."

"You know the school tested him. He really is intelligent beyond his years. Instead of sending him to the second grade they want to send him to the forth."

"Wow!"

"I know. I'm for it but I think it'd be too much pressure to be around all those older kids so I'm looking at some alternatives for school."

"That's great. Never knew a genius before."

"We know one now. If I'm going to learn from the best, so will he."

A month later, Destiny and Evan headed to Pine Valley. Darren, the Hubbard men and Shaun helped her move.

"Well it's a brand new start and I'm ready for it." Destiny said.

I know not everyone is a Darren fan for some reason but hang in there with me, there's a bigger picture here. =) Hope you enjoy.