Chapter 9
By: Serena Chibi
Date: June 3, 2011
``` Still figuring how I want this all to play out. Loving the reviews from everyone, which is part of why I have no problem finding the time to write more of this. If I have any typos in this one, please don't get frustrated because I am finishing this chapter at nearly 2:00am, no doubt I'll take another look over it after work in the morning though. Enjoy
Waking up the following morning, Serena is surprised to find that she actually doesn't feel well. Head throbbing and stomach hurting, she decides to lie in bed for the day instead of going to work. After all, she was told to sleep until she felt rested enough to stay awake while doing her projects. She spent the entire day, up until almost 8:00pm lying in bed and sleeping until she decided to go get some food.
She hadn't really felt hungry all day, probably because she didn't feel well and had actually slept through all her cravings for food. Walking into the kitchen she starts rummaging through the cabinets when she spots what she wants: strawberry frosted shredded wheat. Wow, a kid that actually likes healthy stuff too. Imagine that. Grabbing the box she goes to grab the milk but thinks twice about it since she was sick this morning. Last think I want is milk sitting in my stomach now. She returns to bed with her box of dry cereal.
Darien showed up late to work that morning and decided he'd go check on Serena. Walking into her office he's surprised to find that she isn't there. The campaign poster she was working on the previous night is resting on her desk but everything else seems untouched. Huh, I guess she had a pretty bad bug then. He thinks to himself as he goes to sit in her chair. He takes a quick look around her desk and doesn't see any personal items. Usually I can find out virtually anything I want to know about someone by just sitting behind their desk but nothing when it comes to her. No pictures of family or pets or anything like that. No post it's on her calendar… Oh wait, here's one: Appointment at 8:30am on Thursday. That's in four days. I wonder what the appointment is for, hopefully nothing too bad. He then looks towards the garbage can under her desk, pulling it from it's hiding place. Looking at it's contents, he only sees a scrap of paper from the campaign poster she was working on. Man, you're going to be one tough cookie to crack aren't you? He thinks to himself as he gets up to leave her office. Taking one last look around to see if he missed anything, Darien makes his way up to his own office.
"So, how'd last night go?" Andrew pokes his head into Darien's office.
"Huh?" Darien looks up from his paperwork with a confused look on his face.
"You know, last night, going to the gala with Serena. How'd it go? Did you guys have fun, or were you your usual kill-joy self?" Andrew laughs at his own joke.
"Yea, it was a good time. We got there just in time for dinner, then danced for a while." Darien says.
"Sounds like fun." Andrew smiles at Darien's obvious happiness.
"It was, but we had to actually cut the evening short because she didn't feel well. Probably ate something or something like that." Darien tells Andrew as he starts flipping through some papers on his desk.
"Hmm, that's unfortunate but at least it seems like you had a great time with her. Are you going to go out with her again? Maybe even date her, despite your little 'policy' of dating employees or coworkers?" Andrew prods.
"Perhaps, but only if I'm sure that she's interested in me. I mean, she seemed interested at first but she was asleep by the time I arrived to pick her up from work, then she fell asleep again in the car on our way back. Then I barely got to say goodbye, let alone maybe give her a goodnight kiss... You should've seen how she looked last night, she was gorgeous! She had on this little black number, it showed off her back perfectly. And her legs, they go on for miles and are so small but strong…" Darien lets out a low groan. Definitely wouldn't mind having those wrapped around me at night.
"Whoa, dude not now. As much as I enjoy the fact that you are actually interested in that again, you're gonna have to share those thoughts with someone else. Serena is like a sister to me, always has been always will be; so, eww!" Andrew does a little quiver for emphasis. "But I do wish you the best, she could use a good guy and that's just what you are."
"Thanks, Andy. I do appreciate your vote of confidence." Darien looks up from his paperwork. "I do enjoy talking with you but I really have to get to work on some one this paperwork. I have to double check the balance sheets and everything still, so-"
"No worries, I'll see you later" Andrew waves and walks out the door.
Darien returns to his paperwork and thinks for a second, She could use a good guy? "What do you mean, she could use a good-" Looking up, Darien realizes that Andrew is already long gone. "guy." He returns to his paperwork thinking about the comment. He couldn't seem to remember who Serena said she was dating before coming to work here.
The following morning, Serena feels quite a bit better. Grabbing a bagel she hurries off to work grabbing some paperwork before anyone notices she's there. She was trying to stay ahead on everything despite feeling under the weather. She goes home and spends most of the day there, finishing the work she brought home. Having a little bit of the pasta that Amy had brought home from Lita's house for dinner, Serena settles in front of the TV with her work. Flipping through the last of her projects, Serena remembers that she forgot to get her posters back from Ron the other day.
Hitting the 'info' button on her TV, she notices that she has plenty of time to pick them up tonight but as she lies down she takes a nap for an hour and half. Waking up, she looks at the time and hurries out the door to get her posters tonight. I only have like twenty minutes before Ron leaves! I really hope he hasn't left yet. She thinks to herself as she speeds to work.
As she parking her car, Serena notices Darien's car and the three security guards' cars and what looks to be three other employees' cars. I wonder if one of those is Ron? Serena walks past the security guard just within the front door and smiles politely, saying hello to him. Then passing two employees chatting as they go to walk out the front door, she turns toward the copy room. Seeing that the room is almost completely dark, Serena knows that Ron has obviously left already. Darn it, I really wanted to leave those posters on Darien's desk tonight so he'd know I was actually working even though I haven't been here! Serena mentally kicks herself but decides to head up to her office. Might as well check if I have any new messages or notices on my desk while I'm here.
Pulling his focus from his final sheet of paper for the night, Darien looks out one of his office windows and notices Serena's car is parked almost right next to his. Huh, someone's here late. He laughs to himself. Actually, looks like two people are working late. He notices the other car in the lot, in one of the closest spots to the building. Maybe I'll go see Serena before I leave? Heck, I'll just go see her after I'm done looking over this sheet.
Serena sits at her desk and pulls out a drawer to put her completed work in. There perfect. Wondering why her papers won't lie flat, Serena pulls them up to find one of her pregnancy tests in the bottom of the drawer. Must've fallen in my drawer when I was trying to throw them all in the trash. She grabs the test and looks at it, then her wastebasket. Empty. "Well, I can't really hide you in an empty wastebasket now can I?" She then tucks the test in her jacket pocket and grabs her book she'd forgotten the other night. Dream Catcher by Stephen king, how could I forget that? Rolling her eyes, she flicks off the light in her office and closes the door behind her.
"Did it get darker in here or is it just me?" Serena slowly locks her door as her eyes adjust to the dimness of the hallway. "This is just a little too creepy for me." She whispers to herself as she turns against her door. In her nervousness, her stomach starts to do flips making her feel ill again. Looking down, she apologizes to the baby then tries to find her phone in her pocket, when she feels someone grab her wrists.
Pinning her against the door, she hears a whisper. "Hello my angel."