DAY EIGHT

Both Darien and Serena had had a peaceful night, as Serena had joined Darien in bed, lying next to him and watching him sleep peacefully. She hoped that tomorrow his illness would be all gone, and she would able to stop worrying constantly about him. It was funny how the strange turn of events had changed their relationship, she didn't hate him anymore, instead he was a good friend and Serena was thankful that he was there with her. Of course, it didn't seem that he was enjoying himself, but she knew that once Darien was well again things would change. And maybe they would get off the island. She had made a mental note to treat him better after this ordeal.

The next morning Darien awoke first, feeling violently ill. He had thought that perhaps he was getting better, but his whole body was pained and weak and his stomach was churning and giving him cramps. He turned to face Serena, who was asleep next to him, a small smile on her face. She looked so peaceful, and Darien wished he could feel like that right now. The next thing he knew, he turned away from Serena and the bed and threw up, the noise waking up Serena who watched, startled. As he threw-up again, she rubbed his back, unsure as to what to do. Vomiting grossed her out, but she was scared that something would happen to Darien if she left.

Once he had finished and laid back down, he wiped his mouth with his edge of the sheet and looked at Serena, his eyes meeting concerned ones. "I thought you were getting better." she exclaimed softly, patting his hair uncertaintly. Darien shook his head slightly. "I feel so awful." he muttered, turning away from Serena. He didn't want her to see hime like this, even if they were friendly now. Serena looked down. "I guess I should go and get some more supplies." she told him, giving his back another rub before standing up. "I'll be back in a while, I...hope you feel better when I return." she said, picking up the bucket that had once held fish and heading out of the cave.

I've never felt so horrible in my life.

Darien's eyes seemed to have a mind of their own, they darted from left to right, up and down, and it became so much that he closed his eyes and began to think as his body shivered. He wished he was in a hospital right now, where they had medication and drugs to help him from feeling so much pain. Darien felt almost as if his limbs were going to fall off, and had never been so cold in his life. He wished that this whole experience had never happened, that he was back in his apartment studying for an upcoming test. He missed seeing his friends, he even missed college. He missed the battles, which seemed so trivial now. If only he had known that Serena, of all people, was Sailor Moon...

She's not all that bad, sure she has her faults, but then again, so do you...

He had to smile then, realising how much she had matured in fornt of his eyes over the past few days. Serena had had to deal with a lot, and Darien felt thet he wasn't even coping that well, and yet here she was, taking care of him while he was sick, as well as taking care of herself. Far from the girl who had thrown her failed math-test at his head, the girl who screamed at him and cried when he made fun of her. He never meant to be cruel, although he had to admit that sometimes he had come across as quite a nasty guy. Darien felt his eyes grow heavy again, this time welcoming the sleep.

At least this way I won't feel sick.

And with that, his head fell into the pillow and he began to snore softly.

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Serena had emptied the fish bucket the night before, dumping them on another piece of cloth along with the food they had managed to take from the building. She had eaten quite a few already, as it fufilled her boredom as she sat by Darien, hoping that he would get better. But today he had been at his worst, and although Serena was worried about leaving him by himself, she laso knew that she would need to get some supplies, more food, water and fire. She found her way to a small lake, one Darien had found their first day out of the building. It had a beautiful waterfall that with rushing water, the sound filling Serena's eyedrums. Cleaning out the bucket first in a seperate pond, she walked over to the lake and filled it, before looking around. No-one was around, and she was in desperate need of a bath. Taking off all her items of clothes, she slipped into the water, naked, bobbing her head under briefly. The water felt fantastic and she swam around for a few minutes, forgetting her troubles and concerns momentarily before Darien flashed into her thoughts.

Getting out of the water and putting her clothes on her wet body, she went down another trail in search of some berries, small food that Darien would find easier to eat. A few metres down she found some strawberries, fresh and rather large. She picked a few, slipping them into a piece of cloth she had brought along and continued down the trail, finding other numerous berries and picking them. She made her way back to the cave, noticing that Darien was sound asleep.

At least he's not feeling the sickness.

Serena made her way back into the forest, the knife in her hand in case there weren't enough fallen branches and she would have to cut them herself. She had used most of the previpous fire-wood collected in a large fire that had burned for a day and night, keeping it alight in order to warm up Darien, who had been shivering. Now she only had a small pile left, and if Darien was getting worse, she would need much more. Walking through the forest, her mind began to wander. She certianly wasn't like her old self, she had become more like her alter ego, Sailor Moon. She smiled, proud that she had matured. Maybe Raye and Darien would stop picking on her, calling her a Meatball Head and a cry baby, although Darien hadn't been mean to her for a while...

Maybe he's realised what a great person I am.

A smug look on her face, she reached the area where she had found the wood a few dyas earlier. Sure enough, there was plenty of firewood, so she put away the knife, sticking it in the side of her bra, and made a pile of fallen branches and bark, before sitting down and thinking again for a moment. It was odd for her to be doing physical things, she was always bottom of the class for gym and always avoided physical activity when she could. Serena had changed, in the space of a few days, but she was still her normal, bubbly self. Her circumstances just called for a different approach to everything. Grabbing the wood and holding it in her arms, she made her way back to the cave.

Throwing the wood down in the small pile of the leftover wood, Serena brushed her hands and smiled to herself. She looked over at Darien, who was still asleep and not making a sound. The smile left Serena's face. He didn't even look like he was breathing, let alone moving, his skin much paler than before. Her heart began to race as panic went through her, she rushed to Darien's side and touched his face, gasping at the coldness of his skin. She rested her hand on his chest, yet she could not feel anything, no air going through his lungs, no beat coming from his heart.

Please, no...

Darien was dead.

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Alright guys, this is as much as I am leaving you with for tonight. Depending on how many reviews I get and your reactions to the big cliff-hanger, I may update tomorrow!!