Hello! Sorry for taking so long on updating, but I plan on finishing all my stories in the next few months, and this story is coming to an end in some more chapters. Though we're in the middle, still.

Ok, so, I hope I still have readers out there, so please review.

For this chapter I used a song as inspiration, since I had trouble writing it but when I was hearing the song, and I still am, the inspiration just came flowing.

It is a song in Spanish called, "Ven a Mi" or "Come to Me". it is sang by Benjamin Rodas and Florencia Bertotti, two Argentineans. This song came out with the show, Floricienta, which was the one that inspired me for this story. I must tell you, though, that the show and my story have nothing in common but the songs I use.

Well, enjoy and please review. Thanks, Latin Girl Writter

XI. Come to Me

I saw you cry

When no one was looking,

When you were hiding that tear

That escaped from you.

As the door closed behind him he could only sigh. It had been a long night, that was for sure. Yet…he couldn't help but like the night they had had. It was….as none he had had before.

He had been unusually quiet and stoic throughout it all, and he knew it. He had been observing her. She smiled, she laughed, she talked, she pouted, she grimaced, she did all this in less than 20 minutes. She was a cascade of emotions. Yet…he had seen her sadness. Deep down…she was hurt.

She had tried so badly to hide it. The only moment her face actually had lifted up was when talking about her children…yet…the rest of it she kept this pain in her shiny blue eyes. And throughout it all….he could only wonder how would he be able to help her as badly as he wanted, if he was hurt as well.

OoO

I saw you so sad and so lonely,

That I would have given my life

To heal your wounds.

They danced. They talked. They ate. They talked some more. They ate more. The they actually being a 'she', as Darien had hardly moved during their date, he had barely talked during their date, he had hardly ate-though everyone had always told her she ate for two- but that was not the point.

She huffed in annoyance as she rolled once again in bed. It was incredible! That had been the most boring-interesting date she had ever had. There was something in him, a gleam in his eyes, which made her curious. And that is why she had said yes. But now…now she felt as if she was betraying her Seiya. But at the same time…Shields…Darien, he just seemed so…void of emotions…hurt even…as if his heart could feel no more…and she could only wonder if would be able to make him feel something again.

OoO

The days went on, and soon the trial of the state against Randall Stooke, killer of the MacKency's family members, was over. The killer had gotten ten years of prison per person killed, that was more than he would live if his history medical was accurate.

Sooner than they both expected, Serena was back at her old office, taking in shorter cases and less complicated cases. Soon, a month had gone by…her life being hectic with ballet practices, art projects, and going back and forth from being a lawyer for the state during the day and a mother and father at night.

As for Darien, his life seemed to flow through. Alex went to his father's apartment, and for the first time in years, Darien actually took a real interest in his son's activities, even taking him to the park to play some soccer and baseball with him from time to time.

It just took a call to reunite the two old coworkers once again.

OoO

"You've gotta come, man. She looks beautiful every day…I mean…it's just crazy how her belly just grows and grows and to know that my baby is in there!"

Darien sighed as he glanced down at his wristwatch. "Andrew…are we talking about your birthday party or some crazy 'coming baby' party of sort…because all you're doing is talking about Mina."

"Sorry, Dare. So…are you coming or not? I know your trepidation of being in the same room with Elizabeth…but it's a barbecue anyway…and a friend of ours is bringing her sister along. You might be interested in meeting her…they told me she's a cute blonde…though a smart one to boot."

"I'm not interested."

"Oh, c'mon. When WAS the last time you got laid?"

"I'm not answering that either. And are you getting me a decent lady or just someone to spend a night with?"

"Are you coming or not?"

Darien sighed. "Alex's going to be there, right? So I'll be there."

OoO

"Amy…how am I supposed to just jump into this unknown people's house uninvited."

"That's the whole point, Sere…you ARE invited. They're expecting you!"

"This is crazy…yet I'm tagging along."

"Sere…Amy's right-"

"She's always right."

"Hey!"

"My point being, that you need to be with others that are not your daughters and lawyers…you can hold a good argument, you're paid for it, but…it's not healthy for you."

"Yaten…you would have been a good lawyer." Serena stated with a smile.

"Well…I had myself to defend from two brothers!"

OoO

Come to me,

I'll take care of you,

I'll kiss those sweet eyes of yours,

I'll calm the hurt your soul carries,

For God's sake…

"Shields!"

"Kou!"

The two surprised cries came, as everyone watched interested the interaction of these two.

She stood there, with her white strap dress and pink accessories, and he stood there, dressed in a blue jean and a green casual shirt and sandals.

"Mommy?" a little voice interrupted as the two adults glanced down at the pink haired little girl who extended her arms in the universal baby language of wanting to be carried.

The blond young mother smiled and indulged her daughter, placing her against her hip.

"So…she's your little one?" Darien asked, clearing his throat, as everyone around started the light chit chat they had had until the startled yell from the both of them.

"Yes she is. Shields, meet Cynthia, or Chibi-Chibi." She said as the toddler stuck two fingers into her mouth and laid her head against her mother's shoulder.

"Hey…nice meeting you Chibi-Chibi." Darien said with a smile, looking at the shy girl who grinned and hid her face against her mother's bare shoulder.

"Serena, this is Andrew…" Amy said as she walked with Andrew and his obviously pregnant wife and Yaten.

"Oh! Serena! How are you?" Mina jumped in happiness, hugging a surprised Serena and making Darien move a bit out of the way.

"You know each other?" Amy asked blinking her eyes.

"We met her a while back. Darien's son had a…little problem and Darien was forced to go to Beth's apartment to deal with it and had to drag Serena with him on the way."

"We worked together." Serena told a still confused Amy and Yaten.

"Oooh!" they both cried in understanding.

"It's nice seeing you again, Serena." Andrew said greeting her.

"I can say the same." She said with a smile.

"I didn't know you had a child." Mina said cooing at the young girl who smiled.

"Two actually." Serena said scanning the yard with her eyes. "Where's Rini?"

"She's playing with some other kids at the other side of the yard, Andrew and I took her there." Yaten explained as the six adults moved to one of the tables in the ample yard.

The evening carried out smoothly. Serena and Darien barely talked as they talked to the other guests there. Soon, Alex and Elizabeth arrived, the later making a bee line to greet his father.

Serena had discreetly watched the interaction of the father and son, taken a bit surprised at how close they seemed to be now, more so than when she had met them. It wasn't long before the child spotted her and ran to give her a short time. He took an immediate like to Chibi-Chibi, who surprisingly, took an immediate liking to him.

It wasn't surprising when none other than George Martin arrived. He was surprised, but more happy than anything else, at seeing Serena there. He sat at the table where the strange group of people where already seating, trying to convince the young lawyer to go work for them at the firm.

Sooner than later, the food arrived and each parent grabbed their children to make them eat. As Elizabeth was seeing for Alex, Darien offered to help Serena with one of her plates. With a smile, Serena accepted his help.

As they sat at the table, Alex sat besides Darien, stating he wanted to eat with his dad. Darien, of course, had no problem about that though it made him have to move closer to where Serena was on the bench and seeing as Rini was sitting at Serena's other side they were squished between the two kids. Chibi-Chibi over her mother's lap.

Neither of the adults seemed ot be bothered by that fact, though, and they kept talking with the other table's occupants, who regarded them both closely.

Chibi-Chibi smeared some barbecue sauce over her face and it was Darien who noticed as Serena kept talking and looking the other side of her daughter. Without even realizing what he was doing, he grabbed a clean napkin and cleaned her small chin and cheeks, the baby just grinning up at him and offering the chewed piece of bread she had on her hand.

Alex complained about not liking something on his plate, Serena handed over some ketchup, whispering to Darien to pour some of it over it and coax the child to taste it. The trick worked and the problem died.

Rini was getting wrestles after finishing her food, though none at the table had finished except for Darien. She wanted to go play, but had to wait for her mom to help her wash her hands as she couldn't reach the sink yet and there was no steps or something else to help her out. Darien offered to help out, to which Serena thankfully accepted.

Shortly, Alex finished eating too and ran out of the table. With a headshake, Elizabeth got up to search for her errant son and make him wash his hands and take his plate to the trash can. It was not so much later, that Serena got up to go try and clean Chibi-Chibi.

As soon as she was out of earshot, whisperings where heard all around the table.

"Did you notice the same thing I noticed?" Andrew whispered to a smiling George. "Or are you just smiling to your corn?"

"I think we both noticed..."

"Did you saw that?" Amy muttered to her husband. "They acted so…"

"That was unnerving." Yaten stated.

"I think it was cute." Mina said with a smile loud enough for everyone to listen.

"I never thought I would see Serena so at ease with someone else helping with her kids." Amy said.

"Darien was acting…unlike himself." Andrew said yet soon changed the topic as he saw his sister practically dragging an unhappy Alex to clean after himself.

"I'm sorry about that." Elizabeth said with a headshake after her son had done what was requested.

"That's ok, dear. He's more like his father than what you think." George said with a chuckle.

"That means you've got you work cut short, sis." Andrew teased.

"You're one to talk." Mina said, bumping him with his shoulder.

Come to me,

I'll search for you,

And I'll love you,

As no one on earth has done,

Come to me.

"Thank you." Serena told him as they found each other near the hallway.

"Mommy!" Rini whined, taking the attention of the adults for a moment. "May I go play now?"

"Pay, pay!" Chibi-Chibi claimed in excitement, slightly jumping on her two little legs.

"Yes…and take Chibi-Chibi, please." Serena said. The oldest child nodded and took her sister's hand as they walked towards the door.

"They're cute." Darien said. "They look like you, Kou."

"Thanks." she said watching her two children until they were out of sight before turning to him. "But could you please just call me Serena. It's…strange for you to call me Kou all the time, Shields."

He smiled, a feature he almost never did at the office. "And you get to call me Shields while I call you Serena?"

She smiled at him, "Very well, Darien."

"Thank you, Serena."

An awkward silence fell between the both of them as they looked from one to the other. They both looked at each other, then to their surroundings, before looking back at each other again.

"So…" she said, not knowing exactly if she could simply walk away or she should stay there.

"I just realized I owe you an invitation." Darien stated out of the blue.

"What?"

"When we went out the other day…I told you we should do it again…you said yes…but we never did." He said.

"Oh…that's right. Um…I'll have free next Friday if you want…unless…"

"Next Friday is perfect…though Alex stays with me on the weekends now, starting on Friday. I can get a sitter though."

Serena looked up at him thoughtfully. "Bring him along." She stated.

"Pardon?"

"I apologize, I don't want to sound awkward, but…that would save us both from looking for a sitter, actually. We could plan something to do with the three kids…unless you wouldn't like to or you don't want to then it's totally comprehensible and I would-"

"It's perfect." He said with a smile, taking her hand and softly kissing it. "I'll be picking the three of you on Friday evening. Six is a good time for you?"

"It's perfect." Serena said with a smile.

I know you have reasons to love,

But only a word would erase your pain,

You have to try me, don't go!

Because I'm full of kisses and I want to heal your soul.

Come to me…