Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon
Chapter Eleven
Anniversary
Hey guys! Thanks to everyone who has favorite, reviewed, and is following Ever After. It is much appreciated as always .Aiyoku Saotome,you have your wish. The next few chapters are Darien and Serena chapters. Here's the next chapter.
Dressed in blue scrubs and his white lab coat, Dr. Fredrick McDonnell grinned as he leaned against the nurses' desk popping candy into his mouth. Two cups of hot coffee sat on the counter next to him. He was dressed in blue scrubs and white lab coat with cheap sneakers on. He watched the empty hallway waiting for his friend to come around the corner.
Darien Shields, dressed in blue scrubs under a white lab coat, quickly strolled the halls of Baltimore Memorial Hospital with four eager first year interns rushing to keep up with him. It was their first day on the job. "You are interns, fresh meat, scum, and you are at the bottom of the food chain. You are not to eat, breathe, speak, or touch anyone or anything without my permission. My job is to turn you worthless bunch of losers into the best doctors in the world so you won't kill anyone." He turned around causing the nervous interns to come to a halt. He added sternly, "If I find out that any of you losers disobey me, I will make your lives a living hell and make sure that none of you ever step foot into an O.R. Is that understood?" The interns quickly nodded. He gave them their assignments as he stood next to Fredrick. When they still stood there, Darien yelled, "Move!" The interns quickly scattered away.
After the interns were gone, Darien and Fredrick burst into laughter. Fredrick handed him a cup of coffee. "Thanks man."
"No problem, Dr. Shields." Darien leaned against the counter as he took a sip of the hot coffee. He winced from the hot liquid burning his tongue, but he pretended he was fine. Fredrick slurped his down like water.
"I do not think I was not nearly as tough as you were on me, my first year."
Fredrick was a third year resident. He graduated a year ahead of Darien and was Darien's resident doctor last year.
Fredrick said amused, "You live and you learn, Shields. You live and you learn."
They strolled down the hall together. Fredrick asked, "Are you excited about your first solo?" Darien grinned. He was one of the first of the interns from last year to get a solo surgery. Later on today, he would be in charge of performing an appendectomy under Dr. McDonnell's supervision. He was removing the appendix of a fifty-two-year old woman.
Darien said, "I am psyched about it."
Fredrick patted Darien on the back as he walked off. "See you at three." Darien smiled
After delivering Katie, Darien's passion for medicine returned. With Serena's blessing, he quit his high paying job and moved his family back to East Coast to complete medical school at Harvard University. They rented a small two bedroom apartment in a nice part of town and lived off the savings from his job at Kate International where Steve, Stacey's husband, replaced Darien as the vice president of marketing.
Serena and Darien's marriage was stronger than ever. The girls, Rini and Katie, were now eight and four, respectively. Rini's favorite cartoon was ironically Sailor Moon, which her parents found amusing since they were yet to tell their daughters about their alter egos. She constantly told them that she wished they were cool like Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask when they punished her for doing something wrong. They kept serious faces on while punishing her then burst into laughter once she left out of the room. She idolized Sailor Moon so much that she asked her mother to style her hair like Sailor Moon's odango styled. Darien teased her and called her his little bunny to her displeasure.
Katie wore her strawberry blonde hair into two pigtails. Her favorite sailor scout was Sailor V since her Aunt Mina was playing her in the new Sailor V movie coming out next summer.
Darien accepted an internship at Baltimore Memorial in Baltimore, Maryland. He had job offers all over the world, but he selected Baltimore Memorial because Fredrick, his friend from college, was a resident there and strongly encouraged him to attend. They now lived in a white two storied home with four bedrooms and three baths with a white picket fence and two car garage. The first floor of the house contained a kitchen, a bathroom, the living room, the dining room, Darien's study, and small utilities connected to the kitchen that was all beautiful decorated by Serena. The second floor contained four bedrooms. Rini's bedroom was decorated with hot pink walls and black carpet and Hello Kitty furniture and accessories since she was into Hello Kitty. Since Katie loved animals and the National Geographic channel, Serena painted Katie's room like a safari with a blue canvas of animals in a jungle setting. There was a lion, a black panther on a rock, a tiger staring, a giraffe standing next to a tree, a herd of elephants and a hippopotamus drinking at a waterhole. The ceiling was painted with white clouds and birds swarming around. She had a bunk bed with a ladder attached on one end and a green slide attached on the other end so that she could choose whether she wanted to slide or climb down. She had toys scattered all over the dark blue carpet. They had an adjourning bathroom that they shared that Serena designed as a mesh of Hello Kitty and safari that both of the girls loved. The other bedroom was turned into a guest room.
Serena and Darien's room was the master bedroom. The octagon-shaped room was large with crème colored walls and decorated with bog oak furniture. A large king sized bed with dark sheets was against one wall. The wall opposite of the bed was a large wall window mirror that Darien instantly liked about the house. The other had a sliding door that led to the balcony. The last wall had a walk in closet that they shared with one side for each of them. Also next to the door of the walk in closet was the master's bathroom which was a white room with a large octagon shaped Jacuzzi tub, a counter with two sinks, and built in shower.
They used the attic as Serena's art studio.
Serena fell in love with the home when she first saw it. The girls laughed when Darien dramatically carried her over the threshold on the day they moved in. Serena graduated from art school online and now worked as an art teacher for a few hours at a local community college while the girls were in school. She was always home to greet the girls when they got off of the bus. Darien noticed that his wife was happier and more content now that she had a job doing something that she loved. Their friends were their co-workers.
Darien loved how understanding she was. Being a doctor required long hours at the hospital and being on call most of the time. Serena never complained. When he first started his job, Serena left a plate out for him. After a while, she started preparing him a plate and putting it up in the refrigerator.
Darien felt extremely guilty that he was not spending much time with his family, but Serena said that they were okay because they knew that daddy was doing what he loved and saving lives. It amazed him how understanding his family was.
Tomorrow was their eighth year anniversary and wanted to do something really special for his wife. He could not remember the last time they made love. It was not that he did not want to, but he was exhausted from work. It's been months since they made love. Sometimes she would try to play with him a little bit but he would fall sleep. The last time she spent for half an hour trying to get her husband aroused. She wondered what was going on and worried that she did not turn him on anymore. She then looked up to find him knocked out.
After Darien finished showering, he checked himself out in the mirror. His eighth pack was gone since he felt himself getting a little tubby around the waist. It's been a while since he worked out. He had been so busy with family, school, and work that he stopped taking care of himself as he used to. He decided that he would sign up for a gym as soon as possible. He came to bed in his boxers and cuddled up next to his wife. He fell asleep next to her.
At seven o'clock on the morning of July 7th, Rini and Katie burst into their parents' room and yelled, "Happy Anniversary, mommy and daddy!" Serena and Darien smiled as they groaned slowly waking up. They smiled as they sat up and watched as their daughters brought each of them a tray with a bowl of cereal and orange juice. Katie brought a tray to Darien while Rini brought a tray to Serena. Darien and Serena thanked and hugged their daughters. Darien leaned over and kissed his wife wishing each other a happy anniversary. Rini and Katie crawled between them until the covers and started watching television. They started arguing about what station to watch since they each wanted to watch something different. Serena groaned and Darien flipped the channel to a cartoon and told them to watch it or one of them can go watch what they wanted on another television. They frowned since neither of them wanted to leave. They sat and watched the cartoon.
Rini asked her parents as she watched them eating their cereal, "Do you like your anniversary breakfast?"
Darien said, "Of course, baby. This is the best breakfast ever."
Serena said, "It could compete with Lita's cooking." The girls beamed with happiness.
Katie looked at her dad and said, "Dad, aren't you happy that we came up here wishing you happy anniversary since you totally forgot it last year and we had to remind you?"
Darien's eyes widen as Serena looked over her children's head at her husband. She arched her eyebrow. "Really?"
Katie continued, "Yeah, dad told us to keep you occupied while he rushed to the store to buy you an anniversary gift."
Rini elbowed her little sister causing Katie to cry out in pain. "Shut up, blabbermouth. You talk too much. You're going to get dad in trouble."
Serena placed her hands on her hip. "Really, Mr. I-Forget-Nothing."
Darien laughed sheepishly, "You know children lie."
Serena said skeptically. "I bet." Serena watched as her husband used his power of telekinesis while their children's eyes were glued on the silly cartoon they were watching. She smiled as she saw a small black box appeared out of his pants' pocket from last night. Darien sat his tray on the nightstand next to him while Serena sat her downs on the nightstand next to her. She prayed her daughters did not make a mess downstairs.
Darien motioned his finger until it landed in his hands. He opened it causing Serena to gasp covering her mouth. The girls turned around and looked amazed at the engagement ring that Darien was showing their mother.
He said, "This is the engagement ring I've always wanted to get you. I could not afford it when we were married so I am giving it to you now. Please accept it Serena." It was a beautiful two point five carat diamond ring with bead-set diamonds surrounded by a striking heart-shaped diamond. Serena knew Darien had to spend a small fortune to get it. Serena wept tears of joy as she nodded accepting it and allowing Darien to slip it on her ring finger on top of her wedding ring. It felt a little snug around her finger, but Serena did not want to ruin the moment.
Rini happily checked out her mother's engagement ring. "Wow mom! That's beautiful."
Katie said happily, "Its beautiful mom."
Serena leaned over giving her husband a passionate kiss on the lips. The girls looked at them with amused and discussed faces. Katie said, "Yuck! Gross!"
Katie said, "That's disgusting. Let's go, Katie." Darien and Serena found themselves laughing as they broke their kiss. They quickly grabbed their daughters and tickled them and placed wet, soppy kisses all over them as the girls laughed.
Darien knew that Serena did not like leaving the girls. She was a mother who truly enjoyed spending time with her daughters.
Instead of taking her to a nice, fancy restaurant like he wanted to and then give her the ring, he took them all out for a fun day of going to the zoo which Katie enjoyed the most. Afterwards, they ate dinner at an all-you-can-eat buffet. The girls enjoyed it especially the cotton candy, ice cream, and cakes. He watched as wife pigged out too easily pizza, fried fish, and macaroni and cheese then ate ice cream and cakes with the girls. To make herself for better about pigging out, she fixed herself a large salad loaded with ranch dressing. Darien grinned at his girls. He simply ate the steak special then a small salad.
They soon arrived home. Darien picked up a two large pizzas from a local pizza joint on their ride home. They sat down and ate pizza as Serena and Darien showed the girls their wedding video for the first time.
Rini pointed to her stomach. "You were pregnant with me. How many months were you?"
Serena paused for a second thinking. "I think I was about three months." Rini and Katie's heads were like two peas in a pod looking through the photograph album. Serena looked at her daughters with a hand that reached over both of their shoulders. She looked up to see her husband smiling. She knew he was thinking about that month that they created Rini. It scared her how intense he was towards her, but now she looked back and thought of it is amazing.
Rini looked curiously at the smiling blonde man in the photo. She never saw him before. He was the only person she did not know in the photograph. She asked her parents curiously, "Who is this guy in the photograph standing next to Aunt Lita?"
Darien smiled. "That was my best friend and best man, Andrew Furuhata. He was also a friend of your mom too." Darien added, "He was actually your mother's first crush."
Katie looked up and asked like finding out that her mother liked someone other than her father was the most shocking thing in the world. "Mom, you liked someone other than daddy?"
Serena laughed. "Yes, your father and I hated each other."
Darien smiled. "She caught me an arrogant jerk…"
Serena said, "And he called me a meatball head because I wore my hairstyle."
Rini looked up happily, "Like mines?" Serena nodded.
Katie asked, "Where is he then? Why have we never seen him before?"
Darien answered, "Well, shortly after your mother and I married. He left to go to Africa to marry his girlfriend. We never saw him again. That was eight years ago."
"Wow!"
Darien stared at the clock. It was nine o' clock and he had to go to work in the morning. He clapped his hands. "Come ladies. It's bed time." The girls groaned.
They smiled as they got the girls ready for bed together. They went into both of the girls' room kissing them good-night.
Darien sat up in bed with only his boxers on. Serena brushed her medium length hair. He told her that he liked it long. She said that she wanted to go shorter so they compromised on a medium length hairstyle style. He knew that Serena had a face that could pull off any hairstyle.
Serena said looking at him affectionately through her vanity mirror, "I had fun today."
Darien said, "I enjoyed today too. I think you all liked the buffet more than the zoo."
Serena laughed. "I did binge out a little bit. I was like a fat kid in a candy store. It's nice to eat."
Darien laughed. She was still trying to get rid of the muffin top from when she was pregnant with Rini. Darien did not care. He still thought of her as the most beautiful woman alive.
Serena stood up dressed in a nightie. She slowly walked towards her husband and he was asleep. She sighed as she pulled the covers over him. She could not blame him. He was working sixty hours weeks at the hospital. When he was off, he was still on call. She was surprised they did not call him to come into today. She loved her husband and was glad that he was achieving his dream of being a doctor. But she was raising their children on her own. He was the financial provider and breadwinner of the family but was never home and when he was home, he was tired. At least when he worked at Kate International, he came home every day at a decent hour. The latest he ever came home was at seven when he was working late. He was off on the weekends unless he had to go on a business trip. They have not made love in three months.
She learnt for the other doctors' wives they mingled with a couple of times that she had to have a life that did not revolve around him. She had to have other interests. So she made friends in the community and started teaching a class at the local community college. Sometimes she volunteered at an art gallery. She also became involved in her children's lives too. She volunteered as a chaperone for their field trips. Sometimes she came in as a substitute teacher which the school children loved. She was a member of Parents Teachers Association at Rini's school. Rini played for a soccer team. Katie was in her first year of little league. Both of them were horrible athletes like her, but she still cheered them on when Katie stood watching the softball ball roll pass her base or Rini kicking the ball into the opposing team's goal. As long as they were having fun, that's all that matter.
Serena curled up next to her husband pulling the covers over them. His arm automatically wrapped around her waist. She rested her head on his chest and fell asleep listening to the sound of his heartbeat.
"Dr. Shields!" Fredrick's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He heard the sirens of two ambulance trucks approaching the interns, Dr. McConnell and him. They were standing outside wearing trauma gowns waiting on the ambulance to come the following morning. The ambulance swerved around the corner and pulled up in front of them. Darien quickly opened the ambulance door.
The paramedics hopped out. She quickly said as the other paramedic helped her lifted the stretcher with a hysterical woman restrained, "Karen Summers, thirty-year-old female, was in the driver's seat when her car was t-boned on the passenger's side by another car running a red light. She sustained chest contusions but vital signs are stable."
The name sounded familiar to Darien when he saw her. Karen cried, "Derrick, where's Derrick? Where's Peter?" Before Darien could utter a word, Dr. McConnell helped the paramedic rushed the woman to trauma.
Dr. McConnell said surprised as he recognized her, "Karen?"
Karen cried, "Where's my son?"
Another stretcher was pulled out. Darien's eyes widen as the paramedic spoke. "Derrick Summers, an eight-old-year old male, restrained backseat passenger. Shortness of breath in route but breathing is stable."
Darien froze. The paramedic spoke but Darien could not hear the words or the sounds around him. Everything became quiet as the world spun around him. He stared at the little boy in front of him with his ebony hair, deep blue eyes, and body covered with blood. He heard the boy's sobs as he cried for his mother but Darien could not hear him. Darien glanced at the little boy who looked like a childlike replica of him.
The paramedic snapped at him causing him to snap out of it. He quickly directed the paramedic to where to take the little boy. The little boy cried when he was rolled up next to his mother. The mother cried happily in relief when she saw her little boy. She glanced up and looked at his doctor, who looked like his world was falling apart. He glanced at her as their eyes made contact. She saw fear and confusion in his eyes. She gasped when she realized that she knew him, and he obviously knew who she was. Darien's mouth slowly started to open but words did not come out. Karen looked up at him with spiteful eyes. "Hello, Darien." Darien was speechless.
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