Okay gals and guys, everything is now set in stone. I have chosen my ending and have planned it all out. I know who is going to die and how, it's only a matter now of writing it. I know I promised to have this chapter out much sooner but it just wasn't going to happen! Sorry. But to make up for the long wait we have an extra long chapter!
I want to thank everyone for reviewing/commenting on your preferences. It was really interesting. There were preferences that covered every end of the spectrum. I was surprised at how many had it in for Seiya and here I thought I had made his character kinda likable. Guess I was wrong. I would also like that thank lovelyl1976 for helping with my ideas and storyline! You're advice was very helpful!
Now it's time to begin the ending. I have been dragging this fanfic out a bit haven't I? I've just had so many ideas for this Fanfic that I've tried to squeeze as many into it as possible, such as will be seen for the Epilogue. I had two endings in mind and I couldn't decide between them so I intend to use both of them!
Enough rambling! Let the ending begin! In the final chapters we've got explosions, kidnappings, torture, gun fights, fist fights and of course the death/s of main character/s. And so much more!
Chapter 11
Seven hours later at the hospital . . .
Night had fallen and even though the hospital was filled with people, Serena had never felt more alone or helpless. The spotless white hallways that smelt of chlorine, hospital grade disinfectant and sickness were illuminated so brightly that it was impossible to tell what time it was, whether it was day or night. It had been over an hour since night had fallen beyond the small window of the hospital room and the hallway was silent and still. The only noise Serena could hear from her chair, beside the hospital bed in which one of the beloved sisters lay fighting for her life, was the hauntingly rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor attached to her.
The tall beautiful woman who reminded her so much of a legendary Amazon should not have been lying unconscious in a hospital bed with tubs coming out of her and wires attached to her pale skin. She should be out on a date with her future husband being swept off her feet by the man who loved her more than life itself. That's what Lita deserved. Not fighting for her life in a drug induced coma because she had suffered a near fatal stabbing to the stomach, spilling the dangerous chemicals contained within the stomach into her bloodstream.
Lita had always been the strongest of them, the warrior who was eternally loyal and fiercely protective of those she loved. She had always been taller than most of the other woman around her and she easily intimidated most around her with her protective Amazon/tomboy appearance and physique. But in truth Lita was a gentle giant. She had a great heart, was loyal to no end and willing to do anything to keep those she loved safe. She was a woman who held an intense passion for cooking and martial arts. She had been the only one Serena had ever seen to nearly kick Darien onto his ass. She hadn't yet managed it but she had come real close in several occasions.
The thought brought a weak sad smile to her lips that to any who looked upon her held the obvious evidence of her self loathing.
The doctors had said that she was strong and she had a good chance of surviving without any long lasting effects. They had placed her in a chemical induced coma as they had been worried that she couldn't handle the pain and right now her body needed to rest to heal itself. After all, there was only so much healing that could come from a bottle of pills.
But as hard as it was for Serena to accept, Lita had been the lucky one. At least the doctors were confident that she would wake up, as long as there were no more complications. She had been in surgery for four hours which she had been assured had gone smoothly. If she survived the night then her chances were good, they had said.
It was Nina whose fate was uncertain. Her head injury had been serious and she too was in a coma, only hers was not chemically induced. There was no telling when she would come out of it or even if she would but the doctors had offered Andrew a small comfort in that their baby remained unharmed and healthy. Andrew had been so pale everyone had feared he would pass out but Andrew had just ignored them all and had asked if there was a chance that the baby could make Nina worse. As much as Andrew loved that baby, he wouldn't let Nina die if something could be done. He wouldn't let the baby kill her. He could give Nina another child but he couldn't get himself another Nina. No one needed to speak the words aloud that Nina valued their baby above her own life. They had all seen Andrew's self loathing as he had asked the doctors this, he believed he was being selfish in choosing between his wife and their unborn child but they had all understood. Serena had no doubt if she were in Nina's place Darien would do the exact same thing.
Fortunately the doctors had assured Andrew with all certainty that for the moment at least, the baby was no threat to Nina and it would be very unlikely if that would change. It was her mind that was hurt and it needed time to heal itself. Nina was showing promising brain activity and all indications were that she would wake up. They all just needed to be patient and give her time.
After that had been said, the doctors had also added the disclaimer that he could not guarantee with all certainty that Nina would wake up. The brain was a tricky thing and it could never be known which way things would go. After hearing this Andrew had refused to leave his wife's side. He just sat in the hard uncomfortable chair beside the hospital bed that held his wife holding her hand and not speaking a single word. He just stared at his wife's motionless, ghostly pale face with the occasional tear leaking from his eyes unnoticed.
Serena had been unable to remain in the room knowing that Nina and Andrew were going through this because of her.
This was all her fault.
Two of her friends were in hospital fighting for their lives, their futures uncertain and all because they had been put in danger for her. So she had gone to Lita's room only four doors down the hall in the Intensive Care Unit that took up most of the second floor of the hospital. Seiya had been watching over her as Ken had gone to his parents place in San Antonio for the week and he couldn't get back until the morning no matter what he did. According to Darien, Ken had done everything he could to get a flight to LA before the morning, but there had been none available.
Poor Ken. Poor Lita. And Nina. And Andrew.
How many more people where going to get hurt for her? All around her those she loved paid the price for her life, for her freedom. What was it going to take for this to end? What crime had she committed that warranted the lives of her friends? Of her sisters? She was so selfish, so heartless. She was a danger to those she loved and she should have left them all long ago to keep them safe but selfishly she had stayed and now two of her sisters may die because she had been too blind or to selfish to see the danger she was. Maybe she should have just gone to Diamond alone and let him do whatever he had wanted to do to her. That way she would have died and it all would have been over. All her friends and her family would all be safe and they would be free to live out the rest of their lives instead of spending so much time and energy protecting her.
Serena held Lita's hand in her own, gently but firmly. Lita was a pale as Nina and her skin was cold, feeling almost lifeless. She had been fighting her own tears since they had arrived at the hospital, not wanting to draw any attention to herself but she could no longer hold them as she felt them build in her eyes.
At the hospital she had seen that Darien had been conflicted between drawing her into his blood soaked arms to hold her tight and furiously screaming at her for taking off on him.
Again.
And because she had, two people she loved dearly had nearly died tonight and may still.
Again.
The guilt built within her as the tears in her eyes did and she couldn't bear to look at Lita's pale, motionless face any longer. She bowed her head and rested her forehead to Lita's hand, not even feeling the cool skin against her heated flesh. Tears were pouring from her eyes, rolling along Lita's hand and soaking into the baby blue hospital blanket of the bed. Broken hearted sobs vibrated through her trembling delicate body and added another noise to the cold hospital room.
Despite her sobs, she could still hear the heart monitor beeping its slow rhythmic beat.
Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . . beep . . . . beep . . . beep . . .
"Oh Lita, please forgive me." She begged, her voice a broken whimper filled with remorse and self loathing. "I never should have called you. I should have just let Diamond have me. Now you're fighting for your life and Nina's in a coma. This is all my fault. Why is it those I love most who must always pay the price for me?"
Serena was so lost to her remorse that she did not hear or sense Darien step into the doorway of the room. Even though her back was to him, he knew the expression on her face and the dead, withering look in she held in her eyes. His heart fell into his stomach as he noticed her delicate petite body was trembling violently with her silent heart wrenching sobs.
This was killing her just as it was killing him. Even though the girls were Serena's friends and close sisters, over the years they had become his too. The four girls and their husbands were part of his family and even though he refused to show how much it was hurting him to see two of his little sisters in hospital beds and his brothers hurting because he needed to be strong for everyone now. He was hurting just as badly as Serena was. As they all were. But no matter what had happened, it wasn't her fault as she believed and he had to make her understand that to ease her self loathing and to make sure she didn't do anything stupid again.
"It's not your fault Serena." He whispered softly from the doorway, his whisper had been hushed but he knew she had heard his words when she froze. "They love you, we all do. We'd all die for you, Serena. It was Lita's choice to go after you both, not yours. You called her for help and there will never be a day when she would not answer that call."
Serena did not turn to face him. She only raised her head and looked at Lita's pale face. "This is all my fault." Her voice was trembling so uncontrollably that he barely understood her words. "How can I be worthy of such friends? Of such love? All I ever do is hurt those I love. I know this but still I selfishly remain because I need their love and support. Because I need them. As I need you."
"We are one family, Serena." He slowly stepped out of the door way and moved forward to stand behind her but made no move to touch her. "We all look after each other. You are everyone's little sister, there is nothing any of us wouldn't do for you. And you are my heart, my soul. My life. There will never be a day when I will hesitate to protect you no matter the consequences. That's part of being a family, Serena. A part of love."
"If this is the price of love, then I don't want it." She sobbed dejectedly.
Drawing in a sad patient sigh, he lowered to his knees and wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind, resting his chin on her should and leaning his head against the side of hers. He was on his knees and he was still taller than her as she sat in the hard plastic hospital chair. Sometimes he really did forget just how small she was, it was easy to do with her strength and firm will. In that respect she was a giant that could never be bested. "Love is worth it, my sweet angel. The happiness, the love and laughter all make the risks worth while. Those are the times you need to remember now. It is the happy times that get us through the hard times. It's those memories, it's that love that is giving both of them the strength to keep fighting, to hold on and live." Closing his eyes, he allowed himself to bask in her for a single moment. He had nearly lost her today but until now he had not allowed himself the moment he needed to assure himself that she was alive and safe in his arms once more. He should have been furious with her that she had taken off on him again. He had been earlier but right now he couldn't be. Not when she needed him. "I never told you this angel but after Collins shot me and I was fading, I heard your voice telling me how much you loved me. I heard you begging me to stay and I heard your promises that you would follow me if I died. It was you who gave me the strength to fight, to live. I saw your smiling face before my eyes, I heard your melodious laughter and I felt your love in my heart holding me to this earth. Had it not been for you, for our love, I know I would not have survived."
Darien had never told her that before. He had told her he had lived for her but he had never told her that as he feared it would sound corny should he attempt to put it into words. He was glad that he'd told her in a way that hadn't turned it into an "I saw a white light and my grandmother who's been dead for six years" cliché, but it had been the truth. She had kept him alive when the Angel of Death had been trying to pull him away from her with a force so strong it could have defied even gravity. He had fought with everything in him for her and it had been then that he had known for certain she was his soul mate, his everything. For a short while he had forgotten that and he had allow himself to lose her but he had learnt his lesson and he wasn't about to let it happen again. He would never forget his mistakes in the past months that had nearly cost him his everything.
Opening his eyes he gently kissed her cheek. "Nina and Lita have all the love they need to survive this. You just have to have faith in them and in the power of the love of your friendship. I promise it is strong enough to do anything."
Serena was silent and he felt so helpless. He needed to help her, to make her understand that none of this was her fault and he needed her to smile again. Without her smile, there was no sunlight, no laughter or light in the world. How could there be any of those things when Serena was sad? It was impossible for those around her not to be affected by her. When she was happy there was light and love in the world, everything was right but when she was sad it felt like all the colour had been drained from the world and the end of everything was near. Right now she was so miserable that it felt like he was drowning in ice filled artic waters in thick woollen clothing. He was drowning and there was nothing that could save him but Serena's smile.
He decided the try a different path, one that would not earn him a smile but may lessen her remorse and pain. "I will end this, I promise Serena." His voice was fierce with determination and serious authoritative promise. No, it was more of a pledge. "I will protect you and all you hold dear. I will rid this world of Diamond once and for all and I will make it certain that no one ever threatens you or any of our family again."
She was silent.
Unable to stand her silence any longer, he released her and swiftly turned her chair around to face him with no effort at all. The chair might as well have been empty with the amount of effort he used. Looking directly into her tear filled sorrowful eyes, he took both her hands in one of his own and held them firmly in his large hand, not being as gentle as he normally was with her. He raised his other hand to her face and cupped her cheek forcing her to meet his unyielding gaze that held his earth-shattering love, fierce determination to protect those within their family and desperation for her to believe him.
Darien noted that she was a little startled at his sudden and unexpected action but there was no fear or uncertainty in her eyes, only sorrow, remorse, self loathing and love. There was always love in her eyes, even when she was screeching like a furious hellcat at him.
She must have seen something in his eyes she didn't want to see while she wanted to hate herself because she lowered her gaze from his.
"Serena."
Her eyes remained on her lap.
"Serena! Look at me!" It was an order, no one could dispute it and it had been spoken with such demanding authority that she could not deny it. She met his eyes reluctantly.
In the back of his mind, Darien took note of how much he hated even raising his voice to her and briefly considered asking Seiya to sock him one for doing so, and had to admit that Serena was right when she had said he was way too overprotective of her. Pushing the unimportant thought away he turned his attention back to her. He had to make this right. He had to make Serena safe. No matter what it would take.
"I will end this Serena." He vowed. "I stopped Collins and I will stop Diamond and then I will take you far from here, from this dangerous city. We'll move to the country where you will be safe. Where I will make you safe. We'll have a normal life. You can teach at the small country school, we'll have a house with a white picket fence where we can raise our children we'll one day have. You'll never have to be in danger again, you'll never have to face another dangerous man ever again. I will make sure everyone within a hundred mile radius of us knows that you are mine and any who dare to even look at you the wrong way will face me. They all will know I am merciless when it comes to protecting my own. When it comes to protecting you, my sweet angel."
Serena felt her eyes open wide and before she could stop it, a surprised gasp escaped her lips. Darien would do that for her? He loved the city and his job. He loved his life and being able to help people by catching the worst killers the city had to offer but he would give it all up for her? He hadn't lived in the country since before his parents had died and he had been sent to the city to an orphanage. She could never have asked that of him. His job was hard on him but he saved lives and put murderers behind bars. Were there no limits to what he would do for her? Sure she could teach anywhere but he couldn't help people in the country like he helped those in the city. She wouldn't, couldn't be selfish and ask that of him. She had been selfish enough. She could leave her friends if she knew they were better off without her but she knew now she could not live without Darien. She would have followed him anywhere and he would do the same for her.
Maybe after all this was over it would be the best for everyone if they did leave. Her family would be safe and as long as she had Darien she could survive without them. It wouldn't be easy but she would do what was best for everybody.
For once she would be selfless and sacrifice for them.
Unable to answer him now, she swallowed thickly and tried to find her voice. Suddenly she needed to be away from him, she needed some space. Just for a few minutes. It was so hard to think with him there, he always ruled her thoughts but when he was near her he completely consumed her thoughts and her emotions.
"I'm hungry." She whispered hoarsely. She would have said that she needed to use the bathroom, which would have been true but there was no way in hell that he would let her go into the lady's room alone. Not after what had happened that morning.
She saw Darien's hesitation in his eyes and she knew he was considering it. Considering and weighing up all the danger and risks involved. He was calculating as to what would be best, take her to food or bring food to her.
Before he could make up his mind, she spoke words she knew he would bow to. "I need to move. I'll go down to the cafeteria but I can't go and leave Lita alone. I need someone to stay with her." She allowed him to see her desperation in her eyes. The desperation was from the need to be alone for a few minutes but she knew he was reading it as worry and the need for Lita to be safe in her helpless state. "I need her to be safe." She added in a desperate, pleading whisper.
Once again Darien was torn between not letting her out of his sight and giving her what she wanted. Serena felt bad for using that against him so selfishly but she knew it was the only way. He usually gave her anything she wanted, whether she spoke of that want or not.
Darien reached into his pocket and pulled out his new, clean cell phone. It was prepaid and untraceable. He hoped. He had brought it from the electronic store across the road. He had called using the phone at the nurse's station after flashing his badge. He'd paid two hundred dollars to have the three new prepaid cell phone's delivered right to him in the hospital. There was no way in hell he was going to leave any of them to go himself and he wasn't about to send someone for them. He needed everyone in the one place she he could protect them.
Dialling speed dial two, he waited for it to ring once before Seiya picked up. He was only at the end of the hall, keeping a protective eye out for any sign of danger but Darien wasn't about to leave either Serena or Lita alone to go get him. He had learnt earlier that day that it only took seconds for trouble to find them, or more specifically for Serena to find trouble.
"Darien." He greeted alertly.
"Seiya, I need you to take Serena to get something to eat." He didn't like letting Serena out of his sight but she needed something to eat and she wouldn't do that with Lita left alone or while she was there with her friend fighting for her life only a foot away. He needed to get her away from her self loathing for a few minutes so she could take care of herself.
Once Nina and Lita had been stabilized, he had seriously considered handing Serena over to one of the doctors for an examination to find out once and for all exactly what was wrong with her and how he could fix it as soon as possible. Unfortunately he had seen Serena's face and had known that if he tried, she would have either snapped and made a scene in the middle of the ICU or shut him out for daring to think of her cold while two of her sisters were in a coma. So he had decided to wait until the morning. There was no way he was dragging either Serena or Andrew away before then. They would spend the night at the hospital where hopefully if Diamond found them, he wouldn't do anything to get to them. Blowing up a hospital was hopefully beyond Diamond.
Darien had been careful. He had made sure the hospital staff had all used their fake names and details, and knew that if they gave any details to anyone they would need a bed in the ICU themselves. Most people tended to listen to him when he was threatening murder and meaning it. The hospital should be safe for the night but what came next he didn't have a clue. He could risk taking them to another safe house or he could organise the full protection detail with all the trimmings but he didn't like either of those options. All he knew was that he had to get Serena to safety. Hopefully Nina and Lita would be safe in hospital if he took Serena away from them. And hopefully Diamond won't try for them again now they were fighting for their lives. Serena was his target and he had already hurt two of her sisters. Her parents and her brother were at a safe house with a full protection detail at an unknown location and Rei, Chad, Amy and Greg were on their way to another safe house that not even he knew the location of.
Secretly Darien hoped that Diamond would come for him so he could finally put an end to this. He would love the chance to seek his revenge against Diamond for daring to do this to Serena and their family, and finally make Serena safe once and for all. When he got his hands on Diamond he was going to wish that he had never escaped from prison. Hell he was going to regret ever being born.
"Where?" Seiya asked, snapping him from his thoughts and back to the present.
"The cafeteria. Serena needs something to eat and she wants me to stay with Lita for the few minutes it takes to take her to get something to eat."
The message in his words was clear. Take too long and he was a dead man. He wanted Serena back in his presence as soon as possible. He would give Serena what she wanted but he wouldn't be patient. If Seiya took too long, then he would be locked and loaded and hunting him down to inflict a very slow and painful death.
"I'll have her back in fifteen minutes." Seiya voice told him from the doorway.
Darien looked up as he lowered his cell phone from his ear and snapped it shut.
Seiya watched an expression consume his face that not only repeated the unspoken threat but communicated to him just how much he was trusting him right now. He caught Darien's unspoken words clearly. Darien was entrusting to him what was most precious to him and if he failed or even let her out of his sight, he was going to tear him a new one and then kill him slowly.
Seiya had hunted down some of the most dangerous and terrifying criminals in the system but Darien was far more dangerous and deadly than all of them combined.
And he just wasn't that suicidal.
"Thanks Seiya." Serena said flatly as Seiya cleared away their paper plates as they got to their feet in the empty cafeteria of the hospital. They had mostly eaten in silence, what little they did eat. Serena knew her body needed food but she just hadn't been able to swallow more than half of her chicken and salad sandwich.
Seiya had been just as cautious and nearly as protective as Darien. She knew Darien had placed a great deal of trust in Seiya by letting him take her from his sight. She could tell that it was something that Seiya wasn't about to take lightly. What was it about her that brought out either the intense desire to protect her or the Neanderthal urge to claim her as their own? She was fortunate that she hadn't had to experience being dragged into a bedroom by her hair. At least not since she had left Diamond all those years ago . . .
Blinking she forced the thought away before the memory could flash before her eyes. She had enough problems to deal with now. She didn't need to create more. Darien loved her and she was surrounded by those who had sworn to protect her. She was safe. She had believed Darien when he had sworn to assure that that would always be so.
"Well." Seiya began with a phoney lightness in his tone. "I'd better get you back to Darien before he comes looking for us and rips my head off for keeping you away from him too long."
Serena looked up at him and realised something that almost made her gasp in surprise. Somewhere along the way Darien and Seiya had come to some kind of unspoken truce and now it appeared that it was quickly becoming a friendship! Seiya and Darien friends? After all that crap they had gone through when they first met and now Darien had accepted Seiya's friendship? It was the first time she had ever known Darien to accept a friend who had had an obvious eye for her! Wow, well wonders never ceased. Even in the darkest of times miracles still happened.
Now that she could see this, she realised that Seiya and Darien had grown to respect and trust each other. Because of Darien's lonely and painful past it had always been difficult for Darien to make friends, to let anyone close to him in fear that he would lose them one day. What could it have been that had earned each others respect? For Darien it was most likely the fact that Seiya was there to protect her when Darien had needed him to be. There was something about her that brought out things in Darien that hadn't been there before. Darien was changing, he was opening himself up that little bit more to the world and it warmed her heart to know he was becoming part of the world again instead of just wallowing in his own and only allowing a select few in.
As they walked past the hospital gift shop/pharmacy, something caught her eye that made her stop in her tracks with warning bells ringing in her mind reminding her about something she should have thought of days ago. Something she couldn't alert Seiya too.
It only took two steps for Seiya to realise she was no longer beside him. He immediately stopped and spun, on high alert. In some corner of her mind she became aware of Seiya quickly scanning the area for signs of danger and at finding none he gave her a questioning look before following her gaze towards the store.
"Serena?" He sounded uncertain and curious.
Serena thought quickly. She needed two minutes alone in that store because something told her that this was something Darien shouldn't know about! Wiping her face blank, she turned to Seiya and forced her voice to remain calm and collected. "I need to pop in there for a moment. I have a headache and need to get some aspirin."
Seiya turned towards the store and took a step. "Alright but let's be quick, alright? I left my head as a deposit with Darien if I don't get you back soon, I won't get it back." He half joked.
Serena knew the real words behind the joke. If he didn't get her back very soon, Darien was going to take his head off.
"Wait!" She cried out too quickly, too loudly.
He turned to her alarmed and confused. "What?"
"I want to go alone. Can you just wait here please?" She gave him her sweetest and most innocent look she could conjure. "I also need to get some . . ." Her mind raced, she was going to have to lie but in her experience with most single guys, this one usually worked. "Tampons."
Ah and there it was. That embarrassed, panicky and edgy feeling any man got when any woman in the vicinity mentioned anything about PMS. She could see him struggling with his protective cop side and his sense of self preservation insisting he should remain by her side for every single moment against the proud male side that would not be caught dead in the feminine section surrounded by shelf after shelf of feminine hygiene products.
She acted quickly. "I'll only be a minute. You can see me through the glass." It was a logical point as three of the walls of the store were made of solid glass, only the back wall wasn't. She only hoped that what she was really after wasn't where he could see.
After another few seconds of silent conflict he sighed deeply in defeat and nodded once.
And Serena was already hurrying into the pharmacy. She passed the shelves of tampons with a quick glance. In her mind she was quickly adding up the days since she'd lasted needed a box of tampons and when she should have last needed them.
Eleven days ago.
And then her eyes fell upon the pregnancy tests in their various brands in their various sized and coloured boxes behind the pharmacy counter.
Was it possible?
While she had been intimate with Darien in the past she had always been on the pill as most of the time when they ended up in bed neither of them ever had the patience to deal with condoms but she had stopped taking it when she had left Darien and she hadn't thought about it at the cabin.
Oh god . . .
She needed to be quick. She had money in her pocket from this morning when she had left Darien at the zoo. It seemed like so long ago . . .
The bald man dressed in a white lab coat behind the counter smiled at her as she approached. She needed to be quick, if Seiya found her buying a pregnancy test there was little chance in heaven or hell that he wouldn't immediately tell Darien.
No one was that suicidal.
She gave the man a strained smile. "Hi." She struggled to keep her voice even. Her eyes danced over the coloured boxes and she decided to play it safe. She knew that these things could be wrong she wasn't about to make that mistake. "Can I please have one of each of your three most expensive pregnancy tests?"
He gave her a questioning, puzzled look and she quickly relaxed her smile. She gave a nervous laugh and shrugged. "Just want to be sure."
The man hesitated for a moment more before turning his back to her and reaching for the shelves behind him. Serena took the opportunity to grab the nearest box of tampons from a shelf just behind her and a packet of aspirin from an advertising display to her left. By that time the man had returned with three boxes, two deep blue and the other pink.
"These are the most reliable." He told her as he scanned the items.
Serena gave him another small forced smile and reached into her pocket. She paid for the items quickly and waited impatiently he took his time placing them into a brown paper bag.
Taking the bag, she thanked him and spun in time to see Seiya entering the store. Clearly she had taken too long. Thank god he hadn't come in twenty seconds earlier!
She hurried to him and gave him a small innocent smile. She held up the paper bag. "Got them!"
He eyed the bag and something entered his eyes that she didn't like. It almost looked like he was confused and suspicious. And then she realised that the bag was too big for just a box of aspirin and a box of tampons. Thanking her good sense to actually buy what she had told him she had come in for, she opened the bag while saying in an annoyed girly voice, "I swear they never have my brand! I had to buy three brands I've never even used. I'm not fussy but a girl has to be comfortable, you know?" Without looking up to see his reaction, she pulled out the small box of tampons. "Do you know anything about this brand?"
Finally she looked up at him and had to bite in inside of her lip to stop herself from bursting into laughter at the awkward and embarrassed expression on his face. He looked like he was wishing the floor would open up and swallow him! There was even an actual red blush burning his cheeks and she knew she had nothing to worry about. He clearly wanted nothing to do with the contents he thought the brown paper bag held.
"Um, no. Sorry Serena." He mumbled almost shyly under his breath.
It never failed. Anything to do with PMS or feminine products and guys were running faster than the speed of light in the opposite direction. It was one of those don't ask don't tell situations.
"Okay, now I need a lady's room."
That caught his attention. The last time she had said those words it had ended in a hospital, which she would never forgive herself for but she needed to do this now. She had to know. She would feel remorseful later but right now she needed to know if it was more than her own life in danger.
She noted his hesitation, suspicion and uncertainty and she acted before he could think too much. "Listen, either I can do this in the bathroom while you wait here. Or you can come in and watch me but this is something I kinda have to do unless you want to explain to Darien and everyone we pass why the front of my jeans are stained with blood."
Okay, slight exaggeration but it wasn't likely he knew that.
Now he looked trapped. Clearly he couldn't allow the last option because if he brought her back to Darien with the crouch of her jeans all bloody Darien would attack Seiya before a word could be spoken and Darien would kill him as he would immediately jump to the wrong conclusion, friend or not. The same would happen if he followed her into the bathroom and watched her. Then again, Darien would probably kill him if he found out that she had left his sight.
So he was screwed either way. He just had to pick the lesser of the three evils.
Three . . .
He was staring back and forth between her and the lady's bathroom door.
Two . . .
He glanced at the elevators, clearly searching for any sign of Darien.
One . . .
He sighed in defeat.
'And there it is.' She thought smugly to herself.
"Alright but please be quick!" He practically begged her.
Serena nodded once and quickly disappeared behind the swinging blue door baring the women symbol. It was a wonder, they called this a man's world but it was so easy for women to get their way. Men acted all big and tough but the second they near anything 'girly' they became putty in the hands. Hell, the quickest way to get rid of a guy was to start talking about PMS or cramps and they were already gone leaving behind a huge hole where the door had once been. It worked the other way too, start talking about underwear or kissing another girl and they would be hanging off every word, even if some pretended not to be.
Shaking her head in amused disbelief, she closed the stall door behind her and opened the brown paper bag.
It would take two minutes for the results of the tests to reveal themselves and while she sat there staring at the three different pregnancy tests in her hand, she couldn't stop her mind from wondering. She had dreamed of having Darien's baby some day. Hell if it weren't for the whole Diamond thing happening, she would be over the moon with happiness but the whole Diamond thing was happening around her and right now being pregnant was not a good thing.
What was she going to do if it was positive? She had a psycho ex-boyfriend slash killer after her with a vengeance.
She had dreamed for nearly two years of marrying Darien and having his baby but why did she have to fall pregnant now when they didn't know if they were going to survive the week let alone the next nine months? What was she going to tell Darien? This would drive him over the edge. He would lock her up somewhere and go after Diamond's blood like a new born vampire and Diamond was the last man on earth.
And if Diamond should find out then he would have everything he needed to destroy her. He would be able to take the man of her heart and her unborn child from her while keeping her alive to bare the unimaginable agony of losing so much of that she loved.
Why, oh why did this have to happen now?! For two years she and Darien had gone at it like rabbits in the middle of mating season and now she got pregnant? At least now all those symptoms were explained. The throwing up, the cravings and the evening sickness. A part of her was relieved more for Darien than for herself that she wasn't sick. She had known just how terrified for her he was. She was surprised that he hadn't dragged her straight to a doctor the moment they had entered the hospital.
Before her eyes the first of the tests slowly turned blue.
Ten seconds later the second test slowly turned blue.
And another ten seconds later the third agreed with the other two.
She was pregnant.
What was she going to tell Darien? When was she going to tell Darien? She couldn't now! Not with everything happening. If he found out she was pregnant with his child, he was going to lose it completely and she had no idea what he would do other than go after Diamond recklessly and get himself killed! She couldn't let that happen. Darien was willing to risk everything to protect her, to keep Diamond from ever getting his hands on her.
Now she had to protect him. She couldn't tell him without completely screwing up his focus. No matter how ecstatic he would be when he found out he was going to be a father. She knew full well that before she had entered his life, he had deep down wanted a family but hadn't been willing to put himself in a situation where he could lose another family. His fear had overshadowed the desire. But he had lost that fear long ago. Yes he still feared losing a family once he had one – with her – but it didn't rule him anymore. He would want this child and she already knew he wanted her. But would he still want her after all of this? What if he found out from Diamond exactly what he had put her through all those years ago? He would still want her, yes, but would he want her in his life as his wife? He would not doubt the child she carried within her was his. He trusted her.
He had also stalked her for the last two months, so he would know if she was seeing someone else.
No. She had to keep this to herself until Diamond was gone from her life forever. She had to protect Darien and now she had to protect their child.
Their child.
At the thought her hands immediately flew to her lower stomach. She pulled up her shirt to reveal the flat, smooth skin beneath and she gently ran her hand over her womb. She couldn't believe it. She carried Darien's child. Something she had dreamed of for so long but had never dared to hope it would happen in her immediate future. She wondered which time it had been that she'd fallen pregnant. If her symptoms had been any indication, it would have had to have been within the fire two days at the cabin. Apparently it took a few days for actual conception but how long did it normally take for symptoms to appear? Surely it took longer than one and a half weeks? Did early symptoms indicate that something was wrong with the baby? Or was it just one of those things that could happen? Some women didn't have any symptoms at all! According to Amy they were called 'Surprise Pregnancies' where the woman didn't' discover she was pregnant until she went into labour! Well, that would be a surprise!
And did she carry a boy or girl? She would love to give Darien a son, even though he would love a daughter just as much. They both would. But most men wanted sons, right? It wouldn't matter to Darien, boy or girl, son or daughter. He would love and nurture the child just the same.
If they both survived.
No! They would both survive this and then they would do what Darien had promised they would! They would move to a small little town somewhere a long way from the city and they would raise their child in a safe and happy environment. In a home where there weren't countless murders happening everyday around them and drug dealers on every corner. She would watch as Darien held their child in his arms for the first time. She would watch as Darien taught their child how to ride their first bike and either dress his son for his high school prom or threaten their daughter's prom date that if she wasn't home safe and sound and still a virgin by ten o'clock that he would be after his ass with a loaded gun.
Yes, Darien would be just as protective of their child as he was of her. Especially if she gave birth to a daughter! Now there would be the safest girl in the state! No boy would dare touch or disrespect her, not with a homicidal father waiting at home.
Just like her father had been. Come to think of it, Darien would be worse. Suddenly she understood why her father had been so protective of her. Hell, why he still was so overprotective of her. It was only natural that a father worried endlessly for his daughter and threatened any male of simular age that came near her while he warmly welcomed his son's current girlfriend.
She suddenly wanted that life more than anything. She wanted Darien as he husband and she wanted to give him this child and maybe a few more.
Darien would like that.
To have that life they both had to survive and to do that she knew she couldn't tell him. Not yet. If something happened to him she would regret never telling him but if something happened to her then it would be a mercy that he never knew she had died carrying his child.
Serena was hurting worse than he had ever seen her.
Darien could feel her pain and torment and wished with all his heart that he could take it from her. He had been watching her from the hallway outside Nina's dark hospital room through the spotless glass window for the past half an hour. She just sat there in a hard hospital chair holding Nina's hand and staring blankly into her face. There were no tears in her eyes but he could see her pain was beyond tears. He didn't know whether or not she knew he was there watching her but she hadn't looked away from Nina once since Seiya had brought her back from the cafeteria. She hadn't said a word or even looked at him, which only made him deeply suspicious and frantically worried. What had happened? He had asked Seiya but the man had just shrugged innocently and told him that he had taken her for something to eat. She had then brought some aspirin and "feminine products" from the pharmacy and then used the Ladies Room that had only had one exit.
Something about the pharmacy didn't sit right with him. Sure they had been apart for two months but he was certain that it wasn't her time of the month. Not for a least another two and a half weeks.
Andrew sat slumped in a second hospital chair on the other side of Nina's bed. He had fallen asleep over an hour ago. The poor guy needed it. Had it been Serena in that bed and it could easily have been, he wouldn't have moved from her side either. As it was it was near impossible for him to do so with Nina.
He didn't know how much more of this he could take. Serena had been right to label him a wolf. He knew what the wolf stood for. The wolf was the protector, the guardian who took care of his family and right now he was failing to do that duty. Serena, Andrew, Nina, the girls, the guys and their family's were all his family. They were his to protect and take care of. They had been since the day Serena had entered his life. Before Serena there had been so little in his life. In fact Andrew and his job had been all he had. And then Serena had just walked into his life and had given him everything, love, happiness, companionship. She had even given him a family he loved and who loved him in return. A family he had sworn to protect and because he had failed two of his family were fighting for their lives. He had to end this before Diamond hurt anyone else. In the past two years his protective instincts over that that was his had grown just as strong as his love for Serena. Serena felt bad that he had to constantly be there to protect her, he knew but what she couldn't or wouldn't accept was that he wouldn't have it any other way. When he was protecting her it brought feelings of pride and honour to him. He didn't see protecting his family as a burden. No, he saw it as a great honour and responsibility he shouldered with pride.
He was the alpha guardian of the family as Serena as the littlest sister was the heart, the glue that held them all together. Without her they would all have driftnet apart long ago.
His fists clinched tightly in his frustration. He should have been able to prevent this! He should never have let Serena out of his sight and he should have been the only to go after Nina! He should have been able to save her! And Lita! And most of all, he should have killed the son-of-a-bitch at the damned hotel! Somehow Diamond had slipped by them but Darien would assure it was for the last time. Diamond was a dead man. He just hadn't caught up to that fact yet.
A few hours ago he had gotten a call from his Captain who had updated him on the case and the interrogation of the two men Diamond had left behind at the hotel. Neither had said a single word but the FBI had managed to identify them. Both were ex military, their exact fields had been classified which only told them that they were both either Special Forces or had some connection to a specialised field such as bomb expert. If so that would explain how Diamond was able to do half the things he had done so far but how had Diamond gotten his resources? The C4 that hadn't been reported stolen and the tracking equipment needed to locate Serena? There was something more happening they weren't seeing and it made him uneasy. Diamond was on the run from the LAPD, US Marshals and the FBI and not once had he been spotted or had popped up on any radar. He had also managed to get his hands on resources that not even he could have, such as the equipment needed to trace a clean cell phone.
Within the dark room he watched as Serena gently laid her head down on the bed beside Nina's hand. Her eyes were still open but they were slowly drooping lower and lower. She was fighting to remain awake but he could see she would lose that battle within a matter of minutes. Good. She needed some rest. She was exhausted both physically and mentally. But a good thing had been that she hadn't been physically ill earlier. She had been pale but she had been so zoned out that he hadn't been able to tell if she was still suffering from nausea or light-headedness. But she hadn't thrown up so he had taken it as a sign that she was getting better. He had seriously considered getting one of the hospital's doctors to give her an examination now that everything had settled down at bit but he knew his precious angel well enough to know she would only throw a fit at him worrying over her health when two of their sisters were fighting for their lives.
The last speck of blue disappeared from Serena's face as she lost the battle with her eyelids. She was falling asleep. He prayed she didn't dream because if she did then she would only suffer from nightmares after everything she had seen in the last forty-eight hours. And what he feared greatly was that she would see him nearly killing for her. The look he had seen on her face and the terror he had seen in her eyes after he had pulled that bastard off of her at the hotel would forever be imprinted in his retinas. That was one of the main reasons he was fighting so fiercely against his own exhaustion. He would see that look on her face in his nightmares. Of all the times he had defended and fought for her he had always been careful to control his expression so she would not see the dark, dangerous creatures within him that would so easily kill for her.
For any of their family.
"Get some rest man. I'll stand guard for a few hours." A soft encouraging voice said from behind him.
Darien didn't turn to face him. He just kept his eyes on the sleeping woman who owned his heart. He wanted to argue with him, he needed to stay away because when it really came right down to it, he trusted no one else with the safety of his family. Then again, Seiya had proven himself as far as Darien was concerned but had he done so to the point where Darien could trust so much to him? He had allowed him to take Serena from his sight for a quarter or an hour but he had been awake and ready in case something happened, which he had half expected too. He had been seconds away from going after them when they had returned to the ICU. But it was a completely different thing to trust them all to Seiya while he completely let down his guard and slept.
In the end he had little choice but to trust him. He needed to rest or he would collapse from exhaustion and he may do so when he was needed most. For the sake of those he protected he needed to take care of himself just a little bit so he would be fit to protect.
Seiya was right and he wasn't going to argue with him. No matter how much his protective side wanted too.
"Thanks." He mumbled as he turned to give him an exhausted but grateful smile.
"Don't mention it." Seiya nodded his head once and stepped back to allow him room to walk passed him.
Darien walked into the dark room and to his slumbering love. She looked so peaceful and angelic, for a moment he could almost believe that nothing was wrong as long as she was with him but no power in the world could make it so at the moment. Not while Diamond lived free.
Gently he lifted her into his arms while being careful not to wake her. She felt so soft, delicate and small in his arms. It was hard to believe that this fragile creature had a will stronger than iron and a spirit move lively than a box filled with kittens and brighter than the sun. Turning, he gently laid her down on the cold but soft empty hospital bed beside Nina's.
She moaned softly in her sleep but didn't waken.
Releasing her of his hold, he reached for the light pink hospital blanket and gently covered her with it. Unable to pull away from her, he raised his hand to her face and gently and lovingly stroked the soft, smooth skin of her perfect radiant face. He had almost lost her so many times already throughout the two years they had known each other, it should have been enough to last a life time but it seemed that fate disagreed. He didn't know if he could live through another close call like yesterday. It had always astounded him that one so small and delicate could cause so much trouble. He leaned down and gently kissed her forehead, he closed his eyes as his lips rested against her silky skin.
"I love you Serena." He whispered against her forehead. "My angel. I will always love you." He pulled back enough to allow him to look down into her sleeping face. "Never leave me. You are my everything. You always have been."
In her sleep she moaned pathetically and mumbled, "Darien. Please forgive me."
Darien looked down at her, wondering what she was dreaming. What could he possibly have to forgive her for? There was no crime she could ever commit against him that would ever need his forgiveness. He would instantly forgive her anything. That was if he was actually capable of being angry or disappointed with her. He could be furious with her actions, like he had been earlier when she had taken off on him again to meet a psycho killer but he could never be angry with her. He loved and worshipped her too much.
He watched curiously as she draped her hands over her stomach in what was clearly a protective manner. Was she dreaming that she had been stabbed like Lita? Or did her dreams warn her of her fear that he may be the one to harm her like that? He leaned back down and placed his lips against her forehead as he gently stroked her hair back from her eyes and he whispered soothingly to her, "I will never let anyone hurt you, my sweet angel. Especially me."
Whether it was his words or just his voice that calmed her he didn't know but she was silent and still once more. Satisfied that she was once again peaceful he pulled away from her and reached into his pocket. Seiya had gotten him what he had asked a few hours ago but he had yet to have to chance to place it on Serena. He pulled what looked like a thick red poker chip from his pocket and reached for the seam of her shirt.
It only took him a few minutes to pick the threading loose enough for him to slip the small red chip into the bottom seam of her shirt. Unless someone was examining the seam very carefully, no one would notice the small loose section in the seam.
Satisfied that it was safely tucked into the seam and had very little chance of coming free, he slowly climbed onto the bed beside her, slid his glock under the pillow and he gently pulled the sleeping angel into his arms. He had little chance of keeping his own nightmares at bay but at least he would wake to find her safety there in his arms.
And hopefully he wouldn't pull his dreams into the real world, a world in which he could actually lose her once and for all, but this time it would be a nightmare in which there would be no waking from.
Midday the next day . . .
Serena was looking so much better after some sleep and decent food in her, Darien observed as he watched her from the doorway where he stood drinking really bad coffee from a paper cup from the vending machine at the Nurse's station. She had colour in her cheeks and she had eaten the two sandwiches he had brought her. That had surprised him. He had expected her to half-heartedly eat one but for her to eat both had been unexpected. He had watched her eat and if he hadn't know better he would have sworn that she had forced herself to eat every bite. If she had, it had probably been for his sake. She had even pushed away the soda can he had brought her with the sandwiches and had asked for juice. He had gotten it for her of course but he hadn't been able to understand why she had refused the soda. She had never had a problem with it before. Was she feeling nauseous or had she just wanted something healthier? He didn't know and he wasn't about to ask her, she was stressed enough without him asking her stupid questions.
And Serena hadn't been the only one with more colour. Lita was already getting some colour back to her milky pale skin, which the doctors had assured them was a very good sign. Personally he wasn't surprised that Lita was healing faster than expected, she was just as strong willed as Serena. All the girls were fighters, only in Lita's case it was literally.
A small fond brotherly smile spread across his lips. Lita was always challenging him to combat, wanting to beat him and prove that she was the best. It was all done in good fun and she really was good. He had never told her but she usually came very close to handing him his ass. He was bigger and stronger than her, which usually allowed him to get the upper hand but she was exceptionally skilled and surprisingly graceful. When she woke up he was going to tell her just how good she was and how close she was to actually beating him.
Knowing Lita she would just tell him to stop being a chicken and to stop trying to back out of their fights. Then she would threaten him not to go easy on her and she would give it to him big time.
His smile was short lived as his thoughts turned to Nina.
Nina showed no change. The doctors kept insisting that there was promising brain activity but they couldn't really tell until the swelling completely subsided. The one mercy was that the baby was fine and the doctors were pumping her full with all the vitamins and nutrients the baby needed. One of the doctors had talked to Andrew this morning about the possibility that his wife wouldn't wake up but as long as they kept her heart pumping and her lungs working, then there was little reason that the baby wouldn't live to be born.
It was a small comfort. How would he react if someone told him that he was losing the woman he loved more than anything else in the world but they could keep her body alive until their child could be born? He honestly didn't know and he prayed he would never have to find out how his beloved brother would react. Nina was as strong and as spirited as Serena and she would fight until the end. She would pull through because there was no other option. It would kill Andrew, and Serena because she would blame herself for not doing something different to save her sister.
Everything was so screwed up. And it had been for a while. Ever since he had let Serena walk out on him. If only he had stopped her from leaving maybe all of this could have been avoided. It definitely would have been avoided if he'd fought at the cabin instead of running for the hills. He could have gotten Serena out and then gone back and finished it.
'Yeah.' Another part of his mind told him sarcastically. 'You would have been killed and they would have gotten their hands on Serena. You didn't stand a chance against that kind of man and fire power.'
Darien bowed his head in sad defeat. The voice was right. He couldn't have done anything differently that would have gotten at least Serena out of there alive. He just felt so helpless. He should have been able to prevent this! He didn't know how but that was how he felt. He was supposed to protect his family but all he had done was run and hid. He needed to do something to end this. He needed to leave Serena someplace safe and find Diamond to finally end this. He didn't care if it cost him his life, he just needed those he loved to be safe.
"Darien?" A soft, gentle feminine voice interrupted his thoughts.
Darien choked on the luke warm coffee and spun around with disbelief on his face. He couldn't believe the sight that greeted him, was his entire family suicidally nuts?!
There standing before him was Amy, Rei and their husbands. What the hell were they doing there?! They were meant to be at the safe house! What was it about these girls that compelled them to dismiss what everyone around them was doing to protect him? Although he shouldn't have really been that surprised as the first girls stuck together like a wolf pack, loyal and supportive of each other to no end. Not to mention protective of each other. Drawing in a deep sigh to calm his rising anger, he pinched the top of his nose and closed his eyes as he waited for the patience living with Serena for two years had taught him. "What are you doing here?"
They looked at him like he was an idiot. It was the look only a woman could manage.
"Two of our sisters are in comas and the other is hurting, what do you think we're doing here?" Rei asked him with a hint of her trade mark spitfire tongue in her tone.
Amy was looking past him. Serena hadn't noticed their arrival yet. "How is Serena doing?" Her gentle voice was filled with worry and love.
Darien had learned long ago that gentle and delicate Amy could quickly morph into a terrifying woman to be reckoned with. Hell, a pissed off Amy was more scary than a pissed off Serena. It was always the quiet ones who turned out to be the scariest. "She's eating, which is an improvement and she got a few hours sleep last night." He would have said more but then he caught sight of the strange unidentifiable expression on Amy's face.
She was studying Serena carefully with a look in her eyes that he couldn't name. It was almost as if Amy was staring at something she knew well but it shouldn't have been there. And then it hit him. Amy was a doctor. Could she tell that Serena was sick? If so then could she name it and treat it? It was on the tip of his tongue to ask her when she took a slow step passed him and entered the room with Rei a step behind her.
He watched silently as the three girls hugged and exchanged quiet words that he did not need to hear to know. First the girls would ask Serena how she was and then the conversation would turn to Nina and Lita's conditions and how they had come to be there.
If only it was a happy story.
Two hours later . . . .
Serena was taking Amy to Lita's room so she could check her condition for herself. Rei and Darien had remained with Nina as Seiya was guarding Lita's door. Serena had been surprised when Amy had closed the door behind them once they had entered the room, giving them some privacy.
Amy was staring at her with love-filled and deeply concerned eyes. Eyes that held intelligence and wisdom that at times was frightening. "You know, don't you?" She whispered, although it had been intended to sound like a question, it had come out sounding as more of a statement.
Serena turned away from her, not wanting her to read the truth in her eyes while she denied the truth. "Know what?"
Amy was staring at her, she could feel it. "That you're pregnant."
Serena was silent. She didn't know how Amy had discovered her secret so quickly but in truth she wasn't surprised. Amy was one of the best doctors in the US.
"Does Darien know?" She asked as she walked over to Lita's side and looked down at her, clearly giving her a few moments to collect herself.
Serena bowed her head sadly. "No and he can't. Not yet. Not until this is over. It'll drive him insane and I'll lose him."
Amy allowed the silence to linger for a few seconds before she stepped away from the bed where their unconscious sister lay and she turned to her with a serious expression on her face and deep worry in her eyes. "And if he loses you without knowing just how much he's lost?"
Serena didn't know how to make her sister understand why she had to do this but she knew in her heart that if she asked Amy wouldn't tell him herself. "It's better he doesn't know." She whispered weakly. "He's been through enough because of me. I won't put him through this. If he knew I was pregnant it would be the last straw for him and he would go after Diamond like a ravaged wolf after blood." She had thought about it none stop since she had discovered she was pregnant and she did want so much to be able to change her mind but she couldn't. For the sake of the man she loved, she couldn't.
Amy sighed deeply and Serena knew she was conflicted by the situation.
"I won't tell him, but you should. It's his child too." Amy knew that no one but Darien had touched her in years, a lot longer than the two years they had been together so not one part of her questioned that fact. Serena was nothing if not loving and loyal. "I hope you're right about this Serena. Have you considered that it might happen the other way? He might die and he would do so never knowing that you're carrying his child. Something he has wanted since he lost his parents."
Sometimes the fact that they were all so close and had so few secrets between them worked against them. "I will tell him Amy." She promised both her, Darien and herself. "But not until this is over. Until then this will do more harm than good."
Amy silence made Serena nervous but when she looked up into her eyes she only found love, concern and conflict. There was no disappointment in her eyes at her decision.
"He's worried about you, you know." She said suddenly, breaking the silence. "You've obviously been having morning sickness and he is worried that it's an illness. I have seen that look he's been giving you too many times not to know it. Just as I know the glow of an expecting mother."
Serena knew he worried about her but she had thought about that and she knew how to solve the problem, even if it was only temporarily. "You're a doctor Amy. You could tell him that I'm fine. That it's nothing and it'll pass."
Amy shook her head no. "I won't lie to him Serena, and even if I would I don't think I would be able to pull it off. That man is a human lie detector. Only you seem to be able to mislead him." She added in a pointed tone.
Serena knew that her sister was right in refusing to lie to him and she had been right that he would most likely see straight through her. Knowing there was nothing left to say, she turned her attention back to Lita as she watched Amy pick up her chart and flip through it.
"How is she?"
Amy didn't look up from the chart. "She'll make a full recovery. It will be a while before she's back to full health and doing all those martial arts she and Darien love so much."
Serena allowed a small fond and loving smile to spread across her face. "She's going to hate that!"
Amy looked up and gave her a smile that mirrored her own. "She'll survive."
Serena turned away before she could see the fear and dread in her eyes.
She sure hoped so.
"Detective Shields?"
Darien looked up from the floor to find a nurse standing in the doorway looking directly at him with a questioning gaze. In her gaze however he did not see the usual female appreciation and attraction to him but it was most likely due to the shinny new engagement ring she wore on her left hand. The young woman, who couldn't have been a fully qualified nurse for more than a few years, was obviously so in love that she saw no other man but the one who had won her heart.
"Yes?"
"There's a phone call for you at the Nurse's Station." She explained before giving him a friendly smile and left the doorway, returning to the Nurse's Station.
Darien turned his gaze back to the hospital bed and the two young women sitting by it. Amy's gaze remained on Nina but Serena was looking at him with fear and worry in her eyes and he knew she feared that something else had happened. He knew it was only the knowledge that her family was either there at the hospital or safe at an unknown location that kept her from exploding into hysteria.
Walking over to her he wrapped his arms around her from behind and gently planted a kiss on the top of her head, his lips touching the golden silken strands of her hair that were unbelievably soft and addictive. "Everything's alright, angel." He whispered in her ear before he softly and reassuringly squeezed her. He then straightened up and walked out of the room and down the hall to the Nurse's Station where the nurse who had informed him of the call hand him the receiver.
"Shields."
Silence.
"Hello?" Had they hung up? He hadn't been that long to get there.
"It's time to end this." Hissed an ice cold familiar voice.
Darien's gripped tightened dangerously around the handle of the receiver. "Diamond!" He growled icily. "I couldn't agree more! Just tell me the time and place and we'll finish this once and for all. And I won't be bringing you in, just so you know."
Diamond's icy tone disappeared as his amused laughter echoed through the phone. "And she thinks you're the good one. If only she could see how dark you truly are. You have done well keeping that dark side of yours from her but even a brainless slut like Serena can't be blinded for long. You're just like me, only one little hair away from becoming the killer we both know you are."
"I will never be like you Diamond!" He said with as much conviction as he could muster.
"Really?" His tone dripped with disdain. "I don't think even Serena believes that anymore. I saw the look on her face when you nearly killed my man at the hotel. I saw the evil in your eyes, Darien. And so did she."
Darien struggled to suppress a furious growl. He wouldn't let Diamond bait him and he wasn't about to do something stupid that would either get him killed or get Serena into danger.
Again.
Darien drew in a silent, deep breath to calm himself. Would it always be like this? Or would a day come when they could finally be able to find peace? Oh god he hoped so. He would never stop fighting to keep Serena safe but it was beginning to grow tiresome as it seemed to be endless. He was fatigued and weary. And not just physically. He wanted Serena by his side but he wanted her safe and not to have to fight to make that so on a regular basis.
Was that really too much to ask?
"What do you want Diamond? Because frankly I'm getting sick and tired of this game. Either quit or call the end game."
The amusement in Diamond's voice caused hairs to rise up on the back of his neck. "Oh, it's already in play and there's a lot more at stake than pretty little Serena."
"How much more?" He asked distrustfully. Honestly he didn't want to know because he feared the lengths Diamond would go to win this game.
"Much more." He laughed evilly. "I have placed a very large and powerful bomb in one of the classrooms of Serena's school and it is set to go off in thirty minutes."
Jesus Christ!!!! He wasn't bluffing. He had spent enough time on the force to know when someone was bluffing which was why no one would play poker with him anymore. Well, except Serena but when they played they never played for money and half the time he was tempted to let her win.
Diamond had placed a bomb at Serena's school and Darien didn't doubt that he would detonate it. How many children would die if it went off? God only knew.
"Before you go running off to play the hero, there are rules." Diamond's voice became serious and held dark warning that told him if he didn't obey the rules there would be serious consequences.
Darien waited silently.
"First of all, I have cut the schools phone lines but I can only image how many cell phones are currently on the school grounds, so rule one would be no evacuations or warning calls until you arrive on the premises and you are only allowed to evacuate one classroom at a time. Rule two. Only you are allowed to evacuate, no getting back up. No getting teachers to help. You have to go classroom by classroom. Oh, and if I see anyone but you enter the grounds, I'll detonate."
Darien held back his string of curses and ugly names for the son-of-a-bitch. If he only had thirty minutes, and it would take him at best twenty to get there, there was no way he could evacuate the entire school in time if he could only do it one classroom at a time. There had to be at least fifty classrooms not to mention labs and specialist classes.
"Is that clear, Shields?" He asked with a condescending tone. "If you break the rules I will detonate the bomb and you will be responsible for the deaths of roughly three thousand young children."
"Yeah. It's clear. But I'll tell you something Diamond. I'm going to disarm that bomb you planted at Serena's school and then I'm going to come for you and all the Special Forces gorillas in the world will be unable to stop me from tearing you apart with my bare hands."
Diamond laughed at his chilling tone. "I'll tell you what. I'll give you one mercy. I won't start the countdown until you leave the hospital. And I'll give you five minutes to leavel. That should give you enough time to do what you need to do. Knowing you, you'll most likely want to give a long sappy goodbye to a few people in case you don't make it." And with his cocky amused laughter ringing in his ears, he ended the call.
Darien dropped the receiver and looked up at the clock. It was two o'clock in the afternoon. School didn't have long let to go before it was over for the day but Darien knew it would be close enough. Diamond probably wanted parents outside to watch their children being blown up.
"We've got to go now!!" Cried a desperate and urgent voice from behind him.
Bloody hell!!!! Darien jumped and spun around, his heart racing faster than it ever had, to see Serena standing there behind him. She had obviously heard enough of the conversation to know the gist. That was all he needed.
"Serena." He said quickly but his voice was firmly authoritative. It warned her not to argue with him, that he wasn't going to be swayed. "You're staying here. There is no way in hell you are coming with me into this trap."
Serena's expression became hard, serious and down right terrifying. How was it that a woman who was so small could look so intimidating and just plain scary? She stepped forward leaving no space between them and she glared furiously up into his eyes. "I'm going with you Darien and don't for one second think you can stop me!! I'm not staying behind when my kids are in danger! Leave me behind and I'll go myself! You know I will." It was a serious threat.
The woman, though he loved her to no end, was the largest pain in the ass. Was she suicidal?! Here he was trying to keep her safe and away from Diamond and she was contracting him at every turn. She was going to drive him straight to the Looney Bin! They didn't have time for this! He didn't have time to argue with both her and himself! Half of him didn't want her within a hundred miles of Diamond and definitely didn't want her following him into what was without a doubt, a trap. But on the other hand he didn't want to let her out of his sight. He knew if he tied her to a bed she would just find a way to get loose and then go down to the school herself. Either way she was in danger and in the middle of this. At least if he took her with him he could get her to cooperate and he would know where she was.
He knew he should try to convince her to stay at the hospital but they didn't have time for him to convince her.
His face softened and his eyes became pleading. "Please Serena." He begged her softly, his voice nearly breaking. "Please stay here where it's safe. I will save them but I need to know you're safe." He raised his hand to her face and gently cupped her check, all the while counting the seconds in the back of his mind. "I love you and I have nearly lost you too many times already that I know I could not survive another. I have never failed you, so trust me to do this."
"I have to do this!" She pleaded with him. "I know you can do this but I have to be a part of this. It's because of me that all of this is happening. I can't just hide in a dark room." She raised her hand to his that covered her cheek and she wrapped her fingers around his.
Darien stared into his eyes and knew he was caving despite his better judgement. Damn the power this woman had over him! Drawing a deep breath he prepared himself to enter yet another battle in which the stakes where literally life and death.
"SEIYA!!!" He called down the hallway.
A moment later Seiya appeared with his weapon drawn. He looked around quickly for any sign of danger but at seeing none he lowered his weapon and ran down the hallway to them. "What's happening?"
A moment later Andrew was at Seiya's side.
Darien quickly explained the phone call, the rules and what they were going to do. "Here's the plan. Andrew, get the four girls in the same room and stay with them. Seiya, Serena and I are going to the school to get those kids out."
Andrew's face was distorted by an expression of pure pain and torture. He wanted to go with them to get the bastard who had harmed his wife but he also needed to stay with her and protect her. He was torn between remaining with his wife when he needed her most and his revenge and desire and need to be part of this fight.
And Darien could not allow him to be. It was one thing for Seiya to come with him, and he was only going to protect Serena, but for him to be left behind was not something they did. Knowing his brother needed the comfort he could give him he gently raised his hand and placed it on his brother's shoulder. "You need to stay here. Nina needs you if she's going to beat this. Nina is all that matters now. You know she would want you to stay to protect her and our sisters. I swear to you brother, I will beat this bastard and I will make him pay for everything he's done." He stared into his brother's eyes with determination and promise in his own. "I promise you this he will be the last to threaten that which is ours."
Andrew rested his hand over Darien's arm never looking away from his eyes. "I know you will keep your word, brother. Just keep your life as well. You are part of this family and not just as our protector. You and Serena brought this family together and without the both of you, this family will not survive."
Darien bowed his head respectfully and stepped back, releasing Andrew's shoulder. With one last look passed him at Amy and Greg, Chad and Rei, who were standing in the doorway of Nina's room staring at them with fearful and worried eyes, the three of them turned and took off down the hallway.
Andrew watched them go. He wanted so much to go if only to watch his partner's back but he couldn't leave his pregnant Nina. Diamond might still come after her to hurt Serena and he wouldn't leave her unguarded. Or the others. Two years ago Darien had been forced to face the Red Rose Killer alone and he had managed to prevail, this time he had help in Seiya. He only prayed that Seiya did not suffer the fate he two years ago. He prayed that fate was as kind in the outcome as it had been then.
Victory in which the only death had been the killer's own.
"Jesus Darien!!! Are you trying to kill us?!" Seiya demanded seriously from the passenger's seat as they narrowly missed the blue sedan and the green SUV as they ran the red light at a very busy intersection.
"He always drives like this." Serena told him from the backseat as she pulled her seatbelt tighter around her.
"We have three thousand plus children in danger right now and all you're worried about is my driving?!" Darien asked in disbelief from behind the steering wheel as he swerved to avoid a yellow taxi cab in front of them.
"I'm worried about not getting there because we're involved in an 11-80 (car accident)!" He loosened his seatbelt at his shoulder. He was going to have seatbelt bruises, that was for sure. They were making great time and would be at the school in a few minutes, the whole trip taking less than twenty minutes thanks to Shields's reckless but amazingly skilled driving.
He had had the same training but it seemed that Shields had taken it to a whole new level. Maybe it was just because of the serious consequences if they failed that drove him to portray such skill. He had to admire and respect the man. He was highly skilled, highly intelligent, highly determined and motivated and was able to deal with the difficult woman in the backseat that he had wanted to strangle more than once since he had met her. That last was a true gift and skill Seiya would have killed for, although he suspected that he didn't really have the high level of sway over her that he portrayed. After all, she was in the car with them, wasn't she? In fact Seiya strongly suspected that Darien only had the sway that Serena allowed him to have. Hell, if the woman wanted the beating heart from his chest, he would have already parted his rib cage and be in the process of severing the arteries to pull it still beating from his chest to lay at her feet.
Seiya blinked at the thought. Okay, maybe he needed to request a psych evaluation or some vacation time.
Turning his thoughts back to the situation at hand, he looked out his window and forced himself to remain calm and focused. An entire school filled with young children depended on them. Darien had already told him the plan, Darien was the only one allowed onto the school grounds, so he was to stay with Serena and protect her while at the same time keep a look out for any sign of Diamond or his men. While Darien had been trying to kill them in a high speed auto accident, he had called in and had requested a group of agents to provide a tighter protection detail at the hospital in case this was a diversion to try for Nina or the other girls again.
But Seiya doubted it and he could see Darien did too. The trap was for them and they were about to drive straight into it. He hadn't said anything but he had a bad feeling of icy dread that what they were heading into was not going to end well for them. Something really bad was going to happen, he could feel it. He had tried to dismiss it as nerves or jitters but he had had this feeling before and the last time he'd had it, four of his men had died when on of their fugitives had pulled an automatic weapon with armour piercing rounds. He had taken a round to the thigh that day but he had still taken the guy down. Hard. The fugitive had been in hospital for weeks.
Serena squealed with alarm and surprise as Darien squealed around the corner, throwing the car into a very tight, sharp and sudden right turn.
A car horn sounded angrily behind them.
Seiya threw a glance over his shoulder in time to see Serena sitting up from where she had been thrown down onto the seat by the force of the turn. Not even her seatbelt had been able to prevent her from being tossed around like a ball in a jumping castle filled with thirty screaming brats hyped up on sugar.
There, a nice clean comparison. Maybe he didn't need that psych evaluation.
Shaking his head and clearing his thoughts once more, he realised that they couldn't be far away. He reached into his jacket and pulled out one of his glocks from his shoulder holster. He pulled out the magazine and double-checked that it was full before sliding it back in with a metallic click. He held the weapon in his hand, allowing the familiar and comforting sensation and weight of the cold metal to wash over him. With a gun in his hand he was unstoppable, he was a force to be reckoned with and he could achieve anything. He could do this. He could help Shields save a school filled with young kids and at the same time keep Serena alive and out of Diamond's hands.
He had never in his life had to hunt such a well resourced and deadly killer as John Diamond. The son of a bitch was well beyond anything the US Marshals had ever encountered. He had in depth and detailed knowledge of law enforcement, he had military resources that included man power, explosive and most likely modern high powered equipment and lastly he had no soul and was ruthless to no ends. He was even willing to murder three thousand children to get his hands on one woman.
The guy was a complete psychopath.
He blinked when he realised that the school was now looming in front of them. By the looks of it the school was made up of several three and four story buildings and it was large as schools went.
"Holy shit." Seiya mumbled in dread filled astonishment. "There's no way in hell you can get this place empty in ten minutes." He had been to the school before but he hadn't paid much attention to the actual school or the architecture. It was much larger than he remembered.
The car squealed to a halt. "I have too." He pulled out his own glock and checked the magazine before he turned in his seat to look at Serena.
Wanting to give them some privacy for what may be there last moments together, Seiya turned his attention to scanning the area as thoroughly and as fast as he could. He saw nothing out of place. Maybe Diamond was bluffing about the bomb.
'Yeah, right. Keep wishing Campbell.' He thought mockingly to himself.
"I love you Serena. No matter what happens that will never change." Darien was whispering lovingly to the golden haired goddess.
As lovely and as sweet as all this was, did the guy go one hour without telling her how much he loved her or pledging to protect her with his life? After a while it was just nauseating and sappy. If the guy wasn't so deeply in love and radiated dangerous masculine strength and power, he would have thought the guy was in denial about his sexuality.
"Keep her safe, Seiya."
Seiya turned his attention to the man in the driver's seat and found him staring at him with dangerous warning in his eyes telling him not to fail but Seiya could see more than that. He saw a man denying everything in him in effort to leave what he cared for more than anything else, in the care of another. It really did kill him to have her out of his sight. He hoped one day he could love a woman like that.
Whoa! Where had that come from? A long term relationship was just not his style. He loved the brief but passionate kind of relationships.
Seiya nodded his head once. "I won't let anything happen to her." He promised and he meant it.
Darien nodded once in gratitude and jumped out of the car, running through the gates and disappeared amongst the gardens and buildings.
There was something about Serena that compelled him to keep the small but stubborn and spirited woman safe and happy. She had an air around her that sparkled with life, laughter and love, and any one who was around her too long fell under her spell from which there was no escape.
He would protect her with his life.
Okay, now he was getting freaked out. This just wasn't who he was. What happened to the man he had been before all this? The adrenaline junky who did whatever it took to catch the bad guy? He wasn't or at least hadn't been the one who had stayed behind to protect the innocent meek little woman. He was the man who was chasing dirt bags across rooftops with a gun in his hand and adrenaline in his system. A man who loved fast cars, high speed pursuits across state lines, fast frisky women and loved the chase of a good woman almost as much as the chase of an armed convict. He hadn't hit on Serena since he had learned how serious she was with Shields but why hadn't he used one of his well practised innocent innuendoes on her or her hot friends?
He needed to get this case wrapped up so he could return to his life and his home and everything would return to normal. Not that he had much at home to come home too. He lived for his job and not much else. He had no serious girlfriend, no pets, no parents or siblings. All he had was one of his ex's claiming that her two year old son was his. The time was right but he couldn't have been the only man she slept with during those three months she claimed in which she had fallen pregnant. He hadn't given it a thought in weeks. He wanted a paternity test. If the child was his he would do the right thing and be there for him and pay child support, even though the woman claimed that that's not what she wanted. She was a good woman and he had liked her but things had just fizzled out after their relationship had run its natural course. Deep down he knew that the child was most likely his but other than a monthly check there was nothing he could offer the kid. He just wasn't the father type and he would only end up screwing up his kid. The kid was better with him out of his life. He had already gone to his lawyers and once the paternity test confirmed that the kid was his, his lawyer would let them know that his will had been changed. His best friend since college had been the sole beneficiary but he had been killed on the job a year ago and there was no else. He didn't have much but his life insurance would give his kid a good life and pay for college. He had learned a long time ago not to leave things till the last minute. Things could happen and end at any time, especially in his line of work.
"Seiya." Serena's meek voice woke him from his thoughts. He turned and found her leaning forward, her elbows resting on the shoulders of the two front seats. "He can do this, right?"
Seiya honestly didn't believe so. Maybe he would get at best half the children out but to evacuate three thousand children one classroom at a time in ten minutes was even beyond Darien Shields capabilities. "Yeah." He mumbled, keeping his voice flat and even. "I've never met anyone like him, if anyone can do it. He can."
"Yeah." He didn't look but it sounded like she was smiling. "He'll do this. He would never fail or break his word to me."
Seiya was silent. He didn't say what he was thinking as he turned his attention fully back to the situation and their surroundings. He didn't say that death may take that option away from him.
Once he had entered the school gates he had realised that he didn't have a plan and he couldn't come up with one other than to start the evacuation of as many classrooms as possible. He spotted the first occupied classroom, holding at least thirty-five ten year olds. He pushed open the door harshly with his shoulder and turned to the stunned, alarmed teacher and startled curious students. Knowing there was no time to waste he pulled his badge from his pocket and quickly moved towards the teacher.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?!" The teacher demanded loudly. Clearly she was alert to any possible danger. Smart woman. What were the teachers to think of a man bursting violently into their classrooms? With any luck one of them would call the police on him.
Running up to her, he flashed her his ID and lowered his voice so none of the children could hear. "There's a bomb somewhere in the school and the bomber has warned us that if we try to evacuate more than one classroom at a time, he'll detonate. You have to take all your students off campus as quickly as possible. The bomb could detonate at any moment. Don't worry about doing anything else but getting your students off the school grounds, now!"
She gasped in horror and covered her mouth with her hand as her eyes grew impossibly wide.
Darien went on before she became too hysterical to get her class to safety. "I need you to stay calm! You cannot tell anyone about the bomb! I need to evacuate quietly or he'll detonate, do you understand?!"
She nodded numbly in response to his harsh authoritative tone.
Darien turned to the door not having any more time to spare with this one classroom. As he reached the door the teacher must have gotten a grip on herself because he heard her saying urgantly, "Alright, I want everyone to drop what you're doing, stand up and move as fast as you can to the front gates. Now!" And then he heard chairs scraping along the floor and confused children's voices.
In the next six minutes he was only able to alert another five classrooms and that just wasn't good enough! As he emerged from the sixth classroom he saw a black haired woman who was dangerously pale running along the path. He quickly moved to intercept her. She was so out of it that she ran straight into him. She hadn't even noticed him standing in her way.
She looked up into his face with horror and fear in her eyes and he didn't need to ask what was wrong with her. In fact he suspected she may be able to help him. She had come from the opposite direction of the front gates and the classrooms he had evacuated, unless someone had called her she hadn't talked to anyone he had already notified. He pointed to his badge that was now hanging from his jacket breast pocket. "I'm LAPD."
The woman nodded numbly. "There's a bomb." Her trembling voice whimpered.
"I know. Do you know where?" He asked, new hope ignited within him. If he could get to the bomb maybe he could disarm it or even get it off of the school grounds and away from the innocent children.
"Building F, classroom four." She pointed down the path she had come. "It's in a classroom and the students can't leave!" She squealed hysterically.
Darien nodded and took her by her shoulders. "I need you calm! I'll take care of it!" And he made a decision. He had no choice, there just wasn't time. "I need you to evacuate the school without using alarms or sirens and I need you to do it now!!" He ordered her in a firm, authoritative voice. "Send them to the nearest exit, don't worry about anything else! Get them to jump the fence! Go now!! Get as many out as possible! Off the school grounds and across the street! Once that is done call all emergency services! We're going to need them."
By some miracle she seemed to absorb all of that. "What are you going to do?"
Darien looked into her eyes seriously. "I'm going to get to that bomb!" And he left her there staring after him. A moment later he heard the sound of the woman's heels connecting frantically with the tarmac and he knew that he would have to trust her to get everyone out. His concern was that bomb.
He hoped and prayed he had made the right call. He knew he could save a lot more by disobeying Diamond's rules than obeying them. Hopefully by the time Diamond realised that he had in fact broken the rules, most of the children will be out of the school. He was weighing the three hundred he would save obeying Diamond's rules against the two thousand that may possibly make it out by disobeying them. If the bomb did go off, he would save as many as possible. Saving two thirds seemed to be the best he could do other than to try to buy them some more time by getting to that bomb.
It didn't take him more than a minute to get to classroom F4 as that was Serena's classroom. He should have known but he didn't have time to worry about that now.
The moment he entered the classroom he knew something was wrong. All the children were pale, crying and sobbing as they sat very still in their chairs at their desks. The teacher, he guessed was substituting for Serena, sat in a chair at the front of the classroom trying to sooth, comfort, calm and reassure the thirty-something second grade students who were currently scared to death.
The teacher looked up in terror at the sight of him but her eyes quickly fell to his badge and relief visibly flooded her face and she calmed enough for her to slow her breathing. She was on the verge of hyperventilating.
Darien quickly scanned the classroom. There was no one there other than the children and the teacher. And then his ears became aware of a beeping noise that reminded him of Nina and Lita's heart monitors back at the hospital but he knew this sound did not come from any life saving technology.
"Where is it?" He asked the teacher.
She pointed to the back corner of the classroom at her desk.
Darien nodded then turned back to her. "Now get them out of here and off the school grounds, now!" He ordered as he moved towards the teacher's desk but her words stopped him dead.
"I can't." Her violently trembling voice sobbed. "If any of us leave the classroom the bomb will go off."
Darien resumed his steps and hurried to the desk. There on the other side of the desk was a bomb that was straight out of Hollywood, only this was real. It wasn't a harmless prop.
"Fuck!" He swore violently, startling most of the children but he didn't have time to worry about that now. There had to be at least fifteen pounds of C4 and the timer showed less than four minutes and the digital square blood red numbers just kept declining. There was no other choice, he had to try to disarm it but he couldn't do that with the room filled with children.
Pulling off his jacket he turned back to the teacher. "GET THEM OUT OF THERE!! NOW!! RUN!!! ALERT AS MANY CLASSROOMS AS YOU CAN ALONG THE WAY!!! THERE IS ONLY THREE MINUTES LEFT!!!" He didn't mean to boom at her but there wasn't time for anything else.
The teacher was stunned for a second but then she nodded and jumped up off the chair. She didn't need to instruct the children to get up as they were already on their feet and running for the door. In less than twenty seconds the classroom was empty of students and teachers.
Darien turned his attention back to the bomb knowing that there was no way he could disarm it. There had to be at least fifty wires and not one of them was red!
Grasping hold of the corner of the desk he yanked it out of the way with all his strength and sent it flying halfway across the room before it landed among the maze of tiny children sized desks with a loud bang and crash. He lowered to his knees and scanned the bomb as quickly and as thoroughly as he could, praying for something to hit him to clue him in on how to disarm it. There were too many wires and the beeping of the timer was only taunting him.
Three and a half minutes.
He could no longer hear the sounds of a school. Instead he heard screaming children, frantic running footsteps and urgent adult voices. Hopefully at least the majority of the children would make it safely away in the next three minutes.
Three minutes.
Bloody hell!!! Damn it!!! FUCK!!!! He wasn't some Hollywood hero who just instinctively knew which wires to cut just as the timer got down to the last second!!! There was nothing he could do to stop it and if he tampered with it he could rob the children left on campus of the little time they need to get to safety. The longer they had, the more children that would reach safety. He had had some basic training with explosives and procedure, enough to know that there was enough explosive to destroy the whole building and all those around it. It wouldn't be enough to wipe out the whole school which would mean that the blast would not reach the street. So those who made it out and Serena would survive.
Two and a half minutes.
Looking up and around his eyes fell upon something personal that Serena had left behind. It was a photograph of the two of them. It had been taken five months ago. They were at the local rose gardens and they had gone for a picnic with Andrew and Nina, which the other girls had invited themselves too, so they had all ended up spending the entire day together. He remembered the photo being taken. He had wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and had pulled her back against him. She had laughed happily and Amy had taken the picture. It was one of his favourites, and clearly it was hers too. His chest filled with love. She hadn't been back to the school since before they had gotten back together but clearly she had never let him go and she hadn't been about too. She had brought the photograph and had given it the place of honour on the set of wooden shelves behind her desk.
Two minutes.
Oh, how he loved her. He should never have wasted so much time. He should have never let her walk out his door. He should have stopped her from leaving and forced her to listen to what had taken his attention away from her. And now he may never get the chance to ask her to marry him. He could still feel the ring in his pocket.
Reaching into his pocket, he wrapped his hand around the little velvet box. If he died today she would never know about the delicate white gold ring he had been carrying around with his for weeks. She would never know that he had intended to ask her to be his wife the moment all of this was over.
And now it may never be.
He closed his eyes as a single tear slowly ran down his face.
'Forgive me, my Angel. My Serena. Forgive me.'
One minute.
Serena had jumped out of the car the moment the first group of children had come running out of the school gates. She had quickly spotted the teacher among the children and had instantly recognised her. Jasmine Little. Running to her, she grasped the woman by the arms and forced her to looking into her eyes.
"Jasmine!"
The frantic woman had to blink a few times before recognition crossed her face. "Serena?! There's a-!"
"I know!" Serena interrupted her. She quickly looked around until her eyes fell upon the building across the street and her eyes grew wide. It was a squash courts centre. It would be big enough and provide enough protective cover from the explosion.
Hopefully. Luckily.
Serena raised her hand towards it. "You have to get your children in there! They should be safe enough!"
The woman was in no condition to argue. Together they herded up the class and quickly directed them to the large two story building across the street. By the time they were all in there were two more classes already spilling out onto the street. Serena prepared to cross the street again to guide them in when Seiya appeared, grabbed one of the teachers by the arm and then pointed to her, telling her words that she couldn't hear.
It didn't take long for her co-worker's training to kick in. Within a matter of seconds there was a line of teachers from the main gates to her at the door leading into the squash courts and a river of running children flowing passed them.
Serena lost count at how many classes passed her but she did recognise Wendy, the teacher taking her class, surrounded by those she quickly identified as her class. It took only a matter of seconds for her to catch Wendy's eyes and then she was there in front of her as the students continued to move with the crowd into the squash courts centre.
"Serena!" Wendy gasped breathlessly. "Your boyfriend! He's working on the bomb in the classroom!" She explained quickly and Serena's heart jumped into her throat.
What the hell did he think he was doing!?! He was meant to be evacuating the school! Not playing with the damned bomb! She was going to kill him when he got out of there and if he didn't then he would answer to her!
Wendy disappeared into the building knowing that she had to relocate the class she was responsible for and assure that they had all gotten out.
In the next few seconds the river of students began to subside and then it stopped completely. Impossible! That couldn't have been even two thousand students, let alone three thousand! She had to get into the school and get the rest out! The teachers who had guided the students across the street rushed passed her and into the building.
Not hesitating a moment longer, she took off running towards the main entrance but before she could get halfway across the street Seiya was blocking her path.
"No! Serena!! I can't let you go in there!" He wasn't going to get out of her way but she wasn't going to let him stop her from getting to Darien. Nothing could stop her from getting to Darien.
"Move Seiya or I swear to god I'll make sure you never have children-!" She was cut off by a bright lightening flash of white and golden light that seemed to come from all around her and in the next instant a wave of burning hot wind, that carried enough force to knock her and Seiya though the air all the way to the pavement on the other side of the street, hit them.
But Serena never felt the impact.
She raised her head and realised that she was lying on top of something hard but warm and something was keeping her pressed against it. Another moment passed and she realised it was Seiya she was laying on top of and he had his arms coiled tightly around her. Somehow he had caught her and had managed to shift them while they had been flying through the air so he landed with her on top of him.
His grunt and moan of pain reached her ears a moment before the loud roaring and crashes and booms did. All around her burning debris landed hard, coating the road and pavement thickly. Serena tried to pull away from Seiya but he held her tightly against him. All she could do was turn her head back towards the school. A silent gasp of pure horror escaped her trembling burnt lips. Most of the school was destroyed and that that wasn't was now burning furiously in tall bright and hot towers of flames.
Darien was somewhere in that and she knew instantly no one could have survived if they had been in there. She pulled herself free from Seiya's grasp with strength that should have been beyond her. She knew she was injured but she felt no pain. She felt nothing but ice cold even though the heat from the intense two story high flames was burning her fair skin and the overwhelming compulsion to get to Darien no matter what. She had to know that he was alive.
"SERENA!!! NO!!!" She was almost to the point in the middle of the street where they had been standing before they had been thrown back by the force of the explosion, when a pair of strong steel-like arms closed around her waist and held her firmly.
She struggled against them but the grip holding her was just too strong. Tears were flowing freely and unnoticed down her face but they were evaporated before they could reach her chin by the fierce heat she wanted so desperately to get to. Darien was in there somewhere and he needed her help! He needed her.
"Let me go!!" She screamed desperately, hysterically but she was only ignored.
"There's nothing you can do Serena." A broken voice whispered in her ear.
He was right. As much as she didn't want to believe him she knew there was no way anyone could have survived that. Somewhere in the back of her mind where some part of her was still functioning she became aware of movement around them. Men where surrounding them. Men holding black guns of various sizes and types.
And one of them was John Diamond. She didn't need to see his face to know it was him who stood to her immediate left watching her with what she knew would be darkly amused eyes.
But she just didn't care. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore.
"DDDAAAAARRRRRRRIIIIIIIIEEEEEENNNNNNNN!!!! NNNNNNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The heart broken howl that escaped from her lips sounded inhuman even to her own ears but she didn't care. Her scream could be heard so clearly over the near deafening roar of the greedy consuming flames that reached for the sky above, blackening the blue day sky above. Flames that were red, not orange. Red like the spilt blood they were drinking.
Deep within Serena's chest, the frantically pounding heart there became still and silent as it shattered.
I'm pure evil to leave it here I know but I'm already at 40 pages! I can't say when the next chapter is going to be added but I will do my best to have it up as soon as I can!
