Tete-a-Tete
Disclaimer: The characters are the creation of Naoko Takeuchi, yada, yada, yada.
I'm Not A Little Girl Anymore!
In the meantime, Mrs. Tsukino had let the kids do the kitchen work. There had been surprisingly few grumblings from Sammy and none from Serena. She figured now would be a good time for a mother-daughter chat. "Sammy, you may be excused to play a game. I'll help Serena finish here."
"Thanks, Mom." The boy was more than happy to escape.
"Darien is a very nice young man," she began, "and brave, too."
"Brave?" Serena said confused.
"Yes, to come here and answer so many questions."
"You're right. He usually doesn't talk so much."
"And you usually don't talk so little." They smiled at each other over their work. Then Mrs. Tsukino continued, "I've been expecting you to ask someone over for a long time. You have gone over to his place, haven't you?
"Yes, I have," the girl confessed uneasily.
"And how long has this been going on?" *Keep cool, Ikuko.*
"Um, remember last spring when I was helping a friend baby-sit?"
"Yes. What does that have to do with Darien?"
"He was the friend. He was babysitting little Jordan while his mom was in the hospital," she explained.
"He did that? Why?" Ikuko was intrigued. "Amy and I stopped by the nursery to say 'hi' to Jordan and his mom and we found all the babies and attendants hurt. Darien was nearby and heard us scream. He called the paramedics and went with us to the hospital to answer questions. Jordan was the only one not affected because his mom protected him and there was no room for him and his dad was out of town," Serena explained in a rush, "Darien wanted to help, and offered to take care of him."
"And they trusted him?" Mrs. Tsukino was shocked at the revelation.
"Amy's mom, Dr. Mizuno, believed her when she said he was responsible. He signed papers and everything," Serena said coolly.
"I suppose you had to help him clean his apartment for the baby." *A teenage boy living alone probably has a messy place,* Mrs. Tsukino surmised.
"No, Darien is a bit of a neat freak. Actually, I made a mess just fixing formula," her daughter confessed.
"Was he upset over that?" *Neat freak?*
"Nope, just annoyed. It was before we were getting along well." "Taking care of a baby is very trying, especially if you're not used to it. How did he do?" her mother asked. *Is he patient or temperamental?*
"Great! Even when Jordan knocked over a cup of tea, he was more concerned that the baby wasn't burned than he was over it spilling on his pants. And he kept trying to get him to talk because we had a bet about whether he would walk or talk first. He was so cute," she sighed.
"Serena, why haven't you asked Darien to come over before? Surely you haven't been that afraid of what your father and I would say?"
"Partly... mostly, I think. We had to work out some problems," Serena said hesitantly.
"Was that when you broke up for a while? What was the problem, one of the other girls?"
"No, it was nothing like that, we all get along fine. It was a concern of Darien's. He thought I might somehow get hurt because of him."
"Get hurt?" *Be cautious, Ikuko* "I know you think the difference in your ages doesn't mean anything, and it won't in the long run. But he is older than you now, Serena, and sometimes young men want girls to do things they aren't ready for."
"Mom, I'm not a little girl anymore. I know what you mean: to have sex. I think that's one of the things he had to work out."
"Serena, you haven't... He hasn't?" *Not a little girl anymore?*
"Mother! Of course not! We have only kissed, honest," Serena exclaimed, "We both realize the consequences, trust me." *Nothing like having a future daughter around to remind them,* she smiled, then changed the topic. "Mom, do you believe in fate?"
"Hmm, it depends of what you mean by fate," her mother answered, relieved.
"Fate- like the future being set and all."
*Where did this come from?* Mrs. Tsukino wondered, "No, I think you can hope and plan for the future, but things can change it."
"Then what should you do?" Serena asked earnestly.
"I think life is like a card game. Fate is the hand you are dealt with and it's up to you how you play it. And always remember two things."
"What's that?"
"Play fair and have fun."
"Oh, Mom," Serena laughed, "I'm glad Rini is at Mina's tonight. It's been a long time since we just talked."
"Serena, do you take Rini with you often when you see Darien?" Mrs. Tsukino asked gently.
"How did you know?"
"I've had a few hints, When I talked to Rini's teacher a while back, she said she thought you were older and had come with your fiancé to that curry party."
"Fiancé!" Serena dropped a dish.
"Don't worry, I didn't let on to your father about it. I knew you would bring him by when you were ready. Also, there was this," she said, going to a drawer and pulling out a paper, "Rini drew two pictures for her family portrait assignment. The one of us over there," she said nodding to the refrigerator, "and this." It was a picture of three people: a little pink- haired girl, a woman with long yellow hair, and a tall man with black hair standing hand-in-hand. "Your Uncle Robert's hair is red and your Aunt's hair is short."
"Mom, may I have this to give to Darien? Rini's pretty special to him, too. They've sort of adopted each other."
Mrs. Tsukino's motherly instincts were touched by the vision of the lonely young man opening his heart to the two girls. Strong, yet gentle and kind were good qualities for a man. "Yes dear, that would be nice. You are growing up. I guess Rini will have to be my little girl now until she goes home."
Serena hugged her, "I love you, Mom."
Mrs. Tsukino noticed two heads go by the window. "They're coming back in now. Why don't you and Darien go keep Sammy company while I talk to your father."
"Sure, Mom," Serena said cheerfully.
The two came in the back door, Mr. Tsukino looking inscrutable and Darien looking uncertain and worried.
"Come on, Darien, let's go challenge Sammy to a game." Serena led the young man to the other room. "Cheer up, my mom likes you," she whispered.
"But I don't think your dad does. I... I think I blew it," he whispered back, clasping her hand.
"We'll know soon." They sat and watched Sammy play.
"Sammy, is that the best you can do?" taunted Serena. "I can beat that!" Grabbing the controls, she started to play.
AN: To answer some questions: I had Andrew call Serena a goof-ball because he's a college age guy talking to another college age guy without the girls around. Sure, he might think of Serena as a little sister, but brothers are well known for dissing their sisters and he may feel that in doing so to Darien, that he's protecting her also.
About Darien's 'accident' that hurt him so bad, I'm referring to when he was in the hospital recovering from the battle with Beryl. (Please read my story 'Darien's journal')
As always, thank you to those who review. I love to get responses. Next time, the decision. (final chapter)
Disclaimer: The characters are the creation of Naoko Takeuchi, yada, yada, yada.
I'm Not A Little Girl Anymore!
In the meantime, Mrs. Tsukino had let the kids do the kitchen work. There had been surprisingly few grumblings from Sammy and none from Serena. She figured now would be a good time for a mother-daughter chat. "Sammy, you may be excused to play a game. I'll help Serena finish here."
"Thanks, Mom." The boy was more than happy to escape.
"Darien is a very nice young man," she began, "and brave, too."
"Brave?" Serena said confused.
"Yes, to come here and answer so many questions."
"You're right. He usually doesn't talk so much."
"And you usually don't talk so little." They smiled at each other over their work. Then Mrs. Tsukino continued, "I've been expecting you to ask someone over for a long time. You have gone over to his place, haven't you?
"Yes, I have," the girl confessed uneasily.
"And how long has this been going on?" *Keep cool, Ikuko.*
"Um, remember last spring when I was helping a friend baby-sit?"
"Yes. What does that have to do with Darien?"
"He was the friend. He was babysitting little Jordan while his mom was in the hospital," she explained.
"He did that? Why?" Ikuko was intrigued. "Amy and I stopped by the nursery to say 'hi' to Jordan and his mom and we found all the babies and attendants hurt. Darien was nearby and heard us scream. He called the paramedics and went with us to the hospital to answer questions. Jordan was the only one not affected because his mom protected him and there was no room for him and his dad was out of town," Serena explained in a rush, "Darien wanted to help, and offered to take care of him."
"And they trusted him?" Mrs. Tsukino was shocked at the revelation.
"Amy's mom, Dr. Mizuno, believed her when she said he was responsible. He signed papers and everything," Serena said coolly.
"I suppose you had to help him clean his apartment for the baby." *A teenage boy living alone probably has a messy place,* Mrs. Tsukino surmised.
"No, Darien is a bit of a neat freak. Actually, I made a mess just fixing formula," her daughter confessed.
"Was he upset over that?" *Neat freak?*
"Nope, just annoyed. It was before we were getting along well." "Taking care of a baby is very trying, especially if you're not used to it. How did he do?" her mother asked. *Is he patient or temperamental?*
"Great! Even when Jordan knocked over a cup of tea, he was more concerned that the baby wasn't burned than he was over it spilling on his pants. And he kept trying to get him to talk because we had a bet about whether he would walk or talk first. He was so cute," she sighed.
"Serena, why haven't you asked Darien to come over before? Surely you haven't been that afraid of what your father and I would say?"
"Partly... mostly, I think. We had to work out some problems," Serena said hesitantly.
"Was that when you broke up for a while? What was the problem, one of the other girls?"
"No, it was nothing like that, we all get along fine. It was a concern of Darien's. He thought I might somehow get hurt because of him."
"Get hurt?" *Be cautious, Ikuko* "I know you think the difference in your ages doesn't mean anything, and it won't in the long run. But he is older than you now, Serena, and sometimes young men want girls to do things they aren't ready for."
"Mom, I'm not a little girl anymore. I know what you mean: to have sex. I think that's one of the things he had to work out."
"Serena, you haven't... He hasn't?" *Not a little girl anymore?*
"Mother! Of course not! We have only kissed, honest," Serena exclaimed, "We both realize the consequences, trust me." *Nothing like having a future daughter around to remind them,* she smiled, then changed the topic. "Mom, do you believe in fate?"
"Hmm, it depends of what you mean by fate," her mother answered, relieved.
"Fate- like the future being set and all."
*Where did this come from?* Mrs. Tsukino wondered, "No, I think you can hope and plan for the future, but things can change it."
"Then what should you do?" Serena asked earnestly.
"I think life is like a card game. Fate is the hand you are dealt with and it's up to you how you play it. And always remember two things."
"What's that?"
"Play fair and have fun."
"Oh, Mom," Serena laughed, "I'm glad Rini is at Mina's tonight. It's been a long time since we just talked."
"Serena, do you take Rini with you often when you see Darien?" Mrs. Tsukino asked gently.
"How did you know?"
"I've had a few hints, When I talked to Rini's teacher a while back, she said she thought you were older and had come with your fiancé to that curry party."
"Fiancé!" Serena dropped a dish.
"Don't worry, I didn't let on to your father about it. I knew you would bring him by when you were ready. Also, there was this," she said, going to a drawer and pulling out a paper, "Rini drew two pictures for her family portrait assignment. The one of us over there," she said nodding to the refrigerator, "and this." It was a picture of three people: a little pink- haired girl, a woman with long yellow hair, and a tall man with black hair standing hand-in-hand. "Your Uncle Robert's hair is red and your Aunt's hair is short."
"Mom, may I have this to give to Darien? Rini's pretty special to him, too. They've sort of adopted each other."
Mrs. Tsukino's motherly instincts were touched by the vision of the lonely young man opening his heart to the two girls. Strong, yet gentle and kind were good qualities for a man. "Yes dear, that would be nice. You are growing up. I guess Rini will have to be my little girl now until she goes home."
Serena hugged her, "I love you, Mom."
Mrs. Tsukino noticed two heads go by the window. "They're coming back in now. Why don't you and Darien go keep Sammy company while I talk to your father."
"Sure, Mom," Serena said cheerfully.
The two came in the back door, Mr. Tsukino looking inscrutable and Darien looking uncertain and worried.
"Come on, Darien, let's go challenge Sammy to a game." Serena led the young man to the other room. "Cheer up, my mom likes you," she whispered.
"But I don't think your dad does. I... I think I blew it," he whispered back, clasping her hand.
"We'll know soon." They sat and watched Sammy play.
"Sammy, is that the best you can do?" taunted Serena. "I can beat that!" Grabbing the controls, she started to play.
AN: To answer some questions: I had Andrew call Serena a goof-ball because he's a college age guy talking to another college age guy without the girls around. Sure, he might think of Serena as a little sister, but brothers are well known for dissing their sisters and he may feel that in doing so to Darien, that he's protecting her also.
About Darien's 'accident' that hurt him so bad, I'm referring to when he was in the hospital recovering from the battle with Beryl. (Please read my story 'Darien's journal')
As always, thank you to those who review. I love to get responses. Next time, the decision. (final chapter)