Author's Notes:
Dream-chan here with Chapter 7 of Wishful Thinking. I originally thought that this story was going to be only 10 chapters, but now, it has seemed to take a life of it's own, so I hope you're willing to stick it out. I would first like thank my pre-readers Moon-chan, Nye-chan, and Light-chan (thanx for the grammar lesson ^_^). Second, I want to give a big HELLO to my girls Sere-chan, Angel-chan (hope they let you out of the strait jacket soon), and Lady Ci (where are u?). Finally to the people that make this story possible, THE FANS!
BTW, I have some boating terms in here. If they're wrong PLEASE tell me! Hope you enjoy!!
Oh yeah.......PLEASE REVIEW!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon was not created by me...nuff said
" "=dialogue
* *=thought
** **=conscience
Now on with the Feature Presentation..................
Title: Reasonable Doubt
Author: Midnight Dreamer
Rating: PG-13
Email: madintellect@hotmail.com
Serena's Apartment-Coconut Grove
"The Ritz was nice, but I could get used to this..." Serena said to
herself as she plopped her briefcase on the small table in the entryway.
She was so happy to NOT rely on room service, and she had to thank Mr.
Matthews for all of it. It was decided that since her expertise would be
needed for a prolonged period of time, he insisted that she use one of the
corporate residences that they had in Miami.
At first she refused, but after the old man's insistence (whom she was
becoming really fond of), she relented and moved in. The apartment was
beautifully furnished and held all the amenities anyone could want. Before
she left the hotel, she had called Lita and Mina to tell them about the
changes. Mina had finally returned from Paris, and was staying at Lita's for
the moment. Seeing a solution to both their problems, Serena offered to let
her sublet her apartment in New York, until the case was settled. Mina
happily agreed and had moved in the day before.
Changing into a pale blue tank top and some gray sweats, she opened the
patio door and stepped out into the evening's warmth. She was just enjoying
the sunset when she heard the phone ring. Taking a last wistful look, she
stepped inside and answered the phone.
"Hello...Serena Cooper."
"Hey girl...why you sound so grouchy," a bubbly voice replied.
"This case is really starting to bug me that's all," Serena said,
recognizing Mina's voice.
"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that, but I might have some good news for you."
"Really...Spill it."
"Well, I was talking to Lita today over lunch, and we were both saying how
much we miss having our BEST friend around, and wondering how she would like
to see us?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Lita has some vacation time coming up and after that internship in
Paris, I think that I need a break and what better place than Miami. Fun in
the sun by day, and clubbing by night. How does that sound?"
"That would be great, but...I don't know Mina...I still have to work..."
"Don't worry about it...we will try to stay out of your way as much as
possible. We just need a place to crash. Besides, it's not like you have to
give us tours. We did go to school down there, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. So when are you coming down?"
"We were thinking this weekend and staying for about two weeks. Is that
alright?"
"That sounds good to me. Just call later and tell me your info. If I'm
not here, just leave a message...."
"Leave a message...where are you going to be?"
"It's nothing like that...I've just been putting late hours in at the
office."
"With who? Darien maybe?"
"You know what...you'll just have to wait and find out when you get here. I
gotta go now, so give Lita a hug for me and I'll see the both of you soon."
"Bye girl, and be ready to give a full report on you know who."
"I'll try...bye."
"Bye."
Turning back to the patio doors, she realized that the sun had made its way
below the horizon and the stars were starting to twinkle overhead. *It will be so good seeing them again. Especially now with all the madness going on at Matthews.* Serena thought as she looked at the night sky.
Downtown Miami
It was a place that attracted nothing but those who were considered the
underbelly of society. The dimly lit bar was filled with cigarette smoke
and other noxious smells. The man could barely stand it, but he had no
other choice. When he looked up, he saw a woman who was looking at him.
Noticing that he had finally looked up at her, she licked her lips in a
blatant sexual gesture, that turned the stomach of the man. Turning away
from her, he focused his attention on the entrance and was not disappointed
to see the person who he had been waiting for. Gesturing the man to sit, he
started the conversation immediately.
"I've heard that you're the best, so I am entrusting this task to you. I'm
sure that you've been briefed about the situation, so let's get down to
business. Now is the perfect opportunity to get Walters out of the picture.
I've been told that he is taking his yacht to the Keys this weekend. What
you need to do is plan a little 'accident' that will put him out of
commission for a while, until we can convince the old man to sign the
contract. You will be paid accordingly when the job is completed. Do you
think you can handle that?" the dark figure asked. The other man nodded
yes, and then rose from the table without a backwards glance.
Miami-Dade Intenational Airport-That Weekend
Serena checked her watch for the tenth time since she had arrived at the
gate. Getting up, she started pacing back and forth across the window,
occasionally looking out. She was so excited about seeing her friends again,
she thought she would burst. Over the years, they had grown more like
sisters, and each one took that position seriously. It seemed that they
went through so much together and they had only met eight years ago. Serena
was thinking about this when an announcement came over the PA system.
"Flight 4563 from New York has arrived at Gate 14."
*It's about time,* she thought as she made her way back to the gate. When
the door opened, a flow of people spilled out. Serena looked and looked and
was becoming impatient, until she heard someone call her name.
"SERENA!" voices yelled.
Turning around, she looked at two whirlwinds, one green, one gold coming
towards her. Recognizing them, Serena just opened her arms and yelled back,
"MINA...LITA." Pretty soon the three friends were all a part of a big group
hug. Passersby just looked at the small jubilant group, smiling at the
warmness emanating from them. After some tears and more hugs, they made
their way to the baggage claim area to collect the luggage. As they made
their way to through the airport, they received stares from a good portion
of the male population, but they didn't notice as they tried to tell each
other all the details of their lives.
Once they retrieved the luggage, they all piled into the company car that Serena had been given for her stay in Miami. Navigating her way through I-95 and the Miami traffic, Serena told them about the party that Raye was throwing for her boyfriend and that they had been invited as well. Mina and Lita just looked at the palm trees and bright buildings reflecting the bright sunlight. Within an hour, they finally made it to her apartment in Coconut Grove. After the initial oohs and ahhs from her friends, Serena showed them their rooms and then let them unpack. She was going to make dinner, but Lita took over and Serena gratefully let her. After a terrific meal the girls were tired, but that didn't stop the inevitable gossip fest. After taking showers and settling into pajamas, the girls huddled on Serena's bed with a quart of Hagen-Daz chocolate ice cream and three spoons. When everyone was comfortable, Mina started immediately.
"So Serena, what is the deal between you and Darien? Has he told you why he broke up with you? Have you forgiven him yet? Have ya'll slept together?"
"MINA!" Serena screeched, blushing to the tips of her ears.
"I was just asking...goodness. I remember how you and him..."
"Please...I don't need to be reminded. Now enough about me. Tell me about your time in Paris." Serena said, hoping to change the subject.
That was all she had to say as Mina started to tell her about the snobbish supermodels and egostical designers she rubbed elbows with during her internship. After about three hours, and an empty carton of ice cream, the girls decided that it was time to turn in. As Serena laid in her bed that night, all she could think about were the questions that Mina had asked, and just like she before she still had no clear answer.
Miami Marina-Next Day
"Well it's about time you got here...I thought that you would miss the
party," Raye said as she saw two blondes and a brunette striding to the
boat. "I'm sorry it's just that we kinda overslept and then got caught in
traffic. Anyway I would like you to meet my two best friends, Mina and
Lita. Girls, this is Raye, the new friend that I've been telling you
about." Smiles broke out and hands were offered, as the strangers met. Serena
was happy to say the least. She had some reservations about her old and new
friends meeting, but it seemed that her worries were for naught. As a
matter of fact, they were getting along like friends who hadn't seen each
other in a long time. Then she heard Raye's voice breaking in, "Since
you're here now, we can FINALLY get going." Picking up overnight bags, the
small group boarded the ship.
After going to their assigned cabin, Serena, Lita and Mina unpacked and
then made their way to the deck, to greet the other guests. The first
person Serena saw was Amy talking to an attractive man who looked vaugely
familiar. "AMY!" Serena shouted, pulling her two other friends behind her.
Giving Amy a hug, she then introduced Mina and Lita, and once again Serena
was forgotten. Realizing that someone else was standing there, Serena
turned around and found that the man Amy had been talking to was still
standing off to the side.
*He looks so familiar to me, I wonder where I could have met him,* Serena
thought as she approached the man. "Hello, my name is Serena. If you don't mind
me saying, you look very familiar to me. What is your name?" "It's good to
know that you still remember me somewhat, after all those times I helped
you with biology." the man said, chuckling to himself. Serena looked at
him quizzically before recognition dawned on her. "Zach...Zach Simmons is
that you?!?" she said, barely holding in her excitement. "In the flesh....how
you've been?" Zach asked her, looking at Serena from head to toe. *Darien
was a FOOL to give her up over something so STUPID...* As they continued
to talk, neither one noticed the man that was glaring at them from across
the deck.
Time passed and Serena met more people than she ever thought possible. She
finally met Raye's boyfriend, who was none other than Jayson Morris. She
remembered him as the constant smartmouth and one of Darien's close friends.
Looking at how he was teasing Raye, she couldn't help but think, "It looks
like everyone's here...well almost everyone, but I haven't seen Darien
yet...maybe he was too busy...oh I am NOT going to think about it.* She
pasted on another smile and went in search of her friends.
After about ten minutes, she noticed Mina near the railing talking to
Malcolm, and it seemed that they were having an intense conversation. *I'm
gonna have to ask her about that one,* Serena thought, looking at the smile
that was starting to spread across her friend's face. *Well, since I'm alone
for a bit, might as well explore the ship,* she thought as she made her way
to the other side of the ship. She went down below and started to explore
the rooms. She was looking at the luxurious stateroom , when she heard a
giggle coming from a few rooms down. Curious she followed the sound until
she came to the galley in the ship. Looking in, she was not surprised to
see the people who were laughing up a storm, their face smudged with flour in
various places. *I should have known that Lita and Nate would hit it off, *
Serena thought as she backed out into the hall.
Hearing a noise behind her, she turned to see a man, dressed in black from
head to toe, coming down the hall. She waved and smiled at him, but he just
looked at her with cold eyes and continued on as if she wasn't there. "I wonder why he's in such a hurry ," she mumured, as she turned and went in the
opposite direction.
When she walked up the steps and reached the deck, she noticed that the crowd had definitely thinned out. Glancing at her watch she realized that it was almost time for them to weigh anchor. Wanting to find a quiet place, she headed towards the the stern of the boat and stood at the rail. Looking around she noticed another couple about twenty feet away, locked in a passionate embrace. Feeling the heat rising in her cheeks, she looked away. Seeing the couple brought home the fact that she was all alone on this trip. Sure she had her friends, but from the looks of things it seemed that everyone was pairing off. Raye and Jayson, Mina and Mal, Lita and Nate, and even shy Amy had seemed to click with Zach. There were other people on this trip, but Serena didn't know any of them. Loneliness gripped her as a single tear slipped down her cheek. Soon another followed and made a plopping sound as it hit the metal rail. She didn't notice that the boat had started moving, until she felt the sea breeze start to cool her tears. A sorrowful sigh escaped her as she lifted her hand to wipe her face. However, she was quite surprised when she felt something soft caress her face. Turning, she looked into eyes as dark as the sea below them, and familiar as her own.
"Thanks" Serena whispered taking the offered hankerchef. "It's alright...now I want to know why you were crying." Darien said, looking at her. "It's nothing really..." Serena trailed off, hoping that he would drop the subject. "I don't buy it so you might as well tell me what's wrong, and I'm not leaving here until I find out." Darien said with a firm undertone. Sighing, she turned her back on him. A few moments later, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Shrugging it off, she said, "Can't you take a hint? I want to be alone. Besides why are you so concerned?" "Sere...we're not in the office anymore so cut the ice queen act. Look, I've been thinking that it's about time you listen to what I have to say about what REALLY happened all those years ago.", Darien said as he reached out to her again, but was met with resistance. Serena turned around then, with a smirk playing about her mouth. "Oh...so you can make your guilty conscience feel better? Well FAT CHANCE, because I don't want to hear YOUR excuses. Goodbye." Serena replied haughtingly and turned on her heel.
Her dramatic exit was spoiled when Darien grabbed her arm to stop her. Livid, she turned around ready to give him a verbal thrashing, until she saw his eyes. Eyes that reflected the pain and loneliness she felt. "Dammit Serena! I've tried to give you time and stay out of your way, but I can't anymore. You have to realize that you weren't the only one hurt, and it's about time you know the REAL REASON!" Darien declared, shooting his arms to her sides, trapping her against the rail. Seeing no clear escape from the situation, she decided to let him say what he had to say and be done with it. *It's not like I have to listen anyway* she thought smugly. Giving him a final glare, she leaned against the rail behind her and folded her arms. "Alright, say what you have to say..." Serena demanded in hushed tones. "It's about time you let me" Darien muttered, ignoring the daggers Serena was shooting at his way. Taking a deep breath, he began to tell the story that shattered Serena's heart as well as his own.
to be continued............
I think that this is the FIRST offcial cliffhanger of the story!!! Now that Darien will confess, will Serena forgive him? Is there FUTURE for our couple? You have to keep reading to find out! Next Chapter: THE CONFESSION!!!
ja ne minna-san
~o~Midnight Dreamer~O~
Dream-chan here with Chapter 7 of Wishful Thinking. I originally thought that this story was going to be only 10 chapters, but now, it has seemed to take a life of it's own, so I hope you're willing to stick it out. I would first like thank my pre-readers Moon-chan, Nye-chan, and Light-chan (thanx for the grammar lesson ^_^). Second, I want to give a big HELLO to my girls Sere-chan, Angel-chan (hope they let you out of the strait jacket soon), and Lady Ci (where are u?). Finally to the people that make this story possible, THE FANS!
BTW, I have some boating terms in here. If they're wrong PLEASE tell me! Hope you enjoy!!
Oh yeah.......PLEASE REVIEW!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!!
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon was not created by me...nuff said
" "=dialogue
* *=thought
** **=conscience
Now on with the Feature Presentation..................
Title: Reasonable Doubt
Author: Midnight Dreamer
Rating: PG-13
Email: madintellect@hotmail.com
Serena's Apartment-Coconut Grove
"The Ritz was nice, but I could get used to this..." Serena said to
herself as she plopped her briefcase on the small table in the entryway.
She was so happy to NOT rely on room service, and she had to thank Mr.
Matthews for all of it. It was decided that since her expertise would be
needed for a prolonged period of time, he insisted that she use one of the
corporate residences that they had in Miami.
At first she refused, but after the old man's insistence (whom she was
becoming really fond of), she relented and moved in. The apartment was
beautifully furnished and held all the amenities anyone could want. Before
she left the hotel, she had called Lita and Mina to tell them about the
changes. Mina had finally returned from Paris, and was staying at Lita's for
the moment. Seeing a solution to both their problems, Serena offered to let
her sublet her apartment in New York, until the case was settled. Mina
happily agreed and had moved in the day before.
Changing into a pale blue tank top and some gray sweats, she opened the
patio door and stepped out into the evening's warmth. She was just enjoying
the sunset when she heard the phone ring. Taking a last wistful look, she
stepped inside and answered the phone.
"Hello...Serena Cooper."
"Hey girl...why you sound so grouchy," a bubbly voice replied.
"This case is really starting to bug me that's all," Serena said,
recognizing Mina's voice.
"Oh...I'm sorry to hear that, but I might have some good news for you."
"Really...Spill it."
"Well, I was talking to Lita today over lunch, and we were both saying how
much we miss having our BEST friend around, and wondering how she would like
to see us?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well, Lita has some vacation time coming up and after that internship in
Paris, I think that I need a break and what better place than Miami. Fun in
the sun by day, and clubbing by night. How does that sound?"
"That would be great, but...I don't know Mina...I still have to work..."
"Don't worry about it...we will try to stay out of your way as much as
possible. We just need a place to crash. Besides, it's not like you have to
give us tours. We did go to school down there, remember?"
"Yeah, I remember. So when are you coming down?"
"We were thinking this weekend and staying for about two weeks. Is that
alright?"
"That sounds good to me. Just call later and tell me your info. If I'm
not here, just leave a message...."
"Leave a message...where are you going to be?"
"It's nothing like that...I've just been putting late hours in at the
office."
"With who? Darien maybe?"
"You know what...you'll just have to wait and find out when you get here. I
gotta go now, so give Lita a hug for me and I'll see the both of you soon."
"Bye girl, and be ready to give a full report on you know who."
"I'll try...bye."
"Bye."
Turning back to the patio doors, she realized that the sun had made its way
below the horizon and the stars were starting to twinkle overhead. *It will be so good seeing them again. Especially now with all the madness going on at Matthews.* Serena thought as she looked at the night sky.
Downtown Miami
It was a place that attracted nothing but those who were considered the
underbelly of society. The dimly lit bar was filled with cigarette smoke
and other noxious smells. The man could barely stand it, but he had no
other choice. When he looked up, he saw a woman who was looking at him.
Noticing that he had finally looked up at her, she licked her lips in a
blatant sexual gesture, that turned the stomach of the man. Turning away
from her, he focused his attention on the entrance and was not disappointed
to see the person who he had been waiting for. Gesturing the man to sit, he
started the conversation immediately.
"I've heard that you're the best, so I am entrusting this task to you. I'm
sure that you've been briefed about the situation, so let's get down to
business. Now is the perfect opportunity to get Walters out of the picture.
I've been told that he is taking his yacht to the Keys this weekend. What
you need to do is plan a little 'accident' that will put him out of
commission for a while, until we can convince the old man to sign the
contract. You will be paid accordingly when the job is completed. Do you
think you can handle that?" the dark figure asked. The other man nodded
yes, and then rose from the table without a backwards glance.
Miami-Dade Intenational Airport-That Weekend
Serena checked her watch for the tenth time since she had arrived at the
gate. Getting up, she started pacing back and forth across the window,
occasionally looking out. She was so excited about seeing her friends again,
she thought she would burst. Over the years, they had grown more like
sisters, and each one took that position seriously. It seemed that they
went through so much together and they had only met eight years ago. Serena
was thinking about this when an announcement came over the PA system.
"Flight 4563 from New York has arrived at Gate 14."
*It's about time,* she thought as she made her way back to the gate. When
the door opened, a flow of people spilled out. Serena looked and looked and
was becoming impatient, until she heard someone call her name.
"SERENA!" voices yelled.
Turning around, she looked at two whirlwinds, one green, one gold coming
towards her. Recognizing them, Serena just opened her arms and yelled back,
"MINA...LITA." Pretty soon the three friends were all a part of a big group
hug. Passersby just looked at the small jubilant group, smiling at the
warmness emanating from them. After some tears and more hugs, they made
their way to the baggage claim area to collect the luggage. As they made
their way to through the airport, they received stares from a good portion
of the male population, but they didn't notice as they tried to tell each
other all the details of their lives.
Once they retrieved the luggage, they all piled into the company car that Serena had been given for her stay in Miami. Navigating her way through I-95 and the Miami traffic, Serena told them about the party that Raye was throwing for her boyfriend and that they had been invited as well. Mina and Lita just looked at the palm trees and bright buildings reflecting the bright sunlight. Within an hour, they finally made it to her apartment in Coconut Grove. After the initial oohs and ahhs from her friends, Serena showed them their rooms and then let them unpack. She was going to make dinner, but Lita took over and Serena gratefully let her. After a terrific meal the girls were tired, but that didn't stop the inevitable gossip fest. After taking showers and settling into pajamas, the girls huddled on Serena's bed with a quart of Hagen-Daz chocolate ice cream and three spoons. When everyone was comfortable, Mina started immediately.
"So Serena, what is the deal between you and Darien? Has he told you why he broke up with you? Have you forgiven him yet? Have ya'll slept together?"
"MINA!" Serena screeched, blushing to the tips of her ears.
"I was just asking...goodness. I remember how you and him..."
"Please...I don't need to be reminded. Now enough about me. Tell me about your time in Paris." Serena said, hoping to change the subject.
That was all she had to say as Mina started to tell her about the snobbish supermodels and egostical designers she rubbed elbows with during her internship. After about three hours, and an empty carton of ice cream, the girls decided that it was time to turn in. As Serena laid in her bed that night, all she could think about were the questions that Mina had asked, and just like she before she still had no clear answer.
Miami Marina-Next Day
"Well it's about time you got here...I thought that you would miss the
party," Raye said as she saw two blondes and a brunette striding to the
boat. "I'm sorry it's just that we kinda overslept and then got caught in
traffic. Anyway I would like you to meet my two best friends, Mina and
Lita. Girls, this is Raye, the new friend that I've been telling you
about." Smiles broke out and hands were offered, as the strangers met. Serena
was happy to say the least. She had some reservations about her old and new
friends meeting, but it seemed that her worries were for naught. As a
matter of fact, they were getting along like friends who hadn't seen each
other in a long time. Then she heard Raye's voice breaking in, "Since
you're here now, we can FINALLY get going." Picking up overnight bags, the
small group boarded the ship.
After going to their assigned cabin, Serena, Lita and Mina unpacked and
then made their way to the deck, to greet the other guests. The first
person Serena saw was Amy talking to an attractive man who looked vaugely
familiar. "AMY!" Serena shouted, pulling her two other friends behind her.
Giving Amy a hug, she then introduced Mina and Lita, and once again Serena
was forgotten. Realizing that someone else was standing there, Serena
turned around and found that the man Amy had been talking to was still
standing off to the side.
*He looks so familiar to me, I wonder where I could have met him,* Serena
thought as she approached the man. "Hello, my name is Serena. If you don't mind
me saying, you look very familiar to me. What is your name?" "It's good to
know that you still remember me somewhat, after all those times I helped
you with biology." the man said, chuckling to himself. Serena looked at
him quizzically before recognition dawned on her. "Zach...Zach Simmons is
that you?!?" she said, barely holding in her excitement. "In the flesh....how
you've been?" Zach asked her, looking at Serena from head to toe. *Darien
was a FOOL to give her up over something so STUPID...* As they continued
to talk, neither one noticed the man that was glaring at them from across
the deck.
Time passed and Serena met more people than she ever thought possible. She
finally met Raye's boyfriend, who was none other than Jayson Morris. She
remembered him as the constant smartmouth and one of Darien's close friends.
Looking at how he was teasing Raye, she couldn't help but think, "It looks
like everyone's here...well almost everyone, but I haven't seen Darien
yet...maybe he was too busy...oh I am NOT going to think about it.* She
pasted on another smile and went in search of her friends.
After about ten minutes, she noticed Mina near the railing talking to
Malcolm, and it seemed that they were having an intense conversation. *I'm
gonna have to ask her about that one,* Serena thought, looking at the smile
that was starting to spread across her friend's face. *Well, since I'm alone
for a bit, might as well explore the ship,* she thought as she made her way
to the other side of the ship. She went down below and started to explore
the rooms. She was looking at the luxurious stateroom , when she heard a
giggle coming from a few rooms down. Curious she followed the sound until
she came to the galley in the ship. Looking in, she was not surprised to
see the people who were laughing up a storm, their face smudged with flour in
various places. *I should have known that Lita and Nate would hit it off, *
Serena thought as she backed out into the hall.
Hearing a noise behind her, she turned to see a man, dressed in black from
head to toe, coming down the hall. She waved and smiled at him, but he just
looked at her with cold eyes and continued on as if she wasn't there. "I wonder why he's in such a hurry ," she mumured, as she turned and went in the
opposite direction.
When she walked up the steps and reached the deck, she noticed that the crowd had definitely thinned out. Glancing at her watch she realized that it was almost time for them to weigh anchor. Wanting to find a quiet place, she headed towards the the stern of the boat and stood at the rail. Looking around she noticed another couple about twenty feet away, locked in a passionate embrace. Feeling the heat rising in her cheeks, she looked away. Seeing the couple brought home the fact that she was all alone on this trip. Sure she had her friends, but from the looks of things it seemed that everyone was pairing off. Raye and Jayson, Mina and Mal, Lita and Nate, and even shy Amy had seemed to click with Zach. There were other people on this trip, but Serena didn't know any of them. Loneliness gripped her as a single tear slipped down her cheek. Soon another followed and made a plopping sound as it hit the metal rail. She didn't notice that the boat had started moving, until she felt the sea breeze start to cool her tears. A sorrowful sigh escaped her as she lifted her hand to wipe her face. However, she was quite surprised when she felt something soft caress her face. Turning, she looked into eyes as dark as the sea below them, and familiar as her own.
"Thanks" Serena whispered taking the offered hankerchef. "It's alright...now I want to know why you were crying." Darien said, looking at her. "It's nothing really..." Serena trailed off, hoping that he would drop the subject. "I don't buy it so you might as well tell me what's wrong, and I'm not leaving here until I find out." Darien said with a firm undertone. Sighing, she turned her back on him. A few moments later, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Shrugging it off, she said, "Can't you take a hint? I want to be alone. Besides why are you so concerned?" "Sere...we're not in the office anymore so cut the ice queen act. Look, I've been thinking that it's about time you listen to what I have to say about what REALLY happened all those years ago.", Darien said as he reached out to her again, but was met with resistance. Serena turned around then, with a smirk playing about her mouth. "Oh...so you can make your guilty conscience feel better? Well FAT CHANCE, because I don't want to hear YOUR excuses. Goodbye." Serena replied haughtingly and turned on her heel.
Her dramatic exit was spoiled when Darien grabbed her arm to stop her. Livid, she turned around ready to give him a verbal thrashing, until she saw his eyes. Eyes that reflected the pain and loneliness she felt. "Dammit Serena! I've tried to give you time and stay out of your way, but I can't anymore. You have to realize that you weren't the only one hurt, and it's about time you know the REAL REASON!" Darien declared, shooting his arms to her sides, trapping her against the rail. Seeing no clear escape from the situation, she decided to let him say what he had to say and be done with it. *It's not like I have to listen anyway* she thought smugly. Giving him a final glare, she leaned against the rail behind her and folded her arms. "Alright, say what you have to say..." Serena demanded in hushed tones. "It's about time you let me" Darien muttered, ignoring the daggers Serena was shooting at his way. Taking a deep breath, he began to tell the story that shattered Serena's heart as well as his own.
to be continued............
I think that this is the FIRST offcial cliffhanger of the story!!! Now that Darien will confess, will Serena forgive him? Is there FUTURE for our couple? You have to keep reading to find out! Next Chapter: THE CONFESSION!!!
ja ne minna-san
~o~Midnight Dreamer~O~