Author's Notes: These are PRETTY LONG! *s*
Hello minna-chan! Dream-chan here with chapter eight of DE! Now there is something that I have to tell all of you. Due to the fact that I'm moving and starting a new job, my writing time will be reduced, but don't fret. I will try to get out as many chapters before June 12th (the date I start my job) as I can. So if it seems that I write a little slower then that is the reason. *looks over and Kel-chan and Reb-chan with big puppy dog eyes* Second, I would like to thank my pre-reader Cyperian-chan for taking the time to me help me become a better writer. And as always, I appreciate all the comments and reviews I've been getting for this story, but it seems that with each chapter they start to diminish, which kinda makes me sad ^^; but I know that ya'll won't let me down will ya? ^_^
Oh before I go, I just wanted to say that if the links that I sent for "Close My Eyes Forever" didn't work, I'll be more than happy to send the text file to you!
WARNING: As this story progresses, some of the characters may seem a bit OOC, but please bear with me! ^_~
Enjoy the show......*s*
****CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MAY GRADUATES!! LIVE LIFE AND BE HAPPY!****
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine, and neither is this song. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Jill Scott respectively. If this story seems anyway familiar to yours or one that you have read, please tell me so I can give credit where credit is due. Thanx minna!
'Slowly, surely'
Slowly surely I walk away from
That ole desperate and dazed love
Caught up in the maze of love
The crazy craze of love
Thought it was good
Thought it was real
Thought it was but it wasn't love
I just don't know
Where to go
So...
Slowly surely
I walk away from
Self-serving, undeserving
Constantly hurting me love, deserting me love
You said
I said
We said but...
Slowly surely I walk away from
Confusing love, abusing love, misusing love
This can't be...
Slowly surely
I walk away from
Self-serving, undeserving
Constantly hurting me love, deserting me love
You said
I said
We said but...
Slowly surely I walk away from
That ole desperate and dazed love
Caught up in the maze of love
The crazy craze of love
Thought it was good
Thought it was real
Thought it was but it wasn't love
I just don't know
Where to go
Slowly, surely
I walk away from...
You...you...you...you.
-Jill Scott
Title: Dark Epiphany
Author: Midnight Dreamer
Rating: R (swearing)
Email: madintellect@hotmail.com
AIM: Dreamchan2001
Serena was waiting at the Underground entrance in Tralfagar Square when she suddenly felt two hands cover her face and heard someone whisper in her ear...
"Guess who?" a teasing voice asked, the owner's breath tickling the hairs on the back of her neck.
Recognizing the voice, she smiled and mischievously replied, "Let me guess...Tom Cruise?"
"I'm crushed!" Seiya said, trying to keep the laughter out of his mock hurt tone.
"Your ego is too big for that Sei!" she said, as she turned around to give her longtime friend a hug.
Seiya just let her embrace him, wishing that this moment didn't have to end.
When Serena pulled back, Seiya was assaulted by a mega-watt smile that is known as her trademark, and had to call on every ounce of willpower not to gather her in his arms and kiss the daylights out of her right there in the middle of the street.
*Gods....does she even know what she's doing to me?!?!?* he thought miserably, trying to keep his easygoing manner in place.
"C'mon Sei...I'm hungry and I only have forty five minutes." Serena said as she grabbed his hand, and started to pull him in the direction of the nearest fish and chips stand.
Putting a hand on her arm to stop her, Seiya said, "Hey Sere, I was wondering if we could check out that new cafe the next street over. I hear they have great food and fast service..."
"Sure...I really didn't feel like fish and chips anyway. Well, lead the way..." Serena said, grabbing his hand in hers.
Seiya felt a little electrical jolt go through his body, but he ignored it, just as had done for the past couple of years.
Walking at the rapid pace of the lunch crowd, they arrived at the cafe within ten minutes. As they sat down, the hostess who told them that their server would be over shortly immediately gave them menus.
Nodding their thanks, they both turned to peruse the menu, when Seiya's cell started ringing.
Flipping it up, he answered it and made a big show of the conversation that he was having with the person on the end of the phone.
"Yes...I know, but......NO! Didn't you get the memo I sent? Well, what's the problem?" he argued, hoping that he had Serena's attention.
When he looked across the small table to give an apologetic look, he was not disappointed to see the concerned expression on Serena's face.
*Things are going according to plan...I just hope that bitch doesn't screw things up* Seiya inwardly smiled, feeling the beginning of his dreams coming to fruition.
Pulling his eyes away from her, he gave a loud sigh and said, "I'll call you back in a minute."
Snapping his cell shut, he was surprised when he felt the light touch on his other hand. Giving his hand a squeeze, Serena asked, "Everything alright?"
Shaking his head, Seiya said, "They don't seem to be. Sere...this is really important so I'm gonna try to find a place with a bit more quiet. Can you order for me?" he asked, giving her a disarming smile.
"Sure, go on" she said with a smile of her own, as he rose from the table and went in the direction of the restrooms and quickly found a place where he couldn't be detected but still see all the action. Within a few minutes, he was not surprised to see Charlotte walk in the cafe making a beeline for Serena.
*Don't screw up...don't screw up....* he thought, wishing that Charlotte could hear him.
Meanwhile back at the table Serena was looking at her menu when trouble came walking her way.
"Hello" a feminine voice said, one that sounded very familiar to her.
Looking up, Serena smiled at the woman standing next to the table until recognition hit and she felt the color drain from her face.
"What the hell do you want?" she bit out tersely, hoping that the woman would leave soon.
"I just wanted to apologize for my actions..." Charlotte said remorsefully, trying to display the right amount of guilt.
"I think that it is a bit too late for that! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm trying to have lunch..." Serena said coldly, turning her attention back to her menu.
"No....you don't understand..." Charlotte began, trying to salvage the conversation, when Serena stopped her.
"No...I think I do. I caught you screwing my fiancé. What else is there not to understand?!?" Serena snapped, causing a few patrons in the vicinity to look in their direction.
"There is a whole lot more, if you would just let me tell you....."
Slamming her menu down, Serena stood up and fixed Charlotte with a dagger-filled glare.
"Listen you stupid BITCH! I don't want to hear any LIES that you might have tell me!" she yelled, now gaining the attention of the entire cafe.
"Look..."
"No you LOOK! I don't care what you have to say, because there is nothing that you can say or do to fix any of this. Why can't you just leave things ALONE! You will NEVER know how much I lost because of you, you WHORE!"
"Well maybe if you could satisfy Dari....." Charlotte said sardonically, before she felt something burning on her cheek, and realized that Serena James, Little Miss Innocent, just slapped the hell out of her, leaving a trail of heat across her cheeks.
"Don't. Go. There. Now get the fuck out of my face before I do it for you." Serena said forcefully, her baby blues glimmering with murderous rage.
"Alright Serena, but we will have to talk eventually. You can't put it off forever...." Charlotte muttered, trying to make a graceful retreat.
"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do...now LEAVE ME ALONE you poor excuse for a woman!" Serena shouted, grabbing her purse and walking out the cafe, holding back the tears that threatened to spill over.
*Well, that didn't go as planned, but maybe this is for the best. I hope that Roberts can handle it* Charlotte thought as she tried to ignore the stares of the other customers. With her head held high, she walked out of the cafe, knowing that it didn't matter if she had just lost a battle, because she knew that she would win the war.
The war over Darien Reece's heart.
However, there was another person that was not happy how things turned out. Not happy at all.
*It looks like I'm going to have to do this myself....* Seiya thought as he walked out the cafe, hoping to catch Serena before she caught the tube back to her office.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lying on the black leather couch in his apartment, Darien stared at the ceiling, trying everything to clear his mind of the last few days and the nightmares.
The first one started the night he saw Serena for what could possibly be the last time. It had been so terrible that when he woke up, he was afraid to close his eyes for fear of seeing the tragic scene that played in his mind moments before. The picture of her laying in a pool of blood crying out for his help haunted him even in his waking moments, distracting him at the most inopportune times.
*I have to break out of this and accept my fate...a life without Serena.*
Hearing a knock on the door, he ignored it, hoping that the person would get the hint to just leave him alone, but after knocking persisted for a couple of minutes, Darien figured it could only be one person.
*What the hell does Andrew want?* he thought, wishing that Andrew would give up, but knowing that would never happen in this lifetime.
Giving in, he stalked over to the door, and opened it up a crack. He was not surprised to see a sandy blonde head and hazel eyes staring back at him.
"What?!?" he muttered tersely, hoping that would turn away his friend.
With a forceful shove, Andrew opened the door a little wider to allow his body through.
"Well hello to you too, Oscar the Grouch", Andrew said cheerily, as he walked past Darien inside to the apartment.
Giving a loud sigh, Darien closed the door, and leaned against it, trying to decipher Andrew's good mood, when suddenly the light bulb came on.
"Let me guess, you found the girl of your dreams again?" Darien said sarcastically.
"Not of my dreams Dare...I think that she could be the one I want for life..."
Hoping that this could take his mind off his problems, Darien began to ask the required questions.
"When did you meet her?"
"A couple nights ago at the club...."
"The one you begged that I go to?"
"Yeah, but when you refused I just dragged Chad along with me. Well anyway, I saw this amazing woman. She had the face of a Barbie doll with the body of Venus to go with it. I think I stared at her all night until I finally got up the courage to ask her to dance."
"So what happened?"
"Well, Chad took to her friend, who by the way was a total hottie herself, which left the path open for me."
"So you get a name..." Darien asked, laughing at the dreamy expression on his friend's face.
"Mina....." he said in a faraway tone.
"Oh shit....." Darien muttered, not believing that of all the women available in London, his best friend would choose a woman that he knew. A woman that had wanted to kill him about a month earlier.
Hearing the explicative escape Darien's lips, Andrew snapped out of his lust-induced trance and asked him, "What's the matter with you?"
Praying that he was wrong, Darien asked, "By any chance would her last name be Atkinson?"
"How did you know?" Andrew said a look of surprise on his handsome face.
Groaning, Darien pulled a hand across his face and said, "Sorry to tell you this, but Mina is a close friend of Serena's....a very close friend."
"You mean one of the girls that came over here to 'confront' you?"
"The one and only..."
"Dammit Dare! Now you tell me.....I just hope that this doesn't hurt my chances with her...." Andrew muttered, slightly upset that his chances might be decreased with the gorgeous blonde who had captured his interest for the moment.
Rolling his eyes at his friend's comment, Darien said,"Thanks alot Drew. Always knew you were a loyal friend..." his words dripping with sarcasm.
"You know that's not what I mean, but Dare I just don't want to get painted with the same brush. Besides, I'm sure that you and Serena will get past this." Andrew said on an optimistic note.
"Anyway, enough about me. How are you doing? I haven't talked to you in a couple of days. If I didn't know better, I would say that you were avoiding me..." Andrew said, pinning him with 'I know I'm right' gaze.
*I should have known this question was coming*
"Well, there are actually two things that I need to talk to you about. First, Serena came over......" Darien started, before Andrew interrupted.
"Get outta here! What happened?" Andrew asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.
Darien walked over to the couch to sit down, before going on, knowing that he didn't have the strength to stand.
"Andrew......I never knew my life could get so FUCKED up!" Darien mumbled, putting his face in his hands.
Andrew, concerned by his friend's sudden change of mood, walked over to the couch and sat down, and tried to lend some comfort to him.
"Tell me what happened...it can't be that bad......" Andrew prodded in a gentle voice.
"You're right. It can't be that bad, because it is already pure hell." Darien murmured dejectedly, the memories of that night opening a floodgate of sorrow inside him.
Realizing that Andrew was waiting for him to continue, he began, "Basically she said that she wants nothing to do with me ever again..."
"Did she tell you where she went that night everything happened?"
"Jamaica." he replied in a hollow voice, knowing that the mention of the tropical paradise would haunt him forever.
"JAMAICA?!?!? Where she get the money for the tickets? I thought that both of you were saving for the 'dream' wedding...." Andrew asked, a look of shock on his face.
"She won them in a contest sponsored by a travel agency.....grand prize...a destination wedding.....she said she couldn't wait anymore..." Darien trailed off, not wanting to continue any further.
After about a moment of total silence, Andrew could only say one thing.
"Damn...."
"Yes...exactly" Darien agreed, regret and profound sadness evident on his face.
"She was on her way to tell me about this vacation before everything was shot to hell, but that is not even the tip of the iceberg..."
"What else could possibly be more horrendous than that?"
"She was also pregnant with our child, until she suffered a miscarriage in Jamaica...alone." Darien said softly, his voice trembling with the effort of holding back his tears.
"Oh Dare....I'm so sorry man." Andrew said, not really knowing how to comfort his friend that had lost so much.
"Don't feel sorry for me...I don't deserve it." Darien said tonelessly, not wanting the other man's pity.
After a couple of minutes of silence, Andrew made the effort to broach the other problem that weighed heavily on Darien's soul.
"So, what is the second thing that you have to tell me?"
"It's about Charlotte...."
"What is she doing now....threatening harassment, cause if so I know a couple of good solicitors...." Andrew jumped in, before Darien held up a hand to stop him.
"No...it's nothing like that. Actually, I would be much happier if it was."
Giving his friend a look of confusion, Andrew asked, "C'mon tell me....what does the witch want?"
"Shespregnant...." Darien mumbled, hoping that he wouldn't have to repeat himself.
"Come again?"
"I said she's PREGNANT!" Darien exploded heatedly, getting up from the couch to pace in front of the fireplace.
Andrew just stared at the space his friend just vacated and shook his head sadly.
"Dare...I must admit...when you fuck up, you pull out all the stops!" he laughed bitterly, taking no pleasure in seeing his best friend in turmoil.
"Don't remind me......"
"So, what are you going to do now? How do you even know it's yours?" Andrew questioned, wanting to get all the facts.
"She gave me the doctor's report. I checked it out and everything seems legit."
"You need to have a paternity test performed when the child is born, you know that?" Andrew stated, hoping that his friend wasn't falling for the oldest trick in the book.
"I know, but the funny thing is, I already feel attached to the baby. Especially after what happened between Serena and me. It is also for this reason that I plan to marry her."
Taking a deep breath, Andrew quietly asked, "You're going to do what?"
"I asked her to marry me....." Darien repeated, waiting for the verbal lashing that was about to come in.....
5
4
3
2
1
"YOU DID WHAT?!?!?? Now you have totally lost it. For someone who is so booksmart, you have ABSOLUTELY no common sense. Why do you have to MARRY HER?!?!?...."
"Look, I don't want the child to grow up like I did ALRIGHT! I love my mother, but there are times when I wished I had a mother and father. I was teased, ridiculed, and looked down upon because some bastard felt that mother and me weren't good enough for him. Well, I REFUSE for any child to have to suffer through the same fate as I did." Darien said hotly, ending his brief tirade.
Processing this new bit of information, Andrew said, "I can understand that but Darien, be realistic...."
"Drew...I have made up my mind on this. Right now, I'm asking for your support. Will you give it?"
"You have it...you know that Dare. However, there is one thing that I think you should do...."
"Which is?"
"Tell Serena"
"NO, and I don't plan to. Besides, she said that we would never see each other again, so what would be the point?" Darien shrugged, walking over to the balcony doors to look at the cloud covered London sky.
"You are such an ASSHOLE! You don't see a problem with telling the woman you're still in love with that the woman you had on the side is now pregnant and you plan to marry her? It will be better if you told her, before rumors start to spread....you at least owe her that much."
"Drew...you don't understand...."
"Look there could still be a chance for you and her, especially with the loss of a child. You both need each other right now...."
"No...she has her family and friends. She doesn't need me..." he said miserably, trying to ignore the hollow space inside him.
Frustrated, Andrew yelled, "Why are you so stubborn Dare? I swear I would knock you on your ass if I thought it would do any good...."
"Don't you realize?!!? I refuse to hurt her anymore than I have. This is the only way that I can be sure of that happening."
"Darien....."
"NO Drew! I don't want to hear it! What's the old saying? Make your bed and lie in it? Well that is what I plan to do."
"You can't be serious......"
"I am...now if you don't mind, please leave." Darien said, turning his back on Andrew, stopping the argument dead in it's tracks.
Knowing that was his cue to exit, Andrew angrily snatched up the jacket he had on earlier and swiftly made his way to the door. Before he left, he just wanted to say one more thing.
"I'll support you in anything that you do, but Darien, I think you're making the biggest mistake of your life." Andrew said evenly, as he walked out of the apartment, leaving behind a man that had lost everything.
As he walked down the hallway towards the lift, Andrew couldn't help and hope that Darien was doing the right thing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been almost a week and Raye was getting fed up with apologizing to Mina for how she ditched her at the club. Besides, it's not like she came up empty handed.
"Mina I told you I was sorry about thousand times! Are you ever forgive me?" Raye pleaded, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice.
"Let me think on it..." Mina replied airily looking about the clothing racks.
Not being able to control it anymore, she finally let her trademark temper spring forth.
"Oh c'mon, don't act like that. Besides, you did get something out of it..." Raye said snappishly.
"What are you talking about?" Mina asked anxiously, feigning interest in the blouse she was holding.
"Um...a hazel eyed blonde that looked like he just stepped off the cover of GQ magazine..." Raye said teasingly, snatching the shirt to get her friend's attention.
"How do you know he has hazel eyes, hmm?" Mina questioned, casting her friend with a shrewd gaze.
"His friend told me..." Raye said evenly before Mina swiftly cut in.
"Talking about that....what's the deal between you two? I mean I know that you have a devil-may-care attitude, but what you did that night was positively reckless! I was worried about you...."
Having the sense to concede defeat, Raye put a puppy-dog expression on her face, and turned to Mina with big eyes.
Falling for the act, Mina finally gave in.
"Alright....you're forgiven just don't do anything like that again, okay? Or at least give me a warning next time you decide to dash off with the next Prince Charming." Mina finished, giving her friend an impromptu hug.
"I promise." Raye agreed, happy to be back in her friend's good graces.
"So....what exactly happened between you and loverboy, hmm?" Mina asked, and was surprised when she detected a flush of red spread across her friend's cheeks.
"Ohmigoodness! I can't believe that you're actually blushing! Oh I can't wait to tell the others...." Mina said happily, barely containing her enjoyment at Raye's expense.
"You wouldn't Mina....." Raye said incredulously, knowing full well what the consequences would be.
"I think that is fair enough after you left me at the club without so much as a goodbye..."
"No I'm serious Mina.....I would really appreciate it if you kept this under wraps for now. I have a feeling that Chad won't be just another 'flavor of the month.'" Raye said quietly, hoping that Mina would take the higher road...for once.
Seeing the distressed expression on the other woman' s face, she caved in and agreed.
"Alright, I'll keep it to myself for now, but I want to meet this new 'friend' of yours. Say have you talked to Serena lately? I've been calling her, but she's always busy and half the time her cell is forwarded to voice mail or turned off." Mina changed the topic, giving her friend some peace....for now.
"No...I was just about to ask you the same thing..." Raye said, as she put another blouse back on the rack.
"Well, how about we stop by her office for a surprise visit? It's not that far from here...." Mina suggested, already knowing what the answer was going to be.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" and with that the two women left the store hoping that their friend was in good spirits.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been long day at hospital already, but Amy didn't mind in the least, because this is what she had worked so hard for. Walking to the nurses station to drop off some charts, she was surprised when she felt two strong arms encircle her waist and give a gentle squeeze.
Smiling, she turned around and found herself looking at the face she adored more than the patients she treated. Gregory Stanford.
She had met Greg when they both started their studies at medical school. They met when they were assigned to the same study group, which eventually led to hanging out as friends. However, their friendship progressed into a love affair after they had spent so much time together. Now, they were doing their residency in the same hospital. Greg in the gynecology department, while Amy was in pediatrics.
"Hey Greg..." she said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.
"Hey love. Ready to get some dinner?" her boyfriend asked, giving her neck a nuzzle.
"Yes...let me just change out of these scrubs, and I'll be right there, okay?" she said, trying not to giggle too loudly from the tickling sensation.
"Fine with me....just hurry up. I want to spend as much time as I can with you, seeing I have to go back on rounds in two hours."
"Alright sweetie....just be a sec." she said giving him a quick kiss on the lips.
After five minutes, Amy reemerged in her street clothes and walked out of the hospital arm and arm with Greg. Deciding on somewhere close, they chose a local Italian restaurant that had just the right atmosphere for relaxing.
After being seated and their orders taken, Amy asked Greg how the past couple of days had been, since they both were working crazy hours lately.
"Well, everything was going well until I got a new patient referred to me today...."
"Why do you say that?"
"She seems very high strung you know, which is not good considering that she is seven weeks pregnant..."
"Did you tell her that could harm the baby?" Amy asked, munching on her Caesar Salad.
"Yes, but it seemed that she had some other things on her mind you know...I had her make an appointment so I can keep an eye on her." Greg replied, as he popped a piece of steak in his mouth.
"Do you think that is really necessary?" Amy asked her boyfriend, as she ate another forkful of salad.
"Yes...she seems kind of stressed. When I asked her where her husband was she just gave me this funny look, so I apologized thinking that I just committed the biggest snafu in history when she tells me that her fiancé couldn't make it this time round, but that he would be coming to appointments with her in the future."
"Well, you didn't put your full foot in your mouth." she grinned, happy that Greg hadn't been totally humiliated.
After a moment of silence, Greg said matter of factly, "By the way, she asked about a pediatrician, so of course I gave her your name..."
"Isn't it a bit early for that?"
"I know that, you know that, but she doesn't. One thing that I have learned is that it is better to just give into an expectant parent's whims than to roadblock them. So, be expecting the call."
"Thanks for the warning...by the way, what's her name so I can be on the lookout..." Amy asked, having a feeling that she wasn't going to like being thrust into this situation.
"Charlotte Winters."
to be continued.............
I know that some of you are upset that Charlotte got off 'light' in this chapter *looks over at fans cracking their knuckles, but please believe me when I say that is gonna get what is coming to her. Alright, well it seems that things didn't go as planned. So what's gonna happen now? Plus, Amy seems to have a new patient on the way. Will she tell Serena? Stay tuned and find out!
REMEMBER!!! FEEDBACK is an author's BEST MUSE!!!! ^_~
ja ne minna!
Hello minna-chan! Dream-chan here with chapter eight of DE! Now there is something that I have to tell all of you. Due to the fact that I'm moving and starting a new job, my writing time will be reduced, but don't fret. I will try to get out as many chapters before June 12th (the date I start my job) as I can. So if it seems that I write a little slower then that is the reason. *looks over and Kel-chan and Reb-chan with big puppy dog eyes* Second, I would like to thank my pre-reader Cyperian-chan for taking the time to me help me become a better writer. And as always, I appreciate all the comments and reviews I've been getting for this story, but it seems that with each chapter they start to diminish, which kinda makes me sad ^^; but I know that ya'll won't let me down will ya? ^_^
Oh before I go, I just wanted to say that if the links that I sent for "Close My Eyes Forever" didn't work, I'll be more than happy to send the text file to you!
WARNING: As this story progresses, some of the characters may seem a bit OOC, but please bear with me! ^_~
Enjoy the show......*s*
****CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL MAY GRADUATES!! LIVE LIFE AND BE HAPPY!****
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine, and neither is this song. They belong to Naoko Takeuchi and Jill Scott respectively. If this story seems anyway familiar to yours or one that you have read, please tell me so I can give credit where credit is due. Thanx minna!
'Slowly, surely'
Slowly surely I walk away from
That ole desperate and dazed love
Caught up in the maze of love
The crazy craze of love
Thought it was good
Thought it was real
Thought it was but it wasn't love
I just don't know
Where to go
So...
Slowly surely
I walk away from
Self-serving, undeserving
Constantly hurting me love, deserting me love
You said
I said
We said but...
Slowly surely I walk away from
Confusing love, abusing love, misusing love
This can't be...
Slowly surely
I walk away from
Self-serving, undeserving
Constantly hurting me love, deserting me love
You said
I said
We said but...
Slowly surely I walk away from
That ole desperate and dazed love
Caught up in the maze of love
The crazy craze of love
Thought it was good
Thought it was real
Thought it was but it wasn't love
I just don't know
Where to go
Slowly, surely
I walk away from...
You...you...you...you.
-Jill Scott
Title: Dark Epiphany
Author: Midnight Dreamer
Rating: R (swearing)
Email: madintellect@hotmail.com
AIM: Dreamchan2001
Serena was waiting at the Underground entrance in Tralfagar Square when she suddenly felt two hands cover her face and heard someone whisper in her ear...
"Guess who?" a teasing voice asked, the owner's breath tickling the hairs on the back of her neck.
Recognizing the voice, she smiled and mischievously replied, "Let me guess...Tom Cruise?"
"I'm crushed!" Seiya said, trying to keep the laughter out of his mock hurt tone.
"Your ego is too big for that Sei!" she said, as she turned around to give her longtime friend a hug.
Seiya just let her embrace him, wishing that this moment didn't have to end.
When Serena pulled back, Seiya was assaulted by a mega-watt smile that is known as her trademark, and had to call on every ounce of willpower not to gather her in his arms and kiss the daylights out of her right there in the middle of the street.
*Gods....does she even know what she's doing to me?!?!?* he thought miserably, trying to keep his easygoing manner in place.
"C'mon Sei...I'm hungry and I only have forty five minutes." Serena said as she grabbed his hand, and started to pull him in the direction of the nearest fish and chips stand.
Putting a hand on her arm to stop her, Seiya said, "Hey Sere, I was wondering if we could check out that new cafe the next street over. I hear they have great food and fast service..."
"Sure...I really didn't feel like fish and chips anyway. Well, lead the way..." Serena said, grabbing his hand in hers.
Seiya felt a little electrical jolt go through his body, but he ignored it, just as had done for the past couple of years.
Walking at the rapid pace of the lunch crowd, they arrived at the cafe within ten minutes. As they sat down, the hostess who told them that their server would be over shortly immediately gave them menus.
Nodding their thanks, they both turned to peruse the menu, when Seiya's cell started ringing.
Flipping it up, he answered it and made a big show of the conversation that he was having with the person on the end of the phone.
"Yes...I know, but......NO! Didn't you get the memo I sent? Well, what's the problem?" he argued, hoping that he had Serena's attention.
When he looked across the small table to give an apologetic look, he was not disappointed to see the concerned expression on Serena's face.
*Things are going according to plan...I just hope that bitch doesn't screw things up* Seiya inwardly smiled, feeling the beginning of his dreams coming to fruition.
Pulling his eyes away from her, he gave a loud sigh and said, "I'll call you back in a minute."
Snapping his cell shut, he was surprised when he felt the light touch on his other hand. Giving his hand a squeeze, Serena asked, "Everything alright?"
Shaking his head, Seiya said, "They don't seem to be. Sere...this is really important so I'm gonna try to find a place with a bit more quiet. Can you order for me?" he asked, giving her a disarming smile.
"Sure, go on" she said with a smile of her own, as he rose from the table and went in the direction of the restrooms and quickly found a place where he couldn't be detected but still see all the action. Within a few minutes, he was not surprised to see Charlotte walk in the cafe making a beeline for Serena.
*Don't screw up...don't screw up....* he thought, wishing that Charlotte could hear him.
Meanwhile back at the table Serena was looking at her menu when trouble came walking her way.
"Hello" a feminine voice said, one that sounded very familiar to her.
Looking up, Serena smiled at the woman standing next to the table until recognition hit and she felt the color drain from her face.
"What the hell do you want?" she bit out tersely, hoping that the woman would leave soon.
"I just wanted to apologize for my actions..." Charlotte said remorsefully, trying to display the right amount of guilt.
"I think that it is a bit too late for that! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm trying to have lunch..." Serena said coldly, turning her attention back to her menu.
"No....you don't understand..." Charlotte began, trying to salvage the conversation, when Serena stopped her.
"No...I think I do. I caught you screwing my fiancé. What else is there not to understand?!?" Serena snapped, causing a few patrons in the vicinity to look in their direction.
"There is a whole lot more, if you would just let me tell you....."
Slamming her menu down, Serena stood up and fixed Charlotte with a dagger-filled glare.
"Listen you stupid BITCH! I don't want to hear any LIES that you might have tell me!" she yelled, now gaining the attention of the entire cafe.
"Look..."
"No you LOOK! I don't care what you have to say, because there is nothing that you can say or do to fix any of this. Why can't you just leave things ALONE! You will NEVER know how much I lost because of you, you WHORE!"
"Well maybe if you could satisfy Dari....." Charlotte said sardonically, before she felt something burning on her cheek, and realized that Serena James, Little Miss Innocent, just slapped the hell out of her, leaving a trail of heat across her cheeks.
"Don't. Go. There. Now get the fuck out of my face before I do it for you." Serena said forcefully, her baby blues glimmering with murderous rage.
"Alright Serena, but we will have to talk eventually. You can't put it off forever...." Charlotte muttered, trying to make a graceful retreat.
"Don't tell me what I can and cannot do...now LEAVE ME ALONE you poor excuse for a woman!" Serena shouted, grabbing her purse and walking out the cafe, holding back the tears that threatened to spill over.
*Well, that didn't go as planned, but maybe this is for the best. I hope that Roberts can handle it* Charlotte thought as she tried to ignore the stares of the other customers. With her head held high, she walked out of the cafe, knowing that it didn't matter if she had just lost a battle, because she knew that she would win the war.
The war over Darien Reece's heart.
However, there was another person that was not happy how things turned out. Not happy at all.
*It looks like I'm going to have to do this myself....* Seiya thought as he walked out the cafe, hoping to catch Serena before she caught the tube back to her office.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lying on the black leather couch in his apartment, Darien stared at the ceiling, trying everything to clear his mind of the last few days and the nightmares.
The first one started the night he saw Serena for what could possibly be the last time. It had been so terrible that when he woke up, he was afraid to close his eyes for fear of seeing the tragic scene that played in his mind moments before. The picture of her laying in a pool of blood crying out for his help haunted him even in his waking moments, distracting him at the most inopportune times.
*I have to break out of this and accept my fate...a life without Serena.*
Hearing a knock on the door, he ignored it, hoping that the person would get the hint to just leave him alone, but after knocking persisted for a couple of minutes, Darien figured it could only be one person.
*What the hell does Andrew want?* he thought, wishing that Andrew would give up, but knowing that would never happen in this lifetime.
Giving in, he stalked over to the door, and opened it up a crack. He was not surprised to see a sandy blonde head and hazel eyes staring back at him.
"What?!?" he muttered tersely, hoping that would turn away his friend.
With a forceful shove, Andrew opened the door a little wider to allow his body through.
"Well hello to you too, Oscar the Grouch", Andrew said cheerily, as he walked past Darien inside to the apartment.
Giving a loud sigh, Darien closed the door, and leaned against it, trying to decipher Andrew's good mood, when suddenly the light bulb came on.
"Let me guess, you found the girl of your dreams again?" Darien said sarcastically.
"Not of my dreams Dare...I think that she could be the one I want for life..."
Hoping that this could take his mind off his problems, Darien began to ask the required questions.
"When did you meet her?"
"A couple nights ago at the club...."
"The one you begged that I go to?"
"Yeah, but when you refused I just dragged Chad along with me. Well anyway, I saw this amazing woman. She had the face of a Barbie doll with the body of Venus to go with it. I think I stared at her all night until I finally got up the courage to ask her to dance."
"So what happened?"
"Well, Chad took to her friend, who by the way was a total hottie herself, which left the path open for me."
"So you get a name..." Darien asked, laughing at the dreamy expression on his friend's face.
"Mina....." he said in a faraway tone.
"Oh shit....." Darien muttered, not believing that of all the women available in London, his best friend would choose a woman that he knew. A woman that had wanted to kill him about a month earlier.
Hearing the explicative escape Darien's lips, Andrew snapped out of his lust-induced trance and asked him, "What's the matter with you?"
Praying that he was wrong, Darien asked, "By any chance would her last name be Atkinson?"
"How did you know?" Andrew said a look of surprise on his handsome face.
Groaning, Darien pulled a hand across his face and said, "Sorry to tell you this, but Mina is a close friend of Serena's....a very close friend."
"You mean one of the girls that came over here to 'confront' you?"
"The one and only..."
"Dammit Dare! Now you tell me.....I just hope that this doesn't hurt my chances with her...." Andrew muttered, slightly upset that his chances might be decreased with the gorgeous blonde who had captured his interest for the moment.
Rolling his eyes at his friend's comment, Darien said,"Thanks alot Drew. Always knew you were a loyal friend..." his words dripping with sarcasm.
"You know that's not what I mean, but Dare I just don't want to get painted with the same brush. Besides, I'm sure that you and Serena will get past this." Andrew said on an optimistic note.
"Anyway, enough about me. How are you doing? I haven't talked to you in a couple of days. If I didn't know better, I would say that you were avoiding me..." Andrew said, pinning him with 'I know I'm right' gaze.
*I should have known this question was coming*
"Well, there are actually two things that I need to talk to you about. First, Serena came over......" Darien started, before Andrew interrupted.
"Get outta here! What happened?" Andrew asked, his eyes wide with anticipation.
Darien walked over to the couch to sit down, before going on, knowing that he didn't have the strength to stand.
"Andrew......I never knew my life could get so FUCKED up!" Darien mumbled, putting his face in his hands.
Andrew, concerned by his friend's sudden change of mood, walked over to the couch and sat down, and tried to lend some comfort to him.
"Tell me what happened...it can't be that bad......" Andrew prodded in a gentle voice.
"You're right. It can't be that bad, because it is already pure hell." Darien murmured dejectedly, the memories of that night opening a floodgate of sorrow inside him.
Realizing that Andrew was waiting for him to continue, he began, "Basically she said that she wants nothing to do with me ever again..."
"Did she tell you where she went that night everything happened?"
"Jamaica." he replied in a hollow voice, knowing that the mention of the tropical paradise would haunt him forever.
"JAMAICA?!?!? Where she get the money for the tickets? I thought that both of you were saving for the 'dream' wedding...." Andrew asked, a look of shock on his face.
"She won them in a contest sponsored by a travel agency.....grand prize...a destination wedding.....she said she couldn't wait anymore..." Darien trailed off, not wanting to continue any further.
After about a moment of total silence, Andrew could only say one thing.
"Damn...."
"Yes...exactly" Darien agreed, regret and profound sadness evident on his face.
"She was on her way to tell me about this vacation before everything was shot to hell, but that is not even the tip of the iceberg..."
"What else could possibly be more horrendous than that?"
"She was also pregnant with our child, until she suffered a miscarriage in Jamaica...alone." Darien said softly, his voice trembling with the effort of holding back his tears.
"Oh Dare....I'm so sorry man." Andrew said, not really knowing how to comfort his friend that had lost so much.
"Don't feel sorry for me...I don't deserve it." Darien said tonelessly, not wanting the other man's pity.
After a couple of minutes of silence, Andrew made the effort to broach the other problem that weighed heavily on Darien's soul.
"So, what is the second thing that you have to tell me?"
"It's about Charlotte...."
"What is she doing now....threatening harassment, cause if so I know a couple of good solicitors...." Andrew jumped in, before Darien held up a hand to stop him.
"No...it's nothing like that. Actually, I would be much happier if it was."
Giving his friend a look of confusion, Andrew asked, "C'mon tell me....what does the witch want?"
"Shespregnant...." Darien mumbled, hoping that he wouldn't have to repeat himself.
"Come again?"
"I said she's PREGNANT!" Darien exploded heatedly, getting up from the couch to pace in front of the fireplace.
Andrew just stared at the space his friend just vacated and shook his head sadly.
"Dare...I must admit...when you fuck up, you pull out all the stops!" he laughed bitterly, taking no pleasure in seeing his best friend in turmoil.
"Don't remind me......"
"So, what are you going to do now? How do you even know it's yours?" Andrew questioned, wanting to get all the facts.
"She gave me the doctor's report. I checked it out and everything seems legit."
"You need to have a paternity test performed when the child is born, you know that?" Andrew stated, hoping that his friend wasn't falling for the oldest trick in the book.
"I know, but the funny thing is, I already feel attached to the baby. Especially after what happened between Serena and me. It is also for this reason that I plan to marry her."
Taking a deep breath, Andrew quietly asked, "You're going to do what?"
"I asked her to marry me....." Darien repeated, waiting for the verbal lashing that was about to come in.....
5
4
3
2
1
"YOU DID WHAT?!?!?? Now you have totally lost it. For someone who is so booksmart, you have ABSOLUTELY no common sense. Why do you have to MARRY HER?!?!?...."
"Look, I don't want the child to grow up like I did ALRIGHT! I love my mother, but there are times when I wished I had a mother and father. I was teased, ridiculed, and looked down upon because some bastard felt that mother and me weren't good enough for him. Well, I REFUSE for any child to have to suffer through the same fate as I did." Darien said hotly, ending his brief tirade.
Processing this new bit of information, Andrew said, "I can understand that but Darien, be realistic...."
"Drew...I have made up my mind on this. Right now, I'm asking for your support. Will you give it?"
"You have it...you know that Dare. However, there is one thing that I think you should do...."
"Which is?"
"Tell Serena"
"NO, and I don't plan to. Besides, she said that we would never see each other again, so what would be the point?" Darien shrugged, walking over to the balcony doors to look at the cloud covered London sky.
"You are such an ASSHOLE! You don't see a problem with telling the woman you're still in love with that the woman you had on the side is now pregnant and you plan to marry her? It will be better if you told her, before rumors start to spread....you at least owe her that much."
"Drew...you don't understand...."
"Look there could still be a chance for you and her, especially with the loss of a child. You both need each other right now...."
"No...she has her family and friends. She doesn't need me..." he said miserably, trying to ignore the hollow space inside him.
Frustrated, Andrew yelled, "Why are you so stubborn Dare? I swear I would knock you on your ass if I thought it would do any good...."
"Don't you realize?!!? I refuse to hurt her anymore than I have. This is the only way that I can be sure of that happening."
"Darien....."
"NO Drew! I don't want to hear it! What's the old saying? Make your bed and lie in it? Well that is what I plan to do."
"You can't be serious......"
"I am...now if you don't mind, please leave." Darien said, turning his back on Andrew, stopping the argument dead in it's tracks.
Knowing that was his cue to exit, Andrew angrily snatched up the jacket he had on earlier and swiftly made his way to the door. Before he left, he just wanted to say one more thing.
"I'll support you in anything that you do, but Darien, I think you're making the biggest mistake of your life." Andrew said evenly, as he walked out of the apartment, leaving behind a man that had lost everything.
As he walked down the hallway towards the lift, Andrew couldn't help and hope that Darien was doing the right thing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been almost a week and Raye was getting fed up with apologizing to Mina for how she ditched her at the club. Besides, it's not like she came up empty handed.
"Mina I told you I was sorry about thousand times! Are you ever forgive me?" Raye pleaded, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice.
"Let me think on it..." Mina replied airily looking about the clothing racks.
Not being able to control it anymore, she finally let her trademark temper spring forth.
"Oh c'mon, don't act like that. Besides, you did get something out of it..." Raye said snappishly.
"What are you talking about?" Mina asked anxiously, feigning interest in the blouse she was holding.
"Um...a hazel eyed blonde that looked like he just stepped off the cover of GQ magazine..." Raye said teasingly, snatching the shirt to get her friend's attention.
"How do you know he has hazel eyes, hmm?" Mina questioned, casting her friend with a shrewd gaze.
"His friend told me..." Raye said evenly before Mina swiftly cut in.
"Talking about that....what's the deal between you two? I mean I know that you have a devil-may-care attitude, but what you did that night was positively reckless! I was worried about you...."
Having the sense to concede defeat, Raye put a puppy-dog expression on her face, and turned to Mina with big eyes.
Falling for the act, Mina finally gave in.
"Alright....you're forgiven just don't do anything like that again, okay? Or at least give me a warning next time you decide to dash off with the next Prince Charming." Mina finished, giving her friend an impromptu hug.
"I promise." Raye agreed, happy to be back in her friend's good graces.
"So....what exactly happened between you and loverboy, hmm?" Mina asked, and was surprised when she detected a flush of red spread across her friend's cheeks.
"Ohmigoodness! I can't believe that you're actually blushing! Oh I can't wait to tell the others...." Mina said happily, barely containing her enjoyment at Raye's expense.
"You wouldn't Mina....." Raye said incredulously, knowing full well what the consequences would be.
"I think that is fair enough after you left me at the club without so much as a goodbye..."
"No I'm serious Mina.....I would really appreciate it if you kept this under wraps for now. I have a feeling that Chad won't be just another 'flavor of the month.'" Raye said quietly, hoping that Mina would take the higher road...for once.
Seeing the distressed expression on the other woman' s face, she caved in and agreed.
"Alright, I'll keep it to myself for now, but I want to meet this new 'friend' of yours. Say have you talked to Serena lately? I've been calling her, but she's always busy and half the time her cell is forwarded to voice mail or turned off." Mina changed the topic, giving her friend some peace....for now.
"No...I was just about to ask you the same thing..." Raye said, as she put another blouse back on the rack.
"Well, how about we stop by her office for a surprise visit? It's not that far from here...." Mina suggested, already knowing what the answer was going to be.
"Well what are we waiting for? Let's go!" and with that the two women left the store hoping that their friend was in good spirits.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It had been long day at hospital already, but Amy didn't mind in the least, because this is what she had worked so hard for. Walking to the nurses station to drop off some charts, she was surprised when she felt two strong arms encircle her waist and give a gentle squeeze.
Smiling, she turned around and found herself looking at the face she adored more than the patients she treated. Gregory Stanford.
She had met Greg when they both started their studies at medical school. They met when they were assigned to the same study group, which eventually led to hanging out as friends. However, their friendship progressed into a love affair after they had spent so much time together. Now, they were doing their residency in the same hospital. Greg in the gynecology department, while Amy was in pediatrics.
"Hey Greg..." she said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.
"Hey love. Ready to get some dinner?" her boyfriend asked, giving her neck a nuzzle.
"Yes...let me just change out of these scrubs, and I'll be right there, okay?" she said, trying not to giggle too loudly from the tickling sensation.
"Fine with me....just hurry up. I want to spend as much time as I can with you, seeing I have to go back on rounds in two hours."
"Alright sweetie....just be a sec." she said giving him a quick kiss on the lips.
After five minutes, Amy reemerged in her street clothes and walked out of the hospital arm and arm with Greg. Deciding on somewhere close, they chose a local Italian restaurant that had just the right atmosphere for relaxing.
After being seated and their orders taken, Amy asked Greg how the past couple of days had been, since they both were working crazy hours lately.
"Well, everything was going well until I got a new patient referred to me today...."
"Why do you say that?"
"She seems very high strung you know, which is not good considering that she is seven weeks pregnant..."
"Did you tell her that could harm the baby?" Amy asked, munching on her Caesar Salad.
"Yes, but it seemed that she had some other things on her mind you know...I had her make an appointment so I can keep an eye on her." Greg replied, as he popped a piece of steak in his mouth.
"Do you think that is really necessary?" Amy asked her boyfriend, as she ate another forkful of salad.
"Yes...she seems kind of stressed. When I asked her where her husband was she just gave me this funny look, so I apologized thinking that I just committed the biggest snafu in history when she tells me that her fiancé couldn't make it this time round, but that he would be coming to appointments with her in the future."
"Well, you didn't put your full foot in your mouth." she grinned, happy that Greg hadn't been totally humiliated.
After a moment of silence, Greg said matter of factly, "By the way, she asked about a pediatrician, so of course I gave her your name..."
"Isn't it a bit early for that?"
"I know that, you know that, but she doesn't. One thing that I have learned is that it is better to just give into an expectant parent's whims than to roadblock them. So, be expecting the call."
"Thanks for the warning...by the way, what's her name so I can be on the lookout..." Amy asked, having a feeling that she wasn't going to like being thrust into this situation.
"Charlotte Winters."
to be continued.............
I know that some of you are upset that Charlotte got off 'light' in this chapter *looks over at fans cracking their knuckles, but please believe me when I say that is gonna get what is coming to her. Alright, well it seems that things didn't go as planned. So what's gonna happen now? Plus, Amy seems to have a new patient on the way. Will she tell Serena? Stay tuned and find out!
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ja ne minna!