Chapter Three: White Christmas
"Darien?" Serena asked in a small voice as she curled up closer to his body. Darien breathed a sigh of thanks as he roused himself, he'd been right on the verge of dropping off into sleep again. He still wasn't about to make sense of the conversation earlier, involving Ami on a watch, mostly because he felt it was a dream. Possibly a warning, after all, it could have been his subconscious reminding him of the dangers involved in sleeping with no heat, but then …why had it asserted itself as Ami Mizuno? He winced as another headache set in, brought upon by too much idle speculation.
"Yeah, Serena?"
"I'm cold."
"Just hang on, Sere, it'll be morning soon." He replied.
She shifted and Darien felt a cold breeze assault the area where she had lain, only to feel her warmth work its magic on another area. She nestled her head beneath his chin, her arms pressed against his chest. "I'm sleepy too, Darien." She giggled softly. "You know those all-night slumber parties where you're not supposed to sleep a wink until the next night?"
Having never heard of such a thing but wanting to hear her voice he said yes. She propped herself up so she was staring into his eyes and frowned, obviously deep in thought. "What, Serena? Do I have chocolate on my face or something?"
She made no noticeable response to 'chocolate' but her eyes did sparkle as a satisfied smile found its way onto her face. "Don't worry, Darien, I'll bring you to one of those parties someday soon, then you'll know what I'm talking about." She announced decisively. Darien started and she peered down at him, worry on her features. "Oh gosh, Darien, I'm so stupid! I'll bet you wouldn't want to attend one of those dumb things anyway; I could never stay awake through any of them. I didn't mean to embarrass you, Darien, it's okay if you don't want to."
"Huh?" Her thinking had him off balance. "What are you talking about, Sere? I never said that, it honestly sounds like fun. I was just surprised that you knew I was lying."
A look of relief washed over her face and she pressed her forehead to his chin, her honey-golden bangs tickling his lips. "Oh that was easy, Darien. I may not be smart or graceful or pretty or a good cook but I am good at one thing. I have always been able to tell when someone was lying, it's like, umm, well, take just now for example, it was like your heart was lain bare with the truth seared in your voice, beneath the words."
Darien blinked at her, amazed and angry. Amazed that she had such a command of words when she wanted to and at her special talent and angered that she didn't think that she was pretty, smart or graceful – he wasn't sure whether or not she could cook so he wasn't about to fight with her over that, but as for the other things she mentioned … He used his good hand to cup her chin and lifted her face so he could look her straight in the eye and let her know the truth.
"Now you're the one who is lying." He murmured. Her eyes widened with bewilderment and a frown marred her delicate brow. "You are intelligent, Serena, you just aren't applying yourself. I've been the brunt of some of your little speeches before," It was his turn to look puzzled as she blushed furiously and looked anywhere but straight at him, undaunted he went on, "so I know that you are smart. Maybe you just need some extra help in other subjects, and if so, I'd be glad to tutor you." He smiled as her gaze rose to meet his again. "And even though you can be a klutz, I know you can be graceful because I've seen you dancing in the rose gardens at the park."
"You saw that?!" She asked, her cheeks rosy once more.
"Well, I had followed you to apologize because I'd been extra snide earlier." He gave her a quirky grin. "And I don't know how you can possibly think of yourself as anything less than gorgeous. You are pretty, beautiful, no, no, a fallen angel even, and if someone couldn't see that, they'd have to be blind or dead." He was relatively sure that if her face remained as flushed as it was, she'd be as bright as a rose for life.
"You …" She trailed off, blushing harder and sounding as timid as a toddler missing its parents. "You …actually think that I'm pretty? I mean, I know that Ami is one of those bashful beauties and Raye is like one of those stunning goddesses and even Lita is like Eve, if not an Amazon lust-object," She faltered and looked down at his shirt. "Promise not to tell?" She whispered suddenly.
Confused and wanting to set her back on the right path he merely nodded. She let out a happy little sigh then. "Greg, Chad and Ken said that about them. Those three are totally sprung over them …" She gave another sigh, this one wistful and closed her eyes. "I wish someone could love me that much,"
Darien felt it was time to interrupt. "Serena, haven't you been listening? All of your friends, while talented and good-looking in their own ways have absolutely nothing to stand against you. You're like a radiant queen, well maybe just a blossoming princess right now, but you have just so much beauty! Not just inside either, but outside as well. You're just so modest and unassuming about it that you don't see all the girls longing to look like you and the guys falling at your feet."
She snorted. "More like I fall at their feet."
Darien was crushed to hear her say that, did she really think so low of herself? But then again, he hadn't exactly tried to diffuse that by teasing her all the time …guilt spread over him like the chill in the air. "Serena. Look at me." He paused and gulped, too far now to back down as her glorious eyes met his. "If there is one thing you'll never have to worry about, it's being jealous at your friends for having guys tailing them. Not just because of the ones fawning over you, but also …because …because I, that is …Serena, I …I love you."
There. He'd said it, now he just had to wait to see her reaction. He was afraid to meet her eyes so he stared down at nothing, quietly shattering with every heartbeat that passed without her responding to his declaration. Then she did something entirely unexpected: she crumpled against him, weeping softly and clinging to his shirt as she cried.
"Sere …Serena? Are you all right? Maybe I shouldn't have said, …" No, he stopped himself, he wasn't going to take that back, no matter how much she hated him. She had to know and now he wouldn't deny it.
"Oh, Darien!" She wept, looking up at him through teary eyes. "You have no idea how much I've wished and dreamed and prayed that you could like me!" She cut herself off with a fresh bout of tears. "I know that you don't really like me, even though I want to believe that it's the truth, but you're running a fever and probably aren't even aware of what you're saying. I would never hold you to that, because …because it just doesn't seem possible."
"Serena." Darien said softly, demanding her attention. "I really don't know how to ever make it up to you, I never wanted you to think that I hated you because I have loved you, since you first bopped me in the head with your test paper and I still love you and I don't think I'll ever be able to stop. There are only two things I can think of to prove to you that I never meant to be your enemy." He took a deep breath, steeling himself. "First, I can tell you why it's so hard for me to really open myself up to people and why I lashed out at you even though I cared for you."
"Darien," Serena murmured softly.
"Hush now, just listen," He admonished. "In all my life, as far as I can honestly remember, I've never truly had love, no one had ever loved me and I couldn't remember loving anyone else. I'm saying this because I know my parents must have loved me, and I must have loved them but they died a long time ago, before I was six in a car accident to which I lost my memory. I spent a few months in the hospital where they hoped I could remember something while I healed and while they searched for any living relatives I might have had. They found none." He paused in his narrative, eyes brimming with tears as he thought back. "Shortly thereafter I lost the only two friends I had made since the deaths of my parents, my friend Fiore and a little girl who gave me a rose and who promised to be my family.
"After Fiore left and before the little girl could come back to visit I was placed in the orphanage. It wasn't as bad as most people think, the children mostly kept to themselves, only bursting with life when prospective adults came along. I still wanted my parents, not some strangers and so I stayed hidden during as many visits as I could, but I didn't really have to since the adults liked children who could remember their childhoods. And so I grew up there, never really making friends with anyone except the rose bushes within the orphanage grounds.
"I worked with the roses when I wasn't studying or playing with the neighborhood cats and eventually it was time for me to get out into the real world and start my formal education at Azabu where I met Andrew. He helped me find and purchase my apartment and …he was there, I guess, whenever I needed someone to talk to or vent my steam on and he's the only other person besides you who I've told this to. I made friends with only a few other people at school, mostly some guys Andrew and I study with and then I found a new steam valve. Instead of letting you into my heart, I put up the old shields and vented my anger and frustration on you. I don't think I could possibly be more sorry for how I treated you."
Serena was pensive in his lap, silent tears flowing down her face as compassion and understanding shone in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Darien," She paused and started to cry harder. "I broke my promise! It's not just that you had to grow up all alone, but also because I am part of the reason why you had to grow up alone. I said I would be your family, but then I left and you were gone and daddy tried to help me find you, but …but, and then I gave up! Oh, Darien, please forgive me!"
"I was right," He whispered into her hair as Serena buried herself in his arms. "You were the angel child. Of course I forgive you, Serena, but only if you forgive me." He halted and then continued, albeit shakily. "And don't pity me."
Serena pushed herself back up to look down upon him. "You are one of the strongest, most self-assured people I have ever had the fortune of knowing and believe me Darien, what with all the admiration I had for you, there is no possible space for pity." She started to continue, stopped herself and tried again with no more luck. Finally mustering her courage she met his eyes again. "What was the other thing?" She inquired softly.
Darien felt as though all of heaven had been opened up to him and he used his good hand to bring her closer. "This," He breathed and kissed her, gently but with determination, momentarily surprised when Serena responded by deepening the kiss into one of smoldering passion. Finally breaking off, Darien looked deeply into her eyes, offered his characteristic cocky grin and asked, "Does that prove anything to you?"
Serena blinked dazedly and let a smile lit up her face for a moment before capturing him in a kiss to rival the one they had just shared. Darien's mind was in orbit. If the first kiss had been heaven, then this one must be empyrean and he loved every second of it. Some annoyingly logical part of his brain seemed certain that his euphoria was due to the lack of oxygen but his heart told him otherwise and for once – though around Serena he'd started to do it more often – he listened to his heart instead.
* * *
The snow was piled high all outside, the roads closed until the plows could come by, but the three sailor suited girls had no trouble navigating the slick winter wonderland as they rushed to the arcade. The doors were a bit of a problem for a moment until Jupiter used her powers to short out the doors and pushing them open with Mars's assistance. Mercury held in her arms the almost-frantic black-haired cat that had been most of the cause of the trouble. They closed the doors behind them and hurried to the backroom.
"They're asleep," Jupiter noted, checking the pair on the couch. "Mars, we need some heat. Mercury, they're going to need to get to the hospital to be checked out."
"Stand back," Mars ordered. "Mars Spirit Embrace!" She whispered, holding her hands out from her sides with the palms facing up. A soft crimson glow started to spread from the tips of her fingers, bathing the room in tepid warmth. "There," She noted, sounding satisfied. "This should keep them warm until we can get them to some help." She said, looking at the ruby auras surrounding her friends. "Best of all this will only be visible to scouts."
"Good job, Mars." Jupiter complimented. "Come on, you take Serena and I'll get Darien." The Sailor Scout of Mars nodded and gently scooped the golden-haired girl into her arms, letting Mercury scan her over quickly before heading out the door and taking the distance to the hospital in leaps and bounds that came naturally to the scouts with Jupiter, Darien in her arms, at her heels and Mercury bringing up the tail.
* * *
Raye, Ami, and Lita waited nervously in the cafeteria of the hospital, awaiting word from Ami's mother, Doctor Marie Mizuno, on the condition of their friends. Ami was flipping through a health magazine without actually looking at the pictures or reading the articles while Lita stirred the bland hospital food and Raye sat with her eyes shut and hands clasped together, attempting to reach past her worry in meditation.
"Girls?" A soft voice called. They all broke from what they were doing to look up to Marie. "Serena is fine, she's sleeping right now in one of the recovery rooms upstairs. She seems all right, given the ordeal and her body temperature should be returning to normal shortly." She paused and frowned. "Darien Chiba is another matter however. I bandaged his hand and it shouldn't cause any problems, but he seems exhausted and his immune system is very low. I think, but I can't be sure until I get the blood tests back, but he may have pneumonia. For some reason, he wasn't responding to our sleep inducers and we finally just put him in the room with Serena since it appears that her presence is somehow a reassurance to him."
"What?" Raye gasped. "Darien needs Serena just to sleep easy and recover?"
"I've seen this before. Sometimes people just react better if they're in the presence of loved ones, or if they have familiarity nearby. One little boy suffering from leukemia wasn't reacting positively to his chemotherapy until the hospital okayed his puppy to stay with him and then he miraculously recovered."
Raye seemed lost in thought as Marie led them to the room. "It does make sense, but why would Darien only react like this to Serena? They hate each other." Lita thought aloud. "Well, he hates her, Serena has a crush on him." The tall brunette amended. Ami shared a glance with her mother and shrugged. The girls had powered down before bringing Serena and Darien inside and had sent Luna back to Serena's house, as pets were generally not accepted inside the hospital.
The raven-haired priestess nibbled on her lower lip thoughtfully as Marie opened the door and let the girls in before politely excusing herself. Ami hung back by Raye as Lita moved forward to check for herself on her two friends. Serena stirred in her sleep as Lita clasped her hand but made no other signs of waking anytime soon and Darien seemed just as oblivious in his bed, monitors nearby confirming the status of both and beeping reassuringly.
"Raye?" Ami asked softly.
"Hmm?"
"What's on your mind?" The blue-haired genius inquired, her eyes scanning over the readouts of both Serena and Darien before fixing on Raye's deep violet eyes.
"I think I've finally placed that sensation. The auras surrounding them make sense now." She mused. At Ami's confused look she went on. "Every time I look at Serena I see her surrounded by a pale silver nimbus and a similar one sometimes lit up around Darien, but you'll never guess what I see when they're together like now. There's a brilliant golden aura glowing around both …this suggests that they are soul mates and even when they aren't touching, like now," She said, gesturing, "There's a golden ribbon binding the two."
"For real?"
Raye nodded. "C'mon, Leets, these two will be fine here. We should all go to the temple, I'd like to do a Fire Reading."
"Yeah, sure. Hey, while we're there, can I bake something to give to these guys? Serena's stomach may be a bottomless pit, but I know that even she can't live off hospital food for long. We can call her house from there and tell her family that we're having a slumber party or something." The trio of girls walked out of the room, brainstorming.
Serena's eyes fluttered and a smile spread over her face. "I've got to thank my friends, they're way too good for me." She murmured sleepily. A soft assenting grunt came from the bed at her side and she looked over to see Darien watching her.
"Soul mates, eh?" He asked lightly.
Serena's smile brightened. "I think I could live with that."
"Me too, princess," Darien replied. "Me too."
Serena carefully rose from her bed and slipped in next to Darien. "I'm cold, muffin," She murmured, nuzzling her nose to Darien's. "Sleepy …"
"Goodnight, Serena, sweet dreams," Darien breathed, kissing the corner of her mouth. Serena however was not about to fall asleep with that however and took his face in her hands, claiming his lips for her own, each one ravishing the other for a goodly time before they parted to breath and Serena flashed Darien a dazzling smile.
"Now that is a goodnight kiss," She noted and snuggled closer before joining him in the Land of Nod.
