Chapter Thirteen: I'll See You in Court
*"Excuse me Ms Serena, but why is this 'Darien' suing you of all people?" Quatre broke the silence.
"He's suing me because I have his son." She whispered quietly through her tears. A collective gasp went through the room, including Ben's little gasp.
"Momma? What is suing? And I'm your son, so how can I be Mr. Darien's?" Serena cried harder when he asked her the ultimate question. She shook her head and buried it deeper within her hands and arms. Hiiro, watching all of this, decided to take some action. He had sworn to himself to do all he could to protect Serena always, and if he had to help her win a court battle to protect her sanity and son, then he would gladly. He just needed a little support first…
"Duo, take Ben to the park." Hiiro spoke in the silence of the kitchen.
"But Hiiro…"
"Do it. Now." The patented death glare worked every time with Duo. The braided boy bent down to Ben and gently got his attention.
"Hey sport, want to go to the park for a while?"
"Will Mr. Hiiro take me?" Ben wanted to know.
"No, but I was thinking you and me could go. We could even get some ice cream and see the animals…"
"Yeah! Let's go Mr. Duo!" His mother completely forgotten, Ben skipped out the door with Duo in trail.
"But Hiiro man, when I get back, I want the details." He warned. Then he shut the door and ran to catch up to the bouncing boy.
"Hiiro?" Serena asked, now trying to collect herself. She couldn't understand why he had just sent Duo out to the park with her son, but she was glad he had. Now she wouldn't have to explain what was going on to make 'momma' cry. But she still wondered what Hiiro was up to.
"Quatre, what is your current knowledge of- Serena, what's he suing you for?" She realized where he was going with this and wanted to put an end to it. She couldn't let him do this…
"Hiiro, no. You can't be serious. Look, I appreciate your wanting to help and all, but you've already done so much for Ben and I, I just can't let you or your friends do this. It's something I have to handle alone."
"What did he sue you for woman?" Wufei asked her annoyed.
"Please, you don't have to…"
"What?" Trowa pressed.
"But…"
"Ms. Serena, you've helped us too, more so than you'll ever know. Please, Hiiro's right, let us help you." Quatre added. The buzzer rang.
"I'll get it." Hiiro told them, leaving the room. As soon as he had left hearing range, his friends set in.
"Serena, listen. Hiiro has never ever laughed before. He has never ever wanted to hold a child before last night. He has never been as warm and open as he has been since he met you and Ben. You've helped him, and in turn helped us. I don't know how, but you have. Now please, let us repay you by helping you." Trowa told her quietly. Serena's jaw dropped. She didn't understand how she could have effect one man like Hiiro as much as they said she had. It just didn't add up in her mind. She was a nobody, a nothing with little to offer. Yet here were four, well, three, boys who swore she had changed their friend's attitude in a total 360. How?
"I want to see my son now! You heard me gun boy! Let me in!" A loud screeching voice traveled in through the kitchen. Bells went off in Serena's head and she quickly stood and rushed to the door. Not to be outdone, the rest of the boys chased after her to see what the commotion was all about.
In the doorway stood a tall, tanned man. He had nicely combed pitch-black hair and midnight blue eyes. His clothes were nice and told the story of money. Ill-earned and used money. His handsome face was squirreled up in a devious snarl. Each of the boys had the epiphany that this was Serena's ex-lover and the man who was now suing her, Darien Mamoru Chiba.
"Serena! Where the hell is my son! I want to meet him!" He bellowed as soon as he saw Serena.
"Well Darien. He could be hiding under his bed from your disgusting appearance, which is where I'd be if you scared me anymore. Or he could simply be out playing around. Either way, you can't see him."
"You little! I took you out of that hellhole of Tokyo. I got you away from your damned math tests and stupid parents. I freed you. And this is how you repay me?" He snapped at her.
"Freed me? Darien, you are the biggest creep I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. You not only destroyed any chance I had for being a decent high school student by poisoning my mind, but you also ruined what shaky relationship I had with my parents, who did love me at one point. Yeah, so you got me out of Tokyo. You also got me pregnant and left me on the street. I didn't have any place to go, no clothes, furniture, food, home, nothing. All because of your libido. Get a fricking life and stop trying to ruin mine and Ben's!" She pushed Hiiro out of the doorway and slammed the door in Darien's face. She took a moment, thinking of something. Then she opened the door again. Darien was still standing their, jaw to the floor.
"And by the way, Dare-baby, I'll see you in court. I hope you've got some good lawyers, 'cause you're looking at mine, and believe me, they're the best." She slammed the door again. Leaning up against the closed door, she allowed herself a small taste of satisfaction. It felt good to release the pent up anger she had stored in her bones since the day she had found out he had left her.
"Does that mean you'll let us help you?" Hiiro asked her.
"Hmm. And let's not only go to court to win, but to kick his butt!" She threw her fist into the air as if to confirm her conviction. The boys simply stared at her. "Well?" She said meekly shrinking back down. "That is what we're going to try to do, right?" This time they all laughed.
"Yeah Serry, that's what we're going to try to do." Hiiro said through his laughter. She leaned into him and he brought his arms around to hold her waist. If only they could be this comfortable always.
The other boys saw the two's position and inwardly smiled to themselves. It looked to them like two people were just getting closer and closer. And now Hiiro had a nickname for her? Hmm…. This was going to be one interesting court case if they continued like this. But they said nothing, just continued to laugh.
"Well, then let's get to work!" Serena said. Now she would prove she could make it, she could survive, and so could Ben. They would prove they would be ok, prove it was possible to survive in the concrete jungle even when they felt alone.
)(
"Ok, so we've covered how you got here, and how he left you. How did you get your apartment after you found out you were pregnant?" Quatre asked her, munching on one of the Oreo's she had put out for them to eat. Serena and all five of the guys were sitting around her coffee table discussing details so they could prepare to defend her during the court trials. Ben was playing 'Mr. Hiiro to the rescue' in his room; his GI Joe action figure was Hiiro. Serena sat back against the couch and thought. What Quatre was asking her was hard. How had she managed to get an apartment?
"Hmm. Well, I remember I wasn't even two weeks pregnant with Ben at the time, so no one could tell I was pregnant. I found this apartment, and they weren't charging much. They did, however, want a down payment so I could rent it. I remember I only needed five hundred for the down payment. I just didn't have the money. So there I was, pregnant and homeless. I was walking down the street looking for a place to stay the night and I walked by a club. Some woman was storming out of it and she looked furious. A man was calling after her and begging for her not to go because she was needed for her act. I offered to fill in for the girl's act, what ever it was, for the five hundred dollars so I could make my down payment. He said he would only give me three hundred, but I was so desperate I said yes. Didn't even know what I had said yes to at the time. Twenty minutes later I was pushed onto a stage and told to strip. I never could make it past my underclothes though, that part always scared me to much." She paused to take in the faces of the boys.
Trowa looked mildly surprised. Wufei was disgusted. Quatre was shocked; it was written all over is face. Duo was half surprised and half drooling. Hiiro was stoic and unemotional. Well, she had known Hiiro had recognized her from the strip club. She just hadn't known the others still hadn't put two and two together.
"You stripped?" Duo asked her, trying to wipe his drooling mouth unsuccessfully.
"And still do. I thought you guys recognized me. I saw you in the club three nights ago. It's where I met Hilde, Duo."
"You were the Moon Goddess act! The only one that didn't take off her bra!" Quatre had the epiphany. Then he looked around and blushed. "What? I can't be a man sometimes too?" HE said meekly. The rest of the guys laughed.
"Hey guys, keep it down. I may strip, but Ben doesn't have to know that!" Serena told them sternly.
"He doesn't know?" Trowa double-checked.
"Of course not! He's a little boy! Look. I'm nineteen years old. I have a four-year old son. I have blonde hair, blue eyes, supposedly a great body, though I don't think its all that great, and I'm single. If I go into court, I'm going to lose. What judge is going to take the word of some single mother who looks like me and strips? I mean, I might as well be a prostitute for all he cares. In fact, when he hears I'm a stripper, he'll think I am a prostitute. And the only man I've ever slept with is Darien, because he promised to marry me and love me forever. And I fell for it, hook, line and sinker." She blinked away hot tears. She was not going to cry. She wouldn't give Darien the satisfaction of it even if he wasn't there.
"She's right." Wufei said. "The judge is going to have a hard time taking her side, especially if she still dances."
"So what can we do? It's not like I can lie about what I do, Darien's guys have probably already got the four-one-one on me and my 'dancing' career." She told them, sighing. She had known it was too god to be true. What chance did she stand in a court battle against a respectable guy like Darien was rumored to be?
"Momma? I'm hungry. What's for dinner?" Ben came racing into the room.
"I don't know baby. How does spaghetti sound to you?"
"Yeah!" He turned to Hiiro and threw himself at the older boy. Hiiro caught him in his arms. "I love paseghetti. And momma makes it good too." Hiiro had to laugh at the little boy's antics, they were just too cute.
"And of course you'll all stay as well? It's the least I can do for all the help your, err-a, well, trying to give me." She half laughed and half smiled a fake smile. All of the boys caught onto it but understood the reason for her slight depression.
"We'd love to Serena-" Duo was cut off by Trowa elbowing him in the gut.
"- but I'm afraid we can't. You see, we all have dates with our girlfriends tonight." Quatre finished. Duo caught on. Serena didn't notice and continued.
"Oh, that's too bad. I mean, that's good for you guys and your girlfriends, but it's too bad you can't stay. Well, promise me you'll let me make you all dinner one night and we'll call it even." She smiled.
"But since Hiiro doesn't have a girlfriend, he'd love to stay." Duo put in slyly. Hiiro rolled his eyes at the braided oaf.
"Oh. So Hiiro, since Duo's already spoken up for you, would you like to stay…
"And have paseghetti!" Ben finished his mother's sentence.
"And have spaghetti. I mean paseghetti. Err, spaghetti. Whatever. Does that mean you'll stay?" She was flustered, and it showed on her reddened cheeks. It was almost as if she was asking Hiiro out on a date, and she hadn't done that in many years. Heck, she had never done it. But she wasn't asking him out. They were just friends- right? She couldn't take the pain that came with dating- right? She didn't have time, and she already had everything she wanted- right? Then what was she thinking? Still, her blush held and she couldn't help but feeling slightly tingly inside when he smiled at her.
"I would love to stay for paseghetti." He had seen her blush, oh yes, he had seen it. And somehow, he liked it. He liked the fact that his presence made her uncomfortable. He liked the way she smiled at him, and he liked the way Ben wasn't afraid of him, even when he gave his best death threat to the little boy. He also liked Italian.
"Then it's settled. See you guys tomorrow!" Duo cried as he the other three pilots left the apartment.
)(
"So then she says 'Can I help you?'" By this time Hiiro was pounding the table laughing. Tears were coming out of his eyes he was laughing so hard. Serena too, was doubled over in laughter. Poor little Ben was sitting in his seat and blinking.
"Momma? I don't get it? What was wrong with the last man the lady met?" Hiiro and Serena looked at each other and laughed harder. After they had sat down at the table to eat, Ben had begun telling jokes. Pretty soon Hiiro and Serena were telling their own jokes, well Serena was at any rate. Hiiro didn't know very many, only the few very dirty ones (the result of listening to Duo too much) he would rather not repeat in front of Ben. But Serena knew a good many 'adult' jokes that Ben couldn't grasp the concepts of. That made them twice as fun.
Anyone who looked in the tenth floor window of Serena's apartment would think they were one big, happy family. As the laughing quieted and Hiiro wiped the small tears from the corners of his eyes, Serena cleared their dishes and began washing them in the sink. Yup, just one big happy family. Hiiro watched Serena at the sink for a moment, then gave a short nod.
"Ben, go watch some T.V., alright? I'm going to help your mother with the dishes, and then we can all go out for ice cream." He told the little boy quietly. "But don't tell your mother, it'll be our secret."
"Ok." Whispered back the little boy. He ran to the family room and sat down to find some cartoons. To his delight, Pokemon was on. It enthralled the little boy and he stayed glued to the television. Hiiro watched him for a moment thinking how cute and carefree he was. So unlike his mother and himself. Serena was a mere child when she had had Ben, and because of it she had had to grow up faster than normal. He too, had had such a childhood that he had learned to grow up far before his time. It wasn't fair, it really wasn't. But there hadn't been anyone to help them, to stop them from growing up too soon. And now the cycle would begin again. For millions of children it would begin again. Well, at least Ben wasn't one of them. Knowing Serena, she would keep him as innocent as possible for as long as she could. Well, at least the cycle would end there. He stood and stretched. Then he made his move.
Serena had been peacefully washing the dishes like she did every night. She was rinsing off the plates from lunch's pb&j burping fiasco, quietly minding her own business. That was, until she felt someone sneak up right behind her and press his body against her own. She shivered deliciously and pressed back against the warm and solid form behind her. Closing her eyes, she dropped the plate she had been holding back into the soapy water in the sink and half smiled. The arms from the person lifted and began to softly massage her lower back. They moved up and finally reached her shoulders. As the strong hands moved in towards her neck, she unconsciously let herself moan.
He heard her moan and figured he must be doing something right. Hiiro pulled her in closer to him and kept massaging her shoulders. He could hardly believe that this girl, woman, would let him so close to her. He felt as if he had been given a special treasure, one that he intended to never let go. Now that he had seen Darien and his antics he knew why Serena was frightened to have another relationship, but even if it took him a while, he knew for sure that he wanted a relationship with Serena.
His warm hands made her cold shoulders and neck flame with each tender caress she became more and more enamored by Hiiro. She could smell his clean scent- like soap. His soft sweats pressed against her small pink tank top and navy blue jean shorts, making her wish clothing was suddenly non-existent. He felt so perfect, so… destined for her… that she had a hard time keeping her wits about her.
"Let's forget about those dishes." He whispered in her ear. "Let me take you and Ben out to ice cream."
"Mmmm…. Ice cream." She opened her star-crossed eyes and let them come into focus. Should she or shouldn't she accept his offer? "Only if you promise to have me home by curfew." She told him, twisting around so that now her stomach was pressed against him.
"And what's your curfew kewpie doll?" He looked down onto her face, mocking her with his trademark smirk. She was driving him mad. It hadn't been so bad when her back had been facing him, but now that he could see her porcelain face, feel her warm breath, and feel the sensation of her heart beat against his chest, his sense were being overloaded to the maximum.
"My curfew. Hmm, let's see. I'd say eight thirty?"
"Your parents are strict." He played back.
"Only because I have a four year old son."
"Makes sense. Not that I like it. But it makes sense. Let's go daddy's little girl, before he decides to call out the national guard and lock me away for wanting to take his adorable daughter and grandchild out."
"Well alright then, let me get a sweater. And you and Ben should too."
"Roger that Admiral Serry. This is Private Yui, over and out." He mock saluted her and bowed. She laughed and playfully hit him on the arm. This guy was so strange. He was supposed to be emotionless. But here he was, laughing and playing games, seducing her and taking her and her son out for ice cream…not that she minded. As she Hiiro and Ben slipped out the doorway, She neglected to catch the little portion of her mind that had said 'seducing her'. Maybe she was tired of being alone. Maybe she really thought she had a chance with Hiiro. Maybe she unknowingly loved him. But whatever the reason, she let it slip, just this once.*
