Okay, I don't own Sailor Moon. I did, however, write the song contained in this fiction, so please don't steal it without permission (you didn't really think I'd write an entire fiction about a music band and not subject you to one of my horrid songs, did you? J). Thanks a million to everyone who reviewed, I'm sorry for not responding, but I've had major computer problems, which also explains why this chapter took me so long. It does not mean I don't care! Enjoy!
Serena was working the opening shift at the arcade when the other members of her band, lead by Raye, ambushed her.
" Serena!" Raye said loudly. Fortunately it was still early and there weren't many patrons in the arcade at that time.
" Hey guys", Serena said meekly. She wisely stood behind the counter, while Raye slapped down a few of the morning's newspapers in front of her.
" Have you seen the headlines yet?" Raye asked impatiently. Without waiting for a reply the woman explained. " After your little stunt yesterday, your face and ours are plastered all over the papers. Look at this ' Angel saves streets from Riots', ' Muse of Music Serenades the Savage Crowds', 'Lunatics live up to Name', or my favourite ' All Mighty Band puts fans before the All Mighty Dollar'. Do you realize what you've done?"
Serena nervously hopped from foot to foot. Even now, she had no idea what had possessed her to stand up and sing in front of all those people. Especially when you considered how terrified she usually was in front of strangers. " I'm sorry Raye… I didn't mean to…"
" Oh, I see. You're sorry. You hear that guys? She's sorry", Raye said, turning to their three friends. Mina, Lita, and Amy tried to look nonplussed. Raye decided she had teased Serena enough, " She's sorry for giving us the best promotion we have ever had!" Raye finished excitedly. The three other women burst into grins.
" I've had so many calls this morning from agents and companies that you would think we were the hottest band in the country", Raye said happily.
" We are the hottest band in the country. Heck, in the world", Mina chimed in.
" True, but now everyone knows it. Or at the very least they know our name. Although I don't think Beryl is very happy with us, she seems to think we stole her spotlight", Amy said.
Serena finally had the presence of mind to respond, " That's such a lie. I mean she deserted her fans!"
" Indeed she did, but that's music industry politics for you", Setsuna said, coming into the arcade with Darien in tow. Serena tried to pretend like she didn't notice how Darien and Setsuna seemed much more at ease with each other this morning. " In fact, it is my sad news to report that you have been dropped by Nemesis Music Company, they feel it is important that they appease their big star, Beryl, rather then your band."
Everyone in the arcade went quiet. Serena felt horrible; she hadn't thought her actions would result in anything that could harm their band.
" Serena, Serena, Serena", Raye said, sadly shaking her head.
" Nemesis also dropped me, or rather I quit when I heard that they were going to penalize you for doing what was right. Fortunately, Rainbow Productions, a small company that was also in the crowd yesterday to experience your little production, hired me again on the spot".
" Don't tell me I offended them too?" Serena asked fearfully.
" Well, you all certainly caused a stir", Setsuna said slowly. " They told me that any band that put themselves on the line for their fans, is the kind-of band they want to represent. They not only want to sign you for your very own record deal, but they also want to finance a big promotional campaign and take you guys on tour. Congratulations, everyone", Setsuna finished, a smile on her face for once.
Serena took a moment to digest the news, before glancing up at her friends. They were all wearing similar looks of wonderment on their faces, before finally erupting into screams. Serena practically vaulted over the arcade's counter so that she could hug her friends. The few people in the arcade wondered why the group was so excited, but were smiling anyway at their enthusiasm.
" We're going to be a real band!"
" We're going to make a real record!"
" We're going to go on tour!"
Serena is hugging me! Darien said just as happily in his head. Indeed Serena had thrown herself at every member of the band, seemingly unaware of the effect her innocent hug had on Darien.
Rainbow productions wasted no time getting their new clients the 'Lunatics' into the recording studio. Setsuna, because the company knew of her existing rapport with the band, had been assigned the responsibility of overseeing all the 'Lunatics' actions. She became their agent, their manager, and their confidant almost overnight. Two weeks after signing a contract with Rainbow studios, they were all sitting in a restaurant, discussing the final touches to their first official album, entitled 'Madness' after their headlining song.
" I know we've discussed this, and I know you're all still uncertain, but I really think having Darien as one of the vocals would give your band a lot more range and variety", Setsuna said.
" And we agreed. That's why I have a mike now", Darien said, still not overly sure that he was happy with the idea.
" Yes, but you're still barely a back-up singer. I was thinking of one big song, where you took centre stage", Setsuna said.
" What if…" Raye began, still sipping her diet coke thoughtfully, " what if me and Darien shared that new song of ours, 'Who do you think you are'". (AN: stolen from the Sailor Moon: Luna Rock CD put out by Dic. Just so you know).
" Share it, how?" Lita asked.
" Like, it could be almost a fight between us. You know, I could sing ' though I'm on time, you show up late', and then Darien could sing the next line", Raye said, breaking in to song briefly.
" 'Without a word, you break our date'", Darien sang accordingly. " I guess I could handle that".
" That will be perfect", Setsuna said happily.
" Okay, Darien and I can go over the lyrics later today and work out who says what, and to make sure the song still makes sense. We can be ready for the recording studio as early as tomorrow morning", Raye said.
Serena gave a little sigh as she watched Darien leave with Raye and Setsuna. Was there still something between Setsuna and Darien? They seemed to share a lot of long talks over coffee, and were often together and slightly apart from the group when the band was all there. And now there was this connection with Raye. Not that she believed there was anything between Darien and Raye save the music – Raye was happy with Chad anyway, but it meant that they had an excuse to be alone together. Serena remembered with fondness those days when she'd had him all to herself while teaching him the band's songs.
" Serena? You still with us?" Lita asked, noticing how her friend was still staring at the door Darien had departed from nearly twenty minutes ago.
" Yeah, sorry. What were you saying?"
" We thought we'd go do a little shopping. You know; get a few things for when we go on tour? We've got a little money now to spend", Mina said. " Come on, we deserve a break."
" We sure do! I want some nail polish, dark green preferably. Hopefully that will detract attention from my calloused palms', Lita said, holding her rough hands out for all to see.
" Nail polish, I could use some of that too. Though my nails are so short, I don't know if it's worth it", Serena said laughing. She had to keep her nails short since she preferred to use a guitar pick, and didn't want to accidentally snag a cord on her guitar.
" You girls are thinking too small! We're going to be rich and famous, I can just feel it. I want a completely new outfit. Something to drive Andrew wild", Mina said, a devilish gleam in her eyes.
" Hell, you could drive that boy wild dressed in army fatigues", Lita said laughing.
" What can I say? He's smitten, and so am I. I think this one is a keeper. What do you think Raye would say if I asked Andrew to come work for us as a sound technician? He's out of University for the summer and we already know he can do the work".
" You just want to be able to take him with you when we go on tour", Serena said.
" True, but it doesn't mean he wouldn't do a good job", Mina said.
" I think it's a great idea, and when you ask Raye, I'll come too. I want to ask her if we can hire Ken as our resident roadie", Lita said.
" Want to keep him close too?" Mina asked slyly.
" No", Lita said blushing. " You know it's not like that between us".
The three other women looked at each other and Mina winked. " Of course it isn't, Ken isn't interested."
" Not true, I could make him interested if I wanted to", Lita said, defending herself before realizing that was what her friends had wanted her to do. " Point taken. Now let's go shopping! Coming Amy?"
" Absolutely. I want an outfit to drive Greg crazy as well", Amy said, winking at Mina.
" Maybe we should start off in the lingerie department?" Mina suggested, looping her arms through Amy's. Lita and Serena walked behind Amy and Mina, and shared a glance.
" What do you say we ditch them when we get to the mall, and load up on chocolate while they load up on flashy underwear?"
" Serena, you read my mind", Lita said, laughing quietly. " Men, bah, who needs them?"
" Not us, especially when chocolate is such a ready substitute", Serena agreed.
***
Raye and Darien's song was the final touch to their album, which was then rush released to the public. Serena almost had a car accident when she was flipping through the radio stations, and suddenly their song came on the airwaves. It was terribly exciting to be getting payment and recognition, for all their hard work (AN: on an unrelated topic, feel free to e-mail me and monetary contributions are always acceptable… Get Back! Author has slipped into mercenary mode, run, run for the hills! Before it's too late! J). ' Who do you think you are' and 'Madness' were what were known as 'instant successes'. It always made the band laugh when they were described as overnight sensations, since for them it had been years of hard work for little reward to get where they were.
" Now, the company has decided on a theme for your tour. It's to be called the 'Rainbow Crystal Tour'", Setsuna said from behind her desk in her cramped office. The assembled band members looked at each other with similar expressions of chagrin.
" Rainbow Crystal Tour? Doesn't that sound a little… girly?" Lita said, wrinkling her nose.
" Makes us sound like a bunch of hippies. Far out man, groovy", Mina joked.
" I know its not the best of names, but the 'Rainbow' part comes from the company name, obviously, and as for the Crystal part, it's the owner's daughter's name, so I wouldn't go shooting your mouth off about how silly it sounds", Setsuna said coolly.
" Actually, when you put it like that, I think it's a fantastic name", Serena said loudly and conspicuously. The other's caught on and began praising their benefactor's good sense. A little shameless flattery can go a long way, it was decided.
" If you're all done sucking up to the company that gives you your pay-checks, I'll continue with the tour plans. We have you booked in venues clear across the country and you can expect to be gone for a minimum of three months. I'm going to be coming with you and acting as your manager, so to speak. Now, in keeping with the crystal theme, I thought it might be a nice idea if you all picked a favourite colour and then we'll use those colours in the stage design and in your costumes. That way people will get a more personalized and special experience when they come to your shows", Setsuna said, pen poised over a pad of paper to take down their choices.
" I get it. Like, I choose Red, and we'll have a Ruby Crystal show where everything is in shades of red", Raye said, liking the idea.
" Actually, you'll all get four shows where the colour you choose will dominate. Now, what crystal colours do the rest of you choose?"
" I want… sapphire. A really deep blue, you know?" Amy said, after a brief pause.
" Green. Definitely green for me", Lita said. Mina stuck her tongue out at her friend,
" You know I look terrible in green! Oh well, I want, um, orange or yellow or gold. Something like that".
" Okay, yellow will probably show up best. Darien?" Setsuna asked, scribbling away.
" Oh, I don't care. Someone pick something for me", he said. Everyone looked at him and tried to imagine what his signature colour should be. He was wearing his customary black jeans and black T-shirt, so the choice on everyone's lips was black, but that really wasn't an option, since most things would be black anyways and because black wouldn't catch the lights.
While they were thinking, the door to Setsuna's office opened and a small girl of about seven years of age entered calmly. She seemed unfazed by the amount of people in the office and approached Setsuna. Standing next to Setsuna, the resemblance between the two was remarkable. The little girl had silky black hair, cut cleanly to shoulder length and a business like expression in her black eyes.
" Darien?" The little girl asked, her eyes widening slightly with happiness.
" Hey kid, what are you doing here?" Darien said gently, crouching down and giving the shy girl a hug.
" Babysitter is away for this week, so she's been an angel coming with mommy to work everyday and behaving", Setsuna said. " Come here, my big girl. These are some friends of mine, you remember that new band I was telling you about?" The girl nodded, and climbed into Setsuna's lap while Setsuna introduced everyone by name. " This is my daughter Hotaru, she'll be coming with us when we go on tour."
" That'll be fun. We're trying to come up with a colour for Darien. Any thoughts, Hotaru?" Amy asked.
Hotaru considered the question for some time before stating, " Purple".
" Purple, huh? Fine by me, thanks Hotaru", Darien said. Setsuna wrote down the colour on her pad, and then said,
" That just leaves you Serena, what colour do you want?"
" Umm, I don't know. How about silver?"
" Silver? Who has ever heard of a Silver Crystal?" Raye asked sceptically.
" Oh, who asked you?" Serena said, rolling her eyes at her friend.
" Actually, silver will look really good on stage. Good that's done. Now I have a few more arrangements to make", Setsuna said. Hotaru whispered in her ear and Setsuna sighed. " We'll be done in a bit, darling, can you wait until then?"
" Wow, you must be so bored sitting in an office all day", Serena said cheerfully, noticing Hotaru's glum expression.
" No, it's okay. I have lots of homework to do," Hotaru said seriously. Serena pretended to gag.
" Homework? Have you even seen what the weather is like outside? Setsuna, would it be okay if I took her outside for ice cream?"
" I'm not sure, Hotaru do you want to go?" Setsuna asked, secretly glad for Serena's offer. Hotaru nodded to her mother. Serena grinned and waited for Hotaru to slip off her mother's lap and come to her. Hand in hand they left the office.
" That's surprising, I've never known Hotaru to go with anyone she doesn't know", Setsuna said.
" Yeah, I remember how long it took her to get use to me", Darien said, recalling the weeks and months he had spent getting to know Setsuna's daughter. " But that's Serena for you, everyone's friend."
The details of the tour were worked out and soon the day arrived when they would be leaving their hometown for the great unknown. Facing fate and destiny from the seat of a Winnebago… Perhaps a motor home was not the most poetic of choices for transportation, but it sure was comfortable. Andrew and Ken had indeed been hired to help out the band; Andrew was an assistant sound technician and Ken was responsible for the instruments and their wiring. Chad would be staying behind, since he had to manage the store, and Greg was taking summer classes at the University so that he could finish school a little earlier. Needless to say, Lita and Mina were ecstatic about the arrangements, while Amy and Raye were a little sad to be so long without their significant others. Serena just felt nervous about being in such close quarters with Darien for an extended period. Fortunately, or unfortunately, depending upon her mood, Darien spent much of his time with Setsuna and Hotaru. Hotaru was taking school by correspondence and Darien was happy to help her out with some of the more difficult material.
Road travel was actually quite fun. They ate junk food, stopped at cheesy tourist traps like the world's largest Beer Bottle, and played tons of music. The concerts had started off in small locales with even smaller audiences, but their songs were becoming more and more requested on the radio, and gradually their popularity grew. They started to get fan mail and record sales were taking off. After a month of touring, they began playing in large concert style venues to sold-out crowds. None of them would ever forget what it was like to arrive in a city where tickets to their show were the hottest thing going.
After playing for three nights in a row, to three sold-out crowds, the band was given a two-day rest. Instruments were left out on the stage that Rainbow studios had hired, so that the band could practice without worrying about setting up constantly. Of course, because of their busy schedule, nobody felt much like practicing.
Lita wandered off the stage and headed towards their hotel building. In the lobby she passed by Raye and Mina who were signing autographs for a group of guys. Andrew sat nearby clenching his jaw every time Mina giggled – which was every two seconds or so. Lita sighed since not one of the good-looking guys asked for her autograph.
" Nobody ever notices the drummer", Lita complained, as she approached Ken who was sitting at the hotel bar.
" I notice her", Ken kidded, and ordered Lita a beer. " I definitely notice the drummer, because your instrument is such a pain in the ass to carry".
" Not quite what I meant, but thanks, I guess", Lita said, accepting the beer and taking a long sip. Ken and Lita spotted a table near the back of the room and moved over to it. The table was quiet and they ordered another round of drinks. Lita thought about how comfortable she felt with Ken. Just being able to sit and share a drink with him was something she treasured. Eventually the mood and the alcohol mellowed Lita out to the point where she started to talk.
" Ken, can I ask you a question?"
" Of course. But I probably won't answer it, I really don't like you all that much", he teased. His smile was all she needed to know he was kidding.
" I'm trying to be serious here! Do you think…"
" Occasionally", Ken said, interrupting.
" Shut up, geek!" Lita said laughing. " I just wanted to know, if you thought I was… Well, our male fans are always approaching Raye and Mina, and they have boyfriends. Amy is engaged, and well Serena is…"
" Serena is Darien's obsession, as if that's not totally obvious", Ken said.
" Yeah, so I'm just sort-of wondering, why not me? I mean, am I horribly disfigured in some way that I'm not aware of?"
" Well, you're kind-of tall and gangly. And I shudder to think of your long legs, and toned body", Ken replied.
" Do you think, maybe, I'm not feminine enough?"
Ken took a sip from his mug and looked hard at Lita. He had only been kidding before but it was obvious what Lita needed was a serious answer.
" Lita, I think you're worrying for nothing. If guys don't approach you, it's probably because there a little awed by you. You're a very capable and independent woman; we males know your looking for the right guy, not just a guy. It can be a little daunting. As for being feminine", Ken looked her up and down critically. " You want an honest opinion on that, too?"
" Sure, I think I'm probably drunk enough for a little criticism", Lita said.
" You have an athlete's body which is definitely appealing, I like that you're so tall, you have killer eyes, you look better in pants then skirts because of your ass, and no guy would ever consider you at all masculine thanks to your rather impressive rack", Ken said bluntly. Lita's face was flaming and she let her head fall to the table with a thunk.
" I lied, I'm not drunk enough for the truth", Lita said, voice muffled.
" Too late. I also think you have a great sense of humour, a loyal and true personality, and you cook like a dream. Any guy who doesn't notice that doesn't deserve you", Ken said, patting her head.
" Thanks Ken. But so far you're the only guy to ever notice all that about me", Lita said sadly.
" I know. I wonder if that means I'm getting close to deserving you?" Ken said gently. Lita lifted her head and stared at him with a stupefied expression. " Don't look so surprised, I've had a crush on you for years."
" What?!" Lita practically screamed.
" Hey, relax. I know that you don't feel the same way about me, and I'd rather be your friend then nothing at all. I'm exhausted Lita, I think I'll go to bed. Night", he said calmly, like nothing at all had happened. He gave Lita a kiss on the cheek and sauntered out of the bar. Lita signalled the bar tender to pour her another drink; suddenly her world had turned itself upside-down. Ken liked her? He had had a crush on her for years? Sweet, lovable, 'made her feel small in comparison', Ken, had romantic feelings for her? It was so ludicrous, and ridiculous… and, and, fantastic, wonderful, perfect! Lita slammed her mug down with an exclamation of satisfaction. She left the bar with an earth-shattering smile on her face that had nothing at all to do with alcohol.
Serena had been sitting in her hotel room that she was sharing with Amy, Lita, and Raye, bored out of her mind, when she decided to try and find her friends. Knowing they were somewhere in the hotel, she wandered around, and finally found Raye and Mina talking with a group of young men who she recognized as coming from that days audience. It really didn't appeal to Serena to make small talk with a group of strangers so she left Mina and Raye alone. She spotted Lita and Ken in the bar, but seeing their intense faces made her decide to leave them alone also. Amy was sitting in a deep armchair in the lobby talking on Setsuna's cell phone. Her tone of voice and bittersweet expression made it clear that she was talking to Greg, so Serena left her alone and wandered back up to her room. On the way she passed Setsuna's room. The door was partially open, and Serena could see that Setsuna was going over some paperwork at the small table, while Darien was reading Hotaru a bedtime story. It was a scene of domestic bliss that almost made Serena's heart break.
Everyday she wrestled with the idea of simply blurting out to Darien that she was head over heels in love with him, but in the end she always held back, fearing rejection. Imagine if he didn't return her feelings, and then they had to continue working together for the remaining part of the tour? It would be so humiliating. And if there were something between Setsuna and him, well, she would feel even more embarrassed. Sighing, Serena made a quick stop at her room to pick up her classical guitar before heading outdoors and across the street to the stage where they had been playing. The guard recognized her and let her inside. She flipped on the main spotlight so that it hit the centre of the stage before sitting herself down in that halo of light, her feet swinging gently off the edge of the stage, her arms wrapped around her guitar.
She breathed deeply and let her thoughts wander. It was always so peaceful in a theatre when there was nobody else around. The smell of the old fashioned wooden floor boards and the warming overhead lights was so familiar and comforting to her that she often came down to sit on the stage and just think - as long as she could be sure there was nobody around to intrude on her privacy. Sometimes she thought of her father and how he had taught her to play. She wondered what he thought of her now, if he was proud of her success. In her mind's eye she imagined the theatre packed with adoring fans, calling out for encores, while her father and mother sat in the front row clapping wildly. Eventually, her thoughts turned to more current matters, namely Darien. She sighed again and closed her eyes, letting her thoughts come out through her fingertips and onto the guitar strings.
Knowing she was alone, she let herself start to sing, playing along gently with her guitar and feeling the healing balm that always came when she expressed herself musically.
I wake up and face
the morning
And my thoughts
turn straight to you
Curl down deeper
into my bed
Oh how I wish my
dream were true
But then I guess
I'd have to tell you
That I long for
your embrace
And though I ask,
it's only in my dreams
When you don't
laugh back in my face
Darien finished reading to Hotaru, who had the dazed, sleepy expression on her face that meant sleep was only minutes away, and stood up slowly.
" Thanks for reading to her. She really missed you, when we broke-up", Setsuna whispered.
" I missed her too, she's a great kid. And I suppose it's only fair that I say, I missed you too Setsuna", he said.
" Darien, you know…" Setsuna said, already defensive.
" No, I don't mean romantically. It took me awhile but I began to see what you meant about us. We weren't ever in love, were we?"
" We loved each other, and probably still do, but we weren't 'in' love, no. I'm glad we get to see each other now though. You're right; I did miss you. I missed having someone level headed to talk to, and I missed how you really listened to me. I missed having someone so dependable always within reach, and I missed having someone help me with Hotaru. I'm always afraid that I don't have enough to give her, you know?"
" Of course I understand. What do you say we make a deal right now to always keep in touch, as friends?"
" I'd like that", Setsuna said. Darien held out his hand and they shook on it, laughing softly. " Now, as your friend, I'm telling you to get out of here. Take a break, okay?"
" Yes ma'am", Darien said. He cast a last look at Hotaru and gave Setsuna a small wave before heading downstairs to find some company. He spotted Andrew giving a bunch of men the evil eye and approached him.
" Hey Andrew, what's up?"
" Nothing much. Just coming to terms with the fact that my girlfriend likes to be the centre of attention", Andrew said tightly.
" Oh, have you seen Serena around?"
" She passed by here with her guitar. I think she was headed over to the theatre for some practice. Raye says she does that sometimes when things are quiet", Andrew replied, eyes never straying from Mina's laughing face. Darien decided to head over to the theatre and see if Serena wanted to grab something to eat. Serena was always up for food.
Darien nodded to the security guard who let him inside.
" Is my friend here? Long blonde-hair, blue eyes, carrying a guitar?"
" Yeah, she's here. Just started serenading me with a song. Nice voice she's got, quiet though", the guard said. He went and sat back down in his chair by the theatre door. Darien skirted around to the back of the stage, not wanting to interrupt Serena from singing. He entered through a door that led to the foot of the stage and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Serena. He felt a little like Romeo, since he could have sworn he had never seen true beauty until this night.
Her hair shone like golden sunlight under the lights, her skin was like polished ivory. Her eyes were closed and her lips parted as she sang. Her voice was nowhere near as powerful as Raye's, or as clear and strong as Mina's. It was a soft, lilting, almost wistful voice that faded out into velvet notes as she caressed every word with love and meaning. Darien watched entranced as she continued to sing her song; a song he had never heard before but which seemed to speak to him as though every word was meant for him.
There will come a
time
Sometime
When you will turn
and see
I will count the
seconds
And I will count
the days
Until you fall in
love with me
We will be
together in time
Days, months,
years, whatever
Sometime
Just a day like
all the others
Everything is
going fine
Casually we talk
of weather
What if I never
cross this line?
And what we have
is just so easy
I feel I shouldn't
even try
But when you leave
there's something missing
There must be a
reason why I cry
There will be a
place
Somewhere
At this point
you'll turn and see
I will travel many
miles
And I will travel
down all roads
Until you fall in
love with me
We will be
together in this world
Land, sea, air,
whatever
Somewhere
I don't mean that
I'm unhappy
I don't need you
for life to start
It's just I look
at you and wonder
Are you what's
missing in my heart?
While I know
you've never hinted
That things
between us could ever change
I don't think I
can keep pretending
As it is I'm
acting strange
There will be a
way
Somehow
When you can
finally see
I will figure out
the puzzles
And I will figure
out the troubles
Until you fall in
love with me
We will be
together I believe
Thought, hope,
trust, whatever
Somehow
Got to the bus
stop, same time as usual
All the same I was
too late
Maybe its some
kind-of omen
You could move on
while I debate
Arriving home I
feel so tired
Didn't know that
thoughts held weight
I suppose the
answer is to tell you
Too bad today was
not that day
I am going to find
you
Someone
I will turn and
there you'll be
I will not give up
in looking
And I will not
give up for longing
Until you fall in
love with me
We will be
together, you and I
Friend, love,
soul, whatever
Someone
Sometime is when
we'll be together
Somewhere is the
place we'll meet
Somehow this will
all work out
Someone won't
admit defeat
Sometime may be
coming soon
Somewhere we will
always be
Somehow we will
find each other
The last words of the song were sung a little stronger, with a hint of something akin to desperation woven in. Darien blinked and approached the stage not really knowing why, but unable to turn away.
" Darien! How long have you been there?" Serena asked startled.
" Long enough to hear most of the song. It's really beautiful, who wrote it?"
Serena flushed; embarrassed that someone had caught her at her utmost vulnerable. " I did. It's nothing really".
" You're wrong, it's something. Did you ever consider letting us play it as a band?"
" It's not really our style. No, this song is just for me. And I guess for you now too."
" We have our song then. I like that. Something beautiful just for us", Darien said, voice deep and almost husky. Serena was drowning in his gaze, unable to break free and unwilling to care why. Darien could still feel the plaintive quality of the song and her voice, pulling him closer, daring him to take that chance. Sitting on the stage edge as she was, Serena was at eye-level with Darien. Inch by inch, centimetre by centimetre, they drew closer, as though the music was a net drawing them inexorably together. Darien's hand reached out to stroke her face, his musician's hands impossibly light, while Serena's eyes drifted to a close. They both leaned in, and finally their lips met in a kiss that had been waiting to happen since the day they had first met. A kiss that meant more then even they could possibly imagine.
Happily ever after? With at least two chapters to go? I think not. Still a few surprises left! Song is still mine, it's called 'Sometime, Somewhere, Somehow, Someone'. Please review! Still looking for people to make rude comments about my laziness so that I'm motivated to get to work on the further chapters (it actually works!)
