How to Have Fun
Chapter 8

Author: natia_99
E-mail: natia_99@yahoo.com
Rated: PG

Author's Notes: *trumpets and fanfare* NAT-CHAN HAS RETURNED!!!

*silence*

sob! I've been forgotten! Remember minna? It is I? Nat-chan?
Remember this fic?

sigh.

I know I know, it's about TIME I got this chapter out!!!!
Minna, viruses ate my computer *dodges shoes*

Honest minna!

*dodges tomatoes*

ahhhhh!!!!!


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Seiya Dumont sat in his cloth bound chair with a water bottle
in his slender hand.

He was sleek with long black hair and piercing blue eyes. And
he was slender and fine like a dancer.

He waited patiently for the young dancer Manon was sending over.
A promising young debutant she had said on the phone.

He trusted Manon and was eager to see this new talent.


Serena sat in the fitting room, still in her jeans. She was
terrified.

~I can't do this, I can't do this....~ She kept thinking over
and over.

She reached shaky hands into her bag to pull out her slippers...
and a note fell out with a hair ribbon tied around it.

~Good luck!~ It read, ~We know you can do it! Love Darien
and Rini~

She smiled, and dressed for her tryout.

She emerged onto the stage and Seiya Dumont put down his
water to shake her hand as he rose from his seat. His eyes
were assessing but kind.

"Good to meet you young Serena, I am eager to see you dance."

He watched her stretch and warm up, then tap on her music.

She was lithe and graceful, sweet and genuine. But it was when
she began to dance that his mild eyes turned startled and focuses
intently.

Passion.

It was blatant in every movement. Focus, energy, desire, a little
despair, they were all there.

When she finished he smiled and ushered her to sit beside him

"Manon was right, you dance from the heart. With passion.
And yet....I do not feel your passion is for dancing."

Serena stopped and nearly choked on her water, the bottle
froze in her hand and stayed there rather foolishly.

"Excuse me?"

Seiya smiled, "You are in love."

He stated it simply. As though it were an open
and closed subject.

And she suddenly realized it was.

"Yes." She answered honestly, "I am."

Seiya smiled, "Love is where happiness is
Serena. You must always keep your heart close
to your happiness. Tell me, could you keep that
happiness, that joy and passion, if you travelled
around the world to dance?"

Serena was silent.

"Some people love to dance." Seiya finally
said quietly, "Others bring their love
into their dancing."

She nodded, understanding the difference.

Seiya took her hand gently, "I must confess
my disappointment. I would have loved
to take you around the world and give you
your hearts desire..."

And a sudden look in his eyes made her realize
how far he would have taken that.

And in a strange flight of fancy she saw her life
if she'd never met Darien....around the world
with Seiya Dumont....perhaps they would have
been lovers....and she a dancing star....

But her heart would have been empty. Even
if she had never realized.

Because now it was full.

"But your hearts desire is here I think." Seiya
finished and Serena smiled.

She leaned over and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you." She said simply and walked out
of the room.

Seiya watched her go and shook his head.
More than a dancer's body, a sweet, lovely body.
One made to be cared for and appreciated.

Her lover had better appreciate her, he thought
with a frown....he would be young, like her,
full of passion.....ahhh but love was wasted
on youth, thought Seiya....for in his life, love
had not been genuine....

He frowned suddenly, a flicker of a thought
going through his mind as past lovers and their
ambitions to be stars flitted through.

With resolve he suddenly stood and headed for
the phone....to call Manon.



Darien sat over his books restlessly. His
mind in anguish.

It was selfish to want Serena to stay.
Greedy. One-sided. And yet....if she
could stay, his life would be perfect....

And with startling swiftness Darien
realized--he might love Serena and
Serena only for the rest of his life.

A gaping ache ripped in his chest.
She may travel the world--and rightly
so, and though he wished her well,
the emptiness might never be filled.

There was no regret in the feeling,
just pain. Pure and simple.

But he must paint over it until she
was gone. Must send her away with
a smile. Must pray that this brief
joy, this brief clash with love would
provide memories to ease that ache
from now on.

Rini's voice rang out and he left his
study to greet her. She hurried into
his arms, picture clutched in one hand.

"It's for Serena." She explained.

He nodded with a smile--but if faded
as she held up the drawing. In crayon,
a blue and green earth filled the page.
Serena was drawn in all her pink ballerina
glory, dancing with fat musical notes
around her. And on a faraway corner was
a tiny drawing of a house, Darien and Rini
beside it, sending hearts to her.

He forgot to breath.

"Tomorrow." He said softly, "Tomorrow
we find out if she goes."

Rini smiled, "If all her dreams come true!"

Darien's throat tightened. That was it.
All her dreams. And he loved her too much
to hold her back from her heart's desire.
Her dream to dance around the world.

He knew what he had to do.


The next morning Serena called, bright and early.
He hadn't slept.

He met her in the park with Rini's drawing in
hand. She sat on a bench, looking cool and remote.
He couldn't read her at all.

He sat down next to her and gazed out at the park.
The park from their very first date, when she'd
taught him to have fun again.

The park he had stumbled home through after the
heaven of kissing her.

The park he might have proposed in....

He shut down his thoughts and held out the
drawing, trying very hard to smile.

"Rini made this for you."

She opened it and smiled fondly, then looked
at the little house with Darien and Rini. She
traced them with a sadder smile and Darien
knew the truth.

"You made it. You're going to dance around the
world."

Her startled gaze caught onto his.

"Congratulations Serena!" He blurted, jumping
up and grabbing her in his excitement.

But she remained unmoved and he stilled and
met her gaze.

"I turned them down." She said softly.

"You what?!" He blurted, a dam of emotions
bursting inside him, but he pushed them all
away and tilted her chin with the gentleness
of a lover, "Serena, what about your dream?"

She met his eyes with love pooling in her own
so beautifully he caught his breath, and
she held up the drawing, "Dreams change."

He forgot to move, the think, to count
a single heartbeat. She reached up and cupped
his face, "I used to think my heart's desire
was to travel the world and dance." Her voice
choked as she continued, "Now I know, it's right
here..."

She didn't finish but kissed him and he held her
tightly, possessively, desperately--afraid to let
go.

"Are you sure?" He said hoarsely and her smile
was all the answer he ever wanted. He smiled
and felt the ache in his chest turn to pure
perfect joy.

"What is your dream now Serena?"

She smiled and the humour returned to sparkle
her eyes--eyes he suddenly realized had been
without sparkle this past week. Did he kindle
that beauty? How blessed could one man be?

"Well," She drawled, as they walked slowly
away, "I teach dance somewhere local. And I-"

She suddenly faltered, unsteady, "I settle down
with a family. My family."

He stopped, arm still slung around her shoulders
and turned to grasp her shoulders, "We are. Yours
forever."

And tenderness passed between them like a wave.

He caught both her hands, "Be mine forever Serena?"

She smiled brilliantly, "I already am you crazy
fool!" She threw herself into his arms, "I already
am." Her voice choked with emotion, "I love you."

His eyes turned serious, "I love you too. Marry me?"

She laughed, "Darien!"

He laughed too, "You know I mean it!"

She let his arms catch her as she fell backwards, "I do."
She indulged him, then said it again and meant it, "I do."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, I agree to make sure you have fun for as long as
we both shall live!"

He laughed then, a free laugh and kissed her. And then
they forgot everything, in the park, in the early morning,
where they were home at last.

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ofCOURSE there will be an epilogue! silly minna. ;p