Chapter 4
Finding the Others
I cried. In the middle of the club, in front of my co-workers, I cried on Serena's shoulder. I hadn't cried since the night I last saw her. And seeing her there, in the club, brought back everything I'd gone through, every night I'd stand at my window in my rundown flat and watch the street below, every time I'd seen a blonde haired girl with her height and my heart had leaped with joy only to find out that it was only a stranger. The years I spent trying to forget it all came back to me. And I cried. Tears of happiness that finally, it was all over.
I left work, telling Bill that I had business to take care of, that I didn't know when I was returning - if at all. I didn't mind leaving. Even though I'd had friends there, I hadn't gotten very close to anyone. I didn't care that I was leaving. Serena was back and that was all that mattered to me.
As we walked to my apartment, I talked lightly of the things I'd done since I saw her last, not telling Serena much about the time I spent in Japan after I left her and before coming to the states. I didn't ask her many questions. I knew that Serena would tell everything once we were all together.
When we got to my apartment I sighed happily that I was home, asking Serena how she liked the building as I unlocked the door. When the door opened, I saw something in the darkness. It was a figure of a man and he stood as though he was waiting for me. I froze, reaching for the light just inside the apartment. Serena just went on in, not afraid of the figure, and turned on the light.
"Raye."
I was again shocked. "My god, Darien, you haven't changed a bit!"
He laughed when I said that. But it was true. Serena had changed, she'd grown older, more mature and graceful, as though the seven years with a purpose such as hers had given her reason to act, finally, like a queen. But Darien had always looked like Endymion. He had always held himself in such a manner that when he walked by you, you could not stop yourself from watching and knowing that he was destined to greatness. And he hadn't changed at all.
After a moment of staring at him I went to hug him. It was wonderful. I hadn't felt that safe since I could remember. He was there, with Serena, in my apartment, ready to begin creating Crystal Tokyo.
After we caught up, things got serious. Darien and Serena sat in front of me, on my couch and told me what they'd done since disappearing.
"We've done a lot. I don't want to tell you everything since Ami and Mina aren't with us yet. But we will tell you that in Tokyo there is a house waiting for us and that Andrew has kept in constant communication with me. He's been working with me since night we last saw Malachite."
I nodded, pouring wine into three glasses. "When do we get started on finding the others?"
"As soon as possible," Serena replied and shook her head at my offer of the wine. "We've lost a lot of valuable time looking for you guys, you and Ami were very difficult since you'd done exactly as we asked."
"What about Mina?"
"Mina never does things quietly."
I nodded my head at that one. "When do we leave?"
"However soon as you want. We don't have any plans set in concrete. How soon can you get your stuff taken care of?"
"This week. I can get this stuff sent to Japan by Friday."
"You have the available funds?"
I smiled. "I've saved everything I could for this day. Besides, after my grandfather died, I was sent my inheritance by Chad. See, Grandpa left everything to Chad once I disappeared on the promise that if
Chad ever found me, he'd give it to me. I ran into him here in San Fransisco, he and his wife have lived here for about five years, and when I convinced him who I was he gave it all to me. I own the temple now. When I get back to Tokyo and all my main duties to you are accomplised, I'm going to run the temple by myself."
"That's great about the temple, though I'm sorry your grandfather died. He was a funny little old man."
"I'm sorry too. What Malachite did to us worried him about me. Once we turned ourselves in, he got sick and it just progressed from there. I like to think he held on for as long as he could but deep down I know that once I disappeared he probably gave up." I stood and took my wine to the kitchen. "Well, atleast I'm okay now," I said quietly and without much emotion. I looked at Darien. "Give me to Wednesday instead of Friday. I want to get started on finding the other two as soon as possible."
He nodded in understanding. We didn't speak for the rest of the night.
By Wednesday everything in my apartment was on its way to Japan. I spent the last night in San Fransisco alone in my apartment, just as I had spent my first night.
Finding the Others
I cried. In the middle of the club, in front of my co-workers, I cried on Serena's shoulder. I hadn't cried since the night I last saw her. And seeing her there, in the club, brought back everything I'd gone through, every night I'd stand at my window in my rundown flat and watch the street below, every time I'd seen a blonde haired girl with her height and my heart had leaped with joy only to find out that it was only a stranger. The years I spent trying to forget it all came back to me. And I cried. Tears of happiness that finally, it was all over.
I left work, telling Bill that I had business to take care of, that I didn't know when I was returning - if at all. I didn't mind leaving. Even though I'd had friends there, I hadn't gotten very close to anyone. I didn't care that I was leaving. Serena was back and that was all that mattered to me.
As we walked to my apartment, I talked lightly of the things I'd done since I saw her last, not telling Serena much about the time I spent in Japan after I left her and before coming to the states. I didn't ask her many questions. I knew that Serena would tell everything once we were all together.
When we got to my apartment I sighed happily that I was home, asking Serena how she liked the building as I unlocked the door. When the door opened, I saw something in the darkness. It was a figure of a man and he stood as though he was waiting for me. I froze, reaching for the light just inside the apartment. Serena just went on in, not afraid of the figure, and turned on the light.
"Raye."
I was again shocked. "My god, Darien, you haven't changed a bit!"
He laughed when I said that. But it was true. Serena had changed, she'd grown older, more mature and graceful, as though the seven years with a purpose such as hers had given her reason to act, finally, like a queen. But Darien had always looked like Endymion. He had always held himself in such a manner that when he walked by you, you could not stop yourself from watching and knowing that he was destined to greatness. And he hadn't changed at all.
After a moment of staring at him I went to hug him. It was wonderful. I hadn't felt that safe since I could remember. He was there, with Serena, in my apartment, ready to begin creating Crystal Tokyo.
After we caught up, things got serious. Darien and Serena sat in front of me, on my couch and told me what they'd done since disappearing.
"We've done a lot. I don't want to tell you everything since Ami and Mina aren't with us yet. But we will tell you that in Tokyo there is a house waiting for us and that Andrew has kept in constant communication with me. He's been working with me since night we last saw Malachite."
I nodded, pouring wine into three glasses. "When do we get started on finding the others?"
"As soon as possible," Serena replied and shook her head at my offer of the wine. "We've lost a lot of valuable time looking for you guys, you and Ami were very difficult since you'd done exactly as we asked."
"What about Mina?"
"Mina never does things quietly."
I nodded my head at that one. "When do we leave?"
"However soon as you want. We don't have any plans set in concrete. How soon can you get your stuff taken care of?"
"This week. I can get this stuff sent to Japan by Friday."
"You have the available funds?"
I smiled. "I've saved everything I could for this day. Besides, after my grandfather died, I was sent my inheritance by Chad. See, Grandpa left everything to Chad once I disappeared on the promise that if
Chad ever found me, he'd give it to me. I ran into him here in San Fransisco, he and his wife have lived here for about five years, and when I convinced him who I was he gave it all to me. I own the temple now. When I get back to Tokyo and all my main duties to you are accomplised, I'm going to run the temple by myself."
"That's great about the temple, though I'm sorry your grandfather died. He was a funny little old man."
"I'm sorry too. What Malachite did to us worried him about me. Once we turned ourselves in, he got sick and it just progressed from there. I like to think he held on for as long as he could but deep down I know that once I disappeared he probably gave up." I stood and took my wine to the kitchen. "Well, atleast I'm okay now," I said quietly and without much emotion. I looked at Darien. "Give me to Wednesday instead of Friday. I want to get started on finding the other two as soon as possible."
He nodded in understanding. We didn't speak for the rest of the night.
By Wednesday everything in my apartment was on its way to Japan. I spent the last night in San Fransisco alone in my apartment, just as I had spent my first night.