Hey everybody! This is the next part of The Professional. WARNING: major Out Of Character Heero Yuy, a little angst-y, and some major, major mushy scenes.
Dreanertwin: sorry, but the senshi come in later episodes, so Serena is not a normal teenager. Gomen.
Zero: I'm keeping your idea in mind, thanks for suggesting it.
PS&PS4Ever: I read your review and it occurred to me that I did make this similar to another fic. Sorry. The fic is called; It's just Love by Angelight; but my fic won't be anything like it (promise ^_^)
Special Thanks for reviewing to…
Blue~people~Rock (thanks for what you said, I write my stories to make myself happy, but it's nice to know others enjoy them so much as well!)
MarsMoonStar (glad I can write well enough to grab your attention)
Zero (thanks for the kind words, I'll try my hardest to get all the chapters out soon)
Sweet Sere (Like I'm going to stop at just one chapter!)
Sweet Sere (I'll update as soon as possible. At least I write well enough to have so many people ask me to KEEP writing)
Alexz (thank you would not be enough. You review for so many of my stories, it's nice to know I'm that good. I'm going to have to find out your email address or something so I can send you something!)
Night Eyes (keep your eyes posted 'cause they're coming soon!)
Rubii Kimu-Chan (sorry Hun, but Heero won't be in character much longer. The joys of being able to make your own plot!!)
Dragon (I have to agree with you, Relena can be alright. My story (have I posted that one yet?) any ways, it's titled The Warrior in Black, it's my first attempt at a Usa/Zechs romance, and it has very little Relena bashing (and it's not the kind your used too) But I'm glad you like all my stories!)
Lady love (the chapters are coming, keep your pants on!)
And with those out of the way, on with the story!!!
The Professional
Chapter One – The Rainstorm Brake-up.
Rain clouds had been hovering in the Sanq Kingdom since dawn, so it wasn't entirely unexpected when a light drizzle began falling right around lunchtime. Serena was right in the middle of art classes, and the soothing sound was the perfect accompaniment to her teachers less-than-thrilling lecture. Art classes were normally the only thing keeping Serena from going insane under the pressure of the rest of her classes, but today was only a theory lesson, which was making Serena equally as bored. Thank god she was meeting her boyfriend after classes were over for the day.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Serena and Darien always met under the old oak tree just on the edge of the collage campus. Darien Chiba was three years ahead of her, and was studying to be a doctor. Taller than Serena with classical dark good looks; Darien had ebony black hair that went to just above his ears with fine bangs covering his forehead, dark blue eyes the colour of the sky at twilight, and handsomely aristocratic facial features. He was more of a brain than a fighter, but even so he still had an impressive build with broad shoulders and long legs.
They had been dating for nearly six years, ever since that night in the starlight tower. For the first 2-3 years their relationship was like every other madly in love couple. Around 2 years ago, however, just as Serena started to attend collage with Darien, the spark had seemed to die in their attraction. They no longer went out to spur of the moment movies, he rarely sent her roses like he used to, she still tried to surprise his once in a while by turning up at his apartment to take him out to dinner, but most of the time he was either out at study sessions with friends or doing extra curriculum activities with his professors. The thrill had gone out of their relationship and the once doting couple were now only familiar faces to each other.
'Maybe it's time to take things to the next level.' Serena thought to herself as she waited under the sheltering branches of the familiar oak tree. Darien was the first person she had been in a serious relationship with. Before that she had only had silly schoolgirl crushes and games of catch-and-kiss in preschool. So it was natural that she was almost obsessively in love with Darien. Serena had this thing about not being accepted. She was a naturally friendly and outgoing person, and she was hurt easily if someone was mean or rude to her. Maybe that was why her friendship with Heero was a little strained.
"Serena." The girl jumped at the voice spoken close to her ear. She gasped and turned, only to find that the person who had surprised her was Darien. Her tense frame relaxed as she put her hand over her accelerated heart. She was deeper in thought than she had realised.
"You surprised me, Dare." She smiled at him before wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a hug. But Darien didn't hug her back. His reaction was to gently grasp her wrists and pull them away from him.
"Darien?" Serena gave him an innocently confused look and the older man felt guilt raise in him for what he was about to do, but he pushed it aside. He had to do this. It wouldn't be right if he didn't.
"Serena, we have to talk." He stated seriously. His girlfriends face grew slightly more serious as her eyebrows drew together.
"Sure. Why don't we head to the crown and get something to drink while we do?" She asked him.
Darien sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "No, Serena. I need to talk to you now. This is important." His voice was strained and weary, almost making him sound old.
"Okay…" A sinking feeling rose in the pit of Serena's stomach but she pushed it aside. This was Darien. They were soul mates, he would never hurt her.
"Serena, you know that I would never hurt you. But I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, about my life and the direction it's going in." Darien turned from her face to stare at the people a few meters away as they hurried to get out of the worsening rain. "When I first woke up in the hospital after the crash that took my parents lives and destroyed my own, I was so afraid. I had no parents, no home… no one to love me. But as I grew well enough to wander around the hospital I saw so many others worse off than myself. I wanted to help those people, and I chose to help them by becoming a doctor. For as long as I could remember it's all I ever wanted.
"But then I started having dreams about Princess Serenity and everything changed. Her pleas dominated my thoughts. I have never, ever regretted meeting you Serena, my beautiful moon princess. But ever since then my dreams to become a doctor have practically been sacrificed for the 'greater good'! I'm sorry, Serena. But I can't give up on my dreams so easily." Darien steeled himself for the hardest part of his speech.
"I love you , Serena, and Rini will always have a place in my heart. But I think it would be best if we spent some time a part.' Serena's hand shot up to clutch at her chest, almost as if she was trying to hold her heart which was slowly shattering.
"D-Darien?! You don't mean that, surely!!" Her panicky tone hardened as her stricken mind tried to deny what Darien was saying. "How could you do such a despicable thing?! This is no matter to Joke about! Jeeze, I almost thought you were serious there for a moment." Serena's eyes had narrowed slightly in a reproving glare and Darien almost growled. As much as he loved this girl, this was one of the reasons their relationship had failed. After so long with no one, and then to be bombarded with emotions was just too much. She was too caring, too infatuated with the perfect relationship that could never be and he often felt smothered.
His large hands clamped on her shoulders to keep her from pulling away, his eyes locked with Serena's. "I wasn't joking, Serena. I may have loved you in the past, and who knows, maybe I love you in the future. But this is what I'm feeling now. I'm sorry!" Serena felt her whole world come to s shuddering halt, just before it crumbled into dust. A hollow ache gripped her chest and the blonde struggled to draw breath. Darien… didn't love her anymore?
"D-Dar-ien?" Her azure eyes shimmered with tears. "I don't understand. Did I do something wrong? What abut the Moon Kingdom? What about Crystal Tokyo?"
Darien sighed. "Serena, please understand. I will forever be grateful that I met you and got to learn about my past. Endymion will always, always love Serenity, but I'm not Endymion anymore and I can't let what happened over 1000 years ago ruin my life!" A silence enveloped the two as Serena turned her shimmering eyes to the ground. Oh, yes. Breathing right now was extremely difficult. Darien began to shift uncomfortably from one foot to the other as Serena's silence unsettled him.
"Look," He finally spoke. "I have a study group to get to. Can I give you a lift to your apartment?" Serena kept her eyes on the ground and shook her head, no. "Alright then. Goodbye… Serena." Shooting her one last apologetic look that the ebony haired man knew she wouldn't see, Darien turned and left.
Serena vaguely heard his footsteps fade through the numb barrier that had engulfed her. Her entire chest ached, her jumbled thoughts ricocheted around her head, and everything from her toes to her fingertips to the top of her head was void of feeling. They had gone through so much; death, rebirth, separation, Seiya's affections for her. What had gone so terribly wrong?! Not Beryl, Ann and Allen, Diamond, Fisheye, Hawkeye, Fiore, or even Chaos himself hadn't torn them apart! So what was so strong as to turn Darien against her?
Serena didn't know how long she had been stayed standing under the sheltering oak tree before the world began to come into focus again. Her body remained numb as she stepped into the rain that was now coming down in heavy, violent sheets. Serena noticed none of this; the void of feeling Darien's words left in her blocked the cold stinging of the rain. Her Black pants, white baby tee and thin pink jacket were quickly soaked. Her hair sopping an her customary 'meatballs' were falling undone from the extra weight of the rain. Nobody else was crazy enough to be outside in this terrible weather, so nobody stopped her as she walked slowly home.
Darien was her soulmate, the reason she was glad to be alive. So what was she gong to do without him?
***
Heero scowled as he stared out the window at the nearly black sky. Serena still wasn't back yet. Even taking into account the fact that Serena had a date with her boyfriend, Darien, it shouldn't have stalled her so long. The steady beat of rain only increased Heero's agitation. Something stirred in the pit of his stomach, something akin to discomfort mixed with anxiety. With a growl the young man grabbed his leather jacket and went to find his roommate. Didn't she know he worried when he went out?
Heero didn't even have to go passed the front of their apartment building before he found Serena. The sight of his roommate froze him in his tracks. Oblivious to the world around her, Serena stood; face upturned towards the sky, golden hair out of her normal bizarre hairstyle and damply hanging loose. Her book bag sat, soaked, at her feet, discarded without a second thought. Her wet clothes clung to her frame, outlining every curve to perfection.
Her outline was made hazy by the rain, making the already beautiful girl seem more like a vision of an angel than a flesh and blood mortal. But then her face caught his attention. Heero found himself squinting to make out her features. Tears ran visibly down her cheeks, mixed with the rain that pounded her face. The cheerful look that Heero had begun to think was as permanent as the sunrise was replaced by the bleak look of heartache that he knew all too well during his time as a soldier.
A jolt of shock ran through Heero as he saw Serena in such a state. What on Earth could have done what Heero thought to be impossible and make Serena cry?! The boy shook his head and moved towards Serena. That was a question for another time. What mattered right now was getting Sere out of the rain.
Serena's eyes slowly opened as she felt a hand land on her shoulder. Not turning around the thoroughly soaked blonde tilted her head back to see her roommate standing behind her. Her normally sparkling azure eyes were dull and blank as they closed for a split second before opening them again. The deep currents of pain practically radiated off her in waves, and Heero could almost feel them slam into him.
Their eyes locked and emotionless prussian eyes echoed endless azure hues. They say that the eyes are the window to the soul, and Heero shuddered to think that Serena could be in as much pain as her eyes showed her to be. Something inside him stirred as he thought about what could have inflicted so much hurt in someone so bright and cheerful and innocent. Heero raged at the world for such an injustice. She didn't deserve this!
"We need to get you inside." Heero broke the silence, grabbing Serena's wrist. His voice was low and husky and smooth like velvet. Under normal circumstances it would have made the blondes knees buckle, but she was still numb from her confrontation with Darien. Gently she pulled her wrist from her roommates grasp and sat down on the bottom step of the stairs, her eyes closed once more and tipped her face to the sky.
"No.' Her voice was strong but barely audible over the drumming rain. "I'm not fit for company right now."
"Heero glared. "You'll get sick if you stay out here." But the only answer he received was a vague shrug of the shoulders. Heero narrowed his eyes in a glare; but Serena was spacing out again and ignored the burning on her back. Heero couldn't believe Serena would just sit there! She was normally a very sensible girl who knew to relent when she was wrong, even if she didn't particularly want to. She knew not to let pride get in the way. So what was going on now? Complete 180!
"Hn." He grunted as he sank down beside her. It was a controlled flop, full of masculine grace that was a prominent feature in Heero Yuy. The warmth of his presence soaked through the ice surrounding the girl's thoughts, stirring her from the bleak oblivion of her own mind. Her azure eyes locked onto him in disbelief, not really accepting what she saw.
"Heero?" Questioned Serena.
"Hn." The boy grunted back. This was his trump card. Serena's kindness and love for everyone around her wouldn't allow the girl to sit there and do nothing while he was getting sick because of her. The two never really got the chance chance to talk to each other, but that didn't really matter to Heero. Their relationship was steady and constant, even if it wasn't intimate. He could always count on the simple fact that her golden aura would calm him troubled soul and her mere presence fill the gap that had been torn open when his humanity was beaten out of him.
What are you doing?!" A confused Serena tried to draw a logical analysis of their current situation and coming up blank.
"Waiting for you."
That just confused Serena more. "But… why?" Heero turned to lock eyes with his roommate and once again prussian stared into azure. A part of the ex-pilot was actually startled at the question, even though he was expecting it. He was sitting there to force Serena to come inside so that she wouldn't fall ill with pneumonia. But was there something else that had made him sit down beside her, well within touching distance?
"To keep you company." His clipped reply cut his musings short. He had to focus.
"I don't want company," Serena broke eyes contact and returned her attention to the sky. "Go inside."
"Not without you."
Serena chuckled wryly. "There's no point in me going in. I'm perfectly happy right here."
::God, you're stubborn!:: Heero thought, vexed, as he shifted his position so he had his back to the brick railing of the stairs and his arms crossed over his chest, his head tilted down and his closed eyes hidden beneath quickly soaking bangs. "I can wait."
Serena sighed deeply. "Heero." She wasn't sure why Heero could be so stubborn about leaving her be now when normally they stayed steered clear of each other. This little episode merely strengthened Serena's theory that; "Even if she was given a million yeas she would never ever figure out the enigma that was Heero Yuy."
A gust of wind swept over them and neither could suppress the shudders that shook their bodies. Giving another sigh over the fact that her roommate was not going to budge, Serena leaned forward to scoop up her book bad and stood.
"Fine, fine. You win. Let's get inside." Heero hid a smirk as he stood in one fluid motion and followed Serena inside. They didn't talk on the way back to their apartment, both dripping wet and shivering. Opening the door both were careful not to drip too much on the carpet as they entered. Serena's book bag was dumped at the front door, and her long hair rung out in the kitchen sink.
"You should probably take a shower." She commented to Heero as she took a couple of towels out of the linen closet and disappeared into her room. The boy blinked as he stared after her, not quite sure what he was expecting to occur once they made it back to their apartment but this was definitely not it. Whatever happened to Serena must have been reel bad to have such a deep effect on her.
Storing the thoughts away for a more appropriate time, Heero went to have a shower like his roommate suggested. The hot water felt good on his body, after the chilling cold of the rain. But it did nothing to relax his tense muscles. Too much stress had been building lately.
Quickly finishing his shower, Heero towelled himself dry and redressed in a pair of faded jeans and a black tee shirt, the boy went to tell Serena she could have a shower. His first knock went unanswered, so he tried again. When he still didn't receive a reply his hand went to the knob and twisted it. The latch released and the door opened silently. The only light came from the window where the fluorescent light of a street struggled to filter through the gloom of the storm. The layout of Serena's bedroom was simple; the bed lay to the left against the back left-hand corner, the window was just to the right of her bed with a cushioned window seat, and her desk was to the right of the window in the back right-hand corner. Her wardrobe was against the front left-hand corner, to Heero's left as he stepped into the room, and her damp clothes lay with the towel she'd grabbed on her way in front of it. As his eyes adjusted to the dark lighting, they landed on Serena. Her golden blonde hair fanned around her on the bed, her left hand rested on her pillow next to her face, and her chest rose and fell with steady breaths.
She was asleep.
The steady sheets of rain still drummed against the window in an incredibly soothing beat which created and almost romantically intimate atmosphere. His footsteps were silent on the carpeted floor as he walked forward. He'd never been in a situation like this; never felt so comfortable around someone, even in such an intimate setting. Heero gazed down at the girl's sleeping form. It was true. No one could make you more content to just be than this girl.
A hand strayed on it's own free will to brush a stray bang from her forehead. Oh, no. There was no one like this girl.
Okay peoples. From the date this is posted there will be two weeks until the polls close. And I will only be continuing ONE story, so chose wisely! Thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed all my stories. I really appreciate what some of you are saying and I'm glad you like them. Have a Merry Christmas everyone!!