{{{ Chapter Two }}}
The drive back to the office was a silent one, the scowl on Serena's face not dissapating the entire time. 'Well, that was the quietest, most tension filled meeting I have ever had with either of those two,' thought Setsuna to herself. Walking into the tower, Setsuna smiled slightly as she noticed that everyone was stepping out of their way. All the people who normally called out a happy hello to Serena and Setsuna, took one look at Serena's cold stormy face and quielty backed away. The BING of the elevator reaching the 8th floor woke Setsuna from her daydreams. The startled look on everyones faces, including Raye who never seemed to be surprised by anything Serena did, was enough to really worry Setsuna.
The moment the elevator doors opened, Serena stormed out of the confined space. Ignoring everyone, she stormed though the room, into her office and slammed the door behind her. Everyones eyes on her the entire time, when faced with a slammed door then turned to Setsuna questionallly.
Treatenly Raye asked, "What did you do to her?" But a withering glance from Setsuna was enough for her to refrase her question. "Do you know what's wrong Setsuna?".
"Not really, but I intend to find out." Walking over to Serena's office, she knocked twice before opening the door and entering. "Serena, you look tired, go home early."
Tireldy Serena muttered, "I'm fine Setsuna, besides, its not even lunch time yet, I can't go home now."
"Serena." Her boss replied sharply, "I said to go home, you can and you will. Go home now." With that, she walked back out of the small office and with a quick shrug of her shoulders to the rest of the staff, she went up to her office on the 23rd floor.
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DING DONG… DIIING DOOOONG….
"Ohhhhhh….. all right, I'm coming, I'm coming," muttered Serena as she put down the book she was reading. Getting up from her nice comfy place on the couch she trugged towards the door. 'This better be important…' Opening the door, Serena stared in shock at the person in front of her.
"… … …"
"Hi Sere, mind if I come in Hon?"
"Huh? Oh, no, of course not, sorry. Come in Sam." Inwardly sighing, Serena resigned herself to the fact that she wouldn't be able to get back to that nice romance novel after all.
"So…, hey, are you all right? To put it bluntly, you don't look so great babe," asked Sam while holding his arms open to Serena.
'Wow, I'm so lucky to have a guy like Sam.' Smiling weakly Serena let her boyfriend draw her into his warm embrace. "I'll be alright, I just had a rough day at work."
"Well then, come, lets go sit down on the couch. You look you could do with a really good cuddle," he answered with a friendly grin. Walking over towards the couch, Sam sat down and pulled Serena into his lap. Wrapping his arms around her, he rested his chin on the top of her silky blond hair while her cheek was against his shoulder.
Smiling Serena relaxed in his warm, comforting embrace. 'I feel so happy and relaxed. So very warm… So then, why am I imagining stormy blue eyes? Sam's eyes are brown… who has blue eyes? Mina, no not Mina's eyes…'
Smiling, Sam looked down at his girlfriend. "What are you mumbling about Hon?"
"Darien…" 'Darien has blue eyes… why am I thinking about Darien, I'm sitting here with Sam I shouldn't be thinking of Darien.'
"Who's Darien?"
"Huh? Oh… Darien?" 'Ooops, thinking out loud…' "I had this fight with Darien today, he's a guy at our offices on 12th Avenue. I used to know him when I was younger. It was hate at first sight," laughed Serena akwardly. "So, anyway, what ya doing here?" she asked changing the subject.
"Actually I was wondering how you'd feel about a nice relaxing dinner out tonight?"
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After a lovely dinner, Sam droped her back home. Showering and climbing into bed Serena tried to sleep. However sleep seemed to elude her as she tossed and turned all night. 'Blue… blue eyes,' her muddled mind thought as she was partially asleep. She finally fell asleep and dreamed of a tall, well built man, who's face she could not see, but with stormy blue eyes and silky black hair.
Waking up, Serena rolled over to look blearily at the clock. 4am… "I am insane" she muttered as she rolled over to go back to sleep. Unfortunately for the young blond sleep was not going to come to her again this morning. Flopping on to her back, she tried to recall the lovely dream she was having before she woke up. 'A gorgeous man… brown eyes… no that's not right, blue eyes… yes blue… and brown hair… no, black hair… I miss Sam… no Darien…' Sitting up wit a start, her eyes opened wide Serena exlaimed, "Darien… why was I dreaming of Darien? Ahhh….."
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BING
Looking aroung the room, Lita smiled slightly when she saw Mina and Raye by the windows. "Good Morning Mina, Raye".
"Lita? Hey girl, good morning," replied Mina.
"Morning Lita, hey you live in the same apartment complex as Serena right, do you know where she is this morning?" asked Raye worriedly.
"Actually, that's why I'm here, I was going to take her out to lunch. She's angry and upset about something. She left home this morning at about 5:00am, she said she wanted to go to work early. But both Amy and I agree that is not like her, and it was obviuos that she hadn't slept all night," replied Lita with a sigh.
"She's here?" asked Mina surprised, "and here we thought she must be reallly late when actually she was here before us."
"I'm worried guys" mummbled Raye.
"Don't worry, everything will be okay. I'll take her out to lunch and then find out what's wrong" Lita assured the others.
The quiet opening of an office door drew everyone's attention to Serena as she stepped out of her office. "Hey Lita" she said, with a slight smile, "what ya doing here?"
"Serena, hey, actually I was in the neighbourhood and wanted to know if you'd come out to lunch with me. What do you say?"
"Oh, my, will you look at that" said Mina admiringly from the window.
"What" asked Raye and Lita.
"The hottest, sexiest guy I have ever seen just rocked up in a red farrari" said Mina, trying to take the attention form Serena.
Taking the que from Mina, Lita asked, "What colour is his hair?"
"Black."
"What about his eyes Mina," asked Raye.
"I can't see from here," answered Mina with a glare at Raye.
Serena who had walked over to the windows herself answered Raye's question. "He has piercing blue eyes, that can turn from the lightest summer blue sky to the coldest stormy waters you have ever seen." In answer to the amazed look on Mina's face, she said, "I don't need to see those eyes, they are forever ingraind in my memory." Sighing she truged back into her office and quietly shut the door.
"What the…" began Raye.
"Wait, Mina you said balck hair right" asked Lita.
"Yeh."
"Absolutely perfect body?"
"Ah, yes actually."
"Oh my god," running up to the windows Lita looked out quickly at the young man they were discussing. One glance confirmed her fears. "Oh my god," she repeated as she turned and lent her back on the window and slid down slowly until she was sitting on the floor. "It's Darien. She's upset because of Darien… well that explains everything."
"Darien, who?" asked Mina and Raye.
"Dairen Chiba."
"Mr. Chiba, that's THE Mr. Chiba?" asked Mina with another quick look outside.
"What has he got to do with Serena?" asked Raye.
"Darien Chiba is Serena's worst enemy ever, and probably her greatest and only true love" replied Lita with a sigh.
BING.
"My god, he's even better up close, he's absolutely gorgeous," muttered Mina.
Getting up quickly, Lita sighed. "If you even slightly value Serena's friendship, do not even so much as think of going near him" she hissed to Mina and Raye. Walking towards the elevator where Darien was standing slightly unsure of where to go, she said quielty and cooly, "Darien, hello."
Hearing his name, he turned and saw, of all people Lita. "Hey Lita. I didn't know you worked here," he said.
"I don't," she replied. "I came to see if Serena was okay, considering she looked like hell when she left home this morning at 5.00am," she said accusingly.
"5am, Serena, are we talking about the same person," he asked jokingly trying to lighten the tension developiong.
"This is no time for joking Darien. My best friend is running herself down, she didn't sleep last night and she has been in her office working for 6 hours without even coming out to so much as say goodmorning to her co-workers." Threatenly she added, "I dare say this is your fault, and I suggest you stop hurting her right now, or I swear, I'll KILL you this time."
"I hardly think that's necessary, for your information I only came to see if she was okay. We had a run-in yesterday and I wanted to see how she was," he replied quietly.
"I'm just looking after my friend. And in answer to your question, no she's not okay".
"Darien, I think maybe it would be best if you left," interupted Setsuna, who had come in unoticed.
"I'd like to see her first," he replied.
"She knows you're here Darien, if she wanted to see you, she would have come out by now." Said Lita softer this time. "I'm sorry, truly I am, but I do think you should go."
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'Well, that was weird,' thought Mina as the elevator doars closed behind Darien. 'I've never seen Lita so angry. She's so protective of Serena… wait a sec.' "Why does Serena need protecting from Mr Chiba?"
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'Kami-sama,' thought Darien degectadely as the doors closed. 'I was not expecting to have to fight through Lita just to get to Serena. Well fight isn't exactly the right word. I came all this way only to be thrown out by Lita in 1 minute.' "Then again it was that or to get thrown out by Lita after a five minute fight, I'd rather leave with a little pride intact. Ohh…sh…." He mumbled as the elevator reached the bottom floor.
BING
With a shrug and a smile at the people waiting at the bottom, he pressed the up button and stepped back to allow room for the others to come in. 'I didn't even say sorry for yesterday, I need some information, I need to make sure she's not too bad, sometimes Lita can overact.' "Who you kidding, Lita never looses her temper unless its important."
Ignoring the strange stares he was getting from the other people in the elevator, he continued arguing with himself.
BING
Turning to answer Mina's question, Lita paused when she saw Mina's eyes open even further.
"Look, I don't know who you are, or what you have to do with Serena. But Lita says you're the reason why Serena's so upset and that's enough for me. I suggest you take her advise and leave now, it won't be pretty if you stay any longer," threatened Raye as Lita turned back to the lifts to see what surprised Mina.
'Well, he's back already.' Laying a hand on Raye's arm to calm her, Lita looked questionally at Darien who had just stepped out of the elevator again.
"Can I speak to you for a second?" asked Darien quietly, ignoring everyone but Lita.
"Darien, I really don't think now is a good time," answered Lita pausing to see if she needed to say anymore.
Setting his jaw Darien interuppted, "I know that you're her friend, but for all the years you knew me, will you at least…"
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