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Author's Note: Disclaimer: Do Dreams Come True? Chapter Two "YOU HAVE TO SAVE HER!" Darien's voice echoed down the corridors of the fifth floor of the Tokyo MedCenter, its bleakness and despair striking a chord in the hearts of those who heard him. Down the hall from Mina's room, a trembling elderly gentleman peered out from behind his door and dabbed at his eyes with a white handkerchief. "A pity, that one," he wheezed to the visiting priest who sat near his bedside. "She just gave birth, too, a beautiful little girl. She has the oddest colored hair, though. Candy pink, can you believe that?" The priest nodded solemnly and rose to his feet. "I had best go down the hall and comfort her grieving family, Samuel. You get some rest now." Ami almost ran into the priest on her way out of Mina's room. "Oh, Father McKinnon! I'm so sorry, I didn't even see you." The young doctor's eyes were filled with unshed tears – it was a small wonder she could see at all. Father McKinnon smiled kindly and patted her hand gently. "Is everything all right, Dr. Mizuno?" he asked in concern. "I heard Mr. Chiba from down the hall and came to see if I could offer my services." Ami blanched visibly, paling to almost the whiteness of her lab coat. "Mina will NOT die," she told him firmly. "If anything, you can offer your prayers, but she won't be needing last rites." The clergyman was taken aback with the determination in her typically easygoing personality. Recovering, Ami gave him a quick smile. "I'm sorry to be so rude, Father," she apologized. "It's just that Mina is one of my closest friends and I don't know what we would do it anything happened to her." As the doctor rushed off with Mina's medical charts under one arm, Father McKinnon peered into the patient's room and saw the "we" that Ami had mentioned. Three young women crowded around the hospital bed where Mina lay, pale as death, her husband's head bent over her still body. Even in such dire circumstances, the priest noted the beauty of the women he observed. The one who stood against the wall, arms folded, back straight as a rod, had auburn hair with glistening highlights that surely could not have been dyed. They complemented too well the bright green of her eyes, eyes that were now narrowed in what looked like anger and frustration. She was the most casual of the three in a dark denim skirt and a thin cotton blouse. Beside her, slumped in a chair, was a raven-haired beauty with hair so black, it was almost purple. It fell in silky strands around her face as she sat with her eyes closed, head resting in her hands. The third woman, a petite blonde, bore a strong resemblance to the bedridden Mina. However, whereas Mina had luxuriously long, golden locks, this woman had hers cut to a few inches below her shoulders in a no-nonsense style. Father McKinnon could not help but notice that her soft blue eyes were focused not on the patient, but on the man next to her, an extremely handsome and well-built young man whose features were currently contorted with grief. Shaking his head in sadness, the priest moved away from the door. His presence would be unwelcome in the midst of all Mina's friends. He would take his prayers to the hospital chapel, where they would lie between him and God. Even so, Father McKinnon knew there was slim chance of recovery for the formerly bright and cheerful young woman. He had heard the other doctors and nurses discussing her post-delivery trauma and the news had not been good. It seemed that little Rini would shortly be without a mother. ~ Serena could not stop the tears from running down her face and leaving thin streaks of mascara in their wake. She dabbed again at her swollen red eyes with a tissue, a gesture that earned her a hug from Rei, who was also struggling not to cry. They clung together in grief as they watched the mahogany coffin being lowered into the ground. Lita and Ami stood by their friends, also overwhelmed by the gravity of the moment. Across from them, Darien cradled a small pink bundle as his own tears fell unrestrained, his gaze never leaving the descending coffin. Countless other mourners punctuated the air with the sound of their sniffles and sobs as Mina's funeral proceeded. Later, Serena would not be able to recall the details of the ceremony. She could only see one person – Darien. She longed to comfort him in his grief and also be comforted in return. Even though they had grown apart she still felt the connection of their past. Her feelings for him, it seemed, had never changed. Struggling with these emotions as well as the burden of grief for one of her closest friends – a friend who had once betrayed her, yet who had long been forgiven – Serena returned to her apartment and dismissed the babysitter, hoping to find solace in the company of her children. She had not been home for long when the phone rang, startling her out of her quiet reverie made possible only by the fact that Ashley and Jimmy were napping. "Hello?" Her voice was wobbly and uncertain at best. "Serena." An equally uncertain yet totally familiar voice responded to hers over the line. "Do you have time to talk?" Half an hour later, Darien rang the doorbell to Serena's apartment and shifted his bundle from one arm to the other. A small mewling escaped from amidst the blankets and he leaned over to press a kiss to his daughter's forehead. "Shhh, baby, don't cry. Daddy's right here," he whispered, smiling reassuringly into her blue eyes. After only a week, they had already begun to lose their baby blueness and were fading into a pinkish hue, one that he had no doubt would turn into an interesting shade of red. The door opened abruptly, revealing a flustered Serena, hair slightly mussed, dressed in only a long, wet T-shirt that barely reached mid-thigh. "I'm so sorry for keeping you waiting, Darien," she said, a bit out of breath as she reached up to give him a hug. "The children just woke up and I was giving Jimmy a bath." "That explains why you're drenched," he commented, struggling to sound casual as his eyes drifted to the clinging material of her shirt that accentuated the curves of her slight figure. She had grown from a pretty teenage girl into a mature desirable woman, one whose body reflected that change as well. Darien suddenly realized the direction his thoughts were headed and turned bright crimson. He looked away uncomfortably and reminded himself that he was a widower with an infant daughter, one who was at that moment being lifted out of his arms by Serena. "Hello there, cutie," she cooed, eyes sparkling in delight at the innocence and beauty of the young babe. Darien closed the door behind him and watched for a moment as his former girlfriend cuddled Rini, then cleared his throat gently and reached out to take her back. "You should probably check on your kids," he reminded her. Flushing, Serena nodded and walked back into the bathroom. Was it just her imagination, or had he put an emphasis on the "your" to remind her that Rini was not her daughter. Tears once again gathering in her eyes, she brushed them aside and smiled brightly for her children's benefit. "Let's get dressed and join Uncle Darien in the living room, shall we?" she asked, trying to keep her voice cheery. Once Ashley and Jimmy had finished dressing, they returned to their rambunctious games, running hectically around the small kitchen/living room as Darien tried not to become dizzy watching them. Serena had run into the bedroom to change and now emerged wearing a dry T-shirt and gym shorts. Darien inhaled the scent of bubble bath as she sat down beside him and smiled affectionately at her kids. "How's Rini doing?" she asked, looking at the baby who lay comfortable on Darien's lap. "A lot better than any of us," Darien replied. They sat in silence for a minute, Serena still watching Rini and Darien watching Serena. She looked up and caught his intense gaze, blushing and looking away in embarrassment. "Do I have something on my face?" she joked, reaching up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "No, not at all. I'm sorry, I was just spacing out," Darien said quickly. Struggling to think of something else to say, he said the first thing that popped into his mind: "So have you heard from Luke lately?" Serena stiffened and Darien immediately regretted his question. "Actually, no," she said, struggling to restrain her anger. "He's late with the checks again and even his own lawyer has no idea where he is." "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. I know it's a touchy subject…" "It's okay, everyone seems to tiptoe around the mention of his name, but he IS Ashley and Jimmy's father, no matter how much of a bastard he might be." Serena walked over to the kitchenette to compose herself, opening the refrigerator door and letting its coldness wash over her and dissipate her anger. Her ex-husband had wined and dined her, dazzled her with his charm and handsome looks, then coaxed her into a whirlwind marriage that lasted only until the birth of her second child, when Luke had taken one look at his life – married with a wife and two kids at the age of twenty-six – and run for glitzier and less complicated life of a Las Vegas casino dealer. Serena had been twenty-two at the time. Four years later, she had managed to land on her feet, if just barely, and was carving out a life for herself with the aid of her family and friends. However, it was with no thanks to Luke, whom she had not seen since. Darien walked up behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "I really am sorry, Bunny," he said, using a nickname that she had not heard in years. "I should have been there for you. Despite everything, you are still one of my closest friends and I wasn't any help when Luke left." He rested his chin on the top of her head and closed his eyes briefly, thanking the heavens that she did not pull away. Turning around, she put her arms around Darien's waist and leaned against his chest with a little sigh. They stood in that embrace for a long minute, neither one willing to tear themselves away from the comfort of the moment until a small wail jerked them abruptly apart. "I think Rini is hungry." |
