Title: Winter Snow
Author: Crystal Saturn
Rated: PG
Chapter: 23- The Verdict
Last time on "Winter Snow"...
Suddenly Dr. Anderson came out of the emergency ward, looking very tired. The girls stood up from their seats and looked up at Dr. Anderson. Darien ran over to Dr. Anderson and she looked down to the floor. Darien took that as a bad sign and he also looked down to the floor. Tears began to sting his eyes but he blinked them away quickly. He looked up at Dr. Anderson.
"What's the verdict?" Darien asked solemnly.
"Well…" Dr. Anderson began quietly and sighed tiredly.
"Mom?" Amy's tiny voice trembled.
"Crystal has had quite a bit of internal bleeding and a few broken ribs. She also has a collapsed and a punctured lung due to her broken ribs and she needs aid in breathing on her own. She has got many bruises, internally as well as externally and she's suffered from a strong blow to her chest area so her heart is very weak right now. She is barely stable and it is vital that we keep her under constant surveillance in the intensive care ward." Dr. Anderson looked up, smiling wearily at Darien and the girls.
"Thank you so much Dr. Anderson!" Darien sniffled and gave a sigh of relief. Amy ran to her mother and hugged her.
"Now what is the story behind all this?" Dr. Anderson asked, quite concerned about her most fragile patient.
"Well mom, I think it would be best if you sat down." Amy began as she walked her mother down to a chair in the ever so quiet waiting room and began to explain everything. From the scouts' identities, to Crystal and Darien's history, to the Moon Kingdom. Everything about their confidential Scout business and that night's battle. Dr. Anderson nodded and covered her slightly gaping mouth.
"All this time..." Dr. Anderson's voice trailed and she hugged her daughter tightly.
"I'm sorry for keeping this from you, mom." Amy apologized sincerely.
"It's alright Amy. I'm just glad to have you safe." Dr. Anderson smiled with tears in her eyes.
"Can we please go in to see Crystal? Please Dr. Anderson?" Serena pleaded.
"I'm sorry Serena, but not tonight. Crystal is still recovering and she must not be disturbed at such a critical time. You should get some rest." Dr. Anderson informed quietly.
"Dr. Anderson's quite right. You should all go home and get some rest. Get some food and some sleep." Darien agreed. The girls nodded understandingly and turned around to leave. Serena remained.
"What about you Dar, you need to get some sleep too." Serena placed a hand on Darien's chest.
"I know." He sighed and stole a glance at the room Crystal was lying in. Serena followed his gaze and momentarily closed her eyes.
"Come on." She tugged on Darien's sleeve, pulling him over to the lift.
"Where are we going?" Darien asked, following Serena.
"You're coming back home with me to rest. You need your sleep and there's no way I'm going to let you go back home to that empty apartment of memories. You'll sleep at my place and we'll come back here first thing in the morning." Serena promised. Darien was too tired to object and so he followed Serena back home to her house.
Serena and Darien tip-toed down to the front gate and ever so slowly stepped over it. Serena frowned as she realized that they would have to climb up to her bedroom balcony. They both quietly tip-toed up under the balcony when suddenly the front door slowly creaked open and Illene looked through the door and chuckled at the sight of both Serena and Darien frozen on the spot with frightened looks plastered on their faces.
*Strange, I thought Serena told me that she and Darien were no longer together...* Illene thought to herself.
"Mom! You scared me!" Serena whispered
"What are you doing out at this time?" Illene looked at Darien suspiciously.
"It's not what you think ma, we had a battle and Crystal was hurt badly. We took her to the hospital where she's in intensive care and I offered Darien to stay at our place" Serena whispered quietly.
"I'm so sorry Darien, you're always welcome here. You know that. Ken and Sammy are sleeping right now so you can quietly go up to your room Serena, I guess you'll both have to sleep in there to avoid-" Illene began
"Oh no! Daddy!!!" Serena gasped.
"I'll explain everything in the morning. He'll understand." Illene smiled warmly and the couple headed up to Serena's room.
"Good night, you two!" Illene whispered
"Goodnight Mrs Tsukino! Thank you so much!" Darien replied.
"Night Ma!" Serena smiled thankfully.
"Well I guess I'll take the floor..." Darien looked around
"Nonsense! You're our guest, take the bed..." Serena offered
"There will be no such thing. I won't let a lady sleep on the floor." Darien frowned.
"Well... how about we both sleep on the bed? I mean, it's big enough. We can both have our separate halves of the bed." Serena compromised.
"I'm not so sure about- *umph!*" Serena pushed Darien onto the bed then threw a pillow at his head to stop him from talking anymore.
"Darien, it's been a long day. I'm exhausted and I really don't want to talk anymore. I'm not in any mood to argue with you again. Please just take the pillow and sleep." Serena yawned, lying down on her pillow. Darien decided not to push the conversation any further. He didn't want Serena to get any more annoyed or upset with him, not after she offered to keep him company tonight. He slowly laid his head on the pillow with his back towards Serena's and gradually drifted off to slumber.
Early the next morning, Serena arose to the view of Darien's knitted blue sweater pressed up against her face, with the mild rise and fall of his chest against her cheek. She let out a silent gasp as she jumped in fright, causing Darien's reflexes to kick in. Startled awake, Darien leaped two feet out of bed.
"What are you doing here?!" Darien asked, startled.
"What are you talking about? This is my room!" Serena wailed back. Darien looked around. Apparently, either someone had snuck in while he was sleeping, painted the walls pale pink and decorated it with all of Serena's belongings, or she was right. He chose the second option as his memory returned to him
"Oh... sorry... I forgot" Darien apologized. "What time is it?"
"It's alright. It's 6 in the morning." Serena shook her head *was it just me or did he have his arms around me when we were sleeping?* She rubbed her eyes, irritated at the fact that she had waken herself up so early.
"How about, we go back to sleep, for a little longer?" Darien noted Serena's bloodshot eyes and relaxed back onto the bed once again. She looked curiously at him, questioning the early birds' sudden desire to sleep in. Darien took one of her hands, pulling it gently until she lay on the bed beside him. Truth was, he enjoyed sleeping beside Serena. It was the first time in months that he had been able to sleep completely undisturbed by nightmares. He reached an arm out and wrapped it around the girl beside him. She shot him a confused look, but did not object. Pulling her closer to him, he gently kissed her forehead as he closed his eyes, falling asleep once more.
Later that morning, Serena and Darien shared a quiet breakfast together, refreshed themselves and left for the hospital. They walked to the hospital in total silence, both either looking at the ground or the scenery around them. As they arrived, Serena met up with Amy, Lita, Mina and Raye, who were already in Crystal's room. Darien entered the room slowly. He was quite hesitant at first but then saw that although Crystal did look pale and weak, she didn't look as bad as she did the night before. Her room was decorated with bouquets of flowers from the girls and the curtains were drawn back to let the sunlight into the room. The girls began to talk amongst themselves while Darien silently sat down on the vacant chair next to his kid sister. Darien's mood suddenly grew solemn and quiet as his gaze drifted back and forth from Crystal to the window.
*What am I supposed to do now?* Darien asked himself *How am I supposed to get us out of this mess?* He asked mentally, burying his head in his hands and his elbows onto the hospital bed. He closed his eyes.
"Darien..." A soft, sweet female voice spoke. Darien's eyes grew wide as he jolted his head up.
Crystal Saturn
