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Hey y'all. So, I'm glad to hear that you all like my stuff.... Cuz if you
didn't like it, I'd just let it slide... actually, I wouldn't be able to do
that. Once I start, I have to finish. Now I don't own S.M characters but
this is my story, so I guess that works. Keep up with the reviews. You know
the drill, five reviews, or no new chapter. And I really love all that you
guys have to say so far. Really I do, I'm glad that you all like the story.
Talk to y'all later, ciao.
******
** Flashback**
"Darien, you know that I want to be with you forever," she smiled at him.
He grinned at her. "Well, I wouldn't want the last three years to be for waste. I should hope that you want to be with me for always."
She shoved him, "always so cocky, aren't you?"
He beamed even brighter. "Isn't that how you like me?"
She rolled her eyes. "Good lord."
"So, besides that, what do you want for your birthday tomorrow?" he asked her, as he kissed his way down her neck.
She laughed. "Something absolutely frivolous. I hate getting my practical gifts from my father. Andrew and Mina usually make up for it, but I don't know, something from your loving heart, and I think I'll be set."
"So, turning 19, and you only want something gushy and romantic?" he asked as he kissed above her chest.
"I want to wake up tomorrow and get something that is completely wild and unexpected. I want it to be absolutely memorable."
He grinned at her, and then took her lips. "I'll give you the world. How about that?"
She smiled, and they surrendered into their happiness.
** End flashback**
Serena shot up, running her hands through her hair. "Oh god," she muttered. She blinked as she took in her surroundings in the dark. She was in one of Mina's spare bedrooms.
"It was just a dream," she reassured herself, "only a dream."
Except that what she had dreamt had been real. It happened five years ago. She could still remember that night, and she would always remember her nineteenth birthday. Just as she wanted, it was to be remembered forever—it was the day she found out that she was pregnant with Rini.
She sighed then. There wasn't anything in the world that she would trade for her daughter. Rini had become her sole purpose in life. When she had gone to New Zealand, she had to make her own life, and find a way to take care of herself and her child. And she had.
Mina had been right when she had mentioned a few days before that her company was a success. She had started out small, and with a few hands of fate, and just right moments, she had been fortunate to get started, and from there, it all just boomed.
To Serena it had felt like a conquer over her father in a small way. He had made her feel as though she were completely insignificant, all because she had gotten pregnant. When she left Japan, she had left her family, and her one true love because it seemed such a disgrace for her father to face that his 19-year-old daughter was going to become a mother.
He didn't know anything. He didn't know that Serena and Darien had wanted to get married one day, and he hadn't known Serena period.
She sighed again as she rose to her feet. She crossed the room, entered the hall, and crept quietly to Rini's room to check on her daughter.
Rini was sleeping peacefully, even though she was strewn across the bed in what seemed to be an awkward position with her black kitten stretched out alongside of her. Serena righted her while she moved Luna beside Rini where they cuddled in close. She then kissed her gently on the forehead, and then left her to her happy childish dreams.
After checking up on her daughter, she returned to her room and went back to sleep. But this time she dreamed about the times she shared with her young daughter back in New Zealand.
Before the alarm could even go off, she felt a weight descending upon her.
"Oof," she said, as she groaned awake.
"Come on Mommy, Aunt Mina says that we have to meet up with some people for the big party we're having."
Serena slowly opened her eyes, and looked at her already dressed daughter. Then quickly taking her by surprise, Serena pulled Rini onto the bed, and started tickling her.
Rini shrieked with laughter. "Mom, stop!" she continued laughing.
Finally, after they were both breathless, but still laughing, Serena stopped and hugged her daughter.
"Serena, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that between you and your daughter, I don't know who's worse."
Serena grinned at Mina who had popped her head into the room at the shrieking laughter between mother and daughter. Then rose from the bed, swinging Rini to her feet.
"We have to meet the caterer at twelve-thirty, so hopefully you can get ready soon here. We do want to have lunch and then take Rini shopping. She needs a new dress for the party tomorrow night."
Rini's eyes brightened at this. "I get to get a new party dress?" she asked Serena.
Serena smiled at her daughter. "Anything you like Princess."
Rini squealed with delight as Mina herded her towards the kitchen for some breakfast.
Serena dressed quickly, and then they left. Serena found that she was enjoying Rini's reaction to the busy, crazy whirl that was the way of Tokyo on a busy day that she hardly heard her name being called from behind her.
"Serena!"
Mina nudged her, making her turn around to look. She stopped dead in her tracks. "Rei!"
Rei threw her arms around her in a warm hug. "My god, it's been forever. I thought I'd never see you again, what with you being forever busy with Princess jewels and all."
Serena smiled at her, "well, you know, here I am. I was going to contact you to let you know I was in town. I've just been getting myself used to being back in Tokyo. It has been five years."
Rei tilted her head as she looked her over. "I could imagine it would be difficult in coming back home," she said. Then turning her attention to Rini, she smiled. "And how about you star? Are you and your kitten getting along?"
Rini grinned at her. "She's great. I was worried mom might say no because I know that cats don't like planes, but I don't have to worry since we're going to live here now to be with uncle Andrew and aunt Mina."
"You are?" Rei asked, casting a sharp look up at Serena.
Serena nodded. "Yes, we want to be close to our family, and well, it's right."
"Yes, we're having a grand homecoming party this Friday night," Mina smiled. "We'd love it if you came."
"Yeah Rei, as one of my best friends, I want to see a familiar friendly face among the many unknown and unfamiliar people that will be coming to our party that will also coincide with our family coming out."
Rei smiled. "I'd love to."
"It's at the Crystal Tower," Mina told her. "It should hold a sufficient number, since the party is going to bring out every elite person of Tokyo. The media has been having a heyday with the uncertain fate of the Williams Corporation, and Friday they will find out."
"I won't miss it for the world," Rei smiled. "So, what are you doing now?" she asked them.
"We're going to meet up with the caterers after we have some lunch just up the street at the Emerald Kitchen."
"I heard that place is awesome. My fiancé was supposed to take me, but well, business meetings took over. But we plan to go soon, even though it's so busy every time I pass it."
"Why don't you join us," Serena suggested. "We have so much to catch up on, and plus, we can even introduce you to the owner, Lita. She's Andrew's fiancé."
Rei beamed. "Oh, Chad will be so jealous."
They smiled and then made their way to the restaurant.
"So, you finally convinced Chad to make an honest woman of you?" Serena asked Rei as Mina opened the door to the restaurant.
"Yep," she smiled as she let Serena look at the ring on her finger.
"I'm amazed, and totally jealous."
They were soon being led to their seats. Rini having been taken there a few times now, decided that she wanted to go see her soon to be Auntie Lita. Serena gave her the usual lecture of not becoming a nuisance, and then kissed her on the forehead. She left them and wandered into the kitchen where there was squeals of delight, soon followed by bales of laughter.
Rei looked at her then. "She's absolutely darling."
"Yes, she's the light of my life. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't had her these past few years."
"You know, when I knew that you wrote me that you had a daughter, you made her sound as though you had her since going to New Zealand."
"I did have her in New Zealand," she said, feeling a great agitation coming on. She shot a worried look at her sister, but Mina only looked at her in return that said that she had to deal with the situation on her own.
"Then tell me why does she have the most familiar eyes?"
"She has my eyes, I don't know what you're talking about."
"Right," Rei said in return. "Serena, please don't play me the fool. I already know that you left because your father forced you. You just never said why—but now I see the reason."
"Do you?" Serena asked her.
Rei nodded. "Your father forced you to leave because you were pregnant." Serena let out a slow breath.
"Then it's true?" Rei asked her, her eyes softening.
A tear slipped down Serena's cheek. "Look, I was young, and scared, and very emotional. He left me no choice but to leave."
Rei chewed her lip before speaking again. "Is Darien the father?" she asked.
"How can you ask such a thing? You know that Darien was the only one that I loved."
Rei moved close to her and gave her a hug. "I didn't mean to be so harsh. It's just ever since I saw her, I just had a feeling."
"I know, you and your intuitions," Serena said, a laugh keeping back the tears that wanted to come. "They've never been wrong so far."
Rei shook her head. "No, I was wrong once. When you first left, I blamed Darien. I thought he had done something to hurt you—I kept blaming him until you told me that your father had made you leave."
"Did you tell Darien that?" she asked her.
Rei shook her head. "I had a difficult time in just trying to make him talk to me again after how badly I treated him. I know Amy still gives him the cold shoulder."
Serena sighed.
"Does he know?"
"About what?" Mina interjected.
Rei's eyes widened as she looked at Serena. "You mean to say that you never told him why you left! You didn't tell him that your father forced you out, or that you were pregnant!"
Serena looked down. "I didn't know how to say it."
"Just tell him the truth."
"It won't be easy," Serena sighed.
"But you're going to have to. What with your family having it's coming out party, the press is going to take you all to the cleaners. I know what they did to Darien. It was horrible. And it's even worse now..."
"I know, you're right, you're both right. I plan to tell him, I just have to build myself up to it."
Rei and Mina smiled at her. "good," they both said.
Thoughts about telling Darien were pushed aside slightly when Rini along with Lita joined them at the table.
***** I know, this was much longer then the other chapters, but I hope you don't mind. And to all of you who are going to ask when is Darien going to enter the story, I promise you it's coming. But I did put him in the flashback... all right, I know, it's not quite the same. Till next time, and remember, the next chapter costs five reviews, lol... ciao ******
** Flashback**
"Darien, you know that I want to be with you forever," she smiled at him.
He grinned at her. "Well, I wouldn't want the last three years to be for waste. I should hope that you want to be with me for always."
She shoved him, "always so cocky, aren't you?"
He beamed even brighter. "Isn't that how you like me?"
She rolled her eyes. "Good lord."
"So, besides that, what do you want for your birthday tomorrow?" he asked her, as he kissed his way down her neck.
She laughed. "Something absolutely frivolous. I hate getting my practical gifts from my father. Andrew and Mina usually make up for it, but I don't know, something from your loving heart, and I think I'll be set."
"So, turning 19, and you only want something gushy and romantic?" he asked as he kissed above her chest.
"I want to wake up tomorrow and get something that is completely wild and unexpected. I want it to be absolutely memorable."
He grinned at her, and then took her lips. "I'll give you the world. How about that?"
She smiled, and they surrendered into their happiness.
** End flashback**
Serena shot up, running her hands through her hair. "Oh god," she muttered. She blinked as she took in her surroundings in the dark. She was in one of Mina's spare bedrooms.
"It was just a dream," she reassured herself, "only a dream."
Except that what she had dreamt had been real. It happened five years ago. She could still remember that night, and she would always remember her nineteenth birthday. Just as she wanted, it was to be remembered forever—it was the day she found out that she was pregnant with Rini.
She sighed then. There wasn't anything in the world that she would trade for her daughter. Rini had become her sole purpose in life. When she had gone to New Zealand, she had to make her own life, and find a way to take care of herself and her child. And she had.
Mina had been right when she had mentioned a few days before that her company was a success. She had started out small, and with a few hands of fate, and just right moments, she had been fortunate to get started, and from there, it all just boomed.
To Serena it had felt like a conquer over her father in a small way. He had made her feel as though she were completely insignificant, all because she had gotten pregnant. When she left Japan, she had left her family, and her one true love because it seemed such a disgrace for her father to face that his 19-year-old daughter was going to become a mother.
He didn't know anything. He didn't know that Serena and Darien had wanted to get married one day, and he hadn't known Serena period.
She sighed again as she rose to her feet. She crossed the room, entered the hall, and crept quietly to Rini's room to check on her daughter.
Rini was sleeping peacefully, even though she was strewn across the bed in what seemed to be an awkward position with her black kitten stretched out alongside of her. Serena righted her while she moved Luna beside Rini where they cuddled in close. She then kissed her gently on the forehead, and then left her to her happy childish dreams.
After checking up on her daughter, she returned to her room and went back to sleep. But this time she dreamed about the times she shared with her young daughter back in New Zealand.
Before the alarm could even go off, she felt a weight descending upon her.
"Oof," she said, as she groaned awake.
"Come on Mommy, Aunt Mina says that we have to meet up with some people for the big party we're having."
Serena slowly opened her eyes, and looked at her already dressed daughter. Then quickly taking her by surprise, Serena pulled Rini onto the bed, and started tickling her.
Rini shrieked with laughter. "Mom, stop!" she continued laughing.
Finally, after they were both breathless, but still laughing, Serena stopped and hugged her daughter.
"Serena, if I didn't know any better, I'd think that between you and your daughter, I don't know who's worse."
Serena grinned at Mina who had popped her head into the room at the shrieking laughter between mother and daughter. Then rose from the bed, swinging Rini to her feet.
"We have to meet the caterer at twelve-thirty, so hopefully you can get ready soon here. We do want to have lunch and then take Rini shopping. She needs a new dress for the party tomorrow night."
Rini's eyes brightened at this. "I get to get a new party dress?" she asked Serena.
Serena smiled at her daughter. "Anything you like Princess."
Rini squealed with delight as Mina herded her towards the kitchen for some breakfast.
Serena dressed quickly, and then they left. Serena found that she was enjoying Rini's reaction to the busy, crazy whirl that was the way of Tokyo on a busy day that she hardly heard her name being called from behind her.
"Serena!"
Mina nudged her, making her turn around to look. She stopped dead in her tracks. "Rei!"
Rei threw her arms around her in a warm hug. "My god, it's been forever. I thought I'd never see you again, what with you being forever busy with Princess jewels and all."
Serena smiled at her, "well, you know, here I am. I was going to contact you to let you know I was in town. I've just been getting myself used to being back in Tokyo. It has been five years."
Rei tilted her head as she looked her over. "I could imagine it would be difficult in coming back home," she said. Then turning her attention to Rini, she smiled. "And how about you star? Are you and your kitten getting along?"
Rini grinned at her. "She's great. I was worried mom might say no because I know that cats don't like planes, but I don't have to worry since we're going to live here now to be with uncle Andrew and aunt Mina."
"You are?" Rei asked, casting a sharp look up at Serena.
Serena nodded. "Yes, we want to be close to our family, and well, it's right."
"Yes, we're having a grand homecoming party this Friday night," Mina smiled. "We'd love it if you came."
"Yeah Rei, as one of my best friends, I want to see a familiar friendly face among the many unknown and unfamiliar people that will be coming to our party that will also coincide with our family coming out."
Rei smiled. "I'd love to."
"It's at the Crystal Tower," Mina told her. "It should hold a sufficient number, since the party is going to bring out every elite person of Tokyo. The media has been having a heyday with the uncertain fate of the Williams Corporation, and Friday they will find out."
"I won't miss it for the world," Rei smiled. "So, what are you doing now?" she asked them.
"We're going to meet up with the caterers after we have some lunch just up the street at the Emerald Kitchen."
"I heard that place is awesome. My fiancé was supposed to take me, but well, business meetings took over. But we plan to go soon, even though it's so busy every time I pass it."
"Why don't you join us," Serena suggested. "We have so much to catch up on, and plus, we can even introduce you to the owner, Lita. She's Andrew's fiancé."
Rei beamed. "Oh, Chad will be so jealous."
They smiled and then made their way to the restaurant.
"So, you finally convinced Chad to make an honest woman of you?" Serena asked Rei as Mina opened the door to the restaurant.
"Yep," she smiled as she let Serena look at the ring on her finger.
"I'm amazed, and totally jealous."
They were soon being led to their seats. Rini having been taken there a few times now, decided that she wanted to go see her soon to be Auntie Lita. Serena gave her the usual lecture of not becoming a nuisance, and then kissed her on the forehead. She left them and wandered into the kitchen where there was squeals of delight, soon followed by bales of laughter.
Rei looked at her then. "She's absolutely darling."
"Yes, she's the light of my life. I don't know what I would have done if I hadn't had her these past few years."
"You know, when I knew that you wrote me that you had a daughter, you made her sound as though you had her since going to New Zealand."
"I did have her in New Zealand," she said, feeling a great agitation coming on. She shot a worried look at her sister, but Mina only looked at her in return that said that she had to deal with the situation on her own.
"Then tell me why does she have the most familiar eyes?"
"She has my eyes, I don't know what you're talking about."
"Right," Rei said in return. "Serena, please don't play me the fool. I already know that you left because your father forced you. You just never said why—but now I see the reason."
"Do you?" Serena asked her.
Rei nodded. "Your father forced you to leave because you were pregnant." Serena let out a slow breath.
"Then it's true?" Rei asked her, her eyes softening.
A tear slipped down Serena's cheek. "Look, I was young, and scared, and very emotional. He left me no choice but to leave."
Rei chewed her lip before speaking again. "Is Darien the father?" she asked.
"How can you ask such a thing? You know that Darien was the only one that I loved."
Rei moved close to her and gave her a hug. "I didn't mean to be so harsh. It's just ever since I saw her, I just had a feeling."
"I know, you and your intuitions," Serena said, a laugh keeping back the tears that wanted to come. "They've never been wrong so far."
Rei shook her head. "No, I was wrong once. When you first left, I blamed Darien. I thought he had done something to hurt you—I kept blaming him until you told me that your father had made you leave."
"Did you tell Darien that?" she asked her.
Rei shook her head. "I had a difficult time in just trying to make him talk to me again after how badly I treated him. I know Amy still gives him the cold shoulder."
Serena sighed.
"Does he know?"
"About what?" Mina interjected.
Rei's eyes widened as she looked at Serena. "You mean to say that you never told him why you left! You didn't tell him that your father forced you out, or that you were pregnant!"
Serena looked down. "I didn't know how to say it."
"Just tell him the truth."
"It won't be easy," Serena sighed.
"But you're going to have to. What with your family having it's coming out party, the press is going to take you all to the cleaners. I know what they did to Darien. It was horrible. And it's even worse now..."
"I know, you're right, you're both right. I plan to tell him, I just have to build myself up to it."
Rei and Mina smiled at her. "good," they both said.
Thoughts about telling Darien were pushed aside slightly when Rini along with Lita joined them at the table.
***** I know, this was much longer then the other chapters, but I hope you don't mind. And to all of you who are going to ask when is Darien going to enter the story, I promise you it's coming. But I did put him in the flashback... all right, I know, it's not quite the same. Till next time, and remember, the next chapter costs five reviews, lol... ciao ******