Kidnapped
By: Moon Baby
Rating: PG
E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com
Aurthor's Note: Wow that was a while. I've been really busy. But I haven't forgot about ya'll. I hope I get a few more reveiw though. I get the impression I'm not good at this. Anyways, recap. Darien likes Serena, he almost kissed her. Andrew still isn't there. I think I'll put a little excitement in this chapter. *smile*
Serena knew Darien left the room even though she didn't see him leave. She could sence he left. "Hey Andrew."
"I see you're still specking to me," he said sheepishly.
"I know you couldn't help what's happening."
"Believe me, I've done everything to hurry this up and get there as fast as I can to be with you." 'He is so sweet.' Serena smiled. "But unfortunetly it's taking longer than I thought it would. I am so very very sorry."
"Guess you won't be here tonight, will you?"
"I believe I can get away this evening and be there late tonight. We can start our vacation early tomorrow."
As the words came over the phone line to her ear a dark cloud covered the sun. She had some sort of premonition about something bad that is going to happen. 'Maybe since the week started bad it seems like it'll get worse.' She had a sudden feeling to tell Andrew to stay in New York. But she bit her tougne.
Serena always believed that if something bad keeps happening then it wasn't meant to be. 'Mina had said that I was making a big mistake going on this retreat. And one bad thing after another kept happening. Andrew getting held up in New York, her sudden attraction to Darien, and almost kissing him.....Hold up. Where did that come from? I didn't try to kiss him. Anyways he thinks I'm a gold digger.' Things were going very wrong.
It was only her hesitation to ask Dariern to take her home. Her reluctance to look wimpy or petalant to him that kept her here and not cancel everything.
"Serena? About Darien," Andrew said as if he knew what she had been thinking.
"What about him?"
"Don't let what the said bother you. He doesn't mean to come across as a jerk."
"Are you telling me his bark is worse than his bite?" she said in mock astonishment.
Anderw chuckled softly. "No, I'm not trying to tell you that. He doesn't bite........Often. And never without provoction." His words didn't make her feel any better. She didn't want to seem ungracious to Darien especally since he is going out of his way to entertain her. But his comment about babysitting Andrew's 'girlfriend du jour' still hurt. She really didn't like the idea that that is how he thought of her.
She and Andrew talked for a few more minutes, then Andrew had to go. "The sooner I get back to work the sooner I can get there to you." Serena hung up and looked at the door. She really didn't want to find Darien after the wise crack he said. 'I bet he'll try to apologize, then it'll get awkward and embarrassing. I hope to avoid that at all cost.'
Serena got up and looked for Darien. She found him in the kitchen rincing out the mug he used. He looked up as if he senced her in the kitchen. "Thanks for the coffee. It was good."
"I was making me some anyways so I thought you would like a cup."
"Thanks just the same." He put his mug in the dishwasher and turned to look at her. Ready for an awkward apology, she was surprised when he said, "I'm going to town for awhile to pick up some stuff. Wanna come?"
'I so want to get out of this house. But the comment still hurt. "I'm sure you'd prefur to be by yourself. I have some work to do. That'll keep me entertained while you're gone."
"Actually, I'd prefur you come, if you don't mind. See, I have to buy groceries, and it'll be easier if you'er there so I can get stuff you like."
'If this is his idea of apologizing or a truce he's nuts. But Darien is not like any man she knows.' She still was upset about his crack. And she bet Darien still thought she was only in it for the money. But he had given up two days to be here with her while Andrew is in New York. He cooked and even tried to teach her how to skip rocks even though backed fired. The least she could do was acompony him to town.
She replied a bit cool. 'Cause she wasn't going to forget the crack that easily. "Fine, I'll come. Let me grap my purse."
She could feel him watching her as she left the room. She intened to make it clear to him she was capable of taking care of herself. She didn't need a 'babysitter' and she didn't want one.
Darien was glad Serena agreed to acompony him. He concluded it might be easier to control his thoughts of her if they were around people.
He probably should have apologized for his comment. He knew that it upset her. But damn it, that is wha the felt like, or he felt like a bodygaurd and he didn't like that any better.
He didn't know what was up with him today, well actually since yesterday. Specifically when they left her apartment. First he senced something was about to happen, for no reason, then his growing attraction to Serena. 'That has to stop. I will not lust after Andrew's girl.'
It wasn't hard for Darien not to notice Serena's attributes. She was attractive, make that stunningly beautiful. Darien was only a man. They have been spending too much time together. He could still feel her body pressed against his when he tried to teach her how to skip rocks. It seemed safe enough at the time and she considered it fun. But he realized his mistake.
'Standing so close to her. Seeing her wrinkle her cute little nose when the rock sank. Hearing her chuckle when it sank..... She's way to appealing to me. If it had just been the two of us without Andrew in the picture I would have kissd her. Long and hard. I really doubt I would have stopped at kissing her. I would have.....' He put a hault to that train of thought before it left the station. 'I really think Andrew is thinking with the wrong part of his anatomy. (AN: My guy friend told me this quote, 'God gave man two brians but only enough blood to use one at a time.' I believe that is really true.) Not that I blame Andrew.' He watched the slight sway of Serena's hips as she left to get her purse.
To his annoyance the bothering feeling that something was wrong increased as he slid behind the wheel of his car. Automacticly he scanned the grounds for something out of place. He saw nothing amiss and just thought that he was being paraniod again. 'I think I need a vacation. I haven't taken one in years.'
During the twenty-minute ride to town, he tried to ignore the feeling that something is wrong. There wasn't much traffic but he chucked out every old pick up and saden that passed by as he entered town.
Shaking his head he asked, "Ya in the mood for something sweet?"
She looked at him and blinked. "Excuse me?"
He smiled at her. "There's a diner here that has the best pies I ever tasted. And I have tasted a lot of pies. Want some before we go shopping?"
"Sure. Sounds good."
He nodded and turned right at the light. The diner was fairly empty because it was mid afternoon, too late for luncha nd too early for dinner. Only a couple of cars and trucks were in the parking lot, which was shaded by the building and several large trees. It was warmer now than it was earlier, but as he pulled into a deeply shaded space, a chill went throught Darien. Unware Darien rubbed the back of his neck. 'Am I losing it?'
"Is your neck bothering you?" Serena asked a while later across from him at a table.
He realized that he was still rubbing his neck to make the annoying itch go way. "Yeah it is." He saw no need to explain.
"I have some ibuprofen if you think that would help?"
"It wouldn't, but thanks," he said coolly.
A beautiful waitress with cool green eyes and a devilish smile came to their table. "Hey Darien. It's been a while."
He returned her smile. "Hey Lita. It's good to see you."
"You too, Andrew's not with you?" she said a little upset at Andrew's appcence.
"He'll be here later. But I'm sure you will see him soon. He'll be wanting some pie."
Lita laughed softly. "He does love our chocolate-chip pecan pie. If he could he would eat it everyday."
"That's for sure." Darien nodded at Serena, "Lita meet Serena Pennington."
"I've seen your picture in the paper," she said and shook Serena's hand "You're Andrew's fiancee, right?" she asked with a little edge in her voice. 'I guess seh really likes Andrew.' Serena thought.
"I told my Mamma you were a blonde. The picture we saw wasn't real good. She thought it was red. I told her Andrew wouldn't date another red-head after that Rita something-or-other. Mamma never understood what he saw-."
Darien cleared his throat to cut Lita off. He saw how dazed Serena looked, he was accustomed to Liat's rambeling. It's her mother that makes the pies both of the guys love. The gossip was a small price to pay for the best tasting pies in the world. "I'm having a coffee and a coconut pie, and have you decided what you want?" He looked at Serena.
Serena looked up and said, "I'll have the chocolate cream pie."
"You want coffee, too?" Lita switched from gossip to business in the blink of an eye.
"Do you have chocolate milkshakes?" Serena asked.
"Yes we do."
"Great I'll have one." Serena smiled. (AN: Can you blame me? Lita always had a thing for Andrew. And Serena does love chocolate milkshakes.) Lita turned and left. Darien had a wierd look on his face. "What?! I love chocolate."
"Hey what ever floats you boat. I guess I should have warned you about Lita. She tends to get carried away. She knows everybody's business."
Serena smiled. "Yeah, she does."
"Don't let her bother you she means well."
"She seems nice."
Darien smiled. "She is."
Lita returned with thier drinks and two huge slices of pie. She wanted to stay and chat but the phone rang and she had to get it.
"You'er right this is delisous," Serena said after a couple of bites.
"I knew you'd like it."
Darien tried ot make conversation but he didn't know how. So he mainly consintrated on his pie and coffee. Unfortuantly the itch on the back of his neck didn't go away. Darien was well aware of Lita kept giving him weird looks as if to say, "Why are you here with her and Andrew isn't here? Why are you guys so quite?" but she stayed away. 'I guess she understands I don't want to talk.' There were on other custormers there when they paid their bill. Lita took his money. "Ya'll come back now ya hear," she said in her best Dolly Parton voice.
"The store is a couple of blocks away, " he said as they left the diner. "If you want anything feel free to say so."
"I would like some fresh fruit," she said, "And tea, oonlong or Ceylon, if possible. As long as it's not Earl Gray. I can't stand the blend." (AN: I don't really know tea brands. So don't sue me.)
Darien never really notice tea brands. He mainly drank coffee. "We'll see what they have." They were at his car.
She started for the handle but he beat her and opened the door for her. 'Is he trying to be a gentleman or badygaurd?' Scanning the grounds around the lot. "Your doing it again," she said on a chuckle. "Acting like your my badygaurd, as if I'm in danger."
He hesitated then shrugged, he knew it would do no good to deny he was on the alert. He tried ot come up with an explanation. "Your involved with a very wealthy and powerful man. Don't want annoyaning paparazzi around." It was the best he could come up with.
"Paparazzi?" She laughed. "I doubt I interset them."
"You might be surprised what interset them," he said noticing the way dimples appear at the corner of her mouth when she laughed.
She patted him on the arm when they reached his car. "I think it's sweet that you're taking care of me," she said in a teasing voice.
He surprised her, and himself, by smiling and pretending to touch the brim of a cowboy hat and said, "Just doin my job ma'am."
"I'll be sure to tell your boss to put a commandation on your file."
"You do that." He opened her door, his faint smile dissappeared at the mention of 'his boss.' 'He should be here teasing her not me.' As he went around the back of te car towards his door, an image of her smile stayed with him.
Despite his warning feelings, the attack caught him off gaurd. Maybe it was he was at his door, or because he convinsed himself he had nothing to really worry about. He should have known better.
His instincts have always been right on target. They'd only let him down once before, and that had been a real diaster.
Something cold and sharp hit the back of his neck. A big, solid guy pushed him against the car, pinning him there so tightly he could barely breathing.
Darien wasn't a small mna by any means. He is six-foot five, one hundred and seventy-five pounds, he was a big guy. But whoever was behind him was much bigger. Even then, Darien might have had a fighting chance, he'd been well trained in hand-to-hand compat in the Army, but whatever was injected in his neck was taking effect. His legs started to shake, and he was slipping down. If the man wasn't man holding him up he would have crumpled on the ground.
He heard a big car pull up beside his car, a sliding door opened. "Serena," he said, but it came out in a wishper. 'Lock the doors, blow the horn, scream, breack a window, do anything,' he wanted to yell but he passed out before the words left his mouth.
Shouls I end it there.....Yeah. That's the end of the chapter I know, I know I'm evil. But I have to have some suspence. Let's recap, shall we. Serena's a little mad at Darien, Andrew's going to be there tonight, and Serena and Darien get kidnapped, any idea by who???? Oh the wonder. Moon Baby.
Aurthor's Note: Wow that was a while. I've been really busy. But I haven't forgot about ya'll. I hope I get a few more reveiw though. I get the impression I'm not good at this. Anyways, recap. Darien likes Serena, he almost kissed her. Andrew still isn't there. I think I'll put a little excitement in this chapter. *smile*
Serena knew Darien left the room even though she didn't see him leave. She could sence he left. "Hey Andrew."
"I see you're still specking to me," he said sheepishly.
"I know you couldn't help what's happening."
"Believe me, I've done everything to hurry this up and get there as fast as I can to be with you." 'He is so sweet.' Serena smiled. "But unfortunetly it's taking longer than I thought it would. I am so very very sorry."
"Guess you won't be here tonight, will you?"
"I believe I can get away this evening and be there late tonight. We can start our vacation early tomorrow."
As the words came over the phone line to her ear a dark cloud covered the sun. She had some sort of premonition about something bad that is going to happen. 'Maybe since the week started bad it seems like it'll get worse.' She had a sudden feeling to tell Andrew to stay in New York. But she bit her tougne.
Serena always believed that if something bad keeps happening then it wasn't meant to be. 'Mina had said that I was making a big mistake going on this retreat. And one bad thing after another kept happening. Andrew getting held up in New York, her sudden attraction to Darien, and almost kissing him.....Hold up. Where did that come from? I didn't try to kiss him. Anyways he thinks I'm a gold digger.' Things were going very wrong.
It was only her hesitation to ask Dariern to take her home. Her reluctance to look wimpy or petalant to him that kept her here and not cancel everything.
"Serena? About Darien," Andrew said as if he knew what she had been thinking.
"What about him?"
"Don't let what the said bother you. He doesn't mean to come across as a jerk."
"Are you telling me his bark is worse than his bite?" she said in mock astonishment.
Anderw chuckled softly. "No, I'm not trying to tell you that. He doesn't bite........Often. And never without provoction." His words didn't make her feel any better. She didn't want to seem ungracious to Darien especally since he is going out of his way to entertain her. But his comment about babysitting Andrew's 'girlfriend du jour' still hurt. She really didn't like the idea that that is how he thought of her.
She and Andrew talked for a few more minutes, then Andrew had to go. "The sooner I get back to work the sooner I can get there to you." Serena hung up and looked at the door. She really didn't want to find Darien after the wise crack he said. 'I bet he'll try to apologize, then it'll get awkward and embarrassing. I hope to avoid that at all cost.'
Serena got up and looked for Darien. She found him in the kitchen rincing out the mug he used. He looked up as if he senced her in the kitchen. "Thanks for the coffee. It was good."
"I was making me some anyways so I thought you would like a cup."
"Thanks just the same." He put his mug in the dishwasher and turned to look at her. Ready for an awkward apology, she was surprised when he said, "I'm going to town for awhile to pick up some stuff. Wanna come?"
'I so want to get out of this house. But the comment still hurt. "I'm sure you'd prefur to be by yourself. I have some work to do. That'll keep me entertained while you're gone."
"Actually, I'd prefur you come, if you don't mind. See, I have to buy groceries, and it'll be easier if you'er there so I can get stuff you like."
'If this is his idea of apologizing or a truce he's nuts. But Darien is not like any man she knows.' She still was upset about his crack. And she bet Darien still thought she was only in it for the money. But he had given up two days to be here with her while Andrew is in New York. He cooked and even tried to teach her how to skip rocks even though backed fired. The least she could do was acompony him to town.
She replied a bit cool. 'Cause she wasn't going to forget the crack that easily. "Fine, I'll come. Let me grap my purse."
She could feel him watching her as she left the room. She intened to make it clear to him she was capable of taking care of herself. She didn't need a 'babysitter' and she didn't want one.
Darien was glad Serena agreed to acompony him. He concluded it might be easier to control his thoughts of her if they were around people.
He probably should have apologized for his comment. He knew that it upset her. But damn it, that is wha the felt like, or he felt like a bodygaurd and he didn't like that any better.
He didn't know what was up with him today, well actually since yesterday. Specifically when they left her apartment. First he senced something was about to happen, for no reason, then his growing attraction to Serena. 'That has to stop. I will not lust after Andrew's girl.'
It wasn't hard for Darien not to notice Serena's attributes. She was attractive, make that stunningly beautiful. Darien was only a man. They have been spending too much time together. He could still feel her body pressed against his when he tried to teach her how to skip rocks. It seemed safe enough at the time and she considered it fun. But he realized his mistake.
'Standing so close to her. Seeing her wrinkle her cute little nose when the rock sank. Hearing her chuckle when it sank..... She's way to appealing to me. If it had just been the two of us without Andrew in the picture I would have kissd her. Long and hard. I really doubt I would have stopped at kissing her. I would have.....' He put a hault to that train of thought before it left the station. 'I really think Andrew is thinking with the wrong part of his anatomy. (AN: My guy friend told me this quote, 'God gave man two brians but only enough blood to use one at a time.' I believe that is really true.) Not that I blame Andrew.' He watched the slight sway of Serena's hips as she left to get her purse.
To his annoyance the bothering feeling that something was wrong increased as he slid behind the wheel of his car. Automacticly he scanned the grounds for something out of place. He saw nothing amiss and just thought that he was being paraniod again. 'I think I need a vacation. I haven't taken one in years.'
During the twenty-minute ride to town, he tried to ignore the feeling that something is wrong. There wasn't much traffic but he chucked out every old pick up and saden that passed by as he entered town.
Shaking his head he asked, "Ya in the mood for something sweet?"
She looked at him and blinked. "Excuse me?"
He smiled at her. "There's a diner here that has the best pies I ever tasted. And I have tasted a lot of pies. Want some before we go shopping?"
"Sure. Sounds good."
He nodded and turned right at the light. The diner was fairly empty because it was mid afternoon, too late for luncha nd too early for dinner. Only a couple of cars and trucks were in the parking lot, which was shaded by the building and several large trees. It was warmer now than it was earlier, but as he pulled into a deeply shaded space, a chill went throught Darien. Unware Darien rubbed the back of his neck. 'Am I losing it?'
"Is your neck bothering you?" Serena asked a while later across from him at a table.
He realized that he was still rubbing his neck to make the annoying itch go way. "Yeah it is." He saw no need to explain.
"I have some ibuprofen if you think that would help?"
"It wouldn't, but thanks," he said coolly.
A beautiful waitress with cool green eyes and a devilish smile came to their table. "Hey Darien. It's been a while."
He returned her smile. "Hey Lita. It's good to see you."
"You too, Andrew's not with you?" she said a little upset at Andrew's appcence.
"He'll be here later. But I'm sure you will see him soon. He'll be wanting some pie."
Lita laughed softly. "He does love our chocolate-chip pecan pie. If he could he would eat it everyday."
"That's for sure." Darien nodded at Serena, "Lita meet Serena Pennington."
"I've seen your picture in the paper," she said and shook Serena's hand "You're Andrew's fiancee, right?" she asked with a little edge in her voice. 'I guess seh really likes Andrew.' Serena thought.
"I told my Mamma you were a blonde. The picture we saw wasn't real good. She thought it was red. I told her Andrew wouldn't date another red-head after that Rita something-or-other. Mamma never understood what he saw-."
Darien cleared his throat to cut Lita off. He saw how dazed Serena looked, he was accustomed to Liat's rambeling. It's her mother that makes the pies both of the guys love. The gossip was a small price to pay for the best tasting pies in the world. "I'm having a coffee and a coconut pie, and have you decided what you want?" He looked at Serena.
Serena looked up and said, "I'll have the chocolate cream pie."
"You want coffee, too?" Lita switched from gossip to business in the blink of an eye.
"Do you have chocolate milkshakes?" Serena asked.
"Yes we do."
"Great I'll have one." Serena smiled. (AN: Can you blame me? Lita always had a thing for Andrew. And Serena does love chocolate milkshakes.) Lita turned and left. Darien had a wierd look on his face. "What?! I love chocolate."
"Hey what ever floats you boat. I guess I should have warned you about Lita. She tends to get carried away. She knows everybody's business."
Serena smiled. "Yeah, she does."
"Don't let her bother you she means well."
"She seems nice."
Darien smiled. "She is."
Lita returned with thier drinks and two huge slices of pie. She wanted to stay and chat but the phone rang and she had to get it.
"You'er right this is delisous," Serena said after a couple of bites.
"I knew you'd like it."
Darien tried ot make conversation but he didn't know how. So he mainly consintrated on his pie and coffee. Unfortuantly the itch on the back of his neck didn't go away. Darien was well aware of Lita kept giving him weird looks as if to say, "Why are you here with her and Andrew isn't here? Why are you guys so quite?" but she stayed away. 'I guess she understands I don't want to talk.' There were on other custormers there when they paid their bill. Lita took his money. "Ya'll come back now ya hear," she said in her best Dolly Parton voice.
"The store is a couple of blocks away, " he said as they left the diner. "If you want anything feel free to say so."
"I would like some fresh fruit," she said, "And tea, oonlong or Ceylon, if possible. As long as it's not Earl Gray. I can't stand the blend." (AN: I don't really know tea brands. So don't sue me.)
Darien never really notice tea brands. He mainly drank coffee. "We'll see what they have." They were at his car.
She started for the handle but he beat her and opened the door for her. 'Is he trying to be a gentleman or badygaurd?' Scanning the grounds around the lot. "Your doing it again," she said on a chuckle. "Acting like your my badygaurd, as if I'm in danger."
He hesitated then shrugged, he knew it would do no good to deny he was on the alert. He tried ot come up with an explanation. "Your involved with a very wealthy and powerful man. Don't want annoyaning paparazzi around." It was the best he could come up with.
"Paparazzi?" She laughed. "I doubt I interset them."
"You might be surprised what interset them," he said noticing the way dimples appear at the corner of her mouth when she laughed.
She patted him on the arm when they reached his car. "I think it's sweet that you're taking care of me," she said in a teasing voice.
He surprised her, and himself, by smiling and pretending to touch the brim of a cowboy hat and said, "Just doin my job ma'am."
"I'll be sure to tell your boss to put a commandation on your file."
"You do that." He opened her door, his faint smile dissappeared at the mention of 'his boss.' 'He should be here teasing her not me.' As he went around the back of te car towards his door, an image of her smile stayed with him.
Despite his warning feelings, the attack caught him off gaurd. Maybe it was he was at his door, or because he convinsed himself he had nothing to really worry about. He should have known better.
His instincts have always been right on target. They'd only let him down once before, and that had been a real diaster.
Something cold and sharp hit the back of his neck. A big, solid guy pushed him against the car, pinning him there so tightly he could barely breathing.
Darien wasn't a small mna by any means. He is six-foot five, one hundred and seventy-five pounds, he was a big guy. But whoever was behind him was much bigger. Even then, Darien might have had a fighting chance, he'd been well trained in hand-to-hand compat in the Army, but whatever was injected in his neck was taking effect. His legs started to shake, and he was slipping down. If the man wasn't man holding him up he would have crumpled on the ground.
He heard a big car pull up beside his car, a sliding door opened. "Serena," he said, but it came out in a wishper. 'Lock the doors, blow the horn, scream, breack a window, do anything,' he wanted to yell but he passed out before the words left his mouth.
Shouls I end it there.....Yeah. That's the end of the chapter I know, I know I'm evil. But I have to have some suspence. Let's recap, shall we. Serena's a little mad at Darien, Andrew's going to be there tonight, and Serena and Darien get kidnapped, any idea by who???? Oh the wonder. Moon Baby.