Kidnapped By: Moon Baby Rating: PG E-mail: MoonBabyGirl16@yahoo.com

Authors Note: Don't ya just hate me. I'm real sorry it took so long. I'll try and make the next one faster, but school and all....

"Darien? Wake up. Please wake up," Serena said quietly, but urgently, trying to get passed the drug-induced unconscious state he'd been in ever since they were kidnapped. She was worried something was wrong because he'd been out so long and his breathing was so shallow. 'What if the bastards had given him an overdose of whatever drug they used? What if he never wakes up?' She risked talking a little louder. "Can you hear me Darien?"

He was on his back on a white mattress. Both of his arms were stretched and locked above his head by a pair of handcuffs on the iron bars of the head board. Serena was on her knees beside him. Handcuffs were on her,too. One was on her right wrist while the other was on the head board. The handcuffs felt cold and heavy on her wrist.

She didn't have a watch on and Darien's had been taken. So she did know how long it's been since they'd been taken. Panic was building inside her with each passing second.

Hearing a noise from somewhere in the house Serena tried to get him to talk to her. "Open your eyes. Please Darien." She near tears.

A low rumble deep in his chest, a cross between a growl and a groan, she decided. But whatever it was she never her a more wonderful sound. 'Good, he is alive. I was so worried.' She put her hand on his chest. "Darien?"

He opened his bloodshot eyes a little, immediately focusing on her. His voice was husky when he asked, "Where are we?"

'It seems like he is almost fully awake. No apparent confusion or disorientation. The drug must have worn off. Thank God.' "I have no idea. We got here in a minivan with black paint covering the windows, I couldn't really see out."

"How long have I been out for?"

"I'm not real sure. It seems like hours. We were on the road a real long time and we've been here just as long it seems."

He tested the cuffs by banging them on the head board as he asked, "Smooth roads or rough?"

"Rough like gravel. A lot of hills and turns."

He nodded and looked around the room. There was a window on the other side of the room. It had a dark curtain on it so no one could look out. The bed was in the middle of the room pushed up against the back wall. The door was on the opposite side of the window. 'Darien is still a little pale and he doesn't look quite right. But he won't give in to an side effects he might still have. He seems fully focussed on assessing our situation and finding a way out of it. A bodyguard till the end.'

After taken a thorough investigation of the room he turned and looked at her. "They didn't hurt you." It wasn't a question. 'I guess he came up with that after he looked at me. Typical, his first thoughts were business.'

"No, they didn't hurt me."

"How many were there?"

She shuddered as she thought about what happened. "Three. Two of them got you, while the other ripped the car door out of my hand before I could lock it. It all happened so fast. Before I really know what was going on."

"Did anyone see what happened?"

"Not that I could see. We parked in deep shadow and a van pulled up next to your car. That blocked the view of anyone passing by. They moved so fast...."

"Did you try and scream, or get someone's attention?"

"They said they'd kill you if I didn't corroborate. You were unconscious and a big guy was holding a gun to your head. I couldn't risk you life like that," she said and he could hear the fear in her voice.

"He raised an eyebrow. "You just got into the van? Just like that?" he couldn't hide the shock in his voice.

"Yes, they would have killed you if I didn't!!"

"Did you see their faces?"

"They didn't try and hide them."

A frown flashed on his face. After a moment he ordered, "Tell me everything they said. Even if it was God Bless You."

"They really didn't say much. The whole thing seemed carefully planned. They didn't discuss much. I tried to find out what they wanted, but ignored me or told me to shut up. I was in the back withy our head on my lap, and a gun pointed at me. Why did they take us?" Closing her eyes she shuddered.

'I wonder how she managed to keep her voice so steady despite the terror I see in her beautiful face. Man, I wish I was awake when my head was on her lap.' He could just see his head on her lap. "I think it's obvious why they took us."

"It is?"

"Serena your name and your picture has been seen in the paper with Andrew. The gossip you two married and picking out baby names. Even Lita knew who you are. And I am Andrew's best friend and closest business partner. This is simple kidnapping and ransom job."

'He's confirming what I was already afraid of. I knew there were risks being involved with Andrew, even before Darien pointed then out during the past couple of days, but I guess I considered it. But Andrew hadn't made that mistake. He sent Darien to make sure I got to the lake house safe and sound.' "Did you and Andrew think something like this was going to happen?" 'Maybe that is why Darien is with me?'

"Of course we didn't," he said shock that she would even ask that. "We didn't have a clue this was going to happen. If I had, do you think I would have been so careless with your safety?"

Hearing self-crimination in his voice she shook her head. "You weren't careless. You were always on the alert. I even teased you about being a bodyguard. This isn't your fault."

"Yeah, some bodyguard I turned out to be," he said irritated with himself.

'He is blaming himself.' Serena made another effort to make him understand. "It all happened so fast. It was planned and well executed. They had us before we could really react. And you said yourself you guys had no clue this was going to happen." She could tell he found little to no comfort in what she said.

They heard another sound, a muffled sound like a door slamming shut. Then a car starting and leaving. "Do you think they're leaving us alone here?" Serena asked looking at the door. She wasn't sure she was sure she was upset or relived of their kidnappers had abandoned them. 'How long will it be before we die of dehydration? But they wouldn't let us die, or the would have killed us already, right? They'd been rough but neither of us had been really hurt.'

Darien didn't seem to concerned about being about the possibility of being stranded when he muttered, "We should be so lucky."

She swallowed. "What do you think will happen to us now?"

"They'll probably wait a few hours to make sure we're missed, then they'll contact Andrew. Tell him something like if he doesn't pay a curtain amount of money and if he doesn't contacts the authorities we'll be unharmed. Then offer him a deal for our return."

"What do you think Andrew will say to them?"

Darien's mouth twisted into an odd half smile. "What he'll say properly shouldn't be repeated in mix company. After that he'll negotiate."

"Will he call the police?"

After looking at the door, Darien just shrugged.

'Was he worried that we were being watched?' Biting her lip, Serena took a quick look around the room looking for something that may look like a microphone pr a camera. She saw nothing like that, but she wouldn't know what that would look like. She suspected that Darien was more experienced with this kind of thing.

He shifted on the mattress, making her remember she still had her hand on his chest. She knew she should take it away but she couldn't bring herself to move it. To her it was reassuring to feel the warmth from his chest.

Without thinking. she lifted her right hand to brush her hair behind her ear. Rattling loudly against the headboard. "Damn." Her hand fell to her side.

Darien looked at her. "Your hair was up this morning."

"They took out my hairpins, took my purse, your watch, everything in our pockets, our belts, and our shoes." She shivered as she remembered the pat- down she had to go though while the biggest of the kidnappers held her arms behind her. His hold was so tight tears swelled in her eyes.

"They seemed to have covered all the basics."

She looked at the hand cuff. "They actually thought we could use hairpins to pick he locks."

Darien did a semi-shrug. "They might have been right."

She quickly shot her head up and looked at him. "You could pick could do that? Pick a lock?"

"I could damn well try."

"Well....." She reached into the pocket of her light blue shirt, fumbled for a moment, then pulled out a hairpin, which she showed him.

Darien raised his eyebrow. "Do you always keep hairpins in you shirt?"

"I do when I wear my hair up. See, my hair is real fine and tends to come out of the ponytail. I usually keep extra hairpins in case that happens. I had this one in my pocket. It fell in the seam, that must have kept the guy who pat me down from finding it."

He opened his right hand. "Give it to me, please."

She gave it to him and frowned when he put it in his hair. 'I thought he was going to use it.'

"Can you see it?" he asked.

It was completely hidden in his thick black hair. "No, but aren't you going to try it on the cuffs?"

"I'll try when I think it's safe to do so."

"When's that going to be?"

He looked at the window. "Later."

'Why is he looking out the dirty window? Why wasn't he trying to pick the lock? Was he waiting for night time? How long till then? It was about four- thirty when we left the dinner. I guess we were in that van for an hour or so. And I think another half hour passed before Darien woke up. It should be dark soon.' She wasn't sure she could sit there much longer wearing the heavy cuff. It was worse for Darien because he was on his back with his hands cuffed above his head. "Maybe we should do it now while we're alone. Maybe they think you are still unconscious, we could go out through the window before they realize what's happening."

"Maybe someone will come in while I'm working and find the pin and take it. I never said I could pick a lock. I said, 'I could damn well try,' and it would take a while."

She knew he had a point, and acknowledged the need for caution, but she hated the idea of spending a long time here. In frustration, Serena tugged at the cuff on her wrist, growing claustrophobic in the restraint. The only thing accomplished was a loud noise of steel against iron, and pain in her wrist.

"Serena relax."

"Relax?!!" She thought he was nuts. She looked at his impassive face in disbelief. "How am I suppose to relax?"

"We aren't hurt. We're left alone. There is no reason for you to panic," he said calmly.

"Yet," she said in a matter-of-factly voice.

"Don't let your imagination get the better of you. No threats have been made to us. They are common thugs trying to make some quick money. Criminal types aren't really all that smart, they make mistakes. When they make one with us we'll take advantage of it."

"How do you know they'll make a mistake? How do you know they aren't going to take the money and kill us. They let me see their faces, for crying out loud," she was raising her voice, and she had a slight tremor. Serena couldn't hide her fear, especially with Darien acting like nothing was wrong. He was so calmed and in control. But when she looked into his eyes she saw he wasn't in control. His usual cool blue eyes were now dark sapphires, glazed with anger. So hot she could almost feel the heat. His face looked so calm but she could tell he was pissed.

"They aren't going to hurt you," he promised, his voice a low deep growl.

She sat back to study him for a moment. Under her hand, (ya it's still there) his heart beat steadily, but a little faster now. Stronger. "Tell me what you need me to do." She just put her life in his hands.

He smiled. "Stay calm, let me handle everything."

Her eyes locked with his. "Thank you," she whispered

He was the first to look away. "Andrew is counting on me to keep you safe and that's what I'm going to do," he said gruffly.

"I believe this is more than you asked for when you signed up for this 'baby sitting' job."

'Busted,' he thought. "I didn't expect this to happen. If I had, none of this would have happened. Um... About the baby sitting crack, don't take it personally."

Looking at the uncomfortable position he was in and the dark circles under is eyes, she knew she couldn't be mad at him. "Don't worry about it. I'm guessing you were aggravated you were kept from your work," she said to brush the crack off.

"That's one way of looking at it," he muttered.

Before she could say anything else, the door opened. Instinctively, Serena moved closer to Darien, she really couldn't have said why, though. The man was the smallest of the three. Darked-haired and matching darked-eyes, walked close to them and spoke with a smoker's rasp, "Ya'll need anything. Water?"

"The keys to the cuffs would be nice," Darien said.

"Let' snot waste time with shit like that."

"I think giving me the key isn't shit when your safety is concerned."

Though Serena knew Darien was going to do that but she really wished he wouldn't challenge their capture lie that. It wasn't like Darien couldn't protect himself in the current position he was in, at least that's what she thought. Fortunately, the other man wouldn't be baited. He looked at Serena and ignored Darien. "Are you comfortable? Can I get anything you might need?"

"Comfortable?" She pulled the handcuff. "Not really."

"Sorry about the cuffs, but I'm sure you can understand the need for them."

Darien snorted. The other man gave him a quick look then looked back at Serena. "If you like, I could get you some water."

"No." She almost added thank you, but bit it back. 'He doesn't disserve manners.'

He nodded. "Fine, call if you need anything." He turned and left the room, closing the door. Darien muttered an expletive that drew Serena's attention and made her raise her eyebrow.

"I'm kind of surprised you didn't ask him any questions. Like what they want, how long we're going to be here, what they plan to do next? Something like that."

"I didn't have to." His gaze still locked on the door. "I know what's going on."

She looked shocked. "You learned stuff from him just now?"

He nodded.

After a moment she asked, "Well?"

"Find the hairpin, will you?" He didn't explain.

"Darien...."

"We'll talk later."

Something in his tone gave her added confidence. Bitting her lip, she ran her left hand though his hair until she came across the hairpin. he grimaced a little when she pulled it out. "Did I pull you hair? I'm sorry."

"Don't worry, put the in my right hand." She did that and sat and watched while he tried to pick the lock. He dropped hairpin once, he cursed while she desperately looked for it. She found it on the mattress under his hands. They both sighed when she gave it back to him. "If I could see what I'm doing....," he muttered to himself.

"You've done this before? Pick a lock with a hairpin, I mean."

"A couple of times, I guess." His concentration was focused on what he was doing.

Serena had a feeling there was an interesting story in there, but realized that won't the time to ask. She didn't want to distract him for fear of him dropping the hairpin again. So she kept quite.

She didn't know how long she sat there watching him, listening to him mutter curses beneath his breath. Once they heard a loud crash at the other end of the cabin, they both froze, their heads whipping to look at the door. A moment passed, then Darien went back to work.

It started getting dark outside, their captors hadn't turned on any lights. The determined look in his eyes made him seem like cat's eyes in the gloom. The lock opened with a muted click. The sound was so quite Serena almost didn't realize the importance of it. When she did realize it she gasped in relief. "You got it?"

He freed his left hand from the cuff, lowering it to his side and flexed his fist to get circulation threw his arm. The cuff was still on his right wrist, but he moved it from the bar and pushed himself in a sitting position, he swayed a little. Serena reached out to steady him, and for a few moments he leaned against her. "The sedative must not have completely worm off," she whispered, her free arm around his waist. "Are you okay?"

"A little nauseous, but other than that yeah." Taking a deep breath. he straightened and reached for her wrist. "Let's see if I can open this one."

Another sound in the house made her heart beat faster. "What will happen if someone comes in and catches us doing this?"

"My hands are free, I'll won't be taken without a fight this time."

"The guy that came in here had the gun earlier. What if he still has it on him?"

Darien didn't answer, he bent his head closer to get a better look at the lock. Even though he had his hands free, but the cuff still dangled from his right wrist, and with her right in front of him, it took him a while to get her free. Serena began to worry that it was taking to long to get the cuff undone, and she was afraid that their captor might come back. She kept getting a picture of that man holding a gun to Darien's head while he was unconscious and vulnerable. She thought he would pill the trigger if she did one thing wrong, she still felt that he would still kill them now. Of the three men that kidnapped them, she thought, the small darker man wasn't incharge but was the most dangerous.' "Why don't you go without me," she urged in a whisper. Thinking their captors ears were pressed against the door. "You can go and get the police and come...."

"I'm not going anywhere without you." He cut her off. His tone left no room for argument.

She might have argued any way if the lock hadn't clicked at that moment. Relief coursed though her as he removed the cuff from her wrist. She shook her hand to get the blood flowing threw it. The cuff hadn't been real tight, ,but just haveing it on made it feel like it was squeezing her wrist.

"You okay?" Darien asked with consern shining in his eyes.

"Yes. I'm fine, thank you. What do we do now?"

Darien got off the bed and reached a hand out to Serena. "We get the hell out of here," he said with a slight smile. She put her hand in his and quiet as possible got off the bed. The frame creak when she got off, her heart almost stopped, Darien was already heading towrads the window. Walking in their scoks made no sound on the floor. "Damn it."

Serena had been looking anxiously at the door. Darien's mutter turned her around. "What, what's wrong? Is it locked."

"Yes and it's nailed shut. There's no way in hell I'll get it open without being heard."

She bit her lip. "Now what?"

He reached out and ran his kneckles of his left hand along her jaw line. "Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of here. Like I said I was."

The breif, but intimate contact caught her off gaurd, causing her to freeze. Putting his hand up tp get her to stay where she, Darien moved quietly across the room to the door. He listen through the wood then tried the knob. It wasn't locked. "They weren't expecting us to get free. The door's not locked.

"So what are we going to do?" Her voice was so quiet she bearly heard herself.

Holding two fingers to his lips, as a command for her to be quiet, he openned the door and peeked out. The handcuff still dangled from his right wrist, but he kept it quiet. Holding her breath, Serena peered over his shoulder into the dark hallway. A gleam of light at the other end of the hallway indicated where their kidnapper was. She heard the faint sound of music coming from the room. 'A raidio? Out here?' She could just picture him sitting in the room, reading, listening to the music, and killing time till his cohorts rejoined him. 'Then what will happen?'

Darien must have heard something she didn't becuase he quietly closed the door and put his hand on her forearm. "Get back on the bed," he murmured. "Bet in the same position you were in."

"But..."

Hurry." He practicly pulled her back to the bed. When she got there she sat on her knees again. He handed her the cuff. "Hold it at your side. Keep your ar down, it has to look liek your still wearing the cuff.." He stretched out on his back again, put his hands above his head, gripped the empty cuff in his left hand so it wasn't imediately appent that he wasn't wearing it.

Serena heard foot steps coming close to the door. "What do you want me to do?" she whispered, her heart in her throat.

"Stay out of my way."

The door opened as the words left Dariens mouth. The man came in carring two plastic cups of water in his left hand. "It brought you some water. You'll get some food when my partners return."Serena didn't want to think of the other two men coming back yet.

Darien glared at the man. "You are planning to uncuff me, right? I can't drink on my back."

"Yeah right, nice trty, Cross,. Dont worry. I won't let you drown." The man walked closer to the bed, trying to hand Serena one of the cups. Suddenly afraid he would see the empty cuff she looked at Darien.

A muscel in his cheek flexed, it was the only warning of his intentions. A heartbeat later he made his move. He came off the mattress in one smooth powerful motion.. The dangling cuff clattered against the iron headboard, the bed frame squeacked loudly, as the two cups of water flew and splashed them.

Caught completly off gaurd, the dark man was in a fight before he even knew what was going on. He stumbleed back and went down hard, hitting the wooden floor with aloud crack. The scuffle didn't last long. Using his fist and the dangling cuff, Darien rendered the man unconscious. Even though she knew it was necessary Serena was a bit stunned by the cold, controlled violence Darien showed. She thought he looked dangerous in black, but now she knew he was dangerous in any color.

He stood up and wipped the drops of blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his left hand. 'The other man must have gotten a few hits in to cause blood,' she thought.

"You said this was the man with the gun, right?"

Serena took a step forward. "Yes, he was the only one with a gun."

"He doesn't have one now. He must have thought he didn't need it so he properly left it in the other room."

A flash of light shined dimly through the window made Serena gasp. "A car. The others must be coming back."

"We better get out of here. Lets go out the back." He grabbed her hand and almost pulled her as he moved quickly towards the door. She didn't take the time to look around the shabby cabin. She just wanted to get the hell out of it. A swinging bat door at the back of the room where their captor sat led to a cramped kitchen. Still half dragging Serena, Darien truneed the knob at the back door, openned it and ran outside.

At last done. So sorry it took so long. With my other story and school.... There really isn't enough time in the day. But hopefully the next update won't take to long. Moon Baby

P.S. Please Reveiw.