On Horseback (Updated 21-Oct-04 23:06:28)

Author: Ree-B Rated: R, for passionate interludes and foul language

AN: Author Notes in (parenthesis), thoughts in brackets

Disclaimer: I have only one claim to fame. No, it is not that I own Sailormoon. It is that I live next door to Barbara Bush, wife of... Wathal Bush (heehee). Anyways, Don't sue me.

On Horseback Chapter 3:

RECAP

The lightning was so close it was almost instant thunder and Endy raged out of control. Serena tried as best she could to control him. Everyone had stopped and Ken and Alan had dismounted to help control the horse. Before they could reach the animal, Endy reared violently and sent Serena flying over the 50-foot drop. Emotion erupted in Darien and he grabbed a flashlight and started climbing down the drop. His companions yelled after him.
"Darien! Come back!"
"Dare, where are you?"
He couldn't hear them over his own calls for Serena. He couldn't find her. He was now crying but you couldn't tell because of the rain. He yelled her name over the roaring noise of rain.
"SERENA! WHERE ARE YOU? SERENA!!!!! ANSWER ME!!"

END OF RECAP

Just then he saw a small figure sprawled over a rock. He rushed to her side, scanning her for injury (like any good doctor would) and checked her vital signs. He concluded that she was alive, but had been knocked unconscious. Her head was bleeding right above her eyebrow, and she had some bad bruises. Her neck hadn't been injured so he carefully lifted her limp form, and somehow carried her all the way up to where his friends were waiting.
"She's unconscious. We need to get her to that shelter. NOW!" Darien yelled. They all returned to their horses. Darien mounted his own horse, still cradling Serena in his arms. Ken took the reins of Serena's horse and tied it to the back of his saddle. They didn't go any faster than a fast trot because of Serena's delicate position. On the way there, Darien whispered words of love and comforting to her as he gently brushed her wet bangs out of her face. When they reached the shelter. Darien placed Serena on the floor (since there was no furniture) and everyone crowded around as Darien and Mina started making her comfortable with what they had. Darien pulled out a small bag of necessary medical items he always had with him but everyone crowding was making Darien nervous.
"BACK OFF! EVERYONE! GIVE US SOME SPACE!" He yelled surprising the group.
"GEEZ! We're just worried." Said Sammy annoyed.
"Just listen to him." Mina said calmly. Mina And Darien whispered things to each other that made no sense to the others. Their doctor's terms were to confusing to follow what they were doing so the group backed off, waiting patiently.
After thoroughly checking Serena over, Mina got up from Serena's side and approached the others. Sammy was frightened that something had turned for the worst. To ease his mind, Mina smiled at Serena's worried older brother.
"She hit her head fairly hard. She might have a sprained ankle, but the rest are just bumps and bruises. She really lucked out. Don't worry, Sammy. Darien is a really good doctor." Her years of appeasing frantic family members at the hospital paid of when her sweet smile calmed Serena's own frantic family member into just a concerned brother. Darien rose at Serena's side.
"She shouldn't stay out on the trail. Her injuries are not very bad, but the last thing she needs is to make them worse. Once she wakes up, she just needs to rest and let herself heal."
Sammy immediately offered to take her back to the ranch and stay with her. But Darien knew the better of it. "Wait, Sammy. I know you just to see that Sere is safe, but I am the most logical choice. If she gets ill I can be there to treat her. I am also the one that doesn't particularly want to be on a horse for a week." He stopped and pulled out his cell phone, and handed it to Ken, "When I get to the ranch, I'll call you." He kneeled down and gently lifted her into his arms. Everyone was moved by the love he showed for her. Sammy stopped him and said close to Darien's ear, "Take Lightning, He's the fastest. You take good care of her!"
"I will. I promise. I would die before I let her feel pain." Darien turned and headed out to where lightning was tied up.
"I know you would." Sammy said, recognizing the love Darien had for his sister, but Darien was too far to hear him. Darien mounted the horse and sped of as fast as he could without hurting Serena. In about 15 minutes he had made it to the ranch. He tied Lighting up in the barn and carefully made it to the ranch. Inside it was dark. Darien set Serena down on a nearby couch lit up by the lightning. Somewhere along the way, she had come out of her concussion and was now just sleeping soundly. Once she was settled, he reached for the light switch. Nothing. The power had gone out. Darien's next thought was to call Sammy. He would want to know that they had gotten to the ranch okay. He picked up the phone. Damn, no dial tone. The power lines were down as well. Sammy would just have to wait. Right now he had to get Serena Comfortable.

---'-,-- At the trail shelter --,-'---

It had been two hours since Darien had left with Serena and somewhere between being worried for her health and ranting about how he should have gone with them he started to get angry at Darien for not calling yet to let him know they were okay. There was plenty of signal on his cell phone.
"Perhaps, there is a reason He has not called yet." calmed Mina. "Maybe he isn't thinking about it."
"I see where she's going, Sammy. You know how much Darien loves Serena, Right? Well he needs time alone with her to tell her his feeling." Andrew said.
"Alone with her, NO WAY! He'll jump her if he's alone with her!"
"How dare you, Sammy! You know she is more to him than that and even though I don't think she knows it, she's in love with him too." Ken said when he peeped up for the first time.
"But she's my sister, she needs me!"
"There's nothing you can do to help that hasn't been done already." Mina said in the I'm-all-knowing-so-listen-to-me voice. Sammy headed to the door, but stopped at her words.
"I guess she is in good hands. But if I get back and find her de-flowered, there will be hell to pay!"
"Oh, come on Sammy. Your sister has been "de-flowered" for a long time. There's nothing they can do she hasn't already done!"
Shocked and horrified that Alan would say something like that about his sister Sammy stood there with his mouth hung open. But all he could do was believe him. With that Sammy reluctantly agreed to stay put.

---'-,-- Late that night --,-'---

Serena had been sleeping right through the storm for about four hours now. Darien had occupied the seat next to the bed for the entire time. He had left to retrieve a glass of water should she awaken. Darien entered to see his sleeping beauty on the bed. He sat down in a chair next to her and took hold of her hand. She now had her cuts and bruises tended to and a real bandage on her head. He stared at her and he remembered how she looked when he watched her sleeping. She looked so sweet. Just then her eyelids fluttered open.
"Darien? Sammy? Mina? Guys?"
"Sere! It's okay. I'm here." He kissed her forehead gently, "Go back to sleep."
"Okay, Dare..." Her voice trailed off as she fell back asleep. Soon after that, Darien fell asleep with his head resting next to her on the bed and his hand in hers.

---'-,-- Tuesday, The next morning --,-'---

Serena woke to find Darien with his head on the bed next to her. He was sound asleep and had his hand wrapped over her own. He looked so peaceful. He was the only one in the room. She carefully crept out of the bed, trying not to wake this sleeping prince. She moved towards the door. Serena went to put on a change of clothes. Her ankle hurt really badly and she had some bruises, but she really needed to wash up some. She put on a comfy pair of jeans and a cute sleeveless button-up shirt. She grabbed a brush and hair tie and went back inside. She soon emerged and sat down on the bed. Darien was still asleep and she didn't want to disturb his peaceful sleep. She moved to stand next to him. She shook him slightly,
"Dare, wake up." He opened his eyes to see a pair of white tennis shoes. He followed the bandaged ankle up the long slender legs, and up the beautifully perfect body until his sight rested on the eyes of his love. For a second she just looked into his eyes. Before he turned from her intense gaze.
"You saved my life, Dare. Thanks." Darien blushed profusely "It was nothing." He glanced sideways to see her smiling face stare back at him. He didn't want to ruin the moment, but then a question crept into his head.
"Sere, why did you push me away at the river?" The question shocked her; she didn't know how to answer.
"Um...um..."
"Do you not like me?"
"No Dare, that's not it. I just didn't think it was sincere because you had just broken up with Jess."
"What do you think now?"
"I don't know..." if he only knew how much I want it to be truly what he feels. But I can't tell him ...yet
"Well let me tell you a secret, Sere. That day Jess broke up with me, I was about to break up with her because I..." I can't tell her yet
"Because you what?" Please say because you loved me . Just then the phone rang. Thinking quickly, Darien changed the subject to avoid a confession,
"I guess the phone lines are back up. That must be everyone checking up on you!" Darien walked around to the other side of the bed and picked up the phone.
"RINNGGG...RRRINNGGGGG...Hello..." Darien recognized Andrew's voice on the line, "Hey Darien. we just wanted to know how everything is with Serena."
"Tell everyone that Sere is fine. We're back at the ranch and She is healing fine. What's it like there?"
"It cleared up and now it is beautiful."
"Great! Well then you guys should stay on the trail. Don't let us spoil your fun. Sere will be fine, no horseback riding for awhile, but fine."
"Okay, Dare. We'll leave you two alone together!!!" They had convinced Sammy to stay and that Serena was going to be okay.
"What are you getting at Andy?"
"You know, man, you...and Serena...! Do I have to spell it out! Tell her what you think about her!"
"I'll get to that. I'll talk to you later, Andy. Tell Sammy I'm still keeping my promise. Bye!" Darien hung up the phone and turned to Serena. "They say it's beautiful up there. They are going to stay on the trail, so we have a week until they come back."

---'-,-- --,-'---

The time passed quickly. They did everything there was to do. On Wednesday, they went for a swim in the lake, Darien would dunk her under and they would play around like children, and Darien would watch her silently as she lay in the sun in her string bikini to get a tan. On Thursday, Darien helped her stretch her ankle to keep it healthy, he would gently place his hands on her leg and extend it and Serena loved how he would then run his hands back up her leg to her thigh. On Friday, they stayed in, popped popcorn and watched classic movies, they would discuss the scenes and why one movie was better, and Darien noticed how her cheeks reddened slightly when she would become frustrated with his masculine thinking and how beautiful it made her. On Saturday, they went for a walk through the fields; they talked about the world today and Serena discovered how the loss of his parents had made him bitter towards the people who took their parents for granted, and it amazed her how he could be so serious one minute and then the next he was gathering flowers for a bouquet he gave to her. On Sunday, they went into town to a small church service, and afterward they went to play with the children at the playground, and Darien noticed how she had instantly made lifelong pals with all the children and Serena noticed the same about Darien. On Monday, They kept doing each other's hair over in odd styles, then took pictures and made funny faces, and that night Serena painted her nails and toenails, then painted Darien's, and they fell asleep together on the couch; curled in each other's arms. On Tuesday, they made a cake in the kitchen and ended up circling the dinning room table in a flour fight, and that night when they ate it they shared childhood stories about friends and girlfriends/boyfriends. On Wednesday, they went to the barn to get hay for the horses and ended up playing hide and seek in the loft. On Thursday, they went horseback riding on the same horse, and came back and sat in each other's arms in front of a fire, and it was then that their reverie was shattered. Darien realized that they had still ignored what they had said and done that hurt each other. He pulled his arms from around her waist.
"Sere, I can't do this."
"What's wrong, can't do what?" Serena was confused. Had she done something wrong?
"I can't keep pretending that we are in a healthy relationship. Ignoring that you pushed me away when I kissed you. Ignoring that I still don't know how you really feel about me or you know about how I feel for you. Ignoring the confusing signals I get from you. Come on, Sere, are we a couple or just good friends?" Darien had put so much feeling in his words that he was pacing the room and flailing his arms, never making eye contact with Serena. When he stopped talking, he stopped in front of her and stared deep into her soul. It left her speechless for a moment.
"Darien?" she nearly whispered.
"Yes?"
"I love you." She said it so calmly as if it was the only thing in her life she was completely sure of. Darien looked at her. Serena couldn't tell if it was a look of disgust or of victory or maybe a mix of the too. "I wasn't sure for awhile but now I'm sure I love you. I can't believe I didn't figure it out earlier..."
"Serena." When he spoke she looked up to his caring face, "You're rambling." A playful smile graced his face.
"Oh sorry." She blushed and looked at the floor. He lifted her face and said,
"That's okay, it's cute. And Serena, I love you, too. I have known it since that morning on horseback."
"Oh, Darien." She stood and laid her head to his chest. Darien looked down at the blond in his arms. He lifted her head by placing his hand under her chin. He gazed at her then leaned down to place his lips on hers. Darien moved his hands to rest on her lower back. Serena had her arms draped around his neck. They kissed passionately for a long time. They sat on the couch and kissed in each other's arms until they fell asleep with Serena on top of Darien with her head on his chest.
On the porch, five heads peeped in the window to see the couple embracing. Mina then pulled her head away and ordered the guys to do likewise.
"Let's leave them alone." They crept upstairs and left the two lovebirds sleeping on the couch. That night Serena and Darien dreamt of their wedding together.

---'-,-- ---'-,-- ---'-,-- THE END --,-'--- --,-'--- -
Well how did you like it? I know it was very long. Please write me and tell me what you think. Tell me even if you hated it. My e-mail address is Bye!