The Perfect Prank
Chapter XIII. Illicit Relations
By: Sailor Angie

AN: You guys had way too much fun with last week's challenge. I had such great responses. Chibi J was the first one to review with the correct response. No, my birthday is not 5/6/83 (I'm 19 not 21) Congratulations Chibi J, 5683 corresponds to the letters L-O-V-E on a touch-tone phone. Challenge #4 is at the end. Read, Review, and Enjoy!

Serena's eyes fluttered open to unfamiliar surroundings. Darien shifted slightly beside her causing him to pull her closer. Serena had a flash back of last night's events.

Although nothing really physically happened, everything was so intimate. Darien had helped her remove her wet clothes and then they simply lay together in his bed for hours talking until Serena and Darien finally fell asleep. They rang in the New Year in a peaceful slumber holding each other close.

Serena came back to reality. The clock on his night stand read 11:17, the sun shone brightly through the closed curtains. Sammy was probably worried about her. She went to get out of the bed, but Darien's grip tightened around her waist.

"Where do you think you're going?" He laughed light heartedly from behind her.

She turned to face him and kissed him on the tip of his nose, "I've already stayed too long." Serena broke free from his grasp and went to fetch her clothes where they lay discarded in a heap on the floor.

"So soon? You just got here." Darien sat up.

Serena smiled at him, "You know I want to stay." She pulled her pants on.

"Then don't go, let me make you brunch." Darien offered, "I know you don't have any plans." He convinced.

"Okay," She gave in, wondering how she could resist that gorgeous smile of his, "But I need to use your phone, my cell's dead."

He smiled at his victory and pointed to a phone on the wall beside the bedroom door. She picked up the receiver and giggled as Darien trailed his hand along the width of her back on his way out the door.

She had seen him in his boxers so many times, yet every time was sexier than the last. Serena eventually got Sammy on the phone and explained that she had stayed at a friend's house the previous night. He didn't seem to mind.

Soon wonderful smells wafted from the kitchen to Serena's nose, and she followed the trail to Darien. She sat silently at the breakfast bar watching him work his magic. She thought he was unaware of her presence until he began to speak to her.

"So Serena, where do we go from here?" He flipped a pancake.

"I don't know." Her brow furrowed, it was too early to be discussing such important matters.

He placed a plate of food in front of her, and looked into her eyes, "I want to be with you Serena," He shook his head, "I don't care how you want to label it, but," He paused and smiled at her, "I'm enjoying your company too much to just pass this off as a one time affair, like we seem to have done with all our previous encounters." Serena laughed softly. Darien brought her syrup from the fridge and continued, "I told you things last night that even Andrew doesn't know." A blush began to creep onto Serena's face, "You look so cute when you do that." He chuckled and let his fingers slide across her cheek, "Can I call you my girlfriend?" He asked.

"Yeah," She whispered as his face drew closer. He kissed her gently.

He released her slowly, "You've made my day. Well you'd better eat something before it all goes cold." They laughed together and began to eat.

For the rest of break Serena spent every free moment she had with Darien. The prank was officially over. Serena had even called Mina and explained that Darien and her had gotten closer and that she didn't know what she was thinking when she came up with the idea.

"How do you make someone fall in love with you anyway?" Serena had laughed, then smiled at her new found relationship. "Besides, I could never hurt him now that I know him." Serena clarified.

Yes, things were looking up for Serena, the notorious ex-prankster. She had traded in her pepper-spray for a meaningful relationship.

"Winter break was relaxing, but I'm glad to be back." Serena placed some folded clothes in her dresser.

"I agree. Hey, is it okay if Andy sleeps over tonight?" Mina chimed.

Serena stopped for a moment; Mina had never before asked if Andrew could sleep over. Her thoughts were fleeting, "Sure," She chirped, "I'll go ask Darien if he minds me crashing with him. I haven't seen him in two days. He's been super busy." Serena shut the drawer and skipped out the door and down the hall.

"Darien." She sounded sweetly, "I have to ask you a question." She went to open the door but it was locked. "Hmm?" Serena questioned, "Darien are you sleeping?"

Serena heard the door unlock from the other side but gasped when the door opened. "Sorry Serena, I was in the bathroom, how can I help you?" Amy offered.

Serena barged past her into the room. None of his things were there. "Where's Darien?" She was alarmed.

"I thought you knew Serena." Amy was confused, "Darien was only the RA for a semester until they found someone to fill the position. Everyone was still too scared to be in the same building with you. So I volunteered." Amy's demeanor suddenly changed, "You're not gonna do anything to me are you?" She studied Serena.

"Of course not Amy." Serena scoffed, "Where could he be?" She wondered aloud as she wandered back to her room.

Serena tried everything. His cell was off, he wasn't answering the landline at his apartment, and Andrew had no clue as to where he might be.

She finally gave up and as a last resort had a taxi drive her to his apartment. The apartment she thought was a sub-let for winter break.

Serena stepped out of the cab and paid the driver. She fidgeted silently on the elevator, and hoped that nothing had happened to him. She reached his floor, then his door. She knocked repeatedly before the door unlatched itself and slowly crept open.

Panic rose in her as her heart beat quickened. She heard a noise coming from his bedroom. The voice sounded unfamiliar. Serena shut the door behind her and grabbed a butcher knife from the kitchen to arm her.

She softly tip-toed down the hall, took a deep breath, and charged into his room.

Immediately the knife slid out of her hands and fell to the floor. Before her was Darien sleeping like a baby with a documentary blaring on the TV. Serena giggled at her idiocracy.

Deciding she didn't want to wake him, she slid in next to him. As if he sensed her, even in his slumber, he protectively wrapped his arms around her.

When Darien awoke later he immediately wondered how Serena had gotten into his apartment, but realized he'd fallen asleep without locking the door. On his way to the bathroom he picked up a butcher knife that lay near the door. He shrugged and placed it on the breakfast bar before heading to the restroom.

When Darien returned to his room he found Serena stretching having just awakened. "What are you doing here?" He approached her.

"I should ask you the same thing." She suddenly became cross.

Darien's brow furrowed, "Whatta ya mean?" He walked toward her.

She stepped down from his bed and folded her arms, "You lied to me!" She shot daggers at him.

"About what?!" Darien was thoroughly confused.

"I walked down the hall and knocked on your door. But you didn't answer. . . Amy did." Serena continued glaring at him.

Her tone reminded Darien of their relationship before the truce, "Serena, I'm sorry I--"

"You should be." She interrupted him by pouting. "And then I couldn't find you to ask you why you lied to me." She uncrossed her arms and sat back down on the edge of the bed.

"Serena, let's get one thing strait." He sat next to her empathetically, "I didn't lie to you. I thought you knew that this was only a semester long gig." He rubbed her back, "And besides, do you know how much trouble I would get in if my mother or any other university official found out that I was having illicit relations with a resident while I was a house fellow?" He laughed.

"I guess," She smiled.

He kissed her on the cheek, "That's my girl." He hopped off the bed and grabbed her hands, "Guess what!? I have great news!"

"Spill!" She sniggered at Darien's sudden enthusiasm.

"I got a job offer."

She frowned, "A job?"

"Well, I enrolled in a technical college this semester and when it's done, a PR firm wants to hire me. I just need the paper degree. They told me after seeing everything I did for Andrew's movie premiere; they'd seen all they needed. Isn't that great!?" Darien looked at Serena, "Or not . . ." he trailed off.

"No, I'm happy for you, it's just," She paused to pick her words carefully so as not to offend him, "How busy are you going to be with classes and everything?" She was concerned she wouldn't be able to see him as much.

He understood her problem, "Not too busy to spend as much time with you as you want." He picked her up and hugged her.

She was satisfied with his response, "Classes start tomorrow for me." She picked at his shirt while he still held her. She let go of him and headed toward the door.

"Me too," Darien grabbed her possessively from behind, "So that means you're mine for the day."

"Fine," She pried his hands off her waist, "I gotta go call Mina and tell her where I was last night." Serena grabbed the phone by the door.

Darien wandered into the kitchen and began making something for lunch. Serena joined him shortly there after. He heard her walk into the room and asked if she knew how a knife had gotten from the kitchen to his bedroom door. She giggled but did not answer him.

"So if you're keeping me all day, what pray tell are we going to do?"

"Well first I'm going to wine and dine you." He pointed to the food he was preparing. "Then we begin the foreplay." He lowered his voice and winked.

"Oh really?" Serena played along, "Then what?"

He walked towards her slowly and huskily whispered into her ear, "Then I'll make love to you."

His words sent shivers down her spine, and her face immediately became flush.

Darien smiled at his victory and began to kiss her deeply. Slowly he lifted her off her feet and carried her back to his bedroom.

The water on the stove sat unattended and boiled steadily.

AN: I'll let you draw your own conclusions, how does that sound? And this chapter was longer than usual, just for my wonderful readers. Also, a few reviewers are concerned that I won't continue, or that I'm close to the end. Umm, I would never leave you guys hanging like that. There will be 22 chapters in total, and I just finished writing chapter 20 in my notebook. Have no fear! Onto the challenge!

Challenge #4: You guys had some really great suggestions for synonyms I could use for the word 'smile.' So now I've gotta step it up. I wanna know who can write the best kissing scene/sentence for Darien and Serena. I don't need this to be long, but whoever wins this, I will actually publish your contribution in one of the final chapters. Is that enough incentive?

And how could I forget my lovely reviewers who pushed me to 200, wow, amazing!

Krystal Jade, Guardian Elf Angel, C-town Chica, The Final Stillness of Saturn, serena79, pseudonym, Idril, Chibi J, Dreamlover2l, Bunny Bunz, Serenity's Angel In Heaven, TropicalRemix, thanks so much for replying to my challenge, I never expected such an out pouring of support and responses. You guys really are listening, thank you!

Sailor Sagittarius, Krys, MoonlightUsa, you little hand raisers you! See, I don't need to change the rating for the fic, and hopefully I didn't offend anyone. The end scene just kinda happened while I was writing, and I liked my analogy to the boiling water, so I kept it.

Eo, mz x sushi, Pamela, koldy, Redroses, lina, Illusioner 1412, thanks again for sticking around for this wild ride, hope to see you next chapter

AMI MIZUNO 1, thank you for reviewing here, and a special thanks for your input on each chapter of Love Is Blind, it is much appreciated

Bunniko, I know you don't review, but I was so flattered to get your e- mail. Thanks for your support, and please feel free to e-mail me with any suggestions, I would love to hear some criticism from you. Thanks again!

Preview --- Chapter XIV. Kissing Her Breathless --- Okay, so this is the chapter that's a rip-off of a previous story I've written. Don't give me any flack for it, I like this re-written chapter. I think it really fits well with the story.