Serena took a moment to answer.

"I... I don't think love works that way. I mean, if I'm in love with somebody,
it, it wouldn't matter if he's kind of mean... It wouldn't matter if... if he
doesn't come from a rich family, or HAVE a family at all... It wouldn't matter
if he likes to tease people and make fun of... of their hair. Do you know what
I mean?"

- - -

"Oh no," she said softly, "Oh no oh no oh no. I... I just admitted that..."

Mouth still slightly open from shock, Serena turned to go back into the house...

... and found herself face to face with Darien.


I Need You
by Phantasy Star
--------------------

Chapter Ten


"How... how long have you been standing there?" Serena said nervously.

"Long enough..." Darien said, letting his hand rest on the side of the door
frame, still taken aback from what she had said.

"Time... time for dinner..." Serena said, brushing past him and heading for
the kitchen.

Darien was about to protest when he realized that he didn't know what to say.
He frowned, his eyes darkened in confusion.

Did she mean all those things she said? Was she really talking about him?

He walked slowly towards the coffee table, still deep in thought. Then he
saw that the letter with Amy's math results was still lying there. Absent-
mindlessly, he put it back into the envelop and was about to put it into the
binder he kept of the girls' things when...

He blinked, his eyebrows furrowed when he saw the letter underneath.

A letter from Harvard.

For Serena?

- - -

'Oh, what could I have been thinking?' Serena thought, kicking herself over and
over for realizing that she had feelings for a guy and admitting it in the most
embarrassing way possible.

She continued to stir the pot roast, trying to come up with a way to get out of
her ordeal.

"Serena, let's talk," Darien said as he walked into the kitchen.

"About what?" she said casually, not taking her eyes from the pot.

Darien walked over and turned the stove off. Then he wrapped his hand around
her wrist so that she would let go of the ladle.

"You KNOW what," Darien said.

Serena stared downwards, not wanting to face him. "I..."

Then she smiled a little, trying to make it seem like what she said were
unimportant, "Okay, fine, Darien. All right. So yes, yes, I've developed some
sort of... a thing for you. I have... very teensy, very tiny, barely-existent
feelings... for you. Okay?"

Darien didn't return the smile. "For real?"

Serena shrugged, "I guess."

Then he put his arms around her and kissed her. Serena protested at first but
began to grow accustomed to the experience.

Darien's kiss became more possessive, forcing her to put her hands on his
shoulder for support.

"W... Wow..." Serena said breathlessly as he backed away slowly, "That's...
never happened before."

"No, it hasn't..." Darien said, voice just as hoarse.

Then Serena pulled loose from him, trying to ignore the confusion and hurt in
his eyes. "Darien... Darien, I need to know..."

"Know what?" he asked.

"I've never been... in a relationship before. And, you know, that was just my
first kiss right there. If you want to start something, I need to know that
it's not because of... of Elisa."

"What?" Darien exclaimed.

"I mean, you just broke up with her, so maybe you're feeling like you need to
start a relationship right away. It's very common, and I don't know if I-"

"No!" Darien said, "No, of course not. Serena, I..."

She waited.

"I... like you."

"You have the same teensy, tiny, barely-existent feelings for me?" Serena
whispered, shocked.

"Yes. Maybe more." Darien said with a smile.

Serena tried to hide her growing smile, "Darien..."

The two stared at each other for a moment. Then Darien broke the silence.

"What about Harvard?"

"Harvard?" Serena repeated.

"Yes, Harvard. I saw your letter. Are you going?"

"You read my letter?" Serena demanded.

"I... thought it was for me."

"Because YOUR name is also Serena Tsukino?"

Darien ignored her comment, "Are you going?"

Serena took a deep breath before she answered. "I can't believe they accepted
me. I mean, my math and science grades are pretty bad, but they said they'd
consider me based on the writing I did on Shakespearean literature."

"I don't understand," Darien said, "You're not graduating from high school for
another two years."

"It's a pre-undergraduate program," Serena explained, "Supposedly for gifted
writers and thinkers..."

Darien nodded slowly, "What an opportunity."

Serena bit her lip and didn't answer.

"Serena..." Darien said, "I know I'm sounding selfish, but... Don't go... I
need you."

Serena's eyes widened in surprise.

"I mean, not me," Darien said, quickly correcting himself, "The girls... The
girls need you."

"I know," Serena sighed, "That's why I didn't even know if I should apply..."

Darien took her hands in his. "Please... Consider staying..."

Serena nodded, then stared up into his dark eyes, closing her own as he inched
closer for their second kiss...

"Mommy, I'm hungry."

Darien and Serena jumped away from each other when they saw Mina at the
doorway.

"When's dinner?" Lita asked, appearing beside her.

"Right now," Serena announced with a smile, "Get the others..."

- - -

"I miss Grandma," Mina said quietly after dinner as Darien began to clear the
dishes and Serena washed them, "I want to call her."

"It's past midnight in France right now," Amy pointed out.

"I know," Raye said excitedly, "We could write her letters."

Lita responded with equal enthusiasm, "Yeah, let's do that! Dar Dar, Mommy,
can we?"

"Of course," Darien said, trying to hide his hesitation, "Come on, let's go
upstairs to your room."

"You just don't want to help me with the dishes," Serena teased.

"Of course," Darien joked, then looked at her meaningfully as he followed the
girls to the living room and upstairs, "We'll talk later."

Serena smiled with a blush and nodded.

- - -

After cleaning up in the kitchen, Serena sat at the dinner table, with Mrs.
Muriel's letter in front of her.

'It's such a huge opportunity...' she thought to herself, 'I'd be giving up...
Harvard. My parents would be so proud.'

Then she looked down at the letter, the handwriting so beautiful and neat.

'But Mrs. Muriel...' she thought, 'How can I turn back on you? Your last wish
was for me and Darien to take care of the girls... I can't forget what you
said to us...'

With a sad smile, Serena stood up and went out the backdoor for some fresh air.

And left the letter on the kitchen table.

- - -

"Dar Dar, what's another way to say 'I miss you lots'?" Lita asked.

"Why don't you just write 'I miss you lots'?" Darien suggested.

"Cuz Amy's writing that, and I don't want Grandma to think I'm copying her..."

Darien laughed, "All right then... Let me think..."

"I'm going downstairs for some water," Raye said.

Darien nodded all right and turned his attention back towards the busy writers.

Raye went down the steps and turned on the kitchen lights. She was about to
get a glass of water when she noticed the opened letter on the kitchen table.

Curious, she sat down and began to read it...

- - -

'I couldn't say goodbye to the girls...' Serena realized, 'What was I thinking,
applying for a school so far away?'

She stepped back into the kitchen and her eyes widened in shock to see Raye
sitting at the table, her hands trembling as she put the letter down.

"Is... is it true?" Raye said shakily, "Is Grandma... gone?"

Serena opened her mouth but no sound came out. "I... Raye... Oh, I'm so
sorry..."

"No!" Raye screamed, "No, no, no! I hate you!"

She threw the letter down and ran downstairs, with Serena chasing after her.

- - -

"It's a lie!" Raye cried as she ran into the bedroom where Darien and girls
were, "It's all a big lie! Grandma is DEAD!"

She grabbed Mina's letter and tore it to pieces.

"Ray Ray!" Mina screamed, "You ruined my letter!"

"Grandma is gone!" Raye yelled again and again, taking the other two girls'
letters and ripping them apart angrily, letting the pieces drop on the floor.

"What are you talking about?" Amy said, showing anger as she rarely did.

"He's been lying to us all along!" Raye cried, pointing an accusing finger at
Darien, "Grandma's not in France. She died!"

"Raye," Darien said helplessly, "Please... please calm down..."

"No!" Raye said in tears.

Serena appeared in the hallway, eyes wet herself. Darien went to her to ask
her what happened, when Raye shut the door behind him.

A click was heard as she locked the door.

"Raye!" Darien shouted as he pounded on the door, "Open up! Raye, unlock the
door!"

Serena put a hand over her mouth and shook her head over and over.

"What the hell happened?" Darien said, he whispered angrily.

"I... I accidentally let her see Mrs. Muriel's letter..." Serena confessed.

Darien shut his eyes and leaned against the closed door, suddenly feeling very
tired.

"Raye, come on!" Serena said as she tried to open the door, "Please, open up."

- - -

An hour later, the two still had no luck. Meanwhile, there was no longer any
noise in the room.

"I guess they fell asleep..." Serena said softly.

Darien nodded wordlessly.

"Darien, I'm so sorry..." Serena said, "I didn't mean to-"

"Forget it," Darien said gruffly, "I'm tired. Good night."

Serena watched helplessly as he went downstairs to his own room.

'What am I going to do?' Serena thought desperately.

- - -

Serena stared at her alarm clock as the digits changed to 5:02. She didn't
think she would be able to fall asleep but she did, maybe because she was so
exhausted. Still, an uneasy feeling made her wake up earlier than usual.

She got up and slipped into her bunny slippers, leaving her room to check on
the girls.

When she came to the doorway, she saw that the door was open.

Immediately feeling thankful, she stepped inside to see if everyone was all
right. She froze when she saw Darien sitting on the bed, his eyes dark and
empty.

Just as the rest of the room was.

"What happened?" Serena said softly, fearing the worst.

"They're gone," Darien said simply, "They ran away."

"What?"



- Author's Notes:

Sorry about the late update.
I had a Linear Algebra midterm.
(And boy, it was painful!)
Two more chapters to go for this story.

Thanks for reading.

Phantasy Star