I Need You
by Phantasy Star
--------------------
Chapter Twelve
.
"I'm so glad they're safe," Darien said he stepped into the house, taking off
his jacket, "So who's this Andrew guy?"
"I have no idea," Serena said as she closed the front door, "But I have a
feeling we can trust him. I don't know why, but I do."
"Well, good," Darien said with a smile, "So he'll be coming over tomorrow?"
"Yeah," she said, "In the morning."
Darien turned to face her directly and sighed.
"Serena, about this morning, I..."
He paused, staring past her and at the baseball cap on the coffee table.
"Whose is that?" he asked with a slight frown.
"Um, Rick's..." Serena said, "I... I asked him to come over this morning. I
was really scared and I just thought I needed... someone..."
"Oh," Darien said, expressionless.
"I'm sorry about what happened," Serena said softly.
"Yeah, I'm sorry too," Darien said.
"Anyway, since there isn't anything we can do right now, I should get to
school."
"Right..." Darien said.
---
Darien put his notes into his bag and walked out of the lecture hall. He
groaned at the thought of finals coming up.
'Already seven o'clock...' he thought wearily as he glanced at his watch.
He walked to the parking lot and just as he was about to open his car door,
his cell phone rang.
"Darien Chiba," he said.
"Darien..." a voice cried softly on the other end, "I... I..."
"Elisa?" he said, "Is that you?"
"Ye- yeah..." she said, her voice breaking.
"What- Where are you?" Darien demanded, "You sound..."
"St. James Hospital..." she whispered.
"What?" Darien said, his eyes widened, "Are you okay? What happened?"
"I was... in an accident."
"Okay, stay where you are, I'll be right there."
---
Elisa cried softly, ignoring the nurse's attempts to comfort her. She looked
at her watch again.
Suddenly, the doors flew open.
"Elisa!" Darien said as he rushed in, "Are you okay? Did you break anything?"
"I'm fine..." Elisa whispered, pulling Darien in for a desperate hug, "But...
but Michael isn't."
"What... what happened?" Darien said.
"We were driving... We had just gone to a party and I guess he had a little bit
of alcohol in him. Then... I told him I wanted to break up."
Darien stared at her, afraid that he already guessed the rest.
"And he lost it," Elisa sobbed, "He was so mad. He kind of lost control of the
car and we crashed into a railing. Michael's in the emergency ward right now."
"I'm so sorry," Darien whispered comfortingly, "It's not your fault..."
"Yes it is!" Elisa cried, "I shouldn't have broken up with him there! I was so
stupid..."
"Sh, it's okay," Darien said quietly, holding her close to him.
"I... I... I told him I was still in love with you."
Darien pulled away gently.
"Elisa... you and I..."
"I know," Elisa said, "I... I cheated on you, and I'm sorry. But it's just...
I like you so much. Even after all this you rush to the hospital to see me-"
"I would have done it for anyone," Darien said, "Please don't get into this
again."
"I just want one more chance..." Elisa said desperately, "I... I only went out
with Michael because I was afraid I liked you too much. I got scared, and...
and..."
"Elisa," Darien said, "There's someone else..."
Elisa stared at him.
"Serena," Darien said simply, "I was stupid and I messed things up with her,
but I... I'm crazy about her."
"Oh..." Elisa said, hurt in her eyes.
"I want to be here for you only as your friend," Darien said as gently as he
could, "I'll wait with you for Michael to come out of the emergency room, all
right?"
---
BEEP BEEP! BEEP BEEP!
Serena groaned, her hand about to smack down on the rabbit alarm clock.
Then she sat up, startled.
Right, Andrew was coming by with the girls today.
She put on her bunny slippers and went into the hallway. Darien's door was
open slightly and she peered inside curiously to see him sleeping. When she
went to bed last night he was still out.
She headed into the living room and pressed the button on the answering
machine.
"Hey Darien, it's me, Elisa."
Serena frowned.
"Thanks... Thanks for everything last night," the message continued, "I really
appreciate it. Well... I'll see you around then."
Serena sat on the couch and stared at the answering machine. She played the
message again.
What did that mean? Were they getting back together? What about-?
"Mornin'," Darien said as he walked into the room with a cup of coffee in his
hand, "What's for breakfast?"
"Where were you all night?" Serena asked, going into the kitchen and opening
the fridge door.
"Nowhere," Darien said as he followed her in, "I had class till late."
"What, so that's how it's going to be?" Serena said quietly with rising anger.
"How what's going to be?" Darien said.
Serena turned around to face him, "I mess up and you go back to your
ex-girlfriend? I make one mistake and you want to forget you ever wanted to
be with me?"
"What are you talking about?" Darien said, bewildered, "Yes, I was with Elisa
last night, but we weren't-"
"I said I was sorry!" Serena cried, "Fine, I hope you two are happy together!
And to think that I liked you, and... and that you liked me! I bet you were
lying when you said you felt anything for me! There I am, an idiot,
practically babbling to you, AND RICK, that I'm in love with you. I can't
believe that I even-"
She stopped when Darien pressed his lips against her, one arm going behind her
and pulling her close.
He pulled away slowly, and she stared into his dark blue eyes.
"I..." she said, dazed, "I..."
"We're not getting back together," Darien said gently, "I meant what I said
before, and I'm not about to change my mind..."
Serena stared up at him, a smile tugging on the sides of her mouth, "Really?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure?"
"Huh..." Darien said thoughtfully, "Well, come to think of it..."
Serena swatted him on the arm playfully.
"Yes, I'm sure," Darien laughed.
They stared into each others' eyes for a moment, before Darien leaned forward
again.
"Um... Andrew," Serena said softly.
"What?" Darien said, "No, I'm Darien, remember?"
Serena rolled her eyes, "Andrew's going to be here in about two hours. I need
to make breakfast for us now and then lunch, and I need to clean up the living
room afterwards."
"All right," Darien groaned, reluctantly letting her go.
"I can't wait to see the girls again," Serena said.
"Me too."
Serena took eggs out of fridge and began making breakfast, with a huge smile
and a slight blush on her face.
---
"MOMMY!"
"DAR DAR!"
Darien laughed and Serena had tears in her eyes as they got down and picked
Mina and Lita up.
"We missed you," Mina pouted.
"Your fever all gone?" Serena said.
"Yep," she said happily.
Amy hugged Darien's leg, "I was so scared, Dar Dar."
"Sh, it's all right," Darien said, lifting her up as well so that he had both
girls in his arms.
"You must be Andrew," Serena said to the blond man who watched the whole scene
with fascination, "Thank you so much."
"It's nice to meet you," Andrew said, "And this is my wife, Rita."
"How do you do?" Rita said.
"Well, come on in," Darien said, "Serena made lunch."
---
"Just let me take care of the food," Serena said, "Go out to the living room
and talk to our guests."
"All right," Darien said.
Just as he was about to push open the door, Raye came in.
"Hey Ray Ray," Serena said, "You haven't said a word. I missed you."
The eight-year-old stared at the floor.
"What's wrong?" Darien said worriedly, "You have something to tell us?"
Raye began to cry, "I'm sorry Dar Dar! I'm sorry Mommy!"
Darien got down and she ran into his arms.
"I was stupid, and I got us lost, and I got Mina sick!" Raye cried.
"Mina would have gotten sick here," Darien said gently, "Nobody can control
being sick. It's not your fault."
"I'm sorry I'm sorry," Raye said, burying her face into Darien's shoulder.
Darien looked up at Serena and they sighed.
"It's okay," Serena said, "It's all forgotten. We love you."
Raye closed her eyes and the sobs subsided.
"Now come on," Darien said, "Let's go outside and thank Uncle Andrew and Aunt
Rita properly, okay? It's all right, Ray Ray, it's all right..."
---
An hour later, they had finished lunch and the girls were in the living room
playing.
"Hey, you guys," Andrew said, "Could we talk to you privately for a minute?"
Serena and Darien looked at each other, then nodded.
"Sure," Darien said, "Why don't we go to the kitchen?"
Andrew and Rita followed them into the kitchen and they sat down at the table
together.
"I made some tea," Serena said, getting cups.
She set them on the table and picked hers up for a sip, "Well, go ahead."
Andrew took a deep breath.
"All right, here goes," he said, "Rita and I... We're... We're the girls'
parents."
Serena dropped the cup on the table and water spilled across the table.
"I... I'm... I'm sorry," Serena said, disoriented.
"What?" Darien said with hushed anger, "You two were the ones who abandoned
the girls five years ago?"
Rita's eyes watered, "I know it sounds awful, but we didn't have a choice back
then. Andrew just got fired from his job and when I found out I had Mina, we
knew that... that we couldn't support-"
"So you decided to get rid of your children?" Darien demanded.
"Darien, please," Serena whispered.
"I... I know this will sound crazy at first, but... but now Andrew has his
job back," Rita continued, "And he's become a success... And we'd like... we'd
like to give it another try."
"You want us to give you the girls?" Serena said, astonished.
"Be... before, we could watch them from afar," Andrew said desperately, "But my
company is relocating me to Kyoto, and... and if you'd be willing..."
"There's no way we would give Mina and the girls to you," Darien said, shaking
his head, "How do we know you won't abandon them again?"
"Please just think about it!" Rita begged, "We love them so much, and it was
killing us everyday not being with them! In cases like this, the court never
favours the parents who give away their children, so if you won't help us...
We don't have any chance."
"No," Darien said, standing up, "I don't think so. I... I think you should
leave."
Rita and Andrew looked at each other and Rita bursted into tears.
Andrew looked at Serena pleadingly.
"I'm sorry," Serena said softly, "But I don't think we trust you enough... I
love the girls more than anything and I don't think I can do it."
Andrew nodded, his face pained.
"Then I guess we should say goodbye to the girls," Andrew said, putting his
hand over Rita's, "After we move we're not going to have much chance to come
back..."
They stood up and went into the living room.
---
"Thank you Aunt Rita!" Mina said happily, "Visit us!"
"Thanks for everything," Raye said.
"Bye bye," Lita and Amy chorused.
Rita hugged them and cried, "I love you all. I'll miss you so much."
Andrew's shoulders jerked as he sobbed, "Okay, kids, take care. Work hard at
school. You'll all be great one day."
The children were surprised, but they hugged the two kind strangers back
politely.
"Ray Ray, I know you're going to be successful as a singer one day just like
you always have," Andrew said, "Amy, you'll be an amazing doctor. Just work
hard at it."
"And Li Li," Rita said softly, "You'll make a wonderful chef, I know you will.
Mina, you'll always be the cute one in my mind and I'll never forget you."
The girls smiled and waved as the adults stood up and walked reluctantly out
the front doors.
---
Serena and Darien watched from the doorway.
"We have to give them back," Serena said softly.
Darien didn't answer for a moment. Then he closed his eyes.
"You're right, Meatball Head," he said, unable to believe what he was saying,
"I... I can't keep two parents away from their children."
"We've only spent half a year with them and we love them this much. Imagine
how they must feel about their own children..."
"Yeah," Darien said softly, holding Serena close to him.
---
"So we're sure about this," Darien said.
Serena and Darien were sitting in the kitchen. The girls had just finished
their dinner.
"Yes, you can call them tomorrow and tell them the good news," Serena said
with a tiny smile.
Darien sighed, "All right. I'll go put the girls to bed."
Serena nodded and started to clean up the kitchen. She had just finished
washing the dishes when she went to the table top where they kept the mail.
She pulled out the letter to Harvard.
After checking the doorway to see if Darien was still upstairs, she opened it.
She still had time to accept the offer of admission.
Sitting down on the table, she just held the piece of paper in front of her,
feeling as if she was holding the biggest decision in her life in her hands.
'Too much is changing...' she thought, 'And... What about Darien? How can I
just walk out on him?'
Darien was about to go into the room when he saw the letter in her hands.
Shocked, he took a step back before she noticed him.
'It's too hard to decide,' Serena thought, putting the letter hastily back
in the pile of mail.
"Hey," Darien said nonchalantly as he went in.
"Hey..." Serena said, looking up at him, "Well, I'm tired. I'll see you in the
morning."
"Yeah, all right," Darien said with a nod, "'Night."
Serena went to her bedroom and Darien wandered into the living room. He sat
down and closed his eyes.
He was already having a difficult time saying goodbye to the girls.
Was Serena going to leave him too?
