Serena's eyes narrowed.
"What are you doing here, Darien?" She asked angrily. Jack walked in the living room and stared at his mistress.
"I wanted to talk to you..." He replied, laying his briefcase on the coffee table.
"There isn't anything to talk about, you lied to me and that's all there is." Serena said, walking into her room. Darien followed her.
"I've come to tell you that I'm sorry...I really am." He leaned against the doorway, his arms crossed. Serena pulled a white tank top over her head.
"You know, maybe if you'd broken a vase, instead of my heart...I could accept that. But this just isn't the case, now is it?" She snapped, stepping into a black skirt. Darien stepped forward, attempting to hug her, but she jerked away.
"DON'T...don't touch me. I can't handle this right now...I have too much shit to deal with!" She cried. Darien gave her a small sarcastic smile.
"Now surly, being the office assistant isn't so taxing?" He replied.
"How can you still talk to me like this? GET OUT!" She screamed. Jack growled at her tone. Darien stepped forward and pulled her into a tight embrace.
"Serena... I'm so sorry for the terrible thing I did. You never deserved it. I realized my mistake...and I just can't live without you. I haven't slept in days." Serena looked up at him angrily. "Please...please don't look at me that way...I can't forgive myself, I only pray that you can find it in your heart of hearts to forgive me." He said. Serena saw the shimmering of tears in his eyes and felt her heart break. She tried to blink back her tears, but couldn't. She buried her face in his chest and cried.
"Don't ever lie to me again, you bastard!" She sobbed, looking up at him again. He tilted her face up with his fingers and kissed her passionately.
"I could never hurt you again...it nearly killed me." He whispered, picking her up in his arms, he laid her back on her bed and kissed her again. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her tears still falling. He kissed his way down to her navel, then slowly pulled her shirt up over her head, and kissed his way over her firm breasts up to her lips again.
"Darien..." she whispered. He kissed her roughly on her mouth, his hands trailing down her body to her thighs. He slid his hand under her skirt. She grabbed his hand. "Darien...do you still love me?" She asked quietly, staring into his eyes intently. He stared down at her.
"Of course I do. I want you to be my wife." He said. Serena's eyes, widened.
"You're serious...? You aren't lying, are you?" She asked, her eyes sparkling with hope. Darien smiled at her.
"I gave you the ring, didn't I?" He asked. Serena nodded.
"Yes...yes you did, but you never really asked me...so I didn't know for sure..."she replied.
"Now I didn't really get a chance to ask, did I?" He asked, nibbling her neck. She shook her head and gave him a small smile.
"No...I guess I never gave you a chance to ask...I'm really, really sorry, Darien." She said. He kissed her again.
"I can let it go...So what do you say, Serena? Will you marry me or won't you?" She didn't even notice the insincerity in his voice. She pulled him completely on top of him and wrapped hr legs around his waist.
"Of course I'll marry you, Darien." She said, leaning up to kiss him. He smiled and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it aside. She raked her fingernails down his back, pushing her hips into his. He quickly had all of their clothes on the floor, and Serena in his arms, pushing himself into her, so hard at times it made her cry out in pain. But all she would do was stare into his eyes, letting him take control of her...Because she loved him with everything she was. That other woman was nothing more than unrecorded history.
Serena drove to River Hills, crazy thoughts speeding though her head nearly as fast as she was driving. She hadn't dreamt of him last night, and it worried her. He was her only source of sanity...and if he was gone, there was nothing to protect her, no reason for her to enjoy sleep. 'Don't do this to me...I can't love you, but I do need you...' she thought.
River Hills was nearly three hours away from her home in Forest City. It was a quaint town, half the size of Forest City, but with more upscale shopping districts. And Serena's old home is right on the outskirts, in the deep country. It was a small house, virtually invisible to the world, hidden by its Ivy costume and surrounding trees and flowers. It was like a scene from a romance movie...or a horror, depending on the weather. This was excellent; mainly because it's where she and Ami stashed all of their stolen goods. The house was merely a cabin down on the shore of Lake Nevaeh, a beautiful crystal-like lake with its small, single dock. Serena kept her most valuable possessions in a water-proof safe, chained to the bottom of the dock. She'd stopped there for some spending cash, before making her way into the city. She never used banks or credit cards. Nothing that could ever be traced to, or linked to her in any way. Everything she owned was either in that cabin, or at the bottom of the lake. She pulled her explorer into the first dress boutique she came to.
"Hi...Welcome to Claudia's..." the woman behind the counter said, monotonously. She gave Serena a quick, good enough smile, and then went back to chatting to her co-worker. Serena pushed her sunglasses on top of her head, and commenced to looking around. Pushing her way through racks of chiffon and silk gowns, she tried thinking of her colors. Someone standing in front of her cleared their throat.
"May I help you find something, young lady?" Serena looked up at the older woman, and stood up straight.
"Umm...yes actually. I need a dress for an event...a very formal event. But I've never had to shop for a gown like this...and I want to look the best. It's in two more days, and I have nothing so far." She replied, smiling. The older woman nodded.
"I see...so what is your limit?" She asked. Serena stared at her for a moment as if confused.
"My limi-oh yes!" She said, fishing out the giant wad of cash from her purse. "No more than two thousand for everything." She replied. The woman nodded, and then stepped up to her, her face inches from Serena's. "What are you doing?" Serena asked.
"Your eyes are a remarkable shade of blue...light colors will be the best for the image you are wanting. Maybe something black would do as well...you look like a size six...how much do you weigh, dear?" the woman asked.
"Umm...135..." Serena replied. The woman nodded.
"You're about 5 foot 5...we can find you a nice pair of four inch heels. Maybe a nice necklace and some earrings. We'll have you looking beautiful in no time at all..." the woman said. Serena's eye twitched. 'In no time, eh? Touché old bat...touché.'
Nearly and hour and a half later, Serena had tried on countless gowns. Silks, chiffon, polyester, blues, pale greens, yellows, pink. Brick reds, and pitch blacks. But the one that caught her eye was the long, silk, lavender gown; trimmed in gold with a slit up the side, which revealed her entire leg, up to her mid-thigh. The back was cut very low, revealing the giant bird tattoos on either of her shoulders.
"I want this. And those purple shoes. I want it all." She replied dreamily. The clerks that had helped her smiled.
"What size shoe do you wear, dear?" The older woman asked. Serena held up her foot.
"Size seven." She said, looking behind her at the mirror. The woman sent a younger girl to get the shoes. "You look absolutely perfect. That gown was made for you!" exclaimed the woman who had greeted her so nonchalantly. The younger girl returned with a large she box, and Serena stepped down from the pedestal.
"Oh dear...the only size we have in this type of shoe is an eight and a half." The older woman replied. Serena took the silvery purple heel in her hand and looked it over, disappointed.
"It's a shame...they would have gone perfectly. But it's ok. I can swing by the Shoe-Go-Round." She replied. The women all stared at her, aghast at the mention of the discount shoe store in their presence. "Ring me up for the dress, ladies, I'm taking this one. And the necklace and earrings, too." She said. She followed them to the register, leaning over, so they could scan the tag. They all turned at the sound of the bells on the door. Serena looked up from the register, and her breath caught in her throat. She felt as if she would fall over, she felt her heart nearly stop.
"You...you're Him..." she whispered, losing her balance.
The women crowded around Serena as the stranger fanned her with his newspaper. She rolled her head to the side, before opening her eyes. He stared straight down at her, still fanning her.
"Are you alright, love?" He asked. He was tall, with dark brown hair and green eyes that twinkled as he spoke. He wore a white tank top with a white short-sleeved over shirt and a pair of jeans. Serena took in his appearance completely memorizing his features, before she looked at him.
"Am I dreaming?" she whispered, looking around at the store and its clerks. "What the hell happened?" she asked, rubbing the back of her head and sitting up.
"You passed out, dear." The older woman said, handing her her receipt. Serena took it and stuffed it in her purse.
"Well, I'm ok now..." She replied, attempting to stand. The stranger held out his hand.
"Let me help you up...we can't have you falling again, now can we?" He said, giving her a beautiful smile. His voice was like silk...British and sexy. Serena swooned again, but this time he caught her before she could fall. He kept his arm tight around her waist. "Are you sure you're ok, girl?" He asked, examining her closely. Serena nodded, and then forced herself out of his arms.
"I need to change..." she said quietly. The older woman accompanied her to the dressing room and helped her into her white tank top and black skirt, then had one of the other girls wrap the gown up. "Thank you ladies, for all your help..." She said flatly, carrying her box out of the store.
Once outside, she breathed in the warm spring air. She heard the door bells jingle.
"Hey! Wait a second..." It was Him, and he was chasing after her. She held back an insane giggle, even though she still felt faint. She looked over her shoulder at him.
"What's your name, ducky?" He asked, leaning against her explorer. She unlocked the very back door and loaded her boxes.
"Serena..." She said, looking up at him. He smiled at her, but before he could speak, she swooned again. He reached out and quickly caught her.
"Where are you going?" He asked quietly. She took in a breath of air.
"Forest City..." she replied.
"You're in no shape to drive, Serena. If you'll allow me..." He lifted her into his arms and laid her in the back seat, then took the keys from the back and got in the drivers seat.
"Just don't kill me..."She replied quietly. He gave a small laugh and backed the SUV out of the parking lot.
"We Brits, contrary to some beliefs, can drive." He said, turning onto the main road. Serena watched him as he drove. "I knew I'd find you, love." He whispered to her. She turned and laid her head on the arm rest next to his chest, staring up at the sky through the sun roof. She threw her legs over the backseat and smiled.
"I was beginning to think I'd never find you..." She whispered, brushing her fingertips across his arm. He took his right hand and caressed her face, turning onto a dirt road. "I'd wanted to see you so bad at times; I thought I'd lose my mind. I would even pretend that you were with me sometimes, just to pass the time." She said, looking at him. He pulled the car over and pulled her up with him.
"It wasn't pretend, love...I was really there. Every time you cried, I wanted to comfort you. All the times you watched the people pass from your balcony, and wished I was there...I was. And I wanted to look at you, to adore you. I want you, completely for myself. We have a mind link...a connection. It's a gift that some are born with...and our links crossed. I was in your dreams and you in mine." He whispered, brushing the stray hairs out of her face. Serena stared into his eyes, hypnotized and unable to speak. He leaned in and kissed her deeply.
After a while of being in the SUV, they eventually made their way back to her cabin, where they made passionate love until the late hours of the night.
