Heya! I want to thank kaiba-queen and Becx who were my first reviewers with this new revision. I'm so glade you like it. As always, thank you so much my wonderful beta Alison! I hopeyou like this chapter
Serena quietly tiptoed up the stairs; back to the guest room she stayed in at Lita's when a voice startled her.
"Please calm down. I don't want you to wake up Rini." Serena whispered to the person standing behind her.
"Serena?" asked the voice as it came closer.
"Yea" she responded quietly.
"You don't need to be so tense. It's only me, Darien." He said as he stepped onto the same step as her.
"Oh, I'm sorry. You just startled me; I'm not use to anybody else being up this late in this house." Serena told him as she continued to climb the steps quietly with Darien right beside her.
"Same here" he muttered to her.
"Why are you up?" Serena asked suspiciously.
"I needed a glass of water and I don't like drinking the water from the bathroom." Darien responded as they both finally reached the top.
"Umm, okay" Serena answered.
"You?" Darien asked.
"I just needed to take a walk and clear out my head." Serena told him as she began to walk back to her room for a good night sleep, while Darien headed for his room to do the same.
"Rini! Get up!" Serena whispered in Rini's ear as she gently shook her daughter's body.
"Five more minutes Mommy." Rini muttered sleepily as she turned over.
"Alright then, but that means none of Lita's Strawberry Pancakes thing with whipped cream and real strawberries on top." Serena told her with a sly grin on her face as she held up five fingers and began to count down.
Five...Four...Three...Two...One
"I'm up! I'm up!" Rini said frantically as she looked around the room.
"Put on those clothes at the side of the bed and come down for breakfast." Serena told her and walked out the door, shutting it behind her with a sly grin on her face.
"What did you do to her?" Lita asks with a slight giggle as she walks up to Serena.
"I just used the Strawberry Pancakes on Rini to get her up." Serena said with a victorious smile on her face as they both began to descend the stairs.
"I swear, sometimes I really think you two are more like rivals than mother and daughter." Lita said as she shook her head at the concept.
"I can't help it. I just like to get her back subtly for things I catch her doing." Serena shrugged her shoulder.
"Well either way, you're out of luck. We are having Strawberry Pancakes." Lita told her as they both began to head for the kitchen.
"Draughts. Oh well, another time another trick." Serena responded simply as she walked to the kitchen table and joined Nate, Chloe, Cecilia, Jordan, and Darien at the table.
"What is this about tricks?" Nate asked with an amused smile.
"Oh nothing. Just me and Rini." Serena smiled and gave him a little wink just as she began another count down on her fingers.
Five...Four...Three...Two...One
"Aunt Lita, can I help you?" Rini asked in her angelic voice.
"Of course you can, honey. Take this plate to the table." Lita told her as she handed her a huge plate piled with pancakes that had little red specks in them, which of course were the strawberries.
"Okay Aunt Lita" Rini replied as she walked over to the kitchen table and placed the plate where it belonged on the table and sat down next to Nate.
"Here's the strawberries and of course the whipped cream." Lita said as she placed four bowls onto the table and sat down next to Serena.
"Dig in" she added with a smile.
"Sere, have you called Raye and Mina yet?" Lita asked as she took a bite out of her pancakes.
"Nope, I was going to ask the girls over today so I could talk to them before I had to start work." Serena replied as she had a spoonful of strawberries and whipped cream.
"That's a smart idea." Lita commented.
"Of course it is. That's because I thought it up." Serena retorted as she rolled her eyes.
"Silly me" Lita replied as she hit her head with her hand.
"Are you going to come by?" Serena asked, licking her fingers.
"Probably, why?" Lita asked suspiciously.
"Just to make sure you make a list of all the delicious treats we want you to bring." Serena told her with a cheesy smile.
"I already know what you all want." Lita replied with a knowing smile.
"What?" Serena asked as she looked at her.
"Everything and anything I can bake and/or make." Lita replied with the same knowing smile.
"Damn straight." Serena replied as she finished off her pancakes.
"I wouldn't bring Jordan if I were you." Serena commented as she took her dishes to the sink.
"Why?" Lita asked.
"Well, unless you want Rini, Ebony, Alissa, and Marcella…" Serena said with a smirk as she left the sentence unfinished.
"I get your point." Lita said as she walked over to Serena and did the same with her dishes.
"I'll ride behind yea if you want." Lita said as she turned to look at Serena.
"Fine by me." Serena said with a shrug.
"Mommy!" Rini says as she dashed up from her place at the table and ran to Serena.
"What is it sweetie?" Serena asked Rini as she looked down at her.
"Can Chloe and Cecilia come over today and play?" Rini asked hopefully.
"We'll see" Serena told her as she took Rini's plate and put it in the sink.
"Take your booty up to the bathroom so I can fix your hair." Serena told her as she pushed her out the door.
"Okay Mommy, don't take too long." Rini said as she started up the stairs.
"I won't." Serena told her as she walked over to a cabinet.
"I was going to bring Chloe and Cecilia with me anyways when I came to drop off Moonbeam and Golden Crescent." Darien says as he walks up behind Serena.
"Oh, okay that'll be fine with me and they can also meet Raye's and Mina's girls. They'd all have a blast." Serena told him.
"Alright" Darien replies and then Serena turned around and headed up the stairs.
"LITA!" a dark-blue eyed woman with long blonde hair tied up in a red ribbon whined.
"Mina, I'm not making a five-story baby blue cake for Amy! I love the girl to death but I'm not making that for her!" Lita explained calmly to the whinny blonde.
"Fine, then at least make your baby body cake." Mina said as she slumped back into her chair.
"I'll make that." Lita said as she began to scribble down on a piece of yellow paper.
"Um, excuse me ladies. Is Serena here?" comes a deep male voice.
Lita looked up from her paper to see Darien.
"Oh, hey. She's inside with the girls upstairs." Lita told him as she pointed to the white house with a porch that went all the way around it.
"Thanks, Lita." Darien said as he began to walk up to the house with a set of dark brown haired twin girls.
"Who was the hottie?" Mina asked as she continued to stare at his retreating form.
"His name is Darien, he's my brother-in-law so to speak and don't forget Mina, you're already taken." Lita told her.
"I don't care. I'll kick Yaten's ass out if he'll move in." Mina retorted.
"Whatever" a long black haired, violet-eyed woman said as she rolled her eyes.
"Aunt Serena, how do you put your hair up like that?" a five-year-old blonde with white streaks and dark-blue eyes asked as she pointed to Serena's hairstyle, which was put up in an extremely tight French bun that had two small micro braids hanging down on each side of her face.
"How about I show you all the next time we all have a huge slumber party, Marcella?" Serena asked. Just as she said that, all of the four girls started to scream.
"Um, Miss. Serena?" a girl's voice said behind her as she poked Serena's shoulder.
"Yes." Serena said as she turned around and came face-to-face with one of Darien's twin girls.
"Oh, hey" Serena said which caused all of the commotion going on in the room to stop.
"Hey Serena, Lita and your mom in the kitchen told me I could find you up here." Darien said as he walked towards where she sat on the floor.
"It's okay." Serena replied, "Chloe, Cecilia, why don't you come over here and you can play with Rini and her friends, okay?" Serena said as she held out her hands to the two scared looking girls that clung to Darien's pants.
"Chloe, I've some of that eye shadow that we used yesterday." Rini said as she walked up to Chloe and showed her a box full of different colors of eye shadows.
"Really?" Cecilia asked as she looked at all of the colors.
"Those are MINE!" Marcella said as she stomped up to Rini.
"Girls, stop it!" Serena said as she narrowed her eyes at Marcella, "Yes ma'am" she muttered as she found her sandals more appealing.
"How about you and Marcella take Chloe and Cecilia. You four can do Ebony and Alissa's make-up." Serena said as she sat up from the floor.
"Yea!" the four girls said as they hurried over and got to work.
"Come on and make a run for it now," Serena said laughing as she dragged Darien out of the room.
"You sure know how to handle those girls." Darien said as Serena led him down a hallway.
"I'm use to it by now." Serena shrugged as she knocked on a door.
"Yeah?" asked a young boy around the age of 17 who had light brown hair and hazel eyes.
"Sammy, can you go and watch the girls for me?" Serena asked with a smile.
"Sure" Sammy shrugged as he stepped out his room and shut the door behind him.
"Oh, and Sammy" Serena said before Sammy could walk into the room where the girls were.
"Two pieces of advice." Serena said as she held up two fingers on her right hand.
"Shoot" Sammy said as he leaned against the doorframe.
"One, don't let them get you on the floor." Serena told him causing Darien to let out a few chuckles.
"And two, don't let me catch you bringing Mika home." Serena said as she left a stark white Sammy and lead Darien back down the stairs.
"Your younger brother?" Darien asked with obvious amusement.
"He's my younger foster brother." Serena replied as she stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a few apples.
"Foster?" Darien asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, I was adopted when I was about 15 or 16." Serena said as she led him to where he had parked his Suburban that had a horse trailer attached to it.
"That's weird." Darien muttered to himself.
"What's weird?" Serena asked as she began to open up the trailer.
"I was too." Darien said, "I was adopted younger," he added.
"Yeah, weird" Serena said as she pulled open the doors.
"Do you need some help?" Darien asked as Serena began to get the horses out of the trailer.
"No, I got it." Serena replied as she huffed and managed to end up flying back a little and falling on her butt.
"Ouch!" Serena muttered as she sat up and rubbed her bruised butt.
"Are you okay?" Darien asked worried.
"Yea, I'm fine. Just hurt my butt." Serena said as she stepped down and called to the horses as she got them out.
"You take one and I'll take the other." Serena stated as she pointed to one of the horses for him.
"You've got Golden Crescent." Darien told her as they both lead a horse towards the Horse barn.
"Okay. I've already gotten them each a stable ready and they're side-by-side." Serena tells him as she lead them past all to the empty stalls right across a pitch-black horse that a white indention on its forehead and a pure white horse that had a black indention on its forehead.
"Those two are Luna and Artemis," Serena said pointing to the two opposite colored horses as she put Darien's horses into their own stalls.
"They look so beautiful." Darien said as he gazed at them.
"They are." Serena agreed as she used a bucket to give them both some oats and grains along with some cut up carrots and apples in their feeding trough.
"I've already feed them." Darien told her as he walked over to Moonbeam and started to pet her nose.
"Alright, but the carrots and oats that I'm giving them are specially and chemically made for horses." Serena told him as she went into Golden Crescent's stable.
"Its okay girl," Serena cooed as she petted Golden Crescent's nose and then slowly went to look at her shoes.
"When was the last time she had her horse shoes changed?" Serena asked.
"I think just recently. Why?" Darien asked confused at the question.
"Just wondering, no reason." Serena responded as she walked out, "And is it the same with Moonbeam?" Serena asked.
"Yea" Darien responded with a quizzical look.
"Okay, just wanted to check. I'm going to need their vet records as soon-" "Here they are." Darien said as he held out four pages of yellow and white papers for her.
"I kind of figured you might ask for them so I brought them just on the safe side." Darien explained to her as soon as he saw her surprised expression.
"Oh, okay." Serena stammered as she looked through the papers. She then took out a red pen and began to make marks on the papers.
"They're both going to need a check up in about a month or so." Serena commented as she went over to a desk and took out a thick notebook and placed the papers in there.
"Alright, where's the best vet around here?" Darien asked.
"Me and my foster mother Irene." Serena answered as she turned back around.
"Oh, alright then." Darien responded.
"Darien, I specialize in anything dealing with horses, along with a few farm animals." Serena told him as she began to go around to the horses' stables to feed them.
"Very impressive." Darien commented as he watched her.
"Not really, I just learned everything from Irene and I picked-up the rest." Serena explained as she shrugged.
"Still, I can tell you're a very dedicated person to your work." Darien told her with admiration.
"Thank you, but it's just my knack, I guess." Serena said as she put the now empty bucket down with a blush coloring her cheeks as she turned to him, "We better get back to the girls, before Raye gets into a fight with the other two." Serena told him as they walked out the barn, leaving the huge doors wide open.
"Um, okay" Darien responded and soon came back up to the table, chairs, and umbrella he had approached earlier, which now of course he heard shouting from.
"GIRLS!" Serena shouted, causing them to quiet down immediately.
"What's the problem?" Serena asked quietly as she sat down between a steamed looking Raye and a winded looking Mina.
"Mina wants the Baby to have booties and a hat, but Lita said we could have only one or the other, so I said just the booties, but lame brain wants just a hat." Raye explained.
"Um, okay" Serena said as she scratched her head.
"How about we have neither and just have a baby with a diaper on and a few blue and pink pieces of hair on its head." Serena reasoned.
"Yeah, I like that idea!" Mina beamed.
"Okay then, Sere's idea it is." Lita said as she scribbled on some paper.
"I'll be right back girls; I gotta go and rescue Sammy from the other girls." Serena said as she pointed to the house.
"Okay" the three responded as they began to discuss something else.
"Um, was that normal?" Darien asked as he pointed to the three girls they were walking away from.
"What?" Serena asked with confusion.
"That whole screaming match." Darien explained.
"No not usually, normally it's between Mina and Lita and what color something is. I could really care less as long as it has color personally." Serena responded as she opened the front door and walked in with Darien close behind.
"I'm guessing you guys do this a lot?" Darien asked with amusement.
"Yeah, every chance we get. We might argue a lot but we love to get together. In fact I was planning on having all of the girls over at my little get away house next weekend if Chloe and Cecilia want to come." Serena told him as they began to go up the stairs.
"For a get together?" Darien asked with amusement.
"No, that get together is this weekend here. You and the girls are more than welcomed to come as well, but what I was talking about was a slumber party next weekend for Rini and those girls." Serena said pointing to a pack of six little girls who were mobbing around a very girlish looking Sammy, who was on the floor.
"Oooh" Darien said as he stared at the scene.
"Wait a minute. This is good blackmail evidence." Serena said with a giggle as she raced to a room, and came out minutes later with a digital camera.
"Sammy, say cheese." Serena said over the little girl's giggles, causing them all to look up at the camera as Serena snapped the picture right away.
"Need help, Samantha?" Serena asked and then started bursting out with laughter.
"I'm going to kill you Serena." Sammy said as he began to wiggle a little.
"Hang on a minute." Serena said.
"GIRLS!" Serena yelled, causing all of the girls to look at her once again.
"I think Uncle Sammy has had enough fun playing with you girls. How about you untie him and then I'll make you some lunch?" Serena said with a smile on her face.
"Okay" they all said in unison and quickly untied Sammy, and then raced each other down the steps.
"I'm so going to burn that picture!" Sammy exclaimed as he began to wipe some of the make-up off.
"Alright Sammy, and didn't I also give you two good pieces of advice? I hope you at least plan on following the second one." Serena said as she began to glare at him.
"Why? She only spent the night." Sammy shrugged.
"Sammy, do you really want to get into this now and in front of my guest?" Serena asked pleasantly.
"Not particularly" Sammy grumbled as he began to stalk off towards the bathroom.
"Well come on, Darien. We do have six kids to feed." Serena said as she pulled his arm to get his attention. Then they both went downstairs and saw everyone eating sandwiches and drinking juice.
"Hey Serena, I hope you don't mind, but I went on and made them a few sandwiches for lunch." Irene said as she walked to her.
"Thanks Irene. I appreciate it." Serena replied as she smiled a thank you.
"No problem dear." Irene responded, "I also made a few extra sandwiches for you and Darien." Irene added as she pointed to a plate that had about six sandwiches on it.
"Okay" Serena replied as she walked over to the refrigerator, "Darien, do you want tea, juice, or soda?" Serena asks looking at him.
"Tea will be okay" Darien replied with a shrug.
"Okay" Serena answered as she pulled out a pitcher and poured two glasses full of tea and handed Darien his glass as she picked up the sandwiches and her glass.
"Let me take that" Darien said as he took the plate from her hands.
"Oh, okay" Serena responded, "Is eating outside okay with you?" she asked.
"Yea, sure" Darien said as Serena lead him out the door and to the round porch where a pair of wooden rocking chairs were with a table in-between them.
"You can set the plate down on the table," Serena said motioning to the wooden table as Serena took one of the chairs and sat down.
"Um, Serena. I hope you don't mind me asking, but what was that whole thing between you and Sammy about?" Darien asked as he set the plate down and sat down in the other remaining chair.
"Darien, you're a guy and what did you do with your girlfriend at 17?" Serena asked with a raised eyebrow as she took a bite out of a sandwich.
"Ah, I catch your drift." Darien replied a few seconds later with a blush apparent on his cheeks.
"Yeah and it's especially a big deal for me, since I had Rini when I was only 16." Serena explained to him softly.
"Oooh, I get where you're going at. You don't want Sammy to get stuck in the same boat as you?" Darien asked.
"Yeah, in similar words." Serena replied.
"I understand completely. I had Chloe and Cecilia when I was only 20 and have had to raise them on my own since then." Darien told her as he took a sip of his tea.
"What about the mother?" Serena asked, still in her soft voice.
"She died giving birth." Darien responded quietly.
"You must have loved her." Serena commented as she studied Darien's reaction.
"I didn't truly love her, but she was my first love so I'll always hold a place in my heart for her since she did give me two wonderful and beautiful daughters." Darien explained.
"I know what you mean." Serena responded as she finished off her second sandwich.
"What about Rini's dad?" Darien asked.
"Don't know, don't care." Serena answered with a shrug as she took a sip of her tea.
"Okay" Darien told her as he looked over at her and noticed her steely gaze.
Okay, well that's all for this chapter and I'm trying to get this updating on a type of schedule. I'll probably update every Sunday until we get to where I have to start actually writing the chapters and then it'll become slower.
Feedback is always welcomed!
Princess2000204