Invalid Response - Chapter 7

by Una Moonstar

ANs: Wow, I'm so glad you guys are enjoying this. That means a lot. For all you romantics out there, the D/S relationship will be moving forward, just slowly. I tried to keep things as realistic as I could, but I think you'll enjoy it anyway. -wink- Anyway, here's the next installment. Have fun!

(fade out...)

(begin chapter...)

Serena was unnaturally quiet at dinner that evening, which caused her parents to shoot each other slightly worried looks. Sammy, of course, remained blithely ignorant of his sister's condition, quickly finishing his casserole and dashing upstairs to his bedroom to play video games. Before Ken or Ilene could question her, Serena followed her sibling, leaving behind a "Gotta do my homework; dinner was great."

Once inside her room, Serena leaned back against the wooden door and sighed. "Oh, Darien, I wish you could have told me, but I think I understand why you didn't. Don't worry; I don't pity you. You've been so strong. There's nothing to pity." She purposefully avoided the other emotions that had begun to bubble up beneath the surface. "Now for that algebra homework; won't Ms. H. be surprised when I hand it in on time tomorrow?" She snickered evilly at the thought, stepped over to her bed where her satchel laid, and took out her books, stretching out on the floor to get comfortable.

A small black cat with a golden crescent moon on her forehead slipped into the room through the window a half hour later. She stopped dead in her tracks at the sight that awaited her. "Serena?" she asked hesitantly. "What are you doing?"

"Hmm?" the blonde girl muttered, shooting a brief glance over her shoulder at the bed where the cat stood transfixed. "Oh, hi, Luna. I'm just doing my math homework." She settled back into her previous train of thought, struggling a bit to solve the latest equation for x.

Luna's face set into a familiar skeptical look. "Really, Serena?" Finding herself being ignored, the cat quietly padded over to where the girl lay with an open book in front of her. With an evil grin, she pounced to the girl's side and found Serena staring at... her math book.

"You're actually doing your homework!" Luna exclaimed in complete shock.

"That's what I said I was doing, wasn't it?" Serena said distractedly. "Now then, if I multiply both sides by four..."

Luna wasn't sure exactly how to take this turn of events, so she muttered a lame, incomplete excuse, and dashed back out the window to share this surprising piece of information with Artemis.

Serena sighed as she closed the algebra book with a sense of relief. Finally she was done. But that wasn't the thought that was foremost on her mind at the moment. She flinched as the memory of her skirt being tugged by the speeding red convertible flashed through her mind's eye. I could be in the same position as Darien right now, she thought numbly.

Darien. Now that was a whole other can of worms. Somehow, the new knowledge she had gained that afternoon didn't change her feelings for the young man a whole lot, not that she knew why. Heck, not that she knew exactly what her feelings were for him in the first place. Her sapphire blues stared off into space slightly unfocused as her thoughts traveled along this only recently common train.

There was something about him, something that added depth to her world when he was near. Life had more meaning. Not so much seriousness; no, she wouldn't say that after seeing the sparkle of mischief his midnight blue eyes held during their daily trade of insults.

Serena's eyes widened at that thought. With their recent truce, there would be no more arguments. But maybe there would be something better to take their place...

Argh, what are you doing to me, Darien? she thought in frustration as she dug in her satchel for her English textbook. There was only a short reading assignment, but maybe it would help take her mind off of him...

(fade out...)

(scene change...)

Darien sat staring blankly at the same page in his physics book Tuesday evening that he had been staring at all afternoon. His mind kept going over the information he had been given just after lunch: he was going home at the end of the week. Someone had taken the liberty of making his apartment "wheelchair friendly" and putting all related affairs in order. No one would tell him who this person was, though. That was frustrating.

He had informed Andrew of the latest development when the blond man had stopped by briefly between school and work. That left only one loose string: Serena. Did he tell her? But then he'd either get her hopes up for seeing him on the street or an offer to come by his place like she had his hospital room. And if he avoided the topic, she'd come by next week to check up on him and there would be no one here. He somehow knew she'd be hurt by that. He also knew he didn't want to hurt her, not after everything she'd done for him.

So he blankly stared at his textbook, hoping the answer to his dilemma would either jump out from the page, or come to him like a bolt out of the blue.

Neither event had occurred when the light knock Darien had learned was Serena's warning of her imminent arrival echoed through the room. The sound of the door opening and closing followed, and the next thing Darien knew, Serena's sparkling blue eyes were meeting his gaze from around the room divider. "Hi!" she said cheerfully.

Both noticed the tension level rise, and assumed it was due their own inner conflict.

Darien blinked. "Hi, Serena."

Serena took a deep breath to help her maintain her composure. "Finally tore myself away from the kids. Love 'em though. Were you in the middle of homework?"

He shot a slightly startled look at the physics book he hadn't really paid attention to all day. "Not really. Just reviewing a few things."

"I have an essay I have to do yet tonight, but I knew it could wait until I'd visited you."

The smile that followed that statement acted like a dagger in Darien's heart. He knew what he had to do. "I guess I'm glad you did; I have some news." She tilted her head to the side and the sight lessened his nervousness somewhat. "They told me I'm going home at the end of the week."

Serena blinked and tried to think. What do I say? I can't let him know I already knew... "That's great! So everything's going to be okay?"

Darien inwardly flinched. "That's what they tell me."

Her smile grew soft and gentle. "I'm sure it will."

Darien's midnight blues locked with Serena's sapphire ones, and somewhere in his heart he believed her. But the dark inner voice wasn't through with him yet. Sure. That's what they said last time. But she doesn't know about that either, does she?

Serena's insides twisted with an alien feeling of hope being trodden on by despair, and she could have sworn she sensed a silent cry for help. Unconsciously she reached out and placed her hand on his arm. Darien's eyes widened, and both felt a strange click in the deepest part of their being.

The two of them silently looked at each other, gazes locked, souls unknowingly communing, for a good ten minutes. Serena's hand slid from Darien's arm and she stepped back. The spell-weaving atmosphere lessened only a fraction before she spoke. "I have to go," she said softly, her words only just making it to his ears.

"I know," he responded in kind.

"I'll be back on Friday."

"I'll be waiting." The shadow of a smile began to form on his lips.

The gesture was mirrored on her lips. "Then I'll see you."

"Until then."

Their gaze was broken only by the curtain that divided the room when it fell back into place after Serena's departure. Darien let his textbook and eyelids fall, and he quickly found himself in a beautiful dream-filled slumber.

(fade out...)

(scene change...)

Serena wandered into her house that evening in a daze, handed her mother the papers Dr. Mizuno had given her, and practically floated up to her room, completely forgetting about dinner. She tossed her bag onto her desk and changed into her pajamas, her mind somewhere in the upper stratosphere.

Luna watched, amused, while her ward took her hair down and brushed it out, seemingly lost in her reflected gaze. "Someone here is on cloud nine."

"Mm, hmm," Serena said without breaking eye contact with herself.

"What were those papers you gave your mother?"

"They'll give me permission to do some volunteer work away from the hospital." The girl still was not on Earth.

"Away from the hospital? What are you talking about?"

"I'm going to be helping someone at his apartment after school. He's been paralyzed from the waist down, and Dr. Mizuno wants me around to help his loneliness and to adjust to everything. Nothing medical, more like moral support." She spoke somewhat dazedly.

"How often is this? And what about your time at the hospital?" Luna sounded shocked.

"I'm supposed to stop by for a little while every day after school gets out. And I'm not going to be working at the hospital anymore until he's better. They say he'll walk again."

Luna nearly choked. "And your parents agreed to this?" she asked incredulously.

"As long as I start to improve my grades and keep them up. Which reminds me, I have an essay to do tonight," the petite blonde commented, starting to come back to reality. She reached for her satchel and pulled out the books she needed.

"You are not going to do this!" Luna commanded as Serena stretched out on the floor and opened her notebook.

The young woman brought her blue eyes up to meet the orange-red ones of her cat. "Yes, I am," she stated quietly, absently opening her history book.

"How do you expect to keep up with your grades and Sailor business if you are constantly at this person's apartment? Have you no sense of responsibility? You're Sailor Moon!"

Sapphire blue eyes flashed. "There is no need to remind me of that, Luna. I am quite aware of the lack of a normal life the position you thrust on me has caused." Luna flinched. "But I will continue to do it. And I will do better in school. And I will take care of this person. All because I have a deep sense of duty and sensitivity and compassion!"

"Serena, it's not like you've shown an amazing amount of competency in regards to responsibility. And what happens if the girls need you while you're at this apartment?"

"Then I will handle it like I handle it any other time I get called away when I'm in public: whatever way seems appropriate at the time."

"Now that's a responsible answer," Luna said sarcastically.

Tears began to well up in Serena's eyes. "I don't think even Amy has a plan for when she's in public and her communicator goes off. I know what I'm doing, Luna. And I'm going to do it. If you really don't believe in me that much, even after giving me the Crescent Moon Wand and making me the leader, maybe..." She hesitated for a moment. "Maybe you should just leave," she finished quietly, hanging her head.

Luna's eyes widened in shock. "Are... are you kicking me out, Serena?" she asked disbelievingly.

Serena's head never moved. "No. I care about you very much, and it would hurt to see you go. But if you can't find it in your heart to trust me, maybe you'd be happier with one of the others, someone you can trust." Tears began to fall onto the empty sheet of paper in front of her.

Luna's eyes began to tear up as well. "I... I trust you, Serena. I just don't want you to get overwhelmed. You did such a good job against Zoicite; I don't want to see anything take away from that." She paused to swallow her tears. "Why is this so important to you?"

"It's the guy that got hit by the person that almost hit me," Serena whispered.

Luna gasped. "Oh! I understand."

Serena's gaze slid over to the feline looking at her sympathetically. "You can't tell anyone else this, but... it's Darien."

"Darien? As in the young man whom you have been complaining about driving you crazy for the past six months?"

"Yeah. We made up a little over a week ago after I stumbled across him in the hospital. We're friends now. And I'm glad. I've always wanted to be his friend, but he kept teasing me, and I wasn't sure if that's what he wanted. But it was and we are, so everything's good."

"Well, at least it'll cut down on the complaining you do," Luna said with a small smile. "I'm sorry I doubted you, Serena. I said things I shouldn't have. You've improved so much since the day I met you. I just hope you're ready for what you've gotten yourself into."

Serena smiled. "Everything will be alright. I'll make it right. I have to, for everyone's sake." Her smile started to fall. "Especially Darien's," she muttered. Only Luna's exceptional feline hearing allowed her to pick it up.

"You've always come through when it counted, Serena. Now why don't you finish up that essay so you can get some sleep? You look like you could use it." The black cat nuzzled up against the blonde girl's shoulder affectionately.

"Thanks, Luna. I think you're right." She scratched the cat behind the ears briefly and turned back to her homework.

Luna jumped up onto the foot of the bed and curled into a black, fuzzy ball. "You're right, Serena. Everything will work out. You're good at making that happen," she said to herself as she drifted off into dreamland.

(fade out...)

(scene change...)

Darien sat once again holding his physics textbook Wednesday afternoon, but this time he wasn't even giving the pretense of reading it. His gaze fell blindly onto the opposite wall as he struggled with the bubbling cauldron of emotions he had awakened with. He didn't exactly remember Serena leaving the night before, yet somehow he knew she left on good terms and a pleasant note. And all he had done afterward was dream of her. His princess didn't even make her nightly appearance.

And now it was all he could do to keep a lid on his feelings. Feelings that he didn't even understand. He liked Serena, that much he was willing to admit. Something stirred deeper though, something his mind, used to being alone and independent, could not identify. Something it was afraid to identify.

His soul, newly awakened, weakly struggled to be heard, ready to offer answers to his mind's questions. But only his so-often-ignored heart paid any attention, leaving Darien an emotional wreck.

Into this minefield walked Dr. Victoria Mizuno with a small bag. Only years of practice allowed Darien to hide everything behind a well-constructed mask of dead indifference. But if you looked deeply enough into his eyes...

"Good afternoon, Darien. Are you doing alright?"

"Fine," he responded shortly.

One of the doctor's eyebrows shot up at the sharp tone. "I tried to come in earlier this week for this, but things got a bit hectic." She gathered up the chart that hung at the foot of his bed. "The swelling should be reduced enough for this to be a valid test of your recovery. Everything on your chart confirms that."

"What are you talking about, doctor?" he asked, finally able to return his tone to its usual deadness.

The blue-haired doctor looked surprised. "I need to test the nerves in your lower body for response. We talked about this last week."

Darien sighed and closed his eyes. "Of course. I remember now." He pursed his lips briefly. "Just get it over with, doctor. Please."

Dr. Mizuno responded with a sigh of her own. "Keep your eyes closed, then, Darien." She pulled out one of the special instruments she had brought along for this reason and silently moved to the opposite side of the bed. She started her testing.

Fifteen minutes later she had received very little response, although more than she had expected, from his legs, and what response she did get didn't seem to register on Darien's face. She proceeded with his left hip, taking a surprised step back when he flinched and took a sharp intake of breath. "You felt that?" she asked with wonder.

Darien's eyes shot open and met Dr. Mizuno's. "Yes," he said quietly, trying to believe he wasn't imagining things.

"Amazing," she said, gazing down at his chart. "This is absolutely amazing."

"What... what does this mean?" he breathed.

"This is an incredible recovery so far, Darien," Victoria said, beginning to get quietly excited. "The area around your waist I expected with the swelling down, but your hips! It may not seem like much difference..."

"I... I understand..." he managed, barely.

"I need to do a little more testing to see how far... Close your eyes again, Darien." After he had done so, she worked around some of the areas she had already covered so he could not anticipate her move to the other hip. Her smile grew blinding when she received the same response, there and in front and back at the same level. "Just as I hoped. This is wonderful, Darien. Absolutely wonderful."

The aforementioned young man found the latest emotions brought on by this new development breaking through all the barriers he had barely managed to throw together at the doctor's arrival.

"But all the same, you can't get your hopes too high."

Hope? What was this that she spoke of? It was a foreign concept to him, one that he found he now had to make room for in his already overflowing consciousness.

"It's a marvelous beginning, but there is still a long road ahead of you."

A long road? With more twists and turns like this? When he couldn't really even handle what he had now? The oblivion of unconsciousness began to beckon the frazzled, overwhelmed, and ultimately overloaded Darien seductively.

"Now then, what this means is..." But before she could explain what her tests and their results meant to the young man lying in the hospital bed before her, she found that he was lost to the world in a dead faint. After checking his pulse and pupils to be sure he'd be okay, she smiled and finished writing on his chart. She stayed long enough to see him slip into a deep, restorative sleep before stepping quietly out of the room. "Sleep well, Darien. Everything will be okay; you'll see," she whispered comfortingly before closing the door behind her.

(fade out...)

(scene change...)

Serena greeted the end of the week on Friday the way she always did: with a loud cheer in the hall after the last bell rang and a chocolate milkshake with Amy and Lita at the arcade. The three girls sat at their favorite table in the corner of the café chatting about school and plans for the weekend for a while before Amy put her book away and looked the blonde girl to her left in the eye. "Why was Ms. Haruna so flustered when she handed your algebra test back this afternoon, Serena?"

Serena blushed as Lita turned to her and raised an eyebrow. "Well," she started as she dug in her satchel, "this is why, actually." She pulled out a slightly wrinkled piece of paper and handed it to the blue-haired girl.

Amy looked it over and gasped. "You got an 87! That's wonderful!"

"Let me see that," Lita said as she snatched the test out of Amy's hands. "Wow, you're right, Ames. An 87." She looked at the blonde and smiled. "I knew you could do it if you tried, Serena! Congrats!"

Serena blushed as she took her paper back. "Yeah, well, I studied. Turns out that actually works," she finished ruefully.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Serena. You just needed the right motivation, and it looks like you found it. I'm glad." Amy smiled.

"So, what was it? Whatever it was might help me!" Lita exclaimed with a laugh.

Serena flinched before responding. "Well, you see, I..." She sighed and dropped her gaze to the table.

"What is it, Serena? You can tell us," Amy said encouragingly.

"I can't tell you everything; I'm not allowed. But I'm going to be working with that accident victim. You know, the one from the paper. It turns out he's paralyzed from the waist down, and he'll be going home soon. He lives alone, and the people at the hospital asked me to visit with him and keep him company. Basically I'll be doing the things I did as a volunteer at the hospital at this guy's apartment instead of the children's ward. Part of the agreement with my parents so I could do this was that I had to keep up and improve my grades. So I have." The other two girls were stunned into silence for a short time.

"I'd say that qualifies as the right motivation," Lita said as soon as she recovered her voice. "But why are you doing it? Why for him?" she asked gently.

Serena closed her eyes as tears welled up. "The guy that caused this is the same guy that almost hit me. That could be me in that situation. I can't just walk away."

Amy put her hand on the petite blonde's shoulder as Lita gritted her teeth. That's just one more strike against this guy. He better hope the police get to him before I do. No one hurts my friend like this and gets away with it, the brunette thought viciously. She gasped as another thought struck her.

Serena brought her head up at the sound. "Something wrong, Lita?"

"No, no, nothing's wrong. I just need to talk to Andrew for a minute. Be right back." The tall girl then stood up and left the table in search of the blond attendant.

Andrew stepped behind the counter just as Lita reached it. "Hey, Lita! How are things going?" He jumped back a bit as the girl turned a serious face in his direction.

"Do you know anyone that can track down license plate numbers? I'd ask Amy, but I don't think she'd approve of what I want to do with the information and I don't want to lie to her."

The blond man was bewildered. "Why?"

"I caught the plate number of the car that nearly hit Serena. Now it turns out it was the same guy that they were talking about in the paper that sent one guy to the hospital. Serena was saying that the guy is paralyzed from the waist down, and she's going to be volunteering at his place instead of the children's ward. She's all torn up about it, on top of her own pain. I just think it's about time this guy got his own share of the pain he's caused. Can you help me?"

Andrew was silent as he attempted to put his eyes back in his head and pick his jaw up off the floor. "Serena's going to what?" he managed to squeak out.

Lita shot him a quizzical look. "She said something about volunteering for the guy that's paralyzed thanks to the guy that almost hit her."

"Did she mention his name?" He looked sick to his stomach.

The girl's eyebrow rose. "Uh, no, she didn't. Is something wrong?"

Andrew took a deep breath and let it go. "I hope not." He closed his eyes briefly and swallowed the nervous lump in his throat down. Meeting Lita's gaze he smiled. "What was your question again?"

She grinned evilly. "Do you know anyone that can track down license plate numbers? I thought I'd pay our little hit-and-run artist a friendly little visit." She paused and sized up the man in front of her. "You're welcome to come along of course."

Andrew returned her smile. "Let me ask around a bit. Give me the number and I'll see what I can do. Will there be any other visitors?"

"Oh, I'm sure Mina and Raye would be more than willing to accompany us. Maybe even Amy, although I wouldn't hold your breath. I'd tell Serena's dad, but he'd take all the fun out of it with his shotgun. Hey, I know! Why don't you invite Darien along too, if you know what's going on with him? Those two may fight, but I'm sure he wouldn't have liked it if he lost his favorite sparring partner." Lita quickly jotted down the required information.

Somehow, the young man managed to hide his reaction to the young lady's last request. "Oh, I'll tell him. I'm sure he'd love to know." He picked up the slip of paper and put it in his pocket.

The two co-conspirators smiled in satisfaction, shook hands across the counter, and went back to their previous activities with a shared wink.

Lita rejoined her friends at the café table with a small wicked smile on her face. "Miss me?"

"What were you talking to Andrew about?" Serena asked curiously.

"Nothing much. I needed him to check on something for me. So what does this guy you're going to be helping out look like, Serena? Is he cute?"

Serena blanched at the question. "Um, yeah, I guess so." She shifted nervously in her seat.

"So spill! Who is he and what does he look like?"

"Uh, Lita, she can't. My mom told her specifically she's not to talk about him unless he himself gives her permission to. Patient confidentiality." Amy explained.

"Oh. That's disappointing. How often are you supposed to do this?"

"A couple of hours every day. I figured I'd go over there right after school during the week and then see what happens."

"When do you start?"

"Monday. This is going to be interesting. He doesn't know about me yet. They decided that would be best."

"They're springing you on him? My mom agreed to that?"

"Reluctantly, Ames, reluctantly. He's been difficult, and no one wanted to give him a chance to kick up too much of a fuss." Serena shrugged. "The psychologist they have assigned to him doesn't really understand him. At least I don't think so. Your mom seems to have been outvoted on a few issues."

Amy sighed. "That's happened before. And that also explains her mood lately. She's been touchy. She hates it when the administration tries to tell her what's best for one of her patients."

"I can understand that. I hate it when people try to tell me what to do too," Lita said.

Serena looked at her watch. "I hate to cut this short, but I need to get to the hospital. The kids wanted to throw a going away party for me, and I don't want to be late. There are a couple of them I need to have a talk with. They don't like the idea that I'm leaving. I'll catch you guys later. Mina's this weekend, right?"

Lita nodded. "So she says. We'll see you when you get there." Serena waved and left the arcade.

"That driver has really hurt her," Amy said quietly.

"Yeah, and he's going to regret that," Lita growled while Amy looked on with a slightly worried expression.

(fade out...)

(scene change...)

Serena onto a small bag filled with the gifts she had received from the children she volunteered for as she lightly rapped on the door to Darien's room and stepped inside. She flitted over to the room divider and poked her head around to find Darien intently writing something in a small spiral notebook. "Hi, Darien," she said quietly as she moved closer to the bed.

He glanced at her for a moment before returning to his work. "Hi, Serena."

"Am I interrupting something?" she asked as she fidgeted with the handles of her bag.

"Not really. I'm just..." He sighed and put the pen and notebook aside. "I can finish it later. What's in the bag?"

"Oh!" The blonde blushed. "The kids threw a party for me thanking me for the work I've done, and these are the presents they gave me. Weren't they sweet?" She smiled shyly.

Darien found himself smiling in return. "You're something else, Serena. It's good to know those kids appreciate the gift they have in you." He paused and searched her rose-tinted face. "I know I do."

Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?" she breathed in disbelief.

His features softened even more. "Your visits have meant a lot to me. More than I ever could have guessed and you'll ever know." He reached behind the pile of books on the table next to him and pulled out a perfectly formed red rose. "Thank you," he said softly as he handed her the flower.

Tears formed in her sapphire blue eyes. "No," she said chokingly, "thank you, Darien. This is beautiful. And I've done no more than a good friend would do."

"You've gone far beyond what anyone, especially me, would expect you to do for me. That letter you gave me was a huge chance, considering what our situation was and what you expected my reaction to be. And you took it." Darien's face held an expression of wonder and awe. "Then you visited me, even though I hadn't sent you word it was okay. That was another big chance. All for me. The guy that has done nothing but taunt and tease you mercilessly. All I can do is sit back and wonder what in the world I did to deserve such a wonderful person in my life. Did you really want my," he swallowed nervously, "friendship that badly?" His eyes searched hers, and she could see wonder, caring, disbelief, and a hint of fear in the midnight blue depths.

Serena's smile in response lit up the room. "Actually, yes, Darien, I did. I just knew you would be worth it. And something told me when I first saw you lying in this hospital bed that you needed me. So I made the effort. And it has paid off hundreds of times over."

Darien's face crumpled at Serena's words. Tears flowed freely down his face and sobs escaped his throat. His chin dropped to his chest and his fists clenched at his sides. His body shook with the force of his crying.

Serena gasped at the sight before her and jumped forward to take him into her arms, dropping her bag beside the bed. "Oh, Darien. It's okay. It's okay. You were definitely worth everything. Always believe that. I'm so glad I have you in my life." She rubbed his back gently and maneuvered herself into a sitting position as close to him as she could get, letting his head fall onto her left shoulder.

"Why am I feeling this way? I don't understand!" Darien cried as he wrapped his arms around the petite girl holding him. "Everything has been so overwhelming lately! Ever since Tuesday night... I don't even know what happened Tuesday night! Something happened between the two of us... and now I can't control anything for very long! I don't know what to do anymore, Serena! Tell me what to do!" he said desperately as he gripped her tightly.

Serena's eyes widened at the lost tone in Darien's voice. "Just let it all go for now, Darien. I'm here, and I'll always let you cry on my shoulder. I'll always be here for you. I wish I could tell you what happened Tuesday night, but I don't know either. I can tell you that I felt it too, and it just solidified what I've always felt for you." His arms squeezed her even tighter. "I don't know what to tell you about your control; I think you already know I can be quite lacking in that regard." She smiled ruefully. "I just wish I knew what happened to make you think you needed to have such tight control over your emotions."

"I... I can't tell you, not yet," he choked out. "I'm sorry, Serena. I'm so sorry. I'm... not ready yet."

Serena turned her head to the left and nuzzled her face in his hair slightly. "It's okay, Darien, whenever you're ready. I can wait as long as you need me to. And I'll be here for you until then."

"Gods, you are so good to me... and after everything I've done... Thank you. Thank you so much, Serena. I'll be able to tell you everything someday; I know it. I promise I will."

"I know, Darien."

They sat like that for another twenty minutes. Finally, Darien regained his composure and withdrew from Serena's embrace. "Thank you for being so understanding, Serena," Darien said quietly as he let himself fall back onto his pillow.

She smiled softly. "That's what being a friend is all about. I'm happy I could be here for you."

"I suppose you'll be leaving soon; your mother must be expecting you," he said a bit ruefully.

"Actually, no. I'm spending the weekend at Mina's with the others. And they said to come whenever. Did you want me to go?" she asked meekly.

"No!" he cried quickly then cleared his throat and tried again more calmly. "No, that's okay, Serena. You don't have to go."

Serena smiled with relief. "Good. So, how is school going?"

Darien returned the smile and they talked about little things for another hour, when she decided he was tired and should get some sleep. He reluctantly agreed only after she promised to visit one last time before the weekend was over and he left for home. Serena then tucked Darien in and left after giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. He stared after her, his hand brushing the place where her lips had touched him, and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

(fade out...)

(scene change...)

Saturday afternoon brought a partly cloudy sky, bitingly cold winds, and five familiar girls into the Crown Arcade. They were all laughing at a story Mina was telling about one of the latest misadventures Artemis had gotten himself involved in as they wandered to their favorite booth in the back of the café. Andrew came out from the kitchen as the five of them were passing the counter.

"Hey, girls!" he called out, putting the rack of clean glasses underneath the counter.

"Hi, Andrew!" Lita called. The rest smiled and waved.

The blond man's gaze fell upon Serena and the same feeling of panic that had hit him when Lita had told him of the petite blonde's most recent volunteering assignment grabbed a hold of him once again. "Serena, could I speak with you please? I think it's important." His green eyes flashed.

Serena looked startled but nodded. She quickly followed her friend to the backroom, where he locked the door behind them. "What's wrong, Andrew? You look upset about something," she asked, concerned.

"What's this I hear about you volunteering at Darien's place?" he said abruptly, eyes wide in an expression of panic.

Serena's face quickly mirrored that of the man before her. "Where did you hear that? Darien doesn't know, does he?"

He let out an explosive breath. "No, Darien doesn't know, although I don't know why. And Lita mentioned you told her about volunteering for the guy that was paralyzed in a hit and run by the same guy that almost hit you. I put two and two together rather quickly. What's going on?"

She sighed and dropped her head. "I didn't know it was Darien when I originally accepted the offer. It was nice to have everyone's confidence that I could do this, and I wanted to help so much; then I found out that the drivers were the same, and I knew I couldn't say no. And then after I'd been briefed on everything, they told me his name." Her face came up with a tearful pleading look. "You can't tell him, Andrew! That could cost me this assignment! They told me I couldn't tell anyone, especially him. I think the psychologist was afraid of the fuss he would kick up if he found out the hospital was sending someone to 'patronize' him in his own home. Not that I'd ever do that, but you know what I mean. I want to help Darien, Andrew! Please don't take this opportunity from me!" The tears started to spill down her cheeks.

Andrew just looked at the girl standing in front of him. The sincerity in her plea rang with every word, and her innocent beseeching look only backed that up. He sighed. "What is wrong with that psychologist? She's been putting him on edge every since their first session."

"I don't think she understands him. And I don't trust her for some reason. I think she expects me to spy on him for her. You know, get him to talk to me about things she can't get him to talk to her about. I don't like that."

"I don't either. So they're springing you on him on Monday?"

"He told you he was going home? Yeah, Monday's the day. I'm a bit nervous, actually. Our friendship is going so well; I don't want to ruin it."

"Just be honest with him when you see him. If things are going that well, he'll understand. Eventually." He paused for a moment. "So, you would have told him otherwise, right?"

She nodded vigorously. "Of course! He would have known the moment I walked into his room on Tuesday night, I promise!"

Andrew smiled with relief. "I was just checking. I can't help but look out for him."

Serena smiled sweetly at him. "Darien is so lucky to have a friend like you, Andrew."

"And even luckier to have one like you, Serena. Now get back out there with your friends. I have to get back to work!" She giggled as they left the room.

(fade out...)

(scene change...)

Andrew stopped by Darien's room at about ten-thirty Sunday morning to pick up the last load of schoolwork before his friend went home. He was also there to talk, of course. He took the pile of papers and put them in his bag, looking the ebony-haired patient over as he did so. "Are you okay with all this, Darien?"

"All what?"

"Going home tomorrow. The home care. All of it."

Darien shrugged. "I suppose so. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You're a private person; these people, however temporarily, will be invading that privacy."

"It's a necessary evil. And it won't be permanent. I'll live. Fortunately, I like my physical therapist."

"Yeah, but you hate your psychologist."

"True, but think of the fun I'll have torturing her." An evil glint flashed in his eyes.

Andrew laughed. "I never thought I'd live to see the day when Darien Shields would be looking on the bright side. It's refreshing, actually."

Darien scowled. "Cute, Andrew."

The blond man got a mischievous look on his face. "So what brought on this monumental change in attitude? Cute nurse catch your eye?" he asked slyly, having his own private suspicions on who had caused the change in his friend's outlook.

The man in the hospital bed scoffed. "Oh, yeah, right. With the attitudes these women have shown me? Keep dreaming. The fact that my post-operative examination went well has a much better chance of being the cause for my lift in spirits." He stopped and looked at his best friend seriously all of the sudden. "I... I can feel my hips now, Andrew."

Andrew's eyes widened. "That's great, Darien! What did the doctor say that meant?"

"My recovery is moving along faster than anticipated, and that's a very good sign." Nervousness touched Darien's features. "I'm not used to this, Andrew."

"Not used to what?"

"Hope."

Andrew stared at his friend. That had been the most candid admission he had ever heard from him. "Why did you tell me that?" he asked quietly, wonder touching the edges of his voice.

Darien smiled slightly. "I can't tell the person I wanted to tell, not yet. No offense."

"None taken." The blond man considered things for a minute. "So what did you tell Serena?"

Midnight blues dropped as their owner sighed. "I told her I was going home. I plan on asking her for her phone number when she stops by later."

"Are you going to tell her?"

Darien paused before answering. "Yes. Soon. As soon as I get up the courage. She's been so good to me she deserves to know the complete truth."

"She is a very special friend."

"That she is, Andrew. That she is."

"Oh! That reminds me! I have some information on the driver." Andrew's eyes lit up evilly.

Darien narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "What?" he asked warily.

"Lita remembered the license plate number and asked me to find someone who could track it down. So that means I have the number."

The ebony-haired man's features shifted to match those of his friend's. "So how close are you to finding him, and what are you going to do with that little piece of information?"

"Lita suggested she and I and a couple of the other girls pay this boy a little visit. I believe she mentioned something about sharing the pain."

Darien chuckled evilly. "Oh, I am really getting to like this girl. I wish I could go with you."

"So do I, Dare. But I'll give you a play by play afterwards. The next best thing to being there." Andrew laughed.

Darien smiled. "It'll have to do. Throw a few punches for me, and then a few more for Serena."

"Oh, I think that can be more than accommodated, Dare. More than accommodated." Both men smiled wickedly.

(fade out...)

(scene change...)

Darien managed to read for a while in between periods of thoughtful introspection through the remainder of the day after Andrew left. He was pretty sure he wouldn't remember what he had read, but he did read. Finally, an hour after he finished supper, the light knock he had been waiting for echoed through the room.

A familiar blonde head poked around the white curtain. "Hi!"

He smiled as she maneuvered around the divider without moving it. "How did the weekend at Mina's go?"

She lit up the room with one of her thousand-watt smiles. "We had such a good time! We played truth or dare last night after seeing the new Digimon movie; believe it or not, it was Amy's idea to see it!" She giggled. "Lita ended up running around the outside of the house three times only wearing her underwear and bra! It was so funny! Especially when Mina's eighty-something year old neighbors walked by during her second lap! I thought they just might fall over of heart attacks!"

Darien got a sly look on his face. "So what embarrassing things did they get you to do, Serena?"

She suddenly blushed. "Well, I only said truth after the first one..." She trailed off, embarrassed.

"Okay, so what was the first dare?"

"I don't know if I want to tell you..."

"Oh, come on. Please?" He gave her a pleading puppy dog look.

She found herself laughing in spite of herself. "Oh, alright. I ended up doing a strip tease." She watched carefully through lowered lashes for his reaction.

He didn't disappoint. Darien's jaw hit the floor, and he coughed a few times to get his breathing in order. "A strip tease? How... how far?"

Serena smiled inwardly while blushing even more furiously outwardly. "All the way, but I got dressed as soon as the song was over," she rectified quickly.

Darien got a brief mental image of the event and matched Serena in skin color.

"Raye kept accusing me of being no fun after that, but I just ignored her. I'm not crazy enough to do that twice!"

"No, no, you're not," Darien managed to choke out. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Anything else exciting happen?"

"Just that those same elderly neighbors chased Amy out of their yard when she went over there to apologize for Lita. We never thought they could move that quickly!" She giggled again. "But it sure was funny!"

Darien laughed along, then grew serious. "Serena, I need to ask you for something, with me getting out of here tomorrow and all."

Serena's smile faded into a concerned look. "What is it, Darien?"

"I was wondering if I could have your phone number so I could get a hold of you when I get settled in at home. I don't want to lose this friendship."

Tears filled her eyes as she smiled brightly. "Of course!" She dug out her ticket stub from the night before from her jacket pocket and jotted down the requested information. "Sorry this isn't a better piece of paper. I don't have anything else, and your stuff is already gone." She grinned and wiped the tears away.

Darien took the stub and put it in his wallet. "Don't worry about it. I'll just transfer it to my address book when I get home."

"You must be happy to get out of here, huh? Away from those mean nurses, better food, and best of all, familiar surroundings. That has to be good, right?"

"I guess so."

Serena looked Darien in the eye and smiled softly. "I'm very happy for you, Darien, for getting to leave. Didn't I tell you things were going to be okay?" She sat on the bed and hugged him.

His arms instinctually wrapped around the ray of sunshine practically in his lap. "Yeah, you did. And for once, I believe you may end up right in the end," he muttered into her hair, Serena barely catching the words.

They stayed that way for a little while before Darien glanced at the clock and saw it said 9:07 pm. He sighed. "It's after nine; you should probably get going," he whispered into her hair, not letting go.

She nodded. "Yeah. My mom will be worried." She pulled back reluctantly. "I should have just enough to get home at a normal pace."

Darien smiled at that. "So you save all those record-breaking runs for before school?"

She stuck her tongue out at him briefly then smiled back. "Pretty much, although I haven't needed to do that all week. I thought I'd try life without detentions for a while to see how I liked it."

His eyebrow lifted. "So do you?"

"Actually, yes, I do. I just might keep this up." They both grinned.

Darien took another look at the clock and sighed again, his grin fading. "You should really get going. I'll call you as soon as I'm ready for visitors, I promise."

Serena managed to hide the guilty flash his comment inspired. "I'll talk to you soon, Darien. Good luck tomorrow."

"Thank you," he whispered as she gave him one last hug and headed for the door. Right before she disappeared behind the room divider she gave him one last heart-stopping grin and a wave, and the next thing Darien knew, the sound of the door closing made itself known. "I'll miss you, Serena. At least until I get up the courage to tell you everything. You deserve that much." He smiled at the memory of her last smile, picked up his novel, and read until he fell asleep an hour or so later, where he dreamed only of the sunlight made flesh that had taught him the value of hope, however inadvertently.