Invalid Response - Chapter 9
by Una Moonstar
ANs: You guys are the greatest! I am so happy your enjoying the story! And since I can't seem to think of anything else to say, here's the next installment!
(fade out...)
(begin chapter...)
Serena awoke to the sounds of Darien struggling into his wheelchair the next morning. The sensations of the previous night hit her full force as she opened her eyes and she realized she still wasn't ready to confront the emotions they stirred. So, when she heard the ebony-haired young man exit the bedroom and enter the bathroom she closed her eyes and prayed to go back to sleep.
Her prayer was granted, at least until the loud thump of a fist meeting a bathroom wall filled the air. She sprang into a sitting position and nearly rushed to the bathroom before stopping herself and settling back onto the couch. Frustration. It was a sound of frustration. And there was nothing she could do about that aside from healing him and letting him walk again.
The blonde girl sighed. Why was it she could heal youma with her crescent wand, but not the people who meant the most to her?
And with tears in her eyes, she fell back into a troubled slumber.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Darien awoke Sunday morning feeling more rested than he had since he had been home. He blushed as he remembered the nightmare-turned-dream from the night before and was amazed to still be able to feel the pressure of Serena's lips on his own. He shelved the emotions that came with the feeling to the back of his mind and started his morning routine.
Now that the nurse wasn't scheduled to come over anymore unless called - and like hell was he going to do that - he had to get himself up and dressed and to the bathroom. As he wheeled himself into the bathroom he had the oddest sensation of not being alone, but quickly shrugged it off and did his duty.
When he was done he sat in his chair and stared at the room around him. The lowered sink, the grab bars on either side of the toilet and tub - they all reminded him of what he had lost and what he now was. An invalid.
It was easy to forget that when Serena was around; her light managed to reach the darkest corners of his psyche. But when he was alone, those shadows crept back and entrenched themselves, battering on his self esteem until he was half-mad. It was all he could do to keep from calling his little Meatball Head and having her rush back over to comfort him. Even talking to her over the phone, hearing her voice; that would do it. But he stood alone. If his life previous had taught him nothing else it taught him that. You could only rely on yourself; others came and went. In fact, didn't Serena herself say that he was going to have to do this by himself eventually anyway?
That's not what she meant, his heart scolded him. You're looking for an excuse to wallow because you miss her. Would she want that?
For once Darien listened to his heart, especially since the dark voice that usually ruled his thoughts was oddly silent in response to the straightforward question. And there was no other answer. "No, she wouldn't," he whispered. "And I promised I'd try, for her." He nodded decisively. "I can't stop now. So I guess it's time for breakfast."
He quickly washed his hands and exited the small room. As he wheeled himself toward the kitchen he once again got the feeling he was not alone. He stopped before he reached the couch and looked around suspiciously, trying to find whatever it was that could be out of place that would make him feel that way. Seeing nothing he continued on his way.
He grabbed an apple out of the fridge and munched on it thoughtfully next to the appliance. Serena wouldn't be there until later that afternoon; she was going shopping with her friends and had decided to end her day with him instead of doing the mid-afternoon thing she had done on Saturday. He was glad for that. He liked the idea that she would be the last thing he would see before going to bed himself. But how was he going to spend the rest of his day?
He thought it over as he finished the fruit and tossed away the core. Andrew wouldn't be there until tomorrow to unload this last week's worth of homework on him; the blond young man had thought it best Darien get at least one week of relaxation and adjustment before going back to their previous schedule. That, unfortunately, left him bored now. He sighed. So much for courtesy.
He rolled slowly out of the kitchen and decided to see how the outside world was doing. He got maybe two feet when he noticed a waterfall of golden blonde hair cascading from the cushion of the couch to the floor, where it collected in a huge puddle of gold. His breath caught and he came closer. His shins bumped the coffee table before he could see the petite blonde curled in a ball on his sofa, the arm having hidden her from sight previously. She had one of his extra blankets draped over her, and her feet stuck out from the opposite end, showing off her somewhat worn white socks.
As he watched she tossed and turned a bit, her lips turning into a frown momentarily. What could she be dreaming about that was that bad? How could shadows touch this child of the light? But before he could ponder that question further, her eyelids began to flutter and she slowly focused her gaze on the world of the living. "Good morning, sleepyhead," he said softly with a smile.
Her eyes leapt to his as she sat up quickly. "Hi."
"What are you doing here?"
Serena blushed. "Well, I came over to pick up the school bag I forgot, and I noticed you having a nightmare. I... I tried to wake you up," here she blushed even more, "and... and... you didn't, but... you eventually went back to sleep. I got a feeling I should stay so I did. Did you sleep any better?"
Darien smiled widely. "Definitely. And now I know why. But what's the blush for? You're beginning to look like a tomato."
"Um, I'd rather not say." She couldn't look at him anymore.
Darien's face fell. "Why, Serena? Did I do something to hurt you? What did I do to make you feel so bad? You were frowning in your sleep before; is it because of me?"
The seriousness and desperation in his tone clutched at Serena's heart. No matter what she was feeling she had to tell him; he couldn't be allowed to think this way any longer. "No, no, Darien. That's not it. It's not really your fault. You were sleeping, dreaming. I don't know what you were dreaming about, but I know I was in it; you called out for me. And when I sat on the bed and said your name to try and wake you up you..."
A loud knock on the door interrupted her tale. Serena jumped up to check the visitor through the peephole and released the breath she had been holding. "It's Andrew."
Darien sighed in relief. "Let him in; I wasn't expecting him until tomorrow."
Serena shrugged and opened the door. The blond man stood there shocked at the unexpected event. "Hi, Andrew! What are you doing here?"
He blinked. "I could ask you the same thing. Weren't you supposed to be here later?"
"Well, yeah. But something came up last night and I ended up staying over. Why don't you come in so we can have this conversation in a more comfortable setting? Like the couch with the door shut?" Serena smiled and moved out of the way.
Andrew smiled in return. "That sounds like a good idea." He stepped inside, allowing Serena to shut the door and lock it. "Hey, Dare, how are you this morning?"
Darien smiled as Andrew and Serena made their way to the couch and sat down. "Not too bad, Drew. I didn't think you'd be here until tomorrow."
"Turns out I didn't have to work today, and you said that Serena wouldn't be here until tonight, so I figured I'd stop over and drop off your stuff and keep you company for a while."
"I'm glad you did. My stuff in there?" Darien asked, pointing at the bag at Andrew's feet.
"Yeah. You have some major reading to do and a few essays. Nothing you can't handle."
"Not with the time I have on my hands."
Serena smiled as the two friend talked. It was nice to see Darien relaxed with someone other than her for a change. Her eyes wandered to the clock on the bookcase. "Oh, no! It's eleven o'clock! I told the girls I'd be back by now so I could get ready and we could go shopping!" She jumped up and grabbed her school bag. "I'm sorry to leave in such a rush, but..."
The two males in the room smiled and shook their heads. "Don't worry about it, Serena. Go. I'll see you later," Darien interrupted.
The petite blonde flashed a bright grin. "Right. Have a good time with Andrew!" She hugged the ebony-haired young man and headed for the door. "And, Andrew, talk him into doing something fun. He spends one more afternoon staring out those balcony doors and he'll know the pigeons personally. See you!" The door slammed and running footsteps faded away.
Andrew was looking at Darien oddly. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
The blond man blinked. "She hugged you."
"And?"
"You let her hug you."
"So?"
"You don't let anyone touch you like that."
Darien sighed. "Serena's special."
Andrew grinned. "I knew that, but you still let her touch you. Is there something going on between you two I should know about?"
"No! Of course not! She's just been a huge help, and that's the way she is."
"But you're letting her touch you."
"Will you get over it?"
The blond sighed. "Can you honestly say you don't like it? That it doesn't affect you?"
Darien's eyes closed and he took a deep breath. He released it slowly as he ran his hand through his ebony locks. "I'm not sure exactly how I feel about her. It feels good when she hugs me, that she wants to hug me. I'm actually quite confused about the feelings I have for her, but I know I want her in my life. There's no one else I want by my side right now." One eye cracked open and gazed at Andrew. "No offense."
"None taken. Although you surprise me, Darien. I would think that if she had you confused you'd push her away."
"Normally I would, but I can't seem to find it in me to do that. Besides, the idea of her not being here is scarier than the idea of her getting too close."
Andrew smiled softly as his friend's eye shut again. "Then don't let her go, Dare. Don't let her go. Everything will work out in the end."
Darien just nodded and Andrew proceeded to pull out the papers he had brought over for his friend.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Malachite smiled grimly as he looked at his latest creation. The chimera-shaped youma stood at attention, the red Rainbow Crystal in its forehead glittering in the dim light of the work area. "This should do it," the white-haired general muttered aloud. "With the red crystal amplifying its powers, this youma should be able to exact revenge on those scouts for me, for Zoicite! Now go!" he commanded the red-hued beast. It lumbered forward through the dark portal that had been created in front of it. Malachite just grinned wickedly. "I cannot wait to see your end, Sailor Moon. And you shall watch your friends die before you." He shimmered and disappeared.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
"I can't believe you were that late," Raye muttered as the five girls entered the Jubaan Mall. "You said you'd be back by eleven."
"I would have been, but I slept longer than I expected to."
Raye rolled her eyes. "I should have expected that."
Serena frowned. "Stop being so mean. I said I was sorry."
"You always say you're sorry."
"Alright! That's enough, you two!" Mina shouted as Amy and Lita got between the fighting girls. "Can we just have a good time and shop, please?"
"Fine."
"Raye, come on. Serena didn't mean to be late, and she was taking care of her patient. Don't be so hard on her," Amy admonished.
"Besides, she's here now, and we still have all afternoon to shop 'til we drop!" Lita chimed in.
"Fine, fine." Raye's eyes twinkled. "So let's start shopping already!"
Serena sighed and smiled as Raye grabbed her hand and started to drag her into the nearest clothing shop, the others close behind. And she couldn't help laughing as she was plunked in front of a dress rack and ordered to find something to try on. She soon joined the others in the dressing rooms carrying a knee-length white dress with spaghetti straps and pale silver sparkles. She liked how the sweetheart-cut and form-fitting top with the flowing skirt showed off her natural curves. The material was soft too, feeling just like silk.
They had all finished oo-ing and ah-ing over each other's choices and changed back into their normal clothes when screaming from the center court reached their ears. The five girls rushed to the front of the store and saw people running toward the exits in sheer panic. Serena stuck her head out into the hall and saw a huge red chimera standing on top of the now-crushed fountain zapping people with a red ray of light that left victims drained of their energy.
"We need to transform!" she whispered urgently once she brought her head back in and faced the others.
"Right!" the others chimed, seeing the store now empty of people. They quickly transformed and rushed to the scene of the attack.
"Hey, you!" Serena shouted as the five scouts struck a dramatic pose. "You've interrupted an afternoon of fun and shopping and I won't stand for it! I'm Sailor Moon, champion of love and justice! I shall triumph over evil, and that means you!" The others shouted the last part of the speech with her as she struck her traditional pose.
The only response was a red beam being shot in their direction, scattering the girls. Lita sprung up first, ready for battle. "Oh! So you want to play rough, do you? Try this on for size! Jupiter Thunder Crash!"
The chimera's lion head turned to face the green-clad scout as it maneuvered out of the way of the crackling attack. It roared, the shock waves sending Lita flying backwards through the glass windows of a greeting card store.
The goat's head turned the opposite direction and saw Mina powering up for an attack of her own. "Venus Crescent Beam Smash!" The creature just managed to get out of the way, sending a baying blast in the blonde scout's direction, sending Mina into a jewelry store.
Raye's attack was cut short as she found herself dodging the serpent tail that always seemed to strike just as she was ready to power up. She gritted her teeth and drew out an ofuda scroll as she dodged one more strike. "Evil spirits, disperse!" she cried as she flung the magically charged slip of paper at its target. It hit the snake tail right between the eyes, but only froze it in place, much to the fire scout's dismay. She then shrugged and took the opportunity to attack. "Mars Fire Ignite!"
The chimera screamed as the fireball hit it from behind, the first attack to have gotten through. It spun and faced the black-haired priestess, unleashing a double screaming attack from both the lion and goat head. Raye streaked back into one of the trendier clothing shops.
Serena watched from her position on the floor, where she had fallen flat at the first attack. She saw Mercury off to one side typing on her hand-held computer and scanning the situation with her visor. The blonde leader was coming close to hyperventilating when she finally saw Lita and Mina struggle out from the piles of rubble they had been flung into. Serena smiled and got to her feet, readying her tiara.
"Moon Tiara Magic!"
"Jupiter Thunder Crash!"
"Venus Crescent Beam Smash!"
The three attacks converged on their target. They were all ready to cheer their victory when suddenly the youma disappeared, causing the attacks to hit each other. The resulting explosion threw the four standing scouts back, Lita and Mina back where they had come from, and Serena and Amy back about fifty feet down the halls they were standing in the middle of. Serena struggled out of the kiosk she had landed in and looked around.
There was no sign of the monster. Water pooled out from the shattered remains of the concrete fountain, covering the center court. Lita stood amongst the remains of the card shop holding her head, while Mina was just brushing off various expensive pieces of gold and silver jewelry. Raye had finally managed to extract herself from the clothing rack she had flown into, and Amy walked back from where she had landed with a slight limp. "Is everyone okay?" Serena asked as she walked up to the center court.
Everyone nodded, and Amy drew out her computer once again. "Where did it go, Mercury?" Mina asked.
"I'm scanning for it." The others looked around nervously as Amy finished her scan. Serena in particular had a horrible feeling. The blue-haired scout's eyes widened. "Guys! It's..."
She didn't get to finish as she screamed in pain. The large beast then landed where it had been standing before, the snake tail coiling back after its strike. Amy lay where she fell, twitching and sobbing in pain, her computer lying just out of reach. "Amy!" Serena screamed.
Mina gasped. "Watch out for that tail!" she shouted, dodging a strike from the goat head.
"Right!" Lita responded, moving out of the way of a strike from the lion head.
"This is what we get for not looking up!" Raye shouted, barely avoiding the snake tail once again.
"Fine! Rule number one from now on is always look up!" Lita said as she missed the lion head with a jab. "By the way, what is that red glittering thing in its forehead?"
"Which head?" Mina asked, giving the goat head a roundhouse kick. She grinned wickedly when it connected.
"The lion head." Lita's smile matched Mina's when she hit home with a right uppercut.
"That must be what was shooting the red beams before," Raye guessed as she readied another ofuda.
Serena watched for an opening as her friends talked, hoping to be able to get to her fallen companion. That opening came as Raye struck with her ofuda, and Mina and Lita hit the other two heads at the same time. The meatball-headed blonde dove forward, sliding to Amy's side and dragging her outside of the melee. "Amy, are you alright? Amy?" The tears ran down her face as she brushed the blue bangs out of the suffering girl's face.
The sounds of fire, lightning, and light attacks were ignored as Amy struggled to focus her eyes on the blonde holding her. "S-s-serena," she started. "It-it's all youma." She paused as a fit of shaking overtook her. "But you still have... to... use the... Moon Wand."
Serena blinked in shock for a moment. "You mean the Moon Healing Activation? Why?"
"Rain..."
Amy was cut off by a loud scream and two loud roars. Serena looked over her shoulder to see Raye in a similar position to Amy and Lita and Mina thrown back once again into the stores they seemed to be frequenting at high speeds lately. "No! Raye!"
"Leave me... go... only you... heal it... the crystal..." Amy could say no more as she curled up into a small ball and screamed.
Serena was torn between staying with Amy, running over to Raye, or going back into battle. Soon the choice was taken away from her as her other two friends fell to the bite of the snake tail.
The two heads faced her and growled menacingly, as a deep, evil chuckle sounded from above her. "What does it feel like, Sailor Moon? What does it feel like to have those you love taken from you in front of your very eyes? To watch them die a slow, painful death?"
Serena's head snapped up toward the ceiling to see Malachite floating down. He stopped just out of reach and above eye level. "They aren't dead yet," she responded fiercely. "I won't let them die!"
"How will you do that, Sailor Moon?" Malachite snarled. "Even now the poison is slowly doing its work. And I've seen before how incompetent you are fighting alone." He started floating up again. "I'll just take my seat up here and watch as you fail. Then I'll finish you off myself! Zoicite will be avenged!"
Serena had no time to ponder the general's last statement as the chimera pounced, causing her to dive out of the way. She somehow managed to roll clumsily to her feet, quickly sending out her tiara. It just caught the beast's side as it dodged. Serena dove out of the way of another blast and sent her weapon out again.
It went back and forth like that for a while, each missing the other except for those few times when they would just catch their opponent. Finally, in an attempt to finish it off, Serena took stock of her surroundings, looking for something to assist her. Her eyes traveled upward and fell on the giant metal art sculptures that had been hanging on display for the last week as part of a competition sponsored by the local museum. An idea clicked as she noticed some directly above the youma in front of her. She smiled.
The chimera paused at the sight of the almost wicked grin that crossed its opponent's face. That pause turned out to be its last mistake as Serena reached for the gem of her tiara and called out the magic words: "Moon Tiara Magic!" The glowing disk flew through the air, astonishing both the general and the youma when it flew up toward the chains attaching the sculptures to the metal beams crisscrossing the ceiling. It tore through them like melted butter, dropping the heavy metal on top of the chimera, pinning it to the ground.
"Was that the best you could do, Sailor Moon?" Malachite taunted.
Serena ignored him as she brought out the Crescent Moon Wand with a flourish. "Moon Healing Activation!"
Malachite howled in fury as his powerful youma disintegrated under the onslaught of light and energy. Serena watched the red gem fall from where it had been lodged in the lion's head and finally recognized it and what Amy had tried to tell her before. "The red Rainbow Crystal!" she cried as she dove forward to claim it.
"No!" Malachite shouted and attempted to blast the petite blonde. Serena dodged the dark beam and came up with the prize.
"Yes!" she cried as she gripped the crystal tightly.
"You may have that crystal for now, but you're still standing alone. There's nothing to stop me from taking it back!" The dark general started powering up a mighty blast.
"That's where you're wrong, creep! Jupiter Thunder Crash!" The unexpected bolt struck Malachite in the side, fizzling his collection of dark energy. His body then spun once again as the words "Venus Crescent Beam Smash" and "Mars Fire Ignite" rang through the air. The general growled then dove for the scout leader, hands outstretched, obviously planning to do things physically. A quick "Mercury Bubbles Blast" and some maneuvering stopped that in its tracks.
When the mist cleared, Serena stood in the midst of the scouts, all of them facing the fuming form of the Negaverse general. Seeing as they were all ready to fight, he drew himself to his full height and glared at the warriors before him. "You may have won this round, but Zoicite will be avenged!" With that he blinked out of sight.
They all sighed in relief after Malachite left. The sound of twisting metal above them, however, drew their attention to the ceiling. The rest of the metal sculptures were hanging precariously and threatening to fall. Eyes widened, and the five girls dove out of the center court just as the chains gave way. When the dust cleared, the girls found that, other than the fountain that had already been destroyed by the youma, the only things affected were the trees surrounding the former fountain and a huge Pokemon display outside the toy store that made up the fourth corner of the court. The girls just looked at each other and discreetly left the mall.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Serena trudged back to Darien's apartment building a couple of hours after the battle at the mall. The girls had used the time to bandage the wounds that had yet to heal and fill in the cats. Serena's right side was sore from a glancing blow she had taken during the one-on-one battle with the chimera, and her hands stung like they always did after using the wand. She tried to ignore the pain, however, as she stepped into the lobby of her destination.
Before she could reach the elevator, the silvery gray doors opened and Andrew stepped out. "Hi, Serena! I figured you'd be back soon. How was shopping with the girls?"
Serena smiled ruefully. "Great until the trip was interrupted by a youma attack. The thing smashed the fountain in the center court and everything."
Andrew's eyes widened. "Wow. Are you guys okay?"
"Yeah, we're fine. The Sailor Scouts showed up and took care of the thing. The only thing hurt was the chimera."
"Chimera?"
Serena blushed. "That's what the youma looked like. A goat's head, a lion's head, and a snake for a tail."
"Oh! Sounds nasty." Serena shrugged. "You'll want to be careful with him when you get up there; he might be a bit snippy. He's had a headache all afternoon. Came on all of a sudden too. Thought I'd warn you."
"Thanks," Serena said with a smile.
"Not a problem. Well, I'm supposed to meet Rita in a half hour. I'll see you later, Serena!"
"Bye!" She gave one last wave as he walked out the front doors and sighed. "I hope his headache isn't too bad," she muttered as she stepped onto the elevator and headed up to the apartment.
She eventually reached the door marked 518, knocked, and made her way inside. "Darien?" she called into the empty living room.
Darien rolled out of the kitchen with a sandwich in his mouth and a wide-eyed expression. He quickly pulled the food out of his mouth. "Serena! Is it that late already?"
She shrugged. "It was four o'clock when I left Amy's. I figured it was late enough." She moved over to the couch, setting her satchel on the coffee table.
Darien followed. "Did you have a good time shopping?" He took a bite of his sandwich.
She avoided his gaze as she pulled out her schoolbooks. "Our trip was interrupted, unfortunately. There was a youma attack at the mall."
Darien gasped. "Are you okay? You didn't get caught in the middle, did you?"
Serena's eyes closed. "I'm fine. The Sailor Scouts showed up and took care of the thing," she said gently, neatly avoiding the second question. She wouldn't lie to him.
So that's why I felt Sailor Moon transform, Darien thought before continuing. "How are the others?" he asked belatedly.
She finally looked at him. "No one was seriously hurt, Darien. Just a few cuts and bruises. Sailor Moon stopped the monster." She couldn't stop the huge smile that crept onto her features. "I think she got something I heard called a Rainbow Crystal." She turned her gaze to the ceiling to revel in the triumphant feeling, and so missed Darien's completely shocked expression.
"A Rainbow Crystal?" he managed to choke out. "Are you sure that's what you heard?"
"Yeah," she responded, still riding the high. "I think they said something about it being the second one they got back." Serena fought the urge to hop up and do a happy dance.
Darien found himself completely unable to respond as he fought to keep his jaw and eyeballs in place. Boy, when he missed things, he missed the big things!
Eventually, both teenagers calmed down enough to pass for normal in each other's eyes, and they both settled in for their normal routine. Serena finished her homework, and Darien started in on his. At about six o'clock, Serena put away her books and sighed happily. She flopped back onto the couch and winced at the movement.
Darien noticed the pain-filled expression that crossed her features. "What's wrong, Serena?"
She pasted on a smile. "Oh, nothing."
He frowned. "Don't give me that. You sucked in a breath through your teeth and winced in pain after you threw yourself back onto the sofa. Are you hurt?"
Serena sighed and gave up. Darien was just too observant. "I got grazed during the scouts' battle. My right side stings a bit. But I'll be fine!" she hurried to assure him as he wheeled himself over to her.
"Come here and let me see," he commanded as he reached the edge of the couch. Serena obediently stepped over to him and lifted her gray sweatshirt so he could see the bandaged wound. "Good, someone's already looked at it. Who bandaged this?" he asked as he examined the area around the gauze.
"Amy took care of it for me. Her mom's taught her a few things, and she wants to be a doctor herself someday." She grimaced as he lightly poked a tender area above the covered one.
He nodded and gestured for her to put down her shirt. "I'm glad. She seems to know what she's doing. Are you going to see a doctor about it?"
Serena's eyes widened. "No, no, I don't need to do that. It's just a scrape really, and a bit sensitive. Amy said not to worry about it. I'm sure it'll be fine in a couple of days."
Darien's eyes narrowed, but he decided to let it go. "Okay. But if it doesn't feel better by then you have to promise me you'll see a doctor."
The small blonde released a breath and smiled. "I promise."
Darien smiled in return. "Good. I worry about you."
"Speaking of worrying, do you really think my being here helped you sleep better?"
The ebony-haired young man thought about it for a moment. "Yeah, I do. This morning was the first I felt really rested in a long time, and the only thing different was that you had been here."
Serena nodded. "Then I'll see what I can do about it. What do you want for dinner?"
Darien just stared as his mind did a u-turn at the change in topic. "Um, whatever you want, I guess."
"Should I make something, or do you want to have something delivered?"
"Why don't we just have pizza delivered and save you the trouble?"
Serena smiled. "Works for me. I'll call and order, then meet them in the lobby. Fortunately I wasn't planning on leaving until eight anyway."
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Serena finally made it home at about ten o'clock after watching a movie and eating the pizza they had ordered. She was happy to see her parents were still up when she got in. "Hey, Mom, Dad?" she called as she slipped off her shoes and took off her coat.
"Yes, dear?" Ilene responded from the living room.
"I need to ask you guys a favor," the blonde girl said as she joined her parents as they watched TV.
"What is it, princess?" her father asked, pulling his eyes away from the screen.
Serena took a deep breath. "Well, I was wondering if it would be at all possible for me to spend Friday and Saturday nights over at Darien's. I guess he has nightmares on a regular basis and it makes him feel better when I'm there. I want to help him as much as I can, and if me sleeping on his couch on the weekends will help him get a couple of nights of good dreams so he can feel rested in the morning, I want to do it. Please?"
Ken sat there in shock while Ilene responded. "What about your social life? I don't want you to give it up on the weekends for Darien."
"I just want to spend the night. I'd go out during the day with my friends or whatever and come back at night. I'd pretty much be spending the same amount of time with him as I am now, except I'd be sleeping there."
"At a boy's apartment?" Ken finally managed to sputter.
Ilene rolled her eyes. "Yes, dear. We went through this before. You say you'd be on the couch?" she asked with a pointed look at her husband.
Serena nodded enthusiastically. "Definitely. I'd be on the couch, and Darien would be in his bedroom, all the way down the hall, out of his wheelchair."
The mention of the wheelchair seemed to settle Serena's father down. "I forgot about that. Have you asked anyone else?"
"I came to you guys first. I wanted your permission before I even broached the subject to anyone else."
Ken and Ilene looked at each other. Finally, Ken nodded. "Okay, Serena," Ilene stated. "We'll give our permission. But we want you to check in with us around ten each night you're there, and you still have to improve your grades. I know you've been doing well at getting to school on time, and we're very proud of you for that." Both parents smiled. "We're proud of everything you've done so far."
Serena's face lit up. "Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! This means everything to me!" She hugged the two adults fiercely. "I'll keep making you proud, just you watch! I can't wait to tell Darien! He'll feel so much better just knowing! Thank you!" And with that she took off upstairs to her bedroom. A moment later she stuck her head out the door. "Night, Mom! Night, Dad!" The door slammed shut.
"She's really taking this seriously," Ilene commented.
"She's growing up," Ken responded.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
"Did I hear that right?" Luna asked from the foot of Serena's bed when the blonde girl closed the door behind her the second time. "You're going to be spending the weekends at Darien's?"
"Well," Serena began sheepishly, "I'm just going to be sleeping over, not spending all my time there." She started to change into her pink flannel pajamas.
"Are you sure that's what you want to do?"
The petite blonde sighed and finished buttoning up her top. "He's having nightmares. Bad ones at that, if Saturday was typical. And he said that he felt rested Sunday morning after I had slept on his couch the night before."
"You what?" Luna hissed.
"I went over there around midnight to pick up the school bag I had forgotten earlier." She began to take out her buns and brush out her long golden hair. "When I arrived I heard moaning so I checked it out. He was tossing and turning, and moaning like he was in extreme pain. I tried to wake him up," here she started to blush furiously, "and soon he calmed down and drifted off into a deep peaceful sleep. I had a feeling I shouldn't leave so I called Amy and let her know I was staying the rest of the night."
Luna sighed. "At least you thought to call. You've definitely improved." She smiled. "You wouldn't have done that a month or two ago."
Serena giggled. "Probably not. I was a little more wrapped up in myself." Her smiled drooped. "Was I really that bad, Luna?" she asked meekly.
Luna trotted over to where her young charge had seated herself on the bed and nuzzled her. "No, Serena. You were a little absent-minded, and a bit flaky, but your heart is too big for you to ever be considered selfish. And you've been improving. Never forget that."
Serena took the black cat into her arms. "Thank you," she whispered into the dark fur. "It's good to know I haven't disappointed you. Your good opinion means a lot to me."
Red-orange eyes grew wide. "It does?" Luna asked incredulously.
"Of course." Serena released the cat and crawled under the covers after checking her alarm. "I love you, Luna. Good night."
Luna nuzzled the girl's face briefly then curled up at the foot of the bed. "I love you too, Serena. Sweet dreams."
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
The sky was gray and overcast throughout the day on Monday. Serena sighed as she reached Darien's apartment building that afternoon. Cloudy days like this one were depressing.
She paused before knocking on the door once she reached the apartment. The sounds of two raised voices reached her ears.
"I don't care what you think your justification is! I don't ever want to hear you've spoken to her like that again!"
"And just why are you getting so defensive, Darien? This is the most emotion I've seen from you since I've started working with you."
"Don't get your hopes up." Serena had to press her ear up to the door to catch that remark. "If you think you're going to use her to get to me you have another thing coming. I will report you to the administration if this goes any further."
"There's no need to threaten me, Darien. If you would only talk to me..."
"Dr. Nyx, you are the last person on the planet at the moment that I would even dream of talking to."
Silence.
Serena figured that now was as good a time as any to make her entrance and knocked. She could only hope she could get Darien calmed down by the time she left. Using her key she unlocked the door and walked in, careful to give the impression that she had heard nothing of the discussion the two occupants of the room had been engaged in. "Hi!" she said cheerily.
Darien quickly turned his chair to face the balcony doors at the sound of her voice, and Dr. Nyx shot her an annoyed look before covering it up with a mask of neutrality. "Ah, Serena. Right on time. I think we'll skip our little talk. It obviously means nothing to you. I'll just take my leave of the two of you. Good afternoon." Serena inwardly flinched at the barely audible viciousness in the psychologist's tone as the tall woman walked out of the apartment, shutting the door behind her.
"You heard, didn't you?"
Serena looked over to the young man staring blankly out at the streets of Tokyo. "Um..."
He shook his head. "Don't try to lie to me, Serena. That entrance was a little too well timed. You heard."
She sighed. "Yes, I did. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable though."
A small smile made its way onto Darien's face. "I know. So how much did you hear?"
"I heard you yell at her, and then she asked why you were getting so defensive. Pretty much everything after that too."
He nodded. "I meant it. I don't want you to think that I was just saying that to get her goat; if she ever talks to you like that again, I'll report her to the administration. I'll have her job." Serena's eyes widened at the low, menacing tone of his last statement. "No one treats you like that if I can help it, Serena." He finally turned his head to face her. "No one."
The blonde girl gulped. "Thank you," she said softly.
Darien's face softened and a gentle smile appeared. "That's enough of that. How was school today?"
Serena relaxed at the normal tone. "Typical. We had an algebra test today that I hope I did okay on." She moved to the coffee table and began to pull out her books. "And I have a history test tomorrow." She watched him adjust the textbook he had been using to ignore Dr. Nyx in his lap. She smiled and reached in her bag for a special item she had brought along. "I'm surprised no one at the hospital gave you one of these, but I suppose they thought you'd work at the kitchen counter or the coffee table." She pulled out a board with metal clips so it could be attached to the arms of the wheelchair and held it up. "So you can study wherever you want and still be comfortable." She walked over and handed it to Darien.
They were both surprised by the tears that rolled down Darien's cheeks as he accepted the gift. "You're always thinking of me, aren't you? More than anyone else." He brought his teary gaze up to meet Serena's. "What did I do to deserve you?"
She almost expected the surge of emotion that welled up with the innocent question. "You're just Darien, and that's all I could ever want." And with her response, she embraced the feelings that had swirled around in her conscious and subconscious mind ever since Darien had kissed her in his sleep. She knew now that she loved him, and eventually she would share that fact with the object of her devotion, when he was ready, more stable. For now, she would enjoy his company, and do everything in her power to make him well. They shared a comfortable embrace, and went on with their usual afternoon routine.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
"Okay," Raye started as she swept the temple grounds. "What did we have to get together so desperately for this afternoon?" she asked irritably.
"Well," Lita began, shooting a quick look at Mina, "we figured you'd want in on Plan: Friendly Revenge."
Raye's eyebrow rose as she stopped her work. "Plan what?"
"Friendly Revenge!" Mina piped in cheerfully. "We're going to get the guy that almost hit Serena!"
Violet eyes darted between the blonde and the brunette standing before them. "Let me get this straight. You know who did that?"
"Yep!" Mina answered, flashing a V-for-victory sign.
"How?"
Lita smirked. "I got the license plate number of the car. Andrew tracked down the owner, and Mina figured out which son of the owner the driver had to be."
Raye nodded. "And now you're going to go after him?"
Lita tapped her chin as she gazed upward for a brief moment, seemingly in thought. "That is the plan, yes."
"And you're just letting me in on it now! What is wrong with you?" Raye screeched, dropping her broom as she flung her arms wide.
Mina and Lita flinched and took a step back. "We would never have done anything without you, Raye," Mina said placatingly.
"Darn right you wouldn't have!" Raye took a couple of deep breaths. "So when is this all going to happen?"
"Tonight. We're actually here more to grab you than talk," the tall brunette said with a shrug.
Raye just looked her in the eye for a moment and sighed. "Chad!"
(cut to...)
(scene change...)
Fifteen minutes later found the three girls and Andrew gathered around one of the back booths in the Crown Café sorting through a small pile of knit winter caps and sunglasses. They were all so intent on this task that they failed to notice the petite blue-haired girl walk up to them with a questioning look on her face. "Um, guys? What are you doing?"
The four co-conspirators jumped, Mina and Raye's long hair half hanging out of the caps they were attempting to hide it under. "Amy!" Lita exclaimed, her ponytail slipping out from under the baseball cap on her head.
"We're, um..." Andrew stuttered.
"Going for a walk!" Mina exclaimed. Raye groaned and rolled her eyes.
Amy just looked at them. "No, really. What are you doing?"
Lita sighed and her shoulders drooped. "Well, we were going to pay a little visit to the guy that almost hit Serena."
Amy's eyes widened. "You found him? How?"
"I got a good look at the license plate when I grabbed Serena, and Andrew found someone to track it down for me."
"Why didn't you ask me?"
"You would have asked why I wanted it, and I didn't think you'd approve of the reason." They all looked at Amy tentatively.
The blue-haired girl looked from one friend to another. "I can't believe you guys." They all held their breaths. "I can't believe that you would even consider this!" They all flinched. "Especially without me!"
The others gawked as Amy began to giggle. "Really, guys. I want the idiot who nearly took away my first real friend to pay for it! Serena still has nightmares, and you can see her flinch every time she comes to a crosswalk." She grinned evilly, causing the others to do a double take. "Let's get him!"
Mina was the first to recover from the shock. "Alright, Ames! Here, put this on." The blonde shoved a winter cap in the latest addition's hands. "We can't have him seeing your distinctive do, now can we?"
Raye shook her head and looked at Lita. "It's always the quiet ones." Lita nodded and grabbed a winter cap for herself since the baseball cap didn't seem to want to hold her hair.
Once they were all set, the five of them made their way to the richer part of town. Amy looked up from the sheet that had the address on it. "This is it," she said as they stood in front of a large brick house.
"Yeah, this looks like the house Paul is always bragging about," Mina said in an annoyed tone.
Amy looked at the blonde girl. "You know him?"
Mina adjusted the sunglasses that were a little too big for her face. "David's the one we're after, but I go to school with the two boys. Their sister Rebecca is in high school."
The blue-haired girl nodded. "Good. Tell me about him."
"Well, they're both stuck up, although I'd say Paul is a bit more. They're rich kids who know it and take advantage of it. Their dad keeps them from getting punished most of the time, so they think they can do anything."
"Just what I needed to know. Let's do this." Amy then led the way to the front door.
Andrew knocked and, as luck would have it, a tall teenage boy with long black hair pulled back in a ponytail, green eyes, and a scar on his right cheek answered the door. His eyebrow rose as he took in the group on the doorstep. The five of them were dressed all in black, except for the smallest one who had on a blue skirt under the black jacket she was wearing. They had on winter caps that hid their hair and sunglasses that hid a lot of their facial features. The one male amongst them smiled a cold smile. "Let's talk," he said, pushing everyone into the foyer.
David stumbled back then held his ground once he regained his balance. "Hold on just a minute! Who are you people and what do you want?"
"Well, David, we're here to discuss a little something with you," Lita said as she cracked her knuckles.
"You see, we've discovered that you are a very reckless driver, and you have yet to take responsibility for some of your actions," Raye continued, crossing her arms over her chest.
"The worst part is you don't seem to care," Mina said coldly.
"And that nearly cost us our dearest friend," Amy added quietly.
"You sent someone to the hospital, did you know that? He's paralyzed from the hips down. He can't walk. He refuses to leave his apartment on the off chance someone he knows will see him and pity him for his condition. He has nightmares; he hasn't had a restful night's sleep since you hit him and drove off like nothing happened. And then you nearly hit our friend. She has nightmares too. But somehow she pulls herself together and can give more to the people around her than she would ever expect in return. And you nearly took that away. You nearly took them both away!" Andrew finally came to a full boil as he finished his tirade. The girls had watched him in confusion, then turned to face the now-stricken David when he finished.
"So what are you going to do?" the confronted young man asked quietly.
Andrew and Lita took a step forward, grinning evilly, while Amy looked around. "Hold it, guys," the blue-haired girl said quickly. "Not now, not here. I have a better idea."
Everyone else looked at her in confusion, David's face tinged with fear. "What are you talking about?" Raye asked through gritted teeth.
"I'll tell you outside. Let's leave this... loser alone for now. It's not like we don't know where he lives and goes to school." The others in her group nodded, and David gulped audibly. The five darkly dressed teenagers glared menacingly at the black-haired boy and stalked out of the large house.
Amy led them all down the block where she took off her hat and sunglasses. "That feels better," she said as she ran her hands through her messed-up tresses.
"Why did you make us leave?" Andrew said, just beginning to simmer down.
Amy sighed as the other girls took off their disguises. "There were security cameras watching our every move. In the scuffle we had planned, someone's hat or glasses were bound to come off, and then there'd be evidence that it was us."
"Oh," Mina said with disappointment.
"Besides, I have a better idea. Lita, have you talked to the press yet?"
"No," the brunette said, confused. "The police told me not to talk to them."
"That would explain why I haven't seen too much about this in the paper." Amy thought for a moment. "What do you think about an anonymous tip?"
"What kind of tip?" Raye asked with a dawning realization.
"Oh, I don't know... What if a reporter were to get, say, the license plate number of the car that sent a young man to the hospital and left him paralyzed?" Amy asked with a smile.
"Oh," everyone but Mina said as they saw where Amy was going.
"What would that do?" Mina asked.
"The press would hound them. Everyone would know what he did," Andrew said in wonder.
"The public wouldn't let him get away with it," Raye said in a similar tone.
"His dad couldn't hide what he did if everyone knew about it," Lita said thoughtfully.
Amy smiled softly. "Exactly, on all counts."
Mina grinned. "Then let's do it!"
"You can use the phone at the arcade," Andrew offered with a smirk.
"Then let's go," Lita responded evilly.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Serena was surprised at how easily her emotions sat as she and Darien went through their typical routine the rest of the week. Friday came faster than she expected, and she found herself riding the elevator up to his apartment before she knew it. When she entered the apartment she found Darien waiting for her, complete with trenchcoat in his lap. "I almost thought you'd reverted for a few minutes," he said with a smirk as she closed the door behind her.
She smiled. "Almost, but not quite. Let me change, we'll get your coat on, and then we'll be on our way."
The ebony-haired young man grinned wickedly and slid his sunglasses on. "Not a problem." He watched the petite blonde enter his bathroom. "So, where's your cat this week?"
"Oh, she didn't feel like coming along today. Probably had more important things to do," her muffled voice responded.
Darien laughed. "You make it sound like she told you what her plans were for the day."
Silence met the remark for a few minutes. Then Serena laughed weakly; Darien barely caught it. "Yeah, that would be silly, wouldn't it?"
"Yeah," he whispered in response. He gazed quizzically at the closed bathroom door. "Why did you react that way, Meatball Head? What are you hiding?" he muttered under his breath.
Just then the door opened and Serena stepped into the room. She was wearing an ankle-length pink skirt, a white blouse with pink and light blue patches, and a light blue denim jacket. White ankle socks and light blue sneakers covered her feet. "So? Ready to go?"
Darien managed to get his breath back from the unexpected sight. She's so beautiful! he thought before training his face back into a slight smile. "I've been ready for at least fifteen minutes. But," he continued before Serena could protest, "that's okay. I just wanted to be ready when you got here."
Serena smiled. "Thanks. Speaking of ready, let's finish this up so we can make that appointment. Wouldn't want to be late for my latest showdown with Dr. Elizabeth Nyx."
Darien chuckled as the two maneuvered the trench into place. "Couldn't have that, now could we? Let's be on our way, then."
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Again the pair made it to the hospital in time for Darien's appointment and Serena went upstairs for her review meeting. The blonde girl paused outside the conference room door, nervous about the impending confrontation. She was sure Nyx was going to cause some sort of scene and she didn't want to deal with it. The frosty attitude she got at the apartment was enough.
Finally, she sighed and opened the door. The three adults were seated in their now usual places around the table, and two of them smiled as she walked to her seat. "Well, this should be short, Serena," Dr. Mizuno said cheerfully. "Why don't you go ahead and tell us what happened this week?"
The petite blonde proceeded to give an edited version of the preceding weeks' activities. She watched Nyx very carefully for signs that the psychologist was going to insist on a more detailed description, but it seemed the woman's frosty attitude was bleeding over here as well.
As short a session as Dr. Mizuno promised, it still ended up taking forty-five minutes with the few clarifying questions she asked. As soon as the blue-haired woman closed her file, Dr. Nyx stood and left with a curt "Good evening." The three people left at the table stared after her for a short while then decided to let it go.
Toshiro handed Serena another envelope. "You're doing very well; Darien's benefactor really appreciates it."
Serena blushed. "I still have a hard time accepting these checks."
The man smiled. "I know. But I know you'll use them for something worthwhile, I'm sure."
"I'll try."
"So how has Nyx been this week?" Dr. Mizuno asked.
Serena shrugged. "About the same as she was here. Ice cold, and only says what she absolutely has to before stalking out."
"It could be worse," Toshiro muttered. "She could stick around."
Victoria shot her cousin a brief glare while Serena spared him a shy smile. "Anyway, at least it looks like she's not going to go out of her way to cause you trouble."
"Yet," the lawyer added under his breath.
"You should probably still be a little wary," the doctor continued with a quick glance at the man, "in case this is her biding her time. I'm hoping she's going to end up being professional about this."
"I hope so too," Serena said quietly. "I don't like the idea of someone disliking me like this."
Both adults smiled and shot each other looks as the girl stared at the table before her. "Everything will be okay, Serena. Now why don't you go down and get Darien home? I have everything I need for this week."
"Thanks, Dr. Mizuno. I'll see you both later." With that, Serena left the conference room.
"That is one special lady," Toshiro commented with a smile. "Where'd you find her?"
"I didn't," Victoria answered. "Amy did. Or maybe Serena found her. Either way, I owe a lot to her. My baby is finally a real live teenage girl." The doctor smiled.
Toshiro watched his normally reserved cousin and smiled in return. "Like I said, Serena is one special lady. First Amy, then you, and now Darien. Pretty soon she'll take over the world."
Victoria laughed. "Well, if she does, at least we know it will be a better place."
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Serena exited the elevator at the ground floor and walked toward the physical therapy desk. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw Dr. Elizabeth Nyx talking with a closed off Darien. Once the shock wore off a bit, she moved close enough to hear what was being said.
"So, how is the water therapy going?" the tall strawberry blonde asked pleasantly.
Darien shrugged and watched the woman warily. "It's going."
Nyx ignored the dead tone. "Are you still getting along with Mr. Dillinger?"
"Maybe."
She raised an eyebrow. "I see." She looked up and saw Serena standing nearby still holding her envelope. "So how do you feel about the fact that Serena's being paid for her services?" Darien's eyes narrowed. "Quite the sum she's getting too. Hasn't she told you? After she's done spilling the beans about what goes on behind closed doors she gets handed a hefty check worth three hundred dollars. I have to wonder what she does with it all."
"Do you hate her that much that you feel the need to lie about her and her motives?" Darien asked frostily.
"Me? Hate Serena? How can anyone do that? She's a walking miracle! As for me lying, why don't you ask her yourself?" With that she walked away from the bundled up man in the wheelchair. "Enjoy the money while you can; it may not be coming for much longer," the psychologist said as she passed the petite blonde who was frozen in shock and terror.
Darien had turned to watch the tall woman's retreat and came face to face with Serena. He searched her features almost desperately. "Is it true?" he whispered.
Tears filled her eyes. "Yes," she admitted brokenly.
His eyes widened. "I don't understand."
"Can I tell you on the way back to your apartment? I promise to explain everything." She looked at him with a tearfully pleading expression.
Darien realized she was sincere, and a gnawing suspicion began to grow in his mind. "Let's go," he said softly.
Serena nodded and took her place behind the chair. When they were a block or so away from the hospital, she began her explanation. "There's a lawyer that sits in on the review sessions. He says that he represents the person that's in charge of paying your medical bills." Darien looked back over his shoulder at that remark. "I don't know who it is," she responded to the unspoken question. "He didn't say. But after it was over and Nyx had left, Mr. Anderson gave me an envelope like this one." She showed him the envelope she had received earlier that afternoon. He nodded.
"I opened it up and found a check for three hundred dollars inside," she continued as she crammed the paper back into her coat pocket. "I told him I couldn't accept it, but he said that it was too late, it couldn't be taken back. I'm going to be getting a check every week for the same amount." She paused and wiped away some stray tears. "My parents and I have set up an account for the money. I get a small amount out of each one, and the rest goes in the bank. I'll use it for college or an emergency or something important like that. Otherwise I'm not touching it."
Darien nodded in understanding. Serena's story was making sense so far. "Why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"I honestly forgot. I was so upset about what had happened with Nyx, not even the shock of the money could shake the bad feelings. I had just crammed the envelope into my pocket and forgot it until I emptied my pockets at home on Sunday night. And then I didn't really think about it. If I had thought of it I would have told you. I volunteered for this job; the money is just frills."
Darien smiled. This sounded like the Serena he had come to know. And Nyx's comments sounded like the frustrated doctor she was. "And Nyx told me before you even had a chance to say anything today."
"Yeah," she responded quietly. Now came the moment of truth; either Darien would forgive her or he wouldn't. Tears fell down her cheeks as she realized just how much the psychologist disliked her.
"You've been completely honest with me so far, Serena," Darien stated when he realized her silence meant she was kicking herself and doubting his intentions. "I have no reason to believe you'd start lying and hiding things from me now. Nyx, on the other hand, has been trying to 'get through to me' since day one, and has shown herself to be jealous of the fact that you seem to have succeeded where she failed. She'd love to get you out of the way. I just don't plan on letting her."
He reached over his left shoulder and grabbed her hand. They stopped as she jumped in surprise. "You are the most special person in my life right now. I don't want to lose you. Know that I believe you, that I believe in you. And let's forget this whole incident ever happened." He turned his head to look at her. "Let's get me home before we freeze. This wind has a bit of a bite to it."
Serena smiled and nodded. "You've got yourself a deal - and a point! Let's go!" She started pushing them faster than they had been going before. Their laughter rang through the air.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
"Serena," Darien said soon after the two teenagers had returned to the apartment and gotten out of their coats, "don't bother making dinner yet."
Serena looked at him with worry beginning to touch her features. "Why? Are you alright?"
He smiled slightly. "I'll be okay. I'm feeling a little warm and tired. I think I should just sleep for a while and see if I feel better later."
She stepped over to him and checked his forehead with the back of her hand, then moved it down to his cheek. "You do feel a bit warm. Let's get you situated in bed and make sure it doesn't get worse."Darien blinked as the wave of warmness washed over his soul.
"Right," he said softly. "Maybe you should just go now. I don't know how long I'm going to sleep and I can get myself something light later."
Serena giggled. "Don't worry about that. I'm here for the night."
Darien stared at her. "What?"
"I know I probably should have asked you first, and I'm sorry I didn't, but I got permission from everyone involved to spend Friday and Saturday nights here at the apartment. You keep having nightmares and I helped last Saturday so I thought I could help you sleep better at least two nights out of the week."
The ebony-haired young man's eyes widened and his jaw dropped. "You... you did that... for me?"
Serena smiled gently. "Of course. You mean so much to me, Darien. I'll do whatever I can to help you feel better." It almost physically hurt not to tell him how she felt, but she knew she couldn't yet.
"Thank you," he breathed, tears starting to form in his midnight blue eyes. The warmth in his soul flared into a fire, but he couldn't recognize what it meant. He only knew he couldn't shove it aside anymore. His mind reeled, however, and refused to examine it, reluctantly reveling in the sensation.
She hugged him, and it was fiercely returned. Then they got him in bed, and Serena found herself alone in the living room sitting on the couch without much to do. Her homework load was light since she had gone out of her way to work ahead over the week. "I think I almost understand why Amy does so much schoolwork. It's nice knowing I can sit back and do nothing all night and not have to work twice as hard tomorrow to make up for it," she said to herself.
She pulled out a fantasy novel she had been reading for recreation after a brief stop in the bathroom with her duffel bag - she grinned as she realized what the other girls would be thinking if they could see her now - and settled into the slightly overstuffed couch.
An hour later, the meatball-headed blonde was tired of the written word. She marked her page and tossed the paperback onto the coffee table. Looking around the sparsely decorated apartment, her sapphire gaze finally fell onto the expensive-looking stereo set up against the outside wall between the large picture window and the balcony doors. She noticed the CD rack underneath the components and felt the smile split her face. She knew what she wanted to do next...
Serena quickly started flipping through the CDs Darien had in his collection and finally settled on one she just couldn't put down. She dug around and found a pair of thickly padded headphones. She plugged them in as she shot a look toward the closed bedroom door and turned the system on. Soon, the CD player was on and the disc was in and playing. She sat and listened to the first track, letting her hands tap along to the rhythm on her crossed legs as she sat on the floor. She picked up the case as it played. "This Is Your Life," she muttered under her breath.
The song faded out and the second track began to play. Serena's eyes sparkled and she jumped to her feet. Flashing a look at the cord to the headphones she took a few steps away from the stereo and started to dance and lip sync to "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)" quite animatedly. Luckily the cord was extra long. Her eyes stayed trained on the door to Darien's bedroom just in case he woke up. She realized she probably wouldn't hear him, and the last thing she wanted was him to catch her doing this.
Serena moved over to the bookshelves and looked through the titles as "Hip Hop Lover" played. The words started coming out under her breath, and her hips continued to sway. Her fingers tapped along the spines of the books to the beat. She finally got bored with the relatively dull selection of non-fiction Darien stored on his shelves as the fourth track started up with a powerful "Free your mind!"
The petite blonde scrambled back to the small open area behind the couch and in front of the stereo. She posed and faced the front door, checking on the direction of the bedroom every now and again, although not nearly with the frequency she had before. Her eyes closed shut and she sang along, periodically popping them open to check if she should be embarrassed.
The fifth track began and Serena decided to chill for a bit to reduce the odds of discovery. But when track six started her body could resist the beat no longer. Her eyes slid shut, and her body began to move sensually to the slow, silky rhythm. She unconsciously turned her back on the bedroom door and let herself fall into the music. "Many say that I'm too young," Serena started singing softly, "to let you know just where I'm coming from."
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
In the bedroom, Darien's eyes fluttered open, and he was happy to find that the slight queasiness he had felt earlier was gone. He listened carefully to try to guess what Serena was up to in the other room, but heard nothing. Not wanting to bother her in case she had also chosen to take a nap, he got himself out of bed and into his wheelchair.
Meanwhile Serena kept singing and dancing, her voice getting louder and her moves getting more sensual. "But you will see it's just a matter of time, my love will surely make you mine. Well, I'm living in a world of get a life, everyone seems so uptight, but nothing's wrong and it's all right with my man. I like the way we carry on, his lovin'll set me on and on with my man. People up there can understand..."
Darien rolled out of his bedroom, leaving the door open behind him, and came to a complete halt three feet later. There, in the middle of his living room in front of his stereo, was the most beautiful vision he had ever seen. Serena had changed into a pair of gray leggings and a powder blue crop cut T-shirt with embroidered silver moons and stars all over it. Her hair was down from its usual style and billowed around her as she moved. Her sweet voice rang through the apartment. She looked as though she were lost in the music, and happy to be that way.
"I'm giving him something he can feel, to let him know this love is real." Her hands traveled up and down her body sensually, making Darien memorize the softness of her curves and burning the shape into his brain. "Giving him something he can feel, to let him know this love is real, this love is real." She turned slowly with the music, eventually revealing the front of her form. Her captivating sapphire blue eyes were closed, and her mouth wore a small smile as she sang.
"So much joy for us it seems, so much hope for material things, are they only in my dreams?" Serena's voice as she spoke was low and sultry, capturing every ounce of Darien's attention. "And that's exactly why I'm singing this song to you, to let you know that real dreams do come true. You tell me what does it mean."
Darien's nerves were on fire. He felt like she was singing this directly to him, even though she didn't even know he was there. He had to remind himself to breathe as she began to sing again. "Livin' in a world of get a life, everyone is so uptight, hey, nothing's wrong; it's alright, my man. I like the way we carry on, his lovin'll send me on and on with my man. People are thinking, yeah, understand that I'm... giving..." Serena was singing the lead, Darien noticed, and letting her voice play with the notes. He wondered if she knew how good her singing really was. As he watched her moves go from sultry to slightly erotic, the realization that his burning nerves had moved lower than they had been able to be felt before entered his consciousness. And he knew he was feeling... there. His midnight blues widened and a bright red hue stained his cheeks. He immediately beat a hasty retreat back into his bedroom before Serena came out of her trance and became embarrassed as well.
"Oh, ho, that I'm givin' love, givin', givin' love, yeah!" As Serena finished off the song, she slowly came out of her trance and looked around. She suddenly panicked and looked toward the bedroom door, releasing a breath of relief when she saw it was still shut. She decided that she had tempted fate enough for that evening and turned off the stereo.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
A half hour later, Serena decided to check up on Darien. She walked as quietly as she could to the door and listened. Inside, she heard soft muttering and opened the door, confused. "Darien?" she asked as she stepped into the room.
Darien was sitting in his wheelchair facing away from the door. He looked over his shoulder at the petite blonde at her words and swallowed hard. "Serena."
"Are you okay?"
He took a deep breath and released it. "Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking."
"Did you still want dinner? It's close to nine o'clock."
"Just something light. That'll be fine."
"I'll go make us some sandwiches then. Do you want me to take you out?"
Darien smiled at the note of concern he heard in her voice. "No, that's okay. I'll be out in a minute."
Serena grinned and nodded then left the room. Darien breathed a sigh of relief. "I wish I understood," he whispered to himself and exited his bedroom.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Two and a half hours later found Serena lying on the couch under one of Darien's blankets staring at the ceiling. Darien had gone to bed a half hour ago, but she couldn't seem to fall asleep. "This has got to be breaking some rule of nature. Serena Tsukino can't sleep?"
Nothing responded to the whispered comment, and she sighed. Just then muffled noises from the direction of the bedroom reached her ears. Serena frowned as she threw the covers off herself and stood. "I was hoping my being here would stop the nightmares." She walked toward the bedroom carefully, hoping to hear what this dream was about before she woke Darien up.
The little moonlight that made it through the dark curtains showed the ebony-haired young man thrashing around under his covers, a look of pain on his face. Serena gasped at the scene and rushed over to the bed. She sat on the edge and lightly brushed back his wayward bangs. The act seemed to still him somewhat, and he turned his head so that Serena was cupping his cheek. She felt his muscles form a grin against her skin, and found herself smiling in reply. Now if only she knew what he was dreaming about...
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Darien could feel the warm pressure of a hand on his cheek. It was she. She was back; she hadn't left. The impossible was happening. His eyes opened and he saw her smiling down at him. "You came back," he whispered. "I thought you couldn't bear my darkness and my weakness."
Serena shook her head. "Why would you think that?"
He furrowed his brow. "You told me that's why you were leaving."
She gasped. "I... I will never leave you, Darien. Never."
He sat up and took her small face in his hands. "Really? You promise?"
Tears welled up in her sapphire blues. "I promise. I promise with all my heart."
(cut to...)
(scene change...)
Serena watched as his eyes opened slightly and gazed at her slightly unfocused. "You came back," he whispered. "I thought you couldn't bear my darkness and my weakness."
She shook her head, horrified that he would ever think such a thing. "Why would you think that?"
His brows furrowed, obviously confused by her question. "You told me that's why you were leaving."
She gasped. So that's what the nightmare was about. "I... I will never leave you, Darien. Never." She had to make sure he knew that.
Serena jumped a bit when Darien sat up and took her face into her hands. "Really? You promise?"
Tears formed in her eyes at the sound of desperation in his voice. She knew she would hurt herself just as much as she did him if she ever left. "I promise. I promise with all my heart."
In a quick motion he closed the gap between them and their lips met passionately. Serena knew she should back away; he was only dreaming. But something deep inside her wanted and needed this kiss, needed the connection to the young man she had fallen in love with. So she returned his passion ten-fold, and just sighed as he pulled her closer, practically on top of him as he let himself fall back onto his pillow.
(cut to...)
(scene change...)
He captured her lips with his own and felt the passion go through the roof. They were softer than he ever could have imagined, and he couldn't get enough. Soon he realized in the back of his mind that he was only dreaming, that this would fade away if he opened his eyes. Reluctantly he found himself drifting upward toward consciousness, even as the kiss continued.
The closer he got to wakefulness, the more his emotions and the incomprehensible jumble they had become moved forward in his awareness. The kiss became more and more important, causing feelings of joy and hope to come to the fore. Fear was growing behind them, but for now it was overwhelmed.
And then there he was, awake, and Serena was still kissing him. The kiss was real! He threw himself into it with renewed vigor.
"Serena," he whispered against her lips.
"Darien," she breathed in reply.
They kissed for a minute more, then the fear that had been building behind everything in Darien's brain overwhelmed everything else. This is too much! You're going to overload! On top of driving her away! his thoughts screamed at him. He sat up suddenly, pushing her away from him as he did so. He looked at her wild-eyed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I can't," he somehow managed to whisper.
Tears welled up one more time in Serena's eyes as she heard Darien's words. "I'm sorry." She bowed her head. "I hope I didn't... I'll just go. If you want, I can arrange for someone else to come on Monday. I know I shouldn't have, but I couldn't pull away..." Her words trailed off as she kicked herself for not pulling away sooner. She knew he wouldn't be ready for this! And now she was sure he would want her to go.
"No!" he yelled, grabbing her wrist as she stood. "I... I don't want you to go! It's just... I'm overwhelmed... I'm scared... I don't know what to think. Just please, don't go." His eyes were huge and watery.
Serena searched the midnight blue depths. "Um, why don't we just try to get some sleep? We'll talk things over in the morning. I won't leave; I'll be out on the couch. You need your rest."
At the softly spoken reassurance, Darien relaxed and slowly fell back onto the bed. He watched her as she hesitantly brushed his bangs from his eyes, gave his shoulder a brief squeeze, and left the room, closing the door behind her. He had seen the hurt look in her eyes, and firmly resolved to sort through all the emotions he had been ignoring before he caused her any more pain. He started as he stared at his ceiling tiles, and although he was beginning to make some headway, he was still confused when he fell asleep twenty minutes later.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Serena had somehow managed to fall asleep after what had happened in the bedroom. Unfortunately, that sleep was interrupted by the beeping of her communicator at three in the morning. "What?" she snapped as she answered the incessant sound.
Sailor Mercury looked startled on the viewscreen. "Um, there's a youma at the downtown bus station. We need you."
Serena sighed. Of course. A youma. Like the night needed to be worse. "I'll be right there." She turned off the connection.
She carefully opened the bedroom door and was relieved to find he was fast asleep. She then scurried out the door and rushed off to the bus station, transforming on the way.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
When she arrived she was happy to see the place was empty. Noises and flashes of light seemed to be coming from the other side of the building where the buses arrived and departed. Serena hurried through the waiting area, and ended up stopping in her tracks when she caught sight of the youma Amy, Lita, and Raye were facing. She rubbed her eyes and looked again. Nope, it was still there. The giant Pikachu had destroyed two buses, and was now exchanging lightning bolts with Jupiter. She burst through the outer doors and powered up her tiara, not even bothering with a speech. She couldn't; she was afraid she'd lose it before she was finished.
"Moon Tiara Magic!" The glowing disc cut through the air and connected with the side of the beast. It let out an enraged "Pika!" and let loose another thunder shock toward the new arrival while an indigo glow from its nose and a green glow from the tip of its tail started to grow.
Mina leapt down from the roof in to the middle of the gathered scouts just as the two glows became blinding. "Since when did we start fighting pokemon?" the scout of love asked, bewildered. The others shrugged, and began to prepare another attack.
Before anyone could get one off, two bolts of light, one indigo and the other green, shot out from the youma and engulfed the girls. They screamed as they were thrown back through the windows of the waiting area. "That hurt," Serena commented as she began to struggle to her feet.
"I didn't think the little beast could pack such a punch," Lita added.
Amy was staring at her computer. "I think we're dealing with another creature using the power of a Rainbow Crystal," she commented.
"But there were two colors," Raye said.
"Does that mean there are two Rainbow Crystals?" Mina asked.
"That seems the most likely," Amy agreed. "The energy levels my computer scanned appears to confirm that analysis."
Before anyone could ask the blue-haired scout to repeat that in language everyone could understand, they all noticed the youma fully charged again, surrounded by a green and indigo light. "Scatter! That way it can't get us all!" Raye shouted.
They had just gotten back outside and were about to separate when the creature got ready to throw its beams once more. The five defenders of justice knew there was no time to do anything; they could only hope they would survive the blast. Just before the Pikachu let loose, a flash of red streaked through the air, and a perfectly formed red rose was embedded in the concrete in front of the youma.
