Invalid Response - Chapter 11
by Una Moonstar
ANs: You guys are absolutely wonderful. You've made this whole effort completely worthwhile. And so, here's the next installment - enjoy!
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(begin chapter...)
Serena's eyes widened into a look of horror as she turned her stricken gaze from the smug psychologist to the panel of business suit-wearing adults who were waiting expectantly for her to sit down. "Are... are you kidding?" she asked in an incredulous whisper.
The man who had been speaking raised an eyebrow. "Of course not, Miss Tsukino. Dr. Nyx has brought to our attention some serious allegations. We need to discover the truth of the matter. If you would sit down, we will proceed."
"Don't worry," a woman seated to the leader's immediate left said gently. "You'll have an opportunity to tell your side of the story."
Serena could only nod as she numbly took the remaining empty seat. She completely missed the sympathetic looks from Dr. Mizuno and Toshiro Anderson.
"Now then. My name is Michael LeCourt and I am the President of the Tokyo General Hospital Board of Directors. To my left is Nicole Thalacker, Jeffrey Schneider, and Michael Lehman. To my right is David Luecht, Sarah Kohlstedt, and Keith Koepsell. I think we can eliminate any other formalities and get straight to the point, as we only have an hour. Dr. Nyx, if you would, please present your grievances and why you believe the hospital should no longer sponsor Serena Tsukino's volunteer work with Mr. Darien Shields." The tall brunette man seated himself and waited for the strawberry blonde woman to begin.
Nyx stood and, giving the blonde girl one last triumphant look, began to speak. "Of course, Mr. LeCourt. Let me begin by saying I did attempt to establish a beneficial working relationship with Miss Tsukino at our first meeting. Unfortunately, even then she was a little hostile to my proposed methods. Darien Shields has proven to be a difficult patient. I had studied his profile and medical history, specifically his psychological history. I expected some resistance, and I was not disappointed. That particular attitude has not changed, and I believe Miss Tsukino is a major reason for it." Serena's brows slammed together as she scowled.
"I had discovered through interviews with the nurses attending the patient that Serena had been visiting him approximately one week before she was offered the opportunity to volunteer in his apartment. She failed to mention this fact, or even the fact that she knew the patient at all at the initial meeting. She was not extremely receptive to my offer to work with her in regards to the patient, although I will allow that she followed her orders not to inform him of her assignment before he had been released to home care.
"Once the patient had been established in his home, Miss Tsukino's attitude truly began to reveal itself. The patient was not pleased with the administration's decision to have someone assigned to him in his home, and had confronted Serena about her part in it. She proceeded to whisper something, I still don't know what, into his ear, and he responded in kind. When I requested to know what had been said, thinking it could be beneficial to my future dealings with the patient, she refused to divulge the information. Dr. Mizuno and I left soon after.
"Thus began the cycle of our discussions when Serena would first arrive after school and I would share my wishes for the progression of the patient's psychological therapy. Nearly every time, she would disagree with me and proceed to disregard my prescribed measures. My opinion is that since the patient knew the volunteer assigned to him would not be following the prescribed therapy, he no longer felt the need to attempt to work with me and my progress was hindered. Were Miss Tsukino eliminated from the picture, I feel there would be a much higher chance that my preferred method of treating this patient would be successful."
Serena was beginning to see red. She had to concentrate to keep up with the psychologist's full vocabulary, but she knew what was being said. How dare this woman say that she had kept her from successfully treating Darien? Of course, that was another annoyance. "The patient," as Nyx insisted on calling him, had a name after all. Would it be that hard to use it?
"As I said, this became a common scenario. And she established her antagonism toward me at the first weekly review. I required a more in-depth recounting of a few important conversations that Serena had eluded to happening over the week. She refused in a most unprofessional and insulting manner. Dr. Mizuno had to step in and keep the peace, finally getting her to reveal a little more information reluctantly. I must also point out that she has been accepting checks for Mr. Toshiro Anderson on a weekly basis in the sum of three hundred dollars each."
As she gestured at the scowling lawyer, he sprang to his feet, his gray eyes flashing. "That was a decision made by the benefactor of the estate! That should have absolutely no bearing on the administration's decision to keep Serena on or not! It is a completely separate issue!"
"Toshiro!" Dr. Mizuno reprimanded from across the table.
"Mr. Anderson, please remember this is not a court room. You will also have an opportunity to speak after we have heard from the primary participants in the matter," Michael LeCourt said sternly. He looked back at the calmly waiting psychologist. "Please continue, doctor."
"Maybe Serena'd be better off if it were," Toshiro muttered under his breath as he sat back down. "Sure as hell feels like a trial." Victoria glared at him.
Nyx acted as though she hadn't heard a word the attorney had said. "I decided to give Serena one last chance at the beginning of this week. When I spoke to her alone, she again questioned my methods and my assessment of the patient's readiness for the next step. This is after the spectacle put on the day before in the park that I'm sure you saw on the six o'clock news Sunday evening." The two ladies on the board snickered slightly, and four of the five men smiled.
Again, the doctor continued as though nothing had happened. "I also must mention the violent outburst from the patient aimed at me the Monday after the first weekly review. I must say, I find it odd and a tad insulting that Miss Tsukino is willing to share everything that happens with the patient - against my wishes - yet avoids telling me, his psychologist, much of anything. One almost has to wonder what goes on behind closed doors to gain such loyalty from a young man that has proven himself nearly incapable of trusting anyone, much less to the point of defending someone against their doctor."
Serena thought about what Nyx had just insinuated for a moment before it hit her. She jumped up, her expression reflecting the same rage as that on the two seated adults at her table. "Now wait just a minute! I would never do such a thing! How dare you even suggest that? Darien and I are friends - that's all!" She shot a quick look at the board members watching with shocked expressions. "I'm sorry for my outburst, but that was just too much!" she exclaimed before flopping back into her seat.
Sarah Kohlstedt cleared her throat before replying. "Yes, I have to agree. Please, Dr. Nyx, keep your comments limited to the facts."
The strawberry blonde bowed her head slightly. "I apologize. This situation has frustrated me and I overstepped my bounds. Please accept my apologies, Serena," she said somewhat contritely, directing her last comment to the fuming blonde who sat glaring at the psychologist with her arms crossed over her chest. Serena said nothing.
Nyx merely smiled slightly and returned her attention to the seven board members. "You see what I mean?" she asked quietly with a small gesture toward Serena. The petite blonde inwardly flinched at the impression she was sure she had just made, but couldn't find it in herself to say anything.
The standing woman smiled knowingly. "I believe I've made my case quite well enough. You've read my reports as well. I trust you to do the right thing." She gracefully lowered herself into her chair, giving Serena one last triumphant flash of a grin.
"Thank you, Dr. Nyx," LeCourt said formally as he stood. "I appreciate your report on your perception of the condition of the patient in relationship to this matter. Now Miss Tsukino, if you would please share your side of the story we would be most appreciative."
Serena cleared her throat as she stood to stomp down the last of her anger at Nyx's insinuations. "Thank you, Mr. LeCourt. The first thing I'd like to say though, is that the patient that you've been referring to this entire time has a name. It's Darien Shields. It's a simple name," she said as she turned her gaze to the still smugly smiling psychologist, "and I'm sure you're capable of using it, especially considering you insist on being on a first name basis with him when you're at his apartment."
The petite blonde shot a wicked glare at the psychologist before continuing. "That being said, let me explain myself. Yes, I knew Darien for about six months or so before his accident happened. We weren't close friends but we had an understanding. We ran into each other a lot. And I didn't say anything because no one asked. Other than that I was in shock to find out that the guy I had heard about that had gotten hit by the same person that almost hit me was someone I knew and had been getting closer to. I didn't know what to say. And I think Dr. Mizuno understood that." The blue-haired woman smiled and nodded when Serena gave her a brief look for confirmation.
"Well, anyway, when Dr. Nyx introduced herself, the way she described how she wanted to work with me didn't sit right. The way I saw it she wanted me to spy on Darien because he wouldn't talk to her. I had already found out that the truth is very important to Darien, and I wasn't about to jeopardize the friendship I had finally managed to form with him for someone who didn't know how to do her job." She spit out the last part of the sentence through gritted teeth. Nyx scowled at her.
"Dr. Nyx was right; I never told Darien I was going to be volunteering at his place. I hated myself for it, but I did it because I didn't want anyone to tell me I couldn't do this. I'm just lucky that Darien forgave me." She sighed and sat back down.
"Every time I got to Darien's apartment after school, he would always be upset by something Nyx had said to him. How is that supposed to make any patient better, especially one that is having a difficult time adjusting to a new, if temporary, lifestyle? And when she'd tell me what to do, it always smacked of secrets and following a general set of rules about where Darien should be in his recovery according to a list she had instead of looking at Darien as an individual and figuring out where to go from there. On top of that, my opinions were automatically invalid because I'm a fourteen-year-old junior high student who has had difficulty with my grades in the past. She has a Ph.D. so of course her way is the only way." Serena's voice kept getting louder and louder and angrier and angrier.
"Yes, I told him about the weekly reviews that went on while he was having his water therapy. Yes, I told him about what Nyx had said to me during the first one. I had been upset, and he wanted to know what was wrong. And Dr. Mizuno didn't break things up because of me, no matter what Nyx wants you to believe. I'm not saying I didn't do anything, but I wasn't the only one.
"And after Darien yelled at her right before I showed up that Monday, she flat out told me she wasn't going to bother talking to me since obviously her opinions made no difference. Well, maybe if she'd see Darien as a human being instead of just a patient, she might have an opinion worth listening to! But no, it was always, 'Serena, you have to push him harder,' or, 'Serena, you can't let him sit here all the time. Force him to go outside. It's the only way to get him to do it.' All things like that, all said in a holier-than-thou voice that seriously grates on my nerves if you want to know the truth!" She paused for a moment to catch her breath and try to control her anger. It wasn't working.
"You want to know the best part? That first Thursday after I got there, I got him to go and make himself a sandwich. The only thing he asked me to do was get down a plate for him since they were in the upper cabinets. I switched that around by the way. And then, the 'spectacle' on Sunday as Nyx so quaintly put it happened because Darien asked me if I wanted to go out to the park and I happened to run into my friends while we were there. Darien asked me. All because I didn't push, I treated him with respect, and I didn't lie to him. But of course that doesn't count for anything because Darien's just a patient and I'm just a stupid teenager!" Nyx looked about ready to burst, her triumphant smile long gone.
"You know, she gave me the silent treatment for a week. I don't think I minded really. But yet why do I get the feeling that you members of the board are going to side with her because she has a piece of paper to stick on her wall? You've backed her decisions about Darien's treatment so far, and all it's done is cause antagonism. Here's a nice little point I just thought of - if Darien's the patient here, why hasn't he gotten a say in any of his treatment? Why do you people insist on treating him like a number, or just a name? The person who's paying for his treatment is allowed to sit in on the reviews, but Darien wasn't even supposed to know they were happening? What is wrong with you people?"
Serena's shout echoed off the walls as the other occupants stared at her in shock. "I'll tell you why I didn't blindly follow orders like I guess I was supposed to. Darien is my friend. I care about him very much, more than you will ever understand. I will not lie to him and betray the trust it took me so long to gain. Do you realize I'm one of probably only two people he's let into his life? Do you understand how honored I am to be on that list? It goes beyond words! And no one, no one, can make me hurt him!" She stood suddenly, sending her chair toppling over and away from her. "The last thing I have to say is this. No matter what you decide, I will be at Darien's apartment. I will be there until Darien says it's time for me to go. It's really his decision. If you want to support me, that's fine. But I will continue either way. Someone around here has to have complete respect for Darien's wishes, and it's gonna be me! Now," she said glancing at the clock on the wall, "I believe Darien should be finished with his water therapy, so I'll be leaving now. Have fun talking about us when we're gone." With that, Serena spun around and headed for the door.
(cut to...)
(scene change...)
Both Darien and his physical therapist were distracted during his weekly session that Friday, both unknowingly thinking about the same thing: Serena and the review session going on upstairs. Darien had a feeling things weren't going to go well, as much as he had told her otherwise. He only wished he could be there with her for support.
James Dillinger on the other hand was even more worried. He knew exactly what was going on and did not approve. Having worked with Darien on a daily basis he could see the difference Serena had made in the young man that had originally resisted all his efforts to help him. Now he was throwing himself into the exercises. And every now and again he caught Darien muttering the phrase "For Serena" under his breath when the boy was getting tired.
After about a half hour, Dillinger gave up on either of them making this a productive session. "Why don't we quit now, Darien? I really do have a report to make a few last notes on and get upstairs, and I don't think either of us are really into this."
Darien sighed. "You're right, Jim. I guess I can't help but think about what Nyx is probably putting Serena through right now. Sorry about that."
"Don't be. Let's get you dried off and you can change. Just let me know when you need help with that trench of yours. I'll be at my desk."
"Right."
About fifteen minutes later, Darien was riding the elevator up to the floor Serena had mentioned the meetings took place on. Since he had gotten done early, he reasoned that it would only be fair to meet her for once. Besides, he might get a look at this mysterious man who was giving Serena those checks and supposedly looking out for his welfare.
He reached the room that he had been told the small group normally met in. Listening intently, he was surprised to hear nothing. He reached out and gave the door a push, starting a bit when it opened easily revealing an empty room. "Where could she be?" he muttered to himself.
Just then the sound of a raised voice from down the hall reached his ears. Curiosity stirred, Darien wheeled himself toward the source, stopping without turning when he reached the door. It was then that he recognized Serena's loud, angry tone. "What in the world...?" he whispered, confused.
"You want to know the best part?" the petite blonde's voice continued at a more reasonable volume, although still filled with anger. "That first Thursday after I got there, I got him to go and make himself a sandwich. The only thing he asked me to do was get down a plate for him since they were in the upper cabinets. I switched that around by the way." Darien couldn't help but smile at the memory of all the noise from the kitchen when she did that. "And then, the 'spectacle' on Sunday as Nyx so quaintly put it happened because Darien asked me if I wanted to go out to the park and I happened to run into my friends while we were there. Darien asked me. All because I didn't push, I treated him with respect, and I didn't lie to him. But of course that doesn't count for anything because Darien's just a patient and I'm just a stupid teenager!"
Who was she talking to? Obviously it wasn't Nyx, considering the way she talked about the psychologist in the third person. He doubted it was Dr. Mizuno, since she was normally quite understanding and had expressed a few negative thoughts about the tall strawberry blonde. That lawyer? No, from what Serena said he seemed to like her, and had made nasty cracks under his breath about Nyx. So who did that leave? Darien came out of his thoughts as Serena continued.
"You know, she gave me the silent treatment for a week. I don't think I minded really. But yet why do I get the feeling that you members of the board are going to side with her because she has a piece of paper to stick on her wall? You've backed her decisions about Darien's treatment so far, and all it's done is cause antagonism. Here's a nice little point I just thought of - if Darien's the patient here, why hasn't he gotten a say in any of his treatment? Why do you people insist on treating him like a number, or just a name? The person who's paying for his treatment is allowed to sit in on the reviews, but Darien wasn't even supposed to know they were happening? What is wrong with you people?"
Even Darien jumped at the shout. A second later his eyes widened and his breath caught. The board! She was talking to the board of directors? Why in the world would she have to do that? But yet... what she had said about him had him shaking his head. Here she was, probably in trouble thanks to Nyx, and she insisted on defending him, supporting him. He couldn't believe her sometimes.
"I'll tell you why I didn't blindly follow orders like I guess I was supposed to. Darien is my friend. I care about him very much, more than you will ever understand. I will not lie to him and betray the trust it took me so long to gain. Do you realize I'm one of probably only two people he's let into his life? Do you understand how honored I am to be on that list? It goes beyond words! And no one, no one, can make me hurt him!"
He jumped again as the sound of something large hitting the ground violently rang through the air, but that was pure instinct. Tears had filled the midnight blues that were still uncovered by sunglasses, although hooded by the baseball cap he had donned. Every ounce of faith he had ever put in her had just been justified. He never knew she cared this much! How did he get so lucky as to be receiving this angel's affection?
"The last thing I have to say is this. No matter what you decide, I will be at Darien's apartment. I will be there until Darien says it's time for me to go. It's really his decision. If you want to support me, that's fine. But I will continue either way. Someone around here has to have complete respect for Darien's wishes, and it's gonna be me! Now, I believe Darien should be finished with his water therapy, so I'll be leaving now. Have fun talking about us when we're gone."
Darien still hadn't recovered from the shock of Serena's words when the door flew inward and the subject of his thoughts began to storm out. She, of course, didn't see him there, and proceeded to trip over his feet with a sharp screech. Acting on instinct, he bent over fast as lightning and caught her before she could hit the ground. He pulled her into his lap and glared into the room, where everyone had leapt to their feet in response to the girl's yell.
When each of them had made eye contact with him, he scowled. "Since it's obvious my opinion isn't needed to make decisions about my life, I won't bother to offer it up about what I just heard. Serena?" he asked gently to the recovering girl in his arms. "Would you please take me home?"
Serena took a shaky breath and nodded. "Of course, Darien. Whatever you want." She gave him a small smile as she maneuvered out of his lap and behind the chair. "Why don't you put on your sunglasses and we'll get going?"
He nodded and slipped on the dark shades after giving the room one last glare. "Let's go." Serena then silently pushed him back toward the elevators, and the pair disappeared.
After the two teenagers had left, Toshiro quietly pushed the door shut and righted Serena's chair. He sat back down and gave his cousin a look. She returned it full measure.
"Well, you can see what I have to work with," Nyx said smugly after a moment.
"Shut up, Elizabeth," Dr. Mizuno snapped. "You had your turn to present your case. There are two other people here who now get their chance. So sit there and be quiet."
The entire room just blinked at the normally calm doctor's explosion. "Um, yes," LeCourt said, clearing his throat. "That brings up a good point. Dr. Mizuno, if you'd like to begin, the board will hear your report."
Victoria smiled. "Thank you, Mr. LeCourt. First of all, I'd like you all to know that I believe Serena was quite serious about continuing to see Darien with or without our backing. And I think I can guarantee that Darien is most certainly not going to ask her to leave. It's just something to consider." She paused and gave her cousin a subtle wink. He fought to keep from laughing.
"As you've read my previous reports I won't bother to repeat all the details. But I would like to say that Serena did express reservations about Dr. Nyx's request at the first meeting. She didn't like the idea of spying on Darien. This was after Nyx had left. I told her that her job was to help him around the apartment and make sure he knew he wasn't alone. I saw that as the most important thing she could do for him at that point.
"The incident where I had to mediate during the first review session that both Elizabeth and Serena brought up was after Nyx overstepped her bounds. She had accused Serena of being unprofessional, brought up her previous academic history, made an issue of her age, and rubbed in her own education and degree. All because Serena refused to tell her what she and Darien had talked about that week. We're talking about a volunteer here, folks. She's not a professional. I asked her for a bit more general information about those conversations, and she gave it to me, but she was obviously having a moral crisis about it. She's a very loyal friend and sensitive to other people's feelings. Nyx asked her to betray her principles and berated the girl when she wouldn't fall into line. I just put a stop to it. I found it quite unprofessional on the doctor's part and told her so. I have to mention I thought it was interesting that she left that part out when she told you about it." She paused to take a drink from the glass of water that sat before her.
Giving Nyx a guarded look - which was retaliated with a look of angry disgust - the blue-haired woman continued. "Serena has done everything I expected her to do and more. Early in the second week she requested - with her parents' permission - to be able to spend Friday and Saturday nights at Darien's apartment. She told me later it was because Darien has been having nightmares and she wanted to be there to make him feel better. She does have a point in that she got Darien to try his hand at independence; considering his mood when he left the hospital I was surprised to hear she had gotten him to make his own sandwich. And he was willing to go outside."
Dr. Mizuno shook her head. "That girl performs miracles. And I think it would be the biggest mistake the administration could make to try to force her out of Darien's apartment. She's good for him." The woman shrugged. "I think that about says it all. Unless you have any questions, I believe I'm finished."
LeCourt shook his head. "No, I believe your written reports cover everything you didn't here today." He shifted his gaze to the brunette man staring at him with intense gray eyes. "Mr. Anderson, I believe you're next."
Toshiro smiled. "Thank you, Mr. LeCourt. Now, I am fully willing to admit to not having the most in-depth knowledge of medicine. I studied law after all. But I have been dealing with Darien since his parents died, from afar. I thought I had placed him in a good orphanage, some place that would treat him well and with understanding; they had a marvelous reputation. When he turned fourteen I had to fight to keep him from being committed. That's when I realized that the quarterly reports I had been receiving where sketchy at best, and obviously not a true gauge of how he was doing. That's when I vowed I wouldn't let him get treated like that again.
"I arranged for Darien to take control of the interest from the trust account his parents had set up in his name. When he used that money to get away from the orphanage, I went out of my way to make sure they couldn't touch him legally, by having him emancipated from the state. I'm not sure he knew exactly what I had done to get him there, but that point is irrelevant.
"When I heard about the accident, I knew from previous experience that he wouldn't take it well. That's why I decided to be informed of everything that happened to him. I was not about to let what happened in the orphanage happen again. He was never a cheerful boy. Happy, yes, but not what you could call cheerful. He was... serious. So when I heard that the staff psychologist was being assigned to him because he didn't appear to be adjusting fast enough, I knew I had to be around to make sure there would be some kind of balance. I was relieved to hear a volunteer would be assigned to assist him at home. And when I met Serena, I knew the right person had been found." He paused, like his cousin had before, to take a drink from his glass of water.
"The fact that Nyx insinuated Serena should spy for her rubbed me the wrong way. It suggested that she could think of no other way to get information out of him, that she didn't have enough flexibility to work with Darien. I know he's difficult; he's always been difficult. He's learned not to trust and to appreciate the truth. If you had grown up the way he had, you'd be much the same way. But Nyx didn't look like she was seeing things that way. He wasn't a typical person who could be expected to respond in the typical way, and I'm not sure the woman knew how to handle that.
"The only time I've seen the two of them has been at the weekly review sessions. So I've seen them a total of four times - five if you count today - together and interacting. If you want my opinion, I'd say Nyx is jealous because Serena got through to him when she couldn't. For all the education she's had, and the prestige she's earned, a fourteen year old junior high student who's not all that good in school did what she couldn't. I also think that getting Serena out of the way won't help her any. In fact, I believe it will do just the opposite. He's happy with Serena. I mean, did you see how protectively he was holding her after she tripped? How gently he talked to her even as he was glaring at us? If you try to take that away from him, he will resent you, and especially Nyx for making it happen.
"My final word on the matter is that the estate of David and Marian Shields will continue to pay Serena her three hundred dollars a week until Darien himself asks her to leave or he recovers, whichever comes first. I see her as doing nothing but good for the only son of two of the best friends I've ever had. If you choose to try to have Serena Tsukino removed from Darien Shields' residence, I will look into the possibility of a malpractice suit against Dr. Elizabeth Nyx. I think that's all I have to say. So if you'll excuse me, I have a dinner meeting to attend. Ladies, gentlemen." Toshiro stood and nodded at the board members and Victoria Mizuno. "Dr. Nyx," he said distastefully before gathering his suitcase and walking quickly out the door.
Dr. Mizuno shook her head with a smile as Michael LeCourt stood once again. "I believe that concludes today's business. Meeting adjourned." He and the other board members swiftly and quietly stood and filed out of the room.
"Well, Elizabeth," Victoria said as she stood and picked up the few files she had brought along, "I hope you're happy with what you've done. You've made your bed - now lie in it."
The strawberry blonde watched silently as the blue-haired doctor strode out the door. Rage and doubt dueled for supremacy in her thoughts as she went over the previous hour's events. She was sure she had done the right thing. Now she just had to wait to be vindicated. With that thought overriding the last shreds of doubt over her reasoning for everything, she slowly and proudly left the meeting room, assured in the basic rightness of her cause.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Darien and Serena silently left the hospital, pausing only for a moment at the outer doors to readjust his scarf as the wind had picked up quite a bit while they were inside. The petite blonde pulled her jacket close and proceeded to get them on their way. After they had walked a block, she stopped in her tracks and covered her face with her hands.
Darien turned at the unexpected stop and saw Serena's shoulders shaking. He gasped. "Serena, are you alright? What's wrong?"
"The board... the board might tell me I can't see you anymore," she sobbed. "I won't let that stop me if you don't want it to, but Nyx actually hates me that much! She hates me enough to try to make me stop seeing you! What did I do?"
The ebony-haired young man spun his wheelchair around and gathered the crying girl into his arms, maneuvering her into his lap. "Oh, Serena, you didn't do anything but be yourself, your wonderful, caring, and giving self," he said as he gently stroked her hair. "It certainly isn't your fault I don't like her and don't trust her as far as I can throw her. I know she's harped on you for being 'just a kid,' but she's the one who's acting immature. And I don't think she actually hates you. I think the emotion is probably closer to being resentment, maybe jealousy. I talk to you when I won't talk to her. She can't handle the blow to her pride." He smiled as he leaned his cheek against the top of her head.
"I hate this jumble of emotions inside myself," Serena said as she snuggled further into his embrace. "I'm sad and confused and angry all at once. I mean Nyx actually accused me of doing stuff with you to get you to defend me against her!" Darien stiffened as the girl continued. "That's one reason why I'm angry. I'm confused because I don't understand how someone with all the education she keeps going on about could have such a hard time and not be able to find another way to do things. And I'm sad because she's taking out her frustrations on me. I feel like I should be wearing a bulls-eye whenever she's around." She sighed.
"She said what?" Darien said in a low, menacing tone.
Sapphire blue eyes widened as she realized the reason for that tone. She tried to sit up to face him, but his arms weren't letting her move from her position. "Um, if I remember right, she said, 'One almost has to wonder what goes on behind closed doors to gain such loyalty from a young man that has proven himself nearly incapable of trusting anyone, much less to the point of defending someone against their doctor.'" She flinched and waited for the inevitable outburst.
It didn't come. After a few tensely quiet moments, Darien began to chuckle. "I can't believe she is so jealous that she had to come up with something like that! Man, that woman doesn't know either one of us, does she?" His snickers quieted and he sighed. "Oh, Serena, I understand why you were mad, but don't let it get to you. She's not worth it. You know that."
Serena couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I do." Her smile faded. "But she still went to the board and is trying to get me taken away from you. I'm not so sure I can believe she doesn't hate me." The tears overflowed once again and she began to sob. "I can't understand what I did to make her hate me!"
Darien squeezed his eyes shut as he held the crying blonde closer, knowing somehow that this was something Serena was going to have to work through on her own. Now this was making him angry. How dare this woman interfere in his life? Even worse, how dare she make Serena cry? It was breaking his heart to hear the girl's heartrending sobs as she gripped his shirt fiercely. And all he could do was hold her, stroking her hair and murmuring nonsensical sounds to soothe her.
After about fifteen minutes during which the world continued on around them completely unnoticed by the pair, Serena's tears finally slowed, along with her breathing. When Darien finally looked down, he found the petite blonde asleep, still gripping him tightly. The ebony-haired young man smiled fondly and proceeded to wheel the both of them back to his apartment.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
A couple hours later, Serena groggily blinked her eyes open and found herself lying on Darien's couch. The owner of the abode was sitting next to her watching as she sat up thoroughly embarrassed. "I'm sorry," she whispered, staring at her lap.
"For what?" he responded quietly. "You didn't do anything wrong. You were being you. I think I would have been more worried if you hadn't been upset at all."
Serena's blush grew deeper. "Well, still. I lost it in the middle of a busy sidewalk and fell asleep." Her brows furrowed. "Wait a minute. You got the both of us back here?"
Darien looked amused. "Yes."
"Up that huge hill just past the park?" Her tone was incredulous.
He shrugged. "You do it all the time."
She scoffed. "Barely. How did you manage to get me on the couch?"
The young man shuddered. "Um, it's probably better you don't ask." He looked at her with a touch of embarrassed concern. "How's your head feel?"
Her blue eyes widened. "Uh, fine, although I take it it shouldn't." She noticed what he was still wearing. "Oh! Let me help you get out of the trenchcoat. You'll probably be a lot more comfortable."
After Serena had stood and the pair made quick work of the long black jacket, she took it to the closet. Her hand rested on the knob when she had finished putting the coat away. "Thank you, Darien," she said softly, staring at the door, her back to her friend.
An ebony eyebrow rose. "For what exactly?"
"Well, for bringing me home, definitely. And for being there for me." She gave a short laugh as she turned around. "You know, two months ago you would have teased me mercilessly for a scene like that."
He smiled. "Probably. But two months ago I was a moron. I was passing up the chance to let in the most wonderful person I know."
Serena blushed again. "I wouldn't say that."
"I would." He paused as he watched her turn an even deeper shade of red and drop her gaze to the ground. She was so adorable when she did that. "So, what's for dinner?"
The blonde brought her head up sharply at the change in topic. She looked at him for a moment then shrugged. "Depends."
He arched an eyebrow. "That's what old people wear. What are we going to eat?"
She smiled, barely holding back a giggle. "What I meant was that it depends on whether you want me to make something or order something."
"You should be clearer about that next time. Now let me see... So what do famous stage performers normally do the night before a big concert?"
Now Serena laughed. "I'm not a famous stage performer!"
"Not yet," Darien corrected with an impish grin. "But you will be if that's what you want to be. I'm sure you have the talent if what I've heard from you here in the apartment is any indication."
The petite blonde could feel the heat of her cheeks. "Stop it!"
"Well, I don't think it's right for a soon-to-be-star to have to cook her own meal, so I think we should order in. Any restaurant you want - it's on me." The grin only grew bigger.
"That could be expensive," Serena teased.
"Like I care. It's not like I can't afford it."
"Where do you get all this money from anyway?"
Darien stiffened slightly. "I... I'd rather not say right now. Just don't worry about how much the food costs, okay?"
Serena bit her lower lip as her companion looked away. She didn't like to see his smiles fade like that. "I'm sorry if I was prying too much, Darien. I didn't mean to hurt you."
"That's not it, Serena. You had no idea. It's just..." He sighed as his voice trailed off. "It's something I'm not quite ready to talk about yet, that's all. It's not you."
"Okay."
Darien looked up at her brief touch to his shoulder. He watched as she walked silently over to the phone. "Serena?" He could only hope he hadn't hurt her.
She spun to face him after picking up the cordless from the cradle, her smile nearly blinding him. "So where do we order from?"
Her perkiness was definitely reassuring. Darien couldn't help but chuckle, inwardly thanking whoever was listening at that moment that Serena could be so understanding. "You pick. And like I said, money's not an issue."
"If you're sure..." Her voice trailed off. He nodded. "Then there's some place I've been dying to try. You hinted this was a celebration feast after all."
They both laughed, and the night continued on unhindered by awkwardness.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
The next morning came without incident. Serena was up first, miracle of miracles, and was in the middle of making breakfast when Darien wheeled himself into the kitchen. "What in the world are you doing up at such an ungodly hour?" he asked, staring at the blonde with bleary eyes.
"Darien, it's ten o'clock." She deftly flipped the pair of pancakes she was cooking.
"My point exactly. For the rest of the world it's late morning, but for you it's ungodly early. What's the matter?"
"If it's late morning for the rest of the world, how do you explain the fact that you obviously just got up yourself?" Serena asked in response.
"One word: drugs. The pain killers I have to take tend to wipe me out. Now stop trying to avoid my question. What's wrong?" His midnight blues got sharper by the second.
The meatball-headed blonde sighed as she checked the second side of the pancakes. "I'm nervous. The concert is tonight, and I have a bunch of solos, and a couple trios with Amy and Lita, and my family and friends are going to be there to watch me, and what happens if I screw up?"
Darien blinked at the flood of fear-filled words while Serena tried to catch her breath and added the latest two cakes to the pile she had on a large serving platter on the counter next to the stove. He watched her give the stack a critical look before turning off the burner and moving to get the other things they'd need to eat the golden brown morsels of fluffy goodness. As he realized that Serena had been quite successful at her latest attempt at cooking, he also realized the he was ravenously hungry. He hoped there would be enough for both of them...
"I'm sorry, Darien," Serena said finally as she attached a full breakfast tray - a recent acquisition - to the practically drooling young man's wheelchair and turned back around to fill her own plate. "I don't mean to dump on you like this. And the last thing I want is to make you feel like I'm just saying this to guilt you into going tonight. Because I'm not, I swear. I'd never do that to you. You do realize that, don't you?"
The petite blonde turned around at that point to see Darien with his cheeks puffed out like a chipmunk, syrup dribbling down his chin, half his pancakes gone, and a blissed-out expression on his face. She couldn't help but crack up. "Oh, Darien! What I wouldn't do for a camera right now!" The plate her pancakes had been on was quickly set aside. Her laughter quickly denigrated into a full blown giggle fit and she collapsed to the floor between Darien and the counter.
One midnight blue eye cracked open at the sound. Still chewing his enormous mouthful, he turned his head and dropped his gaze to the puddle of blonde on the floor. He watched her laugh hysterically for a few moments then shrugged and returned to eating.
Once he was finished, Darien leaned over and put the fork and empty plate on the counter. Serena was still giggling uncontrollably next to him. "Feel better?" he asked after a couple of minutes.
Slowly the laughter subsided. "Only if you answer my question," she whispered with a small smile.
He couldn't help but smirk slightly in response. "I know you'd never try to pressure me into doing something I'm not ready for. I just wanted to get you to get out what was on your mind. You do realize you'll be fine tonight, I hope."
"I hope so too." The blonde girl's smile grew larger as she looked at her companion. She silently stood up and made her way to the sink. She ran a paper towel under the water briefly, rung out the excess, and came back to the chair-bound young man. "I can't concentrate when I look at you," she murmured, reaching out to clean up the mess of syrup on his chin.
Darien began to smile softly at her gentle ministrations when her finger accidentally brushed against his lower lip like a caress. An electric shock seemed to shoot through his body at the touch, and he grabbed her wrist while it was still extremely close to his face, making her drop the paper towel.
Serena gasped at the sudden maneuver, locking a wide-eyed gaze with the startled one of the man who held her. She was beginning to be afraid she did something wrong when his eyes flitted briefly to her hand, and she could feel his warm breath flow across her fingers. Suddenly he was nuzzling the hand he held, eyes squeezed shut, his own hand trembling. Serena gasped again as she felt his lips ever so lightly kiss the soft skin.
And then he let go, his arm ever so slowly lowering to his armrest. "Guess I went a little overboard, huh?" he asked lightly as Serena stooped over to pick up the forgotten towel.
"Well, I don't know," Serena replied as lightly. "I've never seen you do anything like that before. I have to admit, it sure was funny!"
He smiled. "That was the idea. Got your mind off your troubles, didn't it?"
"Oh, Darien. You didn't have to do anything like that for me."
"Yes, I did. After everything you've done for me, I owe you at least that. Oh, hell, I owe you a thousand times that. If you hadn't been here I seriously doubt that I'd be taking this nearly as well, or be nearly as far along in my therapy. You've made a real difference to me, Serena. Don't ever forget it."
Serena jumped forward and impulsively hugged him. "That means so much to me, Darien! I'm so glad!"
"I hope I didn't scare you when I... grabbed your wrist," he whispered into her ear as she continued to hold him. "I don't know why I did it."
He could feel her smile. "You only startled me a bit. I certainly wasn't expecting it. But we're okay now, right?"
Darien merely nodded, and stomped down the urge to do to her neck what he had done to her hand. It was then that he realized he never wanted to let her go. So, of course, he did. "When do you have to leave for the concert tonight?" he asked in an attempt to take his mind off the path it was headed in as she straightened.
"Well, it starts at seven, and we need to be there a half-hour early to warm up and take care of last minute details. So I was thinking of leaving around six to make sure I'm there on time. We'll have dinner at five. That should give me enough time to clean up before I go." She gave him a shaky smile.
"Okay, then. What do we do for the next six hours or so?"
Serena glanced at the counter. "Well, first I reheat my pancakes and eat them. Then it's up to you. I'm pretty much up for anything."
"Oh, no plans to meet the girls?"
She shook her head. "I'll see them tonight."
Darien nodded. "Okay. Well, how about we watch some movies then? It should keep your mind off being nervous, although I'm sure you'll do fine."
The petite blonde smiled. "That'll work. Thanks. Now shoo and let me eat my breakfast!"
He just laughed and rolled out of the kitchen as demanded.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
The afternoon went smoothly. After watching The Three Musketeers and Tombstone at Darien's insistence, Serena requested they watch Stripes to lighten the mood. During the entire time, Serena sat on the floor next to the couch Darien was stretched out on, her golden head lying next to his stomach. About three quarters of the way through the first movie, the ebony-haired young man found himself absently running his hand through her hair, never thinking about it as he merely paused when she got up to switch tapes and resumed once she took up her position again.
Serena, on the other hand, was acutely aware of what Darien was doing. Not that she minded. She'd take his impulsive shows of affection any way she could get them, at least until she felt she could tell him how she really felt. For now though she'd just enjoy her opportunity to be close to him.
When the last movie was over, Serena glanced at the clock and sighed. "Time for dinner. What do you want?"
"Something simple," Darien responded. "I don't think your stomach could take anything too heavy."
"My stomach shouldn't be the consideration here, Darien. This is your dinner," she insisted with a smile.
"It's our dinner. And I can always grab something later if I'm still hungry."
Serena's smile faded. "So... you're not going tonight?" she somehow managed to ask in a neutral tone.
Darien kicked himself for hurting her. "I... I don't think I'm ready to do something like that, Serena. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." His gaze fell to his lap.
There was a long moment of silence before he heard her take a deep breath and release it. "That's alright, Darien. I'll just talk to a friend of mine that works in the A/V department and get a copy of the video I know they're making of tonight's performance. You can still see it." He looked up to find her smiling at him. "Now why don't we get you in your wheelchair so we can eat at the kitchen counter, okay?"
That's it, he thought firmly. There is officially no end to this girl's understanding. What did I ever do to deserve her in my life? "Sure," he said out loud softly.
They managed to readjust the young man and Serena threw together some sandwiches. They made small talk while they ate, then Serena rushed off to change into her swing choir outfit. "Well, my first one," she said as she disappeared into his bathroom with a garment bag and her duffle.
For some reason Darien couldn't wait to see this outfit of hers. He sat rather impatiently waiting for her to reemerge from the bathroom, somehow finding himself unable to sit still. However, when the door finally opened, he wanted to howl in frustration. Over whatever dress she may have been wearing, Serena had put on a long black dress overcoat, leaving a black pair of one-inch dance heels the only piece of clothing he could see. The only thing he could tell about the outfit was that it was a short dress, since the girl's practically bare leg slipped through the split in the jacket every now and again as she moved around the apartment picking up. "Um, Serena? Can't I see this outfit you're wearing?"
She stopped in her tracks and giggled. "No, silly! You'll have to wait until I bring home the video later tonight! I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise!"
Darien pouted. "Oh, come on, please? I promise not to tell!"
Serena merely raised an eyebrow. "Oh, really? I think you'd tell the entire apartment building and they'd all be waiting for me to come back so they could see!" she teased.
"Drat, I've been discovered," he grumbled playfully. "Can I at least see these outfits in person when you get back if you're not too tired?"
"Well, if not tonight, then tomorrow. I can do that." She looked at the clock. "But for now I need to get going."
"Well, let me be a good host and see you to the door," Darien said grandly as he began to wheel himself toward the front door. Serena giggled and followed, leaving her duffle bag on the opposite side of the couch. "Aren't you going to need that?" he asked as he watched her plop it down.
"No, my other outfits are at school. We only needed to come in our first ones so we wouldn't have to scramble to put them on there right before the show started."
"Whatever you say," he said as they reached the door. "I'm sure you'll do wonderfully tonight."
Serena smiled shyly. "Are you sure you don't want to come?"
Darien tensed, although he could tell from the tone of her voice she was only checking. "I don't think I'm ready for that. I'm sorry."
The blonde's smile grew wider. "I understand. I trust you to know when you'll be ready for things. I won't push. But I figured I'd check one last time." She leaned over and hugged him. "I believe in you, Darien. You'll be ready for this someday, probably soon. You'll see." She stood back up as Darien's breath caught. "But for now, wish me luck!" she said as she opened the door.
He somehow managed to smile. "Break a leg!" he called as she started to make her way out.
She shuddered. "Don't say that, Darien. Please don't say that." She waved and dashed into the elevator, his laughter ringing through the hall after her.
As he closed the door, Darien's smile and laughter faded away. Serena's last words rang through his head, hitting nerves every way they turned. She believed in him. She believed in him and he was still sitting here staring at his lap while she was going to be performing in a concert that meant the world to her. He couldn't believe that she could smile and let him get away with missing this, especially when it obviously meant a lot for him to be there. Not that he could figure out why, mind you.
He sighed, clenching his fists. She believed in him. How could he betray that? He rolled over to his hall closet and opened it. He stared at his black trench, wondering if he could really do this. He started to hesitantly reach for it when his midnight blues flickered toward the brown bomber jacket that hung next to it. She believed in him. He let his hand gently brush the worn leather as he brought it back to his lap and glanced down at what he was wearing - a pair of older black sweatpants and a ragged green T-shirt. He took one last look at the two coats in the closet. She believed in him. That was the thought running through his mind as he turned and wheeled himself into his bedroom to change.
He reemerged about a half hour later dressed in black leather loafers, black dress socks, black dress slacks, a black collarless dress shirt, and a V-neck midnight blue sweater. He ran a comb through his hair and made his way back to the closet. Once again he stared at the two jackets, knowing what each of them represented. His breath started to quicken, and he unconsciously clenched and unclenched his fists. Finally he closed his eyes and controlled his breathing, trying to get a grip on his raging emotions. It was then he heard Serena's words one last time. She believed in him. He opened his eyes and grabbed the brown bomber.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Darien stared at the large banner hung along the side of the Juuban Middle School gym where the concert was being held. All he had to do was push himself a few more yards and he'd be there. He'd be at the concert Serena had been hoping so much he'd attend. He watched a few last stragglers wander in and set his jaw. He'd already come this far; he sure as hell wasn't stopping now.
When he entered the double doors, his breath caught in amazement. Serena had described how the place was going to be decorated, but nothing could prepare him for the reality. There were midnight blue, silver, white, and black streamers flowing from all different parts of the ceiling and along the bleachers that had been pulled out for extra seating. It had been needed. There were about fifty tables surrounding a large dance floor, their white tablecloths gleaming in the dim lighting, the other three colors represented in various embroidery on the cloths. Against the far wall was obviously where the jazz band was going to be performing. Classic seat fronts in white with the school's monogram in midnight blue and black and outlined in silver were set up four rows high, and a large piano sat waiting for its player to tap the ivories. And to top it all off, an old-style square microphone stood at the end of the piano.
Darien found himself smiling as people parted to let him through to an empty table next to the edge of the dance floor. With the big band music being piped into the room through the speakers, the gym truly had the atmosphere of the late thirties-early forties dance clubs. Serena and the rest of the swing choir had a lot to be proud of.
He was still nervous. He glanced around to see if he could find anyone he knew in the five minutes there were left before the show started. He flinched when he saw Mina and Raye sitting at a table three away from his own to his left, although they hadn't seen him yet apparently. To his right he saw Andrew and Rita together whispering quietly to each other. And across the way from him sat Dr. Victoria Mizuno with four other people he didn't recognize. Wait a minute. He did recognize the smaller young man sitting to the blue-haired woman's left. That was... Greg he thought the name was. The carrier of the yellow Rainbow Crystal. What was he doing here? And now that he looked closer, he recognized Raye's grandfather and the guy they had gotten to help out at the temple - Chad was the name, wasn't it? - sitting there anxiously waiting. He still didn't recognize the taller brunette sitting on the other side of Greg, but figured he must have something to do with the girls.
Looking around some more in an attempt to keep his nerves under control, he saw familiar faces about four tables back. Thanks to the pictures Serena had shown him, he recognized her parents and little brother Sammy sitting with a couple he hadn't seen before. They were talking animatedly amongst themselves, although Sammy looked bored. Darien stifled a laugh.
The lights dimmed a bit then, causing the ebony-haired young man to turn his attention back to the stage. A tall, older woman with rich chocolate brown hair stepped out from behind the curtain and walked up to the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Carolyn Taylor and I'm the director of this year's Juuban Middle School swing choir," she began in perfect English. "I'd like to thank you all for coming to our Big Band Christmas Concert. We are happy to be spending our Christmas Eve with you, and hopefully making it an enjoyable time for everyone. Unfortunately it looks like we've had a few unforseen difficulties backstage, but rest assured the show will go on as planned as soon as possible. We thank you for your patience." She bowed and retreated back stage, a large red curtain drawing closed and hiding the bandstand.
Darien sighed. He had forgotten what day it was, and now he had to wait even longer to see Serena perform. Somebody sure liked testing him lately.
(cut to...)
(scene change...)
"Great," Raye grumbled after the announcement. "How long is this going to take?"
"Keep your shoes on," Mina said blithely. "Things like this happen. It shouldn't take too long to fix."
"Shirt on! The phrase is 'Keep your shirt on!'" a muffled male voice from a light blue duffle bag on a chair between the two girls said irritably. They ignored it.
"So says you," Raye retorted. "This better be worth it."
"Oh, come on, of course it will! At the very least to see our friends perform! It's the least we can do!"
The raven-haired girl sighed. "I know. I guess I just don't like to wait. Sorry about that." She cupped her chin in her hand and let her eyes wander around the room. When they reached a certain table, she gasped and raised her head. "Mina!" she whispered fiercely. "Three tables behind you! I think I see Darien!"
"Where?" the bubbly blonde asked, looking over her shoulder. She too saw the ebony-haired young man and gasped. "You're right! It's him!" she choked out. "I wonder where he's been? Boy, is Serena going to be relieved!"
"Maybe not," Raye said. "Take a closer look. I think he's in a wheelchair."
"You're kidding!" Mina said incredulously as she did as requested. "Oooo, I think you're right again. I think I see handles, but the table is hiding the wheels from this angle."
"I wonder what happened."
The blonde turned back to face her friend. "Me too. Should we go over and ask?"
"No way. Darien would never tell us. We'll have to see what we can find out from Andrew. I'm sure he knows."
"Right."
Mina would have continued, but just then a long dress coat covered individual slipped out from behind the curtain. A familiar double-bunned hairstyle topped her blonde head, and her ponytails streamed behind her as she dashed over to her friends' table. "Mina!" she whispered desperately. "I need your help!"
"Make-up problems?"
Serena scowled. "No. They're having problems with the microphones they're clipping inside some of the instruments and we need to do something to entertain the crowd in the meantime."
"Need ideas?" Mina asked with a twinkle in her sky blue eyes.
"Not exactly," the petite blonde said with a smile. "I was thinking more along the lines of helping Amy, Lita and me with an idea we already came up with. None of the other girls in the swing choir will do it. They said it was too embarrassing. But it'll be fun!"
Raye's eyes narrowed. "What are you thinking, Meatball Head?"
"Well, we found a tape filled with funny English songs in the chorus room a while back, and we were thinking that we could lip sync one of them. But we'd need you to do it, Mina. You'd be perfect for the role. That and Amy will feel a bit more comfortable with another friend on stage with her. Please?" Serena batted her eyelashes at her fellow blonde.
Mina bit her bottom lip as she stared at her friend and considered the idea. "What song and what do you want me to do?"
Serena flashed her thousand-watt grin and leaned into the other blonde's ear, whispering the information. Mina's eyes grew wide and she started to laugh. "What do you say?" the coat-covered girl asked expectantly.
"Sure! I can do that! Let's go!" Both girls laughed as Mina followed Serena back stage.
Raye shook her head as she watched them go. "It must be a blonde thing," she sighed.
(cut to...)
(scene change...)
Darien had also seen the exchange at the other table, Serena dashing out having caught his eye. He could only wonder what in the world was going on. Although knowing Serena - and what she had done to the hapless Dr. Turner - it would be most entertaining. He couldn't wait.
And he didn't have to for long. About ten minutes later, the choir director came back on stage - fighting a smile, Darien noticed - and made her way once again to the front. "Ladies and gentlemen, to entertain you while we fix a small technical problem, a few members of our swing choir would like to entertain you with a... performance shall we say, of a fun song from America. Allow me to present Serena Tsukino, Lita Kino, Amy Mizuno, and their friend Mina Aino!"
The woman stepped back behind the front curtain, and soon after it parted allowing the first three girls to step forward into a spotlight focused just in front of the piano where the dance floor started. If Darien had been drinking something he would have done a spit take. Lita and Amy were dressed nicely in matching strapless gowns with full skirts, one dark green and the other ice blue. But it was Serena's outfit that caused such a violent reaction. She was wearing tight white jeans, pink jelly shoes, and a fuzzy pink crop top sweater with short sleeves. Her hair was still done up in its usual style, but she had such a vacant look on her face Darien was hard pressed not to burst out laughing. And then the music started.
"It was homecoming night... at my high school," Julie Brown began in dramatic fashion, Serena lip-syncing along with wide-eyed blinks of her large sapphire blue eyes and a quick dip of her knees and Amy and Lita right there with her ooing as the background singers. "Everyone was there, it was totally cool." The blonde swept her arm toward the audience melodramatically - which Darien was sure was going to be the theme for this number. "I was real excited, I almost wet my jeans." A snort escaped the young man when she squeezed her knees together and almost squatted briefly. "'Cus my best friend Debbie... was homecoming queen." Another spotlight flashed on, revealing Mina, red bow and all, in a strapless pink gown similar to Amy and Lita's, glittering tiara on her head, and carrying a ridiculously large bouquet of flowers cradled on her left arm.
"She looked so pretty... in pink chiffon (chiffon), riding the float with her tiara on (tiara on)." Serena pointed at her blazingly smiling friend, gesturing even more as Julie Brown stressed the word tiara in the second line of that verse. "Holding this humongous bouquet in her hand (bouquet); She looked straight out of Disneyland." The lead singer shifted from singing mode to "sharing-a-secret" mode in the blink of an eye and leaned toward the audience. "You know like the Cinderella ride? I mean definitely an E-ticket (E-ticket, oooo)." She shifted back, her expression as ditzy as it ever was. "The crowd was cheering; Everyone was stoked (was stoked)." Again she bopped into conversation mode, hands on her hips. "I mean it was like the whole school was totally coked or something." Back to singing. "The band was playing... Evergreen... when all of a sudden... somebody screamed."
She and Amy turned to look dramatically at Lita. "Look out! The homecoming queen's got a gun!" The tall brunette looked horrified as she pointed across the stage, but not as much as Amy, who synced the sharp scream that echoed through the gym.
Mina, while all this was going on, pulled a large toy gun out of the flowers she had been holding and held it up like a trophy. The beat to the song picked up and the three girls sang the chorus. "Everybody run; The homecoming queen's got a gun. Everybody run; The home-coming-queen has got a gun." Serena somehow managed to put a completely serious, yet totally devoid-of-thought look on her face as the song got... "serious" and she took up the lead again. "Debbie's smiling, and waving her gun, picking off cheerleaders one by one." Mina did as described, her large smile only getting more psychotic as she waved the gun around and pretended to shoot people in the audience. "Oh, Buffy's pom-pom just blew to bits! Oh, no, Mitzy's head just did the splits!" Serena clasped her hands together and did a knee dip as she acted out witnessing such a thing with that particular mentality. Darien couldn't help but laugh. "God, my best friend's on a shooting spree! Stop it, Debbie, you're embarrassing me!" Ditzy annoyance shone through every feature as Serena turned slightly to aim the last line at the still crazily grinning and waving Mina. "How could you do what you just did? Are you having a really bad period?" That was where Raye lost it as Serena put on her "blonde moment" face to ask the question. She pounded a bit on the table, just missing the duffle bag sitting there that was sporting two cats' heads sticking out of it. The two guardians were struggling not to laugh.
"Everybody run; The homecoming queen's got a gun. Everybody run; The home-coming-queen has got a gun. (Stop it, Debbie, you're making a mess. Powder burns... all over your dress)" Serena straightened as she went into storyteller mode. "An hour later, the cops arrived. By then the entire glee club had died - no big loss." Her quick fall into skepticism got a laugh from the entire crowd. "You wouldn't believe what they brought to stop her. Tear gas, machine guns, even a chopper!" Serena blinked in vapid amazement. "Throw down your gun and tiara and step out of the float!" Everyone on stage looked up as the odd voice seemed to shout the words from above. "Debbie didn't listen to what the cops said." Serena's streamers flopped around as her and Mina's heads snapped back to face front. "She aimed and fired and now the math teacher's dead! Oh, it's really sad, but kinda of a relief, I mean, we had this big test coming up next week!" Serena's shock and sympathy quickly faded to an empty-headed smile as she reached the end of the line.
"Everybody run; The homecoming queen's got a gun. Everybody run; The home-coming-queen has got a gun. (Debbie's really... having a blast. She's wasting... half of the class)" Serena looked like she had some juicy gossip she just had to tell as the next verse began. "The cops fired a warning shot that blew her off the float. I tried to scream 'duck' but it stuck in my throat." She actually managed to look a bit scared. "She hit the ground and did a flip; it was real acrobatic." Mina somehow managed to pull off the maneuver - in the dress - as the lines were sung. She got a bit of applause for that one. "But I was crying so hard I couldn't work my Instamatic." Serena pulled a one-shot camera from out of nowhere then tossed it aside as she pouted. "I ran down to Debbie; I had to find out. What made her do it? Why'd she freak out?" Serena moved quickly over to the now prone Mina lying in her own spotlight on the other side of the stage and knelt on the far side of her near her head. "I saw the bullet had got her right in the ear. I knew then... the end... was near." She briefly bowed her head before continuing. "So I ran down, and I said - in her good ear," she turned toward Mina, "Debbie, why'd you do it?" She looked back at the audience. "She raised her head, smiled, and said, 'Ack, I did it... for Johnny.'" Mina once again followed the song, lip-syncing her part, and Serena catching her head as she let it fall back when she was finished. The kneeling blonde looked back at her. "Johnny? Well, like, who's Johnny? Answer me, Debbie, who's Johnny?" Mina's head then made a load thump on the stage as Serena dropped it and continued on, looking at the audience. "Does anyone here know Johnny? Are you Johnny?" she asked, pointing at a random classmate with the hand that had held the other blonde's head. "There was one guy named Johnny but he was a total geek. He always had food in his braces." She turned back to Mina. "Answer me, Debbie, who's Johnny?" She turned back to the audience with an empty yet horrified look. "Oh, God, this is like that movie 'Citizen Kane,' you know where you later find out 'rosebud' was a sled? But we'll never know who Johnny was 'cus, like, she's dead."
Serena stood and joined the other two standing girls, one on either side of her, as the electric guitars picked up and the drumbeat built to the repetition of the chorus. "Everybody run. The homecoming queen's got a gun. Everybody run. The home-coming-queen has got a... Everybody run." The three of them started to move back behind the curtain line. "Everybody run. The home-coming- queen has got a..." They moved completely out of the spotlight and behind the piano as the instrumental started to fade out.
As it did, the curtain closed. Unnoticed by anyone until it was too late was the fact that Mina had never moved from her position sprawled out on the floor. The curtains crashed into her, causing her to yelp a bit in surprise and partially sit up. The guys in charge of the large piece of fabric quickly moved it back, and Serena dashed forward and sheepishly grabbed her friend to drag her back. That was when she noticed a familiar ebony-haired young man sitting in his wheelchair laughing with tears running down his face. She nearly dropped Mina once again, but somehow managed to pull her back despite her shock, and the curtains closed.
"Thanks, Serena. I forgot about the curtain," Mina said, smiling.
"Sure, Mina, anytime," Serena responded, totally distracted.
"Hey, girl, are you okay?" The taller blonde began leading her friend off stage while the jazz band set up.
"Um, yeah, I just saw someone I wasn't expecting to see."
"Who was that?" Lita asked as the two blondes joined her and Amy.
"Did you see Darien?" Mina asked, practically jumping up and down.
"Darien?" Amy asked, pulling them toward the locker room they were using as a dressing room. "Darien's out there? How is he?"
"He's in a wheelchair. I suppose that explains why he hasn't been around. See, Serena, it wasn't your fault." Mina was bubbling over with excitement as they moved quickly into the right room.
Serena managed to smile while Mina quickly changed back into her red dress slacks and band uniform style jacket. "No, I guess it wasn't. I'll have to ask him about this later, I suppose."
"Yeah, we all will. But for now, we need to get changed! Thanks for the save, Mina! We really appreciate it!" Lita grinned.
"Anytime! It was fun! Now hurry up! People out there are waiting for a show!" The homecoming queen gave the trio one last V for victory and dashed out, not realizing she still wore the tiara.
The remaining girls just laughed and did as they were told.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Mina dashed back to her table, stopping short as she noticed the duffle bag resting on it. "I knew I forgot something," she muttered sheepishly as she sat down.
Artemis stuck his head out. "That figures. Do you know how stuffy it gets in here?"
"I'm sorry. But at least Raye let you out in time to see us perform, right?"
"You girls have a knack for entertaining people, that's for sure," Luna said as she also stuck her head out.
"Is this going to be a weekly occurrence?" Artemis asked with a grin.
"Good gods, I hope not," Raye said, rolling her eyes.
"Oh, it's been fun!" Mina countered. "You have to admit that!"
"No, I don't." The priestess' words were serious, but the corners of her mouth were twitching.
"So you're telling me that if Serena would have needed another person you wouldn't have gone on stage?" the blonde pressed, a knowing glint in her eyes.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far," the raven-haired girl said dismissively, unable to stop the grin that was forming.
"Heck, I enjoyed it at the very least," Artemis chimed in impishly, his pale blue eyes sparkling with mirth.
"See? Artemis enjoyed it," Mina said wheedlingly.
"Even I enjoyed it," Luna said mischievously.
The other three occupants of the table looked at her incredulously for a moment, then all four broke out laughing, the two cats ducking back into the bag to muffle their sounds.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Darien watched Mina slip back to her table after he had finally recovered and snickered at the sight of the tiara still on the blonde's head. He raised an eyebrow as the two cats popped their heads out of the duffle bag on the table, then jumped as he felt a hand on his right shoulder. His head swivelled quickly to find Andrew standing there staring at him incredulously with a half smile on his face.
"So who are you all dolled up for?" the blond young man asked, a twinkle in his eye.
Darien smirked. "Oh, you know. I'm just out to try to make an impression on your fan club. Maybe if I dress nice they'll notice me."
"You realize of course that I nearly had a heart attack when I saw you sitting here earlier."
"Darn. And I was so close."
Andrew smacked his friend's arm. "I'm serious! Why are you here? And why did you decide not to hide out in layers of clothes?"
Darien's expression grew sober. "She believes in me, Drew. I wasn't going to come, so she told me it was okay. She trusted me to know when I was ready and said she believed in me, that I would be ready someday soon." His gaze dropped to his lap. "Even though it hurt her that I wasn't going to come, she said that, Drew. She believes in me. And for that reason alone, I couldn't let her down."
"I see." Darien looked up at his friend's words to find his emerald green eyes filled with tears. "Then I guess I have a lot to thank her for."
"What are you talking about? What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, Dare. That's just it. I finally have my best friend back. I was so afraid I'd lost you somewhere in that accident. But you're back."
"Andrew, if you haven't noticed, I'm still in the chair. I'm not back."
"You idiot. Your body is just a shell. It was your personality I was worried about, the real you. The you that was buried under all the pain and fear and hopelessness. Somehow Serena found it and made you want it to come out again. And I can't thank her enough for it. I missed you, Darien. It's good to have you back." He leaned over and hugged the young man in the wheelchair.
Darien blinked and involuntarily returned the embrace. "I don't know what to say, Drew. I guess I never knew you cared that much."
Andrew stepped back and wiped away the tears that had spilled down his cheeks. "Well, now you do. Did you want to move over to our table? Rita would love to talk to you."
The ebony-haired young man smiled. "No thanks. You deserve some time alone. Besides, Serena has a better chance of seeing me here. I want to make sure she knows I made it since it meant so much to her. Maybe we can talk later."
The blond young man returned the expression. "That'll work. Enjoy the rest of the show. It's supposed to be really good if the gossip I heard about it at the arcade is true."
"I'm sure it will be. Serena and the girls have already proven they can put on a show."
Andrew laughed as he turned to go back to where Rita was waiting. "That's definitely true. Later, Dare."
Darien gave one last little wave as the blonde walked away and the lights began to dim once more. The piped-in music cut off, and the sounds of a live band playing filled the gym. The front curtains opened, revealing the jazz band decked out in white tuxedos as they played a light tune. Carolyn Taylor stepped up to the microphone once again and lightly cleared her throat. "Ladies and gentlemen, may I introduce the Juuban Middle School swing choir!" She swept her arm out as she stepped off to the side of the stage and two lines of jogging singers poured out from behind the bandstand.
The large group quickly moved into a staggered formation on the dance floor as the band's music paused. Darien looked the people over in the few moments he had, finding Serena and Amy in the front row due to their height, and Lita, her hair out of its customary ponytail, in the back for the same reason. The boys were wearing black dress slacks and shoes, white dress shirts, and black vests and bow ties with silver sequins. The girls were wearing short black dresses with a round collar close to the neck, short flare sleeves and a slit in the front of the A-line skirt that only hung maybe twelve inches from the waist, leaving about three quarters of their thighs showing. There was a band of silver sequins where a belt would have been, and the way the sequins were spread over the rest of the dress made it look like it was raining from their shoulders and gathering at the hem. He took one last look at Serena, taking note of the fact that she had gotten her hair out of the way by braiding her streamers and looping them back into the buns. He thought she looked beautiful. And then they broke into "Jump, Jive, and Wail."
The group danced their way through three more lively tunes then broke the pace with a beautiful slow ballad. Then the pace picked up once again with "String of Pearls," Darien recognizing the song from Serena's singing in his kitchen. As they continued through the rest of their set, the ebony- haired young man was amazed to see that twenty eighth graders could move together with such precision. Their movements were sharp and in sync, creating a gorgeous display. His heart swelled with pride that his Serena was a part of this.
The swing choir ended their set with a number that wasn't quite swing - a Broadway hit, "Lullaby of Broadway." The applause was thunderous when they lined up for a kick line near the end, and Darien could only be glad the girls had been wearing bloomers. Somehow the idea of Serena showing off her unmentionables to a crowd full of people didn't sit right with him. He pushed aside the odd feeling, and concentrated on enjoying the rest of the show.
The choir left the stage as they had made their entrance: they separated into two equal lines and ran off to either side of the band. At that point, Miss Taylor stepped up and announced that the jazz band would now be presenting its performance for the evening. They opened up with the Glenn Miller standard "Moonlight Serenade," and followed it up with a variety of songs from multiple famous big band groups. The crowd clapped and kept time, even venturing out onto the dance floor after a few pairs from the swing choir stepped out and encouraged them.
Darien let his attention wander, his hands absently tapping his armrests with the beat. Again he was startled by a hand on his person, this time the left shoulder. Turning around he found himself face to face with Mina, the duffle bag hanging from her shoulder and the tiara glittering under the lights. "Um, hi," he said a bit guardedly.
"Hi, Darien," she returned with a smile. "The first thing I wanted to do was thank you for coming. You may not believe it, but Serena was really worried about where you disappeared to. She was even kind of worried that she might have done something to make you go. But seeing you here like this - no offense - will make her feel better."
He tried not to smile as he realized how right the blonde was, but not in the way she intended. "No offense taken. So Meatball Head was really worried about me, huh? I'm flattered."
Mina's look grew stern. "Now don't you dare go rubbing it in her face. That's not why I told you."
"I was serious. Considering how I usually treated her I'm surprised she would care that much. I mean, I always knew she had a big heart, but still."
The girl's smile returned. "That's Serena. Cares about everyone. The other thing I wanted to ask was what happened? Raye and I thought we noticed you in a wheelchair and were wondering." Artemis and Luna popped their heads out at the question.
Darien tensed for a moment as he tried to read her expression. When he saw merely curiosity and a bit of concern, he tried to relax. "I was in a car accident. This is only supposed to be temporary from what they tell me."
Two sets of pale blue eyes widened while a pair of red-orange ones watched intently. "Oh, wow, Darien, I'm sorry! I'm glad it's only temporary though. You're too cool a guy to get stuck in a position like this, although you'd be cool anyway. If you ever need anything just let us know - especially Serena. I know she'd be completely willing to help out if she knew."
The bubbly blonde's lack of pity surprised him, but he couldn't help but smile at the irony of her last comment. "I think you're completely right on that last one, Mina. Serena's definitely the type to go the extra mile for someone who needed it, whether he realized he did or not." His smile grew gentle. "She completely floors me sometimes." Luna smiled as well at the statement, recognizing the look he had worn the Friday afternoon she had been at his apartment.
"Me too."
Darien completely missed the knowing grin on Mina's face as he noticed the occupants of the duffle for the first time. "How'd you manage to get the cats in here? And is that the Meatball Head's cat Luna?"
Mina giggled. "You wouldn't believe how many places this bag lets them get into. And yeah, that's Luna. The white one is my cat Artemis." She leaned over conspiratorially. "They're pretty much a couple but they just don't realize it yet," she said in a stage whisper. Both cats managed to look offended.
Darien couldn't help but laugh as he reached out and pet each animal. They purred. "Well, they're friendly enough. I think I'd have to say I like them."
"If only you knew..." she sighed, letting her voice trail off. "Anyway, I think I should get back to my table. I'm sure Raye is waiting." They both glanced over and saw an empty table. "Or not," Mina finished ruefully.
"I think I see her on the dance floor with that guy they have working at the temple," Darien said, gesturing in the couple's general direction.
"Oh! She's dancing with Chad! How cute!" The blonde giggled. "I think I'll go wait for her at the table anyway. Then I can grill her about that dance when she sits down! Talk to you later, Darien!"
"Sure, Mina," he replied as she waved and bounced back to her seat.
That wasn't so bad, he thought, letting his attention wander once again. I'm surprised how easy that was. And she didn't pity me. There was sympathy and concern, yes. But no pity. That's going to take some getting used to.
He was sitting there lost in his thoughts when Luna surprised him by jumping into his lap. "Okay, that startled me. You need to be more careful, Luna. You nearly gave me a heart attack." She mewed contritely. "You're forgiven. So what made you decide to sit with me, huh? Better seat?" She mewed again. He laughed. "I should have known. Well, I guess I don't mind the company. Feel free to get comfortable."
Luna had curled up in his lap facing the stage when the odd pair noticed Serena standing just off stage covered in a robe glancing between the instrumentalists and the audience. The jazz band had just finished a Christmas piece, and the director stepped over to the microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Juuban Middle School jazz band would now like to present our rendition of one of our favorites by the famous band leader Glenn Miller, Tuxedo Junction." He turned back to the band and they started the number.
Serena made eye contact with Darien at that point, pointed, and giggled. She mouthed 'This is for you' before giving a wave and disappearing back stage. The ebony-haired young man just sat there confused while Luna stared, thinking, at the spot the petite blonde had stood. The black cat's earlier suspicions about the possibilities surrounding Darien were coming closer to a conclusion, and if it was correct would cause her to rethink her entire position. She liked Darien, and trusted him with Serena. Would she have to extend that trust...?
The appearance of a pair of familiar looking young ladies made Luna put a hold on those particular thoughts. They looked beautiful in the gowns they had worn for their impromptu performance before the main show, and Lita had even gone so far as to do her hair in an old fashioned style - straight with the ends and bangs curled under. They walked over to the table across from Darien and the guardian and pulled two of the three young gentlemen onto the dance floor. The girls proceeded to teach their partners the rudimentaries of swing dancing to the unheard accompaniment of their observers' laughter.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
About ten minutes later, the jazz band finished their set and the curtain was drawn. Sounds could be heard coming from behind the barrier that suggested the movement of various items, along with whispered directions and commands. Finally, everything went quiet, and the stage lights shifted to focus on a particular area of the stage. The choir director once again walked out smiling to stand before the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, once again I'd like to thank you for coming to our Christmas concert. And now I'd like to present the big-band-era part of our program. Here you will see the best of the best of our swing choir, performing solos and other small combinations as though they were really the singers for a big band or orchestra. So please give a big hand to Chance Devereaux and his orchestra!" She stepped quickly off stage with a sweep of her hand, the curtain parting as she went, revealing the band director standing before the square microphone in a white tuxedo like the rest of the band members.
He smiled as the teenagers behind him seemed to fidget a bit. "Hello, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to be here tonight, performing in the famous Juuban Ballroom. For our first number, I'd like to present one of our female soloists, Serena Tsukino, singing 'Pick Yourself Up' for your listening pleasure."
His arm swept out, and Serena swept out onto the stage, wearing an ivory dress with long sleeves that were puffed out a bit at her shoulders and tapered down tightly along her lower arm. There were small silvery sequins arranged in a simple design revealing a pattern of vines with leaves that drew attention from the V-neck collar and full skirt to the tight waist of the garment that showed off her hourglass figure. Her hair was back in its customary style and even had small ivory bows tied around the buns. All in all, she looked beautiful. Darien couldn't have torn his eyes away if he wanted to.
"Thank you, Chance," her light, lilting voice said as she stepped up to the microphone and the director moved back to his position in front of the band. She turned one of her thousand-watt smiles on the audience. "I hope you all like this number. I'd definitely have to say this is something like a theme song for me. You'll understand when I'm finished." She winked outrageously and gestured to the waiting Mr. Devereaux. The beginning strands of the song started to echo through the waiting throng then stopped as Serena started the first part of the lyrics.
"Pick yourself up, take a deep breath; Dust yourself off and start all over again." And the background music started in full measure. The petite blonde smiled as she continued. "Nothing's impossible I have found; For when my chin is on the ground; I pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again."
Darien didn't need to wait until she was finished to understand her opening words. The song was undeniably her. And at four other tables, people, along with the cat in his lap, had reached the same conclusion.
"Don't lose confidence if you slip; Be grateful for a pleasant trip; Just pick yourself up and dust yourself off; Start all over again." Serena was singing like she was truly trying to pass along the message to the crowd. Darien couldn't help but think she was a born entertainer. Well, at least she was someone who knew how to play a crowd. He could only hope she'd end up doing something that let her use such a wonderful gift.
The petite blonde turned passionate as she went on. "Work like a soul inspired till the battle of the day is won; You may be sick and tired, but you'll be a man my son." She gave Darien a wink as she made eye contact briefly. "Will you remember the famous men; Who had to fall to rise again? So take a deep breath, pick yourself up; Dust yourself off, and start all over again." She acted out the words of the chorus as she sang them then moved around to the beat as the band covered the interlude.
"Don't lose confidence if you slip; Be grateful for a pleasant trip; Just pick yourself up, dust yourself off; And try to start over again." She proceeded to skat her way through the equivalent of a verse before continuing on passionately. "You gotta work like a soul inspired till the battle of the day is won. You may be sick and tired, but you're gonna be a man my son!" Her tone turned playful. "Will you remember the famous men; Who had to fall to rise again? So take a deep breath..." She did then released it. "Pick yourself up..." She pretended to grab the scruff of her neck and pick herself off the ground a bit. "Dust yourself off..." Again she followed the lyrics. "And have a nice trip..." She gave the crowd a mock salute. "And start all over again!" Serena threw her hands into the air as she finished the song with a giggle.
When the accompaniment faded out, the audience broke into thunderous applause, led by the whoops and hollers of Mina and Raye who jumped up in their excitement. Serena laughed and gave a bow before throwing out one final wave and jogging off stage.
Darien didn't even hear the next few numbers - there were two guys' solos and a quartet - due to the fact that he was too busy reliving the moment of her triumph when she finished her solo. He had been happy to see that Serena had gotten the honor of the first song of the second program. And the way she looked! But it was at the end before she took her bow that stayed burned in his mind's eye. Her eyes shining beyond anything he had seen before, her smile that put her thousand-watt grins to shame - something inside him held onto the hope that he might be able to someday produce that kind of response, that he could possibly make her that happy. After everything she had done for him and everything she had gone through to do it, it was the least he could even contemplate doing for her.
The other female soloist came out then, and Darien found himself constantly comparing the girl to Serena. Her hair was a darker blonde and didn't shine as much as his Meatball Head's golden tresses. Her pale green eyes didn't sparkle with life like a certain pair of sapphire blues. Her voice wasn't as clear, and she seemed to be having trouble hitting and holding the higher notes. She didn't fill out the dark red dress she wore nearly as well as Serena had filled out her previous outfits although she was taller and had a bit larger assets. She didn't seem able to capture the audiences attention like the petite blonde before her had, and she didn't sing with as much enthusiasm. She merely paled in comparison with Serena.
And that was proven to the entire crowd when Serena glided onto the stage for the next number. She now wore a rich, dark green velvet dress with short puffy sleeves and a long full skirt. Again it was a V-neck collar, and silver sparkles caught the spotlight from all over the material. Matching green velvet bows decorated her buns, and a silver chain was around her neck, with a silver rose charm nestled in the hollow of her throat. Darien couldn't help but bless the person that had come up with the waist-hugging style prevalent in the era the choir was recreating. Serena's figure was definitely shown off at an advantage.
The petite blonde's smile was sweet as she stepped up to the microphone and glanced around the room. She winked at Darien when she made eye contact then made a gesture to the band leader to begin. This was a slower number, and the slim girl's hips swayed slightly to the beat before she began the first verse. "I went to London town; To clear up my mind; Then on to Paris for the fun I could find; I found I couldn't leave my memories behind; Where can I go without you?" Her voice rang out with complete sincerity as her eyes traveled the crowd. When she reached the end of the verse she reached out and locked gazes with Darien, startling him.
She went back to her perusal of the audience as she took up the second verse. "Tried seeing Singapore, but that wouldn't do; Went to Vienna but I found you there too; Even in Switzerland your memory came through; Where can I go without you?" She did the same thing she had done during the first verse, Darien shuddering a bit at the emotion in her voice and eyes as she played with the notes of the final line.
"I wanted travel, I wanted romance; I chased that rainbow across the sea; I'm tired of faces and quaint old places; If you can't be there with me." She finally broke contact with the ebony-haired young man and gave her attention back to the others.
"Back on the boat again and farewell to France; Farewell to London town, they haven't a chance; I'll trade the sights I've seen for one loving glance." Serena stared at Darien once again as she sang the last three words. "Where can I go without you?"
The petite blonde let her eyelids fall shut as she swayed along with the instrumental bridge, and a soft smile slowly made its way onto her features. Halfway through the break, her sapphire blues were revealed once again, and no one in the audience could miss how enraptured she was with the music, obviously lost in its depths and happy to be there. Her voice revealed the passion she felt as she continued with the last part of the song.
"I'm tired of faces and quaint old places; If you can't be there with me; Back on the boat again and goodbye to France; So long to London town, they haven't a chance; I'll trade the sights I've seen for one loving glance; Where can I go... Where can I go... Where can I go without you?" She made eye contact with Darien one last time as she stretched out the repetition of the short chorus. "Oo, oo, where can I go without you?" Her voice was soft and powerful as she played with the tones of the final repeat. She held the last note until the orchestra finished the short ending sequence and they cut off together. She only looked away from the young man in the wheelchair when the loud applause started, bringing her back to the real world. She grinned and waved in appreciation then dashed off stage.
When Serena was finished, Luna looked up at the young man whose lap she rested in. She had been watching him off and on while her charge had been performing through this part of the show, and had taken note of the totally pole-axed expression that tended to cross his features as he watched the petite blonde. She was sure he cared more than he even realized, and it was then that she came to the conclusion that if her earlier suspicions about him turned out to be true she would extend her trust. He couldn't hurt Serena. It would take a powerful outside force to make him even consider it.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Serena dashed back to the dressing room after she got off stage. She fortunately had the excuse that she had to change for her next number, allowing her to get away from everyone else as she started to hyperventilate. She couldn't believe herself! Why didn't she just wear a big sign saying "I love you, Darien!" in bold red marker on her chest? That would have been as subtle as the way she just sang that song!
"Oh, I couldn't help it," she muttered to herself as she dug out the garment bag holding the outfit she'd need to change into. "When I met his eyes I couldn't look away. It's like fighting the tide."
"What's like fighting the tide, Serena?" a soft voice asked from behind her.
The blonde spun around, causing her unzipped dress to nearly fly off her body. "Amy!" she exclaimed to the girl standing before her. The blue-haired girl wore a robe that hung to the floor as she looked at her friend curiously. "I didn't realize you were in here!"
"Obviously, or you wouldn't have been talking out loud to yourself. What's going on, Serena?"
"I..."
"It's about Darien, isn't it?"
"Well..."
"It's about the fact that Darien is the patient from the hospital you've been taking care of for the past three weeks, isn't it?"
Serena was shocked. "How...?"
Amy smiled. "It wasn't too hard to put two and two together once I knew he was here and in a wheelchair. But don't worry. I understand why you didn't say anything, especially when we asked about him."
"Did I give him away that easily?" The petite blonde looked stricken.
"No. It's just that you were taking care of a young man in a wheelchair, and my mom has been shooting him looks all night. Shocked looks, like she never expected him to be here. That and all the other little facts I know about the three of you made it easy to tell. But what were you talking about?"
Serena blushed. "Um, well, I don't know if I should say..."
Dark blue eyes grew wide. "You have feelings for him, don't you? You've learned to care for him!"
The blonde girl gasped sharply. "Am I that obvious? Oh, no! He's not ready for that yet! What am I going to do? I knew I should have tried harder not to look at him while I sang that song!"
"Serena!" Amy shouted to stop the tirade. "I got that from your blush, not the song. Although I'm sure you left him quite confused." She paused and smiled gently. "I'm happy for you, Serena. I hope you end up happy. I know you'll do a lot of good for him."
"I just hope I make him happy," she replied quietly. "That's really all I'm worried about."
"I think you do, Serena. He always lightens up when you're around. And you're the only person I've ever heard him go out of his way to tease. Only you can say what he's like when you're alone. But I think you two will be wonderful together. You'll see."
"Thanks, Ames. And you better not tell the others for now. I want him to find out from me when he's ready, not before."
"I understand completely."
"And now we really need to get ready for our number." Serena giggled. "This is going to be great!"
Amy gave her a nervous grin. "I sure hope so."
The two girls then rushed to get on their outfits for their upcoming performance.
(fade out...)
(scene change...)
Darien had spent the time after Serena's solo in shock. He kept remembering the look on her face as she sang about wanting one loving glance, and just couldn't comprehend why she looked at him of all the people in the room. Something inside him was overjoyed at the emotion she showed, but as before his heart was ignored, although it was a lot closer to being heard.
A guy and a girl sang a loving duet, a barber shop quartet bum-bum-bummed their way through a lively number, a tall lanky boy belted out a powerful ballad, and the second female soloist performed another song before Darien's attention was grabbed once again by the band director's words of announcement. "Ladies and gentlemen, now performing the World War Two classic 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' is the trio of Serena Tsukino, Amy Mizuno, and Lita Kino, otherwise known as the Andrew Sisters!"
The three girls came onto the stage at that point, smiling and laughing as they all pointed at Andrew and bowed. A quick glance revealed the blonde young man was blushing furiously while his girlfriend was snickering. The girls wore identical outfits: an American army uniform style top and pants number in khaki, cut to flatter the feminine figure, complete with hats and their black dance heels. Two extra microphones had been brought out, and the three of them each stepped up to one, Serena on the left, Amy in the middle, and Lita on the right.
The blonde signaled they were ready, and one trumpet started to belt out the opening instrumental measures. The three girls wore big smiles as they began singing in perfect harmony, Amy taking the melody while Serena and Lita took the high and low harmonies respectively. "He was a famous trumpet man from out Chicago way; He had a boogie style that no one else could play; He was the top man at his craft; But then his number came up and he was gone with the draft." They bopped back and forth with the beat in unison. "He's in the army now." They stopped and pointed, their weight on their right feet as they used that hand. "A-blowin' reveille." They shifted to the left. "He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B." They centered themselves and extended their arms downward, wrists bent and palms down.
They went back to swaying as they went on with the second verse. "They made him blow a bugle for his Uncle Sam; It really brought him down because he couldn't jam; The captain seemed to understand; Because the next day the cap' went out and drafted a band." They stopped swaying. "And now the comp'ny jumps." They hopped a bit in place. "When he plays reveille; He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B." They finished the verse as they had the last one.
"A-toot, a-toot, a-toot-dee-da-la-da-toot." They went back and forth with the beat as they sang the nonsensical syllables. "He blows it eight to the bar in boogie rhythm; He can't blow a note unless the bass and guitar is playin' with 'im." They did a knee dip as they scooped the end of the line. "He makes the comp'ny jump." Again they hopped. "When he plays reveille; He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B." As soon as they finished the line, Serena and Lita spun out and away from Amy and their microphones.
"He was our boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B." Amy became quite animated as she began her solo. "And when he plays boogie woogie bugle he was busy as a bzz bee." She jerked forward with a small stomp of her right foot each time she stressed a word. "And when he plays he makes the comp'ny jump eight to the bar; He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B; Doot, doot, doot, doot-dilly-ada, doot-dilly-ada, doot, doot; He blows it eight to the bar." The blue-haired girl got caught up in the music, her head moving back and forth sharply with the words as she extended her arms to the side slightly, palms out. "He can't blow a note if the bass and guitar isn't with 'im." She grabbed the microphone and slowly dipped it as she sang the line, hitting the bottom of the dip as she ground out the last word roughly. "A-a-a-a-and the comp'ny jumps when he plays reveille; He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B." She scooped up gracefully as she stutter-sang through the first word and went back to moving her head like she had before the dip.
As the band took up the instrumental interlude marking the end of the solo, Mina and Raye jumped to their feet and applauded their friend for all they were worth, causing Serena and Lita to laugh as they joined in. Soon everyone at Serena's parents' table, Andrew and Rita, and the five people at Dr. Mizuno's table were also standing and clapping. Darien only wished he could join them as he also applauded until his hands were sore. Amy, in response, blushed fiercely as she wore a huge smile filled with pride and happiness.
The clapping quieted as the blue-haired girl's partners moved back to their microphones and the interlude ended. "He puts the boys to sleep with boogie every night; And wakes 'em up the same way in the early bright; They clap their hands and stamp their feet; Because they know how he plays when someone gives him a beat; He really breaks it up when he plays reveille; He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B." Again they bopped back and forth to the beat. "Da, da, da-du-du-da-da; Da, da, da-du-du-da-da; Da, da, da-du-du-da-da; Da, da, da-du-du-da." They stomped forward like Amy had during her solo each time they sang a "da," first on their right feet then spinning before switching with every line. "A-a-a-a-and the comp'ny jumps when he plays reveille; He's the boogie woogie bugle boy of Company B!" They threw out their arms to the side, fingers spread wide, as they belted out the last Company B, shifting to a pose of Serena and Lita with their inside arms up and crossing behind Amy who bent her knees a bit and extended her arms down and out in front of her as the band finished out the number. Once again there was thunderous applause. The girls straightened and took a bow, laughing. They pointed one last time at Andrew, waved at the audience, and jogged off stage.
Darien watched them go, a smile firmly planted on his lips. Like he had told Andrew before, the girls certainly knew how to put on a show. He found he was thoroughly enjoying himself, and that surprised him. Maybe he was closer to being back than he had thought when Andrew had said it earlier. Now he just couldn't wait to see what other entertainment Serena and the others were going to provide.
He only had to wait a couple numbers before Serena stepped back on stage, this time with one of the boys and a male quartet that stood behind the pair. She was dressed in a pale blue, short sleeved dress that buttoned all the way up the front, topped by a wide collar common to the era. She wore a simple white sash around her waist, and matching white ribbons around her buns. He could just tell she was still wearing the silver chain and charm. The boys were wearing American army private uniforms, the dull khaki contrasting sharply with Serena's splash of color. He couldn't help but smile when the petite blonde gave him a quick grin and wink before leaning against the piano as the music to the duo's number began.
"Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me." the five males began. "Anyone else but me." The lead male singer sang the line solo and gave Serena a stern look. The blonde returned it with a wide-eyed innocent one. Darien found himself growling a bit. Like Serena would do such a thing! "Anyone else but me; No, no, no! Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me; Till I come marching home." The quintet finished off the verse.
"Don't go walkin' down Lovers' Lane with anyone else but me." Now the guy was wagging his finger at the young lady who had straightened next to the piano at the first "accusation." Darien again felt an irrational surge of anger at the boy. He knew this was just a song and they were acting it out, but the guy looked so serious. He just... knew Serena better than that. "Anyone else but me; anyone else but me; No, no, no! Don't go walkin' down Lovers' Lane with anyone else but me; Till I come marching home." Once again the five men finished the verse, the four in the background backing the lead up in four-part harmony.
"I just got word from a guy who heard from the guy next door to me; the girl he met just loves to pet and it fits you to a tee." The guy put his hands on his hips as he soloed the next few lines, looking like he truly suspected Serena of doing what he had been "told." Darien was coming really close to seeing red, and there seemed to be nothing he could do about it, no matter how much he realized how foolish the sentiment was.
"So don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me; Till I come marching home." Again it was the five males singing the verse out and letting the brief instrumental bridge take over.
Serena took the two steps over to her microphone and fixed the lead male singer with a stern look of her own as she started to sing in response. "Don't give out with those lips of yours to anyone else but me; anyone else but me; anyone else but me; No, no, no!" She waged her right index finger back and forth with each no and rested the hand on her hip. Darien found his rage gone, to be replaced by the beginnings of a serious case of jealousy. "Watch the girls on the foreign shores; you'll have to report to me; when you come marching home." She narrowed her eyes and thumbed toward herself as if to remind the guy who she was talking about, then put her fist back on her hip. Darien's vision went from red to green. After suspecting her of cheating on him, why did he deserve anything from her? Inwardly, the ebony-haired young man groaned. He knew he was blowing this way out of proportion, but could not help himself.
"Don't hold anyone on your knee; you better be true to me; you better be true to me; you better be true to me." She now waged her finger, her left hand on her hip, at the boy standing before her with raised eyebrows and crossed arms. Darien fought the urge to wheel himself out there and roll over his feet. "Don't hold anyone on your knee; you're gettin' the third degree; when you come marching home." She shifted her position so both hands were on her hips as she finished the verse.
"You're on your own where there is no phone, and I can't keep tabs on you; be fair to me; I'll guarantee; this is one thing that I'll do." She spread her arms and hands wide as she completed the last line. "I won't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but you; Till you come marching home." She crossed her arms as she began her promise, and gave the guy a big smile as she finished it. Darien felt an ache inside when he saw that, and for the life of him couldn't explain it. Although he did feel the urge to punch this guy's lights out. The lead only lightened up his stance after Serena sang her promise.
"Don't sit under the apple tree with anyone else but me; I know the apple tree is reserved for you and me; and I'll be true till you come marching home!" The six of them harmonized the end of the song, facing the audience. Serena and the lead guy gave each other a huge stage wink as they reached the last of the lyrics, then stepped closer and clasped hands as they bowed in response to the applause they received. The clapping died down as the six performers left the stage one by one. Darien was happy to see Serena had let go of the boy's hand.
It took the entire next number for Darien to get his emotions back in check and his viewpoint back in perspective. "It was just a song," he kept repeating to himself under his breath as he crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the stage where the pair had stood. "It was just a simple performance." What he couldn't understand was why he had gone over the top. "He doesn't deserve her," he finally muttered before letting it all go with a final exhalation of breath. A few more deep breaths had Darien back in balance, and ready for Serena's next number.
Luna heard the words the ebony-haired young man muttered to himself, and was hard pressed not to laugh. She had seen Serena's face earlier as well as his, and she certainly wasn't harboring any strange thoughts that her charge could care about anyone else. She also knew that Serena probably missed those violent thoughts and expressions that Darien had worn as she sang the duet, and so had no reason to respond. But if the blonde ever did... Luna could only hope that the girl wouldn't be singing any other song that would rile her current companion up anymore tonight.
Two more songs were performed before the meatball-adorned blonde returned to the spotlight. She wore a black dress with a deep V-neck and no sleeves. Directly below her breasts was a wide pattern of silver sequins in the design of intertwining vines. The skirt hung straight down loosely, and the vine design was repeated along the hem. Again she wore the silver necklace. Darien's breath caught at the sight of her. The logical part of his mind was amazed that although the V of the dress ended at the sequin "belt" there really wasn't any real cleavage to be seen. The rest of him, although disappointed in that fact, was amazed at just how sensual the dress really was. It didn't hug her form like her previous outfits had, yet her curves were just as obvious and tantalizingly out of reach. Now what song would she be singing that would justify a dress like this?
Trumpets blasted out the introduction to the song as Serena slunk up to the microphone. Finally she began after the piano had joined in. "Excuse me! Did you call yourself a love expert? Studied, graduated, and qualified to show me what it's all about? Oh, honey, talk is cheap! You're going to have to convince me!" She spoke the first lines in a tone of minor outrage, her hands on her hips as she moved her head back and forth as she gazed out at the audience.
"Did you say I've got a lot to learn? Well, don't think I'm tryin' not to learn. Right here is the perfect spot to learn. Teach me tonight." She grabbed the microphone, took it off the stand, and started to move across the dance floor toward the audience. "Starting with the ABC of it, right down to the XYZ of it; teach me the whole mystery of it; teach me tonight." She stopped at the edge of the open space and sang once again to the entire crowd. But as she hit the last line she turned her head and gave Darien a sultry look and smile. He started in surprise. Luna groaned. Here it comes...
"The sky's a blackboard high above us, and if a shooting star should fly by; I'll take that star and write 'I love you, I love you' a thousand times across the sky." She moved into the audience, keeping up the seductive look, singing to random people as she went along. Once again Darien found himself overcome with jealousy. What happened to singing to him? He shook his head to clear it of those thoughts - not that it worked.
"One thing isn't very clear my love. Should the teacher stand so near my love? Graduation's almost here my love. Come on and teach me tonight." Due to the fact that she needed to be careful of the cord that still connected the microphone to the stage, Serena walked into the tables a little ways and then straight back. Then she'd move to another area and do the same. She continued the bit of playing she had started, singing to random males in the crowd, unknowingly causing Darien's blood to boil. He didn't understand what he was feeling or why, but he knew he wanted her to stop what she was doing so he could find his sanity again.
Serena moved back to the dance area during the instrumental interlude where she scatted here and there in compliment. Her eyes tended to be closed as she did so, and Darien's gaze bore into her without her knowing. Part of him really wanted her to just look at him and understand what he was going through - he certainly didn't.
The large sapphire blues opened again and she started to move in Darien's direction as she started to sing lyrics again. "The sky's a blackboard high above you, and if a shooting star should fly by." She was about to strut by him on his right and make her way back further, but he quickly moved his hand out and stopped her by placing it on her hip. She managed to quickly suppress her surprise as she continued, singing to him. "I'll take that star and write 'I love you' a thousand times across the sky!" She couldn't help but have her heart in her eyes as she sang those very true words, but Darien was such a jumble inside he completely missed it. She, however, did see that jumble in his expression and backed off to finish the song in the center of the dance floor. "One thing, one thing isn't very clear! Should the teacher stand so near? Graduation's almost here! Come on and teach me tonight! Graduation's almost here, my love! Teach me, teach me tonight!" She belted out the end of the song, dropping her head to her chest as the music ended abruptly. The crowd applauded loudly, with a few whistles and whoops from Mina, Raye, and Sammy, surprisingly enough. Serena brought her head back up and couldn't help but laugh as she bowed quickly and started to make her way off stage. She spared one last look at Darien before disappearing completely behind the back curtain.
The girl was a bit confused, that much was certain. Why did he react like that? He almost seemed... jealous. But at the same time, she was sure he couldn't have explained why, not from the look of near-complete confusion mixed in with all the rest when he stopped her.
She sighed as she went back yet again into the dressing room to change. She loved the boy desperately, but he sure could be trying on the nerves. As she took the second to last garment bag out of her locker, an evil thought struck her. She knew exactly what she'd do for her next number. And not only would it reassure him, she'd get a touch of revenge, even if she was the only one who knew.
Darien sat with his face in his hands after Serena made her way backstage. He couldn't believe what he had done! And why in the world was he feeling this way about her singing to other guys in the audience the way she had? The answer was on the tip of his tongue, and his heart was desperately trying to drive it home, but he wasn't quite ready to listen. He was still jumbled up inside, and the dust had yet to settle. A little more time maybe...
Three performances went by before Darien raised his head at the sound of Chase Devereaux beginning some banter with a young woman he announced as a certain Serena Tsukino. Once again she looked lovely in her new outfit. She wore a red satin gown with a scoop neckline that hung slightly off her shoulders and elbow-length sleeves that ended with flares that brushed her wrists. The waist was snug, like most of the dresses she had worn before, showing off her hourglass figure once again, and flowed into the full skirt that hung to the middle of her shins. He figured the silver necklace with the silver rose was a new addition to her collection, as he had never seen it before, and obviously it meant a lot to her as she seemed to always be wearing it. It did look good nestled in the hollow of her throat.
Luna took this opportunity to jump from Darien's lap to the table beside him. The young man never noticed. She sat and waited for the proverbial ax to fall.
There was a long instrumental introduction once the banter had finished and Serena stood and smiled as she waited for her entrance. Finally it came and the ebony-haired young man was surprised to see her make and hold eye contact with him as she sang. "Oh, sentimental me and poor romantic you; Dreamin' dreams is all that we can do; We hang around all day and ponder; While both of us grow fonder; Lord knows where we're wandering to." As she finished the first verse she took the microphone and walked toward the wheelchair-bound young man watching her in wonder. "You sit and sigh, I sigh and sit upon your knee." She sat in his lap as she sang the line. Darien had no idea what to do with himself. "We laugh and cry and never disagree; A million kisses we'll make theft of." Here she kissed him briefly on the lips, causing the stunned man to blush furiously. "Until there's nothing left of poor romantic you and sentimental me!"
The orchestra went into the long closing instrumental of the song while Serena stayed firmly planted on Darien's legs. She smiled widely and hugged him, burying her face in his shoulder. "What do you think you're doing?" the young man whispered hoarsely into her ear. Fortunately for him the microphone was in her lap.
"Performing. What does it look like I'm doing?" She giggled a bit as she whispered back.
"Serena..."
She gulped softly. "Did I go too far?" she asked meekly.
He sighed. "I suppose not, but still..."
"You deserved to have a song sung to you after I practically ignored you with my last number. You looked a bit hurt when I nearly walked by you."
"Oh, Serena." His whisper was so soft the blonde nearly missed it.
She noticed the band was nearly finished and started to shift her weight so she could get up. "I'll talk to you later. Enjoy the rest of the show!" She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and stood, moving back to the microphone stand and replacing the device. The song ended and the crowd gave her a well-deserved round of applause. She bowed and smiled, then left the stage.
Darien stared after her, a small smile starting to creep onto his features. She had noticed his jumble of emotions during her last song. And as much as what she did to make up for it wasn't the way he would have handled it, the sentiment warmed his heart. Never mind the fact that he had to sit in the spotlight for most of the song. He sighed. So much for trying to stay anonymous. But he couldn't find it in himself to get angry at the lively young lady. She meant too much to him for that.
That next five numbers seemed to be a bit of a wind down of the second program. The solos and groups were good, but the feeling in the air was that this was coming to a close. Darien's suspicions were confirmed when Serena was introduced once again. "Ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to wrap up the second part of our program tonight with a song that wasn't originally produced in the thirties or forties, but we believe the feel of the song suggests it could have been and not been out of place," Chance Devereaux explained. "Presenting Serena Tsukino singing the Carpenters' hit 'Close to You.'"
With that the petite blonde stepped back on stage and glided to the microphone. She was wearing a modest V-neck velvet gown that hung to mid-shin and was a rich midnight blue so dark it could be mistaken for black in the right light. The bodice had a random smattering of tiny silver sequins, while they appeared to rain down from the waistline and each of the shoulders and puddle at the wrists and hem. The material hugged her tightly except for the slightly puffed shoulders and skirt that looked like it would flare nicely if she twirled. Her hair this time was different as well. Each streamer had been braided in a complicated configuration of three strands of hair and two thick ribbons, one midnight blue and the other black. Then each braid had been looped back into the topping bun like she had done during the first part of the program. To Darien she was a heavenly vision.
Serena gave the crowd a soft, brilliant smile before beginning. "Why do birds suddenly appear... every time... you are near? Just like me... they long to be... close to you." She locked gazes briefly with Darien and gave him a wink before continuing. "Why do stars... fall down from the sky... every time... you walk by? Just like me... they long to be... close to you." Now she looked directly at the ebony-haired young man. "On the day that you were born, the angels got together... and decided to create a dream come true. So they sprinkled moondust in your hair and golden starlight in your eyes of blue!" She winked once again and returned her attention to the audience. "That is why all the girls in town... follow you... all around. Just like me... they long to be... close to you."
She stood swaying slightly during the instrumental bridge with the same soft smile on her face she had worn the entire time, then "ah'd" the melody along with the second half before leading into a repeat of the last two segments of the lyrics. Again she looked at Darien as she sang. "On the day that you were born, the angels got together... and decided to create a dream come true. So they sprinkled moondust in your hair and golden starlight in your eyes of blue!" This time she didn't turn away as she continued. "That is why all the girls in town... follow you... all around. Just like me... they long to be... close to you." Her smile turned into a grin briefly as she winked and turned back to the crowd. She then "ah'd" and repeated the title of the song, and suddenly there was a complete harmony joining her as the rest of the swing choir slowly filed out and moved to the dance floor. Serena moved the microphone behind the piano and went to her place in the front of the group. They finished off the song and dropped their heads to their chests.
Darien noted that all the girls had on dresses like Serena's while the guys were wearing midnight blue collarless dress shirts with a silver top button and black dress slacks along with a black vest and dress shoes. The vests had the raining silver sequin theme to match the girls. It was an impressive sight.
The group raised their heads in unison as they began to sing the first song of the last third of the program. "Come, they told me, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; Our newborn king to see, ba-rum-bum-bum- bum; Our finest gifts we bring, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; To lay before the king, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum, rum-bum-bum-bum, rum-bum-bum-bum; So to honor him, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; When he comes." Three girls and three guys knelt down and sat on their folded legs, clasping their hands together as if in prayer. In front of them sat Serena in the dead center of the stage Indian style, while behind and between them standing on their knees were three girls, including Amy, interspaced with four young men, all of them with hands clasped like the others. Behind and between them stood the remaining three girls, Lita amongst them, and three guys, again with hands clasped. They bowed their heads and continued the carol. "Baby Jesus, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; I am a poor boy too, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; I have no gift to bring, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; That's fit to give a king, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum, rum-bum- bum-bum, rum-bum-bum-bum; Can I play for you, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; On my drum." They lifted their faces before beginning the last verse. "Mary nodded, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; The ox and lamb kept time, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; I played my drum for him, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum; I played my best for him, ba-rum-bum-bum-bum, rum-bum-bum-bum, rum-bum-bum-bum; Then he smiled at me, ba- rum-bum-bum-bum; Me and my drum... Me and my drum..." As the last note faded out the group again dropped their heads to their chests in unison.
The crowd applauded heartily, and Darien was once again impressed by the ability of these teenagers to move so perfectly together. He could definitely understand the appeal of this kind of thing.
He wasn't sure exactly why, but the Christmas carol didn't bother him. Normally when he would hear these songs on the radio at this time of year he would find himself lost in old memories and thoroughly depressed. His gaze fell on Serena as she and the others rose and went into a new formation to sing the next song. Yeah, that must be it, his mind realized. It's definitely Serena. I'm not alone this year. And that makes all the difference. A huge smile formed on his face as he finally got to enjoy the season as he'd always wanted to do before, only his loneliness had stood in the way.
The black cat watched the play of emotions wash across the delicate male features of the figure beside her with a sympathetic eye. She guessed he didn't get to feel this way very often, and could only be proud of Serena for introducing it to him. She decided that she would be better off back with Artemis and the others, and so made her way back to the table where Mina and Raye sat singing along with the carols. Again, Darien didn't notice Luna's departure.
The choir went through a full program of Christmas music before the majority of them moved aside, allowing their director to move forward with a microphone. The band fell silent as Serena, Amy, and Lita moved to stand before the antique device. There were no introductions as the trio began marking the beat in different ways, tapping in unison. And then Lita began singing.
"Riu, riu chiu, La guarda ribera; Dios guardo el lobo, De nuestra cordera." Serena and Amy joined in. "Dios guardo el lobo, De nuestra cordera." They broke into three part harmony. "Riu, riu chiu, La guarda ribera; Dios guardo el lobo, De nuestra cordera; Dios guardo el lobo, De nuestra cordera." Serena began to sing the first verse solo. "El lobo rabioso, La quiso morder; Mas Dios poderoso, La supo defender; Quisole hazer que, No pudiesse pecar; Ni aun original, Esta Virgin no tuviera." All three sang the chorus. "Riu, riu chiu, La guarda ribera; Dios guardo el lobo, De nuestra cordera; Dios guarda el lobo, De nuestra cordera." Serena then picked up the second verse. "Este ques nagide, Es el gren Monarcha; Christe patriarca, De carne vestide; Hanes redimido, Con se hazer chiquite; Aunque era infinito, Finito se hiziera." The other two girls joined in the chorus once again. "Riu, riu chiu, La guarda ribera; Dios guardo el lobo, De nuestra cordera; Dios guardo el lobo, De nuestra cordera!" The three of them finished off the song powerfully, cutting off sharply together after holding the last note for a few beats.
There was a brief moment of shocked silence before thunderous applause once again echoed through the building. Darien was thoroughly impressed that the girls had just pulled off such a beautiful song completely acappella. Only their voices had rung through the place, and Serena's in particular flowed through his memory again and again. They definitely had talent.
"That song is called 'Riu Chiu,' a Spanish Christmas ballad credited to Mateo Flecha the elder who lived from 1481 to 1553. You'll find a contextual translation in your programs." Serena then took the microphone and returned it while the other two shifted with the rest of the choir to take up new positions on the dance floor. The petite blonde joined Amy when she was finished at the far right of the two lines that had formed, girls in front, guys in back.
"On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, a partridge in a pear tree," the group sang in unison, everyone putting their hands together above their heads like a Christmas tree as they sang the last part of the line. "On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Two turtle doves," Amy and Serena sang, balancing on one foot rising up and down on the remaining leg as they flapped their arms. The audience tittered in amusement.
"And a partridge in a pear tree," the group finished, repeating their previous action with the line. "On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Three French hens," three girls on the opposite end of the line from the previous duo sang as they crossed one foot in front of the other and curtseyed.
"Two turtle doves," the same duo sang, repeating their actions.
"And a partridge in a pear tree," the group finished once again. "On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Four calling birds," the four girls next to the turtle doves sang as they cupped their mouths with their hands and leaned forward slightly.
"Three French hens," the trio sang and repeated their actions.
"Two turtle doves," Serena and Amy sang in their deepest voices, getting a chuckle from the crowd.
"And a partridge in a pear tree. On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, five golden rings!" Five pairs of people, three sets of girls and two guys, turned to face each other and extended their arms together to form large rings.
"Four calling birds."
"Three French hens."
"Two turtle doves." Their completely rich and serious tone brought more laughter.
"And a partridge in a pear tree. On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Six geese a-laying," the girls sang, the six in the middle, including Lita, putting their hands on their shoulders and squatting slightly.
"Five golden rings!"
"Four calling birds."
"Three French hens."
"Two turtle doves." This time they were normal.
"And a partridge in a pear tree. On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Seven swans a-swimming," the guys sang, seven of them poking out between the girls and making swimming motions.
"Six geese a-laying."
"Five golden rings!"
"Four calling birds."
"Three French hens."
There was a slight pause before Amy and Serena turned sideways and started bopping back and forth, the blue-haired girl making rap beat noises and the blonde shifting her arms in and out with the beat. "Whoa! I said two... I said two... I said two turtle doves! Huh!" Serena rapped out the line, a blushing Amy joining in on the last syllable as they both turned their backs to each other and crossed their arms over their chests. Laughter ensued.
"And a partridge in a pear tree." The two rappers immediately joined the others in singing and moving with the end of the verse. "On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Eight maids a-milking," the girls sang, every girl but Amy and Serena pretending to milk a cow.
"Seven swans a-swimming."
"Six geese a-laying."
"Five golden rings!"
"Four calling birds."
"Three French hens."
"Two turtle doves!" The two girls sang the line completely out of tune as they returned to their original act for it. More snickering from the crowd.
"And a partridge in a pear tree. On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Nine pipers piping." The guys sang and pretended to be playing the flute.
"Eight maids a-milking."
"Seven swans a-swimming."
"Six geese a-laying."
"Five golden rings!"
"Four calling birds."
"Three French hens."
"Two turtle doves." Amy and Serena harmonized the line slower than normal, the blonde taking the higher part, as they stood and clasped their hands as if in prayer. The crowd chuckled.
"And a partridge in a pear tree. On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Ten ladies dancing." All ten girls sang as they cradled their left arm in front of their stomachs, arched their right arms above their heads and hopped on their left feet once while raising their right knees and crossing that leg slightly in front of the other.
"Nine pipers piping."
"Eight maids a-milking."
"Seven swans a-swimming."
"Six geese a-laying."
"Five golden rings!"
"Four calling birds."
"Three French hens."
"Two turtle doves." Back to normal.
"And a partridge in a pear tree. On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Eleven lords a-leaping." The young men proceeded to imitate the girls' last maneuver as they sang the line.
"Ten ladies dancing."
"Nine pipers piping."
"Eight maids a-milking."
"Seven swans a-swimming."
"Six geese a-laying."
"Five golden rings!"
"Four calling birds."
"Three French hens."
There was only soft muttering as Amy and Serena seemed caught up in a conversation, paying no attention to the performance going on around them. Suddenly they seemed to realize everyone went quiet and turned to face the audience a bit red-faced. "Uh, two... turtle doves," they stuttered sheepishly. Laughter followed.
"And a partridge in a pear tree. On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
"Twelve fiddlers fiddling," the girls sang as they mimicked the act.
"Eleven lords a-leaping."
"Ten ladies dancing."
"Nine pipers piping."
"Eight maids a-milking."
"Seven swans a-swimming."
"Six geese a-laying."
"Five golden rings!"
The four girls stuck their right hands out, thumbs, index, and pinky fingers extended and shook them as they started in on their line. "Brrrriing! Four calling birds!"
"Three French hens." The three girls slowed the pace down as they took their time curtseying.
"Two turtle doves." Amy and Serena followed suit with the pace, though the rest was normal.
"And a par..." the sopranos sang as they raised their arms.
"And a par..." the altos followed in harmony.
"And a par..." the tenors chimed in.
"And a par..." the basses followed up.
"And a partridge in a pear tree! My love!" The whole group harmonized the last line, the girls curtseying and the guys bowing as the males sang the last two words.
Darien was hard pressed to stop laughing as the two lines of teenagers stepped back and allowed the curtain to draw closed in front of them. The applause was near-deafening, Mina and Raye, this time joined by Sammy, Chad , Greg, Andrew, Rita, and the one guy the ebony-haired young man didn't recognize, leaping to their feet whooping, whistling, and calling for an encore. Darien joined them of course in the clapping, and was happy to see the curtains opening once again to reveal the group back in the positions they had taken during "The Little Drummer Boy." The band began to play.
"We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and happy new year! We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Good tidings we bring wherever you are, good tidings for Christmas and a happy new year! We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Good tidings we bring wherever you are, good tidings for Christmas and a happy new year! Good tidings to you wherever you are, good tidings for Christmas and a happy new year! We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year! We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a happy... new... year!"
The four-part harmony was sung strongly and full of feeling, everyone smiling and obviously meaning the words they sang. Once the last note was cut off, and the band finished the ending piece, there was a brief moment of silence before the instrumentalists picked up the tune again, this time much quieter. Carolyn Taylor stepped to the front of the stage to the far left with the microphone and stand and smiled at the audience as they applauded once again. "Thank you so much for joining us tonight, ladies and gentlemen. We have been honored to have been able to entertain you, and hope you had as much fun as we did this evening. Now I'd like to introduce our special performers of the night." She looked over her performers before continuing. "Adrian Ishiguro!" A short blonde young man with dark brown eyes stood and bowed to the accompaniment of clapping. "Robert Yamamoto!" A slightly taller boy with light green hair and eyes rose. "Miles Hirata!" Darien's smile faded briefly as he growled lightly when the tall, thin young man that had sung the male part of "Don't Sit Under the Apple Tree" stood, his black hair slicked back and pale gray eyes sparkling as he smiled. "Benjamin Kobayashi!" The tallest of all the guys stood, his bright red hair and green eyes standing out as much as his height. "Timothy Watt!" A brown-haired boy of average height stood, brushing his bangs out of his hazel eyes. "William Tanaka!" This young man was maybe an inch taller with dark purple hair and light blue eyes. "Olivia Barrow!" The second female soloist stood and smiled at the crowd. "Lita Kino!" The tall brunette stood laughing as Mina and Raye began their hooting and hollering again. "Amy Mizuno!" The blue-haired girl blushed as her friends got even louder. "And last but not least, Serena Tsukino!" This time, the entire audience broke into thunderous applause, causing the petite blonde to blush furiously even as she laughed and bowed in appreciation. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Juuban Middle School swing choir!" The rest of the group stood, bowed in unison, and ran off the stage in single file, the crowd continuing their applause until the band had ceased their tune and the curtains closed.
Darien sat and waited for the crowd to begin thinning out before even attempting to make his way backstage to congratulate his favorite Meatball Head in person. As he sat there he thought back over the night and realized he had just had a wonderful time. He had definitely been entertained, and Serena had just proven herself to be more and more beautiful every time she walked onto the stage.
He stopped and rethought at that. Why did Serena's beauty stand out so much? Not that she wasn't good-looking or anything, but why did it stick out so much in his mind? Why could he still see the sparkle in her sapphire blues as she smiled her thousand-watt grins and graciously accepted the well-earned applause the audience gave her? And why did she stir such deep emotions during each of her solos with the way she looked at him - or someone else in the case of "Apple Tree"? And especially why could he still feel the slight pressure of her lips against his own from the quick kiss she had given him before leaving his lap at the end of "Sentimental Me"?
In an attempt to quiet his confusion, he closed his eyes and tried to clear his head. He then concentrated on finding the center of himself, hoping to see the source of the jumble of emotions that he had been feeling - not just tonight, but since Serena had stumbled across him at the hospital. He found that center in quick order, and it was then that he realized the answer to his dilemma, his midnight blue eyes snapping open in surprise. The reason for it all, the confusion, the happiness, the fear, the strength, the hope... was Serena. When he saw her smiling face looking back at him in his mind's eye, he knew, and everything became clear.
"Oh, Gods... I love her. I am completely and utterly head over heels in love with Serena Tsukino," Darien whispered to himself. A smile began to creep across his features, and its brightness rivaled the sun itself.
