Short Chapter but still needed :0
Serena nodded and spun on her heel, attempting to take a step forward, and stubbed her toe on a raised sidewalk square. She knew she was going to fall, but instead of landing flat on her face, Darien caught her. His arm wrapped around her waist and her hair went flying over her shoulder. His strong arm knocked the wind out of her, but at least she wouldn't have a bruised nose.
"Are you okay?" He asked, showing genuine concern.
Serena stood up straight, and combed her hair with her fingers, "just fine thank you."
Darien shook his head, "no need for sass."
"I'll have you know that sass is the only class I'm A-cing."
"I believe that. Here, come sit down so you can stop tripping."
Serena sighed and sat down on a nearby bench, "so tell me now."
He'd gotten so distracted in watching her be so clumsy he almost forgot, "oh right."
"What is something you've never told anyone before?"
"Do I have to?"
"If you want my forgiveness, yeah."
"Um, well okay, I…don't have any parents." Darien shrugged like it was no big deal, but Serena was suddenly very serious and very concerned. She looked into his eyes but he wouldn't look back at her, and she could finally see all the pain he was trying so desperately to hide beneath all his sarcastic remarks.
"Oh, Darien, I'm so sorry…"
"It's okay."
"You've never told anyone that?"
"Well, I suppose there's more to it than that."
"Please, if you want to talk, I'm here for you"
Normally Darien would just shove it off and try to change the subject, but there was something about Serena that made him want to tell her, to tell her everything. Something very, very deep down wanted so much to even just be with her. Every time the bumped into each other, he couldn't help but smile as he teased her, it brought joy to him to see her bounce around, but he'd never admit it.
Darien sighed, "Almost exactly 12 years ago, my parents and I were driving to a baseball game, I was so happy, but then I wasn't. A car going the other way caused us to swerve off a cliff. I was in the hospital for so long I felt like I would never leave."
Serena started tearing up and without realizing it, had laid her hand on top of his, to comfort him.
"Darien," she sighed.
"It's okay," he replied.
"No, it's not okay…I had no idea, I'm so sorry."
"No, it's okay; it's not your fault. Right before I finally got out of the hospital, there was one thing that brought me more hope than anything else. I had had amnesia, I could remember my parent's faces and how happy I had been, but I couldn't even remember my own name. The doctors told me my name is Darien, but somehow that seemed wrong. I had no one. I was completely alone, but then this one day; this little kid came into my room with a bouquet of roses. She told me that I would never be alone, and she gave me one of her roses and laid her head in my lap."
An image flashed before Serena's eyes and realization washed over her, "did that kid have little blonde pigtails?"
Darien finally looked up into Serena's eyes, realizing that they were the same blue eyes that had comforted him all those years ago.
"It was you?"
"It was you?" Serena repeated. "My brother, he was born that day. I had those roses to give to my mom, but then I noticed you sitting in your room all alone, and I wanted to make you smile."
Darien couldn't help himself, he knew she may react poorly, but he wrapped his arms around her in a deep embrace, "I thought I'd never see you again."
Serena was surprised at first, but eventually returned the hug, suddenly realizing why he'd always been so mean to her.
"I'm sorry." Serena cried.
"Why are you sorry?"
"I wasn't there for you after that day, even when I said I would be."
Darien released her from her hug and looked deeply into her eyes, "you have nothing to be sorry for. It was your caring nature that saved me from myself. To this day," he reached into his coat pocket and unveiled a perfectly manicured rose, "I always carry one on me. If not to bring me hope, then sometimes to bring others some."
Darien gave the rose to Serena, and she smelled its sweet sent, noticing that it was the same sent she had smelled when she had gotten into his car that one day, or just earlier when he had caught her from falling.
"It's beautiful," she exclaimed.
"I'm sorry if my teasing has hurt you Serena."
She smiled up at him, "that's not my name- wait; no you actually called me Serena that time."
He nodded, "thank you, Serena. I now realize you've actually always been there for me."
"And apparently you for me," she said, standing up.
Darien followed her lead and stood as well, "I promise this time I'm not letting you go."
"What do you mean?"
"Serena, do you feel it?"
If he meant, do you feel the love? Well suddenly, Serena realized she did. Serena was only five, and Darien ten when they first met, but it was care at first sight, they knew somehow that they needed each other. And now that they remembered their past, they knew they couldn't ever be apart again. he needed her the way he needed air, and now that he finally had the person that had kept his hope alive all this time, he couldn't just let her walk away. So he tilted her chin up so that she was looking right at him, and he kissed her right there.