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5

Angering Zeus

Andrew drove the winding road back to Shieldston University in the dark of the night. Though his eyes were on the road his mind was far from the black concrete, it was in the clouds, thinking of his first kiss with Serena. It was true that he'd kissed many women before but this kiss had been different and he couldn't place his finger on what it was. He wanted to turn around and go back, throw in the towel and tell Dr. Shields that he wasn't cut out for the world of psychiatry but he was too invested now. He'd come too far to back out now and he knew that his professor wouldn't let him quit so easily.

The car passed the Shieldston city limits sign and he sighed as the mainly glass town loomed up around him. As much as he loved the city, at night time it seemed overly cold and hollow with its clean sharp lines and towering glass buildings. Darien had singlehandedly designed and oversaw the building of the town; and despite the well lit streets Andrew couldn't help but feel, that in the darkness, perhaps Darien had designed the town to feel like he did, empty. When he passed the long gated drive to his professor's mansion he frowned, it was a burden for him to know that Darien lived in that big house practically alone with his father and only brother. Despite his good looks, despite all of his success and money Darien Shields was alone, he had no one; and Andrew knew that all of Darien's musings into his personal life was so the lonely professor could somehow live vicariously.

Finally he pulled into the parking garage for the dorm and got out being sure to lock the door. With a lazy pace Andrew hulled himself to his room, unlocked the door, then went in and collapsed on the bed letting his exhaustion settle on him. "Oh… damn it. I'm going to be sore tomorrow… but… it was worth it."

The sound of frantic pounding woke Andrew from his deep sleep and one glance at the clock told Andrew he was going to be late to class unless he got up right at that instant. "Crap! No!" A desperate cry escaped his mouth just before he thrust the door open. The red headed woman standing on the other side of the door blushed when she saw Andrew's disheveled appearance. Wearing the same clothes as the day before he stood before her with a panicked look, his hair was standing up in all different directions much like a porcupine and his clothes were wrinkled and crooked. "Rita? Why are you pounding on my door like that?"

"You weren't out yet and I figured you needed a wake up call. I wouldn't want you to not be able to take the test." She smiled warmly hoping that he'd notice the kind gesture she'd just accomplished. Rita was Andrew's study partner and so wished that he'd see her as someone worth paying a little more attention to. Of course he was so preoccupied with his studies, meetings with the professor, and his new girlfriend that she didn't have a chance in the world to spark his interest. "Well… you look a little worse for the wear but… we need to get going or he'll lock us both out."

"Oh!" Andrew grabbed his keys and jacket then slammed and locked his door behind him as they both sprinted through the halls towards Darien's classroom. It would be a close race against the clock but hopefully, they could make it in time to take their test.

Darien stood at the front of the room with his hands behind his back fingering the shining silver key that would lock the door in only a few minutes. His eyes switching back and forth from the clock to Andrew's normal seat. He'd better make it. There's no possible way this girl can be worth a zero on a test. If he's been wasting my time I'm going to be so pissed. Darien mused to himself bitterly. There was nothing worse in his opinion, than wasting his valuable time and whomever attempted to get away with such a feat usually regretted rubbing shoulders with him afterwards.

The second hand ticked on and Darien squared his shoulders as he began his slow ascent to the door. In only a few seconds both Andrew and his study partner would be late, and therefore, they would forfeit their tests to large zeros in his grade book. He was halfway up the stairs when the two burst into the room, panting and out of breath from their long run from the dorms. "Sorry… Dr… Shields… we… were…" Andrew gasp and held his side as he tried to belt out his excuse for being late.

"You were almost late, and if rushing here from you dorms has made you this winded you're both in need of physical conditioning." Darien sneered angrily and locked the large wooden door as he saw a few more students running towards the door. Too late. He smiled then pivoted on his heels and began to descend the stairs listening to the desperate pounding on the door. It was a sound that empowered him, of all the things he could do to control the people around him denying them something because of an error they made could always reassure him of his power. "Clear your places, I only want to see pencils, no bulky erasers, no scraps of paper. You may be excused to go to the bathroom but if you stay in there for what I think is too long I will come and get you. Ladies, no exceptions." A wide grin stretched over his face as the entire class gulped in unison as he began to pass out the test. "Turn this over before I say and you're getting a zero." He cautioned scanning his deep blue hawk eyes over the crowd. Some students looked absolutely terrified, he wanted them to be terrified, the world of psychiatry was a cruel and scary world to those who can't handle it. To know everything about the human psyche was concerning at times.

As Darien neared Andrew he fingered the corner of the bottom piece of paper on the bottom of the stack. He wanted to give Andrew a reality check, he wanted to rattle his foundations, to let him know that he couldn't afford to fraternize with a childish teenage girl. However, when he came upon his subject Darien relented and gave him the true test, now was not the time to administer the fake test, it wouldn't do any good. With a sharp turn Darien strode to his desk and smiled a wide smile making all of the woman in the room sigh. "Okay, you may begin, fifty minutes sharp." Darien watched the hoard of people begin the test and lifted himself onto the top of his desk.

Andrew finished his test after checking his answers three times and grumbled. Though he felt he did well he wanted to do better than everyone else. When he looked up he saw Darien's eyes locked on him making his test suddenly felt heavier. Slowly, Andrew rose and walked to the front of the room with his paper outstretched before him. Darien smirked and grabbed the paper out of his hands then placed it upside down on top of the growing pile of completed tests. "Have a great day Andrew. I hope you did well. I'd hate to see you get a bad score because of a certain distraction."

"You and I can talk later okay? Right now I have to go and thank my study partner for waking me up so I could make it here." Andrew then turned and rushed up the stairs to the exit. He really just wanted to distance himself from the man who thought that love and companionship was a distraction rather than a gift; a clear indication that he'd never had anyone special in his life. Rita frowned as Andrew burst into the hall and leaned against the door taking deep breaths.

"Andrew? Are you okay?" She touched his shoulder causing him to jerk his body upright. Her eyes darkened as he briskly stepped away from the door and began to walk down the hall thinking of everything that was happening. There was a killer running around, he was starting a relationship with a younger girl whose father was dying, his professor was trying to convince him to abandon his relationships and only study… there was a lot on his mind and he didn't know how to deal with it all.

"Not really. Dr. Shields just doesn't get it he's so… cold at times." He watched her knit her brow with confusion then smiled. "Oh, well, he's trying to get me to break up with Serena. He thinks she's a distraction and that I shouldn't burden myself with a child." Andrew then paused and leaned against the wall as he continued. "You know… I can't help but feel that he's jealous or something. You know? He's never really had someone in his life to love and now he's trying to convince me that I'm wrong in trying to form a relationship."

"You have to admit, he has a certain point." She quickly continued as Andrew looked at her with shock. "I mean… Serena is younger, she has some baggage and you're trying to aspire to be a great psychologist. She very well could be a negative influence on your studies. It's not her, it's your mind letting her occupy every moment of it." Rita then looked at the ground with a light pink tint to her cheeks.

"So, you're all against me actually having a girlfriend? What? Did he offer you a better grade to say that to me?" Andrew growled then relented. It wasn't right for him to attack her like this and he knew it. "I'm sorry. I'm just feeling defensive. I think I need to go take a nap." Andrew then waved a lazy hand and began to drag his feet down the hall so he could return to his comfortable bed.

Serena pulled her father's curtains open and turned to his bed. He looked so melancholy in his sleep but it was time to wake him up and make sure he went to his appointment. "Daddy. Time to get up and go to the doctors." His brown eyes fluttered open and fixed on her as a frown spread over his lips.

"Serena. You can't keep missing school like this." He then rose onto his elbows and frowned. "Honestly honey it's the fifth time this month, at this rate they're not going to let you take a winter break." Serena shrugged and pulled on her father's arm beckoning him to get up and ready for his doctor's appointment. She didn't want to admit how afraid she was that he wasn't going to make it much longer but she couldn't help but wonder. Ken had grayed significantly over the past month and now, in with them being in the month of December Ken was growing even weaker, she contemplated the possibility of him not making it through Christmas but quickly discarded the thought. He was strong and wouldn't leave her.

"I'm fine daddy, I just want to take care of you. School can wait, you can't." Serena watched her father rise from his bed and rub the sleep out of his brown eyes before carrying on with his morning ritual. With great effort Serena and Ken went to the doctor's office where the man ran all sorts of tests and evaluations after which the doctor announced that Ken had but only a few short months to live and that the disease had spread much faster than expected. Serena froze in terror. The whole ride home was silent and as soon as she was able she grabbed her phone and called the one person she knew could make her feel better. It had been a month since they shared their first kiss and Serena felt even more connected to Andrew than ever, so, she wanted to share this moment with him.

The moment Serena heard Andrew's voice she broke down and began crying uncontrollably causing Andrew to jerk himself out of his professor's guest chair. "Serena! What's wrong? What's happened?"

"Daddy's dying… he'll barely make it past new year's…" Andrew eyed the irritated yet interested young professor and sighed. He knew that his next words would ward some sort of reprimand but at this point he didn't care. She needed him more than the world of psychiatry.

"I'll be there to help you take care of him. I'll leave tonight." His words made Darien rise from his chair with a threatening look in his eyes. Andrew had never seen anger flash across those deep blue oceans but it was there now, with as much fury as Zeus would command. "I'll be with you through this." He dared to venture further.

"Give me that." Darien snapped and quickly snatched the phone away from Andrew then with a serious and deep growl spoke into the receiver to the young, devastated woman. "Listen to me young lady. I'm not letting you take my best student and ruin his life. Regardless of your situation stop being selfish and think about his career. If I must I will come and talk to you personally." The sound of a foreign and captivating voice on the other side of the phone made him freeze. She sounded so lost yet strong at the same time.

"That's not necessary Dr. Shields. I'm not going to allow him to abandon his studies. Tell him that I don't want to see him until winter break. Thank you, sorry to interrupt yet another meeting. Bye." With that her honey sweet voice was gone and Darien found himself slowly removing the phone from his ear and handing it to his pupil.

"She said she doesn't want to see you until winter break Andrew… Don't throw your career down the drain for this. She needs to weather the storm by herself." Darien then nodded and opened the door for Andrew to exit the office.

"Fine but if she needs me to help care for him I'm going to help her. No if ands or buts okay?" Andrew waited for his professor to acknowledge the request then smiled when Darien nodded lightly. "Thank you for understanding." Andrew walked out leaving Darien in his office once more.

Oh, I understand Andrew. Right now you and your little girlfriend are pissing me off. Darien gripped the door handle tightly causing his knuckles to whiten and the knob to crunch a bit under the force.