Thank you guys for reviewing. It really made my day! This Chapter is dedicated to Woven Bamboo Pattern for reviewing every chapter, and also PyroChi for such a funny review. That did make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. On with the show!

Disclaimer: Are you stupid lawyers still following me? I already returned Darien! So what if he didn't have any clothes on?

Last time: What had she been doing way on the other side of town? And why had she been wearing black and dark sunglasses in this heat at this time of day? Millions of questions whirled around his head. The one thought that was clear was the she was up to something. And if Mina was up to something that had no real gain for her that meant there was always someone else involved in her evil plans.

Can't Stop the Music

Chapter 15

Darien awoke feeling something weird in the pit of his stomach.

Before meeting Serena he would have brushed it off, but with those ball busters she calls friends he felt he needed to make sure it was food poisoning or arsenic. The problem wasn't his guilt. It was the weird feelings of being watched he got whenever he opened his window or went to get his mail.

"Maybe there are cameras?"

That thought sounded strange even to his ears.

So as he went about showering and toweling his messy hair he dressed for the day. It didn't have to be sensational since he was only going to be practicing in his living room. That was the one good thing about being secluded, or threatened into as some people would put it, to his apartment. He never had to worry about starving as he practiced his dancing. I quick peek in his fridge told him otherwise. Fold never eaten was molding from neglect and his milk was way past expiration.

The only normal looking thing to eat was the yogurt in the far left corner.

"Ugh," he groaned in disgust at the rank smell of bad food. Why hadn't he noticed the smell of something dying? He finally reached the yogurt and decided to grab it up for breakfast. Banana wasn't his favorite but it would do for today. He chanced another look at the fridge. "And probably tomorrow too." At least it would have made a good breakfast to eat…

If it hadn't bitten him.

A grunt was heard as the doctor who had taken care of Serena hovered over her.

Serena sat relatively calm under such amazing circumstances. Lita, on the other hand, was shifting nervously from foot to foot. Every once in a while she would disappear into the kitchen before appearing right beside the doctor again empty-handed. Serena was only interest in the doctors interesting clucking noises. That and the mysterious moves of his caterpillar- like eyebrows. If she squinted enough they occasionally did the Macarena.

"Interesting."

Lita's nervous hopping about immediately ceased. Like a moth to a flame she was by his side again. "What did you find doctor?" She bounced around like a child in need of Ritalin, and Serena had a brief mental image of chibi Lita hanging on to one of her doctor's bushy dancing eyebrows. Except now they were doing the electric slide.

"It's electric!" She giggled at her own inside joke.

"What was that Serena?" The doctor raised one of the eyebrows in question while Serena fought the urge to rip it off. She could tell he was barely hiding his annoyance at Lita's still quick fired questions. Serena though ha been too caught up in her own imagination had hadn't noticed she had been staring.

"Huh?"

The doctor was not pleased at being ignored and annoyed at the same time. Why didn't he just become a mime like his brother and father before him? He was thinking too much for his own liking and turned back to his patient.

"Nevermind that. It is quite amazing this story you tell. You're saying you did feel pain when the mosquito stung you? You're sure it wasn't just your imagination?" Serena sighed in exasperation for what was going on to be the tenth time. Those sleeping pills lying on her table were looking more and more appealing.

By now Lita had fretted herself into a frenzy and was practically standing on the doctors shoulders to get a look at Serena. "Are you saying she won't walk again? Wait, are you sayings she'll never walk again? Should I get another opinion? And just who do you think you are calling my friend a liar? Hasn't she been through enough?"

"Lita.."

Serena watched Lita tear the poor doctor apart. Maybe she should stop this before her house call bill skyrocketed mysteriously.

"I think you should have your license revoked!"

"Lita, maybe you should…"

"Accessing hurt people of such things!"

"If you could just.."

"What kind of doctor are you anyway?"

"Lita..please…"

"It's people like you who-"

"LITA!"

Lita's hand stopped in mid-air while she stopped mid-rant. "Huh?" Automatically her gaze was directed to Serena who was having a slight coughing fit. "Serena, you know you shouldn't yell like that. What if you hurt yourself again? Here have some water." Serena took the time Lita worried over her to gather her words.

"Lita, do me a really big favor."

She put on her best puppy dog pout and doe-like eyes. She didn't really need them to convince Lita at a time like this, but better safe than sorry. Lita was all ears as soon as the words left her mouth. What do ya need Sere? More water? Fluff your pillow?" Serena kept her gaze directed away from the now highly amused doctor.

"Can you go buy us some Fig Newtons?"

Lita's eyes brightened up and she rushed for the door without a word. Tiny tendrils of the blonde's hair moved in the fast moving brunette's wind.

"Well, I need to use that one more often!"

The doctor chuckled before taking a closer look at her leg. "That's one…enthusiastic nurse you have there Miss Serena. Are you sure you don't need a professional?"

Serena had the strongest urge to roll her eyes. What she wanted to say was 'A professional like you, you quack?' But being the polite young girl she was it came out more like….

"She's my best friend. There is no one better to care for me."

A quick flash of stormy dark-blue eyes flashed through her mind. Her breath quickened almost drastically and her skin took on a light sheen of sweat. Her doctor immediately set his furry-browed self to bringing her back to a safe heart rate.

She may have looked fine nowadays, but there were still times when a familiar harsh voice would assault her mind and bring her crashing back down in heart-broken sobs. The doctor had suspected this after such a rocky experience or near death.

"Serena, you have got to calm down. Don't you want to walk again?" His whisper was that of a trained professional. Serena's breathing slowed minimally. "Yes..I want to dance…" He nodded his head emphatically and held her forearms. "Good girl, deep breaths now. Nice and easy.."

Serena was extremely glad Lita had not seen her slight relapse. The doctor was kind enough not to ask what had caused her temporary breakdown choosing to remain focused on her legs.

"I'm going to need you to try and wiggle your bitten toe for me Serena."

Serena stared at her toe with utmost concentration.

"Move, dammit!"

Her breathing would have made any lamaze teacher proud, or slightly disturbed. She thought she had seen it move, but her concentration was broken by a knock at the door.

Andrew, of course, didn't wait for an invitation. A tuft of his soft blonde hair was the first to appear from behind the door.

"What the hell do you want!"

"Well hello to you too, Serena. It's good to see such a humid day hasn't ruined your bright and sunny mood!"

Serena scowled in irritation. Was she blessed to be surrounded by one idiot after the other? She plastered on an obviously fake smile. "Andrew, so nice to see you! I forgot to give you something the other day."

"Oh? And what might that be my little lump of joy?"

Serena then proceeded to search under her pillows for the missing present to Andrew.

Aha!

Narrowing her eyes she pulled her hand out and waved at him in a brilliant show of a pretty pink nails, thanks to Lita's home sprucing kit.

"I got it just for you! Do you like it?"

Maybe now he would get the hint to stop being so happy in her sad little house. In a reaction that was really not Andrew, he clucked his tongue and fluffed her pillows.

"Hasn't anyone ever taught you manners, Sere?" She furrowed her brow in her full sulk mode refusing to answer.

Like that ever fazed him.

"You're supposed to wave with five fingers not one!"

It was going to be a long day.

Meanwhile, in a park on the other side of town, two familiar looking women sat on a bench. Kids played around them and adults followed, only sparing small glances at the 'special' girls sitting in all black on a 93 degree day.

Maybe they wouldn't have stood out so much if they weren't cackling every few minutes.

"I finally caught him leaving the house! I swear the man has no life without her." The wind blew revealing sunny blonde hair. "I thought I was going to die of boredom over there! Next time you sit and play Nancy Drew and the mystery of the hot stuffy car!"

Her rant was cut off in a squeak as more passerby emerged for a walk through the park.

"Quiet! Do you want everyone in the park to know what we're doing?"

This time a slender brunette was the owner of the voice. Every once in a while something would travel up into her mouth and disappear. "Now tell me Little Miss Muffet, where did he go when he left his house?" Mina raised one delicate eyebrow.

"Miss Muffet?"

"Code name."

"I see. Looks like I'm going to need to find one for you too." Lita just shrugged uninterestedly. "Whatever. so spill the juice. Where'd he go?" Once again something traveled to her mouth only to disappear into it. Mina couldn't see what it was and was getting very frustrated at being left out of the snackage.

"Well…he really just when to put his garbage out." Lita gave her a sharp look. "That's it? Just his garbage? You've been watching him for two weeks and all you've seen as him put out his garbage!"

Mina shrank back from the raging brunette. "Hey cool it! You try watching the most boring wonder of the world, and see how much YOU find out!"

Lita just took a deep breath and heaved a sigh.

Now what? How the hell were they supposed to go along with the plan if he never left his freakin house? Was he turning into some kind of hermit? Mina shifted uncomfortably beside the girl as her stomach growled. Oh!

"Don't worry too much about it though, Lita! I know for a fact that he needs to go grocery shopping soon! He can't live off bachelor food forever!"

Lita munched on her food thoughtfully. Mina did have a point. Supposedly having seen Andrew's fridge many times before Mina should know about a bachelor's food

"Speaking of food….what the hell have you been munching on for the past 10 minutes Lita? It's been driving me crazy that you haven't offered to share. Do you want your best sleuth-."

"Only."

"Right, only sleuth to die of starvation in the middle of the planning period?"

"I guess not. Do you really want some?" she clutched her back of goodies reluctantly. Mina eyed it like she hadn't eaten in days. Maybe just a few. What is it exactly?" Her eyes sparkled in anticipation.

"Why, Fig Newtons of course!"