Author's Alert:

This chapter is a little all over the place but I didn't want to put up such small chapters so I chopped it up in this one. Hope that's okay with everyone :) Have fun reading it- hopefully anyway. Tell me what you think as usual- your comments are always appreciated. Also: I didn't edit this chapter a lot because I'm going to be busy for the next few days and I wanted to put it up so hopefully there aren't any huge mistakes. :)

You Again?

Chapter 13

I think I'm taking back everything I've ever said about best friends having your back. Or at least my friends.

If they really had my back they would not be shoving me in the door to a café to have lunch with Darien… for the second day in a row.

I mean, is there no mercy in this world? Can I get no reprieve? Ever? Or do I have to keep constantly humiliating myself in front of Darien Shields? Will the torment ever end?

And this is all happening on my turf.

Everything.

He walked into my office and he called me "Meatballhead".

He walked into my home and he somehow claimed my friends and their devotion.

What was happening here?

Does Darien have some sort of supernatural powers I'm unaware of? He isn't all that charming. I'm sure of it. Why else would he act so horribly all the time in my presence… well, except when there are witnesses of course.

With my friends he's perfectly cordial. The perfect gentleman.

We're all sitting around a table- indoors since it's cold out- and it's a little bit close quarters. If it were just us girls I would consider it cozy, with Darien it is just stuffy.

I'd ordered coffee and a muffin. I don't feel like eating anything else at the moment.

It would be a waste since I think I'll probably be nauseous after this.

My earlier complaint about a stomachache may have been completely erroneous at the time but at the moment it feels pretty truthful- Darien Shields can do that to people.

I continued nibbling on my muffin in silence, sighing at the absolute unfairness of the world- Darien chatting up my friends while I suffer silently.

I wanted to shout, "You know what?! Forget it! Just find someone else for the stupid book because I will not waste my efforts on the likes of you!"

But of course I did not. It would be a stupid move- career wise. To my own personal mental health it would probably be the wisest decision I've ever made.

I could distantly hear the conversation going on around me but I kept my gaze down on my coffee so that they wouldn't stray to glare at the annoying man seated next to me.

"Andrew's doing well too." I heard Darien say, "We're partners actually."

That definitely caught my attention.

What?! I almost shouted that thought but contained it. I mean, it would be rude to shout at such a revelation. I am perfectly fine with homosexuals. They don't bother me. The almost scream, however, was due to that absurd idea. Darien as gay.

I would never have thought.

Ladies-man Darien Shields playing for the other field?

Impossible.

And yet, maybe it makes sense.

Maybe his aversion to me is some sort of deep-rooted antagonism against my whole gender. I know what you are thinking- why be nice to every other girl? Well, I don't know the psychology behind it but the idea somehow makes me feel a little better. Gender discrimination I suppose is better than just discrimination against only me. I guess.

"Really? For how long?" I asked curiously. Might as well be polite. I masked my shock well.

Darien smiled.

"About six years actually." He replied.

Wow, six years. Long time. I wonder if they've committed publicly.

"Have you guys actually committed?" I prodded. I don't know if that is a rude question or not. I mean, I don't know what is considered over the line in this situation but if I was talking to a guy about his girlfriend of six years I'd ask the same thing- were they getting married anytime soon? Or were they just forever-roomies? Or some sort of convenience couple maybe?

I don't really want to consider the last one…

Darien looked at me quizzically. "I'd say six years is pretty permanent but who knows? It could flop at some point." He shrugged

I thought about that for a moment… My conclusion: Andrew deserves better. Better than someone who is with him for six years and still thinks there is a possibility the relationship could "flop"- and says it without remorse.

I glared at Darien. Andrew is my friend- well was, sort of. Either way, what the crap is wrong with this man?

"Wow Darien, what a great view to take on your relationship." I said sarcastically.

I got a confused look at that.

"It is just fact. Nothing in this market is sure proof." He gave another shrug.

Now I was confused. Market? What the crap? Who considers the dating world a market? What, is he at a store picking out a TV or something? Andrew is good for a while until he breaks or a newer model comes along?

I glared at Darien some more, wishing I had Superman's laser shooting powers.

Then I felt Amy nudge me from the side.

"Business." Amy whispered to me.

What? What business?

She looked at me meaningfully- as if I was supposed to understand some hidden message.

"What?" I whispered back.

Darien was now occupied by the waiter asking if he wanted to refill the coffee so he wasn't paying us any attention.

"Business partners." Amy whispered into my ear, "Not partners partners. Not lovers."

It took me a beat to realize what she meant and I felt my cheeks flame at the misconception. And then I almost flung myself at Amy in my gratitude for her discrepancy. I couldn't hold it back so I wrapped my arms around her for a split second to squeeze her. I heard and felt her laugh and smiled in return.

Everyone's attention was back on us now, all confused. It appears that no one caught onto any of what had happened. No one- Darien included- realized that I had thought he was talking about a very different relationship than the one he'd been discussing.

I just smiled at them.

"Just still thrilled for Ames." My smile was genuine in more ways than one- I was thrilled for her existence but it is also true I'm thrilled for her engagement- which my friends had inferred.

They all smiled. All except one.

One very confused Darien.

Amy smiled widely and held out her hand for him to examine the large diamond ring on her finger.

And that brought the conversation around, which I was beyond grateful for.

I'd escaped another embarrassing situation with Darien. Thanks to Ames and my other friends' obliviousness.

And then I was back to examining my coffee, but not for the same reason as before. I didn't really feel like glaring at Darien anymore. I just felt like lying down. Darien exhausts me.

And if you are wondering what exactly Darien had been doing at my apartment, well, he dropped off my coin purse, which had fallen out of my purse in his car on the way home. He'd given it to me before we walked out of the apartment.

The rest of the meal went by rather smoothly thanks to my friends' endless chattering. Really, these girls can talk without pause forever. Give them a stranger- or a relative stranger in Darien's case- and they have endless things to discuss.

The conversation went from Amy's engagement to Ray's marriage then to Lita's career (as a gourmet chef) to her marriage, to Mina's newly adopted cat (Artemis). And so it continued. No pauses, no awkward silences. It sort of surprised me that Darien was actually a good listener. And I did notice this little fact because although to the untrained eye it would have appeared that the entire meal I was deeply examining my stale muffin, I was also eavesdropping. I had to—what if they talked about me and I didn't hear what they said? Not good.

Anyway, Darien listened. Actually listened. He even asked follow up questions- which insured that he wasn't zoning out. He seemed interested in all sorts of things that my friends discussed- the mundane: Mina's new cat, and the life altering: Ray's discussion with Chad about maybe having children.

It also surprised me that my friends felt so comfortable with Darien after such a short period- a few hours. They were discussing openly things that no one would ever discuss with a stranger. And Darien didn't seem to mind at all.

Then the conversation eventually went to Darien and his new book. Darien gave a brief summary and the girls didn't look impressed. He laughed a self-deprecating sort of laugh at their expressions and shrugged- as though he agreed with them, as though the book wasn't going to be a hit, as though it was just like anything else.

When I heard that short lull- signaling that Darien was not going to defend his book I threw myself back into the conversation.

"That isn't all." I heard myself say- before I even made the decision to speak. Then I started in on the complexities of his novel- that it isn't just an ordinary story. I even may have said, "This could be Harry Potter big." My friends smiled at that- Darien did too but his smile was a bit sheepish if I'm not mistaken.

This surprised me. Darien always seems to radiate confidence and self-assurance but when it comes to this book- he seems tentative, and shy. I don't understand that at all.

Once I'd finished my spiel Ray mock applauded.

"And that is why she's the Agent." Ray added with a crooked smile. I didn't get a chance to reply though.

"You should add a girl." Mina said with a smile at both of us.

I rolled my eyes. Typical Mina, adding romance to anything.

"Predictable much?" I asked.

"No no, hear me out." Mina waved her hands a little then leaned one cheek on her palm. "Think about it. There has to be more, right? I mean, there always is. You want this to be a book for the masses? You want to succeed with readers of more than just one genre? Add a girl."

I still wasn't impressed.

"Just think about it." Mina said with an assured smile.

Eventually Darien looked at his watch and announced his departure. "Ooh how disappointing"- All my friends cooed that sentiment in one form or another and then he was off to do God knows where.

The next morning I woke up but not the usual way and definitely not the usual time.

I didn't even think twice to look at the time when I was suddenly roused by a very unpleasant feeling I haven't had for a very long time.

The complete and utter darkness outside didn't register in my befuddled mind, nor did anything else for that matter… except for the dire urge to run to the bathroom as not to ruin my lovely floor or bed.

Have you ever felt that death might not be the worst possible thing in the world? Well, that is how I'm feeling. Completely and utterly defeated, exhausted, and definitely nauseous. Oh, yes, the nausea is definitely there.

I spent God only knows how long with my head above the toilet. Not pleasant at all. I wish I'd just go numb but my body wouldn't allow it.

My whole body felt like it was going to combust at any moment. I sat waiting for the conflagration to begin but, of course, nothing that merciful ever happens to me.

Eventually when the first rays of the rising sun filtered through my blinds my brain began to function enough to remind me of something rather important.

I called work but no one was there- even workaholics don't get to work more than two hours early (it is currently 5:30 AM according to the flashing light of my alarm clock on the endtable by the bed)- so I left a brief message for Pam, the reception desk secretary at the office.

"Not well," is actually my brief message- if that even counts as brief. Is there a word briefer than brief? Well, not that I know and I have a rather extended vocabulary. Or maybe I can't think of it because of the atomic bomb that exploded in brain... oh mother of—

I didn't even get to complete the blasphemy within my thoughts before another wave of nausea crashed onto me and I found myself once more peering at a birds-eye view of the toilet bowl.

And as I sat there, the minutes- maybe hours?- passing by, my thoughts wrapped around something. That brief little feeling of nausea yesterday was not caused by Darien's presence as I'd assumed. He hadn't made me sick. I was already sick, it just took a while for the bacteria or virus or whatever to do its dirty work.

I guess that is sorta good news. Darien doesn't make me physically unhealthy- although now that I think about it, this illness appeared only days after his return…

The thought was, of course, rudely interrupted.

I'm assuming time passed. I can't really be sure since it went in a haze. I think I might have actually blacked out at one point but I can't really be sure of anything.

And as the minutes ticked I could distantly hear my cell phone ring- the chorus of the Friends theme song alerted me as to who the call was coming from (one of five girls)- then my home phone's annoying thrill rang out and I had the urge to jump up and snatch the cord from the socket so it would shut up but, alas, sigh, I don't have enough energy.

And so it continued.

Ring, Ring.

Toilet bowl…

I'll be there for you—

Ring, Ring.

Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring.

Apparently whoever it is is getting more persistent.

Cause you're there for me too—

Ring, Ring, Ring.

And, oh my god, you have no idea how annoying the noise can get. Snatching the cord from the socket doesn't seem like enough anymore. I want to take both the cell and the home phone and throw them out the window then get some sort of machine gun and decimate them. But once more, alas, I have no machine gun and definitely no energy for the task.

I couldn't contain an occasional groan as the waves increased in their pressure and force.

But eventually- time no longer means anything to me- the nausea faded slightly. Slightly being- enough to allow me to get up, flush the toilet, wash my ashen, even paler than usual face, and then crawl back to my bed.

My stomach feels hollow but food doesn't seem appetizing- especially not since I can picture the journey it would soon take if it entered my unstable stomach. Not a pretty sight.

I can distantly hear something, but I'm not sure what.

My eyelids have mercifully drooped, allowing me a moment's peace- knowing that soon I would be numb of everything.

I heard the noise again but couldn't place it- I didn't even try. Why bother? Nothing matters.

And then unconsciousness mercifully claimed me.

Again, I'm not sure how long I slept but I can safely say that it wasn't very long because I still felt exhausted. This time, I didn't awaken from the same crisis- thank goodness- but I did still have the unpleasant ache both in my stomach and head.

I found enough energy saved up somewhere within myself to actually get out of bed- I'm not sure why I thought to do that at all. I didn't go too far though- couldn't actually. I collapsed on my sofa and wrapped myself in a soft blanket that I'd left draped across it since my heater had died- something I was even more aware of in this state.

I soon found myself cold- in a cold sweat actually- on top of everything else. The blanket didn't seem like enough. I wasn't comfortable or warm despite the fact that usually my sofa is the biggest comfort in my life.

I was drifting when I heard that noise- the same one I hadn't recognized before. Then I realized what it was, where the source was.

I looked at my door warily.

It was so close but it couldn't possibly be close enough.

Who cares who it is? Really? What does it matter right now?

I ignored it and tried to force myself to fall back to sleep but it evaded me. Counting sheep never actually helps so I just kept my eyes shut, hoping I'd get some mercy.

Then I heard it.

Another noise.

A more disturbing one.

My eyes flew open.

The knob of my door was slowly turning... Not that slowly actually... Quickly.

I didn't even have enough time to really, truly panic before I saw a familiar, sympathetic face appear in the doorway.

"Oh, you poor thing," My intruder- maybe savior? Angel?- said.