Author's Note:

I'm very sorry for the delay in this update but I kept either getting busy or sidetracked. Firstly, the Olympics. I just can't get enough of Michael Phelps, he is just too amazing for words and the Chinese gymnasts too. I do not have much patience for the volleyball competitions but the rest are highly amusing to me. And also, of course, life interrupts. Friends, family, etc. And then the worst part- writer's block, which seemed to claim me every time I had a pen, paper or keyboard, computer. But now I am finally semi-happy with this chapter and I can't wait for all of you to read it.

I would also like to reply to a comment that a reader made- a long time ago but I kept forgetting to answer. I have watched the Sailor Moon show. I reference an episode in this actually. The Nurse Mina one, remember that disaster?

You Again?

Chapter 14

"Mina," I choked the word out, making it sound more like a helpless cry.

Mina's gentle blue eyes radiated sympathy. Her mere presence is reassuring to me.

Mina is the statuesque one of our group. She practically has a model's body. If it weren't for that very conspicuous difference we could be mistaken for twins- we are, in fact, cousins. We got our blue eyes and blond hair from our grandma. My mom actually used to have dark brown hair and darker blue eyes, my dad was all dark- mahogany hair and eyes. Mina's mom resembles grandma too- and therefore us.

It didn't even cross my mind to worry that maybe Mina wasn't the best person in this situation.

I still have nightmares about the time she "nursed" me back to health when I had an awful fever back in high school. Let's just say there was a broken mess waiting to be fixed once I'd healed- which was despite not as a result of her care.

But I'm too disoriented to get anxious.

Mina moved into the apartment and locked the door- to which she apparently had a key (I don't remember giving her that…).

She walked over to the couch and sat at the end where my feet lay.

"You okay, sweetie?"

"Do I look okay?" I managed to choke out, my voice husky from exhaustion.

"No, I suppose it was a dumb question." Mina shrugged. Dumb questions don't bother her.

"Key?" The word was muffled in my blanket cocoon.

"Huh?" She asked but didn't lean in closer- probably worried whatever I have is contagious.

"How'd you get a key?" I asked, but my eyes were closed. I don't care enough to open them.

"Oh," I knew from the tone of her voice that she was probably blushing, "You know the emergency one you made for Amy?"

I opened my eyes at that.

"Well, when you were away for the weekend last year to see Sammy, I sort of asked her for it because I'd left my sweatshirt over here. You know? The blue one that goes with my eyes and those really cute boots I got last Christmas?"

I eyed her warily. I couldn't care less about that right now.

"Anyway," Mina went back on track, "So, at first you know, she was reluctant. She was all uptight about it, 'Sere trusted me with this' and all that crap." Mina rolled her eyes, dismissing such a stupid notion as trust, "But I had a date later that day with that guy… that um… you know? He was really cute? Sorta tall, I think. Dark hair…you know…" She trailed off, clearly not knowing, "Anyway, I was all 'he could be my soul mate! How can you be so cruel! My first date with my soul mate should be in that sweater, Ames, don't you understand?' So I sorta coaxed her into giving it to me and…" She trailed off, unsure of my reaction to this next part but eying me again and noticing that I am in no condition to fight her she went on, "After I got it I went to the locksmith or whatever they are and made a key so that, you know, I wouldn't have to bother Ames 

again. And you know, also for emergencies." She added the last part as an appeasement I think.

The only response I could muster was a muffled, "Oh." But it sounded pained.

"Aww, sweetie. What's wrong? What hurts?" The questions were uttered with the utmost sympathy.

"Everything. Everywhere." I replied without opening my eyes.

"Do you need anything? Something to eat maybe?"

To that I shook my head. Food is definitely not a good idea.

"To drink?"

Another shake in response.

"A bucket?" She finally offered weakly.

"Maybe." I replied opening my eyes to find her concerned eyes still intent on my prone body. She looked a little awkward. Unsure of herself. She probably remembers the last time she played nurse and doesn't want to repeat the experience… "You can go Mina, I'll be fine in a while."

"I'm not leaving you alone like this." She replied vehemently.

"What about work?" I questioned.

She looked at me curiously.

"Sere, it's six o'clock. I got off two hours ago."

"Oh."

Well, at least I know the time now. A question sprang to my mind.

"How'd you know I was sick? Or is that not why you came?"

"Oh, that." She shrugged but seemed to be holding back a smile, "Darien actually."

My eyes widened at that. What? I couldn't have heard right.

Nope, must be going deaf.

"Huh?"

"Darien called." She said- as if that clarified anything, but once she saw that I was still completely lost she went on, "Apparently you had a meeting with him today." Oh yea, I forgot about that. "And he didn't get a call saying you canceled or anything so he went over to your office and Brad sputtered some nonsense at him. Being Brad, of course, he was mainly unintelligible so Darien went down to the receptionist lady you guys have and asked what was going on. She apparently let him hear the message you left and according to Darien it sounded like you were on your death bed. So naturally, he was a little worried, came over here, you didn't answer. By then he thought you'd probably died and that's why you weren't answering so he tried to convince your Super to open your door. Of course, no such luck. You know, all that garbage about privacy." Of course, what's the point of privacy? "So anyway, he got a hold of Ames somehow but she was too busy with some surgery she had scheduled so she called me, since she knew I had a key from the time I borrowed hers," When I gave her another confused look she explained, "Well, I wasn't going to make a copy and not tell anyone. Anyway and here we are." One last shrug and she was done… and I was confused.

Darien was worried? Darien contacted my friends? Darien tried to get my Super to open my door? Because Darien thought I was dying?

The only other question that came to mind: Where is Darien, then?

When I asked, Mina shrugged and said, "I dunno."

And soon after that I dozed off again.

Through my sleep fogged mind I heard the door's bell ring and some shuffling next to me. Then there was a lot of whispering and then there was that blissful silence.

The next time I awoke I screamed and almost fell off my couch. I clutched my shirt over my heart to steady its beat and closed my eyes to ease my nerves.

Darien is sitting on a sofa chair across from the couch. His glasses- I didn't even know he had glasses- are perched on his nose and a book lay on his lap. He'd been reading it when I woke up but it fell from his hands when my scream startled him. Now he is looking at me, concerned.

"You okay? Bad dream?" He asked and his anxiety actually seemed sincere.

"Bad reality." I muttered and apparently he heard because he smirked. I yawned and stretched, feeling my achy muscles everywhere, but it wasn't so bad. The urge to purge myself isn't there anymore and I don't feel feverish at all, not like before. As I pushed myself up on the couch, something fell from my head- a wet towel. I grabbed it from my lap and stared at it curiously. Where did that come from? Darien answered my unspoken question.

"You were running a fever." He said.

I eyed him. "You… you…" But nothing coherent came out so I switched my question. "Why are you doing this?"

He smiled- apparently amused.

"Helping out another human being? Because it's nice?"

"But you don't like me," I stated.

"Now, whoever said that?" He was still amused by all this because his smile widened. It was a little crooked- I've never noticed that before. He isn't perfect after all… except for the fact that it is a perfect crooked smile…

"You did." I managed to reply, taking my gaze off the smile and redirecting it to his eyes. Not much better since the light caught on them and they had a certain spark to them which is just as distracting, if not more so.

"I don't recall ever telling you that. You drew your own twisted conclusions. Just cause I tease you does not mean I dislike you."

I still wasn't very convinced but he apparently thought the conversation was over because he got up and poured a cup of tea- peppermint! Apparently the kettle was still hot, he had a still steaming cup next to his chair.

"Seriously Darien, why are you here?" I asked again.

"My excuse of altruism isn't good enough?" He laughed a little.

"No, you aren't nearly that benevolent." I said with a shrug.

"Fine, how about this? You're my agent. If you die, my book dies too." He is now walking back toward me so I caught the roll of his eyes.

"I suppose that is believable." I shrugged. He handed the tea over to me- careful as not to spill any. I was still eying him though- not trusting. "You poisoned it didn't you?"

And I am joking- Darien may have his flaws but he isn't a murderer- I'm pretty sure.

He laughed.

"Yes, Meatballs, this is all an evil plot to kill you. You know, I switch overheated towels off your head for a few hours and then after the fever is gone and you wake up, I poison your drink because it's just more satisfying when you're awake."

He was joking but I crossed my arms stubbornly anyway and shook my head.

"I don't trust you. You don't like me, why give me tea?"

"Because I am actually not as bad a person as you think?" I couldn't tell if he said it as a statement or question.

"Nope, it's poisoned." Now I'm just arguing for arguments sake. It's fun. So we went on for a little bit like that and then he seemed to lose his cool.

"Would you shut up and drink the freaking tea?"

"See, yelling like that indicates dislike and therefore you could have poisoned it." I replied.

"It indicates frustration." He sighed dramatically and glared at me.

He had one good glare I gotta say- so I finally took the tea.

"Fine. Give me the 'freaking tea'."

I feel a lot better and the tea helps take away the last remnants of my achy stomach.

"Thank you."

I let the words out because, after all, he was actually being sweet. He smiled at that, "Finally some gratitude."

I smiled back then remembered something I wanted to ask.

"So if you were the one that called Amy or Mina or whatever why weren't you here earlier?"

"It took her a while to get here and I got hungry." He said with a shrug.

"So you went out to eat when you believed I was dead or dying?" I asked with feigned indignation.

He shrugged and smiled, unrepentant, "I was hungry."

That made me roll my eyes. Guys and their food…

So here I am, drinking tea quietly with Darien sitting across from me, once again in his glasses and reading. I would never in a million years have pictured this. And the weird thing is, it doesn't feel weird. The silence isn't awkward, it is comfortable. Him reading doesn't seem rude or odd, it seems normal. It isn't weird and it really should be.

I placed my tea on the table next to me and before long I was drifting again.

I woke up from my alarm clock's screech. Thing is, I don't remember setting it. When I got a look at the time I groaned.

6:00 AM

I definitely did not set that. I would never set it at such a horrific, ungodly hour.

But then I realized something, I'm in my bed.

I did not fall asleep on my bed last night. I know that much for sure.

I fell asleep on the couch… with Darien sitting across from me.

Darien moved me to my bedroom. Darien carried me to my room.

Those thoughts should have freaked me out but the only thing I felt was warmth- from both the blush that stained my cheeks and the sweetness of the gesture.

I rolled to shut off the incessant screech and that is when I noticed something.

A grocery paper bag sat right underneath my end table, right beside my bed.

Written across the bag in a neat, precise handwriting were the words JUST IN CASE. Beside that was a winky face.

I couldn't help but smile a little. He gave me a bucket. It is an oddly thoughtful gift.

Then I noticed something else.

Right by my alarm clock is a folded piece of paper with my initial in bold print- well, not really my initial.

M

I knew what that stood for and I didn't even think to be angry about it. I just grabbed the note and turned on the bedside lamp so I could read it- the sun isn't even up yet! Ungodly, I tell you! No one should be up before the sun… it is just wrong.

But anyway, the note. I smiled as I read it.

Morning Meatballs,

Sorry for the name, I know you're now probably itching to get your hands on me… to beat me a little, of course. Maybe another bitch slap? It'll be worth it though, I just cannot resist. It isn't that bad, is it?

Anyway, when I left last night your fever was completely gone and you'd gotten some of your color back so hopefully that is still the case. I would've stayed but I didn't think you'd appreciate waking to find me there again- especially after the scream last time… I'm hoping that it was a 24 hour thing and the worst is behind us, but I'm going to check up on you anyway. Don't want any harm to befall my agent, right? I set the alarm early so that you'll be awake when I come over. I wouldn't want to have to try to coax a key from your Super again- especially since it didn't work the first time. And I doubt you would be very amicable if I knocked down your door. I'll be over at 6:30.

D

P.S. Hope the bucket wasn't necessary.

P.P.S. You don't have to dress up on my behalf. ;)