Chapter Six: The Pretender
Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or The Foo Fighters' The Pretender.
Hey, guys. Here is the next chapter.
As Charisma led an oblivious Serena into the women's bathroom, her path was blocked when Laz appeared before her. He smiled down at her as he was dressed comfortably in a black long sleeved crew cut shirt, black jeans, and black Chucks, "Hey beautiful!"
Charisma jumped as her eyes returned to normal. She smiled then said, "Hey Laz…"
He gave her the once over as his eyes roamed her body from her pretty feet to her pretty face. Charisma let go of Serena's hand and gave Laz a warm hug and said happily, "Happy birthday, love."
Serena smiled as they embraced a little longer than necessary. Charisma closed her eyes and inhaled his wonderful masculine scent. When Laz pulled back and said with amused eyes, "I must smell really good."
Charisma said huskily, "You're intoxicating." Serena and Laz looked at her strangely.
Serena said with an amused stare, "I am going to go over there." She pointed anywhere just to give herself an excuse the happy couple.
Laz smiled appreciatively at her and said, "Okay, we have an open bar tonight so drink whatever you like."
Serena smiled then said, "My kind of party. Happy Birthday."
Laz laughed then said, "Thanks, Serena."
Charisma stared at Serena and said knowing that her mission was to kill the princess, "Umm…I'll come with."
Serena stared at her friend like she was crazy. Charisma felt a pair of strong muscular arms wrapped tightly around her body pulling her back into a hard chest. She felt strangely as her heart beat rapidly. Her human emotions were in overdrive as she basked in his wonderful male scent closing her eyes and inhaling and exhaling deeply. She did not know what was wrong with her. Her eyes fluttered opened when she felt his soft lips lightly pressed against her soft neck and his closely shaved facial hair gently brushed against her soft skin. Her whole body became flustered.
Serena felt flustered looking at them. She pointed to something behind her and said backing away, "I'll be fine. I'll just be at the bar getting a drink. Go have fun." Charisma caught her emphasis on the word fun and stared at Serena strangely.
Charisma watched as Serena disappeared in the crowd. When she turned around in his arms, she found that she was alone on a beach at nighttime. She looked up the starry sky and half-moon in the distance in the dark sky. She started to silver as a cool breeze brushed against her exposed skin. She folded her arms across her chest and rubbed her arms fiercely to get small warmth. She heard the sound of the oceans as small tidal waves formed on the cool windy night.
She noticed a shadowy figure walking towards her at a relaxed pace. He was wearing a hoodie, jeans, and dark shoes. Charisma could tell that he was tall with a lean muscular built underneath his hoodie and loose fitting jeans. His face was concealed due to the shadows of the hoodie. She could only see his strong jaw. He stopped a few feet away from her.
Charisma acted suspiciously, "Who are you?"
She saw a malice smile form on his lips then said, "Your murderer."
Charisma frowned then said in a strange voice, "I know the girl is dead. I killed her. I watched her die. Why do I feel like her? I have her emotions and memories. These human emotions are strange to me."
The shadowy man said with a commanding voice, "You are a humanoid, with all their weakness, desires, disappointments, emotions and the mortality of a human. You are still Charisma Grey just in a different body. A human body cannot function without a soul. When the soul leaves the body, it dies. All I did was take your soul out of your current body and placed it into one of my creation. The one thing that separates you from mankind is that you no longer have free will. That is what separates my creations from the humans of this world. I am your master and you are completely submissive to me. You follow my orders or die."
Charisma frowned then said, "My loyalty lies with Elena. I rather die a thousand deaths than portray my mistress."
The shadowy man said indifferently, "Charisma, there are worst things than death. Your soul belongs to me. If you betray me, then your soul will burn in hell for all eternity. One flick of my finger and I end your life."
Charisma stated firmly, "Then do your worst. I will not portray my mistress. I am Charisma Grey, a Lunarian. I was once one of the Queen's most trusted and highest ranking officials. Elena is now in charge, and I will not betray her so do your worse."
The shadowy man applauded her and laughed. Charisma stared confused at the man. He laughed and said, "That is why I chose you Charisma. Elena, Mason, Mina, Darien, and even Serena now trust and adore you. "Charisma looked shock at him.
The man said smirking at her shock, "Yes, Charisma. I know all of your names. Your identities are not a secret to me so get that shocked look off your face." Charisma's expression turned into a blank stare.
"See I am quite aware that back during the Silver Millennium, Queen Selenity trusted you more than anything as her trusted advisor and seer. You have the power of premonition. You prevented many attacks on Moon Kingdom and kept the Moon kingdom in power for such a long time. That is why Metacilla ambushed and killed you on that voyage you took to Mars. Your death was the omen for the end of the Silver Millennium and now, history repeats itself."
He laughed to himself then said, "I always wondered why Elena avoided my attacks. Why she was always just one step ahead of me? I did not realize she had a seer in the mix. That she reawaken Charisma. Now, that you are out of the picture, I will finally kill that bitch and gain absolute power."
Charisma said, "I will not let you harm them."
He smiled at her then said, "Do you want to know why I chose to keep you alive and not just killed you? Because unlike Mina, Darien, or Mason, you have something to lose."
Charisma gasped as she saw an image of Darien lying in a coffin. She covered her mouth with her hands in horror.
He said as she stared at the image, "This is what will happen if you betray me, Seer. This Earthling is very special to you. You were once lovers, and you ended things with him leaving him heartbroken and cynical of human women. You said that you feel nothing for him, but you still love him. He means a lot to you." He snapped his finger and the image disappeared.
Charisma's eyes became emotional and said, "We've been through a lot together. He is everything to me."
"Yet, even though he is falling for the princess, you still love him."
Charisma turned to the shadowy man with spiteful eyes and said, "My love for him is unselfish. I want him to be happy, and if this girl can undo the pain that life and I have cause him, the let it be. He deserves happiness after all that he has been through especially the lies he has been told his entire life." Charisma diverted her eyes to the ground as hot tears fell from them.
Charisma said spitefully, "Okay. You win." She looked up at him with angry eyes that were dried and red from crying. She asked conflicted and angrily, "What do you want me to do? I felt a strong urge to kill Serenity; even though Charisma wanted me to not kill her then you stopped me."
The shadowy man said, "Change of plans. I want the princess alive. I want you to spy instead on Elena and the rest of the McQueen clan for me. I want to know everything she is up to. My minions will arrive very soon. Until then, I want you to create an army here on Earth for me. When Elena asks you as always do you foresee any danger, you will lie to her this time and tell her no. She will remain here in this world where I will finally kill that Moon bitch once and for all. Make sure Elena does not leave this city."
Charisma asked him, "What about the princess?"
The shadowy figure said, "If the moon princess is not reawakened, then she is no threat to me." He hesitated then said, "For now. Elena is what I want."
Charisma asked, "And how am I supposed to report to you?"
"You don't. Charisma, you are from the feline lineage of the Lunarian species. Felines' eyes are windows to the soul. I can see everything that goes on through your eyes. Now, if you betray me, then I will kill your mortal love and allow his soul to burn in hell for all eternity thanks to the sins of his lover."
Charisma asked, "And what about me? Will I ever be free your control?"
He said, "If you do as I say, then I may think about giving you your free will again, but betray me little one, and both you and your lover will burn in hell for all eternity."
Charisma swallowed her saliva as the shadowy man turned away from her and then said, "I suggest you enjoy the rest of your night since that guy really likes you."
Charisma gasped when she saw that she was back in the club still in Laz's arms. He whispered in her eyes, "So do you want to dance?" She nodded. She turned around in his arms as he led her onto the dance floor.
Serena leaned against the bar facing the packed club. She had a drink in her hand and was slowly twirling the red stirrers in her drink absent mindedly. A pair of eyes watched her from across the room. A man saw the dizzy girl not paying attention to her drink. He walked towards her and took a strange substance out of his pocket. He walked towards her and discreetly slipped the substance in her drink without her being aware. She sighed in boredom as she watched Laz and Charisma having a good time dancing on the dance floor. No one had even approached her yet and asked her. She started to lift her glass in her hand to her mouth when it was quickly taken away from her and placed on the bar.
She heard a familiar male voice say, "You know bad things can happen when you don't pay attention to your drink at a club." She looked to her right and saw Miguel smiling down at her. He was wearing a light blue button down shirt, black blazer, and dark blue polo jeans with fresh white Jordans. He looked quite handsome and relaxed.
Serena smiled then said, "Hey, stranger."
Miguel said, "Hey to you too, so are you going to offer me that dance you promised for this sexy ensemble you are sporting tonight?" He gave her the once over with a smile admiringly what he saw before him.
She twirled around in front of him. When her back was turned to him, he glanced up to see the bouncer escorting the man and his two friends who tried to slip a roofie into Serena's drink out of the club. The bouncer made eye contact with him across the room and Miguel nodded with a stern expression on his face. When he looked back down, he smiled to meet her beautiful cornflower blue eyes.
He asked as he held out his hand, "May I have my dance now?"
Serena looked down at his hand then smiled and said accepting it, "Yes, you may." He smiled at her as he led her on the dance floor next to Laz and Charisma.
Darien arrived at Charisma's apartment. He glanced up and noticed and looked at her window. She usually kept the light on for him, but tonight her window was dark. He slowly walked up the stairs towards her apartment. He turned the door knob. It was locked. He glanced around him to see if anyone was watching him. When he saw he was alone, he touched the door knob. It started to glow golden. He heard a click. He turned the door knob and walked inside.
He walked through the dark apartment to Charisma's room. Everything was neat and in place. It was out of character for Charisma since Charisma always kept her room a little messy. Darien then sat in front of her computer and turned it on. He looked stunned when he saw the hardware was wiped clean. All the files that Charisma kept were gone. Something strange was going on.
He then saw Charisma's cell phone still on her Chester drawer. He knew that she was out with Serena tonight since she had called him earlier when he was freaking out about his whereabouts that she was going to look after the princess today and that they were going out tonight. Yet, why did she forget her phone and why did she leave him a strange text with a link to the lyrics of The Foo Fighters' The Pretender.
He clicked on the phone. He saw that her password was on. He quickly unlocked the passcode and got access to her phone. He quickly scanned through her messages and saw several text messages from Serena asking about her whereabouts, her last text message was to Darien, and her last phone call was from him earlier that day. After Serena sent him that dismissive text about being engaged, he called Charisma. She informed him that Serena was with her, and that they were both fine and were going to a party, which they were currently at. Darien would have made an appearance at the party to check on Serena, but he knew that Charisma was more than capable to look after the brat.
Darien heard the front door opened. He knew it was her mom. Charisma always snuck in through her window at night. Darien shut down the computer then grabbed Charisma's cell phone and opened the window and leaped down. When he safely on the ground, he looked up. The window quickly closed and locked before the bedroom door of Charisma's room opened. Darien sped off on his bike.
During one particular song by Beyoncé, Charisma and Serena started dancing together forgetting the guys. Laz and Miguel laughed.
When the midnight hour approached, everyone in the club started dancing as the DJ announced Laz's birthday and everyone sung Happy Birthday to him as a cake with twenty-one candles was rolled on a trolley by another one of his friends to the center of the dance floor where he stood. Everyone cheered when he blew out his candles.
Around two in the morning, some of the group started to leave. Miguel and Serena laughed as they sat at the bar watching as their friends make out in a dark corner of the club. Serena stopped laughing and blushed when she saw the satisfied look on Charisma's face as she sat on Laz's lap and made out with him. Serena's eyes widen when she saw Laz hastily unbuckling his pants. Charisma groaned in ecstasy that was muffled by the sounds of the loud music in the club. Serena's face turned red as Charisma started to grind hard on Laz's lap as he looked at her with lustful eyes.
Serena asked stunned, "Are they…"
Miguel laughed then said, "Yup…"
Serena asked, "In a club?"
Miguel laughed then said, "Yup…"
Serena said completely flustered, "I should go… but I can't leave her."
Miguel said, "Don't worry. Charisma will be fine." He added slyly, "Plus, I don't think they are done for the night anyway."
Serena frowned at Miguel. He laughed as he got off the stool. He asked, "Come on…I'll call you a cab." Serena followed him out of the club.
They stood outside of the club talking about random things. Miguel saw that Serena was cold and took off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders even as she protested. She simply gave up arguing with him and just thanked him.
When the cab finally pulled up to the curb, he took out a few bills from his wallet and instructed the driver to take the young lady home.
Serena thanked Miguel as she took out his jacket.
He said, "You're welcome."
Serena smiled then said, "I had fun tonight."
Miguel smiled then said, "Me too. Maybe we could hook up again sometime?"
Serena said, "That sounds cool."
Miguel smiled. He then leaned towards her. Serena's eyes widen and her heart pounded rapidly against her chest. Was he going to kiss her? Was he going to give her her first kiss? Serena smiled when he placed a light kiss on her cheek.
When he leaned back, he said, "Have a good night, princess." She smiled as she got into the cab as he closed the cab door for her. She smiled as she looked through the window at a smiling Miguel. He had his jacket tossed over one side of his shoulder and other his hand in his jean's pocket. He waved bye to her. She waved back as the cab drove off.
Laz led Charisma to the back on the club. Charisma laughed as a horny Laz pushed her against the wall in an alley behind the club.
He said huskily as he pressed his body against her, "I want you so bad. I can't get enough of you, tonight."
Charisma smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her hard on the mouth. Charisma wrapped her arms around his neck as he kissed. She threw back her head and moaned in ecstasy as he started to kiss her neck. He roughly pulled down her dress until her breasts jiggled in front of him. She moaned his name as he started to lick and suck her breasts hungrily. He quickly pulled up her dress until her ass and panties were exposed in the cold night air. She gasped when he ripped off her panties. He quickly unbuttoned his pants and whipped out his rock hard erection. She cried out in joy and pain as he roughly lifted her up and thrust his erection inside of her. She bounced fast up and down on him as he thrust fast and hard inside of her. He started to curse underneath his breath. He called out her name and powerful orgasm ripped through his body as he came inside of her. He felt limp as he rested his exhausted and drenched head on her shoulders.
He laughed then said out of breath, "This has to be the best birthday ever."
Charisma smiled at him then said, "Too bad, it shall your last." His eyes' widen when her fingernails turned into vines and thrust into Laz's back and winced in pain. He tried to pull away from her but the vines were too powerful and pulled him back towards her as one of the vines roughly pushed his head towards her until she roughly kissed him on the mouth until her dark essences flowed through his body. His eyes started to lose their shine and turned dark as the vines formed a large cocoon around them. When the cocoon disappeared, Charisma released Laz from her kiss. Her eyes turned dark as she stared into his dark eyes. A wicked grin appeared on his face. She smiled as they started to kiss again. She smiled as he started to leave wet kisses all over her body again.
When Miguel walked back inside the club, he saw that Charisma and Laz were gone. He scratched his head even though he knew he was going to tell Laz that he was about to leave. When he turned around, he saw Charisma and Laz in front of him. Their clothes looked neat and unruffled. Laz had his arm around Charisma's waist.
Charisma asked nonchalant, "Where's Serenity?"
Miguel said with a laugh, "She freaked out at your raunchy display of public affection and left like a half an hour ago like I am about to now."
Charisma asked tilting her head, "Before you go, could you help Laz and me with something? It's out back."
Miguel shrugged his shoulders and said, "Sure." He followed them out back as Laz and Charisma's eyes turned dark with knowing expressions.
Darien glanced at the digital clock on the wall that read three thirty in the morning. He sat at his computer desk with the desk lamp on and another cup of hot black coffee that he had just poured at the edge of the desk on a coaster. He was in a white beater and basketball shorts. He was at home in his apartment of the East Bank. He yawned as he spent the last few hours searching through Charisma's phone and finding nothing besides the text messages. He lifted his coffee mug and took a sip of his strong black coffee. He sighed as looked at the screen on his laptop with the lyrics of Foo Fighters' The Pretender on the screen. He knew that Charisma was trying to tell him something but he could not put his finger on what it was. He reread the lyrics to the song for the umpteenth time:
"The Pretender" by the Foo Fighters
Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend
Keep you in the dark
And so it all began
Send in your skeletons
Sing as their bones go marching in... again
The need you buried deep
The secrets that you keep are ever ready
Are you ready?
I'm finished making sense
Done pleading ignorance
That whole defense
Spinning infinity, boy
The wheel is spinning me
It's never-ending, never-ending
Same old story
[Chorus (x2):]
What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?
In time or so I'm told
I'm just another soul for sale... oh, well
The page is out of print
We are not permanent
We're temporary, temporary
Same old story
[Chorus x2]
I'm the voice inside your head
You refuse to hear
I'm the face that you have to face
Mirrored in your stare
I'm what's left, I'm what's right
I'm the enemy
I'm the hand that will take you down
Bring you to your knees
So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Keep you in the dark
You know they all pretend
[Chorus x2]
[x2]
What if I say I'm not like the others?
(Keep you in the dark)
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays?
(You know they all... pretend)
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?
So who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
He groaned in exhausted as he slammed the phone on the desk. His eyes widen when the phone claimed a loose. As he rushed to put the phone together, he noticed a strange chip inside of the phone. It did not go with the design of the phone. Darien picked up the chip and placed it on the top of his digit finger. It looked like a small dot. Darien opened up his cd player for his laptop and slowly placed the chip in it. It expanded to the size of a small computer disk. He closed it. As it loaded, he saw a web camera with Charisma's face popped up.
Charisma looked at him with a worried expression as Darien looked stunned. Darien asked confused, "Charisma, what's going on?" He then looked at the top right corner and saw that the video was recorded a few days ago." Charisma was in her room dressed in pajamas with a sleepy look in her eyes and it was still daylight in the background.
Charisma smiled at him and said, "Hey, Dare. I got a vision in my dream that I will be killed tomorrow and used as a way to get to Elena and the princess. So more than likely I am probably dead. Major bummer! There is no point in me trying to escape since this enemy will find me whenever it wants and kill me. I cannot see his face since it is concealed from me. All I know is that he is a man with godlike powers. I see myself in these visions but I am not myself. It looks like me but it is not me if that makes any sense. I know the enemy is going to make it seem like I am alive and everything is normal, but that is a lie. You know me better than anyone else. I figured that it will probably search through all my things and erase my hard drive on my computer, so I went ahead and sent you a copy of all the research I have been working on for the last couple of years. It will explain many things to you."
Darien looked shocked at her mention of Elena.
Charisma smiled then said, "Don't be so shock, Darien. Don't trust her Elena. She has been lying to us since the day she took us in. She is lying about our past and that is probably why Mina left. Mina figured out the truth. Do not trust the others Darien either. I know you think I am nuts since Elena is like a mother to us, but when you received my notes you will see otherwise. She is just as ruthless as the enemy. I know you sense it too. That's why you have been so frustrated lately because a part of you knows deep down inside that Elena will never let us go free. Apart of you know you are not going to Harvard next year. She will not allow us to have a normal life. I think the enemy wants me to spy to Elena and keep her here in this city. I totally agree with him."
Charisma smiled at him with a wicked smile as Darien looked at her strangely.
Charisma said, "Don't be so shocked, darling. I know the enemy is going to try to attack her and destroy the whole world type of thing. I mean that would be a totally suck. What I mean is that Elena needs to stay in this city. If she gets inkling that the enemy knows our whereabouts, she is going to jet again with all of us in tow. We need to put an end to this battle for once and for all."
Darien muttered, "You're crazy, Charisma."
Charisma smiled then said, "I'm not crazy, Dare. Elena is not who she appears to be, and I know deep down inside of you, you know that. You know she will never release you from her control or allow you to have a normal life. The only way that we have a chance of freedom is if we end this battle right here and now. Darien all that talk about us being a servant to the crowd and not entitled to our own lives is complete and utter bullshit. You were right to stand up to Mason that night. The time is now for us to make a stand against the powerful beings and let them know that we are entitled to make own our choices."
Charisma sighed, "Before I die, I am going to reawakened Sailor Moon." Darien gasped at the screen. "If I failed or do not awakened her before I am killed, I need you to do it. All that talk that Mason and Elena told us about wanting Serenity to have normal lives is bologna and you and I know it. I don't know what Elena has up her sleeve for the princess, but I know we need to awaken Sailor Moon before Elena returns. In order to do this Darien, take the princess down to the moon chamber and recite the memory spell. I have to go now, but please Darien, believe me. Whatever you do, do not tell what you know to Elena. Good-bye Darien." The screen went black. His CD player drive magically opened and the disc disappeared as a small cloud of smoke surrounded it.
Darien leaned back in his chair and let out a deep sigh as he rested his head on the back of the chair and spun around it away from the scream. Charisma was dead. His Charisma was dead but there was a look-a –like on the streets resembling her. He could not tell Elena and the others about it since Charisma warned him not to trust them. She was right everyone even Seth were without doubt loyal to Elena and the royal crown. To go against Elena would be treason and would ultimately mean death. They would hunt him down until they murdered him for his betrayal to their Lady Elena. Out of all the things Charisma said in her video log, two things really bothered him. First, she wanted him to go against Elena's direct orders and awakened Sailor Moon. If Elena found out about that, she would kill him before he had a chance to explain. Secondly, Charisma told him that she knew she was going to die, and she treated it indifferently almost like a joke. Had her human life meant nothing to her? Had he meant nothing to her? She did not even tell him that she loved him or apologized for breaking his heart.
They came under Elena's care together. They were both orphans. They were everything to one another like friend, family, and eventually lover. They were each other's first love, kiss, and first time. They had a puppy love, and the day Elena separated them only two years ago when they were both fifteen was the hardest day of Darien's life. It was the first day he felt a smidge of resentment for the woman he loved as a mother. When Charisma returned the following year, it was as if she was indifferent. He wondered if Elena had done something to him. They were in the west wing of the house finally alone after not speaking to each other's for weeks. He was angry at her for indifference towards him. In a fit of rage as they argued with each other, he yelled out that he loved her. They were stunned because it was the first time that he had ever said other those words to anyone. He stupidly thought that those three little words were like a magic rope that she would instantly run into his arms and admit that she was sorry for hurting him and that she loved him too. Yet, she did not say that. She simply told him with the coldest eyes he ever seen that what they shared meant nothing to her and that she never loved him. He was nothing more than a distraction to her until she found something better and that he was just another notch on her belt. She told him that she had many lovers since. She then walked away from him leaving him hurt and on the verge of tears. He promised himself that he would never wear his heart on his sleeve again and never fall in love again.
From that day forward, he loathed the female sex. He never told them that he loved them or cared for them. Hell, he was not even in a real relationship with Rebecca. She thought they were, and he made sure that she was believed they were. When she started going around telling everyone that he was her boyfriend, he went with it out of convenience. He kept her around for two reasons. One, she was great in bed. Second, he suspected she knew things about the McQueen family that she should not.
Mina told him once that she let it slipped that they were not really brother and sister. He wondered what else did Mina confided in Rebecca since they were inseparable at one time. What Rebecca did not know or did not want to admit out loud was that Darien slept around with numerous women including some of her friends. Darien despised them all. They did not care about him. They liked him because of his looks and he was a great fuck in bed. They liked him because they thought he was a rich boy when he really was not. They all tried to tame him, and he enjoyed letting them think they could, but he had a limited use for women. Besides a good fuck every once in a while, he had no use for them.
He turned back around in the chair. He opened up his top drawer of the desk. He took out a picture of him and Charisma at Disneyworld when they were thirteen-years-old.
They were cheesing hard for the camera as they stood on both sides of Mickey Mouse. Charisma wanted to go to Disneyworld for her birthday. Mina and Darien thought she was crazy. However, Mina had finally mastered her teleportation power. She teleported the three of them to Disneyworld and left them alone to go on a ride since she knew that Darien and Charisma liked it each other but were too scared to admit their feelings for one another. Even though Darien wanted to be angry at Charisma as he stared at that picture, he smirked because it was a good memory. After that picture, Charisma gave Darien their first kiss. They both were red after their kiss then Charisma's face turned green and she puked all over his brand new Jordans.
Darien rolled his eyes and placed the photograph back in his drawer. He said to himself, "Charisma, did you ever really love me or are you just a beautiful liar? Even in death, you did not have the decency to give me closure. Like the coward you are, you wait until after your death to tell me this, when it could have been prevented. When did you become such a martyr?" He logged off his computer and walked into his bed. He lied down in his king sized bed and looked at the ceiling with one arm folded behind his pillow and the other underneath the drawstring of his shorts. He sighed then turned to his red. He saw an image of Charisma smiling at him. She was naked underneath his covers. She rested her hands on his pillow with her hands tucked underneath. He remembered the image of her lying happily in their bed after their lovemaking. It was in January on her seventeenth birthday, Charisma had just come back from vacation from distant friends in Sudan. She came to his apartment the night after they returned to New Orleans a little tipsy. He had an irritated look on his face and was about to reprimand her for disturbing him late at night. However before he could tell her off, she assaulted his lips and quickly knocked through all his defenses. She rocked his world that night after making love to him three times. When he tried to speak, she silenced him with her mouth. At two o'clock in the morning, they were exhausted. He smiled at her for the first time since their big fight as she lied on her side at peace and simply smiling at him.
Darien said gently still lost in the memory, "If those are your dying wishes Charisma, then so be it." Then when he reached out to her as he reached out to her later that morning nine months ago, she was gone. He looked back at the ceiling and sighed.