Another Black Tie Affair

By: afallenblackrose

Author's Notes: I'm really sorry for not updating on Thursday, like I was supposed to, but I was just not in the mood to write a chapter, especially one that was so boring compared to the other three. So I was trying to figure out how to spice it up, and I think I did just fine. On another note, wohoo! Thank you everyone for the birthday wishes, it brought a smile to my face every time I checked my e-mail and saw a new review! So thanks to DarkMoonVisions, LGCoffeeAddict, Serena, SerenaDarienforeverJune30, nebelflecke, PoisonIvy89, mangamania, applenica, Jessie F. Babi, sere, MoonPrincess568, Boston Bill, EvaC, janice, SailorPrincess1237, Anonymoose13, and fnr03 for reviewing the last chapter. To answer your birthday wishes, my birthday was quite amazing even though I had to study for an exam, but it's all-good. Anyone else notice that the chapter I posted on Tuesday was posted on Darien's birthday? He turned 36 this year! Anyway, onto the next chapter!

Part Four:

Homesickness?

While Darien was at the office trying to figure out what had happened that morning, Serena was sitting on the living room floor unpacking the multitude of boxes that they had brought over with them. After a few hard moments, she had figured out how to work Darien's expansive stereo system and a low melody was now playing in the background. The box in front of Serena at the present was one of Darien's many boxes of books. Even before he had left she knew he was an avid reader, but what was disturbing for her was that the box contained, mostly, the works of Stephen King. How could Darien read those books? She had heard of Stephen King, she saw Carrie, and hadn't been able to sleep for two whole months afterwards. She hadn't figured Darien to be into the horror genre. She had thought he would be more into the sci-fi or even books that dealt with war or something.

She was examining a rather thick volume when she heard a knock on the door. Placing the book onto one of the many stacks around her, she got up and went to see who was at the door. She was still shaking her head, when she opened the door.

"I had heard that Serena Carter had gone stateside," a voice said. "But I didn't believe it for a moment. What are you doing here, Serena?" Serena simply just stared, her mouth open at the girl who was standing in her doorway. It was the friend she had thought about calling earlier. Wait, girl wasn't the right term, the small petite girl that she had known in high school was no longer so short. The woman with raven black hair cut to her shoulders was now a few inches taller than Serena.

"Haven't you heard, Hotaru? It's Serena Shields now," she smiled and pulled the young woman into a hug. "How have you been, my friend? It's been what three, four years since I last saw you?"

"I think so, my dear friend," she smiled. "But, may I come in?"

"Oh, of course!" Serena exclaimed a tad bit embarrassed that she hadn't invited her friend in before. "I'm so sorry, I was just so stunned to see you. Please excuse the mess, I'm afraid we just arrived today and I'm still trying to get everything in order." She stepped aside from the door and let Hotaru walk through, closing the door behind them. She watched as her friend took in the sight before her, and wasn't surprised when she was instantly drawn to the windows.

"What a lovely view," her friend softly said. "This husband of yours must be pretty rich to afford this wonderful apartment," she turned back to Serena. "You never told me his name?"

"His name is Darien," Serena replied. "And he is rich, in fact, he owns Shields Corporation. That's why we moved here, apparently one of the clients he's looking into is based out here, and so to woo him he came in person."

"Darien Shields…" Hotaru mused. "That name sounds so familiar. Weren't the two of you friends or something when we graduated high school?" She sat down on the carpeted floor next to an unopened box.

"Yeah, I thought I told you about him?" Serena asked. "We bumped into each other, one day, like a month before graduation and well, I instantly got a crush on him." Her eyes went off into dreamland as she remembered that day like she had the year before when Seiya had asked her to marry him. Hotaru was inquisitive and Serena went into the whole story from start to finish about how Darien and her had finally ended up getting hitched. While she was speaking, they had continued unpacking, even though Serena had insisted that Hotaru shouldn't do anything since she was a guest in her new home. But she had just waved Serena off.

"I might as well help you," she said.

"Well, if you're sure," Serena replied hesitant. "So what about you, Hotaru? What have you been up to since graduation?"

"Well, after graduation I stuck around Tokyo for the summer, and in the fall I came out here to attend UCLA. I graduated in four years with a degree in communications and I'm now the head anchor at a TV station."

"Wow, that's pretty exciting. But what about your love life? I know you were pretty serious about that one boy back when we were in high school. What was his name? Paul or Patrick?"

"Patrick, and that, uh, didn't work out," Hotaru looked away. "But I've been seeing someone new, and I think things are getting quite serious, even though he still has to introduce me to his family."

"Ooh! What's his name?"

"His name is Alan," she replied. "He's pretty sweet, he's actually my coworker at the station. I'd love for you two to meet one day…"

"I would love to meet him!" Serena exclaimed and stood up quickly. The tickle in her nose had started again. She was thinking it was because of all the dust that they had brought up from the unpacking, but she wasn't so sure. She looked at the clock that was sitting on the mantle and realized that they had been at this for over two hours! "Oh wow, we've been working non-stop, are you thirsty?"

"I am actually," she said.

"I'm afraid I only have water," Serena said as she walked into the kitchen. "I have to go shopping soon and stock up everything. I'm sure Darien probably doesn't want to go out to eat every night."

"Water is fine!" Hotaru exclaimed and walked over to the mantle. She had been fascinated with a picture that was there, when she first walked in. She hadn't gotten an opportunity to look at it without Serena being in the room, so now was her chance. She took the picture off and studied it closely. It was one of Serena and her husband Darien shoving cake into each other's faces. It must have been from their wedding reception. She smiled at how happy they looked together. Serena was one of her closest friends, in fact, Hotaru considered her, her unofficial sister. It made her happy to see Serena so happy. But she still couldn't shake the feeling that she knew Darien from somewhere. She stared even more intently at the picture trying to place him.

CRASH!

She looked up startled and dropped the picture frame in her hands, she didn't notice the glass shattering because she was already rushing into the kitchen to check on Serena. What she saw made her heart freeze in her chest.

Serena was lying unconscious on the hard marble floor, her face tinged crimson, but not from blood. There was glass everywhere, and the floor was also wet. What had happened? Hotaru carefully made her way around the glass to her friend.

"Serena? Serena, can you hear me?" Hotaru asked gently shaking her blonde friend. But the friend wasn't responsive. Getting out her cell phone from her jeans pocket, she dialed 911.

"911, what's your emergency?"

Darien was whistling a high beat tune when he stepped out of the elevator of his apartment building. He was on his way home to his beautiful wife, and he was early. He was about to take her by surprise, he couldn't help but smile to himself. The journey back to his building had been rather difficult, much to his surprise. The paparazzi were standing feet from his car when he had exited his work. Someone had alerted them to his return, and they would not stop pestering him. He sighed, it didn't matter any more what they thought. They were looking forward to more entries to his playboy famous ways. Little did they know that he had gotten married while he was away.

Darien opened the door to his apartment and was surprised to see a girl with black hair that went to her shoulders waiting for him.

"So, you're Darien Shields," she said walking up to him.

"Yes I am, but who are you? And where's Serena?" He asked curious.

"My name is Hotaru Taylor, Serena and I knew each other back in high school," she explained. "When I heard that she was in town, I came to see her and we spent the day together."

"Okay, it's nice to meet you Hotaru, but you didn't answer my question. Where's Serena?" He was getting nervous now, and it didn't help that the girl in front of him was now giving him a look of sadness.

"Something happened," she said her voice now real quiet. "She got up to get some water, and I heard a crash from the kitchen. When I checked to see what had happened, she was on the floor unconscious. I called 911, and an ambulance took her away."

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Darien exclaimed, his face panic stricken. He turned around and headed back the way he came. He faintly heard the door to his apartment close and the girl was now standing beside him as he waited for the elevator. "Is she okay?" He asked, now thoroughly worried.

"She was still unconscious when I left," she replied.

"Why did you leave?"

"We left in such a rush that we didn't leave a note or anything to explain where we were or who to call," she explained. "I wasn't sure when you were going to come home, so I quickly came back to leave the aforementioned note. I was just about to leave when you came home."

Darien nodded as they stepped into the elevator. He harshly pressed the button for the doors to close he was now very impatient. He needed to get to the hospital and see what was wrong with his wife…

Author's Notes: It's a short one, I know, but the next chapter is going to be so much fun! Review and I'll update soon!