Another Black Tie Affair

By: afallenblackrose

Author's Notes: I think I've left you guys in suspense long enough. I'm sorry I didn't get the opportunity to post this chapter sooner, but I got distracted by my class yesterday and just didn't have the time to upload. Please forgive me? Thanks to SerenaDarienforeverJune30, James Birdsong, SerentiyMoonGodness, PoisonIvy89, DarkMoonVisions, LGCoffeeAddict, BostonBill, nebelflecke, Jessie F. Babi, Anonymoose13, fnr03, and serenityalexis for reviewing the last chapter. I now give you part five!

Part Five:

The Unexpected Visitor

When Darien and Hotaru arrived at the hospital about twenty minutes later, Hotaru pointed Darien in the direction of where Serena's room was. He dashed to her room, not caring if he ran into anyone along the way. He was worried about his wife, and he needed to see her right away. Once he reached the room number Hotaru had told him, he stood in the doorway and felt his stomach clench in worry. Lying in a hospital bed with tubes in her nose and looking slightly flushed was Serena. He walked cautiously into the room, trying to make himself believe that what he was seeing was a horrible nightmare. In a few minutes he would wake up and discover Serena sleeping right next to him looking as healthy as a horse. But as he neared the bed, he realized that this wasn't a nightmare. It was his reality. He reached out and gently took her hand, which was clammy and hot, in his. He looked up as a doctor walked in.

"What's wrong with her?" He asked.

"Oh, sir, don't look so worried," the doctor replied. "I take it this is your wife?" Darien nodded. "Well, there's nothing to be concerned about. Serena here has just come down with a regular flu. The reason she collapsed and became unconscious was because she had a terribly high fever. In fact, if her friend hadn't called an ambulance and brought her here, she probably would have gone into a coma and died." Darien blanched. This doctor was such a hypocrite. Don't worry your wife was just inches away from death but she's going to be fine. No worries! Darien bit his lip to stop himself from shouting insults at the doctor.

"How come she didn't notice that she had a high fever?" Darien asked the doctor. "Wouldn't a person realize that they were running hotter than normal?"

"Probably, but if they were really busy doing something they would just shake it off and continue working," the doctor replied. Darien thought about all those boxes back at the apartment and how most of them, when he had come back, had been unpacked. She had been working so hard on tidying up their place that she had neglected her own health! God, his little angel really needed to learn to pay attention to these things.

"If it's just a normal flu, then she doesn't need to be here for too much longer, right? I can take her home soon?"

"Of course you can, we just have to wait for Serena to wake up and then I'll sign the papers for her to be discharged. The only thing she needs is bed rest and liquids to keep her hydrated. The flu should pass in a week." The doctor walked out of the room without so much as a good-bye. Darien watched him with a raised eyebrow. He was a weird one, but then again he was back in Los Angeles. He chuckled to himself and switched his attention back to his wife. He felt more at ease, now that he knew that it was only the flu and that she would survive. He really needed to stop thinking about the worst-case scenario. He sighed and put his head to her palm. Instantly she twitched, and began to stir. He looked up and watched her eyes flutter open. She wore a look of confusion.

"What the-? How did I get here?" She whispered her voice hoarse. Her eyes found Darien's and her brow furrowed instantly. "Darien? What are you…wait a minute, where am I?"

"You're in the hospital, Serena," he replied. "You gave me quite a scare. I thought…" he shook his head. "I came home early to surprise you, but I found your friend in our apartment instead. She told me how you collapsed and how you wouldn't wake up. I rushed here as soon as I could." He gazed at Serena who looked really confused now. "You do remember collapsing, don't you?"

"I remember going to the kitchen to get Hotaru and I something to drink," she said trying to remember what had happened an hour or so ago. "But then I felt extremely warm like I was directly in front of the sun, and that's the last thing I remember."

"The warmth you felt? That was a fever," Darien explained. "You have the flu, which is a real shame. You were invited to a dinner with my new potential client tomorrow night. I know how much you love to go out and get dressed up."

"Are you serious?" Serena asked her eyes getting wide. "Damn it!" She frowned. She had never gotten sick before. Not even a measly cold when she was in school. She wasn't sure why, probably because she had a high immune system, but whatever the reason she was really disappointed. Darien was right, she loved going out and getting dressed up. It made her feel like a movie star. This sucked!

"Don't take it so hard, Serena," he said chuckling. "I promise, you will have more opportunities to get dressed up and go out. I still have to give you a tour of the city," he winked at her. Serena smiled at him. Darien really knew how to cheer her up.

The doctor poked his head back in and smiled at Serena. "Oh good, you're up. You gave us quite the scare there, Serena."

The next day when Serena woke up, she felt like a sixteen-wheeler had run her over…multiple times. Every bone in her body ached. Her head was pounding, like she had a really bad hangover, but only ten times worse. Her nose, which had been fine the night before, was now running like a dripping faucet and she could feel that it was starting to block up with all sorts of mucus. Her throat was on fire and very raw. And it hurt to have her eyes open. This was her first experience with the flu and she already knew that she didn't like it. Not one bit. Her fever, which had gone down the night before, was now raging again, but she also felt chilled.

A knock on the door made Serena turn her wary eyes to see what Darien wanted. He walked in with a tray. On this tray was a bottle of ice-cold water, a glass of orange juice, scrambled eggs, and a bottle of Motrin.

"Bless you," she croaked as he placed the tray on the bed.

"I'm taking you feel horrible?" Darien asked his hand already touching her burning hot forehead. "Yep, the fever's back. Take two of the Motrin, and if you're up to it eat some of the eggs. That should help, and later for lunch I'll make you chicken soup."

"You don't have to go to work today?" She asked her hand already making quick work of the cap on the Motrin bottle. Once it was opened she placed two of the tablets in her palm, and threw them into her mouth. Taking a sip of orange juice, she swallowed. Her throat clenched, but they went down.

"I'm the boss," he replied. "My wife is sick. I'm staying home to take care of her, even though I'm really considering cancelling my dinner meeting with Sapphire. I'm not sure if I can leave you here alone when you're this sick."

"Don't do that," she whispered. "I'll call Hotaru and ask if she wouldn't mind coming over to take care of me. You already didn't show up to one of the meetings, Darien, I don't want this Sapphire guy to get the wrong impression of you."

"Well, if you're sure," he said hesitantly. She had a point, even though the meeting mix up hadn't been his fault, he still didn't want to cancel. What would Sapphire Dawson think? "But you better check with Hotaru first. I'm serious, I don't want to leave you here alone."

"Hand me my phone," Serena requested leaving her palm open. Darien reached over to the nightstand and handed her her cell phone. Rolling through her contacts list, she found Hotaru's cell phone number, which she had given Serena the night before when they got back from the hospital, and dialed.

"Hey Serena, what's going on?"

"Not much, I just have a small request to make of you," Serena replied.

"Okay, what's the request?"

"Darien has a dinner meeting with that client I was telling you about and because I'm so sick he doesn't want to leave me alone. Would you mind coming over later tonight to keep me company while he's gone?"

"Sure, it's not a problem," Hotaru replied. "What time is the meeting?"

"Um, hang on…" Serena put her hand over the mouthpiece. "What time is the meeting?" She asked Darien.

"It's around seven," he replied checking his phone and reading the e-mail that Molly had sent him.

"Around seven," Serena said into the mouthpiece.

"Okay, I'll be there around six-thirty," Hotaru said. "And tell Darien that he shouldn't worry so much. We'll be fine. I know kung-fu and the emergency numbers!" She laughed.

Serena giggled, "I'll tell him that. I'll see you later tonight then, Hotaru." She hung up the phone. Darien was staring at her.

"What was so funny and what are you supposed to tell me?"

"Hotaru told me to tell you not to worry so much because we'll be fine," she smiled. "Also, she knows kung-fu and the emergency numbers." Darien cracked a smile.

"How can I not worry about you?" He asked. "You're sick, it's supposed to be my job to worry about you." He sighed. "How did you two meet anyway? I feel like I know her from somewhere."

"We met in high school," she replied. "We had a class together and we both couldn't stand the teacher. We sat next to each other, and one day she made a comment about the teacher and I made a comment…we were friends ever since. It's curious that you should say that though, because Hotaru said the same thing. She isn't…." Serena trailed off as she took a sip of her orange juice.

"She isn't, what?" Darien asked concerned.

"She isn't, you know, one of…um…. your lady friends from when you were here last time."

"No, she isn't," Darien replied. He trailed off as his brain shifted through the girls he had been with when he was here in Los Angeles last year. Hotaru definitely wasn't one of them. But if she wasn't…then how come he felt like he had seen her before? He shook his head. He'd figure it out later. He had other concerns pressing on his mind at that moment.

After making sure that Hotaru and Serena would be okay without him for a few hours, and with a great reluctance, he left his apartment to go to his dinner meeting with Sapphire Dawson. When he arrived at the restaurant, the hostess showed him to the table where Sapphire and a woman were already there. He checked his watch to make sure that he was on time. It read 6:57. He was three minutes early.

"Darien Shields," Sapphire said standing up to shake his hand. Darien shook his hand and turned to the woman that he had been sitting beside. "I was just talking to your lovely wife here."

"My wife?" Darien asked. He now remembered what he had forgotten to do that afternoon. He was supposed to call Molly and tell her to call Luna so she could tell Sapphire that his wife wouldn't be coming to dinner that night because of her illness. But who was this woman who was acting like his wife?

"I'm not his wife, Mr. Dawson," a feminine voice answered and she stood up to face Darien. "But I'm really surprised that she isn't here with you. Where is the lovely Serena that I have heard so much about?"

Darien felt his jaw drop a little bit, "What are you doing here?"

Author's Notes: Ooh, another cliffhanger. Who do you think this mysterious woman is? And how do Hotaru and Darien know each other if they weren't previously "acquainted"? Please review and I'll update soon!