Author's Note:ok, lets see, this fanfic is pretty self-explanatory. Well, last Chapter they were in the past and now there going to return to the present time and we'll see what happens now. I hope your enjoying it so far and E-Mail me any complaints or suggestions! Chapter 4.......      Darien was having a hard time breathing through his fury and an even harder time not going at Lita and strangling her like he wanted to. Serena stood firmly between them, he suspected, because she knew what he was thinking.      "Well.....well....."was all Serena could manage to say. But even through Lita's confession she felt no forgiveness coming to her, no belief that she was telling the truth. It had been eight years and in those eight years she had built a wall of grief and pain, of never trusting anyone into her heart again. It was impossible now....there was no chance.      "Lita-"Darien growled.      "Thank you for that....nice confession Lita, you have eased my mind considerably."Serena said sarcastically."And now, if you don't mind, I think I'd like to take my leave. I'm tired, its been a long night."she tried going around her, but Lita blocked her path.      "You don't believe me?"she asked increduously.      Serena squinted up at the taller woman."To tell you the truth, no I don't. You showed up on my doorstep one way eight years ago, and now you expect me to believe that you've changed so easily from being the way you were. People don't change that easily."      "But I did!"Lita cried, then suddenly shook her head."No, this isn't about me. Its about you and Darien. You two loved each other so much and I broke that apart. I-"      "No, you didn't break it up."Serena cut in, turning to look Darien in the eye."He just made his choice. Now if you'll excuse me."she swept past Lita and out of the room.      "I would like nothing more then to take you over my knee right now Lita for your stupidity, but I have more important things to take care of."Darien stalked out of the room, Lita right behind him.      "Ken! Ken! Stop her! Don't let her go!"Lita shouted to her husband, pointing at Serena's swiftly retreating back.      Ken ran to try and block her, but Darien beat him to it. He gripped her by the arm and whirled her around."You can't leave now."he said quietly, furiously.      "Let me go! All of you are crazy! Let me go now!!"she shouted.      Seiya came then, looking from Serena to Darien with a suspicious look."Whats going on here? How do you two know each other?"      "Will you stop mauling me? Seiya! Get him off me!"Serena said desperately. She had to get away. She couldn't go on being near Darien another moment or she'd shatter.      "Darien, let her go."Seiya was still confused, but more concerned with the desperate tone of Serena's voice. He attempted to push Darien back, but the other man shoved him away, sending him sprawling.      "Your not getting away. You need to listen to me now."he bit out, his jaws clenched so tightly in anger he could barely speak.      "I don't want to listen!"she brought her foot up and kicked him in the shin, his grip on her releasing immediately as he crumpled in pain. She turned and headed for the door.      Lita was there ready to block her."You can't go. He's nothing without you. You can't leave him again."      "But I didn't leave him the first time, did I? I would have happily married him and we could have raised our daughter together, but you-"she stopped in mid-sentece, her eyes widening in horror, her hand going to her mouth as she realized what she had just revealed.      Lita's eyes were equally wide, her mouth dropping open."Daughter?"she whispered, but she was so shocked Serena took that oppurtunity to shove past her and out the door, running to her car and speeding away.      Darien limped over to the open door, watching her go, cursing softly."Damn it!"he muttered under his breath, his hard eyes cutting over to Lita to glare at her with menace.      But she had a strange look on her face, a shocked look, and he found his anger slightly faded to be replaced by curiousity. He had heard enough to know she and Serena had had a quiet exchange before she had rushed out. What had Serena said?      "Oh my God."she looked at Darien with wonder now, then a burst of joy as she lept into his arms and hugged him with all her might."Oh Darien!!"she laughed out loud.      "What?"he frowned, trying to push her away, but she clung harder and laughed even more."Whats wrong with you?"      Seiya, Yaten, and Ken came to join them, frowning at Lita's sudden happiness.      She pulled away and grinned at him."Oh I'm so happy for you! I-"she halted when she realized the other three were watching them. She would have gladly made the announcement then and there, but she didn't out of respect for the relationship she knew Seiya now had with Serena."Ah, I need to talk to you. In private. Come on."she signaled for Ken to follow them as they went back into the study.      "Lita, I'm still angry with you. Don't think for one minute that your going to get away with this one, because I swear-"      "Darien, Serena had your baby!"she suddenly burst out, unable to hold still any longer.      Darien and Ken both froze and stood staring at her, Ken's eyes wide, Darien's narrowing, his lip curling."What the hell is this Lita? Another one of your tricks?"      "No Darien, I'm serious! She just told me that-"      "No more lies! Isn't it enough that I lost her thanks to you? You don't need to go lying to me about her having....a child!"he shouted at her.      "But I'm not lying Darien, please."she begged.      Ken came out of his shocked state long enough to step forward and speak."Darien, listen to her. I know your angry at her, God knows she can pull some crazy stunts, but she isn't a liar."      Lita gave him a look."Gee, I don't know whether to thank you or slap you."      Ken merely grinned at his wife while Darien took slow, deep breaths, calming himself. He spoke again, his voice a bit calmer."Ok Lita, lets hear it then."      She looked at him and smiled again."Well, we were at the door and I told her not to go because you couldn't live without her. You know its true too Darien. You've been such a grouch for the last eight years no one can stand being around you. And you-"      "Lita!"Ken said sharply, giving her look that told her to stuff it and hurry up with the story.      "Oh, sorry. Anyway, she said that she hadn't left you, that the two of you could have happily married and raised your daughter together. Thats where she stopped and freaked out because it hit her that she had let her secret slip."she smiled triumphantly at both men."She had your daughter Darien, isn't that wonderful!"      He stared at her a moment, unmoving and unblinking. Then suddenly he collapsed in a seat and buried his face in his hands, his body stiff.      "Oh God."he whispered brokenly, Lita immediately going to him.      "Darien, are you all right?"she asked, concerned. Ken came to stand beside her and they both stared down at him.      "No, I'm not all right. Damn it!"he looked up at Lita and once again his face was full of fury directed toward her."This is your fault! You with all your lies and deception!"he stood and she shrank away, Ken stepping between them.      "Darien, your my cousin and best friend, but I can't allow you to kill my wife in my own presence."as hoped, Darien gave a little smile at this."Look, whats past is past. Lita is obviously sorry for everything she did. She wants to set things right again. She's trying very hard too. Can't you see that?"      Minutes ticked by, with Darien glaring at Lita from over Ken's head, until finally he subsided, nodding faintly."Your right. I'm just so angry. I mean, if she really did have my child I....."he didn't know what exactly to say.      "I guess there's only one way to find out huh?"Ken pointed out.      He nodded."Yea. I have to find her. If she really did then.....thats my daughter too. Our daughter."he smiled at this thought. A child with Serena. A child they had created together."Our daughter. Shit. Its overwhelming."and suddenly a grin split his face, the first real smile they'd seen in eight years."I'm a father!"and because he could never stay mad at her, he swept Lita into his arms, all three of them laughing with joy.      Serena was packing her bags the next morning, cursing herself and her momentary lapse with Lita. How could she have let it slip? The one thing she had never wanted him to know, the one thing she had never wanted to share with him.      Well now he knew. Of course Lita would go run and tell him.Of course she could never keep that big mouth of hers shut.      Slamming her suitcase shut, she quickly went out to meet the cab that was waiting for her, never knowing there was a tall, dark man in the shadows watching her, following her.      She was taken to the airport, boarded her plane, and flew home to Maine. Once there she immediately picked Rene up from Raye's home, surprising both her daughter and her friend. Neither of them had expected her back for days.      Rene was excited at seeing her mother, and knowing how soft she was and how much she could take advantage of her, she begged for her mother to take her to the park for the afternoon. Serena obliged, smiling at her daughter, listening as she spoke rapidly of school and her friends. Slowly, she relaxed. Darien may have known he was a father already, but he would never find them. Yes, they were safe. She had made sure of that.      Once at the park, Rene ran off to play with the other children while Serena went to sit on a bench and watch her. She was content with the warm afternoon, the breeze rustling through the trees, the childrens laughter in the air. Nothing would go wrong. Nothing.      She was thinking this when a shadow fell over her, the shadow of a large man. She knew who it was without even turning to look.      "She's beautiful."Darien whispered, watching Rene play in the playground with the other children."She looks exactly like you."      Serena shot to her feet, turning to glare at him."What the hell are you doing here?"her hands were beginning to tremble. He'd found them.....he'd found Rene.      "Following you, sucessfully as it turns out. Why didn't you tell me?"he couldn't take his eyes off her. His daughter. No, they're daughter. Coming from inside both of them.      "Tell you what?"perhaps if she played it off, perhaps she could buy some time and think of a lie to tell him.      His hand gestured toward Rene."About her. About our daughter. I had to find out instead eight years later from Lita. And the only reason I even found out was because you let it slip!"he looked at Serena now, his eyes gentle because of the thought that he had a family."Whats her name?"      "She's not yours."she lashed out, her voice desperate."What made you think she could be?"      His eyes didn't falter."You said 'our daughter' to Lita. Our daughter Serena. Do you think I'm stupid? And I happen to know I was the only man you were sleeping with eight years ago anyway."he said smugly.      "Oh really? Well the same can't be said about you, can it?"she snapped.      "There was never anyone else but you Serena. I loved you....God, I still do!"he suddenly whipped out and gripped her shoulders, hauling her up against his hard body."I still want you the same as I did eight years ago."he murmured, his lips grazing her cheek, causing her eyes to drift shut with a sigh.      "No....its...its too late."she whispered, pushing at him, but he didn't budge.      His lips covered hers in a searing kiss, a kiss that both had dreamed of for eight long years. So many emotions, so many regrets, all boiled to the surface and exploded in ther passion, causing the kiss to become desperate. He slanted his head over hers, kissed her harder, pressed her closer to his aroused body. She in turn clutched at his shirt, moaning softly, opening her mouth under his like a flower to the sun.      But suddenly he broke away, bending to clutch his shin, grunting in pain and hopping on one foot."Ow! Damn it!"it was the same leg Serena had kicked last night and already carried a bruise. Well, two now, he thought, looking up to see who had kicked him this time.      Rene stood there, hands on hips, glaring pointedly at him."Stop hurting my mommy!"she snapped at him, stepping in front her mother as if to protect her from him.      Darien stared at her in shock, seeing his daughter up close for the first time a great surprise.      Serena could hardly contain her laughter at the look on both there faces. Although she shouldn't be laughing at the situation, she couldn't help it.      "Rene, darling."she said, her voice full of surpressed laughter."He wasn't hurting me."      "Mommy, don't defend him!"      "No really, he wasn't hurting me."she took her daughter by the shoulders and pulled her back against her."Its all right."      Rene sniffed and narrowed her eyes when Darien stood up straight, his eyes locked on both mother and daughter."You got quite a kick there."      "I'm learning karate."she said with warning in her voice.      He couldn't help it. He laughed."I bet you are."      Serena took a step back, Rene's hand in hers."Lets go Rene. Its getting late."      She was prepared for Rene to throw a fit and say no, but she for once listened to her mother, glaring at Darien, then turning and following her mother.      Darien caught up with them, walking beside Serena."You can't just leave. She's my-ooof!"he stopped to clutch his stomache, where Serena had socked him.      Rene was laughing."Mommy, I never saw you do something like that before!"she looked at her mother, her eyes shining.      "Your mothers full of surprises these days."Serena laughed with her daughter, frowning when Darien again caught up with them."What do you want?"she hissed at him.      "I want my family with me, thats what! She's my daughter, and I want you to be my wife!"he said in a low tone so Rene wouldn't hear him.      "Its too late. Don't you get it? Its too late!"she snapped back.      "Its never too late!"he stopped and watched them walk away, calling after them."This isn't over Serena!"and inside, he was already forming a plan. Stay tuned for Chapter5!!