"For Argument's Sake."
By: Isis @}->--
isis@moonkingdom.com
Rating: G
Disclaimers: Don't sue and don't copy!
AN. Through every difficulty, may you have a friend.
Chapter 13
*@}->--*
Darien had finally gotten to sleep. His body had given out and for
once his sleep was uninterrupted by nightmares. Of course that
didn't stop the phone from waking him.
He came out of deep sleep taking a minute to identify the sound
that had wakened him. He automatically reached for the alarm
clock but stopped noticing that the sound was gone. For a second
he thought he was imagining things. Then it came again and this
time his sleep-starved brain recognized it.
Phone!
He grabbed it from its cradle, successfully wrapping himself
tightly in his sheets at the same time. "Hello."
"Darien! Oh, it's Ilene. The hospital just called! Serena woke up
about an hour ago. They've already started the extra tests on her
so they said that we should be able to see her once they move her
to a normal room, probably early this afternoon."
He sighed hearing the news that he'd been waiting so long for.
"Did they say if she was all right or not?"
"No, they aren't done checking her over yet so I guess they don't
know. But I'm going to ask that same thing as soon as I can. Ken
took Sammy out to help set up for a story that he's taking pictures
for at the palace gardens tonight and I can't reach them yet. I've
left messages with everyone I know so they should get it soon
enough."
"I understand."
"Will you come by later Darien? I'm sure she'll want to see you. I
mean if you aren't wrapped up in something."
He laughed looking down at the covers that were trying to strangle
him. "I'll be there, what time are you going?"
"I don't know. They said that they'd call when she was settled into
a new room. Can I give you call when I leave?"
"Please do. You have our number at work too right? I may be
there."
"Yes, I have it. Will you tell Dr. Benton when you see him?"
"Of course I will," he said thinking of Romola's face when he told
her.
"Oh, good. I'm going to call the girls yet and let them know.
They've all been worried sick too. The poor things, I'm sure
they'll be very glad to hear it."
"I think we all are." Actually glad didn't begin to describe what he
felt at the moment.
"I know," she answered quietly. "Well then, I'll see you later
dear."
"Thank you Mrs. Tsukino."
She laughed lightly although he thought he could hear a few tears
in her voice. "Thank you too Darien."
"Romola!"
She looked up from the papers spread across her desk. "Darien! I
sent you home to get some sleep. What on Earth are you doing
back here again today?"
He laughed at her and walked around to pull her up from her chair.
"She woke up! Her mother called me to say that we'll be allowed
to see her sometime this afternoon. They should have her all
checked through and moved by then."
He got her to her feet and hugged her in spite of himself. She
simply hugged him back in shock. "She's awake?" she mumbled
not fully understanding yet.
"Romola! I leave for two minutes and I find you draped all over a
younger man." They both looked up to see Norman Benton enter
the office note pad and briefcase in hand. He coughed into his
hand. "Now that I have your attention might I ask if our beloved
little Serena would be the one who's finally woken up?"
Darien laughed and nodded. Romola detangled herself from his
arms and swept to her husband's side. "Isn't in wonderful
Norman!"
He laughed at her and hugged her pecking a kiss on her lips. "Yes
it is." He turned to Darien. "Have you gotten to see her yet?"
"No, her mother said that she'd call me when she was told that she
could have visitors."
"Well then," Romola piped up. "I think we'd better put together a
'get well soon' package."
Darien walked into the Mercy View Hospital feeling much better
than he had the first time around. Even the hospital atmosphere
had changed. It was in color!
"Excuse me." The receptionist held up a finger to him while she
finished flipping through a book at her side without looking up at
him. For a moment he contemplated finishing his sentence with a
'I think I'm on fire. Would you mind helping me find an
extinguisher?' but he figured she wouldn't find as much humor in
it as he did.
OK, so he was even back to his normal goofy puns.
"Yes, sir," she said finally acknowledging him.
"Could you tell me what room Serena Tsukino is in?"
"One moment." She typed away at her computer before turning
back to him. "South wing. Room 473." She pointed down the
opposite hallway from the one he had been shown last time.
"Thank you," he said marching down the hallway. After a few
minutes of wondering around the wing he'd found himself in he
still hadn't figured out how they numbered the rooms. *Why is it
that hospitals always use some odd sort of numbering system when
they put their rooms together? Were med-students required to take
'foreign numbering' as one of their courses or what?*
He finally asked one of the orderlies meandering around, and
actually ended up in front of the right door. He poked his head
through the open doorway and found that he had to be in the right
place. Ilene Tsukino sat in a small chair placed by the bedside
reading. Leaning a little farther in he managed to see the form
lying in the bed.
His heart nearly stopped in his chest. Serena laid there with her
face turned away from him. Her hair, which was no longer in its
accustomed style, lay haphazardly around her frame. In the
afternoon light filtering through the window next to her it gave off
a golden glow. One hand lay in her mother's next to her and the
other was placed over her stomach.
For a minute he simply leaned against the doorframe watching her
obviously sleeping figure. If his heart had any doubts left that she
would be all right it had forsaken them now. His poor little angle
lay there quietly, much like she had only a few weeks before when
she'd fallen asleep in his arms. So peaceful and serene. He smiled
to himself, for once her name actually fit.
He wasn't sure how long he simply stood there watching her.
From his point of view he couldn't find anything wrong with her.
No tubes or wiring extended from her and no bandages were in
sight. She looked perfectly normal and happily sleeping, but he
knew that she was probably still hurting. Especially if she'd
already learned of Neil's… of Neil. Ilene flipped a page in her
book and for a minute looked over at her daughter. Both women
faced away from the door and hadn't noticed him.
Time to change that.
He walked in quietly hoping not to disturb Serena's slumber. Ilene
looked up to see him approach, a smile twinkling for him, which
he returned. She looked so much like her daughter when she did
that.
"Hello Darien," she whispered.
"Hello Mrs. Tsukino. How's our patient?"
She laughed slightly and turned to her again slowly easing her
hand out of the younger woman's kissing it lightly. She stood and
walked with him towards the door before answering him. "The
doctors say that she'll be just fine. She has some stitches across
her right temple and a brace to try to stabilize her collarbone while
it mends. Otherwise she's tested out just fine."
He nodded thankfully, her words touching home. She would be
perfectly all right.
"Her medications have her extremely drowsy though so she's slept
mostly. Ken and Sammy won't be able to be here until at least five
so I've stayed with her. But something tells me that you wouldn't
mind a watch or two," she smiled at him.
"If you don't mind, yes I would."
She nodded before looking away, serious again. "Darien, she
asked the doctors about Neil when she came to and they told her…
But she hasn't said a word about him to me. I think she's still in
shock or something. Maybe she'll talk to you."
He closed his eyes a moment. So she already knew. He'd
wondered how he would tell her if he had to. But now he had to
think of a way to help her through this. Not only did she have her
own health to worry about but also the pain of his death. "I'll see
what I can do."
"I know you will. Will you stay with her until I get back? I'll try
to hurry the guys."
He smiled down at the older woman. "Take your time. I don't
mind in the least."
She looked at him thankful for a moment before taking his hand a
squeezing it affectionately. She looked back at Serena for a
moment before saying goodbye and heading out the door. He
watched her leave and slowly took her place in the chair beside
Serena's bed.
Serena slowly opened her eyes again. The sun shown in through
the window she was facing. For a moment she didn't know where
she was until the vague memories filed themselves back into their
respective places. Memories she wouldn't mind forgetting. But
they were still there in front of her mind's eye.
She closed her eyes again gathering her strength together again.
She slowly reached a hand up to rub the sleep from her eyes as she
rolled away from the sun's glare. Her mother had been with her
most of the day and she was expecting to find her still sitting there
when she heard a just as familiar voice come from her side.
"Meatball Head?"
She popped her eyes open as she turned to see Darien sitting where
her mother had been when she fell asleep. His eyes were trained
on hers and she could see the telltale blood shots that announced
the lack of sleep that her mother seemed to have been suffering
from as well. He looked worried but other than that he was the
same old stabile friend that she was used to. And the one, she
admitted immediately, that she needed.
"Darien?" she croaked out in a small whisper. She coughed lightly
trying to get her vocal cords into working order again.
"It's all right," he whispered taking her hand in his. But his hand
wasn't what she wanted. She tried desperately to sit up but he beat
her to it. He hopped over from his chair to her bed and placed his
other hand gently against her shoulder, sufficiently restraining her.
"You need your rest." Slowly he eased her back down to her
pillow.
"I've apparently been 'resting' for most of a week. What I need is
you to help me up for a minute." She wasn't about to spend the
rest of her life on her back and she wasn't going to start acting like
it.
"Serena…"
She lightly brushed his hand away from her shoulder and elbowed
her way up to a sitting position. He helped her up and reached
behind her to arrange her pillows so that she could lean back
against them. But with his arms already half way around her she
didn't feel like moving away from him.
She looked up at him and caught his eyes when he turned back to
her. He stopped possibly seeing the look in hers. He gently
wrapped his arms around her scooting closer to lay her against his
chest. She accepted gratefully sliding her arms around him.
She noticed immediately that he held her carefully, possibly afraid
that he'd hurt her. But she felt him gently lean down to kiss the
top of her head lightly a few times before he laid his check softly
on top of her forehead. She sighed and closed her eyes snuggling
against him letting his warmth comfort her heart.
They both remained silent for a while simply staying close
together. She opened her eyes again as she felt him shift slightly to
kiss her bangs again. "Serena," he whispered, "you have no idea
how much you scared me."
There were so many emotions hidden behind his voice and she
knew exactly how scared he must have been. She curled her legs
around his side and snuggled as close to him as possible, silently
cursing the brace across her shoulders that didn't allow her to hug
him any tighter than she was. But he pressed her closer to him
gently, careful to make sure he wasn't going to hurt her in the
process. "I'm sorry Darien, I'm sorry…"
He chuckled softly. "It's all right. All I care about is you. And
right now all I want to hear is that you're okay."
She sighed closing her eyes and just letting him support her. "I'm
okay." She was lying.
He held her for an uncountable period of time. Occasionally he
would rub his hand over her back or kiss her hair again but he
didn't say a word. And she lay in his arms weeping silently.
There wasn't any reason for the tears, and at the same time there
were too many reasons.
…Neil.
She buried her face in his shirt trying to hide the sobs that were
threatening to over-take her. But it had always been useless to try
to hide something from Darien. He noticed and silently brushed
away some of her hair that had fallen into her eyes. He tucked it
behind her ear and slowly lowered his face next to hers. She raised
her head so that it rested just below his jaw, her nose pointed so
that it almost touched his chin.
There in his comforting embrace she could feel her fears melting
away from her. He was here and real. Everything in him told her
that she would be all right. She felt that same strong protection
and her heart began to feel safe again, even though she still felt that
empty hole in the middle of her chest.
She let her tears subside and risked taking a hand away from
around him in order to wipe them away. A part of her was afraid
that if she let go he would disappear. But he simply leaned down
to kiss her forehead while she sniffed away the tears, and gently
tucked her back under his chin. "It's all right," he whispered. "I
understand."
She closed her eyes again letting him take over her senses. He
always understood her and he was always there for her. She
slowly snuggled into him knowing just how much she needed him
and knowing acutely how much pain she must have put him
through. Her poor, dear Darien would have been terrified at the
prospect of losing her. Much like what would happen to her if the
situation was reversed.
But Neil was a different story. She had admitted to herself that
Darien meant more to her, but she still couldn't believe…
"Darien?" she whispered. "Is Neil really… gone?" She bit her
lower lip to keep it from trembling.
He slowly ran a hand through her hair to try to calm her. "Yes,
Serena, he is."
She closed her eyes again as two tears rolled down. She didn't
want to believe it. But she knew deep in her heart that it was true.
He wouldn't lie to her, but she just… She broke off into sobs as
the truth truly dawned in on her. He was dead. He had been right
there beside her. Right next to her and he'd died right there beside
her. He was dead! And only the few inches between them had
spared her life. Why? Why take him? Why not let him stay with
her? Why?!
She sobbed incoherently as Darien held her close, rocking her
slightly. He didn't know what else to do. He wanted to be able to
dry her tears away and tell her that it would work out. That he
would somehow make everything all right again. But he couldn't.
He couldn't bring Neil back and he couldn't take this pain in her
heart away. All he could do was hold her and try to be there for
her. It was all he could do, and he hated it.
He wanted to sweep her away somewhere that she'd be safe
forever. He wanted to make her forget this ever happened. He
wanted to keep her locked away from any other pain that could
possibly hurt her ever again. But he couldn't, all he could do was
hold her close and hope that somehow he could keep her safe for at
least a time.
Slowly her sobs quieted, the strain finally beginning to take its toll
on her. He leaned back from her just a bit as she sniffed again
trying to let go of her tears. He brushed a hand over her check to
help her rid the trails from her face. She looked up at him with a
mixture of sorrow and hope in her eyes. But the red rims betrayed
her. His poor little princess, she didn't deserve this. He leaned
back to her and kissed her forehead again just trying to stay close
to her. He held her there a moment fighting against his own tears.
She didn't need to see this from him, she needed support and he
wasn't about to her down.
He finally broke away noticing the weakness in the arms she still
had around him. He gently lowered her back against her pillow.
She didn't argue this time. "Darien, what time is it?" she asked
quietly.
He looked at his watch wondering why she would ask. "Uh, four
fifteen."
"Oh. Mom said that Dad and Sammy wouldn't get here until
probably five. I wonder where they are."
She lie there looking a little glassy-eyed and he wondered how
long she could stay awake. "Your mother said they were setting
up for some banquet thing at the Imperial Gardens tonight.
Apparently your father is taking pictures for the paper at it."
"Oh, yeah, I forgot about that," she said looking back to him.
"Thanks for coming Darien," she whispered. "I really needed you
here."
Tears began to form themselves in her eyes once more. He
couldn't bare to see her cry again and brushed a hand across her
check smiling down at her. "Don't thank me, just remember I'll be
here any time you need me. I promise," he added.
She smiled at him. He laughed lightly at her bangs that kept trying
to fall into her eyes since they weren't curled up like she normally
had them. He brushed them back trying to tuck them behind her
ear. He stopped short.
He hadn't noticed before but now that he had moved her hair away
he could see the stitches that trailed from the corner of her
forehead across her temple and ended in her hairline. Her right ear
was bruised and scratched. Small scrapes and bruises traced from
her jaw line down her neck. He could just make out the brace that
was stretched across her shoulders under her gown to immobilize
her collarbone.
He found himself trying to track his hand down her injuries when
she silently took his hand in hers. He looked back up to her eyes
but she turned away hiding her right side from view. "Serena," he
breathed not knowing what else to say. Full realization smashed
into him and his heart froze. For possibly the first time he knew
just how close he had come to losing her. And it scared him all
over again.
He brought the hand she had wrapped in his up to his lips and
kissed it lightly closing his eyes against the thoughts flowing
through his head. "Darien?" He opened them again to look down
at her. She looked back, worried. "Darien, are you all right?" She
raised her other hand to brush his face gently.
He sighed looking at her. He took her other hand as well.
"Promise me you will be," he whispered back to her deadly
serious.
She stared at him afraid or shocked a moment before settling for a
quiet affectionate look. "I will be," she said with a light air that
made him believe her. She used their intertwined hands to pull
him down to her.
He responded with a smile, propping himself up on his elbows
above her. She raised herself to place a kiss on his check before
whispering, "Don't worry about me. I'm not about to leave you."
He closed his eyes savoring those words. He wrapped an arm
around her to keep her close for a second longer then lowered her
back to the bed adjusting the pillow under her head.
"You'd better not," he teased quietly. He leaned down pecking a
kiss on the tip of her nose. She giggled at him but her eyes weren't
going to stay open much longer. "Good night Meatball Head," he
whispered.
She smiled slightly, "Night Muffin."
Darien paused to glance around the corner of Serena's doorframe.
She sat in bed reading quietly to herself. For once her mother
wasn't with her, but he figured that since she'd known he was
coming she may have left her side a little early.
He knocked lightly on the frame beside him to get her attention.
She looked up and smiled brightly at him, all thoughts of her
reading material forgotten. He laughed at her. That same bright
smile…
He walked in, quickly hiding his surprise behind his back. It didn't
escape her notice. "Oh, what have got? Something for me?!
Darien you didn't need to. What is it?!" He thought for a minute
that she was going to jump out of bed to attack him to find out
what it was. She really was acting much more like herself.
"And I thought those medications were suppose to make you calm
down not go hyperactive. Oh, wait, you're always hyperactive."
He paused thoughtfully.
"For your information I am off all of my medications except one,"
she huffed. "And I am not hyperactive! Now give, what is it?"
She switched from a normal sitting position to sitting on her knees
as she snagged her pillow up in her arms rather than lying on it.
He laughed at the cute picture she made, and he noted with some
amusement that her 'meatballs' had found their way back to their
rightful place. "OK, calm down. These are for you," he said
holding out the bouquet he'd been hiding. Six white and six pink
roses stared back at her. They even retained some of the raindrops
from the storm brewing outside.
She gasped and sat there looking at them with her mouth open in
shock. She was so cute when she was like that. OK, so she was
always cute. And right now all he wanted to do was sit there and
think about how cute she was! *Boy, am I losing it here or what?*
She finally remembered to close her mouth and cover it with one
hand as she looked from the flowers to him again. There was a
slight sparkle of tears in her eyes and she dropped her hand to give
him a quick smile. "Darien…" She turned away with a blush
rising in her checks. "Why do you always do this?"
"Do what?" he asked innocently hiding his smile and sitting down
on her bed.
"This!" she said wiping away a single tear and motioning to the
roses.
"Well, gee, if I'd known I was going to upset you I would have
gone with the carnations."
She laughed at him taking the flowers from him carefully. "I don't
like carnations."
He chuckled, "I know."
She laughed too taking a moment to brush a hand over their petals.
"They're beautiful," she whispered. "But you shouldn't have.
They probably cost a fortune! And, Darien Chiba, where do you
get off giving me roses!"
"You never minded before," he said innocently.
"You didn't give me a full dozen! And besides, these are way too
expensive." She looked back down at them noting the crystal vase
that they were perched in. But her eyes softened as she gazed over
them again. "But they are beautiful."
"They reminded me of you," he said feeling very sappy.
"Oh stop," she giggled as she moved them to a place on her
nightstand, which was already cluttered with 'get well' cards.
Most probably from the girls he imagined. She set them down
carefully and then launched herself into his arms. "Thank you,"
she whispered in his ear.
"You're welcome," he whispered back. "But I have another
surprise for you."
She shot away from him. "Whatever it is you're taking it back to
the store!"
He laughed uncontrollably and before he could say anything a new
voice popped up from the doorway. "Sorry dear, but they won't
take this old model back."
She looked up and gasped slapping both hands over her mouth
before she began giggling again. "Romola!"
The older woman swept into the room holding a package in her
hands. She walked over and gave Serena a hug looking her over
carefully. "Well now, these doctors had better be taking good care
of you or I'll smack them around a few times until they do."
She laughed at her. "They've already had Dad tell them the same
thing."
"Oh, well, good then." She sat down on the chair that was still set
beside her bed. "Now then, if I might be so bold as to offer you
this after the berating you just gave him," she nodded towards
Darien, "here."
She held out the flower-patterned box. Serena took it looking from
her to him and back again. "Oh, Romola, you didn't have to.
What is it?"
The other woman smiled. "Open it and find out."
She looked at him and he smiled enjoying this. She looked down
at it and then untied the ribbon that held it together. She carefully
opened the lid and—
"CHOCOLATE!"
They both laughed at her and she immediately stole a piece and ate
it like she was in the middle of a craving fit. Romola looked over
at him with a smile. "You see, I told you she wouldn't mind our
little 'get well' gift."
"Oh, no way, you really shouldn't have," she said around her bite.
"But I'm soooo glad you did!" They all laughed as she snagged
another piece and forced both of them to take one too. "You just
don't understand how bad hospital food is! I mean for a while
there I thought I was going to have to get better just so that I could
eat some real food again. Oh, but gee, don't tell them that OK?"
she said lowering her voice.
They continued to laugh their way through a couple hours.
Romola was the first to notice the time. "Oh dear! Norman will
kill me if I'm late. We have to be at some expo-something or other
tonight." She paused her tirade enough to hug Serena again. "I'm
so glad you're almost out of this place dear. Your desk is lonely
without you, not to mention that partner of yours." She gave him a
devilish smile before giving her one last squeeze and nearly
running out the door.
"She's going to get me in trouble yet," he mumbled watching her
go. He wasn't prepared for Serena to throw her arms around him
and hug him fiercely. He turned back to her, managing to turn
enough in her grasp to hug her back. "Uh, Serena?"
He heard her giggle lightly. "I'm sorry," she said letting go and
looking up at him.
"Oh, don't be sorry," he said not exactly wanting to let her go
anyway.
She laughed at him again. Her unruly bangs draped themselves
back into her eyes for the hundredth time and she attempted to
blow them away. It didn't work. Chuckling he brushed them over
and tucked both sides behind her ears. She had some of the
stitches out already and she looked much better all the way around.
But he still worried about her a bit. Every once in a while she
would laps into a silent stare and he knew that the emotional scars
would be much longer lasting than the physical ones.
"You really do need to find a way to get a curling iron snuck in
here don't you?" he teased lightly.
"Yeah! The first thing I do tomorrow when I get home is curl
these stupid things! Or maybe I'll cut them short so I don't have to
curl them anymore. I don't know, all I know is that everyone
keeps dropping by and I keep looking awful!"
He laughed and pulled her into a hug. "You look beautiful," he
said into her hair.
She laughed, "If you think this is beautiful it sure doesn't take
much to impress you does it?"
"All it takes is you."
She sighed contentedly. "You really have to stop saying things
like that. You're going to spoil me."
"I thought that's what women are for."
"To be spoiled? Where did you come up with that?" she asked
looking up at him.
"The book I'm reading. 'A Hundred and One Ways to Pick Up
Women in Hospitals.'"
She slugged him in the shoulder before using the same hand to pull
him towards her. She quickly gave him a kiss on the check and
hugged him again tightly. "Thank you so much Darien. I would
never have made it through this without you."
He hugged her back tightly, knowing that she hadn't completely
gotten through this yet.
By the time the hospital's lights were turned off and a quiet had
settled over it the storm outside had escalated. The lightning and
thunder was enough to keep her awake, but she hadn't intended on
sleeping much anyway. This was the last night she would have to
spend in this place and it couldn't have waited any longer to get
here!
She simply laid there watching the storm blow out its frustrations.
Nurses and orderlies passed by her room on their way to
somewhere else. Somehow she wondered if everyone walked
through life trying to get somewhere else. How many times did
she wonder what would happen if she died? How many times did
she wonder if everyone she cared about would go on? How many
times did she think of whether or not they would eventually forget
her?
Now she knew. She had seen it written in the eyes of every person
that came to her bedside. And she was sorry she had put them
through it. But most of all, she was sorry she had to go through it
herself.
A call came over the intercom for some doctor or another and she
turned away from the door to watch out her window. For a while
she just wanted to forget she was in a hospital. She just wanted to
watch the storm blow over.
Odd, she hated rainstorms but yet she wasn't the slightest bit
frightened of it now. Somehow it seemed comforting to know that
there were other things in life that she had no control over. Her
life could be summed up in the things that had been thrust upon
her. Forcing her to bend and lean in whichever direction they
blew. She had to learn to move with it. If she fought, there was no
way she would stand up again; she wasn't strong enough.
And she didn't feel strong enough for anything now. Lying there
alone she wondered if she could manage to get back up from this
or if she would always be slightly bent.
A bolt seared by her window with a shattering blast just behind it.
She jumped up in bed and away from the window in fear. Storm
analogies were fine as long as it didn't try to kill her in the process.
So maybe she would have to bend more with the problems that
rose in life, but she could still be afraid of lightning storms!
She sat up in bed with the covers drawn up to her chest staring out
the window. Another bolt flashed past startling her again. She
silently hoped that there weren't any small children near windows
with the same view as hers. It could scare the daylight of a kid.
A thought flashed past her mind as sudden as a thunder bolt.
Darien. He had said that he liked rainstorms and thunder and
lightning never fazed him. She'd commented more than once on
his iron nerves, but as she watched out her window she wondered
if he had ever spent a night like this. After the accident that had
left him with amnesia and without a family she knew that he had
spent a good couple of months in a hospital before being moved to
the orphanage.
She could envision a small boy about eight years old sitting in bed
watching a storm like this one. He would have been scared to
death but what could he do? A hospital wasn't much of a place to
find real comfort or solace, especially without any family or
friends or anyone that truly seemed to care. The insecurities had to
be impossible to bare. How could he have gotten through that?
She scooted back against the wall behind her and pulled her pillow
up so that she could hug it to her. How could such a small boy
ever work his way out of those fears and those scars? But she
knew Darien; she knew what that little boy had grown in to. A
man that tended to hide himself away from others. That didn't like
to get too close for fear of losing them. Someone that had become
so completely accustomed to shutting away his emotions that it
was just his nature anymore.
But yet, she mused, that didn't describe the real Darien she knew.
The man she knew had a heart as hard as a diamond but it was
worth three times as much. He had a protective nature that would
make him meet death itself before he would let anything happen to
those he cared about. He cherished the people close to him even
though he didn't let many in. He was fiercely devoted to them and
he wasn't a person that could use someone or ignore someone in
need, even if he tended to ignore his own. He was completely
selfless when one of his friends needed him.
When she needed him.
She couldn't believe that the same little boy that knew next to no
real love in his life would turn into the man that she admitted
openly that she cared so much for. And who had proved time and
again that he cared for her just as much. How could someone who
was so sweet and compassionate to her when she needed him not
have known that same feeling when he needed it. Perhaps
someone had been there for him. Someone that worked in the
hospital or in the orphanage maybe. Maybe he did have someone
that was there for him.
With all her heart she hoped so. She couldn't bare the thought of
him been alone and frightened like that. Such a gentle soul should
never have had to go through that. But then again, if he hadn't he
wouldn't be the same man she knew now. There won't be a
Darien right? Hadn't he said that to her once?
She looked over at the roses that sat perched on the table beside
her. Her dearest Darien. She promised herself that she would not
let him feel that again. She would be there for him with open arms
if he ever needed her. After all, he was always there for her.
She brushed the roses with one hand looking lovingly at them.
White and pink. White still meant friendship but she wondered
what pink was suppose to represent. She thought for a minute
trying to remember what pink symbolized. Wasn't it passion?
Pink and red were normally the colors of love. Red for true love
and pink for passion or involvement…
A passionate friendship. Yes, she supposed that would fit well
enough. Darien would know exactly what each color stood for.
He loved roses; why she didn't exactly know, but she would just
have to ask him that someday. She laughed at herself looking over
at the beautiful flowers next to her. "They remind you of me do
they? Well, my darling, I think they remind me of you even
more."
She looked back out at the storm smiling to herself. She felt a bit
stronger with him in her mind. He had always been her strength
and he still was, even when he wasn't by her side. The lightning
flickered past again but the storm was slowly passing away.
Passing away indeed.
She yawned tiredly and laid back down again giving the vase one
last look. "Night, Darien."
_____________
@}->-- "In three words I can sum up everything I've
learned about life. It goes on." -Robert Frost.
(
geocities.com/tokyo/spa/Spa) (
geocities.com/tokyo/spa) (
geocities.com/tokyo)