"For Argument's Sake."
By: Isis  @}->--
isis@moonkingdom.com
Rating: G
Disclaimers: Don't sue and don't copy!
AN.  "Is it over yet?"  "Is it over yet?"  "Is it over yet?"  -
NO!!
But I promise, all those with funny bones out there, prepare 
for a tickle!


Chapter 20
*@}->--*


It had been a couple weeks since their talk and they had 
commenced actual dating.  Serena had purposefully called every 
one of her friends home that weekend so she could tell them the 
good news one by one in person so that she had the satisfaction of 
seeing their faces.  Molly and Melvin had heard it first and they 
had both looked at her like aliens had taken over her body, 
followed promptly by the casual 'I always knew this would 
happen' speech.

Her other friends were little more receptive.  Ami had stood 
shocked and completely transfixed with the news for a full ten 
minutes before congratulating her and wishing them the best, 
saying that Darien was a good choice for her.  Lita and wrapped 
her up in a bone crushing hug and practically smothered her with 
questions of how it happened and when the wedding was.  Mina's 
voice rose three octaves and she squealed nonstop continuously 
hugging her and then releasing her to ask a question before starting 
the episode all over again.

Rei fainted.

But all in all, she was very happy with the responses.  They 
had both decided to inform Andrew and Rita together so they had 
invited the couple out for dinner one night and then broke the news 
in the middle of dessert.  Andrew had been expecting it and smiled 
like a proud father giving away his son.  Rita had dropped her 
spoon and nearly took a nose dive into her cream cake.  Of course 
they left quickly after that so she could sufficiently berate her 
husband for not telling her when he'd had his conversation with 
Darien.

Romola was a bit different.  They had intended to say 
something to her together as well, but she had met them at the top 
of the stairs one morning with a huge grin.  They had entered, late 
as normal, and they were laughing over something when they 
looked up to notice her standing there.  'Nice to see the two of you 
back to normal,' she'd said with a very mischievous glint in her 
eye.  Serena had blushed lightly and told her that it wasn't exactly 
normal anymore.  The older woman simply laughed and walked 
away saying that they should have started this a long time ago.

Both of them were blushing slightly by the time they'd 
entered their office.

Of course she hadn't quite gotten around to telling her 
parents yet, but it would come.  Somehow she figured Mom 
already knew anyway and Dad… well Dad should be more 
receptive now.  She hoped.

But for tonight, she was going to be perfectly content to 
stay next to the man that she was falling in love with.  Oh and she 
was falling fast.  A fact she quietly admitted to him as they entered 
the movie theater.

"A body falling in a straight motion has its greatest rate of 
speed just before it hits bottom."

She looked up at him and blinked a few times.  "What's 
that suppose to mean?"

He smiled and shrugged, "Sorry, the physicist in me."

"Yeah well, I get enough time with the physicist.  I want 
the real you tonight," she gushed.

"All yours Love," he said back.

One heated argument, two tickets, two drinks, and one 
extra large bucket of popcorn later they were sitting in the movie 
that she had wanted to see.  And she was monopolizing the 
popcorn on top of it.

The, unbelievably cute, actor on the screen had begun to 
state his feelings for the heroin and she was all heart eyed despite 
herself.

*'I can't believe I've kept these feelings from you 
Amanda.'*

"I can't believe I'm sitting here," Darien said from beside 
her.  She ignored him.

*'I don't know how to tell you what I feel for you.'*

"Then don't.  It'll shorten the movie."  She glared at him 
and took his arm sufficiently silencing him for a time.

*'Oh, Amanda, I love you.'*

"Of course I love you, I can see right down your dress," he 
said taking on a breathy accent.

Just for that she elbowed him rather viciously and was 
rewarded with hearing him cough painfully.  "Shhhhh!" she chided 
not turning from the screen.

*'It's like my heart bleeds for you.'*

"He's not the only one," he whispered rather loudly to her.  
She gave him a stern look to be quiet when she noticed another 
guy sitting a row in front and little right of them look back and 
give Darien a very empathetic look.  The woman he was with 
didn't notice.

She giggled to herself happily.  It was just like they were a 
real couple.  Already arguing and… wait, they were a real couple 
and they always argued anyway.  This was taking some 
adjustment.

*'Oh, John, I never hoped to dream that you would feel this 
way about me.  I have loved you since I first laid eyes on you.'*

"Why would you hope to dream something anyway?"

*'I didn't think that you could possibly love me back.'*

"Hey, with that dress, Toots, I'd tell you I loved you just 
about any way you wanted me to."  Serena slowly turned to fix 
him with a death stare.  He looked over at her and shrugged.  "Just 
kidding."  She turned back to the screen with a low growl in the 
back of her throat.

*'Oh, Amanda.'*

*'Oh, John.'*

"Oh, brother."

"Oh, shut up!" she said in a loud whisper.  This time she 
noticed the woman sitting a row in front of them and little to the 
right, turn around and give her an empathetic look.  The man she 
was with didn't notice.

**

"Look, it's a Hoover commercial."

OK, now that one she laughed at.

*  'Where is he Amanda?  I know you're hiding 
him!'*

"Enter Ken Tsukino."

She hit him in the arm.

*'Daddy!  Daddy, what do you mean?  Hiding who?'*

"That lousy boyfriend you've had stashed under the bed for 
a month."

*'You know who, Amanda.  They've told us that he's not 
to be trusted.  Where is he?!'*

"He went out for Chinese food.  If you hurry you can have 
him bring you back a fortune cookie!"

*'Daddy, I don't know what you're talking about.  John 
hasn't been here.  I don't know where he is.'*

"But by the way, don't check the closet."

That growl in the back of her throat was getting louder.

*'Don't lie to me!'*

"I brought you into this world I can take you out of it."

*'Daddy please, you're hurting me.'*

"If I were your father I'd smack you too.  And put some 
clothes on!"

"DAR-I-EN!"

"What?"

"Oh!" she snarled leaning as far way from him as her seat 
would allow.

*'Tell me!  Where is he!'  *

"Yeah, all right.  I've felt like clubbing one of you over the 
head with a blunt object like that all night."  Serena hid her face in 
her hand and moved over a seat.  "Serena?"

"I don't believe you," she hissed.

"What?"

The movie ended, finally, and she was fuming.

"I don't believe you!"

"I don't believe I watched that," he said not the least bit 
interested in her tantrum.

"You didn't!  You just sat there and talked through it."

"I know.  And somehow, I think mine sounded better."

She crossed her arms over her chest and walked quickly 
ahead of him to his car.  Out of the corner of her eye she saw that 
same couple turn to give them looks.  They were obviously 
veterans at this.  "I still can't believe you ruined a perfectly good 
movie."

"It was ruined before I got here.  Besides the best part was 
when he got blown up in that lab thing, of course how some 
reporter guy just happens to get into a place like that we'll never 
know."

She stopped and turned to look at him.  "I liked it."

"You would," he said stepping around her towards the car.

"And what is that suppose to mean?" she asked extremely 
agitated with him.  Why was she dating him again?

"It was a chick flick.  Which basically means that is was 
dumb, boring, and mushy," he didn't pause as he got out his keys.

She stared after him like they didn't come from the same 
planet.  "I was right," she said quietly, a memory just now hitting 
her.  He finally turned to regard her.  "You do have the romantic 
sense of a dictionary."

He looked at her confused for a moment.  "A dictionary?"

"Yes," she nodded perfectly serious and continued her trek.

"I do not," he said finally coming to grips with what she'd 
said.

She simply continued walking.

"I can be perfectly romantic when I want to be," he said 
walking behind her again.

She continued walking.

"Granted, if that ball of hormones was what you consider 
romance, then we may have a problem."

She kept walking.

"Of course, you've never seen me be romantic."

She stopped walking.

He stood there with a very dangerous glint is his eye.  One 
that she knew not to trifle with…  But why not?  "Well, I hope I 
haven't or I'd have to say I got stuck with a total dud for a 
boyfriend."

He smiled evilly and just stood there.

"So?  Are you ever going to try this out or not?" she asked 
tapping her foot.

He just stood there.

"Darien?"

"This might be fun," he mumbled.

"Yeah, it might be fun for my significant other to show me 
some real affection," she said only half kidding.  Two weeks and 
she could count the number of times he'd kissed her.  That was if 
those slight brushes could be considered kisses.  And lets face it, 
she still blushed when she thought of their first kiss.

"Am I not being affectionate enough to you Love," he 
asked lightly, coming up and placing a hand under her chin.

"Not nearly enough," she mumbled staring back up at him.  
Oh how did he do this?

But to her surprise, he smiled.  "Good."

"What?"

"I think I'll let you suffer.  A dictionary!" he added 
indignantly heading for the car.

Her mind registered that his hand wasn't under her chin 
anymore faster than it did the words he'd said.  "What?"

He unlocked his door mumbling something all the way.  He 
didn't even hold her door for her like he had usually done even 
before they were dating.

A bit peeved, she went up, opened her door, got in, and 
slammed it.

"Something wrong Meatball Head?"

"Yes."

"What?"

"You!"

He blinked at her.  "What did I do?"

"Nothing!  Like normal," she muttered turning away from 
him.

She felt his hand come up and turn her chin to look at him 
again.  He was smiling but that spark was still glowing in his eyes.  
"That's just me be unromantic," he said leaning over and gently 
brushing her lips again.  But it wasn't the deep, passionate kiss that 
she wanted so badly.

He pulled away again before she could pull him closer.  "Is 
there a romantic bone in your body?" she asked warily.

"Yes," he said smiling and kissed her—lightly—again.  
"Just let me prove it."


Friday night.  Seven o'clock.  Darien's apartment.  Totally 
critical demeanor.  *Let's just see what my dear love calls 
romantic.*

Serena had started her appraisal of the their night by giving 
Darien a complete look over.  Definitely cute, but nothing out of 
the ordinary.  Although she swore he was wearing just a bit more 
after-shave.  She'd never known him to wear cologne before.  He 
wore a very simple pair of slacks, and a black shirt.  Nothing fancy 
all right.

He had said that in a week's time he could have their 
evening plotted out very nicely, which she assumed meant that he 
would have everything down to the details ready for her.  He was 
always such a perfectionist.

But he had shown up on her doorstep with a single red rose 
in hand.  And she had to admit she was looking forward to 
enjoying this.  He had brought her to his apartment and ushered her 
inside and she would have to admit that she was impressed.  
"Where did you get the lighting?" she asked glancing at the two 
small lamps placed strategically in different corners and set to 
produce a muted glow.

"I'm resourceful."

She giggled as he wrapped her in a hug backwards and 
placed a light kiss on her neck.  But unwrapping her he took her 
hand and led her over to the table he had set up for dinner.  "You 
mean to tell me that you actually cooked?"

"Yes.  Believe it or not I do know how to cook when the 
mood strikes me."

"I think I'll wait 'till the taste test to believe it."

"Fine," he snipped as she sat down by the table.

She laughed at him as he walked into the kitchen to get 
something.  She roamed a critical eye over the table's lay out.  
Two candles stood off to each side, their wax tinted a deep blue.  
Odd, she thought, why blue?  But she had to admit that they looked 
very nice sitting next to the centerpiece of roses.  She leaned over 
admiring the flowers.  Red roses looked back at her off set by 
small white babies-breath.  It was beautiful.  And expensive.

He returned with a lighter and a bottle of wine.  
Purposefully he leaned over her to light the candles, pecking a light 
kiss on her check in the process.  But she was looking very 
critically at the bottle he had set down for a moment.  "Wine?" she 
asked a bit oddly.

He laughed and knelt down on the floor beside her for a 
moment.  "Actually, it's sparkling grape juice.  I figured you were 
bad enough normally, I don't even what to know what you're like 
when you're drunk."

She gave him a sour look and leaned over to kiss him fully.  
"Well, it's nice to know you're looking out for me."

"I always will," he mumbled warmly and kissed her again 
before beginning to pour the red liquid.

She watched him carefully, studying his movements.  For 
someone that didn't get much practice, he was certainly acting 
very proficient at this.  "So this is your idea of romantic."

He chuckled merrily.  Somehow she thought he was 
enjoying this.  "I think a lot of things can be romantic.  But this 
was the best cliché I could think of so I went with it.  Besides," he 
said taking her chin in his hand, "don't tell me you're bored 
already."

She smiled at him, "I don't recall ever being bored with 
you around."

"Good," he mumbled kissing the tip of her nose lightly, 
"then be quiet and let this dictionary try his hand at this."

She giggled and let him slip back to the kitchen.  She 
sighed and leaned down on the table.  He was incredibly sweet to 
her and she shouldn't have ever said that.  After all, their normal 
routine before had been the rival to most married couple's love 
lives anyway.  It was just the little things he did that always kept 
reminding her that he cared so much for her.

The way he would absently play with her hair.  Or the way 
he would sometimes space out halfway through a conversation just 
staring at her.  The way he was always worried about her when 
they were outside on a cold night.  The glances from him that she 
caught every now and then.  It all meant that he loved her, and she 
was falling for him so fast sometimes it still scared her.  But he 
was very gentle, and he was moving very slowly.  He would never 
push her, but she was at a point where she was ready to be pushed 
just a little.

Her thoughts were cut short as he walked in and placed a 
plate in front of her and one for him as well.  But as he passed by 
the stereo he hit the play button.  A soft melody could be heard 
faintly.  And she giggled at it.  "You have to be the only person I 
know that has a supply of elevator music."

"It's classical music, and harpsichord at that, and I have 
quite a collection yes."

She continued laughing at him and before crossing his legs 
under him to sit down he leaned over the table to nab a kiss from 
her, and she wasn't complaining any.  He pulled away slightly and 
she looked up into his eyes.  "How do two perfect opposites fall for 
each other like this?" she asked quietly.

"They were made for each other," he answered, his lips 
brushing hers very lightly as he spoke.  She couldn't stand that 
fluttering feel anymore and kissed him, purposefully making it 
long and deep.  And she was discovering a passion behind him.

They finally broke apart and he brushed his nose against 
hers as he moved back to sit down.  She giggled at the move and 
involuntarily brought her hand to her nose.  He smiled at her 
enjoying the little blush on her checks.  He could be so sweet.

But the conversation turned lighter and she was quickly lost 
in her food.  In all truth she didn't pause to wonder what it was 
called or how he'd made it.  She just knew it was delicious!  "Oh 
yumminess!  You know, I think I could get use to this kind of 
treatment."

He chuckled at her and she noticed that he really hadn't 
eaten much.  Looking up curiously he shrugged.  "I ate half of it 
when I made it."

She laughed at him and sipped at her drink.  "You know, 
this stuff is really good."

"I'll agree to that."

"No way!  We agreed on something.  No, take it back.  
You'll jinx us both!"

He laughed at her and she had to laugh along with him.  So 
what if they had a few minor problems with agreeing?  They were 
of one heart when it counted.

"So, my dear romance victim, what else is on tap for 
tonight?"

He leaned back with a hand on the floor for support.  "I 
don't know.  I thought maybe we'd just wing it from here."

"Spontaneous?  I didn't think you had it in you."

He smiled evilly.  "There are a few things in me that you 
don't know about."

"Really?" she asked with the same tone of voice.  She 
crawled around the low table until she was right next to him.  
Silently she leaned over and blew each of the candles out with as 
much drama as she could.  Looking back to him she saw a very 
interested gleam in his eyes and smiled at it.  This was not what he 
had been expecting she was sure.  "Then how do I figure out the 
rest of you?"

He smiled at her and she wrapped her arms around his neck 
sufficiently holding him still.  With her arms she slowly leaned 
him over to meet her lips.  He didn't struggle any against her 
advances, and she had to admit that she should have tried this a 
long time ago.

It took a while but they separated again, extremely 
breathless.  He chuckled at her and she looked back into his eyes.  
"And here I thought you'd slap me if I moved this too fast."

She smiled and leaned up to peck another kiss on him.  He 
then promptly stood up and offered his hand to help her up too.  
She looked at him curiously, "What's this?"

He smiled down at her.  "I would very much like a dance 
with this angel that I seem to have caught all alone in my 
apartment."

She laughed at his words and let him help her up.  He could 
certainly be poetic from time to time.  He walked over and turned 
up the stereo a bit.  And actually that old stuff was growing on her.  
As long as she didn't hear it twelve hours a day she could handle 
some culture.

He pulled her into a tight embrace and they began a slow 
circling.  Talk was kept light and their circles were broken by a 
periodic kiss that would leave them motionless despite themselves.  
And Serena remained curled in his arms very content to just be 
with him.  She had stopped attempting to name the emotions 
floating through her, and her mind wasn't the least bit interested 
with labels.

All it wanted was Him.  He snuggled his chin into her hair 
and held her close pecking a kiss on the top of her head again with 
really no cause for it.  She smiled to herself.  Somewhere in her 
heart she felt a strong pull.  "You really are trying to steal that last 
piece of my heart, aren't you?"

There was a slight pause as he stopped her and lifted her 
chin to look at him.  "No," he said gently.  "I can't steal that from 
you.  It has to be given freely."

She stared up into his blue eyes knowing that his words 
were true.  But at the same time she knew that he already had that 
last piece.  Maybe he always did.

"Darien…"  She didn't know what she wanted to say, but 
she had to say something.  She had to tell him what she felt inside.  
And there was only one thing that her heart told her to say.  "I love 
you."

Despite the lack of warning that those words were coming, 
he seemed to absorb his shock rather quickly and smiled down at 
her.  He pulled her back into a fierce hug and just held her close a 
moment before chuckling lightly.  "Well, if I'd known that this 
was all it took to make you fall in love with me I would have done 
this a long time ago."

She snuggled into his chest as far as she could.  "Would 
you have?"

He laughed again, "Yeah, say like five years ago."

She looked up smiling at him thinking what it would have 
been like to have fallen for him when they'd first met.  Of course, 
then she remembered what they were like that long back.  "I didn't 
even like you five years ago."

"Oh," he said smiling slightly.  "Then for argument's sake, 
can we just make up for lost time?"

Her answer was in her kiss.  And his kiss echoed back 
every emotion she felt and in her heart.  She knew it was a thank 
you for finally loving him back.

Suddenly everything just felt right to her.  The world could 
have been obliterated right then and there and she wouldn't have 
cared.  In fact if she never came out of this kiss she would be 
perfectly happy.  All she wanted was to stay forever in his arms.  
To always be held like this.  To always feel her heart melt inside of 
her.  To always have him here with her.

To always just be in love with him.

He kissed her again sweetly, as though he was afraid that if 
he pressed too hard he would wake them from a dream.  And if this 
was a dream she wanted to hibernate 'till she was dead!

That thought brought a chuckle out of her and she had to 
break away from his lips.  He looked down at her confused.  
"What's so funny?"

She chuckled looking back at him.  "Pinch me."

"What?"

"Pinch me."

He did.

"Ow!  I didn't mean really!"

He shrugged innocently.  "I just did what you asked.  I'm 
not a mind reader."

She giggled and wrapped her arms more tightly around his 
neck.  "Read this."  She pulled him back down to her and trapped 
his lips against hers once again.  *Oh…*

That was her last thought as her world was lost beneath her 
again.  He pressed her closer and kept her there.  And this time she 
wasn't letting go for anything.

Eventually they had come back to orbit at least, but 
somehow she didn't suspect that she would be touching down for a 
long, long time.  Once they found themselves dancing around to 
non-existent music, since the CD had run itself out, they had 
promptly sprouted in another of their famous arguments.  After 
which they had found themselves clearing the table and putting his 
apartment back into order.  Why it seemed like such an appropriate 
use of their time together she didn't know.  She didn't even clean 
her own apartment let alone someone else's.  But between cuddles 
it occupied their time.

They had finished the last of the dishes and collapsed on 
the couch giggling over how much water they'd ended up spraying 
on each other.  Of course the argument of the hour had been 
whether or not she was doing a good enough job at washing.  Yes, 
having a boyfriend perfectionist had its drawbacks.

But snuggled in his arms watching—OK , not watching—
some goofy movie, she was more than happy with her 
surroundings.  They laid there together the same way they always 
used to, and he was still playing with her hair.  The difference 
being that this time her lips still tingled lightly from his touch.  She 
smiled to herself, sighing contentedly.  "Darien?" she asked 
thinking of something.

"Yeah."

"Can we still get married next April?"  She popped up to lie 
on his chest to see his reaction.

"I don't know.  We've always moved very slowly.  I don't 
know if we want to jinx ourselves with this," he said laughing.

She giggled too.  "Well, I hope you don't plan to make me 
wait another five years for you.  You'll kill me!"

He smiled down at her.  "Me too.  April, that gives us about 
a year to get use to this."  He paused thoughtfully, "Why not?"

She laughed playfully and stretched up to kiss his chin, 
which lying like that was the only thing she could reach.  "Thanks 
Muffin."

He laughed at her and brushed her bangs back.  "Of course 
that has to be the most unromantic proposal I've ever heard of."

"Yeah, like you haven't written the book on how to be 
unromantic," she sniffed.

He picked that moment to sit up, sufficiently spilling her 
off of him.  "Little ingrate!  I am perfectly romantic."  He sat up 
and she was still sprawled out and beginning to get stuck between 
the couch's back and the cushions.

"You are not!" she yelled indignantly, still trying to stop 
the sofa from eating her.

"Am too," he said watching her struggle.

"Are not!" she said leaning up on an elbow.

"Am too," he said amused with her.

"Are not!"

"Am too."

She leaned up and placed her arms around his neck and 
lowered him back down with her.  "Oh shut up," she said lightly, 
maneuvering his lips to hers.

Somehow she believed she was going to like winning 
arguments this way.


_____________
@}->-- "Eternity is the ocean; time is the wave" –Maurice 
Maeterlinck.


The End!!

Copyright August 4, 1999

AN.  It's done, it's done, it's really, really done!  OK, so 
I'm thinking about an epilogue, but I want FEEDBACK before I 
do that.  Oh, and by the way, E-MAIL ME.  Even goddesses get 
lonely when no one writes.  Lousy devoted subjects anyway.

Oh well.  Here are a few last thoughts for you.  But until we 
meet outside of eternity's shores God bless and keep you.

Love,
Isis

_____________
@}->-- "I think I did pretty well considering I started out 
with nothing but a bunch of blank paper" -Steve Martin.

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