Author: Hikari
E-mail: Machi_NO_Tenshi@Excite.Com
Story: Tenderly
Part: Chapter 6
Rating: PG
Chapter 6:
'Cold.' Darien thought. 'That's how all of these hospital
waiting rooms are.'
He had arrived at the General Hospital twenty minutes after
they had phoned. And now, he had been waiting for about an hour.
They were trying to get an O.K. on visitations... Serena was in
critical condition.
"Mr. Shields?" He heard a female voice call out.
He stood up and walked towards the woman. "That's me."
"Hi," she smiled at him and placed forward her hand. "I'm
Doctor Mizuno. I'm in charge of your... friend?" She finished
skeptically.
"Yes." Darien answered as he lowered his head. "Can I see
her?"
"Sure." Doctor Mizuno said as she led the way to one of
the hospital's elevators. "Unfortunately, you won't be able to
stay very long... she's been hurt pretty badly." As they got into
the elevator, she continued. "Besides, I'd like to ask you some
questions before you go in if you don't mind."
"That's fine by me."
The elevator came to a halt and they directed themselves
towards Doctor Mizuno's office. After inviting him so sit down,
she began her questioning. "So... how long have you known Miss
Moyers?"
"I'd say about... five years."
"And would people say that you are good friends to each
other?" She corrected herself. "What I mean is... no one would
ever say that you'd hurt Miss Moyers, right?"
Anger began to burn inside of Darien. 'The insolence of
this woman!' To dare to think that he could have been the one to
hurt Serena. "Doctor Mizuno, I have to inform you that you are
*very* mistaken in your presumption." Darien said as he stood up.
"I wasn't the one that hurt Serena." He walked over to the door.
"I'd like to see her right now, if you don't mind."
Doctor Mizuno stood and strode past him. "Why of course."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Seeing her in that bed... The pale color of her skin blended
in with purple bruises... The cuts... The blood... For a second
Darien had thought she was dead.
He neared the bed with caution. Serena looked as if she
was asleep and he didn't want to wake her. She looked so peaceful,
yet, so hurt.
"D- Darien?"
It was her soft voice. Yet all he could do was stare.
The body lying on the bed looked nothing like Serena's... but
it was hers. He saw her hand twitch slightly and took it in his.
"How you doing?"
Serena tried to smile even though it hurt to move her face.
She *had* to smile... she didn't want Darien to worry about her.
She had brought this upon herself. She had trusted David even though
something had told her not to.
Darien stared at Serena. Out of the blue she had begun
to cry silently as she squeezed his hand as hard as she could.
He dared not stop her cries... he knew that crying in front of
him was causing her enough problems already. If there was
something Darien had learned from Serena's mysterious personality
was that she did not like to show her pain.
Soon, her cries diminished and she was smiling up at him...
this time, a true smile. Darien took the opportunity to wipe away
her tears gently. "So when are you coming home?" He lowered his
her to her ear and whispered softly in it. "I missed you."
Her eyes grew wide and even with the coloring of her skin,
she could tell that her blush was apparent. She stared at Darien
for a long moment. 'How is it that he still cares for me?'
"Serena," Darien's face hardened a bit as he asked the
question that had been on his mind since her disappearance.
"Where were you? What happened?"
Turning her face to the side, Serena stared out of the
room's window. She had to tell him. He deserved to know the truth.
He had been worried about her. 'But it's so hard!' She thought.
'Why can't I just open up to him?'
Tears streamed slowly down her cheeks. "I- I," she tried
to control the shakiness of her voice. "I went out for a walk to
think." She sniffed. "And I ran into David." She finished softly.
"He asked he to have coffee with him and I agreed." She turned
to look at him, her eyes blurry with tears. "I know I shouldn't
have, but he was really nice, and I thought he had changed. I
really did!" She squeezed his hand harder. "So I when with him
to his house." She turned her head away in revulsion and continued.
"But as soon as we- we got there..." her voice was beginning to
break again. "He-"
She couldn't go on, and Darien wouldn't force her. She
had told him more than he had asked... and he knew that what she
couldn't tell, she was probably reliving in memory. He bent over
Serena and ran his fingers through her hair in a soothing motion.
"I told you once Serena," he said as he looked into her eyes.
"That you could always count on me." He kissed her cheek softly,
then, laid one tiny butterfly kiss on her lips. "I will always
protect you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Darien walked out of the hospital with only one intention...
he was going to have a *talk* with David. 'The b*stard!' Darien
cursed mentally. 'He told me he hadn't seen Serena, and know I
know why.'
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Without wasting time, Darien arrived at David's house and
rang the doorbell. On the other side, he could hear the steps get
closer until the door swung open and David stood in its path.
"Well, what a surprise to see you here." David's face broke
into a forced smile as he greeted. "Could I ask what brings you
here?"
Darien clenched his fists as he prayed for restraint.
"I came here to talk to you about Serena." His eyes burned with
repressed anger. "About what you did to her."
"I don't know what you're talking about." David said as he
began to close the door.
Before it closed completely, Darien jammed his foot in the
doorway. "I think you do."
David backed away from the door as Darien came in. He
closed his fist into a punch and blew a hit towards Darien's
face. Darien's face snapping to the side at the unexpected hit.
"Get out of my house."
In his thoughts, Darien imagined that this must have been
what Serena went through. Constant beatings by a man far stronger
than her. He could almost see her now as she lay on the hospital
bed.
Rage pumped through his veins as he became blind with fury.
Clenching his fists, he returned the offensive punch and continued
his beating... his revenge for Serena.
David fought back, launching punches as fast and as hard as
he could. But in the end, as he lay on the floor, Darien grabbing
him by the shirt, he knew that he had lost this fight.
Darien pulled back his hand, gaining impulse for one last
critical hit. He stared at the man who had hurt his most priced
possession. One of his eyes was closed from a punch, his nose was
bleeding, and his mouth was parted as he took ragged breaths.
He lowered his hand as he raised David partly from the
floor. "I'm *not* like you." Darien, then, pushed him back as
David fell to the floor. "I won't hurt you anymore because you're
not worth it." Straightening his clothes, Darien made his way to
towards the door. "But you'd better stay away from Serena... or
I *will* hurt you."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Guess how's here to see you today?" A nurse asked Serena
in a playful tone as she opened up the room's curtains.
Serena could only laugh. 'Who else could it be?' Her lips
broke into a smile. "Where is he?"
"I'm right here."
Her face lit up, blue eyes warming to his sight. "Darien!"
He walked over to where she was and gently kissed her lips.
"You look beautiful today."
Serena rolled her eyes. He had been feeding her that line
every time he came to visit her. And she knew he was lying... he
must have been. She might be feeling better, after all, tomorrow
was her release date... but still, she doubted that what Darien was
telling her was the truth. Yet, when she looked into his eyes, she
knew he really meant what he said.
"I talked to the police." Darien began cautiously. "And
they have temporarily arrested David on battering assault charges."
He heard her take a deep breath. "You did the right thing reporting
him Serena... you have no reason to regret that."
She took his hand in hers and brought it to her face.
Caressing it softly against the skin of her cheek, she spoke.
"Darien... I think I'm ready to see the shrink." She looked into
his eyes for courage. "Could you make an appointment for me to
see Doctor Mendat?"
To be continued...
`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`=`
Hey People, it the ANs!
I know the fight scene between Darien and David was crappy, but I
really don't know how to describe "guy-fights." To me, they all seem
the same.
Anyway, I hope you are happy now that David got what he deserved,
(I know I am), and don't forget to be on the look-out for the next
chapter.
Yes, the story is not finished yet. I still have 2 more chapters
to go. So come on! Encourage me to write faster with your e-mails.
Jya NE!!
/6.6\ Hikari-chan /6.6\
(
geocities.com/tokyo/villa/6303/FICS) (
geocities.com/tokyo/villa/6303) (
geocities.com/tokyo/villa) (
geocities.com/tokyo)