Title: Romancing in NY Name: Lelu E-mail: ETLCHSIEH@AOL.com Part: Chpt. 5 Rated: Pg-13 Subject Line: Romancing in NY Chpt. 5 (PG13) by Lelu -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AN: I'd like for the reader to know I am writing the original copy of this story in a notebook (so that would be *manual labor*) in a car, on the way to NYC and today (which is the 22nd) is my birthday ::sighs:: I'm only writing this because of the fans who have e-mailed me and told me to get the next chpt. out soon. Very soon. Anyway, more AN's at the bottom. Disclaimer: Copyright 1992 Naoko Takeuchi/Kodansha/TOEI Animation. Sailor Moon, the Sailor Moon characters and their respective names and likenesses is a trademark of TOEI Animation. (Unfortunately, that means Darien, too!) << denotes thought>> Rated: PG-13 Chpt. 5- The Explanation (Thurs. 1:30 PM) WAIT!!! BEFORE YOU READ THIS CHPT., READ THIS! IF YOU TRIED TO GET TO CHPT. 4 LAST TIME, AND COULDN'T GET THERE, IT'S BECAUSE ETERNAL ANGEL, WHO IS SENDING MY STORY IN, DID SOMETHING INCORRECTLY. CHPT. 4 IS STILL THERE, BUT IT JUST DOESN'T HAVE A LINK. I'LL PROVIDE THE LINK TO CHPT. 4 RIGHT HERE: http://www.moonromance.com/l/rny4.txt Now, on with the story <> "I date women because I wanna find the one." Serena was flabbergasted. "What?" Darien sighed. "The reason why I date so many women is because I want to find the right one. I know that I'm young, I mean I'm only 25, but I *know*", he stressed," that I'm ready for a steady or permanent relationship." He took a deep breath. "And I think that..." <> Serena, who had leaned forward in her chair, mouth parted, eyes wide opened, breathed, "That...?" She wanted him to finish his sentence. She tensed in apprehension..."That you're beautiful." She sighed. She felt disappointed and yet very elated at the same time. Disappointment because he had not said what she had wanted to hear, and elated because he had told her that she was beautiful. None the less, she blushed and said, "Thanks, Darien. But, um, are you sure that there's nothing else you wanted to tell me?" Darien replied, quickly and surly, without any hesitation. "Nothing," he said, his voice steady and strong. Serena knew that he was still hiding something from her, and told him so. "Darien, I know that you're still keeping something from me, but I know, that in time, "She looked at him defiantly, "you *will* tell me." She stood up and walked to the door, ready to escort him out, when he suddenly grabbed her wrist as she walked by. Because she was not prepared for that, Serena was caught off balance, and landed squarely onto his lap. She started to stand up, but Darien had snaked his arms around her waist, and she, again, resumed her previous position. "Sir," she said, mustering the calmest voice possible, " would you please release me so I may escort you out?" He positioned his mouth so it would be right next to her ear. "No," he stated, his voice sending shivers down her spine. "Then why won't you let me go?" "I need to talk to you." "I think that you could do that without me, "at this point, she blushed, "being in your lap." "Don't you think I know that? I, however, rather like the position that we're in." "Darien, I think-", her voice was cut off by the ringing of the phone. <>, she thought in relief. "Darien, I really must answer the phone...Would you like to let me go now?" "No, but I suppose I must." With that, he unwrapped his arms from her waist, but not without giving a final squeeze to it, and a small kiss on her cheek. She gave a yelp and turned around to mock glare at him. "Ever heard of keeping your hands to yourself?" With that, she spun on her heel to go answer the phone. "Hello?" "Hi, is Serena there?" "Raye, is that you?" "Hey, girlfriend! I've got a *big* surprise for you. The 'group' is coming to see you!" Serena,had forgotten about the company she had, sitting in the room just behind her. She was so excited! Her friends were coming to see her! Her voice rose to a high-pitched squeal. "Oh my god! When?" "I think that we're coming-" "Serena?," Raye heard a male voice inquire, "do you want to go out for lunch?" Her 'boy alert' alarm went off. "So, Serena...who's the guy in the background?" Suddenly, her calm demeanor turned firey. (AN: Get it? Firey? ::sighs and bows head:: Nevermind.) "You'd better not have a secret boyfriend and didn't tell us, or I'll-" "God, Raye! Back off! He's just a friend..." In a whispered voice, she added, "I'll tell you guys about him when you come over!" Then, in a louder voice, she added, "I'm guessing that you girls will be staying at my apartment while you're here, right?" "Of course, if that's okay with you." "Sure." Serena glanced over her shoulder to see an impatient Darien. "Raye, why don't I call you back later? Darien's getting impatient, and we have an appt," again, she looked at him, "for lunch." Darien raised one sardonic eyebrow. "We do?", he mouthed. Serena nodded and turned around to finish her conversation, so she just missed Darien's silent 'yes' to God. "Anyway, Raye," Serena continued, "I'll call you back later, around 7, okay?" "Okay, Serena, but you had better give me all the info on Darien, or else," she finished, in a threatening tone of voice. Serena gulped. She was actually quite scared of the priestess. "Um...yes, ma'am." Raye gave a little chuckle. "I'll be expecting a full report on this little 'luncheon' of yours. Anyway, I have to go. Ashley's starting to wake, and I have to feed her. Call me, later!" With that, she hung up the phone, leaving Serena with a worried look on her face. <> Suddenly, Darien, who had snuck-up behind her, delivered a swift smack...on her butt! Serena whirled around, and nearly snarled out, "What the hell was that for?" "Number one," he sarcastically retorted, "to get your attention, which I see that it did. Number two, "he added, a grin starting to spread on his face," to ask you if I'm really 'just a friend'," he quoted, repeating the explanation that she had used to dive out of Raye's questioning. She flushed. "Well, she replied, racking through her brain for an excuse, "What else am I supposed to call you? We've only known each other for, like, 2 days...and we barely know anything-" There, she stopped short, recalling the conversation they had had at the restaurant, last night. She glanced up at him, and saw that he wore a triumphant grin. "Darien. Seriously, though. We've only known each other for 2 days! I have to be with a guy for at *least* a week- or if he asks me to be an official couple- before I consider him a boy..." Her sentence trailed off. Her serious look turned into one of pure horror. "Darien? What are you doing? Get up!" He had gotten onto one knee and was now glancing at her, his mouth drawn in a straight line, but one look into the ocean blue eyes, one would know that he was laughing on the inside. "Serena, would you give me the pleasure of being able to officially call you my girlfriend?" Serena was speechless. No, not out of flattery, but rather that of stupidity. "I...uh...::cough:: um...we...Darien, I...I really don't know about this...Um, ::coughs again::" Darien's once mirthful eyes now had a glossy look to them. He slowly stood up and said, "Well, um, I think that I'm just gonna leave now." He gave a brave attempt to smile. (AN: See! Boys have feelings, too.) " See ya around, Serena." He slowly started walking to the door. He turned around to speak once more, but was cut off by a pair of arms flung around his neck "Um, Serena?" She pulled him closer to her, if it could be done, and whispered one word into his ear, "Yes," before lowering his head down to meet hers... The Phone Conversation (around 7:30 that night) "I'm telling you, Raye," Serena said, while shoving a big spoon of chocolate ice cream into her mouth, "I think that *he's* the one!" "Serena, dearest," Raye sighed, "Given what you've already told me, please! Don't get too close to this guy. I've heard about men like him. He's just gonna break your heart. Serena shot straight up. "Raye! Shove it! (AN: RR, shove Romeo...right over a cliff! Heh heh heh!) Don't say such mean things! Darien really is a-" "A nice gentleman, and he does this, and he does that...Please, Serena! Save something for the sleepover! I'm sure that our Mina, ever the romantic, will love to hear your story..." Then, Raye's train of thought turned to something else. She bluntly questioned, "Serena, are you still a virg-" "Yes, Raye," Serena cut off. "I, unlike the rest of you happily *married* people, am still waiting until I get married. It's called chastity, remember?" (AN: I'm *big* on this chastity thing. Although I'm not Christian, I do believe in most of all the Catholic religion says. Chastity is *good*. I don't mean to sound like a preacher, though. Sorry!) "Jeez! No reason to get all snappy! We waited too, ya know..." Serena sighed. "Sorry, Raye...It's just that...I see all of you married, and raising children, pardoning Mina, that is, and I start to wonder...will I ever get married?" Raye took a deep breath. "Serena, we got married at a pretty young age. You're only 23! The way I'm looking at things, when you turn 40, you'll still look the same." Serena's eyes filled with tears. Raye then heard an earth-shattering wail, followed by some high-pitched screeches. "You-you think that I won't be married by the time I turn 40? ::insert wailing:: Raye...how could you be so mean?" By the time the last word had been spoken, or rather, screeched (in Raye's opinion), it had hit a high note. (AN: Think of the cartoon...and how high her voice could go!) "Serena," Raye yelled, "Stop it! You're gonna wake up Ashley, and I just put her to sleep!" Serena continued to wail. Raye could feel her temper firing up. (AN: Get it? Get it? No? ::Bows head in shame:: ::mutters:: I should stop doing this...). "Serena, Raye stated, calmly, gently, "Do you remember what happened to you the last time you woke Ashley up?" Suddenly, the wailing stopped. Images were already coming back to her. "Oh, God," Serena moaned, as she saw a flashback of Raye chasing and swatting her with a *big* *big* broom. The priestess was suprisingly agile, even though she had just given birth, just a month before. She gulped. "I-I, uh, I think that I'll be q-quiet now," she stuttered. "Good," Raye said. "I'd hate to have to chase you around again, although I do miss the 'good old days', don't you, Serena?" "..." "I'll take that as a yes. Now, in case you didn't know, it's only going to be us girls. The babies and our husbands will be staying at home." Serena was finally able to get the horror out of her system and was able to talk. "Thank god! I don't think that I could've lived here, with 3 babies around. Um, I sorta figured that your husbands wouldn't be coming...That was sorta obvious, unless you'd like to, "Serena started to snicker, "find some baby-sitters for your children, and have your husbands sleepover, too. I'm sure that they'd love to see their wives in some of the *nightgowns* that we're gonna model..." "Serena, that does it! Next week, I'd find some padding to wear! I'm coming after you, with the new double-headed broom that Chad bought for me." Serena burst out laughing. "Let me," she said, gasping for breath, "get this straight...Chad...bought a big...broom...for you?" She was rolling on the floor, laughing. "Why...on God's green earth...would he do that?" Steam was practically flowing, at a constant rate, out of Raye's ear. "Serena, SHUT UP!" Serena giggled. "I'm...so...sorry, Raye. It...hold on, let me...catch my breath." Raye heard Serena take a deep breath. In a calm and steady voice, Serena spoke. "Okay, Raye, I'm finished. Suddenly, another image of a young Raye chasing Chad across the temple grounds made her crack-up. "S-s-sorry, Raye. It's just soooo funny! Heeheehee. (AN: In case you couldn't tell, that was my pitiful imitation of a laugh!:))" Raye was not *totally* pissed. She racked her mind for a way to get revenge. <> She faked 3 coughs and put the words, 'Serena the Hyena' into it. Almost immediately, the laughing stopped. "What did you call me?" "Oh, nothing." Then, in a quiter voice, she added, "hyena girl."Serena now knew for sure what Raye had called her. "Raye, dearest," she said, sarcastically, "I remember, quite clearly, me asking you to never call me that again!" "Oh, but Serena, hon," Raye retorted, "the name fits you so well! Aren't 'cha glad that I thought up that nickname in highschool? Too bad it didn't catch on...People were too afraid of Lita, who threatened to beat them up if they used it!" "As well they should be," Serena sniffed indignantly. "Still, I see no reason as to why you gave me that horrid nickname. Why, all of my past boyfriends-" "What?! You only had two! 'Saving yourself for the right guy,' you said, althoughI don't see why... Boys lined up for miles around your house, just to get a glimpse of you!" Serena blushed. "Raye, I think that you're exaggerating a bit." She gave a little giggle. "Besides, it was blocks, not miles, and most were frightened of my dad, who threatened to shoot them if they, and I quote this, 'harmed his angel.'" She flipped her hair back. "So there!" "Oh, hush. Anyway, back to the point. You *do* laugh like a hyena." "I do not!" "Do to!" "Do not!" "Do to!" "Do not!" "Do too, and so there!" "Raye, stop it! We're acting like children!" Raye gave a trimumphent grin. "I know. Fun, isn't it?" "Oh, Raye...GROW up!" "Only if you do first!" Serena sighed. "I honestly don't know why I bother with having friends like you...I really don't think that you're worth the trouble." "Ha ha, Serena. That's really funny." "Anyway, back to *my* point. I really do think that Darien's special. He really is nice, Raye, and he does treat me well." "Serena, look." Raye's voice softened a bit. "You're like a sister to me, you know that, and I just don't want to see you get hurt!" "But, Raye, that's just it. I don't think that he would hurt me. Not purposely, anyway, but...he's special, Raye. I can feel it. Can't you go do that fire thing and check to see if he's really right for me?" "Serena, you know that I'm not psychic anymore. I lost that talent a long time ago. Maybe I'll meet him when I come to see you. Then I'll see whether or not he really is right for you. I can feel these things...Do you understand?" "Yeah...Well, I've got to go soon, Raye. I'm expecting a phone call from my boss. He wants to know all the details of my date...He really is so nosey, sometimes, but...he cares for me, like a dad would, and...my parents are so far away, so...he's kinda like a surragate dad, ya know?" "Yeah, well, at least you have a real dad, and a surragate one...I never really even knew mine. He was always too busy for me, and...well...at least I had my grandpa there for me. You know...when he was alive, I never really..." her voice broke down. "Oh, Serena...I never did tell him how much he meant to me..." "Raye, hon, don't worry about it. He knew...he knew that you loved him, I mean, how could you not? He loved both you and Chad. Don't you remember the look on his face when he saw you two get married? Trust me, Raye...He knew." Raye's sobs subsided. "Yeah...Honestly, Serena. What would I do without you?" Serena's voice was sarcastic. "Have no one to boss around, hit, beat up, blame your mistakes on, make fun of...the list goes on, Raye." Raye laughed. "I know...Still, it's nice having you for a friend, Sere." Serena's voice softened. "Oh, Raye. You know that I'll always be here for ya, right?" Raye gave a soft sigh. "Yeah...I know." "Good. Now, we have more important things to do...like planning on what we're going to do when you girls come!" "Well, like, duh! Shopping!" Raye gave a small giggle. "What else would we do?" "Yeah, I was thinking about that, but, you *know* what would happen if we brought Mina. We wouldn't even be able to set a foot into one shop!" "Oh, the problems of being a famous moviestar," Raye said, sarcastically. "Well, maybe we could do something else..." "How about we just 'play it by ear' when you guys come. I'm sure that we can think of something to do! Anyway, I'm going to go now. But, before I do, you never told me the exact date of when you guys are arriving. I need to know the times so I can go pick you up at the airport!" "Well, I think that our flights are all scheduled for the same day, Monday,-" "Monday?" Serena screeched. "I thought that I had a week!" "Um, sorry? Anyway, we should probably be arriving at different times, depending on where we're coming from, so don't worry about picking us up. We know where you live, and so we can just take taxis." "Are you sure, Raye? I'd sorta feel bad, having all of my guest come by planes, and then having to go through the horrors or trying to get through NYC traffic..." "Don't worry about it, hon. We've got it perfectly handled. I'll just call the girls and tell them, okay? So, get ready, Serena. On Monday, the 'group' shall be reunited! Gotta go now! See ya soon, Rena!" "Bye, Raye. Tell the girls that I can't wait to see them." "Okay. Bye now!" With that, Raye placed the phone on the hook, getting ready to go meditate in front of the fire, when suddenly, two hands twirled her around. "Chad," Raye gasped. "How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?" One look into his eyes, however, made her gasp. "Oh...Well, if you wanted to do *that*, you could've just told me! Come on, Chad...Let's go." With that, she took his hand and lead him to the bedroom... (AN: Don't ask me why I put that...I just thought that it'd be funny!) Serena hung up her phone with a sigh. <> Drifting off to dreamland, Serena's eyes slowly began to close...RING, RING, RING. Her eyes shot open. "Huh?" RING, RING, RING. Her eyes lost its hazy gleen. She sluggishly moved her hand to pick up the phone. "Hello?" "Tsukino, it's only around 9! Don't tell me you're sleeping already!" "It's after-hours, sir. I can do whatever I please." "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. Anyway, how did your date go?" Serena's eyes brightened, with just the thought of Darien. "Well, he took me to this fabulous restaurant in... "And then we came home, and he kissed me goodnight," Serena finished. She glanced at the clock. 10 already? "Sir, I have to go. I'm so tired, and I need to be in the office by 8..." "Alright, Tsukino. I get the drift. 'Let's dump the old man to go party', huh?" "Yeah, exactly," she sarcastically shot back. "Now, let me go. I'm tired, I'm grouchy, and I wanna go to sleep!" In a mumbled voice, Mr. Yamatti said, "Yeah, it sounds like that time of the month..." She caught on. "Speak up, old man. I don't think that I can hear you!" "Tsukino, you're REALLY lucky that it's afterhours, or I would've fired you for that remark." "Yeah, I could sue you for the one you made about me!" Silence. Then, " Sometimes I think that you're too smart for your own good, Serena. Anyway, I have to go, too. We old men need our sleep, too." She gave a sigh. "Good night, Mr. Yammati." "Good night, Tsukino." Serena hung up the phone and walked into her bedroom. She took off her clothes and replaced them with her nightgown. She slipped into her bed, and turned off the light. <> She closed her eyes and fell asleep. AN: FINALLY! Chpt. 5 is done. I'm sorry to all the people who have had complications in reading chpt. 4, or anything like that! Don't get me wrong, EA. I'm *still* grateful for what you're doing for me. Thanks goes to MM, my editor and best friend, who ::gasp:: is starting to like SM stories! God forbid that she actually start to like Darien. ANYWAY, that would be hoping for *too* much! Thank you for e-mailing me, people! I REALLY appreciate it. I would be grateful for any ideas that the readers have.. I still have no clue where this story is heading to, but don't worry! I'll have chpt. 6 out soon...I don't know *when*, but it will be out before the end of the month...I hope! Thanks again! Lelu