Title: "Exactly"
By: Lady Lightning
Chapter 3: 'What will it take?'
Rated:  PG
E-Mail:  iwillzapyou@hotmail.com

Let's not waste any time, shall we?
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO

	Darien walked towards his apartment.  The breeze on his wet clothes 
amplified
the cold and it shot through him.  He could feel Serena's eyes on his back, 
but he didn't
turn around.  'She doesn't deserve it.'  Darien tried to tell himself.  But 
his heart knew
that it was he who was too afraid to turn around.  To afraid to see hate in 
her face.  To
afraid to find that he was right, to discover that she detested his very 
presence.  'And why
should she like me?  I have never given her reason.  I have never shown her 
anything but
callousness.'  He wasn't ready to let her in.  Darien didn't want to put his 
heart on the
line.  If he always protected himself, he could never be hurt.  So why try?
	'Oh Darien!  Please don't walk away.  Please don't go.  I really am very 
sorry.'
Serena pleated with Darien inside her heart.  She closed her eyes and wished 
as hard as
she could that he would turn around right now and find it in his heart to 
forgive her.  But
Darien kept on walking.
	'Why do I feel this overwhelming urge to turn around?  Just ignore it.  
Keep
walking.  Just ignore that strange pull in your heart.  Keep going.'  Darien 
crossed his
arms in resolve, or was it because he was cold?
	'Please, Darien.  Don't go.  Don't go.'  Tears pooled at the corners of her 
eyes
and then dropped down her cheeks making small black streams colored by 
mascara, mar
her ivory features.
	Every step became more painful than the next.  All of a sudden, Darien felt 
like...
crying?
	All to soon, Darien's body became a distant figure, and then an outline, 
and then
he was gone.  Serena drew a hand across her face, drying the tears that had 
escaped.  How
could she ever get Darien to talk to her again?  How in the world could she 
apologize for
what she had done?  Tears still fell down her cheeks and she lifted her arm 
to wipe them
away.  She looked strangely at her arm, and then she looked down and was 
suddenly in
better humor.  Darien had forgotten to take his jacket back!  'He'll HAVE to 
talk to me
again to get his jacket back!  And when he does, I'll tell him that I'm 
sorry, and then he'll
pull me close and, and kiss me!  On the lips!'  Somehow, all Serena's 
daydreams ended
with a lengthy, tender kiss from Darien.  Satisfied that her quest for 
forgiveness, and his
heart, would be fruitful, she broke into a run out of the park, and back to 
her home.

______________________________

	Darien pulled the towel from the towel rack and rubbed it over his wet 
body.
After he was dry from his shower, he tied the towel around his waist and 
wiped the steam
from the mirror.  'It feels good to get that water from 'Duck Poop Lake' off 
me!'  Darien
smiled to himself and watched the man in the mirror grin back.  He pulled 
his toothbrush
from its holder and piled some toothpaste on.  Darien stuck the brush in his 
mouth and
started to scrub his lower right molars.  Lost in the routine of it all, 
Darien let his mind
wander.  An instant image of Serena seized his brain.  It was of the other 
day when he had
gone on a stroll through the park and saw Serena playing tag with Lita and 
Mina.  She
was laughing so hard that she had lost the will to chase.  When Lita came up 
to her,
Serena darted out and whacked Lita on the shoulder.  She then took off in 
the other
direction, hair fluid behind her, screaming joyfully, 'No tag backs!'  Even 
though his
mouth was busy, his face smiled at the thought.  It wasn't until the phone 
rang did Darien
realize that he had been daydreaming of Serena and brushing the same molar 
for about five
minutes now.  He inwardly cursed himself for letting her have that effect on 
him.
After he answered the phone, which was Andrew telling him that he was taking 
the
day off of work tomorrow to do something with Rita, Darien quickly finished 
brushing his
teeth and pulled on some pajamas.  He slipped in between the cool sheets and 
laid his head
on the fluffy pillow.  'Her smile.  She is so generous with her smile.  
She'll give it to
anyone- even me.  And her kindness.  She is so generous with her kindness.  
How often
have I seen her help an old lady cross the street?  Or seen her defend the 
defenseless?  Or
when she let a little kid play the Sailor V game before her?  Wait, no, that 
last one never
happened, but the rest are true!  I wonder when I first started to love 
her?'  And Darien
sat up like a shot.  Like a thunderbolt from Zeus in the heavens above, it 
struck him.  He
loved her.  'I love her.'  Eyes wide with disbelief, he slowly lay his head 
back down.  'It all
makes sense.  The teasing, the name calling, I NEVER act that way with 
anyone else.
Why didn't I see it sooner?  Why did I ignore my heart?'  But Darien hadn't 
been ignoring
his heart; he just never used it before.  The elation he felt at recognizing 
this simple, yet
complicated emotion left him dazed and wanting more.  "I'll make Serena fall 
in love me,
at least, I will try."  He had no idea that he had already succeeded.

________________________________

Serena sat on her bed in her pink pajamas.  In her left hand she held a 
small stuffed
bunny, in her right she twirled a strand of her hair.  Serena kept looking 
across the room at
the jacket sitting on her chair.  'He was being so sweet before I...'  She 
put the bunny
down and with a small frown walked to the chair and picked up Darien's 
jacket.  It
smelled just like him.  Serena lifted the article of clothing to her nose 
and inhaled deeply.
She put the jacket around her shoulders and hugged herself.  'This must be 
what it's like
to be in his arms.'  Serena closed her eyes and her head tilted to the side. 
  She felt warm.
Serena stood for some time like that relishing the feeling.
	"Serena, time for bed!"  Serena was jolted out of her dream world when she 
heard
her mother call to her.
	"Okay mom!"  Serena called back.  With one last quick sniff, she put the 
coat back
down on her chair and crawled into bed and turned off her light.  'I'll give 
him back his
jacket tomorrow and apologize.  And then he'll tell me it's okay, and then 
he'll tell me that
he loves me and then...'

______________________________

	The familiar sliding glass doors slid open on their oily track just as they 
always did
to the Crown Center Arcade.  The sun was shining and the arcade was bustling 
with busy
bodies.  Serena stepped into the local hangout and scanned the crowd for the 
heads of her
friends.  The coast was clear.  She hefted the jacket up higher up her arm 
and shifted her
weight.  The dark headed love of her life was not on his usual stool, or in 
his usual booth.
Frowning, she sauntered over to the counter and plopped down.
	Darien entered the arcade knowing full well that Serena would be there.  
When
Darien had finally admitted to himself that he was head over heals in love 
with the blonde
headed sprite, the link that always drew him to her was even stronger.  He 
decided that
this link was somehow connected to the heart.  Now what would Darien say if 
he knew it
was connected with his soul?
	Darien strolled up behind the meatball head that was sitting on "his" stool 
and
stood for a moment.  She had her head resting in her hand and even thought 
her face was
not towards him, he knew she was sulking.  Her meatballs almost seamed to be 
drooping.
Her shoulders had wilted and were slumped down.
	"Where is he?"  Serena wined to no one in particular.
	"Where's who?"  Serena froze.   That voice.  She could recognize that voice
anywhere.  The ruff edge, yet soothing tone made the little hairs on the 
back of her neck
stand on end and she felt her heart quicken its pace.  She turned slowly to 
find that she
was right.  Standing there was Darien and all the glory of his hunkiness.  
He had his hands
in his pockets and an inquisitive arch in his eyebrows.  Serena summoned up 
her courage.
	"You.  I was looking for you."  Serena smiled when a look of puzzlement 
besieged
his face.  'He is so cute when he looks confused.'
	"Me?"
	"Yeah, you.  I wanted to give you back your jacket.  You forgot to take it 
last
night when I..."  Serena stalled.  That was a painful memory.  Even thought 
it had only
happened the day before, Serena had berated herself so much she no longer 
wanted to
think about it.
	"When you pushed me in the lake."  Darien finished for her.  Serena visibly
winced.  He crossed his arms in front of his solid body and placed a grin on 
his attractive
face.
	"Uh, yeah.  That."  Eyes pointed to her toes, Serena lifted the jacket off 
her lap
and handed it to the man standing before her.  "I wanted to talk about 
that."
	"Oh?"  Darien took the garment from her and held it in one of his hands.
	"Uh huh.  I just wanted to say that I'm, you know."  Serena fidgeted in her 
seat
and twisted her hands together.  'Gosh!  It wasn't this hard when I 
practiced in the
mirror!'  She felt his gaze and she dared not lift her eyes to meet his.  
'Like this isn't
already hard enough!'
	"That you're..."  Darien leaned forward a bit and egged her on to finish 
the
sentence.
	"Sorry."  Serena uttered in a tiny voice.  Her fingers played with 
themselves in her
lap.
	"Oh, that's okay Serena.  I forgive you."  Darien cracked a smile when her 
eyes
darted up to meet his wide with disbelief.
	"You do!"  Hope, and perhaps a bit of bravery, surged through her body.  
"Are
you sure, 'cause what I did was really mean!  And I would totally understand 
if you don't
ever, never want to talk to me again.  I mean, I hope that you do because I 
do like when
you talk to me, you know, when you have that kinda lopsided smile?  It's 
just so cute I
have to smile when I see it!  Did you just call me Serena?"  Serena sucked 
in a long breath
and brought her hands to her mouth.  Not only did she just ramble on like an 
idiot, but she
ran her mouth when her brain wasn't turned on and revealed a little too much 
of what was
in her heart.  Serena didn't dare hope at what the name change meant.  She 
watched his
face go through the motions of registering what she was saying.  At the 
moment, he had
the most adorable blush on his features.
	Darien tried to will the flush from his face without success.  'Did she 
just say that I
have a cute smile?'  His heart speed up.  'Could she like me?'
	"Of course I forgive you, but only if you forgive me."  Darien's tone 
turned to
serious.  In one courageous move, he brought his hand up and kindly rested 
it on her
shoulder.  He was instantly jealous of his hand.  'What am I doing?  How can 
I be jealous
of my hand!'  He fervently wanted more of him to be touching more of her.  
'Think pure
thoughts, think pure thoughts...uh, baseball, meat loaf, green Jello, 
physics, chemistry, ah
chemistry.  The chemistry between us, surly I'm not the only one who feels 
this pull.  If I
could just kiss her, maybe she would understand...  Damn it Darien!  I said 
PURE
thoughts, PURE thoughts!'
	"Forgive you for what, Darien?"  As if she didn't already know.
	"For teasing you all those times.  I, I really shouldn't have.  I had no 
right to.  I'm
sorry.  It's just that teasing you was the only way I could get you to 
notice me.  And while
my plot to get you to talk to me worked, it didn't have the effect I was 
hoping for."
	"And, what effect was that?"  Serena's heart was thudding in her chest.  
Her eyes
were filled with yearning for a confession that she so longed to hear.
	"Well, uh..."  Poor Darien. He loved this young woman so much that try as 
he
might, he could not even fathom putting into words what he felt in the very 
fiber of his
being.  Serena leaned a little closer, this time egging HIM on to finish the 
sentence.  "Uh,
well, I uh, don't want to tell you."  He finished and took his hand off her 
shoulder.
	"Why not?!"  Serena wanted him so very much to tell her what he was not 
saying.
Now that she paid attention to his feelings, she could feel the devotion and 
love radiate off
him and jump into her body.  How could she have not known what he felt for 
her?
Perhaps she was to busy trying to suppress her feelings that she didn't even 
notice the aura
that he was putting off.  Darien stood for a moment.  She tried again this 
time her voice
soft and not so urgent.  "Why can't you tell me, Darien?"
	"Because, because I want to show you."  He snapped his head up and locked 
eyes
with the seraph in front of him.  She smiled.
	"Then show me."
	Darien slipped on the jacket and grasped on to one of Serena's hands.  He 
pulled
her off the stool and headed toward the exit of the arcade.  Once outside, 
they walked
silently hand in hand, side by side down the street and into the lush, green 
park.  The sun
had decided to come out and play and was watching over several children 
playing hide-
and-go-seek in and around the trees.  Lovers sat in the shade with picnic 
lunches and over
active doggies pulled their owners around the trails.  They passed an 
elderly couple
holding hands, strolling along the path and Darien received a knowing smile 
from the pair.
	Neither of them said a word until Darien brought them to a halt atop a 
small
bridge.  Serena let go of Darien's hand and looked around.  The bridge was 
small, but
stable and made of stone.  She walked over to the railing and leaned over.  
Running
underneath the bridge was a small stream with crystal clear water.  She saw 
little fishes
playing tag with one another.  Serena giggled when a golden fish hid behind 
some kind of
plant and then attacked the black one from the rear.  Along the bank of the 
stream grew
grass, which grew into beautiful bunches of flowers as you came higher up 
the bank.
Further up the stream a family of ducks was splashing around making a ruckus 
and
quacking loudly.
	"What do you think?"  Darien interrupted the sounds of nature.
	"It's so sweet!"  Serena turned to find that Darien was advancing on her.
	"Exactly."
	"Huh?  What do you mean?"  But Serena was not answered.  Instead, Darien
grabbed her hand again and pulled her off in another direction.
After about a five minute walk, Darien lead Serena off the path and pushed 
though
a clump of trees to reveal a small clearing.  The ground was covered in wild 
flowers of
every shade of the rainbow.  Big bumblebees danced from flower to flower, 
enraptured with the sweet nectar.
"What do you think?"  Darien looked at the girl standing next to him.
"I can't help but smile; it's lovely!"  Serena indeed wore a large grin.
"Exactly."  Was all Darien said before he turned around and led them both 
out of
the clearing.
"Why do you keep saying that?"  Serena was beginning to wonder.  "And why 
are
you leading me all around?"  But to no avail.  Darien kept right on smiling, 
and right on
walking.  But, in truth, Serena didn't mind in the least.  She was with her 
love and was
enjoying every second of it.  Serena was beginning to become familiar with 
the feel of his
hand in hers.  She flushed in delight.  Isn't this what she had always hoped 
for?  They
didn't have to say a word to each other as they walked slowly around the 
lake.
	They soon came to a part of the park that she hadn't ventured into.  An 
arch
covered the path, and vines covered the arch.  The cement of the path gave 
way to
roughly laid cobble stone, which looked old and well worn.  The sweet smell 
of moss hung
in the air.  Before long, the archway ended and opened up into a very large 
rose garden.
What a sight it was!  Every which way you looked roses dominated the scene.  
It looked
as though it had been some time since a human hand had touched this garden.  
The roses
had grown out of their plots and wound their way around statues of angels, 
and cherubs
that could be found along the small paths leading you about the garden.  
Serena felt
privileged to share in this secret place.
	"What do you think?"  Darien whispered, not willing to break the spell.
	"It's beautiful.  I love it."  Seldom spoken were more heartfelt words.
	"Exactly."  That was all Darien said before he turned Serena toward him.  
He
stood there for a moment, looking into her soft eyes.  Gradually, he brought 
his arms
around Serena and pulled her close to him.  She countered the act and placed 
her arms
around his neck.  Darien swayed in delight.
"Exactly what?"  Serena was breathless at the closeness she now reveled in.
"That's exactly how I feel about you."  With this, he lowered his head and 
closed
his eyes, anticipating the sweetness of her lips.  He was not disappointed.
A wave of warmth and passion flooded Serena all the way to her toes as 
Darien's
gentle lips pressed softly against hers.  The sweet addictiveness of his 
kisses, and his
tender touch reeked havoc on her central nervous system.  They left her 
leaning on him for
support- not that he minded in the least.   For the first time in her life, 
Serena felt whole.
She felt like she belonged.  She knew at this moment that she would never be 
alone ever
again.  If she could give any more of her heart to Darien, she would have, 
but there was
none left to give.  He had it all, as she had his.
	Reluctantly, they broke apart.  Breathing was heavy and lips were numb, but 
the
happiness both of them felt was communicated through a simple look.
	"I love you, Darien."  Serena rested her head on his chest and sighed 
happily.
	"And I love you, Serena."  He kissed to top of her head and pulled her even 
tighter
in his embrace.
Serena pulled her head up lazily and said with a smile, "What did you call 
me?"
He grinned at her, eyes twinkling, and craned his neck down to catch her 
lips in a long and
tender kiss; just one of many yet to come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The end.  :)
I'd like to give thanks to my bro, Devoted to Mercury, and to Billium, for 
being patient
with me, love you guys lots.
I'd like to give many thanks to some inspiration out there:  Athena, you 
ROCK!  And to
Ashley, who can write the passion between Serena and Darien like no one I 
know.  And
last, but most certainly not least, to Alicia Blade.  Not only for your 
wonderful stories and
constant inspiration, but also for having your awesome website.  It's a 
heaven to all us
romantics.
LOVE YOU ALL!
-Lady Lightning
iwillzapyou@hotail.com