By Lady of Silver
Edited by Lady Lightening

Note: This is a first season story. This story is told by Darien. So this is 
basically his point of view. He is telling this story as if it took place 
in the past. I like feedback so send it in.  If you really want to know, 
I got the idea for this story from a tv show that I was watching a couple 
of weeks ago.

Disclaimer: I don't own Darien or Serena or any other characters that 
are on Sailor Moon.  If you don't know who owns them by now, shame on you.

E-mail: (mmariep@collegeclub.com)

Title: "I Knew I Loved Her When..."
Part One


You may not believe me, but I wasn't automatically in love with Serena when I 
first met her.  I mean she was an ok sort of person, kinda klutzy, kinda 
sweet and a total meatball head.

I mean here it is in the future, I've been with my love for who knows how 
long, and I can still just sit there all night and stare at her as she 
sleeps.

That's when I knew I first loved her.  The first time I sat and just watched 
her sleep through the entire night.   So peaceful and calm, she still 
radiated warmth and love and energy.  But even asleep she was beautiful.  
After all this time, it is still totally amazing to me that I could do that.



It all started on a bright and sunny day, though it was a little overcast. I 
was walking along the sidewalk and heading towards the arcade.  I wasn't 
really thinking of what I was going to do today.  My thoughts were in many 
different tangents.  One was thinking "how well did I do on my finals today" 
another was thinking "what to eat at the arcade"  "will I run into her today" 
"is it really going to rain" and "will I be going to the wake-a-thon 
tonight".  On and on my thoughts ran around in my head as if they were trying 
to catch each other. 



As I walked into the arcade something warm and energetic hurdled right into 
me from behind.  As I started to fall towards the ground I instinctively 
grabbed whoever it was that ran into me, so that as we hit the ground I 
landed on the bottom and no one would get hurt.



Looking down at whoever it was that ran into me, I knew who it would be 
before I even looked down at her.  I knew that scent.  I could smell her 
perfume, as light and fragrant as it was, I knew whose' smell it belonged to. 
 I also knew whose body I was cradling in my arms.  I was very familiar with 
her weight and height.  I had cradled this body in my arms many different 
times, as she ran into me.



It was that meatball headed Serena.  I was a little annoyed with her. I 
wanted to go into the arcade and get something to eat and maybe have some 
sort of INTELLEGENT conversation, instead of a name calling argument.



"Sorry..." As she turned to look at me and see who she had run into, her 
expression said, "It figures it would be HIM."  Her expression was a little 
comedic to say the least. 



Serena looked like she always did when she was in a hurry.  A little 
flustered, but otherwise fine.  She was wearing her school uniform and 
carrying a small brown briefcase.  Her hair was in its usual meatball style 
and her sparkling blue eyes were obviously excited about something.



Standing up then helping Serena to stand I said to her, "Now Meatball Head, 
you know you're supposed to look UP before you walk.  It helps you see where 
you're going.  Then maybe you wouldn't run into as many people."  I laugh a 
little and give her a grin.



She blushes and starts to stutter then, "Oh, Darien you are SO annoying.  And 
stop calling me Meatball Head."  Then she storms off towards who knows where. 
 I stare after her with a bemused expression on my face. 



After a couple of seconds, I walk into the arcade and see that its a little 
crowded today, more so than usual.  I see Andrew is serving some drinks to a 
crowd of giggling girls in a corner booth.  As he looks up to see who had 
walked in I wave to him to let him know that it was me who had walked in.



I walk over to the counter and sit on one of the stools.  Andrew comes back 
to the counter and hands me a cup of coffee.  He knows that that is what I 
usually drink. "Hey Andrew, I just saw Serena rush out in a hurry.  Where's 
she going?"



"Oh, didn't you know? Some charity organization is holding a fundraiser to 
raise money for the orphanage on Ota Street.  The kids there are overflowing 
and the organization wants to help out by giving them some money to add on to 
the building.  That way it will be bigger and better.  You should come, I 
mean with your history in the orphanage and all.  I'm going and so are a lot 
of other people."



"I don't know, I have a lot of studying to do and my job is taking more of my 
time than usual."



"Oh, come on.  It'll be fun and besides you'll be helping all those 
children." Andrew then proceeded to bug and convince me to go.  



Finally I decided to just go and besides I told myself, I'd be helping other 
kids that were like me.  And maybe they wouldn't have such a bad time there 
if there were more room for them.  And maybe I'll see...  No wait a minute 
I'm going to help the orphans.  "Fine I'll go.  What kind of fund raiser is 
it?"



"The organization wants to promote it and aim it towards teenagers to get 
them more involved with their community.  So it's going to be a wake-a-thon. 
 I'm sure adults will be there, but more to help out with food and 
entertainment.  The people going have to be the ones to bring in the money to 
help."



"Sounds like a good idea.  So basically we get people to pay, and we'll be 
the ones to stay awake all night."



"Yup, that's the idea.  The reason that Serena was so excited was because her 
parents let her go.  A bunch of her friends get to go and now that her 
parents let her go she gets to hang with her friends.  Why did you ask?  I 
thought that you didn't like her."  Andrew asked slyly.



"She's ok.  But what a meatball head.  Always running into people. Or when 
she's walking she's always falling down."



"Hey Darien, I didn't know you noticed all that."  Andrew gave me a 
considering look.



I try to think up some excuse as to why I would notice that, then it comes to 
me the best excuse I could come up with at the time, "Well, she's always 
falling into ME."



"Yea, right.  Anyway, the wake-a-thon is tonight and starts around 7:00."



"Sure, I'll be there."  Then I finish my coffee and walk out.  Since my job 
doesn't start until 4:00, why not go to the park.  Besides the roses are all 
in bloom.  So deciding to go to the park, I head over there, not realizing 
that this was the direction that Serena had been heading when she ran off.



When I got to the park, it was quiet and soothing.  There were birds chirping 
and little animals scurrying around.  There were couples walking along the 
wooded paths holding hands or holding each other.  Seeing this it made me a 
little lonely.  I had no one to be with.



Turning a corner I see the rose garden up ahead.  I thought, maybe no one 
will be there.  I wanted to be alone for some reason. I didn't know why, I 
just did.  I walked along the rough path towards the garden and walked in. 



The entrance to the rose garden was very beautiful.  It was some sort of 
arched doorway with wild roses growing on it.  Inside was a maze of rose 
bushes and other greenery including trees and a natural rose fence.  All the 
roses inside were in full bloom.  All kinds of different colors, pink, red, 
yellow, orange, purple, white, violet, and other colors.  It was lovely.



The rose maze was about 8 feet tall consisting of a thick rose bush, the 
roses growing on it were a mixture of reds, whites and pinks.  I had been 
inside the maze many times before.  I knew that in the middle would be a 
water fountain with beautiful, delicate, deep red roses growing around it.  I 
also knew that in other parts of the maze there were gazeboes with other 
roses growing in and around it.  Each gazebo having its own colored roses.



Maybe the gazebo with the white roses around it.  No one ever goes there. Its 
perfect for me so that I could be alone.  So I headed in that direction.  
Passing the other turns that headed in other directions, I used the path 
least taken.  You could see which one that was.  It was the one with the 
rough rocks on its path.  They weren't smooth like the others because barely 
anyone would walk along this path.



So walking gingerly along the path I made my way to the White Gazebo as I had 
named it.  When I finally got to the gazebo, I didn't notice at first that 
someone was already there.  I did notice that there was this heavenly voice 
floating up from behind the gazebo.  She, for surely that was an angel's 
voice, was singing this happy tune, though I couldn't make out the words.



I was going to find out who it was, but decided not to.  Maybe I should leave 
whoever it was alone.  I mean, with the melancholy mood that I was in, I 
would just make that person sad also.



So as I turned to walk away, I accidentally stepped on a protruding branch 
that was sticking out from the ground.  The branch made this big CRACK and it 
filled the silence of the garden.  Interrupting the angel's song.  I turned 
to look to see if the voice would produce a body to go along with it and was 
surprised to see who stepped out from behind the rose filled gazebo.



"Darien, is that you?" asked Serena.



I was completely stumped. The angel's voice belonged to Serena. Who would 
have guessed that Serena could sing so beautifully?  I walk up to her, stand 
right in front of her, and see that she is giving me this look saying that 
she really didn't expect to see ME, of all people here, in the rose garden.  
But then why would she, she doesn't know me.  Doesn't know that I like roses, 
red ones at that, and she doesn't know that I am Tuxedo Mask.



"So, Meatball Head.  Where did you learn to sing like that?"  I asked.  I was 
really impressed.  Besides all her klutz attacks, and her failed test scores, 
who would have known that she was actually good at some thing, besides crying 
at an unexplainable level of frequency.



Meatball Head, blushed profusely, then looked suspiciously at me.  "Why are 
you here?  Don't you have a sewer to be in right now?"



Seeing that she was annoyed with me, which was often enough, I said, "Cool it 
Meatball Head, I was just asking. Don't get yourself all in a twist."



"How long have you been listening to me sing, ratboy?"



"Long enough to know that you can actually sing with out breaking the glass 
on the gazebo."



"Well... I..."  Serena stuttered.  Then she stuck her tounge out at me and 
then ran off.



"See you around klutzeoid!" I called after her.



As soon as she was gone, and out of hearing distance, I sat down in the rose 
covered gazebo and rested my head on the back of the bench.  Her voice was 
amazing.  Her crystal blue eyes were so surprised to see me, of all people.  
I grin a little as I remembered her expression.  Then I just sat there and 
began to think about the last couple of days and I remeber all the things 
that had happened to me.



I don't know how long I sat there, but when I looked at my watch I saw that 
it was five minutes till four.  I was going to be late for work.  I got up 
and started to run.  It was a good thing that my job was very close to the 
park.



I made it to work and bareley there before my boss was.  I was only two or 
three minutes late.  For the next three hours, I worked, and filled out forms 
and did research for my boss.



By the time it was seven I was able to get off of work and hour early to go 
to the fundraiser.  He had allowed me to go because my going would look good 
for the company.



I didn't really like my job, but it payed well and I was good at it. I was 
still going to school to get my degree in medicine, but having a job in law 
was a good paying job.  It payed for my tuition.



I made my way to my appartment and as I walked in I made a mental list of all 
the things that I would need for that night. As I packed all the things I 
mentally checked off the things from my mental list.  Some where in the back 
of my mind, I don't know where it came from, I decided to pack a bag of 
chocolate.



Then I got my bag, walked out of my appartment, locked it, and went down to 
put my things in the car.  As I started my car and drove down to the center 
where the wake-a-thon would be held, I saw a familiar style of hair walking 
along on the sidewalk.  She had two meatballs on her head with a long 
ponytail hanging from each meatball.  She was wearing a pink summer dress and 
carrying a blue bag.  She was carrying the bag as if it weighed a ton.  



I pulled over and she stopped to see who was in the car.  She immedeatly knew 
who was driving.  It wasn't as if she knew alot of people who drove a red 
sports car.  I leaned over and asked her, "Hey Meatball Head, where you 
headed?"



"If you really must know, I am going to the center where the wake-a-thon is 
being held. Now that you know, would you please leave, and STOP calling me 
Meatball Head!"



"Well, I'm going to the center where the wake-a-thon is, why don't I give you 
a ride over there."



Serena had the most comical face...  She looked as if I was a stranger.  Her 
eyes bugged out and her mouth hung open.  "Who are you and what did you do to 
Darien?" she demanded.



"Hey, if you don't want the ride over to the center..." I let my sugestion 
hang there for a minute.  Then she seemed to gather herself, straiten her 
shoulders, give me a considering look then she hopped in my car.  



Throwing her stuff in the back seat she said, "Thanks Darien, but don't think 
this gives you the right to start calling me Meatball Head."



"Sure thing Meatball Head."  She gave me a withering look.  Boy if looks 
could kill... I'd be a puddle of oozing slime.  From then on the ride to the 
center was silent except for Serena's chatter about the sites out side and 
her questions about my car.



I answered her questions but other than that, I was pretty quiet.  That 
seemed to make her a little irritated. 



When we got to the center, I helped her carry her bag and mine into the 
center.  By this time Serena was her usual bubbly, cheery self again.  All 
smiles and bright blue eyes and a big happy laugh.



That was strange.  Hearing her laugh.  I've never herd her laugh in my 
presence. It was a big hearty laugh, bright and optimistic of the upcoming 
party.



As we walked in I could see that the place was crowded.  People had chosen 
places aroudnd the huge room to place their thing that they had brought.  
Most had brough sleeping bags in case they would fall asleep during the 
night, others had brough big picnic baskets of food.  I could see Andrew at 
one corner of the room and right next to him were Serena's friends.



I could see an amazon like girl with a picnic basket full of food talking to 
a young boy with blonde hair. A blue haired young girl reading a book and 
right next to her was a boy who was reading the same book. A black haried 
girl in a grey uniform was also there talking to a brown haired guy (though 
it looked more like she was arguing with him), and a girl (who looked alot 
like Serena only her hair was down and held back with a red bow) playing 
around with two cats one was white and the other was a small black cat I knew 
as Luna.



"Com'on Darien, I'll introduce you to my friends." then she grabbed my arm 
and dragged me in the direction of the four girls. When we walked over to the 
 area where Serena's friends were she called out, "Hey guys. I'm here."



"Hey Serena." they called out to her.



"Darien, the one with the picnic basket is Lita and the one talking to her is 
Ken, those two over there are Raye and Chad," she said pointing in their 
direction.  Guesturing in the other direction, "And that's Amy and Greg and 
that's Mina and her cat Artemiss, and you know Luna already."



"Hello," I said to them. For the next hour every one got to know each other. 
 I found out that Raye liked to study Karate, Lita liked to cook, Mina wanted 
to go into show business, Amy wanted to be a doctor, Chad didn't have a clue 
what he wanted to do.  He said that he was giving up on the music scene.  Ken 
wanted to go into the personal protection area and Greg wanted to go into 
Medicine.



"So Darien why are you here tonight?" Lita asked.  Andrew looked like he was 
about to say something, but I shook my head at him.  If I wanted to tell them 
about my past, it was my business.  Greg gave me a sharp look, but I didn't 
know why.  I felt a little uncomfortable about telling these people, who were 
almost complete strangers, about my past.



Flashbacks of when I was little and staying at an orphanage passed through my 
mind.  



Little things that were of no consequence.  Things like waking up in an 
unfamiliar bed, sharing a bathroom with other little kids, sharing a bedroom 
with six other boys and never having your own stuff.



And then when I got older; being teased that no one wanted me.  No one wanted 
to adopt a little boy that couln't remember his past.



I remembered feeling a deep loneliness and a sharp ache in my heart every 
time a couple would pass me up for another little boy who *could* remember 
his past.  The ache was always very sharp like a knife stabbing me in my 
heart, and always the ache stole my breath away.



From behind I heard a person start saying something in the microphone, 
"Testing one, two, three.  Testing one, two, three.  All right.  I'm glad to 
see that the wake-a-thon has such a good turn out tonight.  The wake-a-thon 
tonight is being held so that we can raise money for the orphanage on Ota 
Street. So in order to raise the money, some generous people of Tokyo have 
been nice enough to donate a certain amount of money for every person that 
stays up.  So for every hour that someone stays up the donators will give the 
organization money for the orphanage."



"This is WAY cool." I herd Sererna chirp from behind me.  I turn and grin 
little at her enthusiam for this event.  Even if it does bring back memories.



Through the entire night I got to know all of Serena's friends.  By watching 
her interact with her friends and them with her I saw that they were all very 
close.



Though Raye and Serena fought incessantly, they seemed to enjoy their 
arguing.  And boy, did they argue.  They fought about everything. You name it 
and they squabbled about it.  The food Lita brought, the comics Serena wanted 
to read, Serena's behavior, Serena's hair,(hahaa Raye calls Serena Meatball 
Head, just like I do).  

I noticed there seemed to be a running theme there; teasing Serena.



Lita and Amy did try to stop Raye and Serena from arguing too much, but it 
seemed to be a lost cause.  



The guys pretty much kept to themselves. So I stuck with them and let the 
girls do their own thing.



Chad had long brown hair that completely covered hid eyes, and he was 
obviously older than most of the others.  I would guess around two years 
older than me.  When he talked he talked like he was spaced out, but when he 
talked about something that was obviously important to him, he sounded like 
another person, totally different from the surfer image that he projected.



Ken was kind of quiet.  He about 14, like the other girls, had sandy blonde 
hair and kept glancing over at Lita as if to make sure that she was alright. 
 Ken said that after he graduated from school that he hoped to go into 
personal protection.



Greg who had the most evident crush on Amy.  He was always trying to sneack 
quick glances at her while she was reading so that she wouldn't notice.  The 
poor sap.



I can't understan why he would want to tie himself to someone, they'll only 
leave or worse, get taken away.



"Yoo, hoo. Darien."  Serena said waving a hand infront of my face.  "Did you 
like leave to go to a different planet or a you going brain dead?" she asked 
in a happy voice.



Before I could answer screams errupted from behind me.  Uh oh, time for 
Tuxedo Mask to make an appearance.  In a whispered tone I could hear the 
girls saying something.  I could only hear snippets but I distinctly heard 
"Sailor Scouts" in their conversation.



I stood up and was about to tell the girls to go and run to safety when I was 
pushed from the side.  I turned to see who had pushed me, and seeing that it 
was Serena who had pushed me I said, "What do you think you're doing Meatball 
Head?"



"Darien you rat, go and get the others out of here."



"Serena..."


To be continued....


Well, what did you think?  Go ahead, tell me.  I realy want to know.  Part 
two will come out in a couple of weeks, I think...  Anyways, stay tuned for 
the ending.