Title: Till Death Do Us Part Author: Eternal Phoenix Email: Eternal_Phoenix@onebox.com Disclaimer: None of these characters belong to me. At the Crown Center Arcade at around 3:30 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon, Darien and Andrw were talking about nothing in particular. Then the doors opened and a cheery ray of sunshine bounced in the door. "Hi Andrew!" Serena called cheerfully. "Hey Serena, how's it going?" Andrew questioned. "Everything is absolutely perfect, I'm so happy!" She giggled. "And why woudl that be Meatball Head?" Darien inquired. "Ooooh Darien would you stop calling me that! My name is Serena, SE-RE-NA, S-E-R-E-N-A!" She retorted. "Okay, I get the point MEAT-BALL-HEAD!" "As if I would tell you anything anyway, you're such a jerk!" Serena shot back. 'If he doesn't leave me alone I'm gonna bite his head off!' Serena thought maliciously. "Okay, you two, cut it out, you're acting like a bunch of two-year-olds!" Andrew intervened. "He started it!" Serena went on. "Oh, that sounded so mature Meatcall Head." Darien cooed tauntingly. "Why can't you just drop the name and leave me alone!" Serena cried. 'Is that what she really wanted me to do,' Darien thought, 'I hopt not. . .hold on, wait a sec, where did that come from?' "Anyway, the reason why I'm so happy is because I'm going to a wedding this Saturday with a really great guy named Brad." She beamed. "You mean some guy actually wants to go with YOU, how ugly is this guy? And I hope you don't mean the wedding between Gina Imo and John Fugusaki." "That's exactly the one I mean and why do you have to be so mean to me anyway? I never did anything to you, I wish I had never met you!" Serena wailed as she ran out of the door of the arcade with tears streaming down her face. "WHACK!!" Was the sound that reverberated throughout the arcade as Andrew's hand connected with the back of Darien's head. "Ow, what the hell was that for!" Darien swore. "For what you just did to Serena you baka! You made her cry! She was happy in a relationship and you just had to go ruin it didn't you!" "Jeez, I'm sorry would you stop yelling!" Darien retorted. "NO! You went too far this time buster, I'm not even sure I want to be your friend if you're going to act this way to her!" Andrew screamed. "Well fine then, I'll leave!" "Good!" Andrew snapped angrily. "I might as well go apologize to her or Andrew's never gonna talk to me again," thought Darien. "Wait a sec, I don't even know where she lives.' He muttered out loud. Then a bright idea hit him and he walked to the nearest pay phone he knew of. Darien scanned th enames of the various residents in Tokyo. "Aha! Here it is, Serena Tsukino, 14051 East Cherry Hill Lane." He then set off for his destination. Serena rushed out of the arcade as fast as she could. Every one of Darien's words had cut into her like a thousand steel knives. 'Why do I care so much what he thinks about me anyway?' She thought. 'Because you like him!' Her heart replied. It was true, Serena realized and sighed resignedly. "Tough chance of him ever liking me, he hates me." She breathed. Then the tears began again and she ran all the way home never once colliding into anybody. *********************************************************************** When she got to her house she ran in and up the stairs into her bedroom sobbing loudly. "Serena, are you okay?" She heard Sammy ask through her bedroom door. "No Sammy, but I will be." "Okay Serena, if you need something just call me." Sammy said worriedly. Darien had finally made it to Serena's house. He knocked on the door firmly. "Just a minute!" He heard a young male voice shout. "Yes, what do you want?" The young boy said as he answered the door. "Is Serena here? I need to talk to her." Darien blurted impatiently. "What's your name so I can tell her who's here?" Sammy queried. "My name's Darien." He told Sammy. "Hold on a minute." Sammy answered as he closed the door in Darien's face. Sammy knocked on Serena's door and heard a muffled yes in answer. "There's some guy named Darien at the door for you." Sammy called back. "Tell him Inever want to see him again!" Serena stormed. "He's the guy that made you cry, isn't he?" Sammy commented. Serena's answer was lost in thin air as Sammy ran down the stairs, out the door, and hurtled himself at Darien. "You're the gut that made my sister cry, you don't even deserve to be able to see her!" Sammy shouted as he pummeled Darien's face with his fists. "Sammy STOP!" Serena screeched as she saw Darien being beaten to a bloody pulp by her brother. Serena bodily forced Sammy to stop beating Darien. "Serena, I need to talk to you." Darien begged. "Leave me alone Darien, you've already hurt me enough for one day, so just leave!" Serena demanded with renewed anger as she slammed the door to her house. ************************************************************************ The next day when Darien trudged into the arcade a shrill whistle erupted from between Andrew's lips. "Hey Dare, where's you get that shiner?" He was referring to Darien's viciously black eye. "Serena's brother." Darien replied without enthusiasm. "Why did he do that?" Andrew persisted. "Because he found out that I made Serena cry." Just then the doors to the arcade opened and a less than happy blond drug herself through the door. Her two pigtails which were usually soaring behind her were dragging on the dirty floor. Serena wearily seated herself in a booth and put her head in her arms. While this was happening Darien was watching those beautiful pigtails drag on the floor and it was like someone had taken a hot branding iron and put it on his chest. It hurt so much to see Serena sad. 'Wait up, why do I keep feeling this?' He asked himself inside his head. 'Because you care for her you baka.' Screamed his heart and mind with equal force. Darine then relized it was true, he had been so busy teasing Serena that he had totally overlooked the fact that he loved her. "Like she would ever go for me, she has to hate me after yesterday." He thought miserably. When Darien was thinking these thoughts Andrew was trying to find out what was wrong with Serena. "Hey Serena, what's up?" "You wouldn't understand Andrew." Serena whispered. "Well you could tell me and I'll try to." Andrew coaxed. "You remember that totally great guy I told you about. Well it ended up that he's sick and he can't take me to the wedding so I have to go alone." Serena finished. "Well, why don't you go with Darien?" Andrew urged. "Yeah right, as if he would ever take me. Anyway, I don't want to talk about him, I'm going home!" Serena shouted. As Serena left Andrew went back to the counter by Darien. "Hey Drew, what was all that screaming about?" Questioned Darien. "That was Serena telling me she doesn't want to talk about you." Andrew retorted. "You really hurt her Darien, and now that guy she was going with is sick which makes it even worse." Darien's amusement died when he heard what Andrew had said. "Do you really think she never wants to talk to me again?" Darien asked with worry on his face. "Oh, she'll forgive you someday, just not anytime soon." Andrew answered. "Man, I really blew it this time!" "You're sprung over her aren't you?" "Big time." Darien whispered in misery. ************************************************************************ Saturday Afternoon Serena was finally ready to go for the wedding. She wore a form hugging, forest green dress. It reached the ground and even drug a little. She had a crown of flowers on top of her flowing hair. She had left it loose this time. She wanted Darien's jaw to drop when he saw her. She had to make him see that she wasn't a loser and deserved to be loved, despite what he thought of her. At that same moment Darien was also looking himself over for the last time. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a rose in the buttonhole. He had done his hair in the usual style, thinking he didn't need to do anything really special to it. He wanted Serena to drool when she saw him. He wanted to prove to her he was worth forgiving. He needed her so badly he didn't know what he would do if she didn't forgive him. He finally noticed the time and was alarmed because he was going to be late. He was getting as bad as Serena. ************************************************************************ At the wedding When Serena looked around the church to find Darien she was surprised she didn't see the raven-haired man. She was usually the one that was late and him early. Not the other way around. It was time for the guests to sit down so she found a spot where she would have a good view. When the bridal march started she got really worried because Darien wasn't there yet. Then she saw a familiar form sneak in from a side door and sit a couple rows back from her. Darien had raced over to the church in order to make it before th wedding started. When he was seated in one of the middle pews in the hcurch he started looking for a certain familiar hairstyle. He was alarmed when he couldn't find it. 'Did she skip the wedding because of me?' He asked himself. He sincerely hoped not, he wanted to apologize to her really badly. Well, he would find out whether or not she cmae at the reception. Serena never turns down free food. ************************************************************************ At the reception. Serena again looked around for Darien at the reception. When she saw him drool immediately formed at the corners of her mouth as he had planned. H elooked stunning in that black tuxedo. No wonder at one time he had been a model. If only he would looke at her, notice her. Then he did. She clushed as she looked away and pretended to be engrossed in looking at the centerpiece of the table she was sitting at. He couldn't know she had been openly staring at him, not being able to move her eyes off him. Darien turned his head as he felt a tingling at the back of his neck telling him someone was watching him. That's when he saw her. The most amazing, delicate creature on the face of the planet. His jaw dropped just as she had planned. Serena was sitting there staring at the centerpiece on her table looking absolutely stunning. The green dress she was wearing was hugging her curves, making his mouth water. He decided to go over and talk to her. "Hey Meatball Head, how's it going?" "Leave me alone Darien." Serena hissed. "Why?" "Because you're mean and annoying and I hate you!" Serena shouted as her anger was renewed at the use of the horrible nickname. "Aw, you're killing me Meatball Head." Darien teased in an annoying tone even though what he said was really true. With every cruel word that Serena was uttering his heart was breaking into a million pieces. "Can't you get it right! My name is Serena! Just once I'd like to hear you call me by my given name, but I guess that will never happen, will it?" With that Serena turned and stormed away. In the middle of her storming Serena saw a sight that made all her previous hurts well up again. There danced Brad with a clingy redhead climbing all over him. "Brad! I thought you were sick. You said you were sick to get out of going with me!" She whispered broken. "Sorry honey, I got a better offer." Brad said coldly. When Serena heard this she started running blindly, not caring where she went as long as she got away from Brad. Darien, seeing this horrible spectacle, took off after Serena as fast as his feet could carry him. When he finally found her she was sitting on a bench under a weeping willow tree. 'How fitting.' He thought cynically. Then he heard her horrible sobs and felt like pounding Brad into the ground. "Serena." He said as he gently touched her shoulder. "Serena, it's okay." She heard Darien say as she was engulfed in his strong arms. "D. . .Darien, why do you hate me so much? Am I really as ugly as everyone says I am? Am I really just a big loser?" Serena's voice broke on the last word and Darien's heart shattered with it. 'Did she really think she was all that stuff?' He wondered. 'She must or else she wouldn't have said it.' He concluded. "Serena, look at me." He ordered in a soft voice. When she did he saw the abject misery in her eyes and his heart lurched once again. "What Darien?" Serena questioned. "You are not a loser! You are not ugly either!" Darien urged with emphasis on every word. "Really? You think so?" She asked with renewed hopt in her eyes. "Yes, I do. In fact, I think you are the most beautiful, stunning, irresistable person on this earth. Don't ever think you're a loser, because you're not. You're kind and considerate and will do anything to get a smile out of a friend and I love you for it." "You really love me?" Serena exclaimed with disbelief in her voice. "Isn't that what I just said?" Darien answered softly, embarrassed that he had just revealed a part of himself to her. "I love you too!" She replied as she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him. He tipped her chin up and kissed her passionately, pouring all the love he felt for her into one kiss. ************************************************************************ "I now pronounce you man and wife." Darien proudly kissed his new blushing bride to the uproarious applause of the the guests in the church. Who would have thought that they would end up like this? His Serena had agreed to marry him. He was still in shock. He led her back down the aisle and out of the church to start their new life together. ************************************************************************