| Title: Royal Flush - Epilogue Author: Alicia Blade E-mail: [email protected] Here�s the long awaited epilogue!! >snicker< yeah, right. Hope you all like, even though it IS awfully short. Gomen! School is almost out (actually, by the time you�re reading this, it WILL be out) and I have tons of stories to work on, so I�m sure you�ll be hearing a lot from me over the next few months. Thanx to everyone who wrote me on this fic!!! You guys mean so much to me!!! Thank you my wonderful proofreaders, prereaders, suggestions makers, tip givers, and supportive, caring, incredible friends: Edeet, Lady Starra, Athena, Starlight, Sailor Elysia, and Twilight. Luv ya! "For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding." Colossians 1:9 (I got this from Setsuna M. Thanx a ton! I absolutely love it!) �I want�� said the little girl, peering through the little glass dome at the many buckets of tasty looking ice cream, �that one� and� that one!� Her little nose pushed up to the glass as her eyes roved over her final decisions. �You sure, Patricia?� asked Darien, holding her left hand in his, while the other held onto another excited girl, also staring adoringly at the delightful treats. �Yup! Yup, I want those two, I�m sure!� �Alright. Have you decided yet, Serena?� �I�m still thinking�� she said, letting go of his hand for a moment to prowl around the other cases, smiling at every one of the thirty-one flavors. Darien laughed, watching her joyous face, biting her lower lip in concentration while her bright blue eyes sparkled mischievously at every treat offered. Finally, he turned to the young lady standing behind the counter. �Okay, we�ll have two large waffle-cones and a child sized waffle cone. Um� I�ll take two scoops of triple fudge chocolate and the little one will have�� �Black licorice and blue berry bubble gum!� Darien cringed disgustedly. �How can anyone EAT that?!� �And the other one?� �I�m still thinking!� Serena called from the other side of the room. Darien laughed as the woman began making Patricia�s order. Finally, a loud squeal erupted from the blonde, hopping enthusiastically in front of a glass case. �I got it! I�ll have chocolate chip cookie dough and� and� mint chocolate chip!� she said with a bright smile. After they all received their ice cream, Patricia led them happily to a round table with 3 tall stools next to the large parlor windows. Grabbing onto the pale pink seat, she looked helplessly back at Darien. He chuckled, lifting her up onto the seat. Serena claimed a stool as well. �Thank you SO much Darien!� she squealed, immediately beginning to lick at the large cone. He smiled lovingly at her. �No problem, princess.� There was a silence as they all ate happily, savoring the sweet sugar filled ice cream. �How�s your dessert?� asked Serena, giggling slightly at Patricia as most of it landed on her face instead of her tongue, creating a huge ring of black licorice ice cream around her lips. She simply grinned up at her happily, taking another bite. �So, are you happy to be out of the hospital?� asked Darien. She nodded her head vigorously. �Oh yes, very happy!� �Good. See, I TOLD you that you�d be out of there in a jiffy, now didn�t I?� She smiled and nodded again. �And you said you�d get me ice cream too!� �Well, I am a man of my word.� Serena giggled beside him, scooting her stool over slightly to lean up against him. Smiling down on her, he draped a casual arm around her shoulders as the conversation quickly turned to sweets and teddy bears and flowers. �Hey� are you Serena�s boyfriend?� Patricia asked suddenly. Their gaze was broken as Serena turned to look at her a tad surprised. Then, a small smile etched across Serena and Darien�s faces. �You could say that�� Darien said quietly, returning his attention to Serena. She smiled up at him lovingly. �Yes. He is.� �Oh� hey, I was wondering if you would take me to the park tonight!� continued Patricia, jumping happily from subject to subject without a second thought. �We�d love to, sweetie, but Darien and I have something planned for tonight. Another time, okay? How about Tuesday?� Patricia nodded, continuing on with her busy chattering. ~ 1 hour later, 8 PM ~ �Alright ladies, we�re going for 5 card stud, deuces wild, low in the whole,� said Raye, dealing out the cards to the other occupants of the table, Mina, Lita, Ami, and Serena. Just then, loud cheering was heard from the room next door, and it was suddenly very obvious that the home team had scored a goal on the TV. Lita rolled her eyes. �Men and their sports!� �Well,� said Ami in her usually soft voice, �sports shows are the only programs on network television today that do not have known predicted outcomes.� Sighing, Mina rolled her eyes. �Oh Ami, try to make sense for once, okay?� �I do�� �ANYWAY,� said Serena, drawing attention back to the game at hand, �can we move along here? I feel lady luck moving up on me!� �Sure thing, Serena. People, drop your bets!� Everyone went around the table, calling and raising, tossing their chips into the growing pile at the center of the table. �Alright, here�s your next cards.� Raye passed out the cards equal to the number each player had thrown away. �And dealer takes three�� she ended, drawing three for herself. Serena gasped and forced a smile down, staring at the cards. She HAD to win this one! �Alright� I�ll bet 4,� said Raye, tossing in 4 chips. �Raise ya 3,� added Lita. �Call,� said Ami, throwing in 7 chips. �Hm�� said Mina, eyeing her cards evilly, before turning her attention up to the players. �Let�s liven this up a bit, shall we? I�ll bet�� She paused, before reaching up and taking off a necklace that hung around her neck. �My 14 karat necklace� an antique with real ruby and topaz rhinestones.� �Oh, for goodness sakes�� whispered Lita in shock. �Mina, you can�t!� squealed Serena. �Trust me! I�m gonna win this one, gals!� �She�s bluffing�� sang Raye under her breath. �I don�t have anything like THAT!� Serena screamed, panicking that she was next to lay her bet. Suddenly, she paused. She inhaled a deep breath, her eyebrows raising mischievously. Clearing her throat, she called in a light-hearted, singsong voice, �Oh� Darien�� The End!! Alright, hope ya liked!!!! I�m sorry it was too short, but hey, it was to the point, right? Oh, and if anyone asks me to write a sequel, I�m telling you right now, it�s NOT gonna happen, so don�t waste your time!! ^_~ Thanx anyway though. �Til next time� Luv alwayz and God bless! <3 Alicia Blade |