Memories - Six
Usagi-chan
usagi@tuxedomask.com
I don't own Sailormoon or anything pertaining to
E-mail me!

~~~

Serena was in the shower when it occurred to her that she should be heading 
back to school sometime soon.  She figured it might help her get her mind off
of everything that had happened.  Her old school, something familiar that
might trigure memories and supply a certain amount of stability in her life.
Also, her friends would be there.  

As she dressed for the day, and brushed her hair.  Serena pondered how to
approach Darien on the topic.  She decided to ask him over breakfast.

Serena bounced down the stairs, happier than she had been since the accident.
She pushed open the swinging door that led into the kitchen and saw Darien,
still in his pajama's, cooking something at the stove.  she went up behind him
and peered around his shoulder.

"What are you making?" She asked.  Darien jumped.

"When did you get down here?" He asked.

"Just now.  Looks kinda like pancakes." She commented, gesturing to the pan.

"Yeah, I told Jed I'd handle breakfast today so he could sleep in, but..." 
Darien sighed.

The kitchen was an absolute mess.  Darien had managed to get pancake batter 
every where.  Serena laughed and grapped the cloth from the sink.  She began
to wipe up the stove and the counter.

"Let me." She took the flipper from him and picked up the frying pan.  She 
scraped everything into the garbage disposal and started again.  She carefully
poured the batter into the pan in small circles and waited for the top to bubble.

"Now you flip it." She told Darien, flipping the pancakes expertly.  She pulled
a plate off the shelf above her and piled the cooked pancakes on it. 

"Do you want to give it a try again?" She asked Darien.

"All right."  Darien began to pour the batter on and Serena caught his hand,
tipping the measuring cup back up.

"Enough!" She laughed at him.  Darien gave her a hurt look, but smiled at her
laughter.  

"Flip it now." She told him.  Darien slid the flipper under the pancake and 
flipped it.  Serena grabbed some plates and cutlery and went to the smaller
kitchen table.  She set two spots and grabbed some cups and juice.  She poured
Darien and herself each a glass of orange juice.

"Do you have any maple syrup?" Serena asked, looking through the fridge.

"Its in there some where." Darien replied, focusing intently on the pancakes.
Serena found the syrup and put it on the table before checking on Darien.

"Looks good." She told him.  Darien drained the last of the batter onto the
frying pan and set the measuring cup in the sink.  Serena finished wiping
up the raw batter as Darien flipped the last pancake.  After turning off the
stove and moving the frying pan, Darien carried the plate of hot pancakes to
the kitchen table.  Serena followed and they sat down to breakfast.

"I was wondering..." Serena began as she poured maple syrup over her pancakes.

"Yes?" Darien looked up at her.

"When should I start school again?  I mean, I have to go back and when would
be a good time?" She asked.

"After the holidays, I suppose." Darien replied.  Serena blinked back tears.
She didn't like to be reminded of the upcoming holiday.  It would be the first
without her family, and it was so soon, too soon, after the accident.

"All right." Serena nodded.  The finished their breakfast in silence, both 
thinking of the upcoming season.  As Serena set her plate in the sink, the 
telephone rang.  

"Hello, Shields Residence." She said into the receiver.

"Hi Serena.  It's me!  Lita."

"Oh hi Lita!  What's up?" Serena asked.

"I know its hard for you, being Christmas and all, so I don't want you to spend it
alone.  Would you and Darien like to come to my place?" Lita asked.

"Uhmm...  Hang on and I'll ask Darien." Serena put the receiver to her shoulder and
turned to ask Darien.  "Do you have plans for Christmas?"

"Not really, why?" Darien asked.

"Lita wants to now if we want to go to her place."

"Sure, if you want to." Darien replied as he began loading the dishwasher.

"Sure thing Lita!" Serena exclaimed.  "What time should we come?"

"Why don't you sleep over?  I have a guest room and you and I can have a sleep over
party!" Lita suggested.

"Sure.  Are the girls planning anything?"

"Well, I think Raye is having a Christmas Eve party at her temple.  Darien could come."
Lita offered.

"I'll check with him, and Lita?  Thanks." Serena was grateful that she had been included
in their plans, even when she couldn't remember them.

"No Serena, thank you.  You will never understand the impact you had on all our lives.
We owe you so much." Lita said sincerly.

"No.  I..."

"Trust me Serena.  I have to get going.  I've got to buy some stuff to feed you!  I'll
talk to you later, okay?" 

"Sure.  Bye Lita!" Serena hung up and turned to Darien.  She leaned on the counter,
watching as he finished loading the dishwasher.  

"What?" Darien asked.

"We're supposed to go to Raye's on Christmas Eve for a party, then back to Lita's for 
Christmas.  We're gonna spend the night." Serena told him.  Darien rinsed his hands.

"All right.  We'd better got buy them all gifts then." Darien suggested.  

"Maybe you should get dressed first." Serena smiled sweetly.  Darien chuckled and
went upstairs to dress.

After a quick shower, Darien came down dressed and ready to go.

"Ready?" He asked Serena.  

"Yup." She pulled on her new winter jacket and slipped on a pair of running shoes.
Darien opened the front door and went outside.  Serena followed him, shutting the
door behind herself.  Darien lockd it.

"Wait here.  I'll bring the car around." He told her.  Serena nodded and Darien went
around the side a of the house.  A few minutes later he came back with a silver
jaguar.  Serena went down the front steps and slid into the passenger side.  Darien
drove towards the mall carefully because of the snow covered roads.  By the time they
pulled into the parking lot, it was ten o'clock and stores were just opening.

"Where do you want to start?" Darien asked as they stomped the snow from their 
shoes.

"Uhmm...  I was thinking of getting Amy that book she wanted.  Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Auston or something.  That or Great Expectations.  She really likes those."
Serena said.

"Serena, do you realize what you just said?" Darien asked her.

"Hmm?  Yeah Amy wanted...  Oh..  I remembered!  I remembered!" She shouted, throwing
her arms around his neck in a hug.  Darien laughed and hugged her back.

"Right, now lets get going.  We can grab those at the book store..." But Serena was 
already on her way.

They reached the bookstore in record time.

"I'll get Pride and Prejudice, you get Great Expectations." Serena said and they split up
to find their respective books.  A few minutes later, Darien headed towards Serena with
his book in hand.

"Did yu find it?" He asked her.

"No, I can't..." Serena was intently scanning the titles.  Darien reached over and plucked
it from the shelf.  "Oh."

"Come on, let's go pay.  We still have to buy stuff for the others." Darien led Serena to
the cashier and bought the books.  "Who next?"

"Uhmm...  I think Lita needed a new cup set.  You know, the ones with matching pitchers.."
Serena replied.

"Okay, let's go to that glasswares store." Darien suggested.  The pair made their way to
the store and found Lita nice glass set with green and sugar pink trim.

"She'll love it!" Serena squealed.

"I'm glad.  We'll take that one." Darien told the salesperson, who smiled at the cute 
couple.

"Will that be cash or charge?"

"Charge." Darien paid for the set and they left the store.  "Now?"

"I want to buy some jewelry for Raye.  Something with a ruby in it." Serena decided.

"All right." 

They headed to a jewelry boutique where Serena began browsing through the cases of
jewelry.  Darien carefully watched what Serena liked and didn't like, with the intent
to come back later to buy her something.

"Oh this!  Darien look!" Serena exclaimed pointing a necklace in the showcase.  It was 
a fine gold chain with a delicate teardrop shaped ruby hanging on it.  

"It's perfect..." Serena breathed.

"We'll take it." Darien told the sales clerk.

"Now we only have Mina left." Serena said as they left the jewelwry store.  "Hmm..  What s
should we..."

Before she could even finish the sentence, Serena saw the perfect dress for her friend
hanging in the window in front of her.  It was an orange spring looking dress with little
red bows adorning the shoulder straps.  

"It's perfect!  It's more than perfect!" Serena exclaimed, dragging Darien and all 
their purchases into the clothing store.  Serena tried on the dress, knowing that
she and Mina were close enough in size that if it fit one, it would fit the other.

"We'll take it!" Serena exclaimed, twirling around in front of the mirror.  "She'll
love it!"

"Now all we need is some wrapping paper and tape." Darien said as they bought the dress.

"And bows and ribbons and cards!" Serena added merrily as they left the store.

"Right." Darien laughed.

By the time they were finished picking up the little odds and ends Serena insisted they
needed, it was almost dinnr time.

"Come on.  Let's go out to dinner somewhere." Darien suggested.  

"Okay." Serena agreed.  They made their way out to the car and deposited all the bags
and parcels in the trunk.  Darien drove them to a nice restaurant just outside town.

"I can't go in there wearing this!" Serena exclaimed, looking down at her clothes.  She
was wearing a pair of dark blue flares and a short baby blue sweater.  Darien looked at
her as well.

"Why not?  You're much prettier than the other women there..." Darien teased.  Serena
laughed.

"I'm not dressy enough.  They won't let me in." Serena warned as they headed to the front
doors.

"Good evening, Mr. Shields.  The usual table?" The waiter asked as Darien entered.

"Yes please."

Darien and Serena were led to a corner table in the back of the restaurant, set a little
away from everyone else.  It was much nicer and quieter.  The waiter went to pull the 
chair out for Serena, but Darien beat him to it.

"Here are your menus." The waiter set a menu in front of each of them before disappearing.
Serena glanced at it and was shocked at the prices.

"You eat here regularly?  How can anyone afford this place?" Serena exclaimed.  Darien
laughed.

"What would you like Serena?" Darien asked.

"A glass of water..." She muttered.

"What was that?" Darien asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What would you recommend?" She asked.

"Hmm..  The chicken." He told her, stifling a laugh.

After dinner, the two headed home to wrap all the gifts they had purchased.  Serena let
Darien bring everything in while she waited.

"Thanks for the help." He told her.  Serena laughed.

"Did you need some help?" She asked as he set everything down in the living room.  

"No thank you.  I wouldn't want you to get hurt." Darien told her sweetly.  Serena laughed
again and sat down to wrap everything.  

By the time she was done, she had four perfectly wrapped boxes decorated tastefully with
bows and curled ribbon.

"They look nice." Darien told her.

"Nice?  I spent two hours wrapping for nice?" She asked, before lauching herself at him,
her arms raised to tickle him.  Darien, not expecting the attack, fell backwards.  Serena
fell on top of him and continued to tickle him mercilessly.

"They are beautiful Serena!  Much better than nice!" Darien gasped out.  

"Hmph." Serena rolled off him and sat up.  "Better." She reached over and began cleaning
up the mess.  She threw out the scraps of wrapping paper and bits of ribbon.  

"Now all we need to do is fill ut the cards." Serena yawned.  "That'll have to wait for
tomorrow.  I'm going to bed.  Good night Darien." 

"Night Serena."

~~~

Like how I avoided brand names and such?  lol