
      Complicated - SR 2


      Author: aria


      Rated: R



      Epilogue
      Five Months Later
      Darien walked into the federal building and headed straight up to his 
      superiors office.
      Knocking the door he waited until he heard the usual invite.
      "Come."
      He pushed open the door and grinned at the man at the desk.
      "Darien Spencer. Its about time you came in to see me." He stood up and 
      shook hands with his friend.
      "I know, Rafe. Ive just been...busy." Dariens smile broadened at the 
      thought of who was keeping him busy.
      Rafe gave him a knowing smile. "So to what do I owe this visit?"
      Still smiling, Darien reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and 
      placed the contents on the desk. "I resign. Again."
      Rafe Stuart took his badge flipping it in his hand. "Were sad to see you 
      go."
      "Well I figured I should settle down. Do something a little less 
      dangerous." He smiled when he felt a presence come into the room behind 
      him. Darien turned and smiled at the brunette who came timidly to his 
side.
      He fingered her long chestnut hair before letting it settle on side of her 
      swollen belly. "And here is my reason for being."
      She lifted her hand for him to shake. "You must be Dariens superior, Mr. 
      Stuart."
      Rafe smiled at the dazzling beauty. Taking her hand, he shook it lightly. 
      "Please call me Rafe. Youre taking a great man away from us."
      Her brown eyes turned loving to the man at her side and she wound her arm 
      through his. "I know."
      His boss face grew serious and Darien leaned down to her, whispering yet 
      keeping his voice loud enough for everyone to hear. "We have to discuss 
      some business."
      "Of course." She slipped none too easily into a chair on the far side of 
      the room.
      Darien turned back to him.
      Rafe slapped a familiar looking folder onto the desk, sending some pages 
      astray. "Well there it is. Serena Hayes." He flipped through a few pages 
      then closed the folder back up again. "You never did catch her."
      Darien fingered the file and smiled when she came to his side again. "I 
      guess she was just to good for me."
      "Yeah." He slid the folder over to Dariens side of the desk. "Take it 
      before I change my mind."
      Darien took it and weighed it in his hand. He walked over to the shredder 
      and fed it through watching the strips fall into the basket below. He 
      sighed and looked up at his employer again. "Well thats that I guess."
      "Yup." He stuck out his hand for Darien and then to his companion. He 
      looked pointedly at the gold band on her ring finger. "Im glad hes 
      finally made an honest woman out of you Ms. Hayes."
      Serena was surprised for a moment. So he knew that whole time... she shook 
      his hand warmly, abandoning the act. "Thats Mrs. Spencer, Mr. Stuart." On 
      impulse she kissed him lightly on the cheek and whispered, "Thank you."
      Rafe coughed gruffly before shooing them out of his office. "Go on! Have a 
      good life and I dont want any more trouble from either of you."
      ----
      Serena and Darien walked out and took a stroll through the local park. It 
      was a nice crisp spring evening. The air was fresh and brisk, the colours 
      vibrant and exhilarating.
      Darien looked down at Serena and hugged her closer to him. And to think he 
      thought he could live without this. Without this closeness, this 
      happiness. Without Serena. He must have been insane to give her up.
      He looked at her beautiful face and smiled at the wonderful maternal glow 
      she exuded. She never looked better to him. His eyes were drawn to hers 
      and he noticed that her mind was wandering somewhere else.
      "What are you thinking about?"
      Serena looked out at the children playing happily in the grass and sighed 
      contentedly. "Nothing much, just about how incredibly happy I am."
      They stopped under a willow, and Darien watched the way that the branches 
      swayed in the slight breeze. Slowly, he turned so that they were facing 
      each other. "So youre ok with not working anymore?"
      She nodded. "Yeah. I am. I didnt think I would be, but I am." It was as 
      though she had just come to the realization herself. Smiling she took his 
      hands swinging them childishly back and forth. "How about you? How do you 
      feel about becoming a father?"
      He brought her hands up with his and he kissed her knuckles. "I cant say 
      Im not terrified. But in a good way." He paused and laughed. "If there 
      can be a good way."
      She joined in his laughter and they continued their stroll.
      Serenas heart felt so light that she was afraid it would burst through 
      her chest and fly away.
      "That hasnt been bothering you has it?" his voice was quiet and husky.
      "We never did discuss it." After he came for her, Darien moved back into 
      the apartment as if it was the only logical thing to do. They got married 
      soon after in a private ceremony in the Caribbean with Jadeite and Raye as 
      witnesses. As things progressed he took her to her appointments but she 
      was never sure whether it was out of interest or because of his unbending 
      sense of duty. She looked up at him with teary eyes. "I really need to 
      know how you feel about this whole thing. Things have just happened so 
      fast."
      He was quiet for a long moment. And Serena thought he wasnt going to 
      answer her. But he set her down on the nearest bench and knelt down in 
      front of her.
      Darien could help the wash of love that swept over him as he looked into 
      her watery eyes. "I must be the worst husband in the world if you think I 
      dont want our child. Have I done something to make you think that?"
      Serena shook her head miserably.
      "Well then." He took her left hand and toyed with the rings on it. "Do you 
      actually think that I would have married you if I didnt want anything to 
      do with either of you? Sure I might have rescued you, but I sure as hell 
      wouldnt marry anyone out of guilt!"
      The words brought more tears to her eyes, but this time they were out of 
      happiness.
      He continued, his voice rough and filled with emotion. "I thought I was 
      going to die when I saw you go off that roof. And when Jadeite told me 
      that you were pregnant with our baby I thought I was going to go insane 
      trying to find you. Actually, I almost killed Jadeite." He chuckled then 
      waved his hand. "But thats besides the point. I guess what Im trying to 
      say is that I love you. I love both of you. Ive loved the baby since I 
      found out about her and Ive loved you for as long as I can remember, 
      including the time we were broken up. I was such a moron to walk out on 
      you like that. I just hope you can find it in your heart to forgive an 
      idiot like me."
      Tears were flowing down her cheeks now, but Serena could only stare into 
      Dariens marvellous eyes and marvel at the conviction there.
      "So I love you, Serena. I love you." She stared at him silently." Should I 
      put it in another language? Je taime, ti amo, te quiero." He paused again 
      waiting for a reply. When none came, his eyes grew pleading. "Sere, come 
      on Im running out of languages here."
      Elated, her fingers stilled his lips. "Shut up and kiss me."
      Darien gathered her up in his arms and held her as he explored her mouth 
      with his. He could feel her happiness flowing into him adding to his. They 
      stood like that for a long time just staring into each others eyes 
      knowing that everything was going to be good from now on.
      Darien slid his arms down to the small of her back and felt something 
      hard. "Whats that?" he reached under her coat watching her blush. He 
      pulled out a file folder that looked horribly familiar.
      "You didnt." his eyes already told him she did when he flipped through 
      the pages. "You stole your file from Rafes office!"
      Serena snatched it out of his fingers and nodded. "Of course. Thats my 
      life in there. I couldnt just let it get destroyed. Besides, the baby 
      might like a good bedtime story someday." Tucking it under arm she walked 
      away.
      Darien stood dumbfounded for a moment before gathering his wits and 
      chasing her through the grass. "Youre just kidding right?" He caught up 
      with her and spun her into his arms. "Right?" Darien lowered his head to 
      hers.
      Serena just smiled and kissed him.
      ----,----@
      the end