Secret of You
Chapter 4

Author:  silent moon
Mail:  silentmoonstar@yahoo.com
Rated:  R
Genre:  Romance/Alt. Reality
Disclaimer:  standard

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The Executer of the will watched the tall, attractive figure of Darien Chiba walk slowly up to claim what was now
his rightful possession.  He handed Darien the average sized cardboard box and halted a bit at the tight, bitter
expression on the young man's face.

"The money has been wired to your account as well."

Darien turned black eyes on the innocent man, "I never cared about the money!"  He bit out with anguish.

The nervous man took a step back, "Of course...."

Darien turned with his box and headed out the door, speaking to no one and walking directly to the post office.
He never even opened it but taped a letter to it and had it packaged and mailed.

Then he walked out the door into the street and stopped, looking out in the blinding sunshine to oblivion.

He had nothing now.  After all this.  After two years.  He had nothing.  He didn't even know where to begin.
He took a deep breath and decided to start, by going home....





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Serena stood at the end of the long dock that composed one end of Mina's backyard.  The sun was setting against
the palette of the sea, the salty breeze tingled against her face--but she had never felt more numb.  Her feelings
had seized up and frozen in her heart, silent.  She wondered if they'd ever revive enough to even be felt, let alone
moved past.

Somehow, she doubted it.

Mina and Lita watched her from the window, "Do you think she'll be alright?"  Lita asked.

Mina's eyes filled up, "No, I don't."

Rei, sitting at the kitchen table, started at this, "Of course she will!"  She snapped.

The doorbell rang and Mina left to answer, while the other women watched Serena warily.  She seemed so frail since
she'd come home.  She'd only recorded one song....it was an instant hit, played everywhere....'secret of you'....

They'd all read the lyrics and shaken their heads.

Mina appeared in the doorway holding a cardboard box and frowning, "It's for Serena....."

All their eyes widened.  they looked at the all too familiar writing on the box.

Darien......

They watched incredulously as Mina walked out and down the dock to her, handing it warily over.

Serena grasped it shakily and then turned her back to them.  

Mina rejoined them in the kitchen and they watched silently, all wondering what it could be, but respecting her
privacy.

Serena stood on the dusk-bathed dock and unwrapped it with trembling hands.  The letter taped to the side simply
said 'Serena'.

She opened it and read the few lines scrawled hastily, "This is what I did it for--not the money.  This.  But it
means nothing without you."

She looked strangely at the box, frowning.  She could tell it hadn't been opened in a long time--Darien hadn't even 
looked at it!

She tore it open and stared blankly at the contents.  Ornaments, trinkets, photo albums--what?

She opened one of the photo albums and stared at the family pictures curiously.  A handsome couple gazed back, a tall
American looking man and his beautiful Japanese wife....

Some pages in a baby appeared and it was then Serena began to realize.  She flipped the picture over and there, penned
beautifully in japanese, was the answer....

                     'Darien at two weeks'

They were his parents.  His parents belongings.  His parents must have lived in japan and worked for the same man....
His parents that had died in a car accident when he was six.....an accident that left him with amnesia....without
a childhood....

He must have traced them back to Japan and gone there looking for anything that belonged to them.....and in order
to get these precious belongings he'd had to work for that...horrid man and his company!

It all fell into place and made sense at last!

She clasped the rings she still kept on a chain about her neck.  Then she ran off the deck, box in hand, as best she
could.

Her friends watching from the window could not figure out what had brought her back to life so suddenly.
They ran after her to her car.

"Serena!  What is it?  What's in the box?  Where are you going?!"

"His past."  She said confusing them even further.  Then she sped off to the airport.  

But when she reached the ticket booth the seller stopped just before handing her the ticket,
"Wait, wait a minute!  Tsukino, Serena Tsukino isn't it?"

"Yes, is there a problem?"

"Hang on..."  He said, picking up the phone and dialing a number, then passing her the receiver.

"What?"  She managed before a voice came through on the other end.  The voice of Reggie Masako.

"Konnichi-wa Mrs. Chiba.  I imagine you are not happy to hear from me but I assure you that you will be."

"Why?"  She asked suspiciosly, her stomach tightening.  Darien, what if they'd done something to him?  She'd left him
all alone there!  Oh Gods she would die!

"I just thought you would like to know your husband flew home the day of the will-reading.  He is no longer in Japan."

"How would you know that?"

"I had him followed Mrs. Chiba.  It seems that the articles belonging to my Uncle that I was interested in aquiring
were left to me as I wished.  So I apologize for both your troubles, and I can assure you that my company will 
have no further business with your family."

They'd nearly been killed and he was 'sorry for their troubles'?!  Serena bit back her rage.

"Why are you telling me this?"  She asked curiously.  Why would a criminal care?

"I felt I owed you both something in a way I suppose, so I left a message at the airport to tell you
he had left Japan so you did not waste unnecessary time and expense flying over.  As far as where he would have
gone, I trust you will figure that out yourself."

Then he hung up.

Serena stared blankly at the phone for a long moment before cancelling her ticket and rushing away from the airport.

She knew where he would be.

And true to form, he was staying at the hotel where they'd attended that party--it seemed a life time ago.  She asked
if he had a room at the front desk and they confirmed.  She tried his room but he was not there so she ventured 
out onto the beach and spotted him sitting in the sand, near the place they had first kissed, staring out to sea.

Her husband.  The man she loved, the man she trusted, that man who loved her.

She dropped the box and broke into a run, crying out his name.

He jumped up with a shock at the sound of her voice and had only time to stand and catch her in his arms.

"Usako?!"

"Hai Mamo-chan!  I'm sorry!  I'm so sorry!"

"It was my fault!  I'm so sorry to put you through all that!"

"I love you!"  She blurted ecstatically.

Then she pulled him back to the box and took him to his room to go through it with him, tears in her eyes.

"I still want to build my life with you, let's start with this."  She said softly.

His own eyes filled up, "I love you so much."

~I'm so blessed....Usako....~

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I will write an epilogue about their 'real' wedding, bear with me!  Can't leave Andrew out now can I?
And watch for my new story "Passion for a Prince" coming soon (my first title NOT beginning with 'S'!!!!)

