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        Another chapter ready to go.  Hey!  I'm on a roll!  ;-)
I'd say this one would be closer to PG than PG13, since it's kind
of a light-hearted chapter.  No swearing (which is normal for my
stories), although there is some Serena/Darien bickering.
What can I say?  It's just so gosh-darn fun to write!  <g>  Thanks
again to Alicia Blade for her suggestions on this chapter.  They
were helpful.  =)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Out of the Blue"
  by Stormlight
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  CHAPTER FIVE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

        The rest of the week went by, and Serena spent it at
home at the advice of her family's somewhat senile doctor.  By the
time Friday rolled around, her cold had vanished completely, and
she was downright crazy with boredom.  Even her sprained ankle had
healed fast, and she was walking without the crutches in no time
(not that she was ever any good at walking WITH them...).

        Maybe that was why she so readily agreed to take her
neighbors' six-year-old daughter to Fairview Park on Saturday
morning so the young couple could go out to brunch.  Cassidy
Marcus was a cute little terror with golden hair, huge brown
eyes, and enough energy to power all of Tokyo for a week.  Serena
was her "best pal", and the two of them got along great, but if
anyone had asked Serena to baby-sit the child under normal
circumstances, she would have been rolling on the floor in
hysterics within seconds.  Even she was not THAT crazy!

*       *       *       *       *
        **I am absolutely OUT of my mind...** a rather tired
Serena thought to herself two hours later as she sprawled out across
a bench, watching Cassidy climb across the jungle gym a little way
off.  **Why did I think I was well enough to chase a six-year-old
all over the park?  How can a little kid MOVE so fast?!**

        Cassidy finished climbing across the monkey bars and skipped
over to Serena.  "'Rena, can we play tag?" she asked hopefully, her
brown puppy eyes pleading.

        "'Rena" pursed her lips.  "Well...I don't know," she replied,
hesitantly.

        "Pleeeease?" Cassidy begged, pouting a little.

        Serena grinned.  How could she resist that adorable face?
"Well, if you really want to," she agreed.  "And since you suggested
it, you're 'it' first!"  And with that she was up off the bench and
racing across the wide expanse of green, laughing gaily as Cassidy
shouted behind her.  She ran for a little before she turned around
to tease the determined child, who was quickly gaining on her.
"Uh-oh!  You're catching up!" she called encouragingly.  "I'd better
hurry up before...OOF!"  This she cried as she ran headlong into a
warm, solid wall, bouncing off and landing in the grass in an
ungraceful heap.  "Ouchie..." she moaned, looking up at the person
standing before her.

        It was Darien.  Naturally.  "Hey, Meatball Head!  Why don't
you look where you're going?" he said irritably.

        Serena automatically bristled at the sound of her hated
nickname.  "Why don't YOU look where I'm going, and get out of my
way?!" she retorted as she picked herself up.  He didn't bother to
help her.  Not that she wanted him to...

        They gave each other the Evil Eye for several moments
before a tug on Serena's skirt made her look down.  Darien followed
her gaze until it fell on a little girl with golden curls and huge
brown eyes, watching them solemnly.  He smiled at her.  She sure was
a cute little thing.  Cassidy, seeing that she had gained their
attention, asked, "Who're you?"

        "My name's Darien," he replied.

        She eyed him suspiciously.  "Are you a stranger?" she asked
reproachfully.  "We're not supposed to talk to strangers, are we,
'Rena?"

        Serena grinned.  "Nope, and believe me, Darien's as strange
as they come!" she replied with a giggle, shooting a glance at him
from the corner of her eye.  He bit his lip against the weird
feelings that innocently coy glance stirred within him.

        "Ha ha," he replied, in an attempt to regain control of the
situation.  "I'm not a stranger.  Serena knows me.  We...run into
each other a lot."  Now it was his turn to grin as Serena glared at
his subtle barb.  "What's your name, kid?"

        "Cassidy," the child replied seriously.  Then, apparently
satisfied that Darien wasn't going to bite, she suddenly grinned
widely and gave him a smart smack on the arm, proclaiming loudly,
"Tag!  YOU'RE it!"  Then she burst into peals of laughter and took
off again.

        A giggle from Serena drew Darien's attention from the child,
and he raised an eyebrow.  "You're playing TAG with a SIX-year old?"
he asked mockingly.

        She pouted.  "You dolt!  I'm BABY-SITTING her!"

        He snickered.  "Poor kid."

        She narrowed her eyes.  "YOU'RE the one I have the problem
with.  She and I get along just fine!" she sniffed, crossing her
arms.

        "No wonder!" he replied with a laugh.  "You apparently like
the same games.  Tell me, do you play dress-up with her, too?"

        Serena narrowed her eyes at him, and he readied himself for
an outburst, but then suddenly she grinned, much to his surprise.
"I do when she invites me to tea with the queen," she replied
sweetly.  "But right now we're playing tag...and YOU'RE it!"  And
with that, she stuck her thumbs in her ears and wagged her fingers
at him, crossing her eyes and sticking out her tongue.  Darien
couldn't help himself.  He broke into laughter at the sight of her.
She looked so adorably ridiculous...

        Serena grinned wickedly, a silent challenge.  Then, with a
squeal of laughter, she bolted across the park, following Cassidy.
His own laughter subsided as he watched her, and then he grinned.
**Well, when in Rome...** he thought, and sprinted after her,
running smoothly and quickly.

        Serena looked over her shoulder, and her eyes widened in shock
to see that Darien was actually chasing her...and quickly catching up!
"Watch out, Cass!" she called breathlessly.  "He's coming!"

        "I'm not the slowpoke!" Cassidy called back, giggling.

        "Hey!" Serena cried.  "I'm gonna give you a tickle attack for
that little remark!"

        Cassidy shrieked and ran faster, and Serena laughed as she
chased her, catching up and grabbing her, tumbling them both to the
ground and tickling her sides mercilessly as the child shrieked.
"Help!" Cassidy screamed.  "Darien!  She's tickling me!  No fair!
No fair!  Heeelp!"

        "Ha ha ha!  You shall never escape the tickle monster!"
Serena growled in a threatening voice.  "You are mine, all mine!
BWA-HAHAHAHA!"  Her feigned maniacal laughter was actually quite
 good.

        "Never fear, Princess Cassidy!  Prince Darien shall save
you from the horrible monster!" a deep voice proclaimed, and Serena
suddenly felt strong arms wrap themselves around her waist as she
was pulled from Cassidy's squirming body and flipped onto her back.
She gave a squeal of surprise as a grinning Darien held her arms
down with strong hands, and he sprawled out beside her, pinning her
kicking legs beneath his own.  "Ah-ha!  Now I have you!" he drawled.

        Serena was too stunned to reply for a moment.  Was this
actually Darien?  The serious college guy was actually PLAYING with
them?  She sucked in a deep breath at the laughter that made his
blue eyes glow like precious sapphires, a grin playing about his
mouth, and his masculine beauty suddenly hit her like a gale-force
wind.  How had she never truly noticed before how handsome he really
was?  "L...let me go," she demanded, her voice coming out barely
above a whisper.  Her heart was pounding so hard that she was sure
he could hear it.

        "Now, how much fun would that be?" he asked with a grin.
"I have you right where I want you, and I must take my revenge on
behalf of Princess Cassidy!"

        Serena squirmed uncomfortably.  "Can't you take a
raincheck?" she asked hopefully.

        Darien laughed, and Cassidy leaned over them, grinning.
"Tickle her, Darien!  Come on!  Tickle her!" she urged, giggling
delightedly.

        Serena glared up at her good-naturedly.  "Traitor!" she teased.
"Just you wait 'till I get up!  I'll get you yet!"

        Cassidy giggled again and danced around them, all the while
urging Darien to tickle her.  Darien just grinned as he looked down
at Serena.  He was clearly enjoying himself, and she bit her lip.
"Well, c'mon, 'Prince' Darien.  Get it over with!" she challenged.
"Gotta make the princess happy!"

        Darien's expression changed subtly; a slight melancholy
shadowed his eyes at the word "princess", but was gone a moment
later.  He drew Serena's arms above her head, slowly sliding his
hands along their slim, lightly tanned length in a way that made
her shiver.  He noticed, and his grin widened as he trapped both
of her small hands in one of his own.  "Hmmm...where should I start,"
 he drawled.  "Maybe...at her neck?"  He reached down and circled
her slender neck with his free hand, stroking her soft skin lightly,
teasingly.  Her eyes narrowed and a smile twitched her mouth, but
she refused to give in.

        He grinned.  "Hmmm...no good.  How about...down here?"  And
he lowered his hand to her side, tickling her lightly.  He felt her
twitch beneath his hand, but she bit her lip and held on.  "She's a
tough one," he told Cassidy seriously, who giggled in reply, "but I
know how to make her crack!"  His eyes fell on her stomach, where
her shirt had ridden up slightly, exposing smooth, creamy skin.  He
grinned evilly as her eyes widened, and then he reached down for
the attack.

        Serena felt his smooth hand cover her stomach and something
like an electric thrill ran up her spine at the warmth of it.  She
barely had time to register the response before his fingers began
moving, stroking lightly and teasingly...and tickling mercilessly.
She bit her lip and tried to hold off as long as she could, but the
battle was lost.

        "Ah-HA!" Darien cried dramatically.  "See, I knew she
wouldn't be able to resist much longer!  I am a master!"

        Cassidy clapped her hands and giggled with delight at the
sight of her best pal convulsing in hysterics, squirming in a vain
attempt to escape the merciless Darien.  "Okay, OKAY!" Serena
finally yelled.  "Enough already!  I give up!"

        "Awww...already?  I was having fun, too," Darien replied
with a laugh.

        She glared.  "I just bet you were," she sniffed.  "Now let
me up!"

        He sat back with a smug grin and met her evil glare boldly.
"Looks like I win," he whispered, and she scrambled back and leaped
to her feet, brushing grass from her skirt.

        "It's getting late, Cass," she said stiffly, turning her
back on him.  "I'd better get you home now."

        "Awww...I don't want to go!" Cassidy whined.  "Can't we stay
longer?  Pleeease?"

        "No, we can't, now come on!  Your parents said they'd be
back by eleven o'clock, and it's nearly twelve."

        Cassidy pouted as she stood up and brushed herself off.
Then she brightened.  "Darien, can you walk home with us?" she
asked hopefully.

        Darien saw Serena glance at him in alarm; clearly she wasn't
thrilled with that idea.  He grinned.  "Sure. Cassidy.  I would love
to," he replied cheerfully.  Serena clenched her jaw and looked away.
Cassidy, for her part, looked thrilled to have Darien for company.
She took his hand, and then Serena's, and skipped in between them as
they left the park and headed for Serena's house.  She kept up a
constant stream of chatter the whole way back, which neither of them
minded, really, as it kept them both from thinking too much about
things they would just as soon forget...

*       *       *       *       *
        Serena heaved a sigh of relief after delivering Cassidy,
still chattering away, to her parents and collected ten dollars from
them in exchange.  She turned to leave their doorstep, then noticed
that Darien was still there.  She looked almost annoyed to see him as
she pocketed the money.

        "Don't I get any of that?" he asked slyly.  "I DID help you
baby-sit, after all."

        "Dream on!" she snorted.  "I didn't ask for your so-called
'help'.  And besides, tickling me to death was NOT helping!"

        He laughed.  "You're just sore because I made you beg for
mercy," he countered.  She merely made an annoyed little "humph"
and continued on her way.  He followed her.  He didn't know WHY he
followed her; she clearly did not want him around anymore today.
But he was drawn to her, like a condemned prisoner is drawn to the
fainthope of pardon for his crimes.  He didn't want to leave her
just yet, and he had no idea why.  She was immature, annoying, a
crybaby, a total klutz...and yet...and yet she filled him with
warmth.  With life.

        Today in the park...he could not remember ever having so
much fun in his life.  It was as though the stodgy, old Darien
didn't exist.  He had been a child again...or perhaps for the
first time.  And he'd found that...he liked it.  He liked the
laughter and the humor and the...the complete JOY of being alive!
If being with Serena, no matter how much she sometimes annoyed him,
meant that he could feel that way more often...

        "Well...Cassidy's gone home, I'm going home...don't you
have someplace YOU need to be as well?" Serena asked him pointedly,
interrupting his musings.

        He grinned.  "Nope," he replied cheerfully.  "I was gonna
go get a banana split...but I'm not really hungry enough to eat
the whole thing myself.  Know anyone who might want to come with
me?  My treat, of course."

        Interest flared briefly in Serena's eyes before she quickly
schooled her features into a mask of unconcern.  "Nope.  Guess
you'll have to eat on your own," she replied flippantly, tossing
her ponytails.

        He hummed a little and bit the inside of his lip.  She
wasn't going to make this easy on him, was she?  But he wasn't
giving up THAT easily!  "Well, then, why don't YOU come with me?"
he suggested, as though he'd only just thought of it.  "You like
ice cream...don'tyou?"  As if he didn't already know!

        She stared at him suspiciously.  "Let me get this straight.
YOU are asking ME out for an ice cream sundae?" she asked.  "Did
you hit your head or something?"

        He laughed.  "Naw, I just wondered if you wanted to come,
is all.  Call it...a glad-you're-feeling-better present.  But...if
you really don't WANT a banana split..."

        "Well...I'm not really busy right now," she hurriedly
interrupted.  "I mean, if you really WANT me to come, I guess I
could tag along..."

        Darien smiled.  It was cute the way she tried to act like
she couldn't care less when she obviously did.  "Sure, I do," he
replied.  "Come on, I know a place that sells great ice cream."
Someplace other than the arcade, he actually meant.  He could just
picture the look on Andrew's face when he and Serena strolled in
together to share a sundae... Andrew would have a field day with
that bit of gossip!  Besides...he really wanted to be alone with
Serena right now, to gain some time to explore these new, strange,
wonderful feelings swirling around inside him...

*       *       *       *       *
        Serena once again found herself walking silently beside
Darien as he led her down the street toward their destination.
**This is starting to become a habit...** she thought with a
touch of amusement.  Funny thing was...it was a habit that she
felt she could grow to like.  **Oh, stuff it!  Only reason you're
here is 'cause he's buying you ice cream!** she told herself
grumpily.

        **But why is he buying you ice cream in the first place?**
another part of her mind asked, and laughed smugly when the first
part had no answer.  Serena blinked and shook her head, smiling
slightly.  And now she was holding conversations with herself.
Just great.

        They had paused at an intersection, and Serena briefly
noted that the walk sign had lit up.  She distractedly stepped
down into the street to cross, not even watching where she was
walking.  Suddenly, there was a cry of alarm from Darien, a sharp
squeal of tires on blacktop, and the blaring of a horn.  Startled
out of her daydreams, she looked up with a sharp gasp in time to
see that a car had run the red-light and was heading right for her!
What was worse, though the driver had slammed on his breaks, he was
clearly not going to stop in time before he slammed into her...