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“Serena!” Ikuko was beginning to suspect something was seriously wrong with her daughter. Even for a teenager, these mood swings and sudden upsets of hers were unusual. It was becoming a common thing for Serena to run up to her room in tears without explanation. Later she would come down and act as though nothing had happened and her usual cheery smile would be back on her face.

Although there were no locks on any of the bedrooms in the house, there was a general respect for privacy. She was getting tired of her daughter’s constant mood swings, however. Just now Serena had come into the house all teary and was in her room sniffling. She had to know what was wrong; this couldn’t keep happening!

“Serena?” Ikuko asked quietly pushing open the door to her daughter’s bedroom. Her daughter was sitting on her bed hugging a pillow and staring blankly out her window, her face stained with tears. 

“Serena, honey, what’s the matter?”

“I’m fine.” Serena whispered. Ikuko rolled her eyes. Surely she didn’t expect her to believe that, while she sat on the bed looking like her world had just ended.

“Serena. I know you can’t possibly expect me to believe that. You have to know you can tell me anything. Whatever is bothering you, I’m sure you’d feel better if you talked about it.” 

Serena said nothing for a while. She just continued staring. 

When she finally said something, Ikuko cold barely hear her. 

“Mom, if I did something really stupid, if I made an enormous mistake, what would you do?”

“I couldn’t tell you that, Serena. I can’t know what I’d do if I don’t know what the situation is,” Ikuko replied calmly. “Serena, everyone makes mistakes! No one is in infallible but we learn to deal with our mistakes as best we can and learn from them.” Ikuko wiped her daughters cheeks with her fingers smiling gently at her. “Will you tell me what this mistake is?”

“Can you promise not to tell Dad? At least, not for a while. Please?”

“Serena, your father and I don’t keep secrets.”

“Please Mom. This is important. You can’t tell him yet.”

Ikuko thought for a moment before promising her daughter to keep her secret. 

“I promise.” 

Serena took a deep breath before beginning her explanation after which her mother was bound to go into hysterics.

“Do you remember that guy Darien I was telling you about?”

“Oh yes, the one who gets on your nerves.” Ikuko said.

“Uh yeah.” Serena muttered nervously. “Well you see we kind of slept together twice and then he told me that we couldn’t see each other anymore and well we haven’t spoken in more than two weeks and today I took a pregnancy test and as it turns out I’m pregnant please don’t kill me, I feel horrible enough as it is!.” Serena finished her run on sentence. She’d spoken fast to prevent any interruptions. She didn’t look at her mother for fear of the expression on her face or what she’d say.

Ikuko’s brain was oscillating between ‘slept together’ and ‘pregnant’. She couldn’t believe the words that had just come from Serena’s lips. It was certainly not anything she’d expected to hear from her daughter. She was in complete shock.”

Not hearing any sounds from her mother, Serena raised her head to see the expression on her face. Ikuko had a blank stare on her face. She was still incapable of saying anything. 

“Mom? Please say something,” Serena begged, tears streaming down her face again.

“I…I don’t really know what to say Serena. I never thought anything like this would happen, not to you!” 

“I’m sorry Mom. I didn’t mean to disappoint you.” Serena whispered repentantly. 

There was nothing that IKuko could find to say to her daughter. She couldn’t condemn her for this mistake when Serena was evidence of one of her grander mistakes. She’d had a short affair with Richard Chandler right before she’d been married, resulting in Serena. Still Serena was only sixteen years old. She pulled her daughter in for a hug as much out of a sense of mourning as for support. 

“Now which father were you referring to exactly?” Ikuko asked trying to break the tension in the room.

Serena giggled a bit, feeling much better having spoken to her mother. 

“The crazy one with the swords in the living room.” Serena replied.

“Have you told Darien yet?”

“No,” Serena replied in a fearful whisper. “I’m not sure I want to.”

“He has a right to know Serena.”

“I know. I’m angry with him but I love him and I don’t want daddy to kill him if I ever bring him here.”

“Serena,” Ikuko began reassuringly, “we’ll worry about your father later, and you need to explain this to Darien. We’ll worry about the rest later; I’ll make an appointment with the doctor tomorrow. Now, why don’t you try to get some sleep and try not to run around so much in the morning, it makes the morning sickness worse.”

“Thanks Mom,” Serena said gratefully, hugging her mother.

Serena walked into the arcade looking around nervously to see if anyone she knew was around. It was too early for any of her friends to be up except Andrew who was sitting behind the counter drinking his coffee. There weren’t many people around. It seemed it wasn’t just she who liked to sleep in on a Saturday morning. She had been woken up this morning by the nauseating smell of pancakes. It was strange that the same pancakes she normally adored had sent her puking to the bathroom.

She’d been hoping to find Darien here at this time but he wasn’t here. She walked over to the counter to greet Andrew.

“Hi Andrew,” She greeted. 

“Wow, Serena is that really you? You’re up before one?”

“Oh lay off Andrew, I can get up early if I want to.” Andrew gave her a skeptical look.

“Besides, I couldn’t sleep any longer,” She added miserably causing Andrew to smile.

“So what brings you here so early in the morning?”

“Actually,” Serena began slowly, hoping to spare Andrew any shock. “I’m looking for Darien. I called his place but he wasn’t there.” Serena was surprised when Andrew merely raised his eyebrows but didn’t mention it.

“He’s on his way here, I just spoke to him on his cell phone. Why are you looking for him? Don’t tell me you two are secretly friends?” Andrew asked smirking.

“We aren’t friends, secretly, or otherwise,” Serena said tersely.

“Ouch! Why do you hate him so much, Serena?” Andrew wished he could fix whatever had happened between Serena and his best friend. He hadn’t meddled however. Darien’s reasons were actually pretty logical.

“I don’t hate him. I just think he’s one of the most deceptive people I’ve ever met and I don’t trust him as far as I can throw him and if I could throw him, I would.”

“So that doesn’t explain why you’re looking for him?”

“Looking for whom?” Darien asked.

He had walked into the arcade to find Andrew talking to a blonde girl he had thought for a moment was Serena. He’d dismissed the thought however, when he considered that it was too early on a Saturday morning for her to be up. Besides this girl wasn’t wearing meatballs, just a long braid.

“You.” Andrew replied.

The girl turned around to face him and to his surprise, it was Serena.

“Serena? You’re up early!” Serena rolled her eyes. 

“Occasionally I do get out of bed before one.” 

“You’re looking for me?” Darien asked shocked that she’d even want to speak with him at all.

“Uh, yeah. I have to talk to you, alone.” Serena said nervously.

Darien glanced at Andrew questioningly, as if asking if this was his doing. Andrew merely gave a confounded shrug. Darien guided her over to a corner booth where they both sat down. Darien was actually somewhat nervous mostly because he had no idea what she was going to say.

Serena’s palms were sweaty and the queasiness in her stomach was increasing. In her mind she had been going over the many different ways to begin her speech; none of the ways seemed right. 

“Serena?” Darien asked, concerned. Apparently he wasn’t the only nervous one, he thought to himself as he saw Serena wipe her hands on her jeans for the second time. She also seemed to be going over something in her mind, a type of rehearsal for whatever she was about to say.

“I guess I should talk now, right?” She said with a tight smile. She took a deep breath before beginning.

“I’m pregnant! Okay that did not come out the way I intended!”

“What!” Darien muttered in shock. He hadn’t heard her say that she was pregnant; he hadn’t.

“You’re not going make me say it again are you? Ok…I’m pregnant,” she repeated.

She’d said it twice, the second time with more assurance. He wasn’t hearing things she’d definitely said the word pregnant. He stared at her rather stupidly for a while.

“Darien?” Serena called softly.

“I…I’m going to be somebody’s father?”

Serena nodded. “I can’t believe I’m going to be a mother to a little person.” Serena spoke gently her head hanging down, staring at her hands resting on the table between them. “I know you don’t want me in your life so I don’t know if…” She broke off as she felt his hand on her chin. To her surprise as he raised her head so she could look at him, he was staring at her rather intently. She cursed at herself for crying again; damn hormones.

“Serena, I didn’t mean to hurt you. I thought I was doing what was best for both of us when I told you we couldn’t see each other anymore. As it turns out, I think I was just being selfish. What we have together isn’t something your parents or the law really appreciates. Still, I think you should know that I do love you. I won’t walk out on you now, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“You love me?” Serena asked skeptically.

“Yes, I love you Serena.” He whispered.

“I love you too.” Serena replied. Darien leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips.

Andrew watched on amazed. The same lips that had spouted some of the most creative insults he’d ever heard pass between two people, were kissing. Luck guy, Andrew thought. 

“You’re pregnant,” Darien stated attempting to apply real meaning to the words that didn’t’ quite seem to do their situation justice. “I’m dead meat aren’t I?”

Serena nodded. “My mom said not to worry about Dad, but I suggest wearing armor anyway. He doesn’t know yet.

“What about your real dad?”

“He’s all business, he’ll probably sue you.”

“Before or after he has me charged with statutory rape?”

Serena’s eyes widened. She had never considered that. Despite her constant ranting, Serena had always accepted Darien as a part of their group. She’d never really considered that he was about five years her senior. What held them together as a group went beyond the usual. 

“You mean that’s why you…?”

“Yeah,” Darien replied ashamed of himself. “I guess I figured if I was in jail we wouldn’t have much of a relationship anyway.”

Serena raised her eyebrows in a cynical gesture unwilling to grace Darien’s paranoid nonsense with words. 

“What about your family? Will they care?” Serena asked.

Darien hung his head in defeat. “I think my father is going to give me that I told you so look and insist we get married as soon as possible, and my mother is going to be happy I finally found someone suitable to my social standing,” Darien finished, rolling his eyes. “I think she had some strange fear I would bring home a girl like Brandi. She’ll also be relieved of the annoyingly painstaking duty of meddling in my life and finding me‘the right girl’.”

Serena stared at him incredulously. “Why would your father say ‘I told you so?”

“Well, a few weeks ago, for some strange reason, I was complaining to my mother about you being the most annoying person I’d ever met.” Serena gave him a rather harsh look but said nothing. “Naturally she skipped right to the Chandler section of your name and decided that you’d be perfect for me and then she called my father up who naturally thought that if we ever got married he’d have the perfect opportunity to make a business alliance with Chandler corp. If we hadn’t already known each other my mother would have found a way to ensure we met through your sister’s mother, her friend, Anika St. Andre, your dad’s ex-wife.”

“I’m sorry I asked,” Serena muttered. 

“What are you guys doing?” Lita asked nervously as she walked over to the booth where Serena were talking quietly. 

Serena rolled here eyes. “We’re talking Lita.”

“But, that’s impossible!” Amy uttered. “You guys haven’t said a single nice, calm statement to each other since the day you met!”

“Things change, Amy,” Darien pointed out. 

“But not this!” Amy said. “Have you two been brainwashed?” Amy asked jokingly.

“Aren’t you the one who’s always trying to get us to stop fighting?” Darien questioned.

“Are you telling me, I actually succeeded?” Amy asked skeptically.

“No, I’m afraid you can’t take credit for this one Ames,” Serena said. “This one’s a miracle, divine intervention.”

“It would have to be,” Lita said. “Nothing else could work.”

“So what were you guys talking about?” Lita questioned the two, looking back and forth between a suddenly pale Serena and a red-faced Darien.

“We were talking about my family,” Darien answered. My Dad thinks I should marry Serena!” Darien said grinning, knowing he would shock Serena and everyone else.

The girls’ eyes widened and they stared back and forth between the two. Serena suddenly turned an even pastier shade of white.

“I think I’m going to throw up!” She gasped and shoving Lita out of the way she rushed for the ladies’ room.

“Serena doesn’t seem to like that idea too much!” Lita exclaimed grinning.

Andrew walked over to the table, curious as to what was the matter with Serena. 

“What just happened?” Andrew questioned the three still sitting at the table.

“Darien just announced that his father wants him to marry Serena and she ran to the bathroom to throw up!” Amy replied. “I’d take that as a hint Darien,” She teased.

Andrew raised a questioning eyebrow at Darien. Darien returned it with a subtle look that told Andrew that he’d find out all about it later. He was about to go back to work, when Serena came from the bathroom looking a little better than she had when she’d gone in.

“Are you ok?” Andrew asked. 

“Yeah I’m fine. I just lost my breakfast but I am so hungry! Can I have a double cheeseburger with pickles, fries and a chocolate milkshake?”

Everyone stared at her with wide-eyed incredulity.

“What?” Serena snapped. “I’m hungry!”

“Serena do you think it’s wise to eat all that after you just threw up? You could have a stomach virus!” Amy asked.

“I’m fine Amy. Stop Worrying! A girl’s got to eat, you know.”

“So says the bottomless pit.” Lita commented teasingly.

“Hey! Just because I don’t waste food like other people, doesn’t make me a bottomless pit!”

Darien watched on amusedly, smiling unintentionally. He was happy not to be apart from her anymore. He watched as she laughed and talked with her friends and suddenly felt shame wash over him. 

He was ashamed, for not feeling as upset or guilty about impregnating a sixteen-year-old girl, as he should. She had her whole life before her and he’d changed her life forever. He wondered if she’d for a moment considering aborting their child? He knew the answer to that. She hadn’t she wouldn’t, no matter how much easier it could make their lives. Serena cared too much about life to even consider it.

That was just one of the things he’d felt within her when they’d made love. In those moments he’d known her every hope and dream. He’d fallen in love with everything about her and everything about her was beautiful. Even the way she was inhaling the fries Andrew had just placed before her. 

He was amazed at himself for taking all this so well. He was going to be a father. In a few months there would be a squealing infant who’d eventually call him Daddy. It was disturbing but somehow natural. In his mind he’s even already decided that he would marry her. He could just imagine the look on his friends’ face when he told them he was going to be a father and a husband. 

Suddenly there was a low-pitched beeping and Serena groaned as Amy and Lita pulled out their communicators. Raye’s face appeared in the small view screen at the top of the sick pink plastic communicators.

“You know the drill. Youma at the tower; it’s a big one.” Raye said calmly.

“We’ll be there soon,” Lita replied.

“Let’s go guys!” Lita said.

“I’m not done yet,” Serena grumbled over a fry. 

“Come on,” Lita said grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the booth.

“Actually, Lita. Serena’s not going,” Darien said.

“I’m not?” Serena asked, surprised. 

“She isn’t?” Amy and Lita asked at the same time.

“No, she’s not. Serena isn’t feeling very well today are you Serena?”

Suddenly remembering the tiny child inside her, Serena sat down. 

“No, I’m not,” Serena agreed. She definitely didn’t want any harm to come to her baby even if she couldn’t feel him or her just yet.

“She’ll feel much better once she’s transformed,” Amy informed.

“No, I won’t. This is ah…different.”

Amy and Lita looked at her rather skeptically until Darien filled in.

“I’m sure we can handle it on our own guys,” Darien said. “We don’t have time to talk about this.” They gave in and left Serena by herself to finish her food.

“Where did everyone go Serena?” Andrew asked.

“Oh, they had a little emergency.” Serena replied nonchalantly as she took a bite out of her burger.

“And you didn’t go with them?” Andrew asked, with an unbelieving expression on his face.

“No. I’m hungry.” Serena replied and continued chewing.

Andrew shook his head and returned to work. He knew some very strange people!

“ I told her this would work!” Beryl muttered out loud to herself. “Wait till she finds out the Prince and Princess are about to become Mommy and Daddy. If I weren’t already dead I’d write my will!”

Serena finally took the last step up to the shrine feeling awfully tired by the time she was done. If they weren’t here, she’d kill them just because she had to climb all those stairs for no reason.She dragged herself over to the entrance of the temple and too tired to lift her feet, she tripped over the steps and found herself falling into Raye’s room.

She never hit the floor as she felt herself landing in a pair of strong arms. 

“You know meatball head, if you keep tripping over yourself like that you’re going to seriously damage something!” Darien commented teasingly.

The girls, who were sitting around the room, waited for her to blow but were shocked when she was now standing on her own and still calm.

“Are you always going to call me that, Darien?” Serena asked sweetly.

“For as long as I can get away with it,” he replied smiling.

“Hmmm,” was all she said. All the girls stared at the two, their jaws hanging open. Wasn’t that smile the same one she’d given Dave when she was flirting with him?

“So Serena, what happened to Sailor Moon today?” Raye asked crossly as Serena took a seat next to Darien. They’d just gotten back to the temple after the battle. Amy had twisted her ankle a bit and was still in her Scout form to speed up the healing process. 

“She won’t be appearing for a while.” Serena answered calmly. Mina glanced at Serena, realizing with some surprise, what her friend was doing. Obviously she had worked things out with Darien.

“What are you talking about now, Meatball,” Raye asked tersely.

“Well as much as I hate depriving Mina of the opportunity for good gossip, I’d rather skip over the details she’d be bound to give,” Serena began, causing some color to rise to both Darien and Mina’s cheeks. Darien was so cute when he was embarrassed.

“Sailor Moon won’t be appearing for a long while because I’m pregnant.” The room was silent as all except Mina and Darien stared at Serena in shock.

“Did you just say you were pregnant?” Amy asked, still running Serena’s words through her mind. Serena nodded.

“But you don’t even have a boyfriend!” Raye said. “Who’s the father?”

“I am!” Darien spoke up.

“Ok, now I know you’re joking!” Raye said. “You almost had me there.” 

When the serious expression remained on Darien and Serena’s faces and they saw him move in closer to her, Lita, Raye, and Amy realized the two were serious. 

“I think they’re serious guys,” Lita muttered, completely shocked out of her mind.

“They can’t be.” Raye announced. “That would mean they’d actually have to sleep together!” Serena blushed and Darien gave a sly smile. Raye was slowly realizing that they really weren’t kidding. Had she been anyone else, Raye swore she might have passed out. Instead she just stared at them blankly.

“You knew?” Amy asked Mina. Mina nodded, smiling sheepishly.

“And you didn’t tell us?” Lita screeched. “You knew these two were doing the hanky panky in secret and you kept it to yourself!”

“They made me!” Mina defended. “I didn’t know she was pregnant, nor for that matter did she, until yesterday!”

“Just how pregnant are you Serena?” Amy asked curiously.

“Just a little.” Serena replied jokingly.

“Serena!” Amy uttered.

“A little more than a month,” She answered seriously.

“This is unbelievable!” Lita muttered. “And I thought you guys hated each other!”

“I guess it is a miracle!” Amy proclaimed.

“Why is there a limo outside your house Serena?” Darien asked as they got out of his car. He was already nervous enough as things were. He’d forgone the armor for a casual suit. If he couldn’t protect himself he might as well make an attempt to impress. 

“I don’t know,” Serena replied worriedly. 

They walked into the house to find it filled with people.

“Serena!” a loud voice squealed. A dark-haired girl flung herself into Serena’s arms.

“Rena!” Serena gasped. “What are you doing here?” Serena asked her younger sister Irene. As she looked around she realized most of her family were in her living room. 

“Daddy!” She ran over to her father, Richard, and gave him a hug; she then gave another hug to her very pregnant stepmother and then bent to pick up her excited little sister Catherine. 

The tiny blonde Cherub, looked a lot like Serena. She had big blue eyes, golden curls and the most adorable pink cheeks. She looked like a life-sized doll. 

“Kat!” Serena squealed twirling the little girl around, as she giggled excitedly.

Darien watched Serena and her family. He could easily imagine their own child replacing Catherine in Serena’s arms. Looking around at the two large men, who were Serena’s fathers (an odd thing to say), he was suddenly very, very nervous. It was going to be a long evening.

“What are you guys doing here?” Serena asked excitedly, completely forgetting Darien and why he was there.

“Celine just got it into her head that she wanted to pay you a surprise visit,” Richard said pointing to his wife.

“Who’s your ‘friend’,” Serena?Irene asked her sister, drawing attention to the gorgeous guy standing beside her. Serena suddenly remembered her purpose and became very flustered. She managed a decent introduction.

“Mom, Dad, Celine, Dad, Irene, Catherine, this is Darien,” she introduced, “my boyfriend, she finished in a whisper.

Darien found himself shaking a lot of hands, including that of the toddler in Serena’s arms. At least two of those handshakes had been rather painful, accompanied by intense glares. And to think they hadn’t even heard their ‘wonderful’ news yet, Darien thought.

To Darien’s great dismay, while Serena and Irene helped Ikuko with dinner and Celine and Catherine attempted to fight jetlag by taking a nap upstairs, Darien found himself alone with two very protective fathers.

“So how long have you been ‘secretly’ dating my daughter young man?” Kenji demanded. The man certainly had a way of getting directly to the point. He began to answer nervously under the intense gaze of the two fathers.

“Approximately a month sir,” Darien replied, his voice sounding more confident than he felt. He eyed the swords above the mantel nervously. “I have no intention of bringing harm to your daughter sir,” ‘except for impregnating her and making her go through the horrors of child birth before the age of eighteen’ he added to himself. 

“Whatever gave you the idea that we assumed you’d hurt her?” Richard asked. “Of course if you did…”

Darien gulped. That unfinished sentence left his mind open to many possibilities. The axe dream came rushing back to him. 

“I was just saying that just in case you thought…” Darien had no idea what he was trying to say.

“Kenji, Richard, I hope you’re not trying to intimidate this young man,” Ikuko interrupted, much to Darien’s relief. “Why don’t you come help us in the kitchen Darien? You men can intimidate and interrogate some other time.

“He is so cute!” Irene giggled.

Serena smiled. This slightly younger, giggling, dark-haired version of herself made her feel so old when she considered all the things Irene didn’t have to deal with. Irene went to a boarding school in France where there were no youma, no Sailor Scouts and no boys. 

“How long have you been going out?”

“Uh…we haven’t exactly gone out per say.”

“I don’t understand. I thought you said he was your…”

“He is, I guess.” Serena broke in. “We just haven’t gone out.”

“Ok. Then…?

“You know what Rena, I might as well tell you now before you hear it later, just try not to freak out on me.”

“Ok,” Irene agreed, already concerned. 

“I’m having his baby!”

“You’re what!” Irene yelled, just as Serena slapped her hand over her mouth. 

“I told you not to freak out!”

“How am I not to freak out?” Irene began hurriedly in French. “You just said you’re going to have baby with some guy you haven’t even been out on a date with!! How long have you even known this guy?” 

“Long enough to know I love him! I spent two years arguing with him. Believe me I know him.”

“You haven’t told them yet have you?” Irene asked referring to their parents.

“I told mom. I brought him here so we could tell Kenji and it looks like I’ll be saving myself that third explanation now that Dad’s here.”

“I so do not envy you?”

Serena sighed and continued tossing the salad, one of the few things she was actually capable of in the kitchen.

“How old is he? He looks older than you.”

“That’s because he’s twenty-two,” Serena replied. Irene balked.

“You’re in for it!”

“I know. I wonder if he’s still alive out there?”

“So what exactly do you do Darien,” ‘apart from impregnating sixteen year old girls on a whim’? Ikuko added to herself? She had to admit she was somewhat angry at Darien. He was after all a grown man. He should have been more responsible than this. She had known twenty-two year old men however, and she had to admit that they were not that much more mature than teenage boys.

“I work for the University computer center, just don’t tell my father, but I’m also a full time student.”

“Your father?”

“Yes, Michael Chiba of Chiba Tech. He wants me to go into the computer business with him.”

“What do you want to do?”

“I’m majoring in geology and botanical science. I want to work on the mars terra forming project.”

“You’re very ambitious.”

“It’s one of the few things I have in common with my father.”

“And Serena? How do she and this baby fit into your life?”

“I don’t know yet. It’s all very new to me,” Darien replied truthfully. “I’m only sure that I want them with me.”

“Well, I suggest you come up with a plan pretty soon. I guarantee that the two men I just rescued you from are going to want to know the details.” Ikuko didn’t mean to be blunt but he needed to know that this was not going to be easy.

At dinner, Darien was relieved to find himself seated between Serena and her mother. The dinner table had been expanded to include all their guests. Darien was amazed to find how well Richard and Kenji got along. Personally, if his fiancée had had a child with another man he wouldn’t have forgiven her. Then again if his teenaged daughter got pregnant by a man five years her senior he’d probably try to kill him. He certainly hoped Kenji was as forgiving of him.

Dinner went relatively well, his interrogation was rather limited. A few questions had been tossed his way that were uncomfortable, but in the end little had come of them. By the end of dinner however both men were eyeing him with suspicion. He had a feeling it had something to do with him being in college, still they hadn’t asked his age…yet.

Suddenly, as he was beginning to settle a bit the question came.

“What year of college are you in Darien?” Mr. Tsukino asked.

“I’m a senior sir,” Darien answered as confidently as he could manage. 

“That would make you…?” Richard asked, leaving the question open for Darien to fill in the blanks.

“Twenty-two, sir.” There was a sudden silence at the table and Serena easily recognized the clenching of her father’s jaw that had nothing to do with his chewing. 

As dinner came to a close, Serena grew more nervous. She felt her stomach do a belly flop after the table was cleared.

“Irene, why don’t you take your sister upstairs to wash up. Sammy go with them.”

“But mom,” Sammy complained. He wanted to watch TV but the look on his mother’s face told him there would be no arguing. Irene wanted to stay and see what happened but she decided she’d let Serena explain later.

Serena’s parents sat in the living room waiting for her to say something as she and Darien sat across from them. Richard and Kenji both suspected bad news when they saw Serena nervously slip her hands into Darien’s. She cleared her throat before she began speaking.

“Darien and I have some important news.” She didn’t bother addressing any of them by name; that would have been rather confusing. “We’re going to have a baby.” Her voice shook as she said it and the nervousness she was feeling increased ten-fold as she waited for a reaction. Darien squeezed her hand, feeling it shake.

“Mr. Tsukino…”

“Don’t say a word!” Richard interrupted tersely. Darien gulped but remained silent. 

The entire room fell so still that the only sound was the loud ticking of the clock on the wall. Darien suddenly felt as though it was counting down to the moment the axe fell on his neck. 

“I suppose this is what you meant when you said you’d never do anything to hurt my daughter? I suppose you think by knocking her up before she’s even had the chance to finish high school is doing her a favor!” Richard yelled angrily.

“Serena, you’re coming with me when I leave. This bastard can find some other young girl to knock up after you leave.” Richard snapped at her.

“What!” Serena screamed. “I’m not leaving!”

“Yes you are! I suggest you start packing your things.”

“I’m not going anywhere with you! Do you think you can just come here and demand that I do exactly as you say when you want it? I’m not your employee; I’m your daughter.”

“And as my daughter you are my responsibility. You will do as I say.”

“No I won’t!” Serena screamed. “This is my life and my baby and I’ll be damned if I let you ruin it.”

“Serena,” no one’s trying to ruin your life.” Ikuko intervened trying to calm the situation.

“We don’t have to,” Kenji said angrily. “Chiba here, seems to be doing a damn fine job all by himself!”

Darien was unnerved by all the yelling in both English and Japanese. He was beginning to wish he’d never set foot in this house. Chances are he had ruined Serena’s life. He didn’t even have any solid plans for their life ahead of them. Their relationship would begin the hard way, with a third person being introduced before they even had the chance to really talk and get to know each other. He knew he loved her but was it enough?

“I love your daughter,” Mr. Chandler. “I can promise you I’ll do whatever it takes to give her the best life I possibly can.”

“You won’t be giving her a damn thing! Just who the hell do you think you are waltzing into this house with some pathetic drivel about love and a whole bunch of useless promises? Is that what you think it takes to raise a family?” Kenji yelled.

“Look, Mr. Tsukino,” Darien said beginning to get angry, “I’d bet my trust fund that you didn’t have any idea just what the hell you were doing when Serena was born! I’ll bet you screwed up many times, but she turned out just fine. I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a chance to raise my child, make my own mistakes with the woman I love. If you can’t understand that then I can’t see how God saw it fit to give you a child to raise!”

Darien could stand no more. He turned his back and showed himself out the front door. 

“I hate you both!” Serena yelled angrily at both men before storming out the door after Darien.

Darien sat in his car, his head on the wheel. He heard the passenger door open and Serena got in. 

“Well that went about as well I expected.” Serena said quietly. “Maybe a bit better; the sword are still where they were.”

“Yes, and my head’s still attached,” Darien added. He even managed a small smile. Her presence was already making him feel better. She slipped her small hand into his.

“We really don’t know anything about raising children,” Serena said seriously.

“We’ll learn.”

“We’ll have to. There isn’t much choice in the matter is there?”

“No. I guess not. I’m sorry Serena; you shouldn’t have to deal with this now. You haven’t even finished high school yet.”

“It’s not all your fault you know.”

“I’m older I should have known better.”

“Maybe, but if I could go back and do it all over I still would.”

“Stay with me?” Darien asked.

“Always, but not tonight. I need to go back inside before I’m disowned.” She kissed him goodnight before walking back into what she was now visualizing as the mouth of hell.

“I could hear you guys screaming from up here! What’s happened?” Irene whispered. While the rest of her family had gone back to the hotel, Irene had stayed with her sister in her room.

“Well, Dad threatened to take me to back to San Francisco with him, Darien stormed out, and I told them I hate them both.” Serena said calmly, watching as her sister’s eyes went wide. 

“And?” Irene asked wanting more details.

“I’m moving in with Darien, at least that’s what I want to do. Dad insists he won’t, and I quote, “allow me to marry some delinquent pedophile whose only concern is where he’ll stick his prick next.” He’s still considering a lawsuit, but hopefully he’ll calm down by tomorrow morning. I seriously doubt it though; Kenji has threatened to maim Darien if he so much as touches my person and I think he just sprouted ten gray hairs.Mom has a migraine and Celine burst into tears at which Dad snapped at me about how all this nonsense I’ve gotten myself into is putting undue strain on the mother of my future siblings. 

The deal I managed to get with Mom’s help, is that, I can move in with Darien as long as I have a private tutor and agree to finish high school. I now have control over the expense account of my trust fund. Dad, for his own benefit to keep him from looking like he just lost his argument, has informed me he’ll be watching Darien’s every move.”

“Oh my God! Aren’t you scared? I mean you’re going to have a baby!”
“I have never been more scared in my life!”