Title: A Million Kisses - Chapter 4
Author: Alicia Blade
E-mail: Kammi22@sprintmail.com

I have, like, zilch to say, except thank you much Klutz and Lady S! You 
are so helpful!! And hi to the Pack too. ^_^ I always forget to say 
that. Aishiteru, Jo-chans!

From me, expect a few shorts in the new future. I have so many in my 
head and am finally finding the time to write them. Woohoo!

"The Lord said: Ezekiel, now say to the wind, 'The Lord God commands 
you to blow from every direction and to breathe life into these dead 
bodies, so they can live again.' As soon as I said this, the wind blew 
among the bodies, and they came back to life!"
							Ezekiel 37:9-10 


Chapter 4: The Moon and Sleeping Shepherd

	"So… Darien…" Serena said somewhat nervously, staring down at 
twiddling thumbs. "Where we goin'?"
	"It's a surprise," came the mysterious answer. She raised her 
eyebrow staring at him from the corner of her eye. "I hope you'll like 
it," he continued, "I wasn't exactly sure… But even though I don't 
really know you too well… I think you'll enjoy it…" His voice faded 
away to uncertainty as he spoke and she could see his blue eyes cloud 
over in slight uneasiness.
	She let her lips turn into a tiny grin as she watched him. It was 
so obvious that he was as, if not more, scared than she was. A 
comfortable warmth seemed to engulf her heart at the simple thought 
that he wanted to impress her. As if he needed to. Reaching out, she 
placed a tender hand onto his arm, making sure not to jar his steering. 
"I'm sure I'll love it, if even just because I'm with you."
	He furrowed his brow for a minute, before a sweet smile lightened 
his features and he took a short glance into her eyes. His grin only 
widened by looking at her, and he returned his focus to the road. 
Serena's hand came back to her lap satisfied, and she let the 
rest of the car ride go on in content quietness, her gaze constantly 
switching from the outside view of down town Tokyo to the man in the 
driver's seat next to her.

	Only a few minutes later, the sleek black sports car came to a 
stop and Darien inhaled a sharp breath. "Well, we're here!" he 
exclaimed, stepping out from the car. Instantaneously, Serena's door 
opened for her and a young man in a red suit with gold trimming held 
out his hand. Serena placed her palm uncertainly into his and was 
carefully dragged from the passenger's seat while Darien handed his 
keys to the valet parking. 
	As Darien came around to the sidewalk and linked his arm through 
hers, Serena allowed her gaze to drift upward, and her jaw fell. Her 
date watched her from the corner of his eye, gulping nervously when she 
didn't respond, only stared at the building before them. 
	"Are you alright?" He waited a moment, and she managed a nod. 
Thinking the worst, he let his head drop. "Oh, goodness Serena, you 
hate it. Of course you would hate it, what was I thinking? Look, we 
don't have to stay, we can go somewhere else if you'd like, anywhere 
you want to go…"
	She sucked in her breath, blinking back a few delighted, 
emotional tears, before shaking her head back and forth. Her eyes never 
left the sign hanging above the pair of grand oak doors reading 'The 
Tokyo Art Museum presents A Gallery of Greek Mythology'.  "No, Darien… 
I love it… I just… can't believe you would… Oh…" Her hand came up to 
clasp over her mouth for a moment, before she turned to him, taking his 
hands into hers. She looked up at him with eyes pooling over with 
wonder and awe and exquisite delight. "I simply can't believe that you 
would actually… WANT to take me here! I mean, I'm a ditz and immature, 
at least everyone says so, and coming here… just makes me feel so very 
sophisticated and special… and of dire importance. Thank you Darien, it 
couldn't be more wonderful!"
	Slowly, he let a smile crease his lips, the fear dissipating from 
his mug and thoughts. "You really like it?"
	She nodded vivaciously. 
	Letting out a long breath, his eyes closed briefly. Impulsively, 
he leaned forward, kissing her on her forehead, feeling her loose blond 
bangs tickle his lips. She gasped, unsuspecting to the sudden movement 
and when he pulled away, only utter amazement was etched onto her pale 
rose-colored cheeks. "I'm glad. So… I guess there's no point in staying 
out here now, is there? Come on, let's go."
	She let her eyes wander to the doors again as Darien once again 
strung her arm with his and began to lead her up to the entrance. He 
handed an old man a couple of tickets and they were ushered inside, 
immediately greeted with marble floors, overhead, contemporary 
lighting, and a young woman passing out brochures. They avoided her 
carefully, shifting to the left side of the large room. There were many 
hallways branching off to the sides of the gallery, no doubt leading to 
more collections of priceless artwork. In the center, tall podiums, 
some with glass boxes on top, held sculptures, jewelry, and even 
dishware. Serena's eyes darted over the intricacy of it all. Her free 
hand came in front of her stomach to hold onto his, still tied with her 
arm. 
	Darien glanced down on his angel as they walked to the nearest 
wall, a few select paintings hanging in grand wooden frames, spotlights 
allowing them all to glow miraculously. 
	"Where would you like to start?" he whispered, to match the 
serene environment around them. She chewed her lip mindlessly, looking 
up at a painting before her. 
	"Here is fine…" she replied in equal reserve. Immediately, Darien 
turned his focus to the wall before them, reading over a small plaque 
on the right side. 
	'HERMES; by Nike Addin; Hermes, the god of Mercury. Zeus' 
messenger who flies as fleet as thought to do his bidding.' The picture 
presented a young man with a simple sash about his waist, and brown 
sandals with glorious wings protruding from them. His head was bent 
down, dark blue, almost black curly hair falling across his forehead 
and deep charcoal eyes, and he seemed to be reaching his hand down to a 
small village in the lower corner. The residents beneath him were 
engaged in a wild festivity, dancing with bright colors against a 
mostly dark background. 
	"I think he just gave them a message of hope," whispered Serena, 
tilting her head to the side. Darien only raised an eyebrow to see her 
contemplating expression from the corner of his eye. 
	"Are we going to analyze everything we see today?"
	She giggled, letting the serious face wash away. "Well, isn't 
that the point of coming to an art museum? Come on, let's go onto the 
next!" Giddily, she dragged him to the next painting, sighing and once 
again listing her head to her shoulder. 
	'OF THE UNDERWORLD; by Leonardo DaVinci; Hades, also referred to 
as Pluto, fell in love with Persephone of Earth and made her his wife, 
Queen of the Underworld'. On the large canvas, a glowing, ethereal 
woman, holding dying wildflowers in her hand stunningly lightened a 
background splashed with abstract dark colors. Over her shoulder, the 
white outline of a man could be seen watching her curiously, the only 
thing clearly seen of him was a dark gold chain he held in his hands, 
extending to the woman's ankle.
	"Why can't you see him?" Serena asked, analyzing the figure 
carefully. Darien smiled, glancing over the painting and admiring the 
beautiful workmanship. 
	"Hades had a special… helmet, and when he wore it, he was made 
invisible to everyone."
	"Oh… she must be Persephone then."
	"I imagine so."
	"She's beautiful, but it's a sad painting. It's like he was 
holding her there… a prisoner."	
	Rubbing some fingers over her bare arm, Darien shifted her 
attention away to move onto the next print. 
	'ADONIS AND APHRODITE; by Anna Sapphire; Adonis, a human, was 
loved by Aphrodite, goddess of love, and Persephone, queen of the 
underworld. But when he was killed by a boar in hunt, the pain in 
Aphrodite's heart was cut much deeper than his wounds, and she wished 
that she could be a human and die with him.'
	Serena wrapped her arms around Darien's, staring at the 
exquisite, and melancholy, painting. It was divided through the middle, 
the upper half showing a beautiful land with flowers and grass, pale 
blue, sun filled skies, and tall elegant trees, while below was a dark 
and depressing atmosphere. On the upper earth, a gorgeous, slender 
woman with long golden hair hovered over the motionless, bleeding body 
of a young man, tears sliding down her pale cheeks as her long arms 
tied around him fearfully. While in the underworld, an equally 
beautiful woman with ebony locks and dashing emerald eyes held a pale, 
translucent form of the same man alive in her arms, glaring upward in 
victory.
	"Oh, my…" Serena whispered, tears building up in her eyes. Darien 
almost wanted to laugh at the picture she made, a carefree, immature 
girl crying over a painting of Greek mythology. She was certainly full 
of surprises. 
	"Are you okay?"
	She nodded, slowly removing her delicate hand from her face. 
"It's just so sad. I mean… you can see the pain that Aphrodite was in. 
She really loved him… and I think he loved her too."
	"Why do you think that?"
	"Well, if you look at him in the underworld, or… his soul in the 
underworld, it looks like he's staring into space, almost as if he 
misses something, or is daydreaming about something or someone else. 
And you can obviously tell that it's not Persephone, since she's 
holding him so tightly, and he's really not making any moves to return 
the act."
	Darien sighed, lacing their fingers together. Yes, she was 
perfect. "I can't believe you would read that far into it, Serena. You 
really are a wonder, you know that?"
	She blinked a few times, before lowering her head, a shy smile 
and blush rising up on her features. He chuckled briefly before walking 
a bit further down the wall. At that moment, Serena looked up and felt 
her heart jump into her throat. Her feet froze beneath her. 
	"Huh? What's wrong?" asked Darien, turning to see her face paling
by the second. 
	"Endymion…" she whispered. 
Furrowing his brow, Darien turned to follow her gaze. Above a 
large door hung a sign reading 'Lonny Lanai's Collection; Selene, the 
moon goddess, and Endymion, the shepherd.'  
	"Serena?"
	Finally snapping from her reverie, the blond turned to see Darien 
staring down on her worriedly. "You okay? Spaced out for a minute 
there…"	
	"Yeah, sure, I'm fine. It's just… that… What's in there?"
	"Huh? You mean Lonny Lanai's Collection?"
	"Yeah."
	"Well, Lanai is an artist from Paris, I believe, and is famous 
for all sorts of artwork; painting, sculpting, pottery… and most of her 
work centers around a mythological story about Selene and Endymion. All 
of her works on the two are in that special gallery. Er… do you want to 
go see them?"
	"YES! Oh, I mean… please… it… it's my favorite story…"
	"Really? I didn't even know you liked mythology."
	"Well… I like Endymion," she said simply, taking a deep breath 
and stringing her arm through his once again. Steadily, they began to 
head towards the next room, all the treasure in the main gallery 
forgotten. 
	The first thing they saw was a large sculpture in the center of 
the room, set on a marble table. It was life size, very large and 
lifelike, and every detail was carved perfectly, straight down to the 
last strand of hair. The piece depicted a man lying on the ground, his 
eyes closed peacefully, one arm stretched over his head, the other on 
his stomach. He had one leg strewn straight in front of him, while the 
other was propped up casually. Above him kneeled a woman, dressed in 
only a simple wrap for a dress. Her hair collapsed to well past her 
ankles and her eyes stared into his sleeping face with love. One hand 
lay on his chest, while the other stroked a finger on his jaw line. 
Though her lips tried to smile, tears were rolling down her face. A 
large bronze plaque below read:

Endymion the shepherd,
As his flock he guarded,
She, the Moon, Selene,
Saw him, loved him, sought him, 
Coming down from heaven, 
To the glad on Latmus,
Kissed him, lay beside him.
Blessed is his fortune.
Evermore he slumbers,
Tossing not, nor turning,
Endymion the shepherd. 

	"I don't get it…" Serena whispered uncertainly. The sculpture was 
stunningly beautiful, but… a shepherd?
	"Well… in the story, Selene is so in love with Endymion that she 
puts him into an eternal sleep so that she can love him and be with him 
whenever she desires. But they say that her passion for him brought her 
endless pain, knowing that no matter how many kisses she gave him… he 
would never return the favor."
	Serena sighed, her eyes caressing the art. 'I'm sure at least SHE 
gave him a million kisses,' she thought almost bitterly. In another 
moment, Darien was guiding her to the next sculpture. In this, slightly 
smaller, figure, a similar man stood with a rounded cane clutched to 
his chest, staring up in awe at a women who was floating before him, 
about a foot off the ground, and only an inch or two taller than him 
now. She was nude, with only endless lengths of hair to cover her, and 
though he seemed frozen in shock, she was smiling down lovingly with 
one hand on his shoulder, the other on his cheek, evidently about ready 
to kiss him. 
	"Why do they always depict him as a shepherd?"
	"Well, not always. Some poets and artists call him a king, and 
others thought he was a hunter. But MOST say he was a shepherd, that's 
all."
	"I think he was a prince," she said wistfully.
	Darien laughed quietly, wrapping his arm around her waist. Her 
light blue eyes left the statue, quickly landing upon another painting 
on the wall. Taking in a deep breath, she walked over to it, Darien 
always at her side. 
	Beneath the image was another tablet, which read, 'A MILLION 
KISSES I; Endymion never woke to see the shining silvery form bending 
over him. In all the stories, he sleeps forever, immortal, but never 
conscious. Wondrously beautiful he lies on the mountainside, motionless 
and remote as if in death, but warm and living, and night after night 
the Moon visits him and covers him with her kisses. It is said that 
this magic slumber was her doing. She lulled him to sleep so that she 
might always find him and caress him as she pleased. But it is said, 
too, that her passion brings her only a burden of pain, fraught with 
many sighs.'
	The painting was similar to the first sculpture, more colorful, 
and more emotions pouring forth from the canvas. Asleep he lay, propped 
against a rock, as her glowing angelic body stayed with him through the 
night, beneath a sky of diamonds. She rested at his side, her head 
collapsed against his shoulder while her eyes searched his, as if 
waiting for him to arouse. Holding his hand in hers, she kissed a 
fingertip, immaculately tender, her silver eyes once again glossy with 
tears, those unshed. 
	Serena sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. 'I won't end up 
that way. His memories will awake, and I will give him a million 
kisses, and he will kiss me back! I can't end up like the story, 
forever alone… I just can't… I won't.'
	Darien risked looking over at her, slightly scared of her 
silence. Her eyelids were closed down tight, her head bowed slightly, 
and it looked almost as if her lips were speaking to herself. Furrowing 
his brow, he reached up to place a finger beneath her chin. 
"Are you okay?"
	Her eyes instantly snapped open and she turned to face him 
directly. "Yeah…" she whispered, damp eyes staring into his surprised 
gaze. Pursing her lips together, she took a quick step forward and 
wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Unsuspecting, he began to step 
away, but stopped. More than surprised, and clueless as to how to 
react, Darien very slowly returned the embrace. He barely heard her 
when she whispered almost silently, "I just need you to hold me right 
now…"
	Gulping, he let his fingers rub through her curled locks of hair 
and over the smooth material of her dress. He shushed her, letting 
silky bangs caress his lips. He ignored some of the strange stares they 
received, pouring his full concentration onto the incredible lady snug 
in his arms. 

~ FLASH ~
	I smoothed my finger over her jaw line, feeling her tremble at my 
touch. A gasp flooded from her pink lips and finally she allowed 
herself to look me in the eye. A steady breeze blew around us, tossing 
my cape around my body, and the streamers of her back bow in the wind. 
	"Endy…" she whispered quietly, crystal pools building up in her 
pale blue eyes. "Must you go?"
	"You know I have no choice, princess. I am so sorry… Not a moment 
will go by when I won't think of you."
	"Please promise me that you'll return…"
	I stared at her for a moment, scared that I wouldn't be able to 
keep my word if I told her that. But if it would make her stop crying, 
I would say just about anything at that moment. 
	A small smile curling on my lips, I nodded carefully. "I promise 
I will come back to you, my love." She knew I was lying. She knew I 
couldn't be sure about that. But I knew that saying the words had 
somehow comforted her. "We'll be together forever…" 
	Just as the first tear slipped down her cheek, I grabbed a hold 
of my cape, wrapping it around her slim shoulders and bringing her body 
close to mine. We had had our last dance, and now after one more kiss, 
our last, I would be forced to leave her. As my lips neared hers, I 
could hear the soft voice whimper, "I love you, Endymion."
	And her lips were warm and soft, as they would be remembered.
~ FLASH ~

	Shaking his head, Darien clenched his eyes shut tightly, before 
drawing himself back to focus on the now, and not these strange images 
in his head. "Hey, Serena, what's wrong? What is it? Do you want to 
leave?" He felt her chest rise steadily, taking in a shaky breath, 
before her eyes lifted to look at him. A smile was lingering on her 
face and she shook her head, holding down the choking tears. 
	"No, I don't want to leave. It's just that the story is so sad. 
I… feel sorry for Selene."
	He stared into her eyes for a moment disbelieving, before letting 
a grin tug at his own lips and he rested his forehead on hers. "But 
it's just that, Serena. A story."
	"I know… I just think it would be wonderful if Selene could 
awaken him, and then he would fall madly in love with her and… and they 
would share a million kisses…" Her eyes closed lightly and Darien 
tensed on instinct. 
	'A million kisses? Where have I heard that… before…? The 
painting. It's the title of the painting, that's all.'
	"Ya know, if this gallery is depressing you, we can go look at 
something else for awhile. There's a big showcase on Zeus upstairs, I 
think."
	She giggled quietly, her eyes regaining that lively sparkle. "I 
think that's a good idea!"
	"Great, let's go," he said, breaking apart from her just far 
enough so that he could let his hand linger at her lower back and began 
to tug her off into the room they had come from. 
	On her way out, Serena took a glance at one of the many paintings 
they had skipped, and gasped before a grand smile dawned on her 
features. 
In front of a pale, lavender-blue sky, two lovers stood in each 
other's arms, tying themselves together in a sweet, lasting embrace. 
His neck was bent down and her feet were stretched to her tiptoes, a 
vibrant, loving kiss glowing between them. Beneath the artwork, it read 
simply, 'A MILLION KISSES II'.

	"What do you think they're up to now?" Amy asked, suddenly 
raising her eyes from the book in her lap. 
	Raye shrugged, "Beats me!" Her violet eyes never left the TV 
screen before her as her fingers constantly banged on the small 
controller in her palms. "I never knew how fun the Sailor V game could 
be! I'm gonna have to come over here more often!"
	Amy sighed. She had a happy feeling in her stomach. And though 
she didn't know what it was, she had a premonition that it had 
something to do with their missing Meatball Head. Inside, she knew that 
Serena was having a good time on her date. With a grin still on her 
lips, she nestled back into the cushions of the couch, beginning to 
scan over the pages of the large novel again. Her mind automatically 
zoned out the beeps and explosions from the Tsukinos' television set to 
concentrate on more important matters, such as the chemical 
construction of DNA molecules.

	Serena was having a hard time imagining any better feeling than 
his strong hand holding onto hers. His long fingers had automatically 
laced themselves with her own slender limbs, and his arm remained half 
wrapped around hers as well. The rough material of his shirt rubbed up 
against her bare shoulder. She could hear his soft breathing above her, 
and they both knew that words need not be spoken. 
	After walking through the many galleries, the couple had deserted 
the museum and decided to take a midnight stroll through the park, 
which was destined to be empty. A small sliver of a moon hung in the 
sky, surrounded by tiny sparkling stars. There was a gentle breeze, 
tickling Serena's neck occasionally, and yet it seemed warm, possibly 
in part to the man beside her. He had always made her warm, even when 
it was simply due to her blushing. 
	They had been holding a silent conversation for sometime. 
Remarking on the flowers, the stars, the water, with neither uttering a 
word. Only laughs and gazes and special looks that no one else in the 
world could possibly decipher. They understood perfectly. 
	The path beneath their feet was made of dirt, their footprints 
sinking in among countless others of those who walk the trails daily. 
Once in awhile they would cut across a field of perfect green grass, 
dewdrops already beginning to fall to the ground at the change in 
temperature from the warm sunny afternoon. They admired the rose 
gardens, the lake, and the flowered tunnels, where you could walk 
beneath a dome of scented color, glistening silver in the moon rays. 
Darien carved their names into the pillar of a gazebo, and Serena shyly 
added a heart around them. He only laughed, his eyes twinkling with 
delight, and traced his finger over the heart once. Placing his arm 
around her waist, he had kissed her blushing cheek, and led her out of 
the small arbor. 
	A quick game of tag had left both of them breathless, tired, and 
hot, lying side by side on a slightly damp patch of grass, their chests 
heaving exhaustedly. The soothing sound of water bubbled up from a 
large fountain to their right, and they listened to it happily, once 
again letting comfortable silence wrap them in her clutches. 
	Sighing, Serena forced herself to roll onto her side, scooting 
closer to him and lying her head down on his chest. He was surprised 
for a moment, before letting his arm hang around her waist. His lips 
caressed the top of her head for a moment, before letting his eyes 
wander to the sky yet again. 
	"Do you have any idea how terrified I was of asking you out?" he 
whispered finally.
	Serena opened her eyes, stealing herself away from the happy 
fantasies she had been having, only slightly better than the present. 
"Why would you be terrified of that?"
	"Because I thought you would say no." She giggled for a moment, 
tilting her head up to gaze into his midnight blue eyes. "I was afraid 
of rejection. Especially from you… I'm not sure why exactly, but right 
now I don't feel like I could… live without you. And I know that sounds 
awfully stupid, saying I hardly know you, but… if you had turned me 
down, I know I would have been crushed."
	She stared at him for a brief moment, before pulling herself 
forward a bit and placing her forehead against his. "But I didn't say 
no."
	He grinned, pulling her even closer to his body so that she lay 
almost directly on top of him. "And for that, I am grateful, and 
blissful, and feel like the luckiest man alive at this very moment."
	She laughed again as their noses touched, rubbing together 
gently. 
	Suddenly, a spark of mischief entered Darien's eye and he propped 
himself up slightly, pushing her backward a bit. "Are you still tired?"
	She creased her brow for a moment, before shrugging. "I'm 
definitely not ready for another game of tag if that's what you're 
asking."
	"Not exactly. I was just thinking… about how wonderful that water 
sounds…"
	She tilted her head to the side, listening to the pouring 
fountain. "I suppose… so… What do you mean?"
	"Oh, nothing…" he replied nonchalantly, standing before her and 
pulling her to her feet. "I was just wondering… how would you like to 
go for a swim?"
	"Wha…?" Before Serena could reply, she was swept up into his 
strong arms, lifted easily against his chest. Her startled scream 
instantly turned to protests as he began to near the water fountain, 
his intention blindingly obvious. He only decided to completely ignore 
her continuous pleas and struggles. Laughter poured from his smiling 
lips, standing on the bench and holding her out over water. "No! 
Darien, you must be kidding, it's too shallow!" she shrieked. 
	He laughed. "Yes, you're right, it is…" he teased. Truly, the 
water was only about a foot and a half deep. And so, instead, he 
stepped into it, trotting onto years of collected nickels and pennies. 
The cold water sent goose bumps over his legs, but he ignored it, along 
with his black slacks now clinging to his calves. Serena screamed even 
louder, paining his eardrums incredibly, as he neared the fountain in 
the center. 
	"No, Darien, please don't do this, this dress cost me a fortune, 
DARIEN!!!" And the words died into gurgles immediately as he submerged 
her beneath the oncoming waves. 
	She came out gasping for air, spitting out water, her eyes locked 
down tightly. Darien chuckled, still holding the fragile girl in his 
arms.
	"Cold?" he asked innocently. 
	Slowly, her blue eyes opened to glare up at him as he grinned 
back quirkily. 
	"Alright, you've had your fun. Now put me down, Darien Chiba, 
this instant!" she exclaimed, pointing down at the water. He chuckled, 
pretending to think about it for a moment, before shaking his head.
	"Nope."
	"No?! What do you mean 'no'?! Darien!!" Once again she began 
kicking and thrashing her legs and arms around wildly. His cocky smile 
only widened and he carefully placed her feet in the water before 
wrapping his arms around her waist, locking her hands against his body, 
weaving their forms tightly together. She almost immediately silenced 
herself.
	"Well, you see, Serena, I rather enjoy having you in my arms," he 
replied to her comment huskily. She could feel a bolt of electricity 
shoot through her spine as his touch delicately seared her skin. Her 
hair was matted to her forehead and neck, the curls beginning to 
straighten out with the weight of the water on them. Tiny droplets 
dripped down her cheek, her arms, her legs, as her dress clung to her 
every curve. She realized that Darien wasn't exactly dry anymore 
either. Though his head hadn't really been touched, his entire front 
side was just as drenched as she was. 
	Slowly, her lips ran dry, and she licked them in response, 
quickly drawing Darien's attention down to the puckered, surprised, oh 
so tempting pout. Their breaths were ragged, the fountain forgotten, 
and now there were only each other's arms, bodies, eyes, lips… He 
leaned in, and she first felt his dry bangs brush like feathers on her 
skin. Seconds later his breath tickled her cheek, nose, her lips. Her 
eyes fluttered closed. He kept his open, just barely, blurred at her 
skin, until their lips met and he let everything go. 
	As if at all possible, his arms managed to tighten around her 
waist, one coming up around her back, his hand spread over her 
shoulder. His head tilted to the right, his lips pushing at hers, 
pressing against the soft tenderness. She was shaking beneath him, but 
he knew she wasn't scared. Possibly just cold, or as caught up in 
desire as he was. She shifted, and pressed herself into him further, 
listing her head to the side and allowing her mouth to open. He did the 
same, and soon could taste her on his tongue. A jolt of pure delight 
shot through him. 
	After minutes of holding each other motionless, Serena felt weak, 
faint, and let herself slide away from him. For a brief second he was 
startled that she was gone, but soon her head fell against his chest, 
and he once again began to breathe. His head collapsed on top of hers, 
feeling her wet hair cling to his cheek. For some odd reason, it was a 
glorious feeling. He heard her sigh happily, and his heart seemed to 
turn into a feather. He gave her a brief squeeze, before kissing the 
top of her head. 
	"You're going to catch a cold," he whispered to the air, nervous 
concern etched into his voice. 
	"Do you mean we should get out?"
	"It would be smart."
	She giggled secretively. "Nuh-uh, I haven't gotten my revenge 
yet."
	"Huh?"
	And before he could even begin to think of what she was 
conniving, the mischievous girl was gone from his arms, a good five 
feet away, and splashing him with all she was worth. Instinctively, he 
raised his arms in front of his face in order to protect himself, 
yelling roughly in surprise. Soon, the splashing stopped and she 
laughed loudly, grabbing at her stomach for a moment, before quickly 
frolicking over to the opposite side of the small pool, around the base 
of the fountain. Darien looked up, a good natured, yet semi-evil grin 
plastered to his tingling lips. Shaking in hidden laughter, Darien 
swiped his arm across his forehead, rubbing away some of the water 
drops dripping from his thick, currently soaked ebony bangs. 
Immediately, he began running after her, chasing the minx in circles 
around the chuckling fountain, each of them taking cheap shots at the 
other whenever they could. At one point, he stopped mid-fight, out of 
breath for the time being. 
	"Alright, now what happens if I want another kiss?"
	She giggled, her eyes twinkling in utter joy. "Then you're going 
to have to catch me first!"
	He somehow managed to regain his breath very quickly.

	Serena's delighted laughter must have echoed for miles away as 
she clung to Darien's arm, walking up her driveway. He finished up with 
his joke while Serena clutched at her stomach, giggling hysterically, 
and provoking a smile from Darien as well. He guided her up the steps, 
making sure that she wouldn't stumble on them as he did so, before 
stopping before the door. She leaned back against the porch railing, 
her eyes closed as tiny teardrops began to seep through the lids. Both 
their cheeks hurt from the constant smiling, but it was a 'good hurt'. 
	Breathing in deeply, Serena wiped her arm across her eyes, 
managing to look up at Darien through a hazy stare. They stood like 
that for quite awhile, happy in their company. 	
	"I've never heard anything so hilarious in my life!" she finally 
exclaimed, grinning excitedly. He chuckled in response, tossing his 
hands in his pockets. 
	"Hey, anytime. You have no idea what a gorgeous smile, and laugh, 
you have."
	She blushed, turning away as the dim porch light allowed him to 
see the bright coloring in her cheeks. Sighing, she quickly began to 
search through her evening bag for her key as Darien watched silently. 
He had half an urge to grab the purse from her and toss it across the 
street, just so he could keep her out here with him longer. But he knew 
that would be immature. 
	Clearing her throat, Serena lifted the key from the small handbag 
and easily fitted it to the doorknob. Darien inhaled deeply, eyeing her 
solemn face. The smile had died somewhere down the line. 
	"So I guess this is goodnight?" he whispered just as she 
hesitated to walk inside. Her lips pressed together for a moment, and 
then she turned to him, staring into his navy eyes. A tiny smile grew 
on her face.
	"I had fun tonight…" she whispered, unconsciously holding her 
breath. She let it out the second his corky grin returned to his 
handsome features. 
	"Me too. Can we go out again sometime?"
	And her smile widened even more. Breathlessly, she managed, "I 
would love to!"
	Darien chuckled and took a step towards her, pinning her against 
the door. She obviously didn't mind. "Great. Then I'll call you." 
Licking his lips, he craned his head downward, easily pressing their 
mouths together. She let out a muffled groan and sigh, her hand rising 
up to tie around his neck. He broke apart for a second, let one last 
gentle butterfly kiss tickle her lips, before pulling away completely. 
	"You'd better call me," she whispered, innocently, and yet with 
an undertone of seductiveness. He traced a finger along her jaw, 
pressing it tenderly against the tip of her nose. 
	"Good night, my angel." Turning, he began to saunter back to his 
car. 
	"Good night, my prince!" she called after him as he opened the 
door to his car. He smiled up at her, winking briefly just as she 
stepped inside the front door. Outside, she heard his car drive off, 
and immediately let out a loud, ecstatic squeal, sinking down to the 
floor and tossing her hands upward. Her legs kicked around a bit as she 
squirmed joyfully. She felt like dancing, singing, and jumping all at 
the same time.
	"Well it's about time you got home, missy!"
	"Yes, do you have any idea what time it is?"
	"Did you forget about your curfew?!"
	"We have been worried sick all night!"
	Surprised, Serena opened her eyes and let her gaze travel up the 
staircase to be met with two teenage girls, hands on their hips, 
staring down on her with imagined anger. 
	Raye raised her eyebrow as she stared at her obviously joyful, 
and drenched, blond friend. Amy only giggled at her stunned expression. 
	"Alright, girl, we want ALL the details!"


I hate disclaimers. Generally don't write them, but I need to for this 
chapter since NOT everything was mine. First of all, Picasso, 
obviously, who must likely never painted anything like I have described 
here, but get over it. I wanted someone famous. 'course, Nike isn't 
famous, but her art is so good it might as well be. <g> She's my buddy.   
Also, I got all of my information, as well as some direct quotes from 
Edith Hamilton's "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes".

Love and God bless!
<3 Alicia