A Christmas Story by Athena nikita@sgi.net Hi! Hi! Well I am sooo sorry that I couldn't get this out before Christmas, but I have been out of town the last two weeks on business and I just couldn't get all of the kinks out of it by then!! But I hope that you enjoy this anyway! As always, a special thanks and a "I don't know what I would do without you" to Alicia (Ally) Blade!!! You are a life saver!!! Well folks Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!! Love Athena P.S. The usual disclaimers apply here, I don't own Sailor Moon! *********************************************** The sun was shinning brightly over the busy Tokyo city as a young girl with long blonde pigtails walked glumily down the street. She was staring at a piece of paper in her small delicate hands. "What am I going to do? I failed another one!!!! My mom?s gonna kill me! I?ll bet she?ll even tell me that I can?t be in the talent show tomorrow night either!" she wailed to herself. In the midst of her self pity party, she bumped into someone, hard. Serena was knocked to the ground and her book bag went flying. Usually Serena was very apologetic when she ran someone over, but today she was just feeling too sorry for herself and now her butt hurt! "Hey! Why don?t you watch where you are going??!!!" she began yelling. But then that snickering laugh that she would?ve recognized anywhere penetrated her tirad. "Hey Meatball Head, I was watching where I was going! YOU ran into ME. What?s a matter, did you flunk another test?" Serena looked up into the dark sunglasses that were covering a set of the deepest blue eyes a girl could ever hope of looking into. Serena probably would?ve been force to admit Darien was a "hottie" if he wasn?t so mean to her. For some unexplained reason, he reminded her of Tuxedo Mask, who she just know was in love with her (or so she hoped) because she was Sailor Moon and he was always coming to her rescue. But there was no way that someone as mean as Darien could be as dreamy as her TM, so instead she screamed, "OOHHH DARIEN!!!! Why are you always such a jerk!!!! Go find someone else to pick on for a while!" and she stomped off towards the arcade. Darien laughed watching her go, but decided to follow descreetly and watch her play her games and then tease her some more when she lost, which she does a lot too. He just couldn?t help it, for some strange reason, he just loved to tease this girl. When he went into the arcade, he immediately went over to the games to look for Serena, but she wasn?t there. he thought to himself. Serena?s other favorite past time in the arcade was to act out her crush on his best friend Andrew, who worked at the arcade. For some odd reason, it really bugged him that she liked Andrew. It was almost....jealousy. He walked over to where Serena was sitting on a stool at the refreshment counter. He head was bowed and it was obvious that she was talking to Andrew and he was listening very intently. So intently that Darien was able to walk up next to the to hear the conversation without either one knowing. "So you see Andrew, I was just trying to get as many of my friends to come as possible, you know, for support." she was saying. Andrew was about to answer her when Darien said, "Support for what Meatball Head? Another test?" Both Serena and Andrew jumped at the sound of his voice. "No! For the talent show!" she spat back at him and immediately regretted it when he began to laugh. "You, in a talent show?! Doing what? Tripping people or failing tests?" he said laughing even harder now as images of Serena in a full blown clutz attack on stage came over him. What he didn?t see where the tears that welled up in her eyes and instead of yelling at him, she slid slowly off the stool and started for the door. Andrew glared at Darien, who, at the moment, who was still laughing at Serena, as he angrily shoved his way past him to catch up with Seren. "Hey Serena, Wait up!" he yelled after her. Serena stopped,but her head was bowed so that he couldn?t see the hot tears that were cursing down her lovely cheeks. "I?d loved to come tomorrow night." Her head shot up, forgetting about her tears and said in breathless awe. "You would?" "Sure, I like to support my friends," (although there?s one I?m going to kill when I go back inside, he thought) "What time?" "Seven o?clock at the high school auditorium." she said with a shy smile. "Ok, see ya!" he said and went back into the arcade. Serena turned around and slowly her smile widened as she wiped the tears away and went home. Back in the arcade, Andrew laid into Darien, who was now sitting at the bar with a cup of coffee in front of him. He was just about to take a drink when Andrew came up behind him and slapped him hard on the shoulder, making him spill the hot coffee on his hand. Darien hissed as he shook the coffee off his hand and looked for a napkin to clean it up as he looked angrily up at a glaring Andrew. "What the hell did you do that for?" "You can be such a jerk Darien!!! Why are you so mean to that girl? You?re not like that with anyone else. Do you know that you made her cry?" at this Darien jerked his head back up from it sunken ?I feel like a snake? position. "No I didn?t." "Yes, you did. You totally crushed her. Don?t you know that Serena gets enough grief from everyone else about her grades and being clumsy? This talent show?s a big thing for her. Serena believes that she has one talent and you just went and made fun of an important chance for her to prove to people like you, that she?s not a loser!" "I never said that she was a loser! Who calls her a loser?!" he said, yelling now, getting defensive. "You don?t have to actually call her one Dare, enough people give her grief that she thinks it?s true. And then there?s big bad you and you ALWAYS find something wrong with her. She constantly looking for approval and she?s always getting shot down!" Darien was silent for a moment, and the look on his face said that Andrew had made his point. "So how come you know so much about her?" At this, Andrew smiled and said, "I?m a great listener. Besides, I tolerate her crush, I think that it?s cute. Not to mention flattering. Unlike some people." "What?! Are you saying that she has a crush on me?! Please, all we do is fight." "That?s because you?re always picking on her. When you?re not around and we have our ?talks? your name practically dominates the conversation. She doesn?t understand why you?re always so mean to her. I think she talks to me about you because you and I are friends." "But that doesn?t mean she like me." "You don?t see the look on her face when she does." "What do you mean?" "Someday, just be nice to her and take a moment to actually look into those goregous eyes of hers and then tell me that you don?t see it." Andrew said with a smile. Darien slumped on the stool, thinking about what Andrew said. Finally he looked up and said, "So what time tomorrow night?" Andrew smiled. ******************************************************** Serena was backstage at the talent show pacing nervously. was her litney. Serena was the second to last performer out of fifteen to go on and she just knew that she was going to fall apart before she got up there. Finally just before her turn she said a silent prayer to Queen Serenity, then she walked out onto the stage. Meanwhile Serena?s parents and brother, the scouts, the two cats (who the girls snuck in) and Andrew and Darien were all seated together in a row. Raye had been surprised and happy to see Darien walk in. "Darien! I didn?t think you?d like to come to something like this or I would?ve asked." "Yeah, well Andrew convinced me otherwise." he said. His conversation with Andrew had been plaguing him for the last day. Could Serena like him? At first he thought that the idea was ludicris, but the more he thought about it, he prayed that it was true. "So what is Serena doing? I never did ask." he said to no one in particular. Mina answered, "She?s singing." At this everyone got big sweat drops over their heads. "Singing?!" Raye practically bellowed. But Ami defended Serena. "She?s really good guys. SHe let me hear her practice. Even I was expecting the worse, but she?s really good." No one said anything and sat back and watch the talent show. Finally it was Serena?s turn and Lita said, "Ok guys, no matter how bad she is, we all go nuts for her when it?s over, ok?" Everyone nodded and sat back and waited. "Next ladies and gentlemen is Serena Tsukino, singing "Once Upon a December" from the Disney movie Anastasia. The curtain parted and there stood Serena in a midnight blue evening gown that shimmered in the light. The dress was meant to be a replica of the one the Anya wore in the movie to the opera. She even had long white gloves on with a glittery necklace. The one thing that was different was Serena?s hair. She wore it down like Mina?s but instead of a bow, two rhinestone clips held the sides back. The music started, and she began to sing. (Serena had ordered just the instrumental version of the song.) Slowly Serena began to spin a magical web that took over the crowd and especially her friends with her voice. Her voice rang with powerful emotion as she brought the song through it?s cresendo and became a whisper as she finished. The crowd was speechless, afraid to move and break the spell that she had created, then finally, the crowd broke into a thunderous applause! They were actually on their feet cheering for her. She just couldn't believe it! Slowly Serena took her bow and searched for her family and friends in the crowd. They too were stomping and cheering for her, but what shocked her the most was that Darien was there. Not only was he there, he was actually cheering for her! The applause finally died down and Serena left the stage, where everone envolved with the show congratulated her on a fine job. Serena was shaking so hard that she didn?t even realize that the last contestant had finished and that they were annoucing the winners. "...And the winner is..Miss Serena Tsukino!!!" The crowd cheered and Serena couldn?t move. Finally, someone pushed her out on stage and the crowd went nuts. Serena smiled shyly and went over to claim her prize, a dozen red roses and a check for $100. Finally Serena turned to the crowd and waived. Then she walked off the stage and went out to meet her family and friends. Darien was stunned. Everyone was. Was that really Serena? He just couldn?t believe it. Not only was her voice mesmerizing, but her beauty had taken his breath away. He found himself anxious to get her alone and look into the gorgous blue eyes that he had been assured were there. Everyone waited patiently through the final contestant, but was clear by the applause that Serena had been their favorite. Then Serena was being annouced as the winner and again they all went crazy with their applause. It wasn?t faked or forced like they had prepared for, it was true and genuine. After Serena had left the stage and the lights came up, eveyone filed outside to greet her. After ten minutes of waiting, Serena finally appeared in the crowd. She was stopped in her journey to her friends and family by well wishers and she took each one shyly. Finally she reached her friends and all five girls including Serena screamed and had a huge group hug. Of course they were drawing everyone?s notice, but for once no one seemed to care. All five girls were talking all at once and then Molly and Melvin came up to hug Serena and the talking cresendoed. There was a whirlwind of activity that surrounded Serena and for the first time n his life, Darien felt warm. After Serena?s parents had hugged and congratulated her and Andrew had done the same, Serena found herself face to face with Darien. She eyed him hesitantly, obviously afraid of what he was going to say and then Darien?s features softened into a smile as he said, "You were wonderful, Meat..eh, Serena!" Serena awarded him with the most brilliant and beautiful smile that he had ever seen in his life. He was almost undone by it. He found himself wanting to wisk her away so that he bask in that warmth and brilliance forever. "Thanks, Darien!" she said happily. Then a shrill scream pierced the air and a youma was coming towards them with huge gong that was sucking up everyone?s energy. Serena and the other Scouts used the distraction to slip away and transform. "Mars Star Power!" "Venus Star Power!" "Mercury Star Power!" "Jupiter Star Power!" "Moon Crystal Power!" Meanwhile, Darien felt the familiar sensation that comes over him when he transforms into Tuxedo Mask and he immediately turned to look for Serena and the others to get them to cover, but they were gone! "Huh!?" Then overhead a voice could be heard calling out. "Hey gong nut! Don?t you know that the Gong Show went out years ago?!" It was Sailor Jupiter and then the other Scouts appeared in front of her with Sailor Moon leading the way. "That?s right nega sleeze! And because you?ve ruined my evening, on behalf of the Moon, I?m going to punish you!" "Go ahead and try Sailor Failures!" and then she banged on her gong and a shot of enery shot out towards the Scouts as they all scattered. "Mars Celestial Fire Suround!" "Jupiter Thunder Clap Zap!" The two attacks raced towards the youma and hit the gong and just was absored into it. Then with another bang of the gong, the engery was shot back towards the girls. The girls screamed as their own energy hit them. "Venus Love Me Chain Encircle" "Shine Aqua Illusion" But again the same reaction occured. The gong youma was moving in for another blast to send out and then a red rose pierced the gong causing in to turn to stone and disintegrate. "Tuxedo Mask!" SM said breathlessly. "Now Sailor Moon!" he yelled back. "Right!" Sailor Moon pulled out her sceptor and attacked. "Moon Sceptor Elimination!" The youma screamed and then disappeared in a glitter of light. "Moon Dusted!" SM quickly looked around for TM, but he was already gone. A little disappointed she looked back at the Scouts and asked if everyone was ok, but Mercury commented that they might was to de-transform and get back. Everyone agree and lept into the night and disappeared. "Is it over?" asked Serena who was trying to look fearfull. Darien was already back and said to her. "Yes, the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask were here and took care of it. Hey, where did you guys go anyway?" But Serena got huge hearts in her eyes and exclaimed, "Tuxedo Mask was here!??!! OOOHHH he sooo totally dreammyyy!!!" At this everyone else got the huge sweat drops again and Raye said, "Only Serena would go ga-ga over some guy in the middle of a youma attack!" "Do Not!" "Do To!" and so another tongue war started between Serena and Raye and everyone laughed as Serena?s dad annouced that he would take everyone for ice cream to celebrate. As they walked on, Darien watched Serena threw new alert eyes and smiled as he thought, ?So, she does like me!? And he followed the loud group into the night towards the ice cream store. ***************************************************** The next day was Saturday and Serena was going to meet the scouts at the arcade and then they were going to go to the mall to do some Christmas shopping. She was actually way early on meeting the girls, for once, because she was hoping that Darien would be there and she could ask him why he came to the talent show last night. When she walked through the doors to the arcade, she came to a stop and looked around for any signs of Darien. She spotted him immediately at one of those games that had that claw that you use to pick up the stuffed animals at the bottom. Andrew was at his side and they were talking, but she couldn't hear what they were saying. She took a deep breath and took one step towards them and then she chickened out at the last minute. she thought as she sat down in a booth that enabled her to watch Darien. She sat perfectly still as that thought brought up another, she thought. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that she did. She realized that her anger towards Darien was to mask the true feelings that she just noticed that have been there for a while. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked over at him, still standing at the claw game. Even playing that stupid game he emminated grace and elegance. She on the otherhand didn't emminate anything, except klutziness. He was so beautiful with his strong jawline, that thick black hair that forever hung in his eyes, and those eyes. Endless pools of blue sapphires. She sighed to herself and gloomily thought, A single tear slide down her soft cheeks as she realized that he would never be interested in someone like her. Just then a familiar voice startled her out of her thoughts. "Hey Serena! You're actually here! WOW!" it was Mina. Quickly Serena dashed away the trail that the tear left behind and looked up at her approaching friends. "Hi guys! Yeah, I got here before Mom made me help Dad put up Christmas lights outside." The others laughed as they settled into the booth with her. Across the arcade, Darien stared unnoticed at the group of teenagers. He hadn't known that she was here until he heard someone call her name out. When he did, his head came up so abruptly that Andrew had noticed and then commented, "So, did you get a chance to look into those eyes yet?" Darien had actually blushed, but said nothing. "I thought so." Andrew had said with a sly smile and walked away. Now Darien stood there staring at Andrew who was now talking to the roudy group of girls. Darien had never been more jealous of anyone in his life than he was of Andrew at that moment. He wished that he could go up and talk to them, or actually, one girl in particular, with the ease that Andrew did. Then again, it was expected of Andrew. If Darien did that, they would probably all die of heart failure. He watched as Andrew slid into the booth next to Serena and began talking to her and how her eyes were just sparkling at him and she was smiling that dazzling smile at him. Darien was overcome with the sudden urge to pound the daylights out of his best friend. he thought, Inside, jealousy was eating away at Darien. Outside his fists were clenching and unclenching at his sides. He was just about to storm over and drag Andrew outside by his collar , when he suddenly stood up and the girls all got up too and left. Andrew looked over at Darien with a smug smile on his face and laughed when Darien stormed out the door after the girls. ****************************************************** After three hours of trailing silently behind the girls at the mall and hiding whenever they looked his way, he was beat! He thought wearily to himself. He watched from across the food court as the five girls sat eating and showing off their purchases for each other. He had gotten close enough at one point to overhear that they were going to be splitting up after lunch to shop for each other. Darien thought that would be a perfect opportunity to talk to Serena. he thought bitterly. He was so lost in his thoughts that he did not realize that the girls had already left the food court. Frantically he looked around for what possible direction that Serena could have gone off in, but he didn't see those meatballs anywhere in sight. he thought. He was on his way out of the mall when he spotted a beautifully designed bunny made out of porceline in one of the shop windows. he thought. So he stopped, changed his course of direction and headed into the store. Ten minutes later he left the store with his precious treasure tucked under his arm. The sales girl had even gift wrapped it for him. He just couldn't wait to give it to Serena. Hopefully she'd make that adorable little squeal of hers and maybe even hug him. That thought made him smile and he began whistling a cheery Christmas tune as he walked towards the bus stop. ************************************************************************ Three days later, Darien was standing on his favorite bridge staring into the iced over water below daydreaming about Serena when all of a sudden he heard someone singing not too far away. He looked up to see that the song bird was Serena and that she was singing "Let It Snow" as she skipped along the path kicking up the newly fallen snow as she went. Serena for some unexplainable reason was in a fabulous mood. Maybe because Christmas was only a few days away. Maybe because it was the last day of school and the snow was falling and she could just have fun for the next two weeks. She didn't know and she didn't care. Nothing could spoil her mood, nothing except finding herself face to face with Darien. An uncomfortable silence fell between the two of them as they each waited for the other to throw some insulting remark in the others face. But it never came. Instead, Darien finally broke the silence and said a little nervously, "Hi Serena." Surprised that the word 'Meatball Head' did not escape his lips, she brought her bowed head up abruptly and said shyly, "Uh hi Darien." Again silence decended and finally he said, "So...on your way to the arcade?" Serena looked down at her feet and said, "No. I spent all of my money Christmas shopping the other day." "But don't you want to see Andrew?" he said before he could stop himself. Again he head came up, but this time anger flashed in her eyes. "No! I don't know why you feel like you always have to pick on me?? I may stop and see Andrew a lot, but he told me that he likes talking to me! Oh I don't know why I am bothering to explain myself to you!" she said and she tried to walk by him, but his hand shot out and caught her arm before she got away. "Hey! Let go of me you creep! Help! Someone help me!" she began yelling. Thankfully, the park was deserted so he didn't have to worry about that. Now, a little annoyed he said. "Geez Serena, lower the decibles will ya? I'm not going to hurt you! I just don't want you to leave yet." Serena quit struggling, but eyed him suspiciously as she said, "Why?" Darien realized what he had done by now and now it was his turn to look at his feet as he released her arm and softly said, "Because....well, I ...uh...thought that we might spend the day together." Serena looked at him in surprise. So instead she said, "Excuse me?" "I thought that you and I could, you know, spend the day together." Serena didn't say anything at first. Darien finally looked up to see what she was doing and saw that she had a thoughtful expression on her lovely face. Finally, she said, "O.k....but you can't call me Meatball Head. Deal?" "Deal!" He said and his own dazzling smile now lighting his handsome features up. Serena completely melted inside at the sight of his smile. She felt her knees go weak and she had to reach out and touch his arm to steady herself. "Are you o.k.?" He asked with concern. She smiled embarrassedly up at him and said, "Fine. So what are we gonna do?" "Whatever you want." "Really?" "Really." She squealed with delight and dragged him towards the arcade. A little disappointed he said, "You want to go play games?" She looked up at him and said, "No, I want hot chocolate!" Now Darien laughed, he should've known that food would come into play here somewhere, so he said, "Lead the way!" Later at the arcade after three cups of hot chocolate and two hot fudge sundaes he thought, Darien still sat across from Serena who was babbling all about school, her cat, her little brother and her friends. He couldn't believe how much she had opened up to him during this short time they had together. She bloomed in front of him like a rose that was in dire need of some attention. he thought as he sat there with what anyone else would've called a dreamy expression on his face. Andrew walked by a few times and each time Darien glared him away. Finally out of money, Darien called a halt to the conversation. "How about we go and walk all of that off? Besides, I don't think that I can afford anything else." Serena actually had the grace to blush at his comment, but soon agreed and jumped up to leave. Once outside, the conversation lulled again, until they reached the park. It was dark now and only the light from the street lamps lit the path through the park. Darien heard a small sigh escape Serena so he asked, "What's wrong?" She looked up at him and smiled and said, "Nothing. I was just thinking how much I love this time of year. It such a happy time, ya know?" Darien shrugged and said, "No not really. I mean, I grew up in an orphanage there wasn't exactly Christmas trees, presents or Christmas dinner, ya know?" Serena was silent at his side and he turned to look down at her and when he did, he saw the tears that were in her eyes. "Serena, are you o.k.?" he asked. But Serena had stopped walking and now she turned to him and then after a moment threw herself into his arms hugging him tightly, leaving him stunned, speechless and unable to move. Then her tearful words reached him. "Oh Darien, I'm so sorry that you never had a good Christmas. And here I am going on and on like an idiot. I am an idiot!" Darien was shocked, she was upset because he never had a good Christmas? It didn't make any sense. But then again, it was hard to make sense of anything with her arms wrapped around him. He was just about to respond by wrapping his arms around her, but then suddenly, Serena pulled away from him and said, "Thanks for the day Darien! I've gotta go now. Bye!" She waved before she ran off and before he could stop her, she was gone. Darien stood there a moment longer and then thought, He wasn't sure, but one thing he did know was that he was warm. ************************************************************* That night at Serena's house as she stood next to her mother drying dishes, Serena looked up at her mother and said cautiously, "Mom, do you think that it's important for everyone to experience the joys of Christmas at least once?" her mother looked at her curiously out of the corner of her eye and then answered, "Well yes, I suppose that it is Serena. Why do you ask?" Serena was concentrating on another dish as she said, "Well, you see, I have this....friend, and he grew up in an orphanage and he never got to experience a real Christmas! Can you believe that he's never even had a Christmas Tree?" "Oh Serena, that's terrible! Why don't you invite your friend over to dinner on Christmas Day?" Serena's face lit up and she said, "That's a great idea mom! But I was hoping to do a little better than that." Now her mother looked at her suspiciously and said, "What do you mean?" Serena was quiet for a moment and then shyly asked, "Can I borrow some money?" Her mother just stared at her as Serena told her about her plan. ************************************************************ Late that next afternoon, Darien was sitting on his favorite trying to chair reading a book on physics, but was really thinking about Serena,when the door bell rang he thought to himself and got up to answer the door. He wasn't expecting what he saw on the other side. "Hi Darien! Merry Christmas!" Serena said smiling up at him. But behind her was a Christmas Tree lying on the ground and then she had three shopping bags full of Christmas decorations. He was stunned. Was this all for him? He looked at her in awe and said, "Serena, what is all of this?" She smiled at him and said, "It's your very own Christmas Tree, Darien! Just call it a Christmas present, O.k.? Now do you wanna help me bring all this stuff in and we'll get started on decorating it." Numbly he nodded and came out of the doorway to help. Serena took the three shopping bags in and came back to help with the tree. She saw Darien just standing there staring at it and for a moment she thought that he might actually be mad at her for getting it for him. So it was with caution that she asked, "Darien, are you o.k.? I mean, are you mad that I got you a tree." When he looked up at her, there were tears in his eyes. Tears! She couldn't believe it, he was actually crying! "Oh Darien, don't cry!" she said as she wrapped her arms around him. This time, Darien didn't remain motionless. His arms came around her with crushing force and he hugged her to him fiercely. Serena just stood there and enjoyed the feel of his arms around her. She could've stayed like this forever, but nothing on earth could've prepared her for what happened next. "I love you, Serena." He said horsely. Now it was Serena's turn to be stunned. She didn't know what to do or say. She just stood there and thought, Slowly she felt Darien's hold on her lessen and then his arms were gone altogether and when she looked up at him, he was hurriedly whiping the tears from his eyes. But she just smiled at him. "Well," he said, trying to cover his embarrassment, "Let's get this thing inside and get started." She only nodded and as they pulled it into the apartment he said to her, "Gee Serena, how did you get this up here, it's huge!" She just smiled and said, "Magic." Two hours later, the tree was decorated and the two of them stood back to admire their work. The tree had white lights and all different colored balls on it that twinkled when the lights hit them just right, and silver tinsel finished the tree off. And althougth things had been a little tense since his emotional confession, they had had a great time. "I think that it looks really good, even though you didn't listen to my expert advice." she said as she began to clean up boxes. Finally Darien quietly said, "I'm sorry." She looked up at him questioningly and asked, "For what?" He looked really uncomfortable and finally said, "For what I said earlier." He looked really dejected now. Serena stopped what she was doing and went over to him and again wrapped her arms around him. She tried to look up into his eyes, but his gaze wouldn't meet hers. Finally she said, "Darien, look at me." She didn't continue until he did as she asked. She saw the hurt and pain that came along with dejection and it almost broke her heart. She smiled at him and said, "Don't be......I love you too." It took a moment for it to register on him what she said, but when it did, it did with crystal clarity. He groaned and again crushed her in his embrace. Then a moment later, he was kissing her. Kissing her with all of the passion and love that he felt for her. The best part was, she was kissing him back with just as much emotion and enthusiasm. After a moment more, the two of them broke apart and Serena was blushing and he laughed. Then he looked into her blue adoring eyes and said, "This is the best Christmas present that I have ever gotten. You're mine now and I'll never let you go." She smiled that smile that nearly brings him to his knees and he kissed her one last time before she headed home. *************************************************************** After Christmas dinner the next night at Serena's house, Darien and Serena sat quietly together on the couch starring at the Tsukino family Christmas tree. Dinner had went well, her Dad go quite as beserk as she had expected, but she highly suspected that her Mom had a lot to do with that. But now all was quiet as her family had headed over to a friend's house for dessert and she and Darien were left alone. Quietly Darien whispered her name, "Serena." "Hmm?" she said dreamily from her position in his arms. Darien moved causing her to look up at him. He reached down and from the floor next to him produced a little box with a silver bow on it. Serena squealed, as he had hoped, and said, "Oh Darien! For me?" Now Darien laughed and said, "Of course Meatball Head! Do you see anyone else here?" Serena just laughed and took the box from him and excitedly began to open it. When she opened it and pulled out the porceline rabbit again she squealed and threw her arms around Darien's neck giving him a huge hug. "Oh Darien! It's perfect!!! How did you know that I loved rabbits?" she asked. "Well, besides the fact that it's on you lunch bag and bookbag, you remind me of a little rabbit with that hairdo. And that's what you are....my little rabbit." He finished softly. Serena looked at him with tears in her eyes and said, "Really?" He just smiled as he began to lower his head towards her for a kiss and whispered, "I love you!" Serena closed her eyes and as his lips met hers she couldn't remember a more perfect Christmas. The End