Title: On Impulse - Part 4 Author: Alicia Blade E-mail: Kammi22@sprintmail.com Rated PG-13 for sexual references/adult material Hey people! Wow, you all know how to make a person feel loved, doncha? Since the readme I posted last week, I received at least 4 notices from people willing to help with the html files. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!! MoonieGal, Lucyzig, and Sara, I totally appreciate the offer! And Scutter, my new... er... file editor, thank you, thank you, thank you! I hope I'm not missing anyone... if someone else offered and I forgot you, gomen! God bless you all abundantly! I owe special thanx in this chapter to Sailor Lyra, the whole restaurant was her idea. Arigatou!!! I must tell ya that I LOVED your poems 'Holding You' and 'Why' and your fic 'Candle on the Water'. Beautiful!!! "When you are arrested, don't worry about what you will say. You will be given the right words when the time comes. But you will not really be the ones speaking. Your words will come from the Holy Spirit." Mark 13:11 Part 4 - By Candlelight "Here, you go change while I pick up our reservations," I said to her, handing the shopping bags to Serena. She didn't hear me, too busy looking around the large restaurant in awe. "The nicest restaurant in Tokyo, and the most expensive," she whispered before turning to me. "Why did you bring me here? You didn't have to do this..." I smiled down on her shocked face. "You deserve the very best, princess. And... besides, I want to make an impression on you." Slowly, she returned my grin, before wrapping her arms around my neck and hugging me tightly. "You already have, my prince." Unwillingly, I pulled her away from me, aware of the strange looks we were receiving. I was quite sure that they don't see girls wearing school outfits in a place like this very often. "Go change," I whispered, brushing her bangs away from her face. "The restroom is right back there." I pointed her in the direction and she took the bags from me and disappeared behind the large wall. Sighing, I turned to a man in a tuxedo waiting behind the front desk. "Reservations for Chiba, please." He checked in his book, and then smiled up at me mischievously. "Of course sir, you requested private dining?" "That's correct." Grinning, he closed the book. "As soon as the lady returns, I will have a host show you to your room." "Thank you." I turned, leaning my elbows against, the desk and waited. ~ 15 MINUTES LATER ~ It seemed as though hours had passed when an angel finally emerged from behind the wall. She had on a huge grin to match her elegant apparel. The white dress was embroidered with gold thread in large floral motifs. The top bodice was beaded in gold, the thin satin straps complete with touches of lace. Sheer white wrist gloves adorned her hands, and on her feet, perfect white Cinderella shoes clicked along the marble floor. I stared at her unblinkingly, amazed at her beauty. She blushed slightly, wringing her hands before her stomach. Gulping, I stood upon my wobbly knees and walked over to her. "You look... incredible." "Thank you..." she whispered uncertainly. Holding out my arm for her, I asked, "Shall we?" in my most sexy voice. She giggled and threaded her arm through mine and we were led by a host through a crowd of clinks of glasses and silverware. Stepping closer to me, Serena whispered, "You won't believe it! They have a lady giving out towels in the bathroom! It's all so... royal." I laughed, my eyes twinkling down on her as she diverted her attention out to the other fancy dresses, the chandeliers, the oriental carpets. She was loving every minute of it... and I was extremely proud of myself. The man took us to a dark glass door surrounded in crimson draperies and gold tassels. Grinning, he opened the door, and we walked inside. Serena gasped loudly, turning back to face me. "This...? You did... all this?!" I chuckled, stunned as well. "No, they did all this. I just paid for it." She giggled, and I helped her to sit down at the small round table in the center of the room. Lit candles adorned the walls, with two long stemmed candles set on our table, creating a romantic glow. The only other lighting was a fairly large crystal chandelier above, sending white lights dancing over the walls. Soft music played throughout the solitary room. Red and white roses in crystal vases filled the space with a pleasant scent, and everything was perfectly romantic. The host handed us some menus, read off the specials or, 'entrees of the day' and then left us alone. "Why did you do this?" asked Serena, her eyes shining at mine happily. "So that you would look at me like that," I reply. She blushes, turning away to begin reading her menu. She glanced up at me from time to time, each look seemingly sweeter, more caring than the last. Soon, a waitress came in and took our orders, before disappearing again and we waited anxiously, sharing small conversations, myself reveling in her companionship. "Darien..." she whispered, looking up at me. "Yeah?" "Wh...why are you doing all this... for me?" I stared at her for a minute, not sure of what to say, before I tilted my head to the side and smiled. "Why not?" She sighed, her confused stare turning to something along the lines of an angry pout. "I'm serious. What made you change all the sudden, like... almost like you've become a completely different person." Gulping, I lean back. How do I explain what I'm feeling to her if I don't totally understand it myself? "When I woke up this morning, I just knew it was going to be a good day. Didn't know why... I just... felt as if something was going to be different. I felt... free. Unrestricted, like all the rules were made to be broken, and none of it mattered." She was watching me closely, almost as if she was looking into my thoughts and soul, into my heart. "Then I had this urge to see you, to talk to you, and... and so much has happened today, none of it seems to make much sense. The only thing that does make sense to me, is that for the first time since we met, I am getting the chance to be with you. Just like I have always wanted to be with you. And I was right. It has turned out to be a most excellent day." After a moment, she returned my smile. "You know, you have done so many things for me today, and you have become a totally different person. At first I thought you were just trying to scare me but now... now I think that this is the real you. For the first time I'm seeing the Darien behind the comments and the insults. And... I think I'm liking you very, very much." A comfortable silence fell upon us as she turned her gaze away from mine. "But Darien, you really didn't have to do so much. I would be feeling this way if you'd taken me somewhere else, too, like a fast food restaurant or something. Because... something about the new you... makes me smile. You make me happy and... warm inside. And I've never felt this way before... with anyone." I watched her closely, my heart beating faster with every word. Slowly, I reached my hand across the table and took hers into mine. "Serena... I know I didn't have to do any of this. I realize that money and gifts and things like that make no difference to you. But... the look on your face when we walked into this restaurant, and seeing you in that incredible dress... It was all very worth it. And... if... if you'll let me, I would spend the rest of my life lighting your smile up like that again." Her eyes widened as my fingers gently stroked over her palm. Silently, her lips repeated, 'the rest of my life'. Then slowly, a smile dawned on her face and her eyes had become two shades lighter, filled with an emotion behind them it blocked out any thought from my mind. Right then, the door opened and the waitress walked in again, carrying a platter filled with plates and saucers. Our hands separated quickly and she set them down before us, my fettuccini Alfredo, and Serena's spaghetti and meat sauce, bread, drinks, and extra silverware. "Is there anything else I can get for you?" "No, I think we're fine, thank you." "Enjoy your dinner." She left quickly and we were left alone in the dreamy room again. At first we ate silently, Serena exchanging glances with me before looking shyly away. I grinned, watching the spaghetti sauce splatter onto her cheeks, some even landing on her nose before she dabbed it off with her napkin, attempting to look proper. Finally, we found ourselves making small talk, and she giggled and laughed happily, even blushing a few times due to selected, truthful comments, and my mood heightened. After I'd finished eating, I sat back and watched her. She ate the rest of her meal soon after and glanced up speculatively to catch me watching her. "What?" she asked uncertainly. "Oh, nothing. I'm just... wondering why you're here with me. For a long time I never thought that would happen." She grinned in response, setting her fork down on her plate. "I'm glad that I'm here with you." "Do you want to dance?" I asked suddenly. Before waiting for an answer, I stood and grabbed onto one of her hands, pulling her out of her seat. She giggled, standing in front of me and I wrapped my right arm around her waist. She gave me the most outstanding smile I had ever seen and my knees nearly collapsed below me, but instead, I leaned forward and kissed her forehead. She sighed and her head fell onto my shoulder. "I would love to dance." We began turning around tauntingly slow. It seemed as though with every step I would want more of her, holding her small body closer to mine. After a few minutes, I released my hand from hers and her arm immediately circled around my neck. Grinning, I reached my free hand into my pocket and pulled out the diamond necklace I had bought for her earlier that day. "I have another surprise for you." She giggled. "Not another one..." Almost unwillingly separating from her, though keeping her still at arm's distance, I whispered. "You look stunningly beautiful, my dear. But, there's something missing." She forced down the smile I could see just boiling to come up. "Close your eyes." Shaking her head, she did as asked, the grin tugging at her gorgeous lips. "What are you up to now..." "No peaking," I sang. Taking the ends of the necklace into my fingers, I reached around her neck, easily snapping the clasp together. Her lips parted as they felt the cold metal against her bare skin. "Alright..." I whispered, "open!" She did, looking down in shock. Her fingers came up to trace over the pink-tinted teardrop hanging at the base of her collarbone. "Oh... it's lovely..." "Do you like it?" Blue eyes dragged themselves away from the glittering jewelry to look up at me. "I love it! It... oh, but I can't take this, not everything else and now this! I can't..." I quickly place my fingers on her lips, quieting her. "It's yours, Serena. I want you to have it. I would love nothing more than for you to keep this necklace, and think of me every time you wear it." I move my fingers away to cup her chin in my grasp and she smiles. "Thank you... I... I can't thank you enough. For everything... Oh, Darien, this night has been so perfect!" Pushing my arm aside from her face, she throws her arms around my shoulders, hugging me tightly. After only a second, I feel a searing pain in my right arm where she hugs me tightly. Yelping, I unconsciously push her away. She gasps, stepping back. "What? What did I do?" she all but screams at me. Breathing a sigh, I smile up at her. Rolling up my sleeve, I show her the rose and sword tattoo on my arm, still extremely sensitive from this afternoon. "I just got it today. It's still a tad soar." "Oh!" She instantly clasps her hands over her mouth. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..." "I know, it's okay." Her hands fall back to her side and she walks over to me again. "I'll be more careful now." "Thank you..." Then, to my surprise, she slid her hands around my neck again, pressing her body against mine. My arms returned to their place, tying around her waist tightly. "Why did you get the rose and sword?" she asked quietly, after holding each other for a few minutes. I shrug. "Dunno, just thought it looked cool." She giggles, holding me tighter. We unconsciously begin to dance again. The music swirls us into a dreamland where only we exist, holding each other preciously. I stroke my hands over her back, lying butterfly kisses in her hair. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?" I whisper suddenly and she raises her eyes to mine as a blush tints her cheeks. "I...I'm not really..." "Yes, you are. You are the most gorgeous girl I have ever laid eyes on. I knew that the first day we met. Which leads me to wonder, why on Earth are you here with me?" She giggled for a moment. "Didn't I already answer this question? You've changed. You make me happy, and when I'm this close to you... I feel... warm and safe... And everything just seems right." "I feel the same way." Smiling, she closes her eyes and I lean my forehead down on hers. "Serena... let's imagine today at the park never happened, okay?" "Huh?" Her eyes snap open and she stares at me in surprise. "Why would I want to pretend it never happened?" Sighing, I trace one finger down her jaw line. "You didn't want me to be your first kiss. You didn't want it to be in a freezing cold lake, and... you certainly didn't want it to be with someone you didn't even like. You told me that yourself." "Darien, I was mad at the time..." "But you were right. I mean... the moonlight, the candles... they're what every girl dreams of... And I ruined it for you. I'm sorry. So... let's pretend it didn't happen, and... start all over again. Alright?" She hesitated a moment, looking down and for a moment I thought I could see disappointment flash across her eyes. "Okay... It never happened." "Great." Another moment of silence passed, I could tell she was in deep thought. She closed her eyes, her head falling to my chest again. "You know what, Darien?" "Hm?" "We...we're surrounded in candles now..." The nervousness in her voice thickened as she looked up at me again, our gazes meeting. "And... anymore, I don't think I would mind... I mean..." Placing two fingers on her lips again, I shush her gently, lowering my face to hers so that our breaths danced on each other's lips. "Serena... if I kissed you now, would you slap me again?" A smile tugged at her lips for a moment and her innocent stare turned to one of mischief. "The question is, would a kiss be worth another slap in the face?" It only took me a moment to ponder that one before I brushed my lips onto hers for the second ti... no, the FIRST time that day. Deepening the kiss, I moved my hand up to the back of her neck, holding her gently against me while my other arm teased the material of her dress. I could feel her responding now, her arms first tightening around my neck, before loosening and running her hands down my shoulders and chest. A small gasp escaped into my mouth when I parted her lips and slid my tongue in, and she returned the kiss with equal passion. I had never been so warm in my life. Breaking apart, I tilted my head up and tenderly kissed the tip of her nose, before nuzzling my face in her hair. I could feel her shaking in my embrace as she leaned against me once more, her bare arms covered in goosebumps. "What, no slap this time?" She giggled, eventually coming out from her reverie. "It was too perfect." I kissed her forehead again. "Oh Serena, everything is perfect when you're near." Sighing, she opened her eyes slowly. "The candlelight, the music, you... Only one thing could have made it even better..." she whispered, almost to herself. "Yeah, and what's that?" I ask, trying to sound somewhat hurt. "Moonlight..." The delighted twinkle enters my eye and a light bulb clicked on above my head. "That can be arranged, princess." Reluctantly, I pried her from my arms, turning back to scoop up our bags and leave a fair amount of money on the table. "Huh? What are you doing now?" "Making all your wishes come true. Come on!" I take hold of her wrist and drag her out of the restaurant. The host told us goodnight as we ran out the door and headed down the sidewalk as fast as we could. "Darien! Where... are... you taking me?!" she gasped. I slowed down to a walk so that she could catch her breath. "The best place in Tokyo to see the moon!" "Where's that?" "My apartment!" I said happily, pointing to the building on the corner of the block as we neared it. "You're APARTMENT?!" "Don't look at me like that, I'm not crazy. You'll see... the balcony has the best view. I don't know why, but for some reason, it just seems brighter there than anywhere else I've ever seen it from. Just you wait!" She didn't protest anymore as I dragged her into the lobby and elevator. "Wow, you live in some nice apartments," she whispered in awe, looking over the walls as we walked down the hallway. "Here we are!" I called, opening the door and letting her in. She walked into the dark living room and I flipped on the light switch, closing the door behind us. "Woah, this place is almost as big as my house! It must cost a fortune." Shrugging, I walk over to the radio and turn on a slow rock station. "Don't go outside yet!" I call, running over to my kitchen. I hear her sigh loudly as I dig through my drawers for some candles. Finding them, I place them into a couple holders. Grabbing a book of matches, I run out to the living room again. Seeing that she has made herself comfortable on my couch with her eyes closed, I grin and walk out onto the balcony. Setting the candles up on the corners of the banister, which luckily is fairly thick. I light them before going inside again. "You asleep?" Her eyes open and she smiles as I walk over to her. Offering my hands, she takes them and I pull her to her feet. "The sky is clear tonight. It looks divine!" She giggles as I lead her outside. First she sees the candles and gasps, smiling brightly. Then I guide her attention up to the crescent moon above, and her eyes widen. "Told you so," I whisper into her ear, taking notice of her shocked face. "Oh, Darien, it is absolutely gorgeous!" She walks over to the ledge and places her elbows on the railing and leans forward. Grinning, I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her waist, holding my hands in front of her stomach. Leaning over her, I kiss her earlobe and she shudders beneath the intimate touch. "Not as gorgeous as you." Despite the dark night, I can see a pale pink blush rise in her cheeks and her eyes drift close. Leaning back, her hands reach up to hold onto mine. "This is all too much..." she whispers, finally opening her eyes again to gaze up at the overhanging stars. Kissing her temple, I turn her around in my arms, trapping her between my body and the railing. Judging by the look in her eyes, I don't think she minds being trapped there much. "Serena..." I whisper, brushing my lips against hers again. "There is so much I want to tell you... But I don't know how." I press my lips onto hers more powerfully, draining the breath from her in long, passionate kisses. "I'm in love with you," I finally tell her, still lingering inches from her lips. With that statement, her eyes fly open and she backs away slightly, not forcefully, but just enough to look up into my eyes. "What... did you say?" "I'm in love with you, Serena," I repeat, fear beginning to clutch around my heart with the shocked stare she's giving me. Slowly, her eyes soften. "In... love with me?" I nod and she starts to move steadily closer again. Closing her eyes, she lies her head on my shoulder, like she had when we danced. "I have dreamed so many times of hearing someone say that to me. I... never imagined it would be you." Gulping, I gently wrap my arms around her again. "I know I'm not what you dreamt of in a man, but... I know I could make you happy. I promise you I would do anything to make all your dreams come true, sweet, sweet Serena..." "Shhh..." she whispers, touching to fingers to my lips. "You're wrong. You are exactly what I've always dreamt of in a man. You're everything I've wanted. Fun and loving and... sporadic!" she giggled, rubbing her head into the crook of my neck. "Darien... I think I'm falling in love with you too..." I don't know how long it took for those words to settle in as I held her on the balcony, gazing up at the moon. Then, I turned my eyes to look down on her. Her eyes were closed, her fingers stroking down the lining of my jacket. "You're... falling in love... with me?" She sighed, opening her eyes and nodding. A grin crossed my features and I laid another butterfly kiss on her forehead. Running my hands up and down her back, I kiss her temple, her cheek, her nose "So... are you in love with me yet?" I whisper and she giggles slightly. "Getting there," she teases. I kiss her lips gently. "Yet?" "Almost..." she sighs, leaning forward for another kiss. But before our lips can meet, I bend down and sweep her into my arms, carrying her princess style back into the apartment. She squeals in surprise as I drop her down on the couch, leaning down on my knees beside her. Bending over, I kiss her neck, her bare shoulders, before moving back up to her cheeks again. Taking a breath, I loom over her lips, opened slightly, her eyes closed in dazed happiness. "Now?" I whisper tauntingly. Her arms come up to tie around my neck, her eyes opening to look deep into my gaze. "Darien... I... I love you," she whispers in all seriousness. If my heart had been beating fast before, now it felt as though running a marathon in the Olympics. The bright, mischievous smile fades and I lean my forehead onto hers, pushing myself up to sit down on the couch beside her. "Oh, Serena... I love you so much it hurts when you're not around. My arms ache to hold you, by lips ache..." She kissed me then, as deeply as I had kissed her before, her tongue opting to play with mine. I held her closely to my body, afraid that she would disappear from my grasp. Leaning down, I laid her back down on the couch, feeling her golden hair tumble down over my arms. I released her lips just long enough to travel down her neck again, paying special attention to the crook just below her ear. She purred slightly when I kissed her there, whether or not she noticed that, I'm not sure. Gradually, I moved my body to lay along side hers. My lips darted down her collarbone, along her shoulder, pushing the thin dress strap down as I kissed the salty skin. Unconsciously, my hands moved to the base of her neck, steadily unzipping the dress. My palms run over the skin of her back, hearing her moan slightly. I could hear her breathing speed up as my lips lingered dangerously close to the neckline of her dress, tempting her precious innocence. Soon, I noticed where this was taking us. How eager I was to make love to her, here and now. Forcing myself to pause for a moment, I looked up to her peaceful face. "Do you want me to stop?" I whisper. Her eyes opened to look up at me, and she shook her head. "No... Darien, I want this..." she whispered. I kissed her lips again, and could feel her gloved hands begin tugging my jacket off. Kissing her face gently, I helped her unbutton my shirt. I could feel my emotions running wild with me. The undying love, as well as devotion, that I felt for her. My shirt fell to the ground and we were wrapped in each other's embrace again. Kiss after kiss became more passionate. I could feel her hands running over the dip in my back, the strong muscles, searching out every crevice in my body. My hands traveled down her side, feeling her slender, delicate curves. Tugging the skirt of her silky dress up, I ran my right hand over the side of her leg, teasing her thigh. She moaned, arching her back unconsciously, pressing her stomach against mine. "I love you..." she began whispering again and again into my hair, kissing my face lovingly. I returned the compliment, my hands continuing to make her shiver beneath their warm touch, my lips nibbling on her ears, proclaiming my love for her as she did me. This is so right. I know it is. I'm in love with her, she's in love with me. Nothing else matters. This is so, so right. So incredibly... WRONG! Hold on, Darien, just wait a minute! You know this is wrong! I stopped my kisses suddenly, my eyes snapping open. She's a fourteen-year-old child! She's not ready for this! She doesn't even know what love is! I can't do this to her! I can't! Jumping up from the couch, I quickly pulled my shirt on and began buttoning it up again. Serena's eyes opened immediately to look up at me in fear and shock. "Darien, wha... what's wrong?" "This, Serena. We shouldn't be doing this!" She sits up on the couch. After a minute, I could see a deep sadness flow into her eyes. Standing, she threw herself into my embrace, tying her arms around my waist. "Darien, what are you talking about? It was right a minute ago. I... I'm ready for this. I love you! I want you to..." "No, Serena, you are way too young for this! You have to get out of here! You should leave!" Prying her arms away from me, I turned and grabbed our shopping bags that held her school clothes, before shoving them into her arms. "I don't understand..." she whimpered, tears forming on her eyes. "Did I do something wrong?" Sighing, I lead her to the door, before looking up at her ashamed. "No, I did something wrong. I shouldn't have used you like that!" "But you didn't use me! I'm in love with you! You said that... you love me too..." "Serena, you're too young to even know what love is! I'm sorry. Forget this whole day ever happened! It was a mistake, everything I did today was a mistake!" Practically shoving her out the door, I slammed the door shut, before falling against it, my heart contracting in my chest, the pain from seeing her hurt expression flashing through my mind, my body, my heart and soul. Turning, I slid down the doorway, staring out into my dull and lifeless apartment. I looked at the clock. The digits read 12:03. Stay tuned for Part 5: The Darien Within Again, make sure to bookmark First Love, it will be the most common place to find my fics from now on. Thanx!! http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Spa/4410 Luv and God bless! <3 Alicia