Title: Learning How to Love Author: BluCrescent Rated: R E-mail: BluCrescent 7/ Author Notes: This is my first rated R fanfic because of language nothing steamy though. I just watched the Sailormoon R movie. I know I'm so late with that. But it was so good I just had to share the news. I'm going to keep this note short and let y'all read the story. The rest of my author notes will be at the bottom. Enjoy the story.... Part 5 An ebony hair young man sat his desk striving to finish grading the stack of essays in front of him. With restless and blood shot eyes he looked up to survey his surroundings for the one hundredth time. In front of him on the north wall lays a coliseum like structure with each step higher than the last accommodating his students' desks. The south, east, and west walls are made of glass giving the classroom a very open air like aura. To the back of the chamber sat Darien's desk with a single picture frame on it. Looking down at the essay paper on his desk Darien realized he didn't remember what the writer wrote. He glanced through the papers quickly noting that he didn't register reading it's content. Forgetting about the paper for the moment he picks up the frame to get a closer look at the picture. It's a picture of Serena and him on the night of their first kiss. They were so happy then. God he's more than 10,000 miles away from her and still she plagues his mind as if she's next door. There is not one day, one hour, one minute, or one second that her image doesn't haunt him like an invisible ghost. Sitting the picture down he took one last look at it and left the room. "Sir, Dr. Chiba is here to see you." "Send him in," Dean Robertson said through the intercom to his secretary. Darien walks nervously into the flush office. He had the honor to meet the Dean once on the first day he arrived in America but had not seen him since. The answer to why the Dean wanted all the sudden to see him now puzzled him immensely. The walls surrounding him now are full with shelves from top to bottom. A big red oak desk sits in the back of the room against a large glass window. Sitting at the desk is a man in his late forties. Streak of white hair contrast dramatically with his otherwise black hair. Soft mustache graces his uppers lip and gives him a stern but yet sometime lenient look of authority. "Mr. Chiba, please sit," he said indicating the chair in front of the desk. "Dean Robertson, I was wondering what is that you wish to speak to me about?" Darien asks sitting himself down on the comfortable chair. "Mr. Chiba your performances at this school is highly interesting. I understand that you yourself studied for your Ph.D. here?" "Yes, sir." "As I was saying your performances here is really something else. Valedictorian of your graduating class, distinguished doctor at Tokyo Hospital, and now one the best teacher here at Johns Hopskins. I have heard many things about you Mr. Chiba many of them very good except for the fact that you seem to attract every female body on this campus. Mr. Chiba you have been a great asset to us here. We want to continue enjoying your asset to this fine establishment." "I...I...don't understand what you're getting at?" Darien asked rather confused. "For such an ingenious man Chiba you are being vacuous at the moment. What I am trying to say is that we The Board is offering the head of the medical department to you if you are willing to stay at Hopskins." "I'm...oh my... My friends and life is in Tokyo and there's Ser...I don't know what to say," Darien ended his babbling to look up at the dean as if to find the answer within his eyes. "Say you'll at least consider it." "I'll consider it! Definitely! How long do I have before I must tell you my decision?" "As you know summer vacation start after this week then we take a two week break before summer classes commence. So you have two weeks before we must know what your response is." "I see..." his face turning a pale shade near white. "Here's your check for this month," the Dean said handing Darien the blue shaded envelope that he had received every month for the 6 months. "Thank you, good day sir." Darien stood up from the chair and proceeds to walk out the door. "Oh and Mr. Chiba if you leave the females of this premises will be very disappointed." With that the Dean laugh hysterically at his little joke. "I'll keep that in mind sir." Darien close the door gently behind and walk back to his classroom in deep contrasting thoughts. "Serena...Serena?" Lita ask waving her hands in front of her friend's eyes. But Serena just sat there staring at the little red rose in her hand. "SERENA!!!!!!" Lita scream as she shakes the girl feverishly. "What? What? Stop it! That hurts!" Serena said coming out of her haze. "Hehe...sorry. You just seem so out of it." Lita answered timidly. "Next time I seem out of it, just softly call my name don't shake me that hurts." "Well, actually I did called you first except you kept staring at that rose with a silly smile on your face." "Oh...hehe sorry I didn't know that." "Ok...So what's up with that grin on your face?" "What grin I don't see any grin?" "Of course not! There isn't a mirror in front of you." "Like I was saying I don't see any grin." "Now do you see it?" Lita ask holding compact mirror in Serena's face. "So...does that smile have anything to do with...oh I don't know... Darien coming back here?" "Darien and I are over, k? And how did you know that's Darien coming to Tokyo?" "Darien called and told Andrew then Mina called and told me. We didn't tell you because we thought you didn't want to know or didn't care." "You thought I didn't want to know?" she looked at Lita as if the girl was crazy. "Well, you did said that there's nothing between Darien and you anymore. So why would matter if he did come back here? I mean it's not like you love him or something, right?" "Aren't you suppose to be in the kitchen cooking up something?" Serena asks trying to change the subject. "I have 5 assistant chiefs, don't worry about it. Beside we're not that busy this time of day anyhow." "If we keep this up this restaurant will go bankrupt." "Serena there's this word in the dictionary you should try using it sometime. Let me tell you, it's called relax. We're not going to close down because this is the only of the day that this place isn't swarming with people. So relax. Say it with me relax, relax, take a deep breath, relax, relax..." "I get it! I get it! You can stop with the chanting and deep breathing now. God!" "Just trying to drill it in you girl. Hey! Is that Darien getting out of a black Porsche?" "What? Huh? Why?" Serena turning around scanning through the windows looking for a well-built man through the mass of pedestrians. "No...no that's not him...sorry my mistake. Gotta go see ya!" Lita said as she ran back into the safety of her kitchen before Serena could get a hand on her for playing that joke. "Lita!!!!!!!!!!!!" Lita peek her head out of the kitchen door, " Mina's planning a welcome back party for Darien this Saturday, you are going to come?" she asks in a serious voice. "I...I don't know...probably not. You know Saturday is a busy for us and you should just go with Ken. I have to stay here and close up. All the staff wants to get home as soon as possible so I have to stay behind and you know clean the place and you know...I...just tell them I can't make it." Serena look up from her babbling to find Lita smiling sadly at her. "Whatever you say," and she poked her head back inside the kitchen. A young man got out of his car and stood surveying the house in front of him. It's a classic house. Walking up the peddled walkway you can see rose bushes on each side of it. >From the walkway bricks steps led up to the front door. White shutters hang beside the window and flowerbeds lay in the frames of the windows. In front of the house are two white columns with rose vine growing up it. Smiling he picks up his suitcase and enters the house. Taking another look at his room it finally hit him that he's really home. Beside the window sits his bed and a little nightstand. Along the wall is a dresser with a vase of fresh rose on top of it, apparently the house cleaner had already come. Hanging from the wall is an architecture painting of a building. Rows after rows of column line the walkway to the building with waters spilling from a bowl shaped like structure from the top of the columns. The building itself is more like a castle with twin towers. The dome of the castle is pure white and seemed to be made of marble. In the background is a blue orb with white specks and star twinkling from the heavens. Suddenly finding himself very tired Darien flop down onto his bed and fell asleep due to jet lag. "So is he back yet?" a tall brunette asked through the phone. "Yeah, Andrew and him went out for coffee just a moment ago." "Oh yeah, Serena can't make it to his welcome back party." "Can't make or don't want to make it?" Mina asked. "Give her a break Mina, she's still got it bad for him." "Yeah but if she going to avoid him during the time he's here. There's no way they'll be able to get back together. She needs to talk to him." "I know, but how are we going to get her to talk to him if she refuse to go anywhere near him?" "Well maybe just maybe Lita...we could help." Lita could almost hear Mina smiling slyly over the phone. "Mina...what are you thinking about over there?" "Just listen to me and we'll get them back together but we need to get everyone in on these. You tell the girls and I'll tell Andrew to talk it over with the boys. First off the plan, we could..." She sat sipping a cup of coffee waiting for her friends. The girls had called and said they'll be a little late. Looking up from her cup of coffee she noted that the place was strangely empty. Not a single soul was present except for her and the waiter who disappeared somewhere in the back. The whole place was painted blue with drifting clouds and soft music play over the speakers. A single rose was place on each table and Serena took the liberty to borrow the rose from its vase for a moment. She held the flower in her hand as if it was the single most important thing in her life. Its reddish pick shade mesmerized her while the fragrance sent her off to oblivion. "Serena?" The waiter gave him a white envelope and left. That was strange you don't just leave...his thought was sidetracked as he took in the sight in front of him. There she sat sniffing in the scent of the rose with a small smile creeping up her face. God he had missed her. He would give the world just to hold her in his arms now. But he doesn't own the world and nothing can make her stay where she doesn't want too. All those months in America how he wished he could just look at her and now that she's front of him he felt so near but at the same time so far from her. If she would only give him a chance, he could make her happy, he could make her so happy. Looking at her now his heart ached for her more than ever. Her touch, her voice, her scent, but most of all her smile that light up his days. Before he could stop himself her name slip through his tongue. That voice she knew it anywhere. Her heart beat accelerated dramatically. Sweat formed in her palms and all Serena could do was stare at him. His eyes, there's a storm going on in them. The color kept changing and moving. A dull pain pound in the back of Serena's head and she broke herself away from his eyes to look down and find her nails digging into the palm of her hand. The other hand still held the rose delicately in her hands. Feeling her mouth gone dry she swallow and manage to breathe out his name. "Scott?" A tall blond man stood staring at Serena. He's around 5'11 and had grayish blue eyes. At first glance he looks handsome with his tall statue but if you look into his eyes you can see something brutal in them. It sends chill down your spine if you dare stare at it too long. "Serena...please don't scream...please I don't mean any harm." "Stay away from me! HELP! Where is everyone in this place? I need help?" tears well up in her eyes and fell down her ash white face. "Help! I need..." he held his hand over her mouth preventing her from screaming any longer. "Be quiet someone might hear you!" he said. " If let go of my hand will you promise to not scream?" She nodded her head in respond. "Ok" "HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" He clasped her mouth shut successful stopping her from making anymore commotion. "Serena just listen to me. I came to apologize." "This is how you apologize?" "Serena just let me explain. What happened or nearly happened between us was a long time ago. I've changed, believe me. I love you Serena I know that now. I didn't know that back then. I was just a silly college student then. But now I know what I did was wrong. I just want to ask for your forgiveness. This is my last day here in Japan Serena please forgive me," he looked at her tearful face and begin tracing the line down her jaw with his fingers. She shuddered under his touches and disgust rises up in her stomach. "Just leave me alone and get out of here and I'll forgive you. Please just go!" she says through tears. "I can't do that you have to come with me. I have two tickets to a far away island for just us two. How does that sound?" he asked in a menacing tone. Fear soars through her mixing with anger but anger soon won out. How dare this guy come into her life and messed it all up and now want to take her away against her will. I don't think so. "You're insane! Let go of me!" "No can do baby. I want you and you're going with me whether you like it or not." She tried struggling away from him but his grip was too strong. "Hold still baby," he said venom in his voice. Nausea filled her well being at the way he called her. "Let GO of Me!" she screamed as she kicked him hard in the crotch. He stepped back in pain, horror written all over his face. Taking advantage of the situation Serena ran for the front door trying to get out of the building. Scott quickly took control of himself and ran after her. Her hands shook as she grabbed the door the key to her freedom and ran out of the restaurant only to land in someone else's arms. She tried running away from this stranger but he wouldn't let her go. His grip on her was so hard and she couldn't get away it was like being in Scott's presence all over again. "Serena! Serena! It's me Darien! What's wrong." He pushed the thoughts of her not wanting to be near him away and try to find out what happened to make her so upset. "Darien? Oh god Darien! Help me! Keep that guy away from me!" she said pointing to the restaurant. "What guy?" anger boil in him at the thought of someone making his Serena upset. "That guy!" she cried pointing to Scott as he runs up to them. "Bitch come back here!" Scott yelled at Serena with ice in his eyes that promise torture if she doesn't. "She doesn't want to. Lets go Serena." Darien took her hand in his and guide Serena away from the menacing man. "Not so fast man. She's mine. If you want to go then go but she staying." "Over my dead body she'll stay!" Darien fought to control his voice. "This is none of your business." "I'm making it my business." "You're going to regret that decision!" Scott said. He swings his left arm trying to punch Darien in the face. Luckily Darien was able to dodge the blow and push Serena to another side so she wouldn't get in the fight. After telling Serena to stay behind the tree Darien turn around to find Scott charging at him with full force. Closer and closer he got to Darien, Darien stood there waiting for Scott to reach him, fist clenched in his palm. In one split second POW! Darien hit him square in the jaw and Scott stepped back dazed from the blow and fell onto the sidewalk. Darien walked back to tree where Serena was hiding but before he could reach Serena flung herself into his arms and cried hysterically. He gathered his arms around awkwardly and held her tightly in his embrace scared to let her go, afraid that she would disappear if he didn't hold onto her. "Darien, Scott was going to take me away but you saved me. He tried it before in college but I was able to get away. I thought I wouldn't be able to get away this time and not get to see my friends anymore, not get to see you. But you came God Darien you came," she explained to him through tearful eyes. "Shhhhhh...it's ok. I'm here. Calm down everything's all right now." He lifted her up from the ground and lead her to god knows where. All he knows what to get her away from the man on the sidewalk. They let their feet guide the way and soon they came to a small park. Darien led Serena up to one of the gazebo and sat her down on the bench. He sat down beside her with his arms around her but his mind elsewhere. The look, the face, the vileness of his voice and actions still pound in Darien's head. Who the heck was that guy? Serena said she known him from college but what did she mean he tried it before? What would have happened if he weren't there to help her? Would she be here with him or would she have disappeared off the face of this earth. All those questions yelled out their frustration in his head but no matter hard he thought about it the answers wouldn't review itself. "Darien?" "Yeah?" "Thanks for being there for me." "Hey it's no big deal. We're friends right?" Friend? He wanted to be much more than friends with her. The flower of friendship's fragrance pale in comparison to the fruit of love. "Yeah...friends," she muttered. "You want to go home?" he asked nudging her gently. "Nah, I want to stay here for awhile. Besides I was supposed to have lunch with the girls at that restaurant." "Oh, well how about we stay here for a while and I'll call the girls to tell them what happened and we can go get a late lunch?" "That sounds good but...could you please not tell them about Scott. I don't want them to worry. Especially Lita she knows him and she'll go ballistic if she find out about this." "Are you sure it's healthy to keep this from them?" "I'll tell them when things simmer down a bit. Besides he told me this is his last day here so I'll wait till he goes away and tell them. Can't take the risk of Lita wanting him hunted down and killed." "Wow you care about that guy even after what happened?" At that remark Serena burst out laughing for the first time since the incident. "No, of course not! I just didn't want Lita to be charged with a felony." "Oh I see." So she doesn't care about him. That's good news. "You know Scott and I went out in college." "Oh..." No wonder he's a psycho. I would go crazy too if I lose Serena. "He tried to pressure me into doing something that I didn't really want to, luckily Lita came looking for me and I was able to get away. Weird I never thought I would see him again. I don't know why I'm telling you this but I guess I just have to get it out of my system. Sorry about...all this," she gesture in the direction of the restaurant. "Hey, it's not your fault. None of this is, ok. So don't even think like that." "Thanks," smiling directly at Darien. His breath caught in his throat and all he could do was sit there and bask in its glory. It was good to see her smile again. "How about that late lunch?" Darien asked wanting to change the subject because of the fear he hears in Serena's voice whenever they talk about it. "Yeah..." "Hey guys! Over here!" Darien waved to the four couples that were walking into the restaurant. They had decided earlier to go to a different restaurant since the other one might bring back unwanted memories. The couples waved back and made the way to the large round table containing their friends. They all soon settled in and a waiter came to take their orders. Actually quite a large order since there are ten people to feed. "So did our plan work?" Amy asked Serena and Darien eagerly. "Plan?" they asked looking at each other. To be continued... Author Notes: First off I want to thanks all the people who wrote last week. The response I got was truly awesome. Thank you so much everyone. On to other news I now have two editors who will be editing my works from now on. I know the story is filled with mistakes in spelling, grammar, and millions of other mistakes but from now on Karlee and Morgan (bless them) will fix all that. Sorry I had to make you suffer through all that. So did you guys expect Scott to make an appearance in the story or did you thought it was Darien when I was describing how much he missed her? In case you didn't get why he can change from hot to cold so fast in Darien's word he's psycho. Oh yeah and that phrase the "the flower of friendship pale in comparison to the fruit of love" is not mine. I read it somewhere but forgot where. And last but now least write me, write me, write me, write me, write me, write me. P.S. Anyone know what Ken's last name is? If you do please e-mail me with the info. Thanks a bunch. Peace and love, BluCrescent