Thorny Remembrances

Chapter 7

	Darien called Serena from the car.  He and Lita had decided to 
tell her that they?d located the new princess during a coffee house 
stakeout.  However, they agreed that the days events would be 
relevant to the conversation.
	Serena said she?d round up the other scouts and meet at Rei?s 
grandfather?s temple.
	Ami was the first to arrive.  She?d been able to get data from 
Luna and Artimus regarding all incidents at the coffee shop.  In 
each case a transfer of power had occurred prior to the illness or 
violent attack.
	?Those people are gonna have a huge paned glass window bill.  
Mina took out one this morning,? said Rei after Lita told her and 
and the others what had happened. 
	?I suppose I was a little less than delicate,? smiled Mina.
	Ami laughed.  ?Imagine that.?
	?Anyway,? said Darien, ?according to her license, she lives in 
the apartments across from the old library.  Both her complex and the 
library show as hot spots.?
	?I can?t believe how lucky you guys were to meet her at the 
coffee shop and then end up with her purse,? said Ami.  ?I?ll run a 
check on her.?
	Ami began to copy the information from Rose's student ID and 
motorcycle operator?s license .
	Serena lay back on a pillow the entire time, listening to 
Darien and the other scouts.  She wondered about the new princess.  
She tried to picture her, but was interrupted by Rei.
	?Don?t you think?  Serena?  Are you even paying attention??
	?Yes, I just missed the last part.  Could you repeat it??
	Rei rolled her eyes.
	?I said, since we have a photo and an address one of us should 
try to follow her tomorrow.?
	?I?m free after class.  I can go,? offered Serena.
	?I don?t know if that?s such a good idea,? said Darien.
	?Why?? asked Serena. ?I can handle following some girl around 
for an afternoon.?
	?You don?t understand,? he replied.  ?Trouble is already 
following her.?
	Serena tried to read his eyes.  Normally she would have thought
he was concerned for her safety, but there was something else.  He 
looked away.  She caught her breath.  Darien had never avoided her 
gaze before.
	?Well, if you?re going, take Lita with you,? he insisted.
	Serena thought she saw him and Lita exchange glances.  Lita 
seemed to nod slightly.
	Serena fought the tears.  She knew Darien was keeping something
from her, something he was ashamed of.  Whatever it was, Lita seemed 
privy to the information.  There had never been secrets between her 
and Darien.  She tried to look attentive while the others discussed 
the violent episodes that had been happening all over the city.
	
	Darien watched Serena excuse herself to get a glass of water.  
He waited a minute and did the same.
	?What?s up with those two?? he heard Mina ask as he rounded 
the corner.
	He could barely hear Lita?s voice referring to his stressed 
schedule that always seemed to squeeze Serena out.
	?Good job, Lita,? he thought to himself.
	Serena stood at the sink with her back to him.
	?Can I have a glass too?? he asked catching her off guard.
	She sniffled and wiped her eyes quickly before turning to face 
him.  But he could tell she?d been crying.
	?Oh, don?t cry Serena,? he said pulling out his handkerchief.
	?Look, Darien, I don?t know what you?re not telling me.  I 
trust you.  I love you.  But don?t expect me to act like I don?t 
know.?
	With that she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
	?Tell the others I had to go home,? she said, turning and 
heading for the door.  She barely remembered to pick up her purse 
and book bag on the way out.
	Darien stood there holding the glass of water.  He wasn?t an 
overly emotional person, but he could feel the sting of salt in his 
eyes.
	?What am I doing?? he asked himself aloud.
	?I don?t know,? answered Rei standing in the doorway, arms 
folded across her chest and giving him a disapproving look.
	?You know Serena,? he tried to cover, ?always over reacting.?
	?I dunno Darien.  You don?t have to be a fortune teller to see 
that there?s more to it than that.?
	He looked back at the door where Serena had disappeared.  He 
felt bad.  He started to say something to Rei, to try to explain, 
but suddenly he heard his voice echo in his ears.
	?Rei, why don?t you try minding your own business for once.  
Just leave me alone.?
	Rei took a step back, obviously shocked.
	Darien covered his mouth, not believing what he?d just said. 
	Before he had a chance to apologize, Rei stormed out.
	His hand was still covering his mouth.  He had heard the words,
felt his lips and mouth moving to form them, but still he had not 
said them.
	He walked back into the room where they?d all been meeting.  
Rei was nowhere to be seen.  The other girls stared at him with their
mouths open.  Obviously they had all heard his outburst.  Ami was the
first to speak.
	?Darien, I know you?ve been under a lot of pressure, what with 
school, the hospital and helping us.  Why don?t you head home and 
take a break.  We?ll talk to Rei for you.?  She smiled.
	Mina nodded.  ?Rei will understand.  She?s the original hot-
head.?
	?Thanks guys,? he said.  ?I honestly don?t know what came over 
me.?  He looked down at his feet.
	Lita stretched her arms over her head and winced a little at 
the pain.
	?Guys,? she started, ?my shoulder?s starting to get a little 
achy.  Can ya?ll calm Rei down without me?  I?m gonna go home and 
give Serena a call.?
	?That?s a good idea,? answered Ami.
	?Thanks,? said Darien, not making eye contact.
	Lita left a few minutes before Darien, but he wasn?t surprised 
to find her leaning against his car outside the temple.
	?Where did that come from?? she asked as he walked to the car.
	?I wish I knew.?
	?I have an idea.?
	?Hop in.  You can tell me on the ride home.?  He held the door 
for Lita as she slid into the passenger side of his car.
	Once on the way Lita expounded on her theory.
	?You came in contact with the new princess; more than just once
or twice.  Right??
	?Yeah, so??
	?Didn?t it appear that the waiter at the coffee shop had served
her before?  We know there?d been energy transfers for the last 
month.  What if prolonged contact with her results in violent 
outbursts?? asked Lita.
	?You?re starting to sound like Ami.?
	?She?ll make the same connection soon.  When Rose calls you 
about her purse.  You need to find out if she know why this is 
happening, but you probably won?t get very far.?
	?There?s a message on my machine from her now, but I haven?t 
called her back.  Serena showed up before I had a chance.?  His mind 
drifted back to the Serena, her kiss before she?d left the temple.
	?Darien, do you think Serena and I should follow Rose 
tomorrow??
	?Go ahead.  Just don?t let her see you.  I?ll call Miss Mason 
when I get home, then I?ll let you know when I?m going to meet her.  
You can plan an ice cream break for that time.?
	They both chuckled knowing Serena wouldn?t be able to resist 
ice cream.
	?I really need to spend some alone time with Serena,? said 
Darien as they pulled in front of Lita?s building.
	?Yes,? she replied, ?you really do.?  She hopped out of the 
car, waved and disappeared into the building.
	
	
	Inside her apartment, Lita called Serena.
	?Hey girl, we?re up for surveillance tomorrow, right??
	?Sure.  Did Darien say it was okay?  He seemed against the 
idea.?
	?No, he just didn?t want you to go alone.  We should never do 
anything without back-up.  Have you talked to any of the others??
	?No.  I?m sorry I had to bug out the way I did.  I had some 
homework.?
	?Yeah, right,? answered Lita skeptically.  ?You don?t have to 
cover with me.  I know your upset.  Darien?s been acting weird.  
When Rei gave him a hard time after you left, he chewed her out.?
	?No?really??
	?Yeah.?
	?I?m worried about Darien, but I would have loved to have seen 
that,? giggled Serena.  ?Lita, can I ask you a question?about 
Darien.?
	?Sure.?
	?You and he have been spending a lot of time together, is he 
all right?  I mean really.  I feel like something is wrong, and I 
can?t help him fix it.?
	?Serena, I?m going to tell you the truth, but you cannot 
repeat this to anyone.  Understand??
	?Okay.?
	?I don?t really know what?s wrong with Darien, but I think 
he?s remembering something from his past.?
	?You mean like when his parents were killed in the car 
accident?? asked Serena.
	?No, I mean from his other past, when he was a prince.  I 
don?t think he knows what?s going on or he?d tell us.  Whatever he?s 
holding in, I think it has something to do with this new princess.  
And I think it?s a painful memory, one he doesn?t want to remember.?
	?Oh, Lita.  I just hate to think of him going through this 
alone.?
	?I know,? assured Lita.  ?But I think he has to.  You know 
Darien, he?ll work through this and be okay in the end.?
	?Do you really think so??
	?Yeah, we?ll talk more about it tomorrow.  How ?bout we meet 
at the library near this Rose Mason chick?s apartment.  I don?t have 
school until after this weekend, so I?ll be there waiting for you.?
	?Okay, I?ll be there by four.  And Lita, thanks for telling 
me.?
	Lita felt a little guilty when she hung up the phone.  Still 
she?d told Serena what she really thought was going on with Darien, 
even if she hadn?t told Darien.
	She stood staring out the window for a few minutes, then went
into the bedroom.