Love's Got A Hold On My Heart (Revised)
Chapter 1
By:  Jessica M. Moonflower
E-mail: salud731@earthlink.net
Rated: G

Disclaimer: As usual I do not own Sailor 
Moon. Don't we all wish we did though? ^.^

Summary: Serena Lawson is a food critic. 
Darien Lane is a restaurant owner. When 
these two meet, it's love at first sight, for 
Darien. For Serena, another distraction in 
her life. Will love ever find Serena? 

AN's: Hey everyone! As you can see, I have 
decided to revise this chapter a bit. I wanted 
to correct a few errors made in this chapter 
and my other chapters. Not much changes here, 
but little ones that are hardly noticeable anyway. 
One more thing, Serena, Mina, Lita, Amy, and 
Raye are 26 and Darien, Andrew, Ken, Greg, 
and Chad are 27.

³Follow love and it will flee,
Flee love and it will follow
thee.²
~John Gay~


-----<------@ -------<-----@  


   "Lita, have you seen my briefcase 
anywhere?" asked Serena Lawson as she ran 
like a crazed lunatic around her apartment 
looking for it.
   "No! Where did you last have it?" called 
Lita James from the bathroom.
   "How should I know? That's why I asked 
you in the first place," Serena called back, 
still trying to find her missing briefcase.
   Serena Lawson was a beautiful, blond 
woman with hair that reached a little past 
her shoulders, sparkling azure eyes, and a height 
of 5¹7². She worked as a food critic for "The 
New York Times" and was termed by fearful 
restaurant owners, ŒThe most dreaded food 
critic in New York.¹ 
   Serena was a very picky eater, and if 
the food was not seasoned right, let alone 
just plain awful, she would bombard owners 
with so much criticism that their heads 
would spin. She showed no mercy in her 
articles. If she didn¹t like something, 
she¹d let them know. Very few restaurants 
received praises from her. 
   Serena shares an apartment with her 
longtime friend Lita James. Lita is a long-
haired brunette, with a height of 5¹9² and 
emerald green eyes. Lita was a restaurant 
owner herself and head chef of The Green 
Forest Cafe. With its exotic plants, her 
restaurant carried a forest theme.  Besides 
the beautiful interior of the restaurant, 
her food was simply delicious and scrumptious. 
Many New Yorkers flocked to The Green 
Forest Cafe for lunch or dinner. Serena gave 
her friend's fancy cafe a great review, not 
because Lita was her friend, but rather 
praised Lita's restaurant because her 
cooking was fantastic. 
   Still looking for her briefcase, Serena 
was becoming increasingly agitated.
   "I know it's around here somewhere," 
cried a frustrated Serena.
   "Calm down, Serena," Lita soothingly 
said. "Ranting and raving isn't going to 
get you anywhere."
   "I know, I know, but I really need my 
briefcase. It contains my review on that 
French bakery down on 34th Street. The 
deadline is today, and if I don't hand it in 
like they expect me to, I'm screwed!"
   "Look, sit down and eat the breakfast 
I made you and I'll go find your briefcase," 
instructed Lita as she led Serena to the 
kitchen counter.
   "Thanks, Lita," replied Serena with a 
relieved sigh as she settled herself down 
on a nearby stool.
   As Serena wolfed down her breakfast 
in one bite and Lita trying to search for 
Serena's briefcase under the couch, the 
doorbell rang.
   "Who is it?" asked Lita, walking 
towards the door.
   "It's Mina," answered the person on 
the other side of the door.
   "Hey Mina! What are you doing here?" 
asked Lita as she unlocked the door and 
smiled at Mina Sanders who stood out in 
the hallway.
   "I thought Serena might need this for 
work," Mina said, holding up a black 
leather briefcase.
   "My briefcase!" Serena exclaimed as 
she ran over to Mina to retrieve it. 
   "You're a lifesaver! I've been looking 
all over for it this morning!"
   "It was nothing. Anyway, you left it at 
our place when you and Lita came over last 
night," replied Mina, slightly amused.
   Mina Sanders was a long-haired blond 
with sky blue eyes, and was the same height 
as Serena. She was a smart and successful 
assistant professor at New York University 
who was married to Andrew Sanders, a
renown graphic designer.
   Serena, who was still happy that Mina 
had her briefcase all along, began to thank 
her profusely.
   "Thanks so much, Mina!" Serena exclaimed 
as she hugged her tightly.
   "Really, Sere, it was nothing," Mina choked 
out, trying to gasp for air. "Now could you 
please let go of me so I can breathe!"
   "Oh, sorry, Mina," Serena replied 
sheepishly, loosening her death grip 
on her friend.
   "Why are you so emotional over a 
briefcase anyway?" asked Mina.
   "Oh, it contains her review on a 
bakery she did," answered Lita.
   "If I don't hand in my review 
by today my boss will have my neck," 
explained Serena.
   "That's not all he's going to 
have if we don't get going," Lita stated, 
looking at her watch.
   "Don't just stand there like a lump! 
Let's go already!" exclaimed Serena, 
grabbing her jacket and pushing her friends 
out the door.
   "Do you guys want a lift in my car? 
I could pick you up again after I take care 
of a few things down at the university if 
you want," suggested Mina as they took the 
elevator down to the lobby.
   "Sure," said both Serena and Lita.


*~*~*~*~*~    
   

   As Mina wove in and out between cars, 
she started questioning Serena about the guy 
she had recently been dating. 
   "So, how are you and David getting along, 
Serena?" she inquired.       
   "What do you mean?" Serena casually 
asked.
   "I mean, do you think he¹s someone you 
might actually consider wanting to get to know 
better?" asked Mina, trying to be more concise.
   "Please, Mina. You know me by now. I'm 
very fickle when it comes to dating guys," 
Serena replied, shocked that Mina would even 
think that she would ever consider being 
seriously involved with any guy on this planet.
   "But Serena, don't you get tired of 
going from one guy to the other? Not 
actually considering to get to know any of 
them better?" questioned Lita.
   "Lita's got a point, Serena. You barely 
let them show you what they're like and, you
don't open yourself up to them to let them 
know the real you. You can't toy with people's 
emotions and kick them to the curb when you 
get bored or lose interest. Men have feelings, 
too. Just like we do. I mean, put yourself in 
their place. I'm sure you wouldn¹t want a 
guy to do that to you."
   "I just can't find someone who will 
actually keep me interested. After the first 
date, I'm already bored with him, and I don't 
think I could survive a second date with the 
same guy. It'll probably be even more worse 
than the first date."
   "What are you afraid of, Serena?! Mina 
and I have tried to fix you up with several 
guys we know. SEVERAL! And not one of 
them has Œcaught your interest¹, as you say. 
Some guys dared to ask you out on a second 
date, but you spurned them in seconds flat! 
Are you afraid of getting your heart broken 
if you get too close to a guy? Is that it? 
Because Mina and I give up already."
   "Look, I don't want to talk about it! 
I already have a bad love life as it is. I 
used to believe in those fairy tale romances 
where the prince woos the princess, they fall 
in love, get married, and live happily ever 
after, but it seems like every guy I choose 
ends up being a major jerk or a dimwit who 
barely has half a brain to begin with. I 
guess I'm not meant to have a romantic 
relationship. Besides, I hardly have time 
for love or romance anyway. I have 
too many article deadlines and road 
trip assignments to really have any 
romantic relationships at all. I have 
fully committed myself to my work," 
stated Serena.
   "Serena, you can have a career 
and a love life at the same time. I'm 
just as busy as you are. I have papers 
to grade, exams to make up, and I always 
have to figure out how to make up my 
lectures for these classes. It seems 
like I hardly have time for Andrew, 
but we make it work out. We try to 
set up days where we can just 
relax and be together. Our 
compromising has made our marriage 
work. I'm successful and happy at 
the same time. You can do the same 
thing, too," said Mina.
   "But you and Andrew are perfect 
for each other, practically meant for each 
other. You found someone worth keeping. 
Me, I cannot find a descent guy in this 
world," Serena replied, a little 
discouraged.
   "Don't say that, Serena," Lita 
persuaded, trying to console her dismal 
friend. 
   "You just haven't found the right 
guy yet. When the right guy comes along, 
it'll hit you when you least expect it. 
Almost like lightning."
   "Really, guys, I'm fine. I don't 
need a guy in my life. I've got my family, 
you guys, Raye, and Amy. Who needs love? 
I don't," Serena stated firmly.
   "If you say so, Serena," Mina 
replied, a little unsure of her friend's 
statement.
   Throughout the entire drive, a few 
words were spoken, but not much was said. 
Only the faint sounds of music from the 
car radio was heard. After twenty minutes 
of driving, Serena was the first one to be 
dropped off to work.
   "So, we'll meet you in front of the 
building?" questioned Mina as Serena got 
out of the car.
   "That'd be fine," answered Serena, 
closing her car door. "Anyway, Raye is going 
to join us for dinner along with Amy, but 
Amy will meet us at the restaurant."
   "That'll be great!" exclaimed Mina.
   "I haven't seen Raye or Amy in a while 
since I have been too busy planning to open 
my own restaurant franchise," added Lita.
   "Well, you guys will get to catch up." 
Serena smiled. "I guess I better get going. 
Bye you guys!"
   "Bye, Serena." Both Mina and Lita 
waved.
   When Mina's car sped out of sight, 
Serena entered the tall office building to 
start another long day at work.


To be continued...

~~~~~~~~~~~*

Hey people! I hope this revised version is
better! My friend, Amy (Mir), has given me 
great help and tips on improving the chapters 
of my stories. I might even revise all the 
chapters of both multi-parts to make it a 
lot better to read. Remember to e-mail me 
to tell me what you think of this new 
revised version! Bye now! ^_~ 

(Revised February 2001)