Okay, so it's not an original title!  Sue me!  It's because of the 
song that I put in this, okay?  This is my first holiday fanfic, 
so be gentle with the flames.  This is a first season Serena and 
Darien Valentines fic (obviously) and I spent a long time slaving 
over this, so you had better like it!  *Stef-chan pounds fists 
together*  Or else...

And on a happier note...on with the story!

RATING: PG- Romancy stuff that you should like after all isn't that 
why you're reading this?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters, though I wish I 
did.  I also do not own the song "Valentine" by Martina McBride.

Quote of the Week: Love comes once in a life time so if you are 
lucky enough to be blessed with a soul mate never let them go no 
matter what.  Finding the other half of your soul is so rare and 
precious there are no words that exist to explain how right it is 
to be with the only person you could ever love.  To be able to give 
yourself spiritually, physically, and emotionally to your other 
half to that twin soul must be the most amazing feeling in the 
world.
Lady Zamira-A friend of mine.  (I know I already used it, but it 
fits this fic so well!)

___________Valentine___________

Valentines Day.  A day that gave girls the hope of finding true 
love.  A day that sent hearts fluttering all over the world.  A day 
that sent men in a frantic rush to buy a gift because they forgot 
only had an hour before they met their girl friends.  It was always 
the perfect day for love to find its' way into the hearts of 
everyone.

Almost everyone.

In his entire life, not once had Darien Shields found love.  At 
least...not until this past year.  Many people had wondered who, 
or what, had changed Darien's attitude so drastically the past 
few months, but none had ever guessed that it was love.

*******************************************************************

"For the last time, Andrew, I don't want to go!" Darien whined 
slightly as Andrew handed him a jacket to go with the white tuxedo 
he was wearing.

Andrew sighed and threw his hands in the air in frustration.  
"Darien, you need to get out more!  Get a girlfriend, make new 
friends.  Or even just meet new people that you'll never see again 
in your life!" Andrew told him with an exasperated voice.

Darien snatched the jacket and put it on quickly.  "I can do that 
any day at the Arcade, Andrew!  I don't need to go to some fancy 
Valentines Day party to meet new people."

"But the point is, Darien," Rita stated from her place on his 
couch, "that you don't do those things!  All you do is work and 
study!"

"Is there a problem with that?!" Darien retorted with a frown.

The couple exchanged a glance and rolled their eyes at each other.
"Yes!" they answered at the same time as each of them grabbed an 
arm and dragged Darien out of the apartment.

"Besides," Andrew added, "it's required that interns attend because
the hospital is funding this."

Darien sighed and grabbed his keys as they left the apartment.  'I 
hate fancy parties,' he thought bitterly as he remembered that the 
last time he had been at a party, he had ended up making out with a 
beautiful girl whose face he couldn't remember.  'Thank you Tuxedo 
Mask.'

*******************************************************************

Serena nervously twisted her dress and her hands as Raye finished 
up her hair.  "Stop that!" Raye scolded her as reached down a 
pulled her hands away from the fabric.  "You'll wrinkle your dress,
and then people may not ask you to dance!"

Serena sighed and hung her head slightly.  "Raye, I'm so nervous!"
Serena wailed slightly.  "I've never been to a fancy party before!
I don't know how to act or-or..." she trailed off and sniffed.

"It's going to be okay, Serena," Lita reassured her friend as she 
applied make up to her face.  "You're gonna knock all the guys 
dead!" she said as she stepped back and admired her handy work.

Amy looked up from her book and smiled.  "We must hurry, everyone.
The party started a half-hour ago, and my mother wanted me to be 
there early."

Serena stood and looked in the mirror.  "Are you sure I look okay?"
she asked her friends nervously.

The three other girls exchanged looks and rolled their eyes.  
"Yes!" they yelled at the same time as they grabbed Serena and 
headed out the door.

*******************************************************************

The party had only been going on for forty minutes before Darien 
got bored.  He knew very few people there, and Andrew and Rita had 
ditched him almost the second they got to the hall that the 
hospital rented so that they could go and dance.

Darien sipped his punch and surveyed the room.  There were quiet a 
few lovely young ladies alone out there, several had even asked him 
to dance, but there wasn't a single girl out there that was right 
for him.  A lot of the guys said he could have any girl he wanted, 
but there was only one girl he wanted, and he didn't even know who 
she was yet!

Darien sighed and got another glass of punch when he suddenly hear 
the guy standing beside him let out a low whistle.  "Good golly!  
Take a look at those chicks!" he said under his breath.

Turning his head, Darien let his jaw drop in shock at what he saw.
"Meatball Head!" he said in complete and utter shock.

Indeed it was Serena and company coming down the stairs of the 
Grand Hall.  Lita came down first wearing a forest green dress with 
a modest, but low still, cut at the neck.  It went down halfway to 
her shins and was made of a velvet material.  Next came Amy.  She 
was wearing a floor-length light blue dress with a dark blue heart 
on the chest with a very modest v-neck.  Raye was next with a tight 
short red dress that went just above her knees with a slightly 
lower cut neckline than Lita's and a red shawl to match her dress.

The real surprise was who was behind all of them.  Serena 
hesitantly stepped delicately down the steps as she lifted her 
floor length dress from the ground.  Her dress was pure white and 
silver with hints of gold at the edges.  It puffed out a little, 
but not too much that it was strange looking.  Her hair was done in 
the traditional meatballs with the addition of white and red roses 
wrapped around the buns and baby breath highlight it.

During the time that Darien stood there gaping at Serena, Andrew 
and Rita had come up behind him.  "Close your mouth," Andrew 
instructed.  "You're drooling all over the ground."
 
Darien whipped around and saw Andrew standing there with a stupid 
grin on his face.  "You like her, don't you?" he asked.

Darien's face flushed in part anger and part embarrassment.  "I 
do not like Meatball Head!" he hissed at his friend.  "I'm just 
surprised that she's here!"

"Yeah, sure you are, Dare," Rita teased.  "We'll let you know when 
we believe you!"

Darien scowled at his 'friends' and stormed off to the other side 
of the room.

*******************************************************************

Serena swirled the punch she was drinking and watched the red 
liquid stick slightly to the glass.  'Great.  They did spike the 
punch,' she though bitterly as she tossed the cup out.  'Luna would 
kill me if I got drunk again,' she thought with a frown.  'Well, at 
least Luna let me go to this one.  But I guess I don't get to drink 
anything.'

She sighed and leaned against the wall.  She had been asked to 
dance several times in the ten minutes she had been there, but each 
time she had turned down the guys.  They simply weren't...right 
for her was all she could figure.  She turned her attention to her 
left when she heard some commotion coming from the refreshment 
table.  "Darien?" she whispered as she watched the man stomp away 
from Rita and Andrew, who were smiling.

"Guess he got dragged here, too," she mused to herself with a 
giggle.  "He wouldn't come on his own!  I guess that means that 
Andrew is here.  Probably with Rita."

"Excuse me, miss?" a young mans' voice said.  "But may I have this 
dance?" he asked as he offered his hand.

Serena sighed.  'Not again!'  "I'm sorry, Sir.  But I do not wish 
to dance."

The man didn't say anything as he stormed away, back to his 
laughing friends.  "Are there any decent guys at this place?" she 
muttered to herself.  Suddenly, she felt someone's hand take hers'.

*******************************************************************

Darien leaned against a wall as he watched other couples dance.  
His gaze sifted to Serena who was frowning at her punch and then 
threw it away.  He grinned.  'I was right!  The punch is spiked.'
He somehow managed to tear his gaze from Serena, though he didn't 
realize it was hard, and looked around the room.

He froze when he recognized a tall brunet coming towards him.  'No!
Not her!  Anyone but-'

"Darien!  Hello, how are you?" the woman's annoying voice squeaked 
when she reached him.

"Jean," he sighed, "what are you doing here?"  She was one of his 
classmates from high school, supposedly in love with him along with 
the rest of the female population.

"Well," she said as she tossed her hair over her shoulder 
flirtatiously and batted her eye lashes, "I heard that the hospital 
was running this, and I *knew* you would come!  So I decided that I 
should come and keep you company."

Darien scowled and looked for a way out.  He normally wouldn't run 
away, but he had said no to this girl so many times and in more 
ways then he could count!  She was positively insufferable and 
annoying!  He looked around and saw that Rita was dancing with 
Andrew, no help there.  He didn't know anyone else except...
'Serena!' was his desperate thought.  He turned to the blond hair 
girl just in time to see her turn someone down and him storm off.

"Well, Jean, I'd love to dance, but I'm here with someone already 
and I really must be getting back to her," Darien said with obvious 
relief in his voice.

Jean scowled.  "Try again, Darien!  I know you wouldn't come here 
with anyone!"

Darien glared at the woman.  "Oh yeah?!" he yelled at her as he 
marched up to Serena and grabbed her hands, pulling her onto the 
dance floor.

Serena gave a small squeal and gasped when she saw who it was that 
grabbed her.  "Darien Shields!" she seethed.  "What do you think 
you're doing?!"

"Help me," he whispered to her softly.

"What?" Serena said with a small laugh in her voice.  Darien nodded 
his head over to where Jean was standing and Serena laughed in 
understanding.  "Alright, but only if she's as annoying as she 
looks!  We don't want people to get the wrong idea."

"Please don't mention this, Serena," Darien asked her quietly.

"You called me Serena!  Wow!  You must be desperate," Serena teased 
her gently as they continued to dance across the floor, getting 
unknown stares from admirers and friends.

"I thought you hated Meatball Head?" he taunted back as he drew her 
unknowingly closer to him and began to dance a little slower, more 
to the music then before.

"Aha!" she said as Darien spun her around and then brought her back 
into his arms.  "For rescuing you from the lady with way to much 
perfume, believe me I could smell it from over there, you can't 
call me Meatball Head tonight!  Or better yet, ever again!"

Darien pretended to think about it and Serena lightly punched him 
in the arm.  "Okay!  I can promise tonight, but don't hold your 
breath for anytime else!  I'll try to cut back though," he 
hurriedly finished as Serena began to let go of him.

Serena rolled her eyes as she held back onto him and laid her head 
on his chest.  "I suppose that's the best I'm going to get," she 
whispered.

Darien, for his part, had pretty much frozen.  He had just realized 
how close they were, and while his mind was yelling at him to push 
her back, his heart was telling him to hold his angel tighter and 
never let go.  'Angel?' he thought.  He looked down at Serena who 
was resting so trustingly in his arms and smiled.  'I guess she 
does look like an angel.  But, would she be my angel?'

Not bothering to answer his own question, Darien held Serena 
tighter to him and continued to dance the night away with her.

*******************************************************************

Not too far away five friends were laughing their heads off at the 
scene.

"I can not believe that it took so long for them to get together!" 
Andrew said while wiping a tear from his eye from laughing so hard.

Raye rolled her eyes.  She had felt the energy between the two 
since she had first seen them together.  She could feel it inside 
of her.  It was destiny.  "There were times I thought Darien was 
just going to grab her and kiss her!  They were both driving me 
crazy!" she agreed as she watched Serena and Darien slowly swaying 
to the music.

Even Amy had to agree.  "I could just feel that this was going to 
happen sometime.  It's like it's in my blood."

"And now that our mission is accomplished, we can get back to 
enjoying the party!" Lita exclaimed as she ran off to find a dancing
partner.

Rita sighed.  "Well, something's will never change."

*******************************************************************

'How long have we been dancing now?' Serena asked herself.  'Ten 
minutes?  Twenty?  An hour?  Why is it all going so fast?  Why is 
my heart beating so?'  She felt Darien rest his head on her 
shoulder and she drew a sharp intake of breath.  'Could this be...
love?  Am I in love?'

"Serena?" Darien whispered softly to her.

Serena kept her eyes closed as she replied, "Yes, Darien?"

"Let's go outside and get some fresh air," he suggested.  "It's 
really stuffy in here."

Serena nodded and the two broke apart only to have Darien take her 
hand in his as he led her out of the room and onto the balcony.  He 
knew full well that Jean had left long ago, but didn't care.  He 
wasn't about to break whatever friendship he and Serena had 
attained in the past hours.

'Friendship?  Is that all this is?'

*******************************************************************

"Look!" Raye hissed to Amy as she caught sight of Serena and Darien 
walking out of the room, hand-in-hand.  "He's taking her outside!"

Sighing Amy put her chin in her hands.  "How romantic..." she 
whispered, causing her to get strange looks from the others.  
"What?"

*******************************************************************

Outside, Serena unconsciously leaned against Darien as she looked 
up at the stars.  She had never felt this way before.  So warm...
perfect...  There simply were no words to describe what she was 
feeling at that moment.  'Love?' she thought with a bit of hope in 
her inner voice.

Suddenly, she remembered why she had started dancing with him in 
the first place.  To help get him away from that woman, and she 
knew that she had to be long gone.  "Darien?" Serena said gently.

"Hmm?"

"I-I think that woman is long gone by now, so you can get back to 
the party if you like.  You don't need me to save you any more."  
She lowered her gaze as she waited for him to smile, thank her and 
walk off.

The question he asked, was not what she expected.

"Do you want me to go?" Darien asked her quietly.  'Gods, no!  
Please, don't let go Serena.  I want you here now.'

Serena inhaled sharply and thought about her answer.  'Do I want 
him to leave?'  No.  He can't leave...I need him.  In this short 
time, have I fallen in love with him?' she asked herself.  Looking 
up into his cerulean blue eyes, Serena found her answer.

"No.  I'm afraid if you go...this won't be here tomorrow," she 
whispered.  "I-I'm afraid that we'll loose what ever this is that 
we've found."

'She feels the same way?  She doesn't want me to leave?'  Darien 
smiled at Serena and put an arm around her shoulders.  "Good.  
Because I don't want to loose this either," he said back as he 
played with a flower in her hair.

Serena smiled up and glance back at the stars and sky.  "The stars 
a beautiful aren't they?" she questioned.

'Not as beautiful as you are,' Darien thought and Serena gasped.  
'Oh crap.  I just said that out loud, didn't I?'

"Darien?  What did you just say?" Serena inquired as she turned to 
face him with wide eyes.

'Oh man.  No way out of this one...'  Darien gulped and smiled at 
her.  "I was only speaking the truth, Serena.  You mean to tell me 
you haven't noticed how guys stare at you?"  Serena blushed.  "Or 
how girls get mad at you when they see you talking to their 
boyfriends?"  He smiled when he saw her shaking her head.  'She 
really is naïve and innocent.'

"Darien, nobody looks at me like that," she insisted with a hint of
blush on her cheeks.  "Don't say those things."

Darien leaned in closer to Serena so that their faces were just 
inches apart.  "I do," he whispered to her huskily.

Surprised by the emotion in his voice, Serena gasped.  "Darien, 
you've got it all wrong.  I'm not beautiful or anything like that."

Tilting his head to the side a little bit, he managed a small smile 
at her.  "You really don't realized any of this do you?" he asked.  
"You are beautiful.  No matter what anyone says, I know you are."


Serena blushed again when a new song began to play.  Grinning, 
Darien reached a hand out to Serena and took her own palm, kissing 
it he murmured to her, "May I have this dance?"  Not waiting for an 
answer, he swept her into a slow, but beautiful dance.

<:"Valentine," by Martina McBride:>


If there were no words,
no way to speak,
I would still here you.

If there were no tears,
no way to feel inside,
I'd still feel for you.

And even if the sun refused to shine,
even if romance ran out of rhyme,
you would still have my heart until the end of time.

You're all I need,
my love,
my Valentine.

All of my life,
I have been waiting
for all you give to me.

You've opened my eyes
and shown me how to love 
unselfishly.

I've dreamed of this a thousand times before,
But in my dreams I couldn't love you more.
I will give you all you need until the end of time.

Cause all I need,
is you,
my Valentine.

La, la, la, la, la, la, la...

And even if the sun refused to shine,
even if romance ran out of rhyme,
you would still have my heart until the end of time.

You're all I need,
my love,
my Valentine.

You're all I need,
my love,
my Valentine.

Darien and Serena stopped dancing and stared into each other's eyes.
"Darien, I-"

Darien placed a finger to her lips to silence her.  "I know, Serena.  
Believe me, I know," he whispered as he leaned in closer and 
captured her lips in a light kiss.

Serena was instantly limp as his lips gently caressed hers.  It was 
soft and gentle, and yet, harsh and passionate at the same time.  
She had never felt anything alike it, and she loved it.  The 
minutes passed and the kiss grew deeper and more passionate.

Gently, Darien took his lips away from Serena's and simply held her.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that," he told her with only 
slight regret in his voice.

Serena wrapped her arms around his neck and licked her lips.  
"Don't be.  I'm not," she said in a hushed voice.  "I...liked it."

Darien pressed his forehead against hers and kissed her lips again.  
"Well, I like you."

Serena blushed and laid her head on his shoulder.  "I love you, 
Darien."  She gasped when she realized what she realized what she 
had said.

Darien held her closer as he felt her begin to pull away.  "Do you 
mean it?"  Love.  The word and concept were foreign to him, but 
somehow Serena saying it wasn't.  It was right and sounded perfect 
coming from her mouth.  When she didn't answer, he asked again.  
"Do you mean it, Serena?"

A tear slid down Serena's cheek and dripped onto Darien's neck.
"What's wrong?" he asked as he suddenly held her at arm's length.  
"Did I say something?" his voice rose with slight panic in it.

Serena shook her head.  "No.  I said something I shouldn't have."

Darien lifted her chin up so that she was looking straight into his 
eyes.  "If you didn't mean it, you wouldn't have said it.  But do 
you mean it?" he asked again.

Serena nodded her head.  "I'm so stupid.  I shouldn't have said 
that, Darien.  I'm sor-"

She was cut off by what she least expected, Darien pressing his 
lips to hers again.  She gasped in joy and surprise as his kisses 
became even more passionate than before.  When he broke the kiss 
again, he brought his lips down to her ear and whispered ever so 
softly to her, "I love you, too, Serena."

Serena's head jerked up at the sound of those words and she stared 
into his eyes and was surprised at what she saw there.  Love.  That 
was it.  She saw nothing else in his eyes but love.


"Darien..." she whispered as tears formed in her eyes again.  "I 
never thought before, that you could...I mean..."

"I know, my Meatball Head.  Cause I feel exactly the same way."

"Ironic, isn't it?" Serena whispered.  "That the two people who 
would least likely love each other, find love on the most romantic 
night in the year?"

"I think that it is the perfect time to fall in love.  And I fell 
in love with the perfect person.  Besides, won't the others be 
surprised?" he asked her.

She giggled.  "I can't wait to see the looks on their faces!" she 
squealed.

And he kissed her again with the stars and moon shinning on them, 
illuminating the two newfound lovers in the night.

THE END.

Like?  Hate?  Love?!  Please, I hope you loved it!  I know the ball 
wasn't very original, but I like the idea!  Hope you enjoyed, and 
I'll see ya next time!

Stef-chan

E-MAIL ME!!!  stefaniecraig@hotmail.com