So it appears that my last AN has left some of you wondering if you were the one who made me angry. I assure you you’re not. It was an anon who started the whole review thing again. That’s all. I love constructive criticism and often, it’s the ones that are most blunt that I love the most. :) REVIEW!

Reunion

Serena peaked out the front window as Seiya’s blue sedan pulled into the driveway. It had been sickening for her, the past few days; she’d acted like the perfect wife. When Seiya entered the house she greeted him warmly with a kiss. “I waited for you.” She smiled and took his jacket from him before wrapping her arms around his neck. He was so happy to see that she was finally accepting him that he failed to see the syringe in her hand. Carefully concealed in her long sleeved sweater. It was all so sudden… she stabbed the syringe into his neck and pushed the plunger down. He didn’t even have time to blink before he crashed to the ground and she rushed upstairs, ignoring the searing pain that still ripped through her body. “Seriah… Seriah!” She snapped while shaking her daughter. She rolled her eyes wondering if Darien ever had this much trouble waking her. “Seriah!” She shouted making the girl finally groan and crack open one eye.

“What? It’s like… two AM or something isn’t it?” The teen rolled over, pulling her blankets with her. “No thank you.”

“Get up. We’re leaving!” Serena grabbed the blankets and turned on the light making the girl cry out angrily. “I’m going to get Derrick back… then I’m leaving your father permanently Now move! We don’t have that much time!” She pulled Seriah out of the bed then dove to the closet packing the confused girl a bag.

Going downstairs Seriah gasp and covered her mouth as she saw Seiya crumpled onto the entryway floor. “Daddy! What did you do?” She rushed to him and looked into his stilled icy eyes that held the most terrifying glare she’d ever seen. “Daddy?”

“Don’t bother Seriah. You’re father’s a worthless man. He has nothing but the fear he hold over everyone. Now he finally knows… how it feels to be stabbed with that shit!” Serena shouted and, stepping over him, she opened the door slamming it harshly into his side to hear a loud crack.

“Mom!” Seriah knelt next to her father and looked up at her determined mother. “Where are you going? Why are you doing this you seemed so happy.”

“Seriah… I don’t know where I’m going but I do know that I’ve never been happy with him. I hate him and I hope he rots in hell. Seriah… I want you to come with me. I promise you we’ll be happy… if you’re still upset later then… I’ll get you counseling… I’ll… I’ll help you get better because I think… your father’s had a terrible influence over you.” Seriah looked at her father sadly then at her mother. “Seriah.. he’ll kill you eventually. Do you know the injuries he’s given me? Look.” She held up her skirt showing Seriah the lashes that had started to bleed from her quick movements. “He will hurt you too. Now come with me. Please baby… I’m your mother.”

Seriah sighed and looked at Seiya carefully. Serena walked out of the house and looked for the dark van she knew was waiting. Seriah leaned down to her father’s face and smiled slightly. “I’ll help you daddy. I’ll call you from wherever we’re going so you can come and win mom back.” Seriah then skipped out of the house to see Serena walking towards a black van. “Wait momma! Wait!” She rushed over just as the side door to the van slid open and Sapphire stepped out. His blue hair looking black in the pale moonlight. He had a soft smile to him that comforted Serena. Seriah stared at him as Serena got in and, as she went to step in he blocked her way. “Hey!”

“No… absolutely not. I’m not letting you in too. I can see the same glint in your eyes that I saw in his so many years ago. You…” Sapphire stopped mid-sentence then looked at Serena with pity in his eyes. “You want her to go with you?”

“Yes.” She nodded and looked at her daughter. “She may be his daughter but she’s also mine.” Serena smiled and looked at Seriah lovingly. “Look, I know I’ll have some work to do but… I can do it.” She sighed as Sapphire snorted.

“If you don’t I assure you Serena. I will.” She nodded and looked at the floor of the van. With that Seriah got into the van and they started to drive. Four hours it took seemed to tick by slowly and when they reached the trees Serena wondered where Seiya had condemned Derrick to stay. Then she wondered if he was even alive. It was very possible that he had the teen taken into the woods and slaughtered.

The orange morning sun was barely penetrating the trees as the old looking cabin came into view. Serena examined it carefully , it was old, the roof was covered in moss but overall it looked well cared for. “This is where I leave you Serena… I know I haven’t been the uncle you deserved… but… I hope I can make up for it a little with this.” Serena looked at him with confusion but was cut short as Seriah thrust the door open and jumped out.

“God… this place is terrible!” She cried as Sapphire helped her mother out of the vehicle. “Okay, I’m ready to go back home.” She growled then turned her back tot eh small two-story cabin.

Serena waited for Sapphire to get back in the van and drive away before returning her stare to the structure ahead. Taking a few steps forward she took everything in and felt her heart almost stop when she looked at what seemed to be a garage. There, in the shadows was the ever-familiar emblem. “It… no…” Serena stepped closer and gasp; yes, it was the Mercedes emblem.

With new enthusiasm she looked towards the cabin, her heart practically jumping from her chest. The door of the cabin opened and out stepped a smiling Derrick. “Aunt Serena! Seriah!” He rushed out and hugged the blonde enthusiastically before turning to Seriah with a slight smile.

“Oh… you’re okay!” She turned him back around and examined his unharmed face carefully. “You have a bump on your head though… who did that?” He chuckled and hugged her again. “I’m so glad you’re okay!” She closed her eyes just as Darien stepped from the cabin and walked slowly to her.

His deep blue eyes scanned her as they had many times before. The anger that suddenly hit him was almost inconceivable. The woman who stood before him was so changed, so very different from the person he knew. She hadn’t changed in looks but he could see the damage the years had done, both physical and mental.

She held her eyes shut for so long he wondered if she would ever open them, and, for a moment he feared what he would see in them. He wouldn’t blame her if she chose to hate him for what he’d done to her but he hoped she wouldn’t. “Serena?” He finally said her name making her eyes snap open and fix on him. Staring into her cerulean eyes he felt his heart sink. It was no wonder Derrick was so shocked to see her photo because, her eyes were dead, lifeless almost.

Serena blinked a few times to be sure she was actually seeing him before she moved around Derrick and stood in front of him. Her eyes slowly moved over him, starting at the very top of his head then moving down to his feet. Her head moved with her eyes as if they were in a fixed position and, by the time she’d brought her face back up to meet his eyes; a sparkle had returned. “Darien?” She asked ever so hopefully.

“Yes Serena… It’s me.” He sighed as her eyes regained all the light they once had. It was beautiful to see, much like a caterpillar emerging from it’s chrysalis. Her hands immediately fluttered to his face before her eyes darkened a little and she slapped him with as much force as she could muster. Not expecting it his head had jerked to the side from the impact and he’d closed his eyes. He definitely deserved it, hell, he deserved more than that.

“Serena!” He heard Derrick cry and turned back to see her body start to wilt to the ground. With the quick reflexes that always seemed to take over him when she was in trouble he caught her and swooped her into his arms protectively. “What’s wrong with her?” Derrick rushed to his father and looked at Serena with a concerned look.

“She’s been acting weird for a few days. I don’t know what’s wrong with her.” Seriah growled with an annoyed tone making Darien narrow his eyes at her. “No wonder she was an actress. She’s such a drama queen.”

“How can you think like that?” Darien snapped angrily. Was this girl stupid or simply blind to everything that had happened. “Look at her face! Your father beat her! That’s why she’s acting like this! Hell, I’m afraid to take her inside and really see the damage he’s done.” Seriah rolled her eyes making Darien fully aware of the fact that there was something amiss in this girl. She was too like her father, and clearly, oblivious to anything he had done. “I’m taking her inside… you kids do whatever you want. Something tells me this is going to be a difficult day.” He turned with her limply in his arms and walked into the cabin then up the stairs to his room. For him, it was like déjà vu yet again as he lay her on the bed and left to retrieve something to cut her dress off of her. Did he need to? Not really but the thought of moving her too much when he didn’t know what was wrong frightened him.

Returning he sliced her dress open and closed his eyes seeing the lashes in her skin. Clearly Seiya had meant to do this, the way each lash was almost identical to the next made it all the more difficult to bear. She had to have been in such excruciating pain from this… he wasn’t sure how she was able to stand, much less walk. “Oh my God… dad is she going to be okay?” Derrick’s frightened voice came from the doorway.

“I… yes, she’ll be okay…” Darien said more to himself than to Derrick. “Bring me my first aid kit and some damp washcloths. Derrick did as his father said and stood beside the bed expectantly looking at the woman who’d raised him. She was only in her undergarments but that didn’t bother him. “Go watch Seriah. I don’t trust her… and shut the door on your way out.” Darien spoke softly as he began to move a washcloth across Serena’s lower torso. Though he’d done this before, many times he couldn’t help but feel like it was all different. After so many years of being away from him he wanted nothing else in the moment but to cherish her and lay beside her, encasing her in his arms forever. He wanted to turn back the clock, to change everything but he knew he couldn’t. She still had to suffer needlessly for his stupidity. “I’m so sorry Serena.” He whispred as he cut her panties off of her and continued to doctor all the wounds she had. It was sickening to him really, how any man could concentrate a whip on a woman’s most private of areas he’d never understand.

Spreading her legs just enough to truly get to the lashes on her thighs he noticed the deep, black bruises that could only have come from one thing. He’d seen them before on her, after Fiore had left her to die. Closing his now teary eyes he pressed the cloth to her inner thigh making her cry out and bolt awake. Her eyes fixed on him immediately, fearful, then, when she realized it wasn’t Sieya, she calmed and relaxed into the soft pillows. “So… after so many years… this is how you get me into bed?” She asked weakly and closed her eyes.

“Looks like it.” He replied trying to hide the pain in his voice. “I’m so sorry Serena… I… I can’t tell you how…” He was at a loss for words because, what could he say to her?

“Please, don’t talk to me right now.” She sighed and opened her eyes slightly. “I’m not ready to talk to you about anything.” He nodded numbly and continued to work on her wounds, using his first aid kit. Truth be told she hated the silence. After all these years she had so many questions, so many things to shout at him. Sure, she knew that he’d left her with Seiya but for the moment, she was just thankful he was alive and that she was with him.

Somewhere along the line she fell asleep and when she woke, it was dark outside with only a small sliver of moonlight shining through the window. She opened her eyes and saw his shining back at her. She could feel him lying next to her, turned on his side, his head on the pillow. “Hey.” He smiled and touched her cheek so gently it was like a feather.

“You never came back.” Her voice trembled as tears streamed down her face. “I always hoped you would though.” Her words tore at his heart and it was something he’d regretted. That night was both the best and worst of his life. “Why didn’t you come back? Why did you let him do this?”

“You know why.” He looked at her lovingly. “I really have no excuses and… I can understand it if you hate me.” He felt terrible about her wounds, about everything. He loved her so completely that it was hard to remember how he’d survived for so long without her. “But I have you now and he’s never going to touch you again. I promise you that.”

“Will you?” She smiled remembering the way he’d practically mauled her in the kitchen that night. Despite everything, her wounds, the abuse, his lies, she wanted him more than ever.

“We’ll see. You’re too injured to do anything right now and frankly, you might not want me after all this time.” She frowned as he closed his eyes. “Go to sleep Serena. You have a lot of heeling to do.” She could hear the anger and disgust in his voice but chose not to say anything about it. “I’m going to rip him apart for this, then I’m going to give Andrew a good talking to as well.” She smiled and attempted to move closer to him only to feel her muscles shoot with pain making her cry out. “Don’t try and move Serena. It’s pointless right now.”

“But… I want to cuddle with you while I’m still in a good mood.” She whimpered and giggled lightly as he chuckled. She was talking as if she’d never been away from him and it amazed him. Was she acting like she was fine? She had to be, no one could move on from what she’d experienced… not that quickly… right?