WILL I DREAM OF YOU TONIGHT 'When you love someone, you have to stay with them, no matter what. Love is something two people need to build. You can't help and you can't take it down. It's more than just people needing to be with each other...it's for their mental hearts needing to be something a little bigger.' Serena Tsukinko_____ ____________________________________________________________________________ "Gilcon, turn the blasted radio off would you!" Mr Howard snapped at his 18 year old son. Reluctantly, Gilcongain Howards turned off the radio on the front of his father's truck. "C'mon da," he said in his Irish accent. 'The music's good this hour of the night. nearly 11:00!" Mr. Howard rolled his eyes. "Sure Gilscon, you can hear more back in your room at home, not in my truck! Ya' distract me from m'drivin'. You wanna I run us off the bridge up ahead or something?" "Cripes, da!" Gilcongain rolled his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. "It's off, it's off! Don t' fill my ears now! I've tired from loading' the hay all day!" "You tired! Laddie, when you come to be my age and you.." "DA! Watch out!" cried Gilcongain frantically when they saw a car come right at them. Mr. Howards swerved to the side, nearly going off the side and instead, running into a tree near it. He shut off the engine and both climbed out of the car to see that the tires were shredded on the hard bark of the stoney tree. "Gilcon, get the spare tire out of the trunk!" called Mr. Howard, getting back behind the wheel to try to back the car up. It hardly worked, but he did it. Then Gilcongain, grumbling, ran around the back to get the spare. But then he dropped it and it rolled under the bridge. "Cripes Gils! What taken you so long, laddie?" called Mr. Howards impatiently. "The tire! I done dropped it under the bridge!" "CRIPES LADDIE! Must I do everything myself?" "Relax da, I'll get it." Gilcongain rolled his eyes. he started to walk down the really slippery bank. The tall grass was mixed in with mud, like hair in really soapy hair conditioner. he nearly slipped now and then but then he waded in the shallow water going under the bridge. That was when he saw something near the tire, lying visibly out of the water immobile. Cripes! A girl! he dropped the tire and looked her over. her head rested on a rock, keeping her face out of the water. If it hadn't, she would have drowned the moment she had fallen down here. he assumed she had fallen from her sprawled and unconscious state. Her shoes were also off. One lay on the bank. The other was no where. he looked at her closely with concern. It was a little hard to see her clearly in the dark under the bridge so he lifted her up and started to walk up the bridge bank. His father stood on the bridge waiting for him expectantly. "Gils, what done can take so long to...great merciful fields of Home! What ya' got there now laddie! I sent you down for the spare tire so we can getta home, not the little mermaid!" "Da, she's fallen from the bridge I think. There's no rail on this bridge. She was down in the mud, with her head on a rock." in the clearer light, he caught sight of her attractive face. Mr. Howards came over to look her over. "Young thing. Probably only a grader around 13. Maybe 15." he looked at the bruises on her face, and guessed they were caused by the fall if her head was on a rock. "Poor thing. better get her to a hospital. Though the collision with that rock to her head might have caused skull damage, it certainly kept her alive! She would have drowned. I wonder how long she's been lyin' there!" They pout her in the back seat of the car. She was cold as a wet stone! "Probably a while da. Hopefully only a few hours and not more than a day. I thought you said once lying in cold water more than 18 hours can be dangerous!" "Ay, it is laddie. Let's just get her to a hospital...but to do that, would you go down and please get the spare?" ___________________________________________________________________________ "How is she?" Mr. Howards and his son Gilcongain asked an hour later after a doctor had examined her. He shrugged. But not in confusion. "It is hard to tell at this point. But there are some things I am certain of. She's been lying there over an hour and a half, and her head collided with that rock upon fall. We've given her some drugs and she's not likely to submerge consciousness at this point in time, however until she can we can't do any scans of the head or any other parts that may be damaged. Have you any I.D. of the young lady?" They shrugged and shook their heads. "Nay, we just found her there lyin' like a dead duck under the bridge. Never seen her before." "Not surprised. Tokyo's a big city." the doctor commented wryly. "Thank you for the help you have aided this young lady. if there is any news, seeing as there is no family known present, we'll notify you. It's not likely she'll come out of the drugs for another 8 hours yet." They nodded and left. "Poor lass." Mr. Howards muttered, shaking his head. _____________________________________________________________________________ Serena came to about 5 am the next morning, after about 6 and a half hours of being under the drug doses the doctors had given her. At first she woke up and stared at the ceiling through half opened lids, not really focusing her vision. Then when a doctor came in she moved her head slightly to look at him and then pain shook her body and she winced. But the movement of speech only made her body ache more again, head down to legs! The doctors were generally concerned about this because it seemed serious if almost every move was painful and difficult. There was the reminder that she had slammed her head on a rock and they had no idea how her skull might have been affected yet. "What is your name?" asked the doctor slowly. She blinked. "Se-ser--serena Tsuki-no." she said weakly. he nodded. "And any family or friends I can notify...?" "Darien...?" she whispered slowly, thinking more to herself. Why did she hurt all over? Why did it hurt inside too? She felt like it should hurt inside but why? Then she remembered blackness and coldness....and Toby. Harsh words and humiliation. Pain ripping her heart almost. "Darien...where's Darien?" she asked and looked around for him and it was as if she realized for once where she was. She looked like a scared trapped animal who feared the worst! These blinding white walls....they were a cage to trap her! "Darien....I want...Darien...." she reached a hand over the bed and hoping he'd take it, that he was really there. Recently in her life, he was ALWAYS there! But no one took her hand! he wasn't there. She was alone in this white cage that would never set her free. She felt fear consume her as if she was about to meet the end of her life. "Child, relax. Who is Darien? is he your family? Friend?" >Darien..help me please! Where are you! Where am I!< she felt fear fill her, as if she was alone in the world, and she didn't like the feeling. Feeling like a helpless and abandoned child, she started to thrash her arms, and call his name. >You're down the hall! Please hear me! Please!< but he wasn't coming. She didn't like thinking she was far away from him. "DARIEN!" she screeched and didn't realize she was thrashing and that the pain shooting up her spine were because of her movements. The doctor was desperately trying to get her to relax but she screamed and shook her head and pushed his arms away, as if he were a net trying to catch her, and rolled violently to her side..........and right out of bed to slam onto the floor. She screamed din pain and cried on the floor. "NURSE! NURSE!" he yelled, getting down to pick her up. She struggled and kicked and yelled and cried and then limply shrank as he lifted her up and just begged him in sobs to let her go and leave her alone. "No...No!" she whimpered and buried her head in his chest as he started to carry her down the hall and out of the room. "Please.....just want....no.." "Nurse! Secure room 13 for this patient!" he said sternly. Room 13 was a floor of rooms fir patients that needed to be contained for their own good. She nodded with sympathy for the young girl. "No...Please.." she begged through weak tears. "Just....want....Darien......Darien, please....." _____________________________________________________________________________ It was noon when Serena's parents had become frantic and were notified their daughter was in the custody of the psychiatric ward at the hospital. They didn't understand until the doctor explained how Serena had been found. They stayed with Serena, under drugs once again because she acted too crazy when she was awake. Too frantic. Too...desperate. Her parents didn't believe him, and he said it might just be stress and fear....but it may also be a brainual disorder occurance from that hit on the head. It was late afternoon before any of Serena's friends heard about it and it was Lita and Mina who were told first. They were stunned and soon Rei and Ami were told. They went to see Serena but she was still asleep. They were told of the circumstances and left gravely after a little while. By the time it was almost 5 p.m. Darien found out. And it had been when he was over at the little cafe, having a coffee as he usually did. Andrew wasn't there for once with him. he looked around now and then, hoping Serena would come in,.....he'd come in a lot during the day... he'd seen her a lot in here lately. But she never came today. he didn't know where she was or where to look. he just hoped she was ok. It was then Ami and Rei came in. "Cappuccino, please." Rei said to the man at the counter. Ami nodded and said "Ice cream sundae, please." Rei stared at her. "You? A sundae?" "I sort of feel like it for once." Ami shrugged. Rei nodded and didn't ask. What did it matter whether Ami had a sundae for once instead of the usual cone or coffee? Then Ami noticed Darien. he glanced up at them but he seemed to be concentrating more on his thoughts as he drank his own Espresso brew. "Darien looks terrible! Do you think he found out about Serena?" Rei looked at him. "I don't think so. Who would tell him?" While Rei was waiting for their orders, Ami walked near to Darien. he smiled a greeting at her. "Hi Ami. seen Serena yet?" She looked at him. "Yes, haven't you been to see her Darien?" he looked up. "Where is she?" "Um...at the hospital? Didn't you know?" His expression froze at her sentence and he stared at her. "The..the what? Why's she in the hospital?" he got up and looked at her seriously. "is she ok? What happened? What's wrong with her? What happened?" "I dunno. They just found her....under the bridge. She's been there since this morning around one! We only found out a few hours ago. She slammed her head and....she's in a a psychiatric unit." Darien remembered the scene last night at her dance....how Toby had hurt and mortified her in front of the whole school! >She wouldn't have....< he thought in dreadful revelation. Could that have been an act of suicide? No! Serena wasn't that stupid! But.... "WHAT! WHY?!" "They think she has brain damage Darien." she confessed sadly and watched his expression. he stared at her as if her words weren't for real. "She woke up and they said she acted hysterical and crazyish...like rambling and shrieking and then falling to the floor and kicking and crying and screaming and..not making any sense! They think her head's damaged or something. I DON'T KNOW!" she sighed and shook her head. "She's a sleep... maybe you should go to her. You're her friend too." Before she finished he was heading for the door, at first slowly and then as if he couldn't leave the room fast enough. ____________________________________________________________________________ Serena lay in a hospital bed, in a white hospital gown, her face lying sideways on a pillow. She looked attractive in a tired, serene way while she slept. Through the hours, different shadows had played shapes over her form....belonging to different sets of people who came and went with the hours, like seasons of briefest time. Darien was directed down the hall to Serena's room and looked in. He watched her a few moments with feelings of sympathy and sorrow for her. What if she had tried to kill herself? Just because she couldn't face the world after what Toby had done! Just because she probably felt alone! >Serena, you stupid, STUPID..!< he was unable to curse her and sighing heavily, walked in. he sat down by her bed and watched her face. There were a few hairs dangling by her cheek from her new cut. Her waist length long hair was a mess and girded around her head and shoulders. "Serena, what have you done to yourself!" he said sadly, low toned. He placed a hand over her smaller, paler one. The cast was gone from her thin fingers. He noticed how huge his hand seemed to her own, it seemed to cover it almost wholly. Like something stronger to support something weak and frail. "Sure, you realized what the guy was like....but you didn't have to go that far! You didn't!" he said, his low voice starting to fill with slow emotion. "You weren't alone! I was there you know! I'm sorry I let him hurt you! But you needed to know what he was like! I'm sorry Serena, but...." he sighed in frustration. Words always got in the way with him. Got in the way of what he always meant. "Serena, look what you could have done to yourself!!! You could have made yourself mentally defective...brain damaged..whatever it is they think! But you're not! Please, I know you're not! Serena...." his voice cracked a little. "Serena.....why couldn't I have been enough!!!!" he groaned. he rubbed his eyes with his fingers in a tired motion. He didn't know what to do. he wanted to do SOMETHING! >Toby!< he th9ougth darkly. It was painful to think of Serena having to live her life as a handicap, a mentally defective person or whatever! Not being the way she normally was. What if she opened those silent eyes and didn't see him? Looked at him but didn't see him? Didn't know him any more... didn't know one thing from the next the rest of her life. Her whole mind a mess; like a painting of watercolors, that someone poured a glass of water over it all....and everything just blends and swells, not making sense any more. >Toby! You did this to her! It should be YOU in here, not her! All the idiot did was love you, and.....because of you she might be...< he shook his head. His emotions were starting to control him. But he cared and it just wasn't fair. It hadn't been from the beginning either. "Please Meatball head....." he sighed and leaned his forehead on her shoulder in silent plea of prayer. "Just be ok......" Rei Lita and Mina had been coming t hat way, with Serena's parents shortly behind them. They saw Darien in Serena's room, with his head bowed against her. He sighed. Rei bit her lip and glanced at the other two. They were surprised but then their looks softened to sympathy. Rei glanced at Mr. and Mrs. Tsukino heading in their direction. Mina and Lita immediately turned to her parents. Lita turned Mr. Tsukino around and Mina and her started leading him in the other direction while Rei did the same to Serena;s mother. "Yivhk...GIRLS! What are you DOING!" they cried in protest and confusion. "Ummm....the doctor said that he's uh....giving her some medicine and needles; and that he wants us to go have some more Cappuccino in the cafeteria before we come up. Give him ten minutes." Rei said. >Lucky for me, I'm a good liar.< she thought. Even if Mina and Lita joked about Serena and Darien starting to become something a little more than friends, Rei knew that there was such a thing as being in between, and it was a deep enough feeling to need 10 more minutes alone. _____________________________________________________________________________ Darien drank a Cappuccino coffee slowly. he could never understand how some people just went ahead and drank it down so fast....the affects of drinking the hot brew down in fast speed always made his stomach tense. Rei came down, shaking her hair as if it was in knots, and sat down beside him with a tired smile. "Hi Darien. Mind if I have a Cappuccino with you?" he shook his head. "Go ahead Rei. How's Serena?" "She's awake." "Awake? Really!" he put his coffee down. he would have jumped right up but for some reason he didn't. he surprised himself. "Yeah, and good news....no brain damage. She's speaking normally, her memory is clear, she can move her neck and skull normally, thought right now not without a bit of pain, and as for further physical damage, her vital signs are all normal." she smiled. He beamed at her. "That's GREAT!" he exclaimed, pleased. "So...she'll be ok?" Rei nodded and when her Cappuccino came, she immediately drank a heavy mouth full of it. Darien didn't show his flinchen to it. "Yes, but she'll probably be in the hospital for a week and a half. The doctors just want to make sure that there's nothing really wrong. That's all. So far everyone's been in to see her." Darien hesitated. "Everyone except her caring boyfriend." he added bitterly. Rei nodded and avoided his cool look. "I know. I kept hoping he'd come in, and at least SEE her! I mean, it's all over her school, no thanks to Lita! She was passing around a hat at school for everyone to put money in." "Huh? What for? She wasn't going to die or anything." "No, to buy her a cake or something like that." Rei grinned. Darien laughed at the idea. But when it came to Serena, it was ideal. "There's no way he couldn't have heard about it. It's all over school. Even the teachers know. Mrs. Tsukino didn't have to phone in about Serena's absence but...you know. Lita can spread words faster than a flue can spread to malnutritioned children in 24 hours! So.....are you going to tell her or am I?" "What do you mean Rei?" "'What I mean' is that Serena's going to ask if Toby came to see her right?" His expression darkened. "Why? After the way he treated her..." "Darien, I know Serena! She's going to ask! And I'm asking if you think she'd take it better hearing it from you or me that her 'boyfriend' doesn't care enough to come and see her if she's in the hospital ion account of him." Darien looked close to anger. "But it's HIS FAULT she nearly damaged her brain!" "She didn't try to commit suicide by the way," Rei pointed out "She said she didn't look where she was going and when a car nearly hit her she slipped and fell off a bridge." He felt relief to hear that, but still the near-anger feeling stayed. "Whatever, Rei SHE COULD BE DEAD if it weren't for Prince Tobias Nikolas!" she looked around. "Darien, for the love of Ivy, don't SHOUT! We're in a cafe, for pete's sakes!" he looked around at some of the people staring at them, then relaxed a little. "I'm sorry Rei, but...it just makes me so ANGRY when I think of all she's had to go through for the son of a.." "Darien, don t' swear!" Rei rolled her eyes. "Being angry at Toby doesn't help Serena." she said firmly "I don't like the guy either. As far as I'm concerned, he can throw a lighted match down his throat! But I know Serena enough to know she's going to be REALL HURT about this.I mean, she cared for the guy, and even if she does see sense, being Serena, she's going to hurt A LOT! I'm asking if you think it would hurt less if you tried being her 'rod' through this or if you want ME to!" "What'd you mean by her 'rod' Rei!" he narrowed his eyes. "D'you even know what a Rod is?" she demanded. "It's something that you lean on, if you can't stand up alone! The last 5 weeks, I've seen her grow really close to you. She respects and admires you. That's why I'm asking. What we need to do is try making this a little easier for her. Get me?" he nodded. "Yeah, sure. I'll...I'll tell her. I guess." he sighed and pushed himself up. She nodded, "You go. You gonna tell her now?" she asked and looked up at him. He shrugged. "I don't know. I'll see. You coming?" "In a while. I think I'm going to drink some Cappuccino for a while first. I don't like feeling tired like this." he put some bills on the table. "Here, on me." he smiled and walked away. "Serena, you'd call me crazy if I said so, but you'd e do better with him any day!" ____________________________________________________________________________ Serena looked at all the flowers on her bed sides. She smiled at the feeling and concern her friends, parents and kids at school had for her. She felt the tangled strands of her blond hair and sighed. "I really should watch where I'm going." she couldn't get up and read the cards from a lot of the flowers, and some of them were beyond the reach of her bed. She wondered which ones were from Darien or even Toby. >I wonder if Toby was worried?< she thought sadly. She recalled the night of the dance. She'd waited and planned and dreamed of that night for so long! And he'd spoilt it! Why did he always cause her pain and discomfort? But in front of the whole school..... 'Why did I dance with Darien? We'd gotten back together and what do I do?' she thought, recalling his words. "I go to a dance with Darien....no wonder it looks like I was double crossing him!" she thought, feeling miserable again suddenly. She suddenly felt like falling off a bridge wasn't punishment enough for it all. For being the worst girl friend in history. Suddenly Darien walked in, looking unsure and tired. "Hi Serena." he smiled when he saw her sitting up in bed. She smiled at him. "Darien! Hi!" he smiled and walked to her bed, kissing her on the cheek. She blushed. "How are you feeling?" he asked her anxiously, sitting on her bed. She shrugged and smiled happily. "Ok, to say I've felt better would be an understatement though." he laughed. "It's good to see that the fall didn't damage your sense of humor though." "Darien, you look tired." she noted the thin line sunder his dark eyes. He smiled tiredly at her. "No, I'm ok. Just up a little more than usual, worried about you." she smiled softly. "Really? I'm sorry." she looked away sadly. "No, it's ok Serena. I just need 29 hours of sleep that's all." he joked. "I'm glad to see you're ok. I was in here a few times sitting with you." "You were? Really?" she looked at him in surprise. he nodded. "Just talking to you. They thought you had brain damage or something. I was really afraid for you Serena." he said and squeezed her hand briefly. She smiled at him, touched. "Oh Darien, thanks. Right about now, I needed that." she sighed. "Hey, anything else you need, just click your fingers." he smiled. "A Cappuccino? Four thousand dollars, the empire state building....any requests right now?" she laughed at his silliness. "No, but I'll send you a list in the mail when I think of a few, if that's ok with you." she pushed him in the shoulder and laughed at him. he figured that if you were in a hospital, what you really needed was a reason to laugh! "Ok, hi Serena! Am I intruding." Ami looked in and they both smiled at her. "No, come on in Ami." she said and Ami came in with a friendly face. "Hey Serena, I brought you some lilies." She was holding a pot of white and pink naked-lady lilies. Serena smiled at the sight of the bright pink flowers. Ami found a spot for them over on a dresser by the window. "You're really starting a collection, aren't you?" Darien smiled at her. Serena laughed. "Got enough to remake Panaroa Park." she nodded. "You seem to have flowers from the whole school in here! As well as family and friends." Ami beamed, standing a little behind Darien. Serena suddenly recalled a question. "Did...did Toby send any?" Ami glanced at Darien and bit her lip nervously. "Not yet." "Did..did he come to see me at..at all?" "Um....well...." Ami seemed to be trying to find the right words in this awkward situation. Darien looked down. He knew Serena was going to be hurt. "No." he said and squeezed Serena's hand a little. But she just let go of it slowly and when he looked up, this time she was looking down. "Not yet." Ami said quickly. Darien rolled his eyes. >It's not likely he'll come either, Ami! You're not helping!< "Does...does he even know I'm here?" she asked. The tiny residual hope left in her voice pained Darien. >Why can't she understand!< he thought. "He must. The whole school knows." Ami said. Darien, again, thought that Ami was only making things a little harder. Serena bit her lip and lay down, looking away. Ami glanced at Darien, and he looked at Serena. "Serena..." "Please go away." she begged in an almost unaudiable voice. IT was sad and small and he knew if he defied her request, she'd just start crying. She was deeply hurt. AGAIN. Slowly he got up with Ami and they left. When they had closed the door, she started to cry as hard as she could. ____________________________________________________________________________ Darien sat with Libby, Andrew's sister, in the coffee shop down town. He'd been here only a few hours ago. Yet he felt no different. Cappuccino with double chocs or just some hot chocolate?" she asked him. He shrugged. "Espresso Libby." she studied him with surprise. "But you hate Espresso. I thought you said it made you sick?" "Yeah, well...I feel like abusing myself." he said glumly. "Ok, then Espresso with sugar and cream and milk..." "Black Libby." "Black!?! You, taking Espresso BLACK! Whatever it is, it can't be so bad where you feel like KILLING yourself! You can hardly even take Cappuccino black!" "LIBBY!" he cried in frustration. "I don't want Q n'R! I just want a cup of black coffee!" she studied him and frowned. "Hey, I thought Serena was ok. You're a weird character!" "She IS ok! Physically any way." he sighed. "You mean she DOES have brain damage?" "NO!!!! It's the fault of her boyfriend she;s in there and the guy has been causing problems for her for weeks, and he can't even visit her! I mean, it would at least be decent!" he said in annoyance. "Even if she's not perfect, she no way deserves that!" "What's the name of this guy any way?" Libby frowned. "Toby Nikolas." "You're kidding!" she exclaimed. He was surprised at her reaction. "You know the guy?" "I've seen him in here a few times. Always with some new girl. A friend of mine dated him a while back. He's not someone who actually takes a relationship seriously. In 8th grade, he was known as one-date-Niks. he dates once and get tired of them. But he has good looks. I didn't know Serena was seeing him. She's more of the go steady type. he was in here today with soemone." Darien stared at her. "Toby you mean! The NERVE of that guy! he stands up in front of Serena's whole school and calls her a two timer!" "Yeah, saw him with some girl who looks your age. He was all over her! he did that to Serena. That's pretty rotten egg." she made a face. Then glancing at her watch, she went off to get Darien's coffee, but he wasn't as thirsty any more all of a sudden. He had a bitter taste in his mouth that had formed in the center of his stomach. __________________________________________________________________________ Serena looked at her note book. Her parents had brought her some of her stuff from her room. This had been one of the items. Her best friend maybe. She poured out her emotions in to tearing up poems she'd written for Toby, the pages she'd doddles his name and her name and names she might name their kids someday. She poured her emotions into poems, to console herself. You made me cry,& hurt me inside.... But you never feel my tears. You blew out the sun, like it was candle light... And I am knee-deep in the darkness of my fears. Years from now, and I can guess how, I might pass you on the street. I am small in the crowds you see, You are walking with your lady friend, nice and neat. I'll be under the stars, alone like they are.... And I'll be praying to the moon, alone every day... And I'll always be remembering How you broke my heart today. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Run out of room here! We're having com. problems AGAIN! I am Continuing this chapter in 2 parts. Authors notes are here. So, this is it. Will you miss it? I had fun writing it and I'll miss it for sure! I hope you enjoy this though. I really owe thanks to Jade, Sidnei, Michelle Castoguay, Austen, Joel, Michelle Grazer, Amanda, Melissa, Uyen Ngo, Tania, Criss, richard.leum, Roo, Lianne, Razzberi, Moon star, Jessi, Small Lady Bensai, Haruka,Loreena42, Swanhilde, kitsune-bi, Selena, the Moon goddess, Jennifer Wand, Anita, Willow, Jillian Parisi, @my, Angel Wings, DVusAgent, Bold Ruler, Black star, Star83 gazer,Theresa Baer, Chaz, Gabino Lopez, Kathy Tran,Sara, Saki Guzman,Rosie Cat, Corina Borsuk, Dark Phoenix, Andrea Painter, Yohanna DeSabrais, Maria, Janice Go, XOXO546, Moonbaka, Sailor Stardust, Bitsy,and PofJupiter. Without any of your letters this story would not be the success it is! Your lettesr all gave me a lot of confidence inmyself for this story! Confidence is the key to the best work of your heart:) Love always, Kate (Kathryn*^_^*)