"For Argument's Sake."
By: Isis @}---
[email protected]
Rated G.
Disclaimers: Don't sue and don't copy!
AN: Hi again! So far I've gotten lots of good feedback for
this so this is the epilogue as promised. Thanks sooooo much to
everyone that has e-mailed me! I really enjoy hearing about what
you think of it, besides I love mail!!
Epilogue
@}---
"Um… daddy?"
Ken Tsukino crumbled his paper into his lap and looked up
at Serena. "I know that tone all too well young lady. What's
wrong now?"
"I didn't say anything was wrong!" She hurriedly sat down
next to him on the sofa. "You've been suspicious of me all night
just because I dropped by for dinner unannounced. Does that
automatically mean something's wrong?" She took his arm and
wrapped hers inside of it comfortably.
"No, it doesn't but this 'um… daddy' thing along with you
'wanting' to help your mother with dishes is a good sign of it."
Her father looked down at her worriedly. "What happened?"
"Oh dad, it's nothing like that!" Serena snuggled in closer
to her father and braced herself. "It's just that… well, you know
all the times that I kept telling you Darien was just a friend and
all… well…"
"Oh no, Serena…" He looked down at her half shocked
and half terrified. "We talked about this!"
"Whoa! Dad, it's nothing like that! Geesh, don't blow a
head gasket." She patted her father's hand until his breathing
returned to normal. "It's just that, well… it's changed is all.
Darien and I are… dating now," she added very quietly to her lap.
"What! When did this happen? Why didn't you tell us?!"
After a few minutes of pacing about the room in a fit of temper he
settled back down next to his daughter. "I always knew this would
happen. I was just waiting." He paused and looked over at her.
"How serious are you?"
Serena looked up at him quietly a minute. "Very?" she
mumbled. "But not like that!" she added hurriedly to cut off that
death-look her he gave her. She sighed as her father simply let her
explain herself. "It's happened kind of fast, and well, this is new
for us too." Carefully she spilled out what had happened the last
few weeks. She only hoped that he would realize that this was
right, that he would see what she saw as the perfect completion to
this relationship. "I guess I should have come to you sooner,
but…"
She stopped, not knowing what else to say. Sure her father
was overprotective of her, but surly he'd understand what they
meant to each other. Surly he would…
"Do you love him?"
It was the simplest question he could have asked, yet it was
a question that tipped her chin up to look at him and brought tears
to her eyes. It was a question that told her that only one thing truly
mattered to him. It was a question she knew she could answer.
"Yes."
"And he loves you too?" She nodded immediately, unable
to speak through trembling lips. He simply smiled down at her a
bit and wrapped his arm around his little girl and scooted her closer
to him. "Well, then I guess I'd better get use to this idea huh?" he
mumbled. "Because if I don't your mother over there won't speak
to me for a year."
She sniffed slightly and looked up to see her mother
standing in the living room's doorway also with tears in her eyes.
Serena had told her mother earlier and had been all but forced in to
tell her father as well. Apparently Ilene knew her husband might
need to be persuaded into this too.
Knowing that she'd been caught though, she came into the
room and sat down beside her daughter, placing an arm around her
as well. "That's right, I think these two really were meant to be
together. I have for a while now. They'll be happy…" She trailed
off as she took Serena's chin in her hand. "He'll make you a good
husband."
"HUSBAND! Who said anything about that! And you
think that you'll just run off, fall in love with a guy and then waltz
down the aisle!! How much do you really know—"
"Ken! Honey, hush! Serena was getting to that—"
"—about the man!! I mean they've been dating three
weeks!!"
"Oh now, stop it! You weren't any different—"
Serena quietly slipped out of the room and headed for the
door. And here she thought she'd been doing so good with him!
Oh well, she'd come back later when they calmed down. *Poor
Dad, he'll just never get over this!* She giggled merrily as she
grabbed her coat and ran out the door yelling a "bye" over her
shoulder.
She heard a few vain attempts to stop her once her parents
realized that she had slipped from the room, but she'd be long gone
before they could reach the door. Hurriedly she rushed down the
street towards a very familiar destination. Darien would be home
sweating over what her parents said tonight. Might as well put him
out of his misery!
Serena giggled happily as she bounced down the blocks.
She was engaged to the most wonderful man in the world and it
was totally official now that her parents knew, and everything
would be like happily ever after! OK, so her mother was much
more receptive to the news than her father had been but they'd
both come around soon enough. They'd have to! After all, they'll
be having a new son-in-law!! Oh, and then grandkids and…
She stopped walking in order to gaze into a wedding shop
that she'd been passing by every day anymore. Dresses of all
types and sizes hung within. Though the store was closed she
could see with vivid detail all of the wedding things strung around.
Veils were on the far corner, invitation printing stuff sat on the
counter, guest books, candles, cake decorations… She sighed and
leaned against the glass a moment just contemplating the future.
Could this really be happening? Could she really be doing this?
Could she honestly be this happy?
Could she be any colder?! It was the middle of winter and
she was standing around on street corners fantasizing over… her
wedding! Serena giggled at herself again and continued her jog
towards her "fiancée's" apartment. Oh, did that word just sound
soooo good!!
@}---
"You know, I've never liked brown." Serena wondered
aimlessly around the nearly deserted park. February had brought
with it much milder temperatures and the ground had given way
from frozen to squishy as it thawed. The creaks had begun to run
again as ice still clung to their sides and small signs of life began to
come back again. Tiny birds grouped over the park's bare trees
and sought the berries left over from last year's blooms.
"The plants will come back soon enough. Everything gets
a fresh start." Darien had been rather solemn for most of the day,
but there was an air of excitement in the still chilled breeze.
"Well aren't we feeling poetic today?" she said turning to
regard him. "I was beginning to think you drug me out here just to
freeze to death."
"That'd be one way to get rid of you," he mused as he
wrapped her up in his arms to keep her warm. "Of course, then
again, I don't want to get rid of you."
She cooed a happy little note into his jacket and held on to
him tightly. "Why are we here anyway?" she asked finally looking
up at him.
"Oh, I don't know. I just seemed like a nice day for a
walk," he mumbled taking her hand and leading her along the path.
"Nice day? It's like twenty below! Besides, it could start
snowing any time."
"It's just a little cloudy, it'll make for a great sunset." He
led her along to the small rose garden surrounded by trees near the
back of the park. The bushes were brown and leafless; their stocks
had been trimmed back for next year's growth and they stood like
silent watchmen to this secluded little garden.
"It's kind of depressing seeing them without any blooms
isn't it?" she asked walking over to touch one of the shrubs. "Like
they don't have any life to them."
Somehow, Darien felt a small sinking feeling settle into his
stomach, this wasn't going well. "They're only in their preparation
stage. They have to save up their strength in order to start new."
The speech was more to comfort himself than anything else but she
nodded understandingly.
"Kind of like they're saving up for something."
"Yes," he mumbled walking up to embrace her back.
"They start a new life each year."
She giggled at the comment. "Wouldn't that be fun?" she
asked tipping her chin to look up at him backwards. "Just start
fresh every year. Be a whole new person!"
"Maybe, but a person becomes something different every
time there is a change in life."
She hummed an agreement and snuggled into his embrace a
bit farther. Darien found butterflies awakening in his stomach as
the silence stretched on. He opened his mouth to say something
when she let out a startled, "Oh!"
"What?" he questioned looking around.
"The sunset! You were right, look at it." He chucked into
her hair and pecked a kiss on the top of her head as he looked into
the western sky. "How does it get so many colors?"
Darien smiled, "Well because of the nitrogen-oxygen mix
in the upper atmosphere—"
"Oh be quiet! You take all the fun out of everything with
that scientific stuff. Isn't there anything that you can't explain?"
He chuckled lightly and turned her around to face him in
his arms. "I can't explain you."
She glared up at him for a moment, blue eyes sparkling
with the sinking sun. "I'm just carbon and water right?" she
snipped at him before peeling out of his arms and walking away.
"Not if you really aren't from this planet," he mumbled
following after her.
"Oh yes, I forgot, I'm from the moon! If you drug me out
here just to make fun of me I'm going home," she sniffed, placing
her arms over her chest.
He laughed at the sight but again took her into his arms and
nuzzled close to her ear. "I didn't drag you out here to annoy you.
Actually I…"
"Well you're doing a good job of it anyway."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Of course what else is new? I've had to put up with this
for so long I should be more than use to it! And still I'm walking
around in the freezing cold loosing my health—"
He covered her mouth over with one hand and leaned down
to place a lingering kiss just behind her earlobe. He felt her
snuggle back into him and he released her mouth. "That's not
fair," she mumbled turning towards him. "Why do you always do
this to me?"
"Because I can never get you to be quiet," he said warmly
as he lifted her chin to kiss her lightly.
"Your hands are cold," she mumbled dreamily.
"Sorry…" He kissed her again, deeper, to make up for it.
The butterflies in his stomach had turned into a group of agitated
swallows. "Serena…"
"You have a habit of talking through the most opportune
times," she chided softly as she stepped up on tiptoes to kiss him
again.
"I keep talking? You're the one not listening to me," he
said a bit agitated with her.
"Do not!"
"Do to."
"Do not! Besides, there is nothing that you could say here
that you couldn't have said in my nice warm apartment," she
huffed stepping back again.
"I was hoping to make this a bit more romantic," he
mumbled feeling very deflated.
"Great, now your idea of romantic is to bring me out to
freeze in the middle of a bunch of dead sticks. What dictionary
entry did you find that one under?" Serena turned away from him
crossing her arms in front of her in mock agitation.
For some reason he couldn't name Darien smiled at the
reference. "I found it under seclusion, as in being away from
everyone else but you. And under togetherness, for just the two of
us." He took a step closer to her. "I found it under happiness,
which I always find with you. Under friendship, which describes
our past." He slowly took another step closer to her even though
she hadn't turned to face him. "I looked up love, which describes
our present… and my feelings for you." He wrapped her up into
his arms once more and leaned close to her. "I saw it under
marriage, which is our future… But I thought of it especially
under proposal, which is what I've been trying to say."
He was rewarded with a small gasp from her as he held up
the small item he had pulled from his pocket when he walked up to
her. He couldn't see her eyes but he could see clearly the tears that
dripped from her chin as she slowly reached up to take the ring
from his hand. The heart shaped stone gleamed back at the two of
them and the small circle of surrounding stones shown with eternal
love.
He smiled at the thought and held her tighter. "I know our
engagement didn't get started off on the most romantic of notes. I
just need to hear it again Serena." His voice dropped to a whisper
spoken directly into her ear, "Will you marry me?"
Silence responded to his question for a moment until she
turned in his arms to look squarely up at him. Her tear-streaked
face looked up at him and her eyes gleamed brighter than he had
ever seen. Then, in a tiny voice, she whispered, "Yes."
He broke out into a huge grin as she nodded again and
again mouthing the word over and over without a sound. He
leaded forward and kissed her deeply to still her lips. "I love you,
Serena. I always will."
"I love you too," she whispered as even more tears ran
down her cheeks. "Oh, I love you too."
He smiled and kissed her once more before pulling back
just a bit and wiping at her still dripping eyes. She began to giggle
as well at her own tears and took a coat sleeve to them. When he
had dried her chin he pulled back a bit and taking her hands in his,
found the ring that she had been holding numbly. Carefully he
began to place it on her figure and was rewarded with hearing her
gasp slightly. In the closing darkness he could see fresh tears start
at the corners of her eyes as the ring…
"Oops."
"Oops? All this time and you don't know what ring size I
wear!? I don't believe you!"
"How was I supposed to know that you have fat fingers?"
"I do not have fat fingers!!"
"Do to."
"Do not!"
…
_____________
@}--- "By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll
become happy; if you get a bad wife, you'll become a philosopher"
-Socrates.
AN: I am working on a second fan-fic, but don't expect it
for a while. And I have to say that it will be much different from
this one. But you'll have to wait and see what my twisted
imagination comes up with!! giggle
By: Isis @}---
[email protected]
Rated G.
Disclaimers: Don't sue and don't copy!
AN: Hi again! So far I've gotten lots of good feedback for
this so this is the epilogue as promised. Thanks sooooo much to
everyone that has e-mailed me! I really enjoy hearing about what
you think of it, besides I love mail!!
Epilogue
@}---
"Um… daddy?"
Ken Tsukino crumbled his paper into his lap and looked up
at Serena. "I know that tone all too well young lady. What's
wrong now?"
"I didn't say anything was wrong!" She hurriedly sat down
next to him on the sofa. "You've been suspicious of me all night
just because I dropped by for dinner unannounced. Does that
automatically mean something's wrong?" She took his arm and
wrapped hers inside of it comfortably.
"No, it doesn't but this 'um… daddy' thing along with you
'wanting' to help your mother with dishes is a good sign of it."
Her father looked down at her worriedly. "What happened?"
"Oh dad, it's nothing like that!" Serena snuggled in closer
to her father and braced herself. "It's just that… well, you know
all the times that I kept telling you Darien was just a friend and
all… well…"
"Oh no, Serena…" He looked down at her half shocked
and half terrified. "We talked about this!"
"Whoa! Dad, it's nothing like that! Geesh, don't blow a
head gasket." She patted her father's hand until his breathing
returned to normal. "It's just that, well… it's changed is all.
Darien and I are… dating now," she added very quietly to her lap.
"What! When did this happen? Why didn't you tell us?!"
After a few minutes of pacing about the room in a fit of temper he
settled back down next to his daughter. "I always knew this would
happen. I was just waiting." He paused and looked over at her.
"How serious are you?"
Serena looked up at him quietly a minute. "Very?" she
mumbled. "But not like that!" she added hurriedly to cut off that
death-look her he gave her. She sighed as her father simply let her
explain herself. "It's happened kind of fast, and well, this is new
for us too." Carefully she spilled out what had happened the last
few weeks. She only hoped that he would realize that this was
right, that he would see what she saw as the perfect completion to
this relationship. "I guess I should have come to you sooner,
but…"
She stopped, not knowing what else to say. Sure her father
was overprotective of her, but surly he'd understand what they
meant to each other. Surly he would…
"Do you love him?"
It was the simplest question he could have asked, yet it was
a question that tipped her chin up to look at him and brought tears
to her eyes. It was a question that told her that only one thing truly
mattered to him. It was a question she knew she could answer.
"Yes."
"And he loves you too?" She nodded immediately, unable
to speak through trembling lips. He simply smiled down at her a
bit and wrapped his arm around his little girl and scooted her closer
to him. "Well, then I guess I'd better get use to this idea huh?" he
mumbled. "Because if I don't your mother over there won't speak
to me for a year."
She sniffed slightly and looked up to see her mother
standing in the living room's doorway also with tears in her eyes.
Serena had told her mother earlier and had been all but forced in to
tell her father as well. Apparently Ilene knew her husband might
need to be persuaded into this too.
Knowing that she'd been caught though, she came into the
room and sat down beside her daughter, placing an arm around her
as well. "That's right, I think these two really were meant to be
together. I have for a while now. They'll be happy…" She trailed
off as she took Serena's chin in her hand. "He'll make you a good
husband."
"HUSBAND! Who said anything about that! And you
think that you'll just run off, fall in love with a guy and then waltz
down the aisle!! How much do you really know—"
"Ken! Honey, hush! Serena was getting to that—"
"—about the man!! I mean they've been dating three
weeks!!"
"Oh now, stop it! You weren't any different—"
Serena quietly slipped out of the room and headed for the
door. And here she thought she'd been doing so good with him!
Oh well, she'd come back later when they calmed down. *Poor
Dad, he'll just never get over this!* She giggled merrily as she
grabbed her coat and ran out the door yelling a "bye" over her
shoulder.
She heard a few vain attempts to stop her once her parents
realized that she had slipped from the room, but she'd be long gone
before they could reach the door. Hurriedly she rushed down the
street towards a very familiar destination. Darien would be home
sweating over what her parents said tonight. Might as well put him
out of his misery!
Serena giggled happily as she bounced down the blocks.
She was engaged to the most wonderful man in the world and it
was totally official now that her parents knew, and everything
would be like happily ever after! OK, so her mother was much
more receptive to the news than her father had been but they'd
both come around soon enough. They'd have to! After all, they'll
be having a new son-in-law!! Oh, and then grandkids and…
She stopped walking in order to gaze into a wedding shop
that she'd been passing by every day anymore. Dresses of all
types and sizes hung within. Though the store was closed she
could see with vivid detail all of the wedding things strung around.
Veils were on the far corner, invitation printing stuff sat on the
counter, guest books, candles, cake decorations… She sighed and
leaned against the glass a moment just contemplating the future.
Could this really be happening? Could she really be doing this?
Could she honestly be this happy?
Could she be any colder?! It was the middle of winter and
she was standing around on street corners fantasizing over… her
wedding! Serena giggled at herself again and continued her jog
towards her "fiancée's" apartment. Oh, did that word just sound
soooo good!!
@}---
"You know, I've never liked brown." Serena wondered
aimlessly around the nearly deserted park. February had brought
with it much milder temperatures and the ground had given way
from frozen to squishy as it thawed. The creaks had begun to run
again as ice still clung to their sides and small signs of life began to
come back again. Tiny birds grouped over the park's bare trees
and sought the berries left over from last year's blooms.
"The plants will come back soon enough. Everything gets
a fresh start." Darien had been rather solemn for most of the day,
but there was an air of excitement in the still chilled breeze.
"Well aren't we feeling poetic today?" she said turning to
regard him. "I was beginning to think you drug me out here just to
freeze to death."
"That'd be one way to get rid of you," he mused as he
wrapped her up in his arms to keep her warm. "Of course, then
again, I don't want to get rid of you."
She cooed a happy little note into his jacket and held on to
him tightly. "Why are we here anyway?" she asked finally looking
up at him.
"Oh, I don't know. I just seemed like a nice day for a
walk," he mumbled taking her hand and leading her along the path.
"Nice day? It's like twenty below! Besides, it could start
snowing any time."
"It's just a little cloudy, it'll make for a great sunset." He
led her along to the small rose garden surrounded by trees near the
back of the park. The bushes were brown and leafless; their stocks
had been trimmed back for next year's growth and they stood like
silent watchmen to this secluded little garden.
"It's kind of depressing seeing them without any blooms
isn't it?" she asked walking over to touch one of the shrubs. "Like
they don't have any life to them."
Somehow, Darien felt a small sinking feeling settle into his
stomach, this wasn't going well. "They're only in their preparation
stage. They have to save up their strength in order to start new."
The speech was more to comfort himself than anything else but she
nodded understandingly.
"Kind of like they're saving up for something."
"Yes," he mumbled walking up to embrace her back.
"They start a new life each year."
She giggled at the comment. "Wouldn't that be fun?" she
asked tipping her chin to look up at him backwards. "Just start
fresh every year. Be a whole new person!"
"Maybe, but a person becomes something different every
time there is a change in life."
She hummed an agreement and snuggled into his embrace a
bit farther. Darien found butterflies awakening in his stomach as
the silence stretched on. He opened his mouth to say something
when she let out a startled, "Oh!"
"What?" he questioned looking around.
"The sunset! You were right, look at it." He chucked into
her hair and pecked a kiss on the top of her head as he looked into
the western sky. "How does it get so many colors?"
Darien smiled, "Well because of the nitrogen-oxygen mix
in the upper atmosphere—"
"Oh be quiet! You take all the fun out of everything with
that scientific stuff. Isn't there anything that you can't explain?"
He chuckled lightly and turned her around to face him in
his arms. "I can't explain you."
She glared up at him for a moment, blue eyes sparkling
with the sinking sun. "I'm just carbon and water right?" she
snipped at him before peeling out of his arms and walking away.
"Not if you really aren't from this planet," he mumbled
following after her.
"Oh yes, I forgot, I'm from the moon! If you drug me out
here just to make fun of me I'm going home," she sniffed, placing
her arms over her chest.
He laughed at the sight but again took her into his arms and
nuzzled close to her ear. "I didn't drag you out here to annoy you.
Actually I…"
"Well you're doing a good job of it anyway."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"
"Of course what else is new? I've had to put up with this
for so long I should be more than use to it! And still I'm walking
around in the freezing cold loosing my health—"
He covered her mouth over with one hand and leaned down
to place a lingering kiss just behind her earlobe. He felt her
snuggle back into him and he released her mouth. "That's not
fair," she mumbled turning towards him. "Why do you always do
this to me?"
"Because I can never get you to be quiet," he said warmly
as he lifted her chin to kiss her lightly.
"Your hands are cold," she mumbled dreamily.
"Sorry…" He kissed her again, deeper, to make up for it.
The butterflies in his stomach had turned into a group of agitated
swallows. "Serena…"
"You have a habit of talking through the most opportune
times," she chided softly as she stepped up on tiptoes to kiss him
again.
"I keep talking? You're the one not listening to me," he
said a bit agitated with her.
"Do not!"
"Do to."
"Do not! Besides, there is nothing that you could say here
that you couldn't have said in my nice warm apartment," she
huffed stepping back again.
"I was hoping to make this a bit more romantic," he
mumbled feeling very deflated.
"Great, now your idea of romantic is to bring me out to
freeze in the middle of a bunch of dead sticks. What dictionary
entry did you find that one under?" Serena turned away from him
crossing her arms in front of her in mock agitation.
For some reason he couldn't name Darien smiled at the
reference. "I found it under seclusion, as in being away from
everyone else but you. And under togetherness, for just the two of
us." He took a step closer to her. "I found it under happiness,
which I always find with you. Under friendship, which describes
our past." He slowly took another step closer to her even though
she hadn't turned to face him. "I looked up love, which describes
our present… and my feelings for you." He wrapped her up into
his arms once more and leaned close to her. "I saw it under
marriage, which is our future… But I thought of it especially
under proposal, which is what I've been trying to say."
He was rewarded with a small gasp from her as he held up
the small item he had pulled from his pocket when he walked up to
her. He couldn't see her eyes but he could see clearly the tears that
dripped from her chin as she slowly reached up to take the ring
from his hand. The heart shaped stone gleamed back at the two of
them and the small circle of surrounding stones shown with eternal
love.
He smiled at the thought and held her tighter. "I know our
engagement didn't get started off on the most romantic of notes. I
just need to hear it again Serena." His voice dropped to a whisper
spoken directly into her ear, "Will you marry me?"
Silence responded to his question for a moment until she
turned in his arms to look squarely up at him. Her tear-streaked
face looked up at him and her eyes gleamed brighter than he had
ever seen. Then, in a tiny voice, she whispered, "Yes."
He broke out into a huge grin as she nodded again and
again mouthing the word over and over without a sound. He
leaded forward and kissed her deeply to still her lips. "I love you,
Serena. I always will."
"I love you too," she whispered as even more tears ran
down her cheeks. "Oh, I love you too."
He smiled and kissed her once more before pulling back
just a bit and wiping at her still dripping eyes. She began to giggle
as well at her own tears and took a coat sleeve to them. When he
had dried her chin he pulled back a bit and taking her hands in his,
found the ring that she had been holding numbly. Carefully he
began to place it on her figure and was rewarded with hearing her
gasp slightly. In the closing darkness he could see fresh tears start
at the corners of her eyes as the ring…
"Oops."
"Oops? All this time and you don't know what ring size I
wear!? I don't believe you!"
"How was I supposed to know that you have fat fingers?"
"I do not have fat fingers!!"
"Do to."
"Do not!"
…
_____________
@}--- "By all means marry; if you get a good wife, you'll
become happy; if you get a bad wife, you'll become a philosopher"
-Socrates.
AN: I am working on a second fan-fic, but don't expect it
for a while. And I have to say that it will be much different from
this one. But you'll have to wait and see what my twisted
imagination comes up with!! giggle