I know, I haven't updated in about four months, and I'm sorry! I've been focusing on my PotC fics, and also video-making instead. Apologies. Anyway, enjoy!

After All This Time

Chapter 13 - The Date Part 2

Serena let herself be pulled out of the car by Seiya, who'd gone around to the other side to open the door for her.

"Thanks," she mumbled, flushing a deep red. Seiya smiled on, taking her hand after shutting the door of the car behind her. He led her upto the big, white double doors at the front of the restaurant, and opened one for her, letting her step over the threshold first.

Serena's eager eyes took in the interior of the place. It really was very grand. There was a black marble pathway that she was currently standing on that led to a small desk behind which sat a hostess, scribbling something on a piece of paper as she put the phone down.

Looking around, Serena saw that along each side of the pathway, there were white marble walls, the top of which was lined in a small hedge. Tables were dotted everywhere on the other side, and on each one sat a vase with a single white rose in each. Serena made a mental note that there was never more than two at a table, and that it seemed to be very rare for a single person to be at a table. Even then, they were probably waiting for their date to arrive.

Seiya appeared from nowhere at Serena's side, and offered her his arm. She smiled as she hooked her arm on his, and he walked them forwards towards the hostess.

"Hello, how may I help?" the woman asked politely as soon as they approached.

"I have a table for two booked," Seiya replied, "It's under the name Jackson."

The woman looked down at a thick leather book and scanned the text on it. Smiling pleasantly, she looked up at them again.

"Welcome to the White Rose," she said politely, signalling for a maître d' to come forward and take them to their table. "Michael will take you to your table. Enjoy your meal."

Both Seiya and Serena smiled warmly back at the woman and allowed Michael to lead them to a table for two. Seiya pulled out Serena's chair and she sat down then Seiya tucked her chair back in, moving around to seat himself.

"I shall send a waitress to collect your order in a few minutes," Michael said kindly before excusing himself.

Serena sighed happily as Seiya watched her look around the vast room and survey the beautiful plants that sprinkled the marble flooring.

She turned back to face him, her blue eyes bright, a beautiful smile gracing her lips. "This is really wonderful, Seiya."

"It's no problem," he said softly, allowing himself to lose his bearings as he gazed into her wide eyes.

"Thank you," she smiled. "You really don't know how much this means to me."

He noticed, even without averting his eyes from her face, that her hand was lying absently on the tablecloth, and he gently took it in his.

"Like I said," he whispered, his thumb stroking the top of her hand, "it's no problem."

Serena suddenly became painfully aware that their faces had slowly inched closer, and this thought, irritatingly, only presented itself when he hesitantly pressed his lips to hers. She found, much to her own surprise, that she involuntarily closed her eyes and was kissing him back.

Only when a sharp cough came from their right did they return to reality and pull apart, each slightly out of breath.

"Are you ready to order?" asked the waitress, Linda, who was rapidly turning a deep shade of crimson.

Seiya, without taking his eyes off Serena's lips, replied, "Um, yes. I'll have the filet mignon, thank you."

Linda jotted down Seiya's order on a notepad before turning to Serena. "And you, miss?"

"I'll just have the grilled chicken, thanks," Serena replied after a moment of considering.

"And to drink?"

"Get us a bottle of your finest," Seiya said immediately; Serena raised her eyebrows as Linda wrote that down too and walked away.

"Of their finest?" Serena repeated incredulously. "You hardly know me."

Seiya reached up with one hand and cupped her cheek with it. "That doesn't matter to me."

And he leaned forward and captured her lips beneath his again. Serena did the same as she did last time; she closed her eyes and responded.

And it was only when their food arrived, ten minutes later, that Seiya and Serena finally stopped kissing.

--

After enjoying a plentiful meal of a main course and ice cream with chocolate syrup for dessert, Seiya paid their tab in the restaurant and led Serena back out through the double doors, holding her hand as they walked.

"Tonight was really wonderful, Seiya, thank you," Serena smiled serenely before he kissed her again. This time her hands came to rest on his upper arms, finding they were quite muscly.

They stood like that for a long while, until finally the sound of a car pulling up snapped them from their reverie. Seiya opened the car door for her, and she climbed in, smiling like a little girl as he moved around the back of the car and climbed in to his side.

At once, the car pulled away, and Seiya held Serena's hand in his again, squeezing it once to catch her attention. Her big blue eyes looked at him both inquiringly and innocently, before he leaned in again.

They kissed for the entire car ride until the driver pulled up outside Serena's apartment block. Serena regretfully pulled back from Seiya smiling mouth, and thanked him again, before climbing out of the car.

She watched with a light head as the car drove away, Seiya sitting alone on the back seat.

When the car had rounded the corner, Serena immediately felt giddy and heady, turning to go back into her apartment block, pressing the button for the elevator.

She didn't even remember the elevator ride; she just found herself entering her apartment to find her sister, Mina, waiting for her on the couch.

"Well?" she demanded, a wide smile lighting up her face as she waited eagerly for juicy details.

Serena swooned and reached out for a surface to steady herself. "I think I'm in love."

I really hope that wasn't an insult to the name 'chapter' to you all, because I'm not too fond of it. But oh well :)

Review please!

ThePirate'sBride (new name :P) out.