The End?

Darien sat next to his weakened girlfriend with her hand in his. She was sleeping peacefully and he was thankful for the fact that she wasn't in pain. It had been confirmed, bacterial meningitis, the worst kind you can get and he was sure the tiny microbes were working to make him miserable as well. Just to be safe the doctor had given Darien some antibiotics and ordered him to take them.

The antibiotics were the least of his complaints. The call to Serena's parents worried him most. Ken Tsukino had been livid upon hearing the news that his little girl was sick and in the hospital. The protective father hadn't blamed the diagnosis on Darien but who knew what would happen when Ken and Ilene appeared at the hospital.

"Where is she?" Ilene's panicked voice echoed through the doorway just before the woman herself did. "OH! My baby!" The worried mother rushed to her daughter and put a gentle hand against the side of Serena's face. "Thank you for staying with her Darien." Ilene's violet eyes didn't move from the blonde lying in the bed but Darien could feel her sincerity. "I'm sorry about my husband too."

"Mrs. Tsukino… really, it's no problem. I understand." Darien smiled and looked toward the doorway as Ken Tsukino reluctantly walked through the door. "Hello Mr. Tsukino."

"Darien." Ken nodded complacently. He was still furious with the man who had spent the night with his daughter but he wasn't about to begin his ranting now. At the moment he had to focus on the reason they had all gathered here: Serena.

The blonde lay upon the bed, her face flushed red and slightly contorted in discomfort. "Bacterial Meningitis is serious but I got her here in time. She'll be fine given a week or two." Ken and Ilene took stock of the young man sitting before them and saw the guilt glistening behind his eyes. "I'm sorry." He sighed and closed his eyes. "I wouldn't stay long, we're highly contagious." Ilene released her daughter and stepped back as Ken moved towards the door.

Darien regretted to say that he was definitely feeling the adverse effects of having the illness and it was dubiously obvious to any onlooker that he was indeed sick. "I'll get the nurse in here. You should be in bed Darien." Ilene scolded and pulled her husband from the room quickly.

Three weeks had the pair out of the hospital and back into the world. Serena smiled brilliantly in the sun as she held onto Darien's arm and walked through the park. "Heard you were really sick." Sapphire's voice halted the two in their walk and as Serena turned to him she nodded. "Good to see you're better my dear… and that everything seems to be working out between you two. I was always rooting for you kid." Sapphire's deep blue eyes sparkled with mischief as he looked at Darien.

"Thank you." Darien chuckled and looked at Serena lovingly. "For a while there I thought you were against me." The group had a laugh before Sapphire shook his head.

"You know Darien, if getting sick is the side effect of having sex with you I'm going to have to advise Serena here to get far away from you." Sapphire grinned as Serena turned beat red and Darien raised an eyebrow at the older man. "I'm simply kidding of course."

"Of course… well, we're going to go okay?" Darien began to lead his girlfriend away from Sapphire then paused. "You know, he worries me sometimes." Serena nodded and snuggled into Darien's side as they started walking again.

"Yeah well, he's been a really good friend and mentor to me." She smiled and closed her eyes to relax. Being sick had taken a significant amount of energy from her. Of course, that was an interesting way to begin her mature relationship with Darien. So far they had created quite a few interesting stories that would be told over and over again.

From their petty bickering and legendary adversary relationship, to the Dark Moon night Club Scuffle, to their now unparalleled love; the couple would be talked about for years to come. For now however, after their scuffles and struggles, they were content in just enjoying one another. Serena's father had reluctantly listened to Darien and was now a large encourager to their relationship.

It seemed, at least in the moment, that this was their happily ever after.

~The End~

NOTE- I think this is the end. I just don't have anything else to add to this one right now. I may replace this chapter later but know that for right now, this story has come to an end.