Here we are, another long awaited chapter. I hope you like what I've done with it. Let me know. :) REVIEW!

Future Uncertain

Serena threw herself into Darien’s arms excitedly. Her annulment was final! She was so happy that she was no longer legally tied to Seiya. Of course the issue of Seriah’s custody would still be an issue but she knew her daughter wanted to be with Seiya. “I’m so happy Dare… I’m so glad you’re back.” He smiled and looked at the judge who’d granted her the annulment and reinstated Darien into the world. The judge had been a close friend and colleague in college which was why he was so shocked to see Darien walk into the courtroom. Bringing people back from the dead wasn’t exactly easy but I could be done. “I can’t wait to go house hunting with you.” She then kissed him passionately making Derrick blush a little.

“Hey you two… we’re still um…” He tugged on their clothing to try and pull them from one another but that was practically impossible.

“Darien! Please, you haven’t lost your legal sense I gather so try to keep your romantic interests out of my courtroom.” The judge laughed and looked at the couple with admiration. Darien pulled away from her and led them out of the courtroom before resuming the kiss.

“You guys this is embarrassing.” Derrick twisted his foot into the floor and tried to avoid all the stares they were getting. He could handle them acting like this at home but in public it was a little much for him. Darien whispered something in Serena’s ear making her squeal slightly and rush towards the front doors of the building. She was pulling him by the arm almost violently. “Wait up!” Derrick demanded and rushed after them. He had a feeling he knew what his father had said but he didn’t want to dwell on it too much.

Serena ushered Darien to the car so quickly she reminded the two men of a child going to Disneyland. “Serena, calm down will you?” Darien laughed and looked around to see if there was something the three of them might want to do.

It was late fall now and Derrick had been going to the local high school. Things had changed so much for all of them really. Of course Serena didn’t seem to mind as long as Darien paid enough attention to her. Derrick often thought he paid a little too much attention to her but then again they hadn’t spent any time together over the past sixteen years. Serena then pouted her lip and leaned against the car impatiently. Darien seemed almost immune to Serena’s ministrations but it was still rather adorable to see them together. “I want to go home!”

“We will, just be patient bunny.” She smiled at the nickname. Darien was never one to give nick names and the fact that she’d finally received one made her very happy. “How do you two feel about lunch?”

“No! No lunch! Home…” She suddenly quieted and leaned against the car heavily before closing her eyes.

“Serena?” Darien quickly rushed around the car and looked at her, cupping her face in his hands. “Hey, look at me… Serena?” Her eyes fluttered open before she began to fold her legs under her and slide to the ground slowly. “Serena, what’s going on, talk to me.”

She shook her head slightly and closed her eyes again before sitting on the ground and resting her forehead against her knees. She stayed like that for ten minutes, Darien and Derrick were hovering over her, and ready to do anything she asked of them. “I’m fine.” She said softly and slowly stood back up her legs a little weak. “I promise.” She smiled weakly. “Lunch would be nice.” She blinked and moved away from the car. “Where to?”

“I don’t think so. What was that Serena?” Darien snapped loudly his anger showing through. “You looked like you were going to be sick. Are you okay?” She nodded then looked from Darien to Derrick then back again.

“Actually, I would like to go to the doctor… would you…” She didn’t finish her sentence and Darien nodded. Derrick got into the back seat and Darien helped her into the car. She had a nagging feeling in the back of her mind that told her what was happening but she needed to find out.

“Congratulations ma’am you’re one month pregnant.” The doctor paused and looked at Serena who was silently staring at the tiled floor. She wasn’t sure what she was going to tell Darien. This was not part of the plan. “Would you like me to tell your husband to…”

“No.” Serena breathed and looked at the woman sharply. “Just please, go out there and say I’m fine. Don’t tell him anything else. He’s not my husband and I will be very upset if you say anything other than I’m fine. Tell him I had a dizzy spell.” She then walked out of the room with the doctor following closely.

Darien was standing in the waiting room, obviously very anxious about the fact that she didn’t allow him in with her. She knew that would make him overly nervous but she didn’t want him to hear it from a doctor. She wasn’t even sure if she should tell him she remembered the day she told Seiya she was pregnant with Seriah.

“Seiya… I need to tell you something.” She hesitated as he snapped his head up from his papers on the desk. “It’s important.” He snorted and looked at her pointedly. “I’m… pregnant.” His face was blank, emotionless really.

“Great.” He growled and looked back at his papers. “I suppose you’re happy about this? You want two running around here?” She winced. How could he not care about the fact that they were going to be parents to their own child? She wanted this news to change him. To soften him.

“You do realize that it’s yours right?” She frowned as he began to laugh hysterically. “Seiya! Stop this! Act like a human for once. Please?”

“Of course it’s mine Serena. If I wasn’t sure of that you’d already be at the abortion center… but then again… I don’t want it. Get rid of it.” She gasp and put her hands protectively over her abdomen.

“How can you say that?” She didn’t really want to have his child but it was a child nonetheless and nothing would make her kill her own child. Nothing.

“Serena. I don’t want a child. We have Derrick. Isn’t he enough for you to corrupt?” She felt tears streaming down her face. “Get rid of it or I swear to you this will be the biggest mistake you’ve ever made.”

She hadn’t gotten rid of the child and when it came time to give birth to little Seriah Seiya took her to a medical facility that specializes in CIA agents. He ordered the man to do a C-section on her without anesthesia. It was amazing that she and Seriah had survived. A doctor had later told her that she could most likely never have children again because the one who performed the operation intentionally tried to injure her uterus.

“A dizzy spell… that’s it?” Darien asked his tone overly critical. Serena knew he didn’t believe it, he could always read her and this would be no different. “You’re okay Dr. Jones, let me talk to her for a bit. I know you’re doing what she told you to.” He waited for the doctor to walk away then looked at Serena pointedly. “Serena… what’s going on?”

“I don’t know if I should tell you the truth. It’s probably pointless.” She shrugged her shoulders in a way that alarmed him. She looked depressed, defeated as if Seiya were standing in the room threatening to hurt her. Without warning she pressed herself into him and began crying. “I’m pregnant Darien.”

He froze and looked at Derrick with both joy and confusion. Finally he was going to have a child he could raise. A small baby to hold in his arms and protect from the world. The best part was that he’d be there, and it was his and Serena’s. “I don’t understand Serena… why are you unhappy?” He tilted her face up to him and placed a kiss on her nose. “I’m thrilled.”

“That’s what I mean…” She really began to cry making Darien look at Derrick again who shrugged. He sighed and hugged her tightly deciding to call Andrew. Maybe he would know something about this seeing as it was obviously related to Seiya somehow.

Andrew scrambled to grab the annoying phone ringing on his desk. “Never fails!” He growled and picked up the receiver. “Hello! Mayor Andrew Furyhata speaking how can I help you?” He smiled into the phone and sat in his plush leather chair. It had been a long day so far and he welcomed the distraction of a call.

“Hello Andrew, I certainly hope you can help me with something.” As if he was a child that had done something wrong, Andrew erected himself in his chair and immediately began to organize his desk. He had no idea why Darien was calling him but whatever the reason it couldn’t be good. “Andrew, are you there?”

“Yeah, I’m here Dare… I just ran in for a meeting so I wasn’t really expecting any calls… much less from you. How are you doing?” The blonde sitting behind the large mahogany desk held his breath hoping to hear something positive come through the phone. Darien’s tone didn’t particularly sound happy but he was never fully sure with Darien. “How’s Serena?” He sighed after a long silence.

“Not very good Andrew and I was hoping you could tell me why.” Andrew gulped and looked at his office doors half expecting Darien to barge through them. “Today she had this dizzy spell and when we went to the hospital we learned…” Andrew held his breath, his eyes closed. If anything was wrong with her he knew Darien would be looking for someone to blame. That someone would either be Seiya, or the person charged with making sure she was okay. “She’s pregnant Andrew.”

“Okay… is it yours?” Andrew almost slapped himself for asking. “Never mind… so, why do you sound so upset right now? Shouldn’t you be happy? Shouldn’t she be happy?” As he asked the question he realized that was the reason Darien was calling. “I should really think before I talk shouldn’t I?” He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. He certainly remembered the call Serena had made to him years ago when she learned she was pregnant with Seriah. She had been so excited then a few hours later she called him in tears and sobbing about what Seiya had said to her. Neither of them at the time could have fathomed that Seiya would send her to that butcher doctor.

“Andrew? I asked you a question?” Darien’s irritated voice broke him out of his thoughts. “Do you know any reason why she would be unhappy or sad about this?”

“There was a doctor who told her she’d most likely never have children again. She’s probably afraid of getting her hopes up Darien… she’s not sure if she’s going to be able to keep it.” The other side of the phone went dead silent, never a good sign with Darien.

“Why?” The word sent shivers down Andrew’s spine. In that question, there was an overwhelming amount of malice and danger.

“Well, when Serena got pregnant with Seriah, she was happy and excited but Seiya didn’t want the baby. He told her to either get rid of it or he’d make her regret keeping it… so… when the time came he sent her to some… I don’t know what he was Darien! When I got there all I could hear was her screams echoing through the hallway. I tried to get into the operating room but that son of a bitch Seiya prevented me from doing so. I learned soon after that… that the doctor performed an unnecessary C-section. It was ridiculous because Serena was already in labor and Seriah was already a good way into the birthing canal. That doctor purposefully mutilated Serena under Seiya’s orders. What sort of husband does that to his wife?” Andrew spilled the story so quickly it was amazing his friend could understand him.

“A dead one.” Darien growled furiously making Andrew shrink in his chair. Seiya may be a tyrant but no one was as frightening as Darien when he was angry. “You didn’t tell me any of this! These are things I should have known about Andrew! If I had known that she had gone through that, or that he was beating her I would have rescued her from that bastard years ago but I didn’t know! Not even Sapphire told me these things!” Andrew held the phone away from his ear and flinched. Darien was so pissed it was ridiculous.

“Dare… I… I didn’t want you to…” Andrew stuttered helplessly. How could he tell Darien why he withheld information? He had one it in the hopes that he could keep Molly safe. Seiya constantly threatened Andrew with the promise of inflicting torture on Molly and he had no doubt in his mind that Seiya would do it. He knew Molly would suffer if he told anyone about what was happening. The fact that Seiya hadn’t called him about Serena yet frightened him even more.

“I don’t care what the reasons were Andrew. It was wrong and I… this is a little too much for me to handle right now. I’m not blaming you though… you should have told me yes but if I had just… if I wasn’t so stubborn when we were younger none of this would have ever happened. I caused her so much pain… and for what?” Darien’s anger was intensified by his sadness and disgust. “I’ve been such a Goddamned idiot Andrew. If I had followed my heart none of this would have happened. I would have told Serena from the beginning that we weren’t related and I would have thrown her parents out the second I turned eighteen. I would still have my parent’s company and none of us would have known Seiya.”

“Hindsight is twenty-twenty Dare. Que sera sera, what will be will be. Don’t beat yourself up… and don’t beat me up either.” The last little bit made both men laugh lightly. “Now, go and take care of the mother of your next child will you? Stop calling me I have work to do.” With that they said their good byes and hung up.

Seiya looked down at his daughter and smiled as she slowly stood up, her icy eyes, so like his, locked onto him. She was ready for her mission. “Seriah, you’ve officially passed my test.” The girl smirked and nodded.

“I’m ready for this Daddy. I’ll make sure he pays for being the ass he is.” Seriah turned her head to the side and smiled at Peruru who had been watching the sparring match carefully. “Hear that Perry? I’m going on a mission.”

“I know Seriah.” He nodded and looked at Seiya who looked proud as a peacock. “What now?”

“Now, my daughter goes back there and finds out what’s going on. She’s going to then kill Darien and that sorry excuse of a son Derrick. It’s going to be wonderful and beautiful.” Seiya hugged Seriah tightly. “Have you chosen a name yet?”

“Oh, I’ve been thinking about it but… I don’t know…” She hesitated and looked into her father’s smiling eyes. He was truly proud of her. “Okay… it’s… Nehelenia.” Her icy blue eyes fixed on his.

“As in… the Germanic Goddess of safe passage?” Seiya raised an eyebrow then fell deep in thought. “I think it’s perfect. Travelers felt they had to appease her so they may have a safe journey… those who didn’t… well…” He smiled. “Get ready to go and I’ll take you into the town nearest your mother. I trust you can find your own way to the cabin?”

“Of course Daddy.” She smiled and turned on her heels to get ready to go back to the cabin. She wondered how things had changed with them but at the same time it didn’t matter. She walked silently up the stairs to her room and let her long, wavy black hair out of the ponytail. She then carefully twisted two large strands up and into two buns like her mother used to have letting the rest of her hair remain down. “I’m ready.”