Konnichiwa, minna! Stuff at bottom!

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Love Will Still Live On
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        Darien was awakened by someone knocking on the door. He rolled over
to get up and ended up falling out of bed and onto the floor. "Ouch, damnit!"
He ran a hand through his hair and stumbled out of his room to the front 
door.

        "Hi Darien. If you don't mind my saying so, you look like hell. Did
you get any sleep?" Melody was standing at the door, concern on her face.

        "Not enough to keep me from looking like the thing from the Black
Lagoon. Come on in, I'll make some coffee." Darien stood aside so Melody 
could enter.

        "I like your apartment, Darien," she said with a smile. "It's really
nice."

        "Thanks," he called from the kitchen. "Serena and Setsuna decorated
most of it. I usually stay out of their way when they do things like that."

        Melody chuckled and slowly walked around the room. A picture on the
mantel caught her eye. She picked it up and studied it carefully. It was a
picture of Serena and Darien on their wedding day. A soft smile crossed 
Melody's face.

        "Those two, when they start decorating, it's impossible to ... what
are you looking at?" Darien had walked into the room, holding 2 coffee mugs.

        "Oh, um, nothing.. Just your wedding picture." She hastily sat it 
down and took her coffee from Darien, blushing. "Sorry.. I didn't mean to
pry."

        "It's alright," Darien murmured. He sat down in his chair and Melody
perched on the arm of the couch.

        "So.. um.. how are you doing?" Melody stammered. She felt really 
stupid, first getting caught looking at something that was personal, then
asking an INCREDIBLY stupid question.

        "Well, as the Germans say, es geht." Darien smiled slightly.

        "Eh? I don't speak German."

        "Es geht means it goes. Not good, not bad. Kind of in the middle. I'm
really sad that Serena is in the hospital.. but I know she'll be alright. She
has a guardian angel, it seems.."

        "Hmm.. a guardian angel, you say.." Melody gazed out the window.
"My grandma used to tell me stories about my animal guardian. She told me it
was a deer, swift and cunning, like me. I didn't really believe her at the
time, but I have come to over the years. It sure seems like something is
guarding me, because I've been in countless accidents and escaped sometimes
without a mark."

        "You're lucky," whispered Darien. "Serena gets in accidents and gets
hurt, but she always seems to pull through."

        "I.." Melody closed her eyes. She almost felt guilty that she was 
fine and Serena was not. "Well, Darien, congratulations.. you've got me at
a loss for words, and not many people have managed to do that." She opened
her eyes and smiled wanly.

        Darien blushed slightly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to.. make you 
uncomfortable. So.. how have things been going for you?"

        Melody smiled, relieved at the change of subject. "Not bad. I managed
to blow something else up while you were at the hospital with Serena, only
this time it was the stove in my kitchen - I can't cook worth a damn."

        Darien laughed. "That sounds like something Serena would do! You
know, you two ought to get together if Serena gets better."

        Melody's smile slid off her face. "If?"

        Darien's smile vanished as well. "Yeah. The doctors, they don't..
they don't.." His hands started to shake and he dropped his coffee mug, 
spilling coffee all over the rug. "Oh God.. Serena.."

        Melody stood up and walked over to him. She knelt down and awkwardly
slipped an arm around his shoulders. "Hey.. Darien.. um.. don't cry.. I'm
sure Serena will be alright.."

        Darien looked up at Melody. She tried to hide her surprise, but her
green eyes widened a touch. The emotionless mask he usually wore was gone.
For the first time ever, she saw into his eyes, into his soul. She understood
the torment he was enduring.

        "I'll be fine," he whispered. He gently removed her arm from around
his shoulders and stood up. "I'm .. going to take a shower. You can wait here
if you like, or come back in awhile."

        She tried to smile and failed. "I'll.. just stay here."

        Darien nodded silently and left. Melody wandered over to the couch 
and sat down. Silence fell. All she heard was the water running in the 
bathroom. She was so tired..  Her eyes closed slowly and she fell asleep.

*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*

        "Mommy! Mommy! Wait for me!" Shouted little Melody as she stumbled
towards her mother. "MOMMY!!" Her cry was lost in the crowd. She stopped
running and sniffled.

        "Are you lost, little girl?" Asked a big man with many tatoos as he
knelt down beside her. "Why don't you come with me?"

        "..." Melody stared at the man. "... NO!! MOMMY!!!!!" She started
screaming wildly. The man looked around quickly and clamped his hand over
her mouth. She kicked at him in fury, trying to get free. Finally, she 
succeeded, and took off running. When she had gotten out of downtown, she
slumped against a tree in a park and started to sob.

        "M..mommy..waaahh..!!"

        "Little girl.. what's the matter?" A soft voice spoke. Someone was
kneeling by her side.

        "I .. got l..lost.. I can't find my mommy.." Melody looked up. 
The man sat down so they could be at eye level. He wore a purple tuxedo, a 
cape, and a mask.

        "Don't worry, I can help you find her." He reached out a gloved hand.
Melody studied it suspiciously and looked into his face. She couldn't see
his eyes due to the mask.

        "The last man who tried to help me was big and ugly and had drawings
all over him! And he smelled.. are all grown up boys like that?"

        A look of confusion passed over her savior's face. "Um, I.. no, not
all men are like that, sweetie. There are some who are, though, and they
are the ones you have to be careful about."
        
        She stared up at him with clear green eyes. "Are you a bad man?"

        He blinked a few times and a small smile crossed his face. "I don't
like to think of myself as bad, no. My name is Endymion, little one."

        ".. Mommy said I shouldn't tell my name to strangers.. but I guess
you're not a stranger.. I'm Melody."

        "Melody, hmm? What's your last name?"

        "Reichstien. That's my mommy's maiden name. She said she hates my
daddy so she uses her other name."

        "I see." Endymion smiled faintly. "Do you know your address?"

        Melody brightened. "Yeah! 666 Midnight Avenue."

        Endymion's face turned pale. The smile vanished. Suddenly, his eyes
were visible through his mask. They held a horrified look. "666.. are you
sure, Katchen?"

        "Yep! My mommy taught me all that stuff when I was little. I'm this
many now!" Melody held up 5 fingers triumphantly.

        "Sweetheart.. Katchen.. that house.. burned down a few days ago. The
woman inside died.."

        Melody blinked a few times. Her green eyes filled with tears. "My
mommy.. is.. dead?"

        Endymion nodded sadly. "Yes, Katchen.. I will take you with me to
my home, alright? I know my wife won't mind, and our daughter will just love
you!"

        Melody forced a smile. "Kay. I'll come."

*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*

        Melody awoke to the feeling of someone gently shaking her and calling
her name. She opened her eyes to find herself staring straight into a pair
of midnight blue ones, filled with concern.

        "Mel! Are you alright? I got out of the shower and heard you crying..
I wondered what happened. Did you have a nightmare?"

        "Y.. yeah.. I guess I did.." She sniffled and wiped her eyes, feeling
like a sissy. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you."

        Darien smiled gently. "Well.. glad to see you're alright. I'm gonna
get dressed and then we can go out and take a walk or something." He stood
up and walked to his bedroom, wearing a white bathrobe.

        Melody watched him as he left, green eyes quivering. 

*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*
To be continued..
*~!~**~!~**~!~**~!~*

Dah dah dah dah! New revelation here, peeps! I know, I know, this is another
short part.. MY BAD!! The next one should be better. BTW, Katchen, I believe,
means "Little cat" or "Small cat" in German. I could be wrong. Vielen dank
(much thanks) goes out to Lianne, Razzz, Kaos, Sidnei, Rain Ayo, Jade, and
Allie for your support and encouragement in this series. It means alot,
people! =^.^= 

Tiga Shadow
http://members.tripod.com/~PaladinStar
Tiga2@hotmail.com

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