The Beauty Within Her
Chapter 7
By: Jessica M. Moonflower
E-Mail: salud731@earthlink.net
Rated: G (Very clean and innocent
this time! ^^)

Disclaimers: It sure blows to
say that you don't own the
rights to Sailor Moon! *sighs*

ANs: I'm really taking off with 
this story! I'm currently writing
Chapter 18 of this story as we
speak. I know what you people
are thinking, how come she's
already writing Chapter 18 and
we're still up to Chapter 7? Hey,
I'm working on it! I may be a slow
typer, but my writing is speeding
up immensely! ^.^ Better to have 
this baby all written out than going 
straight to the computer each time 
I finish a chapter! Too many people 
are after me about this story or the 
other one! ^^;;;

"Beauty is not in the face...beauty is
a light in the heart."
*Kahlil Gibran*

~~~~~~~~~~~~*

	It was a warm Sunday morning
with chirping birds perched on top of tree 
branches and a light breeze blowing just 
outside. Darien was already the first one 
up at the mansion at eight o' clock in the 
morning. 

	He sat on a kitchen stool, eating a 
cream cheese bagel and sipping a steaming
cup of black coffee while flipping through the
newspaper to the business section. Mrs. Banker
strolled through the kitchen door, her hands full 
of groceries. Setting them down on the small
kitchen island, she was astonished to see Darien
up and about this time of the day.

	"Darien, what are you doing down
here so early? You never come down unless
your whole family is here and breakfast is ready."

	"I decided to come down early and make
my own breakfast, and I think my family is still
mad at me about yesterday so I don't think joining
them is such an appealing idea," he calmly 
answered, putting aside the paper to help her 
unload the contents from the brown paper bags.

	"Mad? Why?" Mrs. Banker asked, clearly
confused as she put a carton of milk and eggs
in the fridge.

	"Remember Francis Matthews?"

	"Ah, yes, what a horrible man! Are
you still friends with him?"

	"Yes, and that's the main reason why 
they're probably still mad at me. He showed
up at the engagement party last night."

	"Oh, dear! Don't tell me that you invited
him after your parents specifically banned him
from the mansion?" She glanced at him
apprehensively, a feeling of dread in her 
voice.

	"No, no, Daisy!" Darien shook his
head vigorously. "He invited himself to the
engagement party, probably read it in the 
paper or something. You know how high
profile our family is, especially since the 
press just loves writing about our annual 
galas or special events. Normally my Dad
tries to steer the press clear of our private 
lives, but you know the press, always doing
whatever they can to get in. It's amazing how 
they can out smart our guards."

	She breathed a sigh of relief, thankful
that he hadn't disrespected his parent's 
wishes.

	"Then if you didn't invite him, why is
your family not talking to you? Surely they
should think that Francis found out through
the press." Her brow furrowed in confusion 
and bewilderment.

	He let out an exasperated sigh as he
folded up the empty paper bags and threw
it in the garbage can near the sink.

	"Because they expected me to throw
him out immediately instead of stopping for
a quit chit chat with the world's most scandalous
individual on the face of the earth."

	Mrs. Banker walked up to him and patted
him on the back comfortingly. 

	"There, there, dear, I'm sure they have
forgotten all about it by now. They wouldn't
stay mad at you for long. Look at it this way,
Francis invited himself to the party so it can't
possibly be your fault. He is, after all, a
manipulative weasel. I never did like him
when you first introduced him to the family."

	"He's not all that bad--just the way he
lives his life," Darien innocently quipped.

	She just sighed and shook her head
ruefully, a gesture that did not go unnoticed by 
him.

	"No offense, honey, but I wish you
wouldn't be so dense sometimes. You've got
to be careful with the likes of him because
one day when you least expect it, he might
just stab you in the back."

	Darien took a step back from her as if he 
didn't want to believe what he was hearing.

	"You're wrong, Daisy, he'd never do that
to me. We've been friends for a long time," he 
softly disagreed.

	"Looks like you'll learn the hard way," she
sorrowfully whispered to herself, turning to look
at him as he placed his mug and saucer in the
kitchen sink.

	He walked over to where Mrs. Banker was 
and leaned down to give her a gentle kiss on her
cheek. He pulled back to stare down at her small
form.

	"I'm going to take a walk outside, Daisy. 
I'll be back later." He turned to walk away when
she grabbed him by the arm.

	"Wait, Darien! Why don't I cook you a real
breakfast? Blueberry pancakes has always been
your favorite ever since you were a small boy. 
Come on, I'm sure that bagel wasn't very filling,"
she insisted as she tried to drag him back to the table,
causing him to lay a hand on top of hers to stop her in 
her tracks.

	"Really, Daisy, I'm okay. I'm not very hungry
this morning anyway." He gave her a small smile,
showing his appreciation for what she was trying to
do for him.

	"Are you sure?" she questioned him in a
sing song voice, making one last attempt to make
him stay. "You never did pass up an opportunity 
to have some of my delicious pancakes before."

	Darien had to laugh at her persistent 
determination and her incessant coaxing just to
get him to eat breakfast. He sure thanked
God for having such a kind and caring woman
working for his family for so long.

	"Yes, I'm sure. Thank you for your concern."

	He walked out through the kitchen back door
where he decided to have his walk through the 
gardens. Because of its many sections, he could
have his pick of any particular flower garden he
wanted to stroll in. If it's one thing the Garrisons
were proud of, it would have to be their gardens.
From the moment Mr. and Mrs. Garrison bought
the mansion, they knew that they needed a superb
garden that they could easily marvel at and be happy
to maintain. 

	Mrs. Garrison soon went to work on the
layout and structure of the garden, deciding what 
kind of flowers and trees would grow there, how 
many gardeners she would need to help her care 
for it, and which sections to place waterfalls, small 
ponds, and statues in.

	Before she knew it, she was standing in a grand
garden that anybody would envy, and has had the pleasure 
of watching her garden flourish into something extraordinary
and almost bewitching.

	Darien loved the garden more than anything in the
world. His favorite, just like his mother were the rose
gardens. Their fragrance and vivid colors always pulled
him into a serene yet dizzying trance. He always 
wondered what made roses so mystical and enticing to
him ever since he was a boy.

	Now, as he entered the rose gardens, it always 
took his breath away at how amazing the roses got 
every year. Coiling vines of white and red roses clung to 
the brick walls as they climbed higher and over it while 
some were intertwined at the roof of the white gazebo 
or were lazily sprawled on the sides. Bushes of yellow, 
orange, and pink roses grew in full bloom with 
crystal drops of dew clinging to the delicate tips 
of the petals from the recent summer rain they had.

	He inhaled the air deeply and sighed blissfully at
how wonderful their intoxicating scent was. He would
spend many hours just to sit and think, read, or examine
the sheer beauty this part of the garden had to offer.

	Movement from one of the bushes caught his 
attention and turned to the left where the rustling
sound came from. He silently sauntered over to
it to investigate what was causing it. He parted the
greenery to one side and peered in to find a head
of sunny blond hair in a kneeled position as she
held something small and brown with wings. He
realized it was Serena and quietly listened to her 
say comforting words to a very frightened baby bird.

	"Shh. It's okay, little one, I won't hurt you. You
poor baby, you must have been trying to learn how to
fly, huh?" She stroked the bird's small head gently 
to calm its shaking form, slowly putting the little baby 
at ease.

	The bird chirped its response to Serena's 
question.

	"I'll take that as a yes." She smiled down
at the bird, chuckling softly. "Well, don't get 
discouraged! You'll eventually get it as long as
you keep on practicing. Nobody can get it the
first time."

	The bird chirped happily at the encouraging 
words as he flapped his wings slightly to prove that 
he was confident he could fly.

	"That's the spirit! But make sure you practice
when your Mommy is around so she can help you."
She tickled the chin of the bird lightly before hugging
the bird close to her. "I better put you back in your nest 
before your mother begins to worry about you once 
she finds that you are missing." 

	Serena got up from her spot on the ground,
kissed the top of the bird's head affectionately, and
laid him in the nest with the other birds in the tree
behind her. The baby bird chirped its thanks before
she turned to leave. Once out of the shrubbery, 
Serena was surprised to see Darien casually sitting
on an ivory bench looking curiously at her. She gulped
uneasily as she now approached him.

	"Darien, I didn't hear you come in," she greeted
somewhat shyly and timidly.
	  
	"I got here a few minutes ago," was his cordial
reply, inhaling a blood red rose near him.

	"Is everyone awake at the mansion?" She 
caressed a white rose covered in dew and watched
as the droplets fell into her hand, glistening like 
diamonds in the sun.

	"No, they're probably still sleeping."

	"I'm sure they have forgiven you about last
night."

	"Maybe if I'm lucky." 

	Darien got up from the bench and looked as 
if he were going to walk away when he slightly turned 
her way and asked, "Do you mind accompanying me to 
the dry cleaners? I have to pick up Lita's suit and I sure 
would like someone to talk to. We never did talk much 
while I was here--we might as well start now, don't you 
think?"

	Serena's face seemed to show that she was 
debating whether or not to go with him. After analyzing the 
pros and cons of the situation, she nodded her head in 
agreement.

	"Uh...sure. I guess I could come since I have 
nothing else to do."

*~

	They were walking back to the main
entrance of the garden to the driveway where his
black convertible was parked in a comfortable
silence with not much to say except a few
comments or two on the weather or flowers.
While Darien was looking up at the sky, he
thought about the bet.

	'How am I going to make over Serena
without making it too obvious? I guess I could
subtly steer her into that direction without her
getting suspicious. I really want that summer
house and I never lost a bet before and I'm
not going to start now!'

	Snapping out of his thoughts, his 
confidence was renewed and he softly cleared
his throat to get her attention.

	"Serena?"

	"Yes? What is it, Darien?" She shot him
a curious look in his direction. 

	She noticed that he was very eager to tell
her something, something that was of great 
importance to him and would affect the both of
them.

	Getting her full attention, Darien suddenly
lost his resolute stature when he looked into her 
eyes causing him to be at a loss for words and
started to stutter what he wanted to say.

	"Uh...uh...well..."

	"What's wrong? Is everything okay?"
Serena's blue eyes softened with concern
and waited patiently for him to say what it
was he wanted to say.

	'What's wrong with me?!' Darien nearly
screamed at himself. 'Why is it that every time
I gaze into her beautiful eyes that I can't seem to
act like myself? I never lost it in front of her before,
why now? Okay, Dare, just calm down. Let's focus
on more important things like how do I get her to
unintentionally agree to this makeover without 
actually being straightforward about it?'

	He looked at Serena from the corner of his
eye and saw that she was still staring at
him intently, waiting for him to say something.

	Sighing, he decided to say the first thing 
that popped into his head since he had to tell 
her something!

	"What I meant to ask you was why do you
seem to wear the same clothes almost all the 
time?"

	'Stupid question! Is that all I can come
up with?!' he mentally kicked himself as he
kept his expression placid and casual.	

	Serena blushed a soft pink hue as she
looked down at the ground, finding a few rocks
and pebbles interesting right about now.

	"I don't know. I guess it's because I 
don't have the time or money to go shopping.
Why do you ask?" She looked up suddenly to
rest her azure gaze on his face.

	Darien coughed nervously, pushing back
a few strands of ebony hair.

	"No reason. It's just that you deserve to
wear something nicer and more suitable for
the summer. I mean don't you get hot wearing
that jumper?"

	"I have to admit that I do. It looks more 
like for the fall, huh?"

	He simply nodded his head in agreement.

	"I did have my eye on a few nice clothes that
I have seen in those catalogs, but I don't have time 
to shop. Anyway, they're too expensive for me to 
afford."

	Darien stood silent for a few moments as
if contemplating something while he looked her over
once more.

	"Have you ever considered to cut your hair
to a reasonable length? Maybe a nice new hairdo?"

	"My hair?" she questioned doubtfully, taking
a few strands into her hands and examining the
lustrous gold.

	"Not too much, but a shoulder length cut 
perhaps. I'm sure it's hard to manage when you 
wash and blow dry your hair, right?"

	"True." She sighed as she ran the ends of 
her hair through her fingertips. "It takes me two
whole hours just to wash and blow dry my hair.
I never really leave my hair loose unless I'm 
going to bed. It's sort of a nuisance so mostly in
the daytime, I just tie my hair back. Maybe one of 
these days I will get my hair cut."

	"How about we go clothes shopping?
I know you don't have the money, but I'll pay
for the costs. All you have to do is choose
whatever you want--shoes, bags, jewelry,
you name it, it's yours."

	"It's a nice offer, Darien, but please
don't spend your money on me. I don't feel
right about it."

	"Serena, I don't mind. If you haven't 
noticed, I belong to a very wealthy family
so money is never an issue with us," he
said somewhat smugly, giving her a
winsome smile. "Think of it as a birthday
present. Your birthday is coming up in June,
right?"

	She stood studying Darien for a
moment before finally nodding her
agreement.

	"Oh, all right. It looks like I never
win arguments that deal with money
anyway. Especially coming from you or
Lita."

	"Good girl."

	They resumed their walk to the
car with Darien silently praising his
success on getting Serena to agree to
his offers.

	'Let the makeover begin.'

To be continued...

~~~~~~~~~~~~*

I'm glad to finally get this out! ^_^
It's been a while as a matter of fact! ^_~
Well, I hope you all enjoyed it and please
e-mail me and tell me your thoughts about 
the story. I haven't been getting much feedback
lately so I don't know if I'm doing a good job 
writing this. I beg of you, please PLEASE e-mail
me! I'd like to thank all my friends and readers.
You're all so very special to me. I'd name all of
you right now, but the list would be endless! ^_^
Ja ne minna!

Completed on October 20, 2001