Total Eclipse of the Heart
Summary: Serena is a primary school teacher and has a watchful eye over a very special student. However Darien is his father, a very rich, successful and married man - Who also happens to be in a very unhappy marriage.
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN ANYTHING! I promise! So I do not own Sailor Moon, or any rights associated with it! NOTHING~! T.T
A/N: If you're new welcome! If you're an oldie returning - Please be aware that I have changed some bits from when I first released this story in 2012 (2019 edition now)... so some things might be a bit different from what you remember.
Chapter 1: The Happy Family
Darien momentarily sat in his car after he pulled into the driveway and turned the vehicle off. An exhausted sigh was released as he rested his arms against the steering wheel, following with his forehead against his arms. Depression looming like a cool-to-touch blanket over him. This was sadly a regular routine for him.
It was clear that he was not happy with his current lifestyle. He was the CEO of his birth family's organisation, which headed many corporate divisions and businesses – putting the weight of constant demand continuously on his shoulders. For in his position, one wrong decision or move would be VERY costly! Not only to the company's profit and loss margins for there annual budgets, but he also took into account the human resources. Who would be affected? Did they have a family? Was there a way to save jobs without firing and making people redundant? At times it was all very stressful, and so after long days all he wanted to do was come home.
'Home' he scoffed to himself. He always imagined something different growing up. His childhood was that of sorrowfulness and loneliness. Not a childhood someone should be envious of. At a very young age he figured out his parents where not happy and their marriage was not a very pleasant one. After they died he was forced to grow up rather fast. All the foster homes just seemed so pasty and fake – He really had to mature quiet fast. So he vowed that his life, his marriage, his family would never be anything like what he had witnessed previously… but unfortunately no one gets what they want right? It was just the way the world worked sometimes.
To the outside world he personified a totally different story, one that he desperately wanted and wished to be real. Magazines and tabloids showed his life in a way that made people see him as 'happily married', playing happy happy family. But it was far from that. When he had first met his wife she was everything he wanted at the time. He thought she wanted to settle down, get married and start a family. But she was just like the rest. Only she had actually managed to manipulate him and do what no other woman could.
He had always regretted going too fast in life. Especially for the pursuit of a happy life. For that reason he rushed into marriage blind sighted. He found himself lost at a time and Raye appeared to be everything he wanted. It was so easy to get caught up in his own wants that he never realised she was possibly faking it all. So he dove head first into marriage with her. The only thing he never, not once regretted was his son with her. The only reason he probably stayed with Raye – particularly after he found out about her true nature.
He knew she was cheating on him. However he was always busy, at work working, he could never catch her out. Furthermore, he had seen children from broken homes and families… It was a clear no when it came to subjecting his child to that. Not to mention it would be ten times worst for his son due to his position in society. He could only imagine the kind of field day the press - news stations, papers and magazines - would have if a scandal about him were to be found out. It was definitely not the humiliation he wanted. It would have been fine if he didn't have a child to think of. He had a strong backbone himself. But he needed to protect his son, who was at such a vulnerable age. In addition to his own lonely childhood, he didn't want his son to have to go through that as well. Although this was all speculation, and there was no certain outcome of what would actually happen to their son if he divorced Raye, he was not willing to participate and find out. He just wanted the best for his son, and it seemed like the present was the best option at the moment. So he bottled everything inside and let the facade continue.
So as usual, he lifted his head and looked towards his home. Taking a deep breath he looked at his watch; 6:00pm. He would go in, say hi. His son would most likely run to him for a greeting hug, and he would hear a mumble from Raye. Then heading towards the kitchen he would either find dinner, or start dinner himself. From there anything could happen. Raye would either be super nice, wanting something expensive, or persuade me to agree to something… or she would start a fight to get her way. He never really understood her behaviour. As her husband he would always give her everything she wanted, all she had to do was ask. She was after all his wife, even if she hated him for goodness only knows why.
Shaking his head, he shook his thoughts away. He knew he could not continue like this, but he honestly just didn't know how to handle it. He had to make all the decisions and tough choices at work, home was supposed to be his hideaway from all that. Yet somehow he was supposed to push himself 24/7 and find time to decide what to do about his personal home life. The idea of a public divorce already sent a shiver down his spine thinking about how exhausting that would be in itself. Sure, he could just give Raye whatever she wanted and be done with it all. But it was principle. She promised him one thing, and gave him another. And there was no way she going to take his son away from him. He had seen and heard how hard it was for men to get custody of children. Another fight in addition to the divorce he would have to proceed through. It all just sounded too hard.
This was possibly why his parents had an arranged marriage. They found that happy medium between working, socialising and raising him. Too bad he didn't get to see how far that got them; since they died early in a car crash. Perhaps he should have taken that route too? But no, he believed in the silly notion of love. And look where that 'love' got him.
Opening his car door he got out. Grabbing his brief case from the back seat he heard short footsteps and looked towards the front door.
"Daddy's home!" Came the shout of a small boy. Darien closed the car door and locked it with the remote. A smile graced his features as he looked at his son through the front door. He was literally a spitting image of himself. Dark black ebony locks, with tanned olive skin. Midnight blue eyes, with the making of a strong solid set jawbone. Already for his age he was tall, and Darien just knew he would develop the same physique as himself. He was more thankful everyday that there was hardly any sign of Raye in him. Yes, it was a bad thought to have, but he didn't know if he would have been able to look at his son if he were to look like Raye. Luckily they had a son and not a daughter! It broke his heart to think he would have troubles looking at his own flesh and blood because of his disloyal wife.
"Hey buddy!" Darien chimed as he entered the house. Locking the doors behind him, he turned towards the kitchen, "Honey! I'm home," he called out towards wherever Raye may have been.
He heard a muffled sound caming from upstairs. A sign she was cleaning herself from today's activities no doubt. Shaking his head he knew tonight would be one of those nights. Instantly his thoughts went towards food realising he was hungry. He would have to prepare something for his family tonight. He didn't mind having to cook and be the provider, but he at least wanted to come home to a loving wife who would greet him at the front door, who was supportive of him whatever the circumstances and situation. Raye however, not once in their marriage had he ever remembered her greeting him. When they were dating however, she was everything he wanted, but when she got what she wanted, she turned into something else. But before he knew it, he already had a son on the way, and that somehow seemed more important then his current state of happiness.
The need to be a good father. To be everything his father never was. He just couldn't bear to leave Raye for his own selfishness when he had his son to think of. Exposing the poor child into a life of divorced parents was one of loneliness and resentment – and he could not bear to have been the cause for his son to possibly resent him.
Absentmindedly he grabbed food from the fridge and pantry and started preparing dinner. "How was school buddy?" he looked towards his son. He felt sorry for him. He had wanted Raye to have another child, but after she had their first son to secure her position she changed; her appearance became everything to her. Most days after school their son was either left alone at home, or with the neighbours who were a lovely elderly couple. He was sure they were well aware of how his true 'home life' was, not the phony BS that was plastered on social media avenues.
"It was good Daddy! I made a fry-fri-end with a-no.. no-ther student, thanks to Miss Bennet!" he chirped happily. Swinging back and forth in the high chair before the counter, "Miss Bennet is won-wond-der-fu-fully kind Daddy!" he added instantly with a huge smile, "I really like her."
Darien looked at his son for a moment. He had never heard his son speak so openly about someone, nor about his school day. Usually he never wanted to speak about it because no one liked him. Well, it wasn't because they didn't like him; he was just a quiet and shy kid who struggled to be assertive and extraverted. "With the long-nest pri-tie-est hair, and clearest bluest eyes! She's real pretty dad!" he continued to listen to his son. It appeared that perhaps his son was already developing the signs of his first 'crush'. He was only in grade 1 this year, and already about 2 months into the years. But he was also very bright and intelligent, and obviously his vocabulary was growing at a fast rate. "Miss thinks I have a lot of… pot-tent-chill…" he struggled with his wording. But before Darien could correct him he was already off on a tangent rant again, "I forgot Daddy! Miss sent me home with something to give to you and mummy!" he jumped off the stool and ran out of the kitchen.
Darien could not help but chuckle to himself. He was very much like himself. But his son did gain his mothers fierceness and persistence. Before he knew it, his son was back again with an envelope in his hands. "This is from Miss Bennet!" he chirped waiving it at his father.
"What did you do? Why are you in trouble?" Came Raye's voice as she entered the kitchen. Dairen was not paying too much attention to her. She always miraculously came at the worst times, misconstruing everything.
"Just because he has a letter doesn't means he's done something wrong. I don't think our son is capable of being bad…" he trailed off as he looked at his wife. His face changed to that of a questioning one. She was wearing a deep red halter neck dress and her hair was pinned up in a fancy do. He noted she hardly wore make up, at least around him, but she was dressed to the nines, and stunningly at that.
"What?" She glared at him. As if looking at her with a questioning glance was an offence. "Don't tell me you forgot that I was going out tonight with the girls! I told you like two weeks ago!"
Darien really didn't want to fight, especially not in front of his son, "Sorry darling, guess it must have slipped my mind. Work has been busy." He sighed going back the food. "How was your day dear?"
"That's fine," she said as she grabbed the letter out of her son's hands ignoring Darien's question about her day. The poor boy really hated how his parents acted towards each other. He didn't quiet understand everything, but he could see his parents were not like some of the other kids parents.
The room was quiet as she tore she envelope opened and skimmed through the letter. Every now and then she would scoff and humph to herself. "What does it say?" Darien asked curiously towards his wife.
"Miss Bennet," she said vehemently, "Thinks our son is very special and wants to talk to us about further advancements for him," she laughed, "Goodness sakes! He's only in grade one. This stupid teacher probably thinks all students are 'special'," she laughed to herself. "As if anyone has the time to take off work and cancel appointments to come and talk to her about their kids developments." She said while chucked the letter on the bench rolling her eyes.
"I don't know," Darien started, "she seemed to have helped little Darien open up and make new friends…" he started.
"Like making friends is hard?" Raye cut him off. "She's just poking her nose where it does not belong! Promise me you won't waste your time with this," she looked at him hard.
"Sure," Darien said giving up, going back to cooking.
"Well in any case, I am off. Don't stay up. I might even end up staying over Amy's place depending how late this thing finishes."
"Well have fun," Darien added as he looked up at his wife with a smile.
"Mhm," she hummed as she turned on her heel and left the room. Within moments he heard the door open, and click shut. Following soon after was the sound of her car starting and leaving the driveway – soon followed by an odd quietness. Darien could actually feel the house warming up; tension be gone with the wicked lady.
"Daddy," Darien heard his sons sad voice, "Why is mummy mean all the time?"
Darien couldn't help but stop what he was doing. It was terrible. He never wanted his son to go through this. Nor could he believe how easily Raye could dismiss her own son. It really made him question how she really felt about their child.
"Mummy doesn't mean to be mean Buddy. That's just how she is… she does love you, I promise." He said towards his son. If only Raye could be the loving mother he deserved. Not once had he seen Raye talk positively towards their son, nor held him or kissed him. She was always distant and subjective about him. It was very disheartening.
As he dished up dinner and placed it at the table he couldn't help but think about the letter Darien Junior brought home. He was pleased to know his son was taken care of at school, and even more pleased his son had someone to watch over him and guide him.
More so, he really wanted to meet this teacher; unfortunately with all the work going on, and not wanting to start a fight with Raye, he decided he would drop the subject and just be content his son was happy - for now at least. He had seen the good work this teacher was doing, and was glad she was able to help him with making friends.
This was definitely someone he needed to meet. Especially since she was possibly the only other person who knew his son the best - What he was capable of, and what, if anything was holding him back from making friends, and being the best he could be.
A/N: So please tell me what you think :) This is definitely going to be a Serena and Darien FanFic... sooo... in saying that I am sure you can guess where the story line will be heading... maybe :0