Masked Mystery

Awake

Serena's POV

I opened my eyes. Everything was so bright, I couldn't see where I was. I tried to remember what happened. I was trying to find Rini... I found her... but there were people there to hurt her... I can't remember what happened... My eyes began to adjust and focus to my surroundings. I lay on my back looking up a ceiling filled with tiles like a... Hospital... I was thrown into a tree then I hit the ground. I looked around my room. There was no one in there, but the television was on some midday soap opera, and there was a blanket draped across the arm of a chair that had been pulled up close to the side of my bed. There was an IV in my left arm. I crinkled my forehead in frustration and discovered there was a large bandage over my right eye.

Where's Darien?... I sat up slowly. My whole body ached, and I winced and finally managed to prop myself up to sitting position. I opened my mouth to call out into the hall, but my throat was so dry no sound came out. I looked around and found the button to push to call in a nurse. A few moments later, an older woman with brown shoulder length curly hair came in.

"Oh, good, you're finally awake. We were starting to get a little worried about you. You've been out for a good 36 hours. Now, I'm going to go get the doctor and let him explain the situation and condition to you." She turned and walked out before I could attempt to inquire about my friends or Darien. She returned a few minutes later with a tall man, holding his glasses in one hand and staring intently at a clipboard. He looked up at me and then back to the clipboard, and sat down in the chair with the blanket on it.

He half-heartedly smiled at me then spoke, "Well that's some fall you had... Your friends said you fell from a building? Is that right?" I opened my mouth to speak but could only manage a small croak. The nurse handed me a cup with water. I drank several gulps and then tried to speak again.

"Um, Yes? I don't exactly remember what happened... Where are my friends? And there should've been someone here... A man... Named Darien? Have you seen them?"

The doctor patted my leg, "It's okay. Your friends came and got Darien to take him to get something to eat. He hadn't been away from your bedside that entire time. He has been contacted and is on his way back. He will be here any moment." I smiled and relief washed over me. "Now," the doctor's tone of voice changed to a sort of professional, but serious tone, "You somehow managed to escape your fall without any broken bones. You hit your head pretty hard and busted it open above your right eye. There's no serious brain damage it seems, but you do have a major concussion, and..." His voice trailed off, and he looked up at the nurse. She nodded and turned to walk out the door, and pulled it shut as she exited. "I'm sorry to inform you that the infant you were carrying... Well... The fall was very hard on your body. You had some internal bleeding that needed to be taken care of and when we went in there was severe damage done to the embryo... It didn't survive."

I placed my hand on my stomach and began to shake my head. No... No. No! Hot tears welled up in my eyes. I looked at the doctor, but he was no longer looking at me. My stomach tightened and I knew I was going to be sick. I threw my hand over my mouth and struggled to get out of the bed and to the trashcan. I fell on my knees and heaved.

I heard the door open. "Serena!" Darien came up behind me and pulled my hair out of the way. I leaned over the trashcan... I was out of breath and shaking. "Serena... Are you okay?" My baby... is gone...

Another voice sounded from the door, "What's wrong with her? Is she going to be okay?" Rini...

I stood up quickly and turned around. "You! This is all your fault! If you hadn't of been eavesdropping and ran off, then none of this would've happened! I hate you! You are a spoiled, self-centered little brat, and I wish you would just go back to wherever it is you came from!" My words flew like fire, and Darien grabbed my wrist to keep me from getting any closer to her.

Rei stepped in front of her, "Hey, chill out Serena! She didn't do anything to you, alright? She's just a kid..."

Rini sniffled and turned to run out the door. Mina scooped her up in her arms and pulled her tight. "Come on guys... Let's give them some space..."

I shook with fury... I wanted to run after them and give that kid some more choice words, but my body was weak from the battle and from the news I had just received. I hit the floor and began to sob uncontrollably. Without saying a word, Darien scooped me up in his arms, and sat down in the chair. I cried and sobbed into his shoulder so it was muffled. I'll never get to see it... Never know whether it was a boy or a girl... My baby... My poor, poor baby... I felt something warm and wet fall onto my arm. I looked up and saw Darien's jaw was firmly clenched, but he couldn't stop the tears from sliding down his face, and that's when I realized it wasn't just MY baby... It was OUR baby... and he was hurting too. My heart ached. Not just for the baby that we lost, but for Darien, who I know would've been the best dad. We sat there, holding each other and crying, but somehow finding comfort in each other's grief.