Author's Note: Chapter One Revised!

Title: The Christmas Spirit

Author: KaBunny

E-mail: PG-13

Chapter One: Getting Home

As the wind rushed by the petite girl, she wrapped herself closer into the thick winter jacket. She smiled as the doors to the train finally opened and she could step into the warm atmosphere inside. It had begun to lightly snow just before the train arrived, so a nasty back draft of wind had also started. Winter in the northeastern section of the United States was always a treat. The wind was always howling it seemed and there was always a never-ending supply of snow to shovel and play in. This was especially the case where the young woman would be heading.

The blonde was a lovely woman in general, but she seemed to raise a couple of heads as she moved down the train. She wasn't dressed in a rather flattering way, but the pink of her cheeks from the cold against the pallid color of her skin seemed to bring a certain innocent look to her. Her large, blue eyes or a cerulean color seemed to clash well with the palor of her skin as well. Her hair was of spun silk, curling around her face in excess strands. The true length of her golden lockes was unknown as it was tied back in a high, messy bun with curls dripping out of it in small ringlets.

The woman known as Serena Moone sighed herself into a seat as far away from the door as possible. It was far to cold for her and the way that she clung to the large, warm jacket around her tiny frame seemed to give this fact away. She set the thin bag that looked as though it contained a notebook computer onto her lap as she sat down. It was going to be a long ride to Boston. And even after she reached the large bustling city, she would have a much longer ride to her parents house far to the north.

Everyone passed the young woman by, few noticing her or her lack of interest in all the others upon the train. The young blonde wanted to keep to herself mostly, but it seemed that everyone else on or entering the train had the same general idea. However, occasional whispers of 'Merry Christmas' would ring out around her. None were directed at her, but it was still more cheerful than the drab, glistening weather out the window that she was peering at. Christmas was a time of spirit when around the family and she wouldn't be around her family for several more hours and most likely not even until the following day, but she was still content to listen to the small amount of holiday cheer around her. Normally, she would be in the mood to spread such cheer, but such was not the case this very moment. Serena could feel the exhaustion sliding over her as she made herself comfortable for the long ride.

Serena leaned her face against the cold window, her eyes still watching the snow falling lightly outside. Her curls shifted on her head somewhat and some even managed find their way stuck between her cheek and the window. The snow did not appear as if it was ready to stop anytime soon. So, she looked up when the next best distraction came along, someone sitting down next to her. Serena smiled slightly as the ebony haired man sat down in his seat right next to hers. He looked as though he had had a very hard day just as she had had, but her didn't appear to be taking it as well as she did. She continued staring at him as he brushed the white snow, which contrasted greatly with his dark hair color, out of his slightly damp hair. His eyes were a deep shade of blue, which appeared to match his deep, dark hair immensely. The blonde woman couldn't help noticing that he appeared to be quite attractive.

Finally, he noticed her. She smiled again as he turned his dark midnight blue eyes onto her. He was wearing on the most confused expression that Serena had ever seen. Perhaps, she was over exagerrating it a bit, but he just seemed to draw her in somehow. He had an air of charm around him. The lovely girl seemed to like that instantaneously about him.

"Merry Christmas," Serena said, breaking the silence between them. He arched a brow at her, still as confused as ever. Maybe, he was being cautious? 'Perhaps that's it...,' Serena thought, idly. The dreamy, sleepy smile was still arched, bearing her pearly whites slightly to him.

"Merry Christmas," he replied, smiling quickly before reaching into his bag on his lap and pulling out a rather large book. The blonde took note quickly that it had some medical terms on the front of it. She had no idea what it meant as the only other language that she knew was legal jargon.

"What'cha reading?" Serena inquired, deciding that she would try to strike up conversation. She was going to be sitting next to him for awhile, so she figured she might as well not be lonely doing it. She was personal, talkative person. Silence was usual something that was beyond the blonde. She found it odd and mysterious when someone preferred silence over a happy, engaging conversation.

"A medical journal," he stated simply, turning back to her with the muddled look on his face again. This lovely young woman speaking to him was a complete stranger. Did she want something from him? Was she trying to lull him into a false sense of security? "I don't want to sound rude or anything, but...why are you talking to me?"

"Well, I figured that since I'm going to be sitting here for awhile and apparently you are too, we might as well, you know, make conversation," Serena answered, shrugging nonchalantly. She shifted backwards and then forwards a little bit in her slightly leaned forward position as the train began to make it's departure. "But, I'd understand if you'd just wanted to be left alone to read your...medical journal."

"Conversation is quite all right," he responded, setting his book on top of his bag. His finger had slipped into the page where the book mark had previously been, easily holding the page her desired to continue reading from. "I suppose I should introduce myself, huh?"

"Serena Moone," Serena said, putting her hand out. A small smile slithered across her face as her light colored eyes stared up at him.

"Darien Shields," Darien answered, shaking Serena's small hand. They slipped together easily, the ebony haired man's hand an olive color that contrasted slightly to the pale colored hand of the blonde. Each side of the hanshake was professional and it was easily felt that both were business driven. Darien grinned at Serena who timidly smiled back. A small shock seemed to run through her at the small amount of contact. Suddenly, she felt as if she had known this man her entire life and that they were just old friends who had just begun seeing one another from a long while ago. 'Must be my imagination,' Serena thought, suddenly returning the smile full-heartedly as she pulled her hand out of his. Her shyness slipped away. She wasn't going to let a charming, handsome man get the better of her.

"So, where are you going, Mr. Shields?" Serena inquired, leaning her back to the window in an attempt to get more comfortable. She shifted in her seat slightly, trying to pull the bulky jacker off of her so that she could lay it on her much like a blanket.

"Darien, please. I get Dr. Shields all day and I think it's about time someone used my first name. It's what it's there for right?" Darien asked, shrugging his shoulders lightly as he looked at the medical book in his lap. His finger from his left hand was still placed in his mark page. The book itself seemed very uninteresting in comparison to the lovely woman that was sitting next to him. However, he would need to start reading soon if he would get any information about his current, mysteriously diseased patient.

"I'll call you Darien if you call me Serena," Serena stated, opening her eyes to look at him. She had closed them as soon as he had started speaking. Trains always made her tired and the fact that she had just come from her office before after working all day didn't seem to help the situation at all. Life was always rushing by her just like this train was rushing through the winter weather occuring just outside her window.

"Deal," the ebony haired man said, nodding as he turned his eyes away from her. "I'm going to a friend's house for Christmas. He insisted that I come. I have a whole hospital of patients depending on me and he wants me to leave to Maine for Christmas," He rolled his eyes at this expressed though. Serena laughed at him quietly. She thought it was lovely to have such friends that would even go as far as to threaten you to have a lovely Christmas.

"You're family couldn't get you out of it, hm?" the young blonde woman asked, lazily closing her eyes again. She leaned her head in the direction of the window. The blonde felt herself losing her grip on reality and felt herself slipping into the dream world. She had to stay awake. It was utterly rude to fall asleep on someone in the middle of a conversation especially with someone whom one had just forced to befriend to another.

"No family," Darien said, smiling to keep the mood light. He hadn't noticed that she was drifting off, but he was just starting to pick up on her sleepy tone. "Lost them when I was young..., but I'm all right." He added the ending quite hastily because Serena had sat up giving him a look that said she was feeling sorry for him. He was used to this by now, but he still hated it whenever it happened. He would much more prefer if people just respected the fact that he was parentless and completely content with the concept of it.

"Oh, then, I'm sorry I brought it up," Serena said, her eyes still staring at him. She felt bad for him losing his parents, but it seemed to her that he didn't want pity. He wanted someone to sympathize and that's just what she was going doing. She didn't want to pry and if he refused to answer her questions, that was fine, but she was still a meek, curious kitten when it came to others that didn't suffer similar circumstances to her life. "How did it happen?"

"Car accident when I was six," Darien answered, turning back to look at the medical book in his lap. Oddly enough, he still hadn't moved his finger from within the book. Now, that was discipline. However, he did this because he seemed to find the need to look at anything but Serena. She was staring at him intently and it seemed to unnerve his calm, cool, collected demeanor. He wasn't sure what the feeling in the pit of his stomach was as she stared at him so and he also wasn't sure whether or not he liked it.

"I'm sorry it happened. My older brother died the same way when he was nineteen. That was...," Serena trailed off as she seemed to be thinking. She smiled slightly as she came up with the answer. "That was six years ago when I was seventeen." She was never very good with figures. She had an assistant for that.

"I'm sorry," Darien said, finally looking up from his fidgeting hands. "It seems we have more in common than I thought we would." Her smile was infectious, but the odd feeling was still sitting in the pit of his stomach like a sinking log.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," Serena recited, smiling slightly.

"So, what are you, twenty-three?" Darien inquired, arching his brow slightly as he grinned broadly. He had to enjoy her company while he had it. That was the decision that he had come up with as he pushed the odd feeling away.

"Curiosity killed the cat," Serena muttered, a challenge written in her eyes. She smirked as Darien arched his other brow, creating a surprised look upon his face. A small laugh escaped her mouth as she saw this. It was just too amusing to pass up.

"Yes, but, the answers brought it back," he replied, smartly. The blonde rolled her crystal blue eyes as Darien let out a small chuckle. His laugh was rich as well as smooth. It had acomforting feeling to it as well. "So, where are you headed?"

"Same as you. Maine," Serena answered, leaning back into her comfortable spot against the side of the train. She slid down slightly, snuggling deeper into the jacket that she had wrapped over her small frame. She even managed to tuck her legs up into the seat and under the coat as well. It hide most of the black dress pants that covered her long, thin legs. "Except, I'm visiting my crazy family. I can see it now. My uncle, father, brother, and cousin all having trouble starting one fire between the four of them and my mother and my aunt in the kitchen tossing out their random knowledge of recipes to see who can out do whom in the cooking realm. It's always the same every year, but I never fail to go back. Except...I didn't visit the year Alex died. I just couldn't do it. I guess...I couldn't...face..them...after..."

Darien smiled again as he watched Serena fall into sleep right before his very eyes. Slumber seemed to capture her as she slumped over more and more toward the window. It was interesting how one minute she was awake and then next she was collapsing into a deep sleep. He turned to his book in his lap and opened it, his smile fading slightly. He glanced at her sidelong one more time, shaking his head. He decided to read until his beautiful companion decided to wake up.

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The world was shaking, shuddering, and swimming. Well, it was to Serena, anyway. She was quite disoriented and she still didn't realize that she wasn't sleeping anymore. Her dream land still captivated her and hung on for with the last few wisps of its strength, not ready to let her go just yet. She opened her eyes halfway to see a pair of midnight blue eyes staring back at her. "Later, honey, I'm trying to finish these cookies for Mom," Serena murmured, as she closed her eyes again. She seemed to slump visibly as her eyes fluttered around in the drem world once again.

"Come on, Serena," Darien said, shaking her shoulder lightly again. He hadn't moved her off of the seat, but he was slightly bent over her, trying to shake her awake. They had reached their destination and he didn't want her to continue to sleep on the train if it decided to return back to Manhatten. He hed to bend over. If he didn't, he would hit his head on the ceiling due to his tall stature. She didn't seem to be responding to his slight shaking, so he set his other hand on her other shoulder and shook her gently again.

"I'll give you a kiss later, sweetie!" Serena blabbed out, rather loudly. Darien didn't pay attention to the slight stain of pink that covered his cheeks due to the blabber that had escaped her lips. He blinked a couple of times, arching a slender brow in confusion. He shook his head, shaking off the odd feeling that he was getting from this situation. He shook her again, lightly.

"Serena, please," Darien pleaded, his voice soft. He was trying not to frighten her, knowing well how much of a light sleeper that he was. He was obvious wrong about Serena. After this, he would definitely know that she was a deep sleeper. Or maybe she was just incredibly tired?

"Okay, fine," Serena muttered. She appeared to be getting up as she shifted slightly in her seat, but instead of getting up, Serena wrapped her arms around Darien's neck. And before he could realize what she was doing, she pressed her lips to his. Darien was beyond surprised, his eyes wide and his brows pushed up to capacity. His hands had mvoed away from her and were not touching her in anyway, afraid to hurt her or something. His muddled brain from the odd girl seemed to not be processing information correctly. Evidently, she had to be dreaiming about something to randomly up and kiss him for no reason. He didn't think that he had provoked her in any way whatsoever.

The ebony haired man pulled away as quickly as he could get away. Serena was much stronger than she looked and it had taken him awhile to figure out that he might just be able to get away if he tried at all. This only occured after the initial shock wore off. However, those two arms around his neck had prevented him from pulling away for a minute, but he managed it, eventually. He had stood back up, mostly, straight again and when he did that, Serena came up off the seat only to fall lightly back down and wake up immediately as he had been bogged down by her added weight.

Serena stared strangely at Darien who was wiping his lips profusely as he stared wide-eyed and bewildered back at her. "What were you dreaming about to cause you to do that?" Darien questioned, wiping his lips several times more. They were still tingling and he could still smell her faint scent of vanilla. It was intoxicating and muddling him much like a cloud of fog appeared around the entire circumference of his brain.

"Huh? What are you babbling about?" Serena looked quite confused. She stretched, her arms reaching skyward or roofward if one included the fact that they were still within the confines of the train. It was definitely one of those moments that would be remembered forever if only Serena could realize what she had done. It was a simple Kodak moment that she could share with her friends as a joke over a meal one day as a humorous situation. However, the ebony haired man wanted answers before anything else occured.

"You kissed me!" Darien blurted out, his cheeks becoming stained with pink again. He wasn't used to being seduced by women and in fact, it completely caught him of guard. Normally, women were sly and tried to slip it by him subtly, which was a course of action that he was either completely oblivious to or could ignore. This was outright abuse!

"I what? Just what are you trying to imply here?" Serena asked, looking even more perplexed than before, if that was possible. "But, I was sleeping...and...and...I was sleeping!"

"Evidently you weren't sleeping soundly enough because you wrapped you arms around me, pulled me ferociously to you, and placed your pretty, little lips to mine," Darien muttered, still blushing slightly. It was hard to compose himself after being so frightened by an outright come-on. He glanced up and realized some of the exiting people were staring at them. He blushed a deeper color. They needed to get out of here and to a more discreet or discreet feeling location. "How about we discuss this over lunch? I don't want people staring as they are now."

"Okay, we'll discuss this over lunch as soon as we get to Boston," Serena answered, oblivious to the people exiting or the fact that most of the train was empty. She also hadn't realized that the train had stopped and that they were in fact already in Boston. She was such a ditz, sometimes.

"That's why I was waking you up," Darien responded, gaining his calm demeanor back. He had actually adjustined his shirt and brushed off his black slacks a bit as if ruffled by the whole situation. Serena simply smirked and snorted slightly in a tinkle of laughter as she saw him do this. He was, obviously, being foolish and just joking around with her about the whole kissing thing, right? "We're already in Boston. I didn't think you wanted to sleep yourself all the way back to Manhattan."

"Oh, um, heh," Serena replied, blushing of embarrassment. She really was a blonde ditz. 'Uh, nevermind. How could I not notice?' Serena thought, smiling timidly as Darien moved out into the aisle, his head still slightly bent. 'And I still don't understand how I could've kissed him.'

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After finding the nearest restaurant that they could agree upon and being seated, both Serena and Darien had begun to search through their menus after they had been seated. Darien had flashed a courteous smile to the waitress when she had made her way over to the table. His natural charm seemed to captivate her as she became much more girlish and giggly. Serena noticed this easily, but the ebony haired man that was causing this to occur seemed completely oblivious. The blonde released a few small guffaws at the silly ordeal without managing to catch the attention of either the girlish waitress or the raven haired male. Eventually, they ordered and Serena found Darien bringing his attention fully back to her. He seemed to want something from her, but she had no idea what he wanted of her having already forgotten just why they were sitting here in the first place in her small amount of amusement.

"What?" Serena asked, eventually. She was tired of having the silence spread between them and the fact that he was staring at her intently, trying to get her to do something. Or maybe it was say something? It didn't matter to her. She couldn't stand the drawling silence.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Aren't you going to explain?" Darien questioned, arching a brow. Serena still looked confused. This was evident by the fact that after he asked this, her slender brow above her left eyes twitched upward ever-so-slightly. However, Darien couldn't finish saying what he was asking because the waiter had returned with their drinks and he felt himself suddenly feeling immensely bashful again. He wasn't stupid. He knew the waitress was flirting with him, but this was one of those small things that he could just ignore. As soon as she left, Darien turned back to Serena. "You know, explain why you kissed me?" He was much more hushed when he spoke about this and he even proceeded to lean across the table slightly.

"I still don't remember ever doing that," Serena murmured, a slight blush staining her cheeks. This was silly. Couldn't he just drop it? If half the parties involved don't remember such an act occuring, it wasn't that important, now was it?

"Well, what were you dreaming about?" Darien inquired, pressing the issue further. He had leaned back up to his full posture as he sipped at the water glass on the table.

"Darien! Dreams are personal experiences!" Serena whispered harshly, flushing further. There was no way he was going to hear about her foolish dreams!

"I want to know why you kissed me. And evidently you were still asleep when you did it so it had to do with whatever you were dreaming about. You said something about cookies and your mother," Darien stated, thinking. He was dredging up the information that he had stored of the encounter from the confines of his mind. It wasn't that hard as he was used to doing such things.

"I was baking cookies for my mother when my husband came in and asked for a good morning kiss," Serena answered, still a lovely shade of red. This was silly. Why were they having this conversation? She was staring at the napkin she was wrinkling up in her lap. She looked small and she felt small. This was horrible.

"You have a husband?" Darien asked, completely getting off base. He had noted her lack of ring as he had been...glancing...at her while she had been sleeping. Well, maybe, he was staring just a tad bit, but that was beyond the point. She didn't look married and she didn't have a ring, so the assumption was well versed. However, he didn't expect her to be single in any way or fashion.

"No, but I always dream about my husband," Serena stated, slightly miffed. She crossed her arms and turned away from him, finding her childish nature returning as she blew up her cheeks in slight annoyance. "Anyway, do you want me to finish or not?"

"All right continue," Darien replied, completely interested in what she had been dreaming about. 'So...no husband,' he thought, wrapping his mind around that final thought. He still knew that there was no possible way that a girl as lovely as she would not be taken.

"Well, I dreamed that I woke up and got off the train. Strangely enough, you weren't there. I ended up getting my rented car and driving the rest of the way to Maine as I always do. I got there and, of course, my husband had already been there for a couple of days. I arrived late as I always do because of some client of mine or for some other reason. Well, I ended up showing up to an empty house. Well, it wasn't exactly empty. Everyone was just sleeping. So, I decided to bake cookies for my mother before she woke up. My husband walked into the room and surprised me from behind. He asked me for a morning kiss and I told him that I had to finish the cookies that I was baking for Mom. Then he insisted upon it and I told him that I'd give him a kiss later. He was rather persistent. 'Serena, please' were his exact words, I believe. And so, I conceded so he'd leave me to finish baking the cookies. What else was I supposed to. I mean, if I didn't just kiss him and shut him up then-," Serena stopped. Darien was snickering and trying to hold in the laughter that he contained within his throat. Was he laughing at her or just at her antics? Either way, Serena was not encourage by it and seemed to become in a huff about it.

"Oh, don't get mad!" he replied, trying to shake off the laughter. "I didn't mean to be insulting; it was just amusing that you...were comfortable enough to ramble on about something that is obviously rather personal to you..." He smiled again, suddenly feeling more comfortable. He felt himself relax a bit more than he usually would than with someone he had just met not more than a few hours ago. It was comforting, being with her, oddly enough. Perhaps, it was just because she was such a relaxed and calming person.

"Really? I mean...I thought you were...oh, nevermind. It was silly of me," Serena said, nearly laughing at herself in embarrassment. 'Wait a minute,' Serena thought. 'He sounds just like my imaginary husband does. That's odd.' She whisked this thought away as quickly as it had come to mind. She didn't even know why she had compared them together at all. It was utterly ludicrous."So how are you getting to Maine from here?"

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Chapter has been completely revised. Some general ideas have changed, but most has been kept the same as the original. I've become more detail oriented over the years and my writing style has changed slightly, but my way of thinking has not. I plan on finishing this story, but I can't with my old way of writing, so I must apologize as I take the time to re-edit the story to current writing style. I hope you enjoy the new version as much as the old.

Stay Tuned for Chapter Two: Andrew's Friend...Who exactly is the friend that Andrew invited to join the Moones for Christmas? Serena says good-bye to Darien as they go their separate ways!

KaBunny