1Rating: PG-13 (to play it safe) Pairings: Sarah/Derek; teensy bit of Scott/Claudia and Helen/Percy Disclaimer: "Into the Dark" is ©2000 ChosenOne. Everything in this piece belongs to me. Summary: What the members of the gang usually do on a Friday night. Author's Note: Be a responsible reader and don't forget to review. Hope you enjoy.
*****
Sarah emerged from the subway station into the busy life of the metropolis. As she made her way down 36th street laden with shopping bags in both hands, she couldn't help but look up at the overcast sky, ominously threatening to unleash heavy rain upon the city at any moment.
Ever since she was a child, Sarah had always loved to wander around on days like these, taking in the matchless beauty of an urban landscape confronted with the might of natural elements.
The weather was pleasantly chilly, and the dull grey of the sky seemed to both mingle with and bring out the appeal of nightlife in Patterson, creating a surreal environment that Sarah spent her childhood and early adolescence learning to love. Some things, it would seem, never change.
She felt a special nostalgia in her heart when she gazed upon the city lights glinting off the calm waters of Patterson River. The promenade that followed it halfway to the ocean had always been her favourite place to hang out on those days when she seemed particularly prone to reminisce.
Perhaps because she had lived her whole life in Maine, Sarah was very fond of overcast days like this. The beauty of the scenario was such that the city seemed frozen in a perpetual winter.
Finally breaking out of her reverie, she noticed another kind of beauty that took a place in her heart as special as her childhood memories of overcast days. All around Sarah, people went by, huddling under their umbrellas and overcoats to shield themselves from the first few drops of rain of what threatened to become a heavy downpour; others skipped past puddles and tried to avoid the speeding cars that drove past, wetting them to the bone; a group of commuters waited patiently for their bus to arrive, ducking into the station hoping to avoid the start of the deluge.
All around her, life went on. Nobody cared if the sun was shining or God's hand was bringing yet another destructive storm down on the populace. They had to go on living. And Sarah had to do that also. She was going to have dinner with Derek, but at this pace, she was going to be late.
Without any further contemplation over the pleasantness of the landscape, Sarah mingled into the crowd of commuters and boarded bus number nineteen, which took the downtown route and stopped near Derek's apartment. The way she saw it, this was shaping up to be a great evening.
*****
Derek finished setting up the dinner table and stood back to admire his work. He had used his mother's old, but elegant tablecloths, along with a fine set of silverware and glasses that he had borrowed from Helen earlier that day. He had no idea what his deceased mother would say if she ever saw him setting a table like this. She'd probably feel proud of him. Or she'd mock him.
But frankly, he didn't care. He was doing this out of love for Sarah. She deserved it. When she suggested a romantic dinner for two earlier that week, he immediately thought of taking her out to some fancy restaurant like they had done so many times before. Before they were engaged.
She had seemed a little put off by the idea, however, and Derek immediately corrected his mistake by offering to cook them dinner himself. To put it mildly, Sarah had looked surprised.
After spending the afternoon in the kitchen replicating some stuff from an age-old recipe book with a bunch of sticky pages, Derek was proud to announce (even if only to himself) that he was finally done. And much to his surprise, the results of his cooking actually looked pretty good.
Now all he had to do was create a more romantic environment for the dinner itself. He finished lighting two apple-scented candles, laid them on the table and went over to his stereo, popping a brand new "Lighthouse Family" CD into it. Everything was set. He just had to wait for Sarah.
Derek smiled as he imagined her surprised expression upon seeing the results of his effort. She never knew he could actually cook something remotely edible, so she had been understandably doubtful about this whole dinner thing. Now, however, he was sure she was going to like it.
He glanced at his watch and headed back to the kitchen to retrieve their dinner. Sarah would be arriving in a few minutes. This evening was going to be perfect. He had to make sure of that.
*****
Susan turned her head to look outside trough the sliding doors of the living room and sighed. Being all alone in the house on a Friday night without her siblings or her father there to annoy her constantly just didn't seem to hold the same appeal that it used to only two years ago.
And all that because her mother was gone, murdered by one of Derek's worst enemies just to get back at him. An act of cruel vengeance had taken away the person she loved the most.
Her memories of what they did together on rainy days like this were still very vivid. They used to sit at the kitchen island, savouring a steaming cup of hot cocoa, paging trough romance books and talking about mundane issues. Susan loved even the memories of those magical afternoons.
Life was different now. She spent her nights, stormy or otherwise, lounging on the living room sofa and watching television. Wearing nothing else but one of Derek's old sweatshirts and with a half-eaten Twinkie to keep her company, she kept on zapping from station to station, hoping desperately that she'd find something better to watch than sci-fi shows and Jerry Springer.
Even despite the storm raging outside, it was quite warm inside the house. The sweater Susan wore was oversized for her small girlish frame, but it felt very comfortable all the same.
Tired of zapping, she finally settled for a random station to watch no matter what. She soon regretted her decision, however, when the opening credits for Alias appeared onscreen.
"Oh, joy." she said to herself. Sighing once again, she took another bite of out her Twinkie and resigned to her fate of watching this. It couldn't possibly be worse than Jerry Springer.
*****
Some people called them mysteries of life, but it was something she would never be able to figure out. Why did Derek have to live in an apartment building without elevators?
Sarah was tired of busting her feet climbing the six flights of stairs up to his floor, although it had been a lot worse before she learned not to wear high heels whenever she visited her fiancé. She honestly hoped this torture would be worth it. She'd never seen Derek's cooking skills at work, but hopefully they would be enough to assure them both an edible dinner.
*****
Just as Derek finished serving dinner, he heard a key turning in the lock, and a moment later, Sarah entered the apartment carrying two shopping bags. She must have spent the afternoon in the mall buying more clothes. Surprisingly enough, she wasn't as wet as he expected her to be.
"Hi, honey", she greeted, smiling brightly.
Derek returned the smile. "Hi, sweetie." They moved closer and kissed briefly. Breaking apart, he glanced down at her shopping bags in amusement. "I see you've been shopping."
"Yeah, just a few cheap things, though. Money's not exactly stacking up these days. Plus, the weather out there is just dreadful. I had to take the subway and the bus to get here in one piece."
She put her bags down on a couch and turned back to her boyfriend with a cheery smile.
"Anyway, where's that delicious homemade dinner I came here for?" Derek stepped out of her line of vision and held his arm out to indicate the living room beyond him. "Voilá", he said.
Sarah let her jaw drop in utter amazement when she saw it. The lights were dimmed to help create a more romantic atmosphere. Soft music was playing in the background. The table had been set with such care that, for a while, she had trouble believing Derek had done all this.
When she turned to look at him, her eyes were positively glowing with joy. This man had gone to all this trouble just to see her happy. And it worked. She'd never felt so blissful in her life.
*****
Derek smiled, both on the inside and on the outside, when he saw her eyes lighting up with joy. His girlfriend's expression of happiness was enough of a reward for preparing this dinner.
God, he loved this woman. It was when she looked at him with that lovely expression that he just wanted to open the window of his apartment and shout out to the world outside exactly how much he loved her. And the best thing was, he knew she loved him back with all her heart.
They kissed again, this time longer and deeper than the first. Derek broke away, placed a hand on her back and nodded towards the dinner table. "Let's not forget the important stuff", he said, smiling at the amused glint in her eyes. "Dinner's probably getting cold. How about we dig in?"
"Sure", she said simply. After a quick kiss, they both moved over to the dinner table. He held out her chair for her to sit on and then sat down himself. Sarah perused the food on the table.
"This stuff looks delicious. You really cooked all this?"
"Yeah. I made steak with that special sauce my mother invented. I know you love it."
She smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Aw, you remembered! You're so sweet."
"And," he said, showing her a bottle of wine. "I bought some wine from that little store at the corner of the street. I don't know what kind it is, but the clerk said it goes well with steak, so..."
Sarah smiled once again, marvelled at his sincere effort to please her. "I know what you mean. This all looks great, Derek. Thanks." With a final exchange of smiles, they started eating.
*****
Scott was tired of this. He and Claudia had spent the evening trying to track down a demon trough the intricate sewer system of Patterson. It was like looking for a needle in a haystack the size of Texas. To make matters worse, they were up to their knees in grimy water, surrounded by the unbearable stench of raw sewage and carrying heavy broadswords that didn't help much.
He looked over his shoulder at Claudia, who followed slowly in his wake, scanning the dark tunnel ahead for any signs of demon activity. This woman was remarkable. Here she was, with her Friday night ruined because of some hell spawn bogie, yet she didn't seem to care at all.
She had been fascinated by the supernatural since she witnessed her first spell. From there to becoming the most powerful full-fledged wiccan of the East Coast, it was merely two years.
Even though she was covered in sewage from tumbling down the entrance ladder, Scott still thought she looked beautiful. Her shoulder-length red hair was caught in a neat bun at the back of her head, giving her a more mature look. She noticed him staring and looked over at him.
"What?" she asked, puzzled.
He smiled. "I was thinking. Nevermind. How are you doing? Do you need anything?"
"I sure could use a shower right now", she replied, glancing at her dirty clothes.
"Yeah, me too. Especially a cold one."
Claudia stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him.
"Scott Grierson, I can't believe you. We've been going around in circles for an hour, we're both covered in smelly sewer water up to our waists, and you're still thinking about having sex?"
He smiled sheepishly. "Well, I just."
She stopped smiling when she saw him freeze and fixate his eyes on something behind her. "What? What is it?" He didn't answer. Instead, he griped the sword in his hand tighter.
Claudia hadn't seen the large, snarling form of the demon coming up behind her, but she did know her boyfriend's expression when he went into combat mode. Something was closing in.
"Duck!" Acting on instinct, she did. Scott swung his sword neatly trough the air, swishing it across the place where her head had been only seconds earlier and managing to decapitate the oncoming demon in the process. It's headless body sunk into the depths of the sewer water.
Both of them looked down at their now blood-splattered clothes. The college laundry room would surely have a field day with this. Suddenly, Claudia sneezed loudly. The sound carried down the tunnel into the darkness. She sniffled and wiped her nose on her still dry sleeve.
"I think I'm getting a cold from being down here." Scott grimaced. "No wonder. We shouldn't even be here to begin with. Bailey must be laughing his ass off about this. I'm sure he's all cosy and warm back in the manor, with the fireplace and all, and we're out here acting like idiots."
He looked at the dead demon. "Well, the next time he has an anonymous tip about a nesting Skollak, he can come bust his own ass down in the sewers. Now come on, let's go home."
With that, Scott walked off. Claudia glanced at the demon's body and followed silently.
*****
Dinner went well for both Sarah and Derek. Her initial reaction after tasting the steak was one of surprise. It wasn't as good as she expected it to be. It was much, much better than that. Derek said this was due to using his mother's old sauce recipe, but that he wouldn't reveal it to Sarah.
As it turned out, the wine he bought was indeed very good to go along with steak. Everything else was surprisingly delicious in Sarah's opinion. She noticed a very faint touch of garlic on the mystery sauce, but when she brought this up, Derek just smiled and refused to elaborate further.
They had just finished talking about their college degrees and their upcoming wedding when Sarah took one last bite out of her steak. Derek had also finished his own dinner by then.
He got up from the table to retrieve the dessert and Sarah took another sip of wine while she studied the bottle label. He soon returned with a fruit pie that he set on the table in front of her.
"What is this, blueberry?" she inquired, examining the pie with genuine curiosity.
"Cranberry. You like the band, so." Derek smiled at the look on her face.
"And you actually cooked this?"
He set down across from her and settled himself in the chair before answering.
"Well, yeah. Sure. I cooked everything else, didn't I?"
Frowning suspiciously, she lifted a slice of pie onto her dessert plate and took a tentative bite. Derek held his breath and waited for her verdict. Finally, she swallowed and smiled at him.
"This is delicious, Derek. Really", she said with honesty.
He smiled in relief. Obviously, he had cooked everything else they ate that evening, with the exception of the cranberry pie. Actually, he had bought it in a bakery down the street.
But Sarah didn't have to know that.
*****
David finished his sixth drink of the night and set the glass down on the counter. The burly bartender was nearby chatting with another patron, so David could have just signalled him over for a refill, but so much alcohol would hinder his senses and he had to stay alert at all times.
The bar was crawling with bogies, many of whom had a bone to pick with him, but it was far better than spending his night over at the Feedback Bar, where he felt like he didn't belong.
No, his place was right here, in the middle of this demon scum. Drunk, lonely and miserable. What he did to his friends last year was enough of an excuse to stay away from them. Because of him, Sarah and Helen had almost been killed, and he had nearly reverted to his old ways.
He glanced around the crowded bar. Most of the people here were demons, but some humans were foolish enough to come down to this place. Like that gorgeous blonde babe who stood in the corner. David almost felt tempted to go over, chat her up and invite her to his flat. But then he realized that she reminded him of Helen and gave up the idea, opting for another drink.
*****
Everything happened like a blur when the couple finished their dessert. One minute they were sitting at the dinner table exchanging smiles, the next minute they were kissing and embracing each other fervently. Their passion escalated as Derek slowly led Sarah into his bedroom.
They undressed each other with uninhibited lust for their partner, without ever breaking their frenzied kiss. Sarah ran her hands over his toned chest and pushed him backwards onto the bed.
*****
Helen unlocked the front door of the fashion agency and slipped inside. She was about to turn on the lights when she noticed that she wasn't exactly alone, and that they were already on.
"Percy!" she gasped, surprised at seeing her colleague. "What are doing here?"
The young red-haired man looked up from a batch of paperwork on the table in front of him, smiling brightly. His green eyes glinted mischievously behind his shiny wire-rim glasses.
"You look startled. Who were you expecting to find?"
"I don't know, maybe a thief of something", she said with a scowl.
He kept joking. "Here to steal what? The water cooler?"
"Look, we're too old to flirt, so let's cut to the chase. Why are you here?"
"Just doing a little overtime filing reports", he said, indicating the pile of papers strewn on the table in front of him. "And what about you? It's almost midnight, what are you doing here?"
Helen went over to her desk and started going trough her stuff, looking for something.
"I have a meeting with Mr. Reed tomorrow. His agency is interested in working with us, but they want to see some conclusive proof of our efficiency before they sign any contracts."
She finally found a thick folder amid the documents on her desk. "Oh, here it is."
Percy looked over. "What's that?"
"My career portfolio. I got my first gig on this agency, remember?"
"How could I not?" he said sarcastically. Percy had first met her right after his uncle Warren pulled some strings and got him promoted to junior executive. His first impression of her had of course been appalling. She was part of a world of wealth and glamour, yet she was. different.
Unlike the social animals of her generation, Helen was a radical, straight- to-the-point person with very little patience for pretence and mind games. That's what he liked best about her.
While his mind was occupied thinking about her, she had been telling him about the pros and cons of a partnership with Mr. Reed's firm. He hadn't obviously listened to a word of what she was saying, but his vague expression as he recalled meeting her might have covered for him.
She was now heading for the door, mumbling about having to drive all the way back home in the middle of Friday traffic, when he decided to prod her some more with a makeshift joke.
"Friday night traffic, huh? Damn, it must be hard to be a rich, sexy supermodel."
She stopped and turned around to face him, smirking slightly.
"Look who's talking, Mr. Executive-Boy."
The smile on Percy's face vanished when he heard this. "What did you say?"
"About what part? Being rich?"
He was looking at her seriously now. "No, being sexy. You said I was sexy too."
She stared at him blankly for a moment and then burst out laughing.
"What? You implied it! You implied I was sexy!" he protested, feeling silly.
Helen finally regained her composure. "You're just so full of yourself, aren't you?"
"I know what I heard. You explicitly said I was sexy."
"Yeah, right." She opened the door to leave and glanced at all the paperwork in front of him. "Have fun with your paperwork there, Percy." She left, her blonde hair waving behind her.
Percy waited until she was well out of earshot before answering. "I will, Helen."
*****
Afterwards, they lay in bed together, satisfied and exhausted. Sarah rested her left leg over both of his. Her left hand intertwined with his right, describing slow circles over his smooth chest.
The silence in the room clashed with the violence of the storm raging outside. Thick raindrops assailed the bedroom window heavily, casting odd, shimmering shadows on the far wall.
On the street outside, nobody dared to face this dreadful weather. Only the streetlights stood as a sign of civilization amid this display of the primal fury of the elements. Sarah stared at the odd shadows cast by the rain on the bedroom wall. After a moment, she turned to look up at Derek.
"Was it. you know, good?" she asked him.
Derek looked into her black soulful eyes. "Want an honest answer?"
He leaned in and passionately kissed Sarah, pulling her closer until more than half of her body was superimposed with his. He broke apart and their eyes met again, black joining azure.
She smiled mischievously and snuggled closer to him, inhaling his scent. "I'll take it as a yes." They were silent for a moment before she continued. "I love just being here with you."
Derek kissed the top of her head, feeling her silky hair brushing against his lips. He could never get enough of this woman. "Yeah, me too... Hey, I wonder what the rest of the guys are up to?"
"Beats me", she replied with a shrug. "I just hope they're enjoying themselves like we are."
*****
Into The Dark ©2000 ChosenOne Comments? Suggestions? Direct them to chosenone .