"For Argument's Sake."
By: Isis  @}->--
isis@moonkingdom.com
Rating: G
Disclaimers: Don't sue and don't copy!
AN: All right, I owe you some happy scenes.


Chapter 14
*@}->--*


"Hey Dr. Benton, how's it going?"

He turned to regard the young woman who had hopped into his 
office.  "Well hello Serena.  Everything seems to be going just fine 
today.  What about you and your dear partner?"

She giggled at the comment and rolled her eyes.  "I still think 
Darien works too hard but other than that we're fine."

Romola chuckled at the exchange before Serena hopped up to sit 
on the other side of her desk.  "Well he does," she said seeing her 
obvious amusement.

"Yes, it seems to be an epidemic around here," she said glancing 
over to her husband who was now trying to sneak out of the room 
unnoticed.

He stopped short.  "Well, now if us men didn't do our jobs what 
would the two of you do all day?"

They looked at each other quickly, "Oh, we'd find something to 
occupy our time with Darling," she mumbled back to him.

"Yeah, besides, the two of you could stand some down time 
anyway," Serena added.

"Yes," she agreed, "then we could go shopping!"

The younger girl laughed evilly.  "Oh, you have no idea how badly 
I need a shopping trip!  I'm calling all of the old group home from 
college this weekend so we can get together and do some serious 
clothes hoarding.  You want to come with us?  We're going for a 
record weekend of hitting every major shopping center in Tokyo!"

She laughed at her enthusiasm but she could already feel her feet 
starting to hurt.  "No, no Dear.  You all go right ahead.  I'm much 
too old to keep up with a group of teenagers.  Besides, if I came 
home with a bunch of clothes modeled after your fashion sense 
Norman over there would commit me!"

Serena giggled and her husband came over to lean against her 
chair.  "Oh, I don't know Dear.  I think some of those little pink 
skirts Serena keeps popping around here in would look very nice 
on you."

She laughed at him knowing exactly what she would look like in 
those things.  "No thank you Love.  I do believe that I out grew 
that taste in clothes about twenty years ago."

He laughed at her and leaned forward to peck a kiss on her check.  
She elbowed him and he scampered off towards the door again.  
"Anyway, back to work for me.  But, uh Romola, you may want to 
tell Serena what she can start her shopping spree looking for."  He 
winked at her and left in a hurry.

She watched him leave a bit confused.  She looked over at the 
other for a moment before realization dawned in on her.  She 
smiled brightly and put on a very mischievous air.  "Well now, yes 
I do believe I know exactly what you can have your friends help 
you pick out."

Serena looked at her curiously.  "What?"

She leaned back in her chair still smiling.  "Well, technically this 
would be a decision that would be mostly left up to Darien but in 
this case, and since he's been working so hard, I think we should 
press the issue a little."

"What decision?  What are you plotting here?" she asked a little 
worriedly.

She laughed and leaned forward to be closer to her.  "There is a 
conference that is going to be held in the U.S. at the end of this 
month that we've been invited to.  Do you remember the Global 
Space Advancement Center that asked us to look into those three 
weird stars that Darien was working on?"

She nodded thoughtfully.  "Yeah, I remember, he was really strung 
out on those things but he called it good and handed in whatever he 
had."

"Right.  Well, it seems that the Center thought he did more than 
just call it good.  This conference pulls together all of the top 
research centers all over the world.  We were invited last year but 
couldn't go.  It was really a shock that they asked us again.  But 
here's the thing; they have a special award set up for the biggest 
influence on the global research that we're doing.  Guess who's 
taking it home this year?"

Serena looked at her for a minute.  "You don't mean…"

She nodded gleefully.  "Yes!  Darien's work with those things put 
him in the running with the best scientific minds in the business.  
That, coupled with the other regular work he's done here, has put 
him in a lot of good favor with the Global Center's 
administration."

Serena squealed happily.  "That's totally cool!  He'll flip when he 
hears…  Wait a minute.  Why haven't you told him yet?"

She leaned back.  "Because, I would very much like to see his face 
when his name gets listed off on that platform in Washington DC 
when we're in America for a perfectly innocent little social 
gathering with our fellow sky-charting coworkers."

Serena's jaw dropped about two feet as she stared at her.  "But-
But.  Oh he'll kill you!  You know Darien; the spotlight really isn't 
his thing, especially if he's not expecting it.  He'd die right there 
on the spot!" she stopped giggling to herself for a moment.  "This 
could be fun!  But you're going to have a hard enough time just 
getting him to go to the U.S."

"Yes, we've thought of that too.  Norman has mentioned the 
conference a few times to him and his response has been anything 
but encouraging."

She looked at her now very curious.  "So how do you plan to get 
him on the plane?  Drag him kicking and screaming?"

She smiled at the young blond.  "No.  We're going to use you."



"OK, listen up troops.  Mission objective: search every shopping 
center in downtown Tokyo for clothes and other bare necessities of 
life.  We will utilize the following: public transit and walking for 
transportation; checks, cash, and credit will be used for methods of 
payment.  We will commence operations immediately following 
these briefings.  Our main objective is to buy as much stuff as will 
possibly fit in our closets for the least amount of money.  Any 
questions men?"

"Men?"

"Figuratively speaking Ami," Serena commented.  "Anything 
else?"

"Yeah.  You died and made you an army commando?"

"Not funny Lita."

"OK fine, can we go now?" Rei piped up behind her.

"Yeah, yeah, in a minute.  I have some totally great news to tell 
you guys first."  Serena chuckled at herself happily.  "We're going 
to America!"

The four other girls stopped to stare at her.  "Really?" Mina asked 
slyly.  "Who's the 'we'?"

"Yeah, what gives?  Who would be desperate enough to take you 
across half the world?" Rei snipped at her.

"For your information," she crossed her arms in front of her chest 
and stared back at her raven-haired friend, "I'm going to an 
international conference for work."

"Oooohhh, you mean with Darien, right?" Mina poked her in the 
ribs.

"Well, yeah, I can't exactly go without him," she said not quite 
getting her friend's point.

"Oh, I smell romance!" Lita stated folding her hands under her 
chin and leaning back on Ami's shoulder looking all heart-eyed.

"Oh, no, guys come on, stop it.  Our boss and his wife are coming 
with us too.  Don't go all mushy on me here OK?" she pleaded 
with them seeing exactly where this was leading.  "There's really 
nothing romantic about this.  Especially with me and Darien!  I 
mean come on!"

The other four girls began to giggle at her pleas and instead of 
listening to her they began dragging her down the steps towards 
the bus stop.  "Sure, Serena, whatever you say," Lita said 
completely unauthentically.

"Yeah, we totally understand.  It's just a business trip that you're 
excited about," Mina said still guiding her with a hand on her arm.

"Right," Rei said walking in front of them.  "And we understand 
that you really want a whole new wardrobe in order to dazzle 
him—uh—I mean those Americans."

They giggled nonstop to the street corner.  "Oh, I'm sorry I told 
you guys," she mumbled incoherently.  They only laughed louder.

"It's all right Serena.  If you need something special we'll help you 
look today," Ami said always being the sensible one.

"Yeah," Mina said, "what do you want to show off, your shoulders 
or your legs?"

"MINA!"

Lita paused next to the offending blond.  "I think we should go 
with shoulders.  She already wears those short skirts around him," 
she offered thoughtfully.

"Yeah, definitely.  We've got to do something different with the 
meatballs too," Rei added.

"You guys!" she whined.  "All I need is one lousy formal for the 
dinner.  Is that too much to ask?"

All four of them looked at each other as their bus pulled up next to 
the curb.  "Take us to the mall!" they cried in unison.  Serena knew 
that this was going to be a very long day.


"OK, OK, how about this one?" Mina asked the rest of the group 
as she held a dress up next to Serena.  Three others still lay in her 
hands.

"I don't know," Rei mused squinting at the dress.  "I think we need 
a darker color."

"I agree," Lita added, "I'll see if they have it in a blue or green or 
something."  She ran off happily to ask a shop-clerk for help.

"OK, so let's see.  I still like this one."  She held up her favorite 
and Serena choked.

"Uh, Mina, yellow really isn't my color.  Besides, I want 
something long."

She pushed out her lips thinking for a minute.  "All right fine."  
She tossed it carelessly into a pile of discarded clothing that they'd 
already decided against.

It had gone the same way most of the day.  Every store they 
entered was immediately ransacked as they looking for the perfect 
dress.  Each of the girls would find one or two that they liked and 
then they would consult in committee to find the best ones of the 
lot.  It would then be her job to try all of the remaining dresses on 
for group approval.  The best one or two was placed on hold with 
the clerk and then they would take a quick survey of the place for 
regular clothes before heading on to the next stop.

So far she had twelve dresses saved back in her name at places all 
over two mall and three dress shops.  And her feet hurt.  "Oh, 
Mina, I've got to sit down.  This is even wearing me out."

"All right, take five.  I saw a discount rack when I came in.  I'll 
check it out and be back in a flash."  She tottled off as the group 
slip up.

Serena leaned back on the bench that she'd claimed and sighed.  
This shopping pace was bad enough but the comments of love and 
marriage were driving her nuts.  Not to mention that she hadn't 
found the dress she wanted.  So sue her if she really did want to 
make an impression.  And it wasn't just the convention 
administrators that she had in mind either.  What was wrong with 
really wanting to go all out for once?

"Serena?"

"Hum?  Oh, sorry Ami, what's up?"

"Well, you looked as though you were contemplating something 
for a minute," she said sitting down next to her.  "Is something 
wrong?"

"I guess this is just wearing on me.  Hey, what's that?" she asked 
noticing the midnight blue cloth in her hands.

"Well, I saw this dress and I thought maybe you'd like it."  Ami 
stood up again and unfolded the dress to show her.

"Oh my gosh!" Rei cried coming up just at the right time.  "I love 
it!"

"Love what?" Lita asked walking up to the group.  Mina's head 
could be seen popping up from the racks of clothes at the sound.

Serena just sat and stared at it.

When the group was assembled again they forced her into a 
dressing room with it and slammed the door on her protests.  A few 
minutes later she emerged with the thick cloth on.  It's blue was 
shot through with silver threading giving it a shimmer when she 
walked.  Turning to the mirror she stared at herself and kept on 
staring.

"I like it," Ami said.

"I love it," chimed Rei.

"We're definitely showing some shoulder," Mina giggled.

"Yeah, but that's not all.  Besides, it looks great!" Lita exclaimed.

Serena turned back to the group, "OK, I'll buy it."


"Morning Darien," she said as she hopped out of her apartment 
door.

"What, you're actually ready on time?" he asked unbelieving.

"Yes," she humphed back.

"Ooooh!" he cried leaning against the hallway's wall clutching his 
chest and faking a heart attack.  "Call an ambulance!  I think I'm 
having severe chest pains!"

"Oh please, like it's never happened before."

"My vision is blurring out and I think my pulse just stopped."

Serena stood with arms crossed looking a bit irritated with the 
tirade.  "Well good.  Serves you right for always being such a jerk 
to me.  Just die in my hallway and see if I care!"

He broke off laughing at her tantrum.  "OK, OK.  I'm sorry.  I've 
been in a weird mood all weekend and I don't think it's stopped 
yet."

"You're always in a weird mood.  But anyway, since you're so 
shaken up I think I should drive!"  She snagged his keys away 
from him and ran for the elevator.

"I don't think so!" he yelled after her.  The elevator didn't respond 
to her command to open and she stood waiting for it to reach her 
floor again.  Darien walked slowly towards her and she gave him 
one of her sweetest looks, conveniently hiding his keys behind her 
back.  He wasn't about to let that look disarm him this time.  "All 
right you little key thief, hand them over."

She smiled back at him playfully.  "What keys?"

She could be a good actress when she wanted to be.  "The ones 
behind your back, Dearest."  Of course so could he.

"I don't have anything behind my back, Muffin."

He smiled down at her and tilted her chin up with one hand.  
"Don't you?"

She bit her lower lip innocently, "No."

"Well, I could have just sworn that you did.  Maybe I'm mistaken, 
Meatball Head."

She nodded slightly.  "I guess so."

He paused thoughtfully.  "Well, if you don't have my keys then 
what is behind your back?"  He gently tilted her head up just a bit 
more to look at him.  One more second…

"I don't have anything at all."

"Oh."  Quickly he used the hand he had under her chin to dart 
behind her neck and pull her away from the closed elevator doors.  
With the other he grabbed her hands behind her and pulled his keys 
free.

She gasped at the sudden move and tried to wiggle out of his reach 
to save the keys but found herself struggling against his arm that 
was wrapped around her back and up to the base of her neck.  And 
he wasn't letting go.

She looked up at him startled as she found herself out of options 
and out of bribery tactics.  She smiled again.  "You've got to teach 
me some of those moves."

He laughed at her.  "Sorry, I've been perfecting these for years.  
No novice trainees allowed."

She giggled at him as the doors opened and a middle-aged woman 
got out giving the two an odd look as she headed down the hall.  
They looked at her and then at each other shrugging as to what the 
look was for.  Even though both of them had a good idea.  They 
disentangled and began their journey to work.

Once on the road Serena turned to him looking a bit thoughtful.  
"Darien, Romola was telling me about this convention thingy in 
America before we left on Friday.  Why didn't you tell me 
anything about it?"

He looked at her surprised for a moment.  "I don't know.  I guess it 
just didn't really come up.  It's just some organizational meeting 
for the different national parts.  Kind of a 'get to know you' sort of 
thing I think.  Basically I'm figuring it for an international sleep 
convention.  Most of those things usually are."

"Oh," she mumbled thoughtfully.

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, Romola seems really siked for it.  I think she wants to go 
and Dr. Benton said that he would like to be there this years since 
they didn't make it last year."

"Yeah, he said something about it to me too.  I guess he wants to 
make me into a public display at the thing.  I told him I didn't want 
to go."

She stared at him.  "Oh come on Darien.  It would be fun.  I mean 
it's not like you'll ever have to see those people again.  And so 
what if he wants to show off the most brilliant mind in the galaxy.  
Humor him will you?"

He looked at her oddly out of the corner of his eye.  "I figured 
you'd be the last person pushing for me to go."

"Why should I be?" she asked innocently.  "I mean how often do 
you get to go to America?  Seriously I think it would be fun.  
You'd get to see a whole different country!"

He laughed lightly, "I've been to America before.  Remember, I 
went when I was thinking of going to school there."

She shrugged at him.  "That was New York this is Washing CD or 
something."

He chuckled at her again, "Washington DC.  It's the capital city."

"See, it's a different place."

"If you've seen one U.S. city you've seen them all."

"Oh, come on Darien.  That's not true and you know it.  Besides," 
she paused to cross her arms over her chest.  He looked over at her 
questioningly.  "If you go I get to go with you," she said quietly.

He smiled to himself.  "So that's why you're pushing for this trip."

She pouted for a minute.  "I can't help it if I'd like to see another 
country.  Besides I don't know why in the world you wouldn't 
want to go.  It's an adventure!  Where's your sense of 
excitement?"

"I traded it in for sensibility."

"Darien!"

He laughed, "OK, Meatball Head.  I promise I won't object to the 
trip.  But this is just for you all right?"

She giggled at him.  "Deal!  Oh I can't wait."  She leaned over and 
pecked a kiss on his check.  "Thanks Muffin."


"Good Morning!"  Romola and Norman Benton jumped about two 
feet in the air on their way up the steps to their office.  They turned 
around to look down at the new comers.  Serena bounced up the 
steps to follow them enjoying their confused looks.

"Yeah, I know, I about had a heart attack this morning when she 
was ready on time too," Darien mumbled to their baffled 
expressions.

She turned around and gave him a sour look.  "So, I'm actually on 
time for once and everyone becomes a comic."

The older couple laughed at her.  "You do have to admit it is 
unusual Serena," Dr. Benton said smiling at her.

"OK fine.  See if I'm ever on time again!"  She continued up the 
steps mumbling to herself about the rude people that she had to 
work with.  The rest of the group laughed behind her until she 
grabbed hold of Romola's arm and pulled her up the stairs with 
her.  "Oh, but I've got to tell you about our shopping trip!  It was 
so great.  Twelve hours of pure credit card bliss!"

The other woman laughed at her and allowed herself to be drug 
along, chattering all the way.  They finally entered the other's 
office with the boys still way behind them and Serena turned on 
her.  "Well Romola, I guess I'm going to get to use that formal I 
bought over the weekend after all."

She stared at the girl for a moment with a mischievous sparkle in 
her eye.  "You got him to say he'd go?"

"Yep!  I told you he wouldn't be able to refuse me," she giggled.

The other laughed too rubbing her hands together.  "Well then, 
operation 'award ceremony' is in place."

Serena watched the door to make sure they wouldn't be overheard.  
"Yeah, but when he finds out what we did and decides to kill all of 
us off, I had no part in this.  You're on your own!"

Romola laughed evilly, "Just pack your bags and wait till we get 
there."

She smiled excitedly.  "U.S. here we come!"


_____________
@}->-- "Choose thy friends like thy books, few but 
choice."  -James Howell.