Sailor Moon 1. prologue

Prologue  
  
Serena Weston paced the floor tensely while she wrung her hands in anticipation. Her movements were hasty while her sky blue eyes darted around in panic. She raked a hand through her blonde tresses in an effort to calm her nerves, while one question kept running through her head.  
  
'Where the hell was that woman?'  
  
The usually cheerful, calm fashion designer was a nervous wreck. Serena had done numerous shows yet she had never had a dilemma like this one before. She quickly checked her watch again for the nth time. Since she had five minutes to spare, Serena made one last go-around to make sure the other models were getting ready and that they had all the outfits that they were presenting tonight.  
  
After helping one of the models in to a ridiculously tight ensemble, Serena returned to the front of the stage. Peeking out through the sidewall, she scanned the audience for a particular red head. Everything was in its rightful place and everyone was ready to start the show, however; the only dilemma was that one of her top models, one Ms. Beryl Clanton, was no where to be found.  
  
No one had seen Beryl arrive or had heard from her all day.  
  
Hearing her name called, Serena turned around to see the stage manager running in her direction. The thin, scrawny looking man looked to have some urgent news, she prayed it was good news, as he came to a halt in front of her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Ms. Weston, but if your model does not arrive soon, then we while have to start without her."  
  
"But we cannot afford to neglect the major designs of the whole line up. Beryl will be here, I'm sure she's just running late."  
  
The man looked at her skeptically. It was a lie and they both knew it. After all, Beryl's outrageous reputation for being prima donna was her claim to fame. Serena sighed in defeat,  
  
"Just give me a little time to get a new model."  
  
There was no possible way that they could start without another model. Beryl was going to help present some of the most crucial outfits of the fall line up. With the most anticipated fashion show of the year weighing heavily on her shoulders, Serena could not afford to disappoint the critics or else it may cost her her status and career.  
  
"Well I suggest you hurry. We don't have a lot of time. Either you get another model or you don't go on at all."  
  
Serena's initial panic was quickly fading only to be replaced by anger and irritation. She fisted her hands to her side in an effort not to lash out and strangle the stupid manager. For God's sake, this was her show! If she wanted to start the show a little late then that was her decision. This tacky little man didn't need to tell her what to do.  
  
She was seeing red and was about to take it out on the hapless stage manager. First, she had a missing model and now she faced not going on at all. She was fuming and was ready to murder somebody, particularly the man in front of her. This show was going on even if she had to drag a manikin across the catwalk in place of Beryl.  
  
Just as she was about to open her mouth and yell at the meager excuse for a man until she was blue in the face, she felt a hand clamp down upon her left shoulder and a booming voice speak.  
  
"I believe Ms. Weston requested some more time. I will take care of it. Now go make sure the rest of the crew doesn't need assistance."  
  
The man had the look of a deer caught in headlights as he numbly nodded his head and quickly retreated behind the nearest curtain. Serena smirked at the way the man had run off so abruptly, thanks to her secret weapon in the form of a 6-foot tall daunting man.  
  
Serena felt the hand retract from her shoulder and gently pat her back in a fatherly manner, her anger immediately subsiding at the kind gesture that could only come from one person. Feeling a little more relaxed but still tense, she turned around to find her long time friend and colleague, Charles Peterson, staring at her with concern and compassion.  
  
"I'll stall for a while but no longer than five minutes. You know how restless an audience can get, especially New York critics." His voice held both humor and truth.  
  
Charles was a professional fashion consultant with remarkable celebrity status, famed for all his work with rich and famous fashion designers. Having been in this business for twenty-nine years, he knew exactly how brutal critics and the media could be. However, Serena didn't want him to risk his good name just to save her from some idiotic critics who could find reasons to hate Bugs Bunny, plus any and all celebrities.  
  
"Thank you, Charles. I really do appreciate it but I can handle it."  
  
"Nonsense, if I am to host this show than I will but there is no harm in delaying. Perhaps I can do a monologue like that Jay Leno fellow."  
  
Serena laughed for the first time that night and shook her head. The man would never change. At the age of 50, he was still the hardheaded, caring man she had met when she was still unknown.  
  
"Now you hurry along now and find yourself a model. I'll see you later."  
  
She tensed, feeling slightly offended at his helpful suggestion. Knowing that he was just the ready-to-lend-a-hand type of person still didn't soften the blow to her self-esteem.  
  
"But you can't.."  
  
"I will hear no more buts. Now go!"  
  
Before she could say another word, he pushed her towards the back room where all the models were being fit for their clothes while he headed for the front of the stage.  
  
She tried her best to protest but it was to no avail. Serena felt powerless. This was her first headlining show and she wanted to do it on her own. She had worked so long and hard for this yet people were still making decisions for her. It was getting to a point where she never did anything for herself; there was always someone there to help her.  
  
And things were beginning to get out of hand because of it. She hardly had any control of anything and her fashions didn't seem like hers anymore. She felt as if she had compromised herself in many ways.  
  
The large, commotion filled room was getting claustrophobic with so many people clustering together. There had to be a spare model somewhere. Looking around was useless as Serena could barely see two feet in front of her.  
  
All of the sudden, the throng of people parted like the Red Sea as a mass of blond hair threw itself at Serena.  
  
"SERENA!"  
  
Mina Lovett, Serena's best friend and leading model, had run at full speed and embraced the designer in a tight hug. Practically losing balance, Serena managed to sway a little but stayed on two feet. She tried to use her flailing arms to pry Mina off but had no success. Its not like Serena didn't enjoy the unexpected hug but her friend was squishing the life out of her.  
  
".... Can't...breath..."  
  
"Oops, sorry Sere."  
  
Mina let go of her so fast that Serena fell directly to the ground with a grunt. Mina giggled at her own excitement and the sight of the Serena that was before her, flat on her back and rubbing a sore backside.  
  
"Didn't mean to suffocate you. So has that sleaze Beryl shown up yet?"  
  
Gracefully getting up and dusting herself off, Serena shot Mina a look that said what-do you-think. Mina shrugged and said,  
  
"Well, what do you expect when you deal with a model that acts like a diva? As far as she's concerned, the world revolves around her."  
  
"Well, she can kiss a rat's ass for all I care but that's not the point. Right now, I got to find another model to take her place and fast."  
  
Serena was thinking about all the ways she could tactfully kill Beryl but she thought better of it; now was not the time to daydream.  
  
While Serena kept grumbling about the lack of models, Mina gave her the once over with a careful eye. As Serena's ranting continued, she was oblivious to Mina's unusually quiet behavior.  
  
"...And the worst part is that if this was any other model, I could probably get someone to fill their spot easily. But since Beryl is very curvaceous, it's hard to find anybody who can fit her clothes."  
  
"I GOT IT!", Mina cried out in triumph.  
  
Serena jumped at least a good three feet from the ground at the sudden outburst. She put a hand to her heart, trying to calm the erratic beating beneath her ribcage while trying to catch her breath.  
  
Mina, not noticing Serena, seemed to be pleased with her new discovery.  
  
'At least someone is...', thought Serena sarcastically.  
  
"I remember you told me that you used to be an amateur model and had even posed for some photos both in your teenage and college years."  
  
Alarms went off in Serena's head.  
  
'Warning! Danger! Danger! Hyper blonde about to make humiliating suggestion! Do not let her complete next train of thought.'  
  
"NO!", Serena flat out told her the answer to her unspoken question.  
  
"Oh come on, Serena. You are about the same size as Beryl and you can fit into the clothes."  
  
"Are you kidding? The woman has more curves than an hourglass and she's about as tall as a giraffe." Surely, Mina wasn't serious about this idea of hers.  
  
"You have a great curvy figure that looks fantastic in the right clothes. True, you're a bit short but your long legs make you appear to be taller. Plus, Beryl likes clothes to be extra tight and short. So, you can go in her place."  
  
"Mina, first of all, I will ignore the short crack this time and second, those were small time shows. That was years ago. Not to mention, the most prestigious names in the fashion world are here tonight. Don't you think I would be coming off a little vain if I wore my own clothes at my show?"  
  
"Than you better make a fast decision on a new model. Look over there."  
  
Mina pointed at the stage manager, which was signaling to Serena to line up the models near the runway. In a panic, Serena grabbed Mina by the hand and dragged her over towards a rack full of tight pants and "barely there" tops.  
  
"Don't just stand there; help me put this thing on", said an agitated Serena.  
  
Mina tried not to smile while she helped the reluctant blonde into a skimpy shirt and leather pants. Serena was cursing under her breath and was sending death glares at anyone who dared to even glance at her while she was changing. Mina was tempted to laugh but knew she'd risk certain death if she did so. Don't you just hate it when you want to laugh at the most inappropriate moments.  
  
Besides the little missing model problem, the show had been a great success. Though the critics were a bit peeved about waiting, they thought it clever that the designer herself was in her own show. It was a shock to nobody but Serena that the show had received such praised reviews.  
  
At the after party, Serena was schmoozing with celebrities and taking pictures with some of her models. The normal, meaningless chit-chat that famous people usually chatter circulated throughout the large, expensive room while the paparazzi meandered around hoping to get a glimpse of a celebrity.  
  
During an interview given by a handful of reporters, Serena set the record straight on a few rumors that were circulating such as was she really a lesbian, did she have an affair with an actor, and was it true that her boyfriend had proposed to her. (The answers to the questions were no, no, and she wished was true but no.)  
  
After the Chinese-water-torture method of an interview was over, she went in search of Charles. A smile curved her lips when she found the sly devil charming a beautiful woman who looked only a few years younger than he did. He was obviously telling one of his infamous laugh-so-hard-you'll-cry stories because both were chuckling and Charles was making odd gestures with his hands. Serena wanted to introduce herself and even watch the interaction between the cute couple but she needed to relay a message to Charles right away.  
  
Charles was having himself a grand time thanks to the company of the woman named Annabelle. He was right in the middle of asking her for a date when he felt a tug on his arm. Seeing the mop of blonde hair, he grumbled under his breath. Serena excused both of them and dragged a very grouchy Charles off to the side. The look on his face clearly told Serena she better have a damn good reason for interrupting him. She gave him a devious look.  
  
"I should have known you would be a hound dog with the ladies, Charles."  
  
"If that remark is reason you dragged me away from that lovely lady's company, than I may have to kill you."  
  
Charles gave her a stern look. Serena put a hand to her chest and feigned being hurt by his comment.  
  
"You think I am not a lovely lady and that I dragged you away to be your personal dating coach."  
  
Charles casually crossed his arms and gave her a dubious look.  
  
"I have no comment."  
  
"You really know how to boost a person's ego don't you ,Charles?", she lightening up the mood.  
  
"What I really wanted to tell you is that I'm leaving in about 3 minutes and I need you to cover for me. You can just tell anyone who asks that it was an emergency and I had to leave immediately."  
  
Charles just smirked at her. "Do I look like your personal messenger?"  
  
"Not really but you are for tonight. And I expect a full report about you and your lady friend over there when I get back" She laughed, gingerly patting him on the back when he groaned in dismay.  
  
With her stomach tied in knots, Serena clutched the wheel of her silver Lexus in a death grip as she neared her destination, nervous and excited all at the same time. She knew she probably shouldn't be doing this but that just seemed to make her all the more determined to make it work. The half-baked plan had originated after she had a tad too much to drink last night. It had seemed like an ingenious plan at the time -like all things do when you're drunk- but now she was beginning to have second thoughts.  
  
'No Serena, you are going to do this if not for anyone else than for you.'  
  
She chided herself.  
  
She was quite pleased with her unexpected courage. Never had she been this brave when it came to doing surprises for her boyfriend, Diamond. He didn't like surprises at all and would be even more displeased that she was the one doing it.  
  
Tonight she was going to Diamond's penthouse to set up a surprise dinner for two and hopefully spend some quality time with him. In the distance, the large building and bright lights of Diamond's inheritance, The Jewel Hotel, could be seen.  
  
Usually they would go to Serena's apartment or Diamond's private house near the beach when they were together. True, Diamond was the sole heir to the chain of infamous Jewel Hotels, the most expensive and classy hotels around, but they had never actually gone to his penthouse before. Now, Serena wondered why he never bothered to suggest they go to his penthouse. However, she didn't dwell much on the thought. Who knows what goes through that man's head or any man's head for that matter?  
  
If it weren't for the darkly tinted windows of the Lexus', the flashing lights from outside the hotel would have been blinding. Thousands of cars were weaving through the driveway entrance, dropping off the guests. At the end of the red carpet, escorts were waiting to greet guests and lead them up to the large swinging doors. She turned into the parking lot, parked her car and eagerly headed towards the doors.  
  
People bustled in and out of the hotel, all wearing name-brand designer clothing and jewelry that looked enough to cost an arm and a leg. Serena felt out of place wearing simple khaki shorts and black tank top. She was further embarrassed when some guests had the gall to stare at her. She wanted to yell at them to mind their own business but was to giddy to let them spoil her mood.  
  
She made her way to a private elevator that lead straight to the penthouse on the top floor. On the way up, Serena was thinking about how she would set the atmosphere of the room in order to get the right effect she wanted. Looking at her watch, she knew Diamond was still at his meeting and he wouldn't be home for at least another hour. He had told her it was an urgent meeting that he had to attend and that he would more than likely miss her show and the after party. By buying dinner and apologizing, he promised her he would come to her next show. It was just another empty promise like all the rest. Every time she wanted him to go somewhere with her, he always had an excuse to get out of it. Serena didn't want to seem selfish but for once she would like to have Diamond all to herself.  
  
She pondered more on her relationship with her boyfriend until the resounding ping of the elevator indicated she had arrived at the top floor. At the door of the penthouse, Serena quickly rummaged through her purse for the key she had borrowed from Diamond. Ok, so she really stole it from his key chain but thankfully, he had yet to notice.  
  
The search for the missing key came to a halt as Serena heard a noise come from inside the penthouse. Serena's eyebrows knitted together in confusion and for a moment she thought the noise had been a figment of her imagination. However, the possibility was ruled when she heard the noise again.  
  
A strange, uneasy feeling coursed its way through her body and before she knew it, she had turned the knob to open the unlocked door. Her heart started to beat faster in dread as she entered the penthouse. The noises were gradually getting louder and they were coming from upstairs.  
  
'This is ridiculous. There is no reason to be alarmed. The noise is probably the maid cleaning upstairs in the bedroom,' she tried to reassure herself  
  
Ignoring the two wine glasses and discarded clothes that littered the living room, she made her way towards the stairs that lead to the bedroom. Grabbing the banister to keep herself steady, she anxiously climbed up the stairs on trembling legs. Reaching the top, Serena found the door ajar and realized the noises were voices of a man and woman.  
  
She could hear the rapid beat of her heart loudly in her ears. With a sinking feeling in her stomach, Serena cracked the door open wider. The scene in front of her would haunt her for months. Before her very eyes, Diamond was in bed with another woman. To add insult to injury, the other woman was none other than her missing model Beryl Clanton.  
  
She stepped back; clenching her chest as if she had been dealt a blow. Her lungs constricted to the point of pain, forcing her to draw in shuddering breaths. She could barely comprehend the situation at hand. A feeling of nausea took over as she looked away in revulsion. If she didn't get out of there she was going to toss her cookies. Diamond must have heard her because he turned around and Serena saw his eyes. She did the only thing she knew how to do well, run. As she barreled down the stairs and out of the penthouse, Serena tripped. She struggled to pick herself up off the floor in time to reach the elevator.  
  
Tears gathered in Serena's eyes proof of her boyfriend's betrayal sank in. This couldn't be real; it had to be a dream. He had told her that she was the only one for him. He promised he would never hurt her. She remembered Mina telling her once that she had suspected Diamond of cheating and even went as far as to suggest they follow him around town. It led to a heated argument where Serena had said that Mina had no proof.  
  
She laughed bitterly to herself, trying to keep the tears at bay. How could she have been so blind?  
  
She remembered the look in his eyes and shivered involuntarily. His eyes had been cold and indifferent, holding no kind of remorse or embarrassment of his actions. After what seemed like an eternity trapped inside the closet space with horrible music, she reached the lobby. Tears were blinding her vision as she scurried in the direction of the swinging doors, trying to escape her now ex-boyfriend and her own shame.  
  
How she did it was beyond her however Serena managed to make it out the doors and into the parking lot without further injury. Serena rapidly wiped away tears she had shed and started the car. She needed time to think about things. She needed to get away from this place and go somewhere to disappear for a while. After thinking it over, she had the perfect place in mind. 


	2. Home sweet home

Serena tried to concentrate on the road but her mind was elsewhere. She turned the radio on in hopes of drowning out her thoughts but even now, they were far louder than the music.  
  
In the three months that she disappeared from the fashion scene, things had gone crazy. The media had had a mad frenzy over the Diamond affair. Apparently, a bellhop had seen Diamond and Beryl together on several occasions and knew for a fact that Diamond was dating Serena. The same bellhop happened to be working the night Serena had found Diamond in bed with Beryl. He had watched with interest as Serena ran out the door in tears. Noticing Diamond came in earlier with Beryl, he guessed why Serena had left in despair.  
  
The bellhop had immediately alerted the media. Before Serena had even left town the next morning, pictures of her and Diamond were splashed on the front of every local newspaper and magazine. The articles were brutal, containing every possible detail about their relationship and her witness to his infidelity. When recognized magazines got wind of the scoop, reporters tried to contact Serena with her side of the story. She ignored all calls expect those from her manager, Charles and Mina.  
  
The morning after the fiasco, Serena packed her necessities, started her car, and set out on a little road trip. After she had realized she needed time away from the spotlight, Serena had thought of the perfect place to escape the attention of the media. The problem was her hesitation to make the trip. How do you reappear at your hometown after being gone for over six years? What are you suppose to say to your family and friends who haven't seen you in two years? Hi, I missed you guys, too but I really came here to get away from the publicity for a while. Serena doubted that excuse would work, especially with her mother.  
  
Serena groaned out loud at the thought of her mother. She loved the woman to death but her mother drove her absolutely crazy. She shuddered to think what her mother would say or do when Serena showed up on her front doorstep.  
  
Already stressed enough as it was, Serena shifted her focus to other things.  
  
After being on the road for two months, she was worn out emotionally, physically, and mentally. She thought it wouldn't be much of a challenge to drop out of the public eye for a while. After all, she had seen people in movies do it all the time with no big problems. But, escaping proved to be much harder than she anticipated. Her manager called two weeks after she left saying she had to fly overseas to Europe to promote her new line-up and make a personal appearance at one of her shows. Serena left for Europe on a private jet two days later but only stayed for about a week before she headed back. She could have flown straight to her hometown of Canton, Oregon but she wasn't quite ready to face her family. So, she resumed her road trip.  
  
Though she was drained of all her energy, she had to admit it wasn't all that bad. Most of her time was spent enjoying some of the most luxurious places. During her time on the road, Serena had stayed at first-rate hotels and eaten at the most exclusive restaurants. Nevertheless, all the glitz and glamour of the fine life didn't make up for the tears that came during the sleepless nights. The pampering and special treatment from the hotels wasn't going to make anguish of being cheated on go away. Shopping sprees and material possessions would never be able to fill the empty void that now harbored in her heart.  
  
Serena could feel tears pricking the back of her eyes but she refused to cry. She had promised herself three days ago she wouldn't waste any more tears on her worthless ex-boyfriend. She had already wasted eight months of her life with him.  
  
On the highway, the Lexus started making those strange noises again. Serena quickly pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the car. Though Serena was no expert, everything seemed to all right when she checked under the hood. She simply shrugged her shoulders and got back in the car. She struggled to start the engine but it just wouldn't cooperate. After fifteen minutes, horrible realization gripped Serena. Her car had just died again.  
  
She banged her head against the steering wheel and let out a low growl. Why did these things have to happen to her? What did she ever do to have deserved this?  
  
The car had been making this strange grinding noise for several days. At a gas station Serena had stopped by earlier, the car had suddenly died. Thank goodness, a nice, decent man was kind enough to jump her car. He offered to escort her to town but she insisted that her car would be fine.  
  
'Maybe someone up there doesn't like me' she thought sardonically.  
  
It was only one more mile until Serena reached town but there was no way she could push it that far. There was only one person that could help her in this kind of situation and she really didn't want to call him. With cell phone in hand, she jumped out of the car and dialed the number. While waiting for someone to pick up, Serena had the urge to kick the side of the Lexus from time to time. Then she heard the male voice she dreaded over the other line.  
  
"Sammy, I need your help." She asked in desperation.  
  
"Serena? Where are you? What's going on? You're in some kind of trouble again?" he inquired.  
  
"I'm not in trouble, you twit. I just had a disagreement with my car and I'm stuck on I-25." Her tone was defensive.  
  
"I'll bet. So do I need to bring the truck and some cable cords?" He didn't sound one bit surprised.  
  
"Yes." She said in a small voice.  
  
Half an hour later, Serena's stupid brother, Sammy, had successfully started the Lexus-while rubbing in the fact she couldn't work a car to save her life- and he escorted Serena down to the local mechanic's shop. There the mechanic told them that the car needed a new battery and it would be ready in a couple of days.  
  
The car ride was silent torture. Serena knew her brother wanted to ask questions about her visit but he never said a word. She imagined he wasn't sure how to approach the subject.  
  
Serena had called her brother two days ago to tell him she was coming to visit and was going to stay for a while. It took a lot of bribing and pleading but Sammy agreed to break the news to their mother about Serena's visit.  
  
The small, white two-story house Serena knew so well came into plain view. This was the place that held wonderful memories for her. However, now she dreaded the terror that lied beyond that front door. Both cars were in the driveway. Obviously, both her parents were home. Maybe Serena's father could help her with handling her mother.  
  
Together, Sammy and Serena slowly walked up to the house, wondering what fate awaited them behind the door. Before Sammy could even knock on the door, their mother swung it open and invited them inside. Upon entering, Serena was uncertain what to make of her mother's strange behavior. Irene Weston was a cheery person and a naturally warm, caring mother. Though, the woman was clearly not her usual happy self today. She seemed to be very tense but kept a calm face.  
  
At that moment, Serena became aware of the immaculate house. It looked like everything had been cleaned down to the nooks and crannies. Sammy and Serena were lead into the living room where their father sat in at his chair waiting for them. The living room was also spotless. Even their father's daily newspaper was folded on the coffee table. Their mom only cleaned like this when something truly bothered her.  
  
That's when Serena felt it. It was a forewarning, like electricity in the air before a thunderstorm. It was a calm before the storm. Serena instinctively spotted her mother's emotional turmoil. Her mother's cool demeanor was an act, hiding her distress and annoyance that lay latent beneath the surface. Because of Serena's impulsive appearance after two years, her mother was in a conflict of emotions. And Serena knew that hell hath no fury than that of a mother with mood swings.  
  
Serena and her brother were seated on the couch and Irene sat across from them in a chair next to their father. Irene quietly asked no one in particular,  
  
"Would you like something to drink or eat?"  
  
Serena sat stiff as a board in her seat while taking a brief glance at her father and brother. Her father gave her a sympathetic look while Sammy looked on with worry. Even her brother knew not to make a wisecrack remark at a moment like this.  
  
Serena could mentally see the dark clouds that hovered over her head. She could hear the thunder rumbling and feel the lightning about to strike. She was doomed.  
  
Irene watched her daughter shake her head in answer to her question. Then proceed to say,  
  
" Ok. Then, can I ask you a question, Serena?"  
  
Serena was too scared to speak at this point. So she simply nodded her head and braced herself for the oncoming storm.  
  
"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!?!?!"  
  
Irene's unexpected outburst had been so loud that a picture on the wall had fallen down and the small two-story house seemed to shake. Serena visibly cringed at the tone of voice. It was the kind that depicted no arguments.  
  
"How come you never visit us? Why don't you ever call more than every once in a while? Don't you even think about your parents? You realize that we haven't seen you in two years, Serena. I have to get updates from your friends to know how you're doing. Then I read in magazines that you're involved with actors who either have a wife or have bad reputations."  
  
Irene was by Serena's side in a heartbeat and roughly shaking her daughter by the shoulders. She glared at Serena square in the eye with fury and annoyance. The look could shrivel a grape to a raisin. She was obviously upset by her daughter's isolation from the family and her actions. Suddenly, Irene stopped her tirade. Within a blink of an eye, her facial expression changed from anger to dejection.  
  
"Don't you want to talk to me? Or even your father? Don't you want my advice or consulting? Doesn't my little girl need me anymore? Please tell me, am I a bad mother? Do you not trust me? Was there something I did that you hate me for?"  
  
Her voice wavered and tears were apparent in her eyes. Hurt was evident on her youthful looking face. Irene caught Serena's hands between her own.  
  
She was giving Serena the guilt trip. Serena couldn't really blame her. She hadn't seen her parents in two years and hardly called them because of her busy schedule. Still, did her mother have to be so dramatic?  
  
Irene looked at her expectantly. Serena croaked out her response,  
  
"I could never hate you, you're a great mom and I love you."  
  
God help her but she loved the woman. Irene's face brightened immediately at her daughter's words. Her dark brown eyes danced with glee and a smile adorned her face. She let go of Serena's hands and threw her arms around the puzzled girl. Her voice held relief.  
  
"I love you too, sweetheart. You've been gone so long; I was beginning to think you forgot all about us. How I've missed you, Serena. Here, let me take a good look at you." She leaned back, inspecting Serena's appearance. Irene smiled her approval and lightly shook her head.  
  
"You've grown up so much in the past two years and you look great," she said fondly "After that whole Diamond incident, I..."  
  
Irene clamped a hand over her mouth when Serena turned away from her. She hadn't meant to talk about Diamond unless Serena brought it up. After all, it was still a tender issue.  
  
Ken Weston knew better than to interrupt his wife during one of her mood swings and usually left her alone. But now was a good time to intervene before things got uncomfortable. He spoke in a soothing voice that father's use to comfort their daughters.  
  
"Serena, I know what you're going through. It must be hard but remember that we're here for you. You have a family and friends that love you dearly. I know it won't make the pain go away but it will make it easier for you to get over that asshole."  
  
Serena raised her gaze to her father and smiled wryly. She took a deep breath and spoke coolly.  
  
"I'm fine, really. You don't need to worry about me, I'm already over him."  
  
Sammy, being the idiot he was, enjoyed putting his two cents into everything. However, being a guy, he never paid any attention to magazines. Well, at least not the kind that had articles on his sister.  
  
"So what kind of man problems are you having this time, Serena?"  
  
Serena didn't know what pissed her off more, the way he said the question sarcastically or the question itself. Either way, she was about to strangle her brother when her mother stepped in.  
  
*Thwack*  
  
"Ow! Mom, why did you do that?"  
  
Her brother sounded like he had gone through puberty all over again with the squeaky voice. At times like this, Serena couldn't love her mother more. Irene had left the couch and took a rolled up magazine with her. She had then proceeded to whack her brother on the head with it.  
  
"Samuel Joshua Weston! You watch your mouth, young man. Your sister is going through a very emotional breakup right now. The last thing, she needs is for you to make her feel worse." While saying this, Irene handed her son the magazine with the article about the affair and breakup.  
  
A flood of emotions passed across Sammy's face as he read the article, ranging from surprise to sympathy then from disgust to rage. His brown eyes darkened and his mouth set in a grim line as he placed the paper on the coffee table. Without warning, he left his seat on the couch and made a beeline for the door. Startled, Serena questioned her brother's odd behavior.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
He opened the front door and paused. His words were laced with barely contained fury as he answered.  
  
"I'm going to New York to have a 'talk' with Diamond."  
  
Serena sighed. She had to admire her brother for his heroic efforts. Sure, he was a major pest most of the time. But when someone emotionally or physically hurt his older sister, he was like one big, stupid guard dog. He attacks and kills on command, no questions asked. She reached her brother before he could make his way out the front door.  
  
"Sammy, I know you and you won't just talk with him. In fact, there will probably be no talking at all. You tend to do stupid things when you're this mad and you'll probably beat him to a bloody pulp. Trust me, he's not worth it."  
  
He let her take him back to the couch to sit and calm down.  
  
Sammy and Serena stayed at the house late into the evening talking with their parents. Irene told Serena about how the town had changed since the last time she had been there. In turn, Serena reported the latest Hollywood gossip and the state her current fashion line-up was in. Sammy was proud to announce that his girlfriend, Nicole, was accepted into an excellent college and Ken was content in recounting funny stories from his office.  
  
It was well past midnight when everyone finally said their good byes. Irene offered Sammy and Serena their old rooms if they wanted to stay but they both declined, saying they had to go to work in the morning. Inside the truck, Sammy questioned her about where she was going to stay.  
  
"Well, you remember Lita Johnson? She's my old friend from high school. I called her about a week ago to tell her I was staying in town for a while. She said she'd help me find some kind of temporary apartment. I wired money to her when she found a nice rental house that was all ready furnished and vacant. Oh, here are the directions, you can just drop me off there."  
  
"What about that 'job' you said you have to go to in the morning?" He asked while taking the piece of paper from her extended hand.  
  
"Lita owns a small cafe and bakery. I asked her if I could work for her as a waitress to get my mind off of some things for a while and she agreed. I start work tomorrow at 8am." She said cheerfully.  
  
Sammy found the house easily and helped Serena carry all of her luggage into the bedroom. After he left, Serena was so tired that she didn't even bother to unpack or change out of her clothes. She plopped down on the bed, welcoming the peaceful sleep.  
  
Serena awoke the next morning to the sound of ringing. Groaning, she turned over, grabbed a pillow and buried her head beneath it. Mornings were evil and whoever was calling her at this ungodly hour was even eviler. After what must have been the hundredth ring, she answered with a sleepy and grouchy "Hello". The voice on the other end didn't help her crabby mood at all.  
  
"Hey Serena! It's me, Mina. I just wanted to check to see how you were doing," the entirely too chipper person said. Early morning cheerfulness was just obnoxious.  
  
"Mina, you know better than anyone else that mornings aren't my strong point. I'm barely even conscious during this hour. Now why did you call?" Serena said slightly annoyed.  
  
"Alright, Ms. Mary Sunshine, I called because I found out that I'm coming earlier than we originally expected. I should be there in two weeks." Mina said excitedly  
  
Whatever sleep that may have fogged Serena's brain, cleared up as soon as she heard Mina say that. Mina was coming to visit Serena and she was going to be in town early. Serena perked up at the news, that is, of course, until she looked at the clock. The digital clock read 8:45 am.  
  
"Oh my God, I'm so late!! Sorry, Mina, I got to go." Serena yelled and hung up the phone.  
  
She panicked, bustling around the room in a hurry trying to find some clean clothes in her suitcase. Throwing on a pair of blue jean shorts and a white halter top, Serena dashed out the door with keys and purse in hand. She ran to the driveway, only to remember her car was in the shop. Serena fluently cursed and made a mad dash for Lita's cafe.  
  
Serena was running as fast as her feet would carry her and had almost reached the cafe. But, she turned a corner too fast and ran straight into some poor, unsuspecting pedestrian. For a moment, she thought that she might hit the ground but the man had grabbed her waist and held her steady. Serena briefly glanced up, muttering a sorry and a thank you and ran off once again.  
  
The dark haired man watched in wonder as the lunatic blonde ran at full speed down the street. For some strange reason, he had the strongest sense of deja vu.  
  
Serena flew through the door of the cafe, welcomed by the scent of coffee and pastries. Avoiding the waxed floor, she found Lita standing behind the counter laughing at her. Was the fact that Serena barely managed not to break her neck sliding across the waxed floor really that funny?  
  
After her laughter subsided, Lita was able to speak again.  
  
"I knew you'd be late but I at least thought you'd look better."  
  
Serena thought her appearance was fine. Tangled blonde hair in a messy ponytail and wrinkled clothes were very in this year.  
  
Lita handed her a t-shirt, apron, notepad and pencil from a cardboard box and pointed her towards the restrooms.  
  
"You can change in the restrooms and for God's sake, do something with that hair."  
  
Within three minutes, Serena came out of the restrooms, ready and dressed for work. The black t-shirt she wore had a coffee cup on the upper left corner with the logo Lita's Cafe. Her hair was twisted up in a bun and her black apron was the same length as her shorts. Though she was a twenty-six year old woman, Serena felt the epitome of a high school teenager.  
  
Lita coughed, pointing to a group of customers who had yet to be served. Serena waited on a couple of customers, talking with them as she did so. Since there weren't many other people in the small coffee shop, Serena talked and laughed with customers until another person came in.  
  
She immediately recognized the man as the one she had practically run down this morning. The incident had happened so fast that she didn't get a good look at the man's face. She still couldn't make out his face since he was facing away from her in a booth next to the window. The only thing that she could recall was dark blue eyes and black hair, the rest of it was fuzzy.  
  
Excusing herself from the table of people, Serena quietly made her way to the man, instantly stopped dead in her tracks when his eyes turned to her. His eyes were breathtaking, a deep ocean blue that could even put the sea to shame. His face was simply gorgeous with high, defined cheekbones, a long nose, and full lips. The attire he wore gave him a casual sexy look, blue jeans, white t-shirt and a black jacket. But something about him seemed oddly familiar and it was nagging at her brain. She realized that he was staring at her intently, a look of concentration on his face.  
  
Serena decided to put her gawking away and do her job. After all, the last thing she needed right now was a boyfriend but still, it didn't hurt to admire. She smiled and asked him what he wanted to order. The mystery man answered with a deep baritone voice saying,  
  
"A black coffee please."  
  
He paused for a moment and looked at her harder.  
  
"Do I know you from somewhere?" His brows furrowed together in confusion.  
  
Serena preferred not to remind him of the near collision they had that morning. He didn't need to know that she was the blonde that had run him down earlier. Her reply was nonchalant.  
  
"I don't think so, I think I would remember someone like you."  
  
'Smooth', she said to herself as she smiled brightly at him.  
  
As he watched her, recognition dawned on his face, a mischievous grin played on his mouth. Observing the gleam in his eyes, a knot formed in Serena's stomach. There was only one person in the whole world who could look at her that way and be that handsome.  
  
'He couldn't be. He isn't. There's no way.' She thought hopefully as she walked away from the mysterious, yet striking man.  
  
Her worst fears were confirmed in the next two words he spoke.  
  
"Meatball head"  
  
*Thud*  
  
Serena had fainted, falling straight to the floor. 


	3. The awkward reunion

Thank you all for your reviews! This is my first fanfic and I'm happy that you guys like it so much! I appreciate all your comments and don't forget constructive critisicm is greatly appreciated. And I'm going to update my bio soon too so if you want to email me there should be an address there.  
  
By the way, I'm glad that you guys get my....um....unique sense of humor. I'm a strange one with a quirky sense of humor so bear with me here people!  
  
Now without further to do, I give you chapter 2! (hey, that rhymed! I'm good....)  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The nothingness that consumed Serena's mind started to subside as she slowly regained consciousness. There were familiar voices in the distance that she couldn't quite make out in her state of mind. Barely cracking open one eye, Serena instantly shut it tight again. The luminous florescent lights were blinding, giving Serena a worse headache then she already had.  
  
That's when Serena grew painfully aware of the throbbing in her head; feeling like her head was split in two. She couldn't feel her limbs yet but she had to do something to ease the excruciating ache in her head. When the pain became too much for her, Serena grimaced and groaned out loud in objection.  
  
A large, warm hand settled on the side of her head and began to gently rub, effectively reducing the pain. The hand had seemed to absorb her pain and she mumbled her gratitude the person who gave her the heavenly massage. Upon hearing Lita rushing into the room and talking frantically, Serena turned her head and squinted against the light in order to see her friend. She could make out to two blurry figures, one right by her head and one standing behind that person. She heard Lita addressing her in a voice strained in worry.  
  
"Serena? Serena, can you hear me?"  
  
Serena sighed to relieve her anxiety.  
  
"Oh Lita, it was horrible, like some kind of nightmare. I think I was imagining things and must have slipped on the wax floor. It couldn't have been real. I thought I actually saw Darien and he called me that terrible nickname of his."  
  
Serena had finally managed to fully open her eyes, shock and horror filling her as soon as the two figures came into focus. The breath caught in her throat at the sight of the man she knew all to well.  
  
"And to think, I thought you liked seeing me." The dark haired man beside Serena said jokingly.  
  
A wide-eyed Serena blushed, embarrassed not only from the man's comment but also from his nearness. Darien Shields was knelt down beside her, his face eight inches from her own. She noticed that his hand was on the side of her head, buried in her hair. His eyes held an impish glint, his mouth set in that annoying smirk of his.  
  
Slumping her shoulders in relief, Lita let out a small chuckle. Serena had given everybody quite a scare when she had fainted. Darien had been at her side immediately, taking her to a secluded area of the cafe and laying her down on a small couch. Lita was about to call an ambulance and Darien had been looking over Serena to check if she had anything broken when she woke up and groaned.  
  
Lita gave a small smile; at least, Serena was all right. But from the way she was looking at Darien, Lita knew she'd have a lot of explaining to do later.  
  
After Darien disentangled his hand from Serena's hair, he took her arm in both his hands and began to move it back and forth. Serena felt awkward about the way he examined her arm so closely. She quickly snatched her arm away from his grasp, holding it to her chest so he'd leave it alone. Lifting his eyes to her face, Darien was met with an angry glare.  
  
The corner of his mouth turned up in a half smile; she obviously hadn't changed.  
  
"Well, looks like nothing is broken. Can you sit up, Meatball Head?" He was teasing her again but his tone held a tiny bit of concern as well.  
  
"Don't call me that! And of course I can sit up. You think I'm..." Serena yelped in pain before she could finish her sentence. She had tried to sit up from her position on the couch only to get half way up when the throbbing in her head came back full force. She laid her head against the cushions of the couch, her face contorted with anguish, her eyes shut tightly, whimpering like a wounded animal.  
  
Darien and Lita were immediately at her side to assist her in anyway they could. Lita leaned over the arm of the couch to reach Serena, comfortingly combing her fingers through her blonde friend's loose, knotted hair. Darien stood up from where he knelt by Serena, moving to sit beside her on the couch. He spoke with authority, taking control of the situation.  
  
"Lita, find the strongest aspirin you can and bring a glass of water."  
  
Lita nodded in understanding. She patted the younger girl on the shoulder, leaving her to go to the backroom of the cafe. Darien casually moved his hand to the back of Serena's head, lightly patting her hair as if looking for something. Serena strained to see him through her squinted eyes. It seemed that he was totally at ease with the whole bizarre situation. She would have questioned him about it but another sharp pain that attacked her brain stopped her.  
  
Darien let out a low whistle.  
  
"You're going to be fine but you've got one hell of a knot there. You should really learn to be more careful, Meatball Head." Strangely enough, his voice held relief.  
  
"For the last time," Serena said through clenched teeth, on the brink of anger. "Stop calling me.."  
  
But before she could finish her sentence, Lita reappeared with aspirin and a glass of water. Serena all but dove for the white plastic bottle that Lita held. Lita dumped three pills in her hand and Serena gratefully took them from her.  
  
While waiting for the pills to take effect, Serena eyed Darien warily as he talked briefly to Lita, giving her more time to adapt to the awkward reunion with the bothersome man.  
  
It was hard to believe that their whole teasing/hate relationship had begun twelve years ago when she had wadded up her failed test paper and threw it in the trash. Well, she thought she threw it in the trash. Fortunately for her, the failed math test had hit none other than the man before her in the head. He had taken one look at the grade and made a nasty comment about it. The rest was history.  
  
Serena was having problems thinking straight because of the dull aching in her head. So she didn't quite hear it when Darien addressed her.  
  
"Hello, Earth to Meatball Head. Are you in there? Did you hear what I said?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, what'd you say?" Serena asked slightly confused.  
  
Darien gave a quirky grin at her question. He'd only been in her presence for 15 minutes and already he was having fun.  
  
"What, did the blondeness finally get to your brain? I said how do you feel." He said it while smiling, showing off his pearly white teeth and that cute little dimple in his left cheek.  
  
"If it weren't for the fact that I feel like I got run over by a freight train and I can barely move, I'd gladly throw myself at you and strangle you to death for that comment," she said deadpanned, annoyance evident in her sky blue eyes.  
  
"Oh I know you want to throw yourself at me but I seriously doubt you'd strangle me." Darien had a wicked gleam in his cobalt eyes, that stupid smile still on his face. His voice dropped a little lower and he leaned closer as he said. "In fact, I think you would probably try to..."  
  
"Enough children." Lita intervened before things got worse. If she had let Darien finish that sentence, Serena probably would have gone into a wailing rampage, trying to tear the man limb from limb. They were acting like children; of course, every time they saw each other they acted this way.  
  
Lita huffed a tired breath, turning concerned emerald green eyes on Serena.  
  
"Serena, are you okay?"  
  
Serena slowly sat up from the cushions, wincing a little as she did so, instinctively putting a hand to her head.  
  
"Besides the concussion, I'm just great but I think I need some fresh air." Her reply was half serious, half sarcastic.  
  
"Well why don't you go take a short walk outside? It's a beautiful day. Plus, there aren't many people in the coffee shop today so you can have the rest of the day off. I just have one condition; someone has to go with you. If you collapse again, they could take you to the hospital and have you checked out." Lita said in a stern, motherly manner.  
  
"No problem, I'll call Amy or Rei and get them to come with me. Maybe we could even have lunch together." Serena replied excitedly.  
  
"I don't think so, both Amy and Rei are at work right now and neither of them know you're in town yet. Hey Darien, are you doing anything today?" Lita had quickly changed the subject and was questioning Darien. Serena had a bad feeling about what she knew what her friend was about to suggest.  
  
Darien surprised both of them by answering.  
  
"Nope, I'm free for today."  
  
"Great, would you mind walking with Serena around town for a bit? I would do it myself but I have to run the cafe." Lita gave a shy smile, feeling guilty about asking him for a favor. Serena sat there quietly, hoping against all hope that he would say no.  
  
"Sure, I wouldn't mind. I've got nothing to do anyways and walking with Serena should be fun." He had that gleam in his eyes again, a mischievous grin on his face as he looked at her.  
  
"No! Absolutely not! I'm not some dog that's going to be 'walked around' by him." Serena pointed at Darien, turning her head away from his powerful gaze. "No way, I'd rather spend a week locked in my room than an afternoon with him."  
  
"Oh come on Serena." Lita tried to get her to reconsider.  
  
"No and that's final." She emphasized her angry words by crossing her arms over her chest, sticking her stubborn little chin out.  
  
Darien lifted one shoulder in a half shrug, his words addressed towards Lita.  
  
"I was just trying to be helpful. She doesn't want to go with me because she knows if we're alone, she'll try to jump my bones." His words were taunting, daring her to rise to the challenge of spending an afternoon with him.  
  
Like a moth to the flame, Serena dove for the chance to prove the arrogant Darien Shields wrong.  
  
"I will not! I bet I could spend a whole afternoon and evening with you and not 'jump your bones'." Serena exclaimed in outrage and purpose. There was no way she was going to let him win this argument.  
  
Darien raised an eyebrow at her declaration, his tone holding superiority.  
  
"You think so huh? Then how about this, if you can stand my company for the next 12 hours, then I promise to never call you Meatball Head again. But if you can't, then I get a kiss."  
  
"Deal!" It wasn't so much as the prize that had Serena agreeing to the bet but the opportunity to bring Darien's oversized ego down a notch.  
  
He held out his large hand towards her. She put her slender hand in his, grasping it and shaking it lightly. Darien, however, couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her. With a swift yank of his arm, Serena was in his arms, his breath in her ear and his face right next to hers. His cologne was intoxicating, a woodsy smell with a small trace of cinnamon to it.  
  
She was too shocked to do anything but sit there in his arms stiffly as his hands ran up and down her back. She tried to push him away but she couldn't move her arms because they were caught in between them. She tried to wriggle out of his embrace and she started to yell at him. But when she felt his lips pressing gently on her shoulder, Serena's breath caught in her throat and she stilled her movements. His lips moved enticingly along her neck and followed a path to her ear. Speaking in a breathy voice, he said,  
  
"I'll just warn you now, when I do finally get to kiss you, you'll enjoy it immensely and you'll beg me for more."  
  
Leaning back, Darien admired her wide eyes and the bright pink hue that made its way across her cheeks. Serena let out a shaky breath as he put some much needed space between them. She didn't know what she would have done if he hadn't stopped his assault on her senses.  
  
Serena surveyed Darien's lowered eyelids, his blue eyes a shade darker than usual. She knew exactly what she would have done and it was the same thing she wanted to do right now.  
  
One of his large hands came up of its own accord, cupping Serena's cheek in his palm, the other rubbing her back. Her eyelids began to droop as his head lowered to hers.  
  
Lita had been watching costumers filter in and out of the cafe when she heard something strange noise come from the couch. When she turned around, she almost fainted from shock of the scene before her.  
  
Serena and Darien were nearly kissing.  
  
Lita's cough broke the spell. Suddenly, Serena's clouded mind became clear. The reality of where was and who she was about to kiss set in. Using all the strength in her arms, Serena pushed Darien from her and off the couch.  
  
*Humph*  
  
Serena was proud of herself for the image he made. The great, powerful Darien Shields was spread out on the ground on his hands and butt, sending her a death glare. She swung her legs off the couch, wobbly standing to her feet. She smirked as she spoke.  
  
"In your dreams! I'd enjoy a kiss from a toad more than you."  
  
"You didn't seem to think that a moment ago."  
  
Darien said matter-of-factly, gracefully standing up and dusting himself off.  
  
"That's only because you tricked me. You were..."  
  
Serena's tirade was stopped by Lita's shrill whistle. She spoke in a no nonsense attitude while addressing to the feuding couple.  
  
"Alright, you two, take your lover's quarrel outside. You're scaring customers off."  
  
"Lover's quarrel?!" Serena was outraged.  
  
"You said you needed fresh air, Serena. Now, both of you, out!"  
  
Lita shoved them both out the door, grabbing Serena's apron off her in the process. Outside the cafe, Serena began to walk in no particular direction, fixing her scraggly hair while she did. Darien followed her, easily keeping up with long strides. They shared an uncomfortable silence as they walked, both lost in their own thoughts.  
  
Serena stole glances at him every now and then, appreciative of his striking features. She didn't think that he could get any better looking than when she had last seen him. Evidently, these last few years had done him justice because he was as devilishly handsome as ever.  
  
His thick, black hair had grown out and gave him that rugged appeal. It was really sexy how his bangs sometimes fell into his eyes. He had grown taller, towering above her small 5'5" frame, and he had broader shoulders. His face was now more defined and chiseled, the softness of boyhood long gone. From what she felt earlier when he had held her, he had a good deal of muscle hidden beneath that jacket. His skin was a darker tan than she recalled. His eyes were the only thing that had stayed the same, the same gorgeous midnight blue she had always remembered.  
  
If it weren't for his personality, she would have sworn he was a different person. But she knew it was him as soon as she saw that stupid grin of his. She didn't know how he did it, but Darien had always managed to unnerve her. He was always so arrogant, rude and sure of himself that she'd been determined not to swoon all over him like all the other girls.  
  
While Serena was telling herself why she didn't like Darien Shields, he'd asked her a quiet question.  
  
"Why'd you come back? I haven't seen you in town in five, no six years."  
  
"None of your business." She snapped at him.  
  
"I was just trying to make conversation, the least you can do is be civil." That wasn't the only reason he asked. He wanted to know why she'd come back after so long. He didn't realize how much he missed her until she left.  
  
Serena's eyes softened as she looked back at him. He was right. Though she wouldn't admit it to him, he was right. Here he was making an effort to be nice and she was acting like a jerk. She could at least make an effort to be too.  
  
"Sorry," she said, ashamed of her own outlandish behavior. She began speaking casually as if they had done it a thousand times before. "Actually, I guess you could say I'm here to take a vacation."  
  
He raised an eyebrow that made a tremor of thrill shoot all the way up her spine.  
  
"A vacation? Here?" He was rather curious as to why she would come here of all places.  
  
"Yeah, I wanted to get away from my work, boss, and coworkers. I'd rather be surrounded by familiar things I know and love, like my friends and family. Not that I don't like my job, but it can be really stressful sometimes." She had to catch her breath after saying all that. Since they were on the subject of why she was here, she thought she'd question him a bit.  
  
"And why, pray tell, are you still in this town? I thought you probably be off sipping Pina Coladas on a yacht somewhere in the Mediterranean with $50 million in the bank." she appeared as if she were truly shocked.  
  
He chuckled both from her expression and her declaration. "Really?"  
  
"Yep, if you weren't teasing me, you were always doing some kind of homework. You were always saying how you needed to go home early and study for a test to get higher marks. Also, you're really smart. I remember you helped Amy a couple of times on her Calculus homework. I figured you'd have an important job." Serena talked as if she were explaining something to a small child.  
  
"Well, I do happen to be the president of my own successful computer company, if that's what you mean. I don't live here though; I live near my company's headquarters in Los Angeles. Like you said, I'm here every now and then for a vacation of sorts." He held a sense of pride while talking about his company.  
  
"So what kind of work do you do?" Darien wished to know more about the things Serena had done since he had last seen her.  
  
"I work with fashion, keeping up with the latest fashion tends. Stuff like that." She didn't like lying to people but Darien couldn't find out that she was a fashion designer. If he did, he would find out about Diamond and Beryl. She would never live it down.  
  
"I bet you make a lot of money." He said it in a half serious, half joking manner.  
  
"You could say that." She giggled at the dumbfounded expression that crossed his features. What he didn't know was that her fashion line-up had made over $60 million in profits so far.  
  
He gave her a heart-stopping smile that made something in her stomach flip over. Darien liked hearing her laugh. It was sultry and sweet all rolled into one. Before the day was over, he'd see how many times he could make her smile and laugh.  
  
They walked into the park, bantering all the way. They chatted as if they were long lost friends who had been reunited after years of separation. They talked about everything from the weather to the cities they both lived in, from funny stories about work to hobbies they shared. There was no barrier to their conversation. Sure, there was light teasing and banter but nothing that made the other one mad or uncomfortable.  
  
Sitting on a bench near the pond, Darien and Serena continued their chatter.  
  
"So do I need to worry about getting killed by a boyfriend if I'm talking to you?" Darien jested good-naturedly. He sat with his arm spread out on either side of the bench, one foot propped up on the other knee.  
  
Darien could have sworn that he saw a wave of sadness cross her face but as soon as he blinked, it was gone. Serena stayed there unmoving. She was turned towards him with one leg tucked underneath her and one foot resting on the bench, her breathing the only audible sound. When she did speak, it was in a melancholy tone.  
  
"No, as of right now I'm single."  
  
"What's so bad about being single?" Darien imagined she was sad because she was single.  
  
"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all." She pulled the jacket around her tighter in a sense to protect herself. Darien had given her his jacket when she began to shiver from the cool autumn air and now she used it as a shield.  
  
"It's getting late so I better head home." Serena knew it was a lame excuse but she didn't want to stay for his questioning. She lifted herself from the bench, waved goodbye, and dashed out the park, leaving a bewildered Darien behind.  
  
Later that evening, Serena paraded around her rental house in her boxers and white tank top. She felt bad leaving Darien there confused and even worse about not returning his jacket. Even now, she could smell his cologne still lingering on her skin, stirring something deep inside of her. There was a simple solution; she'd find him tomorrow, return his jacket, and apologize for leaving so abruptly.  
  
Serena was scared to face him again. Before he had said anything that dealt with boyfriends, she had actually taken pleasure in his company. He listened to what she had to say and was kind enough to laugh at her corny jokes. Serena shook her head, her high ponytail swishing from side to side. She must have hit her head harder than she thought if she was using Darien and kind in the same sentence.  
  
'Time to push all Darien problems aside and watch my movie!' She thought happily.  
  
After calling a pizza in and dimming the lights, Serena plopped down on the couch and turned the movie on. Her friends had told her this movie was a great suspense movie so she went out and rented it. The title scrolled up on the screen. 'The Ring' didn't sound like a scary movie title at all.  
  
Thirty minutes into the movie, Serena was engrossed into the plot. It was so intriguing and creepy that it kept you watching. It had already made Serena jump twice and she wasn't even half way through. In the movie, the main character had just watched the tape and then her phone rang. She picked it up and heard the voice on the other say, "Seven days."  
  
Serena jumped at least three feet in the air when her cell phone rang at that precise moment. She put the movie on pause. She was hesitant to pick it up at first, not knowing who or what it might be. She picked it up and looked at the caller id. The call was blocked.  
  
She gulped back the urge to scream and answered the phone.  
  
"He...hello?" she stuttered horribly.  
  
"Hello, is this Serena?" The voice on the other line was definitely male.  
  
"Yes, it is." She calmed down a bit. The man sounded familiar but she couldn't place him.  
  
"I'm a friend of Diamond's and I was wondering who that other man was. You know, the man you were in the park with earlier."  
  
Breathing suddenly became difficult, panic rose in her voice and body.  
  
"Who are you?" She demanded. Her voice sounded far more confident than she felt but she did not like to be toyed around with.  
  
"That's for me to know and for you to find out." It was a snide remark.  
  
Before Serena could say anything, the person hung up. The phone call left her shaken and unable to think clearly, a million questions running through her head. Who was that man? How did he know her number?  
  
A horrifying thought occurred to her. If that man had seen her with Darien, he must have been spying on them. Who's to say he wasn't spying on her right now? The man on the phone might walk right through that door and...  
  
*Ding Dong*  
  
Serena screeched and dove for the blanket on the couch. She didn't want to be victim to some deranged stalker. Then a thought registered in her mind. Deranged stalkers don't ring the doorbell. Or at least, she didn't think they did.  
  
With cautious steps, Serena made her way over to the door to look out the peephole. It was so dark outside that she could hardly see the silhouette of a man with a pizza box on the porch. She cursed under her breath. Ever since Lita, Rei, and she practically jumped that one cute pizza man who delivered late, the pizza man always delivered at the worst times. It was a rather funny incident; the poor pizza man almost ran back to the car and drove off. He probably didn't realize it was a life-threatening job when he took it.  
  
Fully opening the door, the first words to leave Serena's mouth were,  
  
"Oh no, not you!"  
  
"I thought you would be glad to see me." Darien gave a cocky smile and strolled right past her into the living room.  
  
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" The nerve that man had to come into her house uninvited. Serena was ready to take that pizza box out of his hand and throw him out on the street.  
  
"Have you forgotten our bet already? That you couldn't spend an afternoon and evening in my company." He feigned offense.  
  
"So I forgot. Can we just call it off? I'm not in the mood to do this." She said tiredly.  
  
"Fine, I'll take my company and dinner elsewhere." He sighed in defeat.  
  
The growling in her stomach reminded Serena that her own pizza hadn't shown up yet and that she had no food in her refrigerator. Also, this could work to her advantage. If that man on the phone was watching, he wouldn't dare make a move with Darien here. She could use him as her temporary guard dog. She smiled at her own thought.  
  
"Alright, you can stay."  
  
"Great!" He gave one of his dazzling smiles. Then said playfully, "You know, I never thought I liked Spongebob Squarepants until now."  
  
She blushed as he gave a hearty laugh. As he opened a can of coke she hadn't seen him bring in, Serena made a mental note; next time she wouldn't answer the door in her Spongebob Squarepants boxers.  
  
When the movie ended and the pizza was done with, Darien and Serena stood on her porch to say goodnight.  
  
"I say we call a truce. I won't call you meatball head if you give me a kiss." Darien said logically.  
  
"So, I suffered in your presence for nothing."  
  
"It wasn't that bad. Was it?"  
  
Serena giggled at his hurt expression. "No, I'll admit it wasn't bad."  
  
"So you did enjoy having me around." He raised his eyebrows.  
  
"I think I'll have to be the judge of that." She said truthfully.  
  
"Fair enough. I guess I'll see you later." He wanted that kiss more than he would admit but he wouldn't push the subject. He turned to walk down the porch steps when her voice stopped him.  
  
He turned back around, watched her close the distance between the two of them. Her blue eyes were shining in the moonlight as she put her hands on his broad shoulders and lifted herself up on tiptoe. Her soft lips put light pressure on his cheek and then it vanished.  
  
She whispered a thank you in his ear and slowly went back into the house. He left grinning like a fool. 


	4. Problems

Hey all you lovely peoples! Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out but you can all blame Tummy Fyre for that one. ;P I took her comment into consideration and therefore, revamped this chapter 4 times! So this one is just for you, TF! Dedicated to my editor and beta reader (and yes, even for you TF.) for all your help. Now on to chapter 3...  
  
Chapter 3  
  
She hated Darien Shields.  
  
It was the plain and simple truth. Growing up, Serena's mother had always told her that you should never say you hate somebody because hate was a very strong word. At this moment, it didn't seem strong enough to describe what she was feeling towards the ignoramus.  
  
It was bad enough that she had to endure his presence while she was in town but now he was back into his old habits again. She'd thought he had been actually attempting to be civilized for once in his life but no; he just had to be the jerk she had always hated.  
  
It had started two days ago when some of the old ladies at the salon were gossiping about Serena's new male friend who stayed late into the evening. Serena had found out later that her nosy neighbor had been watching the whole friendly-peck-Darien-on-the-cheek scene.  
  
The gossip queens had had nothing better to talk about but what Serena was doing since she came home. So what? It was nothing new to Serena; they had done it before. There was just one teeny problem that lied in the story. The lady who had spied -probably staked out on the branch of a tree with binoculars in hand- on Serena and Darien had misread the kiss. From the angle she had watched them, it had looked like they had kissed on the mouth.  
  
Serena tried to spell it out to the group of chattering grandmas that it was just friendly peck, nothing more and nothing less. Before she knew it, the whole pattern of their thought process changed from celebration to matchmaking. It didn't take long for them to back her into a corner and start to make devious plans to set Serena up with Darien.  
  
As if he was born with a sixth sense for these kinds of things, Darien had walked into the cafe at that precise moment. Immediately, the little old ladies attacked him with questions and accusations of his visit to Serena's house. He wasn't the least bit perplexed by their performance. But instead of helping Serena put the record straight once and for all (which is what he should have been doing), Darien encouraged their eccentric behavior.  
  
He had made a huge scene in the café; grabbing Serena by the waist, holding her in his arms and proclaiming the whole town knew about their little secret. At that moment, Serena realized that this man's whole purpose in life was to humiliate and make her miserable the rest of her life. For now, those sweet, conniving little old ladies would never let her out of their clutches or their elaborate plans to marry her off to Darien Shields.  
  
Serena attempted to extract herself from his grasp, commenting with abhorrence that he was crazy. In turn, he tightened his grip on her, earning a small squeak in reply. In a gruff voice, he whispered only loud enough for Serena and the group of bingo lovers to hear him.  
  
"Only for you, baby."  
  
Placing a chaste kiss on her cheek, Darien released her, nodded a goodbye and winked to the ladies then left Serena alone to face the consequences.  
  
It was disgusting to Serena to see grown ladies such as themselves swooning over a man like Darien after he left, proclaiming that he was 'so romantic' and 'a charmer'. For God's sake, her 2nd grade teacher had even said he was sexy, that she would take him and lock him in her bedroom if she could. Which was way too much information for Serena's comfort, literally making her gag and blush at the comment. To make matters worse, her mother had called yesterday overjoyed about the gossip she had heard.  
  
"Serena, I'm so proud of you. Darien is a wonderful man. I know you two will be perfect for each other. Do I suspect that there will be wedding bells ringing soon? Oh, I'm so excited! You'll have to bring him over sometime to introduce him."  
  
Serena felt waves of betrayal and guilt sweep through her as she stood hearing her mother's voice, not quite processing her words.  
  
Betrayal. She felt betrayed by her own mother. Certainly, her mother knew how Serena felt about Darien. She had complained about him ever since she was 14. Irene would even joke that she thought Serena had a crush on him since they constantly flirted.  
  
Did she not understand how he had tortured her adolescence? How he had mocked her during puberty about looking and acting her age? How he would give her strange looks that made her feel like she was the only one in the room? How he had plagued her dreams?  
  
No, her mother could not comprehend why Serena had constantly dreamed about Darien holding her, kissing her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear, touching her.  
  
Serena felt herself fluster just thinking on her little juvenile fantasies. No one could understand why she used to have dreams involving her mortal enemy; she didn't even understand it.  
  
Guilt. For some odd reason, that was the strongest emotion Serena felt while hearing her mother talking animatedly over the phone.  
  
Darien had done more than tease her at the cafe; he'd done something far worse. He'd inadvertently given false hope to the people she loved.  
  
Both her family and friends would love nothing more than to see Serena happy and settled down with a good husband. It was her mother's wish to see her married off and have bundles of grandbabies.  
  
But Serena knew better. There was still so much unsettled pain from the breakup; dating and marriage were the furthest things from her mind.  
  
Drained of energy from the past three days, Serena organized a - hopefully - hassle-free lunch with her best friends. That's how Serena now ended up slouched in her chair at the restaurant, sulking and steaming about her current situation.  
  
Lita sighed, watching her blonde friend pick some invisible lint off the tablecloth while speaking quietly to herself. She hadn't even touched her hamburger, fries or chocolate milkshake, which was unlike her. Lita shook her head in exasperation, chestnut curls flying around her head from the high ponytail. Usually, Serena would've scarf down a hamburger, fries, banana split, even a cookie or two by now. Obviously, something was bothering her. Lita distantly heard Serena mumble the words 'damn man' and 'wedding' to herself.  
  
Oh yeah, something was definitely wrong. Either that or Serena had finally gone over the deep end. Considering the girl she had in mind, either was a possibility.  
  
Lita leaned to her right, speaking to the blue-tinted black haired girl by her side in a hushed tone.  
  
"So you think we need to reconsider getting her those therapy sessions?"  
  
Amy Anderson covered her mouth with her hand, trying unsuccessfully to stifle her giggle. Turning her head to Lita with a playful smile, she spoke with her most serious voice.  
  
"You know, I happen to know a very good therapist who may be able to help her."  
  
"Ha, ha, very funny you two. Go ahead, laugh at my expense, you aren't the one with a ton of problems right now." Serena huffed.  
  
"Let me guess." Lita rubbed her chin in mock-thoughtfulness, faking some deep meditation. "This wouldn't have to do with a certain tall, dark and handsome man named Darien, would it?"  
  
"Yes. Is it just me, or do you see a pattern here? Most of the time whenever I have a problem, he's the cause of it." Serena ranted, indignantly waving her finger around at the two bemused parties.  
  
"Don't you think you're overreacting a little, Serena?" the ever-rational Amy calmly asked.  
  
"So? I'm overreacting. What's your point? It's my God given right to vent, dang it. And I'm going to do it!" Serena huffed out an exaggerated breath.  
  
"Oh come on, you're complaining just because everyone in town thinks you guys are an item? That's nothing new. We've always known there was more going on between you two." Lita's underlying tone of suggestion made it clear what she was hinting at.  
  
"We are not an item! I don't even remotely like Darien much less have him as a boyfriend. Frankly, I don't know why I'm still talking to you, Lita. You were the one that gave Darien the address of my rental house."  
  
"Don't try to change the subject, Sere. You were the one that kissed Darien and don't you try to deny it. I heard there is even a couple of Polaroid's circulating and I can't wait to see them." Lita lightly patted Serena on the head in compassion.  
  
"Traitor," she muttered. Groaning, a self-pitying Serena buried her face in her hands, sinking lower in her chair if it were possible.  
  
"Pay no attention to Lita, Sere. Before you know it, this whole mess will have blown over. I bet nobody will remember in a few weeks." Amy consoled the distressed Serena, squeezing her hand in reassurance.  
  
"That's easy for you to say. You have a husband who is completely devoted to you. Be grateful, Amy. At least, you don't have to worry about being mismatched to some guy by the bingo club." Comforted by her friend's gesture, Serena squeezed back, a hint of humor in her voice.  
  
"True, Serena and Darien haven't ever gotten along but you do have to admit the man is handsome. If I thought I had a chance with him, I'd go after him myself." Lita wagged a fry at her two companions as if to emphasize her point, popping it in her mouth after she finished her sentence.  
  
"You said a mouthful." Serena grinned at her own lame joke, successfully hiding the debate that was taking place in her mind.  
  
Yeah, sure Serena would admit Darien was good looking. Hell, he was drop dead gorgeous. Seriously, what girl hadn't dreamed of having him all to herself, especially if he was locked in her bedroom?  
  
She recalled a couple of lesbians in high school that were attracted to him. They were willing to go bi or straight just for him. In college, the man even had his own entourage of hormonal 12-year-old groupies that were beginning to experience the joys of puberty.  
  
The man had it all: the body, the hair, the eyes, and the face. Too bad his personality killed the dream. If it weren't for that, Serena would actually date him. Hell, she'd marry the man if he weren't such an egotistical jerk.  
  
Any being with estrogen within a 10-mile radius was attracted to that bigheaded lout. Unfortunately, this included Serena.  
  
She was immune to his charms but she'd be damned before he knew it.  
  
Serena shot up from her chair, aggravated that her hormones would fail her. Slamming her fist on the table, she shouted. "Damn estrogen!"  
  
Suddenly, the quaint, little restaurant got eerily silent. The patrons of the restaurant who were eating stopped in mid bite to stare at the hysterical blonde that had had an outburst.  
  
Lita snickered while a stunned Amy covered her mouth. Blushing furiously, Serena scrambled back in her seat, only to sink into it lower than before. The patrons resumed to eating their meals quietly, eyeing the crazy lady every once in a while.  
  
Still snickering, Lita spoke in a low voice. "Can't seem to get him off your mind, can you." It was more of a statement than a question.  
  
At that moment, Serena wished the earth would presently open up and swallow her whole.  
  
Bells hanging above the door of the restaurant rang loudly in protest as a raven-haired woman angrily stomped her way inside. Passing the petrified hostess, she headed straight for Lita, Amy, and Serena's table.  
  
Raye Halloway forcefully pulled out a chair beside Serena and dumped herself into it, grumbling inaudibly. No one dared to say anything about her behavior; it was nearly impossible not to feel the bad vibes that radiated off of her. For goodness sake, the woman could have set things on fire if she glared at them just then.  
  
Raye didn't bother to glance around as she crossed her arms over her chest and bowed her head, briefly catching a glimpse of blonde out of the corner of her eye. Quickly snapping her head up, she let out a cry of amazement.  
  
"What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"Good to see you too." Serena said dully.  
  
"Hey Raye." The other 2 girls greeted in unison. Barely acknowledging them, Raye waved a dismissal hand at them and continued to interrogate Serena.  
  
"When did you get here?"  
  
"Three days ago."  
  
"And why didn't you tell me earlier? Obviously, Lita and Amy knew of this before I did." Raye was getting irritated, her voice rising with each word. It didn't help she was in a black mood just a moment before.  
  
"Calm down, Raye. Serena clearly needed some time to herself. I just found out about her visit yesterday." Amy gently intervened.  
  
Heaving a sigh, Raye leaned back in her chair, getting her bearings back together. Patience definitely wasn't one of her strong points, especially after a particular man had tested it today. Deep breaths, that's all she need to do; take deep, calming breaths.  
  
"I'll tell you one thing, for sure. This was the last thing I expected when Amy said she had a surprise for me." Raye gave a quirky grin, already feeling better now that she was reunited with her best friends again.  
  
"Did something happen today, Raye? By the way you looked earlier, I thought you were about to murder someone." Serena asked concerned.  
  
"Oh yeah, there's this new guy, Jared, at the company that has just been on my nerves ever since he first arrived. He's a smartass who's so damn cocky and annoying. He thinks he can just get away with anything." Raye scowled, thinking about the pompous man.  
  
"Well, I guess we're all having man problems." Lita laughed at Raye's outraged face.  
  
The conversation continued as the girls talked and laughed about their social and love lives. Serena had almost forgotten how good it felt to be around the ones she loved. These were her friends that had stuck with her through thick and thin. She felt a sense of security being surrounded by her best friends since high school, a feeling that could never be diminished or duplicated by anyone else. They were there for Serena when she needed it most; they always will be.  
  
With a sense of love and appreciation, Serena listened intently as Amy talked about her pediatrician job; as Raye ranted about the annoying man; as Lita swooned over her new love interest.  
  
**********  
  
Hours later, the lunch bunch departed each going their individual way. Serena headed for her self-proclaimed special place, the rose gardens in the park, for some time to herself.  
  
The sweet fragrance of flowers permeated the air as Serena lazily made her way over to the rose bushes by the marble water fountain. Stretching her limbs and inhaling deeply, Serena let the soothing atmosphere and smell ease her stressed body and mind. Though it may not have been Central Park, the rose gardens proved to be one of the most beautiful, tranquil places Serena had ever been.  
  
Fingering the feather soft petals of a red rose, Serena closed her eyes in contentment, allowing her mind to drift off.  
  
"Are you stalking me?" An offbeat comment ruined the peacefulness.  
  
Serena groaned in protest as she turned her head to face the source of the voice. Could she not elude the damned man for even one moment of peace?  
  
"Exactly who's stalking whom here? Every time I go somewhere, you happen to show up. If anyone was a stalker here, it'd be you." She kept her tone even, refusing to let the serene feeling pass.  
  
Slightly lifted his shoulders in a small shrug, Darien instituted a mind- bending explanation to the stalking subject.  
  
"Maybe we stalk each other."  
  
'What a genius' Serena thought as she rolled her eyes in exasperation. Returning her focus to the roses, she ignored the bothersome man that stood a mere two feet away from her. She was still mad at him for initiating those rumors of dating and marriage between the two of them and for the immense guilt she felt.  
  
She wanted to hold Darien responsible for the accusation she felt from her conscious but try as she might she couldn't. The problem itself went far deeper than anything Darien had said or done in the past. The only person Serena could blame for her guilt was herself.  
  
Feeling a light tug on her hair, Serena turned to find Darien combing his long fingers through the hair in her ponytail. He had a lost expression on his handsome face, as if deeply saddened by something. The air seemed to thicken for Serena, her breath caught in her throat and she felt lightheaded. Darien broke the pensive silence with an odd question.  
  
"Why did you cut your hair? It has always been so long. And why'd you get rid of your 'meatballs'? " His voice sounded like his mind had wandered far off into the distance, reminiscing.  
  
Serena could barely think by the way he played with her hair like that, her azure eyes sagging from the sensation. But somewhere in her mind, the question registered. She heard a voice in the back of her mind whisper menacingly.  
  
'Because it was what he wanted.'  
  
She jerked her head in surprise causing her hair to be torn away from Darien's fingers, her eyes wide with horror. The voice had come out of nowhere. Serena stumbled back a few steps from Darien, attempting to gather her wits about her and erase that horrible voice from her mind.  
  
But the voice had been right; it was what he had wanted. That's why Serena had cut her prized long hair and had ridded herself of the 'meatball' hairstyle she had had since she was a child. She had sacrificed everything, only to be shunned or criticized in return.  
  
She gave him a shaky smile, attempting to play it off coolly. This was not the time or place to think on that subject. She didn't want Darien to see her like this.  
  
"I decided it was time for a change."  
  
'No, he was the one that wanted a change.' The sinister voice echoed inside her head.  
  
Her smile wavered as the voice taunted her again. She could feel her demeanor start to falter, her throat becoming scratchy and sore with the urge to cry.  
  
Was she going crazy? Where was that voice coming from? Was it her subconscious? Was it her mind speaking to her? She didn't know; she was afraid to find out.  
  
Darien looked at her strangely and asked, "Why? You'd loved your hair like that so much."  
  
Serena opened her mouth to reply but nothing came out. She couldn't give him an answer to his question. A tiny whimper managed to rent its way out of her throat.  
  
'Because he thought your hair was too childish and immature and you wanted to please him so much.' The voice continued its onslaught on her fragile mind, mocking her.  
  
She shook her head feverishly to get the voice out of her head and looked at Darien with tortured eyes, wanting him to make it go away. Her mind reeled with the thought of Darien holding her in his embrace, whispering promises that she would never hurt again, promises that would never be kept.  
  
"I better get going." Her voice sounded broken.  
  
Darien resisted the urge to hug her and ask her what troubled her. But the logical part of him thought better of it. His eyes softened while looking at Serena so beaten up over to something he had no clue of. And her eyes, her eyes were so haunting; it was nearly the end of him. But he fought it, and kept standing where he was. It might've been his imagination but he thought he'd seen a flicker of disappointment in her eyes.  
  
They may have been enemies but it would surely embarrass Serena for her enemy to comfort her. For a reason unknown to him, the thought hurt Darien. But they were joking enemies; it was not his place to get involved in this kind of situation.  
  
So he stood unmoving with a strange pang in his heart as he watched Serena walk off with her head hung low.  
  
**********  
  
Serena moped around her house the rest of the day, thinking closely about why she had worked so hard to please Diamond.  
  
She should have known better. She had been a different person when she had been going out with Diamond because it was what he had always wanted. She had done everything in her power to satisfy him but it was never enough. It could never be enough.  
  
Serena tasted the salt of her tears as they leaked out from under closed eyelids. Curling her legs up to her chest on the couch, she sobbed dejectedly over her shattered heart. The images came unbidden to her mind's eye, her chest tightening in pain from the memory.  
  
'Oh God,' she thought with degrade, 'I loved him so much.'  
  
She wanted to scream, to yell. Anything to free herself for the agonizing pain and shame that she felt. But she sat there immobile; bawling her eyes out, inarticulate sounds falling from her mouth.  
  
Intruding on her private moment, the doorbell cut through the silent air of the house.  
  
Muffling her frantic sobs with a pillow, Serena prayed that the visitor would leave. She didn't want to see anybody right now and didn't want anybody to see her like this.  
  
Twenty minutes passed but the person refused to go away and leave her in peace. In frustration, Serena sniffled and wiped her runny, red nose, revoltingly rubbing at her tear-streaked face and straightened her hair, making herself somewhat presentable.  
  
Upset and weary, She marched to the door with a sense of determination to chew out the person on the other end. She swung the door wide open to find a dark haired young man standing on the porch.  
  
Her deep frown twisted into a bright smile as tears once again cascaded down her lovely face, but they were tears of joy. There before her stood a familiar young man she had come to know and love. The young man opened his arms wide in invitation as Serena flung herself at him with a jubilant screech, screaming his name.  
  
"Sapphire!"  
  
AN: What the? Why did Darien act like that? What was up with the voice? And what does Sapphire have to do with all of this? Patience, my dear readers. More shall be revealed in the next chapter...and I promise to get it out sooner. ~PsychoBunny 


	5. Deep Thoughts

Haha. Bet you thought that you'd never see me again did you? Well here I am again bringing tidings of great joy in the form of a new chap! Just think of it as a belated Christmas present to all you wonderful readers out there.  
  
I worked extra hard on this chap for you guys! So go read and tell me what you think! Ok. *bows* Now I'm done.  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Sailormoon and never will. It's a sad truth I've come to except. -_-;  
  
Shadows danced wildly across the walls and rug covered floor of the room while the light from the fire outlined the silhouette that sat in the chair. Restless, he sat in silence watching the flames crackle in the fireplace, keeping the midnight chill out of the dark, silent house. The glow of the fire cast against his features, making the angles of his face seem harsher than what they really were.  
  
Winter was already beginning to show itself within the town, bringing a cold indifferent feeling with it. This time of year was always the same for Darien, lonely, cold and dreary, much like his mood.  
  
He'd always been partial to this season more than any other. Perhaps, it was because to him it represented the harsh reality of life. Winter failed to capture the innocent scent of spring or the joyful feeling of summer, even the calm autumn air paled in comparison to winter's dominant aura. No, winter didn't sugar coat itself in frivolous frills. The season had a powerful air about it, the severe cold a more distant feeling than anything. Winter stood out as a loner, a deep, and complex and wiser season, similar to Darien in many ways.  
  
He hummed in mock humor, rubbing his tired, blood-shot eyes. He must be beyond insomnia and to the point of insanity if he were beginning to compare himself to seasons. But he rationalized that it was better to dwell on crazy thoughts than to be reminded of the source for his insomnia.  
  
Darien downed another cup of black coffee, relishing the way the scorching liquid soothed his edgy nerves. Frustrated, he rubbed his hands over his face and through his tousled hair, striving to rid himself of the image that had imbedded itself in his mind. Yet, the image was there as vivid as it had been a couple of hours ago. The horrible image was the reason he could not sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, a haunting pair of light blue eyes stared straight back at him.  
  
Darien hunched over in his chair with his elbows resting on his knees and clasped his hands together. His eyes fixated on the wooden floor beneath him, his mind drifting off. His heart lurched when he replayed the scene with Serena in the park today.  
  
He didn't understand why it had agitated him so much that he didn't try to say or do anything to console her. He knew she would have been offended and mad if he had attempted to but he still could've tried. He felt like someone had punched him in the chest whenever he recalled the way she'd looked at him with hurt eyes then turned and walked away.  
  
Darien was shaken by the simple fact that it had truly bothered him to see her in such a state, much less feeling guilty about not doing anything to help.  
  
His eyes wandered to the flickering flame in the fireplace, willing for an answer to his unspoken question. What was he going to do? A quick glance at the clock proved it was far too late to go visit Serena. But Darien knew that sleep would elude him until he cleared his conscience of guilt. At least, that's what he kept telling himself.  
  
He snorted in distaste at himself. Why did it bother him so much? Why was he so concerned about her? They'd never really been friends; they were hardly even considered acquaintances. But deep inside, he knew there was something more behind his reason of concern. What it was, he couldn't figure out for the life of him.  
  
Suddenly, a revelation hit him, jolting him from his thoughts. Did he actually fancy Serena? No, that couldn't be it. Sure, he'd been infatuated with her ever since they'd known each other but that was just that; a strong infatuation. She was attractive, no doubt, but he harbored no real feelings of affection for her. He couldn't love her or...  
  
Wait! Love?! Who said anything about love? Darien abruptly straightened in his chair, his body tensing in defense. The thought had come out of nowhere. It shocked him to the core that the word would even cross his sleep-deprived mind.  
  
He scoffed at the very idea of it. He didn't believe in such things as love and even if he did, he wasn't capable of such an emotion. No, he couldn't love anyone or anything; it simply wasn't plausible. His parents had made sure of that.  
  
His parents. He grimaced in remembrance of the memories. The rich, infamous Mr. and Mrs. William Shields. He could feel the beginnings of a migraine form in his already strained, confused mind. A vile, bitter taste arose in his mouth at the thought of the names that belonged his so-called "parents". Unfortuantely, they were his biological parents, but they couldn't truly be called parents.  
  
He held a strong resentment towards his parents for what they'd done to him; for what they'd made him. He hadn't been abused as a child, nor mistreated, but they'd neglected him and hadn't given him the attention and acceptance children so desperately craved. Darien's father had given his son everything a little boy could ever dream of; things ranging from toy trains to the latest laptops. Darien's mother had taught her son about manners, respect and girls. They had sent him to the most prestigious schools money could buy. But yet, they both had failed in their duties as a parent; they had failed to give him the love he needed.  
  
Darien had been left at home without a second thought, while both thrived upon the glitzy parties and social clubs of the rich. They had always been indifferent and distant towards him. All he had ever been to them was a trophy to brag about and someone to carry on the family name.  
  
Darien remembered once asking his mother if she married her husband for love. She had retorted:  
  
"It was a smart match and we had similar ideas of what was expected and done in a marriage."  
  
Then told him she'd given birth to him out of "duty". In all his 30 years of life, he had never once heard the woman use the term "love".  
  
From the time he had entered high school, Darien had been bred to follow in his father's footsteps as a successful lawyer. As the past five generations of the male Shields had been either prominent lawyers or doctors, he too, was expected to be. But as he'd always been different from his family, Darien hid his true passion from his parents, computers.  
  
Upholding family tradition - or better termed as control - was something that had weighed heavily on his shoulders even at a young age. Caught in- between the pressure from his parents and his own secret interest, Darien fled the big, old mansion in California and everything that tied him down to it.  
  
At the time, he hadn't the slightest notion of where he was going but knew that anything would have been better than that old house. At 18 with his cell phone and a small portion of his trust fund in his pocket, he went wherever his car would take him. Darien had somehow ended up in this small town. Nobody would ever think to look for him there, so he decided to stay and easily got in to a nice college in the nearest city.  
  
His parents were infuriated when they found out he had runaway. They threatened to disown him if he didn't return home and go to Harvard as they had planned. Darien told them they'd be doing him a favor if they disowned him. That had been the last time he'd spoken to his parents.  
  
His parents, if such a label could be graced upon them, were no longer an important part of his life anymore. Or was it that he wasn't an important part of theirs?  
  
Whatever the circumstance might be, his parents were the sole reason he was like he was. He was a very rational man, even to the point of cynical at times, who couldn't love, be sympathetic, kind, generous, or any of that rubbish. He didn't let feelings rule his life or make his decisions for him. Darien Shields followed his head, not his heart.  
  
Perhaps, that was what caused him to be drawn to Serena. He was insatiable when it came to being surrounded by her mere presence, her kind heart and positive attitude. She embodied the very things he could never, but longed to, be. He admitted that at times she could be overly emotional - or hormonal, depending on the day - but he was hopelessly drawn to her empathic ways. There was a special something that seemed to radiate from deep within her that captivated him as nothing had. Her sense of humor and wit weren't too bad either.  
  
Darien made a face while watching the remaining embers of the dying fire slowly burn out. You'd really think he fancied the girl from the way he went on about her.  
  
Getting up and out of his chair, Darien stretched his aching limbs and made his way to bed. Though a fruitless effort, he would attempt to at least get an hour's worth of sleep then go see Serena in the morning. He was going to go check up on her and make sure she was all right. That's what he kept telling himself anyways.  
  
**********  
  
Serena ushered Sapphire into the house and sat him down on the couch with her. Concerned, he asked her if she was holding up well after the whole incident. She became teary-eyed from the kindness he showed her, from holding her hand to hugging her when she cried again. He was one of the only people she knew who was thoughtful enough to travel from one side of the country to the other just to visit her.  
  
But he had always been a wonderful person. She'd met him at an after show party at one of her shows. He was so charming and sweet that she had liked him immediately. She had had such a fantastic time in his company that they became fast friends. He called her often and they spent a lot of time together hanging out. Besides Charlie, Sapphire had to be her best, most trusted male friend. She considered dating him at one time as he showed interest beyond just friendship. After discussing it though, both realized they worked better as friends than lovers.  
  
Later on one of their weekly nights out, Sapphire had introduced Serena to his older brother Diamond. The rest was ancient history.  
  
After she calmed down, Sapphire recounted to her what had happened after she left New York. Diamond apparently went crazy after she'd left him. To avoid media speculation, Sapphire locked Diamond up in a private house outside of town, hired a personal psychiatrist and a couple of security guards to monitor him.  
  
Sapphire took full control over the Jewel Hotels as president. He'd been put in charge to run the whole chain of hotels single-handedly, a lot of pressure for any businessman. Serena could tell he was worn out and stressed from such a huge responsibility suddenly being thrust upon him. The bags under his eyes and his scraggly appearance were a dead give away.  
  
She reached out and grabbed his forearm, gently squeezing in a gesture of solace. He turned to look at her with curious eyes. She smiled sweetly at him and brushed a few strands of his black hair away from his questioning eyes.  
  
"You really should check into a hotel somewhere and get some rest. You look like you need it." She said in a softly. Serena loved Sapphire like a brother; she hated seeing him pushing himself so hard over such an awkward situation.  
  
He grasped her hand in his own and leaned forward. "Serena, I..."  
  
A shrill ring interrupted what he was about to say. He sighed in annoyance and rummaged through his pocket to answer his cell phone.  
  
While Sapphire talked in hushed tones to whoever called him, Serena began to wonder what he was going to say before the phone rang. A thought struck her right as Sapphire ended his conversation and hung up his phone.  
  
"Sapphire, how were you able to find out where I was staying?" She eyed him curiously.  
  
Scratching the back of his head and giving a lop-sided smile, he laughed nervously.  
  
"Would you believe that a little birdie told me?"  
  
"No, really how did you find me?" She shot him a cautious look. The whole reason for her coming back to this town was to get away from everybody and everything. She told only a handful of people where she was staying and unfortunately, Sapphire hadn't been one of them.  
  
The atmosphere of the room shifted as he gazed intently upon her. A painful look crossed his face as the words hitched in his throat. His voice came out as a croak.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me, you were leaving New York? I had to learn from the papers and friends that you left and what happened with Diamond. Do you not trust me Serena?"  
  
Leave it to Sapphire to be straightforward on matters, but then again he'd never been the kind to beat around the bush. Serena's mouth dried in nervousness, choosing her words carefully.  
  
"Sapphire, I do trust you, but please understand; I couldn't face anyone that night. I was too scared and ashamed to admit my own boyfriend's affair. I'd denied it for so long when someone told me they thought he was cheating on me, I'd immediately came to his defense." The words poured from her mouth before she could catch herself. She confessed the untainted truth that she herself feared to admit.  
  
"I'm so sorry if I hurt you Sapphire, but I didn't want to tell anyone that absolutely didn't have to know. I was in so much pain that I refused to speak about it to my friends. It's still so hard to talk about." Her voice cracked with emotion, as her throat got scratchy and irritated; unshed tears gleaming in her expressive blue eyes.  
  
"Oh Serena..." He put an arm around her shoulder, leaning in and murmuring in her ear.  
  
"Don't worry sweetheart. I understand." Using his other hand, he held her chin and turned her so they were face to face.  
  
"Hey, now don't cry anymore. That's not the Serena I know. The Serena I know wouldn't let it get her down and she'd smile. Come on, where's that beautiful smile?" He gave her an expectant look that indicated he was being goofy. Upon his request, a small, brave smile crept its way across her face as she sniffed and blinked back a couple of stray tears in her eyes.  
  
"There, much better! And to answer your earlier question, Charles happened to mention your whereabouts and here I am!" Sapphire put his arms up over his head and leaned back into the cushions of the couch, looking particularly smug. A little too smug if you asked Serena. Her inquiry peaked when a triumphant grin broke out on his face.  
  
"You blackmailed him didn't you?" She raised a finely shaped brow at him. Figures, being the incredible businessman that he is, Sapphire would be desperate enough to resort to blackmail.  
  
"I wouldn't call it blackmail, more like negotiated. You know a trade for a trade." He waved his hand in the air as if to emphasize it was all so logical.  
  
"Sapphire, sometimes I swear you should have been a lawyer." She shook her head and laughed at his smile widened.  
  
"But how did you pry the information out of Charlie anyways?" She knew Charlie wasn't the gossiping type and certainly would never let a secret out. She trusted both men so she really didn't mind that Sapphire knew. Still, it was amazing that he had managed to find out from Charlie.  
  
"The man can be more stubborn than a mule sometimes. But, I said that I would let the tabloids know about his new female companion if he didn't tell me where you were staying. Plus, I agreed to check up on you and give him a full report." He cocked his head to the side.  
  
"Charlie has a girlfriend?" She gasped audibly.  
  
"He sure does. It's some lady he met at your last show." Sapphire stated and absently nodded. Serena made a mental note to call Charlie and bug him about his love life when she got the chance. Thinking about it, she made another mental note to call Mina too. Catching Serena yawn and rub her eyes tiredly, Sapphire sat up and stretched.  
  
"I hate to leave you, sweets but I think some sleep would do us both some good."  
  
Escorting him out to her front porch, Serena was surprised to find a dark, cool night greet them outside. She hadn't realized that it had gotten so late or cold. Giving Sapphire a big, bear hug, Serena said goodnight and told him to call her later. Trying to step back from the friendly hug, Serena found Sapphire reluctant to let go. He pushed her against him, holding on to her for a little longer than necessary. Feeling a bit uneasy, Serena shoved against his chest and broke the contact.  
  
She made sure to stand a few feet away from him, wrapping her arms around herself protectively. The little exchange was quite uncomfortable to Serena, and Sapphire was acting weird. She shook off the sudden chill that ran up her spine. Waving goodbye and saying a final good night, Serena went back into the house as soon as Sapphire got into his car.  
  
It had been quite a night and the only thing on her mind was sleep. Collapsing into her bed, she crawled under the covers and instantly fell asleep, blissfully unaware of anything else but her own dreams.  
  
**********  
  
The dark night and tinted windshields blanketed the black car from any prying eyes that happen to peer inside. The two men sat in silence as one closely monitored the house and the other was lost in his thoughts. It sure was a shame to waste such a nice night waiting for the girl's next move and the boss's orders.  
  
The man switched his gaze from the house to his partner that sat beside him. He uttered a curse under his breath. The damn man was asleep again, the second time tonight! Why his boss had put him with a partner, he would never know. He could easily handle this job and certainly didn't need a partner. He never had but the boss had insisted upon it for such an important job.  
  
Compared to his usual job, though, watching this Serena girl was a piece of cake. He crookedly smiled at the thought of her. She sure was a beauty but a sly one. She had tried to trick them several times by renting the house, ditching her car, getting a new job, and having a man over to her house.  
  
He had to be careful with this one; he had a distinct feeling she could be a handful. He shifted his body in a different position; his butt was beginning to go numb from sitting in the car for so long. He prayed that the little minx wasn't planning for the man to spend the night. He really didn't want to camp out in the car for the night.  
  
But unfortunately, the boss just had to know everything little thing the girl did, from whom she interacted with to what she did everyday. Truth be told, the boss seemed a bit strange.  
  
The man's trained eye caught movement on the front porch. Grabbing a pair of binoculars, he watched Serena bid the man goodbye and hug him for a while. Funny, he didn't look like the same guy from the other night, though he did look remarkably similar. He'd have to find out about both men and their relationship with her later.  
  
The man drove off as Serena went back into the house. He sighed in relief when all the lights in the house were turned off. She'd gone to bed and he could finally leave. But tomorrow was another day and he was anxious to find out exactly who the men that had visited Serena were.  
  
O.o This chap is shorter than the others, I know but it sets a backdrop and a mood for my characters and plot that the others failed to. So did you like it? Come on, I'm dying to know!  
  
Remember kiddos, a review a day keeps the author happy and writing. XD  
  
~PsychoBunny 


	6. Party Surprises

*cough* Yeah, I know it's been a while but as promised the next chapter is finally here! Yeah! And because it took a while this chapter is extra long and has a few surprises in store. *wink wink*  
  
I would love to thank my wonderful and loving editor, who without, this chapter would not have been possible. *kisses Crys's feet dutifully* ^^ Thanks to my beta nika too! You were lots of help babe! Thanks!  
  
Thanks to all you readers also for your encouragement and lovely reviews. So go now and read! Tell me what you think and review!  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own Sailormoon. All I have to my name is a couple of dollars and my cat  
  
Chapter 5 Party Surprises  
  
**********  
  
Morning decidedly came far too early for Serena as she dragged herself from her warm haven to shower and dress. She was heading out to Lita's bakery again today to help out and possibly get some advice. Who would have thought that she would need pointers on how to ditch a guy?  
  
Sighing heavily, Serena grabbed her purse and keys and jogged out to her car. The past week since Sapphire's arrival had really thrown her for a loop. Between her car being repaired, helping out at the cafe, lunch dates with her girlfriends, and going out almost daily with Sapphire, Serena hadn't been able to sit down longer than two seconds but she wasn't complaining. In fact, she was happy for the distractions.  
  
Since the night she broke down in front of Sapphire, if she had too much free time on her hands, her mind would stray to thoughts of Diamond. He caused enough pain to last her a lifetime. Now, she needed to pick up with her life and move on. He was a thing of the past.  
  
Surprisingly enough, her mangled thoughts of self-pity wasn't the biggest problem. Her latest problem in the string of drama in her life was Sapphire.  
  
They'd always been quite close and had shared a peculiar friendship. But as of late, there had been subtle changes that she started to notice about his behavior. He sat closer to her than necessary; he made physical contact with her whenever possible. On several occasions, he made excuses in order to touch her hair. She didn't consider it or let it bother her too much. There was no harm in a little excess flirting, right?  
  
Just as long as he didn't get too "friendly" and cross the line then she was fine with this little game of his.  
  
Though a hectic week, one reverberating thought kept Serena's hopes high; Mina would be arriving in two days. Walking into Lita's bakery and cafe, Serena realized as long as she had that consolation, nothing could dampen her bright mood.  
  
"Well, well, look who's here..."  
  
'Oh please God! Nothing but that...' She mentally groaned.  
  
"You know, I was beginning to think you disappeared because I haven't seen you around in a while." He sounded oddly pleased and that smug look of his irritated her to no ends.  
  
"Darien, don't you have any kind of life besides pestering me?" Serena questioned hotly, planting her hands on her hips and turning to glare right at him.  
  
Openly, he let his gaze roam over her form clad in a pink sweater and blue jeans until his eyes meet her burning blue ones. He couldn't help but flash a charming smile at her attempt to be intimidating. She really was too cute for her own good.  
  
"Do you honestly think my whole existence revolves around teasing you?" Darien replied nonchalantly. He loved to get a rise out of her; call it a sadistic pleasure but he found it hard to resist that special aura around her that was so alluring.  
  
Serena's face burned bright red with embarrassment. Why did that imbecile always make her feel so naïve and childish? She was a grown woman for God's sake! There was no reason to be embarrassed, especially by that buffoon.  
  
On the other hand, his lingering gaze, cocky grin and ignorant attitude were a hell of a good reason to be angry. She balled her fists to keep from strangling him as her initial embarrassment turned to irritation faster than a pregnant woman with mood swings.  
  
'Shake it off, Serena. Just shake it off. You're better than him. Plus, you don't want to make a big scene...again. Mina's coming in TWO days. You can keep your sanity till then.' Serena kept repeating that mantra in her head like it was her last source of rationality.  
  
She watched him in disgust as he lazily leaned up against the front counter with his coffee cup and a lopsided smile. Oh, he thought he was so coy because he was handsome and had that damned cute dimple but she knew better. His "I'm damn hot and boyfriend material" disguise didn't fool her for one moment.  
  
"I don't know about you, Darien but it sure seems like it to me." She managed to answer his rhetorical question with a sickeningly sweet smile. Ha! Take that Mr. "I'm too sexy for my own good".  
  
Maybe Mina could help her gang up on him when she arrived. She'd just have to resist her urge to kiss...er, kill him until then. She briefly wondered if Sammy and her dad would be willing to pound Darien's sorry arse into the ground.  
  
"Don't flatter yourself, kid." He replied coolly with a knowing look in his eye.  
  
Oh, it was a very tempting. But did she really want to subject her dad and Sammy to being in Darien's presence? No, they didn't deserve that kind of torture. For now she'd have to use the only weapon of defense her dignity could muster up at the moment; immaturity.  
  
"You are such a jerk." She grumbled, rolling her eyes at him. Not the most intelligent of comebacks she knew but dang it! She was frustrated at the moment. She was in no mood to deal with the creep and his antics.  
  
"I knew that already but I also know something else that you may not realize." He put down his coffee cup and moved closer to her, a devilish smile playing on his lips and a glint in his deep blue eyes. Only an arm's length away, he leaned down towards her and breathed into her ear.  
  
"I know that you want me."  
  
Serena was so stunned by his outrageous statement and the wonderful smell of his aftershave that for a moment she was robbed of her ability to speak and think clearly. Ignoring the warm fluttering sensation in her chest, Serena shook herself from her daze and quickly regained her composure. Damn that man for messing with her fragile state of mind! Two could play at this game.  
  
"Oh, I didn't realize my secret was out. Well I guess I couldn't fool you now, could I?" Closing the small distance between them, she laid a small hand on his chest, her breath wafting against his face. She could tell he wasn't anticipating her sudden change of attitude by the way his body stiffened under her hand and his breathing hitched in his throat. It gave her an exhilarating feeling of feminine satisfaction by the simple fact that he, a self-proclaimed lady's man, could be so susceptible to the art of enticement.  
  
She kept her mind off the butterflies in her stomach by focusing on the plan of building up Darien's ego and bringing it crashing down. She spoke with a soft tone one might use with a lover, her eyes never wavering from his.  
  
"Oh, I want you alright...I want you...to go away!"  
  
"Uh, Serena..." Lita said both startled and interested at the scene of Serena and Darien practically plastered to each other. Oh, wait till she tells the girls about this one.  
  
Serena jumped back from Darien as if he was spreading some kind of deadly disease, her upturned face an odd shade of orangey-pink. It didn't take Darien long to recover when he took one look at her and gave a deep chuckle.  
  
"Don't mind us, Lita." He said unashamed, proud even. "Serena, over here, was just trying to seduce me." He jerked a thumb in Serena's direction and laughed outright as her jaw dropped and gaped open.  
  
"In your dreams!! I was NOT trying to seduce anybody, much less you. By any chance, would you believe that I was disoriented from medication and didn't realize who he was?" She pleaded with Lita, pulling the ol' 'puppy eyes' move on her. Unfortunately, Lita's doubtful face told her that there's no way she was going to buy that pitiful excuse.  
  
"He started it." She blamed in attempt to save face, waving an accusing finger at her partner in crime.  
  
"I resent that remark. I was just messing with you but you were the one who started the whole 'seductress' thing." Darien replied placidly, seemingly unfazed by her effort to pin the guilt on him. It wasn't his fault that Lita caught Serena hanging all over him.  
  
"Then you must be having a temporary memory lapse because you're the culprit here. You were the one trying to seduce me!" Serena self- righteously defended herself, crossing her arms over her stomach and feeling juvenile when she stuck out her tongue at Darien.  
  
"What?" Darien started.  
  
Lita bit her lip as she watched the two bicker, trying to contain her mirth. It was times like this that she was glad Serena was back; things were a lot more exciting with her around. Serena held up a hand as a motion to stop as Darien was in the middle of speaking.  
  
"You know I didn't come here for your insults. In fact, I came here to help out Lita and get her advice. So why don't you just go bug somebody else who has the time?" She spoke with conviction, determined to get Darien off her case.  
  
"Aww, Serena. But you know that you're my favorite person to bug and I don't think I could ever replace you." He was sarcastic in how he said it but he meant it. He'd never be able to replace her.  
  
"Gee, thanks. I feel so privileged." Serena rolled her eyes and sighed in defeat. Well, if she couldn't get him to leave her alone than she could at least do what she came here to do.  
  
"Hey Lita, think we could talk somewhere...privately." Serena glared at Darien who in turn held up his hands in defense and went back to his stool near the counter.  
  
"How bout we just talk behind the counter? I have to clean up a few things and you can help me out." Lita grabbed a mop and some rags while she spoke. "Here. Think you can mop up a little. I spilt some coffee earlier. I cleaned it up as best as I could but I didn't get all of it. Just clean around this spot." She pointed on the other side of her behind the counter.  
  
"Uh, ok." Serena begrudgingly began to mop the floor while keeping a suspicious eye on the dark headed fiend of a man seated near the counter, innocently reading a newspaper.  
  
"So? What's up?" Lita probed Serena friendlily.  
  
"Well, you see. I have this teeny little problem. Uh, you remember that guy I told you about that came down to visit me from New York?" Serena whispered in a hushed voice.  
  
"You mean that guy you've been hanging around with all week?" The statement piqued Lita's curiosity.  
  
"Yeah, that's him. Well, I think he's been getting a little too flirtatious, if you know what I mean." Lita understood exactly what Serena was insinuating.  
  
"Don't tell me he's seriously trying to go after you on the rebound?" Lita gawked in disbelief.  
  
Serena confirmed the affirmation with a simple nod. "But the strange thing is that we've gone out before and agreed that it didn't work out. So I don't know why he'd still want to pursue some kind of relationship besides friendship."  
  
Lita heaved in aggravation. "I swear men have to be the densest creatures God ever created."  
  
Serena couldn't help but laugh at Lita's twitching eyebrow, the helpless rag she'd been holding now crumpled in her clenched fist.  
  
"You're only saying that because your ex didn't even realize you'd been crushing on him 2 years until you actually told him." Serena managed to say through bouts of laughter.  
  
"Don't remind me." Lita winced at the painful memory.  
  
"If you ask me, I think you should tell him straight out that you don't want anything but a platonic relationship. It obviously didn't work out before. Why would the next time be any different?" Darien advised from behind the newspaper he was holding. So much for being subtle.  
  
"So be it for me to question the great prophet, but who invited you into this conversation?" Serena had the mind to rip that newspaper out of his hands and hit him repeatedly over the head with her mop.  
  
"I just thought you would want the advice of someone who's older and wiser than yourself." Darien suggested thoughtfully, setting down his paper in the process.  
  
"You have the older part right but as far as 'wiser', the jury's still out on that one. Plus, why would I want to take advice from you? It's not like you've been stuck in this kind of position before anyways." Serena shunned his comment with a toss of her hair over the shoulder.  
  
"Before Casanova over there rudely interrupts again, what do you think I should do? I really don't want to hurt his feelings but there isn't anything romantic between us. Or for my part there isn't anyways." Serena resumed her conversation with Lita.  
  
"I don't know, Serena. I agree with Darien. Tell him face to face that it didn't work out before and that you want to remain the best of friends. Hopefully, he'll understand." Lita's words seemed like something said in a 'Dr. Phil moment' but the meaning flew past Serena as all she heard was 'agree with Darien'.  
  
"Please tell me you're joking. I came here to get your advice, not his! Because he spoke first, his words have corrupted your opinion. Damn you, Darien! Damn you and your influential ways!" Serena berated; the smallest amount of edginess hidden in her tone.  
  
"I can't help it if I'm a bit persuasive." Darien triumphantly smirked, that cute dimple appearing once again. It grated Serena's nerves how easily he could get under her skin.  
  
"Sorry, Sere but it's the best idea I can think of. The point is to do whatever you feel is right. You don't have to take our suggestion but you can if you want." Lita informed encouragingly.  
  
"Thanks, Lita. I really do appreciate all your help. I just hope that I can build up enough courage to let him down tonight when we go out." Serena laughed nervously, playing out scenarios in her head of how Sapphire might take the news.  
  
"You're going out tonight with him?" Lita couldn't help the fact that she could be nosy.  
  
"Yeah. It's some kind of big business dinner or something like that. I don't really remember because I was half asleep during our conversation. You know I'm not a morning person." Serena scratched the back of her head and smiled innocently.  
  
Darien watched in silence as the two continued their conversation. He found the bright smile on Serena's face particularly appealing. It seemed to illuminate her entire face.  
  
"Well, I better get going so I can be ready for tonight. See you guys later!" Serena hustled out of there before Lita assigned her a worse job, like scrubbing toilets.  
  
**********  
  
Serena had just finished applying a dab of lip gloss when Sapphire rung the doorbell. She took the liberty to check herself in the mirror one last time, proudly approving of the image that smiled back at her. She was very proud of this particular dress. Mainly because it was one of her favorites off her latest fashion line-up.  
  
Sapphire knew in his own mind that Serena would look good in anything she wore. However, when she answered the door and he got his first glimpse of her, he was struck speechless. Her midnight blue form-fitting dress consisted of a V-neck with two straps that went over her shoulder and down her back to attach to her dress. The material of the dress seemed to overlap each other right in the point of her V-neck which ended at her knees, a small slit in front of her left thigh; the bottom half of the dress flowing around her form.  
  
Serena's hair was curled and pinned high on her head with small tendrils hanging down. Small accessories, such as a tennis bracelet, a single- diamond necklace and small diamond earrings, had been added to enhance the features of her dress. To top it off, she had kept her make-up to a minimal to give the maximum effect.  
  
Serena spun around once for Sapphire to get a good look and held out her hands.  
  
"Well, what do you think? I didn't over do it, did I?" She questioned a little anxious.  
  
"Of course not, you're absolutely gorgeous and anybody that thinks different is crazy." Sapphire commented, taking her outstretched hands in his own and looking at her dress again. He dropped her hands and lifted one of his own to her head to twirl a blonde curl around his finger. A little uncomfortable, Serena brushed his hands away when he made a move to caress her cheek.  
  
Serena quickly grabbed her coat as he led her to his car by putting his hand on the small of her back. As soon as they got into the car, Serena asked a question that had been on her mind all day.  
  
"What kind of business dinner is it, anyways?"  
  
"Well, actually it's more a celebration dinner of a computer company that I had invested in. It had overwhelming success and the party is to honor the president of the company. All the big-investors and a lot of the big-named companies are going to be there." Sapphire explained while he drove.  
  
For some odd reason, Serena had a sudden feeling of dread.  
  
**********  
  
Darien's mind was a jumbled mesh of incoherent thoughts, the main one being the fact that this was the last place he wanted to be tonight. As he stood there in his pin-stripped charcoal gray business suit, he mentally prepared himself for the inevitable encounters with the snooty part of society that he'd long ago forgotten.  
  
Many people assumed that it would be an honor to hold such an elaborate celebration for the success of a company you'd worked so hard to achieve. In truth, though, Darien knew the real purpose behind the night's so-called "honor". The whole party was an inventive set-up in order to show off Darien Shields and his computer company as valuable assets to the "upper class" of both society and businessmen with the hopes that it would prompt Darien into their good graces.  
  
At least, that's what the chairmen of his board were hoping.  
  
Darien didn't like the idea of being used as some sort of advertisement and had rather rely on the efficiency of the company itself to do the job. However, Darien had an inkling that this party would prove to be a good start for him to make a name for himself in the business world. At least when you had a party in your name, some people actually knew who you were. It was a sad but evident truth.  
  
Sending up a silent prayer of mercy and plastering an artificial smile on his face, Darien strode into the decorated ballroom of the plaza with his head held high.  
  
No sooner had he entered, Darien was bombarded with greetings from fellow clients and businessmen, engaged into casual conversation about insignificant things. He always despised this part the most about these kind of parties.  
  
There are always two simple rules to follow in order to get ahead in the game, look pretty and suck up. Friendly small talk and an overflow of compliments were a must for any big business tycoons to find favor with you.  
  
Excusing himself from chatting with a prominent prospector, Darien made his way over to the head chairman of his board, searching for some peace of mind. He approached a platinum blonde haired man dressed in a black suit. With a tap on the shoulder, he finally captured his friend's attention.  
  
"Artemis, may I have a word with you?"  
  
"Of course Darien, what's the matter?" Artemis questioned, a knowing look in his pale blue eyes.  
  
"Please, tell me some good news." Darien practically begged.  
  
"Well, if you're talking about the party then I'm guessing it will last well into the night. I also heard that an oil man from the South was very interested in investing in your company and wanted to speak to you personally. And there's a rumor that an old acquaintance of yours is going to make a guest appearance tonight." Artemis ticked off each item one by one, organized like always.  
  
"Really? An old acquaintance of mine? Who?" Confusion began to seep into the back of Darien's mind as he waited impatiently for his friend to answer the question.  
  
"I don't really know exactly who it is. It was just a rumor. I wouldn't worry too much about it." Artemis shrugged it off, flashing idle smiles and waves at people who passed him by.  
  
"Is it necessary for me to degrade myself by mingling like this?" Darien gritted through his teeth, maintaining a believable but bitter smile for show as people glanced at him and waved.  
  
"Darien, my friend, when are you going to learn? It's impossible in this world to get somewhere without kissing some ass. So I suggest you pucker up and get going." Artemis laughed in sympathy, patting Darien's back and giving him a nudge forward.  
  
Darien mumbled a curse under his breath, stalking his way into the awaiting crowd of socialites. He was chatting briefly to a young entrepreneur about business when something red happened to catch his eye.  
  
Letting his eyes skim the room, Darien observed a promiscuous brunette on the arm of an older man that had to be twice her age. She paraded herself shamelessly in a low cut, short length and very revealing red dress that left nothing to the imagination. Darien acknowledged her appearance and something in his memory clicked. Somehow, from somewhere, he knew her but he couldn't place her face.  
  
The woman spotted Darien ogling her from where he stood. Smiling deviously, she decided to have a little fun and fairly dragged the man that accompanied her over in Darien's direction.  
  
"My, and who might this handsome gentleman be? My sweet, why don't you introduce us?" She purred in a sing-song voice.  
  
"Of course. This is a friend of mine, Darien Shields. Darien, I would like you to meet my girlfriend, Ann Evans." said the older gentleman, whom Darien knew to be a very wealthy man with a lot of connections.  
  
A spark lit both Darien and Ann's eyes as simultaneously, they remembered each other from the past and it was a clash of epic proportions.  
  
"I should have known. Only Darien could still be so sinfully handsome after so many years. I must say, Darien, you haven't changed a bit. Except maybe a few minor details..." Looking at him through lowered lashes, Ann let the sentence trail off, licking her lips and knowing he understood her double meaning.  
  
"Ah, so you two already know each other." The man cheered in surprise and glee, oblivious to the malevolent waves that lay beneath the surface.  
  
"You could say that." Darien hid his malicious sneer as Ann bent over to pull down her dress, succeeding in flashing him more of her cleavage and somehow getting her dress to ride up even farther than before.  
  
Ann Evans hadn't changed one bit.  
  
Her blatant show of seduction and the way she threw herself on any man that paid her attention had always been more grotesque than attractive. She made a point to flaunt her sensuality and she wasn't one to be shy about it either.  
  
Except now Darien wasn't as hormonal and naive as he used to be; making him adequately less susceptible to her attempts to allure him. His eyes became hard and cold at the thought, his lips thinning into a tight line.  
  
Unfortunately, he knew Ann and all her tricks far too well. They had a very abrupt fling about 6 years ago, which ended with him accusing her of being a whore after he caught her cheating. She cajoled him into believing that it was all a misunderstanding. A few days later, Darien's bank account had been robbed of $2.5 million and Ann was no where to be found.  
  
As Ann winked and released a husky laugh, Darien had had quite enough.  
  
"If you two will please excuse me, I have more important matters that need attending to." Darien walked right past Ann without so much as a nod.  
  
**********  
  
Serena walked through the entrance of the ballroom on the arm of Sapphire as they made a late arrival. The cause of the long 45 minute drive to the hotel was mainly traffic. Still, Serena was quite surprised that the business dinner was held so far away.  
  
Glancing around at some of the other guest, Serena's eyes went wide as she recognized them as either famous or rich and immediately became alarmed. As a natural reaction to fear and intimidation, she squeezed Sapphire's arm for some sort of comfort. He turned to her with a soothing smile, putting his hand on hers and squeezing back in reassurance.  
  
"It's ok, honey. There's nothing to be scared of." He offered her a hushed voice that one would use to calm a small child.  
  
"What if somebody recognizes me?" Serena felt her legs quaking beneath her, holding her up with the most fragile of support. She wasn't worried so much about being recognized than she was about being remembered because of Diamond's affair. What if they make snide remarks about it?  
  
"And what if they do? I doubt that they would say much about it. Though they can be rude; they do have manners. But if anybody does say anything, I'll set them straight." Sapphire patted her hand lovingly, kissing her on the cheek at the same time.  
  
She didn't like the idea of socializing with these people again but as long as this party was important to Sapphire, Serena could endure.  
  
They were strolling along the side wall when Sapphire stopped to trade formalities with acquaintances. Being polite and gracious, Serena made friendly with a couple of the gentlemen that surrounded her and Sapphire, even managing to get some to laugh at her silly jokes. They were all very courteous and two actually out right flirted with her which didn't set well with Sapphire.  
  
He got a little jealous with all the attention Serena was getting and on several occasions he put his hand around her waist possessively.  
  
Call it feministic pride but Serena found it thrilling to be the center of attention of a bunch of handsome males. Unfortunately, another issue called for her attention.  
  
With the most sophisticated poise she could conduct, Serena excused herself from the horde of men to go to the ladies room. She giggled lightly to herself when they all groaned in disappointment.  
  
She playfully shot back that she would hurry as quickly as she could and walked off.  
  
**********  
  
Darien was minding his own business when Artemis approached him with an urgent situation.  
  
"Darien, there's a man over there who wants to talk to you. He says it's important." Artemis' voice wavered the tiniest bit.  
  
"Where is he?" Darien asked both confused and intrigued.  
  
"He's right there." Artemis pointed in the direction of a man with salt and pepper hair that had his back to Darien.  
  
"Alright. Thank you." Darien accepted the unspoken invitation with a good dose of uncertainty and caution. It was a mystery to him but even from behind, the man appeared to be vaguely familiar.  
  
With a measure of confidence in his step, Darien neared the man who was so ready to speak with him. Then as if time itself had stood still, the gentleman slowly turned around to face him and Darien paled at the sight, his mouth going dry.  
  
It couldn't be. There was no feasible way, no possible explanation for why he would be here.  
  
"Hello Son." William Shields was as serious and straightforward as always. Course, he had never been the one to beat around the bush. He looked every bit the rich, high-class attorney that he was, dressed in an Armani suit with his salt and pepper hair carefully slicked back. However, the thing that was most disturbing to Darien was that he was a mirror image of his father.  
  
Regaining his composure from the shock quickly, Darien's eyes became ice cold, his lips twisting in a cruel smile, his voice dripping with venom.  
  
"What the hell do you think you're doing here?" His voice came out in a hoarse whisper that threatened the man it was directed to.  
  
"I wanted to talk to you about all this." He waved his hand implying the party and Darien's business success.  
  
"What's it to you?" Darien snapped, a muscle in his jaw began to twitch.  
  
"Well, if you really want to know, I came to make amends with my son." William's tone was apologetic but his eyes were deceiving.  
  
"After over a decade of no kind of contact with him, you now plan for some kind of compensation? I know you better than that, father. What are you really here for?" Darien's voice was mocking and full of hatred, his body almost to the point of shaking with anger.  
  
"So spiteful Darien, you remind me a lot of myself when I was your age. I just thought it would look better for both you and me if we weren't estranged. After all, what kind of business will you get if your clients know you are alienated from your parents?" His eyes narrowed dangerously.  
  
It was crystal clear to Darien what he wanted. It wouldn't look good for his parents' reputation if their "estranged" son had great business success without them and their support. By making amends, they would once more have someone to brag about and to carry on their family name. It was all a selfish ploy.  
  
Just as Darien was opening his mouth to let every foul word in the book fly at his father, he saw her. She was like a beacon in the night dressed in dark blue and with her golden hair a crown upon her head, saving him from certain death. She looked shy, honest and out of place in the room, a breath of fresh air to the claustrophobic, tension-filled atmosphere he was currently trapped within.  
  
Everything about her was breath-taking and he was in dire need to be surrounded by her good spirit. To hell with his father, Darien was going to talk to Serena.  
  
"I've maintained my business so far without your help. I doubt that I'll need it in the future. As far as I'm concerned, this discussion is over." Darien left before his father could get another word in edge wise. All he had on his mind was talking to a specific blonde.  
  
Serena had been turned upside down trying to find the bathroom and now she couldn't find Sapphire anywhere. She was at a loss when someone happened to call out her name.  
  
"Serena."  
  
"Oh, there you...huh? Darien?!?" Serena put a hand over her heart in order to stop it from beating so frantically.  
  
"I didn't realize you where going to be here." He didn't know how or why she was here but at the moment, he couldn't care less. He was just excited that she was here.  
  
"Uh, yeah. I came here with a date. I had no idea that you were going to be here." Serena beamed a radiant smile as she spoke. She was in a positively good mood and didn't want to ruin it with trifle arguing. So she firmly decided that she would mind her manners and be good for tonight.  
  
"Actually, I'm the guest of honor tonight so I have to be here." Darien combed his fingers through his hair self-consciously, his palms becoming suddenly sweaty. He graced her with a small, ambiguous smile that warmed her heart.  
  
"You mean to tell me that you're the one who owns the company and the reason this party is being held?" she asked in disbelief. She remembered he said something about owning his own company but she didn't expect him to be acknowledged so well in the business world. Serena was very impressed, not only by how hard he must have worked but how he was able to be collected and gracious about it.  
  
"Yep. Would you, my lady, mind escorting me around for a while?" Darien offered her his arm, silently hoping that she would oblige his request. He craved good quality company that was different from the superficial, self- obsessed people that he was used to being around.  
  
Turning her head, Serena sought Sapphire one more time and turned back to Darien. Unable to find her date, she figured that he wouldn't mind if she went with Darien for a while. It wasn't like she was dating either of them so it really didn't matter. Plus, Darien was in a pleasant mood and she was going to take advantage of it.  
  
"Sure. Why not?" She agreed readily, folding her arm securely into his. They took off walking in no definite direction, simply enjoying the each other's presence.  
  
"You look gorgeous tonight." Darien complimented Serena as he gazed appreciatively at her, an endearing smirk playing on his lips.  
  
"T..Thank you." She stuttered nervously, blushing a bright red from both his comment and the way he looked at her. She felt a little self-conscious under his intense stare and she began to shuffle her feet and shift her body. Wanting to take the spotlight off of herself, Serena aimed a compliment towards Darien.  
  
"You don't look half bad yourself." She giggled and poked him in the ribs playfully, feeling a bit frisky.  
  
"I guess so but kid, you're absolutely breathtaking and charming. I'm surprised you haven't had to beat any men off with a stick yet." He rubbed her arm gently with his free hand, winking at her as he did.  
  
"Careful, Shields. A girl could get use to this kind of treatment." Unconsciously, Serena leaned her head against his shoulder and sighed, almost as if to emphasize her point.  
  
"I would hope so." He whispered under his breath, not completely sure if she heard it or not because she had lifted her head. The corners of her mouth slightly gave way to a smile as she looked at him, pointing out a platinum blonde man.  
  
"I think that man is trying to get your attention." Darien followed Serena's line of view and for the first time, noticed Artemis. He apparently was trying to get his attention by flagging him down with his hands.  
  
"Will you excuse me, Serena? I promise I'll be right back." He took one of her hands in his and bent down to lay a soft, fleeting kiss on it. Then he left her standing there stunned, her heart hammering wildly in her chest while her body felt as light as a feather.  
  
Then her bubble burst when a statuesque brunette in a very tight red dress sleekly slithered up to her and she started to talk to Serena as if she had known her for years.  
  
"So, I presume you are Shields's new girlfriend. Or are you just a mistress?" The woman spoke with a monotonous voice, as if she was simply discussing the weather, while staring at Darien's retreating figure eerily.  
  
"Excuse me? Oh, no you must be mistaking me for somebody else. I'm not his girlfriend; Darien and I are just friends." Serena didn't feel like explaining their relationship so she opted for a small lie instead but she wasn't sure if the lady was even listening.  
  
The scantily clad woman kept staring off into the distance where Darien had been lost in the crowd of people. She seemed to be waiting for something, like she expected him to come back at any moment.  
  
The awkward lady was beginning to give Serena the creeps. Not to mention, she had a bad vibe about her that Serena didn't quite understand.  
  
Ann smirked at something amusing while idly swishing the wine she had in her hand.  
  
"Trust me, you can never be 'just friends' with Darien Shields; by the way he was looking at you, I would say that he already has an idea in mind." She cynically smiled and brought the glass up to her crimson lips to sip.  
  
An icy chill crawled up Serena's spine and goosebumps crawled across her skin as she watched-what she termed-the devil-in-a-red dress. The woman's firey brown eyes and sneer she visibly wore were enough to send a brave man running in terror. Somehow, this lady knew Darien and it was painfully obvious that the memories she had of him were not pleasant.  
  
But why would Serena want to know this? A warning between women, perhaps? But there wasn't anything between her and Darien. They had never gotten along very well and they would probably kill each other if they tried to pursue a relationship more than mutual toleration.  
  
Serena shuddered as she visualized one big, messy catastrophe.  
  
Spooked and a bit uneasy, she decided to make an excuse and walk away from this strange conversation that she really wanted no part of. However, Serena's attention was diverted when Ann started to speak again; the dreaded words unwillingly imbedding themselves in Serena's head.  
  
"I know you. I've seen you in the magazines. You're that fashion designer, Serena Weston. I must commend you. You're either very brave or very stupid if you plan on going after Darien after Diamond. I'm actually surprised that you'd risk it. You of all people should know by now what it feels like to be betrayed and have your hopes shattered.  
  
"Listen, I'll tell you something woman to woman. Darien isn't worth being humiliated and heart-broken all over again. He can be very charming and seem like a genuine guy but I can assure you that he's a manipulative, cheating and lying bastard. So if I were you, I'd becareful because you don't know when he might try to lure you in." Ann spoke in a soft remorseful tone that was barely above a whisper.  
  
Scuffling her feet and shifting her weight, Serena toyed with the hem of her dark blue dress as she mulled over what Ann had just told her.  
  
Was it true that Darien is like Diamond? Was his courteousness simply a ploy to seduce her? If it was then why?  
  
Horribly confused, tears began to prick the back of Serena's eyes as she watched Ann disbelievingly. She moved forward to place her hand on Ann's shoulder so she could see her face. Simultaneously, Ann turned towards Serena to actually look her in the eye for the first time that night.  
  
However, she had forgotten the fact that Ann had a drink in her hand. It was like she watched the incident happen in slow motion. Serena's arm bumped Ann's hand and she saw the glass tip over, the red liquid spilling forth. Before she could prevent what was happening, Serena felt the wine dribbling all down the front of her dress.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I'm such a klutz." Serena calmly admitted, holding her tears of confusion back.  
  
"It looks like I ruined your dress." Like a desert, Ann's voice was dry of any kind of emotion.  
  
With a few patrons beginning to stare at the scene, Serena felt humiliated and out of place. She shouldn't be here; she should have never agreed to come.  
  
Picking up the hem of her dress that was dripping on the floor singlehandedly, Serena excused herself hastily and departed with as much grace as she could handle. She fast walked out towards the nearest exit in order to get away from the people that were starting to snicker. Clutching her stomach with her other hand, she kept her head down in shame to avoid anyone witnessing her tears, sniffling as she went along.  
  
Almost out the door, Serena was grabbed from behind by a pair of strong arms. Alarmed, she struggled against her attacker until she heard his voice.  
  
"Serena, calm down. It's me." Darien spoke softly.  
  
After she stopped her struggle, he set her down easily and turned her to face him. Upon seeing the large, wet stain on the front of her dress and a few tears, Darien grabbed a handkerchief from out of his coat pocket.  
  
As he neared, Serena made a move to take the handkerchief from him but he ignored her. Darien began slowly, lightly dabbing her neck, shoulders and where the skin met the top of the dress to clean up any excess wine droplets off her skin. He also took on the task of dabbing the front part of her dress where the large stain was but took extra precaution to make sure to stay clear from the areas that seemed inappropriate.  
  
Serena felt something spark and lighten in her heart as she watched in fascination as Darien concentrated on cleaning her up as best as he could. That same thing made her cast away the ideas that other lady in the red dress had implanted into her head.  
  
Serena was humbled by the act of kindness but became a bit flustered a few times when Darien's fingers grazed against her bare skin almost teasingly.  
  
Flattered but more embarrassed by his ministrations, Serena put a hand on his arm to signal for him to stop because she didn't quite trust her voice.  
  
But he didn't stop. In fact, Darien moved upwards and used the backside of his handkerchief to wipe away some tears that had escaped. After she was mostly cleaned up, Darien ran his finger along her cheek and under her chin to lift her face for his eyes to see. Only when she met his gaze with her eyes, did he speak.  
  
"There now, is that a little better?" He laid his hands on her shoulders and made sure she kept looking at him. Serena still didn't trust her voice so she nodded.  
  
"Good." Darien rubbed her shoulders soothingly. Needing to know those things the lady had said weren't true, Serena jumped into his arms and hugged him for all she was worth. Surprised but pleased, he held her for awhile as she buried her face into his shirt. He took the opportunity to rub his hands up and down her back, purposefully skimming his lips across a sensitive spot beneath her ear.  
  
If it weren't for the fact that he was consoling Serena, Darien would be furious now. He'd seen the majority of the exchange between Ann and Serena but had only picked up bits and pieces of their conversation. The next thing he saw was Ann's drink spilled on Serena's dress and distraught Serena running for the door. He was just lucky that he caught her in time. He'd have to remind himself later to have a long talk with Ann.  
  
When Serena finally more sedated, she released Darien from her embrace, timidly smiling at him.  
  
"Thank you." She whispered softly.  
  
They both heard a voice call out and saw a dark haired man walking their way. He came to a stop before Serena and addressed her.  
  
"I've been looking for you everywhere. I was beginning to think you left. Are you ok, sweetheart? What happened?" Sapphire saw the wet strain on her dress and the painful look in her eyes.  
  
"Oh, nothing, I just accidentally knocked over a glass of wine and it spilled on me. It's no big deal." She gave him a shaky smile, trying to convince him it was the truth.  
  
"Ah, well I see you're in good hands with Darien. So I guess I didn't have to worry." Sapphire's eyes sparkled with something that Serena could tell he was hiding.  
  
"Wait! Sapphire, you know Darien?" Surprised, Serena's gaze shifted to one than the other. How did they know each other?  
  
"Of course we do. Serena, I would like to introduce you to my cousin, Darien Shields."  
  
**********  
  
O.o what the...?? So did it surprise you? What do you think will happen next? Feedback would be nice as to what you guys think about the chap and what you think might happen. Cause I love to keep you guys guessing. XD  
  
Remember readers, a couple of reviews a day keep the writer's block away!! XD  
  
Thanks again for reading and putting up with this crazed author!  
  
P.S. If anyone knows how to put more space between paragraphs when you upload a chapter, It would really help me out a lot! Thanks! 


	7. Of Cousins, Kittens and Kisses

Yea! I got this chap out earlier than I thought I would. Aren't you all so proud of me?  
  
As always, thanks to my editor and beta. And thanks again to all the readers for your comments and reviews. If you have a question, just leave it in your review or email me. Thanks again!  
  
**Perfect Match**  
by PsychoBunny  
edited by SailorAngel

**Chapter 6: Of Cousins, Kittens and Kisses**  
  
Slightly swaying from one foot to the other, he sighed in boredom as he made sure to steer clear of any other chatty socialites.  
  
He didn't particularly like to get involved or socialize with many people; he wasn't that type of person. He was paid to do a job and that's what he was going to do. However, this job now had him in the middle of a party, talking to strangers like he had known them for years. In fact, it was very unusual for him to actually be within the center of such gatherings, especially when he was on an assignment.  
  
He combed his fingers through his pale blonde hair in frustration.  
  
Malcolm was usually content to stand in the shadows of the corner away from everybody else, watching his target and concentrating on her moves. This time, he was talking to corporate businessmen and women alike. Malcolm was known as one of the best in his profession and lived up to the name that he had earned. Though he thought it absurd to socialize, it was an opportune moment for him to collect more information on his target, Serena Weston, maybe even talk to the men she had been seeing lately. A doubtful ambition but it was worth a shot.  
  
Malcolm really needed to talk to the woman in the red dress named 'Ann' that Serena had talked to earlier. Something the woman said had upset Serena and he wasn't even sure how they knew each other. But he couldn't approach Ann, lest she became suspicious of his questioning, and he couldn't afford to be discovered.  
  
So he opted for the old fashion way of prying information out of a woman, flattery and mild seduction.  
  
Malcolm was just glad that his so-called 'partner' had decided to let him go solo on this one. He didn't think he could tolerate anymore of that man's inept tactics, like falling asleep in the car when they were supposed to be watching the girl.  
  
Malcolm downed the rest of the champagne he had been holding and strode across the room over to where he saw Anne standing a moment ago. It was time to do the dirty work and he had an inkling that things were about to get very interesting.

* * *

Serena blinked, slightly confused by the statement.  
  
_Cousins? He didn't mean cousin-cousin as in related cousin, did he?  
_  
Blinking again, she mentally shook herself of that eerie thought.  
  
_Nah._ She probably misunderstood and was jumping to conclusions again. _Sapphire probably said 'acquaintances' or meant something like distant cousins. Yeah, that's what he meant.  
_  
While Serena was still in a state of disbelief, Sapphire, being the sadistic male he was, seemed to find humor in the situation. With a huge, goofy smile adorning his face, he proceeded to clap Darien on the back in a brotherly manner and practically boasted with his over-sized male ego.  
  
"Yep, Darien here is my cousin and this party is in his honor to celebrate his company, which I happened to invest in. I'm sorry, Darien. I was hoping to introduce you to my lovely date but it looks as if you got to her first. You've always been a ladies man." Sapphire lightly punched Darien in the arm jokingly, laughing outright at Darien's sly grin.  
  
_Oh crap, they are related._ Serena barely managed to surpress a whimper, lifting a hand to her hand to gently rub her temple.  
  
"Well, my dear Sapphire, I can't help it if a beautiful lady can't keep her hands off me. I suggest you keep her with you at all times unless you want me to steal her away from you." Darien put his arm around Serena's back and gathered her close to his side, grinning like a cheshire cat.  
  
Serena was so confused she could swear she felt her eyebrows twitching. This couldn't be the Darien she knew, could it? Did someone happen to kidnap the real Darien and switch him with a clone with a good personality? Not that it was a bad thing if someone had.  
  
It was like watching a metamorphosis; Darien Shields had suddenly mutated into a different person who happen to be open and friendly, two traits that were usually out of character when it came him. His mannerisms bordered more on brotherly-like than anything else. Nonetheless, it was very refreshing to see a side of him that Serena had never seen before, a characteristic that reminded her of a child, a sort of playful innocence.  
  
"Fair is fair. I saw her first so I'm afraid that you can't have her. Plus, you always got the girls back when we were teenagers. This time, I get this one." Sapphire tugged lightly on her other arm and brought her closer to him, winking at Darien. Serena watched silently as their chummy banter continued, a swift bount of anger forming in her chest.  
  
_Ok, so maybe they are close cousins but that doesn't mean they can pass me around like some kind of toy!!_ Serena opened her mouth to protest and yell at them but momentarily halted. Her own thoughts abruptly strayed to an unsettling conclusion.

_If Darien is cousins with Sapphire then that meant....  
_  
Suddenly, Serena felt queasy and weak, a heavy weight settling on her stomach, her heart pounding within her head. She felt the room spinning out of control, the dizziness making her light-headed and knocking her slightly off balance. She leaned on Sapphire for support in order to keep her standing.  
  
"Serena, are you ok? You look kind of pale..." Darien took a small step forward, lifting his hand as if to touch her but thought better of it as Sapphire held her fast.  
  
"I don't feel well. I think it'd be better if I went home." Serena said nervously, her eyes stayed glued to the floor to keep the dizziness at bay.  
  
"Aww, but the party was just starting, Serena. Don't you think that you can stay for a little while." Sapphire whined pitifully, rubbing her back and trying to help her stand up straight again.  
  
"My dress is ruined and I feel sick; I just want to go home." Serena repeated, suppressing her quickly rising irritation. Didn't Sapphire want to be a 'knight in shining armor' to his 'damsel in distress'? Frankly, she didn't care if she had to hitchhike; Serena needed to go home. Now. After all, a person could only take so much stress and surprises for one night.  
  
"A lady's needs always come first. I'll take her home." Darien hurriedly offered, already taking Serena by the elbow and awaiting some sort of sign of her approval.  
  
Sighing in disappointment, Sapphire shook his head.  
  
"No, it wouldn't be fair to you, Darien. I brought her here. So if she wants to go home, I'll take her home." He sounded frustrated.  
  
Well, did he think she was thrilled about all this?! There was a large stain on the front of her dress, that was now ruined, and she just realized that her cheating ex-boyfriend was related to her confidante and archenemy. She really shouldn't have been surprised about the latter. Oh yeah, she was just have a fantastic time! It's not like she would rather be having her teeth pulled-without any kind of anesthetics, mind you-than be here.  
  
She hated feeling like a burden and it's wasn't like Sapphire was attempting to hide that fact too well. He talked as if taking her home was his 'obligation' as her date-which it was but she didn't want to get into that discussion now-and that she was wrecking his entire night. Well fine, if he was going to act like a child about this then so would she!  
  
"Well Sapphire, if you want to stay so badly than I'm more than happy to oblige you. I'll just hitch a ride with Darien. Come on, Darien. Let's go." She grabbed his hand and started to drag him towards the door. Unfortunately, she didn't get very far because he was much stronger than her and Sapphire happened to finally speak up.  
  
"Aww, that's sweet of you to say, Serena. But I know you'd rather have me drive you home." Sapphire smiled broadly.  
  
Ok, Serena knew that he probably meant that she might be uneasy going with Darien because he was a 'stranger' to her but still, the statement sounded like Sapphire was stroking his own ego.  
  
Sapphire wore a small pout when he gently took her hand from Darien and said his goodbyes. She quirked an eyebrow at him. If he thought he could get to her by sulking then he was dead wrong.  
  
There was no way she was staying even if he did seem depressed about leaving. Sapphire just had to face the fact that you couldn't always get what you want. This was especially true if you had a date who was wearing a wine-stained dress and getting more frustrated by the second.  
  
Finally, he wrapped up all of his farewells and put his arm around Serena's shoulder, speaking in a low voice.  
  
"Come on, sweetheart. Let's get you home."  
  
It was then that a minuscule amount of guilt began to seep into Serena's conscious.

* * *

"So that's how your night ended?"  
  
"Yeah. After Sapphire dropped me off at my house, he stayed for a while but we were both tired so he left early. I'm a total loser, aren't I, Lita?" Serena asked, folding her arms on the counter top.  
  
"......"  
  
"Be a good friend. Tell me, I'm not a loser. You can say it." Serena calmly stated, needing to hear the words from a friend and practically to the point of begging.  
  
"Fine. You're not a loser." Lita mimicked like a sardonic parrot.  
  
"Put more feeling into it. Say it with conviction." Serena said almost threateningly.  
  
"Serena, lower your voice. People are staring." Lita whispered fiercely, looking around cautiously.  
  
"I'm past the point of caring." Serena waved her hand to dimiss anyone's opinions about her. They probably didn't know what it was like to have one of your friends lusting after you, your archenemy being suspiciously cordial-possibly trying to seduce you-and have your ex boyfriend related to the former parties mentioned.  
  
She scrunched her nose in distaste. For God's sake, it sounded like the stupid plot line of a bad soap opera. Serena dropped her head in her folded arms then proceeded to pick up her head and drop it again, each time with a little more force.  
  
Before she could go all out by banging her head on the counter repeatedly, Lita slid her hand beneath Serena's upper arm and pinched hard. Serena's head shot up from her arms as she yelped in alarm.  
  
"Don't be so melodramatic. We have Rei for that." Lita stated matter-of- factly, propping her chin in her hand.  
  
"Yeah, I know. But did you have to pinch so hard?" Serena looked at her accusingly, rubbing her sore arm tenderly.  
  
"Yep. I figured it would get your attention faster. So when am I going to meet this Sapphire so I can make my own diagnosis of him?" Lita's amused tone grated on Serena's nerves. She grumbled quietly to herself.  
  
"What was it that you said? I missed it." Lita turned her head and held a cupped hand to her ear, still amused but now mocking too.  
  
"I said that you'll get to meet him in about 15 minutes!!" Serena shouted in aggravation, regretting her action almost immediately.  
  
"You know, I could have you kicked out for that." Lita said with a hushed voice.  
  
"But you wouldn't do that to me." Serena replied, a bit uncertain that Lita might actually follow through.  
  
"Nah. I'll just let him give you a hard time about it. That should be punishment enough." Lita pointed to someone behind Serena and walked away.  
  
"Him? Who's him?" Serena felt a sudden nervousness overcome her, her palms grew clammy and her throat was dry. An awful sense of foreboding seeped into her mind; she didn't dare turn around.  
  
"Me," came a monotonous voice. Serena felt her hopes come crashing down at the one-word statement from her tormentor. She was hoping to avoid a very strange situation-not to mention, added humiliation-with Darien present when she was going to meet Sapphire at the cafe today.  
  
She put her head in her hands and fairly cried with the irony of it all. She must have done something pretty awful at some point to deserve this kind of punishment. Well, there was that one time that she was royally pissed at Rei and put Kool-aid in her shower head. Needless to say, Rei went around the whole week colored a beautiful shade of purple but in the end, it was all worth the fiery scolding and threats she got from her friend. But she digressed...  
  
Serena stayed perfectly still, not bothering to face him. Why? Because she didn't want him to see that pitiful somebody-shoot-me-right-now look she was currently wearing. Call her a coward but she didn't want to give him more ammunition for his insistent taunting. Plus, it was so much easier to throw insults at your enemy when you weren't looking them directly in their beautiful, deep blue eyes that you could just drown in.  
  
"Serena..." Something about the way Darien said her name sent a small tingling sensation down her spine. He sounded as if he was...worried? She allowed herself a quick glance over the shoulder for curiosity's sake.  
  
Darien stood with his hands in his pant pockets, his eyes stared off in the distance but didn't focus on anything particular. From the way his eyebrows crinkled together and his mouth set in a straight line, Serena could tell he was in a deep state of contemplation. She gave him her full undivided attention as her innocent blue eyes met his.  
  
"Serena, I didn't realize you and Sapphire were..." Why did it seem so hard to speak all of a sudden? He couldn't even form the words on his tongue, much less vocalize his concern. As he opened his mouth to speak again, a familiar voice interrupted Darien.  
  
"Serena, darling! Darien? Hey, I didn't realize you'd be here too!" Sapphire happen to waltz into the cafe at that moment, a little too chipper for Darien's liking.  
  
"Hello Sapphire." Darien greeted, slightly peeved and really not in the mood to talk to anyone but Serena. There were some serious questions he had that needed to be dealt with.  
  
"I thought you were staying in a hotel somewhere near the city. I didn't realize you'd be all the way out here." Sapphire stood off to the side of Darien, surprise written all over his face.  
  
"Actually, I own a house here in town. I come down to visit every once and a while." Darien looked straight at Serena while he spoke, not wanting to make eye contact with Sapphire as he spun his little white lie. Truth was that he came down a more often then 'once and a while'.  
  
"Ahh, I see. Well, why don't you grab a seat and join me and Serena for a little breakfast, um?" Sapphire moved over to Serena and gestured to an empty table near by, draping an arm around her shoulders comfortably.  
  
Darien's eyes narrowed warningly as he watched Serena stiffen at Sapphire's motion. "Sure. Why not?" His voice held an edge that was foreign to his own ears.  
  
"But...but..." Serena stuttered, trying to send a coherent thought from her brain to her tongue that consisted of 'I'm sure Darien has something better to do'.  
  
A loud cough was heard above the all the other noise, including the cafe's patrons, as everyone abruptly stopped their clatter. Behind Serena, leaning on the counter, Lita was casually perched with a playful smile on her face. She flushed a light pink from gaining so many people's attention at once with one cough, especially that of a very handsome, dark-haired man standing beside Serena.  
  
"Uh, Serena, aren't you going to introduce me?" Lita reached out and gently dug her finger into Serena's shoulder blade, her voice mocking hurt as she frowned.  
  
"Oh. Of course, where are my manners?" Serena shot a desperate look over her shoulder, telling Lita that her nails were now biting into her flesh.  
  
"Sapphire, I would like you to meet one of my best friends from high school, Lita. Lita this is Sapphire, the guy I told you about." Serena introduced in a strained voice, relief flooding her sore muscles as soon as Lita removed her fingers from her back.  
  
"Nice to meet you." Lita offered him an outstretched hand to shake.  
  
"The pleasure is all mine." He took her hand in his own and lifted it to his lips, lightly kissing the back of it. He laid his other hand over the one he held afterwards and smiled kindly. Lita found it contagious, feeling her lips return his smile unconsciously.  
  
Oh, she was definitely going to like this guy.

* * *

Serena simply stared at them, comparing the cousins to each other while sitting across from them in the booth.  
  
Darien and Sapphire. Cousins.  
  
This new information was still very hard for her to digest. But if she were to be honest with herself, she should have seen it coming. After all, they did share a remarkably uncanny resemblance; the dark, tall and handsome gene must run in the family.  
  
Also, when she toyed with the idea that Darien, Sapphire and Diamond were all related to each other, she could think of another trait they had in common. They all seemed to possess a talent in making her life miserable and more complicated.  
  
She put her elbows on the table and rested her head in her hands, allowing a resigned sigh to escape her mouth. Sapphire was drooling on and on to Darien about his promotion at the hotel, New York and his life in general. She couldn't blame him though. From the way Sapphire spoke so raptly, she guessed that he hadn't seen Darien in a long while. It was quite fun watching how the boys interacted with each other. They seemed at ease and relaxed when talking to one another, joking and teasing throughout their conversation. She smiled wistfully. It reminded her of so much of her and Sammy. Then the whole world went still when Darien asked a question that Serena had been dreading.  
  
"I'm glad to hear you're doing so well for yourself, Sapphire. But what about Diamond? I thought he was running the hotels."  
  
"Diamond hasn't been doing so well ever since he and Serena..." He grunted out the last word as Serena kicked him in the shins from under the table. However, both failed to notice Darien's eyes noticeably widen before quickly returning to normal.  
  
"...Since he and his ex broke up. You know Diamond, if he loses a woman he really likes than he can be a real stubborn pain in the ass." Sapphire hurriedly finished up, laughing nervously to relieve some of the tension and anger that seemed to be coming off in waves from Serena.  
  
"Oh, look at the time. I better go. I'm expecting a call from my secretary today with a full report on the hotel in New York. See you two later!" Sapphire excused himself and darted out of there, fearful that Serena would give him the third degree later.  
  
"Uh, so..." Serena anxiously attempted to prompt the conversation, changing her body's position for a more comfortable sitting arrangement, her gaze suddenly fascinated by the table top.  
  
"It's a shame to waste such a beautiful day." Darien somberly stated, off- setting the unbearable silence, as he slid out of the booth smoothly and stretched. "I think I'll take a nice walk. Care to join me?" He held out his hand lightly, waiting for any indication that she might accept his offer.  
  
She stared blankly at him for a few brief seconds before smiling ruefully. "As much as I would love to, I think it would be better that I stay here. But thanks anyways." She wanted to go with him, more than her pride would let her admit but something made her say no.  
  
He let his arm fall back to his side, shrugging in apathy. "Suit yourself."  
  
Her gaze followed him all the way out the front door of the cafe, her form sinking into vinyl cushion seat the longer she sat.  
  
"You do realize that he obviously has a crush on you." The warm air from the voice stirred Serena's hair as she nearly shot up out of her seat in surprise. She glanced beside her to find a pensive Lita, leaning with her elbow on the back of the booth.  
  
"Huh? Oh, you mean Sapphire. I know I've been trying to tell him that..." Serena began in a weary voice.  
  
"No, you dolt! I meant Darien." Lita clarified, flicking Serena in the head for good measure.  
  
"Darien? _That_ Darien? Have a crush on _me_? No way!" She didn't know who she was defending, Darien or herself.  
  
"The poor guy's got it bad. He's just too stubborn to admit it and you're too dense to realize it." Lita was only vocalizing her keen observations.  
  
"Excuse me? I thought Rei was the psychic one, not you. So how would you know?" Serena gruffly replied, astonished at Lita's boldness to say such things.  
  
"Honey, you don't need to be psychic to know when a guy wants you." A stealthy grin slowly stretched across her face.  
  
Serena wanted to retort in a haughty voice, could feel her tongue itching to make a rude remark, but held herself in check. Lita was a defiant character and could be as stubborn as a mule when she believed in something strongly. It wasn't wise to argue with her. So she'd drop the issue, for now.  
  
Not two seconds later, a disheveled Ami burst through the doors of the cafe, totting a small boy by her side.  
  
"Lita, I need to...Oh, Serena! Serena, I need to ask a favor. Would you please, please watch Tyler for me? It's only for a two or three hours at the most. The hospital paged me in because there's a big emergency and I can't get a hold of Zachary. I'm so sorry but I would be indebted to you if you could do this for me." Ami rushed to explain herself, absent-mindedly straightening Tyler's clothes and her own hair.  
  
"It's ok, Ami. I understand. I'll watch Tyler for you." Serena's eyes were drawn to the lanky six year-old with dirty-blonde hair and wide blue eyes. Ami smiled apologetically.  
  
"Thank you so much, Serena. I owe you one. Tyler, mom's going to have to go to work now, ok? I'll be back soon. Love you, sweetie. Bye bye." Embracing him tightly, Ami kissed the mop of blonde hair on top of her son's head before she released him. She waved one last time to him before she was out the door again.  
  
Serena blinked and shook her head. Had she really just agreed to watch the six-year-old son-one she hadn't seen in about two and a half years-of her best friend? Did Ami really hustle in and out that door, saying something about an emergency at the hospital? It felt like Serena was having an out of body experience, watching from afar as the scene played out before her eyes, not participating in the transactions but only a spectator. _Weird.  
_  
"Lita, you're going to help me, aren't you?" She shot a helpless look to her friend. If she recalled correctly, Tyler the terror was a hellion of a boy and he was bound to give Serena trouble-probably more than usual if he didn't remember her. Serena mentally groaned. What had she gotten herself into?  
  
"Sorry, sweetheart. But I have a cafe to run, remember. You're on your own." Lita replied sympathetically, patting Serena encouragingly on the shoulder. "Maybe we can jog Tyler's memory if he doesn't remember you. Tyler, do you remember Aunt Serena? The blonde lady with the weird hairstyle from all the pictures your mom showed you?" Serena grumbled at the 'weird hairstyle' comment. Lita wasn't helping.  
  
"Hi, Aunt Lita!" Tyler finally piped up, showing off a big smile, making sure to keep a wary eye on Serena. "I think I remember..." He brought his fingers to his mouth, chewing thoughtfully on his nails while he tried to make the connection, watching Serena carefully.  
  
"Do you remember the pictures of you, your mom and dad in New York? Well, Aunt Serena lives in New York and you guys visited her. She was in the pictures with you too." Lita patiently explained, watching Serena out of the corner of her eye to see her reaction as well as the boy's. Tyler's eyes suddenly lit up in recognition.  
  
"You're the DUCKY LADY!" He screeched in wonderment. He then proceeded to bounce around Serena chanting 'ducky lady, ducky lady', proud of himself that he remembered.  
  
Serena's face fell as she wailed in self-pity, covering her face with her hands to hide her humiliation. "I'd rather not be remembered than to be known as the 'ducky lady'."  
  
"What's the story behind the 'ducky lady'?" Lita asked suspiciously, laughing at the sour look that came over Serena's face.  
  
"When Zach, Ami, and Tyler came to visit me when Tyler was about 3 and a half, I took him to Central Park one day for fun. We took some bread to feed the ducks but Tyler had more fun throwing it at the ducks then actually feeding them. Then he decided to get really close to them on shore, would hold out the bread to them as a peace offering and pull it away when they were close enough to pet. The ducks were not amused. While I gave him more bread to show him the right way to do it, the ducks decided to attack us. I grabbed Tyler and ran like hell as the ducks chased us. All Tyler kept screaming was 'the duckies gone crazy'." Serena recalled the memory in horror. The ducks had managed to chase them all the way out to Serena's car.  
  
Lita laughed aloud as she concocted a mental image of Serena and Tyler running away from a group of rabid ducks.  
  
"Aunt Serena, can we go out to the park to play today?" Tyler tugged on Serena's arm insistently, bouncing up and down impatiently, pointing to the windows where the cloudy sky gave way to a little sun. Serena found a sense of comfort in his innocent, bright blue eyes and his happy demeanor. Course, she wouldn't be saying that two hours from now but she would enjoy this time with him, the time when he was behaving.  
  
Tyler wandered over to the glass door and pressed his face against the glass, longing to be in the fresh air and sunshine. Serena actually found it rather cute to see him like that but she wouldn't torture the poor boy.  
  
"Ok, Tyler. You have your jacket on, right?" Serena made sure to keep her voice gentle but brusque, creeping up behind him in the process. Tyler held up one of his hands and waved it around in the air, indicating that he was wearing his jacket, his face still pressed against the glass.  
  
"Good, then let's head towards the park." She smiled sweetly at him, took him by the hand and lead him outside.  
  
"Yea!" He shouted in joy, nearly running out in the middle of the street to get to the park as fast as he could.  
  
"Woah there, buddy. You can't just run out in the street like that. You have to look both ways first. Ok, now we can go." Holding hands, they crossed the street easily and headed to the park nearby.  
  
As soon as he saw the swing-sets of the park, Tyler let go of Serena's hand and made a mad dash for it. He was right next to the swings when he suddenly saw something else more fascinating and took off running in the other direction.  
  
"Tyler, wait! Stop! Where are you going?!?" Serena panicked when he started running farther away from her. She sprinted to get to him before he got totally out of her sight but his head start kept him far out of reach. "Tyler!! Tyler, get back here now!" She ran faster but he managed to evade her.  
  
As he jumped effortlessly over raised roots of a large oak tree, Serena finally found her chance to catch the little bugger. She found her savior in the form of a male acquaintance coming in the opposite direction they were running.  
  
"Darien! Catch him!!" Serena shouted anxiously, pointing to the little blonde boy that was running towards him. Automatically, Darien reached out and caught the boy in his strong grip.  
  
"Woah, fella. Where are you off to in such a big hurry?" Darien set the boy down and looked at him curiously, noting the blue eyes and blonde hair.  
  
"I saw a lady who had a bunch of puppies and kittens and I was going to pet them." The boy spoke in excitement, not even slightly winded from his sprint.  
  
"Don't you think you should ask your mom first?" Darien pointed to a struggling Serena who was trying to jump the roots of the tree. Darien didn't understand why Serena hadn't mentioned a son before. It hurt him to think that she would try to keep this a secret from him.  
  
"Oh, her? Nah, that's my Aunt Serena. She's cool but just between you and me, she's a bit slow." He sighed despairingly and shook his head. Aunt Serena needed help. Darien chuckled at the boy's seemingly serious confession.  
  
Serena finally came to a stop in front of them, panting in exhaustion. "Tyler, don't ever do that to me again! You nearly gave me a heart attack!!" She heatedly reproved the boy for his stunt.  
  
"Sorry, Aunt Serena." He said it in way that hinted at annoyance. Little brat.  
  
"Thank you so much, Darien. I really appreciate your help. You might've saved me from having to file a missing person's report." She looked disapprovingly at Tyler who merely smiled innocently. Demon spawn.  
  
"Why were you running all the way over here for anyways?" Serena addressed Tyler with that stern, motherly tone of voice. Didn't he know that he could have been picked up by a stranger or kidnapped? What was the world coming to these days when the kids didn't even have any common sense anymore?  
  
"I wasn't going too far. I just wanted to pet the animals." He pointed to a woman and her daughter who had a few people gathering near them, a sign beside them saying 'puppies and kittens for sale'.  
  
"Oh...Well, you shouldn't have took off running like that. I got scared and worried seeing you run from me. You should know better than to do things like that!" She took hold of Tyler by the shoulders and lightly shook him, wanting badly to cry in relief. How dare that little monster be so calm about the situation. Evil, little punk.  
  
"Ok, ok. I'm sorry. Can I go pet the animals now?" Tyler winced at her vice- like grip on his shoulders, his voice choking in minor pain. Man, she was worse than his mother.  
  
"Fine." Much to his aching shoulders' delight, she released him with a warning. He simply nodded his compliance and jogged over to a small box the lady had in a chair. Shrugging, Serena walked over to the box to have a look for herself, grabbing Darien and dragging him along with her.  
  
"Hey, what are you doing?" Darien questioned half-heartedly. Oh, he didn't really mind being dragged somewhere with Serena, especially if she was doing the dragging.  
  
"I'm bringing you along in case Speedy decides to make another run for it." Serena grumbled under her breath. She caught his hand with her own and he followed her to the where Tyler stood with a puppy in hand.  
  
But as soon as she laid eyes on the contents of the box, all previous anger and stress melted away as she sighed in awe. "Aren't you a cute little thing?" She cooed to a small gray kitten as she picked it up, holding it up in the air right above her face. The kitten mewed in contentment as Serena stroked her soft fur coat.  
  
"Aunt Serena, do you think I could get a puppy?" Tyler asked excitedly, shoving the tiny puppy he was holding into her face.  
  
"I don't know, Tyler. You'd have to ask your mom and dad about that." Serena skirted around the fact that Tyler's parents may not have enough time or space to take care of a growing puppy. She didn't want to disappoint the boy. So she patted his arm reassuringly and smiled.  
  
"I think I may get this kitten and if I do, I promise you can come over and play with her whenever you want." Serena opened her palms to show Tyler the tiny, gray kitten who meowed in return.  
  
"Cool." Tyler's eyes lit up with wonder, his hands reaching out to pet the kitten gently.  
  
"She's cute, isn't she? Don't you think so, Darien?" She cradled the kitten in her hand lovingly as she turned to show him too. Darien scratched the kitten behind the ears and smiled as she purred loudly.  
  
"Yeah, she's cute." He gave that heart-stopping smile that always made Serena's breath hitch in her throat.  
  
"Oh, no." Serena abruptly remembered that she left her purse with all her money back at Lita's cafe. She mentally smacked herself in the head. She was such a goof sometimes...  
  
"What?" Darien asked concerned.  
  
"I left my money at Lita's cafe. Oh well, I'll just have to come back later to get this little lady." She rubbed the cat one more time under the chin before she set it back down in the box with the other brothers and sisters. Serena would play with Tyler at the park then go to Lita's cafe and come back later with the money to buy the gray kitten. Yep, she wanted that kitten. So that's what she was going to do.

* * *

Sighing, Serena threw her keys down on the coffee table as she entered her living room. It had taken about three and a half hours for Ami to get back to pick up Tyler. Not that Serena minded, he was good and didn't give her any trouble. It's just that by the time she finally got her money from the cafe, waited for Ami to come and pick Tyler up and went back to the lady selling kittens, the little gray cat she wanted was gone.  
  
The lady said she had sold it to someone else and offered her the ones that were left. But, Serena politely said no. She had had her heart set on the tiny, gray kitten with big, watery blue eyes that made you want to love it. Unfortunately, someone else had gotten her before Serena. _Oh well, that's life for ya.  
_  
The redundant ringing of the doorbell intruded upon Serena's train of thought.  
  
_Who could that be?  
_  
Serena hauled herself up from the couch and made her way to the front door. Swinging the door open wide, she spontaneously laughed at the visitor standing there.  
  
"I come here out of the goodness of my heart and you have the gall to laugh at me?" Darien drank in the sight of her, her eyes bright with laughter, her head tossed back, her face beaming with happiness, her hair dancing around her face in the slight breeze, her lips...wait, was she talking to him? Oops.  
  
"...I needed that. So what brings you to my humble abode?" Serena smiled warmly, stepping out onto the porch and sliding one hand in the back pocket of her jeans.  
  
"Actually, I brought you a little something." Serena looked at him skeptically as he smiled mysteriously. Darien's arms were folded but one of his palms seemed to be hiding something in the crook of his other arm. He lifted his palm to reveal a tiny, gray kitten with big blue eyes safely nestled in the crook of his arm. A small squeak of surprise managed to pass Serena's lips as the kitten meowed at her.  
  
At that moment, there were no words that could have expressed what Serena was feeling, ss everything she had been feeling up to that point came to a boiling point. Because of that, she didn't use words; overwhelmed with emotion, she showed him through her actions.  
  
She threw her arms around his neck and pressed her soft lips to his, in a sweet, longing kiss of lovers.

* * *

I know, I know. It's killing me to stop the chap there too but I have to. ;;; It works better for the next chapter if I do. So I hope you guys liked this chapter. It's not very long but I did get it out much earlier than I did before. Though I am quite busy, I hope the have more time to work on this story now that summer is finally here! weeee! Remember, feedback is much appreciated and helps a poor, starving author keep writing. XP  
  
Also, I've been working on another story that is I'm totally infatuated with right now so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that. It's much different from PM but I can assure you that you will like it!! XD 


	8. So much for Sanity

Before I get into the chapter, I feel the need to get on my soapbox. First off, those who have stuck with this story for about...what? over 3 years now. You guys are amazing. I heavily considered quitting this story and moving on. I had planned to make the last little bit of what I wrote for this chapter and posted, the final installmant. But when so many of you showed such support for the story and my writing, I knew I couldn't just abandon it. Infact, I believe I personally messaged everyone who reviewed because I was so touched. So it may have taken me longer than I expected but I was finally able to finish this chapter. And I must admit, this has been the most difficult chapter to write so far.

As an extra treat, it's pretty lengthy but unfortunately, it's unedited. My editor is MIA. So sorry for any mistakes I missed. And I'll give you a hint, this chapter is a build up to the climax.

* * *

Serena leaned against the glass windows as she watched the airplanes signal to take off, sighing wearily. She drew iridescent figures with her forefinger on the glass and tried to focus on the bubbly blonde that would be making her way through the airline gates any time now. However, her mind kept floating in a cloudy haze of confusion as it kept replaying one moment in time over and over again.

The moment when she had kissed Darien.

Even now she could still feel the effects of that brief moment. Unconsciously, her fingers touched her lips as they tingled with the memory. The whole scenario still seemed like a surreal dream, a blurry thought of consciousness that wasn't real to your mind as much as it was to your body. It kept rewinding and playing like a broken video in Serena's mind repetitively, taunting her with its stimulating images.

Now that she really thought about it, she didn't so much kiss Darien as she had lunged at him. She hadn't been aiming for romance, honest. In a week full of terrible surprises, a sweet gesture-like getting her the kitten she wanted had made her feel-as cheesy as it sounded-special and appreciated.

She had just let herself get over-excited and didn't think the action through; well, that's what she planned on telling anybody who asked. Now she just had to let herself believe it.

No, she had to make herself believe it. Otherwise, she'd have to face the truth about why she'd kissed Darien and then she'd have to face her feelings; neither was a very appealing option.

She didn't want to think about how the world felt like it had turned upside down when he had kissed her back, how all her problems seemed to melt away when his arm wrapped around her, and how nothing else in the world mattered except the man that had stood in front of her at that moment.

Unwanted butterflies fluttered excitedly in Serena's stomach as a delicate blush crawled its way up her neck. She willed herself not to get flustered over the thought of a kiss. For goodness sake, it was a simple kiss between two adults. It didn't necessarily have to mean anything, right?

Then why was it bothering her so much?

She whimpered pathetically as she inclined her head to the side and watched her reflection in the glass. So this was what is was like to be desperate on the rebound. Mina had told Serena some crazy stories of wild affairs while on the rebound of a bad breakup; some of the stories were so outrageous that Serena had a hard time finding a logical reason why someone would actually consider doing them.

Funny how Serena could see herself having one of those crazy escapades with Darien right now.

A beautiful, blonde goddess glided effortlessly next to Serena's reflection as all train of thought came to a halting brake.

Both blondes illuminated the pane glass window with their simultaneous smiles just as a squeal erupted from both bosom buddies. In one mad rush, the girls were plastered to one other in a mass of blonde hair and flailing limbs as they hugged fiercely.

The scene played much like a reuniting of two long lost sisters.

* * *

"So is there really passion between you and the male model or do you fabricate it for the cameras?" Raye popped a piece of fruit in her mouth as she questioned the ethereal beauty in front of her. As an afterthought she added, "Personally, I'm too much of a passionate person to fake any emotion with a guy."

"Well a model has to be an actress in mind as much as she is a model in body in order to be successful." Mina giggled in a sing-song voice as she waved her finger about in a know-it-all manner. "Else, photo sessions would be a disaster and you'd have only one good shot out of about fifty." The blonde model shook her head sternly as a concentrated look crossed her features.

"Tell us what your last photo session was like. Were you working with a handsome male model?" As the words left her mouth, Lita's eyes glazed over in a dreamy stare as she eagerly perched on the edge of her seat.

At Lita and Raye's insistence, Mina graced them with her best smile and divulged her experiences as a model and soon the gossip followed. "Oh yes, I had a wonderful partner during the last shoot for a perfume ad. He was tall, handsome with dark hair, green eyes, a tan and an Australian accent. I believe he's an up and coming actor as well." Her blue eyes gleamed with mirth as all three girls erupted into a fit of giggles that would outclass any band of schoolgirls.

Serena smiled happily as the three became well acquainted with small talk and stories. She couldn't remember being this content in a long time. When Serena had suggested a lunch in with her four best friends that day, she hadn't anticipated it to go over as seamlessly as it had. After all, the girls were so very different from each other, in personalities and careers. Yet everything seemed to be going over smoothly without Serena's intervention.

She stole a glance at Amy out of the corner of her eye and heaved a sigh quietly. Well not as smoothly as she had hoped.

The naturally silent, shy woman was inconspicuously gripping and twisting the tablecloth in her hands with a nervous anticipation while staring as some unknown item on the table. Serena inclined her head towards her dark haired friend and reached across the table to wrap her hand around her friend's twitching fingers. Amy quickly looked up, gracing Serena with a small smile that belied something deeper.

"You ok, Aims?" Serena's brows knitted together in worry.

"Well...I'm not quite sure. Oh Serena, Zachary has been acting so strange lately, always off working on an assignment. He's been overly secretive about his current employer. He stays out til ungodly hours of the morning and late at night; he doesn't tell me where he's going or who he's going out with. He'll only tell me that he's paired with a partner on this case and that this one is extremely important. It's been like this for nearly 3 weeks now." She hesitated for only a brief moment. " I'm so worried, Serena. Do you think...that he's having an affair?"

Serena appeared genuinely shocked at the admission. Anybody who knew Zach and Amy would never imagine the word 'affair' to coincide as a suspicion in their marriage. In fact, Amy's marriage had been the 'happily ever after' that they use to dream about as little girls. Well, sure the couple had their problems and scuffles from time to time but it was nothing too concerning that they weren't both willing to work out.

Zachary's behavior must be putting a serious strain on Amy if she was expressing such a distressful accusation.

"Oh Amy, I'm sure everything's all right. Zachary knows that if he had an affair, that I'd be the first in line to cause him bodily harm." Serena gave Amy's hand a sympathetic squeeze.

"Not to mention, Lita and Raye would have a score to settle with him as well. Try not to worry. He said it was an important case right?" A nod from the apprehensive woman was the answer. "Then I'm sure that it's just taking up more of his time than usual." Serena's voice was soft and her eyes reassuring as she caught Amy's glance. With gleaming blue eyes, Amy's barest of smiles was both encouraging and heartbreaking.

Serena prayed she wasn't wrong about this.

"Something up, Serena?" Mina's giddy voice cut through the stoic haze of Serena's muffled emotions. Both blondes eyes connected in an unspoken admission. Yet as quickly as Serena had glanced at Mina, the connection was lost as Serena occupied herself with playing with the silverware on the table.

"Oh, nothing at all." Serena made some frivolous hand gesture that had Mina questioning her friend.

"Ok, by the way, Charles says hi. Anyways, as I was saying before about David, the actor." Mina refused to push a subject where Serena was concerned, especially in front of her friends. She'd just have to figure out a way to gently pry the answer from Serena in private.

Amy's demeanor improved significantly as the lunch wore on. Mina even had Amy laughing at a couple of her stories and blonde moments. All in all, Serena found herself less perturbed about Amy's situation by the end of the meal. However, Serena's good attitude did little to diminish the determination to have a personal talk with Zachary afterwards.

* * *

Finally able to talk to Serena in the privacy of her small rental house with nobody to bother them, Mina shoved Serena on the couch and sufficiently trapped her between the cushion and her own body.

"Alright Serena, now really, tell me what's wrong?" A frown tugged at the corners of Mina's mouth as she crossed her arms over her chest, mimicking an angelically, pouty child who desperately wanted to know a secret her friend was keeping. Least, that's what Serena imagined was her aim.

In reality, she reminded Serena of a petulant child that didn't get what she wanted.

"It's really nothing, Mina. Let it go." Serena said a silent prayer to all that was holy that Mina would drop the issue in peace so they could continue on with their visit. Obviously, the holy beings were occupied with other important matters because Mina had other plans.

"Serena, you know you can talk to me about anything. After all, that's why I'm here." Mina oddly sounded on the verge of begging, something very alien to her personality. Mina never begged; she was usually the girl that was hard-headed, determined and persistent. That knowledge enabled Serena to realize how important it was to her blonde best friend to know what was bothering the designer. Serena suddenly had the urge to wrap Mina in another tight hug.

"Ok, but you have to swear to me that you won't tell anybody, especially the girls." Serena sternly pointed a finger at Mina so she understood the seriousness of the situation.

The model was taken aback for only a moment before she threw up her hand in a mock-scout style. "I swear I won't tell a soul."

Serena nodded in compliance. "You remember Amy, the doctor? Well I noticed that Amy was acting more introverted than normal at lunch. I tried to talk to her and she told me that her husband has been consumed with work lately and he's been secretive about the current case he's been working on."

Listening intently, Mina appeared confused. "But didn't you tell me that he was a private investigator? So wouldn't he be secretive about his clientele and the case?" Serena shook her head vigorously.

"I said the same thing to Amy but she told me this time he's been paired with a partner. A partner that she knows nothing about and one that Zach won't discuss with her." Serena paused for dramatic affect. "Amy confessed that Zach's been staying out til all hours of the morning and late at night. He won't tell her where he's going or who he is going to be with or anything at all really. She suspects he may be having an affair." Here, Mina gasped in outrage.

"And didn't you mention that they have a little boy too?" Mina could feel a knot forming in her stomach already. Though, she didn't know Amy that well, the shy, modest woman was one of Serena's best friends and Mina had grown fond of her in the short time they were acquainted.

Serena's slow, affirming nod was the only answer she could muster. At some point, Diana, the kitten a certain male companion had bestowed upon her, managed to jump into Serena's lap and now was a source of comfort for her wriggling hands.

"How terrible!" Mina's hands cupped her cheeks as her mouth hung open in shock.

"I know but I've never imagined Zachary as the unfaithful type. Then again, I've been wrong before about men." Uninhibited images of Diamond and Beryl flooded Serena's mind. "I plan on talking with Zach. Either talk some sense into him or try to clear this whole thing up."

"And I'm just the woman to help you! You know I am an expert when it comes to men." The model pumped a fist in the air in triumph while grinning impishly.

Serena blanched at the thought. Not that she wasn't thankful for Mina's courageous efforts...but the woman's half-baked schemes usually garnered more trouble than help. And for some reason, Serena didn't believe that having a track record of celebrity boyfriends and a notorious reputation for being a huge flirt counted as an "expert" in the male species.

"Come on, how about we go out for some Chinese and then we can begin the plotting." Mina licked her lips amorously and rubbed her hands together devilishly, consumed by her own thoughts.

Her best friend sitting on the other end of the couch wasn't sure if her behavior spurred from hunger or the eagerness to plot a scheme. Either way, it was a bit creepy.

* * *

A flustered Serena bustled her way through the door of her house after struggling with her keys for a brief moment, vaguely mumbling some choice words. To add insult, Mina swaggered her way straight behind Serena into the house, snickering mercilessly.

"Oh Sere, come on. Where's your sense of humor?" The babbling blonde slapped her friend's back all in good fun, grinning much like a Cheshire cat.

"You weren't the one trying to talk to the flirtatiously cute waiter with a mouth full of food." Serena shot Mina with a look akin to an odd mix of pitiful embarrassment and jealousy.

"True. At least, I had the manners to flirt with him without gorging myself on the sweet and sour chicken at the same time." If it was possible, Mina's magazine-cover smile widened.

"Well, I can't help it if I like Chinese food. Plus, it never seems to fill me up so I always end up eating more." Serena frowned slightly, on the borderline of sulking.

"Ok, I'll give you that but then how do you explain tripping over yourself as we left?" A minx of a gleam lit up the model's eyes.

Serena stumbled over her own words in abashment. "Uh, well...you see...Oh, Mina! Catch Diana before she runs out!"

In disarray, Mina searched furiously for the aforementioned gray ball of fur as she reached for the door. Unfortunately, as the door began closing, the tiny kitten darted out into the night air. A huff came from the world-class model. "Don't worry, I'll get her!"

Serena had experienced some crazy things during her career but watching Mina scramble around the darkened porch for Diana in a short skirt and high heels topped them all. She could hardly keep the amusement from dancing in her voice as she spotted Mina on all fours digging in the bushes. "Having a hard time?"

The dignified designer swore she heard a muffled snort.

"Come here, Diana. Come on, kitty, kitty, kitty. Gotcha, you little furball." Mina managed to capture Diana and held the mewing kitten in the safety of her arms, scratching the back of Diana's head.

Serena couldn't help but cross her arms and giggle at the two as they made their way back up the porch with the model appearing quite disheveled. However, Serena quickly sobered as she caught a glimpse of something gleaming in the dark. Scanning the street confirmed that a sleek, black Range Rover parked across the street and two houses down was the source of the gleam. It shouldn't have bothered her yet in the back of her mind, Serena knew she had seen that same car before.

"Sere? You ok? You look kind of pale." Mina squeezed Serena's shoulder kindly as Diana mewed her concern as well.

A brief moment was taken to shake her out of the daze but afterwards, Serena ushered Mina and the small cat into the house.

Serena kept herself from moving about the living room too suspiciously as she dimmed the lights, twisting the hem of her dress. The memory of a strange phone call kept plaguing her mind. "Mina, there's a black Range Rover outside; very similar to the same one we spotted at the restaurant. Do you remember?" The fear-laced waver in her tone gave way to her suspicions.

Diana jumped to the couch as Mina scratched her chin pensively. "Now that you mention it, I could have sworn I saw that exact same car at the airport when you picked me up. Wasn't it already parked on the other side of the street when we left earlier for the restaurant too?" The familiar look of puzzlement crossed her flawless features. "Hmm, that is very peculiar."

The word 'peculiar' failed to convey the eerie coincidence of the mysterious appearances of the car currently parked outside Serena's house. And since when did Mina use words like 'peculiar' anyways?

Serena kept herself busy by moving around like she was getting ready for bed. Vainly hoping she didn't look quite as awkward as she felt, Serena lifted Diana and deliberately placed her near the windowsill, poking her fingers through the blinds to gander outside. The car was still there and she could view it better with the dimmed lights.

Maybe she was being paranoid? Anybody could have a car like that right? The neighbors could have company over and they could be staying til wee hours of the morning.

Movement inside the dark interior of the car caused Serena to jerk from the window and place a shaky hand to her hammering heart. "This is way too creepy, Mina. I thought I saw someone in the car. I think we should call the police."

Suddenly, Mina's eyes fairly glowed with the hints of a plan forming in that blonde head of hers. "Wait, I have an idea."

Oh if Serena had a nickle every time Mina had uttered those infamous words only to have them both end up in a heap of trouble.

"If someone is so interested in spying on us, I say we do a little spying of our own." Mina's insanely wide grin could put even the hardest, coldest homicidal maniac at unease. "Why don't we slip out the back door and see if we can spy on them too?"

"Mina, are you crazy? What if they're dangerous? What if they're serial killers just waiting for their opportunity?" Serena sounded incredulous towards the idea.

"Serena, did it ever occur to you that you could be wrong? So you thought you saw the same car at the restaurant? So I may have seen the same car at the airport. It's no big deal. It is a small town and maybe the movement you saw was your paranoia playing tricks on you. At least if we catch a look of who might be in the car, we can get confirmation that somebody may be trying to pull something before we call in the authorities." Mina sounded so logical explaining her theory but Serena knew it was a kooky idea no matter how it was spun.

Still, curiosity got the better of her. Maybe her obsessive behavior of keeping her whereabouts secret was taking its toll on her fragile mind. Perhaps it was paparazzi who had found her? Stalking the famous was nothing new for them.

A surge of adrenaline ran through Serena's veins at the thought of paparazzi. If they found it amusing to follow her every move then she'd just give them a taste of their own medicine. Holding up a hand, Serena ran back into the bedroom. "Hold that thought!"

After much rummaging and being buried under a pile of junk that fell from the shelves, Serena finally discovered what she so eagerly sought. "Got it!" Triumphantly, she held up a pair of walkie-talkies and binoculars. "Now just how did you plan on going about this plan of yours, Mina?"

* * *

"Blonde bombshell to Fashionista, do you read me? Over." The crackling sound of the walkie talkie and the loud voice emanating from within seemed to be mocking Serena as she sat in her position quietly.

"Mina, are the nicknames really that necessary?" Mina was doing nothing to soothe Serena's over-worked nerves as a knot of dread settled in her throat. Serena was positive this was not the wise thing to do but they wouldn't turn back now. However, one consolation prize did provide a minuscule amount of solace for the jaded fashion designer. At this point, she couldn't make a bigger fool out of herself.

"Of course, they're necessary. They do it all the time in the movies." Mina was incorrigible as far as self-justification concerning matters of complete and utter insanity.

"Mina, do I need to remind you that this is not a movie and real, potential danger may lie in this scheme of yours?" Serena's stern voice was coincidentally reminiscent of her own mother. Ironically though, it's not like she was helping delude Mina's fantasy by squatting in the greenery in front of her neighbor's house.

"True but that's what makes it so thrilling." A chorus of giggles followed suit.

Serena rolled her eyes and squinted against the inky blackness of the night, using the binoculars to better situate her view. With a few more blinks, her eyes were adjusting properly to the darkness. Yet the obscure appearance of the Range Rover was impenetrable to Serena's prying eyes; the window tint was too dark to make out anything beyond the shine of the dim street lights.

She sighed reluctantly as she held the walkie talkie to her mouth, "Mina, I can't see anything from this angle. I'm going to get closer for a better look. Make sure nobody's around."

"Roger that, Fashionista!" As delusional as Mina could be, Serena had a hunch that her friend comprehended the consequences of what may happen if caught.

The adrenaline pumped through Serena's small frame as she crouched low to the ground and moved swiftly behind bushes down the street, away from the parked car. Without missing a beat, she darted across the street and dove in the bushes of another house. She could feel the perspiration gathering at her forehead and neck as her body pulsed with a life all its own. Now on the same side of the street the car of interest rested, Serena creeped through branches and leaves of the bushes to stop ten feet from the passenger door. Her breathing hitched, her mouth went dry, her mind rushed a million miles a minute and she could feel her entire being twitching on the precipice of both anxiety and excitement.

God, this was exhilarating. She should have been a spy.

The outline of two distinctly male figures reflected against the tinted windows. Tuning down her walkie talkie with binoculars held fast against her chest, Serena peeked through the branches of the heavy bushes surrounding her. The street lights provided a slight advantage so she leaned forward to situate herself.

The sound of sliding glass caught her attention.

Serena scrambled backwards, taking care to make as little commotion as possible.

The man in the passenger seat rolled down his window and precariously lounged in his seat with his elbow hanging out of the window. Serena's heart was beating so fast now that she swore it was about to beat itself straight out of her chest. Engaged in a conversation with the man in the driver's seat, Serena curiously watched the passenger bob his blonde head up and down. She licked her lips nervously, slinking as close as she dared to the edge of the brush and lifted her binoculars.

The man jerked slightly in his seat as he kept his face turned away from her; Serena mirrored his actions. She still wasn't able to see his face but she did catch snippets of their conversation.

"I don't think we'll see anymore action for tonight. Things look quiet and she appears to have gone to bed. I think we should be getting back now." Oddly, the blonde passenger sounded vaguely familiar but he had addressed the other man with tinges of weary and distress in his voice. His friend sighed in obvious frustration.

"Our assignment is to watch the girl and monitor anybody she comes into contact with." The line was rehearsed. The man had probably said it to his partner a thousand times before and that seemed to be the end of the conversation. A sour look crossed Serena's face as an equally sour thought crossed her mind.

Those fucking paparazzi had found her.

It figures they would camp out in front of her house to get the perfect shot of her in a woe-is-me routine. At that point, Serena didn't care that the men might hear her or if she would get sued later on for her actions. All she knew was the infuriating rage boiling inside of her reaching a peak and the irrational sensation to get a bit of due payback. So she crawled to the passenger side of the car til she was pressing against the door, simultaneously breathing a small prayer and a curse.

It happened in a flash of a second. With the stealth and tenacity of a large cat, Serena pounced upwards on the balls of her feet, flung her hand through the window and yanked the blonde man by his collar. She handled a nice grip on the portion of shirt as she faced him with enough ire to send any man twice his size running with their tail between their legs. She was practically nose to nose with him ready to bark all sorts of obscenities, even while he yelped and viciously tried to scoot backwards into the safety of the car. She immediately withheld herself when he looked her dead in the face with his rueful blue eyes. She paled.

"Z...Zachary?"

Serena was so stunned that her mind didn't bother to register the other man getting out of his side of the car to stand menacingly beside her. Her hands relaxed their hold of Zach's shirt for only a heartbeat but with lightening quick reflexes, Zach's partner seized Serena's slim wrist with his own large hand. She made a small cry in protest at his rough grip and that's when all hell broke loose. Serena extended her arms around herself to claw at her attacker while Zach wrestled with his seatbelt to free himself, yelling at his partner to let her go. Mina sprinted across the street to her jeopardized friend and screamed her name as she watched the man evaded Serena's lashes.

Tears were welling in Serena's eyes at the strain of her hand being held so high and at such an odd angle. The platinum haired man's grip was unrelenting as he easily captured her other flailing arm with his free hand. With steely gray eyes and a cool voice, he finally spoke, "This is for your own good. Now if you'll just calm down, we'll get this whole matter..."

"Malcolm! Don't! Let her go! I'll clear this..." Zachary tugged viciously at his seatbelt to get to his partner and Serena before either of them did anything regrettable. However, his protests died in his throat as he witnessed another man approach.

Mina watched shell shocked as a dark haired stranger snatched Malcolm's wrists tightly and utter a low and indistinguishable threat.

Darien inhabited a touch of insomnia from time to time, more often in the past few weeks than ever before. So he took to a midnight stroll to afford himself a little peace of mind. And be it consciously or unconsciously, it had ended with him walking straight to Serena's house like it had so many times before. However, unlike the times before, this night he witnessed a hard faced man harshly handling a girl who looked less than half his size. Only a split second later did Darien realize that the girl was actually Serena and she was putting every ounce of her being into desperately fighting the man off.

From that point, Darien's natural instinct took over; his initial reaction possessed him to protect her. He didn't remember covering the distance between the corner of the street to wielding the broad man's forearm with enough strength to leave dark bruises. "I would let that woman go if I were you." He growled fiercely.

It was all he said and it was all he had needed to say.

The man turned calculating eyes on Darien then shifted his attention to Serena. Hesitant of his decision and conscious of the threat issued, Malcolm calmly released the short, aggravated woman. As a compulsion, Serena profusely rubbed at her wrists where he handled her and retreated next to Darien. Although she mustered all her control in order to suppress the snarl that clawed in her throat, her body betrayed her frame of mind and her limbs trembled from the ordeal.

And infamously late as always, Mina arrived to save the day.

Mina was sprinting in such a ridiculous pair of pumps that she had difficulties stopping. She ended up running straight into the backside of the man that had accosted Serena. Had Serena not been in such a sour mood, she would've laughed. But that still didn't deter her mouth from sporting a quirky grin.

The man swayed slightly off kilter from the impact and then, fluidly straightened to regain his composure. Mina was leaning most of her weight on his back as she clutched at him to center her balance. She caught sight of Serena near the ebony haired man. "Oh, Serena! Are you alright?" She pushed against Malcolm to stand properly, shoving him aside and disregarding the fact that he was present. Mina held both Serena's hands in her own and looked at her regretfully. "I'm so sorry I didn't get to you sooner." Mina enveloped her blonde companion in tight hug.

Finally, Zachary had managed to loosen his seatbelt and get out of the car. He ran a shaking hand through his tousled blonde locks as he shamefully faced Serena. "Serena, I know I have a lot of explaining to do but first off, let me say I'm sorry I couldn't tell you...or Aimee for that matter."

Serena and Mina exchanged a confused glance.

Zach stammered as he shifted from foot to foot in embarrassment and sighed in frustration. "It's...uh, it's a long story. But the short version is I got a call from your friend in New York."

A forced, humorless laugh squeezed its way out of his scratchy throat."I really was on the fence about staking out and watching you, Serena. Really, I was. But he said you could be in possible danger and I didn't want to alarm you. So I took on the case...and then I had take on Malcolm as a partner so I could have backup at all times." A nervous twitch settled in Zachary's movements as he ran his hands through his hair and licked his lips continuously.

He looked Serena straight in the face and admitted with a hint of pride, " I was just trying to make sure you didn't get hurt."

Darien glared daggers at Malcolm as his ire for the man seethed. "Try telling that to your friend here." He gently wrapped his arm around Serena's waist to insinuate his point.

Nonchalantly, Malcolm replied with a flippant answer. "I was doing my job." Speechless, Serena could only blink while looking back and forth between Darien and Malcolm. The tension was so unbearably thick and uncomfortable that Serena could feel goosebumps rising on her skin.

Still, she detected a seriousness in Malcolm's demeanor that belied something deeper.

Mina didn't care for the platinum blonde man's attitude and marched up to him to poke an accusing finger in his chest. "Since when has a job required you to assault young women, huh? Who do you think you are trying to do something like...like that to someone?" Mina's agitation was reaching a boiling point and Malcolm sensed it. Mina took a step forward to clearly show her displeasure to the stone faced man, still firmly digging her finger into his chest. In response, Malcolm took a step back to her advance.

"I wasn't assaulting her. All I noticed was somebody attack my partner, I didn't know who it was til I grabbed her. I was making sure she didn't hurt herself or my partner and I tried to calm her down in the process." Malcolm threw up his hands in defense, as if trying to prove his innocence. Yet, he didn't appear the least bit fazed by the blonde beauty.

"Ok, everybody just calm down. Why don't we just go back to the house and try get this whole matter settled out?" Serena's tone left no room for arguments. Now if only Darien removed his hand from her hip, she could think clearly again without worrying about the heat rushing through her veins.

She turned away from them and motioned across the street, all the while trying to ignore how Darien's hand caressed her side as it fell away. "We're accomplishing nothing just standing out in the middle of the street and going after each other's throats." Hard as it may be to believe, Serena could act like an adult every once in awhile. And in true maternal fashion, Serena ensured they all behaved and lead them into her house.

* * *

If possible, Serena felt even more baffled than before.

Mina's face mirrored the disarray that paralleled Serena's emotions. "So this is the same Zachary that is married to Aimee? Talk about a coincidence." In unison, Serena and Zachary rolled their eyes.

"Wait, let me get this straight. You talked to Charles? My Charlie? And he hired you to keep a close eye on me? Why didn't he tell me any of this?" Frustrated and reaching borderline outrage, Serena pinned Zachary with a fixed glare.

Zachary shrank in the chair where he sat, clearing his throat to ease his discomfort. "Charles was concerned about you and your emotional state. So he wanted reports on your progress to know if you were recovering from your recent...turmoil. So we followed you around and monitored your interactions, as well as any personal contact you had with friends or family. I really didn't want to take the assignment but when he mentioned you might be in harm's way, I couldn't very well say no."

Darien observed Serena's brow furrow as a frown creased her delicate mouth. "I still don't understand. How could I be in harm's way down here? I've taken extra precaution to watch myself."

Zach faltered with an immediate answer. "...It's complicated...Nothing you should worry yourself about, that's why Charles hired me and why I have Malcolm for backup." Serena could tell he was hiding something from her but didn't push the matter.

"So how did you get hooked up with Mr. Silent and Creepy exactly?" Mina gestured toward Malcolm who stood motionless in the corner, his face devoid of any emotion. He was beginning to weird her out.

Malcolm, on the other hand, was not amused by Mina's childish name calling. "Mr. Hartman hired me to work in conjunction with Zachary. I've worked with Charles previously on separate occasions and he knows my expertise." Precise, to the point and no personal connection. The man was definitely not the social type.

"Expertise in what exactly?" Mina said sardonically under her breath.

Zachary caught wind of Mina's question and shifted in his seat to address her. "Malcolm is a former bodyguard. He has an impressive credential list and has worked for many important public figures."

Mina's face flooded with heat as she sensed Malcolm's eyes on her.

"Why would Serena need a bodyguard?" Darien leered at Malcolm suspiciously, laying his arm on the back of the couch where Serena sat stiffly beside him.

Whether suffering from the high end tension or his own conviction, Zachary seemed to choke on air as he went into a coughing fit. All while, Malcolm faced Darien casually. "Because Diamond Elman is out searching for Serena."

Before Darien could respond, Serena erupted out of her seat to confront Malcolm. "What do you mean Diamond is out searching for me? I thought that was over and done with."

Malcolm inclined his head to look at Zachary, awaiting his response. However, Zachary fidgeted awkwardly with the buttons of his shirt as he avoided Serena's question. Malcolm sighed reluctantly. "After you left, Diamond had a mental breakdown and had to go see a therapist. Not long after he started his sessions, he developed classic signs of obsessive behavior. His point of obsession became you, Ms. Weston. A few days later, he vanished."

Zachary got out of his seat and gently grasped Serena's hands in his own. Until then, Serena hadn't realized her hands had been shaking. "Serena...He knows Sapphire found you and now, he's trying to find you too." Serena turned ashen with dread.

Mina took her cue to stand beside her friend and hug her by the shoulders.

* * *

Definitely not my ideal place to stop but I really want to save the rest for the next chapter. In case none of you remember (I will not hold it against you!), Charles is a fashion consultant from New York that is a close friend of Serena. He was mentioned in the first, second and I believe, the third chapter very briefly. Much love and thanks to you guys! Please review. And if you review, I will personally respond and answer any questions you guys may have.

Edit: I had to go back and reload this chapter because decided to remove all my line breakers.


	9. Awaiting the Storm

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Serena nervously busied herself with making coffee for her guests to keep her mind off her current dilemma, fumbling briefly with the coffee pot.

A successful distraction had presented itself earlier when Zachary had called Amy. This, of course, was after Serena had a mild hysterical breakdown. Naturally, Mina escorted Serena away from the men in the living room and calmed her down in the bedroom with encouragements and a heart to heart. A tear stained, blood-shot eyed Serena returned to find Zachary pacing anxiously in her kitchen.

After a reassuring hug and a few concerned inquiries, Zachary had bashfully asked to use Serena's phone since he had left his cell phone in the car. Serena readily agreed and they had spent the past hour recounting the whole ordeal to Amy. Thankfully, Amy sounded relieved, albeit concerned for Serena's well being and sanity. Zachary offered to stay the night, as did Malcolm and Darien.

Naturally, Mina never missed a beat and gathered pillows and extra blankets from the closet to make pallets on the couches and chairs.

Yet Serena had a strange inkling that none of them would get much sleep tonight.

She was reaching for cups in the cupboard when something brushed her shoulder. Inclining her head, Serena noticed Darien standing a mere foot from her. Caught off guard, she gave a start and dropped a ceramic mug on the floor. They both cringed from the obscenely loud clatter of the mug breaking.

"Darien..." She breathed as her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. "...I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

His eyes flickered from her flushed face to the floor where the mug laid in pieces. Wordlessly, Darien bent down and began to collect the shattered remains of the mug.

Unfolding a towel, Serena sank to floor beside Darien to clean the mess she made. "Here, I can get it. You don't have to worry about it." A few sweeps of the towel across the wood surface was all it took.

With the rest of the broken mug wrapped in the towel, she stood as a half-hearted smile tugged at her lips. "I can be such a klutz sometimes. It's a wonder that I don't break things more often." It proved a prime target for him to make a smart remark and that's what she intended. Instead, he straightened and said nothing.

Somehow, his silence bothered her more than anything he could have said. Completely reserved in his behavior and movements, he gently removed the towel from her hands and threw it in the trash. He faced her calmly and spoke in a soothing tone.

"Serena...what does Diamond have to do with all this?"

She leaned her back against the counter, avoiding any eye contact with him, and placed her hands on the edge to steady herself. She considered lying or just flat out refusing to tell him. Yet her mind swam with images of a small, gray kitten, the two of them laughing over a pizza while watching a movie, Darien capturing a small, blonde boy in his arms and a shared kiss under her dim porch lights. In retrospect, he had rushed to her aid when she had been in trouble and despite the teasing and arguments, he had been nothing short of gracious.

She couldn't hide from it any longer. He deserved to know the truth. He needed to know the truth.

Taking a shaky breath, she answered him as honest and evenly as her unstable nerves allowed her. "Diamond and I were involved in a very serious relationship. But on the evening of my fashion show, I..." Her eyes burned with the want to shed garnered tears and her throat itched with raw pain.

Unconsciously, her body tensed and she clutched the edge of the counter firmly to steady herself.

Darien gently cupped her shoulder with his firm, large hand, brushing her arm as he slid his hand downward. She watched with interest as his hand lazily trailed a path down her arm. Goose bumps rose on her flesh as his fingers softly graced her arm until his hand reached her own. Serena failed to notice that her hands were gripping the counter so tightly that her knuckles were white. He leaned against the counter beside her, tenderly prying her hand away from the edge and holding it in his own. She didn't dare look away from his hands.

"Serena, please...you can tell me." It was a rasped plea. The sound was foreign and unnatural for him. He was not the kind of person to beg for anything and certainly not the kind of person to show such vulnerabilities.

His demeanor was so heart achingly sincere and his gestures were so warming. Her eyes dragged up to connect with his and she saw in their dark blue depths, a torrent of emotions. It nearly broke her.

She croaked. "I...I caught him in bed with another woman, a model of mine." The cat was out of the bag. A burden seemingly lifted itself from her shoulders the moment the words left her mouth. She took a deep breath to calm herself.

Darien's body immediately tensed at his sharp intake of breath but his eyes retained their gleam of understanding. "So that's why you came back suddenly after so long." Even as he traced circular patterns on the back of her knuckles with his thumb, the lilt of his voice mesmerized her.

Entranced by the look of sympathetic adoration in his gaze, Serena inched closer to him. "I had to get away from...everything." Her voice was barely above a whisper. Her breathing turned shallow and her heart thumped loudly in her ears. Serena felt heat rising between their bodies and the spicy scent of his cologne drifted her into a sense of security that she craved. The feeling made her giddy with dizziness and made the tension in her body melt away. They were so close...so close.

In turn, Darien dipped his head closer to hers as his half-lidded stare strayed from her face and focused on her rosy lips. Serena's eyelids drooped of their own volition and her breathing hitched as he drew near.

An abrupt cough cleared the fog that hazed Serena's mind.

Serena blinked as if dispelling the last remnants of a dream, feeling the audible hum of frustration that filled the small space between her and Darien. Whether the sound came from her or Darien, she wasn't sure.

A strange sense of déjà vu hit her, filling her with the same dread and shame as that of two teenagers caught in the act.

Taking a few steps back from him, Serena proceeded to glare at the intruder. Mina practically danced at the entrance of the kitchen and by the appearance of her toothy grin, Serena knew why.

"I was just coming to see if you were ok after that loud crash and if you needed any help. But I see you two got it covered." The saucy wink of her baby blues ceased the rush of irritation that initially coiled in Serena and replaced it with mortification.

She had a crazy ex who was out to find her and a strange, confusing array of house guests camping out in her small rental house to protect her. The last thing she needed to be doing was playing kiss-and-tell with Darien in the kitchen, no matter how bad she secretly wanted it.

"Well you two behave now." Mina skipped out of the kitchen to leave them alone. Unfortunately, a protest wasn't able to squeak itself out of Serena's mouth in time and she was left with Darien still watching her intently. The bright red tinge in her features drained as Serena skirted inconspicuously further from Darien's intoxicating presence. Fortunately, the small matter of their hand holding escaped her mind and while trying to retreat hastily, Darien tugged Serena's arm so that they were pressed closely against one another.

She gulped. Apparently, Mina's interruption did nothing to extinguish Darien's heated gaze, pinning her on the spot. Serena's heart fluttered frantically in overdrive as Darien purposely moved forward to finish what they'd started. She knew that stare of longing and wanting all too well and the temptation was irresistible. This tall, dark man whom she'd wanted since she was fourteen now looked at her in a way that threatened to turn her insides to mush, making her body respond in ways that she hadn't experienced in a long time. He was willing, waiting and anticipating her next move and she was ready to drown herself in his kiss, to forget about everything and everyone.

But she couldn't bring herself to do it. She wasn't able to confront hormonal urges when she was still recovering from emotional damage. Not to mention, it sufficiently killed the mood knowing her ex was the cousin of the man who was instigating those hormonal urges.

Definitely not her ideal situation.

Serena chewed her lip apprehensively. She needed to play it off smoothly or risk damaging her pride, as well as his. Or worse, incriminating herself even more and possibly jumping his bones right here.

She completely blamed that last train of thought on her overworked emotions.

A coy smile touched her lips as she patted his chest, a strong, firm chest at that, in a friendly gesture. "Don't get too cozy. You might be staying the night but don't get any funny ideas. It doesn't allow you to put the moves on me." Too bad her voice didn't quite hold the strong conviction she intended. The jest bordered closer to a taunting invitation.

He chuckled low and flashed her that heart stopping smile, though his eyes still gleamed sensually at her. "I'll behave myself...for now." He gently touched her cheek with his fingertips and slide her a sly look from beneath his lashes. Serena felt a shiver run up her spine and closed her eyes at the sensation. A man with that kind of smile was dangerous; he held the power to persuade someone as susceptible as Serena.

Darien toyed with the notion to kiss her while Serena had her eyes closed, unsuspecting and defenseless. But he couldn't do that to her. Instead, he settled for a gentle press of his lips against her forehead.

Opening her eyes, Serena swallowed tightly. It was going to be a long night. "Well if you'll excuse me, I'm going to finish making coffee for everybody." Thankfully, Darien left her in peace with an irritatingly satisfied grin plastered on his face. In a moment of reprieve, she managed to shuffle her way to the far corner of kitchen where Mina ambushed her.

After tackling Serena, Mina thoroughly jumped with joy. Her eyes twinkled in delight. "You so want him."

Taken aback, Serena futilely denied it. "Mina, don't be silly. It's not like that at all." She waved an excusatory finger at the preening blonde.

_Liar_, her internal voiced mocked.

"Uh huh, sure." Mina's smug facial expression said she wasn't buying a word of it.

"Mina, we're just...friends. Well, kinda. It's...odd. I can't explain it really." Serena closed her eyes and rubbed her temples with earnest, mentally banishing images of unending, juvenile arguments, a protective embrace and a kiss.

"What's hard about explaining that you two were about two breaths away from making out." Mina's matter of fact attitude made her statement sound more like an accusation rather than a query.

"Mina..." It was a warning tone that signaled either the end of conversation or the beginning of a fight. But for the sake of her sanity, Serena could not muster the spirit to resist Mina.

Mina's scrunched her nose in distaste, eager to parade and revel in Serena's lack of self-control. But she restrained herself. "Alright, fine. But you can't deny that the man has the hots for you."

"Tons of men have had the hots for you too, Mina, but that doesn't mean that you go around hooking up with all of them."

Mina crossed one arm casually over her waist and rubbed her chin with the index finger and thumb of her free hand, mimicking a haughty voice. "Oh, I wouldn't say that..."

Aghast with her mouth hanging wide open, Serena laughed and poked Mina in the ribs. "Mina!"

"Ok, ok. But really though, those guys would have never saved me from an attacker the way that guy did for you, Serena. You must be pretty special to him." Mina gauged Serena's reaction carefully; curious about her friend's take on the situation. Cause if the tell-tale pink hue spreading across the designer's cheeks was any indication, the man was certainly more than just a friend.

Serena smiled shyly. "Yea, I guess so...But that's still not the point, Mina. I think we should really focus on trying to remedy this situation with Diamond first before anything bad happens." Exasperated, she puffed out a breath of air and massaged her aching neck muscles.

Mina's eyebrows drew together in thought. "You're right but this still doesn't get you off the hook completely. I'll let it slide this one time though." The blonde beauty slapped her companion on the back playfully and proceeded to stroll leisurely over to the cabinet. "Here let me help you with the coffee and then we'll talk about sorting this thing out. Where do you keep your cups anyways?"

* * *

The clock chimed ominously in the silent, stuffy room, acknowledging the drained moods of the men and women lounging on the couch and chairs. 

With the stale air hanging heavy over the guests, a strangled snore emitted from the mass of tangled blankets on a chair, causing a much needed break of relief. A string of languid laughs escaped Serena, Mina and Darien as Zachary slept soundly sprawled out over the chair. However, Malcolm's staunch repose didn't budge in the slightest. In fact, Malcolm seemed peeved ever since he stepped foot into Serena's house; his face strained with a shadow of a frown. Mina came to the conclusion that his face was stuck like that from the lack of social graces and human communication, considering he seldom talked.

Mina fidgeted nervously with the cold cup of coffee in her hands; she had vigilantly nursed the damn thing all night and had barely taken a sip of it. Fortunately, toying with the cup occupied her long enough to distract her mind from the unnerving man sitting beside her. Malcolm sat perfectly stiff and erect on the chair next to Mina, quietly observant of no one in particular. Course, having him sit in a chair scrutinizing everyone with a commanding glare was a lesser evil than him standing in the corner scrutinizing everyone with a commanding glare, much like he'd done earlier in the evening.

His eyes wondered every now and again, drifting his focus from one person to another. Mina ducked her head shyly when she sensed him watching her, the awareness of his staunch presence as real and tangent as if he'd reached out and touched her. Every small hair on her body stood on end in anticipation, preparing for God-knows-what, as heat spread through her body like a wild fire. Mina had a sneaky suspicion Malcolm got a sick thrill from making her so uneasy and restless, especially when his gaze lingered on her far too long for comfort.

He was probably some kind of perverted voyeur.

An irrepressible urge to drop kick the damn man filled every pore inch of Mina's body. She slid a malicious glance in his direction from beneath her lashes. Course, she didn't expect to catch his steel grey eyes adamantly watching her in return.

Mina's head quickly shot up. She squared her shoulders and meet his stare with the blazing ice blue eyes of one angry model. Malcolm wasn't daunted; in fact, he found it...humorous. One side of his mouth twitched in the hint of a smile and his posture relaxed to appear more casual. It only served to fuel the fire in Mina.

Maybe if she concentrated on looking more intimidating, he'd take her more seriously and leave her alone. She drew her face in, what she hoped, was a menacing frown and jutted her chin out, attempting to seem more sinister. In the end, Malcolm's hint of a smile turned into the real thing, flashing his pearly whites almost teasingly. He even had the nerve to chuckle a little bit at the frustrated blonde.

Yet his rough, gravely laugh triggered goose bumps to course down Mina's arms and she trembled. She couldn't explain the reason why his mere presence disturbed her. The only thing she knew was that she felt exposed when Malcolm was near her, as if he understood the game she played. Somewhere within the last two hours, Mina developed this unwavering belief deep inside that Malcolm could see her for who she really was and she couldn't hide.

Mina's chest constricted painfully, knocking the breath from her lungs. She struggled to maintain breathing normally as all the blood rushed to her head in a dizzy frenzy. She became unbearably hot and the room was closing in on her. Mina swayed as she got to her feet and excused herself as she staggered from the room to the kitchen.

She shook her head briefly as she poured her coffee in the sink and wet a washcloth. Running a hand through her bangs to steel her nerves, Mina hunched over the sink and dabbed her burning face with the cold cloth.

"Mina? Are you feeling ok?" Serena, worried and curious as always, immediately came to her friend's aid. Genuinely touched, Mina straightened and reached out her arm, hooking her arm around Serena's neck and holding on to her firmly. Grinning that famous Cheshire smile of hers, Mina leaned back and flippantly answered, "I'm ok now. I just felt a little woozy is all."

Dubious of her friend's excuse, Serena pointed out the exchange that occurred moments before. "Mina. I saw you and Malcolm staring at each other. I heard him laugh and then you ran in here upset. What happened?" Serena murmured quietly.

Mina pursed her lips, toying with the idea of telling a small fib. In the end, she couldn't bare telling Serena a lie, especially when the designer looked at her with those big, doe-ish blue eyes.

"Malcolm kept staring at me and it was freaking me out. So I gave him the evil eye and for some reason or another, he found it amusing. And he's...just so...so...uggghhh!" Exasperated, Mina threw her hands up in the air and growled in annoyance.

"Don't let him get to you, Mina. He probably enjoys aggravating you because he can get a reaction out of you..." Serena barely finished the sentence, only to leave it hanging in the air. Mina tilted her head forward, waiting anxiously for Serena to finish. Instead, Serena's focused on a languid, wrinkly figure that sauntered into the kitchen and began to rummage through the fridge. Hearing the clinking of the fridge door, a baffled Mina turned to be greeted by the sight of an open refrigerator door.

Stretching lazily, Zachary hoarded a soda and a box of fresh pastries that had been a gift from Lita while searching through the refrigerator for food. Amazingly, he managed to shove half a croissant into his mouth before he noticed the ladies in the kitchen.

"Hmmmiya, yadies." Miraculously, he still sounded coherent even with a mouth full of food. Though, the shy half smile fell short while his mouth reached its capacity.

Naturally, it was his boyish charm that kept Serena from smacking him, not only for ruining a one on one moment with Mina but for also raiding her fridge. It really astounded Serena how shameless Zach could be. He faced a terribly awkward task of crashing at his wife's friend's house with a host of people he barely knew yet he still able to scrounge the kitchen for food.

He mumbled past the large piece of croissant he was still chewing on, "Well, you mentioned that we could make ourselves at home. I thought I'd check out what you had to eat."

Obviously, he wasted no time making good on her invitation.

"I'll...uh, just be...in there." Gesturing towards the living room, Zach scampered off with goods in hand before Serena could argue. Or possibly take away the pastries.

Sighing tiredly, Serena turned to Mina and squeezed her shoulder sweetly. "It'll be fine, Mina."

Mina's eyes brightened at her friend's admission. "I know. Thanks, Serena."

"How about we go back to the bedroom and you can relax there the rest of the night?" Pressing her hand against Mina's back, Serena began to steer Mina towards the direction of the bedroom. "Excuse us, gentlemen. We're going to retire for the night." Serena retorted the explanation to the men in the living room in hyper drive as she reached the end of the hallway and pushed Mina through the bedroom door. "Pleasant dreams." The sappy smile that lingered on Serena's lips was more cause for worry than the sight of forcing Mina to the bedroom.

Bewildered, Zach stared down the hallway in hopes to be struck by an epiphany that would justify Serena's awkward behavior. Eventually, he was only able to sum up his musings in three words. "What just happened?"

As much as they butted heads, Darien and Malcolm glanced at each other briefly and shrugged in unison.

In the bedroom, Serena dove across the bed and reached for her phone, taking the inchoative to enlighten a confused Mina. "Thought I'd take this chance to call Charles and that way you can get a reprieve."

"You're always thinking ahead..." Mina mocked genially.

"Or I just want to verbally berate Charlie." Serena stuck out her tongue at Mina, signaling her light heartedness about the situation. Whipping out her cell phone, Serena dialed Charles number with lightning speed while Mina made herself comfortable reclining on the bed.

The phone barely registered the first ring before the sound of a mature, masculine voice filtered through the headset.

"Hello?" He all at once sounded worried, relieved and stressed. He was still the same Charlie that Serena had left back in New York. Serena couldn't help but smile on the phone, hoping somehow that he could see her.

"Hi Charlie, it's Serena." Hearing his voice made the happiness in Serena bubble up to where she couldn't contain herself and she gushed over the phone.

"Oh Serena, you have no idea how glad I am to hear from you. I've been so concerned." He blew the words out in a sigh, a rush of emotions seemingly pouring from his mouth.

"I know. Evidently, you're more concerned than I originally thought." She sobered calmly, regaining clarity of the reason she called in the first place.

"Excuse me?" He seemed like he misunderstood what she said but Serena didn't bother to repeat herself. Charlie knew what she was going to discuss with him. He was just going to play dumb until she forced him to admit to his deeds.

"Charlie...You know what I mean. I had a run in with your accomplices that you hired to watch me." She wasn't angry. In fact from the little that Malcolm had told her, Serena was pleased that Charlie had made precautions to ensure her safety, especially since Diamond had disappeared. However, it didn't mean that Charlie had the right to go behind her back and have two grown men practically stalk her in order to do it.

"Serena, I know I have a lot to explain but believe me when I say I did it to protect you." His voice absolutely exuded guilt, pitching almost nervously as he attempted to defend himself. "It's just that…..Diamond hadn't been the same since you left. I heard through Sapphire that Diamond began to see a therapist after he suffered a breakdown not too long after you left. Consequently, he became obsessed with his failed relationship with you. Suddenly, he disappeared. I feared the worst. So I made sure that Diamond wouldn't find you."

Having heard the admission from Charlie's own mouth, shivers crawled up Serena's spine. It was the confirmation that Serena dreaded. It meant that Diamond was probably scouring every possible outlet in a desperate search to find her. She felt her stomach knot in apprehension.

It made the situation all too terrifyingly real.

Not daring to utter a word, Serena cradled the phone with both hands to steady her sanity and held her breath. Charlie took her silence as a sense of denial and infuriation.

"Serena, I…I had no other choice." Exasperated, a weary Charles conceded to the fact that Serena may never forgive him. He breathed heavily into the mouth of the phone, tormented. "I'm so sorry, Serena. I understand you're angry and I know I deserve nothing more than your malice. Just know that I was only looking out for your best interest at heart." His voice was a low whisper as he strained not to crack under his own self scrutiny. He had spoken his peace and could graciously accept whatever scarring words she threw at him. At least, his dignity would remain intact knowing he did the right thing.

Serena caught enough of the speech to help her snap out of the daze. "Oh Charlie, I'm not angry with you. Please don't think that. I'm just…so…overwhelmed by the whole situation. I honestly don't know what to do or what to think of it." Tears began to form as she stuttered and hitched her words drunkenly.

"Shhh, I know, love. But we'll get this mess sort out, I promise. The New York Police have been notified of Diamond's disappearance and his fragile condition as have the police in your area. Just stay in town for now and if any problems arise, Malcolm will be sure to handle them. You'll be alright." With a parental and nurturing tone, Charles eased Serena's fears with his assurances.

"Ok, then. I'll be careful." She sniffed and dried her tears.

"That's my girl. Now, you take care and I'll be sure to check in on you regularly. If I hear anything, I'll relay the news." Serena was truly grateful for Charlie's efforts and made a mental note to repay his generosity someday. They said their goodbyes and unwillingly hung up in light of some shut eye. Serena and Mina briefly discussed the possibility of staying in Canton for another few weeks before they eventually drifted off.

Early the next morning, an exhausted Serena roused as Mina viciously shook her arm.

"Sere, there's somebody at the front door." Mina's high pitched voice belied her slight panic.

Batting Mina's arm away and yawning in a manor decidedly unbecoming, Serena made a noise that sounded reminiscent of a wild animal. "Fine, fine. I'm coming." She reluctantly rolled out of the blissful heaven that was her down comforter and stretched her aching body.

Barely conscious, the honey colored blonde staggered to the hallway door unceremoniously, slamming the door behind her.

Uncaring of her appearance, Serena rubbed the sleep from her eyes and trotted ungraciously through the living area in front of a slack-jawed Zachary and an imposing Malcolm. Mina, on the other hand, closely followed her friend and stuck up her nose in contempt as she passed by Malcolm.

The taller, broader, harsher looking grey-eyed man ignored Mina's juvenile ploy.

Registering an earth-rattling bang, Darien stirred from his position slouched back against the couch, only to fall back asleep. Fortunately, his condition was remedied when tiny pinpricks of pain began to stab his chest. He flew wide-awake to discover an odd, smoky gray cotton ball with navy blue eyes nestled contently on his chest. Quizzical, he extended a finger and wiggled the feline intruder's ear. However, poking the furry mongrel only served to make the beast stretch and knead her claws into his tender flesh even more.

Darien grumbled painfully. "You're as bad as she is, you know that?" The shedding monster mewed happily. Somehow, the kitten knew he was describing her owner.

Sapphire waited patiently at the door, scuffling his feet nervously against the porch. The instant Serena opened the door; he bombarded her by apologizing profusely. "Serena, I'm so sorry but…I have terrible news." Malcolm hid behind the door listening intently as Mina and Zachary watched the exchange from the living room.

"What's wrong, Sapphire?" The anxious stress of Serena's nerves was audible.

Everyone was too wrapped up in Sapphire's news that they failed to notice Darien sneak up behind Serena. The dark, handsome man stood a short distance away in order to eavesdrop on the conversation.

"I, uh, needed to talk to you about…Oh Darien, I…didn't realize you were here." All at once, Sapphire seemed baffled and even jitterier than before as he began to toy with the collar of his shirt. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize you had company, Serena. I'll catch you later." Uncomfortable, he stepped backwards as he began a hasty retreat.

"Oh no, Sapphire, don't worry about him. He was just…" The words barely left Serena's mouth before Darien had to inject his own two cents.

"…waking up after spending the night." Darien wore a cocky half-grin that suggested crude happenings while Serena's apple red face and bashfulness to reply did nothing to disprove his claim.

"Really?" Sapphire's eyebrows jumped to his hairline as his curiosity outweighed his embarrassment.

"Well, I couldn't very well say no when Serena invited me in and enticed me to stay." Darien's complacent tone and utter look of triumphant satisfaction painted on his face hinted of a torrid affair. Serena gritted her teeth and shot Darien a heated glare of consternation from over her shoulder.

From the living room, Mina sputtered in self-restraint, trying not to burst out laughing. Mina's laughter was contagious and Zachary was sorely tempted to laugh too but he kept himself in check. When Mina let a giggle slip out, Zach quickly clamped a gentle hand over her mouth. Malcolm's mouth ticked in irritation.

However, Sapphire heard the commotion. "What was that?" Rolling her eyes, Serena took a deep breath and moaned in frustration, fed up with the charade of secrets.

There was no use trying to hide it from Sapphire. It was only a matter of time until he found out.

"Come on in and I'll explain everything, even him." Obviously put off, Serena stuck out her thumb and pointed back towards Darien. In return, Darien shrugged his shoulders and played innocent.

Thirty minutes later, Sapphire sat on the couch stunned as Serena elaborated on her current situation.

"So wait a minute, you're telling me you already knew about Diamond?" Sapphire pinched the bridge of his nose in scrutiny, skeptical of the words pouring from Serena's mouth.

"Well I just found out last night and that's only because I caught these two watching me. Then I managed to guilt trip Zachary." She motioned at Malcolm standing near the door, unmoving and unblinking, and Zachary sitting comfortably in the chair. "Is Diamond's disappearance the reason you wanted to talk to me?" Restless, Serena began to play with strands of her short, cropped mane.

"Yea, I just found out yesterday myself. I was there after Diamond's breakdown but I left not long after we hired some psychologists to help him through his troubles. Soon, Diamond was saying crazy things, acting strangely and obsessing over you in an unhealthy way. Several psychiatrists had been carefully monitoring Diamond's progress since they found his behavior worrisome and harmful to himself. They believed it to be a contained incident. But yesterday, I got a call from one the doctors telling me that my brother disappeared. The doctor mentioned right before Diamond vanished, he told a few people that he was going to find you." Sapphire's appearance aged before their very eyes. His energy drained as the lines and wrinkles of his face became apparent.

Serena grappled with the additional information Sapphire provided her. The entire room grew still and waited with batted breath. The pressure mounted as everyone drew on the realization of the disastrous confrontation to come.

The consequences of the chain of events that had taken place in the last three months lead up to an inevitable conclusion.

Diamond would find her.

Turning away, tears cascaded down Serena's face as she choked on her sobs. She couldn't see beyond the shadowy figures of the occupants in the room as sorrow and disdain clouded her vision. Sickness wrenched in her abdomen as her knees were no longer able to support her weight. Mina and Sapphire both reached for her simultaneously but Darien beat them to the punch. He embraced her as she collapsed.

He wrapped warm arms around her and let her fall into his chest, softly hushing her and combing her stray locks. Distraught, Serena allowed Darien to console, resolving herself to repress the turmoil between them and just…breathe. She swallowed pockets of air through Darien's shirt and felt heady as his scent penetrated her barriers. They may have never gotten along particularly well but Serena wanted no one else to be her stable ground in this moment, except Darien.

Burying her head in his chest, Serena listened to the muffled thump of his heart as the sound allayed all the emotions churning inside of her.

"We'll put Serena on the first plane back to New York. If Diamond's already searched there, he won't bother to search it again." Impassioned, Zachary spoke on behalf of them all and attempted to formulate a substantial plan.

"But the moment Serena's back in New York, reporters will print about it. Journalists are already writing about the escapade with Diamond. He'll surely catch her if she goes back." Sapphire couldn't bare the thought of Serena hounded by the public and ridiculed by those who knew nothing of the situation. Worst of all, if Diamond wasn't captured soon, there would be a great possibility that Serena could be accosted by his depravity in New York.

"In theory, sending her to New York would be a good idea. But we must take every possible measure to ensure that we keep Ms. Weston safe. She must stay here. We can't take the risk when Mr. Elman poses such a threat." Unbearably staunch, Malcolm adapted a vital and objective tone of voice that one could only obtain from previous experience with similar situations.

"Mr. Elman?" Mina softly spoke the query as she hovered over Serena's fetal form that rested curled in Darien's arms.

"…Diamond." Serena croaked dejectedly.

"Then it's settled. We wait it out. Keep a vigilant eye and never leave Ms. Weston alone until Elman is caught." Malcolm's hard voice and icy demeanor left no room for objections. Though, Mina had the distinct feeling his severity wasn't directed to anyone currently in the room.

"Right, the authorities have already been alerted." Sapphire echoed his trust in Malcolm's sketchy plan and the police pursuing Diamond.

"Serena, I'm right here, ok? I'll be right here for you." Darien whispered against Serena's temple, wracked with regret that this was happening to his meatball head. She was the last person in the world that deserved this kind of treatment.

If Darien ever found him, it would be the end for Diamond. Blood ties be damned!

* * *

He reclined stiffly in his first class seat, unable to occupy his busy musings as thoughts of a blonde goddess with wide, cerulean eyes danced across his mind. His sqirmed gracelessly in the leather upholstery for the umpteenth time. The plane ride was too tedious and too fucking long. 

Though, it was well worth the wait to get one step closer to his goddess.

Unable to quench his need, he shuffled through his inner coat pocket to find his source of redemption.

A single photograph of him and his smiling blue-eyed beauty.

His eyes glazed over as his disillusioned mind wrapped him in sweet memories of untrue events.

He remembered how he proposed to her in the romantic, ideal way that she had always wanted. He remembered how she had been so overcome with joy that she leaped into his arms and shouted her acceptance. He remembered how perfectly happy they were together until that conniving Beryl forced him to cheat. He remembered the night his goddess had walked out of his life forever and left him all alone.

But not anymore.

Diamond lightly fingered the laminated photo in his hands and caressed the figure of his goddess, tracing her delicate features with his fingertip. Soon, they would be together and be happy once more.

He was so close now. So close. Just one more adjoined flight and then...then maybe he'd have her. She may have gone into hiding but he knew where to find her. Plus, it didn't hurt that a couple of loose tongues had bragged about the whereabouts of his beauty, after a couple of drinks of course.

Diamond sighed wearily. So much trouble for one woman. Though, it was but a small consequence in order to be with her once more.

After all, they were a perfect match.

* * *

FYI: Diamond's warped mind fabricated him proposing to Serena and Serena saying 'yes'. That never happened. Just so you know. 

There you have it! A nice, juicy chapter for you guys to munch on til I get the next one out. We're getting closer to the end! I'd say about two more chaps and an epilogue then the story will be complete. Reviews are always welcome! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Thanks guys! Much Love!

PsychoBunny


	10. Consequences and Repercussions

Finally! Here's the last full length chapter of the story but don't worry, cause there is an epilogue to follow! You guys are the greatest. This is for those of you who have been wonderful enough to stick with me through all the infrequent updates. Much love!

The epilogue won't be too long so I should have it up shortly. For those who want more fluff, I've reserved all of it for the epilogue. So it'll all come soon enough. Thanks again!

* * *

Upon hearing the most God-awful racket one could listen to early in the morning, Serena stuffed her face in the pillow and blindly reached for her cell phone. However, the little devil's device proved to be sneaky as it evaded her grasp, continuing to make an obscenely loud screeching noise. She was just about to hurl a pillow at the source of earsplitting agony when she identified the ridges of her phone precariously perched on her night stand.

Squinting in dim light of the room, Serena quickly recognized the phone number and answered.

"Hello?" She mumbled incoherently into the receiver.

"Where are you, Serena? We've been waiting for half an hour already!" Rei fumed over the phone as her piercing voice filtered into Serena's delicate ears.

"Umm...I'm in bed?" Apparently, that wasn't the answer Rei was looking for.

"You're what? How could you still be in bed?" Grimacing, Serena held the phone a safe distance from her ear as Rei proceeded to go off into one of her infamous tirades.

"Geez, Serena. I knew you use to sleep in and were always late when we were in high school but this is ridiculous! You knew we had planned to have lunch together at noon! I have the right mind to march right over there this very instant and..."

"Wait! Is it noon already?" Ignoring Rei's furious yelling, Serena pushed a button on her phone that lit up the screen and revealed the time. Staring at her in the darkness of the room, the bright, bold, blocky numbers of the digital clock declared the source of Rei's ire.

It was 12:37.

Oops.

Putting forth her best effort to sound nonchalant, Serena flippantly apologized. "Sorry, Rei. I guess old habits die hard. Don't worry though, I'm on my way." Inside, Serena was screaming at herself for oversleeping...again.

"Yea, you better be or I'll..."

"Love to stay and chat, Rei, but I should go. See you at Lita's!" Without allowing Rei a single word edgewise, Serena promptly closed her cellphone, hopped out of bed and dressed at lightning speed, lacking only her purse and keys. Non-too discreetly, Serena emerged from her bedroom and practically tripped as she discovered a make shift cocoon, made of blankets, entwined on her couch.

The only indication of a living being inside of the couch cocoon was the breathing motion of the blanket as it moved up and down and the little tuft of blonde hair peeking out from the top.

Serena snorted at the sight.

It had been a week since she had learned of Diamond's manic escape and ever since then, Mina had sworn not to leave Serena's side til the authorities had found him. True to her word, Mina took an extended leave from work to spend every waking moment with Serena and watched over her at night, even though Malcolm and Zachary continued to keep close proximity.

Serena had been flattered by the gesture and commended Mina on her bravery. No matter how foolhardy it might have been.

Still, the designer couldn't help but feel guilty that this had all been a result of her doing.

Suddenly, a jolt in Serena's pant pocket reminded her that her other friends were waiting for her. Had she been allowed more time, Serena would have doused the cocooned Mina in water and dragged her to Lita's to eat with the girls. But Serena didn't have the heart to disturb Mina, especially after all that she had done.

Tiptoeing around the livingroom quietly, Serena grabbed her purse and keys and took great care not to stir the peaceful blonde as she slept.

Locking the door behind her, Serena bounded out the front door and ran to her car just as she answered the cell phone. As if on cue, a sleek, black Range Rover a few houses down started its engine the moment Serena climbed into her car.

"I'm on my way as we speak, Rei. It's only been ten minutes. Give a girl some time, will ya?"

Serena panted as she fought with her seat belt.

"Uh...Serena?" An unsure, tenor voice questioned from the other end of the line.

"Sapphire?" Surprised, Serena's phone slipped from the cradle between her ear and shoulder. Thankfully, she was able to catch it before it was lost beneath the dark recesses of her driver's seat.

Bashfully, she acknowledged her error and apologized. "I'm so sorry Sapphire. I thought you were Rei. She's called me a few minutes ago to hound me for being late."

He laughed lightly but the sound felt empty and hollow, a withered version of the quality his laugh use to possess.

That didn't sound like the Sapphire she knew.

"Is something wrong, Sapphire? You don't sound like yourself." That was a vast understatement but Serena humored him, listening intently to what he had to say.

"Well...there's nothing wrong really but nothing's right either. A detective with the police department called me early this morning to inform me that they had a lead in finding Diamond through the use of his credit card. They were able to track him all the way to California. They already alerted the police department in California but still no sign of him. However, a pedestrian claims she spotted Diamond at the LAX airport. No one has been able to validate the claim but the police are checking all surveillance cameras in the airport." His voice reeked of frustration and weary. She imagined Sapphire had lost days of sleep from the self-implied fault he warred within his conscious.

"Oh..." At the moment, nothing else seemed appropriate to say. Instead, she concentrated on the road in front of her to avoid reacting to the news. How could she rightfully allay his fears when she couldn't even handle her own?

The uncomfortable silence was slowly killing Sapphire with the remorseful conviction he felt in his heart. "Serena...I swear I'm doing everything in my power.."

She interjected before his tangent spun off into painful lengths. "Sapphire, please. Don't be so hard on yourself. For now, the police, Malcolm and Charlie seem to have a good handle on the situation. Try not to worry so much, ok?" He grunted reluctantly into the phone but conceded to her request.

"I suppose you're right." He wasn't convinced but it was enough to keep her centered.

"I know I'm right. So don't try to argue with me." Serena gently chastised. Sapphire meant well; he just occasionally let his personal emotions get the better of him.

With real gusto, he laughed heartily, making Serena tingle with delight. "I won't, trust me."

"Good! So how about you emerge from your place of hiding in that hotel room and come have lunch with me and the girls?" The invitation wasn't spurned from pity or even empathy. It was Serena's cheap excuse to try and set Sapphire up with Lita.

The hesitation was brief but it wasn't lost on her. "Hm, I'm not so sure."

"Don't feel obligated to come. I just thought it would be nice to have all my friends in one place together." Serena's voice was laced with disappointment that was hard to mask.

She was a certified mastermind at persuading others into her bidding; though, it was an ability that she used with caution.

"Well, I guess I could make an appearance, if only to keep an eye on you." Sapphire's calm demeanor belied his excitement. Serena had to repress the urge to do a jig in her driver's seat.

Serena glanced in her rearview mirror to double check her security detail. Sure enough, a black Range Rover trailed several feet behind her as she made her way to Lita's café.

"You won't be the only one..." Serena swore she could see inside the car as a careless Zachary leaned his head out the window and irritated Malcolm.

"What's that?" His innocent query seemed all too conspicuous. It was hard to deduce at this point if Sapphire was pretending to have not heard her.

"Nothing. Just talking to myself." Serena more-or-less insinuated the end of the discussion.

"Right, well I guess I'll see you at the café. Bye!" Serena heard a dial tone before she could even open her mouth to speak. For a moment, she held her phone away from her ear and stared at it, almost sure that Sapphire did not just hang up on her.

But alas, the phone taunted her by repeating the single note of high pitched irritation.

Nearing Lita's, Serena noticed the mass amount of cars littering the parking lot of the small café, undoubtedly the work of the lunch hour rush. Banging her hand against the steering wheel, she grumbled about the lack of parking near downtown. Fortunately, Fate decided to smile upon her as a car a few feet away began to back out of their parking spot conveniently located at the front of the café.

Never losing sight of the parking spot, Serena waited patiently as the small car slowly reversed and drove away from the curb. And right as she was turning to park in the vacant spot, a small, hot-rod of a car zoomed in front of her to steal it.

Infuriated and fully ready to ensue in some physical violence, Serena laid on her car horn, cussing in a way that would have made her brother turn six shades of red.

Perfect.

Much to her chagrin, Serena had to circle around the premises twice in order to find a free parking space within walking distance of the café. Unfortunately, Malcolm wasn't as lucky. As the Range Rover began the its third round in a quest for a parking, Serena waved sympatheticly and muttered a wearisome 'good luck'.

The Range Rover stayed in full view as Serena started walking across the parking lot but the black vehicle soon disappeared around the corner into traffic. As she steadied her pace, Serena tried to appear somewhat presentable, straightened her shirt and shoving her keys in her purse.

To focused on not stumbling on the concrete and bracing herself for Rei's wrath, Serena disregarded her surroundings, including the scraggly, dirty blonde haired man approaching her direction.

Offhand, Serena managed to acknowledge him, smiling slightly and then going about her business without a second glace. He did seem vaguely familiar but no one she immediately recognized.

Thinking nothing of it, Serena passed by the man casually and was halted when without warning, he reached out and grabbed her arm.

As Serena stood there confused and frightened, a menacingly toothy grin crossed the man's face as he triumphantly exclaimed, "Gotcha!"

* * *

Exhausting all venues, Diamond had finally reached a dead end. He managed to track Serena all the way back to her suburban-esque hometown but had failed to find her. As days passed, Diamond's obsession had become maddening, taunting him with innocent and illicit images of his former flame.

He crossed the country in car, plane, and train in his hunt, even taking drastic measures to alter his appearance when he learned the authorities were hot on his trial. Thinking about it made his scalp itch with irritation from the dye and made the stubble on his cheek far more uncomfortable than usual.

He growled impatiently, weary with the prospect of forfeiting yet knowing that he was right on the brink of finding Serena. His journey had led him to this measly excuse for a town, a far cry from the hustle and bustle of New York City, were he was now unceremoniously trapped. He had little money left and he couldn't risk drafting his account at this point as the authorities would be sure to capture him.

So he continued to wait it out. And even though, no indication of Serena had yet to manifest, Diamond had spotted Sapphire once already. The dark haired brother didn't counter his fairer-haired sibling but it had certainly been a close call. Sapphire had been exiting a small bakery and café located in a busy district of downtown while Diamond scoured the premises further down the same street.

Diamond would have followed him but recanted on the idea. Sapphire was smart and it wouldn't take him long to notice a shady figure who looked very similar to his brother following him around. And though Diamond was positive Sapphire had not noticed him in the least, seeing his brother ignited a paranoia in Diamond that served to add more chaos to his depraved mind.

Consequently, Diamond began to hallucinate about things that weren't there and created fabrications of the mind that blurred the lines of reality and fantasy. He could swear that people around him were always eyeing him suspiciously and began to wonder if they recognized him and were going to alert Serena.

He even saw visages of Serena at the most inopportune moments, beckoning him with her seductive smile and her angelic scent. Still, he tried to manage a somewhat normal demeanor.

For though his sanity had all but disappeared, he still maintained his pride and stubbornness and therefore, refused to give up. So he continued to torture himself, biding his time walking aimlessly down the main streets of downtown.

Scanning the scenery in vain, he viewed nothing of interest or even remotely exciting. After hours of meandering, he conceded to the dullness of the busiest part of the town and decided to look else where for his prey.

Until he saw her in the distance.

With all the grace and beauty of a phoenix rising from the ashes, Serena emerged from a small car looking glorious and every bit the blonde-haired, blue-eyed vixen he remembered. A devilish smile erupted across his lips that lied along the lines of vicious more than playful.

She had to have seen him.

She had waved in his general direction, calling him to her with her siren song of raw sensuality and appeal.

Completely transfixed, Diamond didn't bother to look around as he ran across the street and shoved other passers-by out of the way, nearly being run over by traffic twice.

Within feet of her, he slowed his pace and strode over to her, appearing confident if not slightly arrogant and completely threatening.

With her sparkling eyes, she teased him, holding his gaze for a few seconds, smiling knowingly and then breaking eye contact just as easily. Diamond felt his blood boil with the thought of possessing her once more. Obviously, from all her subtle indications, she wanted it just as bad as he did.

As she grazed his arm purposely tormenting him while passing by, he felt a heady rush of satisfaction flood his very being as he caught her in his web, the realization of his goal finally fulfilled after countless, expended hours of searching. After the grueling agony of being denied her touch for so long, driving himself beyond reason because of her rejection, his obsession doubled in that instant along with all the rage and misery he had been lamenting over for months.

"Gotcha!"

* * *

Utterly confused and at a loss for words, Serena made a move to pry her arm from the man's tight grip but failed. As fear prickled the hairs on the back of her neck, she addressed the strange man in an attempt to calm his out lash. "I'm sorry? You must have the wrong person."

"Of course I have the right person. I could never missed you." Startlingly, his voice was convincing. He began to upset Serena when his grip didn't loosen and when his eyes glinted with a hint of danger.

"Listen, I don't know who you are but...I'm not the person you're looking for." She tripped over her words, betraying her nervousness. She swallowed hard to clear her voice and hopefully, gain back her bearings. "This is just a misunderstanding."

"How dare you say such a thing to me when I've been to hell and back looking for you!" His eyes flashed an iridescent spectrum of emotions. Serena jerked back from the incriminating tone of his voice, clearly uncomfortable in the situation.

That accusingly angry voice sounded way to redolent to be coincidence.

Blinking several times, Serena noticed aspects of her accuser that hadn't registered til now. Even though the man had short, unkept dirty blonde hair, his facial hair was quite lighter, much like a silver color. His facial features had a distinct bone structure that she had seen before. In fact, if his hair was chin length and a lighter platinum blonde color, he would look just like...

"Oh God." Mortified, her limbs trembled in earnest.

It had finally dawned upon her that this was no random stranger.

It was Diamond.

"I finally have you." He twisted her arm so she pressed against him intimately. As she struggled futilely, Diamond raised his hand to stroke her hair in a possessive manner. "And now, you're mine."

* * *

Glancing at his watch once more, Darien shifted in his seat in the booth as he continued to wait for Serena's arrival. Rei mentioned passingly the other day that her and the girls had planned to have lunch at noon at Lita's and by complete coincidence, Darien decided to dine there around the same time.

At least, that was the story he was sticking to.

However, being as observant and every bit nosey as Lita could be, Darien's lingering presence, his eavesdropping on their conversation, and the way he kept looking longing out the window didn't escape the gourmet chef. She even had to audacity to question him at one point.

"Hey Darien! Are you ok?" The mischievous curl of her lips lead Darien to believe that it was more than just an innocent query.

"Yea, I'm fine. Thanks. Why do you ask?" She baited him with the question so he acted on it in order to figure out her true motives.

"Cause you seem awfully distracted by something...or someone." She raised her eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Evidently, he didn't act as indifferent as he believed. But his practiced detachment from situations enabled him to maintain an impenetrable poker face.

He played off her comment with a sly remark. "Now what makes you think that?" If he thought he could get away with it, he would have flirted with Lita to distract her line of questioning. Instead, he settled for some friendly banter.

"Because you've only had one cup of coffee and you haven't taken a sip. And you've been here, let's see, almost an hour now." Lita crossed her arms and shot him a straight look that dared him to call her bluff. However, Darien knew better than to cross that line with Lita. She was a black belt in several forms of martial arts and could easily take out a man more than twice her size.

And Darien wouldn't doubt for an instance she would "persuade" him to tell her the truth if he denied it.

Therefore, he relented fragments of the truth.

"There has been something on my mind for quite some time and I can't seem to let it go." A shadow descended over his face, voiding his features of emotion as he kept the remainder of his musings to himself.

Lita leaned closer to him, silently urging him to continue. However, Darien instantly shut his mouth without another word, knocking back a big gulp of his cold coffee to avoid any more conversing.

Thankfully, a belligerent Rei raved on about a certain blonde's lack of common courtesy as she impatiently wrung her napkin in her hands. "I swear one of these days, I'm gonna wring her neck for being so ditzy. If I didn't know better, I would swear the blonde has seeped into her brain!"

Poor, meek Amy did her best to keep Rei under control but to no avail. "Calm down, Rei. You know how Serena can be. I'm sure it was an honest mistake. She'll be here any minute now."

"And I'm gonna let her have it when she does!" The raven haired woman shouted as she nearly came out of her chair, consumed by her passions.

As Rei created a fuss that disturbed the other patrons of the café, Lita found herself reluctantly dragged away from the engaging chat to tend to her overzealous friend.

Darien compelled himself not to grin as a red hued Rei sputtered quite conspicuously in her chair. The woman's fiery spirit hadn't dulled even after all these years

As amusing as it was to watch the girls, Darien let his vision drift in distraction to the traffic outside the café. Out of the corner of his eye, a flash of something blonde and brown running across the street caught his undivided attention.

Curious, Darien watched as an odd man sprinted frantically into the road to the parking lot not too far from Lita's café.

For only a split second, Darien's dark blue eyes registered a small blonde woman walking in the general direction of the café from the lot but he paid no heed to her as he stayed focused on the man. Though Darien couldn't see the man's face well, there was something about the man's body language and figure that recalled an eerie sense of deja vu.

A fraction of unease gnawed at his subconscious as Darien witnessed the man switch from a full run to a mild jog. The man, an uncouth, suspicious looking character, suddenly came in contact with the young blonde woman in the parking lot and proceeded to confront her about something. Darien rose slightly from his booth seat as he continued to indulge his voyeuristic urge, desperately trying to get a better glimpse of the woman and man. However, their visages were skewed by the man's back as he turned away from Darien's line of vision.

The exchange had started uncomfortably as the tactless man handled the small woman with a rough arm and as the moments ticked by, the man was only becoming more agitated.

Knowing it was none of his business, Darien fought with himself to ignore the domestic dispute but the persistent malaise he felt would not relent. Sure enough, the woman appeared to be pushing the man off of her but the man would not be denied. The man's grip seemed almost brutal as he tugged her to him furiously. And as the dainty woman turned to run, Darien could see her face clearly.

There, bathed in sunlight and her hair wildly tumbling about her shoulders, was Serena. Her face was frozen in horror and her body contorted in a painful way as her assailant twisted her arm.

Without thought, Darien jumped from his seat amidst stunned patrons and ran out the door of the café. Taking notice to Darien's odd behavior, Rei followed his lead and moved to the door window where she could watch from afar.

Instantly, she knew something wasn't right and Serena was in potential danger.

She suddenly became crestfallen and took on a deathly serious tone. "Amy, I think you should call Zach. This doesn't look good."

* * *

Serena didn't dare breath, much less say anything else. She simply pivoted her feet and maneuvered her body as far from Diamond as she could.

"Ah, my sweet Serena. How I've missed you." Diamond's voice was tainted with traces of reminiscence as he distracted himself playing with strands of Serena's hair.

Swallowing hard, Serena's could do little to find the smallest portion of processed thought in her head. So she settled for basic instincts. Putting the pressure of her entire weight on the balls of her feet, the blonde designer moved to jerk herself free from her depraved ex's crushing grip and run. However, Diamond had more strength than she anticipated and as she pulled her forearm from his biting grasp, a small cry left her throat when he yanked her back abruptly.

"Now, what have I told you about fusing? You wouldn't want to upset me now that I've finally found you." His tone was light and playful but Diamond's menace could be clearly read between his words.

As her heart raced in blind panic and an overwhelming dread rose in her throat, Darien arrived in the nick of time, rushing to the spot where Diamond and Serena stood locked in a wordless fight.

"I wouldn't lay a hand on such a lovely lady if I were you." His statement was plain but held a arbitrary warning that was meant to intimidate. Serena released a breath of relief upon hearing Darien's familiar voice.

If anyone, Darien could save her.

Diamond turned wild eyes on his opponent, ready to unleash a terror-inducing reaction that would remind the man to mind his own business.

"And just what the hell do you think you're...Darien?"

Blinded by the surprise of his name leaving the stranger's lips, Darien's mind backtracked in a mad rush trying to remember the man. "I'm sorry, Do I know you?" Though, the distraction successfully discouraged Darien's confrontation, Darien's tone of malevolence never diminished over the course of their exchange.

"I, uh, didn't expect to run into you here. I mean, it's been what...10 years or so? You've changed quite a bit since I last saw you. Me and my fiance were just having a bit of a domestic disagreement. Nothing to worry about really..." The man continued to ramble on a nervous, nonsensical bout but as he talked, Darien gradually pieced together the puzzle.

Course, Serena mouthing words like "It's Diamond" and "help me" helped significantly as well.

"...I mean, you know how woman can be. Even if you change, you can never seem to make them happy."

Diamond lied through his teeth about his relationship to Serena, ignorant to the fact that Darien knew of his recent escape from incarceration. Course, Darien hadn't bother to keep tabs with his family since being disowned and Diamond was well aware of that. Except for Sapphire, Darien had virtually no contact with any of his family and hardly anyone knew that they still conversed.

However, the clincher was Diamond didn't know that Darien knew Serena and that's where Darien had the upper hand. So he calculated a plan.

"I understand. Listen, why don't you two come with me and allow me to treat you to lunch. I mean I have yet to meet your fine fiancé and we have much to discuss. " It took a great deal of restraint not to emphasis his disgust and ire he held for his cousin. In fact, referring to Serena as Diamond's fiancé left a bitter taste in Darien's mouth.

Terrified as she was, Serena didn't dare make a peep. Her wide, dilated eyes regained focus at the suggestion of being around a larger group of people. If Diamond were to take the bait, Darien could buy enough time to get a hold of Malcolm and Sapphire.

A taller, moving black object parking a few rows from where they were conversing caught Serena's full attention. She inclined her head just enough to recognize that it was indeed Malcolm and Zachary. She had never been so elated to see two men in a Range Rover in her entire life.

"I don't know. We have so much to do." Serena could sense Diamond's reluctance as tangibly as she could feel his grip on her arm tightening to an unforgivable degree.

So in retaliation, she took drastic measure to play her part as the dutiful (ex)girlfriend. "Oh, but Diamond, I'd love to sit and chat for awhile. Could we please?"

His eyes softened "You know I could never deny you, my pet." He lifted a hand to gently stoke her face, but the move appeared more dominate than loving. Serena's skin crawled with the volatile feeling.

Darien clenched his fists to his sides, praying that he could get Serena away from Diamond before he did something they all regretted.

* * *

With the car parked and engine cut off, Malcolm lied out of sight in the shadows of the car interior, quietly assessing his prey for the next move. Erect in his seat and alert to everything within the surrounding area, He said nothing, didn't blinked, and seldom breathed.

Course Zachary couldn't blame him.

Zachary's breath had been caught in his throat the instant Amy had called with the dire news. And now as he witnessed the reality of the scene unfolding before him, he was still struggling to get his breath back.

Without warning, Malcolm turned blazing steel-colored eyes onto Zachary, his tone grim with no signs of optimism.

"Call the authorities. Tell them we found Diamond and need immediate backup."

Barely able to speak, Zachary felt like his mouth was chalked full of cotton, dry, scratchy, and uncomfortable. Malcolm stared at him expectantly, burning holes through him with his intense, no-nonsense aura. Squeaking past his uncooperative tongue, Zachary managed to give an answer to Malcolm's satisfaction.

"You got it..."

Be it morbid fascination or the fear of what was to happen next, Zachary couldn't tear his gaze from the three figures engaged in -what was sure to be- a bizarre encounter.

Unconventionally, Malcolm faced Zachary square on and flashed him a conniving half-smile. "Don't wait up for me." Zachary had never seen the man smile since he meet him.

And he had to admit that it gave him the creeps.

Discreetly, albeit lightning fast, Malcolm opened his driver's door and slipped down the length vehicle to land in a stooped position next the car. Captivated in awe, Zachary's eyes didn't deviate from the platinum haired man as he expertly wove between the parked cars to Diamond's position.

One would swear the man was trained for a situation like this.

However, his attention went immediately back to his task the moment Diamond started to man-handle Serena. Zachary fumbled with his cell phone for only a second as he dialed the police. "Yes, I'd like to report a dangerous man in the downtown area. His name is Diamond Elman and I believe the police are looking for him..."

* * *

As Serena lightly touched the back of Diamond's hand to guide it away from her face, Diamond suddenly became aggressive and malicious and grabbed her chin in his hand.

Serena squealed in terror, unprepared and unaware of what this crazed man would do to her if she disobeyed.

"Don't hurt her..." Darien could no longer wait for Malcolm or keep his facade of apathy as Serena's anguished cry nearly broke him. He moved closer to the couple as he steadied himself to bowl Diamond over and free Serena. Yet seconds before he could initiate his plan of action, a bad sense of timing lead an unsuspecting man into the mists of turmoil.

Eyeing the friendly face in the distant part of the parking lot, Serena didn't bother to contain her relief and emotions, blurting out in a moment of weakness.

"Sapphire!!"

Sapphire had a bright smile plastered on his face as he exited his car but as he did a double take of the woman who had called him by name, his complection fell ashen.

A crazed man in a trenchcoat had Serena in a painful position and looked as if he was about to release all the hounds of hell upon her.

"S..Serena?" He already knew the answer to his question but voicing the reality of it help him cope with the possibility that Serena was in grave danger.

The man caught Sapphire's eyes with his own and sneered in envy, so afire with betrayal that his face distorted unrecognizably.

"I should have known you'd be here, brother. You always did want her as your own. But you can't have her, she's mine!" Diamond shouted enraged.

Sick with the opinion that she was an object to be owned and feed up with Diamond in general, Serena shot back tartly. "I am not a possession to be kept, especially not yours!"

Diamond retaliated by spinning Serena in front of him by wrenching the arm he was still holding. With her arm securely stretched behind her, Diamond threw his other arm around Serena's shoulders so she had limited movement.

"Careful what you say, my pet. We wouldn't something unfortunate to happen to that pretty mouth of yours." He breathed gleefully icy and eerily into her ear. The enunciation of his words made it perfectly clear that he would not hesitate to use force on Serena if need be.

"D..Diamond...We don't have to do this. Please, can't we just talk about it?" Still stuck in a haze of disbelief, Sapphire stuttered senselessly, fearing for Serena's safety.

"I think he's past the point of talking, Sapphire." Darien was the only one who maintained his rationale and understood that Diamond's level of dementia was past the point of no return.

For the length of a heartbeat, Diamond remained firmly planted on his two feet, holding Serena hostage, and thumbing the sharp object inside the lining of his coat.

It took Darien only half as long to size up Diamond and foolishly carry out a diversion.

Darien lunged with the force of half his weight into Diamond, reaching to pry Diamond's arms away from Serena. In that instant, Diamond unveiled his weapon of choice, a small dagger from the confinements of his coat.

Secretly hoping to hit him, Diamond slashed the air in front of Darien as a warning but clipped Darien's side with his crude thrusting and jabbing.

A panicked scream emerged from Serena, not as a cause of Darien's actions but from the red liquid she saw splatter against the pavement. But as blood poured from the wound on Darien's side as he moved forward once more and Diamond backed away cowardly, Serena felt the leverage of her arm give way.

Diamond must have let go of her forearm in the mists of arming himself with his dagger.

Serena used his neglect to her advantage by jutting her arm forward and swiftly elbowing Diamond in the stomach with all her might.

Losing his breath and balance, Diamond inadvertently released Serena as he doubled over pathetically, dropped his blood soaked dagger, and crossed an arm over his abdomen. Frustrated, the troubled blonde man growled low in his throat primitively and muttered a slew of curses and obscenities at no one in particular.

Free from the madman, Serena ran to Darien, grazing his side in concern, and used her hand to apply pressure to his wound to stop the bleeding. As Serena fingered the wound gracefully, She noticed the gash had cut enough to bleed but nothing that would cause serious damage. However, Darien showed no signs of being fazed in the slightest by his wound. His posture was the one thing that betrayed the infliction of the cut as he leaned the injured side of his body away from Diamond.

Gently, Darien laid a hand on Serena's shoulder and pushed her behind him, out of harm's way.

Anxious, Serena fisted her small hands in the back of Darien's shirt to hold him to her. At least this way, she may be able to prevent him from fighting Diamond again and risk being killed.

"Why you little slut! You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Diamond struggled just to straighten himself but failed miserably. So much like the wretched creature he truly was, he stayed hunched over painfully and propelled his scathing remarks from a safe distance. " If you're not running away to fuck my brother, you're off with my cousin."

No one said a word. They knew Diamond was just speaking out of self-righteous defeat and the humiliation of being made a mockery.

With all the arrogant petulance of the wealthy world for which he had been breed, Diamond scornfully leered at Darien. "You're not fit to be part of the family. You never were." Even as he stood hunched, the blonde maniac kept eyeing the dagger on the ground.

"I never wanted to be." Darien's retort was quick, confident, and every bit the truth.

And for some reason, the showmanship of Darien's self-assurance and witnessing Serena cling to him desperately, ignited a ripe jealousy within Diamond. Devoured by his demons, Diamond roared loudly, seized the dagger off the ground, and launched himself at his cousin, ready to finish what they had started.

Suddenly, as Diamond leaped forward, he reared backwards once more as an iron grip held him in place and started to choke him.

Hearing her ex gasping for breath had Serena lifting her head high enough in order to see the cause of Diamond's distress. "Malcolm!"

Malcolm appeared as if he had melted from the shadows themselves and surprised Diamond from the behind, bending Diamond's arm uncomfortably until he dropped the dagger and putting him in an expert choke hold. Zachary wasn't far behind. He jumped out from beside a car and lightly kicked Diamond's dagger out of reach.

And as Diamond did his best to try to throw Malcolm off, police sirens could be heard fast approaching. Diamond tripled his efforts, frantically trying to free himself but to no avail. Malcolm was too stubborn to yield.

As policemen surrounded the parking lot, the Sheriff shimmied up his pants and belt in a very authoritative manner and made his way to Malcolm. Just as the man was within reach, Malcolm relented his hold on Diamond as the tyrant fell to the pavement.

"Officer! Thank God, you're here! This man was trying to kill me! You saw it, didn't you?" The Sheriff hauled Diamond up by his upper arm non-too-gently and cuffed him.

"I sure did, son. Hey, Andrew, take Mr. Elman in and be sure to read him his rights." The sheriff bellowed comically, albeit slightly cynical. He turned to Malcolm gratefully and held out his hand for a shake.

"I'm sure we'll be sending Mr. Elman back to New York shortly to be indited. But I appreciate all your efforts, Malcolm." Malcolm lightly grasped the other man's hand and nodded politely.

"Of course." He elected to say nothing else about the matter now that it was over.

A near by ambulance had appeared on the scene and soon an EMT was helping Serena steer Darien to the back of the vehicle.

"Now, let's have a look at that." As the EMT directed Darien to lift his arm and take off his shirt, the EMT began to busily apply anti-septic and bandages. "Well, the cut's not too deep but you're going to need stitches. We better go ahead and take you to the hospital."

Putting his shirt back on, Darien rejected the offer. "No thanks. I'll have her take me later." He pointed at Serena who watched slack jawed at Darien's muscles flexing while he teasingly put his shirt back on.

She coughed, full of mirthful annoyance. "What makes you think I'll take you?"

Smiling, Darien taunted."Because I asked nicely."

Serena laughed lightly but sobered almost immediately. "I...um. Thank you, Darien. I don't know what I would have done without you."

Darien reached out and cupped Serena's face in the palm of his hand. When he spoke, his voice sounded strained and serious. "Serena, I couldn't have..."

"Serena? Darien?" Sapphire always found the most inopportune moments to interrupt. Sighing, Darien combed a hand through his thick, dark locks in agitation.

"Sapphire! Thanks again, for all your help." Indebted to him for all his loving support and aim to protect her, Serena perched on her tiptoes and laid a peck on his cheek. Sapphire had the grace to blush like a schoolboy.

As Serena, Darien and Sapphire strolled and chatted with police about their statements, Malcolm stood nearby and spoke very few words to a talkative officer. However, after speaking with steely eyed man, that same officer allowed Serena's friends to bypass the road blocks.

Amy was the first spot and track down Serena. "Oh Serena, we were so worried!" Ecstatic, The fair-haired designer squealed and embraced all of her friends in one big hug.

With tears in her eyes, Rei was still ranting but this time, for a different reason. "See what happens when you're late? Don't ever do that again, Sere! God knows what could have happened!"

"But Darien helped. You didn't." Serena crossed her arms and pouted, hurt by Rei's comments.

"Are you kidding? We had to restrain her just so she couldn't leave and make things worse." Lita smirked, slapping Rei on the back genially.

"I could have taken him." Offended, Rei muttered to herself in spite.

Out of nowhere, Malcolm appeared like a ghost, hovering over the group quietly and protectively.

"So Malcolm, I saw you talking with the Sheriff earlier. Are you neglecting to tell me something?" Serena sauntered up to Malcolm, putting him on the spot, and attempting to evoke an answer from him.

"If I remember correctly, I'm under no obligation to tell you anything." Malcolm bluntly told her, staunch and tenacious.

"Oh...true. But then again, I don't have to get my information from you." She grinned mischievously. "I always have Charlie."

With a quick survey, Malcolm changed subjects immediately. "Where's that blonde friend of yours?"

"Oh, Mina? Don't worry about her. She's at home, asleep." Serena waved her hand, indicating that it was standard behavior for Mina and clearly no big deal.

Darien decided to show up at that moment and wrap his arm around Serena's shoulders. "Ladies, if you'll excuse us. I think we have an appointment at the nearest hospital."

"Wait what?" Confused, Serena was startled by the Darien's sudden appearance.

"Unless Serena would prefer for me to continue to bleed all over my good shirt?" Motioning to the rip in the side of his shirt and the bandage that was being seeped through with blood, Darien used the arm he had playfully wrapped around Serena to tug her in the opposite direction.

"Fine! I'll catch up with you guys later." Grinning, Serena said her goodbyes and ventured on her way with Darien away from earshot. However, Serena was fumbled with the response her head was clamoring for. It wasn't easy to think straight when Darien was squeezing shoulder provocatively like that.

"And just when did I agree to take you to go get stitched up?" She contemplated pinching him on his good side but decided not to injure him anymore. She would just wait til he healed and then he was fair game.

"I was hoping we could discuss that over dinner at my place." Darien stopped mid-step and pivoted on his foot, coming face to face with Serena and holding her close to him.

Oh boy. Talk about being between a rock and a hard place. And Darien's warm chest certainly felt like it was chiseled from the finest marble.

Swallowing a bit more blatantly than she would have admitted, she managed a half-hearted, silly answer that sufficed. "Well, I guess I could keep tonight open since I do have a very busy schedule."

"I'm sure you do." Darien's head tilted in curiosity as his eyes diverted to her lips.

Nervous and antsy, the designer quickly proclaimed in an awkward manner. "At least, let me call Mina first!"

There was a lot of explaining to do once she talked to her blonde bombshell friend.

Laughing, Darien placed a small kiss square on her lips. "Whatever you want." Flustered but giddy, a beaming Serena held on to Darien as she lead them to his car.

For the first time in a long while, Serena's heart flooded with true, uninhibited happiness.


	11. Epilogue

It's been a long time coming, nearly six years in the making. I'm not going to give a big speech. I'll just let you enjoy the ending of our heroine's story.

I know I do mention it later, but just in case, the epilogue is set two months after the events of the last chapter.

* * *

"No way! You were part of the CIA?" Mina exclaimed, her baby blues swarming with excitement.

"I never said that." Malcolm tilted his head forward, matching Mina's incriminating stare with an impartial stare of his own.

"No, but Charlie did." Serena interjected the simple statement, revealing the truth behind Malcolm's nature and oddities.

"Ha! That explains a lot." Mina rolled her eyes and tossed a melodramatic hand in the air, as if her complicated question really had the simplest of answers.

"What do you mean by that?" Malcolm questioned all too innocently, his gray eyes alight with complete contentment.

"You know what I mean." Huffy, Mina crossed her arms and doubled her efforts in staring, knowing Malcolm was toying with her.

"Is that supposed to be an insult?" At this point, Malcolm wanted to savor Mina's lack of response. He so enjoyed playing with her. She was brighter than she seemed, and in the moments it showed were the most rare and beautiful of all.

"Maybe..." She averted her eyes, unwilling to grant him the pleasure of watching her fumble with her thoughts and words.

"It's not a very good one." He couldn't resist gloating, if only to incite her.

"Well I'm using it to buy time to think of a better one." As dignified as she could be, Mina straightened in her seat and stuck her tongue out at Malcolm, mocking his glacial personality.

Serena lifted her hand to mask the smile that creased her mouth. Malcolm had successfully managed to get under Mina's skin without a hitch and Mina liked poking fun at his statuesque manner. Somehow, they seemed like a strange, apropos pair.

Reclining in the cushy seats of Lita's café, Serena and Mina's delighted voices carried through the uneventful brunch hour until noon when the rest of their party dropped in.

As usual, Rei sauntered to the table first, loud with a bittersweet welcoming. "Well, I'll be damned! Not only are you on time, you're actually early!" Propping an elbow on the table, Serena rested her chin in her hand with a content look lingering on her face.

"You seemed surprised. I can really do something if I put my mind to it." A lesser person would have been offended by Rei's comment, but Serena knew her raven-haired friend better. Rei's comment was actually a concealed compliment.

"You should try to put your mind to things more often then." Now that was an insult. Serena reached over and pinched Rei's arm in retaliation.

"Oh, be nice, Rei." Amy, sweet and subdued, tried to keep her friend's temper teasing at a minimum.

"Yea, Rei, be nice." Serena parroted with a distraught tremble of her lip, working her magic of guilt tripping.

"Are you upsetting my customers again?" Lita, who had just emerged from the busy kitchen area, tugged a lock of Rei's dark hair in a manner reminiscent of sibling affection.

"I haven't upset anybody...yet." Rei tossed Serena a heated glance.

Laughing a tad too harshly, Serena blew off Rei's fit to refocus the discussion. That is until someone unexpected decided to crash the party.

"Hey Sapphire! Heading back to the Big Apple again?" Lita piped with a cheeky grin that contradicted her disappointed tone and sentimental amber eyes.

Sapphire nodded with an anticipant sort of drag, as if expecting such a query with a briefcase and coat in toe.

"Yeah, I'm going for the standard protocol. I'll have to sit through a couple of boring board meetings about the future of the business and negotiate terms of contracts for the new expansion of hotels. Then I'll drop in to check on Diamond before I leave and come back." Wincing, Sapphire scratched the side of his neck, avoiding eye contact with Serena at all costs.

Mentioning such a delicate subject around Serena could be a deal breaker for the new hotel mogul.

"How's he doing by the way?" Over the last two months, Serena had become more comfortable of the idea of Diamond being confined in a way that could help him get the guidance he needed. Though, she was hard pressed not to let anyone realize it.

With a twinge of surprise, Sapphire paused for a moment only to assure he hadn't misheard the blonde beauty's question. "The psychiatrist says he's showing vast improvement and has been moved from solitary to a normal room of the institution."

Exhaling a deep breath she wasn't aware she was holding, Serena sighed with a sense of alleviation. "I'm just relieved that he's getting better."

"I think we all are." Transiting fluidly into a finality of the subject, Sapphire capped the myriad of questionable conclusions of Diamond's condition at an end, electing not to speak anymore about it.

As a strain of cumbersome talk descended upon the crowd, Lita quickly recovered the original point she was maintaining to make. "Weren't you going back to New York too, Sere?"

A sheepish Serena scratched the back of her head in nervous habit, doing a terrible job to hide her embarrassment. "Well, yea but I've been preoccupied with other things and haven't had time to go back quite yet. But I plan to go back in the next week or so."

"Hmm, I wonder who's keeping you so preoccupied." As if Mina didn't know.

Red with her shame, Serena immediately went on the defensive. "How do you know it's not what rather than a who?" Mina couldn't keep her big mouth shut to save her life.

"Because I know you." Mina dead panned with a brazen type of flare that only she had mastered.

"And from the looks of that hickey, I would say it's a really amorous who." Merciless, Lita teased Serena by swatting at the ends of her blonde locks that tried to hide the evidence of her new love life.

"What hickey? I don't have a hickey." Bashful, Serena tucked her head in between her shoulders, making a conscious effort to keep her activities from being the topic of conversation.

"At least, we don't have to worry about who she's with all night long." Rei's audacious tone could have been interpreted as jealousy if not for the suggesting slant of her eyebrows.

"Rei!" Amy and Serena both reprimanded, stunned.

"What? I'm just saying..." Incorrigible, Rei stood her ground.

"I don't think you're helping, Rei." Though, Mina had a valid point. She was still in the same boat as Rei.

"Well, so much for consolation." Shrugging, Rei leaned back in her chair as if without a care in the world.

On the other hand, Serena valiantly defended her honor while Mina and Lita laughed at the designer's poor attempt. Amy was stuck playing devil's advocate to Rei's devil, but it was Malcolm who squirmed in his chair after the discussion turned to more intimate activities.

* * *

Entering her small piece of sanctuary, the designer used the utmost precaution not to wake her protective guardian within.

However, opening the door to that sanctuary seemed more difficult than it should have been. The door creaked with a sickening screech that could signal a hoard of cattle.

Not the more demure entrance she was aiming for, but it'll do. As she quickly shut the door, her guardian emerged from the dark hallway entrance.

A quiet mew cut through the air as Serena turned to find her rapidly growing kitten before her feet. "Hello, Diana. I thought you were sleeping."

Bending over to pet the cat, a pair of strong, unwavering arms clinched Serena at the waist to hold her captive. Straightening immediately, Serena would have made some sort of cry of shock had the face buried in throat not hindered her voice.

Ah, so her guardian had missed her.

He skimmed his face across her skin, working his way to her ear. Feeling a long, hot breath tickle the blonde tendrils near her ear, Serena could hear him sucking in deep pockets of air between her strands of hair. With a quiet pang of hurt, he confessed to her. "I thought you said you would only be gone for two hours."

Soaking in the intimate moment, Serena closed her eyes and turned her face towards Darien's. Her breathing hitched long enough for her to regain her senses. "I was only gone for three hours." She informed him, her voice a sultry ache.

"You were three hours too long." He shot back, never once stuttering in his sweet assault upon her skin. He began anew by planting a string of gentle kisses in the small crevice under her ear.

"Why, Mr. Shields, I thought you said you weren't the affectionate type." She sighed, placid with pleasure.

"I'm not..." A small nudge to her ear with his nose emphasized his point. Too bad his actions betrayed his words.

"You could have fooled me." Her heavy breathing was audible as she went lax in his arms, fully relying on his strength to hold her up.

However, her mind quickly cleared from the wicked things he lavished upon her, her guilty pleasure dissolving into more pressing matters. "Darien...I need to speak with you."

His tender nuzzling came to a halt.

Nervous, she just blurted out what was on her mind. "I'm thinking about going back to New York for a while." Fearful of what he might say or think, she inserted her reasoning behind her thought process. "I just need to take care of a few things with the new line, attend a few business meetings, and discuss the possibility of issuing a statement through my publicist about the conditions surrounding my circumstances." If for no other reason, it would put the rumors to rest.

"I understand, Serena." He caressed her temple with the tips of his fingers, pushing back a wisp of blonde hair. "I'll support any decision you choose to make." Lifting her hand to his lips, Darien planted a soft kiss on the tip of her knuckles.

It was agony to imagine leaving Darien when he said things like that.

"You should know that it won't be easy." He had always been a confidante and pillar of strength for her, more so in these last months than ever before. She wasn't sure if she could handle the resentful spite of the gossip papers without Darien.

"Things seldom are with you." The delicate smile that appeared spoke volumes of the incident in which he was referring.

If the papers found out that Serena was dating Darien, Diamond's cousin, while Diamond was confined in a mental facility; things were bound to get ugly. Course, she always had her dear friend Charlie on her side and he was an eminent character of prestige among New York socialites.

Still, she lacked the courage to confront the part of her life that caused more conflict.

"It's not something I really want to do as much as it is a necessary evil." Torn, Serena's voice dropped to a small whisper, as if she were talking more to herself than her current beau. "But as long as you're here waiting for me, I think I can manage."

He grasped her shoulder with a light touch and encouraged her to sink in to the safety of his chest. His soft caresses to her back help wan her fears. Finally, he spoke with a strained voice. "I would wait forever for you."

Serena felt her heart swell with warm acceptance. If Darien would stand by her, she could surely muster the audacity to face any judgment that came.

She wanted to respond with a phrase she had been aching to say to him. A phrase she had thought about on more than one occasion but hadn't dare spoken out loud. Her actions often surrendered to her heart's desire; this instance was no different.

A faint blush covered Serena's cheeks as she murmured into his shirt. "I love you."

Reaching out, Darien cupped her head in his hands and tilted her back so they meet eye to eye. His midnight blue eyes clouded to a murky black as he ran a rough thumb over her soft lips.

His voice was hoarse and breathy with stressed emotion. "I love you too."

Desperate to be consumed by her effervescent light, Darien stole hot, demanding kisses from her mouth; his fingers tracing her features and skimming down the sides of her body. He grasped her lower back and her bottom with urgent hands, pressing her body against his in a provocative way that heightened every nerve in her body.

Moaning into the kiss, Serena's body arched into his while her hands sank into his jet black hair, anchoring his lips to her own. Darien's lips remained relentless with the onslaught of open-mouthed kisses that made her head spin. And when Darien's hands slipped under her shirt to massage the sensitive skin there, warmth began to accumulate in the core of her being.

With Serena's lips sufficiently swollen, Darien broke the string of kisses to venture across her neck and shoulder. Her breath coming in staggered pitches, she could feel his pulse pounding with the rapid beat of her own. As his attentive lips deviated lower and his hands worked their way upwards, she trembled with anticipation for what might come next. It was hard to breathe, hard to process anything but the sensual feelings coursing through her body.

Then the phone rang.

Darien's stalled for a moment but slowly kept moving his hands up her body.

"Don't get that." His voice was thick with arousal.

"What if it's important?" Her lack of movement proved her reluctance to leave his embrace but his hands were awfully distracting with their teasing touches at the edge of her bra.

"Then they'll call back." He would use just about any excuse so they could finish what they started.

She was debating whether or not she could afford to miss the call. Her decision was made for her when he cupped her breasts through her bra; a faint sigh escaped her mouth as she succumbed to his skillful ministrations.

* * *

Serena fought the temptation to take a nap while one of her assistant designers gave an official presentation on the expansion of the fall line for next year. The plane ride hadn't been too treacherous, but that jet lag was beginning to set in.

"What is your opinion, Ms. Weston?" The confident assistant stood with her hands tucked neatly in front of her, professional by all standards of dress and demeanor. However, the novice assistant's wavering voice belied her frayed nerves.

And Serena couldn't blame her.

"I think you've done a spectacular job, Luna. And I agree it would be both beneficial and crucial to expand our line to keep hold on our market and gain new clientele. You have my full permission to expand the line with six new outfits and to distribute them at all venues." Serena smiled and closed the book of samples in front of her. Her crew had worked diligently in her impromptu absence and deserved recognition.

"Yes, Ms. Weston. Thank you." Elated, Luna gave a small nod of gratitude and gathered her presentation items, blowing out the door in a blur of assorted clothing samples.

Astonished by the designer's admission of her work, Luna nearly bowled over the man waiting at the door of the conference room. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, Mr. Peterson." Still frazzled with elation, Luna acknowledged him briefly and passed by the confused man without another word.

Unruffled, the genial man turned past the doorway and stuck his head in. "Four days back on the job and already you're causing trouble?"

Serena recognized his rich laugh before she even looked up. "Charlie! It's so great to see you." She couldn't keep the brilliant smile from touching her lips.

"Hello, love. I just wanted to drop by and see how you're fairing." Charles had always taken on a natural paternal role, developing a habit of watching over Serena for the past few years.

As delighted as the designer might have been to see an old friend, the home she craved made the meeting bittersweet. "Better than expected actually. I'm hoping to finalize the details of the newest line with some of our buyers. If I can finish today, I might try to go back to Canton early."

The older man didn't seem to acknowledge the tiresome infliction of her voice, a trait normally keen to his senses. "Sounds like you have a busy schedule. Think you could spare an evening? I was hoping that you would come with me for a small dinner reception tonight."

"Oh, I don't know, Charlie." She didn't miss a beat with the practiced line, her disappointment evident.

"What if I told you the dinner was in your honor?" He enticed her for a more substantial response.

"In my honor? Don't you think that seems a bit conspicuous when I'm trying to avoid media attention?" The indication of her raised eyebrow wasn't lost on Charles.

"I know, but you know how these things are. A protégé designer making recent headlines to nurse a broken heart is in town and some well-too-do investor with too much time and money on his hands decides to throw a party to make her feel better. You know, just the standard protocol." The innocent approach might have been believable, save for the amusing glint in his eye and the knowing smile he flashed.

"Alright, I guess I can make an exception…for you." It took minimal convincing to persuade Serena. Truth told, she would have agreed to the invitation simply because Charles extended it himself.

"Great! I'll pick you up at eight o' clock." Charles divulged no further information, issuing his standard dismissal wave and turning to leave.

Serena stood abruptly to catch her visitor, puzzled by his hasty leave. "Wait, aren't you going to tell me where the dinner is at?"

Unwilling to stop his retreat, he spoke over his shoulder, showing his prominent laugh lines. "It's a surprise. Just be sure to where something stunning." The information was elusive at best, but Serena's gut screamed that this was bound to be something special.

* * *

The dress slide over her curves in a black caress of silk chiffon. With a sleek silhouette, the one-shouldered evening gown hugged and draped in all the right places.

"You look lovely as always." Squeezing her arm, Charles reassured her with a debonair sensibility.

As silly as it sounded the dress made her feel exposed and self conscious, fully aware of every quirk and imperfection she possessed. The restlessness wouldn't yield, forming with slow torture in Serena's stomach; though, she failed to understand why her nerves where on edge.

"I'm worried." Serena confessed with a quiet tremble of her voice. She hadn't been to a reception in New York since she caught Diamond cheating. The guests there were bound to look at her with a critical eye.

"Don't be. You're going to enjoy it, I promise." Charles' indicative tone gave the impression that he wasn't telling her everything. Serena pressed down the rising lump in her throat.

Still, she trusted her friend. If he claimed she would enjoy it, then there was no reason she shouldn't.

They arrived at a large skyscraper in Midtown Manhattan, its beautiful glass and chrome exterior glinting against the skyline of the city in the crystal moonlight.

With gentle, aged hands, Charles escorted Serena into the lush entry of the building. Inquisitive glances and astonished smiles were exchanged, but no words passed between the two until they entered the elevator.

"I never properly thanked you for all you did." Her whisper was barely heard but heartfelt all the same.

Frank with raw sincerity, he replied. "There's no need. It was my pleasure."

Serena turned to face him, her voice firm with pertinacious adoration. "Charlie, you've always been such a great friend. I don't know how to ever repay you… "

The elevator provided a dull 'ping', announcing their arrival on the twenty-sixth floor. He smiled with genuine humility, even seizing the grace to blush at the compliment. "You can start right now. Follow me."

The metal doors opened to reveal an elegantly decorated cocktail lounge with large glass windows that provided a perfect view of the bright lights and sparkling scenery of the downtown buildings against the darkening sky. The fragrant scent of roses wafted through the air as each table was set with a fresh, red bouquet. Tabletops were lit with thick, white candles in clear hurricane vases that were laid upon crisp, white linens. However, Serena knew something was amiss for one simple reason.

Nobody was there.

Charles urged her inside the dining area; though, he could feel her bewilderment from her uncertain steps.

While Serena was busy searching the area for any other signs of life, Charles led her to the center window to the only table that had been set with dining ware.

And it was only set for two.

Serena started, backtracking to clarify herself. "Charlie, I…"

Charles held up a hand to silence her, understanding and soothing as was par for him. "Just stay here, there's a surprise." So he disappeared further into the lounge to leave her standing alone in the quiet restaurant, confused about the circumstances.

While waiting for her dinner date, movement in the corner of Serena's immediate vision captured her undivided attention.

Darien emerged from the casting shadows of the candlelight, dressed in a manicured tuxedo that had been tailored to fit him. He moved with an ease and grace that spoke of his aristocratic breeding, but it was the sly slant of his mouth that made him look every bit unattainable and wicked as she remembered from her youth.

For a moment, Serena's mouth went dry, and she was unable to speak.

He approached with a languid swagger, hands resting in his pocket. He observed her attire with a certain possessive and appreciative glint in his eye. He stopped a hair's breathe away from her, lingering long enough for Serena to feel the heat of his body.

He extended a hand from his pocket, gently clasping hers and bringing her fingers to his lips. All the while, he never broke eye contact with her, but even the shaded moonlight and flickering candles couldn't hide his devilish grin.

"You look beautiful." The words vibrated against her fingers as he kissed them, his voice raspy.

Somehow, she had found her voice, but it was weak with surprise. "Darien, what is this?"

He didn't reply. Instead, he neared so close that their chests barely touched, and then took a step back, bending down on one knee before her and still holding tight to her hand.

Serena lost her breath, her mouth agape in silent awe.

"Serena, I have never been a man of many words. All I know is that I cannot live without you." With his other hand, he pulled a small, blue box from his coat pocket. His hand released hers to open the box and present the sparkling diamond ring lying snug on a silk cushion.

Overwhelmed, Serena could hear the beat of her frantic heart in her ears as the dizzy anticipation of this moment coursed through her veins. Darien, for all his noble intentions, appeared to be shaking with the pressure of her reaction. Still, the admiration and truth in his eyes shone clear and bright.

"Serena Weston, I have loved you for a long time and I will continue to do so if you'll let me. Will you marry me?"

His voice pitched, but he remained resolute, waiting for her answer.

She didn't bother to think twice about it; her answer came in one singular rush of emotion. "Yes." Then just to reassure that the word had even left her mouth, she said it louder with firm passion. "Yes! Yes, I will." Tears leaked from the corner of her eyes as she laughed with enthusiasm, the wild mix of emotions getting the best of her.

Darien's face lit with unbridled excitement as he rose and slide the gold band onto Serena's ring finger. With a burst of energy, Darien wound his arms around her waist to hold her body in close contact to his own, delivering a deep, penetrating kiss that tingled all the way to Serena's toes. Afterwards, Serena regained her voice to a chorus of giggles that erupted out of her mouth while she rested her forehead against Darien's.

With a silent smile, Serena realized with a funny sort of irony that years of harbored attraction and a series of unplanned events had led to this.

So maybe, just maybe, they really were a perfect match.

* * *

It's done! Finished! Comment and critiques are always welcome. Thanks for everything you guys. It's been a wild, crazy ride.

Just to let you know, I will continue to write stories for the SM fandom. So if you're interested, I'll update within the next two months with a new story.


End file.

Sailor Moon, Romance