Chapter One

Friendship Borne of Sadness

Twin blond pigtails flew back in wake of the young woman's run, she stumbled but maintained her feet despite the snag of her pants on the ground. Her long legs carried her to the park and she came to a stop beside the lake. It was her favorite place, her sapphire eyes looked across the lily covered lake, with the moon reflected from it's mirrored surface. Slowly the young woman descended to her knees and felt tears sliding down her cheeks slowly. A slight gulp as she realized she would never see this again.

"I will miss you, my friends…" she whispered. Her four friends had gone away to different locations for the long weekend. Still she thought it was best this way, now she would no longer drag any of them down with her. Thoughts slowly returned to earlier that day, when she had confessed her feelings to a new crush, and gotten her heart destroyed.

Flashback

She walked up to a tall boy, his black hair tied in a short ponytail behind him. Hesitantly she found her voice as her heart beat furiously against her chest, "Umm…h..hello…Tom…I was just wondering if you would be interested, I mean if you aren't busy….if you'd like to go for a milkshake or something."

The guy had regarded her in astonishment for several moments, then began to laugh. She hadn't understood why until he had begun to speak loud enough for the entire mall to hear, "This is a joke right? As if I would ever be caught dead with a brainless, ditzy, naïve little girl like you! I have better woman to go to so why don't you run home little girl."

He had turned away as Serena ran from the mall to her home. She had thought to talk to her mother about it. Hear some comforting words, but her mother had gone off about her being irresponsible. Then the woman had gone to Serena's most recent flunking grade. Each word had cut her still broken heart, so much that when she was done, the young woman had no tears left to shed.

End Flashback

Now she stood feeling an emptiness within her, Tom had been right. She thought of all the times she had failed, been irresponsible, been a ditz or a klutz. She pulled out the knife she had stolen from her house and regarded the blade silently. Few had ever talked about suicide, but to her there were no other options, she hadn't changed in fourteen years. How could she hope to change tomorrow?

As she stood preparing to finish what she felt was a miserable existence. A dark haired figure made his way along the path. Dark gray sweatpants and a light sleeveless shirt accented his muscular form. Sweat glimmered on his skin in the light of the lamppost nearby. Seeing the woman by the lake he stopped recognizing her.

He gave a wave and grinned, "Meatball head! How are you?"

But the emotionless response she gave, so unlike the happy Serena he knew, sent shivers down the man's spine, "Go away Darien…just go away…"

Darien stopped short as he saw the knife in her hands. It didn't take much to understand her intentions. But leaving was the last thing on the older man's mind. His voice was gentle, no longer mocking, but clear with concern and grief, "Serena…talk to me please…what happened?"

She didn't look at him, her eyes hidden in shadows, "This is the best thing…."

"No it's not, Serena in all the time I've known you giving up is not something I've ever seen you do," Darien touched her shoulder gently, his other hand taking the cold knife from her hand, "Don't give up now Serena, you still have so much…"

She was shocked to see the crystalline tears in the older man's midnight eyes. He dropped the knife into the tall grass as she began crying in earnest. Crying in a way that caused Darien to surge with a desire to protect her, comfort her and calm her. He was surprised when she ran and hugged him tightly crying against his pale shirt. His strong arms wrapped around her protectively hugging her to him.

For a long time she merely cried into his chest afraid to let go. For his part, Darien just held her, but he felt stirrings of something he was quick to suppress. Finally, the young man took a step back, she seemed so scared, and he knew she was in no condition to walk the seventeen blocks to his apartment, and certainly not the forty or so to her home.

She was still crying albeit weakly now, and Darien bent down and lifted her into his arms gently. Oddly, Serena wasn't too surprised by this, indeed she felt that it was so….right. Soon though, frustration, depression and exhaustion took their toll, sending the young woman into a soft sleep. He carried her effortlessly to his apartment and laid her in his bed.

"Don't give up Serena, I promise you that I won't," he placed a soft paternal kiss on her forehead before he left the room. Then he went and made a phone call to her parents, informing the worried couple about their daughters whereabouts. Soon thereafter he fell onto the soft couch, his thoughts on the beautiful woman in his bed, and a pair of deep sapphire eyes.

She awoke slowly with a long catlike stretch and a yawn to match it. A momentary stop and a deep smell of the room, she realized it was roses and cinnamon. Looking at the room she just lay there remembering last night. She tried not to think too much on the feeling of Darien's arms around her. Just then the heartbroken girl looked up as the door opened and in walked Darien.

He was holding a tray laden with food, eggs, bacon, toast, pancakes, doughnuts and in the very middle of the plate, was a small vase and a single red rose. Indicating for her to stay in the bed he placed the tray in front of her and smiled gently. Serena was so surprised that for a moment she didn't move until her stomach protested that she hadn't eaten since last night. Then she began eating with renewed vigor, half of the food was gone within a few minutes.

Darien's dark eyes watched her with a slight smile playing on his lips. She slowed her eating after that and drank the orange juice and laying back with a sigh. The tray was removed and the two just looked at each other for several moments. Darien wanted her to tell him on her own, but it was her choice to make. Serena's sapphire eyes regarded him, a stirring of questions reflected there, and something she didn't want to think on.

"Why are you being so nice to me Darien? You never acted like you even cared about me before last night," at this point she looked down touching the red rose softly. She still wondered if failing so much meant that he would turn on her soon. But her heart told her that Darien wouldn't do that. He was too loyal and kind.

He didn't have to think on his answer, "Serena, no matter what happens I will always care about you. I may not always seem like I do, but there's never been a day that I haven't cared."

She looked at him surprised by the strength of his words, even more surprised by the warmth she felt in her heart at his words, "Thank you….Darien without you I'd have done something stupid…."

Slowly she explained what had caused the events of last night as her newfound friend sat on the bed listening. The tale took the better part of two hours, with her friend's face going through a variety of expressions. Finally when it was over she gave a soft sight. But the strong arms again engulfed the woman in a gentle hug.

"I'm sorry Serena, you didn't deserve that jerk said, and I am sorry for what I've said to you," he whispered softly, "I only added to your problems."

The girl felt odd feelings in her again, trust, safety, calmness. It seemed in those arms all fears vanished. All she said was, "It's alright Darien, somehow I knew you really didn't mean those things….OH MY GOSH!! My parents are going to freak!! I got to get home…"

Darien chuckled slightly, "Hey, I called them already, they know where you are and that you're safe, I'll take you home in a little bit, once you've rested up."

The two conversed in Darien's room, the young girl finally took stock of the room. One dresser, the bed, a closet, and two glass doors leading to a balcony. The small side table in the room held a vase of beautiful red roses. For the most part it seemed as if her mysterious friend lived a monk's life almost. Still she wondered about the roses and decided to bug the guy.

"Darien, if I can, who are the flowers for?" she was surprised to find she was hoping they were for her.

"Huh, oh no one really, I just like the rose gives some color around here," she noticed he was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black t-shirt. The dark colors accented his eyes which she was finding she liked them more and more each minute.

'Strange how I never noticed how pretty his eyes are, What am I saying this is Darien….yea the same Darien who admitted he cares about you…what else does he feel??" it was then that she realized she was staring at him and laughed slightly despite the pink blush that blazed on her cheeks. The silence in the room was deafening with only the steady ticking of the clock to break it.

Darien left the room so that she could change her clothes and clean herself up. When she emerged, still dressed in her pink shirt and blue jeans. The two got into Darien's red sports car and he drove to her house. She didn't bother to ask how the college student knew where she lived. When they arrived Serena's mother rushed out of the house and hugged the girl to her.

The girl's father regarded Darien with some apprehension before offering his hand. So surprised was the young man that he didn't move for a long moment. Finally he shook her father's hand firmly.

"Thank you for taking care of her…" her father's voice betrayed his concern for the girl, who had yet to leave the safety of her mother's arms. He was surprised to see the same concern reflected in Darien's eyes. Finally the entire family, as well as Darien, entered the Tsukino living room. Serena sat between her parents while the young man took a seat in the large armchair across from them.

For several tense moments only the sound of chirping birds drifting through the open windows broke the silence. Finally Serena's mother, her arm still draped over her daughter's shoulders, spoke softly, "Serena honey, tell us what happened…"

Slowly the saddened girl recounted how the events of the past week had led her to think she wasn't worth anything. Her parent's eyes widened when they heard her story, and her mom looked down at her role in her daughter's depression. Throughout the story Darien said nothing as she told everything to this moment in time. His dark eyes revealed nothing of his thoughts as he sat with his arms crossed.

Finally when she was finished her eyes turned to the carpeted floor, diamond tears filling her eyes. Her mother held her close letting the young girl cry softly against her shoulder. Her father's gaze slowly turned from his daughter to Darien, he wondered what had caused him to help the girl. True she had been troubled, but nothing would have caused him to stop short of knowing somehow that there was a problem. Regardless her father felt that he owed him a debt.

"Mr. Chiba…we owe you much for caring for our daughter, is there any way that we can repay you?" his daughter looked at him in surprise, such things as gratitude were rare from her overprotective father. As it was his voice was strained and tight, but his eyes showed the truth of his gratefulness.

Her savior's eyes had not left the young girl since she had begun speaking, feeling the intense gaze on her she met his midnight eyes. When she did the image of him crying the previous night shot through her mind. Vividly she recalled his gentle arms surrounding her in a blanket of comfort. And how kind he had treated her this morning at breakfast.

'Was it just an act? Why would Darien care two beans about me? I'm the klutzy meatball head remember?' a look into the dark pools of his eyes and she knew she hadn't been wrong, there was compassion in those dark depths, 'No, he's changed he does care about me. But…why?'

Slowly the deep voice spoke softly as he met her father's gaze without a hesitation, "I only ask that I be allowed to visit with Serena from time to time is all," he smiled gently to her, "I'd like to help her out sometime."

Mrs. Tsukino was quick to speak before her husband could object. Her bright tone reflected her own gratitude as she gave her consent, "Mr. Chiba you are welcome to visit our daughter anytime."

He bowed to both her parents adding, "Thank you Mrs. Tsukino, and please just call me Darien."

Now the young girl was totally shocked, they had said yes?? She also found herself oddly happy at the prospect of seeing Darien more. Though she had no idea, nor did she understand why it caused her to feel nervous. The remainder of the day saw the seed of their new friendship planted as Darien stayed with her. They talked for a while about all of Serena's troubles, and Darien comforted her gently.

"Serena, that guy sounds like a jerk, he didn't even deserve to speak to you at all. Just forget about him okay?" he took a sip of the lemonade that her mom had set before him. Finally he left her house promising to visit again tomorrow. As he drove home the young man felt a sudden happiness come over him, though he had no idea why. He entered his single bedroom apartment deciding to get some rest and think on his newfound friendship with the meatball head.

He noticed a letter on the doormat and picked it up almost laughing when he read who it was from. The address said Richard Tucker, and Darien opened it hastily thinking back to the last time he had spoken to Richard at the medieval renaissance festival last summer. Slumping down into his armchair the young man opened the envelope his dark eyes glanced over the letter.

Darien~

Hope all's well, just wanted to drop you a line. Cathy's doing fine, I still owe you for hooking us up. Anytime you need a favor, feel free to ask. Anyway, the festival's about to start again and we were hoping you'd come back, we really enjoyed your input on sword play and wearing the armor. And you were always a favorite in the joust. Give me a call sometime so that we can set it up for this year's festival. Cathy and I can't wait to see you again.

Richard

A slight smile, to work in the festival again, it had been a lot of fun last year. He decided to call Richard tomorrow about the festival which was due to start in two weeks. As he laid down to sleep dreams of a princess asking him to find the silver crystal filled his mind.