Chapter Four:

The next morning...

Darien woke up to the sound of his pager going off. He reached over to the coffee table and grabbed it. He looked at it for a moment and put it back down. He got up and walked toward his bedroom. He knocked softly and waited for a reply before he opened the door. When he didn't get one he slowly opened the door. "Serena?" He asked as he looked around. His bed had been neatly made and there was no sign of her anywhere. He looked over on the night stand and found a note.

Darien,

Don't worry, I am going to work and going to stop by the apartment to grab a few things. Thank you for everything, you have no idea how grateful I am to have you back in my life. I will see you this afternoon.

Serena

He sat down on the bed. He had a really bad feeling about her decision. He stood up and walked back into the font room and picked up his cell phone. He opened it up and flipped through his call log til he found her number and pressed the talk button. It rang twice before she answered it. "Hello?" "Serena, it's Darien, are you okay?" He asked relieved to hear her voice. "Yes, I am at work right now, I will see you later okay?" She asked. "Okay, please becareful Serena..." "I will don't worry." She said as she hung up the phone.

Serena walked into her apartment it was dark inside. She cautiously turned on the light and looked around for him. When she didn't se him she slowly moved towards the bedroom, looking over her shoulder ever now and then. She slowly opened the bedroom door and peeked in. She flipped the light on to find the room empty. She sighed in relief and headed to her closet. She pulled out a suitcase and quickly began packing some of her clothes and belongings.

Darien paced back in forth through his front room. Repeatedly looking down at his watch. It was 6:30 and she still hadnt made it back yet, he was starting to worry that something had happened. He pulled out his phone and dialed her number. He waited patiently as it rang three times before she answered. "Hello?" "Are you okay?" He asked. "Yes, I am finishing up now and I will be headed that way." She answered. "Okay, please try to hurry Serena, I don't like the fact you went alone." He said softly. "I know and I am sorry, I will see you shortly, okay?" "Okay, becareful, Sere." "I will." She said as she hung up the phone. He sighed as he sat down on the couch.

She picked up her suitcase up off the bed and headed out of the bedroom. She walked into the front room and froze in her place as he closed the door. "There you are!" He said hatefully. She stared into his eyes and see the rage that was burning inside of them. He looked down at her side to see the suitcase. "What do you think you are doing?" She took a deep breath before she responded. "I'm leaving, David." She said calmly. "You think I am going to let you go that easy?" She stepped backwards a couple steps. "David please..." She pleaded. He moved from the door and stepped toward her. She backed up til she felt her back against the wall as he stood inches from her. "Please let me go..." She cried as fear started to take over her now trembling body. "I can't and won't...If I can't have you then no one can." He said as grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her to the ground. "Ahh...stop it!" She cried as she landed on the floor. He crawled on top of her and slapped her a couple times before he wrapped his hands around her neck and began to squeeze. She kicked and cried as she tried to get away from his grasp.

Darien looked down at his phone, it was now going on 7:30. He knew something was terrible wrong, he could feel it. He grabbed his phone and carkeys as he headed out the door. He walked out to his car and got in. He started the engine and sped away towards her apartment building.

It was becoming harder and harder for her to breathe as he squeezed tighter around her neck. She searched around the floor, with her hands, to find something to hit him with. After a few seconds her hand ran across a solid object. She picked it up and hit him in the head with it. He let out a groan as he let go of her and fell to the floor beside her. She instantly started gasping for air as she placed her hand over her throat. As air started rushing into her lungs she started coughing as she rolled over on to her hands and knees. She started to feel dizzy as the room started to spin. Her eyes became heavy as she collapsed to the floor unconcious.

Darien pulled up at the apartment building, and jumped out of his car. He ran over to the apartment building and ran in. He looked around and saw a flight of stairs with two apartments on each side. Unsure of what apartment was hers, he walked over to apartment 1 and knocked. The door slowly opened and an elderly woman answered. "Hi ma'am, I am looking for Serena Tuskino's apartment." He said polietly. "Oh yes, she's upstairs in apartment 4." She replied. "Thank you." He said as he headed up the stairs. He turned to apartment for and knocked on the door. After a few minutes he turned the knob and slowly opened the door. "Serena?" He asked softly as he slowly walked in. He looked towards the kitchen, then on the otherside of the room. "Serena!" He cried as saw her lying on her stomach. He ran over to her and rolled her over. "Serena?" He said again as he checked her pulse. Her pulse was very faint. He grabbed out his cell phone and dialed 911...

Please view! I hope to have chapter five up soon!