Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon,I just like using them for my evil plots. lol

Chapter 4 Threat

It was mid-afternoon when we came back, it was nearly thirty-seven degrees and we were slightly burnt but very happy. The boat ride was exactly what we needed to relax. Our faces hurt from laughing and the fact that they were rosy from not using sun block. We were sweating and sticky but we didn't care, there was a calmness that had settled over us a serenity in each others company, a deep bond had been formed that afternoon as we spent the day together. It was another step towards a better friendship.

Darien decided that we needed the ice creams he owed me so we went to the ice-cream shop again and he bought us double flavored cups. I had chocolate and orange, and he had chocolate and raspberry. Then with our ice creams we made our way to a bench and sat there and ate our cool treats. Even though our sun burns would probably get worse we didn't care, we were having too much fun to worry about anything.

We sat there long after we had finished our ice creams and just basked in the warm glow of the sun. Realizing we were starting to get really burnt, really fast it was a unanimous decision to go shopping, although I think Darien just barely agreed as I dragged him off towards the commercial area.

We started off to the local village and there we found a market going on. I was in my element, we went from stall to stall looking at tie-dyed clothing, Inca necklaces and just simply crafted jewelry, I looked but didn't buy. Finally I was shopped out and had seen every store and what they had to offer.

"So what do you want to do now?" I asked Darien turning around but he wasn't there, I looked around and suddenly and found he was in front of me.

"Where did you go?" I asked he smiled.

"I got sidetracked by another store and when I looked around you weren't there so I had to look for you." I nodded my head in acceptance to his explanation.

"So what do you want to do now?" I asked again.

"Um, why don't we go back to your house and watch television or something?" He asked.

I nodded again, "Okay lets do that."

I led the way to my house, not catching the looks of gratitude Darien was sending me,

'To think that she used to be beneath my notice, she's grown into a friend and right now my best friend. She saw me when I was crying and she didn't laugh, she comforted me. Darien you don't have a friend that would do that, your friends would laugh at you if they ever saw you cry. She doesn't pity you either, there was no pity in her eyes there was another emotion; Compassion; 'love' A small voice wafted up to his head from inside. 'No way she cannot possibly love me, she hates me…' Well he had to be fair 'she doesn't hate me anymore she likes me like a friend. Doesn't she?' He didn't have an answer.

Then suddenly another thought hit him she had called him Darien, nobody called him that everybody just called him Dare not that he minded but in all honest truth he didn't want Serena to call him Dare he wanted her to call him Darien his real name because she had seen the real Darien Shields

He walked beside me occasionally glancing at my face, I seemed to be feeling the same twist of emotions. Several were flowing silently over my face. I was unguarded so he watched; enjoying this rare luxury of being able to read my face.

'What's the matter with me?' I asked myself, I felt furious for feeling what I was feeling about Darien. 'I'm not suppose to be falling in love with him, he's just a friend.'

Unfortunately it wasn't helping. Every nerve ending in me was focused on the boy walking beside me.

'He will never feel the same, I'm a distraction for him, something to occupy his time while he's stuck in a country where he can't go out and party. I mustn't fall…in…love.' Too late, I looked at him and saw him looking back, my heart did a flip flop. I felt that indescribable force pulling our mouths forward into a kiss.

Just before we kissed, mere millimeters away Daniel whispered a secret

"I think I'm falling for you."

"I have already." I whispered back and we kissed each trying to say how much we meant to each other.

Time past slowly for us in our bubble for every one else it seemed to be passing at an alarming rate. In no time at all it was sunset and we were still deep with in our own bubble of happiness.

Only when the slightly cooler temperature caused me to shiver did we submerge. We looked about us and saw the there was no one in the pier but us. I sighed and leaned back against Darien's chest. He put his arm around me as we sat on a bench and watched the last few minutes of sunset.

It was dark when we finally stirred, I was mindful of the fact that it was dangerous to be out alone at night in South Africa. I quickly grabbed his hand and whispered that we had better go home and walk really fast, not stopping for anything.

He looked at me strangely, "Why?" He asked.

"Just trust me." I whispered back furiously.

He still looked confused but he nodded and we began to walk faster to the extent that we were power walking our way off the pier and on the road home. A car went past us and slowed in front of us I stopped dead and Dare stopped and stared at me.

"Why did you stop?"

I nodded towards the car that was still sitting on the side of the road with its brake lights shining.

"Oh no sweat, we can ask these people for a lift." He said and he started to walk to the car.

I lunged forward and dragged him away.

"Darien you have no idea the danger we are in right now. Why has that car stopped? I don't know but it can't be good for us okay? So let's go…"

He laughed at me, "what are you afraid of?" He asked still perplexed.

"We're not in any danger…" He began but was cut short by the occupants of the car, having got tired of waiting for us to reach the car had emerged.

Three black men wearing dark clothing and holding deadly looking switchblades got out and started towards us. I groaned and grabbed Darien's hand in fear.

"Still think there's no danger!" I hissed, I knew exactly why they had stopped.

He looked frozen with surprise.

I squeezed his hand hard digging my nails in, my eyes never leaving the approaching the group of men. I looked around quickly searching the area for a restaurant, café or house anything to get us away from the men.

A small café was just to our right, I silently thanked God.

"Darien now!"

I said as I pulled him there, we got inside and hurried to the counter, there was a tough looking man standing behind it.

"Please phone the police." I asked him, "There are some men outside that are waiting for us to come out."

The man lifted his eyebrow.

"What did you do?" He asked, I glared at him.

"Absolutely nothing, and if you don't call the police they might come in here."

That got his attention.

"Ya, okay just hang on a sec…" He picked up the receiver of his phone and dialed the number.

I turned away and looked at Darien. He still looked slightly surprised.

I sighed, "I'm sorry I should have watched the time, I didn't realise it was so late."

He nodded at me and pulled me close, "I'm just glad we're okay…" He began but I interrupted.

"Don't be so sure, they might decide to come in and get us anyway." He paled at that.

"Is this what its like here?" He asked, I grimaced.

"Um, pretty much, it is too dangerous to go out at night, but I think if you were on your own you'd be okay but because I'm with you they want to bother us."

"But why?" He asked quietly.

"Because," The man behind the counter answered for me putting down the receiver, "They want her." He nodded in my direction.

I cringed again, comprehension dawned on Darien's face. He turned to the man.

"You mean they want to rape her?" He asked and then looked at my scared face.

"Of course where do you come from? She's pretty and no offence kid but you don't look hard to take on." Darien glowered at that.

Then he turned to me, "And you used to live with this?" He asked in disbelief.

I nodded, "I was never allowed out after dark, and never allowed to be on my own even in the day time. It seems strange though that this is happening in Knysna I mean its always been so safe." The man nodded.

"It is usually but there is a new gang in town and they aren't really a nice bunch of people. The police should be here soon though…"

He was cut off by the tinkling of the bell above his door. He reached behind his counter and put his hand on the shotgun he kept there just in case. It was one of the men, he had on a black jacket, dark jeans and he wore a black balaclarva so we couldn't see his face.

In his hand was the knife, I instinctively moved closer to Darien and we both edged behind the counter. The man behind the counter didn't take his hand off his gun but left it there out of sight. The masked man looked around quickly, professionally locating the cameras and exits.

I shivered, 'Just my luck I'm to be raped by a professional'.

The mans eyes finished scanning the room and they alighted on me. I saw them light up in a horrible way, he slowly looked up and down me I resisted the urge to vomit

"Great…and I just had to wear my miniskirt today. No doubt that's what attracted him in the first place.'

I was spared any more thoughts like that as the wail of a police siren filled the air. The masked man smirked at me. Turning he ran outside got into the car and raced away, the police cars arriving split seconds too late. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then broke down crying the scare finally catching up with me, Darien pulled me close and held me whilst I cried. I looked up at him he was glaring in the direction that the man had gone, I was startled at the look of hate that twisted his features.

"Darien?" I whimpered out quietly.

He looked down abruptly and smiled at me then tipping my chin up he kissed me again and hugged me tightly.

"I'm sorry," He murmured into my hair, "I've never felt so helpless in my life. I'm so sorry."

"I know," I replied, "Its okay you have never been faced with a situation like that before. You could not have know how to act, and I'm fine really he didn't hurt us, its just the shock."

I hugged him then pulled away and looked into his eyes

"It wasn't your fault." I told him, he nodded then looked at his watch it was nearly ten o'clock.

"Do you think we can get a lift with one of the policemen?" He asked me I shrugged.

"I don't know ask them." I replied.

He walked off and I turned to the man behind the counter.

"Thank you." I said, "I don't know what would have happened if you weren't here." He nodded and turned back to the policeman that was interrogating him.

The police were just finishing up when Darien came back.

"Come on Sere I got us a ride home."

I nodded and gladly followed him to the patrol car.

A/N: ok so that was chapter 4 hope u enjoyed it. As you can see its not a Sailor Moona and Tuxedo Mask fic, just a normal Darien and Serena. lol so reveiw and let me know what you think.