This was strange. She didn't plan to spend her Saturday night having a staring contest with her client's girlfriend. Try as she might to give up on Darien, the poor idiot still had enough of a sob story for her to want to continue her work with him. His girlfriend wasn't helping his case at all though especially showing up at her house out of nowhere. After Serena invited Madeline into her factory, Madeline hasn't spoken a word. Serena nodded to herself beginning to play with her blonde hair between her hands waiting for the other girl to say anything. After five minutes, Serena was getting sick of the silence. Also she was running out of tea for the esteemed guest.

"What do you want to talk about?" Serena forced a smile.

"What do you think I want to talk about?" Madeline replied evenly.

An eyebrow raised, Serena retorted, "I'm not the one who came here."

"I love Darien." Madeline stated as Serena gave her a look to go on.

"Even if you say we are not meant to be, I love him and he loves me." Madeline elaborated.

Serena's patience was running thin, "I've given you my reading. Why don't you just tell what you want?"

"Are you a con artist? Do you get paid to break up couples?" Madeline asked, but there wasn't any distain in her voice. Just curiosity.

Serena rolled her eyes, "It doesn't matter if you don't believe in my ability. I've proven to that family time and time again that I know how to do my job. I still understand the complexity of love more so than you."

"Why?"

Serena narrowed her eyes, "You've proven to his family time and time again that you don't love him more than your career. Why don't you stop stringing him around?"

Madeline crossed her arms, "You don't know anything about my relationship with Darien."

"I know enough!" Serena stood up, hands on her hips, "I know how you rejected his first proposal and how it haunts him to this day. I know you always leave him. I know that you don't trust him. You think a good relationship is letting him have affairs when he's gone and you don't believe that he's been faithful to you this entire time. He's hopelessly devoted to you and you know that! You take advantage of that! Anyone would kill to have him in their lives, but you don't care. Did you know he wants to be a dad? He can't wait to be a father, but because of your career he's putting his dreams on hold. He volunteers at an elementary school because that's the closest thing he'll get to living his dream. Did you know any of that?"

Madeline stared down at the blonde before standing up. She didn't say anything afterwards only grabbing her purse and making her way towards the exit. Her face didn't reveal a single emotion. Serena shook her head. This really wasn't how she wanted to spend her Saturday night. Madeline Blanc was as responsive as Rei explained she was. It was as if Serena was yelling at a statue. Where were Mina's cocktails when you needed it?

Madeline sat in her apartment holding a glass of wine. She hadn't drank any yet, but she felt as if she already drank bottles. Her encounter with the match maker wasn't how she was planning it was going to be. She planned on making a deal for the girl to back off, but the matchmaker surprised her. She had never met anyone so passionate about love. The doorbell ringing awoken her from her thoughts. She opened the door to reveal Darien who had a cheesy grin and a bouquet of flowers. She gave him a small smile of her own, shaking her head at his gestures. Serena was right about one thing, many would kill for someone like Darien.

"Congratulations on changing your cast! No more crutches!" Darien greeted listening to Maddie's lovely laugh that sent shivers down his spine.

With a peck to Darien's lips, Madeline pulled back her arms still wrapped around his neck, "What are you doing here?"

"Surprising you." Darien replied trying to appear nonchalant, but it wasn't working. He took her hand, leading to her the white couches. He looked over at window seat seeing a glass of red wine. He pulled her to his chest, "What troubles you?"

"Did you ever think about kids?" Madeline asked suddenly catching Darien off guard. Darien thought about playing it off as he always did, but when he thought about Rini, Flynn, and all the others that captured his heart, how could he think about lying about them?

"All the time." Darien said quietly.

Madeline listened to his heart beat, "Do you want to be a dad?"

"All the time." Darien repeated, playing with her hair.

"I heard about the elementary school." Madeline said, watching how Darien beamed at the mention of his rugrats.

"Jerry got me to go to his volunteering things. It's at one of the schools his family sponsors. I go there three times a week after work or when I don't work. They're a great group of kids. Rini is hilarious and she has this crush on some guy, I think she's too young but what the heart wants I guess. Flynn always makes fun of her, but I think he likes Kira. Kira thinks she's Snow White, she always wears a red bow and yellow and…" Darien's ramblings were cut off by the musical laugh of his girlfriend.

"What?" He asked.

"I've never seen you so happy." Madeline replied remembering Serena's words. How did she not know this?

"I love them so much. I didn't think it was possible to love so many kids all at once." Darien expressed with a grin.

"Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Darien sighed, "Last time we talked about kids, you said you didn't want them until later in your life."

Madeline raised her head from his chest, "You never told me how much you wanted them."

"If you remember correctly, it wasn't the best conversation."

Madeline bit her lip remembering that particular argument, "I'm sorry I overreacted."

"It's ok." Darien forced a smile, "I can wait."

He really was putting his dreams on hold for her. Elementary school students he only saw a few hours a week was the closest he'll get to his dream while remaining faithful to her. Madeline returned his smile with a weak one of hers, "I'm sorry."

"I can be a dad anytime and you can be a mom anytime. It's ok." Darien replied, pressing his lips against her forehead, "What brought this up?"

"I talked to Serena today."

"You what?"

Madeline sighed, "I need help."

Darien frowned taking her hands in his, "What are you talking about? You're fine."

"People who are fine wouldn't have gone to try to threaten someone about her relationship!" Madeline snapped pulling her hands back, but Darien's quicker reflexes caught her hands.

"What brought this on?"

"It's the fact my demons and insanity are tearing me apart. I can't have you live like this with me! I don't want to be the insecure bitch all the time!" Madeline cried causing Darien's heart to ache. He didn't know what else to say so he just pulled her to his arms and held her as she cried.

Serena woke up hungover in Mina's bed. After the odd confrontation with the red head, Serena wanted to clear her mind so she went to the expert of distractions. Of course without one of their more rational friends (Ami and Rei) they overdid it. Serena sat up to see Lita passed out on the floor, snuggling against Mina's giant stuffed bear. The other blonde was already in the bathroom trying to fix herself up. Well she felt distracted enough. She grabbed the cat alarm clock on Mina's bedside table reading 5:00 am. It was too early to try to make yourself pretty. Serena shot Mina a quick text before tripping over Lita's leg trying to get to the door. Her journey downstairs was uneventful until she reached the first floor seeing Mina's aunt fixing herself a cup of coffee. She tried to sneak out, but failed.

"Have some coffee Serena. You look like you need it after the night you had." Luna announced, not even having to turn around. She listened to Serena's soft footsteps pat away from the door towards the kitchen.

"Had fun last night?"

Serena smiled sheepishly, "I'm sorry for corrupting your niece."

Luna snorted into her mug, "Mina corrupted you first. I blame her upbringing."

"How is it having Mina back in the house?" Serena asked, trying to make small talk. She had always seen Luna as a mother figure she always wanted so she really didn't want Luna to see her in this state.

Luna sighed, "It's fine for me because I'm giving Mina the freedom of an adult, but Artemis is worse with her than he is with our own daughter."

Serena giggled leaning against the counter with her coffee, "Mina told me she snuck out last night."

"Correction she snuck out from my husband, but she told me where she'll be and what she'll be doing." Luna rolled her eye at her husband's antics towards their niece.

"Who brought us home?" Serena asked.

"That sweet boy Kael." Luna replied with a slight dreamy tone to her voice.

An eyebrow raised, Serena smirked, "Kael huh?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, I don't know how Annabeth deals with you." Luna reprimanded.

Serena giggled then shrugged, "She has a lot of guts."

"I'll bet. That was his first time seeing Mina not as charming as usual."

Serena gave her a deadpanned expression, "She petted him like a dog last time."

"I wish my niece would find a nice boy like that. She only enjoys stringing them around for fun before tossing them away. The boys she goes on dates with aren't any better." Luna sighed, "Same goes for you other girls."

"Ami has a boyfriend." Serena defended then thought about her words, "That I'm not that fond of and he's a potential, but more of a competitor than soul mate. Lita went on that date…that ended with a smoothie on his head. I heard Rei's dating again…not really more pretend dating for my sake. They are all young! It's fine!"

Luna laughed, "What about you?"

"You already know the answer to that Mrs. Mauian." Serena replied finishing the last remnants of her coffee.

Luna took her mug, "It's Luna, and you only call me that when you want to avoid something. Why did you pester the girls to go out with you last night?"

"One of my client's girlfriend's confronted me." Serena said quietly looking at her hands.

"That has happened before, but they've never put you in such a mood."

"It's Darien Shields' lovely leading lady." Serena clarified as Luna nodded in understanding.

"Your grandma told me about the significance of him."

Serena scoffed, "He has no significance. He only has my pity."

"Did you denounce it?" Luna asked with concern. She waited patiently, watching a hundred emotions flash in Serena's cerulean eyes before she spoke again.

"I wish I had." Serena muttered, but Luna still heard her.

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't think I'll have this chance again." Serena muttered then looked up, "Can you not tell grandma?"

Luna smiled nodding, "Of course."

Serena stood up, her hands beginning to move as she began to pace. "It's just I didn't think I would feel anything for him other than all of my other business transactions. He was just a target that I had to see the light or whatever cheesy saying. I just had to make him understand what love meant. How what he had wasn't going to be enough in the future. I didn't think I would get involved in his life and feel more than I'm supposed."

Luna gestured for Serena to go on. When Serena remained silent, Luna said what she had been feeling for her, "You like him don't you?"

Serena nodded slowly, "A lot."

"What's so bad about that?"

"Because it's not going to last. I'm cursed to balance out my gift. I can't have happiness from love and keep my sight." Serena let out a bitter laugh, "Do you know what the sad part is? I would rather keep my gift."

"That's a little dramatic. You just like the boy, it could just be a crush." Luna pointed out as Serena shook her head vehemently.

"I feel it. For me I feel that tug from the red string of fate. I can ignore it, but I can feel it. I don't know how he's intertwined in my mess of a life, but he is. I don't want him to be." Serena expressed, "For me I don't want him in my life."

"He could be a good thing."

Serena closed her eyes, "I don't want him to be. I want him to be as significant as all of the other potentials in my life. I don't want him to have any meaning in it."

Darien fidgeted in the waiting room. It was hard enough to sit still, but to be the best boyfriend in the world he did it. This is going to be the first session of many that he may have to sit through, but if it meant that Maddie got better, he didn't care. When the door opened, he stood up. Madeline nodded at the psychologist before making her way past the door ignoring Darien. He saw the tear marks down her cheeks and closed his eyes.

"Dr. Mauian, is she going to be ok?"

"She's going to be fine Mr. Shields."

"So it's a yes to more sessions?" Darien asked.

Luna nodded, "I think so. She seemed to like what I had to say and considered it."

"Thank you." Darien replied before taking off to find his girlfriend. He didn't expect for it to be so soon or to find her on the ground in the park in tears. Her knees were on the ground, her purse tossed to the side with her hair hiding her face. No one saw the world's top model in such a state, but Darien did. Every day he watched as she battled her demons that had long plagued her.

Madeline looked up as Darien knelt down beside her. She didn't move except for the tears falling down her beautiful face. Darien leaned down and wrapped his arms around her body. She stiffened at first before bawling in his chest. She clutched onto him as if her life depended on it. Darien said nothing waiting until she was ready to talk to him.

After a few minutes had gone by, her crying subsided to only sniffles and the occasional stray tear. She looked up at him with red eyes that had become puffy and pale skin that had a few blotches, but to Darien she still looked as breathtaking as ever. Especially when she took off her mask. She looked down at his white button up seeing the smears from her makeup with a hesitant look.

"Don't worry about it. This wasn't even one of my favorite shirts." Darien placed his hands against her cheeks and wiped the tears away with his hands. Madeline laughed at his comments, but still crying.

"I'm a mess." Madeline whispered, "I'm such a mess."

"We all are. You more than most people, but that's ok. I'm still going to be right here, waiting." Darien replied pressing a kiss to her forehead. He inhaled her perfume to bring some peace to him. Even though it changed everyday, there was still this Maddie essence that he loved so much. It was one of the few things that could calm him down.

"I hate her so much." Madeline said.

"Me too. I hate her for what she did to you. At least now, you can get the help you need and finally cut her out." Darien expressed, breathing into her hair once more. God, her mother was a piece of work. Never had he met a colder woman than Clarise Blanc. He didn't know who he wanted to stab with a fork more, her mom or her coward of a father who drank himself to death instead of standing up for his daughter.

"I'm broken." Darien pulled away when he heard her monotone voice. She had never been a self deprecating sort of girl. She hated pity so to hear her sound defeated, he knew she believed it.

"You can be fixed again. You're not damaged." Darien replied, "You're going to ok Maddie."

Neither of them what else to say next so they remained on the ground at the park with her clinging onto him. This is the first step Madeline took when it came to facing her past.

After her declarations with her mother figure and of course breakfast, Serena didn't go home. Her conversation with Luna still fresh in her mind, she made her way to the better side of town where mansions ruled. Serena walked towards the black iron gates in front of the Shields property. Based on her stalking, Darien shouldn't be at home. He went to work early just to come home at 3:00 pm to sit around in his pajamas. She didn't have to ring the bell as the iron doors moved for her allowing her to make her way towards the main Shields home where the family usually resided together.

"Thank you so much for meeting me on such short notice." Serena sat down across the woman as she sipped her tea.

"Not at all dear and how are things with my grandson?" Wanda Shields questioned as she scooped honey and poured a splash of milk in a cup before placing it on Serena's saucer.

"That's kind of what I want to talk to you about." Serena began nervously, "I think I want to end my business with Darien's life."

"So soon? I thought we were going to have much fun with the pair." Wanda expressed, "I don't want it to be back to me now. I don't have as much of an effect as I did before."

"I don't think even I can shake his unwavering sense of devotion." Serena laughed even though her heart wasn't in it, "It's time for me to move on."

"My grandson means something to you." It wasn't a question and with the way Serena was feeling now, she couldn't find it in her to lie.

Serena sighed. "Is it really that obvious?"

"Not to someone who doesn't know what they are looking for." Wanda placed a hand on Serena's shoulder in comfort, "I would approve of you."

Serena let out a genuine laugh, "Thank you, but I don't want to be with him. I don't want to have anything to do with him honestly."

"You will see more of him in your life, if your life is intertwined with his as you have explained."

Serena nodded, "True, but that doesn't mean I want him to be anything other than a friend."

"I can't make you do anything you don't want to do. You've made up your mind then." Wanda reached for a small book in her purse before giving it to Serena. Serena's eyes widened as she read the check. That was a hell of a lot of zeros.

"This is too much. I didn't even break them up." Serena held up the check.

Wanda pushed Serena's hand back, "You planted a seed of doubt that I haven't been able to sow for years. You've done a lot."

"I don't feel like I succeeded in anything."

"You also showed me what love is. Even if what you feel for Darien is just a crush, you've done more than Madeline ever had by stepping back." Wanda explained. After a few fruitless attempts to give the check back or at least make payment less zeros, Wanda had ushered Serena out of her home the check still in Serena's hand. Serena groaned at the amount. This wasn't what she was expecting at all. Serena wasn't paying attention and tripped over Darien's feet landing in his arms.

"What are you doing here meatball head?"

Serena shook her head from such inappropriate thoughts forming, "None of your business. What are you doing here?"

"I live here genius." Darien retorted with a smirk.

"Right…" Serena drawled out, "Well if you must know I won't be in your life any longer."

"What are you talking about?" Darien asked wondering why he felt a second of pain.

Serena smiled too brightly, "I'm moving on to bigger and better clients. More romantic saps than you are."

"Haha." Darien replied, "You're really going to leave me alone."

Serena nodded slowly, "I can't be pestering you forever. I have a feeling that even with my eye of Eros, your stubbornness will win. I'm waving my white flag and giving you my approval."

Darien gave her a small smile, "I have a feeling this isn't going to be our last meeting."

"You're right, but I don't like thinking about the future. Currently in the present, I would like to take a step back from the Darien Shields soap opera. Think of it as the summer break before the new season starts." Serena made sure her smile was so wide it hurt her cheeks from stretching them that far. All of a sudden, Serena found herself in Darien Shields' arms in a hug. She froze at the physical contact before patting his back in an awkward manner. He chuckled close to her ear causing Serena to almost sigh, but she stopped herself. This was why she was taking a step back.

Darien stepped back, "I'm going to miss you Serena."

"Somehow so will I." Serena replied. She flashed him another smile before turning around towards the exit. As she made her way towards the iron gates, her hand was against her chest waiting for it to slow down. It didn't.

"So drinks anyone?" Jerry asked as he came back with various bottles of alcohol and dumped them in front of his companions.

"Jerry you haven't written your will yet." Nate exclaimed, but he grabbed the bottle labeled 'Vodka' and poured it into his glass.

"Darien, come on you should be celebrating! You're free!" Jerry cheered as he downed his 6th (maybe) drink.

"Yeah, getting to that and slow down, we don't want to be dragging you out again." Darien said as Jerry downed his nth drink. What was up with the blonde today?

"Are you ok?" Darien asked with concern. Sure Jerry sometimes overdid it, but he always had a legitimate reason.

Jerry waved him off plastering a grin on his face. His friends could tell it was forced. "I'm fine. We're here to talk about Darien not me."

"Too bad we're going back to you." Kael retorted, pulling the glass away from his friend. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing, just you guys ruining a wonderful evening." Jerry tried to snatch the bottle back only to have Nate pull him back onto the floor.

"Is it your family?" Nate asked, but when all he got was Jerry's easy smile they knew that wasn't it.

"Work?"

"Volunteering?"

"A girl?" Jerry's smile fell a little, but he managed to pull it back up.

"Why would I act like this over a girl?" Jerry asked in disbelief.

Zane sighed, "It's your brethren, what reason do you have to lie to us?"

Jerry's smile fell completely after that. He laid down on the floor with an arm over his eyes, "I messed up. I got the opportunity to go on a date with the most amazing creature I've ever had the pleasure of meeting and I screw it up."

Nate rolled his eyes, "Don't you think you're being a little too dramatic?"

"Of course not! We slept together." Jerry said as if he just announced the apocalypse. Even after all these years, no one understood Jerry.

"Isn't fornication a good thing?" Zane asked only to receive a loud groan from Jerry on the floor.

"No! The next morning she was gone. No note or anything. I've tried calling her and texting her and she hasn't replied. I tried going to the modeling place she's staying at in Rome, but she's been avoiding it according to the other models. I moved too fast." Jerry exclaimed before turning over onto his stomach, hitting his head against the mat floors.

"She's a model at the same place Maddie was?" Darien questioned, seeing Jerry's head move up and down against the floor.

"What's her name? Maybe we can look her up." Nate whipped out his phone waiting for a name. Jerry flopped onto his back again rolling and landing right in front of Kael.

"Rei Hino."

Zane suddenly burst out in laughter dropping his bowl of rice in the process. Kael and Darien exchanged looks of concern while Nate looked bewildered. Jerry was still lost to the world, thinking only of his misery. Zane wiped away a tear that had fallen, looking at his friends who were giving his questioning looks.

"Sorry about that. The term small world never became truer. Rei is one of Serena's best friends. I tutored her once for English. I'm friends with Ami who's a friend of Serena's also. Kael works with Mina's uncle and Lita is Nate's mother's star pupil. It's interesting because even if Serena was never hired by Darien's grandparents, we'll probably still be here having this same conversation only different circumstances." Zane explained shaking his head, "Coincidences or fate?"

"I thought you didn't believe in fate." Kael said as Zane shook his head in response.

"You don't believe in fate. After my encounter with Serena, I started to." Zane replied.

"So is she your girlfriend?" Darien asked Jerry who had somehow during their exchange had his head in Kael's lap. Kael stared down at his friend before sighing and patting it twice before just leaving him there.

Jerry shook his head, "She's not my girlfriend. I mean first we were pretending to date so Rei could spy on Madeline, but because I became her messenger bird we just grew somewhat closer I guess."

Darien's eyes narrowed, "You spied on my girlfriend?"

"It was pretty elementary. We didn't hack her phone." Jerry scoffed, "I thought we were talking about me!"

"Such a drama queen." Nate muttered, shoving a large piece of meat in his mouth so he wouldn't have to be engaged for a few seconds longer.

"Spotlight's back on you Darien." Kael replied dryly.

"Are you going to miss those dates, set ups, schemes…?" Zane listed as Darien shook his head laughing.

"Not the dates, she is crazy and has set me up with lunatics. Only in the beginning. My dates towards the end were pretty enjoyable." Darien explained with a wistful look.

"You're going to miss Serena." It wasn't a question, but a statement from Kael. Darien took a deep breath to express his thoughts.

"I honestly don't know. She was the only other female who knew me as well as Maddie and it felt weird but at the same time it felt as if I've known her since birth. I guess it's because I got used to her."

"You know she's only here because your grandmother needed someone to plant a seed of doubt in your mind, the only question is did it work?" Kael questioned as Darien quickly shook his head.

"I don't know if it did. I love Maddie and we have been through so much together ever since her mother abandoned her and her father died. I have never doubted it in my life that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, but the only thing Serena did was get me to think about my future. I want kids, lots of them, I want to be married in the next 5 years or so, I don't want to work all the time, I want family vacations as my grandparents spoil their great grandchildren, I want to help my son with his homework and threaten my daughter's first boyfriend..." Darien rambled then stopped, "I never knew how much I've wanted and dreamed about. Serena got me to talk to Maddie about that."

Kael waited for Jerry to pass out on his lap. He gave a few more awkward pats before turning back to Darien, "Can I tell you something as your friend?" Darien nodded in response.

"Madeline Blanc is not going to give you the family you want so much." Kael said watching as Darien's face fell, "You already knew that though."

"Maybe in five years something will change?"

"Maybe it won't and you're terrified of what might happen to your relationship next." Zane commented then stood up. "Come on, we have to get the baby home."

Serena dug into her cookie dough ice cream that she had bought before arriving back home. Since Mina moved back in with her aunt and uncle, their new catch up space was her and Lita's factory.

Lita who was sitting closest to Serena asked, "Why the long face? I thought you'll be happy being done with Darien."

Serena took another bite of ice cream, "I started to like him was the problem."

Mina's eyes widened like saucers at the news, "You like someone? What happened to waiting for mitosis to happen?"

"Mina!" Serena screeched throwing a cushion at her, "It wasn't like that. I like him, I don't want to jump him."

"I'm sure you've thought about it. His blue eyes are dreamy." Mina winked laughing at the pillows thrown at her in the process. The door clanged loudly signaling a late night visitor, which was uncommon because who'll come to the middle of nowhere.

Mina opened the door in caution just in case it was a crazy axe murderer.

"Rei!" Mina squealed, hugging the other girl tightly.

"Hey Mina." Rei struggled out before pushing Mina away, "I can't breath!"

"I missed you yelling at me." Mina gushed before pulling Rei towards the living room to see the others.

"Rei!" Rei got a similar greeting as Mina's from Serena. Ami and Lita hugged her like a normal person. Both warm and affectionate, but not strangling.

Serena grinned, "I was wondering why we couldn't get you."

"Well I'm done with the season today so I'm back." Rei explained, joining her friend's amongst the mountains of pillows on the floor snatching Serena's ice cream.

"Hey!" Serena protested.

"I need this more than you." Rei dug a giant scoop, eating it in one bite. She continued taking bites not noticing the silence in the room. She looked up to see four pairs of eyes staring at her in concern.

"What?!"

"It's with a guy. You're positively green with envy right now." Serena said watching the green light flare out of her friend. She leaned in close to Rei, "So who is he?"

"I've learned something. Never sleep with a guy who's going to go flirt with another girl a day later. I don't sleep with just anyone." Rei hissed, "Also he's not a guy, he's a creepy moron."

Rei looked up to see Mina in close vicinity of her too. She glared at Mina before pushing her head away. Mina's eyes flashed in mischief, "What's his name? Creepy morons have names too."

"Jerry."

Serena's eyes hardened like steel, "He didn't. I told him not to."

"What?" Rei asked.

Serena began to pace and mutter to herself then stalked away to the kitchen, so Ami explained, "Jerry's friends with Darien. All of those boys run in the same circle. Zane told me Jerry's a player, but he has a sweet side."

"Sweet side my ass." Rei hissed, "I hate him."

"Sounds like a boyfriend." Lita teased unfazed with Rei's glare of death.

"I still like worms more than him. I prefer the apocalypse over him." Rei stated, stabbing her ice cream, "It's a privilege to sleep with me."

"Careful Rei, your ego's showing." Ami laughed, no one ever made Rei this angry. She felt something for you if she could feel angry because of you.

Serena skipped back to her friends with a wide grin. She leaned forward whispering, "A little birdy told me Jerry's miserable because he thought he went too fast with you and you rejected him."

Lita's eyes blinked a few times, "How did you find that out so fast?"

"I called Jerry to kick his ass verbally, but he was such a whimpering mess I actually felt bad for him." Serena turned with a mad look in her eyes, "You should call him."

Rei scoffed, "I'm not doing that."

"It's your choice." Serena said uncharacteristically before turning back to the rest of her friends, "Movie anyone?"

Hours after her friends slept, Rei found herself on the rooftop of the factory. She closed her eyes, turning on her phone. When she opened them, she stared at saw all of the missed calls and pleading messages from a one Jerry Hays. She wrapped her plush blanket closer to her body. That idiot. Her phone began to ring making her jump and drop her phone in shock. She recovered quickly when she saw his picture flashing on the screen. She still didn't know what possessed her to take his picture near the Trevi Fountain at sunset. It was romantic and wasn't her. Her finger slid across the screen.

"What?"

"You picked up!" His voice said in surprise.

"I've been on a flight for 12 hours, why wouldn't I pick up?" Rei asked.

"I just thought..."

"I heard."

Silence was her reply.

"Serena?" Jerry asked quietly as he ran a hand through his hair, "I told her not to tell you. Now you think I'm a desperate needy idiot."

Rei smirked, "Desperate yes, idiot yes, needy not so much."

"Really? Passing out on my best friend's lap isn't off putting?" Jerry asked incredulously.

"Passing out on your best friend's lap over me isn't off putting. It makes makes my ego grow. I'm surprised you care." Rei retorted listening to his laugh that woke the butterflies in her stomach.

"I think I just fell in love." Jerry laughed.

Rei snorted, "That's too fast."

"Calm down Pyro. That's not what I meant. That's too fast for me." Jerry replied.

"You're not my boyfriend." Rei stated.

Jerry shrugged, "You're not my girlfriend. I don't know what you'll become, but I do know I want you in my life."

Rei laughed, "That's pretty corny."

"Hey, it's the only way I can express myself. Also you laughed so win win."

The pair laughed together throughout the night discussing everything. Rei didn't realize how tired she was until she saw the sun peeking from the horizon.

"It's been four hours." Rei said.

Jerry beamed, "I know. So I wasn't moving too fast."

"I move pretty fast too according to that night. What pissed me off was your flirting after sleeping with me. I don't sleep with just anyone. It's a privilege." Rei snapped as Jerry snickered at her words.

"That was my sister." Jerry replied with an easy grin.

"What?"

"My sister. I have to be nice to my sister. She'll report me back to my mom if I'm not courteous." Jerry explained, "I'm glad you care." He received silence from the other end. He pulled the phone away to see that she had hung up. He grinned, shaking his head. Rei is going to be something, but he didn't know what. She's already beginning to mean more than any girlfriend he had ever had.