Notes: Alrighty, this is chapter four. Hope you enjoy and Review!





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Duo Maxwell stopped his hunter green Explorer at the corner of Serena's street.Duo sat hunched over the steering wheel, trying to single out which house was Serena's.Serena crouched down low in the seat, avoiding being seen by anyone outside. Duo turned back to her and raised an eyebrow. " What are you doing?" " I'm hiding." " Well, thats appearent. I mean, from who are you hiding from?" Serena peered over the door and when she thought the coast was clear sat upright,staring at her lap. " My neighbors like to stick thier noses where they dont belong. If they see me they might say something to Darien and thats bad. For me at least." " So what are we going to do?" " WE aren't going to do nothing, you're gonna stay here and I'm gonna walk myself home." Duo glanced back at the neighborhood. " Which is your house? I'll watch you." Serena pointed to a dilapidated,shaded and small house three houses down the street to the left.Duo stared and grimaced, the greenish-gray paint of the house had started to chip and the weeds had grown taller than the surrounding plant bushes. The rest of the neighborhood looked like this also, though not as bad as hers. " Sorry to say Serena, but your house looks more like a safety hazard than somewhere to live in." Serena nodded mutely.She hesitated. " You dont want to go back do you?" The pain and anguish reflected in Serena's eyes made Duo choke on his words. " What do you think Duo?..... I haveta go." Serena climbed out and crossed the street to her house.Duo panicked for a moment before lowering his window and calling out to Serena.She turned, and when Duo waved her over to him she leaned against the outside of the car door. Duo leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on Serena's lips.Touching his forehead against hers, he whispered softly to her, his breath on her lips. " Wait 'til he's asleep. Pack all you can carry and take your baby with you. Here's my address and number if you need it. Call me and I'll pick you up, we can disappear together." He whispered, smiling softly and handing her a small scrap of paper with his messy handwriting. Giving her one last kiss, Duo drove off in the opposite direction and Serena was instantly hit with a feeling of deep loneliness.She stared down at the scrap paper she had clutched in her hand and smiled. 'This is my freedom.I'm gonna get out of this soon.'



As soon as Serena walked into the house she could feel something was wrong.The whole feel of the house was different, before when she was here she felt depressed. Now she felt terror, fear. Something wasn't right. The house was flooded with darkness and when she would try the lights,it wouldnt trun on. 'Great, a power outage, Darien didnt pay the light bill again. It isnt going to matter to me anymore soon, though.' Dropping the scrap paper on the table,she navigated through the dark, Serena could only make out the generalized outline of the furniture of their house.She found it strange that she didn't hear Rini or Darien at all. Darien's car was outside in the driveway so he should be here. She was afraid of what he would do when she saw him.She blindly made her way to Rini's room and stepped in. She froze.She could feel his prescence rotating through out the room.She glanced quickly around the room but to no avail, she couldnt find him. It was a small room but you couldn't see anything except the window and the light seeping through. " Hello Serena......" She jumped, his figure appeared in front of the window.His shadowed outline contrasted deeply with the light seeping through. The right side of his body was illuminated somewhat by the light of the blinds. He had this smile that unnerved Serena. It was just too humourous for him.Her eyes lowered and widened when she saw what he was holding in his crossed arms.The large butcher knife that she used in the kitchen when cooking. His smile grew when he saw her looking at the would-be weapon. " Where have you been Serena? I missed you." He asked with sarcasism seeping through his words.He raised the knife to the light, admiring the glimmering object in his hands. " I went looking for you, but I couldnt find you. So, I came back here and waited." " What are you planning to do with that knife Darien?" Serena asked, switching her sight from Darien to the knife in his hands and backing towards Rini's crib. he saw her planning to grab Rini and run and laughed. " Whatever you're doing is a complete waste of your time.Its too late already, she's dead. So you might as well as TRY to save yourself." " What the hell did you do to her?" Serena reached in the crib and felt her daughter's face . Serena's eyes watered. Rini was cold, and her lips were purplish-blue.She held her tears, now wasnt the time to cry hysterically. " You crasy fuck.You've killed you're only daughter." He shrugged nonchalantly and strolled towards Serena.She spotted her chance to run out through the door and took it. Unfortuneatly, Darien was faster than she was and caught her wrist before she could open the front door. Holding the butcher knife dangerously close to her neck he started taunting her. " You should have seen it. It was beautiful,watching the passing of such a young life was the most intriging experience. She suffered only a little while. ok, I lie, little bitch put up quite a fight and you're going to go the same way." Her tears rolled down her face and landed on the sharp blade still positioned in the most vulnerable area of her neck.Darien had moved both of them next to the dining table. Serena desperately tried to look for something that would help. " I can kill you any time I choose. I can and WILL slice through your pretty little neck when you least expect it.Tell me Serena, what are you scared of most?" She reached her hand out slowly and making sure to keep the movement out of his vision.Serena picked up a letter opener that she had left on the table the day she went to the market. " Huh Serena? You didnt answer me.You wanna know what I'm afraid of? Hell.Thats what I'm afraid of. I know I'm going but I'm still afraid, but at least I"ll see you there right?" Serena clutched the opener tightly, this was her chance. " Yeah, sure Darien." She grunted. " Be sure to save me a seat!" Serena plungged the opener deep in Dariens side, earning her a sick sounding crunch coming from him.He screamed pathetically and dropped the knife, releasing her. Serena shrugged off his arms quickly and ran out of the house as quick as she could, not even bothering to get into his car, she had left the keys inside.



Serena ran through the street, refusing to look behind her.Her breathing was coming on heavily but she continued. She had memorized the address where she was taken to when she meet up again with Duo. ' Quarter? Quart? Damn, what's that guy's name? Quatre! His house, thats where Duos' gooona be.' The sun had settled already, and night had come. She hated going anywhere at night by herself, but she was going to have to find Duo. She needed his help, She needed his off the wall corny jokes, his strength. But most of all , she needed his love.