Serena's eyes fluttered open and she began to look around, not quite sure of her surroundings. Turning onto her back all the memories from last night flooded her mind. She looked next to her to see…

"DARIEN!" she shrieked as she tried to wrap the sheet around her nude body, falling onto the floor with a loud thud.

Darien awoke from his slumber and jumped up completely confused.

"What? What happened?!" he cried still half asleep.

"Oh my God! What have we done? What have I done?!" Serena panicked.

"What are you talking about?"

"This isn't happening! Please tell me that we didn't…"

"Didn't what?"

"You know; with the nakedness and kissing and stuff..." Serena stuttered.

"You mean have sex?"

"Oh God…we did! What am I gonna do! Why did you do this to me?!"

"I did what to you?! You're the one that jumped me! I asked you if you wanted me to stop and you said no!"

"Oh blame me! You're the doctor; you're supposed to be the intelligent one! You know I'm engaged and you went through with it anyway!"

"What does me being a doctor or my intelligence have to do with us having sex?!" Darien put his pajama pants on and walked to Serena who pushed herself against the wall, holding the black fabric tightly. Tears streaming down her face.

"Serena, calm down. Don't you remember? You said you loved me last night. What we did wasn't wrong. That's what two people in love should do." He tried to soothe.

"I know that what two people in love should do…but-"She cut herself off.

"But what? What's the problem?"

"I'm getting married! I have a fiancé who I love also and I just cheated on him. I'm sorry Darien but no one can ever know about this."

"Why? You love me and I love you! Seiya will never be able to make you happy like I do. He'll never be able to love you like I do. Why are you going to torture and condemn yourself?"

"I'm sorry Darien, but I'm getting married to Seiya. What I said and did last night were all mistakes."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Hi Grams." Serena smiled weakly.

Ever since her discussion with Darien earlier, she had done nothing but cry.

"Serena, dear what's wrong? You look like shit." Her grandmother hugged her.

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just not feeling well today."

"Serena you never were a very good liar. You slept with him didn't you?"

"Slept with who?" Serena tried to play innocent.

"Serena Clark, I may be hard of hearing and senile but I'm not stupid. You slept with Darien, didn't you? And now you're feeling guilty and confused."

Serena just looked at her grandmother, stunned that she could tell exactly what was happening with her without Serena ever saying a word. She tried to swallow the lump in throat but failed terribly. She burst into sobs and laid her head on her grandmother's lap.

"I'm a terrible person Grams. I'm getting married in a few months and I went and did this…"

"Oh Serena, you're not a terrible person. I understand how you feel."

"How could you possibly understand? You're such a good woman and you've never done anything wrong in your life. How could you possibly understand what it feels like to be an adulteress?"

"Oh my sweet, ignorant Serena. I've been in your place before."

"You have? When?"

"I wasn't supposed to get married to your Grandpa Walter. I had an arranged marriage to a man who I grew to despise. His name was Seth. My father was a very important stockbroker for the New York Stock Exchange in the 1920's. One of his business partners had a son who was fifteen years my elder.

During the crash of the stock market, we lost all of our money. So in order for my parent's to keep a roof over our heads and food on our table, they betrothed me to Seth, who was a doctor also. Little did they know that I was secretly fooling around with the furniture salesman, your Grandfather.

Well, Walter proposed to me and I accepted. Except when I came home to tell my mother and father, they introduced me to my future husband. I begged and pleaded with them not to make me marry that bastard but to no avail, I lost.

Seth was much like Seiya, sweet when he wanted to be but controlling, manipulative, lazy and he thought that all women were stupid invalids. Your grandpa and I still continued to see each other all through my engagement.

On the day of our wedding, right before I said "I do", your grandpa came bursting in through the church doors and proclaimed his unconditional love to me. Well needless to say, I never married Seth."

"Wow, Grams. That was an incredible story. But you didn't love Seth which made it easy for you to leave him. I love Seiya."

"Serena, sweetie, you may love Seiya but you're in love with Darien. There's a big difference there."

"So what should I do?"

"I can't make that decision for you. That's something you have to do."

"I'm so confused Gramma. Darien is sweet, funny, smart, insanely annoying, arrogant and he irritates the hell outta me. But yet, I'm still drawn to him. He makes me feel things that I've never felt with Seiya; and what's weird is I've been with Seiya for four long years and I've never felt truly loved. I've known Darien for a week and I feel like I've known him forever. I feel…loved."

"So how is he in bed?"

"GRAMS!"

"Oh stop acting like an innocent young school girl, child. You know as well as I do that you lost your innocence a long time ago. Besides, how do you think you and your father got here? The stork?!"

"Last night was…amazing. And I really don't want to think about you and grandpa or my parent's like that!"

"How's Seiya with his trousers off?"

"I lost my virginity to Seiya. He was the only thing I knew and know. I always thought 'This is what people brag about so much? Is this what they consider amazing that they have to do it every night?' Then, when Darien and I…you know…I realized what they meant. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Seiya was done and over with ten minutes most, but Darien and I? We went on for hours. I didn't think that was possible."

"Well, does Seiya do anything to make it more pleasurable?"

"No. He's usually like "Serena I've got some built up tension that needs to be released; I'll meet you in the bedroom." Darien kissed me, caressed me, loved me. It felt so…right."

"It seems to me dearest that you've answered your own question. You know who you want to be with, so go get him! And tell him he still owes me a pack of smokes."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Serena raced to the elevators of Darien's apartment complex, nervousness and happiness overwhelming her. She began to push the button impatiently until the steel doors finally opened.

Her small fist began banging on the wooden door. No answer. She knocked even louder and with more fervor. Still no answer. So, feeling adventurous she turned the handle only to see it was locked. She sighed in disappointment and began her descent to the elevators once more. She stepped in looking at the door once more before the elevator began its journey to the lobby once more.

Darien opened his door only to see no one was there. He had been in the process of getting out of the shower when he heard the door and took his good old time answering it. Thinking someone had the wrong address or one of the neighbor kids was playing a prank, he stepped back inside and closed the door behind him. Secretly he had hoped it was Serena coming to confess her unconditional love to him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Not sure what to do now, she went to the park and sat at the spot where he had kissed her for the time last night. She laid back on the grass, the warm breeze and sunshine relaxing her. She closed her eyes and thought deeply about her current dilemma.

(Serena's POV)

What if he doesn't love me? What if it was all just some stupid fantasy that we created? I have no one to blame but myself. I let myself give into his childish game. You're so dumb! What if I lose Seiya too? What if he finds out? Then what?! I'll have lost both of them. I think I'll go see Seiya. I could really use a hug.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(Normal POV)

Almost an hour had passed since Serena had been at Darien's apartment. Slowly she strolled through the automatic doors at Wal Mart. She kept her head down and continued to walk towards the photo section. Not paying attention, she ran into something and stumbled back almost falling down. Except an arm reached for her and broke her fall.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going." She whispered shyly, still not looking at her rescuer.

"That's not unusual."

Looking up she saw she was in Darien's hold. Her eyes met his and they just gazed, him smiling sweetly at her. Gently he released his hold, letting her stand.

"Well, I should be going." She said hurriedly and began to walk off until she felt a strong grasp on her wrist pulling her.

"Where's the fire?"

"I'm here to see Seiya, Darien."

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong?! Only the fact that I'm getting married, I slept with a co-worker who drives me insane and to top it all off, I'm PMSing!"

"Serena, you don't love Seiya. You know you don't. I told you last night I loved you and I also told you I was going to make you love me. You do love me. What you and I did last night proved that we love each other. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Don't do this to me. Not here, not now." She almost cried.

"Then let's go. My apartment right now."

He put down the basket he was holding and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards the doors.

"Darien let me go. I don't want to do this. I don't want to talk about it. I want to forget it ever happened." She pleaded.

"No, we're going to talk Serena. I don't know what the problem is but I'm going to find out."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX Darien's Apartment XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sit down." Darien commanded gently.

"I don't want to."

"Ok then." He stood from the recliner and walked to where she stood behind the couch. He threw her over his shoulder, her kicking and arguing.

"Darien what are you doing! Put me down you jackass!" She yelled.

"No. If you're going to act like a child, I'm going to treat you like one."

He continued to hold her until she became tired. The kicking stopped and the yelling subsided.

"Are you going to behave now?" He asked calmly.

"Yes." Was his answer.

Gently he placed her on the ground, her face red from the blood rush. She straightened out her shirt and sighed. Then, her hand came up and proceeded to slap Darien until his bigger, stronger hand grabbed it blocking the hit.

"Are you done now?" He whispered as he pulled her closer to him, not releasing his grasp.

Serena didn't say a word. She looked down at the ground and let her arm fall loosely into Darien's hold.

"God, I hate you." She began to cry.

"Why do you hate me? Because I love you?"

"Yes."

"Well what sense does that make?"

"Because I'm stupid."

"No you're not." He kissed her forehead.

"Yes I am. I fell for your stupid little game."

"I know and it's ok. It's ok for you to love me."

"But it's not. Don't you get it?!" She sobbed harder pulling away from him.

"Why isn't it ok?"

"Because you don't love me. You and I created this stupid dream last night and we believed it. But it's not true Darien. I don't love you."

"I don't believe you Serena."

Without saying another word he grabbed her harshly forcing her into his arms. He pressed his mouth against hers and began to violate it. She tried to fight at him at first but eventually she gave in to his warmth. She noticed he wanted and needed her. Something Seiya never displayed.

It was as if she didn't have control over her body anymore. Her arms reached behind her neck and gently played with his hair. His hands roamed her body. She knew where this was most likely going to end…in his bed. She pulled away reluctantly leaving him gasping for air.

"I can't Darien. Please don't do that again." She stated sternly before she walked out of his apartment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Serena opened the door to her apartment. She set her purse down on the kitchen counter and walked into her bedroom only to be surprised by Seiya sitting on her bed.

"Hi. I didn't know you were here." She greeted carefully. She knew what his look meant.

"Where were you?"

"I was out. I went to go see my grandmother and had some errands to run."

"Where were you last night?"

"I couldn't sleep so I went to the park. What's this about?"

"I saw you with that guy earlier. I saw you in my store with another man. When were you planning on telling me you whore?!" He raged.

"Seiya, I told you; he's a colleague and friend. Nothing more."

"I'm working almost eighty hours a week so I can buy you a nice ring and take you somewhere special for our honeymoon and here you are acting like a teenage slut."

"Seiya calm down." She pleaded.

"Don't you tell me what to do!"

He pushed her into the wall causing her body to fall to the ground in a crying heap. Serena saw his hand rise and closed her eyes bracing herself for the hit. Not feeling anything she opened one eye and saw Darien standing behind Seiya holding onto his arm.

"Touch her you pathetic bastard, and I swear I'll kill you."

"Well isn't this convenient. Here comes lover boy to come rescue his whore."

Darien turned Seiya around to face him. Not saying one word, he raised his hand in the air and punched the old man down.

"I'm bleeding!" Seiya began to whine.

"You'll get more then that if I ever see your fat sorry ass again."

Darien kneeled down and grabbed Serena, who was still stricken with fear.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah." She managed out in a small voice.

"Let's go."

He helped her to her feet and wrapped his arm protectively around her waist as they walked out of her apartment.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"How's your head?" Darien asked gently as he placed an ice pack atop her hair.

"It's sore."

Darien had taken Serena back to his apartment and made her rest on the couch. Although she protested and claimed she was alright, he knew better. She had a large bump on her head from when she fell into the wall. His blood was boiling. He wanted to kill that good for nothing asshole.

"Still want to marry him?"

"I'm not going to answer that."

"Serena I swear to God if I ever see another bruise on you, I'll kill him. I'll rip him apart limb from limb."

"You didn't have to do this. I could've handled him myself."

"Right." He replied with sarcasm.

"This isn't the first time he's done this to me and it probably won't be the last."

"What do you mean it won't be the last? Serena, after today don't you see what type of person he is?!"

"Can we talk about this later? My head hurts."

"You're lucky you don't have a concussion."

"Darien, I'm fine. I don't see what the big fuss is about."

"Fine, I'll let you be. I'll be in my room if you need anything."

He was about to stand and walk away when he heard Serena's faint voice.

"Darien?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you lay with me until I fall asleep?"

Unable to refuse her, he smiled and lay next to her. Wrapping his arms around her, she nestled herself into his chest and closed her eyes. His warmth and security overwhelming her.

"Darien?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For loving me."

Darien didn't think he had a heard a sweeter, sincere 'thank you' in his life. He kissed her forehead and hugged her tighter. Slowly her eye lids became heavy and closed. He lay wide awake thinking about the blonde goddess in his arms.