"The wedding is off."

The words reverberated throughout the small apartment leaving behind shock and disbelief in their wake. For one precious second time stood still and a heart began to break anew. Serena closed her eyes and wondered how much more one heart could endure before it collapsed completely.

After all this time she was hearing the words her soul had so desperately ached for. However, one look at Darien's profile and she knew it to be a hollow victory. She hated to see him like this; so defeated so beaten. Once again, she resolved to do everything in her power to put a smile back on his lips.

With eyes downcast, valiantly trying to hide the turbulent emotions that where at the surface she stepped aside to let him in the apartment. Her heart beating so fast, she feared he could hear it, pounded in her ears reminding her of how much she loved this man. Loved him so dangerously and so absolutely that the only thing that mattered was his happiness even if it was at the expense of her own.

He sat in the small sofa hunched forward, with his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. It was a posture of such incomparable despair that her hands itched to trace the counters of his face and chase all his demons away.

In that moment she forgot that he loved another. She forgot that he was not hers as she took a seat next to him. In an unguarded moment that would cost her more than she would ever know a decision was made: a decision that would only bring more pain and grief to an already vulnerable heart.

His demeanor was more quiet than usual and she understood that what he needed was the company of someone he could trust. So she sat in silence and didn't ask any questions even though, every nerve in her body was screaming to find out what had brought him here.

"Do you want anything to drink?" she asked quietly.

When he didn't seem to hear her Serena scooted closer to him splaying her hand over his arm hoping to convey her support through such a small gesture.

"I'm here if you need anything," she said softly.

With a harsh sigh, he slumped back against the sofa, staring up at the ceiling and gave a grim laugh. "She doesn't love me anymore." And with sarcasm lacing every word he bitterly reinforces, "If you can believe it she doesn't love me anymore."

He turned brilliant blue eyes to her full of desperation and hopelessness. Serena lost herself in that endless blue and for the first time in their friendship her façade slipped and she let him catch a glimpse of what her heart held when she responded, "No I could never imagine how anyone could ever stop loving you."

Darien gazed at the familiar face that had always been there by his side. She was different tonight, older, softer, and sweeter. Maybe it was the effects of the alcohol he had imbibed earlier but there had been something in her eyes that called to a part of him that had been asleep for so long.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"Thank you for always being here. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have your friendship."

He stretched his arm across the back of the sofa, leaned his head back and closed his eyes. His hand curved around her shoulder and he drew her close. Her cheek came to rest against his chest and her hand played with the buttons of his shirt. She knew that he hadn't realized what he had done, but it seemed harmless enough.

"I will always be here Darien. No matter what happens you can always count on me," she whispered. The longing he heard in her voice made his eyes snap open and he tipped his chin down, staring at her. She wanted him to kiss her, it was written all over her somber face.

Tonight it had been too hard to keep the pretense up. After all these years of wanting and loving she couldn't hide what her heart had longed for.

She knew that he was hurting.

She knew she had no right to want or to ask.

She knew that he loved another.

And she knew that the only one that would lose would be her once again.

But, he looked so beautiful and she ached for him, and maybe just maybe she could make him love her.

"You're playing a dangerous game," he said tautly.

She rubbed her cheek against his chest, and he felt his resistance begin to crumble. A minute ago he had been exhausted and drained; now his body was stirring to life and his hands seemed to have a will of their own, as they wrapped around her hair tilting her face up.

He gazed at the girl who had always been there, trying to remember that this was wrong; that this was his best friend. That if he touched her there would be no going back and that if he kissed her he would shatter something precious and pure.

However, when his lips finally touched hers every thought evaporated into the night and he ceased to care. He ceased to care that he would destroy something that could never be put back together. The only thing he could do was feel desire so strong that it overwhelmed and overpowered any rational thought.

Serena had come alive when he had taken her in his arms. He was angry and he was arrogant and everything that made her a woman responded to him. She couldn't imagine not loving him. It was impossible. He was her world, her breath of life.

Lost in the endless darkness that surrounded the bedroom she felt the touch of his hands hesitant at first, then increase in demand as their passion escalated. His breath fanned her neck, kisses became frantic with need, and the strength of his arms was driving her over the edge. He had such a beautiful masculine body long, lean and sculpted with muscle and at least for tonight he would be hers. Her own fallen angel.

She wanted everything at once, to feel him inside of her, to have him kiss her forever, to lay down with him and be his forever. Her body shuddered and all she could think of was; so this is how it feels to finally be his; exquisite and dangerous and with this man more passion than she would ever have.

She had been brought to this by her love for this man, by a desire that consumed her and set her on fire, by a need that even time could not quench. He was heat racing along her nerves setting a fire deep in her core. She had never expected love to feel this way so wild, and unwelcome and full of despair.

Nevertheless in the back of her mind the truth persisted and she knew that somehow this was all she would ever have. She understood that for him it was only physical, passion rather than love, possession rather than cherishing. But she didn't care anymore. She would have this night and later she would decide if the price she paid were too high.

With his hands upon her skin, his warm mouth drinking hers, and his bare body upon her own in the sensuous tangle of sheets promises that would later shatter were spoken in haste. Words that should have never been spoken out loud engraved themselves in the souls of two lonely people.

And in the endless night a vow that would haunt Serena forever was made...

Disclaimer: Again I do not own anything. No Sailor Moon!!

Hey Guys thank you so much for your reviews. I wrote this chapter kind of fast because I am about to start finals. So please bear with me if there are to many mistakes. Thank you very much for reviewing I appreciate all your comments and advice. Please keep reviewing and commenting. Yes, I now accept signed and unsigned reviews thanks to someone's advice lol. Thank you Ami Mizuno 1 for your reviews and Kurayami for your beautiful comments. Thank you all please keep up your reviews and let me know what can be changed and made better!