Hey guys! First of all, I'd like to thank illenutza, Minako Aiya, cosmos serenity, srsmoon and amnesia nymph for the great reviews. Thank a lot guys! I must admit that you've pretty much made writing this fanfic worth and, thanks to you and your advices, I'm going to keep working on it. So, thanks a lot once again and I hope that you'll like this chapter and review it as well.

Darien stood unmoved in front of the tall window, gazing outside at the the city drowned in the night's darkness. In that day's morning he had burst inside Serena's designated bedchamber and ordered her to wake up instantly and get dressed or to get ready to be pulled out of the large bed. For the first time in three days she had not screamed back at him, nor thrown something in his way. She had just stared at him, first startled and then fully-alert, simply obeying him. He knew that his entire appearance and his emotions had probably warned her that it would be for the best not to stand in his way.

After pushing her on the floor during their last encounter, he had gone straight into his office, where he burried himself in paperwork. It was several hours later when he received a phone call. It was from Damien Restro, also known as Diamond due to his preferences in jewelry. He was a ruthless murderer, usually hired by the rich people who wanted to get rid of their "gifted" or "stubborn" relatives. When Rei started to represent a problem for him, Darien had refused the assassin's services, wanting to at least get the job done himself. He might have wanted Rei dead, but he would have never let her in Diamond's hands… not even her…

On the phone, the killer had told him that he knew of Serena Lewis' presence in his mansion and that he wanted her for himself. This was a warning: Diamond was planning to get to her one way or another.

Knowing that Serena was probably his last chance of retrieving Rei from Kane Lewis, Darien had ended the call without a word, leaving an extremely angry Diamond cut off. He had ordered his servants to pack their bags and didn't shut an eye all night. So, almost like a vampire, he started pacing through the entire mansion, in the darkness, sometimes taking a roll in the old library, sometimes checking some more documents in his office and sometimes even walking in front of the door which led to Serena's bedroom. It was very surprising for him to wake up in front of the bloody door and almost get ready to kncok and ask for permission to get in. He didn't have to knock! This was his house, not hers! He could have anything he wanted… but why did he want to enter her room? Shaking his head, he turned around and went straight to his room, where he sealed himself until the morning.

"What's bothering you?" Serena had asked him while driving to one of his apartments downtown. He stared at her completely surprised by her question and tone: she had actually spoken those words on a concerned and caring tone.

"Why would believe that there's something bothering me?" he asked after a while, when she seemed to want to back out from the potential discussion.

"You've been filled with emotions last night and I've never seen you like that…so far. Plus, I can tell that you've been awake all night." She said on an obvious tone and rolled her eyes. He merely rose a black eyebrow. "So, when are you going to tell me who was on the phone?" she asked, almost in a whisper, knowing that this piece of information will get his entire attention.

"How did you know about the phone call?"

"Your phone rang right when I wanted to enter your office. I heared your few words and understood that you were busy. When you suddenly closed it without any last words, I could feel an immense amount of emotions flowing through you, especially anger. I decided that it would be best to just leave you alone. Until you came and woke me up this morning. We are leaving the house because of that call, aren't we?" she asked and stared directly into his eyes, which he also found more than just surprising. No one else had ever dared before to look right into his eyes and especially not with her nerve. And then he just turned away from her, refusing to see those big blue eyes of hers or to answer her daring question. Like he was ever going to let her know that they had left just to protect her from the terrible assassin.

"So, you're just going to leave me like that in the dark?" a voice woke him up. The same voice he had been hearing in the past few days. Turning away from the view, he met the now furious glare of the young blonde woman. His lack on answers had definitely annoyed her and now she was ready to burst… again.

"What do you mean?" he finally spoke after a whole minute of silence.

"Wow… you still have a voice. You know, I was almost ready to bet that some cat got your toungue." She mocked him and made him frown. "I'm talking about the reason of our departure!"

"You're still with me and you're still safe… and alive… for now." He spoke sharply and returned to the windows, wishing for some miracle that would just make her go away.

"And why is that?" her voice sounded much closer to him than before. Turning again, this time with an exasperated look on his face, he saw her right in front of him, with the same daring stare in her eyes.

"Because I decided so!"

"You're forgetting that I have mental powers… and pretty strong ones too! So, I'll ask again, who called you last night and how come you've gone softy on me ever since that talk?" she dared to go too far, and Darien's hand clung on her arms again, pressing her body onto his and making her wince in pain.

"That is none of your concern! When I'll decide that you'll have access to that kind of information, that'll be the moment when you'll find out exactly who called me last night and for what reason. Until then, I strongly suggest that you remain at your present status: that of a prisoner and nothing more!" he hissed, let go of her, without hurting her anymore and lest the room. Behind him, Serena stared at his track and whispered as for herself.

"I will win against you, Darien Shield… and I will find out just what happened last night… even if that means playing with your mind merciless."

"So, chief… What's the plan?" Jade asked as he entered the living-room and settled himself in a large armchair with a can of soda in his right hand, looking over at a holographic vertical map settled right in the middle of the room. Kane turned away from the computer he had been typing at for the past few minutes and gazed around the room. Everyone was awaken, altough it was early in the morning, and they were currently filling several armchairs and the couch. His eyes gazed at everyone in part, starting with Mina who was constantly re-arranging her dress and hair next to him, Lita and Nick who were holding hands and leaning to each other, Jade who was busy in emptying his can and Amy who was looking for the thousandth time over some reports. The only ones missing were Rei, who had isolated herself from the others, and Zack, who was still under sedatives at the infirmary. For a moment Kane thought about what he had done to the kid. Had he been too angry and severe? One moment later he banished that tought from his mind and cleared his throat, making everyone pay attention to him.

"I'm not very sure, but we should find a way of getting Serena away from Darien without much exposure or noise. We don't want to be discovered by him or Darien's guards." Kane said, in other words, asking the other to think of a way to get Rena out of there and not hurt her… or anyone else.

"Are you really thinking of trading Rena for Rei?" Nick suddenly asked, entering the main problem. Immeditaely, Jade left the can away and stared at their leader. Noticing all the burning gazes he was receiving, Kane passed a hand through his silvery hair, exhaling loudly.

"I think we should do our best to find a plan that doesn't involve losing anyone to Darien Shields… Rei included. But, I'm afraid that if I don't have any other choice, I'll be forced to hand her over… for Serena…" he admitted.

"Over my dead body!" Jade jumped from his seat and glared at him. The other five persons in the room stared at him dumbly. This was the first time when Jade actually was against his boss' decisions and plans. It was now that Jade showed the other side of him: the over-protective and criminal one. Although he had always been the joker of the gang, he kept his blood cold and his muscles ready for action.

"Jade! You ok, man?" Nick looked at him, noticing the fast flames in his eyes. He had been afraid that a time like this would come.

"Yeah… what's with the blow?" Lita supported him, sending the blonde man a very questioning look.

"You're not leaving Rei to that son of a bitch again!" Jade more like ordered than argued back.

"I'll do my best!"

"No, Kane! I'll do my best!" Jade yelled back, staring at the leader with wide eyes that pleaded for the raven-haired beauty's life.

"Jade!" Mina said, not believing her ears, with a huge grin imprinted on her gorgeous features. She glanced shortly at her husband, who had an at least surprised look on his face, and returned fastly to the blonde man.

"Kane, you don't understand! I know the hell she's been put through! I know where she's been hid so far and what has happened to her all these years. I know that and I can't just let go back again, but force her to face her brother ever again!" he sounded almost desperate, being in a status no one has ever seen him before in his case. Nick and Lita had remained speechless and were now staring at him. Kane, as well as the other two had his mouth closed tightly. Still, unlike the others, Mina jumped from her spot on the couch and placed herself between the leader and the fast man.

"You loved her!" she screamed happily, pointing a pale finger at him, her eyes almost ready to pop out of her head with excitement.

"I don't know!" Jade suddenly got smaller and threw himself back in the armchair, as if he had just been pointed a large empty space in his life and he didn't know how to deal with it. Mina ran next to him and patted his back in a friendly gesture.

"That's ok Jade! We're just happy this day has finally come for you! For a while there I actually thought you were about to remain a bachelor ladies' man for the rest of your life. Oh, we're so happy for you!" she exclaimed, making Kane wince. She stopped for a moment, noticing that no one else said anything. She turned to the others with a scary look on her face. "Aren't we guys?" she asked, almost biting every word.

"Oh, yeah!"

"Right!"

"You bet ya'!"

"Exactly!" the four said in the same time, gazing at Mina, who had returned to the blonde next to her and smiled widely. Few more ackward moments passed and they all split up, leaving the room behind and turning to other activities. Before leaving for the infirmary, Kane sent his wife, who was still supporting Jade, a curious gaze, wondering what had happened to her that made her so chipper in that morning. Usually she would have been cranky and would have shouted at Jade for the next millennia for his interruption and yells. Still, she was most happy for Jade and Rei to have found a match in each other.

"Hey, Ames!" Kane announced his entrance inside the infirmary. Amy looked up from the computer screen and greeted him with a childish smile… the same as always. "How's he?" he asked while settling himself on a chair, right in front of her.

"He'll survive with a few bruises and scars… but time should take care of those nicely."

"Not to mention your healing blood inside his system…" Kane said and she blushed. "By the way, I'm sorry that you had to see my dark side… all over again. You shouldn't have been there… but, in the end, I have to thank you for stopping before I could do something extremely wrong."

"Like killing Darien Shields' closest employee?" Amy asked and her blue orbs looked straight at him.

"That too…" his voice drifted off. "So… he hasn't woken up at all?"

"Oh yeah… um, yesterday, for about ten minutes… but he dropped back into deep sleep almost immediately." She explained, her cheeks suddenly burning up. Having noticed her involuntary reaction, he eyes curiously. Ever since Darien Shields had shown up in the picture, more and more weird things were happening. And not necessarily bad ones either.

"Did he say anything?"

"Well… not much…" she tried her best not to look at him.

"Ames… What are you hiding from me?"

"Well, he asked my name, if he were indeed in one of your hide-outs… and if I would be willing to be his… protective angel…" she said and thought she was about to explode if she got any redder than she already was. Kane's eyes received almost impossible dimensions as he stared at her with the same look he had had while Jade was yelling at him. Indeed, Darien Shields was causing more than just unimaginable things.

"Well?"

"Well what?" her head snapped up and her features carried confusion.

"What did you answer him?"

"Oh, he didn't let me! He said I should take my time… and then he fell asleep again."

"Amy, you do realise that I almost killed him because he was and still is on Shields' side, right?" Kane asked very seriously.

"Yeah… Don't you think that if I hadn't been aware of that I wouldn't have told you about his question?" she asked him on a very normal tone, puzzling him even more than he already was. He shook his head and looked over at her petite figure.

"Ames… if this guy is giving you a hard time or makes you problems… you just have to say it. Don't be ashamed or shy about it!" Kane assured her, with a fatherly tone in his voice. Amy smiled childishly and nodded, letting him know that she will follow his advice. He pointed his index finger at her one last time and then left her alone again. Watching his trail, Amy sighed happily: that was the Kane she knew and loved, the Kane that always protected his territory and always lend a hand of help to those in need. She glanced over at Zack, who was still sleeping deeply. And then she understood for the first time: just like Darien, Rei and even herself, Zack was another lost teenager in this huge world, always searching for something to belong to him, always wanting to belong somewhere. The only difference was that he ended up working for the Devil, while she was stuck in her own piece of heaven. Walking to him, she touched gently his pained cheek and smiled sweetly. Tracing his face features with her cool, yet warm hand, she looked at his closed eyelids. Her face suddenly grew serious and determined and her lips whispered this simple, yet meaningful message:

"Don't worry, Zack, I'll be your protective angel… and I'll help you find that place of yours in this world…"

"So, what's the word?" a red-head man entered a pretty dark office, with a large, wooden desk settled in the middle of the chamber and a man sitting down on the other side of it, playing around with a crystal glass half filled with some sort of wine.

"We'll attack pretty soon… Hn, if Shields thinks I'm just going to let go of the fair Serena Lewis, he is extremely wrong. I want her!" Diamond hissed as he looked over at the two other men standing in his office. "What do you have for me, Rubeus?" The man with red hair glanced over at his partner and then answered.

"Nothing… for now! But I can assure you that we'll have Shields' current address by tomorrow morning."

"Sapphire?" Diamond asked the other man.

"I still believe that this is just a waste of time and that you'll grow tired of Serena Lewis just like you did with the rest… Still, against my beliefs, I've searched Kane's hide-outs and possible team members. These are the locations and contacts." The man with dark hair, almost bluish, said and threw on his older brother's desk a stash of files, filled with pictures and descriptions. Diamond nodded his head satisfied with his brother's results.

"Good, I'm glad you've decided to give me a hand after all…"

"Don't forget Diamond! After this, I'm getting the hell out of here!" Sapphire announced his brother for the thousandth time of his last decision.

"Suit yourself!" he answered while the other two were already stepping out of his office, each going for his own mission, of course, given by Diamond himself.

It was the middle of the night when Serena woke up… again!

It was already the tenth time in five days when she was waking up from a deep, yet agitated sleep state. She was already sweating and millions of thoughts and dreams were running through her head like crazy. Understanding the reason for her lack of sleep in the past days, she got up from her bed and walked outside her room, going directly to Darien's door. Instead, she stopped mid-way, in the living-room, where she found him barely asleep on the couch, his eyes moving like crazy behind his closed eyelids and his lungs out of breath. He was having horrible nightmares. He had been having those nightmares every night, sending all of his emotions to her and killing her sleep as well. She motioned herself in front of the couch and sat down on it, staring at the evil man in front of her, her eyes trapped on his more than just handsome features.

"Hey! Shields!" she said pretty loud and started shaking him. "Shields, wake up!" she went on, shaking him even harder, but with still no luck. "Darien!" she finally shouted and managed to force him to open his eyelids and reveal his midnight blue eyes… so similar, yet so different than Rei's amethyst ones. He took deep breaths, even coughed, trying to calm down his pulse and the fresh memories of his last nightmare. He tried to get up from the couch and managed to support his body with his two arms, nearing unconsciously his head by her shoulders covered by a simple pink t-shirt.

"What are you doing here?" he asked after a few moments, when finally managed to catch up his breath. Opening his eyes, he saw below his head the dark blue simple trousers she wore and rose his head instantly, finding himself trapped into her blue eyes, darkened only by the lack of light inside the room.

"Why didn't you tell me about the nightmares? You know, you've kept both of us tensed and tired these days." She spoke, clearly annoyed with his behaviour.

"How?" he practically moaned unhappy, instead of talking normally.

"I feel other people's emotions. And that includes you… During the nightmares you feel a lot of things and you also send unconsciously a part of them to me. That's why none of us could get some normal rest in the past week." She explained, while he got up from his place, away from her, walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of cold water, in order to cool down his body and thirst. She got up as well and waited for him next to the couch. He leaned in the doorway and looked at her while taking another sip.

"What?"

"How long have these nightmares lasted now?" she asked and stared at him. He could actually read affection and concern on her face. "Ok, I see you're not in a mood to talk tonight." She mumbled. He came next to her and spoke sternly.

"I case you haven't noticed, I'm never in a mood to talk."

"To put it mildly!" she rose her tone and approached her face to his, dangerously close, only a breath separating them away. Realising in what position she currently was, she blinked nervously, looked away, but didn't get further. He lowered his eyes and spoke somewhat uneasy.

"Look, I promise I'll at least try not to dream again… Go to sleep!" he ordered and didn't move and inch. She stared at him few more seconds and then, knowing that he wasn't about to react more, she got away from him and walked to her bedroom. After entering it, for the first time in five days she didn't slam the door, but closed it normally.

"Where is he?" Kane's voice broke through the whole infirmary, sounding dangerous and adressing only to the wavy-haired man sitting on one of the beds inside. Behing him stood Amy, almost like a guardian, knowing that if he didn't colaborate, Kane would probably lose it again and the barely healed man would end up once again with a bloody face and body. And she definitely did not want to repeat the experience.

"How should I know?" Zack answered, knowing that both his tone and attitude would get the leader pissed off. Add an evil smirk on a very bruised face and you get a fuming leader. And he did.

"Look, acting like a smart-ass worn't work with me! You either tell me what I want to know, or I'm asking Amy to leave the room, so that she won't have to see me beating the hell out your all over again!" Kane warned him on a pretty calm tone, but with a deadly sparkle in his eyes. Getting a bit back, just enough to feel Amy's silhouette behind him, he lowered his eyes in defeat and spoke.

"Look, I don't know what you want to find out… We were only meeting each other either in his office or down at the mansion… and you know where those are. Besides, why don't your try to find him just like you found Rei?" he asked and rose his head again.

"Finding Rei was pure luck…" Kane muttered, very unhappy with his short interrogation's results. Suddenly, he eyed him curiously and a grin made his impecable teeth visible. Noticing the evil smirk, Zack moved even more backwards, bumping with his back in Amy's tummy. He could feel her a bit surprised by his reaction, but she didn't get back, remaining in that position. "You're also a hacker, aren't you?"

"Yes…"

"How long would it take you to find him in the city?" he asked and glanced at Amy, who was smiling at his plan. Visibly in a mess, Zack mumbled.

"Usually about twelve hours…"

"Good, how about if you have help?"

"Help? No way I'm letting some nerd help me! He'll probably mess up your entire network!" Zack defended himself, making it obvious that he only worked solo. With his grin getting larger and larger, Kane leaned to him and smiled as evil as he could, staring right into the young man's green eyes.

"Actually… I was talking about Ames!" he said and getting back up, saw a scared Amy, blushing like mad and a Zack with a more than content smirk on his lips.

"Well, she's not a nerd and I understand she's had some experience with computers before…" Zack started and turned to her, admiring her body right in front of him. "I guess I could do it in about 8 hours… But I'll need my own computer and access in the database…" he informed Kane, who only nodded.

"Get ready, in half an hour you're getting started."

"Aye, aye, captain." He answered, still turned to the young doctor, gazing at her and admiring her childish features for the thousandth time.

Ok, it ends here… for now! So, I was thinking of introducing some more romantic, or at least normal, moments with Serena and Darien, considering that now he has got used to her. I'm open for suggestions!

Also, I would like to let you know that I don't plan on getting this longer and longer. So, let's say three or four more chapters and it'll be done… plus the epilogue, of course. So, I guess I'm done for this week too. See'ya'll next chappie!