-Wow… it's been FOREVER! Have you all forgotten about me? Most likely… But after all the chaos I've been through recently and misplacing my notebook for awhile ( I know, huge mistake for a writer.. Please don't hurt me! ), I've finally got a chance to write and now type this up as rain pours down like CRAZY outside. Well anyway, I hope you all have been doing good and don't hate me and that I've been able to catch some of the magic back enough to make this next chapter good…

Serena laughed at the irony of it all. Here, he was the very source of her problems, and yet he wanted to be the solution. She looked up into his eyes once more.

"I'm fine, really… Or rather, I'll be fine. Don't worry about it… It's not your problem…"

And then she did something she never could've dreamed he'd actually do. He took her into his arms and actually hugged her…

Chapter 4

Serena just stood there for a moment, rigid with shock and disbelief. Suddenly, she gave in to her weariness and sadness… She clung to him desperately, tears streaming down her checks as she hid her head in his chest. Muffled sobs broke the silence every once and awhile.

Eventually, her tears subsided. Or maybe she's simply run out of tears. It was then her mind finally comprehended where she was. She pulled back fast, instantly feeling the massive headache her "emotional breakdown" had caused. She momentarily lost her balance and clutched her head. Then, she felt two strong arms wrap around her and place her in a chair. She opened her eyes to see two concerned blue eyes staring back at her.

"Serena?" Darien asked, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she lied.

"Your pupils are dilated," he said. Then he checked her pulse. 'Your heart beat is a bit too fast as well. We should get you to a couch or somewhere you can lie down."

He had slipped into doctor mode. Serena smiled to herself in her slightly delirious state.

-He'd make a great doctor….-

"Can you walk?" Darien asked.

"I think so…" Serena stood up, a bit unsteadily. As she went to fall, Darien slipped his arm around her waist and helped her through the kitchen door and into the living room. He gently helped her onto a couch and propped up her feet with pillows.

"Have you eaten anything today?" Darien asked, looking into her blue eyes.

"Well, surprisingly… no…"

"Do you like strawberries?"

"YES! But we don't have any…" Serena paused, realizing what Darien had meant, "I couldn't possibly eat your strawberries meant for your-"

"Shh, it's okay! I'd rather they get put to good use," Darien smiled at her and disappeared into the kitchen. After hearing cabinets opening and closing, and the sink running momentarily, Darien returned with a bowl of sugar and two bowls of freshly washed strawberries.

Serena smiled and sat up slowly. Darien sat down on the couch next to her, doing a talented balancing act while trying to move the pillows and hold on to the bowls.

"Cheers," he said, holding up a strawberry.

-Why is he being so nice to me? And sharing the strawberries with me that were meant for… No, knock it off, he's only being nice because he's generally a nice guy… well, not usually to me… Ahh! Stop it!-

Serena clutched her head to cease the battle in her head.

"Serena?" Darien kneeled before her, concern in his eyes.

Serena smiled, "You just called me Serena…"

And then everything went black for her…..

Darien caught Serena as she fainted and fell forward into him. He picked her up and arranged her as comfortable as he could on the couch. He moves the strawberries and sugar onto the coffee table and ran to the kitchen to get her a moist towel for her head. He had no desire to leave her alone, but he needed a cool towel in hopes of bringing her back around.

He raced back and gently placed the towel on her head. In her semi-conscious state, he thought he heard her murmur the word, "Roses…"

"Serena, come back to me…"

Serena had fallen onto a bed covered in rose petals. She loved the feel of them on her skin. She smiled to herself as she curled up on them.

Then, she arose and saw it was daylight. She went over to her vanity table to find a beautiful bouquet of the deepest red roses she had ever seen.

"Roses…"

Gently picking up the card she found tucked into the bouquet, she read:

"To my princess and true love for all the beauty she brings into my very existence. Let the moon always shine for you!

With all the love there ever was,

Tuxedo Mask."

Smiling, she smelled the most wonderful aroma as if the roses had become a part of her very essence. She walked out onto her balcony and scanned the beautiful landscape in front of her.

She felt two strong arms wrap around her shoulders. The bit of black cape draped across her shoulders stood out against the her flowing white dress. She turned around and gazed up into his deep blue eyes.

"Tuxedo Mask?"

"Yes my princess?"

"I…" she started, but then stopped suddenly as she heard a bell chime in the distance. "I must go…" She started to walk away.

Tuxedo Mask grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her back . Running a hand through her hair, he whispered, "Serena, come back to me…"

When Serena opened her eyes, she momentarily saw Tuxedo Mask's face for a moment longer. Then she realized she was staring into the deep blue eyes of a certain other man and her eyes widened.

"What… what happened?" she asked, bewildered.

"You fainted… I tried to make you as comfortable as I could. Are you strong enough to eat a strawberry?"

Serena nodded and Darien hand fed her one. She laughed as the juice slide down her chin and he whipped it away with a towel. After awhile, she genuinely felt better.

"Your color's returning to normal," Darien said, checking her out, "Your heart beat is still a bit fast, but I think you're going to be okay."

"Darien… Even though you… I mean… Thank you," Serena said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it. So what were you dreaming about? You said something about roses…"

"Oh it's silly…"

"Well, humor me. We're stuck in a house with nothing better to do… Well, I mean it was very generous of you to let me in and…" Darien stopped himself, a bit flustered.

"Darien tripping over his words! Someone call the office of world records!"

"Aww shut up Meatball Head."

"DARIEN!"

Darien smirked. Serena sighed, knowing somehow that whatever magic that had made him nice had passed and he was back to his old self.

"Well, if you must know, I was dreaming of a handsome man in a mask who gives me roses and treats me like a princess. A man with startling blue eyes who is looking for his princess as much as I am looking for my prince…"

Her voice trailed off. Her eyes held a distant look and a small smile brightened her face. If she had looked over, she would have seen Darien glazing at her with a surprised look and a certain intensity that might have startled her. Instead, however, by the time she snapped out of her daydream and looked over, all she saw was that sarcastic smirk of his.

"Sounds like your looking for a fantasy man that doesn't exist."

"No, he does! I'm sure of it! We're just held apart from each other right now… But I'll find him! He's somewhere…" Serena looked down at the floor, her shoulders slumped in hopelessness.

"Well, uhh, I hope you find him…" Darien started in apology.

Serena looked up at him and smiled.

"Thanks…."

Well.. That's it, the long awaited chapter… Or maybe the chapter some of you gave up on.. -sigh- But I hope you liked it and hope you are going to read the next one whenever I get it up… And I thank all of you for your supportive comments.. They made me want to write this next chapter! )

.:Phoenix Feathers:.