It's me, PhoenixFeathers, back again and surprisingly quickly this time. This one is shorter but I hope you like it… and there's more to come, trust me!

And of course I don't own Sailor Moon… unfortunately…

.
"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…."

-+-

Chapter 5

As silence descended upon the two once more, the awkwardness returned, but with less pressure than before.

"Y'know, you're not as bad as I thought you were… I never thought Darien-the-Jerk could be anything close to… well… nice," Serena said with a small laugh.

"Well, you're not as bad yourself Meatball-He… I mean, Serena."

Serena's eyes widened in shock. She looked down at the floor and could feel the heat rushing to her face.

-Did he really call me SERENA?-

Desperately trying to get away from Darien's fierce, piercing blue eyes, Serena stood up and attempted to walk to the living room window. Unfortunately, Serena was cursed by gravity with klutziness. She stumbled over the edge of a chair and practically collided with the window. Feeling stupid enough already, she let her forehead hit the window and allowed its coolness to calm her.

"Serena, are you alright?"

"Besides having to live with gravity being such a… meanie… yes"

"Can an inanimate object truly be a 'meanie,' Serena?" Darien said playfully.

"Of course. Inanimate objects can be just as evil as animate ones."

"Do you even know what inanimate means?"

"For your information, I'm entirely stupid!"

"Didn't you just flunk another math test? I don't know you're going to even pass this year… Serena?" Darien realized he had crossed a line. In the reflection of the window's glass, he saw tears sliding down Serena's cheeks to match the rain sliding down the window pane.

"Serena? I'm… I'm sorry. That was cruel…"

"It's alright, I guess I should expect those kind of things from you…"

"I'm not heartless Serena…"

"Aren't you?" Serena blurted out. She instantly regretted it. It was her turn to see pain in the other's eyes. His shoulders slumped slightly forward and, for a moment, he looked completely defeated.

"It's late… I'll get my stuff, I should get going. Thank you for your hospitality," Darien said, going to the kitchen to collect his things.

"Darien, it's still storming. Besides, you still have a flat tire…"

"It's fine. I'll go fix it while it's only lightly sprinkling. I wouldn't want to be any more of a bother. Thank you again. Good bye, Serena," Darien said giving her one last look and heading out the door.

Serena stood completely still with her mouth slightly open, in shock.

-NO!… I'm sorry! Come back! Please? You'll hurt yourself out there… or WORSE! Oh, Darien! DARIEN!-

In her mind, she screamed the words that would not come to her lips. She was sick of crying, sick of feeling hopeless and sad, so sick of feeling endless pain.

In a sudden burst of desperate energy, she raced to her front door. She opened it just in time to see him put the flat tire in his trunk, get in his car, and turn it on. Before he started to drive away, she thought she heard his voice in her head saying, "Is that what you really think…that…that I'm 'heartless?'"

.:-:.

Well… That's the end of this chapter. Please leave a review or small comment telling me what you think! ) See you in the next chapter… who knows when that will be! . hehehe

Love,

.:PhoenixFeathers;.