Of Faux and Friends

Chapter 2

A/N: I know it's been a while. Applying for grad school has been keeping me busy. But I'll try and update more regularly. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own SM.

Rating: M

I

I

"Last night was a disaster," said Serena as she sipped her Peach Passion Iced Tea.

"It wouldn't have been if you hadn't brought Seiya with you," said Raye, fork in hand.

Serena sighed. "Raye he just showed up at my apartment. He caught me off guard," she said, tossing her blonde ponytail over her shoulder and stabbing the cherry tomato that was lying around idly in her empty salad bowl.

"That's no excuse, Serena! You shouldn't have invited him to Darien's welcome home party. He doesn't even know Seiya!" cried Raye.

"Well he does now," Serena mumbled, dropping her fork loudly and staring somberly at Raye. "I didn't even want to go to Darien's stupid party and I wouldn't have been there if you didn't threaten me into going!"

"Serena you're such a brat!" cried Raye.

"Calm down you two," said Amy, "you're making a scene."

"He doesn't have any family Serena, you know that! I was trying to make him feel special when he came back to Tokyo. And you ruined it!"

"She didn't ruin it," said Mina to Raye. "You didn't ruin it Serena."

"Darien didn't say much of anything after you and that asshole of a boyfriend stormed out!" Raye yelled.

Serena rolled her eyes. "Then you shouldn't have invited me! You know that I don't like Darien and you made me go anyway. I didn't go for Darien, Raye, I went for you. Because you planned it and now you're pissed at me because it didn't turn out the way you wanted it to!"

"Why do you hate Darien so much, Serena?" asked Lita, twirling her brown chest length hair between her manicured fingers.

"I just…do," Serena replied stubbornly.

"Just before he left you guys seemed to be getting along fine. Come to think of it, I rarely saw you guys fight," said Amy, leaning back in her chair.

"Just because you didn't see it doesn't mean it didn't happen," Serena lied. Her friend's observations were true. She and Darien had gotten along better before he left. A lot better.

"You don't go from ready to rip each other's throats out to being borderline best friends all of a sudden," said Mina. "What happened?"

"Nothing happened," cried Serena. "Can we please talk about something other than Darien?"

"He made me invite you especially, you know," said Raye, her voice quiet. "He asked me every time I talked to him if you were coming. Why would he do that Serena, if he didn't care about you?"

"I don't know Raye," Serena replied.

"Give him a chance," said Raye. "Sure he was a jerk to you when you were younger, I'll admit that, but he's had a hard life Serena."

"Yea, being a billionaire and traveling around to god knows where for seven years is real hard," said Serena grimly.

"God, Serena, he wouldn't be a billionaire if his parents hadn't died! Where the hell do you think he got all that money? He grew up in an orphanage until he could take care of himself, you knew that!" cried Raye, standing up abruptly and almost knocking over Mina's glass of water.

"Raye, sit down," said Lita, as Mina grabbed the glass. "Where are you going?"

"I can't sit hear and listen to Serena bitch about Darien," said Raye, pulling a wad of cash out of her purse and slamming it on the table.

"Raye," whined Serena, "look I'm sorry okay-"

"Don't apologize to me, Serena, apologize to him," said Raye as she grabbed her coat and stormed out of the café.

Serena huffed loudly before leaning over and pinching the bridge of her nose. "She's so in love with him," said Mina, starry-eyed. All the girls turned to eye her strangely. "What? Did you see the way she jumped to his defense? I feel a matchmaking spell coming over me, guys."

Lita chuckled. "Maybe you'd better not interfere. Besides, I think Raye thinks of Darien as more of a brother than anything. Why do you think she's so protective of him?"

"Or perhaps she identifies with him," said Amy.

"Enlighten us, doctor," said Lita, as she Serena and Mina looked to Amy for advice.

"Well they both lacked parents when they were children, didn't they? I mean Raye had her grandfather, but he was rarely around for her. Maybe that's why they dated in the first place. Raye and Darien are awfully alike. Their social skills aren't exactly the best and they like to spend most of their time alone."

"Am I wrong here?" asked Serena, ignoring Amy's comment. "I didn't mean for Seiya to come. You know how he is, and besides I feel…uncomfortable…around Darien and Seiya being there kind of helped."

"Raye's just overreacting," said Lita. "It's not like you were mean to Darien, you did dance with him after all."

"Which makes me wonder why you stormed out after you and Darien danced together?"

"Did he do something to you?" asked Lita angrily, slamming her fist onto the table. Serena smiled, even after all these years Lita was still protective of her.

"No, he didn't. I just felt sick is all," said Serena.

"Are you the blonde that puked outside?" asked Mina.

"Why?"

"I heard the staff talking about some blonde who vomited in one of the trash bins," said Mina.

Lita gasped. "That asshole Seiya didn't get you pregnant did he?"

Serena choked. "No! No! That's impossible."

"Nothing's impossible," said Amy.

"Trust me, that is."

I

I

Serena threw her purse down as she stormed into her dimly apartment. It had been a terribly long day. After the fiasco at lunch, Serena had tried to call Raye and make amends, but it seemed as though Raye was screening her calls today. After leaving seven messages on her answering machine, Serena called it quits for the day.

With ease she pulled off her black Dolce and Gabbana pumps and tossed them onto the barstool before walking sluggishly into her bedroom.

"Rough day?" asked a sultry deep voice from behind her.

Serena shrieked loudly before lunging for the pepper spray atop her bedroom drawer and aiming it at the stranger.

Slowly he flicked the light on and stared at her appearance. "Whoa there, honey, point that thing somewhere else," said Seiya, grabbing the black bottle of mace from her hand and setting it down on an empty table. "Happy to see me?"

"Not really," said Serena, swatting him on his arm before walking into her bedroom. "How'd you get in here?"

"You gave me a key," said Seiya, unbuttoning his black suit coat and laying it on an empty chair.

"Remind me to get the locks changed," said Serena.

Seiya chuckled. "Rough day?"

"Not really, why?"

"You look irritated."

Serena sighed. The bastard did know her well. "Raye and I had a fight, one of my dresses ripped and I had to fire someone that was trying to extort money from me. Other than that, it was just perfect."

"Well it's a good thing you caught the culprit, I'm sure you'll be able to repair the dress and you and Raye fighting doesn't come as much of a shock to me. She mad that you invited me to the party?"

Serena laughed as she stepped into her closet and pulled of the grey pencil skirt she was wearing. "That's an understatement. She's pissed," said Serena, walking out of the closet with a silk robe wrapped her otherwise naked body. "According to her I'm a brat, a bitch, and insensitive."

"I could say the same thing about her," said Seiya, walking to Serena and tucking a loose blonde curl behind her ear.

"So could I," said Serena, smiling gently at him and walking into the kitchen. "I didn't even want to go to that stupid party. Want some tea?"

"Sure," he said, sitting on an empty bar stool and reclining. "So then why did you?"

"Because Raye nagged me to death about it."

"Is that the only reason?" asked Seiya, narrowing his eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Serena, filling the kettle and placing it on the stove.

"You seemed very…comfortable with Dr. Chiba," said Seiya.

"Excuse me."

"You think I didn't notice his proximity to you when you danced with him?"

"I didn't know you cared."

"When are you going to give in to me?"

"What?" asked Serena, reaching for her bag of tea leaves in the pantry. Before she turned around Seiya was behind her, his hands on her waist.

"When are you going to say yes to me?"

"How many times do I have to say no to you?" she replied.

He sighed. "Do you know how many other women would give their lives to marry me?"

"It's because they only see you're pretty face. If they knew you like I do, they'd be running the other direction just like I am."

"Touché, love. I'm tired of asking you, Serena," said Seiya. "Marry me, be my wife. I could give you everything you've ever wanted and more. You could be a queen."

"Promises, Seiya."

"Promises I intend to keep."

Serena chuckled. "You promised me your fidelity and so far you haven't delivered."

"I wouldn't have been unfaithful if you had-"

"Don't blame that on me," said Serena angrily. "I think you should go. For good this time."

"You don't mean that. I can see it in your eyes. You want me here."

"No, Seiya, I want somebody here. I'm tired of being alone."

"You don't have to be, Serena."

"Please leave."

"If I go this time, I won't come back."

"That's what you said last time."

"I mean it."

"I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I don't know," said Serena. "Just go, Seiya."

"Fine," he said, defeated. Avoiding a dramatic goodbye, Seiya grabbed his coat and exited, closing the door behind him with a gentle click.

Serena sighed before reaching for the stove and turning off the gas. With slow movements she emptied the kettle, returned the tea leaves to the cupboard and walked into her bedroom. Sluggishly she removed the robe, the jewelry, the makeup and crawled lazily into her queen sized bed that she shared with no one. She missed him and he had only been gone for five minutes. She was so lonely and so sad and the one person that she wanted…left her so many years ago. She closed her eyes tightly; it was the only way she knew how to keep the tears away.

I

I

It had been three days since the party and Serena was so busy with work that she didn't have time to pay attention to the fact that Seiya hadn't called her and that Raye was still furious with her. The only task that she was worried about was hiring a new assistant. She had been interviewing imbeciles for the last six hours and she hadn't found anyone that seemed suitable to work for her. Almost on cue, her phone rang and Serena was sure that it was her secretary telling her that it was one more person for her to see before she left for the day.

"Send them in," said Serena.

"But Miss Tsukino-"

"Tara, please just send them in, I'm tired and I'm desperate. I don't care who it is."

"Yes, Miss Tsukino."

Quietly she waited until she heard the doors open as she mentally went over the familiar spiel she gave to hopeful applicants.

As soon as she heard the door close she began her speech. "Welcome to Vogue Magazine, the number one fashion magazine in the world," she said bored, "please take a seat and…" Her voice trailed off when she realized who she was talking to. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hi Serena," said Darien's gentle voice. He was wearing his doctor's smock, a pale blue shirt and black pants. In his hands sat a bouquet of white lilies, Serena's favorite flowers.

"What are you doing here?" she asked again, her voice weakening.

"I came to see you," said Darien. "We should talk."

"We don't have anything to talk about. Besides I'm really busy."

"These are for you," said Darien, handing the bouquet to her and smiling gently. He looked nervous.

"Thanks," she said wearily, accepting the flowers and looking at them appreciatively.

"I'm sorry about Raye," he said, sitting down in the leather chair across of her.

"What are you talking about?"

"I think she thinks she's my lawyer."

Serena chuckled. "Looks that way." For minutes they sat in silence, Darien staring at Serena as she stared at her empty desk.

"I missed you," said Darien.

Serena scoffed. "For seven years?"

"Yes," he said honestly. "I made a mistake Serena."

"For seven years? Getting drunk and sleeping with someone you don't know is a mistake. Running over a dog in your car is a mistake. Leaving the country for seven years isn't a mistake Darien. It's a decision."

Darien sighed. "I know, I messed up Serena. But I'm back now, doesn't that count for something?"

"No," she said quietly. "What do you want from me? To run into your arms and tell you that everything is going to be okay? To pick up from where we left off?"

Darien remained quiet. "You left me! You left me and you didn't even say goodbye! I wouldn't have known that you left if it wasn't for Raye! How could you do that to me? I loved you!"

"I was scared!"

"You were scared?" cried Serena, her eyes glistening with tears. "Of what? Of me?"

"No! Of losing you!" he said staring at her longingly. "The way I lost everyone else."

"So you just leave the country without a goodbye?" asked Serena, tears pouring from her eyes.

"I was young and stupid and I didn't realize the mistake that I was making until I left," he said, standing from his seat and rushing toward her. He grabbed her by the waist and crushed his lips to hers. Her knees went weak as their mouths wrestled against one another. Her hands got lost in his hair as he held her tightly in his arms.

"Stop it!" she cried, regaining her composure and distancing herself from him. "Get out."

"What?" he said, his eyes shining.

"GET OUT!" said Serena. "I hate you."

"You don't mean that," said Darien, looking broken,

"Yes, I do, now leave."

"Serena-"

"Get out now or I'm calling security," she said her eyes downcast.

"Okay, okay," said Darien. "I love you Serena, I've never stopped loving you, and if it takes the rest of my life, I'm going to prove it to you."

Quickly he swept out of the room and as soon as the door closed behind him, her legs gave way and she gave into the pain and dissolved into a puddle of despair.