Title: What a new beginning really means

Author: PrettyVchan

.:: Hey guys, this is my second fanfic. I hope you guys enjoy. It's fairly different from the first one since this one is A/U. Please make sure check out my fic "In Joy and Sorrow".

He couldn't agree more. He kissed her softly and quickly in the lips and told her she didn't need to take him downstairs. For some reason he felt like he couldn't leave Serena and worried if she would be okay in the morning.

'Quit thinking about Meatball Head, it's getting annoying.' He thought to himself, satisfied with the idea of coming back the next day and tutoring her.

During the whole time Serena was in class she couldn't stop thinking about Darien's helpfulness. For a really long time she felt like she had no one there for her. True, she had her friends who she knew would always be loyal and supportive, but things have changed a lot in the past few months.

Things began to change by the end of high school. Serena's best friend since childhood, Molly, decided to move out and go to school in a different city along with her boyfriend. That was sad but not so upsetting because they would see each other during holidays and vacations. Still, since Serena was so nervous about going to college, she took that a lot harsher than she should have. Amy, Mina and Lita, who were also Serena's best friends, supported her the best way they could, and she felt closer to them then ever. That summer between High School and College was crucial to the girls' relationship. That was when Lita suggested that Mina and Serena should move in together, to begin adulthood with responsibilities but still having support in each other. During that summer they met Raye through their friend, Seiya. They've heard a lot about the mysterious Raye, since Seiya and her had had grow up together. She was already a sophomore in college and helped them adapt in the first few months they were in school. She moved with Mina and Serena a little before school started.

Raye and Serena developed a really close relationship as soon as they met each other. They would constantly argue about silly things, because they had different temperaments and opinions, but they always wanted the best for each other. They rarely talked about feelings, but every time Serena has ever needed Raye, she was always there, supporting her friend, usually with a smile on her face. Raye thought of Serena as her little sister, someone who needed constantly care and protection. She saw the girl as a porcelain doll, defenseless and very sensitive.

Andrew and the girls met each other through Serena, who he used to babysit, and as soon as Lita got in cooking school, he asked her if she would like to work at his diner place, Crown. She couldn't be more excited with the idea of working with what she loved and with someone she liked. They were not very close before starting working together, but soon developed a tight relationship, and it didn't take long for Lita to start falling for the beautiful and gentile blonde man.

Lita became very busy with school and work and barely had time to hang out with the girls. The same happened with Amy, going to school and being accepted to a nice Hospital in her first year was a huge accomplishment and she made sure she would give her best even if it meant to sacrifice the hours she could be spending having a good time with her friends.

Minako had always been a busy girl. Since High School her schedule was very tight.

She used to train Volleyball, as well as taking acting and singing classes. She was the one who encouraged Raye to at least minor in acting, since the brunette had the dream of become a star but never had the chance to actually acting on it, since she was busy with training to become a Priestess and getting a degree that, according to his grandpa, would bring Money and Honor to the family.

Being really beautiful and charming, Minako had always some modeling or acting gig going on and had always to keep herself pretty and ready in case they needed an understudy. She had been in a few of the "Threelights" video clips, as well as Raye.

Serena felt like, little by little, her friends were being taken away from her. Seiya had made things bearable for a few months but now; he was actually unknowingly, making things far worse.

Seiya and Serena met each other when they were both fourteen. They used to go to the same high school in the same classroom and became friends really quickly. Their closeness had always been a reason for gossips and for a long time Serena didn't even realize that Seiya was flirting with her. She had her first kiss with him, in a small party, where they played "Truth or Dare" when she was a little over fifteen. It was the most embarrassing moment in her life as she recall. Only years later he finally confessed his love for her.

Seiya had this band called "Threelights" with their friends also from High School: the smart Taiki and the shy Yaten. They worked really hard, played in the worst places ever, did all they could to become the hit they were now. The girls had always supported them since the very beginning. When they signed with a big record company, they had a concert, in honor to their first album. In that concert, right before performing the last song, Seiya grabbed the microphone and announced:

"Today I am kissing the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. I'll ask her to be my girlfriend. Who thinks she should say yes?" The crowd went crazy. Right after the concert, Seiya came up to Serena, who was watching the whole thing in the backstage and kissed her. They've been dating ever since that day.

Everyone seemed to be excited about the romance, except for Raye. She repeatedly asked Serena if she really thought it was a good idea to date Seiya. "He's becoming a Superstar, he's surrounded by all these gorgeous girls all the time, he's impulsive, he'll be blinded by fame." Serena didn't believe what her friend was saying and in fact, Raye's words infuriated Serena. She thought that if she was Seiya's friend since childhood she should never doubt her friend. She should support him in whatever he decided.

Dating Seiya was really fun at first. He was a fun person to be around. Always managing to make anyone laugh and always making everyone feel loved. He was also very caring and since they have been friends for a long time they had no problem sharing thoughts and ideas with each other. He took Serena in fancy dates, they had fun in the most boring parties the record company would throw, and he took her to award prizes ceremonies… but being an artist and date don't always go together. Many times he would have to travel, or spend nights locked in a studio recording songs. He started to hang out with other famous people, started to drink more often than before, and started touring around the world. He slowly became more inconsistent and less present in Serena's life. It was almost like his career was the most important matter in the face of the earth and nothing was as big as his band.

Serena had the feeling that she was alone in the world and she couldn't even blame anyone else but herself for that. She knew people had to move on: they couldn't always stay there for her; she had to be responsible and independent. Everyone seemed a little on edge lately. She didn't feel like bothering Amy or Lita with her problem; she knew Mina had been dealing with her own problems (besides school and work) involving Yaten and Raye and her had grown apart since she started dating Seiya. She was feeling hopeless until he came to the picture. Darien.

…

Darien was nervous when he got to her apartment. He spent the whole day thinking about Serena. He wanted to believe that he was just worried about the girl, still he kept thinking about things he know he should not think, like how blue her eyes were, or how sweet her voice was. All these conflicting thoughts were very confusing for someone so objective and rational as himself.

Seeing the lovely face when she opened the door did not help even a little: it made him feel more confused and unsure of how to proceed.

An awkward silence was installed between the duo. They both obviously thinking about last night. Serena obviously thinking he thought she was childish and silly for crying her eyes out and Darien thinking she may be upset that he had stayed in her bedroom until she fell asleep or that she would still feel too depressed she would want to study.

A voice behind Serena broke the silence.

"Hey Darien! Welcome!" Mina, all dressed up and looking gorgeous said, approaching them.

"Oh, Hi Mina!" He smiled. Serena also said hi and told him to come in, not daring to look him in the eyes.

"You look great Mina." He complimented the girl who smiled happily.

"Thanks! I am heading to a photo shoot. They called me this morning saying that the model got sick and asked me to please be there soon so I'm heading out now. I'm so excited! They'll even pay me!"

"You look like a princess, Mina." Serena said gently. "If I was as beautiful as you…"

'What is she talking about? She's more beautiful than Mina even though they kind of look alike.' Darien though, analyzing Serena.

"What?" Serena asked, noticing his glare and making him blush slightly.

'That's odd! I haven't blushed in years! Well, I hate to be caught out of guard.' He thought again looking at Mina who was looking at herself in the mirror and giving herself a pep talk.

"Okay guys, now I really need to go. Wish me luck!" And without even waiting for a response Mina left.

Another long awkward silence took the room.

"Look…"

"Serena I…"

They both spoke at the same time.

"Go ahead." He said.

"I am sorry I bugged you last night with my childish nonsense and…"

"Don't apologize." He smiled, interrupting her. "Whatever it is that makes you so upset, I don't want to know. I mean, I do want to know, but I think that you must be overloaded with questions and people asking you what's going on and trying to tell you what to do or how to feel so if it makes you feel better, you don't need to tell me anything. I don't think you should feel a certain way or act a certain way. I am not here to judge you. But if you want to cry and if you need someone to distract you, count on me. And of course, if you need to talk about it, but only if you want."

He said these words so quickly before he could even think it through. Somehow he would get spontaneous around that girl, even when he was younger. He wasn't the type of guy who would just randomly pick on young girls, but something in Serena gave him the urge to just do as he pleased.

He big blue eyes looked at him puzzled and blinked a few times, processing all the information. He felt like he had said something he shouldn't have. But then she smiled - large, sincere, beautiful smile.

"Thank you! You don't know how important that is to me!"

They studied a lot, until somewhat late. Still, even when he left, Raye hadn't get home yet. According to Serena the girl had a lot of duties in her grandpa's temple that day. Still, Raye called when he was already home and ended up stopping by Andrew's apartment for a while.

...

The rest of the week went by smoothly with Darien looking forward to spend his afternoon with Serena. She was a lot of fun to be around. It seemed like she had always something funny to say, and she was so bright and full of life. He couldn't help but notice that she seemed to shine brighter when they were around each other. Maybe because she didn't feel pressured in their friendship the way she was feeling with other people. He had some fun moments with Mina and Serena, they both acted goofy when they were around each other, in a fun way. Raye and Serena were still fighting a lot and he would try his best not to be in the same room as both of them.

His relationship with Raye was progressing. He liked to be with the girl. She was pretty, polite, intelligent and kissing her was good. Making out was also really good. Still, he didn't feel romantically attached to her.

Talking with Andrew the other day he found out that he was Raye's first "lasting" relationship in a really long time. According to his friend, the girl was a loner, rarely dated and always found something to complain about her dates. Apparently, someone had really broken her heart in the past. Darien didn't like hearing that. He liked Raye more as a friend than as a potential serious girlfriend. He started to doubt if going out with her was really a good idea in the first place.

…..

Serena didn't like when Darien suggested they'd have to study a little more on Friday. She had this rule that Fridays and Saturdays were not to be spent studying but decided, just for once, she would do it this time, after all, next week he would start working and was sure he wouldn't be able to tutor her as frequently as he was doing now.

"It's okay though," He said; "Saturday is Andrew's surprise birthday party so we'll have fun and it will make up for all the studying. Right?"

He got there early and they soon started to get some work done, both obviously eager to get it all done.

"I think I'll be smarter than Amy if I keep studying this hard." She smiled and winked, getting up to get herself some tea.

"I bet you will, Meatball Head." He smiled back.

"Oh my, look outside!" She said, pointing to the window. The sky was a deep shade of gray. "I don't remember it being so bad this morning!"

"It wasn't. I didn't know it was supposed to rain today." He thought out loud.

Serena grabbed the remote and turned on the weather channel. It announced a big storm and asked people please not to leave wherever they were.

They both looked at each other as if realizing they were about to spend some more time alone. Serena blushed a little with the idea and turned off the TV.

"I should check on the girls!" She said walking towards the phone and calling Mina up to check on her. Soon enough it started to rain. A lot.

….

"Crap!" Serena muttered.

The rain was getting stronger and stronger and now, to make it worse there were these terrible lightings.

Darien initially would meet Raye back at the apartment but since the rain was getting worse every time she called him and let him know that she didn't know when she would be able to get back so they should meet in the next day.

He was at the bathroom, before leaving, when he heard a loud noise of the thunderstorm followed by a scream of pure horror. He ran to the living room to find Serena shaking and all curled up in the couch, two pillows in each side of her face.

"What's wrong, Serena?" He asked, getting closer to where she was.

"I…hate…" Another terribly loud noise silenced the girl who looked at him, her big eyes full of tears and fear.

"What? Are you scared of this?"

She nodded. Another loud noise, she cried.

He smiled and got close to her, pushing her to himself.

"Calm down. It's just a storm, it's not going to hurt you." He said. "You'll be fine."

"No, I won't! Mina is not here, Raye is not here, you're leaving. Snif. I'm going to be alone." She cried.

"I'm not going anywhere." He said firmly. "Until this thing is over, I'll stay here with you. Is that better?"

She looked at him, her eyes so big and bright and she nodded again, trying to control herself so she wouldn't cry anymore. Their eyes met and she felt really calm. It was like Darien had this unique way of making her fears leave her body. He hugged her tighter and started brushing her hair. Once again he screamed when she heard the loud noise. He decided that the best option was to distract her of the noises.

"Wanna play Sailor V?" He asked, smiling. She agreed and they soon started playing. Once again, she was winning all the battles.

The rain wasn't getting any weaker and Darien worried if it would even pass tonight. Then, the light started blinking, until it completely faded, leaving them in complete darkness.

He could feel Serena start to shake and he knew he had to act before she had a panic attack.

"If you tell me where do you keep your candles and flashlights I'll go get if for you." She gave him the directions and he soon came back some candles and two flashlights. He handed one to Serena and kept one to himself. He lighted the candles.

Serena sighted.

"What are we supposed to do now?" She asked, sitting on the floor, next to a candle in the center table. Darien sat by her side.

"I don't know." He couldn't help but think it would feel great to hold her in his arms and cuddle with her, caressing her hair and her skin, feeling her soft lips in his lips, maybe making love…

"Right?" He heard Serena's voice and realized he was fantasizing and not even paying attention to his surroundings.

"Huh?" He asked.

"I said… I didn't properly thank you for that night, right?"

"What are you talking about?" He said, turning his head to face her.

"I mean you did so much for me. You've been doing so much. Tutoring me, helping me when I was crying and now keeping me company. I don't think I have really thanked you properly." She spoke shyly.

He looked in her eyes, feeling his body being penetrated by the way she looked at him.

"I feel good when you smile. Honestly." He added when he saw that she didn't believe him. "You're special and your smile makes eveyone's life a bit easier, so if I am capable to help you get through a rough time, the whole world wins." He winked.

'But you can kiss me if you want.' He thought and brushed away the thought. It wasn't right to be thinking about her that way.

"Seriously! How can I repay you?"

"You can tell me why you've been so unhappy lately." He replied simply.

She looked at him and then looked away for a while. She took a deep breath.

"Fine." She said finally. She lied down on the floor, looking at the ceiling. Darien observed her. She was very serious. "There's a lot going on. And frankly I think I shouldn't been this upset but I am."

She said how things had changed between the girls and her, she also spoke about how useless she felt since she was the only one who didn't have a job yet, talked about Molly. He listened to her every world, carefully, and sympathizing with her situation.

"And there's Raye… and of course…Seiya…" She sighted loudly. "Funny, isn't it? How the most important people in our lives are the people who we have most conflict with?"

She started to tell all about her problems with Seiya. How much she loved him, pointing out he was her best friend ever, he was amazing and loving, but he had changed so much and she felt like she didn't know him.

"He doesn't care if I am alive. He never calls and when he does, he talks about this tour, his concerts, and his parties. He tells me he bought all these things to me, he tells me he loves me, but I just hear words… I don't feel love, I don't feel anything coming from him anymore. And the more that goes on, the more often Raye tells me 'I told you so, Serena!'"

"What does she say that, Serena?"

"Raye told me since the beginning that I was too young to get involved with Seiya, that I had no idea of what his life would be like and that I wasn't prepare for what she calls emotional charge the relationship would demand. The worse part is that she is absolutely right and it angers me so much. I mean, I should have known, since she knows him way better than I do…"

"Really? How so?" Darien was curious.

"Yeah, they met when they were little kids. They grew up together. Like brother and sister, that's what he says. She doesn't like when he calls her sister though… She says she's an only child and she's happy that way." Serena chuckled "She's funny, that Raye. But it seems she's never happy for me. She got mad when I started dating him, she said I was either going to ruin his career and dream or he would break my heart. She said no good could come from our relationship. We've been like sisters since we met so when she said that…I don't know…it really broke my heart."

Darien didn't even realized he also laid down on the floor, face sort of next to Serena yet his body was turning to the opposite side. He was deep in his thoughts trying to figure out why would Raye get so angry with was actually Serena's business.

"He is breaking my heart" Serena said in a really low voice. "He really is. Little by little. Not because he is not calling me and stuff… because if we end up breaking up it's all right… but because he is changing who he is. And he is such a wonderful person he should never change. I can still remember our first kiss…you know…my first kiss actually…it was so romantic."

Suddenly Darien moved in a way he could see Serena's face.

"Serena… how does it…" He stopped himself.

"What?"

"Nothing." He looked away. "It's a silly question."

"What, ask me! You kind of have to, I told you my whole life and more." She smiled lightly.

He looked at her again. "Okay…" He sighted.

"Well, Serena…how does it feel to kiss someone you love?" He asked and immediately regretted the question. Her eyes went wide and she looked puzzled.

"What are you asking? Haven't you ever kissed someone you loved?" She said, trying hard not to smile.

"Never mind. See? It was a stupid question!" He felt his face burning. She could make him blush like no one else.

"Seriously? You've never kissed someone you loved?" She asked in disbelief.

"No, never." He answered very seriously, really regretting that conversation.

"Why? Didn't the girls you loved want to kiss you?" She asked innocently.

He blushed even more and wished to hide.

"I…never loved anyone, really." He responded.

"WHAT?" She almost jumped. "How come?" She sat on her knees looking at him with a shocked experience. "But you're old and stuff…" She added.

Darien sat down feeling really embarrassed.

"I really don't want to talk about it."

"I can't believe you have never loved anyone." And she felt her chest filled with sadness. "You've only kissed girls you didn't love?"

"Yes." He responded and her eyes went wide again. "Come on, Meatball, it's not like I hated them or anything."

"So…you never loved anyone…" She kept repeating to herself.

The fell in a deep silence only broken by the rain outside. After what it seemed a very long time Serena broke the silence.

"It feels amazing." He looked at her. "Kissing someone you love…it feels amazing." She smiled lightly, some sadness in her eyes.

He looked at her. Her golden hair down in her face, her big blue eyes looking at him with compassion and her sweet full lips tempting him. His heart was pounding. He wanted to kiss her; he wanted to hold her.

"I'm sure one day you'll fall in love with a girl. She's going to be amazing as smart and nice as you are. And she's going to be very beautiful as well." She smiled and he felt his heart skipping a beep. "Who knows, maybe you'll end up falling in love with Raye." Listening to that name made Darien return to earth.

"You're right" He smiled sadly "It could be Raye."

For hours they talked. He told her every single detail of his life. He spoke about his father and his fear of going to the mansion and dealing with the ghosts from the past. He talked about missing his mother and about his hard time making friends. Serena was a great listener as much as she was a great talker and he found himself sharing things he hadn't shared with anyone. Not even Andrew. That didn't occurred to him until the next day because at that moment he was too caught up at the emotions the conversation was filling him with. He had never felt this close to anyone.

Serena and Darien fell asleep in the living room floor, their faces turned to each other, their bodies going in different directions. For the first time in his life Darien had a good, nightmare free night.

.:: A/N: So that was a lot of fun to write, especially Darien and Serena's part. I hope you guys like it. PLEASE Read and Review! Love ya!

Pretty V Chan ::.