Thank you to those who enjoy this story. I'm trying to get this story before I start attending my class at college. So If I've misspelled anything or left a word or two out please forgive me for not noticing.

Her head shook violently side to side, not wanting to believe the words of this stranger that kneeled in front of her.

"Why are you doing this?" She asked with so much sadness and pain. "You're not him."

He tried to lean in and hug her causing her to scoot back into a pair of stiff legs. Without another moment of hesitation he pulled her into an embrace. She fought against him trying to free her body as she yelled with protest.

"Let me go, you're not HIM, your not." She pounded fiercely against his chest over and over releasing the tears she had come to hold in for the last six months. Soon after, her body gave out from exhaustion causing her to tire out in his arms. "How?"

"We had traveled into a town a few hundred miles from our village, and one rainy day we came across two men. Just as we saw them they were instantly at our sides, they held Kunzite and I at arms length before they drained of us our blood."

"That's why our link to you was cut." Serena answered in realization.

"If it wasn't for Darien…who knows where we'd be today." Kunzite whispered automatically getting a look of surprise from Serena.

She hadn't taken the time to notice her brother's best friend since childhood a few feet ahead of her, only his hair shined with a white tint and silver highlights. "Why do both of you have different hair color?"

"When you're completely drained of blood you loose everything your body as been accustomed to, so it affects the color of you hair as well." Darien answered dryly before turning on his feet and leaving the room.

"What an ass." Mina commented with irritation.

After things seemed to slightly settle they moved to relax in the chairs as Serena rested on the sofa. It suddenly occurred to her the memory of the two roses. "It was you, you left the two flowers." Her brother smiled as he nodded his head yes.

"I had come across them and they reminded me of you. I knew since your birthdays had come this would be something you would enjoy."

They continued to talk for a couple hours catching up on everything that happened through the time of their separation. Serena became anxious as she thought about her mother not knowing where she was. They had been gone longer then what they told her. Both men had assured her that it was taken care of and that a telegram was sent to her so she would believe that she and Mina decided to travel a bit longer.

Some where, along the way Serena fell into another deep sleep. A day in a half later she woke with her body feeling less sore and knotted while her foot still gave her discomfort. She sat up slowly and walked over to a mirror taking in her appearance. Her hair was tangled; a faint cut rested on her cheek and a bandage was wrapped around her left arm.



"This cannot be me." She let out a gasped whisper. After looking at her disgruntled appearance she left to find the bathroom across from her. She filled the tub with hot water as she inched her way into it.

The water wrapped itself around her body as though it were a blanket. It released the tension and knots as she relaxed further into it. She washed her skin and hair thoroughly just as her wounded arm barely touching the hot water.

She yelped in pain grasping where the bandage was wrapped, slowly she removed it eyeing the deep red gash where the knife had made its mark. Memories of the event came rushing back to her as she scrubbed her body fiercely then made her way up to her wound.

She rubbed the soap profusely over it causing her to once again yelp in pain. Taking turns with the soap and wash cloth she was relentless on her sensitive skin. Anyone walking by would be able to hear muffled sobs and pained cries.

Darien was heading towards the bathroom to wash his unpleasant face; just before he walked in he heard the sounds of a girl crying. He quietly opened the door just to peak his head in to make sure whom ever it was, was okay.

A quick feature empathy spread across his face seeing the girl scrubbing her skin raw. He hesitated briefly before silently walking in and closing the door. He kneeled beside her gently taking bloodied soap and wash cloth from her hands. "You're only making it worse."

She looked at him as tears streaked down her face, her hands instinctively trying to cover her nude form. Only instead she smeared it lightly over her chest and arms. "Please…just leave me be."

He stayed kneeling beside the tub as he sighed loudly almost debating with himself if he should just walk out because this girl wasn't his concern or if he should stay because she shouldn't be alone.

His hand dunked the cloth in the water bringing it to her back gently washing rhythmically across her porcelain skin. He moved the cloth slowly to her arms lifting each one to rinse it clean of watered blood, then softly against her chest making sure not to touch anything that an innocent woman would find indecent.

She froze instantly as the cloth delicately made its way to her collar bone. He saw her body tense causing him to slightly roll his eyes.

"Don't worry I've seen plenty."

She looked at him startled by the words he just spoke. He caressed the rag against the cut on her cheek and the small one on her neck. She let out a breath of embarrassment with a hint of frustration as she grabbed the cloth from his hand.

"I've never heard such a vulgar comment come from a man's mouth."

"If you call that vulgar then you are way beyond naïve to try and be in our world."

"I'm not naïve it just in our village a man has manners and morals."

He smirked slightly at her annoyed expression as he stood to grab a towel.

"Here, stand up."



"I don't think so."

"As I said before you don't have anything I've never seen before."

"I don't care what or whom you've seen, turn around."

He rolled his eyes with annoyance. "Humans are so temperamental." He stated as he turned his back towards her as she took the towel. Once the towel was securely wrapped snuggly around her slender form he led her to the small counter.

"Because you've reopened your wounds I'm going to have to do what I did before when you were unconscious."

Darien casually bent his head towards the crook of her neck causing her to become stiff at the unusual contact. Suddenly she felt his tongue slide across her cut almost instantly the sting seemed to vanish as she jerked back.

"What are you doing?"

He let out a sigh of frustration, "My intentions are for the most part innocent. It's the saliva, it helps heal wounds quicker."

"Oh."

She took a short step forward allowing him to continue; this time he gently held her face with his calloused fingers. He bent forward coming eye to eye with her, his tongue lightly grazed against her cheek causing her to flush and shutter.

Before she knew what was happening she felt his tongue descend on her arm. She noticed he licked it as Mina did to her ice cream only he took his time. Her eyes closed as she leaned into his body enjoying this new feeling she never felt before.

His body froze for a second as he felt her body press into his. He proceeded to continue the task at hand until he stopped tasting the sweet taste of blood against his lips.

He stood to full height looking at her dazed expression. "You really are an innocent one, you don't belong here you should go back to your village."

Her eyes blinked rapidly as she came back into focus, replaying the rude comment he had just made. "I am not innocent, and if I want to stay I'll stay." As the words sprung from her mouth she knew she was lying when she said she was innocent, she had never let a boy touch her.

His hands easily with swift movements bandaged her arm back up. "Try to make sure your more careful next time I'd hate to have to do this again." He spoke with a smirk playing on his lips.

Before she could utter a remark he had made his exit leaving her to mutter incoherent words of disapproval.