The door opened, Alex strode into the room and within three seconds, Serena swung her sword around, and had it held against his throat. She kicked the door shut as Alex began to laugh.

"Oh Serena, looks like you've got me." She narrowed her eyes. What was he up to?

"Alex, I don't want to hurt you." She backed him up until he was pressed against the door. "Tell me what this is about. What happened to you?"

"It humors me to tell you, so I will." Alex said lazily, examining his fingernails as though there wasn't a razor sharp sword a hair-breadth away from his jugular. "Life wasn't as easy for me as it was for you after everything happened here. After enough shit happened to me I became cynical and jaded. Then I began to see what was important. Prince Diamond "recruited" me, and eventually I convinced him we were on the same side and he let me in on his plans."

"So what do you want? Why follow his plans? Why the violence and destruction, Alex? You used to be so kind and gentle. You were my best friend. My protector. You used to be on the side of Good."

"Wow. You still don't get it? It's power, Serena. Power. I want to rule. And I want you by my side."

...

"It sounds like she's got him!" Lita whispered to the others.

"It sounds like he must have gone through some pretty rough times," Ami commented quietly. "To change him that much."

"Her best friend?" Darien scoffed. "I certainly never heard of him before today. Best friend. Hmph."

"Oh Darien, knock it off," Lita said, hitting him in the arm with her shoulder. "What are we going to do? Should we go in there? Wait for a sign? Let's kick some butt!"

"I think it's best if we wait, Lita." Ami said, softly. We need to figure out what Serena's plan is."

"And then we'll kick some butt!" Lita added with a fist pump. Ami just shook her head and grinned.

...

"Something was obviously trying to drive you and Serena apart." Luna pondered, "the question is, why?"

"Do you think it was that guy from Serena's past? Alex?" Meg asked.

"It's a strong possibility. I don't know who else would do such a thing. Who would gain from them being apart? And why those specific memories?" Luna asked, thinking out loud.

"Coulda been Mama and Daddy in the future. Warning him to stay away." Rini said. She obviously disliked Ben, as was clear in her tone and from the eyebrow she had raised.

"That's possible," Luna said, "but I doubt Serena would do something like that."

"Daddy might," Rini threw in with a smirk. "You know how he gets with other men around Mama."

...

At that very moment, Darien was in fact showing what Rini was talking about.

"Ami - Serena is in there alone with him. You saw how he fought. This has got to be a trap or trick, whatever she's doing can't possibly hold him off for long, and listen to him, he doesn't even sound worried. I don't like it." Darien sounded panicked.

CRASH

All three jumped at the sound of glass breaking followed by a loud thud.

"SERENA!"

...

"Wow. You still don't get it? It's power, Serena. Power. I want to rule. And I want you by my side." As he said the last word, Alex flicked his wrist and sent the sword flying onto the bed. Serena then found herself in the same position Alex had been in just two seconds before.

"Serena, I will help you understand what is really important. I learned many things from Prince Diamond and on my own. You'll soon see things the way I do."

"Get bent," Serena said, and shoved him with all her might, knocking him back a few paces and into a vase, and quickly scampered away.

"So feisty," Alex purred with a grin and gave chase.