Chapter 15:

Serena stood dumbstruck.

Two big questions played on her mind. The first being- why was Darien sneaking around in dark, secluded areas with The Bitch? The other nagging question - was everything that Darien had just said to her, not even ten minutes ago, a load of bullshit? Nausea swamped her gut.

She slid closer, not wanting to be seen but needing to be close enough to hear exactly what was going on. The curiosity was killing her. She watched with wide eyes as the Bitch trailed her red manicured nails up Darien's chest before nuzzling into his side. Serena got ready to pounce. That was it. She had enough. Darien was hers and she was going to fight for him.

"He's mine. Back off bitch," Serena hissed to herself.

Her foot faltered when she noticed how quickly Darien removed Natalie's hands from his broad chest. He did not look happy.

His deep voice carried perfectly to Serena's hiding position behind the staircase. "Stop Natalie. I didn't come here for any of your antics."

"Darien," The Bitch purred in protest.

The hackles around Serena rose.

"You've been single for months now. I'm not asking for anything that you haven't already given to me once before."

Serena felt sick to her stomach at Natalie's revelation, but yet her anger surpassed her queasiness. There was no doubt that Serena was jealous. The kind of jealous that MTV reality TV shows loved because in a manner of minutes tensions were guaranteed to erupt into hair pulling and nail clawing.

She knew that she had definitely matured in the last few months, but not enough to actually tamper down her gut response to claw out those weirdly exotic eyes.

Her homicidal tendency waned somewhat when she overheard Darien's response.

"I think you are forgetting our last conversation, when I kicked you out of my apartment."

Natalie's hand slipped down to his pants and cupped him boldly. " You kissed me then and… I don't think this is disinterest, Darien."

Serena growled. Oh hell no. She wasn't about to just stand there and let some skank manhandle her boyfriend.

Once again, she faltered in her step when she saw Darien seemingly lean toward The Bitch and into her hand before he whispered something in her ear.

What the fuck was going on?

A tentative smile broke out on Serena's face after The Bitch pulled back and she could see that Natalie's face was ghostly pale with only two high splotches of red colour at her cheeks. Her face did not convey the blush of desire but the sting of rejection.

The Bitch regained her composure quickly but Darien wore a shit-eating grin.

"I don't know what you see in her," she snarled angrily.

So Darien had said something about her. How interesting, Serena thought to herself.

"The only thing you have to see and understand, Natalie, is that I fucking love her. I will always love her no matter what the circumstances. So for fucks sake keep your hands away from my pants and accept the fact that even though I'm not currently with Serena, it does not give you any sort of right to assume that it means that I'll ever be with you."

"Wow, don't try and soften the blow or anything. It's not like I don't have feelings."

"I'm sorry Nat, but I don't know how else to tell you that I'm simply not interested in you in that way."

"It's hard for me to believe you when you respond to my kisses the way you do."

Darien let out a frustrated sound, "Why did you call me here? I can't keep going around in these endless circles with you."

"I see us having a future together."

"Just because two people may share a past it doesn't guarantee them a future."

Darien's words rang true in Serena's heart.

"But the possibility is there." Natalie insisted.

Darien gentled his tone, "Not for me there isn't."

Natalie tossed back her mane of brunette hair and narrowed her eyes. Oh no. Serena recognized that look. The bitch was going to fake an exit and then land a sucker straight on Darien.

Serena's train of thought cut off abruptly as she witnessed her worst nightmare. Now she knew exactly what Darien had felt when he caught her kissing Gabe. Completely and utterly heartsick. It didn't matter that the kiss lasted less than few seconds or the ferocious scowl that dominated Darien's face after The Bitch managed to rip herself away from his lips.

She was looking to ignite his passion. He looked ready to murder.

Natalie immediately apologized, looking appropriately contrite. "I'm sorry, I just had to have one last kiss."

"That was the very last time. You hear me?" His tone was hard and harsh.

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry."

Serena narrowed her eyes. What was The Bitch up to?

Natalie whispered something to low for Serena to overhear but she had heard and seen enough.

Darien had just drained his drink in three big swallows before Serena made the decision to reveal herself.

"Get away from him, Natalie," She warned in a low growl, stepping forward from her hiding position.

"Serena?"

"What are you doing here? I don't think underage school girls are allowed at parties like this."

"And I don't think a woman who has any sort of self respect for herself should be throwing themselves at a guy when he's obviously not interested."

Natalie rolled her eyes, "I don't need to justify my actions to a child like you."

Darien moved to stand beside Serena, "She is not a child."

Serena flashed Darien a smile for coming to her defence. It felt good knowing that he was on her side. "He's told you multiple times to back off so why don't you find somebody who actually wants you to sink your acrylic nails into them."

Natalie ignored her. "I don't know how you were able to throw him away so carelessly but I know I won't make your mistake. Darien and I have passion. I've tasted it first hand and he would acknowledge it if only he weren't so hung up on you."

"Doesn't that tell you everything you need to know?" Serena asked pointedly.

Natalie narrowed her eyes, "It tells me that he needs to move on from you."

Darien rested a comforting hand on Serena's back and stroked gently. He turned his head from Serena to Natalie and spoke sympathetically, "You sell yourself too short if you are offering yourself up as second best. You are a beautiful woman and you deserve a man who will fight for you, not try and fight to get away from you."

"She broke up with you. How can you overlook that?" Natalie demanded to know.

"I didn't break up with him because I didn't love him. I did it because I loved him so much I thought he deserved someone better than me. Someone who was mature and beautiful, someone who had direction in their life and someone who he could be proud of to call his. I thought he needed someone like you."

"Do you know how silly that sounds?" Darien asked, turning Serena around so they were only looking at each other.

"Three months ago I thought that's what you deserved. I didn't know how to be that person for you. I thought I needed to change and I couldn't do that under your protective wing. I had to find my own mettle."

Hope flickered in his eyes.

"Have you found it?"

"No."

Darien tensed slightly, the disappointment felt like a silver quick slice to the stomach.

"But I'm learning. I'm growing. The changes I've made, they may have started because of you but I like who I've become. I'm scared that if I go back to being your girlfriend those changes will unravel."

"Well this has been sickly sweet and illuminating but I'm still standing here." Natalie interjected, unwilling to be forgotten in the midst of the Serena/Darien love saga.

Serena moved away from Darien's loose embrace.

"In my mind Natalie, I made you into this bitch but you're not are you? You are just a girl who like so many other girls has fallen for the wrong guy."

Natalie crossed her arms, "My feelings for Darien are just as strong as your fears against him."

Her phrasing struck a cord with Serena and her eyes softened in understanding, "I know."

"Just because you both love each other doesn't mean that you are necessarily right for each other."

Serena cast a sideways look to Darien and then looked back to Natalie, "I know that too."

"What makes today any different from how you felt about him yesterday? Those fears you mentioned are still evident. Otherwise you wouldn't have hesitated so long to listen to our conversation."

"You saw me?"

"Yes. I did. You're meatballs are hard to miss even in this dark light."

Serena frowned, disliking the fact that she wasn't so sleuthy, as she liked to have believed.

"Tell me, what makes today any different than yesterday?" Natalie's voice snapped her back into reality.

"Today was the day that Darien was wiling to give me up and let me be happy with Gabe if that's who I chose."

Natalie looked confused, "Gabriel Collingwood?"

Darien listened to all this with an interested ear.

"Yes. When Darien told me that he wanted me to be happy that's when I knew that I couldn't ever be truly happy without him." It sounded sappy even to Serena's ears but all of it was true.

Natalie blew out a deep breath and uncrossed her arms, "Seems like I'm not going to get my chance am I? I may be manipulative but I can't work my way into someone's heart when it's not his to give."

"Darien's right, you will find the perfect guy for you. I believe in it," Serena encouraged gently.

Natalie walked closer to Darien and reaching a hand across she gently cupped his cheek, "I wish you had been mine."

She took a step aback, "But I'm not a bitch. I don't steal boyfriends or at least I never wanted to be the girl who does. It's obvious you two have a lot of unresolved issues…. And a lot of love. I can't compete with the latter."

Defeat was a hard concept to swallow, even harder was finally acknowledging her true feelings for Darien. For Natalie, it wasn't just desire. In her own way she had somehow fallen in love with a man who would always love someone else.

"She's yours. Don't mess it up this time."

They stood silently as they watched Natalie quietly walk past them and rejoined the party that was still going off all around them.

"I hope she'll be okay."

A wistful smile tugged at Darien's mouth, "I'll always admire your big heart."

"Well, I was also thinking that she gave you up too easy but not if you could actually see in her eyes. She truly has feelings for you."

"Unfortunately for her I only have feelings for one special girl in my life."

"Something I think that she is finally starting to understand," Serena hesitated before she continued, "I know that this sentiment would only encourage her possessive hold on you but I actually do hope that one day you can be friends again."

Darien looked amazed, "Not many girlfriends – ex girlfriends would encourage that sort of friendship."

"I know but I also know how loyal you are and it seems like she's lost. She could use a guiding strength like yours. I mean you have always been my strength."

"That's funny because I swear you have always been mine."

"Darien… I love you." The words flowed out naturally.

He closed his eyes. The relief showed on his face. He opened his eyes slowly. Serena was amazed to see tears building there.

"What's wrong, baby?" She stepped closer before encircling her arms around his waist. She asked again, placing a tender kiss directly over his heart, then a kiss on his throat and then another on the curve of his jaw.

He drew her gently against his body. Letting out a long breath he confessed. "I never thought I would hear you tell me that you love me without any conditions or constraints. You love me." There was a wonderous note in his voice.

Serena bit her lip. She had never wanted to hurt Darien or make him believe he wasn't good enough for her, "I was conflicted but our time apart hasn't diminished my feelings for you."

"What about Gabriel?" The question was ripped from Darien's mouth before he had any time to even think about it.

"Honestly? I…. " Serena began before Darien cut her off.

"No don't tell me right now. We are in the middle of a frat party and I think that this sort of serious conversation should happen someplace else. I just want you to know how happy you make me, Sere. To hear that you still love me, that's enough for me right now."

He bent his head to kiss her but a resistant hand on his chest gave him pause.

He looked at her with questioning eyes.

She let out a low groan and rested her forehead against his shoulder, "Oh God, I can't believe I'm going to say this."

A giant ball of anxiety spiked in Darien's chest.

"Then don't say it," He pleaded softly.

"I can't kiss you."

She kissed his neck and tightened her hold around him and spoke quickly, "Not because I don't want to. I do. Desperately. But because I don't want our first kiss since our break up to be overshadowed by Gabe or Natalie. And I don't want our problems to be solved in a kiss."

It took all of Darien's will power to not disagree but there was a part of him that wanted a fresh start too.

His eyes drifted lower to Serena's lips. There is a special look a man gets when he is really aroused and genuinely interested in a girl, she shivered at the intensity of it. She missed that look. That look that told her that not only was she desirable but she was beautiful. Darien made her feel like she was perfect and precious. For awhile, she couldn't discredit that Darien had stopped looking at her, really looking, but now since she had grown more confidence in herself, she saw the same unwavering reflection and depth of emotion that Serena had always felt deep in her heart – love.

"I really want to kiss you."

"I want to kiss you too."

Darien let himself be distracted by Serena's cascade of blonde locks. Twirling the silky strands around and around his fingers, he murmured, "I've missed your meatballs."

An impish smile crossed her face, "That's what she said."

He let out a hoot of laughter, "I've missed your sense of humour as well. I've missed everything about you."

"Are you ready to re-join the party? Kat and Janelle have been talking non-stop about you."

Serena ducked her head. He stopped her.

"Why are you embarrassed?"

"I don't know how well I fit in with your friends. You were probably right in keeping us separate."

Darien looked hard into her eyes, "I was wrong. I didn't even know what I was doing that until you called me out on it. To me, college is just one small part of my life but you are my entire world. All I care about is making sure I have a place in your world."

Serena was speechless.

"Before I met you I was a pretty reserved guy. I didn't have many friends and it wasn't easy for me to open up to people. Then I met you and suddenly you were my best friend and your friends welcomed me into their lives. I thought I always had to live in the shadows as Tuxedo Mask but Sailor Moon proved me wrong. You proved me wrong."

"Darien-"

"I am so sorry if I ever made you feel like you didn't belong with me because I always felt that I was so lucky that you choose me to be part of your life, that I didn't consider how much you wanted to be a part of mine. To me, it already felt like you were." Darien apologized whole-heartedly.

"It doesn't change the fact that I did unconsciously exclude you from my friends but I want you to know that I am sorry and that I would like for you to get to know them."

Absorbing his words, she remained quiet for a moment and then she responded with a quiet, "Thank you."

"I don't ever want us to get back together only for us to break up again. You are the one for me and I will do whatever it takes for it to work."

Serena's eyes watered, "You always say the right things."

"I'll prove them true as well. I promise."

She couldn't resist leaning in toward him for a hug. He picked her up and easily twirled her around, causing a squeal of excitement to escape from her. Once they regained their balance he held on to her for a very long time. Neither one of them wanted to break the comfortable silence or their hold on each other.

"I love you," He murmured into her hair.

"I'm scared. I don't want things to go back to the way they were before." Serena whispered so quietly that he had to strain to hear her.

His arms tightened around her protectively, "It won't. We'll both keep each other in line."

"I'm sorry about what I said about Rini. She is our daughter and I can't wait to welcome her into the world with you."

Darien hummed contently, "You are the world to me."

Eventually, they eased back a little and smiled goofily into each other's faces.

"I don't know if this is the right time but will you be my date to this Saints and Sinners party?"

Serena flushed in pleasure, "Yes, I will be your date."

He couldn't resist nuzzling against her neck, "You are so adorable."

"Takes one to know one,"

"Touche. Shall we rejoin the party then mademoiselle?"

"I would love to kind sir," she said with a giggle.

He offered his arm, which she didn't hesitate to take, allowing them selves to be swept back into the party and back into each other's lives.

R&R! There's still more to go.