You Can't Walk Away From Love
Lyric Wheel
By: Jessica M. Moonflower
E-mail: salud731@earthlink.net
Rated: PG-13

Web site: www.angelfire.com/realm/moonlightroses/index.html

Timeline: Alternate Universe

Summary: What happens when a man
Serena Malone walked out on two years ago
suddenly shows up? Will she be able to walk 
away from him again?  

Disclaimer: Sailor Moon is not mine for
the taking as it belongs to the lovely Naoko.

ANs: This is my fic for the SMRFF Lyric Wheel!
The song is sung by Gloria Estefan, and this fic is
a lot darker than what I'm usually used to writing.
Either way, I hope you'll still enjoy it and some
feedback would be nice. ^_^ 
 

"I don't want to look at you because if I did, I would
never turn away..."
~Anonymous~

*~*~*~*~*~*~

	Siren. It was the one word that many club
regulars at Club Rouge described Serena Malone.
She was the sexy yet dangerous kind of beauty men
had to be wary of. She made it a habit to use men to get 
what she wanted from them and then moved on to her 
next victim. It was all a game to her and the men she 
met at the club were all pawns in her twisted little game. 
She didn't care about the feelings she carelessly 
discarded like yesterday's trash and she didn't care 
about anybody but herself. No one knew who she 
was or where she came from, except for the fact 
that she came to the club every night alone to seek 
out more men to break or conquer.

	She sashayed over to the bar, her tight black
cocktail dress clinging onto her curves like a second
skin while waves of golden hair billowed behind her
back. She eyed the bartender with her cool ocean blue 
gaze as her ruby red lips curved into a coy smile. The 
bartender shuddered at her slightly steely gaze. 

	He wasn't a foolish man like the other men who
came to the club looking for a good time. He was smart
enough to know not to get tangled up in the likes of her.
Her charms and sultry movements set men's hearts on
fire with a yearning to have just one drink or dance with
this lovely blonde creature. But she was rather selective
with the men she chose. Like any temptress with a motive,
she went after only the wealthiest men who could give her
something in return for her favors. It was a dirty business
deal, but she didn't seem to care. The bartender never
asked questions and he preferred not to.  

	A strawberry daiquiri was her usual drink and he 
always had it prepared for her without even asking. He 
laid a glass filled with the light pink concoction on the 
black counter top and watched her accept it without a 
word passing through her lips. 

	She sipped her drink and felt the cool liquid slide
down her throat. She watched with boredom as everyone 
felt an exhilarating rush from the fast pace dancing or the 
effects of alcohol and ecstasy being consumed on the 
dance floors. Her blue gaze then landed on an attractive 
male blonde who had been watching her since she came 
in. She was mildly amused by his lustful glances and 
irresistible smiles. He looked like he had money too,
dressed in a fine tailored suit with an expensive Armani
watch on his wrist. 

	It looked like she had found herself a new target.
Most of the men she picked out from the crowd looked at 
her with the same kind of longing and carnality in their 
eyes. She laughed at their stupidity. They were all fools 
when it came to feminine wiles. How typical. 

	She picked up a cherry from the bowl laid out in front 
of her, wrapped her small tongue around the tiny red fruit, 
and savagely ripped it off of it's stem. She chewed the fruit
nice and slow and added a moan for the hell of it. She glanced
back at her new victim and was delighted to see him with a
look of pure torture on his face. She could almost make out
the low groan that escaped his lips. 

	Serena signaled him over with a slight tilt of her 
head followed by the slow movement of her legs crossing. 
The short skirt was hiked up even more to expose the white 
flesh underneath which barely had any material left to
cover her anyway. Within seconds, the stranger from across 
the room was towering over her, giving her one of his killer 
smiles. She smiled back while silently patting herself on the 
back. Like a moth to a flame as she always says. 

~~~~~~~~*

	"Andrew, please tell me again why you took me 
here?" 

	An irritated dark haired male pushed his way through 
the massive crowd while keeping up with his best friend who
only turned and gave him a friendly smirk. 

	"Come on, Dare! Club Rouge is one of the hottest 
clubs in Chicago! I figured that on your second night 
here, you might as well explore the night life."

	"Andrew, you know I'm not into night clubs. Couldn't
you have taken me to a nice restaurant instead?"

	"I'm saving that for tomorrow." Darien rolled his eyes as
Andrew laughed and slapped him on the back. "Just try and 
have fun, Darien. It's been almost two years since you've last 
dated. Don't you want to find another girl for a change?"

	Darien sighed and shook his head. "I'm not interested
in finding anyone right now."

	"Don't tell me you're still sprung on that girl who
left you without even saying a proper good-bye."

	Darien wasn't in the mood to explain his reasons for
not moving on with his life. He was still clinging on a single 
thread of hope that he'd somehow meet her again. He just 
couldn't understand why she walked out on him. Didn't she
love him like he loved her? Pushing his thoughts aside, he 
replied, "It doesn't matter. I'll find us a table while you go 
get the drinks."

	"Sure, no problem, buddy! I'll be back."

	While Andrew left for the bar, Darien found a vacant 
table at the far corner of the club. He collapsed on the hard 
chair facing the dance floor and listened to the loud techno 
music pound against his eardrums. He groaned and 
muttered to himself about how he'd wake up the next 
morning with a painful headache. What had he gotten
himself into? 

	He drummed his fingers on the red tablecloth until 
Andrew returned with two beers in his hands. He had a 
look of disgust and incredulity on his features as he set 
the bottles down on the table. 

	"What's wrong, Drew?" Darien glanced at him 
apprehensively. 

	He watched as Andrew muttered to himself, glance 
up at him, and then shake his head with a look of sorrow 
and pity marring his features. Darien found his behavior 
disconcerting and decided to end his friend's freaky trance 
like state. He slammed a frustrated hand on the table 
which rattled the bottles and ashtray on it. 

	"Damn it , Andrew, tell me what's wrong!" 

	Andrew jumped at the tone of his angry 
voice and ran a shaky hand through his blond locks. 
He hesitated, trying to figure out whether or not he 
should tell him about what he saw at the bar earlier. He
glanced at Darien's expectant midnight blue gaze and felt
sorry for telling him what he was about to find out. 

	"Darien, you'll never guess who I saw at the bar."

	"Who?" he inquired carefully, sensing that the
direction of this conversation wasn't going to be good.

	Andrew swallowed the huge lump rising in his 
throat and managed to utter one name that shook 
Darien to the core, "Serena."

	Suddenly, everything stopped. The club, the music,
and Andrew faded away from existence. The only thing 
registering in his thoughts was the name 'Serena.' A million 
questions raced across his brain, questions like, 'She's here
in Chicago?' 'How long has she been here?' and 'What
was she doing in a club like this?' But what he really wanted
to know was why she left him. If she was here, now was his
chance to get the answers he has always wanted. Once he 
had the answers to his questions, then he could fully let her 
go. He was tired of trying to come up with several reasons
for her unexpected exit from his life. He was more determined 
than ever to pry the answers from her. 

	Darien was brought back into full consciousness 
with a firm shake on the shoulder. He blinked a couple 
of times and was able to focus his hazy gaze on Andrew's 
worried expression.

	"Darien, are you feeling okay? Answer me, please?"

	"I'm fine, Andrew. I'm fine."

	He relaxed a bit and loosened his grip on Darien's
shoulder. He slowly settled back down on his chair while 
keeping a close eye on him. Darien nearly scared him to 
death when he remained unresponsive for a good twenty 
minutes. He should have known that the name 'Serena' 
would have left his best friend shell-shocked.

	Taking a huge swig of beer, he asked, "What do you
plan on doing?"

	"I'm going to talk to her," Darien responded, getting
up from his seat. But before he took one step, Andrew
seized his arm in a death grip.

	"Dare, I don't think it's a good idea!" 

	His expression looked wild and nervous. It
was obvious that he was determined to keep Darien
at the table, but he wasn't going to be dissuaded. He 
had to seize this opportunity before it slipped away.

	"Why not, Andrew? If she's here, I need to talk to 
her. This is my chance to tie some loose ends with her."

	Andrew's gaze dropped to the floor, finding it
difficult to see Darien eye to eye. He looked like a boy 
who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. 
Darien was puzzled. What else was he hiding from him?

	"Darien, Serena isn't exactly herself anymore."
Andrew choked on the last word, regret washing over
him like a tidal wave.

	"What do you mean?" he inquired in a shaky
voice.

	"I--"

	"You know what? Never mind. I'll go see for 
myself."

	Darien ripped his arm away from Andrew and 
stalked over to the bar. The color from his face drained
away once his gaze landed on a horrific sight.

	He saw his ex-girlfriend clad in a surprisingly
tight black dress and pressed up against a tall blonde
male in such an erotic way. He wanted to tell himself that
this was all a dream and that it wasn't really Serena. But
although he tried to blot the image from his mind, it was no
use. Serena was here and acting in a way that was so
unlike her. 

	He clenched his fists into two tight balls at his side 
as rage possessed his entire body. How could she act
this way?! Who was she trying to impress by trying to be
someone she's not?  

	He stepped closer to them and roughly yanked 
Serena away from the man whose ear she was happily 
nibbling on. She whirled around to face the person who 
rudely interrupted them and let out a small gasp when she 
realized who it was.

	"Darien?" she squeaked, eyes widening in
astonishment. "How--"

	"I believe you have some explaining to do,"
he brusquely cut her off, his cold eyes chilling her
to the bone. 

	She hid her uneasiness from him after two years 
of wearing a mask void of any emotions. She fooled
everyone into believing that she was a tramp and
a slut. Hell, some have called her a bitch without a 
heart. It didn't matter to her. One thing she didn't want 
to be called was a weakling. And if acting like a slut 
is what it will take to appear confident and in control 
then she was fine with that. But now that Darien was 
here, this could complicate things.

	She shook her head. No, she wasn't going to
let Darien complicate things for her. He was someone 
from her past, and she put that part of her life behind her.

	She slapped his arm away and glared at him
with a fire Darien never knew she had in her. It scared 
him to see how much Serena had changed over the 
course of two years.

	"Buzz off, Darien! I'm no longer your girlfriend
so I don't have to answer to you."

	"That may be, but we still need to talk." He 
crossed his arms over his chest, his features hard 
and unrelenting.

	"Well, we'll have to do this some other time. Right
now, I'm busy."

	She spun on her heel and turned back to the man
sitting on the bar stool. She ran slim fingers up and down 
his chest while the man shivered in delight.

	Darien, on the other hand, was utterly disgusted. He
refused to accept Serena as the seductress. It was
too much for him to bear, and he had a feeling that his
sweet and innocent Serena still existed underneath
this ruse. Oh, and he would find it. He had to, for his sake
and hers.

	Without thinking, Darien tore Serena away from the
blonde Adonis and unceremoniously swung her over his 
shoulder. Serena flailed her arms and legs and demanded 
to be put down, but Darien ignored her. Before making a 
quick exit from the club, he threw the blonde a sharp look to 
halt any attempt to stop him. Luckily, the man took the hint 
and backed off.

	People stared at them as Darien carted away
an angry blonde over his shoulder. She made a huge
commotion and fuss and tried to kick him with her 
black stiletto heels, but managed to leave the club
without anyone stopping them. 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

	The silence was deafening and driving him up the
wall. She hadn't bothered looking at nor talking to him
for the past half hour. The cab ride to his hotel was filled with
silence, and now as they sat at the foot of his bed, not one
word came out of her mouth. Her lips were set in a tight
thin line and stared at the peeling green paint on the wall.
He ran frustrated fingers through his hair and occasionally
took a fist full of it and tugged it with all his might. It was 
the best way to let out his annoyance, and he felt horrible 
for ditching Andrew at the club. He made a mental note to 
call him tomorrow morning to apologize. 

	He glanced at Serena and let out an agitated sigh. 
This was ridiculous! They were going to have this 
conversation whether she wanted to or not, and if he had 
to keep her here all night, then so be it!

	"Serena, you can't keep this up all night. You have to
talk to me again sometime."

	"I can and I will," was her cutting response.

	Well, at least she said something. Not exactly the
response he was looking for, but close enough. 
	
	"Look, I know you're mad at me for forcing you
out of Club Rouge, but you left me no choice. We still
have some things that were left unsettled and I'd like
to clear the air once and for all. Besides, you don't
belong in a night club like that and looking the way
you do. What has gotten into you?"

	"What has gotten into me? You want to know
what has gotten into ME?!" The tone in her voice rose
with every word she uttered. "Nothing has gotten into
me! For your information, Darien, this is the real me. 
Take it or leave it, baby!"

	There was no way of getting through to her was
there? Desperate times calls for desperate measures.
It was time to uncover the mask she was hiding behind
and somehow get her to let him in. And to do that, he
had to play her game. It was worth a try, right?

	"Is that so? I never thought of you as the kind
of woman who seduces men, a temptress with a 
face of an angel. Personally, I think it's enticing." His 
hot breath kissed her cheeks as she felt a tingle run
up and down her spine.

~~~~~~~*

Here I am before you
Naked in your eyes
Hoping with each kiss
You will never see through my disguise
I have been made to believe
That no one could love me for me
The good and the bad
First to the last
No matter the cost
No matter the past

~~~~~~~*

	What was he doing to her? She was supposed to be
the one in control, the one who made men bow at her feet.
Not the other way around! If he was trying to play the part
of the seducer, he was certainly doing one hell of a job! 
His presence alone made her feel so vulnerable and
about ready to reveal everything she kept hidden from 
everyone--including him.

	Darien slowly raised his right hand and laid it 
gently on her soft cheek. He began moving his thumb 
in slow gentle strokes while his other hand combed 
through her blond waves. 

	His sweet caresses were so simple, yet arousing. 
One touch from him always made her melt into a puddle 
of mush. She couldn't figure out why Darien appealed to
her so much. He managed to cast a hypnotizing spell over 
her, one she easily succumbed to. 

	She closed her eyes and reveled in the feeling of 
being this close to him. It felt like the good old days when 
they were together and completely in love. They were like 
two pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly. 

	A small sigh escaped through Serena's lips
which startled Darien. He was watching her the whole time
as several emotions flashed across her angelic face. With
her eyes closed and her head leaning into the palm that
stroked her cheek, he felt an overwhelming desire to 
pull her into a kiss. It had been so long since he felt her 
lips pressed against his. He wanted to taste her, drive 
her over the edge like she was doing to him.

	He took a sharp intake of breath and tried to calm the
rapid beating of his heart. He was fighting for control over his
body and tried not to let his desire get the best of him. His
hand faltered a bit on Serena's cheek, and as he stared 
down at her pouty red lips, he groaned. 

	'The hell with it!' he thought and crushed his lips
against hers in a passionate kiss. 

	He didn't expect her to respond to it since all 
he wanted was to know what it felt like to kiss her again 
even if it was just for one brief moment. He was about to 
pull away when he felt Serena open her mouth to deepen 
the kiss. He moved to place his arm around her waist while
Serena grabbed a fist full of his hair. 

	They were drowning in their passion and
desire, a fire that burned out of control and made 
them desperate for more of each other's caresses 
and sweet kisses. They moaned and sighed into 
each other's lips as they slowly sank down onto 
the bed. Darien's lips slowly kissed a trail down her 
chin all the way to her neck. Serena moaned as she 
felt her body heat rise and her breathing become 
short and ragged. She wanted him, every ounce of him. 
She wanted him to kiss and touch her everywhere. 

~~~~~~~*

Your eyes only see what they wanna see
Your heart makes the truth what you want to believe
Passion turns pain into ecstasy
You can't walk away from love
Loving you more than I do myself
Revealing the things I would never tell
Daring to risk even life itself
You can't walk away from love

~~~~~~~*

	Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open, and she 
pulled away from him abruptly. She sat up on the bed 
and covered her mouth with her hands.

	What was she thinking? How could she let her
passion and desire cloud her judgment and strip her
of her inhibitions towards Darien? He wasn't her
boyfriend, and she didn't love him like she used to. 
Even if she did, it was impossible for her to let him into
her life and into her heart after she had spent the last 
few years detaching herself from any type of close 
relationships. As long as she kept herself unattached
to anyone, she'd protect herself and others from her 
sordid past. She didn't need anybody. Not even
Darien.

	Hot tears sprung forth from her eyes and down her
ivory cheeks. Who was she kidding? She did need
someone, someone who could love and care for her. But 
how could anyone love her? She was so used to disguising
herself into a cold hearted bitch, and to finally rid herself
of her mask was almost unthinkable. She was no angel,
and she wasn't trying to be one. However, she did love Darien.
He always made her feel special and loved whenever they
were together. It was a feeling she was unaccustomed to. 
Maybe that was why she ran away from him. She never 
felt that she deserved Darien's love from the beginning
and she certainly didn't think so now.  

	Darien cursed himself when Serena pulled away 
from him. He went too far with the kiss, and now she 
probably thought he was taking advantage of her. He 
sighed. Now he needed to figure out how to apologize 
to her for his impulsive behavior. The last thing he wanted 
to do was scare her away because he couldn't suppress
his desire for her in a much more controlled manner. 

	He sat up on the bed and was about to apologize 
when he heard her muffled sobs. He watched her whole 
body shake unsteadily as she wiped some of her tears 
away. Darien bit his lower lip and cursed himself even 
more. God help him if he was the cause for her sorrow. 

	He slowly laid a hand on her bare shoulder and 
gently pushed her head down to rest on his chest. He felt
her warm tears wet the front of his button down dress
shirt as she continued to cry. 

	"I'm sorry," he whispered softly in her ear while
threading his fingers through her hair.

	Serena choked on a sob, but lifted her watery
blue eyes to look at him.

	"What for?"

	"Aren't you crying because of the kiss?" He
stared down at her, his brow furrowed in confusion.

	"No. That's not it at all." 

	Serena pushed herself off of him and wiped the
remainder of her tears. She stood up and walked away
from the bed with her back facing him. 

	"Then what is it?" Darien inquired gently.

	"You wouldn't understand!" she cried, turning to 
face him with weary eyes. 

	"Then make me understand!" 

	Serena was trying to find the right words to say.
She was so confused and tired of carrying this burden
on her shoulders. Darien was a kind, gentle, and 
honorable man. Would he still want to be with her after he
found out that the Serena he thought he knew wasn't
exactly as pure and innocent to the world? What was
she going to do?

~~~~~~~*

There will be no other
Lips against my skin
No need to regret
How can pleasure ever be a sin
I tried to make you believe
You meant almost nothing to me
Through all the lies
Chasing a dream
Finding at last
The woman in me

~~~~~~~*

	She felt warm hands grasp hers. She lifted her
gaze to see Darien standing over her. She was about
to protest when he hushed her with his index finger
laid softly on her lips.

	"Serena, I don't know what happened to you
to cause so much fear and distrust towards me, but
you've got to believe me when I say that you can trust me.
I'm not here to take advantage of you. I'm here to help you
with whatever is keeping you from moving forward with
your life. Even after you left me, my feelings for you has
never changed. And as I look at you now, I don't think
I can picture myself with anyone else but you."

	Serena smiled through watery eyes and
moved to caress his cheek with her hand.

	"But would you still love me despite what I
have to tell you?"

	He laid a kiss on her forehead and gazed
into her eyes with an unwavering love and devotion
for her.

	"I would love you no matter what you've done
in your life. You're the one I want to be with."

	His simple gaze and words were all she needed
to confirm that what she was about to tell him would
be the right thing to do. He had a right to know, and she 
had already shut him out of her life once before. She
couldn't do that to him again.  

	She took a deep breath and guided Darien
back to the bed where they proceeded to sit down. He
held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze to give her
the strength she needed to start.

	"I was eighteen years-old and dating the biggest
heartthrob in high school--Jesse Marx. All the girls in
school were in love with him, including me. I wasn't 
really popular back in high school and I had a few 
friends. I was fine with it, I guess. I only concentrated
on my studies and was your typical good girl, the kind
parents would love to have met. 

	"I never thought Jesse would give me the time of 
day, but I was proven wrong when he came up to me one 
day and asked me out. I was speechless. I thought it was 
a cruel joke, but Jesse convinced me it wasn't and I 
accepted. Soon enough, we've been dating for almost 
two months. I was the envy of every girl at the school. He 
seemed like a nice guy and always cared for me. In two 
months, I fell in love with him. I thought he returned my 
feelings, but then I realized that his whole nice guy bit 
was really just an act to get something he wanted from 
me."

	Serena paused a to wipe the tears that trickled 
down her cheek. She looked up at Darien and he 
nodded for her to continue.

	"One night, Jesse was at my house to watch
a movie. My parents were out of town and they trusted
me at home by myself. This was probably the first time
I disobeyed my parents by letting a boy over the house.
We didn't really watch the movie at all, and spent most
of our time making out. It got to the point where it started 
going beyond kissing and I was a little uncomfortable 
with it so I pulled away. I told him that I didn't want to 
have sex with him, and he got angry at me. He said if I
really loved him, I would show him that I did. 

	"I was probably too naive or too foolish at the time, 
but I believed him. I thought to myself if I loved him and he 
loved me then there should really be no harm in sleeping 
with him. We did it that night and afterwards, it became a 
usual routine for our dates. Sometimes if my parents weren't 
home or his weren't we would come back to the house and 
have sex. 

	"After a while I got sick of it. I wanted to go out rather 
than have sex all the time. He didn't agree with me, and 
when I told him I wanted to break up, he told me that the 
only reason he stayed with me was because I was good 
to fuck. I was angry, hurt, and I felt dirty. I felt so stupid for 
giving myself to him so easily. I thought, 'God, I am a slut'. 

	"From then on, I never really trusted many men. I 
thought they were all like him, but then I met you. You were 
so unlike Jesse. You genuinely cared about me, and you 
never pushed me into anything I didn't want to do. Of course, 
I felt these feelings for you, feelings that were so foreign to 
me. When I realized that they were feelings of love, I got 
scared. I felt that I didn't deserve you and I thought you 
wouldn't love me once you found out that I easily gave my 
innocence away to a creep. So I ran without saying 
good-bye or giving you any reason or explanation for it. 
And for that I am sorry."

	Darien grabbed her in a fierce hug and whispered
words of comfort in her ear. He was boiling with anger and
hatred for the man who used her without one ounce of 
shame. He wanted to kill him for mistreating her, and he
would have if he ever saw him. It was guys like him that
gave good guys like Darien a bad name. 

	He pulled away to look at her and brushed back 
a golden strand of hair from her face. How could she 
think that he could never love her because of something 
that wasn't her fault? He'll just have to prove his love for 
her over and over again until she realized that he wasn't 
going to abandon her. He wasn't a fool like Jesse, and he 
wasn't brought up to mistreat women either. 

	"Serena, don't blame yourself for a mistake that
happened in the past. If anything, you came out as a
strong and independent woman because of it. And if
anyone deserves my love, it's you. You've captured my 
heart from the beginning and you'll always have it."

	"Darien, I do love you, but there are a lot of things
you don't know about me. There was a reason why I
wound up in a club like Club Rouge--reasons you may
not agree with. You say I deserve your love, but I wonder
if I'm the right person you want to give it to."

	"Serena, I want to know who you are, the good and
bad. And if it takes years for you to realize that I'm not
wrong in my decision for choosing you as the keeper of
my heart, then I would wait forever. You can't get rid of
me that easily." He smiled and laid a soft kiss on her 
cheek.

	Serena sighed and smiled slightly at his
determined attitude. She must have done something
right in her life to deserve such a wonderful man like
Darien. He was the Prince Charming she had been
waiting for all her life. If only she met him first instead
of Jesse. Maybe then things wouldn't have been so
complicated for her. But she wasn't going to dwell
on what might have been. It was better to move on
with her life rather than linger in the past. She had
Darien to thank for that.
  
	"You're one stubborn man, Darien Wright. I 
guess it's a quality I better get used to."

	His deep chuckle echoed throughout the
small room as he laid his head on top of hers.

	"That I am. But I would really like to hear how
you stumbled onto Club Rouge."

	"Well, after I left San Francisco, I decided to
move to Chicago. Even then I was still petrified of your 
feelings for me. I thought the best way to deal with them 
was by allowing myself not to feel anything. No warmth, 
no compassion, not even love. I thought I was incapable 
of having someone love me and me returning their love 
so I shut myself out from the world. I figured if I couldn't 
feel any kind of emotion from anybody, I wouldn't get hurt 
and I wouldn't hurt anyone else. 

	One night, I felt the need to get out, anywhere to 
escape from reality. That's when I saw Club Rouge. It was 
one of the biggest night clubs in Chicago so I decided to 
go in to see what they were all about. It was almost your 
typical night club, only a lot of drugs and alcohol were 
consumed there. I went to the bar and had a few drinks. I 
wasn't really looking to meet anybody, but a couple of guys 
came up to me and asked for a dance or offered to buy me 
a drink. I was intrigued so I accepted. 

	"Soon enough, I made a game out of it. I would seek 
out men who had an interest in me, and started flirting with 
them for the whole night. A lot of rich men come to that club
and they were mostly the ones who came up to me. Many 
people at the club formed several rumors about me--some 
said I would sleep with them in return for a huge favor and 
others believed I bought drugs from them. The truth is, I've 
never slept with any of them nor have I taken any form of 
drugs. 

	"I've gotten myself into trouble with these men several
times and several times the body guards at the club managed 
to save me. I never learned my lesson though. I still insisted 
on playing the same dangerous game every night. I should 
count myself lucky that I managed to get home from the club 
unscathed by those men."

	Darien's hold on her tightened as if she were
made out of glass and was cautious of dropping her. He 
was scared for her--scared for her life and well being. 
He thanked God that Serena was being watched over by 
someone. He didn't want to imagine what could have 
happened to her if someone didn't intervene during 
those near dangerous situations she threw herself in.

	He felt Serena's hand reach up and brush some of 
his dark ebony locks away from his face. She leaned in to
lay a sweet but chaste kiss on his lips. She pulled away to
stare into his deep blue eyes almost as if she were 
searching the depths of his soul.

	"I have to say I'm glad I found you again, but I think
I better get going now."

	She stood up and grabbed her bag off the dresser. 
Her hand was a mere inches away from touching the 
brass door knob when she felt Darien's hand grab her 
wrist and turn her towards him. His expression was 
clouded with confusion and disappointment.

	"Why do you have to leave? Why not stay here
with me? We can go back to San Francisco by 
tomorrow night."

	Serena shook her head and smiled ruefully. 
"Darien, you've done so much for me already, but 
before I can follow you, give me some time to myself. 
I'm just beginning to understand things about myself
and us. But I promise you, you won't have to wait for me
long." 

	She caressed his cheek, memorizing every last
detail of his face before turning towards the door and
letting herself out. 

	Darien didn't stop her, but only watched until her
figure disappeared around the corner. He didn't doubt
her one second. She would stay true to her word and 
come back to him. He saw it in her eyes because 
try as she might, she can't walk away from love.

~~~~~~~*

Your eyes only see what they wanna see
Your heart makes the truth what you want to believe
Passion turns pain into ecstasy
You can't walk away from love
Loving you more than I do myself
Revealing the things I would never tell
Daring to risk even life itself
You can't walk away from love 

~~~~~~~*

The End

*~*~*~*~*~*~

I'd like to thank my gal pal Dania for helping me come 
up with some ideas for this fic when I was kind of stuck 
and of course special thanks to my editor, Lunar Star! 
Don't know what I'd do without you! ^_~