NEVER BROKEN: A SailorMoon Fanfiction

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SERENA LOOKED AT HER REFLECTION on the life-size mirror in the hall. It was a long time since she'd last worn red. It usually didn't go well with her coloring. But the saleslady assured her that the dress was a perfect foil for her. She suddenly smiled at what she saw. False modesty was never a fault of hers, but she never had the chance to be very confident before either. There was only one person whose approval she sought.

"That's a very good number. And it looks triple stunning on you," Darien commented.

Serena whirled to face him. She would have been happier if his remark didn't sound like an insult.

"Oh, you're here. Are you going to take a rest first..." Her heart pounded loudly when he touched her waist to move her body closer to his.

"I've never seen you in this dress before."

"Maybe because I only bought it this afternoon." She tried to smile. Her face seemed like it was burning. Only Darien had the ability to do this to her.

"Really? So that Ledger could see you in it?" he sneered.

"Are we fighting?"

"Answer my question."

"What are you talking about? I'm going to that party with you."

He had now enclosed her in a tight embrace that she could not escape. Did she really want to?

"Yes. You're going with me. I wonder who'd be in your mind."

She looked up at him. Could he be jealous?

"Darien... I can't breathe." She tried to free herself from him using her arms and hands.

"I can help with that." And without any warning, he kissed her hard, thoroughly. Like it was the kiss of life. She could live with that. And then just as suddenly, he moved away from her.

"I... I didn't have the time to buy the matching shoes."

"That's all right. We're not going to the party."

Once again, she turned around to face him after replacing the shoes she'd decided to wear on the rack.

"We're not going?"

"You're going to miss Ledger that much?" The voice was without emotion now. "You bought that dress for him and—"

"I bought it for you. Remember, you told me to buy whatever I like."

She thought she heard him scoff. She went to her room to change her clothes. It was Darien who'd suggested separate rooms ever since that night. She looked pointedly at him when she noticed that he'd followed her inside.

"I hope you're not too disappointed that we can't go out tonight."

"Because?" She was getting frustrated. He was judging her based on what somebody must have told him. And she was very sure who that somebody was. "Will you leave my room, please? I'd like to change."

"You really do sound disappointed," he openly derided, not even turning the other way.

She moved towards him. "I have no plans of meeting Alain this evening. Not in the way you're implying. I bumped into him this afternoon and your secretary saw us. Is that what this is all about? I thought we were going. Why are you being this way?"

"Business calls. I have to go to South Korea. Whether you come with me or not is of no consequence to me. I just thought you'll spend the time packing rather than having a late night at the party," he reasoned.

He was becoming more and more complicated lately. Before he would just tell her to take it or leave it. No explanations. Was she supposed to like this Darien better?

She exhaled sharply. She turned around and took off the beautiful garment, unmindful of Darien's stare. Let him. She wouldn't be the one in need of a cold shower in the middle of the night. Of that much she was sure.

"Where in South Korea?" she asked, trying to calm herself. She wanted to throw something at him. She was now wearing the white and pink-checkered boxer shorts and the gray t-shirt that she had on earlier.

"Somewhere near the city." He paused. "Maybe we could go skating in the weekends, visit a nice rink or something."

"Skating?" she asked. Darien was very good at it, while she was not. She went to the bathroom and turned on the light.

"Get some sleep. We have to leave early."

"I'm not a child."

"We'll see your father before we go to the airport."

She felt so ashamed of herself. Who was she deluding? Darien could never be jealous of Alain. He was just not. She could stay here or go with him, he said. Didn't he even want her with him?

"Are we staying at a hotel?" she asked.

"Why?"

"I just ..." She knew her eyes were hopeful, beseeching. "It doesn't matter. Anyway, did Raye mention something to you when she went back to the office?"

"What about? She mentioned a lot of things to me."

She glared at him. She was sure it was about Alain's harmless kiss. "Something... something about marriage." An open marriage. Do you want that with me?

"No. Should she? Did your discussion revolve around such a topic?" His voice was once again, indifferent.

"N-no." She took her toothbrush from the holder. He's lying. I can see it in his eyes. I can feel it when he's not telling the truth. "Goodnight, Darien. Please wake me up." You're lying but I still want to go with you. Just lie to me...

"I will." Darien noticed Serena's pale face as she closed the bathroom door on him. He made a pretence of sitting on her bed while she tiptoed around her final question. It was really because he felt like somebody kicked him behind the knees. It was a good thing her courage only took her to saying a single word: marriage.

She was lying. He knew her that much. An open marriage. No way. No one is going to touch his wife while he's still breathing. Serena is his. His alone. He'll make sure it stays that way.

If Serena had said open marriage, he didn't know how he'd have reacted. She was driving him crazy. The moment he stepped inside the house and saw how attractive she looked in the dress, his emotions got the better of him. He couldn't even help himself. He kissed her despite his promise that he would never touch her again. He felt her fragile bones in his embrace, like they would break if his hug was a hairstrand tighter.

If she'd said open marriage, he would hunt all those men that were out to get her. Tonight. Or take her far, far away where they could not find her. His jealousy was eating him. He didn't know how he'd managed to stay sane this long. That was not true. He knew exactly why and how. Because Serena would never betray him. If she wanted something, she would tell it to his face. She would not fool around. That's his wife. That's the kind of woman he married.

He could invent a hundred reasons why they couldn't come to the party tonight, just so she would not see Ledger. And if she'd decided not to come with him to South Korea, he could still invent a million more about cancelling his business trip.

Darien stood and went to his room to get some rest. The sight of his wife was enough to heat his blood. A kiss was enough. For now.