I just felt like starting a new story today, since I wasn't getting anywhere really with my other things. Being in the middle of winter break, I guess it does that to you. But I want to say hi to everyone, and I want to mention again my web page to those who don't know about it. It's http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/8024/index.html and it's got all my recent works and previews for everything. If you're reading it at the site right now, well, glad you visited!!!!!! Anyways, life's nice here, but kind of boring. My brother and my mother went to her family's home because her father's not feeling good, and they're half a world away right now, and I'm here with my dad, and he's at work during the day. I get desperately lonely, and when I think it's perfect writing time, I can't think of anything. Ever notice how when you have the time you can't come up with anything, even with those paper for school, and how when it's either too late or you're busy, it comes to you, and you get so afraid you'll forget the idea? Sadly, in the past, it's happened to me, but today, when I was washing dishes, all by myself in the house...which was very cold, because we didn't have the heater on...an idea hit me...OUCH! (Sorry, I think I'm writing on a sugar hi here.) I saw "My Best Friend's Wedding" on Saturday. It was a cute thing, and it inspired me for this one, but we'll note that this one ends differently form the movie. In fact, it IS pretty different from the movie in general...I guess the only things that remain the same are a co-ed best friendship. I've had my wonderful traveling days, (I went to a lab for a bio thing) and I started this story before I left, but now, it is ready. I think. Anyhow, I thought about it enough on the three hour car ride there! This is another alternate thing, but this time, I've made it so that Dare and Sere are actually friends already! OH NO! Has the world come to an end? Really, who knows? Love, Luck, and Luna, Crystal Heart, the storyspinner I don't own these people, they're owned by someone else, so don't sue, please? "Love wandered inside Stronger than you, Stronger than I, And now that it has begun, We cannot turn back, We can only turn into one." -Mariah Carey (New York) He smiled across the dinner table to the business colleague and taking her come-ons the easiest way he could...by not replying to them. It wasn't that she wasn't beautiful, it was just that she was so BORING, and talked on forever. It was a dull evening, he mused. Everything was rather boring tonight. He hid a glance to his watch, and smiled at his associate. He was tall, with broad shoulders, and a strong frame. He was also very handsome. VERY handsome. Black hair that fell from his crown, that just luxuriously brushed his forehead. Dark blue eyes that always reflected some slight dreamy look, as if there was never a moment when he would actually focus on anything, or anyone. "Did you get a call from Paul yet about the project?" the woman asked him. "No, but I can check my voice mail right now," he said, hurriedly getting the cell phone from the pocket from his coat. *Thank you!* But as he checked his messages, his smile fell when a tearful voice fell across the line. "D-D-Darien? Please, Darien? Pick up..." Darien's Fall By Crystal Heart He rushed through the airport with a briefcase and a small bag. He hated airplanes, they made him dizzy. This was crazy. But it wasn't as crazy as the fact that he did this every time SHE called. But he had to. He presented the stewardess at the gate with his ticket, and she let him on. He walked in, and sat uncomfortably, looking at the small cramped space around him. Next to him, a man spoke Indian into a cell phone. As the plane took off, he gripped the seat. (Denver) She heard the knock faintly and dragged herself from her corner of her bedroom, which was cluttered up with tissues and all the romance novels she'd ever liked. She walked slowly to the door, and wished the visitor away. "Leave me alone!" She walked to the door, and opened it. Her hair was mangled, and unwashed. Her face was streaked with mascara, and ruined makeup from tears. She was in a bathrobe, and she wore pink bunny slippers. On her face, there was a look of impending doom, and her eyes were haunted. But when she opened the door, he smiled. "Evening, Gorgeous." She smiled though tears and he held her. He sat with her on the couch, holding her and licking a tissue and dabbing the mascara marks from her face. She couldn't stop crying, but she clung to him tightly. He held her lightly. "Darien" >SNIFF!< "I'm glad you came." "Yeah, I missed you too, Serena." "You flew all the way to see me?" >SNIFF!< "Of course! Don't I always?" "But" >SNIFF!< "You hate flying!" They seemed to go through this every time he came. But that was only once every two years, or so, so he didn't mind, because this was usually their excuse to see each other again. "You're my best friend. Besides, I'm getting used to it," he smiled. Serena smiled into his chest, and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Darien." "But I must say, my best friend, that I'm pretty hungry. Why don't you step into the shower, and I'll fix us something to eat." "Okay..." As she got up, she smiled to Darien weakly. "You're the best friend anybody could have Darien. I love you, you know that, right?" "Loving you right back, Gorgeous." Serena smiled and went into her room. "So do you want to talk about it?" he asked her as they walked the city sidewalk in the evening. "Talk about what?" she asked. Her hair blew softly in the winter winds, and snow was crowning her blond hair, which was now just brushing past her shoulders. Her blue eyes reflected a soft sadness and soft happiness at the same time, the contrast in the moods seemed to make her eyes glow more tempestuously in the moonlight. Darien thought his friend was starting to look more like the usual beautiful young woman he always knew. "Talk about what?" she asked again, as she looking into his eyes. "Why I flew across the country to see you?" "Didn't you listen to my message?" "I listened to you say "Darien, please pick up" and I knew I had to come. I hung up, called the airlines, left my dinner date and rushed over." "I'm sorry about the dinner date." "Don't worry; she's only the vice president of the company." "Darien..." "Don't worry that beautiful face over anything. Now you're going to tell me why I flew this far for you." "He told me that he didn't love me anymore." "Oh, Serena," he murmured, touching her cheek gently. "It's been a year with him...he broke up on our...our..." "Your anniversary?" Darien said, as Serena started to cry again. He held her close to his heart and kept murmuring apologies. "He's not worth it then. He's a pebble." They had both agreed when she was ten that pebbles were the most pointless things in the world. All the did was sit and they were to small to be kicked and to large to be sand. Now, she was twenty-five. He was twenty-seven. And it still hadn't changed a bit. She giggled softly. "It's been a while, hasn't it, Sere-Tear?" he asked teasingly, calling her his childhood nickname for her, because she was always crying because she was so sensitive. "Well, Dare-Bear, the last time I saw you was at your friend Mike's wedding." "Don't remind me..." "Why not? I thought you looked like a nice best man." "Apparently Muriel thought so too." "And she stopped the wedding!" Serena laughed. "It's not THAT funny. Mike wouldn't talk to me for six months afterwards! The best man does NOT sweep the bride away." "Oh, I'm sorry Darien." "No you're not." "Okay, I'm not. I thought it was cute. You're going to steal a lot of hearts before you find one you're going to want to keep, Darien!" Serena smiled. "You were always a heart breaker. Handsome Darien Riltrope, the charming young ladies' man." "And you staked the claim on me." "You let me; I didn't want a relationship with you! And didn't we have the greatest times just as friends, when they thought we were going out? And you and I were always so close. You come visit me so often...whenever something terrible happens, whenever I fall, and whenever I call." "You need me," he teased. "But Darien, you've...never...fallen before." "What do you mean?" "You've never fallen in love, and felt depressed or anything...I haven't yet had to fly over to New York to comfort you..." "Well, there's no one really that special in my life, and I guess I'm just not interested. Besides, you've suffered enough for the both of us," he teased. Serena blushed, and grabbed his hand. "Glad you came, Darien." "Glad I did too, Gorgeous." As they walked to the gate, Serena looked sadly at her best friend. "Are you sure you have to go?" "I'm sorry, but I've got a big meeting tomorrow morning, and it's already eleven tonight there right now." "Well, all right. Thank you, for coming this weekend. I needed you to come. I'm glad you knew." "That's what I do. I'm a best friend," he said, bending forward and kissing her forehead. "Now take care, and I'll call when I get in." "Don't you dare! It'll be the middle of the night here, and I am NOT answering the phone!" "I'll call you anyway!" Serena smiled as she hugged Darien. "Bye, Dare-Bear!" "See ya next cry, Sere-Tear!" Serena frowned. "Yeah right! The minute I meet someone fascinating, I'll call you and tell you all about it." "I'll call you when Miss Perfect comes knocking on my door," he joked softly. "As if there's anyone as perfect as me!" He laughed and turned, walking into the gate, feeling content. (Two months later) (New York) He stood by a beautiful blond who was talking into a cell phone, but he wasn't really interested. *No* he joked to himself. *Serena's my one and only!* he laughed. At that moment, the cell phone rang. "Darien here." "Darien?" a tearful voice. "I'll be right over." "But I'm not IN Denver. I'm at the Marriot at the World Trade Center." She opened the hotel room door and fell into his arms. "What's up?" he asked, softly. "He's getting married." "Who's getting married?" "Ken is, and I'm Lita's maid of honor, and Patrick is Ken's best man and he's engaged and I can't face him!" Darien frowned at that, and said softly into her hair. "I'm sorry. So what are you gong to do?" "I don't know...but I know SOMETHING. Darien, I'm not doing this alone, and you are coming with me." "What?" "Please, Darien? Be there with me?" Darien frowned. "You know I hate weddings." "You also hate flying," Serena smiled, shyly, playing with his neck tie. "I don't know..." Darien teased. "I think you'll have to pay me for this one." "How about two cokes and a milkshake?" He laughed, and kissed her forehead. "Well in THAT case, I'm in! You better take me out to fancy restaurants this weekend!" Serena laughed. "Only if you pay!" Darien felt Serena's hand grip his when they caught sight of a young woman and a man at the chapel. "That's Lita and Ken. Lita!" Serena let go, and ran to the happy woman who was running towards her. They embraced. "It's so nice to see you again!" "I saw you only three times since we've graduated from college! I miss you much!" Serena smiled. Lita was one of her closest friends from college, and since Darien wasn't at Brown but Princeton, they couldn't get together as often. "How goes the accounting?" "I'm ready to resign. I always am after the tax deadline." "I can't believe you, Serena, would end up as an accountant! When we began college, you didn't even LIKE math!" "Well, I guess, I changed." "And who is this? Is this, no it can't be! It's Darien?" "Yeah, you remember him. He took a bus to Brown sometimes-" "When you broke up with people and felt down. Yeah, of course, I remember him." "I know he wasn't invited, but..." "No, it's all right." At that moment, Patrick came wandering in with his fiancee, a woman clinging fast to his arm. "Serena! Looking nice!" he smiled, noticing Serena's white knit top and khaki pants. Her beautiful figure was shown off, and a clamp held her hair back from her eyes, and left gold curls fall gracefully in curls around her shoulders. Darien put an arm possessively around her waist, and Serena tensed. "This is Sherry," he said, presenting the tall beautiful brunette next to him. Serena wanted to run. Darien held her waist firmly and held out his hand. "Darien Rilthrop." "Wait, I've heard all about you! You are Serena's best friend, right?" Patrick smiled rather strangely. "You're her ideal boyfriend, only you're her best friend." "Right," Darien smiled. "I've known Serena for a while now, and when I heard that she was in town this week, well, we just had to see each other; we don't get to see each other very often." "I'm sure," Patrick said, suggestively, looking at Serena. "Well, what are we waiting for? Why don't we all get through this rehearsal, and then go out for dinner."