Author's Note:OK, it pretty much picks up where it left off. Thats it I guess. Part 3......      Darien got home that night after having walked over most of the city. He closed the door to his apartment, pushing the button to his answering machine, then going into the kitchen and putting a tv dinner in the microwave.      There were five messages from Raye, wandering where he was, if something was wrong, and why hadn't he met her? To call her, lots of hugs and kisses to him too! There was one message from Peggy, thanking him almost ten times over for posing, and that she would see him tomorrow.      He was drinking some coffee and about to take his tv dinner out, thinking that was the last message, when Serena's hesitant voice filled the apartment. He was so shocked he dropped his cup and it shattered on the floor as he listened to her thank him for trying to walk her home, that it had been nice of him. Then she suddenly went into a fit, yelling at him not to call her meatball head anymore. That was the end of the message.      He stood there with his mouth hanging open for exactly two minutes, until he remembered the broken cup and the spilled coffee. He quickly cleaned the mess up, then went to the answering machine and replayed the message, listening to her voice go from sweet to angry. Laughing, he got his dinner and began to eat it, not even noticing how disgusting it was.      Serena......when had he begun to look at her as more then just an immature kid? He couldn't remember a time in the last few months when he hadn't tortured and teased her, she had slowly become the center of his life. If a day passed without him seeing her, he became irratated and cranky, desperate to see her.      Then there was the matter of Raye. He had never actually been interested in Raye, she was a good kid, but that had been all. He had enjoyed ganging up on Serena with her and from then on she had happened to bump into him all the time. He had known that Raye had a crush on him, that she was purposely finding him all over the city all the time, and from there they'd started going out. He did not look at there outtings as dates, not in the least, but she did. He honestly hadn't cared what she thought or told her friends.      But now he did. Because of Serena. He wanted Serena...but did she want him?      Most likely not, he thought bitterly, switching the tv on.      Serena sat at home before her dresser, combing her long, blonde hair, wearing her pink, bunny pajamas. She felt giddy, happy. She was modeling for a very famous artist and people would see her in an art gallery. It was like she had dreamed.      Her thoughts drifted to Darien and the phone call she had made to him ealier. She had done it on a sudden impulse, intending to leave a nice message, but had ended up shouting half of it.      She knew the main reason she was excited about modeling was because of him. Just to sit next to him, even if he only picked on her, was something she looked forward too.      But he belongs to Raye, she reminded herself. He wants Raye and she wants him. I'm just a third wheel.      With a sigh, she went to bed.      "Oh, I just had to wake up late today and get detention!"Serena cried as she ran out of her school and down the street toward where Peggy lived on the other side of town."This is just my luck! Darien's never going to let me live it down!"      She ran as fast as she could, finally making it to Peggy's twenty minutes later, knocking on the door and panting.      Peggy opened it with a smile."Hi Serena, come on in."she stepped back.      "Thanks! Sorry I'm so late!"she stepped in, spotting Darien lounging against the wall, a smirk on his face. She put her hands on her hips, ready for battle."Don't you dare say anything to me, Mr. minus-zero, cause I-"      "That was nice of you to call me yesterday."he cut in, walking forward to whisper in her ear."I enjoyed it."he gave her a thorough look up and down, admiring how cute she looked in her school uniform.      She blinked at him, then blushed. He chuckled, then turned and went to sit on the sofa. Peggy announced to them that she was going to come out and say she was Lanny Lani. Serena hugged her and congratulated her.      She began sketching them and Serena sat nervously next to Darien. She was confused as to why he was actually being so nice to her. He was with Raye, he loved her.      And yet he was here with her, not Raye.      "He's in love with her, not you Serena!"she told herself sternly.      "Problem?"he asked, raising an eyebrow at her.      "Just you!"she snapped.      "When are you going to stop looking at me as a jerk?"      "When you stop acting like one!"she retorted.      "Is that all you guys do? Fight?"Peggy cut in, surprising them both."Is that how you two met?"      "Yes! He started it!"      "And now I'm sorry for that."he said softly.      "What?"she asked sharply.      "I need you two to do me a favor. Both of you stand, and Darien, put your arms around Serena. Now Serena, put your hands on his shoulders. Thats it, perfect."she smiled slightly as she watched Darien gaze down at her, but Serena avoid his eyes."This is for effect, think of it like that. Now look into each others."she had to bite back her laugh when Serena slowly raised her eyes to him and there eyes locked."Good."she began to sketch them again."You guys make a good looking couple, you know that?"      They gazed into each others eyes, feeling an emotion so deep and so strong neither knew when or how it had started. They lost themselves in how long they stood there, only aware of one another.      Peggy finished the sketch and told them to go to the gallery tomorrow, that both paintings of them would be up. They then left her home, walking quietly.      Darien suddenly took her hand, shocking her."Come with me."      "What? Where?"she asked.      "Just trust me."he said.      She hesitated only a second."Alright."      He led her back downtown, to the city, to a large apartment building. She recognized it to be his apartment building, where he led her to upstairs to his apartment. Once inside she looked around the cold, apartment, Darien removing his jacket and tossing it on his couch. He turned back to her and they stared at each other for a moment, then he opened his arms to her, whereupon she ran to him, there lips crashing together in a desperate kiss.      So much passion came to the surface, so much longing that had come from teasing and watching for so long, now exploding out of them. He tangled his hand in her hair, roughly pulling it to the side, angling her head to deepen the kiss. His mouth opened over hers and she followed his example, his other hand running down her body to clutch her buttocks, pressing her firmly into his hips.      Someone knocking at his door brought them back to the present, Darien gazing down at her a moment, before he turned and opened the door.      "Darien, why aren't you returning my calls?!"Raye stomped into the apartment, stopping when she saw Serena, her hair mussed, her lips red from his kiss........ OH! Gettin good! Stay tuned for Part 4 to see what happens!!