Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but I own the idea. I got this idea randomly, but I think I like it.

Tragedy brings people together. This tragic story brought two unlikely souls together.

Serena ran down the street not believing the news. How could this have happened? She had lived with her younger brother Sammy in a small apartment. They lost their parents long ago, but that didn't matter too much since they had been together. Sammy had always been the outgoing one and Serena had been the reclusive, shy one. Sammy had millions of friends, Serena had none. It didn't matter too much, because sometimes Sammy would drag her out of the house to meet new people. She hated it and loved it at the same time. She loved it because she was with her brother, but hated it since she was shy out of her mind.

But that didn't matter right now. What mattered was that she got a message on her cell phone saying her brother had just gotten into an accident and was in intensive treatment. Serena's cell phone rarely rang, and it only rang for important matters. This was beyond important; this was vital. She rounded the final corner with tears streaming down her face. She barged through the hospital front door, through the lobby and to the front desk. She demanded to be led to her brother, unaware of people staring at her and listening to her shrill voice. Anyone who knew her would be shocked out their minds to hear Serena speaking so loudly. Anyone who didn't know her was shocked to hear this beautiful angel shrilling at the top of her lungs while tears cascaded down her face. The person behind the counter rang the bell and a nurse led a tearful Serena to her brother. They let her into the room only because she was family. Sammy looked horrible. He had huge gashes that were stitched and half of his body was wrapped in bandages. His heartbeat was irregular and fautly.

"Sammy," Serena sobbed. "Please don't leave me. You're all I have left. You know me perfectly and I can't go on without you. Please don't leave me. I won't know where to go. You're the one who always showed me the way. You know me better than anyone. You're the only one who can get me to tolerate crowds. You're the only one who can get me to tolerate myself. Please don't leave me. Please don't leave me," Serena ended brokenly.

Immediately the screen following Sammy's faltering heartbeat shot up almost to a regular one. Sammy seemed to do the impossible and opened his eyes, looking straight at his heartbroken sister. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. He tried again as he moved his hand, which somehow only had a few cuts and was not bandaged. His hand covered his sister's. "Sere—" he whispered, barely audible.

"Sammy, please, stay with me," Serena pleaded as tears ran down her cheeks. She gripped his hand, unaware of his slight wince.

"I-I he--held on f-for y-you," he whispered. Then he coughed horribly.

"Sammy!" Serena cried brokenly. She was unaware that the door was thrown open and nurses and doctors were rushing in.

"Sere—"

"Sammy!"

"I l-love y-you." He started coughing again and the heartbeat on the monitor started faltering. He leaned back and with a peaceful smile closed his eyes.

"Sammy! Please!" Serena sobbed. The screen went flat and Sammy's hand went cold. "Nonononononono," she sobbed, tears cascading down her face. She didn't notice the nurses trying to get her away. She didn't notice someone scoop her into their arms and hold her protectively. She didn't notice anything as her loss overwhelmed her and took possession of her, shutting all else out as she cried her brokenly emptied heart out. She closed her eyes and wished for an end.

Every end has a new beginning.

Serena woke up to the unfamiliar smell of cocoa and pancakes. She noticed herself wrapped snuggly in warm, fuzzy blankets on a nice comfy couch. This didn't look familiar. Why was she at this place? Where was Sammy? Why did he lead her to this house? And then it hit her. Sammy wasn't there anymore. He never would be. He was gone for good. He left her here stranded in this lonesome world for the rest of her miserable life. Heartbreaking sobs and fresh tears escaped Serena, but she didn't care anymore. Nothing mattered since Sammy was gone. She didn't exactly understand what took him away from her in the first place. All she knew was the unfair world ripped him away from a poor, lonely girl with no family and no friends. Serena curled up into a ball and shook with her tears and sobs.

Warm arms encircled her. Where they came from and who they belonged to, Serena had no idea. All she knew was that they were there and offering protection and shelter. It was something she was in desperate need of. She buried her head into the nice warm chest of this new protector and cried her broken heart out. Finally, it hurt too much to cry and sobbing just hurt her throat. She looked up to see who this wonderful protector was and felt like she had just been hit in the back of the head with a board. He had the most beautiful captivating eyes that were like warm water, drowning the onlooker into the deepest blue. His face was finely sculpted and he had short raven black hair that looked like silk. Altogether, he was a comely who seemed to be but a year or so older than Serena.

"Would you like something to drink?" He asked kindly. Oh, that voice sent shivers up and down her spine. It was deep and had a nice, caring tone to it, sounding awfully similar to Sammy's.

Serena nodded dumbly and felt those warm arms leave her. She immediately regretted that. She felt safe wrapped in those arms. Now she felt vulnerable. Who was he?

Whomever he was, he was back a moment later with good smelling hot cocoa in both his hands. He offered the cup to Serena and she took it shakily. She lifted the cup up to her mouth and sipped it, feeling the scorching heat sear down her insides and burn her tongue.

"You're probably wondering who I am," he said nicely, offering her question without making Serena say anything. "I'm Darien. I am—well, was—one of Sammy's closest friends. He was like the younger brother I never had. He always came to me for girl troubles, social problems or just to chill. It feels weird with him gone. He felt like an extension of me or something. I was always proud of him when he did something extremely generous and kind." Serena looked at him stupidly, but her tongue was working and she couldn't get muster the energy to introduce herself. "I know you're Serena. You look a lot like Sammy and Sammy spoke about you a lot. It was always Serena said this Serena said that. I had wondered if I'd ever meet the famous Serena. He looked up to you, you know."

"He—he did?" Serena croaked from a voice gone sore.

"Yeah," Darien replied with a sad smile. "He adored you and loved you with every fiber of his being. He always said you were shy though and he loved taking you out and getting you acquainted with others. He said one day, he'd make us meet. Then he said he wanted us to marry, 'cause we'd have to like each other." Darien blushed a little but kept going, wanting to tell this small, fragile girl all about her brother and the memories he held of Sammy. He didn't know why, but he felt the need to protect this girl. She seemed so delicate and heartbroken. But man was she gorgeous. She had drop dead sapphire blue eyes and a wonderfully heart shaped face crowned in magnificent golden locks that must've been created from gold itself. She had a nice figure also, but she was small. Those sapphire eyes, though, were something that immediately caught his heart. They held a world full of sadness and vulnerability, something Darien wished he could chase away. But they seemed to hold wonderful intelligence as well, something he'd have to experience more if she would let. "He wanted me officially part of the family and all. I told him he'd have to be reasonable and he'd always laugh at me saying anyone who met you, loved you. But it took a real person to actually get to know you. Someone with heart and patience, he had said. Someone who'd open their heart to the wonderful angel that held a spot for everyone in her heart, once opened for them."

Serena turned a little red at his comment about her. Her throat felt moist again and she decided to muster up the question that had been bothering her. "Wha-what ha-happened t-to him?"

Darien felt horrible and felt the sadness engulf him entirely. "He had been going to meet Drew and me at the restaurant. He had been on the phone with us. The light was green and he went, but some moron ran a red and totaled his car and him. It hit him straight on and he never knew what hit him. All we heard was a horrible scream and then a dead line. Somehow he stayed alive though and held on, even if it was just barely. He went into immediate intensive care and the doctors tried everything to revive him. That's when you came in."

New sobs tore out of Serena's throat and she felt horrible. Half these things Darien told her about her brother, she hadn't even known. She had been too busy trying to escape from herself; she never realized how much her brother had wanted someone to talk to. Here was this amazing guy who freely told her everything about her brother she had never taken the time to find out.

"Shh, shh," he said to her distraught figure as he wrapped his arms around her.

Funerals are good contemplating times. Yes, they are sad and horrible, but they really help a person reflect on their life.

Serena stared at the tomb her brother's corpse rested. Here was where she would have to say goodbye. After this, people would bombard her with all their stupid pitying comments. How she wished Sammy were alive to help her get through this. But no, Sammy had abandoned her forever and she was left to people who only pretended to pity her.

Darien watched as the fragile blonde angel glare angrily at her brother's tomb and felt his heart stop. Sammy had been right. Sammy was always right. This girl was breathtaking and he had immediately fallen in love with her the second he had laid eyes on her in the hospital room right beside her brother. She seemed so broken and so lost that she needed guidance. He was willing to guide her. For Sammy. For her. For himself and his conscious. For his heart. Darien walked up to Serena and placed a hand on her shoulder. A flicker of her eyes was the only sign that she felt the hand on her shoulder.

"You'll be alright," Darien said and for some odd reason, Serena's sapphire eyes narrowed. "You'll get through this. I promise. I promise I'll stick with you."

"Don't make promises you can't keep," Serena said harshly as she yanked her shoulder out from under his hand.

"What do you mean? I always keep my promises."

"So did Sammy, until he broke the most important one. He left me here all alone and he promised never to do that." Serena went back to glaring at the tomb. "How could you do that to me Sammy?" she whispered harshly.

"You're not alone," Darien said to her simply. "I promise never to leave you alone."

"Some words from some guy," Serena snapped angrily. She had fallen for his looks and she had fallen for his charm, but she refused to fall for him. She didn't want to be left alone again. Her fragile heart wouldn't be able to take it.

"Anger isn't the way to deal with this," Darien said reasonably.

"Well maybe it's my way," Serena shot back.

When one is angry, one is living in fear.

Darien didn't push. He just let her be. The more he let her be the more he fell for her. Serena had the most adorable habits he could think of. Yes, she was shy and secluded herself, but she went out of her way to help children who needed help, rescued a poor unfortunate cat that was being attacked by cruel children, recycled things that shouldn't even be recycled and… the list could go on forever. But she was angry. At times she'd burst and scream at anything solid and non moving. Other times, she'd hide the room he'd given her for days, refusing to eat or leave her room. Then she would always come out and apologize. She seemed to be warming up to him, or so he thought. He didn't realize she was afraid of him and afraid of what he offered.

He offered protection, security, and god help her, love. It seemed surreal to be quite honest. Why would any guy want to give her a bit of love? She was a wreck, a devastated, heartbroken, angry wreck. But here he was, offering it to her like a lollypop. Serena was afraid to let him get to close. If she didn't touch, she didn't hurt. No matter how much Serena convinced herself that she would never love him, her heart fell for him long ago and would be utterly empty without his presence and everlasting patience. Every passing day, it became harder to convince herself that she didn't love him and harder to convince herself to be mad at her brother. Yeah, her brother left her, but he left her in the hands of someone who cared. But she needed to hold onto that anger, it was the only thing sustaining her unless she wanted to open her heart again and love. She was afraid of love. She was afraid of him. She was afraid of herself. She was afraid of life.

Sometimes it takes a miracle to see what's right in front of you.

Serena hadn't been paying much attention to where she was going. She was thinking of what Darien had said. He had said he loved her and said that he hoped one day she would return his love. Serena had become all frightened and walked out, claiming the need to buy groceries. She didn't notice that her crosswalk sign was red. She didn't notice the oncoming car that sped up to her. She didn't notice her own horrified cry as the car hit her. She didn't notice anything as consciousness slipped away.

There she stood, in the middle of a valley with flowers of all shapes, colors, scents and sizes surrounding her. It was painless and that was something of a shock in itself. But what really shocked her was the person who stood right in front of her. He had short blonde hair, baby blue eyes and a kind of cute chubby face that Serena always teased him about. He was taller than she of course. He had to be since he was Sammy.

"Sammy?" Serena inquired, hardly believing her eyes. "Is that really you?"

"Hey sis," Sammy replied with a smile.

Still overcoming her shock, Serena ran up to Sammy and flung her arms around his neck, sobbing desperately into his shoulder. Then she pulled away from him. "Oh my god, I missed you. How could you leave me like that? Why did you abandon me?"

"Sere, you are so dense sometimes, it amazes me," Sammy replied frankly.

"What do you mean?"

"I never abandoned you, I was always watching over you. I could never leave you. How could I? I love you. I stuck around just to tell you I loved you. I stuck around to make see you one more time before they called me and told me I was done with my time on earth. Don't you understand? I never left you. I made sure Darien took you in."

"Y—you did?" Serena stuttered.

"Yes, Sere," he replied calmly. "I always knew you guys would be perfect together. And he fell in love with you and wants you. And you love him. So why won't you take what he has to offer?"

"I can't."

"Why not? Because you're afraid?"

"I am not afraid!" Serena cried. Sammy gave her a look and Serena glared at him, before laughing uneasily. "You always knew me better than I knew myself."

"I know," Sammy stated simply and they both laughed. Sammy laughed heartily, Serena laughed nervously. "You should take what he has to offer. He's there for a reason. He loves you and wants you to love him in return."

"And how will I know he won't abandon me?"

"Faith. Believe. You did that for me, why don't you do that for him?"

"I can't come join you now, can I." It was more of a statement than a question.

"No, it's not your time, Sere. I love you and I'm always watching over you. Give Darien a chance and you have my blessing. Heck, you've had it since I met him."

"Oh Sammy! How I've missed you!" Serena threw her arms back over his shoulders and clung to him, sobbing. He soothed her and helped her walk out of her fear space. Soon she found him fading away, with a waved and a loving smile, and she found white walls and a strong had clutching her own coming into focus. Serena moaned and winced as she felt all the pain from the crash come back to her mercilessly. She looked down and saw Darien's hand clutching her own, afraid to let her go, similar to when Serena held her own brother's hand right before he died.

"Darien?" Serena said softly.

"Oh my god!" Darien exclaimed relieved. "You're ok! I was so worried and so afraid. I couldn't lose you." Tears started running down his face as looked at her with wonder. "There wasn't much external damage, minus the cuts and bruises you picked up, but you just weren't waking up. You were in a coma for a month. I was so worried; I thought I'd lost you."

"Shh, shh," Serena said, lifting his hand to her lips. She gave it a kiss. "It's ok, I'm back and I'm not going anywhere. I have it on excellent authority it isn't my time. I love you Darien."

"I love you too, Serena."

Everything happens for a reason even if you don't understand it at the time.

This was what happened with Serena and Darien. Had Sammy never passed, they would never have truly fallen in love, because they would never have met. Had Serena not gotten hit by the car and gone into a coma, she would have turned away the love that Darien had to offer her. Had she done that, she would have nothing to live for. Now, Serena and Darien are living happily ever after, married and with a child of their own; a young baby boy named Sammy. One would never know that it was tragedy that brought this family together. And it was tragedy that held them together.

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The words in the bold are lessons everyone can learn from.