"Our Song"

Disclaimer: The song belongs to Taylor Swift. Sadly, I don't own anything/ anyone but Sierra. Please enjoy and feel free to comment. Thanks much! :)

I was riding shotgun with my hair undone in the front seat of his car
He's got a one-hand feel on the steering wheel
The other on my heart

Sierra turned in her seat and looked at the young man sitting behind the steering wheel. She smiled at him tenderly and placed her hand on his thigh. He took his eyes off the road for a split second and smiled at her.

I look around, turn the radio down
He says baby is something wrong?
I say nothing I was just thinking how we don't have a song
And he says...

Sierra looked thoughtful as she reached out to the car sound system and turned it down slightly. "Baby?"

"What's up, baby?"

"You know what?" Sierra giggled slightly."There's been something that I've been wanting to talk to you about for some time..."

Cody sounded concerned. "Is something the matter? Are you okay? Shit... You're not pregnant, are you?"

Sierra shot a look at Cody. "No, of course not, I'm on the pill. It's just that... Oh, never mind, forget it, it's silly anyway."

Cody reached out and ruffled her hair. "Nothing's too silly. Tell me."

Sierra closed her eyes and pulled her knees to her chest. "Okay... You know how couples have this 'couple song'?" Cody nodded. "Well, we don't have one. And, I know it's silly, but, it bugs me."

Cody smiled a small smile to himself, internalizing what she said. "But, we do, Sisi."

[Chorus:]
Our song is the slamming screen doors,
Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window

- Flashback -

"Hi, Dad!" Sierra called as she burst through the front door of the house. "I know I'm home late, sorry sorry sorry, I got caught up at the library. You won't believe how much work I have to do on that essay!"

Roddy shook his head as he watched his daughter breeze through the living room and head up the stairs. "You have got to learn to watch the clock, Sisi."

"Sorry!"

Sierra heaved a huge sigh of relief as she threw her bag down on the floor of her room. She had thought that her father would've thrown a fit about her getting back so late. And that, that would have totally ruined her plans for later.

A sudden thought struck her and she headed out to the landing. "Daddy, I'm going to sleep now. Gotta get up at 4 to do some work. Night!" She made a small face at herself and carefully locked the door to her room. She hated lying to her father but, in this case, she really didn't have much of a choice. Given the choice, her dad would keep her locked up at home anytime that she wasn't in school or spending time with the family. Even by conservative standards, her father was extremely protective.

Some 15 minutes later, the text message tone on her cell-phone sounded. A huge grin spread across her face as she read it: "I'm downstairs, baby. Hurry. Love you."

Yes, that was why she had to take to lying to her father. Her father had expressly told her that she couldn't start dating until after high school. Regardless of the fact that her boyfriend's father was a good friend of his. Regardless of the fact that her father had seen her boyfriend grow up and had said on numerous occasions that he was a good person and that he hoped Sierra would end up with someone like him. Regardless of the fact that they were in love.

Sierra carefully opened her bedroom window and scooted down the pipe next to it. As it happened every night, she mentally thanked her parents for having sent her to gymnastics classes since she was three. She landed on the grass and silently ran to the big oak tree at the corner of the yard, being careful not to be spotted by her parents.

She spotted whom she was looking for and ran straight into his arms. Cody welcomed Sierra with a warm hug and a passionate kiss.

- Flashback over –

When we're on the phone and you talk real slow
'cause it's late and your mama don't know

- Flashback -

Sierra stifled a laugh. "Yeah, like that would ever happen..."

Cody protested indignantly. "If you were there, you wouldn't be laughing now, Ms. Piper." The line was silent. "Sisi? Hey, baby, are you there?"

Suddenly, Cody heard a sigh of relief. "Sorry, baby, my mom walked past my room. Didn't want her to storm in and grab the phone away."

"Sierra, how long do I have to remain a secret? I don't like the fact that I have to remain effectively a non-existence in your life! It's not like I don't treat you well. It really sucks you know, having to remain in the dark all the time. I don't have any dignity left in this at all!"

Sierra could sense Cody's frustration and irritation as he spoke. This was the first time that he had ever raised his voice at her and she wasn't sure that she liked it. "Look, I'm sorry, Cody. But, please understand where I'm coming from as well. If my parents were to find out we're dating, they'll ground me, make us break up and forbid me from ever seeing or speaking to you again. And, look, I'm sorry that I love you too much for that to happen, all right?" Sierra's voice broke towards the end of her diatribe and she tried to muffle her sobs.

Cody felt bad as he heard his girlfriend sobbing on the other end of the line. Logically, he knew it wasn't her fault and he could understand that she was right. But, he couldn't reconcile that with how he felt about it all. He sighed resignedly. "Sisi, I'm sorry. I'll wait until you're ready, okay? I love you and if you know that, that's what matters. I don't need other people to know. I love you, alright?"

- Flashback over -

Our song is the way you laugh
The first date "man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have"
And when I got home ... before I said amen
Asking God if he could play it again

- Flashback -

Cody and Sierra sat in a booth at the diner. It had taken Cody some two weeks summon the nerve to ask her out. But, judging by how well they were getting on, he should have just done it alot earlier.

This was their first date but you could hardly have guessed that. Kristen was laughing at all his jokes, he was finishing her sentences for her. They found common interests in almost everything and having both grown up in wrestling families, both had a massive appreciation for the business.

Cody watched as Sierra tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. His eyes followed her tongue as she licked her lips after taking a sip of the coke float they were sharing. He watched as her hands told as much of an animated story as she did.

Cody knew at that first date, he knew that this was the girl that he wanted to spend his life with.

Cody drove Sierra home later that evening. He offered to walk her to her doorstep, but she turned him down, worrying that her parents would spot Cody and subject her to endless questioning thereafter.

Cody felt a little disappointed that the night had come to an end so fast. He looked at Sierra. "So..."

"I had fun, Codes," she impulsively leaned over and gave him a small hug. "Thanks. Let's do this again sometime, okay?"

Cody's heart was racing a million miles a minute. "Okay." The second that came out, he wanted to slap himself. Cat got your tongue much, he asked himself sarcastically.

"Good night, Cody. Drive safe." Sierra flashed a huge smile at him as she got out of the car. She closed the door securely and waved at him before skipping up the steps to her house.

Cody watched carefully until she was safely in her house. He leaned forward in his seat and banged his head on the steering wheel a few times. He kept rebuking himself for not having the guts to just lean over and kiss her good night.

"On the bright side," he said resignedly to no one in particular, "There'll be other chances. If she meant what she said."

And, as he stopped to pray for the first time in a very long time, Cody thanked God for the chance he had been given and for the foresight to make the best of it.

- Flashback over -

I was walking up the front porch steps after everything that day
Had gone all wrong and been trampled on
And lost and thrown away

- Flashback -

The following day, Sierra stomped up to her house and slammed the door shut. The day had gone beyond badly for her – she had flunked her calculus test, been told off by the discipline mistress for her pinafore skirt being too short, had an argument with her best friend, had forgotten to bring her assignment that was due on that day itself and Cody hadn't called all day. There was precious little that could go further wrong for her at that point.

"Daddy?" she called, wanting to share her bad day with her father and seek comfort and a few words of wisdom. There was no reply. "Great," she muttered to herself. "Nothing worse than coming back to an empty house. So much for Dad being around more once he left the business."

Got to the hallway, well on my way to my lovin' bed
I almost didn't notice all the roses
And the note that said...

With her mood soured even further, Sierra decided to just make her way back to her room and sleep the bad day away.

She opened the door to her room and threw her bag on the floor. She took off her watch and, without looking, placed it on the table. She only looked up when she heard a light clunk and figured that her watch had fallen off the table. But, as she looked up, she took a sharp intake of breath. Before her, on the table, was the most beautiful, huge bouquet of roses.

She leaned forward to get a better look at it and noticed a small card to the side of the bouquet. She picked it up curiously and recognized Cody's distinctive scrawl across it.

Sierra was a bit bewildered, wondering how he could possibly have managed to get the bouquet into her room, without her being at home. She opened it up and glanced over it quickly. She gasped even more and her hand flew to cover her mouth.

"Hey baby, hope you like the roses. I looked like an ass carrying them – a big guy like me, carrying 99 roses all the way from the florist's. But, if you like them, it's worth it. So... You'd better like it, babe! :) Don't kill me – I talked to your dad about us. I told him how I felt and that I was serious about you. He wasn't too happy at the start; but, in the end, he gave his okay (although very grudgingly!). Please don't be mad with me. I only did it because I love you and I want your dad to know that I would never treat you anything less than the princess you are. Love, your Coddles"

A small tear rolled down Sierra's face. She was surprised, and very touched, that Cody had taken the liberty of going to speak with her father. Her father was an imposing figure and to say that he had a hair-trigger temper was an understatement. For Cody to risk all that to fight for his right to establish himself as Sierra's partner, it certainly meant alot. She had wanted to speak with her father on this on many occasions, but had feared the repercussions. And, now that it was out in the open, there was no reason for her to have to 'hide' Cody any longer.

I've heard every album, listened to the radio
Waited for something to come along
That was as good as our song...

Sierra felt like dancing on the rooftops, shouting her happiness to the world.

- Flashback over –

Cause I was riding shotgun with my hair undone
In the front seat of his car
I grabbed a pen and an old napkin
And I wrote down our song

Cody grinned sideways at Sierra as he finished recounting all the events that had led up to where they were right now. "Hell of a ride, huh, babe?"

Sierra nodded. "Yeah... But, I'm glad it was with you."

Cody smirked. "Yes, I do give you one hell of a ride, don't I, baby?"

Sierra swatted his arm and asked in mock seriousness. "Mr. Runnels. Were you making a sexual reference at me?"

"Well, indeed I was, Ms. Piper," he replied in the same manner.

"Hmm," Sierra looked thoughtful. "I don't really know. You're the only guy I've ever been with, so technically, you could suck, and I wouldn't know the difference."

Cody looked indignant. "I'm good, alright?!"

Sierra giggled and leaned on her boyfriend's arm. They sat there in companionable silence, enjoying the drive and the wind blowing through their hair.

As they drove past an open field, the rays of the setting sun warmed their skin and the chirping of birds punctuated the silence in the car.

Cody slipped his hand onto Sierra's thigh and squeezed it lightly. "Baby, do you hear that? It's in everything and everywhere we go."

Sierra looked slightly puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Our song. Our song's playing again."

Realization dawned on Sierra and she smiled contentedly, as she snuggled closer to Cody. "It is."