Disclaimer: I don't own HSM

A/n hope you guys like this :) it's my first Ryan/Kelsi fic. It turned out completely different than what I thought, which hopefully is good.

Forever In your heart

It was a cold and rainy Sunday and for Kelsi Nielson the weather was appropriate for the day.

Thunder clapped in the distance and Kelsi stared out the window, glancing sadly into the garden where her best friend and constant companion now lay at rest.

Her phone rang suddenly from across the room, this was the third time in an hour and this time Kelsi forced herself to get up and answer it.

"Hello" she whispered.

"Kelsi I've been trying you for ages I need help, my lucky hat shrunk in the wash and now it's either the red one of the checkered green I have to choose from for the auditions tomorrow, can you come over and help me decide".

Kelsi scratched her head.

"Now's not a great time Ryan"

This time sensing his friend's sadness

"Is everything ok Kels"? He asked.

Getting no answer he asked again

"What is it"?

"Shadow passed away this morning"

He immediately pictured Kelsi faithful old gray cat.

"I'm so sorry Kelsi, " he said sincerely

"Thanks, he was pretty old"

"Do you want me to come over"?

"Well" she paused and jumped slightly at the second clap of thunder.

She sighed, " I think there's going to be a storm"

Ryan scoffed " You think some little storm's going to keep me away"

Kelsi gave a small smile.

"Don't be ridiculous Ryan, you can't walk all the way over to my house in the pouring rain"

"I'm on my way" the phone clicked and Kelsi hung up.

"His crazy"

15 minutes later Kelsi met her friend at the door a clean warm towel in hand.

A shivering Ryan accepted it gratefully.

"Didn't you have an umbrella"?

Ryan sneezed and shook his head

Kelsi folded her arms "Great now your getting sick and it's all on my account"

"I'm fine Kelsi" he replied, sneezing once more.

"I'll get you something of Danny's to wear". She rushed up to her brother's room and grabbed a pair of jeans and a polo shirt.

While Ryan changed Kelsi made two hot cups of coca and the friends sat down together on the couch.

"You sure your brother won't mind me borrowing his stuff?"

"No it's fine"

They sat in a comfortable silence, Ryan's arm wrapped around Kelsi's shoulders.

Kelsi breaths became quick and short at the sudden touch. Ryan, although her friend, had never done this before, and not quite believing this, Kelsi felt comfortable and comforted by his gesture.

"Hey, are you ok"? He asked

"Yeah, just kind of sad"

Kelsi snuggled down more and tentatively rested her head against his chest.

"I know he was old its just I can't imagine him not being around anymore"

Ryan nodded

"I know, but see Shadow will never be completely gone, he'll always be with you, in you heart in your memories"

Kelsi smiled "that's for sure"

"I know I'll never forget him" Ryan shuddered "And the hundred's of times he scratched me, remember that time in the front yard when we were kids he practically flew at me and got me in the face, seven stitches" Ryan rubbed his cheek thoughtfully.

"I swear that cat had something against me"

Kelsi punched his shoulder. "Maybe it was your hats" she joked.

"Nah I think he felt threatened"

Kelsi giggled "Oh come on"

Ryan nodded in all seriousness "Yep, was probably scared I was going to take his girl away from him"

Not sure how to reply Kelsi stared at the blank television screen.

Ryan was acting rather oddly, but then again, she was suddenly feeling rather odd herself, when she found herself staring at his lips.

"Kelsi?"

She shook her head "Hmm"

"What are you thinking about"?

Wondering what it'd be like to kiss you

"Just that I'm glad that you're here" she covered up.

What the heck am I thinking?

"Me too"

It must be the weather. I mean I've see this scene to many times in those terribly romantic movies all we need now is a black out.

Kelsi cringed when she heard another clap of thunder and groaned as the lights went out.

"Do you have candles"? Asked Ryan, unfazed by the surrounding darkness.

Kelsi stood up unsteadily, "Yeah in the kitchen cupboard, I'll go get them"

With her hands out before her to try and prevent from bumping into anything, she slowly made her way to the kitchen.

Once she finally found her way in there, she had a little light coming in from the window, while not much she was able to get to the cupboard and grab two candles and matches. She set everything on the bench and lit the match to light the candles.

Walking back into the living room, she sat down once more, this time a little further away from Ryan and placed the two candles on the table in front of them.

"So" said Ryan unsurely "What now"?

Kelsi shrugged

"We could talk" Ryan suggested, then felt dumb afterwards, cause that was all they could really do.

"Ok" Kelsi agreed

" So…." Ryan paused "How's that thing with you and Jason going"?

"Jason"?

"Jason Cross, that guy you shot a few hoops with"

"Oh" replied Kelsi faintly remembering

"Are you guys going out"?

"What!" exclaimed Kelsi.

"Well it's just when I saw you in the gym a couple of weeks ago I just assumed…."

"Well you assumed wrong, besides if I were going to date someone you'd be the first to know, as if I'd keep something like that from you, you're my friend"

Ryan muttered something that Kelsi couldn't hear

"What was that"?

"Nothing" answered Ryan quickly.

Kelsi sighed, He had been doing that to much lately, about to say something and then pause and ignore her making her feel shut out and she didn't like that feeling at all.

"If you have something to say Ryan," she said softly "Just say it"

"Huh"?

"If Sharpay's giving you a hard time I'll understand".

"What"? Kelsi no, you're a good friend, I always wanted us to be friends, but your right, Sharpay has been saying stuff"

Kelsi held her breath great here it comes, just grin and bear it.

"I don't want us to be friends"

And there it is, straight-out and blunt. Kelsi's heart sunk even more. This had happened before, but why did this hurt so much more.

Was it possible for this day to get any worse?

Ryan shook his head realizing how he had worded it

"What I meant to say was" Ryan gulped "I want us to be more than friends"

Kelsi gasped and the lights suddenly flickered back on.

Ryan's face was somewhat closer and Kelsi found herself staring into his blue eyes.

Had he really just said what I thought he said?

Kelsi cocked her head to the side, remembering the question he had asked about Jason and how she had thought the exact same thing when she saw Ryan and Taylor talking the other day.

Kelsi smiled

Ryan you and I are more alike than what I thought

"I want that too"

She leant over and hugged him.

He had always been there for her, how could she have thought he was going to leave her now?

Kelsi relished in the feeling of his arms wrapped around her.

In some weird way Shadow had brought them together.

She pulled back and gave Ryan a quick kiss on the cheek.

Feeling more confident than he had felt before, he pulled her back

"You missed"

Before she could respond he had pulled her into a kiss.

And it was with that gesture that Kelsi realized

Ryan was the only constant person in her life. He had always been in her heart, and he always would be.