Disclaimer: I don't own Bloodlines.

A/N: This one is for Zeil lovers :) This if Zoe had gone to the Valentine Dance. It'll be a twoshot.

The Valentine Dance: Part One.

Zoe's P.O.V:

I looked up longingly at the poster advertising the Valentine's Dance. Sydney had said that I should go, that she could hold the fort. Which is actually quite surprising, seeing as she was always encouraging me to become a more dedicated Alchemist. I suppose it is her way of making it up to me for leaving me on my own with those horrible creatures so many times... well, there was one in particular that wasn't as horrible as the rest. Anyway, enough about them! Back to the Valentine Dance, no thinking about them.

But I couldn't. And it wasn't because of Alchemist Duty, it was because I had no date. And there was a slim chance of anyone actually asking me. Especially the one person that I wanted to ask me...

I clutched my books to my chest and continued to walk down the hall. It was the end of the school day, and I really just wanted to go back to my room and get a head start on all of the homework that I had tonight before Sydney came back and lectured me like I was a disobedient puppy. Didn't she see that I was trying my best? We weren't all naturally brilliant like her...

But... first, I had to head to the library and hunt down an Emily Bronte novel.

I entered the library, and pushed open the door forcefully, and ended up dropping my books and tripping when the door swung open. I put my hands out in front of me to break the fall, shut my eyes and braced myself for the impact of the fall.

It never came.

I opened my eyes and realised that I was no longer suspended mid-ground, and that I was shaking like a leaf. Strong arms were wrapped around me, and I held against someone's chest. It was an extremely comfortable position but... I shifted my head to see who my 'saviour' was.

I gasped in surprise. It was Neil. Then I mentally face-palmed myself. Of course it was Neil... what human had quick reflexes like that? My emotions immediately became conflicted between whether I should stay in his arms or not. Whether I should thank him like I meant it or not. The consequences of the first option was sadness and a broken heart, the consequences of the second option was... definitely worse.

I wrenched myself from his arms, which was not an easy task because he was a dhampir (and he was a wrestling champion) and because I didn't want to leave. I took a dramatic step back and crossed my arms tightly. "Thank-you Neil, I mean Mr. Raymond," I said coldly. I knelt down and began to pick up my fallen books, waiting for his reply. I, like many others, was a sucker for an English accent. He didn't answer, just bent down and helped me gather up my books.

"What are you doing here anyway?" Neil asked quietly. I hesitated before answering.

"I need an Emily Bronte novel for English," I answered. "I was hoping that I would find one here." I waved awkwardly around the library.

"Ahh," he said. "You won't find one in here, everyone probably checked them out at lunch after receiving the assignment."

"How do you know that?" I snapped. "My class could be after lunch!"

"Zoe," he blinked. "Princess Jillian is in your class and I escorted her to the library this afternoon."I blushed at this, but also scowled at his big, fancy wording and how it sounded wonderful coming from his mouth.

"Right," I answered shortly.

"Anyway," he continued, slinging his bag off his back. "I have a copy that you can borrow if you'd like." He began to unzip his bag. "I borrowed it from Clarence last month, I was going to return it tomorrow, but it looks like you need it more than he does." He dug around in his bag a bit and revealed a old, battered copy of... Oliver Twist...

"Neil," I laughed. "That's a Charles Dickens book." He paled slightly.

"W-what?" He looked at the cover and went even paler. "Oh no, I got to dash. It was nice talking to you Zoe, Ms. Sa- Ardmore!" And he ran out the door. I shook my head in exasperation. Some people were just stupid. A hopeless case.

. . .

The next morning, I was walking to school. I had refused to wait and take the shuttle bus because Sydney would be on it, and we had had another fight last night. About her disappearances and relationship with her teacher. I stormed off this morning without talking to her, and I was now making my way to school. Infact, I was nearly there when I heard somebody calling my name.

"Zoe! Zoe! Zoe Ardmore!" I turned around to answer the person who apparently wouldn't stop pestering me until I gave in to their whining. A guy in my year, Brian O' Shea.

"Hello Brain," I greeted, already wishing that he would go away. Don't get me wrong, he was cute and everything, but the boy did not have a brain cell in his head for anything unless you counted coming up with insults and pranks...

"Okay, I've heard that you have no date for the Valentine Dance," he grinned. I almost rolled my eyes. Was it that obvious?

"I don't," I said firmly. Please don't make this go where I think this is going.

"Maybe you'd like to go with me?" He smiled hopefully at me. I sighed internally, great, how would I be able to turn him down nicely?

"Yes, that would be great," I found myself saying.

"Cool! Catch you later!" And he ran off, while I mentally berated myself.

Neil's P.O.V:

I had long since learned that Sydney didn't really have a problem with us evil creatures of the night, but she had to keep pretending for Zoe's sake. I wish that Zoe didn't have a problem with us, but of course that was a wish that most likely wouldn't come true. Although... when we were in the library, I knew that she didn't run away immediately when finding out that it was me that had caught her. And she did laugh, and tell me where I went wrong on my report. The whole freaking book. That was an awkward discussion with my English teacher. I didn't know the difference between Emily Bronte and Charles Dickens...

Anyway I wanted Zoe to go with me to the Valentine's Dance, so I checked with Eddie that it was okay to skip the last two classes of school and sneak off campus. Not that I was asking his permission or anything, this was solely in the interest of Jill's safety, and got to work to do something to woo Zoe into going to the dance with me. I had to go to Clarence's, where Zoe and the gang would come to after school, and set up something amazing. Surprisingly Clarence helped - and actually had some pretty decent ideas.

He let me use a spare room, and I scattered in with rose petals (I was a romantic at heart) and additionally had a bouquet of lilies. I had a stack of Emily Bronte (not Charles Dickens) novels incase that she didn't find one yesterday. And to top in all off, a big banner that read: Will you go to the Valentine's Dance with me?

It was perfect, who else would go through this kind of trouble just to make sure that the girl liked it. You don't even see this kind of thing happening for Prom.

I hoped she liked it...

. . .

Zoe had arrived at Clarence's house, and Clarence was hovering beside me excitedly. I guess he really liked this kind of stuff. I walked into the sitting room and smiled stiffly. Thank God that all Guardians were taught to mask their emotions - I had butterflies inside my stomach.

I was planning on how to ask her to accompany me to the room, when she started to talk to Sydney excitedly. "And he asked me Syd, Brian actually asked me. And I know that he's kind of annoying, but he's kind of cute too. So I said yes and..." I couldn't listen to anymore of her excited ramblings. Clarence, who had heard them too, put a hand on my shoulder sympathetically. I guess that my plan would not be going ahead.

A/N: Okay, if you have any prompts / requests, just send them to me in a review / PM. For now I'm only doing Zeil, I might start up Sydrian oneshots later.