Fallen Angel by Liquid Atomization

Chapter 1

OoOoO

"I hate stairs, I hate stairs, I hate stairs!" Darwin muttered to himself for the umpteenth time as he crawled up the never ending spiral stair case. He felt like he'd climbed this very staircase at least six times, and each time it had only gotten longer.

"Why can't she just live on the first floor like most people?" He questioned. She must have some very buff legs."

After awhile, he found the door and leapt for it. Beside himself with excitement, he flung the door open.

"PRINCESS! I've come to rescue you!" he called, arms open, grinning so large that his eyes were squeezed shut. He heard a low gasp of shock and he opened his eyes as the girl turned from the window she seemed to just have been staring out of to face him.

A long purple dress with gold edges flowed around her dainty body and her expression lit up, sparkling with pure joy, red hair dancing around her beautiful face. Then she looked confused.

"Darwin?" she asked, her eyebrows knit together.

"Kayla?" Darwin asked hesitantly. Kayla was...the Princess? Then he realized something and his face fell. "You were expecting someone else."

Kayla's eyes widened. "Oh! Well of course. I mean...yes. But that's-"

"No, it's fine. I understand. Prince Charming...Knights...yeah," Darwin said lamely and Kayla's face softened.

"I'm actually not that surprised. It's not like this is the first time you've come to my rescue," she smiled. "I had actually been hoping..." she trailed off and looked out the window.

Darwin watched her, confused. What had she been hoping? For someone strong? Smart? Someone not him? Gumball even?

He turned back to the door.

"Well. . . you're free now. At least I did that right...so...go ahead and find your prince," he said sadly, walking to the door.

"Oh, but Darwin wait..." Darwin paused and heard her step toward him. A small arm laced with his and pulled, turning him to face her, just inches away. She smiled that sweet smile. "I already have."

Darwin gaped back at her in confusion and she just stared back, enjoying his confounded expression. Then she shook her head, knowing he'd never understand until she simply showed him. She stood on her toes and leaned in, and right as his eyes began to widen, finally catching up, she pressed her lips to his, her eyes shut. His eyes instantly followed, and his hands found themselves on her waist as he kissed her back.

Kayla giggled as she pulled away.

OoOoO

With a groan, Darwin opened his bleary eyes and glanced around the room.

"Well, good morning, Sleeping Beauty," he heard Mandi say as he sat up, rubbing his eyes.

"Mandi?" he asked just to make sure. The tall girl snickered.

"That must've been some nice dream. We've been here for a while," she said and he froze.

"We?" he asked tentatively as his dream flooded back to him.

"Kayla and I. We've been here...what, an hour?" Mandi said and Kayla giggled again. "And you've just been curled up, twitching repeatedly and smiling."

"What were you dreaming about?" Kayla asked.

"Probably rescuing his dearly beloved Princess," Gumball commented as he walked in from the bathroom with his laptop. "Am I right Dar?"

Darwin began blushing and glanced around. The two girls were sitting on Gumball's bed and Gumball was sitting on the floor at the foot of Darwin's.

"Oh, Princess, huh? Well, then, who was she? Someone we know? Or some mysterious out-of-your-league stranger?" Mandi teased and Darwin blushed further. "Is it a new fan?"

"Uhh, you don't know her..." Darwin said quickly and Mandi grinned.

"Oh, really? Then why are you blushing so much? Hmm? I think you just don't want us to know who you like," Mandi teased further and Darwin frowned, his face heating more than he thought possible.

"She must be something else to have Darwin dreaming about one princess and not a whole room of them like Gumball," Kayla commented, smiling.

"Hey!" Gumball chirped, looking up from his screen. "Don't compare me to Darwin."

"That's true. C'mon, Darwin, who is she?" Mandi asked, her curiosity making Darwin even more nervous.

"I can't tell you," Darwin said truthfully this time. After all, he couldn't. He knew he could trust the girls and his brother with anything. But he couldn't go telling them all about this dream. That's all it was, anyways. A dream. It wasn't like he was...in love or anything...right?

He glanced at the girls and saw Kayla was smiling sweetly at him. Ignorant to his turmoil, but still so sweet...and smart...and pretty...and he had to admit, he always had loved her bright red hair...the way it danced when she walked...the way she sometimes let him sleep on her hotel room floor when he had nightmares.

Stop it! Stop it, he told himself. He knew he was being stupid. But then he started thinking again. And he was pretty sure he'd had other dreams where Kayla was the subject of affection. Although they seemed far-fetched, not as detailed...nothing he'd have remembered when he awoke...until now. Until he'd dreamed of a kiss, one that brought everything back to the surface. And his world shattered.

"Darwin Watterson!" a voice yelled and he snapped out of his thoughts and glanced around.

"Eh?" he asked, realizing he'd been staring in the girls' direction.

"I was trying to make sure it wasn't me, because you've been staring over here for a while," Mandi said, rolling her eyes. And Kayla giggled again. A sound that shook Darwin, stirring something in his stomach, that made him feel queasy.

"I...have to go," Darwin said suddenly jumping up and fleeing the room in a rush of wind. The remaining three exchanged glances.

"Um, what's with him?" Mandi asked and Gumball shrugged.

"Probably nervous about returning to Elmore."

OoOoO

"You're being stupid, Darwin," he reprimanded himself. Darwin had managed to find a hiding place in the hotel laundry room, where he could be alone with his thoughts.

"Why is it so hard being me?" He muttered before letting his head fall to rest against his knees and groaning. "What am I gonna do?"

"Darwin?" His eyes snapped open and he looked up. Oh no...he thought as Kayla walked toward him.

"Are you okay?" she asked as he tried to hide behind his knees to conceal the blush that was creeping up on him. What was wrong with him? He'd never blushed this much before!

"Never been better!" he said, trying to flash his usual cheeky grin but knowing he was failing miserably. "Just needed some fresh air is all."

Kayla watched him warily.

"Sure." she said slowly, her disbelief highly evident. He noticed her step closer and froze up. No, no, no. Don't sit down. Don't sit down. Don't-

Kayla slid down the wall to sit next to him and he internally groaned.

"Well...you know you can talk to me about anything, right? I mean...I won't be much help...but I promise I won't laugh like the others," she said giving that sweet, innocent smile once again.

"Er, yeah," Darwin said as he tried to discretely move away. "But, really, Kayla, it's nothing. I just ate some bad food yesterday."

She noticed his scooting and took it the wrong way, her face falling with hurt at the idea that he didn't want to be near her.

"It's me, isn't it?" she asked and he froze. Oh, no... "I'm the one you have a problem with aren't I Darwin? Whatever it is I did, I'm sorry."

He stared at her, both relief and a calm sort of sadness washing over him. What, did she think...he hated her or something?

"Oh, no, Kayla, that isn't it," Darwin said, putting his arms around her and hugging her small frame to him before he could tell himself not to.

Kayla sniffed.

"But...it is me...I can tell...what is it? What's wrong? What did I do?" she asked, looking up at him, hurt and confusion and sadness etched all over her face.

"It's nothing. I'm just...I'm just stupid," Darwin said slowly, and Kayla looked up at him, confused but less sad, less hurt.

Darwin noticed his hug started feeling less necessary and more...tingly. He released her but didn't scoot away this time, afraid of what would happen.

"How are you stupid?" she asked, looking genuinely concerned for him. He gave her a half smile.

"It's...nothing, Princess." he said, his nickname for her slipping out before he could catch the poison.

She watched him for a moment, then something on her expression changed, her eyes lighting up with new information, the way it always had when something had clicked into place. She mouthed the word, "Princess," and he knew he only had seconds before this went too far.

"Um, well, I should get back to my room. Still have to pack and all, you know," he said quickly, getting up and dashing for the stairs. Her dainty hand caught his, however, and he froze.

"Darwin...did you dream about me?" she asked.

Darwin refused to face her, his face slowly turning red once again. He just nodded.

"Was it...as more than friends?" she asked hesitantly. He nodded again. He felt his chest welling with nerves and excitement. What if...what if she didn't take it badly after all? What if she didn't hate him? But felt...?

Her hand slipped out of his and his world came crashing down with two simple words..."That's nice."

Then he was running and didn't look back.