A/N: I'm so glad this story is being so well-received. I've been quite nervous to post it, fearing no one will read it at first due to its content, but apparently you guys have proved my hypothesis wrong. So once again, thank you for reviewing and I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. Just a reminder: Part of this story is written from Ian's perspective, and we all know how childish he can be, so please keep that in mind while reading.

Last but not least, many thanks to Barbiegirl2435 for letting me use 'Haywood' as Ian's last name!

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Scenario nr. 3: As Long As You Love Me

"Ian, I think we should stop and ask for directions." Alexa suggested for what seemed like the fiftieth time in the past two hours ever since they found themselves lost in a big city with street names they could hardly pronounce, let alone memorize.

Ian gritted his teeth. One thing he knew for sure- he didn't like being told what to do, and Alexa was trying his already-limited patience with her incessant requests to 'stop and ask for directions'. Seriously, what's with girls and asking directions? Don't they ever use their instincts? No. There was no way in a million years he would ask for help and make himself look like an idiot in front of complete strangers. Nope, not gonna happen. He could totally handle this.

"Ian…" Alexa drawled. "Don't be so stubborn. You don't even know where we're going. If this continues, we'll only get further away from… wherever we were supposed to meet them. Face it, we're lost."

Lost… No, it couldn't be. He looked around. Buildings. Buildings everywhere. Everything looked the same: Buildings, sidewalks, street lights. Buildings, sidewalks, street lights. It was like an endless maze and unfortunately for them both, try as he might, Ian could not recall the name of the street where they started their long journey. Holy crap, they were screwed.

Curse this gigantic city with repeating buildings and pompous street names.

And it all began as a normal shopping trip around the city proposed by Jeremy's precious girlfriend Liana, who invited him to come along for only one purpose and one purpose only: To be her pack mule. Jeremy, being the good brother he was, kindly reminded Ian he still owed him a favor the last time he saved him from Bertha's claws, and recruited him to help out. But Ian wasn't stupid. He felt Jeremy's true intentions was to set him up with Alexa, this timid little girl.

Well, curse his sad excuse for a twin brother and his girlfriend's shopping spree, because after three excruciating hours of going from one boutique to another, the pair decided to bail on them and leave Ian with fifty pounds of shopping bags and a girl who just would not stop complaining about the unfortunate situation they were in.

Perfect.

"We're not lost," He assured her. "We're just a bit… disorientated. I'm sure that street is only around the corner."

"You're in denial, Ian. Why can't we just ask somebody? There has to be someone who can help us, right?" She insisted.

"I'm not going to… make myself look… like an idiot…" Ian panted, desperately trying to drag the last five shopping bags to keep up with Alexa's pace.

"What does asking for directions have anything to do with making an idiot out of yourself?" She asked, incredulous that he would harbor such a thought. Seriously, what's with boys and asking directions? Don't they ever use their common sense? But of course, to Ian, asking for assistance was something akin to the world ending. The boy was just that weird sometimes.

"Fine, if you don't do it, I will." She bombed him with her ultimatum and strode toward the nearest person she saw: A middle-aged man reading a newspaper.

"No, no, please, don't!" Ian dropped all the bags altogether and bounced in front of her face, blocking her path everytime she tried to avoid him.

"Why not?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest and tapping her feet impatiently.

"Because…" He trailed off, quickly scanning their surroundings once again. And luckily, in a sea of buildings, he saw one that could save his life. A tall, white building with a glowing sign, standing oh so proudly in the dying lights of the day. A hotel. An idea suddenly sparked in his mind.

"Because it's getting dark, and I think we should rest for the night. We can find our way home tomorrow morning," He explained his plan, all the while pointing at the hotel.

Alexa didn't look convinced. "But what about Jeremy and Liana? They'll be worried! And we'll be home before dark if you just let me ask for directions!" The brunette countered. The idea of spending the night anywhere but home didn't sound appealing to her, especially not when she could do something about it.

Ian snorted. "Jeremy and Liana? Worried? Please. Who knows, maybe this was their plan all along." And he knew it was. He trusted his instinct. Unlike some people.

Seeing her disapproving look, however, he sighed. He hated resorting to this.

"Alexa, please, I'm in no mood to fight or walk another two miles trying to find a way home. Please, just for one night? Sure one night spent away from home wouldn't kill you, right? I'm exhausted. Carrying these around is wearing me out," He pointed to the bags at his feet. "And I promise we'll use the hotel phone to call them as soon as we get a room. Now, please?"

Alexa hesitated for a moment. Then she sighed and her expression softened. Sure, it was partially her fault that he was so exhausted. She wasn't much of a help during the shopping trip or the journey to find a way home. The only thing she did was complain. A feeling of guilt plagued her mind, and she surrendered.

"Fine. But only for tonight," She raised her index finger to stop Ian's outburst of happiness. "And you're paying."

"Okay, okay, Your Highness." He said dismissively. Right now, all he wanted was a soft, clean mattress for him to rest his aching muscles on.

As he reached down to pick up the bags, his hands accidentally brushed against a slender arm that gently took hold of some of them, followed by a quiet voice.

"Let me help you." She said, picked up a good number of bags and walked toward the glowing sign of their new sanctuary. Little did she know, their little skin contact had left Ian dazed for a moment.

"Well, are you coming?" She asked, shaking him from his reverie. "Come on, before I change my mind." She added jokingly. Immediately Ian burst out of his daydream bubble and followed her, silently cursing himself for noticing something such trivial.

-x-

"Excuse me," Ian tapped his fingernails on the reception desk repeatedly, trying to get the attention of the woman sitting behind the counter. "We'd like a room, please."

The redhead's attention immediately switched to the pair. She eyed them from head to toe, then spoke gently. "Of course, sir. Your name, please?"

"Ian," He said. "Ian Haywood. I'd like a room for two, preferably with two separate beds."

At that, the woman stopped taking notes and looked at Ian again, this time with an apologetic look on her face.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm afraid we're out of rooms with two separate beds." She informed them. "May I change it to a room with a double bed, then?" She glanced at Alexa, who was slightly startled at the suggestion, and gave them both a questioning look.

"Can't you just add another bed?" Ian asked her.

"Of course we can. We charge extra money for each bed added to a room. Would you like it that way, sir?" The receptionist asked, the surprised look never leaving her face.

Ian took a secretive look at his wallet and winced. He barely managed to have enough money to book this room, there was no way he could afford another bed. And he knew the reason for his shortage of money. Earlier that day, something happened…

"Pst, Ian, can I ask you something?"

"What?"

"Can I borrow some of your money? I just saw this really nice ring and I want to get it for L-"

"What? No way. I'm broke here, mate!"

"Remember the time I paid the rent for you? It was… I don't know, last month, right? You still haven't paid me back."

Yeah. That was how Jeremy successfully robbed one hundred dollars off him. Remind him to crown Jeremy Haywood 'Best Brother On The Planet' when he gets back. Or better, murder him.

"On second thought," Ian answered, snaking a hand around Alexa's waist, "My girlfriend and I think a room with a double bed would be lovely."

"What?" Alexa thought and squirmed slightly, but Ian's pinch on the shoulder reminded her to keep quiet. And so all she did was stand there and watch Ian complete the procedure with the receptionist, the smile never faltering on his face.

-x-

"Why did you tell her I was your girlfriend?" Alexa asked once the door to room 203 had shut firmly behind them.

"Why does it matter so much to you? She's just someone we happened to meet once. Does it matter that I lie to her? Besides, what if she finds out we're not actually together, but still share the same bed, and she calls… I don't know, some kind of organization of women rights here to arrest me?" Ian replied, all the while keeping a stoic face.

"You're exaggerating," She laughed. "She wouldn't do that. Nothing like that would happen."

"So you have no problem sharing this bed with me, then?" He said, pointing at the bed. Alexa's smile immediately disappeared and she blanched.

"Just kidding," He burst out laughing at her worried expression. "I'll take the couch, don't worry."

At that, Alexa was finally able to put her mind at rest. But then, guilt again plagued her mind as she thought about Ian having to carry all those bags and she didn't help even once.

"No, it's fine," She said. "You must be really tired, having to put up with me and the shopping trip you never wanted in the first place. I'll take the couch. Don't worry, I'm a tough girl. I'm not the princess in 'The Princess and The Pea' story. Even if I don't sleep well, one night won't kill me."

"Alexa, now you're the one being stubborn."

"And you, Ian, since when have you become such a gentleman?"

Ian was startled at that. Right, since when had he become so gallant? He remembered clearly how much he had wanted a soft and clean mattress to rest his back on, and now he was willing to give it up? To Alexa?

Strange thing how a simple touch could affect your thoughts, he thought with a smile.

"If we keep fighting like this, neither one of us will get a good night's sleep," He answered her. "I say we stop making such a big deal out of everything. We're tired people, we deserve a break. Let's just jump on this bed and go to sleep."

Alexa laughed again. He had a point. For the first time, she acknowledged that Ian Haywood, of all people, had a point. Why make a fuss over everything?

All worries and fears disappeared, and they got into the bed, exhausted but relieved they finally had a place to sleep.

"You know, Alexa, you're acting quit unlike yourself, too." Ian commented as he lay next to her.

"How is that?"

"I thought you were just a loud mouthed girl, but turns out, you're quite thoughtful when you offered to help me, you know. And when you offered the bed to me, too."

Alexa blushed so much she had to use the blanket to cover part of her face. Then, she suddenly found her heart beating rapidly as warmth spread through her body. Yeah... maybe being with Ian wasn't always that bad.

"Oh, before I forget," She turned to him. "You told the receptionist I was your girlfriend."

Ian sighed. "I thought we already discussed this."

"No, what I mean is… The thought of me being your girlfriend doesn't sound so outrageous to you, right? Otherwise you wouldn't have thought about it and wouldn't have pulled off such a remarkable lie." She smiled at him.

Ian hated to admit it, but he was starting to enjoy being in Alexa's company. She was pretty, kind, clever, sarcastic and at times also quite… energetic, if that's the right word to use in this context. He also hated to admit it, but whatever matchmaking scheme Jeremy and Liana had planned, they obviously had succeeded. At least for now.

"Hm… Maybe," Ian said. "Maybe I like the idea of being your boyfriend,"

"Then why don't we do what the receptionist thinks we're doing right now?" She winked mischeviously at him, and he answered by brushing his lips ever so slightly against hers.

"Agree." He mumbled. "Still, I have a feeling there's still something we needed to do…"

Next to their bed, on the nightstand, was a phone, still completely untouched.

-x-

P/S: Props if you know what Ian and Alexa forgot to do! Again, please review for the sake of Ian-and-Alexa-bonding-chapter and please don't favorite without reviewing! See you next update!