This fic is a 'what if' scenario fic that was born from my over-active imagination. The story picks up right when Candy was waiting for Albert after the argument she had with Mrs. Gloria Bandog, the owner of the Magnolia Apartment, who just gave Candy an ultimatum to tell Albert to leave or face eviction.

Author's Note: Without further ado, please enjoy this new chapter. :)

Per usual, replies from previous comments can be found at the bottom of the page.

Disclaimer: I don't own Candy Candy manga and all the characters in it, but the talented Kyoko Mizuki does. This fic is a product of my own twisted imagination and inspired by Mizuki's masterpiece. If any of the plots, specific scenes, or dialogues appears to be similar to that from another fic or story, it is purely unintentional and coincidental. 'Great minds think alike', after all.

The characterization in the fic is based on the Manga and not the Anime.

Acknowledgement: As always, my heartfelt gratitude goes to my diligent beta readers who have given invaluable feedback and suggestions.

And last but not least, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to read my stories and write a review. Thank you, readers. My sincere appreciation goes to you. :)

Ninety Days

Diverging Thoughts

By forever

Day 27: Reluctant Guardian

After locking the door behind him securely, Albert stepped further inside the dark foyer, stopping momentarily to massage the back of his neck to help provide relief for his tensed muscles. George had not been joking when he had told him that this week they would be buried with work. That was quite an understatement actually! This whole week he had stayed in the office with his assistant reviewing binder upon binder of pertinent documents until past ten o'clock.

Consequently, his schedule had not allowed him to pick up Candy from the clinic, let alone to prepare dinner at home. However, he had been left with no other choice - he just had to perform his duties and obligations, which was one issue that Aunt Elroy would not allow him to compromise. So far, his aunt had kept her side of the bargain by not probing into his private matters, matters related to his life with Candy. Nevertheless, as an added precaution, he had instructed George to maintain a close surveillance on his aunt's movement - just to be certain.

Albert's wandering eyes inadvertently fell on Candy's tall boots that stood against the wall by the corner of the foyer before her bright smile flickered in his mind. He felt awful for neglecting her due to his job. Based on what his trusted assistant had briefed just before they had gone on their separate ways, next week didn't look too promising either. Thankfully, weekend had finally arrived, and now he could devote some of his time for her. He had truly missed their quiet time at night, having dinner and relaxing in the living room or den just chitchatting or reading.

On the other hand, he couldn't deny that there was another part of him that sighed with relief. Ever since the nerve-wracking conversation in the kitchen two weeks ago, when he had nearly abandoned his clear conscience and revealed his true feelings to her, he had become more conscious not only of his burgeoning feelings for her but also of his increasing physical attraction to her. With that awareness at the forefront of his mind, he had at times, whether intentionally or not, limited their interactions, especially when there had been nothing that could divert his mind away from focusing on her.

Yet at the same time, he didn't want to act cold and aloof toward her. In the end, for almost the whole week, it inevitably had become a constant tug of war of the mind as he had to weigh his options every time - to touch her or not to touch her, to talk to her or not to talk to her. So when there had been a sudden change in his work schedule, it had naturally provided an outlet for him. If he were not at home, then they wouldn't have an encounter, which meant that he didn't have to worry about what to do.

This week the only time they could have an opportunity to spend time together had been during their morning commute. But the time had significantly been reduced. Rather than walking to the train station like they usually would, he had opted to utilize the car, which shortened the traveling time to the station by more than half. The main reason for using the car hadn't been for saving time though, but it had been so that he could return late and drove home directly instead of having to make another long trek by foot.

Without switching on the lights, Albert padded on the wooden floor to cross the living area, heading straight to his bedroom, but upon seeing Candy's sleeping form sprawling on the sofa, he stopped right in his tracks. Unable to restrain himself, he approached her gingerly and stood right by her side, his eyes focusing on her face, as the corners of his lips lifted in a faint smile.

Since he and Candy had moved out of the Magnolia Apartment, they had stopped sharing a bedroom as they each had a room now. The truth was that he had specifically asked George to find a house with separate bedrooms for them. Acknowledging how his feelings for her had transformed to beyond normal fondness between friends, he had decided that it would be best for him to keep a safe distance from her by avoiding any unnecessary physical contact and definitely by not sleeping in the same room. As he stared down at her angelic face, he instantly recalled the times in their shabby apartment, when he had stood in the dark watching her sleep before settling down on his own bed.

A sudden crackling sound caused him to shift his attention toward the fireplace hearth, and he saw that most of the wood had burned down into soot and ashes. If he let her sleep outside, she would be freezing and might even get sick because of that. But before he could do anything, Candy slowly stirred from her sleep.

As her lids rose halfway, her sleep-induced mind gradually registered the face looking down at her. "Albert…" Her voice dragged down by drowsiness called out to him.

Seeing Candy's groggy face, Albert couldn't hold back a chortle from breaking out of his throat and hastily put his hand over his mouth to cover his wide smile. "I'm sorry. Did I wake you up?" He withdrew his hand from his face.

"Funny you should ask," Candy quipped with a sleepy voice, letting out a big yawn. She then slowly hoisted herself up to sit on the sofa and rubbed her eyes. "What time is it?" she asked, tilting her head up to look at him.

Instead of answering her, he threw her another question, "What are you doing sleeping outside of your bedroom, Candy? Please don't tell me that you've been waiting for me." He paused briefly as his brows creased in agitation. "You're not worried that I'm going to leave you, I hope. We talked about-"

"No. I trust you," she replied simply, cutting him off.

"Candy…" He was utterly touched by her words. But at the same time, he felt convicted for misleading her to trust him blindly when he still hadn't come clean with her with regard to his true identity.

A sad smile played on her lips. "I've missed chatting with you at night," she admitted. "You've always returned home so late."

Her crestfallen face added more guilt to press down on him. He swallowed hard and gathered his voice. "I'm sorry. It's just that-"

"I know," she quickly jumped in without letting him finish his sentence. "You must be really busy with whatever it is that you are doing." There was a tinge of irony in her tone.

"Candy-"

Noticing Albert's alarmed look, Candy immediately reassured him, "Don't worry. I'm not here to interrogate you." One corner of her lips tilted slightly in a half smile. "I just want to give you something." Right after she had told him that, she bent down and extended her hand to grab a brown package that was lying on the floor, failing to see the astounded look on his face.

While his curious mind couldn't stop guessing what she could possibly want to give to him, he felt uneasy that he had still withheld some facts about himself from her. Aside from mentioning to her that he worked in the Chicago financial district, he hadn't shared much at all. He sat down on the other side of the long sofa and stretched his body over the sofa's arm, his fingers yanking on the chain to switch on the table lamp. Soon, the room was bathed in a soft amber glow radiating from the small lamp on the side table. Now he could spot his pet skunk lying fast asleep in her little corner. He just then noticed that he had forgotten about his sore muscles and exhaustion from the long work hours. Candy obviously had that much effect on him.

"Here." Candy passed the bundle to him, pushing it onto his hands. "It is supposed to be a Christmas present, but I just wasn't skillful enough to have it done by then. And it still looks awry. I guess arts and crafts are just not my forte. I'm more accustomed to using needle to poke at human beings than using it to knit."

While only half paying attention to her, Albert unfolded the top of the brown sack to open it and took out a very long burgundy scarf. His eyes focused intently on the handmade gift as his lips curled upward in pure mirth. "Actually, I think this looks very good - what a nice choice of color!" he exclaimed. "I like it very much. It must have taken you a long time to knit this. Thank you, Candy." He gave her a quick glance, flashing her his pearly white smile, and wound the scarf around his neck.

Candy eyed the hideous looking scarf on Albert's neck as the gaping holes from her poor stitching stared back at her tauntingly. "But… I don't know if you should even wear it, Albert." She paused for a moment before a determined look floated across her face. "You know what? I changed my mind. Please give it back to me-" Her hand moved swiftly in an obvious attempt to snatch away the knitted scarf from his neck, but he caught her hand with ease, holding it tightly in his.

Albert feigned a serious look on his face and told her, "Candy - has anyone ever told you that it's very rude to ask someone to return a gift that you have just given away?" Her gaping caused him to emit a few chuckles. "I'm keeping this," he told her decisively, fingering the wool material of the scarf.

Faint wrinkles emerged between her brows as she continued to persuade him, "But Albert - I promise I'll give you something better."

His ears caught the subtle crack in her voice, but for once, he decided not to relent to her. "Frankly, I don't care about something better - I just want this particular one." His eyes moved slowly to focus on the beautiful emerald orbs in front of him.

When his eyes fell on hers, his train of thoughts suddenly trailed off, his voice fading into a mere whisper, as he uttered, "Only this one… " Without his consent, his gaze strayed downward to fix on her lips.

With her heart thundering furiously against her ribcage, Candy licked her lips unconsciously to calm herself, but unbeknownst to her, the action had only fueled more fire into his carnal instinct, and he had to use all his willpower to subdue that. Swallowing back a groan of frustration down his throat, Albert whirled his head to the side abruptly in an attempt to shake off unwholesome thoughts from his mind.

At that time, he finally noticed that he had been holding her hand all this time without him being fully aware of doing it. Hastily, he dropped her hand as if it had suddenly burned him, forcing a smile on his face to mask his flustered mind, his eyes evading hers. "It's late. We should go to our rooms and have some sleep." The slight tremor in his voice proved that he had not recovered his composure completely. Right at this moment, he wanted nothing but to flee to his room.

It took Candy a few moments to reprocess his words as she stared at him with a half-dazed face while the pacing of her heartbeat had gradually slowed down to normal. "Um yeah…" she weakly mumbled, unable to conceal the disappointment in her voice. Distractedly, she picked up the brown sack from the floor and laid it against her lap, folding it.

She really didn't want to go to her room yet. These couple of days, she had terribly missed his company, and the house had felt cold without his presence. And then… The beating of her heart accelerated again as she recalled his intense gaze from earlier. The way he was staring at me just now that felt like... Was he about to kiss me? She tilted her head to the side slightly, allowing her to get a glimpse of his profile.

No, that couldn't be right though. Why would he do such a thing? She must have imagined things too far. Maybe she did need that sleep after all.

Albert couldn't believe it that he had let go of his control just like that, giving free rein to his emotion to affect his thinking. What had driven him to do that? Had he really about to kiss her? That should not have happened at all! But he couldn't lie to himself. He had really wanted to kiss her earlier, and a part of him even wished he had. However, it would've been an enormous mistake if he had committed the act.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could discern the subtle pout in Candy's face and noted right away that she appeared to be sulking. That wasn't the type of reaction that he expected to come from her, and he couldn't tell what was the reason behind her brooding. Was that because he had suggested they go to sleep now? Without being able to resist the pull of his heart that longed to see her beautiful smile, he pivoted on his seat and faced her, telling her, "Give me your hand, Candy."

"Huh?" Her eyebrows rose in high arches as his request took her by surprise.

Without waiting for her to react, Albert swiftly grasped her hand and pressed the small item that he had just fished out of his pocket onto her palm.

He had purchased the item on a whim last December. Originally, he had planned to present it to her as a Christmas gift, yet due to a reason that he couldn't exactly recall what, he hadn't. Later, he determined that it could be a nice birthday present as well as a meaningful parting memento. He then decided to hold off handing it to her until after her birthday. But after seeing her sullen look, he resolved that now was as good as her birthday.

"Albert - this is…" Candy murmured in astonishment, her green eyes examining the piece of shiny gold-colored object on her hand.

Smiling lightly, Albert explained, "It's a guardian angel pin. It's a reminder for you that wherever you go, there is always someone who will keep watch of you." He had been so tempted to add 'And that someone is me', but in the end he was able to bridle his tongue.

A big grin gradually materialized on her face as she lifted her head to face him. "Albert… Thank you…" Her sparkling green eyes met his blue ones in an affectionate gaze.

Candy...

Then, to his utter shock, Candy abruptly flung herself onto him, her arms embracing him tightly. "Thank you, Albert," she whispered to his ear. "I don't need a guardian angel if I can have you by my side all the time. You are my guardian angel… "

Candy's words caused his wall of defense to crumble in heaps. With that, he brought his arms to wrap around her back slowly, drawing her even closer to him, as he let himself secretly relish the delightful sensations of having her in his arms. The sweet floral aroma that was distinctly hers surrounded his soul. The urge to profess his feelings gradually surfaced from the depth of his mind, invading his thoughts. If he just confessed to her now, then he would finally be free from the agony that had chained him for so long.

But he immediately quelled that thought. Every time he was so close to taking that one step to unveil his true feelings to her, his own fear and conscience roughly yanked him back. There hadn't been any clear signs from her that hinted to him as to how she truly felt for him. It was true that she had always been so sweet and affectionate toward him, but that could be just because she was caring for an older brother, not a man, and that thought pierced at his heart painfully.

When she felt Albert's arms tighten around her, she heaved a contented sigh. It felt so right to her like she truly belonged there in his warm and comforting embrace. That last thought pelted down on her like ice-cold rain, hitting her hard with a new realization that she wasn't sure she knew what to do. When had she started harboring feelings for him that went beyond friendship?

While two different wars continued raging in their minds, Albert and Candy slowly disentangled their arms from each other and exchanged stiff smiles. She then briskly propelled herself from the sofa to stand on the floor and said, "Goodnight." With a fleeting awkward smile, she spun on her heel and walked away from him while he could only let his eyes follow her petite form until she turned the corner, disappearing from his sight. Her words echoed in his mind.

Do you want me to stay by your side as… As what, Candy? I'm not your guardian angel. I'm your… A sarcastic chuckle slipped out of his mouth. I'm just your legal guardian.

Four years ago the decision to adopt her had seemed to be the most logical thing to do, and he had not contemplated twice to sign his name on the adoption paper so that he could save and protect her from the Leagan's spiteful treatment and malicious intent. For a long while, he had not thought there would be a time that he would regret making the decision until now.

xxxxxxxcccccccccccxxxxxxx

Day 36: Inevitable Defeat

With a satisfied grin on his face, Albert closed the oven door slowly. The roast beef was cooking now, and in just less than an hour, dinner should be ready. The house was rather quiet without Candy around. He heaved a loud long sigh and let his mind wander away.

Last week during the time when he and Candy had an impromptu gift exchange had been another close call for him – even worse compared to the one before that when she had questioned about his girlfriend – this time he had about to really kiss her. Fortunately, the week following that had been mostly uneventful for them as he continued to submerge himself with work and had thus succeeded to avoid putting himself in another difficult situation.

But there had been one particular occurrence involving a certain nephew of his, Archibald Cornwell, that had somewhat disturbed his supposedly peaceful week.

On Wednesday morning, his nephew had made an unannounced visit at the Andrews' Headquarter and had practically barged into his office, demanding to see his Uncle William. Luckily, his efficient and sharp minded assistant had been there to handle the dire matter on his behalf. George later had informed him that Archie wanted to talk to his uncle about his uncle's mandate of sending him to Boston to continue his study.

Since the beginning, he had always thought that gaining proper education was very crucial in this era and had ultimately made the decision that Archie should resume his schooling that had been suspended due to the war. He had also learned from George that Archie was not too eager to comply to his uncle's direction because he had wanted to stay in Chicago and attend the local university instead, but in the end Archie had conceded.

As he had found out later from Candy, it turned out that Archie had not only made a surprise visit to his office but his nephew had also showed up at Dr. Martin's clinic during lunch time on that same day. Candy had given him a brief recount of Archie's sudden appearance in the following morning as they had prepared to leave for work.

He had been worried that Archie would find out about their new living arrangement. With Archie having knowledge of their whereabouts, there was the possibility that Neil might chance upon the information, which could certainly spur his curiosity that could easily lead to an undesirable result for Candy – something that he definitely didn't want to deal with. But from Candy's story, it didn't appear that his nephew and his friends had inquired anything about that.

Apparently, Archie, Annie, and Patty had come to notify Candy that they all would leave Chicago very soon due to various reasons. Archie would go to Boston to attend the university while Annie and her parents would move to New York as the Brightons began a new business venture there, and Patty would return to Florida to live with her grandma who had been ill recently.

The creaking sound of the door being opened and Candy's lively voice interrupted his quiet moment of recollection. She was finally back from taking a walk in the woods with Pouppe. He had declined her invitation earlier, claiming that he had to prepare dinner, which had been the truth, of course.

Shifting his attention back to his cooking, he bellowed, "Candy - could you please help with setting up the table?"

"Sure, Albert. I'll do that." He heard her voice respond in a high pitch yelling.

"It smells delicious. What are you cooking tonight, Albert?" Candy asked eagerly as she stepped closer toward him. "Wow!" she exclaimed in amazement when her eyes fell on the plates filled with dishes that were spread out on the counter. "You have really outdone yourself, mister. We're going to have a feast tonight. Thank you." A gracious smile was displayed on her face before she turned on her heel and walked past him, moving toward the pantry.

Albert returned her smile with a grin. "You're very welcome." A few seconds later, the grin vanished completely as a rueful look was etched on his face. "I'm sorry that I haven't been around that much to do any cooking lately-" He abruptly stopped his talk when he saw her holding a peculiar looking object that she had just retrieved from the shelves in the pantry. Upon further inspection, the object did resemble a bottle bundled in a thick roll of parchment.

"What's that?" he asked curiously, pointing toward the object with his chin.

Candy lifted her eyes to look at him and noticed the inquisitive expression on his face. "This?" Raising the item in the air for him to see, she explained, "Oh, this is a housewarming gift from Dr. Martin. You forgot already? He told us that we should serve this as soon as possible."

Carrying the bottle in her hand, she approached Albert's side and placed the bottle gently on the solid counter. She then raised herself on her tiptoes and reached for the brass handle of the hanging cupboard above her, but before she could even touch it, his long fingers had latched onto the handle, pulling the cupboard door open.

Unconsciously, she let her eyes travel to his hand and follow the length of his roll-up sleeved arm up to his side profile as he was taking out two sets of dinnerware and two glasses from inside the cabinet, laying them one by one on the wooden countertop. When he suddenly whirled his head toward her, she was caught by surprise and managed to quickly conceal it by casting him a grateful smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied while swinging the cupboard door to a close.

Promptly, she pulled open the drawer right next to her and grabbed the essential eating utensils along with a bottle opener.

All the while, his mind had begun the process of recalling yesterday's event when Dr. Martin had come to visit them, but anything about a gift or a drink just didn't ring familiar at all. "I just don't remember he brought anything yesterday. When I came back from the store, you-" Albert ceased his talking right away when he found that Candy hadn't been listening to him but had been tinkering about with the bottle and the opener instead. "Are we going to drink that? Are you sure?" he asked.

She brushed aside his troubled look with a half mocking grin. "Why not? He told us that his special cocktail would taste at its best if we drink it right away."

He passed her a disapproving look. "Candy-"

Sending him an assuring smile, Candy rationalized to appease him, "Relax, Albert. It's from Dr. Martin." Her green eyes twinkled with teasing gleams. "You don't think he's going to poison us or anything like that, right?" she inquired in a playful tone, her soft giggles trailing her words.

Albert was about to say that the fact it was from Dr. Martin made him more wary but resorted to just keep his mouth shut, letting her do as she pleased.

"Do you need help carrying those?" he asked when he saw Candy clutching the gift from Dr. Martin under her arm while lifting the stack of ceramic plates with metal utensils and drinking glasses on top, bracing to secure them against her chest.

She shook her head and replied, "No – it's fine. Thank you." Shrugging off his unsure look with a smile, she stepped away from him and moved toward the dining room.

Trying not to dwell too long on the issue, Albert redirected his focus on the tasks of completing their dinner. Maybe he had overreacted just a tad.

Once Candy ascertained that Albert's attention was entirely away from her, the smile on her lips receded. Carefully, she lowered the fragile load onto the table and gripped the bottle by its neck, holding it firmly in her hand before putting it on the table. Then, with one hand, she pulled a chair away from the table and settled to sit on it. She inhaled deeply and released a long sigh to allay her taut nerves.

Ever since she had been aware of her growing fondness toward him, she had turned more sensitive to everything pertaining to him and had unwittingly become fascinated by every little detail. The slightest movement, a twitching of an eyebrow, a near imperceptible curving of lips, and a subtle clenching of jaws had not gone unnoticed by her. There was also his voice that was warm and rich and could reverberate all the way into the deep crevices within her heart. Even her sense of smell was not immune to him. While the sound of his gentle voice evoked soothing sensation within her, the fresh scent emanating from him aroused her sense of awareness.

All in all, it would be practically impossible to ignore his presence when three of her senses were wholly in tuned to him. How could she have missed the fact that the man, whom she had known for quite some time now and who had been living with her for more than a year, was very attractive in every sense of the word?

Nowadays, she could easily get sidetracked just by inadvertently looking right into his striking blue eyes. Just right now, in the kitchen, her mind had strayed away as she had caught herself assessing how strong his firm arm was.

In the past, she had never thought twice before flinging herself into his arms, but now with her newfound feelings, she had been more conscious of her demeanor in front of him. But still, rather than being her normal self, it had seemed easier to act all bubbly and carefree to disguise her nervousness. And that strategy had worked wonderfully when they were not within proximity of each other. But once she overstepped the invisible boundary, her exuberant facade would fall apart within seconds.

The evolution of her feelings was quite obvious by now and perfectly explained the reason behind her frantic heartbeat phenomenon. Nevertheless, she wasn't sure she wanted him to figure out that her perception of him had changed considerably, and there were many reasons that convinced her that it would be best if he didn't know anything at all. Deep down in her heart, she couldn't deny that there was a part of her that wished he would share the same feelings.

However, the rest of her was consumed by uncertainty and fear. Until now, even though the frequency and intensity had diminished greatly, her heart still throbbed with dull pain every time she recalled Terry and their bittersweet separation in New York. With that in her mind, she didn't think she would be strong enough to cope with another painful separation from someone whom she truly cared for. She had already accepted that Albert wouldn't be here for too long – he had been very clear about that. And that fact alone had implied to her that he wouldn't have a difficult time parting from her. She deduced that he most likely only saw her as his younger sister, conceding to extend his stay just because he took pity on her.

Although she definitely hadn't thought of him as her older brother now, that had been the case in the beginning. Maybe, if she could revert her feelings and treated him like her older sibling, everything would turn okay in the end, and her heart would be spared from being broken again. If things could be that simple…

Absentmindedly, Candy rotated the bottle from Dr. Martin on the table with her hand as she began to ponder. Drinking alcohol was commonly known to be a very effective way to relieve stress. Perhaps, she should get a sip of the drink to relax her mind a bit, so she could purge Albert out of her thoughts at least for tonight. Without thinking twice, she filled her glass with the dark liquid from the bottle. She lifted the glass with her hand, bringing it closer to her mouth. The distinct stringent smell of alcohol, which reminded her of the antiseptic agent from the clinic, wafted into her nose.

Then, with clear resolution on her face, while shutting her eyes tightly, Candy swigged the content of her glass quickly. The effect was instantaneous as the liquid left a dry and bitter taste in her mouth and a burning sensation in her throat. Only seconds later, she started to feel slightly lightheaded. The claim had not been a lie after all. She did begin to feel blithe as her eyes followed the outline of his broad back moving across the kitchen. Just a little more sip then I will be back to my happy self.

It was about fifteen minutes or so later when he heard her voice ask, dispelling the quietness that had encompassed them for some time while he had been busy in the kitchen preparing their meals, "Albert - is dinner going to be ready soon?"

Without turning to face her, he relayed to her, "It should be any minute now. I'm just waiting for the roast beef to be done."

A loud hiccup slipped out of her mouth before she could finally say, "Oh, okay. I was going to take a rest, but-" Her speech was hindered by another hiccup. "Never mind." To alleviate the sudden hiccup attack, she took a quick gulp from her mug.

Albert immediately noticed that there was something peculiar about her. "A rest? Are you okay, Candy?" His head spun toward the dining room area.

Candy cast him a goofy look and told him, "Nothing to worry about, sir. I'm just beginning to feel a little dizzy - that's all." A rather strong hiccup caused her to spring up off her seat. "Drats! This hiccup can be quite annoying," she muttered and took another sip of the dark liquid from her glass. Lifting her head, she saw a pair of concerned blue eyes looking down at her, and she grinned widely. "This stuff is really good! I should ask more from Dr. Martin."

Observing her red face, he was suddenly filled with apprehension as his suspicion had been confirmed. "Candy - I think you're drunk. How many sips have you had?" His sight traveled to the nearly empty glass on the table.

"Errr… Let's see… Um… One, two… " Candy slurred her answer as she appeared to be in deep concentration counting with her fingers, and then she giggled loudly. "I don't remember, but I think I just poured myself another serving. But does that really matter? You want some?" She lifted the bottle to show it to him, agitating it in her hand.

"That's it, young lady! You cannot have any more of this stuff!" Albert swiftly took the bottle and glass away from her.

"Hey!" she yelped in protest. "You're no fun! I'm not a little kid anymore you know. I'm going to be eighteen this coming May."

Albert ignored Candy's grumbling and said in a stern tone, "I have to get back to the roast beef now. Please wait here - it will be done very soon." Without waiting for her response, he strode back to the kitchen. "Tomorrow, I'm going to have a nice chat with our very generous doctor."

He couldn't believe that Dr. Martin could do such a foolish thing, giving them a bottle of liquor, especially knowing how low her alcohol tolerance level was. Why couldn't he give them something less harmful, like a tea set? Regardless of that though, Candy should have known better and restrained herself. There was no valid reason that could explain her reckless behavior just now that was completely uncharacteristic of her. Is everything fine with her? It appeared that he needed to speak with her tonight if he wanted to know the answer.

After a few minutes had elapsed in complete silence, Albert became anxious, especially when he caught sight of Candy's hunched form with her head leaning against the table, her face hidden behind her folded arms. He then hurriedly fetched the pan with the roast beef resting on it out of the small oven and placed it on the countertop. Once that was done, he walked briskly toward the dining room.

"Candy… " he called out softly, but there was no response from her. He then repeated with a louder voice, tapping her back slightly, "Candy." Watching her stagnant form, he released a long sigh and smiled wistfully. "She has fallen asleep," he concluded resignedly.

Without deliberating too long of what to do, he effortlessly scooped up her slender form into his arms and carried her to her bedroom. Once inside her room, he took her to the bed, lowering her gently onto the mattress. Then he moved to the foot of the bed and worked fast to slip her shoes off her feet.

"Albert?" Her weak voice caused him to cease his movement at once, and he brought himself to stand up to his full height, facing her. The pair of green eyes staring at him was a solid proof that she was fully awake.

"Shhhh… It's okay," he told her, remaining on his spot. "Just take a rest for now. I'll save the dinner for later." He threw her a comforting smile before pivoting on his heel to make his way out of her room.

"Albert… " she whimpered. "Please don't leave me…"

Albert halted his steps abruptly, slowly turning his head over his shoulder to look at her.

"Please stay… " Her voice was nothing more than a breathy whisper laden by desperation.

Was it her voice that was on the verge of crying, or was it her eyes that stared at him with fear reflecting in them that caused his chest to constrict in pain? The answer didn't matter anyway as either of them felt like a cord knotting tightly around his heart. After a few seconds of contemplation, he slowly approached her and sat down on the narrow space next to her on the bed. "I won't… " he uttered in a deep murmur as a reassuring tender smile formed across his lips, his eyes traveling to her face. The moment their eyes shared a gaze, he felt his affection for her amplify in folds as his whole being vibrated with deep yearning for her.

Then, before he could stop himself, his hand had already brushed tendrils of silky blond locks away from her face, his fingers moving gently against the smooth skin on her cheek. He instantly recalled that this wasn't the first time he had carried her to the bedroom as a similar scene when they had lived in the Magnolia Apartment replayed in his mind. At that time, he had wiped the tears away from her face. Now, however, there were no tears on her face. As he let his hand glide on her soft skin in a light caress, he made a promise to himself to fight anything that could steal the joy out of her.

He flinched slightly when she suddenly placed her hand on top of his that was touching her face and immediately searched her eyes, trying to determine what was on her mind, only to find her eyes smiling back at him.

The next thing he knew, small fingers from her other hand grazed along the side of his cheek. As the delicate tips of her digits ran languorously against his skin, he didn't dare to make even the slightest move while holding his breath, his pulse quickening.

Delighting in the pleasant sensation that was generated by her curious exploration, he felt his conscience slipping further and further away. He wasn't even aware that her other hand, which earlier had been pressed against his on her face, had been on his nape until he felt the downward tug toward her. Soon enough, the distance between them had significantly shrunk, their noses bumping lightly.

It had been too late to retreat because in a fraction of a second later, their lips met in a very brief touch. By now, his coherent mind had been completely impaired. So when she pressed her lips firmly onto his, he reciprocated at once, kissing her back with all the pent-up passion and repressed longing, all his feelings gushing out of the deep well of his heart, before the realization of what he was actually doing struck him hard, sending him reeling in sheer panic.

Albert jerked away from Candy in an instant, breaking away any type of physical contact. As he stayed frozen on his spot, his labored breathing echoed loudly in the quiet room. His fingers moved to touch his lips briefly. Dear Lord! What have I done? Guilt and shame eroded his conscience mercilessly as he felt himself falling apart.

Swallowing the huge lump in his throat, he mustered all his courage. "Candy," He began, his timbre wavering. "Please forgive me, I…" Turning his head slowly toward her, he forced himself to face her. "I… " Just then he noticed that her eyes were closed. When the sound of her regular breathing reached his ears, he breathed a long sigh of relief. She was fast asleep. He couldn't tell whether he should laugh or cry now.

After giving one last quick glance at her serene sleeping face, he bounced off her bed and hastily exited her room.

Once the door was shut to a click, Albert just stood there staring blankly with his back facing the door. As he soaked in the reality of what he had just done, his mind spontaneously relived the heavenly feeling evoked by her soft lips against his. But before his mind veered off completely, he banged the back of his head against the hard wooden door, hoping that the pain could sober him. What have I done? How could I let it escalate too far? He couldn't stop berating himself for his thoughtless action as he was thoroughly appalled at himself for taking advantage of her inebriated state. He should've known better! Initially, he hadn't planned to dawdle in her room at all, but when he heard her voice… He laughed mockingly at himself. I'm such a hopeless man.

When he had made the decision to stay, he had never envisaged that something like this could have occurred at all. Now, with approximately seven more weeks to go before his ninety-day agreement with Aunt Elroy expired, he finally realized that he was just like any other man, who didn't stand a chance to win a battle against his own desire. A simple touch from her had been all that was needed to undo him. Just like that, his ability to rein in his feelings had been severely crippled. He didn't even want to think what might happen next from this point on.

What would happen when she woke up tomorrow? Would he still be able to continue living with her? Would she remember? If she did, how would he explain? He was nowhere near ready to bare his heart to her just yet. On the other hand, if she couldn't recall at all, how could he continue living with her and pretend that the kiss hadn't happened while the taste of her delicate sweet lips still lingered on his mouth? None of the possible scenarios could make him feel at ease, and he felt like he was being pushed into a tight corner. Yet he had no one but himself to blame for bringing this predicament. How much longer could he endure tormenting himself like this?

It would be so much easier to just walk out and end everything now. His aunt would be absolutely thrilled and would welcome him back with opened arms, but then, along with the demise of his dignity, shame and guilt would shackle him for the rest of his life.

No, he would stay. He had made that promise with Candy a month ago, and she deserved so much more than just his empty words. If, in the end, she truly wanted him to leave, then there would be nothing else he could do but grant her wish. The painful sting of rejection would surely leave a permanent scar in his heart, just like the deep impression made by a lion's sharp claw on his chest. Truthfully, he was not ready to be afflicted with another wound either physically or emotionally. He could only hope that the blow wouldn't be too hard on him.

To Be Continued

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I would love to know what you think. So, please don't hesitate to send me your feedback. -forever-

Author's Remark: How will Candy react? Will she remember? Are they going to become a couple soon? Is he going to reveal everything to her? Stay tuned for the next chapter. -forever-

I do have one request. I'm sure most of you are aware by now of the change with the reviewing system. When you write a review as a guest, I would truly appreciate it if you could specify yourself using any random ID you may or may not have used in the past. That way I can refer to you personally when I reply to you instead of just using the generic term 'guest'. Thank you again for reading my story. -forever-

References/Notes: In most states in the US prior to Prohibition 1933, there was no such law that governed minimum age to purchase alcohol beverage and the same applies to minimum alcohol drinking age. The legal minimum drinking age law in the US was enacted in 1984.

Replies to comments:

Charmichan - Thank you for your kind words. I'm glad you thoroughly enjoyed the story. Well, I hope I can continue to deliver.

Guest - I agree. Albert and Candy deserve and belong to be together. Thank you for following my story.

lhbarba - Thank you. I'm glad you find this fic entertaining.

Lezti Bella - Thanks, sweetie. I hope you'll continue to find this intriguing.

Guest - Don't worry, dear. I'm going to continue until the end. ;) Yes. Albert and Candy are clearly in that phase of uncertainty, but it's going to be difficult for them to curb their feelings. Well, Albert certainly hasn't done a good job. ;) Will they overcome that soon and be together? We'll see.

Guest - I'm glad you like their new place. I just have this picture of them living in the country side in a small cottage. :) Albert wasn't pissed though he was just frustrated. His answer was very clear to her, so she should be convinced by now that he's not married.

rowelorena - I'm very glad that you like this story and find it entertaining. And you're in luck. :) You don't have to wait too long for this chapter. I hope you enjoy reading this chapter too.

Guest - You don't have to wait 3 months this time. :) And I hope you find this as intense.