Title: Keep Away from the Windows

LaPaige's Challenge Prompt: #4 – Fairytale

Genre: Camp Rock

Type: Short Chapter Story

Character(s): Caitlyn, Nate

Author: angellwings

Rating: K+


#

Once upon a time in a faraway kingdom
Man made up a story said that I should believe him
Go and tell your white knight that he's handsome in hindsight

-"Fairytale" by Sara Bareilles

#



Ending #1: Naitlyn

Nate was relieved when he found out Shane had talked the label into letting all three of them come back to Camp Rock. This past year he had heard all about how amazing Shane's experience had been, and Nate had to admit that he wanted that. He wanted the musical reawakening that Shane had last summer. There was a knock on the door of the rehearsal cabin he had been hiding out in. He looked up to see Brown giving him a paternal glare.

"Bed, Nate, now," Brown sighed. "I swear between you and Caitlyn I will never get any sleep."

Nate grinned at the older man and began to put up his guitar, "Alright, I'm leaving. I'll be heading back to the cabin now."

"You better be," Brown glared as he headed back out the door.

Nate chuckled as he watched him go. He closed his guitar case and grabbed his flashlight before heading out into the dark summer night. Tonight was a little overcast so the trails were darker than normal, but he had seen that behind those clouds was a full moon. He looked down the trail to the other rehearsal cabins and watched as Caitlyn reluctantly stepped out of one. He smirked as she looked around and hesitantly headed toward a trail. The way she was rapidly moving her flashlight suggested she was feeling a little jumpy and scared. He chuckled. Caitlyn Gellar was afraid of the dark? He would have never guessed that Caitlyn was afraid of anything. He fully intended on just letting her go her own way. Her cabin wasn't far from the rehearsal cabins and was definitely out of his way, but he changed his mind when he saw Caitlyn freeze in mid-stride. He wasn't the kind of guy to let a frightened girl walk around alone at night. His mother had raised him better than that. So he made his way over to her as he got closer he stepped on a twig that snapped. Caitlyn jumped and let out a startled gasp. She quickly turned and focused her flashlight on his face. He held up a hand to block the light out of his eyes.

"Nate?" Caitlyn asked warily. He noticed her voice quivered a little when she spoke.

"Yeah, Cait, it's me. A newly blinded me, but still me," He told her as he reached forward and covered her hand that held the flashlight with his. He aimed her flashlight down at the ground and away from his face.

"Oh, sorry," She said with a nervous laugh.

"Scared of the dark, Caity?" He asked as he blinked rapidly in an attempt to force his eyes to readjust to the darkness.

"Psh! Me? No," She said with all the false bravado she could muster.

"Really?" He asked in amusement.

"I'm fine, really," She said.

"So then you would be okay to walk back on your own?" He asked knowingly. "All alone in this thick blackness?"

She swallowed thickly, "Sure."

"Uh huh, well how about I walk you back to your cabin anyway? For my sake," He grinned.

"If you really want to. I mean I don't need it, but I'm not gonna stop you if you just feel like you HAVE to walk me back," She said with a forced shrug of her sholders. Nate smirked and nodded at her as they began walking down the trail.

"You don't normally walk back to your cabin alone this late do you?" Nate asked in concern.

"No, usually I've got Andy or Barron and Sander with me, but they didn't show up tonight so…"

"I see," Nate said as he felt his right hand grasp his guitar case tighter. He didn't know why. He was glad to hear that she normally walked with someone, but the fact that Caitlyn was so close to so many of the guys here at Camp had been bothering him since he had arrived. There was a sudden rustling from a bush next to the trail. Caitlyn jumped and leaned toward Nate.

"What was that?" She asked shakily.

He smiled softly at her, "Probably just a frog."

"A frog? That was not a frog, Nate. Frogs are not that big! That was a very loud noise!"

Nate quirked an eyebrow at her, "Well, maybe it was a toad? They're rather large."

"Oh yeah, or maybe it was a werewolf," She said dryly.

He laughed, "Wait, are you really scared of the dark because of werewolves?"

She gave him a reluctant side long glance, "I'm NOT scared of the dark, but if I was the fear of werewolves is totally logical."

He suppressed a grin, "How so?"

"Big ferocious man-like wolves have been legends in several cultures for years! Not just fictional characters in Harry Potter and Twilight! While we're on the subject of Harry Potter the Grim would also be a rational thing to fear."

"Wasn't the Grim just a symbol and not an actual creature?" Nate asked with a smirk.

"I personally think that it's a creature and NOT just a symbol," She said with a quivering breath. "And you know, maybe, I heard Ella gushing about Jacob, Taylor Lautner, and full moons earlier today…"

"Uh huh, so you're afraid that you're going to be attacked by Taylor Lautner?" He said as he tried to disguise his chuckle as a cough.

"No, not Taylor Lautner! Jacob! Big difference! Or maybe I'm slightly afraid of Remus Lupin as well…"

"Remus who?" He asked in confusion.

Caitlyn froze and turned toward him slowly, "Lupin. The Harry Potter character…please tell me you've read Harry Potter."

"Does seeing the first movie count?" He asked.

"No!" She exclaimed as they began walking again. "It does not count! How did you go through life without reading those books?"

"Hello? Rockstar. I've been a little busy," he told her.

"So what? They don't have books in Los Angeles?" She asked sarcastically.

"No, they do. I just don't have time to read them," He smirked.

"Oh please! If you have time to go to Taylor Swift's birthday party then you have time to read a book," She said with a roll of her eyes.

He laughed, "Okay, fine, you've got me. I have time…I just choose to do other things instead."

"I can not believe you haven't read Harry Potter. I may have to reevaluate our friendship," Caitlyn said with a shake of her head.

He laughed, "Really? Seriously?"

"Well, not seriously…but it's still unbelievable!"

"If I promise to read Harry Potter will you move on to another subject?" He asked with a smile.

"Fine, but you'll have to pinky swear on it," She told him seriously as she held out her pinky.

"I haven't pinky swore since I was seven," He told her as he stared at her waiting pinky.

"Then I'd say you're long overdue, Nathaniel."

He chuckled and linked his pinky with hers, "I promise."

Caitlyn found herself disappointed when her cabin finally came into view. She'd been enjoying the lighthearted banter. It wasn't often that Nick engaged in a conversation that wasn't about music or politics. At least with her. They stopped outside of her door.

"You know despite my non-fear of the dark this walk home has actually been fun," Caitlyn told him. "It's not often that you and I talk about frivolous things."

Nick's brow furrowed. Was that true? He thought back to all of his conversations with Caitlyn. She was right. He was always talking about music with her.

"You're right," He said in a worried tone. "I guess I need to work on that."

Caitlyn's eyes widened, "I didn't really mean anything by that. I enjoy our regular conversations, but I'm not going to lie to you…it would be nice to see this side of Nate more often."

"I know, but, well, I really enjoy hearing your opinion on music. I respect it, and I know that you're always honest. That's rare for someone who works with an army of suck ups every day," He told her. "I just get so caught up in getting an honest opinion that I forget there are other things we can discuss."

She blushed and glanced down at her feet, "Like I said I really like the conversations we always have. I love talking about music with you, and I don't want to stop doing that but if we could have a few conversations here and there about books and movies I wouldn't complain."

He smiled softly at her, "Neither would I. As a matter of fact I wouldn't complain if we talked about a lot of things."

"Like what?" She asked curiously.

"Like how you would feel about maybe hanging out sometime…just me and you," He said with a nervous grin.

"Like a date-type of hanging out?" She asked with a small shy smile.

"If that's okay with you," He said as he took in a deep nervous breath.

She nodded, "I would love to."

"Great," He said with an eager smile. "And I promise to talk about other things besides music."

"Pinky promise?" She asked. He smiled and linked pinkies with her.

"Pinky promise."

She smiled brightly and then leaned forward and placed a lingering kiss on his cheek, "Thanks for walking me back, Nate. I barely noticed the darkness thanks to you."

"It was my pleasure," He said with a bright smile as he watched her head up the steps. She paused at the door and turned to face him.

"Good night," She said as she walked inside.

"Good night," He called after her just before the door closed. Maybe he should always walk Caitlyn back to her cabin.


Okay I wasn't planning on posting this so soon, but I finished it and I was really excited about it. I'm still working on the Jaitlyn ending, but I hope to have that up soon too. Maybe now since the site seems to be working more people will read and review!

Enjoy!

angellwings