Parti-ED Out

By Brenna "Snakelady" Dawkins

Part IV

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Danny Antonucci, aka Cartoon, and Cartoon Network. I own nothing. Nothing I tell you! No money was made from this fic.

Rating: R

Summary: A high school graduation party goes bad and causes two long time cul-de-sac enemies to see each other in a new light. Eddy/Sarah

"I'm so sleepy." Sarah yawned widely as she still lay in Eddy's lap.

"Um…" Eddy really wasn't sure what he should do with her. Despite all his boasting, he really had no idea what to do around girls.

She stretched tiredly and looked up at Eddy from her vantage point. He had that same worried look on his face as he peered down at her. "Will you hold me all night?"

Eddy froze. "Uh… y-you mean here? In my bed?"

"Well, where else?"

He hooked a shaking finger under his collar and tugged at it, suddenly finding it very hard to breathe. "S-s-sure. Don't see wh-why not."

"Eddy." She admonished him quietly. "No funny business is going to happen… right?"

"R-right! No funny business. I swear!" He threw his hands up as if in his usual position to fend her off of him.

She crooked a small smile and sat up. Why was he so nervous around her? Was it the whole kiss thing? Was that it? Was he afraid she was going to kiss him again? It panged her a bit to think that he hadn't been as into the kiss as she had hoped. Well, after what happened at Kevin's there was no way she was going to go groping after another guy any time soon, even if it was her new crush. So Eddy could rest assured that she wasn't going to go Leigh Kanker over him that night.

Maybe that was the whole problem, she thought mildly of the trailer trash terror. If she wanted him, she should proceed with all due caution. Sure she'd have to drop hints along the way, really big ones because, well, Eddy was a guy and needed all the help he could get, she surmised. If Leigh had gone slower things might've been different between her and Eddy. Right now Sarah was glad things were the way they were, however.

So the fiery red head teen slid herself back until she was at the head of the bed. Eddy was watching her with overtly nervous eyes from his safe spot. He watched as she peeled back his covers and slid under them and then rested her head on his pillow. He sat there transfixed.

"Eddy…" She said softly, encouragingly.

Taking a moment more to gather what was left of his wits, Eddy kicked his shoes off and awkwardly crawled over beside Sarah. He wasn't sure if he should get under the covers with her until she made that decision for him by drawing them down on what was to be his side. He was trembling slightly when he negotiated himself under the covers. Sarah flipped the covers back up over them. He hesitated in putting his scrawny arms around her. He was further baffled when she turned on her side to face him. He had figured that she'd have her back to him and they'd spoon that way, however it appeared she had other intentions. She snuggled up against his chest, head under his chin and arms folded between him and herself. Sarah felt his heart beating all too rapidly and she wondered why since she figured he was not romantically interested in her. She couldn't blame him for it either. She had been such the hellion back when she was younger!

Familiar stinging in her eyes told her more tears were on their way, but it wasn't because of what had happened at Kevin's. It was for the rift she had carved between herself and Eddy. Whom was she fooling, she thought to herself. It wasn't a rift, it was a canyon! She couldn't keep her body from trembling because of the tears. Her face was pressed up into Eddy's shirt as she cried silently. She felt Eddy finally put his arms around her and she cried even more.

He pulled her in close, concerned at the new batch of tears. He tried to make himself relax. He figured if he couldn't relax then there was no way that Sarah could. Once he made himself concentrate on the problem at hand he finally did relax and gently rubbed Sarah's back.

Eddy had never really comforted anyone before. He felt completely out of his element. Was he doing her any good at all? He couldn't imagine that he was. After all he was supposed to care about no one but himself, right? Guiltily he clung to her, letting his hands roam her back in slow, gentle strokes. He began to murmur what he hoped to be consoling words to her quietly. It was some time until her shaking ceased and he felt her go quiet. He sighed with relief and tried to keep out the thought that he was holding a rather pretty girl in his bed. It wouldn't do either of them any good for him to take advantage of her. She'd hate him then, well, more then she usually did, anyway and that bothered him enough to keep on acting the gentleman.

Sarah woke up once during the night to the sound of Eddy's steady breathing. They hadn't moved all night, she noted as they were still in the same position they had started out in. She smiled a bit and pulled back enough so she could see his him. She was surprised at the fondness she felt while gazing at his face in repose.

He looked so different when asleep. It was the sort of look that made you wonder how you could have ever been mad at them in the past, sort of like looking at a sleeping cat. Daringly, she leaned in close enough to give him another kiss on the lips. This one was very slight and she quickly pulled away expecting to get caught in the act. But he slept on, though a soft smile now appeared on his face. He murmured something unintelligible and pulled her close, nuzzling his face into her chest. She tensed for a moment before realizing he was still asleep and she smiled and put her arms around him this time eventually falling back asleep herself.

It was morning when Eddy woke. Was he tangled in his blankets again because he couldn't move as freely as usual and his breathing was a bit hampered by something partially covering his mouth. Also one of his eyes felt all puffy and sore, not to mention the rest of his head, or the fact that his gut felt like he'd been gored by an angry bull. His eyes fluttered open and he realized he wasn't alone in bed. It took his muddled brain a few moments to recall the events of the night before. He shut his eyes again.

He should have known he'd really be feeling Kevin's attentions in the morning. His body felt stiff all over. He groaned pitifully and leaned forward again, pressing his face against something soft as he did so.

"Eddy? You all right? You don't sound too good."

Despite one eye being very bruised and swollen, both flew open at the sound of Sarah's voice so close. He tensed then realized what the soft thing that he had his face buried into was. He blushingly pushed himself away from between her breasts and felt her release him which confused him, hadn't he been the one holding her at the start of last night?

"Sarah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" Eddy's voice was full of panic. The dreams from the previous night had felt so real. He hadn't… done… anything to her, had he?

She looked at him quizzically. "Didn't mean what, Eddy? Oh, look at yourself! We need to get something for that eye of yours."

Eddy took a few deep breaths and finally calmed his thudding heart. So he hadn't taken advantage of her like he had in his dream. He sank back onto the mattress with relief. He wasn't a complete cad!

"Geeze, Eddy. You act like you just got up from a nightmare."

It took him a moment to respond. "I had." Even though it had been a dream, he felt guilty for it. "Um… how did you sleep?"

"I feel much better, thanks. You know… I actually felt… well… safe."

Eddy blinked. "With me?"

She nodded. "With you."

A timid grin appeared on his face and he looked at her shyly. "Wow."

Sarah basked in that look. She recognized that special look. It was the one the boys usually reserved for when they talked to, or rather, TRIED to talk to Nazz. She was also confused though. Did he or didn't he like her? Eddy wasn't the sort of guy who up and said so. Sure he said what was on his mind most of the time but not when it came to girls. She grinned back at him feeling shy now. How she wanted him to kiss her!

"Um, if it's okay with you, I'm going to clean myself up." Eddy finally managed after a long bout of silence.

"Oh…" She said disappointed in his lack of romantic action. "I guess I can get you an ice pack for your eye."

"Thanks. Ugh… my ribs!" He moaned as he slid off the bed.

"You gonna be okay?" She asked concerned.

He nodded and hobbled over to his bathroom after grabbing a clean set of clothes. Sarah slipped out of his bed and tip toed over to the door that led to the rest of the house. It would be awkward to be sure to be confronted by Eddy's parents dressed as she was and at this early hour. But there hadn't been a peep from them all night and so she hoped that they were away somewhere.

Her luck held out as it seemed that the house was empty but for the two of them. She rummaged around the kitchen and made Eddy an ice pack and grabbed some first aide stuff for his many cuts. By the time she came back to Eddy's room, he was out of the shower and had on fresh clothes. The bruise on his eye stood out and she made him sit on his bed as she tended to his needs. Gently she applied the ice pack to his eye. She didn't even remember Kevin hitting him there, or his ribs.

"When did Kevin get you there?" She wondered as she pressed the pack firmly in place.

"He didn't." He was watching her with his good eye.

Sarah didn't quite comprehend.

"You were flailing about and got me good in the eye."

She looked horrified. "Oh, Eddy! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

He took her hands into his and the ice pack fell into his lap. "You didn't hear me blame you for it, did you?"

She froze at his contact, his intense stare. Suddenly it felt very difficult for her to swallow with him looking at her like that. The silence between them was suddenly thick. Sarah didn't pull away and Eddy didn't let go of neither her hands nor her gaze.

"I should attend your cuts." She said almost breathless.

Slowly he released her hands but he still watched her with that discerning stare that made her feel more self conscious in front of him then when she had been buck naked. Why was he looking at her like that? She watched him lick his lips as she nervously went back to applying ointment and bandages where she could.

"And your ribs?"

"Walls are hard." He shrugged.

"They aren't broken, are they?"

He shook his head. "No, I think they're just bruised up. It's only on one side. I think they'd hurt a lot more if they were broken."

"You should really get a doctor to look at them."

"The same could be said about you." He notice her wince. "Sorry."

"I-it's okay. You know, I think we're both too stubborn for our own good."

"No argument from me there."

"Lay on your back." She commanded.

He eyed her curiously. "Oh? What for?"

She held up the ice pack and he wanted to kick himself for thinking she was really after something else. Beside they had slept together… sort of. If she had wanted something from him, she'd have easily been able to've taken it then and he'd not've stopped her either. Obeying her, he lay on his back and suddenly found her straddling his midsection. His heart inexplicably started to pound a bit harder and he felt the bulge in his pants stiffen at the unexpected action. She leaned over and his hands twitched as he resisted the strong urge to pull her down forcibly and kiss her all over. But much to his disappointment all she did was place the ice pack over his eye and hold it there. He gazed up at her and found he was unable to read her face. It was weird that this was turning him on, after all the things Leigh had done to him in similar vein. But Sarah on top and in charge somehow was different.

"I'm doing this for your own good, you know." She said as she tried to further ignore the way he was looking at her.

"You're not going to kiss it better?" Then Eddy clapped his hands over his big mouth. 'Oh shit!' He thought to himself. Why did he say a fool thing like that? What she didn't need just then was one of his dumb lines! As if she'd ever respond favorably to him in such a way any how!

She looked at him shocked at his words. Did he mean it or was he just falling into his 'cool Eddy' routine? Eddy was sweating, she noted. His hands were still covering his offending mouth. Was he expecting her to hit him for that? Feeling brave, she removed the ice pack and leaned down. Her lips pressed gently against his closed, swollen eye and she thought she heard him sigh. She herself felt particularly giddy as she slowly sat back up and replaced the pack over the eye she had just kissed.

"Better?" She asked.

"Much." He said and she noted his eyes were closed and was smiling and hands back at his side.

She blushed and smiled softly. Her free hand felt for Eddy's hand and slid against the sweaty palm. She felt like she was soaring when his hand clasped around hers. No words were exchanged. There was no need for them.

To Be Continued…