Author's Note: No, you're not dreaming. This is a new chapter. Back by an interesting amount of demand! After quite a long hiatus, I got some muse back for this and I know I have two other stories (but they're both two or three chapters away from completion), but I know not to waste motivation when you've got it in the moment. I have quite a few chapters planned out already, get ready for some MAJOR drama. So, here you go, faithful readers.

Perfect For You

Perfect for you, I'll make myself perfect for you

You square all the corners, I'll straighten the curves

And even if everything else turns to dirt

We'll be the one thing in this world that won't hurt

The two sat there for a moment, in the damp grass; Shelby's head buried softly against his chest. Down her face streamed silent tears. She was never much of a crier, but in moments of high frustration, she just excused herself, absolutely refusing to shed tears in public. For a while, Jesse gently simply sat there, gently holding her against him, softly rubbing her back in consolation.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly as the frequency of her hitched breaths subsided. She felt absolutely silly crying into his arms, but she hadn't been close to any single person in a long time; and though she must not have realized it, she seemed to have gained quite the amount of comfort in this young man's presence.

"There's a long list of things that are wrong. And I have no idea where to start."

"Well, that's what you have me for."

"Really? You're quite possibly the biggest problem I have."

"The biggest?"

"Yes, the biggest," she concluded, looking up at him. Regardless of her comment, he grinned down at her. "But you're my favourite problem," she conceded.

Exponentially, his smile grew. "That's all I ask."

Shelby made a pout at this, putting her hand to his cheek and playfully pushing him away; an action to which he over-exaggerated, dodging then falling backwards onto the grass, grabbing her hands and taking her down with him.

Falling atop him, Shelby stared him down grumpily. For a moment, he seemed scared of her glare, but then burst out in a fit of laughter. Biting upon her bottom lip, Shelby tried her best to not reciprocate the laughter, but couldn't stop the smirk that appeared at the corners of her lips.

"Better?" Jesse asked, once having caught his breath.

Shelby glanced back at him for a moment and her smile turned somber. "No." In utter sympathy, he cupped her face with the palm of his hand and stroked her cheek.

"Hey," he said softly. "It'll be okay. You, your mom, Rachel; it'll be okay." She watched him, shaking her head. He couldn't know if anything was going to be okay. But he was still Jesse, and wouldn't accept that from her. So he leaned into her slowly but surely, and pressed his lips to hers. At first, she fell into the kiss-it was so unexpected to her-then she pushed him away harshly.

"Will you stop kissing me?"

"What? But I- you, we-" he blubbered, eyebrows creasing.

"But what? My crying was not an invitation for you to mack on me!"

"You were giving me the look!"

"The look?"

"Yeah, the look. You know-" he made a smouldering gaze at her, "like that."

"My face did not look anything like that," she said in disbelief, sitting up on the grass.

"You're a tease," he muttered under his breath, crossing him arms as he uncrossed his own legs, bringing his knees up.

Catching the comment, Shelby glared at him. "A tease? You are eighteen!"

"Age doesn't matter when you truly care about someone."

"Are you serious right now?" she said, then swallowed, looking away, her eyes wide in utter disbelief.

"Deadly serious. I really think that I-"

"Oh God, just shut up!"

"Stop expressing what I feel? I don't think I can do that, you're simply-"

"Stop talking!"

"Stop freaking out," he said, trying his best to not return her almost manic screech at him.

"I am not... freaking out," she said, calming her voice twenty decibels mid-sentence. "Jesse, you are dating my daughter."

"Not anymore... especially not after today."

"The eggs," Shelby stated, realizing she was supposed to be very angry about this but he'd distracted her with an entirely new thing to be angry about.

"It wasn't my idea exactly," he said, wringing his hands guiltily.

"So, that was your way of what? Showing how much you care. She's my daughter, Jesse."

"I'm sorry," he said shortly, quietly; as though a submissive attitude would suddenly make her forgive him. He didn't know what he was thinking as he did it, he was angry, felt completely betrayed by the fact Rachel had feelings for that monstrous oaf of a boy.

"Of course. Now you are," she said, skepticism etched upon her face.

"Shelby..." he began, looking at her from behind his lashes, but she stopped him before he could say anymore.

Shelby held her hand up to quiet him. Finally in complete control of her tear ducts, she breathed in heavily, sniffling rather loud. "Don't think I'm not going to punish you and everyone involved, but I have more pressing matters at this precise moment," she stated. She tilted her head to the side, trying to pick out the words to start her next sentence. "Just before you came, Rachel... tried... to bond with me."

"How horrifying."

Shelby slapped him on his shoulder for the sardonic tone, narrowing her eyes. "I told her we couldn't spend time together anymore. And you know her better than me, how do I get rid of her?"

"I don't really think you want to."

"Well, of course not," she responded, annoyed. He looked surprised by her answer. "I didn't go through all this trouble to just meet her and part ways. But she's all grown, has a family and I'm never going to belong there."

"Oh, come on, when have you ever really belonged?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Besides the fact that you're not exactly Miss Popularity? I tried to tell you this before, stop making everything so complicated with her. She's dying to have a mom, and you're dying to be one. You're not going to be some soccer mom, but you are a good mentor. Just try to be that for her, at least."

"And when did you become so full of generous, kind wisdom?"

"Well, I tripped in a puddle back there..." She smirked at Jesse's reply, shaking her head softly. "Are you done being a baby now?"

"Don't ever mention that I cried into your shoulder, to anyone. Or I will castrate you."

"Ouch," he cringed. "I swear."

"Smartass."

"Only for you."

Author's Note: Too much fluff? I thought so... but I love them. I'm obviously more of an angst writer with the random dry moments of humour injected into the story every so often. xD But the next chapters will be much more drama-ridden, you'll see. How 'bout that review button, eh?