Here's the next chapter there are plenty of surpirses in this chapter I hope you like it. This chapter starts off with the missing scene from Nathan's story where he and Brandon sit down to talk. Remember everyone to send your reviews, thoughts, questions, suggestions, etc.

Chapter 6: Lion Tamer-Brandon's Story

Brandon paced through the halls of the Garden passing by Seeds, students and various personnel. Suddenly he caught sight of the man he was looking for. Brandon headed down an opposite hallway trying to find an alternative route to the person he was looking for. Brandon turned the corner as he heard the foot steps approach. He leaned against the wall and smiled as Nathan came around the corner. Brandon raised his fist into the air.

"Hey buddy we need to talk." As he punched Nathan in the face

Nathan stumbled over and fell to the ground. He started rubbing his jaw as he looked up at Brandon confused.

"I feel better." Chuckled Brandon

Nathan moved himself to a sitting position the put his back up against the nearby wall. Brandon took a seat right next to him.

"Okay maybe I deserved that a little." Said Nathan as he rubbed his jaw

"Yeah well…..why did you tell?"

"I was drunk."

"Oh, sorry then."

"It's okay."

"So where are you off to?"

"I need to talk to Jillian."

"What about?"

"Our relationship."

"Ohhh."

"I don't know what to do?'

"I don't know what to tell you. I mean you risk life and limb to fought off hundreds of crazed cult members to save her, while she betrayed everything she ever knew do be with you. You guys have sacrificed everything to be with each other, why would you let all that slip away?"

"We have sacrificed a lot."

"I may not be an expert on relationships, but from what I figure sacrifice is a big part of them."

"That's what I heard."

"If you care about her so much, maybe its time for you to give up something for her. Even if it means giving up something you thought you wanted."

"Are we still talking about me?"

"No clue."

"So you really did turn down that promotion because of Helen."

"Is it that obvious?"

"I have only one question: Why?"

"The simple answer is, if I took the promotion. I wouldn't be around her as much. I couldn't picture not being around."

"Wow. It surprising to hear you say that. You sound like a wimp."

"Yeah I do don't I? Well I still mean it."

"Was it easy, you know giving something up that meant a lot to you?"

"Promotions come and go, especially when you're the boss' son. But I didn't have to think about it I chose Helen."

"I see."

"Maybe you should think about things from Jillian's point of view."

"What do you mean?"

"Well speaking from experience as a person who screwed up severely in the past. She needs this, she needs to succeed her at the Garden. She trained her whole life to kidnap then kill my mother to take her power, then later me. She needs her life to be in order, to make sense again. You may not understand, but having a fresh start means a lot to her. And maybe, just maybe as someone who loves her you need to back off and stop thinking about your part in the relationship and think about her."

"So I should give up something?"

"I can't tell you what to do."

"Maybe we should take a break. If she doesn't have me to worry about then she can totally focus on becoming a Seed."

"Again, can't tell you what to do, buddy."

"Well thanks for the talk anyway."

Nathan got up and began to walk off, he then stopped and turned around to face Brandon.

"One last thing. If your so big on giving up the promotion to be with Helen, why don't you tell her that. Otherwise your just being a dick." Chuckled Nathan

Nathan walked away leaving Brandon to sit there alone thinking things over.

"Dam, he's right." Lamented Brandon

A while later Brandon found Helen in the training center fighting three monsters. She had just finished slicing a Granaldo in half. Helen angrily growled as she spun around to slice the second one to pieces then finished up by incarnating the last Granaldo with a powerful Flare spell. Helen took a moment to catch her breathe as she sheathed her sword.

Helen turned around then rolled her eyes as she saw Brandon standing there. Helen walked past Brandon and headed out the Training center doors down the Garden halls. Brandon tried his best to keep up with her trying to get her attention.

"Will you let me talk to you?" pleaded Brandon

"I think you made it painfully clear that you want me to stay out of your business." Shot back Helen

Helen walked off angrily leaving Brandon in her dust. 20 minutes later Brandon found himself outside of a office door. He hesitated slightly before he knocked on the door. The door open to reveal the smiling face of his mother. Rinoa ushered her son into her office and had him sit down on the couch she had in her office.

"So Brandon, what's up." Smiled his mother

"I'm having trouble." It was hard for him to come out with it

"What kind of trouble, maybe we should call you father down here and talk about things as a family……"

"No, no, no, I'm…..having…..trouble with….a girl….a certain girl….to be specific."

"Oh I see. And who is this girl?"

"Hrmhm." Brandon mumbled

"What was that I didn't hear you?"

"Helen." He whispered

"One more time."

"Oh come on mom you heard me, It's Helen."

Ok then what's your problem with her?"

"Well I don't know if dad told you this but……"

"Ohhh, she found out about you turning down the promotion."

"How does everyone know about that?"

"Sweetie your father really can't hide much from me, especially when I ask him the right way."

"Mom please, stop there. I don't want a mental picture."

"Fine."

"Anyways, she found out, we got into a huge argument and now I think she hates me."

"Well what did you say to her?"

"Something along the lines of stay out of my business and leave me alone."

"Well you certainly got what you asked for."

"Yeah I sure did. I'm sorry I over reacted and lashed out at her. I don't know what to do."

"So you came to me for help."

"From hearing everyone's stories about Dad I figured that I had questions about relationships and girls I mind as well come to you."

"Yeah that's right."

"Can I be honest with you?"

"Sure you can honey."

"Helen's my friend, she's always been. She just wants to help me, but………I think I want to something more than the relationship we have now."

"You know Brandon if that's how you really feel, then I'm not the one you should be telling this to."

"I don't know how to tell her."

"Speak honestly and from your heart, she'll understand."

"But what if things don't work out?"

"You'll never know unless you go for it."

Brandon sighed, she was right. He got up from the couch and headed out the door in search of Helen. He found Xu and asked where Helen was she told him that she was last seen in the Tech lab helping out the festival committee in Ami's place.

Brandon ran down to the tech lab, when he saw a crying Jillian run past him on her way to the dormitories.

"What the hell?" he asked confused

Brandon then shook his head and tried to focus. He deal with other problems later. Brandon continued on until he reached the Tech lab. Brandon walked in slowly to find Helen sitting at a computer going over some designs for the festival. Helen heard Brandon approached and stood up to face him.

"What do you want?" she asked

"I just want to talk." Sighed Brandon

"Ok then."

"I'm sorry about the other day. I was a jerk, I admit it."

"And I agree."

"Yeah, I don't want the promotion, I'm happy where I am right now and I want you to understand that."

"But wasn't becoming a legendary Seed, greater than your dad, your biggest dream."

"It was, but after going through the whole thing with the order it gave me some perspective on things."

"What kind of perspective?"

"I just realized that the people in my life were more important than my position in the Garden."

Brandon took a step closer to Helen. Helen blushed slightly as she stepped closer to Brandon.

"You're not making much sense." Retorted Helen

"I know." Remarked Brandon

Brandon tried to build up the courage to continue. He began to fidget around nervously. Helen raised an eyebrow at Brandon's strange behavior.

"You're acting kinda crazy." Remarked Helen

"That's because you make me that way. Every time I'm around you…….I love you!" He let out

Helen stood there shocked. Brandon waited for an answer, nearly having a heart attack. Helen didn't know how to respond. One of her best friends just told her that he loved her. Helen thought things over she really didn't know how she felt about Brandon. Everything was just moving to fast for her to think about things. Helen immediately jumped into Brandon's arms and began to kiss him passionately.

After a few seconds of his own confusion Brandon began to kiss her back. Their kisses began to increase with intensity. Only one thought ran through Helen's mind OH GOD THIS FELT SO RIGHT. Brandon wrapped his arms around Helen as she wrapped hers around his neck. Brandon pulled her in close as he pushed her against the wall nearby and started kissing her with increased passion. A slight moan escaped Helen's lips as the two of them suddenly regained their composure and backed away from each other.

They stood there breathing heavily,, neither of them sure what to do next. Both of them were highly embarrassed at this sudden explosion of raw passion.

"Okay, that was…….what was that?" asked Brandon

"Brandon I…..we're friends. We can't be in love, but I….."

Helen rushed over to Brandon and kissed him again as she pulled off his jacket. Brandon wrapped his arms around Helen and began to rub her back gently. Helen pulled back slightly and looked into Brandon's eyes. Suddenly everything around them melted away as she thought of everything that Brandon meant to her.

"I love you too." Smiled Helen

"Really?" asked Brandon joyfully surprised

"Yes, you've always been there for me."

"And I always will, but what about our friendship. I don't want things to get ruined between us."

"I'm willing to make it work."

"Me too."

The two of them locked lips again. Brandon lifted up Helen and placed her on a nearby table. He pulled her close to his body as she wrapped her legs around him. Brandon slowly slipped Helen's coat off her body. Brandon started to unbutton Helen's vest, when the Tech room door swung open. Nathan walked in and stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Helen and Brandon making out in front of him

The two of them stopped cold. Brandon backed away from Helen as she hopped off the table and slipped her coat back on. Nathan looked at the both of them wide eyed. Brandon tried to regain his composure while Helen tried to hide her noticeable blush.

"Am I interrupting something?" asked Nathan

"No, no…..definitely not?" let out Brandon

"Of course not." Remarked Helen as she shook her head

"Ummm, I wanted to talk to Brandon." Replied Nathan still uneasy

"About what buddy?" replied Brandon

"Jillian and I broke up. After that conversation you and I had, I decided it would be what's best."

"What?" exclaimed Helen as she shot Brandon a look

Brandon scratched the back of his head as Helen glared at him.

"I didn't tell him to break up with her." He let out

"Fine we'll talk later. I better go check on Jillian." Replied Helen

Helen passed by Nathan and headed for the door. She lingered there for a second then looked back at Brandon. She gave him a big smile, followed by a wink. Brandon smiled back then watched as she walked out the door then out of sight.

Nathan started laughing then gave his friend a light punch in the solider.

"What happened?" asked Nathan still laughing

"Dude, I have no idea. But I love that woman and I need a very, very, very cold shower." Smiled Brandon

To be continued…………..

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, remember to send you reviews, thoughts, questions, etc. Next Chapter: Chapter 7: Cupid's Shotgun-Jillian's Story