Okay, confession time: This story has become a major struggle to write. I've lost almost all inspiration for it. But I refuse to let it go to waste. That is why I'm willing to keep writing it, but it might take a while for new chapters to be published. I worked pretty hard to get through this one, so I hope you like it!

Also - I haven't read the book in forever. If there is any OOCness, sorry. I try my best.

Disclaimer: All rights go to Maggie

Puck

I stir the pot of soup while Finn tends the fire. He's less than pleased that Sean is coming over for dinner.

"Why does it bother you so much?" I asked him last night after I brought out an extra chair from storage and placed it at the table.

He scowled at me and viciously hacked at his wood carving. "We need to focus on moving."

"Nothing is set in stone yet, Finn."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he snapped at me. "You're not coming?"

I sighed and didn't say anything after that. He didn't either. I wish Finn liked Sean. I know that Gabe feels at least indifference - which at least is better than dislike.

"Did you bring in more wood?" I ask Finn. "It's supposed to snow tonight - we don't want the wood to get wet outside."

"Yeah, yeah," Finn grumbles, rising to his feet and pulling on his boots. As he gets ready to brace the cold, Gabe wanders into the kitchen.

"We don't have any suitcases," he mumbles. "We'll need to buy some soon."

"Of course we don't have any," I say as I add more vegetables to the soup. "We've never been anywhere before."

"Tomorrow we'll go into town and buy all of our supplies," Gabe says. He grabs a pen and a scrap piece of paper and sits down at the table. "I'll make a list of things we need."

"Packing peanuts," says Finn as he ties his scarf around his neck.

"Duct tape," Gabe adds.

"A black marker to label the boxes."

"And some bubble wrap."

I roll my eyes as my brothers continue to babble about our packing list. I still haven't given them my decided thoughts on the whole ordeal, nor have I told Sean about their plan. These facts have been burdens on my shoulders, but once I tell Sean that I love him, everything will work itself out. Hopefully.

"Help me set the table," I say to Gabe. He rolls his eyes at me but slides out of his chair and gathers the dishes. Finn leaves the house briefly and returns moments later with an armful of wood.

Finally, there's a knock on the door. I whip off my apron and smooth my hair down. I hear my brothers chuckles as I do, but I ignore them as I go to the door and open it.

It's dark outside, except for our porch light. It gleams off of Sean's hair. He stands there all bundled up in his coat and hat, and tucked under his arm is a loaf of bread. He smiles at me.

"Hello, Puck," he says.

"Hello, Sean," I reply. "I'm glad you're here." I pull him into the warm house and take the bread from his hands. "Thanks for bringing this."

"You're welcome," he says as he shrugs off his coat. I see him eye my brothers warily. "Evening."

"Evening, Sean Kendrick," Gabe says civilly. Finn says nothing. He just pokes at the fireplace.

Sean's eyes meet mine. "Would you like any help?" he asks.

"That's alright. Dinner is ready anyway. I just need to cut this up." I place the bread on the cutting board. Sean gently takes the knife from my hands, his fingers caressing mine in the process.

"You sit down. I'll do this," he insists, flashing me a soft smile. My cheeks heat up, but I do as he says and sit beside.

"So, Sean," Gabe says, pouring water from a pitcher into each of the glasses. "What have you been doing since the Scorpio Races?"

"Remodeling my house," Sean replies.

"How's it going?"

"Fine. Should be done by the spring."

I watch Sean's profile as he slices the bread. I focus on the flex of his arm as he holds the knife. Veins bulge from his strong hands and wrists and I want desperately to reach over and touch them. I'm certain that Finn notices me staring at him, but I don't pay him no mind.

Once the loaf has been cut, Sean takes a seat beside me and we pass around the soup and bread. I'm vaguely aware of Gabe making small talk with Sean, but I'm not following the conversation because I'm so aware of Sean's presence beside me. I watch the way his long fingers wrap around the spoon. I watch him raise the utensil to his lips and blow on the steaming soup before sliding it in his mouth. I'm so hypnotized I haven't even begun to eat my own meal.

Finn shoves food in his mouth so as to avoid conversation. I take small sips of soup and nibble on bread while my older brother chats away. My ears begin to tune back in to the conversation just as Gabe brings up the topic that I hoped would remain taboo.

"Yes, we'll have lots to pack," he says. "Though we have plenty of time to. The ferries don't start sailing again until March, so at that point, we'll be ready to move."

"Move?" Sean repeats.

"Yes, to the Mainland."

I feel a warm rush of distress flood my body. I glance over at Sean. He puts down his spoon and turns to look at me. "Is that true?" he asks me, his dark eyebrows creased.

My thoughts are scrambled. My voice catches in my throat. "No! I mean . . . well yeah but . . . we're not - "

"I thought only Gabe was leaving," Sean says to me. His dark eyes narrow and his entire face becomes hard. I wish he wouldn't look at me like that.

"Well, originally," Gabe pipes in, oblivious to the tension between Sean and myself, "it was going to be just me. But then we thought about it and decided that it would be best for all of us to go to the Mainland so we could stay together."

I lower my eyes from Sean's, unable to look at him any longer. I can still feel his intense gaze on me.

"Have you ever been to the Mainland, Sean?" Finn asks. It's the first time he's spoken all evening.

"No," Sean says in a low voice. "I haven't."

My brothers seem ignorant of my embarrassment, which I am thankful for. The last thing I need is for them to call attention to me. I feel so foolish. Sean wasn't supposed to find out about the move this way! Especially not from Gabe! I was supposed to tell him after dinner, after I told him I love him. But I'm not so sure if that will happen tonight, because Sean is angry with me.

His anger is like heat - I can feel it radiating from him. No one speaks much for the rest of supper. When Sean finishes his soup, he thanks us civilly (although he doesn't quite direct it to me) and gets up to put on his coat.

"Looks like the snow is falling," Gabe observes as he glances out the window. I do the same. The porch light illuminates the flurry of snow. The ground is already covered in a decent inch or two. "You probably shouldn't be travelling out there."

"I'll be fine," Sean says shortly, zipping up his coat.

"You're welcome to stay the night," Finn says.

"I'll be fine." Sean opens the door. Immediately, a gush of cold air and snowflakes fills the house.

"Are you crazy?" I protest. "It's a blizzard out there! You don't even have a flashlight, you'll never make it home!"

Sean's eyes bore into mine. "I'll be fine," he repeats. I see anger in his eyes, along with something else. Something vulnerable. I reach for his hand to pull him back to me, but the door has already been shut. Sean is gone.

"Fool," Gabe mutters under his breath as he clears the dishes. I tense at the word.

Sean Kendrick is not a fool. He may be reserved and intense and intimidating but I know him for who he is. He's brave and loyal and insecure - definitely not a fool.

But I suppose in those ways, we're alike - we're both afraid to make changes, we're both afraid of letting new people in. We're afraid of saying I love you. We're both fools in that respect.

Recently, I've discovered, I've been feeling foolish more than ever. Since November. Perhaps being a fool has become part of my personality. Perhaps I am one.

I grab my jacket, slip into my boots, and wrap a scarf around my neck. I move quickly to avoid questions, but my brothers catch me.

"Puck, what are you doing?" Finn asks as I zip my jacket up and slide my hands into mittens.

"Puck?"

I grab a flashlight and open the door.

"Puck!"

I do what any fool in love would do and disappear into the storm.

Hope you like it! Leave a review pretty please!