First of all I am really sorry I haven't updated in two months, I was going to put this chapter up the next day with a note explaining why I won't be updating in a while, but my laptop broke and I couldn't do anything, It's fixed now though, anyway I haven't updated cuz I've had exams, but their over now so here is the second half and I hope you can forgive me. This is the second half to the dance,

continued...

Previously...

'What's going on here?' Cassie's head snapped away from Nick into the eyes of...

Adam.

Oh crap.

Nick grabbed at Cassie's hands and pulled her up as he stood, he tried to wrap his arms around her but Cassie backed up into the wall behind her, wishing she could sink into to it and disappear.

But no.

'What was going on?' Adam asked again.

Nick sized Adam up and puffed out his chest, 'It's none of your business Conant'.

'Ye..' Adam stopped himself and met Cassie's gaze, in those eyes was regret and heartbreak, he seemed to shake himself for a moment and then turned back to Nick, 'your right, I had no business interrupting, I'll go now'. Before Cassie could say anything, Adam spun on his heel and walked back to a suspicious looking Diana and an amused looking Faye.

Great another thing Faye can use against me, Cassie thought.

Nick turned back to Cassie and cupped her chin pulling her face back to him, 'where were we?' He whispered.

As much as Cassie liked Nick and was looking forward to the new step in their relationship, she couldn't. It didn't feel right.

Cassie met Nicks gaze and shook her head, 'not now', managed to mumble as she walked away, only to bump into...

Diana.

'What happened over there? I mean you don't talk to me anymore, and I don't know what's going on with you, this isn't like you' Diana looked at Cassie worriedly.

Cassie just had enough, 'You don't even know me, you all just assume that I'm good, no one knows me!' Cassie had tears running down her cheeks. She had had enough of this crap. She stormed out of the gym and down to the rock where she ended up hiding on her first day here.

Back to the rock, she pulled her knees up to her chin and cried, letting all the feelings that had been inhabiting her out.

Cassie didn't know how long she sat there before she smelt a wave of wood smoke and ocean breeze, along with a faint indefinable scent of animal and oak leaves.

Adam.

'Go away, Adam', she croaked out of a hoarse throat.

'How did you know it was me?' Despite her request, he sat down next to her, he was about to slip his arm around her shoulders, but she scooted away from him... closer to the edge of the cliff leading to the rocks below where she had found Kori.

'Don't touch me', she cried.

Adam took off his mask, to reveal...

Nick. Nick?

'Nick?' She was confused, Adam had given Nick his mask?

'I know what your thinking, Conant took off the mask, because he's trying to calm down Diana, and since you seem so comfortable with Conant I thought it would calm you down some, but it obviously didn't since you moved away from "me", Cassie please move away from the cliff'. He held his hand out for her to take, but she didn't take it, she couldn't move.

'I don't know what to do anymore, Nick', Cassie admitted. Then she could move and fell into his arms and he held her as if his life depended on it.

'It's okay Cassie, it's okay', Nick soothed, and ran his fingers through her hair.

He let her sob and ruin his shirt until she was all cried out.

'Why don't you tell me what's bothering you Cassie?' Nick asked her.

'I can't', the sound was muffled by Nick's shirt.

'And why can't you?'

'Because, I can't'.

'Okay, I won't ask again but I'm here when you need me okay?'

Cassie just nodded her head and relaxed into his chest, he ran his hand through her puffed up hair to relax her and it worked, she fell asleep on his chest.

XxXxXxX

She was awoken an hour later for the ceremony, but it was all hazy all she remembered was that Adam had saved her from getting possessed to Black John, and Nick was jealous.

This was last night. Today was Nick's birthday and she had gotten everything ready; she was going to make him celebrate his birthday. It was only small; she was just going to see him. When she arrived at Nick's, he was right were she wanted him. In his garage, working on his car.

She lit the candle that was sticking out of the chocolate chip cupcake she bought and started singing, 'Happy Birthday to you...' Nick had straightened up and was staring at Cassie not believing what he was seeing, a small smile was playing at the edges of his lips and he was shaking with laughter... 'Happy Birthday to Nick, Happy Birthday to you'.

Cassie smiled widely and stepped closer to Nick, holding the cupcake out to him.

Nick chuckled and rubbed his hand at the back of his neck before taking the cupcake and blowing out the candle.

'Uh thanks?' He chuckled and pulled her into a hug which she happily returned.

'It is your birthday and I wanted to apologize for being, you know, freaky and all that'. She pulled back and sat on the tattered leather sofa near the open garage.

Nick joined her on the sofa and scooted up to her so he could wrap his arm around her shoulder. Cassie buried her head into Nick's neck, inhaling his musky scent and feeling comfortable and safe.

'Cassie...' Nick whispered and pulled her head back gently, their eyes met and flicked to each other's lips, Cassie lent forward first nearly touching Nick's lips...

'Nick!' Cassie jumped back and Nick growled in frustration.

Faye sauntered into the garage, jeans low, tank top just above her belly button, Cassie instantly felt inferior.

'Nick, I brought you a present for your birthday'. Faye bought a present?

'Give it and go then, Faye' Nick snapped.

'Oh, but Nick, this present, is going to take a while, you know it's a bit like the present I gave you the day before yesterday'.

The air in Cassie's lungs whoosh out of her and she felt her heart crack. She knew it. She knew he only felt sympathetic towards her. Her insides hurt and she felt as if she couldn't breathe, she jumped up and ran, leaving a calling Nick behind her and she once again found herself on the beach.

Tears leaked from her eyes, she felt like every part of her body was breaking, her heart felt shattered, like it had been thrown on the floor stamped on and beaten with a sledge hammer. Her breath was coming out in gasps as she tried to control her sobs.

She knelt on the wet sand close to the sea and cried, trying hard to keep the heartbroken screeches to herself, her ears were ringing as she stared out at the sea.

She wrapped her arms around her chest as if trying to hold herself together; no one could do it for her now.

Faye had won.

'Cassie!' Her head twisted to the side to see Nick running toward her.

Cassie stood, anger coursing through her veins, 'stay away from me!' She snapped. She backed away down the length of the beach, away from him.

'Cassie please', Nick begged holding his hands in surrender and stepping slowly towards her.

'No!' Cassie screeched pointing her finger at him, 'You... You are...' Cassie couldn't think of any words to describe to him how much he had hurt her, 'You know someone has been hurting me lately? This hurts worse than that!' And it did, it hurt so bad.

'Cassie, we didn't do anything, she's lying, we haven't done anything since you arrived! I keep telling her no, I keep telling her I want to be with you, I do Cassie, I really, really like you, I have since day one'. Nick said breathless, dropping his hands and waiting.

Cassie's heart had started working again, the anger gone, 'really?' she asked, she wanted to make sure.

'Yes'

Cassie didn't think, she ran to him and threw her arms around him and he caught her eagerly, and finally, at last, their lips pressed together in a kiss.

There you go there's chapter 9 chapter 10 will be up soon and finally right? They kissed!

Reviews?