A/N: Hey, readers, enjoy chapter 10. I'll try to update more frequently.

Will POV

"So how do you like New York?" Susan asked Will. They were all sitting at the table having breakfast. Will looked up from his plate and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "It's great there. I'm really enjoying Columbia." Will paused and looked over at Ronnie who sat quietly next to him, her head looking down at her plate. He knew she felt self conscious and his mother wasn't helping. She hadn't said a word to Ronnie all morning and made no effort to bring her into conversation. Will grabbed Ronnie's hand underneath the table causing her to look up at him.

"Ronnie's doing really well at Julliard too. She performed an original piece in the end of the year showcase. It was really great."

Susan's eyebrows raised, surprised at the turn the conversation had taken. "That's nice, I'm sure that was fun for you." She said stiffly.

Ronnie cleared her throat, and forced a smile. "It was. I'm having a great time there."

"So," said Tom with half a sausage in his mouth. "How's the apartment?"

"It's fine, Dad. Once I get back, I'll start work so I can pay the other half of the rent."

"Oh, yeah. Congratulations on the job. I'm happy you're taking care of yourself up there. Your mom and I won't be here to support you forever, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"What about you, Ronnie. What else are you up to?" Tom asked.

"Well, I'm looking for a job, too. I don't want Will to pay his part of the rent alone."

Susan nodded and ran her fingertip over the rim of her glass. She kept her eyes on Ronnie and studied her face intently. "So everything is okay with your living arrangements?" she asked, her eyes never leaving Ronnie's face. Will sighed and closed his eyes. He knew his mother would ask this. "Yes, it's fine. We've enjoyed living together. I think it's made us closer." Ronnie smiled as he squeezed her hand with his thumb.

Susan nodded again and continued. Tom, oblivious to what was going on, just ate his breakfast.

"But are you sure everything's ok? Why, you're only in your first couple of months. Sure everything seems great and dandy now, but a lot could happen in a little time. You guys haven't even been together a year yet. There have been many couples like you who have had their relationships ruined by-"

"OK, that's enough, Mom." Will interrupted clanking his fork down on the plate. It was loud and firm enough that everyone stopped to look up at him. "I think you've said enough."

"Don't throw a fit, Will. I'm just being honest. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt-"

"Just stop, ok?" Will said, the anger in his voice beginning to rise. Ronnie noticed this and ran her hand against his arm. "Calm down." She whispered so softly only he could hear her. He felt his anger begin to subside and he rose to excuse himself from the table.

Ronnie walked quietly into the backyard verandah. She saw Will sitting in one of the swings in the corner, looking over the railing to the lake. She walked over and sat down next to him, looking at his profile. She softly placed her hand over his. "You ok?"

"No," he said, he turned around quickly to face her. "No, I'm not."

"Listen, it's ok. You don't have to argue with your mom because of me-"

"That's not the point. Don't you get it? This whole time I've been trying to reassure you that everything would be fine and that she would see how amazing you are and you two would get along great. But don't you see what she's doing? She's not going to stop and I don't want that to drive you away. She's not like my father. Once she's set on something, she won't back down. That's not fair to you. It's not fair that you have to go through her scrutinizing you every chance she gets. I can't bear to see you get hurt like that. You don't deserve it." He took a deep breath to calm down the anger that had started to boil inside him again and looked over the railing. Ronnie waited a few minutes for him to continue and when he didn't, she began speaking.

"I know that not everything is going to be fixed in one night. I don't expect it to. But I don't want your anger to force her to like me either. I want her to love and accept me on her own, not because you forced her too by getting upset with her. Trust me, it's not going to drive me away. Nothing would drive me away from you. If anything, I'm more determined to get on her good side. So don't worry about it. We didn't come here to argue with each other." She took Will's hand into both of her own. "We came here to get closer. Right?"

Will looked down into her eyes. Her face was flushed and her eyes showed she was still a bit groggy from sleep. Her hair fell loosely over her cheek and her lips were slightly curled into a soft half smile. She was perfect.

He placed his hand on the side of her cheek and kissed her tenderly on her forehead. They both closed their eyes and he wrapped his arms around her. They rocked back and forth on the swing for a little while and watched as a flock of ducks waddled into the lake. It was so peaceful.

"Ok, let's go!" Ronnie said, spontaneously jumping from the bench. She was up so fast that Will nearly fell over. "Go where?" he asked confused.

"It's our first day back, we're not just going to sit here the whole time."

Will shook his head. "You just had to disrupt the peace, didn't you?"

Ronnie smiled and pushed him off the swing, causing him to fall over and roll down a small hill. He finally landed in a small garden off to the corner. When he got up, he had little peonies attached all over his body. He found Ronnie laughing near the swing and ran toward her. They chased each other for quite some time until they heard Jonah come out onto the verandah. He looked at them both and shook his head. "Am I the only mature one around here?"