Kendra kept up a brisk pace. Gavin's steps were longer than hers, but he walked much slower. She tried to make him keep up with her, but he just continued walking slowly. She decided to slow down, so not to lose him. She matched his gait, slightly annoyed.

Gavin followed Kendra to the barn silently for a while, then attempted conversation.

"So. Chores, huh. Is that what you usually do for fun around here?"

She paused for a moment, unsure how to answer. She chewed on her bottom lip, then said, "There's a lot of work to be done. We have to make sure the preserve runs smoothly. After Seth and I do our chores, we are free to do whatever we want."

"What do you like to do?" He asked casually.

She, again, was hesitant. "Well, Seth likes to play football with the satyrs. Sometimes he takes Hugo out on the preserve. Grandpa pretends not to notice. I'm sure you'd be welcome to join his games."

Gavin shook his head. "No, Kendra. I was wondering what you like to do." He smiled.

She blushed slightly, and tried to make her pink cheeks less noticeable by turning away from Gavin, but it just made the color more distinct.

"Well, I really like reading books. Although I haven't found a new one in a while... I like to go swimming, I like talking to fairies. When Bracken is here, usually we are... uh... well usually I try to be with him."

Gavin through a sour smirk towards the ground. "When does Ponyboy get back? No one was all too anxious to tell me."

Kendra's slight grin faded. "A week, if all goes well."

Gavin nodded. "Looks like for the next week, you'll have to settle for hanging with me instead of that old Unicorn." He imitated Bracken by crossing his eyes and making a sound that might have resembled a horse. Kendra tried to hold in a giggle, but it snuck passed her nose. She quickly restrained herself when it dawned on her that she was laughing at Bracken.

They continued walking to the barn in silence.

Soon, they approached the rustic building, weathered from Graulus's escape some months before. Kendra propped open one of the large doors, and lead Gavin inside.

The cow let out a mournful moo as they approached, and Kendra sighed. She was desperately in need of a milking.

She turned to Gavin, and pointed towards the corner where they kept some spare gloves and aprons. She noticed his face was pale.

She chuckled. "First time milking?"

He scratched the back of his head. "I honestly never thought I'd even milk a regular cow. I've seen it done a few times though. Once at Lost Mesa." his eyes clouded over, as if he was trying not to remember something. "And once when I was a little boy."

Kendra pressed her lip into a thin line. She didn't like to think that Gavin had lived as a child so long ago. It made him seem untouchable, and inhuman. She didn't know how to respond anyway, so she turned towards the cow.

She sauntered over to the corner and put on gloves, an apron, and a pair of goggles. Gavin followed her lead.

She was about to lead him to the ladders, when she was caught in an uncontrollable fit of laughter.

Gavin looked like a mad scientist. The goggles pushed up the back of his hair so it poofed out, and the gloves were far too large. He reminded her of the boys back in her high school that had been forced to do lab experiments in class. They mostly goofed around, and had contests to see who could wear the equipment worst.

He smirked, and asked, "What?" while shrugging. This made it worse for Kendra. Her laughter was infectious, and Gavin joined in.

Her stomach ached, and she had tears in her eyes before she could control herself. "You just look... normal." she smiled.

"Normal?" he asked.

"Like a big normal dork." She shoved him playfully with one arm, and grinned.

He pretended to act offended, but couldn't help smiling. Then he winked at her, and stole the goggles off her head. He hid them behind his back.

"Hey! Give those back." She yelled, placing her hands on her hips. He shook his head no.

"You'll have to catch me!" He yelled as he ran across the barn. She shook her head while faking annoyance, and said, "You are so dead, Gavin."

She chased him around a pile of hay, and back towards the entrance of the barn. He was fast. But she knew she could out maneuver him. He glanced back at her momentarily, and that was his mistake. She dashed in front of him, and stuck out a leg. He tripped on her leg and fell on to a pile of hay.

Kendra clutched her stomach, and laughed. "I got you!"

He didn't move.

She tilted her head, now slightly worried. "Gavin?"

Nothing.

She leaned toward the hay pile. "Gavin this isn't funny. Stop it right now or I'll-"

A hand reached up, and pulled her down. She lost her balance, already leaning over, and fell.

She landed with an oomph right on top of Gavin.

Suddenly everything became incredibly clear, yet Kendra couldn't think. The air became humid. She noticed a small cut above his left eyebrow. His breathing rate was quicker than hers, and she could feel the rise and fall of his chest. His shoulders were think, and strong, and his arms were muscular. Their legs were touching, and Kendra's feet were tangled with his. If she had set her head down, it would have rested below his neck.

She had planned on yelling at him, but found herself speechless. She opened her eyes wider, and stared into his, the color of melted chocolate.

He was still holding her hand.

She tried to say something. Anything. All she could muster was the word, "Hi." she still had not managed to catch her breath from chasing him.

His smile erupted on his face. "Hi." he uttered melodiously.

They both broke out into laughter. Gavin's laugh reminded Kendra of wonderful things covered in caramel and chocolate, and presents on christmas, and sitting around a campfire. She felt a shiver run from her back to her toes.

"Hi." a disembodied voice sarcastically remarked. Kendra jumped off of Gavin and to her feet, and her cheeks erupted into fireworks.

"Oh. Hello Vanessa." She waved with embarrassment at the Blix, who had watched the whole scene from the barn door.

Gavin stumbled up from the ground. He dusted off his pants. Kendra noticed this did little to remove the straw covering his clothes, and assumed she was covered in it as well.

Vanessa raised an eyebrow. "I always seem to interrupt, don't I Kendra?"

"Nothing was going on here." Kendra wanted to cover her flaming cheeks. This was worse than when Vanessa had caught her and Bracken.

Vanessa shrugged. "Whatever. I came to see if you wanted help milking Viola. So...?"

Gavin sniffed. "I think we've got it covered."

Vanessa's eyes widened. "Ok." she turned to leave, then spun around. "By the way. Kendra, you have a little something right there." She pointed to a piece of hay sticking out of Kendra's hair. She smirked.

"Vanessa, I can expla-"Kendra began.

Vanessa made a gesture like she was zipping her lips, and walked out.

"Well that was embarrassing." Gavin said after a minute. Kendra noted, however, he looked rather pleased with himself.

"Sorry for tripping you." Kendra muttered.

"No harm, no foul." Gavin said, and then added, "It takes a bit more than some hay to stop me."

She raised an eyebrow. He chuckled. Then he looked nervous.

"Here." he said. He leaned towards her, arm stretched out. He stepped towards her. She tensed when she thought he was going to touch her face, then realized her was going to pluck the piece of straw from her hair. She let him.

While he was maneuvering it, and it was pretty stuck, Kendra became aware of how close his mouth was to her. She watched his lips, tracing the pattern with her eyes.

"Sorry." He muttered, as he had to bring up his other hand to work the tangle. Her face was practically pressed to his chest now. Her breathing accelerated, and couldn't control it. He smelled like hiking in the early morning, something earthy and fresh. Like pine mixed with woodsmoke and coffee. She closed her eyes.

"There." he said, and pulled away. He tossed the small piece of straw to the floor.

She nodded. "Thanks."

"So, are you ready to milk a cow?" He asked with a goofy grin. She returned it, and said, "Sure. I'll show you the basics."

There were multiple times over the course of the task that Kendra committed to memory.

Once, where Gavin climbed up behind her on the same ladder. She was showing him how to grasp the udder, and he leaned forward, pressing against her. She could feel him leaning forward to keep his balance. He was attempting to squeeze the udder, and she shook her head and sighed.

"Like this," she said. She grabbed his hand, and guided it correctly.

"Oh, I see." He said.

She nodded, and said, "So now, you can try it on the next ladder. Over there." She pointed to the open station, however her actions were stiff and awkward. He looked dejected, mumbled, "Ok." and slid down the rungs of the ladder.

She wanted to smack her face. For all the books she read, she was such an idiot sometimes.

Another time was when she was sitting down, washing off her gloves, when Gavin walked over. It had only happened for a moment, but he sat on Kendra's lap. He was joking with her, and she laughed before shoving him off, but she again could not hide the blush.

The final thing of importance was when they were all done, and all the aprons were away, he whispered in her ear. He said, "That was fun." This would have been normal under different circumstances, however she could not ignore his tone. It was softer than something friends would say to one another, and the words sort of melted into each other. It made Kendra's hair stand on end.

They walked back to the main house for a late lunch, and joked the whole way over. Simple topics, things like music and food and school. Gavin had attempted high school once out of boredom, and claimed he would never again. He told Kendra about French school systems in the 30's and how they had changed.

She blabbed about her favorite teachers, and her favorite classes. He listened patiently.

He mentioned his favorite style of music was rock, and his favorite song at the moment was Separate Ways by Journey. He told her about all the concerts he had gone to. ACDC, Queen, and Green Day just to name a few. He had even been to an Elvis concert once, back before the King had made it big.

"Music has always been my way to feel emotions, Kendra. When humans ignored me, and I didn't know where to turn, I listened. Before that it was poetry and books." He explained, and he put his hands in his pockets. She was amazed. She waned to have been there for Gavin when he was feeling alone. She wanted to hug him now, to comfort him, but she was unsure how.

"Until I met you." He looked up and smiled. She looked away and blushed.

"Stop being nice." she said firmly.

He looked shocked. "What?" he asked.

"Stop saying things like that, like I payed attention to you or You changed me, or anything like that. I'm nothing special. Stop." She looked at him determined.

He looked miserable. "Kendra, when are you going to realize just how special you are? You are the first fairy kind in hundreds of years. Your energy and your heart is so pure, and so- so incredible!" He gestured out with his arms.

"You are a gift. A beauty. A wonder. When I'm around you, I don't feel so bad. I feel like you can fix all of my mistakes, and help me to never do anything wrong again. Why can't you see that?" He was almost out of breath.

She looked into his eyes. "I can see that. But you shouldn't be saying it. Bracken..." she faded off.

Gavin looked frustrated. He clenched his fists, and almost yelled, 'What is so important about him?"

"He's all the things you said about me. He's also loyal, brave, funny, charming-" Kendra stopped talking suddenly and looked as if in a daze.

"I'm those things too." Gavin muttered under his breath. Kendra looked confused. She didn't care if she was watching him, she had to get away. She turned and increased her pace.

"Oh god, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to say that. Kendra, wait!" he spun her around. They both stopped walking about 20 yards from the main house.

Gavin calmed his voice. "Please, I'm just curious. What does he have that I don't?" he searched her eyes.

Kendra looked angry. She stared coldly into Gavin's eyes, and stated "I can trust him completely."

Gavin looked crushed. He let go of Kendra's arm. "I promise, Kendra." he said. "I won't ever stop until you can trust me just as much- no, more than him."

"Gavin. Please. Let's just be friends." She did not say it convincingly, but almost as if pleading. Kendra looked confused as a lost child. "It will be better."

He crunched his face together, but through gritted teeth said, "I will always respect your wishes. But I can't promise you I won't always be here for you. He makes one slip up, one mistake, and I'll be waiting, with open arms." He managed a weak smile.

Kendra thought Bracken won't mess up but something in her mind refused to let the words slip out. Instead she just nodded, and they headed towards the house.

(A/N: DRAMA. TENSION. ROMANCE. WHERE DO KENDRA"S LOYALTIES LIE?

Ah ha, see what I did there? OH gosh, I'm patting myself on the back ;)

First of all, incase anyone didn't notice, if I ever mention a song you should listen to it! It has something to do with how the character who mentions it is feeling :)

As a recap, so far we've heard Bracken listening to Candlelight (by Reliant K) and I think this sums up how he feels about Kendra. Then we have Gavin listening to Separate Ways (by Journey) which is how he feels about Kendra. Not perfect, but pretty close to my feels

So... Gavin? Ladies and gents, what do you think? Too fast? Too slow?

I think it's seems about right. But please, I need your opinions.

Also, we begin to see a more playful/flirty side of Kendra. This can be drawn from one thing: hormones! Ah, glorious, glorious teenage hormones.

And a quick apology to all cows and cow milkers out there. I hope I didn't too obviously reveal I am not one of you.

Another chapter should be up either tonight or tomorrow, depending on quality of reviews.

Thank you lovely readers)