Hello all! I hope you enjoyed the other chapters. This isn't how I had originally planned everything playing out but I guess it just leaves more time for fun! Any ideas? I'd love to hear 'em! So, on that note I suppose I should allow you to read it.

"Where are we going?" He asked, obviously still out of it, by a lot.

"Well, I need an ice pack and possibly something delicious. And you need to tell me what happened!" He rolled his eyes but followed her into the kitchen nonetheless. Shades sat heavily in one of the chairs as she filled a bag with ice and stole a cupcake from the counter. She sat at the other end of the table, cupcake in hand, and looked at him expectantly.

"What?" He asked, trying to sound innocent.

"What? Really? Do you need me to spell it out for you?" Shades gave her a blank stare. Apparently she did. "What happened between you and Charlotte?" He sighed. He wasn't entirely sure what had happened.

"Um...I dunno. I got blood on my shirt and she told me to take it off, so" Brynn's eyes widened as she gaped at him. With a mouthful of cupcake she vaguely resembled a chipmunk.

"She told you what?"

"She told me to take my shirt off..." He repeated more quietly, aware of how absurd it sounded.

"And you obviously did," she stated and gestured toward his lack of shirt.

"Well, yeah?" Shades gave up on trying to defend himself.

"So what happened?"

"Nothing." Shades said without emotion.

"Nothing?" She repeated.

"Yeah..." He mumbled.

"Why?" She interrogated as she finished the remains of her cupcake.

"Cause, I don't know! Everything was tense and she was really nervous and then she just ran away!" Shades stood from the table and began to pace. Brynn's mind went into overdrive as she processed the newly found information.

"You have to go talk to her," she said with such confidence Shades stopped his pacing to stare at her.

"Really? I mean she ran last time. What happens if she does again? What do I do-"

"Shades," she interrupted him, "Do you love her?" Her green eyes intensified as she looked at him.

"Yes." She smiled at his confidant answer.

"Then go!" She said enthusiastically.

"What? Now?" He gasped.

"Of course now!" She started to push him from the room. She smiled to herself as she listened to his footsteps echoing down the hallway. Not thinking, she went to brush a hair from her cheek and winced in pain as she realized how swollen her cheek had become. She looked out the window as she brought the ice back to her face. As she did so she caught a sight of her uncle walking back from the palace, but he wasn't alone. Joe and Clarisse sauntering back to the palace. When they started to get closer she watched as Joe whisper something in the queen's ear before kissing the back of her hand and walking into the palace. The girl sprinted to intercept her uncle in ballroom. Soundlessly, she slid across the polished floor in her socks before coming to a stop a moment before her uncle came through the door. His firm poker face in place, though he couldn't keep his eyes from smiling.

"Brynn!" Concern clouded his eyes as he caught sight of her swollen cheek. "You really took a beating didn't you?" He said lightly as the smile returned to his face.

"Pshh! This? Didn't even feel it." She attempted a grin but winced as it tugged at her cheek. Her uncle shook his head at her antics before suddenly turning serious.

"You and Mia didn't plan this, did you?"

"What? You mean planned a horse breaking out of its stall, knocking me on my ass and pushing her majesty right into you arms?" She said impishly.

"Er, yes, that."

"No, but I wish I could take credit for it; it seemed to work out pretty well." Joe rolled his eyes and sighed.

"You're an awful child, you know that, right?"

"Yup!" He chuckled as she bear-hugged him.

Charlotte slammed the door to her suite angrily. How could I have been so stupid? She thought to herself as she stared at the blood soaked shirt in her shaking hands. She draped the shirt over one the kitchen chairs as tears started to well up in her eyes. I can't believe I came onto him like that! Oh my God, he'll probably never speak to me again! She turned on the coffee pot, needing the caffeine. A knocking at the door startled her and she quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe her nose and eyes. Tossing the tissue in the trash as she went to the door, she straightened her skirt and took a deep breath. Not that it did much. As she opened the door she felt all of the air being pushed from her. She blinked multiple times to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Shades stood in her doorway holding a bouquet of flowers- without his glasses. He noticed her stress and immediately started to panic.

"Charlotte, are you okay? I'm sorry, I didn't, I mean..." Words started to nervously fly from his mouth and all she could do was smile. Shades was cut off from his ramblings by her closing the remaining space between them. The flowers were forgotten and fell to the floor as she brought her lips to his. Her hands snaked their way around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her. They only parted once the need for air became too great. Their eyes locked, each part unsure of what to say. Shades was the one to finally break the silence.

"Why were you crying?" Je said softly, his arms still wrapped around her; afraid to let go. He was surprised when she laughed and leaned against his chest.

"I thought you were never going to talk to me again." She replied. Shades' arms tightened around her.

"Why would you ever think that?"

"Because, I don't know, it seems silly now," a pleading in his eyes forced her to continue. "Earlier, when you froze, I thought it was because you didn't, you know, like me..." Shades responded by grinning and crashing his lips to hers again. She laughed as he lifted her from the ground and spinning in a circle. When he put her back on the ground he had a serious look on his face.

"I froze because I wasn't sure if I could control myself around you," he growled. She giggled as he scooped her up and they made their way to her bedroom together.

Clarisse stood alone on her balcony overlooking the gardens. Her hair was slightly ruffled by the light wind that had picked up earlier that afternoon. Above her stars had started to twinkle in the night sky. She gazed up at the twinkling orbs that dotted the deep blanket of indigo. She allowed her thoughts to wander to the events that had taken place earlier that day. She couldn't help but remember what it was like to be in his arms. To feel them wrapped around her protectively. As soon as she started to fall, he was there. Fast-forwarding she remembered what it was like when they kissed. Butterflies rose in her stomach just thinking about it. She felt so young around him, and his smile was just contagious. She wasn't aware of how long she stood there until thunder boomed over head. She glanced up and realized that storm clouds had covered the stars in the sky. She jumped as another roll of thunder sounded from above the layer of clouds. Still immersed in her own thoughts she headed back into the safety of the indoors just as the first droplets of rain started to splatter on the balcony.

Thoughts? I hope you enjoyed it! I kind of have the next chapter noodling around in my head but nothing is really set in stone, so again, any thoughts, lemme know!