Blair sat with no one in the room other than Avalon who was curled up atop her desk. As happy as she was and as lighter as she now felt she couldn't seem to shake the last lingering sense of darkness form her mind. Even after revealing herself she still hadn't 'completely' revealed herself to Caleb. It felt wrong, but she didn't know what to do. Blair's silent contemplation was suddenly cut short by the loud knocking at her dorm door. The sound caught her by surprise and had her jump a bit in shock as well as having Avalon's ears twitch in agitation.
Curious as to who would be at her door Blair got to her feet and went to answer it. Upon opening the door she was suddenly bombarded by the chatter of five of her newest friends. Without waiting to be let in Lux, Peyton and Gemma along with Sarah and Kate made their way into the room. At first Blair was mildly shocked at the group of girls who immediantly made themselves comfortable in various places around the room. If she hadn't already been aware of Sarah and Kate's knowledge of the Power and the Covenant of Silence their presence after what had happened barely two hours ago would have had her even more shocked that they would be present considering she would assume they had come to talk about it. However, despite Sarah and Kate's knowledge of who they were and what had happened back at the Colony House none of them brought up anything to do with the Power or the Sons at all.
"So I hear Caleb invited you to the swim practice later," Lux suddenly asked with a knowing smile.
Unable to stop the reaction Blair's cheeks reddened with what Lux was implying. The giggles from the rest of the girls that followed didn't help in keeping her reaction to a minimum.
"He did," Blair mumbled in reply. "But I don't think I am going to go."
Not two seconds after the words left her mouth was she meant with the disappointed sounds coming from the flock of girls scattered about her room.
"Why not?" Sarah asked. "Caleb obviously has really strong feelings for you so you should go."
"Sarah's right," Kate chimed in. "I'd give anything to have someone look at me the way Caleb looks at you, the way Pogue looks at Peyton, or the way that Reid and Tyler look at Lux and Gemma," she finished with a envious sigh.
"Kate has a point. Caleb never looked at me the way he looks at you," Sarah added.
"What look are you guys talking about?" Blair asked with a doubtful huff.
"Like you're the moon and stars to him," Sarah and Kate replied in unison with the same smirk stretched across their lips.
"Does he really look at me like that?" Blair asked in a near whisperer after a brief pause, taking in everything that her friends were saying.
"Yes," the entire group replied before bursting out into giggles.
Blair gave a quick smile to her friends who were obviously enjoying themselves but her thoughts and emotions were turned inward. If what they had said was true then perhaps she hadn't been imagining any of the emotions that she had felt from Caleb. Even if they were, it was still difficult to get past all that stood in their way--- her way. Caleb had taken the first steps in creating a relationship with her after the truth had come out. He had invited her to watch him at swim practice. Now it was her turn to make the next move--- but how could she? Even the thought of being near the water left her fearful--- feeling as if something was stealing away her breath.
"I can't," she mumbled refusing to meet their eyes.
The room fell silent for a brief moment and Blair could almost feel the stares of her friends looking at her from across the room.
"Why?" the soft voice of Peyton asked.
Rather than giving the true reason why she could bring herself to go to the pool Blair said the next thing that came to mind. "Even if I did go I wouldn't know what to say."
"I am afraid that once you're heart gets involved Blair, it all comes out in moron," Peyton softly chuckled.
Blair never looked to where her friends sat but once Peyton had said what she did Blair could hear her friends as they began to file out the door. One by one the girls left her alone in the room until Lux was left. Lux stopped in the door way and turned back to face Blair who continued to keep her back turned.
"If it makes a difference," Lux began. "I know my brother well enough to know that Sarah and Kate were right. The way Caleb looks at you is different than I've ever seen him look before. In case you haven't realized it yet it's also the same way you look at him. Whatever the real reason is why you won't go see him you should get over it because what you two feel for each other shouldn't go to waste."
Nothing more was said. The only sound that filled the room was the soft click of the door closing behind Lux as Blair was left alone once again in her room. With no one there Blair began to consider what her friends had told her. For what seemed like the longest time Blair sat in silence looking out the window at the sprawling academy campus but was too preoccupied with her own thoughts to take notice of anything going on outside. Her mind was whirling with thoughts and feelings as she attempted to decide the best course of action.
Suddenly the whirlwind inside her mind came to a screeching halt. Lux was right. She couldn't risk wasting what she felt when the possibility of so little time between them lingered. With that thought in mind Blair forced the fear, the memory of water and agonizing pain of it to the deepest reaches of her mind. She wouldn't let her weaknesses stop her now when the chance of happiness--- of love was so near.
Glancing over at the clock that sat beside her bed Blair cursed at seeing that in what had felt to be only a few minutes was in reality an hour. Caleb's swim practice was already well underway by now. However, despite the fact that by the time she would arrive at the pool the practice would be nearing its end Blair rushed from the room toward the pool. Even if it was only for a few minutes she wasn't going to let the opportunity to show Caleb that she wanted to be with him pass.
Barely twenty minutes of practice remained by the time Blair reached the doors leading into the pool. The moment that she reached the doors she had stopped dead in her tracks. Nerves and fear caused her palms to sweat and her mouth to go dry. Taking a deep breath Blair ignored her fears and pulled open the door to quickly force her feet to move through the doorway.
Once inside the smell of chlorine filled the air and the sound of water splashing reached her ears. Despite her attempts to keep the fear at bay the sound of the water and the sight of the clear blue water the filled the pool made it difficult. Blair took notice that she wasn't the only one watching the practice. There was a rather large group of girls giggling and talking animatedly on the bleachers the lined the pool side. Considering that their eyes were practically glued to the boys that made up the swim team it wasn't difficult to guess what they were doing there.
"Blair," she suddenly heard a familiar deep voice call to her.
Pulled from her thoughts Blair glanced around only to find Caleb looking up at her from where he held himself out of the water by the pool's rim closest to her. Blair smiled tremulously in return and waved to him, letting him know she saw him. At first she made to scurry over to the bleachers for the last few minutes of practice with every intention of following along the wall as far from the pool as she could stay. However, Caleb wasn't finished.
"Come here," he said waving her over to the pool side.
Blair froze not knowing what to do. Caleb' wanted her to come over to him where he was still in the water. That was much too close for comfort--- it was too soon for her to will herself that close to the water. Not realizing that she did so Blair took a quick step backward away from the pool. The reaction had Caleb looking up at her with a look of wonder on his face and his eyes looking over her in search of whatever had caused the sudden distressed reaction to overcome her. Not knowing what else to do Blair merely gave a quick insistent shake of her head and scurried along the wall to the bleachers fully aware of Caleb's gaze following her as she did so.
Caleb continued to watch Blair as she found a place on the bleachers to watch what little remained of his swim practice. His eyes had locked on her the moment she had entered the building. He didn't need the connection between them to see the obvious distress she felt the moment she stepped foot into the building. It was more than obvious for anyone to see. If anything the connection between them only made him much more aware of it. At first he had been confused as to what could've caused her such discomfort. He had only left her a few hours before and at the time she had seemed fine--- tired and emotionally drained but none the worse for wear. Whatever was wrong with her it was different. If he was honest with himself he had felt a tingling sense of her distress when he had first asked her to come to the practice. However, it had been so fleeting that he had paid it no mind.
When she had first stepped into the building and he had felt her distress he had been confused, although, after seeing her reaction to his request for her to come closer he finally realized what was wrong. It was the idea of being near what that was so upsetting to her. Looking up to wear she sat at the bleachers Caleb saw Blair sitting stiffly looking down at the water; her eyes unseeing as if she was somewhere far away. Suddenly the whistle of the coach echoed through the large room causing Blair to jump out of her trance. With one last quick glance up at Blair, Caleb caught her beautiful violet eyes that he loved with his own as she sought him out. Smiling reassuringly to her Caleb waved one last time before turning his attention back to his practice as the coach called for one last final practice swim. Caleb couldn't help but smile to himself at the idea of having Blair there to watch him swim, even if it was merely a practice swim he still enjoyed the thought of having her there to see him. What was even more satisfying about the thought was that Blair had braved something that she clearly feared to do so and for her to do that he wanted to do nothing less than impress her.
Blair watched from her place on the bleachers as Caleb hefted himself out of the water. At that moment she completely forgot about the presence of the water all together. Instead all she could manage to concentrate on was the perfection that was Caleb Danvers. She had always guessed that he would be in good shape as it was necessary for the sport her played. However, in all the time she had spent with him over the last few weeks she had never gotten the chance to confirm such as he was always in his school uniform or--- more fully dressed then he was at present. Now that he wore--- very, very little she could see exactly what she had expected to see. Caleb Danvers was indeed pleasantly muscular and much to Blair's pleasure not overly so. She watched as the muscles in his well defined arms and broad shoulders bunch as he lifted himself out of the pool. If not for the people that surrounded her Blair thought it fully possible that her jaw would drop with every possibility of a little drool being involved.
As if feeling her intent stare Caleb turned to glance up at her and smile as if knowing exactly what she had been thinking he turned away. Blair watched as a few of the boys, including Caleb, lined up in their respective lanes readying themselves for the signal to start. Seconds later the loud echo of the coach's whistle rang out through the building and Caleb and the people he was racing against were off. Within seconds after the whistle blew they were in the water and pushing themselves hard through the water. At first the splashing of the water threw Blair back into a moment of fear but as her eyes locked on Caleb as he moved swiftly through the water all else was forgotten.
Little by little Caleb made his way ahead and as he neared the final half knowing Blair was watching he pushed himself a little extra--- even if it was just practice. There was no reason he couldn't show off his skills in swimming when given the chance. The fact that he was showing them off in front of a girl he had an interest in made it all the more worthwhile. With the lead he gained in that final stretch Caleb claimed victory over his team mates in the practice swim and those that were watching the practice politely applauded. In the case of the constantly present group of girls they were a little bit more vigorous in their applause then others that were watching. Still panting from the exertion Caleb turned to find Blair's eyes in the little audience. It didn't take long for his gaze to zero in on her own. From across the room he found Blair starring down at him as intently as he was looking at her.
Neither of them moved as the rest of his team and those that had been watching the practice began to depart from the pool. After a few minuets the room was left empty except for the presence of Caleb and Blair. Blair didn't move from her spot on the bleachers and despite having her glaze locked with his Caleb didn't miss the few quick glances she made down to the pool. Suddenly the tingling sense of apprehension filled him from their connection. Knowing exactly what was wrong Caleb closed the distance between them himself rather than making her have to come to him and therefore closer to the pool and the water that filled it.
Seeing Caleb move closer Blair sighed in relief and started her decent down the bleacher steps where he was waiting for her. The beautiful smile she loved was the sight that meant her as she reached the bottom of the bleachers--- a sight that she couldn't help but to smile when she looked at him.
"I see you took my request to heart," Caleb spoke softly reaching a hand up to play with a couple of loose strands of hair that had fallen from the clip that held her hair back.
"Sorry I was late. I was--- I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to make it," she explained telling herself that it was partly true.
"Why didn't you tell me you were afraid of the water?" Caleb suddenly asked looking straight into her violet eyes.
The question caught Blair by surprise. Apparently Caleb was as good as reading her as she was becoming at reading him. It was even more plain to see that she wasn't the only one who felt the connection. Somehow the knowledge that Caleb had found her out was rather comforting. It was never something she told many people--- if she ever did tell anyone, although Caleb was different. If she could tell anyone he was the one to tell.
Feeling the need to have him closer than he was now Blair suddenly flung herself against him uncaring of the water dripping from him. The moment that her arms wrapped around his neck to hold him close Caleb's own strong arms wrapped around her in return pulling her even closer.
Taking in the comforting closeness from Caleb and the warmth that radiated off him Blair found the will to tell him her final shameful secret. Pulling away from Caleb she looked up into his deep brown eyes and began to tell him everything.
"That day that my parents died when the car crashed into the river everything felt like a blur it happened so fast. I was so afraid the whole time I couldn't do anything--- not even use my powers to save my parents. I couldn't use the Power of elements--- of water---- because I was too afraid to do it. I was so afraid at that time that I couldn't think. There was only panic and the pain of the water crushing down around me. It stole the air out of my longs and there was nothing I could do. I was pulled from the car by someone who had seen the accident before I completely drowned but when they went back for my parents it was already too late to save them. I survived but every time I am near water the memory--- the feeling of the water surrounding me--- like I can't breath--- it all comes rushing back to me. Ever since then I haven't been able to use my full potential when it comes to the Power. I control the elements but I can't bring myself to use the water element. The only way to destroy the curse would be for me as someone possessing the Power of the same bloodline as Chase to use my full Power and destroy the pendent."
With her explanation complete Blair waited for Caleb to say something, however, he said nothing. Instead he only smiled and lifted his hand to once again twin a loose strand of hair in his fingers and give a gentle tug. The entire time his gaze never wavered from hers and she saw the gentle smile that curved his lips in that moment. Without warning the desire to want to do nothing more than kiss him filled her and apparently she wasn't the only one with such thoughts entering her mind. Seconds later Caleb was leaning down and bringing her closer with another gentle tug on her hair. Rather than a quick deep kiss Caleb took care to place the sweetest and most gentle of lingering kisses to Blair's lips. It was the sort of kiss that didn't need to last forever to leave her breathless. It was full of enough love and care to do that as it was.
While Blair still felt as if she were floating on clouds Caleb pulled away and put a little distance between them as if to ensure that he would keep his hands off her. He smiled at the dreamy look on Blair's face.
"I should probably go and get dressed. Do you want to do Nicky's tonight--- as my date. Maybe we can do a movie after at my place. I can drive you back to the dorms after," Caleb asked bringing an even bigger smile to Blair's lips.
Without a word Blair closed the little distance that he had put between them to place a quick kiss to his lips before answering, "I'll see you later then."
With that said Blair turned and started toward the doors.
"Blair," Caleb called from behind her.
"What?" she asked looking back at him.
"I am glad I was able to get you to begin to conquer your fear of water," he told her with a slightly cocky smile--- he and Reid may not always get a long but after all the years they spent together a little bit of the other would have to rub off sooner or later.
Blair only laughed in reply, considering it was partly true and that gave her hope that perhaps sooner or later as long as she had Caleb to help giver her strength she could overcome her fears and learn once again to use her full power over the elements. With Caleb watching her as she left Blair felt a new sense of fulfillment. She felt as if there was finally a true sense of hope for both the present and the future. With that pleasing thought in mind Blair began to make her way back to her dorm to ready herself for her night with Caleb. The whole walk back she couldn't disguise the pleased smile that stretched across her lips.
AN: I really am sorry about my later updates. I am writing but I can never get the chance to really sit down and right a full chapter. It's the downside to college. But, I am still writing its just that I don't get the chance to write enough that I can pull out one chapter as fast as I once was able to. Don't lose faith though because I update as soon as I am able and now that I am beginning to get further in the story I'll hopefully be able to write faster because I am getting to the interesting stuff. I had fun writing this chapter so let me know what you think. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW please my faithful readers. And I am just going to let you know that the next chapter is going to be interesting. Thank You.