After the matches Klaire accompanied L to his place. He was beyond nervous. At her request he took her to the Trophy Room Watari had set up to show her his College Graduation Certificate, and soon after his Tennis trophies.

"You're really amazing Lucas."

"It's nothing serious. I just apply myself. Nothing more."

"Says you. Hey I'm getting kind of hungry, what's for dinner?"

"Um, I don't know. I'll ask my father."

L walked into Watari's study, but he wasn't in there. He smelled something coming from the kitchen so he headed in that direction. "Are you making dinner?"

"Yes. I thought Klaire might be hungry so I got started pretty early...so she can stay a while longer."

"Of course." L said sarcastically.

"Well in any case It will be ready in about 20 minutes. Go and entertain her until then."

L walked away and tried to hold in his irritation. Watari was very troublesome, very.

"He said dinner will be ready in 20 minutes. What would you like to do until then?"

"I don't know. Just relax a little. Where do you usually go to relax?"

"My room or sometimes I go-"

"Let's go to your room. I want to see what it looks like."

Seems as though Klaire is a little troublesome too L thought. "OK, this way."

He directed her to his room then turned around to tell her to take her shoes off.

"You do that too?"

"No, I was just teasing."

"Ha ha very funny. Can I go in?"

"No, not yet. You didn't take your shoes off."

"Fine...you happy?" she smirked.

"Yes, thank you." he said as he opened the doors to his room.

"Niiice! Not all junky like a boy's room normally is."

"That's because my dad cleans it. Plus I don't really do much in here but sleep and just relax as I said earlier."

"Your bed is very comfortable."

L felt himself grow a little at that statement. No, you don't. Not now. He told himself.

"I see you're getting very comfortable."

"You don't mind do you?"

"No not really. Not at all, I prefer it."

She smiled at him, hopped of the bed, and walked over to his entertainment center.

"You weren't lying when you said you like all kinds of music. V6, , Carlos Santana, Air Supply. You have it all. Can I put one in?"

"Sure. Whichever one you'd like."

She grabbed a Metallica CD and put into his disc changer. 'The Memory Remains' came through the speakers. She rocked a little then pulled L into her. He didn't know what to do and of course he didn't dance.

"Come on Lucas dance with me."

"...I can't." He said barely loud enough for Klaire to hear.

"Huh?"

"I can't." he said louder.

"You can't dance?...Don't lie to me. I'm not saying 'can you pro dance' I'm saying just dance. You have amazing footwork and that means rhythm. So come on, sway."

"I don't know Klaire."

"Come on. What can it hurt? No ones here to see you either, its just me. Come on move in closer to me."

L hoped and prayed that he wouldn't get hard, not when they were this close. He mimicked Klaire's movements and speed, although it didn't match the beat of the song.

Soon he moved fluidly like she was, he didn't want to stop. He enjoyed the closeness.

I can't go there again. He told himself. He promised to get over the thrill that is Klaire Cipriani she's your tennis partner, nothing more. But the more he tried to beat it into his head the more his brain rejected it. The more he felt the need to get closer to her, flow into her more. He kept his eyes on her stomach, afraid to look into her eyes.

"Lucas?"

"Yes." he said still with his head down.

"What's wrong?" Why was she talking to him like that? Why did he hear her that way?

Why was this happening? L prayed he wasn't going back to how he was before. He didn't want to. He didn't want to get hurt...he didn't want to hurt Klaire.

Her heart was beating like she'd just been scared out of her skin. Her skin. It felt like electricity was dancing on her down to her thighs. Her thighs. They were on fire, or at least that's the way it seemed to her. What was going on with her? Why was she feeling this way about some guys she just met less than a week ago. Why did his body feel so inviting? Why didn't she want to pull away? She absentmindedly leaned into him a little bit, paused as if she was trying to figure out what she would do, then rested her head on his chest. She felt him tense up a little.

"Klaire."

"..."

"Klaire."

She knew he would try to separate them and she didn't want to. Not yet. She wanted to get more comfortable, just a little more.

"Dinner is ready." Watari said through the intercom.

She and L stopped dancing but didn't part just yet. She lightly ran her nose across the soft skin on his neck. She felt his hands on her waist tighten a little more and he raised his nose to her hair.

Their breathing became slightly heavy and then Klaire spoke up. "Should we go now?"

"..."

"Come on get yourself together." She said fixing his shirt although it wasn't necessary. She just wanted to touch him again. She watched him smooth it out over his chest. Where she just was. She looked at him looking at the floor then grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. When they got to the kitchen she let him go.

At the dinner table Watari asked them what was wrong.

"You're so quiet. Did something happen?"

"No!" They said in unison.

"No." L said again, lower.

"Are you two OK?"

"Yes." They said in unison again.

Watari smiled slightly and continued to eat his food. He knew something happened he was just curious as to what. He would get L to tell him later.

"So how was the museum?"

"It was fun, I really enjoyed myself. Its been a while since I've been to The Uffizi."

"That sounds great. How about you Lucas? Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Yes, I did. I just wish I could have stayed longer."

"I told you to wait a few days, but you just had to go today. It's your own fault."

"Yea. I know."

"Lucas you're not hungry?"

"Yes I am actually."

"Then why don't you make yourself a plate?"

"Dessert isn't ready yet."

"...I'm not understanding."

"I don't eat this food here. I'll just wait until dessert is ready."

"Um...OK."

They continued to talk until Klaire's plate was clear.

"Wow, Mr. Gunter. You can really throw down. I'm gonna have to come here more often for dinner."

"I'm sure your mother's meals are much better."

"They come close but she hardly cooks. She bakes a lot but the cooking is left to the cooks."

"You have cooks?" L asked.

"Yea, I would like my mom to cook more but she's always running around somewhere, seeing something...or whatever."

"Sounds lonely."

"Are you joking? That's the time I have the most peace. Its so quiet in my house when she's gone I almost want to cry." Klaire laughed.

"That's a pretty big house you're in. You get scared being all alone?"

"No. I wish it was like that most of the time I'm there but 70% of the time she's there. Don't get me wrong I love my mom but she's has this pushy hyper personality that clashes with my quiet calm personality." Klaire laughed again.

Watari laughed with her as he cleared the table. "Well you guys are going to have to wait again for dessert. Is that alright?"

"Yes, that's fine." Klaire said.

"Want to go outside?" L asked trying to avoid his room at all costs.

"Yea, OK." They walked out on the patio. "Is that a lake down there I see?"

"Yes. You want to go down there?"

"Sure. Come on!" She said pulling him along with him.

He didn't think he could touch her again. Not this soon. He was still reeling from that bedroom scene.

When they got there Klaire kicked her shoes off and stuck her feet in. "Its cold." she giggled.

"Well yes it is. It the beginning of November. It should be." L said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"Well duh, I just mean its colder than what I thought it would be. Don't get cute. Why do you put your feet in?"

"No thank you."

"Come on don't be a wuss."

"I'm not."

"Are to. Come on its not so bad."

L sighed, slipped out of his shoes, and put a foot in the lake. It was beyond cold.

"This is freezing. How can you stand this?"

"Wuss. Its not that bad, you'll get used to it."

L looked at her smiling face and again he felt himself warm inside. Things shouldn't be this way. He knew that but what could he do? How could he make himself stop falling for her? How could he make himself stop thinking about her? This situation? Did he want to at all? He looked at himself in the water. He looked content on the outside but inside...

"Would it be alright if we just rest here until dessert is ready?"

"Yes. That's fine." L said.

After dessert L walked Klaire out to her waiting car and said a bland 'goodnight'.

She returned the greeting her equally dry. L saw the regret in her eyes. She didn't want to leave but what could she do? What could he? When he could no longer see the car anymore he turned and went back into the house. Watari was waiting in the foyer for him.

"What happened?" he asked.

L didn't say anything just climbed on the couch with him and rested his head in his lap.

He fell asleep.