Alright already got the next one and I only posted the previous chapter like...what, 9 hours ago? It's pretty much midnight here and iif I wait for a more reasonable hour I'll drive myself insane.

Plus Tomb Raider puts me in a mood for some reason...kinda like Red vs Blue. Hmm...

enjoy


Chapter 12

The First

The school bell rang throughout the building and immediately the doors swung open as the children all rushed outside to go play, do homework, or meet with their parents or friends.

The twin's group of friends walked out with much more calmness than the other kids, talking animatedly and such.

"Hey, why don't you guys come over today? It'll be fun!" Alex said, bouncing up and down eagerly as Skye pulled out their snow globe from his backpack.

Their friends all shared a look before Nick and Steven shrugged.

"Sure, why not. We don't have to be home right away, right?" Steven turned to his younger sister and she nodded happily.

"You guys sure you parents won't mind though? Nick asked with a raised brow and Alex shook her head.

"No way, it'll be fine! Besides, they love it when they have company anyway." She said and they all walked into an alley as Skye mumbled their destination against the snow globe's smooth, glass surface and tossed it on the ground with all his might. Then the alley was lit up with the brightness of the portal and they all ran inside, then met with the green grass and trees that surrounded the Frost family home.

"Mom, Dad, we're home!" Skye called out as he and Alex ran inside, their friends in tow.

"And we brought company too!" Alex added. After a moment their parents came out of the hallway and grinned at the sight of their kids and the friends.

"Welcome home, Sweeties." Taylor smiled and hugged her kids and they frowned uncomfortably.

"Hi Mr. and Mrs. Frost." Nick, Steven and Kelly all said, holding back their laughs at the twins.

"Mom, come on. Not in front of our friends, please?" Alex groaned and she laughed.

"Alright, alright. Sorry." She stood and Jack stepped up with his hands on his hips.

"So, what brings you crazy kids here?" He asked with a smirk.

"We were just gonna play for a while," Nick said, scratching his head. "That's cool, right?" He asked and Jack raised a brow.

"Easy there, Nick. Look who you're talking to," He chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair before gesturing to the twin's room. "Get outta here." He grinned and all the kids cheered and ran to the room.


"Got any threes?"

"Gold fish."

Steven raised a brow at Nick who just blinked at him. "Gold fish? Nick, it's 'go fish' not 'gold fish'."

The brunette shrugged, still managing to hide his cards from Alex and Kelly who sat on either side of him.

"Too bad. I like gold fish more than normal fish; so there." Alex laughed beside him and he smirked as Steven sighed and drew a card from the deck, placing it in the folds of cards in his hand.

Skye paused before taking his turn and looked out the window.

"Hey, it's getting pretty late. Let's get you guys home." He said, taking all the cards and putting them back in the box and on his nightstand.

Kelly stood and stretched as the others stood as well. "Good call, Skye," She paused for a moment and frowned at Steven. "I hope Mom and Dad aren't gonna be mad at us for being gone so long."

Nick stretched with a loud yawn and picked his backpack up off the floor. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Kelly. It's not like you were gonna run away from home or anything." He chuckled lightly and the black-haired siblings grabbed their things and they all walked out of the twin's room.

"Mom? Dad?" Skye stepped out into the living room to find his parents focused on their own version of checkers.

One time Uncle North had given them all a chess board, but they'd lost the pieces a while back. So whenever Jack and Taylor decided to play they just created little snowflakes and stars much like the ones they made for each other once upon a time that were hanging from each other's necks.

And it looked like Taylor was winning, considering the small pile of slowly melting big snowflakes on her side of the table next to the board.

Jack lifted another snowflake shakily and set it a couple spaces away, gulping nervously as Taylor grinned. She lifted a shining star in her hands and placed it where the snowflake had been after she used to the star to swipe it off the board.

He cried out in frustration and she just laughed. "What the hell kinda game is this?! You've gotta be cheating or something- show me!" Jack lowered his head until he was eye level with the snowflakes and stars, narrowing his eyes at the pieces.

"Too bad. I'm just that good, Hon." Taylor smirked, popping a piece of popcorn in her mouth.

Skye laughed to himself and knocked on the wall to get their attention. They both blinked at looked at him in question.

"Hey Skye! Maybe you can help me out here, your mom is seriously killing me here!" Jack cried and his son shook his head with a smile.

"Sorry Dad, but I'm not about to get in the middle of that," He chuckled as Jack frowned and crossed his arms with a huff and Taylor laughed at his antics. "Anyway, Nick and the others have to go home, so we'll be right back after going with them, okay?"

Taylor nodded at him. "Alright, Skye. Be safe!" Skye nodded as well and waved as he ran out of the house after his friends.

"Okay; bye Mom! Bye Dad!" He called back and closed the door behind him, having already tied his shoes.

Everyone was waiting outside already, Alex with the snow globe in her hands.

"We all set?" She asked, Skye and the others all nodded and she grinned, tossing the small globe on the grass and the portal came to life immediately.


"Alright, well I'm this way." Nick started as they all slowed to a stop at a sidewalk splitting two ways.

Kelly and Steven were at the other side. "And we're this way," Kelly blinked as if just thinking of thinking of something. "Hey Skye, why don't you walk with us and then Alex go with Nick? Just so we all know the other gets home okay."

Alex blinked confusedly at Kelly who grinned as Skye nodded. "Sounds okay to me." He said.

Nick nodded and started off in his direction and paused when Alex wasn't following. He turned and watched her curiously.

"Well Alex? You comin' or not?" He asked with a smile and alex almost felt her heart melt at that smile.

"W-Well I uh-" She didn't get a chance to utter anymore nonsense as Kelly grabbed her shoulders encouragingly.

"Go on, Alex. Have fun." She whispered to the blonde and shoved her ahead with Nick as he started walking again. Skye shot Kelly a look and watched their retreating forms with a frown.

"What're you up to?" He asked warily and she grinned as Steven rolled his eyes.

"Just a little matchmaking," She paused at the frown from Skye. "Don't worry! Nick doesn't bite! It'll be fine!" She giggled and he just sighed.

"You do know she likes him, right?" Steven asked with a raised brow and Skye snorted.

"Of course I do. She's not exactly good at hiding it," He chuckled lightly and ran a hand through his hair as they walked to their house. "It's just a brother thing, yknow?" He said and the siblings nodded.

"Of course!" They both said with a smile.

"Besides, it's just a five-minute walk. Nothing's probably gonna happen anyway." Kelly sighed and crossed her arms and Steven pushed up his glasses with a grin.

"Ain't that the truth?"


The walk with Nick may have been the most awkward thing Alex had ever done. She'd never been alone with him before and she felt as stiff as a board. She tried taking deep breaths to calm herself down but it wasn't working and only came out in shaky rasps.

"You okay, Alex?" Nick's voice shook her from her thoughts and she looked at him in question.

"What's that?" He raised a brow at her and smiled lightly.

"I asked if you were okay. You seem lost in thought there." He chuckled when she cleared her throat awkwardly.

"I-I'm okay. Sorry I was just um… Thinking about something." She trailed off to almost a whisper and he blinked.

"Okay, I'll bite; what about?" He asked, folding his arms behind his head.

"Well I uh… I-I mean you- no wait. I mean, I like- u-um…" She cursed herself for stuttering and fumbling over her words a thousand times over. He chuckled.

"You getting' a little lost there?" He asked and she laughed lightly.

"I-I guess so, sorry." She smiled.

After a moment he stopped walking and she did as well, noticing they were in the middle of a neighborhood.

"Well, this is me." He muttered, scratching his head and she rubbed her arm nervously.

"Okay, well um, I-I'll see you Monday then." She made to walk away but she froze when she felt a hand take hers. She turned with a frown and Nick was pulling her back again.

"Wait a second, Alex," He said and she flinched involuntarily. He paused and bit his lip. "Is there anyone you like right now?"

Alex's eyes widened and she almost jerked her hand away from his.

"S-Say what?" She stuttered and he smiled again, feeling her nervousness practically skyrocket.

"I said, is there anyone you like right now?" He cleared his throat and took a step closer to her. She never realized how much taller he was than her, until now- he was almost a head taller somehow.

She swallowed nervously, having a war with herself now. This was her chance to tell him! But what if he's just curious and doesn't like her in that way at all? But then… If he really does feel the same…

She let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding and looked at him.

"I do, actually. It's um… I," She sighed and shook her head, ridding herself of any and all doubts. "I-I like you, Nick."

His eyes widened and for a moment she feared the worst, her hands clasped together over her chest. She inwardly cursed herself for looking so vulnerable in front of him and forced her hands back down to her sides.

Then she felt a warmth around her whole body and she flinched a little.

He was hugging her.

"N-Nick?" She started, feeling his body shaking slightly and she was afraid she had upset him somehow. But then a sound from him echoed in her ear. He was… Laughing.

"I like you too, Alex." He laughed and her eyes widened as he pulled away and grinned at her.

"You do?" She breathed and he nodded, taking her hand in his.

"Yeah." He grinned. He paused and slowly leaned closer to her and her breath hitched, to stricken to even move now. His lips were inching closer and closer until she felt his somehow steady breathing against her skin.

There was a sound of a door opening behind him and a feminine voice. "Nick, Honey? Is that you? Come inside, it's dark already!"

He paused and pulled away from Alex and turned to the doorway and the figure inside it.

"Coming, Mom!" He called out and she walked back inside, leaving the door open. He smiled at Alex and started to walk away, his hand slowly slipping out of hers. "See you Monday, Alex." He whispered and ran inside, closing the door behind him.

Alex stayed glued to the pavement, trying to understand what just happened.

"He likes me…," She breathed, her hand touching her lips lightly. "And… He almost kissed me." Her shocked expression turned into a smile and she balled her hands into fists.

"YES!" She jumped and shot her hands into the air and started in the direction she came, breaking out into a full run until she found Skye waiting for her where they'd split off.

"And what took you so long?" He asked with crossed arms and raised a brow at her. "And happened to you? You're grinning like an idiot."

His sister giggled lightly and she threw the snow globe in the air, catching it again effortlessly.

"Oh, yknow. This and that." She said, tossing the globe on the ground and they stepped through it, seeing their house immediately. Skye frowned at her as she plopped in the grass with a light sigh, picking at the grass absentmindedly.

"For Moon's sake, Sis. Just tell me!" He froze and stared at her warily. "This has to do with Nick, doesn't it?"

Her head shot up at the mention of him and she grinned. "Maybe." She said. Skye gasped and sat in grass in front of her, his hands on his knees.

"Tell. Me. Everything," He demanded. "'Cause if he does something stupid, I'm gonna go after him first."

"He's not 'doing anything stupid', Skye," She breathed a light laugh and dropped the blades of grass in her hands. "I told him I liked 'im." His eyes widened and he leaned in.

"And?"

"Well… He likes me too!" She squealed and Skye stuck his tongue out, realizing if she kept acting like that, she'd become one of the very girls neither of them could stand at all. "He even almost kissed me before his mom called him in."

"Excuse me?" He frowned. "Now, see there? That's where he did something stupid. Nobody kisses my sister without a talking to from me!" He growled, already rolling up his sleeves and feeling the overprotective brother in him rise exponentially.

Alex hurriedly pulled down his arm and frowned. "Hold it right there, Crazy. I said almost. 'Almost' being the key word there!" She said.

After a moment Skye sighed heavily, pulling his sleeves back down again. "Okay, I'm good."

"Good. And no telling Mom and Dad, either." She said and he gave her a puzzled look.

"Why?" He asked warily and she sighed.

"Because I wanna figure this out first, okay? I don't know! Let me tell them myself when I can, alright?" She pleaded. He pursed his lips in thought and sighed again.

"Alright, fine. But if he tries anything or does anything stupid, he's gonna hear from me; remember that. And Mom and Dad have to know then too if you haven't told them by then, okay?"

"Noted. Thanks Bro." She said, pulling him up with her and they both ran into the house and turned in for the night.

Alex lay awake in her bed, constantly remembering the strange feeling in her stomach when Nick hugged her, said he liked her, and then tried to kiss her. Was this even a normal thing for ten-year-olds like herself? Maybe now, considering how crazy some kids could get these days, according to her parents.

"Skye? You awake?" She whispered and a light groan came from her brother's side of the room.

"What?" He asked irritably, though Alex chose to ignore it for now as she stared at the ceiling.

"You think I'm making the right choice?" She asked. Skye blinked and turned until his bedhead was off the pillow and he looked at her with tired eyes and blinked.

"Sis… You know if you're so scared of this you can back out, right?" He asked and she sighed.

"I'm not scared, alright? I'm just…," She lowered her eyes and rolled over until she was facing her brother even though she wasn't really looking at him. "I just don't wanna look weak in front of 'im. Does that make sense?"

"Not really, no," He didn't even hesitate for that one and she almost flinched. "Why're you so freaked out about looking weak? We're only ten, after all." He yawned.

Alex bit her lip. "You know what things were like for Mom growing up, she told us at least part of it. If she looked weak then a whole bunch of stuff kept happening. It's a little… Scary, to think about." Skye blinked at her confusedly.

"So you are scared then."

Alex groaned and tossed a small stuffed animal at his face but he caught it just in time.

"Enough!" She whispered harshly. "Some help you are. Just forget I even said anything." She sighed, pulling the blankets closer to her face and closing her eyes.

"Alex?" Skye's voice reached her ears.

"Yeah?" She replied but didn't want to open her eyes again. She could hear the rustling of his bed sheets as he got comfortable.

"It's gonna be okay. And if anything does happen you got me, Kelly and Steven to help out. You know that, right?"

Alex smiled under the covers and let out a small breath.

"Yeah. I do."


If you really wanna know the shit that went down on my end when the twins were talking about beng weak(since I'm Taylor, after all. She's me. I'm her) you can either A: get on a more personal level with me. B: PM me nd pretend to be someone I know. Or C: crawl up your own ass and die 'cause I honestly don't give a shit anymore.

Anyway, the ten-year-old version of love too much? I don't really know, all I do know is that even ten-year-olds have gone where I never have these days which is freakin scary.

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See you next time