Chapter Twelve

The Garden

Blake wandered along the patio in his back garden, his hands in his pockets. He had not changed out of the suit his job required him to wear at school, but had rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt to his elbows and had taken off his tie, unbuttoning his collar so he could breathe again. It was six o'clock- she must have read it gotten it by now. Perhaps she hadn't bothered to read it, and had made up her mind already. Or maybe she had read it, and wanted nothing to do with him regardless. He would wait though, just in case. Chase and Andie were out, so he didn't feel quite as stupid as he would have had they been there to watch. He stopped next to the huge oak tree that grew at the end of his garden, looking up at it.

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Elodie slammed the gears in her car around clumsily in her haste to make it to the Collins house. She could remember just about where it was- the night of the sleepover she had followed Chase and Andie home, but the other drivers on the roads were not making it easy to remain calm. After what seemed like an age, she pulled up in the street, avoiding the driveway in case she lost her bottle. She sat for a moment in the car with the engine switched off, gazing at the house out of the window. Was this really what she wanted? Blake Collins? They were so different, and he was so intense and difficult to work out. Her eyes fell upon the letter that she had thrown onto the front seat next to her. One way or another, she was about to find out. She got out and closed the car door quietly, not wanting him to know she was there. She tip toed along the side of the house, noting the absence of Chase's car. So he was alone. Reaching the side gate she stopped. It was half open, and she could just about make out a figure standing by the oak tree. Peering further around the gate she watched him for a few minutes. He had taken off his tie- he didn't do that very often, only when he was stressed or tired.

How did she know that?

He perched on the edge of the garden table and looked up at the leaves rustling in the breeze. She couldn't see his face, but his muscles all appeared to be tensed, giving away his mood. His shirt sleeves were rolled up- even his forearms looked tensed. Did this really matter that much to him? Taking a deep breath she stepped forward into the garden.

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He did not see her at first, and she stopped a few yards short of the table, unsure of what she was going to say.

"You came then," he said quietly, not turning around, remaining totally still.

"I did," she replied, hoping that her voice did not convey her surprise.

"Nice tree," she added feebly.

"Thanks. I like it too."

This was ridiculous. They were talking about the tree.

Finally he moved. He stood up slowly and turned on the spot, not looking at her face, but at just past her.

"Aren't you going to say anything?" she said quietly, trying to catch his eyes.

"I said everything I wanted to in my letter. You know, or you do if you read it, which you must have because you are here, how I feel. Now it's up to you."

He still refused to look directly at her.

"Blake, I can't just go ahead and ruin your career," she said carefully.

"But you want to?"

She sighed.

"It's not as simple as that."

He was looking at her strangely.

"You're wearing it."

"What?" she was confused. He was not acting like Director Collins.

"My jacket. You're wearing it."

She was. She had pulled it on absent mindedly in her hurry, the weather having turned in the past few days. She'd left her flat without a coat, and had his jacked in her hands so had put it on. She hadn't thought about it. It smelled of him.

He approached her slowly and withdrew his hands from his pockets. Elodie did not move, but stood silently as he stopped in front of her. They were almost touching. She kept her eyes down, level with his chest. Blake reached his hand out to her shoulder and pulled up the jacket lightly where it had slipped down, and her heart beat furiously, so loud she was convinced he could hear it. He left his hand on her shoulder and moved a centimeter closer.

"So have you decided?" he half whispered, causing a shiver to run down her neck.

Without even thinking about it, she had decided.

"Yes," she whispered back.

She abandoned her search for words, and instead closed the gap between them, cuddling into his chest. He seemed mildly shocked, and did not hug her back immediately. But when he did no question remained in Elodie's mind, and words were not necessary. They stood for a few minutes, hugging beneath the oak tree.

"So?" Blake said. His voice vibrated in his chest, tickling Elodie's ear slightly.

"Don't make me spell it out for you Blake, I was kind of going for 'obvious' with the whole hugging thing." She went to step back, but he grinned and caught her, meeting her eyes finally.

"Just checking."

She smiled back, and laid a hand on his chest.

"So does this mean you won't give me such a hard time in dance classes?" she asked, playing with his shirt collar. "Or try to break my arms anymore?"

He raised his eyebrows, still grinning.

"No, but it does mean that you get even more extra special lessons, one to one."

Elodie laughed and tried to wriggle out of his arms, but he would not let her go.

"Is there a reason you won't let me free?" she said, pausing in her wriggling to look up at him.

"Only so I can do this."

He leaned forward slightly and kissed her cheek lightly, not moving away immediately, and Elodie was sure in that instant that she had made the right decision. She lingered in his arms for a few minutes, remembering the words in his letter. He might not be the most simple of human beings, or the easiest to please, but if one thing was sure about him, he understood.

"You know, Blake Collins, you are an arrogant, moody, difficult individual with one heck of a temper and some problems with people skills, but I do believe I have fallen for you," Elodie giggled as grabbed her waist and lowered her into a salsa type falling lift, looking down at her with a smile.

"I thought as much. If I were in the business of falling, which, considering my professional achievement and reputation, I obviously am not, I, Elodie Garett, would have fallen for you too. Instead I just have to live with you taking up an unhealthy amount of space in my mind every day."

She knocked the leg he was leaning her on and they both tumbled ungracefully to the floor laughing.

Blake had learned to laugh again, and to love again.

Elodie had learned to let herself be loved again.

And as they lay, side by side and hand in hand on the patio in the evening sun, they knew in the silence that life would never be the same again.

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I have left it there because I am leaving the country for a week and don't like leaving stories hanging, but I shall do another Blake/ Elodie story, or some oneshots with them, because I have enjoyed writing it so much. Thanks to all reviewers, especially those committed ones- you know who you are. And thanks to Twannee, without whom I simply could not write Blake stuff.

I have an idea for another Blake/OC story too, so in a week's time, watch this space and I will fill it all up with more Blakiness. Thank you and goodnight.

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