Of course, they couldn't just fall in.

Kay smacked her head on the hard plastic lane line and Reid hit the bottom of the pool, his foot folding under him in a painful sprain. They both came up sputtering, freezing in the cold, chlorinated water.

"Kay, here." Aaron offered his hand up, looking sorry. She shied away from it, covering her face with one hand to cover up the rapidly swelling welts from the lane line.

All three teens, along with the other Sons and the rest of the team, jumped as a sharp whistle sounded throughout the pool area, announcing the coach's presence.

"If you ladies are done foolin' around, we have some swimming to do." He commented obliviously, again blowing his whistle and writing something on his clipboard.

Tyler and Pogue shoved past Aaron with matching glares, each offering Kay a hand out of the pool. She reached out for both of them and they hoisted her up. If she weren't cold and still feeling skin-crawly because of Aaron, it would have been fun. Tyler gave Reid a hand up, then took a glance at the ankle. Being the future med student he was, he termed it a sprain and decided Reid should skip practice for the day and should, instead, take Kay home, which Reid was only too glad to do.

He headed into the locker room to change as Tyler threw his sister a towel from his bag before diving into the water, keeping an eye on Aaron, who was pressing an ice pack to his rapidly-purpling jaw, his eyes locked on Kay at the other side of the pool.

By then, Sarah, Lyra, and Kate had arrived, been briefed on what went down, and had formed a protective wall between Kay and her new stalker, fussing over her hair and wrapping her firmly in Reid's hoodie, which she had conveniently left in the stands before falling in.

"You know what'll make you feel better?" Lyra asked comfortingly as she wrung out some of Kay's hair, keeping an eye on the girl and the other on the boys' locker room, waiting for Reid. At Kay's head shake, she continued. "Grinding the hell out of Blondie tonight at the bar."

All three other girls eyes bugged out and they all shot Lyra the exact same "WHAT?!" look.

"Seriously! You know you want 'im, and, from what I saw, Aaron's gonna be pretty afraid of him. He should leave you alone." She said confidently, although she deflated at their looks. "Okay, future Sociology Major here! I study people. Their behavior. It's a thing." She explained with a dismissive wave, correctly reading their expressions which had been questioning how she knew all this about people she had just met. Their brows cleared, but Kate retained a mischievous look.

"Might not be a bad idea, Kay. It'd cheer you up, and you know how Reid always makes Nicky's more fun...and how you do want him." She pointed out.

"Shh! Kate! Somebody might hear you!" Kay shushed her, blushing.

"Oh, yeah. Like they didn't all see your and his little moment down there before he protected your honor." Kay drawled sarcastically, watching Kay's cheeks flush darker.

"Was it that obvious?"

"No," Sarah said solemnly before cracking a smile, "Not unless you had eyes."

"Or ears." Lyra added eagerly.

"Or saw Aaron's face." Kate added, her tone cautionary. "The boy was pissed."

All four took a moment to absorb that.

"Guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Kay murmured.

Reid flopped on the couch in the Simms' living room, clicking on the TV and Using to make a pillow stuff itself under his swollen ankle. Kay, after gingerly applying an ice pack to her face, joined him, settling in on the floor and leaning against the couch in front of him. They were both silent, not really taking in whatever show was on.

"Are you alright?" Kay finally asked in a small voice, not looking at him.

"Are you?" He asked, voice laced with anger.

"I'm okay." She bit her lip. Reid was in a mood he usually reserved for after a particularly long and self-righteous sermon by Saint Caleb on the dangers of Using too much. This mood, his tone, was never for her.

"Come here." He instructed in a softer tone, pulling her up onto the couch with him. "I'm not mad at you." He explained softly. "I'm mad at me. That was stupid of me."

She relaxed against him, lowering herself so that she was no longer seated but was lying with him, foreheads resting against each other.

"Oh, Reid." She sighed. "You're going to have to accept one day that just because you can Use doesn't mean that you can control everything."

Reid sighed, inhaled the scent of her hair, and said nothing.

There were some things he could control.

A phone call later that night woke Reid and Kay from where they had fallen asleep on the couch in the Simms's living room.

"What?" Reid answered grumpily.

"How's Kay? Are you still coming to Nicky's tonight?" Tyler asked. Reid shot a look at Kay. She shook her head. Reid winced at the still swollen welts from the lanelines.

"She's okay. Tired. Her face still hurts." Kay glared at him. "I think we're gonna bow out tonight."

"Since when are you a 'we'?" Tyler asked, more curious than angry.

"Since I asked her to marry me. By the way, would you be opposed to that?" Reid asked casually. Kay's jaw dropped.

"Ha ha. Very funny, smart guy." Tyler drawled sarcastically. "I'll tell everybody you're out for tonight. Are you coming back to the dorm or are you gonna stay with her?"

Reid's eyes lit up at the possibility. "I'm gonna stay here."

"Fine. Keep the Hummer and have her to school on time. And Reid? Take care of her."

Reid nodded and shut the phone.

Kay smacked him in the leg.

"Ow! What was that for!?" He asked with a wince.

"You can't just ask him outright like that! What were you thinking!" Kay shouted, flustered.

"Oh, relax Kay. It'll be fine. Trust me."