AN: Hey guys! So I know that this is super late and super choice and only one POV. There are some reason for that. The next chapter will be the same...only it will be Ian's POV. I needed to give him a whole chapter for himself so that things could be explained. Plus you guys ( err...girls) have been waiting so patiently for this update. I wanted to get it up. I had some internet connectivity issues but hopefully they are fixed now.

I am not feeling so great about this chapter but it needs to be here so ...I give you Chapter 8 part 2, which has not been edited so please excuse grammer and punctuation errors.

An hour after she first disappeared down the hallway, I still hadn't heard a peep out of Loren. My shock at her abrupt departure was short lived and quickly followed by anger. I was beyond tired of this back and forth between the two of us. I don't know what changed from the time we talked, and kissed, earlier tonight but I wasn't damaged enough to believe that Loren wasn't feeling the same things that I was. I knew she was. I saw it in her eyes and felt it in her kisses.

But yet again she was pulling away from me. She had promised that she wouldn't do it anymore. I should have known that she would. Not that Loren was the type of girl to play games because I know that she isn't. But our situation is difficult. More than difficult really. Downright unfair would be a better description of the mess that was between the two of us. The feelings were there but the complications were so completely crazy sometimes he didn't understand them.

Chloe was no longer an obstacle. Not that I ever really considered her one. My relationship with her, at least since I woke up in that hospital bed, was one of normality rather than want. I needed something in my life to be the same. When Chloe was with me, I felt like the guy I remembered. The guy I thought I was supposed to be. But it was an illusion. Things never felt right with Chloe. Something was between us, not just her lies. My heart wasn't in the relationship anymore. Maybe it never really was. Even before the accident, before the time I can remember of my life, I didn't need Chloe near me all the time. I need Loren near me all the time.

Even before she came home. She was always on my mind. At first it was all about me wondering why she distanced herself from slowly it became everything about her. The way that she always smelled like vanilla or coconut. The way her eyes sparkled brightly when she laughed or how she liked to talk with her hands. It was the little things that her special to him. More special than he could admit before but had no trouble doing so now. Now, he had no problem admitting that Loren Tate had not only gotten into his skin but his heart as well.

The front door opened and closed as Veronica leaned against it with a sigh. Eddie chuckled, " So that was a really long walk to the car." He couldn't resist teasing her. He really had come to think of her as a friend thanks to the numberous times Loren ran off to avoid me and Veronica was stuck having to make small talk with me.

She didn't bother to even blush as she made her way to where I was still parked in the livingroom and collasped on the chair next to me with a contented sigh. " Best walk to the car ever. " Veronica ammended with a dreamy expression. " Logan said to remind you that he will call you about hanging out. "

I nodded. That was definitely something that I was looking forward to. Logan and I weren't exactly what I would call friends but he had hung out when I worked with his father and when all the media news broke about Aaron's dirty deeds, his son had crossed my mind numberous times. I should have put the pieces together earlier when Veronica and I had talked about her past but my head wasn't really there completely I guess because it went right over me. But now that I know the situation, I kind of feel like Veronica and Logan are some sort of inspiration. They have overcome so much in just one night. Granted I didn't know everything that had gone down between them but the fact that Veronica was as hurt as she had been earlier and as happy as she is right now, gave me hope. " I guess Loren is forgiven?"

She nodded, " yes but I am gonna make her sweat a little. She shouldn't have gone behind my back but I do get why she did it. She was right about me needing to see me. Even if she is seriously hypocritical."

" Because of the situation between her and I?"

She nodded, " Loren has the best heart of anyone that I have ever met but she is so scared to have it broken that she locks it up tight. I understand that to an extent because I am, well was, the same way. It took Logan a really long time to break down my walls but when he finally did and I let him in completely, I have never been able to get him out. Loren can't do that."

" What do you mean?"

Veronica leaned forward in her chair, " I don't know how the two of you were together before your accident. All I know is what I have been told from Loren, Nora, and Melissa. And as much as I believe that Loren's feelings for you were real, I think that she held some of herself back from you. She was scared that it was all too good to be true and that you would hurt her."

I ran my hand through my hair. I had hurt her. Whether I had meant to or not, the fact remained that I hurt her. " I never meant to cause her any pain."

" I know that. She knows that . But that fear is always there for her. And I don't think that it's just you she is afraid of. Loren thinks that in a split second all the good things in her life could just be ripped away."

That is what I didn't really undestand. Loren had worked for everything that was good in her life. She deserved the life she lived, aside from the situation between the two of us. So i couldn't understand why she was so afraid to lose it all.

Veronica sighed. " This is not my place. But I hate Loren being so torn apart all the time. And since she did interfer in my life, I owe this to her. Eddie, her dad bailed on her and Nora when she was really little. He just walked out the door and never looked back. No child support, no birthday presents or christmas cards. Nothing. Because of that Loren has always felt not good enough. She loved that man more than anything and he let her down and broke her heart. Her fear stems from that. "

My anger was hard to hide as I sat there listening to Veronica talk about Loren's dead beat of a father. It boggled my mind that anyone could willingly walk away from their wife and kid, especially Nora and Loren. They had to be two of the nicest people that Eddie had ever met in his life. But he understood now why Loren kept him at arm's length especially given the fact that he himself had already broken her heart, even if it was because of the accident, he had still done it.

" Where is Loren?"

It was me that sighed this time. " In her room. Hiding from me."

Veronica shook her head, clearly not surprised. " What happened? I thought things were better between the two of you? "

"So did I. But after her talk with Chloe she sort of shut down on me again." It was frustrating as hell. I feel like I am contantly two steps forward three steps back when it comes to Loren. I can't make her fully trust me or what I feel for her. " Now she's holed up in there and I have no idea what to do to make her talk to me. "

Veronica rolled her eyes and stood up. " You make her talk to you, Eddie. You show her that no matter what is going on in that head of hers that you are here and you are not going anywhere. Am I right in thinking that you broke up with Chloe tonight because you want to be with Loren?"

" That wasn't the only reason but it was one of them." The biggest of all the reasons was that I didn't love Chloe anymore. Not the way that I should. I would probably always care about her but it wasn't enough to build a relationship on. Especially not when Loren occupied my mind so often.

"Ok well then I am trusting you to have nothing but pure and good intentions when it comes to Loren. Because despite our little disagreement, she is my very best friend in this world and I will not let you hurt her, Rock Star. Mel and I will personally hunt you down. Am I clear?"

It was cute the way that the petite little blonde tried to be so menicing. But I understood and I appreciated her love and concern for Loren. " I will never purposefully hurt her, Veronica. I care about her. I don't think that even I understand how much she means to me. "

"Ok, well then follow me." Veronica made her way down the hallway with me and my wheelchair close behind her. She stopped at Loren's door and turned the knob. It was locked so she knocked. " Hey Lo, it's me. " She motioned for me to be quiet and so I did as the door to the room opened and I came face to face with Loren's red rimmed eyes. She had been crying. My heart ached at the sight of her. " Can you just come here for a second?" Veronica asked and before Loren knew what was happening, she stepped out in the hallway and as her eyes met mine, Veronica slide past her and pushed her the rest of the way into the hallway. " Ok, goodnight." She said perkily as she slammed Loren's bedroom door closed and we could hear as she twisted the lock.

Loren glared at me, "Really?"

I held me hands up in mock defense, " that was all her. She told me to follow and I did, but her ninja like moves were all Veronica." I was amused by the little blonde but Loren definitely wasn't in the mood for amusement if the look in her eyes was any indication. She was hurting over something and more than anything I want her to be able to talk to me about it. Especially if it concerned the two of us. "Loren. What's wrong?"

She turned away from me and towards her closed bedroom door. "Nothing. I'm tired and I want to go to sleep but it looks like I am stuck on the couch tonight."

"No." He wheeled myself closer to her and took her hand, " Come on." She didn't protest and followed as I led us to my own room. I went in first and thought for a moment that she wouldn't follow. " Loren, you can sleep in here. I will sleep on the couch. It's no big deal. I want you to be comfortable." And she did look that in her too adorable for works pajamas which consisted of a pair of boxer shorts with lilttle butterflies on them and a matching tanktop. Adorably beautiful and perfect.

" I don't really mind sleeping on the couch, Eddie. "

"But I mind you sleeping there. Stay in here. I will go out there. " I wheeled myself over to the closet and pulled out the extra pillows and blankets that I kept there and placed them in my lap. When I turned myself back around, Loren was sitting on the edge of my bed crying. I dumped the linens on the floor and moved closer to her. I was directly in front of her when I took her hands in mine. " Please tell me what is wrong."

She shook her head, " I can't. "

I was done with this. I just couldn't do this anymore. " Loren, you need to listen to me, okay. You can tell me anything. I know that I hurt you before. Whether I meant to do it or not, the fact that I can't remember you and us broke your heart. I hate myself for that. " I let go of one of her hands and cupped her cheek using my thumb to wipe away some of her tears that were still falling. " I know that things between us will never be the same as they were before, but maybe they can be better."

"What do you mean?"

It was time to lay it all out for her. Time to make her understand that memories or not, she was who I wanted and a life with her was what I wanted. "I mean that I want to be with you Loren. I want us to be a couple. I can't stop thinking about you when we aren't together and when we are together all I want to do is touch you and kiss you. " I didn't give her a chance to respond before I leaned up and kissed her. It took her less than a second to respond and get into the kiss.

After a few minutes I broke the kiss and pulled back, " I will never get tired of kissing you. " I leaned in for one last taste and that sat back in my chair. " I don't know why you are so upset but I want you to know that you can talk to me about anything. I am here for you Loren."

" I just wish that you had never gotten angry and driven off. I wish that you had never stopped at that gas station. I wish that you could remember everything. "

Now was the time. " I remembered something earlier. Something about you?"

Her eyes light up and for the first time since she came in from her little chat with Chloe, she smiled a true geniune smile. "Really?"

I nodded. " I was talking about you with my dad. After my birthday dinner?" I wasn't completely sure about all the details of my birthday but that much I got. " We went for a drive. "

She smiled, " and then you took me home and walked me to my door. And then you kissed me."

" That was our first kiss." I didn't phrase it as a question because I already knew the answer. I kissed her that night, on my birthday, because I wanted to. Because she had changed my life. "Tell me about that night."

She smiled again. " You called me earlier that day to come to your place to write with you. I was so nervous, you always make me so nervous. We talked more than we actually wrote any music though. That always seemed to happen. Mostly we talked about Chloe. You were thinking about taking her back. Even asked me if I thought you should. Then your dad showed up and you guys invited my mom and I to go to Rumour with you. It took some convincing but I talked her into it. " She laughed a little and I did the same. " That night, I think was the beginning of our parents crushing on each other." She tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and continued. " That night was the beginning of a lot of things."

"Like what?" I hoped that she would open up to me and tell me all about that night, tell me about our drive, and our kiss. But I didn't let my hopes soar to high because Loren seemed to be the Queen of Avoidance when it comes to me.

She shrugged her shoulders, " Like I realized that my feelings for you went way beyond a silly crush on my favorite singer. " She looked towards the window, obviously embarrassed by her admission. "I think that you really opened your eyes to the real Chloe that night too. She showed up at Rumour and was not happy to see you there with me. She caused a scene, spilled a drink all over me and everything, but you didn't let her get to you. You stuck by your decision that it was over. Also that night, you told me how much faith you had in me. That meant so much more to me than I could ever express to you. Then or now. "

"And the kiss?"

She smiled again but didn't turn back to face me. " The kiss was amazingly unexpected and wonderful."

"Did it make you happy?" I needed to know that I made her happy. I needed to hear the words.

Again she nodded, " It really did. " She turned back to me now and her eyes were sparkling with unshed tears but these tear were happy. "It was really no secret to anyone that I had a crush on you. From the second that I officially met you, I looked forward to the next time I would see you. It was patethic really. Here I was a silly high school senior drooling over an internation rock star, but that night, everything was different. You ddin't see me as just some girl who liked you. You said all the right things and you were so sweet and gentle. Romantic."

" I wish I could remember the kiss, the conversation, any of it." It was frustrating that such an important part of my life was just gone. A huge turning point in my friendship with Loren was just wiped out. It wasn't fair. " I'm sorry."

Loren looked at me with sharp eyes. " Sorry for what? You didn't ask for what happened to you, Eddie."

"And neither did you. Yet here we are. We are in the same room. We want the same thing, yet you are pulling away from me again." I didn't mean to sound angry but I knew that I did. I was angry. " I don't understand, Loren. I though that you were feeling what I was feeling. Do you not understand that me ending things with Chloe, means that..."

She didn't let me finish before she blurted out the worst thing I ever imagined was possible. " Chloe is pregnant, Eddie."