Busy chapter trying to bring things together. Thanks for all comments and reviews as always.

Disclaimer: Not all my characters.

Chapter 14: Finally making progress

Nick let his head fall back against the locker. He'd been there all morning. In fact, he was definitely going to get in trouble for being there all morning and skipping his first class of the day. Still, waiting at Sam's locker was the only thing he could think of doing to make sure he ran into her. So there he was, with nothing but the thoughts of how out of character it had been for him to simply grab Sam and kiss her. Even more out of character than that was the fact that he couldn't think of anything else he should have done with his emotions in that exact situation.

Eventually, Sam appeared to quiet his thoughts.

"Hi."

Sam seemed to take a deep breath as she approached him. "Hi."

"Where were you this morning?"

"Dentist appointment." She flashed him a wide smile that showed off her shiny teeth.

"How'd it go?"

She shrugged. "No cavities."

"So you passed?"

"What do you want, Nick?"

"I wanted to talk."

"About what?"

"About the other day."

"What about the other day?"

He rolled his eyes. There was no way she didn't know what he was talking about.

"Why did you push me away?"

"What?"

"I kissed you. You pushed me away. Why?"

"Is it so hard to believe that there's a girl somewhere who might not want to kiss you?"

"Nope. But you did want to kiss me. You were kissing me, and then you were pushing me away and stammering a reason I couldn't quite understand. So, maybe you can explain it to me now."

"I just don't think it's a good idea that you kiss me."

"Why not?"

"Because if you kiss me, I'm going to start thinking that you like me."

"I do like you."

"That you really like me." Sam rolled her eyes and closed her locker, moving toward her class.

"I do really like you."

"Well you shouldn't."

"Why not? I already figured out that you don't have a boyfriend, and that was really the only problem I could see."

"That's the only problem you could see?"

"Yeah. Why? Am I missing something?"

"Nick, you can't like me."

"Why not?"

"Because, I'm just... I'm not... Well, I mean. You know."

"If I knew, I would have argued our way around whatever you're thinking and we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

"You're Nick Lucas."

"And you're Sam Carter."

"Exactly."

Nick sighed and threw his hands in the air. "I don't get it."

"I'm no one. I'm not like you and Penny who are amazing and talented, and... I can't even sing."

"I'm not asking you to sing."

"Yeah, but you deserve someone who can."

"But I don't want someone who can." Nick paused for a moment. "Wait, I didn't mean it like that. That came out wrong. Sam you—"

"Shouldn't have gotten this involved to start with. I'm sorry. You just looked so human when you were around Penny. I forgot you were out of my league."

"But you're—"

Nick sighed. She was already gone, ducking into class with a teacher he knew for a fact that he didn't want to mess with.

Well, at least now he knew what the problem was.

*J*B*J*B*J*B*

"I can't believe you're going to kiss her."

Joe sighed as he said the same thing he'd said the twenty previous times Stella had complained. "It's in the script."

"So?"

"So, I have to do it."

"Couldn't you bargain with Penny so that you don't have to do it?"

"Do I look like someone who wants to bargain with the girl who broke my baby brother's heart in two?"

"Frankie is your baby brother, not Nick."

"They're both my baby brothers, and I don't want to negotiate with anyone who hurts either one of them."

"But she's evil, Joe."

"I know. That's why I don't want to have to negotiate with her."

Stella rolled her eyes. "Not Penny, Brooke. Brooke is evil and mean and she gets to put her lips on yours."

"But then you get to wash that away with your lips," Joe said as he swooped in for a kiss.

"Ew, no." Stella put out her hands to keep Joe away. "I don't want to touch your lips if they've been touching hers. That's just gross."

"So you're not going to kiss me just because the play says I have to kiss Brooke?"

Stella paused for a moment to think about the question.

"Yeah. That's right."

"All right." Joe stood up from where he and Stella had been sitting against the school lockers, waiting for Nick to be done sweet talking his way out of trouble for skipping his first class. "We've got to talk with Penny to get me out of this kiss."

"I knew you'd see things my way." Stella smiled as she let Joe drag her down the hall.

*J*B*J*B*J*B*

Kevin waited quietly in Macy's living room. He'd offered to go upstairs to her room with her and help her gather whatever clothes she'd forgotten to bring to school for the play, but apparently their separation had spiralled her back into crazy fan mode and she didn't want him seeing her bedroom until she had a chance to remove some of the items that were spread around. To be perfectly honest, that had simply peaked Kevin's curiosity, but he knew that he'd recently been on very thin ice, and so decided to do whatever it was that his girlfriend wanted.

Unfortunately, that meant that he was alone in the living room when her father walked through the front door.

"Kevin?"

"Hello, sir."

"Are you here to pick up some things? Is that why Macy's room looks the way it does? She's getting your things for you?"

Kevin sent what he was sure was a confused look in the man's direction.

"Didn't she tell you?"

"What?"

"Macy and I are back together. Remember? I was at the family picnic this weekend."

"Oh, I thought that was a last hurrah kind of thing."

"Nope. No, that was me and Macy back together."

Mr. Misa sighed. "I thought we'd talked about this."

"We did. And I understand what you're saying, sir, but I really think that it's up to Macy whether or not she wants to pursue a long distance relationship with me."

"But this could make her miserable."

Kevin shrugged. "From what I saw, us being apart definitely makes her miserable. And I know it definitely makes me miserable."

"So this is about you."

"This is about me and Macy." It was on the tip of his tongue for Kevin to tell Mr. Misa that Mrs. Misa and Gammy were both completely on board with the relationship, but he didn't want to cause any tension in the family by pinning people on sides, and so tried to keep quiet.

"Well, I suppose that you're right about that, but it doesn't mean that I approve."

"And I hope that I can change your mind about that."

Mr. Misa scoffed and shrugged his shoulders. Macy bounced down the stairs before he could offer an answer, however.

"Hi, daddy. Bye, daddy." She rose on the tips of her toes to land a quick kiss on his cheek, then held out half of the clothes that filled her arms toward Kevin for help.

"Where are you two going?"

"Play practice. Don't worry. The play is next week, so all this craziness will soon be over."

"Let's hope."

For some reason, Kevin didn't think Macy's father was talking about the play alone.

*J*B*J*B*J*B*

Joe sighed as he sat next to Stella in the long rows of chairs.

"What did she say?"

"She said the kiss had to stay."

Stella narrowed her eyes and pursed her lips. "Well I'm gonna tell her that—"

"I did, however," Joe said as he reached out to grab Stella's arm and make sure she stayed in her seat, "convince her that it would be better if the kiss wasn't rehearsed, which means I don't have to kiss Brooke until opening night, and only if we don't figure some way of getting me out of it between now and then."

"So you have a plan to get out of it between now and then?"

"Yes."

"What is it?"

"Asking Nick to think up a plan to get me out of this."

Stella sighed and rolled her eyes. "I know Nick is practically a genius and all, but haven't you guys noticed yet that whenever he thinks up a plan, it always backfires? Inviting Maria over to decide which of you she liked best had her run away. Recording Macy before your record exec came to visit broke her heart. Doing an interview on the same night as my birthday party almost cost you my friendship... Are you seeing a pattern here?"

"But it's Nick." Joe shrugged. "He comes up with the plans."

"Maybe you should get a new planner."

"What like you?"

"What? I am a good planner. Remember when I got us out of the thrift shop that time you guys were stuck."

"You didn't get us out. We had to rush back in when we were ambushed."

"You were only ambushed because Nick answered his phone. See! It's Nick's fault again! He was probably just angry that we were using someone else's plan."

Joe shook his head. "Well, I've got nothing, and unless you have something, I don't see what the harm in asking him is."

"It's going to backfire."

"Well, let's find out. Nick!" Joe sat up and waved his hand to grab his brother's attention as he walked into the atrium. Nick rushed over, papers crumpling in his hands.

"What?"

"Is that any way to say hi to your brother?"

"What do you want, Joe?"

"A plan."

"For what?"

"To get me out of kissing Brooke."

"What?"

"I don't want to kiss Brooke and Stella doesn't want me to kiss Brooke. Figure out a way to get me out of it."

"One that will preferably not backfire," Stella added.

"My plans don't backfire."

"You invite the pizza girl—"

"Okay, Stella," Joe said, raising his hand. "We don't have time for the list. Plan, please."

"Just talk to Penny."

"I did. She said the play isn't the play without a kiss."

"Then you're going to have to kiss Brooke. The only way you wouldn't be kissing Brooke is if you weren't in the play. I'm sorry, but I have my own plan to execute right now."

"For what?"

"Sam won't date me because she can't sing."

"What?"

"Well, that's not it exactly," Nick said with a shrug, "but it's something along those lines."

"So what are you going to do?"

"What do I always do when I can't do anything about a situation?"

"Write a song about it."

"Well, it's something like that." Nick shrugged. "Mostly thanks to Babe, who, by the way, we owe VIP tickets to. Wish me luck."

"Luck," Joe and Stella yelled after him though neither knew what exactly he was up to.

Nick jogged to the front of the room and hopped onto the stage.

"Penny. I want you to listen to something."

"We're rehearsing, Nick."

"You haven't started rehearsing yet. Your star is arguing with his girlfriend in the bleachers. Come on."

"What is it?"

"It's a song I think you should put in the show." Nick took a quick scan of the room. Macy and Kevin weren't there, but everyone else in the play seemed to be, including his faithful co-whatever-he-was.

"We have all the songs we need."

"You don't have this one."

"It's too late to add a song."

"You'll pass up on what is potentially the greatest song of your show just because you don't want to take the time to listen to it? I mean, seriously, what does that take, three minutes, tops?"

Penny tapped her foot against the stage and crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Fine," she finally answered. "Play it and play it quickly."

Nick was at the piano that was set up for one of the scenes before she was done ordering him around. He played, his eyes watching Sam.

"If I could hold one of my dreams, just for moment, just for a while. And if I could taste that victory, deserve the reward and earn me that smile. If I could say what I've been meaning and what's building up inside. If I could dare to take the chance that's running by my side. I'd climb that highest mountain. I'd scream my victory..."

He was glad that he had learned the words by heart. It gave him a chance to keep his eyes on Sam as he sang and played—not to mention letting Babe slip Penny's notebook back in her locker before she could really notice that her friend had taken it in the first place. Penny's eyes widened at the first line of Nick's song, and then there was fear when she seemed to realise that he was indeed singing one of her songs and not one of his.

She moved quickly, rushing toward the room exit, and Nick was torn between going after her and finishing the song before anyone else realised what had just happened. Luckily, Joe somehow understood what his brother was doing and quickly reached Sam before she could leave the room, holding on to her hand so she couldn't run away.

Nick kept his eyes on her even after the last note had drifted away.

"You're right."

He blinked.

"What?"

"You're an amazing songwriter and I need that song in this play even if it means more rehearsals."

"It's not my song."

"What?"

"It's not my song. Sam wrote it."

"Sam? Sam who?"

"Sam Carter. Sam." Nick pointed to the back of the room where Joe was standing between Sam and the door though she no longer seemed to be making a move to leave.

"Well then..."

"It's still the same great song even if I didn't write it."

"Will she let me use it?" Penny sighed.

"You'll have to ask her."

Penny rolled her eyes and walked back toward her actors.

"Can I leave now?" Sam asked Joe, her eyes fixed on the door that led outside the auditorium.

Joe looked up at the stage and saw Nick nod, his little brother somehow knowing what it was Sam wanted.

"Sorry," Joe said as he shifted out of her way. She nodded and left the room.

"Backfired," Stella whispered to him as she moved to follow Sam, leaving Joe to take a seat and wonder what had just happened.

"So what did I miss?" Kevin asked as he flopped down into the seat next to Joe's.

"Nothing much. Nick sang a song to try and convince the girl of his dreams of... well, something. Stella's angry that I have to kiss Brooke during the play though I got out of kissing her during rehearsals. And we all have a new song to learn by opening night."

"Cool."

"What about you?"

"We got the stuff at Macy's house, and, oh yeah, her father still hates me. Actually I think he hates me more because he thought I was going to leave Macy after he'd convinced me to, and now I'm back."

"What?"

Kevin and Joe froze. There was no mistaking that voice.

"Macy?" Kevin asked without turning to face her.

"What did you just say?"

"I said we got the stuff at your house."

"After that."

"I'll just be..." Joe was gone before he could finish his sentence. Kevin sighed as he turned toward his girlfriend.

"Macy, I know you try to make me feel better about it, but you have to admit that your father hates me."

"Of course he hates you," Macy shrugged. "You're my boyfriend. He's going to hate whoever my boyfriend is. But that's only because you are my boyfriend. I mean, my father loved my friend, Kevin. He just doesn't like my boyfriend, whoever that may be."

"That's not exactly comforting."

"I'm serious." Macy moved so she could perch on Kevin's lap. "I mean, when I was going to go have supper with Alex," Macy giggled at the growl that brought from Kevin, "my father was worse than before any date I've gone out with you. 'Kevin would have picked you up.' 'This guy better bring you flowers, because Kevin would have brought you flowers.' 'Does he know you have to be home by ten, because Kevin knew.'"

"Your father said those things?"

"Yeah. He does like Kevin. He just doesn't like Kevin my boyfriend. He doesn't like the Kevin I kiss, and make out with, and do other stuff with..."

She smiled a grin that she knew would win him over.

"And you don't mind?"

"Kevin, he isn't going to like anyone I bring home, so I might as well just concentrate on bringing someone I like home."

Kevin thought about it for a moment.

"Well, at least your mom likes me."

"Oh, my mom really likes you. She once wrote on my site message board that you were hot."

"Really?"

"That was before we met."

Kevin made a face. "I'm not sure if that helps or not."

"Actually, maybe that's why my father doesn't like you."

Kevin laughed.

"As long as you like me."

"And I do."

"Fine..." Kevin pretended to whine, the pout on his lips not lasting long as Macy's mouth crashed against his.