Jake couldn't decide who looked more exhausted, him or Rose. Granted, it was still early (only second period) but Rose wasn't even being perky.

"Sorry I'm not very talkative," she apologized in a low voice after Rotwood had set everyone up with magical creature anatomy sheets to label.

Jake shrugged. He could understand not talking. It would be odd if Rose stopped talking (he had grown to love and treasure her seemingly mindless chatter) but if she wanted to, he of all people should understand.

"It was a long night." She yawned, and the slight rasp from her voice made goose bumps erupt on Jake's skin.

He could sympathize with that. Her pretty face had the same dark circles as his decidedly less pretty face did. At least her bruises had disappeared.

"But," she smiled brightly, and Jake was taken aback by just how lovely Rose was, "I'll be fine for the movie tonight. You still okay with going?"

Jake nodded. Okay with going? Thinking of seeing Rose tonight, of having her next to him for a few hours, was the only thing that was keeping him awake right now. He was not much for dreaming (in his old life, he had already been a hero, what more could he have dreamed of? And in this life, there was not enough left of it for dreaming) but he was caught in a daydream today.

In his daydream he was normal when he met her for the movies. He was one of those guys that girls always seemed to go for – cool, charming, popular, good looking. Rose was exactly the same; he was unable to improve her, even in his wildest imaginings. He would be able to pick her up in his car, because he would be able to have his license because neither the dragon nor the drugs would have gotten in the way. He would be able to make easy conversation on the way to the movies – he would make her laugh (it was something that Jake wished he could do, he loved her laugh) – and he wouldn't have to think about taking her hand. He would just do it.

They would get to the movie theatre and he would pay for everything, just like it was a proper date. In his daydreams, it was a proper date. He would have asked her out (probably being a shy teenage boy despite how he perceived himself in this daydream) and she would have accepted with one of her glittering smiles. They would get popcorn (a bag to share with separate drinks) and find their seats in the dark theatre. The movie would start, and just when she would least expect it, he would pull the signature move – the yawn and put your arm around the girl. She would think it was cheesy, but cute and giggle. She would lean into him and his heart would be hammering because she wanted to be near him.

Near the end of the movie, so as to not distract her from the highlight of the film, he would kiss her. And it would be perfect. Her lips would be soft and sweet, he would lick the butter from the popcorn off of her lips, scooping her into his arms. She would hold him back, and when they had to break for air, her eyes would be glazed over or something equally sweet, to show how much she had enjoyed it.

They would hold hands the whole drive home, with another goodbye kiss as she exited the car, waving. He would promise to call her, and it would lead to a whole string of proper dates.

Jake shook off the daydream, however, as he sat down across from Trixie at lunch. He was fighting living in that place of dreams. Reality was where he should keep his head, because reality was what he was faced with. Though, he let himself acknowledge that he didn't always face reality – his impending doom was a prime example. He always ran away from that. He didn't want to know the details, no how no way.

"Jake."

He flicked his eyes to Trixie, who was absently playing with her fork. He wanted to tell her that she should eat. Her salad didn't look like enough for lunch.

"Can I explain this morning to you?"

He didn't need this morning explained. Spud had said all that Jake had needed to hear in the pre-dawn hours. Trixie hadn't known that. And when she had run smack into Jake at 6:30 A.M. wearing only one of Spud's t-shirt, her skin had gone several shades darker with a sinful blush. She had stuttered something that he hadn't been able to make out, before crawling into the bathroom he had just vacated.

Jake nodded anyway.

"I think I love him."

Jake, who had let his head tilt down to stare at the cream colour of the table, suddenly snapped his neck back. His jaw dropped as he met his best friend's eyes. Out of all the things he might have expected Trixie to say (like echoing Spud's words from earlier "we were going to tell you") this was definitely not something he had been prepared to hear. Even if he had been speaking, he would have been out for words.

"I can't believe I just said that." Trixie was blushing again. "But it's true. I've known him forever and I've always felt something for him, I just couldn't admit it because, god, it was Spud. But then he kissed me, really kissed me and everything changed!" She buried her face in her hands, letting out a muffled, "I sound like such a girl."

That much Jake could agree with. It was the closest Trixie had ever come to sounding like one of those stereotypical teen girls … Well, the closest Jake had ever heard.

Trixie peeked out at Jake from between her fingers. "Has he said anything to you, about how he feels about me?"

Jake shook his head. He couldn't offer Trixie the words she wanted to hear; the knowledge she wanted to have. Even if Jake had the knowledge and the means to communicate it, he wouldn't have. His best friends were a couple and this meant that he had to keep the words they couldn't yet bring themselves to say to each other to himself. If Trixie loved Spud, she would tell him when she was ready. And if Spud loved Trixie, he would tell her when he was ready.

Jake thought the entire thing was cute. Like a fluffy kitten of sorts.

"Jake, Trix." Spud appeared, loaded lunch tray in hand. He took a seat beside Trixie and kissed her lightly on the cheek before delving into a burger.

Jake definitely thought they were a fluffy kitten.

"So," Trixie said with a smile, pinning her eyes on Jake. "Did I hear right in Magical Creatures?"

Jake avoided eye contact.

"What about Magical Creatures?" Spud asked through a mouthful of meat.

"Are you and Rose going on a date?" Trixie asked, grinning widely.

"A date?" Spud swallowed quickly. "Dude, that's awesome."

Jake didn't know how to tell them it wasn't a date – mostly because he didn't know if they were wrong. Had Rose been asking him on a date? Or was she simply being nice? Or were they just friends?

Jake sighed. Liking people was complicated.

(-.-)

"Did a bomb go off in here?"

Rose stood up, put her hands on her hips and glared. "Shut up Kyle."

Kyle leaned against the door that linked their rooms. "I would, if I was saying it to be sarcastic, but I'm not. Seriously, did you volunteer your room to be the new weapons testing facility?"

"Still not funny." Rose kicked at a pile of clothes that had managed to find its way out of her closet in her quest to find something to wear to the movies. "Where's Nicholas?"

"He blew up some chemical mixture in the lab. He's cleaning for the next few hours."

"Rookies," Rose muttered. She didn't want to mention that she had blown up a lab in Russia not too long ago.

"What are you doing anyway?" Kyle cleared a spot off of the armchair in the corner of her room and sat down.

"Trying to find something to wear." Rose tucked her hair behind her ears. "I'm going to the movies with Jake tonight."

"A date?"

"Maybe, I don't know."

"Because you do have a mission – we're supposed to be finding the dragons."

"I know what we're supposed to be doing," Rose snapped. "I know a hell of a lot more than you do regarding such things."

Kyle blinked, but was hardly fazed at her outburst. "I'm well aware of that. I'm just … I want to be able to help you."

"Help me?" Rose repeated the words, momentarily stumped by his meaning.

"You know …" Kyle blushed. "You and Andrew, what you talked about …"

"Oh!" Rose gasped. "Kyle … there is so much going on behind that, I don't know what to tell you."

"I think it's the right thing. Maybe. I don't know."

"It was just a conversation." Rose pursed her lips. "But if anything else happens, I will include you and Nicholas."

Kyle stood. "Thanks Huntsgirl. And," he hesitated, "you look pretty in pink."

He then slipped out into the hallway to find Nicholas.

"Pink," Rose muttered to herself, reaching into one of the piles of clothing.

(-.-)

"Anything on the air gem?"

"Nada." Fu stretched as he answered Lao Shi. "We have nothing. Nothing on the Huntsgirl, nothing on the Clan."

"She can't live." Lao Shi dug his fingernails into his palm. The fact that the Huntsgirl was out there, existing, plotting against Jake, threatening his family … he wanted to rip her limb from limb. "We can stop this if she dies before Jake's birthday."

"We need to find her first." Fu growled, as frustrated as Lao Shi.

"But," Lao Shi hesitated. He was the last person who wanted to suggest this, but he felt that it would be, not only in his best interests, but his entire families, if they were to work it out this way, "I'm not sure we should kill her on the spot."

"Why?" Fu sat up abruptly.

"She could give us information on the Clan. And if we take her, if we drug her, and offer her as a sacrificial lamb, simply spill her blood, does that not get rid of the Huntsclan for eternity?"

"But having her live until the date … that would mean the gems would still expect a crystal."

Lao Shi swallowed. He had forgotten that part.

"Still … we may want to consider capturing her for information and then killing her." It was an evil, dirty thing to say, but this was not the time to mince words. Without most of the world, magical or otherwise, realizing it, they were slowly marching to war.

Lao Shi nodded.

(-.-)

The movies were nothing like Jake's daydream. Well, almost nothing like. Rose was more beautiful in reality than his mind could ever create her to be. She showed up almost late, dazzling in a pretty pink sweater. They had swept into the theatre – neither with popcorn, she had skittles though – and taken their seats in time for the show to begin.

There was one other couple in front row, though Jake was sure they were oblivious to his and Rose's presence, sitting in the back as they were. The movie was nearing its end, and Jake still wasn't entirely sure what he was watching. Rose was riveted, gasping and making small comments, but he was more interested in her – the way her voice sounded rugged with a whisper, and the way her hands wrapped around each other when things became tense on the screen.

"Oh!" She swooned as the credits appeared. "What did you think?"

Jake offered her a weak thumbs up.

"That was as wonderful as I thought it would be." Rose slid to her feet, turning for the exit. Instead of seeing Jake's back, heading for the door so they could walk out together, she was faced with his broad chest. She tilted her head up to look into his eyes. "The exit is that way, silly," she teased lightly.

The lightness was gone, however, when Jake touched his palm to her cheek. Her heart hammered from the gentle contact, his eyes closing the moments hers did, as he leaned down and kissed her.

I don't own anything recognizable. Thanks to my beta: Noble6!

~TLL~