So sorry for the delay in adding.

I'm running low on chapters that have already been written so I'm going to start spacing out the adds to maybe three a week instead of one everyday. There isn't far to go in this story though, around 7 more chapters. Maybe more if something comes to me.

Thank you all for your lovely reviews. They make me smile so much and really makes writing this even more enjoyable than it already is.

Enjoy!


It felt good to hang out with Tom again after a long week of work, school and meetings with Aaron. I was still having a hard time saying the word 'date' when it came to the gorgeous bassist and I. I mean, I should've been used to it by now seeing as I'd let him start referring to me as his boyfriend.

We hadn't slept together. No, that I was certainly not ready for, but we had started to…explore…each other more. We kept our clothes on at all time and he was respectful and patient with me, never pushing me into something I didn't want to do, no matter how excited he got.

It was nice to have someone who listened to me and was genuinely interested in the things that I said. He was caring, attentive and everything a person could hope to find in a partner but something still stopped me from letting him in fully.

I stretched out on Tom's couch, groaning in satisfaction as my muscles stretched and bones cracked. I had worked a twelve hour shift at the book shop due to the recent flu bug that was going around that knocked out half of the staff. My feet were throbbing from standing the whole time.

Tom reclined back in his chair, watching me in amusement as I snuggled deeper into his couch, stretching as far as I could. "Feel better?"

"Much." I confirmed, a blissful smile spreading across my face.

"So, how was your date with Aaron?" Tom asked.

I shrugged, my smile fading slightly. "Our first date was great. Really great." I said, propping myself up on the couch pillows. "We went out to dinner and talked about anything and everything and then we," I looked down at my hands, wringing them nervously. "went back to his."

Tom sat up at full attention at that comment, his eyebrows shooting up in intrigue. "You went back to his?" He said scandalously, smirking slyly with his dimple appearing on his chin.

I chuckled and shook my head at him. "Nothing happened. We just hung up. He showed me his bass-"

"He showed you his bass, eh?" Tom said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively making my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

"His guitar, you pervert!" I laughed, throwing a pillow at him. "He showed me his guitar and then we sort of kissed."

Tom was on the edge of his seat now, looking at me expectantly. "Well? How was it?"

I bit my lip to stop my smile from growing. "It was nice. He's a great kisser." I admitted while Tom seemed to be bouncing in his seat in excitement. He had been hoping things would go well with Aaron and I from the beginning, insisting that I had to try and put myself out there. "I'm really enjoying myself with him." I said, looking down at my hands again, the smile disappearing from my lips.

Tom frowned as well and then sighed. "Why do I sense a but coming?"

I looked up at him and frowned more. "But, I can't stop thinking that maybe something could happen with Danny." I said, biting my lip to stop it from trembling. "We've just started talking again and I know the awkward moment outweigh the normal ones but we're getting there and I can't stop myself from loving him." I rambled on, tears falling down my cheeks. "I want to be happy, Tom but I can't stop loving him. Why can't I just stop?"

Tom got up and strode across the room to sit beside me, wrapping his arms around me and pulling me to him. He sighed heavily and rubbed comforting circles up and down my back, rocking me back and forth as I cried against his chest. He didn't say anything for a few minutes, letting me get the worst of my tears out while he whispered encouraging words to me to help calm me down. I clung to his t-shirt helplessly, feeling the dampness from my tears on his shirt against my cheek. I pulled away and saw that I had left a giant stain on Tom's gray t-shirt and mumbled an apology before folding my arms across my chest.

Tom sniffed and I saw that he, too, had a few stray tears in his eyes as he brushed some hair away from my face. He blinked them away and gave me a watery smile. "Oh Dougie. Do you have any idea how much it kills me to see you go through all of this?" He asked, using his thumb to wipe the tears tracks from my cheeks. "You are an amazing guy, who deserves nothing but happiness and love and I hate seeing you so conflicted over this." He cupped my cheek in his hand, his eyes shining with brotherly love. "If you want my honest opinion," He paused and let his hand down from my cheek. "Danny is an idiot.

He has had enough time to get over this whole mess and it's not fair to you to have to wait for him to get over this stubbornness of his." I watched Tom silently, tears filling my eyes once again as Tom gave me the hard truth. "You need to be happy and, as much as I hate to say it, I don't think Danny can do that for you anymore."

"But I still love him." I said, looking up at the ceiling in an effort to stop the tears from falling again.

Tom grabbed my hand and held it in his tightly. "Nothing says you can't still love him, Dougie. He's your first love and he'll always be apart of you in some way but you have such a big heart. You have room in there to let others in."

I smiled and placed my free hand on top of Tom's hands. "Thanks, Tom."

He smiled back and leaned back, opening his arms for me to lean in once more for a warm hug. "I'll always be there for you, Dougie. You're like the little brother I always wanted."

"Don't tell Carrie that." I said, with a giggle.

He laughed with me and it felt like a weight had lifted off my chest and the cloud had vanished from my mind, allowing me to see things clearer than ever. Allowing me to know that what I had was a good thing and that maybe-just maybe-it was time for me to move and be happy.