Hi guys! Guess who's back! I know it's been stupidly long since I last updated. My life has been super crazy. Work, college, love life, friends you name it! Everything! Anyway, here's what's happening fanfic wise. The sequel to 'So I've Fallen in love' is still an idea in my head (sorry!). My Jartha is still only just started but I still need to sort out where I'm going with it before I post anything. I've written about 5 chapters of a completely different story (no idea how that happened haha) which I may get up soon. And I started this here deleted scene ages ago and have finally got myself together and finished it!

Anyhoo, this is a Chaylor deleted scene. Kelsi asks the pair in the story what they decided to do in terms of their relationship after school. This is their moment after prom night where they make that decision. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own anything: Booo!

Taylor took her boyfriend's hand willingly and let herself be led away from her group of friends. With one last look behind her she saw them part ways. Zeke and Jason were helping each of their prom dates into their cars. The final couple, however, had entwined their fingers and were making their way slowly along the sidewalk. Taylor let out a small laugh as she saw Ryan and Kelsi steal a glance at each other at the same time, then look away shyly. Despite the dark, Kelsi's infamous blush came shining through.

"They're something else aren't they." Taylor murmured to her boyfriend. Chad turned and followed her eyeline to the couple before smiling and nodding.

"Yeah…"

"What?"

Chad sighed. Taylor could always tell if there was a subtext to what he was saying.

"It's not exactly the best time for new romances is it. A few weeks before school ends."

"It's not the best time for old romances either." Taylor whispered. Chad looked at his girlfriend's face and, as he predicted, it looked troubled. However, as soon as she caught him looking she gave him a sweet smile. Chad tried not to smirk. She was always so determined not to look like anything bothered her. It was a trait he admired. She was strong, stoical and independent. He automatically tended to be protective over some of his female friends, particularly Kelsi who often couldn't find the confidence to protect herself. But in terms of who he wanted as a lover? He needed someone who challenged him. Someone strong and independent, who could earn his respect without trying. Someone like Taylor.

They walked in comfortable silence along the sidewalk, making a beeline for the small play park near the school. It was where Chad had taken Taylor for their first date. Taylor remembered that evening with a smile. He had been so nervous, trying to explain that he hadn't managed to find a job yet and telling her how sorry he was. She may have teased him… a little. It had been to amusing to see Chad actually nervous, instead of his usual confident self. But the truth was it was perfect. Chad always seemed to think she needed a ton of airs and graces. When he got paid he insisted on taking her out to a nice restaurant, and spending another load of his precious wages on nice clothes to wear on the same date. It kind of made Taylor wish she hadn't accused him so much of being a lunkhead a few years before. It was as if Chad felt he needed to prove himself. Taylor turned to her boyfriend and bit her lip worriedly. She was a little harsh on him from time to time. Like demanding the perfect prom invite. Now Chad seemed to think he was constantly doing things wrong with her… when in fact most of the time he was doing things right. Even when they argued! Chad would be unbearably stubborn on the subject. Then he would eventually get so wound up that he would start to mock her, and eventually the whole thing would turn into a competition to see who had the best point. But when she thought about it, Taylor knew she simply couldn't have Chad any other way. His stubborn attitude was also determination, a quality that Taylor greatly admired. And what would she do with a man that would back down the minute she confronted them about anything? They both lived for challenge. As for him making fun of her, she often found it immature and annoying. But it was also VERY difficult not to laugh. Try as she might, she often ended up either laughing along, and ending the argument, or teasing him back. He seemed to bring the fun out in her. Then there was his competitive nature. Sometimes it seemed silly and pointless to her, but on the other hand, it was what made Chad the amazing person he was. He trained every day to secure a scholarship and be one of the best players on the East High Wildcats. He started to study math diligently after the kid next to him in class started getting better marks. Even with their relationship… he always wanted to please her, and outdo himself. Taylor let out a small giggle. And to think she had once hated him…

"What?" Chad asked with a grin.

"I just can't believe I used to hate you." Taylor smiled, shaking her head.

"I thought you could give me plenty of reasons?" Chad laughed, his eyes twinkling.

"I don't think I could tonight." Taylor said softly. Chad stopped and looked at her thoughtfully. He saw her instantly look away from him embarrassedly and sighed. She often made slip ups like this. She would say something that she clearly thought had sounded too serious, and would instantly retract herself. There had been a time where Chad had been afraid of that too, but not anymore. It wasn't difficult for him to accept he needed Taylor anymore. And she needed him too. He knew her well enough by now to know that. But she just couldn't let herself be that vulnerable. Well she was going to have to try tonight.

They finally reached the small playground and comfortably sat in two of the small swings, letting their entwined hands hang loosely between them. There was silence again, but not like the comfortable one they had shared previously. Now it was tense. As if they both knew a serious discussion was looming.

"The last time we were on a swing set, the wildcats had just won the championships." Chad said steadily, breaking the silence. Taylor nodded but didn't reply. Chad frowned, he could already sense her recoiling from the subject she knew was coming.

"You told me that it was not the time to talk about the future, but for me to enjoy myself and think about the present… Well the future's almost here now baby…"

"It's prom night." Taylor cut over him, snapping her head up to look at him. "Do we need to…"

"I'm sorry Tay. It's been an amazing night, you have no idea. But I feel kind of… ready to speak about it." Chad said gently, knowing this was uncomfortable for his girlfriend.

"Well what if I'm not." Taylor retorted bluntly. Chad sighed. It would be so easy to forget the subject and walk him and Taylor back to his house where she would be staying over. They would forget the whole thing, watch a movie, eat some food and fall asleep comfortably in each other's arms. Nothing would be awkward. But he needed to do this. They needed to talk eventually. Now was as good a time as any.

"Look we're the same Tay. We both hate being open with each other. But I'm… manning up and doing it. And I'd like it if you could too." Chad said decisively, surprising himself at his rather profound statement. Taylor looked at him in surprise, then let out a small giggle.

"You want me to… man up?"

Chad's restraint broke and he sniggered as well.

"You know what I mean. Come on, please."

Taylor looked at him for a few moments, thinking hard, then nodded.

"Ok." she said simply.

"Ok." Chad said, with a gulp. Now what? How did he begin? Maybe he should have thought this through… He hadn't really thought past trying to get her to cooperate with him!

"So… After summer you're in Connecticut, and I'm still here." Chad said slowly. Taylor instantly looked at the ground but muttered, "Yeah." in reply.

"Which isn't cool." Chad continued.

"Not the coolest thing I've ever heard of." Taylor said dryly, still staring at the ground.

"So… what should we do?" Chad asked uneasily. Taylor looked up at him with a small frown on her perfectly made up face.

"What is there to do? We'll be thousands of miles away from each other. And that's not usually how relationships work." she said, her face unreadable. Chad felt an unexpected pang in his chest at her cold words. That was it? A year and a half of a great relationship and then 'see ya, I'm off to Conneticut!'? He wasn't sure what he was more surprised by. Taylor's apparent lack of feeling, or the fact he was hurt by it. Wasn't he the one who had convinced Troy to forget his high school sweetheart? Merely days before.

"I just thought…" Chad began before Taylor cut in again.

"Thought what?" she snapped, letting her hand slip out of his. "That we could act like Troy. Say that things'll work out no matter what? Have a relationship where we just argue the same amount but further away from each other?" she rambled. She had looked away from him again but Chad kept his gaze on her, frowning.

"Bullshit." he said harshly. "Don't even try to make me think you believe that."

"I'm being realistic Chad." Taylor said, raising her voice "This is a high school relationship! It wasn't exactly meant to last was it!?" If it hadn't been late at night, Chad could tell by the fire in Taylor's eyes that she would be shouting. And he was close to it too. He had taken the risk and had opened up, and she remained as closed off and as afraid of her feelings as ever. Well she was going to face them whether she wanted to or not.

"Oh really?!" Chad challenged, leaning towards her on his swing. "Because I love you!"

"What!?!?" Taylor hissed a second after, still feeling the fury boiling in her chest. Chad looked back at her looking just as angry… but saying nothing. Then it dawned on her. What he had just said. Then his face was softening, and his eyes were devoid of anger, and full of sincerity.

"I love you." he said huskily, his face now an inch from hers. Taylor froze for second… then started to feel the panic. It seemed to crawl over her until she was breathing heavily. The sensation that told her a crippling pain would overcome her at any second. The pain that this man that she would inevitably leave actually…

"Don't say that!" Taylor whispered, her voice cracking. She leapt from the swing as if it was on fire and walked a few feet away from it. Anything to get away from the look on Chad's face. The look that told her what he had just told her was true.

Taylor felt his anger and frustration before he spoke. She could sense it behind her, building up in intensity as Chad rose from his own swing.

"Why not?" he spat. She could hear him walking towards her turned back. "Because after summer we'll be miles apart? Or because you might actually have to surrender yourself to someone else, making it easier for them to hurt you? Because you might actually feel the same way!"

The last statement wasn't a question. He knew her better than anyone she knew. And as his scarily accurate words penetrated her, her body shook as the first of her tears started to fall.

"You are the strongest person I know." Chad continued softly. "So if you don't love me, you can turn round, look me in the eye and tell me so. It shouldn't be hard."

Taylor sobbed quietly, unable to help herself. She knew that Chad knew how she felt, and would know that no matter what she said. He wasn't looking for an answer… he was looking for trust. He wanted her to turn round and make herself completely vulnerable to him, like he had just done for her.

"Taylor… please."

More tears rolled down her cheeks at the sound of his voice. Chad was the proudest person she knew, and she was sure she had never heard that level of vulnerability in his voice. She couldn't refuse him this. Slowly she turned round to face him and had to hold in another sob as she took in the pleading look on his face.

"I love you." Taylor whispered. "I love you so much I…"

She was cut off as Chad closed the gap between them in two long strides, clasped a strong hand round the back of her head and kissed her passionately. Taylor's head spun with the mixture of lust and love she felt for the same person. She pulled him closer, needing to be as close to him as possible and he obliged, holding her possessively by the waist. Taylor almost gasped as she felt the barriers she had kept up for so long come crashing down as Chad kissed her. It was as if they were being fully open with each other for the first time… and all too late.

When they eventually pulled apart, faces flushed and panting heavily, they simply stared at each other. Eventually Taylor spoke.

"I'm… Chad, I'm not ready for this to end." she said raggedly, cupping his face with one of her hands. Chad shook his head, looking unbearably mournful.

"Me neither."

After a few moments Chad took Taylor by the hand and led her back to the swings where they sat down again. They had both let the truth of their feelings known to each other, and it was time to talk.

"There are things we have to do." Taylor said first, stroking on of Chad's hands. "We could never live with ourselves if we didn't - cheesy as it sounds - follow our dreams."

"Yeah." Chad said with a small laugh. "And a long distance relationship…"

"It'd be so complicated." Taylor finished for him. Chad nodded.

"I don't want us to end up hating each other." Chad said quietly. "It wouldn't work."

"No." Taylor agreed softly, an tightening the hand she had clasped with Chad's.

"Well you're the brainy one. What do we do?" Chad asked, brushing a strand of hair off his girlfriend's beautiful face. Taylor looked at him sadly, leaned in and placed one soft kiss on his lips.

"I go to Connetticut. You stay in Albequrque. We both do amazing at college and become as successful as we deserve." Taylor whispered, looking her boyfriend deep in the eyes. "We won't lose touch, but we won't make commitments. And if it's meant to be, our paths will cross again."

Chad looked back at her and gave her a small bitter smile.

"How come you're so smart?" he murmured before kissing her again.

"I love you." he whispered, when they drew apart.

"I love you too."