Well hello there, and guess who finally got off her ass and updated. Me! I apologize for any spelling/grammar errors and the long wait. I only own Shay, and here it goes.

Thank you all for sticking around, and the next chapter should be up whenever I get it up.

To Infinity and Beyond,

Kiwi

P.S. If you haven't seen/read Life of Pi yet, do so. It's an amazing book and I loved it and the movie, to pieces.

"Yeh know yeh don't have to go, right?" Stephen asked, hands in his pockets as he paced back and forth in the hotel room. Shay was in the bathroom getting dressed, leaving him to wander the room. He paused by the desk and fiddled with the small paperweight before he set it down and returned to pacing. When he looked up again, she had poked her head out.

"I-I have to. I'll go and tell her to l-leave you alone. I still don't know how she got my number," Shay murmured, ducking back into the bathroom. He sighed and dragged a hand through his hair, mumbled under his breath, and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Wasn't me," he proclaimed, even though she already knew that. "Shay, yeh don't know her like I do," he sighed, resting his forehead against his hands. "I don't think you should go. She's... she can be really terrible, Shay. Yeh saw the way she acted when she first met you."

Shay stepped out of the bathroom and went to sit beside him. "Yeah, and?"

"She gets worse than that and right now, she jus' wants a reaction from yeh," he stood, crossed his arms over his chest and stood by the window. He turned to face her again. "She's just tryin' ta worm her way into something. Yeh jus'... yeh don't know her like I do."

"I guess I'll just have to find out," she stated, standing and making her way over to him. Her hand found his and she leaned up on her toes to kiss his cheek.

"Nothin' I say's gonna make you stay, is it?"

"Nope," she popped the 'p' and kissed his cheek again, and then his lips. "I promise, it'll be fine." It was a half-truth; she didn't really want to go and hang-out with the other woman, but she didn't really have a choice. Besides, maybe she could give the woman a slight nudge to leave them alone.

"Mhmm," Stephen murmured, kissing her again. "You're beautiful, Shay. Just... don't let anythin' she says get to yeh." With that, he let her go and she left the hotel room feeling that this wouldn't go well.

The restaurant the redhead had chosen was a high-end cafe with pristine tablecloths and sparkling glasses. A faint aroma of coffee and caramel drifted through the air as she ducked inside. Shay scanned the tables, nearly missing the wave of a perfectly manicured hand. Running her hand through her hair, Shay approached the table and slid into her seat. "H-hello, Miranda," Shay smiled slightly, fingers instantly flitting to play with the hem of her shirt. She allowed herself to study the redhead: brown roots dappled her hairline, hazel eyes speckled with gold, pristine and unmarred skin, and an overwhelming scent of cherry blossoms.

Miranda lifted her eyes to meet Shay's and a smile blossomed across her face. She took Shay's hand as if they were good friends. "Shay. How are you?"

"Fine. I-I'm good. Yourself?" She preoccupied herself with the menu while Miranda chatted, looking up occasionally as to not seem rude. The last thing she wanted was to upset the redhead, just in case Stephen was right when he said: You don't know what she's capable of.

Well, she did, didn't she? She knew exactly what Miranda was capable of, if her track record could be held reliable. Miranda straightened out the tight, white dress she was wearing and brushed her hair over her shoulder.

"So," Miranda leaned over the table, "what's the dirt?"

Shay blinked, "Excuse me?"

"Well...," Miranda drifted off, "what's Stephen like? Huh? Is he still...," she lowered her voice. "Is he still an animal in the sack?"

Shay's eyebrow rose and in the back of her a mind a brief panic started to set in. Her mouth dropped slightly and she swallowed. She didn't know how to answer; they're relationship had hardly—she counted the near-sexual-encounter in Florida—reached that level yet. It was in that moment she realized that Miranda was under the impression that she and Stephen had been together for far longer than they actually had been. Miranda was under the impression she'd be dishing dirt.

"I don't really see how that's any of your business," she stated curtly as their waitress stopped by.

"I'll have the mocha," Miranda said, blinking slowly and trying to brush off Shay's comment.

"Chai tea, please," Shay smiled, handed over the menu, and returned her attention to Miranda.

"I pegged you for a coffee drinker. As I was saying... about Stephen..."

"And I said that it was none of your business. Anything regarding Stephen, and his life, stopped being your business the moment you cheated on him," Shay cut her off and took to fiddling with her silverware. A silence befell them, and Miranda looked around before settling back on Shay.

"Come on, sweetheart. What's past is past, isn't it? Still pegged you for a coffee drinker."

"I drink tea. It's far more relaxing, and Stephen keeps a lot of it on the road, so I drink it," she shrugged. "As for other things concerning him, I'm not going to be talking about them. You had a chance, you blew it, and if he was the only thing you wanted to talk about, there's the door," Shay stated, smiling sweetly as her drink came to her. She paid her thanks and drummed her fingers across the tablecloth.

"I absolutely adore that shirt of yours. Where did you get it?" And there came the idle chat, the bland statements and questions that flew by because she caught the trick before it happened. She knew, deep down, what Miranda's agenda was, and she had figured it out. "You're not as...thin as I expected you to be." Miranda stated off-handedly, and Shay had to stop for a second.

Really? The word almost left her lips, but she bit it down and chewed on the inside of her lip. Absentmindedly, she felt along her stomach and hips. Muscle and skin flitted beneath her fingertips and she swallowed. Silently, she shrugged. "After the car accident, I lost a lot of weight. Mostly because I couldn't sleep, and I forgot about it. I just worked out, you know? Lifted a bunch, threw in some yoga," she silently laughed to herself at the last bit. Yoga never really helped her, partially due to her lack of balance. "W-what did you expect me to be?" She leaned forward, resting her elbow slightly on the table and bracing her chin in her hand. Her hair swept over her shoulder and she smiled.

"Well," Miranda swallowed. "I guess I expected you to be more like me," she drew in a breath. "I just... I thought that he had a specific type. Taller, more petite, sociable... I don't know. I thought that if you were more like me, I wouldn't be so...aggravated."

"Aggravated?" Shay raised her eyebrow, tilting her head quizzically.

"I made a mistake, Shay. I thought I wanted something else, I thought I wanted Connor. Things got so messed up so fast. I fell in love with Connor, and I just acted on it. I fell in love with another man, and when Stephen left, I realized that I loved him more than I did Connor," Miranda sighed and paused, gauging Shay's reaction. When Shay chuckled, Miranda's eyebrow hiked up.

"And, as you can see, he didn't buy it. Miranda, you can't just...throw people around like that. I had issues with that once, and I finally realized that it's not a good thing. What happened between you two is between you and him, and it's not my place to go off about it."

"Surely you know about it."

"That doesn't make it an appropriate conversation, Miranda," Shay concluded with a small breath. The conversation was beginning to tire her. "Read any good books recently? Anything else you wanted to talk about, or did you just call me down here with the intentions of belittling me and gathering information you don't really have the rights to?" She tilted her head again, having come to the conclusion that the only thing the redhead wanted was to talk about Stephen and the story about how things came to pass. Miranda was silent for a moment.

"Maybe you should go."

"Maybe I should," Shay agreed, standing and paying for the drinks. She pinched the bridge of her nose as she exited the building, drawing in a deep sigh and expelling it. Afterward, she swung by the hotel to pick up her duffel bag before heading to the arena.

"How'd it go?" Stephen asked as she approached him backstage.

"Could've been worse," she shrugged, lacing her hand with his and kissing him. "We didn't even eat." A small pout crossed her lips and he chuckled, moving his arms to encircle her waist. "I'm starving."

"Lesson learned, eh? Yeh should start carryin' food in your purse, rather than all that stuff yeh never need. Isn't that what they're meant for anyway? Carryin' things yeh'll need?" He joked, nudging her playfully. "There is such thing as being too prepared."

"Mmmhmm, you know, there probably would be a decline in purse sales if women's pants had actual pockets," she chuckled. "So, while you prepare for the taping tonight, I'm going to swing by catering and get some food. Do you want anything?"

"Nah, but I will take yeh out after the show, yeh know, so yeh don't starve," he grinned and kissed her cheek, tucking hair behind her ear. "I have to go, love." He kissed her lips lightly, "I have a tapin' to do. If yeh get bored, Drew will keep yeh company." He smiled again and leaned back. "An' yeh get to pick where we go tonight."

"Mmmmhn, sounds like a plan, Stan."

"Stan's not invited," he laughed, wrapping his arms around her and spinning her. "An' Stan better not be gettin' any ideas." Stephen leaned in for another kiss, claiming her lips with his again and deepening it as she tilted her head towards him. She felt light, whimsical, and radiant, whereas it felt as though her knees would buckle at the slightest inclination. She had kissed him a dozen or more times before they had gotten together, but she had noticed that it felt different. It wasn't the "falling out of love" different. It was a blossoming flower, flaunting its color to the world. Kissing him on-screen was a rush, this was exhilarating.

"I thought you had to go," she muttered, her hands caressing his neck and threading through his hair. He shrugged and murmured a 'it can wait' under his breath.

"Mr. Farrelly," a man said, tapping Stephen on the shoulder and immediately apologizing as Stephen stepped back. "I just... you're up in five."

"Ah, yeah. Jus'...lost track of time," he smiled broadly, shaking the stagehand's hand. "How've yeh been, Jim? An' how's your wife. She get off the crutches yet?"

"Oh, Sarah? Sarah's great. Thank you. I'd hate to rush you, Mr. Farrelly, but it's time."

Stephen nodded and turned towards Shay. "I'll see yeh after the show, yeah?"

"Of course."

"Root for me?" She couldn't avoid the smile that crept onto her face as his eyes lit up with his smile.

"Always." She kissed him once more, something he dubbed as "good luck", and turned to go into catering. And, in that moment the little pang of fear sprung back into her heart and she realized that perhaps it would be far too easy to fall in love with Stephen. So easy to just let her heart lead her there that she wasn't going to stop it.

Stephen whistled to himself as he walked back and forth in front of the arena. The majority of the parking lot was empty, and he was waiting. He glanced around, as if to make sure the area was clear. "Just know you're not alone, cause I'm going to make this place your home."

"Oh, so you can sing too. I bet that went over well with Shay. Tell me, is that how you convinced her to give you a shot?" Nick laughed, coming up beside Stephen, who rolled his eyes.

"I'm not interested in startin' anything with yeh, Nick. I'm jus' waitin' for Shay."

"Speaking of her, I'd stop before you got too involved. I mean, unless you banged her already. She still a good fu—," he was cut off as Stephen let out a low growl.

"You're not a stupid man, Nick. I suggest walkin' away."

Nick smirked, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Come on, Stephen. It's not going to work out between you two. This isn't Beauty and the Beast, Stephen. You're not going to end up on top, and you should just forget about it and her."

"It's been years, Nick. Why are yeh still on her case?" Stephen question, glancing at his watch and then across the street. "An', it was in my understandin' that she left yeh..."

"Yeah, she always leaves, then blames the guy for leaving." Nick scowled, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

"You're pathetic, Nick."

"Oh, pathetic? She's the pathetic one, Stephen. And the more you stay around her, the more it's going to rub off on you. You know she kissed me, right? A while ago, in fact, and I can still remember the way she tastes. It's been years since I've been with her, but I remember the way her back arches, and all those little sounds she makes. The ones that just...turn you—," Once again, Nick was cut off, and this time, it was from Stephen gripping his collar and shoving him against the side of an adjacent building. He stood there, shoulders shaking, and stared down at Nick, at the satisfied smirk spreading across the blond's lips.

"Pathetic is when a pitiful excuse for a man can't take no for an answer. Pathetic is someone who verbally abuses his girlfriend. Pathetic is havin' to be reminded day in and day out that you're not as high an' mighty as yeh think you are. I don't wanna remind yeh, Nick, about how pathetic yeh really are. You're just the sad, miserable little man who took his frustrations out on a woman who was so in love with yeh. You're sad she left? Mad? Yeh were the one who pushed her away, and that's pathetic," he stated, backing away and rolling up his sleeves to the elbows. A cool, summery breeze flitted through the sky and he took a deep breath in.

And, from behind, Nick raised his fists and swung.

/

"Stephen!?" Shay called out, rounding another corner with a frustrated sigh. It had been twenty minutes after the show, and she still could not find him. Deciding to try outside, she exited the arena and went out to the sidewalk. "Come on, Stephen."

A clatter caught her attention, and off to the side she could see two people fighting. And they looked remarkably like Nick and Stephen. Jogging to reach them, she bit her lip and surveyed what had happened. From what she could see, Nick's hand was bleeding, and each shared a split lip. "Stephen, Nick, come on guys... cut it out." Shay stated, hoping that the two of them were still within reason. Her pleas fell on deaf ears, and foolishly, she tried to step on.

She came up behind him braced her hand on Stephen's shoulder.

She realized a little too late that that might not have been the smartest idea. At that same moment, Nick had somehow wormed his way behind Stephen. Whirling around, Stephen struck.

It just so happened he missed his intended target.

Shay cursed and staggered, Nick ran off, and Stephen stood wide-eyed. "Shay... Shay...aw fuck."

"Stephen," she could tell from the look in his eyes exactly what he was thinking, and he looked more frightened now than she had ever seen him. He merely let out a small breath and walked past her, her trailing him as he made his way back to the rental. Routinely, he opened the door for her, and set on the way back to the hotel. After a few moments, she tried again. "Stephen...it's...,"

"Can we please just...not talk right now, Shay?" He murmured, and she studied him silently. Faintly under the moonlight she could see the scraped ridges of his knuckles and a halo of green around his eye. His hair was mussed and his shirt dissheveled. He kept shaking his head and avoiding looking at her. The ride to the hotel was long and silent, and frankly, he was starting to frighten her by how uncharacteristically quiet he was being. They got to their hotel room and Stephen rolled his shoulders, grimacing as he did so.

"Stephen," she started, and waited for his response.

"I'm just gonna take a shower, pack up my things, and go," he stated, shaking his head and muttering under his breath. "I'm so fuckin' stupid." She shook her head and sat on the edge of the bed. He barely glanced at her as he gathered a few things and ducked into the bathroom. Shay reclined on the bed, sighing and gingerly brushing her fingertips against her cheekbone. Slivers of pain ran up her face and she hissed. In her mind, she knew he was upset, she just couldn't wrap her mind around why he would want to take off.

Shay laid there and waited for a few minutes after she heard the water cut off. The bathroom door swung open, but he didn't step out. Shay stood and made her way over to the bathroom, entering when he didn't protest. She followed his gaze to the mirror and gasped. A crescent of greenish-yellow circled his eye, and his lip was split, and his eyes were heavy. Her eye was swollen and tinted purple. "Stephen... can we please talk?" She asked, hoisting herself up and onto the counter so she could see nearly eye-to-eye with him. She took his hand in hers. "Please?"

"About what?" He whispered, reaching out to brush his fingers against her skin. "Look at what I did to you, Shay. Why aren't you upset? Yeh should be mad, yeh shouldn't still be here. Yeh shouldn't be lookin' at me like it wasn't my fault; like I'm not guilty," he murmured, resting his forehead against hers. "I'm sorry, Shay. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." His accent had thickened and she held his hand tighter.

"It's alright, Stephen. It's okay."

"Yeh're not mad?"

"Stephen, you didn't know it was me, alright? It's not like you wanted to hit me. I know you didn't. I shouldn't have been right there in the crossfires. It's my fault I got hit. Not yours."

Stephen drew his lip between his teeth and it started to bleed again. Shay shut her eyes for a second, wet a rag, and pressed a corner to his lip. "Shay, it wasn't your fault. I should've seen it was yeh an' I didn't, an' I'm sorry."

"Would you please stop apologizing and stop backing away from me?" Her eyebrow rose and he leaned in towards her. "I know you feel like shit, but it wasn't your fault. You're not Dave, Stephen. You're not Dave, you're not Nick. You're not any of them. Besides you leaving would be you breaking your promise. You promised me you'd leave if I asked you to, and I'm not. I'm asking you to stay. You didn't see who it was, now, come on. It's getting late. Tomorrow, we're going to wake up and we're going to go on with our lives," she stated, putting the finality in the conversation as she slid from the counter top and laced her fingers with his. Absently, she brushed over the scrapes on his knuckles. "Tomorrow, will you tell me what happened?" Stephen nodded wordlessly and slid beneath the sheets. His arm draped across her middle, his hand still in hers and after a while they were silent.

"I was afraid I'd fucked it up with us already. I keep thinking that yeh should leave because that's what my father used to tell me an' my siblings. He said, "Stiofan, if yeh ever hit a woman, yeh're not a real man. He taught me to never raise my hand towards a woman. He told my sisters that it would never be their fault. Thirty-three years an' I kept my promise not to," Stephen whispered. Shay pivoted around to face him. She rested her head against his chest. "I just don't know how you can see this in shades of gray when all I see it as is black and white. Yeh understand why I'm upset, righ'?"

Shay nodded and kissed his jawline, "I understand. And Stephen?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not scared of you. You've never given me a reason to be. And I'm not going to start just because I got in the middle of a fight that wasn't mine, okay? I'm not scared of you," she repeated herself. "And that's the difference between you and him. He scared me, and you don't."