Dianna and Chord had such a natural ease with each other, their voices seemed meant for one another. They smiled the entire time they sang, which Issey would normally discourage as it flattens out the vowels, but it was so endearing she let it go.

When they were finished working through the songs she left them alone, it had been nice, everyone being home, everyone being able to pair up as they pleased not having to worry about what bus they meant to be on or who might notice them slipping off to be together. It seemed like very few people were looking forward to getting back on the buses.

She texted Chris.

Issey: You ever get out of that bed?

It took over 20 minutes to answer her.

Chris: Yeah

He was so hard to read via text so she called him. "Please less chatter, I'm working." She told him jokingly.

"Me too. What's up?" he was clearly very distracted.

"Where are you?"

"Bus."

"Already? You must be anxious to get on the road. Did you get Brian back to you friends?"

"Yeah. Do you need something?"

"Oh. No. Just saying hi. Everything okay?"

"Fine, yeah. I'm writing. Can I call you a little later?"

"Oh, sure, yeah. No, I mean, I didn't mean to bother you. I'll talk to you later." She hung up and tried not to let his distant attitude worry her. A minute later her phone rang.

"I love you."

"Chris?"

"Who else, know what, don't answer that. I just realized how out of it I was when I talked to you. Sorry. I just get carried off when I write, sort of in another world."

"Don't worry about it."

"You did though."

"What?" she knew what he meant she just wanted to hear him say it.

"You were worried because I sounded weird."

"A little."

"I love you."

"You too."

"Not good enough."

"I love you, you brat, go write something brilliant."

"Will do."

They hung up and a minute later she got a text.

Chris: It's okay to tell me u kno

Issey: ?

Chris: That I sound weird and you don't like it.

Issey: Noted. Go write. Sorry I disrupted the flow. Love.

Chris: Love

She went to the hotel and put what few things she had taken out of her luggage away. Her phone buzzed.

UNKNOWN: were u serious w/ the offer to ride on ur bus today?

Issey: Mia?

UNKNOWN: guilty

Issey: Absolutely. Bring alcohol.

UNKNOWN: Done.

She sat hard on the edge of the bed. Issey hadn't planned on Mia taking her up on her offer. It was going to be awkward but she guessed they'd get through it.

She ran into Naya in the elevator and could tell she was dying to ask. "Go ahead."

Naya tapped her fingers against the glass wall and feigned innocence. "What?"

"You have questions."

"No." she shook her head but her smiled said 'yes'. "Nope, I'm just…okay. Really? Chris? I mean, don't get me wrong, he's a great guy and all but…"

Issey shrugged. "What can I say? From the very first night we met we just fit."

Naya wrinkled her nose, "I think I just see him too much as a little brother. I mean, the whole gay thing aside, to me he'll always be that chubby, goofy kid I met 3 years ago."

"I've seen pictures and the video of the first season of the show but I have a really hard time putting that kid together with Chris. He's so different now."

"I can't even look at him doing 'Single Ladies', it's just hysterical."

Issey smiled, "See, no, HOT."

"So he's, God, forget it, I'm not gonna ask."

"The answer is yes. He is, amazing, way better than he has any right to be."

Naya turned scarlet and covered her face with her hands "I don't want to know that!"

They came to the ground floor and ran into Heather and Harry coming from a dance rehearsal with Zach. Both girls were relieved to not have the conversation continue and headed out to jump on the buses with the others. Issey made a quick detour onto Chris's bus and found him sitting on his bunk hunched over his laptop, typing furiously. She thought about whether it was okay to interrupt but there was no one in this part of the bus so she took a chance.

"Hey." She said quietly.

"Hey" he looked up, eyes shining, clearly happy to see her.

She tipped her head, "We're not going to get to kiss goodnight."

Chris set his laptop on the bunk on the other side and tapped the bed next to him. She climbed in and he pulled the privacy curtain closed even though they were alone. Issey looked in his eyes, "I missed you t tonight apart."

He snuggled her into him, "Do you realize we've had sex every night since we decided to be together?"

"How are you gonna sleep without your fix tonight?" She kissed his chest where she lay against him.

"Probably just get Darren to give me a blow job since you'll be sleeping with Mia." He laughed.

She was quiet longer than he expected.

"I was kidding, obviously." He said dipping his head to search her face.

"I know." She went back to being quiet.

"I love YOU."

"For now." She pulled herself together and tried to shake away the melancholy she felt at the thought of him even teasing about sleeping with a man. "And as long as you're mine I want my goodnight kiss now."

He laid over her and kissed her, his hair tickling her forehead. His breath quickened as she pulled him down onto her, her nails digging into the back of his shirt.

"Sleep here." He breathed against her neck.

"I can't, I shouldn't ."

"You did it for him." He pouted.

"And slept with you. AND you spent the night squished against the wall trying to avoid touching me."

He rolled on his back, a smile on his lips, "That's NOT why I was against the wall."

She widened her eyes in his direction, "You're kidding!"

"Nope. Would have been tough to explain at that point though."

She kissed his neck and slid her hand south, "Nice to know I still have the same effect."

"It was only days ago, and don't start anything down there you don't plan on finishing."

"You're insatiable."

"It's one of the things you love most about me." He said with a self-satisfied grin.

"Too true, but we're not going to have this area to ourselves for long so we'll have to put this on pause."

"Ugh! I hate it when you're logical." Chris pulled the drama queen card.

"Yeah, yeah, one more kiss, then I have to go get on my bus."

He made the most of it, teasing her lips with his, nibbling, sucking and licking at her mouth. Issey had no hope of controlling the moan that escaped her throat causing Cory, who had turned up to find Chris's laptop on his bunk, to quickly excuse himself and take off for the front of the bus.

When their mouths parted Chris rubbed his nose against hers then kissed her eyes. "Keep them closed, I have something for you."

She did as she was told, listening hard while Chris leaned around the bed and unzipped something. She was anxious but not willing to peek. After a few seconds of quiet she felt something cool and delicate at her neck. "Open your eyes." He said, sliding his finger under the delicate silver chair at her neck.

"This stays on until I take it off. Okay?

She nodded that she understood even though she had no way of seeing the chain like a choker at her throat so he help up his phone and took her picture, turning it to show her. There was the thin chain, a choker with a tiny key that fell just at the hollow of her throat. The key was impossible to look away from. Unlike so many key necklaces she'd seen it was not adorned with hearts or cubic zirconia. It was simply a thin, perfect, unadorned silver key. This was only the part everyone could see.

The necklace fit around her neck closely, laying perfectly and latching from behind; however from either side, barely visible from the front two slightly stronger chains continued in loops down her back. Chris lifted the charm at the end so she could see, a pair of handcuffs in the same vein as the key.

"Where did you ever find this?"

"I saw it in Las Vegas and bought it then. I never dreamed I'd actually get to give it to you, but I bought it with you on my mind. You understand it means no one touches you but me?"

"Of course."

"And you'll wear it?"

"Until you take it off." She pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. "I love it. Thank you."

He held her hand and walked her to her bus. Once they reached it she ran her hands through his hair, he lifted the chain and slid his fingers along the skin where it rested. "I feel better knowing you have this on. If I can't be with you at least this is there to remind you."

"I'll sleep better knowing you want me to remember I'm yours."

He held her eyes with his own for a moment then shook his head smiling, "How did this happen so fast?"

"I don't care how, I'm just happy it did." She touched the side of this face, "Love."

"More." He whispered in her ear before he kissed her cheek.

"My God you two it's ONE night apart, you'll live. I promise." Zach had been watching the lovers parting, rolling his eyes at the drama. "Get on the bus, lady."

She smiled to herself as Chris hugged her, rubbing his thumb purposefully over the place the handcuffs hung under her shirt.