Breathless, an in a heartbeat fanfic

Breathless

"You think I should ask Jenna Karp?"

"I'm on the decorating committee."

"My dress has got to be green. Everyone says I look good in green."

"I think Bailey Jennings might ask me, but I'm not sure."

"I can't believe she actually said yes."

"Do you think silver and red balloons or yellow and red?"

"I hope the post-party is good."

Tyler Connell smiled to himself as he strode down the hall on the way to class, the whispers echoing around him—who should ask whom, who was wearing what dress…

He looked at the wall to see a poster for the "Kingsport High Senior Prom" and his smile grew wider. He didn't have any trouble with dress color, because he wasn't going to wear a dress, thankfully, and he wasn't on the decorating committee because he had no decorating sense, and he knew whom he wanted to go with and who he was going to ask. He had to do it fast, because he didn't want a remake of the homecoming dance last year.

So he knew who, he knew when (May 26^th) he knew where (gym) he knew what (prom), and he knew why—he had a crush on her.

Now the only problem was how he was going to ask out Valerie Lanier.

"So…you asked Tyler yet?" Caitie Roth asked Val. The blonde shook her head and closed her locker. The prom date had only been announced that morning, but the school was already abuzz—even though several, who were making the posters, had known ahead of time and spread it around. Technically, in the students' views, you couldn't ask someone until the prom had actually been announced, and now they had four weeks to get up the nerve. Which might not be enough for some, such as Val.

"I don't know. I mean, he might ask me, right, if he can't find someone else to go with, and I don't want him to, like, turn me down, right, so I don't think I'm going to ask him. Right?" Val was nervous, very nervous.

"Oh, please." Caitie rolled her eyes with that sarcastic tone that was almost always in her voice. "He's going to ask you out because he likes you, if he ever gets the nerve up, and if he doesn't get the nerve up you have to ask him. It's the 21^st century. 2002. You have to get it over with."

"Caitie, I don't think that—"

"And here's your chance, he's right there," Caitie said with more than enough fakeness in her bounce and laugh.

"Caitie, I am not going to—"

"Hey, Val!" Tyler greeted her cheerfully.

"Hey you! What's new?" responded Val with equal perk. Caitie choked.

"Gag me. I'm going to go find some sane rebel," she said, walking off. Val raised her eyebrows slightly and then turned back to Tyler.

"So…Val…um…do you want to…" Tyler trailed off and Val waited patiently. "You wouldn't, like, by any chance, sort of, want to go to the prom with me?"

Val promptly dropped her Algebra textbook on her toe. "Owww…" she moaned. Tyler quickly scooped it up and handed it to her, turning a little pink around the edges.

"As in, a date?" Val questioned once her toe had stopped throbbing somewhat.

"Um…well, yeah, kind of, I guess," said Tyler sheepishly.

"And you don't have anyone else to go with?"

Ouch. That had hurt, stung his skin like a bee. His blue eyes dimmed. "Well, I'll go with someone else if you don't want to," Tyler began, brows knitting as he frowned sadly, "but I was sort of hoping that you'd want to. But if you don't, sure, I can go with someone else, even though we could just go as, like, friends, and—"

"No, I want to go," interrupted Val. A look of relief spread across Tyler's face.

"Pick you up at, um…" Tyler hesitated, the words failing to form themselves on his tongue like a flame and lash out.

"Eight thirty," supplied Val. "It starts at eight forty five."

"Yeah," Tyler agreed. "Yeah, that'll work." He backed off with a grin and tripped over someone's French book, stumbling. "Yeah, um, yeah," he said again. "See you at eight thirty." Tyler turned and ran into Anthony Creed.

Val couldn't take it anymore. She cracked up in the midst of all the teenagers flooding the halls, going to class.

"So," she commented with a satisfied look, "that definitely turned out all right after all."

"Mom, can I borrow your credit card?" Val asked, poking her head into the kitchen. Joanne Lanier flipped the hair from her eyes and looked at her oldest daughter curiously.

"What do you need it for?" she inquired as Val's sister, Brooke, strode into the kitchen.

"What do you need what for?" asked Brooke, snatching a few grapes from the bowl of fruit.

"Caitie's helping me look for my prom dress, and I want to take a look before everyone else buys their dresses," answered Val. Brooke coughed.

"It got announced today?" Joanne questioned, ignoring Brooke.

"You mean someone asked you out? You have a date already?" Brooke asked. Val cast an annoyed look at her sister.

"Yes." And that answered both questions.

"With whom?" Brooke and Joanne said simultaneously—well, Brooke replaced "whom" with "who", but that was no matter. Val looked taken aback at the sudden interrogation.

"Calm down, no need for the third degree," said Val as she took a glass from the cupboard. Brooke looked thoughtful for a moment and then brightened.

"Tyler," she informed her mother with a knowing grin.

"Tyler Connell?" Joanne wanted clarification.

"Yes," replied Val with a dirty look at her sister.

"He's an EMT, right?"

"He's the one Val's had a crush on for the last year and a half," Brooke reminded Joanne, smiling. "And he has a crush on her but they're too shy to get together."

"Do you know the meaning of cease and desist?" Val asked her sister. "Because if you don't do that right now, I'm going to give you, rolled up in the shape of a basketball, to Tyler to practice with."

"Tou-chy," Brooke said, but in a second she had added, "I'll go now." She scampered from the room quickly. Val could probably beat her up pretty badly.

"So, can I use your credit card?" Val asked, returning to the subject at hand.

"Sure. Do you need the car?"

"Caitie's mom let her borrow the car, for once…which is kind of amazing since the whole accident with Billy and all…anyway, no." Her mom nodded agreeably and handed over the Visa, taking a slip of paper and signing it so that the clerks would accept the card.

"Thanks."

Well, this was going to be interesting.

"The nominations are in for prom King and Queen 2002," Principal Carlson said over the PA at morning announcements. "And the nominees for king are…" He sounded like he was reading for the Oscars or something, reflected Tyler. "…Dean Kofke, Tony Robbins, and Tyler Connell," finished Carlson. Tyler shook his head—apparently he had missed the nominees, lost in thoughts.

A pencil poked him from behind and a note landed on the floor next to his seat. Tyler picked it up leisurely—the homeroom teacher, Mr. Smith, was very loose early in the morning for the fifteen minutes he taught homeroom for, though when he taught History he cracked down like a whip on an ox.

Tyler, you idiot, do you realize you just got nominated? Be a little excited, please. –Val

Tyler grinned as he finished the note and heard the last nominee for queen: "…and Valerie Lanier."

Excuse me, you just got nominated, too, but I don't hear you jumping up and down for joy. –Tyler, of course

Val matched his smile as she read the note.

Yeah, well, then people would think I was crazy and it might lose me votes. –Who do you think?

The only people who win Miss America pageants have disabilities, like deafness and muteness, but they win. Who says it won't work for you? –Best EMT

I have a feeling no one wants a cheerleader who can't speak, let alone a prom queen. Excuse me? Best EMT? I'm an EMT-I, too, you know, just because you got it first doesn't mean you're better. –Better EMT

It would save people your speech. And experience makes you better. –Way better EMT

No way. I rock. –Much better EMT

So do I. –So much better EMT

I rock more. –Infinity better EMT

Double infinity doesn't exist. Not fair. –Tyler

Ha. I win. –ValEMT

Now you're using your screen name? Oh well, to each their own. And I'm going to use your own. –TylEMT

Why did we all get screen names that are our name plus EMT? It's a weird coincidence. –ValEMT

It makes sense. I mean, we spend enough time at the station as it is, why not drag it into our personal life as well? -TylEMT

You don't sound very appreciative of the program. –Val

It wasn't entirely sarcastic. –Ty

Uh huh. Yep. So…you think you're going to win king? –V

We're just bringing this convo full-circle, aren't we? –T

Answer the question. Not to sound like an interrogator, but…do you think you'll win? –V

We can stop signing our notes, I think. And to answer your question…I think you'll win. –Tyler

I thought you said we could stop signing our notes. –Valerie Kara Lanier

Have you realized if your middle name was, say, April, your initials would spell out your first name? –Tyler Robert Connell

No, really, do you think? Of course I know that. Robert? Ooh, Robbie. I think I came up with a new nickname. –VKL

I was just reminding you. Call me Robbie and you die. –TRC

Robbie. What if your middle name was Lester? TLC. You could be named after a band and a form of treatment. –VKL

Don't call me Robbie. Lester? I'd be, like, the laughingstock of Kingsport. –TRC

Robbie. -VKL

Valerie. -TRC

Robbie. -VKL

Valerie. –TRC

You're not helping. –Val

And you are? –Tyler

I give up. Do you think you'll get king? –Val

Possibly. I think you'll get queen, though. And then—

The bell rang while Tyler was writing. He handed the unfinished note to Val and escaped from the classroom.

"And then what?" Val said out loud.

"Caitie, are you even going to the prom?" Val inquired. Three days before the fatal day and Val hadn't even heard if Caitie had a date.

"Yeah."

"Are you going with someone or alone?" Anyone else would just have asked whom Caitie was going with, but Val knew her best friend well enough to be aware that Caitie's feminism could very well lead to going alone and boycotting couples.

"I'm going with Jamie."

"Oh." Val didn't ask what they had up their sleeves, because she knew she'd find out soon enough. "So, you want to carpool? Hank has his own ideals of wowing his date, so I think he's picking her up, so there's enough room in the car."

"Yeah, sure, that'd be great."

"We can help each other get ready, too," squealed Val. Caitie blanched.

"Um…Val…I don't think…"

"Come on, Caitie." Val was begging now. Caitie contemplated.

"Oh, fine. But you owe me," the brunette added. Val shrugged.

"Sure, sure."

"Overachievers," mumbled Caitie in disgust as the warning bell rang.

Caitie looked at her reflection critically.

"I like the dress, of course, because I did buy it," she admitted, "but I think it might damage my reputation."

"Like going to the prom isn't already damaging your rep," pointed out Val. Caitie considered this and then looked at the short, sleeveless dark red and black dress again. "At least it's not pink," Val nudged.

"Oh, sure. Fine." Caitie shook out her hair. "There. All done."

"I like," clapped Val, smiling. Caitie rolled her eyes.

"That's enough to get me not to go, period. Okay, I've got to go home. See you at eight thirty-seven."

"Give or take," Val said. Caitie laughed and exited. Val smiled and took her own dress off of the chair.

The doorbell rang a third time.

"Coming!" Brooke yelled, pulling the door open. "Oh. Hi, Tyler."

"Hey, Munchkin. Val around?"

"No, she went out to a movie on the night of her prom," Brooke said sarcastically. "In her prom dress, too. By the way, if I were you, I'd run."

"Why?"

"Well, we have parents, and they have cameras…and film. Lots of film," Brooke said in a loud whisper.

"It's not that much," Steve Lanier informed her, coming into the front hallway.

"Only five rolls," Joanne finished as she followed him. Tyler smiled.

"You'll have to get duplicates. My mom and William are dying for photos," he explained.

"We don't have to get duplicates. We can just take twice as many!" Steve exclaimed cheerfully. Tyler and Brooke both paled.

"You're not supposed to scare him away," Val told them from behind. Everyone turned except for Tyler, who looked over Brooke's head.

"Whoa," mumbled Tyler, speechless and transfixed. "You look…well, you look…I mean…"

"Great," supplied Brooke, elbowing Tyler. "Absolutely fantastic."

Tyler was still speechless. Of course he had known Val was beautiful, but she looked even more so in her strapless dark green dress, with her head angled in curiosity, allowing blond curls that strayed from their twist to fall onto her bare shoulders.

"Yeah," he agreed, summoning the will and breath to speak. "You look gorgeous."

"Thanks," she smiled. "You don't look too bad yourself."

During the touching moment, cameras were clicking and flashing.

"Stop," Val said, annoyed, turning towards her parents. Except that meant a frontal view, and that meant that they got more variety in the shots.

"Just a few more," begged Joanne. Tyler smiled for the camera and put an arm around Val as her own slid around him.

Of course, in parental speak, a few meant four rolls and ten pictures.

"We really better be going now," Val said, pulling Tyler out the door. He waved as the door fell shut.

"Good thing I came early," said Tyler, looking at his watch. "They really weren't kidding about taking twice as many photos."

"Guess not," agreed Val. Tyler looked at her for a minute.

"Oh, shoot. This is for you." The pale yellow rose was barely opening, the thorns picked off. Tyler slid it behind her ear. "I didn't think you'd want a corsage," he told her softly.

"I like this better," she informed him, reaching out to touch his face.

"I do, too."

Val smiled in response as her fingers wound into his hair.

"Oh, great." Over his shoulder she could see Brooke looking at them with satisfaction through the window. Val's hands retracted. "We're already late picking up Jamie and Caitie," she pointed out.

"Yeah." He had no idea what had been about to happen, but something was going to—he was sure of that.

Go on, go on

Leave me breathless

Come on

The decorating committee had decided on silver and red, and they had outdone themselves—a band was playing on a raised platform, red and silver balloons were everywhere in the gym, silver streamers decorated the gym, and

"Well, jeez, they really went all out, didn't they?" Jamie said in awe. The other three still had huge smiles on their faces from seeing Jamie in a tux. He cast a look at them. "Get those idiotic grins off of your faces and agree with me."

It was already nine ten—Caitie's parents had wanted pictures, too, and eventually four rolls and twenty shots had beaten Val's parents by ten and individual, individual couples, and group shots all taken care of.

"Sure, sure," Tyler said absently. "I'm going to go get a drink."

"And I'll come as well," Val added, following him off into the crowd.

"I'll bet twenty bucks they kiss in the next hour," Jamie proposed. Caitie grinned.

"You're on."

The daylight's fading slowly

The time with you is standing still

I'm waiting for you only

The slightest touch and I feel weak

"We're going to spare you the wait and announce the prom king and queen right now!" Principal Carlson rather enthusiastically at ten as the music stopped. Val turned away from talking to Tyler to the principal.

"The moment of truth," teased Val. Tyler stifled a laugh.

"And the nominees for prom king 2002 are…" Once again he sounded like he was announcing the Oscars. "…Robert Lemmings, Shia Nero, Cody Limier, Dean Kofke, Tony Robbins, and Tyler Connell."

A prolonged silence.

"And the winner is…Tyler Connell."

Tyler grinned and kissed Val on the cheek lightly as he went up to the stage and received his silver crown with a smile. Mr. Carlson began to call nominees for queen.

Tyler winning was no surprise. He was a perfect student with a 4.0 GPA, popularity, good looks, a community service volunteer position, and the position of co-captain with Hank on the varsity football team.

Of course, going by this standard, Val, the 3.8 GPA student with popularity, good looks, a community service volunteer position, and position as co-captain with Anna Dunes on the cheerleading team, should have expected to hear the words "And the winner is…Valerie Lanier," but when she actually heard them, it was a shock.

"You won." Emma Lawrence, a cheerleader, elbowed Val in the ribs and pointed towards the platform. Val looked from Emma to the platform and then stumbled up there.

"This is certainly a surprise," Val muttered to Tyler, touching her crown as she accepted the bouquet of red roses. He grinned at her.

"You're the only one who didn't expect it," Tyler informed her before raising his voice for his speech, which was followed by Val's.

"…And next year, when we're all at college with professors who don't know our names and pulling all-nighters for finals, we're going to look back on high school and say that it was a great point in our life…but we're glad to leave it behind because it means we move on to life and the road that life's going to take us on. This is going to be one of the excellent times we remember and I can guarantee that the eight rolls and thirty pictures that have been taken of just me, Tyler, Caitie Roth, and Jamie Waite tonight will make us remember this night because you know, my parents have this little habit of reminiscing over pictures?" Laughter signaled the end of Val's speech.

"And now…Heroes Fourteen with 'Breathless' by the Corrs for the dance of the king and queen!" Val handed her bouquet to Carrie Vann, a redheaded cheerleader.

"I think Carlson needs to learn that this isn't the Academy Awards," Val whispered as they descended the stairs.

"I heard his fourth cousin twice removed is distantly related to Tom Hanks," Tyler said. "Maybe he's practicing in case Tom suddenly showed up someday and asked him to host it."

Val laughed as she put her arms around his neck.

"Probably."

I cannot lie
From you I can not hide
I'm losing will to try
Can't hide it
Can't fight it

"10:08," Jamie said, looking at his watch.

"Two more minutes," Caitie told him, "before I win and you owe me twenty bucks."

"Yeah, right," scoffed Jamie. "Her arms are around his neck. They're going to kiss."

"You're going to lose," Caitie assured him. "I know Val. I know how her mind works."

Jamie just shook his head and crossed his arms rebelliously in front of his chest.

So go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Tempt me, tease me
'Till I can't deny this
Loving feeling
Let me long for your kiss
Go on, go on
Yeah come on

"Val, are you falling asleep?" Her arms were wrapped very securely around his neck and her head was lying on his shoulder with her eyes closed, a smile on her lips. "Do you want to, like, go home or something?"

"No," she mumbled. "I'm awake. It's okay." She took her head off of his shoulder and looked at him. "You'd miss your prom after you got crowned king to take me home?"

"Sure." Tyler hoped he didn't sound like an idiot…but it was just the prom. Val meant more to him than a crown.

"Thank you." She smiled. "That's incredibly sweet of you."

Tyler grinned back. It felt fantastic, being here and her letting him hold her, arms wound tightly around her body, but what would feel even better was if he was allowed to do it all the time…he knew this was a chance he couldn't afford to take, a probability that was smaller than particles on a dust mite, a guess that was never going to be accurate, but…

"I'll make you a bet," he whispered. Val looked at him with curiosity.

"A bet?" she asked.

"I'll bet that in the next thirty seconds I'm going to kiss you," he said, closing his eyes for a second and then opening them. Her jaw dropped.

"I'm going to lose, aren't I?" he inquired, heart slamming into his chest. "Because I'm not going to kiss you if you don't want me to."

"I can't control you," Val began, "but I think you're going to lose, yes."

"I am." He should have expected this, but the reality hurt more than the imagination.

"Well, I'm going to be the one kissing you," she smiled, leaning forward.

And if there's no tomorrow
And all we have is here and now
I'm happy just to have you
You're all the love I need somehow

"I win," crowed Caitie as Jamie's digital watch changed to 10:11 and Tyler and Val's lips connected. Jamie moaned.

"One minute! One lousy minute! Come on!" he begged

"Twenty bucks, pal."

"Yeah, I know," sighed Jamie. "I'll pay you later, okay?" But Caitie wasn't listening anymore. Jamie's eyes looked at her.

"You know, I'm thinking if we want to startle the ordinary people, then we should do what they don't expect," she hinted, watching the other people begin to fall into the dance and rhythm, filling in the gap around Tyler and Val.

"So we dance." Jamie caught on quickly.

"Exactly."

Caitie swung her arms around his neck and smiled.

It's like a dream
Although I'm not asleep
I never want to wake up
Don't lose it
Don't leave it

"I don't know what that was," Tyler confessed, drawing his lips away, "but…I'm sorry."

"Why?" Val looked at him, immensely puzzled.

"For kissing you."

"I kissed you, Tyler," Val reminded him, frowning with that irresistible look in her eyes that made you want to do anything she asked.

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Look, Tyler, if you don't want to then I'm not going to force you, but I'm certainly not going to argue if you want to," she told him, the look in her eyes growing even more pleading.

Tyler replied with another kiss, her arms tightening around his neck in a struggle to stay under control once more.

"Did I miss something?" Hank's voice interrupted. Tyler broke, smiled at his best friend sardonically in a clear hint to bug off, and settled for kissing Val's neck so she could answer.

"I think he wants you to go away," Jasmine said helpfully. Val grinned.

"See you later, Hank."

"All I wanted to say was congratulations," Hank grumbled. Tyler raised his lips from Val's skin as Hank left.

"For the kiss or the prom king and queen thing?" he asked Val, puzzled. She shrugged with a grin and let her lips fall back onto his.

So go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Tempt me, tease me
'Till I can't deny this
Loving feeling
Let me long for your kiss
Go on, go on
Yeah come on

Jamie sighed. It was very tempting to kiss Caitie when she was in his arms and his chin was balanced on her head.

"Jamie?" she mumbled, stepping back a little so that she could talk without being muffled by his jacket.

"Yeah?"

"I—I mean—about you, I—well—I mean…"

"You're madly, hopelessly, indescribably, idiotically, horribly, head over heels in love with me?" he joked, smiling.

"Um. Well." Caitie couldn't answer. Jokes were often so close to the truth.

"Oh." Jamie was speechless. "I—I—I mean, I—"

"Look, I know you don't feel the same way," said Caitie. "I just wanted you to know. I don't want it to ruin our friendship."

"Will kissing you ruin our friendship?"

Caitie stared. "You mean you want to kiss me?"

"I wouldn't have asked," Jamie told her gently, "if I didn't honestly want to."

"Then…no."

"Good."

And I can't lie
From you I cannot hide
I've lost my will to try
Can't hide it
Can't fight it

"I don't think you're a senior," Paul Welch informed Brooke and Nick snootily. Brooke rolled her eyes.

"Of course we're not seniors, but my sister is Val Lanier and I know Tyler Connell and Hank Beecham and I don't think that you want the last weeks of your year with your rep rubbed in the dirt." Brooke hoped he didn't actually know that Val and Tyler were a bunch of do-gooders and wouldn't ruin someone's rep.

"You mean the people who just got crowned king and queen?" Paul inquired, a trace of the snootiness still in his voice.

"Yeah—oh my God." Brooke had just caught a glimpse of Val and Tyler, and they sure seemed to be enjoying each other… and each other's lips. She grinned and ran off. Nick shrugged and followed her.

"That's Brooke," he explained to Paul before dashing out of earshot.

"Well, you two seem to be having a good time," Brooke said to Val and Tyler, who pulled apart at the sound of the familiar voice.

"What are you doing here?" Val asked Brooke with shock. Brooke gave a big smile.

"Checking up on you two kids."

Val lifted the tiara from her hair and placed it on Brooke's hair. "There. You can hold my crown. Are you happy now?"

Tyler followed suit and handed his crown to Nick. "See? Now you can be the king and queen."

"Which was a hint for you to leave," Val informed the two thirteen-year-olds.

"We never get any fun," Brooke complained.

"It's fun to see them snog each other?" Nick seemed awestruck.

"Nick, it's a girl thing," Brooke informed him with exasperation. Nick shrugged.

"Whatever. I'm going to go barf in the men's room now."

"Shut up, Nick."

But it got the adolescents to leave, and that was the goal all along.

So go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Tempt me, tease me
'Till I can't deny this
Loving feeling
Make me long for your kiss

"Hank!" cried Brooke happily. "At last, someone who isn't making out!"

"What about Jamie and Caitie?" Hank asked over Jasmine's shoulder. "Oh, no."

"Oh, yes." Brooke made a face.

"I see you got promoted to prom queen, however," noted Hank. "And if Nick's prom king, then maybe you guys should start making out."

"Sick!" Nick yelled.

"Exactly my point," Brooke agreed. "Me kissing Nick would be like you kissing Val, and if you can pull Val away from Tyler long enough to even talk to her, let me know and I'll give you a prize."

"If we start kissing, will you leave us alone?"

"Let's go!"

In the end, Val and Tyler skipped the post-party and went out to dinner.

"So, are we a couple now or something?" Val inquired of Tyler as the car pulled up in front of the Lanier house.

"Yeah. I think so."

"That's good, then." Val took off her seatbelt began to open the car door.

"Hey, don't you want a goodnight kiss?" he asked teasingly. Val grinned and turned back to him.

"Sure. Leave me breathless."

Go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Go on, go on
Come on leave me breathless
Go on, go on

WELL. Eleven pages. Fairly decent, I think. Um… fairly odd as well, but you KNOW you want to review…

DISCLAIMER: Song belongs to The Corrs. Story belongs to me. Tom Hanks belongs unto himself. Characters belong to Alliance Atlantis. You get the picture, don't you?