Tears

~Disclaimer: I own none of them, I'm just playing with them, and I'll be returning them when I get through. I also stake no claim to any episodes that I use for the Flashbacks. They belong to the writers and FFC. I do however own Alex Wallace, his father and his secretary Connie, as well as anyone Scott knew when he was at home with his father. I also made up a few people in the middle of this story, you'll see why.~
~There are also a few lines that I have taken from one of my other favorite shows, BTVS. I thought that Joss's words would fit better in this type of subtext. I am not changing the words in any way shape or form. They will also be returned when I'm done.~

~I've decided that if you want a song list, you're going to have to e-mail me for it, seeing as though I can never seen to remember to put it up with my stories.

Memories are still in Italics, with * before and after them

*This part goes out to both my 'lil sis Britt (without whom I'd never have such a bitch of a character), and my Beta Alison (I think I spelled that right, lol) who keeps buggin' my sorry butt so I at least get one out a week. Couldn't do it without you guys.

"The eyes are the window to ones soul." ~Unknown.

Her hips started swaying long before she grabbed Scott's arm and pulled him back onto the dance floor. Brittany was on a mission, and she didn't like being made a fool of. Scott Barringer would be hers by the end of the night, or she'd give up chasing guys for…at least a couple of weeks. She reasoned with herself. Besides, she wasn't going to fail with this amount of money on the table.

Scott didn't know what to make of Brittany's new attitude. The only thing he could reason was that she was jealous of how close he and Shelby were. But that couldn't be it. The Britt Woods he knew didn't get jealous that easily. He closed his eyes and pictured Shelby, as Brittany adjusted his hands on her hips.

She's a rich girl from the top of the food chain
Love and material things, kind of lonely
Till I met her at the Grammy's 10mil on a diamond ring
She invites me to spend a day on the jet skies
At first it didn't mean a thing
Then she told me I'm the one that she searched for
It was hard to believe.

Auggie moved closer to Daisy, as Juliet and Shelby went out to the dance floor to dance on their own. He didn't like the look of Britt and Alex together. Something just wasn't right. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked Daisy and Ezra cautiously, wondering if the looks that he saw Britt and Alex give each other were all in his head.

"I think so, Brain." Ezra moved closer to Auggie and smiled. "But if we kidnap the elephant, how will we convince Peter he's just as troubled as the rest of us?" Daisy chortled to herself as Auggie threw Ezra a look. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

Auggie nodded and Daisy shook her head. "You feel it too, huh?" She asked him as calmly as she could.

"At first he seemed nice an all," Auggie ran a hand through his hair and glanced at the table, where Jessica and Kat sat on the other end, debating about whether or not they should request a song. They couldn't hear the conversation, and for that Auggie was glad. "But now, the way he looks at her…"

"Shelby can take care of herself." Ezra couldn't believe they were having this conversation. "She's a big girl guys, she knows what she can handle." But he still couldn't shake the feeling that they were right. Something big was going to happen, and it was going to hurt like Hell.

She's miss California hottest thing in west L.A.
House down by the water, sails her yacht across the bay
Drives a Marinello, Hollywood's her favorite scene
Loves to be surrounded with superstars that know her name.
Shelby could feel it too. The energy in the room was weighing on her. She kept her cool about it though. Never letting anyone see that something was bothering her. She even smiled when Juliet started dancing on her own. Alex touched her shoulder, and she jumped. It was as if her body was trying to repel him. But she couldn't figure out why.
Scott could sense Shelby tense. He'd always been connected with her like that. One soul. He laughed at himself, and watched Brittany move her body up against his. If he were any other guy, he would probably be incredibly turned on by this. But he wasn't. Brittany was just a distraction, something to keep his mind off of how harsh the real world was, and of the fact that true love wasn't easy.
In a couple a days she had me a bracelet
Made from Harry Winston's place
Went horseback up to the mountaintop
Showing me the land she's got
Well it's all right but something else is on your mind
Looking past all that shines now the tears are running thru
All those things are nice but its not why I'm here
I will wipe away your tears simply by just loving you.

Alex threw a concerned look at Shelby when she almost jumped ten feet when he touched her. That was never a reaction that he got from her. He wasn't expecting something like that. "You okay?" He asked her seriously. He felt her body tense up again under the pressure of his hand.

"Yeah," Shelby tried to laugh the feeling off, but it just wouldn't go. Something was wrong, and she had no clue what it was. Looking over to the table, she breathed a huge sign of relief to see that Jess was fine. Then she scolded herself for still thinking her sister was five years old with pigtail braids. "I just didn't see you there." She lied, hoping that he wouldn't see through the 'Slate Harding' mask that she had put up.

He looked at her again and realized immediately that she was lying. "You sure?" He asked her quickly, not liking the fact that she would think to lie to him. "You seem a little tense?"

Shelby shrugged his hand off of her shoulder and smiled sweetly up at him. "Positive." She said coldly, her eyes scanning his to make sure he believed her.

"As long as you're okay." Alex pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead, causing her to shutter involuntarily.

She's miss California, hottest thing in west L.A.
House down by the water, sails her yacht across the bay
Drives a Marinello, Hollywood's her favorite scene

Loves to be surrounded with superstars that know her name

Shelby wrapped her arms around herself after Alex gave her the hug. That's when she realized that it wasn't just anything that didn't feel right it was Alex. Something inside her was trying to warn her about Alex, but the question was "Why."

"Why what?" Daisy asked Shelby as she moved out onto the dance floor with Ezra. The two seemed more and more like a couple the longer they were together. Daisy wrinkled her nose as David came up and wrapped his arms around Shelby, silently asking her to dance.

"Nothing." Shelby lied again. She hated how this thing was having this kind of affect on her. What was worse was she didn't have a name for it. "Just thinkin' out loud." She smiled over at Daisy, who just nodded.

"I know how that goes." She whispered as she leaned her head on Ezra's shoulder. "Definitely." Then she was quiet for a few seconds. "But if you decide-"

"I'll let you know." Shelby smiled and turned to try to locate Alex with her eyes. She finally found him standing near the table, saying something to Brittany. Alarms went off in her head again, and she found herself slamming her eyes shut and willing herself to think of something else.

Finally here
Speak to me
I want to feel you
I need to hear you
You are the light
That's leading me
To the place
Where I find peace again

Daisy leaned into the comfort of Ezra's shoulder, as his arms surrounded her. She could feel the warmth of his breath on her neck as he laid a chaste kiss right below the jaw line. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Shelby, and her heart went out to her best friend. It took a lot of strength and spirit to keep pulling yourself back together like Shelby did. But even Daisy could see that Shelby was wearing thin.

"She'll be fine." Ezra told her sweetly, trying not to pry into Daisy's thoughts. "She has us to catch her."

"What happens if we don't see her fall?" Daisy challenged him with her eyes. Then she softened a bit. "You know why I like you?" She asked him gently.

"Not a clue."

Brushing her lips against his smoothly, Daisy looked into Ezra's ever-changing eyes. "You're everything I need, and nothing I can't handle." She nuzzled against him and smiled to herself. Shelby will be fine. She resolved after a few moments. Now it's time to find your own love.

You are the strength

That keeps me walking

You are the hope

That keeps me trusting

You are the light

To my soul

You are my purpose

You're everything

He could count on his left hand how many times he'd been truly happy. And lucky for Ezra, this made one more. His body couldn't move for seconds after Daisy's lips touched his. Call him sentimental and poetic, but he felt as if their hearts touched, and he could see into her black soul. His world was filled with a sudden light the day 'Daisy Graves' entered his world and gave him hope. He could still remember the first time she allowed him to venture into her thoughts. The day after he had almost wanted to die.

And how can I stand here with you
And not be moved by you
Would you tell me how could it be
Any better than this?

* They sat at one of the tables in the infirmary of Horizon. Eating in silence after speaking for what seemed like years that day. Ezra still had one question that he needed her to answer, and Daisy still had a lifetime of pain to get over before she did so.

But that wasn't enough for him. Ezra had to know. "I do have one more question." Daisy set her fork down and waited for him to finish his sentence. "You never answered the first one I asked."

Daisy went to take another bite before dropping her fork onto her plate. Why can't he just let this one go? She asked herself angrily. But then she turned to him. "Get a clue Ezra, it was on purpose." She went back to eating, hoping that he had decided to stop talking.

It didn't stop there in Ezra's mind though. "I just thought it would have been-"

"You're never gonna let this go," she snapped, turning on him. "Are you?" When she calmed down enough to speak, she stood and took a deep breath. "You scared me!" She finally admitted. "Are you happy now?" She shouted at no one in particular. For once in her life she was facing something that scared her. Which, ironically enough, terrified her more.

Ezra was at a loss for words. "That wasn't what-"

"No!" She interrupted him. She was going to get this out before it killed her. The poison she accused Shelby of keeping in was eating at her now, and she just wanted it out. "You wanna share? Let's share!" She threw up her arms and glared at him. "I talk about death. I immerse myself in it! Just to hid the simple fact…" Her arms dropped, and Ezra could see a little girl standing in front of him. A little girl that was tired of hiding behind a mask. "I'm terrified of dying." She took a few breaths to calm herself down before sitting again. "Can we go back to eating?" She asked impatiently.

"Remember," He said after a while. "You asked me once who I'd die for?" He waited for her to nod before continuing. "Nobody." Then he leaned into her, and she allowed a single tear to fall from her eyes. *

You calm the storms
And you give me rest
You hold me in your hands
You won't let me fall
You still my heart
And you take my breath away
Would you take me in
Take me deeper now
Scott could see Alex and Brittany talking to each other as well. He could see the way her head turned to glance over her shoulder every few seconds to make sure they didn't have an audience. He didn't need alarms or bells going off in his mind to know that something was wrong. It was written all over Britt's detailed face.

Deciding to end this charade, Scott arched over to where Britt and Alex were 'talking' and grabbed her arm. "You and I are talking." He demanded, not bothering to lower his voice. He didn't give a damn that anyone might hear what he was going to say.

Brittany gave a startled whimper, as she allowed herself to be dragged out of the room. "All you had to do was ask." She said simply, smoothing down her gown. Then she caught the primal look in Scott's eye. "What's the matter Scotty?" She asked, a look of concern touching her features gently. When he didn't answer, she touched his cheek with her palm. "Scotty? Are you okay?"

Scott snapped his head away from her hand so fast he feared giving himself whiplash. "It's Scott." He snapped harshly. "Scott."

"Okay, okay," Brittany was trying her hardest to look frightened. But the truth was, she was elated at the fact that Scott had reverted back to the rough and tough football player that he used to be. He was so much easier to control like that. "You win, Scott."

"What the hell is up with you and Wallace?" He barked impatiently. He knew that what he was doing wasn't rational. But, his mind reminded him, you left rational a few exits back. When he didn't get a reaction from her, he grabbed her wrists. "Answer me damn it!"

It was at that point that Brittany realized what she was doing. Or rather what she was about to do. Scott didn't care about her. He cared about Shelby. And she was about to blow any chance he had with her to Hell and back. The sad thing was, she didn't care. "We were just talking." She tried to say as innocently as possible, knowing full well that he wasn't going to believe her.

"Try again."

She squirmed out of his grip and turned back to him. "Honest Scott. We were talking about us staying a little while longer." Her blue eyes moistened themselves as if she had commanded it. "I'm telling you the truth, and you know it." She leaned into him and placed her palms securely on his chest. "Don't you?"

The agitation in his eyes fell away, and the only thing that remained was the emotion that follows quickly after rage: Desire. Brittany relished in this, so happy to see that she did know her way around the male mind. "You were worried about me leaving with Alex weren't you?" She asked him coyly, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "You don't need to worry." She assured him, taking the opportunity to wrap an arm around his neck. "Not at all." Then she did the only thing that Scott wasn't expecting. She kissed him.

And how can I
Stand here with you
And not be moved by you?
Would you tell me
How could it be
Any better than this?

Alex watched from what he called the sidelines as Brittany worked her magic on Scott. He wasn't happy until Scott took the bait. And when she kissed him, Alex felt only a twinge of regret for what that sight was going to do to Shelby. Then he remembered that it would push her into his arms, and he smiled. Sometimes it paid to be sadistic and heartless.

He turned away from the pair in the lobby and headed back into the dining room, just in time to see Shelby looking around in alarm. Things were going all to smoothly in his eyes.

And how can I
Stand here with you
And not be moved by you?
Would you tell me
How could it be
Any better than this?

Shelby scanned the dance floor for Scott. When she didn't see him, she turned to David. "You see where Cowboy went?" She asked nervously. The pit of her stomach dropped, and she felt as if she was seconds away from seeing her dinner. She had to find Scott.

"One of these days you're gonna have to tell me why you call him that." David joked, and then off of Shelby's look, he shook his head. "Not since he headed over to see Britt." He smiled harmlessly.

"I think they went out to the lobby." Ezra supplied, leaning out of his embrace with Daisy to look at Shelby. "You okay Shells?" He asked her only half jokingly. Shelby's head shook violently, and she left the dance floor, not bothering to listen to David calling after her.

She passed Alex, who stepped into her path. "Where's the fire?" He asked her lightheartedly. He could tell she was looking for Scott. And he could also tell her what she would witness when she found him. Neither thing he as going to say out loud.

"Nothing." She said for the third time that night. Taking a deep breath, Shelby pushed Alex out of her way and ran to the lobby.

Alex wasn't alone in seeing her stop dead in her tracks. Nor was he alone in watching as she backed up in alarm, and covered her mouth. But he was the only one who was smiling when she staggered to the side to support herself on the wall. As evil as it would sound to anyone other than himself, Alex knew that moment was priceless.

Cause you're all I want,
you're all I need
You're everything
Everything.

Scott was completely oblivious to the fact that he had onlookers gaping at him. But for some odd reason, he was acutely aware of a stifled sob. At that moment he wasn't interested in investigating a cry, he was to busy getting rid of one of his own.

Although storybooks and fairytales would all tell him that a kiss between two people that were meant to be was breathtaking, he still thought that nothing could beat a heated kiss of pure yearning. He felt nothing more for Brittany than he had Juliet when 'dated' her, but there was always that passion that rose out of sheer lust. That was the thing that he as going on now, no matter how much he would hate himself for it later.

You're all I want
You're all I need
You're everything
everything

Shelby could feel her very soul shatter as she just stood there, watching as Scott pulled Brittany closer to him. She could feel his need all the way across the room, and it was killing her. Her body shook with sobs that she wouldn't allow herself to cry, eyes watering with tears that she wouldn't allow herself to shed. A trembling hand wiped her eyes as she sank to the floor, utterly powerless, unbelievably alone.

You're all I want
You're all I need
You're everything
Everything

She would have traded every single joyous memory that she had ever had in her entire life to erase the picture that was branded into her mind now. No matter how many times she closed her eyes, Shelby still saw the same image. Scott's lips were frantically pressed against someone that wasn't her. That thought all on it's own was enough to kill her already demented heart.

You're all I want
You're all I need
Everything, everything

Every part of her being cried out in anguish as she forced herself to believe that she was really watching this. That she was just sitting by idly while Scott unknowingly handed her anything that they had ever had back to her on a trampled dream. Suddenly the pain became too much for her to handle, and she allowed herself to cry out, to grieve for the loss of what she thought was to be forever.

And how can I
Stand here with you
And not be moved by you?
Would you tell me
How could it be
Any better than this?

"Oh my God!"

Daisy rushed over to her best friend the second that she saw Shelby drop onto the floor. After seconds of trying to get Shelby to speak to her, she finally followed Shelby's gaze over to where Scott and Brittany were practically all over each other- no wait, there was no practically about it. Daisy put an hand to her mouth and sucked in a quick breath of air.

And how can I
Stand here with you
and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me
How could it be
Any better any better than this
?

"Shit." Auggie cursed in at least three different languages as he dropped to the floor beside Shelby. She was sitting so still, her eyes focusing on one thing, and one thing alone. The only thought that crossed his mind as Juliet came running up to se what was the matter was a very simple one. If Shelby doesn't kill him, I will.

And how can I
Stand here with you
And not be moved by you?
Would you tell me
How could it be
Any better than this

Scott heard Daisy day something, and he pulled away from Brittany. Following the sounds of students, Scott was able to pinpoint Daisy and Auggie sitting on the floor next to something that wasn't moving. As he too a step foreword, he realized that the something was a someone. Then he realized that that someone was Shelby.

Finally Shelby was able to move, and she stood on her own, her eyes never leaving Scott's. "I asked for this didn't I?" She asked him in a terrifyingly soft voice. "And you were more than happy to oblige." She lunged at him, and he was able to push her back into Auggie's arms. "Bastard!!" She shouted at him as loud as she could have gotten. Auggie let go of her, or rather she pushed him away from her, and she just stood there. Then she turned and took off for the ballroom.

"Shelby!" Scott shouted as he saw the tears flood from her eyes.

Would you tell me
How could it be
Any better any better than this?

*Was it worth the wait? Did it just completely suck? Review and let me know.

*For this one, I'm gonna get mean. If you want to read what happens next, I'm gonna need at least 15 reviews. I know it's a lot, but you guys can do it. I have faith in you.