*Authors Note*
Christen - Thanks sweetie! I'm glad you reviewed, for I had forgotten to
add the latest chapters I'd written for this story! Hope you enjoy them!
Oh, and I don't know if you know, but this fic is also on the
tribeworld.com message board in case you want to read it there, because I
usually post the chapters as soon as I'm done with them there! (
-Shauna
Chapter 9
Brady tried to move to stand but suddenly felt a throbbing pain shoot through her left ankle. "Owww." she moaned as she fell back against the wall of the hallway and let her eyes close tight at the pain. "Wow Brady.that was one nasty fall.what triggered it?" he asked as he examined her ankle and concern sprung to his face. "Brady?" he repeated when she didn't answer. James gazed up into her eyes, now full of hurt as she starred back at him, biting her lip and still not uttering so much as a word.
James' expression turned complex and he sighed as he swooped down, putting one of his arms under her legs and the other around her back, and lifted her effortlessly from the cold floor. "What are you doing?!" blurted out Brady in alarm. "Well, doesn't look like you'll be walking anytime soon with a sprained ankle as well...so I'm going to carry you.are you sure you just tripped Brady? Michael wouldn't.you know.would he.??" asked James as he stood up straight, holding her in his strong arms. "What?! You mean hit me?! No! Never! Why ever would you think that?! Michael loves me!" said Brady, all too quickly for James' liking. James sighed as he looked at her laying helpless in his arms, "It's just.he was pretty upset seeing us.you know." said James with a slight blush.
"He was fine.things are fine between us.he knows that kiss didn't mean anything between me and you." said Brady, but for some unknown reason to herself, instantly regretting it. "Didn't mean anything.oh.yeah.right." said James with a frown as he carried Brady off down the hallway to her room. The two didn't say anything as James walked down the hallway and stopped in front of her door, kicked it open, and walked in. The light was luckily already on, so James just lay Brady gently down on her bed. "Do you need anything before I go?" he asked. Brady looked up at him with those same hurt eyes, the ones that made James feel sad for her, made him wonder what was hurting her so much. She bit her lip again before responding. "Er.James?" she said quickly, but softly.
"Yeah?" said James. "Will you.uh.stay here tonight.with me?.It'd make me feel.a lot safer." said Brady timidly. James rose an eyebrow at her words, "What do you have to be protected of?" he asked. Brady realized her mistake and quickly thought of an excuse. "Oh.you know.if I fall or something.you know.with my ankle and all!" she said, her words running together. James felt as if she was holding something back, but didn't press her on it.
"Alright then, of course I'll stay." He said, giving her a small smile and crawling into the big bed beside her and pulling her big comforter up over them both as she lay back against her silky pillows. They lay there in silence, next to each other, for what seemed like hours. But James wasn't tired, so he just lay there awake, listening to Brady's steady breathing as she drifted off to sleep beside him. James sighed and closed his own eyes, though he still couldn't sleep. After about twenty or so minutes, he felt a small stir next to him and slowly opened his right eye to peek at Brady. He watched as she shifted on the bed, with a couple of sharp jerks about and a few mumbled words, of which only a few James could make out. "No.don't.Michael.no." he heard her mumble in her dreams. James didn't know what to think, or what to do, so he did what came to him instinctively and moved his arm to around her; and sighed with relief as she calmed and rolled over onto him, her arm draped across his torso and her head resting on his chest.
Chapter 10
Brady awoke to the pitter patter of the shower in her bathroom, connected to her room, running, and the sound of James' deep voice singing, "Walk this way! Talk this way!" he sang out. Brady giggled, slowly got up, and snuck to the bathroom door that was already slightly ajar. She silently waited by it as he sang through a couple more verses of the famous Aerosmith song. That is until he got to the chorus again."Walk this way! Talk this way!" he sang out again. That's when Brady swung the door open, "Just gimme a kiss!" she belted out with a laugh. There was a pause and the water stopped, and suddenly James' head poked out from behind the dark shower curtain, "Like this!" he finished in his deep voice as he laughed and puckered up his lips.
Brady laughed, "You wish!" she said, feeling a bit awkward now, knowing that James was nude behind the curtain. "Aww.I see how it is, no love for James.oh well.that's ok." he said dramatically with a fake sniffle. Brady couldn't help but smile at his handsome face, with his blond hair plastered wet against his head and water dripping down his face. "Mind turning around while I get a towel?" he asked, his face reddening a bit. Brady rolled her eyes, "If I must!" she said with a small smile. She turned facing the door and James reached from behind the curtain to grab a towel on a nearby towel rack. After a moment, Brady heard the curtain scrape across the rod as James pushed it back and felt the vibration of him stepping out of the bathtub to the ground she stood on.
"You can look now!" said James, as he stuck a model pose before Brady turned back around, immediately bursting out in laughter. "Woohoo! Take it off! Take it off!" said Brady, mimicking what she would have said, had he been a stripper in a strip joint. James gave her a serious, model look as the towel hung loosely, tied around his waist. "Get dressed you big goofball!" said Brady with a giggle as she punched him playfully in the bare shoulder. "Owww!" said James with a fake cringe from the hit. Brady just smiled and rolled her eyes as she turned to leave the bathroom. "Wait up! I don't have any clothes to change into!" he called after her. She stopped outside of the door in her room and turned back to face him, noticing that she was holding her breath as she scanned his body. "Why did you take a shower in my room anyways?" she asked, a bit curious as to why James didn't go back to his own room. He just shrugged and walked into the room with the towel still around his waist.
And then, just as James opened his mouth to speak, in walked Michael, without so much as a knock. "Listen Brady, I just wanted to apologize for pushing you down-" he started but then spotted James standing only a few feet away from her. "What's this?! We haven't even really broken up and you're already shacking up with the guy you say is only your friend?! I knew it! You're just a cheating sl*t that sleeps around!" he shouted.
James' face turned angry at these words and he took a step towards Michael, shielding Brady from him. "I think you need to leave." Growled James. "James-"started Brady with a shaky voice. "No Brady, I'm not going to allow him to talk to you like this!" said James, cutting her off and sneaking a glance at her worry stricken face before turning to face Michael again; who stood at his tall 6 feet, but still not intimidating James and his 6'3 frame. "I said you need to leave!" James repeated.
"I think me and MY girlfriend can work things out ourselves, so why don't you be the one to leave, and give us some privacy?" said Michael coldly. "No!" snarled James. Michael reared back his fist and in one swift motion, decked James in the face, busting his bottom lip open. James stumbled back a bit but did not fall. He quickly stepped forward and took a swing at Michael, but missed when the fourteen year old took a step back into the hallway and out of the room. "I WILL be back to talk to her, and when I am, you better not be here." Michael warned before stalking off down the hallway. James stepped forward and shut the door again before turning back to look at Brady, who's eyes were brimming with tears. "Brady! What's wrong?" he asked, rushing forward and wrapping her in his arms, forgetting that he was still dripping with water. But Brady didn't care, she just let the remaining droplets soak into her pajama top as he held her. She was surprised when the only thing she could think of was how wonderful it felt to have his strong arms around her, to comfort her, to keep her safe.
James was so confused, he did not understand what was upsetting Brady this much, besides Michael's earlier comments, but it just wasn't like her to get so emotional about things. He thought about the whole scenario moments before, each line said replaying in his mind. And then, he pulled back rapidly, placing his hands on Brady's arms as he let out a shocked question. "He's the one who made you hurt your ankle isn't he?" said James, sympathy filling his dark brown eyes. "N- n- no! Of course not.I told you.I'm just clumsy!" said Brady timidly, looking down at her ankle, and realizing the throbbing pain shooting up her leg from walking on it and watching as it started to swell with the pressure of her weight. James slowly brought his hand to her chin and tilted her face up to him, looking her in the eyes. "Tell me the truth Brady.is he the one who hurt you?" asked James. Brady's lip quivered before she bit it and after a moment of thinking, she answered.
"Y-yes.." she stuttered. James' expression turned from grim to furious as he turned and headed for the door to Brady's room. "Wait! Where are you going?!" asked Brady as she rushed forward and took a hold of his arm. "I'm just going to show that little creep what happens when he hurts the girl I love!" said James, but then realizing what he'd just revealed and stopping. Brady didn't react at first, for she wasn't sure what to say.James loved her? But how could he? They were friends.they'd been friends their whole lives.or were they?
Chapter 9
Brady tried to move to stand but suddenly felt a throbbing pain shoot through her left ankle. "Owww." she moaned as she fell back against the wall of the hallway and let her eyes close tight at the pain. "Wow Brady.that was one nasty fall.what triggered it?" he asked as he examined her ankle and concern sprung to his face. "Brady?" he repeated when she didn't answer. James gazed up into her eyes, now full of hurt as she starred back at him, biting her lip and still not uttering so much as a word.
James' expression turned complex and he sighed as he swooped down, putting one of his arms under her legs and the other around her back, and lifted her effortlessly from the cold floor. "What are you doing?!" blurted out Brady in alarm. "Well, doesn't look like you'll be walking anytime soon with a sprained ankle as well...so I'm going to carry you.are you sure you just tripped Brady? Michael wouldn't.you know.would he.??" asked James as he stood up straight, holding her in his strong arms. "What?! You mean hit me?! No! Never! Why ever would you think that?! Michael loves me!" said Brady, all too quickly for James' liking. James sighed as he looked at her laying helpless in his arms, "It's just.he was pretty upset seeing us.you know." said James with a slight blush.
"He was fine.things are fine between us.he knows that kiss didn't mean anything between me and you." said Brady, but for some unknown reason to herself, instantly regretting it. "Didn't mean anything.oh.yeah.right." said James with a frown as he carried Brady off down the hallway to her room. The two didn't say anything as James walked down the hallway and stopped in front of her door, kicked it open, and walked in. The light was luckily already on, so James just lay Brady gently down on her bed. "Do you need anything before I go?" he asked. Brady looked up at him with those same hurt eyes, the ones that made James feel sad for her, made him wonder what was hurting her so much. She bit her lip again before responding. "Er.James?" she said quickly, but softly.
"Yeah?" said James. "Will you.uh.stay here tonight.with me?.It'd make me feel.a lot safer." said Brady timidly. James rose an eyebrow at her words, "What do you have to be protected of?" he asked. Brady realized her mistake and quickly thought of an excuse. "Oh.you know.if I fall or something.you know.with my ankle and all!" she said, her words running together. James felt as if she was holding something back, but didn't press her on it.
"Alright then, of course I'll stay." He said, giving her a small smile and crawling into the big bed beside her and pulling her big comforter up over them both as she lay back against her silky pillows. They lay there in silence, next to each other, for what seemed like hours. But James wasn't tired, so he just lay there awake, listening to Brady's steady breathing as she drifted off to sleep beside him. James sighed and closed his own eyes, though he still couldn't sleep. After about twenty or so minutes, he felt a small stir next to him and slowly opened his right eye to peek at Brady. He watched as she shifted on the bed, with a couple of sharp jerks about and a few mumbled words, of which only a few James could make out. "No.don't.Michael.no." he heard her mumble in her dreams. James didn't know what to think, or what to do, so he did what came to him instinctively and moved his arm to around her; and sighed with relief as she calmed and rolled over onto him, her arm draped across his torso and her head resting on his chest.
Chapter 10
Brady awoke to the pitter patter of the shower in her bathroom, connected to her room, running, and the sound of James' deep voice singing, "Walk this way! Talk this way!" he sang out. Brady giggled, slowly got up, and snuck to the bathroom door that was already slightly ajar. She silently waited by it as he sang through a couple more verses of the famous Aerosmith song. That is until he got to the chorus again."Walk this way! Talk this way!" he sang out again. That's when Brady swung the door open, "Just gimme a kiss!" she belted out with a laugh. There was a pause and the water stopped, and suddenly James' head poked out from behind the dark shower curtain, "Like this!" he finished in his deep voice as he laughed and puckered up his lips.
Brady laughed, "You wish!" she said, feeling a bit awkward now, knowing that James was nude behind the curtain. "Aww.I see how it is, no love for James.oh well.that's ok." he said dramatically with a fake sniffle. Brady couldn't help but smile at his handsome face, with his blond hair plastered wet against his head and water dripping down his face. "Mind turning around while I get a towel?" he asked, his face reddening a bit. Brady rolled her eyes, "If I must!" she said with a small smile. She turned facing the door and James reached from behind the curtain to grab a towel on a nearby towel rack. After a moment, Brady heard the curtain scrape across the rod as James pushed it back and felt the vibration of him stepping out of the bathtub to the ground she stood on.
"You can look now!" said James, as he stuck a model pose before Brady turned back around, immediately bursting out in laughter. "Woohoo! Take it off! Take it off!" said Brady, mimicking what she would have said, had he been a stripper in a strip joint. James gave her a serious, model look as the towel hung loosely, tied around his waist. "Get dressed you big goofball!" said Brady with a giggle as she punched him playfully in the bare shoulder. "Owww!" said James with a fake cringe from the hit. Brady just smiled and rolled her eyes as she turned to leave the bathroom. "Wait up! I don't have any clothes to change into!" he called after her. She stopped outside of the door in her room and turned back to face him, noticing that she was holding her breath as she scanned his body. "Why did you take a shower in my room anyways?" she asked, a bit curious as to why James didn't go back to his own room. He just shrugged and walked into the room with the towel still around his waist.
And then, just as James opened his mouth to speak, in walked Michael, without so much as a knock. "Listen Brady, I just wanted to apologize for pushing you down-" he started but then spotted James standing only a few feet away from her. "What's this?! We haven't even really broken up and you're already shacking up with the guy you say is only your friend?! I knew it! You're just a cheating sl*t that sleeps around!" he shouted.
James' face turned angry at these words and he took a step towards Michael, shielding Brady from him. "I think you need to leave." Growled James. "James-"started Brady with a shaky voice. "No Brady, I'm not going to allow him to talk to you like this!" said James, cutting her off and sneaking a glance at her worry stricken face before turning to face Michael again; who stood at his tall 6 feet, but still not intimidating James and his 6'3 frame. "I said you need to leave!" James repeated.
"I think me and MY girlfriend can work things out ourselves, so why don't you be the one to leave, and give us some privacy?" said Michael coldly. "No!" snarled James. Michael reared back his fist and in one swift motion, decked James in the face, busting his bottom lip open. James stumbled back a bit but did not fall. He quickly stepped forward and took a swing at Michael, but missed when the fourteen year old took a step back into the hallway and out of the room. "I WILL be back to talk to her, and when I am, you better not be here." Michael warned before stalking off down the hallway. James stepped forward and shut the door again before turning back to look at Brady, who's eyes were brimming with tears. "Brady! What's wrong?" he asked, rushing forward and wrapping her in his arms, forgetting that he was still dripping with water. But Brady didn't care, she just let the remaining droplets soak into her pajama top as he held her. She was surprised when the only thing she could think of was how wonderful it felt to have his strong arms around her, to comfort her, to keep her safe.
James was so confused, he did not understand what was upsetting Brady this much, besides Michael's earlier comments, but it just wasn't like her to get so emotional about things. He thought about the whole scenario moments before, each line said replaying in his mind. And then, he pulled back rapidly, placing his hands on Brady's arms as he let out a shocked question. "He's the one who made you hurt your ankle isn't he?" said James, sympathy filling his dark brown eyes. "N- n- no! Of course not.I told you.I'm just clumsy!" said Brady timidly, looking down at her ankle, and realizing the throbbing pain shooting up her leg from walking on it and watching as it started to swell with the pressure of her weight. James slowly brought his hand to her chin and tilted her face up to him, looking her in the eyes. "Tell me the truth Brady.is he the one who hurt you?" asked James. Brady's lip quivered before she bit it and after a moment of thinking, she answered.
"Y-yes.." she stuttered. James' expression turned from grim to furious as he turned and headed for the door to Brady's room. "Wait! Where are you going?!" asked Brady as she rushed forward and took a hold of his arm. "I'm just going to show that little creep what happens when he hurts the girl I love!" said James, but then realizing what he'd just revealed and stopping. Brady didn't react at first, for she wasn't sure what to say.James loved her? But how could he? They were friends.they'd been friends their whole lives.or were they?