A/N: Alright, this is part two of the story That Damned L-Word...I know, you've all been anticipating it. Lying awake at night wondering how this story would end, tossing and turning and demanding my death for leaving you hanging the way I did...but I kept my end of the bargain. After updating Skeletons, I posted part 2.

Thanks to TheNextPoliticalDynasty, RavenForever, and xXxSarahxXx, I hope you like the way I ended it. If not, just send me an angry e-mail, 'cause I can't access my e-mail anyways.

TNPD: I'm already working on the sequel, you'll be happy to know.

RavenForever: Tell me all about your non-existent social life, it'll make me feel better about mine. I hope I gave you a shocking ending.

xXxSarahxXx: You may explode with excitement now.

Summary: When Spinelli's crush, Johnny V. asks her to be his girlfriend, she finds herself choosing between him and someone she never expected. Rated "G".

Phew...I finally did it. ENJOY!

That Damned L-Word: part 2.

TJ walked alone down the sidewalk, kicking at a fair sized rock as he made his way in the direction of Kelso's. What was wrong with him?

"I like you, does that mean you'll be my girlfriend," he repeated lamely with a sigh. What did he mean by that statement anyhow? And why had he been so quick to cover it up with an even lamer statement? And why was it bugging him so much that Johnny V. had asked Spinelli to be his girlfriend? Why would TJ care? It's not like he liked Spinelli in that way. Was it? TJ shook his head. No, he didn't. He was a kid, just a kid. Kids didn't know what it was to like someone in that way. Besides, Spinelli was a girl, despite her determined protests. He wasn't supposed to like girls yet. He was only eleven years old for crying out loud!

Like. It was such an odd word with so many meanings. He could like ice cream, and like his dog and it wasn't the same. He could look like someone else, or act like someone else, and like his mother and none of them meant the same thing. And he could like Spinelli or he could like Spinelli, and while they were the same words, neither could be the same, or could they? TJ stopped, glanced in the windowpane of a store he was walking by, studying his reflection. Just a kid. He saw in the window Johnny V. across the street and frowned. Johnny was with Lawson and a few other guys, they were laughing and talking. Johnny was tall, thin, blonde. He was dumb as a rock as far as TJ was concerned. What did Spinelli see in him anyways?
Johnny V. seemed to notice TJ, looking in his direction and frowning at him. Lawson said something and the boys broke into laughter and started walking away, joking and chatting. TJ sighed, making his way down the street once more. Spinelli was his friend, that's why he was so concerned. He didn't want to see any of his friends get hurt. But wouldn't this make her happy? She had a crush on Johnny V. and she was growing faster than TJ imagined he was. He couldn't keep up with her. She was too impulsive. TJ sat down on the curb, glancing out as cars passed by and sinking into a slump. TJ had always expected to grow up at the same pace as his friends, to discover new things with them, to change with them. Now it just felt like they were changing away from one another. That was the last thing TJ wanted. He had wanted to hold onto their childhood for as long as he could, to hold tight to their youth, innocence, and naiveté.

Johnny V. was to blame for this. TJ knew it. He eyed the retreating boys. This was Johnny V.'s fault, telling Spinelli all those things, making her think of things that a kid would never think about. TJ narrowed his eyes at Johnny. Trying to take Spinelli. TJ stood, not quite sure what he planned to do, but knowing he was determined to do it. He came up quickly behind Johnny, shoving him. Johnny turned quickly as did his friends, wearing angry faces. When they saw it was TJ however, their faces dropped into ones of amusement.

"Well, if it isn't Dirt-wieler," Lawson joked. But TJ balled his hands into fists, not really understanding his emotions but his eyes narrowed at Johnny V.

"What's your game, Baby Tooth?" TJ demanded, "Why are you trying to get at Spinelli?" Johnny looked between his comrades a bit nervously.

"I don't know what he's talking about," he told them, but they gave him bemused skeptical looks. TJ, however, didn't like Johnny's denial of the situation. He swung before Johnny had time to react, connecting with flesh and bone, hearing the soft thud and crack as Johnny's head turned with the force. There was no moment of calm, no moment of stun, before Johnny responded, leaping at the younger boy and their fists swinging at one another. Lawson and his boys just stood back breaking into laughter after their momentary shock.

"Get him Johnny," they encouraged, "Show him not to mess with us sixth graders."

TJ felt the stings of strong fists connecting with his face and stomach and arms, but he too swung back with his own strength, knocking Johnny back. TJ was uncertain as to how long they were fighting, it could have been mere minutes but felt like an eternity, finally he felt Johnny's body go lax and, with one final swing for good measure, TJ too fell back looking at his handiwork with embarrassed shame. Johnny was now sporting bruises across his face and arms, a bloody lip and nose, and was holding his stomach in pain, curled up inside himself. TJ could taste blood in his own mouth, felt it trickling down his cheek, most likely from a cut on his eye. He'd lost his hat somewhere in the fight but found it again in the gutter, picking it up with a great deal of wincing and staring at it blankly. His hands were covered with bruises, his knuckles split and bleeding from the pummeling. He was panting from the exertion. There were droplets of blood on his white shirt and dirt smudged across his hat. He frowned at it. What was wrong with him? Why had he done that?

"What the heck has gotten into you?" Lawson demanded of TJ, knelt beside Johnny and looking confusedly at the younger boy. He'd never seen TJ fight, that had always been Spinelli's department. TJ used words and plans, trickery to achieve his means. He'd never used force before. And what with Spinelli and Vince backing him, TJ had never needed to.

"I..." TJ looked downcast, searching the ground for answers, "I...I don't know..." he sputtered, turning away.

"Ow...that really hurt," Johnny V. whined, sitting on the cement ground, holding one side of his head and gingerly touching his swollen bleeding lip and nose.

"You got some real problems, Dettwieler," Lawson sneered.

"Whatever..." TJ muttered, starting on a path away from them. Spinelli was going to be so mad at him when she found out.

"You must really like Spinelli," Johnny V. scoffed, groaning from the effort. TJ paused, his eyes going wide at the implication. Yes, he liked Spinelli, as a friend. Right? Just say that, TJ begged himself, just tell Johnny that.

"Are you crazy?" TJ gasped, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Are you jealous because Spinelli likes me?" Johnny prodded. Lawson grinned catching on.

"Dettwieler and Spinelli sitting in a tree, K-I...um...S-ing...." Lawson taunted though sounding rather pathetic with his spelling skills. Though, it was just enough.

"Shut up!" TJ cried, turning on them angrily, "I don't like Spinelli!" But they continued, the whole lot of them singing the song.

"First comes love, then comes marriage..." TJ pushed his way past them, sprinting down the street towards his house; their mocking laughter following him the entire way. He slammed the front door of his house shut on his way in, racing up the stairs to his room.

"TJ? Is that you?" his mother's voice followed him.

"Yeah, mom," he called down, before shutting himself in his room. He looked into his mirror, frowning at his battered face. He touched the scar under his eye, grimacing. The soft skin around his other eye was already discolored now, and his nose was a bit swollen. He smiled slightly to himself. At least he didn't look as bad as Johnny had. Maybe Spinelli wouldn't think Johnny was that great anymore. TJ frowned, shaking his head, horrified at the thought passing through his head. What was wrong with him? He stumbled into his bathroom, removing his bloodstained shirt and tossing it on the floor. He scoured the room for a washcloth, but settled for some rolled up tissue paper, dampening it slightly, and pressing it tenderly to the cut below his eye. He would need to retrieve an ice pack from the refrigerator, but how would he explain his appearance to his parents? There came a knock at his door.

"Open up, TJ," his sister's muffled voice floated through to him.

"What do you want, Becky?" he called back to her.

"Mom says you have to come down and take out the garbage," she explained haughtily, jiggling the doorknob, which was, of course, locked. "And your little friends called wondering where you were."

"I'll be down in a minute," TJ yelled grumpily, cleaning up the remaining blood, washing his hands, and sighing at his image. What was he going to tell his parents? He fell? That he tripped or ran into something? That was no good. Maybe that he fell off of his bike, or ran into a parked car. Jeez, TJ snorted, those are lame lies.

TJ returned to his room and sunk to his bed, lying down. He closed his eyes, shutting out the light streaming in through his window, his head starting to pound. You must really like Spinelli. Stupid Johnny V., what did he know? Nothing, that's what. He didn't know anything about TJ and Spinelli's relationship. He didn't know about how they'd been best friends since kindergarten, that they knew everything about one another, that they could just sense what the other was feeling. Johnny didn't know anything. Johnny was too stupid. He could probably hold a stupidity contest with Lawson and tie for winner...or loser, however you looked at it. TJ smirked. That's right, Johnny was just some stupid sixth grader who didn't know anything. Except, maybe, that he had a good chance of getting Spinelli.

But what did TJ care. What did he care if Spinelli wanted to be Johnny's girlfriend and not his? TJ shot up into a sitting position, blushing furiously. That's not what he meant. No. That's not what he meant at all. Right? TJ felt his stomach twist in a horrid knot. Right?

TJ didn't get in fights. Scrapping wasn't his strong point. But something had come over him, seeing Johnny standing there with Lawson and his pals, laughing smugly. And the way Johnny had denied it, as though facing up to facts, that he asked Spinelli to be his girlfriend was an embarrassment, as though he regretted it. TJ couldn't stand for that. Spinelli wasn't someone to be embarrassed about. Spinelli was special. TJ smiled slightly. She was special to him, at least.

When did this happen? TJ buried his face in his arms, his eyes shut tightly. When had Spinelli changed so much to him? She used to be just one of the gang, but now...now TJ looked for her in the crowd of students first. Now, TJ felt his heart beat ecstatically as he walked to the corner where Spinelli waited for him so they could walk to school together. Now, whenever he needed comforting he imagined Spinelli putting her warm hand on his shoulder, and saying soft and kind words. Now, TJ's last thoughts were of Spinelli before he closed his eyes to sleep and he thought of her first when he opened his eyes to the new day. How come he hadn't realized it before? Because it just became normal, usual, a habit. He had a habit of thinking of her.

Spinelli was TJ's friend. His friend. You don't like your friends in that way. It doesn't work like that. He didn't feel that way about Gretchen, and he was as close to her as he was to Spinelli, right? Well, it wasn't exactly the same, but Gretchen was his best friend too. But he didn't think of her the same way, he didn't see her the same way.

"I like Spinelli," TJ said aloud, hoping that it would sound too ridiculous to be true and bring him back to his senses, bring him back to reasoning. It did work. "I like Spinelli," he attempted again, chuckling somewhat. "I like her..." he laughed, his voice breaking with the jovial chortle. He fell back on his bed, laughing erratically, loudly, until he couldn't laugh anymore, his stomach feeling sick from the motion. He stopped, breathing heavily, small tears trailing down his cheeks. "I like Spinelli," he whispered now, all humor gone from his trembling voice, "And she likes Johnny V." There came another knock on his door.

"TJ? Mom says if you don't get downstairs now and take out the garbage, you won't be getting any dessert and guess what we're having, chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream," Becky warned through the door, shouting loudly.

"Becky, don't torment your brother," their mother's voice came from downstairs, "TJ come down and take the garbage out, NOW!" TJ groaned, lifting himself off the bed and shuffling out of his door. From the look on his sister's face, she had noticed TJ's new injuries. But to her credit, she said nothing, shrugging and shutting herself in her own room.

TJ's parents said nothing about the black eye, satisfied with his story of ramming into a parked car on his bike and falling off. His sister's doubtful snort and mother's skeptical raise of an eyebrow told TJ that they didn't buy the lie, but TJ's father said nothing, patting his son on the shoulder and joking that if he had that much trouble with parked cars then he should stay as far from moving traffic as possible. And that was the end of that. TJ called Vince back, saying he had to bail on hanging out, that he had a lot to do. Vince didn't press it any further, noticing the solemn tone in TJ's voice. Then TJ trudged upstairs and fell to his pillow, attempting to fall asleep, but finding himself tossing and turning. What was he going to do with this new realization? Maybe, he could tell Spinelli. That's it; he'd tell Spinelli that he was sorry for the way he acted. He'd tell her the truth, about how he felt. That he only did it because he was a jerk that didn't know until now how he really felt for her. Sure, lies had gotten him out of a lot of things before, but the truth had value as well. And maybe...maybe she would tell Johnny V. 'no' and want to be his girlfriend. It was a pipe dream, but TJ was convinced. And with that decided he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning TJ walked to the corner as usual where he always met Spinelli. She wasn't there. He sighed. She was probably still mad with him. He shuffled along, trudging towards school, up the pathway to the front door. He arrived just in time as the first bell rang. He made his way to his classroom, receiving looks of confusion and obvious stares from passersby, pointing and whispering about his black eye and swollen nose. From the sounds of thing they all knew what happened already.

"Did you hear?" he overheard someone saying, "He just attacked Baby Tooth. Lawson said that Baby Tooth put him down with no trouble, but you couldn't tell from the way he looks..." TJ shrugged, eyes downcast, not worrying about correcting them. Lawson and Johnny could say anything they wanted, he wasn't exactly proud of the way he acted. He made his way into the classroom and immediately noticed a seating change. Gretchen and Spinelli had switched places, so that Gretchen now sat beside TJ. He sighed again, attempting a smile at his friends who just shot confused glances between TJ and Spinelli. Spinelli simply buried her face in the textbook she was holding. It was upside down of course. He could tell her then, before Miss Finster got to the classroom. No. Not in front of everyone.

"TJ, what happened?" Vince asked in a hushed whisper. From the look on his face, Vince must have surmised that TJ had gotten in serious trouble the night before. It wasn't so far from the truth.

"Nothing," TJ shrugged, laying his head down on the table.

"I heard you got in a fight with Johnny V.," Gus said excitedly, a bit more loudly then he'd intended. Everyone in the class fell silent, turning their attention to their conversation. TJ could feel someone burning a hole into his shoulder. He glanced to Spinelli who was glowering at him. Boy is she pissed, TJ chuckled miserably.

"I don't want to talk about it, Gus," TJ told the eager young man, much to the dismay of everyone in class. Spinelli turned her attention back to the book resting on her desk.

"Okay class, it's time to start learning," Miss Finster sneered waltzing in and grinning maliciously. TJ spent the rest of the time staring out the window, studying Spinelli's reflection in the pane. She was trying not to fall asleep, staring at her textbook and paper and every now and then stealing glances at TJ when she thought he wasn't looking. She looked as though she were ready to explode, as though she were seriously considering lunging at him and letting her fists do the talking. She didn't though, luckily for TJ. Sure, he handled himself well enough against Johnny V., but Spinelli was a completely different story. He could barely defend himself against her, and it wasn't like he would fight back.

When the bell finally rang, Spinelli was the first one out the door, as though she'd anticipated it ever since class started. TJ made his way out with the rest of the gang surrounding him, talking about stupid kid things that he didn't really pay attention to. He pushed his way out for recess, scanning the crowd for that familiar orange ski cap with black pigtails sticking out. She'd disappeared. He shoved his way out to the playground, searching the thick mass of students. He sighted what appeared to be her, walking behind the dumpsters with...Johnny V.? TJ felt his heart plunge. He dodged his way through the crowd, racing to the other side of the playground. How had she gotten over there so fast?

"TJ, do you want to play...now where'd he go?" Vince muttered, glancing about in search of his friend. TJ barely noticed though as the gang called after him wondering where he was going. He was racing against time for crying out loud; didn't they realize that? He turned the corner to where the dumpsters were, hearing Spinelli and Johnny V.'s voices. TJ slowed his pace, attempting to catch his breath and straining to hear what they were saying.

"So, you thought about it...my offer I mean?" Johnny V. was asking. Spinelli was silent for a long time.

"Yeah, I did. Have you any idea how hard it was?" Spinelli demanded jokingly.

"Well, I did have to work up the courage to ask you in the first place," Johnny laughed, gently reminding her that his own role in their predicament wasn't that easy either. TJ peeked around the dumpsters catching sight of them. They were leaning against the brick wall, looking at one another every now and then. Spinelli was smiling softly, her eyes studying the scuffmarks on her black motorcycle boots. Tell him 'no', TJ prayed while pondering whether he should interrupt with his own announcement and trying to figure out how to go about it.

"I'm sorry about TJ," Spinelli muttered and TJ felt his heart stop, "I don't know what got into him."

"It's okay, my face isn't made of glass," Johnny chuckled, "Besides, I don't think he'll be trying it again anytime soon."

"Really?" Spinelli questioned, looking at him doubtfully.

"Well, I guess that does all depend on your answer," Johnny told her, nudging her gently. Spinelli lowered her eyes. It was on her lips. The answer. TJ closed his eyes, pressed his forehead against the cool brick wall. Why wasn't she saying anything? That was enough, TJ couldn't take it anymore. He had to tell her, or at least stop this. TJ stepped out.

"Spinelli..." he started. The secret cohorts turned to look at him, eyes wide with shock at first. Spinelli's quickly narrowed, however, to angry slits as she lifted herself off the wall and balled her hands into fists.

"What are you doing here, Teej?" she demanded, "This is none of your business."

"Actually Spinelli, I think it is," TJ shot back, and then chuckled nervously as she stepped forward, raising her fists. "Let me explain..."

"You got five seconds," she spat.

"Well, Spinelli, I was thinking that you shouldn't do this..."

"ONE!"

"Spin, I..."

"TWO!"

"Well, I just realized that..."

"THREE!"

"I'm sorry about what I said yesterday!" TJ cried. Spinelli's fists loosened and she straightened, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Go on," she pressed.

"Well, I shouldn't have said those things. I was angry, and a little confused," TJ told her, "I just didn't want you to be Johnny's girlfriend...but I didn't know why at the time."

"But Teej, you don't have any say in it. In any case, I've already decided," Spinelli hissed, "I already decided I'd give it a try."

"You did?" Johnny spoke up from behind her excitedly.

"You did?" TJ choked out in despair. Spinelli turned to Johnny, smiling slightly.

"Yeah, I figured what the heck," she clarified, "I'll be your girlfriend." Johnny pumped a victorious fist into the air.

"Yes!" he cried out triumphantly, "I got to go tell the guys! I got a girlfriend! Spinelli's gonna be my girlfriend." He raced off, running past Spinelli who grinned after him and TJ who just stood, his mouth slightly opened in shock and frustration. Spinelli turned on TJ, her smile fading.

"Spinelli, how could you?" TJ cried, slumping against the wall, sliding to a sitting position and burying his head in anguish. He felt her sit beside him, gently touching his shoulder. He wanted to stay like that, but lightly pulled away.

"Teej..." she mumbled. He looked at her.

"What?"

"We're...well...we're just kids," she told him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" TJ gawked, finding the statement a little out of place.

"Just that. We're just kids," she explained.

"I came here to tell you how I felt, Spinelli," TJ snapped, "And you don't even listen."

"I don't want to know how you feel, TJ," Spinelli shot back, "'Cause we're just kids."

"Why do you keep saying that?" TJ cried, exasperated. It wasn't supposed to work this way, Spinelli was supposed to be his girlfriend now, not Johnny V.'s.

"Because it's true. Girlfriend, boyfriend they really don't mean anything to us right now," Spinelli went on, "Like, and like. They're just words to us. I want to know the feelings, what it all means."

"But Spinelli...I," TJ started but Spinelli shook her head, putting a finger to his lips to silence him. He blushed slightly.

"We're just kids, Teej. Me and Johnny, we're just trying it out," Spinelli continued, "You told me that my decision should be based on whether or not I wanted to be his girlfriend, and not about anything else. But I don't know what being his girlfriend means, or anyone's girlfriend for that matter. So, I'm going to test it out, see what it feels like. I have to."

"Then try it out with someone else...with me," TJ insisted but Spinelli shook her head, "Why not?" TJ demanded, pleading.

"Because this isn't going to last, what, if anything, is between Johnny V. and me," Spinelli told him, "But this..." Spinelli pointed to TJ and then to herself, "I want it to last. I want it to be special."

"So, me and you...we're never going to..."

"That's not what I said, Teej," Spinelli sighed, laying her head against his shoulder. He didn't pull away from her touch this time, just resting his head against the brick wall and closing his eyes, remaining that way.

"What are you saying?" he finally asked.

"That, for whatever it means, I may be Johnny V.'s girlfriend right now but I'm always going to be your Spinelli, Teej." TJ smiled. He liked that. "And if I'm ever your girlfriend, which isn't an impossibility, that we won't be kids anymore, and that we'll understand what it all means. And that it'll be special. That what we'll have...what I guess we'll probably always have...will be special." They were silent. TJ mulling over what to say. It didn't make sense, but it didn't have to. She was his Spinelli, and that's all that really meant anything to him.

"When did you get so mature?" TJ questioned, "I mean, I thought being smart was Gretchen's department."

"You saying I ain't smart and mature?" Spinelli demanded, mock hurt. Lifting her head up and glowering up at him. TJ chuckled, lifting his hands in front of him defensively.

"Of course not, Spinelli. I'd never say anything like that!"

"Good. 'Cause I can sic my boyfriend on you," she snickered at the prospect of that and even TJ had to grin and join in the laughter. If anything, Spinelli was most likely going to be the one "sic-ed" on people. When they finally died down, wiping the tears of mirth from their eyes, TJ frowned slightly. He really did have that one thing to clarify with her.

"You know that Johnny didn't win that fight, right?" TJ asked. The last thing he wanted was Spinelli thinking he couldn't take a pushover like Baby Tooth Johnny V.

"Yeah. You better of, I mean, I was the one that taught you how to scrap and all," Spinelli chuckled. TJ smiled, picking himself off the ground and offering Spinelli a hand, which she took.

"Friends?"

"Always."

"Girlfriend...?"

"Don't push it."

END A/N: This one was really weird. Raise your hands if you didn't understand! Er...hehe...Not what you expected huh? It was? Or wasn't?

PLEASE REVIEW my story BECAUSE I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER AND KILL YOU SWIFTLY AND PAINLESSLY WHEN I TAKE OVER THE WORLD...or perhaps spare you all together...hm...I shall ponder that...

REVIEW!

Thank you for reading my little story, now be ever so kind and go forth to REVIEW so that I shall know you enjoy my work and wish me to continue with it. As well, please excuse any grammatical and typing errors you may have encountered in this story, I don't have a beta reader, because I don't know anybody who'll do it for me, not that I asked around of anything, and other junk...um...okie-dokie. My brain is mush.

Next posting: The Sequel to One Night Stand (perhaps to be called One Rainy Night...I think...)

SEE YA Later.