No Time to Waste
by TheRealXenocide
`
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, settings, or anything else you recognize from the show Lizzie McGuire. The plot, at it's base, has been around since Homer, and this variant since Henry Ford. However, this is the first I've seen it applied to Lizzie.
`
A/N: How many of you got the connection between the title for chapter 40 and the Author Note at the beginning of chapter 38?
A/N: Personal Notes:
Angel of Fluff: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back at the beginning of chapter 1, we learn that the night of the crash is the first Friday of summer vacation.
`
Chapter 41
Lost in the Feeling
`
When she got home, Lizzie looked at the time. '8:47,' she thought, 'Gordo will still be up. But should I call him? Miranda thinks so, but what if she's wrong?' Lizzie shook herself. 'NO! I will NOT let myself think the worst! He loves me. We just need to talk about this.' She picked up her phone and called him.
He answered on the third ring. "Hello?"
She thought she heard a depressed tone in his voice. "Hey, Gordo. Are you okay?" 'Smooth, Lizzie'
"Oh, I'm great. I exposed the girl I love for all the world to see, and we get caught by my mom. I've never felt better."
"Stop that! Listen, I'm NOT mad at you about any of that, but we really need to talk about it."
"On THAT, we agree. But not in the phone, this is too important. Tomorrow, when you come over to finish planning the party, we can talk then."
'Oh, no!' 'Stop it! I'm not going to think like that.' "Okay, tomorrow it is. And Gordo."
"Yeah."
"I love you."
His voice softened some. "I love you, too."
Before either could say more, Lizzie hung up, wanting those words to be the last words they said to each other until tomorrow. There were times that even she couldn't gauge her oldest friend's feelings, and the fact that he was now her boyfriend didn't help that. She had to talk to someone, preferably someone who had been though something like this. But who? The only guy she'd feel comfortable with was the reason she needed to talk to someone. Miranda had enough to worry about. She wasn't ready to tell her mother what happened yet. Who did that leave? After a moment, it hit her. 'PARKER! But she's probably still hurting, should I bother her? Then again, I haven't talked to her since the baby.' That made her feel a little guilty. 'Even if I don't mention today, I should call her to see how she's doing.' That decided, she looked up Parker's number, and dialed.
It was answered on the first ring. That surprised Lizzie, as Parker always leaves it for the third ring. "Hello." That was said almost as a snap.
"Parker, it's Lizzie."
"Oh, Lizzie, hi." She sounded much friendlier now. "I heard about the crash, how've you been?"
"I'm okay, though I'll be better when these casts come off."
"Casts? As in more than one? How bad were you hurt?"
"I broke an arm and a leg, but it could have been worse. How are you doing?"
A pause. "Do you have any idea how many times I've been asked that?"
"No, but I guess it's a lot."
"Oh, yeah. I mean, it's nice to know how many people care, but getting a call at midnight from a relative I've never met is a bit much."
"Somebody called at midnight?!?"
"Yeah, real thoughtful, huh?"
"Yeah, well, about as thoughtful as not calling until a week later."
"Lizzie, it's okay. I understand. When I heard about the crash, I figured you'd call when you could."
"Yeah, well, it isn't just the crash that's been on my mind, although it seems like everything comes from that."
"Sounds like we need to get together and catch up."
"I'd like that, but . . ."
"Please, Lizzie, I need to get out of this house!"
"Sure. Hey, do you think you can last until Sunday?"
"I'll live. Why Sunday?"
"Well, the four of us that were in the crash and our families are having a party in one of the pavilions at the park. I thought it would a good chance for all of us to catch up of you and Larry came."
"I'll ask my folks and Larry, and let you know."
"That would be great."
"Can I ask you about something before Sunday?"
"Sure."
"Larry and I met Miranda and Matt in the park Wednesday. They didn't have time for details, but Miranda admitted that they're a couple! How did that happen?"
"THAT is a very, very, long story. I'll let them tell you most of it, but basically, Matt realized had feelings for Miranda when he learned about the crash, and worked up the courage to tell her. I don't know when Miranda fell for him, but she told him a few days later." She paused. "I really don't know how much more I should say about them, but it's been a very strange couple of weeks."
"I'll bet the long story is very interesting."
"That is an understatement."
"So, I know Miranda's okay, and you've got a couple of broken bones. How are Ethan and Gordo?"
A pause. "Are you sitting down?"
"Yes." She was clearly alarmed by that.
"Ethan took a bad blow to the head." Lizzie heard a gasp. "He's alive, but . . . he's blind."
"Oh, no, Lizzie, I'm so sorry. How are you two doing?"
That was when Lizzie realized just how much had changed since they had spoke with her. "He seems to be doing great. Parker, they are a few things you should know. Ethan broke up with me."
"What?!? Lizzie, are you sure he isn't overreacting about going blind?"
"Calm down. I'm okay. And so's he. Ethan and I are with the people we should have been with all along." Silence. "Parker?"
"Does that mean what I hope it means?"
"For Ethan, it means he went back to Kate. In fact, they're engaged."
"NO WAY! Kate Saunders is engaged! Does she know he's blind?"
That caused Lizzie to chuckle. "I know it sounds strange, but not only does she know, she seems to be serious about helping him."
"Are we still talking about Kate?"
"Yes. I think she's really trying to change. She's even trying to reconcile with Gordo, Miranda, and me."
"This call gets stranger by the second. You can explain that to me later. Right now, I want you to tell me who you're with now."
Lizzie had to hold her tongue for a moment to keep from commenting on how much Parker's tone reminded her of her mother. "Gordo and I are finally together."
"YES!"
"I see you're as surprised as everyone else."
Lizzie could almost hear Parker roll her eyes. "What finally got you two to admit your feelings?"
"I'll explain it better Sunday, but the short story is that Gordo was hurt the worst in the crash. We almost lost him. That's what made me realize I love him. As soon as it was safe, I told him. That's when he told me. We've been together ever since."
"I'm glad to hear you two are finally together. But you said you almost lost . . . no, I'll wait to ask about that. But tell me, how different is it being his girlfriend, instead of just his friend?"
"It's so strange. One minute, we're bantering and picking on each other like we always have. Then something will happen, and it's like we're strangers. Then one of us will say something or ask a question, and it's like we've been a couple for years."
"Maybe that's because you HAVE BEEN a couple for years. The only difference is that now, you know it."
Lizzie was going to protest about just how big a difference that was, when an idea hit her. "You're right. As big a difference as that is, we have been a couple for years." As the idea solidified, a smile crept across her face. "Thanks, Parker, you've been a big help."
"Good." A brief pause. "How?"
"I'll explain . . ."
"On Sunday." That was said in a resigned groan. "I have got to be there for this. See you then."
~~~~~~~~
While the night's dreams for Matt and Miranda were confusing for both of them, neither had nightmares disturbing enough to require the other's assistance. Lizzie also dreamed, visions of her plan dancing in her mind. Her original idea had come from what Parker said, but now it had because so much more.
Meanwhile, four parent worried if they had made the right choices.
~~~~~~~~
The next morning, Lizzie asked to go with her mother when she went to get Matt. Once there, she got everyone's input for the party, including what could be spent. Gordo did the same thing with his parents that morning. When Lizzie had her information, Jo drove her to Gordo's on the way to taking Matt home for the day. Lizzie hobbled in, and found Gordo at the dining room table, notepads and cordless phone ready. She stood there as they looked at each other, each needing to speak, but neither knowing what to start with. Gordo finally spoke. "The other's are depending on us. Let's deal with the party first." Lizzie nodded her agreement, sat down across from him, got to work.
This part turned out to be easier than they thought it would be. Between what the families were bringing and the budget they were allowed, they finished in less than an hour. "So, I guess that's everything." Gordo sounded disappointed.
"Yeah," Lizzie replied, "everything."
The silence hung, like a weight around their necks, until finally Gordo blurted out "I'm sorry, Lizzie, it should never have happened."
Lizzie was a whirl of emotions, and his words didn't help. But she had anticipated him saying something like that. She forced herself to stay strong. If her normal anxiety returned . . . well, she refused to allow that. Taking a breath, she asked the question she needed to ask. "Which 'it', Gordo?"
He wasn't expecting that. "What?"
"Which 'it' are you sorry for?" She stood, gathered her crutches, and started to round to his side of the table. She forced herself to try to maintain an even face, while at the same time trying to remember the words she had rehearsed in her head countless times the night before. "I'm sorry WE were careless about the window shade, but not about anything else we did yesterday."
The fact she wasn't asking flustered unnerved him. "Lizzie, you were exposed! Anybody could have seen you. I was so stupid! I got so wrapped up in the moment, I stopped thinking. We shouldn't have been . . ." his diatribe was cut off by Lizzie, who had made her way to his left side. Before she could chicken out, she surprised him by shoving him, hard. If he'd had full use of his limbs, he might have been able to stay on his chair. However, as this shove came from his left side, that meant that it was his cast encased right side that slid off of the chair first. The weight of the casts, his inability to use those limbs well, along with his surprise, caused him to fall off of the chair with a thud. As he rolled himself onto his back, he found that Lizzie was right there after managing an almost controlled fall of her own. A moment later, she managed to get their legs in the same order as they had been in on the couch. Only this time, she made sure he realized just where that put her good knee . . . right between his legs. "LIZZIE! WHAT . . ."
"If I hadn't wanted you to feel me, I could have stopped you!" She flexed her knee slightly to emphasize her point.
"OKAY! Okay, Lizzie, I get it!" She moved her knee back, and he relaxed a little. "But Lizzie, we talked about this. I know you could have stopped me. I'm saying we SHOULD have stopped. I mean, the first time we let ourselves kiss like that, and we get so carried away, my shirt's open, and your's is off? What did that say about our self control? We've only been a couple for a week . . ."
That was the opening she was waiting for, and she jumped at it. "THAT'S where you're wrong. We've only known about it for a week, but we've been a couple for years."
"What are you talking about?"
"Think about it. After all we've admitted to each other, can't you see it? If we're right about when I fell for you, and when you fell for me, that makes us a couple sometime near the end of sixth grade." He looked at her disbelievingly. "Just because we didn't see it then doesn't make it any less true."
"Even if I agree to that . . . interesting concept, that doesn't change what happened." Gordo stubbornly countered. "We agreed to wait, but if we can't control ourselves . . ."
"WRONG! You told me what you were afraid of, and what you wanted. Think back, Gordo. When did I really tell you what I wanted?" She saw him thinking about that, then saw the light dawn. "I haven't yet, but I will now." She took a breath as her customary nervousness threatened to take over. Once she was sure she pushed it down again, she continued. "Part of me realizes we should wait. But part of me wants to make love with you right now." His eyebrows raised at that, but before he could reply, she continued. "I agreed to what you said because I saw how afraid you were, and I love you too much to let you be afraid. But yesterday, after we were caught, you wouldn't come within arms' reach of me. It was like you were afraid of me. That hurt, Gordo. The idea that you were pulling away from me, maybe forever . . ."
"NEVER!" He surprised both of them with his outburst. He closed his eyes to calm himself. "I'm sorry I scared you." He opened them again. "I wasn't scared of you. I was scared of myself, for you." He saw the sharp rebuttal coming, and intercepted it. "If you had been there, watching Parker and Larry, you would understand better. I can't be the cause of that kind of pain for you."
"Don't you understand yet? I can handle anything else, as long as I have YOU with me. But to have you pull away like that? You scared me, Gordo. You hurt me."
The silence hung as the weight of their exchange sank in for them. Finally, Gordo spoke. "So, what would you have me do?"
"As a said before, I realize we should wait. But we can't feel guilty about things. Yes, we were in the living room, and we forgot the shade. So we'll remember to go some place private and close the shades next time. Listen, Gordo, I'm not saying we should make love right now. I'm saying that, whenever we do, it's NOT a tragedy. To have you pull away . . . THAT'S the pain I can't deal with."
"I didn't think about that." He shook his head. "I guess Matt's not the only one feeling over protective. This will take some time to get my head round. Will you let me know, GENTLY, if I'm pulling back?"
"Sure." She kissed him gently. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
I sly smile crossed her lips as she checked her watch. "You know, it's 2:50, all the party work is done, and this talk is pretty much done. Your folks don't normally get here until 5:30 or so. Would you mind if we went to your room for a while?"
His eyebrows arched. "What do you have in mind?" He had an idea, but needed to hear her say it.
She giggled at the look on his face. "Nothing below the belt. But I think that, after a talk like this, we could go, start kissing, and see what happens. Maybe you can get your head around this idea faster with some practice."
He now had the same smile she did. "I might need a lot of practice for that to happen."
"I can't object to that. Just remember, I don't want us to go below the belt yet."
That puzzled him. "I'm not disagreeing, but after what you said, why do you now want to put up a boundary before we even begin?"
"Because one, I go to the doctor for THAT appointment tomorrow, and two, I don't think either of us wants THOSE parts of our bodies covered in plaster dust."
That sent Gordo into an uproar of laughter Lizzie hadn't heard from him in a long time. He settled down enough a minute later to add his own remark. "Just for that, YOU can get the shades."
That sent both into laughter. When they settled down, they helped each other up, retrieved their crutches, and made their way to Gordo's room. This time, they remembered the shades. As they again got lost in their feelings, it didn't take long for that to be a good thing.
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Will Lizzie and Gordo be able to resist temptation? How long will Matt and Miranda resist? Will the party go smoothly? All that, and more, still to come.
by TheRealXenocide
`
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, settings, or anything else you recognize from the show Lizzie McGuire. The plot, at it's base, has been around since Homer, and this variant since Henry Ford. However, this is the first I've seen it applied to Lizzie.
`
A/N: How many of you got the connection between the title for chapter 40 and the Author Note at the beginning of chapter 38?
A/N: Personal Notes:
Angel of Fluff: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay back at the beginning of chapter 1, we learn that the night of the crash is the first Friday of summer vacation.
`
Chapter 41
Lost in the Feeling
`
When she got home, Lizzie looked at the time. '8:47,' she thought, 'Gordo will still be up. But should I call him? Miranda thinks so, but what if she's wrong?' Lizzie shook herself. 'NO! I will NOT let myself think the worst! He loves me. We just need to talk about this.' She picked up her phone and called him.
He answered on the third ring. "Hello?"
She thought she heard a depressed tone in his voice. "Hey, Gordo. Are you okay?" 'Smooth, Lizzie'
"Oh, I'm great. I exposed the girl I love for all the world to see, and we get caught by my mom. I've never felt better."
"Stop that! Listen, I'm NOT mad at you about any of that, but we really need to talk about it."
"On THAT, we agree. But not in the phone, this is too important. Tomorrow, when you come over to finish planning the party, we can talk then."
'Oh, no!' 'Stop it! I'm not going to think like that.' "Okay, tomorrow it is. And Gordo."
"Yeah."
"I love you."
His voice softened some. "I love you, too."
Before either could say more, Lizzie hung up, wanting those words to be the last words they said to each other until tomorrow. There were times that even she couldn't gauge her oldest friend's feelings, and the fact that he was now her boyfriend didn't help that. She had to talk to someone, preferably someone who had been though something like this. But who? The only guy she'd feel comfortable with was the reason she needed to talk to someone. Miranda had enough to worry about. She wasn't ready to tell her mother what happened yet. Who did that leave? After a moment, it hit her. 'PARKER! But she's probably still hurting, should I bother her? Then again, I haven't talked to her since the baby.' That made her feel a little guilty. 'Even if I don't mention today, I should call her to see how she's doing.' That decided, she looked up Parker's number, and dialed.
It was answered on the first ring. That surprised Lizzie, as Parker always leaves it for the third ring. "Hello." That was said almost as a snap.
"Parker, it's Lizzie."
"Oh, Lizzie, hi." She sounded much friendlier now. "I heard about the crash, how've you been?"
"I'm okay, though I'll be better when these casts come off."
"Casts? As in more than one? How bad were you hurt?"
"I broke an arm and a leg, but it could have been worse. How are you doing?"
A pause. "Do you have any idea how many times I've been asked that?"
"No, but I guess it's a lot."
"Oh, yeah. I mean, it's nice to know how many people care, but getting a call at midnight from a relative I've never met is a bit much."
"Somebody called at midnight?!?"
"Yeah, real thoughtful, huh?"
"Yeah, well, about as thoughtful as not calling until a week later."
"Lizzie, it's okay. I understand. When I heard about the crash, I figured you'd call when you could."
"Yeah, well, it isn't just the crash that's been on my mind, although it seems like everything comes from that."
"Sounds like we need to get together and catch up."
"I'd like that, but . . ."
"Please, Lizzie, I need to get out of this house!"
"Sure. Hey, do you think you can last until Sunday?"
"I'll live. Why Sunday?"
"Well, the four of us that were in the crash and our families are having a party in one of the pavilions at the park. I thought it would a good chance for all of us to catch up of you and Larry came."
"I'll ask my folks and Larry, and let you know."
"That would be great."
"Can I ask you about something before Sunday?"
"Sure."
"Larry and I met Miranda and Matt in the park Wednesday. They didn't have time for details, but Miranda admitted that they're a couple! How did that happen?"
"THAT is a very, very, long story. I'll let them tell you most of it, but basically, Matt realized had feelings for Miranda when he learned about the crash, and worked up the courage to tell her. I don't know when Miranda fell for him, but she told him a few days later." She paused. "I really don't know how much more I should say about them, but it's been a very strange couple of weeks."
"I'll bet the long story is very interesting."
"That is an understatement."
"So, I know Miranda's okay, and you've got a couple of broken bones. How are Ethan and Gordo?"
A pause. "Are you sitting down?"
"Yes." She was clearly alarmed by that.
"Ethan took a bad blow to the head." Lizzie heard a gasp. "He's alive, but . . . he's blind."
"Oh, no, Lizzie, I'm so sorry. How are you two doing?"
That was when Lizzie realized just how much had changed since they had spoke with her. "He seems to be doing great. Parker, they are a few things you should know. Ethan broke up with me."
"What?!? Lizzie, are you sure he isn't overreacting about going blind?"
"Calm down. I'm okay. And so's he. Ethan and I are with the people we should have been with all along." Silence. "Parker?"
"Does that mean what I hope it means?"
"For Ethan, it means he went back to Kate. In fact, they're engaged."
"NO WAY! Kate Saunders is engaged! Does she know he's blind?"
That caused Lizzie to chuckle. "I know it sounds strange, but not only does she know, she seems to be serious about helping him."
"Are we still talking about Kate?"
"Yes. I think she's really trying to change. She's even trying to reconcile with Gordo, Miranda, and me."
"This call gets stranger by the second. You can explain that to me later. Right now, I want you to tell me who you're with now."
Lizzie had to hold her tongue for a moment to keep from commenting on how much Parker's tone reminded her of her mother. "Gordo and I are finally together."
"YES!"
"I see you're as surprised as everyone else."
Lizzie could almost hear Parker roll her eyes. "What finally got you two to admit your feelings?"
"I'll explain it better Sunday, but the short story is that Gordo was hurt the worst in the crash. We almost lost him. That's what made me realize I love him. As soon as it was safe, I told him. That's when he told me. We've been together ever since."
"I'm glad to hear you two are finally together. But you said you almost lost . . . no, I'll wait to ask about that. But tell me, how different is it being his girlfriend, instead of just his friend?"
"It's so strange. One minute, we're bantering and picking on each other like we always have. Then something will happen, and it's like we're strangers. Then one of us will say something or ask a question, and it's like we've been a couple for years."
"Maybe that's because you HAVE BEEN a couple for years. The only difference is that now, you know it."
Lizzie was going to protest about just how big a difference that was, when an idea hit her. "You're right. As big a difference as that is, we have been a couple for years." As the idea solidified, a smile crept across her face. "Thanks, Parker, you've been a big help."
"Good." A brief pause. "How?"
"I'll explain . . ."
"On Sunday." That was said in a resigned groan. "I have got to be there for this. See you then."
~~~~~~~~
While the night's dreams for Matt and Miranda were confusing for both of them, neither had nightmares disturbing enough to require the other's assistance. Lizzie also dreamed, visions of her plan dancing in her mind. Her original idea had come from what Parker said, but now it had because so much more.
Meanwhile, four parent worried if they had made the right choices.
~~~~~~~~
The next morning, Lizzie asked to go with her mother when she went to get Matt. Once there, she got everyone's input for the party, including what could be spent. Gordo did the same thing with his parents that morning. When Lizzie had her information, Jo drove her to Gordo's on the way to taking Matt home for the day. Lizzie hobbled in, and found Gordo at the dining room table, notepads and cordless phone ready. She stood there as they looked at each other, each needing to speak, but neither knowing what to start with. Gordo finally spoke. "The other's are depending on us. Let's deal with the party first." Lizzie nodded her agreement, sat down across from him, got to work.
This part turned out to be easier than they thought it would be. Between what the families were bringing and the budget they were allowed, they finished in less than an hour. "So, I guess that's everything." Gordo sounded disappointed.
"Yeah," Lizzie replied, "everything."
The silence hung, like a weight around their necks, until finally Gordo blurted out "I'm sorry, Lizzie, it should never have happened."
Lizzie was a whirl of emotions, and his words didn't help. But she had anticipated him saying something like that. She forced herself to stay strong. If her normal anxiety returned . . . well, she refused to allow that. Taking a breath, she asked the question she needed to ask. "Which 'it', Gordo?"
He wasn't expecting that. "What?"
"Which 'it' are you sorry for?" She stood, gathered her crutches, and started to round to his side of the table. She forced herself to try to maintain an even face, while at the same time trying to remember the words she had rehearsed in her head countless times the night before. "I'm sorry WE were careless about the window shade, but not about anything else we did yesterday."
The fact she wasn't asking flustered unnerved him. "Lizzie, you were exposed! Anybody could have seen you. I was so stupid! I got so wrapped up in the moment, I stopped thinking. We shouldn't have been . . ." his diatribe was cut off by Lizzie, who had made her way to his left side. Before she could chicken out, she surprised him by shoving him, hard. If he'd had full use of his limbs, he might have been able to stay on his chair. However, as this shove came from his left side, that meant that it was his cast encased right side that slid off of the chair first. The weight of the casts, his inability to use those limbs well, along with his surprise, caused him to fall off of the chair with a thud. As he rolled himself onto his back, he found that Lizzie was right there after managing an almost controlled fall of her own. A moment later, she managed to get their legs in the same order as they had been in on the couch. Only this time, she made sure he realized just where that put her good knee . . . right between his legs. "LIZZIE! WHAT . . ."
"If I hadn't wanted you to feel me, I could have stopped you!" She flexed her knee slightly to emphasize her point.
"OKAY! Okay, Lizzie, I get it!" She moved her knee back, and he relaxed a little. "But Lizzie, we talked about this. I know you could have stopped me. I'm saying we SHOULD have stopped. I mean, the first time we let ourselves kiss like that, and we get so carried away, my shirt's open, and your's is off? What did that say about our self control? We've only been a couple for a week . . ."
That was the opening she was waiting for, and she jumped at it. "THAT'S where you're wrong. We've only known about it for a week, but we've been a couple for years."
"What are you talking about?"
"Think about it. After all we've admitted to each other, can't you see it? If we're right about when I fell for you, and when you fell for me, that makes us a couple sometime near the end of sixth grade." He looked at her disbelievingly. "Just because we didn't see it then doesn't make it any less true."
"Even if I agree to that . . . interesting concept, that doesn't change what happened." Gordo stubbornly countered. "We agreed to wait, but if we can't control ourselves . . ."
"WRONG! You told me what you were afraid of, and what you wanted. Think back, Gordo. When did I really tell you what I wanted?" She saw him thinking about that, then saw the light dawn. "I haven't yet, but I will now." She took a breath as her customary nervousness threatened to take over. Once she was sure she pushed it down again, she continued. "Part of me realizes we should wait. But part of me wants to make love with you right now." His eyebrows raised at that, but before he could reply, she continued. "I agreed to what you said because I saw how afraid you were, and I love you too much to let you be afraid. But yesterday, after we were caught, you wouldn't come within arms' reach of me. It was like you were afraid of me. That hurt, Gordo. The idea that you were pulling away from me, maybe forever . . ."
"NEVER!" He surprised both of them with his outburst. He closed his eyes to calm himself. "I'm sorry I scared you." He opened them again. "I wasn't scared of you. I was scared of myself, for you." He saw the sharp rebuttal coming, and intercepted it. "If you had been there, watching Parker and Larry, you would understand better. I can't be the cause of that kind of pain for you."
"Don't you understand yet? I can handle anything else, as long as I have YOU with me. But to have you pull away like that? You scared me, Gordo. You hurt me."
The silence hung as the weight of their exchange sank in for them. Finally, Gordo spoke. "So, what would you have me do?"
"As a said before, I realize we should wait. But we can't feel guilty about things. Yes, we were in the living room, and we forgot the shade. So we'll remember to go some place private and close the shades next time. Listen, Gordo, I'm not saying we should make love right now. I'm saying that, whenever we do, it's NOT a tragedy. To have you pull away . . . THAT'S the pain I can't deal with."
"I didn't think about that." He shook his head. "I guess Matt's not the only one feeling over protective. This will take some time to get my head round. Will you let me know, GENTLY, if I'm pulling back?"
"Sure." She kissed him gently. "I love you."
"I love you, too."
I sly smile crossed her lips as she checked her watch. "You know, it's 2:50, all the party work is done, and this talk is pretty much done. Your folks don't normally get here until 5:30 or so. Would you mind if we went to your room for a while?"
His eyebrows arched. "What do you have in mind?" He had an idea, but needed to hear her say it.
She giggled at the look on his face. "Nothing below the belt. But I think that, after a talk like this, we could go, start kissing, and see what happens. Maybe you can get your head around this idea faster with some practice."
He now had the same smile she did. "I might need a lot of practice for that to happen."
"I can't object to that. Just remember, I don't want us to go below the belt yet."
That puzzled him. "I'm not disagreeing, but after what you said, why do you now want to put up a boundary before we even begin?"
"Because one, I go to the doctor for THAT appointment tomorrow, and two, I don't think either of us wants THOSE parts of our bodies covered in plaster dust."
That sent Gordo into an uproar of laughter Lizzie hadn't heard from him in a long time. He settled down enough a minute later to add his own remark. "Just for that, YOU can get the shades."
That sent both into laughter. When they settled down, they helped each other up, retrieved their crutches, and made their way to Gordo's room. This time, they remembered the shades. As they again got lost in their feelings, it didn't take long for that to be a good thing.
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A/N: Will Lizzie and Gordo be able to resist temptation? How long will Matt and Miranda resist? Will the party go smoothly? All that, and more, still to come.