Timeline: This Charming Man, rewritten to my liking. And YES, I know things don't gel with the actual episodes. But, it isn't supposed to either. I simply kept the generally idea of things but this is most definitely 'This Charming Man' fanwanked.
A/N: Yeah, this ended up kind of long which accounts for the delay. Going back and editing was a bitch. Anyway, it is in two parts because it ended up being so long. So, technically there are two chapters. It is still pretty much the fluffiest story I´ve written in my life (Misadventures in Port Charles doesn´t count!).
Feedback: Thank you for all of the reviews. The feedback was great and I really, really appreciate it. If you leave your e-mail I try to respond to you personally to thank you. So, leave your e-mail. To those that didn't last chapter -molly and gfsg - thanks for the feedback. :)

My Charming Man Chapter Two: The Man And His Charm Part One


Past lives I've lived
Uncontrolled but sacred
You've finally seen
all that's left of me
So hard to feel
So hard to breathe
Will you forgive me?
Godsmack

Emma sighed, hating the feel of the Media Immersion room without Snake.

Everything looked the same, with the very posters and decorations Snake had lined the walls with earlier that year still in the places he had put them. The chair she sat on was still stiff and left her entire lower half numb after fifteen minutes, much like it had the first day of class. The same students filled the classroom, most sitting in the same spot they had been in since the start of the school year. And the keyboard in front of her still had the brown stain on the corner of it that she had noticed during the second week of classes.

Down to the last detail the room appeared exactly as it should.

But everything still felt different. Wrong, even. The room was still as full as ever, with people she had known for what seemed like too long bustling around with laughter and gossip. Unaware that anything was gone. That the room was really very, very empty.

Emma was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't notice that Sean had slid into the seat beside her until he spoke. "Hey."

Emma jumped, turning slowly to the work space beside her. It took a moment for the confusion to wear away but when it did her eyes turned stormy. "Sean." Emma turned back to her blank monitor. "Go away."

Sean pretended like he did not hear her. "So, did you do that homework assignment for Kwan last night?"

Emma did not respond. She turned on the computer and kept her gaze on the screen with what appeared to be avid interest even though it was still starting up.

"I actually did mine last night. I figured I might want to start doing that if I want to pass for the year."

When the computer had fully loaded Emma brought up her e-mail account and opened a new message, typing in JT's e-mail address. Sean continued to talk to her as she tried to put her concentration into typing the e-mail.

"I'm not exactly sure thought if I understood everything in the reading. It was pretty deep, you know?

Emma hammered away at the keyboard, trying to drown his voice out.

"I'm sure you understood it, though. I mean, you're smart."

I´m writing an e-mail, Emma told herself. Sean does not exist.

"I just hope Mrs. Kwan doesn't give us a pop quiz. That would suck." Sean sighed as Emma continued to tap away at the keyboard, her eyes focused on the monitor.. "Emma, would you please talk to me."

Emma stopped typing, reading over her e-mail to herself. Her eyes went wide as she read what she had written.

Hey JT!

What are you talking? I'm okay, although I'm not understood everything. But you're smart about pop quizzes. Sean ,stop talking!!

Emma turned back to Sean and felt like slapping him. "Sean, shut up!"

Sean smiled. "Why? Having a hard time writing a love note or something?'

"Is there something I can help you two with?" A voice said from behind them.

The two turned around to find the disapproving face of Mr. Mitchell, the substitute. Mr. Mitchell was a fifty year old man with a bad tope and a crooked, greasy smile. But Emma couldn´t say she had a specific reason to dislike Mr. Mitchell aside from the fact that he was filling in Snake´s place while he lay at home trying to hold down his breakfast. After all, that was not Mr. Mitchell´s fault.
Emma shot Sean a quick look of annoyance before smiling sheepishly at Mr. Mitchell. "No, Mr. Mitchell."

"Good. Then you two should begin your assignment."

When Mr. Mitchell had retreated and returned to behind his desk, Sean leaned in and whispered into Emma's ear. "What a jerk."

Emma closed her eyes and counted to ten. When she thought she could talk again without screaming she opened them again to peer at Sean with splintering heat radiating from her brown eyes. In a carefully measured voice Emma snapped, "Sean, leave me alone!"

Sean's face lost its deceptively cheerful facade, dipping into an underlying agony. "Emma, I'm sorry, okay. Hell, do you want me to write it down for you. Maybe make the 'O' into a happy face. Cause I will."

" 'I´m sorry'." Emma said the words as though they were cursed, even as she continued to tap away at the keys of her computer. "I'm hearing that a lot from you. In fact, I'm sure there is not a phrase in the world that you've said to me more during the course of us knowing each other than 'I'm sorry'. And you know what, I still don't buy it." Emma stopped pretending to type and turned to Sean.

Sean groaned. "You know, you can be a real hard ass when you want to be."

" Right. Cause insulting me is really going to help your case." Emma shook her head, making an incredulous sound. "If you're really sorry why don't you try to act like it by not getting me in trouble with the teacher."

For the rest of the class Sean did not say anything to Emma, which caused her to worry. If he wasn't talking to her did that mean he could only possibly be thinking of more ways to beg her forgiveness? At this rate, Emma would be a raving lunatic within a week.

xXx

Sean sighed as he listened to Mr. Mitchell give him a lecture on him not handing in assignments on time. The classroom was empty, save for himself and the substitute. The rest of the students had shuffled out of the classroom the second the bell signally the end of the period had rung.

Sean listened as Mr. Mitchell went on and on about responsibility, suppressing the urge to roll his eyes. When Mr. Mitchell finally stopped to take a breath, Sean jumped in. "Now, can I go?"

Mr. Mitchell muttered something about unresponsive youths before waving a dismissive hand at Sean. Sean didn't waste anytime as he cut out of the room and towards Emma's locker.

Sean's fevered movements came to a halt as he caught view of Emma standing next to her open locker talking to Chris. Sean clenched his jaw, hating the way Emma seemed to be enjoying the attention Chris was giving her.

Didn't Emma say he had a girlfriend?, Sean thought in annoyance.

Sean watched from a far as Emma talked to Chris, her face lighting up with a flirtatious smile. A beautiful, enticing smile. Before he knew what he was doing his feet were moving in their direction and he found himself in front of them, a heavyset frown marring his smooth face.

"Emma," Sean said in a strangled voice.

Emma's gaze turned to him with a look that would have burned holes through steel. "Sean."

Chris looked between the two in confusion, backing away a step. "Oh, hey, I didn't know you two were back together."

Sean smirked, not looking away from Emma even if she was shooting daggers at him with her eyes. "Hello Chris."

Emma turned her glare away from Sean, letting it melt into a softer expression as she looked at Chris. "We're not! He's just stalking me. Ignore him." Emma smiled again at Chris. "You were saying..."

"I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to go out this weekend," Chris said, glancing at Sean uncomfortably.

"That sounds-"

Sean cut in bitingly, "Don't you have a girlfriend, Chris?"

Emma turned back to Sean with fire in her eyes. "Not. Any. More."

"Oh, so he's on the rebound. Shouldn't you wait a couple of weeks for him to get over her."

Emma made a soft clucking noise with her tongue. "Some guys don't need much breathing space in between girlfriends. In fact, some guys just jump from one to another in a heartbeat."

"Yeah, but usually those same guys regret it."

"Like they even know how to feel regret!" Emma scoffed.

Sean sighed. "You know, Emma, you're not being fair."

"Fair? Oh, wow. Surprise! Sean knows what that word means."

Chris had been standing there watching the two of them go at it without comment but, seeing the searing anger burning between them, he finally decided to get out of the line of fire. "Um, you two obviously have some...unresolved...something," he mumbled, knowing he was basically talking to himself. "I'm going to go."

Emma and Sean didn't notice as Chris carefully walked around them and began to head down the hall.

"Yeah, well, do you know what 'forgiveness' means?"

"I should! I've had to forgive you enough times!"

"Emma, all I'm asking for is a second chance."

"You've had a second chance. And a third! Your second chances have been given second chances. You've had so many chances, I've lost count!" Emma stopped suddenly and looked around in confusion. "Where's Chris?"

"Oh, no, did he leave?" Sean's mouth twitched deceptively.

Emma looked at Sean in disbelief. "If you are trying to make my life suck, you're succeeding!"

Sean growled in frustration. "I'm trying to fix things!"

"And, big surprise! As always, you're simply making things worse."

Emma slammed her locker shut and walked away.

xXx

As Sean entered math class he walked right past his ex-girlfriend Amy, who was throwing him a sulky look mixed with a glare, and headed towards the vacant seat next to Emma. As he was about to slide into the chair Emma slammed a textbook down on the seat, leaving her hand firmly on top of it.

"Its taken," Emma bit out.

Sean rolled his eyes. "By who, the invisible man?"

"No," a voice from behind said. "By me."

Sean turned around and came face to face for the second time that day with Chris Sharpe, resident wannabe DJ and apparently the number one threat to him and Operation: Retrieve Emma. Between the last time Sean had seen Emma and now he had caught the buzz going around the school that Chris and his on-again, off-again girlfriend Melinda were actually off-again, as Emma had informed him earlier. Sean didn't like that at all. That left Chris free to go for Emma and, from the looks of it, that was his intention.

Sean walked up close to him. "Funny. I don't see your name on the desk."

Chris didn't look impressed, no longer seeming willing to back down and leave Sean with Emma. Chris seemed to have a certain knowledge that Emma wanted him to be sitting in that chair next to her. Did Emma have her last class with him? Sean wondered.

"Why don't you head back to your homegirl, Kim Matthers, back there." Chris pointed to Amy before tossing a look Emma´s way. "You're obviously not wanted here."

Sean turned back to Emma, who still had her hand stubbornly on top of the textbook that was filling up what should have been his chair. The look on her face seemed to say, "What part of stay away from me didn't you understand?"

Just then Mr. Armstrong walked in, the smile slipping off of his face when he saw Chris and Sean standing head to head looking like they were about to start fighting right in the middle of the classroom. "Is there a problem, gentleman?"

The class became really quiet, all eyes that hadn´t already been focused on them turning to look at the two guys. Emma's face turned pink as JT and Toby shot her questioning looks while she moved the textbook off the seat with a sigh.

Better a pestering ex-boyfriend than a dead future one, Emma decided.

Neither Sean or Chris noticed, however, that the chair was empty and the desk free. Instead, they continued to stare each other down.

Mr. Armstrong walked so that he was standing beside the two boys, his arms crossed and his face tight with disapproval. "Sean and Chris, do I need to get Mr. Raditch in here?"

Sean sighed, rolling his eyes as the tension seemed to roll out of his body. "Don't bother."

Sean moved around Chris and the row of desks Emma's was in, heading towards the back where there was the empty seat next to Amy. It wasn't until he was halfway to the empty chair that he saw that Emma was no longer holding the chair hostage with the textbook. Quickly scanning the area he saw it was now safely tucked underneath her chair.

How long has it been there?, Sean wondered. With a frustrated groan he plopped into the seat and ignored Amy's mocking look. Instead, he watched as Chris sat down in the seat next to Emma, giving her a small smile. Sean's stomach turned as he watched Emma smile back.

xXx

Emma had just begun drifting off when she heard her name being called.

"Emma, would you like to put the answer to the equation on the book?" Mr. Armstrong asked, holding out a piece of chalk.

Emma nodded, scooting out of her chair and moving to the front of the room. Right as she began writing on the board she heard the distinctive sound of a chair sliding across the floor.

Emma turned around to find that Sean's chair had been pulled over so that it was now much closer to Amy's own. Her hand was on his arm, moving up and down suggestively as she spoke to him. Emma watched Sean shift uncomfortably but he made no move away from Amy.

Emma's face hardened, her eyes becoming cold slits as she somehow became mesmerized by the way Amy's fingers moved up and down his arm. Up and down. Up and down.

"Sean! Amy!" Emma snapped back to attention, turning to see Mr. Armstrong shooting Sean and Amy a reproachful look. "Do you two need some privacy? Are we in your way here?"

Emma turned back to the board and finished writing the answer quickly as Sean moved his chair back to its original spot.

"Thank you, Emma," Mr. Armstrong said to her as she walked by, her attention on Sean and Amy in the back corner. Sean's eyes were pleading with her to understand, tossing in a black look shot Amy's way for emphasis.

As Emma sat back down in her chair, she willed herself not to turn around again.

I'm not jealous, Emma swore over again in her head like a mantra. I'm not jealous.

For the rest of math class she alternated between fantasies involving pulling Amy's hair out and lists of why she was over Sean and most certainly not jealous.

xXx

When the bell rang, Sean sprang out of his seat and began collecting his books while ignoring Amy's attempt at getting his attention.

I need to explain to her about Amy, Sean thought as his mind automatically focused on Emma.

Still, he wasn't quick enough for Emma who had already walked out the door, not even stopping to wait for Chris. Sean went to follow her out but was stopped by Mr. Armstrong.

"Where do you think you're going, Sean?" Mr. Armstrong raised his eye brows in question before turning to Amy and Chris who were both trying to get out the door quickly. "You too, Amy and Chris."

"It won't happen again, Mr. Armstrong." Sean turned to look at Amy meaningfully. "I swear."

"Is that right, Amy?"

Amy sighed, rolling her eyes. "That's right."

"Good. It better not. You can go. " Mr. Armstrong said. All three walked toward the door but were stopped by him voice yet again. "Just Amy."

Amy smirked at Sean before heading toward the door, stopping in the doorway to blow him a mocking kiss.

"Now, Amy," Mr. Armstrong said impatiently.

Amy shrugged and walked off, her hips swinging back and forth.

Mr. Armstrong turned back to Chris and Sean who were both now glaring at each other. "Now, you two..." he began.

For the next three minutes Sean had to listen to a lecture about not settling disputes with violence and how to learn to work through differences. Just when Sean thought he was done, Mr. Armstrong seemed to begin all over again.

Mr. Armstrong reached up a hand and rubbed his eyes wearily as students for the next class began to filter in. "Why do I think I'm wasting my breath on you two. Go. Just go."

Sean didn't need to be told twice, nearly running out the door ahead of Chris. But the hallway was now nearly empty of students and it appeared Emma was long gone. Sean glanced over at Chris who sighed with disappointment before heading down the hall in the opposite direction Sean was heading in.

At least he missed her too, Sean thought with a small smile as he walked to his class.

xXx

"Nelson! Nelson!"

Emma rubbed her temples, wishing that for once in her life a black hole would open up and swallow her. Just for the day. Was that too much to ask? For the last few minutes Jay had been doing whatever he could do to get her attention, including hitting her in the back of the head with balled up pieces of notebook paper. It figured that it would be during the one class where the teacher couldn't even pretend to give a damn.

Emma turned around in her chair so that she could look at Jay, who sat at a horizontal angle to her. "What? Some of us would actually like to pass 9th grade history the first time around."

Jay sneered. "Funny. So, how'd you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Turn Sean into a Boy Scout."

"I didn't do it." Emma then mumbled to herself, " I think he fell and hit his head."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"Whatever. All I know is for the entire day Sean's been following you around like a puppy dog. I heard he even went to bat for you against that loser, Chris Sharpe. And all weekend long Sean was acting like a tight ass. Kinda like you. Are you seein' what I'm saying?"

"That Sean didn't want to be a drunk, loser clepto this weekend. Sorry I killed your idea of fun. Did you not steal enough this weekend?"

"I wouldn't say that,' Jay said, a wicked gleam flashing in his eyes. As a devious smile spread across his face Emma started to get a sinking feeling in her stomach. "I think I've filled up on my quota for the year. Stealing a laptop right from a teacher´s own desk is kinda the best you can get."

Emma's eyes went wide with disbelief. "W-What?"

Jay just continued to smile arrogantly and went back to drawing dark, black circles on his notebook, leaving Emma to stare off into space.

With each second that passed, Emma wrapped another little piece of anger around her heart to conceal the gut wrenching hurt.

xXx

Sean looked around the cafeteria, spotting Jay and the rest of them in one corner. Jay waved him over but instead but Sean pretended he didn't see them and turned his head in the other direction. In the opposite corner Sean saw Emma's form sitting down with JT and Toby at an otherwise empty table.

Sean watched her for a second, taking in the dejected bow of her shoulders and the way she was merely playing with her food. Sean closed his eyes and reminded himself that he had dug his own hole and now he had to crawl his way out.

Without another thought Sean made his way over to her, sliding in across from her with a boyish smile as though it wasn't unusual for him to be sitting at the same table as her during lunch.

JT and Toby looked at him, then looked at each other before taking one last glance at Emma who was doing a remarkable job of ignoring Sean completely. They stood up, grabbing their trays and throwing Sean smiles somewhere between sympathetic and pitying.

"Bye, Emma. Sean," JT mumbled as him and Toby sprinted away.

Sean frowned but then shrugged. Whatever, he decided. Trying to figure those two out is like trying to figure out one of Armstrong's stupid equations.

He picked up his carton of chocolate milk, opening it up and taking a drink before speaking. "Hey Emma."

Emma didn't look up or acknowledge his presence.

"Look, I'm sorry about math class." Emma laughed when he said he was sorry but didn't look up. "Really. That wasn't me, okay. I didn't initiate anything. Amy was...I don't know. That's just how she is. I didn't think about it, I guess. Would you just look at me!"

Emma's face shot up from her tray of food, her eyes a cloudy haze of anger.

Sean flinched, placing the carton still in his hand back onto his tray. "Okay, so, um, obviously you're upset. That's cool."

Emma looked like she was counting to ten in her head, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the table surface. "Did you steal Snake's computer?"

Sean inhaled a sharp breath, his mouth going dry. Emma looked at him expectantly, no mercy visible anywhere on her face. Sean decided it was time to face up to the worst of his sins against her. "Yes." Simple and direct. No turning back. "I was going to tell you-"

Emma cringed, her eyes washing over with disbelief and hurt. "Why?"

Sean felt anger at himself come up as he found took in Emma´s pained gaze. An angry Emma was ten times easier to deal with than a wounded one. "I-I wanted to get back at you."

"Get back at me?" Emma pushed her tray to the side, placing her palms flat against the table in front of her. "What on earth did I ever do to you?"

"Nothing. I just felt like...I was angry and I wasn't thinking. I'm sorry."

"I'm hearing that a lot. I wonder, do you ever get tired of saying it?"

"No. Because I mean it. I want you to understand. And if that means saying it a hundred more times I will."

Emma stood up, seeming to not hear him. Washed away was every single trace of hurt, swallowed up by a carefully cultivated rage. She looked around in agitation, her body now tense and full of pent up anger. Her eyes caught his carton of chocolate milk, barely touched. Emma picked it up and before Sean could blink he found himself doused in the sticky, brown liquid.

Sean jumped up, knocking his chair backwards. The lunch room fell silent as the chair smacked against the ground loudly. All eyes bared into them and soft whispers began to swirl around them. The student body was always hungry for scandal and gossip. Emma and Sean had just handed them a free peep show.

At a lunch table not too far away, JT and Toby were glad they had possessed the presence of mind to get out of there when they could. "Told you it was going to turn into World War Three," JT said loudly, the words bouncing out from underneath the whispers.

Emma seemed not to notice the crowd around the two of them that was looking on in interest. Instead she kept her smoldering gaze locked on Sean as he stared at her in disbelief. Crumpling up the carton of milk in her hand she flung it at him and watched as it bounced off his chest and onto the floor.

Sean didn't move, he simply stood there with milk dripping off of his clothes and onto the floor.

Finally, after a long minute, Emma moved forward a step and leaned across the table so that her quiet and heated voice could reach his ears.

"I'm going to say this one more time. Stay away from me."

And, for the second time in one day, Emma Nelson walked away from him.

The crowd that was gathered around them in the cafeteria cleared a path, the whispering becoming louder as she moved through them and then stormed out the door.

Sean stood there and watched her retreating form.

xXx

Emma worked quickly to get her books for her next class, trying to avoid the questioning gaze of her gossip hungry peers that seemed to be circling around her like vultures.

"Emma!"

Emma closed her eyes, nearly not resisting the urge to bang her head against a locker. There was no possible way that Sean was making his way down the hall, calling her name. No way at all.

"Emma!" A breathless voice said beside her.

Emma reminded herself that murder was against the law before looking at him. There, still soaking wet in spots and bearing brown stains on his white shirt, was Sean Cameron. Looking determined. Relentless. And unbelievable cute with his rumpled hair devoid of the usual hat

Cute? No, Sean was not cute. Sean and cute cannot go together. Ever. Again, Emma thought.

Sean smiled, making Emma's stomach unwittingly flutter.

Then, just like that, Emma growled.

Sean jumped back, looking at her strangely. "Emma, are you sure you ate enough?"

"I'm about to have some weird, spastic violent outburst in about five seconds if you don't go." With each word Emma had gotten closer and closer to Sean, maneuvering him until he was backed up against the lockers. "Now!"

Sean barely even blinked. "Em, I hate to break this to you but you're not really the intimidating type. More like the bark without the bite."

Emma threw her hands up, groaning. "I give up! I completely give up!" She looked at the ceiling of the school as though maybe God could give her a solution. "How do I make him go away? Do I have to light him on fire?"

Sean's eyes went wide as Emma continued to babble neurotically in a way that was solely Emma.

"Maybe I could beat him over the head with a book until he remembers he's Sean Cameron and I HATE HIM! Since he likes to follow me around I could see if I could lead him into a closet and then lock him inside." Emma looked at Sean with a very serious gleam in her eyes. " Or, I could go tell Mr. Raditch that Sean's the one who took Snake's laptop."

Sean's eyes went wide with that last sentence. Emma stared at him, all whimsy gone from her expression. "Wait, what? No. No, Emma. You can't do that. You know I'm on probation. Tracker would kill me!"

"What makes you think I won't kill you," Emma snapped, before rolling her eyes. "I contemplate lighting you on fire, you don't blink. But I say I'm going to rat you out to Raditch and suddenly you're a big, scared baby." Emma rolled her eyes again before pushing Sean aside to slam her locker shut. "I don't even have the energy to deal with you anymore. Instead, I'm going to class. And I might even do a strange little dance to celebrate the fact that it is one of the classes you are not in."

"Well, I'll walk you," Sean said.

Emma looked at him in disbelief. "You don't get it, do you? I won't forgive you because I don't want to forgive you. I just want you gone and out of my life, okay? Is that too much for you to get? Now, leave me alone or I won't be heading to class. I'll be heading to Mr. Raditch's office."

Sean thought about his next words very carefully, not wanting to send her in the direction of the principle's office. "Emma, I'm sorry for taking his laptop. It was a really sucky thing to do. I wasn't thinking. I'm really, really sorry."

"Yeah?" Emma gave Sean a once over. "Prove it."

As Emma walked away from Sean, again, he made no move to stop her.

xXx

Emma watched the students walking around outside, looks of contentment and satisfaction that school was over for the day. She wished she could feel that way, light and free. As though the world were hers.

A shadow fell across Emma, causing her to sigh. Shadows were always falling across her. "Look, Sean---"

"Its not Sean," Chris said, stepping out from behind Emma to stand in front of where she was sitting. "Hey."

Emma smiled, half in relief that it was Chris and half in an attempt to hide her conflicting disappointment that it wasn't Sean. "Hey, Chris!"

"So, watch are doin' out here? All alone with no one to sit next to you..."

Emma scooted over, grinning. "I'm not alone anymore."

Chris sat down next to her, closing his eyes for a second as he held his face up to the rays of the sun. "The sun is nice."

"Yeah."

He opened his eyes to peer at Emma again. "Listen, are you and Sean---"

"We're over. We have been for months. Trust me."

"Okay. Well, then, I was wondering if you'd like to get a milkshake with me at the Dot?"

"You mean like..."

"On a date. Yeah."

Emma felt a brief rise of panic. Sean. No, done with him. Done.

Emma's smiled in determination. "Definitely."

xXx

Emma's mind was somewhere else. Somewhere inside of Emma while her body sat there in the Dot and laughed at the appropriate times with Chris. Said the right, witty things. Smile flirtatiously at the right moments.

With Sean it wasn't like this, some part of her whispered. It was---

Yeah, well, tough. Sean stole Snake's computer and actually became a big, stupid loser. I'm completely done with Sean, she argued back. For real.

Yet, Emma could not help that he mind wandered over memories pulled from countless dates with Sean. And it had never been like this, with her running on autopilot. Staying just to prove she could be with Chris and not have to be with Sean.

With Sean, her world had been his. They had nearly lived inside each other when they were together. The other inhabitants of the world would fade and before she knew it they were the only two in a once crowded room or theater. She had hung on his words, savoring them and holding them inside of her heart.

Even when they were not saying anything to each other, it was like they were speaking in their own secret way. Sometimes, it had been so quiet between them that she could have sworn she heard their two hearts beating in synchronicity with each other within the still. Yet, it hadn't felt awkward or stifling. It had felt right to be able to be there with him in that silence. To be able to just be with him.

She didn't want to go there with Chris, to those places of stillness or real conversation. Even if Emma thought it was possible, which was doubtful, she wouldn't want to. Some strange and unyielding part of her heart insisted that those moments belonged to her and Sean alone.

Emma laughed at Chris' joke while her eyes darted to the swinging door. Without thought her smile slipped from her face. Chris looked at her with a frown before turning around and catching sight himself of Jay and his gang of merry followers, minus Sean.

"Do you want to go?" Chris asked kindly.

Emma shook her head, painting on a smile while silently she wondered where Sean was. Then quietly berated herself for caring. "No. They won't ruin this."

Chris smiled. "Cool. So, tell me about your petition?"

"Its..."Emma trailed off as she watched Jay stuff a candy bar into his jacket. Emma´s jaw stiffened as Amy shot her a nasty glare. "Just look at them. They think they can take whatever they want."

Chris sighed. "You sure you don't want to go?"

Emma looked down at her strawberry milkshake, half drunken, and pushed it aside. Suddenly, she had a feeling it would taste sour. "Actually, yeah, I do. Do you mind?"

Chris shrugged, trying to hide his disappointment. "The lady is always right. Let's go."

For the first time that afternoon Emma's smile reached her eyes.

xXx

Emma walked up the sidewalk toward her house with Chris by her side, who was animatedly telling her about his recent spinning at a Rave.

"That sounds cool," Emma said, stopping in front of her house.

"Yup. So," Chris said, smiling, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yup!" Emma tried to remain perky and upbeat.

"Alright." Chris leaned down to kiss Emma on her lips but she turned her head at the last minute. Chris was left with leaving a sloppy kiss on the side of her face. He pulled back, nodding with slight embarrassment before moving to walk off.

"See you," he called over his shoulder.

"Bye." Emma watched his form retreat, kicking a rock in frustration. Get it together, Emma.

"So, no kiss on the lips?" she heard from her porch.

Emma shook her head, refusing to turn around. "No. No, no, no."

"You know, even if you close your eyes and count to ten I'll still be here. Promise."

Emma turned toward her porch, finally seeing Sean sitting in front of an open space that used to be her door, the door itself rested against the side of the house. He had some sort of tool in his hand. Possibly a screwdriver, Emma thought.The better to stab him with, my dear...

Emma walked up the pathway, stopping at the stairs. "What are you doing here? Were you spying on me?"

"Yes. And to mask that great feat I decided to take your door off first so you'd be distracted." Sean rolled his eyes, turning his attention back to the hinges and working on them with what Emma had decided was a screwdriver. "Don't flatter yourself. If I'm going to lower myself to watching other people on dates, I'll make sure it´ll be more than just a G-rated show. And a little less comatose inducing."

Emma ignored the jibe at her and Chris. "So, what are you doing?'

Sean kept his eyes focused on the hinges. "Fixing the door."

"Yes, I can see that. Thanks. I mean why are you fixing my door?"

"Really, Emma, for a bright girl you can be slow," Sean said with a small laugh. "I'm fixing your mother's door because it was broken."

Emma didn't say anything to Sean, inside fixating on the word mother. Her mother. Her mother was so dead.

Emma walked past Sean and through the doorway before yelling, "Mom! MOM!"

Spike came racing down the stairs, a look of panic on her face. "What? Is everything okay? Are you okay?" Spike looked her daughter up and down for possible signs of damage before making a quick surveillance of the area. Then, she looked at Emma questioningly. "Emma?"

"Kitchen. Now," Emma ground out through clenched teeth.

Spike's eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone, young lady! I am your mother, I'm not some dog."

Emma took in a shaky breath. "Mom, would you please come to the kitchen with him." Emma's face flushed. "I mean me." She shot Sean a glare, her frown deepening as she caught a flash of his amused smirk. "Now...Please."

Spike nodded and headed toward the kitchen.

"What is Sean doing here?"

"He came over and asked if we needed help around the house. He was willing to lend a hand, Emma. And, let's face it, we need a hand."

"Mom, it's Sean!"

"Yes. A boy you thought enough of to date for nearly a year."

"A boy who I haven't been dating for two months!"

"Emma, he's already here. With Snake being sick and a new baby, we really need whatever help we can get around here."

Emma sighed, knowing her mother was right. "Okay. So, let him fix the stupid door. He isn't doing anything else, is he?"

"I already told him he could take a look at Snake's car."

"Mom! You didn't! With the way that thing putts around it could need months of work."

"Months of work he's willing to do for free!"

"You think. Until you wake up and he's stolen Snake's engine."

"What's that mean?"

Emma suddenly knew she was standing at some kind of precipice, looking down at the jagged ground below. If she told her mother about Snake's computer she might never like Sean again. Or trust him with her. Emma refused to think about why that bothered her so much.

Emma shook her head. "Nothing. I didn't mean anything."

Emma went to her room, then, and didn't come out for the rest of the night. She was afraid that she would find Sean eating dinner with her parents or working on fixing something else in her house. She couldn´t afford to see him more than she had to. Each time she saw him it was like a piece of her resolve was fluttering away and she felt if she wasn't careful, she would forgive him.

xXx

End of Part I, Chapter Two