Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, the town, or it's characters. I'm just a college student.

Chapter 7 uses "The Scientist" by Coldplay. First of all, I'd like to say this song is pretty, secondly I'm emphasizing the positive aspects of this song and not so much the chorus, and please, I know it's the chorus, but please ignore the line that says "Oh It's such a shame for us to part." If for some reason you really like that line and simply CAN'T ignore it, then just associate that line with how they were apart for awhile. But they aren't anymore! Thanks ^_^

Chapter 7: The Scientist

Amy didn't notice Ephram outside the window. She never would've guessed he'd be anywhere but home just then. She took her cocoa to the table where she was seated with a young man. Dark hair, thick eyebrows, he was speaking to her as if he understood what she felt perfectly. And while she smiled, it wasn't sincere; it was cautious.

"You know the other night was fun, Amy," he said taking a sip of the cocoa.

"It was a lot better than that party, I'll give you that," she said now drinking hers, looking away from Tommy. She had just met him, a few days before the trip. He was handsome, yet, left her feeling uncertain. And while he had lain to rest his reputation as the town bad boy, at least in her eyes, she couldn't bring herself to fully relax around him.

"So you think you'd want to go out with me maybe again sometime?" he asked smiling nervously.

"I don't know, Tommy, I mean, we had a good time as friends . . ." she said turning him down.

"You let me kiss you," he said starting to get frustrated.

"I know. Look, I think you're really cool, and its nice talking to someone who knows what I'm going through, so please don't take it in the wrong way. I have feelings for someone else." She said now hearing a knock at the door. Tommy sighed and put his forehead down on the table in defeat.

Ephram couldn't wait any longer to see her. He had become anxious when he saw Tommy smiling at her, so he had gone to the door to make his presence known. Amy slowly opened the door and saw a frozen looking Ephram Brown standing in front of her with a look of terror in his eyes.

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"Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are

I had to find you
Tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart

Tell me your secrets
And ask me your questions
Oh let's go back to the start"

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"Epharm? What are you doing here? Did your dad change his mind?!" she asked smiling at him. She was glad that he had interrupted her conversation with Tommy. Ephram knew of Tommy, and while they hadn't spoken, he knew what had transpired between him and Amy only a few days ago. His eyes narrowed as they fell upon Tommy.

"No, I'll tell you all about it in a little while," he said through his gritted teeth as he still stared at Tommy.

"Ephram what's this all about? Why are you so angry? Have you met Tommy yet?" she asked in a confused manner. Tommy lifted his head and began walking towards him. He shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you. You've got a great friend here," he said looking at Amy.

"Yeah, I know," he said obviously angry that he was there. His arrival was supposed to be special. He was supposed to bust in and rescue her from her supreme boredom, tell her that he missed her, that he's been stupid . . . but no.

"Well, I better get back to my cabin, I'll catch you guys later," he said waving.

Ephram stood there as Tommy walked out and shut the door behind him. Amy saw the twinge in his eye and wondered what the problem was, why he was acting this way, why he was even there when he wasn't supposed to be.

"Now, we're alone, tell me what happened. Tell me why you're so upset." She said walking into the cabin more so he could enter.

Ephram's temper cooled, but was yet to extinguish the pangs of jealousy that were eating away at him. He knew he had no right to be upset, that Amy could be friends with whomever she wanted, and so he continued his mission. Taking off his jacket he walked towards her.

"My Dad doesn't know I'm here. He and Delia left a few hours ago and I left shortly after," he started. She still seemed confused, but was immensely excited that he was there.

"Are you crazy? Ephram, I told you to listen to your dad. Do you know how angry he's going to be when he finds out? You'll never be able to go anywhere again!" she said worried, but he started walking toward her.

"Listen to me, Amy. I have it all worked out, I'm leaving here tomorrow night. I just had to come. You said you'd be bored here and . . ." he stopped remembering Tommy, "I guess you really didn't need me to come after all," his words slowing, brow lowering. She started to catch on.

"Okay, but that still doesn't explain why you look all freaked out," she said sitting on the couch now.

"Why didn't you tell me he was coming?" he asked accusingly, his jaw tense. "I wouldn't have come here, wouldn't have embarrassed you or myself."

"Is that what your deal is? Are you jealous?" she asked, her heart speeding up with hope.

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"Running in circles
Coming up tails
Heads on a silence apart

Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard

Oh take me back to the start"

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"Jealous? Me? God no! Why would I be jealous?" he said turning and walking around the room. She knew he was lying. Standing up and walking toward him, she tried to gather the strength to reach out to him, assure him that what he saw was nothing to worry about. *Maybe I shouldn't have come . . . maybe I should just let things be as they were . . . * he thought.

"Now if you're quite done, I'll explain," she said starting loudly and then lowering her tone to a gentle, soft one, sweeping through the air and into his ears.

He relaxed and smiled, feeling even more embarrassed than before. "I'm sorry, go ahead."

"I know that you're aware that Tommy and I went out for a walk and things at that party. He listens to me, he knows how it feels to be depressed and have no one understand you," Ephram began to look angry again. *I always listen, I always understand . . .* "But," she continued looking into his temporarily stone eyes, "he and I are just friends. He kissed me, but we're just friends," he felt a rush of relief sweep through him, but then asked a very defining question.

"Like you and I, Amy?" his voice shaking with remorse. She immediately knew what he meant. He hadn't just been asking her if they were friends. Those words, those shaky, soft words were referring to the kisses THEY had shared. They had seemed so wonderful and yet, they had only remained friends afterward.

This question sent Amy spiraling into worry. If she were to answer "yes," then she'd be lying. It would be the largest lie she could ever tell him because she didn't only see Ephram as her friend. There was no way her friendship with Tommy even came close to that of the one she and Ephram shared; or used to share. If she answered by saying "no," then she'd worry he'd take it the wrong way. Would he think she meant that she and him weren't friends? That's not what she'd mean at all. She hesitated, trying to piece together the right way to say what she felt.

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"I was just guessing
At numbers and figures
Pulling your puzzles apart

Questions of science
Science and progress
Do not speak as loud as my heart"

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"No, Ephram, not like us. You and I have been friends for awhile. We share more history than I ever have with anyone. I just met him, we hung out for a little while." She said moving closer to him and putting her hand on his shoulder to assure him.

"That's not what I meant," he said lifting his head so he could see her expression, unaware if what he had just responded with had angered her.

"I know what you meant," she said, blushing slightly, "the answer's the same." Was this the time for him to say what he drove all the way there to say? Was there ever a perfect time for anything? Inhaling slightly he mustered up the courage.

"I came today," he began and took the cup of cocoa from her hand, setting it down on the table, "because I couldn't stand the thought of not being here with you," his eyes were piercing through hers. She listened intently, silently. "I can't stand where we're at right now. You and I talking casually, laughing casually . . . that's all fine and good, but . . . it's so CASUAL. Amy, you and I used to be best friends. Maybe I ruined that, maybe you ruined that, maybe we both did, I'm not sure," he spoke quickly and without thinking. He took her her hand in his. "But I want to mend it. I want to trust you again, and pushing you away and ignoring you isn't helping me do that. So I came." She was losing control, slowly.

"I want that too," was all she could eek out. She knew how lame of a response it was, but also knew that nothing she could say would match what he just had. He still had her hand in his. "Thank you for coming," she said still staring at him. His scent had only just started to dance around her.

"How do we do that?" he asked softly, moving his hands to her shoulders. "Mend it, I mean," Everything was in slow motion that night.

"I don't know," she whispered, knowing for the first time that he wasn't just there because he thought she'd be bored; feeling that he didn't want to JUST be her friend. She hugged him, laying her head against his chest. "Like this?"

"Okay . . ." wrapping his arms around her back, pulling her closer. After a few minutes he lifted her chin and moved his head closer. Placing his forehead against hers, he felt the energy; knew it'd be okay if he could just convince himself to kiss her. He moved his lips to her right cheek and kissed it briefly, then moved them to her left one and kissed that for just a few seconds longer. Closing his eyes, he tasted the salty sweetness from her ever present tears. They stayed like that for a few moments, neither knowing if it was okay to move.

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"Tell me you love me
Come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start

Running in circles
Chasing our tails
Coming back as we are"

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"You want to know how you and are aren't like Tommy?" she asked him barely above a whisper, panting with breathlessness. Her lips were only inches away from his now.

"Show me . . ." he responded and moved in to kiss her. Just as his lips were about to press up against hers the door burst open.

"AMY! YOU'RE MISSING THE . . . oh, Ephram. Geez, I'm sorry you guys, I didn't . . ." Wendell said embarrassed and shocked. "You guys are missing, are missing the . . ." he tried to think something up. Originally he had come over to talk to Amy, get in her good graces. He had not-so- secretly set his sights on her a few weeks ago and thought this trip was the perfect time to show her how he felt. "The party up at that cabin on the hill. The abandoned one!" he said now realizing if he couldn't get any action, Ephram should be able to.

"What abandoned cabin, Wendell?" she asked, rolling her eyes. Ephram had pulled away from Amy when Wendell entered and was now leaning on the arm of the couch.

"You just take the main path as far as you can go and turn right . . . or was it left? Well anyway, you turn right or left after the main path comes to an end. You should see the cabin about a mile after that. I know it's a walk but I heard it's a crazy party. You guys have to go," he said confidently.

"Are you going?" Ephram asked noticing that Wendell was staring at Amy now.

"Yeah, I'll be there a little later. I have to find me a lady first, which, won't take long," he said fixing his collar. Amy tried not to laugh but was happy his "lady" wouldn't be her.

"Alright, well good luck with that then man," Ephram said patting him on the back, walking him to the door. He needed to be alone with Amy again, and Wendell had started making himself comfortable.

"Yeah, see you guys!" then winked at Ephram. He shut the door and turned back to Amy who was laughing hysterically now.

"Did you smell it?" Ephram asked her.

"The "special" cologne?" she asked between laughs, making quotation hand gestures.

"That was it. I told you it was bad news. He had some major plans for the two of you tonight, it seems," he said walking back to her, unsure of what to do. *Is it okay for me to put my arm around her now or would that just be weird? Was that only a one time thing or what's going on with her now?*

"Well I'm glad you came then," she said patting him on the head lightly.

"What am I, your dog?" he asked in jest.

"Awww puppy wuppy Ephy-weffy," she said in baby talk. He frowned, but didn't mind. He thought it was cute.

"I'll take that as a yes. Well that's a bit unsettling," he said laughing. Thankfully they were able to establish light conversation and wouldn't have to address what had almost just happened before Wendell's grand entrance.

"So what do you say? You want to go to that party? It could be fun," she said touching his nose with the tip of her index finger.

"You and I don't exactly have that great of a history with parties. Are you sure?"

"We won't drink. That way we won't scream things we don't mean at each other. We'll just socialize." She said with calmness.

"I'm glad you know I didn't mean those things," he said. She ran her hand down his right arm and then grabbed his hand.

"Come on! Grab your bag, we're heading out! This is going to be so fun! I'm so glad you're here!" she said pulling him out the door. Before they knew it they were hand in hand trudging through the snowy trail. They hadn't talked about their "almost" kiss, they both separately chalked it up as a one time thing. As they walked, they talked to keep warm. The fog of their breath mingled with their laughter, in ways making a connection between their two hearts that they never knew could exist. Upon reaching the end of the "main path", as Wendell had called it, they were forced to make a quick decision as to which way to go.

"You better the HELL have picked the right way, EPHRAM BROWN!" she yelled through her scarf that was now pulled over her mouth and nose.

He laughed nervously. "Oh, I have," he said with seeming confidence.

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"Nobody said it was easy
Oh it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard

I'm going back to the start"

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A/N: Another cliffhanger! They're going start becoming more and more common so I hope you're all ready! Thanks for the reviews.