Author's Note: This is a very looong one. Things are going to start moving pretty fast from here on out. Thanks to all who are reading and reviewing.

LiteratiLover: Thanks! I love your story too.

Andrea: I am actually thinking about a sixties one. I'm gonna hafta do some research first. It'll be easier than this one I think...finding things for kids to do in NYC during WW2 is kind of hard. So that's why they seem to do the same things over and over again.

Everyone else: Thanks and keep reading. Things are gonna be getting pretty interesting

P.S. - I almost posted the entire story here (or what I have written of it at least!) That could have been very bad. VERY bad.

Michael:

I have never changed so quickly in my life. I mean, Mia looked amazing in her red dress. I had never seen her done up before. Not that that changed anything about how I felt about her. If I even knew how I felt about her.

I looked in the mirror about five times before I started getting a funny feeling in my stomach. Like nothing after tonight is going to be the same. I let out energy by jumping up and down and psyching myself up. I can do this. I can so totally do this.

I left my room and saw my parents talking to the girls by the front door. They all turned in surprise to see me leaving my room dressed to the nines. I had gotten a suit the previous winter from my father. It had been his but he had gotten a new one.

"Why Michael, aren't you a bit overdressed for the diner?" Mom asked with a laugh.

"I'm taking the girls to the dance," I mumbled. I so totally can't do this. I considered running back to my room and hiding out.

"Shall we?" Sylvia asked before I had a chance.

The girls started leaving the apartment when my dad pulled me aside, "Remember what I said yesterday, son," he said softly.

"Michael, these are trying times."

"I know Dad," I replied.

"And I know you are at an age where sex is often on your mind."

"What?"

"Sex. Your mother just told me that you were alone in your room with Mia?"

"Yes sir."

"Michael, you don't understand…I welcome any healthy expression you may have, but not with Mia."
"Why not with Mia?" I asked, fully knowing why, but enjoying seeing him squirm.

"Just not Mia."

"But I really think I like her," I replied. "And-"

"Then keep the bird in the cage," he replied.

"Bird? What bird? We have a bird? Dad, you shouldn't have!"

"Don't do anything that could make our living arrangements uncomfortable."

"You mean don't have sex with her?"

"Yes."

"That thought hadn't crossed my mind," I replied, silently adding 'today'.

"Good. I don't know if pursuing any type of relationship would be healthy, Michael. She is leaving…soon hopefully for Genovia."

"What if I went to Genovia with her?" I asked, egging him on. Seeing how far he'd go.

"Michael, that just simply isn't possible. You are going to Harvard next fall. I went to Harvard...your grandfather..."

"I am not, Dad. I'm going into the service. I owe it to my country. To my friends."

"Do not change the subject here," he replied. "Don't do anything to disgrace her, got it?"

"What if she does something to disgrace me?" I asked. "I mean, it goes both ways. You and Mom are always telling me and Lilly that the sexual revolution is coming any day now." Thank God for parents who like to openly talk about sex.

"Michael, you know better."

But I am a teenage boy, I thought. "Fine Dad. I won't have sexual intercourse with her." Notice that I didn't say I wouldn't do anything else with her?

"Good. Good talk. Good night Michael."

"It's only the afternoon," I argued.

He looked out the window, "Oh who cares?"

I love making him feel all out of sorts.

I caught Mia looking at me as we walked onto the trolley to take to the hall. "I think we should probably talk," I whispered, standing behind her in the trolley. She smelled really nice. Like vanilla. I wonder if Genovia smells like that.

No. She said that they grew pears. She must smell like pears back home.

"Oh?" she asked, half turning.

"Yes."

"Then let's get off this and walk to the dance," she suggested.

I pulled the cord and told the others we would meet them there.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Lilly called out to us as the trolley pulled away. I laughed.

"It's only a few blocks," I promised.

"It's not a big deal," she mumbled, staring at the ground.

"Aren't you excited about the dance?"

"A little. The girls were more excited that I was showing some girlish enthusiasm."

I laughed again. Okay, I tend to laugh when I'm nervous. I bit my lip, "So…yesterday…"
"Yes?" she asked, looking bright eyed at me.

I realized that there were a lot of people around us and I pulled her to someone's stoop. "I was kind of surprised."

"Oh. That," she said, looking disappointed. She clearly thought I was talking about the princess thing. Which was a shock, but it was in the back of my mind. That was news that could be dealt with later. The fact that she hadn't seemed opposed to kissing me was much bigger news to my self absorbed teenage mind.

"I mean, at least I think I was happily surprised."

She looked at me questionably and I kissed her tentatively. "I kind of like you Thermopolis," I whispered. I don't know who was more shocked, her or me.

She held my hand, "I-I don't know what to say. No one has ever…" she laughed and wiped the little lipstick that had run off on me. "Thank you, Michael," she said softly.

"For?"

"I know you wanted to kiss me before you knew."

"Of course I did," I replied. "Why wouldn't I?" I knew there was something else but she wasn't ready to say it to me yet. Something she was holding back.

She smiled, "I dunno…because I'm me."

"And that's exactly why I wanted to kiss you," I said as our fingers entwined.

"Would it be too forward to ask for another?" she asked tentatively.

I smiled and leaned in to kiss her again, this time for a little longer. To hell with my father's warnings.

"We should go to the dance now," she said as we pulled apart. "They'll be looking for us."

I nodded in agreement, still on cloud nine. As a princess she's probably kissed a lot of guys, but I have only kissed one other girl, and that was because she was dared to.

We walked hand in hand to the dance. No one bothered to look at us considering there were glamorous couples there (Jill and Josh for example). Lilly and the others saw us and waved us over to them.

"What ever took you so long, Big Brother?"
"Not a soul," I warned. "Or I'll tell Dad about you and Jerry."

"You wouldn't dare," she said with squinted eyes.

"Don't say a word," I warned.

Mia was a fantastic dancer, and made me feel like a fool for looking so bad with her. "I'm terrible," I said laughing as we sat down at the table, alone.

"No you are not. You are a boy," she replied, watching the other dancing couples.

"That's explaining it?" I asked.

"Boys are known to be terrible. My partners in lessons were always stepping on my feet."

A surge of jealousy crawled up inside me. Other boys had touched her like I had been all night. Perhaps they had the same thoughts I had about her. "We should keep this quiet," I suggested motioning to the space between us.

"Why?" she asked nervously. "Are you embarrassed to be dating a tenth year?"

I smiled at her European slang, "No. If I could I'd yell it from the tallest mountain. My parents."

She nodded. "I understand."

"So we are dating now?" I teased.

She blushed, "Well…"
"We are," I assured her. "I would never have kissed you if I didn't want to be your boyfriend."

"Are we steady?" she asked.

That is an American term if I have ever heard one. "Yes. We are," I whispered, watching her eyes glow in excitement.

"I've never had a boyfriend before," she said with a smile.

And if I had anything to do with it, she would not have another. "Then it is an honor and a privilege."

She smiled again. "I'm getting a bit tired. Can we go home now?"

I went to my room when we returned to the apartment. Mia went to Lilly's. We snuck in another quick kiss before my parents came down the hall for bed. "Good night kids," Dad said looking at me suspiciously. "Go to your room," he said glaring at me.

I nodded and walked to the other end of the hall to my room. How was I supposed to sleep when my girlfriend is only up the hall?

I didn't. I stayed up and looked out my window. Felix was leaving soon and I was here swooning over a princess (literally). Why was I doing this to myself? I had a pact with Felix, Roger, Charlie and Kevin. We agreed, after war was declared a few years ago, that we would join up once we were eighteen.

Charlie left last January (he was the oldest out of us but stayed back a year in school). Roger left in the middle of the summer. Felix was leaving in a week and a half. Kevin was leaving in December.

We were only fifteen when we decided to do this. I had thought the war would be over by the time I was old enough to go over, so I agreed to do it without any worries.

I hadn't thought I would find a girlfriend then. Kevin was the only one with a real serious girl. He and Miranda had been dating since we were thirteen. We all knew they were going to get married to her, but now that we were in the middle of a war the only question left was to wonder about when they would get married. Before or after he got back?

"Hey," Lilly said, popping her head into my room. "Why is your light still on?"

"No reason. Go to bed."

"I can't."

"Why not?" I said, pretending to be re-arranging my books on top of my dresser.

"Mia is crying. I don't want to intrude."

I stopped what I was doing. Was she crying about me? I mean, had I pushed her too far? Maybe she didn't want me to be her boyfriend. Maybe she thought I wanted something else out of her…. "She's crying?" was all I could muster.

"She does every night. But I'm usually already pretending to be going to bed."

Okay. So it's not me. "Oh. You can sleep in my bed. I'll go sleep on the couch."

She nodded, "Well, clearly that would be happening. I am certainly not going onto the couch.

I set myself up on the couch. It's really lumpy, in case you were wondering. "M-Michael?" Mia's soft voice asked.

I turned and fell off the couch in the process. "Hey," I said with a laugh.

I could see she was smiling. "Hi. What are you doing out here?" she asked, kneeling next to me.

"Lilly thought you were asleep and didn't want to wake you. She's in my bed."

"Oh…okay. I was going to get some water."

"Okay. Hey, I didn't freak you out earlier, did I?"

She looked confused, "About?"

"You know…being steady…"

She smiled, "Of course not. That is one of the only bright spots of my life right now."

I took her hand, "Things are going to get better Mia. I promise."

"How do you know that?" she asked, staring at our hands.

"Because I do. Things can't possibly get worse, can they?"

"Good point. I just….I feel so helpless, ya know?"

"I suppose."

"I mean, I suppose I could do something….like…..can I tell you a secret? Promise not to tell anyone?"

I gave her a look. "Of course you can. Remember, I am your boyfriend afterall," I teased.

She smiled and giggled. She had changed a lot. "I know…I have to tell you something about me. You can't really fully understand me without knowing. And my family would kill me if I told anyone here..."

"I already know you are a princess. What else is bigger than that?"

"I have a twin brother."