A/N: I know, I know. I'm supposed to be working on my Grace/Luke fic and I am. I'm researching it. Same with a story I'd been thinking of doing about Kevin and Rebecca because there just don't seem to be many, if any, about Kevin and his love life. Then there are the other stories that I have in various stages. I think I'm going to end up juggling four or five stories at some point. Anyway, this chapter is finished so I'm posting it.

Though this is rated for future chapters, I'm writing this without an outline and we've already seen that my idea of racy is a little underrated. We'll see. Anyway, here's yet another Joan/Adam fic from yours truly. They won't leave me alone even though I kind of want to move on to the others. Sorry. I'm babbling. I'll shut up now. Enjoy. Please. Alexandri

The cool April breeze ruffled Joan Girardi's long, chestnut hair. She shoved it out of her eyes and stared up at the darkening sky. Stars twinkled down at her, making her wish she could join them in their merry nocturnal dance—carefree in the present, without a worry about the future. Her thoughts were consumed with the future, specifically the moment five months from now when she and her boyfriend, Adam Rove, would go away to different schools. He hadn't told her which school he'd chosen, but she figured it was between NYU and Rhode Island School of Design. After all, New York was the center of the American art world and even she had heard of Rhode Island School of Design.

More stars appeared as Joan forced her thoughts into the present. As of three o'clock that afternoon, they were on Spring Break. She and her best friend Grace Polk planned to take a day trip to the University of Maryland campus to check it out. That should be fun, but Adam wasn't going. The melancholia that had drawn Joan to the park playground in the first place tugged at her again. "Stop it," she told herself, disgusted with her own self-pity.

"Stop what?"

Joan twisted in her swing seat to see Adam coming up behind her. For a moment, she merely watched him stroll toward her. She knew he wasn't aware of it but, even huddled in his hoodie to ward off the early spring chill, Adam walked with a sort of casual, almost sensual grace that belied the naïve boyishness of his face. He came to stop directly behind her and, grabbing the chains of her swing, leaned down to kiss her. Stretching into his kiss, Joan stroked her hand down his smooth, flushed cheek. "What are you doing here?" she asked as he lifted his head.

"Looking for you." Adam sat in the swing next to hers. "You didn't answer my question."

She stared at him, drawing a blank. The sight of him had driven everything else out of her mind including his question. "I'm sorry. I don't remember what you asked."

"You said 'stop it' and I said 'stop what.'" Adam peered into Joan's face. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," she said, dismissing her pensive mood. "I'm just tired, I think. Good thing we don't have school next week, huh?" She forced herself to smile.

He just gave a pointed look. Her act hadn't fooled him in the least, but he wouldn't push even though she still hadn't answered his question. It was one of the things she loved most about him—his sensitivity with her needs. Now, as he took her hand in his, she wondered how she was going to get through four years of college without him. Grace was a great friend, her best girl friend, but she kept Joan grounded in reality. Adam helped her stay emotionally even. He calmed and soothed her when no one else could. Joan didn't know how she would have gotten through the last two years of high school if it weren't for her best friends.

"Jane?" Adam's worried voice broke through her reverie.

As always, a little ripple of pleasure rolled through her stomach at his use of his personal nickname for her. "Yeah?"

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

If she told him what she was thinking, she might influence his decision about college. She was determined not to do that. Adam owed it to himself to choose the best school to guide him toward a professional fine arts career. This was a turning point for him and, no matter how hard it was, she was not going to be selfish. She nodded and summoned another smile. "Why were you looking for me?"

"I missed you," he said, swinging slightly.

"We were just together three hours ago," she replied.

He shrugged. "So?"

A pleased grin lit up Joan's face. Adam returned it. "That's better."

Rolling her eyes, Joan took his hand and squeezed it. "So why were you looking for me, really?"

"I need to tell you something."

Her smile slipped a little at his serious tone. "I'm listening."

"I've decided which school I'm going to," he announced, his eyes on their joined hands. "I'm going to New York University." Adam looked up into Joan's eyes. "You told me not to include you in my decision and I didn't."

Even though she'd been prepared for the news, Joan still felt like she'd been blindsided. She looked down at the free hand in her lap and willed her breath back and forth past the sudden tightness in her chest. Tears stung the back of her eyes, fighting to make their existence known, but she managed to contain them. When she was sure she could speak without breaking down, she whispered, "It's a great school."

"Yeah," Adam agreed quietly.

"When does school start?" She wanted to know how much time they had left before she'd have to say good-bye, even if it was months away.

"Orientation starts August twenty-second."

Her emotions careening crazily inside her, Joan dropped her eyes to their joined hands. A part of her knew that he'd made a good choice, a wise choice. This was his future and she wanted the best for him. NYU was a wonderful school. Adam would hone his raw talent for sculpture into a formidable blend of skill and sensitive expression. But another part of her was terrified. How was she going to get along with him? He had become such an important part of her life in past two years she couldn't imagine her life without him in it.

"Jane?"

"Hmm?"

"Say something."

"Like what?" she asked, her gaze still glued to her lap.

They were swinging together now, which was a strange feat since they were facing in opposite directions. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand in comforting circles. "Tell me what you're thinking. Tell me how you feel about this."

She was thinking that she'd give anything if he'd only go to school with her and Grace. She felt desperation and fear at the idea of not seeing him every day, of not being able to share her life with him the way she had for the last two years. She thought and felt so many things that she couldn't organize them all. But mostly she felt sad. And she couldn't tell him. She couldn't put this burden on him. Tentatively, hoping that her eyes didn't betray the depth and variety of her feelings, Joan raised her eyes to his and gave him a wobbly smile. "I'm going to miss you."

"I won't be far, Jane."

"I know, but you won't be around every day." She saw her sadness mirrored in his eyes and looked away. "How are we . . . are we . . . what about us?"

"We'll make it work," he answered, his voice full of conviction she knew he didn't feel.

"How?"

Adam shrugged. "I don't know." He turned his eyes to their clasped hands. "I don't know, but we'll figure something out. We have to."

Joan nodded. They would because they had to. She heard adults say things like that all the time. They do things and make things happen because there isn't another choice. So would they. "At least we'll still have the summer together."

"And tonight," he whispered. "We still have tonight."

"Yeah. Who needs tomorrow?" She laughed even as a little voice inside her said I do.

They leaned toward each other then, gently tugging the other close. His lips brushed over hers before settling. It was a warm kiss, dark with hope and need and the fear that fate, which hadn't necessarily befriended either of them, would be cruel and they would not figure something out. When the kiss finally ended, they let the sounds of the night envelope them as they swung. Eventually, Joan broke the silence. "Hey, Adam?"

"Yeah?"

"Grace and I were planning a day trip to the UMD on Monday. You know, scope out the campus and such. You want to come?"

Getting up, Adam stood behind her and pushed her swing. After he'd pushed her for a little while, he said, "I'd like that."