(Four)

I couldn't believe that they were all dead. It was hard to think about, and Isadora was still devastated to the point of breaking down. It was horrible, and I didn't know exactly what to do. But I did remember Isadora's favorite New York luxury-

Starbucks.

"Hey Isadora, you look like you need a latte. Whaddya say?" I said, as we were walking back to the apartment that I had newly inherited. "I could go for one too."

"Thanks, Klaus. You're so good to me," she said, giving me a small kiss on the cheek. It was a bit like I had done earlier, and I felt like she did like me back. It made me smile, beam really, even in a time like this. She smiled a little too, and I felt like I was bridging a huge gap without uttering a word. She was beauty in its own, her hair streaming behind her like a midnight shadow, and her lovely dark eyes gazing at the moon, as if it were a foreign object, purely fascinating in its simplicity. I wondered how she got so gorgeous, as I had never seen her parents. I wondered what they had looked like.

We entered the Starbucks with no words, just a polite smile from Isadora as I opened the door for her.

As soon as we had gotten the coffee, we sat down at a small table in the back of the shop. We just sat there for a minute, until Isadora broke the silence suddenly.

"Klaus... I don't think he told you for fear you would let it slip... but Duncan..."

"Duncan... what?" I said, a bit puzzled.

"Well... look..." she said, pulling a box from her pocket. In the box was a lovely ring, set with Violet's favorite stone- amethyst.

"No!" I said, looking in awe at the ring.

"Yes! He was going to propose!" she said, with a sad grin. "I wanted so badly to see my brother finally ask the love of his life to marry him. But it never happened. Klaus, it was meant for your sister, so you keep it. When you feel like that day comes for you, maybe you can use it," she said, placing it in my palm and closing my fingers over it.

"That day?" I asked.

"Well, when you find the girl of your dreams, I mean," Isadora said, looking at me solemnly.

"I'm not positive that any girls will actually fall for me..." I said truthfully, looking at her with a look I guess she took as a bit desperate.

"Look, you know how I'm gonna find my guy?" she said, taking one of my hands from across the table. "On the first date, if he leans in to kiss me, and I don't know if I like him enough, I won't take it. And if I do... well, I'll go along with it. That's it. Simple."

"Well... how do you know if they really like you? I mean, really really like you?" I said, still not sure.

"Well, it'll be in their kiss," she said. "You can always tell by their kiss."

"Always? Like how?"

"If you won't get it then, it's like this," Isadora said, leaning across the table and kissing me suddenly, right on the lips, and not letting go for about two minutes or so.

"Well," I breathed after a while, trying to regain my vocabulary. "That was long. Like, two hours."

"It was two minutes," she said, giggling. "Klaus, you like me!"

"Well, you really needn't announce it to the world," I said, blushing crimson.

"Why not? I just want to shout it!" she said.

"Well, can it wait for us to get back to the apartment? Please?" I said.

"Fine."

"KLAUS BAUDELAIRE LOVES ME!" Isadora yelled at the top of her lungs back in the penthouse. "KLAUS BAUDELAIRE LOVES ME!" She was dancing in circles around the room, and she had burst when we had stepped through the door.

"Yes, Isadora, the whole world about knows now," I said, buried in a stack of books to get my embarassment off my mind. I was blushing under them, however, and I wanted to run around like a maniac too. It was raining outside now, and we had had to run to avoid it.

"But I love saying it! Oh look, it's raining... go outside with me! Please?" she said, asking over my book.

"Alright," I said, putting down Sure-Fire Signs He Likes You (it was Isadora's book, but I had been reading it to see where I had gone wrong). She grabbed my hand and pulled me down into the midnight rain.

Soon as we were outside, Isadora started dancing in circles again. She had the biggest smile I had ever seen on, and she looked truly thrilled. I wondered why she was so happy, because after all, our friends and siblings had just died. She was soaking, it was midnight, and it was the middle of October, but she didn't seem to care.

"Klaus! Come on!" she yelled to me.

"Isadora! Isn't it cold?" I said, reaching out to feel it.

"Not to me. And plus, who doesn't like midnight October rain? Come on out! The moon's lovely."

"And the rain?"

"Delicious!" she said, sticking her tongue out. I always liked that sense of humour, ever since we had solved the V.F.D. mystery. I decided that it couldn't be that bad, and stepped out into the storm.

I started dancing her idiot dance too, and before you knew it we were having the time of our lives, making up silly slow dances and strange moves. And she was right- it wasn't the least bit cold when you forgot all of your worries.

While we were dancing one of our funny slow dances that I had made up (all by myself!), she started to manage talking behind all her laughter.

"Oh, Klaus... this has been the most wonderful evening of my life! You're the greatest," she said. I looked at my watch and it read four thirty.

"Hey... which do you like better, sunrise or sunset?" I said.

"Well... sunrise. I love the sense it gives, I guess, " she said.

"Well, the sun's about to rise... do you... uh... do you wanna watch it with me?" I asked, bowing my head a little.

"Like a... date?" she asked, lifting my head up by my chin. I nodded, swallowing, thinking she might not like that.

"Yes! I'd love to go on a date with you." She slipped her hand into mine, and we walked down the street to where I had parked my car, and we got in and drove out to Manhattan Island, where we found the perfect spot, right near the Statue of Liberty. We could watch the sunrise from behind her, and it would look quite stunning.

We got out and sat on the hood of my car. Isadora leaned her head on my shoulder and put her arms around my neck.

This was progress.

"It's lovely, Klaus. How did you know to come here?"

"I don't know... just seemed nice."

"Well, it certainly is."

I remembered what Isadora had said about that first kiss, whether or not it was the first date, so I decided to try it. I leaned in, and to my surprise-

She took it. She kissed me.

And on the inside, my heart was pounding and I was shouting myself hoarse. I couldn't believe it. Isadora Quagmire had fallen in love with me.

And this, I thought, is the beginning of a bright new day.