When they were seated, Julia was still in shock due to that fact she was sitting in a restaurant she was sure she would never set foot in. The music was even played by a paid pianist, who played anything you requested. The inside was amazing to look at too, the floor was made out of marble Julia realized, and the walls had either beautiful famous paintings, or sculptures. Even the waiter was dressed extremely nice, with a nearly perfect uniform, no stains or anything.

"Hello, I'm your waiter," the man said passing both Nick and Julia their menus, "You may call me Edgar," he stood a moment, letting them both get a slight glimpse at there menus then added," Is there anything I could get for you right now?"

Nick put his menu down and smiled, "No, I think we need a little while to figure out what we want."

The waiter nodded and took a step back, "When your ready I'll take your order then," and then he hurried off.

Julia picked up her menu and opened it up; completely uncertain of what she wanted to choose for her meal. Her eyes widened as she tried to read the different choices, suddenly realizing that she couldn't read it at all. "What's wrong with this menu?" she asked immediately, flipping it over and over, hoping to find an English side.

Nick looked up from his menu looking just as, if not more, confused. "My dad failed to mention the menu would be in French!" he scanned the middle of the page, looking, just like Julia, for any English word he could find.

"French?" she repeated, "How are we supposed to order if it's in French?"

"Umm," Nick looked just as lost as she was, "Hold on." He quickly stood from their table and left in a hurry, leaving Julia with the French menu all alone. He returned back rather swiftly, leading another waiter to the table. "Sorry to bother you, but, neither one of us can read French, and we don't know how to order."

The waiter, an older woman, took a step forward and took up one of the menus. "Well, what is it you want?" Nick didn't quite understand how he was to answer if he didn't even know what was even on the menu.

"Well, what is there?" he countered.

The woman looked like she had something better to do, though nonetheless took up the question. She went over each different meal until it came to barbeque chicken sandwich that caught Julia's attention easily. So far it was the only, normal sounding food so far, and she wasn't about to pass it up.

"I'll take that!" she blurted out, getting all excited knowing she wasn't going to be eating anything foreign. Nick smiled at her sudden outburst and leaned his elbows on the table and nodded.

"Me too," he stated.

"Glad you finally made your decision," the woman said haughtily. Taking their menus with her, "I'll just go inform your waiter---it's Edgar, right?"

"Yeah," Nick replied, and the woman was gone. Nick watched the lady storm off until she was gone and then turned his attention back on Julia, who was nervously picking at her napkin she had laid across her lap. "So," Nick started, pushing his weight from his elbows, "Do you like this so far?"

Julia dropped her napkin and nodded, smiling the smile she had practiced many times in front of her mirror. The smile she had seen her mother wear in her only picture of her. "I love it!" she answered, looking around the restaurant in awe again. "It's just amazing, it really is."

Nick smiled, feeling a satisfaction he feared he wouldn't get from her. Ever. Yet, he did. She was enjoying the night so far, and that was all he needed to know. "I know," he answered, staring around the place too. "I used to come here once a year. With my grandparents."

Julia glanced at him, "Used to?"

"They died last year," he replied in a light whisper. "I swear they understood me better then my parents. I could talk to them about anything." Julia caught the distance in his eyes and knew he wasn't exactly there, and was lost in some memory; mimicking her father almost. "You know what though?" he looked up at her and smiled, "They loved each other, a love that most people never know. They died nearly at the same too, I would swear on everything it was because neither them could handle life without one another if they didn't die together."

Julia remained quiet after he finished, gripping her napkin tightly. She never believed in love, never thought it was real. Yet, here was Nick, her date, telling her the story of his grandparents undying love for each other. And, somehow hearing this from someone other then her father, or from Cassie, it sounded like it just might have been true; like it was more then a Hollywood fairy tale.

"I'm sorry," she finally whispered, not knowing what else to say.

Nick nodded, "Me too." Silence filled a space between them for an eternity it seemed, before the waitress interrupted it with there dinner.

"Two barbeque chicken sandwiches," the waitress stated as she slid both plates in front of the couple. "Can I get you drinks?"

Nick leaned forward and grinned, a mischievous look in his eyes, preparing for something, and somehow Julia knew it. "Uh, actually I would like chocolate milk," he paused, glanced at Julia then finished, "And if you don't mind, can you put a little bit of whip cream on top?"

The waitress almost looked disgusted by the request, but kept to herself and nodded silently. "And you miss?"

Julia took a moment and thought about it, suddenly realizing how good chocolate milk sounded then. She looked up at the waitress seeing the woman obviously wanted both a response and a normal response at that. As she thought about it, she caught Nick's gaze, seeing his smile and suddenly didn't need to think anymore. "I'll take the same," she replied, thinking about how chocolate milk would go with a barbeque chicken sandwich.

"Whip cream as well?"

"Umm..."

"Its nothing without the whip cream," Nick leaned in and whispered, just close enough to where Julia could feel his breath running gently over her face and lightly down her neck.

"Yes, whip cream," she finally answered, trying to sound professional. Obviously knowing that you can't be professional and order chocolate milk. The woman nodded and walked off. When she was out of sight, both Nick and Julia burst out laughing together, almost on queue. "So what's with the chocolate milk?" Julia finally asked him when she regained herself from her sudden giggle attack.

"It's a tradition for me," Nick replied, "My grandparents used to order me a chocolate milk when I was younger, and I guess I never got tired of it."

"Well, I guess no one can blame you."

"Nope," Nick answered, watching the waitress come back with their drinks.

"Where are you taking me?" Julia giggled out, as Nick drove through the night on a highway road.

"You'll see," he replied, "It's a surprise." Julia gave a noise of defiance, not realizing yet how comfortable she was suddenly around him. Nick smiled at her as she crossed her arms and tried her very best to look annoyed; which wasn't as convincing as she hoped it would be. He also couldn't help but notice how beautiful she looked, even in the darkened car.

In fact, just keeping his eyes on the road and off of her seemed like a challenge, and it was. She was lovely, and comparing her to the road he had to focus on, he wished it could have been her. Nick couldn't help but already know he loved everything about her, all the way from her unique confidence, to her outspoken self. She had this light about her that captured his heart from that first Monday when they met, and that light hadn't gone away. Nick was even sure it might have been expanding.

Julia sighed in the passenger seat, and started giggling again, this time for no real reason. She was sure they extra sugar from the chocolate was getting to her and making her far more hyper then she really wanted. "Want to play a game?" she asked, her voice light and beautiful when it reached Nick's ears.

"Sure," he answered.

"Ok, this game is called Truth, alright?"

"Alright?" he questioned, letting her explain.

"Well, basically we ask each other questions, any question we want. And if the person answers then it's the next persons turn but if the person doesn't answer then they have to come up with a really good question that the first person can't answer. If the first person answers they win, if not, the other wins. What do you think?"

Nick slightly confused, nodded, "You first."

Julia bit her lip, she desperately wanted to ask him about being her father's patient, but thought the timing was too off. "What are your interests?" she finally asked, shifting in her passenger seat. Nick thought a few minutes, watching the road as he considered.

"I've always enjoyed reading," he said, pondering some more. "I like writing poetry. That's really it."

"No sports?"

Nick grew immensely quiet, making Julia feeling guilty from the question, how was she supposed to know this would happen? All she heard from the car ride was the sound of the tires rolling over the road and the sound of the rumbling engine against the deafening silence. "No," he finally answered, rolling his car into a side dirt road.

Suddenly the ride grew unsteady and soon the car was bouncing down the road, causing Nick's full attention, allowing more and more silence to slip into his car. Julia tried not to think about the question and just couldn't figure out if she offended him for not. To her it was just a casual question, but to him it seemed painful to even hear the words out loud.

"Here we are," he whispered pulling up to a riverbank. Julia climbed out of the car, walking toward the blackened water, feeling a cool breeze sweep over her. She shivered and crossed her arms, watching Nick join her side.

"It's—It's lovely," Julia stuttered, holding her arms more desperately around her for warmth. Nick noticed how cold she was and left her to grab a long sleeve shirt he left in his trunk. When he reached her again, he gently helped her put it on, and lightly wrapped his hand around her shoulders. "Thanks," she whispered, looking up at him, seeing him so very close.

"It's no problem," he answered, smiling gently at her, "Come on, you haven't lovely yet." He started to lead her away, and slid his hand around hers; savoring the softness of them, noticing how small and delicate they seemed to be against his rough, callused hands.

Julia smiled and let her be led away, feeling the warmth of his hand wrapped around her own and smelling his scent from his shirt she wore to keep her warmer. She almost felt dizzy feeling him so close and feeling this overwhelming joy by just being at his side, by just being in his presence.

"This," he suddenly broke the silence and pulled back dangling leaves from a willow tree, "Is lovely." When Julia stepped through, she was sure she was in some Hollywood film. Everything that surrounded seemed too perfect to just be there by nature, but was. It was the most beautiful sight Julia had ever seen.

"Oh, my god...." She breathed, stepping through. A small lake surrounded, with a bloom full of different colored wildflowers that seemed to fill all of the plants that sat on the edge of the bank. Fireflies flickered around too, while Julia secretly imagined them being fairies enchanting the world around her and Nick, only around her and Nick.

Against the lake as well, was the moonlight as it cast its silver orb in the water as its shadow, dancing upon the ripples of the water. Beauty didn't even describe it, nor did lovely. There just were no words that could describe it, which made the place just a bit more special. "Come here," he whispered, "This way." He took her hand in his once more and led her to the other side of the willow and she caught side of an old rowboat sitting against the bank.

Nick walked her over and helped her in, pushing the boat out into the water just enough to so he could paddle out. "This is my favorite place," he whispered quietly.

Julia nodded, completely understanding why. It could have captured anyone's heart if they stepped through. This was definitely as magical place people look for all the time, but usually never find it. "I'm glad you're having such a great time," he said lightly, catching her gaze. "Do you even know how beautiful you are?" In that instant, Nick longed to lean over and kiss her, seeing her sitting so elegantly under the moonlight, with so many flowers that could never match her beauty and fireflies flickering, giving a heavenly glow behind her.

Julia was speechless, not knowing what to say. That was the sweetest compliment anyone had ever given her. And what made it even more perfect was that fact she could tell he meant it. When he said she was beautiful, he wasn't just saying it; his eyes told her all. It was more then just looking at him, she was looking deep into his soul. Just reading his eyes and thoughts.

"Julia--," Nick began, starting to lean toward her.

Suddenly the shift of weight changed the balance in the boat, and the next thing the two knew, they were falling into freezing cold water. Nick came up feeling embarrassed and stupid for trying to kiss her, especially when he knew more then anybody how the weight on a rowboat is so important. However, Julia came up laughing hysterically, feeling the coolness of the water running into her skin.

"I'm—I'm sorry," Nick muttered, swimming toward her and the boat. "Here let me help you in." When he reached her, he steadied himself and gently wrapped his hands around her waist to give her a quick boost. Julia was almost in the boat when her hands slipped against the wood and she fell back in. Nick caught her, but also went down for a second while he tried to hold her up.

She once again started laughing and, for reasons she would never know, she willingly wrapped her arms around his neck, and buried her face into his chest, laughing. Nick was surprised seeing this, and loved the feeling of her head against his chest and her hands around his neck.

When she eventually regained herself and pulled back, her face still lit up in silent humor, Nick couldn't believe how close she was. And she couldn't really believe it either. Her hair stringed together in the moonlight the water drops still clinging looked like it could have been crystal. Her eyes were a light gray, and they looked silver in the moonlight.

Nick eventually couldn't hold back the sudden emotion that struck him then, as he adored beauty. Within the next instant he had her lips captured in his own, tasting the sweetness of them that lingered there even after he pulled back. He feared when he looked in her eyes, he would see the same fear he did that Monday night, when she pulled away and left so quickly. However, when his eyes caught with hers, there was a familiar sight in them, she was feeling the same way he was, and he knew it.

Slowly he cupped her chin and brought her lips to his one last time, drinking in the taste, before he gently began to walk her back to the bank, knowing neither of them were ready for more. And also knew that her father would be wanting her home soon.

A/N what do you think?? sorry if this chapter was too long... anyways... I don't think I did as good on this chapter as I could have done.. but plz tell me what you think... thanx!