Thank you all for all the reviews!

Diaz F: I'm not entirely sure that Elizabeth is Jean's middle name, but it's what I've seen and read.

Telepathic Angel: I am going to continue with "Passion From Ashes" I just don't know where to go from where I left off, I need a little inspiration.

Mark C: THANK YOU!

amazing redd phoenix: I think Warren is hot, too, but Scotty is HOTTER!

And thank you to Summers Groupie, Wen1, and Sportsaholic2009!


Chapter 1: New Beginnings

Late December

"So, is everyone ready for Christmas break?" Mr. Gable asked as he walked into the classroom. His class cheered. "Is everyone ready for Christmas break homework?" His class groaned.

"You've got to be kidding?" Scott exclaimed.

"I most certainly am not, Mr. Summers. This is an AP course, holiday homework happens to be one of the requisites."

Scott slapped his desk causing his books to shake. "This sucks." He cursed under his breath. Scott then felt something poke him in his back.

"Hey," Jean whispered. "Think of it this way, I'm not going anywhere for break, and that means you and I can have some of the time together to do the work we get dished."

Scott turned around. "What do you mean you're not going anywhere?"

"Well, my parents are getting together with Warren's family for Christmas. They live in the city so I won't have very far to go at all."

"Ah, yeah for you?" Scott asked in a slightly sarcastic tone.

"I know… Did I tell you?" Jean sounded a little excited.

"No,"

"My parents are already talking marriage. I'm eighteen for Christ's sake!" Jean hissed. "And I don't even like Warren, I'm only with him because it gets my parents off my back about finding "someone suitable"." Jean deadpanned her last two words.

"Go out with me." Scott flashed his infamous smile.

"Are you flirting with me, Mr. Summers?"

Scott began to turn back around when he heard Mr. Gable call the class to order. "No, would never dream of it."

"Good, because for a second there I thought you were serious." Jean sat back in her seat her gaze fixed on Scott for the remainder of the period, while Scott sat facing straight in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. Maybe he hadn't been serious, maybe he had been…?


"Did I ever say how much I despise homework?" Scott exclaimed throwing his pencil down on the table and pounding a fist on his calculus book.

"Yes, several times, and calm down we're almost done with this page, and then there's only…" Jean flipped through her calculusbook quickly. "Three more after this one. If we get this done now we won't have to worry about it later in the break and we can relax. I only have to leave on Christmas Eve for the goddamn dinner party at Warren's. After that you and I can have some time to talk and catch up."

"Are you always this authoritative?"

"When it comes to school work, yes. Sit back down now before I force you." Jean pointed to Scott's chair with her pencil and it slid across the floor scooping him up and sliding back to the table. Scott gave Jean a "what the hell was that for" look. "Stop it!" Jean hissed when Scott began tapping his pencil on the table. "Why are you so antsy?"

"Do you have to go into the city tomorrow?" Scottwhined sounding more like an impatient child.

"Yes, I do. Believe me when I say I don't want to. But you know, Scott, Warren is a gentleman. He's benign, amorous, clever, very witty, soft… And he has an impressive libido."

Scott stopped right there. "Wait, you mean you've slept with him?"

"Yeah, several times. Neither of our parents know, God forbid mine find out. They'd probably kill me."

"What?"

"Yeah." Jean had been leaning forward in her chair but now she sat back folding her arms over her chest. "My parents are still under the impression that I'm a virgin, they're assuming I won't be sleeping with Warren until we marry. If we marry."

"It's obvious you don't want to."

"Gee, you think?" Jean deadpanned. "Come one, let's back to work." Jean picked up her pencil.

"No, no. I want to hear more about Mr. Wonderful."

"Mr. Marvelous? Well, Warren… Where do you want me to start?"

"How did you two meet?"

"I told you already. We met at a party that his parents hosted and my family was invited. He was standing across the room talking to someone and I saw him. I didn't know who he was at the time but I saw him and I thought, oh my God who is that? So I walked over and introduced myself then I found out who he was. He knew who I was so that part was easy. We started talking and found out that we had a lot in common. That's when our parents saw us talking and got the bright idea that we should marry. And from there on we were a couple, and we have been for the past year and a half."

"You've been together for the last year and a half?" Scott could only imagine a relationship in today's world lasting that long among young adults.

"Impressive I know, especially under our circumstances. Scott we're really stalling here with our work. I want to get it done so it isn't hanging over our heads."

"You're distracting yourself from something, tell me." Scott softened his voice and reached out taking Jean's hand.

Jean simply sighed heavily staring off into Scott's glasses trying to find an easier wayto explain this to him, trying to see if she could avoid it in any way. "There is a very good chance that Warren is going to propose tomorrow night." Jean whispered.

"What?"

"I heard him talking to his Dad about it on his cell phone the other day. He kept mentioning something about a "damn ring". I could be wrong of course, I pray that I am."

"Would you say yes, though?" Scott stared back at Jean as she searched for an answer deep inside herself.

"I don't know…?" Jean's voice drifted off.

"Do you love him?"

Jean didn't answer Scott; his voice was merely a buzz in the background compared to the thoughts that were jumping around in her mind that moment. "Jean," Scott reached out and took a firmer grip on her hand. Jean's eyes shot up toward him, as her thoughts were broken. They had just stopped when Scott said her name; the thousands of voices in her mind had come to an abrupt stop. "You ok?"

"Yeah, fine." Jean stated smiling brightly. "Please, can we get back to work?"

"Yeah, sure." Scott let Jean's hand go then picked up his pencil and opened his book. What wasn't Jean telling him?


The following evening around seven Jean was standing in front of her long mirror smoothing out her red dress. The soft, silky material caressed her body in all the right places along all the right curves with thin straps that could fall off her shoulders and the dress would still look ladylike. Jean had always loved this dress; it always made her feel beautiful. She was even intending on wearing it to her senior prom in June.

"You look beautiful." A voice said from her doorway.

Jean turned to see Scott. "Hey, thanks. Is Warren here yet?" Jean asked as she collected her long coat and small purse.

"Yeah, he's downstairs waiting for you. He's gonna love this."

"I hope so." Jean shut her door behind her. "I spent enough money on it for him." Scott walked Jean downstairs where Warren waited at the bottom of the staircase.

"Oh my God…" Warren whispered to himself as Jean walked down the grand staircase. Jean stopped when she reached him and took his hands. "What do you think?" She asked.

"I think you look… There are no words, Jean. You're…"

Off to the side of the foyer Logan stood watching the "Archangel", as Warren often called himself, try and seduce the young redhead. It made him sick to think that Jean was throwing herself all over this guy, and he was only in the relationship for the sex. Logan watched as Warren wrapped an arm around Jean's shoulders then began to lead her out to his car. Logan walked over to Scott, who with one look he could tell that the young man was thinking the same thing. "I am counting down the days until they break up." Scott could nod in agreement.

When Jean and Warren arrived at the adult-type restaurant Jean's and Warren's families were waiting for them at the table. Warren sat next to Jean's father, Jean in between Warren and her brother-in-law Paul Bailey who was married to her sister Sara. Sara sat next to Warren's father, who sat next to his wife. Next to her was Jean's mother, diagonal from Jean.

"Well, took you two tooklong enough to get here." Warren's father commented as his son pulled Jean's chair out for her then pushed it back in as Jean sat down.

"Sorry, bad traffic."

"So, Jean, what are your plans for Christmas?" Warren's mother asked.

"Well, I was going to be at the mansion for the holiday and try to get some of my work done."

"Work for what, Jean?" her mother asked from across the table.

"For my AP courses, Mom, all of them."

"That'll keep you busy." John, her father, said giving her a knowing look.

"Don't remind me." Jean half hissed. "Warren," Jean reached over for his hand but hers landed on his knee. "Warren, hey, how long do we have to stay here for? You know how uncomfortable my parents make me feel."

"You're not alone." Warren whispered back.

"That's reassuring."

When the meal had reached its halfway point Jean seriously considered just getting up and leaving but Warren was the one to keep her grounded through the whole affair. He held her hand under the table, squeezed it every time he felt her get nervous. He knew what she was thinking, she was thinking the same thing he was.

"It's almost over, Jean, I promise. I know my parents and they honestly don't like to let things drag on. It's almost over... Jean," Warren reached over and took Jean's left hand from where it rested on her knee. His voice was low, almost a whisper, but it sounded very, very serious. His other hand was digging in his pocket for something.

"Yes," Jean answered just as quietly turning to face Warren.

"I have something for you." Warren pulled a small black ring box from his pocket. Jean kept her gasp to herself. She had known he would do this, this evening, and she was about to say it was far too soon, but then she remembered they had been together for a little more than a year and a half. Didn't matter either way, Jean was still eighteen. Warren flipped back the lid on the box and inside lay a white gold ring with a diamond in the shape of a tear drop. "Jean, will you marry me?" Warren asked quietly, trying to avoid his father's stare. "Just say yes." Warren whispered as he slipped the ring onto Jean's finger. He leaned in close so his mouth was beside her ear. "My Dad bought this last week and made it a life or death situation that I ask you tonight. I just want to get him off my back."

"Yes, I will." Jean answered quietly. Warren pulled back like he had grabbed a live wire. Her voice sounded sincere.

"You're serious?"

"You started this little game, War."

Warren flashed a toothy,pearly white grin. Jean melted with his smile. "Well then I'll be the gentleman and allow the lady to reciprocate and finish it." Jean returned with a flirty smile and waggled her eyebrows.


A/N: There's chapter 1, REVIEW PLEASE!