A/N: YAY! You like it! That makes me sooo happy! I wanna hear even if you don't like it, though. I have some solid plot ideas, so this should move along fairly quickly. It might even be pretty short (like this chapter (SORRY!)), but I can tell you it will be good and/or unexpected. :Evil Grin:

Enjoy!

-Cali :)

When the doors slid open to allow Stanton and Kieran to step in, the two other couples clapped and cheered. "You want something to cheer about?" Stanton asked, and dipped Kieran back in a prolonged kiss while she felt a blush rising to her cheeks.

"All right!" Kieran distinctly heard from the back of the bus, and Cassandra waved, grinning, and then whistled when Stanton straightened, still holding Kieran. "Hey gorgeous," she teased, walking over and wrapping her arm around Kieran's waist. "How's it going?

Kieran opened her mouth to respond, and Tymmie interrupted. "What about her corseage? I want to see it," he said, grinning at Stanton, who smiled and walked over to an empty seat, on top of which was sitting a clear box with a gold-tone string wrapped around it.

Inside was a teal rose with black edges, and gold ribbon, along with baby's breath. "Wow," Kieran found herself saying, and let Stanton slip it over her wrist. "This is really beautiful," she added, then suddenly realized she'd almost forgotten his boutenier, and sighed. "Hang on a second. I've got to go get your flower," the girl said with a smile and tilted her head up for a kiss.

Stanton touched her chin gently and pressed his lips to hers. When he pulled away, she was smiling. He couldn't help but smile back at her as she turned around and walked out of the party bus and back into her house.

"She's cute," Karyl said from the corner seat, mildly amused.

Stanton's smile dropped. "Yeah. She is," he agreed, and heard Karyl's thought before he spoke. "Tonight. After the dance," he insisted. "I'll turn her then.

"Oh goodie. Something to look forward to," Cassandra said, rolling her eyes a little. "Come on, why not before? Let her experience a dance in a whole new light," she suggested, leaning into Stanton a little bit.

Stanton backed away and sat down. "No. After. We'll have a bit of a party afterwords and let her go willingly into the cold fire. She is Lecta," he reminded them. "She will go after we turn her."

"We?" Yvonne asked, hanging on Tymmie's arm, raising an eyebrow. "There is no 'we'. She is yours to turn. You promised," she reminded him.

"Stanton, it's been almost two years.Your pupils are getting suspicious," Cassandra warned. "Why are you taking so long, anyway? You've just been trying to gain her trust, right? You can't tell me you really love her," she said, resting her hands on her hips.

Stanton said nothing, watching the girl they were discussing stand behind Cassandra, in the doorway of the party bus.

"Um," Kieran said quietly, holding a teal rose boutenier in her slender fingers, and the pins for it in her other hand. "I'm back," she added with a shaky sort of smile.

Cassandra mouthed "shit," silently to Stanton, and turned around. "Kieran, I'm -"

"Sorry? Nah...don't worry about it. Forget it...I didn't even hear it," she said with a smile that Stanton recognized as completely false. "I got your flower," she told Stanton, and he smiled a little awkwardly, but he knew she was trying to keep things calm, so he went along with it. "Let me pin it on you..."

Five minutes and two needlepricks later, Stanton had a gorgeous teal rose surrounded by black baby's breath and a black ribbon pinned to his lapel.

"That took a little longer than it should've," Kieran said with a laugh, and Stanton chuckled.

"Yes, well, I don't believe you've ever pinned a boutenier on a guy before," he told her, and she shrugged. She hadn't. "Also, the bus is moving. Movement and attempts to stay balanced do make things more difficult.

Kieran smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder. "Yeah...

"Not tired, are you?" he asked, touching her cheek gently. When she shook her head, yawning a little, he smirked. "Well you'd better wake up...dinnertime," he added, having been watching through the windows while the bus pulled into the parking lot of a chinese restaurant

The driver opened the door and the group of six piled out, Stanton and Kieran last. "Thanks," Kieran called to the driver, who smiled a her while she took Stanton's hand. He pulled her aside once the other four had begun walking

"I want to talk to you," he told her gently, and she blinked"

"Okay...what about?" she asked, though his tone had told her that it wasn't anything that would upset her.

"I know you heard what Cassandra said," he told her, and tilted her chin up. Immediately, he saw pain and worry in her eyes, but she covered it quickly, the performer she was. "Don't hide from me, Kia," he whispered.

"I'm not hiding, I'm here," she said, confused, and he kissed her.

"You're hiding your emotions from me. You don't need to. I know she hurt you, and I know you're worried." When she opened her mouth to protest, he touched her lips gently with the tips of his long fingers. "Kia," he began, not quite sure what to say. He did feel for her, but he had to turn her..."No matter what Cassandra says, know that I care for you," he told her quietly.

Kieran bit her lip, looking into his brilliant - almost glowing - blue eyes. She had a question, but she wasn't sure if she should ask it, or if she really wanted to. Unfortunately, though, while she was considering what to do, her vocal chords moved without her consent. "Stanton, do you love me?" she asked timidly, and almost looked away. Well you already said it - you may as well just watch his reaction, she thought to herself.

Stanton faltered. He didn't know what to say. He wasn't supposed to love her. She was a human, and he was an immortal. It would never...Through his thoughts, he realized suddenly that he wanted it to work. He wanted to be able to love her. Soon she would be an immortal as well, and it would be permissable. He smiled slowly and touched her cheek gently, drawing a line to her chin. He stopped close enough for their lips to touch. "What do you feel when I kiss you, Kia?" he asked, his warm breath caressing her lips.

Kieran closed her eyes and wrapped her arms longingly around his neck, and sighed involuntarily when his arms circled her waist as they kissed. He pulled away carefully, and kept their lips touching. "What do you feel?" he asked again, and she smiled a little.

"You do love me," she told him. "I can feel it...I...never considered it before, but you're right." Visibly relaxing, Kieran hugged Stanton, and he felt himself relax in response.

"Ready to go in?" he asked, and when she nodded, he pressed his lips to hers gently. "All right, then. Let's go." Breaking apart completely, he draped his jacket over Kieran's shoulders despite the warm air, and she smiled when he held the door open for her.

A/N: Review! If you like it, tell me. If you hate it, tell me anyway. Yay prom!