Disclaimer - If you recoginize it, then I don't own it. It's that simple.

Special Dedication - This one-shot is dedicated to one of my favorite authors on the site and a dear friend. It is FlamesOfFury's birthday. So everyone please review & wish him a Happy Birthday in your review. Happy Birthday, Flames! I wish you only the best for your special day!

Watercolors in the Rain
by
Astera Snape

"How could I be so stupid?" he wondered, dismally as he sat on the park bench in the pouring rain, "she was the best thing that ever happened to me and I let her go? How could I do that? Why did I do it? It doesn't make any sense. She was the best thing that has ever happened to me."

The bad weather reflected the ginger-haired teen's mood. His heart was heavy and sad for he had lost the one thing he had loved over a silly argument. He didn't seem to notice the weather as he sat on the bench. The rain had all ready soaked him to the bone and was dripping from his hair. Everyone who past looked at the youth in shock and wondered what would make such a handsome boy sit in the rain like he was.

The thunder rumbled loudly as a flash of lightning illuminated the sky. He didn't even flinch from the noise or the fact that it struck close by. He sighed sadly as his eyes focused on his lap but more importantly his hands. The hand that had struck the one person he had cared deeply for in anger. He could never forgive himself for what he had done.

The storm was getting more intense and violent as he thought about the forces of nature at play around him and how they reflected his current mood. The thunder reflected his moment of anger and rage. The torrential rain was a reflection of the pain in his heart as each drop stung like a needle that pierced his skin. The lightning was the most violent of the three but offered the most encouragement. Each strike to him reflected his hope - hope that she would forgive him and that they would get back together.

His eyes turned skyward as the lightning flashed again and was followed by a loud rumble of thunder. It was so beautiful yet violent like he was. "Why did I think that anyone could ever love me?" he thought with another sad sigh, "I am just a monster. No one will ever love me in that way." His cell phone rang at that moment as he grabbed it eagerly and answered it without even looking at the number.

"Julia," he greeted but the smile faded when he heard another's voice, "oh hey, Garland. Yeah, I remember that we had a practice session planned for today. No, I did not forget. Listen, I'll be there shortly. See you soon."

It was a very short conversation between the two members of a pro blading team. His captain and best friend, Garland always worried about his team especially since there was a tournament coming up and he wanted them to dominate it. It was almost a guarantee since the Blitzkrieg Boyz had officially retired from the sport after the whole BEGA deal a year before. Garland wanted to show the world that they had changed and to do that, they needed to win. It was the only way to prove their talent and skill.

He couldn't believe that it had been a year since his match with Tyson that had ended in a tie. The BBA was back in power and now he had friends. Real friends that cared about him and his welfare. Boris Balkov had been banished from the sport for good. Everything was back to normal and everyone could enjoy the sport that they loved without Balkov's interference.

A slight smile escaped his lips as he thought back to that day in particular. Tyson had thrown a party to celebrate the BBA's return and that is where he had met her. To him, she was Aphrodite reborn, undoubtedly the most beautiful girl in the world, Julia Fernandez, half of the team, F-Dynasty. He remembered seeing her and thinking that when he laid eyes upon her but he had been too shy to approach. Tyson had taken care of it for him as he introduced them to one another.

He had never met a more interesting girl in his life as he took in her beautiful dual-colored hair and gorgeous green eyes. She was definitely a beauty with her slim figure and the perfect attitude to match. She was tough but not overly so and quite protective of her younger brother. He remembered standing there and just staring. He had never had any luck with girls before and thought she wouldn't be any different. How wrong had he been?

Garland had put a cup of punch into his hand that he had then spilled all over the girl he had been crushing over. His face had went redder than his hair as he kept apologizing for his cluminess. He didn't know where it had come from since he had always been so graceful before. He felt so awkward around her but she didn't seem to mind as she laughed surprisingly and said that it was okay. He had been so surprised by her carefree attitude and he fell even deeper in love after hearing her laughter and to see her smile.

It was not a surprise that they had started dating only days afterward. None of the other bladers had objected and secretly some of them envied Julia for landing such a bishounen. The boys had felt the same way about Brooklyn since Julia was quite a beauty as well. They had stayed in touch when their lives had went back to normal but had been reunited when she and her brother had unexpectedly returned to Japan to go to school. He had been so surprised and she had lived nearby so she was always close.

He remembered celebrating their one month anniversity and he had never felt so happy in his entire life. That was until they had came. He shuddered violently from that memory as his parents' faces flashed briefly in his mind. They had come to Japan to take him back home and it had been against his wishes. He had tried to fight them but it had been a hopeless battle. He was sixteen and underage and therefore their responsibility.

When they had let him join Bega, Boris had been given temporary custody of him. Since Bega no longer existed, the contract was null and void. He had been forced to return home with them amid everyone's protests. He had been staying with Garland but they would not allow that to continue. They wanted to make his life as miserable as possible and they had succeeded.

When he had been forced to leave, he had found himself contemplating suicide the first night he was home and then had started cutting again. He hadn't felt the need to do it in quite some time but in their protective custody he had been forced to find some way to relieve the pain that he kept deep inside of himself. He had been literally cut off from his friends and teammates. His parents wouldn't even allow him to call or e-mail them but most especially Julia. She had been his lifeline, his savior and he had been forced to live without her for several months.

Then they had decided to seperate him from the world even further. They had admitted him to a mental hospital when they had discovered the fresh cuts on his arms. He had been confined to a straight jacket and placed on sedatives. He couldn't even remember all of what happened during his confinement there. All he remembered was the day that his friends had come for him.

He wished that he could say that it was Julia, who had come for him but in actuallity, it had been Garland. He smiled since his captain had been such a good friend since their meeting. Garland had told his parents about some of the things that he had confided in him but now he didn't mind. They had set out to get custody of him and had succeeded. It was a good thing that his parents were not wealthy like the Tzebult clan.

It had been his best friend that had kicked down the door and freed him from his prison. For the first time in a few weeks, he felt safe and protected in his arms. Then he had come back to Japan where he had been reunited with Julia, who had waited faithfully for him. When she had saw him come off the plane, she had ran forward and burst into tears when they hugged. Her embrace had tightened as he tried to find words of comfort but Julia didn't let go until she was ready.

Garland and his new family had given them some room for their reunion as Julia finally pulled away, wiped her red eyes and then kissed him so suddenly that he hadn't been ready for the action. He had been surprised but he then had surprised himself as he returned the kiss. What a homecoming it had been for him and as the days had past he had been reunited with the rest of his team including many of his friends from the other teams. Tyson visited quite often since he considered him a good friend now. Brooklyn could smile because he had everything he wanted but his happiness had been fleeting since he had lost the most important person in his life because of one moment of anger.

He sighed again from the happy memory as the rain poured even harder. At this point, he didn't care. He was beyond caring or feeling if he couldn't have the one true love of his life by his side. "You look like you need a friend," a voice remarked, "since you look beyond the need for an umbrella." He looked up into a very familiar set of green eyes; so similar to his own yet so different. They too were filled with pain and regret but for different reasons.

She had been the one who had stormed out on him after he had struck her. He couldn't blame her for acting in such a way. If he had been her, he would have acted in the same way. She had an umbrella covering her as she sat down on the bench next to him. "Listen," she began, "I'm sorry for what I said. I didn't mean what came out of my mouth. I was angry because I thought you were cheating on me."

"I would never cheat on you," he replied, softly, "you have to believe me. My parents only said those words to make you break up with me. They hate to see me happy and have made it their life's work to see that I stay miserable and lonely." "I know that now," she informed, sadly, "and I apologize for doubting you. I should know better than to trust anything that comes out of their mouths."

She smiled slightly as they looked at one another as the ends of his mouth turned up in a slight smile as well. "I'm sorry that I hit you," he apologized, "I can't believe that I hit the person that I love. I just lost control of my temper for a mere moment. Sometimes, I don't believe that I should be happy. Why should I be happy when I only cause others pain?"

"It is forgiven," she whispered as a soft hand brushed against his cheek, "I don't blame you for doing it. I said some horrible things that you should never forgive me for." "What if I hit you again?" he whispered as his eyes glistened with unshed tears when he looked at the girl beside of him, "what if my actions one day hurt you even more?" "I will take that chance," she replied, tapping his nose playfully, "besides, it takes two for that to happen. I don't put all of the blame on you since I was at fault as well. I should have never pushed you that far."

She smiled at him as the rain dripped off the sides of the umbrella that the two now shared. "But how do I know-" he began as she put a finger to his lips to quieten him. "Ssh," she whispered with another of her bright smiles, "let's not discuss this any further. I came here to apologize but I think Garland is waiting for you to come to practice. We do have a tournament coming up if you remember."

"Yeah, I remember," he whispered but before he could say anything else, Julia pressed her lips against his own. He didn't protest the surprise kiss as he pulled her closer, begging for more physical contact. Her tongue pushed against his lips as he complied to her wishes but their reunion was interrupted by the ringing of a cell phone. He groaned as they pulled apart as he grabbed the offending object and this time looked at the number. "It's Garland," he informed as Julia rolled her eyes, "I think I had better get to practice before he sends out a search party."

"Well, this can wait," Julia mused with a mischievous look in her eye, "we can continue this later." "I am truly blessed to have you in my life," Brooklyn mused as he rose, pulling Julia to her feet as well, "I don't know what I did to deserve such an understanding girlfriend." At that moment, the rain stopped as the clouds slowly parted to reveal a beautiful rainbow. The two young lovers took it as a sign of the great things to come as they stood together looking at the glorious work of Mother Nature in each other's arms. "I love you, Brooklyn," Julia stated, looking up at her boyfriend. "I love you too, Julia," Brooklyn replied with a smile before they exchanged another kiss and walked off to face a bright future together instead of alone.

A/N - So how was it? Keep in mind that this is my first attempt at writing a one-shot. I hope that you liked it, Flames. Now please review & wish Flames a Happy Birthday!

Astera Snape