Jenny dreamed of being on a playground that night. She was alone, sitting on a swing when suddenly she detected a presence behind her. She turned in her seat to see who it was, although it wasn't really necessary. It was Julian. As he made his way to her she realized that although she was happy to see him, she felt sad. And she knew why.

"What's wrong?" he asked as he came up behind her, giving her a gentle push.

"I don't know how long I can keep this up," she sighed as she allowed him to keep pushing her.

"I figured that might be it," he said.

She dug her heels in, stopping the swing. She turned around to face him.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean this." He gestured to everything around them and between them. "I know that you can't dream about me every night. Not if you want a chance to lead a normal life."

"What's so great about normal?" The words were out before she thought about them. Great. Wasn't she supposed to be here saying something that sounded pretty much opposite where her train of thought was going now?

"Jenny," he pulled her out of the swing and into his arms. "This isn't goodbye forever. It could never be forever. This is just how it has to be. We'll still see each other in dreams. But you need to live. It's your time to have new experiences, meet new people. And I'll be here, waiting. For when you want to tell me about the new you, and when you want to say nothing at all."

He was right. Jenny knew that. He was saying all of the things she wanted to say, and needed to hear. But it was hard. She didn't want to let go. But what choice did she have? He wasn't part of her world. He never got the chance to be, not a long enough one, anyway. She tucked her face into his chest and held him as he held her. She refused to cry, although that was exactly what she felt like doing. This wasn't goodbye. She kept repeating it to herself, like a mantra. What she needed to do was find a way to lift the mood. She searched her brain.

"What about our all-night makeout sessions?"

He laughed and she could feel it in his chest.

"I am always here for those, too. You say the word and I will make myself available for whatever nefarious purposes you have in mind."

She tilted her head back so she could look into his eyes. She reached up and cupped his jaw with her hand, suddenly serious.

"What am I going to do without you?"

He took her hand in his. Then he smiled, giving her one of those wolf-hungry looks that made her weak in the knees.

"I think the question is what are you going to do with me?"

Then he brought his head down, matching his lips to hers. His kiss started out light as air, as if he were sampling her. Gradually they became more intense and heated, with Jenny's arms around his neck and his around her waist, holding her as tight as he could.

Jenny knew she was spoiling any future relationship for herself in moments like these. She had to be, because there was no one on earth who could ignite the feelings inside of her that Julian did. She sent a silent prayer heavenward, begging for forgiveness for allowing herself to continually give in to temptation.

But as Julian's hand trailed up the length of her spine, causing an involuntary shiver to race through her, she acknowledged herself a lost cause when it came to Julian. She was thankful this was just a dream…if this were reality she would have fainted from the pleasure long before now.

[[[[[]]]]]

Tom met Jenny at her locker the next morning.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Hi," she replied. It was hard to know how to act around Tom now. Especially after the dreams she had…with a conscious effort she put all thoughts of Julian out of her mind. It was better that way. She had to deal with life as she knew it.

"So what would you like to do this weekend?" He asked. Jenny felt more than a few pangs of guilt as she realized that she hadn't given it any thought whatsoever.

"I haven't a clue. What about you?"

"Maybe we can catch a movie. I don't know if the gang has any plans but we can get together with them, too. What do you think?"

"It sounds good to me."

In actuality it sounded weird to her. Before they never had talks like this. She mentally shrugged off those thoughts.

[[[[[]]]]]

The gang met at their table during lunch but they were minus Zach, a fact that Summer definitely noticed and chose not to comment on.

"So anybody got any plans for this weekend?" Dee asked.

"Jenny and I are going out one night, but we could all get together and do something," Tom answered.

"There's a party Saturday night, if anybody's interested in going," Audrey volunteered.

"Color me a party animal," Michael joked, looping his arm around Audrey and giving her a loud kiss on the cheek when he noticed her eyes rolling. "As long as I'm with you I'm a happy camper."

That earned groans from the whole table.

[[[[[]]]]]

Zach appeared and made his way to the table. His eyes were on one thing and one thing only—Summer.

"Hey Zach!" Michael called out. "We're party-bound Saturday. You in?"

Zach ignored him, choosing instead to reach out and grab Summer's arm.

"You're coming with me."

Summer's cheeks flamed as Zach yanked her off of the table, pulling her behind him like she was some disobedient puppy. The rest of the group just stared after the departing couple.

"Zach?! Have you lost your mind? What are you doing?" Summer cried out.

He ignored her outburst but stopped so suddenly that she crashed into him. As she took a step back he whirled around.

"So you just thought you could say those things to me and that would be it, hmm?"

Summer sighed and looked down at the ground. She had thought this might happen.

"Zach, if you're upset with me I'm sorry. I knew what I said might hurt your feelings but it was a risk I had to take. I'd rather have you mad and sulking than, well, you know," she finished lamely, scuffing her shoe on the ground. He just stared at her for a moment, and Summer felt as though his eyes were boring holes into her.

"I spent more time than I care to admit thinking about what you said. The way you said it, why you said it, everything. And I decided that you needed someone to put you over their knee and smack some sense into you."

Summer's head whipped up. Her mouth dropped open and she took another step back. Zach was considering violence? Towards her? Somehow this possibility had never occurred to her in the car.

He gave a reluctant half smile at her look.

"Summer, I am not going to beat you." He shook his head. "Honestly. But thanks for the vote of confidence. You're thinking I'm capable of it." His voice was heavy with sarcasm. She started to protest but he stopped her with a raised hand.

"No, I admit that was my first thought. But then I thought about it and found I didn't feel like doing that to you. I realized that you needed something else more. And I'm just the guy for the job."

He took a step towards her and she took one away from him. He took another step and so did she. Summer wasn't sure she liked the look on his face. Combined with the way he was walking it was downright predatory. And she definitely felt like prey.

On closer inspection though the look he was giving her struck Summer as oddly familiar. She tried to think of what that look reminded her of, and it hit her with a force like a tidal wave. It was close to the way Julian looked at Jenny. But that was crazy. Because Julian had wanted Jenny, and that would mean….she stopped moving and her eyes got even wider. It wasn't possible.

Summer's sudden paralysis was the break Zach had been looking for. He reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her to him. She still had that deer-in-the-headlights look. He tilted her chin up and kissed her softly.

Oh my.

Summer's eyes fluttered shut and she slowly moved her hand up to the back of Zach's neck. He responded by curving his arm around her waist. She felt weak in the knees and a bit light-headed too. She lost the ability to form rational thoughts and was reduced to a pool of feelings.

He broke the kiss and waited for her to open her eyes. When she did it took her a moment to fully focus on his features. Her eyes widened again and she was too stunned to speak.

So were all of their friends who had been watching the exchange with interest.

"Now then," Zach said in a whisper, "Is that what you had in mind when you mentioned 'something more dramatic' to make things weird between us?"

Summer frowned slightly.

"Did you only do that to prove a point?" She responded in a voice just as quiet.

"No."

She waited for him to continue, but when it became clear that he wasn't going to she went on.

"So why did you?"

He winked and released her, walking away without a word.

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Author's Note: It's about that time for me to thank all the reviewers again so if you want to see your name listed you know the drill…r&r!! Please!

Disclaimer: (Removes wand from a trench coat inner pocket. Shakes it, coughing at the immense amount of dust that motion sets free.) "Abracadabra! I own everything!" (Waits for the magic to work…and waits…and waits)

Well seeing as that didn't work let's just say I own nothing, LJS owns everything sans plot, please don't sue me, thank you, and leave it at that, shall we?