A/N: So just a cute fluffy interlude leading into Jayden's birthday, plus I felt Mia deserves a bit of love, so hope you enjoy :)

Chapter 36

Antonio was walking through the mall, "Okay so what do you think we should get Jayden for his birthday?" he asks looking at Mia and Emily.
"You're his best friend," reminds Mia.
"Yeah, shouldn't you know?" agrees Emily.
"It's been awhile okay," huffs Antonio, "What's Evie getting him?"
"What do you think she's getting him?" snorts Mia.
"Oh right, yeah I can't get him that," shudders Antonio.
"Yeah I doubt Jayden is half as interested in seeing you in an underwear set, as he is in seeing Evie," laughs Emily.
"Well he better not be or Evie will kill you both."

"So seriously though what do we get him?" asks Antonio.
"Oh I thought ahead," assures Mia as she pulls out a list.
"What is that?" queries Antonio.
"I got a list from Evie before we left."
"But you just gave me a hard time?" whines Antonio.
"Like I said, you're supposed to be his best friend."
"Yeah, well it's been awhile."
"Show him the list," smiles Emily.
Mia does so and Antonio nods reading through.
"Okay, so let's hit the art shop and see what we can find," says Mia.

An hour later they were walking out of the mall with their bags.
As they reached the car Mia grabs everyone's bags and sets them in the trunk as Antonio and Emily start bickering over who gets to sit in the front.
Shaking her head, Mia smiles as she shuts the door. "Like running a day-care," she chuckles fondly.

Suddenly the strap of her bag breaks and her stuff spills out.
"Shit," she mutters as everything rolls around her and she tries to grab it all, but her lip balm rolls out of her reach.
Shoving everything back inside she sets her bag down before standing up and walking over to where her lip balm had rolled, unaware of the cyclist heading towards her.

Mia grabs her lip balm and turns to walk back to the car when she sees the bike, but before she can react a pair of arms wrap around her and pull her out of the way. Her lip balm slipping from her hand again
The cyclist continues past and Mia turns to see who'd saved her and the words catch in her throat when she sees the gorgeous guy holding her. He was tall with dark hair and dark eyes, and a warm smile as he looked at her.
"Are you okay?" he asks.
Mia manages to nod, "Thank you."
"Cyclists can be really unobservant sometimes, figured you shouldn't suffer because one wasn't pay attention," he smiles.

Its then Mia realises his arms are still wrapped around her and she's pressed against him.
As if realising it too the guy releases her and steps back a little, "Sorry didn't see a better way."
"No, you saved me, thank you," assures Mia, "I'm Mia by the way."
"Jared" he answers.

"Oh my god Mia are you okay?" asks Emily as she and Antonio appear around the car.
"I am thanks to Jared," replies Mia looking at him again.
"Thank you," beams Emily.
"Nice save," agrees Antonio offering him a fist bump
"Like I said, you shouldn't suffer for one unobservant idiot," answers Jared retuning the fist bump.
"Well he didn't, so thank you, again," says Mia.
"Oh uh I think you dropped this," he adds as he grabs her lip balm and hands it over.
"Thanks, be a shame to lose it again," replies Mia taking it.

"Good thing you were here" smiles Emily as she looks between the two.
"Some things are just meant to be I guess," replies Jared.
"Aren't they just," nods Antonio sharing a knowing look with Emily, before smirking, "I call shotgun," he says.
"Cheater!" exclaims Emily as the two race back around to the side of the car both fighting for the front seat and control of the radio.

Jared looks at them curiously.
"I assure you they are supposedly adults even if they don't act like it."
"Its fine, my friends are exactly the same. And a lot of them are way older."
"Older?"
"I'm a firefighter, or a candidate rather."
"Wow, so saving people is just a day-to-day habit for you then. I'm just one of many," says Mia.
"You're definitely not one of many, because I can safely say I have never saved anyone as pretty as you," smiles Jared.
Mia blushes and smiles, "And how many girls have you used that line on?"
"I can honestly say that I have never said that before."

The sound of the horn going makes them both jump.
"Evie says exchange numbers and lets go, we've got shit to do!" calls Antonio.
Mia chuckles, "Sorry, we're getting presents its our friends 21st tomorrow, and we have a few more things to do."
"No I get that, 21st is a big one, my friends went all out for mine last year," nods Jared with a smile.
"Yeah we're taking him out to Alibi," says Mia.
"Oh that's a good place," assures Jared, "You'll have fun," he adds.
"Good, we want it to be special."
"You obviously have stuff to do today, and I have to be at work soon. But maybe we could continue this another time?" asks Jared.
"I'd like that," smiles Mia.

They exchange numbers and with a final wave Mia gets into the car and they begin their journey home.
"So, he was hot," says Emily turning to look at her, having tricked Antonio into the back seat.
"Very," agrees Antonio leaning forwards.
"He's a firefighter."
"Oh hot damn," laughs Antonio.
"Literally," smiles Emily.
"You did get his number, right?" asks Antonio.
"We did exchange numbers yes."
"You're going to call him, right?" urges Antonio.
"I will, but we've got other stuff to do first."
"It was so romantic the way he saved you," notes Emily.
"Right out of a movie," agrees Antonio.
"I could've handled it."
"Oh we know, doesn't make it any less cute," teases Emily.
"No it doesn't," admits Mia with a smile.

They park the truck before grabbing the bags and heading inside.
"We're back," calls Emily.
"And Mia met a boy," adds Antonio as they walk into the kitchen and see Ji icing the cake.
"He was a firefighter, he pulled Mia out of the way of some asshole cyclists, he's cute too," smiles Emily.
"Hey," complains Mike who was sat at the island licking the bowl and spoon.
"Don't worry, I mean objectively," promises Emily kissing his cheek as she steals the spoon from him.
"Where are the others?" asks Antonio.
"Kevin's in our room, changing both his and my sheets. And before anyone asks, I've already cleaned up my side," answers Mike quickly.
"And Evie is keeping Jayden busy while I do the cake."

"So we should avoid their room?" asks Antonio.
"No they're outside training," assures Mike.
"Guess we'd better get these presents wrapped then, everyone hand them to me and I will do them," orders Mia.
Everyone hands over their bags.
"Wrapping paper is in the cupboard, tape and scissors are in the draw," informs Ji.
"Thank you," replies Mia.
"I'm going to tell Evie about the new guy," smiles Emily.
"But you said she told us to exchange numbers?" asks Mia looking at Antonio.
"Oh no I just named dropped Evie, bet she'd have said it though," replies Antonio.
Mia shakes her head before walking out and Emily skips out of the room and heads outside, finding Evie and Jayden sparring.
"Mia met a boy," calls Emily excitedly.
Evie blocks Jayden's hit and turns to her, "Seriously?"
"Yeah, he saved her from getting hit by a cyclist, and he's a firefighter and he's cute, and they exchanged numbers, and there's some major vibes," nods Emily sitting down.
"Wow that sounds like Mia's perfect fairy tale," notes Jayden.
"It really was," agrees Emily.

"They exchanged numbers?" clarifies Evie.
"They did, and like I said, there was vibes."
"It would be nice if it Mia could be the one in love," admits Evie.
"What about the guy? How did he seem?" asks Jayden.
"Aw, that's cute you're being protective, already getting the daddy vibes," teases Emily.
"He'd do the same to you if we didn't already know Mike," says Evie.
"I hope it works for her," smiles Emily.
"Me too," nods Evie.
"Yeah then Antonio can have someone new to harass about living vicariously through," chuckles Jayden.
"Or we could get him a girlfriend?" suggests Evie.
"Maybe he'll meet someone while we're out," smiles Emily.
"Maybe Em," nods Evie.
"Alright, I'm going to go and help Mia, you're not allowed in yet," says Emily looking at Jayden before heading back inside.

"Yes ma'am," chuckles Jayden.
"She might be spending a little too much time with me," smiles Evie proudly.
"You're proud now, wait until its ours and you're the one being sassed," smirks Jayden.
"I thought you'd enjoyed the sass," teases Evie turning to him.
"Only from you" smiles Jayden, "Now are you up for another round since I am still not allowed in the house?" he asks.
Evie nods and the two continue to spar.

Emily walked into her room where Mia was wrapping the presents.
"So have you called him yet? Or texted him?" ask Emily sitting down.
"Not yet, I've got to do this first."
"But you want to?"
Mia smiles dreamily and looks at her, "I do, it just, oh Em felt how I always hoped it would."
"Jayden did say it sounded very much like a fairy tale."
"I know."
She'd just finishes wrapping the presents when her phone went.
Grabbing it she smiled when she saw who it was from.
"I know that smile, what's he said, what's he said?" asks Emily eagerly jumping onto Mia's bed.

Hi, just wanted to check in after today, I hope you got home safe.

Jared x

"Aw, that is so cute," giggles Emily hugging Mia.
Mia smiles, her stomach do a flip at the thought.

I did thank you. And I'm fine, do you check in on everyone you save?

Mia x

"Well that's flirty,"
"He might be nice, but as romantic as it was, I'm not diving in head first," answers Mia.
"That's smart," admits Emily, "But I do hope it works out."
"Thank you, Em."
Emily just hugs her.
A knock on the door is followed by Evie sticking her head in, "Can I let my boyfriend back into the house now?"
"I'm all done," nods Mia.
"Jared texted," informs Emily.
"He did? Oh, show me," urges Evie as she hurries over dropping next to Mia who's phone buzzes then.

Not everyone, only the very pretty ones I'd like to ask out for coffee sometime?

Jared x

"Damn, he's smooth," notes Evie.
"Are you going to say yes?" asks Emily.
"I will, even if it just coffee I think it'll be nice."

Coffee sounds good, we'll have to see when our schedules can line up

Mia x

"That's vague," says Evie.
"Well he's a firefighter, I'm a samurai. Plus, I don't want to seem to eager, that scared off the guy I was interested in before my ex."
"Why would seeming eager be bad? Waiting sucks, so does playing mind games," notes Evie, she'd waited a year for Jayden and it had been horrible by the end.
"You know Evie, sometimes I forget your relationship did not start the way a lot do," says Mia.
"Meaning what?"
"Meaning, you and Jayden had a completely perfect natural progression, and once you sorted things out, it was easier for you to settle. You already knew each other, you trusted him, it was all unfairly smooth. And while I'm sure you had bumps, this is a whole other ball game," answers Mia.
"But Evie was able to help me and Mike, why wouldn't she get this?" asks Emily.
"Because how you and Mike started was more along the same lines as Jayden. You knew each other, you were more comfortable. And more to the point, both of your boyfriends know that your samurai rangers. With Jared, we don't know each other, at all. So, we need to go a little slower, and get to know each other. And see if this is something worth pursuing. Much as I love the idea of my fairy tale, I know that I need to be a little cautious here, just in case Jared isn't looking for the same thing as me," explains Mia.
"That's a fair point," admits Evie.
"Yeah, never thought of that, or expected you too."
"I might want my fairy tale and my Prince Charming, but I'm going to be smarter about this."
"That's probably for the best then," nods Evie.

Well I can let you know when I'm not working, and then you can name the time and the place.

Jared x

"But then again, if he seems interested, well, maybe he is looking along the same lines as me," smiles Mia.
Emily and Evie just laugh, they hoped this worked out for Mia, they really did.

A/N: Totally picturing Alberto Rosende for Jared :)