AN: I know, I'm a horrible person. It's been forever since my last update. I'm sorry. pouts But the reviewers were so great that I just couldn't abandon this fic. This is not the chapter I had originally planned on posting next-surprisingly that one is still half written after I started it like, a year ago- but this one is helping me to get back in the Scott/Shelby mind-frame. Sorry if it's bad.

(And just to let you know, that reviewers were right about the baby names-the actor's names and the roles they have played.)

Rated: G

Safe Passion

Summary: Scott tries to bring out Shelby's buried passion.

Shelby's icy blue eyes stared out at the calm water. The stars and moon shined clearly through the cool night air. Her thin baby blue T-shirt and dark blue pajama pants did little to combat the cold.

But as Shelby sat at the end of the dock, her mind wasn't focused on the goosebumps rising along her skin. The far off gaze she wore indicated that her mind was elsewhere. It wandered from subject to subject, focusing on nothing in particular.

One of Shelby's favorite things to do was toss around different nothings in her mind; to occupy it with things that wouldn't cause sadness or pain.

A hand on her arm suddenly pulled in her wandering mind. She gasped as her body jerked in surprise.

"Woah!" Scott smiled at her reaction, "It's just me Shel."

Shelby's heart returned to its normal pace as she resumed her cross-legged position on the docks, blue eyes once again on the serene picture of the calm water and night sky.

Scott ignored her lack of a welcome. "It's kinda cold out tonight," he stated upon seeing the goosebumps on her arms.

Scott, unlike Shelby, had taken the time to put on shoes and a black hoodie. "Here," his hand reached over his head and pulled the hoodie off, "put this on." Before she could object, Scott put it over her head and pushed it down to her waist, causing Shelby to roll her eyes as she pushed her arms through the appropriated holes.

Scott settled down next to her, now clad in black sweat pants, sneakers, and a white beater.

Shelby's lips formed their typical not-quite-genuine smile, "My knight in warm, hooded armor."

Scott returned her big fake smile, "I am chivalrous aren't I?"

Shelby gave him an icy glare. He simply smiled at her, then looked out at the water she had been so intensely focused on.

With his attention elsewhere, Shelby briefly put the sweatshirt over her nose, breathing in the lingering smell of Scott. A sincere smile crossed her face.

"Ya know," Scott who was previously sitting comfortably, hugged his arms to his chest, "It is cold out here, without anything, or anyone, to keep me warm," he glanced at her suggestively.

Shelby rolled her eyes, which was quickly becoming a normal occurrence, "That was pathetic."

Dropping his arms, Scott rebutted, "It was not pathetic."

"It wasn't your style."

Scott smiled at this, "So what's my style?"

Letting out a heavy sigh, Shelby informed him of what he should already know, "Normally you would of just grabbed me and pulled me over to you while I groaned and pretended not to like it."

Scott laughed, "Well, thought I would try something new, but since you like that so much," his strong hands wrapped around her arm in order to turn her, which made it easier for him to put his arms around her waist and place her in front of him.

With their legs sprawled out across the boards of the dock, Shelby rested against Scott's chest, his arms enfolding her.

The time passed as the two simply enjoyed each other's company and had meaningless conversations.

But when the subject of football arose Scott became curious about Shelby's past, a subject she was never very informative on.

"Shelby?"

"Hmm?"

"What did you like to do before you came here?" his voice was gentle, unsure of how she would react to his questioning.

Shelby stayed silent, taken off guard. She curled up more, both in Scott's arms and inside herself, at the sudden emergence of unpleasant memories.

"It doesn't matter," she said quietly.

Knowing he had struck a nerve, Scott persisted, "It matters," he stated tenderly.

After a few moments of silence, Shelby answered, "I used to dance."

A smile grew on Scott's face at the revelation. He stood up, dragging Shelby with him. "Dance with me." He tried to pull her closer to him, but she pulled away.

"No Scott!" He stared at her, taken aback at her outburst. "I said I used to dance. I stopped. I don't have a passion anymore." Shelby hugged her arms around herself, still wearing the oversized sweatshirt.

Dancing used to be a huge part of her life. She loved the soothing movements of dance. Her mind and body were always put in a peaceful ease when she methodically glided across the floor, moving her body with a graceful poise.

"Why?" Scott's saddened voice barely made its way through the air between them.

In any other situation, Shelby would of come up with a snappy comment and rush off. But around Scott her defenses were weakened. She was comfortable around him, and because of that she knew she was more susceptible to opening up.

Deciding that she didn't want to fight, Shelby gave Scott what he wanted, and in doing so, she confided in him a tucked away secret.

"He liked it," her tough exterior melted slightly, leaving a girl struggling for control. "He liked it when I danced." Scott needed no specification on the 'he.'

"I had a recital, a big one, I was in almost half the dances," her face turned to a look of disgust and sadness, "I guess he liked what he saw. It was the first night he decided to drop by my bedroom for a visit," tears glistened in her eyes, but they both knew she wouldn't let them fall, "I never danced again."

In the silence, Scott walked over to her and enveloped her in a supportive, loving hug. Relaxing, Shelby melted against him, letting her protective walls down.

"He would have done it anyway Shel. It wasn't because you danced." Shelby soaked in his words. The people at Horizon always tried to influence her, but their words were empty. The people who spoke them hadn't been through what Shelby had. So how could that help her deal with it?

But Scott was her weakness. Her invulnerability didn't apply to him. He was the only person she knew that could understand her. Although she didn't intentionally become vulnerable around him, it wasn't something she tried to fight.

His voice continued while Shelby listened silently, her body still in Scott's embrace, "He has taken so much from you, but you don't have to give him this."

Scott started rocking back and forth, unbeknownst to Shelby, who was hanging on his words. She wanted to hear them, the desire to dance still lingered within her; she had just needed the assurance he was providing.

"He can't hurt you anymore, and he can only take this from you if you let him."

Shelby stayed silent in her thoughts, pondering Scott's ideas, wondering if she was capable of fulfilling them.

Suddenly, her brow furrowed in confusion when she realized that Scott was gently moving her. The action causing her weight to shift from one foot to another.

Looking up at him, she saw his lips morph into a large grin. Scott rested his hand on her waist, his other grabbed her hand, their bodies formed a perfect dancing stance. Scott started to hum as his movements became larger.

A smile gradually grew on Shelby's face as Scott guided her over the dock, in tune with his humming. A blissful laugh escaped her when he lifted her arm and twirled her. Scott, seeing Shelby's obvious enjoyment, started moving more dramatically, dipping, spinning, and twirling his partner.

The couple continued their dance and the dock became filled with the sound of humming and laughter, as it once again felt safe to dance.

AN: Again, if anyone who was reading this before is still reading it, I'm SO sorry for the horribly long wait. Hope that this chapter was okay, I haven't read or written about Scott and Shelby in a while.

Anyways, let me know if you guys want another chapter, if so, I will try to get it to you as soon as possible.