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Chapter six

Gar had left her room and headed to his own after they had got up. There had been no kisses, no declarations of love, no further conversation of any depth. They continued as they would have any normal morning; quips at each other's expense, friendly conversation and pleasantries. As he walked through the door, he turned to look at her with an affectionate expression before waggling his fingers at her and closing the door behind himself. After Rachel had dressed and made herself presentable for the day, she collapsed onto her unmade bed. Pressing her palms into her eyes she tried to calm herself down and take in what had happened. It was as though last night was a strange, yet pleasant, dream that she couldn't awaken from. Questions hit her mind at a frightening speed.

'How am I supposed to act around him now?'

'What if the others know? What if he's told everyone and they're all high-fiving down there like I'm some conquest?'

'What if he changes his mind and demands an answer?'

'What if I decide I can't do this, and he kicks me out of the apartment?'

'What if I decide to try this out, whatever it is, and then realise it's not right? Will he let me change my mind?'

'What if—"

Rachel sat bolt upright on the bed, a dark expression on her face. Her mind was full of a million voices and she just wanted peace. How was she ever meant to work this all out with the consistent noise? Reaching for her phone, the young woman dialled in a number and hoped she had enough signal to get a connection. A few rings later there was a familiar voice at the end of the line.

"Hello?"

"Jen, I need you."

"Rach? What's up, sis? I thought you were away on your crazy weekend with your friends."

"I was...I mean, I am."

"What are you doing on the phone to me then, dopey? Shouldn't you be out getting drunk?"

"Jen, can you be serious for two minutes? I'm having issues."

There was a pause on the phone, then a sigh. "Sorry, Rachel. What's going on?"

"I'm in crisis, Jenny. I need you."

"Oh man. You'd better give me your address," replied the young woman down the phone. Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank you," she managed, her heartrate lowering. Jenny cleared her throat awkwardly.

"Um. Rach? Any chance I could bring a friend?"

"Hey, Vic?"

Victor turned around in the kitchen, his mouth full of the waffle he was demolishing. A slight dribble of maple syrup ran down his chin. "Mmph?"

Rachel tried not to look disgusted as she sat down next to her illustrious friend. "I just wanted to apologise if I was a bit weird last night."

The footballer swallowed his mouthful, wiping his face with a napkin and giving a broad smile. "Aw, hey, sis. You don't need to worry about it. I get it, you were around us for a long-time last night. Y'all probably needed some space, am I right?"

Rachel swallowed her guilty feelings and forced a smile and a nod. "Right. Listen, I wondered if I could ask a favour?"

"What do you need?"

"My friend Jenny is in the area and well...she wondered if she and her boyfriend could crash with us for the night."

Vic paused, chewing thoughtfully. Rachel panicked, taking his silence to be negative. "She's really great, Vic. She works with me at the youth centre and keeps an eye out for me. I know she's not technically a 'Titan' but maybe she could be an honorary one for a night?"

Victor smiled, ruffling his friend's hair affectionately. "Of course, girl. There was one spare room left over in the attic; as long as they don't mind crashing up there it's all good."

"That's...really great, Vic. Thank you."

"Big bro's gotta look out for his baby sister. You feelin' okay today?"

Rachel considered this statement. Her eyes flicked around the room. At the other end of the table Gar was sitting with Kori and Richard, talking and laughing without a care in the world. She swallowed. "I think I'm getting there."

"Good," smiled Vic, wrapping his arm around her warmly. "Sarah's been askin' after you. Uh oh, speakin' of trouble. Hey baby!"

"Well-well, if it isn't the illusive Miss Roth," came Sarah's calming tones. "How are you, Rachel?"

Rachel nodded, shifting up so that Sarah could sit down next to Victor. She spoke in a dry tone, her face impassive. "You know, still alive."

"That's...good?" replied Sarah, looking at Victor uncertainly. He roared with laughter, clapping his girlfriend on the back and planting a kiss on her cheek.

"She's only messin' with you, girl. Rachey always was the gothic one of the group."

"Gothic; is that what they call it these days?" asked Rachel, folding her arms and glaring at the large man. A small smirk was on her face. "Back then I believe it was known as 'creepy and weird'."

Sarah giggled behind her fingers, looking at Victor's changing expression. "She's got you there, Stone."

Rachel smiled as she pushed herself up from the table, touching the young woman lightly on the shoulder. "Nice to see you Sarah. I'm going to go make some tea. Thanks for helping me out, Vic. I appreciate it."

"Don't mention it, girl," replied Victor, waving her away with a smile. His expression became suddenly fatherly. "Make sure you get some food. You'll need your strength for the hike today."

Rachel nodded, and smiled warmly at Sarah before meandering into the kitchen. She flicked the kettle on, pleased that it boiled quickly. Throwing a teabag into a mug she rooted around for something she wanted to eat. There were some cereal bars in the cupboard, and she grabbed two. Shoving one into her back pocket she unwrapped the first and munched it as her tea brewed. The young woman didn't have much appetite in the mornings, but Victor was right. The last thing she needed was to pass out on the mountain. She swallowed the last crunchy mouthful and lifted her tea off the counter, spinning round in a swift motion.

"Hello, friend!" exclaimed a voice behind her. Rachel nearly spilled her tea but balanced at the last moment. She sighed in frustration.

"Careful, Kor. I nearly threw hot tea all over you."

"Apologies," replied the redhead, her attractive face colouring for a moment. "You are the okay?"

"I'm fine, how about you?"

"All is well," smiled Kori, brightly. Richard and I were speaking with Gar—"

Rachel's heart picked up pace, blood pounding in her ears at the mention of his name. She felt like she suddenly shrank in the large room as she waited for Kori to continue. Her friend continued obliviously, smiling widely as she spoke.

"—about the walk today. We were discussing what to put into our picnic box – tell me friend, do you have any preferences?"

"Um, n-no," stammered the young woman, still recovering from her fright. She sipped some tea to mask her reaction. "Whatever you guys decide is fine."

"Wondrous," remarked Kori, wrapping her arm around Rachel gently. "I am so glad you are feeling the okay. You appeared to be somewhat distressed upon your departure yesterday evening."

Rachel felt the colour flooding to her face. Her defences pushed up around her within a moment. She felt she had already let Kori in too much yesterday and felt suddenly vulnerable in the young woman's presence. "No, I was just tired."

Kori looked at her inquisitively but didn't push the subject any further. "Indeed. Well, I shall let you drink your tea, friend."

"Thanks, Kor."

The redhead smiled and nodded. Her green eyes were filled with questions. But blinking she turned and wandered back towards the boys slowly. Gar looked up from his conversation with Richard as Kori approached, and his eyes found Rachel's for a moment. He smiled and nodded, and she did the same.

'There, that wasn't so bad.'

Uncertainly, Rachel walked back towards Victor and Sarah. She felt as though she had dodged a bullet somehow and it was leaving her with an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Swallowing, she spoke to the others as she walked past.

"No sign of Karen and the others yet then?"

"No, girl. They kept drinking until two. I doubt we'll see them any time soon," laughed Victor, sipping his coffee. He wrapped his arm around Sarah. "I, on the other hand, was in bed before one. Luckily for me, I've got my girl here to keep me on track."

"You mean to stop you from getting alcohol poisoning?" replied Sarah, a sarcastic smile on her face. Rachel laughed, trying to keep herself steady as she balanced her still full mug. Victor chuckled, poking Sarah on the nose childishly. Rachel nodded, approvingly.

"See you later then, I'm going to get ready for the hike. I'll be down soon."

"Alright girl, we'll leave as soon as the drunken trio make an appearance."

"So around four then?" shot back Rachel over her shoulder as she walked back towards the stairs. Victor laughed loudly, almost spilling his coffee over Sarah. Rachel shook her head and meandered back up the stairs. Putting her tea down in her room she looked out of the window. It was a beautiful view; she wished that she could always have such a wonderful outlook from her bedroom. It certainly beat the bricks and stone that she normally saw.

Sitting down on the bed, she folded her feet beneath herself. Rachel hadn't meditated since she was a teenager. But today, she certainly felt that she needed it. Her emotions were running amok inside her, and the thought of spending the day with Gar was filling her with such terror and excitement that she felt she may explode. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and exhaled. Found her centre. Let herself be.

Rachel knew it was only temporary. But perhaps, for a little while she could just will the world away.

"Alright guys," came the booming voice of Victor across their group. "So, y'all have all been given a pack with things we're gonna need for the hike. We need to stick together up there."

"Victor's right," agreed Richard, nodding. "It could be dangerous, and we don't want anyone to get hurt, so let's just keep communicating and keep ourselves safe."

"When do we eat?" asked Roy, looking distinctly paler than usual. Richard fixed him with a small glare.

"Well you would have eaten an hour ago if you'd not been puking your guts up in the bathroom. We'll eat when we hit the waterfall. How far is it from here, Gar?"

"About four miles," replied the young blond man, brushing his hair from his eyes. "It'll take around two hours, I'd guess."

"Okay, good. Roy, if you need a snack then speak to Kori, she has some things in her backpack."

Roy nodded then looked suddenly green. Karen slapped him on the back. "Don't worry, red. You'll be fine as long as you don't fall off the cliff."

"Blech," replied Roy, waving slightly. Malcolm grabbed him to prevent him from toppling over.

"You'll be fine buddy. Don't worry."

"So, is everyone good to go?" asked Victor, picking his pack up and tightening the straps. There were murmurs of agreement. Rachel's phone suddenly flashed with a message.

We'll be there at around six. Enjoy your hike, sis. Whatever is going on, I know you'll be strong enough to cope until I come and bail your sorry ass out. Love you. Jen x

Rachel smiled, typing a quick message back.

I appreciate it, you sarcastic bitch. See you later. Love Rach x

She checked the time before putting her phone in her pocket. It was eleven. They should be back in plenty of time for her to meet her visitors. The fact that Roy and his drinking companions had been pulled out of bed earlier than they desired was contributing to their sorry states. As if on cue, Roy ran into the hedges, an ungodly noise following him.

"Oh man, do you think maybe he should stay home?" asked Karen, striding towards Victor. She glanced at the bushes warily. "He doesn't look so good."

"It's just a hangover, Kar. He should be fine. Right, Roy?"

"Blech," repeated Roy, wiping his mouth as he reappeared. "I...I think so. Kori, you got any painkillers in that pack?"

Eventually, Roy's nausea subsided, and everyone started to move forwards up the hill. Rachel hung to the back of the group, hoping to avoid too much social interaction. She wanted a chance to enjoy the scenery. She loved the outdoors; somehow it made her feel free and alive in a way that the city never could. It was hard to explain, but she'd always felt alien to the world she found herself in, and it seemed more wonderful to her than other people. Often others thought her to be strange. Everyone except Gar.

Gar.

Her eyes drifted towards the group. He was at the front talking to Victor. They were laughing and joking as though they were sixteen years old again. It was as though nothing had happened. As though last night was a distant dream. Perhaps it didn't really happen. The young woman shook her head, forcing her eyes back to the landscape. The climb was getting steeper, and she tried to concentrate on her footing.

Before she knew it, they had arrived at the waterfall. It was just as beautiful as Gar had promised. The falls were only small, and they cascaded out from between a small crevice in the mountainside. There was a rudimentary pool that had been formed in the dark rocks, surrounded by greenery. It looked like it had come out of a Tolkien novel. Rachel loved it instantly. She breathed in awe as she circled the pool and gazed over into the dark water.

"Woah, this place is really neat, Gar!" exclaimed Karen, pulling her pack off and then reaching down to her shoes and untying them. "I'm totally dipping my feet."

"Oh yeah, me too!" came Malcolm's voice, as the two of them ran to the pool eagerly. It was clear to anyone watching that Malcolm had a soft spot for Karen. Rachel had noticed it since school. But seeing them together again, it was more evident than ever. She wondered if people ever looked at her and Gar and felt the same way. Shaking her head again to disassociate herself from such thoughts, she pulled her pack off in a discreet spot and retrieved her blanket from it.

"Y'all this is a perfect spot. Definitely worth that hike, right baby?" said Victor, getting he and Sarah set up in a quiet corner. Sarah nodded emphatically.

"It's beautiful, Gar. How did you come across it?"

"Doing a project in the mountains and I decided to explore," shrugged the young man, giving an uncharacteristically shy smile. "I'm glad you guys like it."

"We absolutely do, friend," said Kori, running over and giving him a friendly hug and kiss on the cheek. Rachel felt her gut twist in a strange way. What was that? That had never happened before. Kori was always overly affectionate, and Rachel was used to it. But that jealous bite had caught her by surprise. She blinked, focusing on her own pack and getting her book and snacks out. As she worked, she pushed her walls up firmly. Malcolm and Karen had started splashing one another, and everyone was giggling loudly and chattering as they started to relax.

'And so it begins,' thought Rachel, smiling. She huddled herself up against a rock and opened the pages of her book. The others were all effervescent, but they faded into the background as she became enveloped in her story. After a while, Rachel noticed a shadow approaching her; the shade falling over her book's pages. Looking up, she saw those familiar eyes looking at her warily.

"So, what do you think of the 'falls, Rae?"

"They're pretty spectacular, Gar," replied the brunette, shielding her eyes from the sun as she looked up at him. "You definitely have a nose for finding these places."

"Heh, it's a talent," shrugged the young man, turning to look at the scenery slowly. Rachel could almost feel his discomfort seeping over her. It was awkward. She cleared her throat.

"Everything okay?"

"Oh yeah, it's the same as ever. The couples are being all lovey dovey and the drunken trio are getting drunk again."

"Make sure they don't drown," quipped Rachel, giving a small smile. Gar chuckled lightly, a small blush spreading across his freckled face. He looked handsome in the daylight Rachel realised. More handsome than she had ever perhaps appreciated before. She felt that strange emotion creeping all over her again. It was warm but frightening and the young woman didn't know what to do with it.

'Jenny will be here soon.'

"Do you...want to sit down?" she managed eventually, folding her legs up beneath her so there was space for him. He looked torn, shifting his weight from foot to foot. She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant despite her stomach doing backflips. "You don't have to."

"No, I do want to," Gar said, quickly. He sat on the blanket gratefully, fixing her with a strange look.

"What?" asked Rachel, slightly more aggressively than intended. Gar laughed at her, suddenly breaking the unusual atmosphere.

"Alright moody pants."

"I'm not moody!" exclaimed Rachel, gruffly. She slammed her book shut. "Take that back."

"Okay, you're not moody," replied Gar, his face turning back to the scenery. There was a smile on his face that reached his eyes. "Grumpy on the other hand..."

"Logan, I am not grumpy!" growled Rachel, her eyes flashing fire. Gar laughed again, seemingly enjoying the fact he was getting to her. She folded her arms and glared at him. "As I recall at school you said I was creepy not grumpy."

"Ouch, that was a low blow, Rae. You know I apologised for that like a million times. I was such a dumb kid; you know I didn't understand you back then."

"And you think you do now?" snorted Rachel, leaning back against the rock and resting her head on a ledge. "You've got a long way to go."

"Is that so?" asked Gar, turning back to look at her. He smiled more widely, a familiar cheeky glint in his eyes. "I look forward to it."

Rachel's heart started to pound again, heat pooling in her stomach. The flirting. Before it had never elicited any reaction in her but now...

Now, it was like peculiarly addictive crumbs of affection that she craved. She blinked at him, deciding to play him at his own game. "Are you flirting with me, Gar?"

The young man blushed, the tips of his ears turning red. "What? No!"

"You were. You were totally flirting with me," argued Rachel, feeling a sense of power in making him feel uncomfortable for a change. Gar poked her playfully, still blushing profusely.

"Shut up! Why would I flirt with you, huh?"

"Because you think I'm beautiful," countered Rachel, her eyes flashing with glory. She smirked at him. "You said so earlier."

Gar looked at her open mouthed. It was as though the comment hit him square in the chest. He looked a cross between shocked and something else that Rachel couldn't name. "Seriously, Rachel?"

"Didn't you?"

"Well, yeah. But that's not the point...I—"

"You lost, Logan," laughed Rachel, still enjoying the surprised look on his face. However, this time his expression shifted to being serious and she stopped her chuckling in an instant. She blinked at him, feeling a little perplexed. "Now who's the moody one?"

"I'm not moody, Rae. Just confused."

"About what?" asked Rachel, quirking her eyebrow. "I thought we were just messing around."

"We were," admitted Gar, looking back out over the rudimentary lake. He looked pensive and hurt. "But some things aren't always funny."

Rachel blinked again, feeling suddenly uncomfortable. They always teased each other! Why all of a sudden would Gar become sensitive? The young woman paused, suddenly feeling ashamed of herself as an idea dawned on her. Perhaps using his heartfelt feelings as the butt of a joke was unkind. Perhaps she had pushed it too far. Things weren't the same as yesterday, and she should have known better. Rachel reached out and touched his shoulder, guilt nipping at her.

"Gar, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. I took that too far, didn't I?"

Gar glanced back towards her, leaning into her touch. His eyes were full of forgiveness. "It's okay. You know I can't stay mad at you, Rae-Rae."

An electricity passed through her body as they shared a moment. Rachel felt like she wanted to say something, but her mind was muddled. There was little time to consider this any further. A loud splash echoed around the alcove, as Roy fell into the lake. The two looked over as Victor fished the poor man out, his clothes dripping with cold water. Rachel winced. "Yikes. That's going to be cold."

"Luckily enough I told Richard to pack some spare duds. I guess I know them all too well," replied Gar amusedly, as everyone was fussing around the soaked Roy. He quickly turned towards Rachel, expression serious again. He took her hand in his softly. "I feel like I want to say something, but I know what we agreed earlier. So, I won't. But I meant what I said this morning. You are beautiful."

Rachel looked at him, her eyes wide. She couldn't deny the excitement creeping over her. He'd meant it. Did that mean that last night meant more than he was letting on? The blond gently raised her hand to his mouth and pressed his lips against her knuckles. It was soft and kind, but it drove her wild inside. Her defences were the only thing in that moment holding her back from leaping at him and pressing herself against him once more. Instead, she felt tears welling in her eyes as she managed to form a few words. "Thank you."

Gar smiled, the most genuine one she had seen all day and opened his mouth as if to speak further. Suddenly, he was distracted by a buzzing sound in his pocket. Pulling his phone out, he looked at the screen with a frown. "Sorry, Rae. I've got to take this."

He looked back up at her, his face gentle and kind. "We can talk more later. Or tomorrow when we're home. Whenever you're ready, ok?"

Rachel nodded, and the young man stood to his feet and pressed his phone to his ear. "Hello?"

As Gar walked away, she stared after him. Everything inside of her felt jumbled once more. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

'Jenny will be here soon. You can manage until then.'

As they arrived back at the house at five, Rachel felt a sense of relief overwhelming her. She had enjoyed being out with everyone, but truthfully, she was ready for some space. She unloaded her pack and dragged the contents back to her room, closing the door firmly. But fate was not kind. Her phone screen flashed up with a message.

Making good time. Looks like we'll be there in the next half an hour. Jx

Rachel took a deep breath and then exhaled. She needed to go and explain to the rest of the group. So, there would be no space for meditation. For thought. For reading. Yet she couldn't complain. Jenny was coming at her behest. Dragging herself back off the bed she typed a quick message back.

I'll be downstairs waiting for you. Rx

Pulling her door open she trudged her way down the stairs, hearing a cacophony of noise that wouldn't have sounded out of place in the 'brats brigade' itself. Rachel rolled her eyes involuntarily. She loved all of her friends dearly. But at times they were complete and utter morons.

"Bet you can't drink it upside down," said Karen, folding her arms as Roy flipped into a handstand. Another ridiculous contest. They had been drinking most of the day and were steadily becoming more drunk with every passing moment. She rolled her eyes for a second time and walked past them to the kitchen to make tea. A crashing and tumbling came behind her.

"No, he can't," she muttered under her breath, as everyone laughed heartily at Roy's sprawled frame. The kettle buzzed into life, steam erupting from the spout. She poured the hot water into the mug, checking her phone again. Five fifteen. Jenny should be here any moment.

"Got to be somewhere?"

Gar was standing next to her, leaning on the side. She hadn't even heard him approach. She raised her eyebrow. "Been taking lessons from Richard?"

"Well, I've got to keep up with you both somehow," grinned the young man, his green eyes flashing in a catlike way. "So, what's with the phone checking? Everything ok?"

"Oh, yeah. Jenny's decided to drop in. She happened to be up in the mountains too this weekend," lied Rachel, feeling discomfort in her chest. Gar looked at her disbelievingly. He knew Jenny well and knew that she wouldn't be caught dead on a hike. She practically lived in her chunky heeled boots and fashionista clothes. Rachel would need to do better than that. She took a deep breath. "With her boyfriend."

Gar's eyes goggled. "Jenny has a boyfriend?!"

"I know," shrugged Rachel, taking a sip from her tea. "That was my reaction."

"Is it serious?" asked Gar, genuinely looking curious. All thoughts of Rachel's deceit had been long forgotten. "I mean Jen and guys don't exactly mix. That woman is a maneater."

"Hey, watch it, Logan," growled Rachel, elbowing him. But there was a resigned smile on her face. "You're not wrong though. I've never met him. Goes by the name Wally West. Apparently, he's an athlete of some kind; should have loads in common with Vic. I don't know much else about him to be honest. Jen is super cagy about discussing him."

"No shit," laughed Gar, shaking his head in incredulity. "So, she's stopping overnight?"

"Vic said they can have the attic room. It's just lucky this place is so freaking huge. She'll be well behaved, I promise," added Rachel, taking another sip of her tea. She hoped that this would be true. Jenny could be wild, if the mood took her. In her youth she had been a real bad girl, by all accounts.

"It's not her I'm worried about," replied Gar, pointing to the display before them. They were now trying to hold Roy upside down and pour beer down his gullet. Rachel shook her head. Her phone suddenly rang. Jenny's name was on the screen. The young woman turned towards Gar.

"They must be here. I'll go outside and see them. I'm not sure what Vic told the others but at this point I doubt they'll even notice them coming inside."

Gar chuckled to himself. "You want me to come out with you?"

"No, I'll be okay. Just...make sure they all behave themselves ok? Jenny is important to me."

"I know, Rach," replied Gar, touching her shoulder gently. "Go and get her, I'll sort the upside-down gang out."

Rachel smiled. "Thanks Gar. Oh, hey, did you get that phone call sorted earlier?"

The young man's hand dropped from her shoulder suddenly, as though it was scalding hot. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, you took that phone call earlier. I presumed it was work," replied Rachel, looking at him suspiciously. "I just wondered if you sorted it out."

"Oh! Oh, yeah. It's all cool now, heh," answered the blond, running his hand through his hair nervously. "Thanks."

Rachel eyed him warily. That behaviour was unusual even for Gar. But knowing that Jenny was outside, she decided to leave it. "Okay. See you in a minute."

The brunette placed her tea down on the side and headed for the front door. Why would Gar lie to her? What possible reason could there be? She tried to be logical. Perhaps work was giving him a hard time and he was embarrassed about it. Maybe they weren't supposed to go near that waterfall today, if it was a protected area or something. Rachel didn't even know why it mattered to her that much. He was a free agent. So was she. Nothing had been discussed or decided.

She threw the door open, the cool air hitting her face. In a bright red sports car with yellow stripes, she saw the pink-haired woman waving to her jovially. As Jenny got out the car she gestured to the cabin. "Hey, nice place, Rach! Pays to have friends in high places, huh?"

Rachel shrugged, feeling more intrigued by this mystery man. Wally stepped out of the car, a shock of red spiked hair on his head. He was wearing a casual outfit; jeans and a shirt. But he was attractive, no doubt. By the car he was driving, Rachel surmised he wasn't short of a few pennies himself. "Hey Jen. And you must be Wally?"

"Oh yeah. Wally, Rachel. Rach, Wally."

The young man reached his hand out to her politely. He was a far cry from the usual 'bad boy' that Jenny had gone for in the past. He seemed wholesome, kind. His eyes creased as he smiled. "Hey, Rachel. I've heard a lot about you from Jen."

"Is that so?" smiled Rachel, taking his hand and shaking it. She grimaced. "I dread to think."

"Hey, I was nice!" exclaimed Jenny, pouting and folding her arms. "Pfft, some gratitude I get for coming all this way."

"I appreciate it, Jen," replied Rachel, wrapping her arms around her friend and embracing her. "There's some stuff I need to talk to you about later. Let's go in and get you guys settled in. Luckily there was a spare room in the attic so you can have your own space."

"Spooky, I love it," grinned Jenny, grabbing Wally's arm and dragging him towards the house. "Come on, let's go."

As the door to the house reopened with the three of them, Rachel was terrified by the sound she heard. Silence. That was never a good sign. As she walked around the corner, everyone was stood looking towards the door expectantly, fixed smiles on their faces. Rachel rolled her eyes.

"Gar, I said make them quiet not turn them into Stepford Wives."

"Hey Jenny," said Gar, ignoring Rachel's comment and walking towards the pair. Jenny gave him a wicked smile and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Hi gorgeous," she smarmed, winking at him. Rachel wanted to hide her face in embarrassment, although Gar's shocked expression was making up for it somewhat. "How lovely to see you again."

Rachel cleared her throat, shooting her friend a look. "Guys this is Jenny and Wally. This is Vic, Sarah, Kori, Richard, Karen, Malcolm, Roy and you already know Gar."

"So lovely to meet you," smiled Jenny, acting sickly sweet. Rachel cringed. "I've seen so many photos of you."

"You have?" said Kori, her eyes wide and innocent. "Friend Rachel has photographs of us?"

"Oh yes, a little Titan's shrine right on the—"

"That's enough, Jen," said Wally, grabbing her elbow and smiling at the group. "Great to meet you all at last."

"You too," said Richard, taking a step towards them. "Rachel's told us a lot about you. Jenny, you work with her at the youth centre, right?"

"Ugh, do we have to talk about work?" groaned Jenny, looking bored beyond belief. "I thought this was supposed to be a party."

"Jenny don't be rude," whispered Rachel, elbowing her. It was strange to see her acting out like this. Jenny gave her a look, and then it hit Rachel in an instant. Jenny was jealous. She was jealous of all these other friends that Rachel had, when she was the one who was there for her day in and day out. Compassion swept over her and Rachel stepped forward. "Jen is probably just tired and grumpy from the journey. She's been a good friend to me, and I'm glad she's here. But she has a point; we're supposed to be on vacation. So, um..."

Rachel paused, feeling uncertain where she was going with this. She looked to Gar for help. He shrugged.

"Firepit?"

Apologies for my delay in uploading, I've had a hectic time on the run up to Christmas. This chapter is just building some context as to Rachel's state of mind - the story will progress in the next one, I promise. Here are some replies!

Review replies:

Kairu-Blackstar: Aww, shucks. I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Kronk was absolutely right! But there might be a few hurdles for our favourite couple to come ;)

Crystal-Koneko: I can't help but always write Gar as a sweet guy, it's how I've always perceived him. I'm glad you approve! Hopefully this chapter moved the story forward a little for you. Thank you for your kind words!

Mr. Urisne: Me? Pull something? Noooo...never! ;) All I will say is that Rachel will stick to her morals, despite temptation (probably). You know I'm a sucker for a happy ending, right?

Miss geek: Ahh, it's almost like I'm building you all up to something...but I wouldn't be that mean...would I? ;) I hope you enjoy the rest of the story!

Guest: We all love a bit of drama! I'm afraid I don't write lemons. There are many wonderful authors of such fics here, but I'm not one of them. I simply cannot write it! Glad you enjoyed it, anyway :)

AWESOMEROCKSTAR101: Lol, doing the do was only part of the story, but a good part nonetheless ;) I'm happy you enjoyed, stick around for more!

Sybil of Cumae: Aw, sorry to disappoint you bud. I don't write lemons I'm afraid. There are some wonderful authors of it though, including my good pal MelissaVampGrrl that this fic is dedicated to. But I do hope you stick around for the rest of the story anyway! :)

Golem XIV: Silly Rae! Always overthinking things! Can't she just accept she and Gar are meant to be together?! I mean, no she can't otherwise the story would be over...but still! :D Haha, glad you enjoyed the chapter as ever :)

Sanzojoe: Aw, thank you! So glad you're enjoying :) Yes, that may be important later on - well noted!