Initially, I was going to post this chapter around Christmas, but then chapter seven took an unexpected turn, and that changed a few things. Also, it is now May, and I don't feel like going into a big thing about Christmas. So, there will be a small time jump.

Here is Chapter Nine! Please let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I only own the idea.

Time Jumps, Longing, and Secrets

Looking back on that night, Charlie Brown knew he had messed up with the kiss. It had been four months since then, and even though they were friends again, they still scooted around each other when kissing came up. Neither one of them mentioned it, nor did Linus after Lucy threatened him.

The holidays had come and had gone. They survived them fine. Charlie was struggling though, and Lucy seemed like she might be too. Which made it hard for him to follow the guidelines she had given them.

Most of the time everything was okay, but a slight brush of hands in the car or a lingering stare, and the blush would creep up her face. That small change in color drove Charlie insane. He would grip the steering wheel or shove his hands in his pocket to keep from touching her. Then, he would repeat the guidelines in his head over and over again.

1. Hand holding is okay for reasonable amounts of time; Only in front of the necessary people.

2. Placing a hand on either person's back is fine if to steer in a direction, but cannot linger.

3. Pet names like "Sweetheart" and "Babe" are allowed, but ones that relate to appearance like "Sexy" or "Beautiful" are not allowed.

4. No full frontal hugging.

5. No Kissing.

Guideline number five had surprisingly been the easiest. They had avoided mistletoe at Christmas. They mysteriously disappeared during the countdown to New Year's. They even claimed to be going away for Valentine's Day but had holed up in Charlie's room, eating pizza and watching the X-Men movies.

Now it was late March, and Charlie was getting a little tired of being a "fake" boyfriend. He wanted more, especially since he felt like a real boyfriend without all the benefits of being one. He paid for things when they were out, Lucy offered to pay him back, but Charlie refused. He had to explain his relationship with Lucy to his family and school friends. He had to bear suggestive looks from Schroeder every time Charlie and Lucy were close to each other.

All of this would have been fine, but he wasn't getting anything in return. If Charlie won Lucy over, then he would get plenty back, but that hadn't happened yet. At the rate they were going the reward may never come.

Back in October, he would have been fine; he could have suffered in silence, but now the longing was becoming unbearable. That was how he knew the kiss had been a terrible idea. It had seemed like such a good one at the time. A way to taste her, the first time he had ever been genuinely selfish with her. He wished he could take it back; then the desire would not be trying to eat him from the inside out. Charlie needed a distraction.

Then, an idea popped into his head, a terrible, selfish idea. Before he could think he was in his car, once the Camaro was started he headed toward his destination. He needed to drown out the thought of Lucy's lips, of her gasp, but to do that he had to do something he was sure to regret in the morning.

The summer between freshman and sophomore year he had gone to a cookout at the Grey house. It wasn't anything really, just family. Parents had been there until they weren't. One moment people surrounded Charlie and Violet; then they were alone in her backyard. Both of their parents, plus the Van Pelts, had gone inside, to do what Charlie could no longer remember. Lucy and Sally were both gone for the weekend with their softball team, and Linus had left earlier in the night.

"I'm surprised you're here, Brown."

"Your mom gave me free food, Grey. Where else would I be?"

"Maybe with people who don't hate you? Wait, do they exist or are they imaginary?" Violet gave him a deadpan look.

"That reminds me, Frieda called, she is looking for a leader of my fan club. You want me to nominate you?"

The sarcasm was in his voice, but his expression was serious.

"Of course, it would be a dream come true. Even though I think Peppermint Patty will be heartbroken that it's not her."

"Oooo, maybe you could fight for the title. Are you good at anything, Grey? I want you to have the advantage."

"How sweet, I knew you would see things my way, Brown."

She got up from her seat, walked to the cooler, and after looking around took a beer out. She turned to Charlie.

"Want a beer?"

"Ms. Goodie-two-shoes is drinking? Alert the media."

"Fine," Violet closed the lid and walked back to her seat. "Don't have one."

She popped the lid and took a swig. Charlie got up from his seat and grabbed the bottle from her. He took a few sips and then handed it back to her.

"You should be a better host, Grey."

He walked over to the cooler and got his own.

"I offered you one, but you were rude, so..."

Charlie went back to his seat and opened his beer. They sat in silence for a while and enjoyed the June air and the bitter taste of the alcohol. Once they had finished the first one Violet grabbed them both another. Halfway through his second beer, he moved closer to Violet.

"How are you, Violet?" He asked.

Her name sounded weird on his lips. He couldn't recall the last time he had said it to her face. It must have seemed strange to her as well because she scrunched her nose up. The word adorable popped into his head at that look.

"Playing nice, Charlie?" She mocked, his name sounded just as odd on her lips.

"I just thought that if we are going to be drinking buddies, then we should make pleasant conversation."

"We are not buddies of any kind, and pleasant conversation makes you less bearable."

"Wow, you are a mean drunk."

"I'm not drunk."

She might not be drunk, but Charlie could tell that the beer was affecting her. He could feel it himself, neither one of them were experienced drinkers. Last November's incident with the fire whiskey was still vivid in his mind. He had gotten way to personal with Franklin's toilet and never wanted that to happen again.

He downed the rest of his drink and set it beside his chair. He turned his attention back to Violet.

"You know, Vi, we could be friends."

Violet put her head back, and laughter burst from her lips. Charlie liked the sound of it. Usually, she was cruelly laughing at him; this was a different laugh, it sounded different.

He got up and got them another drink. He liked this Violet, and he didn't want the night to end. She took it gladly.

Behind the Grey's house was a small wooded area, after they finished the third beer they decided to go for a walk.

Violet hid the beer bottles and walked a little closer to Charlie than she would have sober.

The conversation was light, but still full of jabs. The usual bite was gone from them though. Both of the teenagers had a smile on their face.

Without agreeing they both stopped at the same time. Neither could see Violet's house anymore. She leaned against a tree trunk. Charlie just watched her.

Looking back neither knew who moved first or if it was at the same time; not that it mattered because it happened. One second they had plenty of space between them, and the next second they were glued together.

The first kiss wasn't good. They were both inexperienced, it was sloppy but intense from alcohol and wanting each other.

Charlie jumped back; they were both gasping for breath.

"I'm sorry," Charlie said a little too loudly.

"No, it's okay," Violet responded quietly.

They were silent for what felt like an eternity. Violet cleared her throat and without looking at Charlie, spoke.

"Will you kiss me again?"

Charlie stared at her for a second. When she continued to look down and kept quiet, he moved toward her slowly.

She looked at him when he got closer. He put an arm on each side of her body. Charlie caged her in between himself and the tree. He leaned down, and their lips met.

The second kiss was okay, still not great but better than the first. Not all over the place, less wet, and slower. Like they were trying to enjoy the kiss.

When they broke away this time, they stayed close. They were still trying to catch their breath. Charlie smiled, and Violet smiled back.

"Wow," Charlie started, "That was..."

"Not over." Violet interrupted.

She put one hand on the back of his neck, and her other hand went to his lower back. Before Charlie could respond, Violet was pulling him toward her again. Their lips met this time in the best kiss yet.

The third kiss was the one they both would remember when they thought back on that night. Neither of them had experienced that type of kiss before.

Both were inexperienced, but they had seen movies and were acting on those things. Violet was still against the tree, and they were taking full advantage.

They had tried to start out slow like the second kiss was, but that hadn't lasted long. Soon they were trying to get closer, and in the style of Violet and Charlie, the kiss became a type of war.

They were oil and water, not mixing no matter how hard they were trying. They were both perfect and terrible for each other, in the best and worst possible ways.

They were pulling and pushing, trying to be the one with the upper hand. Usually, they were the least selfish people in the room. Always calm and collected, the dependable ones. This kiss was only greedy, all take and no give. This kiss was just about them and no one else.

The actual kissing was controlled, but everything else was out of control. Their hands were everywhere. In hair, under shirts, pulling the other one closer.

They both thought they had reached the extent of the desire. But they hadn't, they realized this when Charlie became the brave one and gained the upper hand.

He hadn't even realized he had licked her bottom lip until Violet opened her mouth to him. The sensation that shots through both of them surprised them. Neither knew whom the moan came from nor did they care. They broke apart but stayed close to each other like before.

"That was amazing." Violet whispered.

"Yes, it was." Charlie responded.

Violet looked away and bit her lip. She wasn't trying to flirt or cause a response from Charlie, she was thinking. Charlie knew this, but his eyes moved to look at those now swollen lips.

"We can do better," Violet said.

"What?" Charlie's eyes shot back up to look at her eyes.

"We can do better. I want that feeling again, the one I got when your tongue touched my lips. So we should do that part again."

"Definitely." Charlie agreed.

"But our hands need to be more gentle. Pretty sure my scalp is going to be bruised tomorrow. Also, I think my nails might have drawn blood."

Charlie reached up to the back of his neck where he felt the scratches. Violet pulled his shirt up slightly to reveal half moon shaped indents in his side.

He wanted to laugh at the fact that she was planning out their kiss. So, this was still the Violet Grey he grew up with; He had wondered for a second if he had fallen into another dimension.

"What do you suggest?"

"You are taller than me; we need to get on the same level, while at the same time get closer. I need to be closer."

Reaching down Charlie brought her thighs up to his waist.

"Is this better?" Charlie smirked at her.

"Yes, thank you," Violet replied through strangled breath.

The tree not only helped keep her up but also gave them the desired closeness. She put both arms around his neck, her fingertips unintentionally touching his hair. His hands went to her waist; he inadvertently moved her shirt up slightly.

Both of the unintentional actions sent their hearts racing, their breath sped up and mingled together. The two stared at each other for a few minutes. Once they had calmed down a bit, they started kissing again.

Almost immediately Charlie's tongue slid across her bottom lip. She opened her mouth again, and the world seemed to disappear completely. The fourth kiss made the world explode.

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The handful of times they had met again to make-out they agreed to call each other by first names. It had helped them feel like different people like they were with different people.

It happened at most three times their Sophomore year. Then they seemed to silently agree to stop, so they had.

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Only Violet's car set in the driveway, Charlie slowly made his way to her front door. He took deep breathes of the cool air. Spring was coming, and he was glad for the light jacket he had on.

Standing on the front porch he knocked, He put his hands in his pocket and waited... and waited... and waited. What was he even doing here?

He spun around. He should leave, go back home. Halfway down the steps, he heard the front door open.

"Wait don't leave, I want my pizza," Violet exclaimed.

Charlie froze, he was feeling conflicted. He turned back around to look at her. She stood in her doorway holding cash. Her hair was up, and she had sweats and an Alabama football sweatshirt on, She looked beautiful.

"Brown? You're not the pizza guy."

"Nope, not the pizza guy." He mumbled to himself.

He took the stairs back to her two at a time. He needed to do this, to make sure that he knew what he wanted.

She looked startled.

"Hey, Vi."

She knew what was about to happen, even if the realization came only a split second before Charlie reached her. Violet's eyes grew wider, and she took a step back. Charlie just followed her.

She might have been surprised before his lips touched her's, but once the contact was there, she responded quickly.

She pulled him into her house. Charlie closed the door with his foot. They clung to each other as the kiss turned into a quick burn.

They continued this way for a while. Violet pushed Charlie's jacket off of him. She allowed him to pull her sweatshirt off. When it hit the floor, they both paused. Charlie leaned his forehead against Violet's, as their breath mingled together.

"What are you doing here, Brown?"

He knew that the use of his last name meant that it was over. Relief filled him, well almost.

"Don't reject me, Vi." He hated the sound of pleading that was in his voice.

He was glad that they had stopped, but he still didn't want her to push him away. The reject from Lucy in November still felt fresh.

Violet put both hands on each side of Charlie's face. Their foreheads were still together. Charlie opened his eyes, Violets were still closed, and she had a smile on her face.

"I'm not rejecting you... Well, not exactly."

She let go of him and took a step back. The distance was helping them clear their head, but she stayed close enough that they could reach each other quickly.

"She is going to come around. She already likes you, it terrifies her, but she likes you. Y'all will fall madly in love, and grow old together, and die on the same day at the age of Ninety." Violet said as she bent down to retrieve her sweatshirt.

"What if she doesn't, Gray? What if Schroeder comes around?"

"He won't; he could care less about Lucy VanPelt. Besides if she chose him over you, she has finally lost it."

Charlie watched Violet for a second. He had never really noticed her before. Not when they were fighting. Not when they were making out. Now, he was seeing her. He liked what he saw. Of course, he would notice her after their weird relationship was over, and he was genuinely in love with her best friend.

"This is over, correct?" He inquired.

"Yeah, I love her more than I like kissing you."

"Me too," Charlie agreed.

"I just..." He wasn't sure what to say.

"I know, I heard about that kiss. I'm surprised she hasn't given in yet."

They stood there in silence for a little longer.

"I guess I will leave now." Charlie finally said.

Violet walked him to the door. She stood up on her toes and kissed him on the cheek. Opening the front door she watched him walk out.

Halfway down the steps, he turned around like before. Violet still stood there in the doorway watching him.

"If things were different, with Lucy I mean, do you think we would have had a chance?" He asked her.

He didn't know why he asked. Tomorrow they would go back to snide remarks and only tolerate each other for Lucy. This thing between them would never happen again. In ten years they would never even think about their secret meet-ups. But, he needed to know.

"Don't worry, Brown. Somewhere in another life, we can't keep our hands off each other." Violet moved her eyebrows suggestively.

Charlie laughed loudly, walked the rest of the way down the steps, and got into his car.