Slight time-skip, so you guys can have an update on this. I hope you don't mind and that this story isn't going too fast, but I am trying! This is all pre-written and I wasn't meant to use it about now, maybe another two or three chapters down the line, but I can't think of anything to put in, so we have this instead.

And quite a few guest reviews to reply to 'cos I'm not entirely sure if I've replied to them before or not:

Guest 1- Well, that's sweet! I'm sure Tyler would be glad to hear he'd make a better boyfriend than Dean :D

Awesome as Annabeth- I have a few ideas, but they mainly involve DEATH. Mwhahaha! You do not win! Well, maybe I could let you this time- good music, chocolate and it's nearly the weekend! Woop woop :P Add someone named Gary? Really? Why Gary, if you don't mind me asking? :P

To kthulu- that's just mean! I love it! :D

Guest 2- Actually, most people don't like Dean and ship Tage, as far as I know. There may be one or two Deage shippers, but it's really up to them who they ship. I just write the story :P

Guest 3- You want Dean to die? Wow… another mean person! High five! :D

Guest 4- Dean was meant to be nicer for a bit longer, but I didn't want to stop updating for such and such a length of time, so I sped that bit up and now we have Dean-haters around.

Guest 5- Tobias can be smart… kind of… and only when he wants to :P

Guest 6- Woo! Thank you! :D

To bridgetmc- Um, yeah, pretty much :P

If I missed any guest reviews, I'm really sorry!

"Just open the bag, Tyler. It won't kill you, it's a bag." This self-encouragement thing didn't work, but Tyler tried to believe that it did. "Open. The. Bag." He told himself sternly.

The golden gift bag glittered innocently from where it was sat on his unmade bed. He had had it for nearly a month now and still hadn't ventured into its contents. How long would it take for him to muster the courage to do so?

Taking a deep breath, he held it and counted to ten slowly. He released it just as slowly and forced himself to pick the bag up. "JustopenthebagTyleritsjustabag."

He gave himself another full minute, watching the dots blip on his digital clock until the numbers changed. Without looking down, he tore open the bag and tipped the contents onto his bed.

An unopened card in a red envelope, a box of chocolates and a rectangular package. He picked through it gingerly, as if there were bombs concealed in them.

He checked the chocolates first, the easiest one. They weren't his personal favourites, but they were definitely somebody's favourites.

Bravely, he unwrapped the present next, tearing the paper away with his eyes fixed on the ceiling.

He felt pages. A paper back cover, a book.

Of course.

Just to double check though, he opened the card, seeing typed up words stuck into the card. To conceal his handwriting, maybe. It was pretty obvious it was his- that trademark scrawl.

To Sage

To say I love you would be an understatement. My feelings for you have lasted so long and 'love' is not a big enough word to describe them.

Maybe one day I'd have the courage to talk to you properly.

Mr. S

S.

Single. Mr. Single.

One day he would have the courage to talk to her.

Hopefully. He would definitely show her one day, but he had to remember the rest of his life first.

"Wow." Dean looked her up and down. "Wow." He repeated, a stupid, approving smile forming on his lips. Sage flicked her fringe from her eyes, looking down at herself. Her mother had talked her into wearing a dress for her leaver's prom. It was her favourite colour, pinching at her waist and then flowing out about her knees. She wore black slip on shoes with white bows on. Her hair was curled down about her shoulders instead of tied up like normal. The only annoying thing was her hair kept tumbling into her eyes, too short to be tucked behind her ear, but too long to stay up anyway.

The only good thing about the dress was the memory of getting it- Tyler had insisted with the dress shopping and look where that had gotten Sage now.

Dean held his hand out, his smile cheeky and lopsided. "Care to have this dance, gorgeous?" Sage hesitantly accepted his hand, feeling stupid. She hated dancing, a bit like Tobias with 'two right feet'.

She stumbled about with Dean for five, long minutes, Dean flirting with her all the while. She noticed his eyes kept dancing about and she casually glanced around to see where he had been looking.

"Mind if I borrow this lovely lady for a while?" She looked about to see Tyler grinning at them, holding his arm out to her. He, unlike casually-dressed-Dean, was dressed considerably smart, a shirt of similar colour to Sage's dress, black trousers and a brand new pair of white trainers. A matching outfit to hers, in a way, highly unlike Dean, who was dressed in a white T-shirt and black jeans.

"Yeah, sure." Dean smiled. "I'll be by the buffet table." He told Sage, kissing her cheek and disappearing.

Tyler tutted disapprovingly, tucking his arm around her waist and holding her hand.

"He gave you up to easily." He explained at her questioning look.

"He's just hungry. There's no stopping Dean when he sees food."

"You don't say." Tyler turned them around, placing his back to Dean. His eyes twinkled nervously and she gathered a hunch that he wanted to tell her something.

"Spit it out." She ordered. He sighed.

"I was talking to some of Dean's friends from his old school."

"Why?"

"I have a social life outside of you, sweetheart." He grinned cheekily. Sage dug her fingers into his waist and he squirmed. "Joking. You're my only friend and I daren't have others." She shot him a pointed look and he spun her around. "Look, I don't want to hurt you, Sage, but Dean's friends were telling me he's a… bit of a player…" He finished quietly. Sage met his gaze, furrowing her brow.

"OK…" She prompted.

"They said that… he gets interested quickly and a bit obsessive, but once he's bored… he'll go. I saw him looking at other girls." Sage sighed.

"Yeah, me too." She had suspected something like this. Dean was forever flirting with other girls or eyeing them up. He didn't text her 24/7 or reply to her messages in a heartbeat, like he used to. Sometimes she would go days without hearing from him.

"Are you going to talk to him?"

"No." He looked at her quizzically, a question on his lips. "I'm going to talk to him and, if worse comes to worst, I'll dump him." Something very brief and very bright burst into his eyes, but he carefully arranged his expression into that of a caring, slightly astounded friend. "Oh, I've been thinking about it for a while. Yeah, he was nice, but… not what I want."

"What do you want then?" His tone was soft, but there was something beneath it that was very suspicious. She contemplated his tone and his question, chewing her lip thoughtfully.

"A Seaweed Brain." She settled with. "But unique in his own way."

"I'm very unique."

"I know you are. You're so unique; it's a whole different class." He beamed.

"You so get me. Oh! Just remembered! I've got you a pressie."

"Oh, really?" He nodded eagerly.

"It's in my locker. Come on." He took her hand and led her from the hall, easily cutting through the crowds.

The corridors were blissfully quieter than the auditorium. Tyler made a direct beeline for his locker, covering his hand over the dial, even though she knew his code. He kept glancing over his shoulder at her, a cheeky gleam of suspicion lighting his eyes.

He threw open the door and retrieved a square box the size of a cereal bowl. It was velvety and dark blue and he presented it to her with a flourish.

"What's the occasion?"

"I'm allowed to treat my best friend."

"You don't have to."

"I did not spend hours in a jewellery shop for you to tell me off." He retorted jokingly. "Open it!"

"OK, OK." She took the box carefully- jewellery shop?- and eased the lid away.

Inside was a tiara. Silver with an assortment of purple, blue and green jewels amongst the artistic, symmetrical curls it possessed. It was so delicate, she didn't want to hold it, but it was so beautiful, she had to!

She stammered for words, a first that he was clearly proud of. "I… oh my gods…" He took it from her, pushing it gently into her hair. That bothersome fringe was instantly pinned back.

"Princess." He commented instantly, casting an approving look over her. "Definitely a princess." She felt heat rising in her cheeks and something warm fluttered in her chest- she liked his approval. Why did she so suddenly like his approval this much?

"Thank you." She smiled. "I love it." He beamed.

"Oh… um, I hope you don't mind, but that purple rock you gave me…" He pointed at the tiara.

"You didn't."

"I did." He looked sheepish, but relaxed at her broad smile.

"You told me you'd lost it!"

"No… not exactly."

"You… recycled it."

"Yes." He grinned. Sage gingerly felt the jewels in the tiara; feeling like she should smile more, but was physically unable to do so.

Smiling and thanking him didn't feel like enough. He had gone out of his way to get this made for her- it didn't exactly scream cheap or shoddy- and all she could was smile at him like some love-struck teenager.

A tingle swarmed down her spine, warming her to the tips of her fingers and pushing her to stand on her toes. He had grown a couple of inches recently, but he wasn't gangly or awkward in the slightest, having filled out a bit as well.

Tyler nearly died on the spot as she pressed her lips to his, her hands tentative on his shoulders. How many times had he dreamed of this over the past four years? He had planned his reaction, but he did nothing out of shock and pure joy.

He was just about to kiss her back when a searing fire erupted in his mind; a pain so intense, he staggered back, crashing into the wall and collapsing to the floor. He couldn't see, he couldn't hear- there was blackness and ringing. Hands gripped his shoulders as images flashed in front of his eyes. He had no idea what they were- too fast to determine- but the brightness and speed of them only added to the torment ridiculing his mind.

"TYLER!" A hand cupped his jaw and as suddenly as it had all started, it had stopped. Vision and hearing came back so suddenly, he was left reeling from it.

Sage stared at him, one hand on his shoulder and one on the back of his neck, her fingers brushing through his hair. "Wh-? Are you OK? Can you hear me?"

"Sage." He said. He reached up tentatively, holding her face in his hands.

Then he started laughing. "Sage!" Her eyes were wide, teary and marvelling at him. One minute he had been in agony and the next he was laughing as much as the Joker.

He drew her into his arms suddenly and kissed her forcibly, smiling against her lips as if somebody had presented him with all the happiness to ever exist.

Resting his forehead against hers, he laughed again. "I remember." He breathed, brushing his lips over hers. "I remember all of it." After staring at him disbelievingly for a second, she started laughing herself, tears of relief flooding down her cheeks. Throwing her arms around his neck, she engaged him in another kiss. Tyler wrapped her arms around her waist and held her close.

He had Sage now and he remembered her completely.

He wasn't going to lose her again.

Ta da!