Authors Note

Guess what? GhostKitty00 is going to (probably) update The College Life this weekend! I've been told to spread the word so this is me spreading the word! If it's already up by the time this is posted than… just ignore this. And this chapter is extra long just for you, JustAGirlWithADream, because you awarded me the Fastest Typer of the Year Award! -Steph

Disclaimer: Everything recognizable was created and is owned by Lauren Brooke

The Peak

Chapter 8

Ty swished the red wine around in his glass. "I give up," he said sounding bored. "Who's here?"

Mick grinned even bigger. Ty's sounding bored didn't even faze him; it was Ty's forte to sound bored all the time. "They're walking around the tables… now they're coming to the table right behind you… now they're sitting at the table behind you; damn there are a lot of them… oooo now they're looking over here… now…" Mick stopped his running commentary on what was happening behind Ty as he received one of Ty's look from Ty himself. While Ty's 'look' would have most people quaking their shoes Mick again breezed through it unfazed. He'd been best friends with Ty for two years, he was used to it.

"Who is it Mick?" Ty asked as he took a rather large gulp of his wine.

"It's the Stalkaratsi," Mick replied gleefully. Mick had had, perhaps, a bit too much wine.

"The Stalka who?" Ty asked in confusion. His eyebrows furrowed making him look even hotter.

"The Stalkaratsi!" Mick repeated.

"Should that mean something to me?" Ty asked as he took another sip from his wine glass. He drained its remaining content.

"Dude just look behind you," Mick finally said.

Ty set down his now empty glass and raised an eyebrow in Mick's direction. The grin re-broke out across Mick's stunningly handsome face as he gestured for Ty to look. Ty sighed and turned slightly in his chair so that he had a better view of the table behind him. All he saw was a huge table that looked like it sat twenty people, and all the seats were occupied. All Ty saw was a bunch of people's backs. He opened his mouth in irritation and was set turn around when something caught his eye. He turned back around and groaned in exasperation as it finally registered who the people were.

"Shit," Ty muttered as he turned back around, hoping that they hadn't seen him. "Those people are getting on my last nerve," Ty said to Mick. Mick chuckled softly as his friends' reaction. Ty looked at Missy, "Hey gorgeous?"

"Yeah hot stuff?" Missy said in response as she turned back to face Ty.

"Don't…" Ty began but was interrupted.

"Look who it is!" Missy squealed as she caught sight of the next table. She jumped out of her chair as the people turned to look at her.

"…Say anything," Ty finished as he stared at Missy's now empty chair.

Mick grabbed the half empty bottle of wine and was about to refill his glass when he burst into silent laughter.

"Hi I'm Missy Brown!" Missy's voice chirped at the next table. "I'm Scott and Lou's wedding planner at SASSI!" Ty began to wonder if Missy had somewhat downplayed the amount of wine she'd consumed before his and Mick's arrival. But he shrugged off the thought. Why should he care how much someone had had to drink? It wasn't like he was at all conservative in his alcohol consumption either.

All the other people at the table were introduced to Missy and shook all of their hands in turn, those who she had not already met that is.

"And these are my bitches," Missy said and the comment earned a laugh from the rest of the table. Ty grabbed the bottle of wine from Mick's hand just as he was about to start pouring it into his glass and some of the red liquid sloshed onto the white table cloth. He didn't even bother to pour some in his glass. Just as the bottle reached his lips Missy's hand yanked it away. "Ah ah ah hot stuff! That's for everybody," Missy told him a 'scolding' voice. Ty picked up his empty glass and managed to scavenge a few precious drops before Missy yanked him out of his chair. "Ty Baldwin and Mick Laurence," Missy said and pointed to each of them as she said their name. Mick nodded casually as he picked at a roll of half eaten bread on his plate.

"No school today Ty?" Jake suddenly asked Ty.

Ty slowly turned to face the old man and smirked. "There was, we're cutting." Jake frowned, along with all the people who had known Ty before the accident. Ty revealed in their shocked looks. "It was boring as hell so we ditched and met Gorgeous for lunch," Ty told them. It wasn't necessary for him to tell them that information and under normal circumstances he wouldn't have but he was enjoying their reactions too much. Jake's frown deepened and he opened his mouth to say something but Ty cut him off. "Now you're going to tell me that the 'old Ty'," Ty lifted his hands and made air quotes around the two words, "Never cut school. But I don't really give a shit what 'old Ty' was like," Ty grinned in satisfaction at his little speech and sat down.

Everyone was silent after Ty's outburst. Mick snickered and said, "Man that was good. You got Ty to talk for more than two words at a time!" he gave a cheesy thumbs-up sign to the other table and winked. "That was deep Ty, bravo," Mick lightly clapped his hands together in mock appreciation.

Ty, who was never at a lose for a comeback, smirked and addressed the other table lightly. "Don't listen to him," Ty advised the group. "He's just pissed that no one was interested in him at the party last night, it was all me," Ty added and leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

Mick's face remained passive but navy blue eyes sparked playfully. "You didn't get any either," Mick retorted.

"When's the last time you did?" Ty shot back.

"Last night Ty, same as you. 'Member those twins? Damn what were their names…?" Mick trailed off and tilted his head back. After only a few seconds he shrugged. He turned to face Ty. "Do you remember?"

"I think the one I was with was named Serena," Ty said.

Mick cocked his head to the side contemplatively. "Nah man, I think I was with Serena." He paused and looked lost in thought, suddenly his head jerked up straight again and he held a finger in the air triumphantly. "I've got it. I was with Serena and you were with Maria."

Ty nodded his head. "Yep that's it, Maria." He paused again, "Actually I'm not sure…"

"What the hell," Mick said. "They're identical twins."

"Good point," Ty agreed with his best friend. "Like we'd actually remember who was who," he reasoned.

"Exactly," Mick nodded his head firmly and the blonde hair around his face fell into a new position. "I…" he trailed off as he caught sight of the twenty odd people sitting at the other table starring at them, some of their mouths being open. "Catching bugs?" Mick drawled out.

The mouths immediately snapped closed but for the most part the shocked, and somewhat horrified and disgusted, looks remained present. None looked to be more appalled than Amy, however.

"Did you want something?" Ty asked, his voice subconsciously reverting back to its normal, bored tone.

The Peak

"Did you want something?" The intensity of the boredom and uncaring in Ty's voice chilled Amy. This wasn't the Ty she remembered.

"He's cute!" Amy's 11-year-old half-sister, Lily, whispered in Amy's ear.

All Amy could do was bob her head slightly. After a short conversation with Scott and Lou Missy sat back down at her table and seemingly became engrossed in conversation with her 'bitches', as she had so lovingly referred to Mick and Ty.

"I think he likes you!" Lily whispered next in Amy's ear.

Amy was starring at the back of Ty's head and was not really paying much attention so she started to nod her head once again. She stopped mid-bob when Lily's words registered. She turned to her half-sister and furrowed her eyebrows. "How do you figure?" Amy did not see how Ty had done anything to show that he liked her.

"He was looking at you a minute ago," Lily said excitedly. Amy started to shake her head to the side. "No really!" Lily insisted. "When you were talking to Oooh," even though Lily was now fully capable of saying 'Lou' her childhood name for her oldest half-sister had stuck.

For some absurd reason Amy's heart fluttered at Lily's words. "I don't think so Lil's," she said and pushed all her feelings down and away.

"I heard you guys talking about him before," Lily remarked, "You, Soroya, Matt, Joni and Tom. You're the only one he's nice to."

Amy snorted light enough that only a harder gust of air came out of her nose. She remembered how they'd yelled at each other the night before, that had hardly been a nice exchange. "Hardly," Amy mumbled and fiddled with the white cloth napkin that was laid across her lap.

"Not from what I heard," Lily said playfully. "I think you like him too," she added and shot a quick glance at Amy before she took a sip from her water glass.

Amy attempted to laugh off Lily's comment like it was no big deal and the silliest thing she had ever heard. "That's funny Lily."

"How?" Lily asked sounding confused. "I was serious," she added.

Amy sighed and pushed a hand through her long, light brown hair. "First, I don't even know him and second he's…" Amy trailed of, looking for the right word to describe Ty. "Not how I thought he'd be," she finally mumbled.

"Well it has been two years since you last saw him," Lily said logically. "He's bound to have changed heaps. Two years is a long time."

"Are you sure you're only 11?" Amy asked Lily humorously.

Lily shrugged, "That's what my birth certificate says." Lily looked across the table to where here mother, Helena, was seated. Helena asked Lily a question and Lily responded good humouredly.

Amy couldn't help herself; she looked back at Ty's table. They looked like they were having a goodtime. A waiter presented them with a fresh bottle of wine and Ty accepted it. He popped open the cork and refilled all of their glasses almost to the very top. He than set the bottle down and picked up his glass and took a sip. Ty set his glass down as he started to laugh at something Missy had just said. Mick scowled and Missy reached over and ruffled his hair, Mick scowled even more but it just made Ty laugh harder. Amy felt a surprising surge of jealousy as she watched Missy, all gorgeous six feet of curves and confidence that she absolutely shone of. Amy wished that it was she who was making Ty laugh like that…

Surprised at her own thoughts Amy extinguished them before they could prosper and become anything more. I'm being stupid, she told herself repeatedly.

Mick caught her watching them and nodded at her slightly before he turned back to Ty and said something to him. Amy managed to turn her head away before Ty could look over but she felt his eyes on her nonetheless.

Just than a waiter came up to their table and moved around the table, taking everyone's orders. After Amy had placed her order for lunch she discreetly looked back over at Ty's table. Now Mick was the one laughing and though Amy couldn't see Ty's face she guessed that it was something about Ty, if the way Mick pointed at Ty through his laughter was any indication. A second later Ty reached into the pocket of his khaki shorts and extracted his silver RAZR, he flipped the phone open and said something into it, Amy couldn't hear what he said over the voices at her table. Ty excused himself from his table, stood up and walked out of the restaurant, his phone still held to his ear.

Without realizing what she was doing Amy stood up from her chair and upon being asked where she was going she said she was going to the bathroom. She left and followed Ty out of the restaurant. No one besides Lily noticed that Amy was walking in the opposite direction of the bathrooms. Lily smiled to herself and chose not to bring attention to that fact and turned back to her conversation.

Amy exited the restaurant and found Ty in the hotels lobby. He was leaning against one of the walls talking on his cell phone. His back was turned to Amy so he didn't notice she was standing right behind him.

The Peak

"I'll be there," Ty said into his phone firmly. He paused as he listened to what the other person was saying. "I already told you," he said sounding annoyed. "Yes, 7:30 tonight." He paused again as listened intently to what was being said to him. "The Ferrari?" Ty snorted at whatever was just said to him, it was something he obviously thought was ridiculous. "What else would I bring?" there was a longer pause this time as the person on the other end spoke. "Mick Laurence, he's got the Vet," Ty said suddenly. "Who's yours?" Ty laughed at whatever was said in response. "And what do you have?" Ty's eyes opened wide at what had just been said to him. "A Lamb?" Ty gave a long, appreciative whistle as the person on the other end confirmed. "Sweet." Ty's eyes sparked as a sudden idea struck him, "What's say we up the stakes?" he said casually. Ty didn't need to elaborate what he was talking about; the person on the other end knew what Ty was implying and readily agreed. "It's a deal," Ty said. "Tonight, 7:30, Dead Mans Curve, don't be late," Ty ordered. "Best of luck to you my brotha'," Ty said into the phone. "You're going down, just like last time." Ty flipped the phone shut without waiting for a reply. He dropped it into his pocket and turned around, almost colliding with Amy.

Amy stumbled back in surprise. Ty reached out and grabbed her shoulders to steady her. "Oh, um, sorry!" Amy said hurriedly. "I was just uh… looking for the bathroom."

Ty eyed her suspiciously, he didn't believe her. "How long have you been standing there?" he demanded.

"Um… not long," Amy said lamely.

"What did you hear?" Ty interrogated her.

"Nothing really…" Amy trailed. She'd heard his whole conversation but she didn't understand any of what was said. "I'll just be uh going now." Amy turned around and started to hurry off, back to the dinning area but Ty grabbed her wrist and pulled her back.

"I don't think so," Ty said and steered her to the middle of the lobby where there were couches and chairs arrayed. There were several people sitting there but Ty didn't pay them any attention as he pushed Amy down onto one of the couches and took a seat of the coffee table directly in front of her. His green eyes were hard and cold and appraised her suspiciously. "What did you hear?" he asked again.

"Nothing," Amy said uncomfortably. Ty raised an eyebrow, just one, in disbelief. Amy sighed. "Okay fine. I just heard that something was happening at 7:30 tonight at Dead Mans Curve and you made a deal or a bet or something with whomever you were talking to."

Ty groaned and pushed a hand through his hair, a surefire sign that he was nervous, which wasn't often. "Look," he sighed and looked back up at Amy, "Just don't tell anyone what you heard, okay?"

"Why not?" Amy asked, it was her turn to be suspicious now. "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing," Ty replied just a tad too quickly for Amy's liking. "Just forget you heard anything and don't try to come later."

"What happens if I do?" Amy retorted.

Ty grimaced. "I don't want to think about it and you don't want know. If you know what's good for you than just stay away, preferably far away."

Amy leaned back against the plush couch and crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't understand you," she said and stared at Ty.

"Is that a bad thing?" Ty said back. "You don't have any reason to."

"You know," Amy began after a minute of silence, "We used to be best friends once. I knew everything about you and you knew everything about me. It's just weird that I don't know you at all more."

Ty looked out of one of the floor to ceiling windows contemplatively, "Well I guess that's what happens," Ty said eventually.

"I guess," Amy agreed. The two lapsed into silence for several minutes. Amy broke the silence when she decided that it was time to voice the question that had been bugging her so much. "Do you really not remember anything about Heartland, horses or about… me?" she asked tentatively.

Ty didn't answer right away, just kept looking out of the window to where the championship size golf course could be seen in the distance. There were little golf cabbies zipping around the grounds. Amy wondered if he had even heard question and was internally wrestling over if she should ask it again or just drop the topic all together. "Have you ever been in one of those golf carts?" Ty asked suddenly.

"I… what?" Amy asked in confusion.

Ty looked back at Amy and flashed her his trademark smile. "Golf carts," he repeated slowly. He picked his hands up and positioned them in front of his chest and mimed steering a steering wheel. "Have you ever been in one?"

"Oh," Amy said but she was still somewhat confused. "No why?"

"They're so much fun," Ty said with an insane grin. "They only go like 15 mph but it's awesome to drive them around the course. My dad and Mick's dad play golf together on the weekends and Mick and I used to drive their carts for them. But never a caddie," Ty said and shook his head in disgust. "Anyway," he continued, "When they were playing the hole we'd, Mick and I, race each other around." Ty smiled at the memory. "Those were some good times but than the course officials banned us from driving them anymore because we almost ran over a pair of old geezers. We didn't hit them even, though; they did fall into the pond."

Amy couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips. She smiled when it finally occurred to her that she was having a real conversation with Ty, and that he seemed almost like his old self when he wasn't around other people.

"You want to go try it?" Ty asked suddenly.

"What?" Amy said in surprise. "Like drive a gold cart?" Ty nodded eagerly. "Now? Like right now?"

"Sure," Ty said with a shrug, "Why not?"

"Well," Amy said and glanced behind her to the entrance to the restaurant. "What about lunch and all?"

"They can wait," Ty said easily. "So what do you say?"

Amy giggled again, it surprised her, she wasn't the giggling type. "Can you even do that? Just go out and steal a cart I mean? Don't have to like play golf to get one of them?"

"Oh yeah," Ty said and his smile fell. Amy had the sudden urge to make him smile like that again but pushed it away. "I forgot about that." Suddenly Ty's face lit up again, "I've got a better idea," he said.

Amy laughed; this was almost like old times when Ty would be scheming something and come up with absurd ideas of things and try to get Amy to do them. He almost always succeed. "What?"

Ty shoved his hand into one of the front pockets on his khaki shorts and pulled out a set of glimmering keys. He dangled them around in the air in front of Amy's face and the clacked together invitingly. "Let's take the Ferrari out for a drive," he suggested. "It goes faster than the golf carts," he said with a grin.

"What?" Amy said again but this time it was in surprise. "I… no I can't," she said quickly with a shake of her head even though she was highly tempted to take Ty up on his offer. "We should get back to our lunch," she suggested.

"Aw come on, only for ten minutes," Ty whined. He held the keys in front of her again, "I'll let you drive…" Ty said and waved the keys around invitingly.

"Well…" Amy trailed of playfully. "I suppose if it's only for ten minutes…" she didn't know what possessed her but she grabbed the keys from Ty's outstretched hand giddily and stood up. She started to walk towards the door but stopped halfway there. She turned to face Ty and cocked her head at him questioningly, "Are you coming or what?"

Ty snapped out of his dazed expression and jumped up. "Of course," he answered and walked over to her.

Amy grinned wider and spun back around, her long hair fanning out around her. She started walking again and a few seconds later Ty reached her side and draped an arm around her slender shoulder. Amy shivered in contentment and couldn't help but feeling that his arm felt so right there. It was so weird, she'd been sure that Ty hated her up until ten minutes ago.

When they reached the door Ty, unfortunately, in Amy's opinion, slipped his arm from around her shoulders and opened the door for her. She smiled up at him and was about to walk through when I voice halted them.

"Where are you two going?" a voice sang over to them. Amy and Ty whipped around to see Mick standing a few feet away grinning madly. Amy backed away from the still opened door and Ty let go of the handle so that it fell closed again.

"Nowhere," Ty said quickly.

"Uh huh," Mick said disbelievingly. "The real question is, however, were you just going to leave me here?" Amy couldn't help but laughing at Mick's puppy-dog eyes.

"What about Gorgeous?" Ty asked. Amy's smile dropped completely off her face as she heard Ty calling Missy 'Gorgeous', what she didn't know, however, was that just like Missy called Mick and Ty 'Hot Stuff', 'Gorgeous' was their nickname for her. Mick noticed the change in Amy after Ty's words but chose to bypass it for the moment.

"Actually," Mick started, "I was coming out to look for you. The food's here."

"Oh okay," Ty said, ghe looked a little disappointed.

"Yeah," Amy said. "I should be getting back to my table too." She started to walk back towards the dinning area but stopped and turned around as she remembered something. She faced Ty and held up his keys, Mick's eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of the keys to Ty's Ferrari in Amy's hands, Ty never let anyone drive that car, it was like his child. His eyes only proceeded to get even wider as he listened to the exchange that followed, "Sorry," Amy said quickly. "Here your keys."

Ty eyed the keys but didn't except them, "Keep them," he told her. Mick almost choked in surprise.

"What?" Amy asked, just as surprised as Mick.

"I promised you could drive the Ferrari didn't I?" Ty responded casually.

Amy smiled again, "Yeah but we have to…"

Ty shook his head and his shaggy brown hair flopped around his face. "After lunch than. Keep the keys till then if you don't believe," Ty added when he caught sight of Amy's skeptical expression. "It's not like I can go anywhere without the keys."

Ty started walking back to the dinning area and gestured for Mick to follow him. Amy walked slightly behind the two boys but was close enough that she could hear their conversation.

"We're on for tonight," Ty said to Mick.

Mick grinned. "Great, when and where?"

"Dead Mans Curve at 7:30," Ty responded.

Mick whistled, "Dead Mans Curve?" Ty nodded his head grimly. "That's steep man."

"Wasn't my choice," Ty said. "The stakes are upped though."

"How so?" Mick asked.

"Tony's got a Lamb," was all Ty needed to say for Mick to catch on.

"Wicked," Mick exclaimed. "So winner takes all?" Ty nodded his head again. Mick rubbed his hands together gleefully, "Well he's no match for my baby, she's ready to be popped out of the garage."

"Your Z06." Mick nodded his head in response to Ty's statement. "That's a sweet ride man," Ty said appreciatively.

"It sure is," Mick agreed wholeheartedly. "0-62 mph in 3.7 seconds flat," Ty whooped excitedly. "Up to 318 mph," Mick added and Ty applauded lightly. "500 horsepower," Ty whistled appreciatively. Mick stopped his gloating and asked Ty, "Ferrari Enzo?"

"Don't you know it," Ty said. "0-62 mph in 3.65. 362." Mick laughed gleefully.

"Damn that's a nice car man. Don't want to bang that baby up."

"Not a chance, not a chance," Ty drawled out the words.

By now they were back in the dinning area. Mick and Ty headed to their table while Amy moved to the table directly next to theirs.

"Caught them trying to sneak off," Mick said. Amy grinned and sat down in her seat. She played with the keys to Ty's Ferrari in her hands.

"You'll never guess Gorgeous," Mick said to Missy. "Never ever in a million years will you guess what Ty was going to do." Mick laugh lightly to himself and shook his head at the absurdity of it all.

"What Hot Stuff?" Missy said looking intrigued.

"He was going to let Amy drive his Ferrari!" Mick exclaimed.

Missy eyes widened in surprise and her mouth dropped open. "Seriously?" Mick nodded furiously. Missy smacked Ty's arm. "You don't let anyone drive that thing!" she exclaimed.

"First off," Ty began pointedly. "She is not a 'thing' and secondly…"

"My point exactly," Missy laughed. "You're so protective of that car Hot Stuff." She eyed Ty suspiciously before turning to face Mick again. "Are you sure?"

"Deadly," Mick responded. He turned to face Amy's table and gestured to her. "Show her the keys."

Amy grinned and held up the keys.

Missy's mouth fell open even farther, "You gave her the keys?" she said incredulously.

Ty shrugged and took a drink from his wine glass. "I said I'd let her drive," he said with a shrug.

Missy sighed. "You won't even let me drive it though!"

Ty laughed like that was the funniest thing he had ever heard. "With the way you drive? I don't think so!"

"I'll have you know that I'm a very good driver," Missy pointed out to Ty.

"Not good enough to drive my baby you aren't," Ty smirked.

"That sounded really wrong Hot Stuff," Missy laughed. "But seriously, you've never even seen her drive and you'll just hand over the keys to the Ferrari? You'd never do that unless…" Missy trailed off. A huge grin broke over her face as she looked at Ty. Ty looked away uncomfortably, he knew what was coming. "You like her don't you?" she said coyly.

"No," Ty said stubbornly. "I just…" he trailed off.

"My little Hot Stuff's in love!" Missy squealed. She put her arm around Mick's shoulders and turned back to Ty. Uncharacteristically, Ty was blushing ever so slightly. "Our little boy's in love," Missy said to Mick.

"Never thought I'd see the day," Mick said mimicking Missy's sentimental voice.

"I'm not in love with her," Ty said but his voice lacked any real conviction.

"Ty you opened the door for her, I've never seen you open the door for anyone," Mick said.

"Mick?" Ty said in a sweet voice.

"Yes honey?" Mick responded.

Keeping his voice sickly sweet Ty smiled and said, "Shut up."

The Peak

Both tables finished eating at the almost the same time. Ty, Mick and Missy headed outside into the bright sunshine. Ty perched on the door of his black Ferrari as Mick settled into the driver's seat of his Corvette. Missy stood by the hood of Ty's Ferrari and traced a hand enviously over its gleaming black paintjob.

"I wish you'd let me drive it," Missy whined and gave Ty her best puppy-dog eyes and pouty mouth.

"Not today Gorgeous," Ty said with a grin. "Maybe later."

"Well at least that's progress," Missy said excitedly. "You wouldn't even consider it before." Missy walked to the car parked on Ty's other side, a black 2006 Mercury Milan. "Time to give my car a little attention," she said. She perched on the hood and crossed her long, tan, muscled legs. Her skirt fell down her thighs a bit and she caught the glance that two guys that were just walking into the Four Seasons sent her. Missy eyed them up and down and turned her nose up at them. They were tourists. Missy hated tourists, unless they were her clients or future clients of course, and didn't bother to give them the time of day.

"Harsh Gorgeous," Ty laughed as the two men walked into the building dejectedly.

"What?" Missy asked, faining shock. "They just screamed, 'I'm a tourist! Where's the bathroom?'"

Ty laughed but straightened up when he saw Amy emerge from the Four Seasons a second later followed by her party.

"Have fun lover boy!" Missy called to Ty as she jumped into the Mercury Milan and sped away from the others.

"Hurry!" Ty called to Amy and waved her over. Amy caught sight of him and waved off her family as she hurried over to Ty.

Ty reached inside the door, the top was still down of course, and unlocked the door. He opened it for Amy and she smiled gratefully at him before she slid into the plush, white tan leather seating. Ty jogged around to the other side and jumped into the passenger side. "Ready?" he said as he faced Amy.

"Definitely," Amy said with a grin.

a/n: horrible ending but I have to get this up for JustAGirlWithADream! No time for editing! Review!