Author's Note: For an update, I got power back on Friday, and I spent the weekend working on this chapter. I like the way things end up. Guess who's back?

Disclaimer: I don't own much!

Chapter 7: Falling into it

Monday morning Theresa smiled happily down the hallway. Ryan laughed as he saw her approaching him.

"Good morning Ryan," she hugged him softly and kissed him on the cheek.

"Good morning, Re," he laughed, glad to see her happy. She skipped off and he shook his head going into his locker to get his books. "Jesus," he jumped when he closed the locker and saw Reid and Fulton standing there. "Guys, seriously, don't do that."

"We don't like this whole Theresa and the new kid thing," Fulton said.

"Reid," Ryan said,

"Fulton," he corrected.

"Right, sorry," he said. "Look at her," they looked over and saw the still smiling blonde Portman pull a rose out of her locker, along with a note and then smell it and giggle. "When was the last time you saw her that happy?"

"Not since Kitty left," Reid said quietly.

"Exactly," Ryan said. "I know you don't want her to get hurt. Neither do I, but Theresa's a big girl, she can take care of her self. I'll help you keep an eye on the guy though, I mean, he seems cool, but,"

"They all seem cool," Fulton said, "at first. Andy seemed cool, when he invited us over to his house that time."

"Exactly," Ryan nodded, "So, lay off for now, but if anything happens, I'm right there with you beating the shit out of him."

"Fine," Reid mumbled and the twins walked away. Ryan smiled and shook his head. He liked the way the Portmans all looked out for each other, especially the way the guys were super protective of their sisters. He had been slightly offended when he was dating Theresa and Danny hadn't come after him, of course he later found out it was because Danny knew, like just about everyone but himself and Deena that he and Deena would end up together.

"Hey," Deena came in and kissed him.

"Hi," He smiled, "How'd it go with the scout?"

"Good," she nodded, "We talked about all kinds of things, including my other options. I mean, they haven't had a girl on the team since Julie, so there's that. It is a great school, and I have always wanted to go,"

"Well, I support you," he smiled, "No matter what you decide. Hey, do you think you could get out tonight?"

"Why?" She asked although she had a pretty good idea.

"I was thinking," he shrugged casually, "About Saturday, and what you said, and what I said."

"Ryan," she said quietly, "you mean?"

"What time do they usually go to bed Dee?" He asked.

"I could get there by midnight for sure," she kissed him. "It'll be perfect Ryan, I promise."

"I never doubted the perfection babe." He smiled.

"Guess who?" Theresa giggled, as Dom's hands slipped over her eyes. She turned around and kissed him.

"I loved the flower," she said, "And the note."

"The note's more important," he said, "as is this." He handed her a small book.

"A book?" She looked at it.

"You'll like it," he said, "I swear." He whispered, and kissed her, his hands weaved into her hair.

"You mean the book right?" She blinked.

"Theresa," he sighed, "I'm a straightforward kind of guy, I'm not real into the double entendre, I say what I mean, OK?"

"OK," she said, kissing him again, "I had a really great time Saturday."

"Me too," he smiled, "God, if someone had told me a year ago that I was going to be standing in the hallway of a snotty prep school kissing the head cheerleader I would have kicked their ass so badly."

"Theresa!" Deena ran up.

"Deena what?" She sighed.

"I just got off the phone with Julian," she panted, "He's in LA."

"I know all of this," Theresa nodded.

"He's with Kitty," she squealed, "They're getting back together!"

"What?" Theresa said, jumping up and hugging her. "How? I mean, she's" she started to cry. "Deena, we're going to be sisters again!"

"He ran into her at a club," Deena said, "And, I don't know, now they're back together. She called your parents, and, I don't know everything, but I know she's back Re!"

"Kitty's back," she whispered. "She's back. I have to find the twins, I have to call my mom, I, I just," she kissed Dom again, "I have to go," she ran off.

"This is a big deal," Deena said, seeing the hurt look in Dom's eyes. "She'll be back."

"We're going to get married," Kitty giggled over the phone to Theresa, "I mean, not right away, we want to plan it, and have a big wedding, and I have to patch things up with Dad first, but Re, I'm so sorry,"

"No, I'm sorry," Theresa said, "I should have, I don't know, done something differently, you're my sister."

"Which is why I shouldn't have been so stubborn," Kitty said, "I should have reached out a long time ago, I just didn't know how to."

"There are so many things I want to ask you," Theresa said.

"Ask away," Kitty laughed.

"When did you know you loved Julian?" She asked

"I just did," Kitty sighed, happily "I felt safe around him, you know? I knew he wanted to take care of me, and well, I wanted to take care of him. Why?"

"What about physically?" Theresa said, "Like, did your knees go weak around him, or your stomach do flips?"

"Who's making your stomach flip Re?" Kitty asked, with a laugh, she knew she had missed out on a lot with her sisters, Theresa now practically grown up and Marie thirteen and coming into her own, but she was grateful that she was going to be able to at least be there if Theresa was indeed falling in love.

"His name is Dominic, and he's amazing, he drives this totally cool bike, and he's really smart and he wrote me this amazing note," Theresa spilled it all out. "And he's so cute Kitty."

"It sounds good," Kitty smiled, "Read me the note."

"Dear Theresa," She started, "I've never been good at saying things to people's faces, but writing I can do. It's funny, I've never really stayed in one place long enough to really get a handle on myself, but I felt more at home on that roof with you on Saturday than I ever did anywhere else in my entire life. I like that feeling and I want to thank you for it." She sighed and pulled the paper to her chest. "I know it sounds cheesy, but I think I'm falling for him."

"I think I might be falling for him," Kitty laughed, "And I've been in love with the same man for God, has it been eight years?"

"Mmhm," Theresa smiled, "Deena and I were ten. I'm glad we could talk about this. I'm scared, but it feels good."

"Just watch your heart Re," Kitty warned her, "You only get one, and they're slow to heal."

That night Deena lay in quiet warmth, wrapped in Ryan's arms and the blanket he had lain out on the grass for them. They were laying quietly, not saying a word. Nothing needed to be said.

"Ryan," Deena broke the silence, her eyes still tightly closed and her head against his chest.

"Mm," He answered, rubbing the small of her back.

"I love you," she whispered, and kissed his bare chest.

"I love you too," he smiled, running his hand through her hair, "I always have, I always will."

"Can we really stay here all night?" she snuggled close to him.

"If that's what you want," he said, kissing her hair. "I'm really happy Deena."

"I'm happy too," she said, "I'm glad it was with you Ryan."

"I can't imagine being with anyone else Dee," he said, "I'm glad it was with you too." She kissed him softly, and repeatedly. "Dee," He murmured, "I don't have a second," she kissed him again. "It's too risky and," she kissed him, cutting him off one last time.

"Ryan, I love you," Deena whispered, "I trust you to take care of me."

"Then trust me on this," he said, "OK?"

"OK," she said, lowering her head to his chest again, feeling her eyelids drop, counting the rhythm of his breathing, "I like it when you hold me."

"I like holding you," he smiled.

"Ryan," she said. "Can we not tell anyone about tonight?"

"You ashamed of me already Banks?" He teased her.

"I just feel like no one really needs to know," she said. "Promise?"

"It's our secret Deena," he smiled, happy that he wouldn't have to deal with a smiling Theresa in the morning. "I love you."

"Mm," she cooed, asleep. He kissed her head, lowered his own onto hers and fell asleep.

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