Hey all you brave readers :) Sorry for the delay in updating! School, and life in general has been insanely busy these days so I haven't had much time to work on this story. But rest assured; I have the plot outlined and the end planned, so no matter how long it takes, I WILL finish this fic :)
Reviewers:
Lady Emily: Hey, thanks so much for the reviews! I love to hear your input on my chapters. They give me some good ideas, and a lot of inspiration! :) Heh, so Nancy's feelings are a bit hazy, eh? Well, just read more to find out. Oh, thanks for the correction 'bout the "Chip" thing. I corrected it :) Keep reviewing please!
Elya: Wow, thanks for the compliments! I'm so glad you're enjoying this story so far. Yeah, I don't wanna give away too much of what Nancy's feelings are. But keep telling me what you think! Thanks for reviewing :)
Chromde: Hey, thanks for reviewing again. Glad to see you're still reading :) Yeah, Nancy knows 'bout the tradition of eating at Murphy's. How, and why, will be explained in the next chapter hopefully :) Keep up the reviewing! Hope you like this update.
Ok, sorry, on to the story! :)
Joe ran a cautious hand over his neat, gelled-to-perfection, blonde hair, quickly reviewing his reflection in his bathroom mirror. Nice jeans, check. Clean shirt, check. Sunday shoes, check. Breath.. Joe breathed into his hand, trying to smell his breath. Ack! He sputtered, and choked slightly, then quickly grabbed a bottle of his trusty, mint blue, twice-the-strength, Listerine mouth-wash. Evidently his Lindenburg cheese toast snack lasted longer in his breath than in his presently growling stomach. Swishing the mouth freshener around in his mouth a few times, and gargling loudly, Joe quickly spit out the liquid and rechecked his breath. Ah, much better, he grinned into the mirror checking out his freshly cleansed mouth. The dazzling Joe Hardy smile that girl 'round the world fell over themselves for, gleamed back at him. Now, at last, he was ready for his date.
Glancing down at his watch, Joe checked the time, as he quickly grabbed a gray blazer to throw on over his white-T. 6:40 p.m. Better get moving, Joe realized, striding purposefully out the door. He had missed the feeling of getting ready for a date: the thrill of anticipation, and the flutter of eager expectations. This kind of excitement was much preferred over the sense adventure he usually received in his cases, he thought wryly. A show-down at a bank, or a date with a pretty girl? Yeah, it's not much of a competition. Joe smirked. Going out tonight was a great idea; he didn't know why he hadn't done so earlier. Oh yeah, Joe thought sheepishly, I did think of going out with Amy, but decided against it. Of course, that was when he was still naively believing that Nancy and Frank were going to be hanging out with him more often. Aww, who needs Nancy and Frank anyway, when all they can do is stare all lovey-dovey into each others eyes? The annoying thought flitted through his mind before he could stop it, and Joe impatiently shoved it aside. As he walked through the hallway downstairs, and headed for the front door, Joe slipped out his keys from his pocket, searching through his keys 'til he saw the tell-tale Honda symbol for his car, when he abruptly slammed into Frank.
"Whoa, sorry about that." Frank exclaimed apologetically, as he steadied Joe and quickly brushed him off with more mumbled apologizes. As he righted himself, Joe took the time to discreetly check Frank's outfit, wondering if Frank would be going all out again tonight. To his inexplicable relief, Frank was simply sporting his favorite navy blue blazer, with black jeans and a white T. All of which looked to have been ironed very recently, Joe thought with a slight smirk. He had always teased Frank about his incurable habit of ironing his clothes with immaculate care when it wasn't really necessary. However, judging by his nicely combed hair, and cologne scented clothes, Joe deducted Frank was going to a nice restaurant for his date tonight as well. Maybe he had a reason for the ironing, Joe mused. A strange sense of foreboding filled his mind, and Joe glanced suspiciously at his brother, who stood aside, waiting for Joe to move out of the doorway.
"No problem. Hey, I forgot to ask, where are you taking Nancy tonight?" Joe asked with mild curiosity, as he strode out the front door, Frank in tow.
"Zenturi's." Frank breezily replied, as he locked the front door, and jogged down to their cars parked in the driveway, leaves crunching beneath his leather soles. "But didn't I tell you that already? Why the state of shock?" He asked, brow furrowed slightly, as he looked amusedly at Joe's dumbfounded expression.
Joe hastily snapped his mouth shut, scowled irritability, and unlocked his car door, before turning around to glare back at his annoyingly oblivious brother.
"No, you didn't tell me that, Frank. I told you that Amy and I are going to Zenturi's for our date, remember?"
"Really, you serious?" Frank looked genuinely surprised, and a frown of his own appeared on his forehead. "Huh, that's a strange coincidence. But Nancy and I had already talked about going there this afternoon. You know, you could always go somewhere else with Amy, if you wanted." Frank continued, as he slipped into his Mustang, while checking his hair in the review mirror, and adjusting his blazer as he settled into his seat.
Joe sighed impatiently. He hated it, but he couldn't blame Frank for not telling him that he and Nancy were already going to Zenturi's before he drew up his own plans.
"Nah, I already promised Amy Zenturi's and she'd be disappointed if I rescheduled. I guess we'll just have to go to the same restaurant. Hope Amy doesn't mind a double date." Joe reluctantly replied, as he too slid into his Honda, while talking through his window to his brother.
"Sorry bro. I don't mind that much, and Nancy won't either. Guess great minds think a like though, eh? See you there!" Frank said with a half-smile, apparently not too disturbed by this twist of events, as he gunned his engine and quickly sped off to pick up Nancy.
"This is just great," Joe muttered to himself, shaking his head in disappointment. Amy was expecting a one-on-one date with him, and honestly, he wasn't feeling up to this unexpected change of plans. Did Frank have to schedule his second date with Nancy at the nicest restaurant in town, right after taking her to Murphy's? Shelving the thoughts away to the far corners of his mind, Joe ignited the engine, and recklessly backed out of the driveway, barely missing a rear-end collision with their neighbor's yowling cat, before he roared off towards Amy's home.
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Thirty minutes later, Joe was seated cozily across from Amy in Bayport's most famous seafood restaurant. Expensive as it was, with rich, thick carpets covering the floor, and sparkling crystal chandeliers that reflected off of cut crystal glasses, the atmosphere was still pleasantly warm. The smooth sax playing through the restaurant speakers, and the quiet mummer of other guests only added to the elegant ambiance.
As they laughed over their drinks, Joe took the time to sit back and relax. When he had picked Amy up, he had been taken aback. Although Amy had certainly looked pretty at their award party, it was evident that she had been veiling her true beauty under her long, flowing dress and shawl. Now, as he looked at her, Joe felt a bit overwhelmed. Her glossy, dark mahogany hair cascaded in small ringlets down her back, partially pinned up in an elaborate style at the back, and her hazel eyes looked into his with undivided attention—something Joe had been missing the past few days. Nope, he certainly wasn't complaining! Despite only having had one real conversation before, she had easily joined him in the same kind of witty banter they had enjoyed during the banquet the night before when he had picked her up at her suburban home. Yup, Amy was definitely a winner, Joe thought, grinning across the table at her sparkling eyes and graceful figure.
"What's that smile for?" She inquired with her own, very charming, smile, as she sipped from her glass of iced tea.
"Oh I was just thinking about our dance at the banquet, when we first met," Joe responded with a slight laugh, while motioning their waiter over to take their dinner orders. Having been here twice before, Joe had learned it was best to order their plates as quickly as possible, because of the famous, well-loved, although slightly annoying, tradition Zenturi's had of cooking everything fresh at the order.
Amy frowned slightly,
"You were laughing over how we first met?" She gasped dramatically, hand dropping to her chest in horror, eyes narrowing suspiciously in a comical expression. "Should I be worried?"
Joe burst out laughing at her offended pose, settling for smiling broadly at her as he prepared to give their orders to the waiter who stood waiting respectfully to the side.
"Excuse me sir, what would you like to eat?" The waiter asked politely, notepad ready.
"Oh, I believe we'll have two lobsters with butter, a side Caesar salad, and some garlic breadsticks please. Oh, and we'll be ordering for desert later." Joe easily replied. As the waiter nodded crisply and left to order their food, Joe noticed Amy's surprised expression.
"What? Did I order the wrong dishes?" Joe asked, quirking an eyebrow with confusion.
Amy shook her head slowly, eyes still wide.
"Nooo, not at all. That's what surprised me. You knew exactly what I wanted without asking me. How'd you do that?" Amy's face wrinkled in confusion, as she scrutinized Joe's face.
Joe couldn't help the smirk that slipped across his lips at that, but he pretended to shrug modestly as he smiled into Amy's eyes.
"Guess I'm just in-tune to your wants." he couldn't help the sly wink, as his smirk broke out with full Joe power. Despite his debonair attitude, a strange squeamish feeling was taking hold of him, but Joe uneasily attempted to push the feelings aside.
"Oh come on, tell me how you knew!" Amy demanded, pleading eyes fixed on his face as her lips pouted quite enchantingly.
"What? You don't believe in my perceptive abilities?" Joe asked with mock indignity, before chuckling at Amy's annoyed expression.
"Pleeeeease tell me?" Amy whined, while playfully batting her eyelashes.
Joe pretended consider her question carefully, while he rubbed a hand across his chin. There is was again, he realized with growing frustration, and worry. That sense of something not quite right. Lightly shaking his head, Joe opened his mouth to answer when—
"Well, we finally made it, Joe. Hope we aren't disturbing anything." Frank's voice broke into Joe's moment, and he groaned inwardly. Quickly, with a strange, half-guilty feeling in his stomach, Joe jerked away from Amy who looked slightly hurt and confused. However, Joe was oblivious.
When Frank and Nancy hadn't made their appearance at Zenturi's, Joe had hoped that Frank had decided not to come after all. Apparently Frank wasn't forgetting the expensive dinner plans and quitting his Prince Charming act. And his classic untimely interruptions, Joe thought grimly, as he turned to face his brother. Frank stood behind him, the gleam in his eye flickering wickedly.
"Um, hey Frank, Nancy. This is Amy Holden." Joe flashed a quick smile their direction, before turning back to Amy.
"As you probably know, this is Frank, my dear brother." He said, giving Amy his crooked, half-smile. "And Nancy Drew here is his date." he continued, not turning back to point her out to Amy. Somehow, he didn't feel like facing Nancy while he was with Amy, especially after being caught holding hands her. He could just feel his ears turning red at the memory. While Amy quickly introduced herself to Frank and Nancy, shaking hands in a polite, but friendly manner, Joe finally chanced a quick glance in Nancy's direction. Bad idea. Nancy looked positively angelic, and Joe fiddled with his napkin uncomfortably, silently wishing Frank would lead Nancy to another table rather than joining Amy and him in their four seat booth. Although he had told Frank he didn't mind eating with him and Nancy, Joe had a sudden sense of foreboding that he wasn't going to be comfortable with this situation. To his surprise and exasperation, it was Amy who offered the invitation.
"Well, why don't you join us, since you both are here? We just ordered, so it's no problem." Amy suggested with a bright smile, patting the seat beside her.
"Well, actually, when Joe told me he was going here tonight as well, I was hoping we could join you two." Frank's voice broke through Joe's internal groan, and he turned to Frank with scowl.
"That's funny, you didn't mention that when you suggested we go to Zenturi's tonight," Nancy spoke up, and Joe noticed with a slight twitch, that her blue eyes were glaring accusingly in Frank's direction. Now she doesn't have to say it like we've got the plague or something. Joe couldn't help thinking, feeling his defenses rise. The dark-hair Hardy winced slightly, and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Uh, well we had talked about going here at lunch, remember? They made their plans after us, and I figured you wouldn't mind seeing Joe and Amy here as well."
Nancy looked confused and opened her mouth to reply, but Amy smiled up at Frank and beat her to the punch.
"Well then, why don't you join us? It'll just be a double-date, no problem."
Frank grinned with relief as Amy broke the awkward moment, and he quickly sidled over to sit next to her in the booth. Realizing Frank's mistake, Joe started to protest, knowing that Nancy would have to seat beside him if Frank was paired with Amy, when he suddenly hesitated. What-the. Why..? However, Frank noticed Joe's slight frown, and he smiled sheepishly at Joe, while flashing an apologetic grin.
"Heh, sorry Joe, you want to switch with me to sit next to Amy?" he queried, while Amy turned expectantly to Joe.
"Nah, it's ok. It's easier for us to talk across from each other anyway," Joe replied easily, before he could stop himself. Mentally slapping himself, Joe inwardly recited his personal mantra in penitence..Think before you speak, think before you speak…
Shrugging his shoulders, Frank wiggled into the small booth beside Amy, and then turned his gaze to Nancy, who still stood silently beside their table, a slight crease marring her smooth forehead.
"Hey Nancy, you wanna sit down next to Joe so we can get ready to order?"
"Hmm?" Nancy blinked, breaking out her train of thought, "Oh yeah, sorry," she sheepishly muttered, slipping in next to Joe. The booth was a tight fit, being a bit small for two, and Joe's broad frame lent little to space to the narrow, red cushions. For a few moments, they sat, awkwardly adjusting, Joe sliding over as far as he could to the end of the booth, while in response, Nancy struggled to remain as near to the edge of the seat as possible while not falling. As they uncomfortably shifted, Frank chuckled in amusement.
"Don't worry, he's not going to bite, Nancy," he said with a wink, and Amy laughed.
"Although his humor can bite pretty well," she said, as Joe relaxed to give her a grin and a wink, forcing himself to settle down in his seat.
"Yeah, don't worry Nancy, Amy can keep me in line." he said, turning his head to the left to look fully in Nancy's face for the first time that night. Her normally easy-going expression had turned almost wary, before Joe caught her eyes. Quickly, Nancy flashed an automatic smile in his direction, and shifted her eyes back to Amy's playful face.
"Good, I feel safe now, thanks," she replied with a slight chuckle, giving Amy a half-smile. Somehow, the ball of tension that had been tightly coiled in his gut since Frank and Nancy arrived loosened slightly at Nancy's smile, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
After that, the awkwardness faded, and Frank and Amy began a lively discussion, Joe breaking in from time to time, to engage Amy in flirtatious banter. Soon, Joe and Amy's lobsters arrived, and Joe turned his attention to the food, while Amy and Frank continued chatting. As Joe peeled off the skin of the boiled lobster, and carefully cut into the soft, moist meat, he noticed Nancy softly piping into the conversation. She hasn't talked much 'til now. Joe realized, dipping the lobster into his tartar sauce, and chewing silently. Cocking his head to view Nancy's profile, Joe thoughtfully regarded her, as she seamlessly joined the conversation. Guess it took her a while to warm up. Joe concluded. After all, she hasn't talked with many other people here. Guess Frank took care of that. His subconscious added sarcastically.
Joe frowned at his rebellious thoughts—they were all Biff and Chet's fault anyway—and at that unbecoming moment, Nancy chose to glance in his direction. Noticing the frown directed at her, she quickly turned her gaze back to Amy, and her smile dimmed slightly, blue eyes loosing their newly-acquired sparkle and relaxed look. Dismayed, Joe turned his eyes quickly to his food. I wasn't frowning at you! He wanted to whisper to Nancy. However, she had her eyes firmly adverted from his direction, although she had momentarily lost her part in Amy and Frank's conversation. Great, now she probably thinks I don't want her here. Joe thought, stuffing a forkful of salad in his mouth, with savage force and self-directed irritation. Shaking his head and trying to ignore the worried grumbles of his stomach, Joe finished his meal, and joined the conversation again, hoping to somehow communicate his welcome to Nancy. Eventually, the conversation flowed easily again, although Joe was very much alert to the knowledge of Nancy's lack of attention directed at him. Nancy appeared unaware of his discomfort, and continued chatting lightly with Frank. Determined to shake off his uneasiness, Joe caught Amy's attention, and they began their casual banter, as Frank and Nancy fell silent, and worked on their freshly arrived swordfish.
Loosening up under Amy's coy smiles, Joe grinned and inwardly sighed with relief. See, he thought with pride, I don't care that Nancy and Frank are together. Like Nancy? Ha, I don't even care that she moved away so we wouldn't brush arms…and that she hasn't looked my way since I told Amy she was dazzling me with her smile…and that she's been talking to Frank the whole time, whereas she hasn't directed a single sentence my way..and that she—Joe abruptly snubbed the rest of those thoughts, with uncomfortable surprise flitting through his mind at his unconscious scrutiny of Nancy's behavior. Stifling another sigh, his third in as many minutes, Joe tried to focus on Frank and Amy's lively discussion about why dancing was an important skill to have. Unfortunately, his inattention was not lost on Amy, who turned a slightly concerned face to Joe.
"Come on Joe, surely you agree with me?" She asked, half-laughing, while nudging his foot playfully under the table.
Joe jumped, then shot a blinding smile in her direction, hoping Nancy hadn't noticed his abrupt movement.
"Of course I agree! Everyone knows the importance of dance, even Frank. He just doesn't admit to it, 'cause he's jealous of our nimble toes."
Amy giggled, and shoved Frank, who scowled petulantly at Joe.
"Hah, so that's your true reason for protest," she gave a wink to Joe. "You're jealous 'cause you know we can show you up in dancing!" she concluded with pretend dawning realization.
Joe nodded solemnly, with a sly wink at Amy. Hearing the strands of the violin smoothly sounding from the speakers throughout the restaurant, Joe noticed the several couples dancing an open circle in front of the bar in the center of the circular restaurant. Evidently, the area was expressly for dancing, and as Joe noticed more and more couples joining the dance, he was suddenly struck with inspiration.
"Well Amy, here's our chance to show off. Care for a dance?" He grinned charmingly at Amy, who eagerly nodded in response. Frank frowned slightly at this, and when Nancy rose to let Joe out from the both, he extended his elbow to Nancy.
"Come on Nancy, let's show them how to really dance." he declared, and Nancy gave a half-laugh, half-groan as he led them to the dance floor. Not to be outdone, Joe offered his arm to Amy, and swung her smoothly into a lively tango. Their natural talent guided them, and Joe felt the harmony and rhythm he had felt in his first dance with Amy return again. After spinning and whirling about the circle, lost in each other's movements and expression, Joe fell into the comfort of the familiar motions, and let any thoughts of a certain, frustrating older brother and his date fall from his mind. Twirling in unison, the couple easily covered the dance floor. Finally, at the final notes of the song, Joe raised Amy high above his head, and she spun as he lowered her, both playfully posing dramatically. Apparently Amy liked showing off nearly as much as he did, Joe realized with a smirk.
"Well Amy, I believe you are quite a worthy opponent on the dance floor." Joe said, a little out of breath, as his blue eyes twinkled down on her upturned face.
"You just now figured that out?" Amy returned easily, with a sly wink, her expressive face full of mischief. Joe couldn't help but laugh, and shook his head, admitting defeat.
"Alright, alright, you win." Joe chuckled. Suddenly he heard the soft, slow notes of a piano begin, and he raised an eyebrow down at Amy. "Shall we have this last dance?" He asked with a bow.
"Last dance?" Amy repeated with a questioning look. Joe nodded, extending his wrist watch toward her.
"It's already 11:30, and you said you had to be home by 12:00, didn't you?"
Amy nodded, a regretful expression slipping onto her face. Then, she smiled, and slipped her hand back into Joe's.
"Well then, we shall."
As he held Amy close, Joe let himself simply sway in time to the slow, soft song, gently leading Amy in a small circle around the room. Although he certainly enjoyed the passion and fire of the tango, Joe had always had an appreciation for the slow dance. As he let his mind wander, Joe absently looked around the room, searching, although he wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for. An entwined couple caught his eye, and suddenly Joe knew what he had been searching for. Slim, lithe form gently swaying from side-to-side, Nancy stood, arms around Frank, blonde hair shining like a halo around her head, upturned face glowing with an unearthly light. Frank certainly looked aware of her beauty. With sick fascination, Joe watched as Frank bent down toward the starry-eyed girl. Turning his head abruptly, Joe clasped Amy a little tighter, fingers unconsciously tightening around her waist. His sudden movement jostled Amy, and she turned find what was bothering Joe. Following Joe's line of sight, she too caught sight of the detective couple, but to Joe's relief, she merely gazed intently into his face, and then placed her head gently on his chest, allowing his hands to remain clasped around her waist. Inhaling deeply, Joe closed his eyes. What is going on with me? He wondered, stomach heaving with familiar waves of unhappiness. As the song entered it's final stanza, Amy looked up into his eyes, smiling brightly. In an automatic movement, Joe leaned down to peck her on the cheek as the song ended and the couples began dispersing from the dance floor. As he raised his from Amy's flushed face, Joe suddenly locked eyes with Nancy, as she stood, still engulfed in Frank's arms. Unable to help himself, Joe stiffened with an indefinable emotion at the sight, and Nancy's blue eyes darted quickly away. Apparently, Amy noticed his reoccurring tension, and spoke up with concern, as she tugged gently on his sleeve.
"What's the matter, Joe?"
He didn't respond, but continued gazing intently at Nancy's profile, willing her to turn around. Glancing around to find what Joe was scrutinizing so intently, Amy too spotted Frank and Nancy. Looking from Joe's tense face to Nancy's flushed, averted one, her eyes filled with understanding. However, Amy smiled brightly and spoke, turning veiled eyes on Joe.
"Well, this has certainly been some night. It isn't every day a girl gets to claim having been on a date with Joe Hardy himself!"
Joe smiled gently down on her, a suggestion for another meeting rising to his lips. After all, he had been planning to ask her out at least once more. Pretty, witty, charming, and a wholesome Baptist to boot, Amy was everything Joe liked in a girl, and she was certainly a step up from the dozens of other girls he had dated in the past. Yet somehow, he couldn't force the words out as he looked into her gentle eyes.
"Yes, it's been great, Amy. Thanks for coming, I really enjoyed your company." he replied gently, but essentially extinguishing any ideas of further dates from her mind with his conservative response. A silence fell for a moment, and Joe felt miserable as he opened the large entrance doors and lead Amy out into the fresh, crisp, autumn air.
Fortunately, Amy didn't seem surprised by this, and she merely smiled back up at Joe, nodding her head in silent understanding. Guilt washed over him, and he quickly continued, while turning around and placing his coat across her shoulders in an unconscious movement.
"I mean, really we should get together sometime again….but, but maybe.."
"But not on a date, you mean?" Amy finished with a faintly amused, half-smile.
Sheepishly, Joe ducked his head and nodded, before he turned earnest blue eyes to her face again.
"Listen, this really was great. I mean, you're a beautiful girl, not to mention a great dancer, and you're a lot of fun to talk to," He paused, and took a deep breath to continue, but before he could speak, Amy placed a gentle finger on his lips, catching him off-guard.
"You don't have to explain to me, Joe. I understand." she smiled softly, as she threw a significant look back at Nancy and Frank, still standing in the restaurant. Joe frowned in confusion, looking down at Amy with puzzled eyes, silently asking for an explanation. However, Amy merely rolled her eyes, then good-naturedly winked at Joe as she lead the way to his car.
The drive to Amy's house was filled with comfortable chatter, but both Joe and Amy fell into pensive silence as they neared her house. Finally, with a quick, side-long glance at Joe's profile, Amy spoke up cautiously,
"Hey, I was wondering, how long have you known Nancy Drew?"
Joe replied quickly, "It'll be three years come December...12th"
A surprised, then thoughtful expression appeared on her face at that, and she turned to face him fully.
"I guess you must be pretty good friends then, yeah?"
Nodding his head vigorously, Joe replied quickly,
"Yeah, the best... I mean, we see her a lot when we work on cases so, yeah…" Joe trailed off self-consciously.
"So when did Frank start dating her?" Amy spoke carefully, fingers clenching tightly in her lap as she watched for any sign of reaction.
Joe attempted to answer as nonchalantly as possible.
"Oh, just yesterday really. He's been with Callie a long time before, so he hadn't really gotten a chance to go out with Nancy. She and I were the ones who mainly hung out, ya know." Joe answered as casually as possible, although a slight tic had appeared in his jaw, and his knuckle tightened with his grip on the wheel.
Amy said nothing to this, merely muttered an, "Uh-huh…" and they fell into an uncomfortable silence. Finally, Joe parked in Amy's driveway, courteously opened her car door for her, and walked her to her door. As she opened her purse and withdrew her keys, Amy quickly unlocked her door, and made to enter her home, when she stopped. Smiling softly, she turned back to Joe, throwing her arms around him in a quick embrace. Before Joe could react, she stepped away.
"Thanks again, Joe."
Joe smiled quickly in return.
"It was my pleasure, Amy."
As she quietly stepped inside her house, she turned back to face Joe, and spoke with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, along with a hint of regret.
"You know Joe, he's just dating her, not married to her."
Before Joe could blink, Amy had shut the door, and he stood alone, and dumbfounded on her white porch.
Ok, so what'dya think? Good, bad, terrible? :P As always, please review, and thanks for reading :)