Omg it has been forever since I have written anything for this story. If you have been waiting for the past – how long has it been? – TWO YEARS I am really sorry. I had no idea what I was doing with this story but I'm going to make myself write it now. Also before people ask: in this story none of the books after Into the Gauntlet (book 10 by Margaret Peterson Haddix) have happened.

Disclaimer:

I do not own the 39 Clues series or any of its characters.

Chapter 3:

Ian's POV:

"Hold up. What da hell did I miss?" I cringed at Jonah's slag. Stupid git. "Would it kill you to speak properly for once in your life?" I snapped. He ignored me and continued looking at Amy, who had just returned from taking Natalie to her room. "Well. . . D-dan and N-n-natalie got caught under the mistletoe." Jonah looked back at the doorframe he had just walked under. "Why is that even there?" Oh good, he seemed to have thought better than to further annoy me. I was shocked really.

"I thought it would be funny." I turned towards Sinead. "It's your fault my sister is crying in her room right now." This was probably the most furious I had ever been with the Ekat girl before. Despite what most people think I do actually care about my sister. I hate it when people cause her harm. "It's not my fault she walked under it at the same time as Dan. I had actually set the trap for you and Amy. The wrong Kabra and Cahill walked under it."

I heard Amy's surprised intake of breath. "Why would you set a trap for me? I was standing there when you put it up!" Sinead just shrugged. Jonah was just standing there open mouthed. "How did I miss this? I wasn't even late!" I glared over at him.

Dan's POV:

Great. My own sister contributed to this. Now I had to get her back. I had to get her and Ian under that stupid mistletoe before they either took it down or everyone left. I walked back up the stairs from my crouched position by the open door way. I knew I was going to need help with this. Why was the only person I could think of Natalie? I was supposed to hate her. I did hate her. I had to hate her. I couldn't like her. No. That weird feeling in my stomach whenever the Cobras visited was hate. I had to be. I tried to ignore Amy's insistent nagging; "Hate is only one step away from love." "You know you must like her. No one spends this much time thinking about, or talking about, someone they don't like." I shook my head to clear it of those thoughts. I didn't like Natalie. It was as simple as that.

I was on my way to the part of the house Amy said was going to be for the visitors. Which room was supposed to be Natalie's? I really need to start paying more attention. It's just so difficult. There was this really good movie on T.V and I really wanted to watch it. So I might have ignored everything Amy said.

I was walking down one of the hallways when I heard a noise. It sounded almost like . . . crying? I knocked hesitantly on the doorway. "Natalie?"

Natalie's POV:

Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no. He is not seriously standing outside my door right now. What is wrong with the stupid git? He can't just bloody kiss me, run away, and then show up at my door. Especially when I am like this. Crying and confused. He wouldn't have actually kissed me if he didn't like me, right? So what is he trying to say?

"What do you want?" I called out. Oh god, is that my voice when I cry? "Are you okay?" I rolled my eyes and glared at the door. "What do you think?" I saw the door handle start to move and quickly grabbed a tissue and dabbed it under my eyes.

Dan hesitantly stepped into the room. "Were you crying?" I looked down at the damp tissue in my hands. That seemed to be answer enough. "Natalie," he sighed "I'm sorry." I looked over at him in shock. Daniel Arthur Cahill just apologized to me. To ME. "What did you do that I didn't? It takes two people to kiss Daniel." I didn't know why I said that. I would be so much easier to blame it on him and pretend I had done nothing. But then I would be lying. "I'll ask again; what do you want?"

Dan's POV:

She sounded more tired than anything else. This was beyond weird. Natalie sounded like she had just kind of, well, given up. Which is a very un-Natalie thing to do. "I over heard them talking. Amy and Sinead were the ones who put up the mistletoe. I want to get Amy back." She looked over at me. "Resorting to childish revenge? What did you want me for?"
"Well, other than the fact that I thought you might want to know who cause this whole stupid thing to happen, I thought you could help me."
"Why would I want to help you, of all people, with anything?"
"Because then plan is to get your stupid brother and my stupid sister under the mistletoe. I know for a fact you want them to be together. It annoys you that Ian likes her, but I think this would work. Don't you want revenge?"
"This doesn't get revenge on Sinead."
"We'll figure that part out later. Come on. I hate planning things. How would I ever hope to get your brother anywhere if I am the one telling him to go there? Come on Nat. Please."

Natalie's POV:

I couldn't even snap at him for calling me Nat. He apologized and said please to me. All in the same sentence. And the look on his face… Thinking about his face made me think of his lips. And how they had been touching mine only a few minutes ago…

I flung those thoughts out from my mind and looked him in the eye. "This better bloody work."

Okay, I know this isn't very long. I still don't really know where it's going. If you have any suggestions please feel free to tell me what they are. I hope I update again soon.

~eternalreader62