Disclaimer: Actually so far this is ALL mine, well except for the shaking, shhhhhh…

A/N: Hey, I have been really rude to anyone out there who is reading this, sorry. But, right now I'm sick so I have time to type out this chapter. I know it has been forever, but with school, the holidays, my grandpa and my dog dying, among other crap it has been really hard to post, thanks for reading, and Enjoy!

My mom gave a high-pitched squeal that hurt my ears-she is SUCH a little girl sometimes- and ran over to me; squeezing the day-lights out of me. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alex shifting from foot to foot nervously, and clenching his fists?? My dad chuckled at his wife's silliness, but with one glance to me he walked over and gave me a huge 'bear hug' as he calls it. I hugged him back, thankful he wasn't yelling. Martin, now that mom and dad were home, sat as close as possible to me, probably to show his 'brotherly love' to me, or to make sure Alex/Hayden, wouldn't sit next to me, too bad I had two sides. I tried to keep a confused face at first, sticking to the story. They asked me where I had been and faux realization dawned on my face, followed quickly by guilt and puppy-dog eyes. (How good am I?)

"I'm so sorry," I said, sincerity leaking into my façade. "I was at Lily's house, I guess I forgot to call, I'm so so sorry I forgot, you weren't too worried, were you?" I was afraid, that last sentence would cost me, I was normally quite smart, playing dumb wasn't me.

They seemed to chalk it off as worry and just went back to hugging me. I smiled at Alex, who my mom had shoved across the room in order to hug me, whose envious glare relaxed into a full-blown grin as he looked at me. I was glad the whole shaking thing was really starting to freak me out. We connected for a few seconds, silently telling each other the love we felt, letting ourselves bask in each other's eyes, knowing that for a while following this we would have to act as only friends. All too soon, Dad pulled away, Martin and Mom following. I tried to smile at them, but I just wanted to pout at the fact that my moment with Alex was over.

I was tired, and I yawned, my family staring at me with understanding eyes, but Dad, always the practical one, said, "Honey, I know you must be tired, but obviously we have a few questions for you." Alex and my eyes connected once again, defeat portrayed this time. "Yes, I think that is a good place to start, who is this man with you?" Dad asked. I gulped, Dad could be fierce, yet internally I glowed with his classification of man, not boy, I had me a man.

"This is Hayden…?" I looked at him questioningly, as if I didn't know the plan. "Puckett." He replied, smiling. "Right, Puckett" gosh I hate lying. "Lily and I were in the store getting some junk food for the sleep over and he walked right up to us and very nicely asked if we perhaps had a place to stay, you see his parents both died, and because he was over eighteen the government didn't do anything for him, and his parents only left a little bit of money, and that's it, they died in a car crash, so he didn't even have a car, they had no life insurance so Hayden was forced to use the money he had already been saving from his job and his parents money to buy a car, he had a job, but then the place went out of business with the bad economy. So Hayden here was forced to find a new job, he sold the house and has a little bit of money, but nowhere to live, and he is going to try to get the open job at the diner where I work, he can pay rent." Finished with my monologue I looked at my parents hopefully.

My mom's cheeks glistened as she looked sympathetically at Alex, who looked rather uncomfortable. "He doesn't have to pay rent, we have an extra room, but Lisa, he will have to stay in your room for a few days, your siblings are coming tomorrow." Mom said, with tears still in her eyes. "And no funny business you two," my Dad said sharply. I tried to hold back my squeal of delight, but even so, a small squeak came out which I covered with a cough. Alex silently laughed, seeing right through my cover-up, as I hugged my mom and dad I stuck my tongue out at him, he just shook harder with laughter.

"Go to sleep you two, the rest of the family will be here when you wake up," I had missed that earlier, I had been too excited,

"What?!? It's not like I was at Chessie's for a week!" Gosh, such overeactors. I sighed and walked upstairs with Alex, as soon as they couldn't see us we reached for each other's hands. The feel of his warm hand in mine relaxed me like nothing else, I stared into his eyes and gladly got lost there, knowing that I loved him. I was about to make some witty remark about him meeting the parents for the first time when I saw in his eyes the love that I felt, portrayed perfectly, I'm positive my heart stopped beating then and there, as all measure of time got lost. I heard Martin's annoying stomp up the stairs, probably angry that he had to go to sleep, I knew he wanted to play more of his current video game obsession, Halo, I don't know what number, so don't ask me, but that was what he was playing these days. We entered my room and I said that I would change in the bathroom adjacent to my room. We got ready for bed with no interference and he somehow talked me into sleeping in my bed and him on the couch next to it, don't ask me how it was done, I'm experiencing a bit of amnesia on that part… I do know that I fell asleep staring into his eyes, and for the first time in eight years, I slept without dreams.

A/N: YAY! This one is done! I kinda liked it, please, please, please review! Thanks!!!