Sorry about the cliffhanger guys. I know Amanda's return came as quite a shock to some of you...er...most of you. But it was planned the whole time. (And to those of you who know me and my writing style, that is saying something, because I never plan anything...I tend to just let the writing take me wherever it goes, until I get the feeling the story is coming to an end.) But Amanda's arrival is integral to Kelsi's growth...I really felt it important to take her character full circle. (Since she made such a drastic choice in choosing to leave in the first place.)

So, I hope you are happy with the confrontation and with this chapter.

Just a little heads up...things are going to get a little steamy at the end of this chapter and I use a curse word...but I just couldn't seem to help myself...it was as if it was asking to be written.

Thanks as always for reviewing and for simply reading my story(ies). It still floors me that anyone would even be remotely interested in anything my mind decides to create...or embellish...since HSM unfortunately does not belong to me. I really appreciate all of your continued support and inspiration.

So, without further ado...I will get back to writing this little ditty.

Kelsi felt as if her feet had instantly sprouted plant like vines that had decided to root themselves into the ground. Even if she wanted to flee, she was suddenly unable. Taking a deep breath, she allowed herself a moment to look at Amanda and take in any changes. Her wide blue eyes clouded slightly as she realized the taller woman seemed older and somehow unhappy. Kelsi pondered the later thought for a moment, had she always looked that unhappy...miserable even? Kelsi had always noticed the hard ice-cold air that surrounded Amanda, but her mind had never drifted towards the possibility of unhappiness. The revelation gave Amanda an almost more human air...almost. The huge mean streak the woman possessed cut off any real possible sympathy the small composer would have normally felt. But even the possibility, that slight fleeting thought, that in another situation, at another time Kelsi may feel sorry for the woman who had caused her so much pain...somehow that changed everything for Kelsi. It was as if the scales had been tilted and Kelsi was suddenly looking down at the genetically taller woman.

Because the thing was, Kelsi was happy; despite the familiar fears and nerves that had immediately entered her body upon first sight of Amanda.

Kelsi figured that was perhaps the odd thing about fear, once it was recognized and even dissected a little bit, it had the power to just fade away. And that was what happened. As Kelsi stood there, waiting for the familiar fear to rear its metaphorical ugly head, she recognized that she would be waiting there for quite a while, because it wasn't coming back.

She had moved on...with Ryan, but without the baggage of Amanda.

At the thought of his name, Kelsi's still somewhat surprised eyes met Ryan's apologetic ones. And Kelsi knew, he wasn't sorry because anything had happened, because she knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, nothing had occurred between the ex-spouses. No, as she looked into her lover and best friend's eyes, she knew he was sorry she was dealing with Amanda at all. He was sorry Amanda was still even an issue between them. A small giggle escaped Kelsi's lips as she realized Amanda wasn't an issue...she wasn't anything, she was just...there.

Ryan didn't know exactly what was going on inside Kelsi's head, but he knew it was something extraordinary. The plethora of emotions that seemed to be washing over her features were like a complexly beautiful water-color painting. And as he heard the small laugh escape her, his love for her grew to an even greater degree...and he honestly had not thought that was possible. Obviously life with Kelsi was going to be filled with miraculous surprises.

Amanda just stood there stock still, watching the wordless scene play out between Ryan and Kelsi. Something was wrong, Kelsi wasn't reacting at all how Amanda figured she would. She had come to Chicago the moment she had heard through the theater grapevine that the two ex-friends were exploring a deeper relationship. A fight had seemed to fill her very soul. While it was true she did not necessarily want Ryan anymore, the thought of loosing him to the little mouse who had haunted every aspect of her marriage seemed unbearable. She had been certain she could sway him back into her good graces, that is until she had seen him. They hadn't been in the room alone for more than a few moments, but she had known, just in that short amount of time, he was no longer within her control. And that realization had filled Amanda with not only anger, but more so a heavy desperation.

And then Kelsi had walked in...as if on cue. Amanda had been expecting the same little quivering idiot who didn't have the backbone to stand up for an ant...let alone herself. But what she got...frankly, Amanda wasn't even sure who Kelsi was anymore...but she was...different.

"What happened to you?" The words flew from Amanda's mind to her mouth before she even thought to control them.

Kelsi's smiling gaze shifted from Ryan to Amanda. Once again she waited for the familiar waves of fear and the loss of her voice, but it didn't come. The only thing she felt for Amanda when she looked at her was a sense of pity. Kelsi's eyes widened at that revelation...God, the realizations seemed to be bombarding her at a rapid pace. She shook her brown curls lightly, as she worked to bring herself out of her mind and into the present.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" She asked, her voice sounding...normal.

An anger started to fill Amanda, she didn't like this...this wasn't how it was supposed to go. That thought kept filling Amanda's head, so much so that her breath started to escape in gasping breaths. She was quickly loosing control.

Ryan, recognizing the signs of this, shifted slightly closer to Kelsi. He wanted to be there in case she needed him, but he also knew...could sense, she needed to handle this part on her own. So he stood there, ready and supportive, his loving gaze never leaving Kelsi, while his reflexes were ready to jump between the two women if necessary. Kelsi may have discovered a new-found strength, but Amanda was still bigger.

Amanda worked to control her rapidly increasing upset as she focused in on Kelsi.

"I said, what happened to you?" She replied coldly, her voice raising with each passing word. "You are different." She winced as she recognized the tiny trace of fear that filled her later statement.

Kelsi stared at Amanda, the whole while aware of Ryan's presence beside her. She knew he was waiting for the slightest signal from her signifying her need of him. She simply placed her hand out lightly, within a second she felt Ryan's strong and capable fingers weave their way around hers. And at his simple touch, her confidence grew to an even greater degree.

Focusing back on Amanda, Kelsi answered the question.

"I am happy Amanda." Kelsi stated simply. "And I'm in love with a man who loves me back." Kelsi took a moment to look at Ryan as she felt his fingers flex in hers. "I guess that's the difference. Before I didn't think I had a chance at love, almost as if I didn't deserve it..." Her voice trailed off as she realized the truth to her words, that had been the real reason she had run years ago...the fear that had overwhelmed her and poisoned the love that was trying to break free. "But the thing is...I do, I deserve it." She said simply. "In fact, everyone does...even you."

Amanda reared back as though she had been physically slapped...what the hell was the little twerp saying...that she pitied her? As she felt her eyes beginning to water, Amanda bowed her head down...there was no way she was going to cry. She would not show a weakness like that. She briskly wiped away the few stray tears that were suddenly finding their way down her cheeks. At that moment the only thing important to Amanda was escape...she had to get out of the room, as fast as possible.

And without uttering another word, she dashed past Ryan and Kelsi, threw open the door and ran as if death itself was on her heels.

Ryan and Kelsi stood their for a moment, their hands entwined tightly together, holding their united front as they listened to Amanda's heels rapidly click down the hallway's marble floors...it almost sounded as if an ice pick were steadily chipping away at a block of frozen water.

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The feeling of anticipation and dread had not left Sharpay. She was well aware of the fact that she should let Kelsi handle finding Ryan, but...well...she quite simply was not patient enough to sit there waiting at the restaurant like some trained poodle. So she had made excuses to her friends and Zeke...excuses she knew they did not for one minute believe and left on her quest to find not only her brother, but Kelsi too.

She was just getting ready to exit the elevator to Ryan's awaiting floor when she came face to face with the last person she thought to ever see again. As Sharpay took in Amanda's flushed and tear-streaked cheeks, she felt like she was in some other dimension...a dimension where Amanda and Kelsi had suddenly switched places. Skimming over her shock regarding Amanda's appearance, Sharpay got right to the point.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The blond asked, a harsh edge to her voice. She recognized that Amanda looked terrible, but frankly, Sharpay didn't care overly much about that fact. The woman standing in front of her had made her brother's life a living hell...as far as sympathy was concerned, Sharpay didn't have much, if any for Amanda.

"Isn't it obvious, I was just attempting to leave." Amanda said, trying to force a cool edge to her voice and failing miserably.

Sharpay set aside her outrage and anger for a moment and really looked at Amanda; she looked like her very soul had been ripped from her chest. Sharpay's brow furrowed as she wondered what the hell had just happened.

"You look like shit." Sharpay stated bluntly. True, she was aware it was a low blow, but she couldn't seem to help herself.

A watery laugh escaped Amanda at Sharpay's comment.

"You know, what you are dishing right now is way tamer than what I just left." Amanda retorted, meaning every word, and happy to feel some icy humor filling her up again.

"What happened in there?" Sharpay asked, motioning to the door.

At her question she saw a vulnerability enter Amanda's features. Sharpay's brown eyes widened as she realized, that whatever had happened in that room, somehow, Amanda was exiting the injured party. Which meant Ryan and Kelsi were still in there...alone...together. A huge smile spread across the blond's features at this realization.

"She stood up to you, didn't she?" Sharpay may have posed the statement like a question, but she already knew the answer before a word was uttered from Amanda's mouth.

Amanda was done conversing, pushing roughly past Sharpay, she made her way into the elevator. As the doors began to close, she offered Sharpay a simple statement.

"She's changed."

Sharpay waited until the elevator doors closed, before letting out a joyous and relieved laugh.

"Go Kelsi." She said under her breath. She stared down the hallway, contemplating whether to interrupt the two love birds or not. Without hesitation, Sharpay stepped back into the elevator, gingerly pushing the button that would bring her to the waiting lobby. She had not known what she had been expecting when the elevator doors opened. But she knew it was not all of the Wildcats waiting in a close group.

"What are you guys doing here?" She asked, her voice incredulous, as she walked up to give Zeke a kiss.

Zeke stared at his fiancée, the ever present love evident in his eyes.

"You didn't think we were going to make you face whatever was waiting upstairs alone did you Princess?" He said softly, just loud enough for the others to hear.

"Yeah, remember, we're all in this together." Jason said, edging his way towards the elevator doors, a cheesy edge to his voice as he used his fingers to initiate quotation.

At his comment everyone huddled together let out a loud groan and rolled their eyes...only Jason could think of an asinine thing like that to say.

A smirk touched Sharpay's lips, as she actually responded to Jason's lame but lovable joke.

"Actually Jase, if you even attempt to step foot upstairs I may have to kill you." She stated sweetly. "I think it is safe to assume Ryan and Kelsi have this one covered."

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Ryan wasn't sure how long he and Kelsi had been standing there, holding hands, their backs to the door. Their bodies were not tense or ready, but completely calm. He stole a glance at his girlfriend, only to find a bemused expression on her face.

"Would now be a good time to tell you that you were amazing?" He asked, never breaking their position, waiting for her to make the first move.

Kelsi turned to look at Ryan, never once breaking the chain of their hands.

"I wasn't expecting that Ryan, it just spilled out of me." Kelsi began, a nervous and excited ramble making the words almost tumble out on top of each other. "I don't know what I had been expecting exactly...but not that...anything but that." Kelsi paused, her hand tightening on Ryan's as she took a deep breath. "But then I saw Amanda...and you...and there was just....calm...and peace...and I was okay." Kelsi paused once again in her recollection. "Does that make sense?"

Ryan let the question hang in the air a minute, as he led his girlfriend towards the sofa in the middle of the room. He sat down, not giving Kelsi any time to think before he pulled her into his lap. He let his arms hug her to him, as he lightly brushed his face against her hair, letting the fruit filled fragrance fill his senses as the silky tresses brushed softly across his lips. Would he ever get used to how much he loved the woman in his arms? He didn't think so. Every day with her was like a newly wrapped present...one you couldn't wait to open and enjoy. She was excitement, joy, kindness, loyalty and love...oh, she was the epitome of love.

Kelsi looked over at Ryan, patiently waiting for the answer to her question. She watched as his blue eyes brightened, as an internal monologue seemed to play across his face. Forgetting her previous question, she raised her fingertips to gently trace the line of his brow.

"What are you thinking?" She asked softly.

Ryan's hand tenderly cupped Kelsi's cheek as he leaned in slowly to place a soft kiss upon her lips.

"I am thinking about you and how much I love you." He answered simply.

"Oh? And how much is that?" She teased, enjoying their playful banter.

"Honestly Kelsi, there aren't enough words to express it." He said gently, his lips moving in to brush light kisses over her cheeks, before moving down her neck. Kelsi let out a half sigh, half giggle as Ryan reached a sensitive spot at the junction between her neck and shoulder.

"Oh God...Ryan..." She sighed.

"Yes?" He said, just as breathless as her.

Kelsi manged to get out a "don't stop" before taking Ryan's lips in a drugging kiss that left both of them fighting for breath.

Hands started to roam and clothes started to shuffle, as Ryan and Kelsi faught to get as close as they possibly could to one another.

Kelsi paused for a moment, breaking her lips away from Ryan's.

"Wait...wait..." She managed through gasping breaths. She faught to control her train of thought as she felt Ryan's lips moving sinfully slow down her collarbone. "Oh good God." She groaned, trying to remember what it was that seemed so important a moment ago. "I have something t-to...say." She expelled the last word on a drawn out sigh, as Ryan continued exploring her.

Ryan lifted himself away slightly...but not too much, attempting to focus on what Kelsi was deeming so important. He honestly couldn't think of anything more important than what his lips were previously doing.

"What is it baby?" he asked, his body feeling as strung as a finely tuned guitar. He couldn't seem to help himself, as his hands started to move over her again.

"What about the...p-pizza?" Kelsi asked, referring to Pequod's as she struggled to catch her breath; letting out a full blown moan as Ryan moved her over bodily to straddle him.

A devil-may-care smile crossed Ryan's features as he shifted Kelsi over his body.

"Fuck the pizza."

A gasp caught somewhere between a laugh and moan escaped Kelsi, as surprise washed over her at his comment.

"Ryan Evans!" She said, her voice holding a sense of mock outrage, as she bent down to kiss her boyfriend. "You know that was kind of sexy." She said shyly, her sky blue eyes alight.

It was Ryan's turn to be surprised as a laugh escaped his body.

"Kels...you haven't seen anything yet." He promised, before picking his girlfriend up and carrying her towards the bedroom.