Chapter 2 – AS YOU WISH

September 2007

Tommy Merlyn dialed his phone as he started his car and prayed that she picked up.

'Hello?'

'Keiran? Hey, hi…how's your day?' he asks, hoping she doesn't notice the bit of tension in his voice.

She sighs, 'What did he do now, Merlyn?'

'Nothing,' he says, his voice raising a little. 'I swear. I'm actually trying to keep him from…'

'Hang up the phone Tommy,' Oliver says from the seat next to him, his voice annoyed.

'…doing anything stupid,' Tommy continues. 'But, I have dinner with my father in an hour and I don't think Ollie would be good company. For anybody. Or anything.' He finishes.

'I don't need a babysitter' Oliver yells at him.

'And, so it's my turn to be Oliver's better judgement?' she asks.

'C'mon, Hoggle,' he pleads. 'I know you're in the middle of packing, but…I mean…he could really use your help. Laurel…'

'Don't tell her. She doesn't care!' Oliver slurs angrily at him.

'…dumped him.' Tommy tells her.

She sighs again. 'Ok, how drunk is he? Is he pretending-to-be-Tom-Cruise-from-Risky-Business-drunk, or I'm-King-Kong-tearing-planes-out-of-the-sky-drunk?

He smiled. She was going to do it. Whenever her scale of behavior became movie references, he knew that she would agree. 'Joe Pesci in Goodfellas. I wouldn't call Ollie a clown if I were you,' he laughs.

Oliver sat next to him, arms folded, mimicking his laughter. Big baby, Tommy thought to himself.

She laughs too. 'Ok. How long do I have to prepare?'

'20 minutes. We just got in the car,' he says.

'Assumed I'd say yes, that was risky Merlyn,' she scolds him playfully. 'Bring him up to his room through the kitchen. My mother's there – the Queens are having a small dinner party, probably would prefer not to have a scene. Mom will make sure that they don't see him coming through. I'll give her the heads up.'

'Thanks, Keiran. You really are the best.' He meant it too.

She laughs, a little on the evil side he thought. 'This isn't free Tommy, you know that. You now owe me, again. Upon your first visit to me in Gotham, you will get decked out and take me to the nicest restaurant in town to celebrate, once again, how wonderful I am…and how many times I've saved your damn hide.' And she hung up.

He laughs, hangs up his phone and puts it in his pocket. He would've taken her out anyway and she knew it. He and McKenna had started planning their visit the moment she had announced her new job: Jr. Personal Assistant to Lucius Fox, newly named Acting CEO to Wayne Enterprises. They were so proud of her. Even Oliver, though right now, he would never admit it, Tommy thought, glancing at his best friend.

He knew Oliver was proud of their oldest friend. Tommy knew his friend well enough to have seen the pride shining in his eyes when she'd announced her new job. Seconds later, he'd also seen when the realization had sunk in that this would mean her moving to Gotham City. Permanently. Forcing Oliver to be faced with a day-to-day life without the girl he'd been in love with for years, right next door.

When she'd applied for and earned her internship the previous spring, it had resulted in her having to spend her final semester of Starling University, in Gotham, working under Lucius Fox, conducting research in the Applied Sciences division of Wayne Enterprises. She hadn't really been interested in the science, but the man himself. She found him, and the work that Thomas Wayne had tried to accomplish, fascinating. She was eager to find ways for corporations to integrate more charitable projects geared toward the communities surrounding them, into their long-term corporate goals. Thomas Wayne had tried to do that, and might have changed his city had he not been killed.

The science hadn't intimidated her thought. She'd done her own research on some of the projects patented under the division while preparing for her interview. She'd proven to be extremely competent during questioning, highly organized and with a stack of impressive references, Robert Queen and Malcolm Merlyn among them. Keiran had been smart enough to intern in the mailrooms and secretarial pools of both companies – Queen Consolidated in high school and Merlyn Global while she attended Starling University. She had also been smart enough not to mention her applications to either of the CEO's when she applied to their companies so as to avoid any image of favoritism due to her friendships with their sons. She'd earned those recommendations through her hard work.

Oliver understood all that, Tommy knew. He'd mentioned how proud he was of all the work Keiran had done throughout her life. And she'd prepared for everything, except for how her best friend would react to her leaving. When the realization that she would be gone for 4 months starting right after New Year's had finally sunk into Oliver's brain last winter, he'd stopped talking to her for the 3 days before she left. He'd finally come to his senses and had gone with Tommy to drive her to the airport, apologizing for his behavior. He'd hugged her for a very long time before he'd finally let her go so she could make her way through the security gates. They'd stayed at the airport until her plane had taken off safely.

Tommy wondered if Oliver even knew how he felt about Keiran. There wasn't anything …unusual in how they acted around each other, he thought. They'd both dated other people in their lives. Oliver had begun dating Laurel seriously at the beginning of their senior year of high school, but he'd had numerous girlfriends before that. Keiran had dated Jace Branson, a son from a prominent family in Starling, for most of their high school years, until the idiot had dumped her at the end of their senior year. Funny thing was, she wasn't all that upset when that had happened. It had almost been like she'd known he was going to break up with her.

She had a lot of moments like that, yet somehow seemed oblivious to the way Oliver looked at her, especially when she went out with other men. Or came home from running. Or went out clubbing with McKenna. Or just sitting watching movies with them on Sunday nights. They weren't long looks, but Tommy saw them. He wondered how both Keiran and Laurel missed them. Every once in a while, he saw a puzzled look cross her face, but it didn't stay there long.

'Why did you call her? I don't want to see her.' Oliver suddenly burst out, angrily.

'Ollie, she's leaving in less than a week. Stop being such a jackass and tell her how you feel.' Tommy hadn't meant to say that, but maybe Oliver finally needed to hear it.

'You…have no idea what you're talking about…' Oliver mumbled, folding his arms again and turning to look out the window.

Tommy just smiled and enjoyed the silence for the rest of the ride.

Keiran Flannery sealed up the last box of books she'd been packing up. She was almost done, mostly having her clothes and things she used every day, like her iPod, her alarm clock and her health and beauty items left to pack. She put the packing tape gun on top of the box and headed out of her bedroom.

She went downstairs to the cottage's small kitchen. She looked at the clock, 6:30. She rubbed her hand over her face. If Oliver was in one of his moods, it could be a long night. He and Laurel had been together for 5 years. He'd just been kicked out of school again. Plus, he was irritated with her, just like he'd been at New Year's. She knew he was happy that she had this job opportunity in front of her, but he acted like he would never see her again, pushing her away, almost like it was easier to think she was already gone. Then he wouldn't actually have to say good bye to her. Stupid boy, she thought.

She washed her hands in the kitchen sink and dried them on a small towel next to the stove. She saw the container of cookies she had made with her mother last night sitting on the counter. She walked over to the fridge, opened it and took out two bottles of diet Dr. Pepper and a bottle of water. Closing the fridge, she turned, grabbed the container of cookies and walked out her kitchen door.

She crossed the grounds quickly in her bare feet, the grass cool underneath them. Damn, she'd meant to grab her sandals. She wiped her feet carefully on the mat outside the kitchen door to the mansion, opened the door and let herself in. She walked over to her mother and made her request to help Oliver up the back stairs. She told him how Laurel had broken up with him when she saw the disappointed look in her mother's eyes. Her mother didn't like the way Oliver turned to alcohol so often when he was in pain. Raisa still thought of Oliver as the little boy who had shown kindness to her child, a child that had so often been alone. To her, Oliver would always have a heart that was true and good. When he acted like this, Raisa felt he was masking his own fear that he didn't deserve to be loved and that he would end up alone. Keiran often thought Raisa was right.

Raisa also knew that her daughter was in love with the boy who had befriended her when they'd arrived at the estate of her new job all those years ago. Keiran had never been brave enough to confront her own hopes and dreams about the golden haired boy with the intense blue eyes who lived 100 feet from her. When Jace had broken up with her at the end of her senior year, her mother had sat her down and asked her why she didn't seem more disappointed. Jace had been a nice boy and they had dated for a while. Raisa had then asked Keiran if she had loved Jace. She'd surprised herself when she answered no. She and Jace had said they loved each other, but she'd suddenly realized she had only said it back to him because it had seemed important to him that she did. She had cared for Jace a great deal, but hadn't loved him. She had felt ashamed.

Her mother had taken her hands then and asked her to search her heart to see if there was someone that she loved. Something Jace had said struck her. 'Go running to Queen. You know it's what he wants. It's what you want too. Why don't you just admit it!' he'd yelled at her. She hadn't questioned it at the time. There had always been gossip about the friendship she shared with Oliver and Tommy being more than just friendship. But, she'd thought that there'd never been any truth to it. Now, opening herself to consider her mother's question, she realized that Jace's statement had been half true. She had feelings for Oliver Queen.

Her mind returned to the present and she saw her mother looking at her questioningly and she shook her head. She kissed her mother on the cheek, smiling at the bright turquoise color of her mother's aura. It never changed. Every day it was turquoise, bright and clear. It was comforting to her, it was her one constant, the only aura that never altered in any way. She smiled again as she turned and ran up the back stairs two at a time.

She'd outgrown her migraines by the time she was 10. Almost immediately after her birthday, they had completely disappeared. At the same time, her stone had…altered. It seemed to become a deeper purple color, and the tiny clear stones seemed to be tinged in pink. It always seemed to stay warm against her skin, regardless of her temperature, but now it seemed to throb with heat, almost in time to her heartbeat.

Auras were everywhere now too. Every person, every day, was surrounded by color. It made for very interesting days, seeing rainbows everywhere she looked. She felt fortunate that her father had taught her to utilize her other senses, as there were some days the colors could be distracting. Her other senses forced her to remain focused on those days.

She'd also decided when the migraines were gone that she wanted to be as active as possible so that she could have a strong body. She'd starting running distances, as far as she could for as long as her body would allow her, all along the Queen estate. She'd continued her yoga, which she still practiced 2-3 times a week. But, it had been McKenna Hall who had convinced her to learn how to fight, to defend herself.

She smiled, remembering that, as she walked into Ollie's room. She'd decided she wanted to go to school with other kids right before her 13th birthday. She loved her mother, but homeschooling was starting to feel limited. She wanted to be around kids her own age and her mother could only tutor her at night, so it also gave her limited her time to spend with Oliver and Tommy.

Her mother had agreed to let her enroll in a public school. But, Keiran had other ideas. She'd found out the requirements for placement testing at Ollie and Tommy's private school and what scores where needed for a scholarship. She called and requested the required paperwork to apply to the school and the scholarship. She was a year younger than her boys, so she thought that if she started applying and testing now as the two of them were beginning their freshman year, she'd definitely be able to get the scores in time to start her freshman year the following fall.

For six weeks straight, she'd studied harder than she had in her whole life. On the day of her test appointment, she got in the car with Ollie and went to school with him that day, like it was just a normal day. He asked her what she was doing and she told him that she had an appointment to go to and she'd meet him this afternoon to go home with him. She wouldn't say anything else, no matter how hard he tried to get her to talk. She was too nervous.

Her test scores had been well above the needed levels for entrance, and to qualify for the scholarship. She'd done so well, the school's administration wanted her to matriculate with the incoming freshman class in the fall. When she'd told the boys the news, they'd been proud of her, but she could tell that they wished she'd told them of her plans. She knew they would have tried to help her and she wouldn't have had to do it alone. She'd kissed them both on the cheek and thanked them, but had let them know that sometimes she was going to have to do things on her own. At their slightly disappointed looks in hearing that, she'd also told them it was easier to do those things knowing she had her two best friends always in her corner to support her. They'd smiled at her then, comforted that she would still need them.

She did need them and felt she always would. It wasn't until she started school and met McKenna Hall that she'd realized how much she'd been missing a girl as a friend in her life. Although Keiran no longer had migraines and had to wear bulky glasses, she didn't have a lot of sense of what it was like to be a teenage girl who had another teenage girl to confide in and to do, well, girly things. Thinking back, she had to admit to herself, she was a little on the nerdy side with her long uniform skirts, ankle socks and plain, black flats.

She'd been trying to find her locker on their first day at school when a very tough, Junior girl, had decided that Keiran was her freshman 'target of the day.' Keiran was quick, but she wasn't strong and the girl had managed to get a hand on her and push her up against the locker. McKenna Hall, had the locker next to Keiran's and was also on scholarship, but McKenna had grown up in a much tougher neighborhood. Surrounded in a fiery bright orange aura, McKenna had grabbed the girl's arm that wasn't holding onto Keiran and had twisted up behind the girl's back until she forced the girl to let Keiran go. The older girl had released her and walked away muttering threats. McKenna hadn't cared, just stared the girl down. She had thanked McKenna, who'd shrugged and then turned to walk away, when she saw the Limp Bizkit cd on the shelf in Keiran's locker. McKenna had been stunned that she listened to that kind of music, considering she really did look like a goody-goody. She told McKenna she just liked music. McKenna respected that. They were friends immediately after that, she remembered, walking over to Ollie's dresser and turning on the lights and his iPod.

McKenna had helped Keiran take a different outlook to her school uniforms. Her skirts became shorter. Tights and ankle socks were replaced with bare legs or legs covered in thigh-high stockings. Flats became heeled Mary Janes or strappy sandals. Oxford blouses weren't a size larger than necessary and buttoned to the top, instead they were fitted and worn with a couple of buttons open. Wearing a uniform didn't mean you couldn't look cute and stylish. You just had to know how far to bend the regulation without getting in trouble.

McKenna also took her to boxing lessons, teaching her to defend herself. So, Keiran helped tutor McKenna in different subjects. McKenna had dyslexia and often needed to focus more on her work. She researched ways to help McKenna with that and they put the best exercises to practice together. McKenna never got less than a B on any paper, test or quiz after they began studying together, helping her achieve her dream of the Police Academy, which she started next month.

Eventually, she had asked Tommy and Oliver if she could invite her friend to Sunday night Movie night. They were curious about McKenna. Although they were in the same grade, the boys had different classes from her and McKenna. McKenna had sat with them for lunch a few times, but not enough to really get to know her. They'd said yes and had watched The Godfather, to see how she handled a classic film. When she had not only not been grossed out by the horse's head – unfortunately she herself had, Keiran remembered – but had approved of the reasoning behind it, they'd accepted McKenna as one of their own.

Keiran looked at the clock and saw that it was almost 6:50. Tommy would be here any second. She went to Oliver's bathroom and got out the aspirin and took it and placed it with the water, soda and cookies on the coffee table in front of his couch. She turned to pick a movie and smiled. He would hate that, she thought, as her hand reached for the blu ray case.

She opened the case and put the disc in the player. She changed the input on the television and grabbed the blu ray player remote as she settled herself on the couch. She figured he still wasn't speaking to her, so she'd just watch the movie until he fell asleep. That would happen in a couple of hours, so she'd only have to maintain her calm until then. She hit the play button on the remote. Oliver Queen, you big baby, she thought.

Oliver stalked up the back stairs of his home, shame mixing with the anger that had been rolling through him since his lunch with Laurel that afternoon. She'd found out that he'd cheated on her, again. She'd had enough. She'd thought they had decided to take the next step and get an apartment together and instead he'd gone and done this. He hadn't made it any better when he'd said that she had been the one to decide they were getting an apartment together, not them. He hadn't been sure yet. She'd stood up and thrown her drink in his face and then stalked out of the restaurant. He'd surprised himself because he hadn't run after her. He'd stood up, left money on the table to cover the bill, cleaned himself up in the men's room and caught a cab to Tommy's apartment. Where he'd spent the next three hours drinking himself into a right simmer.

When Tommy had said he needed to meet his father at 7:30 for dinner, Oliver had told him to just drop him off at the bar down the street. Then he and Tommy could hit the clubs after his dinner. Tommy had decided then that it was probably best if Oliver wasn't left alone. He'd ushered Oliver to his car and called Keiran, rat best friend that he was.

He was just surprised that she had agreed.

He knew how he had been treating her all week. She'd already come by and told him to grow up and stop being such a jerk or he'd regret not spending time with her when she left. Friends should be better to each other than this she'd told him.

He knew she was right. It just hurt less to think about her leaving when he wasn't around her. And if he wasn't around her, it wouldn't hurt when she left because he had already been practicing being without her. Because she was leaving him. She was leaving him because she was bright, smart, funny, kind, good and beautiful. She was leaving because she'd set a goal for herself and had accomplished it.

She was leaving because he was a coward. She was leaving because he had given her no reason to consider staying.

He'd known Laurel was going to break up with him soon, just why today? Why had Laurel finally felt the need to break up with him today? Why couldn't she have waited until he was back from his trip to China with his dad? That way Keiran would already have been gone and he would have been able to adjust to being alone on his own terms.

He opened the door to his room and heard Peter Falk start telling the tale of Princess Buttercup to a young Fred Savage. He groaned inwardly. He should've known she'd already be here. He looked over and saw her sunk into his couch, her knees up and her bare feet resting on the coffee table. She's also come prepared with diet Dr. Pepper, water, aspirin, and if his nose is correct, her homemade chocolate chip cookies. For a moment his anger abates and he sighs. He doesn't deserve her he starts to think, and then remembers she is leaving HIM. He stalks into the room, closing the door with more force than necessary and throwing his keys into a bowl on his dresser.

She doesn't say anything, doesn't even look at him. She just watches her movie, ignoring his childish antics. This frustrates him even more. He stalks over to his dresser. He realizes his iPod is playing. He punches the off button so that the only sound in the room is the movie playing and his angry breathing.

She still doesn't say anything, just turns and throws a bottle of water to him. He catches it quickly and the bottle of aspirin that comes after it. He doesn't thank her, but he does open the aspirin bottle, shaking a few loose and downing them with the water. He sits on his bed, finishing the bottle and watching the movie over the top of her head.

'I thought you were supposed to babysit me,' he taunts her.

She doesn't turn to look at him, but says 'Well, I'm sitting here listening to you stalk around your room acting like your three, so babysitting seems an appropriate term.'

'Well, I'm fine. You don't need to stay. I can take care of myself.' He wishes he could stop the anger in his voice, yet something keeps egging him on.

She finally turns and looks at him. 'Ollie, you sound like an idiot. Just stop. I'm here because Tommy asked me to come, not because I think you want me here.' He sees in her eyes, the hurt his distance has caused her, for the first time. It breaks him and his anger boils over. He can't help it and he lashes out at her.

'Go. Just go. You're right, I don't want you here.' He says, his voice cold. Yes, he was an idiot.

'Jesus, Ollie, I already told you I'm staying, so just sit down and watch the movie, ok?' She turns back to the screen.

His head is screaming for him to get away from her, he knows how he is behaving. He can't seem to control himself. He can smell the scent of her body lotion – lavender and chamomile – blending with the aroma of the cookies she brought him. It is tantalizing him today, more than normal, leading his thoughts down paths with her in his mind that started the moment her skirts got shorter in high school. It clutches at him that he won't have her here anymore, whenever he wants her to be, because she always has been, whenever he needed her.

He needs to get away from her, from her smell, from her pained and beautiful eyes, from her dainty fingers and toes – nails painted light blue. They're the exact same shade as they were last Halloween when she wore the Dazzler costumer. The zipper on the white, skin-tight bodysuit had gone down to the belt at her waist, he remembered. His mouth starts to go dry, just like it did that night. Jesus, he really needs to get oxygen to his brain, needs to be away from her. He starts to head towards the door.

Quick as a flash she's up and standing in front of the door. 'Ollie, where are you going?'

'I'm going to join my parents for dinner. I don't want to be here right now,' he growls at her.

'You're not leaving, Ollie. Not while you're upset. Just relax with me for a little while, please? I'll make you dinner after we've sat for a bit. We can go down to the kitchen together later, ok?' she asks him politely, but her tone is clear that he won't be leaving the room. And he knows that she can stop him.

McKenna and Keiran had started watching that spy show Alias when they were in high school. They had both thought Sydney Bristow was the coolest thing on TV because she was smart, confident and she kicked ass to take down the bad guy every time. He and Tommy hadn't minded watching the show because they thought Sydney Bristow was hot. The two girls had both decided to take martial arts classes so that they could be as badass as she was.

He laughs looking down at the 5'4" blonde standing in front of him, her hair in messy curls atop her head. His gaze travels lower and he sees she's wearing a small light pink tank. Her bra is a darker color, he can tell because of its dark outline under the lighter shirt. She has on black yoga shorts that give him full view of her shapely legs. She's become similar in shape to her high school hero, agent Sydney Bristow, he notices as his gaze travels all the way back up her body to her face. She doesn't acknowledge the gaze that just travelled up and down her body. She just waits, looking up at him. He wants to walk out the door, but knows that really isn't an option.

'Fine,' he says tersely and turns and walks to the couch, slamming himself down and folding his arms.

She waits a few moments, then steps around him and resumes her position on the couch. She offers him the other soda. He takes it, not snapping at her this time, and says, 'Thanks.'

'You're welcome,' she says, and she smiles at him, 'Now shut up and watch the movie. It's getting to the good part.'

When Oliver awoke it was almost 11. He wasn't sure when he'd fallen asleep, but he didn't remember seeing the end of the movie. He tried to move and then realized there was a warm pressure on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see Keiran sleeping on his shoulder, her full lips slightly parted as she breathes in and out, her whole face peaceful.

He realized he needed to use the bathroom. All his alcohol intake from during the day was pounding for release. He slowly, gently moved out from under her, settling her to lie on the couch while he went to use his bathroom.

After he'd finished and washed and dried his hands, Oliver walked over to the coffee table to pick up the blu ray remote and turn the movie player off. Then he turned to look down at Keiran. He wasn't sure if he should wake her or let her sleep on the couch. He really didn't want to wake her, but was about to do just that, when her eyes flew open and she sat up.

'Did the movie finish?' she asked. He nodded.

'Ok, well,' she hesitated and shook her head, looking up at him, smiling tentatively 'you seem better. I'm going to wash up and then I'll head home.' she said. She stood from the couch and walked over to the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Oliver began to undress and changed himself into a pair of flannel pants to sleep in. He was just tying them closed, when she came out of the bathroom. She looked directly at him, staring at his bare chest. Then her light eyes rose to his and he saw her start to blush before her she turned her gaze away from him.

'Sorry I fell asleep Ollie.' She grabbed her bottle of soda and drank the end of it, throwing the bottle into the recycling bin. She picked up the cookie container and turned to him. 'Ok, so, I'll see you tomorrow at your parent's Labor Day party. Sweet dreams, Ollie.' She stepped up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

As she turns to leave, Tommy's voice echoes through his mind...Stop being such a jackass and tell her how you feel…he puts his hand on her arm.

He takes a deep breath. 'Will you stay here tonight? Please…I know I've been…shitty to you. But, you leave in a few days. I know you aren't leaving forever. I… I'd just like to not have any regrets before you leave.'

She turns back to him, a questioning look on her face. 'Ollie, what could you possibly…?'

He takes her face in his hands and kisses her. Her lips are soft and full and moves with his in a way that makes his brain go foggy. He can taste the faint tarty sweetness of cherry soda as her lips part and he moved his tongue gently with hers. He pulls back from her, looking into her eyes.

'Regrets like that…' he said, answering the question she wasn't able to finish.

She looks up at him, her eyes sparkling like warm jewels. A smile starts to play at her lips and she reaches out her hand to his bare chest. When she touched him, he had to suck in air, her fingers leaving a trail of warm fire on his skin. She ran her fingers up to his shoulders and then down to his navel. He stood still, lost in her eyes as they danced with mischief.

'Regrets like that, hmmm…I didn't know you had thoughts about me that could result in regrets…I wish I had though. It would have saved us a lot of wasted time.' She laughed, and the same warmth that always spread through his chest at the sound of her laughter returned to him.

He crushes her to him, walking her backward until her back is against the door to his room. His mouth ravages hers and her hands explore every inch of his exposed skin. His hands skim the warm skin just under her t-shirt and he lifts her so that her legs encircle his waist and her hands go around his neck. His hands slide along her legs, starting at her ankles and move slowly upward to softer, silkier skin.

She pulls her head away from him, breaking the moment. He holds her tightly, his chest pressed against her, his gaze searching her face, finding her eyes. He was surrounded by the smell of her skin, intoxicated by it. He felt like he never wanted to stop touching her, kissing her, tasting her.

'What is it?' he asked her.

'Ollie, I don't think…think this is a good idea.' She said, slowly and quietly, staring directly into his eyes, her hands and legs still clasped around him.

He stiffened. 'What? Me, you don't think I'm a good idea?' he asked her, his breath ragged from the painful cold that had just filled his chest.

'No,' she kissed him gently and giggled, defrosting the ball of ice that had so quickly gone around his heart at her words. 'I think you and I are a GREAT idea. FANTASTIC! I've had thoughts and fantasies about you since I was 14!' she smiled at him widely and wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

'14? Really, fantasies…' then he looked at her, and said, a little ashamed to admit he was curious, but asking anyway, '…like sexual fantasies? About me? At 14?' he said in mock shock and surprise.

She laughed again, but smiled at him widely. 'Wouldn't you like to know?' she said innocently, batting her eyes at him. He couldn't help himself. He grinned and pushed himself closer to her, kissing her again.

'Whoa…oh my god, you keep doing that and I will lose all my resolve' she said, between kisses.

'Well, if you're going to give me a challenge…'he said, and began tracing kisses along the pulse line of her throat. Her hand tightened in his hair for a moment and he heard her sigh.

'Oliver, we can't. Our first time, it can't be tonight.' he stopped.

He hadn't thought about how far this evening could go, but she had. The fact that she had thought about it and where it could go thrilled him. He also understood what she was saying. He realized that they both needed to take a step back to assess the risk factor involved in the potential change in their relationship. And that maybe they should talk about it first, before they both decided to take the next step, something he had reminded Laurel about today. He needed to take his own advice.

He looked at her. 'You're absolutely right,' he said and he was rewarded with her amazing smile. 'We should take things slow, even though you are leaving at the end of the week.' He leaned his forehead against hers. He sighed and closed his eyes. 'We can figure it out.'

He felt her hand on his cheek and felt her soft lips against his again. 'Ollie, when you get back, I know I'll be gone. But, well, my new apartment has lots of room. And, it'll take time for me to make new friends. Maybe…since you aren't in school', she hesitated, 'maybe…you could…'

He opened his eyes and looked at her. She was looking up at him and biting on her lower lip, but when he looked at her, she continued. 'I'm not trying to rush anything. I don't want to pressure you at all. I know we have a lot to talk about but, maybe…youcouldcomestaywithmeforawhile?'

He pulled back and looked at her. She didn't usually babble. She sounded just like she had the day she'd asked him and Tommy to watch the movie with her. Hopeful, a little scared, not wanting to betray how much she wanted what she was asking for.

'Keiran…Hoggle…look at me,' he said, unable to keep the smile from his mouth. But, when she looked up at him and he saw how truly nervous she was asking the question, he moved his hand to cup the side of her face. 'When I get back, I would love that,' he said. She leaned her face into his hand and closed her eyes, relaxing. While her eyes were closed, he leaned in and kissed her soft lips again, slowly, then moved away, trailing along her jaw line with his lips. She moaned, but didn't make any attempt to stop him.

He could feel the heat deepening between them in the places where their bodies seemed to fit like two pieces of a puzzle, perfect and natural. He also felt a sensation of heat from where her necklace usually fell. He looked down at it and saw that it appeared to be glowing between them. He started to ask her about it, but she started moving her hands across his skin again and he needed to stop that sensation or he was afraid that neither of them would have any resolve to stop. He sighed and slowly lowered her to the floor. 'Would you like me to walk you home?' he asked.

She smiled at him again and bit her lip before saying, 'Is the offer to stay over still open? Even if we are going to…wait, we could still spend the night together?' and she looked up at him. He grinned.

'As you wish.' He says, referencing their earlier film viewing.

'I'll need to borrow a t-shirt…' she said, smiling at him using one of her favorite film quotes.

He found a faded Starling University t-shirt that had shrunk in the wash for her and then turned his back for her to change, not wanting her to be away from him. When she told him that he could turn around, he couldn't help but notice that the shirt was still big for her. It hung to mid-thigh and the sleeves went to just below the tips of her fingers. She looked incredibly sexy as he imagined what she had on underneath his shirt. He blew out a breath, slow, he reminded himself.

Before she could stop him, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed, where he lay her down. As she got herself settled under the covers, he moved over to his dresser and turned off the light, turning on his iPod. Then he returned to the bed, got under the covers and pulled her close to him, her back up against his chest. She was completely surrounded by his body and she felt perfect snuggled against him. He breathed in her scent…lavender and chamomile…starting to relax and feeling…happy. He couldn't remember the last time he had felt like this he thought as he drifted off to sleep.

Keiran watched as Oliver drifted with the lifeless body of his father in the tiny raft. She blinked and watched as Oliver was dragged under water, screaming a name she couldn't make out. She tried to reach him, but blinked again and saw him with an arrow sticking out of him, covered in blood. She screamed, and the scene changed again. Over and over. Blink. Oliver running in fear. Blink. Oliver in a cage. Blink. Oliver falling over a cliff into a pool of water. Blink.

Keiran moaned in her sleep, but didn't wake up. Strong arms surrounded her and she turned her body towards them, feeling warmth enveloping her, chasing the nightmare away. Not remembering it when she woke the next day in Oliver's arms.