Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire or the characters. Disney does.

"My parents somehow snagged a beach house from a family friend, we're going up there for the week," Lizzie spoke, sucking up the first of her slushie.

"Oh, well, that should be fun," Gordo gave a tight smile across the cafeteria table, looking away around the mall.

"Yeah! It better be! Otherwise, I'm holding you responsible," Lizzie smiled mysteriously.

"What?"

"Well, who do you think is going to be the one to entertain me? Matt?"

"Lizzie, what are you talking about?"

Lizzie grinned, prodding Gordo's shoulder with her drink, "You are coming with me."

"I am?"

"Well…" Lizzie's grin faltered, "I mean, unless you don't want to-"

"No, I do! It's just- you're parents are okay with this?"

Lizzie smirked, "Yeah, well, it took some convincing."

Lizzie remembered back to that morning. Her Mom had introduced the topic over breakfast, at the last minute, like always: (they would be leaving in two days). Lizzie's immediate reaction was to ask, "Can I bring Gordo?"

Her father scowled and her mother looked concerned and thoughtful. So, she turned to her mother. "Mom, please!?"

"Lizzie wants to bring her boyfriend so they can play kissy kissy all day," her annoying little brother teased.

"Matt, you're excused."

"But Mom!"

"Listen to your mother, Matt," her dad said.

Once Matt was gone, her mom sighed, "Lizzie, I'm not sure it's entirely appropriate."

"Notentirely appropriate?! It's not even a little bit appropriate!" her dad exclaimed,"You're too young to be going away with a boy!"

"I'm not! I'm going away with you, and Gordo's coming along!" Lizzie replied, getting a bit agitated.

"Lizzie. Sam. Let's talk about this civilly."

"Okay," Lizzie started, "I want Gordo to come, because I want my friends there. Usually I'd be bringing Gordo and Miranda, but she's not here right now, so it's just Gordo. You would have let me bring him before!"

"Yeah, cause before, he wasn't your boyfriend," her dad retorted.

"He's not!- Well, it's-it's kinda…you're overreacting!!"

Her Mom softened with another sigh, "Maybe she's right Sam. I mean, it's not like they're going steady or anything. It's just harmless, innocent dating. Right Lizzie?"

Lizzie blushed at the searching looks sent her way, and at the topic at hand, squeaking, "Yes, of course!"

They were quiet for a while, and then her father said, "You stay in separate rooms, and are not to be in either one alone together. Is that clear?"

"Yes Dad. Thankyou Dad, Mom."

Gordo smiled slowly, "Well, if it's really okay, then sure, I'd love to come."

"Thank goodness, can you imagine what it would have been like to hang with my brother for an entire week?!"

"You would have killed him. Hopefully, you won't get the urge to kill me after a week." Gordo pushed his plate across the table, urging Lizzie to take the last cookie.

"I doubt it Gordo." Lizzie took the cookie, smiling, "Thanks Gordo."

Gordo shrugged, looking around for a bin, "I know they're you're favourite. You ready to go yet?"

"Yeah," Lizzie murmured absentmindedly as she gazed at him in fond awe.

Gordo grabbed all the rubbish and threw it away in the bin. Lizzie stood, finishing the rest of her slushie and throwing it out. She hurried after Gordo, grabbing onto his arm and hugging it to her. She rest her cheek on his shoulder, "Thankyou."

He looked surprised and confused, "What for?"

Lizzie smiled broadly and shrugged, before pulling away. She left one hand on his arm, loosely curled around his forearm, so she could almost say that they were holding hands.

For the moment, those almosts were all that they were ready for, and all that she needed to feel that warmth inside of her.

"Oh, would you look at this, it's Loozie and Gordork, the happy couple." Came a familiar voice.

Lizzie's face burned as she looked up quickly to find Kate and Claire, and quickly moved away from Gordo.

"What? Did you finally realize that no one else would take you, and decide to settle for each other?"

"Oh, go pick on someone your own brain size," Gordo retorted.

"Oh, isn't that cute, he's defending your honour," Kate mocked.

Lizzie's mouth opened and closed in an attempt to defend herself.

"Have you even thought about your poor children? They'll all be freaks!"

Gordo lifted an arm around Lizzie's back and propelled her forward around the two girls. "C'mon Lizzie, don't pay attention to them."

"What a witch!" Lizzie exclaimed when her ability to put thought into whole sentences returned. "Lucky you were there to fight back."

"Yeah, what are you going to do if one day, they corner you alone?"

Lizzie shrugged, "Stand there and take it until they get bored."

Gordo laughed, shaking his head, "You're too nice McGuire. If I were a girl, I'd have slapped her well before now!"

Lizzie giggled, "I'd like to see that- Gordina."

Gordo rolled his eyes, and they were silent. Only then did he notice that they had been walking through the mall, with his arm around her.

He'd had some doubts about just how they were going to do this when they were both so reserved and awkward. But everyday it seemed to get easier. Almost like it was natural.

Lizzie heard the doorbell ring and hurried down the stairs, hoping to get there before…but she found her dad opening the door.

Gordo gave a nervous, "Hi Mr McGuire."

"Gordo, you made it," he answered, none too pleased.

"Sam!" Mrs McGuire warned, hurrying to the door, motioning Gordo and his bag into the house.

Lizzie ran the rest of the way down the stairs. Gordo spotted her, his nervous expression clearing for the first time into a dumb smile.

Lizzie stopped, smiling back in the same way, "Hi Gordo."

"Hi- Lizzie."

"Lizzie, have you finished packing yet?" Her Dad interrupted impatiently.

Lizzie glared at her dad, and then purposely ignored him, grabbing Gordo's hand, "C'mon Gordo, come help me pack."

"Lizzie!-" "Sam, leave it!"

"Lizzie- what?!" Gordo said as he stumbled into her room behind her.

"Urgh! My Dad: who does he think he is!?"

"Uh, your Dad?"

Lizzie gave Gordo a look that said 'shut up soon'.

"Okay, so, what do you have left to pack?" Gordo hastily said.

Lizzie went and flopped down on her bed, "Oh, nothing. I've pretty much finished…I just wanted to get you away from the shark circling you."

"Lizzie, look," Gordo sat down next to her on the bed, "Your Dad just needs time to get used to this change…like all of us."

Lizzie sighed, "Yeah, I guess…so, speaking of- how are your parents taking it?"

"Oh," Gordo shrugged, "Fine, I guess. Except Dad tried to suggest that you and I together is a sign of my laziness in not looking for a stranger and, you know, getting to know her, forming a new bond. Mom wanted to make sure it wouldn't distract me from my school work, but I saw a strange smile, almost like she had expected it or had suspicions about my feelings."

Gordo blushed after he said it. "Um, so, why don't you grab your last things and I'll help you bring them downstairs."

Lizzie gave a slow smile, "Alright."

Lizzie paced around her room, stuffing last minute things into her bulging bags. Then, she gave one to Gordo, "You know, a lot of people knew."

"What?" Gordo's head whipped around.

Lizzie nudged Gordo out of her room, following behind him, "Yeah, well: your mom, my mom, Kate and everyone from school according to her, Miranda-"

"Miranda? Wait, Miranda knew, Miranda knows?!"

Lizzie giggled, "Gordo, watch where you're going. And yes, I've been talking to Miranda on the phone about it."

Gordo stopped and grabbed Lizzie's wrist, pulling her off to a corner and leaning in close. He looked serious, "Did you know?"

"What? No! Well…Kate told me at the Murder Mystery Party."

"Oh…" Gordo was blushed and very reluctant to actually ask the next question, "So when did you know that you-"

"Lizzie! Gordo! You ready to go yet?! Come load your bags into the trunk!" Mrs McGuire called.