an: i'm stuck in an airport for the next few hours, so i'm going to give you the update i forgot to put up last night. thanks for your reviews. :)

disclaimer: mcfly own their own minds and bodies, i do not.

SEVENTEEN - DEMANDS

The glow in the dark stars on your ceiling
Will shine for us
As love sweeps over the room
Cause we tend to make
Each other blush

"You need a date for my wedding," Lauren informed me one morning a little more than a week later as we were getting ready. "Fred" – her brother – "just called and said he was bringing his latest girlfriend. So, that means that besides Josh's three-year-old nephew, you're going to be the only one there alone. And I can't have that happening."

I had been startled by her words at first. As they sank in, I just let her finish, knowing that now that she had made up her mind about it, I had no other choice than to find someone to bring as my date.

"Yeah, sure, I can see about that," I told her, a note of humour in my voice, knowing that by saying those words, I would drive her crazy.

"You've got to do better than that! You have to actually bring someone!"

"Relax, Dixie. I'll figure something out. And if it comes down to it, I'll draw a face on a melon and take a scarecrow as my date," I told her, looking as though I was completely serious.

The expression on her face when I had finished speaking was more than priceless and had me laughing so hard my sides began to hurt.

"You're kidding right?" she asked after me as I headed back into my room. "Please tell me you're kidding."

"Relax, Lauren. I'm completely kidding." I returned to where she was still standing just outside the bathroom. "But in all seriousness, I'll figure something out."

"Ooh! You're going out with Doug this afternoon!" she reminded me, seeming to suddenly remember it was Wednesday. "Maybe you could bring him!"

I just smiled at her as I headed to the kitchen, putting away the mug she had given me as a reward for waking up twenty minutes earlier. "I should be going. I have some important people to meet with in a bit. But I'll see you later?"

"Yeah. Josh said he'd be here by about one, so make sure you're back in plenty of time so he doesn't have to wait – you know how much he hates being late for lunch with his parents – and that's around one-thirty."

It had been discovered a few weeks ago that Tom and the guys lived about five minutes from Josh's parents, so whenever we were all headed in the same direction, they would give me a ride – as neither Lauren nor I had a car and it was a lot quicker and easier than taking public transportation or having them come all the way over to mine – a whole ten minute drive in the worst of London traffic – just so we could go back over near to where they lived. Which was what was planned for that afternoon – Dougie had declared he needed my assistance with something, not really elaborating on that what, and since Lauren and Josh were going to lunch at her soon-to-be in-law's, the happy couple was dropping me off on the way.

"Okay, I'll be here before then. Bye!" I rushed out the door and was gone before she was able to say another word.

"Josh? Instead of taking the next left," I began as I ended the call I had been making, "can you make a right?"

Lauren turned around in her seat to look at me in the back, a smile lightening up her face. "What, have you already forgotten where you're going?"

"Oh, no, it's not that. Since Doug's running late, and we're running early, I thought I'd drop by Tom's and say 'hi' for a moment – I haven't seen him in a while."

"Right," she said, drawing out the vowel, as Josh made the requested turn. "That's the only reason."

I didn't know what she meant by that, but instead of mentioning it, I directed Josh to the correct house. When he pulled to a stop outside, I grabbed my handbag and jumped out.

"Hey! Don't forget what I said this morning, Pixie!" Lauren called from her now-open window.

I turned back, smiling at her. "I won't, I promise. I'll see you tomorrow?"

She blushed slightly – she was spending her last night as a single girl at Josh's before they got married on the weekend – nodding. "Bye, love you, Pixie."

"Love you, too, Dixie! See you, Joshua!" I said, standing up from where I had been bent so I could see them properly, and then heading up the steps to the door. Behind me, I heard the car pull away from the curb as they drove off.

"Hello? Tom? Anyone here?" I said as I pushed open the front door. I had been over so many times in the past few weeks that I had gotten comfortable just walking into his house – I'm sure he would have done the same for mine, had he been able to, what with the always-locked door leading into my building.

"Dara? Did I know you were coming?" Tom called from one of the rooms on the main level. I followed his voice until I found him in the kitchen with Danny. "We were just about to head out."

"No, I was just headed over to Dougie's. But he's running late, so I thought I'd come say hi," I explained as I joined them at the table. Putting on a somewhat fake and extremely large smile, I added, "Hey guys! Great to see you again – it's been so long!"

Danny looked a little weirded out. "Hey Dare," he began slowly. "We just saw you yesterday. Don't you remember?"

All I could do was laugh, shaking my head. "Of course I remember, silly! How could I forget a pretty face like yours?" I turned to Tom. "Can I ask you something somewhat important?"

He turned his attention away from what he was doing, giving me his full concentration, a curious look replacing the highly amused one.

"And I really don't care what your answer is," I added.

"Then I really don't care what your question is," he replied, turning away again. After a moment, he turned back, giving me the same look. "What did you want to ask me?"

"Well," I started, dragging out the letters, "Lauren's getting married this weekend – I think I mentioned it?" After he nodded, I continued, "She decided this morning that I need a date for the small function, otherwise I'll be the only one going solo, and apparently we can't have that. So" – I dragged it out as well – "I was wondering if you would come as my plus one."

There was a brief pause once I finished speaking, and then: "Of course he will!" Danny stated.

We both looked at him. "Saturday, right?" I nodded, and he went on, "Sure, why not."

I jumped up, leaning across the table and giving him an awkward hug – I mean, how could it not with a table between us? – "Thank you, you're helping me make a very happy Lauren."

"Awe, get a room you two," Danny told us.

After a bit of a weird look shot at Danny as I sat back down in my chair, Tom said, "This is my house, Danny."

He just smiled stupidly at us as my mobile vibrated in my pocket.

"Oh, well, you weirdoes have fun," I told them jumping out of my seat after having read the message. Snickering, I added, "I've got a date with the devil. Bye!"

The looks on their faces as I rushed out of Tom's kitchen were hilarious – Danny's: stunned confusion; Tom's: surprised contemplation.

song: the bird and the worm by owl city

an: this will probably be the last one for the month. i'm hoping that i'll be able to get something to you in early March, as i won't have internet for the next two weeks. sorry about this. thanks for all your support with this! it means so much! :)