"Lyss, I promise you that you'll never have to go through that again."

"Let's not make promises you can't keep." John sighed, this was all so complicated.

Silence overtook them yet again. They were deep in the sea of their thoughts. It was crazy. John looked at her. He wanted to simply make it all better, but he knew better. This wasn't a fairy tale, this was all true. He sighed, Alyssa was across the room staring out the window. Her left arm across her chest and cupping her neck as her head tilted to the side. He couldn't help but to smile, that was her thinking pose. John stood up.

"Lyss?" Alyssa turned around and looked into his big blue eyes.

"Yes?"

"Um, I want you to do me a favor?" she raised her eyebrow. "Could you stay in contact with me anyway?" She silently cheered, that's what she'd wanted, but outwardly she only nodded. She couldn't let him in, no matter how worthy he seemed. John smiled, he knew what she was doing. Alyssa sensed his happiness in knowing what she was thinking and tried to throw him off his game.

"Uh, you wanna play a game or something?" John raised his eyebrow. He'd never take her for a gamer.

"You game?"

"Oh yes. I must keep my skills intact for such occasions."

"Well what would you like to play?" She smiled evilly.

"Oh, losers always choose."

"Losers?" She nodded.

"Yup." John smiled,

"You have Madden?" Alyssa nodded sadly. John was happy that he'd get a chance to win at something. Between movies he rarely got a chance to beat someone to a pulp, even if it was a mouthy teenage girl. he was GREAT at this game. "Well Madden it is then."

"You sure?" He nodded as Alyssa shrugged. She grabbed a remote off her desk and pressed a button. In an instant the bookshelf looking apparatus opened revealing a 32 in flat screen TV and a black Xbox 360 on an emerging shelf that slowly made its way towards them along with two controllers. John glanced at Alyssa who was slowly developing an evil smile.

"Where'd you get this?" He was wide mouthed, it was like he was staring at something straight out of Batman. She shrugged.

"Courtesy of New Year's Rampage 2008." He shook his head, blood money. Alyssa grabbed the two gaming chairs from under her bed and slid one to John.

"I call Colts. Their playbook is so intricate." John sighed as he sat down, she was going to murder him.

Two hours later and John's ego was terribly bruised. He hadn't been beat down like that in years. He bowed out. ugh, and Alyssa wasn't making it any better as she gloated freely. "So what do I get?" John looked at her like she had three heads.

"What?"

"What-do-I-get?" she asked deliberately and slowed down like he had a problem. John narrowed his eyes as she smiled evilly.

"You know something, you're a really bad winner."

"And you're a really HORRIBLE Madden player. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen." John rolled his eyes and tried to get up. Alyssa beat him to it and pushed him over causing him to roll on the floor in his tailor made suit. When John got up he shook his head.

"Oh you're going to pay."

"Really? Cause if I remember correctly, you owe me something not the other way around." John shook his head in shock. Well this was a new side.

"Oh?"

"Yep." She paused. "Ooh I got it. How about an autographed copy of Raw vs. Smackdown 2011." John frowned.

"Why? You don't even like wrestling, let alone the game."

"Ya never know." John frowned.

"You wanna sell it." It was a statement and not a fact. Alyssa looked hurt.

"No, why ever would you think that?" She rolled her eyes.

"Sure." The awkward silence returned. "I got it."

"Got what?"

"Got what I'll get you."

"Good, cause you owe me a Christmas present too." John smiled, he liked seeing this playful side.

"Anyway," he said over exaggeratedly. "Raw is going to be in New York for the paper view coming up. You can come with me and be my special guest." Alyssa raised her eyebrow. Hmm.

"What would I have to do?" John shrugged.

"You'd just arrive with me at the arena, stay with me backstage, and meet all my friends." John didn't like Alyssa's blank response. "And I'll even take you to dinner." Alyssa shook her head.

"Oh boy, dinner!" John lost his smile and grunted

"Brat." Alyssa stuck her tongue out, then looked at her shoes.

"I'll go, but um I can't do dinner."

"Why not?" She looked up at him.

"You know, I'm not supposed to even talk to you, let alone go to dinner. My dad has friends all over New York. I'll go to the show, but I have to stay backstage." She put her head back down and held her breath waiting for his response. When it took longer than she'd hoped her stomach turned itself into knots. After a moment John nodded, he could live with that.

"Ok." Her head shot up.

"Ok?" She wasn't used to people accepting her demands. In fact, she usually didn't make demands in fear of the consequences. He nodded.

"Yeah, it's fine with me. Besides if I know you're with me, then I know you're safe." Alyssa gave him a soft smile that melted John's heart. One step at a time.

John's stomach started to growl and Alyssa laughed. "What?"

"Do you always have to eat every five minutes?"

"Excuse me?" Alyssa shook her head violently and threw her arms up.

"Oh please, never do that you sound like that one chick with the annoying voice." John smiled…Vikkie.

"I do not!"

"Do so, girlie man." John did a double take.

"Say what?"

"You heard me." Alyssa was smiling evilly, she had successfully worked his nerves. "Come on two pigs in a blanket, let's go find you something to eat." John chewed his bottom lip in annoyance.

"I am not fat," he said to himself as they left the room.

"Yes, you are." John's eyes narrowed, oh he'd get her good.

:D Hey guys, I tried something new here, lemme know what you think.

As always thanks for reading, you guys riz-zock!