I was leaning against one of the statues in the room where Cyclonis's machine was. Cyclonis left me here to wait for Ace, who was under the impression that he was meeting her to talk about a mission.

'Not a total lie,' she had said. 'I would consider this a mission.'

I shook my head, sighing. I didn't want to trick him, we probably could have told him I wanted to talk to him and he may have come running. Maybe that was the point. If he knew it was me he'd probably come in apologizing and trying to explain himself to me. That would only piss me off.

The doors opened and Ace walked in looking up at the machine as he did. He stopped confusion crossing his face.

"She's not here," I said calmly.

He spun around and looked at me. He looked surprised then his eyes widened like they had on the terra. "Skylar!" he started towards me. "Skylar let me explain…"

I put my finger on his lips, silencing him. "You don't have to explain, Ace. I do."

He tried to protest but I put my hand against his mouth.

"Shut up and just listen, Ace."

He looked at me and nodded.

I nodded too and dropped my hand. "I overreacted earlier. I didn't expect anything like that, all though now that I look back I should have." I leaned back and crossed my arms. "Ace, I'm 15, I've never had a boyfriend and the closest I got to a guy liking me like that is my best friend and Ray. My friend is more like family than anything and Ray's too afraid of my brother to ever be a boyfriend." I studied him.

He was carefully blank trying not to judge.

"I do like you, Ace."

His eyes brightened.

"But having said that, you're ten years my elder."

"Age doesn't matter to me, Skylar," he said quickly before I could stop him again.

"No," I said smiling slightly, "it wouldn't. But age matters to me because of the age I am now. Ace, 15 is not the age to be dating a man in his mid-twenties. I still have things I need to learn about life it's self. Some of them, I won't learn till I'm in my twenties. But I do like you. I like enough that I don't want to risk losing you by dating you know."

He reached out towards my face; his thumb brushed my cheek under my eyes. Something wet smeared across my face following his thumb. He was brushing away tears that I didn't know were there. "I understand, Skylar. I was young once but I guess I forgot how little I knew about my place. My teen years were life changing. I grew and I'm different now than I was then."

I put my hand over his. "So, friends?"

He smiled, "Friends."

"Good," I said smiling at him. Then I tackled him, knocking him over, and pinned him on the ground, putting his arm in a lock and paint brushed it. (A/n: paint brushed is a term used in my fighting class when you lock the opponents arm in a sort of crow bar bend and brush the hand against the ground, moving the arm into a painful angle! Do not try it if you don't know what you're doing, and if you do try it and hurt someone I am not liable!)

"Hey," he shouted when I tackled him. When I paint brushed his arm his back arched and tried to twist away. "Ow, ok! You win! Let go!"

"I what now?"

"You win, Skylar!"

I grinned and let go of his arm. Before I could stand, he grabbed me and twisted us around, so he was sitting on me. "Hey!"

He smiled, crossing his arms (my heart fluttered). "What have I told you, Skylar? Never let your guard down."

I tried to hit him in his stomach, but he caught them and pinned them above my head. I gasped, and tried to twist out of his grip.

He laughed at my attempts.

"So," a soft voice said from the door, making our heads snap towards it. (A/n Skylar and Ace are sideway to the door.) "Did you two make up, or is Ace trying to harm you, Skylar," Cyclonis asked, looking very amused.

I felt my face getting hot and glanced at Ace. His face was rosy red. "Uh, Ace? Now would be a good time to get off of me."

He looked at me, blushing deeper and got up. "Sorry," he mumbled, offering me his hand.

I took it and he lifted me to my feet.

Cyclonis laughed at us.

Ace and I looked at her, then at each other and started to laugh too. I guess everything would be okay between the three of us.

Next time, the Storm Hawks make an appearance! But if I don't get a review then I'm not posting it! So review, damn it!!!!!!