Okay, I relaize that it has been a while since I last updated... A LONG while, and I am sincerely sorry for that. School has started for me, and I lost my USB, which had all the chapters on it. I am currently trying to juggle two stories, *winces*, harder than I thought... Anyway, it is a little short on my standards, but I dont have much time left on my computer so I decided to post it tonight. More will be out tommorow. Again, I am really sorry! It wont happen again.

Chapter Two: Part One

Mikayla's PoV

For a moment we all stood there, two parties all with one thought rolling through their minds: Oh, my god oh, my god, oh, my god. I had the absolute worst luck; I mean, first I get stuck with the immature, stupid and careless twins, and I crush on one despite my best efforts not to. Then, just when I was ready to actually accept him because was finally maturing I had to go to my Uncles for two years, where there are no truly sentient living creatures for miles around. But of course when I finally get back I fall even harder for the new Brady, and when I was finally having fun for the first time in over a year I get caught by my overprotective father. Oh, the joy!

"Father." I am sure I sounded cold, clipped even, but come on! I was just caught by my dad in a boys arm and I was enjoying it, and I am sure that I looked the part as well. His eyes were burning with an inner fire, sparking and twinkling in a way that I had never seen before. It worried me, it really did, because the only times that I saw a new expression on his face was when the twins did something really bad.

"Brady, would you mind explaining all of this?" He waved his hand in a weird motion, a sort of circular wave that encompassed us and all of the surrounding area. To my surprise Brady didn't fidget, nor did he whimper, stutter or make any emotion-betraying move at all. He just stood there grinning at my father, looking him in the eyes.

"Why, what are you talking about? I am simply escorting the lady to her room." He smirked, the muscles of his chest rippling with silent laughter. I found myself enjoying the sensation, enjoying it very much. He was very muscular now, and I could feel them move with every breath, every motion. It was intoxicating.

"Please put my daughter down. Until the time comes that you complete the tradition you will not be allowed to touch my daughter so familiarly. Am I clear?" He sounded so serious, but Brady just started laughing. My father sighed, shook his head and began walking away from us. About three feet from us he paused, glancing back over his shoulder and calling out; "Make sure to remember that you have about an hour left before your show begins. Let Chloe and Boomer know that you three," his eyes locked with mine, and he smiled warmly. I smiled back. I missed him, I really did. "-will be staying on the balcony for, safety reasons." He stressed safety, and Brady began snickering slightly, muttering something about crazy fan girls under his breath. I resolved to ask him about that later.

"So… where are we really going? We passed my room a while back."

"To your room; you have officially been moved. When Chloe came she insisted on a bigger suite, so we moved the tow of you into the second largest rooms in the castle, directly after my room and Boomers. We aren't sharing one anymore, either. We turned that into a game room instead." He grinned down at me and winked, "It's wicked, if you ask me. Or, of course, you can just ask Lanny. I don't think that kid has left the room since it was made." He chuckled, making me struggle to stay in place and not press into his chest.

We walked the rest of the way in silence, simply enjoying each other's company. My eyes drifted closed, and I sank back into his chest, relaxed for the first time in, well, in two years. As my eyes drifted so did my mind and I found myself thinking about things I never thought about before. Like how good he smelled, like the ocean and the sharp tang of the jungle. I thought about how beautiful his eyes are; a deep, rich earthy color that glittered with power and knowledge and newfound confidence. As more and more thoughts ran through my eyes and I slowly drifted into a doze in his arms, the warmth and safety becoming too much for my exhausted body.

Brady's PoV

I felt the change as she slipped in my arms, leaning back against the planes of my chest and curling up there, her breaths slowing until they came at slow, peaceful intervals. She was sleeping; or, if not sleeping, she was resting, dozing. I heard her sigh, felt her turned her face into my neck and nuzzle my neck. All the breath left my lungs at once, rushing out in a single fell swoop. I held my breath, loath to end the moment.

We were approaching her door, and by now it was painfully obvious that she was asleep. Her fingers were splayed across my chest, curled slightly into the fabric. I stepped into the room, carefully pulling the door shut behind me with the palm of my hand. I heard the soft click of the lock settling as I padded across the carpeted floor to her bed. It was hard to set her down, what with my shirt and her fingers being practically sown together. Well, and her face being tucked in the curve of my neck, ander body curled into mine in what would be a spooning position in we were lying down.

After about five minutes of gently persuasion (without waking her up, of course) I managed to get it to the pont that I could slide her down unto her bed and pull the covers over her. I made sure to flick off the lights and pull the blinds closed as I left, but I kept the balcony door wide open. It had a view of the courtyard, where I would be playing tonight. That way as soon as the concert started she would wake, if she wished to, and she could watch and listen. I would, after all, be singing a few love songs. Maybe just one or two, but I knew who they were for and who they were about, even if all the fan girls don't.