JC: Classes have started for me. It's a new school, new life, and a new working environment. I have limited time to stay online. I'm still getting used to the busy city life. I managed to do this during my free time. My Masters Degree classes are weighing me down. I have to do a lot of reading, research, and it's making my head hurt. I'm very sorry that I only managed to update this now. I'm not planning to end it here. So go on and read! Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, people, or its characters, but the plot is mine. All rights belong to Kazuki Takahashi.

White Vow

Turn 28: In the Heat of Things

Jaden was acting strange the next morning. He was taciturn and restless, sitting on the couch not watching the television which played in the background. Alexis had no idea what he was thinking about. She slid onto the couch beside him and took his hand in hers. "You already had breakfast, right?" she asked.

He seemed to freeze up at the contact. "Umm…" He then turned his head away from her. "Yeah…and it was yummy. Your mom sure can cook."

Well, if hunger wasn't the cause of his somewhat odd behavior, then what was? Alexis couldn't even feel his usual cheerful bravado. He was way off. And was he avoiding eye contact with her? Now that was so weird. "Okay, what's bugging you?" He looked like he was about to jump up. "Well? Are you gonna spill or do I have to force it out of you?"

He swallowed hard. "Was I that obvious?"

She nodded.

That made him nervous. He knew he shouldn't be, but he couldn't help it. Yes, Alexis was officially his fiancée now. Mr. Rhodes finally gave his permission, though it was rather forced, and they had help from Seto Kaiba. He was very, very happy that he could date Alexis freely. But something happened last night. It was quite unexpected of him to experience such intimacy. Turning, he looked at her beautiful face. She was so gorgeous and so good, and so hot. How could he not fall for a girl like her?

"Jaden?" she asked, raising a brow, waiting for him to say something.

Brown eyes drawn to her lips, Jaden shivered at the thought of last night. It was wrong, he told himself in his head. It wasn't intentional. It just happened. Now he was thinking of things that he would normally not do to her.

"Clock's ticking, Jaden," she said, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I haven't got all day."

Once again he looked away.

Normally she would be patient with him. Normally she would try to understand him. But his behavior was quite alarming. "You're being too out of character. Tell me what's wrong now."

He bit his lower lip. "Lex, I…um…" His face was slowly turning red. "I…you…erm…You see, I—"

She quickly cut him off. "Are you having second thoughts? Or do you have to leave?" She looked seriously at him. "Don't tell me my dad did something again?"

"No!" His hands leaped toward the round of her shoulders. "It's not that." Should he tell her? It felt wrong to tell her. But this was going to bug him the whole day. What if Alexis will get mad at him? He wished this relationship thing was like a card game. He'd do a better job throwing facedowns than dealing with raging hormones. Truth was he had a dream last night, and it wasn't just any dream. It was a dream about him and Alexis…in bed.

"Maybe I should let Atticus throw a slumber party for you," she said, smirking. "I'm sure you'll have one hell of fun with him."

Jaden's eyes widened with horror. "Anything but that!" he exclaimed.

"Then what's the deal, Jaden?"

Dreaming about your fiancée wasn't a bad thing, unless it's about having a steamy make out session with her. He felt like a complete pervert. He blamed Atticus for showing him lewd pictures of girls. A boy will not stay innocent forever, Atticus said to him before, and Jaden was already a man at this point. There were a lot of things in the romance department that he was still gullible about. So the hot, sexy dream last night was riding on his mind non-stop. Especially now as she moved closer and she took his face between her hands. He felt his heart skipping a beat. Every part of his body began to tense. She was so very female. He wanted his hands on her breasts just like in his dream. He wanted to kiss her senselessly. He wanted all of her. Yes, he admitted that, and he was a bit ashamed. Jaden knew it was lust. He had felt this before.

"Are you ever gonna tell me?" she asked him.

Jaden couldn't resist the temptation in front of him. She looked annoyed, but she still looked lovely. He took her chin in his hand and he began to kiss her mouth with quick, hungry nips that made her gasp. He thought she would pull away or protest, but she gave in. So Jaden was more than eager to continue. His hands held her head on either side now, and his kisses were growing deeper and more aggressive.

Reaching up, she dug her fingers into his hair and arched her breasts against him.

"Alexis…" he muttered her name between kisses. "I love you…" He then pushed her down on the couch, devouring her lips so passionately.

Alexis moaned. She was in complete bliss. "Jaden…" For someone who's basically new to this, Jaden was sure a natural. His touches were gentle, yet it didn't fail to exhilarate her, and his kisses were addictive. As his tongue touched hers, she gave out a low murmuring sigh.

Such a low, sexy sound made Jaden all the more fervent to take her. He slid his hand under her blue tank top and cupped her breast. He remembered how much he caressed them in his dream, and that was exactly what he was going to do.

All of a sudden Jaden's cellphone rang. For a moment Jaden thought of throwing the phone out the window and continued his moment with Alexis. That was what he wanted. But in the back of his mind he knew this had to be Seto Kaiba.

"It's going to be Seto," she panted, gently pushing him away. "He did tell me that he'll call you."

And Jaden thought the guy won't bother him anymore since he already left the island. "Let the voicemail answer," he muttered, kissing her again. "I'll call him later."

"You know you're gonna be in trouble if you don't take this call, right?"

It took another good ten seconds for him to come to his senses. He rose, regretting to part with her warmth and softness, and took the call. The attraction for her was incredibly powerful. And he was ashamed of himself for succumbing to lust.

Pulling her top down, Alexis sat on the couch and smiled as she listened to their conversation. It was a lucky phone call. If Seto hadn't interrupted, she might have made love with Jaden. Her self-control had simply wilted for a moment there. She had it back now. She knew of where a kiss like that could lead—if they decided to be reckless. But the truth was she wasn't ready to make love with him, no matter how much she loved him.

"Great!" he exclaimed with heavy sarcasm as he set the phone back on the table. "The guy's got another job for me."

"Are you his personal errand boy now?" she asked, masking her nervousness. Her heart was still pounding against her chest.

"More or less," he answered. "Good thing it doesn't involve going on dates with another girl."

"And making out with her," she said cynically. Her voice was cool and dismissive.

Jaden flushed furiously. He would love to dig a hole and bury himself there. He was embarrassed to the core. "I didn't know what came over me," he said, almost breathless. "I didn't want to do it… Okay, maybe I did. But I shouldn't have! I mean, I just forced it on you." He sat down on the couch, holding his head down in shame. "I'm stupid, totally stupid!"

Alexis sighed. "Yeah, you can be pretty stupid, Jaden, but you always manage to do what's right." His eyes quickly met hers. "Save the sorry speech. I'm guilty as well, you know."

He blinked. "Huh? Wait…so you also—"

"Don't say it," she demanded, her cheeks getting stained in pink. "I already feel so embarrassed."

Jaden felt it was worth teasing her. "Can't resist me, huh?"

Alexis grimaced and shrugged. "Shut it. Now tell me what was bothering you before."

Now Jaden felt more confident to answer. "Oh, I just kept thinking about a dream."

"A dream about what?"

He then figured it was best not to tell her. "Hmmm…That's the problem. I forgot about it. But I'm sure it was one heck of a nice dream." He smiled goofily at her. He figured it was better not to tell her than risk getting punched on the face.

"Jaden, my man, you have made your teacher very proud," Atticus said, patting the younger brunette's shoulders. "To think you actually wanted to have—"

"Wah! LALALALA!" Jaden yelled out, covering his ears and shaking his head vigorously. "I'm not hearing you! I don't even wanna think about it anymore!" He should have kept his mouth shut. He knew telling Atticus would be a bad idea. But he couldn't stop himself when he saw Atticus down the hall.

"I know my sister's hot and all." Atticus big wide grin suddenly changed into a deep frown. "But don't go getting her pregnant!" he demanded, gripping his shoulders hard.

Jaden winced. "Dude, seriously!" He backed away from Atticus. "I'm not planning on becoming daddy anytime soon." His face was completely red. He wouldn't dream of ruining Alexis' future. A baby would have to wait after they're married. Nevertheless, he liked the idea of making a family with Alexis.

"I see…" Atticus studied him briefly. "So...you're hormones started going wild because of that dream last night."

"I am so not telling you the details," Jaden told him, looking uncomfortable.

Atticus laughed as he gave Jaden a good friendly slap on the back. "No need! I can relate, you know."

"Pretty sure it's the same for you with Mac," Jaden said, putting on a mischievous face. "Do you wake up feeling all hot and sticky too?"

"That's something I'm not willing to share," Atticus answered, sticking out his tongue like a playful child.

Jaden shrugged. "It's not like I wanted to hear it anyway."

"Still a rookie," Atticus remarked.

The tune of 'Believe in Nexus' filled the air as Jaden's cellphone vibrated in his pocket. "Hold that thought," Jaden said to Atticus before he answered the phone. "Jaden here! What's up?"

From the way Jaden reacted to the caller's voice, Atticus figured that it was none other than Seto Kaiba on the other side. "What's that guy up to this time?" he questioned to himself as he cupped his chin with one hand.

Zane Truesdale was propped up in bed in the ward of Duel Academy Medical Facility. Syrus sat next to him, holding a glass of water in his hand. "So…David's under house arrest." He got the play-by-play from Syrus, who heard the whole story from Atticus. It was a relief to know nobody else got hurt.

"That psycho," Syrus grumbled, which was how Zane knew that he was bitter toward David. "If it weren't for Jaden and the others…"

His little brother's concern was apparent and he appreciated the care. Syrus had never left his side ever since he was admitted to the facility. He couldn't blame him. It was a close call, but his heart was stable now. The doctor made sure of that and he advised a few more days of bed rest, which was kind of depressing since he loathed being cooped up in bed. It was a good thing Syrus was there to keep him company.

"I have to thank them personally," Zane said. He was aware of David's mental health issues as well, though the somewhat hellish experience David gave him had left a bad taste in his mouth.

"You'll get the chance," Syrus told him, handing his brother the glass. "Now tell me exactly what went on between you and Alexis."

Zane looked particularly calm, but his eyes widened a bit. "Atticus and his big mouth," he said with an exasperated sigh.

"Yeah, he spilled, not intentionally though."

Between sips of water, Zane told him the story. Then there was a long silence between them.

"Wow…You and Alexis…" Syrus' voice faltered. His expression turned sad and thoughtful. "Did you ever—"

"I've always thought of Alexis as a sister," Zane sharply said, "nothing more, nothing less."

Syrus' lips curved into a knowing smile. "That pretty much confirms it."

Zane raised a brow.

"You skipped out on some important details on the story, big bro," Syrus remarked. "I wasn't sure at first, but part of me suspected that you had feelings for Alexis all along."

"I find it difficult to hide things from you now," Zane murmured. His eyes were serious, but not cold. "You used to be such a scatterbrain."

The younger Truesdale chuckled. "We have our share of flaws. I used to have a crush on Alexis too."

"You've got a crush on every cute girl you see."

"Hey! 'Cute' comes with standard. Besides, Dark Magician Girl is more than 'Cute'. She's the very definition of hotness. She's my idol, my angel, my…"

"Fantasy." Zane let out a sigh. "Ever tried looking for a girlfriend that's human?"

Syrus made a pouty face. "I'm working on it. And Dark Magician Girl is real! Besides, Syrus Truesdale is a rising sensation in the Pro League," he said proudly, standing up and pounding his chest with a closed hand. "I've got fan girls practically screaming their phone numbers at me."

Zane wasn't about to deny him that. His brother had started out as a loser with zero confidence in the academy. Being too nice of a guy and small in stature made Syrus an easy target for bullies. It was only when Jaden came into the picture that Syrus started to change. Zane was aware of Syrus' potential all along, but Jaden was the one who brought out the best in him. Syrus became one of the top ranked Obelisk Blue students during his final year in Duel Academy and now he was a Pro Duelist. Zane couldn't be more proud.

Suddenly looking thoughtful, Syrus settled back in his seat. "Hey…Can I ask you something?"

"You're going to ask anyway."

Syrus bit his lower lip. "You had so many chances. Why didn't you—"

"It wasn't meant to be," Zane curtly said, knowing that his brother was about to ask him about Alexis. He had all the opportunities to pursue Alexis, to win her heart. Alexis was also in love with him one time. But she was meant to be with Jaden. Zane had already accepted that, but a part of him regretted. "Let's leave it at that, Syrus. "

Syrus put on a smile. "Alexis is a rare gem. There's no girl in the world quite like her. But I'm sure there are other girls for you." He gave him a thumb up and winked. "You'll see."

A small smile curved Zane's lips. "I guess so."

The garden shimmered with candlelight set around to illumine the place. In the center stood a table, draped in a crisp, pure white linen tablecloth and laid with the best china and silver. A small vase of roses were set on the middle of the table.

It was now 7 PM. Jaden hoped he was ready for dinner. He considered going back inside to have one more look in a mirror. He wanted to look classy and gentlemanly. And he wanted the night to be perfect. He also had an important thing to say. But…how the hell am I gonna tell her? I don't want to ruin this evening, so maybe I should tell her tomorrow.

This dinner was all planned out by Mrs. Rhodes and Atticus. They even decorated the garden themselves. Jaden had to admit that they were very artistic and imaginative. They managed to keep the decorations simple yet elegant.

"I'm getting the jitters and it's not even my wedding day," he murmured, scratching the back of his neck. The conversation with Seto earlier was rattling his mind. Okay, the first phone call was just to tell him that there was another job waiting for him. The second phone call had all the details laid out for him.

Soon, he heard footsteps and knew she'd arrived. He paused the moment he laid eyes on her. Wearing an evening gown of fine blue silk, Alexis radiated femininity and beauty. Her eyes seemed to sparkle like the diamond necklace around her neck. Tugging his collar, he gave her a wide smile. Excitement started to bubble inside him.

"How did we get reeled into this?" Alexis said with a sigh, her brows knitted together.

"Blame your mother's powers of persuasion," Jaden replied with a chuckle. "And Atticus is just as persistent."

She studied the sky, beautified with millions of stars. "It's a nice night and they did prepare all this for us." Her lips curved into a smile. "No choice but to enjoy this."

"Let's go ahead and start dinner," Jaden suggested, rubbing his tummy. "I'm starving." He then realized he was acting silly and immediately composed himself. "What I meant to say is that—"

"Don't even try to act formal, Jaden," she said, crossing her arms. "I don't want you to be uncomfortable the whole dinner."

"Well, I could at least be a gentleman to ya." He pulled out one of the chairs and waited for her to take a seat. Moving to the one opposite, he took his place across from her. "I wonder what's on the menu. I'm sure your mom did the cooking."

At that moment, the maid and the butler emerged, trays in hand. The butler poured champagne for them, while the maid served the soup. Then they left after bowing.

Jaden took a sip of the steamy soup. "Yum!"

"Cream of mushroom soup… It's one of mom's favorites," Alexis said, taking small sips. "By the way, you didn't tell me what your new job's about."

Tightness spread through his chest. Here he thought he could forget about it for a while. "The guy didn't say much, but I'm sure he'll call again to explain things further." He dipped his spoon again in the soup again and ate another pair of bites.

Alexis felt something wrong with him all of a sudden. Taking one last sip of her soup, she set the spoon aside. "I I think it's time for the next course," she said.

Jaden put on a cheerful face for her. "Sure thing! I'm dying to see what the main course is."

The same maid and butler came and served them a stunning lobster dish cooked to perfection.

"Compliments to the chef!" Jaden exclaimed as he began to dig in.

The food was definitely delicious. But Alexis couldn't bring herself to enjoy it because of this weird feeling she was getting. She knew Jaden long enough to know if there was anything bothering him, even when he's trying to act like he was okay. She figured that it must have something to do with the job. She endured a few more minutes before she finally asked him. "Is there something you want to tell me, Jaden?"

Jaden blinked. "Huh?"

"Well?"

"Now why would you say that, Lex?" Jaden said, faking a smile. "Come on, let's enjoy the food."

"Are you gonna lie to me again?" she asked.

A shiver ran through his spine. "I didn't want to ruin dinner," he muttered, setting his knife and fork down. "I really wanted to tell you right away, but…" He met her gaze. "I didn't want to leave you soon."

Her lips parted. "Leave?"

"There had been reports of a Masked Duelist on a motorcycle stealing card spirits," he explained. "There's a good chance he'll be targeting Blue-Eyes White Dragon next."

Alexis stilled herself, keeping a steady eye on him. She was not about to lose her composure about this. "When are you leaving?" she questioned.

He pushed his chair back. "In two days…" He bit his lip and turned his head away. "I know you're leaving for college too and it'll be a while before we can see each other again. I wanted to spend every single day with you before you leave and now…" He clenched his fists tight. "I really don't want to leave you so soon!" He clumsily got back on his feet and fell onto his knees on the floor.

"Jaden!" She left her chair and reached out to him.

"I shouldn't. Who knows when I'll be back!"

Alexis understood that gravity of the situation and thought in silence for a moment. What Seto gave him was more than a job. It was a mission. Seto wouldn't have chosen him if he didn't acknowledge Jaden's abilities. "You should go," she told him.

His eyes grew wide in surprise. "You're letting me go? Why? I thought—"

She quickly silenced him with an embrace. "You gotta be the hero, right?" she murmured. "I'm sure you won't stay put when the world's in danger."

"Alexis…"

"It's not like we're gonna be separated forever."

Jaden let out a sigh. "It's just so sudden."

She pulled back and pinched his cheeks. "Then finish it real quick," she said, gracing him with a smile.

And he was supposed to be the one encouraging her, not the other way around. What happened to his positive outlook of life? What happened to his excessive optimism? He could feel Yubel laughing behind his back right now. "I guess I spoiled dinner," he said, a smile curving his lips.

"You know, Seto didn't go to all that trouble getting us together just to break us apart." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "Besides, we've already talked about this long distance relationship thing."

"Yeah…you're right." He laughed and hugged her. "I can get so messed up."

"No kidding," she said, giggling, as she snuggled closer. "Be sure to catch this Masked Duelist, okay? And be careful."

"You can count on me," he said, planting one soft, sweet kiss on her temple. "Hmm…You feel cold. Why don't we have dessert inside instead?"

She snaked her arms around his waist. "And one round of duel afterwards?"

Jaden smiled. "Now you're talking!"

"I'm going to beat you this time," she said.

Claiming her mouth, he kissed her gently. "Hmm…I'd rather have you for dessert," he muttered, and she giggled. After another quick, passionate kiss, he took her hand and pulled her into the mansion.

To be continued…

JC: I have decided to extend it to chapter 30. It didn't feel right just to end it on chapter 28. Plus, I think it would have been one long chapter if it was the final one. I still have a lot of things I want to add. I won't spoil anything here. You have to wait and find out. Thank you, guys, for bearing with me and reading this story. I'm really happy with all the reviews and support I'm getting. I already have an idea for a fanart. I'm gonna post it on DeviantArt once I'm done with chapter 30. Please review! No flames!