The weeks went on and the end of the school year quickly approached. While Nathan had been happy with his parents' reaction to he and Sydney, he still hadn't let them know she'd be moving in with him so soon. Whether they liked her or not, he knew his mother would probably think he was jumping into something too quickly after being on his own for so long. He'd tell them eventually. In the mean time, he was truly enjoying life. He had gotten news from several seniors informing him that they got into their first picks for college, some of them using reference letters he'd written them, Susan and Charlie were spending more time at the house, and he and Sydney had a serious discussion about the structure itself. He had wanted to do renovations for years, but never had the spark in him to actually start on it. When he ran the ideas he had past Sydney, she encouraged him, but made him swear she wasn't the only reason he wanted to do them. It was his home, not hers…but he wanted to change that so very much.

Joe Hawkins had an inkling that Nathan and Sydney may have started to see one another, but no clue as to their actual relationship…nobody at school even thought to make any rumors up about them. They were simply faculty members assigned to one another that had become friends. Once the thrill of sneaking around had worn off, they were desperate to be able to go out locally, and romantically, close to home. With the school year ending, the weight they felt was slowly lifting and they were starting to get a bit giddy…this was fodder for Susan, but neither minded.

There was only a half-day of school on the last day, one where nothing was accomplished, and seniors hadn't been in class for the last three days as they prepared for their graduation. An hour after the bell sounded, and the rest of the student body exited the school in a round of excited yells and sighs of relief, Sydney was seated in her classroom, tears running down her face. Nathan had circled the halls three times before finding her.

"I swear, I poked my head in here twice in the last twenty minutes and you weren't…" He saw her eyes and stopped. "Syd?"

She smiled at him, a fresh tear falling onto her skirt. "Fran isn't coming back…they aren't interviewing for the position."

Nathan's face lit up. "Really?"

Sydney nodded, wiping at her eyes. "It's…it's my room." She got up from the ledge under the windows and twirled around like a little girl, throwing her arms out as she did so. "I get to stay!"

Nathan picked her up and spun her around himself, his own eyes watering a little. He kissed her lips and put her down, his forehead against hers. "Baby, I am so happy for you."

"I know part of it has to be because of Rick, but, you know what? I don't care. People get hired for being related to someone or kissing ass or…"

"You are a wonderful teacher, Syd. Look at the kids you have leaving this place tonight. Ones you fought so hard for. Ones you studied with…this school is better for having you." He kissed her again. "Who gave you the news?"

She blushed, so happy about everything happening to her. "Joe…and three board members. Sedgwick really did try to have me blacklisted, that wasn't a…" She shook her head. "…but it was…he's sort of going to be coming under review himself." She looked into Nathan's eyes and caressed his cheek. "I can't thank you enough for any of this."

Nathan quickly retorted. "I had nothing to do with getting you…"

Sydney laughed. "No, but you did so much for me. I was ready to run out the door the first day and…the last seven months have been…" Her lips trembled and Nathan's hands gently rubbed her back. "I couldn't ask for anything more. This is the first time things have ever fallen into place for me…I love you."

"I love you too…and I can say the same things, you know that?"

She smiled again, her tears fading. She grabbed his tie, stroking it innocently. "You okay with keeping me across the hall from you every day?"

"And in my bed every night." He kissed her again, happiness and innocence gone. He felt himself harden and he pulled away. "Three months…can we start tonight?"

"I might already have a few things packed, but we are both chaperoning the lock-in."

"Right…well, um…six o'clock tomorrow morning then, officially."

They attended the graduation ceremony that evening, holding hands as they watched, but nobody noticed them. Sydney grew teary eyed when Andrew Simmons crossed the stage with his diploma and shouted, "Miss T!" She had worked with him twice a week for three months and it had paid off.

A couple of hours later they were at their posts at "Operation Graduation" and things were going well, but the weather had turned. A storm rolled in which cancelled a few of the activities that were set up outside. The parent volunteers had chosen a beach theme and the sand volleyball court they had set up appeared to be under high tide. Thunder boomed and the lights flickered a few times, but the former Western Summit seniors didn't seem to have any complaints.

Various stations were set up all around the inside of the school. There was a DJ with karaoke set up in the cafeteria, a half dozen sport activities in the gym, plenty to eat lining the hallways, and lots of soon to be seniors running each one (along with an adult or two). Nathan and Sydney crossed paths several times as they went about their duties and were happy when they were both stationed at the gym at the same time. As they helped students dress in the oversized Sumo wrestler suits, they couldn't help smiling at one another or sharing an obvious glance.

"Keep it a secret for months and now you make everyone talk?" Susan had walked into the gym and noticed her father and Sydney immediately. Then she heard a few of the new graduates pondering if there was something going on between them.

"It's fine, Susan, let them wonder," Nathan said, his voice obviously happy. "I didn't see you long enough to tell you, but, they hired her permanently today."

"Seriously?" she asked, her red lips stretched into a wide smile. Nathan nodded and she ran over to Sydney, hugging her from behind. "Congrats, teach!"

Sydney almost fell over laughing. "And…that was my bladder. Good aim, Susan." She winked at the young woman. "I'll be right back." Sydney headed out of the gym to the nearest restroom. It was a quick walk, luckily. As she headed back to the gym, she noticed the side door, the wind slamming it against the doorframe repeatedly. It had been wedged open. The lights flickered and went out in this corner earlier in the night and never came back on. It was dim, but not dark. She took a quick glance outside to check for students and never had the chance to scream. An arm wrapped around her from behind, a hand covering her mouth. For a split second she thought it was Nathan, but that thought faded as quickly as it came.

"Heard you got the job you wanted." It was Rick. Sydney struggled, but he held her tighter. "Just wanna talk, Syd." He pinned her between himself and the wall. "They told me I could get the rest of my stuff at the end of the year. It's the end now, isn't it? Adam said it'd be fine if I came tonight. I could tell my boys how well they did without me, wish them luck at college…but you know what? I never get to do that again. My certification was taken from me after the drug test." He spun Sydney around, releasing her mouth, but she couldn't catch her breath. "You ruined my life over a little misunderstanding and now you get a salary. Do you know how fucked up that is?" He shouted the last few words. "Little prissy ass bitch, too good to go out with me one time…you could have avoided…"

"Avoided what?" Rick smiled and she could smell his breath now. Wasted might have been an understatement. He didn't answer her as he began to paw at her chest. "Are you kidding me?" Thinking he'd be easy enough to push away now that she knew the state he was in, she threw her weight into him, but he didn't budge.

"Took my career for the rest of my life," he slurred. "You can gimme a little something…"

"Stop, Rick," she said, trying to remain calm, but panic began to rise. She felt his hand below her waist and she screamed. He hit her across the face and she heard Susan's voice.

"Charlie, get my dad!"

Relief flooded Sydney's body. They weren't alone and he'd let her go now. "He can't always save you," Rick said, seething.

"Get off her!" Susan screamed, coming closer, but too scared – and smart – to fully approach him.

"You fuck him, don't you?" Sydney didn't say a word, only struggled. "Oh, you do…I fucked his wife, he tell you that?" Sydney looked at Susan, she knew she'd heard him. "Gonna fuck you too." He groped between her legs and she cried out, then heard footsteps…fast, running.

"Let her go!" Nathan yelled, his tie flying behind him as he ran.

"Lover's here," Rick laughed, trying to kiss her. Sydney bit down on his lip and he slammed her against the wall, her head hitting the tiles hard.

She was instantly dizzy and disorientated. Her legs wobbled, but Rick's body kept her pressed to the wall. "Nathan," she said, not sure if she was shouting or whispering.

"I'm here, baby," he said, calmly.

"Baby, huh? You motherfucker. Get her hired? Tell her to get me fired?" He refused to turn away from Sydney, he liked the fear in her eyes.

Nathan put a firm hand on Rick's shoulder and pulled him back, but he pulled Sydney along with him. "Can't hit me if I have…ugh…" Nathan landed a blow to Rick's side and he saw Sydney's face, blood trickling from her mouth from where he hit her, and down her neck from her head hitting the tiles. She struggled once more and broke free from Rick, but due to his state and bad aim, he hit her full in the temple sending her to the ground. He took in what happened and looked at Nathan. "Wanted to hit you…" He bolted for the door and Nathan went to Sydney's side, Charlie joined him. She was out cold.

Susan looked torn and startled herself when she pleaded, "You have to get him, Dad."

Charlie was dialing his cell phone already. "We'll be here."

Nathan nodded, adrenaline racing through him and he ran out the door into the storm. Drunk and disorientated, Rick hadn't made it far and Nathan tackled him where the sand court was a thick, wet mess. He didn't think as his fist connected with Rick's jaw, nose, and anything else he could reach. He wasn't following any rules he learned from Wes and didn't think of any of the repercussions this could bring. He hit Rick until the man begged him to stop, apologizing and blubbering into the rain. Nathan grabbed onto his shirt and brought them both to their feet, pushing him along in front of him and back into the building.

By the time they got inside a majority of the people in the building were gathered in the hallway. Joe was at Sydney's side, as was Susan. He looked up at Nathan, filthy, bloody, and soaked, and his eyes apologized more than words ever could. A few of the fathers that volunteered took Rick down the hall to wait for the police. Nathan fell to his knees next to Sydney, exhausted. Sydney was groaning on the floor, her eyes barely open.

"He's gone, baby," he said softly. "I'm so sorry…you're gonna be okay…" He wiped his hands on his shirt, then caressed her unbruised cheek. His voice got louder, but he didn't care. "We've got all summer."

Sydney opened her eyes a little wider, she wanted to smile at him to let him know she was okay, but her face ached. Not caring that there were dozens of people around, she reached up and touched his face. "Six in the morning," she said, letting him know she remembered his words.

He smiled and bent down, letting his lips lightly brush against hers. The murmurs from those around them began. "I love you."