Ahahahahaha…heeeey…long time no see…Well, might as well cut to the chase: sorry for the delay. Thoughts of updating just kept slipping away. I really appreciate all of the kind words. It's awesome to know that you all like reading what I'm writing. Now, if I'm not mistaken, my dear friend ChickWithThePurpleGuitar shall now speak:

Yo chillins. I have a message for a specific reviewer, but I forget who you are and I'm too lazy to check, so I'm just gonna say it to you all. One of you said you were glad this wasn't a oneshot. Well, just for future reference, it'll never be just a oneshot. Because Bram cannot write oneshots. She is physically incapable of thinking of a plot and creating something based on that plot that is under twenty pages. So never fear, readers. With brammy, you'll always have a second chapter. And a third. And probably a fifty-fourth. Now back to Bram-chan.

Indeed. So, here I give you the next chapter!

Chapter 2

"In the chimney?"

Deryn grinned in satisfaction. "Aye! None of them saw it coming!"

Alek shook his head in pure amazement. "How you managed to pull all that off is beyond my understanding."

Deryn sighed and leaned back onto the palms of her hands with a wide, satisfied smile. She and Alek were sitting on the small stone bridge just outside of town, their feet dangling over the creek, watching the sunset. It was a perfect ending to a perfect date. They were, of course, an entirely appropriate distance apart, as they had been the entire afternoon. Alek smiled over at her and Deryn's heart rate doubled, her stomach convulsing with butterflies. "Thank you."

She blinked in confusion. "What?"

He looked down at the water below. "I was predicting that I would be all alone here, in Scotland. I'm very glad…"

Deryn held her breath…could he be saying…

"To have a friend."

Deryn practically deflated. "Oh. Oh, aye. A friend."

"Are you alright?"

She almost knew that he didn't really feel anything for her. But the real question was, how did she feel? It was certain, she'd never felt this way about any lad before, but could it really be love? Alek was handsome…much more handsome than any of the other boys she had ever seen. He was very kind to everyone, and so sweet that sometimes, she could barely keep herself from kissing him right on the spot. "Fine, just fine." She reached up and rubbed the back of her neck. "I should really get home. My Ma's probably gone mad with worry already."

"Yes, of course. I apologize for keeping you for so long." He stood and offered her a hand. "I have had a wonderful time."

With his help, she got to her feet, trying to disguise the fact that her heart was breaking into a thousand little pieces. "Aye, me too."

When she pulled the door slowly open, Deryn sighed in relief. Ma must be out of the house. Now all she had to do was slip up to her room—"And what do you think you're doing?"

Deryn turned slowly on her heel and offered her mother a sheepish grin. "Nothing."

"Oh, really?"

"Really!" Deryn insisted. "Just went out for a wee walk."

Ma raised an eyebrow. "That's not what Jaspert told me."

Once they were next alone, Deryn would beat her brother into a greasy squick. "And…what exactly did he say?"

"He said that you've been having a secret relationship with some strange Clanker lad."

Deryn groaned and hid her face in her hands. "I'm not, Ma. He's just a friend."

"Right," Ma said, hesitantly.

Deryn swore in her mind. She must have noticed the barely disguised sadness in her voice when she said that! "Serious! He's not even that handsome!"

Ma narrowed her eyes. "That. You said that."

"What about it?"

"That implies that you do think he's handsome."

Deryn huffed and crossed her arms. "I don't want to talk about it."

Suddenly, Ma's eyes softened and she took Deryn's arm, leading her to the parlor to sit down. "Deryn, you know it's alright to like someone."

Deryn clamped her hands over her ears. "No! I do not like him! We're friends! Besides," Deryn muttered. "Even if I did like him, it's not like he'd ever like me back." It was true. Alek was completely oblivious, and she was sure that she would be barking awful at flirting.

"Are you sure, dear?"

"Absolutely."

Ma gave her one last doubtful look before standing, patting her on the arm, and leaving in silence. Deryn groaned and reached up, slapping herself in the face. "Daft girly feelings!"

She could tell that Finn was holding back laughter. "What do you want?"

"N…nothing."

Deryn glared at him. "Oh, spit it out."

Finn burst out laughing, bending over, literally slapping his knees. "You—you—Alek—Ahahahahahaha!"

Deryn groaned and rolled her eyes. "Leave off. Who'd you hear about it from?"

Finn's eyes widened suddenly and his laughter was silenced. "Um…well…it certainly wasn't Jaspert…"

Deryn fisted her hand. Jaspert wouldn't know what hit him.

Before Deryn could pound someone, a grin spread across Finn's face. "So, I heard that he kissed you!"

Deryn rolled her eyes. "Don't believe everything you hear, Finn. There was no snogging involved. He only said we were a couple to get out of a tricky conversation."

The boy carefully inspected her from head to toe. "So, why'd your Ma decide to dress you up today?"

"Ugh." Deryn groaned. Her ma had gotten it stuck somewhere in her daft attic that Deryn wanted to be turned into a barking doll just to try and impress Alek. She tried to untangle one of the light blue ribbons in her hair. "I do not want to talk about it."

He suddenly reached up to grab onto her hand and stop her from taking down her hair. "Leave it up. It's pretty."

"I look like a four year old, Finn."

"Nah." He flicked one of her curly blonde pigtails. "It's cute. Besides," he offered her a wink. "I can think of a few lads who'd be quite keen to see you."

Deryn smacked him in the arm. "Oh, leave off."

Finn chuckled. "Fine. But really, you look beautiful."

Wait, what? Did Finn barking McClaud just say she looked beautiful?

But Finn wasn't dwelling on it. "Where's Cailin? He said he would be here by now."

Deryn groaned. "You invited Cailin? You know I don't like him!"

"Oh, he's fine once you get to know him."

Deryn raised a skeptical eyebrow, but was silenced by an arm wrapped tightly around her chest, a body pressing against hers, and a low voice murmuring in her ear, "Hello there, lovely."

Deryn stiffened, jaw clenching in fury as she jabbed out an elbow behind her. "Cailin, off of me. Now."

She felt him wince as her elbow hit his ribs, but he didn't bother moving. "Oh, my. Temper much?"

"Finn," Deryn hissed. "Get him off of me."

"Now, there's no need for that, dearie," Cailin said, lips moving against her neck.

Finn grabbed Cailin's collar, hauling the boy off of Deryn. Once she was free, Deryn spun on her heel, her palm cracking loudly against his cheek. Despite the hit, Cailin only grinned. "I'm sorry, love. I just couldn't help myself."

Deryn narrowed her eyes. "Wipe that daft expression off of your face and stay away from me."

He only stepped closer. "Then it's lucky that it's opposite day!"

Deryn lunged forward and locked her hands around the boy's throat, screaming every curse that she knew.

"D—Deryn?"

She released his throat then spun about to face the new voice. "Oh, Alek!"

He looked worriedly over to Cailin who was gasping breaths, bent over. "Is…is everything alright?"

"Aye, just…joking." Deryn felt her cheeks flush slightly in embarrassment and she suddenly hoped that Alek thought she looked good too. "Did you…Or do you want anything?"

"I suppose I just saw you and wanted to say hello."

Finn grinned wickedly. "Well, we'll let you two ah…'talk' in private."

"No! Don't barking—" they were already gone. Deryn sighed. "Hello, Alek."

"You look," his cheeks turned slightly pink. "…nice."

Deryn's heart dropped to her toes and she suddenly felt tears burning in the back of her eyes. He thought she looked horrible! Blisters, she wished she could die. "Um, thanks. Did you have anything else you wanted to say?"

"No, not really."

"Aye, thought so," Deryn said, swallowing against tears. "I suppose I'll see you around then?"

He nodded nervously before darting away.

"Now, who was that?"

Deryn didn't need to turn around to know that it was Cailin. "A friend. He's just a friend."

Sooo, OC's galore! Muchos gracias for reading. A review, please? Even if you really have absolutely nothing to say, just say that you've read it? Because, I know it seems silly, but I automatically assume that only the people that review my stories read them. Anyway, thanks again and happy Easter!