Crimsonwings92: So…I feel like a failure. Not only did it take me forever to get this chapter up, but I don't even think I did the best that I could do with this chapter, so I feel like I let you guys down. I don't know, I have mixed feelings about it, but...here it is. Thank you to everyone that reviewed: AlyCat143, TenebrisSagittarius, DoctorWhotaliaandtheOlympian s, secretlovers, CeeCee-chi, Jane Frost, and NewLightRiini! I see I have some new reviewers and I love you guys for actually taking the time to read my story despite this piece of crap chapter I feel like I'm throwing at you. But don't let that stop you from giving me your thoughts! I treasure those like I treasure every breath I take. So please, if you can, enjoy this next chapter!

Disclaimer: Jack and all the other guardians belong to their respective owner and I'm jealous that Jack can't belong to me, hehe.

A Frosty Season

Chapter 7: Kisses and Dinner

"So, judging from that ridiculously large smile on your face, I'm guessin' things worked out for ya, huh mate?" Aster asked with a quirked eyebrow as he glanced at his companion walking beside him.

"Way better than you think, Kangaroo," Jack responded with a grin, his hands in the pockets of his coat as he nearly skipped down the sidewalk.

It was two days after Christmas and the two boys had incidentally met up while walking towards the Plaza; Jack had been planning to go to the flower shop his mom worked at that was located in the shopping center and had run into Aster who then decided to accompany him there. The crowds of people had died down since Christmas was over, most of them heading back to wherever they came from to spend New Year's at their own homes, and this made it easier for the pair to maneuver themselves around the Plaza.

Aster glowered at the nickname his companion insisted on giving him, but let it go when he realized that the teen looked far too happy to care about his own disgruntlement; "Did ya finally tell Maya how you felt 'bout her?" he asked instead, sighing as he stuck his own hands in his jacket pockets, his eyes narrowed blankly.

"Dude…she's my girlfriend now," the white haired lad replied with a face splitting smile, his eyes shimmering as he looked up at the college student.

"I'll take that as a 'yes' then."

"Dude, she's my girlfriend! Of course it's a yes! Hahaha!" Jack pumped his fist into the air and laughed excitedly, his heart feeling about ready to burst with warmth, "I told her with five minutes left of Christmas Eve and as soon as the clock struck midnight on Christmas Day, she gave me her first kiss at Christmas Lights Park!"

He sighed dreamily and found himself unable to walk as he leaned against the wall of the nearest building and looked up at the sky, his cheeks stained pink, "It was romantic…like a dream."

"Jesus, mate, you're such a girl," Aster mocked him, smirking deviously as he stared at the teen.

Jack just shook his head and chuckled, "You can mock me all you want. I'm really too happy to care."

"Obviously."

"Whatever."

"I'm happy for ya, mate, I really am, but I just don't get why you're this excited about it. It's not like she's your first girlfriend or anything," the man responded as he resumed walking, Jack following suit once he pushed himself off the wall.

"Actually, in a sense, she kind of is," the youth replied sheepishly, scratching the back of his head.

Aster looked at him sideways, his brows furrowed in confusion, "I don't understand. I've seen you with plenty of pretty sheilas since meetin' you and now you're telling me that none of them have been your girlfriend?"

A red blush colored Jack's cheeks as he glared at his friend in return, "You make me sound like some kind of whore, Aster!"

"I'm only telling the truth, mate. Girls flock around you like seagulls over a tipped trashcan. You've never been serious about any of them?" Aster shot back, now looking completely curious.

Jack sighed, "Okay, I admit, there have been a few girls that I've flirted with and thought were cute and even went on dates with all while my friends say I fall in love too easily…but Maya is different, Aster." The youth gazed at the ground in thought, his face softening into a gentle smile that any girl would die to see, "She's the first one that I've actually wanted to pursue seriously. The first time I saw her, when those hazel eyes met with mine across the way at the park, I was stunned. I wanted to keep looking at her forever and talk to her and know what she was thinking and where the hell she's been all my life! Yeah, the way we met kind of sucked, but I don't regret it because it brought her into my life…well, her cousin brought her into my life, but you get the point."

"The point that you're in love with this pretty little Sheila?" Aster teased him, smirking again.

"I don't know if I'm 'in love' with her," Jack replied quietly, looking up at the people that passed them on the sidewalk, but not really seeing them, "but I do know that I want to be with her for as long as possible. If that's forever, great. If it's only for a year, then fine, but I want to be with her."

The taller man was silent as he watched Jack from the corner of his eye, seeing for the first time a serious, mature expression fill his face, even through the youthful smile still spread across his lips. He was being honest; he really did care for Maya. He was still a little too young to know if he was in love with her, either that or it was too early in the relationship, but Aster could sense the devotion he had to her already and knew that Maya had a one of a kind guy ready to do anything for her to make her happy. With that in mind, Aster just clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes all in good fun while ruffling his snow white hair.

"You're such a girl, Jack! Hopeless romantic and all!" he teased him, releasing the teen from underneath his hand to laugh at him.

"Whatever! Maya thinks it's cute, so I'm perfectly fine with it," he argued back, smiling as proud as a pup at his declaration.

'Yup, we've lost him to puppy love,' the man thought to himself as he and his companion continued on their way.

After some time, and some playful ribbing towards one another while recounting their Christmas with their respective loved ones to the other, they soon walked into a small flower shop cleverly named 'Flowers for You'. The bell over the door jingled as they entered and a familiar dark haired woman who had been busy spraying the dirt of some of the potted plants turned about to greet her customers only to stop when she recognized them.

"Oh, hello Jack, Aster. What brings you two here?" Mrs. Frost inquired of the two males, smiling when her son grinned widely at her and his friend offered a polite smile of his own and a wave.

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Frost. I'm actually here to get a bouquet for Toothiana," the man answered the woman, his eyes already roaming the store and studying each and every flower he could see.

"Is that so? What's the occasion?"

Aster shrugged his shoulders while a small dusting of pink touched the apples of his cheeks, "Eh, 'cause it's Thursday."

"Aww, isn't that sweet?" Mrs. Frost gushed a bit before turning to her son, "And what are you here for, Jack? Just wanted to say hi to your mother?"

"Yes and no," the boy answered with a cheeky grin, "I'm here for a bouquet, too. The pink roses with the blue frosted petals."

"Let me guess; it's for Maya, isn't it?" Mrs. Frost retorted with a knowing smile and narrowed eyes.

"Jesus, I knew I got my smarts from you, mom!" Jack replied with sarcastic enthusiasm only to cry out when his mother knocked him on the top of his head with a stern look on her face.

"Don't be a smart mouth," she told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Sorry," he mumbled dejectedly before shaking his head of the pain and grinning again, "I'm going to be seeing Maya today and thought I would bring her a little present. She loves those frosted roses that you make; they're her favorite, she told me herself."

"My goodness, son, I hear so much about this girl to the point where I'm sure we're best friends now, but I have yet to meet her. Do I need to make you bring her over for dinner?"

Jack shook his head, "No, but I do plan on inviting her to dinner tonight with the family without you forcing me to. Would it be alright if one more place is set at the table?"

Here, Mrs. Frost smiled widely and clapped her hands together, "Oh, of course it's okay! I've been waiting for you to bring her over! I can't wait to meet this darling young lady that you seem so taken with. Oh, what does she like to eat? Is she allergic to anything? Is she a vegetarian or a meat lover? Is she a certain religion that prohibits certain food? Is she only allowed to eat certain food? Should I make my vegetable lasagna?"

"Mom, mom, mom! Relax, breathe!" The youth laughed at his mother's excitement, taking hold of her hands to keep her still, "I still have to ask her and I don't even know if she can yet. I'll let you know as soon as I have an answer, though, then you can go crazy, okay?"

"Oh, you!" The woman gave her son a playfully stern glare as she pinched his nose, the same way she used to when he was just a child, and wiggled it.

Jack squirmed and cried out before yanking himself free of his mother's hold, laughing with her as she gently rubbed his head; "Okay, Jack, you let me know as soon as possible so I can be prepared if I have to cook for an extra person," she informed him before making her way over to the row of roses along the wall, "So, you said you wanted the pink roses, right?"

"Yup, with the blue tips."

"Got it. Give me just a minute and I'll have you and Aster out of here in no time."

True to her word, it took the woman just minutes, after the older man decided on which flowers to get for Toothiana, to arrange the bouquets, tie them together and ring them up at the cash register. Bidding good bye to Mrs. Frost, Aster and Jack left the flower shop and the Plaza altogether. Aster went in the opposite direction of the teen, heading towards Tooth's apartment with his bundle of Lilies and Azaleas in hand, and Jack continued his way past his home towards Annie Rhodes' house. There was a definite skip in his step as he walked the very familiar streets to his destination, his smile only growing wider the closer he got to the house. Spotting the structure right in front of him, he noticed immediately that the car Maya's parents and grandmother used was gone and assumed that perhaps two out of three of them were gone. Whatever the case, he just hoped that Maya was home; he hadn't bothered to call or text to make sure because he wanted to surprise her. Passing through the gate surrounding the yard, he trotted up the steps of the porch and peeked in through the newly replaced window that looked into the den. He didn't see anyone inside at first and thought that maybe the family had taken off for the day, his heart sinking momentarily, but upon closer inspection, he was pleasantly surprised to see the TV still on with Maya curled up in the corner of the couch underneath the window, fast asleep.

With a grin, he moved away from the window and towards the door where he tried the knob. It opened soundlessly and he made sure to keep it that way as he pushed the wooden barrier open slowly and closed it the same way; he was at the house so often and Annie liked him so much that he was practically considered family and could pretty much come and go as he pleased. He quietly yet quickly shed himself of his jacket, scarf and boots at the front door before silently making his way through the house and into the den. He didn't hear anyone else moving around and Maya was still sleeping with the volume of the TV on low. He crept closer to her, setting the flowers down on the couch adjacent to the one she was already sleeping on, and knelt on one knee. His eyes were glued to her face as he studied her, his smile warm and gentle. She was wearing a gray sweatshirt that was a size too big as it hung off of one shoulder and a pair of blue and green striped pajama shorts with green socks to keep her feet warm. Her curly hair was left to drape down her front and splay out on the cushion her head was resting upon; she looked absolutely adorable like this, vulnerable and defenseless with her sleeping face revealed only to him at that moment. It was there, at that moment with his eyes sweeping over her body, that he realized how…unlike the other girls she actually was…appearance wise. She wasn't 'skinny' like they were; her thighs were actually thicker than most girls' were, her hips rounder, and her shape curvier.

'Beautiful,' he thought to himself in conclusion, leaning over her and reaching out to touch her cheek as she continued sleeping.

Jack stopped at the last minute, though, as a devious little plan began to form in his head. He grinned mischievously and got up off the floor to kneel on the couch. He moved slowly and deliberately, lightly touching her knees to move her legs apart. When he was sure that he had enough room, he moved on top of her and dropped his body snug against hers with his head lying on her stomach. It took Maya all of half a second to jolt awake from her sleep, giving a short cry while a violent shiver racked her body.

"Holy crap!" she yelled, focusing her disoriented mind on the culprit that woke her from her peaceful, warm state of sleep and glared heatedly, "Dammit, Jack! You nearly gave me a heart attack! AND you're freezing cold!"

"You're right, I am freezing cold. It's like negative ten out there," the teen replied easily, acting as if he had done nothing wrong while, on the inside, he was laughing uncontrollably at how well his plan worked, "thank God you're warm, though."

"I was warm. Now I feel like a freaking icicle is clinging to me," she gritted out irritably, clawing at the couch as another shiver shook her body, "Sheesh. That was a terrible thing to do."

"I know and I'm sorry, but I just couldn't resist." Jack's playful smile never left his face as he reached over and took hold of the bouquet, presenting it to his girlfriend soon after, "I know you probably don't care now, but I got these for you and I hope you'll forgive me."

Maya focused her eyes on the flowers in his hands, the glare on her features slowly leaving as a smile took its' place and her anger dissipated. Her smaller fingers, in comparison to his, took wrapped around the stems of the roses and lightly traced the blue, sparkly petals.

"The frosted roses…I love these," she whispered happily, Jack's chest swelling with pride that he was able to bring a smile that lovely to her face, "Jack, this is so sweet of you."

"I know they're your favorite and I thought you would like a new bunch since the last ones finally wilted," he told the girl, propping his chin up on his wrist as he laid it over her stomach, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Hmm," she hummed thoughtfully, gazing into the beauty of the roses before her eyes, Jack smiling before laying his head down on her stomach again and slipping his arms underneath her back to wrap around her body.

"You really are warm, though…and cuddly," he muttered as he snuggled closer against her, now seeing why Malcolm loved to sleep on top of her like this during some of his naps; Maya was soft, warm, and smelled really good.

"Man, you are so lucky no one else is home. If my dad saw you lying on my like this, he would have snatched you up by the collar all quick," she said with humor laced in her voice.

Jack looked up after her sentence, his eyes flashing mischievously again, "Wait, no one else is here?"

Maya shook her head, "Nope. Mom, dad, and grandma took Malcolm to another play date with a couple of kids at the Play Pen and left me home so I can relax for a while."

The white haired boy lifted himself to hover above her, crawling up so they were face to face, "So we're here alone?"

"Yes," Maya replied, staring into his clear blue eyes, finding there to be a gleam flashing in them.

"By ourselves?"

"That would be the meaning of 'alone', yes."

"In the house?"

"…Yes?" she answered slowly, confusion evident on her face as her heart began to pound rapidly at the look she saw in his eyes.

Jack lowered himself on top of the girl again, his lips just centimeters from hers and his eyes never breaking contact, "Good. That's just what I wanted to hear."

Before she could voice her confusion, Jack was pressing and molding his lips over hers heatedly, silencing any objections she may or may not have had. Maya gasped in surprise at the sudden attack, but soon melted the more he persisted in kissing her. Instinctively, she dropped the bouquet of roses on the floor and drew her hands up his chest and over his neck to cup his cheeks, her fingers sliding into his hair and gripping lightly at the white tresses. Jack moaned momentarily before returning the favor by slipping his own fingers around the back of her neck and tangling them in her curly locks at the base of her neck. He pulled back from her for a second, staring into her hazy brownish-green eyes as he panted against her lips, before kissing her once more. This would be the first time they had shared a kiss since the clock chimed midnight on Christmas day and Jack was hungry to feel her lips again and even a little more. One hand slid over her shoulder and down her side to her hip, his fingers lightly gripping her waist before moving farther down to her bare thigh. He clutched and kneaded the supple flesh underneath his hand, caressing her skin like she was a delicate treasure while his lips continued to play with hers. He pulled small moans and mewls from the girl, something he delighted in, and lost some of his control for a moment when his tongue swiped over her bottom lip and then dove into her mouth.

"Mm!" Maya exclaimed with a gasp, suddenly pulling back when the foreign appendage entered her mouth.

Jack, however breathless, blinked wide-eyed at her and blushed deeply, "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to scare you o-or to rush anything!"

"N-No…no, it's okay," she stammered, biting her reddening bottom lip in embarrassment that she freaked the way she did, "It's just…well, it just surprised me. I've never…well, I've never had to…I-I, uh…"

A white, slender finger pressed to her swollen lips, Jack smiling understandably at his girlfriend as he silenced her before pecking her nose, "It's okay, Maya. I won't do it again if you don't like it."

"No, I did like it," she retorted quickly, not wanting to miss the chance to experience it again, "It was new, but I did like it."

Ice blue locked with hazel green, the teens silently coming to an understanding with one another as the boy moved in again; "May I, then?" he asked her in quiet voice, never once taking his eyes away from hers.

Maya stared up at him before leaning forward and lightly pressing her lips to his, encouraging him to continue where he left off. He got the hint and pressed down firmly once more. The kiss was slow and sensual this time, Jack languidly preparing Maya by tracing his tongue along her bottom and top lip. He nipped and suckled her mouth to get her back in the mood before pressing his lips to hers and slipping his tongue inside once more. She tensed up at the intrusion, the feeling of his tongue dancing around hers both strange and enticing to the girl who had never even had her first kiss until two days before. Jack tasted cool, fresh, and minty…like a crisp snowfall that left everything blanketed in white powder. The white-haired teen himself couldn't get enough of Maya's own flavor: sweet and sugary, like a favorite candy.

They stayed locked in that embrace for quite some time, lips and tongues tangling together while hands tentatively explored the bodies of the other innocently. Maya was definitely no longer cold and Jack had somehow lost his sweater along the way, leaving him in only a dark red, graphic t-shirt and his jeans. The white haired boy eventually pulled back from her, ice blue eyes glossed over like clear glass and his pale cheeks tinted red with a burning blush as he gazed down at her. The girl was breathless and stunned, her hands resting on his arms as she tried to focus her eyes on his.

Jack chuckled and grazed his thumb over her red, pleasure-swollen lips, "You look dazed."

"And you look red," she retorted, cupping his face in her hands and running her own thumbs over his cheeks.

The boy laughed freely and took her hand in his, pressing a gentle kiss to her palm before moving closer again to feel her lips; "…You know I could kiss you all day if you let me," he admitted, placing a light kiss to her cheek, right underneath her beauty mark, "but, I think we should stop for now before we both do something that we're not entirely ready for."

"Good idea," Maya agreed, sitting up and lightly pushing Jack off of her before rising from the couch, stretching her arms into the air as she faced away from him, "How about some hot chocolate, huh? We have cookies, too."

When she didn't receive an answer, Maya turned around to look at the boy with confusion shining in her eyes only to gasp silently and blush hotly when she noticed his eyes slowly doing a sweep of her body; "J-Jack! What are you staring at?!" she stammered in embarrassment, suddenly feeling self-conscious as she turned to face him and covered her buttocks with her hands.

This seemed to snap the youth out of whatever trance he was in as he jumped and looked up at her, covering his shock with a sly grin; "You know, Maya, now that you're my girlfriend, you're going to have to get used to me checking you out," he told her, half teasing and half serious, "Because I am going to be doing it a lot."

The ebony girl bit her bottom lip and looked away sheepishly, her words getting stuck in her throat and her mind starting to jam up due to the playful yet serious look in his eye. Jack just laughed and shook his head while taking hold of her arm and pulling her close so she was sitting on his lap. He had every intention of kissing away her embarrassment, but found that plan backfiring when Maya let out a squeak and dropped onto the floor the moment she felt his knee underneath her butt. It was almost too much for her to handle, all the lovey-dovey cuddle stuff that he wanted to do. After all, this was her first relationship and she wasn't used to this much romantic affection being shown towards her by any guy let alone by someone as cute and handsome as Jack Frost.

"Too much! Too much! Too much!" she chanted skittishly, jumping up from the floor and sprinting into the kitchen before her boyfriend had a chance to even think about trying to hold her again.

Jack blinked in bewilderment at what had just taken place, his brain finally catching up with the events as he chuckled lowly and ran his fingers through his hair. He should have seen that reaction coming, but he had been so excited to have her close that he forgot how new Maya was to boyfriends and relationships and romance. Nevertheless, he found it funny and cute how easily she lost her composer when faced with his obvious affection. Getting up from the couch, he strolled into the kitchen and found the flustered girl bustling here and there as she prepared hot chocolate for them. He waited until she was in a stationary position, standing at the stove and waiting for the milk to heat up in the pot, before he approached her again. Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist loosely and placed his chin on her shoulder while ignoring the way she tensed slightly. He watched her work for a minute, turning his head so his nose was buried in her curls and inhaling gently the sweet scent of her perfume.

"I'm sorry for surprising you, Maya," he apologized after a couple minutes of silence, feeling his nose tickle when she scooped in a few spoonfuls of the hot chocolate powder and the particles rushed up his nostrils.

She laughed lightly and shook her head, "No, it's okay. I'm sorry for freaking out on you like that. I'm just…not accustomed to…whatever it was you were wanting me to do."

"I know. I just forgot."

"Hehehe, I'm actually shy underneath it all, really."

"Yeah, I can tell," he chuckled, brushing some of her hair away from her ear before whispering, "It's cute, though. I like it."

His light chuckling turned into full laughter when Maya tensed up again and bristled like a surprised cat would as goosebumps spread over her arms. He moved more of her hair out of the way, sweeping them to one side and over her shoulder, and prepared to peck at her shoulder playfully when his eyes fell upon the crescent shaped marks imbedded in her skin on the left side of her neck. Her injuries from Christmas Eve, the ones she sustained while in a fight with her auntie, seemed to be healing just fine, but they definitely looked like they would leave scars in their wake once they were fully healed. They were dark now and still scabbing; painful reminders for Jack of the terror she went through and how close he had come to losing her. Quietly, he brushed his fingers over the wounds only to stop when Maya flinched.

"Do they still hurt?" he asked in a whisper, staring down at the marks.

She shrugged her shoulders, "Well…it's not that they hurt. It's that the skin is still tender."

"Mm," he hummed, drawing his lips into a thin line as he continued staring at her injured neck.

His silence piqued Maya's curiosity and she turned around to see him glaring into space. She smiled bemusedly at his expression and put her hand on his shoulder to get his attention, her smile only widening when his eyes rose up to meet with hers.

"Jack, don't worry about my scars, okay?" she assured him, her grin never faltering, "I don't regret getting them and I'm not ashamed of them. I was willing to do whatever I had to do in order to protect Malcolm and I would do it again if I had to. I'm fine, Jack, I promise."

He gazed into her eyes, as if searching for a hint of fallacy in her expression and words, but when he saw none, the only thing he could do was crush her in his embrace. He had never known a girl like Maya: protective and powerful and courageous. He pulled away from her and stared into her eyes once more, his own smile, as small as it was, softening his features as he cupped her cheek in his hand.

"I'm proud of you for the way you handled yourself," he told her, smiling all the wider when she looked to the side shyly, "and I know that you're more than capable of holding your ground, but please, Maya, don't think that you have to do this by yourself. I'm here for you and I will fight with you; no more secrets from me, just like you promised. I will protect you."

The corners of her lips turned up and she giggled while nodding, "I know you will."

They shared a quick and quiet kiss before Maya pulled back to take the pot off the fire. She then proceeded to fill two mugs of the hot chocolate, giving Jack the same snowflake mug that she had given him before, and pile fluffy little marshmallows on top. The two teens then sat at the table together and drank the hot chocolate while munching on cookies and talking aimlessly about this and that. They laughed freely together, almost looking like the same 'friends' that they used to be to one another before Jack claimed her as his girlfriend, and poked fun at one another. It wasn't until an hour later that the teen boy remembered what he was supposed to ask of his girlfriend and he made a surprised noise while sipping on his drink.

"Oh, I almost forgot!" he exclaimed, stopping Maya in her laughter as she blinked curiously at him, "Will you do me the honor of having dinner with me and my family this evening?"

Again, the girl blinked in response, trying to wrap her head around his request, "Dinner? With you and your family? Tonight?"

Jack grinned at her and nodded, "Yeah. My mom and sister have been dying to meet you and my dad just wants to know who his son keeps running off to go see. I figured dinner with the family would be a great way to get all the questions answered. That and I think it's time for you to meet the Frost Family, heheh."

Maya was stunned silent as she brought her hands up to her chest and fiddled with her fingers nervously. Meet Jack's parents? And his little sister? She had never thought of it before, but now that she was, her nerves felt like they were already going into overdrive. What if she said something offensive? What if they didn't like her? What if they didn't think she was good enough for their son? What if the sister absolutely hated her? What if she was never allowed to see Jack again? Question after question fired itself off in her mind and even though her eyes were open, it was as if she was completely checked out as they glazed over and she stared straight past the boy across from her. She was only brought back to reality when Jack's warm fingers took hold of her hand and held it on the table top securely. She shook her head to clear her muddled thoughts and ended up staring into Jack's clear blue eyes that shone back at her gently.

"Please, Maya?" he coaxed her, smiling warmly, "It would really mean a lot to my mom…and to me. I want my family to meet you and see how…great you are! And, of course, I'll be there with you every step of the way as your escort."

He kissed the back of her hand like a gentleman, an action that caused her heart to flutter; "So what do you say? Will you accept?" he asked again, his eyes shimmering with hope.

Well, who could say 'no' to a face like that?!

"Sure, Jack. I'll go to dinner with you and your family."

Maya didn't think it was possible to make Jack any happier than he already was, but she soon found herself mistaken when he smiled bright enough to rival the sun and lunged at her, covering every part of her face in dramatic kisses. She cried out in surprise and laughed heartily at the attack, getting to her feet to prevent herself from falling back in her chair. Jack got up with her and brought her close for a true kiss, holding it for a few seconds before pulling back and grinning happily.

"Great, my mom will be ecstatic."

"Well, you've already met my entire family, so it's only fair that I meet yours now, right?"

"Right!" he agreed, pausing when his cell phone rang once.

Taking out the device, he saw that he had a message and quickly read the contents before replying. He then stored the phone back in his pocket and faced Maya again with an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, but it looks like my mom needs me at home right now. I did tell her that you were coming over for dinner, though, so she'll be happy," he informed her, both teens already making their way towards the front door after stopping by the den to get Jack's sweater.

"Okay, no problem," Maya responded, folding her arms over her chest once they were at the front door and watching the boy put on his boots, jacket, and scarf.

"I'll be back to get you around seven, okay? My house is within walking distance; just a couple blocks from here," he assured her with a smile.

She returned his smile and nodded, "Awesome. Is there a specific way I need to dress for this dinner?"

"Nothing fancy. I would say to just dress casual. We're not picky people," he answered, laughing a little.

Again, Maya nodded and stared after him as he opened the door and prepared to step out onto the porch. He suddenly stopped with a small gasp, one that caught her off guard, and whipped back around to face her.

"By the way, are you allergic to anything?" he asked her curiously, tilting his head to the side.

The youth shook her head, "Food wise? No, not that I know of."

"Are you of a vegetarian?"

"No."

"Are you of a certain religion that doesn't allow for you to eat a certain food?"

"I'm not allowed to eat pork."

"Oh…well, that's new," Jack joked with a light laugh, "Okay, no pork."

He laughed again as Maya smiled and leaned in to graze her cheek with his lips in a final goodbye. To his surprise, she tugged on his jacket and kissed his cheek in return. He blushed softly at the sweet peck, his fingers lightly touching the area where her lips had been as he smiled goofily.

"Ha, wow…I don't think I ever want to get used to that," he teased her kindly, chuckling when she shoved his arm and looked away shyly, "I'll see you around seven, Maya. Stay warm if you can."

"You too, Jack. Be safe going home."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

With a final wave, Jack skipped down the steps of the porch and made his way towards the gate just as he heard the front door closed. He was grinning wide as he stepped through the gate and out onto the sidewalk, taking one last look at the house that sheltered his sweetheart before continuing on down the path that lead to home.

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As promised, the youth returned to Annie Rhodes' house at around 7:15 PM, his breath crystalizing that much more visibly in the cold night air. Walking through the familiar gate and bounding up the steps of the porch, he rang the doorbell this time as a gentleman would and waited patiently for the door to be answered. What he expected was for either Mr. Rhodes or Mrs. Rhodes to answer the door and invite him in while he waited for his date. What he didn't expect, but greatly appreciated when he got it, was Maya coming to the door a few seconds after he rang the bell. At first glance, he could tell there was something a little bit different about her, something nearly transparent, but still enough to set his heart racing. After staring at her for a few moments, trying to figure out what it was that had him stunned, he finally discovered that it was the make-up she was wearing. It wasn't even a lot of make-up by any means; it was just eyeliner, eye-shadow and some clear lip-gloss. Even still, the eyeliner brought out the darker tones of her hazel eyes, the smoky black eye-shadow softened the dazzling green in her eyes and the lip-gloss had him craving for a kiss right then and there. In all the time he knew Maya, he had never seen her with make-up on. Not that she needed it, being a natural beauty and all, but with the application…it only enhanced how gorgeous she already looked. Jack could only stare at her as she came through the door and shut it behind her, his eyes wide and his mouth open slightly.

"…Is it too much?"

The faintly asked question was what broke the youth out of his reverie and he fought to refocus his gaze on Maya, the girl now looking rather self-conscious about her appearance as she lifted her hand to touch her neatly pinned curls.

"N-No, of course not!" Jack quickly answered, beaming a reassuring smile at her, "I was just…surprised is all. You look beautiful, Maya."

"What are you trying to say? I don't look beautiful on a daily? Is that it? You're surprised that I can actually look presentable to society?" the girl shot off teasingly to dispel her frazzled nerves, smiling when Jack laughed and took hold of her wrists to wrap her arms around his neck.

"Come on, Maya, you know what I mean," he murmured as he leaned close, drawing her body against his to keep her from running away as he stole a kiss.

His date leaned back before his lips could touch hers and giggled quietly when he dipped her back, claiming her lips gently despite her efforts to avoid it. When he brought her back up and pulled away, she was trying to suppress her laughter while letting him rub his nose against hers.

"You know, we're still standing on the porch," she informed him, biting her bottom lip when he pressed a cute kiss to the side of her face, inching closer to her ear.

"I know," he responded lowly, kissing her again.

"Right by the window."

"Uh huh."

"Where my dad is watching."

The boy froze and Maya laughed when he jerked away from her and looked towards the window overlooking the den. True to her word, Daniel Rhodes was looking straight out the window towards him with a dark spark in his eyes. The man smiled dangerously when he and Jack made eye contact, the younger male laughing and waving nervously before grabbing hold of Maya's hand.

"Well, we better get going! Don't want to be late for dinner, you know?! You're going to love my family!"

The ebony lass laughed heartily at Jack's attempt to dispel his obvious embarrassment at being caught kissing her by her father. It was apparent from the way he was rambling loudly and quickly moving them out the gate and down the sidewalk that he wanted nothing more than to get as far away from the house as possible before Mr. Rhodes rushed out there to throttle him. Once they were a safe distance from the house and May comforted her boyfriend, assuring him that her father was, in fact, not going to kill him, they laced their fingers together and continued towards Jack's house at a more leisurely pace. It took no more than fifteen minutes to reach the Frost Family house, a two story structure painted powder blue with white shutters and a porch swing. Now that she was there, Maya nervous once more about meeting his parents and sibling, the boy catching on immediately to her apprehensive behavior and stopping her just outside the door. He took her hands in both of his and waited until she looked up at him to kiss her fingers.

"You don't have anything to worry about, Maya," he promised her, squeezing her hands tightly, "My family is going to love you and besides, they're more nervous to meet you than you are to meet them, hehe."

The girl smiled at his words and managed a small laugh that was still laced with hesitance as she gazed back down at the ground. Jack placed his finger underneath her chin and lifted her head up to gaze into her pretty eyes.

"Just be yourself. That's all you have to do."

Just like that, a weight was lifted off of her shoulders and Jack gave himself a mental pat on the back when he saw her relax and give him a genuine smile. With a nod, he took her hand in his and led her through the door of his home. They were immediately assaulted by the delicious aroma wafting in the air as the teens discarded their jackets. The young man helped Maya out of her jacket and blushed deeply when he saw that she wore her favorite cream colored, long-sleeved sweater dress- a personal favorite of his as well- with a plunging neckline, a pair of black tights and her black ankle boots. He shook his head and tore his eyes away from her curvy figure before he made a fool of himself again and called through the house.

"Hey, I'm back! And I brought our guest!"

The frantic shuffling and thudding of feet hitting the carpeted floor of their home followed his sentence, the boy leading his girlfriend into the living room where they were met with the sight of his family all assembled together and smiling largely as soon as they came into focus. His mother was holding his sister by her shoulders and his father, the one that Jack took after in his strong, angular looks, had his hand settled on his wife's waist.

"Welcome to our home!" The three of them greeted their guest in unison, making Maya want to laugh and making Jack want to die as he palmed his face and shook his head.

'I can't believe they just did that,' he thought to himself in despair.

Putting that aside for a later date, for he was going to bring it up again to his family, he took up Maya's arm and brought her forward with a proud look on his face; "Mom, dad, Emma, I want to introduce you all to Maya Rhodes, my girlfriend. Maya, this is my dad, Richard Frost-"

The tall and broad looking man with brown hair streaked white on the left side, a face that resembled Jack's, and blue eyes smiled at the girl warmly and nodded his head.

"My mother, Mimi Frost-"

The brunette woman smiled kindly and waved with a gentle light in her eyes.

"And my little sister, Emma."

The little girl bounced happily on her toes as she waved energetically, resembling Malcolm in a way that made the female teen feel a little more comfortable. Mimi Frost was the first one to speak to Maya, her voice sweet and motherly.

"Hello, Maya! It's so good to finally meet you!" the older woman greeted her, moving forward to take her hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Mrs. Frost," Maya greeted back, shaking the woman's hand firmly with a polite smile on her face.

"We've heard so much about you, Maya. It's good to finally put a face to the name." Richard stepped up next to shake the girl's hand.

"Thanks for that, dad. She really needed to know that, I guess," Jack voiced sarcastically, hoping that his parents didn't say anything else to embarrass him.

"Yeah! Jack talks about you all the time! He's like a broken record!" Emma chimed in, bounding up to the taller girl with her eyes shining bright.

…Well, it appeared that it wasn't necessarily his parents that he had to worry about embarrassing him. Jack dragged his hand down his face after his sister's announcement, wanting nothing more than to bury her away somewhere so she didn't say anything else mortifying, and Maya smiled at the little girl who had grabbed hold of her hands.

"It's nice to meet you, Maya. I've been begging Jack to invite you over, but he was taking forever! Maybe he wanted to keep you all to himself, but that's just selfish! I can see why, though, you're really pretty!"

Maya blinked quickly at the girl's words, her cheeks heating up pleasantly as a warm feeling spread through her chest. She then smiled and giggled at the child, nodding her head, "Well, thank you, Emma! You're a beautiful little thing yourself. I bet you're already a little heartbreaker, huh?"

"She better not be," Jack mumbled as he crossed his arms, still speaking loud enough for his sister to hear as she rounded on him.

"Oh, hush Jack!" she commanded, making her brother laugh as she raised her fists and playfully swung them at him.

Mimi Frost giggled as she watched her children before turning to Maya and moving to place her hand on the teen's shoulder, "Dinner is almost ready, Maya, so why don't we go ahead and have a seat at the table while I bring out the food?"

"Okay."

"We're having meatloaf with mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, cranberry sauce and biscuits. Is that okay?"

"That's just fine. Sounds delicious, too, hehe."

Maya was led into the dining room by Mrs. Frost with the others trailing behind them, Jack quickly taking his mother's place by the girl's side so he could pull her chair out for her. The ebony female was surprised by his chivalry, once thinking that chivalrous boys were an extinct species altogether, but nonetheless thanked him and took a seat as he pushed in her chair. He then took the chair beside her and sat down while his father sat the head of the table, his sister adjacent to him, and his mother went into the kitchen to get the main dish out of the oven. She returned a few minutes later carrying a hot pan with oven mitts, the meatloaf steaming deliciously as she set it in the middle of the table.

"Alright, everyone, dig in!" Mimi Frost chirped, smiling proudly when her family immediately dove into the food.

She helped to serve Maya, the girl still too nervous to just jump into it, before getting her own plate and then sitting down at the other end of the table across from her husband to enjoy her meal. Conversation ensued, everyone getting a feel of their guest and finding that she was a very polite and kind girl to have for dinner.

"So, Maya, how was Christmas with your family?" Mrs. Frost asked the girl who was in the middle of chewing her meatloaf.

"Oh, it was really nice. My little cousin was the first one up, of course, and had sprinted into my room before roosters could crow and dragged me out of bed so he could show me all the presents 'Santa' left for him under the tree," she answered with a fond smile, giggling into her hand.

"That's right; Jack did mention that you had a cousin. How old is he again?" Mrs. Frost continued.

"He's six."

"Oh my, he must be an energetic one," the older woman laughed lightly, Maya soon following as her own giggles flittered in the air.

"More than you know, Mrs. Frost. He's like the Energizer Bunny on most days; he just keeps going and going and going…Jack knows. He's there for it a lot of the time," the girl replied, shoving the boy next to her playfully and jolting with a loud laugh when he reached out and tickled her sides.

The boy's mother smiled at the two of them as she nodded her head with a mischievous look in her eye, "I figured he would be. My son seems to enjoy spending a lot, if not all, of his time with you and your cousin, hehe. It got to the point where I forgot I even had a son he was gone so often."

"True story," Richard Frost put in with a chuckle, cutting into his meatloaf as he glanced at Jack and Maya, "but I suppose that's to be expected when a boy finds himself attracted to a pretty girl. He wants to spend all his time impressing her so she falls in love with him. If this were winter time in the colonial ages, he'd be cutting up wood for your fire, shooting deer for your dinner, and weather proving your house for the blizzards by now."

"Wow, thanks dad, because Maya really needed to know that," the teen boy in question ground out sarcastically, "I don't spend all of my time with her because I want to 'impress' her, thank you very much! And this is not the colonial ages! I spend all of my time with her because I like her!"

"Impress her. Like her. They're both in the same boat; fact of the matter is, dear Maya, that my boy here seems absolutely crazy about you."

"Dad, are you serious?!"

"He does seem very fond of you, Maya. Rushing out of the house to be with you only to return home and walk around with this dreamy look on his face."

"Mom!"

"He kisses his pillow at night and pretends that it's you!"

"Emma, that is such a blatant lie, I don't even know what to do with you! Maya, I do not kiss my pillow at night!" Jack defended himself against the accusations of his family, his eyes wide and his entire face resembling that of a red, red cherry.

He was obviously embarrassed and perhaps considering homicide of his family, but Maya found the whole thing hilarious and adorable and so very sweet that she had no other choice than to laugh as well. To ease his mortification, she leaned towards him and pressed her lips to his cheek, pulling back to see his intense blush had lessened to a soft dusting of pink over the bridge of his nose as he looked down shyly. The others watched with laughter stuck in their throats at the sweet sight they witnessed: Mr. Frost nodding his head approvingly, Mrs. Frost smiling tenderly at the two, and Emma wondering if she would have to do that to some boy, too, in her future and not really looking forward to it. The rest of dinner carried on in this way, all the members of the family poking fun at Jack for his infatuation with their guest while the boy in question tried to defend himself while blushing redder than a tomato. Maya felt comfortable in the friendly atmosphere, glad that she finally met his family and that they seemed to approve of their relationship so far. Well, at least they didn't hate her; that much she could pick up on. Dinner came to an end, as did dessert, and Mr. Frost along with Jack and Emma cleared the table while Mrs. Frost remained in the dining room with Maya. While Jack was helping his father with the dishes, the man washing and Jack drying and Emma putting them away, he couldn't help but to overhear the conversation that his mother was having with his girlfriend.

"Maya, may I ask you a question?" the woman's voice carried to his ears as he strained harder to listen.

"Of course, Mrs. Frost."

"…Do you really like my son?"

Jack's curiosity was piqued by that questioned, as was his confusion; "I, uh…I'm afraid I don't fully understand the question," Maya replied hesitantly.

"It's just that…I remember Jack telling us exactly how you two met and truth be told, the circumstances were absolutely horrifying. You were staring death in the face, my dear, and I had read somewhere that people who are on the verge of dying, but are saved by someone in the nick of time are then inclined towards the Hero Syndrome. Their rescuer then becomes someone they admire greatly and feel very grateful for, but sometimes mistake that gratitude for amorous feelings because they believe that they are obligated to show their rescuer romantic love. So…I'm just curious to know if you truly do have feelings for my son or if you only 'think' you do."

There was silence for some time and Jack strained his ears even harder to hear Maya's response, but was abruptly brought back to reality when his father elbowed him in his arm and ordered him to continue rinsing the dishes. With a small grumble, the boy did as he was told, but tried to keep an ear out for the rest of the conversation. Sadly, it had carried on without him hearing Maya's answer. Once the dishes were washed, dried, and put away, Jack and his father wandered back into the dining room while Emma shot herself to the teen girl's side, pulling and tugging on her hand excitedly.

"Maya, let's play a card game! I got new cards for Christmas and I'm really good at them, so come on! Let's play!" the little girl chirped as she dragged her new found friend up from her seat and into the living room.

Jack narrowed his eyes at his sister and placed his fists on his hips, "Emma, don't drag my girlfriend around. Besides, it's getting late and I should walk Maya home."

"Oh, I don't mind," the girl in question cut in, grinning back at Jack while still having her hand yanked on by the energetic child, "One game won't hurt me. I'm down to play."

"Yay! Come on, come on!"

With a sigh, Jack followed his sister and girlfriend into the living room where they cleared the coffee table and took seats on the floor, actually preparing themselves for more than one game. And more than one they did play as a quick game rapidly turned into what felt like a tournament, a full hour passing by with the three young people battling for the title of 'Champion'. Emma was having a blast playing with her older brother and his counterpart, finding herself drawn to Maya and enjoying her company more than she thought she would. She was whimsical and entertaining, often making jokes and poking fun at Jack as they played and including Emma in conversation while showing a genuine interest in her, like she really cared about the little girl's opinion and not just asking because she felt obligated to do so. The child didn't look at Maya as one of Jack's friends; she looked at her as one of her own friends and hoped that she would continue to be just that: her friend.

It really was getting late by the time they played their last game for the night, Emma claiming the championship title and giggling avidly. Despite her efforts to beg, Jack called it the last game and got to his feet before leaning down to help Maya stand up as well.

"We'll play again later, Emma, okay? It's time that I walk Maya home," he told his sister, ruffling her hair affectionately.

The child puffed her cheeks as she stared at the boy, but argued no further as she shot up from her place at the coffee table and launched herself at Maya. The ebony girl stumbled back a little from the sudden motion, instinctively wrapping her arms around Emma's shoulders as the girl clung to her waist.

"You will come back, won't you Maya?" Emma asked, looking up with her puppy dog eyes, "You have to come back and play!"

Hazel eyes blinked in slight confusion before they shimmered with a warm light and a head full of black curls nodded, "Sure, Emma, I'll be back. Maybe next time I'll bring my cousin with me and we can all have fun playing together."

The little girl smiled brightly at her words, quite satisfied with her answer as she let her go. Jack then gently placed his hand on the small of Maya's back and guided her to the front door. Everyone gathered in the hallway leading to the door and watched the two teens wrap themselves up in their winter coats and scarves, the Frost Family beaming warmly at the young woman their son had deemed worthy to bring home for dinner.

"Thank you so much for having me for dinner and for making it fun," Maya thanked them, smiling brightly in their direction.

"It was no trouble at all, Maya. We're glad that we got to meet you, finally," Mr. Frost replied, shooting Jack a pointed look that the teen returned with a roll of his eyes, "You're a delightful girl to have in our home. Don't be a stranger."

"Thank you, sir!" Maya giggled in embarrassment, turning to Jack when he tapped her shoulder and handed over her scarf.

"Okay, you guys, I'll be back once I take Maya home," Jack told his family as he opened the front door, welcoming the way the brisk air brushed over his face as white snowflakes gently floated down to earth.

"You're welcome here any time, dear. Like my husband said, don't be a stranger," Mrs. Frost expressed with a beautiful smile, "You two be safe, okay? Are you sure you don't want us to drive you home?"

"I'm okay with walking. It's really not that far."

"Alright then, take care, Maya."

"Thank you!"

She waved graciously at the three other members of the Frost Family as she and Jack made their way down the porch steps, feeling their eyes still on them well after they stepped onto the sidewalk and continued toward her grandmother's house. When they were a good distance away from his house, Jack slowed their pace to another leisurely stroll and took Maya's hand in his, lacing their fingers together once more. He looked at her profile fully, his eyes gentle and warm and filled with wonder at her beauty. Her hair was starting to accumulate a crown of snowflakes as they landed on her head, her long eyelashes catching the white powder on the tips of their strands. She must have felt herself being watched for her hazel green eyes snapped in his direction without warning and blinked in curiosity.

"What?" she questioned, furrowing her brow shyly.

He let out a soft laugh and leaned over to place a gentle kiss right underneath her ear, "It's nothing. I was just thinking that you look beautiful."

He kissed the same spot again, looking acutely satisfied when she looked away bashfully, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He pulled her close to him, feeling her warmth heat the left side of his body as their steps matched in time and echoed around in the still, night air. He looked down at her and grinned widely.

"Now see? Dinner with my family wasn't so bad, was it?" he asked her cheekily, pulling a smile from her in the process.

"No, it was actually really fun. Your parents are nice and your sister is a sweetheart. I like them all," she answered truthfully, casually wrapping her own arm around Jack's back.

"And they like you, I can tell. My sister has never gotten that excited over any of my friends that she's met. I think you might have inherited a little sister tonight, heh."

Maya laughed, "I don't mind. I think Malcolm would like her, too. They can run each other into the ground, haha."

Jack's smile seemed forever fitted to his face as he lowered his gaze to the ground, watched as their steps synchronized perfectly to one another. The conversation that he overheard his mother having with Maya suddenly came to the forefront of his mind, or, more specifically, the question that he never heard the answer to.

"Hey, Maya." The girl looked up at her name being called; "Earlier, when I was washing the dishes with my dad and Emma, I heard my mom ask you a question…about if you actually liked me or if it was just this Hero Syndrome thing that made you think you liked me," he started, catching the way her eyebrow quirked up in realization before settling back down again as he continued, "I didn't get to hear your answer. So…what did you tell her?"

Maya had remained quiet through his question, her eyes looking between the concrete sidewalk and the boy next to her. She tilted her head to the side and bit the inside of her lip, shrugging her shoulders a moment later.

"I just told her that, while the Hero Syndrome might be the case for some people, it wasn't for me. I do feel grateful to you for saving me that day at the lake, Jack, and on that day when my auntie came to the house, but I don't feel in any way the obligation to like you the way that I do. I like you because it's you, because you made it easy for me to like you. I like you because of who you are and not because you're my hero."

He listened attentively, feeling a shiver run down his spine when she said his name, and hugged her tighter to his side while his lips placed gentle kisses to the top of her head. His chest burned pleasantly at her answer, a sense of accomplishment filling his being that his romancing her was what won in the end and not his daring deed to pull her from the icy water of the lake all that time ago.

"Thank you, Maya," he whispered, the pair turning down her street with her grandmother's house coming into view.

"For what?" she inquired back just as quietly, staring up at him.

Jack just shook his head with a warm laugh, "Just thank you."

She blinked and felt all the more curious, but said nothing else as they drew closer to her place of residence. Within minutes, they were on the porch with the light shining above them and the inside of the house dark save for her parents' bedroom light that was shining on the other side of the house. Jack and Maya faced each other, the boy clutching her hands in his as if never wanting to let go, his eyes staring deeply into her own.

"Thanks for inviting me to dinner, Jack. I had a lot of fun and the food was amazing; make sure to tell your mom I said that," Maya told him, nudging him in the arm with her elbow without breaking her hand from his.

The blue eyed teen laughed lightly and nodded his head, "Yes, ma'am."

Maya smiled cutely and looked down shyly, but found her vision filled with the color of ice blue once again when Jack released her hands, cupped her cheeks, and then lifted her head to claim her lips. His hands- large, strong and cold against her skin- cradled her face gently as his lips molded against hers sensually. The dark-skinned girl placed her fingers over his and kissed back, her heartbeat quickening when his tongue easily slid into her mouth and tangled around hers. After a moment of sweet yet intense kissing, they broke apart and stared at one another, their breaths hot and visible in the cold air. Jack truly felt like he could kiss her forever if she let him, her lips soft and full and enticing him to kiss her again, especially when she bit her bottom lip like she was now. He held back, though, and brought her in for a warm hug.

"Goodnight, Maya," he bid to her in a kind voice, pulling back to gaze at her face.

"Goodnight, Jack," she replied, giggling quietly when he cupped her face again and placed a kiss to her forehead.

He released her from his hold and slowly made his way down the steps of the porch, looking back at Maya every few seconds until he was out on the sidewalk. She hadn't gone in yet and was watching him as he walked back in the direction they had just come from, both teens staring at the other with silly smiles on their faces. Jack waved at Maya one last time, an action that she copied towards him, before he continued walking and lost sight of her. He was alone again and felt strangely empty now that she wasn't right beside him like she had been a few minutes ago, but he knew that when the morning came, he would be able to see her again and that thought made him feel light and happy.

With his hands in his pockets, he walked back home with a warm…and loving smile on his face.

End Chapter

Crimsonwings92: I don't even know what to think about this, but tell me what you think, guys! I think it needs a little more drama, so I'm going to see what I can do. Anyway, hope you liked it and leave a review! They make me happy! Especially on bad days, hehe. Until next time! Ciao!