A/N: Here we are! Thanks for all of the feedback I've gotten on the past two chapters! It makes me so happy that people enjoy my story! There is some Neddie fluff in this chapter :). I wanted to kick off that relationship quickly. Anyway, here you go!
"Ready, Nina?" Eddie asked. She nodded yes and pulled out the Eye of Horus, using it to open the secret passageway to the cellar.
"And you're sure that Victor is out, right?" Nina asked as they worked their way through the small passage way. She felt like something was off, but couldn't tell what. Usually she would have waited for a time that felt safer to her, but Eddie had insisted. Sometimes she wished he was less careless.
"I'm positive. Trust me for once?" He said, offering a hand. She took it.
"I always trust you, Osrion," She said with a wink. He spun her into him.
"I suppose I could kill you right now if I really wanted to." Nina pushed back on his chest catching him off guard, making him stumble backwards and almost fall into a table.
"And then endure the wrath of Osiris," Nina teased gently. Eddie grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. She ducked under his arm and ran for the other side of the cellar. They found themselves on opposite sides of one of Victor's tables, waiting for someone to make a move. Eddie watched Nina's smile fade at the same time his did. They both saw the brimming flask of amber liquid.
"Is-is that elixir?" Eddie asked, as he had never seen any before. Nina wasn't able to find her voice so she nodded. Her eyes grew wider when Eddie walked over to it and uncapped it.
"Eddie! What are you doing?" Nina yelled. For a moment she was terrified that he was about to drink it. He immediately recapped it, placed it down and threw his hands up into the air.
"I'm not sure what I was doing," he said honestly. He shook his head and blinked a few times.
"Let's get away from here..." Nina said. She grabbed Eddie's and pulled him away, never looking away from the Elixir.
"So what was your grand plan?" Eddie asked once they were safely in Robert Frobisher-Smite's study. Instead of answering him, she immediately went to the book shelf closest to the entrance.
"When we were looking things up in the library, I had an idea," she started. Eddie began helping her pull books off the shelf. "I thought that maybe, just maybe, Robert had a book here about the Osrion. It's a long shot, I know, but, it's worth a shot." For the next half an hour the two sat in silence going through as many books as they could.
"Nina?" Eddie called. He had just pulled a book off the shelf, revealing an Eye of Horus. She stood up and walked over to him.
"That's fantastic, Eddie!" They embraced and innocently looked into each others eyes, something he usually tried to avoid. At some point during the holiday, he found that whenever they made eye contact, he would get lost in her eyes. It made it hard for him to remember that he was, in fact, dating Patricia. At least during the holiday Nina's gran was always around, or his mother, or Patricia, but now, there was nobody checking up on them. He tried to ignore the butterflies in his stomach, or the way her eyes bored into his, dragging him into their depths, or how soft her bare lips looked, but to no avail. She was too close, too intoxicating. When she cocked her head to one side, he instinctively tilted his to the other side and not even his usual internal chant of You're dating Patricia, she's dating Fabian... could stop him from tangling his hand in her hair and bringing her to his lips. Everything felt so raw, he wasn't Eddie kissing Nina. He was the Osrion kissing the Chosen One. There was no hesitation, just emotion. They melted into each other.
You're dating Patricia, she's dating Fabian, you're dating Patricia...
The unwelcome reality found its way back into Eddie's head. He tried shooing it away, but it's imprint lingered.
She's dating Fabian...
But she was obviously feeling the same emotions that he was. She was kissing him back, wasn't she?
You're dating Patricia...
He didn't have a way to justify his actions himself, but she was addictive.
She's dating Fabian...
And is obviously in love with him. Anyone could tell from the way they looked at each other.
You're dating Patricia...
But isn't that the same way she looked at him just before they started kissing.
She's dating Fabian...
And yet he didn't have the strength or desire to stop, despite the sinking feeling in his stomach. The Chosen One held him in her tight grasp, and there was nothing he could do. He begged her inside his head to break away so he could stop kissing her back more passionately than he had ever kissed Patricia. More passionately than he ever had wanted to kiss Patricia.
Even so, he felt cold when she finally broke away, as if the places she had been so tightly pressed to him were submerged in ice water. He continued to hold Nina's head and her arms were still wrapped around his waist. Her eyes were glazed over and dreamy. It took her a few moments to realize what had just happened.
She jumped away from him. "Eddie! I'm so sorry!" He couldn't believe her though. Her eyes said, "I loved every second of it, but I need to act like I'm sorry because I'm dating Fabian."
"Don't lie, Nina." He said simply. All of her blood rushed to her cheeks. Eddie took a cautious step towards her and cradled her face in his hand and kissed her again, this time much softer. "I don't want you to apologize." They never broke eye contact.
"Then I wont... but... what do we do now?"
Eddie pondered for a second. Sure, he'd love to say that he would immediately go and break up with Patricia and she could break up with Fabian, but he recognized that that was not plausible.
"I-i don't know..."
He loved Patricia without a doubt. He really loved her, but this wasn't the first time he had felt something more towards Nina. There were too many emotions filling him to think.
"Neither do I." She said. Eddie gently released her. He watched her shyly look away before looking him in the eyes again. Before he could even register what was happening, she had thrown herself at him and shoved him up against the wall. Skin to skin, lips to lips. It was too much to contemplate. So he didn't. Instead he allowed his hands to roam where they would. He brushed his tongue softly against her bottom lip that quivered against his intrusion. Her mouth opened slightly, allowing him to explore the mouth that always captivated him whenever she was talking.
He never noticed just how much he noticed her until then.
They didn't speak after they broke away, he just held her hand as she walked over to the Eye of Horus he had discovered before. From within the miniature compartment Nina produced an averaged sized, handwritten book, titled Osrion.
"Is there anything else?" Eddie asked. Nina handed him the book as she felt inside further.
"No," she said pulling her empty hand back out. She laid her head on his chest and looked up at him.
"We should get back upstairs. You told Fabian you would be back in a minute 45 minutes ago." Eddie said reluctantly. There was nothing he would rather do than sit, tucked away in their alcove, with her for the whole night. At the mention of Fabian, her face fell.
"Should I tell him?" Was her first of many questions. Eddie cut off her string of chatter with a kiss.
"That's up to you, Chosen One," he whispered.
"Do you think it would be okay to just... think about everything for one night?" She asked guiltily. He smiled down at her.
"I think that's the best choice. I'm going to do the same," he said, dropping the book into his bag.
"I don't want to tell him anything about what we're doing down here. The research... the mystery hunting... It's safest if only us know. I couldn't bring anyone into this..." Nina said suddenly when they were almost done re-shelving the books. Eddie didn't understand why, but he knew he shouldn't question her judgment.
"As you wish," he responded, quoting her favorite movie.
She smiled at him and grabbed his hand before attempting to sneak back upstairs.
Fabian continued to pace back and forth in his bed room as he had been for the past half hour. Nina and Eddie said they would be back as soon as they could! What could have taken so long? He couldn't help but imagine all the bad things that could have happened. They had to go down to the cellar. What could have been so damn important that they couldn't wait until lights out?
I guess this means I'm on the outside, now. Fabian thought, coldly. It was true, though. Nina and Eddie had something Nina and him couldn't. Fabian's place as sidekick had been taken. Now he was just another club member tagging along. Even remembering that he was the boyfriend wasn't enough.
And as if his problems with Nina weren't enough, he still had Joy t deal with. She hadn't tried to make a move on him since before they almost kissed, but sometimes he honestly missed her. He missed how it was before Nina, before the mystery, before things changed. Him and Joy used to be inseparable,but then Nina came, she left and Nina took Joy's place so flawlessly, nobody noticed. When Fabian was honest with himself, though, he knew he prefered the was it was now. With Nina. With Sibuna... he could only imagine how Joy felt.
Probably the way you feel about Eddie. He thought. That caught him by surprise. It was a similar situation... If that was the case, he would really have to talk to Joy.
Fabian was pulled abruptly from his thoughts by the sound of running in the hallway. Before he could investigate, Nina and Eddie burst into the room. They were out of breath and laughing.
"Hide it!" Nina whispered loudly. Eddie tried to hide the book he pulled out of his bag. Fabian couldn't catch the title before he stuffed it away in his closet.
"Miss. Martin, Mr. Miller!" Victor yelled, throwing the door open.
Eddie batted his eyelashes, "yes, Victor?" He said innocently. Fabian admired how easily he was able to go from total craziness to completely laid back in a moment. Victor only seemed to become more enraged by the comment.
"What were you two doing down in the cellar?" He barked. Fabian's blood ran cold. Eddie, however, was fine.
"Actually, we were looking for you, before you chased us out." Eddie lied smoothly. Even Fabian had to admit, Eddie was good.
"Yes, of course, Mr. Miller. If that is the case, what did you need me for?"
Nina opened her mouth to answer, but Eddie quickly stepped on her foot to stop her. Good thing too. Nina couldn't lie to save her life.
Then the horrifying though dawned on Fabian. She wouldn't have to. Eddie will always be there to lie to save her life.
"Amber needs you," Eddie continued smoothly. "There's a rat in her room." When Victor closed his eyes in frustration, Eddie made a phone with his hands, signaling to Fabian to text Amber the story.
Amber, pretend there's a rat in your room when Victor comes up. Nina will explain later.
"I'm sure. Well then I shall go to investigate this rat. I do not want to see either of you in the cellar again, are we clear?" Victor asked.
"Of course," Eddie said slowly. He was buying as much time as he could.
"Crystal," Nina said. Victor turned and left, slamming the door behind him. Nina and Eddie took one look at each other and burst out laughing. "You were fantastic!"
"Thanks," Eddie said. She hugged him awkwardly. Fabian tried not to be jealous.
"We don't have much to tell you, Fabes." Nina said. He loved the way her eyes lit up when she looked at him, but since he was caught up with Nina he missed the obvious flash of jealousy on Eddie's face.
"We went down to the tunnels, like we said," Eddie said coldly.
"And everything is back to the way it was before we went down there. Robert was good." Nina said simply. Fabian knew not to pry. He sensed that she wasn't telling him the whole truth, but there was no way she would want to tell him if he forced her.
"Do you want me to give you some alone time?" Eddie asked, back to his normal cocky self. Neither of them could answer before he was running out of the room.
"Finally, our alone time." Nina whispered to Fabian. She rested her forehead on his, their noses touching. They sunk down into his bed and enjoyed themselves as much as they could, given that he was awkward, she was broken, and they both feared the person they loved was in love with someone else. He hardly got his hands under her shirt before it got too heavy for the both of them.
Joy and Lacie had had a perfectly normal first day back at school. They had gone to every class together and after school Joy and Lacie did their homework together in Lacie's room.
"...and I just don't know what he see's in Nina! I mean, she is totally pretty, but I've known him since we were soo little." Joy ranted on and on about Fabian, and Lacie was happy to listen. She loved giving advice.
"This boy sounds absolutely horrible!" Lacie said.
"I know, right? But I am smitten! It's terrible." Joy threw herself down onto Lacie's bed.
"You seriously need to find someone to help you get over him..."
"I would, but my best friend, Patricia, is always running around with her friends or Eddie..." Joy lamented. Lacie couldn't believe how bad this friend was to her.
"She sounds just as bad," Lacie said, "why don't you let me help you, Joy?"
"That sounds fantastic," Joy said muffled by the pillow she had thrown her head into.
Lacie pulled out her locket that she always wore under her clothing. Anyone who knew anything about Egyptian Mythology would recognize the symbol engraved in it as the symbol of the god, Set. Lacie knew that Joy wouldn't know, though. That's why she chose her.
"I think we should get revenge on their whole group, then." Lacie said just as bubbly as always, but the dark smile that appeared on her face was something foreign.
Lacie Brown was good. The chosen one of Set had to be.
She had a mission that she couldn't fail and this girl's emotions were the best weapon.
The rest of the school week had been going surprisingly well for Nina. She hadn't spoken to Eddie about their kisses and that seemed to be working just fine for both of them. Her and Fabian were thriving and Nina was loving having a boyfriend, not a partner in crime. Patricia and Eddie were doing just as well. Almost every day after school they went on a double date and for some reason it wasn't the least bit awkward for Nina or Eddie.
Mara and Jerome were doing just as well, but they seemed to barely be a part of the house any more. After school they were always doing something which was really putting a damper on Mick's win back Mara plan. Amber seemed determined to stop Mick from doing anything to Mara and Jerome. Amfie was the perfect pair. Alfie had a prank for every situation Amber could ever have.
Love was in the air at Anubis house.
Even Joy and Lacie seemed to find love. Lacie had made it very clear from the moment she arrived at Anubis house that she was bisexual. Everyone just wrote it off, it meant nothing to them. Everyone except Joy. The more time she spent with Lacie, the more she seemed to fall for her, but everyone seemed to fall for Lacie. Not only was she beautiful, but she had a magnetic personality that everyone found attractive. Joy never identified as anything but straight, but there was something about Lacie. Of course, nobody knew the truth about this girl.
The first weekend they had after school started, everyone in Anubis decided to have a movie marathon. Trudy spend all Friday baking for them. After much debate, they decided that they would each choose one movie for everyone to watch. Amber chose Twilight, Joy chose New Moon (the whole house almost killed them), Patricia chose some off beat horror movie that nobody but her ever heard of, Jerome and Alfie chose their two favorite zombie movies, Fabian chose an Egyptian Mythology documentary, Nina chose Harry Potter, Lacie opted out because the only movies that she knew were French, Mick chose a sports movie that nobody but him and Mara understood.
After a long day of watching movies, it was finally time for Eddie's choice. To everyone's surprise he chose The Princess Bride. When he pulled it out of his bag him and Nina made eye contact for just a few seconds again before they returned their full attention to their partner.
All Nina knew what that it couldn't be a coincidence that he chose her favorite movie, and all she wished was for the whole situation to become easy.
A/N: So what did you think? Will Joy and Lacie become an actual couple? What is up with Lacie anyway? Will Neddie ever become official? Will Mick split up Jara? Tell me what you think in the reviews! As always, I love suggestions and criticism!