FicWad

The next couple of days were calm for the heroes. Well, as calm as their lives could get, anyway. With Theresa still forced to stay in bed most of the time (her father was surprisingly protective of her all of a sudden, probably making up for lost time,) the others took the time to visit with their parents: touring the city, showing them everything they could now do, and assuring them that they would come out of their battles with few limbs missing. When he was not with his family, Jay sat with Theresa, and the two could talk for hours without getting bored. One afternoon, three days after being saved, Theresa begged Jay to take her outside for some air. They claimed a tree in the park, and sat on a low branch.

"Happy to be outside again?" Jay asked, though he knew the answer. Theresa was beaming, which made Jay smile at the thought that he was making her happy.

"Yeah, I was going mad stuck inside all day. I know Daddy means well, but I don't need to rest anymore. I'm not a weakling."

"Of course you're not. You're strong, and independant, and mature, and pretty-" Realising what he had said, Jay stopped abruptly, and turned red up to his hairline. It was too much to hope that she hadn't heard him.

"You think I'm pretty?" Turning toward her, and seeing how happy the comment had made her, Jay amemded, "You're not just pretty, you're beautiful. Since the day I've met you, I thought you were beautiful."

Theresa stopped smiling, and looked shy and serious as she asked: "Then why didn't you tell me before? I've always liked you Jay, but I never did anything about it. Why didn't you?"

"Honestly, I was afraid. At first I was scared you didn't like me back-"

"I do."

"Then I was afraid to get close to you because of Cronus. What if he hurt you, what if he killed you-"

"Jay..."

"Please, let me finish." His chocolate eyes blazed with fierce emotion, and Theresa knew he had to say what was coming. "I nearly lost you, Tesa. I nearly lost you forever, and you didn't even know how I felt. We hadn't done anything, said anything, and I couldn't have that. I won't. I want all of those things, Tesa. I want to spend time with you, make memories with you, keep you safe from the world. Will you let me?"

"Jay, I want all of that too. But you don't need to protect me all of the time. It's just nice to know someone's looking out for me."

"Always, Tesa." He tentively leaned forward, their lips meeting for the first time...

~~~*~

"I KNEW IT! I KNEW HE WAS PLANNING SOMETHING!"

"Keep your voice down! They'll hear you!" But the two teenagers currently sitting in the tree were very oblivious to the three people hidden in the bushes not ten feet away. In fact, they didn't seem to be noticing anything but each other at the moment. This didn't please one of the men in the bush.

"Why does that little punk-"

"Watch it buddy! That's my son!" The other man warned. Charles Barton took no heed to it.

"Thinking he can kiss my daughter, who is too weak right now to say no-"

"Charlie, your daughter is not too weak to say no; She is too much in love. Let them be." Emily Emeres, always the peace-keeper, interrupted. She was looking at Charlie in a way that made him remember (literally) painful memories, so he was quick to say:

"Sorry, I'm just being protective. Jay's a fine young man, I'm sure he'll be good for my daughter, because if he isn't..."

The Emeres stopped listening. Turning to his wife, Mr.Emeres asked: "So what do you think of this?"

"I'm happy about it. I saw it coming, actually-"

"Hi Mom. What are you all doing here?" Jay and Theresa stood beside the bush, Jay looking annoyed and Theresa looking daggers at her father.

"Did you see that coming too, dear?"


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Yes, it's short. Yes, I suck at writing romances. Yes, it's not that great, but it's going somewhere. Trust me. There are only one or two chapters left, finally. But there may be a sequel.