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toxic_cornSeries: Your Boyfriend Snorts Cocaine, Mary Anne
Title: Chapter 12 (12/12)
Authors:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
toxic_corn and nutmeg610
Disclaimer: Chad and Mary Anne belong to ABC, Ann M. Martin, and Scholastic Books repsectively. We humbly apologize for this.
Rating: NC-17 for this chapter.
Summary: Mary Anne has left Stoneybrook behind to attend UCLA. She loves living with Dawn and Tigger, working at a local day care, and spending time with Logan. But lately Logan's been changing and not for the better. What will happen when Logan's erratic behavior gets to be too much and the older LAPD officer starts getting closer?!
Notes: Sorry for the dreadful summary; I was going for a style. This is a Day Break/Baby-Sitter's Club crossover fic we dreamed up one night because we're insane. If you're brave enough to give this a try, good on you. And if you avoid it, well, we understand. :)
Earlier chapters can be found at the organizational post.
CHAPTER TWELVE
It’s really great to get all of us together, don’t get me wrong. I just wish it hadn’t taken a funeral to do it this time around, you know?
- email from Kristy Thomas to Claudia Kishi
In the three months that followed, a lot happened in Mary Anne’s life. First was Logan’s funeral. The Brunos flew in from Connecticut and she fully expected them to be cold towards her but they were just as warm as they’d always been. She’d broken down the instant she saw Mrs. Bruno and the two women held each other, mourning the boy Logan had been.
Also flying in had been the entire Baby-Sitters Club, even Mallory and Jessi, who had talked their parents into letting them fly out for a three-day weekend to attend the funeral for one of their own. After the ceremony, everyone had gathered back at Dawn’s and Mary Anne’s place and they reminisced over the good times and some of the bad times. Mary Anne had missed everyone so much, being in that warm circle once more reminded her that she wasn’t alone. Her thoughts turned to Chad, who didn’t have this kind of support, and she quickly squashed it before she had something else to cry over.
She started seeing a therapist to talk out all of the feelings she’d been bottling up for years without realizing it. She had let Logan treat her in such a way that all of those hurts and worries and self-doubts had reared up in her relationship with Chad and it all had exploded. The therapist helped her work those out and within weeks of seeing her, Mary Anne’s bad dreams started to fade away and she could stop sleeping in Dawn’s bed.
All the while, she was finding out who Mary Anne Spier had been and was going to be. And one day, she woke up and knew she had the strength to go and do what she had to do.
~*~
Chad stared at the tv without really being sure what he was watching. Maybe he’d go to the bar later, just so he wouldn’t spend another night cooped up in his apartment. Maybe someone from work would be there and they’d be obligated to talk to him for at least five minutes.
Yeah, right.
He’d never won any popularity contests but lately his attitude had ratcheted up to well-nigh unbearable. His hurt and loneliness was making him lash out at anyone near him, not that he’d ever admit that. He was just having a lot of bad days recently. Ever since he’d let Mary Anne run away from him. He knew that he’d done the right thing, not spending the night with her when she’d begged him. He’d known then and he knew now that if he’d spent “just one more night” it wouldn’t have been one more night; there was no way he would’ve been able to let her go.
Still. Sometimes he wished he had taken her up on her offer, just to be tangled up with her again, hear her voice, smell her hair…
Someone knocked at the door and Chad sighed heavily. Great; it was probably another solicitor. His building was getting a lot of those lately.
He threw the door open, ready to tell the joker to buzz off but ended up gaping stupidly in surprise at who stood there. “Mary Anne?” For a second he thought he was just imagining things; he’d been so sure she’d eventually move on from him. “Uh, hi.”
“Hi.” She smiled softly and she looked so beautiful, the late afternoon sun shining in her hair. “How are you?”
Chad shrugged. “I’ve been… well. Uh, and you?” He frowned in concern. “How are you?”
“I’m not quite well yet,” she admitted and bit her lip. “But I’m getting there.”
“Oh. Well, that’s… good to hear. I mean, that you’re… getting there.” For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what she was doing here and he’d never felt so damn awkward in his life.
“You’re probably wondering why I’m here.” She started to look worried. “Is this a bad time?”
He shook his head and held the door open wider to let her in. “Not at all. C’mon in.”
She came inside and he took a moment to smell her hair; she was using the same shampoo. He closed the door behind her, watching her look around the room.
“It feels like it’s been forever,” she murmured to herself.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Chad asked. “I think I only have Cherry Coke and water.”
“Water’s fine. I know how much you like your Cherry Coke.” She laughed lightly.
Chad allowed himself a small smile. “Okay, well, make yourself at—er, I, uh… have a seat and I’ll get that water for you.” He walked into the kitchen, facepalming.
Smiling, Mary Anne curled up on the couch. “What have you been doing with yourself?”
“Oh, uh same old stuff really,” Chad called from the kitchen, getting their drinks. “Just work and maybe heading out to the bar every once in awhile. So not much, I guess.” He came out a moment later and handed her a glass of water, holding a can of Cherry Coke for himself. “What about you?” He sat down on the other side of the couch.
“Well, school, mainly. I just barely pulled decent grades and I’m taking spring quarter off so I can get my head straight.”
“Oh, well, that’s… uh, yeah, that’s a good plan.” When the hell had he lost the ability to formulate sentences?
She took a sip of her water and set it on the coffee table. “Are you seeing anybody?”
He paused in the middle of opening the can tab and gave her a look of surprise, shaking his head. “No. Uh, why are you asking?” His heart started to pound. She’d found someone else and was just here for closure, wasn’t she? Oh God, he couldn’t handle this…
“So that I know that I can say this next bit. I’ve been practicing it in front of Tigger.” She giggled nervously. “He didn’t seem all that impressed but I guess I’ll give it a shot anyway.”
“Right, okay.” He braced himself for what was coming.
She took a deep breath and without blushing or stammering said, “I love you, Chad. And I miss you.”
His mouth fell open. This was a dream, right? He’d had this dream before, he was sure of it. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Her mouth drooped. “And I haven’t been fair to you at all. I don’t know how you put up with me.”
“What do you—wait, what? Haven’t been fair?” He was a second away from scratching his head, he was so confused.
“Yes. All the guessing and heartache I put you through.” She looked at him guiltily. “See, all of my life, I’ve had men telling me what to do. My father raised me on his own and he was… very strict. I know he only meant well but it was frustrating. And then with Logan, he’d take it upon himself to make decision after decision without ever consulting me and that was frustrating. Then I met you and I noticed little things immediately, like at the restaurant when you were telling me what I should order. So right away, I started off resenting you a little.”
Chad set his Coke down, unopened. “Oh, I think I get it. It didn’t matter that I told you that this relationship was different, because you were seeing signs that said otherwise. I’m sorry about that. I guess I was just brought up old-fashioned. You know; you order for your date, hold the door open for her, help her into her coat… all that stuff where the guy takes control. I wish you would have told me it bothered you. I had no idea.”
She nodded, shamefaced, and continued with her practiced speech. “Then when I found out more about you, like finding out how isolated you are, I started thinking that maybe you were turning me into this perfect, kept little woman to keep you company in your solitude. I managed to convince myself otherwise, but you telling me you loved me so soon into our relationship did make me feel trapped.”
He looked down and laughed a little. “Well, I don’t get along with most people, yeah. But I’d never do that stuff to you. You know, controlling you like that. I know you have your own life, with friends, and school, and work. And I wouldn’t try to keep you by my side all the time…” He shook his head. “I know that saying it isn’t the same as showing it, but— I probably should have waited to say I love you, even though it was true. I can understand why it’d seem like I was trying to trap you or control you. But that wasn’t it. I just had to say what I felt.”
“I know. I just… have a little more left to the speech, hang on, okay? Tigger always tried to leave at this part.” She laughed then looked troubled. “Anyway. And then… there was Rita. I took one look at her and I couldn’t figure it out: If you could attract a woman like her, what on earth were you doing with me? I couldn’t even begin to compare to her.”
Chad looked puzzled. “Well, I never wanted you to compare to her. I didn’t want a Rita clone. She… she tore me up pretty bad, and there’s no way I’d ever want you to try and compare or be like her. I wanted you to just be you. I liked who you were, and then I grew to love it.” Tentatively, he reached out and touched her hand. “I won’t lie; you and Rita have some things in common. You’re both kindhearted. You’re nurturers, but that’s not why I was with you, okay? I wanted to be with you, because you have, God, this is gonna sound corny…”
“What?” she asked curiously.
He chuckled, embarrassed. “You have this light that surrounds you. You just… light up a room. I could see it when you helped that little kid in the park, or when we went ice skating. You’re just so full of life and just… happy with your life. People here always find something to complain about, but not you. I mean, if you do complain, or you’re unhappy, you don’t hold onto it for long. That’s what I really love about you.” He smiled in self-deprecation. “See? Utterly cheesy sounding and cliché, but it’s true.”
Mary Anne’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Chad, I… I just have a little bit more of this speech to get through, okay? I practiced for so long, I don’t want it to be for nothing.”
“Go ahead; I’m listening.”
“I know I should have told you what was bothering me and I’m sorry that I didn’t. It was my first adult relationship and I was bound to make a few missteps here and there. Or a lot all over the place. Anyway, I thought you had a right to know what was going on with me. I promise that if you ever decide you want to be with me again, I won’t make the same mistakes. Thank you for your time.” She paused. “Um, that’s it. The ending kind of sucks…”
Chad smiled. “Well, I wasn’t going to grade you on it.”
“I knew I should’ve taken speech.” She smiled back before apprehension started creeping over her features. “So, am I too late?”
He reached out and took her hand in his. “Not at all. I’ve missed you, too. And… I know we’ll probably both make mistakes, but hopefully now we can talk about them with each other instead of just arguing without really knowing why.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “You’d never be too late.”
Her face lit up. “So you want me back?”
“Yeah, of course I do.” He grinned. “And, you want me back?”
With a happy squeal, she leaped into his lap, knocking him back against the cushions. He wrapped his arms around her, chuckling. After all this time, it felt so good to be holding her again.
“No, tell me how you really feel,” he said, jokingly.
But true to form, Mary Anne took him seriously and sat up to cup his face. “I want you back, Chad. I love you. I have for…” She blushed. “I have ever since we went on our picnic.”
He smirked. “Loved me since our first non-disastrous date? Damn, I’m good.” He grew serious, stroking her hair. “I think I must have loved you since then, too. Seeing how you comforted that crying boy, and helping him… I could see what a big heart you have, and I felt so lucky that you picked me to be with.”
“Really?” She pressed her forehead to his.
“Yeah, really.”
“Good.” She drew him in for a deep, passionate kiss that left him scrabbling at her back, wanting her closer. She was already plastered to his front but that still didn’t feel close enough. It seemed as if she felt the same way as she squirmed in his lap, fisting his hair.
She tore her mouth away from his, panting. “So, is it too soon for us to…?”
“Do you even have to ask?” He raised an eyebrow and stood up to carry her into the bedroom, her legs circling around his waist.
“Oh thank God, I thought I was going to have to use my- - uhhhh. Yay?”
He paused, intrigued. “No, wait, what? Use your what?”
She blushed but liked his interest. “My hand,” she said, softly.
“Well, you can if that’s what you want,” he teased, grinning. “I could just watch—” He kicked the bedroom door open as she snorted.
“Oh, no way. Three months of that and I want the real thing.” She squeaked as he dropped her onto the bed but she quickly scrambled up to her knees to fumble with his belt. He reached out and caught her hands.
“Remember, slow and steady wins the race, Mary Anne. And I’m very thorough. So prepare yourself for a loooong night.”
She shivered in anticipation and sat back on her heels to watch him jerk his belt through the belt loops and toss it across the room. But then she started to frown thoughtfully.
“Mary Anne?”
“Wait, maybe… maybe we shouldn’t do this.” She nearly looked as disappointed as he did.
“What?! Why not?”
“When we argued, you said that… since I was focusing on the physical aspect so much… that maybe that was all I cared about. And I don’t want you to think that.” She looked up at him, all wide-eyed sincerity.
Chad’s mouth dropped open and he thought for a moment before closing it with a sigh. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Maybe we should wait. I mean,” he grinned devilishly, “if you can resist alllllll this,” he flexed his arms, “then I should be able to resist you, too.”
Mary Anne’s eyes glazed over at the sight.
“Can you resist, sweetheart?”
She started to tremble with want. “It’s just… I’ve missed you so much…”
His voice was low and sexy. “Same here.”
“I do love sex with you but that’s only because it’s you, not just because it’s sex.” Her eyes were getting dilated, getting aroused just by his proximity.
Seeing her reacting so strongly to him made his own eyes glaze over. “Keep talking like that and I could develop an ego problem.”
“It’s so good with you because I love you… and you make me feel so… so…” He was inching closer to her and she sank backwards, allowing him to follow and prop himself over her.
“So… what, Mary Anne?” he whispered, his lips a heartbeat from hers. “I make you feel so what?”
Her look was so shy and sweet. “Special.”
“You are special, my Mary Anne,” he said, tone gone all gravelly. “And you know what else?”
“Hmmm?”
“I’m thinking this ‘holding off on the physical aspect of our relationship’ thing sounds good in theory but,” he dropped his lower body so his erection rubbed between her legs, making her gasp, “it’s never gonna work.”
“Good, I didn’t want to do the mature thing anyway.” She tugged at his shirt. “Get this off.”
Grinning dopily, he rose to his knees and whipped the t-shirt up and off in two seconds. He saw that Mary Anne had made quick work of her sundress as well and he stared down at her, flushed and aroused beneath him, dressed in only lacy blue underwear. Unable to hold back, he swept down to kiss her, loving the sweet sounds she made as her hands fumbled open his fly and her feet pushed his pants down until they were bunched around his knees.
“Hurry,” she whimpered as he stood to get them and his boxers off. She was practically ripping at her bra and then her underwear, hands shaking. “Hurry.”
He caught her hands and rubbed them gently. “Shhh, calm down. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know you’re thorough,” she said breathily, “but I really, really need you right now. I can’t wait.”
His eyes darkened. “That’s the way you want it?”
She nodded, pulling him towards her. “Yes! Right now!”
“What my lady wants…” He propped himself above her but reached down first to test how ready she was. He shuddered. Oh, she was ready. Then he thrust in hard and deep.
Mary Anne gasped and went still. Chad did the same. He never thought he’d get the chance to do this again yet here she was and it wasn’t a dream. His eyes were clenched shut tight as his emotions spiraled all over the place. He wasn’t sure if he was going to whoop in victory or weep with joy to finally have her back.
Eventually, he opened his eyes and gasped. Tears were spilling down Mary Anne’s cheeks.
“Sweetheart?” He traced one of the tears with his thumb. “Am I hurting you?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s just that I’ve missed you for so long and now you’re finally…”
“I know what you mean,” he said with all of his heart.
After her tears had dried, he started to cautiously move inside of her. He knew that she’d tell him if he was hurting her, but it still worried him, how much smaller she was than him. But she kept up the rhythm he set perfectly, clutching his shoulders and sighing his name. Now that he had this again, there was no way he was going to let it go.
“Almost,” he choked.
“Uh huh,” she agreed, digging her nails into his biceps. It should’ve hurt but it was just the extra stimulation he needed to set him off.
“I love you,” he groaned into her ear and her mouth opened in a silent scream as she came with him.
Sleepiness started to set in and Chad rolled off of her and pulled her along with him, tucking her up close. “Think I’m gonna…”
“Yeah,” Mary Anne said, softly, stroking his face. “You look like you haven’t slept in ages.”
“Thanks, sweetheart.”
“I didn’t mean that you-”
“Teasing.”
Sigh. “Of course, you are.” But she was a good sport and kissed his chest.
“You gonna be there when I wake up?”
“Yes. I promise.”
“Good. I still plan on taking the whole night and being all… thorough. Just so you…” He yawned. “Know.”
“Shhh. I know. Go to sleep, baby.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Chad.”
Mary Anne watched him fall asleep with a boyish smile on his face and then curled up on his chest, dropping off herself. The blankets were bunched up at the foot of the bed, the only thing covering them the orange light of late, late afternoon streaming in through the window. If she got cold later, she could just wake him up to get her all warm again.
The thought brought a smile to her face as well and she joined Chad in sleep.
THE END
< Chapter Eleven : Epilogue >
******************************
And that's the end of our crack experiment. Except for the epilogue, of course. I should have that up tomorrow before I head back to my dorm and another fun quarter at school. Thanks so much for following this, guys: Nutmeg and I both thought that two people would read this - me and her. :P Stay tuned for the epilogue and we have another surprise in store for you. Again, thanks for reading. :D
*****************************
Title: Chapter 12 (12/12)
Authors:
toxic_corn and nutmeg610Disclaimer: Chad and Mary Anne belong to ABC, Ann M. Martin, and Scholastic Books repsectively. We humbly apologize for this.
Rating: NC-17 for this chapter.
Summary: Mary Anne has left Stoneybrook behind to attend UCLA. She loves living with Dawn and Tigger, working at a local day care, and spending time with Logan. But lately Logan's been changing and not for the better. What will happen when Logan's erratic behavior gets to be too much and the older LAPD officer starts getting closer?!
Notes: Sorry for the dreadful summary; I was going for a style. This is a Day Break/Baby-Sitter's Club crossover fic we dreamed up one night because we're insane. If you're brave enough to give this a try, good on you. And if you avoid it, well, we understand. :)
Earlier chapters can be found at the organizational post.
It’s really great to get all of us together, don’t get me wrong. I just wish it hadn’t taken a funeral to do it this time around, you know?
- email from Kristy Thomas to Claudia Kishi
In the three months that followed, a lot happened in Mary Anne’s life. First was Logan’s funeral. The Brunos flew in from Connecticut and she fully expected them to be cold towards her but they were just as warm as they’d always been. She’d broken down the instant she saw Mrs. Bruno and the two women held each other, mourning the boy Logan had been.
Also flying in had been the entire Baby-Sitters Club, even Mallory and Jessi, who had talked their parents into letting them fly out for a three-day weekend to attend the funeral for one of their own. After the ceremony, everyone had gathered back at Dawn’s and Mary Anne’s place and they reminisced over the good times and some of the bad times. Mary Anne had missed everyone so much, being in that warm circle once more reminded her that she wasn’t alone. Her thoughts turned to Chad, who didn’t have this kind of support, and she quickly squashed it before she had something else to cry over.
She started seeing a therapist to talk out all of the feelings she’d been bottling up for years without realizing it. She had let Logan treat her in such a way that all of those hurts and worries and self-doubts had reared up in her relationship with Chad and it all had exploded. The therapist helped her work those out and within weeks of seeing her, Mary Anne’s bad dreams started to fade away and she could stop sleeping in Dawn’s bed.
All the while, she was finding out who Mary Anne Spier had been and was going to be. And one day, she woke up and knew she had the strength to go and do what she had to do.
Chad stared at the tv without really being sure what he was watching. Maybe he’d go to the bar later, just so he wouldn’t spend another night cooped up in his apartment. Maybe someone from work would be there and they’d be obligated to talk to him for at least five minutes.
Yeah, right.
He’d never won any popularity contests but lately his attitude had ratcheted up to well-nigh unbearable. His hurt and loneliness was making him lash out at anyone near him, not that he’d ever admit that. He was just having a lot of bad days recently. Ever since he’d let Mary Anne run away from him. He knew that he’d done the right thing, not spending the night with her when she’d begged him. He’d known then and he knew now that if he’d spent “just one more night” it wouldn’t have been one more night; there was no way he would’ve been able to let her go.
Still. Sometimes he wished he had taken her up on her offer, just to be tangled up with her again, hear her voice, smell her hair…
Someone knocked at the door and Chad sighed heavily. Great; it was probably another solicitor. His building was getting a lot of those lately.
He threw the door open, ready to tell the joker to buzz off but ended up gaping stupidly in surprise at who stood there. “Mary Anne?” For a second he thought he was just imagining things; he’d been so sure she’d eventually move on from him. “Uh, hi.”
“Hi.” She smiled softly and she looked so beautiful, the late afternoon sun shining in her hair. “How are you?”
Chad shrugged. “I’ve been… well. Uh, and you?” He frowned in concern. “How are you?”
“I’m not quite well yet,” she admitted and bit her lip. “But I’m getting there.”
“Oh. Well, that’s… good to hear. I mean, that you’re… getting there.” For the life of him, he couldn’t figure out what she was doing here and he’d never felt so damn awkward in his life.
“You’re probably wondering why I’m here.” She started to look worried. “Is this a bad time?”
He shook his head and held the door open wider to let her in. “Not at all. C’mon in.”
She came inside and he took a moment to smell her hair; she was using the same shampoo. He closed the door behind her, watching her look around the room.
“It feels like it’s been forever,” she murmured to herself.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Chad asked. “I think I only have Cherry Coke and water.”
“Water’s fine. I know how much you like your Cherry Coke.” She laughed lightly.
Chad allowed himself a small smile. “Okay, well, make yourself at—er, I, uh… have a seat and I’ll get that water for you.” He walked into the kitchen, facepalming.
Smiling, Mary Anne curled up on the couch. “What have you been doing with yourself?”
“Oh, uh same old stuff really,” Chad called from the kitchen, getting their drinks. “Just work and maybe heading out to the bar every once in awhile. So not much, I guess.” He came out a moment later and handed her a glass of water, holding a can of Cherry Coke for himself. “What about you?” He sat down on the other side of the couch.
“Well, school, mainly. I just barely pulled decent grades and I’m taking spring quarter off so I can get my head straight.”
“Oh, well, that’s… uh, yeah, that’s a good plan.” When the hell had he lost the ability to formulate sentences?
She took a sip of her water and set it on the coffee table. “Are you seeing anybody?”
He paused in the middle of opening the can tab and gave her a look of surprise, shaking his head. “No. Uh, why are you asking?” His heart started to pound. She’d found someone else and was just here for closure, wasn’t she? Oh God, he couldn’t handle this…
“So that I know that I can say this next bit. I’ve been practicing it in front of Tigger.” She giggled nervously. “He didn’t seem all that impressed but I guess I’ll give it a shot anyway.”
“Right, okay.” He braced himself for what was coming.
She took a deep breath and without blushing or stammering said, “I love you, Chad. And I miss you.”
His mouth fell open. This was a dream, right? He’d had this dream before, he was sure of it. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” Her mouth drooped. “And I haven’t been fair to you at all. I don’t know how you put up with me.”
“What do you—wait, what? Haven’t been fair?” He was a second away from scratching his head, he was so confused.
“Yes. All the guessing and heartache I put you through.” She looked at him guiltily. “See, all of my life, I’ve had men telling me what to do. My father raised me on his own and he was… very strict. I know he only meant well but it was frustrating. And then with Logan, he’d take it upon himself to make decision after decision without ever consulting me and that was frustrating. Then I met you and I noticed little things immediately, like at the restaurant when you were telling me what I should order. So right away, I started off resenting you a little.”
Chad set his Coke down, unopened. “Oh, I think I get it. It didn’t matter that I told you that this relationship was different, because you were seeing signs that said otherwise. I’m sorry about that. I guess I was just brought up old-fashioned. You know; you order for your date, hold the door open for her, help her into her coat… all that stuff where the guy takes control. I wish you would have told me it bothered you. I had no idea.”
She nodded, shamefaced, and continued with her practiced speech. “Then when I found out more about you, like finding out how isolated you are, I started thinking that maybe you were turning me into this perfect, kept little woman to keep you company in your solitude. I managed to convince myself otherwise, but you telling me you loved me so soon into our relationship did make me feel trapped.”
He looked down and laughed a little. “Well, I don’t get along with most people, yeah. But I’d never do that stuff to you. You know, controlling you like that. I know you have your own life, with friends, and school, and work. And I wouldn’t try to keep you by my side all the time…” He shook his head. “I know that saying it isn’t the same as showing it, but— I probably should have waited to say I love you, even though it was true. I can understand why it’d seem like I was trying to trap you or control you. But that wasn’t it. I just had to say what I felt.”
“I know. I just… have a little more left to the speech, hang on, okay? Tigger always tried to leave at this part.” She laughed then looked troubled. “Anyway. And then… there was Rita. I took one look at her and I couldn’t figure it out: If you could attract a woman like her, what on earth were you doing with me? I couldn’t even begin to compare to her.”
Chad looked puzzled. “Well, I never wanted you to compare to her. I didn’t want a Rita clone. She… she tore me up pretty bad, and there’s no way I’d ever want you to try and compare or be like her. I wanted you to just be you. I liked who you were, and then I grew to love it.” Tentatively, he reached out and touched her hand. “I won’t lie; you and Rita have some things in common. You’re both kindhearted. You’re nurturers, but that’s not why I was with you, okay? I wanted to be with you, because you have, God, this is gonna sound corny…”
“What?” she asked curiously.
He chuckled, embarrassed. “You have this light that surrounds you. You just… light up a room. I could see it when you helped that little kid in the park, or when we went ice skating. You’re just so full of life and just… happy with your life. People here always find something to complain about, but not you. I mean, if you do complain, or you’re unhappy, you don’t hold onto it for long. That’s what I really love about you.” He smiled in self-deprecation. “See? Utterly cheesy sounding and cliché, but it’s true.”
Mary Anne’s eyes filled with tears. “Oh, Chad, I… I just have a little bit more of this speech to get through, okay? I practiced for so long, I don’t want it to be for nothing.”
“Go ahead; I’m listening.”
“I know I should have told you what was bothering me and I’m sorry that I didn’t. It was my first adult relationship and I was bound to make a few missteps here and there. Or a lot all over the place. Anyway, I thought you had a right to know what was going on with me. I promise that if you ever decide you want to be with me again, I won’t make the same mistakes. Thank you for your time.” She paused. “Um, that’s it. The ending kind of sucks…”
Chad smiled. “Well, I wasn’t going to grade you on it.”
“I knew I should’ve taken speech.” She smiled back before apprehension started creeping over her features. “So, am I too late?”
He reached out and took her hand in his. “Not at all. I’ve missed you, too. And… I know we’ll probably both make mistakes, but hopefully now we can talk about them with each other instead of just arguing without really knowing why.” He gave her hand a squeeze. “You’d never be too late.”
Her face lit up. “So you want me back?”
“Yeah, of course I do.” He grinned. “And, you want me back?”
With a happy squeal, she leaped into his lap, knocking him back against the cushions. He wrapped his arms around her, chuckling. After all this time, it felt so good to be holding her again.
“No, tell me how you really feel,” he said, jokingly.
But true to form, Mary Anne took him seriously and sat up to cup his face. “I want you back, Chad. I love you. I have for…” She blushed. “I have ever since we went on our picnic.”
He smirked. “Loved me since our first non-disastrous date? Damn, I’m good.” He grew serious, stroking her hair. “I think I must have loved you since then, too. Seeing how you comforted that crying boy, and helping him… I could see what a big heart you have, and I felt so lucky that you picked me to be with.”
“Really?” She pressed her forehead to his.
“Yeah, really.”
“Good.” She drew him in for a deep, passionate kiss that left him scrabbling at her back, wanting her closer. She was already plastered to his front but that still didn’t feel close enough. It seemed as if she felt the same way as she squirmed in his lap, fisting his hair.
She tore her mouth away from his, panting. “So, is it too soon for us to…?”
“Do you even have to ask?” He raised an eyebrow and stood up to carry her into the bedroom, her legs circling around his waist.
“Oh thank God, I thought I was going to have to use my- - uhhhh. Yay?”
He paused, intrigued. “No, wait, what? Use your what?”
She blushed but liked his interest. “My hand,” she said, softly.
“Well, you can if that’s what you want,” he teased, grinning. “I could just watch—” He kicked the bedroom door open as she snorted.
“Oh, no way. Three months of that and I want the real thing.” She squeaked as he dropped her onto the bed but she quickly scrambled up to her knees to fumble with his belt. He reached out and caught her hands.
“Remember, slow and steady wins the race, Mary Anne. And I’m very thorough. So prepare yourself for a loooong night.”
She shivered in anticipation and sat back on her heels to watch him jerk his belt through the belt loops and toss it across the room. But then she started to frown thoughtfully.
“Mary Anne?”
“Wait, maybe… maybe we shouldn’t do this.” She nearly looked as disappointed as he did.
“What?! Why not?”
“When we argued, you said that… since I was focusing on the physical aspect so much… that maybe that was all I cared about. And I don’t want you to think that.” She looked up at him, all wide-eyed sincerity.
Chad’s mouth dropped open and he thought for a moment before closing it with a sigh. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Maybe we should wait. I mean,” he grinned devilishly, “if you can resist alllllll this,” he flexed his arms, “then I should be able to resist you, too.”
Mary Anne’s eyes glazed over at the sight.
“Can you resist, sweetheart?”
She started to tremble with want. “It’s just… I’ve missed you so much…”
His voice was low and sexy. “Same here.”
“I do love sex with you but that’s only because it’s you, not just because it’s sex.” Her eyes were getting dilated, getting aroused just by his proximity.
Seeing her reacting so strongly to him made his own eyes glaze over. “Keep talking like that and I could develop an ego problem.”
“It’s so good with you because I love you… and you make me feel so… so…” He was inching closer to her and she sank backwards, allowing him to follow and prop himself over her.
“So… what, Mary Anne?” he whispered, his lips a heartbeat from hers. “I make you feel so what?”
Her look was so shy and sweet. “Special.”
“You are special, my Mary Anne,” he said, tone gone all gravelly. “And you know what else?”
“Hmmm?”
“I’m thinking this ‘holding off on the physical aspect of our relationship’ thing sounds good in theory but,” he dropped his lower body so his erection rubbed between her legs, making her gasp, “it’s never gonna work.”
“Good, I didn’t want to do the mature thing anyway.” She tugged at his shirt. “Get this off.”
Grinning dopily, he rose to his knees and whipped the t-shirt up and off in two seconds. He saw that Mary Anne had made quick work of her sundress as well and he stared down at her, flushed and aroused beneath him, dressed in only lacy blue underwear. Unable to hold back, he swept down to kiss her, loving the sweet sounds she made as her hands fumbled open his fly and her feet pushed his pants down until they were bunched around his knees.
“Hurry,” she whimpered as he stood to get them and his boxers off. She was practically ripping at her bra and then her underwear, hands shaking. “Hurry.”
He caught her hands and rubbed them gently. “Shhh, calm down. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I know you’re thorough,” she said breathily, “but I really, really need you right now. I can’t wait.”
His eyes darkened. “That’s the way you want it?”
She nodded, pulling him towards her. “Yes! Right now!”
“What my lady wants…” He propped himself above her but reached down first to test how ready she was. He shuddered. Oh, she was ready. Then he thrust in hard and deep.
Mary Anne gasped and went still. Chad did the same. He never thought he’d get the chance to do this again yet here she was and it wasn’t a dream. His eyes were clenched shut tight as his emotions spiraled all over the place. He wasn’t sure if he was going to whoop in victory or weep with joy to finally have her back.
Eventually, he opened his eyes and gasped. Tears were spilling down Mary Anne’s cheeks.
“Sweetheart?” He traced one of the tears with his thumb. “Am I hurting you?”
She shook her head. “No. It’s just that I’ve missed you for so long and now you’re finally…”
“I know what you mean,” he said with all of his heart.
After her tears had dried, he started to cautiously move inside of her. He knew that she’d tell him if he was hurting her, but it still worried him, how much smaller she was than him. But she kept up the rhythm he set perfectly, clutching his shoulders and sighing his name. Now that he had this again, there was no way he was going to let it go.
“Almost,” he choked.
“Uh huh,” she agreed, digging her nails into his biceps. It should’ve hurt but it was just the extra stimulation he needed to set him off.
“I love you,” he groaned into her ear and her mouth opened in a silent scream as she came with him.
Sleepiness started to set in and Chad rolled off of her and pulled her along with him, tucking her up close. “Think I’m gonna…”
“Yeah,” Mary Anne said, softly, stroking his face. “You look like you haven’t slept in ages.”
“Thanks, sweetheart.”
“I didn’t mean that you-”
“Teasing.”
Sigh. “Of course, you are.” But she was a good sport and kissed his chest.
“You gonna be there when I wake up?”
“Yes. I promise.”
“Good. I still plan on taking the whole night and being all… thorough. Just so you…” He yawned. “Know.”
“Shhh. I know. Go to sleep, baby.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too, Chad.”
Mary Anne watched him fall asleep with a boyish smile on his face and then curled up on his chest, dropping off herself. The blankets were bunched up at the foot of the bed, the only thing covering them the orange light of late, late afternoon streaming in through the window. If she got cold later, she could just wake him up to get her all warm again.
The thought brought a smile to her face as well and she joined Chad in sleep.
< Chapter Eleven : Epilogue >
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And that's the end of our crack experiment. Except for the epilogue, of course. I should have that up tomorrow before I head back to my dorm and another fun quarter at school. Thanks so much for following this, guys: Nutmeg and I both thought that two people would read this - me and her. :P Stay tuned for the epilogue and we have another surprise in store for you. Again, thanks for reading. :D
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![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 01:26 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 01:44 am (UTC)*wipes a tear away* That was so sweet. Glad MaryAnne is seeing someone, she needs to work through everything. But now she can do that with Chad!!!
*showers you with rose petals*
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 01:55 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 01:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 01:56 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 02:05 am (UTC)It's ok, because I love you.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 02:20 am (UTC)And you guys brought the whole gang to California!! :) Even if it's for a funernal...
I can't wait for the epilogue. And for the record, if ya two write any more Daybreak/BSC crossovers, I'll definitely read. (Dude, I wanna ship Dawn with someone.) : D
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 02:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 05:22 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 03:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 07:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 07:48 pm (UTC)I wonder if Guinny will call off her army of Dutch now...
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 08:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 08:18 pm (UTC)OMG EPILOGUE! *runs* \0/
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 04:29 am (UTC)That was so sweet! I'm so happy :)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 07:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 12:37 pm (UTC)Ah, contentment is mine :D
You realise that is has turned into my favorite thing, like a TV show you just can't miss. I've been discussing it with Guinny and everything.
Please let those sly hints of more to come come true and I don't just mean the epilogue, Pleeeeeeease.
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 07:43 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 08:24 pm (UTC)LOVE IT!! woo!
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 08:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 08:53 pm (UTC)*calls meeting*
You know I really loved this chapter and I love that they're back together and Teh Sex... but the surprise in the epilogue makes me antsy. The trust is gone.
*bites lip*
*sends armies home*
*runs to envelop Tox and Meg in a bear hug*
Thanks sooo much for the awesomeness that was this story, guys! I really really loved it! *snogs*
no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 12:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-01-09 10:39 am (UTC)That's so cool *giggles* I made a cameo in your conversations!
*bounces*
*worships the Queens of Crack*
no subject
Date: 2007-01-07 09:08 pm (UTC)*sigh* I love this story and you guys for writing it! Thank you! :)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-08 12:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2007-03-10 01:35 pm (UTC)Now, about all this unprotected sex they've been having.........
no subject
Date: 2007-03-10 08:47 pm (UTC)