Molly decided to let Stefan on her good side - for now. Her mood lightened up a bit and she stopped giving him that serious look of hers. She stood up energetically.

"Don't worry, Stefan," she assured him, smiling at him for once. "My approval is not that difficult to gain."

Stefan laughed quietly. "Music to my ears," he replied.

Molly daintily picked up her mug and took a sip, but her chai tea was now ice-tea.

"I think I'm gonna pop this in the microwave," she told Stefan. "I'll be right back."

Stefan watched Molly leave the room. He rested his elbows on the arm of the couch and fixed his eyes on Aimee, with his head in his palms. He just sat there, gazing at her, absorbing her natural beauty and wondering what - or who - she was dreaming about.

Not long after, he heard the sudden ding of the microwave timer and sat up; predicting Molly would walk into the room at any second. Stefan cleared his throat, his hand at his chest in a fist as Molly strode in. As soon as she sat down, she commenced with an interview. It was her way of choosing a boyfriend for Aimee. Emphasise choosing a boyfriend and for Aimee.

"So, what do you like to do for fun?" she sipped her tea and crossed one leg over the other.

She caught Stefan off guard. "Uh..." he stuttered. "I like to... read."

"Read?" she queried. "That's very interesting. What genre fascinates you?"

His eyebrows rose. "S-Spy and fiction novels," he replied.

"Wow, alright," Molly was surprised. "Like?"

Like, whoever writes up his spy journals and mission briefings. To his luck, Aimee was waking up, grabbing their attention before Molly could ask anything more.

"Aimee, hey," Stefan's attentiveness was hers.

"Hey, Stefan," she said softly, her hand in her hair. "How long have I been asleep?"

Her eyes were hardly open yet, she did not notice Molly was sitting almost directly in front of her. Her voice startled her - well, more than usual.

"Aimee, what happened?" she asked strictly.

Stefan glimpsed at Molly, stood up and offered his hand to Aimee in order to help her off the sofa.

"Nothing, Moll," she took Stefan's hand sluggishly. "I'm fine, I promise."

Stefan helped her up. "Why do you need to ask what Gavin already told you?" he questioned Molly.

"Where is Gavin?" Aimee briskly scoped her surroundings.

"He's fine, he took the cab home," he fabricated.

"Oh, right," Aimee played along. "You know, I'm still really tired so I'll just go up to my room."

"Well, since you're not sick you can stay there, you're still grounded," Molly crossed her arms.

Aimee halted halfway to the staircase and glanced back at Molly.

"And if I am sick?" she asked naughtily as her eyebrows bounced on her forehead.

"Well, if you are, then you should stay in bed and I'll bring you some of my baby marrow soup," she sneered.

Aimee's jaw dropped. "You know, I'm suddenly not sick anymore," she said humorously.

Aimee grabbed the rail and hurriedly climbed the stairs, Stefan following her actions. The two of them reached Aimee's door. She pushed the handle down and pressed her shoulder against the door, the very much locked door.

"Dang it!" bellowed Aimee. "I forgot I locked this thing when I snuck out."

She sighed and leaned with her back against the door. Stefan was collected, trying to devise a way in.

"Well, if you locked it from the inside, we'll just have to unlock it from the inside," he suggested.

"How?" she looked at him with that 'you're crazy' facial expression. "You know my mom isn't just gonna let us out."

"We'll sneak passed her," he said. "That's how you got out in the first place, isn't it? Come on," he half smiled at her.

Stefan ran his hand down her arm, to her forearm, and lastly to her hand. She smiled up at him and her eyes sparkled from the hallway lights. He smiled back, with some teeth. They descended the stairs speedily; Molly was watching the television on a reasonably high volume. Aimee snitched the keys from the kitchen counter and silently unlocked and opened the door. With the draft coming into the house, Aimee put the keys back quickly and pulled Stefan out the door, closing it behind the both of them.

"That wasn't so hard," remarked Stefan.

"Consider us lucky," giggled Aimee.

"I know I am," he smiled.

Aimee shook her head slightly and dipped it to hide her blushing cheeks. She punched him on the arm in a playful manner, "Come on, my window's over there," she gestured.

They slowly neared the shrubs that Aimee landed in. Even in the dusk Stefan could see the damage done to the bushes. Aimee was ahead of him and did not see his eyebrows rise.

"Ouch," he chuckled to himself and stepped a few paces closer to Aimee.

"Well, here's the window," she said, standing directly beneath it.

"So how do we get in?" joked Stefan, she was about to punch his shoulder, but he beat her too it for the fun of it.

"Ow!"

He put his finger on her lip. "You'll wake the neighbours," he chuckled again.

Aimee rolled her eyes as his hand fell back on his side.

"No one's asleep at this hour, Stefan," she mentioned.

"Ha, I guess you're right," he observed the skyline.

"But really, how're we getting up to the window?"

"By the gutter pipe," he indicated the pipe on her wall.

"You expect me to climb that thing?"

"Yeah," he smiled mischievously.

"Fine, let's do it," Aimee deeply inhaled and exhaled.

"You know you can, come on," he assured her and walked her closer to the pipe. "I'll stand at the bottom in case you fall, okay?"

"That's heartening," she said sarcastically. "But okay, thank you," she smiled.

Aimee gripped the pipe and lifted her feet onto the wall. Stefan was there to help her on and up the first few paces. Her confidence was nearly destroyed by the sounds the pipe kept making. The only things that held her on there were Stefan and the fact that it was at least steadier than it sounded, but mainly Stefan. He soon let go of Aimee's hand, but he supported her and cheered from the ground.

Aimee was able to reach the level of the window, now all she had to do was leap from the pipe to the windowsill. Obviously, it was easier said than done. Aimee looked down.

"That's it, you're almost there, Aimee!" called Stefan, his hands capping his mouth.

She ogled the windowsill. "Well, this day could not get more adventurous," she uttered.

She stretched her arm out, but the windowsill was not in reach. The awkward change in weight shifted something in or on the pipe. It jolted by nearly a centimetre.

"Crap!" yelled Aimee. It did not seem to be getting any solider. "Stefan, help!"

"Hang on!"

He tried to get up on the pipe slowly, so it would not shift any further, but it made no difference. Aimee screamed again and Stefan was climbing as fast as he could with a leg cast. The pipe bolts were loosening. He was forced to use that amazing upper body strength of his to get to her. He was right below her now as he glanced at the pipe and then the windowsill. Stefan instantaneously jumped onto the windowsill. He held himself up by placing one hand on the inside walls of Aimee's bedroom. He stood upright on the sill itself.

"Stefan!" panicked Aimee; she thought he would not make it. Her heart practically skipped a beat.

Stefan positioned himself correctly and held his hand out for Aimee to grasp. He leaned out even further, but she still could not reach it without moving the pipe.

"I can't, Stefan," her eyelids pinched closed.

"Then you'll have to jump," he told her.

She glared at him. "I can, Stefan," she managed a smile, but she did not feel any better about the situation.

The pipe was sliding more and more out of place, but at least Aimee was moving nearer to Stefan and could almost touch his hand. A little closer and their hands met. Stefan held hers tightly.

"I won't let go," he assured. He would hate himself if he did.

"Well, you'd better not let go!" she squeaked.

Stefan stepped back, still holding Aimee's hand, making sure that there was enough space on the windowsill for her to stand on. She leapt with sure bravado and grabbed onto his shirt with both hands. She wanted to cry, but she made it and the pipe did not fall. There was nothing to cry about anymore, so she held back her tears. She gave Stefan a tight hug and a genuine "thank you" before playfully pushing him into her room. They landed on her bed. She was lying on top of him and smiling from ear to ear, and then she realised she was on top of him.

"I'm sorry," she forced herself off of his body.

He sat up and looked at her. He smiled lightly. Aimee climbed off of her bed and to her homework desk to retrieve the spare key. She waved it in the air before unlocking her door.

"Voila," she giggled. She walked back to the bed and sat next to Stefan. "I can't believe I just climbed that pipe."

Stefan chortled. "Believe it, you were awesome," he complimented her.

"I'd probably be seriously hurt right now if you weren't here," she said.

Stefan hugged her. "You're welcome," he whispered in her ear and when Aimee pulled away, he kissed her.

His hands were on her back in order to pull her body closer. He was gentle. Aimee's left hand lightly combing through his hair while her right hand rested on his leg.

Stefan was an amazing kisser. She would kiss him forever if she could. When he ended the kiss, their eyes were sparkling.

"I think that was officially our first kiss," established Aimee.

"Oh yeah?" smiled Stefan. "What about the hospital?" he moved towards her ear, "and right after you gave me that medicine?"

Aimee gasped. "I knew you kissed me back! Your buttocks!" she scolded him teasingly.

They laughed concurrently for a moment and dropped on their backs. Stefan situated his arm under Aimee's neck and that hand on her shoulder. They stared into each other's eyes and did not say a word.