[A/N: Song of the chapter:
- One Republic // Something I Need]

The blaring tunes that came from the stereo of my father's car made me lean my head back and grin as he sang along to Radio Disney with me. We belted out my favourite songs as we cruised down the highway. I clutched Snowy, my new teddy bear, and stuck an arm out of the window, allowing the rushing wind to prickle my bare arm with goosebumps.

"Excited for Disneyland kiddo?" My father asked me.

I turned my head to the side and grinned wildly.

"Yes, yes, yes!" I gushed. "This is going to be the best birthday ever Daddy. I can't believe I'm finally in the two digits."

"Turning ten is a big deal," He agreed. "Nineteen years ago, I turned ten and your grandparents bought me bicycle."

"I already have a bicycle," I smiled smugly and my father rolled his eyes.

"Spoilt much?" He arched an eyebrow, though the corners of his full lips twitched.

"Nope," I popped the 'p' and pushed my hair out of my eyes. "I'll only become a spoilt brat if my favourite daddy treats me to Disneyland."

"I am treating you to Disneyland therefore you are spoilt," My father frowned before realising that I was teasing him. "And hey! What do you mean 'favourite daddy'? You only have one."

"Exactly," I giggled. "And he's my favourite daddy."

"Oh good," He placed a hand on his heart and let out a dramatic, deep breath. "For a second there, I thought you were replacing me kiddo."

"Not yet," I replied, laughing at his horrified expression. "Only if you embarrass me at Disneyland. You pinky promised not to sing out loud, dance in public or make any weird faces."

"A pinky promise is a pinky promise. I won't break it Ashley-bear. Plus you'll be distracted by all the fun you're having so you won't notice my weird faces or amazing singing."

"Horrible singing," I corrected him and we both laughed. "Daddy, how much longer until we get there?"

"Soon."

"How soon?"

"Just soon."

"I can't wait," I clapped my hands together and stole a glance at my father.

His molten gold eyes sparkled with his own excitement, lighting up moss green ring around them as the deep honey iris glowed with happiness. I smiled when his faint crow's feet wrinkled and his lips stretched into a wider grin.

"Good, you're going to love your hotel room. Everything is Disney themed," He reached out to squeeze my shoulder. "I bet your friend Tyler is jealous that you're meeting those Disney princesses before him."

I laughed, struggling to contain a blush at the mention of my crush's name.

"Daddy," I whined when he waggled his eyebrows. "The twins go Disneyland every year."

"I know, I know," He chuckled, ruffling my hair. "I just like riling you up by bringing up your boyfriend's name."

"Boyfriend?" I squeaked. "He's not my boyfriend Daddy!"

"But you want him to be," He laughed and the car was filled with his deep, throaty chuckles. "Don't act so surprised Ashley-bear. I've seen those looks he gives you when little Taylor isn't watching."

"I don't like Tyler," I wrinkled my nose with disgust, trying to play off my obvious lie. "And he doesn't look at me in anyway Daddy. He makes jokes about my pigtails and my favourite dungarees. Sometimes he's mean to me and other times he's really, really nice to me."

"Exactly," He grinned like he knew something I didn't. "It makes perfect sense then."

"What does?" I asked.

"That he likes you back," Daddy shrugged his shoulders like there was actual truth behind his words.

"No he doesn't," I said, tugging a loose thread poking out of my sleeve. "And who said I like him anyway?"

"Ashley-bear, the boy gave you a Valentine's card a few months ago."

"So? He gave one to Taylor too. The only difference was that he put a spider inside her one."

My father laughed, momentarily taking his eyes off the road to drink in my beetroot cheeks, knitted eyebrows and deep frown. We always had this same conversation every time I accidentally mentioned Tyler's name and the teasing always worked me up, leaving me more confused about my best friend's brother.

He made me a daisy chain on the last day of fourth grade before the Miller's disappeared to their beach house for the summer, telling me to hold onto it until he came back just last week. I tried to give it back to him a few days ago but he said he wanted me to have it because daisies are pretty and I remind him of one. But the daisy chain had rotted and it looked like poo. So Tyler basically said I looked like poo - which was really mean of him.

Before I could digress any further, the all too familiar lorry horn cut off my thoughts and I closed my eyes, pleading the horror to happen quickly like it did most nights. The seat belt dug into my chest, cutting off my cries as we tumbled like clothes in a washing machine - twisting and turning in the air. The blaring horn continued, almost as loud as the blood rushing to my head. Suddenly my body jerked forward and my skull careered through the windscreen; jagged glass engraved multiple wounds into my head as I jerked violently back into the passenger seat.

Was it over?

I turned to the driver's seat, ready to see my father's lower body crushed into the door but instead of chesnut curls and pained hazel eyes, the man in the driver's seat had blond hair and sea green eyes.

"Tyler?" I choked before clamping a hand over my mouth. "Tyler!"

Suddenly eyes flung open to a starry room with sea green eyes hovering over me, panicked and wild, roaming my face as I continued to scream hysterically. I bolted upright, almost taking out Tyler's chin in the process as he shot back and stared at me like I'd grown another head.

"Shit!" I whimpered as I buried my head into my palms and fought back a sob.

What was I still doing at his house? He was supposed to take me home yesterday after I broke down at the cemetery and told him everything, but instead we went to his house and I cried myself to sleep in his arms.

"Ash? What's going on? Are you okay?"

Tyler hesitantly tried to pull me into his arms, I jerked away and choked on a cry.

"P-Please don't," I hiccuped, ignoring the acrid taste of bile.

Without another word, I jumped off the bed and rushed to the bathroom, locking it behind me when I heard Tyler run after me.

"Ashley, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" He sounded startled and perplexed.

I pressed my back against the wall, drowning out his frantic pleas to let him in as I concentrated on my breathing. Rubbing my eyelids, I focused on each inhale and exhale, releasing every remaining remnant of my nightmare as I slid down the wall and cradled my head. I should have known not to fall asleep at Tyler's house. This was bound to happen sometime soon, he was bound to be present after one of my bad dreams. I just didn't expect it to be so soon.

Oh fuck, fuckity fuck fuck. This was bad. Why did I always let my guard down around him?

I heard Tyler slump down on the other side of the door, his deep breaths falling in sync with mine as we sat in silence. Neither of us made a move to break the silence, dwelling in a echoing quiet that soothed my jittery nerves.

About ten minutes later, he finally spoke up.

"Ash? Are you okay for me to come in yet?"

I swiped my palms underneath my eyes, sniffing noisily as I exhaled heavily and scrambled to my feet. I trudged over to his sink and washed away the taste of bile with mouthwash before brushing my teeth using the spare toothbrush that Tyler had put aside for me. Once I spashed my face with cold water to get rid of my blotchy cheeks, I gripped the edge of the sink and leaned forward. Breathing heavily, I closed my eyes and counted to sixty before sloping over to the bathroom door. Gingerly, I turned the lock and took a step back when it creaked open slowly. Tyler was still sitting on the floor with his knees bent as he cradled his head. He carefully regarded me before hoisting himself up to his feet.

"Hey."

"Hey," I smiled meekly.

Tyler hesitantly held out his arms and I ran into them, nestling my head into the crook of his neck and allowing his comfort to chase away my bad dreams. He caged his arms around my waist, keeping me locked and plastered to his bare chest as I breathed deeply.

"I'm sorry about that, I just needed a few minutes to pull myself together."

His chin shifted on my head as he nodded with understanding.

"Don't be sorry munchkin," He murmured into my hair. "Everybody has bad dreams."

In disagreement I shook my head, focusing on the palm I planted on his chest, listening intently to his comforting heart beat.

"Not dreams like mine," I replied, my voice muffled by his bare chest.

"What do you mean?" He replied in a light tone as if I was being ridiculous. "We all get them Ash."

"Yeah," I sighed heavily before pulling away. Tyler held me at arms length and scrutinised my embarrassed frown. "Not recurring ones."

His hold on me loosened and I used it as an opportunity to distance myself from him. For a brief moment, insecurity threatened to suffocate me as I carefully observed Tyler's response to my revelation. I had never admitted my dreams to anyone besides Taylor, my mother and Dr Jillian.

"You...You have recurring dreams?" Tyler asked, eyes wide with concern.

"Recurring nightmares," I corrected him, pulling down the shirt I borrowed from him so it covered my thighs a little more.

"Shit," He frowned, staring at the ground before looking up at me. "H-How often?"

I took a seat on his bed and patted the space next to me. He flopped down beside me, raking a hand through his hair so that the blond locks feathered in all directions. I reached up to flatten his hair but Tyler gripped my wrist and pushed it back onto my lap. A flicker of hurt crossed my eyes but he didn't register anything besides the fact that I left his question unanswered.

"How often Ashley? How long has it been going on?"

I frowned and felt the familiar lump forming in my throat from last night. My eyes were still aching and raw, desperate to hold onto what little moisture they still had left. I didn't want to cry again. I had soaked Tyler's shirt enough last night as he rocked me to sleep.

"Since my father died," I whispered, picking at my stubby fingernails before popping one into my mouth. "After the accident it happened everyday then they dwindled into monthly appearances. Lately they've been worse than ever but I'm coping."

"Coping?" Tyler frowned. "How?"

The question caught me off guard and I lapsed into silence, struggling to come up with an answer.

"I don't know, I just am," I replied after a while.

His haunting eyes bored into mine and I could tell he was trying to out if I was telling the truth or not. To be honest, I wasn't so sure myself either. If I was coping so well, why could I still taste bile in my throat from the horror of my dream?

"W-What are they about? You know...the dreams. What happens?" Tyler stammering, not quite knowing how to phrase his question.

"Uh, they're basically just a recreation of the accident but w-worse because I umm...I always d-die at the end instead of my father. Sometimes we both die, sometimes I wake up before I die, but the storyline is always similar..."

"That's terrible," His eyes flashed with alarm but I sent him a soft smile, assuring him that I was coping with my dreams.

Tyler seemed unhappy with my vague answer to his question so I sighed and spent the next ten minutes telling him about the details of my dream, struggling to keep my tears at bay although a small tremor shook through my hands. I stuffed them underneath my armpits before he could notice. I accidentally let slip the numerous therapists I had from the ages ten to twelve before clamping a hand over my mouth after I mentioned my appointments with Dr Jillian.

"Dr Jillian?" Tyler choked, scooting away from me by a small fraction but it was enough to bring an ache to my heart. "You said it was your friend who...Oh. You lied about that too?"

I stayed silent, keeping my gaze glued to my bare feet.

"You should have told me about therapy a long time ago. You should have told me before we started dating, when we were friends..." He said, struggling to contain the anger in his voice. "Even if you didn't want to tell me about your father, I wouldn't have judged you about therapy. Lots of kids go to therapy."

"And lot's of kids keep it a secret because they're ashamed about the fact that they can't keep their shit together," I replied with an exhausted smile.

"Ashamed? What have you got to be ashamed of?" Tyler shook his head with disbelief. "Didn't you hear a word of what I said yesterday? You are remarkable. You are fucking remarkable Ashley."

"And didn't you hear a word of what I said?" I stared down at my hands. "I have this..this...h-horrible guilt eating away at my conscious, poisoning my every thought. I couldn't deal with it and it started to affect my everyday routines. Some days I couldn't get out of bed because I was so miserable. I couldn't eat. I could barely breathe. So my mom thought I needed professional help and after two years of keeping my mouth shut and staring stonily at each therapist, she took me to see Dr Jillian. I hated myself because she was so nice to me and I was so...cold to her. Eventually I warmed up to her and gave it a shot, and it got better...for a while. As I climbed higher and higher, I realised how much further I would fall if I continued to let the dreams get to me. Then the nightmares took a turn for the worse, and I fell. I fell so damn hard and since then I've never been able to pick myself up again."

Tyler stared at me with his jaw slack. He seemed speechless.

"Is that why you don't go anymore?" He asked.

"Pretty much," I sighed heavily and rubbed my temples where a headache was starting to form. "I haven't been in about a year and I have no intention of going back. I'm just starting to accept my nightmares for what they are."

The troubled look in his eyes made my breath catch

"But they sound pretty bad Ash."

"Today was a good day," I smiled at him, hoping to wipe away his frown but it deepened at my response.

"Good? You woke up screaming. Are they usually worse than this?"

"Much worse," I replied truthfully. "Thankfully, I woke up before the end today."

"Well, I guess that's a good thing then."

"Yeah it is." I grinned, glad that he was finally coming to terms with it. "But you can't tell anybody about them."

Tyler stared at his lap, picking at the drawstrings of his sweatpants before scratching his bare chest.

"Uh, sure."

I turned to him and cocked my head to the side at the uncertainty in his voice.

"Tyler?" I gently gripped his chin and tilted his face so that our eyes could meet. "I mean it, not even my mom. Especially not my mom."

"Yeah sure, whatever." He rubbed his face before standing up to stretch his long limbs. I assumed it was too early for us both to have a reenactment of last night's events so he let it go. "I'm going to shower. Do you want to join me?"

I did a double take, choking on my next words before letting out a gasp.

"No!" I squeaked as he laughed. "Heck no."

"Well it was worth a try," Tyler leaned towards me, ruffling my untameable, caveman-like bed hair until I swatted his arm away.

"We just woke up and you're already horny?" I scoffed as I stood up and padded across his room to open his enormous closet.

"I'm not horny for goodness sake. It's just a shower munchkin," He chuckled, following me across his room as I dug through his clothes for a clean shirt that wouldn't raise eyebrows at school.

"Yeah and people get naked in showers," I shot back, giggling when he snaked his arms around my waist.

"Really? Oh my god, I didn't know that! Congratulations on that discovery," Tyler drawled dryly, pressing his lips to my ear and I bit back a shiver.

"Why thank you Sir," I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see. "God, you're such an asshole sometimes."

He lifted a hand to move my hair to one side and let a river of open mouth kisses on my the side of my throat before pecking my bare shoulder where his shirt had slipped off.

"Well you're a dork."

"And you're a pervert."

"But you're a midget."

"So? You're a douchebag."

"Well you're a creep who showers fully clothed."

"Wrong," I turned around, sliding my arms around his neck and pulling him closer. "I'm just a creep who stares at her boyfriend all the time."

"You got that right," He chuckled and covered my hands with his.

I squeezed his fingers before raking them down his bare chest and lightly tracing his abs. Sea green eyes darkened and I watched his pupils dilate with desire. Suddenly the mood shifted from playful to a field we had never played before when Tyler clamped his hands around my waist and rolled his lips into his mouth. I cocked an eyebrow up when his grabbed a fistful of the borrowed jersey I was wearing and yanked me forward to close the sliver of air separating our bodies. Now that I could feel every curve and dip of his sculpted muscles, I tilted my head to the side and gave him full access to my neck, desperate to feel more than his wandering hands. Heated shivers rippled through my entire body when Tyler peppered kisses along my jawline, teasing me by raking his fingers up and down my sides.

"Kiss me," I begged.

"Shower with me," Tyler breathed, grazing his teeth along earlobe.

"Not happening."

"You sure?" He asked, kissing the sensitive skin on my neck and my knees almost buckled as I suppressed a moan.

"P-Positive."

He smirked and unhooked my arms from his neck. My eyes widened with disbelief when he ambled off towards the bathroom, sparing me a glance over his shoulder after he curled his fingers around the door handle.

"The offer still stands."

Did he...did he just leave me hanging?

"Oh for the love of god...Fine! Fine, I'll have a shower with you," I threw my hands up in the air as his jaw slackened and dropped the ground.

"Really?" he squeaked and I scoffed at his reaction.

"God, no!" I doubled over, clutching my stomach as I laughed hysterically. "I just wanted to get your hopes up high and crush them."

"Killjoy," he murmured darkly before disappearing into the bathroom.

"And don't you ever forget it," I replied in a singsong voice before continuing my search for a shirt that wouldn't swallow me and come to my knees.

**

After school, we drove to the cemetery for the second day in a row to do something my boyfriend should have had the privilege of doing years ago. As we stood in front of my father's gravestone, I welcomed the silence between us and started to, very inappropriately, check out Tyler. He was built to model with a perfect face and a flawless body - especially the rippling eight pack he had earned from all the soccer he's been playing since he could walk. Not even a blind person could deny how handsome he was in general but there was something different about him today.

Clad in a leather jacket, low slung black jeans and red Converses; it didn't surprise me that half the female population at Riverdale left a trail of drool behind them when we walked hand in hand down the school hallways. He asked if the girls were staring because he had his hair pushed back in a grey beanie but I laughed and told him he just looked extraordinarily hot today. Tyler took one look at the oversized band tee I stole from him this morning and my leather leggings and shook his head with surprise. Then of course, being Tyler, he told me that if he looked hot then I looked good enough to make any guy jizz their pants. Vulgar, I know.

I studied his side profile and quickly looked away when he glanced up at me with a shy smile.

"Ready?" I asked.

"To meet your dad? Umm no."

"Too bad," I chuckled and he rolled his eyes.

I approached my father's gravestone and positioned the wreath I was holding right underneath his name.

"Hey daddy, how's it down there?" I bit back a grin at the sight of Tyler's nervousness. "You remember Tyler right? You know...the annoying little shit who used to come over with Taylor. He always used to leave a mess behind and ate with his mouth open. Well Taylor did too but that's not the point. You used to tease me about liking him all the damn time."

"Are you done badmouthing me off to your dad?" Tyler interjected with a mocking frown. "I'm trying to make a good impression over here."

Relieved that he was more at ease, I grinned wickedly.

"Yeah I'm done, feel free to introduce yourself," I giggled when he rolled his eyes.

Tyler crouched down beside me and planted a hand on the granite tombstone, gently tracing his fingertips along the weathered stone.

"Nice to meet you Mr Martin," He whispered with a polite warmth. "Umm, I'm nothing like the kid Ashley just described. I don't eat with my mouth open, I'm pretty tidy except when it comes to my bedroom and I'm not annoying. I'm also not little anymore and I'm not a shit either."

I threw my head back and laughed, earning a light punch on the shoulder from Tyler. I mentally thanked his beanie for holding back his thick hair because I had full access to his clear sea green eyes and the softness behind them made my pulse quicken. As if feeling the weight of my gaze, his eyes flickered to mine, uncertain and slightly uncomfortable because, well...how else was Tyler supposed to feel when he was meeting my dead father? He hadn't seen my father for a very long time since I stopped inviting both twins over after my tenth birthday. I mean, Taylor eventually figured out that something was wrong when I started pushing her away, but she fought to keep our friendship alive and found out the truth three weeks after the accident. Then I dug myself into a hole by making her vow to keep my misfortunes to herself even though we both knew it wasn't a good idea.

"Sorry, I'll keep quiet," I motioned zipping my lips and handed him the key...which he ate. "Moron."

"Shh, I have the keys," Tyler hissed dramatically, nudging my shoulder hard enough to make me lose my balance. I fell onto my butt and gasped loudly.

"Tyler!"

"What?" He snapped his head to mine and I pulled him down so he ended up falling onto his butt too.

"Now we're even."

"Oh come on Ash. I'm going through the excruciating 'boyfriend meets girlfriend's father' stage of our relationship. He could have a freaking shotgun, ready to blow my ballsack off and you're ruining my chances of leaving this cemetery fertile. Jesus, don't you want me to give you babies in the future?"

My jaw slackened. I opened my mouth, closed it, opened it again, and let out a small gasp.

"Good," Tyler kissed my nose lightly. "You're speechless. I like the sudden concern you're showing for my ballsack. I just wish you'd do the same for me. You do realise there's more to me than muscles and a big dic–"

"Oh no...Oh no, no, no. No Tyler, no. Not in front of my father!" I squeaked, wide eyed at the vulgar conversation we were having in front of my father's grave.

"Oh shit, I totally forgot," He clamped a hand over his forehead and groaned. "Damn it, I don't wanna lose my baby making tool. I know that you want at least two kids when you're older and...Oh crap, your dad is gonna kill me."

"Tyler stop! He can hear you!" I hissed, appalled by his inability to filter his thoughts. Tyler only rambled when he was nervous.

"Oh shit, what am I doing?" He buried his face into his hands and groaned. "That's it, I've lost your dad's blessing. Now what? Are we going to have to elope when the time comes? I thought you wanted a big wedding with fireworks, doves and all that nonsense. God dammit."

Why was he talking about marriage when we hadn't even exchanged the L-word? Weren't we suuposed to be taking things slow?

"Tyler," I said in a curt tone, eager to silence his ramble. "Please just stop talking."

Realisation flickered behind his eyes and they darkened with horror. He nodded quickly and clamped his mouth shut.

"I'm sorry Ash, I'm terrible at this," He whispered sadly, raking a hand through his hair. "I'm just nervous about saying the right things that I've ended up saying all the wrong things."

"Hey," I reached out a hand to cup his cheek. "Don't worry about it. My father isn't going anywhere anytime soon. You have an infinite amount of chances to get this right and if it makes you feel better, my dad always liked you."

"Really? But you said I was an annoying little shit..." Tyler replied in a small voice.

"I was just kidding," I giggled, pulling his face closer to kiss his lips lightly. "Where's your sense of humour gone?"

"I probably farted it out this morning, along with the rest of my common sense," He muttered darkly, angry at himself.

With a light laugh, I crossed my legs and began my usual recollection of the week's events whilst Tyler wrapped his arms around my waist and continued to mentally scold himself for messing up. I didn't even have to turn around to know there was a crease between his brows and his lips were pulled down into a deep frown. Resting my arms on his knees, I leaned back into his chest and looked up at the sky as I voiced my latest thoughts and worries to my father like I usually did.

Both my boyfriend and my father listened intently and I felt Tyler smile into my hair from time to time before he'd plant an encouraging kiss on the soft skin of my temple. It was a sweet gesture, and I was grateful for it. Who would have known the the soft graze of his lips nuzzling into my hair was enough to make me feel completely at ease.

Eventually my thoughts turned towards the guy cradling me and I whispered to my father about how much he had changed my life and all that he had done for me. Although I could feel Tyler's presence behind me, I wasn't fully aware of it. I wasn't fully aware of my surroundings, or anything of that matter besides collecting my thoughts and pushing them off my heavy tongue.

Tyler was silent and still, listening without interrupting and I was thankful that he knew how important it was for me to tell my father about all the current affairs in my life, even if it meant discussing him in third person. That was what set him apart from my friends; Tyler understood exactly how I felt and it was reassuring to know that I wasn't alone. I had been alone for eight years, struggling to fill the numbing void in my chest that my best friend tried to help me heal. But we both knew, deep down, even after denying it numerous times that the job could only be done by her brother.

He was the only person in this world who had the ability to rile me up to the point of screaming but could heat my insides like a bush-fire. He could push the right buttons to piss me off or could make me take his lips between mine and lose myself into his soft moans. He only had to look at me and I was naked, vulnerable but surprisingly at ease.

Dr Jillian was wrong to think that I was the only person who could set myself free from my own personal hell. She failed to notice, despite the countless times I had spoken to her about the twins, that Tyler was capable of extinguishing the raging war inside my mind, and somehow, quite remarkably, quenching my eternal grief. Sure, he couldn't do anything about the intoxicating guilt that diseased my dreams but at least he understood that there some things that even he couldn't change about me. That understanding was the simplest gift that could have been bestowed upon me. It was so simple that I wondered why it had taken me eight years to figure out that all I had to do was let him love me the way I had always loved him; the way I always will.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not fixed, mended or good as new. I'm not even the slightest bit close to the closure I need from my past. But it was okay, sitting there nestled in Tyler's arm. I was feeling okay. Not gloomy, grumpy, ecstatic, happy, frustrated, overwhelmed or even sad. I wasn't sad anymore. I was in love and I was okay with it. I was okay with the new balance of emotions in my life and that was all I could stomach for now.

Happiness was sure to follow someday because wherever Tyler walked, a cloud of hope, happiness and harmony hovered over us behind the grief, sorrow and aching emptiness. But it was in sight, so I really didn't have much to fear anymore.

Taking a mouthful of air, I pursed my lips and exhaled gently. Snuggling deeper into his chest, Tyler's arms tightened around my waist and I smiled when he wove his fingers between mine.

"You're awfully quiet," He murmured into my neck, planting a gentle kiss on my nape.

"I'm just thinking," I replied softly.

"Mmm really, about what?" Tyler's voice vibrated against my skin as he buried his face into my hair.

I paused for a moment, wondering if I should just keep quiet or answer him truthfully. I opted for the latter option, knowing how short and sparingly brutal life could be, especially after Taylor's death.

"I'm just thinking about us, and how you make me appreciate all there is to accept in the world. You know...all the horrible things life makes us suffer through, like grief, sorrow, misunderstanding, frustration, anxiety and terror. You've gotten me through the worst of days and you don't even know it. There are days when I wake up screaming from horrifying nightmares and the only thing that gets through those mornings is seeing you outside my house, in your car with a cup of coffee or hot chocolate and my favourite donuts from Starbucks. Or when you give me your scarf and shove your beanie on top of my head; or even when you blow on my hands to keep them warm when it gets too cold. Or when you carry my books from class to class. It seriously makes my day when you skip a class to get me lunch from Subway, or when you somehow figure out I'm on my period and buy me the world's weight in KitKats and watch horror movies with me even though you hate them. You know so much about me even after all these years. You haven't forgotten my nut allergy or my obsession with chocolate or how I hate the right swing at the park. And all those little things you do for me...they mean so much to me. They mean so, so much, and you don't even know it."

Tyler's hold on my waist loosened, giving me enough space to turn my body around so that we were still sitting cross-legged but this time facing each other. The brightness of his sea green eyes threatened to blind me but it was the intensity of his gaze that made my breath catch. Not even an infinite source of banana cakes could light Tyler's face the way it was glowing right now and I was taken aback by his wide grin.

"I know I don't tell you this often," I managed to choke, suddenly overwhelmed by his facial expression. "But you mean the world to me Tyler. It's scary to think just how much I depend on you to keep me going."

I opened my mouth to say the three words that could perfectly describe how I was feeling. Tyler seemed to be waiting too but it was too soon. It was too soon and after ninth grade, we needed to take things slowly. It was remarkably hard to keep those words locked up when I've felt them for as long as I could remember, but the timing wasn't right.

I averted my gaze, letting my eyes dart around the floor, anywhere but his burning sea-green eyes. I felt his face edge closer to mine and the soft pressure of his lips against mine sent a hoard of butterflies loose in my stomach. I snaked my arms around Tyler's neck and brought his chest closer to mine. Time simply froze as I committed this moment to memory - the taste of his tongue, the warmth of his hands and the soft laugh he let out every few seconds.

"You mean the world to me too Ash. Ever since the day I first laid eyes on you and stamped on that ugly ass sandcastle of yours and Taylor made you her best friend to protect you from my teasing, I wanted to be yours. I don't think I've wanted to be anything as much as I've wanted to be yours and now that I finally have you, I'm never gonna let you go again," He murmured into my mouth. "You are the strongest girl I have ever known, you know that right?"

"And you're the strongest guy I've ever met," I planted my hands onto his shoulders before letting out a silvery laugh. "We make quite the team, don't you think?"

Tyler pulled back and gazed at me, clasping my cheeks to hold me still.

"We definitely do," He grinned and cocked an eyebrow up. "You and I against the world, yeah?"

"Yeah," I nodded and returned his grin. "Just you and I against the rest the of the world. Just you, and I."

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[A/N: So after half of you lost your shit the last chapter, how did you find this? Hehehe, I'm trying to keep it heavy but light because I have to portray the development of their relationship but tackle the issues at hand. Nevertheless, I had my last exam today so do you know what that means?

What time is it? It's SUMMERTIMEEEEEEEEE *twerks* 

Chapter 56: I Wanted To Escape, So I Kept Running

Pleassssssssse vote, comment and if you like follow my account and spam me with messages because I love talking to you guys :')

Stay awesome and I shall see you bitches tomorrow. I'm off to try and finish Season 4 TVD in the next two days and then I can finally catch up with everyone else and finish Season 5 (NO spoilers or I will decapitate you)

- Kaddy]