He was very familiar with her bedroom, though this time unlike all the others her door was shut. Her parents had always been a little liberal with their studying, if it could be called that. He thought this was because they were so excited she had shown interest in a boy. Barbi had once even successfully convinced them to allow him to stay the night when the snow had started gaining too many inches and ice began to freeze the roads, but as soon as they were caught kissing in a shadowed corner at the top of the stairs, rain, sleet, or tornado her parents wouldn't let that happen again. And instead of studying upstairs like usual they were banished to the kitchen table. Still though when her mom wasn't looking his fingers would slip underneath her shirt reaching for the soft warm flesh of her breasts, or she would rub a hand furiously against the crotch of his jeans until he couldn't stand.

Sitting on the pink quilt that covered her bed, his fingers traced the threads as he looked around her room, nothing had changed at all in these years. Her Clapton poster hanging over her headboard covering up a mural of a unicorn she had long since grown out of. A poster of Chuck Berry's duck walk peeked from a corner, the usually hidden photos of Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, BB King and Lucille peered back to him plastered the other side of the closed door. Her penchant for guitar gods had always made him chuckle, just like the poster of Jimi Hendrix that hung steadily above her bed.

Barbi would watch him practice for hours at a time on an old acoustic guitar that used to belong to her father, her face never wavering from an excited grin as she watched intently as his fingers nimbly edged down the fret board. One day he had hoped to dethrone that Hendrix poster of its coveted spot.

With a small faraway smile his eyes finally fell on Barbi as she leaned against her vanity. The skirt she wore inching farther up her thigh as she leaned back against bright white wood. He felt a tinge of jealousy knowing he wasn't the only one she wore those skirts for anymore. The few feet between them felt like hundreds of miles. "Why are you all the way over there?"

"I told you I want to give you something." She turned around and began to shuffle through her jewelry box. He could hear the slight tinkling tune as she opened it. His once small smile grew wide as he watched her bend over. Her skirt again inching up to expose the soft flesh of her upper thigh.

"Here." Walking over she straddled his frame on the bed and wrapped a necklace around his neck. Turning over the pendant he saw a random assortment of numbers and letters etched into the back of the soft gold.

"It's the Vin Number to the Skylark." She smiled a slight pink growing on her cheeks. The Buick's backseat held so many of their memories. Her first car, her first kiss, their first kiss, the first time they had tasted each other, the windows so fogged by their frantic breathing the moonlight no longer could break through to bring a glow to their slick bodies as they moved together. She remembered her hushed words as he lay between her thighs.

"I don't want a boyfriend." She had barely made out before a moan interrupted her train of thought.

She couldn't see his face through the darkness but somehow she knew that arrogant smirk was there as he responded softly. "And I don't want a girlfriend."

"Well then what are we?" She asked her chest rising and falling rapidly, thankful for the pause of his lips between hers.

"Friends." Again she could hear him smile, breathing deeply against her.

"Just friends?" She questioned.

"Well and this..." His words muffled as his tongue found it's place once again inside.

"Friends." She whispered, her breath catching as she felt him glide expertly over her.

"The Skylark." He ran his finger over the etched code that same wistful smile creeping to is lips before he reached up to kiss her.

"I have one more thing..." She whispered into his mouth grinding herself in a circle gently against him.

His eyes grew wide as he realized the intention of her movements. "Well, fuck me."

"That's my intention." She shook her head lightly at the well timed expression.

"Barbi Birch... finally gonna give it up. If I would've known you were gonna let me climb your tree I would have rushed over sooner." With a small laugh he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Shut up." She hated when he called her a damn tree, smiling against his lips nervously she left a small chaste kiss. "I've been thinking there isn't a right time, or place, just the right person, and you've been here all along." Her fingers etched the rigid ironed crease in his jeans thoughtfully.

"What about Cassidy?" He questioned nonchalantly but met her gaze wanting to see if her eyes would reveal any secrets.

"She's never been apart of us..." At these words he kissed her leaning her body back against his thighs. Holding onto him tightly she took in his lips, his tongue as they fought against hers. Winning had seemed to be the sole focus of their battles, but in this moment she didn't care who the victor, as long as she felt him pressed tightly against her.

Escaping his lips she wriggled from his grip and stood in front of him, grabbing his hands she smoothed them over her skirt. Unzipping it, he tugged lightly and it fell to the carpet with ease. As his long calloused fingers slid over her skin. She gasped in anticipation as they made their way underneath her shirt grabbing quietly at the delicate mounds and the peaks that formed under his touch.

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"Don't be scared, Barbi." He felt her thighs as her body shivered underneath him. A few minutes before she stood naked in front of him her braided pigtails covering her breast like a teenage Lolita as she undressed him, her lips leaving small determined trails across his skin. How quickly her confident exterior came crashing down as he lay her on the mattress beneath him. Her emerald eyes grew wide as if she had never explored the length of him before. Fingers, mouth, it had seemed much easier to take him all in.

"I'm sorry...I just... is it gonna hurt?" Propping herself up on her elbows she looked at him, his dark eyes flooded by the amber that usually grew in anticipation.

"Maybe a little, I'll go slow. If you want me to stop... I'll stop. But you can't be tense. You gotta loosen up, Birch."

Smiling at that comment she had heard that phrase a million times over the past 3 years. Loosen up.. Birch... Barbi... though those words always had the opposite effect. "You know saying that never works."

"Hold on, I think I can help." Giving her a mischievous grin, he leaned down to spread her thighs. His hands smoothing over her flesh as he widened them to reveal the soft pink center between her legs. With one flick of his tongue a quiet longing moan tried escaped her closed mouth. Again his tongue flicked against her heated center, another closed mouth moan refused to escape her lips. Unsatisfied he rammed his tongue as far as he could inside her and finally her lips parted exploding with a passionate cry, her hips bucked against his mouth wanting more.

At that sound she felt him smile against her opening, mumbling, "There you go baby." as she let out another exhausted moan. Bringing her almost to the edge he suddenly stopped wiping his mouth against his forearm. "You taste ready. Are you?"

Wildly she shook her head "yes" as she grabbed for him wanting to feel his skin so badly against her.

Her legs still spread wide before him he took his stiffened member in his hand and slowly began to ease into her. She watched as he closed his eyes softly, chin tilting up with a small smile etched on his lips as they joined together. She gasped feeling the pressure as she stretched to accommodate him, as he slowly inched inside. At the slight sound of pain his eyes fluttered open quickly.

"Do you want me to stop?"

"No." She moaned breathlessly taking him in.

"I don't have to go all the way in Barbi, if it hurts to much."

"There's more?" She questioned, his fingers had always explored her deeply, aggressively reaching as far as he could inside her. But the memory of those appendages extending inside her seemed to pale against the girth of him as he entered her now.

"Yes, baby". He smiled. Smoothing his hand over her cheek. "If it hurts I'll stop."

"No. I want all of you."

Getting caught in the moment of his rhythmic strokes his eyes closed as he felt her pressing tightly around him. She gave a soft whimper beneath him and his eyes fluttered open to watch a tears begin to fall down her cheek.

"Shit baby." He exasperated as he began to pull out.

"No, don't." She moaned pulling his body back to her. The sudden quick thrust made her wince in pain, a guttural moan breaking free from her lips.

Kissing her softly as his body gently knocked against hers, she moaned into his mouth, feeling a slight pulse as she tightened around him and then a sudden warm rush as he came.

Quietly they lay together their breathing finally steadying to a unified pace. Her fingers smoothed over the golden skin of his back taking in every gentle curve she had surveyed over the years. He adjusted himself to pull out and again she stopped his movements.

"No don't leave me yet." She whispered desperately clinging to him. She wasn't sure if the words that fell from her lips were meant for this moment or for their future.

"Alright." The longing in her voice brought a sly smile to the corner of his mouth. Cassidy or not Barbi was still his.

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"Hey do you remember the song I taught you?" He handed her the guitar and wrapped himself around her from behind. His chin resting on her shoulders watching her finger placement intently. She felt the warmth of his body against her, his chest gently rising and falling against her back.

"Ummm hmmm." She gave a small nod and nervously her hands made their way awkwardly down the frets.

Kissing the nape of her neck he whispered. "Here." He took her hands into his as they played together he sang softly. His voice low as he held her tightly against his body.

"Good morning little schoolgirl, can I come home with you?"

"Tell your mama and your papa I'm a little schoolboy too."

"Come on now pretty baby I just can't help myself."

"You're so young and pretty I don't need nobody else."

Her fingers loosely followed his as he guided her through the bluesy chords. His breath falling over her neck she couldn't help but feel a slow pang beginning to build in the pit of her stomach. A few weeks without him nearly killed her, who knew when she would see him again. Recording in California seemed like a fantasy, and she was sure he would forget about her back home.

"Baby I..." He began softly, bringing her out of her thoughts. When he felt vulnerable he would always call her baby. For years she just thought it was a sweet nothing, a pet name, but finally she had caught on to his pattern. Again he began "Baby I..." She refused to look at him afraid she would chase away his words. Taking her hands away from the neck of the guitar she smoothed them over the dark hairs on his thick thighs that surrounded her. She had always loved the way he felt wrapped around her. Suddenly the loud thundering of a car could be heard as it made it down the driveway.

"Oh God my parents!!!" She screamed standing up the guitar tumbling to the floor below. In a panic she clicked out the lamp by her bedside table cloaking them in darkness. Crouching beside her bed he hid quietly as he did the night they had first kissed in her soon to be car. He refused to let go of her hand and their fingers gingerly intertwined beneath her quilt. Hearing light footsteps walk down the hall. " Shhh..." She smiled quietly as he tried to kiss the palm of her hand.

The door slowly opened and her mom stood in the hallway. "Goodnight Honey." She whispered to her closing it softly behind her then walked back down the stairs.

With a sigh of relief he jumped back on the bed and kissed Barbi as her body shook with fear underneath him. "Come on. She didn't see anything." He whispered. "Let me stay the night."

"Are you kidding." Her eyes met him in the darkness. The moonlight poured in from the window and faintly brought a glow to his perfect face. The slight hair that edged his pursed lips, his usual wide eyes lidded heavy and seductively, daring her to let him stay in her arms a little longer. His fingers traced the firm rigid skin of a pink nipple before he enveloped it in his mouth. Covering her mouth to stifle a muffled cry, her body writhed against his, hands reaching out to explore his heated flesh. She moaned softly against his neck as his hand made it's way between her thighs. "Ohh... I hate you... Oh..." She squirmed beneath him. A dish fell downstairs, the clattering sound of ceramic against wood brought her back to reality.

"You gotta go!" She whispered.

"No." His hands again reaching for her.

"Yes!"

"It's cold... let me stay." He whimpered.

"Shut up, it's like 50 out there. By the time it gets cold you won't have anything to worry about, sunny California is calling." She teased.

"Fine." He crawled out of her bed and began to get dressed. "You just gonna kick me out. I thought we were friends." He smiled to her the necklace she gave him glinting in the moonlight against his chest.

"Just friends?" She questioned as she had years before.

"Well and this..." Straddling her frame as she sat on the bed he kissed her. Her body falling beneath the dominance of his lips, again his hands began to move teasingly over her bare flesh.

"You gotta go." She whispered through his mouth. "If my parents catch us we'll both be dead."

"What a way to go though." He winked and climbed off, pulling her to the open window. The late summer breeze shuffled the curtains as he opened the frame. Crawling through he looked back. Her once smooth braids now fussed from the constant tug of their bodies against the mattress.

"Hey Mr. Rockstar, promise you won't forget me in the sea of panties?" She smiled looking up to the stars that shone through the September darkness.

"Never. You'll have a front row seat to every show. Wear the lavender ones I've always liked those best"

"Ha! I can't you took them. Maybe now with all your money you can replace all the ones you stole."

"No, it's easier when you don't wear them anyway." His finger moved back through the frame grazing gently over the soft hair between her legs.

She laughed gently interlocking her fingers into his, a silent moment between them shifted their playful banter. He smiled looking up to her his eyes always so large, always daring her. But in this moment his gaze softened. Pressing his lips to the back of her hand, he whispered. "I'll make you proud of me."

"You don't have too. I've always been." She remembered the first time she had actually watched him play with his band. She knew instantly they were going to be somebody.

"Baby..." He took her mouth into his again so gently, it seemed foreign to her. But the sweetness of his lips made her forget how abrasive they usually were. Pulling away softly he muttered the words "Baby I..." His fingers lovingly etching her face one last time before jumping down to the roof of the porch. As she watched his shadowed figure strut down the sidewalk the street lamps shone through his hair giving him a halo. In the still of the night she swore she heard him singing.

"Falling, falling, falling in love..."

Humming gently a song from his first album, she looked to him as he lay on the bed. Watching her trying with so much effort to keep his lids open. "You promise you didn't call her?"

"I promise." He smiled lightly, but she still couldn't tell if this was the whole truth.

Dropping her bag at the door she rushed over to the bed for one last kiss. His eyes fully awake now as his lips brushed against hers hungrily. Wrapping his arms around her he looked up to her honestly, "You belong to me."

Usually this statement came out so defiant a command of ownership. As it left his lips in that instance she thought she heard the slight inflection of a question. Taking his face in her hands she kissed him delicately as she had underneath the bleachers in the gymnasium years before, their tongues rolling in unison, a quiet confident kiss. Looking into his eyes she reaffirmed "And no one else."

This little piece of her would always belong to him, it always had since the first time they met. He held so many of her memories she would be his forever. Ripping herself away he held onto her body softly until she was too far to reach for, his arms heavily falling back to the bed with a muffled thud. Forcing herself not to look back to him she slipped through the door as quietly as she had entered. Before the door clicked shut she heard a subtle, "Baby... I..." He had never seemed to finish this phrase, but somehow she knew.

In this moment it occurred to her that their strange little friendship had silently over the years turned into something more. But neither would admit it to themselves or each other. Closing her eyes she braced herself against the door in thought. Next time he called would she come running? Would she have the strength to say no? Would she even want to object? Taking a deep breath she had come to a final decision. She had never gone back in after she left... never, maybe this time she thought could be different. Her hand trembled as she reached again for the doorknob fingers wrapping delicately on the metal fixture as it warmed beneath her grip. With a quick intake of breath she held it steady as she began to turn...

"Barbi!?!" A familiar voice questioned assertively from behind, bringing her eyes fluttering open in shock and out of her once focused concentration.

"Shit, shit." She quickly jerked her hand from the knob in a panic, heart pounding she turned slowly to face the figure that stood behind her.

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Author's Note: Sorry to have it end so openly, I promise it was not due to laziness. I wanted to reader to make their own conclusion of the outcome. Did she go back in, was it Cassidy catching her, did he end up calling her? A choose your own adventure if you will. The only real ending is the one decide.