Well, what a delayed return to this fandom, huh? I've really been into Alvin and the Chipmunks lately, and I've finally had time the past few days to sit down and write a fanfic, so of course I had to turn back to Simonette.

The room was buzzing, but no more than his mind was. Absolutely everything that had happened in the past few hours could only be described as a whirlwind. An impetuous, cyclonic haze of events that Simon was really only now starting to realize had truly come to an end. They managed to pass the chaos off in the play so well they received a standing ovation. Mr. Talbot was finally free of his cursed ancestry, and most importantly, Theodore was okay. Sweet, innocent Theodore. His baby brother. He'd spent so long worrying about him that even now, glancing towards his younger brother - who was standing next to the punch bowl smiling sheepishly at a comment Simon could only assume was made by the now giggling Eleanor - he was checking for any symptoms of were-chipmunk-isms. He was going to have to think of a better term for that, too.

He turned his head slightly to see Dave run a hand sheepishly through his hair while exchanging words with Mr. Talbot. Simon could only hope his guardian's sure to be thorough apology was to be met with kindness and understanding, yet he knew that he did not know Mr. Talbot enough to jump to such conclusions of his character.

And speaking of jumping to conclusions, his head whipped around at the familiar sound of his older brother's cries. It appeared as though Brittany was dragging him by the collar, and his yelps were in protest. Upon hearing the redheaded Chipette's voice retort "Give it up! He's no more a vampire than I am a fish!" he tilted his head away from the scene, ultimately deciding that Brittany was both in the right and capable of handling Alvin on her own. It was a skill the middle Seville often found himself envying.

With all the dizzying effects of the past few hours, coupled with how quickly the young chipmunk had been turning his head around (added with the low blood sugar, he hadn't been eating well the last few days. It was a typical symptom of his stress, he'd reason to himself) he shouldn't have been surprised by the sudden lightheadedness he felt. Thinking it best to distance himself from the party goers and loud music as best as possible, he gingerly made his way to sit on one of the gym's wooden bleachers, allowing himself to rest his head in his hands.

He hadn't expected anyone to even notice his absence, so he justified the jump he made upon feeling a hand on his shoulder only shortly more than a minute after sitting down. It wasn't until he heard the soft coo of Jeanette's voice ask "Are you okay, Simon?" that he let himself calm down from the startle.

"A-as good as I c-can be, thanks." He managed to stutter out, attempting to give the Chipette a soft smile, but letting it drop after feeling it come off more as a grimace – and after seeing the genuine concern that took over all of Jeanette's features. He wasn't one to stutter, in fact, he prided himself on his articulation skills. But with everything else that had happened, and Jeanette standing so close to him…

…of course he knew. He'd known for years now. He'd known within the first few months of meeting the girl. He did not have a crush on Jeanette. "Crush" wasn't the right word. It implied juvenility, a flash in the pan, temporary. No, he was smitten. And he had been for quite some time. He'd thought that the older he got, the easier the feelings would be to handle. He was wrong. And today, oh today, had been a prime example.

It was the only thing that was still worrying him that left him a real reason to worry. The pervasive thought had intruded quite often ever since they took their final bows after the opening night of Jekyll and Hyde. Amidst all the fear, he'd reached out for her. Brittany had reached to grab Eleanor. She was the eldest Chipette, protecting her baby sister. It had been a natural instinct for her, Simon was sure. And what was his instinct? Who did he reach for, knowing full well he would not be able to protect her should things get worse than they already were? Jeanette. His base instinct was to protect the Chipette. But that's not what was worrying him.

She had reached out for him. With her body on metaphorical autopilot, she'd turned to him. Which meant one of two things - she either had trusted him enough to protect her, or that her instinct had been to protect him. Simon couldn't decide which thought was more terrifying.

But perhaps the most terrifying thought of all – either way, it meant that he had no real reason to hide his feelings as tightly anymore.

He was shaken from his thoughts slightly, as he glanced up to look at her. She was…breathtakingly adorable, if that made any sense. He knew terms like beautiful or gorgeous weren't quite right. Those were reserved for more grown up women. Jeanette's beauty was still that of a girl's, but that didn't mean he didn't find her absolutely mesmerizing.

"A-are you sure?" he heard her ask after a moment, her delicate hand still resting on his shoulder "You seem out of it."

He nodded slightly, though he wasn't sure if he was confirming that he was sure, or that he was out of it. "Actually, Jeanette," he found himself speaking before the rest of his brain really had time to catch up "there was something I wanted to talk to you about. But it's rather boisterous in here…"

Jeanette nodded immediately, he sometimes forgot just how perfectly she seemed to understand him. "The hallway should be quieter." She noted, before taking her hand off his shoulder, allowing Simon to lead the way.

A few moments later, and the overbearing warmth of bodies and music that had filled the gymnasium had been replaced with the cold of the hallway, the chill of the night breeze lingering against the secluded lockers. The muffled sounds of the wrap party could still be heard in the background, but Simon felt himself let out a sigh of relief. After the whole werewolf fiasco, it was fantastic to finally have some peace and quiet.

And then, that brief moment of peace was tossed away, as Jeanette asked "So, what was it you wanted to talk about?"

In the stuffy gymnasium, head swimming with stress, it had all made sense. It was the perfect time to tell her. Or at least give her a hint. But now, out in the cold, quiet, seclusion? Now that it was practice instead of theory? And with how her absolutely brilliant emerald eyes were shimmering?

"I…uh…" he stumbled over his thoughts, his words, as he nervously tugged at the collar of his shirt. So much for being articulate. "…wanted to make sure you were okay." He winced as the words fell out of his mouth, even though it wasn't a total lie.

"Huh?" Jeanette had tilted her head slightly to the side in confusion. "O-of course I am. Why do you ask?" and then suddenly, a thought flew into her head that put her at an intense unease. "Y-you're okay, aren't you Simon?"

"I was just really worried about you, that's all." He found himself forcing out. It was rushed, and from years of knowing the Chipette, he knew she wasn't buying it.

But even if she didn't buy it, she was going to pretend like she did. Because she was Jeanette, and she would never push farther than the surface. "It's okay. I'm alright. If anything, I've been really worried about you, Simon." Her hands were clasped together neatly, her eyes on her shoes as she quietly admitted the thought she'd been harboring for the past week or so.

Well, that was news to him. "You were?"

She nodded, eyes never daring to leave their fixated spot on the floor "W-with the play, and Theodore, and everything…and you're normally so stressed as it is…I know, it really isn't my place to say anything, but…"

"Jeanette," he murmured softly. Before his brain registered the action, he had taken her hand in his "You're my best friend. Of course you're going to worry about me. Don't…don't ever feel guilty about that."

He had noticed that – while her eyes never did quite make it back up to look at him, they had glanced at their now-entwined hands. "I'm sorry."

"Hey," he bent down a little, forcing the Chipette to catch his gaze as a warm, genuine smile graced his lips. "There's no need for you to apologize. You didn't do anything wrong."

"I know," she took a long, shaky breath before finally moving to glance up at him "I know. I just can't help it. It's how I am."

"I understand." He promised, "It's part of the reason why I…well…that is to say…" he had let go of her hand to nervously scratch at the back of his neck. It was an awful habit, one he was sure he picked up from Alvin. "…I really care about you, Jeanette."

She nodded, though her face showed signs of an empty confusion. Like she didn't quite understand everything. Which was an odd sight for Simon to behold, since she often grasped things as quickly, if not quicker, than he did. "Well, if we both care about each other, we can only expect for the other to worry every now and again, right?"

He nodded, slightly bewildered and completely sure she was able to read just how absolutely enamored he was from his facial expressions. Just like that, she summarized it all so well. As much as he prided himself on articulation, he would have never been able to do that. Especially if Jeanette had been as blindingly vague about her half as he had been. Well, no more. In a swift, impulsive mood, he leaned forward to press his lips against her cheek. "I'm still glad you're okay." He managed to squeak out after pulling away, turning his head away from her in embarrassment.

He was ready to stutter out an apology about not meaning to overstep boundaries when he heard her timid voice quietly emit "I'm glad you kissed me."

He turned to see the girl smiling bashfully at the floor, a hand gently covering where his lips had been, as if to keep the area safe. "Y-yeah?"

"Yeah." She smiled more widely now, nodding her head. "You could do it more often, i-if you wanted."

Well, this day took a total one eighty from where it had started. It had started with the crushing fear that his baby brother would become a werechipmunk permanently. But now? "I would enjoy that very much."