Hey, everyone. I decided to do another chapter; –shrugs- your reviews got to me. Hopefully you like it and it lives up to the original one-shot – review and tell me.

Thanks to those who reviewed, alerted, and favourite-ised this story. Means a lot.

Read, review, alert, and maybe get a chapter three – doubt it though, but hey, things might happen. This chapter proves that.

~*~

Tamani didn't mention anything to the other sentries, and they didn't bring it up, either, although everyone was aware of what had happened between Laurel and him. Even if they weren't aware, they'd have known something was up by the way he was acting. He walked with a bounce in his step, he beamed at everything and anything, and looked more happy and alive then they'd ever seen him before. Even he couldn't remember ever feeling better. He felt excited and ready to go do anything. When it was finally time to settle down for the night, all he could do was stare at the stars above him as the other off duty sentries slept, thinking about how lucky he was.

Lucky to have Laurel.

Laurel, who'd been his childhood best friend, Laurel who was strong and protective, and beautiful, and smart and creative. And a good kisser, he added, remembering.

Frowning, Tamani thought of what would happen tomorrow. He knew he'd want to hold her again. He knew that he would, given half a chance to, even no chance at all. But he didn't want to smother her. After all, this was new to both of them, even if Tamani had been dreaming of it for most of his life. He might know her, but she was only beginning to know him. And he wanted her to know him. He hadn't opened himself up completely to anyone in a long time. Really, no on but Laurel had really truly known him, and what she knew –or had known– was long forgotten now. It still hurt, sometimes, to really think about it.

So he decided something. He'd start small with Laurel – not small, small, but what he considered small. Not Laurel's version of small, he thought with a grin. They were friends, yes, becoming more? Yes. Would she know him like she did before? Of course; he was certain of it.

Somehow Tamani managed to switch his brain off. But he couldn't stop remembering Laurel kissing him, wrapping her arms around him . . . he fell asleep smiling.

~*~

He woke up, as usual, when the first rays of sunshine began to shine through the trees. Tamani easily slid down the tree, landing on his feet without a sound. He could hear the faint movements of the other sentries coming down from their own perches, ready to start the day, while others were already moving through the forest, either to grab some breakfast off the surrounding tress or to guard the Gateway.

First things first, Tamani thought to himself, heading off through the green undergrowth to where he knew there was a delicious patch of berries. He had to restrain himself from heading straight towards Laurel's cabin.

He ate his share, and then shoved some in his pocket for later. Soon he was making his way towards Laurel's quaint house, certain she'd have to be awake by now. She was, after all, a faerie. What faerie didn't rise with the sun?

He stopped at the end of the forest, though. He'd been past the cover of the trees and out into the open yard many times before, but suddenly it felt like it was crossing a line. What line, he wasn't sure. Even last night he hadn't gone past the end of the forest trail. So he just stood and gazed across the open grassland separating the tiny wooden house from the forest, wondering why he didn't walk across to it.

He couldn't hear movement in the house, but that didn't mean anything. Laurel had been acting –becoming– more of a faerie daily, and her silent walking yesterday just proved that.

Before he knew it, the wooden door creaked open, and Laurel stepped outside. She turned to close the door behind her, and that's when Tamani saw her blossom. Unlike last years blue one, this one was yellow, and easily rivalled it in beauty. He felt a grin break across his face as Laurel turned on her heel and began walking towards the path with purpose, and suddenly he just couldn't wait to see her. But before he could act on his newfound courage and meet her on the lawn, she was standing there before him.

"Good morning," she chimed happily.

"Morning to you, too," he replied.

"So," Laurel said, and then hesitated. "I was wondering . . . Well, are all the foods you faeries eat as nice as the stuff you forced feed me yesterday?"

"We faeries," he corrected seriously before laughing, remembering her little excursion with the moss. "Well, its all edible. But we do have tastebuds, you know. I don't like daises, and yet one sentry practically lives off them."

"You've tried eating daises?" Laurel asked, raising an eyebrow.

He shrugged and gave her a crooked grin. "Of course. Do you want to? I'm sure one of the sentries would tell us where to find some, since I hadn't been bothered to take note of –"

Laurel pressing her fingers to his lips shushed him. He stoped talking immediately to wait for her next move, hardly daring to blink. "I'm sure we'll be able to find some ourselves," she said, grinning mischievously. Tamani was too overwhelmed to wonder where this sudden change in attitude came from; either way, though, he liked it.

His heart beat speed up impossibly fast. He swallowed before saying, "I'm sure we could, too." He wondered if she had any idea at all about her effect on him. Or about how deeply he felt about her. He doubted she'd be able to comprehend it – sometimes even he couldn't. His earlier thought of giving her a chance to get to know him while taking things slow –which basically meant not rushing into things head first at a breakneck paced run– suddenly seemed impossible. He settled for getting to know each other while being together instead.

He leant down and softly placed his lips on hers, smiling when he felt hers start to move in synch against his. He placed his hands on her hips, careful of her bloom. He made a mental note to brush off the pollen he was bound to leave later on.

When they pulled away, he whispered, "There's the good morning I've been waiting for."

She gave a little laugh, which sounded a little off to Tamani, which gave him cause to worry, and smoothed her hair down. He'd hoped things wouldn't be awkward between them, and so far it hadn't – up until that laugh. Noticing his expression, she reached over and laid a hand on his cheek. "C'mon, Tam. You've got some daisies to find." Instantly, all his unsureness disappeared. After all, if she was uncomfortable –which she really seemed like she wasn't– she wouldn't have done something like that. Something so . . . something a couple would do. The thought made him smile.

Soon they'd faded from view, melting into the forest like only faeries could. They walked side by side, sometimes holding hands, just talking, enveloped in the floral smell of her Bloom. It smelt better then anything Tamani had every smelt before. Occasionally Tamani would stop to pick a berry, or to show Laurel a particular plant. Although he didn't know much about plants – not the way a Fall faerie did, anyway – he was more then willing to share his knowledge with Laurel. He was sure he'd do nearly anything for her.

"I don't think I can ever be a proper faerie," Laurel said. "I'm not like you. I'm too human."

"Everyday you become more like us," Tamani admitted. "It comes naturally, don't worry. But you are very human." He was still trying to work out wether that was a good thing or a bad thing.

She sighed and laced her fingers through his, momentarily distracting him from the conversation at hand. "Will I ever be able to do magic?" Her voice sounded wistful.

"Magic," Tamani scoffed. "Of course not." Seeing her disappointed expression, he added, "Because faeries don't do magic."

"You know what I mean." Tamani could hear a smile in her voice, and it warmed him.

He shrugged. "You can't learn to use your Fall magic at school. You'd have to be taught by another Fall faerie. True, you have your instincts when it comes to plants, but you'd need a little push. And the Fall faeries are in Avalon . . ." he trailed off, his mind clinking into gear. She'd have to go to Avalon. There was no way around it.

"Tamani," Laurel warned. He smiled softly – she already knew him so well.

"You'd have to go to Avalon to learn your 'magic,'" he said softly, pulling her to a halt by their joined hands. He swept her hair off her face with his free hand before continuing, "It's really the only way."

She scowled, but it was half-hearted and didn't reach her eyes. "Couldn't they come here? You know how I've got to protect Mum and Dad."

"They could, yes," he answered carefully. "But it would be harder then you just going to them. They have stores of plants and herbs and things in Avalon, and special forests unique only to our world which they'd have to use to show you where to find certain plants and flowers. They'd have to bring all their equipment here and everything. You wouldn't learn as much as you would if you went there, and it'd take longer, too. They probably would even want to come here. I doubt it would ever happen that way."

She rested her forehead against his and sighed, her breath flying across his face. "It was worth a try," she mumbled.

"You know we'd protect your parents, right? If you did go?"

She jerked her head back from his, her wide eyes flying to his own searching ones. "What? What do you mean?" Her eyes searched his, flicking between them, gaze tumbled and unreadable.

He shrugged. "We already know from past experience that Troll's have gone after them, and might be likely to do so again despite you owning the land. To blackmail you into handing it over, or something of the sort. We wouldn't leave them unprotected again if you weren't there." He frowned, thinking. "Well, I'm fairly sure they'd be watched over. I'm not positive. I don't make these types of decisions." He grimaced. He was only a Spring Faerie, just a sentry.

"Really?" she breathed, pulling him from his thoughts.

"It's a definite chance," he allowed. He could feel excitement building up inside him – she sounded like she'd really consider journeying to Avalon with him if her parents were safe. He'd be able to show her their childhood. She'd meet and make other faerie friends. She'd become one of them, in a way she wasn't now. He could show her the beautiful flowers in the Forest, and the secret waterfall where they used to swim at when they were younger.

He'd take her home.

Laurel hugged him, squeezing him tightly, and he returned it awkwardly, careful of her back. She must've noticed because she pulled away blushing and looking uncertain. He laughed at her. "Don't worry – I like hugging you. I just have to be careful of this," he explained, reaching over her shoulder to feel a smooth yellow petal that just rose above her shoulders.

"Oh," she said, still blushing. "Yeah, that's good. I don't want to be . . . have a faerie baby."

He grinned at her and looped an arm through hers and started walking again. "See those?" he pointed to a fern a couple of metres off the path. "Never eat it, trust me."

"How come? Is it poisonous?" She was eyeing the plant warily, wrinkling her nose in concentration, like she could tell just by looking at it.

"No," he said, chuckling. "It's just the worse tasting plant I've ever eaten." He shuddered, remembering.

"Thanks for the heads-up," she murmured, looking at the plant with interest.

"But," he said, picking a leaf off a tree. He smelled it, inhaling deeply, appreciating the scent – even if it didn't even come close to the smell of Laurel's bloom – before handing it to Laurel to smell. She did, and made a disgusted face in response, holding the leaf at arms length. "This tastes wonderful," he finished.

"It smells disgusting," she pointed out, handing it back to him. He popped it into his mouth, quickly chewing. "Yuck. I wouldn't be able to eat that."

He laughed at her. "Didn't think you would. I love it, but you never liked it." Gazing at her now, he was glad some things hadn't changed. The Laurel from his childhood, compared to this Laurel, despite the age difference, were much the same. Of course, they were totally different, but he could see that it was Laurel shining through both of them, highlighting their similarities. She was caring, and loyal, and had a very firm sense of right and wrong, and duty. She was smart, and happy, and beautiful, and everything he'd ever wanted. The Old Laurel may have been his best friend, and he loved her, of course, but it was this Laurel he was in love with, dreamt of, and wanted to spend the rest of his days with.

"You're looking at me funny," Laurel murmured shyly, shifting under his intense gaze. He smirked at her. She looked nervous. "What is it?"

"You've got berry juice all over your face," he told her solemnly, barely succeeding in keeping a straight face.

She went beet red and she wiped her face on her arm, grimacing and muttering to herself. He watched her with amusement as she tried to rub the phantom stains off her face. "You could've told me earlier," she grumbled. He chuckled quietly.

"It won't come off," she said, exasperated, studying her clean hands. He laughed out loud, the sound bouncing off the sunlit trees around them and echoing loudly through the forest. "What!" she demanded, red faced. He laughed even harder, nearly howling. Understanding flashed across her face, and, if possible, she went even redder. "You're so mean! There's none there, is there?" she huffed, crossing her arms.

He shook his head no, unable to speak through his laughter. When he finally quietened down, he reached over and took her hand. She let him, but she still looked cross. "Aww, don't be mad. It was funny." He chuckled again. "I couldn't miss the chance."

She cocked her head to the side, looking at him calculatingly. "So it's not the reason you were looking at me strange?"

"No."

"Then why?"

Tamani sighed. What should he tell her? That he was having a moment of insight as to why he loved her? He decided that he would – he didn't like, or ever want, to lie to Laurel, even if it was with something as small as this, almost insignificant in the big picture. Ever. She deserved the truth about anything and everything – at least when it came to his feelings about her. "I was thinking about why, and how much, I loved you. How it's just Laurel I see in both my childhood friend, and the woman I love now."

She blushed and fidgeted. "If you could, would you change me back to the Laurel you used to know?" she asked softly, but yet seriously.

All tones of laughter and playfulness were gone now. Tamani didn't even think of answering her teasingly – they were both being serious. He thought for a moment, going over what he'd just discovered in himself, his feelings for the two different – and yet the same – Laurel's. "No, I wouldn't," he answered her just as softly.

She smiled at him, melting his insides, and looked relived for some reason. "I'm glad," she whispered. It was quiet for a moment, both of them staring at each other, linked by their joined hands as well as their gaze.

Tamani finally broke the comfortable, deep silence. "So, if you parents were guaranteed protection, and it was only a visit to Avalon, would you come?" he asked. Smiling playfully, he added, "Of course, I'd love it if you decided to move there."

Laurel hesitated. A jumble of emotions were written on her face that he could read: confusion, uncertainty – hope. The last one caught him off guard, and he felt himself beaming, knowing that the chances of her journeying to Avalon with him had increased ten fold at the knowledge of her parent's safety.

"Yes," she answered a moment later, all hesitation gone. Tamani felt like doing a victory dance, but he refrained himself, enveloping her in a searing kiss instead. When they finally broke apart, Laurel was bright red from blushing, and they both had haggard breathing. "But," she breathed, "I doubt it, Tam."

He just grinned at her knowingly in response.

It's just a matter of time, he thought. It was no longer an 'if' situation – it was a 'when' one. He just knew it. It was a possibility to her now that her parents were safe, or were likely to be, no longer a definite no. The lure of learning her 'magic' combined with the pull of Avalon, the safeness and sense of home it radiated, he knew she'd end up going. Of course, her curiosity just strengthened the mix.

And, he'd like to think, he was part of that influence.

She playfully whacked his arm. "You're meant to be feeding me, not plotting something – and don't deny it," she added, seeing his raised eyebrow, "I can see it on your face."

"Right," he chuckled. "Let's go."

~*~

"Want a Sprite?" Laurel asked.

He shrugged. "Sure."

She nodded and leant up on her toes to give him a quick kiss. Before he could respond in kind she was walking across the lawn towards her cabin. Her bloom bounced and swayed with every step she took. He wondered, yet again, as he watched her walk away, why he didn't step out of the forest and walk beside her.

Suddenly an idea came to him. He picked up a stick off the ground and wrote in the middle of the path where she couldn't miss it: Come find me – if you can. He straightened up and looked at it, surveying his handwork. It was missing something. He thought of how he would find someone in the forest, and deciding to give her a hint, he added: Tracking might help – just a hint. He chuckled and started walking away, casting the house one last backwards glance, careful to leave slight indents in the ground with his bare feet instead of walking with his usual light faerie gate.

Tamani hoped she found him before the bubbly drink went warm.

He stuck to the path for a good thirty metres before he swerved to the right, cutting diagonal through the bush towards his destination – a place that would always hold special meaning for him–and hopefully for Laurel, too. He grinned. It might not have been the exact same way that they'd gone yesterday, but it was just as good. Besides, going the same way would make it too easy for her.

Tamani heard the bubbling of the stream before he saw it. He emerged from the trees, and made his way down the back, leaving some footprints in the wet mud but not many. Soon enough, a tree came into view. He walked over to it, looking at it intently. It was just the same as all the others around it, but yet it was held in a completely different light for him.

This was, after all, where Laurel had finally confessed she had the same feelings for him as he did for her. They'd shared their first kiss here. He'd held her for the first time here.

He strode over the to tree and sat down at its base, leaning against it. He smiled, realising he was sitting in the exact same position that Laurel had been yesterday. Looking around, he spotted a clump of daiseys. He got up and picked some, grimacing at them. She had wanted to try some before, but they hadn't found any. He gently laid them down on the ground before sitting down again.

Minutes passed. He sighed and watched the stream glide over rocks and tumble down little waterfalls in front of him. She sure was taking a long time. Maybe she couldn't find him. He thought she'd be able to. Besides, she was a faerie. He was just giving her a push, a little shove, towards her feriae ways. Glancing at the sky, Tamani noticed it had been about half an hour, judging by the position of the sky.

I wonder how long it'll take her, he thought, sighing. Maybe he should go find her before she got herself lost. He chuckled quietly at the thought. I wonder how she'll react when she does find me. He laughed loudly at that, then immediately clamped his mouth shut. Oh well, I just gave her a hint as to where I am.

"I heard that!" he heard Laurel shout. It took all the self-restraint he had not to laugh again – and loudly. She was close.

Not a minute later he heard someone moving around in the forest, muttering to themselves angrily. He looked over eagerly to where the noise was coming from. Laurel emerged, scowling furiously, two lemonades in her hands.

"You!" she said, jabbing a soft drink towards him. He couldn't help it – he laughed at her. This seemed to make her even madder, because she stormed over, and chucked the drink at him. He caught it in one hand, and made himself stop laughing.

"I was beginning to think you wouldn't be able to find me," he said. Even he could hear the laughter in his voice.

"What was that for?" she demanded, still fuming, ignoring him. "I'm not a tracker!"

"You are now," he pointed out. Seeing her expression, he added, "What? You found me –tracked me– didn't you?"

"Urgh!"

He patted the spot beside him. She looked at him incredulously. "What?" he asked innocently, although he thought he knew the answer.

"I leave to get you a drink, like a nice person, and you run off in the forest telling me to track you. I find you after nearly an hour of stomping around in that jungle –" she jabbed a thumb at the trees looming behind her. He pressed his lips together to keep from laughing at her exaggeration "– and you want me to come and sit next to you like nothings happened?" she demanded. Tamani noted with worry that she was slightly going red in the face.

He didn't think she'd be this mad. A little angry, sure. But this? He swallowed, suddenly wishing he hadn't ran off.

He scrambled for something to say, and came up with nothing. He jumped to his feet and walked slowly towards her. She glared at him but didn't retreat – thankfully. "Please don't be too mad," he said softly but sincerely. He hoped she could hear it. "I didn't want to make you angry."

"Harrumph. What did you want?" she asked.

He shrugged. "It was a little test, I guess. To see how fey you are. I thought that you'd be able to track me, and I left deeper, more obvious footprints to help you" she looked dubious "and you did find me. I'm proud of you." He grinned at her crookedly.

She sighed. "First the berries, and now this. You're lucky I have patience, Tamani." He was relived to note that she looked less angry, but still as beautiful as before.

He chuckled. "Sorry."

Laurel sighed again.

"Am I forgiven?" he asked, searching her eyes for any clue as to the answer. Then remembering the flowers he'd picked, he added, "I can make it up to you."

"Oh yeah?" she challenged, raising her eyebrows. If he wasn't unsure that she was still slightly angry, he would have kissed her then.

"Yup." He turned around and reached down, shielding her view of the flowers with his body. He picked them up, and still shielding them with his body, and turned back towards her, now hiding them behind his back.

"What have you got now?" she asked suspiciously, looking at where his arms disappeared behind his back. Her eyes flashed back up to his, and he was happy to find no anger what so ever there.

Wordlessly, Tamani revealed the daiseys.

"Daiseys?"

"Yeah," he said. "You wanted to try some, remember? Only we never found them. Of course," he added, grinning at her, "you can just keep them as flowers if you no longer want to eat them. Put them in a vase."

She wrinkled her nose. "You said they taste bad."

He shrugged. "Most faeries love these things. I can't remember if you used to, so you'll just have to try them."

She fingered one of the little petals. Her eyes searched his for reassurance, and he nodded his encouragement. "Okay then," she said hesitantly. "Should I just shove it in, or what?"

He chuckled quietly. "Just bite the flower bit off. Stalks don't taste particularly nice."

Laurel dusted the flower off, looking at it with contemplation written all over her face. She lifted it up, met Tamani's eyes briefly, and bit the flower off the stalk. She chewed quickly at first, and then slower as she savoured it.

"Don't know what you have against it," she said.

"They're disgusting, that's what. When you come to Avalon, I'll show you some of these –"

"What do you mean by 'when'?" Laurel demanded, crossing her arms across her chest and looking at him intently.

Damn, he thought, realising he had been caught out. Tamani tried his best not to look sheepish. "How about you have another daisy?" he offered, trying to distract her. He had no clue how to answer her. He wasn't sure that he would, even if he did have one.

"You can think 'when' all you want," she said, shrugging and taking one of the flowers. "I'm just sorry that I'll have to disappoint you."

He reached over and trailed a hand down her jaw, brushing her lips with his thumb. Leaning forwards, he whispered, "You won't disappoint me," into her ear. She shivered. He leant down, and softly kissed her.

He reached over and trailed a hand down her jaw before cupping her face and brushing her slightly parted lips with his thumb. He leant down and kissed her softly. Her arms wrapped around him as she melted against him. Slowly, he pulled away, knowing that even faeries needed to breathe. "You won't disappoint me," he breathed into her ear, making her shiver.

"I don't want to," she whispered back.

Tamani couldn't help it – he pulled her back into a kiss, figuring they'd had enough time to restock back up on oxygen.

~*~

Thank God for school holidays. Anyway, I tried to make this as long as possible for you lovely people. –sigh-. I don't like how I ended this. Oh well.

I really don't want to do the whole go to Avalon thing – really really really don't wanna. So, yeah. Highly doubt it'd happen. But hey, this is pretty much just nothing. Like, nothing happens much. Just a lazy filler chap. Review enough and you might get another pointless chapter like this.

I'll probably do more one-shots when the second Wings book comes out – I think its called Spells, so, check out my profile later on. Or just alert me.

Go Tamani and Laurel!

Over and Out,
Dozey212