Hi. So thanks for the feedback I got on the first chapter. Like I said this story is going to jump around a lot. So watch the date of the entry. I liked how the season finale closed. I hope we at least get a second season because the writing improved and hopefully can only go up from where it ended. I faith that they can give us a more even and power packed story if given another try. Anyway, if not, I enjoyed finding out who did it. I just need to know why though. She was his only bio daughter. Seems like all of the Bowers are messy though, and poor Mia is kidnapped? Yeah like I said I would like to see a second season. But until then here is another entry, with more to come. Oh yeah I don't own Deception, the characters, or anything on the show. Only the concepts for these little fic entries. That's all (forgot to say that in the first one). So as always please

Read, Enjoy, and Review.

February 11, 1994

Dear Diary,

You know when you feel you've gotten someone totally figured out, that you know exactly how they are? And then just when you least expect it, that person does something so unexpected, so out of the blue, that it shocks you? It's so surprising, that it makes you rethink everything before that moment? Well that's what happened tonight...

"Can you hand me my bracelet Jo?" Vivian beckoned perched in front of her vanity, as she meticulously pinned the last bit of her golden hair up.

Joanna slowly rolled off of the bed, and headed towards her friends jewelry box, filled with bobbles and trinkets. The contents of it had doubled since her mother's passing, when some of her prized possessions passed down to her daughter. Joanna fished through the levels of jewels. "Which one?" she asked finally giving up on trying to be a mind reader.

"The one you gave me" Vivian instructed as she applied another coat of mascara.

Joanna paused, slightly shocked for the request. The bracelet was not flashy or impressive by any means. It was a simple sterling silver bangle with a small charm with a Victorian print V in the center. Surely for this occasion, Vivian would want something much more impressive to wear then her gift. "Are you sure?" Joanna questioned pulling it from the pile.

"Yeah" Vivian huffed as she fixed her lipstick for the third time that night, wanting it to be perfect. "Why not? You gave it to me"

"Because it's so plain" Joanna shrugged handing it to her as she stared at her through the reflection of the mirror.

"Well it's one of my favorite pieces" Vivian admitted with a small smile as she slipped it onto her wrist. "It helps me feel, I don't know, safe when I wear it". Joanna smiled back at her softly, flattered that with all of the very expensive pieces she had, that her small token of friendship was one of her favorites.

"Okay, how do I look?" Vivian asked, swiveling around and out of her seat standing to reveal her attire for the night. A bright red dress with cobalt blue pumps. Her hair in a neat up-do helped to feature her bone structure.

"Beautiful" Joanna smiled, a tinge of sadness in her answer.

"Thanks!" Vivian smiled turning back to look at herself in the mirror. "I would have asked you to be my date to the dance but-"

"I know, you're not staying for the whole thing" Joanna informed her.

"I would but he doesn't want to go to the dance, and to be honest neither do I" Vivian grumbled. "So I'm going with Timothy for an hour and then ditching him"

"Who is this mystery man you're ditching your date for?" Joanna quizzed sliding back onto Vivian's bed, her long legs stretched out in front of her. "I mean you've been seeing him for months, but you refuse to let anyone meet him, even me. I know you said he's older. Is he like in college?"

Vivian sprayed a light misting of perfume, before setting the bottle back down. "He and I are a new thing" Vivian grinned obviously thinking about her new crush. "And we both agreed that it would be best if we kept us to ourselves, to prevent any... issues. But I will say he is very amazing, kind, gentle, and I can see myself in love with him forever" she sighed, in a dream like tone.

"Well who is this guy then?" Joanna repeated scooting towards the foot of the bed "Cause you know I have to screen him to make sure I approve"

Vivian gave a pregnant pause as she thought about her best friend's request. "Alright, I'll tell you who he is" she relented. "If you tell me who yours is"

Internally, Joanna flinched, but externally she went into full on defense mode. "What? I don't have any mystery man"

Vivian's eyes faded a bit. "Well, then you don't want to know that badly then" she shrugged placing a wall up. "Well" she huffed picking up her long warm coat, and small jeweled clutch. "I'm ready. Now I just have to see if Julian is ready since he and his date are riding with me and Tim"

Joanna followed a few paces behind Vivian as she made her way to the foyer. There Tim was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, next to Robert Bowers, and Julian and his date, a perky blonde named Kassandra. She was a family friend, the Bowers had known for years. The group was dressed to the nines in anticipation of the Valentine Day dance.

"Well it's nice of you to join us Viv" Robert joked as he kissed his daughter softly on the temple once she had made her way to the bottom of the stairs. "Okay everyone, get together" he ordered, pulling out his extremely expensive, photographer grade camera to capture the moment. The group piled in close, for a photo. Robert began to take picture after picture, directing the obviously ready to go teens, with each shot as Joanna watched from the top of the stairs, still dressed in her pajama's for the night.

"God Dad, what's with all of the photos?" Vivian hissed after the sixth direction.

"I am a proud father" Robert said innocently. "And I want to capture the moment for posterity. Now one more. Make it a fun one!" he shouted.

With that Kassandra pulled Julian's cheek to her lips, his face shocked from the gesture, while Tim made a silly face, while Vivian rolled her eyes in disgust. After the kiss, Julian's eyes darted up to the top of the stairs, in just enough time to see Joanna dart back down the hall towards her room. "Well guys, have fun! And don't be too late getting back" Robert requested loudly with a large smile.

"Will you be here when we get back?" Julian asked his father his eyes still trained on the path Joanna had just taken.

"Uh- we'll see son" Robert hesitated. "Now go" he smiled.

And with that, the teens made their way out of the door to the waiting Town Car in the drive. As he was helping Kassandra into the car Julian looked up to the house to find Joanna watching them from a large window. He paused a moment to stare back at her, before she turned and left his view. Disappointed, he climbed into the waiting car, and left.

Joanna slinked back to her room, closing the door tightly behind her. She flung herself onto the bed, fighting the urge to sob uncontrollably. She couldn't believe he had actually gone to the dance with Kassandra. She fully understood that it was up to her, that she refused to attend the dance with Julian. But she had good reason, not wanting to tip their families to their "situation". She hesitated to call it an actual relationship, not knowing exactly what they were. Julian had been her first everything, but she felt the need to keep them silent. Maybe for the same reason Vivian refused to lift the veil of the identity of her new love interest. It felt cleaner, and less complicated for them to be together without either ones family interfering. Plus Joanna was unsure how Vivian would take the news that she was sleeping with her brother. She had so many girls in and out of her life, due to the prospects of them wanting to get closer to Julian that Vivian had closed her heart to most people. That coupled with the death of their mother, the last thing Vivian needed was another change. And the admittance of her and Julian would have been too large of a change. Although she wanted to confess to her friend. She wanted to be able to giggle and gossip about a boy like they had done when they were younger. Then it was imaginary boyfriends. Now, with all that was happening, everything was just too real in both of their lives.

Also with Julian's reputation with the girls of their social circle, Joanna knew her mother would never approve. Having never been a fan of the youngest Bower boy, her mother had made her feelings about Julian, and the Bowers family well known to her daughter. She constantly promised her that as soon as she could she would find a way to "untangle them" from "that family". For Joanna to admit that she is entangled even deeper with the Bowers would be totally detrimental.

Joanna shut her eyes, wishing that everything could be different. That her mother loved Julian, that Vivian would be alright with her best friend and big brother dating, happy for both of them. That everything would work out how she wanted it. She imagined it was her, dressed and ready to go with Julian to the dance. His father elated that they were together, as he snapped his pictures away. That they danced the night away, happy, without secrets, or fears. Just joy.

Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. But it wasn't any knock. It was the special one Julian used to inform her that it was him at the door. She turned her head to find that it was an hour and a half after they had departed for the dance. She sat up wiping her face and straitening her sweats as she walked to the door. She cracked it open to find Julian smiling widely, still dressed in his suit.

"What are you doing here?" she whispered opening the door wider to look down the hall to make sure they were alone.

"Well" he smiled as he pushed her door open, inviting himself into her room. "I was at the dance, and Kassandra was all over me" he admitted in a cocky tone. Joanna closed the door behind her, leaning against it, her arms folded in anger that he would admit what he just had. "And the music was loud, and I looked good, I mean look at me" he joked spinning in a small circle to show off his attire. "And Kassandra looked good. And everyone was dancing and feeling good" he described sliding closer to Joanna, her hand now on the knob, readying herself if she had to kick him out for being an ass. "Everyone except me. And you want to know why?" he asked wrapping his arm around Joanna's waist. "Because I wasn't there with the one girl I wanted to be with." he smiled inhaling her neck before pressing a kiss to it.

"Well" Joanna sighed allowing the feeling of his lips on her skin to relax her a bit. "You looked happy when you left here" she hissed before pushing him away from her.

"Jo" Julian whined a bit "what was I suppose to do? I asked you to go with me, to make us official to the world." he argued "You turned me down. You said you didn't want us to be out yet."

"Yeah" she agreed willing to admit her role in the issue. "But that didn't mean that you go out and run to the first girl who looks your way! I mean she kissed you"

"Yeah she kissed me" he agreed. "I didn't plan or ask for that. And who am I with now?" he asked gathering her in his grasp once again. "Joanna it's you. It's always been you and it will always be you" She pulled out of his grasp to look into his deep blue eyes. Whenever she doubted anything about him, that was all she needed to do to reassure herself. "And in fact to prove it to you I have a surprise" he smiled. "Get dressed"

"Get dressed?" she asked as he took a seat on her bed waiting for her to follow his request. "Why? Into what"

"Why?" he mocked "Because its cold out. And into a nice dress" he smiled.

Joanna paused, unsure of what to do. She then looked down at the smiling boy, who stared at her intensely and relented. "Okay give me a minute" she smiled despite herself.

"Why can't I watch?" he asked playfully as he was being lead out of her room "Not like I haven't seen everything before" he added in a cheeky manner raising a devious eyebrow.

"Because" she responded, pushing him out into the hall, leaning in impishly before closing the door on his smiling face.

"Twenty minutes" he whispered through the door, as her time limit.

"Twenty minutes" she agreed, before rushing to her closet. She knew exactly what she wanted to wear. It was the dress she bought while out shopping with Vivian cold afternoon. It was a sweet shade of light blue, that mixed well with her brown skin. She wiggled into her garment quickly, only able to zip it half way up her back. She then pulled her light pink pumps out of the closet. Finally she quickly brushed her hair into a low ponytail, leaving a few face framing pieces out. Popping in the pearl earrings Vivian gave her that previous Christmas, her new favorite jewelry, and a locket that Julian gave her, as a surprise. She only wore it on occasions, when she knew her mother would not notice it. She place a light coat of gloss on her lips just in time, hearing his knock letting her know her time was up. She straightened her dress as she opened her door. Julian's eyes let her know that she did well with such little time.

"Wow" he whispered his eyes wide, surprised that she took so little to look so amazing.

"Can you zip me?" she asked turning her back to him. She closed her eyes as she felt his finger tips against her skin as he traced the zipper up her back. She exhaled a jagged breath at his touch. "So, where are we going?" she asked reminding both of them that he had a surprised planed for her.

"Oh right" he perked up before ordering her "Put this one" handing her a blindfold. Joanna hesitated unsure of what Julian had up his sleeve. "Please" he begged for good measure throwing in his sweetest smile.

Joanna pressed her lips together before placing the clothe to her eyes, rendering her blind for the moment, as Julian tied it against her eyes. She then felt him slid a coat onto her shoulders causing a certain amount of anxiety to rise in her. When he made sure she was all bundled up, he lead her out of her room, holding her waist in one hand, her hand in another, leaving her second hand free to help guild herself and feel around for clues. He lead her down the stairs and right out of the door, the cold February night air, stealing a bit of her breath as a small chill constricted her diaphragm. They walked a bit, her feet feeling first stone, then gravel and finally grass.

Once finally at their destination, he positioned her alone asking her to "Stay right there, I'll be right back"

"Julian" she pouted nervously feeling around her body for him, but only finding the cold night air.

"Don't worry" he chuckled, his voice a bit far for her liking. She stood still as he asked, breathing deeply, sure if she had full use of her vision, she would see her breath as it exited her chest. Suddenly she felt his hand at her waist again, as he pulled her close to him. They walked forward up two steps and into a doorway, his warm breath at her ear.

"Okay we're here" he announced a proud smile in his voice. "Take the blindfold off"

Joanna slid the cloth from her eyes, to find that they were in the late Katharine Bowers botanical garden. The one they would escape to, when they required privacy to talk. It was their own private sanctuary. And since his mother's death, the place he said he could always "feel her". But it was lit by strings of Christmas lights, and heat lamps, that allowed lush vegetation to grow in even the coldest winter months. And in the center, was a small portable CD player.

"Julian" Joanna exclaimed breathlessly "What is all this?"

"Well" he smiled walking farther into the enclosed garden "I wanted to take you to a dance. You refused. So I figured why not bring the dance to you" he smiled turning on the CD player. Soft slow music melted out of the speakers. "Dance with me?" he asked holding out one hand to her. She smiled softly blushing at his offer, she slipped her hand into his as an acceptance. He twirled her around before pulling her in close to his body. They swayed softly to the beat, gazing into each other's eyes. His thumb stroked the small of her back gently as they danced, her head snuggled against his shoulder. She sighed smelling his cologne as she nuzzled against him. She drifted away on his music and scent as they danced the rest of the night away.

"Well, I have to say" Julian joked as walked Joanna to her bedroom door "I put on one hell of a dance. Maybe I should join the dance committee, if it wasn't so lame" he joked leaning against the door frame of her room.

"It was nice" she agreed opening her door. She turned to him, and reached up kissing him sweetly on his lips. "Thank you Julian"

"Hey, no sweat" he shrugged "Your worth it" He pressed a kiss to her temple before starting to head down the hall to his room. "Night" he sighed.

He was stopped when he felt a hand on his forearm. He turned to find Joanna walking into her room still holding on to him. "The night doesn't have to end yet" she smiled pulling him into her room, closing the door behind him.

Joanna sat up, silently sliding her diary out of her secret spot, giggling as Julian slept peacefully next to her.

... I know he's far from perfect. But he's perfect for me. And I'm happy with him. Julian Bowers makes me happy. So why am I still scared to tell anyone about my little piece of happiness?

Joanna