"Frederick?" she whispered into the phone, her tone gradually rising as she continued, "Where are you?"

"Ellie," he whispered on the other end, and she could trace worry in his voice.

"What?" she snapped, tugging on her dress. It was teal, her favorite, not to mention it would look great on his tie.

Silence.

"Frederick?"

"I'm still here, but I'm truly sorry for what I'm about to tell you," Frederick apologized, and she would appreciate when he finally got to the point.

"Well…? Get on with it then, before we're late," she said, eyes darting towards the clock in her living room. It seemed cold and empty as she sat on the couch alone.

"About…your prom. I'm not going to make it. There's just so much traffic, and it's definitely not letting up anytime soon."

She gulped. Leading up to this moment she had told him it was no big deal, he didn't have to come to some dumb high school prom if he didn't want to. Of course, being the gentleman he was, Frederick insisted. If wouldn't be fair for her to get mad, not now. "Look, like I said it's not a bid deal- "

"Ellie stop," he interrupted, and she could hear his sigh through the phone. It was like she could see him and knitted brows, like they always were when he was about to lecture her. "You think I don't know when you're lying? You loved prom when I took you last year, and I'd imagine your own would be ten times more interesting."

She smiled.

"Go, have fun without me, okay? Take Chrom with you. The both of you deserve to have fun."

"I love you," she told him, her voice once again dropping to a whisper.

"I love you," he chuckled. "I'm just sorry I couldn't prove it tonight. I'll see you when it's over though, I should be at your house by then."

"I'm looking forward to that," Ellie said, a laugh following her words. Heart hung heavy no more she finished, "I suppose I should go now though, so I'm not too late."

"Oh! Yes, go have fun! Like I said, see you later."

She hummed before hanging up on him, typing in the number of a familiar high school heartthrob. Ellie loved him (as a friend, mind you), she really did, but did he really have to turn down every girl who asked him? Just because Sumia didn't, nor did he work up the courage to ask her, didn't mean he had to miss out on this well-deserved, overhyped experience.

"Hey," Chrom greeted her, and she could imagine him slumping over on the couch with a bowl of popcorn.

"Go put on a tuxedo," Ellie ordered, grabbing her car keys with one hand and holding her cell phone with the other. "I'm picking you up in five minutes."

"Well, hello to you too Elizabeth," he responded, "I'm fine thank you for asking." Chrom called her Elizabeth when he was annoyed, but she decided to ignore it.

"You're welcome," she shot back without missing a beat, "Freddy Bear can't come so you are instead! Much better than that pity popcorn, don't you think?"

"Jellybeans," he mumbled, "I couldn't find any popcorn. Besides…I don't want to go."

"Why?" she questions, and added in teasingly, "afraid your fans will mob you?"

A sigh was heard from the other end.

"Sumia will be there, you know. Alone."

"Oh, well…" Bingo. Ellie knew that would work. "We can't leave her – and our friends – waiting. It'd be rude."

"Of course," she agreed. "And wear a pink tie." It was the color of Sumia's dress after all.

"Isn't this fun?" she asked loudly over the music. But the truth was, this would have been much better if her boyfriend was here.

"Yup, loads of fun," he told her, rolling his eyes. "Look if we're being honest you want Frederick here and I want Sumia -," he froze.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "So you finally admit it!" It was hard not to notice the amusement in her voice. "Go on then, ask her to dance."

"That," he pointed out, "is terrifying. But yes, I do admit it. As if you didn't know that already, since you're so good at figuring everything out anyway."

"Wow, a confession and a compliment from you in one day! I'm honored, milord."

"That was one time! Naga, one game of truth or dare and you hang on to it forever."

"I remember that game," and unexpected yet familiar voice called out.

Her heart nearly stopped.

As though it was one of those slow motion moments, Ellie turned around, her dress twirling with her. Breathlessly, perhaps at the surprise arrival or how good they looked, she said, "Frederick!"

Frederick held out his hand, which she gladly took, and promptly pulled her into a hug. "Gods, it was hard to get in here. Flavia came along though and got me in."

"You don't call her coach anymore?" she teased before getting to her real question, "I thought you couldn't make it?"

"She refuses to let me call her that now," he continued, "and traffic let up. Even if it didn't I couldn't let you down by not being here. We both know how hard it's been with me at college and you in high school. But I won't let the distance get to us, alright? I promise."

"Frederick," she muttered, pulling him closer.

"That's not all. I don't care that we're so far apart. Because even though the distance is painful, not having you in my life with be far worse."

Chrom cleared his throat. "It's getting awkward with how long that hug is taking."

"Ah! Let's dance, shall we milady?"

"That was one game of truth or dare!"

She lay on the bed, staring at the blank white ceiling. Almost laughing, she remembered when the two of them tried to paint it. Unfortunately, they forgot to cover the furniture, and well, you get the picture.

"What," she started, "do you think our kids would look like?"

Not at all startled by the question he responded, "Like you. Hopefully anyway."

"Aww, no! I'd rather they look like you." She felt around for his hand, grasping it with her own.

"Why? You're gorgeous you know."

She blushed. "What about a name. Actually I know one…"

"Morgan," they said simultaneously, laughing after.

"That works for a boy or a girl, but I want a baby boy," she confessed. It was a dream of hers, and she could see the picture clearly: them in their big two-bedroom house, and one brunette baby boy in her arms.

"I," Frederick began, unsure if he found the rest of his statement embarrassing or not, "want a baby girl. And she'll be just like you, at least, that's what I want."

Her heart fluttered, eyes batting tiredly, and she finished their conversation, "Whoever they are, I'm just glad that I'll have you."

And while she was asleep, Frederick thought, I'll never let either of them go. And little did they know that there was a happy life and baby boy waiting for them in the future.

And here's my incredibly late present for Ellie. Honestly, you're one of my best friends and it's hard for me to think that we've only been friends for a year, it feel like forever. We've been though so much, A Man for Flowers and RPing together and now talking to each other on Skype. Really, I hope you had an amazing birthday and that we'll still be so close for the next one. You go Ellie, you're awesome.