Reiko Rose: Well, I'll try and get a few chapters written up before school starts up again... but I don't promise that it will be good :)

Twenty-Five

Grow old along with me. The best is yet to be – Robert Browning

"I can't believe you made me come here!" Faith's mother screamed over the loud music. She pretended to be pissed, but underneath the facade she was smiling.

Faith, her parents and her friends were all gathered at around a table. They were at Stereo, the cool new club that had opened just in time for them to plan a party to celebrate the end of the school year. Faith, Emma, Cat, Robert and all of her other friends had passed all of their first year courses, mostly with flying colours, and were looking forward to their long awaited summer.

But for Faith, this party meant more than the end of the school year. This was the first time anyone was going to meet Chance.

In the last few months Chance had moved in with her. He had slowly learned how to walk and move like a normal human being again, and Faith had been more than happy to help him with the adjustments. He still had a slight limp, but he was moving on his own now, which meant more independence for the both of them... though Faith secretly missed the intimacy of their first week together, where it was only her, Chance, and their house.

Chance had gotten into contact with his old employers, who where ecstatic to have him back. His new, softer, guy-next-door look meant less work and less money, but Chance didn't mind. He had more than enough money to do what he wanted, and he had made up his mind to get a degree, anyways.

Faith grinned back at her mother, crying: "I thought you wanted to meet Chance!"

"I do... in a nice, quiet place!"

"I don't need to meet him at all," her dad added sourly, out of place in the loud club.

"Well, sorry, I wanted to introduce him to everyone at once!"

Her mother said something she could not understand and Faith merely nodded, standing and walking to the bar. She was wearing a slinky black tank top and dark jeans. Her friends had all opted for bright colours and more obvious club wear, while Faith had decided to keep it sexy and simple. When the bartender turned to her Faith ordered a purple haze for herself and a screwdriver for Chance. He had been terribly nervous about meeting her parents and Faith thought that he might feel better with a little vodka in his system.

Faith watched as the bartender mixed her drinks. She was aware that someone was behind her before Chance put his arms around her waist but she acted surprised anyways, turning to look into his icy blue eyes. She was used to his human face now, and though she missed some things about life before the spell was broken she understood that Chance was happier now, and he was still himself, and that was all that mattered.

"Hi," she murmured. The bartender brought the drinks over and she grabbed them without a second glance. "I thought you would need this."

"I think I do," Chance admitted. His chocolate brown hair was in a disarray and there was a slight edge of panic in his eyes. He was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of dark-wash jeans, matching her, but he looked totally uncomfortable even in this casual attire. "What if they don't like me?"

"They will." Faith pressed the screwdriver into his hands. "I love you, don`t I?"

"You do," Chance murmured, "and I know I'm the luckiest man in the world. I just... also think... I'm..."

"Drink," she commanded.

He drank, downing the beverage at top speed. He put the glass back on the counter and looked into Faith's dark eyes, still nervous. "I'm not exactly the kind of guy you take home to your parents, Faith."

"You're right," Faith replied. "You're better."

"That's not what I-"

"Do you need this, too?" Faith asked, offering her own drink.

"No." Chance replied. "... Well, maybe..."

"What about a kiss?" She asked.

"... That would probably do more than a drink," Chance admitted.

"Well, if you say so..."

Faith took his face in her hands and, standing on tiptoes, pressed her lips to his. The music pounding around them seemed to fade into background noise as Chance wrapped his arms around her, pulling their bodies together so that they were one.

"So..." Faith murmured, pulling away just enough so that she could speak, "Are you ready to meet everyone now?"

"... I'm ready to take a bullet right now," Chance breathed.

"I don't think it will be that bad," she replied. She smoothed out his shirt and ran her fingers through his hair. "Now come on..."

Faith lead Chance back to her group. They held hands so that when people saw her, they saw him, and realized who he was. Her mother's eyes widened and her father's jaw literally dropped. Emma did a double take and Robert blinked twice. Cat was the only one who spoke.

"Oh my god, you're dating HIM?!" She cried.

Chance stared at her, almost in shock, pulling Faith closer to him as though to shield himself from their eyes.

"He's flipping HOT!" Cat continued. "Where did you find him?!"

"... Internet," Faith replied, smiling.

Chance waited for them to interrogate him, to mock him, to point out that he was an absolute imposter who would never deserve a girl life Faith... but they didn't.

"Hi," Cat said, since everyone else had decided to be speechless. "I'm Cat. Funny story, I'm actually dating Faith's ex right now, so, if you guys ever decide to, you know, split..."

"Not funny," Robert growled playfully, grabbing her around the waist. Cat shrieked as he pulled away, not upset in the slightest that Faith had moved on. After all: so had he.

"So, uh..." Emma looked Chance over, smiling. "I thought you were done with hot guys, Faith."

"I was. I changed my mind," Faith replied.

"Oh. Oh, my goodness." Faith's mother pushed past the rest of her friends, dragging Faith's father along for the awkward ride. "Hi, I'm Faith's mom! And you must be Chance. We've heard so much about you..."

"... too much..." her husband added.

"... And we are just delighted that Faith's found someone who makes her so happy..."

"... And what exactly are your intentions with my daughter?" Faith's dad broke in, ignoring his wife's babbling.

"I'm actually intending to marry her," Chance murmured quietly. Faith's mother was too caught up to hear, but her father did. His mouth snapped open and shut a few times, like a fish.

"... oh..."

Faith grinned. "Not tonight, dad. But someday."

"Oh... kay..."

Faith decided that Chance had endured enough torture for one night and pulled him away from the crowd. "Okay, we're going to dance now, so, you guys have fun!"

They left the party behind as The Black Eyed Peas started blasting. Faith recognized I Gotta Feeling from their new album and grinned, pulling Chance into the middle of the dance floor. They were surrounded by other couples, some just beginning to fall in love, some just getting to know each other, some who were just looking for a good time. Faith and Chance joined them as they moved to the music, though their eyes remained on each other.

"So, was that okay?" Faith asked. The music was incredibly loud here, and Chance had to come close to hear her voice.

"It was okay," He agreed. "I think your dad is a little worried about us now but, aside from that... I'd call it a success."

"So would I."

"So... they know we're dating now." Chance pointed out.

"They do," Faith agreed.

"So maybe..." Chance cleared his throat and pulled Faith closer, reaching into his pocket with his free hand. "Maybe... we can bring them up to speed on the fact that we're engaged..."

Faith had been expecting a ring, but seeing the little black box made her freeze. Chance stooped down on one knee and held it out to her, grinning secretively as a few of the surrounding dancers stopped to stare.

"Oh my god," Faith whispered. Chance opened the ring box and Faith found herself staring down at simple silver band. "Its... exactly what I wanted."

"Does that mean yes?"Chance asked.

"I already said yes three months ago you dink!" Faith laughed.

"Well, I want you to say it again." Chance cleared his throat. "Faith, my love, will you marry me?"

"Of course!" Faith cried. She pulled him back up onto his feet and wrapped her arms around him. "Yes, yes, yes, yes!"

"Well, put it on." Chance said.

Faith began to do as she was told, taking the silver band from the box, but she noticed an inscription around the inside, where no one would see it. Faith tried to hold it up to the light but the strobe light was on, making it hard to read. Chance took it from her and slipped it onto her ring finger, taking her hands in his.

"It says, 'Beauty and the Beast: Forever and Always'," he murmured.

"Perfect," Faith murmured. Their lips met again and Faith wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes. The club melted away around them and the two of them found themselves lost in one another, perfectly content to be lost.

"I love you," Chance whispered.

"I love you, too." Faith replied.

Neither one of them noticed when the beautiful blond woman brushed passed them. She looked over them for a moment, smiling to herself and taking care not to disrupt them. She made her way through the club and up to the bar, her beauty melting away to reveal a less appealing person. She found a beautiful young man sitting there. He was flirting with a girl but not really paying attention to her. When she tapped his shoulder he turned to look at her and, wrinkling his nose at her, he asked, "Whadaya want?"

"Please," the woman asked, holding out her hands. "I need help..."

The End