Cotillion Can Be Fun

Disclaimer: I do not own Virals.

A/N: Another oneshot. I finished reading Seizure and I started to wonder why Ben couldn't be Tory's escort. Tory isn't from some old moneyed family but Whitney was able to get her into the cotillion so why not Ben? Hence this oneshot. Enjoy.

Warnings: Spoilers for Seizure.

"Tory! You can only be so late. How long are you going to keep your young man waiting?" I heard Kit yell up the stairs.

"It is common for girls to be fashionably late Kit, don't you know anything?" I heard Whitney respond with a touch of annoyance. 'Trouble in paradise?' I thought to myself.

"I'll be right down, Kit!" I yelled to my father. I was really just stalling in an attempt to calm my nerves. My friend, Ben Blue was waiting downstairs to escort me to a dance for cotillion. Jason had offered again, but I had politely refused which confounded Whitney to no end. She couldn't understand why I would turn down Jason's offer. The only reason she could find was there was another who was capable of turning my head, which wasn't completely off base.

Whitney had mangled and manipulated to the best of her ability to get Ben in the cotillion much to the anger and disappointment of the tripod of skank and Jason. They had never liked each other and I had a feeling that seeing each other outside of school would only increase their animosity.

Like me, Ben had not been open to joining at first, and to be honest neither of us were open to it now, but he had eventually accepted his lot in life when I had offered a part of my share in the doubloons towards outfitting Sewee with more equipment. Apparently, it took quite a lot of money to update the vessel.

After taking my frustration and anger out on Jason there was no way I could allow him to escort me to the dance and I did not fancy attending with no allies what so ever. Whitney had convinced Kit that I wouldn't be able to function in normal society if I didn't participate and the normally intelligent man had issued an ultimatum. Therefore, I had bribed Ben and he was now waiting downstairs for me to make my appearance.

I was in a blue dress with a silver overlay around the skirt, lending it a shimmer with every move I made. It had thin straps with no caps thankfully. I did not intend to look the part of a Disney princess. It was floor length and appropriate to the winter theme.

The cotillion hosted numerous dances throughout the season but there were only two that were strictly formal and mandatory. The first was the annual debut of all the newly inducted Debutantes and the other was the Winter Formal.

Next year I would make my debut, but the Formal was required for all members of the cotillion not just the Debutantes. Of course, none of this quite explains my hesitancy. You see with Ben around my usually calm demeanor was shattered and I found my face turning scarlet whenever I met his gaze. I knew Shelton and Hi sensed my turmoil but thankfully, Ben hadn't noticed my peculiar behavior.

I wasn't afraid of Madison and her lackeys but rather of Ben and the puzzle that seemed to surround him. At times, he was almost warm towards me, and once when Jason gave me a ride home from my volunteering work I could have sworn he was jealous, but for the most part he was quiet and I was unable to guess his thoughts.

Nevertheless, I knew I wouldn't be able to hide forever so I slipped into my silver high heels and made my descent.

On any other guy, I would have said that the expression on Ben's face was shock, but I was never able to tell with Ben. The look may have been admiration, or apathy. My optimistic side was leaning towards admiration with a pinch of something more, but my other more sarcastic half punched Optimism in the face and laughed at her foolishness. After all what did a scrawny tomboy have to offer any male?

I focused back on the here and now just in time to here Ben's mumbled praise and see my father's mouth drop open. Whitney closed Kit's mouth with a smile saying, "Doesn't she look beautiful boys?"

Kit stood in place with wide eyes as Ben answered Whitney, "That she does Ms. Dubois. I suppose I can't be too angry that we'll be late to the dance." Ben offered me his arm as I reached the last stair. I took it with relief that I would not have to stand there awkwardly in front of my father. I stood on tiptoe and kissed Kit's cheek as we walked past whispering into his ear, "It's okay Kit, it's still me under here. I'll be back in an hour or two."

Whitney stepped up beside me as I turned to the front door. I stepped into her hug as she held out her arms. "Have fun and don't worry about curfew, I'll keep Kit with a movie or something." I nodded as I stepped back and took Ben's arm once more.

We walked outside to where the Sewee was docked. The dance was being held close to Charleston Harbor so we didn't need to borrow Kit's 4Runner. We didn't speak as Ben steered Sewee away from the dock. In fact, neither of us said a word until we had docked in Charleston Harbor.

"How on earth did you get me to agree to this?" I turned to Ben, who looked a tad bit green and laughed quietly to myself.

"The same way I always do. I ordered, begged, persuaded, and manipulated. When that didn't work, I bribed you. I am amazing I know."

Ben chuckled in spite of himself. He held out his arm, which I once again took. "Well let's get this thing over with already. The sooner we get there the sooner we can leave."

"At least this time I'll have someone to talk to who isn't going to earn me glares from the Tripod." Even as I said it, I felt bad. Jason had never done anything to willfully harm or upset me. It wasn't his fault that he was Madison's main obsession.

"If he was really a nice guy he wouldn't have that lot as friends Tory." I glanced up into Ben's warm brown eyes. "You can tell a lot about a person by who he hangs around. I'm sure Madison didn't develop her crush completely out of the blue; he must have done or said something that encouraged her. Likewise, if he was serious about you he would have said something to settle her down and she would probably hate him even more then she does you. However, he hasn't and she is still as clingy and possessive as she has ever been. You deserve better than that."

Ben faced forward and that was when I realized we were at the dancing hall. "Thank you Ben. That was very sweet of you." I noticed Ben's skin looked slightly flushed around his cheekbones. 'Surely not' I thought. 'Ben Blue does not blush' but there it was. Suddenly I felt much more confident and I held my head high as we walked through the doors.

"Tory!" I swiveled my head to see Jason approaching us from the right, behind him some five yards away I saw Madison turn to glare in my direction. I felt someone grip my forearm reassuringly and looked to see Ben gazing in the same direction I had with a tight expression.

"About time you got here, now I can finally get that dance I've been looking forward to all night!" Jason stood in front of me with a grin on his face as Ben stood by my side with a frown and a glare.

Suddenly I saw it all clearly. Jason was a great person and he would always treat me with respect but he would never understand my love of science and he could never understand my connection with the other Virals, even if I could trust him enough to tell our story. I could never trust him the way I did the others. I could never trust him the way I trust Ben. He could never understand me the way Ben could.

I smiled lightly but spoke bluntly, "Thank you for the offer Jason, but my dance card is already filled. Perhaps some other time."

Both of them stared down at me, one in shock, and the other in amazement. Thankfully, Jason is a decent sort of fellow and had the grace to bow out without causing a scene. As he walked away, Ben turned to me with wide eyes. I faced forward and didn't say a word. He could take my words whichever way he wished but I think my red cheeks gave something of my thoughts away because he grinned.

"Well my lady do you think there's room on your dance card for one more?" I smiled and took his outstretched hand. "It all depends on who is asking."

"That is a very good thing. I would hope you wouldn't just accept an offer made by any smooth talking guy." I laughed quietly as I enjoyed the light atmosphere between us.

"Please, we both know I'm not that kind of girl." Ben smiled and said, "And exactly what kind of girl are you not?"

"I am not the nose scrunching, hairspray drowning, teetering high heels, kind of girl that depends on others for anything and everything."

"Hm. So what kind of girl are you?"

"The bossy kind who always gets her way either by fate or design and likes to play in the dirt or sand as it may be."

"That suits you to a 'T'. I can clearly remember the times that you have had us dig for hours on end based on a simple hunch. No matter how wild and crazy your ideas are we always end up agreeing at some point." This is a fact; the first time they dug, we found a human skeleton and the second an empty treasure chest. The second time was a bust but it led to the real treasure eventually.

"That's because you know what's good for you. Besides my ideas have proven right so far, well maybe not initially but after some tweaking and reevaluation they are."

"I didn't say you were wrong Tory, just bossy." As is the rest of the human population thank you very much.

"And right you are."

"For once."

"You're only wrong when you disagree with me." The first memory that pops up was when the guys decided we would never find Anne Bonny's treasure and that the risks were too great to try. Well they changed their minds and look at who was proven right again. Me.

"Spoken like a true woman." That has to be one of the most sexist remarks I have ever heard. I may like to ogle his body from time to time but that does not mean that I tune everything out when I do. I am intelligent enough to drool over broad shoulders and maintain a steady conversation at the same time. Besides who could possibly blame me, they are at my eye level. It is not my fault that I am shorter than Ben, it just conveniently works out that way.

"I am a woman." Well a young woman, which Kit only calls me when I have well and truly ruffled his feathers.

"Trust me I know." We had continued to dance but as the songs switched we had moved into a gentle swaying motion. The hall is filled with light but Ben's eyes are dark and I found myself staring into their depths.

"What do you mean by that?" We slowed to a stop and I honestly don't think anyone cared enough to notice even as the music picked back up.

"It's rather difficult to mistake my meaning."

"Well-" Ben's sudden movement cut off my comment. One second I was staring into Ben's eyes and the next his lips were moving fiercely over mine. You would think it hard to ignore the chatter and music flowing about the room, and maybe it wouldn't have been possible while we were flaring but as we kissed, Ben was the only thing I noticed.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?" Well he was the only thing I noticed until Madison made herself known. I broke the kiss and turned to Madison. "First you blow off Jason, and now you parade this scruffy mechanic around right under his nose? I don't know what the board of trustees was thinking letting you two join but it just proves that a girl like you doesn't belong around here."

The smart thing to do after lecturing me would have been to leave, but no one ever accused Madison of being smart.

"The only thing in that speech that was accurate was about my belonging here Madison. If my father didn't insist you would never be able to catch me within one hundred square feet of here. I didn't blow Jason off and don't think that just because he prefers me over you that it gives you the right to raise your hackles. Ben is far from scruffy but even if he did want to make a living as a mechanic, you would have no place or right to judge him. Flounce your little self away and complain somewhere else. You just might be able to find someone who cares if you look hard enough though I doubt it." Madison looked shocked. I had stood up to her before but this was on an entirely different level. I honestly don't think she knew where to begin.

I grabbed Ben's hand we walked out the front doors before Madison was able to gain her composure. Kit and Whitney had wanted me to attend the dance and I had, but they didn't make a time requirement.

"I don't know whether to be impressed or terrified." I didn't look back to see Ben's expression, but I could hear the awe in his tone.

"Which are you leaning towards?"

"A bit of both to be honest. I never thought you would destroy Madison. Not to say that I didn't believe you capable, I just never thought she would make you that angry."

"You've never done anything to her but she didn't pause for a second to judge you in a way that supported her petty argument. You live on an island and you are a guy, of course, you're going to like boating. It's so much more convenient to have a boat than a car. I mean-"

"Calm down. I just wanted to thank you for defending me, even though you didn't need to." He tugged on my arm and I stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Yes I did need to. You never would have been rude enough to give her the dressing down that she needed." He probably would have walked off without acknowledging her existence but he wouldn't have demeaned her as I did.

"But you are rude enough?" He didn't phrase it like a question but I decided to take it as one.

"I come from Massachusetts Ben; of course I'm rude enough." I didn't spend a lot of time wandering the streets but I had dealt with my fair share of moody cab drivers.

"I always thought southern girls were overrated anyhow." I looked up and saw Ben's smile. I knew he wasn't really insulting an entire demographic, he was just teasing me which had become more and more common as of late.

"Well I am the daughter of a southerner on one side." Not that Kit had any influence on my accent or choice of dress. You can only wear so much camouflage. None in my opinion, but that is unimportant.

"I suppose my good taste can adjust to accommodate your hybrid self." I smiled as Ben leaned in once again and I rose onto my toes to meet his lips. We were standing on the dock by Sewee and no one was there to interrupt us this time. Even though we left the dance early, I still missed curfew.

A/N: Too short, too long? Boring or interesting leave me a review so I know what I need to work on. Till next time(:

A/N(2): I would like to think the two reviewers who pointed out that Tory is from Massachusetts rather than New York. I hate to make mistakes like that and I'm sorry that it took so long to correct. Thank you.