Title:In the Arms of a Stranger
Authors:Beesting77, and Schmooie
Pairings:Gerard Butler/OFC, Josh Holloway/OFC
Rating:I'm assuming it's around R, but may go up.
Warnings:None that I can think of!
Summary:What happens when one girl meets a taken man and another girl meets her best friend's brother?
Disclaimer:No, beesting77 and I do not own Gerard Butler or Josh Holloway. If we did, there would be no need to write this, that's for sure! The two female characters are property of us, as we made them up.
Author's Notes:Right now, I am posting for beesting77 as her computer is not working very well right now. This first part was written by her!

~*~

Erin's stilettos were killing her. Walking from the office high rise to her car was torture. She couldn't wait to get back to her studio and slip into her old jeans. But she tried to focus on the conversation at hand as she argued into her cell phone.

"Come on Josh, it's not like you have anything better to do." She sighed as his tone became irritated. "You're right, you're right, I'm sorry. But with the plant being closed down, you have to admit you'll have extra time on your hands. And you'd be perfect for this campaign." As much as she hated to admit it, she knew her big brother was gorgeous. "They want this whole urban cowboy thing. You could pull that off in your sleep." She took his silence as being headed in the right direction. "I'll work around your schedule while you job hunt and you can even stay at my place and get out of that hole you live in."

She opened the car door and sat down, sighing as she slipped the spiky heels off her tired feet and threw them in the backseat. "No, my roommate is in the middle of a three month dance tour. You can have her room." She smiled as she heard him sigh. Almost got him. She put a little pout in her voice. "I'd feel safer having someone there anyways. Please Josh? It'd really help me out." Her smile widened across her face. "Great! Thank you. I'll come by and help you move tomorrow. Bye!"

She tossed the cell into the seat beside her. "Yes! The new face of Stetson has arrived."

*****

She looked at the directions for a third time. Driving through this neighborhood gave her the creeps. In fact, most downtown areas made her uneasy. It just wasn't home. Give her grass and dirt roads over concrete jungles any day.

Immediately she caught sight of her brother hauling a box out to the curb. He was dressed in his typical outfit. A pair of well worn jeans and some dreary colored t-shirt. As usual, his shoulder length hair looked like he had run his hands through it about 50 times already and he had about three days worth of stubble along his jaw. Erin never understood how he was able to maintain stubble. Did he just trim it? She mentally shrugged as she got out of the car and looked at the pile of boxes.

"That's all of it."

She pushed her sunglasses down her nose. "Josh, that's three boxes."

'What can I say? I'm a minimalist."

"Survivalist is more like it." She eyed the small boxes in disbelief. "Where are your clothes?"

He walked back to the stairwell and lifted a duffle bag, his traditional mocking grin on his face. She pushed her sunglasses back into place so he couldn't see her roll her eyes and she opened the trunk. "I can't believe you get by on that."

"We all don't work for big ad agencies, sis."

Erin frowned at his tone. Josh had loved cars his whole life. Getting a chance to work at one of the biggest manufacturers in the country was a huge deal for him. She could tell his mood was going to take a nose dive pretty soon if she didn't do something. "By the time I'm done with you, you'll be raking it in as Chicago's newest 'it' boy."

"I can't wait." He shut the trunk as the last of the boxes was placed inside.

"Hey, how hard can it be to stand around in a pair of jeans while your little sister takes a couple pictures of you? You'll do fine and the head honchos will love it."

****

"This is it. Chateau Erin and Kylah." Erin threw her purse on the counter as they walked through the door. Josh let out a low whistle.

"Very nice." And it was. The girls had pounced on the apartment as soon as they had seen it. Two bedrooms, two bath, spacious living room and decent kitchen.

"This one's Kylah's. You can stow your stuff wherever."

"She doesn't mind?"

Erin's silence was very telling. Especially to anyone who knew her. He looked over his shoulder. "Errrrriiinnnn..."

"So I didn't ask her. It'll be fine. When she comes back, the campaign should be off and running and you can get your own place." He shook his head as he set his duffle bag down. "You hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Cool. There's a bar and grill a few blocks from here."

*****

Immediately Josh knew why she liked it here. The honkey-tonk atmosphere was probably a novelty to these Chicago citizens, but to Texans like them it was a little bit of home. Road signs were nailed to the wall and a jute box played George Strait. But the biggest oddity was a man he recognized at the bar. "Gerry!"

Erin's head turned as Josh called out to someone. When a man at the bar turned around her heartbeat stepped up a notch. Just as tall as her brother, putting him around 6'2". Black hair, light eyes, their exact color was difficult to determine in this light. Great build, brilliant smile. She tried for nonchalance as her brother walked up and shook his hand.

"What're you doing here man?"

"Trying out a new place." Oh good lord he had an accent. Erin sucked in a calming breath. If he turned out to be charming as well she was a goner. His eyes flicked over to her. "And who’s this?"

"My baby sister, Erin."

His eyes ran appreciatively down her body, leaving goose bumps in the wake of his invisible touch. "Hello there." She grinned up at him, her feline smile making his imagination kick into overdrive.

"BA-BY SIS-TER." Josh repeated a bit louder. Erin laughed as the other man snapped his attention back to Josh.

"Sorry mate." He put his hand out to Erin. "I'm Gerry. Nice to meet you."

She took his hand, squeezing it softly. "Pleasure."

"You're hands are freezing!"

"It's Chicago in November," she pointed out.

"Well have a seat, get warm."

Josh and Erin pulled up barstools. For the better part of an hour, the three of them enjoyed their meal as they talked about local news. As they left the bar, Gerry felt something cold brush his jeans for just a second. He said goodbye to the brother and sister as they walked down the crowded sidewalk away from him. When they were out of sight, he put his hand in his back pocket and pulled out a business card.

Erin Holloway. Complete with phone number. He whistled the whole way home.

It was about 2 months into the dance tour and Kylah Monroe was doing well. She was the lead choreographer and dancer in the show, and she was getting a lot of recognition for her dance skills. They were in Seattle, Washington doing a dress rehearsal before their show the next evening. Kylah put on her high heeled tap shoes and buckled them up.

She and the other dancers went through the dance slowly at first to warm up before really getting into it. She answered some questions about the changes they had recently made. She looked out the corner of her eye at Marissa Lyson who was glaring at her. Kylah sighed and went back to demonstrating how to do one of the turns. Marissa was incredibly jealous of Kylah because of her position in the company. Marissa was Kylah's back up in case anything happened to her, but she had never gotten the chance to be lead dancer.

Kylah had only joined this dance company about two years ago and had quickly risen to the top as one of the best dancers. Marissa had been there about 5 years and never got the opportunities that Kylah had. Kylah had never meant to tread into Marissa's territory, she only did her best and now she was being accused of stealing someone else's spot on the tour.

Kylah stopped dancing for a bit, giving the other dancers a 5 minute break before they started over again. She fixed her tight camisole and her cut up dance pants before getting a drink of water from her water bottle. She surveyed the seating area and smiled. This was where she belonged. Dancing for all of these people was a dream come true, and she couldn't ask for anything more. She checked the clock and noticed that the five minutes was already up.

"Okay everyone! Get in position! We're starting from the beginning and I want you to put everything into this like it was a real performance!" she shouted. She waited for everyone to get onstage and when they were all ready she nodded to the sound guy. The jazzy music started and she started dancing her heart out. About halfway into the dance, she turned, hitting her left heel hard on the floor, but the stage was uneven and as she turned her knee twisted a different direction than her body was going.

Kylah crumpled to the floor with a cry, feeling the sharp pain in her knee. The music stopped immediately and the rest of the company ran over to her. She sat there feeling the throbbing in her left knee. Tears ran down her face as shallow breaths left her body. She knew something bad had happened. She had never been in this much pain in her life. She drowned out the voices around her. The tour director, Chris, sat next to her and she broke out of her trance when he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Kylah, we're going to have to take you to the emergency room. Your knee is really swollen" he said. She shook her head at him.

"No. I just need to ice it for a bit. I'll be fine. I can still dance" she said, determination written on her face. Chris watched Kylah's face twist in pain as she tried unsuccessfully to stand up. She fell back to the floor, trying to hold back her tears. Chris scooped up the devastated woman in his arms and he drove her to the hospital against her will as Marissa looked on with a smile.

~*~

Kylah balanced her crutches against the wall as she put the key in the lock. She was flown back to Chicago with the diagnosis of a torn ligament and the news that she would probably never be able to dance professionally again. All of this in less than 24 hours. She didn't even have a chance to call Erin and let her know what happened. Fresh tears threatened to spill over, but she held them back, blaming them on the fact that it was almost 3 in the morning. She opened the door to her apartment and walked inside quietly.

She hobbled over to her bedroom after closing and locking the door behind her. She placed her purse on the floor next to the door and went to find something to wear to bed. She'd let Erin know what happened in the morning. She quickly changed into a tank top and dance shorts before downing a pain killer to numb her knee again. She pulled her brown chin length hair into a pony tail and sat on her bed. She lifted the covers and saw someone sleeping in her bed. She lifted a crutch and held it like a baseball bat.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING IN MY BED?!?!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. The figure jumped and fell clumsily off the bed before jumping up in surprise.

"Calm down, woman!" the man yelled at her. "Besides, you won't do much damage with that crutch" he said with a chuckle. Kylah narrowed her eyes at him and kept the crutch where it was. The man sighed and pushed him dirty blond hair out of his face. "I'm Josh, Erin's older brother. She let me stay here while I looked for a job."

At Josh's explanation, Kylah lowered the crutch and placed it under her arm to support herself. Things were a bit clearer now. She knew Erin had an older brother named Josh, so she knew she was relatively safe. She studied the man in front of her. Now that she knew who he was, she could see the small similarities he had to his sister. They had the exact eyes and hair color. He had a strong jaw, and she could tell he was in good shape since he was standing there in nothing but a pair of pajama pants.

Josh looked at the young woman before him. She looked exhausted. Then it hit him; she was supposed to be on a dance tour for another month. He took in the crutches and the large immobilizing brace over her knee and put the pieces together.

"Well, you must be the infamous Kylah Erin keeps talking about. What happened to ya?" he asked. She glared at him.

"I'd rather not talk about it. I need sleep, so I'm going back out in the living room" she said coolly. She turned around and Josh actually felt bad for the comment. Here he was being sarcastic and taking over her bedroom and she was still being kind and letting him stay there.

"Look, you sleep in your own bed. I'll go on the couch. I know where the extra blankets and pillows are." He walked around the bed and paused before going out the door. "I'm sorry for scaring you Kylah I was going to be gone before you got back. I just didn't think you'd be back so soon. ”he said sincerely.

Kylah sighed and closed her eyes momentarily.

"Neither did I" she said quietly. Josh nodded and closed the door behind him. Kylah sat on her bed and let the tears silently fall. She laid down and cried herself to sleep knowing she would never dance again.

Whoa!!! Did you read my mind???? I have two new crushes....their names would be Gerard Butler and Josh Holloway. Now, to find them both in one story......oh, the joy I feel right now! :shine:

First, must say, this description made me swoon...

He is so frigging sexy!

Now, I like your beginning a lot. Poor Kylah, it has to be hard for her to find out such terrible news...never being able to dance again. :cry: But, I like how she found Josh in her bed. I do think I would be a bit surprised to find such a sexy sleeping under my covers. teehee!

Tis a great start, hun. I shall be looking forward to more!

Hmm... Gerard Butler, I just may have to read this sometime ;). That is, if ever I'm actually suppose to be online instead of writing a speech *cough* Stupid, evil speech class...

If I had time I'd read it! When I have time, I'll read it *laughs* and then I'll have something to say worth saying *cheers* hehehe

ttfn!

*grins* Okay, I've read it...

And I love it, of course! :D

I'd comment more, but I have a speech and a philosophy paper to write, and psych to read; Woo fun! heh...;)

Really though, it's great. I feel so badly for Kylah! *tear*

(psst, my real name is Erin, and it's pretty much never used in stories so yay! bonus points for you for using my horrible unappreciated name! ;) haha!)

I can't wait for more! Tchao! *runs off to do lousy classwork* Grr...

ps. Mmmm.... Gerry.... ;)

Thanks so much for reading you guys! It means a lot to us!!!

Gerard Butler and Josh Holloway....it doesn't get much better than that does it? haha

Thanks again for reading! :hug:

*~Steph~*

I just want to add to Schmooie's comment and say thank you so much for reading and reviewing. We love getting feedback.

More Gerry to come this week! :)

CHAPTER 3

It had been a busy day.

Erin had lined up four places in the city that she thought would be
good for the photo shoot. The only thing she had to do was scope them
out to make sure that the locations were what the internet advertised.
Time to pull out the city maps. Her phone rang, barely pulling her
from her thoughts as she reached blindly for the receiver.
"Holloway."

"What time do you get off lass?"

Her stomach did a flip flop and she leaned back in her chair. "Pretty
forward question for the first phone call," she teased.

She heard him chuckle. "You vixen. Are you free for lunch?"

"Absolutely." She glanced back at the map in front of her.
"Actually, if you don't mind doing a bit of walking, I could be free
for the rest of the afternoon. I have to do some location scouting
around town. Buy me a hot dog and I'm all yours."

"I think I can handle that."

*****

"Do you know what those things are made of?" He watched as she took
another bite of her hot dog.

"I prefer not to think about it." She licked at her lips trying to
capture any stray mustard. She froze as his thumb brushed the corner
of her mouth, catching a stray dribble. He licked his thumb clean and
she had to remind herself to breathe. "So you haven't told me yet;
how do you know Josh?"

He shrugged, turning his attention back to the sidewalk in front of
them. "Mutual friend." He tossed the wrapper to his hot dog in a
nearby trashcan as they passed. "So what are we doing here?"

She followed his change of topic. "We'll the park isn't exactly what
I wanted, but it's got nature with the skyline in the background. Go
stand over there." She pointed to a tree to their left.

"What?"

"Go on. You're about Josh's size, it'll help with perspective. Go."
She shooed him with her hands off to the side.

Gerry had no idea what he was doing. He shoved his hands in the
pockets of his jeans as she backed up a few feet, then moved to a new
angle, her eyes on him the whole time. Well if she was going to stare
at him there was no reason he couldn't do the same.

She was tall for a woman. Probably about 5'9" he guessed. Her honey
colored hair was looped in a ponytail, the ends barely brushing her
shoulder. She looked completely comfortable in a pair of jeans and
a worn leather jacket. A brightly colored scarf wrapped around her neck
to keep the cold at bay, but her cheeks were still pink. Her eyes
were thoughtful, evaluating the position, the scenery, the light. She
was entirely focused in her work.

Which was probably why didn't see the man approaching behind her.

In a flash, he grabbed her bag from her shoulder and started running
off in the other direction. Erin whipped around. "HEY!" Gerry's jaw
dropped as he saw her sprint after the man. Shaking himself out of
his daze, he ran after them, watching as Erin closed the distance,
despite the purse snatcher's head start. Damn that girl could run.

As they turned off the sidewalk and on to the turf, Erin kicked her
legs out in front of her, dropping to the ground and effectively
tangling her legs with the thief's. Unfortunately, the man landed
hard, the wind knocked out of him. Erin scrambled up over him,
pulling her purse from his hands, kicking him in the stomach as she
stood. "JERK!"

Gerry was right behind her, grabbing the man by his jacket and hauling
him to his feet. With a quick twist, the man shed his jacket and ran
off. Gerry started after him, but Erin caught his arm. "I have my
purse. Its fine."

Gerry nodded. "Are you alright?"

"My elbow and hip hurt pretty good where I landed." She winced as she
took a step forward.

"My flat's just up the street. I've got a bag of frozen peas with
your name on it."

******

"So where did you learn to take someone out like that?" He called
from the kitchen.

"I grew up with an older brother and three boy cousins. It got a
little rowdy sometimes." She felt so self conscious. Here she was,
standing in a strange man's bathroom, her jeans folded on the counter.
She had pulled them off to inspect her hip and was met with the sight
of an ugly looking bruise forming around a scrape. The walk to his
apartment had taken longer than she had anticipated. The sun was
already low in the sky. She had thought about calling Josh, but had
decided against it. If he wasn't living with her, she wouldn't have
called. And besides, he'd only want to come pick her up and like most
women - she was too intrigued to turn down a chance to scope out a
bachelor pad.

While she had washed up, Gerry had promised to get the first aid kit
and some ice.

"Knock knock," he called from the other side of the door.

"You can just leave it there, I'll grab it."

She was met with silence for a moment. "Open the door, Erin."

Any other man, she would have told him where he could stick it, but
Gerry's soft command had her shyly stepping towards the door. As a
last minute chance for self-preservation, she wrapped one of his bath
towels around her waist. I must look like an idiot, she thought.
Sweater, socks, and bath towel. She unlocked the latch and opened
the door.

He was waiting on the other side with a first aid kit and a bag of
frozen peas wrapped in a dish towel. "Sit down."

Without a word, she sat down on the commode lid as he arranged his
supplies on the counter. "Let me see your elbow."

She held out her arm. In a few minutes, her cuts had been smeared
with Neosporin and covered with a band-aid. Erin watched all of his
movements mutely. She became absorbed in the way his hair curled at
his temples, the tiny lines that were beginning to form around his
eyes, the way his shoulders moved under the fabric of his t-shirt. It
wasn't until he dropped to his knees that she came slamming back to
reality.

Now his face was right in front of hers as he pulled the terry cloth
apart just enough to see the purple marks across her hip and outer
thigh. Gerry frowned and reached for a bottle of disinfectant,
applying it across the deeper of the cuts. She sucked in a breath as
the sting penetrated through the dull ache. His head ducked down and
blew softly across the wound. She swallowed hard. The ache had now
shifted from
her hip to low in her belly and she was afraid she would ask him to
take care of that too, if he kept this up.

Oblivious to her discomfort, he spread the same ointment across her
cuts and put a larger bandage across her hip. She kicked herself. He
was totally unaffected by this situation. How could it possibly sexy,
looking at her discolored skin? But she felt the pad of his finger
trace along the ties that held her panties in place. Thank you God,
for letting me grab a sexy pair of panties this morning.

When his eyes met hers, she was lost. He looked so sexy and strong.
But there was vulnerability there too. Just waiting for her to say
yes.

Despite her attraction to him, this was moving a bit to fast. "I
should go," she whispered.

"Stay," he whispered back.

She searched his eyes again before nodding. He smiled at her, a warm
gentle smile and she couldn't help but answer it. He stood up. "I
have some drawstring pants you can borrow, so you can ice your leg
with some modesty." He winked. "I'll be right back."

:drool: Oh, wow! That was a great chapter. Erin is such an interesting character, I like how she was all hardcore and chased down the thief.

Then, what a sexy atmosphere you created between she and Gerard in the bathroom. I could picture it so clearly in my mind. Great job!

The word lass made my heart do a flip flop. :yes:

Oh. My. Goodness. :bow:

I am so in love with this story. Tis wonderful for many reasons. One of the main reasons...it is written really well. Secondly, it has JOSH in it. I LOVE him. *swoooooooooon*

ajdf;lkajdf;laksjdf;lksajdf;laksjdf;laskj :yum:

Bwhahahahahahaha! That was too funny. So true to life also. Older siblings can be so protective when it comes to the opposite sex showing an interest in the youngin'.

Girls...Seriously I am in love with this story. Sexy Gerard. Even sexier Josh. Kylah and the situation she is in. Erin and her kick ass tough attitude.

I can't get enough of this. Weeeeeeee! You've got yourself a new fan.

CHAPTER 4

Gerry awoke with a start as a bag of semi-frozen peas slid into his lap.
How in the... but then he realized why. He quickly set the bag of peas onto
the floor.

Last night, Erin had quickly donned his pajama pants and joined him on the
couch, trying to arrange herself amongst the cushions so that she wouldn't
have to hold her ice pack in place. In the end, she sat curled on her side,
the bag of peas lying across her bruised hip. He had turned on the
television

Even though it was only mid November, Christmas programming was already in
full swing. Thanksgiving was still a week away, for God sake. But as "It's
a Wonderful Life" began to play, he settled back against the couch, not so
subtely putting his arms around Erin's shoulders. Her heard her mutter
"Smooth," before she turned her attention back to the TV, a smile lighting
her features.

They hadn't spoken much during the evening, but had managed to flirt with
each other all the same. When his thumb had traced up and down the nape of
her neck, her eyes had fluttered closed and he watched her shakily exhale.
He tucked away the bit of information that her neck was sensitive, with a
sly smile. She had made fun of the commercials on TV just to hear him
chuckle. When her hand reached for the remote that was balanced on his knee
he jumped, and Erin discovered that Gerry's knees were exceptionally
ticklish.

Leno's monologue was really the last thing he remembered before his rude
awakening. Erin's head was on his shoulder, her palm resting over his
heart. Her injured leg was thrown over his thigh, which had let the bag of
mushy peas slide directly into his groin. A blanket was pulled over both of
them and he concluded that he must have fallen asleep and she had covered
them with the throw from the back of the couch.

She had stayed, just as she promised. He hadn't even stolen a kiss, but it
was oddly one of the most satisfying nights he had ever had with a woman.
Granted his neck was a bit stiff from sleeping out on the couch, but she was
curled against him, completely relaxed in his arms. And that alone filled
him with contentment.

After brushing a soft kiss to her forehead, he gently untangled himself from
her arms. After a brief trip to bathroom to clean up, he headed into the
kitchen to start a pot of coffee. He watched as the smells from the kitchen
began to wake her. Or perhaps it was the loss of his presence beside her.
He rather hoped it was the latter.

Erin opened her eyes and looked around. Her brain sleepily processed that
she wasn't in her home. She remembered that she had stayed the night with
him just because of his one word plea. She smiled. She had actually had a
lot of fun last night just staying in with him and watching television. She
laughed to herself. Man, was she a cheap date.

He had fallen asleep somewhere during the Tonight Show. A soft snore had
reached her ears and she had reached for the remote and turned the TV off.
Erin sat there in the silence, daring herself to lay down beside him and
finally gave in. As soon as her head rested on his shoulder, his arm had
shifted to hold her in place and he muttered something before falling back
to sleep.

It had felt so good to be held, even if it was by a man who didn't know he
was doing it. Erin knew she had been lonely, but she hadn't realized how
much until she was faced with the prospect of having someone by her side.
Although she was determined to savor the sensation of being wrapped up in
his arms, her eyelids soon became too heavy to hold open and she drifted off
within moments.

Now she watched as Gerry puttered around the kitchen, making toast and what
smelled like really good coffee. She stretched; arching her back and
extending her legs, blushing when she noticed she had caught Gerry's
attention. She stood and shuffled into the kitchen, trying not to trip over
his too-long pajama pants.

"Senorita," he teased as he handed her a cup of coffee.

"Gracias, senor." She smiled as she took a sip, but her eyes caught sight of
the oven clock. "Oh my God, is that the time? Oh shit!" She set her mug
down and raced into the bathroom. Not five seconds later she came back into
the living room, dressed in her jeans. She grabbed her jacket and looked
around for her shoes.

"What's wrong?" He leaned against the counter.

"I have to pitch the Stetson concept to my boss this morning, and I have to
run home and get cleaned up." She pulled her scarf on. "I'm sorry to run,
Sugar." She kissed him briefly. "Bye!" And she was out the door.

It wasn't until she was standing at the elevator doors that she realized
she'd kissed him. Full on the lips, however quickly. And she'd called him
Sugar! Oh for heavens sake! Erin put her head in her hand as she waited
for the doors to open. Early morning domesticity did funny things to her
common sense. She'd have spooked him for sure with that move.

"Erin." He called her name as he came down the hall. "Here." He handed
her a coffee mug with a lid, the smell of the wonderful brew reaching up to
tickle her nose. Once the mug was out of his hands though, he cradled her
face in his hands as he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.

This wasn't some fleeting "Goodbye Kiss". This was a full on "Come Back
Inside Kiss". While she couldn't hold him to her with her hands wrapped
around the coffee mug, she leaned into the kiss, a tiny whimper escaping
her. When he pulled away she blinked her eyes a bit to clear them. Even
Gerry looked as though he was pulling himself under control. "Call me when
you get home from work?"

She nodded, still too dazed to speak. As the elevator doors opened she
stepped inside, watching him until the doors closed.

Holy cow.


**** Please review :)

Guh?....*full on passes out onto her floor with a "bam!"*

*gets up and sits back down in chair* Ow...

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! *dances around happily*

AH-MAZE-ING!!!!!!!!!!! *laughs*

Really though, I absolutely loved it :) Keep it up hehe :D

*is blissful* Girl, you have a delightful style! That chapter ran so smoothly, and it was rich with descriptions and new found emotions. I really can't find the words to compliment it...twas just amazing! I must quote, for I fear there were several parts I loved to pieces.

I just loved the details right here, and the entire point behind the paragraph. It really is true that you can have a nice time and learn a lot about a person just curled up on the couch in one night. It was sweet, and made me really fall in love with these two characters.

Poor darling! That was a great way to give us an insight to her past. *applauds*

That part was so cute! It made me laugh and laugh. Sugar...giggles.

EEP! Loved that, just loved it. From the come back inside to the whimper. I am really liking their relationship thus far.

Shall be awaiting more! Excellent job!

Thanks so much for reading guys!

-------------

CHAPTER 5

Josh moved slightly in his sleep when a sharp pain woke him up. Couches did not make good beds, that was for damn sure. He got up and went to make some coffee to wake himself up a bit more. He padded softly into the kitchen, not wanting to wake up Kylah or Erin. He looked at the time on the microwave and noted that it was only 8 AM. As the coffee machine worked its magic he went through what he needed to do today. The only thing on his list was looking for a job, which he would start just as soon as he took a shower.

He poured himself a cup of the newly made coffee and heard the door open and close quickly. He saw what he thought was a person run through the living room and into Erin's room, slamming the door behind her. He winced at the sound and wondered what the hell was going on. Five minutes later Erin stumbled out of her room trying to put on her high heels and put her hair up simultaneously. He laughed as she started tipping to one side and when she straightened herself she glared at him.

"Shut the hell up or you aren't going to be the new face of Stetson" she said.

"Truthfully I could care less sis. I'm just a simple kind of guy who needs a real job that doesn't consist of standing in front of a camera." He replied. Erin just rolled her eyes at her brother and finished putting her hair up in a sophisticated looking bun. "Also, be a little quieter" he added. Erin gave him a confused look.

"Why?" she asked him.

"Because your best friend and roommate came back at 3 AM, and she's still sleeping" he told her. He was going to tell Erin about Kylah's knee, but decided that was something Kylah needed to tell Erin about herself since he didn't know all the facts. Erin's eyes went wide upon hearing that Kylah was back already. She had another month or so left in the dance tour.

"Why is she home? What happened?" she asked quickly. Josh shook his head.

"I'm not exactly sure what happened. All I know is that I was sleeping and she came in her room and almost attacked me at 3 AM. I slept on the couch so she could sleep in her own room. You need to talk to her about what happened because I don't know for sure" he explained. Erin nodded and went to the door, picking up her purse where she threw it in a hurry.

"I'll talk to her when I get back from this meeting." Josh nodded at her and Erin opened the door.

"Good luck sis" Josh yelled after her. Erin turned around and smiled her thanks at him and rushed out.

Josh finished his coffee and went to take a shower before going out job hunting for a few hours.

~*~

Kylah woke up to bright sunshine surrounding her. She slowly opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the light in the room before even attempting to move. She shifted to lie on her back and moved her head to look at the clock on the nightstand. It was 1 PM. 'Man, those painkillers really knock you out' she thought. She took her time getting up and out of bed, trying to keep her balance as much as she could without the crutches. She knew she wouldn't make it even to the bathroom across the hall without them though. She picked up the two offending pieces of metal and placed them under her arms, opening her bedroom door.

She felt the throbbing in her knee, but tried to ignore it as best as she could. She finally got into the kitchen only to find Josh standing there, leaning against the counter.

"Afternoon, Gimpy" he said with a chuckle. Kylah glared at him as she tried to pour herself a glass or orange juice. Josh watched her hobble around the kitchen, trying to balance herself and the crutches so she could pour herself a simple glass of juice. "Need some help there Gimpy?"

"Will you stop with the Gimpy references?" she said coldly, ignoring his question completely. She could do this. She didn't need anyone's help.

"What's so wrong with callin' ya Gimpy?" he asks. That sarcastic smirk is on his face again, and she felts herself getting angry. "I guess you won't be dancing for a while then. What will you do?" This time he was sincere.

"Listen, you don't know anything about this so shut the hell up" she said,
hobbling back to her room and forgetting about the glass of juice sitting on the counter.

"Well, maybe I shouldn't have said anything" Josh said out loud after Kylah's door slammed shut.

Kylah left her room 10 minutes later and went across the hall to her bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. She needed to go talk to the owner of the dance company and make a doctors appointment so they could look at her knee again. She carefully undressed and unvelcroed the immobilizer, sliding it carefully down her leg. Her knee was red and very swollen. Her eyes teared up again, but not because of the pain. This time it was a mix of anger and sadness. Sadness because she would probably never dance professionally again. Anger because she let herself get injured. Usually she checked the stage to make sure that everything was fine to dance on, but the one time she didn't, someone gets hurt. And it wasn't just anyone, it was herself.

She was also mad at Josh. Who the hell did he think he was? He had no idea what she was going through and he decides that he can just make fun of her situation. Before she can let her anger get the best of her, she steps under the hot water and tries to wash the feelings away. All she wants right now is to be numb.

She quickly showers and dries off, also drying her hair in the process. She put on a skirt since it was the only think that could fit over her brace, along with a warm sweater. She fixed her makeup and got some flat shoes before walking into the living room.

Josh was sitting on the couch, TV on at a low volume, looking at the Want Ads in the newspaper. She scowled at the back of his head while she put on her jacket.

"Where you goin?" he asked, still looking at the paper in front of him. Kylah rolled her eyes at him.

"Out." She replied smartly, opening the door.

"Really? And how you gonna get there? Walking?" he asked, finally turning around to face her. "Cause you can't drive like that, that's for sure." Kylah was silent. She hadn't thought of that before. She could tell this injury was going to interfere with her life big time. Josh smiled at her silence. She had been defeated momentarily. "Why don't I drive you wherever you need to go?" he suggested.

Kylah looked at the floor and sighed.

"Okay" she said quietly. Josh got up and put his jacket on as well, taking the car keys from the table by the door. "Where you off to?"

"Dance Troupe" she replied.

They got in the car and rode in silence. They only spoke when Kylah gave Josh directions to the dance studio. When he pulled up in front of the building Kylah asked if he would wait for her. He nodded and she slowly got out of the car and walked into the studio.

~*~

Kylah was nervous. She had never really spoken to the head boss before. Only when she was named head choreographer and dancer. Now she sat in his office to find out what would happen to her place in the company. Jeff Cooper sat in a high backed chair in front of her, leaning back slightly. He looked at her closely and she could feel herself starting to fidget with the hem of her shirt.

"Well Kylah" he said, his voice deep and gruff. "I see that this injury is major and won't be healed any time soon." Kylah looked down at her hands and nodded. "Well, it's obvious that you won't be able to finish the tour up, so Marissa Lyson will be taking over your place for the rest of the month. I don't know what to tell you though. Beyond the tour we haven't made plans yet, and if you can't dance, well." Kylah looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Well, I'm sure I'll be fine shortly. It shouldn't take much longer to-" she started.

"Miss Monroe, I've seen my fair share of dance related injuries and a torn ligament is not something to joke about. That will take a long time to heal, and you'll have to go through physical therapy for many months in order to regain the strength in your knee. There is also the possibility of surgery later on if things don't improve. I'm sorry to say that we may not be able to employ you again."

Kylah once again looked down at her hands and nodded slowly.

"I understand Mr. Cooper. Thank you for your time" she whispered. She stood up awkwardly and gathered her things before walking out of his office. She held her tears back as she walked back to the car.

Josh looked over when he saw a figure approaching the passenger side and realized that it was Kylah. He started the car and waited for her to get situated and buckled in before he pulled out into traffic.

"Well, how'd things go in there?" he asked. Kylah didn't even acknowledge his question. Instead she stared out the window as silent tears rolled down her cheeks. Once again the car was filled with silence the entire ride home.

When they returned to the apartment, Josh opened the door for Kylah and she walked inside slowly. She hung up her coat in the closet and walked into her room, locking the door behind herself. She went over to her stereo and put in her “Angry Music” CD, turning the volume up as loud as she could stand it. She took off the immobilizer and put on her sweatpants and a large long sleeved shirt while her tears flowed freely down her face. She put the immobilizer back on over her pants and laid face down on her bed and cried loudly.

Josh watched her slow actions and shook his head. The door closed and a few minutes later he heard some very angry sounding music coming from her room. He sat on the couch and wondered what exactly happened in the dance studio with her boss. He figured that Erin was going to have a hard time getting Kylah to open up.

I'm sorry..the Gimpy part made me giggle. It just seemed like such a Sawyer smart ass thing to say. Excellent!

But, poor Kylah! I feel so bad for her. What will she do now???

Great chapter!

Ahhhh..the Gimpy reference was too perfect. I giggled more than once at that. And i hate to admit it, but if it was me and Josh was calling me names, I don't think I would have a problem with it...probably because I wouldn't hear a word he was saying, I would be too busy staring. Tee hee. :drool:

Poor Kylah, I can't imagine what she feels. And now what?

Also, have to comment on the Gerry chapter... so sexy. 'Nuff said.

CHAPTER 6

"Erin, this looks fantastic. You know that this meeting is more of a
formality, than an actual pitch. You always do good work." Adrienne
Davis sat behind her desk and looked at Erin's portfolio of ideas.
"Although I would like to know who this new mystery model of yours
is."

"You'll have to wait and see." Erin replied. "The first photoshoot
should be this weekend."

"SHOULD be? You usually have your models lined up a week in advance."

"Trust me," Erin smiled, "this won't be a problem."

"Oh I see." Adrienne sent her a sly look. "He's sweet on you."

Erin's eyes went wide. "No! I mean, he is kinda-"

"It's alright, you don't have to tell me about your boyfriends."

"He's my brother!"

Adrienne sent her a frown. "Darling, I know you're from the South,
but isn't that just a bit 'ewww'?"

"First of all, cut the Southern jokes. It's gross. Secondly, what do
you take me for? I never get involved with ANY of my models." Erin
crossed her arms.

"Alright, I take it back." She held up her hands in defense. "But
you have to admit that you've met someone new."

Erin went still and looked at her boss. "Why do you say that?"

"You're wearing the same jewlery as yesterday. Although your hair is
in a bun, it's not nearly as polished as usual. And today is the
first day you haven't come into the office with a cup of coffee in
your hand."

She self-conciously reached up to touch her hair. "I drank it in the
car." 'And replayed the kiss from the man who gave it to me about 50
times.' she mentally added. She shook her head to keep the memory
from resurfacing.

"All the evidence points to you either had very little sleep last
night, or you spent the night somewhere else." Adrienne shuffled the
paper back into the file folder. "Or both," she winked. "Anyways,
I'm happy for you." She turned mock-stern as she handed the folder
back to Erin. "Now get the hell out of my office and go be
brilliant."

Erin smiled, the tension of the moment broken. "I'm going, I'm going."

*&*&*&*&*

Kylah opened her eyes, slowly becoming aware of the pounding on her
bedroom door. She could scarcely hear it above the beat of her music,
but it was there all the same. Struggling to slide off the bed, she
made her way to the door and unlocked it.

Erin stood in the hall, a bag of groceries in her hand, waiting
expectantly. Kylah stepped back, allowing Erin to enter. As soon as
she was inside, her friend made a beeline for the stereo, turning the
volume down low. "Josh says that he has been dealing with pissy
neighbors for an hour. I think that old lady from upstairs might
starting whacking him with her cane in a minute or two," she
tried to joke. Kylah didn't say anything. "I come bearing Chunky
Monkey," she tried again. "Wanna talk?"

"Not necessarily" Kylah mumbled. It was then that Erin saw the large brace
covering most of her leg. Her eyes went wide and she set the grocery bag
down and hugged her friend tightly.

"Kylah, tell me what happened" Erin said seriously. Erin helped Kylah over
to her bed and they sat down facing each other. Erin picked up the
discarded ice cream and pulled out two spoons, handing one to Kylah. She
watched her best friend look down at her comforter while tracing random
patterns on the material.

"I tore a ligament while rehearsing in Seattle. They sent me home right
away, and I can't be on the rest of the tour" Kylah said numbly. She
didn't add anything about talking to Mr. Cooper. She didn't want to
think about that anymore today.

"Oh." Erin's sympathy for her friend encompassed the simple syllable.
"Well, lets try and look at the bright side. You have a much needed
vacation. And we will get all the best parking spaces when we go to
shopping." Seeing Kylah sad was one of the few things that Erin
didn't think she could handle. Kylah could get through this with
flying colors, Erin was sure, if she could just get her on her feet.
Figuratively speaking, that is.

"This isn't funny Erin."

The look on her roommates face, sobered her instantly and she felt
immediatly contrite. "I know. I'm sorry. You know me, I don't do
serious well." Kylah sighed and dug her spoon into the ice cream.

"I know you don't. Neither do I." She commented. The two girls sat
eating the ice cream out of the container for a while in complete
silence, but this wasn't the same silence that she shared with Josh in
the car. This was the kind of silence that only a best friend could
offer. Erin knew that Kylah couldn't really be consoled right now and
that she had to work through this herself, but it also let Kylah know
that she was there for her if she ever needed to talk. The two girls
ate half the small carton of ice cream before Erin's eyes lit up.

"Guess what?" she said excitedly. Erin's excitement rubbed off on Kylah a
little bit and she smiled.

"What?"

"I..." She stopped. It wasn't that she wanted to keep a secret from
Kylah , but she wasn't sure exactly how to describe her relationship
with Gerry. Quasi-relationship. Did spending the night on a man's
couch count as a relationship? Well maybe if he kissed like there was
no tomorrow and made you coffee to go... "got a huge account at work.
Josh is going to model for it. Can you see him as an urban cowboy?"

Kylah smiled. She really could see Josh managing that persona very
well. And she was happy her friend was excited about the new account.
Pretty soon Erin would be able to take her pick of any ad company.
Her spreads always looked great. And Kylah knew that Erin also
enjoyed being able to help her brother out. Whenever Erin talked
about growing up, it sounded like Josh took care of her far more than
their own mother did.

"That's awesome! I know that this is going to be your big break!"
Kylah said excitedly. "And to celebrate, we get to finish this ice
cream" she exclaimed. The two girls fell into easy laughter as they
ate their ice cream.

Kylah was truly excited to hear about Erin's new campaign. This made
Erin smile gratefully at her friend. She always knew that no matter
what happened in their own lives, they would always be there to
support each other through the good times and the bad.

*&*&*&*&*&

"Hello?"

"Hi, it's Erin." She wasn't sure what to say next. Calling guys had
never been her strong suit. But he had asked her to call him when she
got home. She could only hope he would take the lead.

She could almost hear him smile into the phone. "How did your meeting go?"

"Good. Really good. She told me, however, that she thought it looked
like I had spent the night away from home." Erin crawled up her bed
and leaned back against the pillows at the headboard, relaxing into
their conversation.

"Something you don't do very often I take it." He sounded so hopeful,
Erin laughed, ruefully.

"No. No I don't."

"I really liked having you here with me."

His sincere tone made her heart flutter in her chest and she swallowed
hard. "Me too," she whispered.

"Are you free tonight?" His question made her ache. She realized
that she had missed him today. God, she barely knew this guy and she
missed him after only 10 hours. She wanted to see him, but...

"I can't. My roommate is going through a tough time right now. I
should be here." She chewed on her bottom lip nervously. "How about
tomorrow night?"

"Alright, sounds good. Do you want to bring your roommate along?"

"What? Do you think you're getting two for the price of one?" she teased.

He laughed. "You said she was feeling blue. I just thought she might
like to get out. Although..." He let the lecherous statement hang in
the air and if Erin had been in the same room with him, she would have
thrown a pillow at his head. Instead she laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Ok, I'll ask her. Say eight o'clock?"

"Back where we met? I'll be there. Night lass." She heard him hang
up and she closed her eyes, sinking down into her bedding. She
managed to repress the urge to giggle like she was in high school
again, but she couldn't wipe the smile off her face.

Even when she went to sleep.

Mmmm... Gerry....

(mmm... pudding... meh hehehe. Ask me to explain that sometime, and I just might. Moo haha ;))

Erin and Kylah are great, their friendship is great. I've never had a friendship like that *feels sorry for self* Lol, but nevermind me :P

Twas great. Friendship=great. Gerry=Mmm... and so forth.

Can't wait for more! :)

I become a giddy squealy girl each time I read about Erin and Gerry's relationship. It is just so wonderful! I adore them as a couple.

That line was awesome! The question made her ache.... :cloud#9:

I am just enjoying this fic ever so much! Looking forward to more!

thanks for reading everyone!!!! :hug:

~*~

CHAPTER 7

Kylah woke up again around 10 AM the next day, thankful that she didn’t sleep as late as she had yesterday. She hobbled across the hall to her bathroom to wash up before venturing out to the kitchen. She found that it was easy for her to walk around the apartment without her crutches, but for long distances she had to use them for support. She quickly washed her face and pulled her hair up into a quick ponytail. She walked into the kitchen just as her stomach let out a loud growl, letting her know just how hungry she was.

“No more ice cream for dinner” she said to herself.

“Why? You get a stomach ache?” a low voice teased. Kylah jumped in shock at the voice and turned quickly to face a grinning Josh.

“You scared the shit out of me!” she exclaimed, holding a hand over her erraticly beating heart. Josh’s response was to laugh even more. “GAH! Whatever.” She turned back to the refrigerator and pulled out some butter so she could make herself some toast to settle her stomach. While she waited for the toast to be finished, she found the phone and called an orthopedic doctor to get an appointment. She spoke to the receptionist briefly and scribbled something on a post it note. Hanging up, she walked over to the fridge, stuck the post it note on the middle of the door, and retrieved her toast.

In the meantime, Josh had poured them both a glass of orange juice, handing one to Kylah as she sat down at the table.

“Thanks” she said quietly. Silence hung between them, neither knowing quite what to say. Josh took the silence to look at his baby sister’s best friend. Her long brown hair was in a messy ponytail from sleeping with strands falling on front of her eyes. Her green eyes were red, from what he assumed was crying or lack of sleep. Her left leg was resting on a chair that she had pulled close and he had to laugh at the sight of her sitting that way and eating. He noted her demeanor and realized that somehow, this wasn’t the same girl that his sister always talked about. She wasn’t bubbly or very happy right now. Obviously not being able to finish out the dance tour was a depressing thought for her, but there was something else. He wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but he was sure she and Erin would discuss it and things would be fine again. Suddenly her eyes met his.

“I just wanted to say thank you” she said quietly.

“You just did” he said, confusion written all over his face. Kylah shook her head.

“Not for the juice. I wanted to say thank you for not telling Erin what happened, and for keeping the neighbors at bay yesterday. I didn’t realize my music was that loud”

“I’m surprised you aren’t hard of hearing by now” Kylah shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her plate.

“Hey, it’s been a bad few days. I needed angry music. And I would have turned it down after a bit, but I kind of fell asleep” she explained. The look on Josh’s face was priceless, and Kylah couldn’t help but smile a little.

“You fell asleep? How in the hell did you fall asleep with all that noise?”

“Pain killers” she stated simply. He nodded his agreement and she swung her leg off the chair to get up. He watched her rinse out her glass and plate and put them in the dishwasher and go back to her room without another word. This girl was hard to figure out.

Kylah showered and got ready for her doctor’s appointment. She picked up the phone in the kitchen so she could call a taxi to take her to her doctor’s office, but as she was telling the operator her address, Josh took the phone from her hands.

“I’m sorry ma’am, but she won’t need a taxi. Thank you.” He said politely. Kylah stared at him in amazement. He just interrupted her phone call and cancelled her taxi.

“What did you do that for?” she asked incredulously.

“You aren’t taking a cab to the doctor’s office. I’ll drive you.” Josh picked up the car keys from the hall table and put on his jacket. “If you want to make your appointment on time let’s go.”

Kylah rolled her eyes and slipped her jacket on, positioning her crutches under her arms. The two of them left and went to the orthopedic doctor’s office. Josh sat in the waiting room while Kylah went into the doctor’s room.

Doctor Fellon walked into the room and asked Kylah a few questions about how she hurt her knee. They took some x-rays and she waited in silence while the doctor looked at the image that is staring back at her.

“Well” Dr. Fellon said. “It looks like the damage isn’t as extensive as originally thought. The ligament looks to be healing fine. You only have to wear the immobilizer for a few more days, and then you’ll be able to use your knee again. I want to prescribe a few sessions of physical therapy to ensure that your knee keeps its strength.” He told her. Kylah let out a sigh of relief at the news.

“Um…Dr.?” she said hesitantly. “Do you think I’ll be able to dance again?” Dr. Fellon looked up from writing a prescription and studied the woman in front of him.

“I don’t see anything wrong with it, actually. It was a minor injury, but from all the swelling before, it looked a lot worse than it was. I’d say you’d be fine dancing again, but take it easy at first. Too much stress at the beginning will just insure you get hurt again, okay?”

Kylah nodded and got up to leave. She took her prescription and paid at the front desk before walking over to Josh who was reading a magazine in the far corner of the waiting room.

“Let’s get out of here” she said with a smile. Josh put the magazine down and gave Kylah a confused look. She was pissy this morning and now she was smiling. He stood up and they went back to the apartment.

~*~

Kylah immediately made an appointment with the physical therapist and sat on the couch to ice her knee. Josh had gone out again job hunting, so she had the apartment to herself until Erin got home. She turned on her Friends season 1 DVD and placed the ice pack over her swollen knee. Just as the first episode was starting she heard the door open.

“Hello?” she yelled out, craning her neck to see over the couch.

“Hey hun! How was your day?” Erin called back.

“It was pretty good. Went to the doctor, and just got home a little bit ago.” Erin walked to the couch and plopped herself down next to Kylah.

“What did they say about your knee?”

Kylah remembered that she hadn’t told Erin everything and relayed all the information from the doctor.

“And I should be able to dance soon!” Kylah finished. Erin smiled at her friend.

“That’s great!”

“So, how was your day?” Kylah asked, taking the ice off her knee and turning to her friend.

“Pretty good. I got some stuff done and hopefully this weekend we’ll do the photo shoot with Josh!”

“Awesome!”

The two girls sat watching the DVD for a while laughing and talking, trying to catch up with each other’s lives.

“So Kylah, do you feel like going out tonight?” Erin asked with a smile. Kylah looked at her friend and shrugged.

“Not sure. I guess it depends on what we’ll be doing”

“Perfect!” Erin exclaimed, jumping up from the couch. “I’ll be right back!” she yelled as she ran into her room, closing the door behind her. Kylah sat there in silence, wondering what the hell Erin had up her sleeve.

Yessssssss! I am so happy Kylah's knee is going to be alright! She'll be able to dance again and get her job back. :yes: That's just wonderful news.

Oh, and I loved how Josh drove her to the doctor's apartment. He may seem all teasing and tough on the outside, but he really is sweet at heart.

I love this story so much! You ladies rock!

Oooooohhhhh...Erin and Gerry sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G! Tee hee...I'm so immature. But I can't help it. They are so cute together.

Yay! Kylah will be able to dance again. That is fantastic news. Hm...Josh is being exceptionally nice. Is it just his southern charm or more???

Keep up the fantastic job ladies!

Yay I'm so glad Kylan can dance again. One thing I always wished I had learnt to do dance. Erin and Gerry are so sweet.
Great story so far.

Annrka

Yay for Kylah, I'm so glad her knee's okay *cheers...ignoring the fact that Kylah's fictions* hehe :)

Great chapter! :) Of course

Hmmm I wonder what Erin could be ploting....*snickers* This should be interesting ;)

Great story ladies! :bow:

When I saw there was a story involving Gerard Butler I had to read it. I wish I had more time to read some of these great stories, but keeping up with my own fics and my husband and my job leaves me with little time. :blush:

I was hoping Kylah was a ballet dancer, but I like her energy and determination with the kind of dancing she's doing. :yes:

And what can you say about Gerry? If you didn't fall in love with him in Phantom, you will in Dear Franky. :faint:

I look forward to more! :yay:

Catwoman (MEOW)

I read this because I love you both... but this is starting to make me like Gerry...

Is that a bad thing??

Not in my opinion. :wub:

nor in mine

It's a good thing to start liking Gerry! Come on over to our side! It's more fun over here! :wub:

*~Steph~*

I've decided it's a good thing. Keep it coming ladies.

Thanks so much guys for reading and reviewing! And did you see? We've been nominated for Best Supporting Male Character for Gerry and Best Female Character for Erin!!!! Thank you so much!!!

CHAPTER 8

"And you're not going to tell me about this guy?" Kylah straightened
the neckline of her shirt.

"Nope. You'll just have to wait and see." Erin picked out another
pair of earrings and held them up for a better look in front of her
vanity mirror. Kylah smothered a smile. Erin was obviously excited
about seeing this guy again, no matter how hard she tried to hide it.

Both of them were dressed and ready to go out when Josh came through
the front door. He smiled at both of them. "Where are you lovely
ladies off to?"

Erin answered "Out", but Kylah was a bit more forthcoming. "Down to
Honkey Tonk for a few drinks."

Josh didn't take his eyes off Kylah. "Mind if I come along?" It was
the first time he had seen her dressed up to go out, and frankly the
change was a surprise. A very pleasant surprise.

Erin shrugged. She and Josh usually had fun when they went places
together, but she didn't particularly want to encourage him to come
along. He was a bit over protective. In the silence it was obvious
that he was going to wait for an answer. Kylah spoke up.

"Sure, why not." She looked over at Erin and bit back a smile. Looks
like her friend was going to have a chaperon tonight.

*&*&*&*

Josh stewed at the bar as he watched Gerry and his baby sister chat
across the room. Had he know that she had plans to meet someone, he
wouldn't have been eager to tag along. He glanced over at Kylah,
sitting beside him at the bar. Well maybe he would have.

The turquoise of her shirt, made her eyes seem to glow. And she
seemed more relaxed. Erin had managed to at least make her friend
lose the haunted look that had plagued her since she came home. Now
if he could just make her smile.

*&*&*&*

"Up for a game of pool?" Gerry put his hand on the small of her back
and leaned down to whisper in her ear. Erin smiled before turning
innocent eyes up to his.

"If you'll teach me."

He nodded once and they moved towards the tables to the side of the
bar. Gerry set up the table while Erin watched, the corners of her
mouth twitching. Once the table was ready he moved to stand beside
her. "Put your hand like this on the table. Slide the cue in the
groove along your knuckles and take a shot." He demonstrated and Erin
tried to mimic the gesture. "No, line your body up so that you can
look down the length of the stick." He moved behind her, positioning
her over the table. Erin shivered at the warmth at her back.

"Like this?" She shifted to the side, brushing her backside against
his front. She felt Gerry's breath exhale in a rush past her cheek.

"Oh for God's sake Erin, break." Josh fairly growled from bar. She
shot her brother a dirty look before taking her shot and breaking the
formation of colored balls, sending two into the side pocket. Gerry's
eyes widened. Erin confidently moved further down the table, lining
up for a bank shot into the corner pocket. The ball went careening
into the hole. Erin looked up at Gerry's expression and winked. She
missed her next shot and moved back towards Gerry at the end of the
table.

"I thought you couldn't play."

"I never said I didn't know how. I said I wanted you to teach me."

Gerry chuckled and Erin relaxed a bit. She had worried he might be
aggravated at her little deception, but he didn't seem to be. And if
Josh hadn't said anything, who knows how far into the evening she
would have let the charade play out.

He moved down the table and Erin found herself enjoying the view as he
leaned over the felt to take a shot. "Don't be looking at my ass," he
teased and Erin laughed out loud as the ball ricocheted into the
pocket.

"Please?" she joked back. His grin was infectious as he came back
down the length of the table towards her. She loved the way his eyes
twinkled when he smiled.

"What are you doing after this?" His voice was low and she swallowed.

"You tell me," she whispered back. 'Good Lord, did I just say that?'

He looked down into her face. Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes
sparkling with mischief and he wanted nothing more than to pull her
into the dark corner of the bar and kiss her senseless. But that
probably wouldn't go over too well with her onlooking brother.
Although Josh seemed engrossed in something Kylah was saying at the
moment.

"We're going ice skating," he stated. Her 'come-get-me' look settled
into a puzzled frown.

"We're what?"

*&*&*&*

"Can you skate?"

She shook her head. She had worn the same confused look since he
suggested they leave, as they slipped away when Josh and Kylah weren't
looking, and as they walked to the rink.

"You're not fooling me again are you?"

She shot him an exasperated glance. "No, I have never been skating
before in my life."

"Neither have I." He laughed as her eyes widened. "We'll learn together."

They both cautiously stepped out onto the ice and began to move in
slow motion. "Then why did you ask me to go skating?"

He grinned at her. "It gives me a reason to hold your hand the rest
of the evening." Her cheeks flushed and her movement faltered as she
tried to regain her balance.

"You could have just asked," Erin said quietly after a moment. "You
could have asked for a lot more."

He came to a stop and looked in her eyes. "We don't have to rush, you
and I." He awkwardly scooted closer to her, eliciting a soft smile
for her as she watched him wobble to the side. "I don't mind waiting
for something. When its worth waiting for." He winked at her.

She smiled at him, more relaxed now. She took a step forward,
forgetting for a moment that her feet were bound in a set of skates.
The movement sent her tumbling forward. Gerry tried to catch her, but
as he wasn't to steady on his own feet, and they both fell to the ice.

Erin began laughing at the sight they must have made, and even harder
when Gerry asked her "Was that the ice that cracked or just my bones?"

"We're ok." She rolled to her side, trying to get to her feet
underneath her, and stood. She reached out her hand to help him as he
gained his feet. "Want a hot chocolate? I'm buying."

"Buying me a drink? You're going to spoil me for all other women." he teased.

He thought he heard her reply "That's the plan," but he wasn't sure.

This fic always puts the biggest smile upon my face, and surely makes me fall further in love with Gerry! :tsk:

Just that little description of him touching her made me want to squeal and swoon at the same time. Who knows how I shall be able to handle myself later when more touching and kissing occurs! :laugh:

And, I love that he took her ice skating. That is too sweet for words! Then, the way he said she was worth waiting for....*dies with love*

This story is sheer perfection, no doubt about it. More, soon, please and thank you!

Awww they are so sweet together. Damn older brother protection, but least they got to be together in the end. Yay Another fantastic chapter.

Playing pool with Gerry...what could be sexier than that? Watching Gerry brush his teeth would be sexy..that man makes everything sexy.
:wub:

I loved this bit..made me howl with laugther..

Big brother Josh. Squeee. I love him so.

Excellent job you guys! I'm loving this story!

Thanks so much for reading guys!! :hug:

~*~

CHAPTER 9

Kylah felt kind of bad for inviting Josh along when Erin was meeting up with this guy, but she really didn’t want to be a third wheel. She figured that if Josh was there, someone would be able to keep her company when Erin and her date went off by themselves. Kylah promised Erin that she would stop Josh from interfering, and she planned on keeping that promise.

Upon entering the bar, Kylah was introduced to Gerry. She took notice of Erin’s expression when the two talked. Erin’s face seemed to light up when she spoke to him. Josh rolled his eyes with a scowl etched across his face. Erin and Gerry went to a table, and Kylah pulled Josh over to the bar with her. She sat on a bar stool and he took the seat next to her.

“Hey Sam!” The old man behind the bar looked over at Kylah and smiled warmly at her.

“You’re back already! How was the tour?” he asked.

“It was fine until I got hurt. Tore some ligaments in my left knee” she explained.

“I’m sorry to hear that baby girl. Here’s something for ya.” He handed her a beer and she smiled at him.

“You remembered my favorite ‘non-fancy’ drink!”

“How could I forget? If it wasn’t for the No Fancy Drinks rule, I’d never remember! And what can I get you?” he asked, turning to Josh.

“Same as the lady here.” Sam handed Josh the bottle and walked to the other end of the bar. “You supposed to be drinking that stuff?” Kylah turned her head to look at him.

“I’m over 21, I promise” she replied, taking a drink. Josh rolled his eyes at her.

“I know that smartass. Aren’t you taking pain killers or something?”

“Haven’t had one today, and I don’t plan on it, so I’m good” She watched him turn to look at what Erin and Gerry were doing with a scowl on his face. “Leave Erin alone” she replied. Josh watched as Gerry “taught” Erin how to play pool. ‘What the hell is that girl doing?’ he thought to himself. He saw them get too comfortable with each other and yelled at them.

“Oh for God’s sake Erin, break!” he growled. Kylah pinched his arm and he let out a yell, turning to face the one who did it. “What the hell was that for?”

“For not leaving the two of them alone!”

“Well, I can’t help it! She is my baby sister”

“Just finish your drink.” Kylah shook her head at Josh and turned back to her own drink. She took a good look at him from the corner of her eye. She had to admit he looked good in a black button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a pair of well worn jeans, and his face held the same stubble she had seen on him when she came back home. ‘He definitely cleans up well’ she thought with a smile.

There was silence for a few minutes, both listening to the sounds around them. Josh once again turned to face Kylah who was staring off into space.

“How did you get into dancing anyway? If you don’t mind me asking.” Kylah looked over at Josh and smiled, taking another swig from the bottle.

“It’s a long story that takes up almost my entire life” she replied.

“I’ve got time apparently.”

“Well, I guess you could say that I have been dancing since I could walk. My parents noticed and signed me up for ballet at the earliest age that they could, which was 4 years old.” She started. Josh listened to her talk animatedly about her experiences in dance and how she decided to become a professional dancer. He found himself feeling happy for her when she told how she auditioned for The Troupe, and got angry when he heard the stories of the other girls who mocked and ridiculed her in high school because of her talent. As they talked, neither of them noticed that Erin and Gerry had left the bar. Both had finished their second drinks and Josh ordered another round for them. He excused himself to use the restroom and walked off.

“Hey Sam. Did you see where Erin went?” she asked.

“She left with that guy about 10 minutes ago” he said. Kylah nodded, giving Sam a smile. She took and drink and decided that she was glad she came out tonight. She was also glad Josh was with her, otherwise she’d have been left behind! But she was happy for her friend. Erin deserved to meet a great guy and be happy. Josh walked back toward the bar and she smiled at him. He took a look around the place and his eyes went wide when he didn’t spot Erin or Gerry anywhere.

“I told you to leave them alone. They left a few minutes ago.” Kylah explained before taking a sip of her drink.

“What?”

“Erin is a big girl. She can make her own decisions. She’ll be fine.” Josh sat down and frowned.

“I know she can make her own decisions. But she is my baby sister. What else am I supposed to do?”

“Get drunk off your ass?” she supplied. He thought about it and shrugged his shoulders, lifting his beer bottle.

“Here’s to getting drunk off your ass.” She hit his bottle with hers and they both took a long drink.

~*~

Two hours, embarrassing stories, and too many drinks later, Josh and Kylah left the Honky Tonk, both very drunk. They walked next to each other on the sidewalk, and Kylah was very lucky that she had left her crutches back at the apartment. She and Erin only lived a few blocks away from the Honky Tonk. Kylah wobbled a little and ran into Josh, who was standing to her left.

“Oops. Sorry bout that” she giggled. Josh helped steady her, only to have her start tipping over again.

“My, my, my. You are very drunk aren’t you?” he asked. She nodded and held up her thumb and forefinger about an inch apart.

“Just a little.” She yawned and leaned against Josh. “I’m tired.”

“Well, don’t fall asleep yet, we’ve got another two blocks to go.” He put his arm around her shoulders, helping her to steady herself. She was having a hard time walking with the brace on her knee while she was drunk, and he laughed a little every time she stumbled over her own two feet. She closed her eyes and let him lead her along the way to their apartment. He rolled his eyes skyward and hoped that she wouldn’t fall asleep.

Josh had to admit though. He had a good time tonight talking to Kylah. He was pleasantly surprised when he saw her all dressed up and ready to go this evening. Her turquoise shirt stood out against her form fitting black jeans, and she seemed to be truly happy. Thank God Erin was there to help make her that way. He was getting sick of seeing the sad look on Kylah’s face all day for the past 48 hours he’s known her. He felt Kylah lean heavier into his side, and he knew she had fallen asleep. He patted her arm, trying to get her to wake up again.

“Kylah. Wake up. We still have another city block to go. Come on.” He started shaking her shoulders a little.

“I don’t wanna.” She mumbled , turning her face into his shoulder. He let out a frustrated sigh and knew he only had one option if she was this tired.

“Wake up, just for a minute, then you can go back to sleep, okay?” She picked her head up slowly and blinked at him. “I want you to hop on my back. I’ll carry you back to the apartment.” She nodded and half jumped onto his back. Carrying her was a little more difficult with her knee brace, but he figured a way around it. Kylah wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on her arms. Josh walked back to the apartment building and got on the elevator. When the doors opened he walked to their door and put Kylah down again. “Okay Kylah, I need your keys okay? Can you get them?” he asked.

Kylah nodded and reached into her pocket, pulling out a single key. He took it from her, and opened the door, helping Kylah in before closing and locking it behind himself.

“Time for bed?” she asked, eyes still closed.

“Yup. Come on.” He hooked his arm around her waist and led her to her bedroom. “Okay here we are. Good night Kylah. I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

Kylah faced Josh and kissed him on the cheek.

“Thanks for helping me. You’re sweet. Good night.” She said before falling on her bed and passing out.

Josh walked out of her room and shook his head. He will never understand her.

:) Still great girls. I'd love to say more, but it's dinn'a time (hehe). Just wanted to let you know that I'm still reading!

Tchao :)

Aw, how much do I love Josh being all overprotective! Tis so cute! Then, carrying Kylah home with a piggy back ride....eep, gotta love that! I like how the two of them are slowly growing closer. And, I'm hoping for a lil flirting soon. ;-)

ooo Think Josh and Kylan may have broken the barrier bettween them. Yay and Erin and Gerry getting closer :tsk:
Great update

*chants* Josh! Josh! Josh! Josh! Josh! Josh!

Oh sorry...got a bit carried away. I love how Josh and Kylah are slowly getting to know each other and hanging out. The piggy back was too cute for words.

I am with Amber...flirting it shall happen. *whispers* What I am really hoping for is a little snogging! *ends whispers and runs away giggling*