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1: The Chance Meeting of a Lifetime2,375 words
2: The Explaining3,416 words
3: The Preparation2,322 words
4: The Superstore4,248 words
5: The Ex2,277 words
6: The Landlord2,181 words
7: The Hero2,525 words
8: The Rainy Day2,333 words
9: The Dielemma2,419 words
10: The Friend2,373 words
11: The Identity 2,205 words
12: The Scrapbook2,261 words
13: The Visitor2,488 words
14: The Job3,794 words
15: The Cell2,659 words
16: The Parents2,823 words
17: The Talk2,443 words
18: The Drive2,566 words
19: The Professors4,134 words
20: The Date4,563 words
21: The Sacrifice4,478 words
22: The Hospital5,681 words
23: The Sister4,097 words
24: The Truth7,264 words
25: The End (Epilogue)3,158 words

20: The Date

One hour left… sixty minutes remaining before I go downstairs and pick Jamie up for our date (Which Luna decided to set me up on in the first place) and to tell you the truth I was slightly pissed off about that whole fiasco, but I did look past that because she seemed more worried about it than I was. Luna was just pacing back and forth, babbling nonsense and listing off ways the whole thing could go wrong.

“What if she despises what you’re wearing?” She asked, stopping in front of me. “She may reject you before you enter her abode!”

“I really don’t think she’ll mind this set up.” I said looking myself over, standard loos fit jeans and my shirt with the iconic ‘S’ displayed across my chest. “We are just going to a steak house after all.”

Luna paused and looked to me with disapproval. I responded by rolling my eyes, “People like steak in my world… you’re not going to change that.”

“Well what if she doesn’t like steak?”

“Then I see no future in the relationship…” I grunted, “That YOU set up I might add.”

“Well maybe if you had ben more forward with what several phrases on YOUR world meant…” Luna responded with quite the amount of spunk, “We might not be in this situation in the first place.”

“Can’t we just agree that we both dropped the ball here?” I asked, letting out an exasperated sigh.

“If it pleases you…” Luna replied rolling her eyes. (Was it just me or was I hearing jealousy in her voice?)

“Well I guess there IS something I guess I could do without…” I said stepping into the bathroom. “You think I should shave though?”

“What?” Luna asked clearly not listening.

“My beard,” I repeated, “Haven’t shaved in a while…” (I was one of those guys who could shave in the morning and have five o’ clock shadow at noon.)

“Well…” Luna began, “Personally I like it… the rugged look that is… it gives you a stronger aura of masculinity.”

“Now you’re just saying that.” I replied with a smile, “Answer me honestly.”

“I mean it honestly,” Luna said nodding, “Not too long and not too short, ‘rough’ would probably be the best words to describe it. Much like that Jason Statham human we saw on the T.V. earlier today.”

(She thinks I look like Jason Statham… That’s awesome) “Well I have a bit more hair on my head than him don’t you think?”

“You indeed lack the bald spot.” She replied with a giggle.

“You’d better believe it.” I said with a smile, “I’d be really depressed if I had a receding hair line at twenty four.”

“Indeed…” she replied, looking me up and down, “It truly brings out your eyes.”

“What?” I asked.

“Uh… um…” Luna stuttered, twirling her hair while she tried to figure out an answer. “Your eyes…” she finally said, “it really brings out your eyes.”

“I could say the same about you.” I said with a smile, “You have very beautiful eyes.”

Luna’s cheeks flushed red despite her attempt to look away to hide the fact. “You… you don’t mean that…”

“Of course I do…” I said turning her to face me again, “It was the first thing I noticed about you… you know… other than the horn, the wings, the hair and the general pony body.”

Luna did her best not to laugh, but a few short, adorable giggles managed to squeak their way out. Why was she so damn cute? Almost everything she’s done while she’s been here has been downright adorable. Hell, I couldn’t even get mad at her; even if I knew she was the reason for the grief that I’ve dealt with for the past few weeks.

“Aedan?” Luna asked, bringing me back to the real world with her voice. “I… I think I should tell you something…”

“Of course Luna.” I replied, “What is it?”

“You don’t have to go…” She said sheepishly.

“Excuse me?”

“If you don’t want to… you don’t have to go.”

“Well Luna… in truth I never wanted to go.” I said, prompting a smile to come across Luna’s face, “But YOU set me up on this, YOU made me promise that I would ‘entertain’ a date with Jamie… and when I make a girl a promise-“

“You keep it…” Luna interrupted downtrodden, “but now that I know you truly never wanted to be with her I thought you could cancel and… You know… spend the night here with-“

The sound of my phone ringing interrupted Luna and caught my attention at the same time. I wondered who it could be, maybe Gordon, but he rarely ever calls me, my parents? No, it’s a Saturday night; they’d be at a movie by now if I knew them. Which brought me to my original question; who the hell was on the other end?

“You’ve got Aedan.” I said bringing the receiver to my ear, waiting for a response.

“Aedan, it’s Jamie.” The voice on the other end of the line said, “I just wanted to know if we were still on for this evening.”

“Uh… yeah… but why the hell are you calling? You live just downstairs…”

“Yeah, I’m really sorry I didn’t tell you but I moved a few blocks away.” Jamie explained, “Even IF Mr. King stopped harassing me, I couldn’t stand living there anymore, and it was just my luck that a better cheaper apartment just went on the market, so I snatched it up before anyone else could get it.”

“Well that sounds nice…” I said looking over to Luna, “But that still leaves me in the dark on where you live now… how ‘bout an address?”

“I’m sure you won’t need it,” Jamie answered, “Just take a left out of your parking lot and drive straight for ten minutes, it’s the big building on the left.”

“You expect me to find this place witho-“ I was cut off by the sound of a dead phone line before I could finish. “What the hell is she trying to do?”

“What do you mean?” Luna asked; I hadn’t realized that I was thinking out loud.

“Nothing Luna…” I replied, “Just trying to understand something I never will…”

“And that is?”

“Women…”

Luna managed to keep her laughter inside that time, but a smile did grow across her face. “Surely they can’t be that problematic to comprehend.”

“Easy for you to say…” I grunted, “You’re one of them.”

“Whatever you say Aedan…” Luna replied rolling her eyes, “What time were you supposed to fetch her?”

“Now would be a really good time to do it.” I said walking past her to grab my keys, “Especially on account she decided to keep her address to herself.”

“Well… Have fun.” Luna said forcing a smile, “Return in a timely fashion.”

“Yes mother…” I replied sarcastically, but now that she mentioned it this was the first time that I’d left Luna to her own devices ever sense we met. It wasn’t like I was trying to make it like that, she needed someone to show her how things work here, but it secretly worried me that she was going to be by herself for I don’t know how long.

“I’ll see you when you return.” Luna said, snapping me back into reality once again. “Now don’t let me keep you, Jamie is waiting.”

“Yeah…” I said opening the door, “See you in a few hours.”

It took a lot of convincing myself that she’d be fine alone for the duration of this little ‘date’ she’d unwittingly set me up on, but I finally managed to get into my car and head off in the direction that Jamie had told me to drive off in. About ten minutes later I came upon a building that I hoped was the one Jamie had so loosely described to me over the phone. It was nice, I mean really nice, way better than the flat that I was currently living in. I didn’t take in the sight for too long, because I still needed to get Jamie, head out to the steak house, bring her back, tell her how much fun it was (even though it wouldn’t be for me at least) and finally get back home to Luna so I could tell her that the deed had been done and to never EVER set me up like that again.

“Let’s get this over with…” I said letting out a sigh as I stepped out of the car.

I walked up to the front door, but as I went to open it the knob jerked away from my hand. I was initially spooked a bit at it, but when the door fully opened I was met with yet another surprise.

“Larry?” I asked, “The hell are YOU doing here?”

“Oh, hey Aedan.” Larry replied cheerfully, not answering my question, “I was just taking out the trash and-“

“But why are you here?” I asked again, “Shouldn’t you-“

“My girlfriend, Mary, lives here…” he interrupted, “Remember when you told me that I should move in with her for a while?”

“Oh… yeah…” I said, feeling like an idiot.

“Well we decided that it would be a lot more practical just to keep it that way, so we don’t have to spend more money than we have to on living… but that begs me to ask you a question.” Larry said smiling.

“Go for it.”

“What the hell are YOU doing here?”

“Oh… uh… well…” I began, thinking of what to say, “I kinda have… a date… with one of the tenants…”

“Oh really?” Larry asked, “Did you and Luna have a falling out?”

“What? NO!” I snapped quickly, prompting a laugh or two out of him, “Luna actually set me up on this… and we were never dating to begin with…” (Seriously, how many times do I have to explain that… to the same people?)

“Well, whatever you say big man… I always thought the two of you were a pair made by God himself.”

“What the hell do you mean?”

“Well look at you…” Larry explained, “Big, strong, noble… but you’re no fun, you always seemed miserable and you’re very antisocial, hell I’d never seen you have conversations longer than three sentences before Luna arrived. But Luna…” He continued, “Luna is one of those souls that you meet once in a lifetime, innocent, lovably awkward, kind, you just feel like a better person around her… not to mention her looks are beyond comparison, if it weren’t for Mary I’d even try my luck with her and-”

“I think I get it…” I said cutting him off, “but now I really need to-“

“Please let me finish…” Larry said raising his hand, “Before Luna came along you seemed like you just hated the world and most of the things in it, but now that she’s here… you’ve lightened up, you’re even smiling for Christ’s sake, even if she’s just an old friend like you claim there’s no denying that with her you’re a better person.” Larry paused for a second to place his hand on my shoulder, “If Luna wasn’t there that night last week… you wouldn’t have let me in, you wouldn’t have offered me a chance at a job and I may have gotten into my car drunk and died in an accident.”

“I think you’re thinking a little too deeply into this Larry…” I said brushing his shoulder off of me, “I’m still who I was when you met me.”

“Sure… you’re just a happier, more helpful version now… and that’s all because of her.”

It was then that Larry’s words really hit home with me. He was right about who I was before, I was cold, unfeeling hell I even hated the world some days. He was also right about the night he was at my door drunk, the old me would’ve slammed the door on his face and think nothing of the consequences that followed. Was Larry actually right? Was Luna making me a better man?

“I should really be going…” I said, slightly star struck at the revelation, “Jamie’s waiting for me to get her.”

“Oh Jamie?” Larry asked impressed, “She’s our neighbor now, moved in a few days ago. I didn’t know that you two were-”

“Jamie and I aren’t a couple either…” I grunted. (Same quote, different person/pony)

“So this is the first date?”

“The one Luna set me up on…”

“You allowed that?” Larry said taken back a bit, “I’d never thought that you’d-“

“Aedan!” Jamie exclaimed, popping out from behind Larry and wrapping me up, “You managed to find this place, very impressive…” she began to look me up and down, “I’m also liking the attire…”

“You don’t look too bad yourself…” I said with a nod, she was wearing a simple white button up blouse, a pair of nicely fitting jeans and sandals, “You ready to head out?”

“More than you know…” Jamie replied biting her lower lip and taking my hand.

“See you two later.” Larry said, continuing his previous mission, “Have fun.”

“Oh we will.” Jamie said snuggling closer to me. (This might be a long night…)

It actually didn’t take long for us to get to the restaurant, if fact it was about five minutes away from her apartment, but that didn’t stop her from staring at me nonstop until we arrived.

“I hope this will do.” I said parking.

“It’s not Chinese…” she replied nodding, “so we’re off to a good start.”

We walked into a rather busy looking steak house; people were sitting all over the entrance waiting for a table to open. I just walked up to the hostess, Jamie looking in all directions behind me.

“I don’t think we’ll be able to get a table…” she said concerned, “we might be here for hours.”

“Relax; I know what I’m doing.” I said with a reassuring smile turning back to her. “It’s all about being prepared.”

I turned back to see the forced smile of someone who really didn’t want to be working on a weekend but was anyway. “Welcome.” she said “I’m sorry but the wait for two is two hours…”

“Don’t be so sure.” I said, “Look on the list there should be a Ryan for two.”

The hostess sighed but did what I requested. After a few seconds she looked up with that same false grin. “I’m very sorry Mr. Ryan, you’re table is ready now.”

Jamie and I were escorted to the sounds of disgruntled families and couples alike, I just smiled I always thought reactions like that were funny.

“How did you-“

“I called when this placed opened earlier today…” I answered Jamie before she could finish, “at eleven.”

“So you plan ahead?” she asked.

“If you did what I did for as long as I did it you would too.” I said with a nod.

“I think I’m starting to like you even more.” Jamie said with a smile.

“Don’t get too attached now…” I replied. “We haven’t even eaten yet.”

The two of us were promptly sat down at a small corner booth away from most of the commotion, but we could still see what was going on for the most part. Just general nonsense and other shenanigans that happen at every restaurant, we were given our menus then finally left to our own devices.

“So…” I began, “what do you think you’ll be getting?”

“Not sure yet…” Jamie replied examining the menu, “Debating between the rib eye and the sirloin…”

I already knew what I was going to get, the twenty ounce ‘mammoth’ steak, (Not sure why they called it ‘mammoth’ I’ve eaten steaks twice that size.) but I was hungry given the fact that I’d forgotten to eat lunch after Luna tried to surprise me by cooking again. After a few more minutes of looking the menu over a waiter finally stopped by our table, pen and pad in hand.

“Good evening you two.” He said with forced charm. “I’m David, and I’ll be your waiter this evening, would you like to start out with something to drink?”

“Sure.” I said, putting the menu on the table, “I’ll take water and a bottle of Stag.”

“Water and a Long Island ice tea.” Jamie said seconds after me.

After checking our I.D.s David looked to us once again, “Have you decided on anything yet?” he asked, “Appetizers? Main Course? Desserts? We have a lovely couple’s special that includes all of that for fifteen percent off.”

“Well we aren’t…” I paused for a second, realizing how futile it would be to even mention that fact that I was set up to do this, “Bacon cheese fries, the ‘mammoth’ steak; rare, and-“

“The chocolate lava cake.” Jamie added, “and for the main course I’ll take the sirloin; medium well.”\

“Alright…” David said taking the menus “the appetizer will be here in a few minutes.”

The moment he left Jamie looked to me with a raised eyebrow, “Rare huh?” she said smiling. “I didn’t know you were THAT much of a man.”

“If it doesn’t flinch when I bite into it, it’s wrong.” I said shrugging my shoulders, prompting a small giggle out of my counterpart.

“And you have a sense of humor.”

“Strange… People say I have no sense of humor because I don’t laugh.”

“Well maybe if you were more open…” Jamie said reaching her hand across the table, “People would see the real you and realize that you were worth being around… I’m sure Luna feels the same way.”

“Actually she does.” I said, smiling at the thought of my roommate, “She’s been trying to get me to be more open since she’s showed up.”

“Well it’s working.” Jamie said winking at me.

At that moment our drinks and appetizers found their way to our table, I ate most of the fries, given the fact that I was starving, but Jamie didn’t seem to mind. After the fries were gone there was a lull in the service, which prompted yet another conversation.

“You know you never told me where you worked.” I said.

“Oh,” Jamie said slightly surprised by my interest, “I’m a secretary at a law firm; it’s kind of a summer internship.”

“You’re going to college?”

“Yes I am, St. Louis University, School of Law. I’ll be a junior next year.”

“So you’re…”

“I turned twenty one yesterday.” Jamie answered before I could finish my statement.

“Well happy late birthday then.” I said raising my beer.

“Thanks…” she replied clanging her Long Island ice tea with it. “I just wish I got a present for it.”

“Did your parents send you anything?”

“My dad’s in jail and my mother is dead…” Jamie replied, forcing me to cringe in my seat a bit before she started laughing, “I’m sorry, I was just kidding, I got a nice necklace from my mother and my father gave me enough money to get a better apartment.”

“Well that’s nice…” I said, “Your family must have deep pockets.”

“Mom’s a surgeon and dad’s a big shot lawyer.” Jamie explained, “The only reason I didn’t have a better apartment is because I wanted to make it on my own for a bit, and you can see how that turned out.”

“Yeah…” I said, “You’re here with me…”

“I don’t count that as a bad thing.” Jamie said smiling.

Finally the main course arrived, and I readily devoured everything, (minus the bone of course) leaving Jamie in awe. I doubt she’d ever seen a marine eat before, but given how I’ve seen some guys eat I was being a gentleman.

“That… was… well… impressive…” Jamie said, “I don’t think I’ve seen a human being eat that much in under ten minutes.”

“When you’re hungry, you’re hungry…” I said casually, “nothing much else to it.”

“I suppose.” Jamie said taking a bite out of her own steak, “But I really can’t wait for the desert to arrive, I haven’t had cake in a while.”

The desert arrived not long after Jamie mentioned it and I was more than happy to let her eat most of it, she was the one who ordered it after all. Finally after a few more minutes the check came. Jaime reached into her back pocket, trying to go for a wallet I presumed, but I wasn’t about to let that happen.

“You’re not going to pay for this.” I said grabbing my own wallet.

“Really?” Jamie asked, “Are you sure?”

“A may have been set up for this but that doesn’t mean I’m not going to be the gentleman.”

“Well thanks.” Jamie said, smiling “I can see why Luna likes you so much… and not just for-“

“Look Jamie…” I interrupted, “What Luna said that morning… we never-“

“Ready to leave?” She asked standing up, “Because I think we both should be getting back home.”

I looked to my watch and sure enough it was a quarter past eight. I’d ben with Jamie for nearly two hours. That little voice in the back of my head started to go off. ‘Get back to Luna, who knows what could’ve happened in two hours!’ It kept repeating, but I put its concern to the side. I’d been pretty much smothering Luna since she came here, I’m sure she enjoyed the time alone. Within ten minutes we were back in front of Jamie’s new flat, standing at its doorstep.

“Well… I had fun.” Jamie said with a smile.

“Yeah me too…” I admitted, maybe Luna was right, maybe I did need this. I was starting to think that she knew me better than I know myself. Maybe she did…

“Aedan?” Jamie said bringing me out of my thoughts.

“Yes?” I replied, “Need anything?”

“I was going to ask you if you wanted to check out my new apartment.” Jamie said, giving me that one look that everyman should know.

“Uh… sure…” I said, against my better judgment.

The two of us went in, up the stairs and finally stopped at the last door to the left. With some fidgeting Jaime finally found her keys and revealed her humble abode. (It was actually pretty snazzy, full of things that I don’t think I could afford even with a month’s salary.)

“Well… this is nice.” I said looking around, “And you’ve got a good view of the city, bet it’s quite the sight on those-”

I was interrupted by the slight brush of something hitting my back and then falling to the floor. I turned around to see Jamie, lacking her blouse. (And a bra for that matter) Admiral Ackbar was screaming at the top of his lungs inside my head, but outwardly I remained calm. Thinking quickly I pointed out the one thing that may deescalate the situation.

“Is that the necklace your mom got you?” I asked pointing to her neck.

“Um… yes?” She said slightly surprised, “I didn’t really think you’d notice it.”

“How could I not? It’s very nice.”

“That’s not the only part of what you’re seeing that you find nice…” Jamie said in a sultry tone, making her way to me. “Is it?”

“Well… the jeans are nice.” I said doing everything in my power not to look down.

“Oh come on Aedan!” Jamie said grabbing my face, “I took it off so you could look!”

Then my head was forced down, indeed they were nice, not as nice as Luna’s but… wait, where the hell did that come from? Regaining my composure I went back to looking at her face.

“Look Jaime…I know what you’re trying to do, but we barely know each other…” I said, trying to make her understand, “Hell I-“

I was interrupted yet again by a kiss powerful enough to knock me onto the couch. Once I was down, Jamie decided to turn it up several notches. My rules were null and void right now and truthfully I may have needed this, it had been several months. (Not to mention I haven’t done that one thing guys do since Luna showed up) So I was very tense, but something in the back of my mind was echoing, louder with every second until I finally heard the words themselves ‘Luna’ it kept repeating ‘Luna, Luna, LUNA!’

The moment I heard the name screamed its loudest I managed to rip Jamie off of me, Sweat was pouring out of me and my breaths were heavy and short. Jamie actually looked concerned for my wellbeing.

“Are you alright?” She asked, “What’s-“

“I can’t do this…” I said rising off the couch, “I’m sorry I can’t do this…”

“What? Why?”

“I just can’t…” I said running to the door, “I had a good time though sleep well.”

I slammed the door behind me before Jamie could protest to my actions. I really had no clue what had come over me, I had a hot girl practically delivering herself on a platter to me and all I could think about was the girl I’d left back in my apartment. I grunted inwardly, why did she have to pop into my head at that critical moment, why was I constantly thinking about her, why wasn’t I driving home yet?

What normally took ten minutes took five when I finally pulled into the parking lot. The time did give me a chance to clear my head, but that didn’t stop the swirling torrent that was my thoughts form subsiding completely. I walked up to my room, grabbed my keys and went for the door, but to my surprise the door was ajar, someone had come inside. I opened the door and to my disbelief there was no one there. The T.V. was on, Xbox too, Luna had been playing Minecraft, but where was she now?

“Luna?” I said walking around, “Luna where are-“

I finally managed to get a good look around my place, to my horror there were telltale signs of struggle. Even my door looked like it was busted into. Panicking I searched every possible place that Luna could’ve been and anywhere I wouldn’t think to look, but she was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, my God…” I said to myself, “S-someone’s… someone’s taken Luna…”

Author's Note:

Ok, another long wait but it's here now... (I pulled an all nighter to get this up so please tell me what I missed) I'm also not going to be able to post for a while because of the range (My fellow military bronies know what I'm talking about) so I hope this will suffice for the time being.
Luna seems more worried than Aedan obout this doesn't she?
'You don't have to go' ... ... hmmmmm I wonder what she's actually means?
Jamie moved... great...
Larry with the revelation!
What a nice dinner... Aedan likes it rare folks... that's a man's man!
He's going in to Jamie's apartment! DON'T DO IT AEDAN! <- You (the reader) wait for it... <- Me (the writer)
IT'S A TRAP! (Ackbar face)
Damn Aedan's got some steel nerves (that or something else is afoot)
x20 Luna's GONE! SOMEONE TOOK HER!
You should know the drill by now people...
Also along with a steam account I'm on Xbox live, Flanaganisking (shocker) that's if you want to se me get owned at Halo and every other game I attempt online.