Chapter Two

Cynweilleil hitched up her horribly long skirt and picked her way around the lawn furniture to see Finn. As soon as she came into sight of him, the puppy barrelled past Taylor and literally jumped into Cynweilleil's arms. She giggled softly as he licked her foundation clear off her cheeks, trying not to make eye contact with Taylor. when Finn was finished she put him down and smiled nervously at Taylor.
"G'day," she greeted him, laughing. Taylor looked at her oddly. "I'm sorry," she offered. "I just had to see what you'd do if I said that..." she calmed down and extended her hand. "I'm Cynweilleil."
Taylor shook her hand politely and grinned.
"What is that, three syllables? I'm not even sure I know how to pronounce that..."
Cynweilleil turned red at the tips of her ears, looking down.
"Well," she started, "Storm calls me Leila, if you'd like something easier."
taylor toned his grin down to a warmer smile and replied,
"I think I can handle Leila. Hey, you look cold...are you okay?"
Cynweilleil nodded, but hypocrited her motion by sneezing twice.
"I caught a bit of a cold from Storm."
Taylor wasn't fooled. It was below fifteen degrees celsius out there, it was starting to cloud over, and she must have been freezing. He was sure if they hadn't had to wear these ridiculous costumes (he'd pulled off what Storm had and gotten a Titanic-era tuxedo) she wouldn't have been so cold. She had the most gorgeous dress on, borrowed from Storm's grandmother's closet, one of those hand me downs from generation to generation...it was blue satin, with an empire waist and a full skirt, but she had to be cold. Taylor took his dinner jacket off and offered it to her.
"You're cold, I can see it."
Cynweilleil shook her head.
"It's not that bad. Besides, then you'll be cold."
Taylor shook his head right back, looking at the ground and offering the jacket again.
"Just shut up and take it, okay? I'm trying to be noble here."
He looked too cute to refuse again, so Cynweilleil turned around and let him slide it over her shoulders.
"Thank you, I never said you weren't being noble."
Taylor broke into a grin again and got lost staring into her eyes. She looked away, at the back screen door. Storm came out and blushed.
"Oh...I'm sorry...was I interrupting something?"
Cynweilleil noticed the little dreamy glaze that settled over Storm's eyes when she looked at Taylor, and shook her head.
"No, that's alright. What's up?"
Storm snapped herself out of her little trance and pointed to the house.
"Aunt Heather said if you came in now, you've got first dibs on the couch and hot chocolate."
Cynweilleil looked at her strangely, and Storm realized she had indeed been interrupting something. She blushed again and went to leave, mumbling something about she was sorry, she was going to talk to Zac. Cynweilleil shrugged and followed her into the house, Taylor in tow, leaving poor Finn to chase his tail around the back yard.


Storm snatched a platter of chocolates and cookies off the counter and went to hide in the basement with the television and a warm blanket, away from all the old people who were talking too loudly and just kept right on toasting the bride and groom. She sat down on the couch, wrapped herself up, then began to stuff her face while she watched a tape of South Park she'd smuggled into the basement. Not too far into the first episode, Zac came tearing into the basement and hid behind her on the couch.
"And the point of that was?"
Zac looked up.
"Sorry, I'm hiding from your cousin Michelle. I think she's trying to steal me."
Storm just shook her head and stuffed another mini Mars bar into her mouth, knowing if Michelle caught him she'd never see him again. Zac looked longingly at the plate of sugary goodies and gave her the puppy-dog eyes. She shrugged.
"They're not mine, I stole 'em off the counter. Help yourself."
Zac gratefully dug in.
"Did you see your friend and Tay? They're just sitting there, on the couch up there, letting all those old people ask them stupid questions. Did you sedate them or something?"
Storm shook her head.
"Not that I know of, but if they had any of Nana's punch, they have enough vodka in 'em to make 'em woozy for a week."
Zac chuckled and handed her a paper cup full of punch.
"Luckily I got some before my mom caught me..."
Storm downed half of it and handed it back.
"Thank you, I needed that."
She handed him the plate full of food in return, and they became very absorbed in South Park.


When Diana and Walker went to fetch their sons and Storm's parents had gone to find their daughter and her friends, they found the sweetest Kodak moments any parent could, without worrying about how their kids had ended up that way...in the parlor, Cynweilleil and Kats had each fallen asleep on one side of Taylor, who had long since dozed off as well...and down in the basement the tv flickered an old episode of Mad TV, reflecting slightly on Storm and Zac, who were just as unconscious and dreaming as the others.


"I'm a fan of women, hair colour is negotiable."

-Joshua Jackson, Pacey on Dawson's Creek


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Chapter Three