All KyleXY Episodes Now on Hulu

Good news for those of us they like to watch our KyleXY episodes online. All 43 episodes are now available on Hulu.

This is particularly good news because the ABCF website has "temporarily" removed their videos, claiming that they are redoing their video section. What is also interesting is I believe Hulu is owned by NBC, not ABC/Disney...

In any event, go there to watch your favorite KyleXY episodes. Maybe if there is enough traffic, some suit will realize they need to bring the show back.

UPDATE: Hulu has some nice widgets available for your blog or website. So if you look in the far-right column, you'll see a widget so you can select which of the 43 episodes you want to watch, right from this site.
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Episode 4X01 of "Virtual Season 4" Now Posted

The first "episode" of "KyleXY: Virtual Season 4" is now available online here. If you didn't want to see the series end the way it did, this is your opportunity!
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KyleXY: Virtual Season 4 coming April 20th

Starting April 20th I'm planning to take fanfiction to a whole new level. I'm teaming up with fellow fanfiction author jpoeling to write KyleXY: Virtual Season 4. Each chapter will be episode-length, and the goal is to pick up where the network left us hanging... For more informatiion please go here.
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Chapter 4 of "Decisions"

My apologies for how long it took for this to get finished! I know many of you have been waiting patiently. It was hard to get this as special as I wanted it to be. Here is the next chapter of "Decisions".

Comments are welcome, as always!

"Decisions"
Chapter 4: First Night

The night manager at the Hilton was a half-hour into her shift. She was busy reviewing the notes an reports from the previous shift. It was a weeknight, which usually meant a quite shift, especially since the hotel wasn't hosting any conventions this week. She looked up when she heard the automatic doors at the entrance to the hotel open. In walked a young couple, teenagers, judging by their appearance. The young man was carrying two suitcases that didn't match, while the young woman had several gift bags. Both had very large smiles. Cute couple she thought to herself.

(full story after the jump...)

“Welcome to the Hilton. How may I help you?” the manager asked as the couple approached the front desk.

The young man responded first “We have a...”

“Oh, Kyle,” the young woman interrupted, “Can I do this? Please?”

Kyle smiled, nodded, and stepped aside.

“Hi, we have a reservation. Mr. and Mrs. Trager. That's spelled T-R-A-G-E-R,” the young woman said with a huge smile on her face.

The night manager responded with a smile of her own. “Just married, right?”

This brought a giggle from Amanda. “I guess it's obvious, huh?”

“Just a little, but that's OK. Let me call up your reservation...” The manager typed on her keyboard, then stopped, a concerned look on her face. “Hmmm. One moment...” She then typed some more, and finally the printer spit out the necessary forms.

“Was there a problem?” Kyle asked.

“No, not at all. I just upgraded you to a suite.” She noticed the concern looks on the couple's faces as they exchanged glances. “Don't worry, there's no charge for the upgrade. We have the rooms available. Consider it a wedding present from the hotel.”

The couple was surprised. “Thank you very much.”

“No problem at all. I just need to you sign these.” The manager put the forms in front of them. She turned towards Amanda. “Don't forget: married name.”

“Oh, right!” Amanda responded with a smile. “This is the first time I've signed my married name!”

The manager collected the paperwork and handed them their keycards. “OK, you're in Suite 803. The elevators are to your right. You didn't hear this from me, but stay away from the mini-bar in your room. That can end up being quite expensive. We have a vending area down here in that alcove over to your left, you're better off using that. Enjoy your stay.”

The couple collected their bags and headed towards the elevators. Nice kids the manager thought as she watched them leave. It will be a pleasure having them as guests.

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

Kyle and Amanda exited the elevator on the eighth floor. An awkward silence had descended on the elevator during the ride up to their floor, which made it seem even longer than it was really was. When the elevator finally stopped on the eighth floor, they both walked silently to their room. and went inside. They were both amazed when they entered their suite. The main room had a desk, sofa, table and chairs, and a widescreen television. The entrance to the bedroom was to their right.

Amanda peeked into the bathroom. “Kyle, there's a hottub in there!” She looked back towards Kyle. “Do you want to bring the pillows and blankets in there?”

“Why?” Kyle was momentarily confused.

“Because it's a tub. I figured you would be more comfortable, you know, in a tub.”

“What about you?”

“I won't mind the tub. It was kind of cozy that time we slept in your tub.” The corners of Amanda's mouth curled upward. It seemed so long ago now, but that night had been magical.

“I would rather we didn't sleep in the tub tonight.”

Amanda could see that Kyle seemed troubled. “You OK?” she asked softly.

"Amanda,” Kyle sighed. “I want tonight to be perfect for you, to be everything you dreamed of, and more. I'm sure you never dreamed about spending your wedding night in a tub.”

Amanda realized what the real issue was. “This is about the engagement ring and the wedding, isn't it?”

A sad look came over Kyle's face. “Yes... I feel like I've disappointed you.”

Amanda reached up and stroked his cheek. “Kyle, do I look disappointed? Today is the happiest day of my life. We're together now, forever. It's what we both wanted. Our chance for a normal life. Anything else is irrelevant. Now no one can come between us. Not my mother. Not Latnok. And not Jessi. The important thing is that I love you, and you love me, and we have each other now. And because of that, the engagement ring really doesn't matter. And because of that, the church wedding really doesn't matter. And because of that, I know that tonight is going to be special, for us.”

Kyle looked at Amanda thoughtfully, and then smiled. “I can't believe how lucky I am to have you.”

Amanda smiled in return. She had her own ideas for making the night special, but first she needed an excuse to get Kyle out of the room. “Kyle, my mouth's a little dry. Could you, um, go down to the lobby and get a couple of cans of soda?”

Kyle welcomed the distraction. He smiled nervously. “Sure. I'll be right back”

It took Kyle 5 minutes to go back down to the lobby and return. It seemed like the longest 5 minutes in his life. While in the elevator, he idly wondered if he should hotwire the controls so the elevator would run faster. He finally got back to their suite and inserted his keycard into the lock. When he entered the room he noticed the lights were off, and there was a single candle illuminating the main room. A second candle was burning in the bedroom “Amanda, I'm back. Is everything OK?”

“Everything's fine Kyle. I'll be right out,” he heard Amanda call through the bathroom door.

Kyle walked over to the table and set the two cans down. He opened his, and took a slow sip while admiring the view of the Seattle skyline out of the large picture window. He heard a small metallic click as the bathroom door opened.

“This view really is...” he said as he started to turn back from the window. He stopped, suddenly at a loss for words. “... spectacular...” he said as his voice trailed off.

Amanda slowly emerged from the bathroom. She self-consciously held her hands together in front of her, looking down at herself. She slowly lifted her gaze to meet Kyle's. “Do you like it?” she asked shyly.

Kyle was thunderstruck. He had never seen Amanda dressed like this. It was blue silk, and it was short, emphasizing her long legs. It wasn't any more revealing than other things Kyle had seen her wearing. Yet seeing Amanda like this, bathed in the soft warm glow of the candlelight, stirred something deep inside him, for reasons he didn't completely understand. “It matches your eyes...” he managed to get out.

“You would notice that...” Amanda suppressed a giggle.

“It's beautiful. You're beautiful. Where did you get it?”

"Lori got it for us as a wedding present.”

“For us? “ Kyle chuckled. “I don't think I would look very good wearing that...”

Amanda started slowly walking towards him. “Kyle... I'm supposed to wear it, and you're supposed to, um, look at it... Savor it... Touch it... Remo...”

Suddenly the soda can Kyle was holding began to fizz uncontrollably as all the carbon dioxide dissolved in the liquid returned to a gaseous state. This rapidly increased the pressure inside the can, and soda began spraying out of the opening at the top of the can. The can was tilted slightly towards Kyle, and as a result his shirt was quickly soaked with the contents of the can. Kyle pulled the wet shirt off and began dabbing the soda off his skin. Amanda disappeared back into the bathroom and emerged with with a wet washrag. She came over to Kyle and started wiping his arms and torso.

“You did that, didn't you?” she asked with amazement.

“You helped a little...”

Amanda smiled as she continued to gently wipe Kyle's chest. Although she was focused on cleaning the last remaining drops of soda, she couldn't help but notice how well defined his muscles were. She suddenly realized that his hands were on her waist. She felt his hand slowly stroke up the curve of her back, and then slowly downward.

“It feels nice...” His voice seemed deeper, soothing and exciting at the same time.

Amanda became acutely aware of the warmth of Kyle's hand through the silk and her hand could feel the pounding of his heart, which seemed to match her own. She looked up into his eyes. Even though she had never seen the expression on his face before, she recognized it and understood it's meaning. The washrag slipped from her hand and fell to the floor. Her hand slowly slid up Kyle's chest and behind his head, her fingers threading through his hair. She pulled his lips down on her own, in a kiss that was unlike any previous kiss they had shared. Neither wanted it to stop, but were finally forced to catch their breathe.

“Wow...”

Kyle reached down and swept Amanda off her feet. She gasped with surprise and wrapped her arms around Kyle's neck as he started to slowly walk towards the bedroom.

“No levitating?” she asked teasingly.

“Not tonight...” Kyle replied.

As I carried Amanda towards the bedroom, I remembered that this was not the first time I had carried her like this. The first time had been over a year earlier, when I had rescued her after Latnok had kidnapped her. But this time was different. Previously, I had been trying to save her from my past. Now, I was taking her to our future... Together...

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

In the basement of the hotel a red warning light began to flash. When the Hilton had added wireless Internet access, they had also installed a massive sophisticated computer-controlled surge suppressor to protect their guest's laptops and other electronics. The flashing light indicated that the system had detected an overvoltage condition and was attempting to compensate. Unfortunately the system was designed to intercept a voltage surge from the incoming power mains and head it off before it hit the hotel's internal wiring.. It was poorly equipped to deal with a surge from inside the hotel. It finally fried itself in a vain attempt to stop the surge. Shortly thereafter, every circuit breaker in the hotel popped.

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

In the warm Seattle night, a young woman sat curled up in the doorway of a vacant building, crying softly. Her despair came from the realization that the only person with whom she had anything in common, who shared a special connection with her and understood her as only he could, had repudiated her in public, and had ignored her so he could be with someone else. He was unique, as she was, and she couldn't understand why he would waste his time with someone who was ordinary.

Without warning, she suddenly felt an intense physical pleasure, and she quickly recognized that the sensations were not from her own body. Instead of providing relief from her sadness, her grief was compounded, because she realized those sensations could only mean one thing...

“Kyle...” she lamented. “No...”

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

The night manager was busy reviewing the list of repair items for the next day's maintenance crew. It was the usual list of burnt-out light bulbs, plumbing problems, and general appearance issues (this was a Hilton Hotel, after all). It took her a minute to realize that the lighting in the front lobby was quickly getting brighter. She looked up in amazement as the lights became brighter than she had ever remembered seeing them. Suddenly there was a loud “pop” as one of the bulbs in the lobby area blew out, followed in rapid succession by additional “pop”s as every bulb in the lobby followed suit. The emergency lighting in the lobby automatically turned on, and a minute later her phone began ringing as every occupied room in the hotel called to report they were without power. Every occupied room, that is, except for room 803...

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Chapter 3 of "Decisions"

I'm sorry I am a couple of days late with this. Here is the next chapter of "Decisions".

Comments are welcome, as always!

"Decisions"
Chapter 3: Welcome to the Family

When Kyle and Amanda showed up at the Rack at seven, a cheer immediately went up from their friends. Lori and Hillary both came over to greet them. "Glad to see that you could join us! Well, what do you think?"

Kyle and Amanda glanced around in amazement. There was a banner hung on one wall that said "Congratulations Amanda and Kyle" There were trays of appetizers on one table, and an actual wedding cake on another. "Where did all this come from?”

Hillary raised her hand. "That would be me."

"Thank you so much! But how did you..." Amanda started to ask.

"Well, I've been busy in the kitchen. As for the cake, let's just say that my favorite bakery had someone cancel their order, so we lucked out... But enough about me, I want to talk about you two." Hillary turned towards Kyle. "I've got a bone to pick with you, Muffin."

(full story after the jump...)

Kyle was surprised. "Why, what did I do?"

"It's what you didn't do. After all the time I've invested in giving you guys advice, making sure 'Kymanda' was a success, you went and did this without checking with me!"

"We were trying to keep it a secret..."

"Well, since you did end up married, we'll let it go this time." Hillary smiled mischievously. “Kyle, why don't you go do the 'male bonding' thing, while we have a little girl talk with the new Mrs. Trager.”

Amanda nodded to Kyle, so he moved off to join Declan. As soon as he was out of earshot (at least normal earshot), Hillary started back up. “OK, we want all the details! How did he propose? When did he get the ring...”

Hillary stopped. She was looking at Amanda's hand. A look of disappointment came over her face. “Where's the shiny new diamond? You poor thing! I'll just have to straighten him out! A girl has to get a rock!”

“Hillary, really, it's okay. You don't need to say anything.”

“How could he propose if he didn't have a ring? Kyle always plans these things out.” Hillary was confused.

“The proposal wasn't planned,” Amanda explained. “Kyle was walking me home after work and we stopped at the park and were sitting underneath a tree. We were just talking about things, and Kyle was saying how empty and incomplete he felt when we broke up. As he was telling me this, I was thinking to myself how I had had felt the exact same way. And then he said that now that we were back together, he never wanted to feel that way again, and he wanted us to be together forever.

“He said 'forever'? Oh wow!” Lori observed.

Amanda smiled. “That was my reaction! I started getting butterflies. So I asked him. 'Kyle, it sounds like you're taking about getting married...'”.

“You're the one that brought up the 'M' word? Who would have thought you could be so direct?” Hillary said in amazement. “What did he say?”

“He stopped for a minute, thinking about it. The tension was killing me! I thought maybe I had really messed up... And then he looked into my eyes, and he said 'When two people love each other, and want to be together forever, they get married...'. Next thing I know, he was kneeling next to me, asking me to marry him.”

“And you said 'yes' even though he didn't have a ring?” Hillary was still trying to get used to that idea.

Amanda smiled “Of course I said 'yes'! Kyle started to get upset when he realized he should have a ring. But I told him that I was so incredibly happy, that I didn't need the diamond. And I don't!” She looked down at the shiny gold band around her finger. “This is the ring I really wanted.”

Lori couldn't help but smile. “So what made you guys decide to get married right away?”

“That was actually Kyle's idea. We knew my mother would never approve, and to be honest, we weren't sure how your parents would react either. And there was no way we could afford an expensive wedding. So we were talking, trying to figure out what to do, and, I'll always remember this, Kyle said 'We want to be together forever. Why does forever have to wait? Why can't forever start now?' It struck me as the most romantic thing ever. We spent a couple of days thinking about it, talking abut it, just to make sure it was what we both wanted.”

“Unconventional, but still romantic... I like it!” Hillary gushed. Her expression turned to a frown as she looked at the table. “We're almost out of appetizers! Well, back to the kitchen for me!” She grabbed several of the empty trays from the table and headed off to the kitchen.

Amanda turned her attention back to Lori. “So, is it 'sister-in-laws' or 'sisters-in-law'?”

“You're the smart one, you tell me. All I know is that you're part of the family now, and I am thrilled... Oh, before I forget...” Lori reach under the table and pulled out a gift bag, which she handed to Amanda.

“Lori, you didn't need to... You've already done so much!” Amanda started to open the bag. “What is it?”

Lori pulled the bag back. “Not here, unless you want to totally embarrass yourself in front of everyone. It's a little something for later, when you and Kyle are alone...”

“Oh...” Amanda realized what Lori was referring to. “Exactly what is did you get?”

“Just some things to make tonight special. Some candles, a little perfume, a little something for you to wear...”

“To wear?” There was a trace of concern in Amanda's voice.

“Not to worry, Josh was not with me when I picked this out. Definitely the cute, romantic side of sexy, not the nasty, trashy side. Trust me, you'll like it, and so will Kyle...” Lori raised an eyebrow knowingly.

Amanda smiled weakly, “Thank you for everything....”

“You're nervous about tonight, aren't you?"

“Is it that obvious?”

“Look, Amanda, you decided to wait for the perfect guy, and now you have him, and he's your husband! In my book it doesn't get much better than that.”

“I know that... But, we've never... I mean... I just want tonight to be special, for Kyle...”

“You know what? Kyle is probably over there worrying about the same thing. I'm sure he wants tonight to be special for you. And the fact that you both are so concerned about each other, and care so much, and are so so in-tune with each other, that's what will make tonight special. For both of you. Seriously, you should relax, enjoy, and just let nature take over...”

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

”There he is, the guest of honor!” said Declan, as Kyle walked over to where he and Josh were standing. “So, how does married life feel so far?”

“I don't know yet,” said Kyle sheepishly. “Today seems like such a blur.”

“You been fitted for your nose ring yet?” Declan joked.

“Nose ring? Why do I need a nose ring?”

“So Amanda can lead you around by the nose...” Declan was smiling from ear to ear.

Kyle finally figured out what was going on. “Oh, it's an expression! Indicating a man's loss of freedom once he is married.”

“Damn straight, Bro!” chimed in Josh. “No more rowdy nights of male bonding, unless you ask Amanda's permission first, of course.”

“Speaking of male bonding...” Declan pulled out his hip flask. “Do you want me to stiffen your drink for you?”

“Ugh!” Kyle pulled his drink away. “After the last time, I've decided to avoid alcohol altogether.”

Josh started to ask, but Declan pulled away the flask. “Forget it, little man! No way I'm spiking your drink with your parents in the room.”

Josh turned his attention back to Kyle. “You do realize, don't you, that now that you're married, you and Amanda will be having sex, like, every night?”

Kyle just bit his lip, looking worried.

“Kyle. You worried about tonight?”

“Yes?” Kyle admitted. “I've already disappointed Amanda twice. I didn't get her an engagement ring, and I found out today she used to dream about a big church wedding. Both times she told me it didn't matter, and I believed her, but I want tonight to be special for her. I should have planned ahead, but I didn't.”

Josh brightened up, “The hotel probably has adult movies on their cable system that you could order. You could get a quick lesson...”

Declan rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I'm sure Amanda would be thrilled with that... watching porn on her wedding night...”

“Hey, I'm just saying...”

Declan could see Kyle was still worried. “Look, Kyle... I'm no expert, but I know how much you and Amanda are in to each other. Honestly, I gotta believe that everything will be fine. Worrying about it just increases the chance of ruining it. Look, if your little brother could do it...”

“Hey!” Josh interrupted before Declan could finish.

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

Stephen and Nicole showed up around eight. As soon as they saw them, Kyle and Amanda moved towards the entrance to greet them.

Kyle had a large smile on his face. Clearly he was happy. “Thank you both for coming. It means a lot to us.”

“Kyle, its your wedding day, we wouldn't miss this. How did things go with Amanda's mother?”

Amanda sighed. “Before we even got there, my mother had already called the Bishop and our family lawyer. They both told her there wasn't anything she could do. She still isn't very happy that we got married, but I think she'll accept it, eventually.”

Nicole smiled her sympathetic smile. “I'm sure your mother had her own dreams about what your future would be like, and it was a shock to find you had other plans. But once she sees how happy you are, she'll accept the idea. In the end, all a parent really wants is for their child to be happy.”

Amanda turned to Kyle “Does she always have such good advice?”

Kyle smiled, “We call them 'Mom moments', and they're usually pretty good.”

Amanda smiled at that. “'Mom moments'... I like that.”

Nicole chuckled, “Well, that's one of the benefits of being part of our family.”

Amanda smiled shyly, “Thank you for that. For including me as part of your family. For making me feel welcome.”

“Last time I checked,” Stephen said jokingly, “'Daughter-in-law' was included in the definition of 'family'. Oh, and before I forget, there is a room reserved for you at the Hilton.”

Kyle was surprised. “The Hilton? That's pretty fancy We really didn't...”

“We had a sentimental reason for choosing the Hilton,” Nicole interrupted. “It's where we spent our first night as husband and wife. So we thought it would be special...”

Hillary burst in on the conversation. “Well look, it's 'Mr and Mrs. Trager, Classic Edition', and 'Mr. and Mrs. Trager, the New Edition'. Excuse me, I need to borrow the newbies for a minute. We have a wedding cake to cut!” She grabbed Kyle and Amanda by the arms and pulled them over to the cake table.

Hillary handed them the knife, and explained the fine art of cake cutting. After she had covered the basics, she added “I have extra napkins ready, in case things get, um, messy.”

“Messy?” Kyle didn't understand what Hillary was implying.

“Yes, muffin, when you feed each other the cake and smash it in each other's face? It's tradition.”

Soon everyone watching was chanting “Smash it! Smash it!” All were expecting them to make a mess.

Amanda looked up at Kyle. “Please don't...” she asked quietly.

From the tone of her voice and the expression on her face, Kyle realized Amanda would be upset if he did smash the cake in her face. He didn't know why it bothered her, but he realized he didn't need to. Amanda was trusting him on this, and that was what mattered the most. Kyle gently fed Amanda the piece of cake. Amanda, for her part, decided to be a little mischievous, and used her forefinger to put a small dab of icing on the tip of Kyle's nose as she put the cake in his mouth. Kyle didn't mind. Amanda was happy, and that was all that mattered to him.

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

As the evening wore on, Nicole couldn't help but watch Kyle and Amanda. She noticed how they never seemed to be too far apart. How they always held hands or had their arms around one another. But most of all, Nicole noticed the smiles. It occurred to her that it had been a long time since she had seen Kyle with a smile that large. Clearly he was happier than he had been in quite some time. And that, Nicole decided, was all she needed to know about her son's marriage.

Amanda noticed Nicole watching them, and excused herself to walk over to where Nicole was standing. “Mrs. Trager, can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Of course, Amanda. What's on your mind?”

“I just wanted to thank you. For Kyle... If you hadn't brought him home from the detention center, I never would have met him... And if he didn't have you as his parents, I don't think he would have been the great guy that I married. So thank you. We wouldn't be here now if not for you.

Nicole smiled “That's very sweet of you, Amanda. We've never said this to you, or to Kyle, but we've always thought you were a wonderful girl. A special girl, one who is perfectly suited to be with Kyle. Stephen and I are both very happy that you're the one Kyle fell in love with.”

Amanda smiled an embarrassed smile. “Mrs. Trager, I hope you know that I'm not trying to replace you in Kyle's life. You'll always be his mother,. I know he's very special to you, and you'll always be special to him, and I don't want to interfere with that.”

“That may be, Amanda. But the truth is, Kyle will be your responsibility from here on. Not that Stephen and I won't be here if you need us. Kyle presents some... unique... challenges at times, as you now know. But I think you will do just fine.”

Amanda smiled. “I hope so. You're a pretty tough act to follow...”

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

Lori was the first to notice, and immediately headed over to where Stephen and Josh were standing. “Where's Kyle?” she asked, a worried look on her face.

“I think he stepped out. Why?” Josh asked.

“We've got trouble. Jessi just showed up.”

Stephen looked past Lori and saw Jessi standing at the entrance to the room. She was looking around the room, apparently looking for Kyle. After a moment she made a beeline straight for Amanda. “Josh, go find Kyle!” Stephen ordered as he also moved towards Amanda and Nicole, trying to get there before Jessi. He didn't make it.

Nicole spotted Jessi coming towards her and Amanda. This isn't going to turn out well she thought to herself. “Jessi... uh... Hi... Would you like some deviled eggs?”

Amanda spun around to face Jessi, and Nicole moved next to her.

Jessi stopped about six feet from them. She glanced at the banner and then glared at Amanda. “I hate eggs. What's this?” she demanded. “A little late for a graduation party, isn't it?”

Amanda look Jessi straight in the eye. “It isn't a graduation party. Kyle and I got married today.”

“What?!” Jessi said in disbelief. She looked away, her eyes wide, trying to comprehend what she had just been told. “You're lying! Kyle would never do that.”

“Jessi, why would I lie about something like that?” Amanda held up her left hand with her wedding band. "Kyle has one just like it. We went to City Hall first thing this morning.”

Stephen positioned himself on the other side of Amanda. “Jessi, maybe you better leave now...”

Jessi ignored him, keeping her focus on Amanda. “Why would he ever marry you?”

“Because Kyle loves me, and he knows he can trust me.” Amanda shot back, matching Jessi's not-so-subtle insult.

“If Kyle wanted someone to trust, he should have gotten a dog. Maybe a golden retriever.”

Amanda’s eyes narrowed. “Well, that’s better than a nasty Doberman.”

Jessi bristled at the comparison. “I know which one he would want next to him in a fight.”

“Maybe, but guess which one he'll have his arms around when he falls asleep tonight.”

Jessi still hadn't adjusted to that fact. “Who do you think you are?”

“I'm his wife. You 're just going to have to get used to that idea.”

It was too much for Jessi. She started to step forward, her hands coming up from her side. Stephen and Nicole both started to pull Amanda back and simultaneously move in front of her to block Jessi.

“Jessi, that's enough!” Kyle said as he quickly interposed himself between Jessi and her intended target.

Jessi stopped, surprised to find her way blocked. She stared at Kyle, her expression a combination of hurt, anger, and confusion. "Kyle... Why?" was all she could say

“Amanda's my wife now, Jessi. I won't let you talk to her like that.” The anger in Kyle's tone changed to conciliatory. "I'm sorry you had to find out like this. Jessi, you need to let go of the past.”

Jessi stared at Kyle, trying to find a glimmer of hope, something to hold onto. Finding nothing, her expression changed to one of pure hatred. “How could you settle for ordinary?"

Jessi turned and stomped out. Amanda saw Kyle take a step to follow Jessi, and her heart sank. It was a scene she had seen before: Kyle leaving to go help Jessi. And then...

Kyle stopped.

He turned and came back to her. Concern was evident on his face. "Amanda, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Kyle." Amanda glanced towards the door before looking back to Kyle. "Do you need to go after her?" she asked quietly. "Make sure she's okay? Kyle, I understand, if..."

Kyle understood the real question Amanda was asking. "No... My place is here, with you. Jessi will have to take of herself. She isn't my responsibility anymore, you are."

It was the answer Amanda was hoping to hear. She moved toward Kyle and let him wrap his arms around her. She let out a deep breath, and the tension from the confrontation drained for her body.

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Chapter 6 "Reflections" for "2.24"

Here's the next update, hope you enjoy it!

Comments are welcome, as always!

"2.24""
Chapter 6: Reflections

Foss moved towards the warehouse slowly. He wanted to make sure that he wasn't being observed. He had two adversaries now, the FBI and whoever had attacked Kyle. Foss had his suspicions as to who that was. After the rude awakening at the minimart, Foss had picked up a newspaper and gotten himself up to speed with what had happened. Or at least what the public knew about what had happened. Foss had other sources of information, not available to anyone else, and he was going to check on one of those sources now.

(full story after the jump...)

Once he had convinced himself that the warehouse was not being watched, Foss slipped in a side door. He moved slowly, with his gun drawn, making sure there weren't any surprises waiting for him. He made his way to where he normally parked his van, the last place he had seen Kyle standing. There was evidence of a blood stain on the concrete floor. Kyle's blood... he thought to himself. Foss scanned the area nearby, looking for other clues. Under one of the chairs he spotted a small piece of paper. He examined it more closely. It was a waxy paper imprinted with the logo of a major medical supply manufacturer. It was another piece of the puzzle, and it confirmed Foss's suspicions.

Foss moved to an abandoned side office and opened up the old rusty metal cabinet. Inside were the recording system hooked to the security cameras he had hidden throughout the building. Foss went to the recordings from two days earlier and started to watch. After ten minutes of watching, he had the answers he needed.

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

The late spring sun shone down on Lancaster Park, bringing out the bright colors in all the flower beds. The fountain burbled happily, the sound mixing with the buzz of the insects and the chirping of the birds. The entire scene echoed the beauty and joy of life.

This vibrancy and beauty wasn't totally lost on the young woman sitting by herself on the park bench. It helped to counterbalance her sadness and grief. Amanda sat on "their" bench, the exact site of their first kiss. It was, in her mind, the perfect place to sit and remember Kyle.

In the two days since she lost Kyle, she wasn't crying as often, and the pain in her heart was slowly decreasing. In a way, it scared Amanda. For while she was in pain, Kyle still seemed real to her. He might suddenly show up out of nowhere, even though she knew that was impossible. But as time passed, and the pain lessened, she knew she would begin to refer to him in the past tense. He would stop being real, and be relegated to the status of a special warm memory.

Amanda reached into her purse and pulled out one of Kyle's drawing. Those amazing near-photographic drawings that he did. It was of her (as most of his drawings were), from the first time they met, when he had wandered into her house, drawn there by her music. Amanda traced her fingers over the drawing, all the individual dots Kyle had put on that paper to make the image. The drawing was how he saw her, done with his own hand, and touching it seemed, in a way, to be touching him.

He always loved me, from the beginning. In hindsight, it should have been obvious to her. She had never had anyone treat her so well. He was always there for her, ready to do anything for her. Always with his smile, that wonderful, warm, contagious smile, which he reserved only for her. When she had finally admitted her own feelings towards him, their courtship had begun in earnest. It was everything she would have wanted: special, romantic, and fun. They had fallen in love, and Amanda hadn't been as happy since before her father had died.

And yet she had doubted him, not trusted him, even been angry with him. Thought that he might be distracted by Jessi. She realized now how foolish she had been, and she regretted every minute of it. It was wasted time that could have been spent making more of the happy memories she was now so desperate to hold onto.

"The second kiss defines the relationship". That was what Lori had told her. Amanda thought back to their second kiss. She had thought she had lost him to that underground death trap, had desperately worked to save his life, focused on saving him in spite of her fears. And when he started breathing again, the emotions she had held in check could no longer be contained. The relief and joy she felt manifested themselves in a passionate, literally breathtaking kiss that almost knocked him out again. Amanda smiled as she remembered how Kyle could only utter a single "Wow" in response. What she wouldn't give to hear him say that now.

The one question that kept coming back to her was "Why?" Why was Kyle, the guy she loved precisely because he was sweet, gentle and kind, gunned down like a gang member or a criminal? It just didn't normally happen at Beachwood.

“My brain is more developed than other people's. That allows me to do special things.” That was it, Amanda realized. Kyle wasn't normal. Somebody had come after him because he was special. Was he a threat to them? Was that why Kyle needed a guardian angel with a gun?

“I need to tell you everything about myself.” Kyle was about to explain everything to her at the warehouse. He was afraid to tell her, but felt it necessary because she had been kidnapped. Which meant that her kidnapping was tied into this somehow. What hadn't he told her? Kyle had told her how he could do those amazing things, but he hadn't told her why his brain was more developed. And the why was apparently dangerous. Maybe that’s why he didn’t want to tell her everything. He was trying to protect me. The why had gotten Kyle killed...

“The bigger problem is keeping the truth about you a secret... This woman can't find out who you really are.” Which was what, exactly? What were Kyle and the Tragers afraid of? The Tragers knew the why. Amanda also realized that it was likely Jessi also knew the why.

Suddenly, it dawned on Amanda. The underground death trap, Kyle had later explained, was part of Kyle's past. And when it had almost killed him, she had been there to save him. But Kyle's past had caught up to him this time, and even though she was there, she had been unable to save him.

"Amanda..."

She recognized that voice, and jumped because it was so unexpected. Her head snapped around instantly.

"Jessi! What are you doing here?"

"Surprised to see me? You did report me to the FBI after all." She stared at Amanda with that look of smug superiority Amanda absolutely hated.

"They asked me who my enemies were. Your name was the only one that came to mind. What did you expect me to say?"

"Do you really think I would hurt either you or Kyle? How can I find Kyle if I have to worry about being picked up by the FBI."

"'Find Kyle'? What are you talking about, Jessi?"

"He's alive, I know it. I can feel it." Jessi responded cryptically.

“Jessi, Kyle's... dead.” Amanda said sympathetically. “I know it might be hard for you to accept...”

“No, Amanda, you're wrong.” Jessi insisted.

“Jessi, why would you say that?”

“Kyle and I have a special connection. I can't tell you more.”

After what she had been through in the last two days, that was the last thing Amanda wanted to hear. "Jessi, I'm really trying to be civilized to you here, out of respect for Kyle. You were his friend, and I figured you would be hurting. I don't know what kind of sick prank your twisted mind has come up with, but this isn't funny anymore."

"How do you know Kyle is dead?"

Amanda could feel the anger and pain building inside of her. Didn't Jessi ever let up? She could feel herself losing control. Her mind flash back to that night at the warehouse. Her words came out in fits and starts. "How do I know? His blood... was on... my hands... He had... no heartbeat.. He stopped... breathing...." Tears began streaming down Amanda's cheeks. "He died... in my arms..." She momentarily closed her eyes, trying to collect herself, and then turned her head and glared at her tormentor. "Is THIS what you wanted? To see me break down and cry? To see me hurting because Kyle's gone and I'm alone? Do you hate me THAT much? Are you happy now, you ARROGANT BITCH?"

Jessi’s expression changed from one of smug superiority to one of pain. “I know what it’s like to suddenly be alone.” She looked away, avoiding eye contact. “I’m... Look, Amanda, I’m only here because of Kyle. Its important, and I need your help.”

“MY help? Jessi, I would do anything if I thought there was a chance that Kyle was still alive... But he's not...”

“Amanda, did Kyle ever tell you WHY he could do all those amazing things he could do?”

“He told me his brain was more developed than other people’s.”

“So all the things you saw him do were because of his mind. Did it ever occur to you that maybe, just maybe, there are other things his mind let him do, things that maybe you weren’t aware of?"

“I suppose that’s possible...” Amanda was unsure where Jessi was headed with this.

“Did he tell you that my brain is also more developed, just like his?”

“No...” Amanda paused, processing the information. “So that is why you and Kyle are so drawn to each other? Because you have this same... ‘Gift’?”

Jessi nodded. “We’re unique, at least as far as we know. We’re constantly learning what we can do. We even think Kyle cured Andy’s cancer.”

“You think? So you don't know?” Amanda pointed out.

“Look, we don’t come with a user guide and an FAQ page, all right? Kyle hugged Andy, and the next day her cancer was gone. He said he wasn’t trying to cure her, but...”

“So you think it might be possible that Kyle could bring himself back to life?”

“He brought ME back to life once. My heart had stopped...”

A woman’s shout suddenly interrupted their conversation.

"JESSI EMERSON! FREEZE! THIS IS THE FBI!"

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Chapter 2 of "Decisions"

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY! Here is the next chapter of "Decisions".

Comments are welcome, as always!

"Decisions"
Chapter 2: Parental Reaction

Kyle and Amanda's announcement left everyone in stunned silence. The silence seemed to go on forever, until Josh supplied the first verbal response.

"Holy crap!"

Everyone looked at each other, not sure what to say or do next. Kyle noticed Mrs. Bloom's heart rate change, and her body temperature dropped. Suddenly her eyes rolled up into the back of her head. Kyle quickly stepped forward and grabbed her before she fell.

"Mom!” Amanda shouted. “She fainted!"

(full story after the jump...)


Kyle took Mrs. Bloom into the family room and set her on the couch.

Nicole went and got a wet rag and smelling salts from the medicine cabinet. Mrs. Bloom came to and looked blankly at everyone around her. When she saw Kyle, her eyes narrowed and her expression changed to one of anger.

"YOU! This is all YOUR fault! Did you get my daughter pregnant?" She said accusingly.

"No Ma'am! It isn't like that. If you would just let us explain. We..."

Mrs. Bloom cut him off. "Well, at least you're showing an iota of common sense! I don't know what fool ideas you've been filling my daughter's head with, but there is no way I am going to let this stand! Amanda, you're coming home with me immediately!"

"No Mom, I'm not!” Amanda said calmly. She squeezed Kyle's hand a little tighter, drawing strength from it.

“Amanda!”

“It was our decision, Mom, and I'm staying here, with my husband." With the last word Kyle and Amanda looked at each other, and Kyle squeezed her hand.

Carol Bloom glared at the two of them. She stood up and stormed past them. "We'll just see about that!" she said as she headed out of the room. There was a loud smack as she slammed the front door behind her.

"Dude, you do realize that's your mother-in-law now..." Josh observed.

Amanda's shoulders sagged after her mother left. She turned towards the Tragers. “I'm sorry my mom made a scene,” she said quietly.

Nicole looked at Stephen, trying to gauge his mood. The look of shock and disbelief on his face mirrored her own emotions at the moment. She glanced at Kyle and Amanda, and notice the worried looks on their faces had returned after Mrs. Bloom's final outburst. Nicole needed to buy herself a little time, to figure out what she was going to say.

“Lori... Josh... Would you please excuse us. Your father and I would like to talk to Kyle and Amanda in private.”

“Look out you two. It's time for the parental 'good cop'/'bad cop' routine.” Josh quipped as he turned to leave.

Lori rolled her eyes. “C'mon moron. This is a 'married people' talk. We young single-types aren't allowed to listen in.”

As she started to leave, Lori couldn't help but notice the deer-in-the-headlights look on both Kyle and Amanda's faces. Lori stopped in front of Kyle and turned towards him. She beamed a large smile. “Kyle, I really am happy for you... The both of you.” She hugged Kyle and then turned towards Amanda and gave her a hug also. “Welcome to the family. I guess that makes us sister-in-laws, huh?”

Amanda smiled back, a bit more relaxed. “Yeah, I guess it does.”

As Lori and Josh headed out the door, the two remaining teens sat on the couch. Nicole and Stephen brought over a couple of chairs so they could all face each other.

Nicole took a deep breathe. “Well, I'm not sure where to begin...” She looked over at her husband.

“Well, I do...” Stephen interrupted. “I thought you two were the sensible ones? I might expect Josh or Lori to do something like this, but not you. What the hell were you two thinking? Do you really understand what 'being married' means?”

“What Stephen's trying to say...” Nicole glanced at Stephen, non-verbally asking him to remain calm, “...is that marriage a BIG step, for the both of you. We wish you would have come to us beforehand and talked to us about it. This is literally a life-altering decision that you've made. Frankly, Kyle, I don't understand why you felt you couldn't talk to us.”

“We love each other." Kyle stated simply. “This may seem like a rash decision, but it isn't. We've talked about it. A lot. We realize now how important we are to each other. That there is something special and unique between us. We're soulmates. But we almost lost each other. We don't want that to happen again, so we needed to do this."

"We realize that you both love each other, and the two of you share something very special.” Nicole said sympathetically. “But why get married right now? You could have just gotten engaged. Amanda, you strike me as the kind of girl who always dreamed of a big church wedding.”

Concern was suddenly etched on Kyle's face. “Amanda, did you want a big wedding? I'm sorry, I...”

“Kyle...” Amanda looked into his eyes and squeezed his hand, quieting his concerns. She turned back towards Nicole. “Mrs. Trager... I used to dream about that. But let's face it, neither family can afford a big wedding right now. And that doesn't really bother me, because I had another dream. That I would fall in love with a wonderful guy. Someone who was strong, and gentle, and kind, and caring, and who touched me deep down in a way that no one else could. Who would be my hero and my best friend. And this wonderful guy would ask me to marry him, and I would feel like I was the luckiest girl in the world.” Amanda look back towards Kyle, and their eyes met. “Well, I found him, and I am the luckiest girl in the world.”

Nicole couldn't help but be amazed at Amanda's response. Kyle had a penchant for doing the unusual, but Amanda had always struck Nicole as predictable. Until now. Clearly, nothing mattered to her except being with Kyle. Nicole smiled. “Actually Amanda, I think Kyle is the lucky one.”

Amanda looked down self-consciously. “Thank you” she said quietly.

“Nicole's right, I am lucky.” Kyle said as he gave Amanda a gentle smile. He turned back to his parents. “I... We realize you would have preferred that we waited to get married. But waiting only increased the chances that we wouldn't get married” And we didn't want that to happen. Look at everything that has happened to us in the last year. The danger that Latnok subjected both of us to. All the people who have disappeared from my life. And during that time I almost lost Amanda too. I don't want that to happen again. Cassidy's still out there, somewhere. I'm not convinced Latnok won't come back either."

Kyle paused to compose himself. He glanced out the window, and then looked at his parents, and finally at Amanda. "People keeping telling me what they think my destiny is, but I want to decide my own destiny. And I want Amanda to be part of that destiny.”

“Mr and Mrs. Trager,” Amanda said. “We realized beforehand that you might not approve of our getting married, but we really believe this is the best for us. All we're asking is that you accept it. And be happy for us. Please?”

It was obvious to Nicole that neither Kyle or Amanda were about to change their minds. “Amanda, we ARE happy for you. But... we're still having to get used to the idea.”

"You're both sure you want this?" Stephen asked. Both Kyle and Amanda nodded without hesitation.

"Well, now that you're married,” Stephen continued. "You realize you'll need to find a place to live, and Kyle, you'll need to find a job?"

“Yes, we planned on that. We need to find a motel to stay in for a few days, at least until we can find an apartment.” Kyle said earnestly. “And I plan to start looking for a job tomorrow.”

Kyle's phone beeped, and he pulled it out of his pocket and checked the screen. “It's a text message from Lori.” He smiled as he read it aloud. “'The presence of Mr. and Mrs. Kyle Trager is requested at a party in their honor. 7 pm at the The Rack. Oh, and tell the other Mr. and Mrs. Trager that they are welcome to come too.'”

Nicole couldn't help but smile, “Well, looks like Lori didn't waste any time getting the word out. Sounds like you two have plans for the evening.”

“I need to go talk to my mother first.” Amanda said glumly.

“No,” Kyle responded. We need to go talk to your mother. And then we'll have to find a motel to stay at.“ Kyle stood up and took Amanda's hand. The two of them headed for the front door.

Nicole and Stephen walked them to the door. “Why don't you let us find a place for you to stay?”

“But..” Kyle started to object.

Nicole raised her hand to silence him. “No 'buts' Kyle. We'll find you something nice. Consider it a wedding present.”

Kyle realized it was better to accept his parents' offer graciously. "Thank you both, for everything. Please come by The Rack later. It would mean a lot to us to have you there tonight."

Nicole nodded. "We'll be there. Oh, and congratulations!"

Both teens smiled, and after the goodbye hugs Kyle and Amanda left. After the door closed, Stephen turned to his wife. "I know Kyle has done some crazy things in the past, but marriage?"

“They're both 18, Stephen.” Nicole replied. “So legally, there is nothing we can do to change this. And I don't think it is our place to try and change this.”

"But he's our son! Can't they see it would have been better to wait?"

Nicole put he arms around her husband. "They're in love, and they're scared. Can you really blame them for that? They've been through so much already. Kidnappings. Conspiracies. Not to mention a jealous girl with superhuman abilities. You and I never had to deal with any of that."

“I know that, Nicole. It just seems so... impulsive.”

“Stephen, Kyle always seems to know the right thing to do, and we've always thought Amanda had a good head on her shoulders...”

“You're actually comfortable with this?” Stephen asked incredulously. “Nicole, I remember what you went through when Kyle left with the Petersons. You were a wreck. Are you going to be able to let go this time? Watch, while another woman looks after him?”

Nicole stopped for a moment. “She'll take good care of him. You know what they say, Stephen. 'We're not losing a son, we're gaining a daughter.'”

Stephen smiled. “Lord knows we've had enough experience adding to our family...”

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