Storiesonline.net ------- Virtual Love by Eon Copyright© 2005 by Eon ------- Description: Fern Colville recieves the game from a mysterious shopkeeper. Heath Jones gets the game in the mail. Virtual Love promises to find them their soulmates... without the use of the internet! Believing each other to be mere computer simulations, they quickly grow close. But the deal is this: the game lasts only until Christmas Eve, at which time it must end in culmination. Codes: MF rom cons mag het oral pett ------- Fern Colville frowned, taking in the interior of the shop with one quick glance. She had expected a shop called "Virtual Love" would be a shop for video games, but the dusty shelves held mostly books and odd trinkets or knick knacks. This won't do at all, she thought, turning back to the door. Why do I have to have five male cousins who all like video games and want the most expensive ones? Fern was barely going to manage Christmas this year as it was. "Excuse me. Can I help you?" Fern jumped and spun around. Where the space behind the counter had been empty a moment before, there was now a shopkeeper there. And the strangest shop keeper he was. If that was actually a he. When she looked at him, she felt as though her gaze were constantly shifting; his face was androgynous, making him seem feminine, but his chest was flat. What a weirdo, Fern thought. Still, she liked his voice; it was soft and had an edge that made her think of silver. "No thank you," she replied, shaking her head. "I thought this was an electronics shop, but I guess not." "What are you looking for?" the shop clerk asked. "Perhaps I can point you in the right direction." Fern shrugged. "Perhaps. I'm video game shopping for relatives. You know boys, they always want the latest, most popular games." The clerk nodded. Instead of answering her, he disappeared into the back room. What, does he need a map or something? she wondered, feeling her patience thin. He was gone so long that Fern was ready to leave the shop. As before, he appeared just as she was about to leave. He was holding a box; it was pink, with the words "Virtual Love" printed in silver across the box. Some kind of promotional game? Fern wondered, lifting her eyebrows. "Nothing for boys," the shop clerk admitted. "But this is very popular with the men and women who frequent this shop." Fern sighed and reluctantly took the box from him. She turned it over to see what it was about. A blurb on the back advertised "handsome men and sexy women" who were "waiting to sweep you off your feet". A dating simulation game? Fern thought, rolling her eyes. God, I thought they only made these things in Japan. How lame. She shoved the box back into the clerk's hands. "I don't know anyone who would want that," Fern said. "I'll be going." "What about yourself?" The clerk asked, smiling. Fern snorted. "What makes you assume I'd need a game like that? Besides, it's Christmas. I can't be buying things for myself." "Tell you what," the shop clerk said, handing the box back to her. "Just promise to do me one small favor, and you can have the game." "Fine, I'll bite," Fern said, folding her arms across her chest. "What's the favor?" "Simply fill out the survey upon completion of the game," the clerk told her. "Let us know if you were satisfied." Fern's eyebrows lifted. She pushed her glasses up onto her nose and studied the box again. I'll never play it, she thought. Although I do know a couple of geeky guys who might find it amusing. It probably wasn't popular at the least, and the clerk was giving it to her because he wanted to be rid of it. Fern imaged that the imagery was cheap and, while it said it was voice activated, she bet it didn't work properly at all. "Sure, whatever," Fern said. "Have a nice day." "You, as well," the clerk responded. "And there's a Circuit City a couple blocks away, down Sockonosette St." Fern glanced over her shoulder to thank him, but he was gone. She dropped the game into one of her shopping bags and forgot about it completely while she finished her shopping. Finding the Circuit City, she bought the games her cousins wanted, which nearly cleaned her out. I'm going home, Fern thought, dropping her bags in the backseat of her car. I've got most of this done, and there's still time until Christmas. If a week counted as time. The drive home was frustrating. Nearly every person in the world was out Christmas shopping, it seemed. Fern nearly skidded on a patch of ice in the parking lot of her apartment building, too, which was really the icing on the cake. Or is that gingerbread house? she wondered, pulling her bags out of the back seat. She was unable to avoid a giant puddle of slush, as well, and so her fleece-lined boots got soaked through. I hate the holidays, Fern thought, scowling. She peeled her boots off first, and her socks, which were also soaked. Her coat, scarf, mittens and sweatshirt were left in a messy pile on the floor. She began removing her purchases from the bags and setting them on the kitchen table where the rest of the presents, wrapped and unwrapped, were sitting. Fern came across the game again at this point. "This thing..." she muttered. "Who would play it? What a lame premise... still... I haven't got anything better to do..." It would be interesting to see how bad it was. Probably laughably bad. Fern headed into her bedroom, where a computer was set up, opening the box as she went. She had to hook her microphone into it before she could use the voice activation in the game, which the box claimed made it more "realistic". Fern sat down at her computer and put the disk in the drive, then grabbed some socks as she waited for the game to load up and ask her how much of it she wanted to download. It did no such thing. Fern was caught off guard by soft music and she looked up, her socks only half on. A screen had come up, designed to look like a plush room; soft, dark carpet, thick cushioned couches, a crackling fire. Someone walked onto the screen, and Fern recognized him immediately: the shop clerk. Oh, god, this is lame, she thought, laughing. Definitely a promotional game for the shop! "Hello," the clerk said, smiling. "I am Icelos, and I will guide you. Please tell me your name." "Fern Colville," Fern said into the microphone. "A pleasure to meet you, Fern," Icelos said, impressing her just a bit. "Virtual Love was designed to help you find your soul mate. Would you be so kind as to enter some information about yourself? This is to help us in our search." Fern shrugged. "Sure, whatever." "Wonderful!" Icelos exclaimed, clapping his hands. "Very well, then, let's get started." He snapped his fingers and a scroll appeared out of thin air. Fern watched, mildly impressed, as he unrolled the scroll and it grew to a size large enough for her to see. At the moment, though, there was nothing on it, and she wondered how she was supposed to answer nonexistent questions. I bet this is a glitch, Fern thought, leaning back in her chair. And it was actually kind of interesting, too. Too bad. "Now," Icelos continued. "How old are you?" The words appeared, in flowery, silver writing, on the scroll. Surprised, Fern felt a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. That was clever, for sure. She wondered if she had to type her answer, or if speaking it would work. "Nineteen," Fern replied, deciding honesty was the best possibility. "Well, I'll be twenty in a couple of months." Her words, exactly as she had spoken them, appeared on the scroll. The writing was in pink, though. That's crazy, Fern thought, staring at the screen in amazement. I didn't realize they'd gotten voice recognition to work so well. Even if the game proved to be a flop, and she was pretty certain it would, this part was amusing for the time being. Something to keep Fern's mind off the holidays, which always left her depressed. "Have you been in a relationship before?" Icelos asked, and the words appeared on the scroll. "Um... once," Fern answered, feeling her cheeks heat. "It's not something I like to remember too much, though." Icelos nodded. "Understood. When was your last relationship?" "It's... been a few years," Fern admitted. "I guess... well, some girls are pretty, sweet, and gentle. I'm just plain, mean, and stubborn. Guys aren't interested in me." "Which is why we're here," Icelos said, clapping his hands. "Now, kindly describe yourself, i.e. physical appearance, personality, likes and dislikes, etc." Every word he and she spoke appeared on the scroll, which extended to fit everything it needed to. A list was growing of the things Icelos had requested, and as she answered them they were filled out on the screen. Actually, it began with personality traits, in which Fern was brutally honest. My main traits are coldness, hardheadedness, and bitterness, she thought wryly. Pink words appeared rapidly on the screen, and it wasn't long before she was through the personality section. "Let's see..." Fern murmured. "Eyes... hazel brown... not that anyone has ever heard of that before. Hair... brown. Well, if we're being poetic, brown with copper highlights. Height? Ugh, too short... can I put that?" Icelos laughed at some of her answers, and she was amazed at how real his amusement seemed. By the time she was done her eyes were starting to hurt. She sat back in the chair, stretching out, as she watched Icelos fold up the scroll. It changed back to normal size, and he tucked it away out of sight. "Thanks for your time, Fern," Icelos said. "We will contact you as soon as we have found your match. Have a good night." Fern stared as the game screen winked out. What the hell? she thought, opening the drive. The CD had no scratches on it, nothing she could see that would make it just stop. She put it back into the computer, but the game did not load up again. Sheesh, I'm glad I didn't pay for that, Fern thought, rising from the computer chair to go back to wrapping presents. Turned out to be a waste of money, after all. ------- The screaming of children still echoed in his ears. Heath Jones was not enjoying his holiday at all. At least he could go home at the end of the evening, away from the house full of relatives and, more significantly, spoiled, screaming, crying cousins. Who's bloody idea was this stupid holiday, anyway? he wondered, lifting a hand off the steering wheel to rub his forehead. To think, I used to believe that Christmas was magical! Ha! Christmas was the "gimme-gimme" season, as Heath liked to call it. And the driving! It seemed that every idiot driver in the world was on the road every day these days. Add to that the iciness from cold and snow, and he was always amazed that he ever got back to his apartment. Heath should have been grateful for a break from school, but he just wasn't. His girlfriend had broken up with him, he was barely passing the year, and now he had to deal with the holidays. It would be awful nice if the landlord would plow this stupid parking lot, Heath thought, shoving his way out of the car. He scowled and cursed as he stepped through the knee deep pile of snow surrounding his parking space. A stop at the mailbox yielded bills and, to his great surprise, a key for the package box. I didn't order anything, did I? he thought, pulling the package out. It was a giant envelope with what felt like a box of some sort in it. Heath shrugged, tucking his mail beneath his arm and heading up into his apartment. He dumped the bills on the table and studied the package. There wasn't even a return address to indicate who or where it was from. Heath dropped into the comfortable chair in front of his computer and tore the envelope open. Ah, he thought, as he pulled out a wrapped present. Must be from a relative... but who? There was no card, no tag, nothing whatsoever to indicate who sent it. It's early, Heath thought, but I might as well open it. Maybe they put the card inside the box? No card fell out of the wrapping, and the box turned out to be a computer game. He scowled as he studied it; silver writing pronounced the title "Virtual Love" on the blue box. Flipping it over, Heath read the descriptive blurb on the back. "The woman of my dreams, huh?" he said aloud, rolling his eyes. "I didn't thinking those match sites had things like this..." He studied it for an indication of the hardware needed, but there was no indication that the game went online. In fact, closer inspection showed the word "Sim" under the genre description. What the hell... ? Heath thought. Why would... ah! Jack! Of course, who else could it be? Who but your best buddy would send you a dating simulation game as a Christmas present, right after your girlfriend had broken up with you? Shaking his head, Heath picked up the phone and dialed. "Brighton residence, Tina speaking," a small, squeaky voice answered. Heath chuckled. "Hey, T, it's Heath. Is your brother there?" "Hold on a sec," Tina said. She didn't bother to cover the phone, so Heath was blasted with a loud "Jaaaaaaaack! Phoooooooone!" He pulled the phone away, grinning wryly, and rubbed his ear. Jack had seven siblings total, two brothers and five sisters, and his house was always noisy. And yet it's still more peaceful than mom and dad's on the holidays, Heath thought. He actually liked Jack's family more than he liked his own. "Yo, Heath, dude," Jack said into the phone. "What's up?" "Very funny joke, man," Heath replied. "Although it's a bit insensitive of you." "Joke? What are you talking about?" Jack asked, sounding perplexed. Heath rolled his eyes. "Don't play that game with me. You're the only one who knows that Christa dumped me, so who else would have sent it?" There was a long moment of silence on the other end of the line, then, "Sent what?" Heath frowned. Jack liked jokes, but he generally didn't carry them this far. But it has to be him who sent it, Heath thought. No one else knows, aside from Christa, and she wouldn't spend a penny on me even when we were still dating. Jack wasn't the sort to blab, although it was possible that Christa had let a lot of people know. He doubted it, though; she was so self-absorbed, she probably wouldn't say a thing until someone caught her kissing someone else. "The game," Heath said. "Come on, man, this isn't very funny anymore." "Look, I didn't send you anything," Jack insisted. "I swear, man." "All right," Heath said, unconvinced. "I guess I'll see you... what, the day after Christmas?" "Sure," Jack said. "Later, man." Heath hung up the phone and set it down, frowning. He still thought Jack had sent the game, but there was a niggling doubt in the back of his mind. With a shrug he picked up the box and opened it. There was no instruction booklet, merely a disc. He put that in the drive, and was surprised when the game screen came up automatically. There was no download option anywhere he could see in the cozy little room. Heath studied it, and as he watched, a man walked onto the screen. Or, at least, he thought it was a man. A small, slender, feminine looking man, but a man nonetheless. Or a manly looking, flat-chested woman, Heath thought. He leaned back in his chair, considering what to do, but before he got a chance, the man spoke. "Hello," the man said, smiling. "I am Icelos and I will guide you. Please tell me your name." Heath picked up the box again and looked at the box. Voice activated, it said, although that didn't tend to work very well. Even voice activation can't make a simulated date seem real, he thought, picking up the headset he used with his computer. It settled snugly above his ear and he could adjust the mouthpiece to be closer or further away. For that matter, Heath thought, shouldn't my guide be a woman? "I'm Heath Jones," Heath answered. "A pleasure to meet you, Heath," Icelos said. "Virtual Love is a game designed to find your soul mate, the woman of your dreams. Would you be so kind as to answer some questions? It will aid us in matching you properly." "I don't know," Heath hedged, frowning. "I'm kinda busy with the holidays... maybe after the New Year, when I have time to get into something..." Icelos shook his head. "I'm afraid that will not be possible. The contract will be void once the holidays end." What a gyp, Heath thought, frowning. Come on, that can't be real. A game doesn't function only during one season. But maybe if he played along, and acted like it would, he would see something interesting. It couldn't hurt, and really he wasn't as busy as he claimed to be. "Yeah, why not," Heath said, shrugging. "I don't have anything better to do at the moment." "Very good," Icelos said, clapping his hands together briskly. "Let's get started, then." Heath watched him pull out a scroll. This game is really well done, actually, he thought, watching as the scroll expanded to take up half the screen. It's a shame they're wasting this sort of thing on a dating game. Yet there were no words on the scroll, no questions for him to answer. Heath's fingers hovered over the keyboard, waiting to see if the game had frozen. "Kindly tell me your age," Icelos instructed. As he spoke, words appeared on the scroll, in flowing silver script. Well, okay, I'm impressed, Heath thought, raising his eyebrows. That looked cool. He liked games well enough, although he didn't play loads of time playing them. Still, he could appreciate interesting effects when he saw them. "I'm twenty-three," Heath answered, and his mouth dropped open as his words appeared in blue writing beneath the silver. "And have you been in previous relationships?" Icelos continued. "Yeah," Heath replied. "My girlfriend dumped me a few weeks ago, though. Which is, I suppose, why some jerk sent me this game." Every single word he said appeared on the scroll, exactly as he had spoken it. Icelos took him through a serious of questions about himself, what he looked for in a partner, and physical appearance. It should have been boring, but Icelos has a good sense of humor, and Heath actually found himself laughing. I'm acting like this is real, he thought, giving himself a mental shake. Maybe I should stop... "Thank you," Icelos said, rolling the now normal sized scroll back up. "Please wait a moment... ah! Match found." Heath's eyebrows lifted. "That was fast." "This is the information on the match we found for you," Icelos said, bringing out another scroll from thin air. "I only get one?" Heath asked. "You only have one soul mate," Icelos replied, smiling. "Please review the information and tell me if you would like to speak to her." The scroll opened, expanding to take up half the screen once more. Heath was surprised by the picture at the top. The girl, while not ugly, was little more than plain. Her brown eyes were heavily lashed, giving her a somewhat dreamy look, but her mouth was thin and her nose slightly roman. Brown hair framed her face and fell to touch her shoulders. This is the woman of my dreams? Heath wondered, feeling skeptical. Not that he thought looks were important; on the contrary, he'd had some bad experiences with attractive girls. Only he would have expected a game like this to come up with a girl who was everything: great personality and great looks. The ultimate male dream. I like her eyes, though, Heath thought. You can tell just by looking into those eyes that she's an intelligent girl. He began reading through her information and was surprised. It was really amazing just how human the script was. The answers had the feel of being written by someone who was taking a survey, not making a game. "Favorite season," Heath read aloud, smiling slightly. "'Any time I'm not freezing my ass off is good'... geez, these designers didn't hold anything back." She was greatly amusing. Very few questions had simple answers, even the yes or no questions. Each thought was expanded on, and brutally honest. She didn't like men and no, it wasn't anyone's business why. No, that didn't mean she was a lesbian... girls are even worse than guys. The last time she had sex was also no one's business; she wasn't going into the sordid details. Heath found himself grinning. "Life goals," Heath murmured. "'I want to be successful, of course. I have to be. I'm too plain and mean to live any other way.'" She was very self-effacing, but he found that he liked her sense of humor nonetheless. When he'd finished reading everything, he scrolled back up, looking for her name. Fern, Heath thought. A plant that thrives in the shade... interesting. This game was really detailed, so much so that he caught himself thinking she was a real girl numerous times. "What the heck," Heath said, glancing at the figure of Icelos. "I'll talk to her. See if the rest of this game holds up to its production standards." "Very good," Icelos said, nodding. "Just a moment, please." Icelos walked off the screen, which was in the process of changing. He could see Fern, looking somewhat startled, and in the background was a room or an apartment. So they were making it look like she was also using a computer. Okay, this is so cool and so pathetic at the same time, Heath thought wryly. Great effects, but really... a simulation of online dating is beyond pathetic. "Uh... hello..." Fern said timidly, blinking at him. "Hi," Heath responded. "I'm Heath... and I've been told you're Fern. And that you're my soul mate." "You'd better hope I'm not," Fern muttered, her mouth quirking. "You really don't want to be stuck with me for all eternity." Heath laughed. "I'm not sure I'd want to be stuck with anyone for all eternity, to be honest. At least you have a sense of humor." "Oh, how typical," Fern huffed. "Everyone thinks I'm so funny when I'm just being myself." He couldn't help laughing. Even the expressions on her face were so real. Heath leaned back in his chair, locking his hands behind his head. Okay, maybe it was pathetic, but it was amusing. He'd never heard of a game that could respond this way. The technology was amazing and fascinating. Heath told himself that that was the only reason he wanted to keep playing. He wasn't really enjoying himself. ------- Fern wondered if she'd been dreaming. Sometime in the night, while she had been browsing Amazon, the screen for Virtual Love had suddenly popped up. Instead of the room and Icelos, she saw a man, sitting in what looked like a very typical male apartment. He was surprisingly handsome, in a way. He had blue eyes and those long lashes a woman would kill for. His hair was kind of longish and fell as if he maybe didn't have the money to get it cut, but didn't really care much anyway. Fern liked that. She even liked the little scar she could see on his left cheek. Although I would expect a game like this to come up with the sort of guy like those on Romance novel covers, she thought, tearing off a piece of tape with her teeth. She'd stayed up half the night talking to Heath and it was the best conversation she'd had in ages. Too bad he was just a guy in some game. So realistic, though, Fern thought, taking the tape from her teeth and using it to tape down the wrapping paper she was struggling with. After talking to him she'd stayed up even later reading the profile Icelos had given her. Like her, Heath answered his questions humorously. She'd especially gotten a kick out of his answer about his height; if you asked his doctor, five ten, if you asked him, six feet even. Fern could appreciate being disgruntled about one's height. And he was in college, studying business. A dull subject, perhaps, but she liked that he was determined to make something of himself. "Fern, Heath would like to speak to you." Fern jumped and stared at her computer. The Viggo Mortensen screensaver had disappeared, and there was Icelos, standing in the cozy little room. This game is kind of scary, she thought, standing up and heading over to her computer. I hope it doesn't take over my computer, like AOL does. Fern flopped down in front of the computer screen. "What are you, anyway, Icelos?" Fern asked. "I mean... what are you supposed to be?" "I'm your guide," Icelos responded, smiling. "Yes, I know, but..." Fern shrugged. "Okay, assuming for a moment that this game is real... and I don't think it is... where did it come from? Who made it? And why?" "I'm afraid I can't answer," Icelos told her. "I suggest you speak to Heath. The game ends when the holidays end, and if you wait you won't get the chance to complete it." Fern sighed. "All right, I'll speak to him." What kind of game is this? she thought, leaning back in her chair. What does he mean, it ends when the holidays end? Maybe it was one of those games that gave her a limited amount of time to complete her task before she had to start over from the beginning. But that seemed silly for a game like this. Fern frowned at the screen, but her expression lightened when Heath appeared. "Hey, Fern," Heath said, grinning. "I must be crazy to be doing this again, but I had fun last night." "Me too," Fern agreed. "And besides, any distraction from gift wrapping is more than welcome." Heath laughed. "Not big on the holidays?" "Cousins," Fern moaned, letting her head fall back. "All of my relatives drive me nuts, but my cousins make it a very short drive." "Yeah. That's why I call it the "gimme-gimme" season," Heath told her. "I like that!" Fern said, grinning. She leaned forward, propping her head on her hands. Really, she couldn't help herself. Talking to Heath was so much fun that she kept forgetting that this was only a game. The first night had been a little shaky at first, especially when he'd commented on her age. Fern had given him the "just-because-I'm-young-doesn't-mean-I'm-stupid-I've-been-through-plenty-possibly-more-than-you-so-don't-judge-me-by-my-age" speech, which, instead of making him angry, had amused him. Heath had told her that she was showing her age, and she'd ended up laughing with him. "So, old man," Fern teased. "What are you doing for Christmas?" "Watch your tone, young lady," Heath shot back, grinning. "I'm spending the day with the family, unfortunately. Although I'm not looking forward to it." "I hear that," Fern agreed. She should have realized there was something odd here. Perhaps it should have bothered her that she spoke to Heath like he was a real person. And yet Fern was so absorbed that it didn't concern her. ------- Heath woke in the middle of the night when his computer screen blazed brightly. He scrambled out of bed and shoved his feet in the slippers he kept nearby, so his toes wouldn't freeze. Rubbing his eyes, he stumbled over to his computer and sat down clumsily in his chair. Fern was on the screen, huddled in her chair and sobbing softly. Heath pulled his headset on, suddenly very much awake. "Fern," he called softly. "Fern, what's wrong?" She looked up at him. Tears streaked down her cheeks, and he wished desperately that he could brush them away. How can this possibly be a game? Heath thought, scooting closer to the screen. She seems so real. Fern wasn't pretty when she cried; her nose and eyes got red and her face screwed up. Game girls should be pretty when they cried, but she wasn't. "Come on, sweetheart," Heath murmured. "Tell me what's wrong. Maybe I can help." "I... I just had... a... a bad dream," Fern stammered, sniffling. "I... I shouldn't have waken you... I'm sorry." "It's not a problem," Heath assured her. "Do... do you want to talk about it? I mean... it might help..." Fern took a deep breath and let it out. He watched her anxiously as she calmed herself down. She excused herself for a moment, and he actually heard her blowing her nose. I can't think of this as a game right now, Heath thought. It seems so real. He liked Fern, even if she was just a character in a game. She was strong and spirited, but not afraid to admit to her faults. Both childish and wise, a complex puzzle. "Sorry," Fern muttered, as she sat back down. "I'm such a ninny..." "No, you aren't," Heath said firmly. "Talk to me, Fern. Please." "You're so nice," Fern sniffed, flashing a watery smile. "Well... tell me this: do you think that because someone's your girlfriend it automatically means yes?" Heath frowned. "Of course not... no is no, no matter who you are. Did... did something like that happen to you?" He felt his anger flare up as she nodded. How he wished he could comfort her! She was just a picture on the screen, not even real, but her pain seemed real. Heath reached out and pressed his fingers to the screen. Why does my soul mate have to be part of a computer game? he wondered. Because he was really feeling connected to her, as though she was simply meant to be a part of his life. "It wasn't like he hit me or anything," Fern said quiet. "He wasn't violent. I... I was just too scared and too stupid to do anything." "This isn't your fault, Fern," Heath told her. "Don't ever think that. No one deserves it." "It is my fault!" Fern insisted. "Because I was scared of being alone, so I just did what he wanted. I was overweight and I'm ugly and back then I just thought I'd die a virgin. But I know better than that!" Heath felt his frustration grow. Sometimes girls with such low confidence could be irritating. Fern had the tendency to swing; sometimes she seemed very confident, and at other times she had no self-esteem to speak of. She's just scared and upset, he reminded himself. Who wouldn't be, having to relive something like that? "You aren't ugly, Fern," Heath told her. "I'm plain," Fern said, sighing. "Plain and boring." "Maybe you are plain," Heath agreed, drawing a sharp look at her. "But you aren't boring and you aren't ugly. They way your eyes light up when you laugh is beautiful... for example." Fern smiled. "Thanks... I think. I'm not sure that was entirely a compliment." "It wasn't," Heath said, chuckling. "I could tell you that you're gorgeous, but you'd never believe me, so it's just a waste of time." This made her laugh and her eyes lit up just the way he liked. When she looked at him, she made him feel so appreciated. This game is unreal, Heath thought. Well, maybe I should say it's too real. No game he'd ever played had made him feel like this. What an odd feeling. He felt as though Christa was years ago, not merely weeks ago. "I like that you're honest," Fern said quietly, when she had sobered up. "You speak very plainly... and just say what's on your mind. Which, admittedly, can hurt at times, but right now... it's refreshing." Heath smiled. "I'm glad to see that you're feeling better." She tried to apologize for waking him, but he shrugged it off. Instead they started to talk, about the past, the present, and their hopes for the future. Fern's past was somewhat depressing, but she did have good memories, and Heath liked the way she smiled nostalgically when she talked about them. The stories she told were so human: building lego houses, cutting Barbie's hair, staging a war between Trollies and PetShop Pets. She was so easy to talk to, he didn't notice the hours passing by. ------- Fern rubbed at her eyes as she stumbled wearily up to her apartment after a painfully long drive home. I brought this on myself, she thought, sighing. I've been staying up late with that game every night. And of course she couldn't not go to her parents house for Christmas Eve. As much as she hated it, Fern was going to have to get some sleep tonight. If she thought tonight had been long, Christmas was going to be even worse. She paused at the top of the stairs and frowned. Although she never paid attention to her neighbors, she couldn't help noticing the man walking into the apartment next to hers. She only saw him from behind, but for some reason she couldn't shake the feeling that he looked like Heath. Whoa, girl, time to cut yourself off, Fern thought, shaking her head. This is getting serious. She dropped her keys on the kitchen table and left her things in a pile on one of the chairs. I'll just pack these up, she thought, grabbing a plastic bag to put the gifts she'd need to bring with her tomorrow in. Fern would just have to keep herself distracted, so she wouldn't want to play the game. But what if it boots up itself, like it does? she thought, frowning. I'd better shut it down. She did this rather reluctantly. And just what was she supposed to do, without her computer? Fern wandered to the single bookshelf she kept in her apartment and looked it over. Maybe... she thought, reaching for a romance novel. Couldn't hurt... Maybe if she got her mind off of Heath she'd be alright. Fern put water on to boil so she could make hot chocolate, then rustled through her fridge for something she could munch while she ate. With hot chocolate, vanilla yogurt, and her book, she stretched out on her bed. The yogurt and the hot chocolate didn't really go well together, but there wasn't much to choose from. Fern's budget was always tight during the holidays, even with the extra hours she tended to get on the job. Not that she'd been all that efficient at her job the last few days, due to her lack of sleep. The romance novel was one she'd read before but had enjoyed. It was easy reading, and she was able to stay absorbed for a long time, clearing through it. The scenes were particularily steamy. Ugh, Fern thought, a couple hours later, letting the book fall from her fingers. Great, now I'm all ready to go and all alone. The experiences she'd talked to Heath about didn't stop hormones, after all. Not to mention it seemed so far away now. I was only fourteen, Fern thought, climbing off her bed. I thought I knew what I was doing, but I was just so stupid. Before she realized what she was doing she had sat down at the computer and turned it on. Reading the book had just made her long to see Heath even more. But Fern didn't get a chance to do much of anything, because the game screen popped up automatically. There was Icelos, standing in the room, except this time there was a small window in the corner where she could see Heath. "I need to speak with both of you," Icelos said. "As you know, this game will not last. It is at it's most potent at a time such as this, Christmas Eve. Therefore I strongly recommend that you finish the game tonight." "Finish?" Fern asked, and she could hear Heath echo her. "How does a game like this end, anyway?" "The bedroom, of course," Icelos responded, smiling. "The connection to a soul mate is not complete without the physical aspect." "Wait..." Fern frowned. "You mean..." Icelos nodded. "Sex, yes." "Don't you think that will be a bit tricky?" Heath asked, echoing Fern's thoughts. "I mean, I'm not going to sit here and masturbate or anything." Fern's cheeks burned. She couldn't believe that it didn't bother him to say such things. Icelos just smiled at them in that infuriatingly mysterious way he had. We can't do anything, because this is just a game, she thought, frowning. What is this supposed to be? So this would be the end of the game? And then she wouldn't see Heath anymore? How do they expect to make money on this? Fern wondered. "It is, of course, up to you," Icelos continued. "Simply let me know and I will transfer you to the bedroom." "Ah, hell," Heath said, laughing. "Why not? This should prove amusing, if nothing else." "Thanks," Fern muttered, her cheeks still red. "Fine, whatever. If it's going to end anyway, might as well." "We will not force you to do anything you do not wish," Icelos told her. "If you are not willing, then don't." Fern shrugged. "I'm not unwilling, just skeptical. This is too weird..." She saw Heath nodding in agreement. Apparently the designers of the game had made the characters seem as though they were also playing the game. Probably to make it more realistic, Fern thought, leaning back in her chair. For a panicked second she thought her chair was falling over; it certainly felt that way. Everything went black and she tumbled backward, landing on something soft. "What the hell!?" Fern yelped, sitting up. She was in a room very much like the one Icelos appeared in, except it had a huge bed in it. A huge bed on which she was sitting. Fern ran her hands across the fine sheets, which were a dark wine red in color, and was amazed at how real they felt. Maybe I fell asleep while I was reading, she thought. I mean, this absolutely has to be a dream. It can't be real. "Fern?" She jumped again and looked to the side. Heath was also sitting on the bed, looking just as dazed as she felt. His eyes were wide in amazement and confusion. His eyes, Fern thought, sighing. They're even more beautiful up close. But this simply could not be real! It felt real and it looked real, but Heath was a character in a game and she couldn't really be with him. He reached out and touched her cheek gently, as though he didn't believe she was real, either. Fern reached out timidly and touched his cheek, jumping at the feeling of skin beneath her fingertips. Heath jumped too, and then they both started laughing. I don't care if this is just a dream, she thought, leaning closer to him to feel the heat of his body. I'm going to enjoy it anyway. "It feels strange to touch you," Heath murmured, running his fingers down along her cheek. "But nice, too." Fern caught his hand and cradled it against her face. "This is pretty crazy, but you're right... it's nice." "I want to kiss you," Heath said quietly, running the fingertips of his free hand over her lips. Fern shifted onto her knees and scooted right up against him. His hands cradled the back of her head as he lowered his mouth to hers. It had been such a long time since she'd been kissed, but even so, she didn't think anyone had ever kissed her like this. Heath's mouth was warm and gentle against hers. He really kissed her, rather than shoving his tongue in her mouth like she remembered. And when he did coax her lips opened, his tongue swept over hers, teasing the inside of her lower lip. Fern held onto him tightly, her hands on his back, holding him against her. "You're trembling," Heath murmured, his lips hovering against hers. "Are you scared?" Fern paused to think about it. Was she scared? She was somehow in a room with someone from a game, who she had been speaking with for the last week. Someone she hardly knew, except she felt as though she'd known Heath all her life. And it doesn't matter if this is just a dream, Fern thought. I might as well indulge myself. She shook her head. "I'm not scared," Fern told him. "I'm... excited." A smile curved Heath's mouth. She loved it when he smiled. He kissed her again and she closed her eyes, sinking against him. Her heart was pounding loudly, and in truth she was a little scared. Fern couldn't help her small squeak as Heath lowered her to the bed. His hands slid beneath her shirt, and she looked around, trying to find the light switch. "What?" Heath asked, pausing with his hands on her stomach. "The... the lights are on," Fern stammered. "Turn them off..." The lights blinked out, but candles flared to life all around them. Okay, so not cool, Fern thought, when he heart had started up again. I think that took a year or two off my lifespan. It was like a very freaky version of the Clapper. Even Heath looked a little startled, although he was laughing. "You can still see me," Fern whimpered. "I want to see you," Heath told her. "But..." Fern protested weakly. Heath pressed a finger to her lips. "No... I want to see..." "Fine," Fern said, drawing herself up into a sitting position. "But fair's fair, you know." Heath grinned. He drew his shirt off and tossed it aside, then looked at her. Fern took a moment to study him; thin, slightly muscular through the arms and shoulders, but pretty average for the most part. That made her feel just a tiny bit less self-conscious. She was no longer overweight, although she'd never be called skinny. Fern knew she'd always look at herself and think she was fat. Her breasts were average too, not really small but not huge, either. At least she had been blessed with a narrow waist and the hips to give her an hourglass figure. They took turns removing clothing, although Fern had more to remove than he did. Heath helped her removed her bra... and pulled her hands away from her chest when she tried to cover herself up. And she made him remove his boxers before she could get up the nerve to remove her panties. By the time she was naked, Fern was also shaking with nerves and uncertainty. "Feel this," Heath said, pulling her hand to his chest and resting it over his heart. Fern smiled. "It's racing just as fast as mine. I feel like a lovestruck teenager." "Sweetheart," Heath murmured, leaning close. "You are a teenager." Fern giggled, but the sound was quickly muffled beneath his mouth. She wound her arms around his neck and pressed up against him, marveling at the feeling of his skin against hers. His hands rested on her back, seeming to radiate heat. Heath kissed her, long and slow, until she was out of breath and feeling light-headed. His mouth traveled down over her neck as she tilted her head back, catching her breath. "Tell me something, love," Heath murmured against her shoulder. "What to you want to know?" Fern asked. His fingers slid up to tangle in her hair. "Was that the only relationship you had? The only experiences you've known?" "Pretty much," Fern answered, avoiding his gaze. "Maybe I should be scared, because of that, but I'm not..." "One night isn't enough," Heath sighed. "Not for everything I want to show you." Fern shivered as his fingers ran down over her shoulder and traced along the underside of her breast. She sighed, closing her eyes, enjoying the way he traced little patterns and whorls on her skin. Heath's touch was gentle and explorative, searching for places where she was sensitive. When he found them, he used fingers and mouth to tease the spot. "Now this is one I've not encountered before," Heath teased, licking the spot at the crook of her arm. Fern squeaked. "Don't... don't tease me..." "Say that and I'll tease you all the more," Heath warned, grinning. Fern laughed. She pinched him, and he yelped loudly. Growling, Heath tackled her, bearing her down to the bed. They rolled, and she ended up on top of him. He smiled up at her, then stretched out beneath her. "What do you want to do?" Heath asked, grinning. "I can see mischief in your eyes..." "I... I'm curious," Fern responded, blushing. "I never really... well..." Heath just watched her patiently. She slid off him, resting against his side, and studied him, chewing on her lower lip. Fern had never really done much in the way of touching. Her fingers trembled as she reached out, brushing her fingertips lightly over his belly. She couldn't bring herself to look further down than his hip bones, but she knew that he was hard. "Don't be afraid," Heath murmured, catching hold of her wrist. "Touch me..." Fern yelped softly as he drew her hand down and wrapped her fingers around him. Oh my, she thought, her eyes going wide. Heath's soft laughter made her cheeks burn. She could feel his pulse beneath her hand, such a curious feeling. His gaze was intense, but she didn't let that stop her from satisfying her curiosity. Timidly, having trouble even looking at him, Fern brought her other hand up to touch him as well. Heath laughed even harder. "God, you're adorable!" "Shut up!" Fern shot back, pouting. "I've never done this before." She shifted onto her knees and leaned forward further. Fern could feel his skin jump as she ran her fingertip over it. She glanced up at him, into intense, heavy-lidded eyes. "How does it feel?" "Like I don't want you to stop," Heath answered, grinning crookedly. Fern liked it when he looked at her like that. Although she was nervous, she lowered her head, running her tongue across him. He drew in a soft, sharp breath and she saw, from the corner of her eye, his fingers curl around the blankets. She was still for a long moment, then she pushed away, curling up and pressing her face into her hands. "I can't!" Fern cried, her voice muffled. "It's too embarrassing!" "There's nothing to be embarrassed about," Heath murmured, sitting up and reaching for her. "I... yes there is!" Fern shot back. "Maybe that isn't as much of a problem as you're making it out to be," Heath said quietly, pulling her up against him. Fern shivered at the touch of his lips against the curve of her ear. "What... what is that supposed to mean?" One arm curled around her, keeping her firmly pressed against him. Fern leaned her head against his shoulder, feeling uncertain. Heath slid his free hand along her leg, up to her thigh, then suddenly pushed her legs open. She squeaked as his fingers slid up against her, making her moan. "As I thought," Heath whispered, a finger slipping inside her. "So wet..." "Don't!" Fern whimpered, pressing her hands to her face. But she didn't really want him to stop. The way he moved his finger in and out of her, slowly, pushing deep and then pulling almost all the way out, it drove her crazy. Fern let her hands drop, grabbing hold of the blankets and griping tight. She tilted her head so Heath's mouth could find hers. Even focusing on kissing him was difficult, with the distraction of his finger moving inside her. Fern whimpered when his hand moved away. She turned to face him as he lay back on the bed, beckoning for her. On hands and knees she moved to his side, yelping when an arm reached around the grab hold of her thigh. Heath pulled her leg over him, so that she was face towards the end of the bed. "What are you doing?" Fern demanded. Now this, this was embarrassing! "Tell you what," Heath murmured, drawing her hips back. "I'll give you three guesses. Think about it for a bit." She gasped as he pulled her hips down, forcing her thighs apart. Fern trembled as she was pulled firmly against his mouth. His tongue lapped and explored, sliding up inside of her. His lips tugged and teased, finding her clit and suckling. Heath's hold on her was too strong for her to break away, even if she'd wanted to. Fern lowered her head and him into her mouth. He was hard and hot, such a foreign feeling against her tongue. It was difficult, and not simply because she hadn't done it before. Heath's mouth was horribly distracting, causing her to stuttered in the rhythm of moving her mouth up and down along him. Fern's fingernails bit into the fabric of the blankets beneath her and her hands were clenched so tightly her knuckles were turning white. She wasn't sure how she was managing to keep her mouth on him at all. And then she just couldn't. Fern threw her head back, moaning loudly at another deep thrust of his tongue into her. She pressed her hips down on his mouth, her moans growing into cries. The tenseness in her belly increased until it had reached its peak, and she shuddered, dropping her head to press her face against his hip as she came. Fern tried to keep herself braced with arms that trembled, but she sank slowly down on top of him. "See, even the embarrassing things aren't so bad," Heath teased, after he had pushed her hips up. Fern groaned. "But they're still embarrassing!" She tumbled as he slid out from underneath her, but didn't get very far. Heath pulled her up into his arms. The intenseness of his gaze made her cheeks burn, but she didn't look away. Fern sighed as his fingertips brushed her cheek. Her emotions were in turmoil. He made her feel so many things she wasn't used to; not just the tenderness, the loving feeling of his gentle kisses, but also fierce desire. "I can't wait any longer," Fern murmured. "I... I want this... more than anything..." His mouth pressed against hers. She was trembling slightly as he lowered her back onto the bed. Heath's strong fingers closed around her wrists, pinning her hands against the pillow beneath her head. His knees nudged her thighs apart gently. Fern shivered as she felt him press against her. It had been so long... In one long, easy stroke he was deep inside her. She moaned softly against his mouth, her body closing around him. Teeth nibbled at her lower lip, teasing, as he began to move inside her. Each slow, calculated thrust made her moan and bring her hips up to meet his. Heath's hands moved away from her wrists, bracing against the bed instead, and Fern reached up, burying her fingers in his hair. His mouth traveled wetly over her chin and down along her neck. Teeth scraped her skin, over her collarbone and against the curve of her breast. Fern shivered as his mouth traveled over her breasts, his tongue snaking out to tease stiffened nipples. She ran her hands down over his back, her nails digging into his skin as a particularly deep stroke sent lightning jagging up her nerves. Strong arms locked around her back, dragging her up. Fern braced her hands on his shoulders, shrieking softly as he tumbled back onto the bed. Heath's hands moved down to her hips. "It's all right, Fern," he soothed. "Don't be afraid." She sat up shakily, uncertain. His hips pushed up into hers, surprising her, making her moan softly. Fern braced her knees beneath her, her thighs closing on his hips, and pushed herself up. He thrust upward as she let herself fall back down. Heath's hands slid up along her sides, up to her breasts. His thumbs feathered over her nipples as he cupped her breasts against his palms. This was work. Sweat dripped down along her spine and glowed on her arms and legs. It dampened her hair. It also glistened on Heath's skin, as well. Fern tilted her head back, bringing a hand up to her mouth and biting down on her knuckles. She could feel that tenseness building in her stomach again. Arms closed around her, dragging her down against him. Beneath her own cries she could hear the groan he stifled against her neck as he came inside her. Fern lay still on his chest, panting heavily. Little aftershocks still ran through her. She snuggled close to him, despite the heat of her skin and the sweat on both of them. Heath hand his fingers through her hair, although he moved not a bit beneath her. She felt teeth nip her neck softly and she laughed. "I could exhaust myself on you," Heath murmured. "I am exhausted," Fern told him. Heath chuckled. "Good. That means I was successful." Fern laughed. She lifted her head briefly, gazing down at him for a long moment, then pressed a gentle kiss to his mouth and laid her head back down. His fingers still tangled in her hair, and his other hand rested on her back. Even if this is just a dream, she thought, sighing blissfully, it's the best dream I've ever had. I don't really want to wake up... ------- Heath woke alone and very much disgruntled. That was such a wonderful dream, he thought, as he sat up. I didn't want to leave it. He couldn't think of Fern as plain anymore; she was the loveliest creature on earth to him. Could this really be it? He pulled on some jeans and walked over to the computer, which was still on. Heath tried to load up Virtual Love, but it didn't come up. Even when he tried taking the disk out and putting it back in, he wasn't successful. So I guess this is it, then, he thought, standing up from the chair. It was still way too early to go to his parents' house, but he wasn't in the mood to stay inside. I'll go for a drive, Heath decided. He got dressed quickly, pulled on his winter coat, and stepped outside. It was a cold morning, but that was really just refreshing. He seriously needed to cool down after a dream like that. The apartment door next to his opened and a young woman stepped out, bundled heavily in coat, scarves, gloves, and heavy fleece-lined boots. Heath glanced at her briefly, and was about to walk away when something made him do a doubletake. Even without the sun, copper highlights glinted faintly in her hair. He turned fully, drinking in the sight of her. "Fern?" Heath asked, afraid of the answer. She started, and turned to look at him. A very familiar pair of brown eyes widened in shock. She brought her hands up to her mouth, which was hanging open. Her legs looked shaky, as if they might give out, so Heath grabbed hold of her, dragging her close. Fern brought trembling hands up to touch his face. She didn't seemed satisfied with that, though; she pulled her gloves off, cradled her face in his hands, and pulled his mouth down to hers. "You're real," Fern gasped, when she finally let him go. "I am," Heath agreed. "And so are you. But... you live here?" Fern nodded. "For the last year. I... I never noticed you here. I suppose I'm always lost in my own world." "I didn't notice you either," Heath admitted. "And I've lived here three years. God, I'm such an idiot..." "No," Fern said, smiling. "I don't think you are. I think you're wonderful." Heath grinned. He tightened his hold on her and lowered his mouth down to hers again. It was as soft and wonderful as he remembered. It wasn't a dream, he realized. We really... How they had done it, he couldn't fathom. How they had met through a game... it just wasn't possible. But here she was. Heath pressed her up against the wall of the building, unable to stop himself from kissing her. "I... I have to... go to my parents'..." Fern gasped. "Now?" Heath asked, his voice muffled against her neck. "No, no," Fern replied, moaning softly. "Not now... not... I have time... ohh..." He couldn't stop himself. She smelled so good and her skin was so soft. Heath pulled her coat open and slid his hands up against her breasts. She was wearing a dress, a short dress. He might have thought she was crazy for not wearing nylons, if he wasn't so glad she wasn't. Heath pulled her skirt up, bunching it up around her hips. "Right... h-here?" Fern panted, even as her fingers unfastened his jeans. "I can't wait," Heath murmured, his teeth nipping at her earlobe. Fern moaned. "But... if... if someone... ahh..." His teeth grazed her shoulder. He used one hand to pull down the straps of her dress, bringing it down it bare her breasts. The cold air made her nipples stiffen, and she cried out softly as he closed his mouth around one. Heath slid his other hand beneath her panties, tugging them down. Fern lifted her leg up enough for him to pull her panties half off. He caught hold of her thigh, keeping her legs open. "Damnit," Heath growled. Fern giggled. "Want help?" His teeth nipped at her breast in replied. She shrieked softly. Laughing, she helped him pull his pants open just enough. Heath braced her hips firmly up against the wall and pressed inside her. Fern moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck, and hung onto him as he began to moved inside her. It was freezing, but neither of them noticed the cold. Her body was hot and tight around him, distracting him from all else. Heath nipped at her breasts and at her neck, which was bared for him completely when she tilted her head back against the wall. Fern had to stifled the cries she made, fearful that they might wake someone in one of the adjacent apartments. But that just excited Heath more, and judging by how wet she was, it did the same for her. Fern brought her head down. Hot breath brushed against his ear as she spoke, "Harder..." He wasn't going to argue with that. Heath pushed into her hard and fast. He had to press his mouth against hers to stifle the sounds she was making... not to mention his own. This time he wasn't at all able to hold back. When he felt her shuddering around him he let go, moaning against her mouth as he came. Never in his life had passion taken him over so thoroughly. "Oh, my," Fern panted. Heath pulled back enough to see her cheeks were red. "What?" "We... we... it's... out here..." Fern stammered. "Oh, I can't believe I did that!" He laughed as she pressed her face against his chest. She was so adorable. Reluctantly he pulled out of her and quickly helped her pull her clothes back into place. Heath closed his pants; now there was a part of his body he definitely didn't want to get frost bite on! "I uh... I should get cleaned up," Fern said softly, looking away. "Right... right," Heath agreed. "I um... I need to go to my parents' house..." But even after she had disappeared into her apartment, he couldn't make himself move. It wasn't just that he was attracted to her. Now that he knew she was real, Heath didn't want to leave her side. He'd talked to her a lot over the last week, and gotten to know a lot about her, but he wanted to know more. He wanted to know everything. The box of the game was right, he thought. I feel like I've found my other half. "You're still here?" Fern asked, as she stepped back outside. There was no disappointment in her voice; she sounded excited. Heath nodded. "Yeah. I uh... come with me, Fern. I don't want to leave you right now..." Fern hesitated. "But... my parents..." "Then I'll go with you," Heath said, grabbing her hands. "Unless... unless you don't want me to..." "Don't be silly," Fern murmured, stepping closer to him. "Of course I want to be with you. I'd much rather be with you than with my family... oh, that sounds bad." Heath laughed. "I completely understand. Why don't you come meet my family? I want to introduce you." "Don't you usually wait until there's been a few dates?" Fern asked, grinning. "I think staying up all night talking for a week can substitute for dates," Heath replied. Fern's hand closed around his. He looked down into her eyes, for a moment unable to tear himself away. At last Heath headed down to his car, bringing her with him. He kept an arm around her, unwilling to break contact. Of course, a few minutes later they were forced to separate as they raced back to their apartments to retrieve the presents they'd forgotten. It seemed they were so wrapped up in each other that everything else disappeared. ------- It was the day after Christmas and Fern had insisted they go out. She wanted to return to that store in the mall where she had bought the game. Heath told her that his had been sent to him, so she was curious. The place was pretty crowded; people were rushing about returning gifts, and in the middle of the mall people were busy clearing up the North Pole display, now that Christmas was over. Fern even spotted an old, jolly looking man who could have played Santa helping to pack up fake snow. "This place is way too crowded," Heath commented, pulling her closer. "I hate crowded places." "I just want to show you this store," Fern said. "It's right down... here..." She stopped in her tracks, confused. Fern had been absolutely positive that Virtual Love was at this end of the mall, near the J.C. Penny. Except that there was no store there. There wasn't even a closed store; it was just a wall. Perplexed, she glanced around, but there was no sign of Virtual Love. How can this be? Fern wondered. I know what I saw. It was here! "There's no store, Fern," Heath said. "But it was here!" Fern insisted. "It was! You believe me... don't you?" Heath sighed. "When you look at me like that, of course I do." Fern pouted. This was not at all a good way to start their first date. She continued looking around, and finally spotted something she did recognize... or more precisely, someone. The tall, slender, androgynous figure could not be mistaken. She grabbed Heath's hand and tugged him along. "Icelos!" Fern called. "Icelos, wait up!" "Hey!" Heath exclaimed. "It is Icelos!" Icelos didn't turn around, however. It wasn't until Fern got in front of him that he even acknowledged them. It was definitely Icelos, but there was no recognition in his pale eyes. Even Heath seemed disturbed by this, because she felt his hand tighten around hers. Icelos blinked at them in confusion. "Can I help you?" he asked. Fern frowned. "Icelos, where's the store?" "What?" he blinked again. "Who's Icelos? And what store?" "You're Icelos!" Fern growled, frustrated. "And the store... the... you gave me the game..." She was feeling faint and Icelos was looking irritated. Fern fell back against Heath, letting the man pass. Her head was beginning to ache with confusion. Really, she didn't want to think about this. It was too big a mystery. And besides, she had Heath now; what more did she need? Fern leaned back against him and smiled up at him. "You still owe me a Christmas present," Fern teased. Heath's eyebrows lifted. "I thought I already did that..." "Yeah," Fern giggled, her cheeks heating. "Tell you what... let's go back to your place and you can give me another one..." "Say no more," Heath said, grabbing her hand. "Let's go." Both of them were laughing as they raced hand in hand through the mall. People they rushed passed look annoyed and scandalized, but they paid no attention. In just one day they had grown even closer than before, and it no longer seemed to matter how they'd met. Icelos sighed and headed over to the North Pole display. He leaned against the wooden cut-out sled and smiled brightly at the old, jolly-looking man who was rolling fake snow up. "I love my job," he said, grinning. "No ungrateful brats to bring presents too, just two souls who belong together." "Icelos, huh?" the old man said gruffly, straightening. "That's a new one, Cu." Cupid shrugged. "I know. But you know humans... if I tell them my real name it'll be 'But it's not Valentine's Day!' Honestly, they have no imagination sometimes, these mortals. Besides, Ice doesn't mind me borrowing his name." "And yet you love your job," Santa said. "Don't we all. Go away, Cupid. I've got work to do." "Sure thing, old man," Cupid laughed. "I've got to get read for V-Day, anyhow. Later." And without another word Cupid sprouted wings. He gave them one strong flap, but instead of flying away, he just disappeared. Santa shook his head and, grumbling, went back to the work of cleaning up the North Pole display. ------- The End ------- Posted: 2005-01-30 ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------