Title: Not ‘The One’

Series: L&L Fantasy Party

Authors: Scarlet

Rated: G

Summary: Just not feeling like she fits in at the moment.

~*~

As all my friends come in, I smile and wave; laugh and chat. Hugs and kisses are exchanged with all, but as more and more come… the more I want to run away. Hide from everyone.

Not just the strangers and movie stars mingling about, but my friends and family as well. I know it’s stupid, know I’m a chicken, but all I really want to do is hide– even as I smile and try to seem engrossed in the conversation that’s going on around me.

Tis, Toga, Will, and Lina are all chatting away to our little group. I vaguely catch the comment about someone wanting a dance later, but that’s about all- don’t even know who it was, but I nod and smile anyway. Hell, how bad it can it really be, right?

Well, very bad if I don’t get out of here soon. I just need a little fresh air; then I’ll be back to myself again… or so I tell myself, hoping it’s true.

I really do want to be here with all of them- laughing, joking and having a good time. But right now, everything is a bit too much for me.

I blush like crazy as Toga slips the ribbon around my neck and kisses my cheeks. "The One?" I ask in total confusion. Okay, she must have said something and I must have missed it.

She smirks that cat… er, wolf that ate the canary smirk of hers, "Yep, baby, just like the Highlander, there can be only one. And you’re it. You’ll just have to learn how to deal with greatness." She grins and I just blush harder, if that’s even possible.

Greatness, she says? Somehow, I see the things that happened a bit differently. ‘Cause the way I see it, what happened was far from great.

Sure, everything worked out in the end, but everything that led up to it was far from great. It was a long, drawn out, living hell that I endured for months on end, not even telling my own mates how I suffered at times. That is something I NEVER EVER want to repeat again. Even now, thinking back on it I shudder at some of the things that happened.

Hugging her back, I tell her thanks. Don’t want Toga to think I’m ungrateful, because I really am very grateful.

Grateful to have wonderful, thoughtful, supportive and loving friends like her. If it weren’t for them, I probably would be still hiding in my shell somewhere.

Yeah, its stupid- like I said, I know it is. I know I’m surrounded my friends and family, and that I love them and that they love me back, but right now... I just need a little time for me.

Hugging T one more time, I look for a way to quietly slip out unnoticed. My freki, Crimson and Dev are just about to start playing in one of the rooms, Cae and Marcus appear to be off doing something…

Jes is still hanging on to Vamps’ arm, mingling a little. At least he looks a little more relaxed then he was when he first arrived. Hopefully he’s having a good time.

And gods only know where Bear has disappeared to. Hell, for all I know, he and Vamps’ twins could have taken off to game room or maybe even one of the holos to play pool. Who knows?

Rella, Amy, LL, and the rest of their families are mingling about. And when did Stacey get here? Damn. See the things I miss when I don’t pay attention to what’s going on around me?

Pulling back, I smile and pretend nothing is wrong, before offering to set up that balloon holo for Tis. She raises a skeptical brow, even as she nods.

Giving them all one more quick hug, I tell them how happy I am that everyone is here... and that I’ll be back soon. I start making my way to the long corridor of holos… stopping only briefly when I have to.

Just before I leave the room, I see Tigger and Rella making their way to the dance floor. Snickering, I silently wish her good luck. Gods know I’ve danced with him enough to know she’s going to need it. Might have to even warn one of her mates that she’ll probably need ice packs and a good foot massage later.

Making my way down the hall, I see others have taken advantage of the many room Vamps have opened for us. That’s a good thing… means everyone’s having fun and that makes me happy.

Coming to the holo we’d already designated for the balloon rides, I try and remember how to set the computer like Vamps’ showed me earlier. "Don’t forget to put the safety on," I mutter, putting the last of the instructions into Sally.

Walking into the room, I smile. "Yup, just like it’s supposed to be." The room is now a large open field filled with wild flowers, and there’s a huge, multi-colored hot air balloon ready to take off on a moment’s notice.

The pilot smiles. "Shall we wait for the rest of your party before we begin?"

Looking around, it takes me a minute to realize what he’s saying and shake my head. "I’m not taking a ride right now, thanks. Just making sure everything is alright," I answer, smiling back.

"Well, then I hope you will return and enjoy a ride with someone special, later." He calls out as I exit the room.

Havoc hurries past me, grumbling about ‘Getting her got when he gets a hold of her.’ Don’t know who the ‘her’ is… but I’m assuming she’s got his knickers in a twist. Not too many around here can get to him like that. Well, other than his family, of course.

Heading in the opposite direction, I try to remember my way around this huge mansion. I know there’s a door or something that leads to the gardens around here somewhere.

Rounding the corner, I see One lurking behind a column... looks like he's up to something, and knowing One, I’d say he probably is.

Spotting me as well, he winks. "'ey snowflake," he smiles, eyes twinkling.

Oh, yeah. He’s up to no good. I giggle. Yup, that’s so the One I know. He just loves to get into trouble, much like a lot of Spikes I know. Think it’s the combination of getting caught and seeing if they can get away with it.

Placing a finger to his lips, he whispers "M'not 'ere..."

Giggling a bit, I whisper back. "Don’t worry, I won’t tell." I give him a little wave, then make my way down yet another long corridor.

Gods, I know there’s got to be a way to the outside somewhere. I’m not even paying attention to where I’m going, running right in to one of Vamps’s clones. It takes me a moment to realize which one it is... the one I don’t know very well.

Blushing intensely, I mutter my apologies. "Sorry, Anu... I wasn’t pay attention."

"Can see that, pet," he says, his voice holding just the slightest amount of amusement. "You lost or something?"

I sigh, embarrassed that I didn’t play closer attention when I was being shown around the house earlier. "Sorta... I’m trying to find my way out to the gardens."

"The door’s right over there," the clone says, pointing to the next door on the left. "You all alone?" he asked, raising an eye brow at me.

"Yeah, just need a bit of fresh air is all," I tell him, trying my best to look convincing. I really don’t want him to go find Bear or one of the others to come ‘baby sit’ me. And know if he told them, that’s just what my mates and Tis’s would do.

"I’m fine, really," I add quickly, making my way past him and out the door.

"Nice medal," I hear him call out as the door shuts behind me and I allow myself to inhale the glorious scent of the flowers.

Thank Gods! Peace and quiet for a few minutes. And I think it’ll be just that, ‘a few minutes’, cause if I’m gone too long, everyone will start looking for me. Hell, I’ll be lucky to get even that few with all the guys I ran into along the way…I’m sure by now one of them has said something to someone about me disappearing.

Tbc…