Always and Forever

Alexis felt a hand touch the small of her back softly, then the hand shoved her hard.

Hard into the muddy puddle before her where then the, she sat up wiping the mud off her face.

"Hey, dat wasn't bery nice!" the five year old spat out.

The boy just sneered at her.

David Peterson.

Alexis' current bully and arch nemesis.

Alexis felt tears start to burn her eyes and they began to fall down her cheeks onto the pretty purple and white dress her mom had bought her.

The dress that her mom had promised if she ruined she wouldn't be able to go to the party this weekend.

The same dress that was now covered in muddy water and tears.

"Why did you do dat?" she asked.

"Because you're a baby and babies shouldn't be away from their mommies, so why don't you go crying to her, wah wah wah cry baby."

Her lower lip began to tremble.

All the other kids in the play group were standing around laughing at her.

Including Rachel Silverman, the meanest girl there. And the one who had claimed to be her friend not twenty minutes ago.

Then someone started pushing their way through the group.

A boy stepped out; he had black hair and was a very scrawny thing.

He walked up to David, looked down at Alexis, winked, and punched David in the face.

Alexis heard a crunch when his fist landed on David's nose.

Blood began to spurt out and he ran off crying.

His hand reached down to Alexis, who stared at the broken skin on his knuckles until his hand grabbed hers and pulled her up.

She looked up at him; he was about two inches taller than her and had the warmest eyes she had ever seen. They were dark brown and reminded her of melted milk chocolate; his eyes welcomed her in as he pulled her towards the water fountain.

He took a rag out of his pocket and dipped it in the water, then carefully began to wipe the mud off her face.

That was the first time I met Oliver Quinn Goldstone.

Nine year old Alexis Murray slid her window her window open and slipped onto her roof, going slowly down the shingles because they were covered in the rainwater, she reached out until she felt a tree branch, where she grabbed hold and climbed down.

She ran across the yard and snuck through a hole in the neighbors' fence. Walking over to a tree, she glanced around, seeing that there was no one around, she slipped around to the back of the tree and reached up towards the lowest tree branch. Seizing it, Alexis pulled herself up.

Climbing the tree, she sliced her hand on a rough piece of bark sticking out, but there was no telling if she felt it because there were already tears in the nine year olds eyes.

Hoisting herself up the last branch, she pushed open a trapdoor and pulled her body through it.

As soon as she was fully in, she yanked on a string and watch as the can attached to it slid down a wire and disappeared into a window.

Then she swung her legs over the edge and stared out of the tree house.

Looking out she saw a figure climb out of the window and grab hold of a tree branch.

The figure climbed skillfully up the tree until it came through the trapdoor.

Alexis felt the ten year old sit down next to her and put his arms around her shoulder.

She turned and sobbed quietly into his shirt.

"I thought he liked me and I invited him to the party on Saturday, and he laughed at me in front of all of his friends."

Oliver stroked her hair.

Then sighed as he saw her hand

"Lexie, you're bleeding on me."

She looked down towards her hand.

Quinn reached into his pocket and pulled out a travel first aid kit.

She giggled slightly at that.

"Your coat always has everything in it."

"Yup."

He set about cleaning her cut and bandaging it.

Alexis put her head back down.

"Why would he do that Quinn?" Alexis whimpered into his shoulder.

"Because he's an ass."

Her hand smacked him in the back of the head.

"Language."

He laughed quietly at that.

"And for the last time Lexie, my name's Oliver, not Quinn."

The nine year old girl picked her head up.

"I know all boys are stupid and mean, and Oliver Goldstone is too, but my Quinn is never stupid or mean."

He smiled and held her closer.

The next day in school, two boys were in the principal's office.

One of them had two black eyes, a broken and bloody nose and was crying for his mom.

The other had a split lip and wore a smirk.

That was the first of many times Oliver Quinn Goldstone, or Quinn to me, would be in that type of office with a split lip from defending my honor.

Fourteen year old Alexis climbed up the tree where Quinn was waiting for her.

Entering trough the trapdoor she went over to him and plopped down next to his sleeping form.

Tapping her lip she thought of the devilish ways to wake him up.

Her eyes seemed to light up as she thought of a solution.

Leaning down she put her lips by his ear and took a deep breath.

Then blew in his ear.

Fifteen year old Quinn shot upright, and grabbed her arms and flipped her onto her back.

Then realizing it was her, quickly let go and rolled off of her.

She reached out and took hold of his face. Turning it towards her she saw a dark bruise on his cheekbone.

"Quinn."

He stood up and walked to the edge of the tree house and sat down.

Alexis scooted her way over to him.

"Are you gonna tell me that I should see the other guy?"

He glared at her.

"I guess not."

He turned and ignored her.

"Ok, who did you get in a fight with this time?"

He smirked.

"Oliver Quinn Goldstone you tell me right now or I'll… do something that I haven't thought of yet."

We were quiet for a second.

"Aha, I'll cook food and bring it to school every day and force you to eat it!"

He grimaced at that.

Then smirked again.

"You'll find out at school tomorrow anyway, no need to poison me."

She stuck her tongue out at him.

He turned and pulled her into his lap.

She glared at him.

He wrapped his arms around her and stared out at the world.

That was the first time Quinn took on the baseball team because the pitcher had insulted me and Quinn had tackled him, and then the other players got involved.

The good news was that it was the last time he took on the baseball team because they were scared of him.

The bad news was that he moved on to the soccer team.

Alexis ran across the yard, ignoring her mother screaming at her to 'get her ass back over there'.

She ran over to the tree and climbed upwards.

Yanking on the string she waited for Quinn to come.

The sixteen year old sat there waiting for three hours.

Then finally she saw Quinn walk out of his house and head towards the tree.

The seventeen year old scaled up the tree and made his way over to her.

She didn't turn around.

Quinn looked at her closely, her dark brunette hair was curled, which meant that she didn't care about her appearance today; she was wearing a tank top and the swim team sweatpants that she had bought at one of his meets last year. Meaning she had just gotten up and since it was now eleven o'clock, that meant she had a restless night.

She was sitting with her arms crossed in front of her, meaning that she was angry at something or someone, and the fact that she wouldn't look at him made him think that it was a someone and it was him.

"Lexie?"

Her fingers started to tap.

He sighed, leaned against the tree, and waited for the rant that was about to grace his ears.

"How could you?"

She stormed to her feet.

"We have been best friends for ten years, we tell each other everything, and how could you lie to me?"

Quinn quirked an eyebrow at that, "What did I lie about Lexie?"

She scoffed.

"You know what."

"Why don't you tell me?"

"I mean, I even told you the first time I got my period, and when I accidently killed my goldfish, and when I cheated on the Spanish final, and I thought that you told me everything too, but I was wrong."

Quinn crossed his arms.

"What didn't I tell you?"

"I mean, how could you not tell me? And why her?"

"Her?"

"Yes her, Rachel Silverman, the red head cheerleader?"

"huh?"

"You know, the girl that climbed out of your window at twelve o'clock last night."

Quinn kept his mouth shut.

"You lied to me."

"When?"

"When I called you last night and asked if we could hang out, you said no and told me you were sick."

"Right, then."

"Why did you do it?"

Quinn walked over to her.

"Lexie, I wasn't about to tell that you couldn't come over because I was going to have sex with Rachel."

"You had sex? With her?"

"I'm seventeen Lexie; I'm allowed to have sex with my girlfriend."

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yes."

"You're dating that bitch?"

"Language, and don't call her a bitch"

"Quinn, she is a bitch, she has made my life hell for the past ten years remember"

"Lexie, who I date is none of your business."

Alexis stood there looking at him for a minute.

"I thought that because we were best friends that it was partially my business."

He sighed, "Lexie, I didn't me-"

"Fine, tell me when something with you is my business, Oliver, until then, have fun with your girlfriend."

"Lexie wait."

She climbed down the tree and ran back to her house.

He banged his head against the tree.

That was the first time I felt pangs of jealousy when thinking about Quinn with another girl.

Three weeks later Alexis climbed back out to the tree house.

Pulling on the string she waited.

Quinn woke up to a can banging against his window.

Lying there, he debated about going out or not.

Then sighing, he got out of bed and pulled on some clothes.

He climbed up to her.

"Quinn, I'm really sorry."

He looked at her.

"I had no right to go off on you like that, and you didn't deserve it."

He began tapping his fingers.

She wasn't looking at him, but rather at her shoes when she talked.

"And you're right; who you date is none of my business."

He walked over to her, and putting his arms around her he sat down so she fell on his lap.

She tucked her head under his chin, and for a few moments, they just sat there.

"Lexie, who I date is definitely your business, I was just angry, but I always want your opinion on who I date, even if it's not a nice opinion."

"So you want me to tell you what I think?"

"Yes, you're my best friend, and I'm sorry I said those things, but let's not ignore each other anymore."

"I agree completely."

Alexis looked up at him.

And stared at the sliver thing on his lip.

"Quinn?"

"Hmm?"

"You um, have something on your face."

"Yeah, I know."

She reached up and touched it.

"You got a lip ring?"

"Yeah."

"Wow."

She traced the outline of it with her finger.

Quinn stiffened as she outlined the lip ring with her fingers.

He pulled her hand away from his mouth.

She looked up towards his eyes.

And bit her lip.

He was looking at her strangely; it wasn't a look that she had seen him give her before.

He sighed quietly and shut his eyes.

"Quinn?"

"Go to sleep Lexie."

He wouldn't talk anymore, so she curled back up on him and drifted off to sleep.

That was the first time Quinn ever gave me butterflies.

Seventeen year old Alexis ran out to the tree where Quinn was waiting for her.

In one hand she had a basket full of food, in the other a small box with wrapping paper and a red bow.

She attached the objects to a rope and Quinn pulled them up, then she scaled up the tree.

Smiling she went about setting up the picnic that she had brought.

He sat down and stared at her.

"Am I going to die of food poisoning if I eat this?" he asked cockily.

She stuck her tongue out at him.

"No, I got it all from the bakery."

"Good, cause I really don't want to die on my birthday."

Alexis squirmed around.

"Open it."

"Don't you want to eat first?" he asked.

"NO!"

"Fine."

He put the box on his lap and tore off the wrapping paper, then opening the box he just stared.

Alexis bit her lip as she waited for his reaction.

"A photo album?"

"Yeah, it has pictures of us from all the parties we've gone to, the vacations, school events, my parents crazy gatherings, and then some random ones of me and you."

"Wow, you must have spent a long time on this."

"Do you like it?"

In response he took her arm and pulled her into his lap and hugged her.

"I don't deserve this much effort, you could have gotten me a card and money and it would have been enough."

"I can't think of anyone who deserves a nice gift that was time absorbing for the giver."

"I don't deserve you Lexie, you're the best person I know."

She looked at him, you deserve so much more she thought.

He hugged her again.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in their tree house together.

That was the first time I realized I had a major crush on my best friend.

Three months later, Alexis climbed up the tree house and pulled on the string.

Quinn appeared about seven minutes later.

"What's up Lexie?"

She flung herself at in pure glee.

He held her for a few moments until her jumped away and started dancing with him across the floor.

"Guess what?"

"You got your tongue pierced?"

"Nope."

"You decided to become a clown?"

"I hate clowns."

"You found out that you're deeply, and madly in love with me?"

"Silly boy."

He sighed.

"Ok tell me."

"David asked me to the dance on Saturday!"

"Oh, the same David that was bugging you when we first met?"

"Yes, isn't it wonderful?"

Alexis twirled around him.

"Yeah, wonderful."

"So what should I wear?"

"Lexie?"

"Yes my pumpkin pie?"

"I'm a guy."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"So?"

"I don't do clothing choices."

"Why?"

"Cause I'm a guy."

"Then who's going to help me?"

"Ask Rachel."

"Rachel?"

"Yeah, my girlfriend."

"Do I have to?"

"Well it's either that or ask your mom."

Alexis glared at him.

Quinn smirked.

"Oliver?" called a voice from down below.

Quinn poked his head out, then came back.

"It's Rachel."

"Hmm."

"Hey Rach, do you think you could help Lexie with finding a dress for the dance?"

"She's going to the dance?"

"Yeah, with David."

"Oh, yeah sure."

Alexis turned to look at Quinn.

"Did you hear how evilly she said that?"

He just looked at her.

Alexis grimaced and called down, "Thanks Rachel, I appreciate it very much."

"No problem."

Quinn grinned and went down to Rachel.

Alexis watched them walk away together.

That was the first time I realized that I loved my best friend, not in love though.

That Saturday Alexis walked down the stairs to where David was waiting for her.

She was wearing a knee length lilac dress with a white sash around the middle, her hair was up with rings of it falling around her face because she had left it curly instead of straitening as usual.

He glanced at her in appreciation.

"You look great." He told her smiling.

"Thanks, so do you."

And he did, he was wearing tan slacks and a white button up shirt with a lilac and white colored tie to match her dress.

His blond hair seemed to be free of gel for once, something that Alexis found very pleasing.

It reminded her of Quinn's hair, except that it was a total different color, and Quinn's hair was better.

David held her hand as he talked to her mother, and she found herself wishing that her hand was in the company of a larger hand that had many scars from years of picking fights with people.

David's hands were slightly damp and cold and Alexis wished for Quinn's warm dry hands.

Jeesh I'm pathetic, mooning over a guy who thinks of me as a little sister, she thought to herself.

David prattled on about his car the entire ride to the dance, and she found herself incredibly bored by the time they pulled up to the hall where the dance was being held.

As they walked in David placed his arm about her waist and pulled her to his side.

Alexis rolled her eyes.

She began to scan the room for Quinn.

She found Rachel first.

Rachel was wearing a skin tight red dress with a slit up the thigh. She looked like a hooker.

Then behind her was Quinn.

He was breathtaking.

His black hair was free of any gel or hair products. It hang freely around his devilishly handsome face. He was wearing black jeans and a dark green wife beater with a black button up shirt over it.

He also wore his usual smirk.

However as she was looking at him his gaze turned and met hers.

He then saw David next to her and his smirk disappeared.

However when he saw David's arm around her, his mouth tightened and his eyes narrowed into a glare.

Quinn met Alexis' eyes again and she saw him begin to tap his fingers on his leg, a sure sign that he was irritated.

David steered her over to his friends and Quinn disappeared into the crowd.

Alexis zoned out as David and his friends talked about football, and how they were going to win the finals this year. She began to daydream about Quinn.

She snapped back to the world when David tapped her shoulder.

"Hey, wanna dance?"

She accepted his offer, took his hand and followed him out to the dance floor.

He was an okay dancer and didn't step on her feet, so she kept dancing with him.

Around four songs later, a slow dance came on and he pulled her close to him.

Alexis looped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes.

However, about a minute into the song, his hands began to drift southward.

When his hands cupped her ass, she opened her eyes in shock as he leaned forward to whisper,

"Lets go back to my place, my parents are out of town and your mom isn't expecting you until twelve thirty."

She pulled back and looked at him, "I don't think so."

She stepped away from him and began to walk away.

Going through a door, she found herself on an asphalt walkway that led to a nice garden.

As she was taking in the fresh air, the door opened and someone stepped out.

She paid them no mind until their arms wrapped around her waist and turned her around.

Then a pair of lips crashed down upon hers.

She gasped in shock and a tongue entered her month.

Startled her shoved the guy away from her and saw David.

"What's the matter babe?"

He went to kiss her again and she tried to push him away, but to no avail, he began kissing her roughly as his hands began to unzip her dress.

She thrust away from him and screamed.

One of David's hands covered her mouth as he raised the other and smacked her across the face.

"Shut up bitch!"

She bit down on his hand and he responded by raising his arm again to hit her.

She flinched as his hand descended and closed her eyes, preparing herself for the blow.

But it never came.

She opened her eyes to see Quinn standing behind David, holding his arm.

His eyes were set into a glare, his jaw clenched tight, and fury written all over him.

"Let her go."

David responded by yanking down the zipper and letting the dress pool to the floor.

"We could always share." He suggested leering at Alexis.

Quinn twisted David's arm behind his back, causing him to let go of Alexis.

Once she was free, Quinn let go and as David turned around, Quinn smashed his fist into his nose, and for the second time in his life, broke David's nose.

David fell back and brought his hand up to wipe the blood away.

Other people were beginning to file out of the building as rumors of the fight began to circle.

Soon there was a full crowd of teenagers watching the two guys fight over a girl, who was currently only wearing a black slip.

David was momentarily distracted by the shouts that the rapidly growing crowd in the parking lot was uttering. Catcalls were followed by cheers of encouragement so loud that his attention was momentarily called away from the fight. Quinn's leg swept out in a wide, smooth, connecting with David's ankles, throwing him off balance. Without even realizing what exactly was happening, David found himself flat on his back, sucking in deep breaths of air that seemed devoid of oxygen, wincing as tiny pebbles from the asphalt dug painfully into his back. The subsequent tunnel vision that threatened to take away his sight cleared with just enough time to roll away from a kick to the ribs.

He grabbed Quinn's ankle and yanked hard, causing Quinn to lose his balance and plummet to the ground.

David took advantage of that and leapt on top of him. He began punching Quinn in the face, splitting his lip, however, Quinn then locked his legs around David and twisted to the side, causing David to roll off of him.

Quinn planted a right hook on David's chin. The other man reeled backwards, his arms flailing about. Quinn followed up his advantage, breathing hard. In quick succession he landed several more punches on David's body.

David fell to the ground and rolled away. "Bastard!" he grunted, and rolled again to avoid a well-aimed kick from Quinn. Cat-like, he leapt to his feet and circled Quinn, not taking his eyes off his nemesis.

"Come on!" Quinn taunted, darting in to land another punch then ducking back out of reach. "Is that the best you can do?" He feinted and laughed.

Infuriated, David charged. Quinn danced back and around David, and in two deft moves had him on the ground, one arm up behind his back.

"Had enough?" he panted.

David grunted from the ground, then twisted about trying to get free.

"No?" Quinn let go and allowed David to scramble to his feet.

Quinn glanced over at the girl behind him and she caught his eye.

"Just finish it and take me home." She whispered to him.

Quinn nodded.

And ducked out of the way of David's fist.

He used David's momentum against him, by pushing him as he went past.

He then waited for David to turn around, and as soon as he did, Quinn's fist smashed into his temple and David went out like a light.

Quinn jogged over to Alexis and swooped her up in his arms and carried her to his car.

He placed her in the passenger seat, took off his shirt and tugged it on her.

He walked around to the other side of the car, got in, and drove home.

Once there he went to bring her in her house, but her tugged on his sleeve and pointed to the tree house.

Sighing he went over to it, put Alexis on his back and began to climb up.

Once through the trapdoor, he sat down and placed her on his lap.

His arms went around her and he hugged her tight against him.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly.

"For what? You did nothing wrong."

She touched his lip.

"Lexie, he was in the wrong, you did nothing to encourage him, and he's just a bastard."

"Well, now he's an unconscious bastard." She said looking up at him.

"True." He smiled at her. "On a different note, I broke up with Rachel."

"Why?"

"It just wasn't working out."

They were quiet for a moment.

"Lexie, do you want to go back to your house?"

"NO."

"Sure?"

"Just hold me please."

"It would be my pleasure sweetheart."

He settled back and watched as she drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, she woke up in his arms.

Glancing up at him, she thought about how peaceful he looked asleep.

He looked so adorable sleeping, his eyes closed with his hair sticking up all over the place.

Her hand reached up of its own accord and her fingers traced the outline of his eyes, his cheek, and then his mouth.

His lips were soft and warm, and she wanted to close the distance between them and capture his lips with her own.

And before she realized it, she was doing that, her lips softly grazed his..

She pulled back and looked at him, he was still sleeping.

Sighing, she settled back in his arms and just looked at him.

She was looking at his mouth when his eyes opened.

Quinn had woken up the second her hand touched his face.

He began to grin and she looked up to see his eyes open and looking at her.

His smile grew wider and his head slowly descended down towards Alexis' face, he paused, looking into her eyes, his nose touching hers, he bent his head to slowly feather a light kiss on her lips. It was in that kiss, that small feather of a kiss that Alexis fell in love with Quinn, she didn't immediately identify the feeling, but it had her slowly moving her head back to look into Quinn's face. His eyes were open, and what she saw in them made her gently frame his face with her hands. He lowered his head once more and his lips grazed her nose, her forehead, and when her eyes finally closed his lips brushed hers once more. When he deepened the kiss, he felt as if he had been tossed into the ocean, with waves crashing around, and over him, drowning him, engulfing both of them in its dark waters.

They pulled away from each other and simply looked at one another.

"Lexie?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I like you."

"Quinn?"

"Yeah?"

"I think I love you."

"I can still one up that."

"How?"

"I know I'm in love with you." He told her, his eyes shining with love for her.

She pouted.

He groaned and kissed her again.

That was the first of many times like that for us.

We had been dating for three years, when he proposed and I said yes.

However because of all the fuss put up about the weeding, we eloped to Egypt, and got married in the dessert by a local Shaman, and rode away on a camel.

And lived happily ever after.

That is until the kids came along.