Alex was looking into the face he knew so well. That honey brown skin, those pouty lips and big brown eyes had haunted his dreams for as long as he could remember. Literally haunted his dreams. It was impossible that he had dreamt her exactly as she was. But if the girl of his dreams was real, did that mean that the other parts of his dream would also come to pass? A shudder ran through him at the thought.

Steph had frozen to the spot she was standing in. She didn't realize that the look of shock on her face gave her a sense of vulnerability which brought out Alex' protective instincts.

She took in his appearance. He was close to six feet tall with an understated strength. His dark unruly hair nearly reached his shoulders. His green eyes seemed bottomless and he wore a very serious expression. He looked as if he rarely smiled.

Belatedly she realized she was staring at the handsome stranger in front of her. Looking down she said "Excuse me. I was just going to welcome you to the complex. Are your parents home?"

The break in eye contact snapped Alex from his thoughts. "I live by myself. Or I did, my brother just moved in last night." He took a hesitant step towards her and whispered, "I can't believe you're really here."

Steph's head snapped up. "What did you say? Do I know you? You seem familiar."

Nervously Alex retreated back towards his door. He wasn't sure what to say. Was it possible that she too had seen things, had been waiting for this moment? Maybe he was just losing his mind. It made sense; after all he'd gone through. The human mind could only take so much.

His reverie was broken when a voice from behind said, "I thought I told you that for this living arrangement to work you need to stop leaving all your stuff every... Stephanie? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?"

Steph felt as if she had received a hard blow to the midsection. She found it difficult to breath and couldn't be sure she could trust her voice not to shake. Why on earth was CJ standing just inside the condo behind this brooding stranger speaking about living arrangements? Then it all became clear. CJ must be the brother who had moved in last night.

"Chris, um CJ, you live here?" she asked timidly.

"Yes. Just moved in. But that doesn't explain what you're doing here, Steph."

Stephanie smiled at CJ, "I live next door. I can't believe we're going to be neighbors."

Alex instantly wondered if there was something going on between Stephanie and Chris. He was definitely going to have to discuss this with Chris.

The door to Steph's place opened and Gina poked her face out. "What are you doing Steph? We got worried when we got up and couldn't find you. Rose wants to go get coffee downstairs."

Gina noticed the handsome guy staring at Steph. He was looking at her with a mixture of admiration, disbelief, and longing; almost as if he hadn't seen her in many years and had finally been reunited with her. It should have worried Gina but somehow it didn't. It felt right and even her romantic nature couldn't explain why.

"I'll see you later CJ. Got to go make sure Rose gets her coffee. Welcome to the neighborhood. It was nice meeting you, um, sorry I didn't catch your name", she addressed Alex.

"Yeah, I'm Alex, thanks", he mumbled. He stood there watching her until she disappeared into her place and closed the door.

As she reached her door, Stephanie was pulled inside by Gina. "Wow, who was that cutie? Oh my, did I interrupt something? Tell us everything! Rose get over here! I just found Steph chatting up her new neighbor and he was hot!"

Rose desperately clung to the possibility that Steph might have found a new target for her first kiss. It was really all she had. She ran out of the bedroom, down the hall and into the living room to the couch where Gina and Steph were already sitting. Gina still hadn't let go of Stephanie's hand.

"So what did I miss Steph?" asked Rose. She looked at Stephanie who was starting to look shocked. Gina on the other hand could hardly conceal her enthusiasm. "So is someone going to fill me in on what's going on or what?" demanded Rose.

"Yeah, I was going to go get you guys some coffee when I heard someone singing next door. I stopped and out walks that guy, Alex. The first thing I noticed were his eyes, they are breathtaking. Just like CJs." Rose rolled her eyes, here we go again, she thought. "That's when CJ walks into the picture", sighed Steph.

"Wait, what?" screamed Rose.

"CJ? I didn't see CJ. Why didn't you tell me he was there? Wait why would he be in your neighbor's home?" asked Gina.

"I think Alex is CJs brother. Alex said something about him moving in last night. He made me a little uncomfortable. He acted like he knows me", Steph shrugged and pushed the unpleasant memory aside.

Gina jumped to the only conclusion which made sense to her romantic nature. "CJ must have told him all about you. So he felt like he knows you. Oh my god. That must mean CJ is really crazy about you. You guys are going to be the cutest couple at school."

"Okay let's not jump the gun here. It's going to be weird enough having him next door. Let's just go get some coffee. I'm starving. I've had way too much excitement for one morning."

Stephanie, Gina, and Rose walked out the door and started planning the activities for the rest of the day and the next morning. On their way out Rose noticed that Steph cast a curious glance towards 22B.

The rest of the day was spent on eating, shopping, and discussing boys. There was only one moment of awkwardness when Gina asked Rose, "You must like someone at school Rose. I don't know why you never admit to it."

Although Rose claimed there was no one, Gina and Stephanie couldn't help but wonder. When Gina persisted, Rose became agitated and Stephanie had to intervene, "Okay, let's watch New Moon, Taylor Lautner shirtless baby."

Rose appreciated the respite. But she knew deep down inside that she was going to have to come clean with her friends. And it had to happen soon, before Stephanie went out with CJ. So much for hopping the new guy would make Steph forget Chris.

Alex was furious with Chris. They had been through so much together. Even if they were not truly brothers, and neither was sure if they were, they had always felt a connection. "Why do you insist on continuing with this charade? I thought you understood how I feel. For as long as I can remember I've been running away from this. Now I think I've actually been running towards my destiny. I have to tell her. Why can't you understand?" Alex' eyes were full of rage and pain as he implored his older brother.

"Alex, you know I love you bro. I know how much you suffer thinking about what is to come. But you have to believe me when I tell you she is not like you and me. She didn't ask for any of this. We can't drag her into this... whatever the hell this is. It won't solve anything. It may make things worse."

"Even if I were strong enough to resist, I won't do it. I can't lose her again. Not again."

"You have to try. Look, I think it's best if we both stay away from her. If I'd known it was her I never would have approached her. Damn it, we moved into the worse possible place. Right next door for Christ sake. I'll start looking for other arrangements. It's not safe for you to be this close to her."

"No! Now that I've seen her I can't leave. I'll try to avoid her. I won't speak to her. But I need to see her. Even if it's just from afar, you can't deny me that. I need to see her as she is. Please. I've seen her take her last breath countless times. I want to see her full of life", implored Alex in a tremulous voice.

Chris felt his brother's pain. It was impossible not to due to their connection. It was because of this that he relented. He believed they were both making a big mistake. One that could cost the pretty girl next door her life and ultimately even theirs as well.

"Fine, we'll stay. But you have to promise me to not get involved with her. If anyone found out about us. If she found out. Well you of all people know what that could mean."

Alex's relief was palpable. He left Chris in the living room and walked into his room, sat on his bed and buried his face in his hands. All he had ever wanted was to be normal just like everyone else. But he wasn't. He didn't know what he was, but normal was definitely not it. Sure he looked like any other seventeen year old. He was considered handsome. Often he had heard girls and even young women refer to him as the strong silent handsome type. But that was just the surface. No one knew what really lay beneath. Even Chris didn't truly know and he had been trying to work out the puzzle for years.

Alex was tired of hiding. He needed someone to confide in. He had Chris. But that wasn't enough anymore. All he needed was a friend, someone who would understand. He knew he was trying to delude himself. It was an excuse for what he really wanted. No, for what he needed. He needed Stephanie. Now that he was so close, he was going to do what he had sworn he wouldn't. He couldn't bear the thought of losing her. He would make her see him, the real him, and in the process save them both from their destiny.

But before he could do any of that, he needed to plan carefully. If Chris found out what he was up to, there was no doubt in Alex's mind they would be moving out immediately. Alex looked around and realized they could have done a lot worse as far as accommodations were concerned.

His room was big enough to house his collection of guitars, music CDs, DVDs, and piles of song books. His music was the one thing that defined him that he could have shared with others. Interestingly enough, he kept it to himself as it was his way of reaching for that something that had always eluded him. His room contained no photographs or mementos. All the memories he needed were already stored within him. He needed no reminders of where he'd been, what he'd done, or what he would become.

He reached for his acoustic guitar. It had seen him through many lonely days and night and he found comfort in simply holding it. Absently he stroked it as a man would stroke a lover. He gently strummed a few chords and whispered "Steph, I won't let you down. You will be mine and you will survive. I will never hurt you; not again. You will not die by my hand. Stephanie..."

That evening, after the girls had washed off their face masks and had consumed a gallon of ice-cream, they finally all decided it was time for bed. Steph lay in her sleeping bag listening to Gina and Rose, who lay on the floor beside her, giggling about something. Steph's bed was big enough to share with one of her friends. But it was an unspoken tradition that if one of them slept on the floor then they all did. So they'd had to move Steph's desk over to make enough room for the three of them.

"What are you two still gossiping about?" asked a sleepy Steph. She turned over and re-adjusted her pillow. She hated sleeping bags, but it was worth the discomfort to spend time with her friends. "I thought we agreed that we're all too tired to keep talking about CJ", she smiled.

Rose propped herself up on her elbow and threw a meaningful look at Gina. "Why don't you tell her? After all you're the one who saw him", she smirked.

Due to the absence of light in the room, Gina's blush went unnoticed. She looked up at the ceiling fan and said "Well it's just that Alex is so cute. You know like in a bad boy rebel type of way and I thought that maybe..." Gina turned to look at Rose as if to ask for permission to continue.

"Okay, I'll say it. According to Gina, this Alex guy is CJ's complete opposite but is somehow just as cute as CJ. So Gina is wondering if that is going to make it awkward for you. Since he was all checking you out and stuff", elaborated Rose. "Personally I think Gina just wants to know if she can have him", giggled Rose.

Indignantly Gina threw a pillow which barely missed its target, Rose's face. The action resulted in a new outbreak of laughter. Steph, however, did not seem to have her heart in it.

"I have been wondering why he looked at me as if he knows me. Oh, and he was very cute. I mean if you like that whole intense broody type and all. But I think I'll just stick with CJ, the normal one, if that's okay. So feel free to go for it Gina."

"No thanks, Rose can have him. I'll know when I meet Mr. Right and I can tell you, Alex is not him. Plus I'm not ready to be swept off my feet just yet. Love, though wonderful can bring about too many complications", mused Gina.

"Okay, I think it's time to call it a night already. Ms. Romance over here must have had too much ice cream", commented Rose as she dropped back down onto her pillow. "Oh, you might want your pillow back Gina", said Rose. The pillow in question found itself being flung over for the second time in a short amount of minutes.

It was a long time after the girls had said their goodnights that Steph was finally able to drift off to sleep. Although she tried not to show it, the encounter with Alex had left her feeling very uncomfortable. Gina was right, he was very attractive. Unlike CJs classic blonde Adonis looks, Alex had a darker, more rugged and somewhat dangerous look about him.

Steph wasn't sure if it was that air of mystery that compelled her. There was something about him that unsettled her and she had no idea what that something was. If there was one thing that Stephanie had no patience for was unsolved puzzles. She desperately wanted to see Alex again and put to rest that feeling she had walked away with. However, there was no logical reason for her feelings. It was this thought that finally brought sleep for her that night. If it's not logical then it's not worth the effort. With that she decided the best course of action was to avoid Alex.

The girls got up late on Sunday morning. Rose had been lying awake on her sleeping bag for over 40 minutes. She'd spent a sleepless night due to the Steph and CJ situation. It was not until that morning that she had decided that she would not come between her friend and the guy she liked. Rose had been dealt a bad hand, or more accurately, she had put herself in this situation. She knew she should have confided in her friends about her feeling for CJ a long time ago. The mistake had been made. It was her mistake and therefore she was solely responsible for the consequences. She would not interfere with Stephanie's happiness, no matter how uncomfortable or painful it may be for her.

They were sitting around the kitchen table half-way through their pancakes when the phone rang. "Hello", said Steph. "Oh, hi Mrs. Lewis, no we're just having breakfast. Yeah everything was great. Are you sure? Okay, I understand. Yeah, give us like 40 minutes to gather everything. Okay see you."

Gina and Rose had been listening to Stephanie's side of the conversation. "Let me guess, our weekend is over isn't it?" asked a deflated Gina.

Steph walked over to Gina and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Yeah your mom said she will be by in a little bit. She needs to pick you guys up now cuz she has some errands to run this afternoon and she won't be able to come for you later."

"Okay so our weekend is officially over but it was the best. So stop looking so glum, you'll get wrinkles. Let's just enjoy the rest of our breakfast. It's a good thing we packed up most of our stuff last night", said Rose as she took another small bite of her one pancake. The weekend was over and her diet was officially back on.

After finishing their breakfast, Stephanie cleared the table and loaded the dishwasher, while Gina and Rose went into the bedroom to get their stuff. They had managed to dirty enough dishes to fill it up so she went ahead and turned it on. No sense in getting an unnecessary lecture from her mom. Once that task had been taken care of, she wiped down the counters and ran to her bedroom where Rose and Gina were loading their last items into their totes and backpacks.

"You sure you guys have everything? If not, I can always just bring anything you leave behind to school on Monday", she assured them. "I can't believe the weekend flew by so quickly. I had so much fun. Maybe my mom will let us do this again soon."

Gina placed her toothbrush in its holder and stuffed it into the back pocket of her jeans. "Well maybe if you get too lonely CJ can come keep you company", she winked.

"Yeah like I should really have a guy over when my mom is out of town. Come on, I want to start dating not be grounded for the next thirty years!" Steph picked up her sleeping bag, rolled it up and placed it on the top shelf of her closet. "I'm just going to sit around and read."

"You do that. I on the other hand have a ton of stuff to do. You know I have to increase the virtual memory for my site and there are some new items I need to add. I'm having a little trouble with some of the Flash programming. But, oh never mind", Rose sighed. She knew she lost Gina and Steph whenever she spoke about programming, software, or hardware. It was one of the few interests they didn't share. Steph and Gina had no idea how Rose created her website or administered her servers. But they sure enjoyed posting on her site, playing games, and using the presentation and report templates she hosted.

"Rose, you know we appreciate all your hard work on that stuff. It's just beyond us. Well it's beyond me anyway, I don't know about Steph."

Steph stopped plumping the pillows on her bed and laughed, "I have no idea what the difference between virtual stuff and Adobe and that SQL thingy, sorry." Instantly Steph sobered up as she realized she might have hurt Rose's feelings. "But we are very happy that you do, Rose."

"I know", replied Rose. She walked over to Steph's dresser mirror and took one quick look at her hair. "We better go Gina or your mom will be waiting downstairs. Thanks for having us Steph. It was a blast." Rose picked up her backpack and her sleeping bag and turned to Stephanie. "Don't worry; I'm sure Chris will ask you out on Monday. I mean he'd have to be crazy or blind not to."

Steph's face immediately lit at the mention of CJ. "I sure hope you're right Rose. He is such an awesome guy."

Stephanie walked Rose and Gina down the stairs. On their way out they didn't encounter anyone in the hall or on the stairwell. Rose was a little disappointed that she had not caught a glimpse of CJ before leaving. Then she reminded herself that he would soon be dating her best friend. The sooner she stopped thinking of him that way, the better for everyone.

Gina's mom was just pulling up when the girls walked out onto the street. They all exchanges good mornings and Stephanie helped Gina and Rose load their things into the trunk of Mrs. Lewis' SUV. Steph stood on the sidewalk as she waved her friends farewell. She didn't really feel like having coffee but she also didn't want to return to the empty condo. She turned towards the Star Bucks and decided a frapuccino would be good company for her book.

She had just entered the complex when she noticed someone leaning against the side of the door. She gasped in surprise and nearly dropped her drink. "Oh my god you scared me!"

Alex approached her slowly, "There's no reason for you to be scared of me, Steph. I don't want to hurt you." It was the last thing she expected to hear from him. Why would he even think to say that? He reached towards her as if to reassure her, then immediately pulled his arm back. Instead of making her feel better his actions unnerved Steph, causing her to take a step in retreat. "Stephanie, I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I saw that I scared you and I got concerned. Please don't look at me that way."

She was looking at him as if he were a stranger, one who could potentially harm her. If she knew what he'd seen, she would have realized that she had every reason to be afraid of him. But Alex knew it was impossible for her to know. He had to gain her trust if he was ever going to be able to stop the dreams, and he had to stop them.

"I'm fine. I need to get home. Excuse me", she stammered.

"Hold on, I'll walk with you. We're both heading in the same direction anyway." He smiled at her and walked up next to her. In silence they both headed up the stairs. He wondered if she knew just how much tension was radiating from her body. It was as if she were waiting for something bad to happen.

They reached the landing on the second floor and walked towards their condos. Instead of stopping at his door, Alex walked Stephanie to hers. She dug in her pocket for her key and inserted it into the lock. "Well thanks Alex. I'll see you around." Steph opened the door and hurried inside. She thought she had been quick enough to close the door but his reflexes were too good.

"Will you see me Steph?" he whispered as he held the door open. The question caught her by surprise causing her to let go of the door. It was the only advantage he needed. He stepped up to her, his body nearly brushing hers. It took every ounce of his willpower to refrain from closing the gap between them. He looked at her with such intensity it made her tremble. He caught the slight parting of her lips, the tremor that shook her body as she looked up at him. Had it not been for his special ability he might have confused her reaction. However, standing that close to her, even without touching her skin, he knew she was frightened. He had come on too strong. He knew he had to cut his losses, for the moment.

"Steph, I'm only teasing you. I want us to be friends, okay?" he gave her his most charming easy-going smile and walked towards his door.

It wasn't until a couple of minutes after he'd left that Stephanie recovered from the encounter enough to close her door. She wasn't sure what it was about him but she felt herself being pulled towards him; yet instinctively she knew that it was dangerous to be around him. When he had gotten close to her she had felt a moment of pure terror, as if she had been on the brink of her own demise. But then the next instant she had wanted to wrap her arms around Alex. It made no sense and it was utterly frustrating.

Alex walked to his kitchen and pulled out a Diet Coke. He downed most of it and set the can next to the sink. The drink was a poor substitute for what he really craved. But it was out of the question, for now. He couldn't risk touching her, not until he was sure of the way she would react. He rubbed his hands on his jeans, let out an exasperated sigh and walked into the living room and down the hall towards his room. He sat on the edge of his bed with his head hung down in shame. He had been so close to losing control. It was one of the dangers that he and Chris avoided at all cost. It was one of the reasons that Chris was always easy-going and nice to everyone. He couldn't afford to feel any strong emotions in public. Should that happen, well it was better not to think of it.

Alex felt such anguish knowing that Steph was right next door and she was as far from him as she had always been. Always just beyond his reach. He thought about going over there and trying to talk to her. But he knew that if she actually opened the door he would do more than just talk and that was not an option. He sat there on his bed for what seemed like forever, wrestling with his conscience.

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