"Ice and cold and bitter snow,

Showed us winters kiss,

It touched me deep inside my soul,

To hold you just like this." - Bach's Revenge debut album, track 10

Tally stroked the nail polish brush across her pointer finger. "Wow. I wish Adam was a Rock God instead of you know, a perfectly handsome piece of man-slash-star-quarterback." She stopped what she was doing and looked up. "Wait. What the hell am I talking about? Adam is amazing. Even without being a hot musician."

"Yes," Charlie agreed. "He is."

"We're some lucky bitches, Charlie Brown."

"Yes," she said again. "We are."

Tally changed the subject. "Hey, I saw Barista Boy the other day."

Charlie sat up straighter. What she'd done to him still chewed away at her like a disease. "What? You saw Mitch? How was he?"

"Well," Tally said, "it was kind of hard to tell. He was sucking face with a redhead. But I'm gonna say he's just fine."

"That's good," she replied. "I'm happy for him."

"Yeah, well I don't think he'll be lining up to buy any Bach's Revenge tickets or anything but I don't think you'll be responsible for years of therapy either."

Charlie rooted through her travel case for her iron supplement. When she found it, she shoved it to the back of her mouth, ready to take it without water. "Still. I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for what I did. Mitch was a good boyfriend, most of the time."

"Yeah, when he wasn't bitching about Sebastian," Tally nodded.

"Let us tell it like it is, he was onto something."

"Maybe." She didn't want to give it too much thought. "Hey, speaking of Sebastian, we had a big fight the other day."

Tally wriggled her eyebrows. "Trouble in paradise. Do tell."

"I kind of got jealous. The normal fans are hard enough to get used to but McKenzie hasn't missed a single show yet. It's getting old and I was in a foul mood I guess and I kind of acted like someone half Devin's age would."

Tally held up her freshly painted hand to inspect her nail. "So rich bitch is stalking you?"

"Well she's stalking Sebastian, not me. She is just ridiculous about the whole groupie thing."

"And you blew a gasket?"

"Well no, I didn't get mad, but I sulked like an idiot."

"Excuse me, but I think you're entitled to sulk. At least a little."

"I took it too far."

"Whatever," Tally dismissed her. "I've been waiting my entire life for a reason to kick her ass. Now I have one."

"No," Charlie shook her head. "You can't. Things are back to normal with us now. I don't want to cause anymore drama."

Tally sighed. "Always the killjoy. And besides if you think tour buses, and screaming girls, and swank hotel rooms are normal, than you're more of a diva than me. Congratulations."

The door to the room swung open as she spoke and Sebastian entered.

"You are not talking about the girl who makes my world go round, are you, Tal?"

She pretended to look offended. "I would never do such a thing, Mr. Russo."

"Where's Devin?" Charlie asked.

"Back in her and Tally's room. She said she was tired." His eyes darted from Tally, then to Charlie, then back again.

Tally stared at the ceiling and sighed. "I get the brooding stare, Romeo," she stood and collected her nail polish, "I'm going. See you both tomorrow."

"Bye," Charlie said.

"Until tomorrow, Tally. And for the record, I'm glad you came."

"Yeah," Tally said. "Me too, rock star."

Once she was gone Charlie smiled. "So, how's my little sis?"

"A monster at air hockey," Seb answered. He was pulling his shirt up over his head. "Listen, can we talk?"

"Put your shirt back on and I'll consider it. It's too distracting otherwise."

Sebastian laughed. "You sound like a guy."

"I knew it was only a matter of time before living with the four of you produced side effects. What do you want to talk about?"

Sebastian slipped his shirt back on as per Charlie's instructions and flopped on the bed. It had only been a few weeks since they'd been totally alone but it seemed like a lifetime ago. He'd be lying to himself if he said he wasn't thinking about being with her.

He looked around the room. It had less of a wow factor than the suite in Los Angles he'd stayed it but it was luxurious, expensive and taupe all over. He couldn't care less what it looked like. Could be the Bates Motel for all the difference it'd make.

He stood abruptly his throat as dry as a desert. Taking a bottle of water from the mini bar, he smiled. "Want one, bella?"

Charlie's eyes were settled on him, unwavering in her gaze. Great. This entire thing was nerve wracking enough. "Yes, please." When he handed it to her, she grabbed his wrist. "Hey," she said. "Thanks for bringing my sister and Tally here."

"You're welcome. I knew it would make you happy."

"It makes me more than happy. I want to thank you." Her hand moved to the button of her jeans, causing the dryness in his mouth to come back tenfold.

"Can I talk to you?"

Charlie pouted. "We have a huge bed and a room to ourselves. I could think of other things I'd rather be doing."

Wow. This was quite the role reversal, wasn't it? Sebastian wanted to talk, Charlie wanted to..."Can we talk first?" he repeated.

Her face dropped. "Oh, you're serious."

Sebastian nodded. He was going to puke. Christ, he was acting like a chick. Pretending everything was just fine when it wasn't. "I'm serious."

"Is this about how I acted the other day?"

He forced a smile. "No. It's about every other day from now on."

"Look, I promise I'll get myself together. I won't be jealous anymore, or at least I won't show it," she snickered. "I will be a better girlfriend."

"Charlie, that's not it."

She began to twist her hands in her lap and bite her lip. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, stepping forward to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. "Never been better."

"You're lying," she accused.

"No, I'm not lying." His touched the side of her face, trailing down her cheek with his fingertip. "I miss just you and me," he said.

"I miss you and me so much that I'm waiting, ready and willing. Not to mention willing."

He chuckled softly. "Me too. Talk first. Then maybe."

"Okay, so you want to have a heart to heart?"

"Tell you what. I'll talk. You listen."

"Talk fast," she said. "You're weirding me out."

"I know things between us started off rocky and have been strained because of all this."

Charlie nodded.

"Anyway, what I said about you leaving the other day, I didn't mean it. Not at all. I can't imagine my life without you." He pulled her to stand and slid his hands down both of her arms.

Her eyes followed them. "Oh good! I've changed your mind about all this listening nonsense."

"Shhh," he scolded. "Be serious for just a second and listen."

Charlie made the motion like she was zipping her mouth shut and widened her eyes.

"When we got together, I had no idea much it would change my life. Change me. The best thing about who I am is who I am when I'm with you."

The features on her face changed then. Surprise, flattery, happiness.

"So," Sebastian continued and began to root through his pocket,

"not only can I not imagine my life without you, I don't want to."

He took her hand in his and slipped a ring on her left finger. "I wanted this to be an engagement ring but everyone freaked about us being too young, so I hope this is okay. It's a promise ring, the next best thing."

Her free hand covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes. She nodded.

"I promise to love you for always. I promise to one day when you're ready, stand beside you and make this promise again. In front of you, God and our families. What do you say, Charlie? Will you officially be mine forever?"

Charlie felt the coolness of the metal against her skin. Her heart was pounding so hard she was sure she'd pass out. The hand Sebastian held onto shook like crazy and she stood there speechless, willing any words to come out.

Waterworks come instead. Because after all they'd been through,

after all they would go through there was no one else in this world she'd rather go through things with. Finally, she managed a firm nod and a meek, "yes."

Sebastian put his lips to hers and gave her the most passionate kiss she could recall. A few words and a single kiss to seal her fate.

"I love you," she whispered.

As they lay in bed, Charlie couldn't take her hand away from her face. She'd been inspecting the ring Seb gave her for at least twenty minutes.

"Here," he said. "Slip it off, I want to show you something."

Reluctantly, she took it off her hand and gave it to him.

"Look," he said holding it near her. "I had it engraved."

Charlie squinted until the writing etched into the band became clear.

You and no other.

"Sebastian, it's perfect."

"It was hard to choose from all the rings," he admitted. "But the guy at the jewelry store said to get you a solitaire."

Charlie smirked. "Did he also tell you to get the biggest one? This thing is bloody huge!"

"I can take it back and get you something else," he said quickly.

Charlie shook her head. "I was only teasing, Sebastian. It really is perfect."

"Good," Sebastian said. "I'm glad you're going to be mine forever. Tomorrow, I'll make sure the world knows it."

The next morning, she wondered if she had dreamed the entire night before. But as soon as her right hand fluttered to her left one and felt the cool, white gold band wrapped around her finger, dream or not, it was true. She rolled over on her side and slung her arm to where Sebastian should have been, but instead of his body, she found some ridiculous thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. It made no sense to her that the hotel was so willing to spend more on their sheets than on the rooms themselves.

She flipped one eyelid open and tried to concentrate on the sounds. There was traffic, and small child screeching down the hallway outside her room and water.

Sebastian was in the shower. Like a maniac, she peeled back the sheets and sprang to her feet heading to the bathroom door at mach speed. Wrapping her newly ringed hand on the doorknob, she tried to turn it. Charlie brought her knuckles up to knock but before she could even rap on the door, the water halted.

Damn it. Too late.

Seb opened the door. He'd just finished wrapping a stark white towel around his waist and he smiled. Charlie allowed herself a moment to take him in. From his dripping wet mass of hair to absorbing every single curve of his abdomen.

"This is the best dream ever," she mumbled.

"Morning to you, too," he said. "Can I help you with something?" He raised his eyebrow and his smirk became even more pronounced.

It was hard to bring herself to look at his face when her thoughts were elsewhere. "Possibly," she said.

"Possibly or definitely?"

"Definitely." She nodded. "Absolutely definitely."

Sebastian cocked his head and took a step forward, his arms wrapping around her waist and tugging her. "Absolutely definitely. Well I would definitely love to help you. Tell me what you need."

She probably should have brushed her teeth before allowing her hormones to drive...again. "Uh, well," she searched her mind for some words comparable to something even remotely close to what he would say. "You could start by taking that towel off."

He laughed. "You want to play you show me yours I'll show you mine?"

"Something like that."

"I like your games," he said and without giving her time to respond, his towel was off.

***

She had a perma-grin that simply would not leave her face. Sebastian found this very amusing. "Come on, future Mrs. Sebastian Russo. Your friend will be waiting for us soon."

His words echoed in her head. Mrs. Sebastian Russo. "I don't want to move. And say that again."

"Mrs. Sebastian Russo?" As if he even needed to ask.

"I like the way that sounds," she told him.

"I do too. Now up. You need to eat." And to her exaggerated dismay, he left the bed. "I have to get dressed seeing as how I was interrupted."

Charlie stuck her tongue out in response. "I didn't hear any complaints at the time."

He rushed back to the bed and planted a quick kiss on her lips. "And you never will. From me. But Tally and Dev could be a different story if we aren't downstairs in ten minutes."

Reluctantly, Charlie moved. She had the quickest shower of her life and got dressed in jeans and a vintage t tee. Ten minutes later, they were seated in the hotel restaurant with Tally and Devin. Charlie was still grinning and it was the first thing Tally noticed.

"Charlie, what's going on?" She asked suspiciously.

She could barely get her hand up before Tally's darted across the table and grabbed it, bringing the ring inches from her face. "Holy shit! Is this what I think it is?"

"It's only a promise ring," Devin volunteered. "Sebastian told me he was going to give it to her last night. But it does mean he promises to be committed only to her and to eventually marry her."

Sebastian smiled as Talia looked at Devin in disgust. "You knew! You knew something this important and you didn't tell me! I should have made you sleep on the floor!"

"Sebastian asked me not to tell," Devin proclaimed. "He didn't want to take this moment away from Charlie."

Tally opened her mouth to object, but it snapped shut. "Damn you," she told Seb, "I can't even argue with that logic. Whatever," she stood, moving to the other side of the table and threw her arms around both of them. "I knew it! Congratulations!"

"Thanks," Sebastian and Charlie spoke in unison.

Tally moved back to her own seat and took a sip of coffee. "Details," she said. "Devin and I need details. Spill it. What exactly did he say?"

"That's my cue," Sebastian said, standing. "I'll be at the buffet, hopefully until the girl talk is over."

The second his feet padded away in the direction of the food, Tally grilled her again. "How did he ask?"

Charlie shrugged her shoulders. "He didn't really ask. It was more like a declaration."

"What exactly did he say?"

"I don't really remember. Kind of on an adrenaline rush here."

Tally pouted.

"Can you give us anything?" Devin asked. "Anything at all."

"This inside of the ring is engraved. It says: You and no other."

Tally smiled. "That is so Sebastian. What else? What did he say?"

Charlie tried to come up with something else to appease them. "He told me that I make him a better person," she managed.

"And?"

"And that he can't imagine life without me and doesn't want to either."

"Now we're getting somewhere." Tally said. "Anything else?"

Charlie rooted through her memory bank for one last thing to give them. "That the best part of him is who he is when we're together-or something like that."

"You're so lucky," Devin sighed.

Tally picked up her butter knife and turned it in her hand. "If you weren't my best friend, I'd totally hate you. Adam's idea of sweet talking me is 'Baby, those jeans make your ass look good."

Devin laughed. "I'm hungry."

Tally put her knife down and exhaled. "Yeah, let's go get some food."

Once they'd piled their plates high with food and Sebastian realized he had the all clear for girl talk, everyone returned to the table.

In between bites of banana bread and swigs of coffee, Tally said, "You know something Rock God, you never fail to amaze me. Good thing I'm not a green-eyed skank."

"That position has been filled," Charlie mumbled.

They returned to the tour bus with fifteen minutes for him to spare before sound check. By some small miracle, he'd managed to go unnoticed sneaking back onto the bus, even though as usual, there were already girls lined up.

God must've been on his side because McKenzie and her bitch squad were nowhere to be found. At least not this early in the day.

Sawyer sat with Robbie and Lane at the table playing cards and glared at Sebastian and Charlie when they entered. Sebastian shifted uneasily on his feet.

"You know Charlie," Sawyer said, "I always pegged you for a smart girl, but maybe I was wrong."

"Must run in the family," Devin said. "I'm so dumb, mom is making me do extra math work and I can't even do that right."

Sawyer cleared his throat. Devin was not his target and her proclamation must have shocked him. "You're not dumb, sweetheart."

Devin scowled and sat in the chair. "Yeah well tell Mr. Bloomsburg that, or better yet, tell my mom."

Sawyer sat next to her. "Tell you what. We gotta sound check but after that you trust me for a few minutes and we'll look at your homework. I bet it's just something you're not seeing."

Charlie silently went to the back of the bus with Tally in tow while Devin was still talking. "Okay, but can I come to sound check with you?"

"Of course you can," Sawyer said. "Charlie, you coming?"

She turned her head back. "Nah, Tally and I have unanimously voted for a nap before the show tonight."

Sebastian smiled. "Shouldn't stay up so late."