Title: Wonderful Tonight

Author: Megan

Email: shy_grrl@hotmail.com

Summary: It's prom night, and everything's all right.

Disclaimer: The characters belong to some tv-network. Or the creators of the show. The song belongs to Eric Clapton.

Author's notes: The song is Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight and the lyrics are seperated by // enter lyrics here //. I'm sorry if I've mixed up some american high school traditions. I don't know if there is such a thing as a prom queen. I'm pretty sure that the prom is arranged at the end of one's high school career.

// It's late in the evening; she's wondering what clothes to wear.
She puts on her make-up and brushes her long blonde hair.
And then she asks me, "Do I look all right?"
And I say, "Yes, you look wonderful tonight." //

I sit on her bed and wait for her to finish with the makeup and the clothes and all that. I wait through the whole process. And I never once complain. I would wait an eternity for her. I love waiting for her. I love watching her do all the things to make herself beautiful. Because she does it all for me. And when I ask her why go through all the trouble, when I think she looks just as good in jeans and a T-shirt, she calls me a liar. And I chuckle and let her go through all the rituals she has developed for herself. She does them to protect herself. She has her stuff and I have mine. We both need them. It's not easy dating your future stepsister and trying to survive high school at the same time. But we've managed to pull it off. Almost.

Downstairs. Mom insists on taking photos of us. She is fussing all over me and Brooke. All I want to do is get out, "Mom! Don't you have enough already?"

"Just one more Sam", she chirps and lines the camera up for another shot, "Sammy please! It's your prom night. Don't you want something to remember it by?", she complains when I hide behind my arm.

"With this speed we'll never even make it to the dance, and there won't be anything worth remembering", grudgingly I agree to lower my hand but refuse to smile. And Brooke is having the time of her life. She's fighting, really fighting to hold back a laughter. I glare at her and she breaks up laughing like crazy. Mom stares at her for a moment and then slowly follows suit.

Mike is standing on the background looking a little out of place. He doesn't quite feel comfortable with the whole Brooke-me situation yet. But he's making an effort, and that's all that counts I guess, "Oh come on!", I protest when there's no end in sight to the laughaton. Brooke has sat down on the stairs and is still laughing harder than ever, "Maybe you should stay right here while I go party. Since you seem to be having so much fun", I try to sound at least a little hurt when I'm actually loving every second of it. I'll never get tired of Brooke's laughter.

"I'm sorry Sam", she manages to voice out in between the giggles and slowly gains control of herself again. For a second she just sits there quietly then emits one last chuckle and stands up, "I'll behave."

Mom has already stopped her laughing and again raises the camera, "Okay so just one more...", and that sends Brooke straight into another fit. This time I can't keep the smile from creeping into my face.

// We go to a party and everyone turns to see
This beautiful lady that's walking around with me.
And then she asks me, "Do you feel all right?"
And I say, "Yes, I feel wonderful tonight." //

We are an hour late when we finally make it to the dance. But it doesn't matter. Sure it would've been nice to make this great entrance with this huuuuge limo our parents promised to spring for, but all that's just extra. Besides, we turned the limo down and took Brooke's car. What matters is that we get to dance at our prom, in front of the whole school. We get to celebrate our love just like everyone else. Well, almost like everyone else at least. There are still enough people, who don't approve of us, to keep Brooke from being elected the prom queen like she should be. Like she would've been without me.

"It's a sacrifice I'm willing to make", she said when I pointed it out, "It's actually such a small sacrifice, that I wouldn't even call it a sacrifice."

Nicole's the one who will be crowned in Brooke's place, but even that isn't enough to dampen my joy. I don't actually hate her that much anymore, not after she was so nice to Brooke when we were outed. She stood beside Brooke all through it, and they remained friends much to my, and even Brooke's amazement. Maybe it was enough for her to claim Brooke's place as the most popular girl at Kennedy High.

"Hi Brooke", Nicole is the first to spot us when we enter the ballroom, "Love your hair", she gives my girlfriend a hug, "And oh! You brought little Sammy! Well aren't you the cutest all dressed up like that!", she grins that trademark smirk of hers. The one that always makes me wanna smack her in the head.

I'm already to bite back at the bitch when Brooke squeezes my hand slightly, "Nic please..", she says while I just smile. I don't want to do anything to ruin Brooke's night.

"What? I said she is cute?", Nicole acts all fake-innocent. And there's a small change in her grin. It softens just a touch, for a second it looks like she's smiling at me. And then it's gone.

"Well thanks Nicole. Come on Brooke, I wanna dance."

All through the night we gather a lot of looks. Some are disapproving, some encouraging. Some are just filled with lust, and some are only mildly curious. After a while I don't even notice them anymore. I concentrate completely on Brooke. Dancing with Brooke. Talking to Brooke. Listening to her, looking at her. Even kissing at her a couple of times. Something we've never done in front of an audience before.

We watch through Nicole's coronation and I try to find signs of regret on Brooke's face. There are none.

// I feel wonderful because I see
The love light in your eyes.
And the wonder of it all
Is that you just don't realize how much I love you. //

The cool night breeze feels great after the crowded dance hall. We are sitting on the school stadium's lawn. I started to get dizzy inside so we left. It was getting pretty lame anyways. At least in my opinion. Sure it's fun to dance a couple of songs. But hour after hour? Come on. Still, if Brooke likes it, then I... can at least pretend I like it.

"We can go back in if you want to", I say.

Brooke smiles at me and takes hold of my hand, "Nah, I think I'm all danced out for the night", she says and then adds quickly, "Unless you want to go?"

I shake my head and smile back. This overwhelming feeling of love is rushing over me. It is so strong that it hurts, stings in my heart, "Brooke... there's this thing I've wanted to ask", I look straight at her, straight into those blue eyes. She doesn't answer so I go on, "What is going to happen after high school? To us I mean? Cause we've actually never talked about it..."

It's been this forbidden topic that has pressed on my mind for weeks now. And I know she must've thought about it too, "We... go to college?", she says still avoiding the real issue.

"Brooke...", I say lowering my head, "You know what I mean."

She must hear the anxiety in my voice as she leans closer to me and puts her arms around my back, "Sam, it's not that big of a deal", her head lands softly on my shoulder. Her cheek feels a little cold against mine, "We can go to the same college. We can get an apartment together. It's gona be even better than what we have now. Just you and me", she talks in a soothing voice that calms me down, "And people tend to be much more open minded in college. Or at least that's what I've heard."

"Yeah you're right. It's not a big deal. It's just that when we never talked about it, I thought that maybe you wanted to..."

"I want to be with you", she says hugging me even tighter, "Always."

I raise my hands and return the hug. We sit there in silence for a good time, while I cry away my insecurities.

// It's time to go home now and I've got an aching head,
So I give her the car keys and she helps me to bed.
And then I tell her, as I turn out the light,
I say, "My darling, you were wonderful tonight.
Oh my darling, you were wonderful tonight." //

The drive home is the best. Just me and Brooke and the radio. And the dark road ahead. Driving at night is so great. You feel completely isolated from the rest of the world. Your car is like it's own reality.

This beautiful idea pops into my head, "Brooke?"

She removes her eyes from the road for a second and glances at me, "What?"

"We don't have any plans for the summer right?"

"Not to my knowledge."

"Well I thought that it could be fun to take some kind of a road trip."

She thinks about it for a few seconds and then smiles, "You mean like Thelma and Louise?"

I laugh and turn to look at the lights of another car down the road, "Sure. Just maybe without that whole driving into the canyon thing."

"Awww.. that was such a cool ending."

"Yeah, but you know it might hurt", she starts laughing and I turn to look. She is absolutely gorgeous when she laughs, "So how about it?"

Again she takes a quick glance at me and nods, "Sure, it sounds great Sam", and I smile at her.

It's past two am when we arrive home. Mom and Mike are a sleep already. It's all the same though. While they don't actually approve of us sleeping in the same bed, they haven't forbidden it. And we haven't done anything. Well... we've done something but not... everything. I don't even know why we haven't gone all the way. Brooke said she didn't want to do it until we are both absolutely certain we are ready. She said that rushing it ruined her relationship with Josh. I have my own opinion on that one, but I keep it to myself. If Brooke doesn't want to rush things, then so be it. I'll wait. Forever if I have to. I love waiting for her.

Ende

Thanks for reading,
Megan