Thank you, Darling. You are the kindest of boys, Oh! It has a little cover. How sensible; how practical. Well, shall we go?

She was adorable. Intrigued by a plastic cover. Had she seriously never ordered anything to go? Strangle it wouldn't surprise him if she had not. "Yes let's." He said holding the door open for her. Just walking with Alice was nice. Her arm through his. Very nice indeed. He had no idea where to find a quiet, lonely spot for the two of them. Unless they headed back to the school. He wasn't quite ready to do that. So they would just walk for now.

She is very confusing,"

Nic nodded. Whtiney hadn't always been confusing. Her first year she was perfectly normal, well as normal as first years can get. But he didn't expect Alice to know that. Alice hadn't know him until this year, so she certainly hadn't know Whitney. Possibility they had passed each other in the Library or some such stuff. Whtiney had been smaller than, much smaller. She'd lost a whole summer. That was almost two months, Nic knew the exact number of minuets and hours he'd not had Whitney. She'd woken up in time for them to go back to school. Thankfully other than the not awake part, Whitney was fine. Nic had insisted that his mother take them to St. Mungo's to have her checked out by wizards too. Both Spain women had thought he was insane, but it made him feel better. Wizards were much better doctors than Muggles.

"There were something she said which made me feel well. but I am sure it is through no unkindness on her part. I am sure she fears I will supplant her in your affections. You know that is not at all what I want, dont you Dearest Nic? I would rather be a friend to her, if I could. I know you are the kindest, most caring brother imaginable. And this, Is for being precisely that.

She kissed him as they walked. He grinned at her. "Well alright." He wasn't going to argue with getting kisses. He wanted Alice and Whitney to be friends. Good friends. Not too good to where he could no longer tell Whitney everything, but good enough that Whintey no longer believed that Alice was something evil and bent on world domination. For Whitney that meant they had to be pretty good friends. He figured the some things Whit said were the things about the other girls. He was going to try his damndest to not cheat on Alice.

And as for the shagging the other girls well... It wasn't something Nic could really deny. He had, and thats all there was to it. Unless it made Alice like him less. Well, actually if that made her like him less, she wasn't the girl he though she was. Right suddenly he had to know what Alice thought about it. But he didn't know how exactly sure how to ask. So he kind of stuttered through his question. "Your, well You aren't upset about what Whit told you, about the other girls?" He was positive that Alice would not want to discuss this, but he had to know what she thought. And if he didn't find out he was right positive his head would implode.

Whitney is a most curious person, though. I shall take my time to get to know her. Perhaps it was having me thrust upon her, without sufficient warning that made her feel threatened. I am not criticizing you in any way, you understand, it is just my way of thinking things through.

He bobbed his head lightly to some invisible music that only he could hear. "Maybe. Could be she still thinks your a mermaid." Whitney and her theories. He and Sioni were about the only people she didn't think were aliens, or in some conspiracy. He didn't know what had happened during her missing months, because well he'd never lost any, but it must have made her a little bit crazy. "And I'm good with criticism." It was probably very silly of him to make Whit and Alice meet.

I suppose I cant really imagine what it must be like for you both, being together at the same school. I hardly see my brother, accepting at the holidays, and during the summer. No wonder you are so close, and you take such care of Whitney."

If Nic didn't see Whitney every day he would probably die. He made a point of spending time with her every day. Perhaps it was because he'd lost his father, and felt he never really spent enough time with him. Before she married Rodger, he'd tried to do the same with his mother. But now, well, he just was so upset that she'd given up on his father that fast.

"I hope you know it only makes me love you the more. There are as many wonderful discoveries to be made behind your silence as there are trivial snippets behind all of my fine words.

Once again they stopped and kissed. But for once he was kissing Alice and his mind wasn't on her. He ended their kiss much shorter than he usually did, but hoped she didn't notice. He didn't want her to discover the things behind his silence. He like them where they were, behind. He figured at some point she would ask about the rest of his family. She would ask him if he thought his mother would like him as Whtiney had said. Eventually she would ask about his father. She would ask about the Spawn that Whitney spoke of with vile distaste, and what was behind his silence would come in front where he did not want it.

He could possibly distract her form the subject of him ask her questions about her. Her family. Her little brother, this boy God. Whoever named their kid God must have had high opinions of themselves. Perhaps he was adopted. Or that God was short for something. Either way, distracting Alice from talking about him would be a good plan. "What about your family?" he asked. "This God you speak of? When do I get to meet them?" He didn't really want to meet her father. Father's tended to be very scary about their daughters dating random guys. What if her family was one of those pureblood types. He'd never asked her about that, or her him. But he knew it was a very big deal to some families. Naw. They couldn't be. Or God would go to school here. Unless he went to a foreign school. All this thinking was hurting his head.

"I shall try to be a friend to Whitney, if she will let me, and I know you must take her into account in what ever you do. I would not want you to be any different, just becausewell, just because we..

Were together? he asked, kissing her cheek. Because I have the greatest girlfriend ever? Of course things were going to be different now. Alice was his, this was a lasting relationship, and he hoped that it lasted for a long time. A very long time. He was in love with this little thing. In love enough to introduce her to Whitney. And that took a lot of guts. Particularly since he knew full well that Whitney was completely nuts. Whit will like you. Shes just rough at the edges. Whitney could tell how serious he was about Alice, which was mostly what was worrying her

may I say you are my boyfriend? But may I, Nic?"

He grinned at her. She was so cute, and so awkward. Why couldnt she say that he was her boyfriend. He wasnt hesitating at all to explain to anyone who would listen that Alice Mason was his girlfriend. Alice Mason was his darling Ravenclaw. He would tell people that he was Nic Spain, Alice Masons boyfriend. It pleased him greatly. Of course Alice. He said kissing her. Id love it if you called me your boyfriend. But lord she used an awful lot of words to ask such a simple question! It would have been so much easier for her to say Nic, can I call you my Boyfriend? Why did she have to use all of these long words.