The Vamps Oneshots/Songfics Book.

Imagine Ten - Intertwining Memories (James)

It was a snowy December evening, and the whole city was on lockdown, meaning my and James' plans for the night were effectively out of the window. "So what are we going to do toni-" I was stopped mid sentence by the power suddenly going out. Even with the surrounding darkness, I knew James was smirking. "Let's go get the candles" he said as he took my hand. 

The journey involved the two of us walking into three chairs, the coffee table and the breakfast bar, but eventually we managed to get to the attic. "Why do we keep candles in the attic?" I asked, annoyed. "They don't match the colour scheme downstairs" he replied, before bursting into laughter only seconds later. "I don't know Katie, you decorated the interior of our home" he added, attempting to sound posh during the last four words, putting emphasis on 'our'. We'd moved in together only a fortnight ago, and I was still really excited. It was better with the fact that whenever James and the boys went on tour, I went with them.

"Found them!" I called around half a minute later. We both trailed back downstairs ladened down with candles and piled them on the table. After lighting around ten of them in order to just see each other, we sat on the sofa, me snuggled into James' chest and I was watching the snow fall slowly outside. "Do you remember how we met?" I was asked all of a sudden. "Three and a half years ago? Yeah of course"  I replied, proud of the fact I could remember pretty much everything. "Prove it" he challenged, whilst smiling down at me. 

-- Flashback --

"Katie, lunch break is over!" my boss called from the reception, forcing me out of the staffroom. I worked in a primary school, and it was.. eventful is probably the best word. I suffered through the rest of the afternoon, helping countless little kids with a wide array of problems. I was about to leave, glad to be going home, when one of the teachers came running up to the reception desk. "Katie, i'm really sorry, but is there any way you could stay on for an extra two hours? Some of the kids have an after school club and we're understaffed in order to supervise" she pleaded, and I reluctantly agreed, since I had no plans at all.

The two hours passed, and I was covered in paint - of course the after school club was arts and crafts, and of course it happened to be painting. My clothes were also covered in paint, which was great. I made my way back to the reception desk and waited for the parents to come and pick up their children. I had to make sure they signed in and out in the visitors book, meaning I was here for even longer.

One by one the parents turned up, and I had to answer so many mind-numbing questions. When I could see no more parents coming up the school path, I took it as my chance to leave, but then I noticed there was still one little girl left sitting alone in the hall. I opened the hall doors and she looked up expectantly, then as I was obviously not who she wanted to be stood there, she looked back at the ground and I saw tears slowly dripping from her eyes onto the wooden floor. 

"Has nobody come for you yet honey?" I asked, my voice echoing from the compact walls. She shook her head. "You can come and wait with me out here in the reception, don't worry" I told her with a smile, and she jumped up and ran over to take my hand. "Really?" she asked, her eyes sparkling, but no longer with tears. I nodded and smiled, and she ran and jumped onto the reception desk. I felt really bad for the girl, and decided to call her parents, see where they were. She told me her name and I called her mother, her first emergency contact. "Yes, i'm sorry, dear. Her cousin should have picked her up.. I'm sure he's on his way" she explained, her voice clearly annoyed at the fact her nephew hadn't arrived yet.

We waited another fifteen minutes, and the sky was a musky grey colour outside now, due to it getting darker earlier at this time of the year. I noticed a boy around my age running up the path. Once he entered, the girl jumped down from the desk and wrapped her arms around the boy's legs, this was presumably her cousin who was - very - late. "I'm so sorry i'm late.." he said to his younger cousin, and she simply tightened her grip. He then looked at me apologetically, and I was immediately mesmerised by his stare. "Why are you late?" the girl asked him. "Band practise. You know how silly the others can be" he replied with a smile. She simply nodded in response. "So um what do I have to do?" he asked me, clearly embarrassed about something. "Just sign here.." I replied, frankly surprised I could produce fully functioning sentences. He was gorgeous and I couldn't believe I was still standing, to be honest.

He signed the both of them out, and then set to leave. I was admittedly a bit downheartened at the fact I was too scared to say something I wanted to, but then he stopped in his tracks and turned back around to face me. "Look, i'm really sorry I left you here alone with this one.." he began, and ruffled his cousin's hair. ".. So maybe I could take you out to dinner to make it up to you?" he finished his question, and looked hopeful at me. Was this really happening? I agreed, and I was pretty much on cloud nine up until the time came.

-- Present day --

"And then it got good" I concluded my telling of the story, still proud I could remember basically every detail. "Yeah my moves were really awful back then.. But it managed to work on you then, right?" he asked, and I couldn't help but laugh. "That was a move? Dude I had no idea. I thought you were being legitimately polite" I admitted, then it was his turn to laugh. "I love you, Katie" he whispered into my hair. "I love you too, James" I whispered in response. A tender kiss was then shared, and the rest of the night was spent in the candlelight, tangled in each others arms, watching the snow fall.