By Kelly:

I was upstairs in Teri's room sorting out my vacation pictures I took from
Colonial Williamsburg on her computer and listening to the comp cd player. I
didn't go down stairs to the party they where having for two reasons: One I'm
not much of a party person, two I can't dance unless it was ballet. That's
the only dancing I really knew how to do and I was not going to go down there
and look like a bonehead. I've been at the castle ever since that thunder
storm made me stuck here in the frist place and that's been less than two
weeks. I've already been voted the shiest person at the castle so what was
the difference? 

I started singing to my favorite song. 

"Cause this is thriller, Thriller Night, 
And no one's gonna save you from the beast about to strike, 
You know it's Thriller, thriller night. 
You're fighting for your life inside a killer, thriller tonight." 

After that song was over I took off my headphones and turned around to see 
Nick and GersGal watching my screensaver I just finished making. They were 
all dressed up for the party they were holding for Nick's birthday. Nick 
looked at me and I turned right back around to the computer before he could 
see my face. My face was a little pinker than normal because they were all 
dressed up and I was in nothing but my blue Sea World night shirt, a pair 
of white shorts and flip flops. 

"Ok, either you heard me singing or I left the door open, which is it?" I 
asked very shyly hoping Nick wouldn't say anything. 

"I think I could answer that," said Nick.

"Oh no, hear it comes." 

"You left the door open AND we heard you singing."

"I'm so sorry about that. It'll never happen again." 

"Hey! Slow down, it's ok! Kelly you sing real nice, but one thing I must ask 
you." 

"Wha, What's that Nick?"

"Why are you not downstairs with everyone having fun?" 

"Nick, I'm not much of a party person and I really can't dance unless it's 
ballet." 

Nick turned me around in Teri's turning chair. "So this is what the shiest 
person in the castle looks like." That got him a smile, it was a shy smile 
but at least it's a smile.


*****

by Teri


GersGal smiled warmly at the shy newcomer to the Castle. 

"You know there's LOTS more to a birthday party than just dancing," she said. 
"There's food to eat, besides the cake and ice cream, and let's not forget 
that SOMEbody needs to come help eat up all those chocolate-chip cookies and 
chocolate-pops so Sparky doesn't sneak them all and give himself a dragon-
sized bellyache." 

Kelly actually giggled at that, but still blushed a little redder, trying to
figure out how to turn her chair back around without seeming rude. Nick or 
Ger or whoever he was at the moment, hadn't quite let go of her yet and was
still smiling at her, just as warmly as GersGal was. She met his eyes for only 
a brief moment before she had to duck her head bashfully again. 

GersGal's and The Great Blonde One's eyes met over Kelly's bowed head. They
obviously weren't getting anywhere this way! GersGal winked at the The Most
Handsome One and generously decided to share him for a few moments. Maybe his
natural charm and boyish good looks would help pull the newbie out of her shy
little shell. GG turned with a bright smile.

"Well, my love," she said to The Blonde One. "I must go freshen up a bit. I'll 
rejoin you downstairs at the party soon?" She allowed it to be a question, as 
if there were any doubt she'd stray far from his side or sight! But it would
give him a chance to work on Kelly for a few minutes. Any longer than that may 
actually traumatize the poor girl more than help her! GersGal's skirts swirled
around her with a whisper as she turned for the door. There she stopped short,
realizing belatedly whose room Kelly was camped in, and why.

"They haven't got you set up in your own room yet?" GG asked, already knowing 
the answer. "Well, don't you worry. The Castle Mommies'll will let you 
pick out your room, and Abra keeps the whole Castle up to date with the best
state-of-the-art technogadgets, so you'll soon have the Computer of your 
Dreams!" She smiled at the incredulous look she got from Kelly, and then 
shrugged with a laugh. "Why not? This is DenialLand! You can have ANYthing!"
Her evening gown sparkled in the corridor lights as she added with an ornery 
grin, "Now come on down and have some CAKE!" She disappeared around the corner 
with a swish of skirts, leaving Nick/Ger alone with the nearly scarlet-faced 
young lady.

Kelly gulped and tried not to look up again, but he wasn't going away. In fact,
he reached out and gently caught her chin, turning her face up towards him.

"Ballet?" he asked, with a twinkle in his eye. Kelly nodded silently. "If you 
come down, maybe you can show me how rusty I am."

Kelly was startled into looking him straight in the eye.

"You?" she gasped. "Ballet...?" He nodded with a shrug and a grin.

"I'm no Baryshnikov, but I've been known to wear tights on occasion," he 
laughed at her disbelieving stare. "Hey, in 800 years you try a little bit 
of everything at least once! C'mon."

She was so surprised that she let him coax her to her feet while he assured 
her that no one cared what she was wearing. 

"It's alright," he said with a laugh. "Wait 'til you see what Castle-mom Teri 
looks like!" 


to be continued...........