I KNOW, I know... I did put this story on temporary hiatus but I didn't inform anyone. I'm sorry. I'm currently having a one-week break from college so let's get on with this.

I'm gonna have to skip the whole longwinded disclaimer thing and keep it short and simple: 39 Clues and the songs aren't mine; all I own are the OCs and the plot.

Fair warning: Amy and Ian are out of character (OOC), sorry.

ON WITH THE STORY!

Amy's POV

We've just finished our performance and I couldn't stop myself from smiling. No, it wasn't because Ian stopped by, it was because of the sight of the little chubby boy in his mother's arms.

Fine, I am a little happy that Ian showed up like he said he would but he is not the highlight of my evening.

"Keep telling yourself that, honey." Kate whispered in my ear.

"Gah!" I yelped in surprise and Kate started laughing out loud. Rachel quickly shushed us though. "You'll scare the little guy!" She hissed at us before continuing to coo with the baby.

I narrowed my eyes at Kate. She shrugged but I could see the amusement in her eyes. "I couldn't help myself; you were talking to yourself... again." She said with a mischievous smirk.

Lynn came up behind me, trapping me in a hug. "And... I wonder what a certain London-raised charmer will have to say about that."

Breaking free of her hold, I turned around to repeat the same speech I've been telling them for the past week on how Ian is only a friend or something close to that. "For the hundredth time Lynn, Ian is j-" But it wasn't Lynnette I was facing now.

"Yes, love?" Ian stood before me, smirking as usual. I'm surprised his face isn't stuck like that...

"W-What?" I looked around to look for Lynn and Kate, and also to avoid eye contact with Ian. They stood a few steps away; close enough to see them in the slightly crowded room but far enough to give Ian and I some privacy.

They cheekily waved and blew kisses at me. I am going to kill them! Those two better be prepared. I'm going to eat all of Lynn's chocolate, then I'll hide Kate's phone and maybe I'll-

"Love?" Ian interrupted my thoughts. "Yeah?" I replied, still staring daggers at the two immature girls I call my close friends.

"Amy..." He sighed, gently turning me to face him. "Don't ignore me..." He teased, his hands resting warmly on my forearms.

We stood like that, looking at each other before he coughed and dropped his hands. I knew my face was probably tinted pink from blushing but... was he blushing too?

"Err... That was quite the performance you did, love." He awkwardly complimented. "I certainly did not expect you to do a Beatles song."

"W-Well, 'Silly Love Songs' is a n-nice song..." I answered, stuttering slightly. Get it under control, Amy.

I frowned, realising Ian had made a mistake. "... B-but it's not from The Beatles, i-it's by Paul McCartney and The Wings."

"I see that your music knowledge is better than I thought." He answered smugly and I narrowed my eyes at him. "I couldn't help but notice your band name. 'Wild', is it?"

"Yeah..." I scratched my neck nervously. "We h-had to come up with a name and we c-couldn't call ourselves 'Carl', could we?" I joked.

Seeing his confused face, I continued. "They're our initials s-stuck together; C for Catherine, A for Amy, R for Rachel and L for Lynnette. As you can tell, it's... umm... sorta lame."

Ian nodded in understanding. "What does 'Wild' stand for then?"

"Wacky, Inspiring, Lovable and Dynamic." I rehearsed. "Lynette's idea." Finally, no stutter.

"Well, love-" "Amy, Ian, not love." "As I was saying, love-" I rolled my eyes as he continued. "The description does suit you extremely well."

Before I could protest, Rachel interrupted us. "Amy, the-" She stopped mid-sentence and nodded curtly at Ian. "Kabra." Ian nodded back with equal stiffness. "Cox."

Considering they were both Lucian, they must hate each other a lot if they treat the other so coldly.

I shifted so that I would stand between them. Rachel, you can't kill him here... Calm down. I pleaded to her mentally.

"They want another song." She said glancing at me for a moment before turning swiftly, nearly slapping me in the face with her ponytail. She really doesn't want to be near Ian, does she?

"Well... you heard her. I have to go..." I smiled apologetically before rushing to catch up with Rachel.

"Hey." I said to Rachel but she ignored me. "What is it with you and Ian?" I asked, holding her by the elbow to stop her.

She looked at me with a hard expression before softening up a little and sighed. "I'll tell you later, okay?" She picked up her guitar. "We'll play first. So, what's the song?"

Lynn and Kate swooped in then, each throwing an arm over my shoulders. I felt like I was a sandwich; them, the bread and me, the filling. Shrugging of their arms, I turned to them, thinking.

"The Best Day by Taylor Swift. Does that work?" All three of them nodded and got to their stations.

I wanted to sing this song for awhile after watching the tape Alice gave me (A/N: See chapter 6). The song was about a daughter's view on her parents throughout her life.

I wish Mom and Dad were here to hear me sing it; it was exactly how I felt after watching the tape.

*flashback starts*

I had forgotten all about the tape until I saw the old equipment left in the corner of the living room the day after the band's first performance.

I didn't have anything better to do so I ended up setting up the stuff and inserting the tape. Retro... I thought as I sat back down to see what was on the tape.

I hadn't recognise the little girl with her shoulder-length hair playing with a set of dolls. She was sitting on the kitchen floor while her father told her to look at the camera.

"Amy, look here!" He said. It was me, about 3 years old with my Barbies scattered all around.

"Daddy, look! Sissy made spag-hatty!" The little girl passed him a tiny plastic model of spaghetti with meatballs on a plate.

A door opened and a woman came in cradling a bundle in her arms. Mom and Dan... I thought. True enough, there were a set of green eyes peeking out of the bundle looking strangely at the camera.

"This is my bwother!" The little girl pronounced proudly to the camera. "He is..." I laughed as the younger me started counting with her fingers. "... 3 months old." I laughed harder when she raised 4 fingers instead of three.

Dad corrected me and continued to film Dan. He started kicking the blanket and crying when he saw the camera.

"Dan, it just a camera. Shh... It can't hurt you. Shh..." Mom gave little squabbling Dan a kiss on the forehead but he kept crying.

"Don't worry, Danny. I'll protect you and you'll always be safe." The worried little girl promised her brother.

The scene was cut off then and another started playing. There were other scenes of different things Dan and I did in our early childhood.

There was Dan as a toddler belly-crawling on the floor, me flipping through a picture book, Dan throwing a toy ninja-star at my head when I was reading aloud, Dad chasing me in the park and other meaningful events that neither Dan or I could remember.

They consisted of plenty of giggling, crying, smiles and babbling.

I don't care how Alice got this tape, I was going to thank her until it annoyed her to bits.

I hastily wiped at my wet lashes and started laughing. It felt bittersweet, watching the videos. I missed my parents more than ever but was so happy that I had proof of some precious memories which I could hold on to.

I made a digital version of the tape at a shop before returning the equipment to Alice. I'll show Dan the tape once I've had my share of fun with it.

Alice refused to take back the tape when I wanted to give it back to her.

"I think it was meant for you and your brother, Amy." She pushed the tape back into my hands, covering them with hers softly. "You know that."

Just as she was about to leave, I asked her the question I was dying to know the answer to. "Alice, how'd you get it? The tape, that is."

She stood in the open doorway, her hands full of boxes of equipment and her back facing me. "Scavengers." And she left without another word.

I wasn't sure what she meant by that but if she didn't want to tell me the whole story, I'll leave it as it is. I owed her at least that much.

*flashback ends*

This is for you, Mom and Dad. I silently told them, wherever they were.

I sang the words as though they were right there in the audience. Listening and watching me, their little girl, tell them what they meant to me in song.

"I'm five years old, it's getting cold,
I've got my big coat on,
I hear your laugh and look up smiling at you,
I run and run.

Past the pumpkin patch and the tractor rides,
Look now, the sky is gold,
I hug your legs and fall asleep on the way home.

I don't know why all the trees change in the fall,
I know you're not scared of anything at all,
Don't know if Snow White's house is near or far away,
But I know I had the best day with you today.

I'm thirteen now and don't know how,
My friends could be so mean,
I come home crying and you hold me tight,
And grab the keys.

And we drive and drive until we found a town far enough away,
And we talk and window shop till I forgot all their names.

I don't know who I'm gonna talk to now at school,
But I know I'm laughing on the car ride home with you,
Don't know how long it's gonna take to feel okay,
But I know I had the best day with you today.

I have an excellent father,
His strength is making me stronger,
God smiles on my little brother,
Inside and out, he's better than I am.

I grew up in a pretty house and I had space to run,
And I had the best days with you.

There is a video I found from back when I was three,
You set up a paint set in the kitchen and you're talking to me,
It's the age of princesses and pirate ships and the seven dwarfs,
And Daddy's smart and you're the prettiest lady in the whole wide world.

Now I know why all the trees change in the fall,
I know you were on my side even when I was wrong,
And I love you for giving me your eyes,
For staying back and watching me shine.

And I didn't know if you knew,
So I'm taking this chance to say,
That I had the best day with you today."

Ian's POV

Amy was crying. No, she wanted to cry.

It wasn't obvious. The only thing that gave her away was the few times she closed her eyes for a second too long to be a blink.

But, me being a Lucian and all, I knew every telltale sign of emotion known to mankind. Hence, it was as clear as daylight to me that she was struggling to appear unfazed by the song.

When Amy got off stage, I rushed to her side. "You alright?" She refused to make eye contact with me and nodded numbly.

I dropped the subject, seeing that she didn't want to talk about it. If that is what she wants, I won't push her. After all, a Kabra must always act like a gentleman. Well, most of the time.

"Excuse me, dear." I heard a lady say. I stepped aside to allow her to speak to Amy.

The lady was most probably the hostess of the event as she was carefully carrying a baby boy in her arms.

"Amy, thank you so much for that lovely performance." She continued. Amy smiled politely, all traces of sadness gone from her features. Her acting has improved drastically. I remarked to myself.

A little whine came from the baby boy in her mother's arms. Amy's features softened when she saw the child. Her eyes were full of love and a small but warm smile playing on her lips.

"Do you want to hold him?" The lady offered and all Amy did was nod.

Holding the precious child in her arms, she started whispering to him. I could only make out the words 'special', 'chubby' and 'cute'.

A tiny hand grasped Amy's index finger and she smiled more at this.

The image was breathtaking; Amy's obvious joy and the curious eyes of the one-month old infant looking at her. Perhaps one day, I would be there to witness a similar situation, only the child would be Amy's.

I was almost too distracted to hear Amy softly humming to the baby. Then, she started singing in her mesmerising voice. Surprisingly, I recognised the song which was Never Grow Up by the blonde country singer Taylor Swift.

Amy's voice carried the melody perfectly as she sang the words, bringing them to life.

"Your little hand's wrapped around my finger,
And it's so quiet in the world tonight,
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming,
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light.

To you everything's funny,
You got nothing to regret,
I'd give all I have, honey,
If you could stay like that.

Oh darling,
Don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up,
Just stay this little.

Oh darling,
Don't you ever grow up
Don't you ever grow up,
It could stay this simple.

I won't let nobody hurt you,
Won't let no one break your heart,
And no one will desert you,
Just try to never grow up,
Never grow up.

You're in the car on the way to the movies,
And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off,
At 14, there's just so much you can't do,
And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots.

But don't make her drop you off around the block,
Remember that she's getting older too,
And don't lose the way that you dance,
Around in your pj's getting ready for school.

Oh darling,
Don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up,
Just stay this little.

Oh darling,
Don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up,
It could stay this simple.

No one's ever burned you,
Nothing's ever left you scarred,
And even though you want to,
just try to never grow up.

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room,
Memorize what it sounded like,
When your dad gets home.

Remember the footsteps,
Remember the words said,
And all your little brother's favorite songs.

I just realized everything I have is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment,
In a big city, they just dropped me off,
It's so much colder that I thought it would be,
So I tuck myself in and turn my night light on.

Wish I'd never grown up,
I wish I'd never grown up.

Oh, I don't wanna grow up,
Wish I'd never grown up,
I could still be little.

Oh, I don't wanna grow up,
Wish I'd never grown up,
It could still be simple.

Oh darling,
Don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up,
Just stay this little.

Oh darling,
Don't you ever grow up,
Don't you ever grow up,
It could stay this simple.

Won't let nobody hurt you,
Won't let no one break your heart,
And even though you want to,
Please try to never grow up.

Oh, don't you ever grow up,
Oh, never grow up,
Just never grow up."

Once she finished singing, the people around us started applauding. Amy snapped out of her revenue and blushed wildly, embarrassingly ducking her head.

Amy's POV

I was singing... and I didn't notice. This is so humiliating... I wanted to bury my face in my hands but I couldn't do that because I was still carrying the baby of ultimate cuteness in my arms.

"You really do have a lovely voice, dear." The hostess said, taking the boy back into her arms. He was still looking at me with curious eyes. He is one of the most adorable baby to ever exist, I'm sure of it. I told myself, unable to stop myself from smiling at him.

"T-Thank you." I muttered before excusing myself. I looked around to see Lynn and Kate busy assaulting the snack bar and Rachel standing near the end of the table, surveying the room while swirling her flute of orange juice.

Remembering Rachel's promise to tell me why she hated Ian, I approached her.

"So..." I started and Rachel simply looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "So?"

"You said you'd tell me what's up with you and Ian." Huffing, she responded. "Right now?"

"Yes, right now." I crossed my arms. I was certain that I looked a little sassy in that stance but did so anyway. "That way, you won't have a chance to escape like usual."

"Fine..." She sighed. "You obviously know we're both from the same branch."

"Kabra and I... we have a history." I froze at this news.

Noticing my reaction, she quickly added. "Not the romantic kind! Oh, no! Definitely not!" She waved her arms in panic. "I would rather drink poison than to be involved with him in that way!"

I didn't know why but I felt a little relief at this. However, my curiosity had also increased.

"I might have said that wrong; let me rephrase that... Our families have a history."

"The Kabras and my family were said to be close." She looked at me, shame written on her face. "So close that we used to be partners in crime."

"Our ancestors were friends, like two peas in a pod and all that. It didn't help that we thought alike, both of us being Lucians."

"What happened? Your story is the opposite of how you guys are treating each other." I protested. "It's really obvious that you despise each other instead of being buddies."

"I'm getting there, Amy." She said flatly, staring at me, daring me to interrupt her again. I looked down at my shoes, breaking eye contact and muttered an apology. I knew she didn't like being interrupted... ever. It was one of her pet peeves.

She sighed before continuing. "It was bad enough that we were ruthless Lucians but being Cahills, we betray and cheat others. So, to answer your question, that's what happened."

"The stories vary but one thing's for sure: one of us betrayed the other. My family says the Kabras sold us out during a heist but I wouldn't be surprised if the Kabras say otherwise."

"As much as I try, I can't shake the sense of suspicion I've always had towards them." I lifted my head to see her looking at Ian who was enjoying some of the pastries provided. "Maybe it's built in me or something..."

"So, you immediately feel that way for every Kabra family member?" I inquired and Rachel shook her head.

"Not immediately; I'll obviously give them a chance when they're still innocent. But..." She frowned and looked at the flute of juice in her hand. "... You can always tell when they start having a mischievous glint in their eyes, like they're thinking of something that they shouldn't be."

"That's when I mentally label them as a threat." She looked at me. "Those snakes hardly ever change their ways."

"Isabel and Vikram were at the top of the list. Even from the moment I saw them." A shiver ran down my spine when I heard their names. I don't blame her for not trusting them. They're the most vicious of the Lucians from what I know.

"They had this sense of... evil surrounding them." She clenched her teeth and spat out the words as though they were venom. "Fake smiles, deadly looks and cunning thoughts. The full package."

"I thought of Ian and Natalie that way too. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree and all that stuff..."

She looked at Ian again and then me. "But there's something different now, ever since the clue hunt ended."

Rachel pursed her lips and looked as if she was contemplating whether to tell me something. Finally, she sighed.

"Amy... I think you should give the guy a shot..." She looked as though she hated saying the words. "He's changed, I think. Well, I hope, really."

"We... Ian and I are just friends or... something close to that." I said slowly, confused. "I think I've already given him a shot."

"I mean in the romance department, Amy." I stared at her in shock.

Rachel rolled her eyes exasperatingly and sighed dramatically. "Oh, don't look at me like that! Even Dan can see that the British snake has an effect on you."

"You like him, Amy. Nobody's going to kill you if you admit it."

I blushed wildly, the blood rushing to my cheeks making the room feel ten times warmer. But I wasn't expecting what she said next.

"And... he likes you." She lifted her head, her features soft as she looked at Ian. "This snake... no, Ian... he's learning to have a heart."

"I'm not saying to date him immediately." She placed a hand on my shoulder. "I'm just saying... to leave that door open."

"Worse comes to worse, you can shut it in his face and the girls and I can finish him off for you." She said as though it was the most logical thing to do.

"I-I... Rac-... wha-?" I was so confused right now. Was she asking me to date Ian but not right now? Even when she treated him so coldly? And what does she mean by finishing him? Like beat him up? For a supposedly direct person, she can really make my head spin.

"What I'm saying is that all of us know you have a thing for him – don't deny it – and he has a thing for you – yuck –" She physically blanched at that. "And as much as I will always have something against him, I think you should consider being with him but don't rush into it. That's one of the biggest dating mistakes; few relationships started like that last long."

"For someone who has a grudge against relationships, you sure have a lot of opinions and advices on it." I weakly made a joke. She is taking this too seriously; it's not like we'll get married or something. We're 15 for goodness sakes!

"Just saying." She raised her hands as if to surrender.

I looked at Ian who was... What was he doing? Oh, he was on his cellphone...

"But-" I turned to talk to Rachel but she had already left. I sighed and crossed my arms defensively.

I don't like Ian. He's a smug, cheating, charming, handsome, sma- Did I just say he's charming, smart and handsome?! Good job, Amy. Even when you're trying to insult him, you gave him a compliment. Wonderful...

"And now I'm arguing with myself..." I muttered, rubbing my forehead. "Times like these make me think I have multiple personality issues..."

Sighing, I made a decision. I won't push Ian away but I won't try to flirt with him or whatever. Destiny, faith and all that will have to do its trick if I'm supposed to date Ian or something. Eww...

Only time can tell... and I don't mind waiting. I have enough patience training from taking care of Dan.

Well, there's that! I'm sitting at my study desk at 1.30 in the morning to finish this chapter. I also took 5 days to write it! Be grateful, I haven't studied for my Physics and Chemistry exams yet and I still have 5 assignments to finish in 2 days.

This story is going to be on temporary hiatus again after this post because I'M IN COLLEGE! And I haven't been writing for a long time, my creative writing skills have definitely slowed down quite a bit more than it had already.

Go on and give me hate mail and stuff like that for not posting often, I deserve every bit you all throw at me. Good night.