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Elle’s Bachelorette Challenge - Day 5

As usual, the minutes directly after elimination were used by the people in theobservation house to take care of their needs, so whi le Akor was leaving thebachelorette house, Marina enjoyed a peaceful few minutes to herself. She was veryhappy to have all her favorite people in one place again, but her favorite people wereall such big personalities that sometimes, it was hard to keep up with them.

“Lunch dishes are cleaned up,” Spencer reported, walking back into the room.

“Thanks, dude.”

“No problem. Any activity yet?”

Marina scrolled around the screen. “She’ s brewing the tea now. Not quite. Itshouldn’ t be much longer, though. Where’ s everybody else?”

“I’ ll give you one guess as to where Rhys and De are.”

“Oh my God, in the middle of the day? They can’ t hang onto their pants unti l bedtimeat least? Gah.”

“Does it really surprise you? He’ s a Romance Sim. We do our reunions thoroughly.”

“What surprises me is that you can say that with a straight face about your own sonand your ex. Be honest, Spencer, does it bother you?”

He shrugged. “A little, but not as much as it did. Speaking honestly I saw it coming along time ago. And, well, Rhys is my son. He’ s spent enough time hating me as it iswithout my needing to pick a fight over something pointless.”

“You’ re a trooper, Spencer.”

“Thanks, Marina.” He glanced over at the couch. “Apparently Zuzu and Dom got in themood, too.”

Marina lowered her voice. “What do you think of Dom, by the way?”

“Trying to figure out if I’m jealous?” he smi led knowingly.

“Jealous?”

“Well, I do know how much you like him. It’ s kind of obvious from the way you’ vetalked about him.”

“Please. I couldn’ t like anybody better than you and you know it.”

Spencer smirked. “Just checking. I like him a lot. He’ s very personable and beingaround him has helped Zuzu recover some self-esteem, which I obviously appreciate.”

“Glad to hear it,” Marina said. “Now, the main issue is how we’ re going to get thecouch back once it’ s time to sit down again.”

Spencer laughed. “Everyone’ s paired off but us, haven’ t they?”

“Meh, we’ ll deal.”

Noticing how engrossed Marina was in the computer, Spencer decided to have a li ttlefun with her. Slouching on his hips as sexi ly as possible, he whispered, “Wanna makeout?”

“I’d rather kiss a frog,” Marina said, without looking up.

He grinned. “That’ s just nasty. Have some standards, Marina. I’m a much betterkisser than a frog would be.”

“You’ re sick.”

“You know you want to.”

“Spencer, do the words ‘ negative chemistry’ mean anything to you?”

“Oh, I bet we could bump it up a bolt if we tried hard enough.”

She finally looked up, eyes narrowed. “You really enjoy getting a rise out of me, don’ tyou.”

“Every time,” he said cheerfully. “Come on, out of that chair.”

“Hell no. You touch me, you die.”

“I was joking, Marina,” he said patiently, taking her by the arm and helping her up.“You need to take a break before you develop a hunchback from bending over that thingso long.”

“But someone needs to monitor Elle--”

“I’ ll do it. I think I know enough about how all this works to manage for a couplehours, at least. You can have the computer back after the tea date.” He paused. “Whyi s i t tea, anyway? What happened to hot tubs?”

“Spencer, you have met Elle, right?”

“…right. Forget I asked.”

He took Marina’ s place at the computer, and she turned to yell up the stairs. “Rhys!De! We’re ready, but you can’ t come back down here unti l you’ ve put clothes on!”

“Fine with us!” a slightly muffled voice called in reply, followed by a giggle.

Spencer barked a laugh whi le Marina groaned. “I guess we’ ll have less obnoxiouscommentary from the peanut gallery, at least.”

***

If asked, Elle would have said that the tea dates were her favorite part of being in abachelorette challenge. They provided a nice, calm, neutral setting, which shedesperately needed after each elimination because they only got harder as the dayswent by. She also enjoyed chatting with her new favorite guys and getting to knowmore about them through the little things. Casual conversations could sometimes bemore telling than heart-to-hearts, not that she was opposed to either one.

And today, everybody in the house would get to come to tea and no one would be leftout.

Stuart and Ham were the first ones to arrive. “Hey, guys,” she said, happy to seethem. “Give me a sec and I’ ll have your tea ready.”

“There is no hurry,” Stuart said. “We are sti ll waiting on Mr. Whedon.”

“He wished to use the faci li ties before joining us,” Ham explained, “and asked us toinform you that he was doing so.”

“That’ s fine. Thanks for passing it on.”

“You seem a li ttle subdued,” Ham noted whi le she poured Stuart’ s tea.

“I guess. I don’ t like sending people home. That’ s the only part I really hate about thiswhole thing.”

“There is nothing wrong with that,” Stuart said. “It shows greatness of character.”

She half-laughed. “That won’ t make it any easier. But I’m trying not to think aboutthat right now. Thanks, though, both of you. I appreciate the concern.”

Just then, Liam came upstairs and practically slid into his seat. “I’m here,” he huffed.

Elle laughed, genuinely this time. “It’ s not a race, Liam.”

“It used to be,” he retorted, “and it’ s habit now.”

“Catch your breath,” Stuart advised, looking amused. “There is plenty of time.”

“Have you decided on a question for today, Miss E--uh, Ellie?” Ham asked, whi le shepoured Liam his tea.

“Yeah, I’ ve got one. I want to know what everyone’ s middle names are. I mean, if it’ sreally embarrassing you don’ t have to say, but I’m curious. I’ ll start, and we’ ll goclockwise, opposite from yesterday. Okay?”

“That sounds perfectly fair.”

“My dad’ s really sentimental,” Elle began, “so my siblings and I all got our middlenames from fami ly members who’ ve passed away. They would have been our firstnames if my mom hadn’ t talked him out of it. So I’m Elle Narissa, after my great-grandmother.” The three boys responded in varying degrees of “pretty” and “hownice,” which made her smi le. “Yeah, I like i t too. How about you, Stuart?”

“My middle name is Wi lliam,” Stuart said, smi ling, “after my grandfather, a trulywonderful man. He did much for my fami ly, including bui lding that thriving businessempire I told you about, Ellie. We owe him a lot, and I am proud to bear his name.”

“I am also named for my grandfather,” said Ham, delighted at the coincidence.“Although his name was Fitzwi lliam and I am simply Wi lliam. I was born whi le hewas sti ll li ving, however, so I am called Ham or Hammy at home to differentiate us.”

“Is ‘Ham’ derived from your middle name, then?”

“It is. Indeed, I have two middle names. My mother has a sense of humor. They areHampson, where ‘Ham’ comes from, and Walter.” At this he made a face. “I mustadmit I do not care much for my second middle name and am exceedingly grateful thatit is not the name my parents chose to refer to me by.”

Liam snorted. “You think that’ s bad? Mine is Angel.” That earned him threeincredulous stares from the others. “No, I’m serious. Liam Angel Whedon i s my fullname.”

“Did you have a relative called Angel?” Stuart asked.

“No, as far as I can tell my mom either had a sadistic sense of humor or she was justa crackpot.” The last part was said with less venom than the last time they had talkedabout his fami ly, which was an encouraging sign that he was in a good mood. “At leastit’ s not my first name.”

“So half of us hate our middle names, and half of us love them,” Elle observed, smi ling.

“I only dislike one of mine,” Ham pointed out. “The other I am perfectly content with.”

“I would’ ve thought you’d take more offense to Hampson,” Liam said.

“It has a certain ring to it that I enjoy. However, Walter sounds like the name of afifty-year-old man, and I am not anywhere near that age.”

“And how old are you?”

Ham colored a li ttle. “You can hardly expect me to say.”

Liam laughed. “Oh come on, you’ re not that old. Twenty-five tops, I bet.”

As Ham continued to blush and stammer, Elle and Stuart laughed and attempted to helphim whi le Liam egged him on.

It was such a relaxing, fun time that Elle hated to end it, but after the allotted threehours she reluctantly got up and began to pack up the tea set. “Well, you guys know thedeal by now, I guess. We’re going to have one-on-one time after this downstairs inthe room we usually use in the morning. You guys can decide the order betweenyourselves, okay?” Receiving affirmation from each of the guys, she smi led. “Okay.I’m going to head down there and I’ ll see you all in a bit.”

“So you never did tell me what I’m supposed to be doing with the guys right now,” Ellesaid to her earpiece, settling on the couch to wait for her first visitor.

“No, I guess I didn’ t,” Marina replied. “I did come up with my notes though, so ifyou’ re ready I can tell you now.”

“Okay, go for it.”

“You’ re going to give them each a kiss.”

“WHAT?”

Marina recoi led from the screen. “Ellie, my ears!”

“You don’ t seriously expect me to--”

“Oh yes, I do, and now you owe me for blasting my eardrums. It’ s not like I’m tellingyou to make out with them. One kiss each, on the mouth, and it doesn’ t have to lastlonger than you want it to.”

“But--”

“And I’m putting you on a timer this time. You get five minutes each to work up theguts to get it over with.”

“I can’ t do it!”

“Yes, you can, Elle. You can’ t tell me you haven’ t thought about it before.”

“But--but what if they don’ t want to?”

“They wi ll.”

“You don’ t know that.”

“Ellie, each of the guys who is sti ll there wants to be there, and they know whatthey’ re there for. I highly doubt they’ re not going to be on board with this. Just gofor it. You’ ll like it, I promise.”

“But--”

“Heads up, Stuart’ s on his way in.”

“ACK!”

She had bare seconds to calm herself down before Stuart walked in, completelyunaware of what had just transpired and immediately concerned when he saw thatElle was looking a bit nauseous. “Are you i ll?” he asked.

“No, no, I’m fine,” she said quickly, with a small, nervous laugh.

“Are you quite sure? You look a bit faint. I would be more than happy to escort you toyour room--”

“Thank you, no,” Elle said, getting up determinedly. “I’m fine. Really. Just a li ttlenervous.”

Stuart smi led. “There is no need for that, is there? I was under the impression thatthe two of us were quite comfortable with each other by now.”

She shrugged, relaxing a li ttle bit--but only a li ttle. “I’m more than comfortable withyou, Stuart. Sometimes things come up, that’ s all.”

“What do you mean?”

Five minutes. She was so embarrassed and scared she couldn’ t even say it. “I-I’mworried you’ re not going to like what I’m going to do,” she managed.

“And what were you planning on doing?” he asked gently.

Five minutes. Five minutes. Five minutes. She took a breath and made herself move,putting her hands on his shoulders and glancing deliberately at his mouth beforeraising her eyes to his. “Would you mind if I…”

His eyes widened a bit. “Are you sure?”

“I won’ t do it if you don’ t want me to.” She hesitated. “But…I really, really want to.”

Stuart seemed surprised by this statement, but it quickly faded into a smi le. “Youhave my permission,” he said softly.

Elle had never kissed anyone before and had heard so many descriptions of what itwas like that she hardly knew what to expect. The first kiss, in particular, was apoint of contention. Some people said it was wonderful. Magical. Fireworks behindthe eyes. Others said the first kiss was a li ttle odd, and not that special unless itwas with someone you really liked.

She discovered quickly that yes, it was a li ttle odd, but in a way that she enjoyed. Sheliked Stuart quite a lot and kissing him and having him kiss her back and hold herclose to him was really, really nice. After the initial fears of having him reject herand that she wouldn’ t be any good at it, she found that it was something she could getused to.

After the two of them pulled apart, they stood there for a moment smi ling stupidly ateach other. “So,” Stuart said after a moment, “i s that the modern way of doing thesethings?”

“I wouldn’ t know,” Elle said, giggling a li ttle in spite of herself. “That was my firsttime.”

“I would not have guessed.”

“Oh, sure you would have. Maybe I wasn’ t bad at it but I was terrified. You saw.”

“You should not have to feel that way around me, ever,” Stuart said. “I liked it, and Ilike you, and I would not be averse to a repeat performance.”

He likes me! Elle thought, beaming.

Their date ended there because the timer went off and Elle settled down on the couchin a slight daze to wait for the next arrival, which turned out to be Liam. Looking upat him and knowing she was going to have to kiss him within the next five minutesbrought a new wave of apprehension. “Hi , Liam,” she said shyly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Hello, Elle. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, fine.” Determinedly, she got on her feet. Five minutes. Just do it.

“So, what’ ve you got for me?” he asked conversationally, as he had that morning.

“Well…” She bit her lip, thinking about her approach. “This is probably going to cometotally out of the blue, but…what would you say if I asked you if I could kiss you?”

Liam blinked in surprise, and then his lips curled into a smirk. “I’d ask you why youwere asking instead of just doing it.”

That was all the encouragement she needed.

Liam was a completely different kisser than Stuart was. Possibly because of hismore reserved background, Stuart’ s had been gentle and sweet, almost questioning. Itsurprised Elle how quickly Liam took control. It wasn’ t rough, exactly, but verythorough. The only thing she could do was follow along, not that she minded. Therewas an extra something odd about it that she couldn’ t quite place, however.

They separated somewhat breathlessly.

“So, how do I rate?” Elle asked after a moment.

Liam smi led. “As a kisser? Not bad.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Not bad?”

“Uh, I meant to say good. You’ re exceptional.”

“That’ s better.” They looked at each other for a few seconds, and then burst outlaughing.

“Right, I should go,” Liam said, as they recovered and the timer went off. “Feel freeto drag me into a closet later if you want another of those, though.”

“I’ ll remember it,” she replied, sti ll trying not to giggle.

The sun had gone down by the time Ham arrived, and Elle couldn’ t help smi ling as shelooked up when he entered. She had mixed expectations of this one. People didn’ t justgo around kissing each other where Ham was from either, and she wasn’ t totally surehe’d be comfortable with it. At the same time, since the first day he had been prettywi lling to go along with the designated activities, so he probably wouldn’ t tell her notto. “Hi , Ham.”

“Hello, Ellie,” he said, politely, but smi ling widely.

Because the first two kisses had gone well after she’d taken the plunge, withoutpreamble she stood up and reached for him. “Is it okay if I kiss you?”

She had obviously taken him by surprise with this request, but after spluttering for abrief moment, he cleared his throat and nodded. “Ah, I think that would be nice, yes.”

This kiss was completely different from the first two. Ham took a bit to get into it,but after that he happi ly went along with whatever she did. The fact that he hardlyever took the lead was a li ttle frustrating, but he made up for it with his eagerresponses. At the same time, however, he took things easy, which Elle was gratefulfor as Liam had left a bit of a bruise.

This time, Ham was the first to pull away, his expression a mixture of appalled andpleased. “Oh good heavens, I am sorry,” he began.

Elle frowned. “What for? I started it.”

“Yes, but I was taking dreadful liberties with you--”

She had to laugh. “That was nice, Ham. I wouldn’ t have minded if you’d taken more.”

“Really?” he asked, color creeping into his cheeks.

“Really, si lly.”

He giggled a bit with pleasure and embarrassment. “Oh. Well. I rather thought it wasnice, too.”

After she sent Ham out, she stayed in the room alone a moment, running her fingersover her lips in a stunned fashion. Kissing someone was a very new experience forher, and she had always assumed she would like it--why would people kiss each otherin general, if they didn’ t?--but she was surprised by how much she liked it. It couldbecome an addiction if she wasn’ t careful.

A quick tap at the door brought her back to the present. “Yeah?”

“May I come in?” Stuart’ s voice came.

“Oh, sure.”

The door opened and he slipped inside, looking a bit pensive. “What’ s up?” she asked.

“Oh, nothing really. I only wanted to spend a li ttle more time with you before dinner.”

Elle smi led. “Sure. Do you want to play a game of pool or something?”

Stuart shifted his stance a li ttle. “Well, I suppose we could. To be honest, I wassimply hoping we could talk.”

She didn’ t like the sound of that. “What’ s wrong? You’ re not upset that I kissed you,are you?”

“Oh, goodness no,” he said, looking slightly horrified that she would suggest such athing, which was encouraging. “I enjoyed it. I only wished to--”

Abruptly, he reached up to touch her face. Elle, completely stunned, stood frozen to thespot. “I find it very, very difficult,” he said softly, “to keep from overstepping mybounds outside the designated times that the two of us spend alone together, and Ifear after this it wi ll only be more difficult.”

“Stuart--”

“I care for you a great deal, Elle Fitzhugh,” he continued, as if he hadn’ t heard her. “Imay even be falling in love with you. I apologize if hearing this distresses you, but Ifeel that you must know.”

As a woman of sense, Elle reacted to this confession in the most appropriate waypossible.

She ran away.

She made it as far as the dining room before Stuart caught up. “Ellie, please wait,” hepleaded. “I am so sorry, I should not have said it--”

That brought her to her senses and she turned to face him. “Don’ t apologize. I’m gladyou said it.”

“Then why did you run?”

“I…well, i t’ s--it’ s like when you want something, like you really, really want it, andyou dream about it for a long time and fantasize about how it might happen and thenall of a sudden…it happens.” She smi led faintly. “And you don’ t know what to dobecause you never actually thought it would.”

Stuart laughed a li ttle, taking her hands. “So you ran.”

“That’ s my instinct for everything, I guess.”

“I did mean every word,” he said seriously.

She bit her lip. “I’m not sure if it’ s fair to tell you I feel the same way when I can’ tmake any commitments right now. I have an obligation to finish the week.”

“Does that mean you do feel the same way?” he asked, looking hopeful.

She could hardly resist that. “Yes, I do.”

“Then I wi ll be satisfied with that unti l you make your decision.”

“Thanks. That’ s all I need.”

***

The rest of the evening passed in a bit of a haze and Elle went to bed early. The nextmorning, she got up at the usual time and shook the sleepiness out of her eyes, tryingto focus. “Morning, Ellie,” Marina greeted her.

“Mornin’ ,” she mumbled.

“How are you feeling?”

“’m okay.”

“Good. Ready to hear what you’ re going to be doing today?”

Elle blinked as she came to the full realization of where she was. “Oh God. I have tosend someone home again today.”

“I know. Any idea who i t’ s going to be?”

“No, I can’ t do it. I don’ t want to.”

“Ellie, you’ ve got to.”

“But I like them all. I don’ t want to hurt anyone. It’ s like you said yesterday, they allwant to be here and I have to tell one of them to go away.”

“Honey, I know it’ s going to be hard. I like them all too and so does your sister. Butface it, you don’ t want to date all three of them at once, do you?”

She sighed. “No, not really. But I really do like them all. I just don’ t know.”

“You don’ t have to decide right now. Flirting first, maybe that’ ll help you get yourthoughts in order. Then after elimination do your last tea date, and after that, I’ vegot something special in mind for you to do with the guys.”

“If you spring kissing on me again--”

“No, no kissing. Not unless you want to. There is formal wear involved, though. I puta nice dress in the wardrobe for you and you should do your hair nicely.”

“Oh. Well, that sounds kind of fun.”

“We’ ll talk about the rest later this afternoon.”

“Fair enough, I guess. Ugh, I stink. I’m going to take a shower and then headdownstairs.”

“Good luck, Elle.”

“Thanks, Marina.”

An hour later at the observation house, one last, somewhat unexpected arrival madeher way up the porch stairs in search of the occupants.

“These toaster pastries smell great, De.”

“I know, right? I can’ t wait to eat them, I’m starving. Stupid ‘Serve’ coding.”

“Chi ll out, you’ re almost done. And thanks, by the way.”

“You’ re welcome--hey, I think someone’ s at the d--”

At that moment, Ursula Fitzhugh strolled calmly through the door without knockingand sniffed the air appreciatively. “Something smells good in here,” she announced.

“Ursula!” Marina cried, delighted. “I didn’ t think you were coming!”

“Yeah, changed my mind. Howdy, and all that. What’ s cooking?”

At the sound of the door opening, Spencer walked over to greet the new arrival. “Hey,you. How’s my favorite granddaughter?”

“I thought Narissa was your favorite,” Ursula replied, amused.

“You’ re all my favorite. How are you?”

“I’m peachy, thanks. It’ s good to see you--it’ s been a whi le.”

“Yeah, it has. What have you been up to?”

She smirked. “Well, Isaac and I migrated to Riverblossom Hi lls, he had a plantbaby,and we got married and had a kid and adopted a Bigfoot.”

Spencer laughed. “Sounds exciting, congratulations.”

“Never a dull moment. Thanks.”

Marina grinned at this exchange, and shifted slightly to yell up the stairs. “Rhys! Getyour butt down here, you’ ve got a visitor!”

“Tell them to wait, I’m busy cleaning this toi let!” was the reply.

“The toi let can wait!”

“The hell i t can! De trained me too well, I have OCD now!”

“It’ s your daughter, you jerk!”

“…well why didn’ t you say so?”

“Because I was trying to surprise you!”

“Yeah, well…bite me!”

“Real mature, Rhys…real mature.”

“Those two really don’ t get along any better than they ever did, do they?” Ursulacommented, as Rhys hurried down the stairs.

Spencer just smi led. “You can tell when two people hate each other, Urse. That’ s notwhat this is.”

“Hey, kiddo.” Rhys greeted his daughter with a big hug.

“Hey, Dad. Missed you.”

“I missed you too. How are you doing?”

“I’m great. How are you?”

He smirked a bit. “Pretty darn good myself. It’ s nice to be back among the living for abit.”

“I bet it is.”

“Hey, I think you made it just in time for breakfast. Want something to eat? It lookslike someone just made toaster pastries.”

“Yeah, okay, sounds good.”

The two of them sat down at the table with Marina, who glanced up from her toasterpastry to welcome them and then turned to Spencer. “Hey, Spencer, can you watch thescreen for me and tell me when Elle starts the flirting dates?”

“Sure thing, Marina.”

“Thanks, dude.”

***

Elle had always had a brain that moved hundreds of mi les per hour to make up for thefact that her mouth couldn’ t go nearly that fast. During the flirting dates, she triednot to let it run away, but the impending elimination was always present in herthoughts no matter how hard she tried to push it back.

Ham came down first, and as usual he was very sweet. Elle enjoyed being in hiscompany and his investment in winning was obvious. She wasn’ t sorry she had kepthim as long as she had.

She certainly didn’ t want to send him away now, either. She cared about him toomuch at this point to hurt him. But was that a good enough reason to keep him? Didshe hate to send him home more for his sake, or hers? She wasn’ t sure.

Then there was Stuart, whom, if she were honest, she had worried over more thanonce over the course of the week. They got along well, and she liked him a lot, but shehadn’ t been able to help wondering if he felt the same way. There had been times whenshe thought he did, and others when his Victorian upbringing left her unsure.

Now she knew for sure that he was interested. What he had said the previous nightleft her with no doubt of that. She really wanted Stuart to stay too, more than evernow that he had finally spoken up.

And she also had Liam to consider. She also cared about him, hated to hurt him, andwanted him to stay. He presented a completely different problem than Ham andStuart, however. Pleasant as he could be, when he tried, the apocalypse issue stoodbetween them like a brick wall, and there was something she had with Ham andStuart that she didn’ t have with him…or maybe it was the other way around.

Even so, she thought she was getting somewhere with him. They became morecomfortable with each other as they went, and she genuinely enjoyed being around himmost of the time. She didn’ t want to ruin it by sending him home now.

It was a difficult decision, and she was no closer to making it once the flirting dateswere over. Frustrated, she went to have some gelatin, hoping the fresh blood sugarwould help her think a li ttle better.

When she had finished her food, she wandered into the living room, and finding Liamthere, asked him if he’d like to play some pool with her. He agreed, and she set up theballs whi le he grabbed them a couple of pool cues.

“So,” he said, after a moment’ s si lence. “How are you holding up?”

She smi led faintly. “I’m hanging in there. With difficulty.”

“Yeah, I don’ t envy you right now.”

“You’ re awfully calm considering there’ s about an hour unti l someone goes home.”

“I don’ t see any point in freaking out about it.”

“Yeah, I guess there isn’ t.”

Elle contemplated the table in front of her for a long moment before she spoke again.“I really, really hate this. All three of you mean a lot to me. I don’ t want any of you togo.”

He laughed a li ttle. “That’ s comforting.”

“I’m sorry, I just…I didn’ t think it would come to this when I told Azula and Marina Iwould do it. I didn’ t expect to be so invested. Frankly, I didn’ t expect any of you tobe, either.”

Liam shut his eyes, not responding for a moment. Just when Elle had resigned herselfto an otherwise si lent game, he spoke again. “Would it make things easier if I askedyou to send me home?”

Horrified, Elle sucked in a breath. “Liam, don’ t you dare say that unless you want meto.”

“I don’ t know, Elle. Maybe you should. I’ ve got a lot of baggage, you know. I wouldn’ tblame you if you didn’ t want to deal with that anymore, especially since you’ ve gottwo other guys here who are the epitome of chivalry and don’ t have my problems.”

“Stop it.”

“I mean it.”

“I didn’ t ask you that. Do you want to go home or not?”

He sighed deeply, shoulders sagging a li ttle. “No. I don’ t.”

She nodded si lently and abruptly moved to put away her pool cue. “I’ ve got to go think.I’m not doing the elimination in front of everyone today, so if you don’ t see mepersonally at noon it means you’ re staying. If you see the other guys around, pass iton please.”

“Sure.”

By noon, she had made her decision and walked all over the house in search of the guyshe had to send home. She found Ham in the front yard raking leaves and approachedhim, trying to smi le and completely fai ling. “Hi , Ham.”

“Afternoon, Ellie,” he said cheerfully. “Have you made your decision yet?”

“Yes, I have.”

At her tone, he looked up with a start, saw her expression, and understood. “Oh.”

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes.

He hesitated for a moment, and then gathered her into a hug. “I implore you, do notcry,” he said urgently. “I could not bear it if you did.”

“This sucks.” Elle hung on for dear life. “This really, really sucks. I don’ t want to dothis to you. I don’ t want you to go.”

Ham tightened his hold on her. “Then let me stay.”

“I can’ t. If I did I’d only hurt you worse later and I couldn’ t stand that. Leading youon would be the worst thing I could possibly do to you.”

“In that case, I wi ll have to bear it like a gentleman.” The words were brave, but hisunhappiness was clear. “Whi le I am disappointed, I do not fault you for doing whatyou must.”

Elle pulled back, somehow mustering a smi le. “Thank you. I’m glad you came here andthat I got to know you. You’ re a wonderful guy, Ham, really, you are. I wish you allthe luck in the world.”

“I wish you the same, and I hope whoever you choose wi ll endeavor to deserve you.”

“Keep in touch?”

“Certainly, I shall.”

“Marina?”

“Not now, De. I have to make sure Ham gets to his cab okay and talk to Elle beforeshe starts the tea date.”

“I have to tell you something. It’ s important.”

“If it’ s not life or death, save it.”

De laughed nervously. “Uh, it might be my death.”

“…what did you do?”

“Please don’ t ki ll me.”

“Deanna, what did you do?”

“I’m pregnant.”

***

And that’ s the end of Day 5, people! Look out for Day 6, which should be up by the endof the week, to find out who Elle chooses and what this wi ll mean for the Apoc! Unti lthen, Happy Simming ^_^

Thanks once more to Cait for the beautimous cover and her help in beating up mywriter’ s block, and to all the writers of the bachelors for their loan and assistance inwriting them.

Turn the page, as usual, for the scores -->

“COMPUTER PLZ.”

“Hell no, you and your underwear are not contaminating my sacred Apple laptop.”

Rhys: *stalk stalk stalk*

Scores

Stuart - 100/63 = 163 (best friends, mutual crush)

Liam - 100/53 = 153 (best friends, mutual crush)

Ham - 100/50 = 150 (friends, mutual crush)