Title: "She's Got A Way"
Author: weakmoments
Fandom: Once and Again
Parings/Characters: Grace/Eli, Jessie/Katie, rest of cast mentioned
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: I in no way own any part of Once and Again or the characters, just borrowing and playing a little bit. I own no part of the song "She's Got A Way" by Billy Joel...it was just my inspiration for this story.
Warnings/Spoilers: Finale of Once and Again
Genre: A bit of angst maybe...
Summary: Eli and Grace need a friendly little push in the right direction
Author's Note: Not beta'd but had to share or I wouldn't ever end up sharing it. Also, I know the show has been over for years but I just miss it terribly and feel the need to keep writing for it! Hope y'all don't mind...



"You've got it bad for her Eli. Jessie told me about the two of you being in denial but I never really got it until today. Look at you. You can't take your eyes off of her." Katie stood in front of Eli trying to convince him it would be a wonderful idea for him to dance with Grace but she hasn't had any luck as of yet. She was stubborn and not giving up no matter how long it might take or what lengths she might have to go to.

"What?"

"Grace. You want Grace."

"No." He shook his head thinking it might make Katie see she was wrong but when he saw the look on her face he knew he was in trouble.

Katie sighed and glared at him in frustration. "Look, it is driving your sister batty and because I care about her, don't look at me that way because it won't change how I feel. Anyway, I explained to her how I would get you out there on the dance floor with Grace with your arms around her and her arms wrapped all around you. The two of you will both be swaying to the music and will be dancing for at least one entire song."

"Just give up Katie. He's not going to admit to anything if he hasn't already." Jessie had strolled over to the two of them after having a little conversation of her own with Grace knowing she hadn't gotten any farther with her step sister than Katie had gotten with her brother. "Grace however...” her voice trailed off in hopes of making Eli admit to something if he was suckered into thinking that maybe, possibly Grace had said something about him.

"Grace would not say anything to you Jess so drop it." Eli started to walk away, attempting to remove himself from their glares and annoying ideas but they wouldn't let him escape. "Why are you so sure I like her huh?"

"Because you've been watching her since we got here Eli. You've been watching her as long as Dad has been in love with Lily for that matter and you know you have."

His sister was right and in his gut Eli knew it. He had fought it tooth and nail from the first moment Grace Manning made his stomach do weird things ages ago but the more time that had passed, the more it seemed he was falling for her and he couldn't explain it. He didn't know why he might be falling for a girl like Grace. She was not his type at all. He might never have spoken to her if it wasn't for the fact his father had been in the office at the same time her mother was which was in actuality a little bit his fault because he had gotten in trouble again at school. They'd been thrown together because of their parents and he hated when she wasn't around him. He didn't know why but he couldn't for the life of him get her out of his head and he was certain he always wanted her in his life.

"Just dance with him already Grace." The girls had given up on convincing Eli to do the asking so they instead decided to gang up on Grace. She was one of those sweet girls that would do anything for anyone if it made them happy. Katie and Jessie used it to their advantage when they told Grace she could dance with Eli and the girls could dance together because people would be so focused on Eli and Grace that they wouldn't even see the two girls dancing closely in the corner.

Jessie could see that Grace was beginning to cave so she added "you know Katie and I wouldn't even be together if it weren't for you and the play so think of this as helping us along to a little bit more happiness."

That was all it took. Or it was the fact that Grace was sick and tired of hearing the two beg. "Fine. I will dance with him but he has to ask me. And I don't mean just walking over and motioning toward the floor. Eli has to walk over here, hold out his hand and ask me to dance like a proper" she was going to say date but considering he wasn't her date she had to change her wording and hope they hadn't noticed the slip by saying "like any proper boy asking a girl to dance."

"Okay, we'll get him." Jessie spoke excitedly and rushed over to Eli with Katie.

"Ask her and she'll dance with you!"

Eli jumped at the sound of her voice. "What? Damn it, you shouldn't run up on people like that, especially if they've got a drink in their hand. And don't give me that look Jess, it's punch."

"I didn't give you a look and you need to go over there, hold out your hand and ask Grace to dance like a proper boy would when he asks a girl to dance."

He stared at the two before asking "What'd you say to her to convince her we needed to dance at this thing?"

"Nothing, now go. Ask her before it's time to go."

He hesitated but knew they'd keep pestering him so he finished his punch, handed his plastic cup to his sister and said "Fine, here I go all proper like."

They couldn’t contain their giggles as they watched Eli walk across the room as slowly as they'd ever seen him walk before in his life. But true to his word, and by Grace's request, they watched him hold out his hand and say something. Grace smiled at him, looked at the girls, nodding to them in her own attempt to tell them it was fine and they could now dance before she accepted his hand and let him lead her to the dance floor.

His timing was completely off apparently because the song was already half over and a part of him was thankful while another part of him, that part of him that he had kept hidden for so long, was anything but thankful because once he had Grace in his arms he liked the way she felt a little more than he ever thought possible.

"I suppose Katie and Jessie are happy right now."

"Yeah, I guess." Eli had no idea why the two of them would be happy unless of course it had something to do with why Grace agreed to dance. He needed to know and sighed as the song ended, knowing he wouldn't have a chance to ask her.

The sound of piano keys filled the room and as Eli glanced over to where his sister was dancing with Katie in the corner he saw both of them giggling. His gaze scanned the room and watched as Jake took Tiffany's hand and led her to the dance floor somewhat close to where his father was dancing with Lily. "Okay, this must be an old song."

"Billy Joel."

"What?"

"Don't tell me you don't know Billy Joel."

Eli closed his eyes and sighed as it hit him like a ton of bricks. "This song." He shook his head and added "those two" before chuckling.
Grace grinned at him as he opened his eyes and looked at her. "They didn't want to use us as a distraction so they could dance."

He shook his head as he replied "nope" and smiled at her.

They danced as the song played through, listening to the words and enjoying their moment on the dance floor.

Eli found the courage to hold Grace a little closer to him and gently sighed as he felt her hair brush against his cheek. He lowered his head and leaned even closer to her so their cheeks touched ever so slightly. He breathed in her scent and was lost in everything he knew he loved about Grace. Everything the man was singing about in his simple song with just his voice and the piano. The song was pure and strong the same way Grace was and he knew exactly why his sister chose that song. He knew it was why the two were giggling the way they were when he walked across the room to ask Grace to dance. They knew what was in his heart and knew the only way to help was to make sure this song was playing the moment they convinced him to dance with Grace.

"I'm guessing they chose this song for a reason."

Eli knew this was one of those moments his mother had told him about when he was younger and would ask her questions about falling in love. The door was open and all he had to do was take that giant step inside and open his heart which would happen with only a few words spoken. "Yes" he uttered, completely uncertain how he would continue if she asked more questions but he knew that was inevitable.
Grace tilted her head toward Eli so she was leaning against him and into him. "It is a beautiful song. A little too short but the lyrics are powerful don't you think?"

"Yeah, I do" he replied. He held her hand close to his chest and rubbed the small of her back with his thumb praying there would be another song they could dance to because the last thing he wanted to do was let her go.

"Eli?"

"Yeah?"

The song was ending and they both knew this would be it for a while because they weren't sure how it would look if they remained this close in proximity without being on the dance floor. "Will you tell me why they wanted us here and why your sister chose this song?" There were only a few bars left and she prayed with all of her heart that Eli would answer her and tell her the truth.

"I..." he wasn't sure how he could tell her. He was never one for many words and more often than not, most of the words he chose were the wrong ones. The last notes of the song were playing and he could hear couples clapping along with laughter as Jake held Tiffany close and kissed her. Eli leaned close and whispered in Grace's ear, hoping she could hear him over the noise in the room. "They chose this song because I told Jessie a few months back it reminded me of you Grace. You inspire me, you get me all turned around, you make me want to be a better person and you don't even know you've done anything. You have a way that I can't explain but I know I would miss you if you weren't around." He let go of her hand but kept his other hand on her back as he led her off the dance floor and over to a quiet spot where they could talk. He couldn't completely let her go so as he brought his hand away from her back and around to her side he brought his other hand up to her cheek. "Thank you for the dance Grace Manning."

"It was my pleasure Eli Sammler."

They stood there for what seemed an eternity, neither hearing any of the sounds in the room around them, and Eli leaned closer. He kissed her right cheek and then her left. Eli kissed the tip of her nose and as gently as he has ever kissed anyone in his life he kissed her lips and his stomach did flips. It was the shortest of kisses but it was the most amazing kiss he had ever felt. His lips were on fire and as he pulled back from her ever so slightly he noticed she had tears in her eyes. "Grace, are..."

"No, I'm fine Eli. I...I just...the kiss was..." Grace could not form a proper sentence to save her life.

Eli grinned at her and spoke. "Yeah. It was. You...you're beautiful Grace."

"Eli." Rick and Lily had walked up behind their children and watched as they both jumped at the sound of Rick's voice.

"Gracie, we saw you dancing."

"Yes, we..." Grace wasn’t sure what she would say to her mother after the moment she just shared with Eli.

"I hope you don't mind that I asked Grace to dance. I danced with just about everyone else here and well, I figured I should dance with Grace too." Eli had no idea how much they saw but he thought maybe if he tried the best he could to play it off as just a dance there would be no more questions that night and they could enjoy it for at least a little while before the lectures began.

Lily stepped closer to Eli and gave him a hug. "It's fine. I figured it would happen sooner or later although I was hoping more for later rather than sooner. Don't you hurt my daughter and before you think I'm objecting to you that is something I would say to any boy that wanted to date my daughter." She kissed him on the cheek before letting go and stepping back next to her husband.

Rick gave Eli a look that his son has witnessed more than once so he knew exactly what his father was saying without ever hearing a word spoken. He watched as his son smiled and Rick grinned back before ushering Lily back to the dance floor.

"Well that was...interesting." Grace tilted her head and asked "What did my mother say to you?"

"She just doesn't want me hurting her daughter and said something about figuring this would happen." Eli held her hands in his and added "I have to admit I wasn't sure I'd have a chance."

Grace smiled warmly at Eli. "How could you not know? Seems everyone else knew before we did and I am forever grateful to your sister and Katie even if they had in fact misled us both because it was probably the only way this would happen wasn't it?"

"Probably." Eli gave her a peck on the cheek and asked "Can we get out of here without you getting into trouble for leaving your father's reception?"

"We'll say our goodbyes and be out of here in five."

It in fact took less than five minutes for Eli and Grace to leave the reception and head back to the house. They changed clothes, headed to his Mom's house to let her know what was happening. Grace and Eli left with her blessing and went to grab a cup of coffee along with the start of something pretty wonderful.

tis all