Jen

Thankies so much everyone! All the smiling emoticons for you all! That's a long list, Laura . Oh and Bec (matticus01), you are more than welcome. I sort of still have a ridiculous obsession with them being together, hence the current avatar.

Yes, I remember her certainty she was going to die, it seemed inevitable last year, didn't it? Re: Casey, I meant will he 'be there' for Dex or will he not want to deal with it and walk away? He is a mystery to me in the real series so I wonder what will happen in your fic Yeah, it's a shame the writer's sort of piked out and gave her the reprieve. Oh well. Ah, I see. You'll have to wait and see. Thank you so much .

Zetti - Thank you very much for the nice comment. I think whether there is this sort of invisible tie between Indi and Romeo, whether they like it or not. It's just sort of taking the time to figure out how they fit together. Red Ranger 1 - Like pregnancy, death is one of those things that I generally avoid writing. I just -- I never feel like I'm going to do it justice, or it will turn out totally superficial or something. But everything in this fic is basically a segue into more Indi/Dex scenes, because I can't get enough of that. Miranda - Remember that rumour/spoiler that Marilyn was going to die? Yeah, I used that when writing this fic. Like I said, I start this last year, so it was canon at the time! Ha! So much for that now. Like I've said above, I don't normally write death in fics because I'm worried people will think it's shallow and unnecessary to the plot of the story. What do you mean that you don't know what Casey will do? pembie - Ha! Yeah, Romeo sort of needs to have a vicious bird attack him sometimes. But thank you for the comment as well. Carina - Wow. Thank you. I don't know what else to say. soph1303 - Thanks for reading.

^ I just feel like it's been done to death. Dex was a completely unique character and as such there were probably at least 10 other ways to get April and Dex together without it involving April cheating on Xavier with Dex. I'm still a Dex fan, I adore his character, I'm just not a fan of his actions right now.

^ I agree to an extent. I don't dispise them together like you do, but I agree the whole April still being with Xavier is ruining things. The writers could have easily made the decision to have April be single (like she was for all that time after the chemical incident) when Dex realises he likes her and then kisses her. I would have been *so* on board with that, because it would have meant that we had two teenagers who finally got together without it involving any sort of cheating or going behind someone else's back. It would have been just as good a moment, if not better, because then Xavier wouldn't get hurt as a result.

I'd like to just echo the above comments. So. Much. Dex . My fangirling heart appreciates it. Adoring the colouring and cropping so much.

Whipped? I think Casey is like that with Ruby too, she's definitely in charge of him, so maybe he just likes it like that That's a whole different fic I could write. Update coming shortly.

Carina - Thanks! Dex is nothing, if not completely inappropriate. matticus01 - Glad you like the brother/sister relationship, because inadvertantly this fic turned into more Indi/Dex than Indi/Romeo. Oops! Zett - Thankies <3. Red Ranger 1 - The Indi/Romeo relationship is sort of strained at the moment, with neither really knowing where they stand. ldscott - Thank you. Dex/Casey is an unavoidable combination in my head. soph1303 - Thanks! pembie - Glad someone is feeling for Indi at this stage. Dex tends to be a bit of a scene stealer, doesn't he? Miranda - Ha! Gosh, I was so worried about doing a pregnant story (I've thought about it but haven't had the guts to see it through), so I'm stoked you think its okay. I did do some research, but I guess it's an individual thing, and you're right, I haven't been there so it's a bit of guess work. I'm relieved that it's somewhat believeable. EDIT: Also, Dex just likes to be in charge and Casey is sort of whipped .

Thank you so much for the wonderful comments Laura, Dingo, Zetti, Zoe, Carina, QA, Sabrina, ariana, and Lise . Those are probably some of my more ~hipster icons .

This, my friend, is quite possibily the greatest idea I've heard all night. Does someone want to right the fanfic or shall I?

^ Unfortunatelty the cuteness doesn't negate the fact that April has a boyfriend and is also making out with another boy on his lounge. Sadly.

I just ... I don't know. I can't. On the one hand, the Dex/April is quite cute. I mean, put Dex in a scene by himself and he's pretty adorable. But then you add April and their nerdiness and use of phrases like, "Capital L like" and I'm sitting and watching with my chin in my hands the entire time. The only thing that would probably be more cute, is like, Dex and a puppy. But that might explode my tv, from all the adorable. But anyways, I'm losing focus. So yeah, I think Dex/April is cute and I quite like them together. It's so nice to see someone liking Dex for who he is. And not making him feel awkward, and appreciating all the awesome that he is. It was so great to see April go after Dex, and that scene on the lounge was one of my faves. And yeah, them kissing (both times) was pretty darn great. But. But then on the other hand, Dex would never go after a girl. Dex pines, and longs, he doesn't make the first move. He's an awkward turtle, who has feelings he can't figure out, and values friendship, and would never turn into the guy who kisses a girl when she has a boyfriend. That is just the biggest no I can even think of. I don't care if he likes her or not, it's just a big fat NO. But they're so cute together, and Dex was so happy when she finally admitted to liking him to. But April is cheating on Xavier with Dex - No! I don't think I've ever seen Dex kiss with that much enthusiasm. Dex should run far away, because when Xavier inevitably finds out, Dex better watch out. But now they can make coupley videos for Dex's blog. Dex only did it because he was feeling lonely, and his sister has just gone off and got married, so he's wondering when he's going to find The One. They are good friends, it makes for them to take the next step. No! No no no no no. The adorable is too much. I just. Can't. Okay, I think that's everything. Just continue with your day.

Woah. Hold the phone. You wrote Geoff-fic?! How did I not know this? Bad Jen. But I've read it now, and adored it . Your Geoff and his future(s) is so perfect in terms of everything he could do with his life -- the church, the family, the football. Everything flashing before his eyes and fading in and out of reality was just so well written. The side Geoff/Lucas was wonderful as well, however intentional or not . Yes, I'm late the party, but I hope this comment makes up for it!

See, this is what is annoying me about the Dex/April thing. On all occasions we've seen Dex interact with girls, never once has he crossed the line of confessing/acting on feelings while the girl was already taken. What makes April so different? I'm totally okay with him having a little crush, but if he ever crosses that line of acting on it while April is still with Xavier I might cry. Dex doesn't do that. He isn't that love-crazy that he acts like Ruby and hooks up without thinking -- If anything Dex overthinks the situation, meaning he has it all planned out in his head, but would never act on it. That's why the videos were so good, because could say what he thought without having to deal with 'people'. I agree wholeheartedly about the Charlie/Joey 'storyline' as one big PR stunt. However, why is the footy/drinking option the norm? Maybe I'm getting too caught up in the semantics of it all, because obviously while H&A is popular, it isn't about to change peoples minds or the expectations of society. But that's sort of what I always admired about Dex. That he didn't care whether what he did was considered 'normal' or not. Yes, his dad had a problem with it, but Dex still made videos and still makes random references in every day conversation, and isn't going to change. I think it would be much more empowering to have a character be who he is, while sexuality becomes irrelevant. Ultimately, I realise that is never going to happen, because we are all so caught up with labels, but I guess the point I want to make is that I think conforming to the 'norm' is sort of stupid in order for something to be significant. Why can't Dex be who he is and be gay, and still not care what people think? I don't know if what I'm saying is even making sense, and I completely understand your perspective, but I keep getting flashbacks to the Kurt/Blaine/Karofsky situation on Glee in which you have one very flamboyant person, one more conservative character, and then the jock. I guess in a perfect world, or if the fans were in charge of the show, we could show all sides of the argument -- or make the point that weird=/=gay, but I guess what I'm trying to get at, is that I don't think Dex is weird at all. He's the normal one by comparison to the rest of the teens at the moment.

So, the hiatus is already too long and I'm trying to amuse myself. So I want to know; what are your top 5 songs from season 2? Mine; 1. Teenage Dream 2. I Feel Pretty/Unpretty 3. I Wanna Hold Your Hand 4. Don't You Want Me 5. Thriller/Heads Will Roll I'm pretty much set on my top 3, but I'm not completely convinced with my other two. I'm interested to see what other people think.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! Carina, Amy, Zetti, Sabrina, Lesley, Sarah, Zoe and Ariana -- you all are awesome .

Okay, so I’ve spent some time reading the posts in this thread, and I found some of the opinions really interesting. Obviously, I’m firmly in the Dex Likes Boys camp and don’t plan on changing any time soon, but it was fascinating to see where other Dex fans (I’m assuming we all are) sat on the possibility. The main argument I read against Dex being gay was that it would be too stereotypical. The nerdy, quirky boy, who doesn’t have many friends/girlfriends coming out as gay – Too predictable. But the thing we have to keep in mind is that all the characters on the show are, to some extent, stereotypes of a certain type of person. Casey is the Bad Boy – He wears dark t-shirts and ripped jeans and isn’t afraid of getting his fisted involved. Romeo is the surfer – He walks around without a shirt, has blonde hair, blue eyes, and has a similarly hot, bikini-babe girlfriend. Ruby is more on the ‘hippy’ side of things with her curly hair and feathers, she much prefers to go with her emotions rather than think things through. April is the European environmentalist, who is very passionate about issues and dresses in barets and scarves, and speaks French. Dex is on exactly the same level as these characters. He is no more of a stereotype, than Colleen is as the town gossip or Morag as the tough lawyer. We need to remember that these are characters and as such there are only so many layers to explore. The situations in which they find themselves are extraordinary, and not real to life, and that’s why we watch the show. But I guess I’m getting off point. I just think that saying Dex being gay is too stereotypical isn’t a very strong argument against it. I honestly don’t know if the writers intend to go that way or not. Some of the writing of the character makes me think that it is more plausible now than it was at the beginning of the year, purely because of some of the things he’s done/said/the way he interacts with girls. But I honestly wouldn’t be shocked if he remains straight. For me, it’s more about the fun of speculating, ‘what if’. And yes, I was one of those fangirls who were/are on the Gaden ship of fantasy which never happened. Did I realistically ever think it would? No. Was it fun to speculate? Heck yeah. And to a certain extent that is the appeal of shipping. The will they or won’t they of it all. I agree that I don’t want a gay storyline thrown in because the show is trying to be ‘current’ or cause controversy or score ratings, because that’s what they did with the Charlie/Joey debacle and it was just an atrocity. I feel like the show might be laying the ground work for something to happen with Dex -- the slip of the tongue, the disinterest in Miranda/Kate/Summer -- whether that is him figuring out himself, or something else I obviously can’t predict, but I’m waiting and seeing. As far as weird=gay and vice versa, I pretty much echo what’s been said already. Because as far as I’m concerned Dex is one of the most ‘normal’ characters we have on the show right now. He looks like guys I teach at high school, he has his own idiosyncrasies, and is clever and not afraid to show it. He stands up for himself and forms his own opinions. He’s not driven by sex or drugs or alcohol, but wanting to achieve. I think as far as ‘good role model’ characters, Dex takes the cake -- and if he so happens to be gay? Then he’s still going to be a good kid, and be hilarious, that isn’t going to change because of sexual orientation.

Dex for all the awards . Gorgeous icons, Sez. Glad to see you back! The first one is definitely my favourite.

Thanks for reading! Glad you love it . In answer to your question, honestly, it doesn't come up. I would assume given the nature of Summer Bay that it would get out. It's not like Indi specifically said that she didn't want anyone to know who the father was. I imagine Romeo wouldn't deny it either. Thanks for comment, again. Update is coming shortly.

Excuse me while I just ... asasgjk;adggadhh; *flails* Dex said, and I quote; "Kate and I, we're not really a couple." // "I'm paying her. Well, actually that sounds kind of suss. I'm tutoring her, and in return she's pretending to be my boyfriend."/"Don't you mean girlfriend?"/"Isn't that what I said?" boyfriend Called it. Dex likes boys, and is doing anything in his power to not think about the fact that he can't stare at Casey/Xavier/Romeo (take your pick) without getting butterflies. So he pretends to date girls, and convinces himself that he has a crush on April. I'm not calling his feeling for April fake, because to him they are real, it's just that it's all a front. Dex has never really had any friends -- so when someone shows him a scrap of attention that doesn't involve calling him names or pointing out how odd/weird he is, he takes it and latches on. It's a crush. What Dex confessed, however intentional of not, is something bigger. So, excuse me. I'm just going to go and complete my Dex/Casey fanfic, with the knowledge that I'm not making all this up in my head.

Carina - Thank you for reading! Wow, it means so much when you make comments about the characters/interactions, because they're the things I worry about. That they aren't going to come across as genuine or in character, so thank you for saying that. matticus01 - Oh Bec, you did have me worried for a moment. And then pleasantly surprised. I appreciate your Dex loving too . Zetti - Thanks! <3 Red Ranger 1 - Come on! You can't be a boy called Casey without someone assuming you're a girl. I was totally hoping that was going to happen in the show for real, ala Kim when he first arrived. But sadly, no. So I wrote it here instead .

Wow. Just over a year later. Didn't expect to get a comment on this fic again. Thanks Miranda!

*sigh* Sadly, looking at the latest spoilers, .Which...isn't good. *sigh* I can't ... I just. *shakes head* Isn't there another way? Oh well, to the fanfiction I go.

I think some of the weird characterisation of Dex came from the fact that I don't think the writer's knew what they wanted to do with Dex. When he wasn't hanging with Indi, then where did he fit? There was that diabolical Marilyn situation which I would prefer to forget, but then I adored him with Adrian and now I really like his friendship with April. How they were the two odd ones and that was the reason they got on so well. Dex doesn't need anyone to dumb themselves down in front of him, and April dreams big and I think they do compliment each other very well. I like the dynamic they have. I'm not too sure how I feel about the couple possibility... but I'm open to being converted. To be honest, the whole Dex/April thing doesn't feel a million miles away from what happened with Marilyn:Dexter decides he likes someone who's already in a relationship and refuses to get over it and accept she's unavailable.Okay, she's in his age group and she does seem to like them both but it's not putting him in a particularly favourable light.I did like their friendship but I don't like the road they're going down.They should have brought someone new in for Dexter instead of having him fall for one of his friends' girlfriends, Adrian was ideal. Oh, I agree! I think Adrian was perfect. So if it's a April vs. Adrian of who suits Dex the besst, then Adrian wins hands down. She was everythiing Dex deserved and wanted in a girlfriend. If there was the option of her sticking around, they would have been amazing together. I even like the fact that she turned him down in a, 'I-really-like-you-but-I-think-we-should-just-stay-friends' way, because in my head, over time she totally would have come around, and then Dex would be the one being pursued for a change. That's what I want most of all. Someone who appreciates Dex for being Dex. Not Dex having to put himself out there and make a scene like, 'I'm-a-viable-option-for-being-in-a-relationship-with'. But alas, that's note going to happen in the forseeable future. *sigh*

ldscott - Well, Indi is young. She's not always going to make the smart decisions Zetti - Thank you. I agree, Dex and Indi are great together.