A Reunion, Five Years Later IC - closed

Then

Juliet "Jules" Caters watched as Tiffany Angels flirted shamelessly with one of Jeremiah's friends from some team or another and rolled her eyes, smiling. "Hey, Tiff, get your cute little butt over here." She called, teasing her like she so often did. "I found you a guy you haven't flirted with." She turned to look at Pixie and smiled at her. "I swear" she said, laughing "That girl has got a problem. She'd have go crazy if she'd gone to an all girls school."

It was the gang's last day of High school and they were enjoying it as much as they could. Pixie had a steady boyfriend and had managed to keep her hair the same color ever since Prom. Curtis had managed to somehow keep his grades up and was finally going to graduate. Sam had managed to refrain from getting thrown in jail yet. Even Alex had worked up the nerve to have a short conversation with a guy. As for Juliet, well, she had everything lined up for her future. She was going to college, to major in law, on an almost full ride scholarship. All those years on the debate team had finally gotten her noticed.

It killed her that she might never see her friends again though. She'd grown to love each of them, although she and Sam didn't get along particularly well, she knew she'd miss even him. She sighed and voiced her thoughts when Tiffany rejoined them. "I'm gonna miss you guys" she told them somberly.

--------------------------

Now

Juliet Caters sat at the marina, waiting for her old friends to show up. She'd been so excited that they'd all been able to fly down for the reunion but at the moment she was nervous. What if they didn't like the woman she'd become? What if she didn't like the people they'd become? What if they were intimidated by her or something of that nature? She chewed on her bottom lip and stood up, smoothing out the bell-bottom jeans she was wearing. She loved coming back to the states wearing 70's clothing. Her look was completed with a Tie-Dye shirt, brown platform boots and a headband. It was classic; especially when she came off of her environmentally friendly yacht.

Her plans hadn't panned out the way she'd expected. She'd dropped out of law school after one year, relizing that there were better ways to help the world. She'd started her own environmentally friendly clothing line that she'd called "Tree Hugger" and it had been a huge success. She'd moved on to make-up, hair products, shoes and a few vehicle designs that she'd sold for a lot of money. She'd been on TV many times when she'd lived on the continent, in Florida, actually.

State, national and even international and each time she'd made sure to thank each member of the gang, always adding a special one for Samuel. She'd realized that many of her views had, in an odd way, come from Sam and the way he lived. Well, not her views exactly, but the way she'd learned not to accept no for an answer and such. Things that had helped her succeed in the business world. Any fashion sense had come from each of the females, even Pixie, and her clothing line, make-up line and shoe line encorporated each of her friends' looks. Jason had taught her a lot as well, and if it weren't for him, she'd have stuck it out through law school. Jeremiah hadn't contributed much when they were in school, but she'd followed him once he'd joined the NFL and knowing that he was out there, making his way, being famous and loved as a 2nd stringer, had made her smile and keep at it. Curtis. She'd had a harder time figuring out how he'd contributed to her success, but she'd known that he'd had in some way, so she put her mind to coming up with what it was. He'd shown her what it was like for things not to come easy. He'd, in a way, prepared her for the struggle she'd have to live to get what she fought for. Felix had taught her to draw. Not well, mind you, but she'd learned how to draw enough to convey the ideas she had in her head.

When they'd made plans he'd been the first, always. Oft an hour, sometimes two, early. It was one of the many small ways that Curtis Blackwood covered for himself, covered for his struggles with remembering what he considered the impractical practical. The vacation had proven no-different, though it'd cost him more than it had in later dates. He sat bowed over a rail at the Marina, nostrils flaring as he sucked in that salty-sweet air. Inside his stomach was an iron-hard knot, twisted from the flight. A painful, uneasy cramp pulsing a more infrequent beat than it'd been. Curtis had finally tamed his sickness.

Lord how he hated to fly.

He'd have showed up late to join them had it not been for Jason. News that he was flying in from England had brought him all but running. It was the most flying he'd ever be able to do. Twice he'd attempted to visit Jason, twice he'd had to walk out of the Airport sick to his stomach. Otherwise infallible, otherwise unflappable, Curtis Blackwood was terrified to fly.

When the sickness had passed he moved to where he was to meet her, carrying the wide-brimmed, low-profiled Stetson in hand still. For a moment a fear touched him. Would he recognize her? Curtis had never had trouble with faces but it'd been years, long years, since he'd seen her. He'd been endeared to all his friends, the girls in particular, for the diverse nature of their personalities and the quiet tolerance they seemed to share for one another. In particular, despite his almost complete lack of conversation, they'd always been nothing but good to him. It was the kind of help they'd given him that'd salvaged an otherwise mournful High School career. Infact, without James' tutoring and their group taking him in, he'd probably not have graduated at all.

But Jules wasn't hard to spot, and he made to her quickly. The old duffle-bag he carried slung from his shoulder to the salt-twisted boards of the deckway and his rugged arms curled briefly around her waist. Curtis was never quick enough to consider the image he presented, the weathered blue-jeans and flannel, calf-high boots soaked in dust along with his ranching hat. Here he was wrapping up a woman in a damned big hug, his strength lifting her clean from her feet for a moment. She looked like she'd stepped right from a Creedence concert. Curtis set her down, reclaimed his bag, and for once found himself first in a conversation.

"Damned good to see you, Jules."

Then: "I will always remember the Ogres winning the Championship for the first time in ten years."... But of course his leadership of the team was not the only memory he held fondly. The games, the nights with the crew, the parties and of course the women. For many years they had been his weakness, he couldnt help but chuckle to himself as he remembered back to the day he recieved his scholarship not just because it secured his sporting career but because as the principal handed him the certificate he had no idea that Jeremiah had not long finished 'celebrating' the moment with his daughter. They were indeed good times.

Now: Going from a Championship team to be drafted into a struggling side had been a major reality check for Jeremiah, somewhat of a blow to the confidence but a challenge that he met gladly. When he first recieved news of the reunion it came with fixed feelings, on one hand he oartially felt as if he'd failed his dreams, for so many years he had walked around as the best, and now in the eyes of critics he was just another player in the ranks of a mid-ladder team, hardly the star player he had been expected to become. It had been so long and what did he have to show for it? Of course he would never admit to his insecurities.

"Stevens? Jeremiah Stevens?" Came the question from the seat behind him, it was an older gentlemen, Jeremiah smiled and nodded turning back in an attempt to avoid yet another discussion about how they'd failed to reach the bowl. Of course the media didnt take notice of their improvements, the fact the team had near doubled their wins for the season, the fact that their statistics had improved so much. The fact they didnt make the bowl seemed to the only thing people noticed. The gentleman slipped next to the quarterback and began the usual 'expert' opinion on what needs to be done to get the team on top, Jeremiah nodded and smiled but drifted off in his own thoughts for the remainder of the flight. The journey from the airport to the dock was reasonably uneventful.

As he gathered his bag he shrugged off his negative thoughts and pumped up his chest swinging the bag over his shoulder, in the distance he could see Curt and Jules had met, he smiled to himself, maybe this trip would turn out to be exactly what he needed.

Then

Pixie shook her head as they stood around talking. Everyone had plans for the summer before they headed off to the four corners of the earth. Of course thy all promised to try and keep and touch. She let out soft moan as a pair of hands came up to stroke her scalp on either side of her Mohawk. "Ready to go babe?" She nodded slowly as she leaned back against Pen. They were the quintessential punk couple, not that any of their friends really cared. Pixie pulled away long enough to get a hug from everyone. Graduation was in a few days and then after that, the world lay at their feet.

2 months later

Pixie pushed herself out of her wheelchair. Dammit she was going to walk to Pen's grave, not be pushed to it. Her father was quick to help her up and provide the extra balance she needed. Everyone kept saying how lucky she was, Pixie didn't feel that way though. Pen hadn't survived the accident and she? She was just lucky not to be wheelchair bound, but that didn't matter. The love her life was dead. Sucking in a deep breath, as she tried to keep it together, she bent and pressed one last kiss to his lips before she placed the two silver coins over his eyes. As the coffin was closed for the last time her legs went out from under her, not from pain, or her injury, but just from the pain of it all.


Now

"Dad I'll be fine and so will you. You can manage without me at the store. I already did inventory, and the promo cds will there in the next few days....Yes I asked Slyvie to cover my shifts. She and Alex do know what they are doing after all...I love you too, Dad." Pixie snapped her cellphone closed as she grabbed her luggage and tipped the cabbie. This was going to be interesting. it had been years since they had seen each other and longer since they had seen her. After the accident and during her rehab her parents had split, her mother just couldn't deal with the fact of her daughter's near death or the fact that she and her husband had already been slowly, but surely growing apart. Chandra had moved to Washington while she and her father had packed up and moved to LA. Pixie had done well for herself through the years, she worked at her dad's music store and she ad her djing gig every week. Life was as good as it got.

As she made her way to where Jules had said to met her, Pixie sucked on her lip ring. When was the last time she had been this nervous? Better yet why was she nervous? These people had been her best friends in high school and the few who she had ever trusted with all her secrets. Adjusting her grip on the rolling footlocker and adjusting the duffel on her shoulder, Pixie headed down the walk. Gone was the trademark mohawk, but that was easily remedied with some gel, hairspray and a blow dryer. Blue and black hair hung nearly to her shoulders. She wore a thin black grumpy bear hoodie over a simple black tank top. Her left knee showed through her well worn in and patched blue jeans. She had traded her usual ox blood Doc Martens for a pair of black and gray platform sneakers. Spotting Jules and Curtis, she smiled and further back she thought she saw Jeremiah heading their way but she wasn't sure if it was him or not.

Walking up to the pair she cleared her throat, "Excuse me I am looking for a no good hippie tree hugger and a country fried boy. Know where I can find them?" When they turned Pixie smiled at stuck her tongue out. "Nice to see you two."

Jason Evans had been surprised to receive the invite to Jules’ place for a reunion. Surprised, but delighted. He had fond memories of his time in the US when his dad was posted there for his work for a few years. He’d felt out of place at first, but had befriended the group and really enjoyed himself. He’d kept in touch, especially with Curtis, after their graduation and his return to the UK to go to university, but this was the first time he’d have seen any of them in five years. He wondered how much they’d have changed. Not physically, as they’d shared photos every now and then, but in personality and outlook. So he’d used what leave he had to fly to the States and then catch a short internal flight to Jules’ island.

And it really was her island, he marvelled, as he got off the small plane at the tiny island airport. She’d bought it to conserve the wildlife there after her incredible success with her environmentally-themed clothes lines.

He walked to the meeting place and soon spotted his friends. As well as Jules, Curtis, Jeremiah and Pixie had arrived before him. He waved as he approached, and held out his hand to them to shake, even more reserved than normal after a gap of years.

“Hello there! Good to see you all.”

Then: Alex chewed her bottom lip, pushing her glasses back up the ridge of her nose. She had gotten up the nerve to talk to Jeremiah, she hadn't had the nerve past that. Sure, they had conversed in the past within their group, but never once had Alex had the nerve to have an extended conversation with him. He was just way out of her league. She had promised she would keep in touch with them all, and promised to send them postcards from her backpacking trip through Europe.



Now: It hadn't taken her a long flight to get to where the yacht was waiting for their gang. She had changed a great bit since high school. Her glasses had been replaced with contacts, her conservative dress had been replaced with more sensible clothes. Her fashion sense had changed to one more fit for her body style. Her hair, which was mostly unkept during her time in high school, was cut in layers and dyed a light brown. At the moment, she wore a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a dark blue tank top. It was tight enough to accentuate her more developed breasts. She had a backpackers back pack over her shoulder. A pair of over sized sunglasses rested on her nose as she made her way towards the yacht.

She could see the others had arrived already and she smiled widely, she wondered if anyone would recognize her with the sunglasses on and the different hair.

"I hope I'm not too late..." she said to them as she pulled off her sunglasses with a huge smile. "Damn, it's been too long!" She told them all as she began to embrace them.

Then:

The last summer had been bitter sweet for Tiffany she was moving forwards towards her dream, but leaving behind her most precious memories; her friends their mismatched personalities fitted together like a jigsaw puzzle one which completed her. This made up greatly for her controlling parents whom she was very glad to be escaping even though it meant the last of her seemingly endless supply of money.

Tiffany had been amazed on how much she has accumulated and that has been stuffed in her small apartment. She’d had a 'garage sale' and poof suddenly it was gone, “one mans junk another mans treasure!”

She had sat on the bed deciding what to pack, in went clothes and all the normal items for a trip.

Lastly, her most prized possession; her huge scrap book filled with her friends, photos and mementos that had kept her sane especially during some of the more sleazy jobs she had taken while working her way through Performing Art School.

Flipping through the pages she smiled.....Jules, Pixie Alex and herself at a sleepover, taken by her mom in a rare moment of comradeship; an I must get to know your er friends moment! They had all been playing dress up and her friends looked hilarious in their borrowed finery, especially Pixie they had decorated her Mohawk with ribbons and bows;she would have killed Tiffany if she known that she had kept the photo!

Sighing she continued to turned the pages taking her once again down memory lane, a ribbon from a first place cheer leading meet...a picture if her indecently draped around Jeremiah...a warn page from the back of her Math book; on it a small lurid hastily scribbled picture of herself, blushing she turned the page.

A small scrap of his shirt. now how had she gotten that? Giggling she remembered..... Curtis always the aquiet one but sometimes.......

She traced the last photo and closed her eyes seeing clearly herself and her friends juggling and trying to squeeze them all into the photo on the last say of school “Say sex,” the unseen photographer had said and they should have been giggling; instead the photo had been intense, not one smiling face. It was as if in that last photo the friends had known that they might never see each other again………


That last day had remained etched clearly in her memory. "I'm gonna miss you guys” Jules had told them somberly.

Tiffany had missed them all more than they would ever know....


Now!

Tiffany: has taken a taxi to the Marina and was lugging 2 suitcases, a carry on, a camera/video bag, her laptop and a huge purse. Her i-touch was hanging out of one ear and her blond long hair was blowing every which way in the breeze coming from the ocean. She was wearing a white skimpy lace camisole over an equally skimpy, organza, multicolor skirt and seemed oblivious to the amount of skin she was showing as it continually swirled around her bare tanned legs even occasionally giving a glimpse of her light fuchsia panties!

Her mind was set upon one thing the sight of her friends gathered at the end of the marina walkway. She struggled onwards her smile growing bigger. The years melted away, time stood still, she dropped her baggage and ran towards them, tears streaming down her lovely face; she hugged and twirled and kissed them all!

“I am home,” she laughed touching their faces one by one as if she were reading Braille, memorizing once again their features... as if they would suddenly disappear again!

In that moment they all clashed together, as if all the planes and taxi's synchronized in the flurry of that moment. For Curtis it was overwhelming, enough so that he promptly released Jules. His smile remained, heavy on his features, as he stepped back some from the girls. The outpouring of affection and warmth struck a stark contrast to Curtis' otherwise austere nature. But he couldn't deny the moment, and even he was eager to shake hands with Jeremiah (man he was even bigger than before!) and Jason.

He looked at Jason for a long moment, quiet scrutiny. Of them all, Curtis wagered, Jason had changed physically the most. He'd put on solid weight, and while a good deal thinner than Jeremiah and Curtis still he was strong. He had a rugged look to him. Curtis grinned like a fool, and with his hand still wrapped around Jason's own in a firm shake stepped up to give him a hug. After all, though he adored all of them, it'd been Jason's guidance that had gotten him through high school, college, and brought him here.

It'd been Jason's tolerance for Curtis' broken heart, his ability to keep quiet about the large, silent rancher's heart ache, that had helped coax him here.

But it was this thought that brought on Curtis' next. In his mind he was back at home, ascending the wood stair of the lodge that was his home. At the top was a collection of photos, framed and hung, of his family and their work along the ranches and farms they'd worked. The last few were of Curtis and the Ranch, his parents at his college graduation. His mama's face red from crying. It was a place of comfort to him and it was home. But the pictures weren't the first thing he noticed.

The bedroom door was open and the dresser was bare. It'd been her place for pictures in the house and it'd also been a mess of jewelry and papers she'd set hastily down and forgotten about. How he'd failed to see what it meant would bother him for days, but at the moment he felt relief. She'd cleaned it off. A small concession to the meticulous neatness of his nature, he assumed she'd cleaned off the dresser because she knew what it meant to him.

But then he'd stepped into the bedroom to find it more spacious than it'd been, and that the closet was almost entirely empty and there was a note on the bed.

Not a note. He thought. A Dear John Letter. A Dear Curtis Letter.

And before he'd even opened it to see what she'd written his heart had broken, the realization striking him like a hammer and knocking the wind from him. It wasn't that her absence was so devastating. Women came and left. That was the nature of Curtis' life, and it'd always been so. What had hurt him so badly was that he'd failed to see it coming. He knew exactly what she'd written but he had not seen this coming.

And so he released Jason, one last moment shared between them before Curtis withdrew back into himself the way he always did.

It was only then that he allowed himself to look over the girls. Slicing his eyes over them he saw the soft curves, the sleek lines. They'd always been beautiful. Eclectic in their tastes, but beautiful. The image of them now was no-less the case. Replacing his hat, Curtis kept his bag shouldered. The large duffle was nearly large enough to fit one of the girls in. It was slung with a country easiness over his broad shoulder.

then

Felix tapped his pencil, against the blank piece of paper, his eyes looking up at the group of friends around him. He had always sunk into the background though. He even sank into the background in this circle of friends. He closed his eyes and tapped at the sketch pad again. Well, it was no big surprise, he supposed. When he wasn't focusing on his classes, he was usually focused on playing video games or having crushes on girls who just weren't into him. Well, that was the way of the world. Everyone was always focused on looks or something, and apparently he didn't have the best looks or something. He was sure what all of the reasons were, but he seemed to have a few that made him unattractive all the way through highschool.

Now

Felix Castman smiled as he sat on the plane, his eyes closed, and his head resting against the back of the plane seat. The plane had taken off and he looked out the window for a moment, enjoying the sight of clouds floating by outside. Of course, that wasn't the only thing on this plane that he was enjoying. He was also enjoying the view of the stewardesses. He smirked as he thought about how to move on with his new little plan.

One of the stewardesses had come up to him, asking him if there was anything that she could do to make him more comfortable. His smile spread a little bit, his green eyes watched her carefully, looking over her figure appreciatively, "Well, we could go somewhere private and I can show you the magic that I can do with my pencil." He smirked softly as he looked at her, noticing the slight blush that spread over her cheeks while she tried desperately to come up with words that would express her feelings.

"Ahhh...sir...I don't think..." She tried to get her words out, a slight stammering to her voice. He chuckled softly and pulled out his sketchbook, smiling as he slowly opened it. This seemed to be enough to bring the stewardess back into a calm state, "Oh. You're an artist, I thought..."

He smirked softly as he looked up to her, "Of course I'm an artist. What did you think I was suggesting?" His smile spread a little bit, "I was hoping that maybe I'd have an opportunity to draw you."

"So you draw people?" The stewardess seemed to have a little bit of excitement in her voice now.

"Yeah. I'm pretty good at drawing people..." His mischievous smirk tugged at the corner of his lips a little bit more, "I'm just not sure how good I am at drawing clothes these days."

-----

Felix sighed softly, his carry on bag over his shoulder as he got out of his taxi, going around to open the trunk of his car. He smirked softly as he hauled his luggage out and started to drag the luggage on wheels behind him. He yawned a little bit as he wondered what this reunion was going to be like. It had been a while since he had talked to any of his old highschool friends, and he was surprised that they even remembered him after all of these years. Maybe some of his art was better than he had thought it would be. Of course, he thought that he was the only person who ever checked out his own wikipedia page. Well, it seemed some people would always remember him. That was a nice thought.

Then

Sam idly played with his lighter as he lounged back against a wall, juggling it between his hands, flicking it open and closed, moving his fingers quickly over the flickering flame, normal boredom resisting behavior for him, but sadly for him he didn't just have boredom to contend with. Today was the last day of school, ever for him, some of his friends were going on to bigger and better things, but he didn't have anything so good to look forward to.

He slipped the lighter back in to his pocket and looked over at the little grouping of his friends, his few friends, and sighed, he didn't have anyone like them outside of school, not even close, he had acquaintances and the like that he hung out with after school, drinking buddies, regular poker players, the occasional partner in crime, but not real friends.

___________________________________________________

Now

the batteries finally died, after hours of playing on a train, a plane, and now finally a boat, the expensive double As had died, they had preformed admirably though, and the money he save taking the ridiculously long trip more than covered the cost of them. Sam dropped the old chunky gameboy in to his still open backpack and stood to his feet, taking the coat from the back of the chair he was sitting in with him as he exited the slightly swaying room.

he quickly made his way though the small boat, still a little shaky on his feet, but he was mostly used to the motion "hey, how long now?" he asked to a fisherman walking in from outside "just a couple of minutes now" he answered with a smile before going about his business, letting Sam past and out on to the deck.

he pulled his blue long coat on as he stepped through the door, his eyes gazing out across the water, watching a few other boats milling about before heading further towards the prow and turning his gaze to the island ahead, it was bigger than he thought it would be, when Jules said she owned the island he pictured something small, it literally hurt his brain to imagine her being so well off, he was happy for her, but without a TV to watch the news and a habit to stay out of touch, he had never quite grasped how big Jules's brand was.

he stepped up on to the very edge of the ship as they started pulling in close to the marina, his hands in his pockets and and the wind blowing his hair and coat ever so slightly making for a rather dramatic pose, if an unintentional one. they finally came close enough to make out the little shapes they were approaching and a smile curled the edges of Sams lips, a small cluster of people looking unmistakably like a few of the old friends he was so eager to see.

Just as Curtis has Pixie dropped back from the group. When she saw Sam and Fleix she waved but didn't move to hug them. It wasn't that Pixie didn't want to hold them or even that she didn't want to socialize for that matter, but after the long plane ride from LA to Florida and the 3 hour layover plus all the tight hugs her back was starting to scream. Even with the PT she still had the occasional painful spasm and couldn't lift more than 30 lbs any more. She hated feeling so weak. Resting against the railing she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths til the pain started to fade. It was so much like high school right now, all the "popular" people in their circle were busy chatting away while the "outsiders" held the perimeter. Though of course they were all adults now, but still friends, even if they hadn't stayed in great contact like they had sworn to do.

Being around them Pixie did fell more lonely. She had always had Pen to fall into. He was the quite bad boy really, but it had been that quite strength that had attracted her to him. Her hair fell into her face, blocking the others from her view and vice versa.

God as much as everyone had changed they had stayed the same. It was surreal. "The more things change the more they stay the same." The moment was so funny that Pixie started to laugh. When heads turned her way, Pixie laughed even harder until her back seized up again. Biting her lip, Pixie gripped the railing tightly, sucking in deep, but quite breaths. Fuck, it was going to be a long island escape that was for sure. Hell Pixie was about to get more sun than she ever did normally considering the schedule she kept. Even with her darker complexion she could still burn so there was plenty of sunblock in her duffel bag. She reached into her hoodie pocket and pulled out a pair of dark blue sunglasses similar to the one's Gary Oldman had worn in Dracula and slipped them on before slipping the hoodie off and tying it around her waist.

As everyone seemed to crash into one another, Alex had to hold back tears. She bit her lip, something she had never stopped doing as Tiffany began to hug and kiss her, touching her face tenderly. She realized now how lonely she had been in the glam of her would be stardom. No real friends, just those she met at auditions for modeling jobs who would turn their noses up at her.

Just as Tiffany let her go, Alex heard the closing of a trunk, looking out over the group to see a somewhat familiar face. She smiled, knowing it had to be Felix. She had been keeping tabs on him and Jules from afar, checking out anything online that had their names on it. She wondered idly if he knew of the wiki on him, but shrugged it off as she smiled his way and waved before turning back to the group.

She leaned against the railing of the marina and fished in her bag for her digital camera, there was no way she was going to let a moment of this pass her by. She quietly snapped a few shots of the group before turning to the marina itself, snapping a few shots of the boats, only to get a slow moving boat in her sights. She had to blink a few times to realize she knew the man who seemed to be posing on the bow of the incoming vessel. With a snicker, she took a few pictures of him before turning around once more and discreetly putting away her camera.

Everything seemed to happen at the same moment. Curtis swung her around in a tight hug. The Jeremiah came and then Pixie. Jason, Alex, Tiffany, Felix, and then Sam. She barely had time to speak, she was so overwhelmed with different emotions. Had it really been so long? They were only missing one person. The tomboy of their group. "I've missed you guys" she croaked "Just like I said I would."

The truth was, she'd often felt she was the one that had kept the group together, at least, the girls. She had a bit of each of them in her. She'd never been girly or paid much care to fashion, but she'd been more than happy to listen to Tiffany's suggestions. She knew what it was like to be shy around guys, at least, guys that she crushed on. She'd had a rough home life and understood, to a degree, Pixie's need to show her emotions in her look. But she also had thought that the group would have survived for a little while if she hadn't stayed in it. But she was the one that was bringing them all back together.

It was strange to be back around the gang once again, even though he hadn't exactly spoken with with anyone as such it felt felt like... Well quite frankly like he was home, he looked over to Pixie with a smile, and gave Tiff a bit of a wave as he joined the group. The first trhing he noticed was as always the girls, not because he was a perv but it just seemed they were so much more beautiful than he remembered.

Tiffany had touched her friends not really caring who was who; just a frantic attempt to reconnect.

The scene was chaos as everyone started to arrive. She hugged her friend Jules, jumped up to straddle Jeremiah's strong waist, planting a huge wet kiss on his startled lips, before stepping back to scan the rest of their gang.

Pixie was looking strained leaning again the railing, Alex was hanging back as unusual, nothing had changed there and of course Jason and Felix well…. they were Jason and Felix; Tiffany smiled the thought.

Then there was Curtis……Time stood still as she moved towards him intending to give him a big flirtatious hug. My… he had grown tall towering above her. Suddenly and unaccountably shy her smile slipped and instead she stood on tippy toe and gave him a soft peck just below his left ear, “Hi,” she whispered stepping quickly back.

Still staring at the handsome cowboy her head cocked to one side, where were Sam and Andrea she wondered she had counted only 8 of her friends?

I do hope they are coming, she thought, fighting the butterflies dancing in her stomach!

Sam couldn't help but laugh when he saw one of the little figures in the distance take a few snapshots of him, definitely the people he was looking for, no one else ever tried to take photos of him, he liked it that way though, it took allot to catch him on film, and it took more to keep him from destroying the negatives. Once they got close enough to the docks for him to pick out each individual he figured out which one had taken the photo, Alexandra, she always could sneak her way past his internal radar for cameras, though she tended to run under most peoples radars back then.

He jumped off the side of the ship and on to the Pier, his legs quickly carrying him towards the tight grouping of people, all the faces kicking up warm, familiar memories, he didn't need to remember Tiffany though, from where he was she looked to be exactly the same as in the memories, hugs and kisses everywhere, all smiles and sunshine.

He moved up behind her as she slowed from her flurry of contact, clearly she had also just arrived, but thanks his skills at walking very quietly, she didn't know that he had just arrived "how come the hugs and kisses stop whenever I show up" he said with an obviously fake and completely over the top sigh and shrug of his shoulders "you make me feel like some kind of..." his eyes darted around, making eye contact with everyone for a brief moment "tenth wheel"

The greetings were warm. Warm enough that Curtis hadn't noticed the hesitance of some. He'd never been particularly quick with books, but he was perceptive. Damned so. It struck him how little time was necessary to push up insecurities in his friends, brief moments of uncertainty that etched itself on their faces. But he knew, in a way only he really could, that it'd all settle in time. The lighter hearts amongst them, the bright vision of a few, would coax them free.

The thought was emphasized almost immediately as Tiffany tore past him and leapt onto Jeremiah, shattering whatever ice there had been as far as he was concerned. His smile tugged almost reluctantly on his face as she neared him, only to throw her slender arms up beside his cheeks and wrap her fingers around his neck. She pulled, harder than he thought she could, until her soft frame was crushed up into the broad expanse of his chest and his arms had curled about her hips.

"Hi." She said, her lips touching a place beneath his ear that sent a hard pulse running through him.

"Hi, Tiff. You look good."

She drew away, freeing him, releasing him from the fear that he'd get hard against her. It was a reaction that was proving more easy to provoke out of him, an improper affliction that'd only really gotten foolishly easy to notice after Sarah had left him. He was mourning the loss still, his heart broken. It was awful how easily his body suddenly reacted to other women, acting out in a way that made him feel savagely angry.

His eyes drifted back over Tiffany.

His prick gave a hard, sudden pulse in his pants. Curtis looked away.

He looked to Jules and his body reacted just as violently. His experiment proved to have similar results when it came to Pixie and the others. This was extremely unsettling. All at once he withdrew further, lingering amidst them as silent as ever. The wide-brimmed Stetson set on his head while his hands shifted the dufflebag from his shoulder.

He'd brought the letter from Sarah. He didn't know why. It was buried in with his clothes, tucked in there like a secret. In truth, it felt that way. Although he adored them all it was only Jason he'd shared the matter with, just how badly it ripped him up when she'd left. Grief was a hard thing, heartbreak more so. And worse, he felt ashamed that it'd affected him so badly. His sudden sensitivity to other women made it all the worse.

"Hi, Tiff. You look good."

She felt Curtis's gaze slide over her, some how it felt like a brand, confused, before she could react she heard a familiar voice behind her "how come the hugs and kisses stop whenever I show up"

"Saaam!" she squealed like a school girl, turning to find herself really really close "you make me feel like some kind of..."

"Wolf!" she finished for him laughing. “But I so adore the big bad wolf,”she grinned. She wrapped her arms around him, “You were talking kiss?" she flirted… looking deceptively innocent.

Jeremiah was finally starting to feel somewhat relaxed, it really was nice to be home for so many reasons, with a warm smile he greeted Tiffany adfmiring her somewhat openly as she moved toward him, her response was to say the least surprising, as she launched herself up in toi his arms, straddling his waist.

"My happy to see me aren't you." He smiled, unable to resist flirting with her.. "Keep this up and I really will be pleased to see you.

Of course Tiffany quickly moved on with her greetings but Jeremiah had been suggestive enough toi plant the idea in her head, or atleast thsat was the intention. He grabbed his gear and moved in with the group. He strugged off the reminicance and the doubt, he was the big time sports stud, or atleast thats what he wanted them to believe.

Sam loved to sneak up on people, and he loved when they had a reaction like that, he didn't resist when Tiff jumped him in to a hug, he used to practically fight his way out of them whenever she tried, but she eventually whittled away at his resistance during their high school years. "what? you expect a kiss without even taking me out for a night on the town first?" he scoffed, then the fake look on his face faded away as he chuckled and planted a kiss on her forehead, finally bothering to bring his arms up and return the hug for a second.

"So big bad wolf then?" he asked her, a grin on his face "did I go for the three pigs or little... red..." he trailed off as the jovial look on his face faltered slightly, memories popping in to his head of a few comics he had written where he had the wolf do a bit more than try to eat any of them, sadly for his fragile mind he had taken a commision or two that he wasnt proud of.

Pixie sighed softly and ran her hands through here hair. She loved her friends, she really did, but she had always felt somewhat like the odd girl out. Of course her hair and clothes usually made it so, but there were other times like now that without Pen there behind her, forsaking his own friends to be with her, that she felt like she didn't really fit in their odd group. They all fit into a different clique and yet they managed to make their own of friends who didn't really care who the other was or what they wore or what music they listened to. Still it was weird to feel out of the out crowd so to speak.

Crouching down and flipped open the footlocker. There were speakers built into the top of the case. After turning the volume up she plugged in her iPod and scrolled through the songs she had there. A smile crawled onto her face as she found what she was looking for and then pressed play. Getting to her feet she waited for everyone to recognize their prom song. "This Love" by Maroon 5, filled the air. Pixie closed her eyes behind her shades with a softer smile. She remembered the looks of her friends when she had shown up with her mohawk died bright pink. Of course her dress had been black and with all the layers of tulle and petticoats made her look like a pixie. A punk pixie of course. As usual her appearance caused a bit of a stir, but with her friend's backing her and knowing they couldn't really deny her entrance, the faculty hadn't said anything. She had loved taking her pictures with Pen and the others. And even though she hadn't been single through high school there had been a few guys in their circle that had caught her eyes. Nothing more than the usual teenage lust, and if not for Pen, yeah she probably would have made her move then.

Who knew what would happen on this lil escape trip. They all couldn't be taken, or god forbid have come out of the closet in the last five years.

Tiffany stopped dead for a second as she heard the strains of the familiar tune "This Love" by Maroon 5, floating on breeze.

And then she started to dance and was soon lost in the rhythm and the memories, singing along to the music and weaving in and out of her friends......


I was so high I did not recognize
The fire burning in her eyes
The chaos that controlled my mind
Whispered goodbye and she got on a plane
Never to return again
But always in my heart

She was that girl in the song and five years ago many had felt that way about her, she had been the consummate flirt

This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice cause I wont say goodbye anymore

I tried my best to feed her appetite
Keep her coming every night
So hard to keep her satisfied
Kept playing love like it was just a game
Pretending to feel the same
Then turn around and leave again

Tiffany had been like a sensuous butterfly flitting from boy to boy, the only constant had been her own group of friends.

This love has taken its toll on me
She said goodbye too many times before
And her heart is breaking in front of me
I have no choice cause I wont say goodbye anymore

Ill fix these broken things
Repair your broken wings
And make sure every things alright
My pressure on her hips
Sinking my fingertips
Into every inch of you
Cause I know thats what you want me to do

Tiffany was back but would she be breaking more hearts or simply mending her own?

She wove in and out of her friends encouraging them to join her in the dance, a touch here, a twirl there, a slight caress, hip pressed to hip; head thrown back her hair blowing in the breeze, hips swaying a sensual promise, a sweet smile on her lovely lips and devilment in her eyes....