This is the prequel to my twoshot story 'Faults.' Enjoy. :)

Before

"Declan? What are you doing here?" Holly asked, not opening the door wide enough for him to peek in.

"I thought I'd visit one last time before Yale. To see where we stand," Declan said, fiddling with his tie.

Holly J opened her mouth to say something, but shut it, pondering what she would say. "Why are you so dressed up?"

"The Spring Dance is tonight, right? I figured I'd be your escort."

"I'm not going," Holly J informed him. "I don't have anything decent to wear even if I wanted to go."

"That can be easily fixed. Come on, I'll take you dress shopping," Declan said, a warm smile spreading across his face.

"Declan," Holly J sighed. "I don't have any money."

"I'll handle that."

"No! This is why we broke up, remember?"

Declan flinched, and Holly J's lips pressed into a thin line. "Look, Declan…"

"Then at least let me take you out to dinner, my treat. Just as friends," Declan insisted.

"Can I at least change into something a little dressier…?" Holly J asked, looking down at the school uniform she was still wearing.

"Nope! It won't matter. Come on, before they give away our reservations," Declan said, taking Holly J's hand and pulling her outside to his waiting car.

"Reservations? You…you…!"

"I know you inside and out, Holly J, and I figured you wouldn't be as opposed to going to dinner together as going to the dance together." He opened the passenger side door for her, and she slid in. He shut it and got in on the other side, revving the engine and pulling away from the curb.

"Declan Coyne, you sly dog," Holly J grumbled, but a smile was playing on her lips.

They pulled up in front of a fancy restaurant, and Holly J wanted to complain about how underdressed she was as they walked inside and up to the podium, where the waiter then proceeded to lead them to their table.

"I'll be right back to take your orders," he assured them before walking away.

As Holly J scanned the menu, Declan asked, "So…you are going to Yale, right?"

Holly J nodded slightly. "I tried so incredibly hard to get in that I have to. My parents would kill me if I didn't after everything I did to get in."

"Right, right…" Declan murmured.

The waiter came back, and they each mumbled their orders. The waiter assured them that the chef would get right on their food and walked away, tucking his pen back in his apron.

"Do you know what major you want to take when you get to Yale?" Declan asked, folding his hands on the table and playing with his thumbs.

Holly J shook her head. "Not yet, no."

"I would start thinking about it, if I were you," Declan advised her, smiling kindly.

Holly J couldn't help but smile back. "I am, don't worry. And you? What majors are you considering?"

"Directing or screenwriting. I'm looking for majors in the arts, really," Declan replied, sipping at his water.

"Ah, of course you would."

"You're not implying something, are you?"

"No, no. It's just…with Space Awakening and how well you did with it…I think it would be in your best interest to major in the arts."

"Yes, of course," Declan said with a nod.

Holly J focused her stare on Declan's hands, afraid to look him in the eyes. She didn't want him to use that charm on her; she was with Sav, they both knew that, and she didn't want Declan to change that.

"I miss being able to talk to you, HJ," Declan said softly.

"I never told you that you couldn't," Holly J pointed out.

"But you implied that we shouldn't speak at all," Declan rebuked her. "I didn't come just to talk about what we intend on doing at Yale. I came to talk about what we'll be at Yale."

"Declan -"

"You said that once you graduated, you and Sav would go separate ways. So why can't we pick up where we left off?" Declan interjected as the waiter finally arrived with their food, not saying a word to interrupt their argument as he served them, then walking away.

Holly J sighed. "I don't know right now, okay? I'm still confused about what I'm feeling right now. I don't think it'll be that easy to let go of Sav and just move on to you in a heartbeat."

"I thought you and Sav were just a fling," Declan said sourly, taking a bite of his fillet.

"…He told me he loves me," Holly J muttered quietly, picking at her spaghetti.

Declan swallowed hard, staring at her blankly. "And you…do you feel the same way?"

"I told you, I don't know!" Holly J snapped. "Can you just let me eat?"

Declan didn't say anything more as they each worked on finishing their meals. When they had, Declan told the waiter they weren't interested in dessert and paid, following Holly J out of the restaurant and to the car.

Declan started the car and started driving slowly back to Holly J's house. He snuck a peek at her; she was staring dazedly out the window, lost in thought.

"You know I love you, right, Holly J?" Declan murmured.

Holly J turned her head slowly to look at him. After awhile of searching his face, she nodded tiredly. "Yeah. Yeah I do."

And it was in that instant that she saw a bright light shining through Declan's window, getting brighter as it came closer. "Declan, watch out!"

Crash.

Hope you all liked it! :) Review, please!