A/N: This is my first attempt at a SDaBHH fic, so I have no idea why I chose to employ the one genre I have practically sworn off for my entire life: romance (so this is a double first for me.) I often find such stories pointless, as this one is, but I think I just wanted to prove that I could do it. Sigh. Must bend to the whims of the plotbunnies, as they would not tell me anything ahead of time, yet forced me to write. Also note that I have absolutely no experience in the love department (yuck!), so I do not even know if I wrote very true-to-life. I only guessed what it is like for people. That is why I shall appreciate any reviews that may help. I know two years is weird, but five would be too much, so that is how it is. Now, I am not necessarily against J/V; J/L is just a guilty pleasure of mine. I do not know why. Oh, I threw in a very slight C/M-ish-ness for good measure. Although I may edit this story, I will not likely do a similar one again, so enjoy. ;)

The Blake Holsey Preparatory Academy reunion was in full swing when Josie arrived, feeling somewhat optimistic. Having been somewhat depressed reently, she hoped that revisiting the past would allow her to forget her present state. She had not seen some of her friends since their graduation—two years, the agreed time after which most students had completed two-year degrees. Well, the only people she really called "friends," the science club, would surely go further, but they were no exceptions to the strain of the long absence. It had been a difficult wait. As she strode through the doors of the convention center, Josie scanned the large room in anticipation, seeking those so-familiar faces.

"Ahhh!"

Josie instinctively covered one ear for protection from the shrill sound. Upon removing her hand, she spied a blur that she soon recognized as Corrine rushing toward her.

"Josie-e-e-e! Corrine shrieked, jumping madly while tightly wrapping her arms around her friend.

"Ah, are you okay, Corrine?" Josie asked cautiously, but a grin quickly spread across her face as she hugged the squealing girl back.

"Ehh, she's been like this all day. I think somebody spiked the punch." Marshall received a playful slap as he came up behind Corrine and nodded in greeting.

"Marshall!"

The amused boy accepted his hug with a laugh.

"Oh my gosh! It's so good to see you both. So what have you guys been up to?"

"Well, mostly, backpacking through Europe—"

"Right! I totally wish I could've done something like that."

"Well, we would've asked you to tag along but you had summer school…" Marshall noticed the annoyed expression directed at him and stopped, with a "Sorry."

Josie snorted. "I'm just glad it's over."

"I'll bet."

Corrine suddenly went wide-eyed and gasped. "There's Z!" she shouted excitedly, tearing over to him. Marshall just rolled his eyes. He and Josie tried to follow, but their friend had already disappeared, swallowed by the throng of people.

"Gah! I can't keep up with her."

Taking advantage of being left alone with Marshall, Josie turned to him with raised eyebrows. "So, you and Corrine…?" she could finally question.

"Yeah. I guess so." He was unable to contain his grin.

"About time."

Josie giggled as Corrine reemerged from the crowd dragging a very surprised science professor behind her.

"Ah! My favorite students!" Z exclaimed when he saw them, and began exchanging embraces with his fellow science club members. "I trust everything's going well?"

"For us it has." Marshall proudly pulled Corrine tightly to him.

Josie shook her head. She was happy for them. They were a great couple and obviously had a great life. If only she could say the same for herself.

"Josie?"

"Uh-yeah! About as well as expected."

Z smiled. "Good to hear."

"How about you, Professor Z?" Corrine asked.

A look of pure rapture lit Z's face as he proceeded to chronicle his exploits as a college professor, and his former students listened with interest. Unfortunately, he was interrupted by Durst's loud volume, an attempt to prevent Stu Kubiak from launching a football across the room. Always the mediator, Professor Z ran to help.

Josie, finally recovered from her resulting fit of laughter, looked around. "Hey, where are Vaughn and Lucas?"

Corrine scrunched her face. "Vaughn's not coming—something about being busy and catching the next one— and I haven't heard anything from Lucas."

"Yeah, you'd think he'd have told me. It's been awhile."

"Oh." Josie felt a pang of disappointment. She had been looking forward to seeing both of them as well. Her friends noticed the evident hurt in her expression, and exchanged a sympathetic look.

She exhaled sharply. Since Marshall and Corrine were now an item, it was uncomfortable being the only unattached one. Why did the others decide to skip this, thereby abandoning her? She watched as Madison, standing nearby and looking smug as always, slung her arm around an unsuspecting… boyfriend, Josie assumed. Poor guy, she thought. Even so, almost everyone was paired off, leaving her feeling somewhat excluded. From the way they all acted, one could infer that it was the only way to achieve true happiness, and that was something Josie determined her life had been lacking. Nothing had gone well for her, and she did not need a reminder.

"Just great. Even Madison's had a better two years than I have."

Corrine, not following Josie's thoughts, studied her with confusion. "You know she just tries to make people think that. Um, is everything okay?"

"Yeah...yeah. It just really irks me that that girl always gets everything she wants. Her life is so perfect. It's disgusting."

Marshall looked from one girl to the other in a futile attempt to comprehend. "Yeah..."

Josie excused herself, much to Corrine's dismay, and made her way outside. Too many thoughts were swirling in her mind; she needed to get out of the stuffy, crowded room.

The wet grass was cold on partially uncovered feet, but there were issues of more importance haunting the distracted girl. While wandering down the large hill behind the building, Josie spied a small, reedy pond encircled by large, flat-topped stones. Considering them, she finally chose one that seemed satisfying, and plopped down, shivering from the chilly air. As the pond she indifferently surveyed reflected her likeness, Josie reflected on her life. She could not truthfully say that it had not been exciting, but she sometimes wondered if things would be very different now, had it been "normal." She was hardly a normal teenager, but often longed to be. Simplicity had just proven itself not so easy to obtain.

It had become nearly impossible to see across the pond by now, and the mist was quickly rolling toward the tall rock on which she perched with her knees drawn up to her chin—a perfect setting for reverie. Unfortunately, it was also ideal for pondering regret.

"I wonder what it would've been like," muttered Josie. So, life may not always turn out as planned. At least she was here, everyone she cared about was safe and they were all happy, right? Why then did she feel this constant gnawing inside her? Why was she not happy?

"You know, I thought everyone was supposed to end up with someone else. Heh. Yeah right. Like, who really believes all that 'happily ever after' bull? I mean, I… I had plenty of opportunities…" Josie let out a slow breath in defeat. Maybe it was meant to be this way. Still, she did have a boy—two actually—interested in her at one time, long ago.

There was Vaughn, similar to her in many ways, and who could not like him? Josie smiled as she pictured the young man. He was handsome, popular, sweet… She narrowed her eyes. …And completely untrustworthy. That was why it never worked. Vaughn was sure to betray her confidence. She could never fully believe in him again, once he demonstrated his willingness to put stock in Avenir's promise, but not her warning. He had little conviction regarding her judgment of the matter. Sure, they both had discovered that neither one was consciously siding with evil, nor intending any harm, but that so-fragile faith that comes once in a lifetime had been shattered. Josie had long ago given up her quest to recover and reassemble the pieces. Even Vaughn had moved on somewhat, as the void in his life was now undoubtedly being filled by the return of his long-lost mother. Of course, there would always be something between the two friends, but would it ever mean anything else?

Then there was Lucas. The eccentric boy who somehow managed to make any situation complicated. There was no immediate electricity with him, but even a boring day could be brightened by one of Lucas' bizarre theories or clever jokes. He could never have offered the same exciting lifestyle that his counterpart surely possessed, but he was smart, and endlessly curious about the worlds around him. Lucas was… well, Lucas. He was quirky, eager, and her best friend, after Corrine, and Josie knew that she could always turn to him for help with even the smallest problem. Lucas would always be there for her, even if he did not fit her ideals. After all, he had never given up on rescuing her when everyone else did. The question was, did she like him more than as a friend?

Ever since the infamous Drama class, the confusion had intensified. That was the day the first real idea about liking anybody came into her head. It was true, although she tried to deny it, that Josie had felt a connection, a spark of some sort, but who was the source? Later, she would be sure it was Vaughn. It had to be. He was the one who had really been there, and it made sense. Then she discovered her watch's new time-slowing abilities, setting events into motion that would change both of their lives. After that, everything she was certain she knew became muddled. Every thought pulled her in a different direction. Still, this was a matter for the heart to decide, right? So which one was it? And why was it so hard?

"They say if you kiss them both, you'll know. And I did, didn't I? I mean, Vau…" she trailed off. "And I know I kissed Lucas too. During that scene. But did I really?" A small sigh escaped at the memory. "I can't count that; I don't even know. I'll never know." Josie suddenly realized that she was talking to herself, and frowned. She knew she was losing it. "Whatever!" she shouted at the air in front of her as if it even mattered anymore. The night was uncomfortably quiet; thinking aloud was the only option. "Stupid school, messing everything up! That dumb black hole blew my shot to figure it out. Too bad real life doesn't give second chances. I just wish…" For an instant, she concluded she was only fooling herself. It was too late now…

A soft voice drifted through the silence, startling the girl. "'O, then, dear saint,'" it spoke, quietly and so unpretentiously, "'let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.'" Josie's eyes widened and her heart beat faster in recognition of the all too familiar utterance. She ever so shyly turned her head, lifting her eyes toward her companion- a less than striking young man, but comely nonetheless. He was staring at her intently, slowly summoning all the fortitude he could muster, before venturing out of the fog to be bathed in the gossamer-like moonlight.

Josie could not help but allow a smile, no matter how hard she tried to force her mouth taut. She bent her head slightly and blinked back the dampness that had arisen behind her shining eyes. "'Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.'"

"'Then move not while my prayer's effect I take.'" Josie lightly chewed her lip, and after a moment, the young man timidly edged closer. She met his gaze when he reached her. He swallowed hard, but his intense focus did not drift; his breath wavered, yet the determination in his brown eyes never faltered—they were fixed on hers completely. The opportunity he had long wished for had been procured, and it was not going slip away again. "Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purg'd.'"

As the distance between them slowly closed, their lips hesitantly grazed, each one's eventually coming to rest against the other's. Josie unconsciously lifted her left hand, letting her fingers lightly touch Lucas' arm. She also had been offered her coveted chance, and there was no mistaking anything about it. The gesture was so simple; she just never knew it could feel so meaningful, so significant. It was not at all sloppy or wanton, but rather like a metaphoric melding of souls. Neither one noticed as it began to drizzle, but nothing could have quenched the fiery passion they both felt.

Josie felt as if she could remain as she was for eternity, but the magic moment ceased as Lucas slid his lips away to stare at his shoes. Josie searched his face for any sign of an answer to the myriad of thoughts flying through her mind.

Is something wrong?" she finally asked, feeling slightly guilty as he cringed at the sound of her voice.

Lucas sighed, and raised his head to observe the night sky. "I, um," he scratched his head and let out a nervous chuckle. "I gu…um, well, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on you. You know?"

"So, you heard…all…? Josie inquired, somewhat embarrassed.

He nodded. "Yeah. Sorry." His head hung low with shame. He had just needed to try. He had to know.

It pained Josie to see the look on Lucas' face. His self-esteem was so delicate. "I guess… I guess we were both wondering…" she afforded.

Their eyes met. Josie looked so beautiful—her hair was a shimmering copper under the moon; her expression was so innocent. Oh how Lucas longed to hold her! No, he knew she hated being stripped of her tough, independent façade. That was not an option. He had likely gone too far already.

"I probably shouldn't have done that."

"What? Spy on me, or… kiss me?"

"Both."

Josie closed her eyes, slightly irritated, and let out a slow breath. "Listen, even though I am mad at you for hanging around while I practically poured my heart out, and not telling me you were there," her tone became hushed, "I'm kinda glad you did."

A very confused Lucas studied her carefully. "Really?" he asked uncertainly.

Josie pressed her tongue in her cheek and grinned. She shook her head. For someone so intelligent Lucas could be quite ignorant. She truly examined him for the first time: his youthful face was cast in shadow, brown hair fell across his glasses behind which soft eyes were regarding her, and raindrops alighted on his nose and eyelashes. He offered a heartfelt smile.

"Now?" She smiled back. "I think I'm pretty sure of it. Of everything." On an impulse she bent toward the incredulous boy and pulled him down to her. The subsequent action was so profound; the little remaining doubt in Josie's mind was completely erased as she was overcome by a wave of emotion, finally released after being bottled up for so long.

The two finally pulled apart with giddiness-induced laughter, and they were in no hurry to compose themselves. After a moment, Lucas tilted his head and questioned, "That Shakespeare thing was pretty cheesy, wasn't it?"

Josie contemplated for a time. "Actually, no. It was…sweet," she decided.

"I didn't get the chance to use it before. I don't even know if I said it right."

Josie leaned in close and whispered, "It was perfect." Their lips came together once more, and as she fell under the spell of the warm, gentle pressure, the only thing still unclear to her was why it was before.