Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 21st cycle. Now cycle 22!

So in cycle 18 (days 358-378), for the one-year anniversary of Gleekathon, I did POV Swaps/Prequels/Sequels of favorite stories of mine from throughout the first year. However as I had to plan ahead, I had to cut off at a certain point, even though the year wasn't technically over. So I wanted to include the stories between the cut-off point and the start of cycle 18, so here we are. There will be six of them: 2 POV swaps, 2 prequels, 2 sequels :)
Today's story is a Sequel to #335 "Ryan & Rhodes" a Bryan/April story originally posted September 21st 2010

"Just Like Old Times"
Bryan & April
[this story takes place in the events of
"Ensemble, Eras, Expression" (day 126)]

April Rhodes was not nervous, no… Actually, she was anxious. She would be taking the stage of McKinley High with her club, for the first time in years… She could not imagine how long it had been, although she didn't focus on that so much, more on the idea of being back on stage, with an audience… She wasn't nervous; she was excited.

If something was making her nervous, it was the fact that among all of those people there for the show, there would be her ex, Bryan Ryan. They had not seen each other since… Well, actually, the last place they had seen each other was on that stage, years before. They hadn't exactly… left things on the best of terms, they… Well, words were given, and they had never spoken again.

She didn't regret it, looking back. She knew as much as she thought he was a dream and the love of her young life, eventually she'd realized this just couldn't be. And maybe things hadn't gone as good as she would have hoped, with her next relationship, but not once did she doubt herself enough to go crawling back to him.

Now that she would see him again though, she did have to wonder… He would remember her, of course, why wouldn't he? How would he respond? Did he miss her; did he hate her; did he hate her but would pretend he missed her? Was he hot? Oh, he had to be… She was only thinking about him and she felt like a teenager again…

Then she heard the door, and she saw someone coming down the aisle… She paused. She couldn't see his face, but she knew it was him… He had that walk… She faded into the crowd, knowing she would get nowhere just standing there with big, curious eyes. She'd let him come to her instead; and then she would really know…

He came on stage and those of their club started to flock to him, and why wouldn't they? He was still so very handsome, even more than before, if that was even possible. His hair looked great, and he looked… in shape… He was a prime specimen, past history or no, so what did anyone expect, that she'd just remain without sentiments?

Her discreet observation act was working fine until she was sold out by Leigh and Mara, the twins pointing her out. She turned, tried to look busy, away from him, but then she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned as innocently and naturally as possible. "Bryan…" she started, trying to keep her voice neutral, as of yet, and just barely managing. They had both been to the rehearsals, she imagined, and yet somehow they'd never met face to face like this before, not for so very long… But what about him? Was he happy, or…

"April," he gave a nod, opened his arms as though to say 'how about a hug, for old times.' She hesitated for a moment, knowing what an invitation of the sort would usually lead to, back in school. But in no way different, she couldn't help herself. Well, she'd keep it to a hug, yes, just a hug… definitely a hug… She felt something, with his hand to her back; she'd come to develop a certain 'gift' for noticing these… And as they pulled back, it was confirmed.

"You're married?" she smiled, nodding to his hand. He looked at it.

"Yes, happily… happily so," he nodded, though she couldn't help but notice a slight… inconsistency in the statement and the expression… She let it go.

"Good for you," she grinned. "I have a fella of my own," she revealed, even though it was straddling the space between truth and lie… "So I guess we ended up doing pretty well for ourselves, even if it wasn't together…"

"Well, some more than others. I've been reduced to background vocals for this thing here," he told her, trying to remain dignified. "But I'm not going to abandon my company."

"Right…" April nodded, slightly wooed. She blinked, snapped out of it. "Don't worry about it, you still have so much to do… You're Bryan Ryan, anyone can spot you in a crowd, you always stand out!"

"That's true," he nodded to himself, then looked back at her. There was a beat of silence… two beats… three… "So when I said 'happily', I…"

"No," April immediately answered, polite.

"Right, fair enough," he nodded, then, "I am really glad to see you though," he gave a genuine smile.

"Me too," she returned it.

THE END

A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, which means that signing up for story alert will not bring you any alerts.
In the event of a sequel, the story will be separate from this one. And as chapter stories go, they are
always clearly indicated as such [ex: "Days 204-210" in the summary] Thank you!