Disclaimer: I do not own MSCL.

Summary: It's been eight years since Jordan left Three Rivers. When he returns to attend an old friends wedding, he finds that little has changed. During a visit, Jordan makes a promise that he can't bring himself to break. Jordan/Angela.

Author's Note: First chapter of my very first MSCL story. I rediscovered the show last week, and started writing this after watching the entire series back-to-back. I'm writing this as I go, so there may be delays between chapters, but I'll try to update regularly.


A Crippling Blow

Chapter 1

The Kill

Three Rivers was as tired and boring as it had ever been. Trees molting their leaves for autumn, falling to the perfectly maintained streets, sidewalks and lawns. The same people, it seemed, doing the same things- a never ending cycle.

Jordan Catalano couldn't believe that he was back, even if it was just for a short visit and an old friend's wedding. He'd left practically as soon as his high school diploma was placed in his hands eight years ago- he couldn't get away fast enough. There was nothing for him here anymore; most of his friends had moved away when he had, with a few exceptions. The only real regret that he had was not keeping in touch with Patty Chase. His ex-girlfriend's mother had helped him a lot after his Dad had gotten himself killed in a car accident halfway through Jordan's senior year. He'd make sure to stop and see her during the week he planned to stay, after attending Shane's wedding tomorrow, maybe.

Jordan pointed his rental car toward the only hotel in Three Rivers, shaking his head at the dismal building as he pulled into the gravel parking lot. One low stuccoed level, completely out of place. He walked into the office, and of course the desk manager remembered him after he jotted his name down on the register.

"Jordan Catalano?" the older, portly woman asked.

"Yeah?"

"Well, you certainly have grown up, haven't you?"

Jordan tried his hardest to remember who this woman was, but was coming up with nothing. He settled for a non-committal grunt and collected his key, driving his car around to the back of the building. Jordan flicked on the lights, taking in the predominately puke-green interior, tossing his suitcase onto the double bed. Glancing at this watch, he realized he only had fifteen minutes before he was supposed to be at Shane and his fiance's (whatever her name was) house for lunch.

The bathroom of the place followed the wretched-green color scheme with fake marble and linoleum of the same color. Jordan splashed cold water on his face, and looked up into the mirror above the sink. Not much had changed in eight years; his hair was cut short, closely cropped to his head, his skin a slightly darker tan. Drying his face with one of the the white towels hanging next to the mirror, Jordan ran his hands over his hair, then left the bathroom. He shoved his room key into his pocket and left room number 12 and got back into his rental car, pointing it toward the south side of town.

Shane had taken over his mother's house when she fell sick, and he lived there now with his soon-to-be-wife even after his mother had died the summer before. Jordan pulled his tan, late model four door into the now black topped drive way and got out of the car, walking up the familiar path. This house had become like home to him through his school years, spending many night on the couch when his old man would come home three sheets to the wind. It felt strange to ring the doorbell, but Jordan didn't think that it would still be okay to just walk in.

The Shane that opened the door looked nearly exactly the same as he had the last time Jordan had seen him, almost two years ago. The only exception being that he seemed to have put on about fifty pounds, a side-effect of settling down, Jordan thought. After the exchange of manly, chest-bumping hugs, Shane invited him inside and took him into the living room to introduce him to his fiance. The surprise was evident on Jordan's face when Sharon Cherski stood from where she was sitting on the couch and enfolded him in a hug. He shot shane a look over her still very poofy brown hair, and Shane just shrugged before shooting him a grin.

They ate in the small cramped dining room, and Jordan was once again amused how so very little had changed as he sat down at the same wooden table he'd eaten at many times with Shane and his mother. The food was passed around and they dug in, exchanging pleasantries.

"Have you been by the Chase house yet?" Shane asked around a mouthful of sandwich.

Jordan sat down his own sandwich, again feeling a pang of regret. "No, not yet. I was going to go by and see Patty after the wedding tomorrow."

Shane and Sharon exchanged looks.

"Why? What's going on?" Jordan asked.

"Well, Graham ran off a few years ago. Left them all behind. Patty and Danielle were really broken up about it," Sharon told him.

"What about Angela?" he asked. He and Angela hadn't remained in contact after their second break-up, nor had they remained friends, for reasons he didn't really understand.

"No one really knows what's going on with Angela." Another look passed between the couple.

"What do you mean? She move away?" He took another bite, washing it down with what was left of a cooling cup of coffee.

"No, she still lives in town. She just doesn't really... come around. I think she visits Patty and Danielle every so often, but neither of us have talked to her in at least a couple years now."

"It's that stupid husband of hers-"

Shane cut his fiance off with a wave of his hand. "Stop it, Sharon. Nick has never been anything but nice to anyone."

Sharon sat back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest, glaring at a spot on the table. Jordan was lost. He had no clue who Nick was, and the exchange between Sharon and Shane confused him. They obviously disagreed over the subject of Angela and her husband, and Jordan came to the conclusion that maybe he should stop and see Patty tonight, instead of tomorrow.

Sharon glared at Shane throughout the rest of lunch, and as Jordan finished his food, she cleared the table angrily. As she left the dining room for the kitchen, he shot Shane a look.

"She gonna be okay?"

"Oh yeah, she'll get over it. She always gets pissy whenever anyone talks about Angela. Misses her, I guess."

Jordan left a little while later, ensuring them both that he'd be at the rehearsal dinner tonight. Instead of driving back to the hotel, he instead headed for the Chase house, over on Maple Street.


Next chapter, Jordan visits Patty. Hope you enjoyed, leave a review!

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