It didn't feel like a coincidence that the last day of their "Class of 84, 30 year reunion" fell on March 24. It felt like karma fucking with her. So pasting on her best smile she entered the firehall for the "closing ceremony" with the intention of getting the hell out of there as soon as physically possible. That's when she saw him.

Brian Johnson.

He stood taller and broader. His smile was less wide, more shrewd. But his eyes were exactly the same, blue like the sky. God he'd looked like such a baby back then. Now he looked like an adult. But then she assumed she must look like that too. She wondered if he'd remember her. That's when their eyes met.

"Claire Standish, hi."

Of course he does just like you do no matter how different you both might look shit he's waiting for a reply. Claire felt her face color like her hair. "Hi."

"Do you.."

"Of course I remember you, Brian."

"Well, I haven't seen you since high school."

"Yeah."

"Good to see you're still beautiful. You're probably rich as hell."

"You don't look so bad yourself. I'm glad you got out of this town."

"Me too. How have you been?"

God, why are you smiling. Oh right, because he's smiling at you. "I've been good. I have two daughters, 5 and 3."

He nodded. "You married...?"

"No."

Silence for a beat.

"My husband left me two years ago now."

Brian gestured to the gathering that surrounded them. "So this must be awkward."

Claire felt her face pull into a frown. Does he think I... "God, no, I didn't marry Bender. I haven't even seen him in years in fact. I don't even think he's here."

"Oh."

"I did see Andrew though."

Brian nodded and laughed. "Yeah, we are practically best friends now. Ended up at school together. He told me I should enlist so I did. Now he helps fund my projects and I was his best man."

"So, then, how's Allison?"

Brian smirked. "I think she's in Queens with the man of her dreams."

So they didn't get married either. "Didn't she call Andrew that?"

"Yeah but you know how things change."

More silence.

"Did you ever…"

"Get married? Almost. Then I was deployed."

That explains how that kid I knew grew up. Claire wrapped her arms across her front imitating Brian's stance. They just stood there for a bit, watching each other, completely unperturbed as announcements started and people were acknowledged.

Claire tilted her head to the side and narrowed her eyes. "Were you even here all weekend?"

Brian laughed and shook his head. "No, I actually couldn't only make it for today. Andrew convinced me that I should come. I was in Chicago anyways on business. It was a long drive but I'm glad I'm here. Though leaving will be harder than getting here was."

Claire smiled. "You fly back tonight?"

Brian nodded. "Yep, back to Raleigh."

Raleigh, really? "That's...far."

Brian nodded. "It is. I love it there. It's not here."

Claire thought about her two story, white gabled house not ten minutes from this very spot, with it's immaculate sitting room her mother insisted she have, and her state of the art kitchen where she felt the most at home, and the two tiny humans with their messy pink playroom and Tinkerbell decorated bedroom.

"You should come out sometime and visit. Bring your girls. I'd like to see you again."

Claire smiled at him and nodded. "I'd like that too."

Maybe karma was a bitch but you could also start over as many fucking times as you wanted.