Old Friends

Disclaimer: Teen

Rating: Teen probably

Summary: It's been seven years since Joan last saw Adam Rove, and at the funeral of Carl Rove, Joan is suddenly thrown back into everything with her former love.

Joan Girardi sighed as she exited her car and walked up the front steps of a house that she rarely visited. Joan had graduated and never looked back and only visited her family at times when she HAD to.

Joan had caught the law bug that seemed to run in her family's blood and was now a lawyer. She worked mostly in adoptions and she was what some may call successful in Baltimore. Her parents were proud of her, her siblings and most of all, Joan was proud of herself.

Look how far she had come from not wanting to go to college and just follow Adam around. She opens the door and the house is silent and she has to smile at how after all of these years, it still looked the same, smelt the same. She put her suitcase on the floor and took of her coat and hung it over the railing of one of the many ramps in the house.

She walks into the kitchen and her mother is staring at an art book while sipping some coffee and she smiles. 'Hi Mom.' Helen Girardi looks up and at the sight of her only daughter she smiles and gets up and hugs her daughter.

Helen had always supported her daughter, and although it saddened her to see her daughter continue to distance herself from her family. She had been proud when Joan had buckled down and done the S.A.T and managed to get into a good college. A state school but managed to work hard and got a high mark on her LSATS and managed to sail through Law school.

Joan was never the same after Adam and her's relationship blew up in her face.

'it's good to be back.' Joan says while in the hug and when they part, Joan goes to get the ice cream and Helen gets the bowls.

They sat and didn't really talk, which was weird for them, but the reason for Joan's homecoming. Carl Rove had died and suddenly, Joan past was hurtling back to her whether she liked it or not.

The next morning, it was the visitation and would be the first time she had seen Adam Rove in almost eight years. She knew she looked different, and he would too. She had heard faint rumblings about his work in a magazine and she always kept an unconscious eye out, but never did she seek him out.

Just like the morning that she had first seen god, she had thought and rethought what she would wear, and then stopped herself before it got too out of hand. Who was she kidding? It wasn't like she had to impress anyone.

Luke with Grace and Helena and Joan all got into the car and drove solemnly to the funeral home. Helen had stayed in touch with Adam and promised that she would be there for him. Joan had no idea what to say to him. How to comfort the man that part of her loves and part of her hates.

The room was quiet and filled with emotion. Some were genuinely upset at the death of the quiet janitor who loved his family very much, and others cried out of confusion or felt that it was the thing to do. Joan hadn't had that much exposure to death besides in her profession, and when it came to death, people acted in some strange ways.

'Mrs. G, thank you for doing this' Adams low voice said and suddenly Joan was brought back to where she was. He looked so different than the 17-year-old Adam did. No longer did he wear a beanie. The lost little boy was still in there still. 'Jane.' Was all he said to her and he stepped forward and she leaned in to hug him, and when they both touched, they both felt the sparks.

'I'm sorry Adam.' Joan says and Adam nods. 'Thanks Jane.' He had to go talk to the other people and after giving final condolences Joan and Helen leave.

As she exits the building she sees a figure she hadn't seen in years as well. Right after she walked away from Adam and moved away to go to college, god stopped coming around and bugging her. And here he was.

'Mom give me a second.' Joan runs up to the figure and glares. 'And I thought you disappeared completely.' Joan says and the figure smiles. 'Come on Joan, you know I am always around.' Joan scoffs and looks to see if her Mom is watching, when satisfied she isn't she pushes the figure against the wall.

'Look, you left, you chose to give me up as your vessel of ripples or whatever you called me, I am done and I will not do anymore tasks or anything. You got it?' Joan glared once more and was about to walk away.

'I want you to help Adam get through this.' The figure said and it made Joan stop completely. She turned around and glared. 'You know what law school and living on my own taught me? How to say no!' Joan never looked back. She walked to the car and smiled at her mom and they left the parking lot, and Joan didn't look back.