A/N: Thanks for reviewing. After this chapter I'm going to do a few flashback chapters to explain how everyone got where they are.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 7: Auld Lang Syne

Elisa turned around in the mirror and smiled. She was wearing a simple cream gown with a deep V back.

"Wow," she turned around and smiled. "I am so glad I got invited to this party."

"Hi Clark," she smiled and walked over and kissed him. He rested his hands in her lower back. "Nice tux."

"I was starting to think you were avoiding me Elle," he said.

"I know, I'm sorry," she sighed, "it's just that between finals and then getting ready for winter rush and then Hunter showed up two days early."

"It's not a problem," he said. "I missed you." She kissed him.

"I missed you too," she smiled. "How's everything over at Lamda Chai."

"You know, twenty guys sleeping in one house together," he said. "Sufficiently gay." She laughed. "So I um, I know I said I would give you time to think about it, but," she sighed and looked at him. "Come on, it's a new year. Let's go crazy, be my girlfriend." She sighed. "I'm crazy about you, you know that."

"I really like you too," she whispered, "I just, look, things have gotten more complicated since the last time we saw each other."

"More complicated?" He said. "Is this about that Hunter guy? I mean, you definitely talk on the phone with him way too much for him to just be a friend."

"No, Clark," she said, "it's not Hunter, it's just, give me a little more time OK?"

"OK," he said, "but what about tonight? You're mine at midnight, aren't you?" She laughed.

"You bet," she said. "I have to go do hostessy things."

"Alright," he nodded, "allow me," he offered his arm. She smiled and took it. Later on in the night they were talking and laughing, when Eddie walked in.

"Hi," he said softly walking over to her.

"Hi," she said, "um, Eddie Cole this is Clark Spencer, he's the president of one of the frats that we mix with, and um Clark, Eddie's a friend of mine from high school. He's starting grad school here next semester. I thought I'd invite him to the party you know, to meet people."

"Sure," Clark said. "It's really nice to meet you. Any friend of Elisa's."

"Uh huh," Eddie nodded and shook Clark's hand. "Nice to meet you too. It's a great party Ellie." He turned around.

"Excuse me for just a sec," she walked away from Clark after him. "Eddie!" She said. "I told you that I wanted you to come so you could meet people, I thought you understood!"

"'If I wanted to be someone's girlfriend I would be,'" he repeated. "I thought you meant Hunter but you meant that guy." She nodded. "So he's not your boyfriend?"

"No," she shook her head. "I told you I don't want that right now." He nodded. "Clark and I, it's whatever, we have fun. It's simple, I like that."

"Ah yes," he nodded, "no Eden Hall drama."

"Exactly," she said. "He's never proposed to one of my cousins. Well, once he and Trina were doing Tequila shots, and he said he'd like to marry a girl like her, but that's different." He looked at her.

"But he's not your boyfriend?" He asked. She shook her head. "Have you had a boyfriend since we broke up?"

"There have been guys," she said defensively.

"But no one serious?" He smiled. She sighed. "You're still in love with me."

"I'm not," she said. "I wouldn't have broken up with you in the first place if I was still in love with you. If you're here and you want we can be friends. I want to be."

"Sure," he nodded. "We're friends." She smiled. "Except that you're in love with me and I'm in love with you and we should be together."

"I'm not in love with you Eddie," she said. "I haven't been in a long time. I should go, stay, have a good time at the party. My sisters get really slutty when they drink."

"If you think I'm going to make that mistake again, you're wrong," he shook his head. "It's no one but you, Ellie, just my Countess Olenska." She looked at him and swallowed. She hadn't thought about Age of Innocence in so long.

"Have you even read the book yet Eddie?" She crossed her arms. He smiled. "God you'll never tell me will you?"

"It was incredibly perfect, wasn't it?" He whispered taking her waist softly. "Me and you, falling in love while I was still so deep in it with Bella, you reading a book about a man in love with the perfect woman, while engaged to her cousin?" He kissed her.

"That was all a long time ago Eddie," she whispered. "I'm not that girl anymore, that's what I've been trying to tell you. Clark knows a completely different girl. He loves who I am, not who he dreamed I was when I was fourteen." Eddie smiled softly.

"You're still in love with me," he said. He kissed her again. She whimpered.

"I have to go," she said and pushed him away and walked back into the party.

Gabriel was sitting in bed, still not feeling well when Bella came in.

"Hey bud," she said and sat down, kissing his forehead. "You're feeling better?"

"A little," he croaked. She smiled. "I missed you."

"Aw, I missed you too," she said. "Did you have a good Christmas?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Mama and Pop gave me a new video game."

"Whoa," she nodded, "Aunt Eva and Uncle David decided to stay an extra week to see you."

"Really?" He said.

"Uh huh," she smiled. "So you know what's best for when you get sick, right?" Gabriel looked at her. "The tickle monster always makes you feel better." He started shaking and laughing as Bella tickled him.

"Hey you two," Kevin walked in. "Why didn't I think of tickle monster?" Gabriel laughed and Bella pulled away. "Hey Bella."

"Hi Kev," she said and kissed him on the cheek. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year," he smiled.

"Daddy," Gabriel said, "guess what? Aunt Eva and Uncle David are staying to see me."

"Whoa," Kevin nodded. "Cool."

"Gabe," Bella said, "why don't you go downstairs and see Gordon. He really missed you too." She kissed him and he ran downstairs. "Hi."

"Hi," Kevin said. "You guys could stay here for New Years, you know."

"I don't think that's the best plan," she said softly. Kevin laughed. "It's good to see you though." He smiled.

"Yeah, right," he said. "It's also nice to not be at each other's throats for five minutes," she laughed.

"About that," she said softly. "Um," she reached into her purse. "My dad drew this up." Kevin looked at her as she handed him. "You can look at it, and have your mom or another lawyer,"

"This is a custody agreement," he said. She nodded. "Bella, I thought we agreed not to do this?"

"I know," she said, "but it's pretty fair, I mean, look, we switch off holidays, that was Aunt Julie's idea, it's what she did with her parents, and Gabriel spends his summers and school vacations here."

"Bella, I really don't think we need this," he shook his head. She sighed.

"Kevin, I really think we do," she said. "We tried not to, it didn't work. It's flexible, and we can change things, but this way at least there's a schedule and less to fight about. Just look it over, OK?"

"Yeah, sure," he nodded. "I'll look it over."

"Great," she smiled. "We'll talk soon, OK?"

"Bella," Gordon walked up. "We should get moving, Gabe's asleep which will be better for the drive. Hey Kevin."

"Gordon," Kevin nodded, "You need to start,"

"Letting go of the ball faster on running plays," Gordon laughed. "Wouldn't hurt if I had guards with some speed on them." Kevin laughed. "Happy New Year."

"Happy New Year," Kevin nodded and Bella walked out.

Elisa woke up New Year's morning and smiled feeling Clark's arms around her.

"Mm," he said and kissed her neck, she laughed. "That was a good way to start the New Year."

"It didn't suck," she rolled over and pushed his hair off of his face. They kissed. "I should get back to the house."

"Yeah," he nodded, "Elle," she looked over her shoulder, "who was that guy last night?" She looked at him. "Eddie?"

"He was my boyfriend in high school," she shrugged, "he just moved here, he's starting grad school. I invited him to the party and he misunderstood that's all." She kissed him. "I had fun. I'll see you later." She walked up the street to the ZBZ house and sighed seeing Eddie on the front steps. "Go away." She said.

"I have orange juice," he said holding out a bottle. She looked at him. "I figured you'd be hung over, and you like orange juice when you're hung over." She smiled and took it. "Does Clark know that?"

"Yeah," she rolled her eyes, "we met in the greek system but he doesn't know my hangover cures." Eddie laughed. "Thanks for the orange juice."

"Are you sleeping with him?" He asked. She looked at him.

"I wasn't," she admitted, "but we did last night." He nodded. "He's a good guy Eddie."

"I'm not giving up, Elle," he shook his head. "Happy New Year!"

"God, you are such a pain!" She said and marched into the house. He laughed and followed after her. "Eddie," she groaned.

"Everyone here calls you Elle," he pointed out. "Is that like a Legally Blonde thing?"

"It's a not everyone here knows that I'm named after my dad's ex-girlfriend thing," she shrugged. "In fact no one here knows that."

"Hey Elle," one of her sisters padded past, "who's the cutie? I thought you hooked up with Clark last night?"

"Eddie Cole, this is Victoria Davenport," she pointed, "Victoria and I were in the same pledge class and she was friends with Anne in New York."

"Nice to meet you," Eddie nodded.

"Yeah, you too," Victoria nodded. "See you later Elle."

"Bye," Elisa nodded. She looked at Eddie. He smiled. "Victoria is single, and apparently thinks you're cute. And she's friends with Anne, so you know, there's that."

"I want you," he said. "Just you."

"So you're going to annoy me into taking you back?" She rolled her eyes. "That's quite a strategy Eddie." She walked upstairs and Eddie smiled taking out his phone and dialing.

"Hey loser," Bella said picking it up. "I was wondering when you were going to call."

"Happy New Year to you too," he laughed.

"So how'd it go with Ellie?" She asked.

"Um, it turned out she had another date," he said. "But I'm not discouraged."

"That's adorable," Bella laughed. "I gave Kevin the custody agreement."

"Whoa," Eddie said. "That's like, huge. Are you doing OK?"

"Yeah," she said, "I don't know. It's hard. But tell me about your frivolous non parent non married problems."

"There's no problem," he said, "I'm getting her back."

"God, you haven't been this focused on anything since you wanted to get me back," she said. "Gordon says you should try asking her to marry you, as that worked when he wanted me back."

"Remind Gordon that I don't feel like waiting two years for Ellie to make up her mind," he said. Bella laughed. "Say hi to Gabriel for me."

"Will do," she hung up.

Elisa sat quietly in her room and dialed her phone.

"Hey," Hunter said picking up. "I was about to call you!"

"Yeah?" She whispered.

"Yeah," he said. "Um, I'm not going to Prague, I'm staying in New York, and Anne and I are getting an apartment." She stopped and sat down. "Elisa? You there?"

"Yeah," she said, "wow, Hunter, that's, that's great!" She swallowed. "I'm really happy for you guys."

"You called me," he said. "Is everything OK?"

"Everything's fine," she laughed, "I think that Eddie's going to pull a John Cusack." Hunter laughed. "I was just calling to say Happy New Year, and I miss you."

"Aw, I miss you too," he said. "Look we're about to head out to some stupid brunch thing for my mom, but I'll call you soon, OK?"

"OK," she said. "I love you, Hunter."

"Love you too," he hung up. She plopped down on the bed and swallowed. She didn't know what to do.

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