Disclaimer: I do not own the 7th Heaven show, books, or anything like that.

A/N: Here's another chapter!

Mary had just finished her glass of milk, when she heard Lucy and Kevin conversing in low tones, walking toward the kitchen. Figuring they were discussing the wedding, and in no mood to chitchat, she quickly made her way up the stairs.

Simon was emerging from his room, just has she gained the second floor. "Hey, Simon."

"Hey, Mary. I thought you went to bed."

"Well, I had laid down, but then I went downstairs and got a glass of milk."

"Did you find the cookies, mom made yesterday?"

Mary laughed. "I didn't even look. I guess that comes from not leaving here for a while."

Simon gave a low laugh. "Probably so. But just a heads up, they're in that white canister in the pantry."

Mary smiled at him. "Thanks, Simon. Is everyone still playing games?"

"Yeah. But Cecilia has to leave in a few minutes, so I think the parties about to break up. Mom and dad went to bed like fifteen minutes ago. It's getting pretty late."

"Well, I'll see you in the morning. I'm going back upstairs now."

Simon nodded and passed by her to go down the stairs. "Night, Mary."

"Goodnight, Simon." Mary answered and then walked quickly upstairs to her bedroom.

When Mary awoke the next morning, it was to find Lucy gone and Ruthie making up her bed. Shoving herself up on one elbow, she squinted at the light. "Morning, Ruthie, where's Lucy?"

"Kevin drove her to the florist. She was going to decide what type of flowers to use." Ruthie answered while still working on her bed.

"Oh. Where is everyone else?"

"Let's see…Simon is out having lunch with Cecilia. Sam and David are with mom at the grocery store. Dad is at work and Ben went somewhere, but I don't know where."

"Three questions." Mary said.

"What?"

"Simon is out to lunch? What time is it? And why didn't you go with mom, Sam, and David?"

"Simon is out to lunch because it's twelve o'clock in the afternoon, and I didn't go with mom because I figured you wouldn't want to wake up to an empty house."

Mary smiled at her and flopped back onto her pillow. "Thanks, Ruthie. How come no one woke me up?"

"We figured you were tired and so we let you sleep. Anymore questions?" Ruthie asked.

"Nah."

"Not even about Ben?" Ruthie pried.

"Nope."

"Not even when you see this?" Ruthie questioned with a tiny smirk and picked up a small vase with one red rose in it.

Mary sat bolt upright. "That's for me?"

Ruthie grinned. "Yep. Here you go."

Mary calmly reached for it, but it was evident in the way her hands, with their brightly painted fingernails, shook that she was not calm at all.

Ruthie eagerly handed it over and watched Mary's face as she stared first at the rose and then at the note hanging off of the vase.

The note read:

Dear Mary,

Things might never be the same, but then again who knows?

I think that we should at least try to be friends.

While I said things might never be the same, some things never change.

With Affection,

Ben Kinkirk

Mary's pulse raced and her eyes scanned the note again. What did he mean some things never change? Was he trying to tell her that he loved her still?

"How did this get here?" Mary asked Ruthie when she finally looked up to find Ruthie watching her.

"Ben gave it to me this morning and asked that I give it to you when you woke up. Do you want to know what I think?"

Mary closed her eyes. "I'm not sure."

"Well, I'm going to tell you anyway. I think Ben is still in love with you and I think that you're still in love with him. Am I right on either counts?"

"I'm not sure." And those were some important questions that Mary had no answer to.

A/N: Hope you guys liked it. Now please review, even if it's just to let me know that you read it! Please keep them clean! Thanks!