A/N: Thanks for reviewing, sorry about the delay in the update. Hope you like the chapter! Keep the reviews coming!

Disclaimer: I own nothing

That Thunder in your heart
At night when you're kneeling in the dark
It says you're never gonna leave her
But there's this angel in her eyes
That tells such desperate lies
And all you want to do is believe her
And tonight you'll try just one more time
To leave it all behind and to break on through
Oh she can take you, but if she wants to break you
She's gonna find out that ain't so easy to do
And no matter where you sleep tonight or how far you run
Oh-o she's the one, she's the one

Mikey, Eva and David wandered into the crowded club. Most of the people looked college aged, although some must have been high school friends of Denise and the band, because they kept talking about how "old school," this felt. The three boarding school kids felt terribly out of place. For them "old school" meant hanging out in the library until four in the morning because they weren't ready for bed yet. Mike clenched his hands into a fist seeing Shawn standing at the bar.

"Mike," Eva said. "You can't."

"Why not?" He asked. "The guy's sleeping with my girlfriend!"

"She's not your girlfriend anymore dude," David said. Mike sighed. As far as he was concerned his and Denise's getting back together was inevitable, in fact it was all but official. "Plus, if we all had that attitude you'd be dead by now."

"True," Eva said. "And Shawn's not even your best friend!" Mikey glared at her.

"I'm going over there," he grumbled. Eva and David both sighed loudly as Mikey walked over.

"It's Shawn right?" He said simply. Shawn looked at him.

"Which makes you Mike," he turned and looked at him. Mikey nodded. "Can I help you?"

"Just thought maybe we should talk," Mike shrugged. Shawn laughed.

"We don't have anything to talk about." Shawn said. Mike frowned. "Look, if you're looking to get into some kind of 'she's mine,' kind of fight, you've come to the wrong party. Denise isn't the kind of girl that goes for that kind of thing."

"You're bad for her," Mike said. Shawn nodded.

"I'm starting to see that," Shawn said. "But are you sure you're so good?"

"Hellooo Wilmington!" Ted shouted from the drum set as they took the stage.

"Oh God," Shawn groaned. "She let Ted have a mic. That was a mistake."

"Why aren't you up there?" Mike said. Shawn looked at him.

"Uh, Denise promised to pass my demo along to some publicist in New York if I didn't play tonight," he said. "Some guy, Calvin, or,"

"Callins!" Mike said. "Steve Callins?"

"That's him!" Shawn said. "You know him too?" Mike grinned. By promising to pass Shawn along to Steve Denise had given him the power. Steve wouldn't sign Denise's ex boyfriend unless Mike was OK with it. They both stopped when Denise stepped up to the mic and started to talk and watched her.

"Um, thanks," she said. "Look, tonight's kind of an experiment, is that cool?" Everyone hooted for minute. Mike smiled. "So, those of you who don't know them, I want to introduce you to some people, if you don't already know them, on back up vocals and bass, the maestro himself, Mr. Travis Rainn," she laughed as Travis plucked out the Seinfeld theme. "And on the drums, trying his best to get through the night," everyone laughed, "Ted Brighton on drums." Ted did a rim-shot. "Nice," she laughed. Mike smiled. She was a rock star, just like she'd always planned on. "So, um, mostly tonight's about me trying out some new stuff I wrote, but, we're going to open up with a little trip down memory lane. Trav, care to do the honors?" Travis laughed and put his bass down and picked up a guitar. He started playing a slow rhythm and Denise swallowed and looked at Mike. He smiled. "Where it begins? I can't begin to know when," she sang softly. Mike laughed and noticed Eva and David had become lost in their own little world. "But then I know it's going strong." They smiled at each other, like there was some kind of private joke. "Wasn't the spring, and spring became summer, who'd have believed you'd come along?"

"Hands," Travis started backing her, "touching hands, reaching out! Touching me, touching you, whoah,"

"Sweet Caroline," Denise cooed into the mic. As she kept singing Mike grinned. He was in love with this woman. After a set, they took a break and Denise walked out. "What did you think?"

"You paid tribute to the Sox," he grinned. "Was that to torture me?

"No!" She said. "Trav and I used to play that in my basement." He laughed and kissed her. "You're happy tonight."

"You're amazing," he said. "And you're going to hook your ex up with Steve?" She laughed. "That's a huge favor."

"Well," she said. "As long as it's OK with you, I mean, he's your family."

"It's OK with me," he said. "He can keep an eye on him for me." She laughed. "So are we back?"

"I think we are," she smiled and kissed him again.

Eddie frowned standing outside of the prom. Everyone had gone in; he'd even seen Erica walk in with some baseball player where she was dating. They'd smiled very softly at each other. It was nice that they hadn't let things get bad between them so they could always be friends.

"Eddie?" He turned hearing a familiar voice. Connie Vanderbilt was standing there in a very classy black satin gown. He couldn't help but smile. "Surprise?" She tried and shrugged.

"This is Bella's get me out of the house surprise?" He shook his head and handed her the corsage he'd bought. "She couldn't do better than her boyfriend's sister?"

"Watch it," she said. "I'm doing you a favor." He laughed and then Bella and Gordon walked up. Bella was wearing a soft pink chiffon dress than skimmed her knees into a handkerchief hem. Gordon had a pink rose in his lapel.

"We tried to find someone our age," Bella said. "But Connie was in town, and it was the last minute."

"I know she's my sister," Gordon shrugged. "But she's more from your world than mine."

"Hey it's cool," Eddie said holding out his arm and Connie carefully laced hers through it. "Back when I was like twelve, she was totally at the top of my uh, special list." Bella rolled her eyes. "Once high school hit, we were all too scared of Reed to keep her on there."

"That's so sweet!" Connie squealed.

"Oh yeah," Gordon said. "Pubescent boys whacking it to the image of my sister. That's something I needed to know about."

"Hey, how do you think I feel?" Bella said. "He was my boyfriend by then!" They all walked inside and Connie froze. She didn't know why she was surprised to see Kevin, but she was. Specifically, she was surprised to see him so happy. When they last talked he hadn't been. She felt Eddie tense up as he walked over to them, Anne tagging behind.

"Are you OK?" She whispered. "I know you two don't get along, but I do have to,"

"It's not that," Eddie said, "just watch."

"Hey guys," Kevin smiled. Bella smiled back, without thinking. "Hey Cons."

"Hey," she said and hugged him. "Mm, I missed you."

"Don't stay away so long next time," he said. "You look great."

"You too," she smiled. Anne cleared her throat. "Hi Anne."

"Hi," she said. "Hey Bella."

"Hi Anne," Bella said awkwardly. She could tell just by how Anne was looking at her that she knew. "Hi Kevin."

"You look really beautiful, Riley," Kevin whispered. Bella looked down. Connie frowned. She was missing something.

"Gordon," Bella said and put her arms around his neck. "Let's go dance."

"You've got it baby," he said, she giggled and walked away. Kevin watched them go. Anne tugged at his arm and dragged him to the refreshment table. Connie looked at Eddie.

"What was that?" She said. Eddie shook his head. "What happened between them? They didn't sleep together did they?"

"No," Eddie shook his head. "He made a move on her at the girl's cotillion."

"Christ," Connie said. "He does have self destructive tendencies. It's something we bonded over. That and the only child thing."

"I'm an only child," Eddie grinned. She laughed. "But you're not."

"I basically was until I was fourteen," she pointed out. "I love Gordon and Casey, and sometimes I think that I love them more because I feel like I missed something and I don't want to miss anything else."

"Sure," he said. "I'm lucky that even though it's just me, I always had the Rileys." Connie smiled. "I miss them, now that Bella and I aren't together."

"I miss that house," Connie sighed, "I miss the five of us hanging out there, before everything went to shit."

"You mean, Reese and TJ and Stephanie and all that?" He asked.

"That and other things," she said softly. "Things just won't ever be like they were." He looked out at Bella and Gordon.

"Sometimes the changes are," he said and cocked his head to the side, "healthier."

"Eddie," Erica walked over. "You promised me a dance."

"Go ahead," Connie whacked him with her purse. He laughed and walked with Erica. She went and sat down at the table. Kevin walked over and sat with her. "Oh, you're back."

"You're here at all," he said. "It's sort of a miracle Cons." She smiled. "Eddie Cole?"

"Bella Riley?" She raised her eyebrows.

"He told you?" He asked.

"I would have figured it out," she shrugged. "You could cut the tension between you two with a knife. You're lucky that Gordie's so oblivious."

"Mm," he nodded. "I don't think he'd care. She chose him."

"Yeah," she nodded. "But no matter what it changes things." She started running her finger around her water glass. He looked at her.

"You finally did it didn't you?" He said. "You and Tony."

"Yeah," she whispered. "It's bad, and messy and Lizzie hates me." He looked at her. "She's fucking Donovan, just to get back at me."

"Really?" He said. She nodded. "God, Connie, that sucks."

"It does suck." She whispered. "And what sucks ore is that I'm not even that into Tony, you know? I mean, we slept together a few times, I mean, I even put England off until the fall because I thought maybe," she sighed. "But I screwed that up too, and it doesn't matter because I'm not in love with him."

"Oh bullshit," he said. She laughed. "Come on, you and Tony have always had feelings for each other, that's why Lizzie's freaking like she is. I mean, you've said it to me, there's never going to be anything like us again, but we owe it to ourselves to at least try to be happy. Love Tony if you love him, don't feel bad about it."

"When did you get so wise?" She asked. He laughed. "I'm not in love with him though, I mean the sex is amazing but," Kevin rolled his eyes. "Sorry, right, I'm not expecting it to be us, but I expect something, and with Tony, it just doesn't feel like anything, except that, my bed's not empty, and I didn't have to sail my boat up by myself this spring."

"Wait," he said. "You let him sail your boat?" She nodded. "Connie, you made me spit into my palm and shake your hand before even letting me get on your boat and I wasn't allowed to touch anything, let alone actually sail the thing!"

"Oh he wasn't allowed to touch anything either," she rolled her eyes. "Well, he was allowed to touch some things, but not on the boat."

"Donovan got to touch your boat," he mumbled.

"Donovan's been sailing since he was in diapers," she said. "Before me had you even been on a sailboat?"

"Ok, alright, fine," he said. "The Bella thing was stupid. I got drunk and said a stupid thing."

"Do you have feelings for her?" She asked. He smiled. "Do you?"

"Are you supposed to be on my side here?" He asked. "She's your brother's girlfriend?"

"Bah," she waved her hand. "Gordie's young, he shouldn't tie himself down."

"But me?" He laughed.

"Well, you're an old soul," she shrugged. "And you wouldn't ever tie yourself down." He smiled.

"Anne and I are going to Puerto Rico this summer," he admitted, "to get in touch with my roots before Georgetown."

"You're going to Georgetown?" She said excitedly. He nodded. "Kevin, that's amazing, I'm so proud of you!" She hugged him again. "I always knew you'd be great." She noticed Anne watching them. "You should go, your girlfriend looks ready to kill me."

"You should go," he nodded to the dance floor. "Your date looks like his ex girlfriend is going to eat him." She laughed and stood up and cut in on Eddie and Erica, as they danced she felt a sense of contentment in his arms she hadn't felt since, well, since the last time Kevin had held her that way.

Keep the reviews coming!