A/N: *tears* I am bad person for not updating. Hope you all had a merry Christmas and enjoy your New Year :) Here's a future fic, ten years after school.


"We went to have ourselves a drink or two
But couldn't find an open bar
We bought a six-pack at the liquor store and we drank it in her car
We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now and tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how
She said she'd married her an architect
Who kept her warm and safe and dry
She would have liked to say she loved the man, but she didn't like to lie
I said the years had been a friend to her and that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I saw doubt or gratitude
She said she saw me in the record stores and that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly, but the traveling was hell
We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now and tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how
We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to time
Reliving in our eloquence
Another auld lang syne
The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out and I watched her drive away
Just for a moment, I was back at school and felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain..." -Dan Folgelberg, Same Old Lang Syne


She could've said that she had gotten used to it. Being alone, and every year, her resolution was the same. Try to be someone better.

"Miss, are you buying that or not?"

Venus rolled her eyes and forked over the twenty dollars, clutching the twelve-pack of beer close to her and left the liquor store without another word. It was Boo Year's Eve, and she was just trying to enjoy herself for once.

And as she walked through the falling snow and slush on the ground, a sudden rush swept her off of her feet, literally, and the plant monster fell onto the concrete ground, back first.

"Geez, watch where you're going!" Venus snapped, letting out an audible groan. She was gonna feel that in the morning.

"I'm sorry!" Huh. It seemed that the monster who had knocked her over wasn't a totally rude one... and that voice.

"It's... no problem." The fog of the snow made things almost impossible to see, but as Venus looked up to see who was helping her... She should've just known from the voice...

"You drink?" Copper gear-shaped eyes met aquamarine ones and a loud gasp was heard, only before Venus felt herself in that very familiar metallic embrace once more. It was... Robecca.

"Nice to see you too." Venus laughed.

Robecca let out a laugh (it was still that adorable giggle) and let up, completely breathless. "Wow. Venus. I..."

This moment was both astonishing and frustrating, for the both of them.

The mechanical woman inspected her old friend carefully. "You haven't changed a bit."

Venus shrugged. "You could say that. But, neither have you."

"Still with this ridiculous hairdo." Robecca teased.

"First you run me over, then you insult me?" the plant monster mocked. "Well, Robecca..."

"Oh, you." the robotic ghoul chuckled, hugging her old friend once more. "Stop playing with me, and tell me... how long has it been?"

Venus thought for a moment and blinked slowly. "Graduation." she said. "Which has been..."

"Ten years." Robecca breathed. "Wow... huh. Anything change for you?"

"Well..." the plant monster bent over and picked up her case of beer. "I drink now." she laughed.

"Oh, no, don't you remember the parties?"

"Shut up." Venus smirked, nudging Robecca playfully. "And yes, I do. You were the worst drunk I had ever met."

Rolling her eyes, the robotic ghoul followed her old friend as the two of them began walking down the road. "Anything else?"

"Uh..." Venus laughed nervously. "Well. I never moved from Salem. As you can tell. You?"

"I..." Robecca hesitated. "Unlife's been a roller coaster for me ever since after high school."

"Really?" the plant monster stopped short as she noticed her friend show her left hand. "Oh. Who's the lucky monster?"

"I doubt you remember Holt."

"That idiot?" Venus muttered. "He's changed, hasn't he?"

"Immensely." Robecca replied. "Don't worry, I wouldn't marry the one we used to know." she giggled once more. "But, a few months after graduation, a rumor had gone around that both him and Jackson had gotten separated, so to speak. The works of Mad Science."

"Well." Venus said simply. "That's good."

"How about yourself? You find anyone?"

The plant monster shrugged and kicked a small chunk of ice. "Not really. I'm a mom now."

"... Single?" Robecca questioned.

"Divorced, kind of. It's, um..." Venus cleared her throat. "You know Heath, right?"

"You got married to that blockhead?" the robotic ghoul shook her head playfully. "Venus McFlytrap, my, my, you certainly have changed."

Sticking her tongue out at her old friend, Venus rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't call it married. We were together for six months. We got hitched for the sake of my kid. Didn't work out. He left me right after the papers were signed."

"I'm sorry." Robecca said. "Really, were you...?"

"Depressed? Regretting? Hell no." Venus shook her head. "The only good thing that came out of dating him was my kid, Lily." A moment of silence passed. "You and Holt have any yet?"

Robecca hesitated. "You know I can't carry. Adoption would be our only choice, but what with Holt trying to make it in the music business, my job of a stunt-woman... Well, to be honest, it's never come up between us. We're much too busy anyhow."

"You're... a stunt-woman?"

"I decided to visit Salem for the howlidays. The rush of Los Fangsles is just too much."

Venus's jaw nearly dropped. "You live in Los Fangsles?"

Robecca would've blushed if she could. "Yes, I do. Have been for about five years, but..." she shrugged. "I tend to visit my home when I'm tired of it all."

"That's... wow. That's great." Venus smiled. "You know, you should visit more often."

"I should, shouldn't I?" the robotic ghoul breathed. "I miss it all, you know. Have you kept in touch with our friends?"

"Some of them, seeing how they never left." Venus thought for a moment. "Rochelle and Garrott broke up. She met some Granite guy, and they had a kid. They moved, actually, to Screamattle. I don't know if they're ever getting hitched. And Frankie is the Headmistress at Monster High now."

"You're kidding." Robecca muttered. "Wow."

"Um... Lagoona and Gil moved to Australia right after they had a kid. Got married right after graduation, actually. I think they're moving back here, though." Venus combed back through her memory and pondered for a minute. "Clawdeen moved to Scaris with Toralei. No word on them, but rumor has it, they adopted, like, five kids."

"Anyone else?"

"Not that I can think of..." Venus let out a sigh as the two of them approached a small, simple bungalow of a house. "Well, this is my place." she hesitated for a moment. "How many more days are you staying in Salem?"

"Until next week." Robecca said simply. "Do you... want to catch up? Go out for coffee or something?"

The words 'go out' tugged at Venus's heartstrings and she tried not to wince. "Sure. Why not?" she thought for only a second before adding, "You wanna come in now? It's cold and... I doubt you wanna spend the Boo Year alone."

"It's late." Robecca shook her head. "But thank you for the invite."

"... No problem." Venus replied with a nod. "See ya?"

Robecca smiled. "See you later. You wouldn't mind I were to ever just drop in, would you?"

"Not at all."

The two of them shared a grin and a light stutter escaped Venus before she leaned forward; kissing Robecca on the cheek.

"I missed you."

Lost for words, the robotic ghoul nodded. "Same to you. But..." she let out a sigh. "Things change."

Venus nodded quickly, and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Yup." Without another word, she began to walk towards her house, and behind her, the sound of rocket boots revving up was heard, only before a loud squeal and out of the corner of her eyes, Venus saw Robecca fly off; down the street.

... Things shouldn't have changed.


Oh. My. God. asdfghjkl, that was the most cliche ending ever. Le sigh. Oh, well. Hope you all enjoyed :)