Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing IaHB related. Although if I did........
Author's note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this fic so far. I love getting the reviews. They totally make my day. And I am so sorry that it took so long for this next part to come out. I was being a smidge lazy. Thanks to Bea and Darkchilde for keeping on me about writing. Bea always asks how my writing is going. She's such a sweetie! And Darkchilde always asks for the next part of "Second Chances" every time we talk. Hehehehe. S'okay, I do the same thing with her about her fics. So, thanks guys. You helped me to get off my lazy butt and finish this part. :)



She had arrived back at her room just a while before. Jamie had walked her to the door and them had mumbled something about getting some work done before the dinner. He had kissed her cheek and then had walked away down the hall to his own room. At the time, Caitie had shrugged it off and had thought that she could use the extra time to work on her next chapters. She had sat down in front of her computer and that's where she still was a bit later.

Caitie stared at the blank screen in front of her. She hadn't been able to write anything because, for the life of her, she could not remember where she had wanted her story to go. It was as if there was a wall in her mind, blocking her from what she wanted to remember.

But, the question was, what was the block? Normally, Caitie had no trouble writing. Usually, she would sit in front of her laptop and be able to type away for hours on end. She would allow the real world to dissolve away as she slipped further into her imagination. But, this time it was different. This time she couldn't seem to concentrate at all. What was it that was burning into her mind so intensely that she couldn't seem to do anything worthwhile?

"Jamie," she whispered, shaking her head. Of course, she thought, that's what the problem was.

But, was it a problem? She truly loved Jamie and it was evident from his actions that he had feelings for her too. After all, Jamie had been the one to sneak into her room that morning. And he had kissed her at the dance the night before. So, the problem couldn't be that he didn't care for her because that simply was not true.

The problem, Caitie thought to herself as she leaned back in her chair, is that he does care. It would have been easier, she knew, if Jamie had no feelings for her at all. Sure, she would have been upset and it would have taken her a while to get over it. But, with Jamie having feelings for her, it was going to be a heck of a lot harder to leave him.

............................................

Jamie lay on the bed in his room, staring at the ceiling. His fingers were entwined behind his head and his ankles were crossed. The picture of pure comfort. Too bad he felt awful.

He hadn't even bothered to turn the light to his room on or to pull up the shades on the window. He liked the dark; it was easier to think in the dark.

Jamie sighed. What am I going to do, he wondered. He was totally and absolutely in love with Caitie. And he totally and absolutely did not want to leave her. He had waited so long just to tell Caitie how he truly felt about her. And when he had told her, it had turned out that she had felt the same for him too! It just didn't seem to Jamie as if it were fair that he would have to leave her now.

But, Alex had brought up a viable question. What was going to happen with the couples now? We were all so caught up in being with each other, that we didn't realize that it would be over so soon, he thought. But, Alex's question had brought them back to reality in a hurry.

Tomorrow Jamie would be heading back to K's Camp. He wished with all his might that Caitie would go with him. He wanted to show her what he had built. He wanted to introduce her to Mike and the kids. She'd love the kids, he knew. After all, how could anyone not love their innocent little faces and their brave demeanors? She would fall in love with it all and decide to stay. With him. At least, that's how Jamie wished it could happen. But, he knew she had her own life to live. How could he possibly ask her to give it all up for him?

Jamie just hoped that time would go slow at the dinner and afterward that night. He wanted to enjoy whatever time he had left with Caitie.

..........................................

"So what happened after you guys left the station?"

Val cradled the phone between her left ear and shoulder. She crossed her legs so that she was sitting Indian style on her bed. Her actions almost made her smile because it reminded her of being a teenager again, talking on the phone with one of her close friends about boys. All she needed was a teddy bear or pillow to clutch, right?

Then she sighed. "Well, we walked back to the hotel in basically total silence. Tyler looked really troubled about something."

Kiandra, on the other side of the phone, snickered. "Gee, I wonder what could be on his mind. Perhaps a certain blond girl?"

"See, that's the problem. When I first got here, seeing him again was great. He was great. The dance was great. It was all just......"

"Great?" Kiandra supplied dryly. "So what's the problem, then?"

Val sighed and toyed with the phone cord. What was the problem? The problem was that she and Tyler had gotten close- too close- over the last couple of days. Oh, they had been close before, but this time it was different. This time they had stepped slowly over the line of friendship into something a bit more. Of course, neither Tyler nor Val had really stopped to consider what that something was. They had simply lived in the moment.

Now, though, they were confronted with everything they had neglected to think of before. Tomorrow Val would be leaving to go back to her high corporate job and her lonely life. Tyler would go back to teaching math in high school. Their lives would be as separate as they had been for the years before the reunion. Val didn't even want to think about the possibility of never hearing from Tyler again until the next reunion.

"The problem is," she started slowly, knowing there was no point in trying to make up an excuse. Kiandra had known her for years and Val knew that she would see through any lie anyway. "The problem is that I don't want to say good-bye to Tyler. I just don't want to do that yet."

Kiandra exhaled loudly. So that was the big problem. It was as she had expected. And Kiandra did not know what to say. Usually, she knew exactly what to say to Val in order to make her feel better. It had always just worked like that and Kiandra knew that sometimes Val relied on her to say just the right thing. But, this time, Kiandra was at a loss for words. He friend was in quite a hard position and Kiandra had no idea what to say in order to make it sound better than it really was.

"Well, you aren't going to say bye to him yet, are you? I mean, you are going to bring him back here so that I came meet the famous Tyler, right?" Kiandra asked. She rolled her eyes and almost smacked her own forehead at how incredibly dumb her last remark had sounded. She knew the suggestion was weak, but it was all she had. Besides, Kiandra thought, it will buy more time for Val and Tyler to be together.

"Kiandra!" Val exclaimed as she raised her left hand up to grab the phone, which was slipping off her shoulder. She raised the phone back up to her ear. "I can't just ask him to put everything that he might have planned on hold in order to come meet you!"

"Yeah, well, he might, you never know. Ask him," Kiandra replied and she smiled. She could tell the wheels were turning in Val's head as she contemplated the idea of Kiandra's. Sure, it had started out as a pretty weak idea, but......Well, what if..........

"I am not going to ask him," Val stated. Really, where had Kiandra gotten such an idea? She couldn't ask Tyler to go with her back to the city just to meet her roommate. It was preposterous. And besides, Val added in her mind, he probably needs to get back home because he probably has to teach on Monday.

"Ask him," Kiandra repeated.

"No!" Val responded quickly. There was absolutely no way she was going to ask Tyler something so ludicrous. As much as she'd love to bring Tyler home with her, it was just not going to happen.

Val had to congratulate herself. It really would have been easy enough to juts agree with what Kiandra said and give it a try. But, Val knew better than to daydream about what could happen. Alex's question had allowed her to get her head out of the clouds and back down into reality where it belonged. She knew that tomorrow she would leave Tyler behind. It was just something she could not get around or prevent.

"Ask him. You know you want to," Kiandra said again, a smile growing slowly on her face.

"Kiandra, this is ridiculous. I am not going to ask him anything of the sort and if you mention it again, I'll hang up."

Kiandra snickered quietly. She could tell that Val was getting riled up over the idea and this made her smile. It could only mean one thing. Val wished that Kiandra's idea would work. Yes, Kiandra knew her friend well. Val, it seemed, was giving a lot of thought to Kiandra's idea, even if she didn't think it could work. Time to go in for the kill, Kiandra thought.

See, an idea had entered Kiandra's mind while talking to Val. It seemed like such a foolish plan, but she knew it would work. Hey, it had worked before.

"Okay, how about this? I bet you that great fleece sweater that we both loved in the mall that you will end up bringing Tyler home with you." Kiandra smiled a devilish sort of grin and her eyes danced with mischief.

Whoa, Val thought, the competitive spirit within her suddenly thriving. Now, she's playing hardball. The fleece sweater had cost at least 50 dollars when they had been to the mall last. Neither girl had wanted to spend so much money on the sweater. But, that had not stopped them from trying it on in the store's dressing room. It had fit both girls perfectly and Val had fallen absolutely in love with it. And now, here was her chance to make it her own.

It would be so easy, she knew. All she had to do was not ask Tyler to go home with her. Easy. No problem. She wasn't planning on asking him anyway. That sweater would be hers.

"Okay," Val responded slyly. "It's a deal. Oh, and I would like the sweater in baby blue, please."

Kiandra laughed as she noticed Val's voice taking on its familiar competitive tone. "Okay, and if I win, I want it in red."

"Fine."

"Fine."

Kiandra hung up the phone and walked over to the closet in her room, intent on making room for the sweater that would be hanging there soon.

............................................

Tyler stared glumly at Hank. Hank stared glumly back at Tyler. Suffice it to say, they were two very unhappy individuals.

They both had come back from the station lost in deep thought. Numbly, Tyler had told Val that he would see her later and then both Tyler and Hank had boarded the elevator. Not a word had been spoken as the elevator rose to floor three. The doors had opened and in total silence, they had walked down the hall to Tyler's room. And now, they sat across from each other.

A dreadful silence hung over the room. It was a rather awkward, unsettling one. Both boys were so wrapped up in their own worries and uncertainties that they didn't even notice as the minutes flew by. The only sound in the room was the occasional shifting to a more comfortable position in their respective chairs.

Thoughts sat heavily in both Tyler and Hank's minds. These thoughts, which they had been dreading since the dance the night before were what was causing them not to converse. They should have been using their time catching up on what had been happening in one another's life. Yet, those thoughts.........they were dismal, like a rainy day. And they allowed Tyler and Hank to do nothing else but sit numbly in the hotel room and ponder the inevitable.

"Well, the station looked like it was still in good shape," Tyler said, breaking the bleak silence. It was a weak attempt to start a conversation and get both his and Hank's minds off the real problems facing them. Tyler knew it was weak, but hey, at least he was trying.

"Yeah," Hank said, his eyes affixed on the wall behind Tyler's shoulder. He knew Tyler was trying to start up a conversation, but Hank's mind didn't want to focus on anything Tyler was saying. At that moment, there was only one thing that Hank wanted to think about. Melanie. Oh man, what am I going to do? He thought silently.

"What are you going to do about Val?" Hank asked suddenly.

Tyler grimaced. Oh, that truly was a good question, indeed. Wasn't it exactly what he had been asking himself since they had left the station? Tyler just wished he knew the answer to it.

"I don't know, man. I just don't know."

Hank nodded and leaned back in her chair to rest his head against the wall behind him. Tyler noticed the somewhat dazed look in his friend's eyes and he wondered if Hank had even heard his answer at all. After all, Tyler knew Hank was in the same position with Melanie that he was in with Val. And, Tyler thought, watching his friend carefully, I'll bet his mind is focused on only one thing right now. Yes, Tyler could definitely relate to how Hank felt.

"What are you going to do about Melanie?" Tyler asked suddenly, hoping that Hank knew what to do. Hank had always seemed to have answers before when they had been in high school and Tyler had always valued his friend's counsel. Maybe Hank has an idea as to what to do, Tyler thought suddenly, hope welling up inside of him.

There was another silence and Tyler again wondered if Hank had even heard him. Is he that far gone? He thought, when Hank did not answer right away.

After a moment, Hank sighed and looked his best friend straight in the eye. "I'm going to let her go."

Whatever answer or counsel Tyler had been expecting, it had not been this. Let her go? No, Tyler thought, he can't do that. I can't do that with Val.

"But, you guys just found each other. You can't just-," Tyler started, falling over his words as his mind tried to understand where Hank was coming from. It was no use. He just couldn't understand what was happening in Hank's mind.

"You can't just give up," Tyler said quietly.

Hank laughed coldly and shook his head. "Tyler, Melanie and I lead different lives. How could I possibly ask her to give up her life, her dreams, to be with me? No, I just couldn't do it. So, I am doing the only thing I can. Tomorrow, I will say good-bye to her and watch her leave."

Hank swallowed hard before saying his next words. "And I will not do a thing to stop her."

Tyler's mind turned dark. No, he thought, refusing to fully comprehend what Hank had just said. Hank had always been the voice of reason, the mature one of the group. If he said that there was no chance for him and Melanie......then, there was no chance for Val and Tyler either. Tyler did not even want to think about that.

"But--," he began, but Hank cut him off.

"Tyler, it's the best thing for her. I'm doing it for her. Besides, it's probably what she wants anyway."

..................................................

Melanie was feeling a bit giddy. It was funny, she had returned to her room that morning to get some sleep before the dinner. But, she had never ended up sleeping. Ever since she had stepped foot into her room, she had been on the phone making the necessary arrangements.

Sure, her agent had not been exactly thrilled when he had found out that Melanie was backing out of the next few shows and shoots. In fact, he had been aghast, wondering out loud what exactly Melanie had to do that was more important than the photo shoot in New York and the show in Milan. It was then that Melanie had told her agent about Hank. And slowly, her agent had warmed to Melanie's wishes as he always inevitably did. After all, Theo, her agent, was such a hopeless romantic at heart.

So, now, everything was almost set and Melanie could not wait to tell Hank. She could just picture the surprise in his brown eyes as she told him her big news. It would be great, she knew. After all, Hank would want to be with her, wouldn't he?

.................................................

"So, they seemed a bit out of sorts after you asked them that, huh?" Brooke asked into the phone and she listened as Alex explained to her how everyone had acted at the station.

"Hmm, yeah, well, you called the right place, Alex. I'm sure I can figure something out to make them all realize exactly what should happen next."

Brooke hugged her clipboard closer to her chest and thought about what Alex had just told her. So, the old gang was having some trouble making up their minds, it seemed. Well, Brooke thought, I'll just help them in the right direction.

"Listen Alex, I have to go. Talk to you later. Bye."

Brooke pushed the off button on her cell phone and shoved it into the small holder on her belt. Then she raised her eyes to look around the room that she had helped to decorate. Balloons and Crepe paper were everywhere.

But, the real success was the tables. Circular tables covered in white tablecloths were spaced evenly throughout the room. The shiny dinnerware had already been laid out in perfect formation. And the small folded cards with the diner's name sat neatly behind each plate. Each table was pure perfection because Brooke had made sure it was.

Brooke glanced down at her clipboard to make sure everything was in order. Perfect, she thought as she scanned the names of people she didn't even know that would be sitting at each table.

Her eyes picked over each name as if searching for something in particular. She stopped when her eyes came to the first familiar name. She looked around the name on her sheet to see who that person's dinner companions would be. No, she thought shaking her head. That won't do at all.

She reached up and grabbed the pencil that had been tucked behind her ear and she erased the name from that table and placed it at another table.

Down the list of tables her eyes wandered again, stopping every so often as she picked out a familiar name and moved it to another table.

A few minutes later, Brooke smiled as she glanced at her new seating chart. Now, she thought, it is perfect.

"Hey guys," she called across the room to the other volunteers. "Can you guys help me for a minute? Some of these name cards are at the wrong tables. See, some of these people have to sit together......"



Okay, I am truly hoping that the next part will be out soon, everyone. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks lots.