AN: This is prequel to Graduation and Reunion. It doesn't really matter when you read this. I might repeat some stuff. I also mentioned characters in here that I didn't in later stories. I have a very good reason for that. I'm writing this after I wrote Graduation and Reunion therefore they didn't exist until now. Make sense, good. I don't own shit. Steamers are good, Hava Java is a real place in Minnesota. I made up dorm names, I don't know any.
Why am I even taking home ec. I already know how to cook.' Wondered Caitie Roth as she walked into her last class of the day. She was a sophomore at the University of Minnesota Duluth, more commonly know as UMD. You wanted an easy class' whispered an annoying voice in her head. She had already decided to major in English. She really wanted to become a writer. As she walked into the building she had the feeling she was being watched. Indeed she was.
"Wow." Whispered the person watching her. "College really agrees with her." She paused looked around and went into her classroom. I really don't want to go to this class.' He thought.
Caitie went into her class and sat down in the back of the room, right in front of the stations they sometimes used when they couldn't cook at home for various reasons. She quickly bent her head and retrieved her notebook from her bag. She took out a pencil and quickly finished part of the assignment that she had 'forgotten' to do. After she finished that she pulled out a different notebook and began to scribble words down furiously. She had just gotten a good idea for a story line and didn't want to forget. "Why I don't just get a laptop is beyond me." She muttered. But she knew the answer, they were expensive and she really like writing in her notebooks, and then transferring her words to the computer in her dorm room. Transferring her writing just gave her a chance to read over what she had written and make sure everything was spelled right and worded the way she liked. This year she was lucky enough to get a roommate who was hardly ever home.
"Anybody sitting here?" asked a voice, startling Caitie out of her thoughts.
"Sure." She said looking up to see who was sitting next to her. Who she saw shocked her. She saw the familiar leather jacket, spiked hair, and deep brown eyes. "Jamie?" asked Caitie sure she was hallucinating.
"Yeah, It's good to see you again." He said.
"What are you doing here?" Demanded Caitie.
"They have a better pre med program here, so I transferred."
"You've been at college for six months and you're bored there already. Anyway I was talking about home ec. Why this class?"
"Only open elective that I wasn't already taking. I had no choice. I need the credits"
"You know I really is good to see you. Did you have any idea I was here?"
"None what so ever. At least until I saw you walking to class. I didn't expect the class to be my class though. You wanna get together tonight after class and talk?" said Jamie not missing a beat.
"Sure I'd love to. I know this great coffee place." The teacher walked in then so they were forced to listen to a boring lecture on a topic neither would remember five seconds after class ended. They were silent for the most part class, quickly sneaking looks at each other when they thought the other wasn't listening. Twice they made eye contact and smiled at each other.
"So where is this coffee place? And when did you start drinking coffee?" asked Jamie when they were walking
"A few blocks from here. I don't drink coffee, I drink steamers."
"Steamers?" asked Jamie.
"Steamed milk with flavoring." Explained Caitie. "They have lots of things, Steamers, Italian Sodas, French Sodas, Ice cream, muffins, doughnuts, and pop."
"What's pop?" asked Jamie sounding confused. "And Italian and French sodas."
"Pop is soda, Italian sodas are sparkling water with flavor syrup, French are the same only with cream added."
"Where are we going exactly?" asked Jamie. He was new in town and didn't know where everything was yet.
"Hava Java. Right here." Caitie got a Vanilla/Cinnamon steamer and Jamie got coffee. The drank their drinks while Jamie and Caitie walked around, talking about everything.
"So where are you living right now?" asked Jamie.
"McKenzie Hall. How about you?" asked Caitie.
"Xavier Hall. Who do you think made up these names?"
"Someone with very little imagination I'm sure. Shit, I've got a seven o-clock lab tomorrow morning, I've got to get some sleep. Night Jamie, I'll see you tomorrow."
"Caitie, can I do something I've been wanting to do since I was a sophomore?" asked Jamie letting his hand rest on her arm. Caitie's first instinct was to say no to whatever it was. But then she realized she wanted to find out if her suspicions were right about what she thought he wanted to do.
"Sure." Said Caitie. Jamie leaned down and she reached up, their lips meeting halfway. Jamie broke the kiss first.
"Caitie, I'm sorry." He said before he turned and walked away.
"Why? I never would have done it if you hadn't." Jamie turned around and looked at Caitie.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm assuming that you like me. Kisses don't lie."
"Um, yeah I do. I guess you could say that." Jamie said, looking at the ground, like a nervous sixth grader asking out a girl for the first time.
"Jamie, come here." Caitie wrapped her arms around his neck. And kissed him again, Jamie kissed her back.
"Wow." Whispered Jamie. "I take it that you like me too, what now?"
"You can start by taking me out to dinner tomorrow night." Replied Caitie.
"I'll pick you up at seven." Promised Jamie.
* * *
"Tyler that's crazy!" screamed Val.
"Why, what's so crazy about it?" Protested Tyler.
"I'm not sure." Confessed Val.
"Val, I really need a new roommate. Mike's leaving at the end of the week, I need someone to split the rent with."
"Oh, so that's what you need a new roommate for, to give you money." Joked Val.
"No, I want to see my girlfriend more often, you're at work or class whenever I'm home, And I'm at work or class when you're home. Besides living in an apartment is cheaper than living in a dorm."
"Tyler, I'm not sure if I should. What will my parents think? Me moving in with my boyfriend, they're gonna find out when they stop getting bills for room and board."
"Val, they trust you to make the right decision. You're almost twenty one years old."
"Can I have some time to think?"
"Sure take as much time as you need. You wanna go see that movie now?"
"No, I'd rather stay here." Said Val sitting down on the couch. "Breakfast at Tiffany's is on."
"We've seen that like fifty times already." Said Tyler sitting down anyway.
"That's the point." Said Val turning down the volume on the TV. "We won't miss much." Tyler kissed Val, their movie forgotten.
"Hey man, it's fine if you wanna make-out with your girl, but lock the door." said Mike, walking into the apartment.
"You have a key, locking the door would be pointless. Didn't you have a date tonight?"
"That's tomorrow night. Hi Val. I'm just gonna go to my room now. Have fun." Mike quickly backed out of the room.
"Hi Mike." Called Val. More to his back than to him because he had already left the room.
"Sorry about that." said Tyler. "He has the worst timing."
"That's okay, I need lip gloss anyway." said Val.
"You want to go for ice cream? Mike kinda wrecked the mood."
"Sure I could use some chocolate right about now." Val and Tyler grabbed their jackets and walked the three blocks to the tiny ice cream shop on the corner. They ordered their ice cream and sat at one of the three circular tables.
"Have you given any thought to moving in with me yet?" asked Tyler.
"You asked me half an hour ago, I haven't had time to think about it yet. I haven't had my tongue out of your mouth long enough."
"You know, if you moved in you'd only pay half the rent you pay now, and you'd have your own room."
"I assumed I would have my own room. I know you and Mike both do. Therefore since I'm invited to move in because Mike is moving out you will have an open room. Can you hand me a napkin?" Val's ice cream cone had dripped ice cream down the front of her shirt.
"This is gonna stain." Groaned Val. "At least it's not white."
"It's not noticeable." Promised Tyler.
"I don't care." They finished their ice cream, and started to walk back to Tyler's place.
"Val, if it's really that bad you can borrow one of my T-shirts and wash that one at my place." Tyler offered.
"Thanks, do you know how to do laundry?" asked Val. "This is my favorite shirt you know."
"If I do laundry wrong you can help me. Besides there's instructions on the machine."
"I don't know how you can live like this." said Val when they got back to the apartment. There were dirty dishes and clothes everywhere.
"I guess you're just gonna have to move in and clean it up." Joked Tyler.
"Where is your washing machine?" asked Val realizing she had never seen one anywhere.
"In one of the spare bedrooms."
"Spare bedrooms?" questioned Val. "I knew this place was big, but apartments usually only have two bedrooms. How many are there?"
"Four. It was shared by four people, but three of them graduated, leaving Mike to find new roommates, now he's graduating and I need a new roommate." Said Tyler pointedly. The apartment actually was very big. It had a kitchen, living room, four bedrooms, and two bathrooms. The kitchen was connected to the living room and a long hallway which had two bedrooms with a connecting bath room between them on both sides. "Here." said Tyler after looking through a pile of clothes and handing Val a shirt
"Thanks." Val started the machine and went to sit on the couch to channel surf. Tyler was already there sitting with his feet on a table, remote in hand.
"No ESPN." Said Val sitting down.
"No problem, it's golf right now."
"Who wants to watch old guys walk around hitting a little white ball into a little hole in the ground with a flag sticking out of it." Said Val. She leaned her head onto his chest and relaxed. Tyler started to rub her shoulders. "That feels good." said Val sounding tired. "I've had a long day."
'Why would I say that? I had the day off.' Val thought. It was as if she was on the outside looking in. 'I look older, but this is Tyler's place. But, it's clean.' Older Val stood up and disappeared into one of the bedrooms. 'That's one's empty.' Thought Val.
"Shh, Shh, Angel honey, don't cry." Cooed older Val. 'Who's Angel?' Older Val came out of the bedroom carrying a little baby, whispering to her, calming her, making her stop crying. 'I always hated it when babies cried.' Thought younger Val. An older version of Tyler walked in carrying a bottle in one hand a dishcloth in the other. 'When did he leave?' Younger Val was so wrapped up in herself that she hadn't noticed Tyler get up and leave.
"She always was a daddy's girl." Said the older Val giving the baby to Tyler to feed. She instantly quieted down, content with her bottle. 'Since when are is Tyler daddy?' Wondered Val. 'And who's mommy? Me?'
"Val, wake up." said Tyler. He was gently shaking her shoulder.
"What?" she mumbled groggily.
"Your shirt's done. You really do look like an angel when you sleep, you know that?"
"No, I've never been able to see myself sleep." said Val, more awake now. "I'm comfortable right here. Lets just stay like this forever." said Val reaching into the depths of sleep.
"How about till tomorrow morning?" said Tyler. also falling asleep. "How about till tomorrow."
* * *
What was I thinking, kissing Caitie like that. Getting involved with her will just ruin our friendship.' Wondered Jamie as he got ready for their date that night. Who am I kidding, I know I felt something when I kissed her. The question is: Did she?' Jamie ran his fingers through his hair one more time. I'll bet Caitie isn't this nervous.' He thought as he left.
However he was very wrong, back at her dorm Caitie's roommate doing her best to calm Caitie down.
"Caitie, he's just a freshman why did you ever agree to go out with him? And why are you so nervous?"
"I agreed to go out with him because he's been one of my best friends since high school. I've liked him since I was a junior in high school. When he kissed me I felt something. The question is: did he. Why are you home anyway. You never are."
"Studying for a test that I really have to pass to avoid failing the class."
"So why aren't you studying?" Asked Caitie.
"Your love life is much more interesting than a bunch of dead people." Caitie was busy brushing out her hair, so she didn't respond. "Are you gonna get the door?"
"Can you get it, Nicole? I'm a little busy here." Said Caitie gesturing to her nails which were only half painted black. "And be nice." Warned Caitie. Nicole tended to be a bit of an ice princess when she met someone different, it took her two weeks to speak a full sentence to Caitie. Nicole got up off her bed slowly and got up to answer the door. When she answered the door she saw the hottest guy in a leather jacket standing there.
"Nicole stop drooling, he's mine." Said Caitie standing up and walking over to the door. "Hi Jamie. Lets go." Caitie grabbed her purse and a lightweight jacket and she and Jamie went out to his car. "Where's your bike?" asked Caitie when they reached it.
"It's in the shop. Breaks are shot." Jamie went over to Caitie's side of the door and opened it for her.
"Thank you. You didn't have to do that."
"I know I didn't, I wanted to."
"Where are we going?"
"Dinner."
"Very funny." Said Caitie, looking as thought she did find it amusing. Jamie was wearing black jeans, a T-shirt and his leather jacket. And Caitie was wearing a long sleeved black shirt with a black skirt that reached her shins. "Do you even know where we're going?"
"Not really, I wanted to find out what you wanted to eat first."
"How thoughtful." Teased Caitie.
"Well I've only been here a week, I've barely been able to make it to my classes without getting lost." Protested Jamie.
"Can you find a McDonald's?"
"I think every teenager and college student can find a fast food restaurant."
"Find one then. Get me a burger and large fry. We're gonna go someplace else to eat."
"Where?"
"My turn to be mysterious." Said Caitie with a twinkle in her eye. "You are wearing good shoes right? Let me drive, it'll be faster." While Jamie went in and got their food Caitie took over as driver. They drove for ten minutes before they reached their destination. Caitie pulled up at the base of either a small mountain or a large rock formation.
"You don't expect me to climb that do you?" asked Jamie.
"Yep." Said Caitie taking their bag a food hostage. "If you want to eat you will. Trust me the view's worth it. The harbor is beautiful." Caitie was right, it was almost sunset so the lights were just starting to turn on. It was cold so Jamie gave Caitie his jacket.
"Jamie, you're not used to the cold, I am. Take your jacked back."
"I'll let you know when I'm cold. I am hungry." Said Jamie taking the bag of food and setting the contents on the bag. They ate in silence for a while just watching the sun set.
"You were right, the view is worth it."
"I told you the harbor was pretty.
"What harbor?" said Jamie, his eyes not leaving Caitie's. He leaned in to kiss her, when there was a loud clap of thunder and a flash of lightning that illuminated the whole sky.
"We'd better go before we get drenched." Said Caitie.
"Yeah." Agreed Jamie cursing his luck. He really wanted to kiss her again, to see if what he felt the first time was real. They climbed down and got into Jamie's car. He drove Caitie home slowly, not wanting the date to end. He got out and opened the door for her again.
"That was fun." Said Caitie quietly, looking up into his eyes, wanting to lose herself in them. She wanted him to kiss her, to see if what she felt the first time was real. And she hopped beyond hope it was. Jamie and Caitie just stood there looking into each other's eyes, not wanting to move. Not noticing when it started to rain. Jamie leaned down to kiss Caitie, meeting her half way again. Caitie closed her eyes and saw fireworks.
"I think the Fourth of July came early." Said Jamie. He'd seen them too.
"You too?" asked Caitie breathlessly. Jamie just nodded.
"Did you feel something last night?" asked Jamie hoping that her answer would be yes.
"You too?" Asked Caitie again. Jamie just nodded again. Jamie let his hand wander to Caitie's cheek and rest there. He cupped her chin in his hand and brought his lips down to hers again. They were totally oblivious to the rain, traffic, and students hurrying to their destinations to avoid getting soaked. To both Caitie and Jamie, the only thing that existed was each other.
* * *
Where am I?' wondered Val when she woke up. Then she remembered that she and Tyler had fallen asleep watching TV. She turned her head and came face to face with Tyler's sleeping form, not wanting to wake him she quietly got up and went to the kitchen. She looked around for something to make. Her eyes set on a box of pancake mix. I'll make pancakes for us.' Thought Val. It took her forever to find a clean pan that she could cook on. She set the pan on a burner and turned the heat on. She mixed up the batter and drizzled a little of it into the pan. She watched it spread out into a perfect circle and waited for the little bubbles to appear in the batter. The first pancake came out burnt so Val scraped it into the garbage can and turned down the heat.
The next one came out golden brown. Val flipped it onto a plate and cooked up the rest of the batter. She made about twenty golden pancakes, she was also surprised that she didn't burn many. Tyler walked into the kitchen.
"What smells so good?" he said inhaling.
"Pancakes." Said Val, taking a few off the plate and putting them on another. She turned and looked in the cupboard for syrup.
"Refrigerator." Said Tyler also taking some pancakes. "Do I want to eat these? I remember you not being the best cook."
"Tyler, it's very hard to mess up pancakes." Said Val taking a bite.
"This coming from a girl who messed up a salad and burnt water." Said Tyler.
"Very funny, why do you think I took home ec.? It's good, eat." Demanded Val.
"As you wish." Said Tyler obeying and taking a bite. "Pretty good."
"See I can cook."
"You wanna be really mean and wake Mike up?" asked Tyler with a evil glint in his eye.
"That would be pretty useless." Said Val trying to hide a laugh.
"Why."
"He's right behind you." Said Val not able to hold her laugh in anymore. Mike took the rest of the pancakes and poured syrup over them.
"Thanks Val, these are good. When did you get here? And why so early?"
"I appreciate the compliment, and I didn't actually leave last night. I slept on the couch. Tyler is a very lumpy pillow." Said Val.
"Does that explain why you're wearing Tyler's shirt?" asked Mike taking in for the first time what Val was wearing.
"No, I got ice cream on mine. I washed it."
"Well, I now know how to do laundry right." Said Tyler breaking up the conversation. Something told him he didn't want it to go farther.
"Oh Tyler, did you find a new roommate yet?"
"Maybe, why do you care?"
"I don't, I'm just changing the subject. What do you mean by maybe?"
"I'm still trying to convince them." Said Tyler. For some reason Val remembered her dream and wondered if it was actually a dream, and not a prediction of what could happen. If it was a prediction Val realized she really did want it to come true.
"No you're not." Said Val.
"What?" said Tyler, confused.
"You're not trying to convince them anymore. You have a new roommate."
"I'm missing something here." Said Mike.
"Simple really, Tyler needed a new roommate, he didn't get to see his girlfriend enough, she doesn't see him enough, he asks her to move in, she says yes. Although can I move in a week after Mike leaves, Caitie's coming to visit me next weekend."
"I have no problem with that. Bring Caitie by, I'd love to see her. See if she's frostbitten from living in Minnesota yet. It's February already and sometimes they still have snow on the ground."
"Be nice Tyler." Warned Val. "I've got to go get ready for work soon. Love you. Bye." Said Val, picking up her shirt on the way out.
When Val got home her phone was ringing. "Hello." Said Val breathlessly.
"Val, where were you? I've been calling for the past hour." Said the voice on the other end.
"Caitie? I was at Tyler's."
"So early?"
"We fell asleep on the couch, now what's so important that you had to keep trying to reach me for an hour?"
"Back up a minute. You fell asleep on the couch?" asked Caitie.
"Yes, we'll discuss my love life when you get here. What was so urgent?"
"I was going to ask if I could bring a friend with me. Is it okay."
"Sure, do I know this friend?"
"Sort of, you'll know what I mean when I get there. I'm coming on Saturday, is that okay?"
"Perfect. Are you driving out here?"
"Yep, it's only an eight hour ride, and I've got the radio."
"Great call me on your cell when you get near here. I've got to take a shower and get ready for work, gotta go. See you soon."
"Bye Val." Said Caitie hanging up. "Yep, you can go. She doesn't know it's you though." Said Caitie turning to Jamie.
"That's okay. Who fell asleep on what couch?" asked Jamie remembering part of their earlier conversation.
"Val was over at Tyler's all night. She says they fell asleep on the couch."
* * *
"Caitie! It's good to see you again." Screamed Val when she opened the door.
"Hey Val, what's with all the boxes?" said Caitie, her eyes sweeping around the room.
"Where's this friend that you said you were bringing?" said Val, dodging Caitie's question with one of her own.
"Hiding behind the door." Said Caitie. "Get in here."
"Jamie!" Screamed Val giving him a hug. And then hitting him.
"What was that for?" asked Jamie, sounding hurt.
"Not E-mailing me. My Address is the same as it was in high school, so you have it."
"What is with all the boxes?" asked Jamie tripping over a half full one.
"I'm um, sorta moving." Said Val looking down at the ground. "It was sorta a last minute decision."
"Where are you moving, is the important question." Said Caitie.
"Tyler's." Muttered Val.
"What's that, didn't quite catch that?" said Jamie.
"Tyler's." Muttered Val a little louder. "He said to bring you by, so that's where we're going first." Said Val shoving a taped box into Caitie's and Jamie's arms. "You get to help me carry by stuff." Val picked up a box of her own to carry. "Caitie, you and Jamie can put your bags over there." Said Val pointing to a corner. They loaded the boxes into Val's car and drove the five minutes to Tyler's. Each took their boxes and carried them to the elevator. Caitie pushed the call button and they waited.
"Which floor is it?" asked Caitie.
"Seventh." Replied Val. "Normally I'd take the stairs but I'm not gonna carry this up seven flights of stairs." Said Val gesturing to the box in her hands. The elevator opened on Tyler's floor and Val took out her key and unlocked the door. "Sorry Mike, is Tyler here?" asked Val. Mike and his girlfriend Lauren were making out on the couch.
"Yeah, kitchen." Said Mike.
"That's Tyler's almost ex-roommate. He leaving tomorrow afternoon. That was Lauren, his girlfriend. She's got another year of school left. He's got law school. Very traumatic." Said Val.
"This place is huge." Said Caitie.
"I almost didn't move in here." Said Val. "Tyler guess who's here." Said Val.
"Hey Val, Hey Caitie. Long time no see." Said Tyler coming out of the kitchen.
"What, no hello for an ex-squad member?" Asked Jamie, faking hurt.
"Hi Jamie, when did you get here?" said Tyler sounding to calm.
"You knew." Cried Val hitting Tyler over the head lightly.
"Yep. You didn't think I was going to sleep in a dorm room with two girls who haven't see each other in six months, do you." Said Jamie. "I E-mailed Tyler and asked if I could stay here. He said yes." Val set her boxes down in the living room, (Mike had disappeared.) she wasn't going to put stuff in her room until Mike left. Considering it was his room she was moving into.
"I'm just going to go put my stuff in the other bathroom, okay?" Said Val.
"I'll help you, the cupboard door tends to fall off." Said Tyler standing up after her.
"Guess that leaves us here." Said Caitie sitting down. Jamie followed her. Before Caitie knew it Jamie was kissing her.
"Hey, they're just down the hall." Protested Caitie.
"One more?" asked Jamie, giving Caitie puppy dog eyes.
"Fine, but just because you look so cute like that."
* * *
"I can't believe that you and Jamie have to go so soon." Whined Val. She and Tyler were helping Caitie and Jamie load up Jamie's car three days later. Loading the car really wasn't that hard seeing as how they only had one bag each.
"You're coming up to Duluth in June, aren't you?" asked Caitie as she gave Val and Tyler each a hug good bye.
"Wouldn't miss it." Said Val who was now giving Jamie a hug.
"Too bad you're not coming up during football season, Viking/Packer games are classic." said Jamie. "We'd have to drive four hours to the Metrodome for a game, but still."
"Jamie, that doesn't sound very much like you. Wanting to go to a football game." said Tyler.
"Well, apparently you haven't seen the Viking's cheerleaders then have you?" Said Jamie, his motives for liking football now becoming clear.
"You will call." Said Val to Caitie before she closed her door.
"You bet I will. I call you enough as it is though. Are you sure you want me to call more?" Laughed Caitie. She and Jamie slowly pulled out into traffic, Val waving good bye, Tyler with his arm around her. "They really do make a great couple." Said Val.
"They're a couple?" said Tyler in awe. "I don't believe it."
"Then you are really blind, you didn't see anything in their eyes when they looked at each other."
"They're friends." Said Tyler. "Did Caitie say they were anything else?"
"No, but you can tell things like this by looking into their eyes. I saw something besides friendship in both. I'm not sure if it's like, lust or love, but Caitie will call me soon and tell me she and Jamie are going out." Argued Val.
"Val, Shut up." Said Tyler kissing her. "You're rambling."
"I a kiss is what it takes to stop me from rambling, then I'll ramble about pointless things."
"You're rambling again." Said Tyler kissing her again.
"You proven my point, the more nonsense I say, the more you kiss me."
* * *
"I told you they were a couple." Screamed Val when she hung up the phone a week later. She had just finished moving all of her stuff to Tyler's when the phone rang. It was Caitie who said she called Val's dorm and her roommate said she was at her boyfriends house. She then told Val that Jamie had officially asked her to be his girlfriend. They screamed together, Tyler had to leave he room because of the threat of hearing loss.
"That's great news." Said Val right before she hung up the phone.
"Well, tell them congratulations." Said Tyler.
"I can't, I hung up the phone, besides I already said Congratulations."
"When? I didn't hear you." said Tyler sounding confused.
"You left the room claiming hearing loss." said Val.
"Huh, What'd you say?" asked Tyler, earning a slap on the back of the head from Val.
* * *
"She took it better than I thought." Said Caitie. "I thought she'd throw us a party or something."
"Taking it well is screaming?" Said Jamie in amazement.
"When you're girls screaming is necessary. Are you on call tonight?" Jamie had gotten a job working as a paramedic, normally it would have taken him years of training to get a job there but because of his EMT training he was able to get a job there almost immediately.
"No, I've got the weekend off. Why?"
"You wanna go out to eat tonight?" Asked Caitie.
"Not really." Caitie looked hurt.
"Why not?"
"I just don't wanna go out, we can order a pizza and go back to my room and watch Scream." Suggested Jamie.
"You know I don't like slasher movies." Said Caitie.
"That's the point. I'll be there if you get scared." Flirted Jamie.
"Fine, fine. But you'd better let my pick the pizza." Said Caitie.
"You have to let me have sausage on at least half."
"Fine, we'll get a large stuffed crust pizza that's half sausage half veggie. Sound good?" Asked Caitie.
"Great." Agreed Jamie.
"We'll call from your room." Said Caitie grabbing her jacket.
* * *
"Well, I just called my Mom. Told her I moved in here." Said Val coming into the kitchen where Tyler was.
"How'd she take it?"
"I tried it out with Brooke first. Her reaction was, and I quote, 'Finally!'."
"Well, what about your parents?"
"I put them both on the line at the same time. Mom said she trusted I was doing the right thing. Dad wasn't happy about it. Give him a week to adjust, he was like this when I told him I wanted to come here to collage with you."
"Val, you forgot a box." Pointed out Tyler.
"Oh, can you hand it to me, you're closer." Said Val.
"Oof, Val what's in here, encyclopedias?"
"Very funny Tyler. It's hair and make-up stuff."
"What have I gotten myself into?" muttered Tyler as he took the box and put it in Val's already full bathroom
* * *
"Just what I need a Teacher's Assistant on a power trip." Muttered Jamie as he took a test off the pile that was passed to him. The TA had spent the first ten minutes of class lecturing the about proper test taking. Jamie was wearing part of his paramedic uniform because he was on duty that day, his jacket was sitting on the back of his chair. He hadn't studied for this test because he had been watching a movie with Caitie the night before.
His pager went off suddenly, disrupting the quiet of the room. Jamie jumped up, grabbed his jacket, and turned to leave.
"Where are you going?" asked the TA standing up and blocking the door.
"I have a call." explained Jamie. "Could you please move?"
"I highly doubt this phone call is a matter of life and death. Sit down, you can call them back."
'This is gonna be good' Thought Jamie. "It's not a phone call, and yes, it could very well be a matter of life and death. See the jacket." said Jamie pointing to the DULUTH EMS patch on the front. Jamie didn't wait for the TA to move, he just pushed by and jumped into the waiting ambulance.
"Sorry TA on a power trip." said Jamie in explanation. "What's up?"
"White female, hit and run. They got the driver, he was drunk and underage, probably slid on ice." said the driver as he pulled away.
"Clear out." Yelled Jamie as they reached the crash site. There was a crowd around the victim. The cops were putting a person in the back of the squad car, Jamie assumed he was the person who had hit the girl. Jamie wanted to drive his fist into the guys face, anyone who was stupid enough to drink underage and then get into a car and drive on an icy road deserved to be hit. As the crowd parted what Jamie saw shocked him, her hair was covering her face, her leg was bent up under her at an impossible angle, and her arm was bent the wrong way at the elbow. Jamie walked up to the girl who was obviously unconscious, and brushed her hair from her face. Jamie reeled back like he was punched in the stomach, he felt like he was hit by the car too. He felt like an imaginary fist had reached into his chest and ripped his heart out. He managed to whisper one word before the shock overtook him. "Caitie."
* * *
Jamie sat in the ICU waiting room. Caitie had internal bleeding, and a concussion, along with cuts, and a broken arm and leg. It wouldn't have been so bad except for the fact that Caitie hadn't regained consciousness yet. Only family was allowed in to see her right now. Caitie's parents were flying out to Duluth as soon as they could get a fight out there. Jamie had conned a nurse into letting him in to see her, her family wasn't there yet, he was a paramedic that treated her, and he was her boyfriend. Luckily the nurse had been soft hearted. She said he could visit her for ten minutes every hour.
Jamie checked his watch, he still had twenty minutes before he could see her again. The events of the call had kept running through his mind ever since he had reached the hospital. He had gotten there at five o-clock that night, it was now three o-clock in the morning. When he first brushed her hair out of her face he would have fallen over if Chad, another member of their squad hadn't caught him.
He blindly went through the motions of treating her, still too shocked to register much of what was happening. Natalie, another squad member and Chad loaded her onto a stretcher and into the back of the ambulance. Chad started to climb into the back but Natalie stopped him.
"Let Jamie and me ride in the back. We need two people to treat her."
"Alright." Said Chad after a few seconds of thought. Jamie climbed into the back of the ambulance and took Caitie's hand in his.
"You know her don't you?" Asked Natalie quietly.
"Yeah, she's my girlfriend." Said Jamie quietly.
"You won't be of much help, ask Chad to take you off duty."
"Maybe I will." Muttered Jamie.
They reached the hospital in five minutes. They let the ER doctors tend to Caitie while Jamie pulled Chad aside. "Chad, you've got to take me off duty." Said Jamie.
"Why?" said Chad. He needed a reason besides the fact that Jamie just wanted off duty.
"The call we just answered, her name was Caitie Roth, my girlfriend." Said Jamie as the events sunk in.
"Fine, you won't be of much help anyway." said Chad. Jamie hadn't heard anything beyond fine. He had run to the ER to check on Caitie, he learned she was being prepped for surgery.
Jamie looked at his watch again. He quickly got up and went into Caitie's room. She wasn't hooked up to any machines except for a heart monitor and an IV. She looked like she was asleep. Jamie sat down next to her and took her hand in his. His time was up before he knew it. He decided that sitting around for almost an hour was pointless. He started to walk around and before he realized it he was at the place where Caitie had taken him on their first date. He climbed up the rocks and sat down. He wished Caitie was there with him, but she was lying in a coma in a hospital. He finally let the tears that had been threatening to overflow all day fall.