Eric walked into his apartment. His friend, Jack Hunter, had just moved in with his brother Shawn, so now, Eric lived alone. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a box. He opened it, and looked at the gold necklace inside. "So much for this..." he tossed it onto the counter. "Maybe I can sell it, and buy myself a computer or something..." he was used to having Jack there to talk to, so this feeling of being totally alone was very new to Eric. He had no idea what to do. "Do I...go see Jack and Shawn? No way...I could kill Shawn right now...partially for taking Lucy, and partially for hurting Alexa..." he stared at the wall. "Do I go see Willow? No way...she'll give me the 'I TOLD you about Lucy' speech that she told me she was gonna give...maybe I was best off talking to Alexa..." Eric reached for the phone, and dialed the number to the Camden's.

"Hello?" Alexa's father, Eric Camden, answered.

"Hey, Reverend Camden..." Eric swallowed a nervous lump.

"Oh, Eric...I assume you'll want to talk to Lucy?" Reverend Camden asked.

"No...actually, I'd like to speak to Alexa, please?" Eric cleared his throat.

"Oh...sure...just a second..." Reverend Camden walked to the stairs, and hollered to Alexa. "ALEXA...Eric is on the phone!"

Alexa's jaw dropped. "Ok, dad..." she reached for her phone. "Eric?"

Eric waited for the click of the Reverend hanging up. "Hey, Alexa..."

"Hey! I didn't expect you to call..." she was surprised.

"Well, I just thought I might ask you to meet me in the park...I kinda need to talk to you..." Eric hoped for the best.

"Sure! When?" Alexa was standing up, almost jumping up and down now.

Willow was passing her door, and poked her head in. "What's going on?"

Alexa held her index finger up, as to say 'wait a sec.'

"In...ten minutes?" Eric asked.

"Sure..." Alexa wanted to scream. She had been waiting for this for seven years. "See ya in ten minutes..."

"See ya..." Eric hung up the phone.

Alexa grabbed Willow's forearms and screamed, then started jumping up and down. "OH MY GOSH!" she screamed. "I have to meet Eric in ten minutes... oh my gosh...Willow! What do I do?"

Willow laughed at her desperate friend. "Just...be you, Alexa..."

Alexa smiled. "Be me...oh my gosh...ok...wow..." she sat down on her bed. "Maybe God is finally paying me off for all this dreaming, and praying for Eric to like me!"

Annie Camden, Alexa's mom, walked into the room. "Alexa, are you ok?"

"Mom! Oh my gosh! Eric wants me to meet him in ten.NOW NINE!...minutes! I have to go! I'll be back!" Alexa rushed to her car.

~~

Eric smiled as he saw Alexa walk into the park. "She glistens, I swear it!" he thought aloud. "Whoa...do I like her? I don't know. Whatever."

"Hey Eric!" Alexa smiled casually, trying to suppress all the feelings inside her. "What's up?"

"You're the only one I can turn to...I'm going insane without Lucy..." Eric wanted to cry.

"Oh..." Alexa over to the swing set. She thought when he called her that he wanted to see her because, maybe, just maybe, he was falling in love with her. "I'm sorry!" she sat down beside him. "I know how you feel, I really do. I'm going insane too..." she lied.

"And now, I feel like I have no one left..." Eric felt his eyes welling up with tears, but he pushed them back, because he needed to stay strong. After all, he had told Alexa that he just laughed things away. He tried to think about a joke that would be appropriate for the situation, but nothing seemed right.

"You've got me..." she put a hand on his shoulder. "You can always talk to me, like I told you before."

"You didn't say that exactly..." Eric shrugged. "But thanks. That means a lot."

"Hey, it's no big. I speak the truth," she smiled sincerely.

Eric stared at the lake, and tried to hold everything inside. But, so many years without crying ultimately catches up to you, and now was Eric's time. He looked back at Alexa, and was softened by the sense of security that she gave him. All of a sudden, he broke down and cried.

"Eric?" Alexa looked over at him. "Eric, are you ok?" she put her hand on his shoulder. "It's ok...sh..." she comforted him. "Come here..." she gently pulled him into a hug. "Let it all out...I know it's so hard..."

"I must look like such a loser..." Eric sniffled.

"No, no you don't. Really..." she reassured him. "I cry all the time..."

He paused, and then continued to cry on Alexa's shoulder. "How are you feeling right now? I mean, you told me you cry all the time..."

"Oh, believe me...I'll have my crying fit, but it kinda hasn't sunk in yet..." she grinned, realizing that it was because she was there with him.

"I don't think Shawn knows what he's losing, Alexa...you're a really great person." Eric hugged her.

Alexa was ecstatic. Eric was paying attention to her, complimenting her, hugging her.

Eric thought for a second. 'She is great...should I take this opportunity?' he asked himself. 'Do I like her? What's going on?' he shook his head, and looked into her eyes. "Alexa..."

"Huh?" she smiled.

Just as his lips were about to touch hers, they heard a voice in the background. "Shawn! Come on! Shut up!"

"No, seriously! It was worth it! Lucy, you are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen!" Shawn kissed her cheek.

"There goes a nice talk..." Eric shook his head.

'And a nice kiss...' Alexa sighed.

~~

"And then...he ALMOST kissed me!" Alexa nodded to Willow. "He was THIS far away!" she shouted, holding her fingers a centimeter apart. "But then, Shawn and Lucy came in and ruined the moment..."

Willow thought for a second. 'I have to do it...that is that...this justifies my plan. He likes her, we just have to show him! I must get her out of here, then call Blake...and Alyssa and Rach!' she thought. "Well, Alexa, nice talking to you, but I think your dad wants you...I just heard him call!"

"I didn't..." Alexa raised an eyebrow.

"I did...you have to go make sure, and when you're done, go make sure it wasn't Simon or something..." Willow shoved Alexa out the door, and locked it. She then ran for the phone, and dialed Rachel's number.

"Hello?" Rachel answered.

"Rach! I have to tell you and Alyssa something! Get Alyssa on the phone, too!" Willow was frantic.

Rachel raised an eyebrow. "Ok...LYSS! PICK UP THE OTHER PHONE!"

"What?" Alyssa picked up the phone.

"ERIC AND ALEXA ALMOST KISSED!" Willow screeched.

"WHAT?" Alyssa and Rachel shouted in unison. "We have to tell Blake..."

"Operation Put Together is FINALLY gonna come into action!" Willow grinned.