"Jessie," Karen says, sitting down across from her daughter. Jessie looks up slowly to meet her mother's eyes. "What is wrong? Why are you thinking about changing your mind about being here?" She asks softly.

Jessie sighs and looks back down. "I don't know. I guess it's just...complicated," she says the last word quietly, closing her eyes.

"That's not an answer," Karen says sternly, leaning back in her seat and folding her arms across her chest. "That's not a good enough reason for me to have lied to Grace. If can't give me one, then I'll call her back and tell her that you're here," she says sternly.

"That's not a good enough reason for you?" Jessie asks, adopting the same position as her mother. Karen shakes her head no. "It's hard," she says in a soft, almost choked, voice.

"Honey," Karen says in a concerned tone. She reaches across the table to grasp Jessie's arm, but Jessie pulls it away before Karen can grab her. "What's hard?" She asks, growing increasingly worried.

"Nothing," Jessie says, sounding dazed and not looking at her mother. "Go ahead. Call Grace if you want," she says, her voice emotionless. She gets up and goes back upstairs.

"Jessie," Karen says, reaching out after she gets up, but Jessie doesn't see or hear her. She glances at the phone, then back up the stairs. "Jess," she repeats, getting up and following Jessie up to her room.

"I know Katie. I wish she would too," Grace empathizes, putting her arm over her friend's shoulder.

"So, what? She just changed her mind out of nowhere? I mean, did she at least say anything?" Katie asks, tears starting to spring to her eyes.

"She just said that she was having second thoughts. Jessie said that he wasn't sure if she was ready to see everyone again," she sighs. "It really wasn't much of an answer," she continues.

"Did you tell her I was going to be here? If you did, that might be a contributing factor to her not being here," Katie sighs.

"What happened between you two anyways? You never told me," Grace says softly.

"I haven't told you for six years. What makes you think that I will now?" Katie smirks. Grace scowls at her. "We got into an argument. I really don't want to talk about it right now," she says, standing up with frustration.

"Katie, you should talk about it. It might help," Grace prods. "It couldn't hurt."

Katie sits back down. "Okay. Here goes," she takes a deep breath. "I had gone up to see Jessie the Friday after you and I had talked. I asked her-"

"Girls!" Lily yells. "Dinner's ready!" She tells them.

"Okay Mom! Give us a second, okay?" Grace calls back. She turns back to Katie, but Katie is up and bolting down the stairs to avoid talking. "Can't avoid this conversation forever," she mumbles as Katie heads down. Katie just flashes a grin as she reaches the foot of the stairs.

Karen's House-Tuesday, December 24:

"Morning sweetie," Karen smiles as she comes downstairs. Jessie turns around and looks up from the couch with a smile. "You sleep well?" She asks.

"Okay I guess," Jessie shrugs as she turns back to the television. "You're up early. Work today?" Jessie asks, furrowing her brow.

"No," Karen says, maintaining her smile as she sits down next to her daughter. "I'm just so happy that you're here," she says with sincerity and she pats Jessie on the leg.

At the gesture, Jessie tenses up. She notices Karen's worried look at that. "Just unexpected," she smiles. "It's good to be home," Jessie says.

"We really have missed you. Everyone's dying to see you," Karen says with excitement and Jessie winces, but her mother misses it.

"So, um, what are we going to wear?" Jessie asks, trying to move the conversation along and Karen smiles warmly at her. "I mean, Grace didn't exactly give me specifics or anything. She just kind of told me the specifics," she says with a slight smile.

"If I heard correctly, it is supposed to be formal. Is that okay with you?" Karen says with a playful smile.

"Of course," Jessie replies, rolling her eyes. "What time is this thing going to start anyways?" She asks, looking at the clock as she does so.

"It is supposed to start at seven, but it doesn't matter when we decide to show up," she responds. "Fashionably late if you will," Karen continues.

"Oh, I see," Jessie chuckles. "Let them wonder for a while," she smirks.

Manning Manor-Later This Morning

"Cutting it a little under the wire, isn't she?" Eli notes as he comes into the living room. Grace turns to glare at him. "Well, she still isn't here and the party is in seven and a half hours. In my book, that's cutting it close," he shrugs.

"She will be here. She better be here," Grace grinds out. "What do you think Zoe?" She asks, turning to her sister.

"I don't know. Jessie's never broken a promise. She said she'd be here. But, she also said she'd never come home. It's pretty much a toss up," Zoe muses, glad that people started to actually listen to her.

Everyone ponders this a moment. "But, she'll end up breaking a promise no matter what. So, we are still exactly where we were," Katie points out. "I think that she'll be here," she says.

"What makes you so sure? She hasn't before, why would she start now?" Grace challenges, hoping Katie will prove her wrong.

"She also never said that she'd be here before this year. Besides, I still feel really close to her. I have a feeling," Katie responds.

"That's good enough for me," Grace says. She and Katie share a smile.

"What are you guys going on about?" Rick says as he walks into the room with Lily.

"Same thing we have been for the last two days Rick," Grace says, rolling her eyes as if it is the most obvious thing in the world.

"What are you guys going to wear?" Lily asks, going completely off topic.

"What are you? The clothes Nazi?" Zoe mumbles, earning a laugh from everyone except Lily.

The Party-Tonight:

"Is that her?" Katie asks, craning her neck to look over the people. She looks over at Grace to get her attention. "Grace, is that Jessie?"

Grace rolls her eyes. "No," she says simply. "That is not Jessie," she sighs and starts to scope out the room herself.

"Oh. Well, who is it then? She looks so much like her," Katie continues, not letting the issue drop. "I mean, are you sure?"

Grace sighs again. "Chill out. Not every young blonde you see is going to be her," she rationalizes to her impatient friend. Katie gives her a pleading look. "Fine. That is Michelle Wheaton. She's Rick and Sam's new partner," Grace relents.

"Oh, I see," Katie then gives Grace a mischievous grin. "How closely do they work?" She asks, quirking a suggestive eyebrow.

"Rick and Sam don't stand a chance with her," Katie tilts her head in confusion. "Let's just say, they are batting for the same team," Grace chuckles.

"Oh," Katie says with a smirk. "Well, if Jessie doesn't show..." she begins, but then trails off as she stares across the room.

"What?" Grace asks, noticing that Katie didn't finish her quip. She turns to follow Katie's gaze to the door, where Jessie has entered. "Wow. She grew up," she breathes, not knowing what else to say.

"She sure did," Katie says, in the same low tone that Grace used. "We should probably go say hi," she says and Grace nods in agreement. However, neither of them move.

"What are you two gawking at?" Eli asks as he and Zoe walk up to the two gaping girls.

They turn their heads simultaneously, letting Jessie out of their sight.

God. I need a drink. Jessie lets out an exasperated sigh and goes over to the bar to get a drink. She quickly downs a glass of wine and picks up another before scanning the crowd. "Hi," a voice says from behind her. Jessie whips around to see who's behind her. The woman smiles and Jessie smiles back. "I'm Michelle."

"Hi. I'm Jessie," she says, introducing herself to the woman before her. Jessie feels her body easing up some at finding a friendly face in the crowd.

"So, what brings you to a boring function such as this?" Michelle says, trying to break the ice.

"My dad is an architect," Jessie replies, rolling her eyes. "I was pretty much dragged to this incredibly boring function," she sighs. "What about you? Blackmail?"

"Hardly," Michelle chuckles. "I'm an architect too," she says. "What do you do?"

"Not much of anything really," Jessie grins. "I'm a student," she says seriously.

"I knew you didn't look old enough to drink," Michelle smirks, grabbing Jessie's drink from her hand.

"Cute," Jessie deadpans, folding her arms across her chest. "College student," she clarifies with a mock scowl.

"Oh, I see," Michelle responds, feigning disappointment as she hands Jessie's drink back. She looks back at Jessie and they start to laugh.

"The hell?" Katie gapes as she spots Jessie and Michelle on th other side of the room. "Grace," she says, getting her friend's attention.

"Hey, isn't that the gay chick that works with Rick?" Zoe asks as she walks up to the girls. Grace and Katie shoot her a look that Zoe seems to ignore. "Why is she hitting on Jessie? She's straight. Her gay-dar must be off."

"Zoe, shut up," Grace says, rolling her eyes. Due to their being preoccupied, they lost sight of Jessie for the second time that night. "Great, now where'd she go?" Grace mumbled.

"I'll find her," Katie says with determination. She walks off toward Michelle. "Have you seen Jessie?" She asks with irritation.

"Who are you?" Michelle asks with equal irritation. "Are you her girlfriend or something?" She asks, folding her arms.

"Do you know where she went or not?" Katie asks, clenching her fists at her sides.

"Not sure," Michelle shrugs with a smug expression.

Katie scoffs and skulks off to further inquire as to where Jessie went.

Outside, Jessie is sitting on a step in the back of the building, staring at the landscape and listening to the insects chirp. She looks intensely into her half empty glass of wine, swirling the liquid around. Slowly, she pulls a cigarette up to her lips, not taking her eyes off the glass. She turns her head around to look inside the glass door at the people inside. Jessie lets out a soft sigh and turns her attention back to her thoughts.

Katie looks out the glass door and sees a certain young blonde sitting out on the steps. She takes a few soft steps toward the door and just watches the girl. Katie is almost afraid to pull the girl out of her thoughts. Then, she shakes her head realizing that Jessie is no longer a girl.

Carefully and quietly, Katie slowly slides the door open and walks up behind Jessie. She starts to open her mouth to say something.

"Hi Katie," Jessie whispers without turning around. Katie just stands there, stunned.

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Sorry this chapter took so long. I haven't been able to motivate myself the last couple of days. :)