"So come on Andie, we've been talking about us all night- lets hear about what's been happening in your life over the last 2 years." Joey turned their attention to their friend.

The five of them had spent the evening filling Andie in on everything that had happened since she'd left. Movie night had been abandoned as catching up had been prioritised as the evening's activity.

Andie squirmed slightly as she felt herself under the gaze of her four friends. Her life was just so different over there, she didn't know where to start, or even if they would understand. There was so much she wanted to tell them, but even more that she couldn't. Feeling herself burned by eight curious eyes she knew that she had to give them something. They knew her too well for her to be able to dodge the inevitable.

"Well…ummm… I don't really know where to start. I mean…there's nothing much to tell." she stammered unconfidently, immediately pricking the ears of Jen's naturally curious nature.

"Oh come on Andie- you were in Europe, that must have been an amazing experience" Joey continued to persist. "You know my dream has always been to study in Paris."

"Oh and you should" Andie perked up. "Paris is beautiful, definitely my favourite European city."

"Do you hear that guys- she has a favourite European city- how uncultured are we?" Pacey joked. "Just how many European cities did you actually get to explore?"

Andie smiled, relieved for the opportunity to keep her experiences to general geography rather than the personal.

"Well I traveled around quite a bit. I was basically based in Italy with my aunt, and I traveled all over the country- Naples, Rome and Venice- Joey you would love Venice." she gushed, "But I also traveled to France, Germany and Switzerland. I even spent a weekend in London."

Joey was listening in awe, jealousy eating her up as Andie listed places she had only dreamed of ever visiting.

"Wow- it sounds incredible. I wish I had come to visit you. I was so tempted every time I received one of your postcards." Jack intervened.

"And I can't believe you didn't visit!" Andie pouted. "I missed you guys so much it was horrible."

"But you made friends, I seem to remember you telling me when you came for graduation." Pacey pointed out.

"Yeah I made friends. But they were different to you guys. They didn't know me like you do, they hadn't experienced the same things as I have with you guys." She told them regretfully. "It was lonely at times." She stated simply.

"But what about the guys that you were raving about- all those Italian stallions?" Jen lightened the mood, smiling seductively.

Andie giggled. "Yeah there were a few who swept me off my feet. Those accents could make my heart melt" she told them dreamily.

"Hey!" Pacey protested, "Are you saying that if you had the choice, you'd pass over one of your home grown talents for a pretenscious European prissy boy?" he asked her jokingly.

A pained expression seemed to come over Andie's face as she considered his remark, a raw nerve had been hit, Jen noted, but Andie overcame it quickly and answered him breezily, "Well of course there was no one there to compete with you Pace". Her tone not giving away how close to the truth this statement actually was.

"I never doubted it" he grinned at her wriggling his eyebrows suggestively causing them to all erupt into hysterics.

"What about David?" Jack perked up as his laughter subsided. Ever since Jen had mentioned it earlier, it had been nagging at his mind. Over the last year Andie had been raving about this perfect guy she had met. She had seemed so into him and the last time he had spoken to her she hadn't mentioned any problems. It was strange that she hadn't spoken of him yet.

Andie flinched at the sound of his name, but had subconsciously been waiting for Jack to bring the inevitable subject up.

"Umm…well…we kinda ended things." She mumbled as the others watched her squirm uncomfortably. Her body language began to change as she put her arms around her stomach as if protecting herself from their questions. It was obviously a sore subject, a newly opened wound that still hurt.

"Andie I'm sorry. I know how much you were into him, you were togethor for a year."

"Actually a year and a half" she stated regretfully as the tears began to sting her eyes. She shook herself, suddenly aware of their sympathetic expressions and smiled as she pulled herself togethor. "Look these things happen. I'll get over it." She smiled stoically, putting on false bravado.

"When did you guys break up" Joey's curious nature urged her to ask, but she immediately regretted pushing it as Jack shot her a warning glance. "Don't worry Andie- you don't have to answer that- I'm sorry."

"No Joey- don't worry- umm…well we broke up last week" she told them honestly, her voice trembling slightly.

Ah- it all became clear in the minds of Pacey, Jack, Jen and Joey. All of them had wondered what the primary cause of her sudden reappearance had been. They didn't buy her claim of not enjoying Europe. She always spoke of it with such passion and enthusiasm. The pieces began to all fall into place. It was David. After their break up she had fled back home impulsively.

Andie couldn't stop a tear from escaping, as her face crumbled slightly. She put her hand immediately to her face, wiping it away ashamed of her sudden release. Their hearts all went out to her as they watched her suffer.

"Oh Andie." Jen was the first to express her pity, moving towards her and put her arms round her friend comfortingly. Andie accepted her comfort for only moments before she pulled away, wiping her face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Jack asked, interrupting the awkward silence that had filled the room.

"We only broke up last week, and well, I…..these things happen. I guess it wasn't meant to work out." She smiled at him meekly attempting to show him that she was fine.

"Why didn't you tell me you were having problems." Jack's obvious guilt for not being there for his sister was evident.

"We weren't" she stated. "It was very sudden" she added again quietly. They waited for her to fill them in on more details until it became obvious that she wasn't willing to offer any more.

"Andie I'm your brother, I'm supposed to be there for you." Jack continued to protest.

She smiled at him gratefully making her way over towards him on the couch.

"And you are now" she told him quietly as she gave him a hug. Pulling away she looked at the rest of her friends.

"I'm ok guys" she reassured them. "Don't worry I've been able to cope with it before, I will again." She glanced quickly at Pacey, but averted his gaze before she met his eyes. "So lets change the subject before this evening becomes depressing." She quickly perked up and they knew to leave it at that. However it hadn't escaped them that there was much she wasn't telling them. It was painfully obvious that Andie was hurting a lot, but was not yet ready to let down her guard and allow them in.

************************************************************************

They had stayed up until 2am talking and giggling, putting Andie's pain in a back seat as they continued to reacquaint themselves. They would have gladly stayed up all night, but Andie's jet lag began to prevent her from keeping awake, and the others had college or work in the morning.

After saying goodnight to Jack and Pacey, Joey and Jen took the opportunity of the absence of the guys to offer their comfort to Andie.

"You know that whenever you need to talk we're here for you ok?" Joey told her.

"And I've got an excellent supply of angry chic music and Ben and Jerry's for emergencies just like this." Jen added.

Andie smiled at her new roommates.

"I know" she told them simply, relaying to them that she would open up when ready. "I know that I'm really going to enjoy living with you guys- thanks for taking in an old friend."

"No problem" Joey told her genuinely as they brought Andie in for a group hug, "That's what friends are for."

"Well I think I could sleep for a hundred years. Wake me up in the morning and you die!" Andie warned as she walked towards her bedroom, yawning.

"Sure thing Andie- good night" Joey watched her close the door and turned immediately to Jen.

"I'm worried about her" she whispered, making sure that Andie couldn't hear. "She's going all stoic on us." Jen nodded in agreement.

"There's definitely something that she's not telling us."

"I hope she's ok." Joey looked worried. "She emailed me about David a few times. She was really into him. Remember what she was like when she broke up with Pacey? It took her ages to get over him."

"Look, I'm sure she'll open up when she's ready. At the moment she has to adapt to life here. She's been away for two years, give her time."

Joey sighed. "I guess you're right."

"When am I ever not?" Jen grinned as Joey rolled her eyes.

"Goodnight Jen, don't let your head get in the way of the door."

Jen laughed. "Sweet dreams hun."