A/N – "Thoughts"

Chapter 20 – Putting The Pieces Back Together

Amanda watched Jason fidget in front of her. She knew he was trying to think of what to say; thinking up and rejecting different approaches. "Just stop thinking and tell me what's going on in that high speed head of yours."

Jason couldn't help but smirk. Like his father, he did have a tendency to over think a lot of things and never really end up anywhere. Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. "I feel like a jackass." Amanda watched Jason walk over to her and sit down next to her on the steps. "We finally get together and then I blow it. I thought I was helping her, I thought I was just being her best friend, I never thought it create…this." Resting his forehead against his palms, he dug his fingers into his hair, "We finally get together and then everything goes to hell."

Amanda watched him rake his hands through his hair as he muttered to himself. Reaching over she pulled his hands away from his head, "Jase." Slowly looking over at her, Amanda smiled a little as she looked into Jason's eyes. "It wasn't all your fault." Not letting go off him, she slowly slid her hands down from his wrists to his hands, "Me walking around with a chip on my shoulder didn't help either."

"Yea but I kissed,"

"Shut up Jase. I know what you did," Amanda told him, "But I also know things have been screwed up lately and I don't care whose fault it is, I just want to get past this."

Jason sat there quietly for a moment thinking. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Amanda said with a shrug.

"How come you didn't snap at me like you did with Bec?"

Amanda thought about it for a moment, "I don't know. It just seemed…easier. I wanted things to work out between us so badly, I immediately just blamed her for everything. It wasn't fair and you did hurt me but I just couldn't stay mad at you. No matter how hurt I was, I wanted you with me." Amanda looked down at her hands as she fidgeted with her fingers. "I don't really think I can give you an answer that make sense. It made sense up here," she says pointing to her head, "but in motion, it didn't work out like I thought it would."

Jason looked down at the ground for a moment, now really feeling like an ass. "Do you think we really have a chance at picking up the pieces and giving it a second try?"

Amanda gave him a weak smile, "I'd like to think that we could try it again."

Slowly reaching out, Jason gently grabbed her hand and pulled her over to him, "I'm really sorry I hurt you."

"I know," she told him. She laughed softly under her breath, "Its funny, we weren't talking for what, like a week, and I really missed you."

Jason smirked and Amanda playfully slugged him. Chuckling, "I missed you too." Amanda moved to the step below him and sat in between his legs. Jason gently wrapped his arms around her shoulders and smiling a little, Amanda leaned back against him. They both knew they had a lot to work through but for the moment, they were happy with the little breakthrough that brought them back together.

"You know I heard someone was having a wedding," Jason said with a smirk, "Know anything about it?"

"Perhaps," Amanda teased. Amanda's sister, Caitlyn had just recently gotten engaged and already Kate was planning a huge wedding for her. "In fact, I'm really close with the Maid of Honor."

"So, will you save me a dance?"

Amanda smirked, "Depends."

"On?"

Amanda titled her head back so she could look up at him, "Are you asking me as my best friend or as my boyfriend?"

Jason smiled, "How about we work on that and see what happens."

"Deal."

The following Monday morning found Miranda in the office leaning back in her chair at her drawing board and throwing pencils up in the air trying to get them to stick into the ceiling. Even though she was a wife, the mother of three and considered middle age, inside her still lurked the rebellious teenager.

Lizzie was always the one who made sure to keep them on schedule and that everything got done either on time or even early. But with Lizzie gone for the past week, Miranda worked on her own laid back schedule.

Miranda had just stuck a third pencil in the ceiling when she heard the door open, "What are you doing?" an amused voice asked as they entered the offices.

Not even looking, Miranda smirked, "Sharpening my skills."

"Is this what you do when I'm not here?" Lizzie asked, walking over to Miranda's desk. "Did you get any work done?"

Miranda chuckled softly, "Some."

Lizzie rolled her eyes and Miranda looked down from the ceiling to her. "What are you doing here anyway? Thought you were taking some time off."

"And let you run this place into the ground."

"Hey!" Miranda said while laughing, "I work…just at my own pace."

"What exactly have you gotten done?"

"Well, lets see." Miranda's smirk widened, "I filled up my coffee card and got a free French Vanilla, taught the girls how to french braid their hair, and I got some sketches done."

Lizzie looked at her like she was nuts. "You know french braiding is out of style."

Miranda answers, "And I'd care, why?"

Lizzie snickered and smirked as she grabbed Miranda's sketch book. Looking at the first picture for a moment and slowly looked up at Miranda, "Gordo…in a dress?"

Miranda shrugged, "He looks cute." she answered sarcastically.

"Actually, I've always thought his color was more dark blue." Flipping a few more pages, "Ethan in a halter top and Larry in a miniskirt, Mir, do we need to talk?" she teased.

"So I was bored."

"Did you get any real work done?"

"Eh," she shrugged, "Define work." Lizzie just rolled her eyes again and Miranda smiled, "Now, why aren't you home?"

The smile slowly faded from Lizzie's face, "I couldn't stay in the empty house just bouncing around doing nothing. I had to get out and do something."

Miranda sobered a little, "I get ya." Getting an idea, Miranda's smirk returned, "I got an idea. Wanna help me start my new coffee card?"

"Mir, we just opened. We can't close after like two minutes."

"We own the place, we can do whatever we want." When Lizzie gave her a look that basically said get serious, "Look the girls are here running the store out there, so we can sneak off for an hour or so for a business meeting," she told her, putting business meeting in air quotes.

Lizzie looked at Miranda, than her desk, and back at Miranda. Miranda could see the war in her eyes; as she comically waggled her eyebrows, Lizzie snickered, "Your such a bad influence on me."

"That's what Gordo says all the time," Miranda joked and both women started laughing.

As they were walking out, Lizzie turned to Miranda, "Mir. Thanks for treating me like I wasn't gonna break."

"I've always treated you differently…cause your special."

Lizzie glared at her as she got the double meaning, "Your paying for my coffee."

"Pay for your own damn coffee," Miranda shot back.

Lizzie laughed and smiled at her best friend, "Thanks, seriously."

"Anytime." As they left, Lizzie swung the door behind them a little too hard and as it slammed shut, Miranda's pencils fell out of the ceiling and clattered to the ground. Opening the door a little, Lizzie peaked her head in and looked up at the ceiling for a moment and then down at the pencils on the ground. With a small smirk, she shut the door again.

Later in the day, Rebecca was sitting in her room, working in on homework when Lizzie walked into the room. "Hey honey, what ya doing?"

Rebecca glanced up at her, "English homework." Putting her notebook into her text book, "Something up?"

Lizzie shook her head as she sat down on the edge of Rebecca's bed. "I just wanted to talk to you for a moment." Fidgeting for a moment, "How are things with Jason and Amanda?"

"Alright, I guess. We're gonna try and work it out but right now, I'm giving them some space." Rebecca looked at her mother for a moment, "What is it?"

Taking a deep breath, "I'm thinking about moving."

"What!" Rebecca shouted, jumping to her feet, "Move? Move where?"

"The other side of town, closer to your grandparents. Its just…a smaller house. This house just feels so empty now. Than when you go away to school in a year, its just gonna be me bouncing around in this place."

Sitting down next to her mother, Rebecca nodded as she agreed with her mother. The house did feel oddly different without her father around. "When?" she asked softly.

"Maybe in a few months," Lizzie answered as she wrapped an arm around her daughter. "There's a nice little house a few blocks from your grandparents. Me and Mir took a look at it this afternoon. I was gonna put a bid in on it but I wanted to talk to you first." Lizzie looked over at her, "What do you think?"

"I don't know," Rebecca answered at first and then rested her head on her mom's shoulder, "I guess, its just kinda weird to be leaving this place. Even as a little girl, I remember how excited you two were when you bought this place."

"Me too," Lizzie said sadly, "But this place will be nice too." Sighing softly, "Hungry?"

"Starving."

"Sushi?"

Rebecca laughed a little, "Dad hated that stuff."

"I know," Lizzie said as they stood up and they both grinned at each other. "Come on." Keeping her arm around her daughter, Lizzie and Rebecca quietly left her room and headed downstairs.