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Pt. 1 – Sometimes They Come Back

He sat down, taking a few sips of his drink. What it tasted like, he really had not much of a clue. Day after day, events, red carpet moments, parties, they slowly sapped the person out of him. Flashbulbs in his face, screaming young girls, invaded privacy, somehow, somewhere, all the glamour had been taken away. It was different for him, in ways more than one. He didn't need the extra fame, he didn't need to be recognized on the streets or have his name and face appear in gossip magazines or tabloids. What he wanted was simple, really.

In a way, he was very much like Nathan. All he needed was the ball in his hand. To run up the court, hear the sound of his shoes clenching against the ground, the ball dribbling safely between his own hands, and the swish of the net when the ball falls through the hoop. To feel no inhibitions. That, and…

He raised his head to take another swig at his drink, when suddenly, his eye caught another person's. And with that, his thoughts stopped straight in their tracks. He hadn't seen her in ages. Not since she left the show. She looked straight back at him, and smiled. He watched as the corners of her mouth turned upwards. After so long, it was a wonder how the simple familiarity of that gesture took his breath away. He smiled tightly back, nodding as if to acknowledge her greeting. And as though on cue, he felt his palms sweating.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" Hilarie stood next to him. "I've missed her tons."

He shrugged, trying to be indifferent. "Well, we always said she was too good for the show. She was destined for more." But again, in his mind, the words rang again, was she too good for me?

"She was. We all saw it."

He stood there with Hilarie, watching her move effortlessly across the room from fan to fan who wanted a piece of her, her autograph, a photo, a smile from her. Anything. He saw them clamour for her attention, and wondered if she had let this all get to her head as he once had. Probably not. It wasn't like her to.

"I don't think she's changed one bit," Hilarie said softly as though reading his thoughts. "She's still going to be who she is."

Again, he shrugged. "I don't know, Hil, some people change."

"Well, she's just not 'some people', is she? Because she's special, and I know it." Hilarie lay a gentle hand on his shoulder, squeezing it lightly. "And I know you know it too."

Hilarie walked away, going to get another drink, but he knew she was deliberately leaving me alone for me to gather my thoughts. 'She was another one in a million, our Hilarie', he thought to himself. He couldn't have done without her in the past year, she was his pal when he needed her to be, and his listening ear when he needed to vent. It had been some tough times, but she always told him to keep on believing. To have faith. Hil had always believed deep inside of her that that special person for him would come back; she just couldn't make him believe it as well. But now, she really had come back.

He had dealt with her absence for as long as twelve months, and counting. 'Why did she have to waltz back into my life right now, just when I was about to leave it all behind me? And why,' he took a long breath as he tried to get his own thoughts straight, 'did she have to look so damn good while doing it?'

She looked beautiful as usual. Under the flashing bulbs of the cameras of the fans and the press, her eyes shone as she smiled. Like stars. He remembered the day she had broke the news to them. It had been a bright sunny day in Wilmington and they had just finished shooting the season finale to the fourth season. Another season, and another turbulent year for his character. He had to admit, he had been a little confused when he read the script for the finale. Something was missing; it was like they were trying to write a character off, and he didn't like that. He remembered it as clear as yesterday.

Flashback

She had went to the basketball court when he hung out in between takes, and called the three of them who were playing. Himself, Lee and Bryan, who had finally become a series regular in season four. He had been confused as they walked back to set, she had been so quiet, so unlike herself. Bryan had tried to lighten up the mood, tried to crack a few jokes but something just wasn't right. They had walked back on set, where they found the whole crew and cast waiting for them. Mark was there, with Hilarie, Chad and the rest.

"What's going on?" I finally managed to ask.

She turned around, cleared her throat. "Erm, well I'd actually spoken to Mark and Joe about this two or three months ago, and…" she swallowed hard. "It's become official. I've decided to leave the show."

"What?" Hilarie exclaimed as she exchanged glances with Bryan. "Why?"

"Well, it just seemed like the right thing to move on to. I've gotten an opportunity to sign a three-album deal and I really want to tour, and it wouldn't be fair to the show and the producers to write my character off again, because it's going to take so much time for me to do this…this thing, and…" she paused in mid-babble, near tears. "I hope you guys understand, and I love you all. Thank you for the best years of my life."

Chad finally took the lead, and stood up, breaking the silence. He walked over to envelope her in a tight bear hug, but what he had said, I couldn't hear and couldn't care. Nothing mattered. Not anymore. I had turned my back, and walked out, the door slamming behind me.

He shook his head. All along their storyline had been too real, too close for comfort. He had been a little like Nathan in many ways. He had dated the wrong people, seeked for what he thought had been love in wrong places. And she, she had brought him back to reality many times, and showed him things when it really mattered. And then, she had left him, just as she had fictionally. Leaving him for music.

Now, as he looked at her, she looked like such a professional. She handled the people around her with ease, and putting them at ease as well. She loved and made them feel loved. He could never be as patient as her as she was with the fans. Finally, she reached the end of the red carpet, nearing the entrance to the VIP room where he stood. It was any moment now. He had to face her.

He looked around again. A celebration of their fifth year as a cast, as a show, as a production. Celebration of their good ratings and of them being picked up for another season. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Hilarie leaning into Bryan's arms while Sophia walked around with Moira, recording the fans on her video recorder. Everyone was happy. Not him. He turned around to fill up his empty cup again, looking up at the life-sized portrait of himself on the poster that commemorated their season. That season he had stood alone in the photo shoot. That had been the first time he had done a promotional photo shoot without her. The producers were still casting him a suitable love interest, but none of them could hold up to the chemistry that he had once shared with her on-screen. Or off-screen.

He stiffened up as he heard someone clear her throat behind him. Slowly, he turned around, his heart pounding. It was her. Slowly, he brought his gaze down to look at her.

"James," she said softly, smiling up at him. Her eyes were unsure, but damn, those eyes got to him every single time.

He nodded back at her. "Joie."