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"So, I'm really glad that you agreed to meet me here." The girl sitting before him mutely nodded her head. Andy shifted in his seat slightly. He looked around the bright room, wondering why it felt so stifling. He took a look again at the dark haired beauty in front of him and gulped.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, of course I am. Why wouldn't you think that I was alright?" He let out a nervous laugh.

"Because you are acting stranger than usual."

"No, no, every thing's fine. Is it hot in here?"

Allison gazed at her companion closely for a few moments. Suddenly she took on the air of nonchalance and asked airily "are you going to tell me why you really asked me here?"

Hurt flickered in Andy's eyes briefly but he quickly tried to cover it. "Well, I - "

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Brian seated himself in the booth next to Andy.

"Brian? I didn't know that you were coming."

"You didn't? Allison said that you wanted to meet with the both of us here at 1:00,"

"Well, the message said that you were worried about John so I figured that you wanted Brian here, too."

Brian fidgeted. "Do you want me to leave? Cuz I don't mind, leaving that is. I mean, I know that some conversations are meant to be private and I wouldn't want to impose..."

"No. It's cool. I'm glad that you're here." The three sat regarding each other silently.

"So, you said that you were worried about John?"

"Oh, yeah. Have you guys seen him lately?"

"No. I called him a few days ago and he was really short on the phone."

"That doesn't sound like him" Allison drawled sarcastically.

"No, this wasn't really normal Bender snappy, this was really depressed Bender snappy. It's like, ever since Claire left he hasn't wanted to do anything. He just goes to work, goes home, and avoids everyone. It's been a month and a half. I don't know; do you guys think that we should maybe just go over there and try to make him talk? Or like, drag him out and make him do something?"

Andy looked at him. "Do you want to be the one to make him talk? Hey, I'd pay for a ticket to see that show" he snorted.

"This isn't funny."

"I know, I know. That's why I asked you both here."

"I thought that you didn't ask us both; you only asked Allison. She called me an hour ago and asked me to meet up here. Hey, why didn't you ask me?" he asked, somewhat offended.

"Yeah, why didn't you ask him, Andy?" Allison echoed.

Andy squirmed a bit before answering "because I figured that you would."

"Hmm."

Brian cottoned on to the tension and excused himself to go to the toilets. Allison leaned over the table somewhat and locked her gaze with Andy's.

"If you wanted to talk to me why didn't you just say so? You didn't have to make up this excuse."

"It's not an excuse, I am worried about Bender. And, anyway, why did you really call up Brian?"

"Because I knew what you really wanted."

"And what did I really want?" She didn't answer. "I wanted to see you, that's all. I just wanted to see you."

"It's good seeing you."

"It's good seeing you, too." He released a frustrated sigh. "Look, why are we doing this? Why don't we get together again?"

"You think it's that simple?"

"If you want it to be, yes."

She regarded him acutely. "We could take it slow."

A smile crept across his tanned face. "Slow is good."

"There's a new coffee place that I've been wanting to look into."

"God, I've missed that."

"What?"

"Your coffee addiction. Maybe we could go tomorrow?"

She mutely nodded as Brian returned to the table. He took in the two subtle smiles and then he grinned himself.

"You know, it's really great seeing you two happy. It's been awhile since I've seen our group smiling..."

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John Bender sat strewn out on the couch, alone on a Saturday night; again. He mindlessly flipped through the channels, not paying attention to the images flickering on the screen. His thoughts drifted off to Claire's last night there before she left for her trip...before she left him.

"I love you."

She smiled up at him; a real, honest to goodness smile. "I love you, too." They both lay sprawled out on the bed, she was resting her head oh his chest. She wrapped her slender arm around his waist and snuggled closer.

"So, you're really gonna go, huh?"

"Of course. I have to, John."

"I know." he sighed. "Tonight's the last night...and tomorrow will be the end of the two months."

"Yeah. It's gone by quickly."

The thought that this may be the last time that they ever lay there together in each other's arms kept pounding into him. This could be the last time. He studied her face, scrutinizing every tiny detail. He swooped down to catch her in a kiss and she responded feverishly.

A ringing sound filled his ears and shattered his daydreaming. He didn't make a move to get up as the answering machine finally started it's familiar automated message.

"Please leave a message after the tone:"

BEEP

"John, are you there?...It's Claire..." He still didn't move to grab it, in fact he became unnaturally still, not moving a muscle. He just listened.

"Well, ok, I guess that you're not home...Look, I'm sorry that I haven't called at all. I know I should have, I just...I don't know. It's been awhile, huh? Sorry, it's really late; well, it's really really late here but I guess it's not that late there...I'm rambling again, sorry. Um, well, I was really calling...I was really calling to say that...oh, hold on - " there was a woman's voice muffled in the background asking her something and he could hear Claire answer the girl that she was on her way as soon as she got off the phone; suddenly a male voice broke through telling Claire that she was gonna miss all the fun at the party. At this she seemed to quickly get back on the line, speaking loudly and hurriedly saying "sorry, I know it's weird to put an answering machine on hold. That was my roommate; it's her birthday tonight. Well, last night technically...(hiccup)...I better go. Bye John..." As she hung up the phone he could swear that he heard a guy yell out Claire's name. He was glued to his seat, staring at the wall – the white wall that seemed to be mocking him. That damn wall. You're a dumbass, John Bender, it taunted. So, this is the first time that she's even bothered calling you since she boarded her fucking plane. What do you think that she's being doing all of this time over there?

He suddenly strode over to the phone, pulled the plugs out, and flung it against the wall with all of his strength. Fuck this. If she's out partying, fine, I'll get some fun of my own started.

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How do you guys like this? I think that I have some trouble writing Allison/Andy, it seemed a bit forced, didn't it? I know a lot of you are really great at writing their scenes, so any suggestions/comments would be most welcome! And don't worry, Big Bri fans, he'll have more to do in this soon! Let me know what you all think!