The reunion!

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She inserted the key in the lock and turned it. Click. She pushed the door open slowly and stepped inside. Scanning the room quickly, she saw no one.

"Where do you want these?" Brian walked in behind her, carrying her bags.

"Oh, anywhere is fine. Thanks." She was still preoccupied, searching the apartment.

"He's not here."

Claire turned to look at him. "Where did he go?"

Brian shrugged. "He said that he had some things to do this morning."

"Oh." She deposited her purse down on the counter, keeping her gaze on the wall. "Did he know when I was getting home?"

"Well..." He let his sentence fall.

"I see," she remarked quietly. "Thanks for picking me up and everything, Bri. It was really sweet of you." Claire walked over to the sofa and plopped herself down, sinking into the white cushions. She closed her eyes, rubbing her temples with her slender fingers.

"Well, I guess I'll just be going then." Brian walked back over to the door.

"Thanks again." Her eyes were still squeezed shut and her fingers were pushing harder, trying to erase the pounding her head away.

"Sure thing; any time." He walked out, then turned around and put one foot back in the door. He looked intently at the back of her head. "Claire, I ended up staying awake with him all night..."

She froze, waiting for what he would say next. When his words stopped she turned around on the sofa so that she could face him.

"What did he say?"

Brian sighed. "A lot of things. You two really need to talk, Claire. He misses you." A nervous laugh flew out of his lips. "Don't tell him that I told you that! He'd kill me..."

"Why am I gonna kill ya?" A deep voice vibrated from behind him, causing Brian to jump girlishly in surprise.

Claire simply sat transfixed.

"Haha. Nothing. I was just joking, you know."

John gave Brian an appraising look and then laughed. "Relax, dork. I'm not going to kill you – I haven't had my lunch, yet." He then focused his gaze to the redhead immobile on the sofa.

Brian looked back and forth between the two a moment and then cleared his throat. "Yes, well, I think that it's time for me to go. I'm really glad you're back, Claire. I'll see you later, Bender." He made a quick exist and shut the door behind him.

"Hi -" she finally choked out.

He just stood there, staring at her, not saying a word.

"Hi," he eventually managed. They stood there with a good 20 feet between them, but it might as well still have been oceans in between.

She tore her gaze away and got up from the couch.

"So..."

"How ya been?" He cut her off.

"Good. You?"

"Fantastic."

"That's good." Awkwardness wrapped around the both of them, almost drowning them.

"How was Paris?"

"Beautiful." A huge gulp got trapped in her throat.

"That's great. That's great, Claire." His tone was cold and she felt very small all of the sudden.

"How were things here?"

He chuckled. "Wonderful. You know how it is; never a dull moment here in Shermer."

"So..." she ventured again.

"So, why don't we cut the bull shit. Say what you really want to say, Princess."

She scoffed. "What about you? Why don't you just come out and say what you really want to say?"

"Alright. How many?"

Confusion marred her pretty face. "How many what?"

He glared at her. "How many guys did you go out with there?"

She looked offended. "How many? What, like you think I went out with scores of guys there?"

He gave no answer, just continued to bore his eyes into her.

"Believe it or not, John, I went there to study. I didn't go there to date a bunch of guys."

"Oh, so you didn't go out with anyone?"

She squirmed a bit. "Not really..."

He nodded sarcastically. "Ah, so you were completely celibate."

"You're an ass."

He mocked innocence. "Oh, Claire. That's not very ladylike." He tisked at her.

"I didn't sleep with anyone!"

"Hmm, I think the lady doth protest too much."

She held a delicate hand in the air. "Whatever, John. Accuse me of whatever you like." She turned on him. "I have a pretty good idea of what you were up to here." Her eyes slit in an accusatory glare.
"Aw, don't worry, Princess. There's enough of me to go around."

Disgust covered her face.

"Oh -" he made a wide eyed, lost puppy dog face. "Are you just too sore right now? Those froggies really have stamina, huh?"

"You're an asshole."

He laughed. "That's why you find me so damn irresistible."

"How many girls were you with while I was gone?" she demanded.

He rubbed his chain with his hand, thinking. "Hmm, all the faces kind of blend together after a while..."

She vainly tried to blink back the threatening tears. "Why don't you just leave?"

"Why don't you just answer my fucking question."

"I told you that I didn't sleep with anyone. Not one guy. But that's more than I can say about you, I guess."

"What? I didn't sleep with any guys, either." He held his hands in the air in front of him.

She gave him a dirty look.

"How many guys did you go out with?"

She avoided his gaze. "One," she whispered.

His eyes turned a darker shade. "One? Huh."

"He was just a friend -"

"Oh yeah, I date my friends all of the time. In fact, Sporto and I are going out tonight."

Silence.

"What's his name?"

"Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"Just tell me."

"Curt."

"Curt ? Was his mommy the queen of France?"

"He's American, actually."

"Ah! So at least you stick to one country for your boy toys."

"Nothing happened." She examined her shoes. "Though, I don't know why I'm telling any of this to you. You're being a jerk."

"Did you kiss him?" His tone was a bit strangled and she looked back at him. She felt numb and she really did not want to answer.

"You did." He surmised by her silence. "How many times did you go out with him?"

She paused. "A few."

He nodded, pursing his lips and looking away.

"John -"

He glared back at her. "Good for you, cherry. You got yourself a new man. He's probably a richie, too, isn't he?" His tone was detached.

"I don't understand you. Why would you possibly care! You're the one who's been running around with a bunch of bimbos since I've been away!"

"Well, I had to get it somewhere after you left."

She slapped him across the cheek, and then looked horrified at what she had done.

He lifted a hand and touched the area gingerly, not saying a word.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He shrugged dismissively. "I deserved it."

She walked away from him mutely, and made her way into the bedroom. Her body fell onto the bed and she released the sobs that were bursting forth.

John followed her into the room after a moment. He took in the sight of her looking so broken laying on that bed. The crying was wracking her body and he tentatively sat down next to her. He gathered her up in his arms and she let him hold her limply. He ran his fingers through her hair, smoothing it.

"I haven't been with anyone since you." He said into her hair.

It took a moment for this to register with her. When it did she slowly pulled her head up to look at him.

"You haven't?"

He shook his head. "Not a one."

Her crying slowed and she wiped her tears away roughly. "He didn't mean anything, you know?"

He furrowed his brow. "What really happened?"

"Nothing, honestly. He took me out to dinner one night and we went to lunch a couple of other times – but that was it. He kissed me only one time, after that last lunch that we went to. He kissed me, John, but it felt so completely wrong. I told him that we couldn't go out anymore."

"Why did you tell him that?" He hoped that his voice didn't betray the fact that everything was riding on this answer.

"You."

He gazed at her intently, not saying a word. His hands went up to cup her face possessively and he bent down to kiss her. She returned his affections immediately. They poured everything they had into each other. Neither one of them heard the knocking coming from the door – they were too wrapped up to care.

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So, did you like it? Review, please...that would rock!