A/N – Sorry for the delay, it would have been up yesterday had the computer not been so damn slow!

"Portman!" Fulton called over the crowd of people surrounding the arrivals lounge.

Portman nodded his confirmation that he'd seen Fulton and walking over to his long time buddy giving him a manly hug.

"Dude how've you been?" Fulton asked.

"Been better" Portman replied.

"Whats up?" Fulton wanted to know.

"The usual, work sucks, home sucks, life sucks, love sucks and not necessarily in that particular order" Portman answered.

"Is this because of one certain cat-like Goalie?" Fulton asked slyly.

"NO!" Portman replied firmly. On the inside he wanted to say yes.

"Sure man, sure" Fulton teased leading his friend out to his car.

With Motorhead blaring through the car's speakers the newly reunited Bash Brothers made their way over to Guy Germaine's house to start the buck's weekend.

……………………………………………………..

FLASHBACK

"Dude what the fuck is your problem?" Fulton entered the dorm room to find it completely trashed.

"Nothing" Portman replied taking his headphones and shoving them on his ears drowning out anything Fulton was saying to him.

"Fucking asshole" Fulton grumbled to himself deciding to let it slide this time. Whatever it was Dean really didn't want to talk about it.

Must be Julie, Fulton concluded as he started to pick up his clothes that had been thrown around in Dean's rampage.

END FLASHBACK

……………………………………………………..

"Crap I'm late!" Julie exclaimed glancing at her watch. Her flight had been delayed and Connie had probably been waiting to pick her up at the airport for close to an hour now.

I wonder if Dean's here yet.

Julie rushed down the corridor dodging various people.

"JULIE!" Connie had spotted her blond friend running towards her.

"Cons!" Julie exclaimed dropping her carry on to grab her best friend in a hug.

"Wow you look so different" Julie gushed taking a good look at her friend when the parted.

"Do you like it? I wasn't sure" Connie finger combed her dark hair self consciously.

"It looks fantastic" Julie assured her.

Connie had lost the natural chocolate brown color she'd worn in high school and was now sporting dark mahogany locks.

"Thanks" Connie seemed satisfied "You haven't changed a bit" she decided after giving Julie a once over.

"Is that a good thing?" it was now Julie's turn to feel self-conscious.

"Definitely, I remember that a certain Bash Brother had the biggest crush on you. Still does from what I hear" Connie's eyes twinkled mischievously.

Her and Charlie would make a great pair Julie thought realising Connie sounded just like Charlie did.

"Fulton? But he's marrying Tammy next week!" Julie took the 'innocent' option.

"Not that Bash Brother Jules, the other one. The incredibly sexy one that only has eyes for you" Connie continued her plan.

"Ken?" Julie knew she was starting to bug Connie.

"NO! Dean Portman you idiot!" Connie exploded as Julie laughed it off.

"Yeah right Cons, it'd be kinda hard for him to have only eyes for me considering he hasn't seen me since we graduated" Julie pointed out.

"But you live in the same city!" Connie tried to reason.

"So? It's a pretty big city and besides I'm sure he has a girlfriend by now" Julie didn't want to confirm to Connie that she knew for sure Dean had a girlfriend. It still hurt too much to think about.

"You guys are hopeless" Connie sighed.

"Speaking of hopeless I know a certain NHL player who's got the hots for you" Julie turned the tables on to Connie.

"Adam?" it was now Connie's turn to play dumb.

"Pft yeah right. You are aware of the gay rumours that are circulating at the moment" Julie laughed recalling what she'd read in Entertainment Weekly. It was a total crock of shit but funny nevertheless.

"Adam's gay?" Connie looked at Julie as if she'd just revealed a huge secret.

Julie burst out laughing "No, he's got a girlfriend. The story was hilarious though, completely picking on Adam's preppiness"

"Aw poor Banksie!" Connie had to laugh.

"So do you want to guess again?" Julie asked with a sly grin.

"Julie don't go there you know as well as I do that Charlie only sees me as a friend" Connie reasoned.

"Oh I do, do I?" Julie challenged.

"Yes you do and that's final" Connie indicated she was sick of talking about one Charles Conway.

"Fine" Julie said defeated as she followed Connie out to her car.

FLASHBACK

"Dean"

"Julie"

The pair couldn't quite meet each other's eyes.

"About the other day"

"Forget about it, we both know it was a mistake"

and with that Dean strode off down the hallway leaving Julie's heart shattered.

"But it wasn't" she whispered to herself as she stared at his retreating back.

END FLASHBACK Could Connie be right? Could Dean still have feelings for her the way she did for him?

No way was them almost kissing a mistake. She'd wanted it and she knew damn well that he'd wanted it too.

Get a grip Julie, Connie was probably joking. You haven't seen the guy in almost 10 years.

"Where are we going?" Julie asked when she realised she didn't recognise the street they were turning into.

"Tam and Fult's house for her hen's weekend. The boys are at Guys probably getting drunk out of their minds" Connie explained wondering why Julie didn't know this already.

"Charlie didn't tell you did he?" Connie asked.

Julie shook her head "Nope"

"Doesn't surprise me really" Connie wished she had been the one to call Julie but everyone insisted that the Captain should tell people, with the exception that Fulton call his Bash Brother personally.

Julie nodded indicating her agreement but her mind was on one thing.

The boys were over at Guys indicating that they wouldn't be anywhere near us. Rephrase that, DEAN wouldn't be anywhere near ME.

This is gonna suck.

"Connie! Julie! I'm so glad you girls came!" a bundle of blond came rushing over to the pair enveloping them in a group hug.

"Tam are you drunk?" Connie asked laughing.

"NO!" Tammy almost screamed but unfortunately the glass of champagne in her hand was a dead giveaway.

"Come in, Kirsten's gonna make margheritas" Tammy grabbed each girl by the hand and led them into the house.

"Oh boy Fults gonna be in trouble with this one!" Julie whispered to Connie who laughed.

"Damn straight" Connie replied.