Disclaimer: I don't own Everwood, I just own this story!

Chapter two: Fate.

"Eph…Ephram?" Amy stuttered. She could not believe her eyes. It was him, Ephram Brown; the one that had break her heart so many years ago by running away from Everwood, from his problems…from her. Several minutes passed, during which they stared at each other, like if they were searching for a confirmation that the other one was really here. Amy knew she had not changed a lot; her hairs were shorter but other than that, she was the same Amy he had left ten years ago, on the outside anyway. He, on the other hand, seemed so much different. He was skinnier, he looked so tired and so sad. Well, Ephram always had that sad look shadowing his beautiful blue eyes, but today it was different, it was worse. She never saw him that miserable.

He finally broke the silence, not with words though; he simply stepped closer to her and pulled her into a tight hug. First, taken aback by his gesture, she did not move but after a few second she hugged him back and smiled at herself. They stood like that in the middle of the street for what seemed like hours, neither of them wanting to break apart. After a few minutes Amy finally opened her eyes and was surprised to see that a group of people had gathered around them to watch them. She giggled and slowly pulled away. She tried to catch his eyes but he was looking away; trying to hide a tear that was pouring down his cheek.

"So…how are you?" he asked clearing his throat. "What are you doing in Florence?"

"I'm fine. I came as a tourist; it's my annual vacancy with Hannah and Meg."

"Hannah's here too?"

"Yeah. I left them both at the museum."

"Which one?" he asked.

"Bardini" she said blushing. He laughed at her attempt of using Italian accent. "Yeah I know my accent sucks, but hey, I hadn't the chance to spend eight years here! At least you didn't lose your English."

"How could I? I'm an English teacher!"

"Yeah I know. But I thought your father was joking. How could you be a high school teacher?" he laughed.

"That's a long story…" he simply replied. She looked right into his eyes realising how much she missed them. For the first time, he smiled. She had missed that too.

"Why did you leave them alone?"

"I was bored actually." They shared a giggle. "It was the fifth museum in two days…" she added rolling her eyes. It was weird, not just seeing him after so many years but the fact that it was so easy as well. They were talking and laughing like if nothing had changed, but the fact was that everything had. "How are you?" she finally asked.

"I'm ok, I guess. Better than yesterday, you know…"

"Yeah I know." She knew everything he had been through since his departure from Everwood but she knew it was not the right time to talk about it.

"I've to go." He said reluctantly. "How long are you staying in Florence?"

"We're going to Rome the day after tomorrow." She replied.

"When are you going back to Everwood?" he asked disappointed.

"We're going back to the United States in a week and a half but we're staying in New York with Meg for two weeks before returning to the Colorado." Silence fell between them. Ephram put his hands in his jeans' pocket and his voice was shaking a little when he finally asked:

"D'you wanna … I don't know maybe you already have plans, but you know we didn't… we could… I don't know maybe…"

"Ephram?" she said smiling

"Yeah?" he said looking up at her.

"Start again." she said giggling. He blushed a little as he remembered one particular moment where she pronounced the exact same words.

"Yeah… right, sorry!" he took a deep breath and looked right into her sweet brown eyes. "D'you wanna have dinner with me tonight?" She looked at him hesitantly. "Forget I said anything." He quickly said looking very disappointed. "You probably have other plans."

"No it's not that. Well, yes I do have plans but it's just with the girls, they'll understand." She did not know if it was a good idea but when she looked into his eyes and saw all the pain behind them, she took her decision.

"I'm staying at Hotel Fiorita. Come take me at 7:00." She said smiling and he smiled back.

"Ok sure… I better get going. See ya tonight." He said

"Yeah, see you tonight." They smiled at each other; neither of them knew what to do next. She took the initiative and kissed him softly on the cheek. He smiled on last time at her and turned around to leave. She watched him walk away for a while before looking through her purse for her cell phone. She dialled Hannah's number.

"Hello."

"Hannah you're not going to believe what just happened!"

Half an hour later, Hannah and Meg were seating on Amy's bed at the hotel while she was nervously pacing back and forth in front of them, biting her nails. She had told them every detail of her previous meeting with Ephram.

"I'm such an idiot! What was I thinking! I mean it's Ephram! How am I going to get myself out of that! Ten years! Ten years and now I have to deal with him again! I'm not sure I can do that! It's impossible! No, no, no, no, no, no, NO! I'm gonna call him, I'm gonna cancel tonight before it's too late." She was talking faster than she ever had, and she found it hard to catch her breath, like if she was running a marathon. Meg stood up and put her hands on Amy's shoulder.

"Calm down sweetie. Take a deep breath." Amy looked at her did what she said. Meg smiled at her friend. "Ok now, you can't cancel. One because you don't have his number!" the three of them shared a giggle. "And second," she carried on, looking at her with sympathy. "you want to go. Don't give me that look, I know you do. Just relax, it's a dinner with an old friend, that's all. I didn't know Ephram personally but I'm sure he just want to catch up with you… what are you so afraid of?" even as she was asking that she knew it was a stupid question. There was no word to explain how much Amy had loved Ephram and how much she was broken when he left. Now she had moved on with her life, she put together the peaces of her heart and was enjoying life again. Hannah, who had not said a word since they arrived in Amy's room, stood up too and hugged her friend.

"Amy, I know what you are feeling right now and I get that it's completely incredible but I also know that if you don't see him tonight you'll regret it forever. It's your last chance to see him!"

"Yeah she's right." Meg said. "It's like fate! We weren't supposed to be here and the day before we left we bumped into him…"

"What are you suggesting?" Amy asked frowning.

"We're not suggesting anything. It's just a dinner and despite your desperate attempt to hide it, I know that you miss him. So go, have fun, catch up and don't get pregnant…" Hannah added laughing. Amy rolled her eyes.

"Ok" she just said smiling. She turned to go take but froze when she remembered something. She turned to her friends her eyes wide open. "Oh my god! What am I going to wear?" Meg and Hannah looked at each other, rolling their eyes.

At 6:55 Amy, Hannah and Meg were seating in Amy's room waiting for Ephram to arrive. It took an hour but Amy found the perfect outfit for the night; black pants with a brown silk tank top. It was simple, not too sexy but sexy nonetheless and it fitted her perfectly. Her hair was held up in a pony tail and she was wearing brown earring she bought on the Ponte Vecchio yesterday.

"You look gorgeous!" Hannah said as Amy was looking at herself in the mirror.

"You think? " Amy asked more worried than anything. "I don't him to be misunderstanding..."

"I'm sure he won't." Med interrupted her, smiling. Then the phone rang, Amy picked it up.

"Hello." She said

"Hello Signorina. Signor Brown is waiting for you at the reception hall." The desk clerk with an Italian accent said.

"Ok. Grazzie. Tell him I'm coming." She hung up the phone and turned to her friends, a look of anxiety in her eyes.

"Oh come on Amy, enough with the drama! Go now, he's waiting." Meg said. "And don't worry we will call home to check on Thomas." She added knowing exactly what her friend was about to say and pushed Amy toward the door. Once Amy was out of the door, Hannah looked at Meg.

"We better wait for her return!" they said at the same time.

Ephram was waiting on the reception hall like the desk clerk told Amy. He was standing next to the door with his hands shoved in his jeans pocket and he was looking rather nervous too. Amy took a deep breath and walk toward him. He smiled when he saw her.

"Hey." He simply said.

"Hi" she said returning his smile.

"You're ready to go?" he asked.

"Yes." They walked silently out of the hotel and he led her to his car; it was a black Smart. She laughed when she saw it.

"Is this your car?" she asked.

"Yes it is. I know what you think but here the big American type is not that common."

"I guess." She said laughing. "It's just; it's so different than the last car I saw you drove."

"Yeah, I know…but things change." He said more seriously. Awkward silence fell between them.

"So…where are we going?" she asked trying to change the subject.

"We…hum we are going at my place."

"Oh…" she said, unsure.

"Ella is a little sick and I didn't want to leave her alone."

"Ok" she just said. He opened the passenger door for her and she got in. Then he got in himself and drove away from the hotel.

A/N: yeah I know it's a little confusing, especially Hannah's comment on pregnancy, but everything will be explained in next chapter, which will be here soon (I hope! Lol). Please review! I'm not sure where to take this story so suggestions and constructive critics are always welcome! Of course you can also review just to say that you liked it lol!