"Nope, nope, move!" Henry quickly pushed past Piper and slipped into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. The young blonde groaned loudly in irritation and pounded on the door. If there was anything about her brother that she absolutely did not miss, it was how much he hogged the damn bathroom. When he was younger, it was because he was taking forever to style his precious hair. He cut off all his hair now but still took forever in the bathroom. She screamed in frustration as she banged on the door and jiggled the knob.

"Henry! Come on, I was heading to the bathroom first!" she shouted through the door.

"And I'm in here now! Be faster next time!" he shouted back and she groaned. As she continued to yell at him and bang on the door, she didn't notice someone approaching behind her.

"Ah, Henry got the bathroom?" Jasper asked, startling her and causing her to jump with a small yelp. She placed a hand against her chest to calm her pounding heart and sighed heavily.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!" she yelled and turned to look at him, her breath hitching in her throat when she saw him. Oh, what the fuck? He was shirtless with a towel draped over his shoulder. She knew he was buff now but now she could really see it. His pecs were large and covered with tattoos, healed wounds, and small tufts of hair. His abs were prominent and defined with a happy trail that led from the bottom of his belly button and down his lower abdomen before disappearing behind his sweats that hung dangerously low on his hips. What the fuck?! She suddenly became very aware of what she was wearing. She was in her pajamas which consisted of a simple long sleeve v neck shirt and black plaid bottoms. A part of her wished she was in something more flattering. He rolled his eyes at her complaint and scrunched up his face as he scratched his head.

"Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to take a shower since Henry made me get up so early. I'll go to the downstairs bathroom," he said before turning away from her and heading down the stairs. All Piper could do was nod a little, her mouth hung open dumbly as she watched him walk away. Cheese and rice. Jasper Dunlop was going to be the death of her.

Inside the bathroom, Henry took a quick shower then wrapped a towel around his waist as he got out. He went up to the sink and plugged in his razor then watched his reflection in the mirror as he shaved his beard carefully. Something about seeing Charlotte last night made him want to get rid of it and maybe actually take care of it as it started to grow in again. He was going to keep his hair short though. He preferred it that way and felt like it made him look older and more mature. That's something he wanted her to see. He was mature now, he was a better person (despite his morally questionable behavior in Dystopia), he was someone she could depend on again. He decided to shave it again, plugging in his clippers and running it over his head. As he removed all the hair, he rubbed his hand over his now smooth face and shaved head and stared at his reflection. On the surface, he looked a lot like his old self and it made him miss parts of his past and times in Swellview. Things were so much simpler back then. He sighed heavily and glanced at the time. 7:24 am. He swore under his breath and slapped some aftershave onto his face, ignoring the burn as he pulled on his robe and quickly left the bathroom, ignoring Piper as she yelled at him.

He went into his bedroom and quickly got dressed in a pair of gray sweatpants, an undershirt, and a matching gray sweatshirt. As he quickly pulled on his socks, Jasper sleepily stumbled into the bedroom and watched Henry with one eye open. He raised an eyebrow at him before tossing his used towel aside and yawning as he went to his suitcase to find clothes to wear.

"And why the fuck did you make us get up so early?" he asked with his back to his friend.

"Charlotte always went on her morning runs at 7:30. This is my chance to see her and talk to her," he answered and Jasper looked at him over his shoulder.

"Bro, she went on her runs at that time four years ago. You seriously think she still does that?" Henry waved him off as he pulled on his socks and slipped on his Yeezy's. He quickly stood up and climbed up the stairs to his loft, looking out the window for any sign of her. If he had planned this correctly, she would be running down the sidewalk in just a few seconds. He grabbed his phone and slipped it into his pocket.

"Just hurry up and get dressed!" he said before climbing out of the window and climbing down the tree carefully. He hadn't done that in years but it all came back to him naturally, a lot like riding a bike. As he reached the ground, he leaped down and brushed any dirt off his pants. He took out his phone and checked the time again. 7:31. Charlotte was due to come running by at any time - he hoped. Her usual routine was to run completely around the block when they were in Dystopia, sometimes even two blocks when she was feeling particularly good. He figured she'd do the same here and that would have her running past his house soon enough. He took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and grabbed one, settling it between his lips before fishing out his lighter and lighting it. He leaned against the tree as he smoked, his eyes on the sidewalk as he waited for her.

And when Henry was right, he was definitely right. A few moments later she came running down the sidewalk wearing her workout clothes and her hair tied back in a bun. He saw her hesitate as she approached his house and come to a full stop for a moment before turning around and running in the opposite direction. He swore under his breath and took a few more drags from his cigarette before stomping it out and running after her. He ran up in front of her with a smile.

"Hey!" She stopped when he blocked her way and frowned, trying to walk past him only to get blocked again. He folded his arms as she continued to try and get by. "Talk to me, Char."

"No thanks. Bye." She pushed past him and continued her run, causing him to sigh as he followed her.

"You can't avoid me forever."

"I'm planning on it."

"You're coming over to my house for Thanksgiving," he reminded her and she groaned loudly. She was still so annoyed that her mom wouldn't cancel that. Henry grinned as he jogged to keep up with her. "We're gonna be in one house together for like an hour. Wait- is your Uncle Roscoe coming?" She stopped running with a sigh and glared at him as she rested her hands on her hips.

"Are you kidding? Thanksgiving is his Christmas," she said with a scowl as he flashed her that stupid wide grin of his.

"So, we're definitely gonna be together for at least three hours based on how much he and Jasper can eat." She quickly held up her index finger as she looked at him.

"We're not going to be together. I plan on staying far, far away from you on Thursday. Why am I even talking to you?" She scoffed and resumed her run. He chuckled a little and jogged behind her once again.

"I just want to talk-"

"Well, I don't!" He was quickly getting tired of this game. He stopped his jog and grabbed her arm, pulling her close and turning her to face him as she yelped in surprise. He didn't intend on pulling her so close but once he did, he couldn't help but let his eyes scan over her. She had little beads of sweat running down her smooth brown skin and disappearing behind the collar of her jacket. Her lips were slightly parted as she panted and caught her breath and her eyes were…well, they were annoyed. And that snapped him out of his daze. He cleared his throat and licked his lips a little.

"Listen, I just want to talk. You can't hold a grudge for four years, Char," he said and she narrowed her eyes at him.

"Oh, I can't?" she countered as she snatched her arm out of his grip and crossed them over her chest. He chuckled humorlessly and shrugged his shoulders.

"Of course you can hold a grudge that long, but I mean it does no good for either of us. Can we just sit down and talk like adults?" He looked at her earnestly, hoping she would just give him a chance. He knew that if they just talked all the tension between them would melt away and they'd be the way they once were. Well, he hoped that would happen. She eyed him and felt herself waver a little but she thought back to that fight and refused to let herself fall for his charm again.

"No," she said simply and turned away from him again. They were close to her house and she quickly ran the rest of the way there, eager to get some distance between the two of them. She was so irritated both because of Henry and the fact that she was annoyed. Her morning runs were supposed to help clear her mind and get her ready for the day, but now he ruined that. She climbed up her porch steps and paused when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and stumbled back when she was suddenly face to face with Henry.

"What are you doing here?!" she yelled at him and he shrugged dismissively.

"I haven't seen Miss Bolton in a while and since you're being stubborn, maybe she can get you to listen to me," he replied and she frowned.

"You're not coming in my house."

"Yes, I am."

"Oh, you're just gonna barge in? You're sounding very creepy, Henry."

"You're projecting, Charlotte."

"You smell like cigarettes, you're not coming-" The front door suddenly opened and Charlotte turned to see her mother standing there. She quickly rushed to the door and attempted to block her view of the man outside but he got the same idea and followed her. Diana's eyes lit up when she saw him and a big smile grew on her face.

"Henry! Oh my goodness, it's been so long!" she exclaimed and Charlotte did her best to block him from coming any further. Unfortunately, he was still taller than her and could easily look over her to smile at her mother.

"Miss Bolton! You look as radiant as ever!" The young woman glared at him over her shoulder and he simply smiled in return. His charm worked like always and her mother laughed sheepishly as she pulled her daughter out inside and out of the way.

"How are you? Have you had breakfast yet?" she asked and Charlotte could feel a migraine coming on. And to make things worse, Henry was soon joined by Jasper who popped up behind him and gave Diane a big smile. They exchanged pleasantries as the young woman grew more and more irritated.

"Mom-"

"I haven't had breakfast yet! I'd love to come in and eat," Henry responded and Jasper gasped.

"Can I come in too?" he asked and Diana laughed.

"Of course! Come on in, I'll make you boys some eggs and bacon!" she offered and waved them inside, closing the door once they eagerly entered the house. Diana looked at her daughter and waved her off with one hand. "Stop pouting."

"Mom, are you trying to kill me?" Charlotte asked with an unamused look and the older woman sighed.

"Honey, it's the holiday season. It's a time to reconnect and forgive people. Have some eggs and a bagel, and talk to him," she said gently and cupped her cheek tenderly. She gave her a small smile before going to the kitchen to finish making breakfast. Charlotte sighed heavily and slumped against the front door. She watched as Henry and Jasper happily made their way into the kitchen, the house filling up with their booming voices as they complimented her mother's cooking and began to catch up on old times. Jasper, being her pseudo son, quickly took his place beside her and helped her in any way he could while Henry leaned against the counter and chattered away while they worked.

She was hit with a small wave of nostalgia as she watched them. It reminded her so much of when they were younger and they would spend the weekend at her house. Friday night sleepovers led to breakfast on Saturday mornings, and those were always the best when her mom had the weekend off and could make them a big breakfast. Back then everything was simple, it was easy. They were all innocent kids whose only problems ranged from whether they'd complete their homework on time to whether someone would ask them to the upcoming dance (and Henry's whole saving Swellview thing). There weren't any feelings and painful history. She missed that. She briefly met Henry's gaze and he gave her a small smile that she returned without realizing it.

"Char? Come eat, honey," her mom called from the kitchen and Charlotte sighed a little as she pulled herself off the door and joined them in the kitchen. She made an effort to sit next to her mother, but it seemed that she hated her and moved her seat over, leaving her sitting next to Henry. She made a mental note to remember to put her mother in a nursing home when the time came as she took her plate. And just like old times, a hand found its way onto her plate and long thing fingers were grabbing at her bacon. She slapped the hand away and sent him a glare.

"Hands off my plate," she said sternly and he gave her an apologetic look that was easily ruined with the amused grin tugging at his lips. He shrugged his shoulders and turned to his own plate.

"Sorry!" he said with a soft chuckle. She rolled her eyes and had to fight to keep her own smile at bay. Nothing's funny, he doesn't make you laugh anymore. As she began to eat, Jasmine made her way downstairs with a tired Tati dragging behind her.

"Good morning everyone!" Jasmine greeted cheerfully as she entered the kitchen. Everyone greeted her in return as Tati dragged her feet into the kitchen and yawned loudly.

"God, I'm not working or in school so why am I up at the crack of dawn?" she complained and Charlotte chuckled.

"It's like 8 am," she corrected her and she paused to look at her in surprise.

"It's that early? My God…oh, hey Henry and Jasper," she said with a smile and wave before walking past them to get her breakfast.

"'Sup, Tati?" Henry greeted in return as he looked her over. She was still in her sleep clothes - a long sleeve tee and a pair of shorts - and his eyes couldn't help but watch her butt as she walked away. They then took in her long slim legs before traveling back up and settling on her behind again. Jasper noticed and hit his arm lightly, the two of them sharing a look and chuckling a little. Charlotte noticed as well and found her jaw tensing and her grip on her fork tightening.

But she didn't care. She didn't care at all. Henry could look at any girl he wanted to, he meant nothing to her. So, why on Earth was she feeling so weird? The girls soon joined them at the table and Henry moved over a little so Tati could sit between him and Charlotte. That didn't bother her either, and she definitely wasn't bothered when the two of them spent the rest of breakfast talking only to each other and laughing at their little jokes. She especially was not bothered when she noticed Tati brush her hand over his freshly shaved head and he let out his stupid giggle when she complimented him. She was completely unfazed. As soon as she finished eating, she quickly stood up and went over to the sink to wash her plate.

"Alright, I'm going to take a shower and get ready for the day," Jasmine said as she finished washing her own plate. Tati stood from the table and stretched her arms above her head before letting out a relieved sigh.

"I'm going outside to smoke, then I'll wash up. You boys wanna join me?" she asked Jasper and Henry though her eyes were on the latter. He smiled while Jasper just chuckled a little bit and stood up.

"Yeah, I'll join. Thanks for the breakfast, Miss Bolton," he said as he kissed Diana's cheek and made his way towards the door. Henry stood up and glanced at Charlotte before looking at Tatiana.

"I'll be with you in a bit, I'm just gonna hit the bathroom first," he told her and she nodded then went to get her jacket then went outside. Henry thanked Diana for breakfast before he made his way upstairs, leaving the mother and daughter downstairs alone. She glanced at her daughter at the sink and sighed, taking the remaining dirty plates and cups over to join her in washing them.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry I invited them in. You know me, I always wanna feed people," she said as she nudged her with her hip. Charlotte didn't look up from the sink as she continued to wash up the plates.

"It's fine," she said curtly and Diana pursed her lips together. She remained quiet for a few moments as she dried off the cups and plates that her daughter washed before speaking up again.

"Tatiana and Henry seemed like they were getting along quite…well." Charlotte's eyes flicked up to stare out the window and her jaw tensed up slightly before it quickly relaxed again. If her grip got any tighter on the mug she was cleaning, it would've exploded in an instant.

"Yeah."

"Well…good! Henry was always a sweet boy if not a little odd. And Tati seems like a decent girl, they'd be cute together. You know…since the two of you aren't a thing anymore," she added with a little sway of her head. Charlotte finished cleaning the mug and slammed it down on the counter then quickly dried off her hands.

"Yup!" she answered a bit louder than intended as she turned on her heels and walked (stomped) out of the kitchen. As her mother let out an amused and knowing chuckle, she climbed up the stairs and made her way to her bedroom. She opened the door with a hard push, causing Henry to jump in surprise and toss a perfume bottle in the air. She jumped as well when she saw him and frowned as she glared at him.

"What are you doing in here?!" she yelled. He let out a startled yelp and quickly caught the bottle before it shattered on the floor. He set the bottle back on her dresser and looked at her.

"I just wanted to see your old room again. Not much has changed…" he observed as he looked around. She sighed and stepped aside, gesturing to the door.

"Glad you noticed. Get out." Henry snorted and turned away from her, looking at the empty bowl next to her closet door. He remembered all the times he gorged himself on gummy bears whenever they had sleepovers at her place.

"What happened to the gummy bears?" he asked as he looked at her, pointing to the bowl. She shot him a judgmental look and shook her head.

"I haven't been home in years, why would the gummy bears still be there?" she asked incredulously and he chuckled.

"I mean, you could've added more when you got back! They were always my favorite thing about your room," he said as he looked away from her. He bit down on the corner of his lower lip, thinking about something that Charlotte wasn't sure she wanted to know about. She sighed heavily and leaned against the wall.

"Why are you here?" she questioned again and he looked at her again.

"We didn't get to talk much during breakfast so I figured maybe we can talk here…"

"Oh!" she gasped and placed a hand on her chest. "You noticed I was even there? You seemed so focused on eye fucking Tati." He raised an eyebrow and scoffed a little before chuckling.

"I wasn't 'eye fucking' her. We got closer last night at the party that you abandoned us at," he countered then smirked at her. "Aw, were you jealous?"

"Ha!" she laughed dismissively and rolled her eyes. "I'm not jealous! You're not even her type." The amused grin on his face told her he wasn't buying it and it only annoyed her more. He played with his fingers behind his back as he casually walked towards her.

"Oh? And what's her type?" he inquired and she folded her arms as she looked up at him.

"Rich," she answered and smirked as she looked him over once, "and big dicks." His jaw dropped and she couldn't help the way her smile grew. He walked closer to her and shook his head.

"Oh, don't go there!"

"Go where?"

"You know I'm not lacking in that department?"

"Do I?" she asked as she looked up at the ceiling to think it over. He scoffed and couldn't help but chuckle a little. Two could play this little game.

"You should! I can remember you whining 'daddy, slow down it's too much'," he mimicked her voice and laughed when she gasped loudly and quickly closed her door. Once it was shut, she turned and smacked his chest as he cackled loudly.

"Henry!" she cried out in offense while he continued to laugh. "My mom could've heard you!" She swatted at him and shook her head, walking away from him. He licked his lips as he calmed down and held his hands up in defense.

"Hey, I had to protect my reputation! You and I both know that I am a damn good lover," he said as he watched her plop down on her bed. She rolled her eyes and looked down at her nails.

"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about so badly?" she asked without interest. He chucked a little and made his way over to her, standing in front of her.

"I wanted to talk to you because…I…I wanted to say I was sorry." She tensed up as she heard his words but kept her eyes on her nails. She didn't want to look at him again. "I was a jerk. I was a huge dick to you and I've regretted it since everything happened. I should've been more understanding about your dream to get your degree instead of demanding you just give that all up for me. It wasn't fair at all and I'm really, really sorry, Char…" She finally looked at him and saw the sincerity in his brown eyes. She was at a loss for words. For a while after the breakup, all she wanted was for him to apologize so they could work things out and get back together. But when that didn't happen, she gave up and settled on living a life without him in it, and as hard as it was, she managed. Now she was forced to have him around again and he did the one thing she wanted but she wondered if it was too late. She sighed a little and looked down again as he started to talk again.

"We have to be fair though, you kinda sprang that shit on me. I panicked. The girl I loved was going to be leaving and I was just supposed to be okay with that?" She looked at him and pursed her lips together in a firm line before nodding.

"I should've handled it better," she admitted. "I had been sitting on that before we even got together and when we did…it was just so nice. I didn't want to bring it up and ruin the honeymoon we were on. And when I finally did…it went exactly how I thought it would." She looked down again and anxiously cracked her knuckles. Her stomach began to twist uncomfortably and her heart started to race. "But I really did want to try a long distance relationship, Henry. I wanted us to try but you didn't even want to consider that. You just threw me away…" Her voice cracked a little as she thought back to that day and Henry's heart ached hearing it. He sat down next to her on the bed.

"All I could think about was you being here in the States and me being in Dystopia, half a world apart, in completely opposite time zones. I couldn't fathom the idea of us still managing a relationship like that. And you even said it…I couldn't even graduate from high school. Some Harvard guy could've easily swept you off your feet." She winced as she remembered her own harsh words towards him. She looked at him and chewed on her lower lip.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything I said. I was just upset and I wanted you to be hurt too," she admitted before looking down at the carpet. "I didn't even go to Harvard…"

"I know," he chuckled and looked at her, "do you know how much it stung to find out that you didn't even attend your dream school?" He nudged her a little and she gave him a small sheepish smile. "Why didn't you go?" he asked.

"My…love for crime fighting and criminal justice was tainted," she said quietly. "I ended up studying astronomy and quantum physics." He nodded in understanding and looked down at the floor as well. There was something about knowing that the dream Charlotte had for years had become tainted, especially because he knew that it was tainted because of him. It made him feel even more guilty. Even though she did what she wanted, she still changed so much of her life because of him.

"Henry?"

"Hm?"

"I'm sorry, too," she said quietly, prompting him to look at her. She kept her head down and idly picked at some lint on her bed blanket. Her curls fell over her face a little and he fought back the urge to brush them back and kiss her forehead. She continued to speak after a few beats of silence, "I shouldn't have sprung up going to school on you like that. And I definitely shouldn't have said any of the shit that I did. I'm really sorry." He smiled a little and nodded his head as he gently placed his hand atop hers. He felt her tense up a little but she kept her head down.

"And I should've supported you and listened to you. And I seriously didn't mean anything I said, I was just being a dick. I regret all of it so much. I'm sorry." He squeezed her hand a little and she finally lifted her head to meet his eyes with her own. He couldn't help but inhale quickly. She was so damn beautiful. He rubbed her hand gently and gave her a small smile. "Are we good?" She hesitated and thought it over. Was that really it? Four years of pain and tension gone just like that? She expected something worse, something more explosive, something that would change things forever. But she felt good and it felt like she was getting her best friend back. She smiled a little and nodded.

"We're good." And they were. Finally, they were good again.

Oh.

Wait.

Did she tell him that she was kind of, sort of engaged?

A/N: Thank you for reading! Please tell me what you think so far!