UP IN SMOKE

EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

ELEVATOR

MARCH 6

3:00 PM

Claire half smiled as she was packed tightly into the elevator alongside Cam. As long as she was with him, she felt like the world was hers.

Cam held her hand as the elevator brought them to the top, and she leaned her head on his shoulder. Despite the fact that there was a young mother and three kids to her left, she felt like it was just her and Cam, and anything that was thrown their way was nothing.

Finally they stepped out of the elevator, weaved their way through the crowd, and made it to the balcony that overlooked Manhattan. Claire smiled as the wind whipped through her hair, and jammed her hat tightly over her head. Cam was pulling out a sharpie as Claire tried to see if she could find the building of Smoke magazine. Finally, she noticed what Cam was doing.

Giggling, she saw him write March 6, Cam +Claire and drew a heart around it. He snapped the cap back on the sharpie and pulled Claire closer.

"I feel like I'm in OCD when you wrote that on the back of the art building," Claire said.

"You remember that?" Cam smiled.

Of course she remembered it. It had been the sweetest moment of her life.

Instead of saying that out loud and embarrassing herself, she just closed her eyes for a minute, trying to imagine her wedding.

She saw herself in a beautiful church, with her dad walking her down the aisle. The music was playing, and she couldn't help but smile as she was so close to being with the love of her for the rest of her life.

But then she saw her dress. It was incredibly ugly and tattered, with dirt smeared along the hem and sleeves. She looked desperately out in the crowd, trying to see if anyone noticed. She locked eyes with Massie, and with a sickening jolt realized she was smirking like an evil villain. Somehow, Claire could hear what she was saying even though she was so far away.

"I told you that designer was best," Massie mocked her, and Alicia laughed, and Dylan and Kristen and the entire crowd joined.

"Claire?"

Claire opened her eyes and looked up into Cam's concerned blue and green eyes. She tried to shake off her thoughts. This was so supposed to be a romantic moment with Cam. She refused to ruin it.

"It's nothing," She smiled, and leaned up to kiss him.

JOSH'S APARMENT BUILDING

THIRD FLOOR

MARCH 6

3:05 PM

Massie's phone rang as the elevator door opened, and she struggled to open it.

"Leesh?" She asked. "No sorry, I'm busy. Call me in an hour, 'Kay? I have some business I have to take care of." Massie shut her phone and clutched the basket of chocolate cookies in her gloved hand, and tried not to let the top one slip as she stepped out of the elevator. Her hair had been tied back from her face, and she'd added a little black clip on the side of her head, hoping to sweeten her image. She'd been careful with her make-up, so her face looked softer instead of drop-dead gorgeous. Presentation, she told herself, was key.

Raising her hand, Massie slowly made her way down the hall, reading the gold numbers on the doors, her heart pounding for no particular reason. Come on, she thought. You talked to him at the party and it was fine. You can do this.

But at the party she had not been bribing him to ask him if he had told. It was silly, it had happened six years ago, but if Josh ever told...

Massie shook away her thoughts, fearing she might jinx her mission. She could not afford failure. This mission was important.

She took a deep breath in front of the door. One deep breathe to steady herself. She silently counted to three, and then knocked very lightly on the door.

No one answered. Massie knocked louder, but there was still no answer.

"Ugh!" Massie hissed, and pounded on the door this time. "Come awn Josh, I don't care if you are sleeping, open up I need to talk to-"

The door opened, and Massie stopped. She backed away a little from the man who opened the door.

"Whoa…" Derrick said. "Massie?"

Massie cleared her throat. Six years, she told herself. You can do this. "Um. Hi…is Josh here?"

Derrick snorted. "Nah, I think he's crashing at Cam's. You…you want to come in?"

Massie caught him looking at the basket of cookies. "Um, no. Just give these to him and tell him I came?"

"Alright," Derrick said. Massie just smiled tightly, and turned on her heel, and walked away. The second she turned the corner and heard Derrick shut the door, she started sprinting. She didn't feel safe until she was in the elevator. Quickly, Massie pulled out her phone and scanned her address book, mentally going over who would be best to call. Finally, she narrowed it down to one person, and she dialed the number with shaking fingers.

She hopped on her foot until someone answered, but she just got an answering machine.

"Claire?" She said, suddenly aware at how her voice was cracking. "Claire, call me back soon, okay? It's an emergency." She said as calmly as she could, then she shut the phone.

Massie hated how she had just made herself vulnerable, but she knew that it would be better she show her vulnerability with Claire. At least she wouldn't hold her against it.

And still, after six years of telling herself she could handle the situation, she just didn't know what to do.

Yes I know Derrick is Derrington, but he's a man now...he doesn't need a nickname lol.