Hi again! So I have a really bad habit of not posting for forever... and then posting some haha.

The tension between Cam, Claire, Derrick, and Massie was so intense that everyone made excuses when the four were in the same room. Massie moved in with Alicia, who had had a whole room to herself before while Claire stayed put. Cam did the same and moved in with Kemp.

Derrick found Massie alone in her room one night, shoving books back onto the bookshelf.

"Can I come in?" She didn't answer, and so he took it as a yes.

"What do you want, Derrick?" There it was- the indifferent, monotonous voice that Massie had been practicing for when she finally had to face Derrick. She felt a little flicker of satisfaction when she saw him cringe.

"Massie, the kiss was totally and completely out of no where and meant absolutely nothing to either of us."

"I don't care."

"You don't care?" he asked incrediously. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm over you." She felt in power saying that as she turned away from him to get something from her bag. It was over, she told herself as she turned away from him and there was no reply.

"So you were into me?" She gasped. He was closer than she expected, his breath practically fanning across her cheek.

"I never said that," she stuttered, spinning away from him. "That's not what I... forget it."

"What's holding you back?" He demanded, determined not to be sidetracked.

"I won't be hurt again," she whispered. He didn't answer, waiting patiently for an explanation. This was what he had been waiting for- they were finally talking about it, after years of avoiding and changing the subject.

"There was this guy. His name was Dempsey. He was Claire's neighbor in tenth grade. He- we went out for four months before I found him with one of my best friends… he was drunk," Massie's voice was so quiet he almost didn't hear her when she continued.

"I never knew he drank and… when I yelled at him he… he called me a lot of things and said a lot of stuff I won't be forgetting anytime soon… and he said things I never want to think about, ever." Massie looked at Derrick with a pained expression.

"You have no idea how much he hurt me, with his words I mean. He never called after that, or even bothered to stop by. I…"

"Massie, I would never do that to you." Massie laughed without joy.

"Dempsey would have said the same thing two days before it happened."

"Massie-"

"Don't make me do this, Derrick. I'm just not ready." Massie replied calmly.

"I love you, and we both know you love me so why can't you just let go of the past?" Derrick asked her quietly.

"Let go of the past," Massie repeated. "That's what everyone says. Maybe I don't want to. Maybe I don't want to forget."

"Then that's your final word on the subject?" he asked, his eyes betraying his emotions. Massie shut her own and ignored the voice in her head that was screaming no.

"I just need to think," Massie whispered. Derrick shook his head.

"That's as good as a yes."

"Massie's leaving," Alicia informed Josh as they walked home from a movie.

"What?"

"She says she can't handle the whole Claire- Derrick thing. She's renting an apartment in Chicago 'till the beginning of the year."

"That's bad."

"Bad doesn't cut it, Josh."

"What do we do?"

"What can we do?" Alicia sighed in response. "She's leaving in less than a week!"

"I'm going to tell Derrick." Josh started walking faster but Alicia pulled him back.

"Don't! Massie would kill me if she knew I told you!"

"Who says she has to know?" he asked, smiling mischieviously. Alicia tapped her chin thoughtfully.

"Okay…" she said doubtfully. "But ONLY if you say you overheard us. Agreed?"

Josh rolled his eyes but grinned anyway. "Alright."

"She what?" Derrick exclaimed. Josh nodded gravely.

"Her taxi is supposed to leave at eight tomorrow morning."

"Call off the taxi," Derrick told him.

"But-"

"Call it off but don't tell Massie."

"What are you planning?" Josh asked as he watched his friend pace around the room in an anxious fashion.

"You'll see." Was Derrick's simple but loaded answer. Josh sighed, knowing there was no use in trying to taking his questions farther and ran off to find Alicia to update her.

Massie glanced at her watch- eight o' clock. Any second now her taxi would come and take her away from this place. She had asked Alicia to stay inside, but knew she was watching from the window.

She felt her phone buzz and glanced at it.

Alicia: Mass dont go

Massie: Leesh…

Alicia: I know youre scared of getting hurt but youve known derrick since you were twelve. Cant you make an exception?

Massie: its too late for that

Alicia: its never too late

Massie: whats that supposed to mean?

Massie: Leesh?

Massie threw her phone down into her bag. Fine. If that was how Alicia was going to be, then so be it.

A honk startled her out of her thoughts. She smiled in relief, grabbed her bags, opened the passenger door and screamed.

"What are you doing here?" she exclaimed. Derrick shrugged.

"I heard you were leaving," Derrick replied, taking her bag from her and throwing it in the backseat.

"We aren't doing this, Derrick," she warned.

"So you're just gonna avoid this topic every time you see me? Good luck."

Massie pushed him- or tried to- out of his seat.

"Don't keep avoiding this," he said, staying put. The driver didn't even breathe as they stared eachother down. He kept looking between them with an interested expression.

"So, um… do you still need this cab or should I go…?" he asked, breaking the silence nervously.

"No," Massie snapped just as Derrick replied, "Yes."

So the driver stayed put, unsure of what to do. At any rate, he couldn't leave until they got out and besides, this was like a T.V. drama waiting to happen.

"Even if you manage to get me out of here and go to the airport, you won't get far. Claire will be waiting for you," he smirked.

"Gawd, is there a whole conspiracy against me?" she muttered sarcastically.

"Massie, I know you're scared but… how can you even think for a moment that I would ever even think of doing something like that to you? You know me. You don't need to avoid this."

"I'm used to avoiding things. That's how I dealt with my mom's death and that's how I'm trying to deal with this now. But you're making me face headfirst."

"And-"

"And- hold on," Massie pulled out her phone. She didn't need to read the text message but she figured she would stall while she still could.

"Mass-"

"Hold on." The text was from Cam. "Ehmagawd."

"What is it?"

She ignored him, sliding into the backseat and barking at the driver, "Hospital. Now!"

As they sped away, Derrick turned to face her, his expression full of concern.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Claire."

"Cam?" Claire's voice was soft and groggy as she took in her surroundings. Cam nearly sighed from relief.

"I'm here," he whispered, holding her hand. She smiled.

"Does this mean I'm forgiven?" she asked, sounding like a little girl. Cam refrained from laughing and instead nodded.

"I almost lost you, Claire. You are most definitely forgiven."

"Good," Claire replied. "I'm hungry."

"The doctor will be in soon. Maybe he'll bring you some food."

Claire nodded and smiled slowly. Then she noticed the cast on her arm.

"Cam?"

"Hm?"

"What's on my arm?"

"A cast, hon." The doctor had warned this would happen. The medicine they had given her would make her disoriented, confused, and forgetful for the first few hours.

Claire took her time to answer, studying it before letting it fall back next to her.

"Oh. Cam?"

"Yeah?"

"What time is it?" Cam glanced at his watch.

"Almost ten. Massie and Derrick will be here any moment."

"Good," Claire said, closing her eyes. "But what about everyone else?"

"Sleeping," Cam responded jokingly, but it was true. No one had answered at either house.

"Cam?"

"Yeah, Claire?"

"I'm hungry."

Before he could figure out how to respond, Massie burst in the door with an annoyed doctor and an amused Derrick.

"-I think you should just calm down, Ms. Block."

"Calm down? My best friend is possibly on her death bed and you- oh my gawd, Claire!" Massie flew to her side.

"She only has a broken arm," the doctor muttered. Then he glanced around. "I'll come back later when all the visitors are gone, okay Claire?" Claire nodded.

"Are you feeling okay, Claire?" Massie asked. Clare pointed to her mouth like a baby.

"I'm hungry."

"Hear that, Doc?" Massie barked. "She's hungry!"

"I'll go get her something," he stuttered. As he passed Derrick, he mumbled, "That woman scares me."

Derrick let out a half- restrained laugh that came out like a snort. When Massie turned to glare at him, he pointed to the doctor who nearly ran out of the room.

"How are you, Claire?" Massie asked, turning back to her friend.

"Good, much better than you probably think," Claire smiled. Massie laughed a little too.

"The text Cam sent me nearly gave me a heart attack. He really freaked me out," Massie sighed, shaking her head at Cam.

"Because he was freaking out himself," Claire giggled, glancing at him as he and Derrick went out of the room. Claire sat up, some of the medicine starting to wear off.

"So Massie… you aren't leaving?"

"Are you kidding?" Massie exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "And leave my best friend a cripple?"

"Wow, thanks."

"You know I love you," Massie teased. Claire laughed softly, then glanced at the door.

"And Derrick?"

"I, I don't know."

"I don't get it, Massie," Claire, said truthfully. "I know you're afraid of getting hurt but if that's the case why not just let him walk out of your life with a direct no? Why keep him where he is and cause him more heartbreak?"

Massie stuttered incoherently, training her gaze to her nervously twisting hands.

"Because I'm more scared of losing him, Claire," she finally whispered. Claire sighed and put her good arm around her friend.

"You can't keep doing this, Massie. You're only hurting both of you and eventually he'll walk out. And that will be worse."

"I know, I know," Massie sighed. "But I don't know what is wrong with me! Every time I get ready to say yes a no slips through my lips before I can stop myself."

"Then tell him you need space," Claire responded simply. "Tell him you don't want a love declaration, you want a quiet date."

"I don't know if that's what I want, though. We've known eachother for so long that it'll just be awkward," Massie sighed.

Claire saw her friend's internal struggle and put her hands over hers, saying, "Then what do you want?"

and now its close to the end...! I'm posting a poll so that maybe... if you don't want to review you can answer ONE question instead? Up to you, but thanks for reading!