Do not own Freak And Geeks or any of the characters.

Ten Year Reunion

Chapter One

The Invite

1992-March

Lindsay Weir was seated alone at a table in the corner of Starbucks. It was were she could be found most Wednesday afternoons. Her day off. She had come to the coffee shop to get some peace away from her roommate who seemed to be going through some sort of mid- life crisis, even know she was five years younger then Lindsay and had a better job, which paid more then hers. Her brown eyes shifted slightly towards the window, watching the afternoon shoppers stroll casually by before turning to the letter in her hand. The moment, her eyes had laid on it amongst her regular mail of bills, her heart had skipped a beat. She had been waiting for it's arrival.

She nervously stared at her name written on the front of it, before putting it down and reaching for her Americano. Growing up, she had never had a liking for coffee. But after four years of pulling all nighters in University, she had developed a slight addiction to the bitter tasting beverage. She found she could not function most days with out it. As she took a large sip from her paper cup, she couldn't help but think about her dear friend, Nick Andopolis briefly and his slight addiction to pot during high school.

She regretted letting herself think about Nick, the moment after it happened. Bringing it all back to her and why she was seated here in the first place, the letter. "Come on Weir, stop being a pansy!" she whispered to herself as she placed her cup back down on the table and once again reached for the envelope. Letting out a sigh, she then began to open the seal of it, pulling out a stiff white paper from it. The last time she had felt this nervous and excited about opening a letter was when she had gotten her acceptance letter from Boston University. That moment had changed her life forever, just like she knew this letter would. Well, maybe not as dramatically as her University one had but it still would she knew in some way. This letter would make her have to face head on all the people and feelings she had been trying to avoid for ten years, now.

Her best and one of her oldest friends, Kim Kelly had warned her about the arrival of the letter just over a week ago when she had received hers in the mail. Kim was a girl, who Lindsay had hated at first but had became one of her closest friends within high school and remained for years after. Kim and her had even been roommates for a brief period of time after Lindsay had graduated University and needed a roommate. The short year that they had been living together had been probably one of the best years of her life, yet. Kim was a hard person to deal with at sometimes but looking back on all the good times they had together, she wouldn't have changed it for the world. She wished that she could go back in time and relieve that year sometimes as she looked how different her life was now. She was older and living in a different city with none of her family or friends close by.

Lindsay was now 28 years old and living in LA, where she worked for a small recording company. She didn't have the best paying job in the world but she loved it all the same. She was the accountant as well as the receptionist. After, following the Grateful Dead tour of 1981, she couldn't think of not being in the music industry in some way. Music had become a major part of her life within her last year of high school. And after four years, she had graduated from Boston University with a double major in accounting and marketing with hopes of one day working in a recording studio. She then moved back to Michigan and shared a small studio apartment in the state capital, Lansing with Kim. Lindsay had gotten an entry level job at a bank there. The work had been tough and the hours long but it had paid well. Her parent's had thought she should had kept the job and moved up through the company but just over a year of working there, she had quit and moved back to Boston, were she got a job working for a local TV station in their marketing department. She had stayed there for four more years before jumping at the opportunity to move to LA and work with her friend from university who was opening up his own recording company. She had now been there for over a year. She hated being so far away from her family but loved that she was finally doing what she had always wanted to do since the summer of 1981. The company was doing well for their first year, they had only had signed one or two bands so far. But the studio had a bright future ahead of its self. The bands were getting good press and were about to each put out an album.

xxx

Kim Kelly was just getting home from pulling a double shift at the restaurant she was currently employed at when the phone began to ring from the kitchen. Swearing underneath her breath, she shut the front door before moving quickly into the kitchen of her small apartment.

"Weir, your timing sucks!" complained Kim into the receiver of the phone. She already knew who was calling.

"Well, hello to you too!" replied back Lindsay on the other line.

"You couldn't call like an hour later," continued on Kim as she adjusted on the phone between her shoulder and ear as she placed her purse onto the kitchen table before slumping into the plastic kitchen chair beside it.

"Do you want me to call you back?" asked Lindsay in confusion. She always called Kim at this time every Thursday night, she didn't understand what the big deal was now.

"No, I don't!" snapped Kim as she kicked off the white tennis shoes she had been wearing. "It's fine. I just got in though from work and I'm exhausted!"

"Oh!" stated Lindsay, "Don't you usually only work until eight though?" asked Lindsay as she quickly did the math in her head. She usually called Kim at nine, just after she would leave the studio for the day. Which was around six, California time.

"Yeah I do. But my jerk of a manger made me stay later," explained Kim angry into the phone. She had been about to leave when her manger had made her stay, since the other waiter who was working that night was running late for his shift.

"I see," replied Lindsay quietly in to the phone. She hated talking to Kim when she was angry like this. She could never get one word in when her friend was like this. Both of them were quiet for a second before Kim spoke, "So did you get the letter yet?" Her voice was much calmer now as she looked around her kitchen, wondering if there was anything to eat in the fridge.

"Yeah, I did. Yesterday!" replied Lindsay, remembering that dreadful letter that she had left in her purse. After reading it, she had hidden it away. Not being able to face it, just yet.

"So are you going?"

"Are you?" shot back Lindsay.

"I guess so," murmured back Kim, "I haven't really given it much thought."

"Well, I'm not going unless you do," added Lindsay. There was no way she could face stepping into McKinley High without her best friend by her side.

"It's going to be lame," stated Kim, thinking about all the school events she had attended as a student and how not one of them had been the highlight of her life.

"Probably!" agreed Lindsay. "But we should go. It would be kinda fun to see everyone again and see how people have changed," she added after a moment of silence. A part of her was dreading going and another part of her was curious. Ten year reunions only happened once.

"Yeah," agreed Kim softly on the other line.

"I don't know if I would be able to get the time off work though," spoke Lindsay, thinking about how she would have to take at least a week off work to fly back home for it.

"Why not? Your practically sleeping with you boss!" argued back Kim to her friend.

"Bob's not my boss!" spoke Lindsay quickly in response, defending herself. "George is. Bob is just George's friend and who owns half of the company. He is just the silent partner. George is the one who runs the place."

"Whatever," commented Kim, rolling her eyes even know Lindsay could not see her doing so. "You could still get the time off!"

"I dunno," shrugged Lindsay, "The studio has been getting a lot of press lately with the recorders coming out soon. We might be signing new bands and artist. We might get busy soon, hopefully."

"Lindsay, it's not like they need you to produce the music or anything like that. I'm sure both George and Bob can mange answering the phones for a few days," replied Kim.

"You know I do more then answers phone," replied Lindsay, offended by what her friend had said.

"Yes, I know Lindsay. I was just saying that, I'm sure you could get the time off no problem." She hated arguing with Lindsay, especially over the phone. Lindsay was the only person in her life that had stuck around for her. Ever since she had moved out of her mom's house, she had rarely seen or talked to her family. They had not wanted anything to do with her and she had not wanted anything to do with them. She still saw her mom around town and talked to her on the rare occasion but that was it. She supported her own self now.

"I know Kim. I'm sorry. This whole reunion thing just has me going crazy," admitted Lindsay, quietly into the phone. "Like I want to go and see you and my old friends and such. But another part of me doesn't."

"Is this about Nick?"

"Nooo!" lied Lindsay quickly.

"Oh please Lindsay. I know you!" pointed out Kim. "You can't fool me Weir!" And Lindsay knew it too. Even know it had been ten years, things between her and Nick were still awkward for her. He was still working for her dad's sporting goods store still. He was the manger now and her dad's right hand man. Nick still also went over to her parent's house, every Sunday for a roast dinner. She hated that he was still chummy with her family. This didn't exactly help matters when she would visit and he would be there, helping her mom around the house. "What's the big deal anyways? So you guys slept together ten years ago and had a brief summer romance. Didn't you sleep together at Christmas?"

"Yes," whispered Lindsay in embarrassment as she remembered the last time she had gone home. It had been Christmas Eve and the two of them had been hanging out in her living room, drinking eggnog. It had been late and everyone in her family had gone off to bed. Nick had been over for dinner. This time it had been her that had kissed him. She had been feeling lonely and depressed about being alone for the holidays. Especially after seeing how happy her brother Sam was with his new family. Within a year of meeting his wife, Molly they had gotten married and had a baby. She was happy for him but she couldn't help but feel jealously towards him as well. He had seemed to have gotten it all right. Both career wise and personal. She only seem to have the career part down.

"So. That was three months ago," added in Kim, not seeing the big deal. "Me and Daniel hook up all the time still!"

"I thought you said you where through sleeping with him, especially now that he is married!" argued Lindsay, outraged that her friend was still hooking up with her high school love. "And that you are going out with Mike!"

"But Daniel is such a Babe! and it's sooo goooodddd with him. Mike is just...okay," replied Kim, childishly. Her and Daniel were never over. They had continued to date steadily for another year or two after high school, before he moved down to Detroit. They would hook up every now and then when he was in town visiting his mom and brother. And then there had been a time when her and Lindsay had been living together that he had been living in Lansing too. And he would be around the apartment regularly. But a few years ago, they had gotten into their worse fight yet and had not spoken for six solid months. Kim had reached out to him, only to find out he had met someone else and that they were getting married. She had been heart broken by this. She had always figured that in the end, he would marry her. But after a year of being married, he had started to seek her out again. And now that she was living back in Chippewa , their hooks up were a regular thing. "He works across the street Lindsay, I can't avoid him. He comes in for lunch every now and then," she added, trying to make her friend see how she really had no choice.

"Just be careful," warned Lindsay like she always did when it came to Kim and Daniel. He was a good guy and one of her good friends but she didn't want to see Kim get hurt like she had been in the past.

"Aren't I always?" teased Kim, a smile playing on her face as she spoke into the phone.

xxx

"Did you guys get that invitation for the ten year reunion thing?" asked Ken Miller casually as he slid into the vinyl booth beside Daniel Desario and looked across the table at Nick Andopolis.

"Yeah," they both replied in union. The three friends were meeting up for their weekly Friday night meet up. They usually would just end up either meeting up at the bowling alley bar or Rivers the new bar that had opened up just across the street from A1 Sporting Goods.

"Are you going?" asked Ken as he waved over the waiter. The bar was dark and noisy as a band was getting set up to play.

"Don't we have too?" asked Nick, as he looked across the table at his two friends, drumming his fingers against the edge of the table. It was a nervous habit he found himself doing often now, especially since he had decided to go clean again.

"No," commented Daniel, looking at Nick like he had grown two heads. "That school doesn't have to make us do anything anymore! It's been ten years!"

"Amy's making me go," admitted Ken as he turned his attention back onto his friends after getting the attention of the waiter.

The conversation was dropped briefly as the waiter came over and took their drink order. They just ordered their usual, a pitcher of Budweiser. The moment the waiter left, Daniel looked over at Ken. "So you're going?" he asked.

"Well, I really don't have a choice in the matter," shrugged Ken, meeting Daniel's eye. "Amy is going, which means I have to go too. What the wife says goes," he added. Him and Amy had been married for just over a year now.

Daniel just looked at his friend for a second before shrugging. He was married too but didn't listen to one thing she said. He still did whatever he wanted. "You are so whipped!" he joked as he pushed Ken in the arm.

"Whatever man!" he replied back, smiling at Daniel. He was use to his being whipped comments now. Especially since he had gotten married. They had all changed slightly since high school but Ken was the one who had changed the most. He wasn't no longer the sarcastic teenager, who always had to say something about everyone. He was still sarcastic but not as much as before. He was more mature like his mother like to point out.

"I'm not the only one who is whipped. Nicky boy here is worse off then me and he is not even married yet!" commented Ken and he pointed over at Nick.

"Shut up man!" cried Nick, who had suddenly stopped drumming his fingers and narrowed his eyes at his friend. He wasn't whipped.

"Sara controls your every move and decision. It's hard to tell were she begins and you end!" added in Ken, looking over at Nick with all seriousness. "You will end up getting dragged into this thing too!"

Nick just glared at Ken as they were interrupted yet again by the waiter as he slid the pitcher of beer onto the table, along with three glasses. Sure Sara complained about how he did things wrong and didn't like him hanging out at the store for too long after his shift was over. Or didn't like when he didn't spend all his free time with her. She just liked to be together that was all. "Whatever, it will change when we are married!"

Both Ken and Daniel looked at him at this and smirked, "No it won't!" they cried in union. Marriage just made things worse. "You think Sara is controlling now. Just you wait man until you are married and living in the same house. It will be worse!" spoke Ken as he reached out for the pitcher and filled one of the glasses before handing it over to Daniel. Next he served Nick and lastly himself. "Drink up now man!" he warned Nick, raising the glass to his lips, "Because soon you won't be able too!" Ken loved Amy but marriage had changed everything for them. He no longer could just go out and hang out with his friends when he wanted too. He had to run it past her first. In some ways he found it like living back at his parent's house.

"Don't worry Nick, being married isn't so bad!" added Daniel as he took a sip from his glass and looked over at Nick, who had a gloomy look on his face as he stared into his glass of beer. Daniel had been married to Raven for over three years now. He found his life wasn't much different from when it was before he met her. He still went out when ever he wanted and did whatever he wanted to do. The only real difference was that he had a warm body to come home too at night. He had met Raven, shortly after ending things for what he had thought was the final time with Kim. She had come into the auto shop with a flat tire and he had fixed it for her. They had flirted with one another and one thing had lead to another. And they had hooked up that same night. Daniel had been obsessed with her in the beginning. She was the entire opposite of what Kim was. He was fascinated with her. Where Kim was tall and blonde. Raven was petit and brunette. Where Kim was loud and hot headed. Raven was quiet and sweet. Daniel had fallen for her hard and quickly. They hadn't been together nearly six months before they had gone down to Las Vegas and eloped. But the novelty of the relationship had soon worn off and about a year into it, he found himself wondering about Kim again. She would always have a place in his heart no matter how hard he tried to get ride of her. They were soul mates in a weird way. They both had agreed that what they had was just an sexual thing and should remain just an sexual thing. So now, that was what they used each other for. They both had no complaints about it.

As Ken and Daniel finished off their glasses and poured themselves another, Nick hadn't even started his first. He was thinking about what Ken had said. That being married to Sara would be like a trap. He already did feel trapped.

After graduation night, they had broken up for good. He had wanted to be with Lindsay. They had had a brief summer romance that summer before she had gone off to Boston. He had been heart broken to see her leave but they had both agreed that it would just be a summer fling, nothing more for now. He had still seen her every now and then when she was visiting for the holidays and came back in the summer. But they had been friendly. He wanted more but knew that she didn't. Not until last Christmas that was. Now he couldn't get her off of his mind. He had dated other people but no one could compare to Lindsay. She was everything that he wanted. There had been one girl who had come close Rachel, they had gone out for two years before she had confessed to him that she was in love with someone else. It had felt like Lindsay all over again the first time she had broken up with him. He had turned to his old ways, spending a majority of his time high and neglecting his drums, which he had become fairly good at over the years of taking lessons and practicing on a regular basis. He was even with a band now, The Phil Heads they were called. But with the help of his band mates, the Weirs and his old friends he had slowly gotten back on his feet and had gotten clean yet again.

That had been around the same time he had started going out with Sara again. She had recently moved back to town after living in New York for a few years. She had come in to the store one day with her dad looking for fishing gear when they had gotten to talking and he had asked her out. She had hesitated at first but soon agreed to go out with him. That had been over a year ago. Then just at the beginning of the New Year, she had threatened to leave him if he didn't propose marriage. She didn't just want to be some fling. She wanted commitment from him. He cared about Sara but he knew he didn't love her. But he didn't want to live the rest of his life alone either. So he had panicked at the thought of her leaving him and agreed to get married. The wedding was to take place later on that summer, the 5th of September.

"What are you thinking about man?" asked Ken looking over at Nick, who had remained quiet for most of the night.

"Lindsay," answered Nick quietly.

Ken just rolled his eyes at this. Something never changed, he thought to himself as he met Daniel's eyes, who just shrugged in response. He didn't know either.

Thanks for reading and please review!

Julie