A/N: Keep the reviews coming. We're getting to the big dramatic storyline soon.

Disclaimer: I own nothing

From ancient grudge break to new mutiny
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean – Romeo and Juliet, Prologue

After the game Bella walked carefully over to Eddie and smiled. He looked at her.

"Come to congratulate me?" He said confidently.

"Yes," she nodded. "And to apologize."

"For what?" He shrugged.

"For the other day," she said. "Coming over like I did." He nodded. "Anyway, um, are you coming to my grandparent's tonight?"

"I wasn't planning on it," he admitted. "I wasn't even going to stay at gala long."

"You should come," she said. "Bring Erica." He raised his eyebrows. "I'm serious."

"You know that Erica and I aren't dating right?" He said. She looked at him. "We're just friends."

"Whatever," Bella said. "You should bring her. It'll be fun."

"I think you have a different definition of that word than I do," he laughed. She smiled. "Will me going make you happy?"

"Yes," she nodded.

"Then it's done," he smiled. She smiled back.

"I should go get dressed, and then I have to meet Gordon," she hugged him. "I'll see you later though."

"Right," he nodded. "See you later." He shoved his hands in his pockets and started walking.

Eva, Daivd, Mikey and Denise all sat eating dinner together. It was awkwardly silent, in a way that meals hadn't been for the four of them since Eva and David's first visit to California.

"So um," David broke the silence, "how's the new album coming?" Denise looked at him. "I listened to the demos you sent me. You suck significantly less than you used to."

"Thanks," Denise nodded. "I listened to what you said about key switches on the bridges, it made like all the difference."

"Do you have a shelf date yet?" He asked.

"Well, the company wants it by summer, you know for the tour," she shrugged. "I'm stuck though, because,"

"Can we talk about anything else?" Mikey groaned. Denise looked at him.

"I'm sorry that my work isn't as stimulating as yours," Denise said. "Answering Jaime's phones really gets my synapses firing." He looked at her.

"Did I miss something?" Eva said. "When did you go back to working for Jaime? I thought you were at the agency with Josh." Denise looked down.

"Yeah," Mikey stood up, "I was." He walked out. Eva stood up immediately and followed after him. "Evie, I don't want to talk about it."

"Since when have I ever given a damn what you want!" She said. "What happened?"

"It wasn't working out," he said. "I wasn't good at it."

"So you go back to being Jaime's assistant?" She said. "And you didn't even tell me, or David?" She stopped. "Does Aunt Julie know?"

"Of course Julie knows," he said. "It's temporary."

"Until?" She asked.

"Until she opens the Vegas restaurant," he said. "And sends the LA manager there."

"You're going to manage Julia's?" She said. He nodded. "That's your plan?"

"Yup," he nodded. She shook her head. "What?"

"Well, no wonder Denise is so pissed!" She said. "You're settling." He looked at her. "Did you know that she thinks that your entire life together is settling? That you settled for her because we didn't work out."

"I didn't know that," he whispered.

"Michael, you could do anything," she hugged him. "You're brilliant and charismatic and people really love you. There is absolutely no reason to settle. Why didn't you go to London? You got into the London School of Economics! With grants and scholarships, not to mention like five other MBA programs, and you turned them all down to stay in LA. I don't understand it."

"You don't?" He said. "The girl who walked away from RISD to be a painter and get married doesn't understand what I did?" She crossed her arms and stared at him.

"I wasn't hiding," she said. He looked at her. "OK, so Spain was hiding a little. But you have so much potential!"

"Yeah, and those MBA programs that you talked about," he said. "They're back east or in another country." She nodded. "Denise is in LA. Her life is in LA and she's not moving it."

"Hence the tension," Eva said. "You need to get over it. Or talk to her or something. Because you're never going to find another woman who puts up with your shit. You have me and you have Denise, that's more than most people get."

Kevin sat by himself at a table at gala. He was surprised, but Gordon was doing the whole schmoozing with Bella thing and doing it well. He glanced across the room and noticed Connie sitting with her friends. They made eye contact and she waved. He smiled and waved back. She stood up and walked over.

"Hi there," she said.

"Hey," he said. "Are you going to sit Vanderbilt, or are you just going to stand there awkwardly?" She laughed and sat down. "You look good."

"So do you," she nodded. "How have you been?"

"Good," he said. "You?"

"Alright," she said. "I'm going to England in a few months."

"Yeah, Gordon told me," he said. "Are you excited?"

"Completely," she laughed. "Kind of terrified too, but it turns out Lizzie might be in Ireland at the same time." He nodded. "How's Anne?"

"She's good," he said. "She's kind of pissed at me right now."

"Ah, a feeling I am familiar with," she grinned. He laughed. "She'll forgive you."

"Yeah, I hope so," he said. Connie looked down. "It's really good to see you Connie."

"You too," she said. "I should get back before Reese starts scheming to get you into my bed tonight." He laughed and nodded as she stood up. He watched the door and stopped when Anne walked in with her parents. She looked beautiful in a blue dress. As Cal pulled her jacket off the small rose on her shoulder was peaking out. He smiled, Tammy had clearly designed the dress to hide it, but Anne wouldn't be hidden. He stood up and walked over.

"Anne," he said. She looked at him and crossed her arms. "Come on," he took her hand.

"Kevin, what are you doing?" She said.

"Something I should have done a while ago," he said and kissed her. He walked her over to where Fulton and Tanya were sitting.

"Kevin, you don't have to," she said nervously.

"Mom, Dad," he said. "This is Anne Callins, my girlfriend. Anne, these are my parents."

"Hi," Anne said.

"Hello Anne," Tanya smiled. "Kevin, I didn't realize you were dating someone."

"Yeah, Mama," he sat down, Anne sat down cautiously. Fulton looked at the girl sitting next to his son. He felt almost like he was looking at a ghost. Anne could have been Tammy at sixteen, Tammy as the self assured girl he'd fallen in love with, before life came in and changed everything between them. "Dad?"

"It's good to see you again Anne," Fulton nodded.

"You too," Anne said awkwardly. Tanya looked at her.

"Are your parents here?" Tanya asked. Anne nodded. "How's your mother doing?"

"She's good," Anne said. "I wanted to ask you a question actually," Kevin bit his bottom lip. You never knew what Anne's "questions" would be like. "For my current events class we had to read the new education bill, and I noticed you were an author of the house version, and I don't understand why you didn't put more emphasis on arts education when your work in Massachusetts always supported it?" Kevin looked at her.

"You know that?" Kevin said.

"Of course," Anne nodded. "My mom's been donating to arts education causes for years. I pay attention even if I don't really care."

"It's a good point," Tanya smiled. "I can just say that I tried. I knew the house would pass it, but it probably would make it to the senate. You have to pick your battles." Kevin continued to stare slack jawed. "She's smart Mijo, why didn't you mention that?"

"Oh, he didn't know," Anne smiled. "Kevin thinks that I'm fun, isn't that right baby?" She kissed him on the cheek.

"Tammy," Gabrielle walked over to her.

"Hi Gabby!" Tammy smiled and hugged. "God, it's so good to see you."

"You too," she said. "Listen, I wanted to talk to you about Cal."

"Oh God," Tammy groaned. "Is this about the modeling? I get that it's fun and he likes the attention, but I could kill Kelly!"

"No, it's not," Gabrielle shook her head. "Well, it is a little. He's talented, Tammy."

"At smiling for a camera?" She raised her eyebrows. "I expect a little more from him than that." Gabrielle looked at her. "Alright, I know, there's more to modeling,"

"I'm talking about acting, Tammy," Gabrielle said. "He's very, very, good. Well, his instincts are."

"Cal?" Tammy said. Gabrielle nodded. "My Cal? The boy who prefers life under a hockey helmet?"

"That's the one," Gabrielle said. "But something's holding him back, I mean, more than would normally for a teenage boy."

"So do you want me to talk to him?" Tammy said.

"I think he really believes you and Steve wouldn't support it," Gabrielle said. "I told him he was being ridiculous, I mean especially after the way your dad," Tammy looked at her. "I didn't say that to him, I know how you are about Cal and Anne and your drama with your father, I just thought you should know."

"Thank you," Tammy said and watched her son for a minute. "Thank you for telling me."

"Anytime," Gabrielle nodded. "You can look at Adelle's coloring books and tell me my child is exceptionally talented to you know."

"I plan to," Tammy said. "Eva was about her age when she started showing her exceptional talents."

TJ walked over to the bar to get a refill when he noticed Eddie staring at Bella. He looked at him.

"Hey man," TJ said. Eddie looked at him and smiled. "You want her back don't you?"

"More than anything," Eddie said.

"She's happy," TJ said. "Like really happy. In a way she hasn't been in a while." Eddie looked down.

"She wants to be friends," he mumbled.

"Yeah," TJ nodded. "Are you coming to the house tonight?"

"Was planning on it," Eddie nodded. "I'm bringing Erica Faber."

"Why?" TJ laughed. "Steph and I could have gotten you weed." Eddie laughed. "If you want her back, you have to let her come around to it."

"I'm trying," Eddie nodded. "What do you think of her and Conway?"

"David, Lizzie and Dean say he's a good guy," TJ shrugged. "Coach always treated me and you pretty well." Eddie nodded. "You should try being friends with him. I mean, look at Stephie and Reese."

"Steph and Reese were best friends before you," Eddie pointed out. "Conway and I have hated each other since we were freshmen."

"Mm," TJ nodded. "Still, possible. Note Aaron," he pointed to the blond couple of Reese and Aaron in the corner. "We hated each other for way longer than four years."

Keep the reviews coming!!