ROYAL TOWERS ~ 5 ~ ROSEWOOD & FAIRFAX

Hanna stood at Gate 7B holding up a large poster with her best friends' names on it. She waited patiently as passengers poured out of the gate and searched for their awaiting parties. Then she saw them. Emily taking the lead with her statuesque posture. Spencer followed close behind and Aria took up the rear. They each toted a rolling suitcase and large tote bag.

"You're here!" Hanna jumped up and down.

"I know," Emily smiled hugging her friend.

"It only took five hours," Spencer teased.

"Oh my gosh!" Hanna squealed. "We are going to have the best weekend!"

She led them to her car and the four of them piled into Hanna's sedan after loading the trunk with their luggage. Then she drove them to her apartment where they ended up scattered around the living room.

"This is a pretty cool place," Emily said admiring the floor to ceiling windows.

"Thanks," Hanna gushed. "It's kind of perfect. Well, except for..."

"Except for what?" Spencer asked.

"Ugh," Hanna took a deep breath, "I don't even know how to say it but, my neighbor is..."

"Kind of loud?" Emily offered noticing the way the shared wall vibrated.

"He's Caleb Rivers," Hanna said finally.

"The one from your basement?" Emily clarified.

"Yeah," Hanna clicked her tongue. "That Caleb."

"Is it weird?" Aria asked.

"Kind of," Hanna replied. "There's was this awkward thing the other night when Duncan was leaving..."

"Wait," Spencer interrupted, "who's Duncan?"

"He's kind of my boyfriend," Hanna replied. "We work together at the magazine and anyway, you guys actually kind of know him."

"How would we know him Hanna?" Emily asked. "I don't think I've ever met a guy names Duncan in my life."

"Duncan Albert?" Hanan tried to jog their memories. "He's from Brookhaven. He flew Ali to Hilton Head the day she disappeared."

"My Duncan?" Aria asked.

"Technically he was Ali's Duncan," Hanna explained. "Now he's my boss and the guy who's been sleeping here every Saturday night."

"Okay, hold up," Emily sat down cross-legged on the floor. "You were going to tell us what happened with Caleb."

"Oh!" Hanna rolled her eyes. "It's stupid. Duncan was leaving so I walked him out. Caleb happened to be in the hallway and he just started asking all these stupid questions."

"Stupid, like what?" Spencer asked.

"I don't know," Hanna sighed. "It was innocent at first. Then he just brought up all these memories from high school. He acted like we didn't even matter. It didn't mean anything to him."

"Honey," Aria hugged her tightly.

"He's been through a lot," Spencer said. "I mean, so have we, but Caleb, he's been to hell and back, literally."

"I know," Hanna let a tear fall from her face. "I just, I always hoped that a part of him would still be there. Maybe a part of me that he had held onto."

"Does it matter?" Spencer shrugged. "You have Duncan now. He makes you happy. You can't try to rekindle a relationship that ended ten years ago. Not without more heartbreak."

"You're right," Hanna told Spencer. "But it still sucks, you know. I'm the reason he ended up in Ravenswood in the first place. Being around me was like a death omen and then I force him to move and he nearly dies. No wonder he hates me."

"Come on," Emily smiled at her friend. "Let's not cry about it. We came to visit you and have tons of fun so let's do it!"

"Alright," Hanna wiped her tears. "Let's do something."

The girls laughed and ran around the room getting ready to leave. Once they were sufficiently primped, Hanna led them to the ground floor where her car was parked. Then they drove a few miles to the artsy district located just south west of Hanna's Hollywood apartment. Hanna parked her car on the street and led her friends into the crowded pub where they sat down at a long shared table.

"This place kind of reminds me of the Apple Rose Grill," Emily said.

"Yeah," Aria laughed, "only more fun and there are less stock brokers."

"Oh, don't be fooled," Hanna told her. "Everyone in here is a stockbroker. They just dress differently in LA."

"Is that a joke?" Spencer asked.

"Kind of," Hanna laughed.

Her friends giggled and then they returned to their menus. Hanna put in an order for a round of drinks and then they all chatted and swapped stories while picking off each others' plates. After dinner, they headed back to Hanna's apartment where they found a visitor leaning against her door.

"What are you doing here?" Hanna asked a brooding Duncan.

"I was in the neighborhood," he replied.

"You live in the neighborhood," she told him.

"Fine," he said. "I just stopped by to see you."

"Now's not a good time," she replied. "My friends are in town. I told you that."

"Right," he shook his head. "Sorry, I totally forgot. I should go."

"Oh okay," she smiled. "I'll call you later."

Duncan shrugged and disappeared into the elevator. Then Hanna opened her door and led her friends inside.

"So," Spencer hopped onto a bar stool. "That was kind of awkward."

"Kind of," Hanna replied. "I'd rather not talk about it."

"Yeah," Aria smiled. "We only rarely get to see each other now. No more boy talk."

Emily scoffed.

"Or girl talk," Aria corrected herself.

After their special weekend together, Hanna dropped her friends off at the airport. Then she swung by Duncan's apartment to give him some much needed attention.

"Hey," he smiled when he saw her.

She smirked and pressed her hands to his chest. Then her lips came crashing onto his. He pulled her inside and slammed her against the wall, closing the door behind her. Duncan practically ripped her clothes off as she buried her hands in his hair and covered him in kisses.

"This is," he said in between kisses, "so hot."

"Missed me this weekend?" Hanna laughed.

"Don't ever leave me again," he teased as they moved to the couch.

"Come on," she straddled him and let her hair fall onto his chest. "I'll make it up to you."

"Fuck!" he breathed as she let her hands wander. "Ali you're..."

"Ali?" Hanna jerked up.

"Sorry," he replied. "I don't know..."

"Whatever," Hanna stood up and buttoned her blouse. "I don't know what your damage is, but I am not sleeping with someone who is hung up on my best friend."

"Hanna please," he called after her. "I'm sorry."

"No," she held up her hand. "I can't do this. I can't let Ali continue to take everyone from me."

Hanna opened the door and let herself out. She adjusted her clothes in the elevator and then stepped out onto the street headed straight home. She stopped at the deli outside her building and picked up her usual, before she took the elevator to her floor. The doors opened and she caught Caleb's latest squeeze leaving his unit. She gave Caleb a weak smile.

"Hey," he called out to her. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"We broke up," Hanna said.

"Sorry to hear about that," Caleb did his best to suppress a smile.

"No you're not," she said picking up the second coffee in her carrier. "Raj from the deli gave me two, but since Duncan isn't getting his grubby hands on this, I thought you might like it."

"Uh thanks?" Caleb smiled as he took a sip. "Hey, do you want to talk about it?"

"With you?" Hanna laughed. "No."

"It's worth a try," he replied. "Wouldn't want to be responsible if you take to tequila."

"Thanks for the concern," Hanna smiled.

She watched him disappear into his own apartment. Then she took a swig of her own coffee and collapsed on her couch to watch cartoons.

I know, Duncan and Hanna are over! You can all stop sending me hate mail now. Haleb is just around the corner so stay tuned. Ten reviews for the next chapter :)