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Disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 12: Old Friends

Jimmy stood quietly on the deck of the Vanderbilt house. He'd only been here a few times, and all of them for occasions like this.

"Hey," Brad walked out and leaned against the deck.

"Hey man," Jimmy smiled, "haven't seen you in a while."

"Dude, I've been swamped," Brad shrugged.

"Ellie mentioned that," Jimmy nodded.

"Did she mention that we set a date?" Brad smiled.

"Really?" Jimmy said. Brad nodded.

"February 15," he said. "Mark your calendar."

"Jesus, that's soon," Jimmy said. "You doing it here?"

"Probably," Brad sighed. "I mean, between the Iowa barn wedding and Kelly's absolute refusal to let her do anything, you know my mom's going to demand it." Jimmy laughed.

"Don't forget the hitched on the beach with no one there wedding," Dave said walking out.

"Right," Brad nodded. "And when was the last time you saw your wife?"

"She's working asshat," Dave growled, a little too defensively, Jimmy noticed. "I know Elena doesn't know the meaning of the word."

"Hey, at least she never left me for a woman," Brad shrugged. Jimmy snorted and Dave looked at him.

"He's got a point," Jimmy shrugged. "So, are we having exotic entertainment or what Dave?"

"Logan said that if a stripper set foot in his house he'd decapitate me," Dave shook his head. "Something about how he's a father now, I don't know, you know I only half listen to him when he speaks."

"Right," Jimmy laughed. "Bonnie will be relieved."

"You're still with her?" Dave said. Brad raised his eyebrows. "Dude, two words for you, 'Logan's marriage' cut the book babes loose while you still can."

"I'll keep that in mind thanks," Jimmy nodded and downed the rest of his beer.

"Hey man," Rick walked over and sat down with Cole, who smiled dimly. "How are you doing?"

"OK," he sighed, "thanks for all the help with Eddie."

"It's nothing," Rick said. "We did this twice already, Cassie and I have the baby thing down." Cole looked at him. "Well, Cassie has it down, and I'm really good at doing what she tells me too."

"Sure," Cole nodded and laughed.

"How's Allie doing?" Rick asked carefully. Cole shook his head. "That bad?"

"I don't know," he said. "She won't talk to me. We never did a whole lot of talking anyway, you know? But now," he sighed. "I want to be there for her. It's just not happening."

"She'll open up," Rick said, "when it happened to Cass, she didn't talk to me about for months, didn't want to worry me while I was at Yale. She dealt with it with Ana though."

"Dealt with it enough to have another kid," Cole nodded. Rick smiled. "I'm sorry I haven't been around more for Eva, it must be hard on her."

"She's doing OK," Rick smiled, "she's a tough kid."

"Hey what are we talking about?" Scooter said plopping down in between them.

"Fatherhood," the other two said at the same time. Scooter laughed.

"You know something weird," Cole said.

"I know many weird things Cole," Scooter smiled. "But please share."

"Kelly's gonna be the only girl one of us marries that one of the others wasn't with." He said.

"Huh," Rick said. "Yeah, but see, I actually had sex with your wife." Biff glared at him.

"Only because at the time Cassie was too busy being a coke whore," Scooter said.

"Dave!" They heard Logan bellow from the other room.

"Oh," Scooter smiled. "I guess the stripper's here."

"Stripper?" Rick groaned. "Does Kelly know about that?"

"Of course not," Scooter said, "and you're not going to tell her either."

"Ricky," Jimmy ran in, "Are you absolutely sure that TJ's in bed?"

"Oh shit," Rick ran away.

"What made you think of that?" Cole said.

"I'm the kid's godfather aren't I?" Jimmy shrugged and walked away.

"You're thinking that you're Eva's godfather and you'd never think of stuff like that?" Scooter said.

"I'm Eddie's father and I wouldn't think of stuff like that," Cole mumbled. "Of course it's not like I ever see the kid."

"Allie'll get better." Scooter said certainly, "Cassie did."

"Sure," Cole nodded.

Bonnie sat quietly when Tammy walked over and sat with her.

"Hi," Tammy smiled. Bonnie looked at her skeptically. "Cake? It's really good." She held it out.

"Why are you talking to me?" Bonnie said. Tammy shrugged. "Won't Julie be mad at you?"

"Julie's already mad at me," Tammy said, "for not letting her stay in a hotel, for leaving Steve in New York," she shrugged. "Of course she's not really mad at me exactly, it's all transference."

"When did you start therapy?" Bonnie said, surprised. Tammy laughed.

"When I was seventeen," she said, "after I, we, me and Julie, were attacked in this alley, it was awful, I started having panic attacks. You?"

"Sixteen," Bonnie said. "My dad had an affair. I caught him, my mom was determined that we be a family again." She rolled her eyes. Tammy smiled sadly. "What's the deal with your dad? James just said you don't talk to him, unless you have to."

"He also had an affair, I also caught him," Tammy said. "I was thirteen."

"Whoa," Bonnie said.

"Yeah," Tammy whispered. "It's pretty awful, but it gets worse. He married her, they have two kids, he promised to pay for my school but then wouldn't pay when I decided to go to Parsons." She shook her head. "I mean, I only see him when I do because Tommy likes for me to."

"I'm an only child, did you know that?" Bonnie whispered. Tammy nodded. "It took me a while to come around to the way you all are about family. I mean, the way you are about the house, and each other. I was actually jealous of his relationship with Kelly."

"Tommy's high school girlfriend was jealous of me and him," Tammy smiled. "I know we've been, um, less than welcoming." She looked down. "We all love Julie, but we want Jimmy to be happy."

"Oh my God," Janet ran in. "Hi!"

"Hi," Tammy stood up and hugged her. "I thought you weren't going to make it."

"I thought so too," Janet exhaled, "but then I finished the shoot I was doing early, and I flew here instead of New York," she smiled and looked at Bonnie. "Who are you?"

"Oh um," Tammy said, "this is Bonnie."

"She doesn't look like Satan's bride." Janet said. Bonnie swallowed. Tammy glared at her. "So am I fired or what?"

"I don't know," Tammy rolled her eyes, "Talk to Julie."

"You'll have to peel her off the carpet first," Kelly said. "She and Ellie got into Daddy's good scotch." She stopped and looked at Janet. "Oh my God!" She squealed and hugged her.

"Surprise!" Janet said. "Where's Linda? We have tequila shots to do, our girl's finally taking the plunge." She bounced in the house.

"That was Janet Lane," Bonnie said.

"Uh huh," Tammy said.

"My college boyfriend had her Swimsuit Issue cover as a poster on his ceiling," Bonnie said. "She's in your house."

"She's Kelly's best friend," Tammy nodded. "And Scooter's sister in law, we all went to high school together."

"I know that in theory," Bonnie said, "it's just, she's Janet Lane! The girl gives Tyra a run for her money when it comes to being overexposed."

"That's really what a creative director wants to hear about her spokesmodel," Tammy sighed, "especially when the board is trying oust her for being too old."

"I'm not exactly your target demo anyway," Bonnie shrugged.

"That's true," Tammy sighed.

Julie sighed a few hours later waking up in Jimmy's bed. That was odd, she didn't remember coming in here.

"Coffee," she sat up, seeing a cup of coffee in her face, and Linda holding it out, a take no shit look on her face. "You passed out."

"In my ex boyfriend's room," she said, taking it. "I suck." She sipped the coffee. "How's Berkeley?"

"Eh," Linda shrugged. "It's OK, I kind of needed an excuse."

"To escape Janet's tequila shooting?" Julie teased.

"Partly," Linda laughed. "Mostly though," she sighed, "I mean, Claire's little girl is adorable, isn't she?"

"You don't see Claire's little girl when you look at her," Julie nodded. "You see Charlie."

"God, she looks just like him doesn't she?" Linda sighed.

"Have you called him?" Julie said. "I'm sure he'd be happy to hear from you."

"Right," Linda laughed, "I'll call him and say, 'hey Charlie, I know the last time we talked I told you you were throwing your life away by marrying your beautiful wife, but I'd love to chat about seeing the baby you gave up for adoption.'" Julie laughed.

"Right, that could be awkward," Julie nodded. "It's good to see you."

"You too," Linda said. "So, when are you moving back to California?" Julie choked on her coffee. "Come on, Julie, what's keeping you in New York?"

"Tammy and Steve are in New York," she said quietly. "My dad,"

"Your dad is in Maine," Linda said. Julie smiled.

"It's not that simple," Julie said. "My mom's getting a divorce, and I completely disagree with her, and," she sighed. "I mean, she really loves him, I just can't," her cell phone rang. "Speak of the devil."

"I'll let you take it," Linda said. "It's good to see you."

"You too," Julie smiled and hugged her. "Thanks again for the coffee."

"No problem," Linda said and walked out. Julie picked up the phone.

"Hello Mother," she said pleasantly.

"Have you been drinking Julia?" Jaime said on the other end.

"It's Kelly's wedding shower," Julie frowned. "And how do you do that?"

"Hm," Jaime said. "Did you see Josh last week?"

"Yes, I met with him about Tell Me About The Girl," she pressed her fingers against the bridge of her nose. "It was strictly professional Jaime, don't worry."

"Did he mention if he was dating anyone?" Jaime said.

"He did not," Julie said, "like I said, it was a professional meeting, about Casey and my movie." She sighed. "If you don't want him dating other people you shouldn't have kicked him out."

"Ana, you remember my friend Ana, from the hotel?" Jaime said.

"Yes," Julie said patiently, Ana had taken care of Julie the first night she'd been in LA, the first time Jaime had chosen work over their relationship. "I remember Ana."

"Anyway, she said she saw him in the hotel restaurant with some girl about your age," Jaime said.

"She was probably a client," Julie said. "You know, women my age really need agents, being that most actresses, singers, models etc, are in their twenties. You're being paranoid."

"Hm, I guess so," Jaime said. "If you were in LA last week, why didn't I see you?"

"I was busy," Julie said, "working." Tammy walked in. "I have to go Mom, love you." She hung up. "Thanks, you just saved me from a Jaime rant."

"You're in Jimmy's bed," Tammy said.

"I know, I passed out," Julie sighed. Tammy looked at her. "What's with you? You've been really weird all weekend." Tammy pushed her hair behind her ears. "Fine, don't tell me, whatever. I'm going to see Connie and Charlie tonight, if you want to come."

"I don't," Tammy said flatly. "Anyway you should probably move before Bonnie notices."

"Right," Julie sighed and got out of the bed.

"Hi," Diane walked over to Elena who was sitting stirring her drink. Elena nodded vaguely. "You've been avoiding me all day."

"I'm trying not to say something I'll regret," Elena shrugged. Diane looked at her. "How could you be doing this to him?" Diane stared at her flabbergasted.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she whispered.

"You don't?" Elena said. "Tommy is in love with you! He's in love with you and you don't even seem to care,"

"I care," Diane said. "I'm just not sure I'm ready for the level of commitment that he wants."

"Then let him go, Di!" Elena sighed. "Let him get over you, and move on and find someone who does want what he does." Diane looked away. "You know that Tommy's a good guy don't you?"

"He's the best," Diane whispered. "We can't all be like you." Elena looked at her. "You and Brad have known where you were going since you were eighteen, him before that even. I don't have that kind of certainty, and for that matter neither does Tommy."

"I'm pretty sure Tommy does," Elena said.

"You don't know anything about it," Diane insisted. "You're on the other side of the country, Lena! You come around maybe twice a year. You don't know anything about what'd gone on between me and Tommy for the past year, so just drop it!" She turned around and walked away. Elena stared as her friend walked away.

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