nyc prep continued

"I know," she grinned. She gave him a quick kiss, "you're amazing."

"I... I think so." she replied. "I knew I wanted to get married to him, but I... I guess it's easier to say now... easier to see what an idiot I was being."

He grinned. "You're amazing too."

"So because he's gone he can never hurt you? is that why?" she asked curious

"I don't..." Jaimie had to think about it. "I don't know," she said softly.

Trish nodded slowly, "I wish you did know." she said her tone almost sad

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Trish didn't answer. Her eyes were sad almost as if she were about to cry. she felt her heart sink but there was little she could do now. she had wanted to know and now she did. it wasn't the answer she was hoping for

Paige laughed, "dinner now or should we just stay here for a while?"

Jeff nodded, " Can I help with anything?"

She looked at Trish, then away. "I should go," she said, running a hand through her hair.

"I am sort of hungry," he admitted.

"If you want," Sam said. "I just have to make the salad so you could help chop the vegetables."


"Me too," Paige agreed. "I'll get us something." She pulled his tshirt on. "Should I bring the wine too?"

"I can chop." he smiled

"I'll miss you Jaime." Trish said softly

Sam grinned and walked into the kitchen. "This is nice," she said as she got everything out for a salad. "Making dinner together."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jaimie asked. She didn't understand this new friend, she said a lot of weird things.

He nodded. "Sure. Why not?"

"'kay," she leaned in and gave him another kiss and stood up. His shirt came almost to her knees. "Be right back."

"It is," he nodded, "like a real couple."

"you won't see me again...at least not for a long while." she sighed, "you will remember me though. no one else will...but you will."

He grinned and watched her leave. She looked good in his shirt.

"What are you talking about?" Jaimie asked. "Why are you acting so weird?"

"We are a real couple," she said. She got a bowl out for the salad


Paige returned in a few minutes, arms full of snacks and the bottle of wine.

"Perfect," he grinned, taking the bottle of wine from her and some of the snacks.

She climbed back onto her bed and sat beside him. "Do we need anything else?" she asked as she piled the food onto the bed

Trish reached up and touched jaimies shoulder, "I'll miss you and I hope you learn to trust." she said then almost as if everything began to spin and then in a flash she was gone. they were standing the living room of the penthouse.
"I know its...not the way I was going to ask but...it just seemed like the right time." Braden leaned in
and kissed her, "I didn't mean to overwhelm you." she hadn't said no and that gave him hope...so
much hope.

Carl grinned, "I'm glad you enjoyed it...I had an amazing time too." his arms wrapped around her
the wind on his back didn’t feel so cold. He had never stood outside of the moonroof before and
maybe it wouldn’t have been the same without her. he leaned in his lips at her ear, “you are
amazing Brooklyn.”

"you could always skip out on school and come here." Nikki said with a deep breath. she liked this
girl. she didn’t seem like the others. her heart almost hurt thinking about it. On monday she would
need to a soldier but today she could be normal. She was going to enjoy the sunshine because
after monday...she would never get to sit out here in central park again

opening the cupboard Jeff misjudged the distance and knocked a glass to the ground. it shattered
on contact ."Sam...I think I'm more drunk than I thought." he called out. They had mixed shots at
the bar and had downed Beers. The wings had helped muddled down the alcohol a but after 12
drinks there was only so much a little bar food could do

ooc: Sam, Paige, Brooklyn and Jaime are the only ones who are aware of everything that took
place

"Nikki?" Paige said, blinking. What just happened? "What are you...how..." She looked around, she was in central park. How did she get here?


Sam stood still, frozen in place. She must be dreaming, she had to be dreaming. "I'll clean it up," she said as she stepped into the kitchen.

Jaimie pulled away and looked at him. What? She stared at him, then pulled him into a hug. What.... what had happened? He was here... but he was dead.

Brooklynn blinked. She'd been here before. They'd already lived this... what was she doing back here? He couldn't walk, why... what were they doing? She leaned back against him, not understanding, but willing to go with it. "No, I think that's you," she said. Were they really back here?

Nikki looked over at Paige a little confused then half smiled, " I think that cold medicine is going to your head."

Jeff shook his head, "is ok I can get it." he insisted as he knelt down to pick up the pieces

Braden smiled wrapping his arms around her, "this seems like a good sign."

Carl chuckled resting his head on hers, "Whatever you say Beautiful."

Paige stared at her. This was before the shooting, when she had been sick. "Skip with me on Monday, we can do something fun."

"Jeff, no," she insisted. "I'll do it, you're drunk, I don't want you to hurt yourself." She leaned down and her head spun, she was drunk to. How could this happen? How could the last two months just be gone?

Nikki chuckled a little then closed her eyes her face turning up towards the sky, "I have a meeting at school I can't miss. maybe Tuesday."

Jeff put his hand out stopping her, "go get the broom and dust pan."

"Yes," Jaimie breathed. "I think it is." He was here, he was actually really here. Just having him here... "I love you," she breathed. "I love you, Braden."

Brooklynn turned and put her face against his chest, smiling against him.

Braden held her close for a moment longer then pulled away so he could see her face, "are you saying that just because...of this." he said looking at the ring

Carl took a deep breath in. it couldn't get better than this could it?

"Skip it," Paige said. "No meeting is that important." She had to stop her, she had to stop the shooting.

Sam nodded and walked a few feet back. She grabbed the dust pan and broom and came back. "Here, watch out," she said as she started sweeping.

"I'll see what I can do Paige but I'm not a big school skipper." she said

Jeff moved then hissed, "Crap...cut myself."

~MJ~ wrote:

Braden held her close for a moment longer then pulled away so he could see her face, "are you saying that just because...of this." he said looking at the ring

Carl took a deep breath in. it couldn't get better than this could it?

"No," Jaimie said. "I'm not." she smiled. "I guess... you could say I had a bit of an epiphany."

"Can we sit?" Brooklynn said softly. She had to think of something to keep him from going to school tomorrow.

"Skipping is fantastic, it gives you time to think about things, rethink plans you'd made," she said.


"Come on," Sam said. "I'll clean the cut." She had cut her hand, not him. But this had happened after they slept together.

Braden smiled then slowly leaned in and kissed her

Carl nodded, "Sure." he said then slipped back into the limo, "you cold?"

Nikki's eyebrows pulled together, "what are you talking about?" she didn't like where Paige was going with this

jeff nodded standing up and following her

ooc: I was pretty sure the glass breaking happened right after they got back to the apartment before they had slept together

She kissed him back, hard, her hands going to his face.

Brooklynn nodded, sitting down next to him. "Yeah, I am." she leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

ooc: it did, but they cleaned it up after


Paige shrugged, "just that some times things can seem a lot worse than they are but when you really think about it there are other ways to fix your problems."


Sam opened the medicine cabinet in the bathroom and pulled the necessary things out. "I need to wash the cut."

she felt almost desperate but he didn't mind. he kissed her back pulling her close

Carl smiled into the kiss as he kissed her back

Nikki's eyes opened and she looked over at the girl sharing the bench with her, " what would you know Paige?" she snapped

Jeff nodded and turned on the water. he hissed as the water washed over his hand

"I know a lot," Paige said. "I know that people hurt us who we should be able to trust, that we loose people we love."


"Baby," Sam teased as she took his hand in her and dried it. She gently cleaned the cut and put a bandaid on.

She pulled away slightly, leaning her forehead against his. How could she keep him from going to school on monday? She had to keep him safe.

Brooklynn put her hand against his face, moving closer to him.

Jeff rolled his eyes with a drunken smile, "thanks."

"You know nothing so you should keep your nose the hell out of my business." Nikki hissed

Carl deepened the kiss ever so slightly his hand moving to the small of her back.

Braden smiled running a finger down her cheek, "what are you thinking?"

"You need to lay down and sober up," Sam said. She smoothed the band aid, "good as new. But if it still hurts I could kiss it to make it better."


"Nikki," Paige sighed. She needed to think of another way.