A/N: Another phase in their lives. I realize it's technically the year 2017 in the story, but being as I don't know what 2017 is like, I just had to go with it. :)

Disclaimer: I own nothing from The Covenant

I. The Facts of Life

If nothing ever changed,
there'd be no butterflies.
-Unknown

Rowan's headache was coming back. She couldn't work like this, and she was pretty sure she was coming down with something that was more than just a headache. That would be awful, her ten year high school reunion was in two days, and Reid was excited about it. There was no way she could convince him to go if she got sick. After ten years of marriage, that was one thing that remained constant, his love and concern for her. They'd had some health scares over the years. After Ernie died, and winter came along, pneumonia set in, bad. Three weeks in the hospital, and a longer convalescence at home; Rowan began thinking it was her grief over the loss of Ernie that was holding her back from getting better. There was no pushing that sadness away, but Rowan did work harder on keeping a more positive attitude so she could heal.

"Rowan, you okay?" Sally, another veterinary technician, knocked on the bathroom door.

Rowan took a breath. "Yeah," she called. "Be out in a minute." She said a couple of chants in her head, if only to clear it, and exited the bathroom. She had about an hour left before she could clock out.

She'd been a certified veterinary technician for the past five years. And she had her bachelors in animal behaviorism and associates in veterinary technology. Rowan also hoped to open an animal hotel within the next two or three years; a place where people could board their animals, interact with other owners and their pets, or a place where unwanted geriatric animals could spend the last of their years in comfort.

By the time she was clocked out, Rowan knew she couldn't drive home. She was light-headed, and breaking out into a sweat. Reid was busy right now, so she called Hunter.

"Hey, Row, what's up?" he answered.

"Hey. Um…do you think you could get here and drive me home, please?"

"What's wrong?" There was instant concern apparent in his voice.

"I don't feel well." Rowan was slumped in the driver's seat, forehead on the steering wheel.

The phone still to her ear, Hunter popped up in the passenger seat. "I should take you to the doctor," he said, tucking her hair behind her ear so he could see her face.

She shook her head. "No, I just need to lie down."

His brow furrowed, not sure about that. He would see though. They switched seats and soon they were on the road. Hunter Mercer and his boyfriend Gabriel had bought a small plot of land and built a house not too far from Rowan and Reid's place three years ago. Gabriel went back and forth between here and New Orleans where his mother and twin brother Michael lived.

As he drove, he took surreptitious glances at Rowan. Her eyes were closed, head resting against the window. Hard to believe she was twenty-seven, she still retained that youthful glow of pureness that made people think she was younger than she was. Rowan was fully asleep when he pulled up in their driveway. Reid still wasn't home, his Mustang absent.

Her eyelids flickered open when Hunter came to her side and helped her out of the car. The animals were waiting in the foyer. Erwin (8 years), Tippy (11 years) and Bruce Lee II (four years). Despite Rowan's misgivings about naming the ferret after the first Bruce Lee, one could not help but ignore the vast similarities; the sable coat…the kleptomania. Hunter had been convinced the soul of the deceased Bruce Lee had come to roost in this particular ferret. Nobody objected, as the ferret responded exactly to Enter the Dragon as the late Bruce Lee had.

Hunter carried Rowan into the TV room, got her a glass of water, then fed the animals. They ate, then joined their human on the couch, the ferret resided on Hunter's shoulder. The fish tank bubbled amidst the silence, two tropical fish, Flo and Glo, within. The color was coming back to Rowan's face, and her headache was receding.

Hunter touched her forehead, no fever. "What's up?"

She shrugged. "I just hope I'm not coming down with something. You know Reid's looking forward to the reunion."

He smirked. "Ah, good ol' Spenser."

"You're still going, right?"

"Of course. I'm aflutter with excitement," this last statement said with wry sarcasm.

She chuckled.

"Maybe I'll get called away on a mission. That's a good excuse for missing it." Hunter was officially black op. for the past six years. Fully indoctrinated with fully dangerous and covert missions that sometimes took him out of the dimension.

"I think the reunion will be safer," Rowan said.

xx

Reid popped a Tums. It wasn't like him to take any sort of over-the-counter remedy for physical ailments other than Rowan's homeopathic ones, but he was desperate. Damned stomach was roiling; at least the headache was subsiding. He better not be coming down with something, he thought. It would suck to be sick for the reunion. Ten years. It almost made him feel old. Almost. The fact that he could make love to his wife with as much fervor and stamina as he had when he was eighteen was evidence of that. The image made him smile.

He got into his Mustang, adjusted the rearview mirror. He'd just come from a little meeting with the soon-to-be previous owner of Beans, his all time favorite coffee shop since he was a teenager. The same coffee shop where Reid had had his first job. Ben, the manager, told him that the owner wanted to go 'chic,' turning the place into some ultra-trendy café. Reid couldn't have that. So, he voiced the notion of buying the owner out. It wasn't final; he still had to talk to Rowan about it. Although it was his money, a huge investment like this couldn't be made arbitrarily.

The blond Son had accrued a lot of success in his life. Eleven Olympic gold medals (35 total from Olympics, Worlds, and the Pan Pacific), voted World Swimmer of the Year five times, and American Swimmer of the Year six times. There were jokes among his brothers about the fame going to his head, but overall, Reid had managed to stay pretty humble throughout it. He was a local celebrity in Ipswich, sure, but the opinion that still mattered the most to him was the one he was driving to now.

Because he sure as hell didn't manage the humbleness without Rowan. His swimming career had taken him away from her a lot, for long periods, many that wore on him in ways that could still make him wince.

When he arrived home, Rowan was sleeping, and the animals were on their own beds.

"Reid?"

"Hey." He bent down, kissed her.

She smiled tiredly. "How was your meeting?"

"Good. But we can talk about it later."

"No, no, I'm awake." Her muscles were sore, she felt as she sat up in bed. She'd taken a shower (Hunter had refused to leave until she was actually in bed), had some tea, and fallen to sleep.

Reid vacillated between confessing. "Well…nothing's definite yet." The excitement got to him, however, and he told her everything.

"Buying the coffee shop?" she repeated. "Wow…Reid, that's…"

"Big…I know. But I can't stand to see it turned into some spiked-up Starbucks, Row. They'd changed the name to something French like La Beans." Reid got up, started to strip, he needed a swim. He'd gotten his dream and had an outdoor pool built adjacent to his 'man room.' Reid could swim year round because the pool was within a retractable enclosure.

Rowan got out of bed. She changed her draw string pants for a ankle-length peasant skirt. Reid came up behind her and planted kisses on her nape. Obviously the kiss five minutes ago hadn't been enough.

"Are you getting hot on me or trying to persuade me to agree with you?" she teased.

"Hmm…" His lips made a vibration against her skin.

Rowan giggled, turned around. She saw the enthusiasm in his eyes, this wasn't just a spontaneous venture, but something he was passionate about. "Okay."

"Yeah? You don't mind?"

"It means a lot to you." Despite their never lacking of money, they'd tried to be pragmatic about their large purchases. It was easy to fall into a pit of charge-cards and huge bills even if you could pay for them. "You want to talk about it some more after the reunion?"

"I love you," he said. "Did I tell you that today?"

"This morning, I think. When you woke me up with your carnal demands."

Reid snickered.

"Almost made me late for work, thank you very much."

"If it makes you feel any better I woke up later with the butt of a ferret in my face," he said, making her laugh.

xx

"Honey, it's been three years," Judy told Caleb. "Does getting bent out of shape every time your mom and her boyfriend come into town help anything?"

Caleb frowned. Just because he'd accepted the relationship, didn't mean he had to like it, or like seeing it, right? Some guy his mother had started seeing casually about two years after William Danvers III had died, then officially moved into a city penthouse with three years ago. Evelyn had not known what to do with the mansion, but Caleb and Judy had been looking for the perfect place to live, and suddenly the Danvers' estate was empty.

Evelyn, in a new relationship, needed a new start, and expressed her aversion to cohabitating with her boyfriend under the same roof that she had had with her first love, her first husband. The deed to the mansion was now in Caleb and Judy's name. Evelyn supported their redecorating. Mostly the first floor rooms, making them homier, brighter with fresh drapes, new furniture. They had someone come in regularly to keep up the grounds maintenance.

"There's something about him," Caleb finally said.

Judy smothered her smile. "You always say that. And that 'something' is that he's not your dad."

He peered at her with keen, dark eyes. Knowing his beautiful, red-headed wife of four years was correct. He always got ill-tempered when Horatio Vega accompanied Evelyn Danvers to see her family.

"You think he knows that?" Caleb questioned.

"Yes. And I think he understands. His daughter wasn't too friendly, remember?"

Caleb grunted. A true understatement. Esmeralda Vega had reminded him of the Spenser girls he had gone to school with. Not pleasant. The only one who had managed to maintain a casual pleasantness during that first meeting was Rowan.

"If I see her again, it'll be too soon." He sighed and sat on the couch next to her.

The both of them had been going over some case files before he had let his own personal distractions distract the both of them from the work at hand. Both of them were moving up in the prosecutorial law field. And although it would have been easy for Caleb to take shortcuts because he was the late William Danvers III son, he wanted to make his name on his own merit. He was only twenty-eight, but making deep strides that were leaving their marks. As was his wife who was known as being quite fierce.

The fact that they didn't want for money made it feasible to not worry overmuch that they weren't getting paid the big bucks considering the long hours they logged. Sure, both of them were in that stage where their offices were tiny and claustrophobic with a crappy view, with bum case files on their desk along with thankless clients and superiors.

"At least the dinner is at a restaurant," Caleb assented to the inevitability as he took up the folder he'd discarded.

"That's my sweet husband," Judy smiled and stroked his hair. "Seeing the silver lining."

"Careful, Mrs. Danvers, you know I like that," he said. Caleb let himself lean into it, but then, "Mom said she wanted to have a 'nice' dinner with us. What do you think she meant?"

"That she would like to have a nice dinner with us," Judy responded.

He made an unsatisfied face, convinced there was something more to this dinner. Evelyn wasn't one to push her kids to be in her companion's presence, in public. It meant people would be less inclined to create a scene if tensions arose. Well, neither he nor Rowan were ones for 'creating scenes' but Horatio's daughter might, drama queen that she was.

Caleb shook it off. He was going around in circles. "All right. Back to work."

xx

"Ugh, is that Esmeralda woman going to be there?" Maria Simms inquired.

"Pretty sure she is," Rowan replied.

Maria hmmphed and continued to file her nails. She had come with Tyler when he came to see Reid. She needed a break from her art room, the easel, the paint. Images just weren't coming to her and it was driving her mad. Her last art gallery opening was two years ago, and though it was given rave reviews (and many pieces bought), Maria believed you were only as good as your last work, and she had hit the proverbial wall. It did not help that Tyler was working increasingly more often.

Their path to marriage hadn't been such an easy one. Once Tyler entered medical school he seemed to never be at home. Maria understood, medical school was no easy feat; the moonlighting, interning, on-calls. Then they were engaged, and Maria found herself practically planning the wedding without Tyler. He'd seemed more invested in his work than her, their relationship, their life together. And there was that woman. Serena. God, Maria had tired of hearing that name. Some female that Tyler was often with because they were in the same field. Maria didn't understand half the medical jargon Tyler spouted, but she'd always loved hearing him talk about it, the passion in his eyes and voice was captivating.

One would think with her talent and good looks that Maria would be confident, but she had her insecurities. Tyler missed Maria's first gallery opening. He had known a month in advance. However, it was forgotten because of such an in-depth study session with Serena and a few others. Not a medical emergency, no life-or-death situation, but a study session. Despite the success of her opening that night, it didn't have the good feeling Maria thought it would have. The person she loved most had not been there to share it with her.

So, she gave Tyler back his ring. She was angry, sad. He tried to talk to her, she wouldn't listen. Maria visited her home in California for a month before Tyler flew out to see her without Maria knowing.

"What's wrong?" Rowan asked, feeling her friend had zoned out on her.

Maria shook her head. "Nothing."

"Diz?"

She sighed. "Figured you wouldn't buy that." Her eyes gazed out of the sliding doors to the backyard. It was April, spring. "I just… I don't know."

"Is… Is everything okay between you and Tyler?"

Quiet. Then, "I hope so. I mean, yes. It's just in my head, probably. He's working more." Her jaw clenched. "Serena moved back." Her laugh came out shaky, trilled.

Rowan winced inwardly. "She's working with Tyler again?"

"Yup. Goodie!"

xx

"Seriously?" Reid asked before taking his shot. "Serena, huh?" They were in his den. He had a mini wet bar now, and his achievements over the years were commemorated on the walls; medals, plaques, pictures, etc.

Tyler wasn't too into the pool game that was going on. Maria had been distant the past couple of weeks and it was grating on him. "Yeah."

"Why did you tell her?" the blond Son questioned. "Maria didn't need to know that, considering your past relationship with Serena."

"We never had a relationship!" Tyler snapped.

His brow rose. "All right, Baby Boy. Chill out."

Tyler exhaled sharply. "I know you think I did when Maria and I split up that one time, but there was nothing."

"No, I didn't." At Tyler's disbelieving expression, Reid amended his statement. "I just wouldn't have been surprised, that's all. You guys were broken up. It's not cheating."

"Right." With little finesse, he took a shot, not caring where the ball went. "I don't ever want to be separated from Maria like that again. I thought I'd lost her for good." The memory still made his stomach clench. Maria giving him back the ring, quiet nights realizing he had been neglecting her, taken her acceptance and understanding for granted.

"Well, you have her. So try working less if you can, and hold her hostage in bed."

Tyler rolled his eyes. "Always the voice of wisdom."

Reid grinned. "Damn straight." Pause, then, "Oh, yeah. Don't let Serena get you alone anywhere, no matter what she says."

"Great, anything else, O wise one?"

"Don't be a shoulder for her to cry on, ever. Don't get chummy with her. Even if she pulls that 'we're going to be working together, so we can be friends, right' bullshit."

Tyler smirked. "Chummy?"

"Hey, don't interrupt the wise one," Reid retorted.

xx

Rowan was taking a walk with Erwin on one of their many trails when the light-headedness set in again. She was about a half-mile away from home.

"Erwin!" she called to the German shepherd several paces ahead.

The dog woofed and trotted back over to his human. That was when Rowan turned to the side and upchucked her dinner. What was this? Vomiting at work, vomiting at home. She wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve. When her equilibrium returned, Rowan and the dog took it careful back to the house. Erwin went straight to his water bowl once inside, and Rowan made herself some tea.

"Row!" Reid called.

She heard his feet padding down the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"You okay? I felt…" Just a couple of minutes ago he'd felt off balance, getting a weird feeling. "Are you all right?"

She nodded. "Got a bit nauseous. Had to cut our walk short." She smiled at Erwin.

Reid nodded. "I think he got some exercise in the pool today. Jumped right in." Before Rowan could object, he said, "I made him get out and put his life jacket on before he got back in."

Rowan smiled knowingly. Of course Reid knew. The microwave dinged, and Rowan took her tea out. The aroma instantly soothed her. "Oh, did you pick out what you're going to wear to the reunion breakfast and dinner?"

"Can't I just wear the same thing?" He was on the verge of complaining.

"I don't mind if you do, but I'm pretty sure the breakfast is a more casual affair than the dinner."

Their reunion was being held during spring break, so the breakfast could be at Spenser Academy, the dinner would be at some swank hotel, with the ball room reserved for the night.

Reid mumbled something. "I'll figure it out." They turned off the downstairs lights as they headed upstairs, the animals following. "I caught Bruce Lee trying to steal my favorite towel…again."

"Was it on the floor?" Rowan asked with an amused lilt to her voice.

"Now, that's beside the point." Reid picked up the ferret once in their bedroom and pet his head before setting him down again. Erwin and Tippy gravitated to their respective beds, the ferret skittered over to the dog and nudged his way under his muzzle.

"He must be channeling his namesake," Rowan replied. She set the mug on the nightstand.

In the bathroom they performed their nightly ablutions. Reid interrupted her as she changed her clothes and by the time he let her come up for air her tea was cold.

xx

"What's with the big smile, Gin?" Chase asked his wife. He leaned, gave her a kiss. She was sitting cross-legged on the couch in their living room.

She chuckled. "A happy ten year graduation card for us, from Rowan." Ginger handed it to him.

He took it, read with a half-grin. Of course, only Rowan's signature was on it, and the three animal's paw prints. Yes, even after a decade there was no abridgment of the gap between the four sons and the wayward fifth. The only thing that kept him from falling into obscurity was Ginger, and Rowan. Chase had kind of figured that Rowan's contact with his wife would taper off, gradually, but it had not. It had only become more steadfast.

Chase handed back the card. "That was nice of her."

Despite the fact that he and Ginger had not 'graduated' in the common sense of the word. They'd obtained their GEDs through mail during their travels. When summer hit, that decade ago, Ginger and he and set out in their RV for the first time. They returned in August, back to Dottie, their touchstone. One year, when they decided to go to Italy, they finally managed to persuade Dottie to go with them.

After five years of marriage they got a house outside the city. Two stories, four bedrooms, three and a half baths. A small apartment-like place above their three-car garage. They both wanted Dottie to come live with them. She was in her mid-sixties, and no one could say she was losing her faculties, but physically, she was slowing down a bit; the two young people were so used to having her right down the hall from them.

So, six months later, Dottie finally consented to live with her 'two dumplings'.' She insisted upon contributing to the house hold bills. She lived in the apartment above the garage, made it very homey. She had dinner with them every night, breakfast is schedules permitted. They were a family.

"Dottie's canasta game got moved to tonight," Ginger told him, explaining Dottie's absence.

"Ah, okay."

"She said to go ahead and eat without her."

He nodded, sat down beside her. "You're going to make me watch a movie, aren't you?"

Ginger beamed. "Somewhere in Time. We haven't seen that one in a while."

"Because you wore out the first DVD."

Ginger hadn't lost her love of romantic films. She collected them, made her husband watch them with her. One might find her vast interest in romance movies an odd juxtaposition to her literary side. She had her master's degree in library science, and worked at the city librarian. The youngest head librarian there was. Chase was in a similar field, an author of fiction. Perhaps a cross between F. Paul Wilson with some minor macabre elements of Stephen King.

He wrote under a pen name, and his picture was never available. He did not do book signings or public events. Maybe it was his notorious past that kept him from reaping those benefits. He hadn't known how much he liked writing until those quiet times on his and Ginger's travails, when thoughts would turn into sentences, sentences into paragraphs, soon he had a short story. Ginger thought it was great and convinced him to send it to a publisher.

His three short stories, and five full-length novels consisted of a recurring main character – a wanderer, a loner, with a dark past, trying to overcome it. All turned out to be best sellers.

Chase knew the person behind the words was what peaked the public's curiosity. It was rare these days when someone could actually keep themselves anonymous. Even J.D. Salinger couldn't keep himself from the press. Chase himself had only met with his publish twice in person. The only thing about his personal life that was known was what appeared in the back of every one of his books: C.S. Gardener lives happily with his family in Massachusetts.

He could crave anonymity all he wanted, but he would never deny the two most important people in his life.

xx

"We can get together for Sunday brunch," Rowan was saying on the phone. "Will Dottie come?"

At the mention of Dottie, Reid knew his wife was speaking with Ginger. Rowan had given it time before – mostly for him – before she began communicating with Ginger in person and not just letters and e-mail. Rowan had had dinner at Chase and Ginger's, and Ginger had been over their home a time or two.

Reid had nothing against Ginger personally, she was nice. And he couldn't ask Rowan not to associate with her, even if she was married to Chase. He also could not insist that she not be alone with Chase either. Ten years, Rowan would say. If not forgiveness, then acceptance that he is a part of our lives, the Covenant. Reid knew Rowan was hoping that someday they could all come together. The blond Son wasn't foreseeing that day any time soon.

"Okay, I'll see you then, Gin. Bye." Rowan hung up. Tippy jumped on her lap. "She says thank you for the card, Tippy." The cat meowed.

"It's not really valid, you know?" Reid said. "She got her GED, what, nine years ago?"

Rowan laid heavy eyes on him. "It's the principle of the thing. She knows we're all having our ten year reunion. I didn't want to leave her out."

It was a warm day with no clouds. Rowan sat on the grass on a blanket, knitting implements out. Reid was playing fetch with Erwin and Bruce Lee. The breeze slightly buffeted the locks of her hair against her face. She brushed them back.

Speaking of the reunion, Reid remembered something. "The shirt I want to wear tomorrow morning has a button loose."

She nodded. "Put it on the bed, I'll fix it." Then, "Reid." Rowan held up the yarn. To his credit, he didn't even make a face.

"Break time, you two!" he called to the ferret and dog. He sat down next to his wife, took the yarn and made a spool with his hands. He gave a little sigh and groan as he reclined on his back, eyes closed, letting the sun splash on his face. A moment later he felt Bruce Lee settled on his stomach, then the soft grunt as Erwin sat down, too.

The only sounds were of the soft breeze and faint clack of Rowan's knitting needles. Eventually Reid's eyes opened, and he found himself observing his beautiful wife. She wore a long peasant skirt, cotton camisole with lace trim, and her hair was down, falling down her back in waves. Gorgeous, he thought. She was so peacefully concentrated on what she was doing that he could watch her languidly. They'd known each other all their lives, dated for two years, married for ten years come this June. The sight of Rowan could still make his heart skip a beat.

He never tired of being with her, and that brought to mind his sabbatical from swimming. He reasoned to take a year off, that was eight months ago. Would he go back? It took so much of his time, took him miles away from Rowan, too. As much as Reid loved competitive swimming, even the accolades, he could honestly do without them. He was proud of his career, all he had achieved. Was there more he could do? More he wanted from it? Retiring did not mean he could never swim again.

And the feeling when he came home after a lengthy departure was ineffable. Their home was well lived in, complete. The front and back yards were a sight thanks to Rowan's gardening expertise. The lake had a dock, Rowan's apothecary was finished. Who would want to be away from all this?

Besides, what with him buying Beans, the business of that was bound to be time consuming. And he wouldn't have to travel.

His ponderings were interrupted by the distant ringing of their telephone.

"I'll get it," Rowan said. She leaned over and kissed him before getting up.

xx

"Pogue! I got your suit from the cleaners!" Hope called as she entered their apartment. She draped it over the back of the couch.

"Hey, babe." Pogue came out of the bedroom, smiled, kissed his wife.

After Hunter moved out of the apartment him and Pogue had shared all through high school and a few years of college; Hope and Pogue had decided to stay even after they married five and a half years ago. It had two bedrooms, one bath; more than sufficient for the both of them.

"Thanks," he said. "How was work?"

"Invigorating, as always."

Hope was a self-defense and yoga instructor. Three years ago she'd opened her own studio. There were regulars, and different age groups that joined. The only hitch was when Chet Silverman came on board as another self-defense instructor two years ago. Pogue hadn't liked it. The third oldest Son of Ipswich had always had somewhat of a jealousy problem. He trusted Hope, so he didn't know where the irrational feeling came from.

Eventually, the cup ran over, and Pogue became increasingly hateful of Chet's presence, his close proximity to Hope, and the growing friendship. It put a strain on their marriage, they fought, sometimes yelled.

In the end, it was Justice Lassiter, Hope's vampire brother, who had talked to Pogue and suggested counseling. (Justice had become a counselor for troubled vampires.) So, Pogue did, reluctantly. Hope joined him. They were better for it. They began the counseling before things became irrevocably damaged.

"I can tell." Pogue looked her from head to toe, appreciatively. She wore her yoga get up, tight leggings and exercise camisole that slightly boosted her cleavage. She had that post-workout glow, and her dark locks were pulled up into one of those haphazard buns that only women could pull off.

"Oh, no, I need a shower," Hope warned.

"I'll take one with you."

Hope was already divesting herself of her clothes as she walked to the bedroom, throwing a backward knowing grin at Pogue as she did. "Promise not to miss a spot?"

"When have I ever missed a spot?" he replied with a sly half-grin.

Lately, after the times they made love, Pogue would wonder if this was the time Hope got pregnant. He probably would not think about it if it weren't for his mother's subtle hints about wanting a grandchild, or Hope's aunt Evangeline's overt musings about how wonderful a grandchild would be. Pogue wouldn't mind a kid, he knew Hope wouldn't either. But another generation of Sons…only time would tell.

xx

Reid and Rowan arrived at Spenser early in his Mustang. Many vehicles were already in the parking lot, it brought back memories. Rowan had been back to her high school a few times, mostly with Reid who had been asked to gives speeches at orientation, or personally with the swim team. Tyler, Pogue and Caleb had done the same. For the most part, Rowan tried to avoid Spenser. She hadn't particularly liked the school, only her family had made the four years bearable.

Rowan wore a blue short sleeve shirtdress with flats, hair was in an asymmetrical parting, tucked behind her ears. Around her neck was her Hanging Garden necklace Reid had given her for their first Un-Valentine's Day. Her husband wore casual jeans with a white t-shirt and gray button down that brought out his eyes.

They made their way to the large cafeteria they had so oft eaten at. On the walls were random pictures of days past. A large banner above the dais read Welcome Back Class of 2007.

"There's Aaron," Rowan said.

They held hand as they approached him. Aaron Abbot turned at Rowan's utterance of his name. He smiled.

"Hey." He accepted Rowan's hug, shook Reid's hand. He'd spoken to Rowan just last week, they kept in touch on a regular basis.

"Where's Francesca?" Reid asked, a glint of devilishness in his eye.

Francesca was Aaron's girlfriend of almost three years. They'd met in the veterinary clinic Aaron took Tootie, his eleven year old chocolate toy poodle to. Francesca's five year old Doberman, Alfalfa, had taken a liking to Tootie when he saw her in the parking lot. Their leashes had gotten entwined in a polite exploratory sniffing of one another's butts.

Aaron gave a somewhat baleful glare at the blond. The guy just loved giving unsolicited advice to Aaron on his relationship. It was the first serious, healthy relationship he'd ever had. He had dated over the years, sure, but nothing lasted. He had to admit that the having one testicle thing had him keeping women at arm's length…until Francesca. She was part Italian, part Cuban with olive skin, thick dark hair, full lips, tall, sexy legs.

"She'll be at the dinner," was the answer Aaron provided.

Rowan heard the subtle note of discontent in his voice. Aaron confided in her often about his fears and insecurities with Francesca, and she knew that things were getting somewhat tense. Francesca wasn't without a checkered past. She married at twenty, divorced at twenty-three when her husband cheated on her. That could make anyone hesitant to fall in love again. Francesca wanted more. After three years they still had separate apartments although they cohabitated regularly. Aaron thought moving in together, permanently, was a big step, and it made him short of breath.

"Great, I'd love to see her again," Rowan replied.

"Aaron Abbot?" That voice was familiar. The three of them turned their heads.

"Kira," Aaron said.

She smiled sweetly, touched his arm intimately, familiar as if they were still good friends. She wore an expensive outfit and a fat ring on her finger. "You look great."

Aaron's smile was tight. "You, too."

Kira then turned to Rowan, whom she had once been friends with. "You look good." To Reid, "Handsome as always."

"Where's your husband?" Reid asked.

"Oh…" Kira glanced around, obviously unsure though her significant other had come with her. "Somewhere…mingling."

They were saved by the arrival of Caleb and Judy, the rest of the group followed shortly after.

"Oh, my God, almost nothing has changed," Pinkie commented. He was arm in arm with his partner, Laurie. "Déjà vu."

"You, too?" Maria questioned. "It's so…so…"

"Weird," Hunter supplied.

"Maybe the dinner won't be so," Judy said.

"Yes, that's when they'll announce our achievements, making a reunion into a popularity contest," Pogue said.

"Ooh, sweetie, sour grapes much?" Pinkie said.

"I'm not cranky," Pogue replied.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I feel accomplished," Pinkie said. He was a popular wedding planner. He didn't just cater to the rich, in fact, he loved working with the people who had lower budgets. It gave him a chance to truly exercise his creative palate, and they were more appreciative of the result.

Soon, they were seated, the cafeteria filled with chatter. After the breakfast, more greetings were made, they wandered the school, inside and out. Rowan, having roamed from the group, found herself at Spenser's lake. The lake where an old friend, Toby, had been drowned and subsequently killed. But her senior year of high school, he'd made it back to his family.

Rowan took a breath, sat down on the bench. Large crowds with such a heightened atmosphere could still rattle her nerves. Off her anxiety medication for a few years now, she resorted to solitude and quiet meditation to alleviate the stress. She had to admit though, that this reunion, so far, wasn't going as badly as she'd expected it would. Although the niggling headache and nausea was rather annoying.

"Lil Bit?"

Twenty-seven, she would never escape that nickname. "Hey, Cay." Her brother sat down next to her. He asked her if she was all right, she said she was, just needed some air.

Both busy with their careers, they didn't get to see each other everyday like they used to. Brother and sister did manage to at least speak to one another for a bit every day. Caleb was never without a text message, e-mail, or e-card from his little sister. They were close siblings, they had relied on each other for comfort the nights their parents had fought, and the days (and nights) when their mother was drunk. They were also connected by good memories, too.

Caleb and Rowan enjoyed the outdoors before deciding to head back in. Likely they would all leave soon, then the dinner would come.

xx

Reid tugged uncomfortably at his tie. Why did the dinner have to be more formal? But, when he looked at Rowan, he was kind of glad. She looked beautiful in the dark purple cocktail dress she was wearing.

"Ah, there's the girlfriend," Reid said, pointing out Aaron and Francesca.

"Reid, don't tease him," Rowan admonished. "This is a big thing for him."

Within fifteen minutes, their group was together for the second time that day. They had to wear nametags which they'd collected at the ballroom doors. On surrounding tables, there were framed photos of events that had taken place during their senior year.

Rowan had to excuse herself before dinner. She was getting that nauseous feeling again, and felt a little bloated. Reid had complained of the former just a few hours before. She hurriedly found the restroom, waiting for the ensuing vomitus to occur.

xx

"Come on, three years, it's time to move in," Reid was telling Aaron discreetly.

Aaron glared at him. "It's not a casual decision."

Reid snorted. "Yeah, okay. After three years it should be." He rolled his eyes.

Despite the fact that they snipped at each other like grumpy old men, they had actually come to like one another over the years. Reid often spouted off his 'words of wisdom' to Aaron, and damned if it didn't often make sense. But Aaron would never in a million years admit that, Reid was his unofficial guru on relationships. What had the world come to?

"I mean, your dogs even get along," Reid pointed out. "Believe me, that's a miracle in itself." He should know. He and Rowan had fostered many animals, and when two animals didn't get along…not good. "Imagine how sad and heartbroken Tootie would be if-"

"I got it, Garwin," Aaron retorted. "For Christ's sake."

Reid laughed, which made Aaron chuckle wryly.

"Ass," Aaron said.

"Dickhead," Reid replied.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Francesca smiled, coming to stand beside her boyfriend.

"Is that the way to talk in front of ladies?" Aaron chastised Reid.

It was the blond's turn to glare at Aaron.

"Where's Rowan?" Francesca asked. "She excused herself almost fifteen minutes ago."

Reflexively, they looked around.

"I'll find her," Reid said.

First place was the restroom, of course. He got an increasingly uneasy feeling as he got closer. An ache in his stomach, a cold sweat coating his forehead. Which was why he just walked into the women's room.

"Row?" He saw one foot sticking out from under the bathroom door. "Row!"

He heard her say his name, faintly. He used his power to unlock the door. She was sitting up against the stall, pale, weak. He kneeled.

"I just needed…to sit down," she said.

He carried her to the couch on the other side of the bathroom, then he got a wet paper towel, dabbing her face.

"I think you need a doctor," he said.

She puffed wry laughter. "I'm sure there's one in there somewhere."

He half-grinned, albeit not entirely amused. He didn't like the way she was looking. Just then, two women entered, stopping short. Reid was pretty sure they were from the reunion, but didn't care to explore the recesses of his memory.

Rowan's eyelids fluttered heavily, and her face lost more of its color.

"Does she need an ambulance?" one of the women asked.

"Row?" He prodded her gently. She didn't answer. "Rowan."

xx

An hour later he was being brought into Rowan's hospital room. She was conscious, IV fluids going in her body, oxygen cannula attached to her head.

"I'm so sorry, Reid," she said.

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it."

God, I screwed up everything, she thought savagely, biting back tears.

"Don't think that," he said, brushing back her hair lovingly.

The doctor walked in, greeted both of them.

"What is it?" Reid questioned. "A bug?"

"No…" the doctor hedged. "A baby."

Silence.

Reid fainted.

All right, I hope that was an okay intro. So weird writing them all grown up with careers and ensuing procreation. I didn't want any of their lives/relationships to see *too* ideal, hence the references to troubles past.

Love to know what you think if you've got a moment! :)