After 'kidnapping' the confused Lauren Lopez from her lunch with Dylan, Meredith and Brian took her out to see 'Dr. Seuss's: The Lorax'. Lauren befriended a four year old boy named Clark, and after the movie ended Clark's mother offered Lauren a part time babysitting job looking after Clark and her other son Aiden, who was at home with their father.

Meredith, Brian, and Lauren could all honestly say they had enjoyed themselves. It wasn't often that the trio was together without their large group of friends surrounding them. The three of them were exiting the old theater when Brian got a phone call. After a few brief "yeah?"s, "okay"s, and "alright, I will let her know" s Brian hung up the phone.

"Walker wants you to meet him at Ashley's" Brian directed his words to Lauren. She was past the point of being confused to find there were more plans with her best friend's.

After the three exchanged hugs, Lauren made her way down the block and around the corner to the small ice-cream parlor where she had often stopped for some late night craving or to catch up with friends.

The tinkling of bells announced her arrival, and the small Lauren instantly found her blue-eyed friend and smiled his way, before she sat down across from him. Joe handed her a cone of Cake Batter ice cream, she was touched knowing that he knew it was her favorite.

"You look nice", Joe broke the brief moment of comfortable silence, "So how is the Birthday going so far?"

"It has been amazing! Crazy, and strange… But amazing!" She said, her face aglow will sheer joy. Seeing her this way only made the man across from her fall even farther in love with her, which he didn't think was even possible.

The two spent a while longer chatting aimlessly before donning their light jackets, and exiting the small building. The ground was wet from a slight drizzle that had passed over whilst they munched on their ice-creams. The overcast sky told them there would be more soon.

"Where am I being whisked off to now?" Lauren asked playfully, her arm slipped into the bend of his elbow.

"My place, I got something I want to show you." He answered back. Joe opened the passenger side door, letting Lauren slide in, before he ran around and took up his position as driver. They sang along to the radio for the five minute drive, and sat parked outside his apartment complex in order to finish Adele's "Someone Like You".

Once inside, Lauren made herself comfortable on his sofa, and he brought her ice for her ankle and what looked to be a small sheet of paper.

"So I got this in an email from a guy named Tyler Oakley. He was studying photography at Michigan while we were there, and he took this picture for an assignment…" He handed her the photo in his hand.

It was of Lauren and Joe on the steps outside one of their classrooms. Her hair was still blonde, so this had to be their sophomore year. The ground was sprinkled with a fine coating of snow; both subjects in the photo wore heavy coats, hats, and gloves. Lauren remembered this day perfectly.

It was the first day of second semester. She was enjoying the walk to her new class, the brisk air tasted fresh and she inhaled the scent of the new snow. Walking up the stone steps to the front door, she lost her footing as she reached the top. Feeling her feet slide out in front of her, she had let out a small gasp, but there was no need, for two large hands had reached out and caught her waist from behind, steadying her on her feet.

Forgetting her manners for a moment, she yelled out, "OH MY GOD, I ALMOST DIED!" Adrenaline still pumping through her veins.

"Are you okay?"Someone chuckled from behind. She turned around only to come face to chest with a young man in a black coat. Adjusting her gaze upwards, she was met with the bluest eyes she had ever seen. She gave the man a small smile,

"Yeah, sorry! Thank you" She released a breath she didn't know she had been holding, "I'm Lauren, by the way."

"Joe Walker." He smiled down at the girl in front of him, and shook her mitten clad hand.

The moment that started their entire relationship was now frozen in time on this page.

"Lo… Are you okay?" Joe asked looking concerned.

She hadn't even noticed the tears welling up in her chocolate eyes, "Yeah… Yeah, I'm all good!" She blinked the tears away and gave him a watery smile.

"It seems so long ago, doesn't it?" She asked him, a moment of nostalgia taking over them both. He nodded, his eyes trained on the picture in front of them both. The pair remained in still silence, each lost in their own memories.

Joe looked at the clock on the wall to their right.

5:47

"Come on, Lauren. We have one last stop for your birthday!" Breaking the quiet, Joe hoisted his tiny friend to her feet and helped her into her denim jacket. Grabbing his keys of the table by the door, they once again made their way to the car, and drove off down the crowded Chicago streets.

Julia glanced at the digital numbers on the microwave.

5:49

They will be here any minute.

"Shhhh! Everyone!" She called out over the babbling and laughter of her large group of friends, "Guys, they will literally be her any second, so go find a place to hide…. If you can" The apartment shared by Julia and Lauren was small enough as it was, add in dozens of other friends from across the country, and you get a very cramped party.

Once again, it was Lauren's soprano voice and Joe's boisterous laugh that alerted Julia of their arrival.

Knock. Knock.

SURPRISE!

The small girl's jaw dropped and became set in a shocked grin. She let out a musical laugh before Darren walked forward and pulled her into his arms, other long ago seen friends stepped forward hugging the embraced pair, and so began a mosh-posh of old friends.

It was now 11: 04 and the smile still hadn't left Lauren's beautiful face.

Now standing in a corner of the kitchen alone, Lauren leaned naturally against the counter top, watching over her friends with a loving gaze. It wasn't long after that she overheard Lily Marks talking to Evanna Lynch.

"I can't believe Walker got her out of the hospital a day early, planned a great deal of this party, and managed to keep her busy all day." Lily spoke in a hushed, excited tone. Lauren stopped dead in her tracks.

"Joe did all this?" Lauren interrupted the conversation.

"Yeah, didn't you know?" Lily replied, her tone light with a hint of confusion.

"Nooo…" She couldn't believe it! Why would he go through so much trouble for her? The small girl turned on her heel to find her roommate.

"Where's Walker?" She demanded softly.

Comprehension dawned on Julia's face at the question, "You just found out who got you out of the hospital and set all this up?" She gave her friend a knowing smile, "I think he ran out to get your present from his car."

Damn him. Lauren thought to herself.

Damn him for being so good to her.

Damn him for messing with her heart like this.

The brunette exited her apartment and walked quickly down the carpeted steps, she exited the building.

There he was, his pale blue dress shirt plastered to his skin from the heavy rainfall. He had his back to her as he reached under the back seat.

"Why do you do it?" She called out from the overhang above the front door, raising her voice to be heard above the rain. Joe turned around, surprised to find her out here.

"Lo? What are you doing out h-"

"Why do you always have to be so bloody sweet to me?" She yelled, stepping out from the small shelter, the cold water not even registering in her hunt for an answer, "Tell me, Walks." She was right in front of him now.

They both knew it.

They both new this time it was different.

Joe looked at her. Her large dark eyes, her sweet smile, her tiny frame. He couldn't lie to her anymore.

No more "we're best friends". No more changing the subject. No more escaping the truth.

"Why?" She whispered.

And he kissed her.

It wasn't shy or nervous, it wasn't heated or passionate, but it was filled with every bit of love that he had for her. Lauren raised herself up onto the toes of her good foot, kissing him back with just as much feeling.

They pulled apart slowly. Neither one saying anything, they both just looked in each other's eyes, searching for something; both just listened to the rain splatter the cement sidewalk. Time stood still for a moment. Then simultaneous smiles blossomed on each of their faces.

"I love you, Lo. That's why." He stood looking down on his best friend, she beamed up at him.

"I love you too, Walks." She looked down and laced her fingers through his own, and they walked back up to her apartment, her present remaining forgotten in his car.

There was no conversation on their way up this time. Both walked in silence, praying that they never woke up from this wonderful dream.

They stepped into the apartment to find every single person in attendance looking at them, and upon seeing the looks of pure and utter bliss on their friends faces, and their interlocked hands, everyone smiled. There was a silent pause before Joey spoke on behalf of everyone,

"Finally! It took you two long enough! I was starting to think I wouldn't live long enough to see you two get together!"

Before they knew it there were wolf-whistles, and shouts of "I knew it!", they even saw Brant Cox hand Brian Rosenthal a fifty dollar bill. Darren stood to the side, his arm draping over Julia's shoulders, both of them looked at the new couple with glowing pride. They knew this was coming from the moment they saw the two together.

As the excitement died down, and their friends reluctantly returned to the mingling and snacking that was occurring beforehand, Joe pressed his lips against Laurens temple. She let out a nearly inaudible giggle, and slapped him lightly with the back of her good hand.

Something had shifted. Sure, they would laugh, and flirt, and tease, the same as they did before, but now there was no holding back. Even Joey, usually the first to deny the existence of soul mates, knew that his friends could never love anyone else.