Unbound-Future Fic, Adam/Cassie, T

Summary-Fifteen years after graduation, Cassie returns to Chance Harbor for Sally's wedding.

1

[C]

I slit open the envelope and squealed when I saw the contents. "Sam, Sally's getting married," I crowed, running into the greenhouse and handing her the invitation.

My cousin pushed her fair hair back with a muddy hand. "It's about damned time."

I laughed, but deep inside I was quaking at the thought of returning to Chance Harbor. High school and my Circle were in my past, and I wanted them to stay there. After college in England, Sam and I had bought a nursery in Massachusetts, and I found the lifestyle suited me perfectly. Sam's sister Stacy had stayed behind in Wallingford, England to run the family farm, along with her more than right hand man Finn.

Finally, I sat down on an overturned half barrel and sighed. "I'm not sure I can do this, Sammy."

Her strong fingers squeezed my shoulder. "Of course you can. It's Sally - how can you refuse?"

How indeed? Sally was my best friend, both then and now. We saw each other several times a year, always with her coming to New England and staying a few weeks every summer. Sally was an English teacher, and taught at our old high school. She still lived with her grandmother Regina, and would right up until the ceremony. After my own grandmother had died and I'd killed my father, Regina had taken me in as one of her own.

After the Circle became unbound, we drifted away from each other and Sally became my only port in a storm. I could no longer rely on anyone in the Circle, and found I trusted no one. Adam had become unhinged and tried to steal away with the skull, and the effort to stop him was half-hearted. It took Regina's help to wean Adam from its power, and finally destroy it properly. My relationship with Adam suffered after that, and he drowned himself in Melissa. The news that they'd married surprised no one, nor did the news that they divorced less than six months later.

Faye and Jake followed suit, and proceeded to populate the Armstrong house with three, tow-headed boys, who by all accounts were hell on wheels. But with Faye as a mother, it was no wonder they were hard to handle. I didn't envy them a bit, though my own pregnancy had ended with miscarriage. The thought of carrying a child to full term when the father and I barely tolerated one another was more than I could take. Adam never had a clue, and only Sally knew how I'd agonized over losing my daughter.

I shook myself mentally and offered Sam a bright smile. "You're right. We have to go."

Sammy gave me a hug. "You'll see. It'll be fun."

Fun wasn't the first word that came to mind, but all things considered, it would be damned interesting.