Old Friends

Meegan sighed softly as the elevator doors closed on the dark and silent floor. She was the last to leave, as usual this time of year, and found herself exhausted. She had a great deal of work to do and her ovaries were still a bit sore. Well she assumed it was her ovaries, as that was the general area of the ache. She'd called the doctor and they assured her that it was normal to feel some pain even this long after the proceedure. It was her fervent hope that they got enough eggs the first time, as she was rather certain she would not be doing that again.

She glanced down at her watch and sighed again. Rachyl would be at home chewing her bottom lip until she made it home. She'd called to let her lover know she was leaving and that security guards were all still alive according to the cameras.

The doors wooshed open after the cheery little ding annoucing their arrival on the first floor sounded. She adjusted the large portfolio on her shoulder and walked out of the elevator and accross the lobby, activating the motion detection lights. She unlocked the door, set the alarm, spoke the password to the live human that requested it, and let herself out. Locking the door, she turned around and ran smack into a wall of t-shirted muscle.

Meegan gave a small involuntary scream and took a large step back before looking up. She blinked several times and her mouth opened in disbelief.

"Drev?"

Even his heightened agility couldn't save him from catching the blur of blond in the chest. His hands went out reflexively in case she might fall. An "Excuse me," escaped his lips a half instant later. He would have been more than happy to let the woman go on her way, but when she spoke his name, he hesitated, then actually looked at her.

"Meegan?" A hundred different things seemed to flutter through his mind when the recognition hit him, mostly excitement with a hint of unsolicited arousal. "Wow... I... how weird..." Drev chuckled and took a step back to look her over. "You look great, as always.It's been quite a long time, hasn't it?"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Wren seemed to explode in his mind and he instantly felt like an asshole. But for what reason, he couldn't exactly say. He was feeling a bit guilty for wanting to admire Meegan's breasts. 'Shit, this is weird,' he thought to himself.

Meegan hitched the strap of her portfolio back onto her shoulder and cleared her throat, regaining some composure and doing her best to suppress the jolt of lust that hit her right between her legs when she looked into his eyes. 'Some things never change.'

"Yes, quite a long time. How have you been?"

Rachyl was going to flip when Meegan told her. What a weird day this was turning out to be.

Drev smiled warmly and tried to crush the sense of guilt he felt rising as he looked at Meegan longer and longer.

"Knock it off," he scolded himself. "There's nothing to feel guilty about. So you've fucked Meegan; what's the problem? It was a long time ago, and you're not thinking about fucking her again, so just knock it the fuck off!"

"I'm doing well," he said. He almost mentioned having a girlfriend, but held that back. If it came up, fine. But otherwise, there's really no sense in saying anything now. It'd just be creepy.

Now that he thought about it a second, he hadn't thought about Meegan since he got back. Since he met Wren. "You know, I'm surprised I
haven't run into you in the building since I got back...."

Meegan internally cringed. It had been so long, and she was finally over the nightmares and panic attacks. She should explain things to him, it was only fair. You don't just sleep with a guy and walk away. 'Ok maybe some people do, but I don't.'

"It's a long story. The short version is that Rachyl and I bought a house together." Meegan smiled in what she felt was a rather unconvincing way, and sighed softly. She seemed to be sighing a lot lately.

"If you've got the time I can call Rach and see if she's up to company or would rather I take you to some seedy dive and regale you with my oh so dramatic life. Or we can set a date and catch up some other time."

"A or B is fine with me," Drev said with a grin. The idea of 'setting a date' made him feel dirty and unfaithful, even though he knew it would only be for coffee. It would have to be, cuz she's got someone now, too.

"Can I carry that for you?" he said, indicating her... bag... thing. "You look great, by the way."

'Oh that's just wonderful. You're babbling and she probably thinks you just want to get back in her pants. No no no, don't say anything else, you'll just make it worse!'

Meegan smiled at Drev. She was feeling just as awkward as he, as she pulled her phone from her purse. "No thanks, I've got it."

She smoothed the front of her black suit as she pressed the three buttons that would put Rachyl on the other end. She answered after the first ring,

"Hey it's me. Guess who I've just run into."

"Jack the Ripper?"

Meegan had to stifle a chuckle at Rachyl's dripping sarcasm. "Even better. Drev."

"Drev? From down stairs Drev?"

"The very same."

"That's great, Meegan." Meegan could here something in Rachyl's tone that she couldn't quite place. Annoyance, maybe?

She sighed softly and decided to just continue. "I'd like to spend some time catching up with him. I can bring him home or take him out some place. Which ever you'd prefer."

"I'm not bringing my best game today, you should probably go out. But Meegan..." Meegan's heart almost broke at the unsure tone of Rachyl's voice.

"Yes?"

"Don't stay out too late. Okay?"

Meegan smiled. "Home by eleven or you meet us at the door with a shot gun?"

That got a laugh from her lover. "Something like that. Have a good time."

"Thanks, I'll be home before the cows. Bye, sweety."

"Ok, bye."

Meegan flipped her phone closed and smiled up at Drev.

"All set. Rachyl's not feeling so hot, so she suggested we go out. There's a nice little coffee house not far from here, or if you're in the mood to eat we can take my car to the strip."


((ooc suit source

"Coffee's enough for me," he said with a smile. He'd been listening
closely her conversation with Rachyl, and it made him feel a little
uncomfortable. He didn't want to cause any tension between them, but
there was nothing that could be done about it now.

"You lead?" he said, indicating the empty sidewalk before them.

"Great! We'll stop by my car and stick this stuff in so that I don't have to lug it around and with the way things are going, leave it."

They walked down the sidewalk toward the parking garage that resided in the lot next to her offices. She leased the first two floors for her employees and the top three floors were used by the factory on the opposite side. Her car was parked in the very first space under a sign that simply said "reserved." She'd been given the space when she first leased the place, but hadn't had occasion to use it until now. The one next to it was reserved for her assistant and then the rest of the spots were numbered and each employee was assigned a place.

She pulled a key ring out of her purse and pushed the trunk button on her clicker/car key thing. She was rather excited to get a chance to catch up with Drev. She'd felt a tiny thread of guilt for not contacting him and she would be glad to clear the air, so to speak.

After storing her portfolio in the trunk she unlocked the back door and pulled a garment bag from the back seat. Laying it gently across the trunk, she pulled the zipper down then shucked her suit jacket, revealing the lacy black camisole she'd worn beneath, and placed it on an empty hanger. She then took a sheer black blouse out of the bag and pulled it over her shoulders, zipped up the bag and layed it across the back seat.

"There, that's better." she smiled at Drev as she put her purse back over her shoulder and buttoned the only two buttons on the blouse.

"Shall we?" Drev nodded and offered her his arm. She smiled at him and took it and they walked the two blocks to one of her favorite coffee shops. They quickly placed their order and found a table in the back.

Drev waited until Meegan sat down before he took his own chair. "You still look great," he said, a passing comment punctuated with a warm smile. The memory of her body, the touch, the warmth tried to invade his thoughts and steer them in a direction he didn't want to go. With some difficulty, he forced his thoughts away from the memory of her breasts and the scent of her arousal, and the way she felt when he was in her.

No place for that now. 'You won't be needing that carnal knowledge anymore,' he reminded himself.

"So what's been going on in the Life of Meegan lately?"

Meegan gave a soft chuckle. "Now that is a loaded question."

She reached across the table and placed a hand softly on his arm. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears and she was forced to swallow before she was certain her voice would not break. "I should apologize to you. I am not usually one to sleep with a man and then completely cut him out of my life. It's just that you left and some very strange things happened and now my life is completely opposite of what it was then. And to not even have written to you was very wrong of me and I'm sorry."

She gave his arm a squeeze, cleared her throat and straightened up, leaving her fingers gently on his. She loved Rachyl, and that was not ever going to change, but she had shared something very intense and real with this man and she felt a need to be in physical contact with him.

"That being said, I think I shall start at the begining." With a soft look of sorrow and regret, Meegan told him of meeting and falling in love with Aron, of the attack and stalking by Panos. "Don't worry about him, he seems to have fallen off the face of the earth." She told him of Aron up and disappearing and the following depression and how Rachyl help her pull herself up by her bootstraps and move on.

"So Rachyl and I bought a house together and now Rachyl is going to have a baby."

Drev listened to Meegan attentively. He couldn't help thinking, however, that her pain and anguish had partly been his fault. If he hadn't disappeared, hadn't selfishly thought that Starface could actually tour again successfully, he would have been there for her.

But then she may not have gotten together with Rachyl, whom she's very happy with, and he might not have gotten together with Wren. Whom he's very happy with.

"Wow, I'm sorry to hear you had to go through all that crap. But I'm happy for you and Rachyl. That's a real gift," he said when she was finished. "And for the record, I did a shitty job of keeping in touch, too. So it's both of our faults." He flashed her his winning smile, and just then noticed that her fingers were still lightly touching his. It felting comforting, somehow.

"I guess it's my turn then, huh?" he said with a grin, though he was feeling more and more uneasy about having to tell her about Wren. He
knew he shouldn't; she's a big girl, and she knows that people move on. Hell, she'd moved on. Quite a way, in fact. Keeping the smile on his face, he told her about the reunion with his band and the aborted tour.

When he got around to his return to Nachton and his meeting Wren almost immediately, he decided on heavy discretion. Most of what he and Wren shared was very intimate, and he wouldn't share that with anyone, in any circumstances. So he just told her basically that he and Wren were dating and sharing his condo. He felt a desire to tell Meegan how he felt so strongly about Wren, but even he knew that wouldn't be the best
idea.

Meegan smiled. She was glad he'd found someone. She had often worried about him being so...alone. During their time together he'd seemed lonely, but the look twinkling in his eyes and the way he said Wren's name made her think that this was a man in love and happy for the first time in a very long time.

"I'm happy for you Drev. Wren sounds like a lovely person. I'd like to meet her." Meegan gave his fingers a gentle squeeze with her own. "It seems to me that the woman that can steal your heart and put that tone in your voice is worth meeting. We'll have to have you guys over for dinner soon."


One of the people behind the counter had brought their drinks while they'd talked and she sipped gently at the pinkish herbal tea in her mug. Her mind wandered back to Aron and she found herself wondering if Drev knew anything about Aron's world, and if he could give her information she'd been missing. There were holes in her knowledge and she had never liked being left out in the dark. 'But then again if he doesn't know, then I can't say anything, since I'm sure "they" will find out and the last thing I need is some Elder breaking down my door, because I broke the only rule they gave me.' She sighed into her tea and decided it wasn't worth the risk.

"Definitely," he said in response to the dinner idea. "I haven't met Rachyl, either. I think it will be fun." He smiled, but he still couldn't fully supress the feeling of having failed Meegan.

"You know, Meegan, I can't help but feel guilty about what happened to you. I feel like if I'd been around - if I hadn't disappeared in the middle of the night - I could have been there to protect you. Or at least hide you for a while." He realized he was fidgeting with his napkin and made himself stop. He took a sip of his tea instead.

Meegan gave Drev a sad smile and gently squeezed his fingers again. "There is nothing you could have done that would have changed what happened. I still would have had dinner with Aron and Panos still would have killed that girl in my condo. I understand it's still for sale. I'm not certain though, since I sold it to the realestate company outright."

She sighed and took a sip from her tea. "Thank you though, but please don't feel guilty for something you couldn't control."

She once more kept her vampire questions to herself. 'Just because he's a night owl doesn't make him one of them, silly girl.' Instead she shifted her smile from sadness to one of mischief.

"I want to know more about Wren. What does she do for a living? Does she have any interesting hobbies?"

"I know I may not have changed anything, but I still can't help feeling helpless. One of my faults, I guess," he said with a smile. 'And one of these days, it's going to get you killed. What if you had intervened, and the wrong people were involved? There are plenty of people out there that want you dead just for what you are.'

"More about Wren, huh?" he said, glad to have something else to think about. "She's great," he went on, a smile growing at the corners of his lips and eyes. "She's soft and sweet, but she definitely has steel underneath. She's a dancer, actually. She had some... issues... when she first got to town, but now that's all behind her, and she's looking for space to open her own dance studio." The pride in his eyes blatant, but he didn't care. "I've been toying with the idea of going in with her and opening a dance/martial arts studio, but I just don't know if my lazy ass would be up to teaching." He snickered playfully and took a long sip of his tea.

She smiled gently at the pride and love in his voice. She really was happy for them. Really.

"I can't imagine lazy being applied to you, but sure, go with that." She chuckled softly. Why did she suddenly feel very awkward and at a loss for words? She was blaming the mind blowing sex she'd all but forgotten, added to the fact that they both have a significant other now. She should really take her leave, but 'I need friends, damnit! So why can't I have Drev as a friend?'

She wanted to growl, but instead she sipped from her tea. They were both grown ups and she could befriend a former lover, people did it all the time. 'Life is a crazy ride and my car just got thrown on the loop-the-loop.' Well not really, Meegan was experiencing what the rest of the world calls Real Life, and for her it sucked great big donkey balls.

"Well, since your lazy ass doesn't want to teach, what are you going to do?"

"Well, I could...hmmm...... uhhh... I don't really know...." He gave her a consternated look, then slipped back into his easy grin. "Maybe I'll make a movie. Or take up needlepoint." He let out a heavy sigh and chuckled. "Retirement sucks."

"How about you? How's your designing going?"

"Same as always. Starting with next spring we are going to cut back to two releases a year instead of four, so that I have more time at home. It's a risky move, but I have a loyal following that will drink in everything I give them be two or four times a year. The fashion world is going to do a lot of screaming though."

Meegan shrugged, it just didn't occur to her to care that much.

"This whole mommy thing is crazy and I'm constantly amazed at the way it affects my decisions."

Grinning she met his gave and once more had to push down the jolt of lust his ice blue gaze sent through her body. 'Yeah, maybe this isn't such a good idea.' Perversely the lust made her feel alive and able. Which was odd in her estimation, because she and Rachyl had a very healthy sex life.

"I imagine your priorities are going to change quite a bit. They've probably already started to, hm?" He smiled sympathetically, and suddenly became aware again of the electricity flowing gently between them. This was proving to be very difficult indeed; had they been under other circumstances - i.e., not attached - he would have been all over her. But luckily Wren was a rock in the swirling rapids of temptation.

He really would enjoy having Meegan as a friend, but they were going to have to get over their carnal attraction to each other first. And that would certainly be difficult.

"When is the due date? Do you have any names picked out yet?"