Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The autumn breeze was chilly and uninviting, carrying with it the promise of an early winter as it blew across the bus station, irritating the lone soul occupying the bench nearby.

Shannon Beveridge wiped at her reddening nose. She could already feel the early symptoms of a cold creeping into her, and it did nothing but dampen her sour mood even further.

"Damn…as if running back home with my tail between my legs wasn't punishment enough."

The brunette knew that she was being a coward, and the townsfolk who had pegged her as nothing more than a delinquent would see this as an opportunity to gloat…and they'd be right. She didn't get through college like she thought. Or rather…she couldn't…

Shannon sighed, staring at the mural on the station wall depicting the town of St. Lucius in an awfully…inaccurate light. The painting itself was fairly new, and Shannon guessed that it must have been put up less than two years ago, as it wasn't there when she left. The obnoxious colors and desperate attempt to stand out amongst the drab gray was working, and it was damn near impossible to miss.

Shannon scoffed, reading the description that had been so neatly set underneath the painting. "Welcome to St. Lucius, where hopes and dreams come to fruition……" She shook her head. "Seriously? How much cheesier can they get?"

Stepping away from the painting, Shannon checked her watch. "Huh…8:34 PM. I guess the folks must have forgotten I was coming. Well, this is a great start." She reached into her pocket to fish out her phone, only to curse under her breath upon realizing that the battery was dead. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Shannon squinted her eyes, peering into the darkness as she tried to get a glimpse of what she was searching for.

"Ah! There it is!"

Just a few feet away from her was what looked to be an old, rusted fence with a faded warning sign tacked onto it.

A smirk formed on Shannon's lips. "If that sign didn't stop me before, then it sure as hell won't stop me now!"

The area used to be a former playground. But the kids eventually grew up, some leaving town, others staying to support what was left of their diminishing community. As far as Shannon knew, her generation was probably one of the last to use the place. The playground…lost its purpose.

Now, folks just use it as a shortcut to get to places, and today was no different. Shannon ran towards the old fence at full speed, gaining momentum before she launched herself towards the top, her lithe build easily being able to hold on and just scale the rest of the way up.

However, just as she was about to jump down to the other side, a blinding flash of light caught Shannon off-guard.

"Argh! The fuck?!" Instinctively, Shannon raised her arms up to block the light from her face. Unfortunately for her, it also meant losing her balance, and the young woman soon found herself hitting the ground with a hard thud. "Well….shit."

"Huh? Shannon? Is that you?"

Shannon sat up slowly, her body throbbing from the fall. "Yeah, it's me…and just who the hell are you supposed to be?" The voice was certainly familiar, but it was too dark to see, and Shannon just couldn't bring herself to care at the moment. She was having a shitty night.

"Wow, way to be an ass! It's me! Vanessa! Remember? Childhood friend? Tit to your nipple?!"

The woman aimed the flashlight at her own face, and sure enough, Vanessa's cocky grin and messy black mane of hair came into view. "Recognize me now Lil Bev?"

Now THAT was a nickname Shannon hadn't heard in a while. For the first time since she'd gotten back, the young woman finally felt some of the tension leave her body. "Ness! I can't believe it…and who are you calling an ass when that damn light nearly killed me?!"

Vanessa let out a hearty laugh, extending her hand out towards Shannon and helping her up. "Hey, just doing my job you know? You could've been an actual threat for all I knew."

"Your job?" At her friend's admission, Shannon finally decided to take a closer look at Vanessa. Even without the flashlight, the uniform she was wearing was distinguishable as Shannon's eyes adjusted better to the darkness. As her brain processed it, Shannon's blue eyes widened in disbelief. "Dude…a cop? Like an actual cop?"

"Yup." Vanessa's grin grew even wider. "Shocking isn't it?"

"Of course it is! You hated cops Ness! You were delinquency personified!"

"Pfft! Look who's talking!" Vanessa laughed again, the infectious sound eventually getting to Shannon, who ended up joining in. Their laughter echoed across the night, a sound that had been rather uncommon for the otherwise quiet town in a long time.

"Ah, man," Vanessa wiped a tear from her eye. "It's great to have you back Shan, I mean it."

As Shannon's own laughter dissolved into soft chuckles, she pulled Vanessa in for a hug, which the other woman happily accepted. "I wasn't sure about coming back you know? Hell, even now….still wondering if I made the right decision, but…seeing as you're still here…well, guess it's a step in the right direction."

Vanessa nodded, pulling away from her best friend and scratching the back of her head. "I won't lie Shannon…a lot has changed in these past two years since you've been gone. Honestly, happy as I am that you've actually come back, if I were in your place….I probably wouldn't have set foot in this town ever again…." She watched for Shannon's reaction out of the corner of her eye. Upon seeing her fidget, Vanessa quickly added, "Though I'm sure you have your reasons…" She wasn't about to pry. Shannon would tell her when she was ready.

"Ah, you're probably pretty tired dude." A change of subject was for the best. "Come on, I'll give you a ride home…unless you want to spend your first night back in jail for trespassing!"

"Ha! I think that badge of yours isn't helping your giant ego." Shannon dodged a punched Vanessa threw her way, cackling as she did so.

"Watch it Beveridge! Or I'm withdrawing that offer for a ride!"

"Okay, okay!" Shannon put her hands up in mock surrender.

The two friends made their way towards Vanessa's police car, bumping shoulders the entire way.

__________

It certainly felt like home again, and on the surface, it was as if Shannon just stepped back in time, and everything was the same as when she had left. But deep down, she knew better. Something still felt off, though she didn't dare share her more cynical thoughts with Vanessa. It was like…a desperate scream from far away. Something big was coming, and it was going to be fucking painful, but she couldn't do shit to stop it, like some helpless bystander…

"Shannon! Yo!"

A hand waving in front of her face snapped Shannon out of her train of thought. It took her a second to realize that she was inside a moving car…

"Uh, sorry, I must have spaced out."

"You think?"

"Hey, come on, I said it was my bad Ness. What was it you were saying?"

"I was SAYING that Ally started working for that new grocery store that opened last year…what was it? 'Turkish Delights' or something like that…"

"Whoa, Ally is working again is she? Does that mean that her dad made it through that stroke?"

"Yeah, I don't think he'll ever be tip top again, but after some physical therapy, at least he can get around the house by himself now. He needs a cane, but I still say it's better than having his life snuffed out completely."

"Shit Ness…the medical expenses though…"

"Tch, you're telling me. Ally needed to find work fast. Her mom was getting buried alive by the bills. It's been a stressful couple of years for them both."

Shannon stared out the window, her brows knitting together in frustration. Vanessa really wasn't kidding…a lot of shit seems to have happened. "Is Stevie still with her at least?"

A small smile edged its way onto Vanessa's face. "Yeah. If anything, the two of them have just gotten closer because of it all. Lady Luck may have kicked Ally to the curb…but Stevie never did."

"That's good…that's good." Shannon found herself at a loss for words. She was genuinely happy for them, but all this talk about old friends….they were encroaching a topic she wasn't quite ready to take on. But she felt it coming….

"…Camden is a pianist over at the bar now…"

And there it was.

"….."

"….."

"…How long?"

"About six months now…."

"They still call it Hero's Hearth?"

"Yeah, I doubt they'd change that. Been that way since forever."

"…Stupid question, I know."

"….."

"….."

A sigh.

"You're bound to run into her eventually Shan…it's a small ass town where everybody knows your name! 'Member?"

"I get it Ness." Shannon was getting irritated and uncomfortable. She wasn't in the right state of mind for this.

Vanessa pressed on one more time. "Since I know you're going to be hanging around Ally and Stevie, then you'll DEFINITELY see her for sure. The three of them are almost always seen together. Find your spine Lil Bev. No running."

"Running is the only thing I'm actually good at…"

"Dude, don't sell yourself short. You know what I mean anyway."

"Yeah…yeah, I know."

Vanessa placed a comforting hand on Shannon's shoulder, squeezing it gently. There really wasn't much else she could do.

"Welcome home."

Chapter Text

"I'm hooome! If anyone even cares!"

Once she shut the door behind her, Shannon swiftly removed her mud covered sneakers and left them near the front entrance. She made her way towards the living room, and judging by the resounding 'thumps' she could hear from the kitchen, a certain someone was indeed home.

"Shannon? Is that really you dear?" More 'thumps' followed, eventually ending with a muffled curse.

"Yeah Ma, it's me! Wanna come greet me or do you want me to save you from whatever the hell you're doing back there?"

She wasn't sober. Shannon was almost sure of it.

Even on a good day her mother was never the type to carry herself with any semblance of grace or dignity. But it was something familiar to Shannon, and in some twisted way she was a little relieved.

"No! It's fine! Just r-relax, annnnd I'll be there in a minute!"

Shrugging at her response, the young brunette plopped down on the living room sofa, putting her feet up on the coffee table. As her mother continued to scurry about in the kitchen, Shannon took the time to fully observe the living room.

Everything was arranged just as it was when she left. The family portrait that hung above their antique television set was as crooked as ever, and the slight crack in the wall still remained, though a bit larger than Shannon recalls.

She glanced down at the sofa. The faux leather was still surprisingly intact. It smelled of old cigarettes and booze, but that was something she had been accustomed to since forever…

Just as Shannon decided to reach for the remote, her mother jogged into the living room, arms wide open and a lopsided grin on her face . "My baby, welcome back!"

Shannon stood up, meeting her mother halfway. "Thanks Ma, it's good to be home…"

Yeah…she was definitely drunk again. Shannon had some slight doubts, but at such close proximity, no amount of perfume could hide the stench of alcohol. It probably explained why she didn't pick her up at the bus station….the excuses would pour in the minute she was sober again.

"You look thinner kiddo. Were they even feeding you over there?"

"They didn't have to feed me Ma, I can do that myself," Shannon stated, amusement lacing her voice as her mother continued to inspect her.

"Well, you should've eaten more then. What is wrong with you? Trying to starve yourself?" There was an edge to her tone now. It was subtle, but Shannon would've liked to think that she still knew her mother well enough to pick up on things.

Keeping her voice in as even a tone as possible, the younger Beveridge said, "If it's alright with you Ma…I think I'd like to go to bed now. I've had a long day…" She didn't want to rile her up any further. She needed sleep, not an argument.

"Oh! Well why didn't you say so dear? Your room is exaaactly the way you left it! Get some rest!"

Her mother's near instantaneous mood shift didn't go unnoticed, and Shannon had to resist cringing as her mother placed a sloppy kiss on her forehead.

"Have a goodnight Shannon! I love you!"

"Yeah….love you too Ma."

Shannon couldn't get away fast enough. She bounded up the stairs, skipping steps along the way. As soon as she reached the door to her old bedroom, she swung it open without a moment's hesitation, locking it tight as soon as she stepped inside.

Giving herself a minute to collect her thoughts, Shannon slid down onto the floor, her back pressed against the door.

A tired groan escaped her lips.

"Shit, Ma seems to have gotten worse over time…" Looks like she had been proven wrong once again. More change. At the very least, she could see that her room remained just as untouched as the living room. "At least Ma wasn't being delusional about that…."

Her posters were peeling off from the edges, and her bed was still in a state of disarray, with a book or two scattered across the unmade woolen sheets.

Shannon couldn't help but sneeze, as the dust inside her room had been collecting. "Damn…guess this is my fault too. Ma must have been in a bad way since I left…" A pang of guilt passed through Shannon's chest. "I really shouldn't be blaming myself for this, but…"

She belly flopped onto her old bed, the dust kicking up and causing her to sneeze even more. "…I need to clean this eventually. Think I'll just go to sleep now though..."

Shannon no longer wished to concern herself with every problem that had cropped up that day. It wouldn't help anything. Even if it was just for a few hours, she wanted an escape.

Feeling her eyes growing heavy, Shannon cuddled her face into a pillow, and not long afterwards the sleep that she had been craving finally came for her.

__________

You're not as strong as you say you are Shannon Beveridge.

I'm sorry…

Are you really? Or are you just telling me what I want to hear?

Can we just talk about this? I didn't mean to be so-

I know you didn't Shannon…I know you didn't. But we always end up like this. I'm so tired of it…

What are you trying to say?

I think…it would be best if we stopped…all this between us.

…You can't be serious…

It's probably my turn…to be sorry now right?

L-Look, I'm sure we can figure this out somehow-

No, we can't Shan. And it's as I said…you're not as strong as you think you are. And quite frankly, neither am I…

But…dammit, I love you!

And I love you too.

Then what the hell is all this? What's the problem?

Shannon! Stop!...please. This is hard enough as it is. D-Don't make it any harder…please.

…..

…I should go. I-I'm going to be late for work…

…..

Bye, Shan…

C-

__________

"CAMMIE!!"

Shannon shot up from the bed, her hand outstretched, with sweat cascading down her face like a waterfall.

"Fuckin' A…even in my dreams…her presence won't leave me alone." She wiped the sweat from her forehead, grimacing upon seeing how damp she actually was. "…That's one way to start off the day." She fell back onto the bed, trying to calm her racing heart.

Using the light filtering in from her window to gauge the time of day, Shannon assumed that it was almost afternoon. "I was out longer than I wanted to be….better go take a shower. Probably smell like shit right now." Standing up, she decided to take a moment to brush her teeth before searching for any clean clothes.

After a few minutes of rummaging through her closet and drawers, she finally got an outfit together and laid it down on the bed. Once she grabbed a towel, the brunette stepped into the bathroom, quietly shutting the door behind her, last night's dream still fresh on her mind.

__________

"Hey, I've been trying to get a hold of you! You forgot to charge your phone last night or something?"

Once Shannon finished with her shower, she heard her phone buzzing. It was Vanessa.

"Sorry about that. I was in the shower. What's up?"

"I'm just checking up on you dude. Everything okay?"

"Uh…yeah, it's cool. I mean, at least Ma didn't drown herself in beer. Not yet anyway."

"…Look Shannon, I know you and Deb have always had issues, but take care of her would ya?"

"She's my mom Ness. Sure, we haven't always been buddy-buddy, but I'm here aren't I? Besides, something seems off about her. I want to be close by, in case anything happens."

"She hasn't exactly adjusted too well without you."

"No shit Sherlock. I'm worried that there's something more to it than just her drinking problem."

"What? Like a mental illness?"

"….."

"Shan?"

"I'm not sure Ness. And I don't even think I'm ready to discuss it until I'm sure. S-Sorry for bringing it up. Kind of just slipped out."

"Hey, it's okay. It hasn't even been a day since you got back. All of it still feels brand new right?"

"Heh, don't remind me…"

"Haha, alright Lil Bev, I've got work to do. And, make sure to stop by Ally's workplace and show your damn face!"

"No worries, I was planning on it! Oh, I wanted to say hey to Stevie too. Where does she work?"

"Ah! Stevie's a waitress! Over…at the bar…" Vanessa sounded very uncomfortable, and Shannon didn't need her to explain why. "You, uh, may want to wait until Ally's shift is over. That way you don't look awkward as hell…"

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks for the heads up Ness. See you when I see you."

"Yeah, good luck Shan!"

After she hung up, Shannon started to get dressed. As she was putting on her clothes, that anxious feeling that was gnawing at her stomach worsened. She knew that running into her was inevitable, but this was too soon. A part of her hoped that it was her day off, but when had Shannon ever been so lucky?

"Out of all the places Stevie could've worked at…shit." Shannon at this point was absolutely convinced that she somehow managed to disrupt the karmic alliance long before she was even born….it would explain a lot.

Shannon looked herself over in the mirror, making sure that she was at least moderately presentable. The buttons of her plaid windowpane shirt were left undone, exposing her white V-neck. She decided to wear a pair of dark blue skinny jeans, and while the whole ensemble seemed decent enough, Shannon still wound up taking note of the dark circles around her eyes.

"I'll deal with it for now. Not exactly in the mood to bother with any make-up." Fixing her collar one last time, Shannon headed downstairs.

Before she could forget, she grabbed a faded white snapback from the rack next to the door. Her hair was most likely going to frizz once it dried completely, and she didn't want to take any chances. Shannon put on a pair of old black sneakers, and was about to rush out the house…when she suddenly heard snoring from the vicinity of the living room.

Sighing, she stopped what she was doing to check up on her mother.

"Damn Ma…you couldn't even make it up to your bedroom could you?" Shaking her head, Shannon pulled the blanket over her mother. The thing probably slipped off when she slept. The brunette eyed the empty can of beer that laid on the floor, and her hands involuntarily balled up into fists. It hurt to see her only parent acting this way, and it was getting harder to tell herself that it wasn't her fault somehow…

Her mother looked older. The wrinkles on her face had gotten so pronounced. There was much more grey mixed in with her naturally dark locks as well. Time and circumstances hadn't been kind to her. For a moment, the younger Beveridge wondered if this was how she would look like once she got older. People always did say that she was the spitting image of her good ol' mommy dearest. Shannon still wants to say it's a compliment, but…

"You better be sober when I get back," Shannon quietly whispered. "We've got a lot of catching up to do..."

__________

From an outsider's perspective, St. Lucius might look and seem like a typical small town: a slow-paced, friendly place where the folks are nothing but smiles. A place that time had forgotten.

But Shannon knew better. Tight-knit communities such as St. Lucius meant that it was difficult to get away with much of anything. Everyone knew your parents, grandparents, great-grandparents and so on. The moment you slipped up, word would spread fast and your reputation would never be the same again.

The neighbors that waved at her as she passed by, the old acquaintances that would shake her hand and ask her how she's doing…Shannon knew what they still thought of her, and it was going to make itself known once they found out why she had come back.

"Tch, they probably have bets placed."

For a while, Shannon had been walking around in a stupor. The town itself was rather small, but she was so lost inside her own head. At least until her face smacked right into a sign…

"Fuck!" Rubbing her nose, Shannon angrily glared at the offender. Realizing that it was just a sign, the brunette's annoyance slowly dissipated. "Huh….Turkish Delights? What kind of name is….oh!" She was at her destination. "Alright, Vanessa said that Ally works here…." Shannon looked up at the giant neon turkey that served as the store's mascot. She had to admit that it had its own sort of…appeal.

"Well, here goes nothing." The lanky young woman stepped inside, growing more nervous. The 'ping' that could be heard at nearly every store she went to sounded, meaning a 'customer' had come in.

Her eyes scanned the modestly sized store. The shelves were neat, and not one item seemed out of place. The floor was spotless, the smell was rather pleasant, and overall it still had the look of a new grocery outlet.

"Welcome!"

Shannon's curious eyes finally settled on a familiar raven-haired figure playing with a couple of plastic cups behind the cash register. She wasn't even looking up when she greeted her.

"Is that what you really do all day in here?" Shannon questioned, smirking. Actually seeing Ally again in person erased any previous anxiety that she had.

"Nah, it's a slow day, so-" Ally cut herself off mid-sentence, looking up to regard the 'customer' who spoke to her. She stared at Shannon, mouth agape. "I can't believe it…I've become so bored that I've started hallucinating."

Shannon scratched her head, her smile getting wider the longer she stared at Ally's dumbfounded expression. "Sorry to burst your bubble Hills, buuut….it's really me."

"Shannon? Shannon Beveridge?"

"The one and only."

At that, Ally's green eyes shined with renewed life, and the shorter brunette launched herself over the counter to give her old comrade a hug. "No waaaaaaaaay!!!"

"Holy shit Al! Calm down!" Shannon managed to say between laughs. Their friendship was really something else. It was just so easy for them to pick up where they left off, as if nothing had happened.

The two of them nearly fell over at the force of Ally's 'tackle hug.' Luckily, Shannon was able to regain her footing.

"You're heeeeere!" Ally hugged Shannon even tighter. "I thought the big city had taken you away from us for good! Swallowed you whole for sure!"

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence Al." Shannon slowly disentangled herself from Ally's embrace. "It actually started off well." Ally gave Shannon an incredulous look. "No, for real!"

"C'mon Shan! With your penchant for stirring shit up and the big city crawling with cops, it was bound to get ugly!" Ally smiled mischievously, nudging Shannon's arm with her elbow. "Bet that's why you came back right? Wanna get the old gang back together and-"

"Ally."

The younger woman paused, noticing the grave tone in Shannon's voice.

"It's not like that…I wish it was though, because I'd feel less pathetic about it. I just stopped fitting in, nothing more."

"Huh?! What kind of lame reason is that? Since when did you care about fitting in?"

"It's complicated okay? YES, I did cause problems-"

"I knew it!"

"BUT, it wasn't intentional on my part."

"Ugh, you've lost me again…"

Before they could discuss the situation any further, the sliding doors opened and an elderly couple of customers walked inside.

"Hey!" Ally said cheerfully. "Welcome! All produce today is 30% off right now! Sale ends at 3 o'clock, so get 'em while they're hot!"

The elderly couple smiled warmly at Ally. However, upon laying their eyes on Shannon, the old woman averted her gaze. The old man didn't look away, but his smile no longer held the same amount of sincerity.

Shannon was fine with it. She could tell when she wasn't wanted. And THIS was the kind of treatment that she was truly expecting anyway.

"We should probably discuss this later Al."

"Ah, right." Ally wasn't stupid. The atmosphere was thick enough to cut with a butter knife. "Say Shan, mind waiting outside for me? My shift ends in about half an hour. We could head to the Hero's Hearth together!"

"Haha, a little early for a drink isn't it Al?"

"How can you say that? It's never too early for a drink! And besides, don't you wanna see Stevie?"

"Yeah, but-"

"Great! I'll see you in a little bit!"

Shannon could only snort. Ally wasn't leaving any room for an argument. Whether she was deliberately doing it so Shannon couldn't back out was anyone's guess (Though the answer was rather obvious).

The older woman couldn't even understand WHY she was annoyed about it, considering that she was supposed to visit Stevie anyway, and Vanessa just TOLD her to wait for Ally so that they could go to the Hero's Hearth together.

You're just looking for any excuse to avoid you-know-who…

The voice in the back of Shannon's head was taunting her. She didn't like it….it felt too much like a handicap boxing match against her own emotions.

She was losing.

__________

"Hey Shan, didn't wait too long did ya?" Ally bounded up towards her conflicted friend, still all smiles and full of energy.

"Nah, it's cool." For the past half-hour, Shannon had been pacing back and forth in front of the store, rubbing her sweaty palms together. "Let's go."

"…Dude, you look like a crackhead. Calm the fuck down." Ally swung an arm across Shannon's shoulders. Then, in a low whisper, she said, "I get it okay? You're freaking out about Cammie…."

"Why the fuck would I care if she was there or not?!" Shannon frowned, not realizing how childish she sounded until the words flew out of her mouth.

"Hey, I'm not judging! I just figured that considering how you two left things, it would be weird as fuck for both of you. Especially YOU, my socially challenged friend!"

"Rrrgh, if you know this, then WHY do you insist on dragging me into her workplace?"

"Because…I think it would be kind of nice if you two buried the hatchet….and, you know, other stuff….." Ally winked at her friend teasingly.

"….I see where you're trying to go with this, and you can forget it."

"Aw, come on Shan!"

"No! I-"

"Hey, we're here!"

Shannon turned her head to see what Ally was pointing at. Sure enough, they were right in front of the Hero's Hearth. She abruptly forgot about their little squabble, her attention shifting to the age-old bar instead.

The wooden sign that hung outside the bar seriously needed a new paint job. The old-English letters were fading away and the exterior in general looked worn out and outdated.

"Guess no one bothered to give the ol' girl a makeover?" Shannon took a few steps closer, touching one of the wooden beams and peeling off the paint with ease.

"That's where you're wrong Shan! Come inside, and see for yourself!" Ally quickly pushed her friend through the entrance before she could remember to start protesting again.

"Hey! Quit shoving would ya?!"

"Then quit whining! Look!"

While the bar's exterior wasn't anything special to look at…the interior had been completely remodeled.

The small shoddy tables Shannon remembered had been replaced with heavy ones made out of solid rosewood. And now, there was an additional area dedicated to darker lighting, with lower ceilings and plenty of nooks and crannies for privacy. Judging from what she could see on the shelves, there was also a larger variety in alcohol.

But, what caught Shannon's eye the most…was the large ebony grand piano nestled a bit further away from the tables, with a dim spotlight focusing on it. Obviously, it was for the entertainer...a pianist, to be exact. Shannon found herself unable to look away from the area.

She wasn't there….

Feeling a hand squeeze her shoulder, Shannon turned to regard Ally. "…What?"

"It should be Cammie's break time right about now, so she's probably at the back. Relax, you'll see her in a few minutes." Ally once again winked suggestively at the taller brunette, her grin eerily similar to that of the Cheshire Cat.

"You've been making that face a lot. Stop it." Shannon glared at the younger woman, clearly not amused.

"We both know you came here to catch a glimpse of Miss Piano Lady!"

"I came here to say hi to Stevie. Stop twisting things Al!" It was getting harder for Shannon to ignore the growing heat on her cheeks…

"LIES!!" Ally pranced around the tables and chairs to avoid an angry Shannon, annoying some of the patrons.

"Ally! Knock it off, you'll get me in trouble!"

Ally stopped what she was doing just as a black-haired, statuesque beauty hurriedly made her way towards her.

Grinning, Ally spread her arms wide open. "Babe! You're looking exceptionally radiant today!"

"Shut up Al," Stevie said, though she was smiling and there was clearly no malice in her voice. She moved in for the hug that Ally had been patiently waiting for. After giving her girlfriend a quick peck on the lips, she asked, "What are you doing here at this hour? You usually have the decency to wait until dark to bug me in here."

"Pfft, don't act like you don't love it!" Ally exclaimed quite proudly. "Buuuuut…you ARE right though. I DO have another reason to be here! Allow me to re-introduce you to someone babe!"

"Huh?" That's when a confused Stevie finally noticed an awkward looking Shannon, who had been standing in the same spot the whole time, watching the couple's exchange.

"You remember Shannon Beveridge right Stevie?" Ally asked enthusiastically. "She's back in town! For good this time!...uh, right Shan?"

"Heh, that's the plan Al." Turning her attention to Stevie once again, Shannon said, "Hey Stevie. Been a while."

Stevie laughed loudly, giving Shannon a tight hug. "Haha, you haven't changed much at all Beveridge! Still as awkward as ever!"

"I don't think that's something I'll ever actually outgrow." Shannon shrugged her shoulders, laughing along.

"Don't worry dude! That's why we love you!"

"Thanks Ally."

"Well, welcome back to our little town on the edge of nowhere!" Stevie chimed in. "Have a seat you guys. Let me get you something to drink. I'm a waitress, so I might as well do my job."

Stevie pulled out a pen and paper. "Ally, the usual for you?"

"You know me well, my love!"

Rolling her eyes, Stevie turned to Shannon. "And what about our returning hero over here?"

"I'll just have a beer Stevie, nothing too fancy."

"You're so plain!" Ally whined. "Live a little!"

"No thanks, I've lived enough."

Ally shook her head, while Stevie just giggled. "Beer it is then. I'll be right back ladies." Looking at her watch, Stevie added, "For now, please enjoy..."

Before walking away, Shannon could have sworn that Stevie had given her a worried glance.

It wouldn't take very long for her to understand why…

The other bar patrons had started clapping, startling Shannon. Ally joined in not long after them, confusing her even further.

But…listening to the wolf whistles, and the sheer indecency of some of the comments, it suddenly dawned on Shannon.

The entertainer had just returned to the scene.

And sure enough…there she was.

Shannon didn't want to admit it, but she was even more bewitching than she recalled. And that was no small feat.

Her wavy hair was still dyed a dark blonde, with large streaks of her original mahogany still shining through. She wore it well, but that was no surprise for Shannon…

The dress…her fashion sense had always been on point. The long, tight Prussian blue halter neck accentuated her curves without being too overly revealing, and her polished black high-heels gave her an even greater sense of elegance.

But above all that were her eyes. Those viridescent eyes that sparkled with an irresistible charm. At first glance…they were warm, soft, and inviting. But that tender gaze belied a wildfire of determination and strength. Something Shannon had been witness to several times in the past…

She sat at the bench, her delicate fingers skimming across the keys of the piano, getting ready to play.

Shannon let out a relieved sight that she wasn't even aware that she was holding.

Camden Scott did not notice her presence yet, and Shannon was thankful for that.

Because she wouldn't know where to begin.