[IC] Edenridge (Slice of Life with a Twist - Always Accepting)

[GirlOnMarz]

---

---

Following her prompt exit from the gymnasium, Keisha made her way back towards her counseling office; it was all much too overwhelming, the flashbacks from the very day that permanently wrecked her world. While she knew that this day would eventually come, she hadn't ever imagined that it would be this hard. Ten years had gone by since the shooting, but after her brief time spent at the reunion, it felt like it all happened just yesterday. After a few moments, Keisha finally calmed herself down within the comfort of her own office, thanks to the bunch of breathing exercises that she'd learned in therapy over the years. By the time she'd recuperated, however, the majority of the reunion attendees had started to leave.

Rather than stick around to speak with whomever was left, Keisha grabbed her keys and purse off her desk and left the school premises, walking straight towards her bright red Prius. The drive to her mother's apartment complex was a little under an hour ways away, but Keisha managed to shave off a few minutes by, as always, pushing the speed limit. After recent events, Keisha didn't fight the strong impulse to visit her mother for the first time in nearly two months.

She had a key to the building, so she let herself right in. The apartment was quiet, with the exception of the soft hum of the refrigerator. She must've been resting. After closing the door behind her, Keisha tossed her purse on the love-seat and made her way down the hall to her mother's bedroom. As expected, she found the older woman laying fast asleep in bed, and her nurse, Edna, asleep in the rocking chair next to her. At the sound of her footsteps, however, Edna shot straight up in the seat, her eyes frantically darting around the room before focusing on Keisha. The young woman relaxed once more, a slight smile forming on her lips.

"I was wondering when we'd be seeing you again."

Keisha Carter - 2006

"Fuck off, Tyson!" Everyone knew that Ty hated being called by his full first name, but it gave Keisha great pleasure to see the vein in her older brother's forehead bulge whenever she "crossed the line," especially when she was aiming to piss him off. The two stood in front of Ty's locker, Ty searching for one of his books and Keisha looking for an argument. "Charlie won't even return my calls, thanks to you." After the incident between her former boyfriend and over-protective brother, Keisha couldn't find a way to get back into contact with Charlie. She wasn't sure if the problem was her or Ty, but at this point, she no longer cared. Ty was going to catch hell for what he did. "Even if he was a 'bad guy,' it still wasn't your decision to make for me, Tyson. I'm not a little girl, anymore! I can make my own god damn choices."

"Well it doesn't fucking seem like it," Ty said as he clenched his jaw, "He's a troublemaker, Nickie. A fucking criminal. You could do so much better."

"And what makes him so different from you?"

"Nothing," Ty said as he slammed his locker shut, his fist curling up at his side, "that's the point."

---

---

"Cut!" The directer yelled and clapped after Destiny finished her last scene of the day. "Good run today, Tiny," he said, and Tiny just nodded and smiled. It felt damn good to be back. After chugging the rest of her water, she reached into her purse for her cell phone. She was very surprised to see a message from one of her fellow cast members.

Hello, darlings! If any of you are as hungry as I am, I’ll be having dinner in about a half hour at Giuliano’s (the hotel’s Italian restaurant) if anyone wishes to join me. I hope to see any of you there!

Izabella Wellington

"Well, I guess I just hurry and get changed, then," Destiny said, checking the time on her phone. She hadn't even realized how hungry she really was.

[Aces Away]

Decky Boaz - 2006

Decky's head whipped around so fast that it took his whole body with the motion. "Who the fuck do you think you're talking to Rivers," he growled, balling his hand into a fist and stalking racing towards the other boy. "Don't you ever-"

"Decky, no!" His little brother cut him off, wrapping both arms around his waist and putting all his weight into bringing Decky to a full stop. The older boy was surprised, and allowed Danny to drag him back a few feet, putting more distance between the brothers and Logan. The bell rang and Danny turned Decky around and forced him to stare into his eyes. "Go to next class, Decky," he demanded, pulling out the puppy eyes when it looked like the older Boaz was going to protest. "Please."

Decky sighed and with one last glare to Logan, took off around the corner, jogging down the hall to reach the autoshop class before Mr. Garnere threw a fit.

With his big brother gone, Danny turned to Logan, a frown on his face. "Why do you do that? He's recovering, throwing things in his face isn't going to help that," He tilted his head. "What did Decky do to you that made you wanna hurt him physically and mentally."

Danny, though not as "popular" as his older brother, was well known for his innocent intelligence. He tended to ask people questions that are often untouched upon, and sometimes would go too in depth with them for people's comfort. It came from all his time in therapy, where he had to become comfortable with the uncomfortable. Unfortunately, he never really drew the line between the small office and the rest of the day, making him well liked in class and by teachers, but in the halls students tended to hope the young boy would not catch a troubled look on their face and start asking questions.

---

Aisik Shomer

Aisik gave Brinlee a small smile in apology after having felt her tense at his touch, feeling slightly stupid given his own reaction to being touched just minutes prior. He didn't bring any attention to it, of course, not wanting to embarrass her.

He shook his head in exasperation at Nick's comment on Brinlee's appearance and her subsequent response before the other man turned his attention back to the crowd.

He gave a genuine laugh at her stuttering. "Yeah, well, giving up acting meant I was allowed to have hair again," He joked, thinking back to how everyone was either waxed or plucked in one way or the other, apparently for the sake of making them just that little bit more attractive to their fanbase. He never quite understood how lack of hair factored into looks, but gave in when the make-up and beauty departments started getting passive aggressive with him over it.

His previous comment about the cast parties registered with the other two men, who threw in their two scents. He nodded his head in agreement with Vincent's observation before laughing at Brinlee's response.

"I think I always left before they got that bad, I'm not one for...uh,Shtu-yot" he admitted, ending the sentence in hebrew when he was at a loss for the polite english way to say it. "Y'know I was always trying my best not to follow in my character's footsteps when it came to the party scene."

[Helo]

Logan Rivers 2006

Logan was more than a bit amused by Decky’s reaction and didn’t even attempt to hide his smirk. But just when it seemed like he’s finally get the fight he was looking for Danny pulled his brother back and ordered him to class and Decky ran off before Logan had a chance to comment on it. Logan was still pissed and had been hoping to get into a fight as a release. He glanced at Danny who had asked him why he was trying to hurt Decky. Truth was that Logan was pissed and just wanted a fight to release the tension. He was somewhat pissed at Decky, Logan felt pulling a knife on Kait was seriously messed up and he didn’t like seeing Dec anywhere near her after hearing about that, not just out of jealously but he also felt a need to protect his friend. He was also pissed at Charlie for what happened just before summer break and for being a total dick all summer. He was also annoyed that Kait wasn’t really talking to him either, and mad at himself that he couldn’t remember why.

“That’s between me and him, kid, but you’re free to ask him if you like. No need to make a big deal about it, just looking for a decent fight. If he leaves Kait alone, I won’t bother him anymore, you let him know that okay.” Logan said using his normal tone with the kid, he had no issue with Danny. He turned to leave, he was only going to be a few minutes late for class.

---

---

Nick Donovan

Nick tilted his head slightly to the side and laughed at Brin’s response. “Hey now I want it on record that I was never spewing vomit everywhere, I can hold my liquor.” He said more to the fans than to Brinlee, and it was mostly true. He checked the time on his phone and gave a final wave to the fans.

“Hope to see you all around and I hope you all enjoy this new season. We’ve got a cast dinner here in a few so I have to be going. Have an awesome night and feel free to do some partying and spewing in my honor.” He said grinning to the fans before heading back to the trailers.

[Polaris North]

Vincent Westerian

Hearing her stutter and then do the nervous rubbing arm thing made his smile widen, "But not everything changed." He said, knowing that Brinlee would know where he was coming from with his statement. It was nice to see that she hadn't become an entirely different person. Though she did become more sociable. The old Brinlee wouldn't want to be in front of a crowd of adoring fans who occasionally took a picture or two of their favorite actors/actresses while speaking to them. Though, again, he supposed that shyness doesn't wash away easily.

Vincent looked away for a moment, letting out a light chuckle at Brinlee's response to Nick's observation. Though he was pretty sure that his sister was one of the people who stayed for the party but not for the drinks. She always did hate alcohol of any kind, the taste not to her liking. After recovering from his chuckling, he looked back at the group and quietly listened to Aisik and Nick's response to Brinlee. Aisik had used a, most likely, Hebrew word that Vincent just couldn't understand. Though, using context, it may mean something along the lines of underage drinking or partying... or both. Vincent decided not to think about it further. "Mordechai is quite a wild spirit, isn't he?" He mused after Aisik said that he'd rather not take on his character's personality when it came to partying.

Seeing that Nick was going to leave because of the time, he turned to the fans and then bowed his head. "Ah yes, please do enjoy the latest season of Edenridge when it starts airing." He then turned to Brinlee and Aisik. "I don't know about you guys but I don't feel up to the task of dressing up for dinner so I'm heading over to the Italian restaurant. How about you two?" He was perfectly fine with arriving to the restaurant alone but he did feel the need to ask anyway. His choice of clothing right now wasn't too bad either. A white, long-sleeved, collared shirt and then slacks and sneakers. He'd say he looked formal enough for the task. He didn't bother to change out of Mike's costume since it looked pretty much like his casual outfit. The wardrobe people didn't mind him wearing it around as long as it came back unharmed.

[Sadie]

---

---

Brinlee Wynn

---

---

The girl couldn't help a small laugh at Nick's statement to the crowd. He was always a showboat and seemed to enjoy feeding off of the crowd's energy. It was definitely something she wasn't too fond of. She never liked being front and center of attention, never liked anyone judging her for every little thing she did on- and off- screen. Brin always longed for the time when she could finally be in control of her own wants and needs. Sure, the time on the show allowed her to mature some and grow a bit out of her quiet phase- but to go through the awkward time of adolescence on screen was something she would never wish on anyone else.

Hearing Mike's statement caused the small flush to reappear on her cheeks and she responded with a mere shrug of her shoulders. She had always enjoyed his company- Mike and Ais were her only true friends on set. Even though she was the only one who could go to her actual house at the end of the day, the two boys always made her feel at home. A part of her reached out for them since she had been desperately missing her own brothers at the time- and Ais definitely fit that role perfectly. She had been able to just relax and unwind with him, each other enjoying their comfortable silence. However, Mike had always been a bit different. Brin had been able to talk with him about anything, which was a rarity for her to even speak back in the day. He somehow was able to nudge down her barrier and the two had developed quite the friendship.

Which was something she had missed dearly during the ten years apart. Starting over in yet a new city with LA, she didn't have anyone to talk to other than family. She was lucky to find her room mates and developed a quick bond with the pair. The two had helped to bring her even more out of her shell- just enough that she landed her dream job as a reporter. She still had some trust issues to work through, however.

Mike's question drew a raised brow from her and she glanced down at her own attire. She was still dressed in Maddy's work uniform- black slacks and a white button-up blouse. With a clear of her throat, she shrugged and grinned up at him. "Yeah, I can eat in this. Costuming won't miss my plain Jane clothes."

[Aces Away]

Aisik Shomer

Aisik laughed at Vincent's assessment of his character. "Wild spirit, indeed," he answered before turning to the crowd at Nick's goodbye. "Yes, I ,hink we've put it off long enough," he joked. "It was nice talking to you all."

Aisik took a few steps away from the crowd with Vincent and Brinlee, and smiled as the two looked at their own costumes, declaring them fit for the restaurant. He looked down to his own clothes and tilted his head; a clean green Henley and some black jeans, with a leather jacket and boots.

"I mean, it's not a button down but it has buttons on it, no?" The question fell off his lips with a laugh. "I don't really fit that scary biker look so I should be good. Worst comes to worst, I can run up to my room and grab a better change of clothes." There were always perks to the restaurant being in the hotel they're all staying in, after all.

As if on cue, one of the cars the company employs pulled up, allowing the three actors to get in, and they were off to the hotel.

[BrutalBx]

Jude Aspers

---

---

<Snipped quote by Izabella Wellington>

Jude was loitering around catering when he received a message from Izabella about going to dinner together with the rest of the cast. With a bagel hanging half way out of his mouth like a cartoon character, he allowed his mind to wander. It would be good for morale for the crew to get together and socialize. During the original run of the series, the gang had very much been able to create a palpable family dynamic between them. Sure, a lot of them didn’t really speak too much but what families really do? The idea quickly began to grow in his mind and soon Jude had settled on attending.

”I’ll be there” – Jude Aspers

Finishing his pastry, Jude began the short walk towards the set exit. Though thanks to the magic of television, his walk consisted of him going through several of set pieces. It was strange walking through that fake town. The sights and visages before him instantly transported him back to his youth. Running around the set trying to one up Izabella, listening to Sidney’s world weary advice, watching Nick get himself in deep shit with the producers…it was a magical time and in hindsight it was probably what made Edenridge stand out as a show. The cast had such true chemistry that everything just meshed together. They did not treat their audience like fools but with respect, that’s why the stories they told were so real, so authentic.

As he arrived at the exit, Jude looked back across the set as a stagehand began to shut of the lights, he smiled a little bit before leaving. It was good to be home.

---

---

Episode Two: The Time Machine

[Polaris North]

Vincent Westerian

Upon finding out that they would all be going in their current clothing, Vincent gave them another smile. "This is probably one of the reasons why we get along." He said, coupling it with a nod. Him and Aisik might have never interacted much before, but their common relations with Brinlee spoke a lot. "I'm pretty sure that'll be fine. That is, unless one of us dresses fancy and we'll feel underdressed." He then let out a hum of thought. "Then again, it wouldn't be any different from before if that was the case." And the fact that Vincent still doesn't care about that remains.

He looked over to the company car that had pulled over to take them to the hotel. With one final glance and wave at the fans, he entered the car after the two had entered, preferring the window seat more than anything in the world, as of now. He leaned his head back and he began drumming his fingers on his thigh, a habit of his that everyone probably knows by now. It was something he does to get rid of nervousness, a constant factor when around other people.

Though, the ride wasn't terribly long as they arrived at the hotel soon after. He opened the door and hopped off, looking over at the hotel once more. Too fancy, was something he'd use to describe it. As someone who had a meager clinic and someone who doesn't really go on vacations all that much, staying in grand places like these were something of a rare case. To think that he'd be staying here for an extended period of time, he'd think that he won the lottery. "Ashley probably got used to this a long time ago." He mumbled to himself, unsure if either of the two would hear him but not really minding either way.

Vincent then looked at the two. "So, who's going in first?"

[Sadie]

---

---

Brinlee Wynn

---

---

The car soon pulled up alongside the crowd and Brinlee took a breath at it. She knew that as soon as she entered the car, it would take them to the restaurant. Where the rest of the cast was. Where she would have to socialize and interact. Where undoubtedly there would be other people, ones who were not part of the show. That meant fans. And possibly paparazzi. She sucked in a quick breath at the thoughts running through her head as she stared at the vehicle. This was the new her. She wasn't teenage Brinlee anymore. Nor was she Maddy Diller. She was Brinlee Wynn, head reporter to the stars. If anyone could do this, it was her.

With a small groan at the thought, she gave in to her fears before sliding into the car. She scooted along the seats to make room for the others, knowing Mike would want the window seat. Sure enough, he placed himself right against it. Brin glanced down at his fingers, knowing they would soon dance against his thigh. Her thought was quickly validated. She bit back a grin and reached over, patting his hand slightly in comfort. Her head laid back against the seat and she let out of a breath.

Wasn't long before they arrived at the hotel. Waiting for her turn to slide out, she exited the vehicle and looked around. Brin let out a breath at how upscale it was. Thankfully she was able to stay at her mother's house while she was in town. Catching Mike's comment, she raised a brow and glanced over at him. She gave an uncertain grin before nodding in the direction of the building. "Be my guest. Last time I saw Ashley, it didn't really go over too well."

[Aces Away]

Aisik stared out the window most of the ride, twisting his wedding ring around his finger in a nervous habit, and feeling a little better when he noticed Vincent tapping his leg. At least he wasn't the only nervous one in the car. In fact, he'd go so far as to say that the three of them were probably the most anxiety-riddled of the cast, based on how things were back in the day. Maybe it was why, as Vincent had said while sliding into the car, that they all got along so well; they each knew when the other just needed peace and quiet, or to just be left alone. While him and the other man never really got close back during the original show, he would sometimes accompany Brinlee into Aisik's trailer, where they would all just chill out in companionable silence, reading or taking short naps with light music in the background.

Now that he thought about it, they probably spent more time together than they thought; they just never really got to know each other because most of that time was spent not talking.

As they arrived at the hotel and slid out of the car, Aisik took a deep breath. He hummed at Vincent's comment about his sibling, unsure of how the other man meant it, but pretty sure he didn't intend for him and Brinlee to hear. As the two debated who would go in first, he took another deep breath before stepping forward, smiling at the door man and turning around once inside.

"Well, I don't mind going in first, but I certainly don't want to go in alone." he spoke truthfully, trying not to let the nervousness shake his voice. This would be the first time that the whole cast was together since the original Edenridge, which meant catching up and talking about what everyone's been doing the past ten years.

No, he certainly did not want to face that alone.

The three of them reached the restaurant quickly, and Aisik smiled to see Bella already seated, looking magnificent as always; he hadn't realized that it had already been a little over half an hour since they all got her text, but he was glad that him, Vincent, and Brinlee weren't the first on the scene.

He bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek in greeting before holding a chair out for Brinlee. "Well, next to Bella, I'm sure we won't be the only ones looking underdressed, so I'm feeling pretty comfortable." he joked.

[BrutalBx]

Jude Aspers

---

---

The drive from the set to the Cloverdale hotel was a relatively short one. The unremarkable car which drove through the South Boston streets allowed Jude to blend in perfectly. His face had become rather recognisable over the past ten years and after a hard days work on the revival, he felt a little bit of anonymity was required. That said as he got closer to the hotel, he passed by certain houses that held memories for him. Five years of working in the same neighbourhood on something as beloved as Edenridge had left an unmistakable mark on the tiny community and the actors involved. Jude had come to know some of the area’s residents rather well and he had hoped that many of them were still there so that he could visit them some time.

Guiliano’s. Of course Bella would choose somewhere that fancy for a family dinner; it was just her style. Once he had parked his car, Jude made his way into the Cloverdale lobby. He had narrowly avoided all the prying fans outside whom knew that the cast were staying there. Thankfully their interest would not last long. If it this time was to be like the last, the fans would get used to their presence rather quickly and within a few days they would have fallen back into old routines. Standing in the foyer, the English thespian gave himself a once over in a hall mirror. Finding no need to bother to change, he made his way towards the restaurant which sat adjacent to the hotel via a beautiful glass walkway.

As he entered the gorgeously decorated establishment, Jude immediately noticed that a few of his cast mates had already arrived. He placed took his hands out of his pockets and made his way over to the large table where they were going to be seated. ”Evening everyone” He smiled as he nodded to those he had earlier seen during the shoot. He also noted a few faces he hadn’t seen yet. ”Brinlee, good to see you” He took a seat and leaned back in his chair. ”Don’t know about you lot but I’m famished”

---

Roddy Callahan 2017

---

---

A lock of shock crossed Roddy’s face as he glanced at his older brother standing on their family porch, holding his daughter. He looked to Lanie and then back to Francis before the couple exited their car. ”Francis, what on Earth are you doing back here?”

The elder Callahan put down his niece, whom ran straight into her mothers arms while the brothers looked at each other. ”What I can’t come home and visit family once in a while? Come in here, Rock, give your brother a hug” The two men shared a firm embrace before quickly separating. Rock was a nickname Francis had given Roddy many years ago, after they had watched Rocky with their father. It became almost destined that Rod ended up being a boxing trainer at the gym. ”To be fair, my darling husband Joquin, is off on one of his documentaries and I’m owed a break from Wall Street so I thought I’d pop in, say hi to my gorgeous niece and delectable sister in law, hey Lanie” Francis waved at the blonde with a cheeky grin.

[Helo]

Nick Donovan

Nick made his way to the Cloverfield in a car his manager had sent, although Nick enjoyed driving his license was suspended and the producers were still helicoptering him to make sure he stayed out of trouble. He was hoping they’d get bored of keeping an eye on him soon because staying out of trouble was incredibly dull. He wasn’t particularly impressed with the Cloverfield though it did have a nostalgic feel as it was where he spent his teen years. Since the show, he had stayed in grander places than a small town could really offer. He was excited to see more fans waiting outside the hotel for a chance to catch a glimpse of the cast.

“Sorry pal, but they expect a show.” He said, handing a tip to the driver as he opened the sunroof of the car and climbed out of it just as it came to a stop in front of the hotel.

“Good Evening Boston!” Nick shouted as he hopped off top of the car and landed in an action pose mimicking a scene from one of his cheesy action films. He was late to the restaurant inside from all the time he spent mingling with fans. He needed that constant validation and attention that fans gave him, he judged his success by their reactions to him.

After spending time with the crowds, posing for both fans and paparazzi, and getting what he needed from the crowd he headed inside to Guiliano’s for dinner. Nick could eat just about anything so Italian food was fine with him, but he was surprised a bunch of actresses had showed up to eat pasta.

“What an honor, sharing a table with Oscar Award Winning Actress Isabella Washington.” Nick said half teasing and half sarcastic. He added an overly dramatic bow and took a seat. “Surprised at choice in venue, thought actresses avoid carbs like the plague.” Nick added, smirking.

[Polaris North]

Westerian Siblings

He looked at Brinlee, giving her a small smile at her comment about his sister. "I'll be sure she won't bear hug you." He remembered that little scene back when they were still kids. Ashley still doesn't get the concept of personal space but at least, on the bright side, he learned how to rope her in before she brings anyone in her hugs. While the others seem okay with her sudden hugs, Vincent knew that Brinlee wasn't a big fan of them.

Vincent looked at Aisik as he volunteered going in first, as long as he didn't do it alone. The thought of bailing out on him passed his mind, more as a joke than anything else, but he didn't voice it out. It may sound rude of him to say so. "Lead the way Aisik." There was a small pause between the sentence and Aisik's name. It would seem he was thinking about whether to continue calling him 'Shomer' or just call him by his first name.

He then followed behind the male and watched him greet Izabella. "Nice to see you again Izabella. It has been a while." He offered her a smile. He turned to Jude and then gave him a small bow of his head, "You as well Aspers. Great to see you're doing well." Seeing as Aisik was already gentleman enough to pull a chair for Brinlee, he already sat down on his own chair.

"I think letting loose once in a while is a good thing Nick. Once in a while, a restaurant like this wouldn't hurt." Ashley entered the hotel, more like limping into it, and was there in time to hear Nick's little comment. She then beamed a smile at the others and gave an energetic wave, "Good to see everyone again!" It would seem that she never lost her energetic flare.

Her eyes landed on Brinlee. "Brinlee, is that you? Oh my gosh, you look so different!" But before she could bound up to her to hug her, as one would expect, Vincent gave her a look and she rolled her eyes. "Fine." She groaned. She then took a seat opposite of her brother's.

[Venus]

---

While the rest of the cast were busy with their impromptu meet and greet, Izabella had been busy getting ready for her impromptu dinner party. Once the message had been sent, she dashed to the bathroom and treated herself to a long, relaxing shower. Once out, she searched her previously-delivered luggage and found the perfect thing to wear: a long-sleeved, short white dress that was gifted to her for her participation in the Valentino campaign. Once the dress was on, the hair was down in all its long, blonde glory (back on set she used a short blonde wig for the Lanie role), and the makeup was on. To give a fun pop of color, she settled on red peep toe heels from the new Miu Miu collection, and a cherry red lipstick that Dior had just sent her a few days before. Under the dress, she wore nothing but black and white lacy underwear, with hopes that a certain special cast member would peel them off later that evening. Maybe with just the right ensemble, the right attitude, the right words and the right amount of alcohol, Bella’s hopes would come true. Giving herself a once over to make sure she was okay, she gathered her essentials in a small red clutch and headed down to Giuliano’s.

She was the first of the guests to arrive, which was a good thing considering she’d been the one to invite them in the first place. As always, she charmed the staff and in no time the table was set for . Bella patiently waiting for her cast mates to arrive, and one cosmopolitan later Brinlee, Aisik and Vincent arrived on the scene.

“Good evening, dears!” Izabella greeted them enthusiastically. The blonde woman stood up from her chair and gestured to the empty seats around her table. “I am very grateful that my invitation was accepted! Please, do take a seat anywhere you wish.”

She took her seat again just as Aisik affectionately kissed her on the cheek. Ever the gentleman, he pulled out a chair for Brinlee while making a lighthearted joke about how he felt underdressed for the occasion when compared to Bella.

“Oh, darling, you know me well enough to know that I don’t go anywhere looking like anything below my 100%. Thank you for the compliment, love.” Bella replied cheekily, letting out a tittering laugh before turning to the rest of her cast members. “Brinlee, looking great as always! And Vincent, dear, it’s a pleasure to be in your company again. I do hope Ashley joins us as well.”

Just then, a waiter arrived at their table, handing each member a menu. Before they could open them, however, Jude Aspers arrived. On instinct, Bella felt herself sitting straighter and turning up the charm while Jude greeted everyone. He made a remark about being famished, and a murmur of agreement was heard across the table.

“We’ve just received our menus, dear, so as soon as you’re ready we can order. I think I’ll be having a small Caesar salad to start with. I’m much too hungry.

While everyone pondered about what dish would satisfy their cravings and hungers, none other than Nick Donovan made his scene. Of course, the first thing he said was a jibe to Izabella’s Academy Award winning status and the choice of venue. Before she could reply, Ashley Westerian made her arrival, and decided to respond to Nick before greeting the rest of them. Once Ashley was seated, Izabella seized her chance.

“Ah, well, it’s nice to break the regimen one in a while and treat oneself to the wonders and delights of carbs.” Izabella replied to Nick with teasing sass, giving him a wink. “Not all of us Oscar-winning actresses survive on a leaf diet. And also, dear, it’s Wellington, not Washington. I would have imagined that with seeing my name so much on the big screen you would have learned it by now.”

[Sadie]

---

---

Brinlee Wynn

---

---

As they eventually made their way into the hotel, Brin's eyes couldn't help but to follow everything in their path. She couldn't understand how people could always live like this- she'd be incredibly too afraid to even so much as touch something. With a clear of her throat, she kept her eyes alert as they entered the restaurant. Last thing she needed was to trip up her feet and go sprawling into a table. Though, that would make quite the icebreaker for the rest of the group.

Her attention was quickly diverted when she noticed Ais pulling out a chair for her. She grinned in appreciation and took the seat, her eyes immediately glancing to the other cast members who had just started to arrive. Brin was about to address Ais and Vincent when Jude sat down in the open seat next to her. Raising a brow, she blinked and took in his appearance. With a slight flush of her cheeks, she gave a meek nod. "You as well, Jude." He had been a part of the 'cooler' crowd when it came to the cast- therefore Brinlee never really had the nerve to talk to him. She had to continue reminding herself that this time around would be different.

Nick was the next to arrive, causing her nose to scrunch a bit at the wrong name he gave Izabella. It could have gone completely over their heads had the woman not caught onto the mistake. And what was with the great as always remark from her? Brinlee couldn't remember a time when the girl had spoken to her offset. With a shake of her head, she turned to speak Vincent when a girlish shrill sounded in her ears. She bit back a groan as she turned towards Ashley.

Noticing she was about to come in for a hug, Brin immediately tensed up. However, something happened to change the girl's mind. She raised a brow and glanced at Vincent, noticing the look he was giving his twin. Brin gave a grateful smile before letting out a breath of relief. It wasn't that she disliked the girl- she was lovely. It was just...She was way more preppy than Brinlee's mind could handle. It was hard to believe the out-spoken woman was the twin of Brin's soft-spoken friend. With a shake of her head, she returned her attention to the empty place setting in front of her. She could already feel herself sinking into her seat.

[GirlOnMarz]

---

---

Rather than taking the extra time to stop by a trailer and change into more comfortable clothing, Destiny decided to change in the car on the way to the restaurant. The tinted backseat windows gave her enough privacy to change, and her driver made sure to avoid any bumps and grooves in the road. "God damn it," Tiny exclaimed as she fell over onto her back, struggling to pull her sneaker onto her foot. With just a few more shimmies and stomps, however, she was good to go, right on time as the driver came to a stop in front of Giuliano’s. After quickly tying her shoe and making sure that her makeup and braids were still in their rightful places, Tiny grabbed her purse and pushed open the door before her driver could come around. "I got it this time, Joe," Tiny said, shutting the door behind her, "but thanks, anyway."

After she waved the car away, Tiny made her way into the beautifully decorated restaurant, suddenly feeling a bit under-dressed once her eyes found Isabella. She did not, however, regret changing clothes, greatly preferring her jeans, baby-doll blouse and sneakers over the too-tight heels that made her feet throb. Aside from Bella, Tiny also spotted, Aisik, Vincent, Jude, Ashley, Brinlee, and Nick. Each one of them had changed significantly since the last time she'd seen them, but she had no trouble at all putting names to faces.

"Yes," Tiny said, dragging out the word with a wide smile once she'd reached the table, "the squad, all back together again." As she spoke, she went around the table and gave quick hugs to each of her old friends. Afterwards, she took an empty seat and began surveying the menu. "I can't believe it's been so long, yo. And look at all of you, just as beautiful as ever!"

[Helo]

Nick Donovan

Nick grinned at Ashley. “You don’t have to sell me on the importance of letting loose, it’s what I’m known for.” He said before glancing back at Izabella, who corrected him on her name. “Wellington? Like that weird beef dish? You sure? Well I guess you would know. Maybe the tabloids are right and I have fried my brain. I can’t say I’ve seen your name up on the silver screen recently, I’m not really in to romance and Oscar bait but I have to say I was surprised to hear you’d be returning to the small screen. Hoping to add an Emmy to the shelf as well?” He asked, indulging in one of his favorite pastimes; messing with people. “I’ve got few MTV film awards on my shelf, but I guess my work’s not prestigious enough for the academy, who’d have thought, no nominations for Zombageddon.” He said referring to an infamously bad movie he’d starred that had barely made back a quarter of its budget. He said as he casually flipped through the menu until he found the wine list.

“Tiny, good to see you again!” Nick said as standing to greet her as she walked up to the table. “How ya been?”

Logan Rivers

Logan headed over to The Pour House where his shift was due to start. While the bar itself wasn’t really anything special, an old brick building, the live and local music usually drew a descent crowd in the evening. Most of the patrons who weren’t there specifically for music were working class folks who liked the good cheap food and laid back atmosphere. He headed up to the building and went inside. He gave a quick scan of the bar and it looked pretty much the same from the few times he’d gotten in with his poorly made fake ID back in high school.

Logan noticed a there were only a couple patrons currently in the bar and the music for the evening had yet to show up. His eyes fixed on the red head sitting at the bar whose back was to him. Although he couldn’t see her face he knew it was Kaitlin. He couldn’t explain how he knew, she certainly wasn’t the only red-haired woman in the small, predominate, Irish town, but all the same he knew instantly he was looking at his old friend and flame. He paused for several seconds, unsure of how to approach her, they hadn’t kept in touch over the years, and he hadn’t seen her since before the shooting. He had known she had been among the wounded, he’d known which hospital she was in and even ten years later was completely ashamed that he hadn’t visit. Back then he was completely wrapped up in his selfish teenage bullshit to be there for another person.

“Hey, River’s, you’re early. I like that in employee.” Shane, the bar manager, said when he noticed Logan standing in the bar entrance. “I’ve got a shirt, nametag, and some paperwork for you in the back when you ready to get started. Logan nodded and approached the bar.

[Starwinter]

Emilia Carter

The ride from set to the hotel was brief, and Emilia spent her few moments alone in the backseat alternating between taking in the city views and checking through her messages on her phone. Just because she was away from home, doesn't mean all of her other obligations had stopped.

As the car pulled up to the curb outside the hotel, Emilia tipped the driver, thankful the studio had provided the cast with transportation to and from the hotel and sets. Although Emilia had no problems driving herself around, she had to admit that driving around the busy, chaotic streets of Boston intimidated her. It was all red lights, sharp turns, one way streets, and pedestrians that seemed to walk wherever they saw fit. No thanks.

“Emilia!” Called a man's voice from the other side of the velvet rope. “How was the first day back on set? Any drama between stars yet?” Emilia turned just as a camera flash went off right in her face. She ignored the peppering of questions, and instead greeted the group of fans outside the hotel. It was no secret where the cast was staying, as they had all checked in over the past few days. Soon the citizens of Boston would be used to seeing their faces around town, and all of this would be over. Or at least greatly decreased.

The people outside weren't the only ones seeing stars. As Emilia entered the hotel, all the bright camera flashes had her seeing them as well. She shook it off as she entered the elevator and rode it up to her floor, encountering no one else on her was up.

Although she didn't bother washing her mane of auburn locks, Emilia did choose to shower before dinner. She found the scent of her honey-vanilla body wash soothing, and breathed in deeply, loving the way the scent clung to her body even after her showered ended.

Emilia sighed as she rifled through her temporary closet. She only traveled to Boston with two suitcases, choosing to have whatever else she needed from home shipped. Luckily she knew she had at least one appropriate dress currently hanging in the closet. As she pulled the black long sleeved dress from her closet, she made a mental note to have more cocktail wear shipped from home, or to make time to go buy some. If she was going to be having dinners with Bella, she would certainly be needing it.

Emilia ran her hands over her hips, smoothing the black fabric once more while she looked in the mirror. The dress she wore was one of her favorites. Although the front was modest, the back plunged into a low V, leaving her back completely bare. It fell to just below her knees, with a small slit in the back for ease of movement. She paired it with a long dangling silver necklace, and a pair of red bottomed nude heels. Her auburn hair fell in waves down her back and needed no styling, and she simply touched up the light makeup that had been applied earlier for her time as Kaitlin. She made a second mental note to wash her face very well after dinner. Her sensitive skin was going to rebel against having makeup on for so long.

Just as she was going to leave her room, her phone rang, the number to her agent popping up. With a sigh, Emilia set her things down and answered the call, listening intently as her agent rambled on about things regarding her new book.

Although necessary, the call set her back quite a bit. By the time she walked into the restaurant, it looked like everyone else was there already. Luckily, it appeared that some of the cast had arrived only minutes before she did.

“So sorry I'm late. I got stuck on a call. Wow, this is exciting.” Emilia looked around to all of her cast mates and offered each a smile, even Nick. She gave a small wave to Vince and Ashley. Out of all of her cast mates, they were two that she stayed in touch with. For a while, Emilia and Ashley had even shared an apartment. Although Ashley's exuberance could be overwhelming for some, Emilia found her endearing.

“Aisik,” she said, her green eyed gaze finally settling on him. “You look wonderful. I had wanted to catch up earlier, but things got a little crazy. How are you?”

Kaitlin O'Connor

Even after finishing her fries, Kaitlin chose to stick around the Pour House and enjoy another drink. It was Friday night, and although more people milled about than when she first entered, the night was only beginning. Admittedly, Kaitlin was not looking forward to returning to her empty townhouse. She was used to noise and chaos, and the past few days that she had spent in Edenridge had been eerily calm.

Well, calm enough, if you disregard the fiasco at the school. On the plus side, the worst was most likely over. She had already run into pretty much every person from her past already, so all of those awkward “hey how are you? Heard you got shot, sorry I didn't keep in touch blah blah blah” moments were taken care of in one fell swoop that afternoon.

Or so she thought.

“I'll have one more Guinness” Kait said, raising her green eyes, she found herself meeting the level gaze of Logan. The very same Logan she spent most of her time with (when they were talking) in high school, and then treated her with radio silence after the shooting. It took Kait a long time to come to terms with that, and it took her even longer to accept that his ghost act was probably for the better. Plus, even if Kaitlin's family hadn't moved her away upon her release from the hospital, it seemed they would not have reunited anyway. She heard through the grapevine that Logan had moved off quickly after high school as well, though where, she didn't know.

“Logan...” she breathed out, suddenly unsure what to do, and having all thoughts flee her head. “I...hi.”

Conflicting feelings aside, Kait had to admit he looked good. Logan was just as tattooed as she remembered, but his frame was now far more filled out, his shoulders filling the T-Shirt he wore. Whatever he had been doing over the past ten years, it certainly wasn't lazing around watching T.V.

[Bee]

---

---

---

---

After what seemed like forever, Michael was finally about to make his debut on the show he launched his acting career with. He was imagining himself standing by behind the scenes, dressed in a full cop uniform. It was a little tight, though. But, Michael played it off as something to appeal to the younger, more impressionable audience. He knew that a couple other cast members were also set to make their debut soon, but he didn't see any of them. As a matter of fact, he didn't really see any old faces just yet. He had been too busy getting dressed, rehearsing, and getting the nerves out of his body to really socialize and actually make sure that everyone was there and still the same person.

He tapped his foot nervously. It was a silent tap, but he was still eager to make his debut once again. Only, there was a dinner party he had to attend first. Instead of being in a uniform, he was in a more formal outfit. A suit, to make a good impression on his fellow cast members that he hadn't seen in decades. He was making his way to the restaurant, his dress shoes clacking against the cement floor as he got closer and closer. Unconsciously, Michael was drumming against his thigh, a nervous tic of sorts. He could see someone walk into the restaurant before him, which was a good sign. He definitely wasn't too late.

Michael held his breath as he got to the door. Pulling it open, he stepped inside and saw a multitude of familiar faces. Everyone pretty much looked the same. It was amazing how they stood the test of time. Some people looked even better. He announced his arrival with a shy wave. "Sup guys? It's been so long since I've last seen y'all!" Michael said with glee, before sitting down and taking his seat next to someone. He honestly couldn't remember their name, but they were definitely on the show with him.

[BrutalBx]

---

---

Once he had sat down, Jude quickly scanned the menu and of course in his usual fashion ordered a massive dish of pasta. The man’s stomach was a bottomless pit, always had been ever since he was a child. Often on the set of the original Edenridge if Jude wasn’t rehearsing his scenes, you would find him in catering. He glanced over at Izabella, admiring the effort she had put into her evening wear before looking up at a new face that joined them; Michael Dunn, yet another old face returning to the team. ”Michael, good to see you” He turned his attention to Brinlee whom sat next to him, slowly but surely devolving back into her high school self, this much was obvious to the Englishman. ”Brin you can relax, everyone here is in the same boat. None of us know what the others are thinking, we just have to roll with it” He offered her a genuine smile before grabbing a bread roll. ”I don’t even care there’s no butter, I’m eating this” He chuckled before taking a bite; he did this partly because he was hungry and partly to try and help Brinlee but mostly it was because he was hungry.

When she thought the table surely couldn't hold any more people, Emilia, Tiny and Michael suddenly showed. She nodded in greeting to them all. Brin hadn't been close to any of the three in particular, but they were all very nice in passing to her when they were younger. At least, they seemed to be. She was horribly awkward as a teenager- constantly paranoid and thinking everyone was judging her. The two traits were definitely ones she tried like hell to grow out of. Thankfully, the introduction of makeup and fashion made her think of herself as somewhat presentable to a crowd. Not to mention the fact that she finally grew into her facial features. With a clearing of her throat, she turned to Jude as he addressed her once more. Her cheeks flushed a bit when he so obviously read her mind. Brinlee let out a small laugh at the man and shrugged her shoulders. "Old habits die hard, I guess. It's like a time warp, being here. Thinking I grew and matured so much, and nobody really gets to see it since I automatically revert back to the group nerd." She grinned and grabbed a roll as well. "At least I grew into my nose!"

"It's like anything else, it'll take a little while but soon people will see you for you and not for the character. We're not kids anymore" Jude offered her a light smile as he spoke. Brinlee hadn't been a part of the main cast initially until late in the first season when one of the female actors had to leave the show. The producers decided then and there that she should be promoted to a regular and with her promotion an element of comedy was added to the already dramatic show. The first season episode "Lord of the Ridge" which was essentially a Maddy centric episode had become somewhat of a fan favourite over the course of the shows history. It's light hearted content and realistic portrayal of nerdy youth is much beloved in the fandom. "Hopefully we'll get some decent scenes together this season, I know people would love that"

She nodded along in agreement before biting into the roll. What he had said made a lot of sense- though her character in the show was very much like her younger self. When she had glanced at the script for their revival season, she had noticed that Maddy was still dealing with her PTSD over the shooting. It made the woman even more of a recluse. She was terrified of the school and even seeing her old school mates sometimes brought her memories back. Brin was interested to see how they would get the woman to interact around the school, and how she had developed with some of her former classmates. Since her character had stayed in Edenridge, it would only make sense for her to have an occasional interaction with someone from the past. After she finished the bite of bread in her mouth, she shrugged her shoulders. "Would make sense for Maddy and Roddy to have some scenes together. They have her as the editor for the local paper- surely she would run in with the locals."

---

---

Season 1. Episode 11: Lord of the Ridge

---

---

"Where do you want this computer Maddy?" Roddy asked as he pulled the large box into the office. School had already let out for the day but Rod was staying behind to help Maddy set up the new computer system. He didn't really know much about the intricacies of a computer but he was doing anything and everything at the moment to keep himself distracted. Maddy on the other hand, he knew that she was always here after to school, the girl basically lived in the small office they were now sitting in. Sometimes he walked by that door on his way to class and wonder what was going on in here. The girl kept to herself, blended in with the crowd and managed to avoid the general bullying that Roddy received on a daily basis. In a way, he envied her invisibility.

"Huh?"Maddy peered up from under her desk, shoving the bridge of her glasses back against her nose. Her hair was disheveled from having to search under everything for her favored USB stick. She blinked slightly as she took in the boy- it took another moment for her to even remember what he was carrying. Once realization hit, her eyes widened and she gave a big grin full of braces. "Is that my new Intel?!" Scrambling to her feet and nearly missing hitting her head on the desk, she straightened her pencil skirt before hurrying over to him. Her eyes ran over the box and she draped her hands along it in awe. "Hey there, my precious..." Took her yet another moment to realize who was carrying the box. A bright red tinge flushed across her cheeks before taking a step away from him, her head nodding towards her empty desk. "You uh, can uh, um. My desk. My desk is good."

Roddy's lips curled up into a smirk as he watched the girl basically fall in love with a computer "I can see someone watched Lord of the Rings last Christmas" He said as he took the box over to Maddy's desk and began to unbox it. Fellowship of the Ring had come out several months before and obviously it was a massive success. Roddy wasn't a fantasy guy really but he did enjoy the movie. "Have to admit, Sean Bean really knows how to do a death scene. Boromir was badass" He didn't know if his attempts at conversation with the girl was futile but anything was worth a try. As he began to empty the box, Rod noticed a book sitting off to the side, open on its index, he could see it had been checked out several weeks ago and was due to be returned today. "Hey Mads? You realise that book needs to be at the library in like fifty seven minutes right? Or you're gonna get a fine"

The flush on her cheeks deepened as Roddy called her out on her movie reference. How embarrassing did she really have to be in front of this guy? In front of anyone, really? Blowing out a breath, she followed him over to her desk and watched as he started to unveil her new baby. His words finally caught her ears and she raised a brow in interest. "Wait...You watched it? You don't- well, I guess it's an action movie to some...Not saying you don't like fantasy! It's just that I like fantasy. The story is so riveting- have you read the books? Of course you haven't read the books, who am I kidding-" Maddy stopped mid rambling before her eyes widened. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I just meant-" The girl took a breath and looked away. This was why she stayed invisible. At the mention of her book, she scoffed and shook her head. "I always have my books turned in on time. It can't possibly-" Glancing over at the book, her eyes widened with panic and she snatched it off the desk. "Oh, cheese and crackers! I have to go!"

"Maddy?...Take a breath, dial it back ok?" Rod was no fool, he knew outside of forced assignments and tutoring sessions that the girl had very little contact with any of her contemporaries and as much as he sometime envied that, he did feel a sense of pity and a lingering feeling of sadness. It was part of the reason he offered to help out at the paper in the first place. "The library is on the Southside, Mads. I'm not letting you go there alone at this time of night. No chance. I'm coming with you. South Eden is like Mordor"

Shaking her head quickly, she ran around the office in search of her jacket, keys, book bag...Why did she have to be such a mess? She finally grabbed her bag and jacket, but where were those keys?! Maddy searched under several piles of paper and books on every desk before finding them. "Aha! Keys!" Her attention returned back to Roddy and she blinked at him. "Wow. You really did watch the movie. Impressive." Shaking off the thought, she slipped the library book into her bag. "And uh, you don't have to go with me...I'm a big girl. Well, big enough. I mean, I got my car keys and I only just got my license but I swear I'm fine. You uh, you can go home. Catch up with your....peeps?"