FORDHAM BAY UNIVERSITY
30 MINUTES FROM MARQUETTE COVE

"Mom! I told you we should have gotten here earlier," Vince said, pushing his way into the room.

Leslie, Vince's mother, followed him inside struggling with a large box. "You know, maybe you could consider helping all of us with these boxes."

"I thought Michael was going to hire people to move my stuff in," Vince muttered.

"I don't like to waste money, Vincent," Michael Hanley said, entering the room carrying a box of his own. He set the box down near the wall and moved toward Leslie, kissing her on the lips. "I'd rather spend money on my beautiful wife."

Vince rolled his eyes. "Do you two have to do that? Your honeymoon was almost two months ago. Get over it."

Leslie beamed and glanced at the wedding band on her left hand. Married. After years of sleepless nights, thinking about her first husband Sean, she couldn't believe that she'd managed to somehow let her guard down and move on. Even more unexpected, her normally disagreeable son seemed to be perfectly fine with it all.

Vince peered out into the hallway and called out his sister's name. When she didn't respond, he turned back to his mother. "Where is Akilah?"

"Watching the car," Leslie said.

Vince frowned. "I guess that's alright. We should go and get the rest of my stuff."

He spund around in the room once more before leaving, still unable to focus on anything besides his roommate's belongings. "Yeah...I'm gonna have to move that crap."


Once everything had been moved in and Vince said his goodbyes to his family, he put the finishing touches on his room's redesign. Now everything was in its perfect place. He had the bed closest to the window, and farthest away from the door. He also had the desk that he wanted, aimed perfectly at the television set.

"Freshman year is going to be hot," Vince said, still a trace of nervousness in his voice. He had spent the past year at boarding school on the East coast, away from Marquette Cove. Part of that was what allowed him to take in the news of his mother's new marriage and his sister's new boyfriend. It was ingenious on his family's part…send Vince miles away so he won't be at home to drive everyone crazy and make them do things how he wanted them to.

Boarding school had allowed him to come to peace with a small part of that. It probably helped that he hadn't had to deal with any of the shit his senior year of high school surely would have delivered if he'd stayed in Marquette Cove and let old wounds fester.

Vince's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of someone placing a key in the door. He turned to find the door swinging open to reveal Blake Thomas, his roommate, walking through the door.

"Hey buddy," Vince said. "Long time no see."

"I know, right?"

Though they remained in contact through phone and e-mail, Blake hadn't seen Vince since he left Marquette Cove. He was certainly glad to see his friend again, and he knew what he'd be getting into when he chose Vince as his roommate. He just hadn't expected to be getting into a classic Vince situation so soon. Vince had rearranged everything. in the room. And Blake had only been gone from the room less than three hours.

"Vince," Blake began, a bewildered look displayed on his face. "What the hell did you do with my stuff?"

Vince grinned. "I moved it around. Isn't it better this way?"


ONE HOUR LATER

"Vince, I'm going to see Kelli," Blake said. "Do you want to come?"

When Vince didn't respond, Blake walked toward the bed and yanked the headphones from his ear.

"Hey!" Vince snapped. "What'd you do that for?"

"I'm going to go and visit Kelli," Blake repeated. "Do you want to come with?"

Vince froze up at the mention of Kelli's name. She was one of the people he hadn't talked to since he left. Kelli, along with Jessica and Alec…he hadn't spoken to any of them. Not having to deal with any of his issues with them was why his boarding school experience had been so good in the first place. He hadn't worried about constantly proving that he could be trusted to Kelli, or his ongoing rivalry with Alec, or his residual feelings for Jessica.

"Vince. Snap out of it."

"Huh?"

"Are you coming or not?" Blake demanded.

"Yeah...sure," Vince said, finally. "I'm coming."


ALEC BALE & DARREN REYNOLDS' APARTMENT
MARQUETTE COVE

"It's a baby," his boyfriend, Darren Reynolds, said to Jack's rhetorical question. "It's supposed to cry."

"Yeah, well not on the weekend," Jack said, checking his watch. "I've got to get running. Job interview."

"Good luck," Darren said.

Jack kissed Darren before climbing off the couch and heading toward the door.

"Hey, did you take your…"

"Yes," Jack said, interrupting. "I took it. Don't worry."

As Jack closed the door, Darren sighed and stretched out on the couch. He stared at his cell phone on the floor, seeing that he had a missed call from his uncle. No doubt another call telling him what a mistake he was making dating Jack. Robert was so predictable, he'd done the exact same thing when he disapproved of Darren's relationship with Blake two years ago.

Blake and Darren had eventually broken up because Darren didn't think he should be involved with a high school student, and also because he had to admit he still had feelings for Jack. Blake had insinuated that part of it was just wanting to take care of Jack when he found out that he was HIV positive. But it was more than that...Darren just needed to be involved in an adult relationship.

Blake was too young for him. He couldn't understand what Jack was going through, and couldn't understand Darren's reasons for wanting to help his friend and for dating someone with Jack's disease. It took Darren a while to get over it, but now he was at a place where it didn't matter. He loved Jack. And they took precautions to make sure Darren never contracted the disease either.

The front door flew open again, causing Darren to sit up and see if Jack had forgotten something. But it was only his cousin, Alec Bale, walking through the door carrying grocery bags.

"Hey Alec."

"Darren, what's up," Alec said, setting the bags down on the floor.

"Alec, is that you?" Jessica Bale's voice called out from Alec's bedroom.

"Yeah, it's me!" Alec replied. "I'm back!"

Jessica emerged from the bedroom, carrying their son, Phillip. "Thank God. He won't stop crying. I need the car, so I can take him back to your parents'."

"Why don't we keep him here?" Alec suggested. "I like having the little guy around."

Darren groaned loudly.

"Hey, you don't hear me complaining when you and Jack are being all gay on the couch," Alec said.

Darren rolled his eyes. "Oh, well okay then. Maybe you'll be able to deal with it better if we got a quickie marriage in Vegas like you two."

"Well, you can't. That's illegal," Alec said, smirking. He took Phillip from Jessica, kissing his son on the forehead. "Hey there, little guy. You want to spend the rest of the day with your Dad, don't you?"


HANLEY HOME

Upon opening the front door, he was met with a large duffel bag being tossed at him. Riley caught the duffel bag and lowered it, frowning when he saw who it was.

"Yo, Riley," Eric Hanley said, blowing cigarette smoke from his lips. "What took you so long?"

"Eric," Riley said, dropping the duffel bag onto the floor. "We weren't...expecting you."

"Well no, Mike probably thought I'd just spend the next twenty years at that whack ass boarding school he sent me to, didn't he?" Eric walked inside, dousing his cigarette on the wall and tossing it back outside. "But there's no way I was gonna miss my Grandaddy's will reading. That son of a bitch finally drops dead, I'm gonna be here to collect what's my mine."

"Ah. Family.."

"Please, you hated him too," Eric. "Didn't he call you nigger all the time or something?"

Resisting the urge to punch Eric in the face, Riley slammed the door shut.

"So where's my Dad?" Eric demanded.

"In Fordham Bay, dropping Vince off at school," Riley said.

"Vince? Who the hell is that?"

Riley smiled. "Seems there's a lot you need to be filled in on."


FORDHAM BAY UNIVERSITY
KELLI ANDERSON'S DORM

Kelli heard a knock at her door.

"Hold on a sec, Jessica."

Kelli lowered her phone and went to open her door. When she did, she found Blake and Vince standing in the hallway. Upon seeing Vince, everything that had happened to them in high school rushed back into her mind. Dating Vince and breaking up with him when he couldn't get over Jessica, then ultimately becoming friends with Jessica when Kelli was the first person to find out about her pregnancy. But Vince...they'd never resolved any of their issues before he left for boarding school. He hadn't wanted to.

"Hey Kelli," Blake said.

"Blake...Vince."

"Hey," Vince said. "You gonna let us in or what?"

Kelli nodded, stepping back to let them enter. Blake gave Kelli a hug once he was inside. After their embrace, she and Vince stared at each other awkwardly until she gave him a hug as well.

"Long time no see, huh?" Vince asked.

"I guess you could say that," Kelli said, picking up the phone. "Jessica, let me call you right back."

Vince's eyes widened – soon enough, he'd have to have his reunion with her too.


HANLEY HOME

"Your brother isn't here, Valerie," Riley said, emerging from the living room.

"He's not back from dropping of that boy in Fordham Bay yet?" Valerie demanded.

"The boy has a name."

"Whatever," Valerie snapped. "I need to talk to him about the funeral arrangements."

"Hey there, Aunt Sassy."

Valerie tilted her head to get a clear view of Eric sitting on the couch, holding a glass of bourbon in his hands. His feet were resting on the coffee table.

"Eric?" Valerie called out, hurrying into the room. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Came to pay my respects."

"Bull, you came to collect."

"Same difference," Eric said. "Want a drink?"

"I see nothing has changed," Valerie said.

"Can't say the same about you. I was gonna ask where my cousin is, but apparently he skipped town. And not to mention, your husband up and left you? Harsh."

Valerie glared at Eric. "Who told you that?"

He nodded toward Riley. Valerie fixed her gaze on him.

"I'll be taking a nap," Riley said quickly, exiting the room.


MARQUETTE COVE COUNTY PRISON
VISTATION ROOM

The tall man sitting opposite from Mark slid a photograph across the table..

"Vince moved into his dorm today," the man said.

"I can see that," Mark snapped, gesturing to the photo. "He should have died in that goddamn fire, and instead what happens? He and his entire hoodlum family are living large at the Hanley mansion. I should have burned down that damn mansion instead of the rinky dink shack they were living in."

"Are you ready to proceed with your plan?" The man asked.

"Yes," Mark replied. "It's time for me to get the hell out of here."


FORDHAM BAY UNIVERSITY
KELLI ANDERSON'S DORM

"Vince, you barely even —"

Kelli cut off Blake. "It's fine. I'm actually on my way to see Jessica and Alec."

"Wow," Vince said. "The Three Musketeers."

"You should come along," Kelli said. "They've been wondering when you were going to get back."

"I'm sure they were," Vince muttered, diverting his gaze to the window.

"Vince, you're going to have to see them eventually," Blake insisted.

"I know," Vince said. "But I'm not ready right now. Okay?"

Kelli shrugged. "Fine. Whatever."

Blake's cell phone began to ring. He checked his Caller ID. "I'll take this out in the hallway."

As Blake stepped out into the hallway, Vince turned back around to face Kelli.

"Kelli, I'm sorry," Vince said. "I don't want to seem like I still have a problem with…you know, everything. I just –"

"No, I get it," Kelli said. "It's the same feeling I had when I found out I'd be seeing you again."

"What? I know we didn't exactly leave things on the best of terms…"

"We didn't leave things on any terms."

"And I'm sorry," Vince said. "But I'm a new man."

Kelli smiled. "We'll see."


"I'll be there later tonight," Blake said, hanging up the phone.

"Planning a rendezvous with Darren?"

Though he recognized the voice and knew he should start walking in the opposite direction, Blake still turned to face Chris Server.

"Hey," Chris said.

"What are you doing here?"

"I live down the hall," Chris said.

"Does Kelli know?"

"Yes, she helped me move in."

"I guess she's just friends with everybody now," Blake said.

"You haven't returned any of my calls."

"I've been busy."

"Busy with –"

"No," Blake snapped. "But you know what? Who I'm seeing is none of your business, Chris. Not anymore. And I'm glad that Kelli's been able to forgive you, but I can't."

The door to Kelli's dorm opened, and Vince stepped outside. He frowned when he saw Chris.

"Are you ready to go?" Vince asked.

"Yeah," Blake said. "Let's get out of here."


HANLEY HOME

"I'll be in my room," Akilah said, hurrying up the stairs.

"Well, she spoke to me in the car," Michael said. "That's an improvement."

"She'll come around," Leslie said. "Who'd have thought that Vince would be the quickest to adjust?"

"It probably helps that he's been living with me for the past three years," Michael said.

"Probably," Leslie said softly. "I missed out on so much of his life, Michael. And Akilah, I can understand why she's reluctant. With Vince gone, this bond between us just got –"

Leslie stopped speaking when they heard a scream coming from upstairs. It was Akilah. She and Michael exchanged glances before running upstairs and into Akilah's bedroom. When they entered the room, they found Akilah standing in front of her bed, opposite Eric, who was soaking wet and wearing a towel.

"Mom!" Akilah shouted.

"Who are you? What are you doing in my daughter's room?!" Leslie cried.

"Eric Hanley," Eric said, stepping forward to extend a hand. "You must be my new Mommy."


FORDHAM BAY UNIVERSITY
VINCENT MOORE & BLAKE THOMAS' DORM

"Seriously," Blake said, agreeing. "Who knew we'd be wishing we were at a high school party again."

"You know, I kind of missed those too," Vince said. "People dying at them. Or getting arrested. Boy, I sure miss getting arrested."

Blake laughed. "Marquette Cove's been kind of dead without you, I will admit."

"I don't believe that for a second," Vince said.

"Trust me," Blake insisted. "Life has been rather boring."

Blake's cell phone rang again.

"I'm gonna go take a shower," Vince said, heading into the bathroom.

Blake answered the phone. "Hey."

A man's deep voice met Blake on the other line. "I thought you were coming over?"

"I will, don't worry, I'm coming soon," Blake replied.

"Good. I missed you."

"Maybe you'll show me how much," Blake said.

"Get here soon."

"Okay," Blake whisper, lowing his voice to a smoother and sexier register. "Bye, Dr. Maddock."

"I love it when you call me that."

Blake hung up his phone and shoved it back into his pocket. Perhaps things hadn't been quite so dead in Marquette Cove. But Vince didn't need to know that. Neither did anyone else.


HANLEY HOME

"I could have told you he was, if you bothered to pick up your damn phone," Valerie said, emerging from the living room with a plate of food.

"What are you doing here?" Michael demanded.

"I've been here for a while now, actually," Valerie said. "You seemed busy. So I made myself at home."

"You know how much I love when you do that, but in the future...don't."

"I'm going to grab something to drink and then go back upstairs with Akilah," Leslie said. "Maybe get acquainted with my...step-son."

Leslie headed toward the kitchen. Valerie watched as she left, then moved toward Michael and extended her food toward him.

"Want some chips?"

"Valerie, get out," Michael snapped.

"No...I'm here to talk about funeral arrangements," Valerie said.

"You just want to know where the will is," Michael said.

"Tell me where it is!"

"I don't know where it is, our father's lawyer has it," Michael insisted.

"I think you're lying to —"

"I think you have other things to worry about, like where my nephew is," Michael said. "People don't just stay out of contact with their families for over a year."

"We both know Matt had a lot of drug problems," Valerie said. "I'm sure that's been the cause of his —"

"Okay, we've heard it all before," Michael said, cutting her off.

Valerie glared at her brother as the doorbell rang.

"Sounds like your cue," Michael said.

He ushered Valerie toward the door, taking the plate from her. He opened the door to find a tall man standing outside, wearing a large brimmed hat that was obscuring part of his face.

"Who are you?"

"I'm here to see Michael Hanley," the man said.

"Is this about the will?" Valerie demanded.

"No," Michael snapped, letting the man inside and slamming the door in Valerie's face. "What can I do for you?"

"I have a delivery from Mr. Zane," the man said.

Michael grimaced. "Let's step into my office."