The night before Cole saw Dirk. Of all people to show up it had to of been Dirk. It was suppose to be a night out with Jessie, get out of the house and have a good time. To come back to Rhydin and see all the brothers. Though Dirk was never actually seen at the house. Whispers of how Dirk had already met someone else and moved on once again. That is no surprise to Cole, Dirk always does have someone else around the corner.. Which leads to, that he and Dirk are very much not talking.

Alright so back to the night before. He saw him and Dirk barely said a word to him, a surprise? No not really. But it hurt, boy did it hurt and Cole was in a slump ever since. Even at the main house everyone knew that Cole is taking it rather roughly the encounter with Dirk. And they divulged a plan. Oh yes, a plan to get Dirk and Cole friends yet again.

And this is where Cole is. A small shop that Jay had sent him to, to meet with Dirk and to talk. Just talk, Jay had said, make amends. Easy for him to say, did Dirk marry his sister and have kids with her? No, didn't think so.

He slouches on the barstool and sips through the straw that sits in a very yummy glass of pineapple smoothie. Olive greens glance to the door every once and a while. Maybe if they are face to face, Dirk won't be his too usual egotistical self. And lucky for him Cole isn't a fighter but he sure as heck wouldn't mind pouring this delicious pineapple smoothie on top of that head of his and laugh in his face.

A small grin on pouty lips at that. What a face Dirk would make if Cole did that. He even lets out a small giggle and gets a little glance from the woman behind the counter, so Cole quickly turns on the barstool and watches the door again.

Just about the time that Cole thinks that okay, Dirk is about fifteen minutes late.. Oh well and get up off the barstool and make his way out, hopefully to do just that and miss him, there is Dirk in the doorway. He closes olive greens for a moment then opens them to really glance at Dirk. Could he look any better? Any more over Cole then he does? He rolls his eyes and purses pouty lips. Course he has to rub it in right, I met someone else, did your sister, got everything I wanted out of you and your family and now I'm done right?

His fingers grip onto that smoothie, how he wants to toss it in Dirk's face. It would serve him right. Another light sigh escapes him as Dirk sits down next to him and calls him that name. That name that he got for jumping on the bed, the bed that he and Dirk once shared, the same bed where they.. No. He shakes his head, that was a long time ago.

"Hi." He says quietly and turns back around on the barstool and looks at the lady once again. Who could see the tension and quickly made her way over to the other side of the counter. Olive greens look down in the smoothie as he sets it back on the top of the counter, then they peer over at Dirk.

"I don't know what this is all about or why Jay asked us to come here. I mean I know he wants us to be friends again. But, I don't know." He shrugs softly and looks at Dirk.

"So you are with someone again, huh? You and Gage broke up once again and now you are with someone else? Are you happy?" Yes of course, after everything that Dirk, Cole, and Gage have been through.. the fights, the hurt, he still cares if they are happy or not.

Olive greens watch Dirk closely, very closely. The face that Dirk makes when he is thinking, of course that face is the same. He's known Dirk for too long to not know all the faces and quirks that he has. His fingers move along the tall glass of the smoothie, the condensation on his fingertips but never once does his glance waver from Dirk's face.

He cringes a bit at being called that name again. Not that he hates the name but what it pertains to. This was the name that they shared in the bedroom most of the time. Cute little pet names they would say as they ran around the room and tackled each other as they played 'Tickle Monster.'

Then Dirk utters those last words. Be forgiven? For a moment Cole has to think, ponder. But is Dirk here solely because Jay told him he did wrong? Or does Dirk really understand that he has hurt Cole. He sighs and looks into those hazels that always did capture his attention.

"Forgive." He whispers and lets out yet another breath, his now cool fingers lay down on the counter top and tap for a moment as if that could help him make a decision. He never really thought about mending this fence with Dirk. It was one of those times that if Dirk was not talking to him, well then he wasn't going to talk to Dirk. Simple as that. Fight fire with fire. Course it is a bit childish but then Cole isn't prized for his maturity.

"You are really sorry, for everything? I mean really, really. Cause you have said sorry before and then you go and do mean things all over again."

He nibbles on his pouty bottom lip for a moment and stares into this face. The face of the man he loved for so long and one day finally had the chance to tell him just that. It is true that their love wasn't exactly the most healthy, there were times when they both became physical, believe it or not Cole has smacked Dirk a good time, or.. two. Even name calling and fits being thrown. But to Cole a love wasn't more pure then what he felt for Dirk. And even now through it all it is there. The question is, with that love still inside him, would they really be able to be friends?

Deep in thought he doesn't even realize that his fingers tap on the counter top again, possibly annoying the crud out of the poor waitress who is trying to keep her distance from the two men.

Funny how after everything they have been through it all comes down to a simple gesture of forgiveness. All he does is utter these words and they can work on getting things better? Cole nods for a moment, wraps his hands around the smoothie and just like that.. He stands up, and pours it over the top of Dirk's head with a huge laugh.

"Ha, ha, ha!" He laughs again as the contents of his glass cascade down Dirk's head. And it really isn't to be mean, no, it is to prove a point.. You mess with Cole, you get a cold smoothie dumped on your head. And if you can stand it and laugh through it, then why can't a friendship be fixed.

"You've been owned!"

He laughs even more at Dirk's reaction to it. The way he scrunches up his face and how his shoulder are so close to his neck. The plop of the smoothie falling off his head to the ground in front of him. He laughs again but doesn't make a move away, not so smart, he should of known Dirk would retaliate.

"Ha! You look pretty good with a smoothie on your head." He giggles and goes to slide back on the barstool, though this was before that smoothie was flicked to his nose and olive greens cross to see it sitting on the tip of that button nose. "Ewwww.." He frowns and goes to wipe if off with his hand.

That is until a moan is heard, olive greens quickly look up at Dirk and he watches with his mouth wide open might I add as Dirk licks his lips, and moans. "I uh.. well.. You. Huh.." And Cole is loss for words and he continues to stare. It has been a very long time since he has heard that moan, playful or not and he is a bit, taken aback.

He coughs and shakes his head. Dirk always did do things like that to get to you. And surely this time is no different. He is after all with someone else and so is Cole. Well, Cole is sort of.. He hasn't admitted to anyone that the reason he is back is because Jessica left him. Which he pushes away from his memory for now, no need to think about that right now. Right now he is here with Dirk and trying to salvage and rekindle a friendship.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself." He smiles and leans on the counter top as olive greens even seem to smile as he looks at Dirk. "I'm sorry too you know. We both did some pretty bad stuff to each other. I think that if I never did bother you back then, maybe we would still be very good friends right now. I should of stayed away when you were with Gage."

Speak of the devil..

Jaden found Gage, course he didn't have to look too far. Gage was after all just staying in an Inn not far away from the Pi house. After the very public breakup with Dirk he needed to get away from everyone. The looks and comments even pats on the back of reassurance, he didn't need any of that. He needed to be alone.

Sitting in the room by himself gave him time to rethink everything, go over every little step he took, and figure out how it got him to where he is now. Is it true that after all this time he is straight, and that that is why it never would work with Dirk? He can't really even answer that for himself. All he knows is that he wants what Dirk had and threw away. A family, a beautiful wife and amazing kids. But that's all too early for Gage now, he has many years to think about things. That is until the knock at the door came.

Jaden handed him the small note, where to go and what time to be there. Jay assured him that it would be better to talk with Dirk and Cole and get things worked out. Better to make amends. Amends. He nodded to Jay and took the paper, promising Jay that he would be home soon and that he will go to this diner and meet with Cole and Dirk. Yes, to make amends.

Day after talking with Jay, Gage is out of the Inn and walking on to the small diner. Didn't take long and soon he is standing in front of the door. A push of it and the bell announces that someone has arrived. Green blues glance to Cole and then Dirk as they sit at the bar. A dark brow arching at the fact that Dirk looks as though he has had something dumped on his head.

"Hey guys." He says softly as the door shuts behind him.

Another laugh as Dirk takes the pose, Cole shakes his head and smiles the very sweet smile that is always Cole. "I don't think Gage would do that but I wouldn't doubt he would look just as good too." He laughs a bit more, but then that fades as they begin to talk again.

He sat there and listened to everything Dirk had to say. And even though he says it isn't any of Cole's fault, well it was Cole that came on to him in the beginning. And despite the fact that Dirk kept telling him over and over that he had been with Gage, Cole pursued him that much more. So he holds that close but keeps his mouth shut about it.

"Yeah, I still have the petals in my journal.. under my pillow." He whispers, but then the bell and olive greens turn to the door and see someone he hasn't seen in so long. He sighs and smiles. Gage looks like his old self, though the messy dark hair a tad more messy as if he just now got out of bed.

"Hi Gage." He watches as Gage moves closer to them and he knows that it will also be a time for them to talk. He and Dirk have already started to mend their friendship but now it will be Dirk and Gage. And he quietly waits for the talking to start.

A glance to Cole as he whispers, and another smile curls his lips. It touched him that Cole had kept those rose petals. But then his eyes go back to Gage and that smile fades once again. The look on Gage's face is not one of overwhelming joy or happiness to see him or be here. Noticing the scar, he winces inwardly.

The waitress had brought the drink while Gage was reaquainting with Cole. It was sweet, their reunion. And why shouldn't it be? They hadn't hurt each other like he had hurt them both. The thought occured to him that maybe he should sneak on out while they were talking.

But then those green blue eyes were back on him and he lowers his own gaze to the drink. "Yeah, figured that if it could fix mine and Cole's friendship, it could fix ours too." he holds out the smoothie to Gage, looking him in the eye. "I'm doing alright, surviving, you know." Of course he's not going to mention Tristan to either of them. No need to pour salt into open wounds.

Lowering his head, he waits for the smoothie shower.

He lifts his head slowly and shakes his head. Chewing his lips, tears come to the forefront. "Don't say that." he whispers and sits fully up right. "We've been best friends ever since we could steal gum from old man Stewart's dime store. Man, don't say that it's over."

He glances to Cole when Gage does, then back to Gage. "Yes, we've made mistakes, but don't you think it's time to bury the animosity and just move on? And we were both pretty screwed in the head back when this all started. Can't we just let it go?"

He just wanted to get up and run. His hand twitched, itching for a cigarette. His mouth now a set, hurt line. Turning his back to them both, he gets up from his stool. Taking the smoothie with him, he moves over to a booth and sits alone. Placing his head in his hands, his shoulders shake.

He sits there and listens to Dirk and Gage talk. It's like old times really, where Cole would sit quietly as Dirk and Gage would have one of their many spats in front of him. He usually was the one not involved or the one that they were fighting about. Like the time Dirk took him out to a bar, and helped Cole with his first time with a woman. Yeah, Gage was really unhappy about that one.

He clears his throat and averts his eyes for the time being and when they mention the innocent, he sighs softly and nibbles on his pouty bottom lip. They always called him an innocent, and it is pretty true. Cole is very much the naive. But when Dirk stands up from the barstool, olive greens quickly look over and watch as Dirk goes to the booth and cries. He closes his eyes, it hurt so much to watch someone he loves be hurt.

A glance to Gage and just as he slides off the barstool and walks over to Dirk. Resting his hand on Dirk's shaking shoulder, and that's just about when Jessie walks through the door. He shakes his head and squeezes Dirk's shoulder.

"Nobody has died." He says softly.

He feels Cole's hand on his shoulder and he puts his hand over Cole's and squeezes it. Looking up, he sets his jaw and listens to Gage rant. "Yes," he whispers softly. "Yes, I want to bury everything and start over." Hazels look around the room and he notices Jess for the first time. He hadn't seen him in a long while and his eyes narrowed.

Looking back to Gage, he shakes his head. "You are wrong, Gage. I've always given a shit. I've never stopped caring about any of you." his gaze sweeps to Cole, then back to Gage. "I did meet somebody. That has nothing to do with what's going on right here and now. But then, maybe it does. A new start for us all."

He sighs heavily and continues to look into Gage's face. "I want my best friend back."

This is typical of Gage, Dirk and Cole really. Always so full of drama and fits, fights, words of harsh nature, even fist fights, but one thing they always did in the end was to be friends again. He sighs and watches Cole and Dirk, even a glance to Jessie. He felt more then bad about the falling out with Jessie, he had never meant to say things like that but, Jess had messed with the wrong person.

A shake of his head, his mind kept wandering and he has to look at Dirk to keep it where it needed to be, with the task at hand. To be friends again? Maybe. "I want us to bury this just as much as you Dirk, but how do I know that if we do make nice again, that it won't turn into the same crap it always does?"

He moves over to the booth at where they are and he puts both his hands on the table. "I am more then willing to work through this, I want us all to be friends again, I mean, I'm sick of the fighting. I really am."

A glance back at Jessie then to Dirk again. "We have to stop hurting people, and ourselves. If we do this, it means that we are just friends, no more getting jealous, no more fights, and no more name calling. Being called a son of a whore is getting very old." He arches a dark brow. "Right?"

Green blues look at Cole and he smiles. "And no more hurting the boy." A thumb back to Jessie. "None of the boys. Alright?"

Cole stands there and listens to them, doing what he has always done really. Sat quietly and let them talk out their differences. He smiles softly as it seems that they come to an agreement and as Dirk scoots, Cole does slide into the booth next to him and smiles at them both. To have them both talking and friends again, who could ask for more.

Olive greens watch as Gage sits down, and then slowly even Jessie makes his way over to the booth. And Cole can't be happier. They all four talk of the past, laughing at this and laughing at that. And of course there are times where it is quiet and they talk of the hurt and wrongs they have all done to each other. Apologizes from all to all.. Drinking coffee, even sharing a few deserts and dinner from their plates, all four laughing once again and cutting up on each other. Talking of how things have changed and how they have changed, for the better.

They must of stayed in that shop for hours and nobody cared to look at the time, it was safe to say that after all of this, at least the healing can start.


And finally after a year, they can make amends.