Devon had neither seen nor heard from Josh or any of the guys since he had left her office with Kellan four weeks earlier. When she had gotten home that evening, four weeks ago, it was to find a letter left from Bree saying that she had left. She would see her at the wedding festivities, and to be sure to remember to bring both Kellan and Josh with her. Since she had not heard from either one of them and she was set to leave the following morning, she wasn't sure if the last request was going to be possible.

She was still helping Nina at the bar, and the long cold nights had made them busy. Shane had been avoiding Devon which didn't surprise her. It was what most of Bree's past victims did when she was done with them.  She could never tell if they ignored her due to their embarrassment or if Bree had made them so mad that they were mad at her because of association. Devon was thinking hard on this when Grant looked at her and laughed.

"You seem to be thinking on something pretty intense over there." Grant sipped his beer as his gaze wandered to where Nina was at the other end of the bar.

"When Bree and you called it quits, why were you mad at me?" Devon turned to the man she had been serving and passed him another beer with a sweet smile.

"What's brought this up now?" Grant said, confused.

"Shane is ignoring me, and I am finally trying to figure out the why of it?'

Grant nodded. "It wasn't all that hot and heavy between us, and when I realized that it was never going to be I wanted to get back at you. I can't speak for Shane, but in my case I was angry because I had made a big mistake in choosing your sister over you. When it was all over, and I had caught onto your sister's evil ways, I was also ashamed of myself."

Devon looked at him, her eyes wide. Had he really given up on them? Is that what all the other guys she had dated had been thorough as well? Had she been the one in the wrong by continuing to date guys that she knew were never going to interest her? Was this her whole dating history summed up in a few pathetic sentences?

Grant gave he a gentle smile as he watched her sort thought her feelings.

"I always thought Bree was better than me, better looking, funnier, more charming, but you're saying that the reason you dated her was to get back at me?" There was no way Bree was smart enough to know that all of her boyfriends were easy marks because of the way she kept them at arm's length, and if she did know that then she might be truly evil to take advantage of them in that way.

"Did you ever tell Bree about our relationship; that you felt that way about it?" Devon asked trying to figure it all out.

Grant snorted into his glass. "No, that would have been like forgetting to wear a cup in a wrestling match. She would have used it against me quickly." But he frowned as he thought for a minute. "You have a natural ability to read people and their moods and thoughts. I think Bree has that same ability but to a lesser extent. She only knows how to read people when it's for her gain."

Devon was quiet and thoughtful. It was evident that she couldn't date anymore, maybe she was the evil one to lead men along that she had no interest in at all. It hadn't been her intention, she had always secretly hoped that one would replace Josh in her heart so that she could forget about him.

"Stop it, Devon. Stop beating yourself up about the past. You didn't do any of it on purpose. You have never been able to help your charm and sweetness. One of the things that draws men to you is that you're completely unaware of how beautiful you are. You're the girl next door. I could never be mad at you because you never did anything on purpose, you're one of the most honest people I know."

"I'm sorry Grant," Devon said reaching for his hand.

"It's alright, and I forgive you. It all turned out the way it should have in the end." He looked over at Nina and gave her a wink.

Just then the power went out and there was a scream before the emergency lights came on over the doors. "Bar is closed!" Nina yelled, taking the key out of the till and starting to push people out the door. "If you didn't pay, drinks are on the house!"

Devon quickly joined her in herding people out the door. The power could be out for ten minutes or two hours, but the dark tended to make drunk people do stupid things, and it would be easy for all hell to break lose in a matter of minutes if they didn't get everyone out soon.  Nina would rather lose a night's earnings then have to close for a week to repair her bar.

The tide had turned towards the door when some idiot called out, "Free Drinks!" and everyone started shouting and moving towards the bar, but before they could get very far there was a piercing whistle and everyone stopped and turned to follow the sound.

Lee was standing on a chair, his massive frame easily viewed by everyone. Devon watched as Kellan, Will, and Josh started to move through the crowd towards her and Nina, who were doing their best to block the bar. 

"Bar is closed!" Lee bellowed in a deep booming voice. "It's time to leave." There was a pause while the mass of people considered this but Lee didn't give them time to think. "Now!" He jumped off of the chair and started to push people gently towards the door, herding them as he would a bunch of cattle.

The other three, along with Devon, Nina, Shane, and Grant, formed a moving wall that kept people from turning around. The bar hadn't been that full so it only took about five minutes for the last person to leave. Devon and Nina did one last sweep to make sure everyone was out then she locked the door and breathed a sigh of relief. "Thanks guys, that was a tough moment. Especially you Lee, I've never seen you in here before."

"I was dropping the others off, and it looked as if you needed help, but since I'm no longer needed I'll head out now." He nodded and left through the emergency exit at the side of the bar.

Devon thought, not for the first time, that he was an odd man. He was quiet and kept to himself and there had to be a story there. He carried himself with assurance, was polite to everyone, and he didn't seem to have a chip on his shoulder since he was always friendly.

"We'll have to clean this place up tomorrow morning if the power comes back on by then." Nina's words distracted Devon from her thoughts about Lee as moved to the till and started to take the cash out and put it in the safe.

Devon pulled out her phone and called the power company, doing her best to avoid the fact that Josh had returned and was standing so close to her that she could touch him. She wished she was Bree then she could just throw herself in his arms.

"They say it will be at least three hours," Devon said as she hung up her phone.

"We might as well call it a night then." Nina locked her stuff in the safe then joined them on the other side of the bar. "Can I come to your place? I don't have a fireplace, and if this lasts long it will be too cold to sleep in my apartment."

"Sure, how about you Grant?" Devon asked as she grabbed her keys from behind the bar and followed Nina out of the door.

"I would appreciate it Devon." Grant accepted.

They all went back to her apartment where a fire was started and blankets were found as beds were made on the couches. Josh had a fireplace so he and Kellan retreated to his apartment with barely a word being said between them.

Devon couldn't help but wonder if he was regretting their conversation the last time he had seen her. Had he guessed that she loved him? No longer willing to think about what Grant had said or what Josh might be feeling, she put another log on the fire and curled up under her blankets.

She had just started to drift off to sleep when her phone buzzed. She looked down at it and saw that she had a message from a number she didn't recognize.

"Are you ready to tell me about the photo yet?"

It was Josh, she wasn't aware that he even had her number.

"No, how did you get my number?"

"Kellan and I have something to take care in the morning but we'll be ready to leave at 10:00 tomorrow that should put us there in time for lunch." 

Devon paused, he hadn't answered her question and she hadn't agreed to ride with them. She debated about disagreeing, but she really wanted to spend the time with Josh so she was unsure.

"I can hear you thinking all the way across the hall."

Devon still didn't respond, she was torn, the more time she spent with him the more likely he was to see through her defenses, what little there was of them.

"I remember the day the photo was taken. Would you like to know what I remember from that day?"

Her hand shook as she typed the word yes back to him.

"You had fallen out of a tree and broken your arm, and that was the first time I called you Firefly."

He did remember it then, did he know that was the moment she had fallen in love with him? She wanted to ask so badly but she lacked the nerve.

"I'll be ready by ten." Was all she could bring herself to type back as she held back the tears of frustration.