The next few weeks went by with no word from Bree or her mother. She finished teaching the SEALs and had cut back on helping Nina at the bar. She and Kellan had been spending a lot of time together while she helped him with his dissertation.

Somehow her place had become the new place to hang out on Sundays when the bar was closed. There was always a full fridge and everyone brought their own alcohol. Football season was in high gear so, between her and Josh's place, the downstairs of the old house was always full.

This is how Bree found the place the Sunday before Thanksgiving when she wandered in without warning. Devon was sitting on the couch having a serious conversation with Kellan and Grant about Millennials and their outlook on life versus Generation X, with Nina also having her say, when Bree walked in looking gentle and soft in a soft pink sweater and a very tight pair of old blue jeans.

Devon couldn't hide her shock at seeing her sister as she stood in her doorway with what, Devon could only guess, was supposed to be an unsure woe is me look.

"Devon?" she asked with uncharacteristic timidity. "I didn't know you were having a party, I can come back later."

Grant, who had been facing away from the door, froze with his beer halfway to his mouth and shuddered at her voice. Devon rolled her eyes and swatted playfully at him.

"It's your own fault," she whispered as she stood. "Of course not, come on in, would you like a drink?"

"Sure." Bree agreed.

"A beer?" Kellan asked, holding up an extra one from the table in front of them.

Bree shook her head, "No, a soda if it's not too much trouble."

"No trouble," Kellan said as he rose from his chair, "I just have to go across the hall to get it." He knew that Devon had sodas in her fridge so her guess was that Kellan was going across the hall to warn Josh.

Bree moved to sit in the place on the couch next to where Kellan had been sitting. After she made herself comfortable she looked around and saw three pairs of eyes watching her warily. Nina, Grant, and Devon, all three of them knew that she was pretending to be meek and she realized it as she saw them watching her.

"What are you doing here?" Bree rudely asked Grant.

"I'm here every Sunday my dear Bree." He sipped his beer watching her with what could only be described as a disgusted look.

"I see you're still hanging around," she said to Nina who was sharing the love seat with Devon.

"Yep, good friends are harder to get rid of than family." She raised her beer to her before she took a drink.

"Why are you here Bree?" Devon asked, looking up as Kellan came in with a drink and Will hot on his heels. Kellan handed Bree the drink then sat next to her as she had planned. He looked over and winked at Devon before he reached for his beer again.

Will walked over to the love seat and wedged himself between Nina and Devon. "This is the best seat in the house!" He continued to try to get comfortable 'accidentally' copping the occasional feel as he settled into his chosen spot. Everyone was so focused on the show he was putting on, and Nina and Devon were doing their best to block his wandering hands and arms, that no one noticed as Josh lounged in the doorway.

"Where are you gonna sit, Josh?" Will asked as he put his feet up on the table.

"He can have my seat," Devon said, getting up quickly.

"Josh!" Bree exclaimed and raced to embrace him.

Josh let her throw herself into his arms like he always did, and he forced a smile when Bree looked up at him. "Oh, how wonderful. What are you doing here?"

Devon wanted to laugh, that seemed to be the question of the day.

"I live here, Bree. Just across the hall." Bree looked confused and then happy, but she managed to shoot Devon an angry look over Josh's shoulder when she hugged him again.

"If looks could kill," Grant said as he rose from his chair. "I think I'll go across the hall and check out the score."

"What are you doing here Bree?" Devon repeated her earlier question as she sat in the chair that Grant had just vacated.

All eyes were watching Bree as she turned to look around the room. She gave her sweet woe is me smile to Kellan while linking her arm through Josh's. Devon was curious as to why Josh had joined them and revealed to Bree that he lived across the hall. She was sure he had his reasons, but she couldn't begin to guess what they were.

Kellan held out Bree's soda to her and good manners forced her to leave Josh's side and rejoin Kellan on the couch. "Well, Mother and Father decided to go on a cruise with the McIntires for Thanksgiving, and I couldn't afford to take the time what with the upcoming-" she thought better of reminding all of the men that she was getting married. "Well I just couldn't take that much time right now, so I decided to come and stay with my favorite sister." She shot Devon her best smile, "Won't it be fun, Devon. We can spend the holiday together."

"Sure, you can sleep on the couch," Devon said as she took another swig of her beer, her eyes meeting Josh's in amusement at the look of horror on Bree's face.

"Oh, there you are, Josh. I just made some popcorn." Betty's voice could be heard coming from the hallway behind Josh.

"Thanks, Betty. I'll be right there." Josh said without glancing over his shoulder.

Betty, having noticed that almost everyone had migrated to Devon's apartment, stuck her head around Josh taking in the quiet scene in front of her. Her glance stopped when it hit Bree, and Devon had to bite back a laugh as the two women eyed each other.

"Easy girls, there are enough men to go around," Nina said with an amused smile.

Devon almost blew beer through her nose when she couldn't hold back the laugh anymore. Bree, ignoring the comment, turned to Kellan and started telling him about her sensitive back in great detail, and the others were so entranced by her show they missed the gentle vibrations of phones as they went off around the room.

The only one to check their phone was Josh. Devon watched him as his face took on its warrior look while he read the message.

"You guys ready?" he asked, just as if they had had plans to leave all along.

"Yep!" Will jumped up eager to be included again.

He had talked to Devon one night, after a few too many beers, about how he had made a mistake and gotten hurt. It had meant that he was sidelined for the past three months, and he was eager to be back in the action. That was where all of his anger and worry had been coming from.  He had been angry not to be included and worried about the guys when they were deployed.  He had let it slip that it had been Josh's decision to sideline him, and he was still hurt by it.  He understood it, but he was hurt. Devon and Will had never talked about it again, and she had no clue if he even remembered the conversation, but it had explained a lot.

Kellan rose slowly and followed the other two out the door.

Everyone but Bree knew what was going on, but they all remained silent as the guys left the apartment. To keep from thinking about Josh going into harm's way, Devon rose and started to gather all of the empty beer bottles.

"Devon, you can use my place if you want," Josh said as he stuck his head in the door one last time.

"Thanks Josh, safe travels," she said softly, planting her feet firmly to keep from throwing herself in his arms, doubting he would welcome her embrace.

Bree had no such doubts as she threw herself into his arms once more. "You can't go, I just got here. I insist that you stay."

"Sorry, Bree," Josh said as he untangled himself from her arms. "The plans have already been made."

He nodded to Nina and Betty and then left.

"Well, this is a waste," Bree said as went into the bathroom slamming the door behind her just as Grant reentered the apartment

"That's the Bree I know," he said as he fell onto the couch.

"Doesn't she understand that they don't have a choice?" Betty softly asked as she sunk into a chair.

"She doesn't know they're Navy, and Josh doesn't want her too," Devon said just as quietly.

"Why?" Betty looked at all of them for an answer.

"I don't know. You'll have to ask him that question." Devon did know but she would have to reveal more about Josh than she thought he would want her to in order to answer that question.

The other's stayed around for only a short time before Bree got on their nerves and they decided to leave. The rest of that evening was nothing but Bree comparing Josh, Will, and Kellan to each other while trying to decide which one would be the best one to spend her time getting to know better.

"Don't you think Hal would be upset to hear you talking like this?" Devon asked at one point. "Where is he by the way? Why aren't you spending Thanksgiving with him?"

She shrugged. "He wanted me to go to the West coast, but I didn't feel like traveling all that way. You'll bring Kellan to the wedding. That will give me one last shot with Josh."

"One last shot to do what?" Devon asked, annoyed.

Bree just smiled secretly without answering the question.

"Sex, you want to have sex with Josh, don't you? You don't love him, it's all just about the sex." Devon didn't try to disguise the disgust in her voice.

Bree laughed. "Come on Devon, it's always about the sex. Except with Hal, with Hal, it's all about the money and fame. The sex isn't that great, but I'm guessing you already know that. You never were really good at picking them in that department by the way."

Devon was staring at Bree, stunned by what she was hearing.

"Why do you want to only have sex with Josh, he's just as rich as Hal? You could marry him." Devon wanted to kick herself for asking the question ad putting the idea in Bree's head. However, knowing her sister it was probably an idea she had already had.

"Josh is sexy as hell and he's rich enough, but he doesn't do anything. I need a man who is doing something important with his life, like Hal." Bree gave a smug smile.

"Hal works in the corporate world, what's so important about that?" Devon wondered what Bree would say if she knew the truth about Josh.

"Everything, he knows all the right people thanks to his parents. I'll get into the best parties, wear the best clothes, and everyone will want to be me." Bree almost preened as she said the words.

"But Mom and Jenny want you and Josh to get married." Devon didn't know why she was bringing it up again. There was some devil in her, testing her and Bree's boundaries.

"I know, annoying isn't it?" Bree threw the magazine she had been reading to the side.  "Tell me about Kellan. I have a feeling he's very good in bedroom department too."

"I wouldn't know," Devon said absently still trying to absorb all that Bree had said. What had happened to her little sister along the way that had made her so different from herself?

"Bree?" Devon asked in an attempt to find an answer to her silent question. "Did something happen to you when you were younger?"

"Did something happen to me? Like what?" Bree looked confused then when what she was being asked finally dawned on her she started laughing. "Oh my God, Devon! You're such a prude. No, nothing happened to me. I just really enjoy men and sex. It's a great game to see which ones I can wrap around my finger and which ones, like Josh, take a little more work."

"If you want Josh, why do you want me to bring Kellan to your wedding?" Devon asked confused. She was not a manipulator like her sister. She did understand Bree's plan.

Bree rolled her eyes.  "If you don't bring Kellan then you'll always be partnered with Josh, and I won't get any time with him. Plus, if he falls through, Kellan will make a good back-up plan."

Suddenly no longer able to take the conversation, Devon stood-up. "You can have my room. I'll sleep across the hall. Josh's place is pretty sparse, you'll be more comfortable here." Not to mention Devon didn't want Bree anywhere near anything that belonged to Josh, including his bed.

"Fine with me," Bree said, reaching for another magazine.

Devon's head hurt from all of the revelations that Bree had made. She always knew that Bree had fewer morals and was a game player, but she never knew how bad it was. Poor Hal. She had always liked Hal, and she wondered if she should warn him, but she knew that even if she did it wouldn't do any good.

Probably, she would be seen as a spurned woman trying to get back at Bree, and she had little doubt that if Bree found out about it that would be how she would spin it.

Devon dressed for bed in her apartment then wandered across the hall and cleaned Josh's place a little before she fell into his bed.  She should change the sheets but they smelled like him; she pulled a pillow close and tried to imagine what being held in his arms would be like.