The corridor between apartments. They're long, square and have lots of doors...

Some have green lights above reading 'Fire Exit'.

::Meredith exits the lift with Paz, Julie, Andrea and Sera.::

"Edgy."

::She grins at them all and takes out a set of keys, walking to one of the doors.::

"Okay ladies, first stop your place."

::She unlocks the door to Julie and Andrea's apartment and they all go inside.::

::Andrea comes out into the hallway and holds her breath for a really, really long time.::

(Either I saw what I saw or I didn't what I didn't.)

::She looks down the hallway.::

(Only one way to find out.)

::She doesn't let out her breath. She walks to Chloe's.::

"..."

::Julie follows.::

::Andrea kisses Julie hurriedly and looks excited as she pulls back.::

"You should take me and get pissed. Come on."

::She grins and kisses Julie's ear.::

"So you skipped my apartment viewing to kiss in the hallway?"

::Paz's head is peeking out of his doorway.::

::Not that she doesn't enjoy the sudden attention but Julie's no fool. She grabs hold of Andrea's shoulders and holds her down, she ignores Paz.::

"What's going on?"

::Andrea winces and tries to play it off lightly.::

"Julie's showing me a new non-painful martial art move..."

(Please please please be non-painful...)

"Andrea."

::She lets go but gives her the mean eyes.::

::Confused, Paz walks out into the hallway fully, approaching a small amount, but not so that he's near.::

"Guys... What's going on?"

::There is indeed something not quite right, and there's a dull dread in his stomach that Julie has turned to beating Andrea...::

::Andrea stiffens and confesses.::

"Chloe. I saw Chloe. She's..."

::Andy swallows and gestures with a nod.::

"She's right there. In that apartment right there."

::Chloe steps into the hallway from her apartment, trying to make herself as small as possible. She freezes upon seeing the lesbians, almost as if she weren't expecting them to be there. She closes her door with a click. And stands there.::

::Julie pushes Andrea out of the way and stares at Chloe, clearly not very friendly.::

"It can't be!"

::She wraps her arms around herself afraid of what would happen otherwise.::

"Chloe?!"

::Paz's face is one of shock, and confusion too. Initially, he thinks Andrea may have been seeing something, a mental illusion or trick of the eyes... But no, now he sees her, out in the hallway. He doesn't stay where he is, and instead quickens his pace to make his way toward the shapeshifting hybrid. He can't quite believe his eyes as he takes in the sight of her.::

"...Chloe?"

::Andrea just goes white.::

::Chloe brushes her hair behind her ear, leaning against her door, planning escape.::

"Hi... It's... been a while."

(Lame ass.)

::Her eyes settle past Julie onto Andrea unconsciously.::

::She looks at Andrea, the color leaving Julie's face her eyes getting full of fear.::

(No... this can't happen.)

::With her hands balled into fists Julie closes her eyes, taking deep breaths.::

(It's fine. Andrea's with you now. Andrea's mine. She's living with me.)

"Chlo..."

::He can't seem to form her name right in his mouth again, and still keeps the initial look of shock on his face.::

"...Chl... Where have you been? What happened to you?"

"What are you doing here!?"

::The question sounds far more violent than Andrea means it.::

::Julie just glares.::

::The tension in the room is suffocating.::

"Um, let's see. Julie, Paz, and..."

::Chokes a little.::

"Andrea."

::She inches near Paz a bit, the most friendly face in the room.::

::Andrea continues to look horrified.::

::He isn't lost on the tension issue, either. In his stomach, there's that twang of dread. He knows how Andrea felt about Chloe, and how she still does. The past lives incident made him clear of that, after she had told him all of the story about when she met the past life of Chloe, as he had Justin's former self.

The look on Julie's face is also a worry, well, the look of what he can see of her face behind the balled fists. Guess she knows how Andrea feels too... Shit.::

"Oh my god, Chloe."

::Feeling the girl might need a little support herself, Paz takes a step forward and gives a comforting hug to his long missing friend.::

::Chloe brings her hands to her mouth, unsure of how to explain the last two years of her life.::

"I... I've been traveling. I... I'm back because there's nothing else to see. And I've missed you."

::She speaks to no one in particular, avoiding all eyes.::

(Where have you been?)

::Andrea stiffens and straightens her spine, yet still she's not tall. She has no idea how to react to this scene, and hopes somebody will intervene in a safe way to make it all better.::

"Why did you come back here? What do you want?"

::Instantly Andrea goes into protective mode.::

"Julie."

::She means hush.::

::Chloe squints in mild confusion at Julie.::

"...I came back because this was one of the few places that I feel can still be home. I had no life before I came here."

::She glances at Andrea, her arm touching Paz', gaining some support.::

"And as for what I want, I want to start over. Why do you ask, Julie?"

::There's a slight edge to her voice.::

::Julie shoots a glare at Andrea, she takes a deep breath.::

"Nothing. It's none of my business."

"Look, guys..."

::Paz doesn't know how to resolve the situation,and the tension is really thick in the hallway.::

"Why don't we go back to my brand new apartment and have a cup of tea or something?"

::He sounds hesitant, and shoots a look toward Andrea as he suggests it. He doesn't know if that's what his friend wants, or if she'd rather try something alone with her ex.::

"We kind of have a lot to catch up on and talk about and... stuff."

"Personally, I believe it's better if I'm not present."

::Chloe sighs shakily.::

(You have to deal with this now... Stop hesitating.)

"I don't know. It's up to Ands."

"Look-"

::Andrea pauses.::

"I mean..."

::She's rubbish at this.::

"Like... it's like..."

::She's just staring stupidly at Chloe.::

"..."

(Holy fuck. Fuck. Fuck. What's happening. This is a dream. Or a nightmare. Or whatever the fuck. Fuck, I wish someone would just tell me what to fucking do.)

::It's times like this she longs for Azura and/or her sister.::

"I need to get out of here."

::Julie walks up to Andrea.::

"I'm sorry."

::She kisses her forehead.::

"I'll be at the park. Then probably at the school if you need me."

::She whispers.::

"Don't forget that I love you."

::She faces the other two.::

"Paz. Chloe."

::She walks down to the front entrance.::

::Chloe rests her forehead on her palm for a few moments, then lifts her gaze to Andrea.::

"I..."

::She takes a deep breath.::

"I have so much to tell you and I have no idea how to say it all."

(How do you explain such complex confusion?)

::Paz puts his hand to his forehead and lightly shakes his head.::

(It wasn't going to go well.)

"Look, guys..."

::He now lowers his hands to look at the ex-couple, looking a little weary.::

"If you want, we can all go back to mine and talk about... stuff. Or, if you'd rather, I can leave you both to it."

::Already, he feels the second option may be better for Chloe, but Andrea really doesn't seem to be functionning properly at the moment. She may need support on this one. So he decides to make the decision for her.::

"C'mon."

::He takes her hand, and gently leads her, with Chloe, into his apartment.::

::Meredith lets go of Sera's hand as she closes Paz's door behind her.::

"Wow. Wouldn't want to be in there for long. Any idea who that other girl was?"

::She purses her lips for a moment, then forgets it and smiles at her girlfriend.::

"I have one set of keys left."

::She pulls them from her pocket and jangles them.::

::Paz leaves his house, closing the door lightly behind him. He sees Meredith and Sera are still out here.::

"Oh hey, I'm sorry about that. I didn't mean to be rude or anything."

::His smile is sheepish.::

"But thanks a lot for sorting that out Mer, the place is beautiful."

::Meredith grins.::

"No worries!"

::Now she squeezes Sera's hand.::

"I am so psyched you like it. Dad's gonna be so pleased."

::Jasmine bursts out of Sharon's, flustered. She doesn't even seem to mind that Meredith is there.::

"Guys. Big, big news. Paige has had the baby!"