The weekend rolled round quickly. Holly made her way to LaGuardia airport, suitcase trailing behind her, for an almost five hour flight home, there was unfortunately one stop over; the layover was almost two hours, but Holly couldn't get on any other flights, much to her annoyance. Holly wasn't a fan of flying, but by the time she had watched a short film and wrote an essay for her blog on: 'How to fly on a plane on your own, when you're scared of flying,' the plane had touched the tarmac relatively smoothly at Portland International Jetport, and it was time for Holly to collect her luggage and sit in the cab to Carrie's house. Holly watched out of the window as the familiar and soothing landscape flew past. She missed the trees, and that familiar smell of home.

Carrie was by the door as soon as the cab entered the drive, practically running down the steps to retrieve Holly and her bags. Carrie enveloped Holly in a massive hug, it had been a long time, she shed a tear, happy to see her adoptive daughter. "Hols, your mama would be so proud of you," she commented, as she squeezed Holly in another hug. "I'm so happy you're here. Come, lets get some food in you."

One thing Holly did miss was Carries cooking, she could cook the most amazing, mouth watering meals. As much as Holly wanted to spend an evening in with Carrie, she wasn't in town for long and had promised to meet up with her friends. They had arranged to go out to a local bar. Many of the girls had families and kids now, but they had always been supportive of her moving away.

Holly set about getting ready, it had been a while since she had been on a proper girls night out, the last time probably was before she had left home. The dress that had been bought whilst shopping with Alissa was a prime contender, it hugged Holly in all the right places.

After a small dinner with Carrie, Holly wasn't feeling particularly hungry, she helped Carrie wash up, they talked about home mainly, all the things Holly had missed. Ellen having her baby, Holly hadn't seen her oldest friend since she had got married, tonight would be an awfully good and long catch up. Whilst Holly dried the dishes her phone started to ping with an incoming video call, it was Sebastian.

"Hey." Seb sounded like he'd just woken up from a nap.

"Hey! Guess where I am, I flew home." Holly pans the camera round the room, brining Carrie into shot. "This is Carrie." Carrie waves to the camera.

"Sebastian, so nice to finally see your face." She smiled.

Sebastian grinned back. "Yeah, I mean I've heard so much about you, it's nice to finally put a face to your name."

"Okay, hate to break this up," Holly says, "I'll be back down soon." She says, kissing Carrie on the cheek before heading up to her old room. Seb yelled his goodbye as Holly panned the camera away. Holly's old room had been decorated since she'd left, but Carrie had kept Holly's keepsakes and belongings out on display. Trophies and medals lined shelves where books weren't perched. Assorted photos hung on the walls, it brought back many happy memories for Holly. "I'm going out tonight with the girls. I wish you could meet them all," Holly says, shutting the door softly behind her.

"I wish I could be there."

"How's thing's coming along?" Holly asks, laying back on her bed. It still felt comfortable. Holly smiled to herself, thinking back to the many girly chats and get togethers she had in her room when she was younger.

"I know I said I'd be away for a month but we're getting through things quite quickly. I reckon we could be done by the end of this week."

"Wow, that's great. Filming with Chris should start soon."

"Are you excited?"

Holly's face lit up. "Yes! I can't wait to be doing a rom-com. It's something I've always wanted to do. Pity it's not with you though." She winks. Sebastian chuckles.

"So when are you going out?"

"Hmm? Oh, I've got a couple hours yet. I really wish you could be here to meet everyone though." Holly said, looking slightly downcast.

"I know baby. I will soon though, I promise."

Holly smiles back. "You'd like it here. It's peaceful and-" Holly trails off. "Home." She whispers twiddling her bedsheets between her fingers, thinking of her mum.

"I'll see you soon baby, I got to go," Seb say's looking to his side. The room he occupied was non-descript so Holly couldn't be sure where he was, but she heard a faint voice over a speaker in the distance, the voice jumbled. "I love you, have fun."

"I will. Love you too."

Seb hangs up the call, blowing a final kiss. A light tap on the door, lifted Holly's head, thoughts of her solemn thoughts of her mother were packed away. "Come in."

"Everything okay?" Carrie asks gently, as she peeks her head round the door. She noticed the look on Holly's face right away. "You want me to help with your hair sweetie?" Holly nods. Carrie had often styled her hair as a teenager, alongside her own daughter, Emily. Emily accepted Holly as a big sister as soon as she and her mom had arrived in town, they would often be seen together, joined at the hip. Since Holly left to pursue her career and Emily joined the military, they hadn't had any regular contact and had drifted apart. "How would you like it?" Carrie asks, bringing Holly's thoughts back to the present.

Carrie holds Holly's hair up, pulling it away from the nape of her neck up onto the top of her head, moving it around. She pulls a few pieces beside her ears, and lets them fall. "Up on top, or down, with some soft curls?" Carrie asks, letting Holly's hair fall, she plumps it at the roots with her fingers and drags them through her locks.

Holly sighed, enjoying the sensation of Carries fingers against her scalp. "Hm. Down with curls please." Holly decides and Carrie gets to work, making it looks easy. Holly was never any good at getting her hair nice, she would always get it professionally done for any events. The only thing she did do for herself was clothing, she didn't have a stylist, she liked picking out her own clothing, particularly the pretty dresses she got to wear at awards ceremonies.

"Have fun tonight. You look beautiful" Carrie says, as she leaves, closing the door behind her.

Holly swiftly did her own makeup, trying to recreate a smokey eye from memory; keeping her skin bare with just a hint of tinted moisturiser. Holly applied mascara and the look was complete. "That'll do." Holly says to her reflection in the mirror, before grabbing her dress from the back of the door and slipping into it. "Not too bad." Holly says to herself as she buckles her heel. She spins around, checking herself out. She takes a quick picture and sends it to Seb, who doesn't reply. Holly checks the time, Seb was probably back on set or sleeping, depending on his schedule. "Lets go." She says, grabbing her purse and heading downstairs.

Holly enters the bar and sees her friends seated in a booth. She slides in next to them, greeting them all, and hugging those closest to her. They had some catching up to do. Hannah immediately showed Holly her ring. She congratulated her friend, they were having a long engagement, so no wedding bells just yet. Sara shared pictures of her children, and Erin was still living the single life, she didn't hold back on her stories.

"Oh my god, Erin, No." Holly exclaimed as the other women groaned at another painfully awkward story.

"What?!" Erin almost screeched, the wine had already gone to her head. Holly shook her head in a fit of giggles. She missed Erin and her escapades, she was definitely one of her most outgoing and daring friends.

"How have you been Hols?" Sara asks.

"She's seeing a guy, I can tell. A cute guy tagged her on instagram the other day." Erin slurs.

"What are you, a stalker?" Holly laughs lightly at her inebriated friend.

"Yeah. I guess I am seeing someone, but Carrie has probably told you that." Holly says to everyone. They nod guiltily. Holly shakes her head before taking a long sip of her wine.

"Okay, get your questions out of the way, one question each, nothing sexual-" Erin groans. "And that's your lot." The girls ask Holly varied questions about Sebastian, they can't wait to meet him and get to know him. They are all happy, even Erin, for Holly.

"I'm glad you've found someone." Sara nods.

"Who's ready to hit the dance floor?" Hannah asks. The lights had dimmed a while ago, and the group were finding it harder to speak to one another over the music. The bar had filled now, and bodies littered every corner of the room.

Holly enjoyed her evening with the girls, giggling on the dance floor, pulling moves she hadn't tried since her early twenties, she was amazed at herself for still knowing the routine to a particular song, they had all choreographed a dance routine together one summer. Holly was having so much fun she had missed a call from Sebastian, her phone buzzed and lit up at the bottom of her purse as her hips swayed to an upbeat song.

Holly heads to the restroom, her head buzzing from the music and smoke filled air, as she exits, she's stopped dead in her tracks, a few heads have turned at the man approaching from the other side of the room. A grin spreads across Holly's face as he closes the gap between them, a grin matching her own creeps across his face as he comes to stand in front of her.

"You're here." Holly says, as Sebastian embraces her.

"You look beautiful." He shouts into her ear, kissing her at the base, it sends shivers up her spine.

Holly walks Seb back to the booth, everyone is up on the dance floor still so there was chance of interruptions. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprising you," Seb chuckles rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I was actually at the airport when I called."

It didn't take long for Holly's group of friends to realise she was missing. They find her in the booth a little while later, leaning into Sebastian who was talking into her ear. Hannah stops their approach for a second a she watches on at her friend. She smiles.

"Uh, oh. Sebastian won't be happy" Erin says.

"That is Sebastian, you idiot. Come on."

Holly see's her friend approaching, and points them out to Seb. "Hey." She says, as they sit around the pair. Holly introduces everyone.

It was nearing midnight and Sara had to head back home, they all left getting cabs to their respective destinations. They were going to meet up the following day for brunch, and Seb was eager to tag along. On their own way, Holly and Seb grab some food. Holly was feeling peckish after her small dinner and Seb had barely eaten on the flight over, he was starving. They ate back at the house, careful not to wake Carrie.

"Seb, your bags where are they?" Holly asks, confused.

"In your room," Seb says, matter of factly. "Carrie was in on the surprise visit, sorry babe-" He gets cut off by Holly.

"How did you-" Seb puts a finger to her lips.

"My phone pinged to say you had booked a flight." Damn synced calendars, Holly cursed internally, making a mental note to plan any surprises incognito. "I figured you were coming home so I found Carrie's number and told her I wanted to surprise you. She was more than up for it."

"Wait, so when you called earlier, that was all a facade?"

"Ah, pretty much. Sorry." He laughed.

"Hmpf."

"Don't go all pouty on me, do you not like your surprise?"

"I love it. Thank you." She kisses him.

"Come on, I'm exhausted. Let's go to bed." Seb says, dragging Holly to her room.

⋆

The next morning, Holly meets everyone for a late breakfast, she brings Carrie along too. She quietly thanks her for being in on Sebs surprise. After brunch Carrie heads back home, Shaun, her husband had been away and was due home that afternoon. Holly spent the rest of the day showing Sebastian around. He enjoyed learning about her early life here, he could see she missed the place. It held so many memories for her. Hannah and Sara joined them for a stroll after the food, Erin had a hangover so shot off back home to wallow on her own self pity. The two woman made sure to share some embarrassing stories, which Seb enjoyed. It gave him an insight into Holly, listening to her friends, it was like he had direct access to her autobiography, only this one was told by her friends, with no bars or emissions. Holly groaned and cringed at some of the stories her friends told of her younger self. Holly seemed, to Sebastian, very different to the woman she was now. He figured her mom passing, had some affect on her, he didn't need confirmation from any source, he could see it in the way Holly conducted herself. Holly had shared with Sebastian her time after her mom had passed and the depression she suffered. He understood. They had discussed it at length, he had comforted Holly when she told him about her mom's cancer, and how she had lost her, she had been her last surviving blood relative. It hurt bringing back all the memories but she had wanted to get this off her chest and out into the open to Seb, it brought them closer together.

Seb and Holly wound up the day with Carrie, she sticks on a film, which elicits a groan from Holly. "God, I haven't watched this since, yep, since theatre group." Holly exclaims. Seb sits beside her confused.

Carrie relieves his confusion. "It's an adaptation of a stage musical. Hols did her own interpretation at theatre camp."

"A musical huh?" Seb exclaims. "You won't do karaoke but you did this?" He points to the TV.

Holly shrugs shyly, as Seb nudges her with his shoulder.

"I'm only messing. I've never heard of it-"

"Neither had I," Carrie says. "The teacher was from the UK, guess that's why he chose to perform it." She shrugs.

"Oh, okay," Seb settles himself up to Holly, his arm draped over her shoulder. "Are you gonna sing along?" He whispers into her ear. She shakes her head. "No, why not?" He pouts.

"Carrie can show you the home video later." She whispers back.

Seb almost bursts. "There's a video of you?" Holly nods in response.

"I have to see this."

Carrie chuckled on the opposite side of the room. Shaun had yet to arrive and was due home soon. Around half way into the film he came through the door. Carrie left to greet her husband. She returned to find Seb and Holly asleep on the sofa. She turned off the film and dimmed the lights, leaving the two. Shaun popped his head round the door to peak in on them before heading up to bed with Carrie. Carrie had fished out an old battered dvd and left it on the side for Seb, she left a note telling him he could take it home with him.

Sunday morning arrived, Holly awoke with a stiff neck from sleeping on the couch. Seb had gone to take a shower, he'd pocketed the dvd upon seeing it, smiling to himself. Holly found Seb in her old room getting dress.

"Morning. I've got such a stiff neck." Holly says, moving her shoulders up and down and her neck from side to side. Seb moves over without question, still shirtless, and starts to work out the kinks in her neck.

"That better?"

"Mmm, much. Thanks."

Seb pecks her on her forehead as he finds a shirt. They could both hear chattering downstairs.

"I really need a shower, head down and see what all the commotion is about, and I'll be down soon."

"Hurry, or I might get Carrie to put that recording on of you singing and dancing." He laughs.

Holly shakes her head, flips him off and heads into the shower. After a quick rinse she heads down stairs to the rising voices.

All of Holly's friends were seated round Carrie's dining room table. Today was her last, she and Seb were due to fly home that afternoon, everyone had gathered to say goodbye. Holly hugged Shaun in greeting, before sitting down next to him, Sebastian joined her, exiting the kitchen, a cup of tea in his hands for Holly. Sebastian had met Shaun not long after waking up, Carrie introduced the two, before everyone else started to arrive.

Holly hugged her friends one last time on the front porch, promising to call and skype more often. "I promise to visit again soon. You can come and visit me too." She exclaims, they all nod and agree before driving away, back to their families and homes.

Sebastian made his way up to Holly's room, making sure they had packed everything, bringing the cases down the stairs and setting them by the door. Carrie hands him the keys to her car as he enters the living space, a sad smile on her lips, she nodded to the back of the house. "Holly's out back."

Sebastian followed Carries instruction, he found Holly on the terrace.

"Hey. You ready?" He asks softly.

"Yeah." Holly says, picking up a bunch of flowers from the table in front of her. Seb wraps and arm round her shoulder and plants a kiss on her temple.

"Let's go."

One last stop. One last goodbye. Holly walked slowly down the grassy aisle, flowers popped out, bright colours mixed in with the greenery, wind chimes sung in the breeze. Sebastian stands beside the car, watching from a distance as Holly stands in front of her mother's grave. She bends down to lay her flowers, carefully wiping over her mother's engraved name. Holly's mom's grave was decorated beautifully, there were fresh flowers alongside her own, Carrie made sure to come up every week to keep it tidy and pay her respects to her late friend.

"I'm sorry for leaving mum." Holly whispered. The breeze licked at her cheek as if it was replying. "I met a guy, you'd like him," Holly wiped a stray tear from her cheek. "I've been writing more, I'll read them too you, one day." Holly silently hoped her mum would be proud of her accomplishments.

Sebastian had slowly made his way over, giving Holly a moment to be on her own. He leant down to kneel beside her. "I know she's proud of you," Seb says. "because I'm proud of you." He says, kissing Holly's temple. Holly sighs against him, leaning into his touch. They continue to sit for a while longer in a comfortable silence, as Holly says goodbye.

"Bye Mum, I love you." She stands, taking Seb's hand in hers as they head back to the car. Seb's hand stays firmly on her thigh as he drives them both back to Carrie's house.

Carrie gives Holly a giant hug goodbye at the airport and leaves with her, some recipes of her favourite meals. Holly did miss Carries home cooking. "Stay true to yourself. I'm so proud of you and can see how happy you are. We love you."

"I love you both too." Holly says, as she hugs both Carrie and Shaun at the same time.

Carrie embraces Seb too, and Shaun shakes his hand. Holly doesn't hear Carrie whisper in Sebs ear. "Look after her, where I can't-"

They wheel their cases behind them, Holly takes one last look behind her at Carrie and Shaun waving goodbye before they head to their flight home.