[The] Missing Piece

She often wonders what would have happened.

What would have been if they hadn't been thrown together.

Would they have been friends at some point? Enemies? Lovers? Who knows anymore what might have been. All she knows is that she is both equally grateful, but also not.

She watches, wine glass in hand, as Spencer, in his suit and tie, sweeps across the dancefloor with Martha, only this time in a white dress and veil, without the jungle encroaching on the moment.

Fridge, in his normal affinity for being himself, is over at the paid for bar, chatting up a pretty girl they used to go to school with, if she remembers correctly.

She's sure she's talked to nearly everyone here about their lives and what's happened since Brantford's Class of 2018 left.

Well, almost everyone.

There is someone she hasn't talked to, but it's not out of spite or hate. He's just...not here.

He was invited, Martha had said so while she helped her plan all of this, still meek and mild despite Spencer's love and 5 years of college combined with a job at NASA poured into her.

Despite all the e-mails, texting, and meetings the four of them did equally between each other, as well as several trips taken together (she went backpacking after all, never regretted it) they still felt like something was missing.

The game might have been destroyed, that was a given, but their bond from the shit they went though was still there.

(Being attacked by a CGI hippo doesn't leave your head as fast as the actual event happening.)

She hated to admit it, they all would, but after they came back and saw him, with his wife and kids and family and aged, hardened, it was strange.

They even read up on what he did when he returned to 1996, somehow unsurprised he became a fully licensed bartender and pilot after the whole drum thing he said he had been planning on when the wild swallowed them up and spit them back out.

For the last 2 years of high school before they left for their own paths, colleges and jobs and such, they practically moved into his and his wife's house.

Practically coming over almost every day after school to laugh and sing and joke and reminisce (about the good parts of course).

She swore his wife most likely still didn't get how her husband could be friends with four smart ass teenagers, but if she, or even his kids, Lucas, Bethany, or Andy, knew the truth...well...

She chuckled to herself at the thought, sipping a bit of the blood red liquid inside as a small but equally sad smile appeared on her face.

Although she didn't want to admit it (she really didn't), she still loved him. Not even the jungle could take that away, unlike everything else.

She hadn't meant to fall in love with him in the first place, but after saving his life (and giving him one of her own), she had fallen, despite knowing that the person she saw and the person here were almost two different people.

He would never look like the man she knew him as, but his smile could still take her away when flashed in her direction. Not that he knew. Or would ever know.

She was brought back down to Earth when the music finished, and Martha and Spencer started accosting each other before being pulled away, the happy couple having her eyes on them the whole time as they moved.

She couldn't have been happier for them of course, but seeing them in love after her own heartbreak still hurt. She wouldn't blame them though. It wasn't their fault.

Setting her empty wine glass down after drowning what was left, she was about to go to the bar and order something a lot stronger when she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

Expecting Martha (the saint of a best friend she was) to be behind her, she already started as she turned. "Hey, nice moves out there. Look, I know it doesn't look like it, but I'm perfectly- "

"Fine?" The deep voice of someone who is not Martha replies, her head coming into close contact with a much taller figure.

Her eyes widened and before she knew it, she folded around him, squealing. Guess the universe worked in their favor after all. "Hey! You came!"

"Yeah, yes I did. I...uh...was kind of busy, but I found myself unexpectedly back in town and thought, you know, what the hell?"

"That's awesome. I'm sure Martha, Spencer and Fridge will be so glad to see you when you find them."

"You think so?" "I know so. All of us were wondering if you had a Dad nap and forgot."

"Ha-ha, I may be older than you, but I don't do naps. Ever."

"Not gnarly enough?" "/Definitely/ not gnarly enough."

She just had to laugh, tears in her eyes quickly fading, but overwhelmed with emotion.

"I thought just as much." She looped him in by the arm, dress kicking him in the leg as they moved.

"Come on, let's see if we can find all of them in this people jungle that's formed around us."

"How do you suggest we get tough it? Looks like dangerous territory."

"We'll find our way though. Can't be too hard right, Mr. Missing Piece?"

""Seaplane" McDonough reporting for duty, Professor Oberon."

"It's good to see you again too, Alex."