Carrie woke to the sound of her name being called repeatedly, but it was muffled, like she was underwater. Or maybe it was only muffled by the loud ringing in her ears; she couldn't be sure. Where was she? What time was it? Who was trying to wake her up? And why did she feel like a bomb had gone off? She struggled to open her eyes. She felt like she was on a carousel, and Devin's chiseled face hovered above her. Was she dead?

Gradually, the ringing in her ears died down, the vertigo lessened, and she remembered the reunion, the headache, and Devin going to get her a glass of water. She suddenly realized that she was lying on the floor of the hotel's reception hall, right beside the table at which she had previously been sitting. Devin wasn't a vision, or an angel come to take her to heaven. He really was hovering over her, on his knees, and he was the one calling her name.

She reached up to rub her forehead. "Oh God, what happened?" she asked weakly. She tried to sit up, but Devin gently pushed her back down.

"Don't try to get up yet," he said. "You passed out. You need to give yourself a few minutes to recover."

She looked around. The majority of her former classmates were still out on the dance floor, or gabbing at the refreshment table, partying on and oblivious to the scene she was making on the other side of the room. Another member of the medical staff was shooing away the few who had seen her lying there, thankfully. Remind me to buy him a drink later, she thought to herself.

She brought her gaze back to Devin. He had his fingers on her wrist, checking her pulse. "We need to get you to the hospital," he said.

"No, no hospital," she said. "Just take me back to my hotel room. I just need to rest and get rid of this damn headache."

"Carrie…"

"Devin, please." She grabbed his arm. "NO hospital."

"Okay, listen," he said, taking her hand. "I'll take you back to your room. But the only way I am not sending you to the hospital is if you let me check you out thoroughly."

Carrie hated the idea of letting her high school heartthrob examine her, but she hated hospitals more. Besides, he would probably just check a few things, and once convinced she wasn't going to die on him, he'd let her sleep. She nodded to him. "Thank you."

He helped her sit up slowly, making sure she didn't feel dizzy again. After having her take a few sips of the water he had brought her, he and his fellow volunteer helped her to her feet. Then, without warning, he scooped her up in his arms, leaving her speechless. It was just like he had done countless times when they were young, never allowing her or Deidre to appear unladylike by climbing over or onto anything. It took her back there for a minute, reminding her of all the reasons why she had been so smitten with him.