And then, there was laughter, something not unusual on the house, only seldom. Despite that, the sound seemed to bring life back into the not often full place.

The walls seemed brighter and the house seemed alive. And so, life blossomed from the sound and thus life was found on one of the rooms.

One of them was resting one shoulder against a wall, shaking his head, curls moving from one side to the other. Another man had cue stick in hand, a grin on his face as he pushed back his sunglasses. Blue eyes looked sideways at green ones and found a smile, and smiled back, glad he wasn't being yelled at for something he never knew had done. Strawberry blond hair was found sitting by the small bar, beer in hand, smile on face.

The five of them, close friends, were just relaxing, something not always practiced, as their hectic schedules didn't allow them much free time. But today was not that day. Today was just for the five of them, unwinding.

Two days of freedom had been conquered by Kevin's fight with management. Two days that really wasn't much for any normal person, but for these five, it was a lifetime.

So, hanging around in the eldest of the lot's place wasn't a rare occurrence. It was a cozy home, if home is a place you visit once a month every year. But it was home for Kevin; and so, a second home for the boys.

At almost four in the afternoon, movies had already been seen, jokes told, lunch eaten and pool was being played at the moment.

The second game was on, Alex the winner in the first one, when a phone rang.

Kevin placed the cue stick by the wall and picked up the phone. "Hello."

"Good afternoon, I'm looking for a Kevin Richardson," said a male voice through the line.

"That's me. Who are you?" The older man questioned as he looked to his friends. It was Brian's turn to shoot and he missed by a mile.

"Crap!" the younger Kentucky cousin hissed.

AJ only smiled to himself. Brian had always sucked at pool, but he did enjoy playing. It seemed as if Brian had a masochistic tendency.

"Good afternoon Mr. Richardson, my name is Mark Smith. I'm a lawyer with the Brown and Shaw Law firm. I was hoping to talk with you."

"With me? What for?" The name of the lawyer or the firm didn't ring any bells for him.

"Do you know a Elizabeth Grayson?"

Kevin stayed quiet while trying to remember someone with that name. Grayson... Grayson. Then it hit him. Lizzie. "Of course, she was an old friend of mine. Why?"

"Elizabeth was a distinctive lawyer in our firm. She passed away two days ago from cancer."

Cancer. That word once again. It hadn't been enough to take his father away from him, but had also taken the life of such a lovely girl. Kevin remembered Lizzie, as he fondly called her, from his childhood in Lexington. They had been neighbors for a couple of years during high school and before he left for Orlando. The last time he saw her was about five years ago when he visited his mother.

"I'm terribly sorry." Kevin said after a while, his mind not really processing the fact. "I haven't spoken with her in a long time." He regretted not keeping in touch with her; she had been a marvelous friend. But his schedule didn't let him have many friends.

"We're sorry too, she was a great lawyer and a endearing person. However, your name came to our attention ought to her will. She refereed to you in it."

"Her will? What do I have to do with that?"

At Kevin's latest words, the guys turned to look at Kevin. A will? Even AJ lost all interest in the game as he focused on the older man.

"I can't talk about it on the phone. I was hoping you could come to our offices in Chicago."

"Chicago? I can't travel to Chicago." It had been difficult enough for him to get two days off from management; he wasn't planning on wasting half a day traveling to another state for nothing.

"I'm sorry Mr. Richardson, but I don't see another way. Your name was specifically written in her will. That was why I called you."

Kevin sighed. He didn't have any idea why Lizzie would name him in her will; it had been so long since the last time they spoke. "Ok, I'll go. Does tomorrow morning sound fine?"

"Sure. Tomorrow morning. I'm sorry to disturb you in such a way."

"It's ok." Kevin paused, picking up a piece of paper and writing down the address. He sighed softly. A trip to Chicago. Great. Just what he needed. "Thanks for calling."

"A will?" AJ wondered aloud as soon as he placed the auricular in its cradle.

Kevin turned to look at his friends. All of them were waiting for him to tell them what the call was about. "You're all dying to hear, aren't you?"

"We only heard something of a will and Chicago. Could you care to explain Kev?" Asked Howie as he leaned on the wall, the game long forgotten.

Sitting on a chair, Kevin looked at his friends. They were going to find out sooner of later. "Brian, do you remember Lizzie?"

The younger man frowned slightly, trying to remember the name. "From school?" He remembered the name. Kevin's friend and a lovely girl. Of course she, too, was four years older than him, but she had never given him the cold shoulder -- not something he could say for all of Kevin's friends. She'd never make fun of him hanging out with his older cousin and friends.

"The same. You see guys, she was an old friend of mine, and Brian's, back home. She was going to our school and lived about three houses from mine. We became good friends, but lost touch after I moved here. The last time I saw her was about five years ago in a Christmas party at my mom's. She said she was visiting some friends or something like it."

"What does she have to do with anything?"

"I'm going there B. It seems as she died and my name was on her will. That was the call about, her lawyer said I had to go to Chicago to talk about it." He finished with a sigh. The whole will thing was still intriguing to him. He had known she was going to be a lawyer from the last time he spoke with her, but hadn't heard anything after that.

"Why do you think she did it Kev?" Nick asked as he took a sit by the pool table. He had never heard either Kevin or Brian talking about this Lizzie girl, and if Kevin had accepted to fly all the way to Chicago for her, she must have been a piece of work.

He shrugged. "I truly don't know. I did know she was studying law, but nothing much. As I told you guys, the last time I spoke with her was five years ago."

"Maybe she left you some money." Howie said as he picked up his beer and took a drink. It wasn't usual for him to drink so early in the afternoon, but the occasion had let him do it, even though Nick still wasn't allowed to drink and had had to settle with a Coke.

"Someway I don't think so D. Kev, do you remember how mom said her parents died when she left for college?" It had been such a shame that her parents had died when she was so young, barely twenty. Kevin had been especially sad about it, having lost his father not long before.

Kevin nodded. "Yeah, I remember." He paused. "I never saw her after that." His lips pursed into a thin line as he recalled his childhood friend. Why had he let himself loose touch with her? They used to be best friends.

"Enough of this going back to old childhood memories thing. We still have a game to finish." AJ stood up from his place on a nearby chair and picked up his cue stick, hoping for the rest of the guys to follow his lead.

"You only want to finish because you're winning Bone." Nick had never been very good in pool, he'd usually suggest basketball, but had been out number four to one. Sometimes it did suck being the youngest one.

"Damn right I'm winning!"

"Not for long AJ. I'm behind you by only two shoots." Deciding to enjoy the rest of the day since he had to fly to Chicago the next day, Kevin picked up his cue stick and prepared to shot.

"You're too old for me Train. I'm gonna beat your ass." He said with an evil glare from over his sunglasses.

Smiling at the younger man, Kevin lined up another shot. Hitting the ball full force, it sunk into the left corner pocket.

"One to go." Kevin considered his choices, and walked to the side of the table. The ball left was one on the right side of the table, almost touching band. Kevin looked at the ball thoughtfully. He'd have to hit it from behind to actually get it in. He'd never been able to hit the ball like that. With a sigh, he placed the cue stick behind him and tried to attempt to hit it.

"You'll miss. You know you can take them like that," Alex said while taking a sip of his beer. Kevin was a good player when it came down to pool. However he'd always had a week point. One-side balls. Having to hit them with the cue stick behind his back had never worked for him.

Kevin glared at the younger man. "I'll try my best." Knowing AJ was right; he tried to think of another way to do the shot. Without another option left open for him, he jumped on the table placing the cue stick on top of his legs to make the shot.

"Hey! That's not fair!"

"Actually it is fair." Howie said with a small smile. "Not comfortable, but fair."

AJ glanced at the pool table from his sit. Kevin had to miss. He always missed those kind of shots, he had too this time as well.

Holding his breath, Kevin hit the ball as steady as he could in the position he was. Amazingly enough the ball actually got in the top right pocket.

"Way to go cuz!"

Kevin smiled to himself and jumped down the table. "That's the last time I do that shot." He muttered.

"You did it good Kev. It looks like you ain't that old... yet," teased Nick while mussing the older man's hair.

Kevin turned around and in a second had the blond man in a headlock, proceeding to give him a nudge. "Who are you saying old Nicky boy?"

Nick tried to get free from his older friend, but it was pointless. The years in the group had taught him that from them all, the one who could held him in a headlock the longest was Kevin, and with not effort from his part whatsoever.

"Ok, ok. Now let me go Kevin." Nick moved, trying to get out of the position he was in, but failed miserably.

Kevin laughed at Nick's words and set him free, not before mussing his hair a little bit more. "This is the way things go Nick, not the other way around."

Nick only nodded before going over his sit and drinking his Coke. Yeah, being the youngest one sure sucked.

"You still have another two shots to make before winning the game Train." AJ said while looking at this older friend. He hadn't said anything about his latest shot, even though he was truly proud of his wits. He'd have never though of hitting it like that.

The dark haired man looked at the pool table and lined up the next shot. Effortless, it hit the pocket. He was already one ball away from winning the table. Looking at the 8 ball, he calmly placed the cue stick by the side of the table and proceeded to align the tip of the cue stick with the ball and the pocket. Not thinking about it twice, he hit it. The sound of the ball falling into the pocket graced his ears.

"Finally I win!" Kevin cheered, arms up as he looked at AJ, who most certainly wanted to kill him.

"First and only time Kevin. I'll make sure of that." Alex said with a smirk.

"Well, I'm used to loosing, so..." Brian shrugged, placing the cue stick in its place.

"Another game?" Howie suggested with a raised eyebrow, while picking up the balls from the board.

"I'm in."

"You're always in AJ. I'm in too, if you want to play."

Kevin looked at AJ and Howie, who were picking up the balls. Those two had always liked pool, while Brian and Nick had basketball. But the five of them always seemed to find middle ground.

"I'm in," Brian said as he picked up his cue stick once again. At least he could lean on it while he watched his friends play.

"I don't even know why I bother playing this game. I'm always last." Reluctantly Nick sat on his chair once again. He had to settle with watching the rest play. Brian could at least hit the balls every once in a while, Nick could barely hold the cue stick right.