Disclaimer: Lurlene McDaniel owns these characters! Oneshot, an alternate ending to "I'll Be Seeing You."
"Carley, why won't you look at me?" Kyle asked.
"Because the girl you saw at the cafe wasn't me. It was my sister."
"She told me." Kyle nodded. "I don't care that you wanted me to think she was you. I just want to know why."
"Because if you saw me, you would know why." Carley whispered sorrowfully.
"Please, Carley." Kyle persisted. "Tell me why."
"Fine." Carley snapped, and turned around so Kyle could see her. Shock registered on his face, and Carley turned away from him. Before she had taken a step, his arms were around her, enveloping her.
"Who did this to my sweet, precious Carley?" he whispered into her hair.
"Cancer." Carley responded. "Just let me go, Kyle." she whispered brokenly. "Please. You deserve better."
"There is no one better." he told her, embracing her tighter.
"You don't want a Picasso painting." she said huskily, referring to the placement of her features. "You deserve a Vermeer."
"You're my Vermeer, Carley, and I'm not letting you go. I love you."
"Kyle--"
"Carley, this is going to sound completely cheesy, but when I was blind, I saw better than I ever had before. And I saw you, Carley. I saw the version of you that no one else sees. You didn't feel the need to hide from me. You were the real you, without reservation. And I still see that version of Carley. I think she is beautiful. I love her, and I love you."
"I love you, too." Carley whispered to Kyle, allowing herself to melt into his embrace. The pair emerged into the bookstore. Without saying a word to her sister, Carley walked out with Kyle, a sense of belonging washing over as never before. Carley was loved, and felt beautiful just as she was, for the very first time.