"No, I LOVE John Paul!"
There. He'd told her. He told them all. And it felt amazing. Brilliantly amazing.
"Oh, leave it out!" Jake shouted, shaking his head in disgust.
"Why should I? I'm just being honest. Finally."
Craig smiled at his mother before facing his older sister.
"I am madly, passionately, crazy in love with John Paul," He told her, grinning from ear to ear, before he pulled her into a bear hug.
As he held his sister, Craig felt alive for the first time in months. He could finally tell the world. But first, he needed to find John Paul. His John Paul.
He released Steph and side stepped both her and Jake.
"I'll talk to you later Steph, I want to hear everything about London."
"Wait, Craig, where are you going?" His mother quietly asked, fearing his answer.
"I have to find him, Mum. I have to tell him."
"And what do you have to tell him?" Jake sneered, crossing his arms defensively as he eyed up his baby brother – the gay boy.
"That it's him that I want. Only him."
Jake snapped and snarled up, roaring "If you leave now, you can't ever come back! You'll be out on your ear, homeless and penniless!"
"Jake!" Steph exclaimed, slapping his shoulder.
Craig turned on his heel and watched his brother avoid his eyes, his sister beaming with pride at his bravery, and his mother crying once more.
"He's my home now. As long as I'll be with him, everything will be fine."
Craig moved to the still open door and strode out. He was on a mission to claim his soul mate.
It was odd. It was as if where ever Craig searched for the blue eyed boy he can't stop thinking about, he had just left the vicinity. He'd been to the McQueen home, but it was, for once, empty of any patrons. He visited the Ill Gnosh and the Drive 'N' Buy, he'd stopped by the HCC, in case JP was checking out his new stomping ground for the next few years, but to no avail.
It was as if he had vanished from thin air.
Giving up, began to wander the small main street of the village.
And it was as if fate was calling to him, because there was the blonde haired DJ. Walking with his family, but not actually walking with them.
"Oi, look!" He heard Michaela screech. She was pointing at him, her blonde hair billowing in the wind.
Mercedes, her teeth bared as she growled, stormed towards him and poked his chest hard.
"What do you think you've been doing? Messing around our John Paul like that! Feeding him lies, keeping his feelings on a string for you to play with! Is that how you get your thrills, you little sod? Do ya get off on messing people's heads?"
Craig heard the words, but he didn't understand a single one of them.
Ever since they had laid eyes on each other, Craig and John Paul had frozen, as if statutes, and were both lost in the others eyes.
Craig knew, if he looked hard enough, he knew, and that he could see the young man's soul. He knew, if he did see the other's soul, that he would see himself reflected everywhere.
He knew this because it was the same for John Paul. Deep in his soul, John Paul was reflected everywhere.
They were two halves now joined, lovers having fought a great battle to be as one - physically, mentally and emotionally. And now that they were here, at this junction in their paths, they knew they had a choice.
They both moved at the same time, both drawn to the other by that very need to feel loved, to feel whole.
Myra knew it would come, and called out her daughters to step away. The day before, just before she had found her son, broken and crying, on the living room, she had passed an identical sight in the Dean boy. Sitting at the fountain, he had his head in his hands as his sobs wrecked his body.
So Myra did what any mother would do, she let her son find his happiness.
"Craig…" JP whispered. He wasn't sure if Craig heard him or not, for his blood was pounding in his ears.
"Craig…" He repeated.
It was Craig who took the first step to touch, to feel. He grasped at his friend's shoulders, to hold himself steady, and to hush John Paul.
"It's you… It's always been you," He said, with more passion and clarity than he knew he had in him.
"I love you, John Paul McQueen."
And as their lips met, the Autumn sun broke out through the dark rain clouds, and shone down on Hollyoaks.
The two kissed tenderly at first, just feeling the contact of being each others finally. No more worrying about Sarah, and Spike, and what others what might think.
This was them.
John Paul and Craig. JP and C.
Strangers to friends. Friends to enemies. Enemies to friends once more. Friends to lovers. Lovers to soul mates.
And as they kissed in the street, passion sparking off them, they couldn't care less what their audience whispered. Only when the familiar voice of his mother rang in his ears, did Craig separate from the sweetest lips he had ever known.
"Craig."
He grasped the boy's hand in his and faced his mother.
"Mum."
"Love, I just wanted to… What Jake said… Son, the Dog will always be your home, no matter who you see… no matter who you love. It's your home. You are always welcome there. Always."
Smiling, Craig reluctantly released JP's hand for a moment, to hug his mum gratefully.
When they separated, they both had watery eyes. Smiling at the blonde boy and his family, Frankie laughed slightly.
"Thanks mum."
They hugged quickly again, as Mercedes scared away the audience with some well thrown glares and stares.
Craig rejoined the love of his life and, facing him, grasped his hands firmly.
"I called by yesterday, but there was no answer. I had gone by to tell you that I wanted to be with you, that I couldn't live to be apart from you anymore. But when no answered, I thought I had lost my chance. I promise to always show you how much you mean to me. I will always love you. I want us to be together… if you want."
"Of course I want! I want very much! Come here, you big dope!"
Craig accepted the invitation and they boys hugged.
This was forever.
And both were pleased with that.