A/N: Once I saw the episode, I knew I had to write a Fan Fiction. Two years ago, my best friend left to live with his aunt in Hawaii for this special program they had there. Now I live in Canada so you can just imagine how far this distance is. He is back now, but I was heartbroken when he left. We have been best friends since we were two or three and up until then we had never gone more than three days without seeing each other. I know what it feels to have someone you care very deeply for move away. For those who haven't gone through this, I hope you never have to. Enjoy the story!
"We want you to move to New York."
These eight words made Fletcher's heart stop. He stood as still as a statue replaying those eight words in his mind. We want you to move to New York. We want you to move to New York. He knew this opportunity would change his life forever. This was his dream, he knew this, but was this all it really was? A dream? His reality was back in California, with his mom and dad, family and friends. And Olive, his best friend and girlfriend who he could never imagine living away from. They had been dating each other for almost two weeks now, but that didn't even compare to their many years of profound friendship.
Fletcher glanced up at the tall lady in front of him. "I'm honoured" Fletcher began. "Really, I am." Fletcher looked past the lady to Olive. She had a blank look on her face. For the first time in his life, he could not read her expression. Inside, he was mentally screaming at her "Say something! Please! I need to know what you think!" But he couldn't possibly force himself to do so.
He looked back up at the lady. "I-I can't" Fletcher took a deep breath ignoring everyone's gasps. "My life is back in California I couldn't possibly-" Fletcher was cut off.
"I think you should do it," it was Olive.
"What!" Fletcher and Chyna exclaimed. Fletcher pushed past the lady. "Olive no I-"
"Yes, Fletcher, you can." Olive touched Fletcher's arm gently. "Move to New York. Live your dream. Do what you've always loved to do."
"No, Olive-"
"Stop," Olive said, letting him go. "You have to do this. We're over. I can't do this anymore." Olive swallowed the lump in her throat. "I don't love you."
Everyone was shocked, including Olive. She didn't understand what was pushing her to say these things. Was it the guilt she knew she would feel if he turned down the offer? Or did she love him so much that she wanted what was best for him? It could be both or it could be a whole other reason, but she couldn't think about that right now. Right now, she was focused on the boy in front of her who she loved so very much that could possibly be leaving her forever.
"What?" Fletcher whispered so quietly only Olive could hear. They both had a look of pain written on their faces and Olive was trying so hard not to let the tears fall from her eyes.
"I'm sorry" she whispered and then left the store. Fletcher took a step towards the door and then stopped, defeated.
"What!" Chyna exclaimed after a long pause. Reacting to the first thought that came to mind, Chyna ran out of the store and raced down the streets of New York after Olive, leaving a heart broken Fletcher behind.
oOo
"Olive!" Chyna shouted. "Please stop!" Olive continued to push past people. "Olive!"
Ahead, Chyna noticed Olive turn the corner. When Chyna caught up, she followed Olive around the bend but then stopped when she noticed Olive sitting against the side of a building in an alleyway, her head against her knees. Chyna knew very well what her best friend had just done. She knew Olive way to well to think she would give up years of friendship with Fletcher without a good reason. Chyna came to a conclusion; Fletcher and Olive would do anything for each other no matter how much it would affect the other. They loved each other; it was as simple as that.
"Oh, Olive." Chyna sat down beside Olive and pulled her into a hug, letting the blond girl cry into her shirt.
"He can't move!" Olive exclaimed between shaky breaths. "He can't-" she couldn't form words.
Chyna held on tighter. "It's okay to cry."
"He's my best friend Chyna!" Olive choked out. "He can't leave me." Chyna didn't take any offense to Olive's comment. After the past three years of being friends with both Fletcher and Olive, Chyna noticed an inseparable bond between the two friends. They shared something special with each other that Chyna would never be a part of. They had a long history with many memories which made their current relationship so easy. Sure, Chyna felt like the third wheel at times, but she could not let herself stand in the way of their friendship. She knew they would always be there for her, so she needed to let them be there for each other.
Chyna lightened her grip on Olive and waited for the crying to subside. "You told him to go Olive."
Olive refused to look at Chyna. She stared blankly ahead and whispered, "Because I don't want to be the one to hold him back from following his dream."
"Is this really how you want to let Fletcher go?" Chyna asked softly. "By lying about your feelings for him?"
"He'll do anything to make me happy." Olive wiped away a tear with the back of her hand. "Even if it means giving up something that means the world to him."
"Because he loves you," Chyna said.
Olive nodded but didn't respond. She laid her head against Chyna's shoulder and closed her eyes, hoping she would wake up from this nightmare.
oOo
Chyna led Olive back to the hotel the ANTs were staying at. Her arm was draped across Olive's shoulder for support as they rode the elevator up to the room they were sharing. Chyna hated seeing her best friend so upset but she was even more crushed over the fact that her other best friend might not be getting on the plane back to California with the rest of them.
When Chyna opened the door to their hotel room, Fletcher was waiting on Olive's bed.
"Fletcher?" Chyna asked surprised. "How did you get in here?"
He held up their room key between his fingers. "Olive asked me to hang onto it for her." Chyna nodded.
The room became silent. Fletcher and Olive stared anywhere but each other, avoiding each other gazes. After a long moment of silence, Chyna began to wonder if Fletcher and Olive were somehow speaking to each other telepathically. When she began to feel awkward, Chyna stepped back. "I think I'm going to go." She finally said, pointing at the door and then slipped out of the room unnoticed.
Fletcher and Olive made eye contact for a moment before the tears welled up in Olive's eyes. She couldn't help herself; Olive walked toward Fletcher and wrapped her arms around his neck. Fletcher's arms snaked around Olive's waist and he pulled her as close to him as possible. They stayed like that in each others embrace for what felt like forever.
"Tell me one thing," Fletcher's voice cracked over the hurt. "Do you really want me to go?"
Olive shook her head, her body still pressed against Fletcher's. "Of course not."
"Then I'm not going."
Olive pulled away from Fletcher. "You have to."
"No, Olive. I can't." Fletcher let a tear fall from his eye and Olive used her thumb to wipe it away. "I can't leave you." Olive opened her mouth to object but Fletcher shushed her. "I can't leave you, or my mom or dad, or Chyna or the rest of the ANT farm for that matter. I'm not ready. "
Olive linked her fingers with Fletcher's and led him to the bed where they sat side by side. "This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, Fletcher, You cannot pass this up."
"I'm one of the best and youngest painters in North America; I have no doubt that I will get another opportunity like this. And even if I don't, that's okay. At least I will be home with the people I love." Olive looked at her lap with a smile on her face. Fletcher kissed the corner of Olive's lips.
"I love you, Olive."
Olive's heart skipped a beat. She looked into Fletcher's eyes and could see the sincerity and adoration in them. In that moment, she forgot about everything that had recently happened and focused on that moment. She kissed him. His lip between hers. Hard at first but then it became soft and sweet. Fletcher's hand came in contact with Olive's cheek and he guided his lips against hers. After awhile, Olive pulled away and rested her forehead against his.
"I love you too."
They smiled at each other and Fletcher reconnected their lips. They kissed like that, passionately and unhurried. It felt like home. It felt familiar and safe. The way it should be.
Suddenly, there was knock at the door. "I don't hear talking." It was Chyna. "Is everything okay?" Olive pulled away from Fletcher and bit her lip.
"Should we go tell her the good news?" Fletcher said.
Olive grinned. "I'm sure her ear has been pressed against the door this whole time, but yeah" Olive squeezed Fletcher's hand. "Let's go tell her the good news."
Together, they stood up, hand in hand, holding each other in every way possible as they walked toward the door to tell Chyna the good news.
A/N: It's a short and sweet fanfic that I hope you all enjoyed. I tried to keep the characters as much as themselves as possible but it wasn't working for this story. I had to make the characters more emotional, but after watching the finale, I realized that this story was written alright.
Please tell me what you think. And if you have anything you want to share about the show (or the finale), any comments you have to make, you're more than welcome to do that.
Even though the series finale of the show has passed, that does not mean this is necessarily my last Fanfiction.