Dedicated to Miss Ollie American

Who goes by many names,

Several of which I have included in here for our amusement.

Happy Birthday, my dear friend.

May you, like Bilbo of the Shire,

Live to see your one hundred and elevensies.

Chapter One: Meeting

How many years had we been friends? 3 years by my count, but I had read her stories long before then, only knowing her as the Spring Soldier.

And we still haven't met face to face. I giggled as I switched lanes, reminded of the fact that only 2 months ago, I had no idea what she actually looked like. Rebekah was one of my closest friends. We'd met over her fanfiction, and then eventually we started emailing and texting, which of course, spiraled down into a flurry of crossovers, novel ideas, special chapters and references, texting, silly faces and nicknames. Oh, the nicknames abounded, more than I remembered.

I awkwardly looked around for the starbucks where we had planned to meet. Last week, I had gotten enough airmiles points to come and visit her before school started again. Second year of University was not something I was particularly looking forward too. I had arrived this morning, grabbed a rental car (2013 Blue Volkswagen Beetle) and driven to here, wherever here happens to be.

I pulled into the empty parking lot, and turned the car off. I added some lip gloss, popped the key into my leather backpack satchel, then walked into the cafe. I glanced around, then noticed one customer seated at a table with her back to me. It was her, I could tell because she was wearing a Silk t-shirt.

My phone buzzed with a text, and I checked it. It was from her.

Where are you?

I smiled, walking up behind her and tapping her on the shoulder. "Right behind you." I say, and she squealed and turned around.

"Mellie!"

"Bekah!"

She gives me a huge hug, just like I expected her too.

"Wow, I can't believe….This is so weird! This is actually happening!" Bekah says as she joins me in line.

" I know, right? I was just thinking about how 2 months ago, I wouldn't know what you looked like!"

"Oh wow, that is legit. And trippy."

I glance up at the board. "Iced peach green tea?"

"Sounds great." Bekah nods and we order our drinks, then find a comfy seat near the air conditioning. I sit with my back to the wall, as usual.

"So how's the novel coming along?" I ask, taking a sip of the refreshing drink.

"It's okay I guess. I'm still working out kinks and polishing it. Hopefully I can find a good publisher soon. I don't want to just publish it to kindle books though."

"No, of course not! Your books are so much better than that. They deserve a real publisher." I coincide.

"What about you?" She asks, leaning forward with anticipation. I sent my novel into a publisher a month ago, and I actually just got the email before I hope on the plane. I slid my phone over to her, the email open for her to see. She gasped.

"Oh my goodness! That's amazing! You were so close!" She squealed, and I nodded.

"They gave me some really good advice too. I can't wait to start writing again when I get home."

"Same. I'm so excited to be studying music again. But I'm super glad we could finally meet face to face!"

"Me too Bekah. This is just great!"

We talked for an hour before we decided to go home. Bekah hoped in my car, and we tossed our purses onto the back seat. After some final directions about driving in the States and some squealing about a song on the radio, we were soon on the highway and heading towards Bekah's house.

I don't know what hit us, and I don't think I will ever want to. One minute we were talking about the Avengers and driving down the road. Next, I was surrounded by blackness. I feel high on a cloud, like I'm flying.

But I fall. I hear screaming and pain, taste dirt and sorrow, feel blood and anger, see blackness, smell fear. I scream, it's too much. The brightness and warmth of our conversation fades, and I sink into the bliss of silence. Pure, God-wrought silence. Peaceful, never ending silence, golden glimmering….

...Silence…

…...then.…...this…...heaven-on-earth…..fades…..as...voices..flare..into. Existence.