Greetings from Florida! I actually wrote this Tuesday and Wednesday but there is a reason I posted it today.
Goodbye Garcia
Garcia rushed passed Kevin as he went in the opposite direction. She was no doubt worrying about Reid. He cared about Reid too, as they had mutual interests, but the gap had widened too much now for them to communicate recently. He knew Reid would be acquitted. He's miss seeing him again.
Since he had already packed up most of his things, all that was left was to turn in his ID. The guard waved as he left. He looked back one last time at the building, and then went to his car.
Kevin was packing light. His apartment had been sold as furnished. He had also sold most of his things. It was time to move on. Move on to a new life, or old one, in some ways.
He submitted his one-way ticket to Los Angeles. He got on the plane and pulled out his tablet. Before the plane took flight, he whispered: "Goodbye."
…
A perky blonde greeted him at LAX as he pulled out his luggage. She rushed forward and gave him a hug.
"Hey," she said sweetly.
"Hey," he said back.
"I can't believe you're here!"
"Neither can I, in some ways."
They began to walk out of LAX.
"So, I take it you didn't find what you were looking for in DC?"
"I did for a while I think," he said. "But in the end things didn't work out the way I hoped."
"Did it involve a girl, or a guy?" she asked.
"It was a couple girls. One, became the world for me until we reached an impasse. The other was also great but she didn't leave as big an impact."
"Sounds like a complicated love story," she said.
"It is and we have all the time in the world to discuss it," he said with smile.
"Yep," she said.
They arrived at her car.
"So, who is it?" he asked. "Angel or Spike?"
She smiled. "You'll have to wait and find out when we get there."
He put his luggage in the trunk. "Is the whole gang there?"
"Yep. All the Scoobies are there and accounted for. Plus, a couple others."
He got into the car. "You're not going to tell me where we're going are you?"
"And ruin the surprise, absolutely not!" she said.
They merged into traffic. As they were stuck in the endless traffic, they sat in silence. Just enjoying the fact that they were together after being so many years apart.
…
Two days later Garcia found a letter with no return address with a Los Angeles postmark.
She opened it to find a letter with a QR code.
Penelope,
I know we've had our differences in recent years, but you'll always have a precious place in my heart. I have decided to move on, literally. I'm sorry to say you won't ever see me again but I hope the good memories keep me alive in spirit. I'll miss you, but when it is time to leave, it is time to leave.
Have a spectacular life, Penelope Garcia. You are so unbelievably brilliant. I know you will thrive and conquer everything you encounter. Goodbye.
Kevin
Garcia found herself tearing up a little as she entered the QR code.
It was a song and photo collage featuring the music of "Goodbye to You," by Michelle Branch. With each set of lyrics, a new photo appeared. One of them goofing around. One of them kissing. A couple intimate shots he had taken of her. All of them were photos of them happy memories.
Then an odd photo appeared at the end. It was of him when he was younger, possibly a teenager, between a young two women, one red-haired and the other blond. To the side was an older man dressed in a tweed suit. The appeared to be standing in a library. There was no caption, he just looked unbelievably happy.
She wiped away some tears.
Goodbye Kevin," she said.
The hardest thing in this world is to live in it. Be brave. Live.
~Buffy Summers
THE END