Sorry for the late update. But I updated, so yay! I edited this in five minutes, so bear with me.

This was born at a Journey concert. Heh. I can't go one place without getting an idea that takes over me for the night.

Takes place after seven. They're back in Florida. Maybe 19-ish.

IP story. (I haven't done this since June! Lol. I've just forgotten. Honestly, every story is IP really. Just ask a question and I'll do my absolute best to give you everything I can.) This IP...idk. Ask anything. WITHIN REASON.

ALSO! PLEASE READ! I have a friend who mught be doing this anyway (love ya Corinne!) but I'm gonna ask anyway. Does anyone take fan art requests on here? I'm asking tumblr and twitter, but maybe you guys could help me out better, since you've been with me for a bit more time—I would love and adore you forever if you could fan art one of the moments in here, the "backwards hug" as I call it. In the middle of the song. PM me if you're interested. I don't know what I could do in return. All I could probably do is dedicate a story to you. PLEASE! All artists, come. A really good excuse to draw…

DISCLAIMER: I don't own nothing. I'm using literally ten words of lyrics. Essential to story. Who could blame me? (To all Beliebers: Sorry.)

Open Arms

And it's one of those rainy, gray, Sunday nights, when she comes over and they sit and do nothing. Because that's the only chance they get for nothing.

She's at home, and he's at college, working, living. She's said she'll go when she can afford it. Finn feels guilty for going away every week, driving back to UCF at 3am at the end of the week then driving back on Friday midnights, only seeing those blue eyes on his laptop screen during the week. But how is he gonna make a living in the future with her if he doesn't go?

Tonight is spent sitting on Finn's bed, speaking no words. His back is pressed against the backboard; her back is to the wall on his left. With one leg dangling, Amanda tugs at the string on her gray hoodie, scratching her blue jeans. Finn fiddles endlessly with his iPod.

Amanda hears him softly curse and laughs. "What are you doing with that thing?"

"Trying to make it work."

"Honestly. You have too many electronics. I've got my phone, and I live with that."

"Yeah, but a lot of devices are great. Awesome. Useful. When they work."

Amanda leans over, a devilish open-mouthed grin on her face, and is on all fours before Finn, dropping her head in between Finn's and the iPod. From her upside-down view, the screen spasms, and then blacks. Finn goes to the home screen and the incident repeats.

"So?" Amanda raises her head to Finn, so now they're literally pressed against each other. Finn steals a quick kiss on her forehead. He face melts into a content sigh.

"If I can get into iTunes, I'm home free," Finn says, still facing her, but then changing his gaze down. Amanda frowns. She was enjoying the moment. Now she sits back to her regular spot. With embellished gestures, Finn presses the home button and taps the screen. She snorts.

With a hesitant flourish, Finn squashes his finger down on last time. "YES! Pandora. Not iTunes. But close enough. Bless the Lord!"

"Glory, hallelujah," Amanda says monotonously.

Finn stares wide-eyed at the phone, holding his breath as if exhaling would kill it. Then a piano plays, longing chords, rising and falling. "Ah, yes! Journey."

"Journey? Isn't it that band with the long haired guy?"

"He cut his hair. Finally, I didn't like that look." Amanda's face is twisted into confused alarm as she looks to him. "But no, he's good. Not the original, though. But this—" he raps the screen with his fingernail twice— "is the man."

Amanda nods. A voice resonates. "Lying, beside you, here in the dark…"

It's catchy, I guess, she thinks, but Finn seems to be enjoying it lots. He mouths the lyrics dramatically, swaying from side to side, almost capsizing the bed. Amanda has to grab onto each side.

Then, he glances over to her rapidly, mid-verse. "Let's dance."

"What the he..."

"May I have this dance?" he leaps up from his sitting position, now standing by the bed with his leg extended and arm outstretched, bowing down.

Amanda smirks, shrugging. "Alright, then."

Finn glances up, his face a million suns. Amanda accepts his hand and stands up, Finn leading her to the middle of his rug. The lead singer muses from the speakers, "We drifted apart, but here you are, by my side…"

Finn takes her other hand, and he goofily bounces up and down awkwardly, sending Amanda into giggles. She shakes her hips slowly to match the movement.

Finn raises his arm, and Amanda waltzes under it, biting her bottom lip to suppress the smile. But it doesn't work, and Finn catches himself gazing at the cuteness.

He takes her hips now, and she grabs his shoulders. He pulls her closer abruptly, and chills rip through Amanda's body. He sees her thrilled look and smiles with his eyes. "Hoping you'll see what your love means to me…"

Then Finn holds her back and spins her around, so her back is against him. She leans her head on his shoulder, and they sway side to side. Her eyes are closed, her nose nuzzling Finn's neck. He runs his fingers up her side sometimes, and she responds by burying her head into his neck even more.

Then, he brings his head down to be next to hers. "Living without you, living alone…" He just can't believe, the loveliness and gorgeousness in front of him, thanks to Sunday, the exquisite beauty that no one else can replicate, now with her eyes closed on his shoulder…

"You're beautiful, and I love you," he says, so so close, and he closes the distances as he reaches in a few centimeters and kisses her on the lips, gently at first, but then growing and growing and having to twist themselves into a different position of facing each other so they didn't break anyone's neck.

"So now I come to you…"

He runs his fingers through her hair, softly, but then taking it in his fist and throwing it up and down and rubbing her head with the heel of his palm meanwhile. She is slowly pulled out of her sinking reverie, kissing back even more fiercely, throwing her arms around his neck.

They pull apart after forever, heaving breaths, holding each other. Their foreheads are pressed together, and they look down. Amanda's eyes are open now, coursing with fire, as she runs her hands over his shoulders, arms—

"You're perfect…and you're mine." she whispers, as the last of the song, their song now, dies.

He pulls her into a tight hug, letting her catch her breath, squeezing even tighter each time she faltered. Then he realizes, that's probably not helping. She feels extremely light-headed. Blame it on the thrill. Or the kissing.

She stumbles from him, staggering over to the bed and flopping down on her back, her knees dangling down. "I—I can't breathe," she heaves, squinting her eyes between throwing her head side to side. "I'm gonna pass out. I'm gonna die."

"That escalated quickly," he says, coming over and holding her hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. "You know, I meant what I said."

She looks to him, grinning sweetly. "Me too."

Then the radio plays. Justin Bieber. "You know you love me…"

They burst out into hysterics. "Now I really can't breathe."

"I guess Pandora is having mood-swings," Finn says, smiling wide. Amanda tries to stifle her giggle. "How do we go from Steve Perry to whiny teenagers?"

The laughter fades. The last of the thrill dies. Finn sits down on the bed, and Amanda pulls her legs onto the bed, curling up, facing away from Finn. He takes her hair and runs it through his fingers continuously.

Finn gets closer to her ear. "I just wanna spend the rest of my life with you," he says, shrugging.

"I'm not ready," Amanda says immediately, wanting to make that clear.

"Me neither. I don't wanna get married now. But…soon."

"So we will?" She turns up, shifting her body toward the ceiling, so his knees are at her side, gazing at Finn like a child, illuminating. She's a star in his eyes, the brightest, the prettiest.

"We will. I guess this is a proposal." He looks around, his shoulders sinking. "I don't have anything for you."

She shrugs. "You gave me the song."

Happy silence. She speaks again. "I guess it's settled then."

He strokes her face with the back of his hand. She doesn't move away. He lights up. "Yeah," leaning in for another soft kiss.

They get their happy ending, in each other's arms.

I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW I ONLY USED "LOOK" LIKE TWO TIMES IN THIS AND FOR THAT I AM VERY PROUD

Oh God. I've never had this much fun. Honestly. I am so happy right now. This is for Corinne, Morgan, Grace, Mitch, Alicia, DaVonne, and Gina. And Willa. LOL. Willow.

Review? Concrit is accepted and appreciated ;)

And remember what I said, artists! :D