How northern exposure should have ended
Prologue
The night was cold.
Frost tinted the windows and doors of the post office, reminding the man who sheltered inside of another time.
Another place.
Shaking away his nostalgia, he chose a post card from the selection displayed, and sat down to write….
New York is a state of mind
Love,
Joel
Chapter 1
"Maggie O'Connell, will you marry me?"
I stare at Chris in complete shock. He was asking me to marry him? A wave of guilt hits me and I gulp. I had brought him all the way out here, in the middle of the Alaskan bush, to tell him I wanted to break up! It's not his fault; it's just….
I recall a time when a circus came to town. A lady, Adrienne, I think her name was, read my palm. She told me that I would marry a tall, handsome man and have 3 wonderful children, on the downside, that I wouldn't be happy.
Besides it's not just that, over the past few weeks I have decided that Chris Stevens is not the man I want to spend the rest of my life with. But as I look at that hopeful, loving face, I can't seem to find the words to tell him so.
"Uh, Chris? Well you see, it's complicated, and….."
"I guess that's a no then"
I look at him sympathetically
"I'm sorry"
He gets up off his knees
"It's just, I can't see myself in a relationship with you in ten years Chris, you're a great friend, but I think it's time for me to go my own way"
He looks at me and sighs sadly
"I understand, thank you, Maggie"
I raise my eyebrow, perplexed
"For what?"
"For the experience"
And with that he makes his way towards his motor bike, reaches it, and drives off.
Chapter 2
To Dr Joel Fleischman
Manhattan
New York
Dear Fleischman
This might never reach you (as you, forgot, to put an address on that postcard you sent all those 2 years ago!)But on the slight chance that it will, I'm writing this letter
How are you? Hopefully you haven't (as Adam predicted once) Driven your way ruthlessly to the top, becoming very rich, but very miserable, because even for you Fleischman, that would be sad.
A lot has changed since you were here.
Shelly had another baby! A boy this time. Miranda, (now a full 2 and a half years old) seems to be in a mixture of excitement and annoyance at having a baby brother! And Halling, of course, is still overwhelmed in his love for Shelly.
Phil and Michelle are thinking of leaving at the end of the year as their contract is almost up, Maurice isn't happy about that; he'll be on another doctor search again!
Speaking of Maurice, him and Barbara finally tied the knot! And you won't believe where….. at the police station! Barbara insisted as she had to go to work straight after the wedding.
On another good note, a film company finally accepted Ed's shaman movie! It's still in the casting stages right now, but he's over the moon with happiness.
We had another mayor election, and my successor is…. Da da da da! Marilyn! I was happy to hand the reins over to such a woman of wisdom!
Ruthanne and Walt have announced a wedding date and Adam has decided to be the Bricks cook. (For as long as he can stand it!)
As for me, well I was in a relationship with Chris, but I ended it recently, it wasn't meant to be (my destiny does not include tall men)
And how about you Fleischman? Is New York all you dreamed it would be?
On the slight chance that you get this letter, please reply
Love
Maggie
Maggie O'Connell
P.O box 86
Cicely
Alaska
Chapter 3
As I angle my bush plane to the tarmac, I ponder over this mysterious person I'm meant to be picking up. He hadn't given any information other than that he was a "returning Cicilian".
An idea forms in my mind, but I push it away.
Nah, it couldn't be.
But as I land the plane, and catch a glimpse of who is standing there, I can't help but suppress a cry of surprise.
I open the door and step out, he smiles.
"O'Connell"
"Fleischman?!"
What the heck was he doing here?!
"What the heck are you doing here?!"
The only answer he gives me is to shrug and say "you said to reply to your letter, so here I am"
"But what about New York?" I ask, still staring
"I thought I belonged there, that I was meant to be there, but I think the whole purpose of my visit to New York was to show me where I truly belong. I thought I was a New Yorker, but I'm not, I'm a Cicilian."
Or at least, that's more or less what he said
I just stand there, open mouthed. Here was the man I had started off despising, and ended up loving. The sensitive jerk.
I step forward and embrace him.
"I missed you" he whispers into my ear.
"And I love you" I whisper back
Around us, an electric storm starts to rage.
AN: here's a link to the song that was inspiring for me XD
watch?v=Q7nFsy1mTSE
Chapter 4
"Well, here we are!"
The storm had kept us grounded for a day, but after the long wait we were able to take off.
Fleischman complained about the air currents the whole way.
And now, as I step off the Cicely bus, (we had taken the bus for authenticities sake) I realise how much I have missed him.
The first person we see as the bus drives off, is Marilyn.
When she sees who is with me, she nods in a satisfied sort of way, and says clearly
"Welcome home"
The end (for now)