Title: I'll Stand By You

Rating: PG-13

Summary:Landon makes a wish on his birthday

Authors notes: I got the transcripted parts here: http://www.tunerswanted.com/awtr/

Landon Carter stood in front of his wife's grave. It had been 7 years since she

died,and he had yet to find anyone he loved as he loved her.

"Hey Jamie. Well, guess what. It's my birthday. Yep, I'm 25. Hard to believe huh. It

seems like it was only yesterday that I was eighteen,and we were in love." Landon wiped

his eyes,trying to hold back the rest of his tears,"I still love you though. I never knew it

was possible to love someone this much."

He then laid a white rose on her grave and whispered,"I love you baby."



*Cut To Landon's Mothers home-Later*

"Mom, you don't have to do all this for me." Landon told his mother who was busy

finishing up his cake.

"No, Landon. This is your 25th birthday. I want to celebrate."She told him."So, I talked to

Reverend Sullivan today. He told me you stopped by Jamie's grave. How was it?"

"Brutal. I still can't believe that it's only been 7 years. It still hurts to think about it."

"It'll get easier. Sooner or later it will get easier."

"I know, and I believe that if I keep telling myself that, it will."

*Cut to Landon's Birthday Party*

Landon was surrounded by his high school friends Eric,Dean,Walker,and Tracie.

He would have invited Belinda but,she was currently in rehab for a drug problem.

Eric sat next to the birthday boy and put his arm around his shoulder. "I can't believe it my

man, your 25. It's incredible."

"Tell me about it."Landon laughed,"After last year I'm surprised I'm even here."

"Come on man. You enjoyed it admit it."

"Oh yes I just love being kidnapped from my dorm room and taken to unknown places."

"Present time."Tracie announced as she saw Mrs.. Carter coming out of the living room

with tons of presents in her arms.

She sat them on the table letting Landon look them all over.

"Which one do you wanna open first man?"Walker asked looking like an excited child on

Christmas morning.



Landon picked the closest one which happened to be a small box wrapped in red

wrapping paper.

"This one."

"Good choice,"Tracie told him,"it's mine."

"This should be good."Dean whispered.

Tracie shot him a dirty look.

Landon tore off the paper to reveal a black box, when he opened the box he saw a Green

charm on a gold necklace.

"It's a necklace."Landon said stating the obvious.

"Not just any necklace! This is a magical necklace. You make a wish and the necklace is

supposed to grant it." Everyone looked at Tracie with blank looks on their faces.

"Fine!"She exclaimed " I couldn't find anything better, so I picked this and hoped you'd

like it."

"I love it."Landon told her.

"Thank you."

"Come on man make a wish,"Eric urged him "I wanna see if this thing works."

"Fine."Landon took the necklace in his hand and closed his eyes.

Let's see if this thing really works. He thought I wish I could go back to my senior

year of high school.

After a moment passed he opened his eyes. Nothing.

"Did it work?"His mom asked.

"Nah, but it still looks cool."

"Hope you didn't pay a lot for it Tracie."Walker joked.



*Landon's room-Evening*

Landon crawled under his sheets and as soon as his head hit the pillow he was

asleep. Hanging out with the gang all afternoon really wore him out. But even after all the

presents were opened his mind still went back to thinking about the wish he made. A part

of him knew that there was no possible way that the wish would ever be granted, and yet,

another part hoped against hope that it would.

That night as he slept memories from his senior year went through his mind.

Memories of him and Jamie. Happy times. Sad times. The best times.

The first time he really had a conversation with her. They were on the bus riding back

from Jefferson, Jr. high. where he had to help tutor at. Jamie came up to him and rather

casually said, "Hey." And she gave him the smile that she was so famous for. Landon

looked the other way as if he was ashamed, and he hoped that she would go away. But

she didn't.

"You want to buy some raffle tickets?" She asked "We're trying to raise enough money so

we can buy Jefferson some new computers."

All Landon could say was no" No."

Jamie went on talking, "So I saw you in there with Luis, and I know it can be very

difficult. But..

maybe you should try backing into it from some where else."

After a break of silence she asked "Are you going to visit Clay Gephart?" When Landon

didn't respond she responded " ... that would be a no. You do know that they moved him

from the hospital to that rehab place on oak street.

Landon quickly removed his headset and said "Is this your idea of small talk or something?

because if it is your social skills need some work."No one forced him to jump." Jamie

looked at him afraid.

"It's called peer pressure."She told him

"And how do you know about that? Did you read it in your precious book?"Landon asked

referring to the bible on her lap.

Jamie closed her eyes, offended by Landon's comment,"Please don't pretend like you

know me ok?"

"But I do, I do."Landon told her and continued by saying," We've all the same classes and

same school since kindergarten.Why you're Jamie Sullivan. You sit at lunch table 7. Which

isn't exactly the reject table, but is definitely in self exile territory. You have exactly one

sweater. You like to look at your feet when you walk. Oh oh and yah, for fun you like to

tutor on the weekends and hang out with the cool kids from the "Stars And Planets". Now

how does that sound?"

"Fairly predictable, nothing I haven't heard before."Jamie told him answering his question.

Landon looked curiously at Jamie. "You don't care what people think about you?"

Jamie smiled,"No." And with that she walked back over to her seat and Landon watched

her.

There second real conversation happened when she agreed to give him a ride

home. Eric was supposed to pick Landon up from play practice,but when he didn't show,

Landon decided to ask Jamie for a ride home.

"You feeling christian"He asked

Jamie agreed, and when they were in the car driving she asked "Seatbelts?"

Landon put his on annoyed,and Jamie sighed and turned on the Radio.Landon switched

to a rock station, jamie switched back and Landon did it again.

" I forfeit."She told him,and he thanked her.

"42..."Jamie said to herself

"42, what.. what do you mean 42?"

"42 is be-friend someone you don't like.It's a "To Do" list I have exempt from my life."

"What? Like getting a new personality?"

" Mm.. spend a year in the peace corp, make a medical discovery,"

Landon interrupted with "That's ambitious"

"be in two places at once,"She continued "get a tattoo."

"What's #1?"Landon asked curiously

"I'd tell you,"She joked "but then I'd have to kill you."

The next moment that popped into his head was the first time he asked her for help.

Landon walked out of class and went up to Jamie's locker and said her name.

She was surprised, but she turned around."What do you want Carter?"She asked "I've

known you for years. You've never been the first one to come up and say hello."

"I need help with my lines."He told her.

Jamie looked up at Landon "Landon Carter is asking me for help?"

"Yeah."

"Ok,"Jamie told him,"I'll pray for you."

"Jamie.. no look i really need help"

Jamie interrupted him,"You obviously have never asked anyone for help before right? A

request likes yours requires flattery and groveling. It can't be all about you. It has to be

for the common good of everybody."

Landon was offended "It is for the common good ok? Eddie Zimmerhoff deserves the best

please?"

Jamie gave in," Ok. One condition though Carter."

"What's that?"

"You have to promise you won't fall in love with me."

Landon smiled,"That's not a problem."

Opening night of the play Landon first noticed that there was something about

Jamie that he had never seen before.

"Look I aint blaming yah. I aint asking for forgiveness either.Just did what I had to."He

told Jamie as she took off her cloak. He looked at Jamie and begins to stumble his

lines."When you walked outta the rain and into my club that wasn't just a coincidence was

it?"

"Nothing's coincidence"Jamie told him.

"Your face, you look so familiar. Like this dame I knew once only it

wasn't real it was a dream."As Landon said this,his tone changed, as if he was talking to

Jamie herself.

"Tell me about this dream girl."

"Hell, I don't... remember. All I know.. is that you're

beautiful. "

Jamie looked very nervous because Landon was rewriting,and she didn't know where he

was going to go with this. "The dream,"He told her."help me to remember. Will you sing

for me?"

Only Hope began to play on the piano and Jamie sang:

There's a song that's inside of my soul,

It's the one I've tried to write over and over again,

I'm awake in the infinite cold,

But you sing to me over and over and over again.

So I lay my head back down,

And I lift my hands and pray,

To be only yours I pray,

To be only yours I know now,

You're my only hope.

Sing to me the song of the stars,

Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again,

When it feels like my dreams is so far,

Sing to me of the plans that you have for me over and again.

So I lay my head back down,

And I lift my hands and pray,

To be only yours I pray,

To be only yours I know now,

You're my only hope.

I give you my destiny,

I giving you all of me,

I want your symphony,

singing in all that I am,

at the top of my lungs,

I'm giving it back.

So I lay my head back down,

And I lift my hands and pray,

To be only yours I pray,

To be only yours I pray,

To be only yours I know now,

you're my only hope.

mmm.. Oo Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo Ooo

Landon leaned in and Kissed Jamie,and they both look at each other. Loud applause

came from the audience and the curtains closed.

Before Landon knew what was happening his alarm went off.

That's funnyHe though,slowly waking upI don't remember setting my alarm.

"Landon sweetie! Time to get up."His mother called from the kitchen.

"What the..."Landon asked himself getting out of his bed,but the moment he looked around the

room and caught his reflection in the mirror he knew what happened. "Ohh, crap. It worked."

Landon Carter was once again 18.