Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire or anyting connected to Lizzie McGuire. I have no connection to Oxford or UC Berkeley, and in fact know very little about them. Feel free to correct me on any mis information I may use. I apologize in advance for such errors. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy!

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Prologue

It was midnight. The stars were bright, filling the park with an enchanted glow. It was a cool summer night in Hillridge where 19-year-old Elizabeth McGuire was living with her parents for the summer. She stood on a bridge and stared down at her reflection thoughtfully. She was happy. She was so happy because of David Gordon, her boyfriend since high school, and everything he was to her. They were attending UC Berkeley together. She was studying English and he was studying to become a director, and everything was perfect. He had been gone for nearly a month in Britain, and she was eager to finally see him again. She smiled, as another person's reflection became visible on the water.

"Gordo!" She grinned, turning around and throwing her arms around his neck for a close embrace.

"Well hello there, Liz." He smiled, putting his arms around her waist.

"I missed you." Lizzie confessed softly into his ear. He captured her lips for a moment in a soft kiss.

"I guess I might have missed you too." He whispered teasingly. She laughed happily and walked out of his embrace and off the bridge onto the grass. He followed her, and they contently lay down next to the river, his arm around her waist, her head comfortably rested on his shoulder.

"Wow, these stars are beautiful." Lizzie sighed after a moment of contented silence. Gordo grinned slyly.

"You're not too bad yourself, McGuire." He said, tickling her side. Lizzie giggled, then rolled her eyes and sat up quickly.

"Gordo, you're impossible." She sighed with mock exasperation.

"Or," he started, sitting up slowly and wrapping his arms around her waist, "maybe I'm just madly in love with the most beautiful girl in the world." He said, making her smile.

"Mr. Gordon, I do believe I'm blushing." She joked. There was a moment of silence.

"I love you. You know that, right?" It was the first time he'd said it.

"I...well...yeah. Yeah." She smiled at the words. "Thanks." She added.

"Liz, if you wanted...you could, you know, say something to me..." He hinted.

"Oh!" She said suddenly. "Right! I...I love you. I—I mean you're...you know...you're my best friend. You...you're the best person I know. You're so...um...I just th-think you..."

"Liz, you're not nervous are you?" Gordo asked, slightly amused. She paused for a moment.

"I've never said that. In that way. I mean, I've always loved you, but I've never said that and meant it quite like that before." They were quiet for a second. "You're so important to me." After another moment, he spoke.

"I want to go to Oxford." He announced, to Lizzie's horror.

"You want to do what?" She demanded.

"I took a tour of Oxford while I was in England and I want to transfer. I want to go to Europe and I want you to come with me and I want you to marry me."

"M-marry? You want to..." She trailed off, standing up quickly and walking back onto the bridge. Gordo cautiously followed her, but she kept her distance. She recalled a conversation with her parents only days before.

xx

"Things are getting serious with Gordo, aren't they honey?" Jo had said cautiously.

"I guess they are." Lizzie answered, smiling a little.

"Be careful!" Her father Sam had warned dramatically. "You're still only 19! You've got a lot of growing to do. Don't go getting pregnant or married or anything stupid like that!"

Lizzie laughed.

"Dad, I really wouldn't worry about that. We both have a lot of goals to accomplish before we even start thinking about something like marriage."

"Or sex!" Sam forcefully added.

"Dad!"

"Say it, Lizzie."

"Or sex." She sighed, rolling her eyes.

"Sam, that wasn't the way we discussed going about it. But sweetie, I'm glad you're with us on this one."

"Sure mom."

xx

She turned and looked at Gordo's face apprehensively.

"Gordo. You're crazy."

"Liz, this is really important to me. I have to go. I've already worked it all out. I can start there in the fall."

"Gordo, Berkeley is a great school! We were so lucky to both be accepted there...together. You can't do this to me. Not with Miranda in New York, and—and Larry and Brooke and Ethan and Nat all over the country... I don't know what I'll do without you."

"That's why you're coming with me."

"I can't do that! Gordo, what about me? I can't go to Oxford. I worked too hard to get into Berkley to quit before I'm half way done. Why can't you go somewhere closer? In this country would be nice!"

"Liz, I thought you would understand. This is really important to me. I saw some of the programs there, and this is what I want. I've been thinking about it a lot, and I'm going. You can find a job there. Does it matter if we're together?"

"So what, you want me to become the uneducated house wife with no degree and a minimum wage job? It makes no sense for me to leave here! I'm doing what I want, I'm studying English and living in California... doesn't what I want matter at all to you?"

He looked at her for a moment.

"I'm sorry. I got so excited. Liz, I've always wanted this, you know."

"Well... well you should go then. I... it's not like this, er, we... could last forever. I mean, all good things must come to an end and all that, right?"

"What are you talking about? I thought...I don't know...I guess I always thought this would last forever, Lizzie. That's why I want to marry you. Let's get married. I can stay if I have to."

"You don't understand..."

"I do understand. You can't go to England. That's okay. We can just..."

"I don't want to marry you." She snapped. It was silent. His eyes glazed over, a pained expression on his face. He looked so vulnerable. He looked so hurt. Her face softened. "I'm sorry." She murmured.

"No," He said quickly. "No, I understand. Obviously you don't feel the way I thought you did about me. We've been together since high school. Maybe it's time we went our separate ways. Like you said, all good things come to an end."

"Yeah." She whispered, though it killed her to say it. "Yeah, maybe that's best. You go to Oxford. I'll stay at Berkeley. We can both have what we want." They both looked down, telling themselves to ignore that what they really wanted was standing right in front of them. He stepped closer to her and gently tucked some golden locks behind her ear, sending shivers down her spine like only Gordo could.

"I, uh...I, you know...just take care of yourself, McGuire, ok?" He finally spat out. Then he took a deep breath. "I love you. You're amazing. Always know that I love you." He told her tenderly. She swallowed back her tears, swallowed the urge to tell him how much she loved him. This was the only way it could be. This was best for everyone.

"Thanks, Gordo. Good luck...with everything. I'll—miss..." she trailed off and shook her head. "I know you'll be a success." She said. "Goodbye, Gordo."

"Bye Lizzie."

He hesitated, as if to say something else, but decided against it.

It was after his curly mop had disappeared into the darkness that she finally broke down into desperate, disappointed tears.

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A/N: Yes, I'm aware this is like about as absurdly fluffy as a chapter is permitted to be by law... but I was in that mood. I don't know about the rest of this world, but I'm a hopeless romantic and sometimes I can't help myself. This is my first fanfiction, I've written original work before, but never put it open to this kind of criticism. So help me out. Tell me what I can do to improve. Does this interest you at all? Should I even continue? Lemme know.
xoxo
Jenna