Alternate Ending

Starting after chapter 20, some of this is in the book but I needed it in here to make sense.

It would work. They could make it work, Jonas told himself again and again throughout the day.

But that evening everything changed. All of it-all of the things they had thought through so meticulously-fell apart.

It happened at the evening meal. The family unit was eating together as always: Lily chattering away, Mother and Father making their customary comments (and lies, Jonas knew) about the day. Nearby, Gabriel played happily on the floor, babbling his baby talk, looking with glee now and then towards Jonas, obviously delighted to have him back after the unexpected night away from the dwelling.

Father glanced down toward the toddler. "Enjoy it, little guy," he said. "This is you last night as a visitor."

"What do you mean?" Jonas asked him.

Father sighed with disappointment. "Well, you know he wasn't here when you got home this morning because we had him stay overnight at the Nurturing Center. It seemed like a good opportunity, with you gone to give it a try. He'd been sleeping so soundly."

"Didn't it go well?" Mother asked sympathetically.

Father gave a rueful laugh. "That's an understatement. It was a disaster. He cried all night, apparently. The night crew couldn't handle it. They were really frazzled by the time I got to work."

"Gabe you naughty thing," Lily said, with a scolding little cluck toward the grinning toddler on the floor.

"So," Father went on, "we obviously had to make the decision. Even I voted for Gabriel's release when we had the meeting this afternoon."

Jonas put down his fork and stared at his father. "Release?" he asked.

Father nodded. "We certainly gave it our best try, didn't we?"

"Yes we did," Mother agreed emphatically.

Lily nodded in agreement, too.

Jonas worked at keeping his voice absolutely calm. "When?" he asked. "When will he be released?"

"First thing tomorrow morning. We have to start our preparations for the Naming Ceremony, so we thought we'd get this taken care of right away. It's bye-bye to you, Gabe, in the morning," Father had said in his sweet, sing-song voice.

Jonas reached the handle to the door still considering if this was a good idea. Well it is now or never, he thought to himself. He had Gabe with him and he will keep him safe. As he walked outside he went through a mental checklist of what he did. If I get found I will blame it on the Giver as we originally planned.

Jonas took Father's bike because he couldn't ride and carry Gabe at the same time. Now all Jonas needed to do was get to the Annex. As he rode to the Annex he made sure no one could see him or hear him. Jonas even felt himself holding his breath.

Jonas got to the Annex safe and nothing wrong. Jonas wondered what if the Giver forgot to keep the door unlocked. But Jonas brushed that away. No I need to think good thoughts. It took Jonas awhile to notice he walked through the doors with Gabe. I must've done it while thinking about all I have been.

The Giver was in his room waiting for Jonas to get there. When he saw Jonas he noticed he was carrying something.

"Jonas what do you have with you?" The Giver asked completely confused, this wasn't part of the plan.

"I'm sorry but my father was going to release Gabe and I just couldn't let him do that. I love Gabe and just couldn't let him be released just because he can't sleep well without our family. I don't know what to do so I came here to ask you what to do." Jonas felt very childish blurting all that out.

"Well, Jonas didn't it occur to you just to ask your Father for an application for Gabe like your applying for a child when your older and married."

"Er…Well how can I do that I'm not married and I can't do that yet." Jonas was very lost now he couldn't understand what the Giver meant.

"Jonas doesn't your rules say at any age from now on you can apply for anything to be married to anyone or get a child even a specific one."

"Uh…No? I never knew that, they didn't put that on my rules! Could I really say for Gabe to be my child? And anyone I want to by my spouse?" Jonas started thinking about the possibly of what could happen.

"Yes also you can have more than the required amount of kids if you want. I don't know why they didn't put that on your rules."

By now Jonas had all kinds of images and plans of what he could do. "Wait, do I have to have a spouse before I can apply for Gabe?"

"Actually, no but it might be better. And Jonas I don't want you to go to Elsewhere anymore because I thought about a few things and our plan will not work. So who do you want your spouse to be?" The Giver was eager to give Jonas a time to live a real life even if he did have to be the Receiver.

Jonas started to blush,"well I was thinking about Fiona but then I remembered we are still not old enough does that mean I have to get a way older spouse?"

"Ha ha. No but it won't be a hard to get you two married we could even do it after the Ceremonies." The Giver was smiling big like a proud parent. Maybe he's happy that I will get married and this is as close as he can get to a child of his own.

"Thank you so much for all you do! I don't believe that this is happening but how can I be sure Gabe won't be released before I can make sure he's mine?"

"Well you two can sleep here tonight and I will come with you two to your family unit tomorrow and get it sorted out. I'll even put both of the applications to the Committee of Elders but I don't think that they will deny it."

"Thanks for all you've done but I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight so you can go ahead and go to sleep."

The next morning the Giver, Gabe, and Jonas headed towards Jonas's dwelling. When they got there the house was in frenzy.

"Jonas, Gabe where have you been?" scolded Mother

"Sorry I took Gabe for a ride before his release one more time and I apologize for worrying you."

"I apologize ma-am it was my fault I saw Jonas and started talking to him." The Giver stuttered at what he should call her but decided on ma-am

"No it's okay we were just very worried because both Jonas and Gabe disappeared at the same time." Father assured the Giver.

"Giver would you like to come to the Ceremony with us?" Jonas asked although he already knew the answer it was all part of their plan.

"Why yes, thank you Jonas for asking. But first I need to talk to your father about important issues." Jonas had been giddy since he got there but after the Giver said that he could not wait until the Ceremony in just an hour or two.

"Excuse me for asking but what do you mean you need to talk to me?" Father seemed very confused about why the Giver wanted to talk to him. Jonas understood though because he probably would be the same way.

"Oh I just need to go over something with you about some of Jonas's decisions, that's all."

"Oh, okay." Father still seemed confused but went along with it anyway. "We can speak in my bedroom if it's okay with you." The Giver nodded indicating to show him where to go.

Jonas stayed in their living room while Lily kept bothering him about what Father and The Giver could be talking about.

"Do you know what they are talking about?" questioned Lily.

"Yes," Jonas said not wanting to lie to Lily right now.

"Will you tell?" Lily pestered.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because The Giver said not to tell anybody before he talked to Father."

"Oh."

After that the questions stop and made Jonas very nervous. I wonder what they're talking about. I wonder if they started talking about me getting to keep Gabe. I wonder if I have to move out when Gabe becomes a member of my own family and if I will have to move out as soon as I marry Fiona. I can't wait this is so exciting! I know she will be wonderful with kids because she's so caring with the elderly. But what if she doesn't like me more than a friend and I just ruin her life. I know the Giver said I will be giving her great honor to her family but what if she doesn't want to become a mother now. But I wish she knew how much I love her. Her beautiful, red, long hair and her striking eyes.

"Jonas you get to keep him it will be announced at the Ceremony today and your whole family unit will come up. But don't tell anyone else in your family what this surprise is. Goodbye!" And with that the Giver winked at Jonas and went out the door to Fiona's dwelling to tell her parents about the wonderful news (or supposedly good news).

After all the commotion Lily started asking questions, "What did the Giver mean by Jonas can't tell anyone what Father and him were talking about and why is Gabe still here don't you have to go to release him?"

"Well that is part of the secret and neither Jonas nor I can tell you." Father said very proudly.

"Oh ok," was Lily's response to that.

"Well I better go to the Nurturing Center to prepare all the kids going to their new families today!" and with that Father walked out the door.

Again, just like always, Father was at the front with the whole Nurturing crew and handing out kids to their family. Jonas was sitting with his Mother, Lily, and the Giver. Lily was sitting with them until after the "surprise". The Giver would come with them too just to make sure nothing would go wrong.

When Jonas's family was called everyone was very confused. Jonas, Mother, Lily, and the Giver all walked down the aisle leading to the stage. The crowd was murmuring because Jonas's family had already gotten their share of kids and the old Receiver was with them. Jonas was the first one on the stage and they met Father on stage.

"I apologize to the community for the confusion but since Jonas is going to be the next Receiver he has a few rules that have been a very big change like today Jonas is starting his own family starting with one of these little guys that his family unit has been taking care of trying to make him ready for this day. Well he was supposed to be released earlier but Jonas came to me and asked me if he could take this little fellow under his care. So now I am here to present this child named Gabe to Jonas and hope for the best of his family." The Giver made sure to not let anyone know that Jonas's family knew Gabe's name before they were supposed to. As the Giver finished his speech the crowd started clapping as custom but Jonas started to have the feeling they were actually happy no one had to get released.

It was a few days after getting Gabe, and Jonas was getting ready for his Marriage Ceremony. Mother and Fiona's Mother were dressing her which was custom. Jonas and Fiona didn't want to break custom just because they weren't the custom age. So Father and Fiona's father were helping Jonas get ready but as he looked into the mirror he thought he was done so Father and Fiona's Father went to check on Fiona. The Giver was with him too just right now he was admiring him.

"Well Jonas I guess this is going to be different for you as it was for me but I was actually on the custom age. But don't listen to me I'm just acting like a worried father which I feel like since this is the closest to having a child of mine getting married." Jonas might've thought he heard the Giver sniffle at the end but couldn't make sure.

Gabe now was walking so he was going to stand in between Fiona and Jonas. Even though that was not part of the custom both Jonas and Fiona decided that Gabe should be included. Fiona had been over to see him after she found out that they were getting married and soon. Mother and Father have been excited about that Jonas was growing up but a little sad about how fast it went. Lily was ecstatic that she could still play with Gabe and that Jonas was getting married but a little disappointed that he was leaving. Jonas tried so hard to comfort her and when Fiona heard about it she tired too and they both finally got to her.

"Jonas we are ready!" Lily was really excited now after the talk that Fiona gave her so now she couldn't wait for the Ceremony.

"Okay!" Was all Jonas had to say before Lily came barging in to take him to the Ceremony.

"Come on you are going to be late to your own Marriage Ceremony!"

"Lily I don't think that will happen." The Giver said very calmly.

"Oh! I'm so sorry am I interrupting something?" Lily sounded sincerely sorry.

"No, no it alright I think Jonas was about to leave any way. Right?"

"Um. Yea just give me a second."

"Okay."

After the Ceremony Fiona and Jonas took Gabe to their new house so they could get settled in. After any Ceremony people are always tired so they all went straight to sleep after getting settled in. Jonas was thinking to himself before falling asleep about how really soon he'll be the full time Receiver while the Giver would go live with his spouse and live there until being released. Released is that one thing that Jonas could wait for but he didn't want the Giver to be released because that would be devastating for Jonas and just getting close to him. No, no more bad thoughts today I just got married and I have Gabe. Jonas didn't think anything could get better.

The End!