Author's Note: It was mentioned to me that this chapter seems too fast. That is probably true but this is as far as I saw this fic going. This is the final chapter. I hope that the ride has been as fun for you as it was for me. Keep your eye out for the fanmix that will be linked on my profile. Hopefully, it can be up within the next few days.
Disclaimer: I own nothing. This work is purely fictional and in no way should anyone believe that these events actually took place.
I
was crying over you
I am smiling, I think of you
Where your
gardens have no walls
Breathe in the air if you care, you compare,
don't say farewell.
-- "Dice" by Finley Quaye
From their activities the previous day, everyone was pretty tired and slept through breakfast. They woke around eleven and began to plan lunch. As her house-guests woke and got ready for their day, Kelly packed her belongings. She wanted to leave as soon as possible to prevent any more incidents with him. However, she knew she could not leave without saying goodbye. As Kelly was transferring her clothes from the drawers to the suitcase, she heard a knock on her door. Peter quietly said her name as the door slowly opened.
"Hey, Kelly. We're talking about lunch. What would you…?" His sentence halted as he noticed the half-packed suitcase. "What, uh, what's up?"
"I'm leaving."
"What? Why?" Something in her stance and her voice caused a click to occur in Peter's mind. "Did I do something?"
"It just… too hard," Kelly said as she continued to pack her bags.
"Hard?" Peter questioned.
"Yes!" Kelly exclaimed, exasperated. "Once again, I find myself trying to be okay with the fact that we're just friends, but then you grab my hand and then, well, I'm not okay, I'm floating."
Peter simply looked at her with those broody blue eyes of his.
"Being around you… the way that it used to be." She broke eye contact with him and shook her head in remorse. "I thought I was over you. I thought I could do this…"
"Over me? When were you under me?"
"Well, for example, yesterday." Kelly was getting frustrated and it showed with the way she was now throwing clothes into her suitcase. "But that's not the point."
"What is the point?"
Kelly threw the last of her things into the suitcase and looked into Peter's eyes. "The point is that I can't stand being your second anymore." Their eyes were glued to one another and tension sparked between them. "Not when you're my first."
"But Kelly…" Peter started slowly.
"I never wanted to tell you how I really felt because I can't tear up your family and I wouldn't want to make things awkward between the two of us." Her voice seemed to gain momentum as she spoke. "And now I've ruined everything between us, just by being the dumb girl who fell in love and listened to her heart- not her head."
"But," he tried again.
"No. I have to go. I can't do this. I thought I was strong enough but I'm not. I'm sorry."
She zipped up her suitcase and hooked her duffle bag to it. She began to roll it toward the door. She stood in front of Peter and reached toward his face. She pulled it down to her and left a kiss on his forehead.
"Goodbye, Peter," she whispered against his skin then hastily exited the room. Peter stood there, digesting all that had just happened.
Kelly set her luggage down in the dining room, close to the front door. Within seconds, the hostess was joined by her guests who were there to ask about her preference for lunch. However, upon seeing her packed suitcase, their reactions were the same as Peter's.
What's wrong?
Where are you going?
Is everything okay?
As the questions flew out of their mouths, Peter joined them in the dining room.
"There's something wrong with my mom. She needs me," Kelly explained with a lie.
Melinda noticed the way Kelly spoke her words and the looks she was giving Peter. If Kelly's mom were having any type of problem, Kelly would not be this calm. Melinda knew it was something else driving Kelly away from her own cabin.
"Is she going to be okay?" someone asked.
"Yeah. It's nothing to get too worried over. She just wants to see me."
"If it's nothing, can't you just stay for lunch? The last supper?" Melinda insisted.
"Yeah. Who knows how long it will be until we're all together again." Rachel added.
Kelly pondered for a moment. Rachel had a real point. Although Peter was making things difficult for her, she really missed her friends and really wanted to spend some time with them.
"Okay. I'll leave after we have lunch."
Everyone cheered except for Peter who was still giving Kelly that look. This exchange went seemingly unnoticed by everyone but Melinda.
Lunch passed without a hitch. Peter was a lot quieter than normal but no one said anything about it. They enjoyed their time with Kelly and when lunch was over, they all cleaned the kitchen together. Then they all followed her to the dining room to get her luggage and say goodbye. Adam and Ben eagerly took her bags to her car while she hugged the girls goodbye. They wished her mother good health before the boys returned and got their hugs. Peter snuck in and gave her one as well, knowing that they needed to keep up their pretenses. Afterwards, he slipped away unnoticed and went to a room close to the garage, needing to get away from everyone.
Kelly hugged the last neck and gave Melinda the key and some instructions on locking up the cabin. Then she left. Her houseguests stood around the dining room looking at one another.
Autumn finally spoke up. "Does anyone else think that there is nothing wrong with her mother?" She looked around at her friends who looked at her in agreement and then gazed at Melinda. If anyone knew, she would. She did not confirm their suspicions, but she definitely did not deny them.
"With the way they kept looking at each other…" Adam began.
"Peter said close to nothing during lunch." Ben added.
"I think he did say nothing. I don't remember hearing one word." Rachel stated.
Peter sat in the room he had resigned to, oblivious about the conversation going on in the other room. He sat alone at the window with his thoughts. He saw her car slowly pull out and into the driveway, continuing to watch her drive slowly through the thick snow. He looked away thinking of how this could be the last time he saw her. He would not want to make her uncomfortable. The thought of this being the last time he would see those blue eyes caused his heart pain. His eyes rose with realization and his head quickly turned to look through the window to discover how far away she had driven.
Suddenly, Peter was out of his seat and sprinting. He flew through the door leading to the garage and shot through the snow. He chased after Kelly's car, yelling her name. Luckily the same snow slowing down his running was having the same effect on the car he was chasing. Soon, he was leaving his hand print on the back glass. Kelly stopped the car as Peter leaned against it, panting. It was not every day his heart got pumping with adrenaline and he chased down a car in Canadian snow.
"Peter!" Kelly exclaimed as she exited the vehicle. "What are you doing?"
"I can't let you leave," He explained still panting but moving toward her.
"I told you." Her voice broke a bit. "I have to go."
Peter turned toward Kelly and now she was the one leaning against the car.
"You told me that you didn't want to tear up my family."
"Right."
"You're not."
"Peter, if you are suggesting that we have an unattached affair…"
"I'm not!"
"Good because any sex we have would be attached because I'm already too far gone."
"My point is you can't tear up my family when it is already torn."
"What?"
"Not very observant, are you?" Peter held his left hand up so Kelly could see. "Nothing on it. Not for three months."
Kelly's mouth hung slightly ajar as she stared at his hand. This new revelation stunned her. She broke out of the trance when he dropped his hand and continued talking.
"Paula realized she didn't want to be with me anymore." Peter's eyes fell as he tried to find the perfect words. "Then I realize that I'm in love with you." His eyes grabbed hers again. "I always knew that I loved you but I couldn't act on it." He smiled that smile she loved. "No matter how badly I wanted to."
"Then, when all the papers were signed and I was free to do what I pleased, I read about you and David in the paper. And no matter how badly I wanted to be with you, if he made you happy, I wanted you to be with him."
Peter finished with his head down again as he recounted his time without Kelly. She was looking at him with those blue eyes of hers that could speak to his soul. She was quiet, listening for him to speak up again, desperate to hear more. Peter's dark hair was becoming freckled with white snowflakes as it began to fall again. Suddenly, his head rose and he looked directly into her eyes with a look that caused her spine to tingle. He moved closer to her, their faces now inches apart.
"But if I'm not with her and you're not with him…" His voice was a whisper. "There's no reason why we shouldn't be together. We belong together." Peter's face inched even closer and Kelly thought he was going to kiss her. Instead, he cupped her face in his hands and his eyes wandered appreciatively over her entire face. Kelly's knees went weak and she was surprised to find that she was still standing.
"I love you, Kelly Rowan. I love you as my best friend…" He paused to allow this to sink in. "and so much more." He paused again, wanting her to completely understand. "I want to be with you, Kelly."
Kelly stood there, unable to move or speak. A few deep breaths and she gathered some strength. "Peter, I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to say anything." Kelly giggled at him as a few tears slipped down her face. They both knew what would come after a line like that. Peter smiled like he had never smiled before as he watched the woman in front of him show her happiness.
Ever so gently, Peter embraced Kelly's lips with his. They stood there completely still for a moment, enjoying the sensation that had been missing for so long. However, it was not long until the simple kiss was not enough for them. Kelly wrapped her arms around Peter's neck and pushed her mouth further into his. Suddenly, she opened her mouth, welcoming Peter's tongue to join hers. He quickly accepted her offer as his hands dropped from her face. One cradled her neck while the other rested on the small of her back; both held her body tightly to his.
They broke apart, gasping for air and grinning as the snow continued to fall around them. Their eyes danced together, sparkling as they did so. Their foreheads rested against one another and their noses rubbed together as they shared a silent conversation.
Suddenly, loud applause and cheering filled the air, causing Peter and Kelly to look toward the front porch. There they found their friends, all grinning wildly, obviously not too shocked by the fact that Peter and Kelly had feelings for each other.
Peter still stood holding Kelly protectively against his body as they smiled toward the cabin. Kelly looked back at Peter and he noticed she was blushing and still unable to stop smiling. He pulled her close again and they returned to their kiss.
"Does this mean she's going to stay?" Ben called from the porch, a chuckle evident in the question.
Peter broke their kiss and looked down at Kelly with his puppy dog eyes. He silently asked her to stay, the smile still stuck on his face. Kelly nodded her head. Of course, she was going to stay. How could she not after what Peter had done?
Peter answered Ben's question with a loud and excited 'Yes!' Kelly buried her face into Peter's chest want to feel his breathing, something she had missed. Peter's arms wrapped around her and silently they stood there, the cheering of their friends still echoing through the woods.
"Let's go back inside," Peter suggested. Kelly nodded her head against his chest and slowly pulled away from him. They smiled at each other and kissed once more before getting into her car and driving back to the cabin.
As a result of their close relationship while working on 'The O.C.', Peter and Kelly found that it was very easy to be together as more than just friends. It almost felt as if they had already been dating for the four years of filming the show and now, they were just a normal couple. Things were not awkward as they had feared. Everyone accepted their relationship. Actually, they all had exclaimed that this union was long overdue and that Kelly and Peter had waited long enough to finally get together.
The evening was simple and consisted of quiet laughs, board games, and a calming fire. As the games continued, Kelly and Peter eventually curled up together on the couch and watched the others. Slowly, the soft crackle and shimmer of the fire lulled their eyelids shut as Kelly listened to Peter's steady heart beat.
"Are you asleep?" Peter whispered, loud enough only for Kelly to hear. She faintly shook her head. "Then why are your eyes closed?"
"Why are yours?" She played back.
"I asked you first."
Kelly smiled before she answered. "I'm just enjoying laying here with you."
"Hmph. You stole my answer," Peter grumbled quietly. Kelly chuckled as she opened her eyes. Her eyes locked with Peter and she leaned in to kiss him. His lips accepted hers and moved against them in a slow, seductive manner. Kelly broke away and looked back up at Peter, smiling at him. He returned her smile and they simply sat there, staring into the other's eyes and enjoying each other's warmth.
"Are you two going to get a room or are you just going to make love right there on that couch?" Melinda's voice spoke up from the silence, causing Peter and Kelly to break their gaze from each other and look at Melinda. Kelly chuckled at her words and turned back to Peter. She traced his lips with her index finger.
"We'll take the room," she murmured. Peter could not help but light up slightly at the thought of being with Kelly in that way, finally. Kelly noticed the look in his eyes and recalled the same look he had given her yesterday when her hips had collided with his. She finally realized what the look was conveying – lust. She smiled up at Peter and kissed his lips quickly before standing up from the couch. She extended her hand to him and pulled him up to stand by her.
Peter leaned into her and kissed her. He kissed her all the way to her door, forgetting Melinda in the den. He continued his passionate kisses as she fumbled desperately with the door knob. His larger hand covered her smaller one and helped her twist the handle. They fell with each other through the door, lips still locked, smiles emerging. They broke apart as Peter reached back and shut the door.
When he turned to face Kelly, the realization of the step they were about to take fully entered their mind. She knew Peter was being a gentleman and needed confirmation that she wanted the same thing he did. She kissed him gently, washing away any doubts he had. Their kiss heated up again as the thoughts of tonight flooded their minds.
"Do you have any idea how long I've wanted this?" Kelly whispered against Peter's lips.
"As long as I have."
They took everything slow. They wanted this night, their first time, to be utterly perfect. They did not want to rush things and chance missing something. Slowly, they stripped each other and slowly, they explored each other's body. They made love at a slow, agonizing pace.
Afterward, they talked for hours about anything and everything. Eventually, they began to tire and Peter pulled Kelly close as he drifted off to sleep with a faint smile still on his lips. Kelly stayed awake for a few minutes, listening to Peter's heart as he slept. She thought of the last few years and how they had been full of dreams of this night. She had often dreamt of finally being with Peter and dreaming 'with him' as opposed to just dreaming 'of him.'
Cuddled up tight to Peter's body, her head on his chest, Kelly went to sleep with a smile, knowing her dream had finally come true. She knows that when they leave the solitude of the cabin and join the real world again, life will not be this simple. She would be an idiot to think that it could stay as perfect as today.
But, for now, she is content in Peter's arms and right now, it is the only thing in life that matters.
And
I still can't believe
That you came up to me and said "I love
you"
I love you too!
Now
I'm dreaming with you tonight
Till tomorrow and for all of my
life
And there's nowhere in the world I'd rather be
Than here
in my room dreaming with you endlessly.
-- "Dreaming of You" by Selena
