The final chapter of this year's Convergence Creation Week. May there be many more. The theme is Goodbyes & Castles, and – let me just say – I hope I do not have to say goodbye the wonderful forum that got me through the last three, anxiety-filled years of high school. I love you all! But without anything further, day seven...
The hill was steep and the night was cold, but none of it could dampen Scott's smile. He hiked up the steep slope, glancing over his shoulder every so often to see Jean beside him. Every time he did that, his reason for grinning became more solid. It didn't matter that his breathing was becoming a little heavier as they climbed or his arms shivered even under the protection of his sports jacket; he had Jean's hand in his.
They settled on the crest of the hill, saving the blanket they were planning on spreading atop the grass for laying across their legs instead. They each brought a snack as well; Jean had a small bag of little chocolates while Scott, of course, brought the Nilla Wafers.
They exchanged containers at random intervals, talking about everythings and nothing all at once. Nothing, because none of it seemed really significant, and everything, because it was him and he was talking with Jean. Any moment shared with her was one worth remembering.
Eventually, the conversation shifted to more... worrying matters.
"What'll happen, when this all ends?" Jean asked as casually as her hand slipping into the wafer box.
"Let's not think of that." Scott couldn't help it– normally, he wouldn't shut her down like that, but thoughts such as that, such as the question she just asked so simply, crept into his thoughts from time to time and worried him immensely. After a while, he learned to push the thought aside whenever it rose up again – get it out before it'd get too deep inside his head.
Jean sighed slightly and turned over to regard him. "You said I was here before–"
"A couple times–"
"Right–"
"One where you were thirty-something and from another timeline–"
"Besides the point," she chided, and Scott shut up, but not even a full second later did they break into small, mischievous smirks. "I'm saying, there's nothing stopping.. that from ever happening again–."
"Then..." Scott scrambled for something to say, some sort of reassurance, but he had nothing. The future was already intangible, but in this world it was fragile. Every moment that existed was now and only now; they could be gone tomorrow, they could be gone in a few years, and the future they might be imagining would crumble into the abyss. At least back home, they had no worries about waking up one day and watching everything around them vanish into thin air. Literally. "Then... we'll make a promise."
"A promise?"
"Yeah."
"What kind of promise, Summers?" She shifted around him so she could comfortably look him in the eye, a teasing smile drifting across his features.
"No more disappearances. I can't and you can't just vanish one day."
Had her smile always been this sad? Scott just noticed. He took a deep breath, ready to correct anything he said, really to right the wrong he apparently made, but before he could work up the ability to do so, she interjected.
"Consider the promise made." Her contented smile bounced back, and she leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on Scott's lips before turning away. "I'm not ready to say goodbye just yet."
