A/N: Wow, I really thought I had posted this final chapter of this story - guess not. I'm SORRY! Can I suggest going back and reading the last chapter of this story before you read this one? Otherwise it may not make as much sense.

Thanks everyone. I'm not sure when or if I will have another story to share with you on FanFic, but I may have one on FictionPress. You can keep tabs of me on my FaceBook account - check my FanFic profile page for that info! And, whether you believe it or not, I am still KTZLF'ing - and always will. ;)

As always, your reviews, comments, pm's and any other messages are ALWAYS welcome and appreciated!


What We Want - Chapter 7 - What We Want

And what a shot it was… like a gunshot, straight to his heart. For a few minutes as he stared it was hard to breathe. For the next few minutes it was hard to focus on the picture because of his hardening gaze and his somewhat dilated pupils. And then the next moment he just felt blank. It wasn't an empty or angry feeling. It wasn't a cold chill or a wave of heat. It was just blank, as though he wasn't sure of who he was or where he was or what he was supposed to be doing.

Zac realized in that moment that a portion of 'him' was really gone. For five years the two of them together had somewhat defined each other. And now, that part of him was gone. The definition that had been his other half wasn't just fading, it had now disappeared.

He blinked a few times to try and bring himself back into his own reality and looked away from the computer screen. As he breathed deeply and swallowed quietly he came to the conclusion that this was what he/they had agreed to. There was still love in his heart for her. There was still a piece of him that wanted to protect her and dared this other young man to hurt her in any way. And yet there was just a little bit of peace that came along just by seeing her happy and smiling. Yes, this was what they had agreed to.

He looked for just another minute at the picture and couldn't bring himself to even minimize the screen. But he got up from the computer and walked away, heading into the kitchen for a glass of water.

As he opened the cabinet door the corner of the plastic container on the top shelf caught his eye. The velvet box that he could see inside practically called out to him to get it out of the house. The time has come. Zac stretched the few inches needed to pull the box off the shelf and he sat it on the counter.

He stared at the contents inside just like he had stared at the picture of Vanessa with Austin. A ticket stub…a plastic baggie with lily petals inside…a toy necklace with a 'T' charm attached…a CD of music…a few random pictures from a photo booth where they had made silly faces…a People magazine cover declaring that they had found an 'on-set romance'…and the velvet box containing her kuuipo ring.

They were all items that Vanessa had cherished and wanted to save; all were mementos of that five-year relationship that had helped them grow into the people they are now. He didn't take the top off the box but stood and stared, remembering the significance of each item.

Now, he thought, now she's telling me we're through… A phone call would've been nice, but I get it. Now it's time for me to let her know that I get the message. I understand; it's fine.

Before he could overthink the matter he went to the desk and grabbed a pen and a pad of paper. Sitting down at the kitchen counter he held the pen over the paper in his right hand and placed his left on his forehead, letting his head rest in his hand with his elbow propped on the granite top.

He thought for several minutes and then wrote a few simple words. Then he pulled out his phone and called their shared best friend.

"Ash, can you do me a favor, please?"

ZVZVZVZVZV

Austin stood behind Vanessa as she answered the door and looked at Ashley's sad face.

"What's up?" Vanessa questioned, curious as to Ashley's unexpected phone call, asking to come over at that very moment. At the sight of her friend's face she also asked abruptly, "Ash, what's wrong?"

"I…" the blonde glanced up at Austin and then back at Vanessa before she pulled the clear plastic box from the shopping bag she was holding. Ashley pressed her lips together and raised her head a little higher.

"I was asked to bring this to you," she said simply and held out the box.

Vanessa creased her eyebrows as she first spotted the small ring box in the corner and then her eyes widened as the magazine cover and baggie of flower petals caught her attention.

"What is it?" Austin asked, looking down at the box now in Vanessa's hands. He recognized the pictures, realization knocking him quiet as he understood who this delivery was from.

Instead of attempting to answer or explain, Ashley pressed her lips together into a forced smile. She tried to soften her gaze as Vanessa looked back and forth between her female friend and the box gingerly resting in her hands. After just a few glances, Vanessa's sight stayed on the box.

Before Vanessa could think of anything to say, Ashley turned away and silently began to step down the stairs of her friend's home. In her state of surprise with a stare fixated on the items in the clear plastic, Vanessa barely registered her friend leaving.

She felt a pair of warm hands on her shoulders which made her close her eyes. When she blinked them open her girlfriend was halfway down the steps.

"Ash, wait!" Vanessa raised her voice but didn't move from the doorway.

Ashley stopped and turned around but didn't make a move to go back up the steps. "He saw the pictures from the restaurant," she said, trying to avoid an I-told-you-so tone butprojecting her voice enough to make sure Vanessa could hear her. "He said to tell you he's happy for you…you look happy."

Austin kept quiet but gently massaged her tense arm muscles. Vanessa couldn't find the words to answer Ashley. She watched as their friend turned back around and headed down to her car at the curb in front of the house.

Vanessa nodded her head as though Ashley could see her and then slowly closed the door and leaned back against Austin's chest.

"Are you ok?" He asked simply, torn between whether he should be consoling his girlfriend or cursing her ex who had just sent over this box of memories.

Vanessa nodded at first and then shook her head and pulled the plastic closer to her chest. Austin stood with her and wrapped his arms around her waist as he kissed the top of her head.

"What can I do?" he asked softly. When she didn't answer he simply released his hold on her and quietly led her farther into the house to sit on the couch. He sat down on the coffee table across from her and looked at the box in her hands.

"Do you want me to go?" he watched her face for any signs she might give.

"No," she whispered. "No, don't go. I don't want to be by myself. But.. I don't… I just…" she stumbled with her thoughts. "Don't, um, don't be mad at Zac, ok?" she spoke slightly louder with her pleading instruction.

"Ok," Austin answered. "Are you?"

Vanessa glanced up at his slightly hardened gaze and ran her hand over the top of the box. She answered with a quiet sigh and shaky voice, "No." She looked back down through the lid and stared at the items. "He called and told me he needed to make some changes. He wanted to meet somewhere but I told him to just send things through a courier. I – I should've told him about us." Vanessa looked back up at Austin's face. He was trying to understand but just wasn't sure what was happening so she continued. "He's just returning some of my things. I…I guess I should tell you that there are still some of his clothes and shoes and some things in one of the guest room closets. We… you have to know, Austin, there will always be a special place in my heart… I'm always going to love him. Whether I'm with you or someone else… you just have to know that a part of me will always love Zac."

The young man thought for a moment as he watched the slight, sad smile form on her face. She removed the lid of the box and began picking up the various items. He sat quietly watching a few tears drip from her eyes, seeing her smile widen and hearing her chuckle at the memories going through her mind.

He wanted to ask her thoughts, to join in her joy and her tears but something in his heart told him to let her be. He wanted to ask her if she and Zac actually were 'over' but his gut feeling told him that he really didn't want to hear her answer. So he pushed his wants from his mind and sat still on the seat he had chosen, simply watching her relive the moments represented by the things in front of them.

She picked up the ring box last, nervous and unsure at what she would find in there. She looked up at Austin and pursed her lips together.

"What's in it?" He wondered curiously.

"I'm a little scared to open it," Vanessa admitted. "I'm afraid…" she paused and shook her head. "Austin, if it's an engagement ring…" her eyes filled with tears at the thought that perhaps she just hadn't waited long enough.

"Nessa, just open it," he encouraged. He was again fighting the emotions of sadness and anger, wondering exactly what Zac was trying to pull with this gesture.

She slowly opened the small box to find her golden band sitting inside. While she let out a slight sigh of relief she also sucked in a breath to try and hold back her tears. Was Zac really giving back this piece of their past? Was he really willing to let that go? She wondered amongst her tears.

Then she realized it was her ring; only her ring. Zac had kept his and was giving her what was hers. For the first time in over a year, in her mind, the set of rings was split, apart from each other. That represents…us… her mind and heart told her.

Austin watched as her shaking hands pulled the ring from its spot and held it gingerly between her fingers. He knew exactly what it was, a part of her relationship with Zac that had been shared with the world.

When a piece of paper fell from the ring box Austin bent to pick it up, unfolded it and handed it to Vanessa.

She couldn't help but cry as she read the words to herself. She slowly shook her head and looked at Austin with tear-filled eyes. "I…need a little time, ok?" She pushed the rest of the box into Austin's hands and nervously slid the kuuipo ring onto her right ring finger. She also handed him the ring box and then held the small slip of paper against her heart as she cried and lay herself down on the couch.

He sat the box carefully beside him on the table and then reached over to move some hair out of her face. "I'm not leaving you like this. I'm just going to the kitchen to get some water, ok? But I'll be right back," he assured her gently.

Vanessa didn't react other than the quiet sniffles and tears overflowing from her eyes.

When he returned with a small glass of water she was wiping her eyes and reading the words again. He knelt beside her and asked something she didn't expect.

"Is Zac going to be ok, with us?" he looked into her eyes with genuine thought.

She took a deep breath and reached out to run her thumb over his cheek. "I don't know. I think he's trying to be." She turned the note around so that he could read the handwriting.

"Van, be happy. I'll always love you, my Ku'uipo."

Austin pressed a kiss to her forehead and stood, placing his hands loosely on his hips. "He still cares," he noted without looking into her face.

"Yeah," Vanessa agreed.

"And you still care for him. I know that. I get it," Austin continued as he remained standing.

Vanessa nodded and waited for him to say something else. Was he going to challenge her request that he not be mad at Zac? "And?" she finally asked raising her head to look into Austin's face.

"He's a hard act to follow, Vanessa." Austin stepped away from her and kept his back turned toward her. "Knowing he still loves you…and you love him, even after a year apart…that's – I know we aren't far into our relationship – but that's just something I guess I need to accept, huh?"

He heard Vanessa take in a deep breath behind him. This was certainly not the time to pick a fight with her over her supposed ex. But the subject was something that they would have to face at some point.

"I don't have a good answer for you right now," Vanessa spoke a little stronger. "All I can say is that Zac will always be a part of who I am. What we want in life may change as time goes on. But who we love, who we've loved, you can't deny that. No matter where I am in a year or ten years or fifty years, Austin, if someone asks me about Zac I can't deny what I felt for him – what part of me still feels for him. I do love him."

"Okay," the younger man turned to face his girlfriend with an unsure look on his face. "But if you love him, then why are you not still with him?"

Vanessa tried to hold her sight on Austin's eyes. She tried to think of an answer that would be suitable for both of them that would ease his current worries and help her to put the ring on her finger back into the little velvet box.

Both of them blinked, waiting on Vanessa to speak. "Because we were going different directions. Yes I love him but right now that's just not enough. I'm not going to run back to him. I can't. Our breakup was what both of us wanted. Our moving on, it's what we both wanted. There will always be a piece of me with him – and him with me. But I'm not running back to him or his bed. This…box…he's telling me that he's moving on; so am I. I'm not sure what else to tell you except that I'm here with you right now. I need you to trust me. Two years ago you couldn't get us apart. We've grown, we've separated, we're moving on. Even though this all hurts and upsets me, I need you to trust me while I get my heart back in order. Okay?"

Her quiet, firm tone told Austin to simply nod and shut-up. She had made her point and in his mind he had to come to terms with that point – if he wanted to continue their relationship building.

He stepped back toward her and took her chin in his fingers to tilt her head back enough to place a light kiss on her lips. Without smiles he stepped beyond the couch and headed toward the kitchen.

Vanessa waited for her current boyfriend to walk away before reading Zac's note again and letting a few more tears escape. She looked over at the box on the table where she could see the photo booth snapshots looking back at her. She smiled at the memory and removed the golden ring from her finger.

Her hand felt light and empty as she placed the band back in the box and carefully placed it into the clear container. She brushed her lips against the note and then placed it in the larger box with the other mementos.

With just one more look over the various items she stood from the couch and headed up the stairs to her bedroom.

"You'll always be my Ku'uipo too, Zac. I will always love you." She told herself. With a deep breath she tiptoed and placed the box up on the shelf in the back of her closet. Out of sight, out of mind, but not gone completely.

She let out a steadying breath before walking out of the closet and heading down the stairs. Vanessa had one last thought about her previous love and the choices they had made together.

We made this decision together, Zac. I hope we don't regret it. I hope this…is what we want.

WhatWeWant-The End-WhatWeWant