[[Last chapter you guys! I hope this ending kind of brings everything together for you, and it explains the slow beginning. I know it's been a short story, but the whole point of the plot was to show that Eli never gave himself the chance to get over Julia, and Clare helped him to do that. So I really hope you like it, and if you want me to write any more stories (which I'll do anyway, but you can request something), just REVIEW! :D]]

Chapter 7 – Closure

I capped my pen. Dawes had finally gotten her paper, and I had finally gotten my freedom back. In more than one way. I had a couple of days to just relax, to hang around with Clare and Adam without having to worry about school. And I had stopped freaking out about Julia. In the back of my mind, I knew the problem was that I just needed to tell Clare; I wouldn't have been being true if I didn't.

Julia was laid to rest now, finally. I went to visit her grave the night after I told Clare, skipping dinner and staying until midnight, just to sit alone by the tombstone. It had been the first time I had done that, and I was glad I had waited.

It was hard, to sit next to her and know that her body was rotting away just feet underneath me. To know that the girl I had loved for so long was so close, but I couldn't see her, touch her, talk to her. But I talked anyway.

"Thank you," I said quietly. "For everything, for making me strong when you were alive. You prepared me for this. You taught me so much in life and death, and I know I'll see you once again. As Clare said, we will never be truly gone just because of a mere accident…

"I hope you are proud of me Jules, I learned now to do things for myself. Losing you helped me realize I can't rely on other people, because they might let me down. I need to help myself first… but I still need to care about other people. And that's what I'm going to do. I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure that no matter what I do, it will always be better than what I did last."

I placed my hand on the tombstone, already weathered. The tears had run out earlier with Clare, and right now I wasn't sad. I wasn't empty, I wasn't confused, hurt, angry, just… peaceful.

"I love you." I said a last time. Then I put my jacket back on and made my way back to my house.


"So," Clare said. "You made a really good impression on my parents the other night." She smiled. She hadn't spoken of the other day again since it happened, she seemed to understand.

I grinned. "Even though I share a completely different religious lifestyle?"

She nodded. "They know everyone has their reasons," she looked at me. "Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

"Does Julia have to do with your religious beliefs?"

I wasn't annoyed. I merely smiled a small smile. "Yeah. I know she's still here watching me, and she'll never be gone. She didn't magically appear in the sky to watch me, she's not an angel, she's still Julia. Just always there. And it's peaceful knowing she won't be hurt or upset anymore."

Clare smiled. "So you don't believe in God?"

I looked at her, hoping it wouldn't start another fight. It didn't look like it.

"No, I don't. I don't pray to Him, I speak to Julia. She knew me better than anyone, and I knew her. She's personal to me, and to me, God isn't personal."

She nodded again. "I like that."

"Do you?" I asked, surprised.

"Yeah," she said, smiling. "You have your own opinion about religion and what's really there, and you're still a good-hearted person. You believe in something, and I think that's what makes you so strong."

I put my arm around her. For now, things were okay. But like she said, if they fell apart again, I knew that I would be strong enough to help myself like I did this time.

I kissed the top of her head, and finally just enjoyed the date we were on, free of homework, studying, parents, and death, and took a bite of the giant-sized chocolate chip cookie Clare and I were sharing.