Disclaimer: Don't own the characters in this story or the TV show. The only thing I'm adding is the character Elizabeth.


Outside Looking In:

Epilogue

Tying Up the Loose Ends


A month past. Today is a Tuesday. I'm sitting on the first row of the football bleachers, scared if I go any higher I won't be able to get down fast enough without injuring myself even more then I already am. I'm still on a crutch, but my arm just has a cast on it now. It's still early and the birds are just beginning to get up. The school is quiet, except for a few early teachers. Everything appears still as I stare up at the pale morning sky. From what seems far away, I hear the crunch and movement of grass but am too tired and zoned out to care much. That is, until I feel someone sit down next to me, silently, and the entire world seems like it paused. My body tenses. I don't have to look to know who's sitting there.

"So, is this like our meeting place now?" I asked, still not facing Scott, even though I could feel his stare on me. I don't think I could have brought myself to actually look at him. I still felt so ashamed.

He said nothing in reply and I sighed, feeling like the weight of the world was on my shoulders. My heart ached.

"Shades, look—"

"Liz." It was the first time in a long time that someone called me that. It made me look up at Scott. He sat there with his red sunglasses on, just as he always did, and I broke down.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry—to you and everyone else and Kurt—"

He caught me in his arms when my body couldn't hold itself up anymore. He held me as I sobbed into my chest, releasing everything that I'd been holding back for so many weeks. It hurt and I hated how vulnerable I felt, but Scott was there and his hold on me was strong; his arms protecting, and he let me cry.

"It's okay, Liz, it's okay…" He mumbled into my ear, repeating the mantra for a few minutes as I finally calmed down and stopped repeating how sorry in turn that I was. He said he was sorry too, sorry for not being there fast enough and sorry for ever lying to me and sorry for everything else.

Afterwards, he still held me when my crying finally stopped and I just felt tired. So tired.

"Could you..uh, wake me up when the bell rings?" I asked, already drooping against his shoulder.

I heard him laugh above me, softly, cracking a smile. "Sure."


After school, I waited for Kurt on the stairs. We hadn't spoken since the night I called everyone a liar. We had both simply ignored each other, trying to get through school and classes without having to stare at each other too long. All I ever saw when I looked at him was what he looked like in his true form and that sad face he now almost always had on his features. He probably only saw the broken bruised mess I was. I still needed to apologize to him, because he at least deserved that.

I saw him moved past quickly, not pausing at all even if he did see me. Thankfully, by now most of the other students had left and I could simply call his name instead of trying to hobble after him.

"Kurt!" I called, shouting out to him, and for a moment he didn't pause at all, so I tried again. "Kurt, please—stop!"

I saw his shoulders tense, but his body froze and feet paused. Slowly, he turned around and we both looked into each other's eyes.

"Could we, uh, talk or something?" I asked, still unsure of the waters we both tread on. I gestured to the empty school staires. He said nothing for a while and, for a second, I thought he was going to ignore me again and leave, but then I heard him sigh heavily and his shoulders fell.

"Ja," He said just barely above a whisper and made his way over to me. We sat down on the school steps in silence for a while, just looking out at the empty parking lot and the cars moving past on the streets beyond it. There was tension in the air between us, heavy and awkward. I bit my lip.

"So, um—"

"How is—" He cut in, surely feeling the awkward silence as well. I let him continue, as I really couldn't find the words yet. "How is…your mother?"

My eyes went wide, but the soon fell when I thought about it. Of course he knew, they all probably knew.

"She's fine. Still really protective and always tries to drive me to school, but she's…okay. She's not…scared of you anymore." I said the last words carefully, trying to make them sound less negative. It wasn't his fault anyway. I didn't and never would blame him.

"That's, ah, good. And…how are you?"

That question held too much. How was I? Physically, I was getting better. Could be worse, but mentally and emotionally I was still falling apart from guilt with everything. With Kurt and Scott. With everyone else back at the mansion. With my mother, especially, but…

"I'm…okay." I lied, and instantly knew it wouldn't work as Kurt's hand reached out to grab mine, the good one, and squeezed gently.

"I'm so sorry we didn't find you sooner." He said softly. I could feel the regret and sadness in his voice. It made me want to cry again, but I fought back the water that was already starting to cluster in my eyes. "If we—"

"Don't," I cut in, squeezing his hand back. "Don't. It's not your fault or any of your faults. None of you could have prevented it. And…it—it's okay now."

Pietro and the others hadn't been in school since the attack. Inside I was grateful for it, but I still found myself jumping and flinching away when people touched me. But, I would get through.

"I'm still…" Kurt didn't finish and his head hung low.

I licked my lips, still holding his hand. "I'm sorry too. For—for being so awful to you guys. I understand what you did and why, I was just so mad and confused and angry. I never—I never wanted to hurt you. Any of you, but you especially. I just—"

Kurt looked up and smiled at me. It was a genuine smile that I hadn't seen him wear in a long time. I smiled back.

"So, we're okay than?" I asked, still unyielding to let go of his hand.

His smile widened and he laughed. "Yeah, we're okay. Just as long as you bake me a batch of chocolate chips cookies."

"With walnuts?"

"You know it!"

I laughed as well and we both stood, him helping me up with the crutch.

"I never did get to use that kitchen of yours…" I muttered, eying him up and down.

He grinned wickedly and I saw a flash of his canines. "I think I can fix that." He said and quickly grabbed me by the waist, pulling me up into his arms, crutch and all. I clung to him tightly, surprised by the gesture.

"Kurt, what are you—"

"Hold on, I'll teleport us to the mansion."

My eyes widened with surprise and a hint of fear before it died down, replaced with mischief and wonder. I smiled again.

"On ward!" I said, pointing out into the streets beyond the school just as we went up in a cloud of smoke, smelling heavy of sulfur and brimstone.

Both of us laughed the entire way there.

End.


A/N: It's over. That's it. Thanks for reading and replying and sticking with me. I'm surprised I've still been getting so many favs and alerts even though this thing hasn't been updated for years. I finally finished this after realizing I couldn't just stop things. I wanted to finish it. I had actually tried to do so countless times before, but nothing ever seemed to end right. Until now. It's not what I had originally planned, but I do love this outcome, so here. Thank you for reading and sticking around. You guys are the best.