Well here it is: THE END OF JACK AND LAUREN. I'm seriously contemplating the addition of an epilogue, because "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol is a seriously inspiring song. The epilogue would take place way down the line, when Cammy is old enough to ask about her daddy and what kind of man he was. Oh and I also can't decide if she marries Bobby. JUST KIDDING! I could never do that to Jack's memory. Let me know what you think of the idea of an epilogue. I'm a fan but if you think it should be left at this well alright. In the mean time, I hope you enjoy the last chapter. I'm still not entirely satisfied, but I do like Lauren's last lines.

Don't own FB. Never have. Never will, unfortunately for me.

Cheers,
Trizzy

CHAPTER TEN: WITH OR WITHOUT YOU

Lauren paced the living room while her grandma and Evelyn silently followed her with their eyes. Her chestnut hair was piled high on her head, loose curls framing her face. She chewed on her perfectly painted lower lip while she smoothed imaginary wrinkles from the front of her red silk dress. Evelyn chuckled and Mrs. Jansmen smiled, returning to her knitting. Exasperated, Lauren flopped into an armchair and groaned. She shook her head, jarring a few more curls loose from her once pristine updo.

"He's not coming. He's not coming because this dress makes me look like a mega cow."

"Hush. Don't say things like that Lauren. You sound absolutely ridiculous. Bobby's probably lecturing him on treating you right and wearing protection and whatnot," Evelyn stated.

Lauren nodded and stood up, disregarding the sexual reference she had made. "Yeah. Yeah that's probably true. I'm just really nervous."

"You look beautiful Ren. You'll take his breath away," her grandma beamed.

Before Lauren could respond, Jack's nervous voice echoed down the hallway. "Hello? Lauren?"

Lauren's eyes widened and the green orbs deepened with fear. "Holy shit he's here," she hissed.

"Lauren watch your language. It's very unbecoming of you," her grandmother scolded. "I think she's spending too much time with your eldest Evelyn."

Evelyn smiled, watching Lauren's face illuminate as Jack wandered into the room. "Or too much time with my youngest."

Jack could feel his breath catch in the back of his throat as his gaze fell upon his girlfriend. "You're stunning," he breathed.

She looked down at her toes, concealing the flush of her cheeks. "So are you. Handsome I mean. You're handsome."

"Thanks. I uh..." He cleared his throat, remembering she was his girlfriend and not a stranger. "I got you this corsage."

She looked back up, also finding her confidence. "Thank you. I got you a flower too but the next door neighbour's dog ate it. Please don't ask how that happened."

He slid the corsage around her wrist. "I don't intend to. Pictures ma?"

After the usual, expected and certainly obligatory round of pictures, Lauren and Jack were on their way to the senior prom. The filled the drive over with both comfortable silence and idle chatter. Neither were too worried about the night ahead, for they were both well prepared for whatever it could throw at them. When they arrived at the dining hall, Lauren was ambushed by her lab partner turned best friend Samantha Pierce, and dragged off to meet Samantha's out of town boyfriend. Jack stood beside her, hands in his pockets, smiling comfortably at the couples around them. Finally, Samantha was gone and it was only the two of them again. She laced his fingers through his and kissed the back of his hand.

"Let's get a table, shall we?" she asked, already pulling him through the throng of people.

He smiled, watching the sway of her hips only he noticed. "I love you Lauren."

She turned to face him, turning into his arms. "I love that you did the prom thing because I asked you. I know it's not your thing."

"It makes you happy, which is my thing. In fact, while you were busy being a huge dorky girl about prom, I learned how to dance," he confessed, leaning down and kissing her.

"You're kidding! You learned how to dance, for me?" He nodded. "You're the best boyfriend I could ever want."

"You don't have to lie to make me happy. I know I'm not the best. But I'm damn close. Would you like to dance?" he inquired.

"Of course I would. I happen to love this song," she stated.

She allowed him to guide her to the dance floor, where several couples were already swaying to the opening of With Or Without You by U2. Lauren rested her head on the nook of his chest she had made her own and he placed his hand firmly on her lower back. She closed her eyes and breathed in the faint smell of his cologne. They remained silent for several seconds, enjoying the soft flow of the intro of the song. Once Bono jumped in with his lyrics, Jack slowly smiled a wide, bright smile. Lauren could feel the warmth of his grin, so she looked up to ask why e was smiling. Before she could speak a word, he chuckled and pulled her closer to him.

"I never realized how well this song suits our relationship," he explained, whispering softly in her ear.

"Because...why? I'm not making the connection," she replied.

"Well, when we first met, you hated me. Let's be honest and you made me wait for your friendship. Then, we were finally through all that and you still made me wait for you. I couldn't stand what you were doing to me, but I couldn't stay away. I was determined," he stated. "With or without you."

She chuckled then as well. "That's one way to look at it. Sounds sort of negative actually, when you sum it up like that."

"Well you were a crafty little bitch. I hated you for being so difficult and not giving in to my charms," he laughed.

"I'm glad I came to my senses," she sighed, resting her head back on his chest. "With or without you. Too bad we already have a song."

"We're allowed to have two," he said, pulling back and lifting her chin. "One for the good and one for the...not so good beginning."

Lauren smiled. "Then it is so, oh wise one. Two songs we shall have."

"You don't have to mock the guy who came to stupid prom because he loves you," Jack informed her.

"Bobby's here? He told me he couldn't get the night off work," she teased, craning her neck to look around the room.

"OK you really need to stop with the Bobby jokes. One of these days I'll actually believe them," he warned.

"Just shut up and dance, Jackie Poo," she commanded, rolling her eyes.

The dinner was long; the after party was longer. But the time between the end of the prom and the beginning of the after party was too short for Jack and Lauren. It was the moment they found themselves alone in Samantha's basement, listening to cheesy eighties music, cuddling on the futon. The best friend in question had gone upstairs with her out of town boyfriend, while her parents were, conveniently, out of town. Lauren lay under the thin cotton sheet with Jack, forearm draped lazily over Jack's bare chest. He lay next to her, affectionately watching the rise and fall of her equally naked torso while he rubbed her warm stomach, allowing her breathing to comfort him. She turned on her side to face him and he instantly mimicked her and nuzzled her neck. He breathed in their respective smells, congregating in the crook of her neck for the first time. She ran her fingers through his hair, not bothered by the sweat that dampened it at the roots that made it stick up in strange angles.

"Do you think we'll get married Lauren?" he asked, his voice muffled in her hair.

She shrugged, kissing his forehead. "Someday. When we meet the right people."

"How do you know someone is the 'right' person?"

"Something probably wakes up inside you. Or time stops the first time you kiss."

He smiled, looking up at her now. "Do you think I'm that person for you?"

Lauren propped herself up on one elbow, cradling her head in her palm. "I do, yes."

"Good. Because you're that person for me," he confessed, rolling onto his back.

"Let's hope it lasts forever," she whispered, leaning down and kissing his swollen lips.

---

She sat in the dark living room, silent tears running down her face. It had been three days since Jack's death, but Lauren couldn't help feeling it'd been a lifetime. Already she missed his smile, his smell and his deep voice. She hugged her knees closer to her chest and choked out a wayward sob. He wasn't there to take her in his arms and kiss her pain away. The realization settled uncomfortably on her shoulders like a cold, wet steel wool blanket. Their house seemed obscenely larger and emptier without his presence there to consume it. It took all of her willpower not to take her life and end her pain. She had a daughter raise, a miniature breed of Jack to bring up, alone, in the world. Bobby had already informed her he wasn't leaving her. But both already knew she'd feel empty forever. The house drowned in the sounds of Bono's heartbreaking lyrics as she reminisced while listening to the song on repeat. She was well into her hundredth time when Bobby appeared in the doorway.

"Don't sit in the dark, Lauren. It's not healthy," he sighed, dropping next to her on the couch.

"If I turn on the lights, everything reminds me of him," she whispered, a new wave of tears washing over her.

"I know it's hard, but you need to keep going. You need to get up in the morning and start showering again. You have a daughter who's going to need you more than ever now," he said, wrapping his arm around her.

"A daughter who's never going to know her daddy because he was killed before she was old enough to form memories," she sniffed.

"Stop doing this Lauren. You'll drive yourself crazy," he stated, stroking her hair. "Are you listening to U2?"

She numbly nodded, staring at her socks. "At our prom, Jack told me this song described our relationship perfectly."

"So you've listened to it on repeat since his death?" he inquired.

"Only since I dreamt about prom," she replied.

"You need to STOP. I'm not telling you to move on, get married again and forget him. But Jesus Christ girl, stop torturing yourself," he demanded.

"I miss him so much," she admitted, collapsing in his arms. "I'm so afraid I'll forget the curve of his face and the sound of his voice."

"That will never happen Lauren. You'll always remember because you have Cammy. She'll remind you of all the good things about Jackie boy. Hell, all the bad things too if she really is his kid," Bobby said with a soft chuckle.

Lauren allowed a small smile to pass onto her lips. "You're a good brother, Bobby. And a great uncle. I'm glad you're staying."

"So am I, actually," he confessed. "Things can only get better now."

She clutched the front of his sweater and looked up at him through sad, tired green eyes. "Did you get the one who did it?"

Bobby kissed her forehead, a comforting shadow of Jack's familiar guesture. "I did. We did. I only killed him. It was all Jerry's idea though. But he's gone. It's over now Lauren."

"It's over," she echoed, curling up against him and closing her eyes. "It's over."