FAST UPDATE, GO ME!

I'm proud of myself. Thank you so much for the reviews, I appreciate it very much. It pleases me and saddens me to tell you, next chapter will be the last one. It's been quite the ride, hasn't it?

Anyway, here's the chapter. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot.

Chapter X: Drinks

The news fell on her shoulders like being awakened by cold water. The feeling of surprise and pain at the same time, then the realization of the heat and the water running through your shirt. Inevitable, the shivering and the never absent angry 'what is matter with you?' to whoever decided waking you with water was a good idea.

Mitchie was leaving for California.

When she first heard that sentence, she was struck by surprise. Then, pain took over, making her feel an empty space in her chest. She felt a cold rush go through her skin as she thought about being away from Mitchie once again and she wanted to scream. She wanted to go back in time and stop the very upset Caitlyn from saying those words. But she couldn't and ultimately, anger overcame her sadness. She was so angry at Mitchie for doing this, but she was just as angry at herself for letting it affect her that way. Mitchie Torres was a free woman; she could decide who to be or not to be with and apparently, she had finally decided. She needed to be the better person, let her be happy with whoever she decided to be with, no matter how much she disagreed, how much it hurt. But in that exact moment, when she got the news, she couldn't. She wanted to show up at Mitchie's doorstep and yell at her for being so stupid. Jake wasn't what she really wanted. But maybe he was, and Alex had been misreading all the signs all this time. What could she do? She had to let Mitchie go if that was what she really wanted.

"How am I supposed to live in here without making dumb decisions at all moments of the day without Mitchie?" Caitlyn probably was just as distraught as Alex was. Whether it looked like it or not, it had been a lifetime since knowing each other. It was tough on her.

Alex traced the circular edge of her glass with her finger, staring at the ice in it. "Did she say if it was permanent?"

"I don't think she knows for sure. But for the way she talked about it, it sounded pretty permanent to me."

"Damn it."

They were at the bar where Nate worked at. While Mitchie and Harper thought they both had been spending a lot of their time just going to party after party, in reality they'd always hang out there. Whether was in the bar or maybe in a booth in the back, drinking shot after shot, glass after glass, they would just sit there. They weren't trying to rebel out, they were trying to ignore their situation and there was some sort of comfort in sharing silence with someone who felt the same way. Ultimately, it worked out for them because Nate would always look out for them. In any other place, they could end up in an engaging position, while being there only would end up with Nate asking a friend of his to drive them to either one of their apartments. It'd usually be Alex's, though, because it was easier to deal with Harper than Mitchie.

"We need to do something about this." Caitlyn said.

"What could we possibly do? She's not very happy with us either way, Caitlyn. She's just probably going to ignore us." Alex sighed and then took a sip of her drink. The headache that was surely going to come her way in the morning was better than acknowledging the hole in her chest. "I think the best we can do at this moment is let her be. If she goes there, maybe she'll realize she doesn't like it. She'll see she's making a huge mistake and she'll come back. It'll be like if she had just gone on a vacation, really."

"But what if she doesn't? What if goddamn daddy's little boy convinces her San Francisco is the place to be and she stays?"

Alex ran her fingers through her long dark brown hair. "I guess then we'll have to let her go."

Caitlyn looked back her with narrowed eyes. "Can you actually do that?"

"I can try."

Caitlyn smiled, bitterly. "You know, I remember that time when you walked away from her. She was really upset but she tried not to show it. Whenever you'd ask her about you and how she felt about it, she'd just say how it didn't matter. She'd say you were just some other person that wasn't meant to be there for the long run. But there was always something in her eyes that gave it away, at least to me. She was so hurt. Whenever someone would say your name, even if they weren't talking about you, her eyes would turn sad. And at times, she'd snap. She'd say how much the weather bothered her, how much she wished she was doing better at school, how much she wanted her parents to understand her, how her hair wasn't the way she wanted it to and all that crap. She'd let the built up of everything going around her take over her and she'd let everything out. But at the end, after all the yelling, she'd say in a very sad voice 'I miss Alex.'" And the feeling of that stung worse than the liquor burning her throat. "Those were the only times she'd mention you. She'd say, 'I wish I could have done something' and it would make me so mad because I didn't want her to feel that way. It wasn't her fault, it was yours."

"Caitlyn, I–"

"No, let me finish." She snapped her fingers twice and one of the bartenders came rushing with a bottle in hand to fill up her drink. "I never understood what was it about you that made her feel so bad for losing you. For me, you were just some asshole that didn't deserve one single ounce of her love but results I know now."

"Caitlyn, how many of those have you had?" Alex said, looking at her suspiciously. Even when their partnership or whatever had gotten way better, it was really strange for Caitlyn to be acting like this. Also, she didn't want to hear it. It was hurting enough as it was.

"Shut up, Russo, and let me finish, goddamn it." Caitlyn said, the effects of the alcohol showing a bit more this time in her voice. "I know why she felt that way, because that's what I'm feeling. And before you get your panties in a twist, I do not have romantic feelings for her in any way whatsoever." She made sure to clarify when Alex raised both of her eyebrows with a bewildered look in her face. "I know she's still going to be there, she's my best friend and she wouldn't leave me hanging but moving away is going to change things. I know Jake and he might try to make her adjust to his life style and it's going to change her. And I'm going to stay here and I'm going to change and whatever special thing we have always had it's going to change."

"It would change even if she stayed here because that's life, Caitlyn."

"But it would change at the same pace. With her away, on the other side of the country, we won't have the same pace. And it'll be fucked up because of that. That's why she felt so bad when you left. She wanted to be in the same pace as you. She always thought you'd be there, in her future. And you changed the plans. You changed the pace. Just like she's doing to me now."

It was terrible, really terrible to find yourself in a situation where you can feel the pain increase but not for you, but for someone else. Alex knew what Caitlyn was talking about and she was right. Mitchie was changing the pace, just like Alex had done so many years ago and it hurt Caitlyn so much because she didn't know a life without Mitchie. However, it was hurting Alex more than she ever thought it would, because one thing was letting go of Mitchie and another completely different was losing her. Back then in adolescence, nothing really mattered but whatever thing she had with Miley. She didn't look at her surroundings, she didn't take the time to see who she'd hurt and who she'd lose. Nothing mattered as long as she could keep Miley, but Mitchie always looked around. Mitchie was always observant, took the time to make sure she knew what was going on. And Alex gave her no clue things were going to change, just the same way Mitchie was doing it now. It had come out of nowhere, the idea of moving to California. And just like Caitlyn, Alex finally understood.

She blinked a couple of times, staring at Mitchie's best friend empty the just filled glass and snapping her fingers at the bartender again to get it filled again. She bit her lip. "Caitlyn, you need to slow it down." She looked at her watch. "It's getting late, what about we head home?"

"Shut up, Russo."

xxx

"Oh my god, not again!" Mitchie exclaimed with a grimace when she opened the door of her apartment and saw Alex helping her best friend walk. She looked at Alex, who looked completely sober for a change, with disapproval. "This needs to stop."

"I know, but can we talk about this later? She's not exactly a feather…"

Mitchie rolled her eyes and moved from the door frame to let them in, helping Alex with Caitlyn once they were inside. Alex and Mitchie's not so little puppy anymore came out of nowhere and started barking happily, wiggling his tail while they struggled with getting Caitlyn safe and sound to her bed.

"Hey you, it's good to see you." Alex said after they finally did it, getting on her knees and scratching the back of his ears. Lately, he had been staying at Mitchie's for longer than it was originally planned because of the drinking situation. It almost felt like a very bad divorce where the mother wouldn't let the father see their children because he was a bad influence for them. It wasn't like Alex would teach Luke to become an alcoholic, but she was sure it was Mitchie's way to punish her, as she knew how much she cared about their dog.

"I'm serious with this, Russo, this cannot keep happening. Caitlyn has quite the history with the party scene and I'm not going to–," Mitchie started as soon they walked out of the room. Alex raised her hand to make her stop.

"Mitchie, I know. I'm sorry." She kept her eyes on the husky's blue and innocent eyes. "I'll make sure this doesn't happen again."

Mitchie blinked, taken aback. She did not expect that. "Okay," Was the only thing she could say.

Alex finally looked up. It hurt, being in front of Mitchie and knowing she'd be gone soon. She sighed and got up from the ground, letting go of Luke who happily strolled to his favorite spot of the couch and got up there, resting his head on his paws once he got comfortable. "I should go."

Mitchie nodded and Alex buried her hands inside her pockets and started walking towards the door. Mitchie just stared at her from across the room. It was so strange; to feel all the words she wanted to say to the New Yorker in her veins yet still feel unable to do so. She wanted to stay but at the same time she didn't. Mitchie looked down and Alex opened the door. Nonetheless, even when Mitchie wasn't going to talk to Alex about feelings, Caitlyn's words about changing the pace still resonated in her ears. And she couldn't leave like that.

"Mitchie?"

Mitchie looked up and her eyes meet Alex's. "Yes?"

Alex spoke, softly. "Come with me."