Leela left the hospital about a week after waking up, when most of her bones were healed and after the doctor making sure she hadn't suffered any brain damage, with specific instructions to stay home for another two weeks before returning to work if she wanted to be completely healed. She spent those weeks at Steve's, after much insistence from his part, where she spent most of the time in his bed recovering, while he catered to her every whim. She felt bad for not being able to help him and that he had to play waiter for her, but she also thought it was really sweet of him to go through so much trouble just to make her feel better. And she loved falling asleep cuddled up next to him every night, his arms carefully placed around her as if to protect her from some sort of nocturnal evil that could strike.

After that time passed, Leela couldn't be happier to have all her casts removed and be able to move freely and do things for herself. She was told to take it easy, since her healed parts were still sensitive, but she forgot that quite quickly, as she returned to her usual busy lifestyle. Since her Vespa had been totaled in the crash, and she didn't know how to drive any other vehicle, she got a permanent carpool service from Steve, who couldn't be happier about it. Just more time they spent in each other's company, now that Leela was back to her apartment.

Later that month came the day they both dreaded: the day when Leela's internship came to an end. She had feared that day since her relationship with Steve started to get more serious, and it came before she knew it.

"Well, I guess that's it…" she sighed as she closed her laptop. Her thesis was finished and now she had to hand it in, which meant the end of her college education. She was now ready to join the working class.

She sighed once more as she looked around Steve's office, noticing some details she hadn't noticed before, now that she was taking a closer look. She was going to miss that place, and she was especially going to miss him. Sure they could still see each other outside the office, but it just wouldn't feel the same to her.

After placing her laptop in her messenger bag she exited the office and slowly closed the door behind her, after which she stood a while staring at it. It was nothing but a wooden structure that was used to block the entrance to that particular room, but to her it was a gateway to a large number of good memories, and she was going to miss it.

"Saying your goodbyes?" asked Steve as he approached her in the hallway. She gave him a small smile.

"Yeah… I'm really going to miss working here…" she moved closer to him. "… with you."

He held her close in a warm hug, closing his eyes and nuzzling his cheek against her forehead.

"I'm going to miss working with you, too." he whispered. "It's a real shame… I could really use an assistant like you."

"I'm sure you'll find someone." she whispered in return as she closed her eyes.

"I already did." he chuckled slightly.

Her eyes shot open and she gazed at him with a quizzical expression.

"What…?"

"I talked to Principal Brown, and he agreed that I could use some assistance." he declared with a victorious grin spread wide across his face. "So he hired you. You start in the beginning of the next school year."

Leela's eyes widened as she held her breath. After a moment she felt her smile grow and she grasped Steve in the tightest hug she could manage, laughing loudly in the process.

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much!" she cheered, tears escaping her eyes from her joyous state.

"You're… welcome…" Steve managed to choke out, her tight grip crushing his lungs.

She released his body to pull his face against hers in a deep kiss, which he gladly returned. As they tore away for air, they leaned their foreheads against each other's, gazing at each other with love in their eyes.

"Why are you so good to me?" she asked in a soft tone, making his smile grow wider.

"Because you deserve it." he replied and planted another kiss on her lips.

"And now, your valedictorian, Leela Winters."

The dean of Elmore Community College made his way out of the podium to make room for the student in the black gown and cap. Leela walked up with a large lump in throat, her nerves taking the best of her. As soon as she reached the stand she had to hold onto the wooden structure, feeling like she would pass out any moment.

She had been given the job of giving out a speech at her graduation ceremony at the moment she handed in her thesis, being caught completely off guard. It was a task of the upmost importance and responsibility, for if she failed she would ruin the entire ceremony.

Grasping the stand tightly with her sweaty palms, she looked over to the audience, staring at her in expectation. That just made her anxiety grow, that is until she saw one good thing amongst the friends and family of the soon-to-be-graduates: Steve was sitting in the middle of the last row, smiling at her. Her heart warmed up as she felt herself grin. That was all the encouragement she needed.

Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to smile as she faced the crowd, trying to show some confidence in herself.

"Well, this is it… the moment we've all been waiting for: graduation." heads turning their attention to her, she straightened her back, trying to make herself look worthy of the position she had been given. "I know most of you have looked forward to this day since this year started. And believe me, so did I! And it really went by in flash. But I gotta tell you… I really enjoyed this last year. Not just because it was educationally fulfilling, but also because I learned a lot outside the classroom." she took a moment to gaze at the stand, reflecting on passed events. "I've learned that… even if life seems to be turning everyone and everything against you, you shouldn't stop fighting to get where you want. It's a journey filled with obstacles, which only get worse as you are reaching your destination. But at the end, you find out that it was all worth it." she took another deep breath and beamed towards the crowd. "So don't let anything keep you from reaching happiness. And you'll see the journey will go easier if you have a travel partner by your side."

She met Steve's eyes and smiled warmly at him. His own smile grew as he felt his heart melt.

"So, now that you're off to fulfill your dreams professionally, remember that each and every one of you is responsible for your own actions, and every decision you make can influence your future. But for now…" she took off her cap with a grin. "…WE DID IT!"

As she threw her cap into the air the rest of the class followed, sending cheers and claps which were mimicked by the rest of the attendance. Giving into her gleeful nature, Leela hopped up and down merrily in front of the stand. She spotted Steve amongst the crowd, now standing up and waving at her. She did the same, only to lose her balance, and she would have fallen if she hadn't held onto the stand once more, laughing loudly in joy.

Later on, grasping her diploma for her life, she ran into his arms, still shaking with excitement.

"I did! I finally did it!" she couldn't stop laughing, starting to hop again.

"Easy there, miss Child Psychology major!" Steve chuckled, clutching her arms to calm her down.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so happy!" she squealed, holding him in a tight hug.

As her energy started to warn out, she found comfort by nuzzling against his shoulder.

"I liked your speech." he whispered, softly stroking her hair.

"I was inspired by you."

"I noticed." he gently elevated her head by her chin and pressed his lips against hers. She noticed his left arm was folded behind his back, and it seemed as if he was hiding something from her.

"What's that?" she asked as she pulled away, trying to look over his shoulder.

"Oh, this…" taking his left arm from behind his back, he revealed a medium-sized rectangular box covered in wrapping paper. "It's a graduation present. Oh, and in my defense, they didn't have any better wrapping paper."

As she held the present and took a good look at it, she could see the wrapping paper consisted in teddy bears dancing around in a land of candy and rainbows. It had to be the tackiest thing she had ever seen. Trying hard not to burst out laughing, she unwrapped her present, but her smile died once she realized what it was. With pure disbelief showing in her face, she stared at the object in her hands: it was a blue digital alarm clock.

"You bought me an alarm clock…" she still couldn't believe her eyes.

"Well, I knew how much you needed one, and I really wanted to get you something, so I thou—"

She launched herself into his arms and landed a deep kiss on his lips before he could finish his sentence.

"I love you." she declared as she pulled away, completely love-struck.

"For getting you an alarm clock?"

"For everything."

She pulled him into another kiss, making him forget about everything else and just letting himself go with it, overwhelmed by emotions.

Forgetting all about the other people around them, they kissed tenderly for what seemed to be a long time, as the sun started to descend behind the hills.

AUTHOR'S NOTE (PLEASE READ)

...Wow. That has got to be the worst speech I have ever written.

...It's the first speech I've ever written.

...Crap. xD

Anyways... cheesy chapter is cheesy. The next one will be the final chapter, and it will be better. I PROMISE!