Shout-Outs: Mll M's, I Dream of Scotty, Jane Doe51, Guest, blueyedmentalistfan, WeLoveNeville, Dutchie, AngryLittlePrincess and Mayzee

Author's Note: There aren't any letters in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Rated: T

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Chapter 11

Florida

Patrick checked one more time to see if he had his ticket before boarding the greyhound. In two days, he was going to finally see her for real. His heart was beating in anticipation as the bus started to move forward. He hoped with all his heart that she would want to see him because even though they had been friends for a very long time, he still didn't know if she would want to really know him. He was going to her with no expectations; he was going to her only for the opportunity to hear her voice, to see a 3D picture of her instead of what he saw in photographs.

He told himself that it was enough.

Even though he knew it really wouldn't be enough if that was all he got. The greyhound turned on the highway and he began to pray like he had never prayed before.

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Chicago

It had been raining for four days straight and the weatherman said it wouldn't be letting up anytime soon. Teresa was glad for it, it matched her mood. Gloomy and dreary, nothing had really been the same since she had broken up with Greg. Oh, she was still glad she had done it, but when she thought about it too long, she didn't feel any freer than she had when she'd been going out with him.

She was still attached to Chicago, still stuck in the house where she had grown up with a tired chorus of Halloween costumes to make and field trips to sign off on. There were stomach bugs to battle and actual flues to conquer. She was quickly becoming discontented even though she didn't mean to.

The door opened and Leah came inside, shaking her umbrella off and dropping it on the floor. "It's still raining. Maybe we should just play hooky today; we could curl up under the covers and watch soap operas all day. Or just listen to music, if you want."

"And what would I tell my brothers?" Teresa asked, starting the coffee pot. "Do we let them play hooky too or do we send them to school and pretend like we're going."

"Well, seeing that James and I go to the same school. . . it might be a problem," Leah answered. "So, we could all play hooky!"

"It's a tempting offer," Teresa replied, rubbing her temples. "But I don't think we should do it. Not today."

Leah sighed. "Okay, Miss Goody-Two-Shoes. I think you need chocolate today and lots of it! I can tell you're a little down in the dumps. Maybe it's all the rain."

"The rain," Teresa echoed.

"Are you regretting your decision to break things off with Greg?"

"Never! I think you're right, I think it's all the rain."

"Well then, why don't we just skip school and drive until we find some sunshine?" Leah suggested.

Teresa frowned. "Why are you so set on skipping school today? Did something happen this week? Did you not study for a test or something?"

"I studied for my test," Leah assured her. "And nothing bad has happened! Don't worry about me. You worry enough as it is and I hate it."

Teresa watched as the coffee dripped into the pot. "I can't help it if I worry. I have a lot of things on my mind; I have a lot of people to worry about."

"I didn't say it was a flaw," Leah said, taking the usual white paper bag out of her backpack. "I just don't want you to worry so much, that's all."

Teresa smiled. "I know. Come on, let's eat breakfast and get to school. Later on, you can come over and we'll curl up under the covers and listen to music just like you want to."

"Okay," Leah answered. "And you're not going to worry about anything like making dinner or getting your homework done. It'll just be us and the music. Just like the way it's supposed to be right now."

Teresa nodded even though she knew the truth; nothing was ever going to be the way it was supposed to be for her. She took a sip of her coffee and closed her eyes, wishing for something different.

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Patrick gathered up his things and left the greyhound, regretting the fact that he had left his raincoat and umbrella back in Florida. He hadn't been thinking about the weather in Chicago when he had made plans to take a trip though, so he was stuck. And there was no way he wouldn't be getting wet. But he didn't care. It was a small price to pay to finally get to meet Teresa. He shouldered his backpack and covered his head with a newspaper, ready to brave the elements and go see her.

By the time he reached her house, he wished he had thought out their meeting a little more. He wished he had written her and told her that he was coming. There was something a little off-putting about just showing up on her doorstep. It gave off a little bit of a creep factor; he only hoped she wouldn't think about it like that when she saw him waiting for her though.

He sat down on her stoop and waited, reminding himself to breathe because he was shaking so much from the anticipation of their first face-to-face meeting.

An hour passed and suddenly, a petite brunette he knew very well from pictures was sloshing towards him in rain boots, holding an umbrella as she trudged along. She was wearing a Walkman set and looking at her feet, totally oblivious to his presence. As she got closer, she paused for a second and removed a key from her coat pocket. Then she was looking right at him, for a second it was like she was trying to place his face and then recognition dawned on it. And she smiled.

He got up and started towards her, meeting halfway in the middle of the sidewalk. She held the umbrella over them and then she smiled at him as she reached out to touch him, like she was making sure it wasn't just a dream. There was a pause, a breath and then she spoke.

"It's you."

And then the rain stopped and the sunshine broke through the gray clouds, bathing them in liquid gold.

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Teresa brought him inside and got him a change of clothes. He showered under a stream of hot water while she prepared homemade mac & cheese and tea to chase the rest of the chill away from his walk in the rain.

He met her in the kitchen, toweling off his blonde curls while he watched her stir pasta and make a cheese sauce while the newest Cranberries tape played on the stereo above her head, she sang along using the wooden spoon as her microphone.

"And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me. . ." She trailed off and smiled at him. "I can't believe you're actually here. I've imagined meeting you so many times but I never thought it would actually happen. And now here you are. . . like something from my dreams."

"Here you are," Patrick echoed, not breaking her gaze for a second.

Teresa smiled and plunked the spoon back in her pasta water. "I hope you're hungry."

"I could eat," Patrick answered; his last meal had been at a gas station diner. The eggs had been so awful, he had held off on eating at any of the other pit stops.

"Good."

She drained the water from the pasta and added the cheese sauce, mixing it all together. Then she hit the off button on her tape player and served him a late lunch, sitting down beside him as she watched him take a bite.

"Mmmh," he said, nodding his approval.

"It's one of my best dishes," she told him. "All of my brothers say so. . ."

"I agree," Patrick told her. "But I haven't had all your dinners, so I guess I can't really give an informed opinion."

Teresa bit her lip and played with the frayed ends of her sweatshirt at a loss of what to say to him without a pen and paper in front of her. He was busy eating and not terribly concerned with keeping up the thread of conversation. But surprisingly, the conversation wasn't uncomfortable. It was like they had known each other in person forever.

"I'm glad you came," she finally told him.

"I'm glad you didn't send me away. I was kind of afraid you would."

She frowned. "Why would you think that?"

"Well, just because we've been writing letters to each other for all these years doesn't mean you know everything there is to know about me. I could have made everything up as far as you knew."

"No," Teresa replied, shaking her head. "No, I don't think you would have. I always know when you're lying to me. And I'm always one of the people you could be the most honest with. You never really said it but I always knew it."

Patrick dropped his fork and took her hand. "It is true. Besides Eddie, you're the one person who could see me. Even though you really couldn't."

"Reese?"

"That's Leah," Teresa said, pulling away from him reluctantly. "She didn't get to stop by this morning like she usually does; she had to be at school early. She comes every day. . ."

"I've always wanted to meet her," Patrick told her.

"Reese! I brought pastries. . ." Leah trailed off when she saw Patrick sitting at the island. "Oh my gosh. I didn't know you had company. You didn't say anything. . ."

"I didn't know myself," Teresa replied, standing up. "Leah, this is Patrick."

"I know!" Leah answered. "I've seen his picture enough times to recognize him when he's staring me right in the face. What is he doing here?"

"He had fall break, so he came for a visit. But it was a surprise," Teresa answered. "I had no idea what he was doing until this afternoon."

Leah smiled like she knew a secret. "Oh. Well, I'll just leave the donuts and go. I'll call you later tonight. It was lovely meeting you Patrick."

"You too," Patrick echoed.

"Leah, you know you don't have to go. . ." Teresa started.

"Oh, but I do!" Leah replied, wrapping her scarf around her neck and leaving quickly. "Actually, I saw your brothers walking up the street. I'll just get them and take them to my house for dinner."

"You don't have to do that!" Teresa protested.

But Leah was already gone, leaving Teresa and Patrick all alone once again.

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The week passed by in a blur, Teresa went to her classes and hurried home right afterwards. Spending every spare second she could with Patrick. She took him all around Chicago, sometimes with her brothers and Leah in tow, but usually they went by themselves.

On his last night in town, they ate deep dish pizza and went for a walk in the park. A local band was playing for loose change and there was a full moon out with a beautiful breeze, blowing leaves all around them. Teresa's pulse was racing and she knew she was falling in love with him.

Maybe she had loved him all her life.

But she pushed the feelings aside, he was leaving in the morning and their letter writing would resume. He would go back to Florida and eventually California and he would bring Angela with him. She would only be his friend, stuck in Chicago for what seemed like forever. She couldn't let a week blind her to her reality.

But when he took her hand, she told herself maybe it was okay if she pretended just for a little bit.

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They said goodbye on her front porch early the next morning; he didn't want her to take him to the greyhound station. Teresa was thankful for it, she didn't think she could say goodbye to him without begging him to stay or without breaking down into tears. There was a moment while he whispered words of encouragement to her. And then, he hugged her. Lingering for a little bit too long before pulling away and brushing her lips with his.

She didn't have a chance to do it back; he pulled away and looked at her. "Goodbye," he whispered.

"Write to me," she whispered back.

"I will," he promised, turning away from her and taking the porch steps two at a time.

As she watched him go, she knew that nothing would ever be the same again.

TBC. . .

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Author's Note II:

This is the second to last chapter, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Next week, I will be wrapping everything up. Expect the chapter on Saturday though because I have a little Halloween treat planned for everybody. In the meantime, tell me what you thought of this chapter! I am looking forward to your reviews. After this story is finished, I'll be taking a two week break while I prepare my Christmas story. I already have the first chapter halfway written.

Until next time!

Love,

Holly, 10/24/2014_