I deserve a literal kick in the head for this. I really really freaking do. I am soooo terrible and I deserve to be kicked repeatedly for the utter lack of updating on this story or any story on this account in general. I really have no excuse either, except my interests changing and my getting distracted by school and other stuff like that.
BUT.
Here is an update. The penultimate chapter. (Penultimate meaning 'next-to-last. Thank you Lemony Snicket.)
You know what I own. You know what I don't own. If you're still reading this, I thank God for you because you're pretty patient and willing to put up with my lack of updatey-ness.
NOW GO READ IT.
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One Month Later
Nicole
It seemed to me that my loft was unusually quiet that day. I usually had music blasting from my stereo while I was working on a painting or writing something in my notebook. For some reason, I just felt like I wasn't in the mood for music (even though I was really ALWAYS in the mood for some kind of music.) I had a lot of thinking to do today. After all, it was THAT day. Our year was up. I was mostly relieved. I was going to stay, of course – Kathleen, Landon, and Nicky had all pretty much made my mind up for me there. Now what I was worrying about was explaining this to Landon.
No, I hadn't told my boyfriend of almost four months that I came here from another universe. What's wrong with that? I mean, how do you tell someone you're from another universe without fearing that they'll try to drag you off to the funny farm and break up with you? I really didn't want him to think I was crazy, so I spent a lot of time trying to figure out just how to say it to him without him freaking out on me. It's not exactly great dinner conversation. 'Oh, by the way, honey, I may've forgotten to mention that I came here from some other universe because there's a glitch in the space-time continuum that somehow installed itself in my TV. Strange, huh? Can you pass the salt?'
And after four months… I still had no plan whatsoever. I'm not a planner, I'm too spontaneous to plan. Which doesn't always turn out well, you know… I guessed I was just going to have to say it and hope for the best.
When he came over after getting off from his job, I was taking my boxes of stuff out of my storage. I hadn't taken them out, because what was the point if I was leaving? But I wasn't leaving now, so it didn't really matter anymore. I heard the door open, and Landon's voice calling for me. I set down my box of some random artwork and CDs and headed out to the main room of the loft, wiping the dust off my jeans.
"Hey, Cole." He greeted me with a kiss. He'd taken to calling me Cole, even though I made it extremely clear that I despised that nickname. I gave him a look, and he just shrugged in the way he was so good at doing, looking around the loft. "What's up with all the boxes? You're just now moving in your stuff?"
"Yeah, looks that way, doesn't it?" I said lamely, suddenly extremely interested in dusting off one of the light fixtures up on my wall. Dammit, why was this so hard? Why couldn't I just say it? I had to stop being such a chicken.
"What's the matter? You're not acting like yourself." He seemed concerned.
"How am I not acting like myself?" I asked him, the picture of innocence. He raised an eyebrow at me.
"You're dusting. You don't dust. You've never dusted."
I sighed and turned back to face him, fidgeting for a moment.
"You should sit down." He looked at me, vaguely confused, before he seemed to sense that I was serious. Then he looked almost… frightened. Not that I blamed him, really. Usually, when someone tells you that, the news that follows is the bad kind. I ran my fingers through my hair, pacing a little, trying to think of what to say as Landon settled down on the couch. I knew he could tell something was wrong.
Finally, after a few moments' hesitation, I looked at him, took a deep breath, and spoke. "Landon, I'm not from here."
"Well, I sort of knew that… You're not from this area, you mean?" Back to confused again. He didn't get it? I shook my head.
"No, I mean, I'm not from this place." I sighed a little, then plucked up the courage I had obviously dropped somewhere. "I came here from another universe."
Now he just looked quite blank. I expected him to laugh at me, think I was joking around, or call me crazy, or freak out and leave. He did none of those. He just looked at me without any hint as to what he was thinking on his face. Finally he shifted on the couch a little, his eyes widening. "Really?"
"Yeah." For some reason, I laughed a bit awkwardly. "I know it sounds really crazy, but Kathleen and I, we ended up getting sucked into movies through this random magical portal in my TV that I still have no idea what the hell it is, and we can't get out until the movie is over, and this time we actually got an offer from some freaky guardian angel to go home or stay here after a year, but since I met you and Kathleen and Riley had a baby, we both decided to just stay here, and that angel guy is actually coming today to see if we're staying or going…" That was probably the longest run-on sentence I'd ever used in my entire life. I don't remember if I even breathed through that whole thing, and the words just sort of rushed out. I waited for what felt like an eternity for Landon to just say something.
Finally, he looked at me with a sort of grin, and I wondered what he meant by it. "That actually makes sense to me. It definitely explains your obsession with painting random psychedelic televisions."
I was so relieved, I actually laughed at that. "You mean you don't think I'm crazy?"
"Nah. I mean, you don't exactly hear stuff like that every day, but… I believe you. Call me crazy for it, but I do."
I grinned out of relief, and wanted to kiss him. "Thank you. I was afraid you'd think I was a lunatic!"
"No… Not anymore than usual, anyway." And that was Landon for you. I rolled my eyes, barely resisting the urge to smack him in the arm. He just grinned at me, and hugged me. "You know you love me, Cole." Okay, calling me Cole AND hugging me? At the SAME TIME? He obviously had a death wish.
"Yeah, yeah…" I pulled myself out of the hug and checked my watch. "Well, looks like it's just about time to go meet the creepy guardian angel guy." I stood up. "Care to join me?"
Immediately he got to his feet and grinned. "To meet an angel and see my girlfriend officially become part of a different universe? Hell yes."
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Kathleen
A smile crossed my lips as I set Nicky down in his carrier on the floor of Ben and Abby's place. My little baby boy contented himself with staring up at the living room's ceiling fan as it spun. I laughed to see him so fascinated with it.
So today was the big day. The day. I sighed, brushing a little bit of hair from my face. Of course I was staying, for Riley and our son… But I couldn't help but remind myself that I was officially cutting myself off from that other place, like I never existed. I'd never see my parents again, my sisters, my other friends… Tears welled beneath the surface but I held them back. Any minute now Nicole would be showing up, and we'd be ending this whole thing once and for all. At least we would still be together. I couldn't stand for her to leave me here by myself. We'd been through this whole thing, the two of us. She was the only one who really understood me inside and out. Not even Riley knew me so well, and I was going to marry him soon.
I couldn't bring myself to move when I heard Nicole's car pulling up the drive, and even when the door opened. I heard her and Landon talking as they came inside. Nicole never knocked – she didn't need to, she'd somehow managed to get a house key here, though I'd never quit figured out how. I wasn't going to ask though. It was probably best not to ask questions like that, I probably didn't want to hear the answer.
"Kathleen?" I finally heard her call, and I twisted around from my position on the couch.
"I'm in the living room!" I called back before turning back to Nicky, who was now bored with the fan and just looking blankly around the room.
"Hey!" She greeted me, flopping down on the couch in casual Nicole manner with no preamble whatsoever. I rolled my eyes and she laughed before spotting Nicky on the floor. She beamed. "Well, hey, there's my little nephew-namesake!" Though she wouldn't ever admit it to me, she was clearly smitten with that kid. They were like two peas in a pod – fitting then, that I'd named him after her. "So, you ready?"
I shrugged, combing through my hair with my fingers. "Pretty much. Ready as I'll ever be, anyway." She smiled and shrugged.
"It won't be so hard, I promise. I'll make sure you're sure that it's the best decision you've ever made in your life."
"I'll hold you to that." I smirked a bit, looking up suddenly as the trio appeared in the doorway. So, we were all here… Except for that ridiculous angel guy. He really was taking his time today. We all sat around awkwardly, not saying much to one another.
I didn't keep track of how much time passed, but suddenly out of the middle of nowhere, the front door blew open, and in swept our angel, looking rather harried, his hair wind-tossed. Everyone, myself included, stared at him, and he gave a meek shrug.
"Sorry, I know I'm late. Been doing this for hundreds of years and I'm still not good at the transportation thing." He clapped his hands together, inviting himself to sit in one of Ben and Abby's armchairs. "So, introductions?"
"…Right." I glanced at Nicole, then looked around the room. "Okay… That's Landon… Ben and Abigail… And that's Riley."
"And everybody, that's our creepy guardian angel guy in case you didn't figure that out," Nicole added in. Everyone nodded.
"I have a name!" The guy exclaimed. "Though, to be honest, if I had to say it, your ears might explode, so I would advi-" And suddenly he stopped short, his eyes fixing on something right in the center of the room. My son. He stared for a long while, his face slowly appearing to grow repulsed, like he was giant bug instead of a baby. "What is that?!"
"That is my son!" I stated sharply, staring the guy down. He jumped out of his chair, still staring.
"But…" He looked up at Riley. "You're the kid's father?"
"Yeah…" Riley looked a little bit uneasy at the sudden interrogation. The angel paced the floor, looking rather distressed.
"This is bad… This is really bad." He blinked. "That's… Do you even realize what you've done?! I'm going to be in some serious trouble…" No one really seemed to be sure what he was talking about. "That's a cross-universe baby. That's supposed to be… impossible. Hybrids… It's a danger to the whole fabric of time and space!" He spluttered frantically. I stared now.
"What? How's he a danger? My son? He's just a baby!"
"It breaks all the rules! I can't even get rid of it now!" He looked distressed, like he was about to vomit or something. I really didn't know what he was talking about, but he was getting very red in the face and I wanted to smack him. How could a baby be a danger to time and space? I blinked, and then was on the other side of the room, grabbing Nicky out of his carrier before I could stop myself. I felt all eyes on me but I just glared at the angel who still looked sick.
"I think our decision is clear," I stated to him. He looked furious, and I had to admit it made me feel rather smug to see that look on his face. Yeah, I was standing up to someone who controlled time and space. That made me feel powerful.
"Okay… If you're sure. But whatever happens, don't blame me. You could end up in serious trouble someday." He looked warily at me and at Nicky. He reached out as if to touch Nicky, and I instinctively flinched away, giving him the meanest look I've probably ever given anyone.
"Don't even think about it."
He smirked and shrugged. "Fine then. Staying here – that's your final answer?" He quipped, his eyes flicking from me to Nicole. I nodded.
"You bet your ass that's our final answer." She smirked back, flicking her hair. The angel-guy shrugged again and then randomly vanished in a cloud of white smoke.
There was a long, awkward pause where everyone looked at each other. Even Nicky seemed confused.
"That's… it?" Abigail finally spoke up, looking really out of it. I shrugged, gingerly setting Nicky back in his carrier.
"Yeah… I guess that's it." I sat back down on the couch, glancing between all the faces before letting out a long breath. "It's really over."
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That night was cool and quiet. I sat at the window seat of my bedroom, shivering, before I felt someone wrap a blanket around my shoulders. I smiled at Riley as he sat down across from me, amusement playing in his eyes. Strangely, even though I was a mother and everything, I just felt like a teenager tonight. A homesick teenager. After all, I was still 19, kind of caught in the in-between of childhood and adulthood. As if that wasn't tricky enough, I'd had to balance kidnappings, shootings, magic rips in the space-time continuum, really creepy angels, inter-universal travel, and a baby in with it. Wow, my life was weird. It never quite would be the same, of course. But it would still be a pretty good one… as lives go.
"Hey," I greeted quietly, but with a smile.
"Hey." Riley responded. "He's finally gone off to sleep, I think."
"Mm, that's good…" I crawled awkwardly across the window seat, resting my head against Riley's shoulder, one of his hands lightly stroking my hair. "We have a very strange life together, don't we? With everything that's happened, I'm surprised we haven't gone psycho."
"Who says we haven't?" Riley chuckled softly and I had to laugh as well, realizing he made a great point. I felt my eyes pulling closed, and pretty soon I was damn near dozing when I heard Riley speak my name. My eyes opened again and I looked at him.
"Yeah?"
"Can I ask you something?" He asked me gently.
"Shoot." I mumbled into his chest, nodding. He was quiet for a while, gazing out the window at the moonlight sky, before he looked back in my eyes, just barely smiling.
"Marry me?" He asked quietly. He opened up his palm to reveal a tiny silver ring with a glinting diamond set in it. I looked at him, my mouth agape, seeing in those blue eyes that looked back at me something I almost didn't recognize – promise. Promise for the years ahead.
Our years. At that thought I smiled. And there was only one word I need to get my point across.
"Yes..."
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And there you go! Aww! XP
Can I has reviews? Please?
