This is the penultimate chapter of 'Park Bench'. Chapter 14 will be the final chapter and this will possibly be my final piece of fan fiction. Thanks to everyone who had followed this story so far.

'You seem sure.' Seth said. Pandora nodded. He had met her at their park bench the day after he told her not to go. She was leaving for New York.

'I'm sorry Seth. I really am but I can't stay in LA just for you.'

'Then don't just stay for me. Stay for your friends and…I don't know…' Seth began to trip over his words struggling to think of reasons to make her stay. 'Just stay.'

'I'm sorry Seth. I've made up my mind. This is something I have to do; I can't turn down an opportunity like this.'

'There's no way they'll let you stay and write the article here?'

'No, I did try that but they didn't like my "Diary of an LA Girl" idea.'

'So no way at all?'

'No. I have to take this chance. I mean did you hesitate when you got offered Family Guy straight out of RISD?'

'I actually got offered that a couple of years later in LA, but no. I didn't hesitate.'

'Well there we go. Family Guy was your dream, the column is mine.'

'How soon do you have to leave?'

'Tonight.'

'That's a bit soon isn't it?'

'Yeah I thought so too, but they want me in New York as soon as possible to start setting up, so they made a few last minute arrangements.'

Seth felt his heart sink. Pandora's voice was beginning to waver and she wiped a few tears from her eyes, but remained strong.

'Well in that case, you might as well have this now.' Seth handed her a piece of paper that had been folded twice. Pandora opened it to see Seth had drawn her in the Family Guy cartoon style sitting on the park bench with her satchel and books next to her. He had included her masses of auburn hair, round glasses and had even drawn her wearing the clothes she had worn the day they met.

'Oh my God!' Pandora laughed. 'You drew me like one of your Quahog girls!' Seth nodded. 'It's amazing thank you. I can't believe you actually did this for me! I look like one of you cartoon characters!'

'Well consider it a gift from me to you. So when you're in New York and someone says something shitty to you, have a look and use this to see yourself through my eyes.'

'Ok, I promised myself I wouldn't, but now I really am going cry!'

'Don't cry.' Seth held her hand. 'This is only goodbye for now. I am sure our paths will cross again sometime.'

'Yeah I know. Maybe when I come back to visit my friends and family I could stop by?'

'Yes. Do that.'

Pandora sniffed a bit, but still forced herself to keep the tears behind her eyes. 'Well it's almost 3:30 so I'm going to have to leave you now.'

'What time is your flight?'

'7pm.'

'Yeah, you'd better get a move on if you want to catch your plane on time.'

Seth picked up Pandora's bag and watched her tuck her picture into her copy of "The Hobbit" and put it safely away. They stood up and faced each other and took in what were possibly their last views of each other for a while.

'So you're not planning on chasing me through the airport now, are you?'

'No.' Seth chuckled. 'I don't want to stop you from living your dream. Besides I think this is corny enough as it is.'

'It's not corny, Seth. You're just a real gentleman. It probably seems corny because you're one of the rare ones now!'

'See that's one of the things I'll miss about you; always finding the right words to say. What am I going to do now when I need a compliment "pick-me-up"?'

'Read "Pandora's Point!". That's going to be the name of my new column.'

'I'll be sure to look out for it.'

'Seth, thank you for understanding.' She sighed. 'I would stay but this is something that I'll regret if I don't do.'

'I know.'

'I'll miss you.' Pandora said leaning into Seth for a hug. He held her there closely and kissed her head.

'I love y-'

'Don't say it.' Pandora said suddenly cutting Seth's sentence short before he could finish.

'I do though.'

Pandora nodded into Seth's chest. 'Yeah I do too.'

Eventually they broke apart from each other. Both hesitated for a few seconds longer, but it was Pandora who walked away first. It took all of Seth's strength not to follow her, but he had to let Pandora do what was best for her. He watched her go. Pandora didn't look back; not out of rudeness, but so Seth wouldn't see her cry.

The rest of that afternoon was a blur. Seth sat back in his office, undisturbed, trying to concentrate on work, taking small sips on Jack Daniels in between tasks that now seemed pointless. By early evening he still hadn't gone home. He stayed in his office trying to think of a storyline for Family Guy worthy of a character named Pandora. He looked over at the digital clock on top of his filing cabinet and saw the time was 19:06. Pandora would be flying by now; on her way to her new life. Seth knew he couldn't dwell on what could have been. He had to think about now.

With that thought at the back of his mind, he simply downed the rest of his whiskey and left his office. 'Enough now.' He muttered to himself. It was time to focus on his new projects.