*Author's Note: Hello, everyone! Guess what? This is the FINAL chapter of this story! As promised, it is done before the end of summer (I never specified whether it would be the end of summer vacation or the actual season. I still have several days)! I would have liked to have added some more into this story that was from the movie, but I really just wanted to be done. I started this story when I entered college and now, four years later, I am getting ready to exit college. This is definitely my longest running story and as much as I care about its message, it was time for it to end. So thank you all so much for sticking with me! I hope this last chapter makes you all proud!

Chapter Twenty-One:

There I was again, standing in front of a door that had previously not opened for me the last several times I attempted to talk to my girlfriend. However, regardless of this fact, I felt different about this time. I had just come back from fixing things with Eli and I had faith that God would orchestrate something in my situation with Katie too. I decided to take a leap of faith and knock on her door.

No answer.

I really shouldn't have been surprised. I mean I had tried several times in the last few days and I have yet to get a response. I just felt like today was going to be different. I guess God already orchestrated one miracle for me today. Maybe two was too much to ask for?

I asked anyway.

"God, I know you already did something amazing for me and my friends today, but I just want to ask you to help me out one more time. I've got a really good feeling about this. All I need is for her to open the door. The literal and figurative door. God, please? I have to make this right."

I opened my eyes, knocked one more time, and was just about to turn around with my tail between my legs when something incredible happened:

She opened the door.

"What do you want, Dallas?" she asked me rather snappily. I suppose I deserved that.

"I just really needed to talk to you, Katie. I am so sorry for the way I reacted when you told me that you were pregnant. It definitely caught me off guard, but I should not have handled it like that. I care about you, Katie. I should have shown you that instead of attacking you."

Her demeanor seemed to soften slightly. "It's okay, Dallas. You had a right to be upset. You were scared. I was scared too. We both said things we regretted."

"Even if I did, I still shouldn't have treated you that way. And I know that your mind is already set about what you want to do with this baby, but I just wanted to tell you that I think that you are such a wonderful and caring person and I think that you could make a great mother. I believe in you, Katie. You can do this. We can do this.

"You really think so?"

"I really do," I told her, grabbing her hands in mine.

"But what about what everyone else will think? I can't be pregnant in high school, Dallas. Do you know all the horrible things that everyone has been saying about me already?"

"To be honest, I've been trying to block a lot of it out. But yes, I do know some of the things that they have been saying about you. But I have news for you, Katie. It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. I think you are wonderful and strong and so capable of carrying this baby to term."

"You don't think I'm a slut like everybody else?"

"Of course not. And if you don't think you're ready to be a mother, there's always adoption. I've been talking with Andrew about what's been going on and he said that there is a couple that he would like us to meet if you're interested."

"Oh, that's just great. Now the pastor probably thinks I'm a horrible person too."

"No, baby, he doesn't," I corrected her in an attempt to soothe her. "He sees you as someone created by God and loved by God. Don't you see? It doesn't matter how many people in the world think badly of you when the creator of the universe thinks that you're special.

I noticed her starting to get tears in her eyes as she spoke her next words. "How can He think I'm special?" she asked me as she looked down at her shoes. It was then that I noticed something else: she had her purse on her shoulder, her shoes on her feet, and her keys in her hand. She didn't answer the door because she heard me knocking.

She opened it because she was about to go somewhere.

I looked back into her eyes and all I could see was shame. "Katie? Were you getting ready to go out?"

She didn't answer my question with words. She just pulled the door shut behind her and slid down it, burying her head in her hands. "I didn't wanna do it, Dallas, I swear. I just didn't see any other way," she explained through her tears. I didn't say anything. I simply got down on the ground with her and pulled her into my arms. I held her tightly as she cried, finally letting out all of her emotions. After several minutes of crying, she finally looked at me and asked, "When can we meet with that couple?"

Several Months Later…

The day had finally come. I was mere minutes away from getting on the open road to take me to my career as a major league hockey player. Standing in front of me were some of the best people that I have ever had the privilege to know: my best friends, Eli and Becky, who had recently become attached at the hip (and the hand, and the lips, and…well, you get the idea); my girlfriend, our beautiful son, and his adoptive parents, of whom allowed us to have an open adoption so we could see him whenever we wanted; my parents, and the person who indirectly saved my life, Andrew. Sure, my dad doesn't exactly qualify in that list; but he did apologize and offered to drive me to the airport so we could talk things out.

As I hugged each one of these people, I couldn't help but think about how different all of our lives were a mere year before. I didn't even know the majority of these people one year ago. It's so crazy how one event could change my entire life. I wish with all my being that it didn't have to take Cam ending his life for me to realize that I needed to change mine, but I know that God had a plan, and I know that He still has one.

Time to go and fulfill His plan for my life.

Well, that's it! I really hope you've enjoyed this story! And as always, if you have anything that you would like to talk to me about that has to do with how this content relates to your own story, or even if you want to tell me what you had for breakfast, please know that I will always be here to listen. I am just a PM away! Thank you all again so much.

Always remember,

~You'veGotMeAndJesus