A/N: Thanks bunches for all the reviews guys! It means a lot to me! Well, here's Chapter 21!

Chapter 21: Goodbye to Paradise

It was well into the night before everyone decided to call it a night. The Science Club had to wake up early to catch their flight and Sam, Frank, Brooklyn, and Lydia had promised to be there to see them off.

After everything had been disassembled, packed up, cleaned, and taken into the house, the guests were shown to the door.

"We're going to miss you all terribly when you leave tomorrow!" said Sam.

"Definitely," agreed Brooklyn. "Promise that you guys will keep in touch and try to come back next summer!"

Before anyone could answer Corrine replied, "We'll try really hard, Brooklyn."

The group said goodnight and left, promising they'd be there the next morning to exchange a few last good-byes.

" 'Night, Lucas," Lydia said as she left his side and headed towards the door.

"Oh, I'll walk you out," replied Lucas quickly as he headed outside with her. Josie watched him go with a slight scowl on her face. Vaughn and Marshall, on the other hand, were celebrating.

"The Lucester's got it going on!" exclaimed Vaughn as he and Marshall high-fived and did a victory dance. Corrine scoffed.

"Come one guys. Let's go clean up a bit before bed."

"Awww…but Mommy! We're tired!" Marshall playfully whined.

"Oh, come on, you two!" said Corrine as she dragged Vaughn and Marshall into the kitchen. Josie peered out the window once more before reluctantly shuffling off towards the kitchen.

Lucas soon returned and Vaughn and Marshall started high-fiving him and clapping him on the back. Corrine and Josie just rolled their eyes, more so Josie.

Corrine was the first to head up to bed followed by Marshall and Vaughn. This left just Lucas and Josie.

Lucas was just cleaning up the counter while Josie watched him carefully, scrutinizing him as if trying to peer into the depths of his mind and heart.

"So, what was up with you and Lydia?" Josie asked with a slightly irritated tone. Lucas raised an eyebrow at her.

"Nothing. We just danced is all. I mean, we were the only ones left and you were dancing with Vaughn…"

"But you could have just asked to dance!" Josie retorted.

"Ok, what is your problem, Josie? All I did was dance with Lydia and you're acting as if I committed some huge crime!"

By now Lucas was thoroughly irked by Josie's irrational behavior. What had come over the redhead? Josie stared hard at him, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.

You committed a crime of the hearts against me, Lucas.

Lucas saw Josie's eyes begin to water and immediately regretted whatever he had done to offend her. He placed his hands on both her shoulders and looked her square in the eye.

"Listen, Josie. I'm sorry if I hurt or offended you somehow. But seriously, how was I to know it would have offended you? I mean, you love Vaughn, I just thought…"

He didn't get to finish because Josie leaned up and kissed him fiercely, catching him completely off guard. He naturally wrapped his arms around her petite waist pulling her closer. Her arms encircled his neck, mussing his shaggy brown hair. Lucas pulled away, short of breath, and looked down at her questioningly.

"Jos…" he pleaded softly. "You've toyed with my heart too much, for too long. Same with Vaughn. We…"

He raked his fingers through his already mussed hair. Josie watched him, her mind and thoughts still reeling about from the kiss.

"We what?" she asked quietly, her eyes shining brightly with tears in thefluorescent kitchen lights.

"I need an answer, Jos. Who are you going to choose?"

Lucas watched her intently, her gaze averted to the tiled floor. After a while of silence with Josie still staring at the floor, Josie was surprised as Lucas embraced her suddenly.

"I can only wait for so much longer, Josie," he whispered into her ear before straightening back up.

" 'Night," Lucas bid as he left the kitchen and a conflicted Josie.

The next morning everyone was up early in order to get to the airport on time for their flight. After a quick breakfast they loaded all their luggage and belongings into the Jeep and were soon on their way. Corrine gazed back at the villa as it slowly disappeared from view.

"Goodbye to paradise…" she muttered as she turned back around.

"I'm really going to miss this place," said Marshall wistfully as Vaughn nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, this definitely was a summer to remember for sure," said Vaughn. Lucas and Josie, however, remained quiet the whole ride to the airport.

They soon pulled into the parking lot and, after grabbing their luggage, headed inside to their terminal. As promised, Sam, Frank, Brooklyn, and Lydia greeted them. Josie wasn't too keen on seeing Lydia there as well.

Many hugs and words of gratitude and wishing them a safe trip home were exchanged. Sam and Brooklyn hugged everybody once more.

"We're going to miss you guys so much! Please keep in touch and remember you're welcome back here if you guys decide to come back next summer," spoke Sam.

She gave Corrine one last sentimental hug. She pulled back and patted her on the shoulder in a motherly way.

"Take good care of yourself, Corrine," said Sam tearfully. Corrine nodded, her own eyes welling up with tears.

A voice over the intercom announced that their flight was boarding. The Science Club bid one last farewell and waved goodbye as they headed through the terminal.

The tropical paradise St. Lucia grew smaller and smaller as the plane gradually rose in altitude and height. The passengers on the plan were either asleep or quietly preoccupied. Most likely, it was too early for any of them.

Josie had managed to drag Corrine over next to her when they had boarded so she would not end up sitting next to Vaughn or Lucas.

"I thought you worked everything out!" whispered Corrine.

"No, I think I made things worse," replied Josie in a hushed tone. Corrine rolled her eyes.

"Oh boy…"

The 5:00 flight from St. Lucia arrived at the Russell-McCarthy Airport. Corrine peered out the plane's window hoping for a glimpse of her parents.

The plane came to a full stop and soon all its occupants unboarded and were greeted by friends and family inside past the terminal.

"Mom, Dad!" exclaimed Corrine as she ran full speed into the arms of her parents.

"Button! We missed you so much, Corrine! How was your trip? How was your flight? Do you feel ok? Do you want to sit down?" Corrine laughed as she was bombarded with hugs and questions.

"I missed you guys, too! St. Lucia was amazing and beautiful and the flight was great! And I feel fine, don't worry about it!"

Lucas and Marshall were greeted by their families as well. Lucas stooped down to scoop up his little sister, Emma, into his arms.

"Lucas!" squealed the five and a half year old. "I missed you!" she proclaimed as she wrapped her small arms around his neck, causing him to laugh. He tickled her playfully causing her to squeal and giggle.

"I miss you, too, Em!"

Josie watched the two with a smile creeping across her face. She had never known that Lucas was good with kids and seeing the two reunited warmed her heart.

She glanced around, her good mood soon dashed by realizing her own mother, expectedly, had not shown to greet her one and only child after having been gone for close to a month and a half. She sighed.

Even Vaughn's dad is here.

Indeed, there was Victor Pearson talking to Vaughn, patting him on the back and even gave him a slightly awkward and stiff hug.

I guess I shouldn't be too disappointed Mom isn't here…

But she was disappointed. Extremely disappointed.

"Josie?" She whirled around, both startled and surprised.

"Z?" He smiled

"Your mother called me and asked if I could pick you up from the airport and take you home."

"Oh," she replied, slightly unsure of how to react. She wasn't sure which was weirder: the fact that Z of all people was her welcoming party or that her mother had called him and asked him to bring her home.

"Um, how was the trip?"

"Oh, it was great! The island was really beautiful." He smiled broadly.

"That's great to hear!"

"Z!" exclaimed Lucas as he and everyone else made their way over.

"What are you doing here?"

"Well, I just had to come and welcome the Science Club back home!"

He of course didn't mention the whole Josie's mom calling him to ask if he could bring her home. After some brief catching up, everyone decided to split and head their separate ways until school started again in two weeks.

Right before Corrine left, Marshall pulled her to the side to kiss her and embrace her one last time. He lifted her chin so that their gazes met.

"Take care of yourself, Corrine," he said softly as they embraced one last time before she left with her parents.

Josie sat in the passenger's seat of Z's car as he drove her home. Her luggage was piled haphazardly in the backseat. They were almost to Josie's house and yet no more than 10 words had been exchanged.

Normally, it wouldn't have been this hard to strike up a conversation except that it just felt awkward to Josie to be chauffeured home by Z. He pulled up in front of her house and parked the car, getting out to help take her luggage up the front steps.

Josie ran the bell and soon she could faintly hear her mother's voice call out, "Coming!" and the click-click-click of her heels on the wood floor. The door opened to reveal Kelly Trent still in her business attire.

"Oh, Josie!" she exclaimed as she swiftly embraced her daughter, squeezing her tightly.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't meet you at the airport, sweetheart! I had some very urgent matters at work to attend to that I just couldn't get out of! But Noel here was kind enough to bring you home. You must be beat from your trip! Come on, you can tell me all about it after you've settled back down a bit!"

Josie was ushered inside the house and Z brought the rest of her luggage inside and placed it next to the door in the foyer.

"Well, thank you so much, Noel. You have no idea how much this means to me."

"Not a problem, Kelly," replied Z. He pecked her on the cheek and bid goodnight to her and Josie before leaving.

Josie's jaw dropped when she had witnessed Z kissing her mother, even if it was just a peck. Her mother turned to her and smiled, not noting her daughter's shocked expression, and steered her into the living room to catch up.

And boy did Josie have a lot of catching up to do. And she had quite a few questions for her mother concerning her and Noel.

A/N: Yeah, the whole Z/Kelly thing just sorta came out of nowhere. I didn't intentionally mean to have them hook up over the summer. It's my muse's fault, so don't look at me! Anyways, rate and review!