A/N: This is the last official chapter before I upload the epilogue. Thanks for the review and readers. It's been fun to write this story, and this has probably been my most reviewed story so far. I might be continuing an old story I never finished so keep up for that. :)

Also, the first part of this chapter is in ittalic because it's a memory. Read and Review, and thank you.

One of my strongest childhood memories happened on April 11th, 2OOO. I was currently going to Salem Elementary School in a small second grade class. In that time, everyone was friends with everyone. There were no cliques; no populars, no geeks, no losers. We were all just us. Since the town was so small, I knew everyone in my class by name and favorite snack; Lucas, Jessica, Ashley, Jackson, Kimberly, Michael (Lucas and Jackson's best friend), and me. While Lucas' main best friends at school were the guys, I was best friends with the girls; including, Jessica and Ashley. The day I walked into school on April 11th, I knew that things changed. Not only at home, but here, at school. I walked in slowly down the narrow hallway, instead of skipping like I usually did, and clutched one hand onto my lunchbox and the other to my yellow dress. Mom had tied up my hair in a high ponytail to make me feel like a princess, but at that time, I didn't feel anything like that at all. I walked into the classroom I hadn't seen in the last week, and instead of slipping into my desk at the front, I took a seat at the last seat in the last row. The others were off outside in the playground since there was still a little time before class started. This was my first day back since my parent's divorce, and the minute I stood up and walked outside to see my friends, I knew they knew. I walked over to Jessica, Ashley, and Kimberly who were playing four- square. "Hi, guys," I strained a smile. "Can I play?" But they gave each other this shared look and walked away. Next I tried walking towards Lucas and his friends. I remember Lucas had been wearing his faded loose shorts, and his favorite Spider- man t- shirt. Luke was obsessed with the whole superhero thing. He'd jump off high flights of stairs, balance on ledges, and even try climbing up on walls. He thought he was invincible. Back then his hair was also spiked up causing his blonde hair to stand up like sticks. When Lucas saw me walking towards him, he grinned this huge gapped- toothed grin, but his friends shared that same look Jessica, Ashley, and Kimberly had. Like I was changed over the past week. Like I didn't belong with them. Suddenly Jackson stepped up and grabbed the picture in my left hand and showed it to all his friends. I flushed embarrassed as Lucas' eyes widened and looked at me. "Give it back!" I screamed, but they wouldn't as they laughed. Finally, when they started trying to rip it, I pushed Jackson on the floor and snatched the picture back in my tiny palm. Embarrassed, Jackson and Michael ran away, leaving me alone with Lucas. I sat down on a stair- step and held back the tears. Lucas sat there with me and held my hand. He didn't say anything else. I don't think he knew what to say. Even I didn't know what to say. Finally, after a few minutes, I brought the wrinkled picture out of my hand. On it was the last photograph Mom, Dad, and I had taken together at the apple orchard in Oregon. Dad had one casual arm around Mom as he held me in his other arm. Our smiles were so wide and so real that it was almost crazy to think that somehow this had broken apart. We would never have these moments again. No more pictures. No more memories. "Is it weird that I carry around this picture with me?" I asked Lucas. He looked up at me wide blue eyes. "Why would it be weird?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. No one else does it."

Lucas paused and smiled softly at me. "That doesn't mean it's weird. It makes you special."

I smiled slightly from his answer as he squeezed my hand tighter. Finally, the bell rang indicating that class was about to start. I ran up the stone steps with Lucas next to me, not feeling so alone anymore.

I snapped out of the memory as I leaned back on the hospital chair. From that day on, Lucas had been my only true friend. I never had one real conversation with any of them (unless you count Jessica). But even with that one friend, I never felt alone. Lucas had always made up for it. He had always been enough.

But right now, I had never felt so alone in my life.

I tucked my knees up as I leaned my forehead against it. What was I supposed to do? I had been waiting here for almost 3 hours, and we hadn't gotten any news. Dad was sitting on a seat across from me as he sat forward staring at the floor. He had sent Diane home earlier, because it wasn't safe for her or the baby to be staying up so late. Mom and Lucas' mom were on a plane to LA at the moment. Finally, my eyes locked on Selena. She was wearing that 'disguise' with the red wig again and glasses to not cause attention. Her eyes were red- rimmed as she kept her hands held in a tight fist. How she found out, I didn't know, but she had showed up breathless as if she had just run a thousand miles and asked for Lucas. Once I had told her, she collapsed on the nearest chair and had stayed silent for the last hour. For me, I haven't cried yet, like how I didn't cry when Dad left. I didn't know what to feel. I just felt so numb.

Finally, I looked up to see a middle- aged doctor come out with a folder and a surgical mask slid around his throat. I looked at his face to try to read what he was feeling, but it was expressionless. He must have been doing this for awhile now. Even when I couldn't tell if the folder in his hands contained bad news or good news, I still didn't want it to be us he called. I wasn't ready. Not yet.

But then again, life didn't wait.

"Tiller Family?" the doctor called out. My Dad and I stood up instantly. My Dad gave me a look to sit back down as he walked up to the doctor to discuss. I leaned back in my chair exhaling a deep breath that I had been holding in for the past hour. I reached across my chest and just held onto Nick's dogtag and Lucas' key as if it were the only tangible thing that was keeping me on this Earth. I looked up to see Selena still sitting in a silent defeated position in the corner of the room. She had taken off her glasses and had her face in between her hands. I didn't need to move closer to hear her sobs. Selena Jansen was crying.

I looked up to see my Dad nod to the doctor before walking back towards me. He didn't have any tears in his eyes, which I instantly took as a good thing. I jumped up and ran towards him. "He's okay. Isn't he?"

I expected him to smile and to lead me into Lucas' hospital room to tell him was a dork head he was. I expected him to tell me that it was a big misunderstanding and Lucas was sitting in his dorm room right now studying .I wanted him to tell me Lucas was alright. I wanted him to tell me anything. Absolutely anthing.

But he didn't. He stood there frozen and looked down at the floor, as if looking me in the eyes were too painful. I didn't even need to know what happened as I backed away slowly. I shook my head and just ran out the sliding doors of the emergency room and ran until I reached a long bridge that connected LA to some smaller towns. It was empty except for the few trails of end- lights from passing cars. I nearly collapsed as I walked, and gripped onto the bridge railing for support.

He couldn't do this to me. Lucas couldn't do this to me. He couldn't just leave me alone. He promised that he'd always be there. That even when he was going to school in LA and I was in Virginia that he would be here, and that he would fly back the minute I asked him too. Frustrated, I pulled onto the key around my neck that he had promised would mean he was always there. It was the key that was supposed to lead me to him when I needed him. But right now I needed him, and he wasn't here. He never would be. I grabbed the key so tight around my hands that the chain broke around my neck and fell like cut ribbons into my palm.

I screamed through the tears that finally started pushing through my numbness and brought my hand back as far as I could before throwing the stupid key into the dark sky in front of me.

The minute, it left my hand, I reached out instantly to grab it back, but it was too late by then. It was gone. It was gone forever. I collapsed on my knees as I grasped onto the now empty space on my chest where his key was supposed to be. The last thing I had from Lucas was gone. It was gone. Lucas was gone.

And from the last 17 years I had known him, the memory that hit me the strongest was the day I came back to school in second grade. The last day I had ever felt so alone. "It just makes you special." Lucas' words echoed through my head with a low and deep echoing. Every single word we had passed for the past 17 years kept replaying in my head over and over again. Every single memory was speeding past my mind in slow motion. Every single future moment with him was gone.

We wouldn't be able to laugh at each other when we grew old or watch the other get married. Our kids wouldn't grow up to be best friends like us. Our grandchildren wouldn't get to know each other. Everything that we were supposed to do together was now gone.

The next few hours were a blur. I had ended up leaning against the bridge railings, trying to figure out what I had done to deserve this when I saw Dad's car come up from behind me. Next thing I knew, he carried me into his arms just like I was little girl again.

A little girl that had just lost her best friend.

On August 28th, 2010 Lucas Tiller passed away. He had been on his way back to LA. He was planning on seeing his girlfriend, to see his best friend's new art career in the LA School of Design, his classes to start in UCLA. But at 9: 30 P.M. the plane he was on did not land right. The left wing of the plane had skidded onto the runway, causing the plane to flip on its side. Out of the hundreds of passengers on that plane with the same intentions of seeing their friends and family again, only 5 people died.

Lucas was just one of them.

I smoothed out my knee length dress and slipped into my black ballet flats. I adjusted my loose ponytail and slipped on my black cardigan. I walked down the stairs and found Diane, Dad, and Mom already ready to go. They smiled at me encouragingly, but I couldn't find the strength to smile back. I just looked down, trying to avoid as much eye contact as possible. We entered the car and soon enough we were driving down the familiar blocks of home. The small houses that I had grown up around were passing by in blurs, and I had to close my eyes to stop any memories that were pushing through. Not now. Not yet.

We finally stopped at a grassed area that most people did not regularly go to in town. When we had arrived, there were already people grouped up and talking in soft tones as if scared to be heard. I walked past the crowd as all eyes were turned towards me, but I kept my eyes steady on the dewy grass with the scattered brown leaves indicating the coming of fall. Finally, I made my way to my destination. It was a square piece of lot that was reserved. On the top of the grass was a clean polished marble stone with the words Lucas Tiller (December 1993- August 2010); Our Miracle.

I took my spot at the side and watched as everyone settled into their seats. My gaze was locked onto my knotted hands until I heard the crowd go silent. It was my turn to speak.

I rose from my chair silently and walked up to the podium. Everyone was silent, except for the soft sound of sobs mixed in with the fall wind.

"Lucas Tiller," I said looking down at the podium instead of the crowd. For a moment, I honestly thought about turning around and running away. I wasn't sure I could do this. Finally, I stepped closer to the stand and looked up to meet the faces of the crowd. "Luke," I said again with a soft smile, "was my best friend." I felt the crowd start to smile remembering everything we had gotten through together. "He was amazing, gentle, loving, caring, honest, loyal," I smiled to myself. "Some might even say perfect." I took another deep breath before letting my speech roll out. Most of my speech included memories and stories about the crazy things we had done. Everyone laughed; some cried; some sat there silently and just nodded. Finally when I was nearing my speech, I looked up to the sky.

"For the last seventeen years, this place right here, was Luke's favorite place. We'd stare at the clouds for hours and just talk about family, friends, the future. He always swore that he saw an angel up there. Every day he would swear it was one of these clouds, but I never saw it," I smiled remembering as I looked back up at the sky. The clouds were scattered and I couldn't help but notice one looked like a pineapple. I bit back my smile and looked back at the crowd. "I know we all miss him," I paused taking a deep intake of breath. "But somehow, I know that Luke is in a good place."

"He's home," I finished as a big sweep of wind blew softly across the crowd, and I could see everyone close their eyes and breathe in.

Lucas was home.

After a few more speeches, everyone stood up and gathered around the marble stone again. The very place me and Luke had spent the last 10 years together. Lucas' mom stepped up, her stomach already bloating out from her pregnancy, and held the urn in her arms. She was weeping softly, but managed to walk up with a strong heart. Carefully, she opened the urn and scattered Lucas' ashes across the lot before finally picking up a handful of soil and throwing it in the shallow hole. I watched as everyone took their turns, placing a small handful of soil in and paying their respects. I watched as Jessica and Ashley stepped up, both crying to themselves, but I swear Jessica gave me a soft sad smile before walking away. Lucas' football friends came to give their respects, and it amazed me that the toughest guy in school even broke a tear as he walked away. I watched Mom step up with tears in her eyes. I watched Diane and Dad step up with flowers as they got their own handfuls of soils. Finally, I stepped up and kneeled down to linger a finger on the smooth marble. Our Miracle , I read again. Smiling softly, I leaned forward to grasp onto some soil. Finally, I let my hand drop watching the soil tumble down.

"Bye, Luke."

I stood up, dusting my dress off, and stepped back. Suddenly, I heard whispers and gasps behind me. I turned around and found four familiar faces stepping forward, all dressed in black.

"Hey," Demi and Joe smiled softly. Joe had an arm around Demi's waist as I saw her eyes were red and swollen from crying. I built up the strength to smile back, and leaned forward to hug them both. Taylor stood next to them, her long blonde curls tamed in a bun. I hugged her remembering what Selena had told me. Everyone in the crowd seemed confused on how three celebrities found their way to Lucas' funeral, but they decided to leave the questioning until later. Right now, it was for Lucas. As Demi, Joe, and Taylor pulled away to pay their respects, I finally turned to Selena who looked absolutely beautiful even behind the tears.

"Come here," I whispered as I wrapped her in a deep hug. The minute I hugged her, we both broke into soft cries. I wondered how hard it was for her. She had fallen in love with Luke after a few days. There was so much she didn't know about him, so much she had wanted to know. Finally, she pulled back embarrassed and noticed the eyes of the crowd on her. "I'm sorry. Should I not have come?"

I took her arm and led her forward Lucas' grave. "No. He would have wanted you here." As Demi and Joe stepped back after paying their respects, Selena let go of my hand and stepped forward. She read the engraving on the tomb stone smiled softly. She picked up the soil between her slender fingers, keeping it there for a few moments as she closed her eyes, before finally releasing her hand, and saying the words I had said.

"Bye, Luke."

Finally, she stepped back next to me. Without even asking, I led her away from the crowd with Demi and Joe and began walking down the grassed hill. I turned to see Joe, Demi, and Selena all smiling. Confused, my phone began to ring, but by the time I picked up, the caller had hung up. I called the number back, telling them to go on without me, and I'd catch up after the phone call. After a few rings, I heard someone's ringtone behind me. Even more confused, I turned around and found myself standing in front of Nick Grey.

"Hey," he whispered awkwardly, his hands in his pockets. He was wearing a dark polo shirt with his sleeves casually rolled up like usual, and his tie was crooked. But the first thing I noticed was the absence of Nick's mess of curls. Today, his brown curls were tamed and pushed back in a smooth neat wave.

"Hey," I said just as breathless. He ran his hands through his curls again, causing one to fall down across his forehead. Without saying anything else, I slipped into his familiar arms and I felt him wrap around me instinctively.

"I'm sorry," he murmured into my hair, and I just nodded. There weren't any more tears. I didn't want to waste time mourning the absence of Lucas, but rather remember the life that he had the chance to live. Pulling back after what felt like eternity, I held his hand as I followed Demi, Joe, and Selena down the hill, and suddenly, I didn't feel so alone anymore. The sun was shining through the canopy of trees and illuminating the hill we were walking on as if we were walking on crystals. The sky was clear and blue as clouds floated above us smoothly. Suddenly, I saw something in the corner of my eye.

Without saying anything else, I let go of Nick's hand and ran the opposite direction of the others. I looked up at the sky as my guide and kicked off my shoes, feeling the cool wet grass underneath my toes. The sun was beaming down at me, and I could feel people staring as I ran past. I saw even some call after me, but I couldn't stop running. Finally, I saw it again, and I collapsed on my knees crying.

But this time, I wasn't crying tears of depression. I wasn't crying tears of sadness, but rather it was tears of hope. It was tears of closure. Suddenly, I heard everyone's footsteps coming from behind me; Mom, Dad, Diane, Nick, Selena, Demi, Joe, but I still couldn't stop crying. Mom kneeled forward putting a supportive arm around my shoulder.

"Miley," she stared worriedly. "What's wrong?" But I couldn't get anything out as I looked at the sky again.

"I saw it," I mumbled through my tears and I could feel everyone's confused stare around me. They probably thought I was going crazy, but I didn't care.

Because up there, on a single cloud, I finally saw Lucas' angel.