Authors Note: Hey guys! I'm back with a new chapter :p Sadly, this story is ending soon : ( I'm trying to make it stretch on as long as possible but…all stories have to end :'( I really hope you guys are enjoying reading this, though, as much as I am writing it. A big thank-you to Suki-chan36, xXEarlyDeathXx, and someoneudontknow5 for reviewing the last chappie! Please enjoy this one!! I tried to make it a little longer :p

"Gray? What are you doing here?"

I looked up from the headstone I had been staring at for what seemed like hours to see the voice that had interrupted my thoughts had come from Carter.

Noticing that the sky had brightened a considerable amount from when I last looked up, I realized I really had been sitting there for hours.

"What time is it?" I asked him, not answering his previous question.

He glanced at his watch before responding, "About five in the morning."

Oh, man. I thought. Cliff's going to wonder where I was…

"I…should get going." I told him, turning to leave.

Carter placed a hand on my shoulder, making me pause. "Gray, what's wrong?" He questioned.

"Nothing," I answered, "I'm fine."

"Come on, Gray," He reasoned. "I can tell you're upset."

I was quiet.

"Gray, you can talk to me, you know that."

I looked at him hesitantly. He and I had gotten surprisingly close lately. Kind of like…a father, in a way. I mean, he was more like a dad than my real father, after all. And I've talked to him before, so I shouldn't have been afraid to then.

I sighed and started my explanation. "Well, I came here to talk to my mom. I kind of miss doing that. I used to come here all the time when I was a kid and then I just…stopped. I felt bad about it," I paused and Carter nodded, to ensure he was actually listening to me. "So, I snuck out in the middle of the night, because I didn't want anyone to see me…it's just kind of private, you know? And…I guess I stayed out longer than I had intended." I gave a small smile and shrug.

He smiled back at me, but it looked more sympathetic than anything. "I know you really miss her," He whispered, turning to the grave himself. Then, he added, in an even quieter voice, "I miss her too."

I looked at him for a few moments, studying the sadness that had suddenly sprung on his face, wondering just how I should respond.

He had really cared a lot about her. I thought. "I kind of wish things had been different," I admitted. I smiled. "I think it would have been better if you had turned out to my dad instead of who my actual father was."

He looked at me surprised. "Do you not get along with your father?" He asked.

I frowned. "That's an understatement." I grumbled.

He looked at me in confusion. "Well, why not?" He questioned.

"He…wasn't exactly the best person." I answered. What am I doing? I wondered, screaming at myself in my head. I shouldn't be telling him this! I've never told anyone besides Cliff this!

"Steve?" Carter asked in disbelief. "I grew up with Steve. He always seemed so nice…"

I couldn't help it-I laughed. Nice? If you call beating up his son nice.

"You'd be surprised, then." I told him.

"Try me." He said.

Should I tell him? I looked at him again, and realized how comfortable I felt with him. This is what having a father should feel like. I told myself. It's what it was like before mom died…

"After she died, he drank too much. He was always angry at the world for taking her away from him…I could never doubt he loved her," Carter nodded solemnly. "But anger and alcohol don't mix well." I finished, my voice going flat, my mind stuck on a distant memory.

"Wait…" Carter whispered in shock, starting to piece it together. "Do you mean he…"

I nodded. "Yeah, he was abusive." I finished for him quickly, hoping he wouldn't make a big deal about it.

"Gray…" His face and voice became as sympathetic as possible. "Gray, I'm so sorry, I had no idea…I mean, nobody would have ever thought…" He was confused. Of course he would be. No one would think polite, friendly, courteous Steve would ever hit his own son. And, normally, I wouldn't have told any of them either. Who am I to ruin their perfect image of my so-called father?

"Gray, if I had known-"

"But you didn't," I cut him off, not wanting him to feel bad about it. "And you couldn't have. He was a completely different person at home. He took everything out on me so he wouldn't get angry in public so no one would suspect he was doing anything wrong. My grandfather didn't even know for years."

"So…is that why he left when you were young?" Carter asked.

I nodded. "Gramps threatened to practically kill him if he didn't get lost," I allowed a smile at that, but then it instantly dropped. "At least someone cares about me."

"Don't say things like that," Carter told me, his voice suddenly stern. "People do care about you. Are you forgetting Cliff? And your mother loved you very much and I'm sure she still does, up in heaven," I shrugged shamefully. I guess that was true. "And you know I care about you, Gray. I think of you like a son."

I smiled at him. "Really?" I asked.

He nodded. "So don't say people don't care about you, because there'll always be a lot more than you think."

I smiled gratefully at him. "Thanks Carter," I told him, "You don't know how much better that made me feel."

I waved goodbye to him and headed back down the road to the inn when a realization hit me: today was the End Year Festival, the day Cliff was going to tell his parents that he was gay.

I picked up my pace, wanting to be there for Cliff if he needed me. After all, he was always there when I needed him.

After all, he does love me. I broke into a wide grin at that thought.

Cliff really loves me.

"Hey." Cliff greeted as I entered the room, as casually as possible, even though I had been gone all morning without an explanation.

I smiled at him, trying to push back any sadness I might have still held from earlier. "Hi," I said back, walking over to him and wrapping my arms around his neck and staring into his eyes. "Cliff, can I ask you something?"

"Sure." He told me, a look of confusion spreading onto his face at my abrupt question.

"Remember at the Starry Night Festival," As soon as I said those words, Cliff smiled. I knew he was thinking about our first kiss, "when I asked you if you were happy?" I questioned.

Cliff nodded.

"Well…you never answered me." I finished.

"I didn't know." He told me.

"And now…?" I wondered aloud.

Cliff wrapped his arms more tightly around me, placing his head on my shoulder. "What do you think, Gray?" He asked gently. "I mean, do you really even have to ask me that?" I was quiet, not really sure how to answer. "Gray…you've made me more happy than I could ever have imagined. You're just so wonderful…at the risk of sounding too cheesy, you're the best thing that's ever happened to me. Of course I'm happy. I have a great life."

I was taken back by Cliff's words. I hadn't realized what an impact I had made on his life. I mean, he had been just as big as an impact in mine, but I didn't know that I was enough to change someone's outlook on life like that.

"Are you?" Cliff whispered.

"Huh?" I mumbled, swept up in my own thoughts.

He took his head off my shoulder so he could look me in the eyes, but didn't take his arms off of me. "Are you happy?" He repeated.

I smiled. "That's a ridiculous question," I replied. "You don't think I feel the same about you? I love you, Cliff."

He grinned. "I love you too, Gray." He told me happily.

He was about to lean in for a kiss, but, right before he did, there was a loud knocking on the door, and his father's voice boomed from the other side, causing him to instinctively jerk back.

"Cliff!" His father bellowed. "We're ready to go!"

Cliff sighed and gave me a nervous grin. "Well, I guess we should get going." He told me.

"Are you ready to tell them?" I asked.

Cliff laughed, but I could tell it was just to relieve his stress. "Not really, but I have to at some time, right?" He responded.

I smirked at him. "Come on, like I said, it'll be fine."

"I really hope you're right." He mumbled miserably. "I hope you're right…"