a/n OMG! This is the second last chapter! And I guess it kind of ends at a cliffhanger... Butttt everything will be sorted out in the epilogue, I promise =] Thanks to cherrybomb 13, Kennedy's Friday Night Delight and XODaniiOX for their reviews! =D Andddd this chapter is longer than the others... I just kept writing the first part and I kind of couldn't stop, but its all important, so yes! Read on!

Songs from chapter 28: 1) Get Out Alive – Three Days Grace 2) Seventeen –Jet 3) Best is Yet to Come – Hinder 4) Put Your Records On – Corrine Bailey Rae


In the end, with fireflies our only light in paradise, we'll show the world they were wrong and teach them all to sing along...

"Ajay, you're actually married." I said as I looked her in the eye, the sparkle had not gone since she had left her room many hours before, after she had locked herself in there for a very long time.

"I know, Mollie," she said with a laugh, "I was the one in front of the dude," she stated matter-of-factly. She was sober, but may have had some Red Bull. Even if caffeine is bad for the baby... it was her wedding night, some things we could let slide. "I'm going to go see my husband." She stressed that fact and I saw her bounce away. At least she was genuinely happy.

"Drink m'lady?" James' hand appeared in front of me, carrying a bottle of Colt 45,

"James," he swung his head around to face me, he had to be drunk,

"Yessums," yep, definitely drunk,

"Cowboy, that's malt liquor." I told him pointedly,

"Annnddd?" he asked with a cheesy smile,

"I don't drink malt liquor." I reminded him and he shrugged, drinking it himself. I laughed at him and pushed him away from me and watched him stumble forward.

"You could be nicer to my employees, Mollie." Dad sat next to me, a grin on his face, "I do need 'em, ya know?" I smiled back at him and hugged him tightly,

"I can't make any promises, but I can try." He shook his head at me, "They finally got married."

"Yeah, dad. You were kind of there." He glared at me playfully,

"No one likes a smart ass, Moll." He told me and gave me another squeeze with the arm he had around his shoulder, "I heard you talked to Karen." I almost dropped my smile, but quickly put it back into place,

"Yeah, I figured it was time to apologise." I told him easily,

"Sophie told me, Mollie. You can relax." I looked at him in surprise, "She told me as soon as I walked in the door." He shook his head as he laughed, "You're a great sister, Moll."

"You're an amazing dad." I responded as he hugged me again and kissed the top of my head, "Dad, we're in public." I laughed at pushed him away, making sure he removed his arm from my shoulder too, "I'm twenty five soon, Dad."

"Hey, you're twenty four until the end of January." It was the end of November. "And you'll always be my baby girl."

"Now you're embarrassing yourself." I laughed at him, a little too loudly as I caught the attention of a few people,

"It seems as though you've reconciled with everyone here."

"Except Alex and his little slut." I mumbled under my breath, but dad heard me and raised an eyebrow,

"I taught you better than that, Mollie Kendal. Aiden is a sweet, sweet gal."

"Not you too, Christ." He sighed at me, "What? Dad! Everyone loves her! She's replacing me, and she's like perfect. Seriously. I can't not hate her! Seems as though everyone else can't not like her!"

"And she's taken Alex from you."

"Yeah, that –" I glared at him, "Hey! Whose side are you on?"

"I'm on your side, darlin'," he assured me, "but you need to realise that you aren't happy."

"I can't be happy when she's here and with him."

"You gotta fight, Moll. I didn't tell you to give up." I looked at him wide eyed,

"You're telling me to go take him away from her? I'll be as bad as she is!"

"Not my best parentin' moment." He admitted, "I think you should go talk to Aiden, explain some things to her... And yeah, go get him."

"I'm pretty freakin' sure that you hate Alex." I reminded him, he shrugged,

"If he makes you happy..." I got off of my seat and, before going off to find Aiden, I hugged him tightly, "You're embarrassin' me, Mollie!"

There's some things that I regret, some words I wish had gone unsaid, some starts that had some bitter endings...

I spotted the small blonde talking with Ajay and quickly made my over to the pair, wanting to arrive before I could chicken out.

"Ajay, I know it's your wedding night and everything... But I wanted to have a little chat with Aiden." I said with a small, yet sincere, smile.

"You're going to play nice?" she asked seriously, but I had to try very hard to repress the laugh, she was already in mother mode, "You promised me, Mollie."

"I know, Ajay! Cross my heart and hope to die." I convinced her because she said a quick 'I'll see you later, Cookie' to Aiden, before she disappeared, "Cookie?" I had to ask,

"I like to cook." She answered shyly,

"Contrary to popular belief, I don't bite, really." I told her, trying my best to keep the sincere smile on my face.

"I-I know."

"Okay, so we've established that you're scared of me... And with good reason too, I've done and said some pretty horrible stuff... And the past few weeks definitely haven't been the worst I've ever done..." I trailed off, thinking of memories from long ago. "But anyways, I wanted to speak to you and apologise. Like really, genuinely apologise. I don't do that often..." I told her honestly, "Ask anyone. They'll back me up... But I do owe you an apology."

"I have a question." Aiden said quietly, I nodded my head,

"This isn't elementary school, you can just ask."

"Why do you hate me?" it was so quiet I almost barely heard it, but I laughed when I did.

"Look, I'd say it was nothing personal... But it actually kind of is... I 'hate'," I couldn't resist using air quotes, "you because you're fucking perfect. Seriously perfect. And everyone loves you. Do you have any idea how long it took me to gain Ajay's trust?"

"She told me." I laughed again,

"Of course she did. But yeah, I guess another reason is because... Well, to put it simply... You take me, Mollie Kendal Jarrett and then you take away everything that is bad about Mollie Kendal Jarrett." I put out my hand, counting off things on my fingers, "The severe attitude problem, the horrible past, the swearing, the ratty ends in my hair," I pulled up my hair to reveal a few split ends, I needed a haircut, "Anything bad about me, take it away from me, and what do you get?" she didn't answer, "You get you. Aiden Carlton. Little miss perfect." I told her seriously, she didn't look convinced, "Do you have any idea why Alex is dating you?"

"He likes me..."

"Okay, so forget about feelings and shit," I said hastily, "It's because you're not me. Well, you're the good me, I guess... Kind of."

"You are a good person, Mollie. You have a loving family,"

"That I almost fucked up,"

"An amazing job." She continued,

"Pretty sure I don't have that anymore." I mumbled quietly,

"An amazing group of friends,"

"Which I did fuck up." I retorted,

"You just don't want to love yourself." I looked at her in disbelief,

"I came over here to apologise... Not get a therapy session."

"Sorry." She mumbled, but I knew she was probably right. I hated so many things about myself.

"It doesn't, look... I am sorry." It was as unforced as I could manage, "And if something happens tonight... It's definitely not personal. Well, maybe it is... We'll have to wait and see."

'cause I just wanna be loved just wanna be heard, be lost in the feeling standing here, At the door to my life, Now that day has arrived so loud and clear...

I wasn't in the right frame of mind. As sober as I was... I was insane. Nothing could stop me though, definitely not.

I was on a direct route to Alex Shelley. And we were going to talk about stuff. Anything.

At least that's what I had planned.

I reached him and Chris, and gestured for him to follow me. He did so, looking confused.

As soon as we were away from Chris, I looked him in the eye and said those three words that he had heard so many times, but I meant them more this time, than any time in the past.

"I love you." Then I kissed him, as hard as I could. Making him forget that Aiden Carlton even existed.