A/N: I'm finding myself becoming busy w/ other stuff so if I don't update every other day, please be patient. It will definitely be worth the wait. Anyway, thanks for the reviews! You all make me want to write more ;) Please enjoy!

Chapter Two: Anxious McGuire, Sleepless Sanchez, Not helpful Gordon

Present Day

"Lizzie," David, formerly known as "Gordo", Gordon had to literally halt his favorite girl from pacing. "If you don't stop walking back and forth like that, you're gonna wear out your carpet. And guess who's gonna have to help your father and brother add a new one in?" He smiled jokingly, indicating to himself.

Obviously not catching the little joke, "Gordo! It's been two hours since Miranda left to talk to Larry! Two hours!" Worried, "What if she's at home crying her heart out and I'm not there to comfort her?! As her best friend I have that right to help her in her time of need!"

David had watched his girlfriend of nearly two years pace in her room to an anxious frenzy. For a moment, he felt guilty in loving his Lizzie for her kind and worried heart. Miranda was also his best friend, shouldn't he also worry about her as much as Lizzie was? But then again, Larry had also become a close friend to David. Shouldn't he worry about him as well?

"Lizzie..." David got up from Lizzie's bed, enveloping her in his arms. Making sure her eyes are looking straight into his, "Miranda's okay. If she wanted us to be there for her, she would have called us. She's a strong girl. Sometimes stronger than the both of us put together."

"But not when it comes to Larry!" Lizzie cried, wrapping her arms around David. She mumbled something into his shirt, causing her to repeat it again when he asked what she had said. "He's her weakness."

Wanting to make his Lizzie laugh, "Who would've thought? Miranda Sanchez actually going weak for Larry Tudgemen! I think hell has frozen over."

Lizzie laughed, despite herself. She gave him a small smile, "Gordo! This isn't the time to joke! Our friends are in deep emotional trouble here!"

Half smirking, "Lizzie, this is real life, not Dawson's Creek! Miranda isn't going to go through some depression over having lost the love of her life! And Larry isn't going to go on some drinking binge!"

She glared at him, "Gordo... I think you're the one that has watched too many soap operas!" She sighed, "I know that this break-up won't ruin their lives dramatically..." Lizzie trailed off. "But still... they love each other so much. I know I would feel like my world was turned upside down if I lost you..."

David held Lizzie, gave her a soft kiss on the forehead. With as much love in his voice as in his eyes, "Not as long as you're my best friend will you ever lose me, Lizzie McGuire."

@ ~ ~ ~ ~ @ ~ ~ ~ ~ @

February, Freshmen Year

"It's you."

"It's me."

"Are you Annie?"

"Yes."

"You're Annie?"

"She's Annie! And he's Sam!" Lizzie cried, reaching for a tissue from her mother. "You two are meant to be!"

Jo McGuire, also dabbing the tears from her eyes behind her glasses, handed her daughter another tissue. "God, this is so beautiful!"

"This is my favorite part!" Miranda pointed out, her own tissue in hand.

"Mines too!" Malina exclaimed, surprising everyone in the room with her soft side, for this young woman was known for her tomboyish charms.

"I guess we better leave..." Tom Hanks's character, Sam, said... just before reaching out his hand to Meg Ryan's character, Annie, and adding, "Shall we?

Mrs. McGuire, Lizzie, Miranda and Malina had mouthed those two words and tears again had burst through.

"That is so beautiful!" Lizzie exclaimed. "One of Meg Ryan's best movies, ever! This movie always makes me cry!"

"When he took her hand!" Mrs. McGuire cried and touched her heart, "They just knew they were meant to be!"

"Men!" Miranda began, "They just don't get this movie!"

"They'll never understand." Malina agreed, wiping her tears.

All the while Sam McGuire, Matt McGuire, Gordo and Lanny stood by. They sat in the McGuire household kitchen, watching the four women with utter fascination over the romantic movie Sleepless in Seattle.

Lanny looked over at Matt.

"You're right, Lanny," Matt replied, "That is a chick flick!"

Lanny nodded, while Matt just shook his head and sighed. "We'll never understand that movie!"

"I don't get it! And I'm a big Tom Hanks fan!" Gordo exclaimed. He turned to Mr. McGuire, "Why is this movie worth crying over?"

Sam McGuire just shrugged, "Gordo, not even someone like Einstein or Freud can answer a question like that."

"If you ask me," Gordo propped his elbows on the counter, "The only Tom Hanks movie worth crying over has got to be Castaway. When he loses Wilson at sea..."

By the time the women had dried their tears and getting up to check on their men, the guys themselves were beginning to bawl over Tom Hanks's lost volleyball buddy.

"He was his only true friend!" Mr. McGuire cried, wiping his eyes with a napkin.

"I know, Lanny!" Matt was leaning onto his silent friend for support, handing him another napkin to wipe his tears. "He could've saved Wilson if he had only woken up sooner!"

Lizzie glanced from her mother, to Miranda and Malina. All of them were wondering what the heck was going on with their men. She crossed her arms and was the first to ask them, "Why are you guys crying?"

Gordo was the one to answer, while still drying his own eyes. "Castaway is the only Tom Hanks movie worth crying over! Hands down!"

"Since when?" Mrs. McGuire asked, just as confused as her daughter.

"Since ever!" Her husband replied. He looked at the boys, then smiled. "Hey, we have the movie on DVD! Wanna go watch it now?"

"Yeah!" Matt and Gordo exclaimed, while Lanny nodded his head enthusiastically.

"Wait a minute!" Lizzie protested. She looked at Gordo, "What about the mall?"

"And what about the arcade?" Malina said, almost glaring at Matt and Lanny.

Gordo allowed Matt to answer their questions with a simple, "Hey, you made us wait just so you could watch your chick flick. You can now wait for us as we watch our movie!" He paused, then with a sly smile, added, "You can join us if you want."

Before Mrs. McGuire could even protest, Sam McGuire grabbed his wife's hand and practically pulled her to the living room. Malina, too drained from crying to put up a fight with Matt and Lanny, decided to just follow along.

Lizzie, however, wasn't going to give in that easily. She tugged on Gordo's sleeves, "Hey! You have the DVD at home so you can watch it later! Come to the mall with us."

And just as stubborn as his girl, "No, Liz. I want to watch it with your dad and Matt and Lanny. You girls made us guys wait practically the entire afternoon so you could watch your weepy 'guy takes the girl's hand' movie. Well, I want to watch my 'guy loses his best volleyball head friend to the ocean' movie!"

Lizzie glanced at Miranda, who only shrugged. Finally, Lizzie sighed. "Fine, Gordo! But only if you promise to never talk like that again!"

"Talk like what?"

"Oh, never mind!" She pointed towards the living room. "Go watch your movie. Miranda and I will be up in my room if you need us."

Gordo smiled at his girl, turned around as if to leave, but then turned back around to face Lizzie. "Thanks, McGuire!" He reached over, pecked her on the cheek, and turned to make his way to the living room.

Lizzie did a double take, from Miranda to where Gordo had stood. "Miranda?" Her mouth was practically gaping, stunned by that kiss. "Why did he..."

Miranda gave her friend a mysterious smile, and then shrugged. "Who knows." She nudged Lizzie, winking, "Maybe Gordo's secretly in love with you!"

The young blond laughed, rubbed the cheek that Gordo kissed, and headed towards the fridge to grab some soda cans. "Yeah right!"

As the two best friends were making their way up to Lizzie's room, Lizzie was still laughing at what Miranda said. "The day Gordo's in love with me is the day that I ask for another humiliating rejection from Ethan Craft!"

Once inside of Lizzie's room, the two girls began their usual gossip. What teachers were being big pains this week, the poor sap that Kate was picking on this week, what rumor did Kate start this week, what Ethan Craft was wearing that day... the usual Lizzie-Miranda chatter.

Finally, Miranda threw Lizzie into a loop when she shyly mentioned that, "I think I have a crush on Larry Tudgemen."

Unfortunately, Lizzie was drinking her Pepsi when Miranda said that.

So while Miranda was wiping up the sprayed soda, Lizzie was startled and stuttering to comprehend. "Wh-wh-what?! You have a crush on who?!"

"Lizzie, first off," Miranda reached for Lizzie's drink, putting it to the side. "And secondly, you heard what I said!"

"But wasn't it a month ago you were pleading to get out of spending time with Larry? Now you actually want to spend time with him?!"

Blushing a bit, and still with a shy smile, "Yeah..."

Lizzie opened her mouth, about to say something, then reconsidered. She remained silent, as if in deep thought.

Miranda was a bit nervous by Lizzie's silence. "Liz? What is it?"

Reassuring her friend, she gave her a smile. "I never really noticed it til now, but..."

"But...?"

"You do like him!" She grinned. "There was a change in you these past few weeks..." As if all the puzzles were starting to fit, "You're more confident than usual, you started singing to yourself more, you laugh everytime Larry says or does something that we usually would roll our eyes over,"

"Not to mention my improved Math score!" Miranda added, still smiling.

"You get extra defensive over Kate's insults concerning Larry..."

Miranda glared, mumbling, "I'm gonna slap her one of these days..."

"And it's all because of Larry Tudgemen!" Lizzie exclaimed, laughing. She reached over and hugged her best friend, honestly excited for her.

Miranda was taken aback, stunned that Lizzie supported her. So stunned that she made Lizzie aware of it.

"Why are you surprised?" Lizzie asked, "Do you actually want me to stop you from liking Tudge? Tell you that you're committing social suicide if you decide to date Larry? That you're asking to be the subject of Kate's taunts from here until graduation?"

Miranda sat back, reeling in what Lizzie just said. "Actually... yeah, I was expecting that from you."

"Would that make you happy if I said that?"

"You weren't actually going to say that to me?" Miranda was worried. Was this the real Lizzie McGuire she was talking to? Or was this some kind of clone?

However, the real McGuire did shine through in her next response. Shyly, "Actually, I was going to say that... but I thought you would be more happy if I let you know just how much I've got your back on this one. Because I do! I got your back, Miranda! No matter what."

Miranda hugged her, laughing. "There's my girl! That's the McGuire I know and love!"

"So..." Lizzie regarded her friend, "Larry Tudgemen..." She gave her a look, "Why?"

@ ~ ~ ~ ~ @ ~ ~ ~ ~ @

Present Day

"Why?! Because I had to, Lizzie! I had no choice!"

Lizzie bit her lower lip anxiously, squirming nervously on the bed. She turned around at David, who was sitting behind her, giving him a worried look before turning back to her phone conversation with Miranda.

"Miranda, what are you talking about? I don't understand! Don't you love him?"

She heard her best friend fall silent, as if holding back another sob and Lizzie began wishing she was there comforting her instead of doing it over the phone. "Look, Miranda, I'm coming over right now..."

"No!" She heard her protest. "Lizzie, don't!"

"Why not?! Miranda, you need me!"

"Liz, I know you're worried about me..."

Lizzie quickly jumped up from the bed, so fast that David nearly fell off himself. "Worried?! Miranda, that's an understatement! You left with Larry nearly three hours ago! And only now you call me? Do you know how anxious I was? I was pacing! Pacing!"

"She wore out the carpet!" David noted to Miranda.

Lizzie glared at him, "Not helping, Gordo!"

"That should be my official bumper sticker: 'Not helping, Gordo!'" David mumbled as he sat back on the bed.

"Look, Lizzie, I really appreciate you being so worried about me and all, but..."

"No buts, Sanchez! I am coming over right now and we are going to binge on ice cream and making a list on 'Why Men Suck'!"

"Hey!" David stood up, "As a man myself, I resent that last part!"

She rolled her eyes, though casting him an amused smile. To Miranda, "Any ice cream requests? Oh!" Her eyes shining, "I can also stop by the video store and rent us some movies! How does Legally Blonde sound? Clueless? Or how about Now and Then? Definite girl movies!"

A cell phone started ringing, causing Lizzie to spin around in search for her own cell phone. However, David beat her to the phone because it was his own cell ringing. He stepped out of the room for a moment, allowing Lizzie to turn back to Miranda.

"Miranda, I can also bring over Sleepless in Seattle... for a good cry?" She hesitantly mentioned.

Lizzie heard a sigh and even heard a smile in Miranda's voice as she relented, "Okay, McGuire... if it will make you feel better. Lizzie, I'm fine! Really... I just needed some time alone, that's all..."

"Well, I'll give you that..." She purposely trailed off, then, "For about thirty minutes until I get there! After that, I am never leaving your side! Not until I know you're okay." Softly she added, "I know you still love him..."

"Lizzie. That doesn't matter anymore. It's over... Got it?" She knew just how horrible an actress Miranda was, so no matter how much she was pretending to be strong about the whole Larry situation, Miranda Sanchez wasn't.

For the sake of not arguing with her, "I'll see you in a bit, Rand. Love you."

"Love you too, McGuire."

When Miranda hung up, Lizzie quickly grabbed her mini pink backpack and opened the door to let her Gordo know what was up. Stepping out, she noticed him still talking on his cell to someone.

Out of the corner of his eye, David saw Lizzie step out of her room, her bag slung over her shoulder. He held up a finger, telling her to wait a second. Into his phone, "Uh huh... okay, man... yeah, I'll be there..."

Lizzie gave him this "Who's that?" look, to which he motioned to give him another second.

"What? Oh, no problem... Let me just let Lizzie know, alright?... Of course, I'll be there! We're friends, right?... Yeah, she's my best friend too, but she's got Lizzie and as I said, you and I are friends too..."

Putting two and two together, Lizzie quietly asked, "Is that Larry?"

David gave Lizzie a quick nod before turning back to his conversation with Larry. "Look, Tudge, if I said I'll be there, I'll be there... Okay, just stay there and I'll be by shortly... Alright, see you then."

When David hung up, he turned to Lizzie. "Guess I don't have to explain why I have to go."

She shook her head, "Same here."

He offered his arm to her as they descended downstairs. "Do you want me to take you to the store to pick up ice cream and videos, then take you to Miranda's? I don't mind, and I'm sure Larry doesn't mind waiting..."

Lizzie smiled at David, glad at his offer. "Let me just see if my mom needs to use the car tonight. If she needs it, then you wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not, McGuire." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, giving her a reassuring hug. "It's the least I can do for Miranda, since I am going to head on over to hang out with the guy that broke her heart..." He trailed off, then added with a wince, "She's going to beat me up, isnt' she?"

Lizzie leaned her head against his shoulder, laughing quietly, "Gordo... she won't... at least not too badly." Heading into the kitchen together, "Mom?"

"Hey, there's a note." David spied on the counter. Picking it up, "'Lizzie, your father is still at the arcade with Matt and Lanny. I'll be back from the grocery store before dinner. Love you, mom.'" Turning to Lizzie, "Well, guess I get the pleasure of being your driver."

Teasing him, "It was never a pleasure, Gordo. Didn't you read the Boyfriend Handbook? Rule number three, boyfriends must act as chauffer drivers for their beloved."

As they walked outside to David's car, he replied back, "There's a handbook?!"