Author's Note: Sorry I haven't updated in like hella days, but I'm sooooo busy with color guard, yearbook, school, stuff you probably don't give a damn about. So why bother. Anywho, THANKS to all the kind people who reviewed! You RULE!

Special Note- This WILL be L/G, but not exactly in this story. There will be a sequel! But I'm getting ahead of myself too soon. To the person who asked if I could change Randy to something else, the answer is YES! What can I say I aim to please. So instead of Randy, how does Manda sound? Stupid? I can't think of any other nickname, suggestions please!

Disclaimers: I own jack crap, well actually not really. Jonathan Darvey is MINE all MINE! HEHEHE! Don't sue me because I own nothing, and you won't get a cent because I have no money! Thanks again to the people who reviewed!

What Almost Was

By: Ella Enchanted

Chapter 6: Of Pepto-Bismol and Memories

"Lizzie, won't reconsider your decision?" Jo McGuire stood behind her daughter looking at her through the vanity mirror.

"No, we've been through this already. Jonathan is a steady, reliable man," Lizzie slammed down her lipstick and looked at her mother in the mirror who was standing there with pleading eyes.

"Steady? Reliable? Is that what this marriage is going to be based on? Is that what you really want for yourself?"

"Stop! Please! I have a wedding to get through and I don't need you trying to change my mind. Accept this, I'm getting married today. Period." She added a little more emphases on the last word. Without a word Jo McGuire gave Lizzie a hug and turned towards the door. Before exiting she turned and simply said, "I love you, no matter what you decide to do."

A soft knock rapped on the door and Miranda, her Maid of Honor stuck her head through, "Hey, chickadie, you ready? The ceremony can't start without you."

"No, no. It very well couldn't." She checked her appearance once more and upon approval quickly stood up and exited the room, heading towards her future.

Lizzie looked all around the chapel as she slowly started down the aisle. Familiar faces smiled back at her reassuring her that she was doing the right thing. To her right she noticed her immediate family; Jo McGuire, Grammy and Grandpa McGuire, Grammy and Grandpa Sinclair, Aunt Eileen and Uncle Vinnie. They all looked at her like she was the black sheep of the family, except for Jo and Grammy Sinclair who were too busy crying. She turned her attention back to the man who stood only ten feet in front of her. Jonathan's smile kept on broadening with every step she took towards the alter. When she finally went to take her place she turned to look at her father, who was still hooked onto her arm.

"Thank you daddy, I love you," she smiled as tears formed in her eyes.

Sam McGuire lifted the thin veil and placed a kiss on his only daughter's forehead and placed it back down before saying, "Don't make a mistake you'll regret later. It's not too late to turn around."

Lizzie shot up from the couch in a cold sweat. Thank God, it was just a dream! That was the strangest dream she'd ever had. Whipping the perspiration from her brow she noticed a light radiating from the kitchen. She shakily stood up and curiously headed into the kitchen. Gordo was sitting at the counter sipping at some Pepto-Bismol and chasing it with a drink of soda.

"You know, you're not suppose to chase it with anything or it doesn't really work?" she plopped down next to him and helped herself to some of the pink fluid.

"I know, but I just hate that chalky, mint taste. Did I wake you?" he looked apologetically at her.

"No, I just woke up by myself."

"Are you okay," his brow furrowed with concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just a little indigestion" she lied. For some odd reason she felt she shouldn't share her weird dream with anybody else. Her intuition was telling her to keep it from others, not because they wouldn't understand but because…..well she couldn't quiet place it. But she knew it was just important. "So why are you a night owl all of a sudden?" She headed to the refrigerator and retrieved a tray of fresh fruit and vegetables. After all that junk food she felt like eating something substantial. She placed it down on the counter and resumed her position in her chair.

"Just remembering," he said wistfully while starring at a spot on the wall as if it were a moving picture.

"Okay," she looked at him like he had grown a second head then looked at the same spot on the wall. "Remembering what?"

"Old times. There are no times like old times. Am I right?" He snapped out of his gaze and looked to her for an answer.

"I guess. But more specifically which old times are you thinking about?"

"I was just thinking about that time in second grade when we went on that field trip to the museum to see the dinosaur bones. Do you remember that day?" He laughed at the thought. Seeing her confused expression he decided to help her out and give her a clue. "Remember what transpired between you and Jake Feltman?"

"Oh yeah!" It all came rushing back to her and she started laughing out loud. "He gave me a kiss on the cheek, and I was so repulsed that I punched him in the nose."

"Is that all? Because I seem to remember something about a banister and a big pair of wire cutters." He accused her with raised eyebrows.

"Hey, it was his fault. I swear he tripped over his own feet." She objected throwing a grape at him.

"And just happened to land with his head in between the banister bars?" He again raised his eyebrows while trying to suppress more fits of laughter threatening to arise from his throat. "Don't give me that look. Even after that you didn't stop beating him up. You just had to give him a whedgie didn't you?"

"You're right." She laughed harder now. "Oh, do you remember the time when you decided that you wanted to be a zoo keeper? And we had to spend all day trying to catch 'Wild Beasts' like the 'Boogie Man', 'Big Foot', 'The Blob', and 'The Creature from the Black Lagoon'?"

"How could I forget! We spent half the day baking actual mud pies in your mom's new oven. Yeah, good times," he smiled at the freshly stirred memories.

"Yeah. I wish times were easy just like back then. Don't you wish you could go back in time and freeze one moment? Just one moment where everything was fun, happy, beautiful, and content." To Gordo, she seemed even more beautiful, if possible, when she was deep in thought. So he took this opportunity to gaze at her while she wasn't looking. But realizing she'd asked him a question he snapped back to reality.

"Yes, I do. But we both know that's impossible unless you're Michael J. Fox."

"Haha. Very funny," she was dripping with sarcasm. "No, seriously. If you could choose one moment to freeze in time, what would it be?"

"Hmmm? Good question. Let's see…" he took about a minute until it hit him, "Oh, I know. It would have to be the day we met. Our mothers had arranged a play date for the both of us. You were wearing a pink sun dress with yellow daisies, white stockings, and white buckle shoes. We met up in the park and I first saw you on the swings. I remember just sitting there thinking 'God, I hope we stay best friends till we get all old and wrinkly.' And I knew that in my heart that we would stay friends forever, and we still are. So, how about you Lizzie?"

"Awww, Gordo. Stop! You're going to make me cry. That was the sweetest thing I have ever heard. I can't believe you remember so many details," her eyes were beginning to tear up so she breathed in and out a couple of times to steady herself. "Okay. My memory would have to be our first day of school. I remember the excitement, the thrills, the anticipation, and the nervousness. I was so glad that you were in my class. I remember thinking 'Yeah, I have my Gordo here to keep me company.'"

"Awww Lizzie. Stop! You're going to make me cry now!" He waved his hands up in down over his eyes as he make fake sobbing noises.

"Asshole," she laughed and pushed him off the chair. "I changed my mind. I would freeze time to when Steven Phelps hit you in the head with that football in fifth grade. So there!"

"Oh, I'm just kidding. Don't be all pissy and emotional. You know I still love you," He gave her a meaningful look that he thought had slipped past him, but in reality it hadn't gone unnoticed.

"I suppose I'll forgive you. You dillhole," she said the last sentence under her breath before taking a drink of her Pepsi.

Gordo just rolled his eyes and continued munching on the strawberries. "We should get back to bed now. It's almost five o'clock!"

"Wow, time does fly when you stick your ass into the past," she yawned as they made their way back into the living room.

They quietly crept onto the pullout couch and under the very welcoming electrical heating blanket. Finally situating themselves they said their goodnights to each other.

"Goodnight Bam Bam," Lizzie smiled at her secret nickname for him.

"Goodnight Pebbles" He laughed in reply.

These were their secret nicknames that they had come up with each other when they were five. The Flinstones, was of course their favorite television show. They had called each other by these names for thirteen years and would continue to do so until the end of their relationship. It was a tradition.