For this chapter I want to thank Lemel, Mussed, Ally and Jacey. You were the people who inspired some part of this chapter : -) This is the epilogue, everyone. Please, please review.
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"Jondy, let it go," Brin said, looking up at me.
"But…" I sniffed.
"Jondy! It's not going to happen in any universe. Just give in gracefully, and get over it," Brin said, returning to flipping through one of my old magazines.
I stared at my bag. I was leaving Seattle that evening and Brin was helping me pack. Or Brin was flipping through magazines, claiming the clothes I wasn't taking for herself and generally not doing anything.
I stared at my new boots; Syl, Brin, Tinga and I had gone shopping yesterday because they were having a baby shower for Maxie in a couple of days. Since I wasn't going to be in Seattle for it, I bought myself some very nice knee boots to make up for the disappointment.
I cradled my boots and glared at the duffle bag I was taking. Yes, just because I already had four pairs of shoes in there didn't mean my boots weren't going to fit.
"Jondy," Brin sighed. "You do not need four pairs of jeans."
"Do too," I said stubbornly.
"Do not," Brin tossed the magazine over her shoulder and stood up. Picking up my bag from the bottom, she emptied it all over the bed.
Huh. I didn't think I had put that much stuff in that bag. Go me.
"Jondy!" Brin said scathingly.
"What?" I winced.
"Go away. I'll pack for you," Brin said, waving her hand at me. "And I refuse to pack those boots."
I sighed, shoving some clothes off the bed and sitting down. "But I need clothes."
"You do. You, however, do not need three black skirts. Your boyfriend lives in Seattle. Thus meaning you do not need any clothes that are sexy in L.A," Brin said, as she held up a couple of skirts.
"You know, the words 'Zack' and 'boyfriend' just don't sound right. It's like saying 'Logan' and 'pink' - scary mental images," I replied lazily.
Brin glared at me. "Jondy! The topic at hand is packing! Did you raid Rain's wardrobe or something?"
I shook my head. "Max's. She's pregnant and stuff, so I kinda claimed her cool clothes. You don't need to tell her."
"And when she has the baby, you think she's not going to notice?" Brin rolled her eyes.
I smiled angelically. "Well, she'll be too busy with the baby - or babies - to really notice what I stole - borrowed."
"I'm going to deny ever hearing this, okay?" Brin said.
"Whatever floats your boat," I shrugged. "Do you think I'd look good with black hair?"
"No," Brin said.
"Why not? It might add to my mystique," I said.
Brin rolled her eyes. A door somewhere in the apartment slammed.
"Jondy?" Zack was obviously home. Logan had called at the crack of dawn with a mission. Zane, Alec and Zack had been recruited to do the dirty work. I think it involved lots of money. I don't know. I was actually asleep at the time (what? Zack wore me out!)
"In here," I called. "Brinny's helping me pack."
He was frowning when he came in. "You … don't have to go, you know," Zack said gruffly.
I smiled and climbed off the bed and went over to him. "I do. It'll be good for us. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And I can bring all my stuff back."
"Stuff? You mean you have more than this?" Brin looked mortified.
"Yeah, some shoes, clothes, books and my computer gear," I replied. "And my Land Rover."
Brin nodded. "And where is all this stuff going to go?" she asked.
"Jon's moving in with me when she comes back to Seattle," Zack said possessively.
Brin nodded. "Isn't that kinda… fast? You've been together for three days, and now you'll be split up for three months and then you're moving in together?"
"Are you offering me your place?" I asked. "Alec's place is big enough for two."
"Alec's place?" Zack looked confused. "Jondy, that was really random, even for you."
Brin glared at me. "*Really* random."
"I just thought that you and Alec are getting along so very well lately, that by the time I get back from L.A, Brin will want to move in with Alec. And since you'll have been sleeping together for thirty three days and, like, nine hours by then, it won't be as fast," I smiled angelically at Brin's Death Glare.
"You don't want to move in here?" Zack asked me. I rolled my eyes.
"You've totally missed the point of what I just said," I stated, picking up a pair of jeans and folding them.
"No I haven't," Zack said. "You said you'd rather move into Brin's when Brin moves in with… oh."
I sniggered. "Toldja so."
Zack ignored me and swung around to glare at Brin. "You're sleeping with Alec?!"
Brin glared at me again. "I hate you Jondy."
"Love you too, sister," I said sweetly.
"Alec is not good for you Brin. Reckless. Irresponsible," Zack began. Brin and I exchanged looks; this was the line that always preceded a lecture.
"Great in bed," Brin said dreamily.
Zack froze.
"Nice diffusion," I said to Brin, high-fiving her. "Tiny little over share though."
"It was a risk I was preparing to take," Brin said.
Zack sighed, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Okay, Brin. You won't even give me mental images like that again and I won't lecture you on Alec, okay?"
"I feel I got off pretty lightly," Brin said, leaving the bedroom.
"Zack should feel ripped off," I argued, following her.
"Girls," Zack said.
"I'm hungry," Brin announced.
"Another over share," I warned.
"You are so dirty minded, Jondy. For food."
"Ahh. Lunch," I nodded wisely, ignoring her comment about my mind. Hey, a dirty mind can be an asset when you've got a guy like Zack.
"What have you got?" Brin asked, sitting at the kitchen table.
"Pizza?" I offered, opening the fridge.
"No."
"Chinese?"
"No."
"Curry?"
"No."
"Some sort of luminous green jelly with fruit-substitute chunks through it?" I made a face as I held up the container in disgust. "I wonder if it glows in the dark."
Brin made a face. "That has to be synthetic. Does Zack actually eat it?"
Zack appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Eat what?"
"The synthetic glow-in-the-dark green chunky stuff," I said, waving the container around.
"No. It's for Evie when she comes around," Zack said. "I'm going to have a shower."
"Have fun," Brin said brightly. I looked at her, aghast. "Not like that! Jondy, that's disgusting!"
Zack rolled his eyes and left.
I turned back to Brin. "Wanna experiment on the goo?" I asked.
"Sure," Brin said.
"I'll get the plates, you get the matches," I said.
Twenty minutes later, we were hunched over the kitchen table, poking the jelly-stuff with toothpicks. On the sink, was a small puddle of slightly singed and melted jelly-stuff, with some used matches. Brin and I had discovered that luminous green jelly with fruit-substitute chunks through it did not smell nice when being melted.
"We are really sad individuals," Brin sight, giving the jelly a particularly violent jab with the toothpick. Yet, the toothpick just bounced off the jelly's surface.
"Why?" I asked, watching the jelly wobble.
"Jondy, it's 2 in the afternoon and we're poking jelly," Brin said.
"It means we're interesting individuals," I retorted.
"Or we have a mental deficiency," Brin sighed.
Zack came back into the kitchen; unfortunately, not wearing a towel. Jeans and a shirt. It's the highlight of Zack's showers. But I guess with Brin here, the towel would've been weird.
"What are you doing?" Zack asked, as he opened the fridge.
"What does it look like?" I asked. "We're having gelatinous-gooey fun!"
Zack looked at the plate of jelly on the table. "Right."
Brin tossed down her toothpick. "Okay. The time of slacking is over. I'll get lunch and you go have a shower, Jon. You need to leave in two hours and you are completely disorganized."
I sighed, jabbing my toothpick into the jelly, mesmerized by it's wobbling briefly. "Okay, okay, I'll go." I pouted, but left the room.
Brin was what saved my departure. Organization is so totally not my strong point, damnit.
"Jondy, how could you leave all of this to the last minute?" Brin yelled, as she zipped up my pack.
"I don't know!" I yelled back, drying my hair.
"I swear, I have no idea what is wrong with you, Jondy!" Brin muttered… well, muttered pretty loudly.
"I blame all my personality defects on sugar!" I bellowed back.
"Stop blaming inanimate objects and finish getting ready!" Brin matched my tone and volume.
"Ladies," Zack called. "Keep it to a dull roar."
I tossed the hairdryer aside. The wet, wonky and tangled look was coming back in; I was introducing it.
But then, I was leaving my boyfriend-of-three-days for three months, so I probably should be some effort into looking sexy…
"Jon, everyone's come to see you off," Zack was in the doorway, looking solemn.
I frowned. "My hair looks like a Furby."
Zack rolled his eyes. "It does not. You are beautiful," he pressed a kiss to my neck, running his fingers through my hair.
And my hair fell right. Damn Zack and his … useful… hands.
"I'll really miss you," I said, leaning against him.
"It's only for the summer. And if Logan lets me off, I'll come and visit you. Make sure you aren't sneaking any movie stars into your bed," Zack teased, his arms around my waist.
I smiled at him. "Only the summer." I took his hand and we left the bathroom.
----------
I stood outside Zack's, strapping my bag to my bike, as my family crowded around me.
"Jon, are you absolutely positive you have to go?" Max asked, looking slightly teary.
"Completely," I said, not exactly thrilled to be going back to L.A. myself. "It's only for the summer."
"Three months," Syl said, looking depressed.
"And then I'm moving to Seattle permanently," I pointed out. "It'll be okay, I promise. Three months is like nothing."
"Miss you Jon," Zane said, giving me a quick hug.
"I'll call and email and text message so much, you'll wish I had never come back," I teased.
"Never," Krit grinned.
I strapped my pack down and got on my bike, pulling my sunglasses on. Smiling at Zack, and my family, I revved the engine and sped away from my family …
It was all my effort not to stop the bloody bike, run back and throw myself in Zack's arms.
I do not cry. I will not cry… I will not cry… I will not cry…
Damnit! Brin kept my boots!
------
THE END
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I feel like crying. It's over. Well, until I write the sequel.
Thank you to the following people. You have helped me write this fic in some way and I'm really grateful for that: Jacey925, Ashantai, Brin, Jayme, Sea Siren, Hay, Yammy, Zaz and about a million other people. You helped me continue writing this : -)
Now a huge special thank you to Jzshiri. You rock, chica. You were why I didn't abandon this fic from Ch 3. You rock and I totally owe you something - a small island maybe? ;)
Please review. I'd love you eternally for it. And, coming soon is the sequel. Anything you'd like to see, please let me know. Any title suggestions would be excellent too.
This is the best feeling, having finished this.
-------
"Jondy, let it go," Brin said, looking up at me.
"But…" I sniffed.
"Jondy! It's not going to happen in any universe. Just give in gracefully, and get over it," Brin said, returning to flipping through one of my old magazines.
I stared at my bag. I was leaving Seattle that evening and Brin was helping me pack. Or Brin was flipping through magazines, claiming the clothes I wasn't taking for herself and generally not doing anything.
I stared at my new boots; Syl, Brin, Tinga and I had gone shopping yesterday because they were having a baby shower for Maxie in a couple of days. Since I wasn't going to be in Seattle for it, I bought myself some very nice knee boots to make up for the disappointment.
I cradled my boots and glared at the duffle bag I was taking. Yes, just because I already had four pairs of shoes in there didn't mean my boots weren't going to fit.
"Jondy," Brin sighed. "You do not need four pairs of jeans."
"Do too," I said stubbornly.
"Do not," Brin tossed the magazine over her shoulder and stood up. Picking up my bag from the bottom, she emptied it all over the bed.
Huh. I didn't think I had put that much stuff in that bag. Go me.
"Jondy!" Brin said scathingly.
"What?" I winced.
"Go away. I'll pack for you," Brin said, waving her hand at me. "And I refuse to pack those boots."
I sighed, shoving some clothes off the bed and sitting down. "But I need clothes."
"You do. You, however, do not need three black skirts. Your boyfriend lives in Seattle. Thus meaning you do not need any clothes that are sexy in L.A," Brin said, as she held up a couple of skirts.
"You know, the words 'Zack' and 'boyfriend' just don't sound right. It's like saying 'Logan' and 'pink' - scary mental images," I replied lazily.
Brin glared at me. "Jondy! The topic at hand is packing! Did you raid Rain's wardrobe or something?"
I shook my head. "Max's. She's pregnant and stuff, so I kinda claimed her cool clothes. You don't need to tell her."
"And when she has the baby, you think she's not going to notice?" Brin rolled her eyes.
I smiled angelically. "Well, she'll be too busy with the baby - or babies - to really notice what I stole - borrowed."
"I'm going to deny ever hearing this, okay?" Brin said.
"Whatever floats your boat," I shrugged. "Do you think I'd look good with black hair?"
"No," Brin said.
"Why not? It might add to my mystique," I said.
Brin rolled her eyes. A door somewhere in the apartment slammed.
"Jondy?" Zack was obviously home. Logan had called at the crack of dawn with a mission. Zane, Alec and Zack had been recruited to do the dirty work. I think it involved lots of money. I don't know. I was actually asleep at the time (what? Zack wore me out!)
"In here," I called. "Brinny's helping me pack."
He was frowning when he came in. "You … don't have to go, you know," Zack said gruffly.
I smiled and climbed off the bed and went over to him. "I do. It'll be good for us. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. And I can bring all my stuff back."
"Stuff? You mean you have more than this?" Brin looked mortified.
"Yeah, some shoes, clothes, books and my computer gear," I replied. "And my Land Rover."
Brin nodded. "And where is all this stuff going to go?" she asked.
"Jon's moving in with me when she comes back to Seattle," Zack said possessively.
Brin nodded. "Isn't that kinda… fast? You've been together for three days, and now you'll be split up for three months and then you're moving in together?"
"Are you offering me your place?" I asked. "Alec's place is big enough for two."
"Alec's place?" Zack looked confused. "Jondy, that was really random, even for you."
Brin glared at me. "*Really* random."
"I just thought that you and Alec are getting along so very well lately, that by the time I get back from L.A, Brin will want to move in with Alec. And since you'll have been sleeping together for thirty three days and, like, nine hours by then, it won't be as fast," I smiled angelically at Brin's Death Glare.
"You don't want to move in here?" Zack asked me. I rolled my eyes.
"You've totally missed the point of what I just said," I stated, picking up a pair of jeans and folding them.
"No I haven't," Zack said. "You said you'd rather move into Brin's when Brin moves in with… oh."
I sniggered. "Toldja so."
Zack ignored me and swung around to glare at Brin. "You're sleeping with Alec?!"
Brin glared at me again. "I hate you Jondy."
"Love you too, sister," I said sweetly.
"Alec is not good for you Brin. Reckless. Irresponsible," Zack began. Brin and I exchanged looks; this was the line that always preceded a lecture.
"Great in bed," Brin said dreamily.
Zack froze.
"Nice diffusion," I said to Brin, high-fiving her. "Tiny little over share though."
"It was a risk I was preparing to take," Brin said.
Zack sighed, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Okay, Brin. You won't even give me mental images like that again and I won't lecture you on Alec, okay?"
"I feel I got off pretty lightly," Brin said, leaving the bedroom.
"Zack should feel ripped off," I argued, following her.
"Girls," Zack said.
"I'm hungry," Brin announced.
"Another over share," I warned.
"You are so dirty minded, Jondy. For food."
"Ahh. Lunch," I nodded wisely, ignoring her comment about my mind. Hey, a dirty mind can be an asset when you've got a guy like Zack.
"What have you got?" Brin asked, sitting at the kitchen table.
"Pizza?" I offered, opening the fridge.
"No."
"Chinese?"
"No."
"Curry?"
"No."
"Some sort of luminous green jelly with fruit-substitute chunks through it?" I made a face as I held up the container in disgust. "I wonder if it glows in the dark."
Brin made a face. "That has to be synthetic. Does Zack actually eat it?"
Zack appeared in the kitchen doorway. "Eat what?"
"The synthetic glow-in-the-dark green chunky stuff," I said, waving the container around.
"No. It's for Evie when she comes around," Zack said. "I'm going to have a shower."
"Have fun," Brin said brightly. I looked at her, aghast. "Not like that! Jondy, that's disgusting!"
Zack rolled his eyes and left.
I turned back to Brin. "Wanna experiment on the goo?" I asked.
"Sure," Brin said.
"I'll get the plates, you get the matches," I said.
Twenty minutes later, we were hunched over the kitchen table, poking the jelly-stuff with toothpicks. On the sink, was a small puddle of slightly singed and melted jelly-stuff, with some used matches. Brin and I had discovered that luminous green jelly with fruit-substitute chunks through it did not smell nice when being melted.
"We are really sad individuals," Brin sight, giving the jelly a particularly violent jab with the toothpick. Yet, the toothpick just bounced off the jelly's surface.
"Why?" I asked, watching the jelly wobble.
"Jondy, it's 2 in the afternoon and we're poking jelly," Brin said.
"It means we're interesting individuals," I retorted.
"Or we have a mental deficiency," Brin sighed.
Zack came back into the kitchen; unfortunately, not wearing a towel. Jeans and a shirt. It's the highlight of Zack's showers. But I guess with Brin here, the towel would've been weird.
"What are you doing?" Zack asked, as he opened the fridge.
"What does it look like?" I asked. "We're having gelatinous-gooey fun!"
Zack looked at the plate of jelly on the table. "Right."
Brin tossed down her toothpick. "Okay. The time of slacking is over. I'll get lunch and you go have a shower, Jon. You need to leave in two hours and you are completely disorganized."
I sighed, jabbing my toothpick into the jelly, mesmerized by it's wobbling briefly. "Okay, okay, I'll go." I pouted, but left the room.
Brin was what saved my departure. Organization is so totally not my strong point, damnit.
"Jondy, how could you leave all of this to the last minute?" Brin yelled, as she zipped up my pack.
"I don't know!" I yelled back, drying my hair.
"I swear, I have no idea what is wrong with you, Jondy!" Brin muttered… well, muttered pretty loudly.
"I blame all my personality defects on sugar!" I bellowed back.
"Stop blaming inanimate objects and finish getting ready!" Brin matched my tone and volume.
"Ladies," Zack called. "Keep it to a dull roar."
I tossed the hairdryer aside. The wet, wonky and tangled look was coming back in; I was introducing it.
But then, I was leaving my boyfriend-of-three-days for three months, so I probably should be some effort into looking sexy…
"Jon, everyone's come to see you off," Zack was in the doorway, looking solemn.
I frowned. "My hair looks like a Furby."
Zack rolled his eyes. "It does not. You are beautiful," he pressed a kiss to my neck, running his fingers through my hair.
And my hair fell right. Damn Zack and his … useful… hands.
"I'll really miss you," I said, leaning against him.
"It's only for the summer. And if Logan lets me off, I'll come and visit you. Make sure you aren't sneaking any movie stars into your bed," Zack teased, his arms around my waist.
I smiled at him. "Only the summer." I took his hand and we left the bathroom.
----------
I stood outside Zack's, strapping my bag to my bike, as my family crowded around me.
"Jon, are you absolutely positive you have to go?" Max asked, looking slightly teary.
"Completely," I said, not exactly thrilled to be going back to L.A. myself. "It's only for the summer."
"Three months," Syl said, looking depressed.
"And then I'm moving to Seattle permanently," I pointed out. "It'll be okay, I promise. Three months is like nothing."
"Miss you Jon," Zane said, giving me a quick hug.
"I'll call and email and text message so much, you'll wish I had never come back," I teased.
"Never," Krit grinned.
I strapped my pack down and got on my bike, pulling my sunglasses on. Smiling at Zack, and my family, I revved the engine and sped away from my family …
It was all my effort not to stop the bloody bike, run back and throw myself in Zack's arms.
I do not cry. I will not cry… I will not cry… I will not cry…
Damnit! Brin kept my boots!
------
THE END
------
I feel like crying. It's over. Well, until I write the sequel.
Thank you to the following people. You have helped me write this fic in some way and I'm really grateful for that: Jacey925, Ashantai, Brin, Jayme, Sea Siren, Hay, Yammy, Zaz and about a million other people. You helped me continue writing this : -)
Now a huge special thank you to Jzshiri. You rock, chica. You were why I didn't abandon this fic from Ch 3. You rock and I totally owe you something - a small island maybe? ;)
Please review. I'd love you eternally for it. And, coming soon is the sequel. Anything you'd like to see, please let me know. Any title suggestions would be excellent too.
This is the best feeling, having finished this.
