Disclaimer: no one mentioned belongs to me, I guarantee it.
Author's note: This is it, the epilogue. The finale. The end. It's been a fun ride (well, not 'fun', per se...but it's been a ride). I'd like to thank all y'all for your great reviews, which inspired me enough to stop myself from scrapping the entire thing, which I debated doing on several occasions.
I'd also like to thank (what is this, the Oscars?) Hilary and Adam for being great actors and bringing such life to such great characters. They (and the rest of the cast, naturally) have given a lot of people things to do with their free time.
So enough with the sap, and on with the other sap. Much love to you all!!!
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
The Worst That Could Happen
Epilogue
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
What can happen in two weeks?
A *lot* can happen in two weeks, let me tell you.
You could find yourself facing a lazy Saturday afternoon, wearing your most casual sweats and flopped on the couch, watching Emeril, then out of nowhere, you get a phone call that crumbles your entire universe.
Think about it. A minute or two. The punching in of seven digits, the delivering of the news, it only takes about a minute or two.
A minute or two is a lot.
Two weeks is a lot, too. In that first week, I almost lost my best friend in the universe. I've known him since I was a day old, and I've spent almost every day since then with him, and the idea of never getting to spend another hour with him was terrifying and humbling. You'd be surprised at the things you take for granted. Take for example, my (now-defunct) crush on Ethan Craft.
Now, Gordo and I argue tons. About the really stupid stuff, like Ethan. I think that half the reason that I even really liked Ethan was just the desire to prove Gordo wrong. Of course, a lot of that ended up being me proving Gordo right; he thought I was shallow and I *was* shallow. But all the same.
Without Gordo there to encourage me, or to make fun of Ethan, the chase seemed pointless. (Disregard the fact that I was barely in school that week, anyway.) During one of those long nights waiting patiently at Gordo's bedside, it occurred to me that I never really liked Ethan. Was it just my mind's way of ignoring the fact that it was Gordo I was really after? Or was it just a way to bring myself closer to Gordo? I have no idea. I'm not a psychologist. I could ask the Gordons, I guess, but going to your boyfriend's parents to ask about the guy you used to have a crush on before you fully comprehended how awesome their son was...yeah, doesn't really sound fun.
The point I'm trying to make, I guess, is that without Gordo, nothing was the way it used to be. Everything became a cheap cardboard facade, like on a movie set. It was Gordo that injected life into everything. It was Gordo that injected life into *me*.
My dream had been completely right. When Gordo was so perilously close to death, it was like a part of me died, and it's only just recently been revived.
In that first week, I almost lost my best friend in the universe, then watched as he wrestled himself from death's hands and came back to me.
In that second week, I not only kept my best friend, but gained something more. A boyfriend. Not a boyfriend like Ronny was a boyfriend, where I got to dance around and sing about how I had a boyfriend. But...it's Gordo. Does that even make sense? It's like, he's almost an extension of me. He's the song, I'm the dance. Well, not exactly, but you get the gist of it.
That second week I had to go back to school again (once the doctors had determined that I was in fact recovered). It was okay, though, like that first day after Gordo had first woken up. Because he was okay. And if he was okay, I was okay. He'd gotten moved out of the ICU, and was recovering well.
I still spent every night at the hospital, staying as late as I dared, talking with him, kissing him, just *being* with him. The way we'd always been. Lost in that comfortable silence with each other. Your true friends are the ones you can just be around and never have to say anything.
Miranda came by most nights. I know she felt like she was being left out of something, but at the same time, I guess she realized how much we needed each other then. This is why Miranda's my other best friend.
Lots of other kids from school visited too, indicating that we were a lot more popular than either of us had ever realized. That, or they were just hoping Gordo would croak and they could get his stuff. Either way, we still got dropped in on by Kate, Ethan, and Tudgeman. Our parents and Miranda excluded, I'd never seen anyone look so proud for the both of us than those three did on the occasions when they visited. Miranda was right. Everyone knew about me and Gordo. They could see something in us that we couldn't see for ourselves until it was almost too late.
But we saw it now.
Gordo got released two weeks after he got checked in. Mr. Gordon, Mrs. Gordon, and I helped him get settled again at home. I used to be scared of his parents, but now I saw past their creepy no-nonsense business personas to the warm people that they really were, and I thought of them as my second set of parents. Which they would probably become someday, if I had my say.
Marriage, me and Gordo. We're too young to be thinking about it, but like I said, I can't imagine life without Gordo. And I'm pretty sure he can't imagine life without me.
At Gordo's house, we just sat in his room for hours. No one bothered us. There were no machines, no doctors, nothing but me and Gordo. We talked about how going back to school would be like for him that Monday, joking about how everyone would fawn over him, teachers especially, giving him extensions and pity A's.
"I don't need extensions," Gordo said finally. "I don't want special treatment. I can get it all done in time."
"Only if you never want to sleep ever again," I said. "You'll work yourself straight to an ulcer, Gordo."
"After all of this, I'd say an ulcer is the least of my problems."
I had to smile at that. "When you got hit, Gordo," I hedged, not sure if I was in the right to ask, though I could see no reason why I wouldn't be.
He didn't let me finish, but he probably knew what I was trying to say, anyway. "I was going to your house," he said. "I thought maybe we could hang out."
Guilt gripped me so hard I had to look away. "So this is all my fault then, isn't it."
To my surprise, Gordo was laughing. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "*Your* fault, Lizzie? You're kidding, right? Listen, unless you were driving the car, this is hardly your fault." I opened my mouth to protest, but he waved it off. "Lizzie, don't you dare take the blame for this, because it's so far off base, okay? This is in no way your fault. Don't be stupid."
"I'm sorry, Gordo," I said, practically in tears. "It's just...this has been so hard."
"I know, I know."
"I love you, Gordo."
"I love you, Lizzie," he answered, and he held me tightly, promising, "I always will."
A lot can happen in two weeks. You could lose everything you have, and get everything you ever wanted.
Author's note: This is it, the epilogue. The finale. The end. It's been a fun ride (well, not 'fun', per se...but it's been a ride). I'd like to thank all y'all for your great reviews, which inspired me enough to stop myself from scrapping the entire thing, which I debated doing on several occasions.
I'd also like to thank (what is this, the Oscars?) Hilary and Adam for being great actors and bringing such life to such great characters. They (and the rest of the cast, naturally) have given a lot of people things to do with their free time.
So enough with the sap, and on with the other sap. Much love to you all!!!
*Karasuma*Firestorm*
The Worst That Could Happen
Epilogue
~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~ ~~~~~
What can happen in two weeks?
A *lot* can happen in two weeks, let me tell you.
You could find yourself facing a lazy Saturday afternoon, wearing your most casual sweats and flopped on the couch, watching Emeril, then out of nowhere, you get a phone call that crumbles your entire universe.
Think about it. A minute or two. The punching in of seven digits, the delivering of the news, it only takes about a minute or two.
A minute or two is a lot.
Two weeks is a lot, too. In that first week, I almost lost my best friend in the universe. I've known him since I was a day old, and I've spent almost every day since then with him, and the idea of never getting to spend another hour with him was terrifying and humbling. You'd be surprised at the things you take for granted. Take for example, my (now-defunct) crush on Ethan Craft.
Now, Gordo and I argue tons. About the really stupid stuff, like Ethan. I think that half the reason that I even really liked Ethan was just the desire to prove Gordo wrong. Of course, a lot of that ended up being me proving Gordo right; he thought I was shallow and I *was* shallow. But all the same.
Without Gordo there to encourage me, or to make fun of Ethan, the chase seemed pointless. (Disregard the fact that I was barely in school that week, anyway.) During one of those long nights waiting patiently at Gordo's bedside, it occurred to me that I never really liked Ethan. Was it just my mind's way of ignoring the fact that it was Gordo I was really after? Or was it just a way to bring myself closer to Gordo? I have no idea. I'm not a psychologist. I could ask the Gordons, I guess, but going to your boyfriend's parents to ask about the guy you used to have a crush on before you fully comprehended how awesome their son was...yeah, doesn't really sound fun.
The point I'm trying to make, I guess, is that without Gordo, nothing was the way it used to be. Everything became a cheap cardboard facade, like on a movie set. It was Gordo that injected life into everything. It was Gordo that injected life into *me*.
My dream had been completely right. When Gordo was so perilously close to death, it was like a part of me died, and it's only just recently been revived.
In that first week, I almost lost my best friend in the universe, then watched as he wrestled himself from death's hands and came back to me.
In that second week, I not only kept my best friend, but gained something more. A boyfriend. Not a boyfriend like Ronny was a boyfriend, where I got to dance around and sing about how I had a boyfriend. But...it's Gordo. Does that even make sense? It's like, he's almost an extension of me. He's the song, I'm the dance. Well, not exactly, but you get the gist of it.
That second week I had to go back to school again (once the doctors had determined that I was in fact recovered). It was okay, though, like that first day after Gordo had first woken up. Because he was okay. And if he was okay, I was okay. He'd gotten moved out of the ICU, and was recovering well.
I still spent every night at the hospital, staying as late as I dared, talking with him, kissing him, just *being* with him. The way we'd always been. Lost in that comfortable silence with each other. Your true friends are the ones you can just be around and never have to say anything.
Miranda came by most nights. I know she felt like she was being left out of something, but at the same time, I guess she realized how much we needed each other then. This is why Miranda's my other best friend.
Lots of other kids from school visited too, indicating that we were a lot more popular than either of us had ever realized. That, or they were just hoping Gordo would croak and they could get his stuff. Either way, we still got dropped in on by Kate, Ethan, and Tudgeman. Our parents and Miranda excluded, I'd never seen anyone look so proud for the both of us than those three did on the occasions when they visited. Miranda was right. Everyone knew about me and Gordo. They could see something in us that we couldn't see for ourselves until it was almost too late.
But we saw it now.
Gordo got released two weeks after he got checked in. Mr. Gordon, Mrs. Gordon, and I helped him get settled again at home. I used to be scared of his parents, but now I saw past their creepy no-nonsense business personas to the warm people that they really were, and I thought of them as my second set of parents. Which they would probably become someday, if I had my say.
Marriage, me and Gordo. We're too young to be thinking about it, but like I said, I can't imagine life without Gordo. And I'm pretty sure he can't imagine life without me.
At Gordo's house, we just sat in his room for hours. No one bothered us. There were no machines, no doctors, nothing but me and Gordo. We talked about how going back to school would be like for him that Monday, joking about how everyone would fawn over him, teachers especially, giving him extensions and pity A's.
"I don't need extensions," Gordo said finally. "I don't want special treatment. I can get it all done in time."
"Only if you never want to sleep ever again," I said. "You'll work yourself straight to an ulcer, Gordo."
"After all of this, I'd say an ulcer is the least of my problems."
I had to smile at that. "When you got hit, Gordo," I hedged, not sure if I was in the right to ask, though I could see no reason why I wouldn't be.
He didn't let me finish, but he probably knew what I was trying to say, anyway. "I was going to your house," he said. "I thought maybe we could hang out."
Guilt gripped me so hard I had to look away. "So this is all my fault then, isn't it."
To my surprise, Gordo was laughing. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. "*Your* fault, Lizzie? You're kidding, right? Listen, unless you were driving the car, this is hardly your fault." I opened my mouth to protest, but he waved it off. "Lizzie, don't you dare take the blame for this, because it's so far off base, okay? This is in no way your fault. Don't be stupid."
"I'm sorry, Gordo," I said, practically in tears. "It's just...this has been so hard."
"I know, I know."
"I love you, Gordo."
"I love you, Lizzie," he answered, and he held me tightly, promising, "I always will."
A lot can happen in two weeks. You could lose everything you have, and get everything you ever wanted.