No Time to Waste
by TheRealXenocide
`
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, settings, or anything else you recognize from the show Lizzie McGuire. The plot, at it's base, has been around since Homer, and this variant since Henry Ford. However, this is the first I've seen it applied to Lizzie.
`
A/N: FLUFF ALERT! I realized that I needed to spend more time with Miranda, Matt, and the rest. However, that means a chapter that is almost all fluff. Since this would be taking a more fluffy turn anyway, I decided to try my hand with this chapter. I don't normally ask, but I would like reviews on this chapter, so I can improve on my skills in this area.
`
Chapter 7
The Deal.
`
As the three parents sat together, they looked for all the worlds as if they were waiting an execution. When they heard light laughter float out of the still open door, they visibly relaxed.
"Well," started Mr. McGuire, "since those aren't screams of agony, do we assume things went well?"
"I do." Said Mrs. Sanchez. "Whatever he said, my guess is that she has accepted it."
"I know it's my duty as a father to give Matt a hard time," Mr. Sanchez observed, "but I'm glad he got her to think of something other then blaming herself for the crash. She was getting downright morbid at times."
Sam's expression changed to one of concern. "I hadn't realized it had gotten that bad. I guess Matt's not the only one carrying unwarranted guilt. Maybe they can help each other."
"Maybe." Mr. Sanchez said automatically, then he realized what had been said. "Wait. Matt has been feeling guilty? About what? Miranda?"
"That's part of it. I'll try to explain, but the whole story is Matt's to tell." He did his best to tell the shorthand version of the story, and surprised himself with how understandable it was. When he was finished, he added, "I don't know if anything will come from this, but maybe, just maybe, they will pull each other out of their feelings of guilt."
"I hope so" said Mrs. Sanchez. "It hurts to see her doing that to herself."
They turned at the sound of the elevator to see Mrs. McGuire coming toward them. When she reached them, she said. "I just spoke with Ethan's mother."
~~~~~~~~
In the room, after agreeing to a plan framework for Lizzie and Gordo, Matt decided to dare and touch the subject of guilt. "Miranda, as I said before, I was feeling guilty about having you on my mind so much." As Miranda was about to interrupt, he caught her. "Please let me finish." She nodded in defeat. "In some ways I still do. But, after I spoke to Mr. Gordon, I realized I have no real reason to. He really helped." Miranda's face had a 'you can't be serious' look. Matt had seen it often enough before to recognize it. "I'm serious. Listen, I'll make a deal with you. I'll drop to subject of your lack of guilt. But you agree to ask the others if they hold you guilty, and, if they all tell you 'no', you get Mr. Gordon to help you. Deal?"
Miranda looked skeptical. "You'll really do that? Drop the subject? I remember what you said before about not standing me feeling guilty."
"I'm also quick enough to see that it bothers you when people talk to you about it." Taking on a very fake British accent, he added. "Consider this a test. A test of my willpower, faithfulness, and ability to put your wishes ahead of my own."
Miranda tried to bury the giggles Matt's accent had caused before answering. "It's worth agreeing to just to see you try to pull off your end of it."
Still in his accent, Matt couldn't resist the opening. "Pull off my end? We haven't gotten that far yet. Not that I mind, of course . . ."
Matt was cut off by several pillow shots to the head. He was saved after number 7 by a knock on the door. "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Asked a very amused Sam McGuire.
"A bit of both, dad."
"Is it okay to come in? We just got some news you both should know."
Miranda saw the apprehension on her parents faces as they stood behind Mr. McGuire. "Come on in. We have something to tell you, too."
"And that is?" Mr. Sanchez was clearly trying to steel himself for what he was expecting.
The looks on the three adults' faces got both youngsters laughing again. Miranda was able to speak first. "We'll explain the long form of the story later, but the short is that I believe Matt. I don't feel the same yet, but I've never seriously considered it before, and I'm not opposed to the possibility. Therefore I've agreed, to use Matt's term, to let him court me."
All three parents look at Matt and said "Court?!?"
Matt groaned "I have got to stop watching Lizzie's movies." That earned him another pillow.
"What did you have to tell us?" Miranda said, acting as if she hadn't done anything.
"Well," started Sam, "it's Ethan. He's awake."
Both kids sobered at the mention of Ethan. Matt beat Miranda to the questions. "When? How is he?"
"Your mother came up to tell us what Mrs. Craft told her. She's back with Lizzie now."
"You're stalling, dad. What's wrong? And please don't try to tell us nothing's wrong. I know that tune in your voice." As he was speaking, his hand moved to Miranda's shoulder, as if to lend her his strength.
Sam was surprised at his son, both for what he said and for the show of concern for Miranda. 'This will take some getting used to' he thought. "Alright, Matt. The details are shaky, Mrs. Craft being as upset as she was, but apparently Ethan has lost most or all of his eyesight."
Miranda's hand, as if in reflex, grabbed the hand on her shoulder. "He's blind?" Although clearly trying to be strong, her voice was shaky.
Mrs. Sanchez cut in here. "We don't know how bad it is yet. As he said, Ethan's mother was very upset, so Mrs. McGuire couldn't understand her clearly."
"Mom wouldn't press someone in that shape." Matt observed. "I'm a little surprised she took the time to come to us before somebody else could be with her."
"She came when Mrs. Craft went back to be with Ethan."
"That explains it. Also explains why she didn't hang around. She probably went to see if the Crafts were alright." As he spoke, Matt felt his hand being squeezed tighter and tighter. Turning, he saw Miranda was staring into space, with a look on her face that broke his heart. Matt spoke softly to her "Look it me, Miranda." She did. Looking into her troubled eyes made him feel worse, but he pressed on. "If you need to cry or scream or anything else, go ahead, but don't buy trouble. We don't know how bad he is. We do know he is alive and awake and . . ." He wasn't allowed to finish, as Miranda fell into his shoulder, crying like he never knew she could. 'This promise will be harder then I thought.'
Quietly, reluctantly, the three adults left the room. When he saw they were alone, he did something Matt never thought he'd do. He started to gently sing.
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Next chapter, phase one of the plan begins. And no, I'm telling you what he sang yet. That is saved for the VERY fluffy epilog. I will give you these hints:
1: The song is bilingual.
2: While I have heard this song on a couple of pop stations, it isn't pop.
3: In fact, in the singer's very successful 15 year solo career, this person has only had 2 pop hits.
4: It was an Oscar nominee.
I'll respond to guesses via e-mail, if you give an address, or have one on your profile.
by TheRealXenocide
`
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters, settings, or anything else you recognize from the show Lizzie McGuire. The plot, at it's base, has been around since Homer, and this variant since Henry Ford. However, this is the first I've seen it applied to Lizzie.
`
A/N: FLUFF ALERT! I realized that I needed to spend more time with Miranda, Matt, and the rest. However, that means a chapter that is almost all fluff. Since this would be taking a more fluffy turn anyway, I decided to try my hand with this chapter. I don't normally ask, but I would like reviews on this chapter, so I can improve on my skills in this area.
`
Chapter 7
The Deal.
`
As the three parents sat together, they looked for all the worlds as if they were waiting an execution. When they heard light laughter float out of the still open door, they visibly relaxed.
"Well," started Mr. McGuire, "since those aren't screams of agony, do we assume things went well?"
"I do." Said Mrs. Sanchez. "Whatever he said, my guess is that she has accepted it."
"I know it's my duty as a father to give Matt a hard time," Mr. Sanchez observed, "but I'm glad he got her to think of something other then blaming herself for the crash. She was getting downright morbid at times."
Sam's expression changed to one of concern. "I hadn't realized it had gotten that bad. I guess Matt's not the only one carrying unwarranted guilt. Maybe they can help each other."
"Maybe." Mr. Sanchez said automatically, then he realized what had been said. "Wait. Matt has been feeling guilty? About what? Miranda?"
"That's part of it. I'll try to explain, but the whole story is Matt's to tell." He did his best to tell the shorthand version of the story, and surprised himself with how understandable it was. When he was finished, he added, "I don't know if anything will come from this, but maybe, just maybe, they will pull each other out of their feelings of guilt."
"I hope so" said Mrs. Sanchez. "It hurts to see her doing that to herself."
They turned at the sound of the elevator to see Mrs. McGuire coming toward them. When she reached them, she said. "I just spoke with Ethan's mother."
~~~~~~~~
In the room, after agreeing to a plan framework for Lizzie and Gordo, Matt decided to dare and touch the subject of guilt. "Miranda, as I said before, I was feeling guilty about having you on my mind so much." As Miranda was about to interrupt, he caught her. "Please let me finish." She nodded in defeat. "In some ways I still do. But, after I spoke to Mr. Gordon, I realized I have no real reason to. He really helped." Miranda's face had a 'you can't be serious' look. Matt had seen it often enough before to recognize it. "I'm serious. Listen, I'll make a deal with you. I'll drop to subject of your lack of guilt. But you agree to ask the others if they hold you guilty, and, if they all tell you 'no', you get Mr. Gordon to help you. Deal?"
Miranda looked skeptical. "You'll really do that? Drop the subject? I remember what you said before about not standing me feeling guilty."
"I'm also quick enough to see that it bothers you when people talk to you about it." Taking on a very fake British accent, he added. "Consider this a test. A test of my willpower, faithfulness, and ability to put your wishes ahead of my own."
Miranda tried to bury the giggles Matt's accent had caused before answering. "It's worth agreeing to just to see you try to pull off your end of it."
Still in his accent, Matt couldn't resist the opening. "Pull off my end? We haven't gotten that far yet. Not that I mind, of course . . ."
Matt was cut off by several pillow shots to the head. He was saved after number 7 by a knock on the door. "Is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Asked a very amused Sam McGuire.
"A bit of both, dad."
"Is it okay to come in? We just got some news you both should know."
Miranda saw the apprehension on her parents faces as they stood behind Mr. McGuire. "Come on in. We have something to tell you, too."
"And that is?" Mr. Sanchez was clearly trying to steel himself for what he was expecting.
The looks on the three adults' faces got both youngsters laughing again. Miranda was able to speak first. "We'll explain the long form of the story later, but the short is that I believe Matt. I don't feel the same yet, but I've never seriously considered it before, and I'm not opposed to the possibility. Therefore I've agreed, to use Matt's term, to let him court me."
All three parents look at Matt and said "Court?!?"
Matt groaned "I have got to stop watching Lizzie's movies." That earned him another pillow.
"What did you have to tell us?" Miranda said, acting as if she hadn't done anything.
"Well," started Sam, "it's Ethan. He's awake."
Both kids sobered at the mention of Ethan. Matt beat Miranda to the questions. "When? How is he?"
"Your mother came up to tell us what Mrs. Craft told her. She's back with Lizzie now."
"You're stalling, dad. What's wrong? And please don't try to tell us nothing's wrong. I know that tune in your voice." As he was speaking, his hand moved to Miranda's shoulder, as if to lend her his strength.
Sam was surprised at his son, both for what he said and for the show of concern for Miranda. 'This will take some getting used to' he thought. "Alright, Matt. The details are shaky, Mrs. Craft being as upset as she was, but apparently Ethan has lost most or all of his eyesight."
Miranda's hand, as if in reflex, grabbed the hand on her shoulder. "He's blind?" Although clearly trying to be strong, her voice was shaky.
Mrs. Sanchez cut in here. "We don't know how bad it is yet. As he said, Ethan's mother was very upset, so Mrs. McGuire couldn't understand her clearly."
"Mom wouldn't press someone in that shape." Matt observed. "I'm a little surprised she took the time to come to us before somebody else could be with her."
"She came when Mrs. Craft went back to be with Ethan."
"That explains it. Also explains why she didn't hang around. She probably went to see if the Crafts were alright." As he spoke, Matt felt his hand being squeezed tighter and tighter. Turning, he saw Miranda was staring into space, with a look on her face that broke his heart. Matt spoke softly to her "Look it me, Miranda." She did. Looking into her troubled eyes made him feel worse, but he pressed on. "If you need to cry or scream or anything else, go ahead, but don't buy trouble. We don't know how bad he is. We do know he is alive and awake and . . ." He wasn't allowed to finish, as Miranda fell into his shoulder, crying like he never knew she could. 'This promise will be harder then I thought.'
Quietly, reluctantly, the three adults left the room. When he saw they were alone, he did something Matt never thought he'd do. He started to gently sing.
~~~~~~~~
A/N: Next chapter, phase one of the plan begins. And no, I'm telling you what he sang yet. That is saved for the VERY fluffy epilog. I will give you these hints:
1: The song is bilingual.
2: While I have heard this song on a couple of pop stations, it isn't pop.
3: In fact, in the singer's very successful 15 year solo career, this person has only had 2 pop hits.
4: It was an Oscar nominee.
I'll respond to guesses via e-mail, if you give an address, or have one on your profile.