Title: I Could Still See the Postcards
Author: Roguester
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: I don't own Travis, Lily, Ray, or Bridget. But I think the devil does.
Recommended background music: How by Lisa Loeb

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Epilogue: Keep Walking

(Bridget)

I came back to Roscoe a month after I left. It's nothing to celebrate about, really. I still drink my green tea in the morning and I still do my tai-chi before lunch. Except this time it's a lot lonelier. That's what's unfortunate about starting over... you have to start over by yourself. At least at first.

I wish I could say that I had something familiar to come back to, but I couldn't. Many things have changed in the weeks that I was gone. Travis is still the same person and so am I, but the prospect of 'us' has differed somehow. It disappeared somehow. And I'm trying my best to reach that point of complete acceptance, but I must admit that the attempt has been difficult as of late.

To be that person on the outside looking in is quite a burden. Especially when the view is a bit blurry from where you're standing.

I saw Travis at school today. I passed by him while I was walking down the hall. He said 'Hi' and I said 'How's it going?' Then I kept on walking, but that's about it. I didn't really expect anything big. Things were bound to be awkward. Anyway, he's living with Ray now... at least temporarily 'til the end of the school year.

Lily and I, on the other hand, have become the best of friends. A consolation prize out of guilt, to say the least. We apologized through our actions and we fake-smiled through our conversations, but we both knew that it wasn't working out. We were trying too hard.

So one day she invited me to Mickey's for a cup of coffee. She kept avoiding my gaze at first, but after a few minutes she finally looked me in the eye and said, "Hey, about Travis? I'm not sorry." I admit, I was taken aback by the brutal directness of the statement; but I realized that she's only being honest so I just smiled at her and said, "Neither am I."

Our relationship has improved since then.

Meanwhile, in his quest to find the perfect girl, Ray attempted to ask me out on a date. I couldn't help it, he was such a sweet guy. He kept stuttering and fidgeting while he was asking me for my number so I finally threw caution to the wind and asked him out myself. He said 'yes,' of course, and we've gone out a couple of times already. But we both decided to just stay friends because too many of the usual suspects were involved. We just didn't want to go through the same air-bracketed drama with the same air-bracketed people while trying to start a new air-bracketed relationship. It was a little too much to handle, I guess.

And if you haven't noticed yet... those air brackets? Completely spread like wildfire. I think I owe Travis twenty bucks.

I entered the cafeteria and saw Ray sitting by himself. After purchasing my breakfast, I took my tray to his table and sat right next to him. Across the room, Travis, Lily, and Robbie were talking amongst themselves – stealing a few curious glances our way. After several minutes of silence, Ray finally let out an exasperated breath and turned to me.

"Travis didn't sleep over last night," he whined, "he said my dad was a total Nazi and took off to Robbie's."

And I had to laugh because Ray was pouting a little bit. His bottom lip was almost quivering, I could tell, and it was so adorable. "Awwww... you miss your roommate," I teased, "maybe if you sent him flowers he'll come back."

"You think?" he said with a tinge of sarcasm as he playfully nudged me with his shoulder. "Anyway you shouldn't talk. You miss him too."

And I do... I do miss him. Completely. Terribly. But we're not friends anymore and we can never be friends again because we've already said our goodbyes and that's just the way it is. So everyday at school he would say 'hi' and I would say 'how's it going,' but I'd keep on walking because I have to.

I'd keep on walking because I can.

Because when I see Travis with Lily... when I see him looking at her... and when I see him mouth off the words "I love you" as she tenderly strokes his cheek, I know that he's happy. I know that he's okay. And when he kisses her, I know that he means it. And that the shower of postcards leading up to this moment was all well worth it.

So Travis would say 'hi' and I would say 'how's it going,' but I'd keep on walking because I can. I'd keep on walking because I've moved on...

And even though I'm still on the outside looking in, the fog has cleared up a bit. My view is no longer blurry and I'm now able to see clearly: I could see Travis holding Lily's hand. I could see Lily laughing at Robbie's jokes. I could see Robbie waving at Ray. I could see Ray finally joining his friends for breakfast...

And I could still see the postcards... but everything's okay now.

THE END

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A/N: And that's the end, people! I hope you enjoyed the story. I apologize that it's so short... I know that some of you were expecting more chapters. But this is exactly how I outlined the fanfic. I wanted the story to stay simple and low in intensity so that I could preserve some level of believability. Also, extending the storyline any further will only blur my initial intent – which is to show that Travis and Lily DO eventually find their way back to each other, with the help of the supporting cast.

To those of you who are paying close attention, you may notice that the beginning of this Epilogue does not pick up from the last line of the previous chapter. There's a point to that. I wanted to show that Bridget is still somewhat detached from the core group. But even though she's detached she could still see that Travis and Lily are happy. And I believe that if that happiness can reach even those people who are not directly involved in the situation, then it's that much more powerful.

But at the same time, I wanted the story to come full circle. If you notice, the last line of the Epilogue completely resembles the last line of the first chapter ;)

So for the last time, here's a list of my recommended background songs: 1) Linger – The Cranberries, 2) Tigerlily – Matchbook Romance, 3) It's Good To Be In Love – Frou Frou, 4) Let Me In – Save Ferris, 5) Desperately – Michelle Branch, 6) Psychobabble – Frou Frou, 7) Bonus Mosh pt. II – Taking Back Sunday, 8) Seven Years – Saosin, 9) I Love You... Too – Tokyo Rose, 10) Promise – Matchbook Romance, 11) How – Lisa Loeb