A/N: how perfect... twenty six is my favorite number. :) it seems like a fitting end. so this is it, guys. some of you might have expected this, some of you probably didn't... but i love how this has ended. i've gone over several different endings in my head. and this, to me, was perfect. i hope you'll all feel the same way by the time you finish reading it. i hope that you all see that with everything that has happened with this story, it was meant to go down this path.

so, for the last time... let's get this show on the road, shall we? :)

CHAPTER TWENTY SIX - Take Me Beyond

"Final boarding call for Northwest, Flight 355 to Phoenix, Arizona. Now boarding in Gate F-13."

I checked my watch and sighed with relief. I was caught up on the freeway, in traffic, for what seemed like hours and parking was such a pain. I made it to the airport with minutes to spare. Still, I was afraid he'd leave without giving me a chance to at least say good-bye. I pushed through the bustling crowd, side-stepping all the baggage on the floor.

I accidentally bumped into someone going in the other direction, and when I looked up to apologize, I realized it was Mr. Spier.

"Charlotte!" he exclaimed, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh. I-I just thought I'd come say good-bye to Jeff," I replied, flustered. "He didn't leave yet, did he?" Please say no, I thought desperately.

"His mother's actually just at the departure gate with him. If you hurry, you might still be able to catch him." I smiled gratefully and turned back around, quickening my step, practically at a run. I couldn't let him leave... not yet. Not with all the unresolved issues we had in our hands. I didn't want him to leave the way he did the last time.

I reached the departure gate and stood on my toes, craning my neck to see over the huge crowd of people. Every blonde head I'd see, my heart would jump.

"Where are you?" I muttered, biting my lip.

"Looking for someone?" My heart leaped at the sound of the voice and I swirled around to face a grinning Jeff Schafer.

"You're still here," I breathed. He smiled.

"I'm really sorry we didn't get to talk, "he said. "My mom kinda forced me into going to a trip with them to Washington DC." He paused for a moment and looked into my eyes. "I thought about you the whole time. But every time I'd reached for the phone, I'd remember you telling me that you needed time to think. I wanted to give you that...

Seeing you. Here... now. Does that mean anything?" I slowly reached for his hand and looked up into his eyes that were filled with uncertainty.

In an instant, everything and everyone around us disappeared. It was like time stood still. Like the only thing that mattered was us and this moment.

"I'm here to say good bye," I said quietly. "I'm sorry Jeff. I -- I can't give you the answer that you're looking for." I forced myself to look away, his downcast eyes telling me everything. His heart was breaking right in front of me.

Slowly, he took his hand away from my grasp.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my eyes brimming with tears. Jeff reached over and gently pushed a stray strand of hair away from my face. I looked up at him, through my tears.

"It's okay," he said softly. He moved forward and embraced me, tighter than ever before. "I want you to be happy, "he said, whispering in my ear. "Even if it's not with me, I want you to be happy." Before he let me go, he kissed me firmly on my damp cheek.

"Now boarding. American Airlines Flight 268 to Los Angeles, California. Passengers, please proceed to Gate B-3."

"That's me," he said simply. I nodded slowly and once again, embraced him in my arms.

"Good bye." He let me go and looking down at me one last time, he walked away.

"Jeff," I called out. He turned around. "I want you to be happy too." He gave me a small smile.

"I'll be okay."

--

I soon found myself sitting in the driver's seat of my car, in the parking lot, crying.

The last thing I wanted to do was to hurt him, even though I knew there was no other way around it. I had made my decision, and even though I felt horrible about hurting Jeff, the decision felt right to me. I roughly wiped all my tears away and started to focus my muddled thoughts. I looked down at the dashboard clock, knowing I'd have to hurry to catch the end of Byron's baseball game. I let out shaky breath and put the key in the ignition.

--

I got out of my car and quickly looked sideways before crossing the street. From a distance, I could tell the game had just wrapped up, the team playing on the field jumping up in celebration of a win. I smiled, recognizing the red and white uniform of Byron's team.

"Hey Char!" Becca and Vanessa were on the bleachers, enthusiastically waving me over. I smiled in greeting as I joined them. They chattered on about how good the game was but I didn't hear a word they said.

My sights were set on the star pitcher. The guy surrounded by his team mates, surrounded by pats on the back and words of praise.

He didn't notice me at first, so I offhandedly excused myself and walked towards the field. I waited until the crowd dispersed and we were left alone by the dug-out. He looked long and hard at me, the broad winning smile draining from his lips. Wrenching his eyes away from mine, he walked past me without saying a word and started to gather his things.

"Byron --," I started, stepping towards him.

"Charlotte," he interrupted. I stopped dead in my tracks, the anger in his voice clearly evident. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to explain," I said, hurried. "I know what you saw. I know what you must be thinking."

"I don't want to talk about it," he said, roughly throwing his things in his gym bag.

"Byron!" We both turned our heads. It was Adam. "We're heading to Phantom Pizza for a victory party. You coming soon?" He quickly noticed my presence. "Oh. You can come too, Char." I gave him a small smile, but shook my head. "We, uh, can wait a few minutes if you need time." He looked at Byron uncertainly.

Byron zipped up his bag and swung it over his shoulder.

"I'm done with everything here," he said pointedly. My heart felt heavy, I was on the verge of tears. I just stood there as he walked away with his brother.

You can't let him walk away, a voice in my head asserted.

"Byron. Wait," I said faintly, tired and not finding the strength inside of me. Please stop, I silently begged. Please talk to me.

The sound of footsteps on the clay ceased. I looked up, the tiny ray of hope inside of me failing to disappear. I watched him say something to his brother and soon, it was just him and me again. Him and me. That was the way it was supposed to be.

He slowly walked towards me and dropped his gym bag at our feet. He looked into my eyes, not saying anything.

"You missed a good game," he finally said.

"I was at..." I stopped mid-sentence and looked at him uncertainly.

"With Jeff," he spat. "At the airport." I nodded slowly. He clenched his fists and tore his eyes away from mine. "I can't believe you kissed him."

"W-We were caught up in the moment,"I stammered. "I was confused. I was hurting. Everything was in a jumbled mess in my head. It wasn't even a real kiss, Byron."

"It seemed real from where I was standing," he said flatly.

"Fine. You saw what you saw. But you don't know the whole story," I said desperately. "Jeff told me he loved me, Byron. You really hurt me and there he was, offering me everything." I paused, catching my breath. "After everything was said and done, I had a choice to make: you or him. And even after all the crap we've been through, whenever I really thought about it, everything came down to you. Only you."

Catching me off guard, Byron chuckled.

"See, Char, that's where you and me differ. You called me a liar. You believed that everything between us was a mistake. Still -- there wouldn't even be a choice if it were up to me. I wouldn't even have to think about it. If you really believed that this was for real, you would've just known. Some how, some way, you'd just know." He looked away, like it hurt him too much to look at me.

"So what exactly are you saying?" I asked quietly, the words scratching my dry throat. In a weary voice, he replied,

"I'm saying I don't want to do this anymore. I'm saying I'm sick and tired of being second place when I put you first every single time."

"Don't say that," I pleaded, my voice shaking.

"It's done, Char. I don't want this. It hurts too much knowing he's always going to be in your heart, no matter what."

"But-But Byron..," I protested, giving up on trying to hold in my tears. "I'm in love with you."

"I'm sorry," he said flatly. His eyes brimmed with tears, but with those two words he turned and left me standing there. Alone.

My chest heaving, I let the tears leave me broken.

THE END.