Title: Life Goes On
Author: Scooby1978 aka Scooby78 aka Mandie
Rating: R (I'll probably go above that at some point... since I have a way of doing that.
Category: Eli/Grace, Jessie/Katie
Disclaimer: I don't own anything!
Summary: Takes place over a year after "Moving On"Rick never got the bus station on time and Eli left with Carla, it's been over a year since they have heard from Eli and everyone's lives are about to be turned upside down.
A/N: Yes, I'm starting another one. lol. I can't help it; this story wants to be written. Therefore, I'm going to stop fighting it. Also, Since When... has been updated, but on my site. I'm no longer going to be posting it here due to the fact that they removed it before. I will also be updating my other story posted her, fairly soon. The link to my site is in my profile.
Chapter 1November 22, 2002 - One Week before Thanksgiving
Lily muted the television when she heard a knock at the front door. She stood up from the couch, made her way into the hallway, and proceeded to open the door. Every time she did this, she wished a certain person would be on the other side. Of course, it never was the person she was wishing for, but she hoped, and prayed that one day it would be. They needed him back. The empty void was far too much for them to handle. Sure, they went on with their daily lives, but it was hard. The nagging thoughts in the back of all of their minds telling them that he wasn't okay, that he needed them in some way. It was enough to drive a person crazy, but they all managed to get through each day, they had to. Life had to go on.
"Hi Katie." Lily said greeting her stepdaughter's girlfriend. "Jessie's in the kitchen with Grace." Lily said while motioning her to come in. "How are you?"
"I'm good. How are you Mrs. Sammler?" Katie asked, as she removed her sweater. Even though it was almost the middle of summer, there was still a chill in the air that refused to go away.
"Oh, you know. Same old same old, but I'm good."
Katie smiled, "You said she's in the kitchen?" With a slight nod from Lily Katie made her way into the kitchen. She didn't miss the sadness that consumed the room. Jessie and Grace were both lost in thought and she knew the cause of it. Eli was obviously on their minds. It happened all the time, everything would be somewhat honky dory then all of a sudden, it was a year and a half of sadness took control of their minds. Of course it didn't help that Thanksgiving was around the corner.
Eli had taken off with Carla. Only to be heard from once in the year and a half he'd been gone. He said he was okay, and said he'd call again during that one phone call. That however was before Rick picked up the phone and demanded that he returned home that instant.
"Hey you two." Katie leaned down and placed a kiss on Jessie's cheek before joining them at the table. "How you doing?"
"Okay. I just hate this." Jessie answered, reaching out for Katie's hand from across the table. "Everyday it's real, but near the holidays, it just makes it even more real.
"I know." She answered sympathetically and then turned towards Grace. She looked lost. Grace had felt so guilty since the night Eli left, that it had practically taken over... her soul.
Grace knew she should have told Rick sooner than she had, but she made a promise to Eli not to say anything. Now the guilt consumed her. Even though a part of her knew she wasn't responsible, it didn't help stop the intruded thoughts that she was to blame.
"I can't believe he hasn't called. How dare he. He has to know that we are all... that we all care about him." Grace snapped. The sadness over the past year and a half had instantly turned to anger. "We're all sitting here, about ready to cry, over someone who could give two shits about us."
Jessie and Katie both were taken aback by Grace's anger.
"I mean how hard is it for him to pick up the phone and let us know he's okay." Grace shook her head in disbelief, "It's not hard. It's simple. It would take two seconds out of his precious life, but he can't be fucking bothered."
"Grace..."
"Don't Grace me Jessie, you know that you feel the same way, we all do. Just none of us voice it. We all walk around on eggshells when it comes to Eli. Why?" She asked, and waited briefly for a response. "Why can't we all say what we really feeling? Why can't we just say how pissed off we are at him."
"We are pissed Grace, every single one of us, but it's not going to change anything. He's gone, and that makes us all sad. So, I'm sorry if those feelings surpass our anger, but they do. I'm not going to be mad at my brother, I can't, and I won't. I understand why your angry, but I'm not going to apologize for missing him and acting the way I do because of it. "
"Jessie, that's not..."
"I know Grace, but..."
"Hey, what are you two fighting about?" Lily asked as she made her way into the kitchen.
"Nothing." They both said at the same time.
"I'm going to my room." Grace announced, and then quickly left the kitchen.
Lily looked over at Jessie. "We're going to go to my room," Jessie said, before grabbing Katie's hand and leading her out of the room leaving Lily alone to wonder what had just happened.
Katie and Jessie made their way up the attic steps in silence, neither of them wanted to say a word until the reached the confines of Jessie's room.
"Okay, Jessie. What is Grace's deal? I always knew she was a little neurotic, but I mean she just... why is she that angry? I mean if anything you should be..."
"Grace has always been in love with Eli." Jessie answered simply.
"She was, is?" Katie asked surprised, she had no idea. Not that she would have, since she entered their lives months after Eli left.
"Yeah, she always had a big crush on him. Eli knew, I knew it, I think even our parents knew it. Nothing ever came of it of course. Eli liked her, just not in that way. So, when he dating Carla, who was Grace's best friend, Grace seized the opportunity to just be near Eli. She helped him choose gifts for Carla, anything and everything. I just don't think she realized that when he told her he was leaving to be with Carla, he'd actually do it. Therefore, she never said anything, until it was too late. So mix her feelings of guilt for not alerting my dad to Eli's plans, Eli actually leaving, and him leaving with her best friend..."
"It explains why she is so angry, and hurt."
"Yeah, plus. I think a part of her always hoped that somehow her and Eli might get together someday, and with him not being here it makes that dream impossible. She's wasted time, and I think she's starting to realize that it's time to move on. Not necessarily forget about Eli, but..."
"I get what your saying."
"I think it also hurts that Carla hasn't called her, I mean it's one thing for Eli not to call because my dad flipped on him, but Carla, she was her best friend, she could at least pick up the phone and let Grace know that their okay."
"Very true, but from what you told me Carla was a bitch, and not very considerate so it's completely in character for her not to think about Grace."
"True enough." Jessie sighed, and wanted briefly to forget about her anger and sadness about Eli. She turned towards Katie, and kissed her softly on the lips. "I'm going to miss you."
"It's only for a week, Jess."
"I know, but why does your mom want to visit your aunt all of a sudden. Why can't you just have Thanksgiving here, visit them some other time."
"Why if I go at another time, you won't miss me?" Katie joked, and raised her eyebrows.
"No, I'll miss you then too, but I mean it's going to be hard. Everyone..." There she was again thinking about Eli. "I can't even seem to get through a minute without thinking of him."
"I know, but who knows maybe the holidays will make him realize how longs it's been. Mayeb he'll call."
"Yeah, maybe. But I doubt it."
"Just have a little faith Jess, for some strange reason I have a feeling that everything is going ot work out."
"Yeah?" Jessie smiled.
"Yeah." Katie said before placing another kiss upon her girlfriend's lips.
TBC???