Disclaimer: I don't own Lizzie McGuire or anything related to it, but I do own Kirsten Reynolds and Savanna Rogers characters.

AN: Little swearing in this chapter!

Chapter 7. Gordo's secret (Keep close)

That same day, after school, at the Digital Bean:

"I need to tell all of you something", Gordo said.
"Tell us", Ethan said. Lizzie, Isabella, Kirsten, Savanna and Kate are there too.
"My dad got a job offer in England. We're moving there soon", he blurted out.
"Soon? As in when?", Lizzie inquired.
"Next week or sooner"
"What kinda job?", Kirsten asked.
"A place at a hospital. Well paid"
"Well, we're sure gonna miss ya", Savanna said. All eyes set on Lizzie.
"I- It's gonna be hard not having you 'round...", she said. Her cellphone rang. "Hello? Sure, mom. Bye. I-We gotta go home. Bye guys" she and Isabella left.
"She took it better than I expected", Kate said.
"You don't know Lizzie as much as I do", Gordo said, watching them leave.

At Lizzie's bedroom:

"What am I gonna do?", she inquired.
"Do you love him?", Isabella asked.
"I don't know"
"And what about Ethan?"
"I don't know!"
"You are in trouble deep"
"I KNOW!... What is love?"
"...there is not a way to define it, but it is the most beautiful feeling ever"
"Then... how do you know if you love somebody?"
"Your heart can tell", Isabella said. Her cellphone rang "Ciao? Si. Oh... I will tell her. Grazie. Ciao... Gordo's flight is today"
"My heart can't tell this fast if I'm in love with him!"
"Maybe your mind can. Let's go" they heart the doorbell rang.
"Liz!", her mom yelled. "Gordo's here!"
"Come up!" he did. "Hey"
"Hey", he said. "...can I talk to you for a minute?"
"Sure"
"I will go down", Isabella said and left.
"I need to know this before I leave... do you love me?"
"I'm sorry, Gordo, but I'm not sure..." he looked at her for the last time and left.
'It all came back to her mind: Gordo's kiss with Brooke, her kiss with Ronny, Gordo moving on to High School, his crush on Andie, the Sadie Hawkings dance night, Parker calling Gordo short and him dancing with her later, the Spring Fling night, their dance at her brother's pub, Confused Guy, the Murder Mistery Party, Gordo's message on her yearbook, Rome...'
"Is it too late? I can't lose him" she ran to her car.

Airport:

"Now boarding flight 216 to London"
"Well, David, that's ours", his dad said. He looked back.
"Let's go, son", his mother said.
"GORDO! PLEASE, DON'T GO! I LOVE YOU!"
"What th-..." he saw Lizzie running to him. "Liz?"
"Please, don't go. I'm in love with you. I need you. I can't let you leave"
"I would never leave you", he hugged and kissed her.
"Goodbye, David", his dad said.
"Take care, son", his mom added. They board the plane.
"Wha- Whe- Huh?", Animated Lizzie scratched her head.
"You see, I got an offer from your parents to let me stay in your house", he explained her. "I just needed a reason to" they kissed again.
"You're mean, David Zephyr Gordon", she stated.
"I know. I have one condition to stay"
"Which is?"
"Besides Bella, I'm the only one who can call you Lizzie", he said. She smiled.
"I'll always be your Lizzie", she said. He smiled too and they kissed again.

Back at Lizzie's (the whole group is there):

"I'm so happy for you two!", Kirsten said, happy, hugging Lizzie.
"Yeah, you finally realized", Savanna said, not less happy.
"It was sooo hard!", Kate said.
"I am glad I helped", Isabella added. Lizzie smiled at her.
"Ethan?", Kate inquired
"I- I gotta go", he said. "I have to clean some fish, cuz my dad went fishing yesterday", he left.
"What's wrong with him?", Savanna asked. Lizzie looked down.
"I'll go talk to him", she said and left.
"What was that?", Gordo asked.
"He still has feelings for Lizzie", Isabella explained him. "But he let her go because of you"
"He- he did?"

Outside:

"Ethan!", Lizzie yelled. He turned around. "You knew this wasn't going to be easy!"
"I'm sorry, but I can't take it. I'm not over you", he said.
"Ethan, please!"
"No, Lizzie!" she gasped. "I LOVE YOU, DAMMIT!" Lizzie left running and all watched Ethan driving away.
"Omigosh... we have to find her", Isabella said.
"And what about him?", Savanna asked.
"He needs some time alone", Kate said. "I'll go to the Digital Bean"
"Vannie and I'll try at school", Kirsten added.
"Gordo and I are going to the park. Let's move!"; Isabella said.

At the park:

"Lizzie!", Isabella yelled.
"You heard it all, right?", she inquired. Gordo nodded. "Right now, I hate myself"
"Why is that?", Isabella asked.
"I told Ethan to be just friends, but it's impossible. Then, knowing he still l-likes me, I told him about Gordo and I"
"It is not your fault", Isabella assured her.
"You're irresistible", Gordo said. She let out a small smile. "That's her. That's my Lizzie"
"I'm not ready to see him again", she said.
"He is not ready either"
"Let's go home", Gordo said.
"Gordo, you mind if we do a 'only girls' reunion?"
"Nope. I'll call you later" he kissed her and left.

Later, at Lizzie's bedroom:

Lizzie's Pov:
- Babes, I think Bella should join our select group. Who's in? (all raised their hands) Cool! A nickname...
"How about... Star?", Vannie suggested.
"I like it!", Kiki said.
"Me too!", Katie said.
- Motion accepted! (we all laughed)
"I'll bring you your t-shirt tomorrow", Vannie said. "Is baby-blue alright?"
"Cool!", she said. I looked at her.She seems completely happy. No one could tell she's... she's dying. She started coughing. Really hard.
- Bella? (she looked at me, her face is pale) Omigosh! (I dialed 911 quickly)
"What's wrong?", Vannie inquired. Bella passed out, Kirsten squealed. "I'm getting your parents!" she ran down.
- Bella? Bella? (Kirsten looked at me)

Kirsten's Pov:
I looked at Liz. She's in a shock. Her parents ran into the room.
"What's wrong?", Mr. McGuire inquired. "What happened?"
- I- We were talking and she started coughing (I start crying) ...what's wrong with her? (we hear the ambulance, Vannie opened the door and they came in)

45 minutes later, at the hospital:

Liz is very pale. Gordo's hugging her.
"Liz, please, tell us. Was there something wrong with her?", Mr. McGuire inquired.
"Don't talk about Bella like she's dead!", Liz yelled.
"Has she got something?", Gordo asked Liz. We all stared at her, she looked down.
"...Cancer"
- Omigosh... (I looked at Vannie, she looked like the most strong one. Kate's crying next to me. Mrs. McGuire came back)
"Mom?", Liz said. Mrs. McGuire face is bathed of tears.
"They said... they said she hasn't got much time" all the girls bursted off crying. Gordo whispered something in Liz'z ear.
"Mom?", she repeated. "Can we take her home? Make her... her last days happy"
"I think so, baby"
"I'll go talk to the doctor", Mr. McGuire said. He left.
"I'm going to the bathroom", Vannie said, she left too.
"Katie?", Liz said.
- She fell asleep... I wanna go check on Vannie.
"Go", Matt said. "I'll hold Kate"
- Thanks. (I went to the bathroom and found Vannie crying)
"I can't take this! She's 16!", she cried.
- Just like your mother, right? (She nodded. I know her story. Her mom died from cancer when she was 16. Vannie wasn't even 1 year old. I hugged her)
"Thanks", she said. "Let's go back" we went.
- Matt? Where's everybody?
"They're in Isabella's room"
- Vannie? Are you ready?
"Yep", she said. "Let's go" We got into Isabella's room. There are tubes all over the place. Vannie gasped and ran out of the room. Liz was hugging Bella.
"Hey, twin-sis..." Isabella smiled.
"Hey...", she said.

Gordo's Pov:
"Hey...", Isabella said.
- Baby, I'll go outside. (Lizzie nodded, I left)
"They let us take her home", Mrs. McGuire said.
- Is she that bad?
"They don't know if she has a week left", she said.
- We have to make this the best week of her life. I'll be right back (I left)

Lizzie's Pov:
"We have to make this the best week of her life. I'll be right back", Gordo said and he left.
- Mom? A week? (She looked at me) ... (I ran to the bathroom, Kiki followed me)
"Liz?"
- I can't lose her! She's my twin-sis! (Kiki hugged me) I should've tell somebody, but she didn't want to!
"You didn't know how bad it was!"
- I'm so stupid! I should've told!
"You're in a shock! Stop it!" Katie came in and hugged me.
"Brookie, stop it", she said. "You have to be strong for her"
- I can't, Katie! She's dying! (Vannie came in and hugged me too. I start to calm down) I-I'll go see her. (I leave)

No one's Pov:
"I-I'll go see her", Lizzie said and left.
"We have to keep close", Kate said. "For Liz. She needs us. None of us know how it is to loose your twin sister"
"She... freaked me out", Kirsten said, shaking. Savanna hugged her.
"Kate's right", she said. "We are the babes. We need to stay close, no matter what"

End of chapter 7.

AN: Two more chapters to go! But, as I said before, last chapter is shorter.
AN2: I'll start with the sequel when I have some of the chapters in my computer.
AN3: Wow! This is probably going to be one of the last AN's!!!