Title: Downfall
Type: 7th Heaven Fan Fiction
Rating: PG-13 (Sex, Alcohol, possible drug content)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters of 7th Heaven. I do own all my original characters and this story, though. Don't take.
Summary: Tragedy strikes Lucy and Kevin, who then must decide what to do with their lives.

Notes: Sorry it took so long. This is the final chapter, so please review and tell me what you thought of the story!

Downfall

Chapter Twenty: The Rose

She entered the cab in tears. The cab driver, an older man of around fifty, drove her to the nearest airport. She paid and waited for hours until the next flight to Glen Oak. The flight was horrible. She sat beside a man with long nose hair that threw up at least three times. The food was bad; the ride was bumpy. She held her tears, but knew that when she arrived home, they'd be all her family would see. The overdue welcome to a long absence would be reduced to crying and hoping and counseling.

In Glen Oak, she used a pay phone to call Annie Camden, her mother. In tears, she explained that she needed to be picked up. She said she'd explain everything once she got home.

Annie picked her up at the airport. She was immediately concerned for her daughter, who couldn't stop bawling the whole way home. Lucy explained about Amelia and Kevin, the tattoo, her night with Nichol, the ice storm, Ruthie's visit, Jake, everything. Annie offered her daughter comfort, but knew there was nothing she could do. Ruthie was immediately sent to the doctor. Her health was fine, but her heart was nearly as battered as Lucy's.

Lucy and Ruthie didn't talk anymore. They slept in the same room again, but Ruthie didn't feel she could relate to her sister anymore. All they had in common was that they secretly cried at night when no one could hear them. Ruthie had become distant at school. She was secretly afraid of all men between twenty-five and thirty.

Lucy didn't eat very much anymore. Thoughts of Kevin, Nichol, Amelia, and Jake plagued her mind almost constantly. After the first three weeks back home, she'd lost nearly ten pounds. She didn't work. She barely even came out of her room. The Camden's worried, but said absolutely nothing. They knew nothing would help. She'd learn to self soothe. She'd learn to love again, they hoped.

Her whole life was dedicated to waiting for the call from Kevin to let her know that the bomb had been dropped. That the divorce was finally underway. Lucy was afraid of getting divorced. She was upset that she'd technically committed adultery. She was angry at herself for teaching abstinence to teenagers, but winding up in a mess such as this one.

It had been a month and a half, but the call still hadn't come. No one had heard from Kevin. Everyone assumed that he was staying with his family, or somewhere near them. Lucy figured he needed more time. Honestly, though, she'd had enough time alone. She wanted someone to talk to. She missed Kevin. She missed Nichol. She missed their little house, even though living there was never the most pleasant thing in the world.

About two months after arriving home, Lucy left her room for a drink of water. She entered the kitchen to find Annie sorting through the mail. Annie handed Lucy a letter.

"It has no return address," Annie informed her, "But it's sent to you." Lucy glanced at the letter, then at her mother.

"Thanks," Lucy replied. She tried to smile, but it was as if she couldn't. Depression was such a tiny little word.

"No problem," Annie told her. She patted Lucy's shoulder, then proceeded to walk upstairs, giving Lucy some privacy.

Lucy Camden

527 Alta Rd.

Glen Oak, California 91888

Lucy noticed that the letter was addressed to "Lucy Camden" instead of "Lucy Camden-Kinkirk". A ray of hope shot through her. She tore open the envelope and unfolded the letter, which contained a single, preserved, white rose. Her heart leaped when she remembered.

"What's with the rose?" She had asked, pointing to the white rose she'd noticed. He'd smiled and twirled it in his hand, then handed it to her. She'd looked at it for a second, then handed it back.

"Isn't it pretty?" He'd asked, "I'd never seen a more perfect rose and I thought if one's that perfect existed, why couldn't I have it?" His fingers closed around the rose as he continued to play with it.

"It really is perfect," She'd agreed.

Lucy's fingers twirled around the rose. She sat at the table, dumbfounded, as she read the letter to herself. The words spilled onto a short, but sweet letter that almost smelled as beautiful as the hand that wrote it.

Dear Lucy,

Another nice gesture.

I miss you so much, but we said start a new life, right? I'm currently in Vegas. Sin City, eh? It's kind of awesome, but I've lost a lot of money that I don't have. I met a hooker and took her to my motel, but chickened out at the last minute. She found me curled into a ball in my bathroom, bawling like a baby. Real manly. I'm sure you care.

When I leave Vegas, I'm coming back to CA. Not Glen Oak, though. Maybe Sacramento or Los Angeles. Bigger cities more people that I don't have to meet. You know how it is. It's hard to get attached to people when the population is enormous. I don't know if that made sense, but it works.

No return address, sorry. I'm the one that gets to contact you. I'm cruel and unusual. I hope you miss me. Is that wrong to hope for? I don't want to be the bad guy.

I'll send you another letter soon. I'd like to keep tabs.

Love always,

Mr. Smith

Lucy smiled to herself as she clutched the rose. It wasn't much, but it was sweet. She loved his sincerity, his sense of humor, and the fact that he was always honest with her. Maybe he was the love of her life. But she'll never know.

The End