Title: It's Time
Rating: G
Summary: Life isn't measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away.
Type of fic: Story
Disclaimer: Miranda, Gordo, and all Lizzie McGuire related stuff belongs to Disney and…whoever else has rights to them.
Author's notes: I was listening to Michael Buble's It's Time, and I've always wanted to try writing a story based around an album, and straight away I knew this was the album. And that it was to be Miranda/Gordo. As for the summary, I was going to go with "Gordo falls in love, but is it too late?" – but it seemed too trite. Instead, I went with the quote. :)

-

Every moment's a day
Every day seems a lifetime
Let me show you the way
To a joy beyond compare
-"Quando, Quando, Quando"

Gordo closed the front door, and called out. 'Mom! Dad! I'm home!'

His mother's head popped around the corner, from the living room. 'Oh, David! I thought you weren't getting in until late?'

'Early flight.' He frowned, noticing that she seemed dressed and ready to go out. 'You're going somewhere?'

'Yes, Maria and Thomas are having us over for dinner,' she explained. 'You should come along. And don't worry, Steph won't be there to bother you.'

The thought of seeing Miranda's parents instantly filled his mind with images of Miranda. Or rather, more images of Miranda. He found it impossible to get his bestfriend out of his head. Gordo hesitated, unsure if he could manage a night with constant reminders of Miranda. But then shrugged. Why not? His whole life was filled with memories of Miranda.

'Hey, I'm not bothered,' he replied with a forced grin. Stephanie, Miranda's thirteen year old sister, apparently had a crush on him. 'Give me a couple of minutes to get freshened up, okay?'

-

Gordo studied the pictures that were scattered all over the living room. The Sanchez's clearly adored their two children, with the pictures ranging from when they were born to just as recently as Lizzie's wedding.

As he passed the dining room, Gordo peeked in at the four older adults. They were all laughing about something, clearly enjoying themselves. His parents and Miranda's parents had always gotten along well. The four of them would be great in-laws…

That would mean he and Miranda would have to get married.

Gordo's jaw clenched at the thought, and he looked away. If Miranda were here, it would be like one big happy family get-together, wouldn't it? And both sets of parents would be overjoyed at the thought of being grandparents. And his parents dearly loved Miranda, and he knew that Mr and Mrs Sanchez thought highly of him. There would be no objections to the two of them getting together. Well, maybe Stephanie…

Gordo abruptly stopped his thoughts. There was no point in torturing himself with "what ifs".

'David, there you are!' a voice said cheerfully, breaking his concentration.

He looked up, and smiled. 'Mrs Sanchez. Sorry, I was just thinking.'

The older woman looked at something before him. He followed her gaze, not realising he had stopped directly in front of a large photograph of he, Miranda, and Lizzie at their high school graduation. 'Miranda told me that you visited her in London a couple of weeks ago,' she said. 'It's good to see that you three still keep in touch after all these years.'

'It's hard sometimes though,' Gordo admitted. 'And especially with Miranda living so far away.'

'It would be nice if she had a job much closer to us,' Mrs Sanchez agreed. 'But I guess you just have to let your little ones find their own way, and hope that they will at least come home every now and then.'

'She doesn't get much time to visit, huh?'

Mrs Sanchez smiled sadly. 'Not as much as I would like, no.' However, she brightened again. 'But that's for another time. I actually came to get you. It's time for dessert, and I, for one, am looking forward to your mother's unbeatable fudge cheesecake.'

Gordo laughed. 'Thanks, Mrs Sanchez, but I think I filled up with dinner. I had about five servings of paella!'

With a nod, Mrs Sanchez returned to the dining room. Gordo turned to once more look at the photo on the wall. He focused on the left hand side of the image – of he and Miranda with their arms around each other, smiling and happy and seemingly without care.

And that was when he realised – he could not live without Miranda by his side. Not just as his bestfriend, but as something more, something even deeper than lover or wife. And despite Connor, he would fight for her.

Gordo would rather risk losing Miranda's friendship than just give up on what he knows is the best thing that could ever happen to him.

-

Miranda hurried down the front steps of her apartment building, and stopped abruptly. 'Gordo!'

Her bestfriend was standing by the company limo, looking at her. He smiled. 'Hey, Mir.'

She was so startled at seeing him that her afternoon meeting was forgotten for the time being. 'What are you doing here?'

Gordo lifted his shoulders. 'Came to see you.' His eyes turned to look at the limo. 'Is this a bad time?'

Miranda remembered her meeting. 'Shoot, yes! Gordo, I'm sorry, but I'm running late for a meeting. Could you…?' She couldn't ask him to wait out here, in the cold and night.

A frown passed over Gordo's features, but then he smiled. 'Sure, okay. It's fine, I'll-'

'Come with me,' she interrupted. 'I mean, if you don't have anywhere else you have to go, or want to go? You can wait in my office?'

His smile widened. 'I'll wait.'

-

The glass door swung open noiselessly, and Gordo jumped to his feet as Miranda strolled in. She smiled brightly at him. 'Hey.'

Gordo looked down at his watch, surprised that only an hour and a half had passed since he first entered the office. 'You finished early?'

'Fortunately, Chantelle wasn't part of this particular account, which made everything much easier. The client was happy with our offering, the deal was signed, and we were done,' she said, dropping onto the chair behind her desk. 'I just wish every meeting was like this one.' Miranda looked at him. 'So, now, I am all yours. What's going on, Gordo?'

Though he had practiced many different speeches numerous times, he suddenly found that he couldn't remember one word from any of them. He just had to say it. Be straight. Be honest.

'Mir.' Gordo took a deep breath. 'I know this is probably bad timing, that you have Connor now, but I think you have the right to know. And I want you to know.

'Miranda, I love you.'

-

Miranda stared at Gordo, unsure of what exactly he was saying to her. She knew that he loved her. She loved him, too, of course.

But there was something in Gordo's tone, his posture, his eyes, that suggested something even stronger, more intense than the love of a bestfriend.

Miranda could think of no reply, and remained silent.

Gordo continued. 'And I will fight for you.'

It seemed like such an absurd thing to say, a Gordo thing to say, and she laughed. It sounded stilted, unnatural, even to her own ears. 'I'm not a prize, Gordo!'

And he just looked at her, so serious and sincere and open. So Gordo. 'No, you're my world.'

end part four.

-

Author's notes: First of all, thank you for the reviews. They are, as always, very much appreciated. Also, I wanted to plug my Miranda/Gordo FL. So, if you are a fan, please join. It just seems that it's a largely ignored relationship in the Lizzie fandom.