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. :)

-

Maybe surrounded by a million people
I still feel all alone, just want to go home
Oh I miss you, you know
-"Home"

A voice, sharp and condescending, broke through her thoughts. 'Ms Sanchez, are you with us?'

Miranda looked up, frowning slightly. 'I'm listening.'

Chantelle Casper was glaring at her. 'Then maybe you can tell us your thoughts about the Delacroix account?'

Miranda looked around at the other people around the table, mortified to find six pairs of eyes looking expectantly at her. She tried hard to keep her cheeks from turning pink. She wondered if she could bluff her way through the question, but decided against it. What was the use?

Instead, she shook her head. 'Sorry, Chantelle, but we both know that what I think doesn't matter anyway. You either go with your decision, or you pass my assessments on as your own. Mr Logan, if you'll please excuse me.'

Miranda pushed her chair back and strode purposefully out of the conference room.

-

'Miranda?'

With a sigh, she turned to face the owner of the company. 'Hey, Mike.'

Michael Logan had personally offered her the fabulous position at MLA, and throughout the fifteen months she had worked for him, they had developed a friendship. It was a major source of jealousy for Chantelle Casper, who clearly believed that Miranda had slept her way to the corner office. The one right beside Michael's, and the one she desperately wanted.

'Something I miss?' Michael asked, raising an eyebrow as he realised what she was doing.

Miranda shrugged, turning back to continue packing her personal belongings into a box. 'I'm sorry about what just happened, Mike.'

'I'm not concerned about that. I am deeply concerned about what is happening right here though.'

'I'm leaving.'

'Just like that? You stand up in the middle of the meeting and decide that you don't want to work for me anymore, and that's it?' Michael sounded frustrated. 'Do I even get half an explanation?'

Miranda knew that it was the least she owed him, and she stopped. She turned to look at him once again. 'I love this job, Mike, and I appreciate everything that you've done for me. Much more than you can imagine, but…' She trailed off, unsure of why exactly she was leaving it all behind. This was a dream job come true.

'But?' Michael prompted.

'I have to back to California. To Hillridge.' Miranda leaned back against the desk, her hands coming up to rest over her heart. 'There's something in me that's screaming to go back home. And if it means giving all this up…' She shook her head sadly. 'We make choices, Mike, and they may not always be what we want, but what we know is right. And deep down, I know that this is the right choice for me. I'm sorry.'

Michael just gazed at her for a moment, biting his lower lip in thoughtful concentration. Then, he shook his head. 'I fought tooth and nail to get you this job, Miranda. They thought you were far too inexperienced and certainly far too young, but I told them those were the exact qualities that we needed. Because you still had idealistic views and had yet to grow cynical of this business. I'm not happy about this, but I know that I can't force you to stay.'

Though sickened at the prospect of disappointing her boss, and her good friend, it was far outweighed by her need to be back home. Miranda breathed out. 'I'm so very sorry, Mike. I wish there was another way…'

'If you ever decide to come back you know you'll always be welcomed with open arms. You've done a hell of a job for us, Miranda Sanchez.'

For the first time in a long time, Miranda smiled without effort. 'Thank you for having given me the opportunity, Mike Logan.'

-

'Home is where the heart is, huh, Miranda?'

'Connor-'

'I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen, for your bestfriend to fall in love with you, but-' He broke off in frustration. 'Damnit, Miranda, I thought we had something!'

'We did-'

'Then why are you leaving?'

'I…' She trailed off. 'I'm sorry, Connor. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you.'

'Then stay.'

'I can't, I'm sorry-'

'Stop saying that you're sorry when you're not!'

She bit her lower lip, realising that anything she says would only cause him more pain. She felt sick with guilt and remorse. He had a right to be furious. For a time, the room was filled with volatile silence.

'Do you love him?' His voice was soft, almost inaudible.

'I don't know,' she answered honestly.

'You don't know?' he repeated with disbelief, his anger returning. 'You're leaving behind something that's real for an "I don't know"? A whimsical fantasy?'

She stopped herself from biting back, and took a deep breath to calm herself. She knew that this was never going to be easy. 'All I know is that I have to get home.' And that I miss him so much, it hurts.

She didn't voice the last part.

He swore, his hands clenching into fists. 'Then go. Get the hell away from me.'

-

Lizzie stopped the car in front of the Gordon's house, but didn't turn off the engine. Though it was dusk, the house remained dark.

'Are you sure he's home?' Miranda asked uncertainly.

'Gordo's been spending a lot of time back in Hillridge ever since he got back,' Lizzie said. 'And he doesn't leave the house often.'

'But wouldn't Mr or Mrs Gordon turn the lights on?'

'They're away for the week.'

Vague recollections about some kind of psychologist's convention in New York. 'Oh.' Miranda looked at her Lizzie, her bestfriend's features barely discernible under the street lights. 'I'm so confused, Lizzie. All of this? It seems so…wrong, not right.'

'He loves you, Miranda,' Lizzie said kindly.

'I know, and I can't stop thinking about it! About what could happen between us if I-'

'If you felt the same for him?'

It still felt fairly strange talking about the situation with Lizzie, but there was no one else she could confide in. Or who would understand. Miranda sighed. 'I'm not even sure how I feel about what he said to me, much less about how I feel about him.'

'But you're here,' Lizzie said. 'You gave up your job to be here. You gave up Connor to be here. Not just for a visit, Miranda, but for good. You came home.'

She turned to look at the unlit house, the shape visible only due to the lights from the house on each side. 'Thanks for picking me up from the airport, Lizzie.'

'Anytime,' her bestfriend replied. 'Now go, get out of here. I'll drop off your stuff at her your parents' house.'

Miranda turned back, reaching out to gently squeeze her bestfriend's arm before opening the passenger door and getting out of the car.

-

Gordo flinched at the sudden brightness. He hadn't meant to sleep the afternoon away, but it happened. Just like he hadn't meant to fall in love with his bestfriend. But that happened too.

Again, there was knocking again on the front door. The first one had woken him from his dream-filled slumber.

'Okay, okay, I'm coming!' he called out irritably. There were times when Lizzie's unrelentingly upbeat encouragements exasperated him. Why couldn't she just let him wallow in his own self-pity?

Gordo turned on the porch lights before opening the door. Still bleary from sleep, he didn't even bother looking at his bestfriend. He turned and started walking back inside. 'I hope Danny's not feeling too neglected,' he threw over his shoulder, not really caring if he sounded too mocking.

'Gordo?' A voice he could never mistake for anyone else's.

He froze, his whole body suddenly very much awake. He turned slowly to face her, half afraid that he was still asleep and that this was nothing but a dream.

But she stood before him. Miranda. His Mir.

She smiled. 'Hey. I missed you.'

end part five.

-

Author's notes: Once again, thank you for the reviews. As always, they are very much appreciated. Also, I should apologise for taking so long with this chapter. Offline life is absolutely crazy hectic, especially uni. However, as I've mentioned in previous fandoms, I'm not a fan of unfinished stories. And since I've started posting this story I will do whatever I can to finish it. It just may take me a little while, so please bear with me. :)