Author's Note: My apologies! Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me! PLEASE! I have been SUPER busy lately what with the whole retake of the exam thing and then me getting a job and then school starting. I was just all over the place. Sorry! But this I will finish, so don't worry. I'm going to take it one step at a time. But I will finish it! I will, you'll see. I'll finish all my fics. Promise.

Jess a.k.a. RedGem270

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Part 17: A Few Words

He had not slept much the night before. How could he have slept with what Becca had told him and the thought of the reunion and everything else plaguing his every waking moment?

"It doesn't matter. She-"

"Loves you too," Becca had said, cutting him off. She kicked the leg of the toppled night stand. "She just. . .won't admit it to herself. That was why she went away with Nick after thinking that you and Libby were seeing each other behind her back."

He had been impressed with her theory with the mixed up conversations and tuba thing. He had to say it was plausible, but it was just a theory.

When Libby had come in and asked her to re-tell her theory, Jimmy had left. Of course, they had asked him to come back, but he didn't. He didn't want to hear anymore of that. He just couldn't bring himself to believe any of it, was the problem to be honest. He knew Becca wouldn't lie. Especially, about something as sensitive and complicated as Cindy and his relationship to her, but he just couldn't believe it was that easy. Maybe he was just being an idiot, but what else could he do!

He was thankful when the sun finally rose. It's soft morning glow, peeked through the thin cloth of his curtains. He sat up, not caring that it was too early. He tossed his covers aside, engulfing Goddard entirely with the covers. The mechanical dog whimpered from underneath the blanket and then he wiggled himself out, sitting himself down as he wagged his tail, looking up and watching Jimmy as he moved to his drawer. He put on a t-shirt and walked down the stairs. Goddard followed close behind him and together they went into the kitchen.

When Jimmy opened the kitchen door, his mother was sitting at the table as if waiting for him. She looked up when he entered.

"Reunion's today, huh?" She asked. She smiled sweetly as only a mother could. "I knew you'd be awake, so I came down stairs to greet you."

Jimmy moved into the kitchen, his eyes shifted away from his mother as he continued to the refrigerator. He opened the fridge door and pulled out the carton of milk. "You didn't come down here to wait just so you could greet me," he said, opening the milk carton.

"Sure, I did!"

"No, he began, "you didn't." He turned to her taking a long sip of the milk straight from the carton. His mother hated when he did it, though she didn't say a word about it when as she watched him.

She looked down. "I just wanted to talk," she said finally. "About everything."

He scoffed, ready to put the carton back in the fridge. His mother stopped him before he could and motioned him to sit. He closed the refrigerator door and sat down at the table.

"Tell me what's happened," she said. "I know something has and I want to know."

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Cindy sat by her window for the remainder of the night. She hadn't slept a wink. She had thought about Jimmy all night.

Did I make it easy? came Libby's voice again. To finally admit to yourself your feelings for Jimmy? She had constantly heard the line over and over and over again, but she was not tired of hearing it. She couldn't believe how long it had taken her to see what she had been feeling for years. She had thought she wanted one thing, but in reality she wanted something completely different. Or rather, she had come to want something completely different.

She sighed. She wanted Jimmy and she was so ready to finally admit it to herself and to him.

She had watched Jimmy's window from a safe seat by her own window. She felt a little like a stalker, but she couldn't help herself. She saw Jimmy when morning finally dawned upon them. She watched him toss his covers aside and walk to his dresser. She continued to watch still as he picked out a shirt and put it over his head and pull it down to cover himself. She had even imagined she woke up beside him, feeling him get up. She envisioned herself picking out a shirt for him and pulling it over his head with a warm smile on her face. As she pulled his shirt over his chest to meet his boxers, she imagined him watching her, a smile on his own lips.

A sweet ache rushed through her heart. She pulled away from her window and sat herself on her bed. She wished she still had her own dog. She needed something to snuggle against, but the dog had long since passed. With a sigh she had settled for a near-by teddy bear. She held it tightly in her arms.

"Jimmy," she whispered, a tear escaping her. "I'm so sorry. Forgive me. Please, forgive me."

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"I'll help you pack."

"It's all done."

Becca looked stunned. "Oh," she said, sorrowfully. "I see."

Jimmy eyed her from the corner of his eye as he moved his bags in one corner of his room.

"Do you want to leave that bad?" she asked, twiddling her fingers.

Jimmy didn't reply and Becca could feel the lump in her throat rise. I won't cry, she told herself. I won't! She shut her eyes tight, forcing her tears back as she swallowed hard. "Well, I'll be-"

Before she could turn around, Jimmy took her shoulders into his hands and pulled her into a tight embrace. He placed a hand on her head and gently pushed it down to rest on his shoulder. "Don't think for a second that I'm quick to leave you," he said.

"But you still want to leave," she said, no longer able to hold her tears back.

She could feel him tense and to ease it he held her closer. "To be honest," he began and sighed. "I do."

She buried her head into his shoulder.

"But not because of you!" he said quickly. He pulled her away, holding her arms. "I love you." He held her again and she wrapped her arms around him. He sighed again. "I just can't stay any longer."

She thought once things were all figured out, everything would be good again. "I understand," she said even though she didn't.

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"So, Jimbo," Hugh began as he tossed the last of Jimmy's bags in the trunk of the car.

"So," Jimmy replied.

They stayed silent for a moment until Judy spoke.

"We'll be here waiting for you," she said.

Jimmy nodded as he moved to the driver's side of the car. He opened the door. "I'll leave the party by 6 o'clock, so we have plenty of time for my flight."

Judy nodded.

"See you later, Jimmy," Becca said in a small voice.

"See you later," Jimmy repeated with a smile. He got into the car and pulled out of the drive way, he waved to his family before driving off. They all seemed a little down. He knew they all were. Neither one of them wanted to see him off again, but it wasn't as if he'd never return. . .right?

Right, he said to himself, though somehow it didn't sound very. . .genuine.

He sighed, remembering what his mother had told him in their morning conversation. You don't have to be afraid to let go, you know, she had said. Just make sure you don't let go of us as well.

No, I won't, he said. I won't let you all go when I let go of Cindy. I won't.

His grip tightened around the steering wheel. I won't be like her.

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So this is it, huh?

Sheen stepped through the threshold, entering a place he thought he'd never step foot in after that whole thing that had happened a couple nights back with Jimmy and Libby. He made it sound as if it had happened a long time ago, though it was only a couple days ago. He sighed as he looked around. Everyone looked familiar, few names came to mind, others did not. Faces looked older, some looked the same, almost as if they had barely aged at all.

"Sheen!" someone exclaimed. "Sheen Estevez?"

Sheen turned only to meet a man with shaggy brown hair, approaching, arms wide open. His deep voice sounded familiar and the way his hair covered his eyes looked fairly familiar, too. With a sudden jolt Sheen realized it was Terry, the school bully. He turned away, pretending he hadn't seen him.

Terry laughed as he pounced on Sheen. Sheen let out a yelp. "I'm not gonna hurt ya," Terry replied. "I don't do that anymore. Not after my shrink made me realize I had some issues with my parents and was only beatin' on other kids to make myself feel better."

Sheen didn't look at him in the face. "O-oh, that's nice," he said. He wanted to get away. It was creepy to have Terry acting all "buddy-buddy" with him. Though it was better than having the guy beat him up.

"Yeah, so. . ." he paused for a bit to look around. "Where's Neutron? I wanted to apologize for all those times I bullied him."

Sheen looked away. "I couldn't care any less about him," he whispered, crossing his arms over his chest. He could tell he was being childish, but couldn't help himself! Jimmy had done something so unforgivable that-!

"You two aren't pals anymore?" Terry asked.

Sheen didn't reply.

"It must've been bad."

It was, Sheen replied mentally, his eyes cast away.

"Well," Terry began. "I have a lot of people to apologize to, so I'm going. I'll see you around." He waved and was finally off.

Only five years and already he's changed so much? Sheen thought. Yeah, right.

"Carl!"

Sheen stopped, dead in his tracks. He knew that sweet voice. He had grown to love it more and more over the long years. He turned, knowing exactly who he'd see.

"It's so great to see you here!" Carl replied as he neared her with open arms. "I didn't think you'd come."

Libby hugged him. "I didn't think I would either," she agreed, pulling away from him. "How long have you been here?"

"Oh, I got here only about a minute ago, to be honest," he answered.

Sheen watched as they conversed, wishing he were a part of it, but he knew he couldn't be. He turned away and began to walk in the other direction.

"Sheen!"

He paused when he heard Carl's voice, but then he suppressed his tension and continued to walk away from them.

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"Hello!"

"Hello!" replied the crowd. A thunderous laugh exploded from the entire crowd. Their smiling faces and infectious laughter was more than enough for Libby. She smiled from ear to ear.

"And welcome!" she announced, her arms out stretched at her sides. "I'm. . .well, you should all remember me. We were only going to school with each other five years ago."

The audience laughed.

"I love you, Libby!" someone shouted from the audience. More laughter erupted and Libby couldn't help but laugh along with them. She was honestly feeling a lot better now. Standing here in front of those she grew up with, feeling comfortable talking to them from stage, the lights shining bright on her, made her feel at ease. She suddenly felt as if she were at one of her concerts.

"I love you too!" she called.

"Woo hoo!"

And then there was more laughter.

When she was finally able to look up out into the audience again, she took a deep breath and continued. "Well, pushing that aside," she began, "for now." She winked and the crowd laughed and she returned their laughter with an award-winning smile. "I am, as you all know by now, your hostess for the evening. I didn't even think High School Reunions had hostesses. Or hosts, for that matter. But I'm glad that Betty called me up and asked me, even at the last minute, that she'd like me to be the hostess. I was a little unsure at first, but now I'm so happy I decided to take her up on her offer. I enjoy it up here."

"And we enjoy you up there!" someone called.

Laughter exploded again.

"Oh, you guys," Libby replied, playing along, flicking her hand at them to playfully dismiss them. They laughed again. "Well," she began again. "We've all, I'm sure, succeeded in something. All of us took the time and effort to make a new life and really make something of ourselves. I know a lot of us are still in school finishing up our last few years before we can become lawyers, doctors, whatever. Some of us, have already become what we've wanted to. And did you know that we have more famous people in our class than all the other classes ever did?"

The crowd cheered and Libby nodded. "Jimmy Neutron, Carl Wheezer, Cindy Vortex, and. . ." Her heart beat suddenly increased at the thought of the next person. " . . .Sheen Estevez are only a few to name." Her eyes caught a glimpse of Sheen standing in the back. She looked away before she could really see him. "Uh, we've all. . .we've all been successful in our own way and I'm proud of everyone in our graduating class."

She looked up again just as everyone clapped and hooted, in time to see Sheen standing in the same spot, his hands at his sides, and his back against the wall. He wasn't clapping at all and that alone was able to make her feel as if her heart was lying on pins.

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The reunion raged on. People danced and talked and laughed. It was nice to see others so joyous, Jimmy simply wished he could experience it, too.

Why did I even bother? he thought. With a sigh he turned away from the laughing bunch who stood only a few feet away from him. He had yet to see Cindy or Libby. Or even Sheen. Carl he had seen, but Carl had not seen him.

He made his way to the door. I'll just come home earlier than I originally planned, he said. He let his head fall and he watched as his feet moved him toward the door. Maybe I should say good bye. To Carl at least, he added. His mind was too engrossed in thought for him to see the woman who was just as deep in thought heading in his direction. Without warning, they smacked into each other.

"I'm sorry," they said in unison. Their voices alone made them stop and look up.

"Jimmy. . ." Cindy shifted in her spot. She opened her mouth to say something more, but nothing came out. He looked away, but she continued to stare at him unable to think of something to say. "I-"

"Hey, guys!" Libby called out. "At this time, the valedictorian usually says a few words, but I'm not sure I see him here." She scanned the crowd. "Jimmy, if you're here, come up on stage and say a few words." Jimmy was never so happy to actually give a speech. He didn't even look at Cindy after Libby called to him. He just walked away.

People cheered when they realized their valedictorian was on his way toward the stage.

Libby smiled when Jimmy finally came up on stage. She hugged him tight and pulled away only to smile again. He smiled back at her, unsure, uneasy.

He then turned to the crowd and forced a smile on his face. "I really don't have much to say," he said. "Except. . .I wasn't expecting this reunion to be this way."

People's cheers and chanting began to dull as he continued.

He looked down, his eyes cast away from his peers. "I thought it'd be. . ." he paused when he looked up. He couldn't talk about how horrible this was for him. It would bring their happy mood down and who was he to take that from them. This was meant as a time of peace and remembrance. It was nostalgic and. . .warm, tranquil. He sighed. ". . .different," he confessed. "But this is. . .nice. Coming back to see all of you. Being able to laugh at old jokes and meet up again. . ." he shook his head. "I wouldn't change things for the world right now." It was a lie. A flat out lie, but he wasn't about to dump his feelings on them. He wasn't going to take their happiness away from them.

He smiled. "So. . .just have fun. Continue on with what you've all been doing and I'll be enjoying your company for the rest of the time being."

People clapped and cheered as he moved away from the podium on stage. Libby walked to him and held him tightly. "Don't be quick to leave," she whispered.

He knew what she meant, but said nothing. She took her place at the podium again. "Jimmy won't be here for much longer, unfortunately," she announced, a frown on her face. But she soon smiled as she looked at him. "He'll be going to Boston to win his Nobel Prize."

The crowd fell into a stunned silence and then suddenly the room was bursting with joy and happiness and energy as the crowed whooped and cheered, clapped and howled. Jimmy blushed with the spot light, literally, on him. He made his way off the stage and attempted to hide himself among the shadows when the light returned to the stage. The reunion continued. This time, those who had not previously heard the news, congratulated him.

After the excitement of the news began to wear off, Jimmy decided it was best to be on his way. It's still early, he thought. But better off now than later. He didn't want to be there anymore. He just couldn't pretend anymore.

He made his way to the door, but before he could step through the threshold, Cindy stepped in front of him. He took a step back, stunned to see her there so suddenly.

"Please," she said, her eyes looking as though they'd tear up at any second. "Can we talk?"

Jimmy looked away and made his way around her, making it clear to her what his answer was: no.

She followed him out, reluctant to let him go. "I really want to talk to you," she said, but he continued to ignore her. What could she possibly have to say to me? He thought. Stop and let her talk if you want to know so bad, he answered himself, which angered him.

Sensing his anger, Cindy fell back a little, giving him some space but still keeping up with him at the same time.

"I really need to say something before you go," she said, her voice taking a much softer tone.

The softness of her voice made Jimmy's heart jump, but he continued to his car.

"Jimmy, please," she begged, taking his arm just as he reached for his car door. He pulled away from her so quickly as he turned to her that it had frightened Cindy.

Her eyes shifted away from his face as he looked at her. "What?" he said, his voice demanding and firm.

"I. . .I wanted to apologize."

There was no response from Jimmy. Cindy waited nervously for any sort of reply, but got none. It had grown too quiet and her nervousness would not subside. It soon paved the way to paranoia and she looked up, afraid that he had gone away while she was waiting. But he was there, standing by his car, looking at her with uncertainty.

"What are you trying to pull?" he asked, backing away.

She shook her head. "Nothing!" she shouted.

Jimmy looked at her and then over her shoulder. His eyes narrowed. "Did Libby put you up to this?"

Libby? Cindy thought and turned. Libby stood beside Carl at the reunion entrance, Sheen stood a foot or two behind them, silently watching along with them.

She turned to Jimmy again. "No," she said. "I seriously mean it. I want to apologize for-"

Jimmy chuckled as he placed a hand over his eyes. "I'm really not in the mood for your games, Vortex," he said. "Nor do I have the time, so if you don't mind. . ."

Jimmy opened his door, ready to take his seat at the wheel as Cindy's heart beat at a hundred miles per second. He was leaving her there. She wasn't ready to part yet. Not at all. She had just admitted her feelings to herself and she wouldn't be able to have things not work, so she'd make it right. This was her time. This was her chance! Possibly her only chance.

She took his arm as her tears began to brim. "No," she said softly, trying hard to swallow back the lump in her throat. "I. . ." She couldn't say the words. She couldn't say them! Her chest tightened and the lump in her throat grew, making it harder to speak.

Jimmy shook his head and pulled away again. This time he was more gentle. "Listen," he began. "I don't care what you say. Or what you do. You can continue to put on this act, but it won't make a difference, Vortex. I know what you did then and I know what you're doing now. I won't forgive you because you're only looking to make yourself feel better and I don't think you deserve it."

Cindy was stunned to silence. He tears fell as her mouth opened slightly.

Jimmy shook his head again and opened the passenger's seat. He reached for a book. The book she had seen in Ben's hands just the other night!

Her eyes grew with shock. Jimmy then turned to her and handed her back her journal. "This belongs to you."

She took it, unable to say a word. She looked at him again, but he turned away from her and finally took his seat behind the wheel.

He turned the car on and pulled out of his parking spot. As he pulled out, he waved to his friends at the door.

"Maybe we'll see each other again at the next reunion," he said, though Cindy wasn't sure if he was talking to her. "And then again maybe not." With that he pulled away and drove off down the road.

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Sheen watched as Libby held Cindy in her arms, rocking her back and forth as she stood on her knees in the parking lot, while Cindy cried as if she had just lost a loved one.

Or the love of her life. . .

What the hell just happened?

He had not been aware that Libby and Cindy had made up. He had not been aware of the fact that Cindy was trying to get back with Jimmy. He wasn't aware of a thing. And he hated it!

Carl stood over them, tears in his eyes, trying hard to keep his tears from falling. "It's okay," he said. "It'll all turn out right."

But it didn't seem that way.

Don't you see that it doesn't seems that way!

"Everything will be alright."

No, it won't! It's over. It's all over

"Just breathe, Cindy, just breathe," Libby encouraged, her own voice shaky with emotion and her own eyes wet with tears. "Just breathe."

She can't breathe! She just can't!

"J-Jimmy," Cindy said. "He's. . .he's. . ."

"Shh," Libby encouraged, unable to keep her voice from shaking.

"He's gone."

"No," Carl said.

Cindy nodded.

"No!"

Things seemed to stop as everyone turned to Sheen.

"You have time!" he shouted. Somehow, he was angry. He didn't know why, but he was feeling so many emotions at once that it pissed him off. Things were like crap for those two and now it could be better and yet, things weren't and no one was trying. "Look. I don't know what happened here, but if you're going to get him back, do it now, while you still have the time! Jimmy is on his way home. From there he'll be going to the airport. Libby knows his flight number and time. She can take you. You can still make it in time to see him off and tell him whatever it was that you wanted to say! Don't sit here, wasting valuable time!"

Silence embraced them all. Cindy's tears had completely subsided.

"Sheen, I-"

He shook his head. "Just get up," he said, his voice softer now as he held out his hand. Cindy took it and he helped her out. He couldn't understand why he was suddenly so willing to help her, but he was. Something, oddly enough, told him it was okay. Things were finally okay. If Libby was able to forgive her and stand by her at her time of need, especially with everything that had happened between them, than things had to have been cleared. For the most part, anyway.

He smiled and wiped away her tears. "Come on," he said. "We have a flight to catch."