Authoress Note: Originally this piece is a project that I had worked for my English novel study. Upon completion, I looked thoroughly at it and decided that publishing this as my first fanfic might be a good idea. Maybe maybe not. But if you do like it then review or reply, that would be awesome. And if you don't like it, then I'd still like to hear some nice constructive criticism. Ja mata ne.

I don't own the novel and all the fancy crap that we've all heard of a lot from many other fanfics.

Summary:

A revelation of what really happened after the end of the original novel. My summary might be mediocre but this is my first fanfic so please don't be so harsh and read & review.


It Will Never End

My reminiscing had lasted longer than I had expected, the afternoon was beginning to bid farewell upon us all. From a distance the sun could be seen sinking down towards the horizon. The sky has transformed from a gloomy grey canvas to a colorful, cordial image of orange, pink, yellow, and every shade of warm colors could be seen. Amazing isn't it? Nature has its profound ways to overpower the darkness within, be it our surroundings or deep inside us. I felt much better after witnessing daylight's silent last words before the night knocks on our doors. It calms the anxious fire that can even burn the wielder who bears the torch. Strange as it seems one never really appreciates this rare beauty until you have felt real sorrow rob away your radiance and your innocence.

Being defeated in a game of such competitiveness like football or the academic but chaotic realm of Devon pales beside the power of true loss. They are nothing but a trifle, a petty distraction to what matters most, our principles and the growth of the free spirit that every single human being is born to live out. And I know what it feels like to be stricken with such a force, for it has changed me. For the better? Perhaps now or maybe after several years, no one knows, all I can do is try harder and harder.

I turned away from the towering tree filled with so many memories that it would gush out like a geyser if it would be cut down, memories of my former life as a student in Devon and of HIM. It's best not to think too much about it, no sense tampering about an open wound that is waiting, and waiting to be healed. The lampposts guided me through the inky black space that surrounded everything that I had laid my eyes on earlier that day; dusk crept faster than I thought. Being absent minded does have its flaws, one of the worse shortcomings that I still possess today. I quickened my pace to a brisk walk as I had taken my sweet time with my musing, mustn't keep my friend waiting.

Outside the gate there was a man leaning on a car of royal blue parked right beside the street sidewalk leading out onto the main road. I paced myself now to a run, knowing that he must have been waiting longer than anyone would have wanted.

"You're late Gene", the man protested, "I can't keep doing this you know. My son's waiting."

"Sorry Jack, time flew by real quick and I couldn't catch up, really had to visit my school first. You know how important this is to me, don't you?"

Jack sighed; he knew that there's no sense arguing about it any more. He's the only friend I met in the navy that I had the courage to disclose about HIM, and the deepest darkest moments of my life during the summer of 1942. From the moment I met him, shook hands with him, and fought along side with him, I felt that I could trust him because he trusted me too with everything that was his, including his life. Jack is an excellent listener despite his lack of patience to almost anything. During the war, he often half-threatened me to stop being so slow with my work and haul ass or else he would leave me behind locked in, alone in the dark lower hulls while the real action was taking place.

"Boy… am I glad that we're finally out of the navy service last week" Jack said with much zeal behind the wheel going seventy plus miles per hour on a freeway.

"Indeed", I replied, "now we can reap the benefits of serving the navy for more than a decade. Heard that there are still some several rich oldies from the Great War living a life a convenience after being in the military for more than five years, and Brinker reckoned that they never had to look for another job ever." Trying to carry on a normal conversation during his driving was always difficult. Just being inside the moving vehicle drained my energy, as well as trying to keep myself intact without deeply insulting his skills. My attention was more focused on Jack's shocking high speed driving, as if I wasn't aware of what I'm for when I decided to ride with him to his house. "Your driving is still the most deplorable as ever. Can't you… AHHH LOOK OUT!"

The ebony black car that Jack had barely dodged swiftly disappeared from the front and was beginning to lose from our range of sight. But that didn't stop Jack from screaming "Hey get out the bloody way ya stupid student driver! And that goes for the rest of you too!"

I couldn't help but snap back at him for being so vulgar, he was in fact a man of the Navy and one is expected to set a good example to everyone. "JACK COBALT STONE SETTLE DOWN, SLOW DOWN THIS JUNKIE AND CUT THOSE GUYS SOME SLACK!"

"Well they have to learn." Jack retorted with an odd sense of calm in his voice. "Besides, it's a legitimate learning system. What are you afraid of anyway? You're the one who decided to hop on the Jackuar."

There was no answer. I couldn't think of a better way to change the situation because what he said was true. I chose to ride with him in his Jackuar, without it I would have to take long and boring bus ride to his house. The rest of the trip became silent as I slumped on the leather seat waiting earnestly for the destination.

At last we've reached the Stone's residence, just a nice quaint house built to replicate the typical homes during the Victorian times at the outskirts of Boston. It was still unbelievable for me to think that a bold and uptight man could've live in it for seventeen years. My mother died from bronchitis when I was twenty three, and my father from a car crash by a drunkard behind the wheel of an enormous pickup truck during my eighth year of service in the Navy since I turned eighteen. A week after my father's death, with no place to turn to, Jack and his family decided to take care of me like I was their own flesh and blood. Though most of Jack's first impression towards others can give you the wrong idea that he's shallow, rude, brash, and/or someone who lived in the streets as a gangster all his life (maybe it's because he keeps a lead pipe and a baseball bat under the driver's seat which I'm very relieved to find out that he only keeps it to intimidate troublemakers and has never used it against anyone), I know that he has a good heart and he's one of the greatest friends anyone could ask for. Just like HIM. Although it took me while before I could stop being so judgmental towards him, but hey no one said making friends was going to be easy, especially when it leads to a wonderful and lasting friendship.

Jack fumbled for the keys on the front porch and when he found it the door suddenly opened before he could even insert the key into the keyhole. Filled with the familiar faces of family and relatives they welcomed us immediately out of the chilly night and into the bright and warm home of the Stone's and Forrester's.

"How did you know it was us two out in the front porch?" Jack asked, hoping that one his kin would answer back.

His mother Carol said with glee, "Well, it's your son Joshua, he yelled 'ALERT ALERT! JACK AND GENE ARE WITHIN CLOSE PROXIMITY WITH THE FRONT DOOR. I REPEAT. THEY'RE HERE!' he sure has a knack for drawing attention for good intentions."

"C'mon, go and greet yer son, it's his birthday anyway!" Jack's Grandfather George nudged him and pointed towards the big dining room up ahead at the end of the hall.

The party members were complete, every single relative dead and alive were all here to celebrate (Everyone booked this day empty weeks in advance and small picture frames of their deceased beloved ones were never forgotten and were placed on the kitchen high shelf as if to allow their eyes to get a good view of the entire party). After blowing 15 red little candles, everyone had cake and singing, dancing and chit chats were followed. Everyone was having an awesome time.

In the balcony, Jack, Joshua and I were all relaxing on the cool metal chairs, winding down and Joshua broke the silence with one of the most random and quirkiest song parodies.

"Jack and Gene went up the fleet to…"

"Stop that", I said with such automatic reflexes from the moment I heard the song, "I clearly told you last time and a million times not to sing that."

"But its fun" Joshua cracked a smile, "Dad doesn't mind and you get teased so easily and that makes it even funnier. Plus, it's my birthday so I get to sing it tonight."

"Very well, guess you can consider it as my birthday present for you."

"Why thank you Gene, I love it", and so Joshua continued his wide array of song parodies about his dad and his father's best friend.

Couldn't carry a tune, just like HIM, he truly is PHINEAS incarnate. I couldn't believe that something beautiful and surprisingly magical could happen. His striking, adventurous, athletic, and confident disposition shone on his face, and many people think that he is such a lucky child. I still remember the day when Jack first introduced me to his little nine year old boy; he is special indeed, through his actions, thoughts, and even on when his birthday had fallen in.

Joshua was born on the same year and the same day that Phineas himself died, which led me to believe several times that he is good old Finny in a new kid version with a happy and fortunate life, kind of far-fetched, but it's amazing what the human mind can cook up and make you believe in such convictions. Reality or fantasy, I'd like to think that the single ray of light that brought hope, freedom, fun, wisdom, and peace in the midst of the filthy, musty, and superficial house of humankind. He was the one who knew what it truly means to live, in a righteous and a happy way beyond the binding boundaries of the imperfect society that we all are compelled to live with.

As long as we remember this, even if only a handful of us would, this magnificent enigma of life and the genuine pieces that will put everything in the right place will never end. Only then will we live life to the fullest.

Fin.


This is the fixed up version of "It Will Never End". No difference here except for the text formatting for the convenience of you fellow fan fic readers out there.

Would love to hear from you all, both like and critique comments are appreciated.