OK, this is the last chapter. The story's turned out way shorter than I planned, but I think it's run it's course ...

Chapter 8 - Friends Forever and So Much More

Piper pulled back, her face mingled with shock and delight. She couldn't believe it, she couldn't believe what was happening.

"I ... I'm not dreaming, right?" She mumbled, and Leo grinned at her, looking bemused himself.

"I don't think so. Here." He pinched her arm hard, which not only assured her she was very much awake, but also that they were still the best of friends. She hit him playfully over the head in retaliation.

"Ow!"

"Yep, you're awake too." She said brightly.

"Gee, thanks." He muttered, rubbing his head.

"You're welcome." She said lightly. She glanced around them - the rain was coming down harder than ever, and if she wasn't so numbed by the cold, and the kiss, then she'd probably be hurt by the sharp drops. She found that far from wanting to run inside, as was her usual reaction to rain, she wanted to stay out here forever, with Leo, away from the rest of the world and it's problems.

"Aren't you cold?" He asked her, touching her face with his own icy fingers.

"No. I'm just great." She smiled. Who knows? Maybe the rain isn't so bad after all?

"What?" He asked her. "What are you thinking?"

"Just that ... the rain isn't so bad." She said.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Let's stay here forever, Leo." She whispered. Maybe the pain killers she had taken were making her crazy. Or maybe she was crazy on Leo, high on his love?

"Here? Forever? In a hospital?" He said, raising his left eyebrow.

"We're not really in a hospital." She stated. "We're ... Free." She barely spoke the last word, and while he was still figuring out what she'd said, she'd broke away from him, and was almost spinning across the grass.

"What are you doing?" He laughed.

"I'm free." She murmured, spinning faster and faster and faster, until she lost her balance, fell backwards through the air. She braced herself for the pain that would come when she hit the ground - but it never came.

Instead, she fall into Leo's arms, looking up into his face.

"Are you OK?" He asked her, slowly raising her back to his feet. She knew he was dying to laugh, but he somehow managed to keep his face straight.

"Do you think they've but me on too many drugs?" She joked softly.

"I think they might have done." He replied.

"Ah well." She murmured. "I'll enjoy it while I can."

And he kissed her again, more heated and desperate than before, but just as amazing. Just as loving.

Score 2 for Good Things in the Rain.

"Piper!" A voice shrieked, bringing the two of them out of the embrace. Carol, her nurse, looking like an angry dragon, was striding towards them. "Look at you! You're soaking! You said you wanted to go outside, not drown in the rain! And you!" She said, looking at Leo. "Can't you see how wet she is!" Both teens cringed and followed Carol back inside, trying to ignore the interested looks of the other patients as they dripped all over the floor.

It was a whole hour before Carol left them alone again, Piper in clean, dry clothes, Leo's still wet. Carol seemed to hold him personally responsible for Piper being out in the rain, and had been shooting him looks that clearly told him so.

Once the two of them had stopped laughing, Leo took her hand and looked at her seriously.

"Me and you." He said. "We - I want us to really make a go at this."

"Me too." She said, looking at their hands, fitted together perfectly.

"But -" He continued, causing her to look up in horror.

"But? There's a but?" She blurted.

"Shh, it's a good one." He joked. "I was just going to say that before we start anything, anything at all, I want you to promise that well always be friends, no matter what happens."

"I promise." She smiled. "Friends forever. And so much more."

----

"Why are people staring?" Piper muttered nervously, almost a month later. Out of hospital and fully healed, today was Piper first day back at (dun dun dun) school. She'd just walked through the front door, Leo - who knew how worried she had been - clutching her hand for support, her sisters and Andy right behind her. And the second they'd stepped inside the building, everyone had turned to look.

"You've been gone a whole month." Leo hissed in her ear. "And everyone heard about the accident, and they're happy you're OK -"

"Yeah, like anyone cares." Piper muttered. It was more likely they were staring at her because of Leo.

But strangely, she didn't care. So what if they were staring at her - over the last few days, she'd realised how many friends she did actually have, more than she dared admit to herself, plus she had Leo. It didn't matter if people didn't like her, or thought she was weird, or though she was a geek. She was who she was, and she wasn't going to change, so it didn't matter how many funny looks she got.

Leo smiled faintly as he watched her walking by his side. She had her head held high, she looked happy, confident, and beautiful. He knew they'd be together forever, soul mates, best friends, two halves of a whole.

Friends forever and so much more.

So there it is and I hope you're all happy with it. There might be a sequel someday, but there might not. And thanks for all the feedback on this, it made me very happy!