Ah, yes. The last one. So sad. Kind of.

I have to thank tpfang for reviewing every single chapter, and Mondlering moofoot for being the first to tell me that Maddie/Cody was gaining. And also loving mondler enough to use it as (part of) a penname. As you can probably tell, I love Mondler, too, seeing as how I referenced it twice in this story. Or at least mentioned it. Oh, and for reviewing both my stories. You're awesome. but you already know that, probably.

Disclaimer: Chappie one.

Moseby books a flight for her, even though the bus would have done fine. He books a flight because he's immensely proud of her, and he says so at the gate. Carey is less gracious as the manager, and hugs her tightly, kisses the top of her head, tells her that she's welcome back any time, good luck, take care of herself, keep in touch, don't be afraid to call, except maybe at four in the morning on Saturdays.

Maddie hugs the twins at the same time, "I love you. I'm gonna miss you," she says, unconscious of the fact that she didn't say 'you guys.'

Zack doesn't say anything except when he pulls away, still insisting, "Don't go. Please stay here, Maddie. You don't have to go, you should stay here. You're needed here. I need you here. Please, Maddie? I love you. Please?" His voice cracks at the end, and it's not because of puberty. When she doesn't say anything back, he just walks away and stands by Moseby and his mother.

Cody watches his twin's retreating back before turning to Maddie. "Good luck," he says quietly. "Love you, too," and she lets a watery grin escape.

"You know. You know I'll always love ya," she responds. And then she lets go and walks to the terminal. She doesn't suddenly turn her head like they do in the movies, doesn't shoot one last smoldering look at a certain blond kid who's too young to know that she won't follow the script, she just strides onto the plane without a single backwards glance, and discovers, when she's seated, that there has appeared a Hershey's plain, a Nestlé Crunch, and a 5th Avenue in her bag, and she doesn't have to guess how they got there.

This is an ending. There are several endings to this story, and this is one of them.

This is a story. It's not Romeo and Juliet, it's not The Great Gatsby, it's not a Monica and Chandler. It's by itself.

This is a story. It involves candy, the candy counter girl of the Tipton Hotel, and the twins that live in the hotel. It's about family conversations, selfishness, relative differences.

This is a story. It's bittersweet and a little unrealistic. It's a bit funny, a bit dramatic, a bit nonsensical. A bit characterized, a bit angsty, a bit fluffy.

This is an ending: Maddie Fitzpatrick studies theater at Columbia. She graduates with top honors, she ends up on Broadway. It's muchly fun.

This is an ending: Zack Martin plays basketball for Boston College. He graduates with a degree in...yes, elementary P.E.

This is an ending: Cody Martin attends the Culinary Academy of Long Island. He's a sous chef at Le Bernardin. He'll become head chef in a few years. He reads medical books in his spare time.

This is an ending. Carey and Zack visit Cody at his restaurant. Dinner and a show. Someone please guess who's the supporting actress. But nobody reads programs. Programs are there for proof that you went to a show, not for actual late night light reading. Except for Cody, because he'll read anything.

This is an ending. Cody waits outside Maddie's dressing room, after his mother and brother have headed back to the hotel. He says he has to catch up in the kitchen. She comes out, dressed in sweats and a long coat, and he says, quietly, "Hey, Maddie."

This is an ending. She spins around in surprise and gasps. "Cody!"

This is an ending. People say they'll keep in touch. They say they'll get together. They say they'll see each other all the time; they live in the same city. People say things all the time. People also know what usually happens.

This is an ending. Zack drops out and plays the drums in a popular local band.

This is an ending. Cody goes to Harvard and becomes a surgeon. He can cook some pretty good Italian.

This is an ending. Maddie doesn't call. She's the business half of a new fashion line based in LA. Someone please guess who's the fashion half. This is one of those never-meet-again endings.

This is an ending. Maddie Fitzpatrick tears the wrapper off the 5th Avenue and bites. She leans back and savors the creamy crispy peanut butter filling surrounded by a decadent layer of chocolate, as the plane whisks her off to New York, to Columbia. She doesn't think about the blond boy who wants her to stay. She doesn't think about the summer. Not at all. She doesn't think about the fact that she only thinks of one blond boy. She doesn't think about the summer, the feeling of being in love in the summer, the guilt of it. She doesn't think about them at all, she tells herself, and grinds her teeth to get the peanut butter off her molars. She doesn't think of the person who first ground his teeth to get the remaining bits of deliciousness. She'll deny any cogitation on the subject of a certain Martin.

This is an ending. The Martins call a cab separately from Moseby. They ride back to the Tipton in a sullen silence. Carey thinks about Maddie, the daughter she's never had. Zack thinks about Maddie, the girl he'll never have. Cody thinks about Maddie, the girl he had for a summer, a summer of teenage love, a summer of happiness and guilt, and wishes he'd regret it.He wishes that he could wish that Maddie likes Zack more. He doesn't, though. He doesn't wish, he doesn't regret. The one thing he'll never regret.

And that's where this story will end.

Yep. That's it. No more. That's all for you. Those of you who ask, Le Bernardin is a very good French restaraunt in NYC. It's delicious.

It took me two days to write this. And all of a sudden I feel empty. Kind of.

Well, at least the first and last chapters were the most fun to write, and what's the point if you're not having fun? Exactly. Making money. I'm just kidding, the moral, adult thing to say is "There is no point." So.

You don't have to review. But you need to. You know you do.