Disclaimer: I own nothing except the characters I made up such as Shawn, Fancy, Patrick, Jared, etc.

A/N: I'm not all too pleased with the way that last chapter went. I originally wanted more of a confrontation with Monica and Justine but I was kind of tired and well yeah. Anyway I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please R&R, just to let me know someone's reading this. I really want feedback. And, yes, this is gonna be an eventual Wes/Monica fic. I will however try to put a lot of details in when I write the Wes/Macy part of this fic. Don't worry she'll have a happy ending too, I'll try to put in a lot of details about that too. I've decided that for the next chapter, I'm gonna fast forward a few years I'm not sure how many yet though. So, again enjoy!

Chapter 5: Moving On

When I came home I ran to Stella's garden. I just needed some alone time to think. It was a quarter to four when Fancy showed up.

"Nic, are you o.k.? Patrick told me what happened. She's so selfish. I can't believe she just left like that." She told me as she hugged me. I couldn't bring myself to speak so I just let her hold me. We must've been there a good twenty minutes before Wes showed up. Fancy was still ranting about how I didn't need my mother. I had my family and I had my friends. I could go on without her.

"Who needs someone like that in their lives anyway… hey Wes." She said, and I looked up. Sure enough there was Wes.

"I heard what happened. I'm sorry, Shorty." He said sitting down next to me. "Fancy's right you don't need her. You're better off."

"I have to tell Kristy tomorrow." I said after a minute of silence finally being able to find my voice.

"What? Why you, Nic?" asked Wes.

"Because it's just better if she hears it from me." I told him.

"Do you want us to be there when you tell her?" asked Fancy.

"You should be there Fancy. You two are pretty close."

"I'll come too if you want." Offered Wes.

"You should stay home with Wish and Bert. I think they need you more then I do." I told him "I'll come over afterwards though and tell you about it" I added when I saw the look of disappointment on his face.

"Are you sure?" he asked. Honestly I would like him to be there for me more so then for Kristy since they've never even met. He's a really good friend, like his mom he really knows just how to comfort me whenever I need it.

"I'm sure."

"Alright. Call me if you need anything though o.k.?"

"O.k."

---------------The Next Day at the hospital-----------------------

"Hey, Kristy." I said my voice wavering a little. I felt better after talking to Wes and Fancy for most of the afternoon yesterday, but I was still wasn't over it.

"What's wrong, Nic?" she asked looking worried.

"We really need to talk about something important that happened yesterday" I started.

"What?" she asked me.

"Mom left. She said she needed to know there's more to life out there and she wanted to find it whatever it was." I told her my voice faltering. "She said she didn't know how long she was gonna be gone but, it could be months maybe even years. She told me she still loved us and…and that we're gonna stay with Stella for now." I said not looking up at her.

"So she just left? Just like that?"

"Yeah."

Silence filled the room.

"She needed to find herself huh?" I could hear the pain in her voice.

"Yeah, I guess. Kristy-" and I stopped as soon as I looked up. Kristy's cheeks were stained in tears and she was holding her knees to her chest. My heart broke even more then when Mom told us she was leaving. Kristy looked so small. I was overcome with the need to hold her and so I did.

"Kristy I'm so sorry. Listen to me, we don't need her. We're better off" I said repeating the words Fancy and Wes told me yesterday.

"Doesn't she love us anymore?" she sobbed.

"She says she does. She says she just can't live like this anymore."

"Whatever." She said sniffling. "So we're gonna stay with Stella, huh?"

I was really surprised that she didn't take it harder so I asked her "That's it? You accept it? Just like that?"

"Well think about it, Nic. She hasn't been happy in a really long time. I was actually kind of expecting it. I just didn't think it would happen so soon. But there's not much we can do about, now is there? It's better if we both just accept it and move on with our lives."

"You're right. Now that I think about it, I can't believe I didn't see this coming." I said feeling a little silly at the thought of how depressed I was yesterday. Here Kristy was taking the news so well compared to how I took it, even though she's been through the most.

"So how was you're day?" she asked me as though nothing big had just happened.

"It's looking up" I said laughing a little as I said.

---------------------------------Monday----------------

"It's so good to be out of that hospital!" said Kristy as she got out of the car when we arrived at Stella's. "So this is where we're living now huh? Well it could be worse." She said smiling.

"Before we go in there Kristy, let's take a little walk to a neighbor of mine's all right?" said Stella smiling as well.

"O.K." said Kristy hesitantly.

We walked the short distance to Wish's sister, Delia's house.

"So…who lives here?" asked Kristy when we arrived at Delia's.

"My neighbor, Delia" said Stella.

"And why exactly are we here again?"

"Because…well because since you're going tom be living here now I though it would be good for you to meet the neighbors." Said Stella.

"Uh-huh. Aren't we gonna knock first?" Kristy said as Stella opened the front door.

"Oh…um…no. They're expecting us, Delia told me not to bother knocking first"

And as soon as we stepped in the door…

"SURPRISE!"

"Wha-" said Kristy. "What's going on?"

"Surprise Party." I said from behind her.

"Oh, wow. Wow. I'm-I…wow."

"Hello, Kristy, right?" said Delia coming up from behind us.

"Yeah."

"I'm Delia. This is my husband, Pete, my sister, Wish, and my nephews, Wes, and Bert. We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood."

"Thanks. Wow." She said again. It was then I noticed her eyes were getting teary.

"Kristy, are you okay?" I asked her, concerned.

"Yeah. I'm fine. It's just…Things really are gonna be okay aren't they."

"Well, yeah. What'd you expect?" I said laughing a little, as Delia and Stella hurried Kristy into the dining room for some cake and presents.

'Things really are going to be okay.' I thought to myself. And for the first time, I actually believed it.

A/N: I'm not really happy w/the way this chapter turned out either, which is the main reason why I'm gonna fast forward a few years for the next chapter. Pleaselet me know what you think so far. i'm begging here.

Yours Truly,

FANCY-PANTS LOCKHART