"It is now the most wonderful time of the year!" Piper announced as she made her way downstairs, catching the attention of her brother and her boyfriend. It was the day after Christmas and they were all still coming down from Christmas Eve dinner, which caused the actual Christmas day to feel rather underwhelming and especially empty for Henry. But for Piper, she was especially happy for the day after Christmas.

"That was yesterday, babe," Jasper said with a chuckle. The blonde shook her head and set down the bags she held in her hands.

"No, today! Because today we can return all the shitty gifts we don't want and get what we do want. Cold hard cash," she said with a wink. Henry shook his head in disbelief as he slumped back against the couch, keeping his eyes on the mundane Christmas special that played on the TV.

"And why did you wake me up for this?" he asked.

"Because you're a loser with nothing to do so I decided to be nice and include you in my favorite holiday," she answered with an eye roll. "Anyway, we need to return these things so I can use the money for our New Year in the park evening." The blond leaned his head back in exasperation and wanted to argue, but figured it was no use. Both because there was no winning an argument with Piper and because she was right. He wasn't due to work until the new year and he really had nothing else to do. So, why not join his sister as she returned things for money all day? He turned off the TV and stood up, heading to the door to grab his jacket as Jasper did the same.

"Hey, you're not gonna return the top I gave you, right?" the raspberry blond asked as he looked at his girlfriend. Her mouth fell open in surprise and she placed a hand against her chest.

"What?! Of course not, Jaspy! I love that top!" Satisfied with her answer, he smiled and walked outside to start the car. As she followed him out, she looked at her brother and mouthed "Yes I am" to him, causing him to chuckle a little. It was definitely going to be an interesting day.

And interesting it was. After going from store, to store, to store, Henry found himself on the brink of insanity as Piper dragged them along to another store. As if it wasn't bad enough that his best friend and sister were dating, he had to deal with them going back and forth between baby talk and pet names (gross) and bickering over little things (annoying). And even worse, they continuously expected him to take sides. When Jasper refused to lie about whether or not he wore the shoes he was gifted yet so Piper could get a full refund, she demanded Henry take her side. When she returned the top she said she wouldn't, he demanded he take his side. And Henry just wanted to bang his head against a wall until he died or slipped into a coma - whichever came first. He was ready to end it all as they entered a jewelry store in the mall, one that he barely recognized due to his misery, until he spotted a familiar and pretty face.

"Hi, welcome to May's Jewelers! Oh, hello there stranger," Camille said with a smile when she spotted the familiar blond. He couldn't help the smile that spread on his face and he stepped closer to the counter, idly drumming his fists against the surface, ignoring Piper's questioning gaze.

"Hey…never thought I'd see you again," he said.

"Okay, we're not here to flirt," Piper interrupted as she pushed her brother away. Camille chuckled a little and offered the blonde a friendly smile, though she couldn't help but occasionally glance at the attractive tall blond. Henry couldn't help the warm feeling blooming inside him from her gaze, and he definitely wasn't the only one to notice. He felt Jasper grab his arm and he looked at him as he followed him when he was tugged away.

"Bro, do you know her?" the raspberry blond asked.

"We met when I bought something here a few weeks ago," Henry answered. "She was kind of…flirting with me? It was weird but kind of cool I guess."

"You guess?" Jasper chuckled in disbelief. "Dude, need I remind you that you're Henry Hart? When you enter a room, all the girls - and some guys - instantly look at you and want you. You've been so messed up by the whole mess with Charlotte and Tati that you don't even know what to do when a girl flirts with you."

"I know," the blond sighed. Camille was pretty, really pretty, and she was clearly into him. He didn't want to be stupid and miss out on an opportunity for a new relationship, but he couldn't get Charlotte out of his mind. He didn't have much of a choice though, she was moving on and he couldn't do much else other than move on as well. "You think I'm ready though?"

"I think you need to get your dick wet with someone who isn't your ex's best friend and stop being miserable and mopey," he answered bluntly. "Char's leaving for six months. Do you want to spend that time lonely and miserable or do you want to have fun and enjoy yourself? Think about it." He gave his friend a pointed look before going to join Piper's side as she waited for her refund. Henry inhaled deeply as he turned to watch them.

He was right, he knew he was right. What would be the use in him wasting his life away waiting for someone who made it more than clear that she wasn't intending on being with him anymore? They were over and he was going to accept it. Plus, he was going to let fate decide if he got her number if he ever saw her again. Clearly, fate was telling him to go for it and he wasn't going to be a fool and go against fate. He cracked his knuckles anxiously as he slowly walked over to the counter.

"Okay, since you hated the top I got you, pick a piece of jewelry and I'll buy it for you," Jasper offered his girlfriend. Camille grinned and gestured towards a diamond bracelet.

"In that case, get this one, it's the more expensive option," she said. The blonde gasped a little before offering a sly grin.

"Thank you, I like you," she replied. The other young woman chuckled softly before turning her attention to the tall blond again.

"My sister likes you, that's a rare feat," Henry said with a small chuckle. She laughed as well and shrugged.

"Maybe I have a way with you guys," she said with a playful glint in her eyes. "So, did whoever you bought that charm bracelet for like it?"

"You bought Char that bracelet? God, you're such a loser," Piper interjected much to Henry's annoyance. He groaned a little and closed his eyes in frustration.

"Piper-"

"He bought it for his ex-girlfriend," she said to the cashier. "And she got a three thousand dollar pendant from her millionaire boyfriend, so I doubt she liked it."

"Thank you for the news bulletin!" Henry almost shouted. He grabbed his sister by her shoulders and turned her away from him. "Look! Shiny things! Go over there." He pushed her away and sighed heavily as Jasper mouthed an apology and pulled the young blonde away. Camille couldn't help but laugh a little and offered Henry a sympathetic smile.

"Sorry I asked…" she said apologetically. The blond shook his head and took a deep breath.

"It's cool, she's my little sister and it's her life goal to make me miserable," he said with a chuckle. "But yeah, the receiver of the bracelet got some things that definitely gave it a run for its money."

"Well, for what it's worth, I definitely would've appreciated it coming from you," she said. He grinned and bit down on the corner of his lower lip as he thought over what he was going to do. This was going to be it and if he was going to do it, he had to commit to it.

"Hey, um…do you have any New Year plans?" he asked sheepishly. She shrugged a little and smiled slightly as she looked at him.

"Why do you ask?"

"We have this thing where we all hang out in Swellview Park and count down the new year together and enjoy the fireworks. There's gonna be local bands playing and food and stuff… If you're not busy…want to hang out with me?"

"I would love to," she answered with a smile. She took his hand and grabbed a pen from behind the counter, writing her phone number on his palm and winking at him when she was done. "Text me and maybe between now and then, we can get lunch." He smiled and nodded, feeling his ego swell up to incredible proportions. It felt good, he felt like his old self again. Maybe Jasper was right, maybe this was all he needed.

"Come on, this is gross," Piper said as she walked over again and pushed her brother out of the way. Camille laughed a little and took the bracelet the blonde gave her, ringing it up for her as Henry and Jasper fist bumped. Things really were starting to look up for him.

Two weeks later, on New Year's Eve, Charlotte sat on the floor between Jasmine's legs as the younger girl meticulously parted her hair and applied grease to her scalp. She played with her newly manicured nails idly as she stared at the packed suitcase in front of her. It was almost like it was taunting her, reminding her that in just a few days she'd be leaving Swellview again and traveling the world with Jack. It was a dream come true, one that anyone would be happy to experience and would jump on as soon as they could. So why was she nothing but a ball of anxiety and confusion?

"So, Jack's gonna join us at the park tonight?" Jasmine asked as she began to brain the left side of Charlotte's head, forming cornrows with the intention of a leave-out style. The other hummed in response and closed her eyes as she enjoyed the feeling of her friend's gentle fingers in her hair.

"Yeah, after he performs at Rockin' New Year's Eve, he's gonna fly back here in his private jet and join us."

"A private jet," Jasmine repeated with an impressed whistle before chuckling. "I'm sure you absolutely hate that."

"Girl," she sighed. "A glorified sky bus that wastes fuel all over vulnerable forests and wastes money and resources. I never thought Jack was a private jet kind of guy, you know? But…things change…" She opened her eyes and stared into space for a moment. Though, her eyes soon noticed something in their peripheral and she looked at it directly, seeing a jacket hanging up on her closet door. It was Henry's jacket. One she had been meaning to return for a while. "But I mean…it is a quick way to go from the east coast to the west coast…and he has his right to use his income however he feels…"

"Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself," the younger woman commented. When Charlotte simply hummed in response, she sighed softly as she continued to braid her hair. "What are you doing?"

"Huh?"

"Char, you're not happy with Jack and you're clearly still in love with Henry. Why are you going off with a guy who doesn't even make you happy?"

"What do you mean? I'm happy! Jack's wonderful!" Charlotte replied, trying to convince both Jasmine and herself. But Jasmine wasn't buying it and she wasn't sure if she was buying it either.

"Sure, so that's why you've been wearing that charm bracelet since it appeared on your wrist at Christmas but have barely worn that pendant Jack gave you?" she questioned with a raised eyebrow. She subconsciously raised a hand to her chest where the extravagant pendant would be if she had worn it. But Jasmine was right like always, she barely wore it since he gave it to her. It just wasn't her at all and she felt like an imposter whenever she wore it.

"Okay, maybe I'm not as in love with Jack as I once was, but I'm going with him because I really need some time away from Henry to properly find myself. And Jack is sweet, what other guy is willing to be a rebound for someone they care about? He's making a sacrifice too and I appreciate him for it," she said.

"Eh, if you ask me, he's being just as self-serving as you are," Jasmine said bluntly. "He's clearly enamored with you, almost as obsessed as Henry. I think he's hoping this trip will make you fall in love with him and not want to be with Henry anymore, not just get over him and be happy on your own." She patted the freshly done cornrows before leaning back on her palms as Charlotte stood up with a sigh. She walked up to her dresser and looked at her hair in the mirror with her thoughts completely occupied.

She hated feeling so indecisive about things. She knew it was a good idea to just go with Jack and remove any thoughts of Henry or Swellview in general from her mind, but what if Jasmine was right? What if this was Jack's attempt to get into her good graces and make her want him again? She couldn't promise him a relationship especially because she knew he couldn't promise her a full-time commitment. Once he completed his new album, it would be time for tours and promotions, and she would see a lot less of him again. She knew she wouldn't want that again. So was this actually a good idea or just another setup for failure?

"Hey," Jasmine said, pulling her out of her thoughts. She walked up to her friend and looked at her through the mirror. "You know I have your back no matter what choice you make, okay? I think you should go, but just be realistic about why you're going and the baggage that comes with it. It's not going to solve all your problems." Charlotte pursed her lips together and nodded reluctantly, knowing it was the truth and she'd have to admit it sooner or later.

"But it'll be a great distraction," she said and the other nodded in agreement.

"And imagine the look on Tati's face when I unblocked her, sent her pictures of you and Jack together with that necklace he got you, told her about your trip, then blocked her again as she was typing her response," she said with a sly grin that slowly grew on her face. The older woman's eyes widened slightly and she looked at her with her mouth slightly agape.

"You didn't."

"I had to," she replied, the two of them bursting into laughter and high-fiving each other.

The girls then got dressed - Jasmine in a pair of brown high waisted corduroy pants that flare out at the bottom, a white cropped sweater with faux fur trim on the sleeves and collar, and black combat boots while Charlotte wore a pair of wide-legged jeans and a cropped black sweater with black platform boots to match. It was a cool night but thankfully not too cold so they could ring in the new year comfortably in the park. Saying goodbye to Diana, the girls slipped out of the house and got into Charlotte's car to head to the park. With Jasmine's phone connected to the car radio through Bluetooth, Think About You by Jojo began to play through the speakers, and Charlotte couldn't help but relate to the lyrics.

It was all too familiar. Friends and family wanting her to find someone new but her mind constantly being on her ex and knowing she'd always think about him no matter who she was with. She wondered though, would she leave the door open for Henry to return for one last fight? One last act of spiteful intimacy? One last goodbye? Her goodbye on Christmas Eve was supposed to be her final one, but a small part of her wouldn't mind letting them have another farewell. She exhaled softly and shook her head, shaking out those foolish thoughts. She made a decision and she was going to stick to it. When they reached the park, they exited the car and Charlotte looked past the people who had picked out their spots on the grass to look for an available spot. She wanted somewhere near the back so when Jack arrived, he hopefully wouldn't be swarmed or stared at by fans. When she found a good space, she led Jasmine over before pausing when the other grabbed her arm.

"Uh…don't look but Henry's over there," she said quietly. Charlotte inhaled sharply but couldn't say she was surprised. Piper was usually one of the people behind this event in the park so she assumed that she would be here, and she figured he would also be here with Jasper and possibly Henry. There was no use in trying to avoid them, she might as well be civil.

"I figured-"

"Girl, no-"

"It's cool, Piper is pretty much present at every event so I'm really not tripping over this," Charlotte insisted before turning her head in their direction. When she did, she froze in place for a second and blinked a few times to make sure she was actually seeing what she was seeing. There was Piper on Jasper's lap with Henry adjacent to them and a girl next to him. They were talking about something, smiling and laughing, and the girl had her arm wrapped around Henry's.

"Giiiiirl," Jasmine started with a hushed whisper that snapped Charlotte out of her daze, "looks like Henry has a type." At that, the elder looked at her with her eyebrows knitted in confusion. The younger girl shrugged casually and looked at the quartet again. "He clearly likes his girls chocolate instead of caramel. It's a good thing I stick close to you because he would've wanted a bit of all this goodness next," she continued with a playful wink. Charlotte laughed and shoved her playfully, shaking her head dismissively before setting her gaze on them again. It was…weird. She had no place to be jealous. This was a good thing really, it meant he was finally moving on from her and that was what she wanted. Right?

"You okay?" Jasmine asked with a gentle touch on her arm. "I was just kidding."

"No, I know," Charlotte reassured her with a smile. "I'm fine. This is good! He's moved on and so have I. We're both doing better now." She nodded firmly but couldn't tear her eyes away. And unfortunately, it seemed like Henry could feel her gaze on him because his eyes shifted and they landed on hers. His smile slowly faded from his face and his eyes widened ever so slightly, but enough to catch Piper's attention. She followed the direction of where he was looking and lit up when she saw Charlotte.

"Char! You came! Come on!" she called out and waved her hands excitedly. Charlotte offered a sheepish smile and waved as well before making her way over with Jasmine. Jasper glanced at Henry who had gone completely pale and swallowed a heavy lump in his throat.

"Hey," Charlotte greeted with a slightly tight smile. "Happy New Year guys."

"Happy New Year!" Piper and Jasper replied.

"Happy New Year! I'm Camille!" The girl holding Henry's arm finally pulled away from him and held out her hand to shake. Charlotte gave her a friendly smile and shook her hand.

"Hey, I'm Charlotte and this is my friend Jasmine," she said as she gestured towards the other who waved with an equally friendly smile.

"Come on, sit with us. We definitely have room," the blonde offered. The curly-haired woman glanced at Henry who briefly made eye contact with her before looking away as he sipped his drink. She held back a sigh and shook her head.

"Jack's gonna be joining us soon so we're gonna be more towards the back. You guys have fun though, okay?" She gave a short wave before she and Jasmine left them to find their own spot on the grass. As they left, Camille hugged Henry's arm to her body again and smiled at the group, oblivious to their buzzing thoughts.

"She seems nice. Pretty too," she said. Piper couldn't help the grin that bloomed on her face and she nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, isn't she Hen?"

"Piper," the blond warned.

"Piper," she mocked in response before ducking when he threw a crumbled up Nacho Ball wrapper at her. As she complained to Jasper, he looked in the direction that Charlotte and Jasmine went and watched as they placed a blanket on the ground before settling down. Once she was situated, Charlotte looked up and the two of them met eyes. She offered him a small smile and he returned it with a crooked little grin as he did his best to ignore the way his heart skipped several beats.

About an hour passed and Charlotte found herself both thirsty and annoyed. There was no sign of Jack yet despite him texting her that he was on the way and she realized that she had been avoiding looking anywhere near Henry since she sat down. And that was stupid. Why was she so nervous to look at him and his…date? There was no reason for her to really care so why was she going out of her way to avoid acknowledging them? She groaned to herself and looked at Jasmine.

"Are you hungry or anything? I'm gonna get something to drink."

"Yeah, grab me one of those nacho balls, please? They're so gross but so good," she said. Charlotte laughed a little and nodded, getting up and making her way over to one of the food stands. As she walked by, Henry looked up and noticed her.

He watched as she walked past them and found her way to the Nacho Ball stand. He glanced at Jasper who was busy sucking face with Piper (gross!) and he cringed at the sight before looking at Camille. She was pretty and looked especially pretty tonight in a blue sweater dress and her braids tied up in a neat bun atop her head, and something about her wrapped in his jacket made his heart swell a little. Lunch last week turned into dinner the next day, hanging out the day after that, and constantly talking on the phone and texting ever since. They had definitely hit it off and he liked her. But there was a problem.

Charlotte. And the fact that he couldn't stop thinking about her. Seeing her tonight especially didn't help and he found himself wanting to talk to her again. Was he really going to leave the side of a girl who liked him to talk to someone who wanted nothing to do with him?

"Hey, would you like something to drink?" he asked her. She smiled at him and nodded.

"Yeah, anything would be fine. Thanks." He nodded and got up, brushing off the back of his pants as he made his way to the same line Charlotte was in, rubbing his hands together anxiously.

"Hey," he breathed out. She turned in his direction and gave a small smile as she nodded a little.

"Hey," she replied simply. He licked his lips anxiously and looked down at his feet as he thought of what to say.

"Uh, the weather's nice huh?" he asked and almost instantly cringed. That was stupid. Talking about the weather? Really, Henry? She chuckled a little and turned her body to face him completely.

"Yeah…Camille seems nice."

"Oh, yeah. I met her at the mall a couple of weeks ago and we started going out last week," he explained. She nodded her head slowly and he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his pants.

"And Jack? Is he with you tonight?"

"He's in New York actually but he's supposed to be back before midnight which is…" She grabbed her phone and checked the time, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "In 20 minutes. Let's hope he makes it."

"I'm sure he will," he said reassuringly. "He clearly understands what a gem he has and won't be stupid enough to mess things up with you." She snickered a little as she kept her gaze on her phone, hoping to see an update from Jack on his location. Suddenly feeling Henry's hand on her arm, she looked up and realized just how much closer he had gotten to her and she subconsciously held in her breath.

"I just want to say…I hope you have fun in Paris and wherever else he's gonna take you. You deserve this fun vacation," he said gently. She smiled a little and looked down at her hands briefly before looking at him again.

"Thank you. And good luck with you and Camille. She seems really into you and I really am happy you two met. You know, when Jas saw you two, she said you clearly had a type," she said between soft chuckles. He grinned and cocked his head to the side curiously.

"Oh yeah? And what's my type?"

"Brown," she answered. The two laughed at that before he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, his eyes scanning her briefly.

"Well…she's not wrong," he admitted. Her laughter faded slowly and she felt her cheeks heat up as she blushed, thankful that it wouldn't really show due to her complexion. She coughed and cleared her throat quickly before looking behind her and seeing that the line was almost completely clear.

"Oh! Look at that!" she exclaimed and laughed nervously as she quickly walked up to the stall. Henry laughed softly as he followed her.

"Hey, so when do you leave? I want to see you off," he said, taking out some money to pay for both of their things. He stepped forward and playfully nudged her aside to pay before she could. She rolled her eyes a little though couldn't help the small smile on her face.

"Friday morning. Jack's gonna come over and we'll head to LA around 9 AM. He has a hanger there where he keeps his jet," she explained. He nodded and handed over her drink and nacho ball before grabbing the drinks for himself.

"Alright, I'll definitely be there to see you off," said the blond. She hummed in response as she met his eyes.

"Thanks, I'll see you then. Happy New Year, Henry."

"Happy New Year, Char," he replied. She walked past him and made her way back to Jasmine, who greeted her with a shit-eating grin.

"So you and Henry are on talking terms, huh?" she asked. The curly-haired woman laughed and handed her food over before sitting on the blanket again.

"I guess so."

"Ah, I just love a good friends-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers-to-enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story!" she exclaimed as she held her hands in the air to frame her words as she said them. She laughed when Charlotte smacked her arm. Before she could respond, she heard footsteps behind them and the presence of someone with them, causing her to turn to see who it was.

"Hey, ladies!" Jack greeted, taking off his shades and hat to reveal himself to them. Charlotte beamed at him and stood up quickly, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug.

"Jack! Oh, I'm really glad you made it!" she exclaimed. Henry looked over when he heard her voice, his shoulders deflating a little at the sight of the two of them. It was killing him to wish her fun on her trip and not to beg her not to leave again. He knew it was for the best no matter how much it killed him.

Minutes later, Piper checked her phone and gasped in excitement when she saw the time. She got up from Jasper's lap and grabbed his arm, yanking him up and pulling him along to the stage. Waiting a few more minutes, she climbed up the stairs to the stage once the band finished playing and grabbed the microphone.

"Hello, Swellview! It is officially 11:58 PM and we'll be entering the new year soon!" she announced, smiling as everyone cheered excitedly with some standing up to join in on the countdown and watch the fireworks. "I want to wish you all love, success, and happiness in the new year. Do what makes you happy, chase your goals, and follow your dreams. Don't make a resolution you won't stick to, don't keep friends who suck, and don't stay with someone who isn't on your level. Be the best you that you can be. And follow me on every social media you own! Alright, ten seconds to go! Ten! Nine! Eight!"

As everyone counted down together, Henry couldn't help but look back at Charlotte. She stood next to Jack, holding his hand with a big smile on her face as she counted. She met Henry's gaze and instead of her smile fading like usual, it remained big and bright on her face.

"Seven! Six!"

And Henry couldn't help but smile a little brighter himself.

"Five! Four!"

Charlotte was flooded with memories suddenly.

"Three!"

Looking at her made Henry's heart beat a thousand miles a second.

"Two!"

He wished she was holding his hand instead of Jack's.

"One!"

A part of Charlotte wished she was holding Henry's hand instead.

"Happy New Year!" everyone shouted in unison and began popping their confetti poppers and blowing their party horns. As the band began to play Auld Lang Syne, Piper smiled as Jasper joined her on stage and the two of them shared a new year kiss. As other couples began to share their new year's kiss, Charlotte felt Jack's hands on her waist and she turned her head to look at him.

"Happy New Year, beautiful," he said with a smile. She returned the smile and snaked her arms around his neck.

"Happy New Year," she replied before leaning in and kissing him. Henry glanced at them again and felt his smile fall at the sight of the two of them kissing. His heart which was just beating rapidly and swelling just from her smile had sunk to his stomach and he was forced to look away. He looked at Camille who was focused on the band, dancing a little and humming along to the song. Piper was right. It was a new year, it was time to do things that would make him happy. He gently placed his fingers under her chin and turned her head to look at him, catching her attention and causing her to inhale sharply.

"Happy New Year," he mumbled before leaning in slowly and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips. It was Camille's turn for her heart to do a series of acrobatics in excitement and she melted into the kiss as she returned it.

Pulling away from Jack, Charlotte looked over to where Henry was and gasped a little at the sight of him kissing Camille. She bit down on her lip and looked away quickly. It was good. It was good for both of them. This was what they both needed.

Right?

Days later, Charlotte found herself in a tight hug with her mom who was incredibly reluctant to let her go. While she did encourage her to go on this trip with Jack, the reality of it happening was hitting her all too well and she was struck with the memories of Charlotte leaving for Stanford, coming home once, then never coming home again for years. She worried that may happen again especially now that she had a guy like Jack who was so infatuated with her and could spoil her beyond either of their imaginations. Who wouldn't be tempted to live in Paris, or the islands of Greece, or in rural Italy?

"Mom, come on," Charlotte laughed as she patted her back a few times. When the older woman finally pulled away, she managed to catch her breath before chuckling softly.

"Now, you better video call me at least biweekly if not weekly, okay? And take tons of pictures!" her mother insisted. The curly-haired woman nodded in agreement.

"I will, mom, don't worry," she reassured her. Diana nodded and smiled proudly at her beautiful daughter.

"Have fun okay? Use this as an opportunity to find yourself and just be happy. But don't come back here pregnant!" she said suddenly with a point of her finger.

"Mom!" The young woman rolled her eyes and chuckled as she turned away and grabbed the last of her bags. As she made her way outside, she saw Piper, Jasper, Jasmine, and Jack all waiting for her by his car. This was it, she was going to be leaving again. She was a mix of excited and nervous but also a little disappointed because Henry wasn't there like he said he would be. Weirdly, she was looking forward to saying goodbye to him.

"You have got to buy me a bunch of nice fancy clothes when you get to Paris! And have lots of fun and text me as much as you can, yeah?" Piper said as she hugged Charlotte. The young woman returned the hug with a squeeze and sighed happily as they pulled away.

"I will, try not to drive Ray too crazy okay?"

"No promises," she replied with a sly grin. As she walked away, Jasper quickly walked up to Charlotte and enveloped her in a warm bear hug, lifting her feet off the ground briefly. She giggled softly as she held onto him tightly.

"Don't become a stranger again. I'm gonna miss you," he said before putting her back down. He held onto her arms as he stepped back and looked at her. "As for Henry…"

"It's okay," she interrupted. "Tell him I said bye alright?" He nodded and sighed in disappointment.

"He wanted to be here, he was planning on it. I'm not sure what happened," he explained. She shrugged as casually as she could, doing her best to hide her disappointment. She gave Jasper one last hug before going to hug Jasmine goodbye.

"Have fun, send tons of pics and videos so I can taunt Tati with them, and remember what we talked about," the younger woman said. Charlotte nodded with a soft chuckle and pulled back from the hug.

"You're the best. I'll definitely keep you updated. Also, don't forget to give Henry what I gave you," she reminded her. As Jasmine nodded and pulled away, Charlotte looked in the direction of the Hart household. There was no sign of Henry at all. He wasn't coming. She let out a saddened breath and looked away. It was for the best, they had both moved on and she shouldn't have expected him to be there. He had no obligation to.

"Come on, Char, let's get going," Jack said gently. She nodded and as the driver placed her bags in the car, she looked at her friends and family and said her final goodbyes. With a few more waves and kisses, she climbed into the car with Jack and waved at them once more behind the window. Her eyes lingered on the sidewalk as the engine revved up and she put on her seatbelt.

"Bye Henry," she mumbled softly to herself, watching as her friends slowly began to leave her eyesight as the car began to drive away.

In the Hart household, Henry Hart was startled awake by his own snoring and a particularly loud snort. He jumped up and looked around in sleepy confusion before groaning and laying his head against his pillow again. He had started working with Ray again and he didn't realize how much work would go into training a bunch of new 13 year olds with new superpowers now that Danger Force was older and preparing to move on. Despite his plans to see Charlotte off in the morning, he didn't get home until 4 AM and was quickly dead to the world as soon as he hit his bed. And he was about to be dead again when a realization suddenly hit him.

"Charlotte!" he called out as he jumped up from his position. He looked at the time on his phone and swore out loud. It was 9:45 AM, he was incredibly late. He jumped up from his bed and snatched an old shirt off of the floor, pulling it on and quickly leaving his room as he started to button it. He slept in a pair of sweatpants and they were going to have to suffice for now.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck," he chanted under his breath as he ran down the stairs. He pulled on a pair of sneakers that were left by the door and rushed outside. Maybe they were still there, maybe he didn't miss them just yet. He ran down the street, ignoring the cold of the morning January air as he quickly made his way to Charlotte's house. He saw his sister outside with Jasper, the two of them talking to Jasmine as she placed her own things on her car. Maybe he wasn't too late!

"Hey!" he called out as he ran up to them. He panted a little to catch his breath and looked at Jasper. "Is she still here?"

"You just missed her," he answered with a sympathetic look. Henry's chest and face fell as his words hit him heavier than he could ever imagine.

"What…?"

"She's gone, Hen," Piper interjected with a surprising amount of sympathy in her voice. "They're on their way to LA now." He scoffed and ran his hand over his hair as he looked away in disbelief. He couldn't believe it, he couldn't believe he missed her and didn't get a chance to say goodbye.

"Maybe…maybe I can rush to the airport and see her before her flight leaves," he tried to rationalize.

"Jack has a private jet, dude. They're going to the hanger he keeps it in. They'll be gone by the time you reach LA," Jasper told him. He hung his head in defeat. That was it. He fucked up one last time with Charlotte.

"She told us to tell you bye and good luck," Jasmine said. "She also told me to give you this." He turned towards her and she handed him a jacket. His jacket. The one he left there after the bonfire. He sighed softly and took the jacket, mumbling a dejected thank you. She rubbed his arm sympathetically before turning to say her goodbyes to Piper and Jasper.

Henry kept his eyes on the jacket as he slowly started to walk back home. He couldn't believe he actually missed her. It was over. Yet again…she was gone.

A/N: We're very close to the end! If I had to say, I would say maybe there are three chapters left, but it could be more or less. Thank you so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it and look forward to more! There will likely not be an update next week but there definitely will be one the week after!