"You have to go now." He told her quietly. He knew it was time. She had finally been freed of her childhood traumas, and there was nothing more he could do for her.
"Okay, I'm ready. Let's go." She told him back.
"No, You have to go alone."
"But I want you to come back with me."
"That's just tough. You have to go alone. I can't get back now."
He could see by the look on her face, that she wasn't having it, "look, you've got you now. You don't need me. Not anymore."
"Yes, I do. Please don't leave me!" She cried. "Not now."
He walked on over to her wiping a tear from her cheek. "I'm sorry, but it's not up to me." He told her earnestly. A part of her brain became aware of the fact that he was acting a lot more mature than he ever had before. Usually he would have made fun of her for being such a girl.
"I do need you." She cried as she let her self fall to the floor sobbing hysterically.
It tugged at his heartstrings to see her like this, but also because he was feeling the same way. He didn't want to leave her, he just had to. It was simply the way things were. It was the law of nature, when the child didn't need him anymore he would simply disappear from their world or at least from their sight; they wouldn't be able to see him anymore.
And he felt the time had come for Lizzy now, which was a good thing. That meant that she was now a whole human being again fully able to take care of herself. That exactly had been the whole purpose of him being there in the first place.
But of cause it was always hard to let go when the time came, and now for some reason it felt even harder than he could ever remember it having been before.
He would have thought she was more than ready to let go, that in fact she would be happy to get rid of him. But now she was taking it worse than the children. He always told them in due time, so they could prepare themselves for the day when he wouldn't be around anymore, and she sure had had longer than anyone else to come to terms with it.
"Come on now," he told her as he helped her back to her feet. He had to do this. He could feel their time running out. "You just kiss me, and say Drop Dead Fred... now."
But it only made her cry harder. That's when he felt it. Time slowed down, and suddenly it didn't feel as urgent anymore. Like she actually did still need him. But it was different somehow. He had a choice. It was up to him whether he wanted to stay or not. Not like usual where it was up to the child and mother nature. He was confused.
Did she need him or not? And what for? He had already helped her with everything he could. Or so he thought.
"Okay, calm down for a second, Snotface. I got to ask you something." His sudden change in demeanor, stifled her tears for a second. She looked at him with big watery eyes.
"Why are you so upset?" He asked her. She looked at him like he had grown a second head. "Because you are leaving." She told him dumbfounded.
"But you knew that I would have to eventually."
"But I'm not ready!" He pulled her in for a big hug.
"What more do you need me for?" He asked her as they pulled apart again. She sniffled shortly before starting to sob even harder. Cause she suddenly realized how selfish she was being, and that she did indeed have to let him go now.
He cupped her chin and lifted it up for her to look at him. He looked at her in bewilderment. She swallowed hard and finally she pulled back, collecting herself.
"Okay, I get it." She said between sobs. "It's time for you to go on to a new child. I'm being selfish, of cause you would want to. I'm an adult." And then she leaned in and gave him a kiss.
"Drop De..." "Hold on for a second there, girl!" He stopped her. Now she was the bewildered one. Wasn't this what he wanted?
"Okay, humor me for a second here." He asked her as he started passing the floor in front of her bed in her imaginary childhood home. "If I were to stay, what would the purpose of that be? What would you want to get out of it?"
"I don't know..." she trailed off with a frown. "I just can't imagine a life without you." She frowned at her own words. What was she actually saying? That she had feelings for him? No, she didn't... did she? Wow, did she seriously like him? Wouldn't that be weird? He was an imaginary friend for gods sake! A childish one at that. Though he did have other sides to him, different layers... How much was all this childishness actually him and how much was he simply being childish because that was what was needed of him? It wasn't exactly the childish part that she had fallen for. It was who she felt he was underneath all that.
He could see the wheels turning in her head as she thought about the meaning of her own words. He himself tried to find out why exactly he wanted to stay so bad. Probably because he liked her more than he wanted to admit.
"I guess I better stay around for a little longer then." He proclaimed nonchalance rocking back and forth on his feet. She jumped into his arms, hugging him tightly.