I can't control my destiny
I trust my soul, my only goal is just to be
There's only now, there's only here
Give in to love, or live in fear
No other path, no other way: No Day But TODAY.
-Rent
"Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it."-Bill Cosby
"Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow."-Albert Einstein
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Got
Dillon
After Matt calls, it takes us only a few minutes to get to where they are in Veridian. I think I deserve the credit for slaying that last Wrenbeast. Neriah claims it was an accident, but honestly I meant to push that little secret lever that apparently dropped a load of rocks on the thing's head. So what if I stumbled a little before actually hitting it? And who has rocks drop out of the ceiling, anyway?
Jimmy, I've realized, is a very dangerous man.
When we get to the clearing, however, it's clear that something has gone very wrong. Because Rochelle is on the ground and Ethan's crying. Matt's just staring down at her with a dazed expression on his face, and Dangerous Jimbo himself has got his head in his hands. With a sinking feeling I realize that this scene has become very familiar, which could only mean that Rochelle is…
Neriah and Isabel cry out a little and run to her, Arkarian and I choose to do dignified fast-walking. Isabel shoves Matt out of the way and starts looking over Rochelle.
"Isabel, she's gone. It's the poison." Matt says hollowly.
"She's not gone yet!" Isabel snaps.
"Not gone?" Ethan's head snaps up. Poor guy. Rochelle dying every five minutes has got to be throwing him for a loop.
"Well…I can maybe pull the poison away from the blood cells it's attached itself to." Isabel bites her lip, looking up at Arkarian for comfort. "But if something goes wrong…"
"Um, if you want my opinion, nothing could possibly make this situation worse." I say, earning dirty looks from Neriah and Matt for some reason. "Well, unless-"
"Dillon. Not helping." Jimmy says, and because any man who can make rocks drop from above is slightly intimidating, I shut up.
Isabel, though, looks thoughtful.
"Whatever you're going to do, do it fast." Ethan says in this really scary voice. "Just help her."
Now probably wouldn't be the time to teach him to say "please", would it?
Isabel puts her magic hands on Rochelle and begins healing. No one talks, afraid of messing with her concentration. Not talking has always been hard for me. This bout of silence lasts for an hour and a half. Well, 1 hour 33 minutes and 15 seconds if you want to know the truth. In fact, I'm starting to think it's hopeless when Rochelle's hand, which has been lying limply in Ethan's, suddenly squeezes his.
"Rochelle?" He asks suddenly, eyes intent on her face. It snaps everybody out of their waiting-for-tragedy trance, and they're all clamoring.
"Is she okay?"
"Rochelle honey?"
"Oh my god, she's dead."
"No, she's not, idiot. She's alive!"
"Then why aren't her eyes open?"
"She'll get around to it!"
Ethan doesn't seem to be listening to the collective mob's voices, but instead putting all of his concentration on Rochelle's face. When her eyes finally open, he breathes this huge sigh of relief. I'm honestly surprised that he hasn't deflated. Anyway, her green eyes are shining, and her first words are to him. It's like she doesn't see everyone else.
"We have to stop making this a habit." Her voice is weak, but there. Perhaps now, she won't yell at me. One near-death experience wasn't enough, but maybe two…
Ethan actually laughs through his tears (and why is it that when he cries, nobody makes fun of him? I tear up at ONE movie-Old Yeller of all things-and Isabel has license to make fun of me for life. I'm just saying. How is that fair?) and says "I can definitely think of better things to do."
And then, in true heroic fashion, he kisses her. On the lips. And they kiss for a long time. Isabel and Neriah seem to think that this is cute, because Neriah sighs and kisses Matt, who looks surprised, but not unhappy by any means. A very exhausted looking Isabel falls into Arkarian's arms, burying her face in his chest.
Hm. My options would be…Jimmy, Mr. I Can Drop Rocks on You himself; or Shaun, who is happily married.
Wow. I really do need to get a girlfriend.
When they finally break apart, Rochelle assures us that she is indeed unchanged. "What are you guys all doing here?"
Neriah
It's decided, mainly by Isabel and me, that a party needs to be held the next day at Rochelle's house. Kind of like a We-Survived-Another-One party. I also need to tell Rochelle at some point that Matt is moving to Athens to be nearer to the Tribunal, and he's asked me to come with him. And I said yes. So I won't exactly be living with her and Gabe anymore.
The blonde haired little boy is dressed in his party clothes, a shirt with "Party Animal" written on it and pink striped pants. I think it's adorable, but Ethan insists that I'm scarring him for life. "When he's your son, you can dress him." I promise. To my surprise, he colors a little bit.
"Well, actually…"
"What? Ethan!"
"Never mind." He shakes his head irritatingly. "You'll find out."
"Ethan!" I yell, hitting him on the arm.
"Ouch, when did you turn into Isabel?"
"Not that that would necessarily be a bad thing, right Ethan?" Isabel calls from where she's nestled on the couch with Arkarian.
"Eh." Ethan says. "Um, Matt? Neriah wants you!"
I roll my eyes at him as Matt come up behind me, wrapping his arms around my shoulders.
"You wanted me?"
"Always…but right then Ethan was trying to get out of telling me something. Now that you're here though…" I turn around and kiss him. "I love you."
"I love you too, Neriah. More than you'll probably ever know," he says seriously. His brown eyes are deep and warm.
"Oh, I think I have some idea…" I say, and kiss him again so he can't deny it.
Arkarian
The room is full of happy chatter, and everyone is here, even most of the Tribunal. Lord Penbarin and King Richard are playing a very intense foosball game, with a lot of swearing and shouts of "You cheater!" Dillon is keeping up a running commentary and acts as the referee.
"Oh, and King Richard shoots it down the table, but it's caught by Plastic Man, who passes it to Plastic Man #4…OH! The pass goes wide because #4 can't seem to move off of his stick, King Richard's Plastic Guy has it again…oh, he's dribbling…lining up the shot…Lord Penbarin's men can't defend because they refuse to move from their line, and…SCORE! No, Lord Penbarin, put that down…!"
Lady Devine seems to be enthralled with the television, and keeps turning it on and off, always with little gasps of surprise. Neriah and Matt…well, they've disappeared to somewhere. Jimmy and Shaun are joking with Ethan about something…he looks a little pale, but he's blocking his thoughts well, so I'm not sure why.
Rochelle has Gabe on her hip and is talking to Arabella about the best preschools around Angel Falls. Gabe is fascinated by Neriah's hound's tail, and keeps leaning precariously over Rochelle's arm to grab it.
And Isabel…well, Isabel's with me, lying on the couch, talking quietly. We've agreed that we'll wait until after she's finished high school, and then she can move into my chambers. Marrying for us is probably always going to be out of the question. What clergyman in their right mind would marry two blue-haired, purple-eyed people? Although maybe in this Las Vegas I've heard about…
But that's for later. We don't need to be married for us to know how we feel about each other. And that's that I love her. Looking into her soft brown eyes, every time I know it's true. I think back to the time when we first met. She sat on that stool, trying so hard to show that she wasn't scared, and thinking about how strange my hair and eyes were.
In the end, though, my ultimate sexiness won out. I like to think that's what it was, anyway.
Matt
Okay, my girlfriend was right. My best friend is hiding something. I've never seen him this twigged. Ever. Still, before I can ask him about it, someone else distracts me. Lord Penbarin, asking about my new quarters in Athens. Yes, that's right, I'm moving out now that high school is over. Mom thinks I'm going to university, and for right now, she can think that. Oh, I know that someday, she'll have to know. About her son being an immortal, her daughter being ageless and in love with a man who's over 600 years old. About her lover being assigned to protect her by my real dad, who also happens to be immortal. That Isabel and I never were in the marching band, which we told her we were in to distract her from how much time we were gone.
But for right now, she's happy, and that's good enough for me. She also thinks that Neriah is a "lovely girl" and that she's "so much better than that other girl-Rochelle". I laugh softly to myself. Two years ago, when I asked Rochelle out, did I ever think it would come to this? I'm moving in with Neriah, and Rochelle and my best friend happily together, and having a toddler living with her.
Almost as if summoned by my thoughts, Rochelle appears holding Gabe. "Hey, Matt…you look sort of broody."
"No, just thinking." I assure her, tousling Gabe's curls. "About all of us, and the past. She laughs gently, another new thing for her. Until she and Ethan started dating, I'd never seen her even truly smile.
"Oh wow…what a screwed up mess we were back then, huh?"
"Some of us more so than others." I said teasingly. She smiles but doesn't deny it.
"I wouldn't do anything differently, though, if I could go back, you know?" she says thoughtfully. "All of it…it was an adventure. And it all turned out alright in the end, right?"
"Better than alright," I say. "Absolutely perfect. But hey…what about Gabe? I'm sorry that you seem to be stuck with him."
"Stuck with him?" she looks horrified. "No, no…I love the little guy."
I hold out my hands for him, and she places the little boy in them. He's sleepy already, I can tell, because he doesn't protest at leaving Rochelle. "Well, you and Ethan seem to be good for him," I say, hinting somewhat.
"I know…" Rochelle runs her fingers through her hair. "He even called Ethan 'Daddy' the other day."
I have to smile. "Then, Rochelle, why don't you make it official?"
She sighs. "I do think about adoption every day, but Ethan and I have never talked about it, and I can't raise him alone. Ethan and I would have to be married, and he's never even mentioned that either…" Is it just my imagination or does she sound a little discouraged?
Before I can reassure her, however, that everything will work out fine, the subject of discussion himself stands up and clears his throat. God, he looks nervous.
Rochelle
So, Ethan's been avoiding me all night. I can't imagine why, though. Not that I haven't been busy with Gabe, and the hoers de oeuvres, and keeping all the furniture safe, it just would have been nice, you know, to TALK to the man I love.
Ah well.
I'm talking to Matt when Ethan clears his throat and stands. I catch Matt's thought that he looks nervous, and I've got to say that I agree. What would make him this nervous? Maybe he's telling Lord Penbarin that foosball is going to determine the Tribunal standings. Or maybe that he's leaving for somewhere far away. And breaking up with me. Oh, hell…just don't cry and you'll be fine, I promise myself.
"Um, okay, hi everybody…alright, well…three years ago, I met someone special. She walked down the hallways like she owned the place, even though I could see that she was scared to death."
Oh God, is that me?
"She was absolutely perfect in my eyes, except for the little fact that she liked my best friend, and not me."
Oh yeah. Definitely me.
"I was hurt, really hurt, but then she turned sides, became Named, and she showed her true self to everyone for the first time. And I fell in love all over again."
I'm blushing, I know. Isabel's looking at me and smiling widely. This doesn't sound like a breakup speech…
"Rochelle, you and I are soul mates. I know it in my heart, and every time I look at you, my stomach disappears."
There's gentle laughter. I'm still wondering: What's he saying?
"What I'm trying to say is, Rochelle, I love you with all of my heart, and I know it'll be forever."
He pulls out a box from his pocket. A small one, like one that can hold a…
"Will you marry me?" he opens to box to reveal a simple silver band with three diamonds on it. It's beautiful.
Okay, even though I promised that I wouldn't cry, I'm tearing up. Whatever. Tears of happiness don't count. There is no hesitation in my heart as I run across the room to him and jump into his arms, kissing him.
"Is that a yes?" he whispers.
"That's a hell yes!" I say back.
Everybody laughs and starts to clap and yell. "Oh, good!" Neriah looks relieved. "I was trying to find some way to tell you that I'm moving in with Matt in Athens, but now you and Ethan can have this house!"
I look at Ethan for confirmation that he wants to. "I don't care where we live," he shrugs. "Just as long as I'm with you."
Oh, my God.
How did I end up with a perfect life?
"A toast!" Shaun says, standing up. "To Ethan and Rochelle. To all of us."
"Here, here!" Jimmy calls.
"From the ragged beginning, full of lies and deceit, but somehow, friendships shined through."
Ethan, Arkarian, and Isabel grin. I try not to think about the lies and deceit, sharing a grimace with Matt.
"New faces, old faces, loves being found, lost, and found again. And lost again. And found again." Everybody smiles at me and Ethan.
"Unpleasant surprises deaths…and yet, somehow, we've all managed to make it through, laughing and together, here in this room." Shaun finishes. There is a moment of silence while everyone thinks about these past few years, and what a journey this has been. And, I think as I look at Gabe, what it is going to be.
Finally, Arkarian raises his glass. "To the Named, forever together."
Everyone raises their glass as one and the low rumble of voices goes throughout the room. "To the Named."
And then Dillon manages to break his glass somehow, and the party begins again.
THE END
Oh, wow. It's over. I hope you were all reasonably happy with the ending. I couldn't decide who to write it from, so i incorporated a little of everybody. It's been such a pleasure writing it, and even greater hearing from all of you guys. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and has been reviewing:
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PLEASE, please review, even if you never have, just to give me feedback on the story: what i could have done differently, what you liked, the good/bad/sad...
With, as of now, over 3000 hits and 118 reviews, i'm so glad that my first venture into fanfiction has been a success! Thanks again, and see you all with a sequel,
-HaLo-