A/N: This is the last chapter and also the first slash story I've ever done! I might countine it with another story later but I'm currently working on another full length story. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to review :)

Chapter 8

Amber woke up from a fitful sleep and for a second, she was expecting to see her own pink and white decorated bedroom but then remembered she had left home. Now, she was in the guest room of the Turnbald house where she had slept last night. Penny had slept in Tracy's bedroom but they were up half the night talking about what they were going to do next. Amber really had no idea and she didn't want to risk calling her old friends and telling them where she was because she knew her mom could break anyone into telling her what she wanted. Since the Turnbalds guest room, had no clock she had no idea what time it was but it was still dark out so it couldn't have been too late in the morning. Amber sat up and took off her gown and put on the dress she had packed in her suitcase. She wanted to see if Penny was also awake. She was about to walk out the door when she heard a small knock and then the door opened. Penny was standing there with her clothes already on and a note in her hand. "Penny, what are you doing up? What time is it?" Amber whispered

"It's about four in the morning and I was just coming to tell you I was leaving actually I was leaving you this note." Penny said holding up the sheet of paper.

"Leaving? You were going to leave me behind?" Amber said sadly. It was heartbreaking. Penny was going to leave without her and just give her some Dear Jane letter.

"I'm sorry Amber but I have to go back home. I know my mom is nuts but she loves me and I don't want her worried sick about me."

"Oh I see," Amber said turning around so Penny couldn't see her cry. "Amber I'm sorry I didn't expect for this to happen. You know with us but it did and I don't regret it not one bit but we have to face reality it's not going to happen. No one is going to let us be. It's hard enough dating Seaweed but at least there are some people willing to accept that. This is different but I still care about you Amber and I'll never forget the times we shared together." Penny said. Amber turned around and nodded slowly. She knew Penny was right but she still didn't want to go home and she didn't want to give Penny up.

"I still have to run away. I can't go to Switzerland to some boarding school. You are the best thing to ever happen to me. Getting to know you has been a really wonderful experience and I'll never forget it either but I'm leaving Baltimore tonight. I don't care if I'm alone. I have to show my mom she can't push me around." Amber said

"Amber, you can't go alone. What's going to happen to you?" Penny asked concerned.

"I don't care anything is better then my mom. I love you Penny and I won't forget you anytime soon." Amber said and pulled Penny into a kiss. Penny pulled back and said "Where are you going to go?"

"I don't care anywhere but here." She said crying. Penny sighed and said "Look, I'll just call my mom and tell her I'm okay. I have some money saved up. We can leave together" Penny said figuring that if she went home her mom would probably tie her to the bed and if she stayed with Amber they will be alone and poor but at least they had each other. She figured going with Amber was the best thing to do at the moment.

"Are you sure, Penny?" Amber said excitedly. Penny had chosen her! Despite what everyone might think of them she wanted to be with her!

"Yes, we can leave now. I'll leave Tracy a note to tell Seaweed everything. She won't like it but she's my best friend and I know she'll do it for me." Amber kissed Penny again.

"Come on let's get out of here before anyone wakes up." Penny said. Amber packed her suitcase and she and Penny went out the window. She didn't know what was going to happen next but she was glad Penny was with her.

"Why isn't the bus here yet?" Amber asked frantically. They had been sitting at the bus station for an hour and the bus that was going to take her and Penny out of Baltimore and to freedom was thirty minutes late. The sun was just coming out and there weren't many people at the station but Amber couldn't help looking around for her mom to come and drag her home. "Don't worry it'll be here." Penny said but she was nervous too. They could only afford tickets to Georgia which was ten hours away but it was a good enough distance from Baltimore. Penny didn't tell anyone where they were going all she put in her note to Tracy was that she and Amber were leaving and to tell Seaweed everything. She decided at the last minute not to call her mom after all. She wasn't going to worry about her mother. She was going to say forget about her and everyone else in Baltimore just like Amber.

"There it is!" Amber said pointing at the bus heading to the station. "Come on let's go!" she exclaimed grabbing her pink sweater and Penny's hand. "Hi girls!" said the bus driver with a smile on his face. "Hi," Amber said with a smile. Penny was too nervous to even speak. She was going to calm down until they were on the bus and riding past that sign on the interstate that said "Now leaving Baltimore, please come back soon."

"You girls are going to Atlanta? Visiting family?" he said

"Yes, my...I mean our grandmother. She's very sick!" Amber exclaimed. She thought it up on the spot. She usually wasn't that good of a liar but desperate times was making her into a good one. "That's nice. Get on in girls." The driver said not questioning Amber's story. They found a couple of seats near the back of the bus and sat down. The bus stayed at the station for ten of the longest minutes of Amber's life before finally pulling off. Amber let out a sigh of relief but Penny was still scared. Her mother could still come at any minute and get her. She couldn't shake that feeling out of her head until finally the sign she had been waiting for came up. Amber read the words out loud "Now leaving Baltimore, please come back soon." Penny relaxed. They were finally free and to celebrate she leaned over and kissed Amber in front of everyone on the bus. "Our new life is just beginning Penny." Amber said and Penny didn't have to say anything else because she knew Amber was right.