and this is the last chapter! Thanks for the reviews, although the more the merrier ;). So... here it is!

Massie walked out a little later, quieter than usual. Cam and Derrick were sitting in nearby chairs, but stopped talking when she approached them.

"I got a hold of Alicia," Derrick said when she collapsed onto a seat. "They're on their way."

"Thank goodness," Massie sighed, studying him a little. When he noticed she turned away, blushing. Cam noticed, too, and decided it would be a good time to stand.

"I'll go check on Claire," he said, and left the two alone.

"So what did you guys talk about?" Massie asked when he was gone. Derrick Harrington didn't blush, but he came pretty darn close.

"Uh, you know, sports," he replied lamely. Both saw through it, but Massie chose to let it go.

"Guys," she said, rolling her eyes. She then averted her attention to his fingers drumming on his chair.

"Only three days left," she said quietly.

"So I take it you aren't you aren't leaving, then?"

"No."

"Good," he smiled. She returned it, the end of Claire's conversation ringing in her ears.

"Do you remember how we used to build sandcastles as kids?" His random question caught her off guard, but she nodded anyway.

"I built a castle a year ago. I built it around the idea that someday, you would love me."

"Derrick-"

"Massie, I'm a hopeless romantic, I'll admit it. But I even I know that I'll have to give up someday, and I will. But until then, you'll either have to say yes or put up with me for-"

Massie smiled and kissed him. When she pulled away, he looked stunned.

"What was that?"

"Me telling you to shut up," she replied, grinning. Derrick, once he got over the shock, started smirking like an idiot.

"So I guess this means you like me after all, huh?"

Massie blushed and playfully shoved him on the arm, which earned her a loving, bone- crushing hug.

"Shut up," she replied, but she was smiling.

Cam chose to walk in at that point, overjoyed with Claire's progress and not at all noticing what he had stumbled onto. But then he glanced between them- Massie's slight blush and Derrick's annoyed expression- and said, "Did I miss something?"

Kemp smiled at Dylan as she yawned, her head resting on his shoulder. But then he remembered what he was about to do, and his smile dropped.

"Dylan, we need to talk." She looked at him with tired eyes and nodded. They had just returned from the hospital and everyone was exhausted.

They walked out onto the beach, and when Dylan reached for his hand he discreetly avoided it. If she noticed that something was amiss, she did not show it. Kemp tried not to feel nervous as his sister's words from earlier rang in his ears.

"I got a call from my sister, Nichole, today." It was the first thing either of them had said since their exit from the house, and she nodded, waiting for more. He gulped, the words coming out painfully slow in hopes that they wouldn't all pour out at once.

"She was talking about her best friend, Ashley."

"And?"

"Ashley's in, uh, some trouble." Dylan glanced at him briefly before returning her gaze to the unvarying sand beneath them.

"What kind of trouble?"

"She's… she's pregnant, Dyl." She didn't respond but stopped walking, and didn't look up when he stood beside her. "Dylan…"

"Don't tell me," she said in a hard voice. "I know what you're going to say, but don't say it." Her voice shook and he rested his arm on her waist, but she shook him away, looking straight at his face. "I don't want to hear why this matters to you, because I know. I can already tell."

"Dylan, it was a long time ago, way before we met." Dylan's raised eyebrows made him cower in shame.

"We've been together for longer than nine months."

"She kept it a secret," he replied in a low voice. "A secret from me."

"What a shame." Sarcasm dripped off every word. Kemp took a deep breath and she felt herself tense.

"Dylan… you know I can't be with you." She closed her eyes, not willing to let her tears spill. "I… I have a kid."

"So that's it then." She turned away from him so her tears could fall, but he spun her back around.

"I love you, but you know I can't… I can't burden you. I won't."

"Is that what you call it?" she laughed dryly. He flinched at the coldness of her words. "Well, then, I guess I'm free, aren't I?"

Kemp closed his eyes, his face tight with pain. He had no other choice. "I'm sorry, Dylan."

He opened them when he heard her ragged breath. She was silently sobbing in front of him, but when he reached for her she turned, her voice thick with tears.

"I'm going for a drive." Kemp couldn't follow, and watched she stumbled away from him with his loss raging in his heart. His insides screamed to chase after her like a hopeless romantic, assure her everything would be okay and that somehow, they would find a way through together. But instead he stood frozen and heartbroken.

"Has anyone seen Dylan?" Kemp asked, breaking up the loose group of friends hanging around the island counter. Massie shook her head, took in his frantic expression, and detached herself from Derrick to peer at him cautiously.

"Why?"

Kemp just shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "She's just been gone for awhile, that's all."

Massie raised her eyebrows but he turned away to answer the ringing telephone behind him. "Hello?" he asked, dearly hoping it was Dylan.

The truth was much, much worse than he could have imagined. He hung up with a grim expression, and the chatter died down as he turned back to his friends.

"Call a cab, guys. We're going back to the hospital."

On the hurried car ride over, he was able to explain to his confused friends the gist of things; Ashley's pregnancy, Dylan's car accident, and the half- fight that had taken place just before it.

"She's in critical condition," he sighed heavily, worry ripping through every thought. "They say…" his voice cracked. "They say she might not make it." After that, he was mute and left everyone to their own thoughts as the taxi fell silent.

Kemp was the first one out the door, the first one to race through the unfortunately familiar hallways and pause at her room, dread filling his mind. The doctor passing nodded to him, his face grim.

He walked in and immediately fell to her side. He looked at nothing but her face; he didn't want to see the blood that still remained seeping through. Her expression was feeble as she slowly took his hand into her own.

"You were right," she breathed, closing her eyes as if the words had tired her out. "But I'll always love you."

He blinked hard to stop the tears, but they came anyway, splashing onto her hair and soaking the bandages that wrapped around her body.

"I'll love you forever," he whispered back, his voice cracking. "But you'll recover. You have to."

She only smiled lightly, closing her finger over his as she shut her eyes. "I love you," she whispered. Then she was still.

Kemp could not look at her peaceful face that seemed so dull compared to her old, always energetic expressions. He could not bear to glance up at the blank monitor that was proof she was really gone. Instead he stood, running away from the room and past his friends' anxious faces. He couldn't face them now.

His only true love was gone. And all he had left was a child that came with a troubled mother. His life seemed bleak; his prospects gone. And maybe he was being melodramatic, but he didn't care. Dylan Marvil was gone, never again to run into his arms.

The funeral was small and uneventful. Everyone was present, including Dylan's mother, who had never been close to her youngest daughter. Merri-lee Marvil took in the funeral with a stoic expression as if preparing for a show, and she talked to no one. The second it concluded she was out the door and on her way back to New York.

The girls cried like they were supposed to, and the men tried to act strong, but no one seemed as upset as Kemp.

His eyes were dry, perhaps because all his tears had already been cried out, but they were haunted and he alone felt responsible for her death. He passed through the funeral like a ghost, walking up the aisle until he saw her coffin.

He stood there, staring, and it was a long time before anyone noticed the tears streaming out of his eyes. He was the most heartbroken of all of them, to be sure.

Derrick walked with Massie out when it was over, silently filing out like everyone else.

He stopped her before the exit, taking both her hands.

"Massie…"

She waited for him with a curious expression.

"Kemp made me realize what … what losing you would do to me. I wouldn't be strong enough to go through that."

"Derrick…"

"I need you in my life, Massie. I can't live without you. I love you with all my heart and… I want to ask you something."

Her eyes widened as he got down on one knee. This wasn't happening!

"Massie Block, I love you. I know you won't say yes to a marriage just yet, but that's not what I'm asking for. All I want is a promise that someday you will say yes, when the time comes." Massie felt tears brimming. It was just too much to feel; Dylan's death and now, this. She was confused but she knew her answer as she wiped a happy but sad tear from her eyes.

"I promise," she whispered. "Forever 'till death do us part."

I really hope that wasn't anitclimactic... I tried to throw you guys off with Dylan and Kemp since throughout the story they were sorta the safe couple. Please, please tell me what you think!