I own nothing but the ideas in my head.

Wednesday

Catie's POV

When I woke up I had my bear hugged tightly to my chest. How did it already smell like Darren? I smiled when I realized that, but then I looked next to me and saw that the bed was empty apart from me. That was how it would be for a while. I could deal with not waking up next to him as long as I knew I would see him, but for a little over two weeks I wouldn't even be getting face to face contact with him. I turned the other direction and saw a note on the night stand next to the bed. It was a hand written note from Darren saying he hopped I wouldn't be awake to see him gone, but if I was that I should just go back to sleep and he'd be back soon to take me out to breakfast. I smiled at how thoughtful he was and then went right back to missing him. The clock said it was only 9:30, so I tried to go back to sleep. I woke up again at around 10:15 and he still hadn't returned yet, he had written that he thought he'd be back around this time so I just stayed awake.

I thought about how much had happened in the past week and I loved it. Every single moment had been great, but I was going to miss the Starkids and the Gleeks so much! And Darren… wow, he'd been with me for nearly every minute of the last few days. I knew it was only a couple of weeks, but it was still hard to think about driving him to the airport today and then leaving alone. Tears sprang into my eyes and I just hugged my teddy bear tighter and prepared to deal with this for the next two weeks. I didn't hear him come in because I was faced away from the door crying quietly, wishing I could stop being such a baby about this.

Then I felt the bed move and I just froze and held my breath hoping he hadn't noticed. I was wrong of course. He was suddenly crouched in front of the bed looking worried. "What happened baby? Please don't cry, whatever it is we'll fix it ok? Please tell me what's wrong, love."

"You're leaving today, and I was thinking about how much I am going to miss you being around. Your mere presence makes me feel like a different person Darren, like I'm special and loved and it's not that my friends don't make me feel that way, too, but it's different with you and I'm going to miss you so much while you're away."

"I am going to miss you too. Every minute of every day I will be wishing you were with me. I love you baby girl and I don't foresee that changing anytime soon."

"I'm so embarrassed that you saw me crying. I was hoping that I'd hear you come in and I could hop into the shower before you came in here. It's silly to get this upset, I mean it's only two weeks right."

"Well, sweetheart, you're partially right. Yes, it is only two weeks, but it's not silly to be upset. I cried a little talking to Ryan about it this morning. You should not be embarrassed because it is a natural response to a situation like this and I am flattered and overjoyed that you care so much about me, the same way I care about you." He looked me in the eyes and told me he loved me, then his eyes flickered to my lips and back up and he got up off the floor and lay down next to me, never breaking the eye contact. His eyes shot down to my lips again and he moved closer, tortuously slowly, and kissed me.

We stayed that way for a while, and then I decided that I needed to shower, get dressed and brush my teeth. He said he'd be waiting and pulled out his guitar and started strumming and singing softly. I told him that it sounded beautiful, and he winked and said that it was about a beautiful girl he recently met and that he was glad I liked it. I blushed and said I'd have to meet her someday and walked into the bathroom.

I realized a little too late that I had forgotten to bring clothes into the bathroom with me. I peeked my head out to see that his back was to the bathroom door and that he was still playing away on the guitar. I had a towel wrapped around me and walked to the bag on the floor to get some clothes. He heard the bag unzip and turned towards me. I looked at him, blushing, and he told me he'd already seen me in a bathing suit at the meet and that I shouldn't be embarrassed, because I was beautiful; inside and out. I laughed at that and said, "That's different, Dare! We weren't together then and I had a bathing suit on under that towel!" He just laughed, got up and gave me a kiss on the forehead and said he was going to get a drink from the fridge in the other room.

I went back into the bathroom and finished my morning routine and we went to breakfast at around 11:30 at a bagel shop in Madison.

Darren's POV

We were sitting in the bagel shop in town, which Catie had mentioned on our tour of the town about a week ago, waiting for our orders. Wow, I couldn't believe that it was only about six days ago. I felt like I'd known her my entire life and I already felt more comfortable around her than I had ever felt around any other girl.

Catie got up to get the food we'd ordered and I thought back to the moment in my room earlier that morning when I realized how much I wanted her to be around me as much as possible. I was writing a song that I planned to finish for Catie for when I came back from my trip as a surprise. I heard shuffling behind me and paused, hoping she hadn't heard my surprise. She was wearing only a towel as she shuffled through her bag and I couldn't remember ever seeing a more beautiful girl. How could I leave this gorgeous girl who made feel like no one ever had before? She was definitely the elusive "one".

I hadn't realized that I was sulking until Catie came over and stroked my cheek saying, "Why the long face, Darebear?" She chuckled softly and sat across from me, gazing into my eyes with genuine concern. I tried to shrug it off because I knew I had to be strong for her, but I couldn't help the single tear that rolled down my cheek. She reached over and wiped it away with a soft "I'll always be here to wipe away your tears, Darren. We'll be strong for each other." My stomach fluttered when she said my whole first name. It felt so certain, so comforting. The fact that she could make me feel this way, like I was drowning but didn't care, was a mind-blowing thought.

We ate our food in silence, each lost in our own thoughts. We finished and began the cold walk back to her school. I grabbed her hand and walked a little slower wanting to revel in the last moments I had with her. When we arrived at her dorm, sooner than I had hoped, I wrapped her into a large bear hug, the Darebear that she so affectionately called me. It was about 12:15 when we got back and I didn't need to be at the airport until about 5 so we had time to just hang out and be with each other before I had to leave. Her roommate was out, Catie had gotten a text from her saying that she was in the city for the day and would be back later that night. We just lay on her bed and hugged for a while, talking about everything, but that I would be leaving soon.

I got up and went to the bathroom and when I came back I saw her hastily wipe her cheeks and eyes hugging the teddy bear I got her tightly. She was crying and I was pretty sure I knew why. I didn't ask though, knowing it would upset her more. I walked over and lay back down on the bed next to her. I looked her straight in the eyes and said, "I know baby. I love you so much, and I'll be counting the days until I can hold on tight to my katydid like I am right now." I kissed the top of her head and she turned to look at me. She whispered, "I love you too. I am gonna miss my darebear hugs so much. Just being around you makes me feel so loved and I am going to miss you terribly." And she finally just let go. This was the first time I'd really seen her cry about this and it broke my heart. I wanted to cry too, but I knew I needed to wait until she couldn't see me do it.

I just pulled her tighter to me and sang,

"Come stop your crying
It will be alright
Just take my hand
Hold it tight

I will protect you
From all around you
I will be here
Don't you cry

For one so small,
You seem so strong
My arms will hold you,
Keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
Can't be broken
I will be here
Don't you cry

'Cause you'll be in my heart
Yes, you'll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

You'll be in my heart
No matter what they say
You'll be here in my heart, always"

I could tell she had calmed down a little and then she looked up at me grinning and laughing a little. "What's so funny?" I asked; glad to see that she no longer seemed to be upset.

"Nothing Dare. It's just that, Alyssa and I were talking one day and we made this list, jokingly of course, of things that her boyfriend would have to do someday. I said that 'singing You'll Be in My Heart when she was upset should be on the list and that it's gonna be on mine.' Of course it's not like it was a deal breaker if it didn't happen, but you just sang it out of the blue and I loved it and I love you and it made me laugh because you are just so perfect and you've fit every possible thing that I could ever wish for and even more that I didn't know I wanted in a boyfriend until I met you. Darren, you are already becoming one of my best friends and I know I've said this before, but I feel like a different person with you, not different from the person I normally am, but I guess I just feel more comfortable being that person when I have you with me. Your love and support are more than I could ask for and everything that I could ever possibly need. I love you and you'll be here, in MY heart, for as long as you'll let me have you there."

She pointed to her heart when she said that last line and I laughed a little. My heart was soaring and my eyes were stinging with tears I refused to shed in front of her. Everything she said about the way she feels with me is exactly the way I feel around her. And I told her that. I wished more than anything that we could just stay like this forever, it didn't matter what we were doing, as long as I could be with her I would be the happiest man on Earth. I would be leaving soon though and while it was only a fraction of the time we'd spent apart before we met; I'd spent almost every moment of everyday with her since then and I couldn't fathom how I had lived and thought I was in love with anyone before I met her. I was glad that I'd done something special for her without even realizing it. I made a mental note to sing that to her when I knew she was really upset about something. Knowing this made my surprise for the airport when I came home that much better. I knew she'd love the song and the surprise I had in store.

Before we knew it, it was time to head to the airport. We decided that we'd eat something either at the airport or on the way there. We still hadn't really talked about the two weeks apart and even if it made me cry I'd talk to her about it on the way to the airport. I needed to be sure that she could handle this and make sure she knew that we could text and call and Skype anytime, as long as we were both free.

We got into the car and I turned the music on and plugged in the GPS Joey would be driving Catie back to school because he had finished all the filming he needed to do for the Disney show he's on and would be staying in New York while we were all finishing up our various projects. Catie was quiet and then we both began to sing along with the song on the radio. Once it was over I turned the music lower so that I could hear the GPS and once I got onto the highway Catie turned to look at me.

"Darren, I am really going to miss you. We've been so quiet since we stopped singing that I already miss you. I am going to miss you so much it hurts and that intimidates me a little bit. I know that I love you, but isn't it abnormal to feel this strongly this quickly?"

"I feel the same way katydid. I love you so strongly and so much that in the beginning I pulled away and tried to deny it. Don't you remember when you were giving us that tour of the town and I was distant? Well that was me feeling intimidated and nervous because I had a plan in the works to see how you felt about me. I didn't realize that it would take so much effort to do though and I was struggling to "keep my distance." Maybe it is abnormal, but you at least are not by any means just some normal girl, Catie; you are incredibly special and I know you think I am as well, although that will still take some convincing for me to believe. So, while it may be abnormal to have expressed these types of feelings so soon I know that you love and feel every emotion with your whole heart and I've never felt this way about anyone else in my life. I know that what we share is love and I think it's extraordinary that we are both strong enough to admit this to ourselves and others when, you're right, it is not the normal practice to do so this soon. Is that why you've been avoiding talking about this for so long?"

"Kind of, I guess, I mean I just kind of worried that you'd think me naïve and immature for going along with all this and jumping into it so quickly. Self-consciousness again I guess. I also didn't really want to mess up my last few days with you by talking about something that was going to upset both of us. I mean we made a plan about Skyping and texting and calling and the only thing we really need to do is nail down times when calls are ok. I will text you back whenever possible and if I don't right away you know it's because of class or practice or something stupid like sleep. We know when calls are allowed and there will only be like three weekends so we can Skype all we want over those times and maybe set up some other Skype dates as well; provided I don't have a ton of homework during the week that is. I love you Darren and as much as I'll miss you, I think this distance will only show me how much I really do love you and want you in my life."

I was tearing up then because everything we had been talking about was so true and honest and I loved that about her. She really did feel every emotion with her whole heart and soul and to see that she would survive this I knew I could too. It would only be two and a half weeks and if Ryan could pull off what we'd been talking about earlier it might even be less. I kissed the back of her hand like the princess she was and kept hold of it until we found a Panera to eat at before we parted ways at the airport.

We just talked and talked the whole time we were eating and the whole rest of the ride. We talked about anything but parting ways in just under an hour. When we finally got to the airport Catie's grip on my hand got just a bit tighter. It wasn't tight enough to hurt and I don't even know if she realized it, but I gave her hand a light squeeze and she looked up at me just before I pulled her close wrapped my arms around her and kissed her deeply. We stood there for a while just soaking up as much of each other as possible before I had to leave, until I heard a wolf-whistle behind me and I heard Chris and Lea giggle when we both turned around. Catie blushed and ducked her head into my chest. It was one of the cutest things I'd ever seen and I loved it when she blushed.

The whole gang then came over and said their goodbyes. Lauren promised her that the two of them and Alyssa would have some girl time as soon as we got back and Catie made Joe swear he'd keep in touch with Alyssa and that she was expecting a double bowling date when everyone was back and settled. She looked toward me when Joe happily agreed and I kissed her nose and said, "Wild Indians couldn't keep me away." She scrunched her nose up after I said that and told me that she was pretty sure I meant wild horses, but that she liked it my way better. She kissed me on the lips and I kissed her back. We melted into each other one last time and then she pulled away, too quickly for my liking, and whispered goodbye; her eyes sparkling with unshed tears.

"Goodbye, my darling katydid. I love you more that Ron loves Redvines; and that's saying something. It's just a little over two weeks, we were apart for longer than that before we met so I know we can do it now. I'll text you as soon as I land. And I'll want to hear your beautiful voice as soon as possible so depending on what time it is I may call you just to say goodnight. I'll be thinking about you the whole time I'm away. Ti amo, amore mio."

"Te amo mi amor. You'll be in my heart, always. See you in a few weeks." We hugged and I grabbed my bag, walked over to my friends, and we all got on the plane. I turned around once to see her watching me. I waved and blew her a kiss. She caught it and brought it to her heart and then did the same to me and I brought hers to my lips. She giggled and waved and I turned around and caught up to my friends.

Catie's POV

I stood there staring at the entryway Darren had walked through for I-don't-know-how-long until Joey came over, grabbed my hand and said that the plane had been gone for five minutes and that it was time to get back to school. I must have been numb to it because I didn't feel upset right away. I just kind of chuckled, said, "Oh, okay," and then walked out of the terminal with Joey. The car ride was quiet and we hit traffic almost right away. I must have fallen asleep, because I woke up and saw that Alyssa had texted me asking if I wanted to get Chinese food with them for dinner. She said that Victoria was back and the two of them and Sara were getting food. I told her I did and asked if I could invite Joey to eat with us. She said that was fine and to let her know what he said. I asked him and he said he had left over pasta from the night before and that he needed to eat it before he left the hotel in the next few days. He thanked us for thinking of him, though, and I texted Alyssa to tell her my order.

We got back to the dorm and I said bye to Joey and walked into our main lounge to see that my friends had just gotten the food and we sat down and watched movies and ate take out until we decided to get to bed.

A/N: The translations are generally "I love you, my love"