LAST FRIGGEN CHAPTER. ZOMG. (I HOPE YOU HAD FUN!)

Disclaimer: I own no one familiar to the movie. End of disclaimer.

Never thought that Lash and Layla had a past relationship beyond the movie? What? You never thought they could have been friends? Are you kidding me? Here! Have the story! My goodness, you've been missing out.

Past

"No more." He growled, kissing her forehead after glaring at the bruises, his eyes now for Layla's. Quickly releasing her hands, she ran them through his hair again, staring deeply at him.

"Lash..." He moved to the side, touching her cheek softly, stroking her face as she entwined a leg around his. "We're back to our old selves." He chuckled, dipping his head down and into her neck, kissing her collarbone freely.

"Yeah, we are." His lips pressed lightly against her collarbone for a second time, and his arms wrapped around her torso 5 times before he brought her closer to him. "It's good to be back."

--

Watching him sleep; only made her want to finish this soon. Just wake him up, take him somewhere, and tell him. Everything's confused her, but this, this she was sure of now.

"Lash." He grunted lightly, pulling her close. "Wake up."

"Muhgm?" He asked, breathing out slowly upon Layla's neck. She shivered immensely, blinking many times to turn her face towards him. "Me-haw's go-n on?"

"Wake'up, I wanna take you to the park."

"Why?" He asked, his eyes now open and being wiped of sleep crust. "What time is eet?"

"Like, two. C'mon, the moon's full, and it's really bright down at the park." She scrambled beneath his hold, and he followed her out off her side, and held her tightly, kissing below her eye sleepily.

"G'mornin', mah lurve." He whispered, gripping some of her hair to pull her closer.

"Good morning to you too, Lash. Now c'mon. Get your pants on. Get shoes." Crossing the room, she locked the door, wrapping up her hair into a scrunchie before being tugged back to Lash by his long arms. His honey brown eyes sparkled in the dim light, but she smiled as he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"You still haven't told me what this is about." He gurgled, leaning forward to nibble lightly upon her earlobe. It took so much effort to squeeze herself out of his hold, pushing him towards the spot he pulled his pants off.

"I'll explain when we get there. Now c'mon, put'chor shoes on." She passed him cautiously, fully aware that he was still half-asleep and totally vulnerable, to open her second story window, stepping out.

"Wai, wait for me, little Lahlah." He muttered, grasping a hold of his vest after putting on his Converse. He took her hand, and she realized how cold it's become.

"Shh…don't try to make any noise." She whispered, as they passed through the window.

"Won't...won't." He grumbled, already to the grass, his arms stretched around her body to let her set herself onto the grass. He smiled, and held her still with his hands behind her back, tugging her middle close. "Never, never, Layla." He kissed her passionately, and Layla had to fight the fact that he was still asleep. Still not fully awake like she was.

"Let's get going."

----

They walked hand in hand down the street, huddling closer to each other once they got tight beneath a streetlight - Lash's eyes hadn't adjusted well yet, but he was awake finally. He was confused. "So how far away is this stupid park again?" He whispered gruffly, wiping his eyes as they managed their way across the street. Layla was silent, only for exceptions for when she would quiet him so that she could hear for traffic and weary people still up at this hour.

"Come. It's just down this road here." She tugged him along, and all he could think about was his pillow, back at her house, just calling out to him. He wanted to sleep - why did Layla want to be here? Couldn't she just have held his hand back home, or something? What was so special about going to a park in the middle of the night?

They arrived by the swing sets.

"Sit with me, Lash..." She whispered calmly, sitting upon one of the rusty chain swing. He merely shook his head, picking her up to sit down, placing her into his lap. Slowly, they began to move back and forth, the wind they made gathering through their hair. Lash rested his chin upon Layla's shoulder, and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. He didn't want to fall asleep again, but this was nice.

"Lay, are you gunna explain why we're here in the first place?" Lash muttered against her skin, shaking his head carefully, not aware that with any sudden movement, he could knock himself back with the heavy weight of his skull. He pressed his lips hard against her shoulder, and let his arms carry themselves over her waist and into her lap. Layla had fondly touched his fingers, leaning her head into his and sighing.

"Are you up for a walk?" She could only say, and Lash couldn't muster enough energy to respond as much. "Lash?"

"I'm up, I'm up. Can we stay here until I wake up, though?" He suddenly became warm as she gave a small laugh, and held her a bit tighter. "I take that as a yes, then?"

Layla chuckled, and gave him a soft kiss upon the forehead. "Mmhmm."

Lash smiled. "I like those." He joked, leaning his face up a bit more, eyes still shut. "I wanna 'nother." Shrugging against him, she lowered her lips to below his eye, pressing the cool of her skin to his warm flesh. Lash heard himself sigh and he breathed out slowly as he squeezed Layla to him once more.

"You good now?"

It almost sounded urgent. "Uh..." He muttered. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm alright. Let's go, shall we?" Layla grabbed at his left hand as she jumped off his lap and into the dewy grass beneath their feet.

"Good, cause I've got something to tell you." Lash's stomach did a bit of its old flips when she spoke those words. "I gotta tell you, and it's really, really important."

"Okay...spill." Her eyes were full of concern, as if she couldn't be sure he'd be able to take in what she was about to say.

So slowly, she had stroked his palm. She sighed. "Alright then..." Breathing unevenly, she closed her eyes. "This is gunna sound a bit out of place, Lash, but..."

"But...?" He pressed.

"All this time, and I really had no idea."

"Idea of what?"

"Love." She mumbled, and then looked back at him, a curious look on his face. "I thought I really did love Will."

"Thought?" She merely nodded. "But, all those years, pining after him..."

"It was a severe infatuation, Lash." She took her time getting off the swing and took his hand, walking slightly off to the center of the park, swirling circles into his palm.

"Okay..." He whispered, tilting her head up and cupping her cheek, a really confused look on his face as she looked into the grass, beyond his fingertips.

"And it only took me years to understand Sarah's words." He chuckled.

"Which ones?" His fingers lightly stroked through her hair, and she shivered, sighing to herself.

"She stayed one night, when Harry began abusing her." His eyes narrowed, but let her continue. "In the morning, I remember her being so frightened, so scared when I woke her. But when I left the room, she told me something that has been buried in the back of my mind, but until very recently, I never really understood." Her hand shook as she placed it onto his shoulder, and he stiffened. "She told me, 'Don't let a boy hurt you in any way'," His eyes flashed, and nodded.

"Yeah." He whispered breathlessly, and she looked to their shoes.

"And Will, either physical or emotional, he always abused me - with his words, or his hands." Lash's body shuddered, but she shook it off quickly, her mouth opening again, looking into his eyes. "But there was always you, Lash Livingston. You never hurt me." His arms slowly wrapped around her waist, covering her shivering form. "I felt so stupid, Lash - you've always loved me. And you got me thinking back in 8th grade, that night for semi."

"What about it?" She wiggled her way out of his embrace to look at him closely.

"You got me thinking about who I loved, who I thought I loved, anyway." He breathed deeply, and she gave a small smile. "I was pretty stupid, really." He shook his head, disagreeing.

"Not really, Layla, not as stupid as choosing Gwen's plan over anything." She placed a hand into the air, stopping his voice.

"We've been over this." She whispered gravely, and she closed her eyes, breathing in slowly, her mouth turning into an 'O' as she exhaled bravely, her small frame being huddled closer to him as her breath reached his nose. It was sweet, like strawberries after a rainshower.

"Then what?" He asked softly, looking intensely into her green eyes as she brushed away the dark brown strands in his way. His gaze hadn't made her stray, and he was glad of that.

"When I fell asleep that night, I remember how much it hurt when you left me alone -" he tried to interrupt by opening his mouth, but she stared him down as she continued to speak. "It took me a while to finally fall into sleep, but I kept thinking of the look on your face that I imagined when you told me you loved me, that I didn't love you that way, equally."

He could only nod, hating this memory. It made him feel like he was almost as bad as Stronghold.

"And then I got really confused, Lash. Really, really confused. Like I didn't know what to think. What to expect. What to know. What to...anything." She sighed loudly, and took his hand, taking a few steps in the dewy grass. "But it took time."

The silence between them was a long one, but she began to softly stroke the backside of his hand slowly, and he watched as the light bruise against her wrist was turning a bright yellow, green. He wanted to make it go away, make it disappear from her body - it never deserved to be there in the first place. Her bruised, weak body didn't deserve to be in this state at all. As they slowed their walk down the grassy path of the empty field, he lifted it to his lips, closing his eyes as he kissed it, hoping that when he opened his eyes she'd be smiling at him. Sure enough, lowering it from his face, he glanced at her from beneath his eyelashes, the smallest smile was lingering on her lips.

"You never deserved these, Layla Williams." He murmured, bringing her hand close to her side, feeling her brush his own wrist with a soft finger.

"He always made it seem like I did, though." She spit, and his hand stopped the two of them, flying into her hair and combing through it quickly, holding her still as his lips touched her forehead.

"Never." He said clearly, pulling away and continuing their walk. Her gaze was on the grass they were to step on in seconds, and she wiggled her nose as she started to speak again.

"It took time." She whispered again, his thoughts flying back to their last topic. He didn't really want to start this again, but he still gave her a confused look.

"What did?" Her feet stopped at his words, and she held her breath for a moment.

"To realize." She whispered, and he didn't like the way she was speaking in practically tongues to him. Layla never talked like this.

His eyes closed, tired of this stupid suspense.

"Realize what, Layla." He felt her hand crawl behind his neck, resting there as they stared at each other. Slowly her feet took her a bit high, causing her to stand on her tiptoes when she reached his lips with her own. Lash sent a tingle down her spine as she smiled against him, his fingers trailing down her back as they reached to pick her up into his arms. Breaking away shortly, her mouth went to his ear.

"That I love you, too."

--

(mega amounts of hearts)

I'm so glad it's done.

I had a blast writing all of it, and it was about time to finish what I had started.

So, fan fiction - I love you. We had a great time together. I'll come back here and there…but I'm officially done with this site. Please review everything.

- Fantasmarific Amalia