A/N: Well...here we are. The last chapter of Lost & Found. It's been quite a journey, hasn't it? Tons of things have happened, and...well, I don't think I'm ready to say goodbye yet. You can bet your bottom dollar that I'll be crying myself to sleep tonight.

Also, to the Guest: I took your suggestion about the Peddie, and I'm truly sorry I couldn't make this longer, but I wanted to keep this under 11,000 words, so I'm sorry if it seems minuscule. Thank you for your kind words and review though! xx

/o~~~o/

One week and two physical therapy sessions later, it was finally time to leave the wretched, smelly hospital.

On the first day, after she woke up, I didn't care that I had to stay another few hours to be here when she woke up. Eddie awoke from his nap soon after Nina went under the painkillers, and Mara came back from wherever she was. We talked things out until 5 PM, when Nina finally opened her eyes again.

We came back the next day, when visiting hours were over. We stayed the entire day, and when my friends called to see where I was, Amber and Alfie even came out of their to join me to visit Nina. Amber and her talked for hours upon hours about Emma, the kiss Nina shared with me in the school courtyard that went viral worldwide, and what would happen after Nina was discharged out of here.

Amber came every day after that, and Mick came one day, too. Jerome was busy a lot of the days, but I didn't particularly mind; Amber, Mick, Eddie, and Mara were enough company. However, there was a day, about four days after the initial accident, that Patricia, Eddie's girlfriend, came to visit to see if both Eddie and Nina were okay. She stayed for a while, and even though the only things I'd heard about her was annoying, straight out of Eddie's mouth, she seemed nice enough.

It was a Sunday, so Mara, Eddie, or anyone else didn't have to go to school. I dragged Eddie into the cafeteria as Nina sat listening to Patricia talk to her, upright, since the pain had finally lessened enough for her to sit up.

"Why did you just drag me out of there?" Eddie wondered, shaking out of my grip once we had reached the cafeteria. We spent a lot of our time here in the first few days, because Nina was sleeping and under painkillers a lot, so we escaped here. "Why couldn't we have just talked in her room?"

"I was just wondering why you're even dating Patricia," I told him innocently, moving away from his grip to buy something for lunch. The sentence sounded sweet, but honestly underneath it all I was worried for Nina herself. Patricia was one of the people that had made Nina leave town back in November of last year (now that it was February 17th, 2013). I didn't know what they could be talking about in there, but I hoped Patricia wasn't threatening her or anything.

"Ummm," Eddie murmured in response to my question, staring off into space on the lunch line. I gave him time to think his answer through while I ordered my sandwich; the same sandwich I had been ordering for the past week (Tomato, chicken, and mozzarella panini). He was still thinking his answer through while we took our seats in the same table that Mara, Eddie, and I had been hogging for the past week as well.

"Well..." he began slowly, picking at his lower lip. I waited for him to continue as I took a bite of my panini, chewing silently. "I mean, I met her when I first came to England in 2006, after my mom died when I was 12. We went to the same school, and, well, me being twelve...I thought it would be funny to harass her until she did something to me, thinking I could fight her back. I harassed her so much until she poured a glass of milk over my head." Eddie laughed lightly, like he was remembering the memory fondly.

"You came to England one year before Nina?" I asked him, since I knew that Nina had came to England in 2007, when she was 13. Eddie nodded, but he wasn't finished with his story.

"And...I mean, Patricia's interesting. Don't get me wrong, Mara and Nina are interesting too, but Patricia's...unique. She's like a rose. She's the only flower that can draw blood. She's strong, independent, doesn't take anyone's bullshit, and can be nice...when she wants to. She pushes my limits, and that's something I like in a woman." Eddie laughed once again, like he found this all amusing.

"But you're still into her, when she did all that to Nina when she was pregnant with Emma?" I wondered, sitting back and chewing. "I know Nina and Mara are your best friends, so why do you still date Patricia when she tormented Nina for so long?"

"I like to see the good in people," he shrugged, meeting my gaze. "I know Patricia can be rude, and uncouth, and presumptuous, but she keeps me on my toes. She has awesome music taste. She doesn't get jealous when I like another girl's photo on Facebook. She plays video games with me and always apologizes for the bad things she does, even if it does take a few months to do so. Nina and Mara both have bad qualities themselves, but you're pretty much in love with Nina."

"I am not in love with—" I began, but soon realized that I had told Nina outright that I loved her only 5 days ago, so I shook my head to correct myself. "Yeah, I guess. Are we gonna go back to Nina's room when Patricia comes back out?"

Eddie nodded, and so we talked for about thirty more minutes. I had never really sat down and talked with Eddie before; I had always, truthfully, been too scared of him. He was big, strong, and tough; if there was a football (the American football) team for Nina's school, I had no doubt that Eddie would be on it. He was bigger and tougher than I was, but now as I sat down and actually had a talk with him, he wasn't all that scary after all.

Soon enough, a familiar face approached Eddie and I in the cafeteria: Patricia Williamson, the woman we had just been talking about. I got up and she took my seat, saying that Nina was waiting for me inside of her room, and that was good enough for me. I was out of there like that.

While I climbed inside the elevator, I knew what I had to say. Aaron was making me pack for the tour as soon as I got home tonight, even though Nina wouldn't be discharged for another two days. We had four days left until I had to go off on that tour, leaving my daughter and my girlfriend behind.

It wasn't like I wanted to go on the tour...I mean, I did want to. I wanted to go on a tour since I had first gotten the record deal. Now it was happening, but it was happening too soon...I cancelled my concert because my girlfriend had gotten in a car accident, and now I had no choice but to go on this tour early if I wanted my career to move forward.

I had to tell Nina, or else I'd just leave it till last minute, and I'd wake her up on the morning of February 21st, 2013, telling her to meet me at the airport and we'd exchange a weak goodbye before I left for four months.

"Hi," Nina spoke, beaming at me, as soon as I walked into her room. She was sitting up against the pillows, a t-shirt and sweat pants on over a leg cast, and a hand brace. She told me the second time she had woken up, back on Valentines Day, that the hospital gown was annoying the hell out of her, so as soon as the doctor let her change out of it she took and seized the chance. Mara was at her side right now, playing with Nina's phone, so I sat down on the other side.

"Hey," I greeted, smiling right back. Since Mara was on her right, I took the seat to her left. "What's up?"

"Mara's playing Temple Run," Nina shrugged easily, without wincing this time. Because of how much pain she was in the first time she woke up, she was on tons of painkillers and meds day by day, and even though the cuts and breaks still probably bothered her, Nina pushed it to the side. "She keeps dying by tree."

"It's hard!" Mara defended, grumbling to herself and turning back to her game.

"You're playing Temple Run?" I wondered aloud, and Mara confirmed my statement. "That's so 2012."

"2012 was a month and two weeks ago, Fabian," Mara snarled, looking away from her game for a moment; it turned out to be her fatal flaw, because she groaned and muttered, "You made me die by tree again," but just starting up the game once again. Nina laughed weakly, and I grinned sadly, knowing the news I was about to break.

"How are you?" I asked Nina, grabbing her hand.

"Still upset over the car," she told me, her eyes expressing all the sadness in her expression. I had told her that her car was totaled yesterday, when she finally realized that only her cell phone had survived the crash.

"I told you, it's fine," I breathed, caressing her hand again. This time, she squeezed back, but the sadness was still there. "It wasn't all your fault. I was the one who called you to get you into that car accident in the first place...I'll just buy you a new car or something—"

"You can't buy everything for me," Nina protested, shifting around how she was sitting on the bed to face me better. "I know you're famous and I'm the mother of your child and all, but I can't let you just buy me everything I want. Besides...I've kind of learned my lesson," Nina grimaced. "No driving for awhile."

I nodded, understanding. If I had been in a car accident where I broke my leg and hand, fractured my arm, experienced a mild concussion and was cut all over, I wouldn't want to drive for a while either. "Mara?" I grabbed Nina's best friend's attention, and she paused the game before looking up to me this time. "Could you go out of the room, for a second, please? There's something I have to...tell Nina."

Mara's eyebrows arched in suspicion. Nina was confused as well, but when Mara noticed my expression that probably read something like GET OUT NOW, she muttered, "Yeah, sure!" And rushed out of the hospital room, leaving just me and Nina and the constant beep from the outside hallway. I had gotten used to that sound, because I'd been in here basically 24/7 for the past few days.

"What do you have to tell me?" Nina wondered, her eyes alight with curiosity.

I had dreaded telling her this for a week now, and now it was finally time to spill the beans. To let the cat out of the bag.

I reached down and grabbed her hand, playing with her fingers. "You know..." I began, ultimately confused as to how I was going to word this. "You know how you always said that I never acted like I was famous?"

"Yeah, because you don't," Nina persuaded me, slowly pushing herself so she was sitting upright against the headrest. "You're not snobby or stuck-up or anything to really suggest you were 'famous'." She used air quotes with her good hand, since the other was completely broken in several places. "You're pretty much just like the boy I met in 2009."

"Well, it's time for me to act famous," I sighed, squeezing her hand for my support more than hers. Nina revealed a look of confusion, her eyes glued to mine.

"What do you mean?" She wondered softly, pulling her good hand away from mine. I couldn't force myself to look at her anymore, so I tore my gaze away from hers and stared at the creme tiled floor instead.

I hadn't gotten a haircut since I got the photograph of Emma, all the way back in August; to make her look at her again, Nina brushed my long hair away from my eyes and tilted my head up to hers. "What's up?" She inquired, possessing a genuine look of concern.

My sullen mood wouldn't improve in the months I was away from her. Nina might be commanding, bossy, rude and uncouth and presumptuous, but there were good qualities to her as well. She was caring, loving, protective...she didn't want anyone to get hurt at her hand.

She was bright, optimistic, curious, brave, and adventurous. I would miss that in the time I had to leave her.

I grabbed and squeezed her hand again, forcing myself to move my head and see her beautiful face again. "Nina, I know you're going to think calm and rationally about this," I told her, not knowing myself how she was going to react.

That was another thing about her; ever since I met her, she had been a mystery. I never truly knew what she was going to do or say when I was around her or when she was around other people. I liked that, however; she provided me with something to find. I didn't want an open book, I wanted to open their books and discover their secrets myself instead of them telling me everything about themselves.

Nina nodded, encouraging me to continue. "But I guess that fame is catching up with me," I shrugged, sighing, feeling the tears already coming. I didn't just have to leave Nina; I had to leave my daughter as well. Emma was someone I loved more than anyone in the entire world, and I had to leave her in Liverpool while I traveled the world with Aaron, my team, and my sisters.

"I'm going on a tour," I blurted, closing my eyes instead of waiting for a reaction. I didn't know if she'd celebrate the tour, or dread it instead.

"You're going on a tour," Nina repeated my statement. My eyes snapped open, taking in her expression: confused, disappointed, but a hint of...admiration, maybe. "Wow," she breathed, after I said nothing. "Wow, you're...going on a tour. Like every other famous person. For how long?"

At first, I remained silent, staring at her. Taking her in. She was getting discharged in one to two days, the doctor told us, and I only had four more days with her before my first plane took off into the skies. "Four months," I told her, sullenly.

"Four months?" Nina was being much more calm about this than I expected her to. Suddenly, that confused, disappointed, and admiring expression I saw her wearing turned into shock and fear. "Four months?!"

"It was originally only supposed to be three months," I assured her, but that didn't erase the heartache that was evident between us both. "But after cancelling the concert that was supposed to occur on the day you get into the accident...well, Aaron wasn't pleased that I couldn't leave you, and he organized more performances. Originally...I was supposed to leave in March and come back in early June, but now I leave in late February and return in late June."

"How long have you known about this?!" Nina questioned, shuffling around so she wasn't leaning against the headboard anymore. She was aching just as much as I was, but I didn't want us both to be upset during our separation.

"Since November." I sighed in exasperation, diverting my gaze to the wall behind her. An IV was still attached to her arm, plus with all the monitors and equipment, I could barely see the wall. "I'm sorry, Nina. I didn't know how to tell you."

"But now you're leaving in a few days, and neither me nor Emma will be able to see you for...four months. Four months!" She continued to wave her good hand around with her mixed emotions. "And don't get me wrong, I'm beyond proud of you, but...you'll be gone for four months..."

I nodded in understanding. I didn't want to leave her, but if I wanted my career to continue, I'd have to go on this tour. The two of sat in silence, Nina staring at the ground underneath us. What was going through her head?

My only response to this entire thing was leaning down and kissing her. For once, Nina didn't respond with surprise; instead, she moved into the kiss, her broken land laying limp at her side, her good one moving around and resting on my hair. With our mouths moving against each others, me not daring to hurt her in any circumstance, tongue got involved.

By the time my tongue had entered her mouth, someone cleared their throat in the doorway. Nina and I broke the kiss off quicker than you'd smile at the beginning of your favorite song, blushing like complete idiots in front of her friend.

"I'm sorry," I apologized again, once we were left in silence. "I should have told you about this sooner. I was stupid to not tell you."

"It's okay," Nina sighed, and my eyes rested on her face. The broken bones hadn't yet healed, but the cuts and scrapes were slowly patching themselves together; I could see a small, faint scar forming by the side of her eye. "You didn't have any choice, anyway. Don't apologize if it's not your fault."

"Will you be okay?" I asked her, taking her hand once again, caressing her knuckles. This time, she actually squeezed it back, compared to the first time I came into her hospital room. "I mean, I'm dreading the day when I have to leave Emma and you, don't get me wrong, but will you and her be okay without me?"

"I think so." Nina nodded her head slowly, tears forming in her eyes. "Oh, Fabian, I'm gonna miss you so much."

I couldn't hug her because of how scared I was that I was going to hurt her, so I just leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before walking out of the room. If I stayed in there any longer, we'd both burst into tears, and it would just be a mess of crying teenagers in a hospital room. Because I still despised hospitals, these past few days had been a nightmare for me, but seeing Nina smile whenever I walked into her room made me forget all about my fear.

I had three days left with her, and two of those we would be spending in this hospital room. This was it, this was the end, this was the last week with the mother of my child before I left her and Emma for four months. Just when I had become a father, I had to leave.

/o~~~o/

"I don't think she's coming, is she?"

"She's still recovering, Fabian," Aaron grimaced, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder. "She just got discharged from the hospital two days ago. You know it would be painful to come here, especially to say goodbye to you."

"I know!" I protested, pacing around the tunnel that would lead into the plane. "But...still...I love her so much. And I haven't seen Emma in so long, since I've basically been at the hospital all week. What if they're not here to say goodbye?"

"I don't know, kid," Aaron shrugged, useful as ever.

It had come: the date of February 21st, 2013, the day when Aaron woke me up at 2 AM and threatened to drag me to the airport if I dared to pull any shenanigans like cancelling my concert because of a car accident. I'd spent all of yesterday at Nina's house with her and Emma, since she really couldn't go anywhere because of her broken leg, but we'd had a nice time with our daughter on our last day.

I kind of really really really wanted Nina to come and say goodbye to me in person, but I could understand if she never showed. She was probably sleeping right now, anyway, while I boarded a plane across the country, the thought of Nina never leaving my mind.

"Alright, Fabian, we've got five minutes until it's time to get in that plane tunnel and take off," Aaron commanded me, taking me by my shoulders and looking me in the eye. "I couldn't be more proud of you, mate. I know it's been hard for you because of everything that's happened recently, but you're not that kid in the auditions who dropped his guitar in front of me because he was so scared anymore. You've grwn so much and...I couldn't be more proud."

"Thank you, Aaron," I smiled as brightly as I could, my legs still walking around. This was pretty much the most patient Aaron has ever been; as I paced, minutes passed, so that Aaron's watch told me I had four minutes left. Three minutes. Two minutes, and Nina was still a no-show.

"Let's just get on the plane," I shook my head, finally giving in and giving up. "She's not coming. Let's go take our seats, Aaron."

"Are you sure?" He asked me, concern in his eyes. "I know how much you want to see Nina again. We can always wait, we have a minute and a half left—"

"It's useless," I persuaded him, my heart dropping five stories down my chest. "She isn't coming. She has a broken leg. She's probably sleeping, for all I know. Besides...I can always just call her in the morning."

Aaron, of course, slapped me on the shoulder and walked inside the plane tunnel, the rest of my team following in his wake. I waited behind, tapping my phone on my fingers, waiting for a call or a text or something. Aaron was already in the plane, and I had to walk inside there myself in less than a minute.

I was just about to turn around and walk inside when someone tapped my shoulder. I turned around to see Eddie Miller, his blond hair disheveled, sweat beading his forehead. He looked like he had ran to the airport all the way from his house without stopping for breath. Before I could ask what he was doing here or why he looked so pooped, he handed me a folded piece of paper and took off sprinting in the direction he came.

Knowing I had measly seconds left before the take-off, I ripped open the envelope as quick as I could, fumbling with the paper and unfolding it to see Nina's handwriting sitting neatly on the page. A letter...she had written me a letter.

Fabian,
I didn't really get to discuss the tour with you back on Sunday, but you should know that I'll support you through everything that happens to you. Unless, you know, you kill someone, but I doubt that'll happen so ANYWAY, I hope you have fun on this four-month tour of yours.
Don't get me wrong, I'll miss you like crazy. I'll spend every day wishing you were back here, and I know Emma feels the exact same way. Your girlfriend and daughter will ache for you day by day, Fabian.
I'll always support and trust you. I love you, I truly, honestly do, and I hadn't realized it until I ended up in that car accident. I'll wait for you, and I hope you'll do the same for me...hopefully you won't meet some other girl in the coffee shop and get her pregnant, because we don't want a repeat of what happened with us, now do we?
I gave you my number back in January. Use it as soon as you get off that plane. I love you.
Nina

That was good enough for me. Stuffing the letter into my pocket, I smiled weakly and stepped into the plane.

/o~~~o/

Nina
JUNE

Weeks passed, and so did May. All the leaves on the trees turned green, all the sunflowers reached for the sky, and insects woke up from their long hibernation. June had returned...and so did the bees. Eddie had already been stung twice (but that's what he gets when he goes looking for a hive).

Emma had been 3 for three weeks now, and she'd grown accustomed to Fabian not being around. She laughed and played wit her toys and her Aunt Mara and Uncle Eddie, but I still found her pressing the "play" button on the old radio, ready to listen to her father's voice, singing her to sleep.

"Soooo," Mara droned, bouncing Emma in her lap. "Are you gonna come to the prom or not? It's on June 22nd, which is in...ten days."

She was speaking about the Senior Prom, which the class had been organizing since January. It was supposed to be this wonderful, extravagant event for the class of 2013 that would be heading off to college; but unfortunately, I wasn't going to college, but Mara and Eddie were.

"Why would I?" I asked her honestly, leaning back on the couch to stare at the ceiling. I didn't know what Mara was doing, but Emma was laughing uncontrollably. "The school would just make fun of me because Fabian's on tour. Why would I want to go to the prom with no date, being me?"

"Because the prom is fuuuuun," she tried to persuade me, but I wasn't budging. "Because you get to go dress shopping with me. Because it'll take your mind off of Emma and Fabian for a few hours. Because I'm going off to college in two months and I want to go to my Senior Prom with my best friend. Because, you were the person who told me to stop caring about what other people thought of me. What happened to that Nina?"

"I don't know," I shrugged, bringing my eyes back to Mara and my daughter. "It's just been so weird without him around, you know? I got so used to being able to call him when things got rough, or when I just wanted someone to speak too that understand my pain. I've only talked to him once in the entire month of June, and it's June 12th right now."

"Yeah, but..." Mara pursed her lips, turning her head to the wall and thinking out what she wanted to say. "But...the prom...might hold surprises for you!"

"Surprises?" I questioned, but even I couldn't stop my mouth from turning into a smile. Mara didn't even have to try to hint at what she was trying to hide; Fabian was going to come back to Liverpool on the night of the prom.

I knew Fabian was scheduled to return sometime in June, but he never told me the exact date in the four months he had been away. Now I knew why; either Eddie or Mara had told him about the Prom our school was organizing, and he was going to "surprise" me there, but I'd already know. I'd play along, of course.

I nod along with what Mara was saying about the Prom being a "night to remember", trying to hide my smile, knowing that Fabian was only ten days away from being with me again.

/o~~~o/

Mara and I went dress shopping, and I bought this really nice purple and black dress that didn't go much farther than my knees, but the June weather was proving very warm this year. Mara seemed overly happy that I had agreed to go to the prom with her, even though I knew the real reason why.

The next time Fabian called me was on June 18th, four days before the prom. I answered on the first ring.

"Fabian!" I smiled like an idiot, in the presence of no one but my stuffed animals in my room. Emma was taking her once-daily afternoon nap, even though she was breaking out of that habit, as she was three now. "What's up?"

"Nothing," he answered, and just hearing his voice gave me a sense of serenity. He was the father of my child, he was home. He was one of the only people I was comfortable around. "Just getting ready to pack up some stuff."

"Pack up?" I asked him innocently, trying to stop myself from smiling, even though he couldn't physically see me. I knew why he was packing up (to come home from Liverpool and "surprise" me at the prom. Unfortunately for him, I already knew everything he was planning.

"Yeah!" Fabian's voice sounded enthusiastic, but I heard something rustling on the other line, like he really was packing up. "I found out the day I'm coming back!"

"And when is that?" I asked again, smiling as I leaned against the wall. I knew I hadn't seen Fabian in person in almost four months, but just hearing his voice was enough for me. He told me he'd be coming back on June 22nd, and I gasped. I tried to act like I was surprised, but I was like 60% sure it came out more as melodramatic than shocked.

"Isn't that the day of your prom?" Fabian questioned, while I heard a loud ZIIIP and a grunt from the other line.

"Yeah!" I confirmed, hiding my smile with my hand. I was beyond excited for the day when Fabian would come back, and see the man I was in love with again. "So...you're going to the prom with me?"

"I'm gonna try to!" It sounded like we were both smiling; for once in our lives, we were actually happy. "How's your dress, sweetheart? Do you like it?"

I spent the next two minutes telling him how I had actually found a dress I liked when I went dress shopping with Mara the other day. I described it how I could remember it, since it was in my closet as of right now, and I didn't feel like getting up from the living room and exerting energy. "That sounds beautiful," Fabian cooed, making me blush like a little schoolgirl with a crush. "I can't wait to see you in it."

"So how was the tour?" I asked him suddenly, realizing that he only had four days left before he came home. He spent four months on the road, touring and singing and playing music, having the time of his life; he had plenty of things to tell me about.

"Oh, it was amazing!" Fabian cooed, and I could hear the wind through the phone. He was most likely walking outside with his bag, but I didn't know his exact location. "The tour bus was a little crowded with my parents, my sisters, and Mick and Aaron, but it was definitely worth it." I asked him what his favorite performance was, and he answered, "Well, there was this amazing concert I performed in Virginia, along with my first gig in London. Those two were definitely my favorite...I had a lot of fun and so did my band. I just remember jumping and screaming and having the time of my life."

"That's great," I breathed, wishing I had a picture of him to stare at. I did have some sort of photograph — the picture of Emma and us at the park did count as a photo of us — but what came after that only stood bad memories, and I didn't want to remember that right now. "I'm so proud of you, Fabian. You've overcome so much. And I am so in love with you."

Fabian was silent after that, for reasons unknown. I spent the entire silence blushing my ass off, but Fabian suddenly yelled, "OH SHIT! Sorry Nina sweetie, I gotta go. I love you too. I'll talk to you later." And hung up. I knew he was famous and I didn't blame him for suddenly hanging up without a proper goodbye, as it probably had something to do with the tour, but I just wished I could be in his arms again. Only four more days to go.

/o~~~o/

After that, June 19th was a normal day. I spent it with Eddie and Mara and Emma, just chilling out and discussing the prom. Eddie would be going with Patricia, and Mara'd be going alone, since she was single at the moment. She was right; both Eddie and Mara were going off to college in August, so this would be last big event with them before I was stuck alone.

Don't get me wrong; I wanted to go to college. But my grades stunk because for the past year, I had mostly been focused on Fabian and Emma, and I didn't have enough money to pay the tuition bills nor did I have any clue how to handle myself on my own. Besides, I had a daughter to take care of, and with Eddie and Mara gone, I didn't want to leave Emma with my grandmother for months upon months.

I was okay with not going to college. I could always get a job at the bookstore, or something. Fabian would still be around to give me money no matter how hard I tried to protest that, and besides, the only thing that truly mattered to me was that both Fabian and my daughter were happy.

Fabian didn't call on the 19th, but he did call on the 20th. I answered immediately, as always, greeting him with a ridiculously large smile on my face. "Hi," I breathed, knowing the prom — and Fabian's return to Liverpool — was only two days away. "What's up?"

"Nina, I'm so sorry," he apologized quickly, before anything else, and that's when I knew something had to be wrong.

"What happened?" I asked him, concern leaking through my tone. "Fabian, is something wrong? Did someone get hurt? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine," he assured me. I sighed in relief, but even I could still notice the anxiety in his voice. Speaking of being hurt, my leg had been out of the cast for months now, but there were still days when it ached like all hell. I didn't know long I could dance at the prom if it was going to cramp and ache for hours (And if there was one thing I wanted to do, it was dance with Fabian).

"Then what's the problem?" I asked again, adjusting a few pillows so I could lean my leg on them. My hand had only been out of the brace for a few weeks because of how badly injured it had been in the car crash, so I still wasn't used to using it. Luckily, the hand that was shattered was my non-dominant hand.

"We have an extra concert that Aaron completely forgot about," Fabian told me, sounding like he was sorry, but at the same time...there was something else in the tone as well, something I couldn't place. "I don't think I'll be able to make the prom on time, Nina. I know you were looking forward to it, and don't get me wrong, I was too! But I can't miss the last concert of my tour. You know I can't."

"I know," I breathed, my chest dropping ten stories. I had actually looked forward to Fabian being there at my prom, being able to dance with him after all the torment people at my school had put me through because Fabian had "left me", but now...

That's when it hit me; that other sound in his tone was a light humor. He sounded sad, of course, but there was something else, like a different force was picking his spirits up. I had learned to question everything and assume nothing from Mara, but this...I knew exactly what he was going to do.

Here, he was trying to convince me that he'd be late for the prom, or possibly even miss it. I'd go to the prom all sad that Fabian wouldn't be there, then he'd make a surprise appearance and attempt to serenade me before I stopped him, because I didn't want to be embarrassed in front of all my peers. I loved Fabian so much, don't get me wrong, but I didn't want to be sung to in front of the entire class body.

"It's okay, Fabian," I assured him, hoping to whatever possible that what I was thinking was true.

Of course, there was a possibility that it wasn't, but Fabian's light tone suggested differently to me. "Thank you, Nina," he sighed. "I'm so sorry I couldn't be there. I wanted to so much. I was going to dance with you and it would all be perfect...and now I'm stuck performing a concert on the night of your prom. I know I'll see you only a few hours later than scheduled, but still..."

I assured him it was fine, then he told me he loved me again before hanging up because Aaron was calling him. The prom was in two days, and Fabian would still surprise me there even though he had just tried to convince me he wouldn't be there.

Or at least, so I hoped.

/o~~~o/

The night of the prom: June 22nd. England didn't have a "graduation", like America did; all we did was celebrate on the last day of school, hug each other, cry and say our goodbyes. All that happened on June 15th, and even though I was dying for a classic American gruadation, the goodbyes in the hallway were good enough for me. I actually hugged Melanie, that girl who accused me of using Fabian for fame back when he first revealed the truth about us and Emma to the world in early January.

Now Mara and I walked together into the school building, Eddie behind us. He was linked arm-in-arm with Patricia, and Joy was going with some other random boy she'd met at school. I had no casts on my body anymore, but my leg burned from all the walking I had been doing.

"Here it is!" Mara cheered, gesturing to all the decorations once we had walked into the gym. "Isn't it beautiful? I helped organize and set it up. I think it looks wonderful."

"It really is," I told her, smiling. We laughed as we walked into the gym, seeing familiar faces and others I didn't know so well. Mara and I ditched the prom photo and headed straight to the refreshment table, drinking fruit punch and talking.

"I like her dress, it really brings out her eyes."

"That lace on the back of her dress looks a little loose..."

"That suit looks horribly cheap. I'd hate to be his date to the prom."

"Her dress in so pretty! I wish I had bought that dress..."

"Those two look so adorable! Aww, look at their faces, they're so in love. They're gonna be married one day, I'm telling you."

"Those heels must have cost a fortune. I doubt she'll be doing any dancing tonight. But possibly some dancing on the bad later..."

A song started to play, and I didn't recognize it at first. But Mara slapped me and hit me, her mouth opened wide, evidently in honest shock. "Nina!" She yelled, jumping up and down with me. "Oh my goodness! Guess what song is on? Guess! GUESS?"

I laughed along with her, settling her down. Smiling still, I actually listened to the lyrics...and I recognized them immediately.

"People come together now as one. Every race and color, we're under one sun." It was Fabian; my boyfriend, Emma's father, the person who who didn't really "do anything" to help me, but the man who was sweet and stood by my side and kissed me in the school courtyard.

"Shelter turn your back against the wind. Things'll change, you'll turn the page. It's time to begin." Mara had dragged me onto the dance floor by now, much against my protesting. I didn't want my schoolmates to see me, in fear they'd laugh at me about coming without Fabian. I missed him dearly, but hearing his voice on the speakers only gave me confidence.

He believed in me. He loved me. And if I knew that, I could dance with my best friend.

"Watching people smiling in the rain. We're thankful for the gift of life today. Another year is coming to an end. Together we will make it through, just turn to a friend." Eddie had turned away from his date for only a moment to say a quick hello to Mara and I, then turned back to dancing with Patricia to my boyfriend's singing voice. Mara took my arms and swayed me back and forth.

"Although despair lingers on, dry your tears, just keep on..." A woman's voice began to sing, because Fabian had sung this song (We Shall Overcome) with a woman named Tasie who looked strikingly similar to Mara.

"We shall overcome. Tear it down, dry your eyes, build it up, and start again. Thy, will be done. Tear it down, dry your eyes, build it up, and start again." I couldn't stop smiling now; maybe it was because Eddie was (purposely) stepping on Patricia's feet and she didn't complain, only gave him the evil eye, or maybe it was because the song was on and I knew Fabian would be walking out from his hiding place and surprising me any minute now.

"Hope returns and drives away the fear. People laughing, having fun, this time of year. The fire burns for those who still believe that open arms, a warm embrace, is all that we need.

"We shall overcome. Tear it down, dry your eyes, build it up, and start again. Thy, will be done. Tear it down, dry your eyes, build it up, and start again." The song was getting closer to the end, and with each new word, my smile grew larger. Fabian was near, and I'd see him for the first time in four months. We could pick up right where we left off.

"End of the year. Although some shed a tear, we'll come away, we'll come away with new hope for next year.

"Don't be afraid. Dry your eyes. Turn your hearts around. Sing with me now, spread the joy, feel it all around." There was only one or two lines left, and by now, I was freaking out. Fabian was so close I could almost feel him. I could kiss him and laugh with him and give my classmates the finger for all the bullshit they've put me through in the past. We could finally be happy with our daughter.

"End of the year, so we sing in good cheer this holiday, and come away with new hope for next year." The song ended, and by then, I was jumping up and down with joy. Mara looked just as gleeful as I did; she probably knew the plan as well. I craned my neck, searching the entire gymnasium for my boyfriend, but he was nowhere to be found. I thought he might be behind the curtain on the stage, but he wasn't there.

Granted, I was a bit disappointed, and Mara looked the same. She didn't say anything, like tell me the plan I already knew, instead just embraced me in a hug.

I didn't cry, or even get the least bit upset. I had this lingering suspicion that maybe Fabian was just running a bit late, and run through that curtain any minute now. So I let Mara drag me back on the dance floor, where me, Joy, Patricia, Eddie, and her danced the night away.

Eddie danced with Patricia mostly the entire time, until she got tired and decided to sit out for a little while with Joy. Mara went over to get some punch, so Eddie offered me his hand as the next slow song came on and I took it gratefully.

It wasn't like I had developed newfound feelings for him for anything. We've always been completely platonic (Except for 9th grade. We don't discuss 9th grade and what happened to us in that year.), and besides, I had Fabian and he had Patricia. We couldn't move in on each other even if we wanted to.

"Can I tell you a secret?" I grinned, after I made him promise to try not to step on my toes again.

"Sure," Eddie shrugged, releasing his infamous smirk that made me wary of him when I first met him, all the way back in 2007 when I was 13 in 8th grade.

"I knew about the plan," I told him, and he didn't even try to look shocked. Instead, he only nodded in sympathy.

"I didn't know why he didn't show," Eddie said nonchalantly, looking me in the eye as we swayed along to the music. "We had this planned out for months. Everything was set out. Joy asked the DJ to play that song, then Fabian would come out, sing the last chorus, and kiss you hello and everything would be romantic. You'd be happy, Joy'd be happy because she'd get to meet Fabian, and Patricia would stop making my toes bleed!"

I laughed, but I couldn't deny the sadness that was overwhelming me. He wasn't here. I had waited for him for four months, but he wasn't here even though Eddie had just told me it was all a plan.

So, we danced for the rest of the evening. Mara and I talked over punch. I apologized to Joy and she apologized to me. I slowdanced with Eddie again. But Fabian never walked through the curtains.

"I was so certain he would show," I frowned, pulling on my coat over my dress after spending the rest of the evening waiting for my boyfriend to arrive. Eddie rubbed my arm sympathetically, because now I knew they truly had planned the entire thing, but Fabian hadn't shown, and no one knew why.

"Do you want a ride home?" He asked, care leaking through his tone. I declined his offer, saying I would walk home alone; I needed to sort through my thoughts, and besides, I didn't want anyone to see me or be concerned for me when I started to cry (Which I knew I would). Both Mara and Eddie hugged me goodbye, and I spared one last look and the empty gymnasium where I was supposed to be reunited with Fabian after four months apart.

I walked home alone, and luckily no one murdered me. I didn't have many thought to sort through, surprisingly; all that I thought about was that Fabian should have been here, but wasn't. It wasn't like he had abandoned me, but he didn't show, and well...

"NINA!" A voice exclaimed, and I stopped suddenly in my tracks. I was only a block away from my house now, since the walk from the school to my house wasn't all that long. It was dark outside now, somewhere around three AM, and my poor child was probably either sound asleep or up crying, waiting for Mommy to give her a good night's kiss since I did that every night.

"NINA!" The voice called again, and I turned around. It took my eyes a few seconds to become adjusted to the darkness outside, and the figure running towards me in the night. I didn't even consider that it might be a potential rapist or a killer...I knew that bulky frame and voice all too well. I saw how he tripped when he walked and held his arms out for me to run into.

Fabian.

I didn't care that he hadn't shown at the prom. Who knows why he was late, but his breathing was heavy and I could hear it from 50 meters away. I didn't care that I was wearing a knee-high dress and high-heeled shoes as I walked home in the June air and I wouldn't be able to move fast enough.

I ran to him.

I ran and ran and didn't stop until he enveloped me into his arms and spun me around, both of us laughing like maniacs. He kissed my neck and my cheek and buried his face on my shirt, smiling like an idiot. I couldn't deny my smile, either. I was so happy to be back in his arms, to see his face, to kiss his soft lips.

"Where were you?" I asked him, smiling so wide it felt like I'd never stop. I was simply gazing at him now, on the ground, in the middle of the night. I wasn't truly mad, but curious.

"I'm sorry," Fabian apologized, his beautiful blue eyes expressing the same happiness as his face did. His breath was rough and jagged, like he had ran for a long, long time. "The tour bus...got held up in traffic...you wouldn't believe the ridiculous amount of times I begged to go faster. It was a nightmare."

Fabian laughed along with me, but I could only laugh and smile and kiss him hard against the lips. Maybe he hadn't shown up to the prom to see me in my dress, or to sing me a hello, or to embrace me in front of everyone in the school and give anyone who cared the finger, but he was here now. We kissed in the middle of the night, the only sound that was interrupting us the crickets. Nothing was out to get us, now.

We finally found peace.

/o~~~o/

.

/o~~~o/

2024

Fabian's POV

"That's it?"

"Yeah," I told my 14-year-old daughter nonchalantly, sitting on her bed with purple and green polka dots. "Why? Were you expecting more?"

"Yes!" Emma exclaimed, opening her arms wide. "I'm fourteen, Dad! Your story ended when I was three! What about the other eleven years?!"

My smile was as wide as her arms, and I laughed weakly. It had been 11 years since everything that had happened...fifteen years since I met Nina, and twelve years since I received the photograph. In fact, that photograph was still framed on my side of the bed, in perfect condition. Mine and Nina's story seemed so long ago, even though I could remember it like it was only yesterday.

"I guess that's a story for another night," I told my daughter, my beautiful daughter that would be going into high school soon. It was strange to think about all of that...the past eleven years had just zipped straight by.

After the prom, Nina graduated. However, she didn't go to college; she knew she could never leave her daughter behind. For the next few years or so, Nina struggled with finding jobs around town that didn't really require her to have a college degree, which was challenging, but she swore to herself that she'd earn a degree as soon as she could.

Now, eleven years later, Nina was finally taking night classes to get that college degree she'd always wanted. Because it had just been me and Emma on the nights recently, we had spent our evenings watching old movies and TV Shows, playing board games and having contests to see who could read faster.

Compared to the little girl who liked horses and bananas and playing with people's hair, Emma had grown and matured a lot, and developed specific likes and dislikes over the years. Now, as a fourteen-year-old young woman, Emma liked reading and challenges; something that put her brain to the test. Since Nina had never gone to college, she encouraged Emma to study as hard as she could once she had started to go to school.

Emma was very respectful of us and listened to her mother's advice, but I think that was only because we never really yelled at her. Sure, Nina and I disciplined her when she did something wrong, but I couldn't remember the last time either of us raised our voice at her. The last time I officially "yelled" at Emma was when she was 11, and spilt tea all over the table, but didn't wipe it up. Emma was so upset she ran off sobbing, and I'd never yelled at her since. Nina called me a softie (Actually, she called me something much worse than that, but I won't say anything).

She had medium-dark brown hair and blue eyes, the same color as mine; the color of concrete, not like the ocean or the sky. I still, to this day, thought it was an ugly color, but Nina liked it, somehow.

Emma liked listening to stories as well; when she was smaller, at around age six, Nina told her bedtime stories night by night, about her life with Aunt Mara and Uncle Eddie before I came along. Emma had always been interested in the story of how Nina and I met, but I didn't tell her that until Nina started taking the night classes.

The bedtime stories of my relationship with Nina had been going on for about a week and a half now, and each time, Emma listened intently. It was like she was actually interested in what she was like when she was two.

I couldn't believe how much she had grown, and that I was in her life for the past twelve years.

"Oh, come on, Dad!" Emma protested, her American accent sticking out. It seemed that even surrounded by Brits, she developed an American accent. I guess Eddie and Nina really did wear off on her. "Mom's at night classes, and it's a weekend. The least you can do is tell me something new. Like what you did when you reunited and she crashed into your arms or something."I laughed lightly, turning back to look at my beautiful daughter. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yes!" Emma smiled, her eyes bright and her arms moving with her words. "Dad, I'm the child of a famous singer. Or at least, what was a famous singer..."

"Oh," I arched my eyebrows, watching my daughter giggle to herself. "Are you saying that I'm not famous anymore?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Emma played with me, smiling all the same. We were like this a lot, just goofing off, while her and Nina got into more fights than I did with Emma. I was sure it would settle as time marched on, but for right now, she was only 14. She still had time to grow and develop and learn.

"Well, I guess no story for you, then," I kissed Emma's forehead as a farewell sign, smiling at her as I shut her light out like I always did for her. She smiled gratefully and tucked herself into her covers, snuggling into her pillows and trying to fall asleep.

I smiled, seeing a text from Nina on my phone: Hey love. I'll be home in about 20 minutes, wait for me ;)

I smiled again, knowing she'd come home to me and we'd snuggle up in bed, just like Emma did with her pillow. We hadn't tried for another baby, though we'd been living together for the past 8 years. We were happy with just her, helping her with homework and having 'the talk' with her because she had finally come of age.

I decided to get undressed and pull on pajamas, because neither of us had ever really been comfortable sleeping naked. Neither of us cared, of course, so I pulled on a pair of duck pajamas and a pair of socks with pineapples on them. Emma had the same socks (emphasis on had; I liked them so much I stole them from her and she still hasn't figured it out.)

But before I could climb into bed and wait for Nina to return, I noticed a sheet of spare paper under a pile of dirty socks, and when I reached to grab it...a jolt of realization was sent within me. My handwriting couldn't be mistaken, nor could the cheesy lyrics or anything else. This was the same exact song that I wrote in the coffee shop on August 15th, 2009.

The song I wrote 15 years ago...

Lost & Found.

FIN.

A/N: Wow...we reached it. The end of a multichapter. Was this final chapter sufficient? Was it too long, too short? Was the story itself enough for you? I truly hope so. Thank you to EVERYONE who had anything to do with this...anyone who ever clicked on the title...anyone who took time out of their day to review, making mine...anyone who favorited or followed or smiled when I updated. You're the reason why this story is the way it is.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't crying now. It'll feel weird to know I can't say the words "I'm gonna write the next chapter of Lost & Found today" anymore. I started this story 4 days after I turned 14, and now I'm 15, and...It's evolved into such a wonderful story, the second longest in the archive, having over 200k words with 32 chapters.

This is it, then. The last Author's Note of the last chapter. This is goodbye, for good this time. I'm sad to say this story will NOT have a sequel, but all good things must come to a close.

So, this is Julianna signing off for the last time. It's been an amazing journey, and I couldn't be more thankful for everyone who reviewed/favorited/followed/enjoyed this story. I've had a blast writing it for a year now, and I know it's the best place to end it.

I do hope you enjoyed Lost & Found, because I certainly did. Thanks, you guys...for everything. It's been great.
-Julianna