Standard Disclaimer: I do not own Dead Poets Society... I am just inspired by it.

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Despite having gone to sleep well after midnight, I wake up fairly early in the morning. Todd is still asleep, curled up against me with his head on my shoulder and one arm over me. He looks so relaxed when he's sleeping, I hate to disturb him, but I'm thirsty. I carefully ease out from under him, trying not to wake him, and head into the half-bath attached to the den. One drink of water and a few minutes later, I head back to snuggle beside Todd once more. I wish we could just stay here like this forever... no outside world to condemn us.

But the outside world is there. I can hear my parents moving around upstairs. I squint over at the clock. 7:15. Father never sleeps in on weekends. Sometimes I wonder if that ever bothers Mother. Most of the time I don't mind starting a Saturday early... everyone knows the fishing is best just past sunrise... but every now and again I like to be lazy and lounge in bed even if I'm awake. Like today.

Todd stirs beside me. I like watching him wake up; he has this whole little routine of yawns, stretches, and blinks that he goes through before he's fully alert. I give him a gentle kiss to help the process along. He smiles and hugs me even before his eyes are completely open.

"Wha' time's it?" he mumbles.

"Not quite 7:30," I tell him. "You can sleep more if you want to."

He shakes his head. "Uh-uh. 'S our las' day. M'parents are comin' th's'afternoon. Wanna enjoy th' time with you while I can."

I smile and give him another kiss. "You won't hear any complaints from me."

He completes enough of his waking up routine to get him as far as the bathroom. When he returns, his face shows signs of a splashing, but his eyes are fully open and he looks reasonably alert. "Do we have plans for the day?" he asks.

"Other than strolling to the post office to mail our letters, no," I tell him. "Although Mother might have plans for a farewell lunch for you... as opposed to a farewell dinner, since you won't still be here at dinnertime."

"I can live with that," Todd smiles, getting dressed. "I wish my mother was like yours. Hell, I wish both my parents were like yours. Your father is going to let you go to Berkeley if you want, isn't he?"

I pull on my own clothes. "I think so. As much as he'd like to see me do what he wants, I think he's pleased enough that AJ is following his plans... law school, the firm, and a possible political career... to let me try something different. It's the advantage of being the younger son, I guess, at least as long as the older one is doing what's expected of him."

He snorts. "Yeah, unless you're the son of Dr. J. Warren Anderson of Portsmouth. About the only advantage I have is that my grades are not exceptional enough to guarantee me entrance to Dartmouth. God help me if I do get in there. And that reminds me, I need to close out that bank account of mine before we go back to Hell-ton, so I'll have the money when I need it to send my confirmation deposit to Berkeley."

"You're much braver than I am, I think," I tell him as I start rolling up the sleeping bags.

Todd blushes. "I couldn't be, if I didn't have you believing in me, Richard."

Now it's my turn to blush. I finish rolling the sleeping bags and take them upstairs to the attic while Todd returns the pillows to our rooms.

On my way back down to breakfast, I detour to my parents' room. "Father? May I talk to you for a moment?"

"Of course, Richard, what is it?" Father beckons me inside. "Your mother is downstairs already."

"Would you... that is... I'd like to have Todd back the weekend before school starts, if it's all right with you and Mother." I look down nervously, not wanting him to guess the real reason behind my request. "You saw... at school... the way he's treated. I know it's not really our business, they're not beating him or anything, but... well, they'd probably see it as a favor, if they don't have to drive him to school this year. They can go concentrate on Jeffrey. Besides, I know Todd would prefer riding with us anyway."

Father rubs his chin thoughtfully. "You're right about the way his parents treat him, son. He was awfully uncomfortable around me and your mother when he first joined us. But it's more than that, I think. Wasn't Todd the roommate of that boy who killed himself just before the Christmas last year?"

I try to hide my wince at hearing Neil spoken of so casually. But of course Father has no idea how I'd felt about Neil. "Yes, sir, Todd and Neil were roommates."

"So, top off uncaring parents with the loss of a friend to suicide," Father nods. "Todd's very lucky to have a friend like you, son. And I'm proud of you for being there for him. All right, when his parents come for him today, I'll ask if he can come back for the last weekend and ride up to Welton with us. But no promises, his parents might want him to remain home."

"Thank you, Father," I smile.

He ruffles my hair. "Just keep studying with him this year. Your English grade showed a nice improvement once the two of you started working together. Now get out of here and let me finish getting ready. Just make sure you and Todd leave some bacon for me!"

"Yes, sir!" I reply, snapping a salute. Father's laugh follows me down the stairs.

Todd's already in the dining room. Mother is just getting up from the table. "Oh, Richard, I was just telling Todd that whatever you boys do today, I'd like you back by one. I'm going to make Todd's last meal with us a festive one, even if it is just lunch."

I nod as I take my seat. "All right, Mother, we will." Todd and I dig into the food that Betty brings us as Mother goes upstairs. After we're done, I give him a smile. "How about we go for a ride downtown? We can stop off at some of the stores, and even get a postcard to mail to your brother if you want."

Todd looks puzzled for a fraction of a second, but realizes I've added that bit in case anyone wondered why we might want to go to the post office. "That sounds like a plan," he agrees.

We stop off in the study to grab our letters before getting out the bikes and heading to town. Once we've mailed the letters, I lead the way to the woods a couple blocks away from my house. AJ and I built a treehouse there, the year before Mother had gotten sick. It's still in good shape, though, and we won't be disturbed there. Todd laughs when we climb up and find a few old copies of Playboy magazine up there. "Better hidden here than under the mattress," he quips as he shoves them aside.

I pull him close, needing to feel him in my arms so I can forget for a little while that he won't be there for the next couple of weeks. He seems to feel the same way. For a long time, we simply hold each other.

Eventually, of course, we do have to pull apart and return to the house for lunch. The phone rings as we're washing up. To my surprise, Mother calls out that it's for me. Wondering who might possibly be calling, I dry my hands and take the phone.

"Richard? It's Knox," I hear in my ear.

"Knox? This is a surprise," I tell him. "I didn't think I'd be hearing from you until school started." I turn the receiver slightly, so that Todd can also hear.

"Well, I had some news that I figured you and Todd should hear before then," he says. "Is Todd still there?"

"I'm here," Todd answers for himself. "Although not for much longer. My parents are picking me up this afternoon."

"I'm glad I caught you, then," Knox laughs. "Father would have really grumbled if I wanted to make two long-distance calls instead of one."

We both chuckle, then I ask, "So what's so important that you called?"

"Charlie's coming back to Welton," he replies. "I wanted to warn you before you showed up and saw him. I did get him to promise not to harass you, Richard, since you did get the address for us all. I'm hoping he'll come around the way I did over time. But I figured if you ran into him unawares, you might say something that would make him lose his famous temper again."

"One display of his temper is enough for me," I grin ruefully. "But I do appreciate the warning."

Todd adds, "Let me guess, he'll be rooming with you, and therefore in study group with us, right?"

"Ding, ding! Give the boy a prize," Knox chuckles. "Exactly. Look, I've got to go. See you in a couple of weeks."

"See you," Todd and I chorus, then I hang up the phone.

By unspoken consent, neither of us mention Charlie's imminent return to Welton at lunch. Mother went to extra effort to make a nice meal for Todd's departure, and we don't want to risk spoiling it for any reason at all.

But all too soon, the Andersons pull up out front. I go with Todd to fetch his bags. While upstairs, I steal one last kiss. "I love you, Richard," he says softly.

"I love you too, Todd," I reply equally softly. "Call me tonight, let me know you got home all right."

"I will," he tells me as he picks up his big suitcase. I take the overnighters as we head back downstairs.

Out by the car, Father is smiling while Dr. Anderson has an odd expression on his face, a mix of surprise and approval. "Todd, Mr. Cameron tells me you've been an exemplary houseguest," Dr. Anderson announces in a tone of mild disbelief. "And he has offered to have you back just prior to school starting, if you would care to travel to Welton with them. I'm willing to allow it, as your mother wants to go to Connecticut to help Jeffrey settle in at Yale."

I note Father's silent disgust at Dr. Anderson's manner. Todd blinks, then smiles diffidently at Father. "I would like that, sir, and thank you for offering."

"Anytime, Todd, it's been a pleasure having you," Father smiles. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm a firm believer in avoiding long farewells. I'll give a call on Monday, once I know exactly what my schedule looks like, so we can work out the arrangements for getting Todd down here with his school things," he adds to Dr. Anderson.

Todd and I load his bags into the car. "I guess I'll see you sooner than we thought," he says, still looking dazed.

I hide my smile, pleased by his reaction to my surprise plans. "I'm glad. Have a safe trip, and I'll see you soon."

He gets into the car and we wave at each other until they're out of sight. Then I go up to my room and just sit until dinnertime, already missing his quiet presence beside me.