Author's note: Sorry it took so long to update, I kind of ran out of ideas for a bit. As a result, this might not be a great chapter (but I like it, so I hope you do too).

I've decided that this is the last chapter in this fic, and I thought it would be fitting to end the story at the end of the show. As I've previously mentioned in the third chapter, Duets & Destiny wasn't actually the last episode that they filmed, it was actually Musicals & Moving On. Nevertheless, I'm sure Duets & Destiny was an emotional episode.

Also, this isn't really a whole lot of Duets & Destiny, it just kind of took a turn while I was writing but I think it turned out well.

Laura's POV

Even though it's not the last episode that we're filming, it's still really emotional, especially for me and Ross. I'm talking, of course, about the series finale, Duets & Destiny. It's got a really good script, and I think Kevin and Heath did a really good job with finishing the show. They've been planning it since the end of the first season!

We decided to film the very final scene of the episode first, and we just finished doing that. In the scene, Austin and Ally go back to the practice room to write a new song, but now they're all grown up. I've always liked the idea of a scene like this one, but it wasn't until we actually filmed it that it really got to me.

"Wow. It's all still here." Ross had said, as Austin. "It's like we never left."

Even though everything is just a set, and none of it is actually real, it really did feel like we were walking into the practice room. All of the memories of us shooting the pilot together, us shooting the first season...it just all came back to me.

"Yeah," I replied, "even the old piano."

We both sighed.

"Okay, we've got eighteen hours to write the greatest song ever." Ross said, reminding me of the pilot...again.

We laughed, then sat down at the piano and sighed.

We "played" the final song of the show, the piano version of the theme song. Even though we weren't "actually playing", it was still really emotional for both of us. There's something so symbolic about it all...

After a little while, we were told very gently that the scene was over and we could now stop pretending to play the piano.

Normally, someone would yell, "CUT!" very loudly and unemotionally, so this moment just made me tear up a bit from all the built-up sentimentality and nostalgia.

Calum had told us that we had a break while everything got set up for the next scene that we're shooting, and that's why I came back to my dressing room. Lately, it's just been where I come when I need to reflect on life and everything that's going on.

So this is the last episode. It's weird, though, because we still have another week before we're done filming, so we still have one more episode to film.

I hear a knock on the door.

"You can come in," I call.

I hope that it's Ross, but it's Raini.

"How's it going, Laura?" she asks cheerfully.

"Okay, I guess," I reply.

She's about to say something when we're interrupted by the door being crashed open. It makes a really loud bang, and for a second I think it's Ross, but it's Calum.

"Hey guys!" he exclaims.

Raini laughs, and I smile a bit.

"Where's Ross?" I ask.

"I'm not really sure," Calum replies, "I was going to ask you if you knew where he was."

"Hey, I was looking for Ross, too!" Raini tells us. "No one seems to know where he is these days."

"It's like he's become really distant," Calum comments.

"Yeah," I affirm miserably.

Raini and Calum immediately notice the change from my usual optimistic self to my new gloomy demeanor.

"Are you okay?" Raini asks, immediately concerned.

"I guess...I mean, the show's almost over, and I'm going to miss you guys a lot." I reply, partially telling the truth.

"There's more to it than that, isn't there." Calum immediately guesses.

I shake my head unconvincingly.

"Laura, we can tell when you're lying." Raini tells me. "You hate lying, and we've known you for four years. We can tell."

They really do know me so well.

"It's Ross, isn't it?" Calum guesses.

"Yeah," I sigh.

"You're afraid that he's getting really distant and he's going to forget you once the show wraps?" Raini guesses.

Am I really that predictable? Or is it just that obvious? Or is Raini just one of my best friends and she reads me like a book? Probably all three.

I nod sadly.

"We're all your friends, though, right?" Calum asks.

"Of course!" I reply sincerely, "But Ross...he's just been really distant and I haven't seen him much these days, and I know you guys are always going to keep in touch...but I don't know about him."

It's hard to express these doubts, I always like to believe the best in everyone. But I would be lying if I said I didn't have doubts about Ross' loyalty to our friendship. I really hate to say it, but somehow it seems like he's going to forget us.

"But this isn't just about your friendship, is it." Raini says. It's more of a statement than a question.

"N-no...of course not, this is just about our friendship!" I stutter.

Calum raises an eyebrow skeptically. "You sure?"

"Yes!" I say. "No? Maybe? What?"

"Let me guess," Raini interrupts, "you like Ross. That's not the guess, we know you like him. Don't deny it. But you're afraid that he's going to forget you and you're going to be left heartbroken and sad."

"What...?" my voice goes up an octave, rendering my reply unconvincing. "No, of course not...okay, fine."

"Laura, let me tell you something." Calum says. "First of all, Ross is not going to forget you, or any of us. I'm confident of it."

The way he says it, with an authoritative tone, I just know in that moment that he's right. And in that moment, I've never been more grateful to have Calum and Raini as my friends.

But he's not done talking.

"And second of all, I know without a shadow of a doubt that Ross likes you, too. He might not act like it, but I know it. He cares for you more than almost every other person on this planet. The last thing he would want to do to you is leave you heartbroken and sad."

I look up at Calum, and I see that he knows and believes in what he's saying. I smile.

"And," adds Raini, "I think you know, deep down, that Ross will never forget you. You're too special to him."

"Yeah," I reply, "I think I do know that."

"Goodbyes can be hard, Laura." Calum tells me. "And you're like five years younger than me, so I think I have more experience than you, but just know that the harder it is to say goodbye, the more you love each other. If you can just leave each other and it's no big deal, that means that you really don't care much about each other."

Raini nods her affirmation.

"You're right," I finally agree. "Thanks, guys. I can't express how grateful I am for you. You know I'm going to miss you tons, too."

Raini and Calum engulf me in a hug. Just a hug between friends, but I'll admit it's just as good as any hug I've had with Ross.

I'm so lucky to have such amazing friends. Now I realize, Ross would never leave me heartbroken. Whether we're just friends or more, I'll never forget him and he'll never forget me. And Raini and Calum are such amazing friends, too, and I would never have made it through these years without them.

"There's no way I can make it without you," I say.

"Do it without you," Calum continues.

"Be here without you." Raini finishes.

Author's note: that turned out better than I expected! So it wasn't exactly Raura interacting, but it was Raura nonetheless (at least I think).

This chapter really came from my own experiences with saying goodbye. A few of my friends left for college this year and last year, and it was really hard to say goodbye. I'm sure that for everyone else who has experienced this too, you'll understand what I mean.

I hope you liked this story, my second Raura fic, which (in my opinion) is much better than the first. Thanks for reading, feedback is always appreciated!:)