So sorry that took so long. I wanted to have this chapter out a lot sooner, but work was keeping me crazy busy and when I tried to write I got hit with writers block. Anyway hope you guys like this chapter, and I also hope your holidays went well. Let me know what you think.

It's A Picture Perfect Moment Captured

For the first time since arriving in New York, Cece slept like a baby. The only interruption that came was the sound of the alarm clock on the nightstand ringing at 7:30 as she had set it the night before. In any other circumstance, she would have hit the snooze button several times or even thrown the clock clear across the room until it shattered into a thousand pieces and the noise ceased, but today was different.

Instead of waking up irritated and exhausted, hating the world, she felt refreshed. She welcomed the day with excitement and was anxious for what it was sure to bring. She and Schmidt had made plans to meet in front of her hotel at 9 am to get an early start and cross a lot of places off their list. The second he dropped her off, it was all she could think about.

Going through her normal morning routine, Cece had a little more pep in her step. She had even found herself singing Ellie Goulding's 'Love Me like You Do' in the shower at the top of her lungs. That was new behavior on her part. Chances were some of Jess' eccentric traits were rubbing off on her.

It was 8:40 and Cece had ran into a dilemma that had the potential to ruin her day before it even started. Sprawled all across her bed was every single article of clothing she had packed for this trip. Looking at all the various tops, coats, pants and boots that were chaotically strewn about, she tried to piece together the perfect outfit. She needed something that would not only keep her warm during the hectic east coast winter, but would also allow her to showcase her figure in the subtlest of manners. It was important to her that she looked her best today, because during the course of her euphoria associated slumber, she had a dream that was far unlike any other she remembered having.

They were completely alone. Not a single soul was in sight. The only lights shining other than the neighboring buildings were that of the Christmas lights hung just above the rink wall surrounding the entire ice. It was the most romantic setting she had ever seen. In the center of the arena they stood, as the snow softly fell above them, lost in each other's eyes, oblivious to all else. Cece had her arms wrapped around his neck while his hands rested on her waist. Together they swayed side to side, gliding all over the ice. The blades from their skates allowed them the grace to dance in perfect unity. He spun her around and pulled her in close, hugging her. Once again looking into those beautiful brown eyes, he leaned in and pressed his lips gently on hers. Feeling that connection for the first time in years, she gave in to him. That passions spread throughout them both. He pulled away and cupped her face in his palms. "I Love You Cecilia." Hearing her name escape his lips, she smiled. "I Love you, Schmidt."

Typically, upon waking up, any dreams she experienced throughout the night would fade away without leaving a trace, but today, the minute her eyes opened and she shut off her alarm, Cece could recount every second. With every blink her eyelids naturally executed, she would see glimpses dance across the brief darkness. Accompanying those momentary flashes were the emotions that went along with them. She could still feel his lips touching hers and his hands caressing her cheeks. Her spine began to tingle at the mere thought of it. After contemplating it all morning, Cece had made a decision right then and there. The fun she had been having with him this trip and the dream she had last night helped her realize that she missed Schmidt more than she ever thought and she wanted to be with him. Today, she was going to tell him just that.

Part of her worried that maybe it was too soon. She had made a big deal about wanting to start completely over and allow them the opportunity to rebuild that trust that had been lost. She certainly didn't plan on this happening. Perhaps, if you spend so much time ignoring your true feelings, eventually they're going to come back with a vengeance. Cece wanted to put it all out there and hope he felt the same, but the idea of that terrified her. Thinking back to a few years ago when the roles were reversed, she knew there was a strong possibility of rejection and she wasn't sure she could survive that. Now she was at a loss. Wanting to play it safe, she told herself to find a way to see where his head was at before opening up to him. The last thing she wanted to do was put her heart in a position to be broken by the one and only person who had the power to break it.

She hadn't realized how long she had been taking to pick an outfit until she looked back at the clock and it said 8:56. There was no way she would find an outfit she absolutely loved if she hadn't done so by now. Scanning the top of the hotel room bed she grabbed a top she liked best and the pants that would match it well enough. Cece predicted a lot of walking around throughout the day so she opted for the 3-inch black stiletto boots in lieu of the 6-inched ones. She checked her hair and makeup one last time in the bathroom mirror, then hastily grabbed her pea coat, scarf and gloves and ran out the door towards the elevator.

Downstairs

Schmidt took a long swig of his mildly hot coffee gladly running the risk of burning his tongue, hoping to feel the effects of the caffeine take root in record time. In a twisted turn of events that were lost on him, the night hadn't been as restful for him as it had for the beautiful brunette he was waiting on. Staring at the ceiling from his spot on his cousin's couch, Schmidt spent all night thinking about how foolish he had been and how he was on the verge of ruining a great thing. He told himself to be more cautious from here on out. Being friends with Cece meant the world to him. He wasn't going to get in his own way this time.

Taking another big sip of his coffee, Schmidt realized he was anxious to see her. Aside from the way last night had ended, he was truly enjoying this trip. Normally, he loathed his returns to his hometown and found any excuses not to go, but this time around he forgot all about that.

Schmidt checked his watch reading 9:07 and smiled to himself. Over the years, he had come to expect Cece to be fashionably late no matter where she was headed. Suddenly, compelled by some unknown reason, Schmidt looked back toward the doors of the hotel just as Cece emerged from them looking as beautiful as ever. At that precise moment, there was a small break in the clouds allowing a sliver of the sun's rays to peek through them, between the tall buildings and land like a spotlight on the gorgeous woman before him. The light hit her at just the right angle to illuminate her eyes and reveal the sparkle. She looked as radiant as ever causing Schmidt to stare at her in absolute fascination, convinced that what he believed the first time he met her was true. She was an angel sent down from heaven and placed into his life to change it for the better.

The second she saw him, she felt her heart literally skip a beat. Her stomach fluttered and she momentarily lost her breath. Suddenly, being in his presence blurred the line of her dream and this reality. Everything her mind experienced last night seemed like it really happened. It took everything she had not to walk straight up to him and kiss him right there on the spot.

"Good morning Cecilia." She looked at him and smiled. Her entire life she couldn't stand it when anyone called her by her full name, but coming from his lips, spoken in his voice, she loved hearing it.

"Hey, sorry I'm late."

"Oh, no worries." He said shrugging it off. He could wait for her forever and not mind it. As a form of reflex, Cece leaned in for a hug. It only lasted a second, but it was enough for her for the time being.

She broke their embrace and took a step back. Doing so, Schmidt held out a coffee cup with her name written on it in sharpie. "Mocha double latte with extra foam."

"Thank you." She said grabbing it from him. The drink was still incredibly hot and warmed her hands. As she took a careful sip to gauge the temperature and warm her stomach, Schmidt then held out a white paper bag.

"And a blueberry bagel with light cream cheese."

Cece was beyond flattered at his thoughtfulness. "You remembered?"

"Always. You ready for today?"

"Sure am. Where to first?"

"Times Square."

"Let's do it." As she had predicted earlier, they had decided to walk the few blocks it took to get to Times Square. The holiday craziness was still in full swing. Walking seemed safer and quicker than hailing a cab.

Cece stood at the busy intersection at seventh and W. 44th, completely still, watching the world pass her by. All around her the city's inhabitants shuffled with a collective excitement. She could smell grilled hot dogs, soft pretzels and roasted peanuts waft through the air from the street vendors all around. Her ears were inundated with the noises of everyday life. Car horns honked at careless pedestrians who screamed back as they zig-zagged between a fleet of yellow cabs, making their way across to the safe haven of sidewalk a few feet away.

"You know the billboards look even better at night." Schmidt told her as he watched her take it all in. "Everything's all lit up and bright. It's really amazing."

"We can see it tomorrow right? My parents want me to meet them here for that holiday festival."

"Thus ending our sightseeing excursion of this great city." Cece detected a bit of disappointment in his tone. She wasn't thrilled that their time together on this trip would be over after tomorrow, and sensing that he felt the same brought her that much more courage to go through with opening up to him.

Knowing that she definitely wanted to remember this day by taking as many photos as possible, Schmidt asked her to make a quick stop before gallivanting all around the area. He took her to a convenience store gift shop that many tourists frequent to buy novelty key chains and 'I love New York' t-shirts to take back home with them. What he decided to get was far less idiotic.

Thinking back to the previous nights failed attempt at capturing a decent photo of the two of them at the ice rink on their own, Schmidt thought it would be a wise investment to buy them a selfie stick.

After about fifteen minutes of maneuvering through dozens of other customers and waiting in a long line, Schmidt met Cece outside the store and showed her the surprise purchase he was sure she'd love. And she did. Once they attached her phone to the holster on the end, the first thing she did was raise it as high as her arms would allow and snapped a photo of the two of them while pedestrians walked all around them.

Continuing with their newly formed tradition from the last few days, Cece and Schmidt adventured all about the famous area, finding a photo opportunity every few feet. Most of them were traditional tourist pictures posing in front of signs and known buildings. Others, of course, were the two acting goofy trying to get the other to laugh.

Their first official stop was Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. Even during the daytime, the giant neon sign being held up by the large hands just above the doors had beckoned them to it. Once inside, Schmidt both each of them VIP tickets, allowing them to forgo the long lines. As much fun as she was having, Cece had pointed out how freakishly realistic some of them looked. Part of her was expecting just one of the statues to move and scream boo. Thankfully, however, none of them did.

When they came upon the statue of Don Draper in Mad Men in a replica of his office, Schmidt went nuts. He was the embodiment of the type of businessman he tried to emulate every day. Like a kid seeing Santa for the first time, Schmidt could hardly contain his enthusiasm. His face was beaming as he sat in the chair behind the desk trying to think of the perfect pose to capture in this moment. Cece just stood there watching him with the most loving smile. Seeing him this happy, all she could think about was how adorable he was. She was so fixed on him, she almost forgot to take the picture. After every snap of a photo, Schmidt would switch to a different pose, of which he had many.

Finally, it dawned on him that they had been there for several minutes. "Sorry about that, I got kind of carried away." He said with the smile on his face even bigger than before. Cece couldn't care less. "Let's keep going."

They spent another hour looking at all the celebrity wax clones, admiring the detail and precision it took to make them look as realistic as they had appeared. With every statue they saw, Cece and Schmidt would both take a photo in a stance that seemed uniquely fitting to each one of them.

Their next destination didn't take them far as it was literally right next door. Ripley's Believe it or Not! Odditorium. Most of the exhibits they passed were creepy and peculiar. From the shrunken heads to the two headed sheep, there were plenty of ways to scare the hell out of Cece and Schmidt took full advantage of each one. He would come up behind her and grab her yelling boo, or reach around her and tickle her ear sending chills up her spine. At first she would scream and jump, then she would laugh and even playfully hit him. With every slap on the arm she was silently telling him she was having a good time.

...Two hours later

Cece looked up and down the street, scanning every sign trying to make sure there wasn't a place they had missed. Looking all around her and recounting everything they had done so far, she was certain they had been to each and every attraction that piqued their interest. Schmidt walked up behind her distracted by his phone. He hit the send button on a text he was replying to from his cousin telling him that he would be back later that night and shoved it back into his pocket.

"Okay," Cece began scanning the street one final time for good measure. "I think we hit everything. Empire State Building's next right?"

"Actually, there's one last thing I want to show you."

...Ten Minutes Later

"What is this?" Cece asked. Before her stood a section of wall that above read in pink neon 'Hopes & Dreams'. Underneath was a collection of post-it notes in various colors pinned and tacked to it.

"It's called the 'Wishing Wall'." Schmidt told her. "Basically people come here, write something they wish for the new year. Then on New Year's Eve, after the countdown and the ball drop, they use these as confetti and shoot it out over everyone in Times Square at midnight."

"That sounds amazing." Cece's eyes tried to read some of the wishes, most of which seemed pretty normal. People wished to lose weight, travel more, or find someone to love them. They were things everybody thought about daily.

Schmidt grabbed them each a pen and paper from a stand nearby. He handed one to Cece. "Here." He said. "How about we both put one up?"

Cece was hesitant. She had no idea what she should wish for. Her life at the present moment wasn't glamorous and exciting, but it wasn't horrible. She had a somewhat decent, albeit mediocre, job. She had committed to going back to school and was actually doing pretty well. There wasn't much to complain about. She looked over to Schmidt who looked to be struggling to find a wish as well. That's went inspiration hit her. If there was one thing in her current life that she wanted to change more than anything, it was her relationship with the man standing beside her. Roaming around the neighborhood for the better half of the morning had temporarily distracted her from what she set out that morning to do. Cece wondered if now was a good time to bring up the subject of them, but when she opened her mouth, all that escaped was silence.

Schmidt hadn't noticed that there was something on her mind. He had his wish in his head but was trying to decide a proper way to phrase it, knowing that everything he wanted to say would never fit onto that tiny sticky note. Side by side, they both stood there awkwardly trying to find the perfect thing to write. Simultaneously, they looked to each other, their eyes meeting instantaneously igniting a spark in their heads. Both of them turned back to their papers and wrote down their wishes and signed their names. Hoping for the other not to see what they wrote, they each went to opposite ends of the wall to pin theirs up, then met right back where they had been standing.

"Ready to go?" Schmidt asked turning towards Cece. She nodded her head anxious to get out of there before Schmidt tried to sneak a peek at what she wrote. They made their way back out onto the street and flagged down a cab to take them to the next destination on their list.

"So…What'd you wish for?" Schmidt asked trying to sound innocent. Cece was a vault. Whenever she had a secret, she had the strong will necessary to take it with her to the grave.

"Not gonna tell you Schmidt."

"Please." She looked over at him. He was attempting to imitate the 'Naughty Baby Indian' look that, when used on him, had the power to act as a truth serum, but it would take a hell of a lot more than that to get her to divulge anything.

"What makes you think that would work on me?"

Schmidt laughed and returned his face back to normal. "Figured I'd give it a shot." They both laughed and enjoyed the rest of the cab ride taking them to the Empire State Building.

Empire State Building

As beautiful as the building looked from the outside, the interior of the lobby was absolutely breath taking. From wall to wall, everything was marble. It glistened from the lights. The murals that were etched into the walls and ceiling were magnificent. Cece felt like she was in a dream.

"This…is so beautiful." She said to Schmidt.

He took her by the hand and led her towards the elevators, taking them up to the Visitor's Center on the second floor. When they reached the ticket counter, Schmidt had already ordered them tickets ahead of time and presented his ID to claim them.

"You got us tickets already?" Cece asked only half shocked, part of her was used to his suave skills.

"Of course." He said with a touch of pride. The man behind the counter gave them their multi-media handheld devices and informed them that it'll be about a ten minute wait for the next tour to get started. It seemed reasonable enough, so the two got in line.

"So how high up does this go?" Cece asked trying to spark a conversation.

"Well there's the Main deck on the 86th floor, and then there's the Top deck on the 102nd floor."

Imagining being that high up had Cece's stomach tying itself up in knots. "Wow….That's pretty high up there."

Schmidt heard the trepidation in her voice. "You going to be okay?"

"Yeah. Just a little bit of nerves. I'm good."

"We don't have to go up there if you don't want to."

"No I want to go. I don't want to let a small fear of heights prevent me from doing things like this. I'll be okay."

"Alright."

"Actually. Since we're waiting. I wanted to talk to you about something."

Schmidt gave her his full attention. "What's on your mind?"

"Well…Last night at the skating rink…we kind of….almost…"

"Yeah I know. I wanted to apologize about that."

"Apologize?"

"Yeah. I let myself get caught up in the moment and I wasn't thinking. It won't happen again, I promise. You made it very clear that you just want to be friends and I get that, and I value that friendship so much so I don't want to do anything to screw that up. The main reason I wanted to do this whole tour thing with you is because I wanted to show you that I can be your friend. Someone you can trust, that you can count on and turn to no matter what."

Cece took a second to digest it all. She knew he had been working overtime trying to prove they can make this whole friends thing work, but hearing him talk about it, made it seem as though that was as far as he was expecting to go. To be just friends and nothing more. Cece realized that that was her doing. She had been so adamant on needing her space from him that she didn't realize that she had been closing the door on them completely and he got the hint. "I'm seeing that. And for the record…You are a really great friend." He smiled at her. It was exactly what he needed to hear.

Unfortunately, however, she had now been discouraged from the idea of making an attempt to try and reconcile. She wasn't sure it was a good plan anymore. Given everything that has happened with them, she thought bringing it up now would do nothing but cause confusion for him and she hated the idea of constantly going back and forth.

It had been a very informative tour. Through all the exhibits and presentations the two of them had learned so much about the history of the city's famous landmark. But once the elevator doors opened and they stepped out onto the main deck on the 86th floor, they were looking out to a view unlike anything that either of them had ever seen before. Exiting the elevator and venturing out to the railing, Cece and Schmidt felt a subtle chill breeze blow by, causing them to tighten their coats.

Being that high up, Cece was emotionally torn as she was equal parts scared and amazed. She looked down gazing upon the entire city as it stretched out into the horizon and up into the sky. Buildings that had loomed above them on the street now looked like figurines as they stood in the distance.

Schmidt had directed them to one of the vintage viewfinders that was no longer being occupied and rushed to claim it before someone else beat him to it. As Cece looked through it, he pointed out various parts of Manhattan that were visible as well as each of the bridges leading to the outer boroughs. He showed her all the places they had been so far and even showed her some places he used to go as a kid, providing a colorful story from the memories he held onto. She looked very carefully and through the buildings, she was able to see some of the lights from Times Square.

The two of them walked all around the deck, recounting famous moments that had taken place where they were standing in the various movies that had immortalized the building in movies. Schmidt had even gone as far as standing up on a bench and reenacting the legendary scene from King Kong swatting down planes. Cece laughed along with others who were passing by and pulled out her phone to get another funny video.

Seeing her camera, Schmidt jumped down and joined her back on the ground. "Shall we?" he said motioning to her to get a picture of the two of them with the city in the background. They got in their usual pose side by side, heads tilted resting on each other's and snapped the photo. Cece pulled the captured picture back up to see how well the background came out, but looking at it, the only thing her eyes could see was the smile on Schmidt's face.

They walked around the entire deck on last time to get pictures of them with all of the views behind them. This time, Cece noticed the numerous people surrounding them, taking in the sights as well. Maybe it was all in her head, but all around her, all she saw were couples, people in love who had each other during the holidays. People were holding hands, hugging each other, kissing one another and staring longingly into their lover's eyes. Seeing all of them sharing in their affection was causing Cece to be jealous, which in turn made her feel ridiculous felling that way towards complete strangers. She told herself to let it go.

Ferry to Statue of Liberty

Sticking with their plans, the next stop was the Statue of Liberty. They took a cab to Battery Park & boarded a Ferry to take them to the Island that held the Monument. During any other season, standing out on the top deck of the boat being sprayed by the sea breeze would have been appealing, but in December, it was completely ill-advised. Schmidt and Cece had managed to find two available seats inside. The waters in the Hudson were choppy given the winter tide, so the ferry ride would take a bit longer than usual, so in an effort to pass the time, Cece suggested that they take a look at all the pictures they had taken so far.

Starting at the very beginning, they scrolled through all the photos from Central Park, reliving their fun outing. Swiping through each one, Cece stopped at a picture that Schmidt took, catching her off guard.

"Oh God...Look at my hair. I'm deleting this one."

Schmidt liked that one, though. He took it while she was laughing at the penguins without a care in the world. She looked so beautiful and lighthearted, it was one of his favorite pictures of her. "I don't think so." He reached over to grab the phone out of her hand before she could delete it. Cece pulled away, keeping it out of his grasp. As he stretched his arm over, his sleeve rolled up, exposing his wrist, and the shiny object that occupied it.

"Hey, you're still wearing that bracelet I got you." She tried to sound surprised, but she had seen him wear it many times before.

Schmidt brought his arm back in front of himself and toyed with the bracelet, thinking back to the Christmas that Cece had given it to him. Things between them back then were kind of rocky, and his attitude sure didn't help matters. He was happy that everything had worked out now. Having her in his life was more than he could ever have hoped for. "Yep. I never take it off."

"Really?" This time, the shock in her tone was genuine. She had seen him wear it on occasion, but to hear him say that he never took it off, was unexpected.

"Of course not. It was a gift from you." Cece smiled to herself. It was just like him to say something like that. Schmidt was always honest and up front with her about his feelings which made her wonder why she couldn't be as open with him. Maybe if she had, things would be different, and she wouldn't be sitting next to him right now secretly having feelings for him and not knowing how to tell him.

...At Statue of Liberty

Once the boat docked, and the passengers were given the all clear to disembark, the sun had decided to make and appearance for the second time that day. The rain and snow clouds shifted north bringing about a bit of warmth.

Cece walked the grounds in front of the monument staring up at the statue. This was the closest she had ever been. Schmidt walked up behind her and upon feeling his presence, she smiled, wishing like hell he would wrap his arms around her and grip her tight, but no such luck.

"I got a surprise for you." He said, causing her to turn back to face him. He pulled out two tickets with their names on them with two words written in large bold letters…'All Access'. Cece looked at him coyly.

"You got us tickets for this too?" She said not even knowing why she had to ask. It didn't even shock her that he bought them.

"Yeah, well, I wanted to make sure you get to see everything."

She definitely got to see everything. The tickets that he had bought for the two of them allowed them to go all the way up to the crown. The only downside was the fact that there were no elevators, so they had to climb nearly 300 feet to the top. For most of the climb, they tried to make it interesting, racing one another or making up games to play to take their minds off of how tiring it was. Cece had started to regret wearing heels at all. Her feet became so sore, she thought they may fall off. Schmidt being his usual chivalrous self, let her climb onto his back and piggy-back some of the way.

Once they reached the crown level, all their aches and pains disappeared and were forgotten. Looking out the window, they saw another spectacular view that had them awestruck. The New York skyline was absolutely marvelous. Out on the water, they could see the next ferry filled with more visitors to the statue make its way to the island. The way the sun struck the buildings and its light glimmered off of them was a beautiful sight to see.

Cece was so astounded at everything she was looking at, she hadn't realized that she wasn't even scared at how high up they were. They took their time to appreciate the view, listen to the history and take all the pictures they could manage before finally deciding to make the trek back down. The trip back to the ground level was much easier but still tiresome. Before they boarded the ferry, Schmidt dragged Cece to the gift shop asking her to help buy little souvenir trinkets for the group back home. She helped him pick out novelty lighters and key chains, secretly filming him as he roamed through the aisles picking up everything like a toddler in a toy store.

That childlike demeanor only intensified when he saw the foam crowns. He put one on his head and smiled, deciding right then and there to buy himself one. When Cece turned her back to him, he grabbed another crown and placed it on her head as well. At first, she just stared at him deadpanned, but when he aimed the camera at them ready to take a selfie, she saw herself on the screen and doubled-over with laughter.

The ferry back to Manhattan was less congested than the initial one they had taken. A lot of the passengers from behind decided to stay a little while longer and take some of the guided tours. Completely exhausted, Cece sat quietly with her legs crossed leaned all the way back. Neither of them said a word since the boat began to move.

Schmidt was scrolling through his phone, reading the several text messages he received from both his mother and cousin, wondering where he kept disappearing to all day. He shook his head as he imagined his mother's voice in that worrisome yet nagging tone she perfected in his youth.

Cece stared off into space. Despite the conversation she had with Schmidt earlier, there was a big part of her that still wondered if she should tell him how she felt. That would mean that she would have to figure out exactly what it was she was feeling towards him. Did she have a crush on him or was she in love with him? She knew she loved him, that part was definite, but there was a distinct difference between loving somebody and being in love with them. She had been in love with him at one point, but what she was unsure of was whether or not she was now.

All that contemplating gave her anxiety. Her thoughts were swirling throughout her head a mile a minute causing her to absentmindedly bite the corner of her lower lip and her leg to bounce uncontrollably. All that bouncing grabbed Schmidt's attention. He looked up from his phone and over at her, immediately aware that something was up.

"Hey. You alright?" he asked her concerned. You seem kind of apprehensive."

Cece snapped out of her thoughts. "Yeah I'm fine." She said trying to shake it off, but Schmidt gave her a look that he knew better than that. "I guess I'm just a little sad that tomorrow is our last day of actual fun touring around the city. After my mother hand delivers her Christmas card to Matt Lauer at the festival tomorrow night, we're heading to her sister's in Jersey City to spend the rest of the holiday."

"Well…that's why we're going out with a bang. Tomorrow. Coney Island. All day."

Cece smiled. "That sounds like the perfect way to end it." They both let out a small chuckle. "Seriously, though, I've been having so much fun with you these last few days. More fun than I've had in a really long time, and I just don't want to go back to the boringness back home. I'm either working at the bar, going to class or at home studying & it's so dull."

"Well then, how about this? How about you and I make a pact to do something fun and adventurous every now and then? Once a month we'll find something new and interesting, and we'll just do it. No excuses."

Cece was both shocked and excited. "That sounds amazing, but you really don't have to. I know work keeps you super busy."

"Exactly. This trip has me dreading going home too. All I do is work. I never make time for anything else and I want to change that. And also…I've been having a really great time with you too, and I don't want that to end just because our trip is over."

Cece searched his eyes trying to see if everything he had said was true and he wasn't holding anything back. Of course he wasn't he never kept anything from her. "Okay." She said softly.

Schmidt held his hand out offering it to her to shake. "Do we have a deal?"

She smiled at him before giving her his hand in return. "Deal." And it was made. They each had every intention of keeping the promise they had just made to each other. Each of them had different reasons for agreeing, but one thought they had in common was the idea of keeping their genuine friendship.

Chapter 5 will be up as soon as I can. Is anybody else as excited as I am that in less than two weeks, New Girl comes back? I'm way too excited. Hope it'll help we write faster. Thank you guys for reading and I hope you guys are enjoying it. Please review and let me know!