A/N: So I tried to finish up this story, I know I'm horrible, I'm pretty sure this entire chapter which is not only short, but very vague is crap. The story was suppose to be much longer, but I have been so busy with school and I honestly don't even have time to write anymore. So I apologize. But I seriously did not want leave you guys hanging. So I finished it up. :) I know it's rushed, but what can I say, I did my best. I always had the intention of ending things this way... so please don't hate me. There will be an epilogue. But hopefully you guys enjoy it. It's rough I wrote it really fast.

Chapter 9

Grains of Sand

Previously on A Grain of Sand...

"Do you ever wonder..." he paused, "what would have happened if everything hadn't ended that night? If I just fought harder?"

She turned her eyes to locked with the warm brown starring back at her, "Maybe... but the fact is that you didn't, and now we will never know."

A tear fell from his brown eyes, his voice shook, "I'm sorry you know... for everything."

She reached out her hand, bringing it up to his face. With smooth movements, she brought her fingertips forward and brushed away the stray tear, before she nodded, her voice was soft, "I know you are..."

-N&M-

They left that night with words exchanged, laying all the things they never said onto the line. No words left unspoken. Years of built up pain were left exposed. Tears were shed and memories were remembered.

And as they went their separate ways. What laid before them was a wide open window of possibility. They didn't know what tomorrow, or the day after next would bring. All they knew was that, they had said all the things they should said from the beginning. And now the future was left in their hands.

-N&M-

Miley found herself on the shorelines yet again a few days later. Settled onto the ground mere inches away from the rippling currents brushing up against the shore. Wet grains of sand smoothed across the surface, free from flaws. A blank canvas. She was lost in her thoughts, her eyes wandered off into the distances, behind a blurred curtain of tears. Before she knew it, they had filled to the brim, a blink of an eye from tumbling down her flawless face. The minutes passed, the silences settling around her. Nothing but the sound of the ocean currents hitting against the shore could be hear.

The tears were falling from her eyes before she brushed them away. Locking her gaze onto the never ending horizon just beyond the sandy shore, she lost herself in the beauty of the setting sun. She wasn't exactly sure how long she had been sitting there before she heard his voice.

"Do you ever wonder what is beyond the horizon, that things are not nearly as out of reach as we make them?"

Miley turn her eyes settling onto the man that stood before her. It wasn't too long ago, that he was the man she had once loved. He was so different, so lost. Her lips turned into a shy smile before she spoke, "I try to forget about the infinite possibility of what life has to offer us...someone once told me not to worry about tomorrow, but embrace today... The best piece of advice I was ever given."

Nick nodded his head, before he settled down by her side. His gaze locked onto the unveiling scene before them. It was almost like it was a scene out of a movie. Another cliche to add to the books.

Starring into the distances, his voice interrupted the settling silences, "Do you ever wonder if it was fate that brought me here back to you?"

Miley turned her head to the side, watching the calm expression across Nick's face. Allowing his questions to seep into her mind and she gathered her thoughts, shaking her head, "I don't want to say that I don't believe in fate. I mean I want to believe that we create our own destiny, and it wasn't fate that brought you here. I think deep down, somewhere pushed into the back of our minds from the years that had passed us by, that I never really left your life. Like I was always a part of your life, a constant. Maybe not always in reach, but I was always there."

"What happens now? Do we turn around and go our separate ways... This can't be the end for the two of us..." Nick words faltered, tears filling to the brim of his eyes as the warm chocolate brown locked with the piercing blue eyes that stared back at him.

Miley reached forward, brushing her fingertips across his handsome face, wiping away the falling tears, "I don't think our story will have an ending...if anything, it's only the beginning...but I think that we should take this a step at a time... I don't know what the future holds, but lets not worry about that now... And if this is the end...at least we still have this last moment."

Nick smiled, taking a deep breath of air. He could taste the saltiness that clung to the ocean air, it was crisp and light. The world was wet around them, and everything was at peace. Running his fingertips through the grain of sands beside him, he cup a handful of grainy sand. Allowing his fingers to spread open, the grains of sand slipped through his fingertips falling down onto the sandy shore. One thing he knew for sure, he wouldn't let her slip away. Never again.

A/N: Hope you guys like it. :) I know I didn't exactly tie up any loose ends in fact, I probably left one of the biggest cliffhanger ever...because the ending is entirely up to you. But...chances are I'll be nice and write an epilogue. I don't know if this story even turned out the way I really had it planned. I do know that I had the intention of ending it with an open ended ending. But hopefully, it's not too bad. I wrote it really fast.