I went back to Rascal Flatts' "Why" for this last chapter. I felt it was appropriate, because in chapters 3-5, I strayed away from it and replaced it with Aaron Zigman and Thomas Newman (both great composers, by the way). So...here it is, the last installment of "Why". Hope you all enjoyed it!

Sam's POV

The air was chilly as everyone gathered around my lifeless body for their final goodbyes in our childhood playground. I stood in the back, peering over shoulders and between arms. I felt as if I was in the way, intruding so to speak, by being here; but it's not like I could just get up and leave. I realized some time ago that I was bound to my body. I couldn't venture too far away, or this invisible force would pull me back toward it. It was kinda creepy, really, but what did I expect? I was dead.

I looked around at the many gravestones layed out on the land. They stood in uniform rows, like soldiers in the military, diligently awaiting a passerby to show them attention, to acknowledge them. I knew after a few months, mine would be the same. It wouldn't be, "I'm going to see Sam." anymore, it would be, "I'm going to Sam's grave." I'd be nothing more than a forgotten tombstone with my name written on it. Eventually, people would stop coming to visit, they would stop bringing flowers, stop thinking about me altogether. But that's what I wanted, right? I wanted everyone to forget about me and focus on more important things, more important people. That's what was best. But I didn't expect the afterlife to be like this; I didn't expect to be so...alone.

I looked up to see Carly kneeling down at my casket. She was studying it hard, like there was a secret message written on it or something. I ran over to stand behind her. How could I have ever been so selfish? How could I have hurt her like this? I brushed the hair from her shoulder and knelt down beside her and put my arms around her. As much as she may have felt like there was an underlying problem with me, there wasn't. It wasn't something that months of therapy could have fixed for me; it was something that would have loomed over my head for the rest of my life, and I just didn't feel like I could deal with it. She began to cry, and I held her tighter.

Life becomes without meaning when the negative outweighs the positive.

"Why?"

She whispered to the dirt and grass beneath her feet. I couldn't give her an answer. No one could. And even if I had really been there, I couldn't have told her. It's not that I didn't see all of the positive aspects of my life, I did, but the horrible news I discovered that Friday afternoon sent me into a downward spiral. I was impulsive, I was selfish, and I went and made the biggest mistake ever.

"You should know that I didn't give up on you. You were worth it, you always were. Always too good for me, actually. I knew you deserved so much better, but you picked me. You picked such a broken, troubled soul, and you managed to pick me up and piece me back together. I love you so much, Carly, and I always will. I just couldn't tell you what was wrong; I couldn't put that burden on you, couldn't let you know how much of a failure I was. I was afraid you might run."

We stood up and I took a step back, noticing Spencer coming out of the corner of my eye.

"So I ran first..."

He put his hand on her shoulder and she spun around, jerked from her reverie. Spencer was crying, something I'd never seen him do before, and I knew in his mind he was comparing my death to Carly's. I knew he felt like he had lost a little sister.

"Come on, kiddo. Let's go home."

He pulled her into a tight hug and I saw her fall into him, helpless and limp with grief. She cried into his chest, grabbing at anything she could get her hands on in an attempt to try and ground herself. I looked over at my casket and down at the ground before hearing Carly choke out a string of questions.

"Why? Why, Spencer? Why did this happen?"

The burning question that everyone was asking.

"I don't know."

And the only answer anyone could give. He stepped back and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I was scared, okay? I-I didn't know what else to do! I felt like such a failure, such a reject-"

He unknowingly cut me off by finishing his sentence.

"But everything will be okay. I'm here for you if you need me. You know that."

She looked up at him, searching for closure in his big, sad eyes.

"I'm afraid of rejection. Realizing that my mother never really loved me, just put up with me, was horrible! You've got to understand that! I was afraid that if I told anyone, they would reject me the same way she did. I was insecure, paranoid, impetuous! I never knew I would end up hurting you like this."

I watched as they turned and walked back to the line of cars that had brought them all here. Hastily, I chased after them.

"Carly! Stop! Carly!"

My screaming did no good, they kept their pace. I managed to grab the sleeve of Carly's shirt before the invisible force grabbed me and pulled me back toward my final resting place. She stopped and turned around. We made eye contact, I knew she felt me; she knew I was there.

"Carly, I love you! I'm so sorry..."

Carly stared into the empty air in front of her, so empty, so broken, and reached out her hand, as if she was expecting me to grab it. I tried, but I couldn't move any further in her direction.

"I love you, too, Sam."

Her face twisted in anguish and the tears started flowing again.

"Please wait for me..."

Not thinking, I responded.

"I will, Cupcake, I will."

She dropped her hand and ran to catch up to Spencer who was almost back at the hearse. But wait, what did that mean? Wait for me until I'm old and gray and I'll join you because it was my time, or wait for me because I'll be joining you soon because I decided it was my time? I could only hope it was the former. She didn't need to throw her life away just because I did. I bolted for the hearse, fighting the pull to the best of my ability.

"Carly! Carly, don't do anything stupid!"

Exhausted, I gave up and fell to my knees. Carly turned her head to look in my direction and smiled before getting in the car.

And at that point, I realized that abandoning my seemingly hopeless life was not at all worth it. I had ruined my Carly's life. I had caused her so much pain that she was now questioning the solidarity of her own life.

Suicide wasn't the answer. It never was and never will be for anyone. What you think is an escape is actually just a portal to a world where everyone is full of grief and mourn, and you're forced to watch it unfold before your very eyes. I never should have been so selfish, so ornery, in thinking that no one would miss me. Sure, maybe I thought that they shouldn't, but I didn't consider the fact that their thoughts didn't coincide with mind; we didn't share feelings or brain waves.

"Please don't run..."

So...there it is. Not to get any hopes up or anything, but I left the ending open for a possible sequel. I will probably return to this fic one day and a sequel will probably happen, but I'm sure it will take a while. Thank you to everyone that read this story and reviewed, and even to those who didn't review. I hope you all enjoyed it, and I hope it made you all cry. ;) But seriously, I hope this fic helped someone out there by making them realize that nothing is worth taking your own life over. I've been there, and if I had given into my temptations, I wouldn't be here today, happy and able to help others. I love you guys.