A.N. Thank you, readers. It has been a very long time since I've updated this. But here you go. I plan to finish the story today. I hope it ends as well as you have all been hoping. So here's the next chapter. I'll hopefully have the rest of them out today. Enjoy.

I froze. My mind was racing, but my mouth couldn't form any words. I just stood there, while Tegan grinned at me mischievously.

"Um… I, uh…" I sputtered.

Tegan laughed, and for a moment I thought it was because she had been joking with me. But then she reached out a took my hand which was hanging motionless by my side. She smiled softly at me, and in that moment I knew that she was right. I was in love with her. Or at the very least, I was in love with the idea of her.

She squeezed my hand gently and leaned in close to me. "Don't say anything," she whispered in my ear. "Just go out with me."

I couldn't resist. I kissed her cheek and whispered, "Of course." I could feel her smile widen against my cheek. "But first, I think you should buy me a drink."

Tegan laughed again, and I decided in that moment that I would make it my mission to keep her laughing for the rest of her life. Tegan was still holding my hand when Emy came back with the drinks Tegan had ordered. I hoped she would never let me go.

"So, I take it things went well?" Emy asked me with a grin.

"Emy, shut up!" I hissed.

"It's okay, Sara," Tegan said. "I've already talked to Emy about you. How do you think I knew your name?" she chuckled.

"Oh," I said bashfully. I hadn't even thought about that. Of course she would have had to talk to Emy to find out my name. The thought that Tegan had been as curious about me as I was about her was a surprise to me. I definitely never would have guessed that. No one was ever interested in me first. I was always the one to go after a girl. Girls never pursued me. At least not pretty ones. And especially never girls that I was interested in. To say I was surprised that Tegan wanted to know me would have been an understatement.

"Sara, tell me about yourself." Tegan's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I sighed. I wished I could think of a cool story about myself or something, but I knew I should just tell her the truth. It was a boring truth, but it was the truth.

"Well, there really isn't much to tell," I said.

Before I could go on, Tegan stopped me. "Tell me anyway. I want to know everything about you."

I smiled at her. Her words were earnest; I could tell she was telling the truth. So I told her. I told her about growing up as an only child in Calgary, Alberta with a single mom and an absent father. I told her about graduating high school and moving to Vancouver. I told her about dropping out of college to be an artist and a writer. I told her about my job at the coffee shop nearby, making barely enough money to keep my studio apartment, pay for food, and cover the bills. I told her about art shows, my finished but unpublished novel, and thousands of songs I would never be able to afford to record professionally. The entire time I talked, she just smiled at me, asking questions at appropriate times, but mostly just listening. Tegan was a really good listener. She order us another round of drinks while I talked. Honestly, I don't think I had talked so much in one sitting in years. But talking to Tegan was easy. And no, I don't blame that on the beers I'd had.

Once I finally finished I leaned back and smiled. "Well, that's my life. Not that interesting, but it's who I am."

"I think you're very interesting," Tegan said. "You're something special." She glanced over my shoulder and laughed. I looked around, trying to see what she was laughing at, but there were only two other people and Emy left in the bar.

"Wow. We've been talking forever," I chuckled. "Or rather, I've been talking forever."

Tegan stood up abruptly, releasing my hand for the first time since she had started holding it. "Come back to my apartment with me. I know that sounds forward, but that's not what I mean. I want to keep talking. I want to tell you about my life. And I don't want to do it sitting here. Besides, I think Emy's about to start closing down." Tegan put some cash on the bar, and held her hand out to me.

When I didn't take it, she frowned. "What's wrong?" she asked. "Do you have to work in the morning?" I shook my head. "What's wrong then?"

I couldn't say anything. I was shocked. I had never expected the night to go on this way. I never expected to go home with Tegan, even if I knew I wasn't going to let anything happen. I didn't even like to kiss on the first date, much less stay at a girl's house.

"It's just… I don't usually do this the first night I meet someone." I muttered.

"Oh, Sara. I'm sorry." Tegan sat back down and took my hand again. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable. I don't do stuff like this either. And I promise, if you come with me, nothing is going to happen. I just want to keep talking to you. I don't want to miss a single moment with you."

Here voice was soft and comforting, and I trusted her. So I nodded and smiled. "Okay. As long as you promise. And no, I don't have work tomorrow." Tegan grinned, and jumped up again, this time holding my hand tighter instead of letting go. She led me to her car, parked behind The Q. We rode to her apartment in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Tegan kept holding my hand. I stared at her unashamedly as she drove the four blocks to her apartment.

Wow, I thought. I never would have guessed she lived so close. I walked by her apartment almost every time I went to The Q, and I had never seen her. It was amazing to me that our paths had never crossed until the night before.

We stayed up all night talking. Tegan made us some coffee and told me everything there was to know about her life. We were so comfortable together, like we had been best friends for years. It was so easy to talk to her, and I had no problem listening to her voice for hours, which I did. It wasn't until the sun started to rise that I decided it was time to go home.

Tegan walked me to the door. "You are a wonderful woman, Sara Quin. It was a pleasure spend the night with you."

I nodded, smiling and tired-eyed. "This really was the best night of my life," I said quietly. Tegan blushed, then leaned in to kiss me on the cheek.

"Good night, Sara," she whispered. "Or maybe it's good morning." We both laughed. I could hear in her voice how tired she was. I knew I needed to leave and get some sleep. We both needed sleep.

"Good night, Tegan," I said. I turned and opened the door, stepping out. "Can I see you again tonight?" I asked.

Tegan sighed. "Whew! I thought you would ever ask." She smiled. "Come over again?"

"Sure," I said. "I'll come over around 6. Is that okay?"

"Of course!" Tegan was grinning like a schoolgirl. "See you later, Sara."

"See you, Tegan." As I walked down the stairs and I heard the door close behind me, I couldn't stop smiling. That night had been the longest night of my life. I wouldn't know it for a few more days, but that was the night that would change my life.