After hearing that season 8 won't come till next year, i decided to write a story to tide us over, showing some things I'D like to see happen with our favorite characters after season 7.

The story picks up where season 7 left off, with Nick still talking to both Andrews. Later, on the advice of new Andrew, Nick goes on his own apology tour, like Andrew Glouberman did in S7, partly to spite Andrew, partly to redeem himself before starting new school. When he goes to visit Missy, Nick realizes he DOES have feelings for her. But is it too late? And when Elijah unexpectedly returns, it further throws the question of their future into jeopardy.

This first chapter starts off where season 7 ended. IMMEDIETLY after.

I own nothing except a few original characters. Evetything else belongs to Nick Kroll and Netflix.

Chapter 1

Nick's POV

Nick hadn't known what to expect when the two Andrews met, but this was CRAZY. The two same-named boys, one his oldest friend, the other a recent acquaintance from his new school, stood practically nose-to-nose, apparently oblivious to Nick as they continued to bicker.

"So, you think you're the expert on clogging toilets, huh?!", Andrew Glouberman snapped. "Well, my dad made ME the official plumber of the house after I clogged the toilet with hundreds-no, THOUSANDS-of jizz-filled toilet paper wads!!! NOBODY clogs like Andrew Glouberman!!!!"

The new Andrew scoffed. "That's nothing. Once, my school had to shut down for an entire day after I clogged every toilet in the boys bathroom, and the whole room was flooded, then the whole hall. My last name would be Andrew CLOGGER, if it wasn't KENT."

Andrew Glouberman, hereafter referred to as Andrew G, gasped loudly. He swayed on the spot, the room, the whole WORLD, going shaky. The lights in the room were fading. He felt sick to his stomach.

"Your last name is... K...KENT??!!!" He couldn't believe his ears. Many times over the previous year he had introduced himself as Andrew "Kent", and imagined himself in scenarios as a cool, non-creepy, attractive, RICH cat named Andrew KENT. And THIS guy, this poser, this jerk, this same-named, friend-stealing schmendrick, had the audacity to not only beat him at toilet-clogging, but had the last name he'd always craved?

As if sensing his anguish, the new Andrew, hereafter referred to as Andrew K, sneered as he replied. "That's right. That's what it says on my state ID, as well as my student ID. Andrew Leonardo Kent, and I have my own locker at Cobblestones, with a push-button locker combo."

Andrew G groaned. "Oh no, and the lockers at Bridgeton High are all dial-operated, and I have TERRIBLE turning coordination!!"

Maury, next to Andrew, groaned in agony. "This guy has you in a box, Andrew!!! A literal BOX!!! Checkmate, bro!!!!!"

Andrew G looked from the imposter with his name to his treacherous 'best friend '. After swaying on the spot for several seconds, seething with rage and hurt, he growled. "Awww, FUCK THIS!!!! Fuck YOU", he gestured to Andrew K "and fuck YOU", he gestured to Nick. "This is all BULLSHIT!!! First, I get pulled into all my most embarrassing moments by my future self, THEN I get my ass kicked in front of the entire school, now my so-called best friend dumps me for some off-brand Walmart version of ME!!! You,sir", he poked Andrew K in the chest "are no Andrew. You are the Equate or Great Value brand of Andrew!!! Fuck all this fucking shit,I'm OUTTA here!!!!"

With that, he screamed hysterically, turned around dramatically, and ran from the room, slamming the door behind him. Nick heard him trudging down the stairs, then next second heard him open the front door. As soon as he heard it slam, he sighed.

"Man, I feel like such a fucking dick", he groaned. He fell backwards on his bed and stared at the ceiling.

'How did everything go so WRONG?', he wondered. He and Andrew had always been the best of friends. But the past year had slowly pushed them further and further apart, testing their friendship at every turn. When Andrew had learned Nick was going to a new school, he had held him at an icy distance, barely speaking to him, and usually when he did in a very condescending way. Nick knew Andrew had been scared to start at Bridgeton High after incurring the wrath of the school bully Pumbaa. Nick knew he should have comforted Andrew more, like a true friend, but Nick had his own problems, like anxiety about his own new school, and his feelings for Danni, which had predictably ended terribly. What Nick wouldn't give to be back in sex ed class at Bridgeton Middle, looking forward to the school dance, his old naive and carefree self...

"Nah, HE'S the dick", Andrew K said, snapping Nick out of his thoughts. He'd almost forgotten he was here. He grabbed Nick's basketball off the floor and threw it through the hoop with one hand. Nick was surprised and impressed: Andrew G almost never made a shot. Andrew K turned to him. "You don't need him, mate. Trust me, I know plenty of people like him at Cobblestones. You're better off without him. "

Nick sat up and shook his head, trying to clear his troubling thoughts. "No, Andrew's a good dude, he just... I don't know, this past year has just been INSANE. We fight all the time, but we've almost always made up. But lately it's just been crazy. Ever since he found out I'm going to Cobblestones it's just different. I mean, he tried apologizing to me at graduation, but once he found out I'm not going with him, there's this wedge between us. This gap, and I can't seem to bridge it. I've barely talked to my other friends, Jessi or Jay either. I hope they're doing ok. "

Andrew K frowned. "My old friends iced me out once I went to Cobblestones too. Why do you think I was in the Sad Boys Club? Nobody talks to each other there, nobody bothers you. Nobody can hurt you there. Until I met you, I thought I'd be trapped there forever, rubbing Miss Cornhill's disgusting feet."

"Maybe that's what I DESERVE!!!", Nick cried. "I've wronged so many of my friends, hurt them, lied to them, just been a terrible asshole. Maybe Andrew's right to not want anything to do with me. He's hurt me too, but it goes both ways. I've wronged him MANY TIMES. I kissed his ex. I've insulted him. I've pressured him to do many things that got us both in trouble. I've been a shitty friend. To him. To everyone. At least Andrew tried. He went around on Graduation day apologizing to everyone he ever wronged. I wish I'd given him the chance to tell to ME that day before opening my big mouth."

Andrew K stared at Nick for a moment, apparently thinking hard. Finally he smiled and said:" You know what you should do? YOU should go and do YOUR OWN apology tour. Jessi and Jay, the two you mentioned earlier, and anybody else. Then finish it with Andrew. That way you can both show him that you can apologize too, and probably BETTER than him at that, but also give him the chance to give HIS apologies he wanted to give you earlier too."

Nick sat in thought for a minute or two, thinking it over. 'Yes', he thought. 'I DO owe a lot of apologies to a lot of people. Jessi. Jay. Gina. Matthew. Missy. And DEFINITELY Andrew. But he's right, I should save Andrew for last. Give him time to cool down. I should do it SOON too, before we all get too busy with school. Just in case I can't see them as often, I don't want them to think I've forgotten them, especially with so many things unsaid.'

After another minute he nodded and got off the bed. "You're right", he said. "I need to make ammends, heal wounds, old and new. I'm going to make my own lists of people I've hurt. " He moved over to his desk and grabbed sheets of paper and a pen.

Andrew K nodded. "Sounds good. "He pulled out his phone and checked the time. "Look, Nick, I gotta get home. I'll see you tomorrow morning at school. I think we have English together. "

Nick nodded as he started writing the names of his friends. Next to their names he would write the list of things he had done to them. "Ok. Sounds great. I'll see you. " He waited till he heard his door close, then listened till he heard the front door open and close as his new friend left, then went back to writing. He still had a half hour left till anyone came home. Leah hung out with her friends after school, Judd was out doing WHO KNOWS what, and his parents were still at work.

He focused on the list of names he had made. He thought of the many things he had said or done over the past year. "Let's see... Jessi: Well, I lied about breaking up with HER, and made her sound like a bitch. I didn't tell her me and Andrew saw her mom cheating until WEEKS after. I got high with her on her dad's gummies, and her mom kicked her dad out. If I'd stopped her,or grabbed the gummies out of her hand and threw them away,that might not have happened. What else? Oh yeah, got mad at her about the Gina thing. I'm sure me and all the other boys made her feel bad about the list thing. Let's see, of course I tried to kiss her at the funeral. I was an asshole to her about not liking me..."

And so it went. Nick finished with Jessi,then moved on to Jay, then Matthew, Missy, Gina and Andrew,promising to save him for last. Next to each name he wrote his list of offenses. With each grievance, he felt a pound lighter. But he knew he would never truly be at peace, at home or his new school, until he had actually spoken and apologized to each offendee. He didn't know if they would all truly forgive him, or if he even DESERVED forgiveness. But he knew he had to try.

Jessi's POV

Jessi was nervous about getting home. She was still very lightheaded from Lulu's weed vape, which she had let her smoke at school, and surreptitiously on the bus. As soon as the bus pulled up to Jessi's apartment, which was across the street from Lola's, Jessi practically ran off the bus and ran till she reached her door.

She knew she had about an hour until her mother, Shannon, got home. Hopefully the effects would wear off by then. She remembered what had happened LAST time the bitch had caught Jessi high. If she would kick out Jessi's dad, as if cheating on him wasn't bad enough, what might she do to Jessi herself?

To be safe, she went into the bathroom and searched in the medicine cabinet until she found the eye drops. She quickly squeezed several drops in each eye and put the drops back, and looked at herself in the mirror. She looked much like her old self, except for the army jacket her new friends had given her, and the eye drops DID help a bit.

Next to her, Connie groaned. "Damn girl, I'm hungry. Weed always gives me the munchies. Let's go in the kitchen for a snack!!!"

Jessi shook her head. "I'm not in the mood to eat, Connie."

Instead Jessi walked into her room, took off her shoes, followed by her new jacket, which she threw on her chair. Then she jumped onto her bed and pulled her Nintendo Switch out of her nightstand. She hadn't played it in a while. For some reason, this afternoon she had felt like doing nothing but play one of the relaxing games she had bought for it.

Connie groaned again. "Awww, come on Jessi. I'm all for cutting class and smoking the old sweet leaf, but I draw the line at video games!! Those things will rot your brain!!! Come on, let's go next door to Lola's. Maybe you two can throw stuff off an overpass."

Jessi ignored Connie as she booted up one of her favorite farming simulator games. She wished she had asked to borrow Lulu's vape, or bummed an extra one off her or one off the other stoners. She remembered she had about 40 bucks she'd been saving. Allowance and stuff. Perhaps she'd bring it to school tomorrow and ask Lulu to purchase Jessi her own.

Connie tried again. "Come on, Jessi. High school is supposed to be about hanging out with friends and having fun, to forget about the stress of schoolwork. You can't just sit around stoned playing games!!!"

Jessi groaned inwardly. For the past year, Connie had been a constant presence in her life. At times she had been thankful for her. At times the Monstress was a security blanket, giving her comfort during troubling times, offering a furry shoulder to cry on. She was also usually fun to talk to. However, at other times she wished she'd never come into her life. While usually a good source of advice and comfort, Connie could also be pushy, nagging, and mean, not unlike Jessi's own mother. Many times acting on Connie's advice had landed Jessi in trouble: running away, shoplifting, stealing her dad's gummies, hooking up with that asshole Michaelangelo. At times Jessi thought it was Connie showing up that had led to her struggles with anxiety and depression, even before the Depression Kitty had shown up. But she knew there was no getting rid of her. Jessi could run away to the Arctic Circle, and Connie would simply follow her.

Jessi opted for the simple approach. " Connie, PLEASE. I literally just STARTED high school today. We both know it's only going to get WORSE. I just need some time to unwind, to clear my head, and prepare for whatever shit life dumps on me the rest of the year. Please Connie, just leave me alone. For a bit. "

Connie stared at Jessi for a few moments, which felt more like hours. Finally she sighed, her beautiful face a mask of pain, regret, and resignation. When she replied, Jessi was sure she heard her voice break. "Ok, hun. You need space, I understand. You gotta do you. Being a teenager is tough. I'll just back off for a bit. But I'll always be here for you. If you ever need me, just say the word. I love you, kid."

With that, she disappeared. The second she vanished, Jessi felt a wave of loneliness and regret sweep over her like a tidal wave. 'I shouldn't have snapped at her', she thought. For a second she thought about calling Connie back, but quickly shut down the thought. 'I need the space. Besides, I have more stuff to worry about than boys and dating. I just KNOW high school is gonna suck worse than middle school. '

So Jessi made herself comfortable on the bed and started playing her farming game. All,or at least most, of her worries about the coming days ebbed away as she planted and watered crops, herded animals, fixed fences,and repainted her house and barns. This, she knew, was as peaceful as it would get for a long time. If her school experience the previous year had taught her anything, it often paid to expect the worst...

Missy's POV

Missy paced her room nervously. She was both relieved and anxious about her parents decision to homeschool her. For the time being anyway. Both were professors, and although they both came from different backgrounds and religions, they were both very intelligent. She knew they could teach whatever she would miss at school.

Then why was she so nervous? Just hours earlier she had tried every trick in the "fake being sick to get out of school " book. Her father had known right away she was faking, but had played along, even making Missy pinky swear. When she finally admitted to the rouse, he had admitted that he, too, was nervous about her starting high school. Finally, after much discussion, her parents had decided on homeschooling.

But now her heart was filled with both nervousness about the homeschooling, and sadness at the fact her friends would be going to school without her. What kind of wonderful things was she going to miss being stuck at home? What if her friends made newer,cooler friends, and forgot all about her?

Mona, standing in the corner of the room, groaned and shook her head. "Cheer up Missy. And stop pacing. Your anxiety is making ME anxious. I thought this was what you WANTED. You're going to be 14 next month, darling. One year closer to womanhood. You should be ECSTATIC. "

Missy paused midpace and turned to Mona. "How can I be ECSTATIC if I'm stuck home all day, and my friends at school? They'll be too tired to see me after school, or too busy with homework. And they'll probably have plans for the weekend. Probably hanging out with NEW people!!! Oh Mona, what was I THINKING??!!!"

"But darling, think about all the benefits: No schedule, no assigned seats, no gym class or PE, no tardy slips, and best of all, no waiting for lunch. You can eat whenever the fuck you WANT!!!"

Missy thought about Mona's words, then sighed. "That all sounds nice, but I still don't know. I mean, this past year has been one hardship after another. Sometimes I just wish I'd stayed the OLD Missy. My old hairstyle. My overalls. With just my glow worm and my Nathan Fillion poster, and my imagination. " She paused, then quickly added, "But I also know I'd probably have never met YOU, Mona. It's just all this has happened so fast. It's like only yesterday I read the Rock Of Gibraltar and had my first sexual awakening. Then, BAM, periods, boys and Hateworms, oh my!!! I just miss the old me, the old Missy. And..." She paused again, and sat down on her bed. "And... I miss Elijah."

Mona frowned and walked over, placing a hand on Missy's shoulder. " I know, darling. But he made his choice. Sometimes life takes us in different directions, but that doesn't mean we're lost, we just need a new route. Where will YOURS take YOU?"

Missy sighed again. "You're right. Maybe homeschooling for a while IS the best choice. I mean, going to Bridgeton High will just remind me that I was SUPPOSED to go there with Elijah. At least here, at home, I won't worry about getting sucked into another relationship that will crash and burn. No boys, no chance of that. And you're right, here I have EVERYTHING. Snacks. Comfortable chairs and couches instead of metal or plastic DESKS. Air conditioner. AND I can go to the bathroom for a little Missy time" She gestured to her crotch and made a fingering motion" without a hall pass. " She smiled. "You're absolutely right, Mona. I SHOULD be ecstatic. I AM. I'm grateful for this opportunity!!!"

"Speaking of gratitude ", came a voice from across the room. Missy and Mona turned to see the Gratitoad hopping over to them. He jumped on the bed beside Missy. "If ya'll ever need a splash of gratitude when you're enjoying your cup of life, just give me a call. I'm always just a hop, a skip, and a jump away."

Missy smiled. "Thanks, Gratitoad. I'm glad you're ok. I was worried when Dread squeezed you till you popped. I thought you... that you were..."

The Gratitoad laughed. "You can never kill gratitude, my child. As long as there is gratitude, as long as people can appreciate even the smallest thing that brings them joy, even if that thing is as a simple as a video of a cat in a sailor's hat, or a rainbow in dirty water, or even something terrible, like a Tom Cruise movie, I will always exist, and will ALWAYS come back. Always remember: life is a struggle, but sometimes the key is to STOP struggling, and to just sit still and remember what you're fighting FOR. An uphill battle is better than rock bottom, and makes it easier to keep your eyes on the stars. "

Missy reached over and patted the Gratitoad on the head. "Thanks Gratitoad. You are so wise. And you're right, I actually have a LOT to be grateful for. I'm grateful to have two amazing parents, and a nice house. I'm grateful for my cousins, and how they taught me to be true to myself. I'm grateful for my friends, even if I won't get to see them that often. " She turned to Mona. "And I'm thankful for YOU, Mona. I'm glad you came into my life. I love you,Mona." She got up and threw her arms around the Hormone Monstress. She was surprised when Mona returned the hug.

"I love you too, Missy. But PLEASE, please don't tell anyone about this. I have an image to maintain. "

"And I have other people's gratitude to maintain!!! Good day, ladies!!!" With that the Gratitoad vanished, but Missy's newfound gratitude and optimism remained. She smiled and turned back to Mona.

"I think you and the Gratitoad are right, Mona. Homeschooling is going to be fun!!! Also, my dad said they're going to clean out the garage this weekend. He says he's going to look for his old game systems. He has the Atari, and original Nintendo, Super Nintendo, AND a Nintendo 64 his brother gave him, with lots of games. I've honestly never played video games, except for my cousin's WII once when I visited,I was only like 7 or 8. But i know all the other kids at school probably play, so I'm going to give it a try. So, I'm grateful for new experiences, too!!!"

Mona smiled naughtily. "Don't forget OLD experiences. You gotta make time for your hobbies. " She held up Missy's old glow worm.

Missy thought about it, and shook her head, but smiled. " Like I said, NEW experiences, Mona. It's a whole HOUSE, I'm sure we can find something else that will make Mount Missy blow like Pompeii. Let's go explore!!!"

So Missy set off to search the house for a self-stimiation helper, still nervous for her first day of homeschooling tomorrow, but also excited. About getting to stay home. About trying video games. About hearing from her friends, when they had time. And about whatever wonders the year would bring.

Andrew G's POV

As soon as Andrew G got home, he immediately went into the bathroom and cleaned himself up as best as he could, washing his face and cleaning the cuts and bruises from his fight with Pumbaa. There wasn't much he could do about the bruise above his eye, but he decided to just let his hair hang above it. He knew his dad probably wouldn't notice, or care, but he knew his mother would probably notice at dinner. He wracked his brain for an explanation when that time came.

He went into his room, still thinking of an excuse, still fuming about the whole thing at Nick's house. Perhaps he overreacted? Perhaps he should call Nick and apologize? He was already a pariah at his new school. He knew he should try and keep the friends he had.

He sat on his bed and thought. What had happened? Where had everything gone so wrong? He and Nick had been friends since kindergarten. They lived on the same block. They had sleepovers. They did EVERYTHING together. But this past year had pushed them further and further apart. Andrew remembered the aftermath of their first, biggest fallout, after Andrew caught Nick kissing Missy, only months after their breakup. Andrew had been uncomfortable about the situation, but had given his blessing, only for Nick to later say he didn't like Missy THAT way, leading to an extremely nasty fight between Andrew, Nick, Missy and Lars. Andrew had been forced to go to camp with Nick, where he had made it his daily mission to make Nick as miserable as possible. But eventually they had made up. Andrew wondered now if he had deserved Nick's forgiveness for everything he had done. Maybe Nick HADN'T fully forgiven him. Maybe that's why he'd moved on and found a better, taller, more handsome version of him? Was Andrew being replaced? Would all his other friends soon move on and forget Andrew?

For some reason, that thought filled Andrew G with renewed rage. He had tried SO hard. He had tried apologizing to as many people on graduation day as he could. But many of them either ignored him, like Jay, or completely threw the apology in his face, like Lars. And then Nick himself, Mr Going-To-A-New-Fancy-School, hadn't even given him the chance to apologize. Sure, Andrew might have gone a bit too far with that speech, but why did everyone have to SUCK so bad? Then, to top it all off, even after he'd apologized to Timon, he STILL got his ass kicked. And Nick didn't even seem to fucking CARE, cause he had a NEW friend.

Maury, perhaps sensing Andrew's building anger, put a furry hand on his shoulder. "Hey now, let's forget all this. Fuck Nick, fuck the new Andrew, fuck Pumbaa, fuck everyone. What you need is a little YOU time. So, let's find some fap material, and..."

Andrew spun around and glared at Maury. "I'M TOO FUCKING PISSED OFF TO JERK IT NOW, ASSHOLE!!!!!", he shouted.

Maury flinched and held up his arms. "Hey man, don't yell at me, I'm only trying to help."

Andrew growled. He balled his hands into fists. "HELP??!!! HELP???!!!!! When have you EVER helped me?!! All you have EVER done is make me horny, make me perv after EVERY girl I've ever met,and it always fell to shit!!! MISSY!!! Bernie!!! Priya!!!"

Maury laughed. "Ok, well, it was YOU who tried to go after Priya. I told you, Marissa really liked you. I warned you, don't go for the mom, but no!!! You just HAD to pour your heart out to an old divorcee, basically propose, in front of her daughter who was crushing hard on you. Can you blame them for filing the restraining order?"

Andrew threw his hands up and screamed. "OH, FUCK YOU!!!! You LET it happen!!! You're a goddamn HORMONE MONSTER!!! You obviously caused MY hormones to lust for the wrong woman!!! And if you hadn't made me so giddy about touching boob, maybe I would have apologized to Timon RIGHT AWAY, and maybe I wouldn't have gotten my ass kicked!!! AND I wouldn't have damaged my epididymitis. It's all YOUR FAULT!!! ALL OF IT!!! My life didn't start going to shit until the moment YOU arrived. YOU fucked my life up!!! Petra was right, I should have stayed with HER!!! If I had,I'd be in a better school, maybe even get into college early. She had the golden touch. With YOU, everything I touch turns to SHIT!!!"

Maury scratched his head and sighed. "Wow. You really hate me right now. Sorry Andrew. Look, you need some space right now. I get it. Look, I'll just go and hang with Matthew a bit till you calm down. I've been ignoring him for a long time anyway. "

"Good!!! Sounds great!!! GO!!!!" Andrew went over to his laptop and booted it up, not even looking behind him as Maury sighed sadly again. Taking one last long look at Andrew, he disappeared.

Still seething, Andrew went to his Steam account. While his parents would never pay for games, Andrew knew enough about Steam to know how to get free games. What he needed right now was something super hard and violent. What to play? Sims? Fuck that. Grand Turismo? No way. Quake? YES. That's it. Very dark, violent and gritty, and also scary. He clicked on the game and started it up. Every monster or zombie he put down, he'd imagine was one of the people he was pissed at. Nick. "Andrew". Maury. Pumbaa. He'd find a way to get them all back in real life too, he swore on his grandpa's grave.

So, sitting in his old but comfortable chair, he loaded the game and got busy blowing everything he saw to kingdom come, not giving a shit about school, life, or his so-called, backstabbing friends, not even caring (that much) about what tomorrow would bring.

End of chapter 1