#sophomore year's epilogue was rushed as well i will admit but i feel there were less loose ends to tie up there and again

[niteyorb]

I know they all dressed up and everything for the final battle but I truly think if they'd ended this episode when TBK arrived in the red crystal realm, and then started the next episode (ep 21) getting deeper into TBK's rage reflections, and then we'd had like a whole episode of wrap-up after that, the ending would have been sooo much more satisfying to me. I know that isn't how it works with filming schedules and budgets and stuff but. let me dream

[lostinthe-pines-blog]

Fate Doesn’t Write My Stories pt. 10 - Epilogue

This is a multi-chapter story about MC, and Chris finding their way back together after years of being separated post graduation. Chris’s career takes him to Boston, a city he’d promised was her territory. But it’s not just Chris, fate has seemingly brought the entire Hartfeld crew back together.

NOTE: This is a fictional story based on Pixelberry’s Choices App. *Books The Freshman, The Sophomore, The Junior. I am not affiliated with Pixelberry nor do I own the rights to their original characters.

Tags @jared2612  @katurrade @annekebbphotography @emerald-bijou @jellybean-marshmellow @jollybouquetangel

Stargazing had been the most constant hobby in MC’s life. Laying on her trampoline in the backyard of her childhood home, to the roof of her college dorm. On the deck of Vasquez’s house, and the steps of her and Chris’s first apartment. She’d watched stars shine and fade almost weekly for her entire life. MC loved the idea that she was a part of something so much larger than herself or those around her. The cosmos all playing a party in her tiny little life. Looking up to the stars now they were just beginning to appear as the light of day was fading. A cold January morning on Cape Cod. A place normally for summer vacation it would now house a wedding. Her wedding. As she stands on the balcony looking out over the water freezing to Ice along the edges and the blankets of snow covering the trees. She wasn’t cold, she was warm, everything leading to these moments made her feel warm.  She tuned out the sounds of chatter behind her. She lets the warmth of memories overflow as she remembers all the best moments from the last two years with Chris.

 She shoves her key into the silver handle, her first time walking into what she’d call home. She knew he was waiting inside. She’d been here only a few times before. Stopping by before games or on errands while spending her days with Chris. Nothing much had changed except that he’d made room for all of her belongings. Everything had fallen back into place between them so quickly that she couldn’t even say for certain if they were using a label for their relationship before she accepted the key to the apartment. 

 Shutting the door behind her she wanders, her shoes clicking against the dark hardwood floors. “Chris?” she calls quickly trying to find him. As she approaches the bedroom she sees the door is closed, she can hear music playing from the other side. She may have been moving in but she was still unsure if she should knock or not? Was she allowed to enter her now bedroom without permission? Taking a deep breath pushing her daunting questions and anxieties behind she opened the door sliding inside. Her eyes scan the room her gaze catching on the bedside table once covered in his memories and papers it was now empty. He was making room for her. She looked again and saw him facing the window. Had he heard her come in? She didn’t know how to tell him she was there…

Chris sat facing away from the girl whose presence he’d yet to notice. He’d spent his long morning at the gym taking a little extra time today on his legs. Something that would always be hard on him since the accident. He knew the quickest way to heal the pain would be a hot shower. Kicking off his shoes and socks quickly he pulled his shirt off and piled them all to the side. It was in this moment he heard something, a gasp? He wasn’t alone. He turned his gaze behind him and smiled seeing the blush crossed her face.

 “Sorry… I didn’t mean to intrude… I uh, we were doing lunch still right? I must be.. I’m early. The key works though!” she panics mumbling and trying to find a subject that will stick. As she continues to ramble Chris approaches her his only clothing a pair off loose gym shorts wrapped perfectly around his Adonis belt. This was an image she’d not seen for years and even though age had changed them some he was still carved from stone. MC’s rambling stops as she feels the heat of his body close to hers. 

“You’re not intruding… you live here.” he answers her first question “Yes, we are doing lunch still, but you are early if you don’t mind waiting for me to get ready.” he continues answering the rest of her mindless questions. Baring his perfect white teeth through a gentle smile he pulls her eyes to his. He can feel the tension floating off of her, her eyes refusing to remain on his. He sees her uncertainty as her gaze falls to his eyes, his chest and eventually down to their feet. Chris quickly ducks to catch her eyes “You’re always welcome here.” he reassures her before brushing his lips against hers as he lifts her head up. A moment that was meant to be brief was quickly becoming something more.

Caught off guard by his kiss she is quick to melt into his embrace. Opening to his taste she feels his tongue tease her own, while his hands trail down her neck and back. She hadn’t had sex with Chris in almost 5 years. He was stronger now, different now. She felt the butterflies fill her stomach and travel lower to her core. The kisses familiar while the touch felt new. She doesn’t remember pulling away long enough to remove her sweater but it was no longer there. Her every touch against his own inspired by years of intent; she wouldn’t soon forget this… 

 One memory fades into another as she begins to understand more of what “for better or for worse” was going to mean. Her memories remind her that their two years reconnecting weren’t full of only good memories. 

 “You should consider pain medications Christopher, these spasms are serious.” The Doctor speaks. A Doctor Chris clearly knew, someone who’d watched over his physical therapy in the years MC had missed. 

Living in Boston now Chris wasn’t able to visit here as much, he needed to make the most of this trip to Maine. To clear his progress with the Doctor. MC didn’t know him, but she needed to trust him. She couldn’t trust him as she listened to him suggest the same medications that sent her love off the deep end before.

 “Scott..” Chris trails using the Doctor's real name, possibly gaining and losing respect from him. “I will deal with the pain… I cannot go back on those medications, I fear I wont be able to get off them if I do.”

 Scott nods gently and understands Chris’s reasoning. “This injury is part of you forever Powell, and the pain will come and go forever. If you ever can’t handle it, please do not hesitate to call us.” He says exiting the room.

Chris looks to MC in the corner of the room, she’d been silent all morning. She was just as scared of the medication as he was. “Let’s get back to my moms, she’s been waiting for us.” The car ride still silent between them. Chris confused that MC might be angry, how could she be? He’d denied the medications. He did it for her and for them. As he pulled up in front his mothers very small home he felt a rush of pain jolt through his leg. “Aghh!!” he yells grabbing and trying to massage down the pulsing muscles. 

 “Chris you shouldn’t have said no.” MC admits as she lays a hand over his, attempting to distract him from the pain. “You’re not the same man you were back then, and you might need them.” 

“I would rather deal with this pain than look at you through a faded gaze. I said no for you, and for us…” He says through his pain.

 “Really?” MC pauses, she hated seeing him in pain but she loved him all the same. She knew that she now would have to be his distraction his pain medication. It wouldn’t be easy but it was far easier than watching him slowly lose his mind. She reaches her hands through his letting him grip them tight as his muscles spasm in complete discomfort.

Again she’s brought into the reality of the cold as she hears Zack come to retrieve her. “MC, it’s time.” he smiles softly. As she leaves the balcony she notices quickly that everyone had left the bridal room. Zack her “man of honor” remained as well as her parents. Her father ready to escort her down the aisle the moment she was ready. She takes a few deep breaths and taking one final glance in the mirror. Her simple lace dress still made her smile with every look at it. The neckline lower than she’d ever worn before gave her confidence. The long lace trailing only an inch or two behind created the perfect bridal silhouette. She remembers well the choice being made.

 “MC, you look so beautiful!” Molly chimes softly at her friend.

“Oh that's the one for certain!” AJ whoops from the couch, the now 16 year old sister of the Groom had not been quiet about her opinions of these dresses.

 “She’s right” Zack grins high-fiving the teenager. “I’m sure you’ll pick this but lets see what our at home audience has to say” he jokes snapping a picture and sending it off to Abbie, Kaitlyn, and Becca.

 The answers come in quickly...

 Kaitlyn: Zack! Tell her HELL YES! But make sure to ask her if she's still certain I’m not the one she’s meeting that the end of the aisl?!?!

Becca: A neckline that deep on MC? Who is she? But all things considered… It’s perfect for her.

Abbie: MC looks so lovely in all the photos you’ve sent but the girls and I all agree this is the dress.

“Jury’s out MC, wrap it up and let's go.” Zack beams proudly. 

MC looks to the mirror again, her friends were right. This was her dress. A smile peeks onto her face as she stands there imaging him seeing her for the first time in it. Blushing now she turns back to the three of them. “This is my dress.” she admits proudly.

These memories comfort her as she walks leaning on her father, excitement and nerves filling her chest. As they step through the doors she sees a crowd of familiar and distant faces rise for her. But the only face she’s fixated on is his. His eyes widen and even from the end of the aisle she can see the glisten of his tears. This moment had been so many years in the making, she was certain she’d wake up from this dream any moment now. 

Christopher Powell had run into her, knocking her off her feet on the quad 10 years ago. Now she’d spend every moment of her life catching him when he fell and allowing him to do that same for her. No matter who or what it was that knocked them down. As she reaches the end of the aisle her father kisses her cheek softly before Chris’s familiar hands lead her toward the Officiant. She’d easily tune out the speech being given just by examining her lover. The first she noticed was their “something old and something blue” wrapped together in one peeking out of his pocket square. She laughed silently remembering how this fashion choice came to be.

 “Why do you have this?” Molly questions holding up a grayish blue plaid flannel. “It’s got a huge stain all down the front!” 

 MC looks up shocked. She didn’t even know she’d had this top still and how it’d made it all these years. As she was cleaning and gutting out the apartment with Molly and Chris to make room for wedding gifts, this was the last discovery she thought she’d make. 

 “Is that?” Chris asks with a laugh recognizing the shirt immediately.

 “Yeah it is” MC says snagging it from the sweet blonde crossed from her. “This is the shirt I was wearing when I met Chris” she says quickly explaining the story of how they met, and how Becca had dumped coffee on her causing the now faded stain. How Chris desperately tried to help her clean it but had to give up. MC was about to throw it away when Molly proposed they let her re purpose it. 

Re-purposed indeed, she’d made it into the the now handsome pocket square she saw laying against his chest. Her memories had distracted her she wasn’t even sure where they were at in the ceremony anymore, she caught up quickly as she watched Chris pull out a note book his hands shaking just as much as his voice. 

“MC” he smiles taking one hand off the book and placing it in hers as he continues. “10 years ago you laughed it off when Becca spilled coffee down your shirt defensively. This was the first moment I knew you were special, forgiving, caring and unique. Months later you convinced me and the rest of the school that I was trustworthy enough to run the student government. To make changes no one else could have. You believed in me far more than I did, it is my only hope that for the rest of our lives you will continue to believe in me as you did in our innocent school days... As you did when everything in my life crashed around me.” he pauses his voice thick now as he squeezes her hand. “No matter what god you believe in it doesn't matter” he chuckles “Something brought us back together and I have been the luckiest to see the woman you have become. I will strive to tell you every day that I love you, I vow to listen before assuming and I will stand by you no matter how wrong you might be. Because you are my light. You are the light that pulls me out of my darkness time and time again. Please let me be lucky enough to be your partner, to make you laugh at your saddest, heal you at your weakest and to love you even when you're cheering for the wrong teams.” Chris pauses watching MC laugh tears forming in her eyes. “Let me be your husband, let me be with you for the rest of your remarkable days and for whatever may come after.”

MC breathes deep wondering how she’s supposed to follow that, she turns grabbing a small worn piece of paper Zack had pulled from his suit pocket. “I’m lost without you, eyes so blue.” she pauses “I’m lost without you, my souls gone blue. I’m lost, I’m lost.” she reads the shortest poem she has in her writing collection. The words simple, the pattern and rhyming elementary. She’d written this poem her first month in Boston miserable without him. She folds the old piece of paper again speaking now from memory. “I wrote that, when I thought I’d lost you forever. But forever was to long, some may say it was fate but I believe we chose to defy fate. To create a story together that fate didn’t want.” she smiles up at him grabbing both of his hands tightly. “Take me as your wife, and guide me whenever I’m lost, help me see what is right and what is wrong. Help me do the same for you. I will give you the support when you need it most and even when you don't. I vow to you Christopher Powell to be honest and true, to laugh with you and laugh at you all that the same time. I vow to love you no matter what challenges and pain life throws at us. To remind you everyday that you are worth the world, and that you have a heart of gold. I vow to be yours from this moment until then end of moments. I love you.” she finishes knowing her vows were weaker and shorter than his. How she was the writer in the partnership the audience would never know. 

Her eyes stinging from the happiest tears she’s ever felt and her heart pounding out of her chest she listens now only for her moment to speak.. 

“I do” she says almost laughing out of eagerness. She doesn’t hear the officiant even finishes his next sentence before Chris’s smile is placed over hers. She deepens into what would be the most important kiss of her life as he dips her back showing off to the crowd cheering before them. When she finally pulls away she looks out to the guests young and old. First she spots Tyler near the front dancing with his twins next to a very pregnant Abbie who cheers through her cupped hands. As her gaze moves she spots Becca and her husband sharing a kiss of happiness together. Molly, Zig and Kaitlyn stand in the back of the crowd arms reaching in celebration. She spots her parents her father laughing and her mother sobbing across from Chris’s mother who matches her own mother's tears. AJ and Kyle dancing to non existent music. She looks to her right and sees Zack’s reassuring gaze smile at her before leaving her eyes and moving a crossed them to Chris’s own best man. Zack winks to Miles as he blushes in return. A new and innocent relationship forming at the bonding of their best friends. Her stare finally returns to Chris whose one gaze has been on her the entire time. His blue eyes reassure her there is no fear in her future. That he will be everything she needed him to be for her. Her perfect Chris. This was her happily ever after.