A/N: This chapter is centered on GabexTom. It has references to the other people there, but it mostly has to do with them.

Chapter Seventeen – Goodbye’s Pt.2

She kissed me. Tom’s mind repeated in stupefaction. Last night, Gabe kissed me.

It was mid-morning and Tom was seated in a padded plastic chair in the airport terminal. He was dressed in a casual suit and was trying unsuccessfully to drown his thoughts in a copy of the new Sports Illustrated magazine that he’d purchased from one of the airport kiosks. But no matter how hard he forced his eyes upon the magazine article, his brain would not cooperate and function correctly. Since the night before, since that conversation with Gabe, since Gabe had kissed him, Tom’s mind had remained naught but a jumble of thoughts, a melting pot of emotions.

What was he supposed to think?

How was he supposed to feel?

Gabe had been his best friend since he…she got to the school. They’d hung out together, teased each other, and had a fun time, and yet…last night Gabe had kissed him, damn it!

After all those days of secretly yearning for his best friend’s touch, of dreaming of Gabe’ kiss, of finally giving up on Gabe altogether and moving on with his life, why now did Gabe have to kiss him?

What was Tom supposed to be doing at this moment?

“Flight numbers 804, 523, 479 now boarding,” the toneless voice of the PA echoed impassively throughout the bustling airport terminal.

Hearing the PA voice, reminded Tom of his own reason for being in the airport, and Tom found himself raising a weary eye to the digital read out displaying the flight schedule. Flight 708, Tom’s own plane, was on time. Boarding for the trans-Atlantic flight would begin in less than an hour.

Less than an hour, and then he’d be separated from Gabe for forever. And lord, after the night before, Gabe would probably never talk to him again.

Jennifer shook his arm and the two, plus Leon, got ready to board the plane. Aaron decided to stay back at his house because he didn’t want to be away from his sister. Its strange how well they had started to get along.

Everything was so strange, so awkward all of a sudden. Hell, Gabe hadn’t even appeared this morning to wish Tom goodbye. It was as if something, some impassable barrier had been erected between the two, and there was no way that Tom could breach the chasm.

But this was right, wasn’t it?

Leaving for school.

Ignoring Gabe and the kiss, this was what he wanted, right?

This was his future, wasn’t it?

He didn’t understand why he didn’t see it before. When Christmas vacation started to draw to a close, Gabe got so moody. Tom tried to ask Gabe what was wrong, but Gabe just kept shrugging off the concern with half-hearted excuses.

Until last night.

Tom had his bags packed, suitcases all prepared for the next morning. The airport taxi was going to be there bright and early the following morning to take him, Leon, and Jennifer to the airport. Gabe, as usual was seated at the kitchen table, her nose plunged deeply into a fiction book.

As Tom tossed his last suitcase into the luggage pile by the door to their apartment, he flashed Gabe a relieved grin. “Well that’s the last of ‘em.” He declared. “I’m all done packing.”

Gabe didn’t look up from her book.

“Now while I’m gone don’t mess this place up too much,” Tom teased. Gabe was probably the sloppiest person in the world.

The orderly black locks, which started to grow back, of Gabe’ head remained level with her book, and her blue eyes never once strayed in Tom’s direction.

“ And stay away from comic books,” Tom went on, hoping to get a rise out of Gabe, or at least to get his best friend to look at him. “I’ll know if you’ve touched them.”

And still, Gabe was studiously ignoring him. Tom was starting to get a little annoyed. He’d be gone a long time and his best friend of seven years couldn’t seem to care less.

As Tom watched, Gabe hefted the book up until her entire face had been hidden. And then Tom got angry.

“Damn it Gabe!” Tom suddenly snapped. “I’m trying to talk to you! I’m going to be gone for a while, and—“

“I know,” the strangled sob escaped from behind the book.

And without quite knowing how he’d done it, Tom was standing in front of Gabe. Gently, Tom removed the book from in front of Gabe’ face. The blue eyes were tear stained, shining with such grief that Tom felt as if he’d been punched in the gut.

“I don’t want you to go,” Gabe stated quietly, her blue eyes so bright and oh so sad.

And Tom could only stare slack-jawed at the emotions contained in his best friend’s eyes.

Surely not! Tom’s mind screamed. The doleful expression that Gabe was giving him—it couldn’t mean? After all those days of hoping? It couldn’t!

“I don’t understand,” Tom’s voice came out flat, heavy. “Why don’t you want me to go?”

But Gabe’ baleful blue eyes fell down cast, and she couldn’t answer.

“Why don’t you want me to go, Gabe?” Tom repeated. And he couldn’t understand why for the life of him that he was shouting. He couldn’t remember when he’d grasped Gabe’ boney shoulders or when he’d forced the face upwards so that he could peer into his best friend’s eyes.

“I…I…”Gabe stuttered.

“Gabe.” Tom demanded.

And then those blue eyes had hardened with a sudden, desperate resolve. And then Gabe was kissing him. On the lips. And Tom could only stand there, in shock as he felt her lips part and the tip of Gabe’ tongue slipped into his mouth.

And for a moment Tom lost himself in that kiss, in that moment, in that dreamlike countenance his mind seemed to have descended into. As Gabe pushed her mouth harder against Tom’s, a slight moan escaped from Tom’s throat. This, this was what he’d always wanted. What he’d always needed. What he’d given up hope on.

This was Gabe.

But then something inside of Tom suddenly snapped! And he was pushing Gabe away from him, as if the girl’s very touch had burned him.

And then he was running for the door, ignoring the frantic protests that emitted from the form behind him. His best friend, who he had trusted more than any other person in the world.

Gabe, who he’d loved for a while.

“Tom! Wait! Please!” And Tom had never heard that degree of terror in his friend’s voice.

“Tom! Please!”

But Tom was out the door, running. Running where he didn’t know. At some point, a little past mid-night he’d found his way back to the house.

All his luggage was there, after all.

Gabe was waiting for him in kitchen, her blue eyes reddened and tear streaked.

“Tom,” Gabe whispered Tom entered the commons. “Tom…I… please…I’m sorry…” and the hurt, the remorse, the regret were all too tangible in Gabe’ voice.

But Tom shook his head wearily. He was too tired to think. Too tired to talk. Without a word to Gabe, Tom headed for his room, locked the door, and promptly fell into his bed.

He hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Gabe the following morning. His friend—where they even still friends after that kiss? —was nowhere to be found in the apartment. Gabe hadn’t even stuck around to say goodbye. The airport taxi had arrived promptly at seven o’clock, and Tom had taken the ride to the airport.

Now, staring dismally at the glossy magazine resting in his hands, he wondered what he could do. What should he do? In a night he’d lost his best friend. Because of a stupid kiss…because of everything… he’d the most important person in his life.

If he were honest with himself, he’d admit that he’d enjoyed that kiss. It had stirred—something—deep inside of himself that he’d long since given up on ever having, and for a moment he’d felt whole. He’d felt tall and strong and brave, like he was a part of something larger, something more important that himself.

So why had he pushed Gabe away? And why had he run from Gabe?

“Flight 708, nonstop to Vermont this is your first boarding call.” The toneless PA voice alerted him.

If Tom got onto that plane without apologizing to Gabe and without admitting his feelings to his best friend, the girl that he’d loved for so many weeks, Tom was going to loose Gabe forever.

“Flight 708 nonstop to Paris, this is your final boarding call.”

-

The house was dark when Tom asked Aaron, quietly, if he could come in. Aaron nodded, explaining that their parents were out for the night. Tom nodded and asked where Gabe was, as soon as she walked through the living room behind Aaron.

At the sound of her name, Gabe whirled about, and Tom could read his best friend’s shock clearly.

“Tom?” Gabe stuttered confusedly, straightening her rumpled red pajamas and quickly smoothing a hand through her wild hair.

“Hey,” Tom offered. When Gabe didn’t move, Tom flicked on the overhead light, illuminating the room. Then with a coaxing stance, as if he was afraid of frightening Gabe off, Tom slowly made his way to the couch and seated himself on the opposite arm of the couch. He turned to Gabe, barely daring to meet his best friend’s tear stained eyes.

Aaron quickly excused himself, a small smile on his face.

“What…what are you doing here?” Gabe’ voice asked in a strangled hush. “You’re supposed to be halfway to Vermont by now.”

“I know,” Tom conceded.

“Then…then why aren’t you?” Gabe asked quietly.

“I couldn’t go.” Tom replied shortly.

“Why not?”

But Tom found himself unable to answer. “Gabe, why did you kiss me?” He found himself asking instead.

Gabe sighed miserably, and her shoulder slumped. She could not meet Tom’s eyes.

“Gabe?” Tom’s voice was hesitant, pleading almost.

“I…”

And then Gabe felt, as much as heard, as Tom took a deep breath of air, preparing himself almost, before he plunged headfirst into the foreign waters the two were treading.

“Gabe,” Tom twittered. “Gabe, do you love me?”

Gabe’ head jolted, her eyes locked on her best friend’s. She crumpled like a cornered animal.

“Gabe?” Tom coaxed gently.

But now Gabe couldn’t answer.

Wasn’t it obvious?

She’d already kissed Tom, hadn’t he?

“Tom, do you love me?” Gabe choked, reversing the question.

And was Gabe hallucinating or had Tom just nodded his affirmation?

“I do.” Tom’s voice slipped as nervously as Gabe’s pulse, but somehow Tom’s tone remained firm. “I love you Gabe. I have for a long time.”

“You…you… love me?” Gabe struggled, trying frantically to come to terms with the situation. This couldn’t be happening. It couldn’t be real. But it was. And there was Tom, watching Gabe tentatively, fearfully.

Tom’s very soul lay before Gabe, waiting for the other’s input.

“If you love me, then why did you run away last night, when I…we…”and here Gabe tumbled off, as his face heated in embarrassment.

“Gabe… I love you…I’ve loved you for so long…”

“How long?” Gabe’ voice hitched. She needed to know.

“A while”

“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I didn’t think you’d understand.” Was Tom’s candid reply.

“I wouldn’t understand?” Gabe mused sadly, slightly amused. “I guess we were both good at hiding things. I’ve always…loved you Tom…since I first met you.”

Tom smiled brilliantly, suddenly euphoric, and Gabe found herself returning the smile. And then slowly Tom reached out to gently grasp Gabe’s hand. With a tenderness that Gabe had never seen before, Tom began to slowly caress the back of Gabe’ hand in long, lazy circles.

“But that still doesn’t explain why you ran away when I kissed you last night,” Gabe pointed out, trying not to lose herself in Tom’s touch. It wasn’t easy; the tender light illuminating from Tom’s eyes was melting Gabe into a puddle of goo.

Tom paused mid-caress, and he frowned thoughtfully.

“Because I was scared, I guess.” Tom finally whispered. “Because something I’d wanted for so long, that I never thought I could have was finally mine, and I didn’t know what to do with it.” He admitted weakly. “I had finally given up on you, Gabe; I’d finally come to terms with not having you.”

Gabe shuddered.

“And to think we’d both felt the same way for each other.” She said quietly. “If you hadn’t have come back for me… then I’d have lost you,” and Gabe suddenly blushed.

“You did come back for me?” She darted nervously.

And if Tom’s warm smile didn’t reassured Gabe, then the sudden feel of Tom’s lips pressed softly across Gabe’s own did. And Gabe lost all sense of reality as her vision blurred and Tom deepened the kiss.

They stayed together like that for a long time; Gabe in her rumpled red pajamas clinging to Tom’s lean form like nothing else in the world mattered.

And at that moment, nothing else did.

But then Gabe suddenly broke the kiss. “You know you don’t have to give up your future for me, Tom. I can wait,” and then Gabe blushed, realizing her choice of words.

But Tom just smiled lovingly at his best friend, and a stray hand found its way to fondle that beloved cheek. How many times had he wanted to stroke this face?

“Gabe, I’m not giving up my future. Love, you are my future.”

Gabe smiled even brighter.

THE END