Man...It think I am going to cry. This is most likely the last chapter to Auctioning Off Love. I could possibly do a epilogue...but this it!
Auctioning Off Love
Chapter 10

"My...my problem?" Crystal asked confused.
"Yea, sis. Your problem." Chris folded his arms across his chest and sat back.
"What problem, exactly are we talking about?"
"Okay...let's put it this way." Chris started. "I want to know why in the hell you and Link aren't together yet." Crystal blinked up at him.
"What?"
"I saw Link leaving on my way in here and to be honest, he looked absolutely miserable. You have to the reason. That poor guy is head over heels for you, and you treat him like crap." Crystal stared at him with her mouth open.
"Wait a minute...back up."
"um...okay?"
"What do you mean Link is head over heels with me?" Crystal said slowly like she was still trying to take it all in.
"He loves you, its so freaking obvious." Chris said with a shrug.
"Christopher, it is not obvious. I did not know." She looked so confused. "I didn't even think he really liked me..." Her voice had cropped to a whisper and she shook her head.
"Crystal..." She looked up at him and smiled.
"What Christopher?"
Will you tell me something?"
Crystal nodded. She had full trust in her brother and would tell him anything.
"Do you love him to?" Chris watched as his sister bowed her head and her face turned bright red.
"With everything in me." Crystal looked up and smiled at her brother.
"Then what are you waiting for?" Chris held open his arms and Crystal went into them and hugged her brother.
"First thing in the morning, I will go over there." She kissed his cheek. "Good night." Then she walked to her room with a bounce that wasn't there before.

---

At ten o'clock the next morning, Crystal walked up the steps to the Lanahan house hold and knocked on the door. When she got no answer to her persistent knocking, she rang the bell. Seconds later, small footsteps where heard and the door opened. Dani stood there a sad look on her face. At the sight of crystal, her eyes filled with tears.

"Cry-crystal!" The girl let out and small sob and threw herself at Crystal. Crystal caught the child and picked her up. Dani laid her head on Crystals shoulder and let her small tears soak into crystals shoulder. Crystal entered the house and shut the door.
"Where's you daddy at Dani?" Crystal asked brushing the child's hair away from her face. Dani pointed down the hair and Crystal figured to check his office. She first placed Dani in her bedroom, then headed toward Link's office.
She knocked softly on the door and heard the soft 'come in' through the door. She opened the door and stepped in. She instantly noticed it. All the boxes, bare walls, empty desk space, the reason Dani was so upset.
"Your leaving town." She made it into a statement and Link spun around at the sound of her voice.
"Crystal." His eyes were sad. "I have to go. I have a part in a movie that I have to be in."
"When are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow." Crystal stiffened.
"Wow...so soon." "Yea." A silence fell over them and Link then turned around to finish boxing his stuff up.
"I came over here to talk to you." Crystal said softly. Link didn't even bother turning around.
"Oh...did you?"
"Yea...I was going to talk to you about something. but it won't matter now." She turned to leave and Link flew around the desk and grabbed her arm. He yanked her around and pulled her into his arms.
"Gosh, Crystal. I don't want to leave. It hurts even thinking about it. Not being able to see you everyday. To be able to be with you. Man, Crystal...I need you." Crystals eyes widened and Link slipped his lips over hers. She kissed him back with everything she had. She clutched his shoulders and he kept his arms tight around her. He backed them up and they hit the closed door. He loosened his grip on her and traced his hand down the side of her chest to the hem of her shirt.
Crystal moved her head back and they gasped for breath.
"Link what is going on with you? What is this?" To the right of her head Link's hand raised and his fist slammed against the door.
"I have no idea. I just..." he school his head. "Never mind." He turned to get back to boxing and Crystal grabbed his sleeve.
"Wait. Talk to me. Please."
Link paused before shrugging out of her grip. "I don't have time." The words were spoken and they struck her deep. She realized that her brother must have been wrong. That there was no way Link loved her.
"Fine." She said sharply. "What time are you leaving tomorrow?"
"The plane leaves at 8:30 in the morning." She bowed her head as the tears filled.
"Oh. I am going to go see the kids." She turned and opened the door.
"Yea..."
"Oh Link...?" Crystal said before she walked out and shut the door.
"huh?"
"Goodbye." The door closed with a dull thud and crystal but her back to it and let the tears roll down her cheeks. Link had just broken her heart by letting her go out of that door. The tears flowed silently and then she forced them to stop and wiped her cheeks.
"Dani..." She whispered when she got to the doorway of the child's room. The child sat on her bed with her cover wrapped around her small body. Dani was still crying and Crystal walked over to her and sat down, pulling Dani into her lap.
"I...don't...wan..na...go!" Dani cried into her chest and Crystal once again let the tears fall. See looked up when a shadow fell across the doorway. Her heart leapt when she thought it could be Link. But it was Brandon and the teenage boy quickly wiped his eyes. Crystal and him shared a sad look and Brandon walked over to her and sat down.
"Crystal?" He said her name so shyly.
"Yea, Brandon?"
"Thanks for being her for me." Brandon smiled at here and she wrapped one arm around his shoulders. Brandon bowed his head and spoke softly.
"I was thinking to ask Link if I could just stay here...ya know, with you, but I wouldn't be able to leave Dani."
"I understand...gosh, I am really going to miss you all." She squeezed Brandon's shoulders and kissed his forehead. She then wiped Dani's tears and gave her a kiss to. Then, placing Dani in Brandon's lap she stood. "I really do love you all..." She smiled sadly and they kids smiled back, just as sadly.
"I lo...ve you...ta...to!" Dani said loudly and then buried her face in Brandon's shoulder. Crystal smiled, her lip quivering.
"Bye, guys." Then she left, the room, the house and for as long as it was going to be...there lives.
2 years later

"Aunt Christy! Aunt Christy!" A small voice yelled as she ran with a two year olds innocence. Lana carried a picture she had colored and a crayon. Her hair was now to her shoulders and she looked identical to what Tammy had at that age, only she had Chris's hair. "Look what I colored Christy!"
Crystal grabbed the child and hugged her to her. "Let me see that." Crystal snatched the picture from Lana and looked at it in awe.
"It's so...pretty!" Lana giggled and then wiggled to be let down.
"It's for you..." she said shyly.
"Aw...thank you." Crystal said and Lana smiled.
"I am gonna go color one for daddy now!" Lana ran off to join the other kids at the coloring table.
Crystal stood and brushed her shoulder length hair from her eyes. She turned 22 in about 3 weeks and was in the middle of her second year of medical school. She was training to be a Pediatrician and worked full time at a day care, that Lana attended.
Lana was getting so big and everyday she began to remind her only a little of Dani. She wasn't sure how there could be two totally different girls and she could see one in the other. Crystal just assumed it was because she missed Dani. Oh, how she missed her. She Brandon just as much. And then there was Link...
Crystal was still as in love with Link as she had been the day he left. If not, more so. She couldn't wait till the day he can back to Birksway.
Only she didn't know it would be so soon...
At 2:30 that Saturday, a half an hour before she got off from work, A young girl about the age of 9 came running into the day care. The girl had waist length curly brown hair and bright blue eyes. She was stopped half way through the building by Crystal.
"Hey! Please don't run. It causes accidents!" At the sound of the woman's voice the child stopped and turned.
"Crystal?" The child asked. Crystal nodded in puzzled then the child ran into her arms.
"What...who..." She stared at the girl and then smiled. "Dani?" Danielle hugged her around the neck tightly.
"I missed you Crystal."
"I missed you to." She kissed Dani's head and sat her on her feet. Lana peeked out from behind Crystal's legs. Dani looked from Crystal to Lana quickly. Then gasped.
"Is that the baby? She's not so little anymore." Lana, confused, popped her thumb in her mouth. Crystal laughed when Dani gasped and told her that was bad. Lana was shaking her head no as the front door opened again. A handsome boy almost 17 years old walked in first followed by a man. They were both tall and dressed like the just spent the day playing baseball. The boy had black hair and the man hair a shade lighter. Crystal recognized them instantly.
Brandon grinned fro across the room and he waved. Link, just stared. Brandon rolled his eyes and pulled on Link's sleeve, tugging him towards Crystal.
"Hey Crystal!" He greeted her happily when he reached her, and them hugged her. He was now taller than her and towered over her like 5 inches. Then with another set of rolling eyes towards Link, grabbed Dani's hand and said that he was going to take her to play. Lana, with a gawking mouth, glanced form Dani to Crystal before following Dani. Ah, the loyalty of family.
Crystal and Link watched the kids walk away together before meeting each others eyes and then glancing in opposite directions.
"You look different." Link said breaking the silence.
"You don't" She said fingering her hair. They fell back into silence and then Crystal had an idea. She knew that Brandon would take care of the kids till they returned. "Link..." she started. "You want to go grab a sandwich next door?" Link glanced at her and then nodded.

---

Ten minutes later they were sitting in the same restaurant, the same seat they had on the first date they ever went on. They ordered their food and when it got there, began eating. Once they had finished they threw away their trash and sat back down. Time seemed to rewind when Crystal spoke.
"So. Let's talk." Crystal said with a smile.
"Okay...what about?" Talking could be bad and he knew it. She tilted her head to the right with a thoughtful expression.
"You." She made 'you' sound venomous.
"Um...alright. What about me?" He swallowed. This could be dangerous. Really Dangerous.
"How about this. We will play 20 questions. We both get to ask each other a question. If we don't answer we have to..." Just as it had been 2 years ago, a packet of ketchup sat on the table in front of her. The same mischievous gleam came to her eye. "eat a pack of ketchup."
Link's eyes widened when he realized what was happening. He agreed on the rules and the game begin, him starting
"Okay, Crystal. First question, how old are you now?"
"21. How have you been Link?"
Link shrugged. "Okay I guess..." He threw the question back at her.
"Great. You talk to your sister lately?"
"Nope." He said it like it didn't matter. "You in collage?"
"Yep. 2nd year." she smiled. "Do you think you'll be acting forever?"
"Definitely not...What are you training to be?"
"Pediatrician. What will you do after you retire from acting?"
"Most likely write...I have always wanted to." He paused and then he sat up straighter. "Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Nope..." She smiled. "Do you have a girlfriend?"
"No. Have you had a boyfriend in the past 2 years?"
"Yes." Crystal watched as Link got a pained look on his face. "Have you had a girlfriend?"
"Not in the last two years no. Is your dream still to live in a big white picket fence house with a poodle dog?"
"Yep."
"Good." Link said and Crystal raised an eyebrow and continued with her question.
"Where do you want to live?"
"Where ever my family is. Where do you want to live?"
"Here in my hometown. I love it here. Favorite drink?"
"Dr. Pepper. You?"
"Same. Do you want to get married?"
"Yes. Do you want to have kids?"
"Absolutely. Do you want more kids?"
"Absolutely." he mocked her. " you still a virgin?" He asked with a smile.
"Yep." She laughed softly. "You?" They both laughed.
"Nope. Favorite car?"
"Truck. You?"
"I don't really prefer any..." He shrugged. "Have you ever regretted anything?"
"Yea...Link...this counts as my question. Earlier when you asked if my dream was to live in that house still and I said yes..." She paused. "Why did you say good?"
"Because i bought one. Do you want to know why?"
"Yea..." She waited then realized she had to ask that they were still playing. "Why?"
"So you could live in it. It is right down the street from here. Do you want to live in it?"
"Possibly. But wouldn't I have to live all alone?"
"If you wanted do. Do you want to live alone?" His eyes held hers and they seemed to be laughing.
"Not at all. But, who would live with me?"
"Who do you want to live with you?"
"I don't know. Why are you asking me all these questions?"
"We are playing a game..." He smiled. "Don't you want to know about the dog?"
"Yea..." She spoke softly out of shock. "Is there a dog?"
"Yep. The dog you wanted. Do you remember what else you said you wanted?"
"To be a wife and have kids..the whole shebang. Why?"
"Because that's not something you can do alone. Now, my next question is...Do you love me?"
Crystal looked shell shocked. She simply stared at him and then she slowly reached her hand across the table as if to touch him...and grabbed the ketchup packet. She rather quickly opened it and sucked it down. Link looked disgusting.
"Why did you ask me that?" Crystal asked using her last question up.
"Because i need to know. And you took the chickens way out. Why didn't you answer?" "I don't have to answer anything else."
"Yes you do. That's my last question!"
"No your out of questions. I need to get back to the day care." Crystal; quickly stood and walked out of the restaurant, Link on her heels.
"Don't walk away from me Crystal. Your always walking away. Not this time."
"You never tried to stop me before." Crystal snapped. They reached the door tot he daycare and Link grabbed her arm before she could enter.
"I never knew if I had the right."
"Oh and what makes you think you have the right now?" She asked looking down at her arm, which was still held by his.
"Oh i have the right. Because I think your in love with me."
"I am not!" She stomped her foot.
"Are to."
"Okay if you not then why are you going to nervous and happy when i tell you this..." he paused and pulled her into a hug.
"Tell me what?" she asked against his chest.
"I love you." His voice drifted across her cheek and she melted.
"Do you know how long I've waited for you to say that?" She asked smacking his chest as she pulled away.
"Not the response I was looking for..." Link muttered under his breath. Crystal took two steps backwards and then turned around. Then she paused before reaching for the door. "Oh...Link?" Link who had been staring angrily at his feet glanced up.
"I love you to and I would like nothing more than for you to help me live my dream..." She smiled as he pulled her back into his arms.

it's over! it's over!!!! I'm sad.
What did you all honestly think about the ending? Stupid...sappy...good...or just plain bad? This is the first time that I've ever finish a story out totally.
So please review!
Lot's of love!
Ashley