Note: This one's for Annifer and Julia.

XII

"And what would you do if I wrote you a song?
Would you give me some lovin' when I get home?
Or would you be mad at me if I had a hard time,
Getting a hold of you…
I try all the time.
And I think that,
You don't know anybody that could be so bad.
But if you did,
You'd be wonderin' where I'm at.
Well I'll be home when tomorrow morning comes."

"Tomorrow Morning", Jack Johnson

November 7, 2006

New York City

"Thanks for coming by," I said, signing the book of the young girl in front of me and giving her a smile. "It was nice meeting you." I managed to sneak a peak at my watch. Five minutes left and then I could leave.

The TV appearances had gone smoothly since Kristine had given the studios the heads up not to ask any Micah related questions and stick to the book. That helped immensely.

And the book was getting rave reviews. It had only been out a few days and people were already gushing to me about how much they loved it. I had to admit that felt pretty fucking awesome.

Signing another book, I gave the fan a smile and then took a photo with them. Another day. Another week.

Tomorrow I'd be flying back to Raleigh to continue my regular life and go back to being plain old Lana. New York City had been rainy since I'd arrived, and I was looking forward to some sunny southern weather. Sighing, I opened the next book placed in front of me.

"Who's this to?" I asked.

"Micah," the voice in front of me said softly. Surprised, I looked up quickly and there he was…all six feet of him…all that messy brown hair…that smoking, future alcoholic boy I couldn't seem to stop loving no matter how much I tried. Glancing around the small room where the signing was, I saw that everyone had somehow managed to sneak out and leave the two of us alone.

Racking my brain for something, anything to say, I failed miserably.

I glanced down at the worn hardcover book in front of me…it was my new novel, but it looked as if it had already been read through about ten times.

"I got an advanced copy," Micah said, as if reading my thoughts. "I know someone in the publishing industry." There was that cocky grin that I'd fallen in love with.

"I see. You bought it illegally off of E-Bay, didn't you?"

"You caught me."

And I actually found myself smiling back and meaning it.

"Look, Lana…this just doesn't feel done to me yet…I don't feel like we're over…I don't even feel like we ever really stopped what we had," Micah said quickly. "I mean, I love you. From that look in your eyes, I'm guessing you still love me too. I mean, my mom said you weren't dating anyone at the moment…that you still seemed to be trying to get over me, but that you were failing miserably…and so I came here because you were in town and I just had to see you and see if I could…I don't deserve this…but ask if we could try again?"

"Micah," I started, standing up from the table and walking around it to stand in front of him.

"No, listen to me," he said, shaking his head and cutting me off. "What we had was amazing…once in a lifetime…and I want you in my life. I don't care how it works. We don't have to decide that now. Hell, Lana, we never even had a real fight…except for that last one. Why are we quitting after one fight? We're both very stubborn people and we just gave up that easily? As if we no longer cared? Well I cared…and I know you did too. So why did we end what we had?"

"Micah, you're rambling," I tried again.

But this time, he shook his head so violently that I couldn't tell him to shut up. Holding my upper arms, Micah looked me in the eyes and said, "I was just scared shitless that if you didn't come with me that I was going to lose you and I couldn't have that. I wasn't willing to lose you to distance, but me being the dumbass that I was, I lost you anyway. I still want to marry you, dammit. I love you. Do you hear me? I fucking love you. And I'm not leaving this bookstore until you tell me that you fucking love me back. If you don't…"

"I fucking love you, you asshole," I said, wrapping my arms around him.

"Really?" he asked, surprised.

"Yes. And if either of us ever doubts what we have ever again, I don't know what I'd do. I was miserable without you once and it's a feeling I never ever want to experience again."

"Then let's make sure we don't repeat it."

"We have all the time in the world to figure out where we're going to live."

"It's going to take compromise, you know that, right?" I asked, as Micah push a stray hair out of my face.

"Yes," he said, then took my hand and led me towards the door. "It's raining outside you know."

"And what do you have in mind?"

"Someone taught me once how to dance in the rain…"

Fin. June 4, 2005.

Author's Note: Well that's it for awhile from me until I get amused enough to write again. My birthday is tomorrow and you weren't going to get it till then, but look…I decided to be nice for Ann. Heh. You may hate the ending, but I do like it…it's not totally sappy…it's not totally happy. These two have a long way to go before they can get back what they once had…but it ends on a happier note. I wasn't going to seal their fate fully off because life doesn't work that way…the girl doesn't always get some huge romantic scene in the end…you gotta take what you can get. Heh Anyway…enough rambling.

Thank you to all of you who left reviews. I love you all…

Oh yeah. And this one was dedicated to Julia. Heh