LOOSE ENDS

Once they're all stitched up and taken care of, Lily heads out into the lobby to see her worried parents talking with a couple of USDA agents. "Oh, Lily!" her mother gushes, shoving past Curt to throw her arms around her daughter. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, Ma, I'm fine," Lily says, smiling at her parents. "Did they explain everything to you?"

"Yes, but why didn't you ever tell us about any of this?" her dad asks, throwing an arm around her shoulder.

"It was all top-secret. I'm sorry."

"Well, at least you're alright." Her mom sighs, embracing her once again. "You're alright."

"Are you sure we have to do this?" Ryan wonders, tightening his grip around Lily's waist as they reach the door. "The USDA already talked to him about everything and thanked him for his help."

"Hey, he might've been a huge jerk, but he saved my life, and yours, too. The least we can do is thank him ourselves," Lily argues, knocking on the hotel door.

The heavy oak door opens quickly as Jake's familiar face appears in the doorway. He grins at Lily, but as his eyes trail down to Ryan's arm around her hip, his smile falters. "Umm, come in, guys." He steps aside to let them in and ushers for his bodyguards to give them some privacy.

"Lily!" Katie yelps, leaping from the couch to tackle Lily, who in turn wraps her arms tightly around her.

"Katie, you're so big now!" Lily leans back to smile at her. "Wow, it's been a while. I've really missed you."

"I've missed you too!" Katie pouts, pulling Lily in for another hug.

"Alright, Kate, you two can have your little reunion another time. For now, though, will you let us talk?" Jake asks, holding the door open for her.

"Is this your boyfriend?" she asks bluntly, pointing up at Ryan.

Ryan smiles awkwardly down at her, waving with one hand while using the other to scratch the back of his neck.

"Uh, yeah," Lily says, eyeing her carefully. She remembers how set Katie was on having Lily with Jake.

After a slight inspection, Katie beams up at him. "He's hot. Nice job, Lil."

"Katie!" Jake hisses, and Ryan's cheeks flush into a light shade of pink.

Lily laughs, patting the top of Katie's little head. She didn't realize Katie was already into boys now. "Thanks, I guess."

"Okay, okay, now get out." Jake grabs Katie's arm and shoves her out of the room himself while she waves mischievously at Ryan, who now has both hands in his pockets and is rocking on his feet uncomfortably. "I'm sorry about her," Jake says, shutting the door behind him. "Hollywood's changed her."

"She still seems the same to me," Lily muses, standing up a little straighter.

"So, why'd you guys come here?" Jake asks, walking over to the living room. His hotel suite is huge, which is probably what he's used to by now. They're standing in a large sitting room filled with couches, a flat screen TV, elegant sculptures and paintings, and a medium-sized kitchen off the to the side. There are doorways that branch off to bedrooms, most likely for Jake and his family. Lily takes a swift look around the place, her heartbeat quickening as she scans the rooms. "Don't worry. My parents are out. My mom's not going to know you're here." Jake chuckles as he lounges back on a lazy chair.

Lily laughs, letting out a sigh of relief. "Glad to know she still hates me."

He shrugs. "Well, I wouldn't say hate…."

"Jake." She laughs, shaking her head. "She hates me."

He lets out another chuckle, this time a bit more relaxed. "Yeah, she really can't stand you."

Ryan takes hold of Lily's hand as they sit down on one of the couches, almost as though to declare she's his now. "Listen…" he says, clearing his throat. "Even though I still hate your guts for what you did to her—" Ryan starts, shooting daggers into Jake's chilling blue eyes. Lily squeezes his hand.

Easy….

Ryan sighs, shutting his eyes for a moment. "You did save her life." He opens his green eyes again, and this time they look sincere. "So, thank you."

Jake nods, staring uncomfortably at the rug in the center of the grand room. "Oh! I almost forgot." He jumps up and heads into an adjacent room, mostly likely where he sleeps. Lily raises a dark eyebrow at Ryan, who just shrugs. "This…is for you," Jake says, coming back into the room and handing Lily an envelope.

She opens it up and her eyes practically bulge out of her head. In her hands is a check for a million dollars. "What…what is this?" she asks, the words barely coming out in a whisper.

Jake grins, apparently pleased with the expression on her face. "That's the money I owe you for all the songs you wrote. I can't just take credit for all your ideas without giving you something for it. That would be plagiarism."

Lily gawks up at him, still not fully processing what just happened. "Jake…I can't take this. It's too much."

"You have to. You said so yourself, most of those are your songs. That's your money Lil, not mine."

Lily glances up at Ryan, who's speechless. She looks back at Jake and smiles at him, this time genuinely. Letting go of Ryan and with the check still in hand, she runs up to hug him, and he willingly wraps his arms around her.

Thanks.

I told you I wouldn't forget you.

"Can I come in yet? The suspense is killing me!" Katie whines, banging on the door. Lily pulls away from Jake, laughing back tears.

A broken part of her heart finally feels like it's been sewn back together. Who knew all it took was a psycho man with a knife and an evil organization with gray X's and guns to make it happen?

"I can't believe you never told me you knew Jake O'Shea," Sara glowers, shoving Lily's shoulder.

"I never mentioned him because I wasn't allowed to at first. Our mom's hated each other, so we kind of met in secret," Lily explains, and Nina brings her hands to her heart, smiling dramatically.

"That is so romantic."

"Yeah, it was, until he got back with his possessive girlfriend and completely ignored me for like three years. He only ever talked to me when we were alone or with his sister, which really bothered me."

"Oh, and I wrote most of his songs, and at the time of the party I thought he just left for Hollywood and forgot all that I did for him. But, it's all good because later he came and gave me a big fat check for a million dollars." Lily wriggles her eyebrows up and down, poking Sara in the side.

"And you still didn't forgive him?" Sabrina asks incredulously.

"Of course I did, but not because of the money." Lily stares off into the distance and wonders if she should say anything else. She can't mention that he saved her life; that would give too much away. "Anyways, he's going back to Hollywood soon to record a new album."

"Aw, so that's it?" Anita wonders, frowning.

Lily shakes her head. "Nah, we'll still keep in touch and stuff. I definitely know his sister will."

"Oh, and you wanna know what he wrote on my autograph?" Sara asks, taking out a headshot of Jake and handing it to Lily.

To Lily's supposed BFFL Sara Husain, from Lily's real BFFL Jake O'Shea. Sorry, bud.

"Psh, you should see what he wrote on mine!" Nina yells, shoving Sara out of the way and taking her own out. Soon, everyone's comparing their autographs and acting like he likes them better. Lily just smiles and reads them all, knowing deep down he did this for her.

"You have to tell her," Lily says, rubbing Ryan's arms soothingly, avoiding his bruises. "You can't be scared of her anymore. This is your future."

Ryan nods, sucking in a deep breath and barging into her office.

"What the—Ryan, what do you want?" Lily hears just before he shuts the door, leaving her in silence.

"What's he doing?" a familiar voice asks from behind Lily, and she turns around to see Carter standing there with some other big guys. They're covered in bruises and they look like they just came back from their op.

"Ryan just went to tell his mother he's going to college," Lily explains, biting her lip anxiously.

"Ooh, I think our news can wait," Carter says jokingly, backing away with his fellow agents. "By the way, Lily, nice battle scars." He winks, trailing a finger along his own neck.

She rolls her eyes, happy for the momentary distraction. After what feels like an eternity, the door finally opens and Ryan steps out of it, shutting it behind him. "Well...?" She places both hands on his shoulders, looking expectantly into his bright green eyes.

He stares at the floor for a while before he can't help it anymore and a small smile escapes. "She's fine with it. She said I can do whatever I want with my future, and if I still want to work for the organization when I get back, I can!"

"That's great, Ryan!" Lily exclaims, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly.

He presses his face into Lily's shoulder and whispers, "So, this means we'll both be going to the same school."

"I know." She smiles into his dark hair, already filling up with excitement for the upcoming year.

He kisses her shoulder and pulls apart, nodding his head to the right. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Their bare feet brush against the rough woodchips of the park. The squeaks of the swings moving back and forth are the only sounds around. Kids are running across the street from afar, but most of them are heading inside because the sun's setting. Lily doesn't mind, though. It makes the scenery a lot more beautiful.

"It's funny," she says, twisting her swing around so that she's facing him. "I used to come here with Jake a lot."

Ryan turns so that he's in front of her as well, their knees brushing against one another's. "Yeah, well that was before we started talking." He grins, and Lily can tell from his touch that he's thinking of the day in the rain so long ago.

"I've been meaning to ask you about that," Lily says, her brow furrowing. "So, if you've been dreaming about that day even after you became all…you know, hot," she jokes, thinking of Katie. Ryan rolls his eyes. "Well…I guess what I'm trying to ask is…why were you still dreaming about that day? Why were you dreaming about that day in the first place? Why…why did you like me?"

Ryan leans in so close to Lily that he's barely inches from her face. "I liked you then, and now, because even when I was a total dirty, loner, loser kid, you were nice to me. You didn't care what other's thought of me, and I loved that about you. Sure, Lexi Lewis is attractive, but she had no idea who I was before that whole makeover. You were probably the only person in school who knew I wasn't a new student."

"You think she's attractive?" Lily wonders glumly, and he sighs.

"Yeah, but her monster-like personality makes her absolutely revolting to me."

"Good."

He chuckles, slipping a hand under her chin and locking his emerald green eyes with hers. "What about me, huh? Even when I was popular and everything, I was a jerk to you. How did you end up liking me?"

She shrugs. "You weren't a jerk. Yeah, sure, that one time in the library I wanted to punch you in the face, but even when I told you about reading minds and seeing people's dreams, you stayed. You didn't freak out and ignore me…well, you did at first, but that was only because you were on a mission, but what I mean is—you didn't care that I was some freak. You liked me anyways."

"You're not a freak, Lil. You're special."

Lily smiles, leaning closer to Ryan. "You should know, no matter how your mom may make you feel sometimes, that you are, too. At least to me you are."

Ryan brings her lips to his and kisses her softly, just as the sun dips down to kiss the earth. And Lily is absolutely certain this time: she has fallen in love.