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Chapter Eighteen: Keep Holding On...

"You...are definitely...a buttmunch." Ryan huffed.

Jon replied (with scorn), "And you're the buttmonkey."

"You guys are being bitches." Spencer added in disdain.

Brendon shouted above the rest of them, "Can you guys just shut the fuck up?! It's enough that I'm under anxiety...anxiety...I'm all stressed out! THIS IS MY LAST DAY OF FILMING! Like none of you care, though!"

Ryan, Jon, and Spencer all yelled in unison: "YOU SHUT THE FUCK UP!"

Brendon, as sad, angry, and anxious as he was, cowered behind his bed in his trailer. (Also muttering beneath his breath, "Shouldn't it be bastards? You guys are all...guys.") The rest of the band members argued amongst themselves about the new album (not that Brendon cared) and about how they were going to schedule their touring the next few months after that (not that Brendon cared) AND about how Spencer broke his new drumsticks, so where should they buy them...(again, not that Brendon gave a flying fuck.)

Suddenly, Brendon heard banging on his door. Derrick screamed something about not being on set and how Brendon was going to get a huge deduction from his pay. (not that he actually needed much more money...his pay caused him pressure from his parents to give them some of his 'extra pay'.)

Everyone's arguments came to a hush, and then Spencer asked, "Well, Brendon, you gonna get on set? Or do you need some Midol?"

"I wish you would just pull your lip over your head and swallow yourself, Spencer." Brendon said in his most deathly voice before he exited the trailer. Ryan ran out and caught up with him. He coughed, cleared his throat, and patted Brendon's back before he voiced, "So, dude, what're you going to do about..."

"Alice?" Brendon finished, looking to his friend anxiously again. Ryan nearly jumped with fright. It was hardly ever that Brendon and him were thinking the same thing, and for Ryan to guess what Brendon was thinking about...well, they were either very much in tune with each other or they were both just really...psychic. Or whatever the hell it is.

"Brendon, I just think that...well...the other day...and well, the kiss...And today, is um...Your last day of filming...what're you gonna do?" Ryan asked. He didn't want to pry-okay, who was he kidding, he was prying alright-but he needed to make sure that Brendon....was okay.

At this point, Brendon looked up from the asphalt ground. He faced Ryan. He grinned.

"I'm perfectly fine, Ryan. I think I just made up my mind."

"Made up your mind about wh-"

"BRENDON URIE! YOU GET YOUR APPLE BOTTOMED ASS OVER HERE!"

Brendon slanted his eyes at the director, before he murmured under his breath, "I can't believe he actually watched that interview I sent to him over email..."

Ryan, now large-eyed and confused, watched Brendon run off to the set. Then, he heard a distant shouting that sounded like:

"RYAN YOU BUTTMUNCHER..."

Ryan growled before he stalked back into Brendon's trailer. "Buttmuncher? I'll show you some major buttmunching if you're not careful..."

*

"Sarah."

"Yeah, Ali?"

"Why do I feel like I'm going to a wedding I don't want to attend, and that I'm in love with the groom, who's marrying someone else?" Alice asked almost tearfully.

Sarah looked at her with a good amount of incredulity before she sputtered, "Wh-what? What the fuck happened with you and all those good ideas yesterday night?"

Alice muttered, "I got my period this morning." Then, with cautious eyes, she looked at her good friend Sarah. Sarah hit her forehead with her palm. It wasn't the end of the world, but there was now a definite road bump. Sarah sighed then asked Alice, "Are you still going to ask him if he likes you back?"

Alice laughed, and replied, "Sarah, I already know he likes me. In fact, he loves me. I just need..."

But before the brunette girl could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by her cell phone ringing. She checked to make sure it was her director (it was) before he bounded out the door, and yelled behind her, "Wish me luck, Sarah! If I fuck up, promise me there'll be a huge chocolate-fest in celebration of my failure tonight?"

Sarah grinned, but instead yelled back:

"Girl, you won't screw up! If you do...well, you won't! I'll see you tonight at the cast party!"

Alice nearly asked who invited Sarah, but then answered her own question...because didn't Spencer invite her? She bounced down her driveway to her car before she drove off to the set. She couldn't believe it was her last day of filming. It's my last day with Brendon...Best I don't screw it up, then...

She arrived on set with a glazed donut, Starbucks coffee, sweats, and a tank top to match. Aviators covered a large portion of her face and her hair was tied up into a wet messy bun, since she had gotten out of the shower that morning without (really) bothering to dry or style it.

But her presence didn't go unnoticed. Every time she passed Brendon (who was mostly talking to Derrick about his next/final scene with Geets) he caught the fresh scent of roses. Because Alice smelled like roses. And he liked that.

When Brendon was dismissed to 'grab a snack' with the rest of his cast, Derrick went to discuss the ending with Alice. Before she arrived on the set, they had tried several different endings:

1) Tommy and Gina ending up together at the end of the movie.
2) Tommy and Gina ending up as 'just friends'.
3) Tommy and Gina never seeing each other ever again.

Alice quirked an eyebrow at all endings presented to her by Derrick (and later on, Bonnie). She bit her lip, and asked, "Why don't we try the real ending?"

"The real ending?" Bonnie asked quizzically.

Alice nodded, and sipped at her Starbucks before she replied, "The ending I wrote for the book."

"But the ending...well it isn't terrible...it just didn't tie up very well. There wasn't really an ending, if you know what I mean." Bonnie protested softly, as if trying to coo Alice out of her shell, to look from Bonnie's perspective...to basically change it to the way everyone else wanted it to be. Alice didn't want her fairy tale ending. She wanted it the right way. The way everything did turn out: awkward.

Derrick coughed, and interrupted the small argument between the two ladies to say, "Well, I think we can all compromise with the second ending. Them just being friends." And technically, wasn't it the director's call? It IS the director's call. But Alice wanted it her way. And she wasn't going to have it any other way.

She started to open her mouth, ready to shout back, to defend herself, to back up her own ending. Defend. Because no-one else will help you to defend and protect yourself.

"Actually, I think that's where you're wrong, Derrick. You see, although the ending is questionable to the audience, I find that it leaves the reader...or, I mean, audience in this case for the movie...answering their own question. It's much like an Indie film, or whatever you call it. There's a quirky ending-one that everyone has a different opinion on. Personally, I think that's what makes it beautiful."

That was probably the best answer-and defense-ever. It didn't even come out of Alice's mouth! Her mouth dropped open and hit the ground as she turned around to face-you guessed it-Brendon. Brendon, finally there to defend her. Wait. He just referred to my book ending. Did he...did he READ my book?

Derrick looked at Brendon doubtfully. Bonnie did a half-shrug. Then, Derrick sighed, and mumbled, "Well...if you can make it work..."

"Thank you!" Alice grinned at Brendon graciously just as Bonnie and Derrick were out of earshot. Brendon smiled at Alice, and winked. Then Alice remembered what kind of 'terms' the two of them were on. There were ten minutes before they had to film the last scene (for the 17th time...). Alice wanted to take advantage of those next ten minutes. After inhaling deeply, she said, "Brendon, I want to talk to you about-"

Brendon slowly brought his finger to her lips. Although such a careless action, Alice felt the touch every bit sensuous.

"Shh. Let's talk later. Meet me in the parking lot right after we wrap up the last scene. I want to show you something."

Alice, every bit shocked and enthralled at what Brendon had to say to her, nodded almost too keenly for words. Brendon then turned away and went back to the set. For the next half hour that the ending was filmed, Alice kept wondering what it was Brendon wanted to 'show' her. She wasn't sure what he would present to her. Brendon was...unpredictable. He was...spontaneous.

So Alice watched Brendon and Geets recite the last part of the script. (Which technically became improvisation, since Alice disapproved of how the ending was written, and of course, Brendon backed her up.):

Geets (seemingly uncaring about the fact that Brendon is half-weeping with shock): I'm sorry, Tommy, it's just that... (hesitates)

Brendon (devastated): What? You've found someone else?
Geets (looking at Brendon pitifully): No. I don't think that's it.

Brendon (looking very hopeful at this point): It's not? What is it?

Geets (forcefully): I...don't...love you.

Brendon goes silent

Geets (almost tearfully): Forget it. (She walks away, and just as she does, a receipt drops out of her hand. Brendon looks at it, then rushes to pick it up. He looks at what was on the receipt. He cries.)

Derrick clapped, and shouted, "And...cut!"

What ensued afterwards was too fast for Alice to report. Brendon walked off the set, nodding at the people who slapped him on the back heartily, congratulating him. Geets soaked in the appreciation and congratulations from her co-workers, after yelling a 'Congrats!' Brendon's way. Alice received quite an amount of congratulations as well, for being a good help on set, making this whole story work in the first place...

And then it hit her. Duh! Go out to meet Brendon! THAT'S why he rushed out of here so fast! That was just what Alice did. The next thing she realized was that her sneakers hit the pavement going clop clop clop as she ran off the set...

"Whoa, slow down."

What? What Alice saw in front of her was a motorcycle. No, scratch that. A fucking Harley Davidson. How...?

"I didn't know you could..." Alice whispered, a hand covering her mouth. Brendon smiled, slid on his helmet, and replied, "I had to know how, since I was 'required' to by Derrick. One of the scenes required me riding on a motorcycle...well...you weren't here, though." His face half-crumpled up, and Alice saw the pain this caused him, so she quickly covered up the subject by pointing at another helmet on the backseat. It was balanced perfectly, and it had 'AB' emblazoned on it in blue lettering.

She asked, "So, Brendon...Is that...?"

"This is your helmet. Put it on."

"How did you know...?"

"I talked to your Dad. Said that you loved riding at the back of his motorcycle when you were a kid. Then I learned your favorite color was baby blue from Sarah. The AB stands for your initials...Alice Bolton, you know?" He said coolly as he sat on his seat and revved up the engine. Alice's jaw hit the ground. So everyone was.../in/ on this? Except for.../her/?

Usually, stuff like that made her thoroughly upset and stubborn. But somehow, she felt content with this. It felt...more than content. It felt...warming.

"Come on. Let's go. You have to have the experience just as the sun starts to dip behind those Hollywood hills." Brendon said, his leg jiggling. That was Brendon for you. Always excited. Never being able to stay still for one second. Alice grinned, and hopped on the back.

Something was missing.

Brendon yelled over the engine as he revved it up more, "Hold onto my waist! Unless you wanna get thrown off or something!"

Alice blushed underneath her helmet, and wrapped her arms around Brendon's waist. He was warm. She pressed her chest to his back. And they fit...perfectly. It was like the crescent of a moon finally connecting to the rest of the moon shape. It was just so right.

I'm whole.

They sped off into the distance, not knowing that quite a few of their friends stared behind them, sighing romantically.

After they sped off the highway onto a winding road, Brendon could evidently feel Alice's head resting on his shoulder. He felt complete. Like life around him suddenly glowed, and he wasn't blind anymore. Not like when he was sick.

Then he felt her grip loosen.

"Ali! Keep holding on!" He shouted above the motorcycle's rumbling engine. Alice gave a small smile form under her shining helmet.

Keep holding on...because we're going to make it through... Brendon thought, not for their present, but for their future. He was sure they both were going to have a future together, no matter what. And he just wanted her to stay strong. He was going to be there for her.

Alice thought, Brendon, you're not alone. Somehow, I always knew we'd be together, side by side...until the end.

Brendon stopped the motorcycle at a good place. Around them were trees and thick bushes. A few flowers. When Brendon switched off the engine, and it was just Alice and Brendon sitting next to each other on the ground, watching the sun set, Brendon said out of the blue:

"You know, despite all this shit we've been through...I just wanna say. That when it feels like it's the end. And I've nowhere to go. Well..." He grabbed Alice's hand, and continued on to say, "I just want to tell you, I'm not going to give into any of this crap anyone gives us. That no matter what, we'll be friends, at the very least. I'll always be here for you. You can tell me anything, Alice, and I'll stay by your side and fight and defend. Do you hear me?"

Alice grabbed Brendon's hand tighter.

She mumbled, "I didn't think I'd ever say this...but...I feel like I can confide in you now."

A tear slipped down Alice's cheek. Brendon, scared that he said something incredibly wrong, patted her back, kissed her hand, and asked, "What's wrong? Was it something I said?"

She replied, after a pause, "No, Brendon. It's what you've ever done for me. Everything you've ever done for me. And I just don't know how to repay you." Then, she twisted her body to face him, and hugged him tightly.

Brendon hugged back.

And they kept hugging until the sun set entirely.

Hey guys! Sorry this got posted really late-I realized after writing half the chapter, I didn't write it well enough. I wanted it to be 'special' since it was the 'last chapter' (I'm putting 'last' in quotations because I think everyone knows this is a three-quel!) so I ended up RE-WRITING it...and then, after arriving in London, I caved in to new inspirations and RE-EDITED everything I wrote...so apologies, but here is the last chapter. I'm very proud of it, and I'm very proud of my reviewers as well. I adore and look up to all of you. You guys were really dedicated to not just reading, but reviewing my story(ies). It makes me LOOK FORWARD to the next story I shall write.
Xoxo nat. Also, jetlag sucks ass.