Summary: I wrote this a long time ago, so excuse it if it's a little sketchy. A short story about a last chance, literally. Rating: G Genre: Mild Drama Status: Complete

Lynn looked one last time at her reflection, reaching a hand up and smoothing some stray hair. Nodding her head in approval, she grabbed her car keys and headed out the door. She pused on the front steps of her Florida home, breathing in the cool morning air. She let her hazel eyes slowly scan the landscape: the trees, the beach, the ocean, the sea gulls gliding through the air.

~I'm going to miss this.~

Lynn let out a heavy sigh and wiped the moisture from her eyes.

~This isn't the time for tears,~ she thought, ~I'll have plenty of time for that later.~

Lynn went to her car and took a long look at her home, slightly hesitating.

~Well, its now or never.~

Lynn got in her car and drove to the airport. When she arrived, she went straight to where flight 407 was boarding. She walked right past the lady who was collecting the tickets, the lady saw her and called out.

"Miss? ... Miss! You can't go through until I get your ticket," the lady flight attendant smiled, patiently waiting with her arm held out, palm upward.

Lynn looked nervous for a moment, her eyes darting around anxiously. She put her hands into her jeans' pockets out of habit. Suddenly, her eyes lit up and she smiled at the flight attendant, bringing her right hand out of her pocket with a ticket between her fingers.

"Hear you are," Lynn said, giving the lady her 'ticket', " I was in such a rush I completely forgot."

The lady nodded and took the ticket whiled gesturing Lynn to go ahead. As Lynn walked to the plane, the flight attendant stared at the ticked she recieved from the girl, turning it over in her hands. She read the writing: Flight 407, Gate 10, 9:20 a.m., etc. She shook her head, she could have sworn the ticket was blank a minute ago.

Lynn leaned back in the cushioned air plane seat, gazing listlessly out the window. She could hear the people around her, see the clouds floating through the blue sky. She just didn't acknowledge them, lost in her thoughts.

She was on her way to see her best friend for the last time, God willing. She smiled sadly, thinking of him and all the memories they shared. She blinked, then sighed in frustration, bringing her hands up to her eyes and wiping away tears once again.

~I've gotta get control of myself or this will go nowhere.~

Lynn leaned her head back and closed her eyes, planning on sleeping the rest of the flight away.

/~~~~(X)~~~~\

Lynn looked at the old warehouse she faced. He was inside. She just had to walk through the door.

Lynn brought shaking hands up to her pale face, running them through her long, dark hair. Taking a deep breath she pushed the door open and stepped inside, out of the late afternoon sun. She immediately was surrounded by activity. She looked around and spotted him standing across the room, talking with his four friends.

Lynn held her breath as she forced her way toward him. She came up behind him, catching the eye of his friend that was talking, causing him to trail off. Lynn's best friend, curious as to what caught his sunglasses decked friend, turned.

Lynn's unsure hazel eyes met surprised blue eyes. For a moment, they just stared at one another. Then Lynn let out the breath she forgot she was holding.

She smiled slightly, "Hey, Nick."

Nick stared a minute longer and then his face broke into a huge grin.

"Lynn!"

He quickly wrapped his arms around Lynn and hugged her tightly, lifting her up and spinning around. Lynn hugged him back and held on, laughing.

"Nick!" she laughed. "Put me down!"

Nick laughed and did as she wanted, he kept his arm around her shoulders though, a big goofy grin on his face. He looked at the guys, who had surprised looks on their faces.

AJ raised an eyebrow and asked, "Friend of yours, Nicky?"

Nick gave AJ a look for calling him Nicky, but answered the question. "This is Lynn Memphis, we grew up together. She's my best friend!" he said, squeezing Lynn slightly. She smiled.

Brian gasped loudly, " Why Nick! I thought 'I' was your best friend!" Brian then gave an overdone cry of anguish, bringing his hands up to his eyes and sniffling slightly. AJ sympathetically patted Brian on the back.

Nick rolled his eyes, "Yo, Frick! Ya done?"

Brian brought his head away from his hands, a big grin on his face, "Yep!"

Lynn just laughed at their silliness, but became serious as a flash caught her eye. She turned to Nick, "Ummm... Nick? You think we could go somewhere and talk?"

Nick looked at her and saw a slight pleading gleam in her eyes. He scrunched his eyebrows together slightly and took a closer look at his long time friend, ~There's something different ... ~

"Uhhh, sure," he looked at the guys. "We're done for the day, aren't we?"

"Yeah, that last bit was a rap. They're just goin' over the final touches on the video," answered Kevin. "We got the rest of the day off."

"OK, you guys mind if Lynn and I take off?"

"Nah," said Kevin, "just be back at the hotel tonight."

"'Kay, thanks," said Nick, turning with Lynn and walking away. Lynn looked back over her shoulder and yelled, "Nice meeting you!"

Nick and Lynn then walked out of the warehouse. Once they were a good distance from the warehouse, Nick stopped Lynn.

"So what do you want to talk about?" he asked.

Lynn looked at Nick, she suddenly lost her nerve for what she had to say. She glanced at the ground before her, "Oh, nothing really. I just wanted to spend time with you alone. I'm only here until tonight...," she looked back up at Nick, "... then I have to leave."

"Oh, okay. So, what are you doing here, anyway?" he asked, curious.

"Well, I had a free ticket from a-uhh... friend, and thought I'd use it to come see you. I haven't seen you for years."

"Yeah, ... it was at your high school graduation, wasn't it?" Nick asked as they began walking again.

"Yeah, the time sure goes by, huh?" she remarked sadly.

"Man, it sure does. That was, like ... 3 years ago," Nick said, shaking his head slightly, then he smiled, "But we had a blast, didn't we."

"Oh, it was great!" agreed Lynn, then under her breath she whispered, "The best day of my life."

"Well, we got a few hours until dark, ... you wanna check out the California beach?" Nick asked hopefully.

Lynn smiled, ~Nick and the ocean.~ "Sure, I'd love to."

They walked to the street and Nick hailed a cab, getting in and going to the beach.

/~~~~(X)~~~~\

Lynn and Nick then spent the next three hours on the beach, just having fun like they used to. Lynn knew she had to tell Nick, but it was getting harder and harder.

As the sun set she found herself walking along side Nick, just enjoying the peacefulness of the waves gently crashing on the sand. They stopped walking and sat down on the sand, looking out over the ocean. Lynn's gaze, though, soon traveled to Nick. He was staring at the water, the sparse sunlight reflecting off the waves and playing across his handsome face.

~Oh, God ... ~

She couldn't do it, she just couldn't.

Lightning flashed and thunder rolled, startling Lynn and Nick. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. Lynn looked fearfully up at the night sky, shaking her head ever so slightly.

~No, I can't... I can't say it... ~

Lightning flashed again, this time closer and the thunder louder. Lynn cringed slightly. Nick was looking wildly around, wonder what the hell was going on.

Lynn then heard a soft voice in echo in her ears, ((--(---It's now or never... ...Last chance...---)--))

Lynn couldn't control herself any longer, tears fell from her hazel eyes as she turned to Nick sitting beside her. She saw the question on his face, his ocean blue eyes looking straight into hers, confused. Lynn just held his gaze, bringing her hand up to cup his face and closing the distance between them. She gave him a tender and gentle kiss, closing her eyes for a moment. When she opened them and pulled away she saw Nick's eyes were closed. Hand still on his face she brought her mouth up to his ear and whispered softly, the sadness in her words almost tangible, "I love you."

Lynn then quickly got up and ran away, disappearing in the now dark night.

Nick took a moment to register what just happened, then he jumped up and ran after Lynn. He had to catch her, 'had' to tell her. Nick ran and ran, searching everywhere. He couldn't find her, it was like she just disappeared into thin air.

Nick returned to the hotel that night, feeling ... well, feeling like he just lost his best friend. He past the others and ignored their greetings. He just wanted to go to his room and think.

/~~~~(X)~~~~\

The next morning Nick awoke to the phone ringing. Half awake, he answered it.

"H'lo?"

"Nick?" asked a female voice. "Nick, is that you?"

Nick sat up, confused. The woman sounded familiar and she sounded like she was crying.

"Yeah, this is Nick," he said, suspicious. "Who's this?"

"Oh, Nick ... This is- this is Leann Memphis. You know, Ly- Lynn's ... mom?" said Leann, her voice breaking.

"Oh! Yeah. I'm sorry Leann," replied Nick, now awake. He remembered last night. "Hey, is Lynn back yet?"

There was silence on the lined for a minute, Nick almost thought the connection broke, when ...

"Lynn? ... Well, that's what I wanted to talk to you about, Nick," she paused, Nick could hear her crying when she took the phone away. "Ummm ... Nick? I- I don't know how to tell you this, but- .... Lynn died yesterday morning in a car accident."

The color drained from Nick's face and the phone fell to the floor from his limp fingers. Nick couldn't believe it ... How? She was right 'here' last night.

Nick silently picked the phone up and hung it up. He then lay back down on his bed, staring blankly up at the white ceiling.

~Lynn ... ~

/~~~~(X)~~~~\

Nick stood in front of the fresh grave, a single red rose in his hand. He stared at the granite tombstone.

Lynn Andrea Memphis

1980-2001

"ALL WE HAVE IS WHAT WE

SHOW THE WORLD AROUND

US AND WHO WE ARE INSIDE"

A long held tear escaped his eye and fell solitary down his cheek. Nick went down to one knee and placed the rose on the gravestone. He brought two fingers up to his lips and then placed them on Lynn's name. Nick's head fell to his chest and he squeezed his eyes shut, several tears now falling. His fingers still on her name, he openned his eyes and turned his head up, gazing into the cloudless afternoon sky.

"I love you, too."

THE END