"Near to You"

By: singyourmelody

Disclaimer: I don't any of the characters (except Kevin, but I don't think I really want him anyway), certain lines (listen to the song "Near to You" by A Fine Frenzy), or Yoda, in case you didn't already know!

A/N: This is the last chapter. So please review and let me know what you thought of the story as a whole! Should I make any changes?

Chapter 7: Waiting for My Real Life to Begin

"I love it when you are all resolved," Will said. Where was Phoebe's resolution now? Her and Will had had their first fight and three days had passed. Sure they were smarter this time around; they acted friendly whenever someone from their family was nearby, as to not raise suspicion, but when they were alone . . . well, they weren't alone together anymore. And they were headed their separate ways, back to college in two days. What had started out like a good idea had crumbled at the first sign of trouble. And that frustrated Phoebe to no end.

Will wasn't doing much better. After Dylan's hangover had worn off and he had slept for several hours, he approached Will.

"I didn't mean it, okay?"

"Mean what?" Will said with obvious disinterest.

"I didn't mean what I said about you and Phoebe."

"I know you didn't, because there is nothing between us," Will responded.

"Riiiight. What I meant was, I didn't mean it when I said that you and Phoebe wouldn't be good together. There is something there, man. I can see it. Christina would see it, if she would actually look for two seconds. And let's face it, you are definitely Phoebe's type. I already tolerate you, so you might as well just go for it. You have my permission," Dylan said, pretending to give half bow.

"I don't need your permission. And anyway, there isn't anything going on. Even if there may have been, and I'm not saying there was, we are barely speaking right now," Will confirmed.

"I know you're not."

"You know we're not talking right now? What are you, some kind of strange Yoda character?"

"Wiser now are you," Dylan replied in his best Yoda accent.

"Yeah, whatever."

"To Phoebe, you must speak. And soon!"

"Would you stop that? It's annoying!" Will stated.

"Fine. But you're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Sitting on the sidelines. Not going after what you really want. I watched you do it all the time in high school. I don't know if it's stubborn-ness, your need to be responsible, or you just being scared. But you're watching your life pass you by, Will," Dylan finished.

"I'm watching my life go by? What about you, Mr. Run-in-with-the-Police?" Will retorted.

Dylan stood up to leave, patted Will on the back and said, "No subject changes and for the record, the solution to my problems isn't leaving for college in two days."

Will didn't have an answer for that.

0-0-0

Will and Phoebe still hadn't spoken by the time Phoebe was loading up the car to go back to school. And as Will watched Phoebe give everyone hugs, he wasn't sure what to do. He hated that they were fighting, but he didn't know how to fix it.

Finally it was Will's turn to hug Phoebe. With the whole family watching, Phoebe stood in front of Will.

"Will," she said, a smile on her face that didn't reach quite up to her eyes. She reached out to him and as he held her, he smelled her green apple shampoo. He tried to memorize that smell, because he didn't know when he would smell it again. She let go just as quickly as she had held him, but not before her fingers grazed his, shooting that familiar spark up his hand.

As he watched her car pull out of the driveway, Will knew he had made a mistake. Two hours later, his car was packed and he gave the same round of hugs. He got in the car, turned on the ignition, and set off, back to his former life pre-Phoebe, pre-sneaking around. "And pre-happy," he said aloud to no one in particular.

0-0-0

"Pha-Pha-Pha-Phoebe!" Phoebe heard her name being yelled as she carried her huge suitcase down the hall of her dorm. She turned around to see who was so earnestly trying to get her attention.

"Kevin? Oh my gosh! How was your break? Is it not so weird that we are here and not in England?" Phoebe asked as she threw her arms around Kevin. The two had been in Europe and had traveled quite a lot together while there.

"Break was good. I'm better now that you're back here with me, however," Kevin said in his most charming voice, as he slung an arm around Phoebe.

"Hmm. Kevin, it didn't work in Europe, one of the most romantic places on Earth, why would you think it would work here in this dimly-lit institutionalized hallway? Besides, the last thing I need right now is romance," Phoebe finished quietly.

"Whoa, somebody hopped abroad the Downer Train at Devastation Station over Christmas break!" Kevin said, removing his arm.

"Nope, just fell in love. And it didn't work out."

"Oh. Sorry, Phoebe," Kevin replied, looking truly sad. "You know what you need?"

"Something that doesn't start with 'alchy' and end with 'hol'?" Phoebe questioned.

"Tsk, tsk. Taking all the fun right out of it. All the more reason for you to come. Celebrate the beginning of a new semester with your bestest friends. And maybe, if you're real nice, I'll buy you a drink. And you know how I am with my drinks. That offer doesn't appear for just anyone."

"Thanks, Kev. But I have unpacking to do," Phoebe said as she started walking down the hall.

"Fine, I'll let you walk away for now, Miss North. But I am coming back for you later. And we are going to have some fun!"

0-0-0

The knock of Phoebe's door startled her from her unpacking. She tossed the sweater she was refolding onto her bed and opened the door.

"Kevin, I told you. I'm really not in the mood to go out tonight—" Phoebe stopped abruptly. Her eyes grew wide as she looked at Will on the other side of the doorframe, not moving, just looking at her. Suddenly, he grabbed her and kissed her. All the electricity of their first kiss was still there, magnified by the fact that they had been apart.

They stumbled back into her room as Will shut the door behind them. The two kept moving backwards until Phoebe's legs hit her bed and the two collapsed onto the bed, never losing contact. Will's hands cupped her face as hers ran through his hair. He tore his lips of hers for just a moment to kiss right below her earlobe and down her neck to her collarbone. Phoebe let out a small moan, right before Will sat them both upright and gave her one long kiss. Finally, he let her go.

"What- what are you doing here?" Phoebe questioned as brushed her hair out of her face, revealing how flushed her face had become.

"Well, I finally figured it out," Will stated, standing before Phoebe.

"What?"

"It. Everything. Everything between us. And what was going wrong." He paused while she straightened her hair and clothes and then continued.

"I've practiced this in the car, so I hope it comes out right," Will said. Phoebe had to smile a bit at this. Will was always so organized.

Will took a deep breath and then began. "So far in our relationship, you have been the one making the grand gestures, propelling us forward. You were the one who suggested that we go ahead and do this. You were the one planning for the relationship we will have years from now. And you were the realist who knew that everything can't be fixed overnight sometimes. So now it's my turn. I'm making the big move and I am telling you that I'm sick of waiting for things to happen to me. I'm tired of trying to always smooth things over and I don't want to always be the super-responsible one anymore. I'm not sitting on the sidelines anymore. I'm in, completely, one hundred percent, even if it means calling Dad and Helen right now and telling them. Or transferring to a new college. Like this one perhaps." Will paused and reached into his pocket, taking out an acceptance letter, a grin slowly spreading on his face.

Phoebe's eyes got really big at this announcement and started watering. "Will. You transferred here?" She stood up and walked over to him, taking the letter from his hand and scanning it quickly. "You did this, for me? When? How?"

Will looked at her, his face serious. "Yeah, I did. I figured that if we are going to have any shot at making this work, we needed to be in the same place. So I thought, why not and I applied that first night that you came to my room and kissed me. But I didn't decide until I was halfway back to my school that I was actually going to do this. I'm making my life happen the way I want it to. Starting now."

Phoebe wrapped her arms around Will and leaned up to give him a quick kiss. "I love you, you know that right?"

"Really? Why?" he said, half-teasing.

"Because. I'm better near to you," Phoebe replied simply.

Will looked straight into her eyes and kissed her, pulling her close. Nothing had ever been as perfect as this.

Well, I think that's it. Maybe if I feel super inspired I will add an epilogue or something. We'll see. In the meantime, let me know what you think. Should I continue? Is this an okay place to end their story (for now at least)? Thanks for reading and reviewing!