So here it is. Chapter 10, aka, the conclusion. :P I guess everything that could've gone wrong with this last one did. It was jolty and really rushed, and REALLY unbelievable. It took me FOREVER to think of how best to write it, and/or to kick myself back to the mood I had when I was writing the Beginning of Forever. To write Logan/Camille like they're meant to be written. Simply, with not a lot of beating around the bush, or with minimal drama. I do like the one-shot a lot better. But I did the best I could with this, and hopefully, it makes a satisfying ending.

If there was one thing he prided himself on, it was keeping a level head. He could focus on the problem at hand, and handle it coolly and calmly. The sensible one. Yup. That was him.

So how come his heart was beating so hard, and he felt like he needed to throw up his insides?

"It's just nerves, buddy. You can do this. It's no problem. Just pretend... pretend... like you're just going to the pool. Except the pool is on ground floor and it's well lit and you've just come from there and it's, well, NOT here. Dang."

So there went that last reserve he had been leaning so heavily on. Relying on pretending that he wasn't headed where he was headed. Anything to take his mind far away.

He tried to keep his courage up, but found it slowly slipping away. His stomach fluttered spasmodically as he rapped four times on the door of 5B, quick and loud. He breathed, in and out, in and out. He would focus on her eyes, not his feet. Not the floor. He would be smooth and suave. He would tell her about his and James' little chat, then ask to come in. And well, he would wing it from there. It usually worked for Kendall, anyway.

He tried to push his memory back to a week ago. How had he felt with her before? Happy, and completely content. Like his life couldn't get any better.

Crap, why did this have to happen? Why couldn't him and Camille have had a clean record? No cheating, no heartbreak or betrayal. Sounds dumb, and completely robotic. Ah, maybe relationships were never perfect like that. There had to be bad times, so the good times seemed all the more sweet. Interesting. He could still remember that phrase from the plaque on his kitchen wall at home.

He hummed Stuck to himself. It seemed appropriate.

"And I'm stuck, stuck, but I'm never giving up, up," he sang softly. Where was she? He was getting more jittery by the second. He knocked twice more, harder.

"In the middle of a perfect day... I'm trippin' over words to say."

He heard footsteps walking towards the door, and he stopped singing abruptly. He cleared his throat, and shook his shoulders a little.

She opened the door, and he tried to look her in the eye. He took in her face. She looked gorgeous, but what else is new? She looked really rested though, and completely at ease. He wished he could feel like that. But he took a breath, and tried not to vomit.

"Hi." He didn't mean to sound so wavery. So he cleared his throat again, and restated his greeting. "Erm, hello. I mean... I meant... hi?"

She laughed. "Yeah, hi to you too," she said. "Come in?"

"Sure," he said, his confidence slowly returning.

She stood aside, and waited for him to walk past her before she shut the door.

He stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, staring once again at all the paintings and souvenirs on the wall and bookcase. He tried to distract himself with a painting of an island oasis. But when he saw the water, he realized he had to go to the bathroom. He started dancing a little from foot to foot. He couldn't leave, not now! He would look dumb! He tried to hold it.

"I can't HOLD IT!" Why didn't he have to go a second ago?

"It's a pretty piece," she said from behind him. He hadn't heard her walk up.

"Oh, erm, yeah it is. Where'd you get it?" he said quickly, trying to speed things up a little. Man, did he have to go!

"Maui." She looked at him, watching his impromptu jig. "You know where the bathroom is, honey. Go ahead. I'll wait." She stepped back, and let him walk past.

"Thanks," he breathed. After he had gone, he felt a whole lot better. Partly because he had relieved himself, but partly because she had called him honey. Which made him feel a lot more brave than before. He walked back out into the living room, only to hear her voice from her room. He went up to her door, then realizing that she wasn't talking to him, he stood outside, listening through a small crack that held it open. She was obviously talking into her cell phone.

"Yes, mom. I'm OK. Really, I'm fine. Yeah, I know. No, no! Look, you can't defend me, not now. It was my fault! I still can't believe I let him. No, mom. Yes, me and James talked."

Logan perked up a bit.

"Everything is sorted out. For real, yeah. Well, I'm assuming James talked to Logan 'cause he's here right now. Just came over a minute ago. Yeah. Uh-huh."

Logan came a bit closer.

"Of course, mom. No, then you don't know me at all. I would never choose him if they're ever WERE a choice. It was one kiss. That's all. Well, of course I'm sorry! Do you think I'd be prepared to pour myself out for him if I wasn't? No, you're right. I'm sorry. I just don't wanna screw this up. He has to know it was a mistake, that I'm sorry. Yes, mom. I will. Um, my room is clean, I did the dishes a minute ago, and I just have to do a load of laundry, then I'm done. Uh-huh. Yup. I'll just have waffles. Thanks mom. Yeah. Eleven, no later! You tell him that for me. Yeah, love you too. Bye."

Logan tried to move away quickly to the bathroom door and look casual. She opened the door, and walked out her eyes lighting on him standing there.

"Finished?"

"Yeah. Thanks." He thought of something to say. But he was drowning. "I'd forgotten how clean that bathroom was." It was the first thing that entered his mind.

"A dirty bathroom is one of my mom's pet peeves. So I keep it clean for her."

"She's a lucky one. Anyone would be to have you for a daughter." That came easily. He had never been good at lying, and he wasn't lying now.

She smiled. "Yeah, she says that a lot. I'm lucky to have her too."

They stood there for a moment, not saying anything. Logan volunteered after a while.

"Wanna go for a walk?"

"Sorry. If I took awhile to answer the door. I was on the roof."

"The fire escape?"

"Uh-huh. Only just heard you coming back down. You knocked so hard."

Logan nodded and smiled a little, as him and Camille kept time with each others steps, walking up a deserted street. Which was odd considering it was rush hour, and there wasn't a car in sight. Logan could only put it to fate.

His mind drifted to the way the fire-escape must look now, in the setting sun. It had always been one of his favorite places, ever since he had discovered it one restless night when he couldn't get to sleep. The fire-escape had also always been Camille and Logan's get-away-from-everyone-else spot, where they knew they would be alone. It held some pretty precious memories. It was the place they could meet after a whole day of not being able to see each other, where they could talk and complain to each other about how lame stereotypes and nine hour work days were. Where he always knew he would feel better, as long as he was with Camille. They had slept there at least five times. Funny how in the time they'd been apart, he hadn't ventured there even once. It just hadn't seemed right when he thought she wouldn't be there.

"I haven't seen you there in awhile."

"No, I, um, haven't been able to get up there lately. I would've but you know, the album and everything."

"Yeah. How's that comin' by the way?"

"It's coming. Slowly, but still." He shrugged, not able to think of anything else to say.

"Well, that's good. What song are you working on?

"Stuck."

She smiled. "Sounds good. Will you sing it for me?"

He smiled at her, and cleared his throat. The first note came out shaky, but he grew clearer and less pitchy with every word.

"There are so many things that I never ever get to say.

'Cause I'm always tongue-tied with my words getting in the way.

If you could read my mind, then all you're doubts would be left behind.

And every little thing would be fallin' into place.

And I would scream to the world. They would see you're my girl."

His voice caught a bit, but he cleared it quickly with a single breath. He raised his voice to the chorus, and just let the words fill him up.

"But I just keep getting stuck, stuck. But I'm never giving up, up.

In the middle of a perfect day, I was trippin' over words to say.

"Cause I don't wanna keep you guessing, but I always end up getting stuck, stuck.

But I'm never giving up, up."

He stopped, and looked at her. Her eyes were on his face, as if studying him while he wasn't looking. She smiled at him.

"It's really good."

Logan shrugged. "It'll sound better with all the instruments and the guys singing with me."

"Nope. You don't need any other instruments or voices or anything. You're good."

He laughed. "OK. Then I'm not bad."

"Not at all."

He could feel the sun on his face, and he looked up at it sinking steadily below the Los Angeles skyline.

"Which is better?" he asked, not taking his eyes away. "Sunset or sunrise?"

Her eyes joined his on the horizon. She thought for a moment.

"I think sunrise. Because it's a new day. A new chance. It's always been more beautiful to me."

He pondered. "Yeah I guess you're right. In which case I completely agree."

She laughed. "Smart boy."

He saw her hand swinging at her side. He wanted to hold it, but he knew he should probably wait. He was confused by what he was feeling. He hadn't said anything to her yet, but he felt like he didn't have to. So they walked another three blocks in silence.

"So..." she said finally, shrugging and smiling crookedly. "Are we good and everything? James explained it all?"

His mind unclenched, even as he realized he hadn't noticed it was clenched in the first place. "Yeah," he said. "Say something else Logan. C'mon! Be fearless. Sweep her off her feet."

"Good. And I'm sorry too, by the way. For everything. Just, um, thought you should hear that," she said a little shakily.

Logan nodded. "It's OK."

"Yeah," Camille scoffed. "Logan Mitchell, if you had any sense at all, you would turn around and walk away. And never ever talk to me again."

He blinked. "I thought you just said you were sorry."

"Of course I am, you dumby! But I'm just saying, no matter how much I wish it hadn't happened, it did," she said. "And now, everything is ruined. We can never be the same." She turned her head, but not before he saw her blinking rapidly.

"Camille... That's a little drastic, huh?"

One tear leaked out and splashed off the edge of her nose. "I'm horrible."

He lifted her chin, and they locked eyes. She was sniffing a little, but she wiped away the tears spilling over, and resumed a determined stance.

"Logan, you shouldn't love me. All you were was amazing to me, and I go and do THAT."

"You and James... well, James told me you didn't mean it."

"The kiss?"

Logan gulped. "Yeah."

"I didn't."

"So. What's the problem?"

"You can't just say it's OK. You should yell at me or something."

"It IS OK, Camille. You're sorry, and I'm forgiving you. And I'm not gonna yell."

A deep shudder passed over her. "Just... I can't deal with it. Just don't hate me."

"How could I possibly hate you?"

She looked away. And he knew what he should say. What he wanted to say. Or rather, what he wanted to let her know had been the case all along.

"I love you. I mean, I never stopped. If that's all you're worried about then."

She hiccuped a little, and choked out something Logan could barely register.

"But- but- b-but... I thought we would never be the same! I just wanted you to know I was sorry, I wasn't thinking that you'd say-"

He crashed his lips onto her own. It was the only thing he knew to do. He couldn't have said anything else for the life of him anyway.

Violent mood-swings. But he could deal with it.

He could taste the tears that had fallen down her cheeks, and kissed them all away. He could feel his pain and stress and confusion melting away, and all he was aware of was Camille. He could hear her heart beating inside her, and felt his own beat right along with it. He could smell her shampoo, that may have been cherry, except for the fact that now, it wasn't just plain old cherry. It was laced with something bright that cleared him up and wiped him clean, so that he felt like he'd never felt before.

She broke off, but didn't move away. She just hugged him, in the middle of the sidewalk on that deserted street. Not like he would've pictured it, but he didn't particularly care just then.

They stood there for what may have been a few days, for all the attention to time they were paying. He loosened himself finally, and looked at her. Just looked at her. The sun was directly behind her, and made her look like the angel she was to him. Then he laughed. She looked at him like he had lost his mind.

"Too much for one day? You finally lost it?" she said, smiling even as the words left her lips.

"No, no. Just you. I can't believe it. I just can't. Why would you think I wouldn't love you again? Am I THAT unreasonable?"

"You were just so sad. When I saw your face... I thought you would never forgive me. I was unfaithful. I mean, that's what happens in all the soap operas, anyway..." she mumbled, examining his shirt buttons scrupulously. He chuckled at her choice of words. Unfaithful. That was a word he never would have used. But he slipped his arm around her waist, and pulled her along walking with him, back towards the Palm Woods.

"Camille, life is not a soap opera. Besides, I'd bet my whole life that none of those TV actors were as perfect for each other as we are."

"Aw. See? You are a romantic."

"Sure. But only for you."

"AWWW!"

The sounds of the city mingled with the nearly invisible light of the stars. Invisible to everyone but the two sixteen-year-old's laying on a blanket on the roof, the music from their stereo softly pounding in the background.

"I THINK that's Orion."

"No, that's the Big Dipper."

"Same difference."

"Nope."

"Turn off the super-human genius for a second, would ya?"

Logan chuckled. Then he pointed.

"PLEASE tell me you know what that is."

"Yes, Logan. I KNOW that's the moon."

Thank the Lord for that.

"There's Sirius," he observed.

"I know that one."

"OK. Where's Uranus then?"

"I'm not an idiot, Logan. Uranus is never visible from Earth." He could practically hear her eyes rolling in her head. She moved a bit closer as a breeze drifted between them.

"You're right." He pulled his corner of the blanket around her.

In a few moments, they were quiet. Just like the beginning. They didn't need to talk. Something was buzzing though. Like an annoying fly.

"I can feel you thinking, Camille."

She sighed.

"What's on your mind?"

She fidgeted a little and played with his fingers. "We DID do alright, didn't we Logan?" She sounded so unsure.

He glanced down at her, laying next to him, their fingers laced together, legs intertwined, her head against his shoulder. He couldn't have asked for anything more than what he had right now. He felt so amazing, like he was on top of the world. But he couldn't help but think of all the damage that had been caused. He knew that poor James would take awhile to heal. He knew they didn't have a "clean" record anymore. He knew like heck there would be other problems. And no, sometimes they wouldn't come out as good as this one. But he also knew that he was gonna keep Camille close to him for the rest of his life. He would never let her go. That's what true love is, after all. Loving someone just as much as the very first day, for the whole of forever.

"Yeah. I think we did."

She looked up at him and smiled. "Yeah?"

"Camille, there will be problems. Always. As long as there is evil in this world. But I can tell you, with more truthfulness than I've PROBABLY ever told anyone before, that I love you, and I'll protect you and love you just as much as I do right now till the day I die. And that's a heck of a lot." Man, it felt good to say that. To FINALLY say that.

Her eyes didn't leave his face.

"Awwwww," she whispered. And, cue "the look".

The butterflies, the feeling, the complete and utter euphoria of it all that came with that look... As he kissed her again, he knew he would never get tired it. Any of it. Ever.

Thanks to all who read and reviewed. This was such a great experience, and I really enjoyed writing it. The best part by far though, more than writing it or reading it myself, was seeing how you guys reacted to it, chapter by chapter. Many thanks the world over to you all. :D

Now, one last time, REVIEW!

~Starbucks