South Park © Matt & Trey

And we're all finished. Yey. Thanks to everyone who gave me kind reviews!
If you like K2 check out my new fic Liar Liar ~ c:

The rest of the school year went by without a hitch. It's summer now and it's once again quiet. No more fights and the temporary insanity has been brushed to the side. No more secrets. Everything is out in the open now. Who is dating who, who fought who, who fucked who. When the talk died down and the rumors simmered, everything went back to normal fairly quickly. Craig watched it happen from afar. Tweek's parents are still free to put drugs in their coffee, making it more addicting than your average cup of java. Cartman is still free to run his fat mouth, making others feel like shit in an attempt to make himself feel better. Kyle is still free to act as pretentious as he can. Stan is still free to whine, whine, whine. Clyde is still free to moon over Bebe, who actually returns much of the sentiment these days. Jason is still free to be the scum of the earth. Kenny is still free to fuck around with strangers, though it's clear he's been trying hard not to.

Sometimes there's justice. Sometimes there isn't. Sometimes the world delivers it. Sometimes you need to deliver your own. Craig always understood that. That's why he did what he did. He can't say he regrets it.

Nonetheless, it's done. It's been done for a long time. There's no more going back. From here on, he'll try and move forward. Because that's just it. In life, you're always moving forward. Never backwards.

Today it's the Fourth of July and everyone is getting ready to see the fireworks. It's early in the evening and Craig is standing in his room, eying himself in the mirror. Each cut, bruise and burn. Each scar. He touches them all. He doesn't feel as bad anymore. Perhaps it's the closure or perhaps it comes with letting go. Either way, he feels content. It doesn't hurt as bad as it used to.

He puts on blue jeans and a red t-shirt, refusing to let the scars and cuts sway the way he dresses. It doesn't matter anymore.

Unlike the rest of the kids in town, he won't be going back to school in the fall (even though they said he could). Instead, he got a job. He is now working as a cashier at Wal-Mart and, as much as it sucks, he doesn't complain. Out of all the boring days he's been having lately, there are still some good ones. That makes everything worth it in the end.

If someone was to ask Craig's friends, they would all agree he is kinder these days, gentler even. He smiles and laughs and sometimes he even jokes, though they're few and far between. He's not as angry and when Tweek is near, he doesn't feel as lonely. He lets in the good and no longer dwells on the bad. He can breathe easy. That's what it's all about.

After slipping on his sneakers, Craig leaves home and walks down the main road. The sun is scorching – one of South Park's rarities, even in the summer. Craig arrives at the festival and makes his way through groups of people – Kids with cameras, cotton candy and popcorn, some are familiar faces and some are strangers. A local band plays live music on stage and the sound can be heard all throughout the little town. Craig swerves through the crowd, looking for a certain blond. When he spots him – looking lost as ever – he calls his name and waves him over.

"Tweek!"

And the shaky blond hurries to Craig's side, latching onto his arm as they continue to wade through the horde.

There are many more familiar faces. Some of them stare – but he doesn't let it bother him. He doesn't let them bring him down. He sees Kenny clinging to Cartman, while Stan and Kyle hold hands. When they spot Craig, they all react but in different ways. Kyle offers a tentative smile along with Kenny. Stan averts his eyes and Cartman... "What the fuck?" His eyes bugger out of his head at the sight of Craig Tucker in a t-shirt, scars exposed.

"Don't say a fucking word," Kyle warns him tersely, eliciting nods of agreement from Stan and Kenny.

Craig wrinkles his nose. He could shout. He could call them out and remind them, "Next time I'll load the gun." But he doesn't. Instead, he ignores them. He walks hand in hand with Tweek and they find a good spot on the grassy knoll.

Truth is, no one has been causing him any trouble these days. Cartman hasn't taunted him. Stan hasn't thrown a punch. He likes it like this. Nice and boring. Nice and easy. Nice and quiet.

"Excited?" he asks Tweek as they near the top.

The blond nods, smiling shakily. "I love this time of year. I love the weather the most… but the fact that there's no class is also nice."

"That means we get to spend more time together," Craig points out, offering the smallest of smiles.

"Exactly," Tweek says, returning the smile with one of his own.

Soon, their friends join them – Clyde with Bebe and Token with Nichole. None of them stare at Craig's arms or give him piteous glances. Instead, they all just smile, knowing how much it means for him to be this far out of his shell. This time, he won't be going back in. At least, he'll try not to. At the end of the day, all one can do is try.

As the sky darkens, the music dies down and the fireworks start.

"Look at them," Tweek murmurs in awe.

They soar through the air, lighting up the night. Up, up and away.

Fin.