Hey guys, so here's the final post-story part of '7 Minutes' where hopefully I'll answer most of your questions.

First up is 'why didn't you include a sex scene/lemon?' Well, the answer to this one is pretty simple. I started writing a sex scene but I wrote it in a way that described having sex with someone you were attracted to, not in love with. So it might have been appropriate for Quinn and Rachel in very early chapters but not at all for the end of the story. The only way I would have been able to write a sex scene with someone you love would be to take myself there mentally and try to feel the emotions I needed to write. This would have been an incredibly stupid and dangerous thing for me to do so I just couldn't, I'm sorry. But hey, fanfic has a lot of good smut, go read some of that!

Secondly, 'will you write a sequel?' The answer to this one is also no. This story is very much about a certain person in particular so writing more, especially in terms of the 'happily ever after' stage would be pointlessly painful and a huge loss of progress. I can tell you now, as the writer of '7 Minutes', that Rachel and Quinn lived the rest of their lives together madly in love, engaging in frequent hot sex. There were Fababies and Rachel ended up on Broadway. There you go, lol, no sequel required.

Thirdly, 'will you write other stories?'...this one I'm not sure about. Normally I prefer reading fanfics to writing them (before '7 Minutes I never imagined I'd actually write one). I'm quite terrible at prose and do prefer poetry but being said, you never know and if I get an idea stuck in my head, or rather one I need to get one out, a story may just pop up. I won't however be writing anything nearly as big as '7 Minutes' again.

Whiteblossem, I'm interested in social psychology in general; body language, social behaviours, learnt behaviours, norms etc etc but in particular gender differences, sexuality and relationships. I'm quite sure I'll end up being a psychologist of the counselling (not clinical) nature at some point, possibly specialising in relationship counselling or maybe even a sex therapist.

On another note, CrazyHedgehog has offered to translate '7 Minutes' into Russian! If you speak Russian, um, know someone who does or...want to see the story in Russian for some reason...here's the profile link so watch this space; fanfiction .net/u/3058171/CrazyHedgehog

I'd also like to take this chapter as an opportunity to thank my top ten reviewers. I could constantly count on these people to give me their opinion and feedback through most of the story, so thank you Sarah Lestrange, FaberryOTP, Harley Quinn Davidson, SerenityNite, Riverkirby, SuperGleek18, Cassicio, Jess733, LivinginBedlam and Momo0424. But to all of you who have read my story and laughed, cried, become excited, anxious, angry or any other emotion, I want to thank you as sincerely as I can for going through a very difficult year with me. I'm still overwhelmed by the feedback and support '7 Minutes' has received and have been truly touched on more than one occasion by all the wonderful reviews you've sent. To hear that something I've written has driven you to feel is the highest compliment a writer can receive, so thank you.

Finally, for those who are interested in what happened in my life to inspire '7 Minutes' and how closely it relates to the fanfic, here's the story behind the fanfic;

When I was 13 I met a girl. She sat opposite me in art class and said something honest and funny and charming the first time I noticed her. I had the strangest feeling, one that I've never had before. Now remember I was 13 at this point so I wasn't bisexual or thinking sexually at all really. The feeling I had was indescribable at best, but all I knew and thought was 'she's going to be important in my life...yeah, she's going to change my life'.

After that we had basically no classes in common until I was 16 so she disappeared from my life for awhile. Then in my last two years of high school she was in my English class, and now that I think about it, she sat opposite me in this one too. Throughout high school we barely had any contact, different social circles etc but by this point I just thought we'd make really good friends and seemed to have a lot in common.

At 17 I fully realised I was bisexual, hooray! and that I actually found this girl ridiculously attractive, but still in a pretty superficial way. Still, that did make English my favourite class by far and much more enjoyable. Later that year I found out she was going to the same University/college as I was and furthermore, doing the same degree. Weird.

First year of Uni, we were politely social with one another but as it were a small group of kids from our year did psychology so pre-existing friendships just solidified and ours didn't. By this stage I was quite happy that several other people we both knew were doing psychology because I was beginning to get the terrible feeling that although basic attraction now, if I actually got to know this girl I could fall for her. And that would end very badly for me.

Second year of Uni. I fell. I fell hard. Because God hates me (lol, not really), every single other kid we knew doing psychology changed degrees and it was just her and I left. We became friends. I became screwed. The onslaught of writing began and decisions had to be made. Now I'd never fallen for anyone before this or even had feelings other than sexual so this was all very new. Seeing as how we only really had each other in the degree, I didn't want to go with my natural reaction and just tell her, take that risk and deal with the consequences because it wasn't just about me anymore. That decision would have affected her too and that was something I could risk when I still thought the 'feelings' might fade and the whole ordeal would be for nothing.

So I waited.

I waited and by the middle of second year I knew I couldn't wait much longer because being her friend meant I was privy to conversations about boys she liked, boys she had hooked up with, details that made me want to scream and cry and punch very big holes in very hard walls. But I listened to these stories with a poker face and slow forming hole in my gut because I was her friend. Anyway, by the middle of second year it was beginning to destroy me, I even bombed my midterm and nearly failed several classes. This far into Uni I noticed she had made several good friendships within our degree and knew that if I told her, and it went bad and I had to fade out of her life, then she'd be ok. So that's what I decided to do at the end of the year.

End of second year...think chapter 34 but worse, quite a bit worse, actually. That's not a memory I'm too keen to relive but suffice to say she didn't reciprocate and I felt obliterated.

The beginning of third year, this year, everything was painfully ignored and 'back to normal'. I realised being at all close to her was possibly the most masochistic thing I've ever done in my life and slowly began to spend less time with her. I actually made a new friend or two (and I hate people, mind) and acted however she wanted me to. Being said I never really told her the extent of my...'feelings' because I didn't want her to feel awkward, or guilty, or freaked out or any other negative emotion.

Halfway through third year I discovered I could in fact take time off from my degree and God threw me a little life jacket. So I took time off Uni from July this year and that brings us to this moment right now. Now the life fading is complete and I don't see or hear from her. Every couple of months or so I can't help but check her Facebook to make sure she's okay; that she keeping busy, has good friends around her and she's happy. It's excruciating and exhausting but gives me peace of mind.

So! As you can see '7 Minutes' plot wise doesn't really reflect my life at all but I needed something to channel and process my emotions through and you guys had the misfortune of reading it, lol. The day I HAD to post the last chapter on was exactly one year after said girl broke my heart and so finishing her story on that day seemed fitting.

Finally, to the girl whose story this actually is, the girl who'll never read this...I loved you for three years and mourned you for one. I'll quietly continue to do so and you'll always have a place in my heart, but I'm reclaiming it. I know I'll have days where I'll be so strongly reminded of you it will feel like October 27th, 2010 all over again, but most days, I keep you tucked away in a deep and private part of me, sacred but away from the world as I try to get back in it and live. There's a piece of me you'll always have and a story, hundreds of poems, songs and drabbles inspired by you. Words aren't enough to thank you for what you've given me and let me learn. I want only good things for you and hope one day you find someone who deserves you and who's as in love with you as you are with them.

Goodbye, E.A.M.