Alright guys, here we are. The final chapter. Thank you so much for your reviews and support. I greatly appreciate it! I'm sorry it's taken me longer to do these last few chapters, I really am. However, this chapter is longest I've written so hopefully that makes up for it. What else? Oh I'm going to be writing a one maybe two shot out so look for that. It's going to be the other idea I had for this story. Thank you guys for sticking with me through this. I hope the ending makes you happy! Okay so for the last time, Enjoy!

It was the night of the senior graduation. Clare was sitting between Alli and Adam. After her fight with Eli, things went back to where Alli and Adam had to choose who to hang out with. Clare refused to listen to anything about Eli. It hurt her too much. She was still going strong with Sam. He was going to go to a college about an hour away, but he would be home on weekends and breaks. She looked up when Fitz's name was called. He had finally graduated, which meant he wouldn't bother them anymore. As she thought about this, she realized that he and Eli hadn't fought in months. How had she not noticed before? Her thoughts were interrupted when Eli's name was called out. They all cheered. Clare even started to tear up. She didn't know that it was going to be this hard. Finally Sam's name was called. They all cheered again, and her tears started falling harder. She cheered with Adam for Drew while Alli just stared at her shoes.

The ceremony was over, and the new graduates were making their way around the auditorium to their friends and families. Clare couldn't find Sam, but she saw Eli's parents. She walked over to them and was instantly embraced by a crying CeCe.

"Clare, wasn't it just so beautiful?" She looked over at Bullfrog. "Our baby boy is growing up. Soon he's going to head to the US for college. I'm so proud, although I would be just as proud and happier if he stayed in Toronto." Clare's eyes widened.

"What do you mean? He said he didn't apply to any colleges in the states?" CeCe looked confused.

"You mean he didn't tell you?" Clare shook her head. "Apparently that English teacher of yours sent in an application for Eli at some great writing school. He got a full scholarship and everything. They even have a summer course that he's going to take. He leaves tomorrow." Clare's mouth fell open. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned around. It was Sam. She quickly put on a smile and hugged him. She turned back to Eli's parents.

"I have to go now, but will you tell Eli I said congratulations for everything, please?"

"Sure sweetie." Clare then started walking with Sam to his family. She felt the tears come once again. Eli was leaving.

"What's wrong Clare?" She looked up into Sam's face and forced a smile.

"Nothing I'm just so happy for you." She lied.

A couple of hours later they were at some random graduate's house for the annual after grad party. Adam and Alli were there to keep Clare company. As soon as Sam went to get them some water, Clare turned to them.

"Why didn't you guys tell me that Eli was leaving?" They both looked shocked and confused.

"And risk you biting our heads off for mentioning him?"

"Face it Clare, you didn't want to hear anything about him."

"But this is different! He's leaving the country tomorrow. I'm can't let him leave like this."

"Why not? You didn't care how he was before." Alli hit Adam on his arm. "What? She broke his heart, and we've had to deal with it."

"She hasn't exactly been all peaches and cream either you know!"

"No but she chose another guy. How would you feel if your soul mate chose someone else?" They continued going back and forth. Clare stopped listening to them and paid attention to her heart. It was screaming at her to find Eli. She knew as soon as she heard that he was leaving that she couldn't let him do that. She couldn't let him leave her. She could say it was because of their past and that he even said he wanted to stay close to home. But she knew she'd be lying. She knew she loved him more than anything, she always had. Clare shook her head. She couldn't think with them bickering.

"Guys stop it. Is Eli here?" They stopped and looked at her.

"No he said he had a lot of packing to do." She barely waited for Alli to finish that sentence before she was running through the crowd. She had her hand on the door knob when her name was called. She turned around to see Sam. He walked over to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Sam, will you come outside with me please?" She needed to do this, but she couldn't do it in such a public place. He nodded and followed her out the door. They walked to the street and sat on the curb. He looked nervously over at her.

"Clare, please tell me what's going on?"

"I don't know how to say this without hurting you. I…I have to break up with you." She watched as the pain slowly formed on his face. "I was happy with you, I really was, but I…I still love Eli. I know that it was wrong of me to be with you when I loved someone else, but I really did love you-"

"Just not as much as him." She slowly nodded. She felt terrible for hurting him like this, but she had to. It was for the best.

"We're just not meant to be Sam. You will find someone who is perfect for you, and you'll be happy. But she's not me. I'm sorry for putting you through this." He nodded his head. He looked so hurt. He stood up.

"Me too." He walked away from her and back into the house. She wanted to cry, but she didn't have time. She needed to find Eli and tell him everything. She started running down the street. She realized that she was only a few blocks away from his house. She ran until her legs felt like they would give out from under her. She looked up and saw his street sign. She walked over to his door and knocked loudly. Bullfrog answered.

"Hey Clare, come in." He moved aside so she could walk in. She walked into the living room to find CeCe on the couch.

"Clare? What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Eli."

"Sweetie he's not here. He left about half an hour ago saying he needed to get out for awhile. He didn't tell me where he went. Is something wrong?"

"No nothing's wrong. I just need to tell him something." Bullfrog gave her a knowing smirk.

"You still love him, don't you?" Clare looked up at him with her eyebrows pulled together.

"How did you know? Is it like a father thing?" She remembered how her own father had known that she still had feelings for him months ago.

"He still loves you, and what girl could resist a Goldsworthy?" CeCe rolled her eyes while Clare giggled. You could definitely tell Eli was Bullfrog's son.

"What he means is that you guys had something special."

"Do you know when he'll be back?"

"No he didn't say anything besides needing to leave." Clare thought about where he could be. Suddenly it hit her.

"I know where he is. CeCe can you please give me a ride?"

"Sure thing." Not two minutes later they were getting in the car. Clare told her where to go. Fifteen minutes later they pulled up in front of Missy's diner. Clare thanked CeCe and got out. She walked inside and looked around. She saw him. He was sitting with his back to her. He was playing with his cheeseburger and fries. She walked closer and noticed that he hadn't taken a bite. She was standing beside the table before she said anything.

"You know Earl's going to be mad if you waste that." He looked up at her in shock. "He made that especially for you so you better eat it." She sat down across from him.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came to see you. I didn't get a chance to see you at graduation, and you weren't at the party."

"I'm not the party type. Of course neither are you. So why aren't you with Sam?" His eyebrows were pulled together as he stared into her eyes. She stared right back but avoided his question.

"So the states huh? I thought you said you didn't want to leave the people you loved."

"Yeah well things change, such as the person you love most stops talking to you."

"Eli you can't leave because of me."

"Well I'd rather not stay here with the way things are. We're driving Alli and Adam crazy. This is easier for all of us if I just leave. Besides it's a really good school."

"If you want to leave then leave for the right reasons, but not because you think I don't care about you."

"But you don't. You made that clear. So again I ask why aren't you with Sam? This is just as much of a big day for him as it is for me." She looked down into her lap and blushed. Eli hadn't seen her blush in months. It almost drove him crazy. The sooner he left, the sooner he could try to live again. He couldn't call what he'd been doing without her living. She suddenly found some form of strength and looked up to meet his eyes.

"I broke up with him." Eli just blinked at her. He sat back in his seat and looked away.

"Why would you do that?"

"He wasn't you." He looked back to her face. She could see the hope building in his eyes. "I love you Eli. I always have. No matter how hard I tried to stay away from you, you were always in my thoughts, my dreams, my heart. I haven't slept well without you in my arms. I missed you every moment, but I couldn't bring myself to give in. I couldn't watch you get hurt. It killed me. But today I realized that you changed one of the two things that stopped us from being together. You stopped fighting Fitz. If you could do that, then I could give up Sam. I loved him, but it never compared to you. I have never and will never love anyone as much as I love you Eli Goldsworthy." They sat in silence. Eli couldn't believe this was actually happening. He shook his head to clear his thoughts. This was real. Clare saw him shake his head and assumed the worst. She stood up and started walking towards the door. She was almost to it when she felt that familiar grip on her elbow. She turned back to face him. He moved his hand from her elbow to her waste while the other caressed her cheek. He crashed his lips onto hers. Her arms went around his neck with one hand lost in his hair. He pulled away, panting.

"I love you too Clare Edwards. I love you so much it hurts sometimes. Please don't ever leave me again." She smiled.

"Never." She kissed him again.

The next day they were sitting at a booth in the Dot. Alli and Adam sat across from them. All of them were smiling like fools. Alli decided to break their silence.

"So this means you're staying in Toronto?"

"Yes. I could never leave. Not now." Eli smiled down at Clare before he gently kissed her. He couldn't believe that he could do that again. They continued to eat and chat when the bell on the door rang. Clare looked up and saw Sam walk in. She excused herself from her boyfriend and friends and walked up to him.

"Hi Sam." He continued to stare at his phone.

"Hi Clare." He hadn't looked at her yet.

"Look I just wanted to say I'm sorry for how things ended. I just didn't want to lie to you anymore." He quietly laughed at a text he had gotten. He replied then looked up to meet her eyes.

"Clare, I'm not going to lie. It hurts. I really loved you, but you were right. We're not meant to be. After I went back inside I met this amazing girl. She cheered me up, and we ended up talking for hours. It's going to take a little time for the pain to go away, but I think when it does, I want to give her a try." He gave her a small smile.

"That's really good Sam. Well I guess I should get back to my table. I'll see you around."

"Yeah. Bye Clare."

"Bye Sam." She walked back to her friends and love of her life. Everything was perfect and would remain so. Eli and Clare got married and had two children. After becoming an "actual" boy, Adam proposed to Alli. Apparently they had been secretly dating all those years. What could they say? We are who we are.