SONG: h h t p s : / / y o u t u b e .com/watch?v=ICDTVunkf6I&ob=av2e

Sadness

When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity" ~John F. Kennedy

Alvin Seville

My life at the hospital lasted two months, four days and eleven hours. Not because I was hurt, in fact, I was perfectly intact. Brittany was the one battered on the starch white sheets of the hospital bed for all those months. I know I should feel lucky that Brittany lived at all with what she went through, but it was hard… just hard. Even thinking about the experience makes my heart squeeze. I remember calling Simon after Andrew ran away. My voice was panicked and too quick for the normal mind to comprehend but within minutes I saw headlights flash across the inside of the cabin. I ran out, blood covering my arms and the fancy white shirt I had worn to Darren's party. Simon only stared for a moment, looking at the knife implanted in Brittany's abdomen that I didn't dare to touch. When he didn't react I just placed her in the backseat, draping Jeanette in her bloody sister's body. I wouldn't have done it if I had any other choice. Theodore passed out. I threw the car in drive and sped away with Simon clutching onto the driver seat. I remember calling Dave and telling him the whole story. There was disbelief in his voice when he started talking… he lectured me on drugs at that moment. I hung up on him and called Miss Miller who rushed over with Dave in tow. All three of them, Dave, Miss Miller, and Eleanor, rushed down the sterile hospital hallways together. Dave hung next to Miss Miller while Eleanor rushed ahead of the pack. The look of panic and horror tore me apart when Eleanor saw Jeanette covered in Brittany's blood. The only thing that was uttered on that first day was spoken by Miss Miller herself. "Great balls of fire, this better not be some kind of prank Alvin." I didn't have the heart to respond as she walked to the nearest nurse, receiving the new as she broke into thick tears. I remember kneeling beside her bed after visiting hours that first week with my hands folded and my head bowed. I had nothing to say to her… Every beep of the machine that monitored her heart beat was the only thing that kept hope alive for me.

I remember her waking up one day, just like that. Her eyes opened and for a moment, then, just like that she was throwing things. She threw the vase off of her side table across the room and kicked off her blankets. I was about to touch her when the doctors rushed in and stuck a needle in her arm, sending her back into comatose. The next time Brittany woke up, we were all there. Eleanor was the first to caress her sister's face and tell her how much she loved her. It was a heartwarming moment for everyone in the room. What once was a rivalry between sisters became a reunion of lifelong friends. Brittany didn't say anything in response to her sister's confessions of love. Instead, she nodded her head solemnly and fell back asleep. Things were starting to look up for all eight of us.

Brittany later saw a physiatrist. Not only was Brittany (and the rest us) distressed about the lack of capture of Andrew but she soon found out that she would never be able to have children in her condition. As much as the girl boasted about being famous and living the big life, we all knew that Brittany was planning on becoming a mother one day. It would take a miracle and a half, is what the doctor had told her. She decided that day that her destiny was to be alone forever. Without a family, there wasn't a point. I tried to tell her that I'd always be there for her but she told me to leave.

Then she went home. Miss Miller's insurance company had pulled through on a new house for the four of them. Though it was smaller than the old one, it fit the Miller's vibrant personality and stood out from the rest of the neighborhood. Brittany cried immediately when she entered the quant house whispering the word 'perfect' over and over again as she touched the walls and furniture.

I walk across the street on a rainy autumn morning. Miss Miller's car is parked outside the little house and the lights are on. As usual, the front door is unlocked so I just let myself in. I walk up a short flight of stairs to the attack that houses the girls' bedroom. I can't hear anything from the outside of the door so I let myself in, just like I do every morning. Brittany is dressed all in black as she huddles herself on the window seat. I make enough noise with my footsteps to announce my entrance.

"I don't want to talk today Alvin," she whispers into the collar of her shirt.

"You never do," I mumble, putting my hands in my pockets. "But you can't deny that it helps you. I want you to get better. I want you to smile and enjoy life. He's gone… the man that hurt you isn't here anymore."

"He's standing in my bedroom," she whispers. I'm used to the come backs by now. She always had venom in her voice these days. I nod. "Why don't you just leave me alone?"

"Because I have no one else," I tell her.

"Yes you do. I don't lie to me Alvin. I resent liars," she looks me straight in the eye.

"I have no one else," I say again, walking over to kneel beside the window seat. I touch her cold hands lightly but she retracts quickly. I sigh. "Maybe it's because there's no one else I'd rather spend my life with," I whisper, trying to hold her hand again. She lets me this time, but keeps her icy hand in a tight fist. "We've just got to… got to hold on Brittany," tears start to prick my eyes. "You and me together, just like it was always supposed to be."

"But what if I can't," Brittany says. "I'm going to be alone forever because of all of this…"

"Don't say that," I try to smile hopefully at Brittany. She doesn't look phased by this. Instead she looks out the window and across the street towards my own house. I shake my head, not knowing how to get through to her… then, just like turning the hands on time; I open my mouth and sing.

"Didn't they always say we were the lucky ones?

I guess that we were once, babe, we were once,

Brittany looks at me startled. Tears are leaking out of her crystal blue eyes and down her cheeks as she listens to me. My voice grows a little stronger as she watches me. As she listens to me.

But luck will leave you cuz it is a faithless friend,

And in the end, when life has got you down,

You've got someone here that you can wrap your arms around.

So hold on to me tight,

Hold on to me tonight.

We are stronger here together,

Than we could ever be alone.

So hold on to me,

Don't you ever let me go.

There's a thousand ways for things to fall apart,

But it's no one's fault,

No, it's not my fault.

Maybe all the plans we made might not work out,

But I have no doubt, even though it's hard to see.

I've got faith in us, and I believe in you and me.

So hold on to me tight.

Hold on, I promise it will be alright.

Cuz it's you and me together,

And baby all we've got is time.

So hold on to me,

Hold on to me tonight.

There's so many dreams that we have given up.

Take a look at all we've got,

And with this kind of love,

And what we've got here is enough.

So hold on to me tight.

Hold on, I promise it will be alright.

Cuz we are stronger here together,

Than we could ever be alone.

Just hold on to me,

Don't you ever let me go.

Hold on to me, it's gonna be alright.

Hold on to me tonight.

They always said we were the lucky ones."

"Britt," I sigh, catching my breath after the song. She looks at me, intertwining out fingers as we sit there in the attack. She watches me intently, not making the effort to talk to me. "I hope you know that every word of that is real to me. No matter how cliché it is, I would hold on to you until the day I die and never let anyone hurt you again. I will honor you and cherish every moment that you take me. I just don't want anymore… Sadness."

Brittany looks up at the ceiling for a long moment. Her head leans against the wall as she watches the plaster above her. I gulp, waiting for her reacting. I've never spilled my heart out to anyone like this before. Then, without making a single sound, Brittany sits up, letting her cold feet press against my thighs as I kneel down in front of her. Carefully, and gently she wraps her arms around my shoulders. She's shaking with fear as I hold her cold body close to my warm one. "Do you really promise?"

"Every seconds of the day I'll swear it," I whisper back. She nods against my shoulder. I don't know how long we stay like that, but a new emotion I hadn't felt in a long time takes over my soul. It lifts my chest and makes the corners of my mouth tremble upwards. Finally…

Happiness.

The End

"True love stories never have endings" ~Richard Bach

Credits!

A Special Note to My Reviewers! I'll mention some of you, but you are all amazing and I love you!

*Northgalus2002*

You have no idea how much your reviews made me smile. I love the quotes you put on the end of every review really inspired me and made me laugh as well! Priceless!

*brittany noel seville*

Do you have any idea how many times you made me smile? Or even laugh out loud? Lol… your enthusiasm really kept me going throughout this story and I hope this was as much of a love scene as you wanted! Britt's still a little fragile so I couldn't go too far :)

*Legion262*

I'm pretty sure you only reviewed once, but I have to say, when I got that review it made my day! "Because it's awesome as heck." YAY :D

*The Chipette Protector*

So many questions so little time! I hope I answered all of them!

*Cokuruscana*

I loved your reviews the best *don't tell the others!* But in all seriousness, you had so much insight on this story, in fact, you probably changed a lot of my original ideas! Great to have such an awesome writer and reviewer check out my stuff ^-^

So, that's that little portion. I loved all the reviews that I got on this story and I can't believe I got 89 reviews! :D That's insane! For me anyways…

~I dearly hope you enjoyed this story! Inspired by the passing of a boy at school and blossomed into a tale about love, sadness, and the path to happiness. This has been a pleasure to write, and don't you worry folks, I'm coming back soon! I'm going a little Halloween special soon! Will be creepy and supernatural and… well, you'll find out soon! (F.Y.I Brittany and Alvin's children will be mentioned in this story so I suggest you read my one shot 1985. Not that you HAVE to, but it would certainly help you :) [This happens six years before 1985])

Anyways, hope you enjoyed the end! Have a wonderful night and Halloween! :D