Author's note: Okaaaaay, firstly, this is the final chapter of this particular fanfic. I am so sorry it took this long to finish, I wasn't even going to end it, because I didn't want to meet this finality, but I thought because of all the support and love you guys have given me that it was my right to finish it off. So, here it is after almost 11 months of waiting, the final chapter. Thank you for sticking with this story for so long, your reviews kept me going when I was writing, and this doesn't have to be the end. I can always write a sequel! (But maybe a bit later!) Thank you all so so so much, and I hope this ending doesn't disappoint you. It was hard for me to write, but I owe you all an ending, so here it is. Lots and lots of love, hugs and butterfly kisses, your Charlie xx

Chapter 29: It's not the end. Not really.

Lauren was slowly dipping in and out of consciousness as Julia drove as close behind the bus as she could. 'Jules, she's getting worse.' Brian said worriedly, feeling Lauren's forehead.

Lauren herself felt like a balloon. She could feel how puffy her eyes had become and rather than worrying about her safety, she worried about how goddamn awful she looked, did Brian really have to see her looking like Quasimodo?!

'JULIA!' Brian yelled as Lauren's eyes closed and she went limp in his arms. Within a second Julia had swung to the right, following a signpost leading to the hospital.

'Text Dare.' She said quickly, driving as fast as she could under the limit. It seemed to take an eternity to reach the hospital drive. Upon arrival, Julia ran out and came back with a paramedic and a hospital bed, which Lauren was lowered onto and whisked away on.

Julia and Brian shared a quick glance, and ran after the retreating medic. It seemed like the tests and examinations took forever. When the doctors realised that it was an allergy and not a virus things started to speed up. Lauren's swelling began to subside and slowly she regained consciousness.

She awoke to Brian stroking her forehead and Julia holding her hand. 'Hello gorgeous.' Brian smiled.

'Why bonjour.' Lauren croaked, looking around the room. 'Why am I at the dentist?'

Brian laughed, 'you're not Lo. You're in hospital. You were in anaphylactic shock, we only just got you here in time.'

'Ah. That's exciting. And I presume that's why I feel like I've been trampled on by a herd of elephants?'

'Yes, I would assume so.' Brian said, kissing her forehead and helping her sit up.

'GOOD GOLLY LOOK AT THE TIME!' Lauren suddenly yelled, causing Brian and Julia to practically have a heart attack. 'WE'RE GOING TO MISS THE FLIGHT IF WE DON'T LEAVE IMMEDIATELY!'

'Lo, we need to make sure you're oka-'

'NO TIME!' Cried Lauren, leaping (well, stumbling) out of bed and attempting unsuccessfully to dress herself. Julia insisted on asking a doctor while Brian dressed Lauren and helped pick up her belongings.

10 minutes later, they were back on the road and speeding towards the airport as fast as possible, nearly killing 5 pedestrians and running 2 red lights.

Meanwhile at the check-in gate the other StarKids were squabbling as usual about tickets and seating and who-ate-whose-lunch (Joe Walker had eaten almost everyone's.) They heard their flight announced, and were to make their way to the boarding lounge. Darren's heart sank as he looked around at the entrance, and then to all his friends.

'We better go.' Tyler said, picking up his suitcase as well as Lauren's, which he was looking after. Slowly the group moved towards the boarding lounge, all looking hopefully over their shoulder's at regular intervals.

The wait to board the plane went far too quickly for Jaime. She was just hoping that her best friends would make the flight, but as time went on she lost more hope with every second. All the other StarKids were fidgety and restless. Joey and Meredith looked agitated, the Joe's were walking around, occasionally bumping into things or people and apologising, whether the thing was inanimate or not.

Darren was texting Julia, to no avail. Jaime was trying to read, as was Tyler, but neither could concentrate. Nick and Matt were playing cards, both willing the missing trio to turn up soon.

Their flight was called for boarding. Slowly, dragging out the inevitable, the group moved towards the door and walked out into the now glaring sunshine in the direction of the plane.

'Julia we're never going to make it.' Brian said desperately, looking at his watch and then craning around to look for the airport. Julia was thinking this too, but they had to at least try.

'WE'RE HERE!' Julia yelled, jumping out of the car, throwing the keys at the rent-a-car man who seemed pretty startled to say the least, and running towards the check-in desk. Brian followed, half pulling and half carrying Lauren whose gusto seemed somewhat depleted from earlier.

As Brian, Lauren and Julia checked in and ran towards the gate, the other StarKids had settled in their seats, none of them mentioning the 3 spaces that should be filled. The engines started and the plane began to taxi towards the runway.

Julia, Lauren and Brian were running full pelt, accompanied by a security guard, towards the retreating plane.

Joe, sitting by the window and gazing absent-mindedly out caught sight of the trio tearing towards them. 'THEY'RE HERE!' he screamed, gesturing wildly out the window.

Pandemonium broke out among the StarKids, all screaming for the plane to wait, and for once, luck was on their side. The plane came to a stop, and a second later Lauren's head poked around the door, followed instantly by Brian and Julia, all of whom looked exhausted.

'Nice of you to drop in.' Tyler said with a grin. Jaime had pulled Lauren into a tight hug, and moved over to make room for her and Brian. Julia took her seat next to Darren, and when everyone was seated (Darren had made an apology to the passengers which pretty quickly straightened things out) the plane took off, leaving the heat and stress of Florida behind.

Brian looked at Lauren, and saw that she was crying silently. 'Does it hurt Lo-lo?' he asked, worriedly.

'No,' she sniffed, 'but I don't want to leave. I don't want things to go back to how they were.'

'They won't.' Brian said, grasping her hands and pulling her close. 'I promise.'

'How?' She said, staring at him with teardrops caught in her eyelashes. Brian couldn't imagine ever finding anyone more beautiful than her at this moment.

'Because this time you've got me.'

The friends all settled down for the flight, chatting, reliving memories and laughing. Meredith and Joey were cuddled up napping, Julia and Darren were playing travel-scrabble and laughing to themselves. Finally they were all together and safe. It had been an eventful week, and not always a good one, but they had spent the time together, and had memories that would last a life time.

Their holiday, like everything, had to end. But for everyone, it was the start of a new beginning.