Shortest chapter yet, more of a wrap-up. Thanks to all who read and reviewed this story. To theultimatesora, thanks for being here from the beginning and toughing it out to the end!

Chapter five: Time heals all?

Sometimes, there just are no words to make it better.

DA sat on her roof. She fiddled with the hood in her hands. So this was it. She had done it. Doctor Sanders. Doctor Dorothy Anne Sanders. Ph.D in Astronomy and Astro-Physics.

It was strange to think that she would be leaving here soon. This apartment had been her home for almost five years. But now that she had been hooded, she was probably going to have to move. She hoped her next home had a roof as great as this one. From here, you could see out over the harbor. And on clear nights, the view of the sky was unparalleled. Tonight could not have been clearer. And tonight, for the first time in 9,000 years, Jupiter and Mars were going to line up in the sky, both of them close enough to be seen with the naked eye.

It was fitting.

There was a tiny bubble of happiness that had been swelling in DA's chest since the graduation ceremony earlier that day. It had started when she'd seen her parents and sister sitting in the second row, beaming proudly at her. Seeing Carlos and Tim cheer from the fifth row when she'd been announced had given the bubble lift-off. Realizing the others of the Frizzle gang were cheering right along with them had sent it shooting right up to her throat.

It had punctured when it fell on Wanda's empty chair.

The tears started to fall again as she thought back to why Wanda had not been at the ceremony. What had happened the night barely one month ago when Wanda had left…

DA knew what she was doing was stupid. But it was the only thing she could do at this moment. It was the only thing that would let her look herself in the mirror every morning. Carlos and Phoebe were right: she needed to do what would make her happy. She just hoped that this was it.

She ran through Newark airport, her shoes and jacket still dangling from her left hand. The woman at the security gate had wasted so much time with questions; Wanda's flight was leaving in ten minutes.

DA darted between a couple leading their brightly-colored kids and a college student dragging a large suitcase, her eyes desperately searching for Gate 22.

She could not miss this flight.

If Wanda left like this…

DA did a double-take as she ran right past a large number 22 on the wall. She skidded to a halt, slipping in her socks and went back the way she came. There was a large group gathered at the gate, a good number of them in identical Air Force uniforms. DA frantically scanned the faces.

"… Wanda…" There she was, sitting alone, her head down, her cap across her knees, looking at her hands. DA felt her heart jump.

But just as she spotted her, a flush of people emerged from Gate 24 and flowed past her, blocking her way. Wanda stood up, collecting her bag and making her way towards the departure gate.

"Wanda!" DA cried desperately as Wanda drifted in and out of view among the press of bodies obscuring her vision. "Wanda!"

It felt like a nightmare. Wanda was getting further and further away.

"Wanda!" She cried again, jumping up and down and waving her shoes. She didn't care that people were watching, she didn't care if this was a security threat. She had to get Wanda's attention.

"WANDA!"

The uniformed Asian turned around, her brow furrowed as she looked around. But she did not see who called her. DA dropped and ran forward, knowing full well that, even though it risked being trampled, it was her only way to get to Wanda in time. A few bashed elbows and handbags to the face later, she stood in front of Wanda panting hard and minus one shoe.

"What are you doing here?" If Wanda was fazed at all by DA's harried appearance, she did not show it. She dropped her bag at her feet.

DA took a deep breath and brushed a stray strand of hair from her face. "I couldn't let you leave, not like this."

Wanda held herself stiffly, her arms wrapped protectively around herself. "Who told you?"

DA straightened up. "Not important. But why wasn't it you?"
She saw Wanda's jaw clench. "You didn't tell me…"

"Stop it Wanda." DA interrupted sternly. "Look," She began a little more gently. "I know it was unfair and that that was the worst possible way for you to find out but you have to believe me when I say I didn't keep it from you out of spite." Wanda was still looking at her with those icy eyes. DA looked away. "I… I was afraid that I'd lose you if you knew. I was afraid of losing everyone." Wanda was silent. DA's heart fell. "You hate me, I know."

"I don't hate you."

She looked up in surprise. The look on Wanda's face had softened considerably but her expression was still guarded. "Then why did you storm out," DA asked, wanting to reach out and rub Wanda's shoulder until her arms came unfolded. "why didn't you just let me explain?"

"I didn't want to hear any explanation." Wanda said defensively.

"Well I think you deserve one."

Wanda suddenly tensed up. "Don't you think I deserved to know from the start?" She yelled. "I mean, all those times I dumped my problems on you, you never once thought you could do the same to me? Why didn't you talk to me about it? Don't you think I wanted to know?"

DA took a half step back. "Why would you want to know?" Wanda's eyes were glistening with unshed tears. She had unfolded her arms but now had her fists clenched by her side. "And why would you leave without saying goodbye?" DA continued. "Did you honestly not think it would hurt me? You're my best friend, I don't want you to go."

Wanda looked away again. "I… I just couldn't stand the thought of you like that." She confessed.

"Like what?" DA asked gently, to hide her indignation. "Gay?"

"No!" Wanda twisted the sleeve of her uniform. "You with her. Like that. I don't mean…! I… I couldn't handle it."

DA felt her lower lip tremble and she bit it to hide the action. "Wanda, this isn't going to change anything!" She said, feeling like she was trying to convince both of them. "Please don't say that it will! I'm still the same person! Yes, I like girls but I'm still your best friend, I still love you!"

"Did it ever occur to you that I love you too?" Wanda blurted out.

The world seemed to freeze. And finally, DA's gifted mind put it all together.

Wanda took a shaky breath. "I didn't break up with Arnold because of the problems we were having. That was part of it but it wasn't the whole reason." She regarded DA defensively but there was an undercurrent of fear there. A fear DA knew all too well. "I broke up with him because… because I was confused about how I feel about you. And… and then I saw you kissing Janet and something inside me just… broke…" DA's eyes dropped briefly but came right back to Wanda's. "And in that moment…" Wanda continued. "I… I knew that I'd never be happy with just being friends again. I knew that I wanted you to be mine."

DA said nothing.

Wanda wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I'm sorry… I… that was stupid of me. I know that it's just because we were so close and now you told me about you but you're with… Janet. So we can't… Just… just forget it." She leaned over and picked up her pack, avoiding looking at DA.

DA was calm. Very calm. Her heart wasn't racing, her breath wasn't making her dizzy.

"There isn't anybody else Wanda." Wanda looked up as the words left DA's mouth.

DA took a step closer, placing a gentle hand on Wanda's arm. She felt as if she could say something right there to fill the silence, break the anticipation. Something straight out of those romantic comedies she hated so much. Something heart-felt, simplistic yet deep and adorable and entirely too cliché.

But she didn't say anything.

And for once in her life, Wanda was speechless.

DA leaned forward and pressed her lips against Wanda's in a chaste kiss. They held it for a second, then DA slowly pulled back. A warm, pleasant feeling was creeping slowly up and down her spine. Wanda took a deep, shuddering breath and opened her eyes.

"Come with me." She said to DA.

They stared into each others eyes. The offer was tempting: the two of them, building a life together, far away from the places they knew, the people whose judgment they feared.

DA smiled and shook her head.

The final call for the flight was made and the other uniformed passengers made their way towards the gate. The crowd swept a still incoherent Wanda away. DA took a step back and watched until Wanda vanished into the gate.

They both needed a fresh start, their own time to figure out who they were now that they had taken this step. And while being together might have made it easier for both of them, it also would have made it harder to determine exactly who each of them was as an individual. DA knew that, though she loved Wanda, it was time she learned how to be herself.

As the plane boarded, Wanda could not help thinking that this was a mistake, leaving so soon after this realization. As the flight attendants demonstrated safety procedures, she turned to the window and stared out of it back towards the glass windows of the terminal.

Dimly, she could make out DA's form standing at the window, watching the plane. The sight made her bitterly happy. Bitter that she was leaving, happy that she was not losing her. All the same though, even though this decision to join the Air Force was helping her make two of her dreams come true, she couldn't help the desire rising within her to scream 'Fuck it all!' and run off the plane into DA's arms. She gripped her armrest hard. What should she do?

As Wanda sat there, in turmoil, wondering if she should give up this chance, DA simply held out her hand and pressed it against the glass, her fingers spread wide. Although she knew DA couldn't see her, Wanda pressed her palm against the window of the plane as it taxied away from its stand and headed for the runway to take her to her new life. As the jet took to the sky, she sat back with a smile on her face.

Sitting on the rooftop, DA tossed the hood up and into the wind and looked upward with a smile. It was time for a new kind of adventure.

Far to the West and 54.6 million kilometers away, Mars was rising. 555 million kilometers from it, Jupiter glowed.

It would take them two months and many, many hours of coordination between their schedules but gradually, their visits filled with kisses and hand-holding led to visits of touches and hugs and finally led to something deeper, something more carnal that they both craved forevermore.

As they lay in DA's hotel bed together after that first time, DA lazily drawing patterns on Wanda's stomach with her fingers, Wanda finally said what she'd been thinking since that first kiss.

"I haven't told anyone."

DA's fingers stopped tracing. She looked up at Wanda and smiled.

"Thank you." With a contented sigh, DA lay her head on Wanda's shoulder. Their perfectly matched fingers twined together.

No more words were said that night but the new lovers had made a silent agreement. And as they drifted off to sleep in each others arms, knowing that one day they'd have to face their fears, they also knew that when that time came, neither one of them would be alone.

If you enjoyed this story and have not already, please check out my other Frizzle gang story The Culmination. Be on the look-out for a longer Frizzle gang story or a couple of one shots! Can't promise anything but I have a couple of ideas for other stories around this plot line.