The Year We Had (MCYT AU)

Alternate Ending

This is the non canonical ending to The Year We Had.
If book two is not right for you, this chapter will give you closure and a more fitting conclusion. It carries on right after chapter 57 :) Enjoy!

The final week of classes at Montville flew by almost too quickly.

Study hall became less about doing school work and more about playing games with pens, exchanging silent messages with friends and smiling sheepishly at the teachers, who would just roll their eyes and smile back. Meal times were more about the time spent and less about the food that was eaten. Everything was coming to a close, and time was precious. Friends were important.

Tommy attended his final lacrosse game, and he didn't mind that they lost. They did it as a team. They ran their best game, and the people that mattered were still proud. The coach told them that they'd all done a fantastic job, and Tommy felt that he was right. He was proud, because he'd achieved something.

Techno and Dream tied for top place in most of their classes. It was almost laughable when their final reports came out, almost a mirror image of one another. Sapnap and George had expected a fight to break out, but the two boys had simply laughed about it and returned to their game of pool, their banter unbroken.

Wilbur and Sally spent almost every day of their last week watching the sun set together. As the days passed, more and more of their friends joined them. On the final night, every single one of them were sitting out on the oval, slowly watching as the sun dipped beneath the horizon and the stars poked through the hazy night sky. It felt like the beginning and the end, and so much more. It felt like home.

Tommy hadn't expected Sam's final address to the class to move him quite so much as it did.

"I'm so proud of all of you for what you've achieved. For some of you it's been huge things, and for others it's just been getting through the books I've assigned. But it doesn't matter how big or small the achievements are, because you did it. You made it through the year. I hope you all have an amazing break. Thank you for giving me the privilege of coming on this journey with you."

When the class had gotten up and started to leave, Tommy was still sitting in his seat, his eyes suddenly glassy with unshed tears.

"You good dude?" Tubbo asked, giving his friend a nudge.

Tommy slowly got out of his seat, giving Tubbo a nod as he took his things under his arm.

Sam was waiting for them, watching with a small smile and leaning against his desk. "Tommy, Tubbo."

"Sam Nook." Tommy said, and he smiled.

"You've been through a lot this year." Sam told him, and it was less of a teacher and more of a friend. "Both of you. I really meant what I said back there, but I meant it most to you."

Tommy felt a sudden lump in his throat. He tried to swallow it, and when it didn't go away he realised that it was okay. This wasn't a bad kind of sad. This was the kind of sad that meant you cared. "Thank you for being my teacher. My friend. I don't think we would have made it without you."

And Sam laughed, warm and soothing. "Thank you for being yourself, Tommy."

Tommy let out a watery laugh and left his things on the desk as he wrapped his arms around Sam. The teacher let out another laugh as he returned the gesture.

"That's the cheesiest thing I've ever done in my life." Tommy said when the embrace ended.

"Eh," Sam shrugged with a wave of his hand, "It's been a hard year. I think we deserve a cheesy moment here and there."