Life Is What You Make It (A Tom Hiddleston Fanfic)

Part 35: Riding into the Sunset

A/N: This will be the last chapter, readers! I may do an epilogue because I've loved writing this story so much. I hope you've enjoyed reading it just as much!

Until we meet again!

DG4L

When I wake in the morning, I can tell that it's crisp outside by the cool temperature in my room. I'll be leaving for my apartment in LA this afternoon, so I plan to spend the morning with Mom then drive to my place around lunchtime to get ready for the week ahead. After all, there's a film to finish. Then there will be time off, though I don't know what I'll do with myself. I think of getting away for a while, and my thoughts drift to Fiji...and then to Tom. Today. I'll call him today. I think as I get dressed. Before we went to bed last night, Mom suggested a morning ride today.

I make my way to the kitchen, but Mom's not around. She must already be at the stable, I think.

I grab my jacket, open the back door, and head across the yard to the stable. As I round the corner, I stop in my tracks. The horses are saddled, and someone is holding the reins to both mounts but it's not Mom. "Where's my mom?" "She said she had some errands to attend to," Tom says, holding out the Sasha's reins to me. "You should probably ride Sasha," I say. "Ringo can get a bit skittish with strangers. He's used to me being around," I say, taking the reins from his other hand. Our fingers touch for a second, and I feel the heat from him spread throughout my body. Tom takes a step forward and reaches out with his free hand to touch my cheek. I step back just out of his grasp and turn away. "Well, I suppose we should get going. The horses are getting antsy from being saddled," I say, turning to adjust the stirrups and mount Ringo.

Though I told Tom that Ringo would be a better mount for me, in reality Ringo doesn't like anyone but my mom. I refuse to let Tom see this, so I man-handle Ringo a bit when he puts up a fuss once I'm in the saddle. "Let's go," I say, leading the way.

Once we're on the horse path in my mom's neighborhood, Tom urges Sasha up beside me. Ringo shakes his head a bit, so I keep a firm hand on the reins.

"Mia, I need to tell you some things."

Silence.

"Go on."

More silence, then I hear Tom clear his throat. "First, I was wrong...about a lot of things, but mostly about not hearing you out. You are the most important person in the world to me, and I couldn't even bloody give you a chance to explain." Tom says this last part more to himself than to me.

Ringo rears his head a bit, and Tom looks to the horse then to me. "I'm still listening," I say, though Ringo's behavior is starting to worry me.

"I know there was...there's nothing between you and Chris."

"Tell me something I don't already know," I whisper in a sarcastic tone.

"Alright. Well, how about this?" Tom says. "When I thought there was something going on, I almost lost my fucking mind," he says flatly. "I thought I'd lost the best thing that's ever happened to me, the person who I want to spend the rest of my life with, and I thought I'd never feel again, never be happy again."

My heart melts a little, then I remember my own pain. "So, in your misery, you decided to hook up with Allison again?" I ask matter-of-factly.