I'll fight for you until your heart stops beating!

Chapter 25 - At Least Come Say Goodbye

As the last day of her time in Chicago started to settle, Cam slowly awoke as the sunlight found its way through the window and kissed her cheek. She knew this day would be a day of tears, her stay in this beautiful city was coming to an end. Her time her had been a roller-coaster ride, but for the last couple of weeks she had felt nothing but joy. Joey had managed to keep surprising her. But still a part of it all felt wrong. She had left the Rannells house a week ago when her time there had finished, but instead of moving her stuff to the hotel as planned she had moved into the small apartment Joey shared with a few of his fellow cast members. Even though everyone would agree that there wasn't any space left for her to move in with them no one disagreed when one evening Joey had suggested it.

The apartment was dead silent; this wasn't really something she was used to. Every morning for the past week there had always been some kind of sound or noise making the apartment homelier. But this morning something seemed different it was only because she for the first time didn't hear a single sound but because she for the first time woke up alone. She couldn't see Joey or any sign that he was still around, and because of the apartments sudden silence she was sure none else was around. Slowly she got up and made her way through was for the first time really felt like a small apartment, not until when she was standing there alone could she really see just how tiny and closely they all had been staying. Looking through the window she noticed how outside Chicago was still living its life as if it was any other day, like nothing had changed out in the city. As her search through the small apartment came to an end she decided upon for the last morning here to take a small walk around town. After all this beautiful town had been her home now for the past month.

As she stepped outside she could feel the warmth of the sun gently touch her body. She knew when she returned home it was to a completely different temperature, it would be colder and the sun didn't have the same grasp on everything. She moved down the street passed the trashcan she had once tried to hide in. Past the place Joey had been her knight in shiny armour. Past the place she had once broken by AJ. She continued her path down the road, she moved past the theatre she once went to with Andrew and Charlie. As she walked past the big banners and the entrance she started to smile as her mind took her on a trip back to that day she had went down to that very same theatre not knowing exactly what would happen that day. As she stood there looking through the entrance doors, a familiar face popped up on the other side. "Cam! What bring you by on out last day in town?" Nic said as he opened the door to let her in, "oh not much just strolling around taking in my last looks before it's time to go back to Europe" "wait so I won't be seeing your face dropping by on any of the other stops then?" Nic said pulling her with him inside the theatre, "wait where are you taking me?" "come on in and at least say goodbye you can't leave town without saying goodbye to all of your friends here Cam that wouldn't been nice" Cam stopped suddenly and froze to the spot as she said, "look Nic there's a reason I haven't been around lately and there's a reason I wasn't planning on dropping by to say goodbye today. I'm just not ready to face it all. I can't" Nic walked over to her and took her hand as he said, "I have no idea what you're talking about but come on say goodbye to us at least okay, just pop your head in and say bye that's all I'm asking" a small sigh escaped Cam's lips as she politely agreed and followed right behind him as the two of them walked in to the theatre hall. On stage she could see everyone gathered around warming up and having fun. She made her way to the front row sent everyone a smile as she said "I have been truly blessed to get to see each and every one of you work and how talented you all are. I take a lot of great inspirations and laughs with me back home. What I'm trying to say is goodbye which as you can hear I'm not very good at. Goodbye all you talented people! Good luck on your future journeys" she looked around almost searching. Then turned around and walked as fast as she could out of the theatre. Almost out of the door she walked past the one person she wasn't ready to face coming towards her. As their eyes met the world seemed to freeze in time as they both walked towards and past each other in slow-motion. It wasn't until he was out of sight that the world came back into its normal speed.

Determined to make it back to what was hopefully still an empty apartment, she started to run as soon as she reached the sidewalk she started to run. Faith wanted it differently. One wrong turn and her trip down memory lane continued. That faithful turn took her past the tower Joey had taken her to, where they had spent the day together and had started everything she now treasures. As she entered the apartment she noticed how it felt different from when she left earlier. The apartment was still silent but something felt different. Carefully she entered the apartment brazing herself to be scared or something. She made her way into the living room, as she walked around the corner and then she found out why it felt different. On the couch with a big smile on his face and a bouquet of red, white and blue lilies. As she got closer his smile only grew. She sat down next to him and asked, "where were you th..." but was cut off by Joey placing a big kiss on her lips. As their lips met she felt the familiar tingle in her lips all the way down to her feet. She always felt this way. As he pulled apart she noticed how he started to seem more and more nervous. He took a deep breath and asked, "I know you really don't want to leave today, and I'm fully aware that you know that I don't want you to leave. I have been doing some thinking and..." he took a deep breath. Right as he was about to continue she cut him off and said, "Joey don't start. We both know where this is heading, you know I truly care about you a lot. It's just a really big decision you're about to ask me to make. It's something I just can make in seconds okay?" Joey looked at her confused and started, "but" "don't Joey just don't okay? Let's just have fun before I have to leave in a couple of hours okay?" "fine" Joey mumbled.