Color [CAMREN] [COMPLETED]

Chapter 20 [LAST CHAPTER]

[A/N: helloo, this is the last chapter! Okay, I seriously cried the whole story.. I love y'all and thank you so much if you voted or commented! <3 Have fun reading the last chapter and try not to cry your eyes out ;) xo]

Las Vegas, Nevada, 10 Years Later

It was hard to get everything set up when a full grown Australian Shepard was whining at her feet. Lauren balanced 3 trays on her arms expertly; years of experience down at Maddie's had definitely paid off. She set down the three trays on the table, aligning them so that their circular outlines touched evenly.

"Camren!" She hissed. "Watch it!" The dog whined again, her tail wagging furiously. Lauren leaned down and ruffled its head roughly. "Who's a bad dog? Who's getting in my way, huh?" She cooed. The dog licked at her face eagerly. She decided that since the guests weren't getting there until later in the afternoon, and since it was only one o'clock, she had some free time to tire Camren out. She smiled to herself. A few years ago, it wasn't possible to tire the hyperactive herding dog but now, she looked down at the dog, her muzzle slightly frosted.

"Come on! Let's play!" She suggested, running out into the backyard. The dog ambled behind her and she threw the ball. Camren fetched and she threw it a few more times. Her backyard was fairly large. She lived in a one bedroom, one floor house that was decently sized on the outskirts of town just like Alexa did. She gazed at the hedge fence surrounding her property and sighed contently. She'd done very well for herself. Her parents visited every now and again, as did Marielle and her family. Max had grown up, he was now twenty and harboring a not-so-secret crush on Lauren. She found it cute, the boy would always stumble over his words and blush when he saw her. His mother found it incredibly entertaining that her son still had a puppy-love for the woman who babysat him when he was still having trouble sleeping without a night light. They also brought along Laney, who was now fifteen. Her mother told her the story about Lauren and Camila, how the two of them came to stay with them and wound up helping Marielle give birth. She also told her about Lauren and her story and how she showed up on their doorstep a few months later and promptly left again. Laney took it upon herself to write it down. A lot of their visits were comprised of Laney interviewing Lauren, much to Lauren's mild embarrassment, about her journey. Lauren related that part of her life, from the initial trip she and Camila took to the trip she took alone after Camila had died. The teenage girl was fascinated by the whole thing and after she finished, she published it quietly, using a pseudonym for Lauren. It didn't sell many copies but what was important was that the story was out there.

Vero and Lucy visited often. Lauren fought the urge to tease Lucy a little bit about what she had heard in the hospital but truth be told, she was grateful. It had been Lucy's voice that she heard last before waking up and she attributed her decision to that. They treated Lauren as a family member, so much so that Lauren started calling them her adopted aunts. They sent her birthday and Christmas gifts and invited her to all of the family functions. It was strange, she thought, but not wholly unwelcome.

The dog's movements got slower and slower but she didn't want to disappoint her owner. Lauren finally stopped and led the dog back in where she collapsed on her pillow and promptly fell asleep. Lauren sighed with relief, she could finally get work done before the party. It had been such a long time since the choir members all got together and Dinah's 33rd birthday seemed like the perfect occasion to call a party. Everyone was flying in to celebrate so Lauren tried to make it as organized as possible. She set up the drinks on her kitchen counter and checked on the lasagna to make sure that it would be ready on time as well. She had a little time for a breather and she went over to the couch to relax. She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes, scratching Camren's head. The picture that Vero had taken of the two of them sleeping stood in a gold frame on her mantle and she looked at it with aged eyes.