Katie

Epilogue

Ashley sat on the kitchen counter as Katie gathered up several bowls for the popcorn that was currently cooking in the microwave. She glanced over at Ashley and raised one eyebrow. "Are you just going to sit there on your lazy butt or were you planning on helping anytime soon?"

Ashley smirked, "You seem to be doing a good job on your own." She ducked the napkin that was thrown in her direction and hopped off the counter. "Ok! Ok! I'll help! Geez Louise, you're such a slave driver, Katie!" She laughed as another napkin went sailing towards her. Opening the fridge, she snatched up several sodas and placed them on the counter. "There! Happy?"

"Ecstatic, Ash. You have no idea." Katie responded wryly. She grinned and grabbed the popcorn out of the microwave. Pouring it into the bowls, she looked over at Ashley and said, "Can you believe graduation is tomorrow?"

Ashley leaned back and shook her head, "No, I swear these past several months went by so fast!"

"Yeah," Katie nodded, her mind going over everything that had happened this past year.

After the incident with David, things had started to drastically improve between Katie and the two guys in her life. Shawn really became the big brother she had always wanted and it was hard to believe they had only known about each other for the last seven months.

As for Logan, Katie sometimes had to pinch herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. After so many years lost, she finally had him back in her life again. And this time it was better than ever. He had officially asked her to be his girlfriend on New Year's Eve and they had been inseparable ever since. They were both so head over heels in love. Shawn and Ashley tried to complain about how sickening it was sometimes, but all Logan and Katie had to do was point out their own nausea-inducing romance and that usually shut them right up.

Katie smiled as she thought about Logan. He had really stepped up after David was arrested. She knew he had mixed feelings about David being locked away for good. No matter what had happened over the course of his childhood, David was still his father. She sympathized with him but they all knew that he was where he belonged, and so thankful that the chances of him ever seeing the light of day again were slim to none. Once David was sent away, Logan started focusing on his school work more than he ever had, determined to graduate with the rest of them and make something of his life. She was so proud of him.

As for Ben and Sarah, they would not be graduating with their class after all. Less than two months after Katie's last run-in with Ben, rumor had spread that Ben had beaten Sarah so bad that she had ended up in the hospital. Katie still fought with guilt over that. She knew it wasn't her fault and that even if she had tried to tell Sarah the details of her relationship with Ben, Sarah wouldn't have listened. Still, she wondered if there had been something she could have done that would have prevented Sarah from having to go through that. This time, Ben's dad wasn't able to keep him out of trouble. He was currently spending the rest of his senior year in house arrest and forced to go to anger management classes.

Katie shook her head, trying to shake the negative thoughts off. Tonight was a night to celebrate. It was their last night as high school seniors. Tomorrow, they would all graduate and enter the 'real' world. Katie chuckled to herself at that thought. She didn't think it could really get much more real than it already was.

Grabbing the bowls, Katie motioned to Ashley and the two of them made their way into the living room, popcorn and sodas in hand.

Shawn jumped up to help Ashley with the sodas.

"So, this is really how we're going to spend our last night as high school seniors?" Logan smirked from his position on the couch.

Katie sat the bowls of popcorn on the coffee table and turned to face him. "Do you have any better ideas?"

Logan grinned and slyly looked her up and down, "I could think of a few."

Shawn leaned over and smacked him on the back of the head.

"Hey! What was that for?" Logan frowned as he rubbed his sore head.

"Sometimes you forget, that's my sister your talking to." Shawn growled good-naturedly.

Logan rolled his eyes. "Just my luck to fall in love with my step-brother's sister." he grumbled.

Ashley giggled at the boys antics before sitting down next to Shawn. Snuggling up next to him she said, "Give him a break, Shawn. He's not doing or thinking anything about Katie that you don't with me."

Shawn scowled at her. "That's what I'm worried about."

She softly hit him on the chest before reaching up and giving him a quick peck on the cheek. "Enough talking, let's start the movie!"

As the movie started, Katie settled herself on Logan's lap, enjoying the feel of his arms wrapped around her. She leaned back against his chest and sighed contentedly. Logan gave her a squeeze and leaned over to whisper softly in her ear, "I love you, Katie Bowman."

Katie turned her head slightly and looked into his eyes. "I love you too, Logan Brown." Leaning forward, their lips met in a sweet and tender kiss before Katie snuggled deeper into him.

In his arms was where she planned to be for the rest of her life.