Echo

Chapter 38: Its Complicated

Author's Notes: Hey all, I have an announcement to make: I should tell you now that this is the last chapter in the story.

Before you get sad, I'm going to toss that annoying cliche at you; all good things must come to an end. In this situation, it's true.

I have loved writing this story. It was bouncing around in my head for a while before I wrote it down, and I have been overwhelmed by the amount of positive, encouraging feedback I have received from each and every one of you.

I had not published a fan fiction story in years, so this was a great start for me to get back into the game, but I think 38 chapters is a good point for it to end at.

I really don't see how I could continue it past what I've written already, and I don't want it to get boring or crappy because I'm squeezing out new material like a mother alien produces eggs.

That was a weird metaphor, sorry. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this last chapter!

- -
Echo

You considered stalking the captain all the way back to his apartment, but decided against it after following him for a while. Cornering him wouldn't make any difference to your present predicament, especially since you already knew that he had been the one to spill the beans. Uhura didn't talk to Leonard, neither did Spock unless it was business-related, and they had been the only other witnesses.

Kirk had betrayed you, and you were furious with him, but not nearly as angry with the captain as you were with yourself. On the shuttle ride back to earth, you had held it together relatively well, but somehow after watching the tail lights of Jim's chariot fade in the distance from your spot on the curb, you found yourself no longer capable of keeping it inside.

Once you got into the taxi and managed to tell the driver where you lived, you immediately began to sob into your hands, much to the man's bewilderment. He watched you awkwardly in the rearview mirror for a few moments before looking forward and turning on the radio so he wouldn't have to listen.

As an ironically cheerful pop song played in the background of your fit of despair, you came to terms with the fact that McCoy might potentially be dumping you. Things had been going so well, too, and now because you had failed to tell him one little secret, you essentially shot yourself in the foot.

Oh, how stupid you had been to think that you had finally found what you were looking for. Now, you lost it just as easily. Why did things always have to be so hard? It was even worse than when Chad broke up with you, but strangely similar in that it had also been a result of keeping secrets.

You didn't like being a liar. You were innately talented at it, but that didn't mean it brought you any joy. After how much focus you had put upon being honest whenever you could, keeping something to yourself had led to your destruction. If only you had said it from the start, you wouldn't be weeping on the leather seats of someone else's car.

Finally, after a time, the driver came to a stop and announced timidly, "Uh, ma'am? We're here."

Looking up at him, you nodded, wiping your eyes and nose on the back of your hand, and dug out some money. You gave him a ten dollar tip even though it was a brief journey because he had to endure your crying. Then, you exited his car, taking out your suitcase, and rolled your way up to your house. Arianne wasn't home yet.

When you got inside, you finally checked your phone to discover that you had a missed message. Your feeling of cautious excitement was squashed when you realized that the text had come in from your roommate, inviting you to drinks with her friends. A sinking feeling of disappointment in your stomach was all it took to set you off again, and you dropped your suitcase in the hall before throwing yourself onto your bed to cry some more.