[ 46 ] 2014

Billy and Cindy face timed with Harley every day while they were out in Los Angeles. One thing that confused Harley was the fact that in the United States it was summer time, while in Australia is was winter. That was because both countries were on opposite sides of the world from each other. So while Harley was in her bed bundled up with two blankets and a heater on, Billy and Cindy were sharing his dorm room for the orientation (without permission), and they were both dressed like they were about to go out to a beach party. Two perfect people looking perfectly happy together. Harley groaned at the sight of them. "Just looking at you two like that makes me feel even colder."

Her boyfriend, who was currently sitting at her desk working on something, immediately shushed her. "Babe, keep it down please. My home school tutor is coming over to give me the high school equivalency test and I have to study."

Though he didn't have his high school diploma, the University of Sydney had agreed to wait for Calum and accepted his tuition deposit. Arthur had been very persuasive using his mind control and emotional manipulation powers, and had even offered a generous amount of money to the school so as not to appear suspicious. Harley had heard from her mother that the school was so pleased with him that not only were they going to wait for Calum and offer the extension for him to finish his high school studies, but they were even going to name the science department building after him. Arthur refused, telling them that it wasn't necessary. But they did it anyway. And with the orientation for both St. Sofia and University of Sydney around the corner, Calum had vowed to find the science building on campus and take a picture posing in front of it. Harley was so ready to tag along and go on their little adventure together.

"Sorry babe." Harley apologized, crinkling up her nose in apology.

"We should leave you two alone then, so he can study." Cindy offered with a friendly smile from Harley's phone screen. 

"I told him several times he could always use my room whenever he needs to study alone and you're being insufferable, booger." He said teasingly, and Harley could practically picture him mussing up her hair like he always did. She didn't like it. But now that he wasn't around to do it, she actually had to say that she missed it. 

That was the way things were going to be from here on out. She would probably only get to see Billy and Cindy over the holidays or long vacations. Everyone had gone their separate ways and there was just a general feeling of uneventfulness in the air. Like things were going to go back to normal. Although knowing what she knew about herself, the shifters, the hunters, and their powers. She knew they were bound to run into danger at every corner. That was just the way she was accustomed to living since she moved to Sydney and her powers were suddenly awakened. 

Harley blew him a raspberry and Calum chuckled from his place at Harley's desk. There were piles of books on either side of him and Harley knew he was working hard to learn everything he needed. Calum was intelligent and dedicated whenever he put his mind to something. She knew he would likely pass his equivalency exam with flying colors and that he'd go on to study at University of Sydney without a problem.

Billy and Cindy said goodbye and Harley went back to watching Calum study. Every so often he'd ask her to go over his flashcards with him and she was happy to help. But she knew he was prepared to pass his test.

-

Cindy and Billy came back from the United States after a week and had made all the arrangements for their living situation while at university. Calum had passed his equivalency test and sent a copy of his diploma to the university, who accepted it and put him on the roster for orientation just days before it would take place. 

At the end of the summer, Billy and Cindy ended up leaving again. Harley, Calum, Arthur, Harleen, and the twins went to see them off at the airport. Cindy was crying her eyes out, saying that she was going to miss her family. Not her biological family--her mother and father who never paid attention to her and eventually abandoned her without a single bit of remorse--but the people who took her in when she was abandoned. Harleen and Arthur were her parents now, Harley was like her sister. The only one she didn't think of as a sibling was Billy because they were dating. But she also appreciated all the things her boyfriend did for her over the past year. He was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Harley felt tears stinging her eyes too, at the thought of them leaving. She was sad when everyone left. When Michael left with Hazel she felt like she would cry. When Paul and Dempsey left to Mexico she felt like she would cry too. But seeing them two leave as well, it made it all the more real to her. The only ones staying in Australia now were Calum, Niall, Andrea, and herself. Harley thought it might be a matter of time though before Niall and Andrea decided to leave, since everyone else had decided to as well. The difference was they really had nowhere else to go and no money to sustain themselves in another country.

Here in Australia, they had picked a local community college to go to and both of them had gotten jobs at Iggy's Diner. It paid minimum wage, but they could each have a meal to take home after work, which would save some money. Calum was charging them really low on the rent. He wanted to let them live their for free, but his friends would have none of it. Instead, he told them a really low amount and informed them that he would not accept anything greater than that.

Harley hugged her brother and Cindy goodbye at the airport and covered her face with her hand as the tears started to spill. Calum smiled sadly at them and wrapped an arm around Harley's shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. That was when the water works really went off. She started crying into his shirt. Meanwhile at the same time, Harleen was sobbing loudly into Arthur's chest. She had just gotten four new kids--she had decided to adopt Niall and Andrea since the graduation party--and now she was losing two of them. It wasn't like she'd never see them again and she knew they had to fly the nest one day. But as a mother, it hurt to see her children leave her. She was glad that at least they were leaving because they were going off to study at a prestigious university. And she also knew she could always watch them on television.

American university football games were televised on a channel on cable. She'd be able to see her son in action and her daughter cheering him on at least once a week.

As their flight was announced, they also heard a voice calling to Billy Quinn seconds later. "Son..."

They all turned to see Aaron Quinn standing there. It had only been a little over a month since he and Harleen had decided to split up. He appeared tired, his facial hair grown out. He was dressed in a t-shirt, jeans, and had a black cap on his head. Billy couldn't help but smile at the sight of his dad. He let him know before hand that he would be leaving for the United States on that day. Aaron said he would try to make it. But with everything that had happened and his emotional state, Billy didn't expect much. He didn't want Aaron to go through the pain of seeing the woman he loved, happily in the arms of someone else. 

Billy cut the distance between them and pulled him into an embrace. "I'm so glad you could make it, dad. I didn't want to go without seeing you again."

"I had to be here, son. I love you." Aaron said. As they pulled away, he looked towards Cindy with a smile. "Take care of my boy, Cindy."

Cindy nodded her head. "Of course, Mr. Quinn."

The flight was announced once more and the two headed off. Harley only pulled away from Calum once she heard their footsteps fade. She didn't want to see them leave because she knew it would hurt more. She then went over to Aaron and greeted him with a hug. Though she loved and accepted Arthur as her father now, she knew that Aaron would always hold a special place in her heart. He had been the one to raise her for seventeen years. She understood now that Arthur could not be there for her like he wanted to, but she also gave credit to Aaron for actually being there.

-

Harley's first semester of classes wasn't so difficult. But it was mostly because she had to get the general classes out of the way for the first two years. She and Calum had fixed up their scheduled so that they'd go into school at the same time, had lunch at the same time, and got out at the same time. They had also decided they didn't want to dorm there, since they lived close by, and they had moved into Calum's house to be house mates with Niall and Andrea. Harleen and Arthur told her they felt  a bit lonely some times, but with the twins nearing a year old, they kept themselves busy.

Since it was a nice and warm summer day in December, just two days after the semester at their respective universities ended, and two days before Harley's eighteenth birthday, Calum asked Harley to go with him down to the beach. Harley had woken up feeling slightly nauseous and tired. They had gotten take out from some place new and she was certain something on the menu hadn't agreed with her. Though she felt like she was ready to puke her guts out every two seconds, she decided to go with him. They could just stop at a restroom nearby if she really needed to throw up. He seemed really insistent in going and she didn't want to let him down. Especially not when he was still going to therapy for his water trauma and was willingly going to the ocean for her.

They went to eat at a pancake house for breakfast, since they left around nine in the morning. The first one they went to, a chain called Walker Brothers Pancake House, was not too far from where they lived. But as they entered the restaurant, Harley heard Calum mutter under his breath when they saw the long line. "Fuck me. We should've just gone to eat at Iggy's." But he tried to remain cheeful and Harley did too.

They waited for thirty minutes before Calum impatiently looked up another location on his phone. He was pleased to find there was another one a couple of minutes from the beach. 

They went there instead and had better luck. The line wasn't as long as the one near home. They only waited fifteen minutes to be seated. Though Calum kept trying to get Harley to eat something, she just couldn't. She said she wasn't hungry and kept rushing off to the bathroom every couple of minutes. Calum didn't think anything of it, since he had things of his own to worry about and he was nervous. He kept reaching into his pocket for comfort. But he felt bad when he saw her so pale and so tired. Still, she kept saying that she was fine.

After Calum ate and Harley picked at her food every so often, they stopped by a local market to get snacks at the beach. They stayed there, sitting in the sand for a while. The beach was mostly secluded because of the upcoming Christmas holiday. 

As the sun was finally setting, he saw that Harley seemed to feel better. They picked up their belongings to head back home when he stopped her, placing his metallic gloved hand on her arm to get her attention. "Harley wait." He said slowly, and when she turned around to face him he got down on one knee in front of her and pulled a little black velvet box from his pocket which he had been hiding all day. "I know we're young. We're still kids. But I have loved you from the very first moment. Will you marry me?"

Harley felt her breath hitch in her throat and she gasped, bringing her hands to her face. The nausea of that day earlier was long forgotten. She felt tears escaping her eyes and she didn't even know how to reply. 

It was a long moment before his smile dropped. "Its alright if you don't want to. Or if you want to wait. I'll wait for you as long as I have to. I would do anything for you."

"That's not it." She said with a shake of her head. "Of course I want to marry you!"

He slipped the ring onto her finger and she took him by the hands, pulling him up and throwing her arms around him. She was happy, she was overjoyed. And she was more sure than anything that he was the person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.

-

a lot of wrapping up in the last few chapters. so please bear with me, people. i appreciate the love and support. i appreciate everything from you guys in these past whopping seven years. i honestly never thought i would be even writing fanfiction anymore by this time. i had so many plans for this story. and i was glad to have shared all of this with you all.

please for those of you who have any dreams you would like to accomplish, please go for it and dont let anyone tell you that you cant.

thank you for all the good times.

i know calum and harley are young to be getting married. him eighteen and her almost eighteen. but i always had this plan for her, either with ashton or with calum. i based this off my sister. she and her hsband got married at nineteen and have been happily married for over five years. the only difference is that they've been dating since they were thirteen and they've been in love since they were like eight.

but i always thought stories like that were so romantic. my brother in law is like a brother to me. we've known each other since we were like five since our mothers were friends.

-clary