I swing open the door and Bryn stands before me. Her hand raised to knock, a surprised look on her face that is quickly replaced with a lopsided grin. I snatch her from my step and into my arms. She lets out a little squeal as I crush her to me.

I pick her up and spin her around and she laughs. "I've missed you, too, " she admits with a giggle.

I kiss her. I had too. It was a compulsion, a demand, a need that had to be satisfied. I didn't even let her feet touch the ground yet. Her arms wrap around my neck and she left me with no doubt that she felt the same as I did. We poured our hearts into that kiss and it overflowed with happiness.

She pulls away reluctantly. I stare into her beautiful eyes. "I missed you more," came the rushed whisper from my lips. Finally, I've been freed from this hell that I have been living.

"I love you, Finn Dashiell Nash! Don't you ever doubt it!"

I slide her down the length of me. "I won't. Not ever again. I promise." I tell her, I grab my book bag, take her hand and leave with her to go to school.

On the way, she tells me about the progress she and her father had made since I had last seen them. She's positively glowing with happiness. "He agreed it's what's best for both, Gran and I, to be together. We still need to run the idea past Gran. I know she can be pretty stubborn, but I'm willing to use the cancer card to guilt her into it."

I wince a little at the word cancer. Brynn said it so nonchalantly; you'd swear she looks at it, as one would having the flu. "Have your doctors given you any results back in regard to treatment?"

"Not yet, a few more tests and then I'm sure they'll have it all straightened out."

I nod and keep my eyes on the road. I need to do better. I need to be better for her. Just the hint, the possibility I could lose her, tears at my heart but I can't let it show. I refuse to have her be the one to comfort me when I should be her support through all of this.

"Okay, out with it!" Brynn demands, taking me off guard.

"What?"

"Did you ever know you have a mood face?"

I feel the grin spread across my lips. "A mood face?"

"Yes, you know like those rings you'd get that change color and depending on the color it supposed to tell you what mood you're in?"

"I know what you're talking about. I'm just hoping I don't look green right now."

Brynn giggles. "Not like that, but you're an open book. I never have to wonder what you're thinking or how you feel because it shows on your face. It's one of the reasons that it was so hard to keep pushing you away. I could see the pain it caused you but I could also see how much you loved me, and as much as I tried, I didn't want to give it that up."

"I'm glad you stopped trying," I tell her. I guess having a mood face wasn't all that bad if my expression is what kept her from abandoning me, being a man with his heart on his sleeve has a benefit after all.

She smiles at me and I instantly smile back.

"So, out with it." Brynn brings the conversation back around to the start and stares at me, expectantly.

"I want to be here for you, Brynn. Through it all, no matter how hard or not hard it may be, considering things may turn out more optimistically."

"Well, that is the desired outcome," Brynn teases and again I marvel at her ability to take all of this so lightly and a thought struck me at that moment.

"You're really at peace with all of this, aren't you?"

Her smile grows. She looks proud of me for figuring her out.

"I really am. Finn, I've been terrified of this moment happening my entire life, but now that it's here... well, I realized what an idiot I've been. How much time I wasted pushing everyone away when I could have had their love this entire time. Learning that time may be running out, sort of... became the wake-up call I needed to get my shit together. Does that make sense?"

We are stopped at a stoplight and I take the pause to stare at her a moment. "Yeah, Brynn. It makes perfect sense." The light changes and we all move forward, physically and metaphorically speaking.

Her words, I took to heart, letting Brynn's lesson become my own. I won't waste time fearing what if, the unknown, all our futures are unknown, it's what we do with the time we have now that matters and I plan to make the most of it.

I reach down and take her hand in mine as I continue to drive and she gives it a squeeze making me smile. "I'll always be here for you, Brynn."

"I know," she tells me, and I'm glad to have a mood face so I know she knows I mean what I say.

We get to school, I park and we walk around to the courtyard hand in hand. Several students stare at us, there are a few hushed whispers behind hands or books. I look to Brynn to see if she noticed, but she doesn't. In fact, she seems distracted. Then she suddenly starts pulling me along and I wonder where we are headed until I see Tyler.

"Whaaat?!" Tyler remarks, with a huge grin on his face. "Brynn Shelby! Tell me my eyes don't deceive me?! You back for good, Girl?!"

"Yep! I'm here to stay," Brynn announces.

"But I thought...?!" Tyler looked at me confused obviously knowing about the retraining order but not wanting to announce it in the public courtyard.

"All taken care of," I informed him. His happiness for us spreads his smile further. "Damn! You never doubted you'd get her back and here she is. I'm so happy for both of you."

Brynn surprises us both when she lets go of my hand and gives Tyler a huge hug. He awkwardly pats her back and looks at me with an expression that a cross between "What the hell is going on, and you okay with this?" and I can't help but laugh.

It was a brief hug and then she let go. "I wanted to thank you, properly for when I got pushed down those stairs. You rushed to my side and took care of me when everyone else just walked on by. Thank you!"

Tyler looked a bit choked up by her statement. His eyes glistened and he coughed a little before he spoke, pounding his fist against his chest. "Ahem. Yeah... well... it was nothing," he tells her and Brynn shakes her head no.

"It was a big deal, at least it was to me," she said earnestly and Tyler gives her shoulder a little shove.

"Will you quit it?! You'll have me bawling like a baby here and totally ruin my street cred."

Brynn laughs and holds her hands up in surrender. "Not another word," she agrees, before making the motion to zip her lips and throw away the key.

"Damn!" Tyler says again shaking his head in disbelief. "This is so fricken awesome. I just don't know what to say," he tells us. I put my arm around Brynn and she leans into my side with her arm around my back. It did feel good. I didn't think anything could ruin this moment, and then I'd seen Tyler frown. I turn to look behind me and immediately discern the cause. I take Brynn's hand to lead her away but she too saw who was coming and stood firm.

"Finn," Jessica said coming up to me, ignoring Brynn whose hand I'm still holding.

"Jessica," I said back wondering what would come next.

"I'm sure you've heard Mike and I broke up."

"You mean that he finally came to his senses and left you. Yeah, I heard." I can see her grinding her teeth at my rephrasing.

"You don't have to be a jerk about it," Jessica tells me and then looks down at Brynn. Brynn smiles almost sadly at her.

"I'm sorry about you, Mike." Brynn said, "He cares a lot about you, always has. It's a shame you couldn't make it work."

"I don't need your pity," Jessica retorted.

"That's good," Brynn told her, "because I wasn't offering it."

Jessica's eyes narrow on Brynn. "You think you're all that? Finn is only with you because he feels sorry for. You play the victim so well he feels obligated to shelter and protect you. You two will never last," Jessica professes, flipping her hair over her shoulder, in frustration.

Brynn looks away for a second. I see her reach for her keychain. She gives it a shake and then nods in agreement with whatever it said.

"I forgive you," Brynn said shocking everyone, including the crowd of people that started to gather wondering if there was going to be a fight. Brynn held out her hand to Jessica but of course, Jessica ignored it.

"You... forgive me?" Jessica laughs in Brynn's face. "You're the one that stole him from ME!" Jessica said raising her voice and pointing at her own chest.

"She can't steal something that never belonged to you," I interject.

Brynn lowers her hand and states plainly, "I know what you did."

Jessica looks back at Brynn and appears suddenly nervous. "I don't know what you mean?"

"Do you really want me to spell it out for you... here?" Brynn asked her tone warning Jessica that if she didn't at least acknowledge Brynn, she would say it out loud.

Jessica's eyes dart about the crowd and she quickly shakes her head, no.

"I didn't think so, but just so you know I hold no hard feelings against you." Again Brynn holds out her hand. "I say we put this behind us."

The tension was palpable among the crowd, wondering what Jessica's next move would be.

She shifted uneasily from one foot to the other and then grabbed Brynn's hand.

Brynn pulled her in causing Jessica to stumble forward slightly before regaining her balance. To those standing around, it almost appeared that Brynn pulled her in close to kiss her cheek. To those of us that were in the inner circle, we knew better.

As Jessica's ear came closer to Brynn's face, Brynn whispered for her ear only, "Make no mistake, I'm no victim and I'll never be foolish enough to let my guard down around you again."

Brynn let her go and smiled. Jessica stood up straight as a board, before making that sour face that I knew so well, turned on her heel and walked away. The crowds made way for her as she passed through like the queen she always took herself to be.

"I'm proud of you," I tell her.

"I'm pretty proud of myself actually," Brynn said beaming up at me, she takes my hand and starts pulling me away again leaving me to wonder where we are going now. She turns and waves back at Tyler. "See you later, Tyler."

"You bet!" Tyler stood there grinning and laughed at what must be my clueless expression.

We get to our tree and once again she's looking around for someone and this time I spot who it is before she does. He locks eyes with me, sees Brynn and unbelievable turns to walk away. I was still annoyed with him for not explaining things to Paris but I'd be damned if I'd let him turn his back on Brynn.

"He's right over there," I tell her. She bounces for a second on her toes to see where I'm pointing, before sprinting across the courtyard. I watch as Brynn practically tackles Adam from behind. Not ready for the attack he falls forward a bit, but she grabs him, spins him around and hugs him. He stood like a statue in her arms.

I finally caught up to them and Brynn was still hugging him. I was trying not to feel jealous. She held onto Adam until he must have realized she wasn't going to let him go until he gave in and hugged her back. His arms wrapped around her and Brynn hugged him a little tighter, causing Adam to laugh. "I can't breathe, Brynn," he tells her and she eases up a bit.

I stood amazed as it completely transformed him before my eyes. He looked like, well a real kid, instead of some stoic figure that had to deal with too much before his time. Brynn needs him as much as I may not like that idea. That part of her life is something about her I don't fully understand and Adam does. She'll need us both to get through this next stage of our lives.

His eyes meet mine over her shoulder and sadly the smile he wore disappeared. "Okay! Enough Brynn!" he said, pulling her away from him.

"I'm SO sorry, Adam. I don't think there are enough words or actions to tell you, to show you just how sorry I am."

He looks away from her. "We're good," is all he tells her. He looked desperate to put this awkward conversation behind them.

Brynn turns his cheek so he has to look at her. "Yes, we are," she informs him, "and I promise you, I will NEVER, EVER, do that to you again." She stared into his eyes, so he could see the honesty of her words. "EVER!" she emphasized.

Adam's eyes are filled with unshed tears. "You scared the shit out of me that night, Brynn." He told her swallowing hard to try and keep the tears at bay.

"I know and it's unforgivable. I was thinking only of myself. I couldn't consider how you, Gran, Finn... none of you would feel. I couldn't let myself think of how, what I was choosing to do, would affect you. I knew if I did, I would never have the strength, to let you go."

Just then a tear escaped and trailed down Adam's cheek. Brynn quickly reached up and swiped it away. "I was a selfish bitch and I hope you can forgive me."

Adam shakes his head at her. "It's impossible for you to be selfish, Brynn. Even when you're supposedly thinking only of yourself, you're trying to save, all of us, from having to watch... to watch..." Adam couldn't finish his sentence. It died in his throat. He broke down. Brynn held onto him as he cried, trying to keep him from falling apart altogether.

Damn, he's got me all choked up now, but I clear my throat and punch him in the arm. "Dude, pull yourself together. You're making a scene and you don't like being on the radar remember?"

This seemed to snap him out of it. He pulled away from Brynn and scrubbed at his face with the sleeve of his hoodie. The look he gave me was surprisingly filled with respect.

He looked around briefly, embarrassed to have made a possible spectacle of himself and pulled his hood over his head, jammed his hands in his pockets and nodded to us both. "See you in Art Class, Brynn. It's good to have you back."

With that, he left us and walked into the side doors of the school. I turn to Brynn and her smile was a bit crestfallen. I put my arm around her. "He'll be okay."

She nods her head slowly staring at the doors he went through. "I'll make sure of it."

"We'll make sure of it," I correct her and she looks up at me with surprise.

"We?"

"Yeah, what can I say, he grows on you after a while, like some sort of strange little mushroom."

Brynn laughs at my analogy and I was happy to see her smiling again. "Mushroom? You know you just compared Adam to a fungus, right?"

"I know but it fits. Those little things pop up in places you least expect, are rather resilient for their size and some are poisonous so it's always best to approach with caution."

Brynn laughed even harder at this. "Okay, you got me there."

"Besides, I think there's hope for a happy ending for him yet."

"You really think so?"

I think about Paris, and wonder... "Yeah, I do."

The bell rings and she takes my hand and starts pulling me again. "We're not running off so you can randomly hug someone else, are we?" I jest.

She smiles up at me as she picks up her pace. "Just one more, I promise and then the rest of the hugs are for you."

"I'm holding you to that, promise." I grin.

"Oh, I'm counting on it," Brynn informs me, right before we get into the doors of the school and she starts yelling, "MRS. NASH!!!!"

My Mom turns in the hall at the sound of Brynn's voice trying to find her in the sea of navy blue and khaki brown. I wave my arms above my head to give her a bigger target to zero in on.

Brynn pushes her way through the crowd and finally, she reaches her. My mom holds on to her as she would me, giving comfort where it's needed. Brynn, I realized, has already made herself a part of my family. Considering that she and my Mom never lost touch, I guess Brynn always was a part of my family. I just didn't know it.

Brynn pulls out my Mom's phone and hands it to her. "Thank you! Yours in my office though, perhaps when you get the chance you can stop by and pick it up along with the elevator key? Assuming you are rejoining yearbook."

Brynn nodded yes. "I have a free 2nd period today. Can I come by then?"

"Absolutely!" my mom informs her. "Now the two of you better get to class, you don't want to be late on your first day back, Brynn."

Brynn takes my hand, "We won't I promise," she tells her and we walk to my locker. I hate that hers is so far away because I now have to say goodbye until I can see her again, which won't be until Homeroom.

"See you at the yearbook office?" I ask, but she shakes her head no, hugs me and says playfully, "See you in our secret spot NEAR the yearbook office."

"You really are a bad influence on me," I said before pulling her closer.

"I know," she admits cheerfully and I laugh. "But it's good for you. You needed me to shake you up."

I give her a quick kiss as PDA's are frowned upon in school hallways by order of the Disciplinarian. "Just like your Eight Ball, huh?" I ask. Brynn gives me a knowing smile before escaping me. She blows me a kiss from the stairs and makes a little heart with her hands. She takes me right back to that first day we met. I wink back at her and she disappears up the stairs.

Yep, it's official. I love Mondays... again. But not as much as I love that girl!