This is the second last chapter! Enjoy!
Roxy had turned up on his doorstep only a few hours after Carter had arrived home from the hospital. He had been sitting on the couch when the doorbell rang, his injured arm in its cast, resting against a fluffy pillow as he channel surfed. Carter heard his mother open the door and say, "Roxy, It's nice to see you!"
He wasn't sure what he had been expecting when it came to Roxy at the moment. She had just found out some pretty heavy information and he wasn't sure how she would take it. He hoped that she wasn't angry or upset about him not being the one to tell her, but he thought that may have been the case as she hadn't returned his phone calls that afternoon.
He heard Roxy give a short greeting to his mother and before he knew it, the dark haired girl was standing behind the couch. "Can we go talk in your room?" She asked, her tone quite neutral, and Carter nodded, leading the way up the stairs and towards his room.
He was pulled into an unexpected hug the moment that she closed the door behind them, small arms wrapping around his body, and he hugged back as best as he could with his arm being in the cast. She pulled back slowly. "So, I feel like I've just been thrown into a strange episode of supernatural," she explained with an exasperated huff.
Carter smiled, pulling her over to the bed and they both sat down. "I know the feeling, believe me."
"I can't believe that werewolves exist, let alone that....that Cole is one of them and that Alex is one of them too," she spoke slowly, forcing the words out. "I just never expected it, and waking up this morning with that chain on my leg, I was so confused Carter," she shook her head in slight disbelief as she blinked back tears. Carter could almost see the flashes of memory pass over her eyes as she seemed to look into the distance for a moment before letting her attention drift slowly back to her best friend. "A part of me knew that something was off, but I didn't listen to it."
Carter wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that, I don't know what Cole was thinking."
"I do," she muttered.
"What?" Carter pulled back a bit, confused.
Roxy pulled her lips into a fake half smile that Carter supposed that she was using to cover up her sadness, and shrugged. "I get it, Archer told me what was going on, and I understand why he did it. He loves, loved," she corrected but it seemed like she had to force the word out of her mouth like she was spitting out bad coffee, "me and he didn't want to leave me. He was going to turn me into one of them, and I don't want to be one of them, but a part of me, just a little part, wishes that he had turned me."
She pressed her face into the crook of his neck and the tears came, silently soaking into the fabric of his shirt. Carter held her close, knowing the feeling of lost love, and ran his hand comfortingly up and down her back.
"I am going to miss him," she mumbled into his shirt before pulling back. "He was going to bite me, take me away from my family, and I still miss him.'
Carter sighed. "He's the first guy you've ever loved. You're allowed to miss him."
Roxy nodded, leaning her head against Carter's shoulder. "What happens now?" she asked him.
"Cole and Archer go back to Italy," he told her, "Alex can stay here, so I guess us three go back to worrying about final exams and shit like that."
Roxy smiled slightly. "And is Alex still going to be hanging out with the future criminals of America?" she joked, referring to Jake and his friends.
"I don't know," Carter told her, not really sure where everyone stood at the moment.
"I still don't know why Alex has been acting like he has," Roxy commented. "Why did he think that he had to start being so stupid just because he is some magical creature now?"
"That's a story for him to tell you," Carter told her, pulling away slightly. "Do you want to come to the airport tomorrow? Archer asked for Alex and I to meet him there before their flight."
Roxy shook her head, that sadness in her eyes back at full force. "I don't think I can see him, can," she paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts, "can you just tell Cole that I don't hate him for what he did, I understand it. Can you tell him goodbye?"
"Yeah, I can do that." Carter nodded.
"I should go home, my parents are expecting me to be home for dinner," she told him standing up from the bed.
Carter wondered if she was really alright with everything. It must have been such a shock to her, and Carter wanted her to know that he was there for her. It wasn't like she looked like she was on the verge of a mental breakdown or anything, but still, Carter would always worry about his friend. He didn't want her to feel alone right now, and he wondered if because he and Alex were back together if that would cause Roxy to feel like she didn't have her friends support.
"You're okay, right?" Carter asked hesitantly, "Just because Alex and I are back together, this doesn't change anything between us, right?"
"Yeah," she nodded and he saw that resilient look in her eyes and instantly believed her. "I'll be okay, and I know that you will always be there for me, don't worry."
Roxy walked out of the room and Carter breathed a sigh of relief. He could finally believe that things were going to be alright. Suddenly, Carter would hear light footsteps heading towards his room and then Lara came bounding in through the doorway, a giant smile on her young face.
"What happened?" He asked in mock surprise. "Have scientists invented a new shade of pink?"
Lara completely ignored her brother's joke, and just kept smiling that giant smile as she spoke. "I don't know what you did to Alex, but you are incredible!"
He didn't even have enough time to clarify what she was talking about before she bounded into an explanation. "Jayden just texted me that he and Alex were playing video games together, do you even understand how great that is?"
Carter smiled. He smiled because he knew that Alex had taken his advice and was finally fixing things with his family. "That's fantastic," Carter told his sister, patting the space on the bed next to him.
Lara sat down next to her brother. "You don't even know how much Jayden missed his brother these past months, and I know that he must have had some reason, but maybe this is the start of Alex really coming back."
"Yeah, I think it is."
"Can you tell me why he has been the way he has?" Lara asked, and Carter could see that quiet, untainted innocence in his little sisters eyes that reminded him why Alex really did act the way that he had. If Carter had to pull away from his sister just to protect her, he knew that he would do it. He understood just a little bit more in that moment why Alex had done that to his brother, but he also knew why Alex had done that to him. Carter felt a little flutter in his chest at the thought, Alex loved him so much that he had sacrificed his own happiness.
Carter shook his head. "I can't, but it's almost over now, and I promise you that after tomorrow, things are going to go back to how they were."
"Really?"
"Really," Carter confirmed.
Lara got a cheeky grin on her face. "So does that mean that you and Alex can take Jayden and I to the fair tomorrow night?"
"The fairs on tomorrow night?"
"Yep, and mom's working so she can't take us, so what do you say big bro? Double date?"
Carter smiled. "I'll ask Alex about it."
"Thank-you," the girl bounded off of the bed and headed out of the room, but stopped just as she reached the doorway. "Oh," she called back over her shoulder, "I'm really happy for you and Alex."
"Thanks," Carter smiled. He was happy about him and Alex too.
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Carter nervously tapped his fingers against the dashboard of Alex's car as they neared the airport. He was nervous, a million thoughts were jumping around inside of his brain. He wondered what Archer would say to him, he wondered how Cole was after all that had happened the day before, but most of all, he feared that Archer would have changed his mind and that he would make Alex come with them. It was somewhat irrational, he knew that, but he also knew that he had only just gotten Alex back and the thought of losing him again was enough to derail all other logical thought.
Alex must have noticed this, as he reached over and took Carter's uninjured hand, linking their fingers together.
Carter relaxed visually and let his eyes wonder over to Alex who didn't look at all worried.
"I'm really glad that you aren't going with them," Carter told him and Alex smiled over at him.
"Me too," he squeezed Carter's hand gently.
The rest of the drive was silent, and they didn't even speak as they got out of the car and walked, hand in hand, towards the main doors of the airport. Carter didn't speak because he was thinking, his mind jumping back to the last time he was at an airport. The memory bounced around his brain, and it was only the warm hand holding onto his that stopped him from getting too lost in the awful memory.
Carter brought his confused gaze up to meet Alex's eye line and where he was expecting to find the warm, loving eyes of his boyfriend all he saw was coldness and detachment. His boyfriend was looking at him like he had never seen him before, had never held his hand as they laughed, had never told him that he loved him. He gave Alex a look over, realising that the usually brightly dressed boy was covered in black clothing.
This was nothing like Alex, yet it was Alex.
"Alex, what's wrong?" Carter asked, fear seeping into his words.
"We need to talk." The words were so void of emotion that it scared Carter right to his core.
Alex pulled on Carter's hand, causing him to stop in his tracks. Carter was brought out of the memory, and one look at Alex reminded him how far they had come since that moment all those months ago. Alex was wearing a bright blue button up, and his usually almost lost expression looked purposeful and he looked at Carter through wide, openly caring eyes. The hand holding Carter's own squeezed it, and it just reminded Carter further that he didn't need to worry so much. Alex was back, the real Alex, and the tears that Carter had been trying to push back seemed to disappear on their own.
"What's wrong?" Alex asked him.
"Nothing, absolutely nothing," Carter told him, and leant forwards to press a chaste kiss on Alex's lips.
"You sure?" Alex asked as Carter pulled back, and Carter nodded, pulling on Alex's hand as he kept going into the Airport.
They saw Archer and Cole standing against the wall when they entered. They both had suitcases next to them, and Cole looked like a kicked puppy the moment that he saw them coming their way. Carter could see just by Cole's expression that he regretted what he did, but that didn't change the fact that what he was going to do was just plain crazy.
"Hey guys," Cole greeted weakly as Carter and Alex stopped next to them. They greeted each other, but it only took a second for the awkward silence to set in.
Archer was the one who broke the silence, looking towards Carter he said, "Can I have a word with you?"
Alex's grip on Carter's hand tightened but Carter sent his boyfriend a reassuring smile and nodded towards Archer. He let go of Alex's hand and took a few steps away, Archer following him. Once they were far enough away that Alex and Cole wouldn't really be able to hear Carter stopped, turning towards Archer.
Now that they were alone, Carter could really get a good look at Archer. The boy still looked like he had been gang bashed, bandages along his arm and small scratches over his body. The long pants and black hoodie covered most of them, but some scratches kept going over the back of his hand.
"I just wanted to say that I am sorry I dragged you into all of this," Archer told him, looking guilty. "I-"
Carter stopped him, quickly throwing his arms around him in a makeshift hug, one arm in a cast made it hard to really wrap his hands around him, but Carter tried. Archer hugged back for a few seconds before pulling back.
"I forgive you," Carter told him, "and if it wasn't for you then Alex and I would have never gotten back together. If anything, I owe you one."
Archer looked completely taken aback. "I don't know about that, I.."
Carter interrupted him again. "Do you want to maybe video call me, you know, we can keep in touch? Only if you want to.."
"Yeah." Archer smiled. "I would like that."
Archer turned to walk back to the group, but Carter's hand shot out, holding him back.
"You are going to find someone, I promise."
Archer nodded, and Carter finally felt like he had gotten closure. The two walked back to the group, and they were met with silence. Cole and Alex hadn't moved from the spots they were in when the two had left, and they were both just looking at each other awkwardly. The second that Carter was close enough, Alex threw his arm around his shoulders protectively and Carter leant into his hold.
Archer and Carter's gazes met, and Carter was happily surprised to see no resentment or hostile vibes from his expression, only slight....jealously. Carter sent him a reassuring smile, knowing that even though he wasn't the right guy for Archer, there was someone out there who would be.
"I'll meet you at the gate," Cole muttered to Archer before slowly walking away.
Archer nodded and turned towards Alex, sticking his hand out. Alex shook it hesitantly. "Look after him, little one."
Alex actually laughed a little bit in the back of his throat. "Call me little one again and I will hit you."
"I would like to see you try," Archer taunted, but there was no anger in his voice, only fond amusement and Carter looked at Alex to gage his emotions, but Alex was smiling at Archer. Carter had never believed that those two would find anything that would bring them together, but he guessed that miracles did happen.
The moment was over as quickly as it began and Archer turned to follow Cole, but at the last minute stopped. "Is that Roxy?"
Everyone's heads turned to see the brunette girl running past them and towards where Cole was walking towards the gate. Her long dark hair was flying behind her, and her blue dress was flying around her legs as she zig-zagged in-between people in her hurry to catch up with Cole.
Carter watched in almost disbelief as the girl caught up with Cole, putting a hand on his arm to get his attention. Carter shared a confused look with Alex before turning his gaze back to Roxy. The two were talking intently, and Carter wondered what they were saying. Roxy didn't look angry, she looked like a girlfriend who was saying her last words to her boyfriend before they split ways for a long while, and he guessed that was exactly what was happening. He hoped that whatever they were saying was going to bring Roxy some much needed closure.
After a few more moments of talking, Roxy wrapped her arms around Cole in a sweet hug that lasted only a few moments. The hug seemed to surprise Cole, who stool rigid in her hold for a few seconds before wrapping his own arms around the small girl. When they broke apart they seemed to just look at each other for a few moments, unspoken words flowing between them, before they both went their separate ways, and Roxy started heading back towards them.
"Bye," Archer smiled at Alex and Carter, "maybe I'll see you two again someday." He grinned, walking off, his suitcase dragging along the ground behind him.
Roxy approached them slowly, and Carter noticed that she didn't look overly emotional, but slightly sad.
"I thought you weren't coming?" Carter asked.
"I wanted closure, I guess," Roxy told them, shrugging her shoulders slightly.
"Did you get it?" Alex asked.
"Yeah," she admitted, smiling slightly, "I think I did."
"I'm glad." Carter smiled at his friend.
"Can we go eat a gallon of ice-cream and watch old movies?" Roxy pled with them, a smile on her face. "Because it seems to be our break-up tradition."
Carter smiled, it was exactly what the two had done after Alex and Carter had broken up, as well as every time that Roxy had her heart broken by another stupid jock. Those times Alex had been with them as well and the three of them would stuff their faces with the calorie rich food and snuggle up in front of the television. Of course, Roxy would then throw items such as food and pillows at the cute couple since, as she claimed, their cuteness was making her hate her own love life. Carter remembered how Alex used make her shut up by threatening to eat all the ice-cream.
"I'm in," Alex told her before looking down at Carter who was still nestled against his chest, his arm thrown around Alex's waist. "You in?"
"You bet your ass I'm in."