AN: A short chapter. And the end is in sight, intrepid readers! Just a couple more chapters, okay?

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"I'll talk to her if you want me to," John told Clem. "I mean, I see her every day, practically, and I am involved in the problem, yeah?"

Clem looked at him, biting her lips together. They were in John's car, having just driven through a coffee place for iced lattes. They would've preferred to go in and sit, but John was leery of being photographed. Lately, they'd been recognized everywhere, and paparazzi had taken to following them.

She shook her head. "No. This is between Hy and me. She needs to work this shit out, with herself and with me."

John smiled as he merged onto the freeway.

"What? What's the smile for?" Clem asked as she sucked on her straw.

"I think that's the first time you've ever put the onus on her to fix things, you know? Not taken it on yourself. And you're completely right, of course. She needs to fix things, not you. You did lie to her, and you've sincerely apologized to her for that, there's nothing else you can do."

Clem considered, then nodded. "I guess so. Now it's just a matter of waiting for her to come to terms with things the way they are."

"And apologizing to you for the horrid things she said, and the appalling way she's treated you," John interjected. "Please, please, Clem, don't just let her off so easily. She's been a class-A bitch to you. To the point that if she weren't your sister, I'd suggest just cutting your losses."

"What do you mean, just cut her out of my life?" Clem was horrified. "You know I can't do that!"

"I know, I know, that's why I haven't suggested it," John soothed, putting a hand on her arm. "I know you love her and want things smoothed over."

"I just hope she can't cut me out of hers," Clem worried. "It kind of feels like that's what she's doing, though, you know?"

"I know. But she doesn't look happy, either, I want you to know."

"Really?"

"Really. She seems miserable, if I'm being honest. I don't think it's easy for her to live like this, to live without you on a daily basis." John nodded. "She's suffering as well."

"Well, I'm not going to say I'm glad she's suffering, but it's nice to know her life's not a bed of roses without me, I suppose."

Clem looked in the side view mirror on her side. "You know, that little Honda has been behind us for the past few miles."

John looked in the rear view. "Really? You think it's a pap?"

Clementine turned around to look. "Seems like it. He's got a driver, and a camera pointed right at us."

"Fuck." Johnny shook his head. "Well, I guess lunch is out as well. Shall we go back to mine and just order out?"

"I guess so." Clem tried not to sound disappointed. She'd been looking forward to getting out, to sitting on a patio somewhere and enjoying the sunshine. But Johnny was right, it wasn't worth the feeling of violation when they were photographed just living their lives.

John lifted his right hand so it was clearly visible to the car behind them, giving the photographer the finger.

"Let him photograph that," he muttered before speeding up, trying to leave the pap behind.

They lost the Honda when they got off the freeway. John headed for his beach house, reaching across the console to hold Clem's hand.

"Life's not so bad, is it? You don't regret, um, meeting me?"

"What?" Clem was astounded. "How can you even ask me that? Meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me, John."

John lifted her hand to press a kiss to it before releasing it. "Good. I just worry sometimes because it seems like I've brought such havoc to your life, that's all."

"Like what?"

John shrugged. "The paps, the rift with your sister, the whole Bahamas mess—"

Clementine shook her head. "I don't blame you for any of that, it's the horrible paparazzi. And the thing with Hy, well, that's my fault for not being up front with her from the beginning." She paused. "And like you said, I blame her, too, for reacting like she did."

John stopped at a red light. "Clem?"

"Yeah?"

"Would you consider moving in with me?" He looked over at her. "I know it's a bit early to be asking you something so serious, but I miss you so much when you're not with me, and it seems like we spend half our lives driving back and forth between yours and mine. I know I'm not even going to be there much if I tour an album, or if I get cast in a movie somewhere else, but it would be lovely to know you were there."

Clem swallowed. "John, are you sure? I mean, you'd be giving up your privacy, I'd be there even when you wanted to be alone."

"It's a whacking huge house," John countered. "I'm sure I could find some corner of it to be alone in if I felt the need. Besides, I'd always rather be with you than be alone."

"What a sweet thing to say." Clementine smiled at him. "I might not be around much myself, come to think of it, if I go into business with Anastasia."

"So then we'd have no worries about privacy or whatever. You'd be living your life, and I'd be living mine, we'd just be doing it from the same address. Please say you'll think about it? No more running around with your knickers in a paper bag?"

"But John, what happens when you decide you don't want me anymore? When you break up with me?"

John, who was changing lanes, looked over at her. "What? What makes you think I'm ever going to not want you anymore?"

"Oh come on," Clementine stuttered. "Are you—are you saying—"

"Yeah, I am," John replied with certainty. "I know myself very well, Clementine O'Dell, and you're it for me, I'm finished looking, I've found you. Unless you're asking for your self?" Suddenly he sounded uncertain, and touchingly young. "Are you thinking you might get tired of me?"

Clem laughed. "Are you crazy?" She unbuckled and lunged across the space that separated them, hugging him and kissing his cheek. "You're John Darling-Ezekwesili, for fuck's sake. I'm never letting you go."

"So this does mean you'll think about it?" John repeated. "You'll consider it?"

"I don't need to consider it," Clem replied, sucking the last of her latte, making the ice cubes rattle. "Graduation's in a few weeks, let's do it right after, okay?"

"Okay!" John sang out, his voice loud and happy in the car. He rolled his window down. "Clementine O'Dell just said she'd move in with me!" He shouted to the car next to him.

The occupant of the car wisely kept her face forward, ignoring the crazy yelling person next to her.

"John, stop, you're going to cause an accident," Clem admonished, shaking her head.

"Nonsense, I'm an ace driver," he replied, though he did roll his window up.

Clem smiled as she looked out at the golden day.

Life was definitely looking up.