? Cornelia Funke

Guys, this has turned into the last chapter! O.O I wasn't expecting it either... whoops! :D enjoy!

Maria

I picked up my guitar and walked out onto my balcony. People walked along the street in different directions, tourists and locals alike. I sat down and strummed chords as I people-watched, a habit I'd only picked up this summer.

I saw a man holding a bouquet of flowers, obviously waiting for someone. He looked sad, and as I watched, he sighed and checked his watch. A no-show date, I assumed. Then, a woman carrying several shopping bags accidentally ran into him.

Her shopping fell to the ground, but the man caught her before she could. Their eyes met and they both blushed.

People skirted the scene, but the man knelt and began helping the woman return her shopping into the bags. Once it was all back, she thanked him, glanced at the flowers he'd dropped when helping her, then left, looking sad. He looked after her, and I could see his heart breaking.

As if he could feel my eyes on him, he looked up at where I sat. "Go after her!" I said, smiling softly. I wasn't sure if he'd heard me over the babble in the streets, but he seemed to have gotten my message. Checking his watch one last time, he started running after the woman, flowers in hand.

I sighed. In the weeks away in Canada, I'd done a lot of thinking. About my friends here, those in England who I probably wouldn't be seeing again, about love, and about Scipio.

Scipio. I hadn't seen him since Hornet and I had overheard him in the street, though he had tried to come and see me several times. I had no wish to see him, and he hadn't tried to come back since Marco had gotten involved.

I struck a wrong chord on my guitar, and I was brought out of my thoughts. Music always calmed me, but it wasn't today. Too many bad memories were running through my mind.

Scip kissing that brunette, Scip and his father trying to kidnap Kat and I, and then kidnapping Hornet, Scip's lies, and his fake heroism. I put my guitar down, leaning it against the railing, and clenched my hands into fists.

I stared down at my hands, knuckles white and my fingernails digging into my palms. Then, I was struck my a thought; Scip's hands on mine, his fingers laced between mine.

I shook my head, knowing I was supposed to be mad at him, but the thought wouldn't go away and it was soon joined by more. When he reached up and gently brushed the hair out of my face, his eyes looking into mine, his lips...

I got lost in my thoughts.

Scipio

So now Hornet knew. She knew everything. But how could I explain it to Mar? That I had only kissed that girl to work out my plan, or that I wasn't actually working with my father and uncle to kidnap her, her family or her friends.

I didn't blame her. I blamed myself. I had been stupid, I should've told her everything from the beginning.

I clicked next on my iPod, and a song I'd never listened to came on. Lazy Lovers, by Theo Tams. Whoever he was. I decided to listen to it, and as I listened, I let my feet wander.

"Though there may be sadness here, and you could nearly drown in fear, and the world conspires again to pull you down. Bottled up in sentiment, as though the bets were never meant, and the weaker ones are no where to be found.

"We will not become those lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no. We will not become those lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no."

Maria

My thoughts wandered to all the good times I'd had with Scip. The sunset at the canal, his rescues, all the times with the orphans. As I thought, I remembered the night of Hornet's rescue. When Scip had seen me, he looked scared. Scared for me. Scared for my safety. He was still the Scip I loved.

I closed my eyes and put my earphones in. Pressing play, I realized I had been in the middle of a song.

"Well no one says how hard it gets, never taking time to rest, so many ways for us to come undone. To fight for something meaningful, to live for something wonderful, it's easier to say than to be done.

"We will not become those lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no. We will not become those lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no, no, no."

Scipio

"I may not know much, but I know this for sure, my baby. I may not know much, but I know this for sure, my baby. Well I may not know much, but I know this for sure, my baby."

I realized where my wanderings had taken me: right to Maria's house. I looked up and saw her sitting on her balcony, earphones in. In that moment, I knew what I had to do. I picked up a rock and threw it up to her. It hit with a soft noise, but loud enough for her to hear. She looked down at me, and I held her gaze.

"We will not become those lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no. We will not become those lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no."

Maria

"We will not become lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no, no, no. We will not become lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no, no, no, no. We will not become lazy lovers, lazy lovers, no."

Scip was still standing there, staring at me. Then, he pulled out his iPod and let me hear what was playing.

"We're walking into casualty, give into human frailty, won't walk away from love when things get tough."

He sighed, put it away and looked up at me again. "I'm sorry, Maria. That's all I can say. I'm so sorry." Then, he turned and walked away.

"Scip!" He didn't turn, and I turned and ran downstairs, out of the house and down the road. I caught sight of his back and ran to him. "Scip?"

He turned and met my gaze. It was just us, standing in the middle of the crowded street.

"I'm sorry too," I said. "For not believing you. I should have, but I didn't, and I don't know why-" He cut me off by kissing me gently.

Someone wolf-whistled, and a couple of people cheered. I saw the man who I had seen earlier, that had helped the woman with her groceries. He was smiling at me, hand in hand with that woman, who was holding the flowers.

"Mar," Scip said, bringing me back to the present. "I know this is complicated, but hell, life's complicated, cara. That's just how things are. And for this to work, we need to forgive each other for whatever we might have done."

"Scip," I began, but he cut me off.

"We're both going to school soon, and I know it'll be hard, but-"

"Scip, we can make it work," I said, smiling.

He smiled too. "Good, 'cause I've realized two things."

"What?"

"Well, for one, I never formally asked you out," he said, grinning. I rolled my eyes, laughing.

"Honestly, Scip? It doesn't matter, we've established something here," I said, and he laughed and gave me a hug.

"Alright, I won't." I gave him a kiss, and someone "aww"ed. Scip took my hand and we walked down to the canal. The sun was setting, and I sighed. This would be one of my last nights in Venice.

"What's the second thing?" I asked.

He smiled and wrapped an arm around me. "Mistakes make life what it is, don't they, cara?" I nodded. "Without mistakes, we most definitely wouldn't be here right now. I might not even know you."

"You might," I said. "But you're right."

We stood there for a moment, silent, and then Scip kissed me. "Thank God for mistakes," he whispered.

AN: There are tears in my eyes :') Not really, but WOOOOOOO! The ending to my first story! I feel so accomplished! I really hope you guys enjoyed it, and thank you for sticking with this story even though I sometimes don't update for (ahem) months at a time.

I know it's cheesy, but cheesy is good :) It's been a real work in progress, and I've had that last bit written for years. I got the idea when listening to that song when I was probably 8. It's the inspiration for this story!

I just want to thank you again for being with me, giving me feedback, and just reading my stories!

UPDATE: I'm in the process of a new chapter for both Running and Enchanted, so stay tuned! :)

Love yo' faces! (stole that from Philip DeFranco ;D)

~ nerdy o.O