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            Trevor said nothing. He didn't see the point of doing that, now.
            Exasperated and amused at the same time, Jaclyn shook her head. "Is it going to take me shooting you in the ass with your own bow, or are you just going to admit it?" She mimicked a bow motion as she smiled.
            "I'll have to see your union card, young lady..."
            "Can't. I'm kinda using it. It's still pumping blood to my organs."
            "Then take your best shot."
            "Trevor!" someone shouted.
            Trevor turned as he heard footsteps. Suddenly he found himself in Claire's arms as she nearly mugged him with relief. Surprised, but enjoying it, he looked over her shoulder at Jaclyn."Nice shot..."
            Jaclyn's face filled with joy at the sight of them. Quietly she stepped back.
            "Trevor! Oh thank god you're OK! I was so worried, I thought I had lost you!"
            "Did you look where you last left me?" He teased her but saw that she was serious. "Claire, what's wrong?"
            Claire realized how foolish she must seem but she didn't care. She hugged him tighter, feeling him real in her arms. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong. Not now. I'm just happy to see you. Living, breathing you."
            "Well, I have to say this is a fantastic improvement over your more traditional 'good morning'. I hope it catches on."
            "Trevor, do you know the best thing about second chances? They're a chance. So, I've got something to tell you."
            "Wait, me first. I got these for you and Alex, to say I'm behind the wedding. A small token of--"
            "No, listen Trevor. This is important."
            "-my approval.I mean, you made the choice. You chose to marry Alex. The decision was yours and I didn't have any right to say-"
            Claire blinked several times, trying to find a space to interrupt his word stream, unsuccessfully.
            "Trevor, if you would just stop for one... You need to hear what--"
            "I really want to say I'm sorry, Claire. Your instincts are just as valid as mine. Just because I have three thousand more years of experience doesn't mean I should question your decision after you few decades of knowledge in-"
            "I have made a decision, Trevor. I lov-"
            "So I fully support anything you do, no matter how foolish or misguided it seems. I mean it be nice if you showed me the same courtesy, but I suppose that's asking too-"
            He stopped as Claire lovingly caressed his cheek.
            "Trevor, for once... just shut up." She smiled as she said it. And then...
            She kissed him, catching him by surprise. A deep, passionate kiss that made him forget what he was saying, what he was thinking. The air erupted with music.
            Jaclyn looked across the street where the music was coming from, loud and clear. An impromptu stage and sound booth had been set up in front of the glass front offices of a Chicago radio station. As the music boomed out, she read the banner drapped above, which read: OLYP, new format launch today.
            Trevor's stunned face quickly melted as they dove further into the kiss. Claire's hands flowed over her shoulders and into his hair, holding his head as she kissed him. Trevor's arms crossed on her back, pulling her closer, still gripping the roses. They closed their eyes, falling into a long, deep kiss that seemed to resonate to the souls of their feet. Two hearts pounded close together, and the world seemed encircled between them. In that sparkling, lingering moment, they both remembered what it truly meant to be alive. The music in the air broke into lyrics.

            Wake up kids, we've got the dreamer's disease...

            Jaclyn couldn't help but smile as she watched them. They looked perfect together, standing in the sunshine with their arms around each other. Several other people on the sidewalk began to stop and stare, forming a circle around them. Jaclyn turned to a stranger standing beside her. "New love," she explained. "At least that's what they thought. But I knew better all along."
            Trevor didn't realize it as he let go of the dozen roses to hold Claire tighter. They seemed to fall slowly, bouncing off the sidewalk. A stray rose petal fell past. The kiss continued, buoyant and full.
            Something small fluttered down from above, red and fragile. It was followed by another one, this one pink, then another. Suddenly the air was filled with a softly cascading shower of rose petals, bouncing off of Claire and Trevor's heads and arms as they kissed. It fell like confetti all down the street, filling the sunshine with motion and color. People looked up in wonder at the sight, as the deluge continued. Behind it all the music boomed on.

            But when the night it falling, and you cannot find the light. If you feel you're dream is dying, hold tight...

            Finally, Claire and Trevor broke their kiss, realizing the commotion around them. Claire looked up, her eyes glowing with happiness. She laughed at the sight even as petals fell on her face.
            "Trevor, what's happening? Are you doing ..."
            Trevor relished her expression, smiling at her. "Maybe it's better not to know for certain. Just accept it for what it is, Claire. How did you decide that I was the one? What made you..." he looked into her eyes, wanting to know.
            "Well, I realized that all we have in life is the dream of what could be. In the end, what the hospital wants, what Alex wants, doesn't matter. It's about what I want. And Cupid or not, insane or not, I want you Trevor."
            "But, you might believe I'm Cupid, right?"
            She kissed him. "Don't push it."
            A workman came out of the building they stood by. He looked up at the falling petals and shook his head. "I know somehow I'm going to be the held responsible for cleaning this up. What happened?"
            A second man stood on the sidewalk where he was watching Trevor and Claire. It was the same electrician from the bar. His face was beaming, enigmatic. "I don't know, love I think," he motioned to the Trevor and Claire kissing before them. "The music began playing from that radio station set up across the street over there, then it started to rain flowers from the sky. It must be some rooftop wedding gone bad." He held his hand out as several petals fell into it, before motioning to Trevor and Claire again. "Still, it seems to be working out for those two. Sometimes a hundred step lesson can be learned in just one."
            The workman looked over at the electrician, who seemed to know more than he was letting on. He decided to introduce himself. "Hi. I'm Bob. What's you're name?"
            The electrician smiled and held out his hand as the workman took it. "Just call me Z."
            Jaclyn, having overheard, widened her eyes and turned quickly, but the electrician and the workman were already walking away before she could see the name stitched on his shirt. She shook her head, it was a foolish thought.

            This whole damn world, can fall apart. You'll be OK, follow your heart. You're in harm's way, I'm right behind, now say you're mine...

            Champ entered his apartment carrying coffee and doughnuts. Curious, he realized Trevor was gone. He must have left with Jaclyn. Something about having to buy some flowers, if he remembered right. Putting his bags on the counter, he switched on the television. What he saw there couldn't have been more shocking if it had flown out of his--
            "This is Catherine Ralls, reporting for Chicago This Morning at the new format launch of OLYP. It's an amazing scene here, the air's full of flowers with rumors circulating of a rooftop wedding mishap. Suffices to say several people seem to have been caught up in the whole thing..."
            The camera zoomed in through the falling flowers, its vision obscured, but Champ recognized who he saw locked in the embrace. Trevor and Claire, kissing again, their faces away from the camera. Champ smiled. "Well, I'll be..." he said in wonder. "Maybe he really is--" he paused for a moment, "...NAH!" Champ dismissed the idea, as he watched the camera pan away. Unnoticed in Trevor's bedroom behind him, all the beads were clustered together, next to the first.

            Don't let go, you've got the music in you. One dance left, this world is going to pull through. Don't give up, you've got a reason to live. Can't forget, you only get what you give...

            Trevor and Claire stopped kissing as he picked her up and swung her around, laughing in his arms. Once he put her down, she looked into his face.
            "How do I know this isn't a dream, Trevor?"
            Trevor smiled, as more rose petals cascaded between them. "We don't."
            Claire kissed him again. They loved each other and that was all that mattered. But as they kissed, she reached up and pinched herself on the arm. Hard.


THE END









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