Heaven's Gates [Finished]

Prologue

-

Elizabeth Haggart looked around. All she saw was blue, an esculator that reached up to the sky, and the white ground she was standing on. She looked around and whispered, "Where the hell am I?"

The ground shook and she stumbled to the ground. Trying to grab on the ground, her hand slipped through. She didn't understand. Her feet and knees didn't fall through the ground, but her hands did. Reaching down, curiously terrified and feeling alone, she only got as far as her elbow. Sighing, she sat up. No matter what she did her hands fell through what looked like to be a white floor.

-

And so it begins...

-

Elizabeth Haggart was talking with her best friend Ashley, who couldn't be more opposite look-wise to her. Beth's hair was short, curly and a sandy blonde, while Ashley's hair was long, straight and black. Beth's eyes were this bright blue, Ashley's were deep brown and Beth was thin and tall. Ashley was short, and the only thing they shared look-wise was; they were both thin, and they both had freckles. While Beth's skin was pale with a million and one freckles, Ashley's was deep with the occasional freckle. Beth and Ashley's appearance may have been different, but their minds were alike. They thought along the same lines for almost everything. They'd met in Grade Four, which seemed like forever ago, because Ashley came to Beth to learn the gossip between their friends. Anyways, somehow they became quickly friends, and then here they were in Grade Tweleve and still as close as best friends could be.

"Hey, did you hear the news?" Ashley asked, sitting down beside Beth, who tried her best not to look at her ex-boyfriend, Carson Monroe.

"What news?" Beth asked, looking at her friend. Unsure what else to do, she bit her bottom lip.

"That Brad and Katie are dating again. And Melissa cheated on Carson. He totally freaked out on her. They aren't dating anymore." Ashley said, smiling. "That's awesome, right?"

-

Ever since they'd been freshmans, Beth had fallen for Carson. She thought he was the "bomb". He was everything she'd wanted; hot, cute, handsome--all at once--and he was sweet and kind. He was a jock-kind-of-a-guy, and he was charming. He was everything, cool with everyone, fun, easy-going, everything Beth had ever wanted in a guy. He was taller than her by almost a foot, which showed that she wasn't as tall as everyone made her out to be, he had dark wavy brown-ish-black hair, and these pair of big, wide, deep brown eyes, not to mention long lashes.

She had went out of her way the entire freshman year to make him notice her. Simple things by sitting beside him in class, then she'd casually drop her pen or pencil in high hopes he's pick it up. Normally, he did, smiling at her. Once, she giggled and murmered, "I'm such a klutz." He smiled, didn't say a word. Cursing in her mind, she decided to go to more desparate measures. Which included being late to all her classes just to see what he had. She knew he had History 204 with her second period, French 301 with her fourth period, second last period they both had Art 217 and last period they had English 203. Which is probably how Beth fell for Carson in the first place. He was in four of her six classes.

Learning his routes around the school, she casually took this as to run into him. Slowly, he would joke, "We're always running into each other, must be fate." And Beth would think, 'Yeah, must be'. Secretly, she wondered if he ever took the hint.

Then, around Valentine's Day, Beth was feeling a little down because she knew that, not only would Carson not ask her, he'd be going with Melissa--his girlfriend. So, she walked down the hall towards her French 301 class, and when she turned down the hall, she ran into someone. Her stuff went flying, and she fell on the floor. Feeling like she was about to crack, about to cry, she looked up to see a wide-eyed, shock striken Carson staring down at her. She felt stupid, sitting on the floor thinking about how much he didn't care about her. He bent down, to meet her eye-level, and he whispered, "Are you okay?"

She stared at him, unsure what to say. Then, slowly, she nodded. He sighed, shaking his head and said, "I wanted to see you, I just didn't want to run you down in the process."

Beth blinked and slowly asked, her heart pounding, her mind racing--not thinking of anything except what he'd just said--taking a deep breath, "You wanted to see me?"

"Well, yeah," Carson had said, smiling, "why have you been avoiding me all week?"

I've been breathing, Beth thought, and you noticed? She smiled softly, and swallowed, "I...I haven't."

"Yes. You used to always go down the same halls as me, and then this week, when I go looking for you, you're taking a different route." Carson said, sitting down in front of her. She didn't know what to say.

"Why were you looking for me?" she asked, because it'd true, she'd been avoiding him to avoid disappointment.

"Well, I was going to ask you to the Valentine's Dance, but now I don't know if you really want to go." he had told her, staring into her eyes.

"Yes," she'd barely croaked out.

-

Beth looked across the classroom at Carson. They'd dated since freshman Valentine's Day Dance, and up until Grade Tweleve, they'd been tight. But then she'd walked in an empty classroom and found Carson and Melissa--his ex-girlfriend from freshman year--kissing on a desk. She'd been so shocked, she'd picked up things and threw them at the kissing couple. But now, Beth thought staring at Carson who laughed with his friends, they weren't even friends, let alone talking. Sighing, Beth turned her attention back to Ashley.

"So, Melissa cheated?" Beth asked, trying not to look at him.

"Mhm, only after five months, too. Isn't that great? Finally, Carson knows how you felt." Ashley said, smiling. But as Beth glanced over at Carson--one last time, she'd promised herself--she realized he'd been looking at her. Sadly. Beth didn't try and smile, she didn't know what to do. He was suddenly looking at her again. She'd never gotten over what Carson had put her through, but never once did he wish he'd go through the same. Beth sighed and watched as Carson broke the moment, and she looked back at Ashley.

"Yeah, that's great." she said without a tone or expression. She sighed and looked at the clock, their teacher should've been here by now. What was keeping him? she wondered. Beth glanced at Ashley, who rolled her eyes.

"Elizabeth." a familiar voice came, really softly, and really close to Beth. Beth jumped, squealing, she lost her balance on the desk and fell backwards. Suddenly someone caught her wrist, to stop her from falling. She took a deep breath, and looked to see who had saved her, and of course, it was Carson. His eyes were wide, scared and totally nervous. She hadn't dated him for almost three years to not know what his looks meant.

"Carson." Beth breathed, taking deep breaths as he pulled her back up. She closed her eyes, "Don't you ever do that again. So not funny."

And even though laughter cracked up around the room, Carson said, "So not funny, Beth."

Her eyes flickered open and she looked at him, "What do you want?"

"Can I talk to you out in the hall?" Carson asked, looking really nervous. Beth glanced at Ashley who raised her hand and moved it across her neck, shaking her head. Despite the fact that Ashley was telling her no, Beth looked down at her wrist, which he still held. She nodded, meekly, and got off the desk. He pulled her out of the classroom. People whispered things, probably wondering why they were almost holding hands, let alone why they were talking.

Beth shut the door, to stop anyone from easedropping, and she looked at Carson, who let go of her wrist. Beth asked, her voice low, soft and guarded, "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to say..." Carson started to say, but he never got a chance to finish what he wanted to say. There was a bang, and suddenly Carson was on the ground. Beth screamed, falling beside him. And then everything went dark for her too.

[Part Two]

That's the point where Elizabeth got up and looked around. All she saw was blue, an esculator that reached up to the sky, and the white ground she was standing on. She looked around and whispered, "Where the hell am I?"

The ground shook and she stumbled to the ground. Trying to grab on the ground, her hand slipped through. She didn't understand. Her feet and knees didn't fall through the ground, but her hands did. Reaching down, curiously terrified and feeling alone, she only got as far as her elbow. Sighing, she sat up. No matter what she did her hands fell through what looked like to be a white floor.

She stared at the white ground, pushing her head into it. But her head didn't fall through. Unsure what she should do now, she screamed for help. She didn't know where she was. Her mind was pounding with questions, far-fetched explantions, and she didn't know what to do. Giving up, she walked towards the esculator. Finding herself confused, lost and feeling utterly alone, she sat down on the bottom one. As it moved up, she saw something in the mist. Great, she thought, now there's mist? But she recongized the outline of the body. Carson. She ran down the esculators, surprisingly, they let her. She ran towards him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Bethy." he said, calling her by her pet nickname from ages ago. He hugged her back, squeezing her tightly, he let her cry into his shoulder. She couldn't help it. She was feeling so utterly alone, and here comes Carson to save the day. Just like Carson, she thought, saving my day. "Where are we?" he asked softly.

"Um," Beth said, looking around. She looked at Carson, and remembered it was only moments ago when he was on the ground, after a gun was fired. No, she thought, they couldn't have been dead. No, they weren't. But looking around, Beth realized they were. She swallowed hard, it's a lot to take in all at once, and she whispered, "Heaven, I think."

"Heaven?" Carson asked, pushing her off him. He stared at her and said, "How on Earth can we be in heaven?"

It kind of stuck Beth as funny that he'd said "how on Earth" when she knew, they were so beyond Earth. She didn't say anything, just took his hand and squeezed it. "Someone had a gun. They...shot us. I remember seeing you fall. Hearing the gun being fired. Carson, we were murdered."

"No, we weren't." Carson said, firmly.

A car horn honked in the distant. Beth looked around confused, then realized she was moving. Somehow her and Carson were on the esculator. Beth blinked and said, "What the hel-heck?"

"I don't know." Carson said, looking around. He turned to Beth and asked, "Are you sure we were murdered?"

"All I remember..." Beth said softly, tears filling up her dry eyes, "is you were on the floor. I screamed, I put my hand on your chest, and before I knew it, everything went black," she paused and continued, "I've never been so scared in my life, Carson. And even if it was for three seconds, it was the scariest. The thought of you dead..."

"Bethy." Carson whispered, putting his arms around her. She started to bawl into his chest. She started to shake, and she whispered a prayer to God. Just that they weren't dead, that she'd have one more day on Earth to tell him how she truly feels. That she never stopped loving him. She fell to the stair of the white esculator and Carson fell with her. She couldn't stop sobbing, she was scared. But she wasn't as scared as she had been seeing Carson fall to the ground.

"Carr..." Beth whispered, between her getting-louder-by-the-sob sobs, "I'm so sorry."

"About what?" he asked, stroking her hair.

"Melissa. I heard she cheated on you." Beth said after a moment, she took a deep breath and tried to dry her eyes. She looked up into Carson's deep eyes, with amusement flickering in them. Beth didn't say anything, and then she heard Carson chuckle.

"Only you would say that after we're dead and on our way up to heaven," Carson said, smiling. Beth cracked a smile. Carson kissed her forehead and said, so softly she almost had to strain to hear him, "I don't even care about Melissa."

About to ask who he cared about, Beth heard the car horn again. Turning, she realized they were at the top. She stood up, grabbing Carson's hand out of nerves, and she looked around. All she saw was clouds and then she saw a little yellow bus. The second they stepped off the esculator, the clouds disappeared and a new world came in sight. Blinking at the bus, Beth tried to look around. There was only a road, long road, a feild of different wild flowers and the bus. But there was a sky with a sun. There was something that felt like air, and there was Carson. Beth took the first step towards the bus, wiping her eyes dry. She couldn't believe she broke down crying. She couldn't believe she was dead. Squeezing Carson's hand tightly, she peeked into the bus.

"Hello!" a cheerful voice came. Beth jumped back and saw that there was a man driving it. He smiled, opening a book, and he said, "Welcome to the Heaven's Gate's bus, I am Frank, your driver. Now, there are three things you absolutely must know. One, you're not allow to say h-e-double-hockey-stick, two, you're kind of...dead. And three," he said, still smiling, "this place is twenty times better than Earth. You will, more than likely, meet someone you once knew. Although, tracking down people these days are a little hard. Everyone's traveling, since there's no money involved up here."

Beth turned and stared at Carson, she asked, "How can he be so cheerful? We just find out we're dead and he's all smiles?"

"Relax, Beth." Carson said, his voice low, he said, "There's been some sort of mistake. I wasn't, I mean, we weren't supposed to die."

"Um," Frank said, looking at them confused. He looked at his book and asked, "Elizabeth Anne Haggart and Carson Johnathan Monroe?"

Shaking her head slowly, Beth said, "Elizabeth Megan Haggart."

"Megan?" Frank asked, confused.

"It's Carson Hunter Monroe." Carson added. Frank looked from them, down to his book. He shook his head, muttering something.

"Well," Frank said, waving them to get in the bus, "come on in. We'll get this all sorted out soon. Who knows, maybe neither of you will want to go back."

"Why wouldn't we?" Beth asked, looking around. She slowly climbed into the bus, sighing. Still hanging on Carson's hand, she closed her eyes and sat down. After a moment, Carson nudged her. She opened her eyes and looked at Carson. He nodded out the window, and she gasped.

Suddenly the relaxing scenery was gone, and they were in a city. She smiled and looked at Carson, who smiled back. She looked down at their hands, and murmered, letting go of his, "Sorry."

"It's okay." Carson said, letting go of hers after a moment.

Then they talked about the city, which had big flashing neon-lights and even a movie theater. Playing movies from years ago, to movies Beth hadn't heard about before. Leaning forward, Beth asked Frank, "What did you mean by there's no money involved up here?"

"Money makes conflicts," Frank replied, "so, everyone figured it was easier to give and recieve. Anyways, in this world, everyone can get their dream job, mind you, you have to work for it like always, and don't get me wrong. People still get into their fights, and there is a lot hate, but every once in a while, its all peace. Anyways, I'm dropping you off at the library in Salem."

"Salem, like, where the Salem Witch Trials were?" Beth asked, curiously.

"No, no. Remember, this is a different world. Salem, as in Salem-where-all-the-newcomers-go." Frank said, softly. Beth sat back and looked at Carson. This was awkward, she thought. Frank added, "Don't forget. You can fall in love anywhere. We're here. But if you ever need me, pick up a phone, and dial 1717. I'll be there in a flash."

"Wait," Carson said, sighing, "are we going to get back to Earth anytime soon?"

"I don't know," Frank said, honestly, "Maybe, maybe not. Now, hurry up and enjoy yourselves."

Beth followed Carson quickly off the bus. Frank drove off. Beth turned around and gasped. There was a library that was bigger than any other building Beth had seen before. Carson cursed soflty, and Beth waited for the ground to shake. It didn't, only because he didn't say hell. Beth whispered, "We'll go back to Earth, won't we?"

"I hope so. I...I don't belong here." Carson said, looking around, then at Beth, "And neither do you. I know we're supposed to be all forgiving and whatever, but we were innocent. We didn't need to die."

"Carson," Beth whispered, "innocent people die everyday, what makes us special?"

"I don't know." Carson murmered, "But I don't feel like I'm supposed to be here."

"Me neither. Come on, lets go into the library, maybe there's something in here. Maybe this has happened before." Beth said, softly. She wasn't sure anymore. Looking around, she knew this could be home. But not for a long, long time. Grabbing Carson's wrist, she pulled him up the stairs.

"Maybe what's happened before?" Carson asked, following her grugdingly.

"Maybe the wrong people have been taken." Beth said, smiling, "Maybe someone's been put back on Earth before." Or, Beth thought looking at her exboyfriend, maybe we're screwed and stuck here. Maybe we'd been alive if I'd taken Ashley's advice and stayed in the classroom, Beth added silently.

"Whatever, I want to go home." Carson said, rolling his eyes. "Alright? So, we pass our time until Mr.Always-Happy-And-Has-Probably-Been-Dead-For-A-Million-Years figures out why we're here."

Beth didn't say anything for a moment. Turning on her heel, she walked back down the library steps and walked down the main drag in the city that seemed too good to be true. Carson didn't follow her. But Beth knew he was wondering what the heck he'd said to her that made her walk away. Maybe, she thought, I wasn't over him on Earth, but I was so over him in Heaven.

She looked around, unsure of what to say of her new life.

[Part Three]

Unsure what to make of the new world, Beth walked down the street. She saw big guy holding out tickets for some play, he smiled gently at her and she saw people rushing into the theater.

"Good play?" she asked him, smiling.

"Shakespear is awesome." the guy replied, winking.

"Shakespear?" Beth asked, "He's alive?"

"Oh, dear, you're new to this. Everyone's dead. Remember? The good guys come up here, the bad ones...go otherplaces." the ticket-boy said, smiling sadly, "I've always wondered..."

"What?" Beth asked, eyeing him. She didn't want to get lost in this big city, but she figured it didn't matter. The ticket-boy didn't answer her, but called out to people Beth could only recongize as Anna Nicole Richie and her son. Beth smiled, so there was peace for them after all. That was nice. Relaxing even, so Beth smiled as she looked around her. Sighing, she realized that Carson would be grumbling. Then she smiled, taking a deep breath and she twirled. Without thinking about what she was doing, she laughed. Feeling free, she ran into someone, which burst her bubble. She fell to the ground, sitting up, she looked at her knees and arms. They were all scraped up. Groaning, she looked to apologize to the person, who turned out to be the most gorgeous boy she'd ever seen.

"I'm so sorry," she said, trying to muffle a giggle. His blue eyes flashed at her and he bent down.

Speaking with an accent, he said, "It is my fault. I walked into you."

"It's not your fault," Beth quickly said, smiling. She composed her awe and said, giggling despite her attempts not to, " I'm Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth?" he asked, smiling, "I'm Chris, from the 1970s."

"Holy," Beth whistle, "I'm from now."

"Which is...?" he asked, smiling. "What year is it down on Earth?"

"Um, 2007, why?" Beth asked, as he helped her up. She liked the feeling of his hand in hers. Smiling because he was that damn beautiful, she asked, "How old are you?"

"Well," he said, still smiling at her, "I was born in 1966, which would make me about 41 if I was still on Earth, except I died when I was seventeen, so, yeah."

She blinked. He'd been forty-one? Wasn't that a little gross for her to be trippin' over him? She sighed and he added, "Except, we don't age in Heaven. You get this trial thing, and you get to become the exact age you want to be. So, you can see yourself in two years, or at age two hundred. There's this mirror that shows you. Normally people stay young, it's just because it's easier that way. You gotta go through a lot of paper work to get older. It's all very complicated."

"So," Beth thought trying to get used to the idea, "technically, you're still seventeen?"

"Well, yes, in a manner of speaking." Chris said, his blue eyes sparkling, "Since you're new to this, would you like a tour?"

"Um," Beth said, thinking of Carson and Frank, she was about to say no. But Chris grinned, and she said, "That'd be like, totally, awesome!"

Chris laughed and took her by the arm. So old fashion, Beth thought, and he said, "Where to first?"

"Wait." Beth said, sighing, "If...all good people are here...I mean, I saw Shakespear, Anne Nicole Richie, and her son, would that mean that I could find my sister?"

"Well, that's a bit difficult, but I'm sure we could always find Rose McGee and ask her. She knows absolutely everything."

"Really?" Beth asked, thinking the thought of seeing her baby sister again.

Reese, as Elizabeth had called her because of her love of Reese Pieces chocolate, had only been fourteen when she died in a car accident. Now, the accident hadn't been Elizabeth's fault, but she always felt guilty because her sister had asked her to drive her to the beach. Saying no, Reese had gotten another ride with a guy who was apparently drunk--althought Reese hadn't known.

Thinking about finding Reese made Beth's heart jump. Seeing Reese again, with her blonde hair and big bright blue eyes. Beth wanted to wrap her arms around her sister once more and hug her tightly.

"I can't make promises, though--" Chris's voice was cutting into her thoughts,"--however, like I said, Rose knows everything. Just wait a few moments..."

Beth stood really still, unsure what else to do. Then...

"Chris!" a voice came after a moment. Beth looked around to see a tall thin, brown hair, brown eyed woman walking towards them. She put on a big smile and asked,"Who's this?"

"I'm Elizabeth, Beth." Beth said, introducing herself. She held out a hand, but Rose, or so Beth gathered, wrapped her arms around her instead. Beth wasn't sure what to do for a moment and then Rose stepped back.

"I'm Rose. So, Chris, how can I help you?" Rose asked, smiling brightly. "I'm on a tight schedule."

"You weren't kidding." Beth muttered to Chris, who laughed. He wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders and smiled at Beth. Beth said, "I kind-of want to find my sister."

"Last name?" Rose asked, kissing Chris's cheek, which made Beth's cheeks burn in embarrassment that she'd been thinking he was hot.

"Haggart." Beth said softly, "Reese Haggart. Well, her real name's--"

"Reese?" Rose asked smiling, "I know Reese. We're like best friends. She's actually down at the coffee shop right now. Why don't I take you there?"

"What?" Beth asked, her voice cracking and her heart pounding so loud, she wondered if Chris and Rose could hear it. Beth closed her eyes. Her sister. She could see her sister. Her sister was here.

"Come on." Rose said, happily, grabbing Beth's hand and pulling her down the street. Beth opened her eyes and kept them sharp incase her sister left this coffee shop she was supposed to be at. Beth's throat grew a rather large lump, and she couldn't stop shaking. Her baby sister. She could see her baby sister. She'd get a chance to say she was sorry, a chance to tell her she loved her with all her heart.

Rose pulled her into a musty little cafe, and said, "Over there. She's in the corner with the magazine."

Beth couldn't move for a moment. Chris gave her a push, and she stumbled forward. Finding her cool, she took a deep breath and started to cry. She stood in front of the girl, who's face she could not see, and whispered, "Reese?"

"What da ya want?" her sister's familiar voice came. The magazine was lowered and Beth gasped. She stumbled backwards. Her baby sister was still the fourteen-year-old girl as Beth remembered her. She hadn't gotten any younger or older. Reese blinked, frozen.

"Reese." Beth whispered, her voice a little stronger. "Oh-my-Reesie!"

Beth wrapped her arms around her sister, who had stood up for the hug. Reese said, her voice soft, "Did you get to live until your eighties?"

"Stopped at seventeen." Beth whispered back. Squeezing her sister harder she whispered, "Oh, I can't believe its you. Reese, I love you soo much. I should never have let you go with Markus."

"Its okay," Reese said, crying like Beth, "I forgave Markus. We were stuck on the...you know what? It doesn't matter. I love you too. I can't believe you're here! What happened?"

"Well..." Beth said, taking a seat across from Reese, "Carson cheated on me a couple months ago, was dating Melissa, who cheated on him, and he took me out in the hall. To talk, he said, and before he did, he was shot. Then I was next. I don't know what happened."

Reese's eyes grew wide and innocent, "You were shot? Oh, Bethy, I'm so sorry."

"I'm not." Beth said, smiling, "I got to be with you, didn't I?"

"Yeah, we're sisters again." Reese said, softly, then her eyes flickering, "Tell me the gossip from down on Earth. I rarely get any."

"Alright." Beth said, diving in.

[Part Three]

Beth and Reese talked for what seemed like ages. Beth and Reese left the coffee shop, and went down to a park for a walk. Beth saw some bread sitting on a table, and snuck over to grab a slice. She went down to the water and tossed some bread in for the ducks. She smiled at how calming and peaceful it was. Reese was joking around, laughing, as she pushed Beth into the water. Beth only got her feet and her flip-flops went. Squealing, Beth chased after Reese to push her into the water. Then Beth's foot slip and she went flying forwards. Landing on a gravel path, she cursed as she realized her knee was scraped up and bleeding.

Reese walked over and then screamed. Beth looked up at her sister in shock and surprise. Beth didn't see what Reese was freaking out over. Beth just got up off the ground and asked her sister, "What's your problem, Reese?"

"You're bleeding," Reese barely breathed.

Beth shrugged, "It's nothing big. Not like being shot. Come on, let's go see that new Shakespear play."

"No, you don't understand!" Reese said, tears coming to her eyes. "Bethy, Beth! You don't get it! You still have blood! No one in heaven has blood! No one that's supposed to be here anyways! Beth, you're not supposed to be dead! What are you doing here?"

"I...I..." Beth was at lost for words. Was Carson right? They don't belong here? She had just left him. She'd found her sister. She didn't want to go back to Earth. But...what if...? She stared at Reese who was now crying. But Elizabeth couldn't understand what was going on. Reese buried her face into her hands, fell to her knees and shook her head. Beth didn't know what to do. She bent down, wrapping her arms around her sister. Her baby sister. The sister she wished never left her.

"Beth, where's Carson?" Reese asked her slowly. Beth shrugged, with an empty look. She didn't know what to do. Her heart pounded. What if she had a second chance at life? What if...what if she could go back and live until she was eighty like Reese had wanted her to? Beth didn't want to leave Reese, but if she got a second chance...would that mean she could live for both of them?

"I don't know. I left him at the library..." Beth said, with a confused shrug. She couldn't think. Should she leave Reese? Go find Carson? What to do...?

"Come on," Reese said, standing up and drying her eyes. She pushed Beth off her slightly, "let's go see if Carson is supposed to be here too."

"Frank, he had our names in that book of his. But...but, our middle names were wrong." Beth told Reese as Reese walked quickly towards the road.

"Frank had Carson's wrong too?" Reese asked her, turning to look at Beth. Beth nodded and Reese pulled on Beth's hand. Reese yelled, "Beth, you weren't supposed to be here! You should've stayed with Carson! Why didn't you?"

"Because...because..." but there wasn't nothing Beth could say. She'd left because...why? Because she realized she hadn't been over Carson on Earth. Somewhere in the distant, Beth could almost hear her name being called. She closed her eyes as Reese pulled on her hand. Reese's voice came through Beth's peaceful thoughts. Reese pushed Beth into a taxi cab, which made Beth's eyes flash open. Reese stood, holding the door open.

Reese said, her voice a bit high and emotional, "Go home. Live life for both of us. I'll wait until you actually are supposed to be here, Beth. Now, don't you dare turn around. Alright? You need to take the second chance. God doesn't make mistakes. He brought you up here to teach you a lesson. Whatever your lesson is, you'll know it when it happens. Alright? I love you so much! Bye, Bethy!"

And then without another word, or a chance for Beth to say bye to her only sister, Reese slammed the door and the taxi took off. Beth watched her sister in the back window, and waved bye. She was crying. It was like losing her sister all over again. Why couldn't she just stay in heaven? Why did she have to go back to Earth? Why couldn't she be happy here? Instead of her miserable self on Earth?

Suddenly the taxi stopped, but she couldn't see who was driving the taxi. She muttered a "thanks" and then got out. If she had to pay him, she'd never gotten the chance, he was gone before she could've asked. She turned and found herself at the library. She walked up the steps, wondering if Carson was still here.

"Elizabeth!" a voice came. Her heart skipped a beat and she turned around. She'd know that voice anywhere.

"Carson!" she screamed, running down the steps. She flung herself on him, wrapping her arms around him.

"Bethy," he whispered, twirling her around. Her legs flew freely. Once he set her back down on her feet, he told her, "We aren't supposed to be here. Something happened, Frank said, and he doesn't know what. But he offered to give us a ride to the gates. If we can run down the esculator that's moving upwards, he says we weren't meant to die, and our soul will find our body again."

Beth smiled and realized why they'd come to heaven. She knew what God wanted to tell her. She knew what her mistake was. She should've forgiven Carson a long time ago. She fought her lips, trying to hide her huge smile, but she failed miserably. She squeezed him closer to her. She didn't understand why it had to take a trip to heaven to prove to her what love was all about. Finally, after a moment, Beth said, "I'm sorry she cheated on you."

Carson didn't say anything for a moment, then he said, "I'm sorry I cheated."

"I know," Beth told him and she stood on her tip-toes. She pressed her forehead against his and whispered, "Let's go home, Carson."

"Alright," he said, as she unwrapped her arms. She let her hand fall in his and then they ran across the road to the little yellow bus where Frank sat waiting for them.

[Part Five]

Beth held onto Carson's hand. She was shaking because she was so scared. She kept her eyes closed the entire bus ride back to the gates. But the bus came to a stop and Carson cursed. Beth's eyes fluttered open, and she noticed they were sitting just outside the park. She smiled, looking around for her sister. But it wasn't her sister she saw, it was Rose. Rose tapped on the window, with a big cheery smile, and the second Beth put the window down, the second Rose started to talk.

"Beth, dearest, I'm glad you figured this out. And I'm glad you had a day with your sister. But you know what Reese always wanted you to know?" Rose asked Beth, who was swallowing the lump in her throat.

Beth shook her head and whispered, "No, we never got around to that."

"Well," Rose said, glancing around before leaning her head in the car, "she's always wanted you to know that she's proud of you and that she wants you to figure out the true meaning of love."

Beth nodded, her hand squeezing Carson's because she wasn't sure what Rose meant, or why she was telling her this. Rose continued to say something else, but Frankie cut her off by saying, "Rose, honey, I've got to get these kids back to Earth."

"Right then," Rose said, smiling at Frank, "I'll see you tonight baby?"

"Yep," Frank said, with a nod. Rose smiled and looked back at Beth.

"Don't let it escape you because of one mistake. Everyone makes mistakes, Beth. Believe me, even you have," Rose told her, with a couple nods. Then she backed away from the bus, and Frank put the car in motion.

Beth turned to look at Carson, who was staring at their hands. Beth looked down at their hands. She remembered Reese, at only tweleve, telling her that "if your hands fit together perfectly and you love him--that's the guy, Beth, even if you don't believe in love". Beth let a smile reach her lips.

"Who was that?" Carson asked, looking up at Beth.

"Oh, a good ol' friend named Rose. She's the lady who helped me find Reese, my baby sister," Elizabeth told Carson. And for the first time, she wanted him to know her secret. Beth looked at Carson, her smile fading, "I have to tell you something."

"What?" Carson asked her, his eyes almost searching hers.

"When you cheated on me," Beth whispered, tears finding her eyes, "it really hurt. But it wasn't that you'd cheated on me, Carson. It was the fact that you cheated on me...when my father cheated on my mother."

Carson swore, looking in her eyes, down at their hands, and back to her eyes again. She started to cry, because it was a secret she hadn't told a single person. Not even Reese had known. She supposed she could've told Reese while she had the chance. But it didn't matter anymore. Her heart, broken as it seemed, didn't know what to do anymore. Carson wrapped his arms around Beth's little body and whispered, "Beth, I'm so so sorry. If I'd known...I'm sorry. Fuck, I screw up, didn't I?"

Beth nodded, with a little laugh. She smiled, prying herself free from his embrace. He'd let go of her hand, but he caught it again pretty quickly. She dried the tears from her eyes. She asked, "Think I'll wake up and realize this was all a dream?"

"But it isn't," Carson told her, as the bus came to a stop. Beth looked around, seeing the gates where there was an esculator just beyond. Her lips parted, no matter how many times she saw it, it was still going to surprise her. Beth stood up, Carson followed her and Beth stopped before getting off. She turned to Frank.

"Thank you," Beth said, smiling. Her eyes filling up with unshed tears again. She looked at Frank, who just nodded twice, and then she nodded. There was an understanding between them. Beth wasn't hanging on Carson's hand. She wasn't sure what she'd do once she got back down to Earth. She knew that her feelings on one thing were totally different. Love. Beth waved bye to Frank, who waved and smiled sadly.

Beth turned to Carson, as they crossed the road together. Beth ran up to the gates, her fingers barely touching them. It was so beautiful. And then once again, she found herself on a floor that seemed so white. Beth looked at Carson, who looked extrememly nervous. Beth asked, before walking up to meet him in front of the esculator, "What did you want to tell me? Before we were killed. When you pulled me out of class into the hall?"

"You mean, when I brought you to your death?" Carson asked her. She rolled her eyes and nodded. Carson sighed and then said, "I was going to ask you if you could forgive me. Because Melissa cheated on me. I now know what you went through. All those questions. How long has it been going on? Who was it with? Why?"

"Mhm," Beth said, nodding. She remembered asking him all those questions. He didn't answer a single one. Beth's face went completely relaxed, and she asked, "You want to know what I'd said?"

"What?" Carson asked, looking at her. He smiled, that sort of floppy smile that Beth had fallen in love with to begin with.

"I would've said, forget about it, forget about her. But don't you dare," Beth said, grinning, "forget about me, and what we used to have."

Carson blinked and Beth kissed him on the cheek. She whispered, "I'm going to take the first step, Carson."

She turned around, looking at the esculators that brought her to her sister. Brought her to meet Rose and Frank, whom she'd never forget, and she smiled. She turned to glance at Carson. These escualtors brought Carson back to her. Beth took a deep breathe and started to run.

[Part Six]

Beth took a deep breath. Her head ached and her entire body felt numb. She could hear someone crying, sobbing, actually. She wanted to reach out and tell them it was okay. But she couldn't move. She heard her name. Then she heard Carson's name being sobbed. Her memory flooded her quickly. But she was alive. Panting from the run down the esculators, but alive. She opened her eyes. Light shone through and she wanted to close them so badly. But she couldn't. She saw her best friend leaning over her body.

"Ashley," Beth whispered, her throat raw and sore. Her voice came out weak and barely audible. Ashley screamed, looking at Beth carefully. Beth whispered, "Ashley, shut up."

After that, Ashley didn't cry. She sat there, almost looking as numb as Beth felt. Beth finally asked, because she could hear people rushing around, "Is Carson...alive?"

"Carson? No, honey, he didn't make it..." Ashley whispered, "I'm so sorry."

Beth froze. He didn't make it? Did he know he wasn't going to make it? She didn't want to cry, but she couldn't help it. She closed her eyes and waited for the nightmare to be over. Paramedics came and then she was knocked out.

-

Two Weeks Later [On Earth]

-

Beth had woken up to find herself in a hospital. After two weeks, she was still in the hospital. Doctors wanted to watch her carefully because it was "a miracle that you survived a gun wound like that". She looked around, wondering when this nightmare would end. She hadn't believed Ashley when she said Carson didn't make it. But by the time she'd woken in the hospital, she kind of had to. While she ran, he stood at the top watching her. She wished she'd turned around and went after him. She didn't deserve to be on Earth.

So, it was two weeks later, she'd bawled her eyes out, and then she heard a small voice come, "Bethy?"

She looked around and asked, "Carson?"

"Beth," Carson's voice came, clearer and stronger, "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I didn't want to scare you..."

"Carson?" Beth asked, sitting upright. The door was cracked open, and Beth could see part of a t-shirt he used to always wear. Beth almost yelled, "If you don't get in here this minute I'll come out and kill you!"

The door open, but not after a moment of hesitation. Then she saw Carson. She started to cry. He stood, a bit stunned for a moment and then Beth's words finally came through her sobs, "They told me you were dead and I was so scared you didn't follow me! I was so scared. Carson, these two weeks have been more scarier than realizing I was dead."

Then she stopped crying. What if he didn't remember? But he walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her, but she couldn't feel them. He whispered, "Beth, I'm so sorry. I didn't make it. I...I was ment to be dead..."

She didn't understand. He looked so real. She put her hand on his face, but it just fell. She started to cry again. She was seeing things. She looked at her oxygen line and then at the fading image of Carson, shaking his head. She pulled out her oxygen line. If she wasn't ment to be with Carson on Earth, she was in Heaven, and that was that.

-

[Two Weeks Later In Heaven]

-

It'd taken Carson all he could ever have in Heaven just to take a small trip to say good-bye to Beth. But when he did, she killed herself. Pulled out her only real chance of living while her lungs were weak. He tried to stop her, but then realized he could walk up to the gates with her.

Seeing her sitting beside the esculators, he ran to her. "Beth!" he basically screamed. She looked up and smiled.

She ran towards him and threw her arms around his neck. She could feel him. She closed her eyes and whispered, "God, I love you so much."

"I love you too," Carson whispered. He kissed her lips, he never remembered her lips tasting so sweet.

Beth held onto Carson's hand as they took the step onto the esculator. Carson told her, "I'm sure Reese can't wait to see you. You're all she ever talks about anymore. But don't worry, I haven't gotten sick of it yet."

Beth giggled. She was where she belonged. Home. Heaven. Eh, she thought, same place--because that's where Carson was. And her baby sister. She would be able to see her baby sister. She was definiantly home.