She sat in her pajamas in front of the television, a bowl of popcorn poised precariously in her lap, on an overstuffed pillow. When he came on the screen, the kernel that had been on its way to her mouth, dropped to the floor and she moved closer to the television.

Sighing when the interview was over, she clicked the television off and urged herself off the sofa; on the way to her bedroom, she wondered what he was doing that very second. She climbed under her heap of blankets and snuggled against her pillows, wanting it to be morning so she could see him again.

you're the words that come out easy and i am speechless at best

"Where are you?� She asked, clutching the receiver and willing the connection to be better so she could hear him clearly.

�I�m still here!� He shouted back, and then lowered his voice. �The bloody plane�s delayed.�

She muttered a few obscenities, �I haven�t seen you for five months, Elijah! This is the ninth time you�ve had to cancel our plans.�

�I know that, Iz, but there�s nothing I can do.� He did at least sound apologetic, she had to give him that.

Isabel huffed out a long breath and sighed, �When can you get home?�

There was crackling on the line before he spoke up, �The next flight to LA is tomorrow. At noon.�

She pursed her lips together, willing herself not to cry, �I really miss you.�

�I miss you, too, Izzy�but I can�t control the damned weather. It�s fucking monsoon season or something.� There was talking on his end of the line and then he said, �Dammit. I�ve gotta go. Dom says he�s got Georgia on the line and she�s having a fit.�

Isabel�s heart sank, �Georgia? You�re still seeing her? I thought you broke it off when you went to New Zealand for pick-ups.�

�No, I didn�t,� his voice was rushed, frustrated. �I�ve gotta go. I�m really sorry. Can we reschedule for next week at some point?�

�Next week,� she muttered. �Yeah. Fine. I�ll pencil you in.�

The line went dead a few seconds later, leaving Isabel with an overwhelming feeling of emptiness and loss in the pit of her stomach.

you're the face before the cameras; the smile i'd like to earn

The following morning found Isabel sitting in front of her television, watching more footage of the premiere of his newest movie. It was getting more publicity than that damned Britney and Madonna kiss, and, though she was glad she didn�t have to see that anymore, she would rather not be reminded of her MIA former best friend.

When the phone rang, she reached over and picked it up, not bothering to take her eyes off the screen; they were showing images of his smiling face, and she had never seen him look so happy. She missed being able to make him smile like that, like he had not a care in the world. Like she was the only one in his world.

�Hello?�

A very chipper, Scottish-accented voice yelled, �Isabel!�

�Well, if it isn�t my favorite Scot,� she replied, smiling for the first time in days; she reached for the remote and clicked the television off and watched as Elijah�s face faded from view.

�I heard you�re free for the day.�

�Yes, as I have been canceled on yet again.�

�You�re not angry with him, are you?�

Isabel snorted, �No, Billy, why on earth would I be angry? I haven�t seen him for five months, and the last time I did see him was for a mere two seconds. I�m beginning think he doesn�t even exist anymore. Actually, I was pretty sure he didn�t until last night when his face was all over the television.�

Billy chuckled, �Yeah, I�ve seen his shining face quite a bit more than I care for. Though he�s not so bad to look at, it gets a little tiring.�

�Tell me about it,� Isabel replied, laughing slightly. �What are you up to? Are you in Scotland?�

�No, I�m in your fair city, lassie.�

�Lassie,� Isabel burst out laughing, and then stopped abruptly. �You�re here?�

�Do I detect excitement in your normally sarcastic voice?�

�Yes! Are you at a hotel or something?�

�I�m actually standing outside your door. I can�t believe you�re still wearing your pajamas at this time of day.�

Isabel jumped off the couch and ran for the door, nearly falling over in the process. She pulled the door open and launched herself at the man standing before her, all the while yelling something resembling, �BILLY!�

the closest to thing perfect in a hollywood to burn

�So, cover boy Elijah is on your shite list?� Billy asked, digging into his sandwich with a fork and knife.

�You can eat with your hands, and yes. He is.� Isabel picked up her own sandwich and took a large bite.

Billy winked at her, �He�ll be pleased to know.�

�I�m sure. How�d you get here, anyway? If all the flights are booked.�

�I had a flight about three hours earlier than everybody else, because I�ve got an audition this afternoon.�

Isabel smiled, �You don�t know what the meaning of the word �rest� is, do you?�

�Can�t say it rings a bell.� He set his silverware down and looked intently at her. �I don�t have time to beat around the bush, so I�m going to ask why you�re so pissed with dear, wee Elijah.�

Isabel shrugged and took a large drink of her ice tea; she threw her honey colored hair behind her shoulders and looked up at him from below her eyelashes; Billy was watching her expectantly. �I just used my one charm on you and it didn�t work?�

�I must be immune,� he grinned cheekily. �Don�t side-step the question, Iz.�

�I�m not really pissed at him. I just have no further use for him in my life, is all.�

Billy�s eyebrows rose, �Oh, really? Why�s that?�

Shrugging again, she leaned back in her seat and sighed heavily. �If he�s not going to be around, then why should I bother seeking out his company?�

�I�m going to leave that as rhetorical, because you can answer it for yourself.�

�I hate when you get all wise on me, Billy. It�s so not like you.�

He smiled at her warmly, �I know, but sometimes it needs to be done.�

you're the beauty that is deeper than eyes can merely see

The following week, on the day of the proposed meeting for a �quick lunch� before Elijah went off to do more promotion, Isabel was sifting angrily through her rather large closet. Half of her clothes were on the floor, and on the bed, while the other half remained on hangers, though rejected.

She didn�t care what she wore, per se, but she had this weird urge to look nice, and feminine. Normal days would find her in jeans and form-fitting t-shirts which advertised one place or another across her chest. Today, she felt the need to wear a skirt, and perhaps some sort of girly shirt, but she didn�t seem to own any such articles of clothing. The only thing she could find along those lines was a pink shirt with sparkly writing that advertised Tom�s BBQ.

After a few extra minutes surveying the mess she�d made, Isabel decided to scratch the idea; for her ensemble, she elected to wear a crimson blouse with frilly sleeves and a pair of brown corduroys. Sliding a belt on, she looked at her mirror self, and, with a satisfied nod of her head, she exited her apartment.

It was a half hour after she�d arrived at the caf� when it was apparent that Elijah was about to cancel on her, yet again; the tinkling of her cell phone from the depths of her purse affirmed her assumption.

�So, what�s the excuse this time?� She asked companionably, leaning her elbows on the table and blowing some hair out of her face.

�Georgia. She�s having a fit that I made plans with you, and not her, on my last day here.�

Isabel rolled her eyes, but did not speak. She wanted desperately to start yelling and screaming at him, and calling him names most of all, but for some reason she couldn�t quite get herself to utter a single word.

�Isabel? You there?�

�I�m here,� she said at last. �Did you know that there are 24 hours in a day? I was watching the news this morning, and the weatherman confirmed that, after many, many grueling hours of scientific observation, there is, indeed, 24 hours in a day.�

�Why was the weatherman confirming it? How many hours there are in a day has nothing to do with the weather.�

�Au contraire, mon aime. The weatherman had only been predicting 20 hours in the day, so, obviously, knowing the number of hours in the day is very conducive to weather-predicting.�

�You sound like you�re going to weather-person school.�

�Meteorologist, Elijah. Not weather-person, though good job with the politically correctness.�

�I�m sorry I have to cancel again,� he said suddenly, and let out a long sigh.

Isabel, though relatively pissed at him, couldn�t help but feel sorry for him as well. He�d been remarkably busy for the last couple of�well, years�and he was pretty worn out. Then, on top of that, he had to decide whether or not to spend his free time with his girlfriend or his best friend; though Isabel was not fond of Georgia, she still understood that girlfriend came first. At least today, and recent days.

�It�s okay, EJ. You gotta do what you gotta do, right?�

�Yeah. And I know there are 24 hours in a day, it just so happens that Georgia requires all of them.�

�She�s a bit selfish,� Isabel remarked lightly.

�No kidding,� Elijah sighed and then brought his regular voice back on the line. �Listen, Is, why don�t you come to London with me? Billy and Dom are coming, and they�d love to see you, too.�

Isabel looked at the phone in confusion, �What? I�m sorry, I think I misheard you, it�s kind of loud here.�

�I�ll pay for your ticket, and you can stay in my room, or Billy�s. It�s no big deal. I know you cant� afford it, but Dom said he�d pay for your food as long as you don�t hit him.�

�Why would I hit him?�

�You hit a man once, and he always expects you to hit him again. He�s being prepared.�

�Dude, I hit him that ONE time because he was flirting with me!�

�So? He�s an attractive guy.�

�Elijah, we�ve had this discussion.�

�I know, I know, you won�t date my friends---�

�No, I mean if you�re going to say stuff like that, at least follow it up with a nice �So, did you see that game last night?� in an attempt to PRETEND to be male.�

�I will meet you at the airport in two hours, Isabel. Be there. Seriously. I�ll take care of everything else.�

the closest thing to perfect but the furthest thing from me

�Well, where is he?� Isabel hoisted her carry on bag over her shoulder.

�On his mobile,� Dom pointed to the other side of the airport while giving Isabel a peck on the cheek. �Georgia�s having another of her fits.�

�What for this time?� Isabel asked, giving Billy a hug.

�For inviting you, and not her, on this excursion. By the way, I�m glad you came.�

Isabel smiled at him, �Don�t you dare start flirting with me, Monaghan.�

�Wouldn�t dream of it,� Dom grinned cheekily. They all looked towards where Elijah was pacing, and seemingly having a very heated conversation. �He should just dump her already.�

�I agree 100%,� Billy replied, sitting in one of the seats nearby; Dom took a seat as well. �It�s high time he cut her loose.�

�You guys don�t like her?� Isabel asked, sitting in between them.

�We like her all right,� Billy cast a glance at Dom, and then looked back at her, �But we�d rather see EJ with someone else.�

Isabel looked away, �Someone who doesn�t care about his fame, you mean.�

�You always were a smart one,� Billy laughed. �It�s too bad Elijah�s the blind one of the group.�

�No kidding,� Dom chuckled and slipped his arm around Isabel�s shoulders. �So tell me, Iz, when are you going to fess up?�

�To what? Finding you irresistible?� She tweaked his nose and he made a face at her.

�No. When are you going to tell Elijah you fancy the bloody pants off him?�

She started laughing, �Er, never?�

Billy shook his head and gave Dom The Look, �No use pretending with us. Oh, look, here he comes. He looks rather broody. They must have broken up. A fantastic time for you to tell him you�re mad about him, Isabel.�

i'd love to be the shoulder that you cry on

The flight was amazingly quiet, especially for the four of them; the ones who had always had something to say, and never ran out of good jokes to tell one another. They were the group of people who other people looked upon as nuisances.

Isabel hadn�t spoken a word to Elijah as he sat down beside them and explained the trials and tribulations of his on-the-rocks relationship with Georgia. She�d broken up with him, saying that he never had time for her. Which was, to Isabel, a cop-out, because he always tried to MAKE time with her, and never tried to find time for his old friend anymore. She wasn�t ashamed to admit that she was jealous, no matter how much she hated it.

Since they were kids, she�d liked Elijah as more than just a friend. When he�d moved away to pursue his acting career, she�d been heartbroken, but she�d gotten over it.

Then she had moved out to LA, and she had seen him again, and it had all been rekindled. She cursed him for enthralling her so, but there wasn�t much choice.

You can�t choose who you fall in love with.

And no matter what you say, your heart won�t change its mind.

you're the dream that hasn't ended and i'm still anxious for rest

Isabel was awoken from a very lovely dream just as they were about to land. Elijah was beside her, having apparently changed seats with the person she had been sitting with before.

�Elijah?�

He smiled at her, �That�s the first thing you�ve said to me since I saw you hours ago.� He buckled her seat belt and then his own; all the while she barely let out a breath. �I asked the gentleman who was sitting her to switch with me. Billy�s now regaling him with stories from old Scotland.�

She let out a lethargic laugh, and then yawned. �I�m sorry I�ve been so horrid to you.�

Elijah turned completely in his seat in order to look her properly in the eyes, �There�s no reason for you to be sorry. I�m the one who should be groveling and kissing your feet.�

�Oh, please don�t,� Isabel chuckled. �You know I hate people touching my feet.�

�Yes, I remember how ticklish they are.� He grinned mischievously and she shook her head. �I�ve missed you, Iz. I just want you to know that.�

�I�ve missed you, too. A lot.� She patted him awkwardly on the knee and listened as the captain announced the arrival into Heathrow.

Elijah jumped, �I just remembered, Billy said you had something to tell me?�

Silently cursing Billy, Isabel nodded. �Right. Yes. Um�yeah�there�s no easy way to say this.�

As the plane started descending, Isabel had to raise her voice quite a bit, and lean closer to Elijah; she was so close now that she was nearly kissing his earlobe. �I�ve sort of�got feelings.�

He made a confused face, �What sort of feelings?� �The love sort,� Isabel said as the plane touched down, jostling them. She closed her eyes tightly and grabbed hold of his arm. �Elijah, I love you.�

�Isabel, we�ve landed. You don�t need to---� he stopped talking abruptly as the plane skidded to a halt.

�I�m in love with you,� she whispered, leaning her head gently against his shoulder. �Have been. Forever.�

Elijah�s eyes widened, but she didn�t see; she was too busy praying he wouldn�t let her down gently or not-so-gently, come to that. �I may be stupid,� he began, as the other passengers unbuckled and gathered their carry-on�s from the compartments. �But at least I�m smart in choosing who I love.�

Isabel lifted her head up and was pleasantly surprised to see him smiling largely at her; that smile he�d had at the premieres, the smile she�d wanted to have some part in. Well, now she did.

He kissed her briefly before jumping up and grabbing her bag. He handed it to her once she�d stood up. �I don�t quite understand. I think you�re going to have to spell it out for me, Lij.�

Elijah leaned in and kissed her on the lips, �I�m in love with you. Have been. Forever.�

Throwing all caution to the wind, and not caring that Billy and Dom were cheering from further back in the plane, she threw her arms around his neck.

the closest thing to perfect but the furthest thing from me

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