AI8: That's A Wrap

Turning back to glance over the drive of her home away from home, Megan Joy took a long, deep breath. Wednesday evening had been tough, the crying, the hugging, and even Adam and Anoop's well thought out plot to hide her in the garden when the escorts came to pick her up (because they tended to hide out in the garden more than they thought people knew). But through it all, the worst part had been that tiny part of her that was itching to get away from her friends.

Ryder. Ryder, her baby boy, sitting alone, waiting for his mommy to let go of the mic and come home. Just that thought made her heart ache, but no more than the look of utter despair on Scott's face when they came to see her off.

"Megan, I'm so sorry."

The quiver in his voice hit her in the head like a load of bricks. Suddenly, crouching down in the bushes for a few hours in the cold didn't seem all that unappealing. Taking a long, slow breath, she forced a smile. Not that he could see if she was smiling or not, she could have been bawling her eyes out, if she'd kept her voice the same he wouldn't have known the difference. But she felt like treating him as though he could see, because honestly, those baby-blues went right through your soul.

"Oh, Scottie."

Megan hugged the sweet little boy one last time (which was similar to the twenty other 'one last hugs' she's given him that morning), and then stood back, holding him out to herself to look at. He was such a handsome boy, those eyes were enough to drive you right out of your mind. On that note, Megan glanced at Danny, who seemed to be a lot more tense than usual, and Matt placed a hand on his shoulder. She took that as her cue to take her hands of his man.

"Really, this is how it's meant to be,"

She could see the tears welling up in the blind man's eyes, and he nibbled at the inside of his lip, an endearing trait that made him that much cuter. She pat him on the cheek, a silent 'buck up' gesture, and he seemed to do so at once.

Watching as her suitcases were piled into the back of the taxi, and another pang of sadness ripped through her, along with forty other hiding places. Maybe living behind the bowling alley wouldn't be so bad. Lil had already offered to slip some food in a bowling ball once in a while...

One by one, the top eight filed by her, giving her farewell pats on the shoulder and hugs. When they got to the end of the procession, Megan's heart truly broke.

Allison.

Allison Iraheta stared up at Megan, her face flushed and her eyes red. Her hair hadn't been styled that morning, and she was still in her PJ pants, it was noon. She shook her head and mouthed a desperate 'no' to her, before throwing herself into Megan's arms.

She cradled the sobbing Allison in her arms, trying her best not to break down herself. If she went over, that would set Scott off, then Danny, and soon the entire affair would become a giant water-works fest. Placing a soothing kiss to the top of Allison's head, she pulled the younger woman away and sighed deeply, looking the teen over one more time.

"I... I can't believe it was you. I thought... I swear I thought..."

Megan grinned.

"Thought it'd be you? Heck no."

"But... why you?"

"Guess the universe knows where I should be, baby girl." Megan ruffled the already messy hair.

Allison sniffled. "I-If it means anything..." she looked up, straight into Megan's eyes. "If it means anything, I tried to bribe Simon to use the Judge's Save for you." her voice was nothing but a whisper.

Megan laughed loudly. "You honestly think any amount of money would make them use it on me?" She sounded skeptical. "'Sides," She placed another kiss on Allison's temple. "When they were talkin' 'bout the one person they'd have saved, you know it was you, don't you?"

Allison gasped, and Megan saw her chance, capturing her mouth for only a brief moment, leaving her speechless, as it usually did. Megan climbed into the car and blew a kiss to Allison, waving a 'toodles' to the others. "See y'all on tour!" She cried out as the group whooped and cheered and she pulled out of the drive. She was going home to Ryden, and driving away from the one person she'd ever want to share him with.