Spirit and Space - 5. An Ending

Gypsy, age 18

Gypsy was pacing waiting for Zander to come home. "I should have told him over the winter break." He said out loud to no one. "Damn it. I should have told him then."

"Told who what?" Dan poked his head in the room.

"Nothing that concerns you yet. When are Rick and Zan coming home?"

"Should be anytime now. What's up? I haven't seen you this nervous in a long time." Gypsy just kept pacing. It was sometime later that the guys arrived home. Gypsy was the first out to the car... He had to talk to Zander.

"Zan, we need to talk. Now."

"Sure Gypsy." He looked confused, but followed Gypsy into his house. "What's up?" Zan asked when they had gone into Gypsy's study and closed the door.

"Lura's pregnant. I was supposed to tell you at Christmas, but couldn't do it. Now it's obvious and she thinks you know." Zan's face lit up.

"Really! That's great news, why are you so glum about it?"

"The child is mine." Zan sat down in a thud. "I didn't mean for it to happen. Zander, you know I value your friendship. I was very depressed over Bright Star and she was comforting me and one thing led to another and the act was done before we realized it was begun. I am sorry."

"Gypsy... I don't know what to say. I should be angry, but I'm not. I mean you're all the time and I'm at school. Is she doing well?" Gypsy nodded.

"We haven't told anyone. Everyone at her house thinks it's yours, we haven't tried to convince them otherwise, but there's no way it could be." Zan smiled.

"Well let them think what they will, this will be our little secret if you want. Things happen for a reason, maybe our sons had to be related for some reason. Only the universe knows and she has spoken." Gypsy grabbed his friend into a hug.

"Thank you." Zander smiled...

"Enough said. Where's Ryker?" He went out in search of his son. With out any further discussion the matter was settled. Vacation went without incident... Ryker was two years old now and he was swimming well. Zan was so proud of his son. He slept with Rick or Petros this time and left Lura to Gypsy, she was seven months pregnant. Ryker was crying when he had to go, but Zander was getting used to that. "Ryker, you coming to daddy's graduation?" Ryker nodded. He looked at Petros... "make sure he gets there. Lura, are you coming?"

"Do you want me there?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then I'll come." He kissed her and smiled. "Thank you." She whispered as he got in the car and went back to school.

A month later, Gypsy and Zander prepared to face off for the last time on the mat. Both were mentally and physically prepared for this moment, but neither had been looking forward to it. Just before the meet Gypsy was pulled to the side by an old man.

"It is time for the halves to become whole again. This is yours." He slipped a ring on Gypsy's hand... A black diamond. Then the man was gone. Gypsy tried to pull it off but could not, but then remembered Zander had one too, and he never took it off.

He made it to the mat and bowed to the referee and then to Zander. They assumed their stances and it was time to see who was the best. Neither scored a point and neither landed a blow enough to hurt the other. But they fought is if they wanted to kill the other, and in a way they did. The rings began to pulse and glow as they circled, parried, and feinted. Eventually time was called and the Judges would decide. It was a tie. The same today as thirteen years ago when they first met on the mat...

Gypsy looked into Kaznder's eyes and the thought crossed his mind... And saw the reflection of himself as the five year old boy. Zander saw the universe open to him through Gypsy's eyes. The rings pulsed and without a care in the world to what anything thought, their lips met for the first time. Eternity hung in the balance as the universe had spoken and she would not be denied. Rick and Dan watched in complete disbelief as the two disappeared in a vortex of black and white.