The airport smelled like coffee and sadness.

You hugged your suitcase a little too tightly, glancing nervously at Ian Gallagher, who stood a few feet away, hands shoved into his jacket pockets. His usual smirk was gone, replaced by something heavier—something that looked an awful lot like worry.

“So… this is it,” you said, voice barely above a whisper.

Ian ran a hand through his hair, frowning. “Yeah… guess it is.” He took a step closer, then stopped, unsure how close was too close for a goodbye that might last months—or longer.

You swallowed hard. “Chicago… it’s always been home. And you… you’ve always been here. But I… I need this.”

“I know,” Ian said. He flicked his gaze toward the terminal, toward the people rushing past, the world moving on without you. “I get it. I want you to go. I want you to do this… but damn, it doesn’t make leaving any easier.”

You forced a shaky laugh. “Distance… tests everything, huh?”

He let out a bitter chuckle. “Yeah. Every little thing. Every fight, every misunderstanding, every time we miss each other. It’s going to hit hard.”

You stepped closer, bracing yourself against him. “Ian… no matter how far I am, I—”

“You’ll be okay,” he interrupted softly, pressing a hand to your cheek. “And I’ll be… trying to be okay too. But I won’t lie. It’s gonna hurt. You leaving? It’s gonna hurt like hell.”

Your chest tightened, your eyes stinging. “I don’t want it to ruin us.”

Ian shook his head, eyes locked on yours. “It won’t. If we care—if we fight for it—it’ll survive. But yeah… distance is a bitch. And yeah… it’s gonna test us. Make no mistake about that.”

You both stood there in silence, letting the weight of the moment settle. The world moved around you, announcements echoing through the terminal, people rushing by, lives continuing, but this—this was your world. Just you and him, on the edge of everything.

Finally, the call for your flight blared through the speakers. Ian let out a breath, stepping back, letting go reluctantly.

“Go,” he said softly. “Kick ass. Live. Be amazing. And… don’t forget us.”