let me down slowly - wilbur soot

alternate ending- our song

(A/N: fun fact! though i had planned from the very beginning to give lmds a gut-wrenching ending, i actually came really close to going back on that and giving the story a happy ending. i really fell in love with the idea of wilbrey becoming canon, so for a while i planned to make a happy ending and put the ending that i published as an alternate ending. but alas, here we are, with a sad and unsatisfying ending to lmds. so here's the ending i was thinking about doing for a while. it's a lot happier and can maybe help heal the wounds the last two chapters caused. ily, enjoy)

(P.S. this takes place after the alec benjamin concert from two chapters ago. remember, this is an alternate ending, so the events that happened are not the same. in this timeline, aubrey did NOT text carter back, but he still managed to find her at the concert)

one of my hands grips the steering wheel tightly and i hold aubrey's hand with the other.

MY girlfriend's hand. not carter's girlfriend.

"i'm glad we got out of there when we did," aubrey says gently. "things could've gotten messy."

"you could say that again," i respond through gritted teeth. "i should go back and smack that guy over the head."

"no. no you shouldn't. you're better than that."

i sigh, and aubrey reaches over and moves a piece of curly brown hair out of my face.

"i'm sorry i made you leave early," i tell her glumly.

"don't worry about it. i had a ton of fun while it lasted."

we sit in silence for a while as i drive (at the posted speed limit, you're welcome, aubrey) down the highway.

"let's continue the concert in here," aubrey says as she connects her phone to the aux and opens youtube. she types in "alec benjamin live" and hits search.

this night is cold in the kingdom

i can feel you fade away

from the kitchen to the bathroom sink and

your steps keep me awake

i hum along to the song. of course she had to turn on this song.

the song i listened to for hours when my love for her was unrequited.

don't cut me down

throw me out

leave me here to waste

i once was a man with dignity and grace

now i'm slipping through the cracks of your cold embrace

so please, please

i admire the way alec's voice sounds. he sounds just as good live as he does in studio recordings.

could you find a way to let me down slowly?

a little sympathy i hope you can show me

if you wanna go then i'll be so lonely

if you're leaving, baby, let me down slowly

let me down...

"you know this song?" aubrey asks happily. "i thought you didn't really know alec benjamin!"

i was singing along to the song.

shit. caught red-handed.

"isn't this one of his most popular songs?" i quickly defend. "i may be slightly uncultured but i don't live under a rock."