Page 39 of The Ending is the Best Part
We’re both breathing heavily by the time we finally pull apart, but we don’t let go of each other.Our foreheads touch, his hands cup my face, my hands are on his shoulders as we just drink each other in.
‘You’re incredible,’ Xander rumbles.In the gruffness of his voice, his desire is evident.Which does something to me.But now is not the time… maybe once we get all the gooey emotional stuff out.
‘I don’t really know what to say.I’m just so, so happy.’
‘You don’t have to say anything,’ Xander replies.My brain turns to mulch as his thumb gently caresses my cheek.‘I know exactly how you feel.’
As soon as the words fall out of his mouth, contentment settles over me and a smile tugs at my lips.In the end, everything we have been through, all the ups and downs, has been so worth it because they led us here.
‘Not to jump straight back intowork stuff,’ I say and Xander grins down at me, ‘but… seeing as you’re here, maybe we should get the episode finished?’
‘Together?’ Xander asks.
‘Always,’ I reply.‘Because I love what you’ve done.But I do have notes.’
He chuckles.‘I wouldn’t want it any other way.’
We work well into the night.We’re on a roll, our ideas bouncing off each other so naturally.We improve and collaborate on the scenes we wrote separately.I suggest a line and Xander immediately finds the perfect retort.I work on the scene setting and the pacing, Xander questions whether a particular character would really do that.We knit the whole thing together, so it flows beautifully, one scene passing elegantly on to the next.
We do a final read-through to make sure it works.We perform the dialogue for one another – I laugh at Xander’s terrible Irish accent and he’s impressed by the gravitas I give Atticus.I don’t even notice how late it has got by the time we’re done.We sit back, exhausted.It must have been pure adrenaline that pushed us through the night.The episode is brilliant.It’s everything I had hoped for and more.Everything that I—no,wehad dreamed of.Yes, at the end of the day it’s another episode of television.In our careers so far, we have contributed countless scenes and storylines to this show.But this episode is also a secret love letter to each other, and it will be signed with both our names.
We send the episode to Meagan and fall into bed.Our first night in this new stage of our relationship and we’re too tired to do anything but sleep.But Xander holds me all through the night and, just before I drift off, I feel him place a gentle kiss on my forehead.
The next day Xander and I walk into the office hand in hand without a care in the world.As we progress through the corridors, we hear the whispered comments from our colleagues.Some are surprised… but most aren’t.
We head straight to Meagan’s office, and she looks up from her computer the minute we arrive.Her eyes zone in to our joined hands and a grin spreads across her face.‘If it isn’t my two favourite writers.Oh, did I say that?Promise that you won’t tell the others.’ She quirks her head towards us and raises an eyebrow.‘Looks like you finally got your shit together… excuse my language.’
Xander and I look at each other.
‘We did,’ I say with confidence.
She stands from her desk.‘I knew I made the right choice pairing you two up.’ She has printed the script and it sits pride of place in the middle of her desk.She glances down at it with a satisfied nod.She picks the papers up and brandishes them in her hand.‘This is an excellent piece of work.It’s romantic and tragic and full of drama and pathos.It completes the characters’ arcs while leaving us begging for another season.Genuinely, what a fantastic bit of writing, the fans and critics are going to devour it!’
She beams with pride.But then, she casts her eyes downward and her smile falters.‘I’ve been thinking about the question of lead credit… and whose name comes top.’
This is it.She’s about to choose between me and Xander.Who did a better job.However, I realise that I honestly don’t really care.Whatever she decides, we wrote something amazing and it’ll open doors for us both, no matter whose name is on top.Xander squeezes my hand in reassurance and the gesture sends a zap of warmth into my heart.I know he feels exactly the same way.
‘But reading this, I can’t tell where one of your voices begins and the other ends – and so, I can’t tell who did a better job.I confess, I only suggested it to try and get the best out of both of you.But if I’m very honest, it wasn’t fair for me to put you both on this task and to make a judgement on who did more when you’re both so incredibly talented.So, how about this…’ She pauses.‘Instead of one of you getting top billing, how would you both feel if we just put it on one line?I know it’s not our series style and the title designers will throw a fit about the deviation, but I think it’s the fairest thing.If you’d be happy with that, of course!’
I can’t contain my excitement.This is perfect.Yara Aslan and Xander Woods – our names will look so good next to each other, and hopefully will for years to come.
‘We would absolutely love that.’ Xander voices our shared agreement.
‘Thought that might be the case.’ Meagan claps her hands and ushers us out the door.‘Now get out of here, you two lovebirds!’ she squeals with glee.
I give her a knowing look, thinking back to our conversation, and Meagan’s grin grows wider.
As soon as we leave her office, swarms of our colleagues swamp us, eager to find out the outcome.Did Meagan accept the episode?Who got top billing?Are you getting promoted?Or fired?Xander and I just share a look and head back to our desks, ready for the next challenge.
Because in the end it doesn’t really matter.
We have each other.
And that is enough.
Epilogue
Tonight is the night.The air is charged, carrying the hum of excitement that runs through the crowd.Leicester Square is abuzz with people, never a dull moment in the heart of London.They have really gone all out for the season finale watch party, decorating the Odeon with references to the show.I catch a glimpse of Layla’s bejewelled tiara and the elaborate armour that Atticus wears.I see the lead actors ahead of me on the red carpet.Unlike the previous seasons, I’ve not arrived alone.
