Obstruction

Alternative ending

(A/N:
Okay. So I felt sorry my two lovebirds and decided to write this.
It's a long-ish chapter because I need to tie up a bunch of loose ends, but just bear with me and we'll get back to the actual story.
This chapter picks up from Christmas so those with short memory spans may want a recap.
Ethan has visited Izzy on christmas morning and presented her with a home recorded CD and a very sweet kiss under the mistletoe.

Go back and re-read the Christmas chapter if you need to.
But this is what probably should have happened....)

A couple of days after Christmas Ellen was sat on my bed eating gingerbread and drinking mulled cider. I had just played Ethan's CD to her.

"Izzy. You've got it bad!" Ellen said as the wistful music toned out and Ethan's voice was quiet.

I had listened to it every night before going to sleep.

"I know," I whispered and lay back on my bed, letting the CD run.

"It's like you are sat in mid air looking at angels and farting rainbows," Ellen said.

I laughed.

"I do not!" I giggled

"Yeah, you do. All I have to do is say 'Ethan' and your eyes glaze over," She teased.

I looked at her.

"Just like that!" She said triumphantly.

I was about to say something back when there was a sound I hadn't heard before on the CD.
A fresh set of scuffling and a faint sigh before Ethan's voice came out of the speakers again.

"So.. Izzy. I wish I had the courage to say this to you face to face.
Okay... here goes...
Izzy. You have turned my life into a weird chaos. You make me feel alive in ways I never knew were possible. So.. what I'm trying to do here is ask you if you'd like to go out with me. Just us two. ...on a date.
Because.. well.. I kinda like you... a lot.
If you don't feel the same way, just pretend this message never happened and I'll be happy being just friends... it's just.... I'd like us to be something more...
Just thought I'd let you know," Ethan's voice said from my nightstand.

I sat staring at Ellen for the longest time untill she started squealing and jumping on me.

"I need to see him!" I said breathlessly as Ellen squeezed me.

I threw her off and ran to the lounge.

"Mum... I need to borrow the car," I said.

She looked at my wide-eyed face.

"Why?" She asked.

"I need to see Ethan," I said, unconsciously bouncing on my toes.

"Okay?" My mum replied doubtfully.

"Ethan's in love with Izzy," Ellen grinned from behind me.

My mum tilted her head at me.

"Okay... but you might wanna change out of your sweats," my mum said pointing to my no-efforts-made outfit. Complete with food stains.

A quick phone call to Simon for an address and a shower, before changing into jeans and a pretty jumper, later I was sat in the car. Heading for the opposite side of town, thinking that this was the journey he had driven a few days before and wondering if he'd had the same thoughts I was having.

My heart was pounding so hard I had to stop in the parking lot of a supermarket a few blocks from his house and run a few rounds around the car before driving the last mile or so.
Parts of me was praying he was out with his family on some traditional auntie-visit.
I pulled up on the drive, recognising his battered old car along two other, newer ones. A quick look showed a child seat in one of the cars.
I took a tentative step up onto the porch and listened to whatever sounds from inside.
There was noise.
Chaos.
Mayhem.
From somewhere the sound of someone randomly hammering out notes on a piano. Somewhere else, someone was doing scales on a flute.
And from a window above me, was the sound of Beethovens Romance no.2.
Played on the violin.
I stood quietly listening with my head tilted and a smile. Feeling the magic of the music lifting me up.
Connecting me with him playing it.
Suddenly the door was flung open and a young man looking shockingly similar to Ethan stared at me with golden brown eyes.