Amy sat next to Ian's bed, holding his hand. His time had finally come. Ian Kabra would die today, at 87 years old. And Amy, his wife, would hold his until his last breath had left his lips.
They sat together for hours, silent. Amy cried tears on and off, sometimes frowning, sometimes smiling.
Ian finally looked her straight in the eye. "Love, stop crying. This is not a sad day. I will be at peace, and I will meet you again."
Amy kissed his forehead and nodded.
"Remember with me, Amy. Remember when we met again, after the hunt?"
"How could I forget, Ian?"
The day was chilly and cold. Rain had started to drizzle. It was as if God was trying to make Amy miserable on purpose. It had been three years since the end of the clue hunt. Alistair had won, then died a year later, splitting the money evenly between the surviving teams.
And now, Dan had left for college. He was 15 when the 39 Clues hunt had been won, and Amy had been 18. She was doing online college, and he was going to this college in North Carolina.
She had walked into a coffee shop, cold, and wanting to warm up. She got in line, and was behind a man with black hair. He stepped up to the counter and asked for an espresso with a curious accent. When they took too long, he cursed under his breath and said, "Incompetent fools. I'll sue them for all they've got." Now Amy knew that he had a British accent, and despite herself, she was jumping to conclusions. Could this be… Ian? He certainly had the same attitude. Amy herself had changed. She had cut her red hair to her shoulders and gotten it layered. Her jade eyes were the same, but they were older now, wiser. She no longer stuttered, and was on her way to getting a PhD
"Sorry, sir, for the wait. The machine wasn't working properly." The man behind the counter said with a sheepish grin, expecting a smile and a, "That's all right, it's not a problem."
"Of course you're sorry. Everyone in this sorry country is. Do you have no idea who I am, and what you could lose?"
"Um, I'm afraid not, sir. Here's your espresso. $2.95."
The man paid sourly and turned around. Amy gasped. It was Ian! She could never forget the face of him. He had done so much to her. Despite herself, she whispered his name with her old stutter. "I-Ian?"
With a scowl, Ian turned to look at her, and then his frown became a look of wonder. "Amy? Amy Cahill?" She nodded with amazement, her mouth still wide open.
"Miss? You're next. What would you like… Miss?"
Amy stepped out of line, in front of Ian, a smile on her face now. "Ian, it's nice to see you, I guess. All differences aside. I don't hold grudges."
"In that case, I guess it's good to see you too. Would you like to sit down, love?"
"Ian, I said it many times, and I mean it. Stop calling me that."
"If you say so," he said, his eyes twinkling. He led her to an empty table. "It's nice to see you too, Amy."
"You still have that same pompous, rich boy attitude, I see."
He laughed. "I never changed."
"So what are you doing in the States?"
"I couldn't bear to live with Mum anymore. Natalie came with me. We took our inheritance, but we are saving up, still. We live in a small apartment for now, even thought we still have our millions. An ocean is enough space, don't you think?"
"Very much." Amy laughed. He stared at her.
"Something wrong?"
"Nothing, except…"
"Except what?"
"I missed you, Amy. Very much."
"…I missed you too, Ian. Very much."
And that was the beginning of a beautiful relationship. They had met up regularly, getting to know each other, for real this time. Since the Hunt was out of the way, there were no traps, no betrayals, and best of all, no evil psycho mother to avoid. And no sharks.
They never once brought up the hunt for the Clues. It was over and done now, and they did not need to talk about it anymore. The past is the past, and now they were living in the future.
And then, Ian had asked Amy out. Nothing much, a simple dinner. It had gone well, and gone on. A movie, a dinner, a meeting with Natalie. She had changed during the hunt, and she was engaged to a man she loved very much. And, he wasn't rich.
One day, Natalie had pulled Amy aside and spoken to her.
"That day in Jamaica changed me, Amy. When you talked to me, offered to help me, even thought we had done so many horrible things to you. I was rich, you were poor. I was snobby, you were humble. It spoke to me," Natalie had tears in her eyes as she spoke. "That meant so much to me. Thank you."
Amy smiled a genuine smile. "You are welcome. So, can that scar on your mother's head be covered up with make-up?"
Natalie had laughed and nodded. They had gone back to dinner, and from that day on, Amy had more respect for Natalie.
Then came one of the happiest days of Amy's life.
Even though storm clouds hung over the sky, the sun fought back, and for now, rain did not breech the small town of Boston.
Amy and Ian were walking to Amy's house together after a movie, Despicable Me.
"Oh, that was so funny," Amy laughed. "I loved it! I am definitely getting it on DVD."
Ian smiled back. "I guess it shows that you Americans can have an evil side after all."
Amy play punched him with a giggle, then challenged him. "Race ya!"
"It's on, Cahill!"
"Bring it, Cobra."
And they had run. Of course, Ian, never neglecting his dress shoes, had lost to Amy's sneakers.
Ian had laughed and swung Amy in the air. "And now, Amy, your prize for winning such a great race. He had taken out a small velvet box and handed it to her. Amy knew what it was right away, and she gasped as tears welled up in her jade eyes. She, hands shaking, had opened it. Inside had been a simple diamond ring. She turned her gaze back to Ian, only to see him smiling at her with love in her eyes.
"I doubt I need say it, but I will anyway. Amy Cahill, will you marry me?"
And with a cry of joy, she had fallen into his arms and said one word that would change two lives forever.
"Yes."
They had gotten married on a wonderful day, July 19th. The weather had been clear and beautiful, as Ian said, "Just like you."
Not many people had come. Isabel Kabra and Vikram had not been invited, for fear of Isabel's deadly dart gun. She had never gotten over losing, and was more vicious than ever before.
Dan came, and, grudgingly, so did Aunt Beatrice. Amy could have sworn she shed a few tears, no matter how well she hid them.
After a year, a beautiful baby girl had been born to Ian and Amy. Alison Hope Kabra. Amy fell in love with her name at once, and she had been dubbed Ali. With her red hair and amber eyes, both father and mother knew that their little girl would soon be taken from them.
Two years later, twins had come! Little Zach and Zoya had their father's black hair and their mothers jade eyes, and they wouldn't leave their twin for nothing. Ian jokingly wondered if, after they got married, they would move their families in together.
Amy and Ian had lived together with love and joy, and never a harsh word was spoken to one another. They already had had years of fighting and betrayal, and they never wanted to bring those again.
And now, Ian's story was at its last chapter. The last page would soon be turned, and he would be in a better place soon.
Their children were married and had children of their own. A new generation was taking over, and the old one would fade away. Ian and Amy had told their children, when they were old enough, about the clue hunt, and told them to pass the story on, so that they would be remembered, and so would Dan and Natalie and all the others. And Ali, Zach and Zoya had faithfully promised to do so.
Ian turned to Amy, and spoke his final words, the last words that would leave the lips of Ian Kabra.
"I love you, Amy."
Then, with rain pouring outside, as if God knew the sad day taking place, Ian breathed his last, and closed his eyes to a life of peace and harmony.
When the doctor came in at midnight, he would find husband and wife lying side by side, together, both in an eternal sleep.
The hunt was over, and all was well.
Love reigned.
