A/N: ok so I was in class this morning right? And I'm thinking 'omg I hate that Kartik dies in the end of tsft… if only I could change it…'

And then….

BOOM!

EPIPHANY!

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He kisses me sweetly on the lips, and I return his kiss until the vines twines themselves around his throat and his lips go cold. The last sound I hear from him is my name spoken softly. "Gemma…"

The tree accepts him. He is gone. Only his voice remains, echoing my name on the wind.

I sat down next to the tree, not even bothering to pay attention to the battle happening around me. I cried for Kartik; for his lost soul.

I sniffed a bit more and looked up from behind my tangled mess for which I call hair. Gorgon was a few feet away, fighting off a dozen creatures at once. I found out why she didn't use her enchanting eyes when I saw them. They were bloody. She had probably gone blind.

Gorgon tripped on a root of the Tree of All Souls. Everything went by in a flash. She crashed into the tree, whose branches shook under the impact. Gorgon quickly turned around when she understood what was behind her and started thrashing at it with her many swords. And then, it was over.

The Tree of All Souls crashed onto the bloody snow, and thousands of souls that were thought lost were unleashed.

The bodies crawled out of the many branches, pail-looking and tired. The battle stopped and everyone watched. I struggled to stand and searched the bodies. Finally, I found him.

His golden-brown skin was like a beacon to me. His eyes were bloodshot from all that had just occurred. His soft curls lay in a tangled heap atop his head, but his face was as beautiful as ever.

It was my Kartik, alive again.

I sat down beside him and wrapped my arms around his waist. He put an arm around my shoulders and was immediately seized by a coughing fit. I rubbed his back soothingly. The fight had erupted around us again, but since they had the decency to leave us two alone, we did the same for them.

A sudden idea filled my mind, and I spent a few seconds planning it out. Finally, the words fixed themselves up in my mind, and I said them aloud.

I placed my hand on the ground and looked up at the sky. It was gray, as usual, but there was a tinge of red to it. "I bestow the magic upon my family, so it would be passed down from generation to generation. May the magic of the Tree of All Souls be turned into a new magic, a good one, for all the creatures of the realms to share, as well as the new order, and all that have fought in this battle for the realms!" I shouted as loud as possible, and almost everyone paid attention.

A current of power rushed through me and into the ground. Everyone's faces lit up with the magic. The powers I had just bestowed were risky to give and take, but I knew what I did was right.

Only then did I notice that my eyes were shut. I opened them. Kartik was a few inches away from my face, breathing softly. It was still him, nothing had changed. I knew it from the burning scent of cinnamon and firewood. "Well done, Gemma," he whispered and pulled me in for a soft kiss. I responded immediately, wrapping my arms around his neck, but he pulled away gently. I looked up at him, hurt, but he merely laughed and said, "I don't think right now is the time, nor the place."

I looked around and, sure enough, all of our allies that had survived were surrounding us. Ann and Felicity stood by the root Gorgon had tripped on. Everyone else was helping the lost souls find the river so they would move on. I peeked behind Felicity, only to see the enemy escaping into the nearby mountains.

I looked up at my two best friends. "We…won?" I asked incredulously. Ann giggled and Felicity nodded. I popped up and hugged them. When we were done, I turned around. All of our allies were gathered around in a circle, kindly including Felicity, Ann and I in it while we were jumping with joy. I noticed Fowlson slouching on the other side of the circle, looking worse than everyone else, even Gorgon, who seemed to be ignoring the fact that she would never see anything again. I felt a tinge of sadness. I knew what it was like to lose your significant other, even if only for a moment.

Warm hands wrapped themselves around my waist. I turned my head slightly to see Kartik staring adoringly at my face. "I thought I had lost you forever," I whispered. I blinked back tears.

Kartik grabbed my shoulders and turned me around so that I was facing him. He pulled me into a bear hug. Everyone was watching us, and I blushed. He pulled away and nudged the bridge of my nose with his. "Well, you didn't," he said simply.

I took his hand and turned to our friends. "Let's go home."

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We arrived in our world. I closed the door of light behind us and led the way back to the Chapel. We walked leisurely, taking our time now that there was no need to rush.

There were broken pieces of rock from the statues all through the path. I mourned from them all through the short journey.

When we arrived, Mother Elena rushed over to me and gave me a hug. I was surprised by her intensity, but soon that wore off and I hugged her back. "You've done well," she whispered in my ear. I had no idea how she found out, nor did I care. As long as I had the approval of the woman who had helped me through my discovery and journey through the realms, I was okay.

I looked around the room. All the younger Spence girls were sleeping on the floor and the older girls were hunched down in a corner. Fowlson and Miss Nightwing were chatting animatedly. I smiled. They would make a great couple, and they both need a mate.

Cecily, who was sitting in the front of the group of older girls, stared at us, horrified. She directed her gaze at Kartik's strong hand, which was holding mine. "Gemma Doyle!" she shrieked. "How can you…why…how?"

I decided to have a little fun mocking her. I turned to Kartik and wrapped my arms around his neck. He looked down at me, startled that I would do something like it in public. I stood up on my toes. "Lets give them a little show, shall we?" I whispered into his ear, letting my lips to brush his ear. I jerked my head towards Cecily and her crew. Kartik smiled, understanding what I wanted him to do.

He gripped my back with one hand and hefted my legs up with the other. I shrieked in surprise and held onto his neck for dear life. I saw out of the corner of my eye that Cecily was staring at us in terror. I took both pleasure and bravery from this and closed my eyes. I was about to make my hair turn blue when I felt the air move around me. I opened my eyes and shrieked again.

We were floating in midair.

And I hadn't done it.

I looked at Kartik, who was grinning madly. "You…y-you…" I said incredulously.

"I did that," he finished for me. "Perhaps you weren't paying attention yourself back in the Winterlands. 'And all that have fought in this battle for the realms,' you said. That would include Fowlson, your friends, and me." I hugged him tightly. Then, suddenly, I let go. Kartik reached out for me, probably thinking that I would fall. Of course, I didn't. I giggled hysterically as I flew in circled around Kartik. He did a back flip, and I followed suit, throwing my upper body back and my legs up. When I got back up, Kartik grabbed my hand and spun me into his body, then out again. I twirled around.

Kartik held out his hand and bowed slightly. "Would you dance with me, Lady Ramsbottom?" he asked with folly in his voice.

"Of course, lord Hoity-Toity," I croaked between loud fits of laughter. By now, most of the younger girls were awake and staring at us in awe and wonder, as were Mrs. Nightwing, Ann, Felicity, Mother Elena, and Fowlson. The older Spence girls were horrified. I really didn't care. We pranced around in the air, standing (or floating, should I say) far too close to each other for propriety.

Soon, Ann and Felicity floated up beside us and started twirling around themselves. The only person with magic left was Fowlson.

I gripped Kartik's shoulders, motioning for him to stop. He stopped and looked at me, confused. I put a finger up and floated swiftly back down to the ground. I walked over to where Fowlson and Miss Nightwing were standing.

"You've done well, Gemma," Miss Nightwing said approvingly. I held out my hands, palms up. She shrugged, obviously not knowing what I was about to give her, and put her hands in mine. I closed my eyes and soon, Miss Nightwing's eyes were alive and full of joy. "It has been years since I felt that jolt of energy. Thank you," she said. I took her hand and boldly put it in Fowlson's. They looked down at their entwined hands, then back up at each other. Miss Nightwing smile. Not her false, cold smile, but a true, warm smile.

And they floated up to join everyone else.

I looked up, but Kartik was no where to be seen. I looked around the room, but he wasn't there. The door stood ajar. I shrugged and plopped down on the floor.

Warm air and the scent of cinnamon wafted from behind my neck. I turned around and there, Kartik was kissing my neck. And in front of Cecily, too!

I noticed that he had donned a jacket while he was away. I didn't blame him, either. It was cold during the spring at night.

Kartik took my hand and led me out of the Chapel. We walked together, hand in hand, saying nothing, yet meaning everything. Finally, we arrived at the gypsy camp. I looked up at him questioningly, but Kartik just shook his head and led me to a bench by the dying fire. It was so late that all the gypsies were in their tents. I sat down beside Kartik, who poked the fire with a stick. I placed my head on his shoulder and yawned.

Suddenly, Kartik's shoulder was not beneath my head, and I struggled to keep my balance. He was sitting on his knees in front of me with his hands intertwined on my lap.

"Gemma," he started. "You know that I my affections for you are infinite, but I can't just sit around. I admit I am selfish. But that is why I need to know what you choose; me, or your reputation."

I knew the answer immediately. I had turned him down once, and I knew how much it had hurt. It had hurt a lot. I was not going to do that again, neither to him nor to myself. "You," I stated simply.

Kartik immediately tackled me with his lips, sending a shock through my body and making my head fill with only him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and he wrapped his strong ones around my waist. We kept kissing like this for a few minutes, but after a while we both got tired and split apart.

"Gemma," Kartik said, "I need you to tell me, now don't try being modest because it won't help you, are you as brave as you let on?"

I was confused, but answered anyway, "I'm close, but not as brave."

What stopped our conversation was a rustle in the bush. I looked over.

And out came two hedgehogs.

I grinned up at Kartik, who grinned back. "So what do you say to that," Kartik said, "Lady Hedgehog?"

I frowned playfully at him. "Hadn't I told you?" I asked jokingly. "I'm a woodchuck."

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We raced back down to the chapel. My skirts flew back and Kartik's curls whipped around his face, making him look like my knight in shining armor. I could easily imagine him with a sword and shield in hand.

When we returned, everyone looked at us. I blushed at what they might have been thinking that Kartik had taken me out to do, but kept on walking anyway. Kartik led me to the center of the large room and pulled out a small, black box. It looked strangely familiar; something from a dream, perhaps.

"Gemma Doyle," Kartik boomed. "You have agreed to let me court you, even if our races differ. I have a confession. Gemma Doyle, I am in love with you." Everyone gasped. "And I would like to spend the rest of my life with you."

Suddenly, I understood. Kartik was smart, and the most wonderful man in the world. He knew I loved him back, and he knew that I could handle it if everyone knew. So, he was letting everyone know.

Kartik got down on one knee and held up the little velvet box. He clicked it open. My eyes filled with tears of joy. Kartik noticed and smiled. "Gemma, will you marry me?"

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A/N: yeah so I hope u liked chapeeturo uno… PUEESE R+R!