Disclaimer: Person of Interest is not mine. I'm just borrowing the concepts and characters for a little while.
Spoilers: 1.01 Pilot and 5.13 return 0.
A/N: It's been quite a while since I've written anything for this fandom, but the awesome series finale wrecked me, and I needed to write something about it.
All sentences in italics are quotes from the pilot and series finale episodes, written by Jonathan Nolan (Pilot) and Nolan and Thé (return 0).
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"Sure. Everyone dies alone. But if you mean something to someone, if you help someone, or love someone… If even a single person remembers you, then maybe, you never really die at all."
~~~~~~~The Machine, 5.13 return 0
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Once the shock gave way to disbelief.
Once the disbelief gave way to possibility.
Once the possibility gave way to reality, and Grace had accepted that he was really and truly alive, they had a talk.
Harold told her everything.
Whatever secrets you're hanging onto… I don't care. I love you – no matter what.
He told Grace about the long and winding path to, from, and back to her.
His real name. Nathan.
The Machine. The Numbers.
I think all you ever wanted to do was protect people.
John.
You need a purpose.
Carter. Fusco. Bear.
Root. Shaw.
Samaritan.
Harold told her all of it.
And when she asked him questions, he answered them completely and truthfully.
Somehow, Grace knew that he'd recently lost people who mattered a great deal to him.
Root.
And what I found was that the moment that often mattered the most… The moment when you truly found out who they were was often their last one.
John.
This is what I do, remember? When you came to me and gave me a job. A purpose… I had been trying to save the world for so long… Saving one life at a time seemed anti-climatic. But then I realized, sometimes one life, if it's the right life. That's enough. Goodbye, Harold.
After his earlier attempts to find someone to work the Numbers for and with him, Harold never thought he'd find someone who would be compatible, let alone someone who would become a friend.
Such a good friend, and he was going to miss John terribly.
Sooner or later, both of us will probably wind up dead. Actually dead this time.
Harold never honestly thought he'd survive this long, and he certainly never thought he would survive the war between the Machine and Samaritan, but John had given up his life to save him – and the world. His friend was a hero.
A hand slipped into his, grasping it tightly, and he looked down at the twined fingers for a moment before lifting his head to come face-to-face with a gently smiling Grace.
"I once told you, Harold, that I don't care about your secrets. Nothing you've told me makes any difference. I still love you and always will – no matter what," she said.
And that was the end of another beginning.
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Three years, one month, and four days later…
After several heartbreaking attempts, they finally succeeded in creating something unique, something near and dear to their hearts.
Many hours of labor went into this creation before it was born.
Arguably, it was Harold's greatest achievement.
This time is was not an artificial intelligence, but a human life. A baby.
As he held his newborn son for the very first time, Harold said, "John, I can't wait until you're a little older so I can tell you all about some friends of mine."
If even a single person remembers you, then maybe, you never really die at all.
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The end.
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A/N: For those who are wondering, the title of the story translates to: Always Remember.
Many thanks to Celticgal1041 for her help; all remaining mistakes are my fault.
Thanks for reading!