Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Note: This was requested by a few people. I hope you like it. Sequel and ending of 'Only If For A Night'. What's written in italic is a dream and not a flashback.

STOP! If you haven't read 'Only If For A Night' you must. There are references to what was said in there and it'll just be a lot easier if you read it.

Guardian At The Gate

"The soul is not the body and it may be in one body

or in another, and pass from body to body."

- Giordano Bruno

.

.

Mercedes watched the scene before her, her lips curved into a smile. Her family was beautiful. Grace was everything she had hope her daughter would become; a beautiful, talented and courageous woman. Grace was truly Sam's daughter. She was funny, in a goofy way, unbelievably kind and artistic. She shared her parent's passion for music and their loyalty. Of all the things Mercedes had done in her life, she was proudest of Grace. And now she was a mother of five. It was moments like these that made her realize how blessed she was. Her grandchildren were playing on her front lawn with their parents, while Mercedes sat on her porch swing, watching them. But at sixty-eight, Mercedes had a habit of taking naps in the afternoon and before long, she was fast asleep on her porch swing, while her family played outside.

Mercedes hadn't seen the New York apartment she had shared with Sam in decades. Yet, there she was, in the small kitchen. She wore her favorite purple dress, the one Grace had bought her for her sixty-fifth birthday.

"Hey, sweetie." said a voice coming from the living room. "Come dance with me!" it was him again, she knew it before she saw him. She could never forget that voice. It sent a thrilling shiver down her spine. Sam was fiddling with the stereo, humming a tune under his breath. He wore dark jeans with a light blue sweater. When he turned to her, she nearly gasped. He hadn't changed. Somehow she had expected him to look incredibly old, despite knowing he died so young. It was then that she realized how much time had really passed since his death.

"We haven't danced in a long time, 'Cedes." he said, smiling. He pressed play and moved towards her. The Righteous Brother's Unchained Melody started playing, their low melodious voices filling the air.

Sam took one of hands in his and rested his other one on her hip.

"How are you?" he asked as they swayed.

"Right now? Happy. I've missed you, Sam." she replied, smiling. And she was. Unlike the last time she had seen him, her eyes were dry.

"I've missed you too. You called her Grace." his eyes sparkled with pride as he thought about their daughter.

"Of course I did. She's perfect isn't she?"

"She's everything I hoped she would be." Sam kissed her forehead lightly. "Thank you."

Mercedes didn't ask why he was thanking her. She already knew. She had not given up. She had lived, just like she had promised, though she had never remarried. Mercedes had lived her life fully. At first, it was by Sam's request and eventually she did it because she wanted to. Knowing for certain that Sam was in a better place gave her strength. Even in death, he had been her hero.

"I wanted to make you proud." she smiled as she rested her head on his chest. You're still beautiful."

"Not as much as you." his voice was quiet and filled with emotion. "You're so beautiful, 'Cedes. I almost forgot just how much you were."

She laughed and shook her head. "Are you kidding me, Sam? Look at me." she took a step back and looked down at herself. "I'm an old woman. I'm wrinkled and saggy. I'm not beautiful anymore."

Sam rolled his eyes and pulled her back against him. "I am looking at you. You're more beautiful today than you were at twenty-three. That's a fact." Mercedes smiled. If anyone else would have told her that, she would have rolled her eyes and brushed the comment aside. But the way Sam said it... he made her feel beautiful and so she believed him. Her thoughts drifted to the last time they and seen each other; in the forest by a river, surrounded by flowers and trees. Sam had visited her a reason, which would logically meant that he wasn't here today for fun.

"You aren't just paying me a visit are you?" she asked.

"I could never keep anything from you," he said with a chuckle and stepped back. "Let's go outside."

Before she could comment, Mercedes found herself back on her present day porch. Their grandchildren were playing still playing and laughing, with not a care in the world. Sam took her hand and led her down the steps. They walked, hand in hand, towards Grace. Mercedes watched them, a proud smile touching her lips. Grace was bent over her youngest son, seven-year old Jacob, speaking to him in hushed tones. She felt Sam squeeze her hand as they watched their daughter, together.

"You can't rip out flowers like that." Grace was saying, oblivious to the presence of her parents. "Faeries live the flowers, you know, you're destroying their home."

Jacob rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Faeries don't exist, mama."

"Well, that's rude." said Grace in mock offense. "How would you like it if someone said you didn't exist?" at his silence, she smile and ruffled his hair. "That's what I thought. Just because you can't see something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist."

Jacob nodded and stared at the flowers he had destroyed.

"She's a good mother." said Sam. Grace now had Jacob pinned to the ground and she was tickling him.

"Yeah, she is." Mercedes turned to him. "But you knew she would be. You knew she was coming. Just like you knew this day was coming." Sam smiled sadly.

"There are things only the dead know." he said carefully. "After the initial confusion, it's as though everything makes sense. You understand things you never thought made sense when you were alive and you see things. Things that haven't happened yet."

Mercedes nodded. It was bizarre how much she had feared death as a teenager and now suddenly, nothing frightened her. When Sam spoke of it, he spoke as though it was beautiful. Just another adventure. Never had he even made her feel like he was scared or unhappy.

"Talk to me about Heaven." she whispered squeezing his hand.

He glanced at her. "I can't. Everyone's heaven is different."

"Then you're alone up there." Mercedes frowned. "That's sad."

"No, it's not, 'Cedes." he shook his head. "Sometimes people share a heaven. It's peaceful and beautiful. It's whatever you want it to be. Like a Tilt-A-Whirl."

"Really, Sam? That's your heaven?" Mercedes rolled her eyes and laughed. "I'm judging you big time right now."

He smiled, though his eyes were serious. "My heaven is the lake. We spent our first summer together there, remember?"

She nodded. Of course she remembered. How could she not? Those were some of her favorite memories. "Of all the places, why there?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

"That's where I fell in love with you." he stepped in front of her. "But there's something missing. It's time to come home."

"I died didn't I?" said Mercedes quietly. She wasn't upset. In fact, she had suspected s such the moment she saw him fiddling with that stereo.

"Just like you always wanted; in your sleep, on the porch swing during a summer's afternoon." his tone was filled with sympathy.

Mercedes nodded. "What do we do now?" she asked, accepting her fate.

"You have three choices." he started. "You can stay here, caught between both worlds, or you can cross over and come to heaven with me. We'll be at peace there."

Mercedes nodded as she weighed her options. "And the third?"

"You can trust me." he said simply. Mercedes glanced at Grace who was still tickling Jacob and sighed. She didn't want to think of the sadness her death would cause. Though, thanks to Sam's visit assuring her he was fine forty five years ago, Mercedes had made a point not to paint death in a terrifying way. Grace would be fine. She was stronger than Mercedes had been, and she was older.

"I trust you, Sam." whispered Mercedes. He smiled and kissed her.

SMSMSMSMS

Fifteen years later...

Maddy grumbled to herself as she walked along the beach. How dare her parents just leave her? Having just moved into the town, she had no friends to spend the day with. As if that wasn't bad enough, internet and cable hadn't been installed yet. She felt like she was living in the middle ages and it was not fun. And now her parents where going somewhere and wouldn't be back until after supper. Awful. How could they expect her to spend the day alone in that house? Cue in loneliness. Sometimes she wondered if they remembered what being a fourteen year-old social butterfly felt like.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't notice the boy who sat in the sand, staring out at the sea. She didn't until she tripped over him and landed flat on her face.

"Oh my God," said the boy, fighting back a laugh. "Are you okay?"

"Fine, I'm fine." mumbled Maddy as she picked her self up and wiped the sand from her face. This was so embarrassing.

"You have some in your hair," he offered.

Maddy ran a hand through her dark curly hair, shaking the sand out of it and glanced at him. Any embarrassment she felt before was nothing compared to what she felt now. He was cute. Really cute. He had messy light brown hair and eyes the color of emeralds. His lips were curved into an amused smile. He was around her age, a year older tops.

"Sorry about that." she said clearing her throat.

"I never complain when a pretty girl falls at my feet." he said, flashing a smile. Maddy blushed. Oh boy, he was flirting with her. Nobody flirted with her.

"A guy like you must have that happen a lot." she said and immediately cursed herself. Was she really trying to flirt back? She didn't know how to flirt, she never really tried before. Maddy was the type of person people wanted to be friends with, but when it came to matters of the heart, no one was interested. He arched an eyebrow.

"Are you telling me I'm hot?" he asked, his tone teasing. "Because I'd love for to tell everyone at school. People say I'm a dork." he shrugged. "My name is Fox."

Maddy rolled her eyes and pushed to her feet. Of course this cute boy was teasing her. Who was named Fox? That was ridiculous. "Yes, and my name is Lion." she said, her tone colder than she had intended it to be. He surprised her by laughing, not at all offended.

"No, that's really my name. My parents are kind of hippies. I have a sister called Willow." he stood up as well, and brushed himself off. "But I know your name isn't Lion."

Maddy hesitated before speaking. "My name's Madeline. Everyone calls me Maddy."

"You're new around here." he said. It was not a question. She nodded.

"Just moved here from New York."

"Maybe I could show you around?" he smiled again, showing pearly white teeth.

"I'd love to, but I can't today. My parents are out for the day and I have a list of chores to do and things to unpack." she gave him an apologetic smile. "Maybe another time."

"You're alone all day?" he asked, not missing a beat. "No wonder you weren't happy. How about I give you a hand?"

Maddy considered him. He seemed genuine and even eager, but the idea of someone as cute as him wanting to spend the day with her was insane. Things like this never happened to her. But there was something about Fox that made her wonder. His eyes were familiar, though she was certain she had never met him before. People who looked like that weren't easily forgotten.

"Sure. You don't have to, though-"

"But I want to." he interrupted. "You shouldn't be surprised that someone wants to spend time with you. Damn, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound like that". Maddy waved his apologies aside. He was right. She was being silly. Maybe he was just being a good person.

"It's fine." she shrugged.

"It's just that..." he hesitate and raked a hand through his hair. "I feel like I know you, it's weird."

"I get it." nodded Maddy. She wanted to tell him she felt it too, but didn't.

They stood on the beach watching each other for several more seconds before Fox laughed nervously.

"That sounded creepy, didn't it?" he asked. "I'm always saying weird things. You'll get used to it." Fox smiled again, and Maddy found herself mesmerized by his charm.

"God, you're beautiful." she said aloud. Realizing her outburst, she blushed, but Fox didn't miss a beat. In fact, his sincere reply was automatic, as though he told her this often.

"Not as much as you."

That's all for this! What do think? Yay Or Nay?

Reviews are lovely.