A/N: For Danie.

Disclaimer: Besides extreme guilt, I own nothing.

And the Last Words

She finds him sitting on the top step to her apartment building, unfazed by the downpour soaking him from head to toe. Carefully, she makes the short climb towards him, holding her bright yellow umbrella tightly in her grasp. Their eyes finally meet. For a moment, all she can hear is the sound of heavy raindrops hitting the pavement, until he speaks.

"I met Murphy when I was fresh out of high school. He taught me everything I know about working the pipeline. He was kinda like a second dad, the dad I wish I had. I was on my first rig and honestly I was terrible at everything. But Murph? He stuck by me, helped me every step of the way. After we wrapped up that job, he got real sick. Kidney failure. He was in and out of hospitals for months. I spent hours with him. He never once complained at least not in front of me. And I watched him, this proud military man, slowly wither away right before my eyes. I mean I knew he was in a lot of pain, but in true Old Man Murphy style, he gritted through it. He even joked around with me to keep my spirits up. He was the one dying and all he wanted to do was make sure this nobody kid was okay. It was the day after Thanksgiving, I went to visit him and I snuck him some leftovers. We played poker. He let me win. I told him I'd see him tomorrow, bright and early. He laughed and said, 'I ain't going nowhere.' That night there was a pipe failure at the site my dad was working on. Pop called all hands on deck. We didn't get home 'til late and uh, Murph, well…" he pauses, swallowing thickly. "I don't think I'll ever forgive myself for not saying goodbye and I sure as hell am not gonna make that same mistake with you."

He rises to his feet, stubbornly jamming his fists into his jacket pockets.

"Cassandra, you are the most impossible woman that I have ever met. You are bossy and headstrong, too excitable and too smart for your own good," he smirks. "You changed my life. I'm a better person because of you."

Her eyes shine with adoration, deeply touched by his words.

"How many times did you practice that speech?" she quips, a playful grin tugging at her lips.

"You don't want to know."

Smiling through the tears, she drops her umbrella and stretches her arms out in front of him. He all but collapses into her embrace, breathing in her scent. He commits every detail of her to memory.

"We had a good run, didn't we?"

"The best," she reassures brightly.

Taking a small step back, his lips hover dangerously close to hers before he reaches out to cradle her face in both his hands. She blushes under his watchful blue gaze.

"What are you doing?"

"I just… I don't want to forget you."

"Well, lucky for you, I'm pretty unforgettable."

They share a shaky laugh as she places her own hands on his wrists.

"Jacob…"

"No."

"You should go," she insists, gently pushing herself away from him. "You're going to catch cold if we keep standing out here like this."

"Worth it," he replies stubbornly.

"Stone, please."

His eyes slip shut and he leans forward, resting his forehead against hers. His thumb feathers gently across her cheek. She commits every detail of him to memory.

"Say hi to Murph for me."

His voice is barely audible and by the time she processes his request, he has already descended the steps. Exhaling deeply, she turns to unlock the door.

"Hey, Cassie?"

She stops mid-stride, her foot barely crossing the threshold, and glances over her shoulder.

"I'll see you on the other side," he says.

A single tear slips down her cheek. She smiles.

"You better."

And though the street below is blurry, she can make out a bright yellow umbrella from the corner of her eye, as it and its new owner is engulfed by a dazzling blue portal.

"See you on the other side."

Fin for now.