He laughed and called for his two kids to hurry up, "Eliza, Will, hurry up and get your shoes on or we're going to the park without you!" A very pregnant woman joined him on the porch of their suburban home. She kissed him on the lips, then he rubbed her belly gently, "How is she doing Katie?" Katie hummed, "She ready to be here." Finally a five year old boy with brown hair and eyes toddled to the door, "I win!" He yelled to the blonde seven year old. Their father scowled at them, "You guys have to stop running in the house; you might hurt your mother or new sister." Eliza looked up to her father with big blue eyes, that matched her mother's, "We're sorry daddy; we'll do better." He tousled both of their hair. Eliza took her father's right hand, while Will took his mother's left. This left the two adults to take each other's hands as they walked down the road to the park situated a half block away. When the sun started to go down, he called the two children off the playground equipment and told them it was time for them to go home. He noticed a pair of teens loitering at the edge of the park. He frowned because they seemed almost familiar. The male was taller and had wavy brown hair flowing freely to his shoulders. He noticed him first because he was dressed oddly; a pair of baggy jean shorts, paired with a Hawaiian shirt and flip-flops. No one wore Hawaiian shirts anymore. The girl, with straight brown hair pulled into a ponytail, was wearing a pink cardigan, blue jeans and a pair of sneakers. He glanced up at the pinkening sky and called out to them, "You kids be careful! Even nice neighborhoods can get dangerous at night." The girl waved to him and the two wandered off. He never knew why nighttime gave him the willies, but he always preferred everyone to be home and inside before dark. Eliza was yawning, but Will was nearly asleep on his feet. He picked up his sleepy son and joined his wife and daughter on their walk home. When the shadows deepened and the lights finally turned off in the home trimmed by an honest to goodness white picket fence, Claire turned to Myrnin, "Thank you for bringing me to see him." Myrnin smiled, "Anything for you fy annwyl." She sighed as she wrapped her arm around his waist, "Do you think he recognized us?" Myrnin shook his head, "If he did, his mind would obviously have made something up. It's been almost fifteen years since he left, and you haven't aged a day." She chuckled and plucked at his shirt, "Well, if anything, this would've given us away. Who wears Hawaiian shirts anymore?" Myrnin sighed, "Well, at least I left my poor slippers at home." Claire snorted, "You act as if your slippers were living beings." Myrnin sighed, "You will never understand me." Claire tugged him down for a kiss, "I have all of eternity to try. Should we visit Michael and tell him?" Their happy mood deflated at the mention of their bereaved friend. "No." Myrnin said under his breath. "Best not to bring up old memories." Claire nodded. She still never understood why her friend had never let Michael turn her. She had thought, that at least once Eve had matured completely into a woman, she would have let Michael turn her, but she refused. Even when the doctors found the cancer, she refused. They removed the cancerous cells and she was in remission for three years before the relapse. Michael had begged and pleaded with her, but still she refused. She told Michael, "I'm sorry sweetie, but the dream had to end sometime. I love you, but…I just can't be forever. It's not for me. We'll find each other again someday." That night she had gone to sleep and never woke up; she hadn't even lived to see thirty-five. Michael had gone into an inconsolable rage for months until he disappeared off the face of the earth. Claire had finally located him a few weeks later, living like a hermit in South America. She didn't speak to him; only let him see her before she returned home. Claire sighed, "Will he ever be normal again?" Myrnin thought about this for a moment, "When I killed Ada, I too was inconsolable, but I was able to keep her with me. I also had my research to keep me distracted with what I had done; Michael has nothing but his music. The truth is, I'm not sure if he'll ever be okay. We will though; as will Shane and his family." Claire gasped and punched him in the shoulder, "You said his name right! I think that's the first time I've ever heard you call him Shane." Myrnin smiled, "It's not as fun to taunt him if he is unaware." Claire sighed, "I am glad Shane got his happily ever after…even though he did all those things." Myrnin hummed in agreement, "Are you ready to go home now?" Claire nodded and the two headed for their rental car. So much had changed since Claire Danvers made the decision to go to the sleepy little town of Morganville; it had changed her. Though she looked the same, and always would, she would never again be that weak, naïve teenager in pursuit of knowledge. As she turned the car around and steered it toward the airport, (heaven forbid she let Myrnin drive) she mused on the fact that coming to Morganville had actually made her a better person. As Shane's house disappeared in her rearview mirror she smiled; things could only get better from here.
