Yay, uni is over for another year. Now my problem is finding my writing motivation haha.

But I did manage to finish this chapter, and hopefully I'll have another one done very soon.

Enjoy :)

After the End

"Daddy!"

Chase's breath froze in his chest and for a moment he was in heaven.

His daughter had called out to him before, in his dreams, so many times. Even though he'd never heard her voice, he knew it. Somehow, despite the years and distance between them, the sound had always been in his heart.

But then, he exhaled, and reality quickly came crashing down around him once more.

The little girl bounded straight to the man in the cowboy hat, falling into his open arms. The man in the cowboy hat lifted her high above him, swept her around in a wide arched spin; it made her giggle with excitement, a sweet sound that filled the air and drove the stake deeper into Chase's heart.

That could've been him. That should've been him.

And it was this state of yearning that pained him most. How much of his life had been spent longing for what he couldn't have? It began with the loss of his parents at six years old, and continued on throughout his life until this very moment. Standing here at thirty, wishing he could've been strong enough to stay and be the father that little girl deserved.

Who are you kidding?

You brought this on yourself.

The tears stung at his eyes. Chase had to bite at his lip to keep himself from letting them fall, or worse, reaching out to this little girl who didn't know him. He bit so hard it drew blood.

Supported by his strong arms, Rosemary settled against the man she called her father, her cheek pressed close to his. "Did you have a good day with Roy today?" The man asked her.

"Uh huh! Aunty Kathy took us horseback riding, and then we went exploring in the forest. After that, Chloe took us to the mine – just the entrance, but. Roy found a crystal and it was this –" Rosemary stretched her arms out either side of her, "big!"

"Wow, it sounds like you had a lot of fun."

The little girl nodded happily. She wrapped her arms around the man's neck in a tight hug, suddenly seeming coy, "Daddyyy, can I stay at Roy's house tonight?"

The man chuckled, "Not today, sweetie, but maybe on the weekend."

Rosemary pouted, "Why not?"

"Because it'll be dinner time soon and Mama is waiting for us to come home," The man explained patiently, "She even made your favourite strawberry shortcake for dessert!"

That Chase had taught her to make. In the kitchen he cooked her breakfast, lunch and dinners in every day, in the house they renovated and decorated together, in the home they argued in, made up in, loved in. In what used to be his life.

By now, the taste of blood had spread around his mouth. All he had to do was avert his eyes. Walk away. Spare himself the pain of watching his daughter being held by this stranger.

Chase couldn't help watching, though. The photograph in his wallet had only managed to capture a fraction of Rosemary's boundless spirit. It radiated all around her, in her bright purple eyes and toothy smile, through the way she couldn't stop fidgeting on the spot as if she were dancing to a song only she could hear. Even her long peachy auburn hair seemed uncontrollable, sticking out in every which direction.

Unbidden, the memory of the day Rosemary was born surfaced in his mind. Holly hadn't been well enough to hold their daughter, so Doctor Jin had placed her in Chase's arms instead. He was the first person in the world t0o ever touch her, and the terror he felt at that moment was still so real to him today.

But so was the love. It had been so overwhelming, it had brought tears to his eyes. Cradling this tiny person with his eyes and Holly's face made his heart swell so much that his chest strained under the weight of it all.

Even if Rosemary didn't know him, even if she never knew him, nothing would change.

She would always be the most beautiful little girl in the world. His little girl.

"What's wrong, Daddy?" Chase heard his daughter ask.

For a second time, his heart shuddered, before he remembered: it's not me. And then, he suddenly realised that he wasn't the only one doing the observing – the man in the cowboy hat was staring at him, his face pinched in an expression that was loaded with questions and something more – fear?

"Nothing, sweetie," He murmured.

Rosemary followed his gaze and her purple eyes met with Chase's, "Who's that man? Is he your friend?"

The other man put her down on the ground, "Say Rosie, why don't you go and play with Roy for a little while longer?"

"But what about dinner–?"

"It's okay," He said. He placed a gentle hand on her head, "Go on, I just need to do something first. I'll be quick."

Rosemary looked up at the man she called her father, her delicate features scrunched in uncertainty. But it didn't take long for her to shrug it off; she turned on heel and ran back towards the blacksmith store, where the auburn haired boy was still playing outside with Chloe. All it took was a tap on his shoulder and their game of tag resumed, as if it had never been interrupted in the first place.

The man in the cowboy hat began to cross the clearing. It would've been so easy to slip away and avoid whatever was coming, but Chase stood his ground – was rooted to the ground, more like it.

With a few feet separating them, the other man came to a stop. Chase involuntarily took a step backward.

"You're… Chase, aren't you?" The man said.

So this was who Holly had chosen. Up close, Chase saw that they couldn't be any more different physically. While they were both equally good looking and fair haired, Calvin was muscular and tanned, rugged in the way the lead actor in an action movie would be – and he even dressed the part, with a cowboy hat, a khaki shirt and slacks. What he was like as a person, he couldn't tell just yet, but he would find out soon enough.

When Chase gave no reply, the other man continued on regardless. "My name is Calvin. I'm Holly's… fiancé," The word was added tentatively. Calvin went to offer a hand, but reconsidered it, folding his arms across his chest. "We heard you might be coming back… but we didn't think it would be so soon."

Chase felt himself frown. Of course, Yolanda or Maya or someone else had warned them in advanced. How much they were told though, that was a different question.

Did he want to know the answer? Not just yet. Everything was moving so fast. Too fast; he never imagined getting the chance to see his daughter again on the first day of his return, nor did he think he would be standing face to face with Holly's new lover.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble," He said wearily.

Calvin's stare hardened, "Then why are you here?"

The other man's words were laced with barely concealed contempt. The tone awoke a flare of indignation within Chase that spread through his whole body, and released the latch on his thoughts. He had to grit his teeth to stop himself from lashing out.

Just who was this guy?

Exactly how long had Holly waited, before she'd moved on? How long had they been raising his daughter together? For how long had Rosemary been calling him 'daddy'? Did she even know he wasn't her real father?

There were so many questions twisting around his head, it made him want to scream.

You're living my life. Give it back. Give me back my life!

But Chase swallowed the urge, and every other emotion fighting to unleash itself upon the world.

He'd been avoiding the gazes of the people he knew ever since he arrived in Harmonica Town – he couldn't allow himself be judged by this stranger.

This was between him and Holly.

"To be honest with you, I'm not quite sure," Chase said, returning the stare with an equal amount of disdain, "But I do know it's none of your business."

In the end, however, Chase still lost. Unable to bring himself to hear Calvin's retort, he turned on heel and strode back towards the bridge that marked the way out of the Garmon Mine district. He didn't look back, either, no matter how much his heart ached to catch another glimpse of Rosemary.

And it was only when he was on the outskirts of the district that he realised how much his hands were shaking.

Somewhere in the early hours of the next morning, Chase sat on his bed in the Ocarina Inn, having given up on the idea of sleep hours ago. Although his body felt on the verge of collapse, his mind continued to race through the events of the previous day. So much had happened, and looking back, it all seemed so surreal.

Reuniting with Yolanda, Maya and Colleen worsened the guilt and remorse than threatened to consume him. Meeting with Calvin awoke even more anger and despair. But seeing his daughter again for the first time since she was baby did something else to him entirely.

It gave him a reason to stay alive.

He may not have a good chance at reconciling with Holly, she probably wouldn't even let him speak to Rosemary – he certainly wouldn't, if he were her – yet still he had the chance. If he didn't take it, he would hate himself more than he did for leaving in the first place.

Antagonising Holly's fiancé was a big mistake to make, however. No matter how much he disliked the guy – which was unfair, he knew – Calvin played a part in this too. Holly wouldn't have let Rosemary believe he was her father if they weren't serious about each other. And from what little he'd seen of her, Rosemary seemed to be a happy, well-adjusted kid, so he had to be a good guy. When it came down to it, Holly would probably side with the man who supported her and raised another man's child as his own. Not the one who abandoned his young family and caused her nothing but heartache and grief.

By the time dawn arrived and the early morning sunlight was beginning to stream through the gaps in the curtains, Chase had figured out his next line of action. He'd lay low here at the Ocarina Inn until everyone readjusted to his presence once again, and maybe then he'd make contact with Holly. Nothing major; he wouldn't dare make any demands of her. But if she responded to him, that just might lead to something more later on.

The unexpected resurgence of hope and the sleep deprivation made Chase's heart beat faster, and he forced himself to breathe through it. He was getting ahead of himself.

One step at a time, one day at a time – the thought lulled him into a strange kind of dozing sleep. To think, one of the ridiculous affirmations from his therapy sessions had managed to soothe him this much.

Chase awoke some hours later to the sound of the Ocarina Inn coming to life. He glanced at the clock – nine a.m. Which meant he'd gotten about three hours sleep; enough to let him function. He took a quick shower, changed the bandages on his forearms and got dressed, before heading downstairs. The routine felt so familiar to him, it eased his fear of facing the new day.

He was surprised to see Maya at the front desk so early, flipping through the registry books with a crease between her eyebrows. And when she glanced up from her work, she seemed equally shocked to see him standing across the way – she blinked once, twice, then finally seemed to remember that he wasn't some kind of ghostly apparition.

Maya offered him a tight smile. Chase attempted to return the gesture, but it went unnoticed, her attention back on the book in front of her. Such nonchalance threw him off, especially after the talk they had yesterday afternoon. After everything that had happened, it was so easy to forget that Maya, Yolanda, Colleen, everyone in Harmonica Town had their own lives. The world would always move on, whether he was prepared or not.

The sound of a sizzling frying pan reached his ears, and Chase found himself moving automatically. A new sense of unease flooded through his body as he grew nearer to the kitchen – the pool of blood at his feet and the smell of death in the air were still so vivid in his mind.

Once he stepped inside however, his worries were washed away by a wave of nostalgic joy. At the sound of his footsteps, Yolanda glanced over her shoulder and though she tried to keep her expression neutral, there was warmth in her eyes.

"Good morning, Chase," The old woman greeted briskly. Her gaze swept over him, from toe to head, before returning focus to the ingredients on the counter, "You look awful."

"Couldn't sleep." Haven't been able to sleep since the hospital – but he kept that detail to himself.

Chase hung back, taking a moment to watch as his mentor moved about the kitchen preparing breakfast. Ingredients were laid out along the table, eggs, milk, a bundle of herbs, raw bacon, a block of cheese and a bowl of pancake batter. Even at her age, her hands were deft and quick, cracking eggs with ease while effortlessly flipping the pancakes that were cooking on the stove. His fingers itched to join in.

"Smells good," He said instead. Even though he could barely stomach food nowadays, his insides betrayed him, growling hungrily for a taste of his mentor's cooking.

Yolanda gave him a knowing look. "Would you like to join us?"

Chase sheepishly lowered his head, "…Only if I can do something to help?"

"Well, you can grate the cheese, and the herbs need to be chopped as well. Although…" The older woman's eyes darted warily to the knife on the countertop. "Is that a good idea?"

"It's been two weeks since I cooked something. Trust me when I say it's done me more harm than good."

Yolanda continued to hesitate, her eyebrows knitting into a frown.

He couldn't keep the tremble out of his voice, "Please."

She sighed. "Well, I can't refuse the help of a Gourmet approved chef, can I?"

"How do you know about that?" He asked, surprised.

"I am a subscriber of 'The Gourmet's Delight', Chase," Yolanda said, "I have read every article about the up-and-coming superstar chef in the city who prepared the best ratatouille Pierre ever tasted."

Chase felt the back of his neck turn red, "Yeah, well… I had a good teacher."

"Yes, you did. The best." Yolanda gave him a wry smile, before she chuckled heartily, "Well, c'mon then, don't just stand there. You remember how Maya gets when she doesn't eat on time."

Still, Chase found that he was unable to move. These glimpses of his old life were all too comforting, and it was too easy to be fooled by the illusion that he was welcome here.

Suddenly, an impatient push propelled him backward, almost knocking him clear off his feet. Yolanda strode over to the walk-in cupboard, rummaged around in it briefly, before she brushed past him once more on her way back to the bench. "Either get to work Chase, or get out of my kitchen. I can't keep bumping into you," was all his mentor had to say.

It was only then he took an uncertain step forward, and then another and another, until he and Yolanda were side by side.

Chase grabbed the bundle of herbs – parsley, basil and chives – and then reached for the knife. So many memories flooded back to him as he wrapped his fingers around the handle. Again, he was caught off guard by how heavy it felt, but this time, having a knife in his hand brought him solace.

Although the moment may have been an illusion, he was happy to believe in it. If only for a little while.

For a few hours, life almost seemed to return to normal.

After Yolanda and Chase finished cooking, they were joined by Maya and Colleen for breakfast. They sat down at a table in the dining room to a large spread of herb and cheese omelettes, fried bacon, pancakes, strawberries and syrup. Part of him wanted to get up and run: the air felt too stuffy, too tense; they could barely look him in the eye, let alone talk to him; he just didn't belong. But then, every so often, someone would catch his eye and give him a nod or a smile and the urge to escape dissipated.

One day at a time, one step at a time, Chase repeated to himself. So he concentrated on his food, listening to Maya and Colleen as they discussed the inn's financial status and budget, and Yolanda running through the menu she had chosen for that day. He let himself relax into the rhythm of it all, the hum of their voices, the scrape of cutlery against crockery. Despite everything, it was... nice.

When their plates were empty, everyone helped to clear the table.

"That was great, Grandma," Maya said as she emptied the leftover food scraps onto the one dish, "Those omelettes were amazing! I could've eaten the whole plate."

Chase couldn't resist: "You almost did."

Maya shot him an unamused look.

"You should be thanking Chase actually, he's the one who cooked them," Yolanda added breezily.

"Oh." Maya suddenly turned bashful and she began tracing the pattern on the tablecloth with the tip of her finger, "Well…then… thank you, Chase," She said in a small voice. Her light blue eyes lifted and she met his eyes straight on, "I never realised how much I missed your cooking."

A warm feeling stirred inside him at Maya's words. Along with a stab of guilt; for all those years, she did nothing but sing his praises, and all he did in return was brush her off.

With breakfast over and the table once again spotless, everyone went their separate ways and carried on with their regular daily routines: Maya took up her position at the front desk, Colleen disappeared into the back office and Yolanda returned to the kitchen.

Without a second thought, Chase followed Yolanda. Though she appeared to have no objections, his mentor did raise her eyebrow in question, but wasted no time putting him to work peeling and chopping potatoes and carrots. Together, they prepared for the upcoming lunch service; following another chef's lead took a little getting used to and it was strange to be in an environment so quiet, but Chase relished being back in the kitchen.

They worked non-stop until an hour before the lunchtime rush was expected to begin. Yolanda inspected the soup and stew Chase had prepared, tasting a spoonful of each – she gave a hearty nod of approval.

Since his return, he'd noticed the most change in his mentor; she no longer looked at him as a student, but as an equal. Again, a warming feeling stirred in his heart. Happiness, joy, delight – these sensation, no matter how fleeting they were, still felt so foreign to him after spending such a long time drowning under the dark haze of despair.

He tried to hold onto it as long as he could.

Out in the main dining area, the front doors swung open. The first of the lunchtime guests walked in and Maya's cheerful greeting resounded throughout the room, "Welcome to the Ocarina–"

"Where is he?!" A furious voice demanded.

Both Yolanda and Chase dropped what they were doing. Yolanda peered out through the open counter; her eyebrows furrowed and she held a hand out, preventing Chase from moving any closer.

"W-Wait a minute, Holly! Don't–!"

Chase inhaled sharply at the name and he lurched forward, pushing Yolanda out of the way.

There she was.

Looking just as beautiful, just as he remembered her. But something had changed - there was a tiredness about her, a weight that held her down and affected the way she moved.

Holly's eyes darted wildly around the inn, as Maya tried to keep her back, tried to calm her down. But then, her gaze fell upon the kitchen and she saw him.

She stopped fighting Maya's hold. The years and years of pent up anger and hurt seemed to drain away, leaving her so helpless. So lost.

"It's true," Holly murmured, more to herself than anyone. "You're back."

Hearing her voice forced the breath out of Chase, and her name slipped out with it. "H-Holly…"

She was staring at him, straight at him, her brown eyes wide and her mouth slack, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.

"You… You really came back."