"They're gone," the paramedic shouted to the crew busy wrenching the door free, as he pulled back from the two figures, huddled together over the steering wheel.

"Oh no.." Julie cried, her face collapsing. Twisting around, she pressed into R's chest, as the tears rushed her hard. He wrapped his arms around her with a soft sigh, holding her tight as she started to sob.

"It was.. my fault," she mumbled into his shirt, her hands twisting the material against his chest.

Lowering his head to hers, he shook it softly, and his words rushed as warm soothing whispers against her cheek. "No it wasn't, Julie. They couldn't help him, he was too messed up."

"But.. I made it worse, R.. if I hadn't.." The words barely escaped her throat, choked with tears, and she gave up speaking, pressing closer to R, needing his warmth.

He brushed his lips against her temple. "No."

And the simple word slowed her tears to sighs. Nodding, accepting, she rested her head against his chest and stared at the car, as they pulled the woman free, lowering her gently onto the plastic stretcher. Grey no longer, her skin wickedly red at her torn throat.

The man took much longer, but they stayed to see it through, even as the sun dipped lower and the city turned grey around them. When he was finally pulled free, R tried to block her view of the man's terrible wounds, but Julie wouldn't have it. She drew closer to the body as it was laid on the stretcher, and realized there was nothing left to find, in the man's few torn possessions.

She stared down at him, her eyes distant, and gave a small sigh.

"We never found out who he was," she said quietly, in a flat voice. "The whole point was to find out who he was. To help you remember. And now.."

R's footsteps drew near, and his fingers weaved gently through her own.

He drew her back from the man's corpse, and further still, away from the paramedics as they loaded the stretcher in the waiting truck, resting it alongside the woman's body.

With a small smile, R brushed a strand of hair from her face.

"I do remember, Julie. Seeing him alive again brought up a memory. I remember exactly who he was."

Julie's eyes grew wide with wonder as she gazed up at him. "You do?"

R nodded.

"Who was he?" she asked, her voice hopeful.

"He," R answered, nodding back at the corpse with a sigh, "was a complete asshole."

Julie blinked.

"WHAT?!"

"Sorry," R said with an apologetic shrug, "but he was a complete dick."

Her mouth fell open, and she stared back at him, aghast. "R!"

"It's true, Julie. He sold drugs at my college. He was an ass."

"R!" Julie squeaked, and pointed to the back of the truck. "The man is lying right there, DEAD, and you're saying terrible things about him!"

"But they're true things!"

She folded her arms tightly. "Next you're going to tell me the woman was a total bitch."

R stared thoughtfully towards the truck. "Actually, I don't think I ever knew her."

Julie snorted. "Well, that's something."

He looked back at her. "But she did smack me over the head with an arm."

Julie threw her hands up. "Unbelievable," she muttered, and started to walk away.

"Julie... wait!" R called, reaching for her.

She kept walking, storming off in her oversized boots. "I'm going home."

R snared the sleeve of her jacket, stopping her short. "Julie, we're supposed to go back to the hospital. Your dad'll go nuts if you go home."

She shook her head in irritation. "He won't go nuts, he's too busy getting ready for the mission tomorrow."

R frowned. "Mission?"

Julie nodded, her arms still tightly crossed. Still annoyed. "He's taking some squads out to look for the dead. To bring them back, get them help. Survivors too."

"Oh." R looked thoughtful for a moment, glancing at the truck before looking back at her. "Do you think he'd let me go?"

She frowned. "Why?"

"I'd like to help," he said with an awkward motion of his shoulders. "They need help. Maybe I can... help."

"So..." Julie drawled with a smirk, "you want to help, is what you're saying."

"Yeah, I'd like to," R answered seriously, his gaze flicking to the truck again. At the bodies within. "I mean, I'm the only one who knows what they're going through, right?"

"That's true." Julie said, staring intently at him before she gave a little nod. "Alright."

R stared back, confused. "Alright... what?"

"I'm going too."

His brows arched. "But, Julie... it could be dangerous."

"Yeahhh," Julie agreed, her eyes widening around a knowing smile. "That's why you need me."

R opened his mouth, then promptly shut it again.

"Sorry?" Julie asked, tilting her head with a smirk. "What was that? Going to say something about your height again?"

His mouth twisted awkwardly, but wisely, he said nothing.

The smirk grew flat with annoyance, and she flung an arm out towards the truck. "Or maybe you weren't through insulting the dead guy?"

"Julie..."

He chased after her down the darkened street, and they walked distantly at first, then slowly drew together, his gaze meeting hers apologetically, hers meeting his sternly at first, then softening into a small smile.

And their hands slowly found each other and clasped tight.

Alan watched them go.

"You were a bit of an asshole, you know," Katie said beside him, a smirk playing at her lips.

Grinning back at her, he squeezed her hand in his, and gave the smallest shrug of his shoulders. "Yeah, I know."

His eyes turned to the truck, and fell to the covered bodies within. He felt very little at the sight, save relief. It'd been a stupid, frustrating life.

But he was finally free.

He turned back to Katie, the grin softening to something more open and true. "Gonna make up for that now though."

Her eyes glittered in the pale light of the rising moon as she smiled back. "Yeah?"

Drawing in close, he kissed her softly, then slowly pulled back. "Yeah."

Katie's smile was brilliant in the moonlight as she took the night in, eyes dancing across the broad river of twinkling stars flowing above their heads. Shifting and spinning, ever turning.

She was beautiful. And he adored her.

"What happens now?" she asked, her voice filled with wonder as she looked back down at him, her eyes startlingly young.

"Anything we want," he answered, the grin returning, now impish and a little wild.

Katie laughed. "Aren't we supposed to go...?" And she pointed towards the stars.

He snorted. "Oh, we'll get there soon enough. I'm in no rush to see my parents. They can just wait." Grasping both of her hands then, he pulled her close, feeling her dawning sense of awe.

"Where have you always wanted to go," he asked softly. "Just name it."

"Paris," she whispered back, without hesitation, her smile caught on the cusp of disbelief.

He laughed. "Paris it is."

Katie frowned suddenly, her eyes ducking briefly before drawing back. "But Alan... how can we do that? Everywhere's a mess. Paris doesn't really exist anymore."

With a fond smile, he brushed his hand along her cheek, and his gaze grew wide, and bright, reflecting the stars above. Bigger than it had ever been.

"Katie, we can go anywhere, any time we choose. We're just thoughts walking through a dream, one we make up ourselves. Everything is ours."

The frown fell from her face in an instant, leaving behind a joy that fought the moon for its light, and she laughed, her eyes brighter than they'd ever been before.

And she nodded.

"Paris it is."

And Alan kissed her once more, his heart light and happy, ready to dream a impossible dream with the woman at his side.

After all...

...he'd always been one to dream big.

THE END

That's the story folks! Thanks for reading, if you made it this far. :) It was sad, but ended with a lot of hope, and a promise of redemption, which many of my stories seem to have. If you've enjoyed it, I hope you'll leave a review. If you didn't like it, I hope you'll leave a review. If your name starts with any letter of the English alphabet, or Chinese or Japanese kanji, I hope you'll leave a review.

Also, huge huge thanks to Chad, for encouragement as I wrote this, and for being my beta reader :D

Thanks, as always, for reading :)