Disclaimer: I own nothing. Which is slightly depressing if you ask me. Don't sue please.
Author's note: This is it guys. It's come to an end. It's been a whirlwind people. Thank-you so much for everything!
The Truth in Believing
Epilogue
Well, if you knew how much this moment means to me
And how long I've waited for your touch
And if you knew how happy you are making me
I never thought that I'd love anyone so much
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way the back where I come from
It feels like home to me, it feels like home to me
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
It feels like I'm all the way back where I belong
Feels Like Home- Chantal Kreviazuk
The JFK Airport was crowded with people. All unrecognizable to her. They didn't mean anything to her. They were all strangers with pasts, presents and futures. They would go through hardships. They would go through days where they wished that they could close their eyes and to wake up in a different place, in a different body. This, she knew from experience.
As she was passing all of these strangers who were completely unaware of what the future held for them, she searched for a familiar face. A face that she ached to see again. Arms that would wrap her in a strong embrace. Soft blue eyes that mirror hers and will know all of her secrets.
She was on her own. Something she felt that she needed to do. So, she crept away in the middle of the night. Hugged her cousin and Marcus. Told Skills to take care of them and told Bevin to give letters to two people that she loved deeply.
She still isn't aware of their reaction. She just wants to get through this in one piece.
She spots him standing further away. He's tall among the average. Dirty blonde hair, longer than she remembered. A short blonde woman is on his left and on his right is another tall blonde man, whose face is aged.
But it's the man in the middle that she's got eyes for. And both of their blue eyes lock on each other. And she remembers being a kid with him. She remembers watching the sky with him and she remembers falling apart in his arms.
Her bags drop to the floor as she rushes towards him. He's running too and she can see his red puffy eyes. She leaps into his arms and he holds her tight. Whispering how much he loves her and how much he missed her.
And she wants to yell that she's actually doing okay and that everything will be fine but all she can do is relish in the fact that her brother is there-here-right when she needs him the most.
And she will be forever grateful.
It doesn't take too long for his life to fall apart. The case takes five days and the judge makes no hesitation when he decides to sentence him to five years in prison for rape, among other things. It didn't help, that when the cops were searching his home they found things that weren't meant for their eyes.
Bethany is there when he's cuffed and taken away. He wonders what she thought of when the judge sentenced him.
Jack is in a private holding cell, awaiting transportation when he hears the click-clack of heels. He doesn't bother to look up. No one has come to visit him.
He can see black heels stop in front of his cell and curiously he lifts his head.
He's met with a ghost. Although, he suspects that she isn't much of a ghost so much as a person he hasn't seen in years.
Her porcelain face is just as he remembered and her cool blue eyes mirror his. They're a family trait. "Hey, sis." Jack greets. A sob threatens to break loose. "Long time no see."
She's shaking her head and her hands grab the bars. "Oh, Jackie, what have you done?"
"Haven't you heard? Everything." He stands in front of her. "What are you doing here?"
"I came as soon as I heard what was going on."
"You're a few years too late."
"Yeah, well, I never thought you'd end up just like him." She sighed.
There was silence. His sister looked older. She looked tired. That was when he noticed the slight bulge in her stomach and the ring nestled on her ring finger. "I'm going to be an uncle?"
She smiled and her eyes lit up. "You already are."
And he choked up slightly because he has this whole other family that he doesn't even know about. "You never did answer the question. What are you doing here?"
She held out her hand through the bars. "I'm here to support you because you're my little brother and I love you. And when you get out I'll still be here and I'll take care of you, like I should have all those years ago and together we can start a life outside of New York. I'm here because I believe in you."
Jack Christopher Shaw takes hold of Veronica Jane Shaw's hand and grips it tightly.
And for once in his life, he feels hope.
Anna Farrell doesn't know what to say to Bethany when she sees her. She doesn't have a speech planned out.
In the end, Anna isn't able to say anything because Bethany is pushed away by her brother.
Anna notices that Bethany's mother and father and brother are all at the hearing. When Anna looks out at the crowd of people, she doesn't see her father or her mother.
Anna gets off with a year of probation. Jack gets five years in prison.
The next time she sees Bethany, it's outside the courthouse, after the sentencing. The sky is grey with clouds and it's raining heavily. Bethany is standing in the rain with the bright purple umbrella shielding her. She's waiting for her father to get the car and waiting for her mother who is still in the bathroom and waiting for her brother who is talking to someone he knows.
The relief in her eyes is evident.
But all Anna can think about is how Bethany is dry and shielded and Anna isn't. She's soaked to the bone. And all she can think about is how Bethany has people who care about her and who actually showed up to support while Anna has no one.
And she wants to go up to Bethany and ask for forgiveness. She wants to tell her everything. She wants to apologize, she wants to confess.
She doesn't say anything though. She just watches as a car pulls up and a woman comes out of the building and a blonde man comes to stand next to Bethany. She watches as they cram under the umbrella and run to the car. She watches as they get in and drive away.
She just watches and stares.
She probably should have said something. But she didn't. And she can't turn back time. So, she wraps her arms around herself and turns around and walks away from her past.
Her brother comes with her to Tree Hill when she decides to come back. On the flight to she's filling her brother in on everything. She tells him about Skills, Brooke, Peyton, Molly, Nick and her experiences. She mostly finds herself talking about Quentin. She tells her brother everything about Quentin and Noah cocks his head to the side and says, "you love him, don't you?"
And she doesn't know what to say. It's too early for love but she knows she feels something fierce for him. That being apart from him made her ache and she knew how much shit she probably put him through. She doesn't tell her brother her worries though. She just punches him on the shoulder and begins to tell him about school.
It's in the back of her mind though. Quentin. Love. And she's not quite sure of the word that's on the tip of her tongue whenever she thinks of him and it annoys her because she can feel it nagging her.
She's sure the word will come to her eventually.
They're walking towards through the airport when a brunette launches herself at Bethany. After a moment of shock, Bethany realizes that its Molly and they're crying and laughing.
Bevin is next, as she pulls her cousin out of Molly's arms and holds her tight. She whispers so many things in her ears and Bethany sees that Skills is never too far behind, his hand firmly in Marcus' tiny little hand. And she can see Marcus' bright smile as Skills holds his hand.
Noah is being introduced to everyone when Bethany is standing directly in front of him.
He's looking at her and she's looking at him.
And the word that she struggled to find in the airplane suddenly comes to her as she looks at Quentin. "Home." She says with a small smile.
"Huh?"
"When I see you…it feels like everything will be okay. It feels like I'm home. Is that weird?"
"Nah, it's not weird." And then he grabs her and pulls her into a hug. He's holding her and his lips touch her forehead in an affectionate gesture. "I've missed you, Blondie."
And she blubbers like a baby and her stomach bursts in what seems like a million butterflies. "I've missed you too."
And they stay like that. Wrapped in each other's arms as everything else seems to slow down and it feels like they're the only two people in the world.
"Welcome home." He whispers.
She buries her head into his chest and sighs.
It's been a while since she's actually felt at home.
She likes the feeling.
"Finally."
It's not that happiness is a strange concept for Quentin. He's felt happiness before. At least he thinks he has.
It isn't until he sees Bethany at the airport that he feels like his heart is going to burst from inside him. He sees that the color is back in her face and that her eyes sparkle more than they used to and that she's smiling more. So, when he's staring at her and memorizing every little detail about her, and she blurts out that he's like home to her, Quentin Fields stop to consider.
He's her happiness. It comes full circle when he realizes that she's his.
So, he holds her close and says, "welcome home." And he wants to tell her that she's home to him too. That when she's happy, he's happy and when she's sad, he's miserable. But he doesn't, he just wraps his arm tighter around her, holding her to him.
And when she wraps her arms around him and buries his head in his chest, he's finally able to feel complete.
Finally.
Marcus is sleeping. Noah is sleeping. Bethany is supposed to be sleeping but Bevin can see her and Quentin sitting on the roof, from her spot on the swing set.
Skills is on the swing next to her. They're both silent.
Bevin is staring up at the night sky and marvels at its wonder and realizes why Bethany and Noah are so obsessed with the sky. She's thinking about everything. She's thinking about her past and present and ultimately her future. She glances over at Skills and sends up a silent prayer that he is in her future because she's been away from him for too long and she aches when she's not next to him. And she knows that she can drive him crazy sometimes but-she stops thinking.
Because Skills just slipped his hand into hers.
She turns her head and notices him staring up at the same night sky she's staring at.
"I never stopped loving you, Bevin." Skills confesses to her. "The truth is, I don't think I'll ever stop loving you."
And she stops breathing. She forgets everything she's ever done wrong and concentrates on him. On this moment. On the fact that Skills being a constant figure in her future is actually becoming a reality.
And she cries. She kisses him and he's holding her and she's crying harder then she's ever cried before.
"I love you." She tells him through her tears. "I love you so much."
Skills gives Quentin a ride home. He doesn't want him walking home alone at night and Bevin and Bethany watch from the front lawn as they pull out and drive down the street.
Bevin has her arms wrapped around Bethany's shoulders. They stay standing even after they're out of sight and silence reigns upon them.
The moon is full and the stars are shining brightly.
"Thank-you for believing in me." Bethany tells Bevin.
And as they stand beneath the moon and the stars and everything they've yet to discover they realize that life is full of change and hardships and tears but most of all its full of belief , happiness and more importantly...love.
Holy Moly. It's done. I don't know about you guys but I'm kind of happy about how its ended. I hope that everyone liked it. I want to give a huge shut out to my reviewers and the people who stuck with this story and continued to read it even after my super long hiatus. Thank you all so much you have no idea what it means to me!
Onto my reviewers for the last time;
Hiddensunshine: Oh man, thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to read it and review and I really hope that you enjoyed this last chapter! Thanks again for the review and I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
Brooke6404: I think I'm crying. I mean seriously, it's been such a long road and I just want to thank you because I'm pretty sure you've reviewed on every chapter and your dedication to this story makes my heart soar! Lol. I really hope you enjoyed this last chapter and thank you so much again! Unfortunately, I don't think there will be a sequel but I may write another One Tree Hill story so be sure to look out for that but that won't come until later. At least until I'm finished the Twilight story that I haven't updated since…forever. Lol! Thanks again!
It's the end of the road, guys. Thanks so much!
Yours truly,
Books.
P.S. Sorry for any mistakes! and I'm so sorry if I forgot anyone! Thanks so much!