Disclaimer: See like all previous 8 Chapters.

A/N: This is the last chapter and then the Epilogue. Can you wait? lol I hope anyone reading this enjoys it. Someday I will get to posting its sequel when I finish it but I've got three other stories going on that need finishing. OH and I work. But thanks for reading and reviewing!

The CRASHDOWN

The Next Morning

It didn't seem long enough, Alex thought. It had been only last night that they were together once again like they were twenty years ago. Alex really wished they could have stayed longer but Isabel was right. It was time to go home- back to the Inn and the real world. He let go a sigh of comfort and peace. Everything had come full circle and it amazed and deepened Alex's belief that sometimes things do work out. He made sure their bags were in the trunk before joining the group inside; saying their good-byes.

"I'M GOING TO MISS YOU!" Maria wailed on Liz's shoulder.

Liz laughed and shed a few tears of her own. And pulled away to face Maria and she clasped Maria's hands. "Look, you're coming down for Christmas and we'll spend summers at your place- and it..."

"It won't be twenty years before I see you next." Maria interrupted. Maria let go a sigh. "Yeah- I'll be up for Christmas." Maria turned to Emily and gave her a huge hug. "Bye Emily. You take care of your mother here, okay?"

"I will."

Maria stepped back from Liz and Emily and faced Michael. She smiled slightly. "Bye Spaceboy." Maria smirked.

Michael took in her into his arms and hugged her.

"Good-bye Maria."

Maria sighed- looked at Kyle and Lucy- and gave them each hugs. She hugged Alex and Isabel and promised to be there for Thanksgiving. Smiled at Tess and Derek and waved good-bye to everyone, before heading out to Max's.

"Hurry up Maxwell!" Maria shouted putting on her glasses and walking out the door.

Max smiled. He shook hands with Alex and Kyle, and even gave Tess a small kiss on the cheek. He came to Liz. Everything they needed to say had been said. Now there was a new bond between these two old soul mates; not quite what they had expected on the day he saved her life in that very place- nonetheless a connection had been made and could never be broken again. He took her hand.

"Bye Liz Parker."

"Bye Max Evans." She gently kissed his cheek. And whispered into his ear, "Take care of my best friend."

Max nodded and came over to Michael. He shook Michael's hand and pulled him aside. "Michael..."

"Bye Maxwell." Michael cut him off. Michael smiled and Max understood that all was done and things between them were good.

Max turned away.

"I guess I'll be seeing you at Christmas with Maria, right?"

Max laughed and approached Derek. He shook his hand and placed the cool metal object in it that had been waiting in his pocket all morning. Derek felt the cool necklace and looked at Max. "Twenty one years ago I gave that to Liz Parker. Twenty years ago she gave it back to me. It's one of the only things we have...from...our world. You can keep it...or give it to someone special..." Max hedged.

Derek thought for a moment, "Thanks...Dad."

Max's heart pounded inside him. He never expected Derek to say those words to him. That one word- that meant the world to Max- that meant somewhere out there he still had a son.

"Bye Derek."

Max walked out of the Crashdown and got into the car with Maria and sped off.

Tess gave Derek a questioning glance but Derek just gripped the necklace in his hand and pulled Emily out of the Crashdown and into the back room.

He smiled at her.

She pushed her hair behind her ears and blushed.

He took her hand.

She held onto it tight.

He leaned in.

She leaned in.

And they kissed.

::FLASH::

A little boy playing ball. People in the stands cheering as he ran the bases.

::FLASH::

A young girl running around a Diner. Laughing and pretending to wait tables.

::FLASH::

A young man sitting on his bed. Upset. Angry. A melted form in the corner. Resentment.

::FLASH::

A young woman at a grave. Gently placing flowers on the rough dirt. Longing. Hurt. Fear.

::FLASH::

The park- that same young woman and same young man. Smiles. Fears. And the chances.

Emily slowly pulled away. And looked at Derek; entranced by him. He was softly grinning.

He sighed as he pulled Emily into his arms.

"What are we going to do?" She replied.

Derek pulled away quickly and shot his hand into his pocket and pulled out a silver necklace. It was a symbol of sorts- a symbol she had never seen. Derek walked around behind Emily and clasped the necklace around her neck. Emily felt the coolness of the strange metal against her chest.

Derek explained.

"This is from Antar. Antar is where...is where my mother and ...father are from. I want you to have this."

It was large step for Derek.

Emily took his hand into hers and held it more tightly than before. "Derek as long as I wear this I'm with you and you're with me."

"I'm glad...and just to make sure...I'll be taking some trips to Maine with my friends."

Emily laughed. "Good. And just to make sure, I will be spending Spring Break in muggy Georgia." She cringed.

"Did you ever finish the scrapbook Emily?"

Emily smiled.

"No, scrapbooks are for after everything is over. I have a feeling this is just the beginning."

"Me too."

And Derek kissed Emily one last time. He pulled away slowly and drug her out to the dinning room. He told her good-bye and everyone else before he and Tess left quietly to go back to Georgia.

Alex and Isabel said their goodbyes with promises of visits and parties. Kyle and Lucy followed them. And it wasn't long before it was just Michael, Liz, and Emily.

Liz noticed her daughter's new accessory. She looked at it and remembered when another young man had given that same possession to another love struck young woman. And Liz knew. It wasn't an alien power- or some type of magic- she knew that destiny was making things right- through Derek and Emily. And Liz sighed thinking of only what was to come for her daughter and their family.

Emily sighed and gently whispered to Liz.

"I think I'm going to marry him."

"I think you are too but not for awhile..." She replied.

" Duh, mom...gee I'm only in high school..." Emily laughed.

Emily and Liz hugged for a moment.

"Well, I'm going to...going to go finish loading the car." Emily replied looking at Michael and Liz.

Liz became a tad nervous. It wasn't as if she'd never been alone with Michael; it was just this was very different.

Michael turned to the counter and pulled two somethings out from behind it. He smiled that cocky grin and approached her. Liz began to get nervous and did the classic nervous thing- stutter. "Uh...what's...that?"

Michael's smile became serious.

"I had to know the risk...so I had to know what your journal said."

Liz took a deep breath.

::FLASHBACK::

Michael and Liz standing in the same place. With her journal in his hands- he had taken it. He took it. She hadn't expected it. She hadn't dreamed it. She was scared of him- so frightened of what he would do to her. Then he shocked her and touched her. He called her a friend and told her that he had one more reason to envy Max Evans.

::FLASH TO PRESENT::

"I remember." Liz replied in awe as she took the journal. Then she got a little upset. "How did you get this?"

"Remember the night I was at your house. I went to go to the bathroom and I saw the closet open and the light on. I looked inside and found this box. A box full of things- and of course this journal. I took it."

Liz laughed. "I didn't even..."

"I know." Michael replied. He then handed her a wrapped package. Liz took it in her hands and opened it up. Inside of the package was a beautiful leather bound red journal. More beautiful than she had ever seen before. She fingered the lettering and the binding. She looked up to him as if to ask him why.

He took a step closer to her and took her hand gently.

"When I found your first journal- I read it- and I envied Max Evans. He had what I always wanted- needed- and I gave it back to you as a friend. That journal is full and that life is over."

"But this journal…this is for a new life."

Liz sighed and took his hands. And leaned in. Leaned closer. Closer to his face- his eyes- his heart. She whispered before she kissed him. "Thank you for giving me one reason to be with you."

And she kissed him. Kissed him slowly- and softy. Trusting Michael with heart- trusting someone else with her life- her kisses- and her soul. And Michael took Liz's hand and they walked to the car- to start life- learning about each other and what would come for them.

The Crashdown door slammed behind them and somewhere in the distance you could hear...