A/N: And I'm back with the final chapter. Apologize for the lack of HikarixChase, but I can kind of blame that on the fact I started this story after finishing a Chase fan fiction :P I also apologize for the shortness of this fanfiction, but you can blame that on the fact that I started Bittersweet which is gonna end up a LONG story … Thank you to Rabid Cream Puffs, Kairo and Winter Oak for your reviews! Now, I'll shut up and let you guys read on ;3

"I have made my decision," I said, looking directly into Gale's master's eyes that had lit with slightly surprise among seeing me up and about. Looks like he hadn't gotten the 411 on my awakening.

The man stood straighter, crossing his arms and arching an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he questioned, his voice like velvet and slightly feminine, yet still masculine enough that it wouldn't be mistaken for a girl's voice. I hadn't been able to pay much attention to the man's appearance before hand, but he wasn't half bad; his skin was pale, his hair looked like silk, and I started to wonder if it felt as soft as it looked. The turquoise in his eyes showed brightly, and inside those eyes, I could see a person; someone who loved his magic and who thought of the people around him, like family. I guess as the cliché goes, a person eyes are the gates to the soul.

Nodding, my heart started thudding in my chest. I was suddenly very afraid, shifting from one foot to another. Inside this room, something was pulsing. There wasn't really any way to describe it, except it felt like… Like energy of some sort. And considering I was alone with Gale's master, there weren't many choices that the energy could be coming from.

I swallowed my heart back down as he started walking towards me, taking all I had to not pull away or run screaming. I slowed and deepened my breathing, trying to get the air back in my lungs. I squeezed my eyes tightly as he reached his hand out, his finger brushing my cheek ever so gently. "Speak child."

I slowly re-opened my eyes, watching as he looked at me expectantly. I fiddled with my finger, shuddering under his intense gaze. Taking another deep breathe, I looked at his eyes, deciding to stand my ground so I wouldn't look totally stupid. "I… I have decided… To return to my world. My past, my family, my friend and almost everything that is important to me is there…"

Nodding, the man opened his mouth to reply when a crash came from the hall. The sound caused both of us to jump, but a small yip slipped through my lips. Before I turned, I cold already tell who had knocked something down.

Taking a few breaths of air to slow my marathon-running heart, I finally turned, face expressionless as Gale looked up at me toppled over a chair. His eyes were wide, too much white showing as if he were a child who had just discovered his puppy died in a car crash. The look remained on his face as he started to stand, but he ended up running when he realized I was unable to make eye contact. "I'm sorry Gale…" I whispered, my eyes starting to glaze over with tears as the Wizard's expression flashed in my mind like a movie in slow motion. Goddess, I felt like I just kicked a puppy or something!

I could see the hesitation of Gale's master's hands before one wrapped around my arm, making my head fall against his chest like a rag doll's. "Come, we must prepare for you to return home," he said in a soothing tone, but that didn't stop me from turning my head and staring down the hall Gale had fled down.

Apparently my gaze was stuck on the hall a few moments longer than necessary considering the man who had been leading me halted, causing my attention to snap back to him. With a sigh, he motioned down the corridor before saying, "Go, follow him. After you speak with him, return so we can proceed to send you back to your world."

I looked at him and could feel the surprise on my face before I gave a small smile and nod before chasing down the way Gale had fled.

If anything, I had to tell him why I was leaving, but what I was sacrificing in order to do so.

I had had to run for a solid ten, fifteen minutes before I finally found Gale sitting outside on a small bridge that connected the east wing of the massive building to the main part. If I was staying, this would be a killer place to be playing hide-and-seek in. Then again, if the "seeker" wasn't all that good, you could end up stuck for a very long time…

Back to the point, the Wizard was sitting, knees glued to his chest, arms encircling his legs as his chin rested on his knees, staring blankly out to nothing in particular. Yes, his eyes were open, but I doubted he was actually seeing anything. I walked up behind him, hoping he was aware of my presence so I wouldn't scare him when I touched his shoulder.

So much for that dream.

As soon as my fingers brushed his shoulders, Gale jumped, eyed wide and frantic, looking from side to side before he realized who I was. Once I clicked in his mind, his face went blank, sighing as he returned his gaze to the still water that shined in the sun lightly. "What… Is it you need? I don't believe… I have anything of y-"

Without allowing him to continue, I gently pressed my lips to his, my hands on his shoulders for balance. When I opened my eyes, his topaz and emerald ones were wide the shock, his cheeks burning a bright crimson.

"Gale, please, don't," I whispered, using my right hair to sweep back his bangs that had fallen in his face. "I know you don't want me to leave, and I don't want to either, b-"

"Than stay here! Marry me Arina, I beg of you!" The look in his eyes wanted me to say yes, to say anything that would make that begging in his eyes and voice go away. I wanted so dearly to say everything would be okay, and I would stay, but… But I couldn't.

"Listen to what I have to say," I whispered, placing my hands on his lightly, then squeezing, hoping he wouldn't interrupt once more and make this even harder. "Gale, I... I like you. I think I may even love you."

"I hear a 'but' coming," he frowned, squeezing my hands back, bringing them up to his lips, placing gentle kisses here and there.

I couldn't help but smile, though the smile was sad. "But," I continued, "This isn't my world. Almost everything I've held important is back in my world; my family, friends, home, memories; everything. Almost." I could feel his gaze on me, piercing my skin as he mentally urged me to continue. "Except for one thing. The man whom I may be in love with is not part of that world…"

The kisses halted for a split second, and in the time, Gale had me curled into his body, his arms holding on like I was his everything; maybe he thought I was just that though. "Don't leave me… Please," he whispered, and it took me a moment to realize he was starting to cry, the tears rolling down his face.

It choaked me to see him like that, just as his previous form had. Lifting a hand I wiped the tears away, resting it on his cheek. "I don't want to Gale, I truly don't, but I have to return home. The balance of this world would change with my being here, no matter how much I wish to stay. But… But why don't you come with me? Come to my world…"

The tanned man stayed silent, giving it honest thinking. He sat there, unmoving and just as I was about to open my mouth to ask what was wrong, he nodded. "I'll do it."

Since that time, years have passed. Gale and I came to my world after much negotiating with his master. On the condition Gale wasn't to use magic of any kind, we finally convinced his master to let him come.

It turns out what could be days in Harmonica Town was only a few minutes in my world. Actually, I had just woken up when I "returned", thinking everything was a dream. Until I opened my front door the next day and found a very familiar tanned, sandy-haired man standing on my porch with flowers in hand, that is.

The memories that I was supposed to be wiped of stayed vivid in my mind for hours, days, weeks, months and a few years. Not like I was planning on mentioning that if Gale's master, whose name turned out to be Oz, ever came by for a visit. I luckily haven't encountered him since that time though, and considering it's been forty years, I didn't think I would ever see him.

Gale, immortal in Harmonica Town, ages just the same as everyone in this dimension. It's a blessing no doubt, otherwise he would probably have had to go into hiding a long time ago.

Currently, we have a daughter who had two sons with her current husband. The years since Harmonica Town have blurred together, and it still amazes me that Gale and I are sixty. Though even through all the years, we have been in love, despite our feuds that occurred every now and then, more so in our younger days. We restarted life here together, and we planned on ending it together, as cheesy as it may sound. Gale, my daughter and grandsons have become my life, the world I live in as myself.

But this is only an old lady's story, one you may have found boring. Though it sounds like the end, it's only the beginning.

A/N: Holy man, that was really cheesy… And short… Oh well, at least I finally finished this. And remember, it could have been worse… MaybexD Thanks for staying with me all this time, I love you all! I hope to see you reviewing my future stories Well, ciao for now!