Next thing I knew, my head was pounding and I couldn't move my body. Waves of nausea threatened to drown me. I clamped my lips together, praying my dinner didn't decide to make a second appearance. I shifted slightly; okay, I was sitting in a chair. My wrists were tied behind my back and my ankles were secured to the front legs. The dull ache that had made itself known in my head began keeping time with my heartbeat. It began in my temple and branched out, sweeping through my brain. I risked opening my eyes, and was blinded for a split second. My second attempt confirmed that I wasn't blindfolded.

The room I had been placed in was unfamiliar and plain, with gray walls and concrete floors. A warehouse. I was in a warehouse. I rubbed my wrists back and forth, testing the constraints, but they held tight. My ankles were no better. Feeling bile rise in my throat again, I took a deep, calming breath. I had to keep my head. If I freaked out now, I would never get out of here. One wall held multiple large windows, the late afternoon light floating in. It was soft and warm despite the situation I was in. It reminded me of the days I would spend in South Gate Park, lying under the cherry blossom trees and reading whatever book had caught my attention that day. Sometimes I would fall asleep, waking just in time to see the last rays of sun disappear over the horizon. Would I ever get to do that again? Would I even live to see this sunset?

Stop it, I scolded myself harshly. Remember what Natsu taught you. Deep breaths. In, one, two three. Out, one, two, three. Again. Good. Nothing in obstructing your airway. You can get out of here, but only if you keep calm. Having a panic attack will only hinder you. Okay, good. Now, what do we know?

I considered this for a moment, looking around the room. Given the position of the sun, I would guess that it was late afternoon. Gajeel and I had left the apartment to meet up with Levy around ten in the morning, so I'd only been gone a few hours. It was very likely no one knew I was gone yet. Natsu and Gray were investigating a lead and would probably be busy for a few more hours before they got the chance to check in with Gajeel, and Gajeel…

I slammed my eyes shut and shook my head slightly, trying to will away the tears that sprang to my eyes and dislodge the lump that had settled in my throat. Keep it together, Lucy. Keep going. Go back through what happened. What else do we know?

Wait, we weren't going to meet Levy. She hadn't been the one to text Gajeel. We figured that out and went back to the apartment, thinking Dan was probably waiting for us at the location he had texted Gajeel. We got back, opened the door, I tripped…

That's right, Dan knocked Gajeel out. He grabbed my arm and tried to pull me along, but I screamed. Then there was pain in my temple, and next thing I knew, I was waking up tied to a chair. Dan must have brought me here, which means we were probably alone. The warehouse was probably abandoned. I scanned the room, looking for anything that would tell me what it was previously used for. It was open and expansive, though there was no equipment. Looking at the floor, I could see areas where it was slightly brighter, cleaner. I couldn't really make out the shapes of the brighter patches, but I could venture a guess that machinery had once rested there.

Okay, so I was in an abandoned warehouse. If Dan was smart—which I hated to admit it, but he was—I wouldn't have been left alone. Which meant Dan was around here somewhere. There weren't really any places to hide in the large room, but I felt eyes on me. I'd read once that humans have a sixth sense for things like that, like how you can always tell when someone is talking about you. Closing my eyes, I focused on my body, and where that feeling was the strongest. I had no idea if that was actually going to work, but it was the best I could come up with at the moment. The hair on the back of my neck was raised, as if lightening were about to strike.

Behind me! I thought frantically, struggling to turn around in my chair. I just barely caught a glimpse of brown hair as I craned my neck. Movement sounded behind me, and hands began to clap together.

"Very good, Lulu," the voice that had haunted my dreams for the past two months—no, the past two years—praised me, his voice bordering on condescending. I bristled as Dan came into view, all shaggy hair and khakis.

Fucking khakis.

"I didn't think you'd be able to figure out where I was. Very ninja of you," he continued, pulling up a chair and sitting in front of me. His button-down shirt was wrinkled and his pants were stained. A black object rested heavily in his hand—his Glock. My heart sped up of its own accord. So that's how he knocked out me and Gajeel. He'd pistol-whipped us. Very classy.

"You woke much faster than I anticipated. I was thinking I would get at least another hour before you joined me." I leveled him with my best death glare, clasping my hands together tightly. I would not let him see me scared. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He sighed heavily, shaking his head.

"This is getting very lonely, Lulu, being the only one talking. Let me hear that beautiful voice of yours. I missed it while you were away."

He spoke as if I'd been on vacation, not under protective custody. I pulled my lips over my teeth, feeling the blunt bone dig into the skin, forming a tight line. I wasn't giving him anything. Not anymore.

Another sigh. "I missed you, Lulu. And I know you missed me. C'mon, can't we just kiss and make up?"

He rose from his chair and leaned over to me, bringing his lips closer to mine. I turned my head away, but he grabbed my chin and yanked it back violently. I felt a sharp pain shoot through my neck—a crick—and let out a strangled cry of pain. Dan leaned down again, so this time I spat in his face.

He jerked back, releasing my chin and stumbling slightly. As he wiped the spit from his face, I took the time to roll my neck from side to side, stretching out the abused muscle. Dan turned back to me, slight anger starting to form on his features.

"Now that wasn't very nice, Lulu," he scolded, wagging a finger at me. "Spit stays in our mouths. I thought your father taught you better than that."

The jab hit me where it hurt. He knew my father was dead—had known before I did. The information was still entirely too raw, scraping at my heart like a cheese grater. I could almost see the shavings fall to the floor. I jerked toward Dan, straining against my restraints.

"Never speak of my father," I hissed, my voice low. Dan looked mildly impressed.

"So, you've finally decided to join the conversation? About time. And no, I don't imagine he taught you not to spit on people. He didn't teach you much of anything, did he, Lulu? Other than how to lay down and take a hit," he spat, his face contorting with disgust.

I struggled harder against my bonds, shifting my wrists from side to side again. The ropes cut into my skin, burning it, but I didn't care. This asshole was not going to talk about my father that way and get away with it. After two more good tugs, I felt something in my hand, startling me slightly. Feeling around for a moment, I realized it was the end of the rope. I strained to wrap my fingers around it, only barely succeeding. Digging my nails into the rough material, I flipped my wrist. The ropes loosened slightly. No way. I readjusted and tugged harder. My wrists were given more breathing room. My eyes shot back to Dan, but he was too busy still ranting about my father. He was distracted. This could work in my favor.

"And what right do you have to talk?" I taunted. Keep him distracted. Mountains of books had prepared me for this moment. What was the best way to cause a rational person to behave recklessly? Get him angry.

"Excuse me?" he whispered dangerously, finally turning his attention back on me. Shit. I didn't want him looking at me too closely.

"I was taking some literal blows last time I saw you," I clarified, turning my nose up at him. Mira and Lisanna's brother came to mind as I said my next line. "A real man doesn't raise his hand to a woman in anger."

Dan's eyebrow twitched. Good, I was provoking him. I thought back to every fight we'd ever had. What things upset him? Criticizing his ability as a detective was one, but I didn't know very much about that. Not to mention, after the outburst he'd had the last time we'd been together, I didn't want him to haul off and shoot me. What else? What else?

"Oh, you mean like that pink-haired detective you've been fooling around with?" Dan questioned darkly. A jolt ran through my heart. This was my in. This was exactly what I needed, but I didn't want to use it. Not Natsu, I thought. Anything but Natsu.

"Maybe," I hedged. I felt bile threatening to choke me again, and my stomach rolled. I didn't want to use Natsu to get at Dan. I didn't want to cheapen what I'd been feeling. I didn't want to make what Natsu and I had feel dirty. I didn't want to share him. But there was no other way. I sent a silent apology to the man, promising that I would make it up to him later, even if he would never hear any of this.

This one word lit a fire in Dan's eyes. He opened his mouth and began ranting a raving; accusing me of cheating, of doing it purposely to hurt him. He turned and started pacing, threatening to kill Natsu, to kill me, to kill anyone who got between us, and I gave the final tug on the ropes around my wrists, catching them as they fell away. I kept my arms tight behind my back, knowing it wasn't my moment, not yet. I needed to get my ankles out first. That was going to be much trickier. It was dumb luck that I managed to find the end of the knot around my wrists. I glanced down and saw that my ankles had been tied in much the same way, but I wouldn't be able to reach down and loosen the ropes without Dan noticing. I was shifting through every scene I'd ever read involving a kidnapping when I heard it.

I was faint, barely even there, but I'd heard it. The sound of footsteps. I cocked my head to the side, attempting to count the number of rescuers, but the echo made it impossible. The footsteps moved closer, and my heart rejoiced. Someone had figured out what happened. Someone had found me. Logic told me it was probably Gajeel—I felt my heart flip with joy that he was okay—but I was proven wrong.

"Put your hands up, Straight, and let the woman go," Natsu's voice called from somewhere in the room, but I couldn't pinpoint it. The echo from the concrete walls and floor bounced the sound, masking his actual location. I smiled slightly despite myself. That was pretty damn clever, Dragneel.

"Who's there?" Dan demanded, eyes shooting around the room. He lifted his hand and pointed his Glock at my head. "Show yourself, or I blow her brains out."

"You won't do that," Natsu countered, his voice being thrown from a different source. He was moving, but how was he staying out of sight?

Dan cocked the gun. "Try me."

There was a pregnant pause, and I could almost feel the cogs turning in Natsu's head as he tried to figure out what to do next. Dan huffed impatiently and placed his finger on the trigger. A few more seconds, and he was squeezing slightly.

"All right, all right. Slow down there, Slugger," Natsu said, stepping around a pillar, his own piece trained on Dan. "Let's talk this out. No need to get trigger-happy."

Dan turned to face him, aiming for Natsu's head. "One more step and I fire."

"No!" I shouted before I could bite it back, causing both men to stop and look at me. I squeezed the ropes in my hands painfully, working through the situation. Natsu was a cop, but so was Dan. Not to mention, he wasn't wearing a bulletproof vest. A bullet to just the right place would end his life where he stood, and Dan was an excellent shot. It was something he'd constantly reminded me of during the two years we'd dated. I grappled for something—anything—to say, but Dan beat me to it.

"So it's true then," he snarled, looking back to the other detective. "You two are sleeping together."

"Man, it was one night. We'd just gotten back from the beach, and that couch is damn uncomfortable—don't even try and argue with me, Luce—so I tucked her in to my bed. Figured she deserved it after a few weeks of torture. Guess I passed out, too." Natsu shrugged as he finished, the picture of relaxation. I couldn't tell if I wanted to protect him or throttle him. Dan was watching Natsu like a hawk, so I took the distraction to reach down and loosen the ropes around my ankles.

"You slept in there with me?" I demanded, forgetting myself for a moment.

"Well, duh. Where did you think I slept?" One ankle down, one to go.

"On the couch!" I squeaked. Natsu shot me a quick, amused look.

"It's not a big deal, Luce. It was only a couple hours. I kept on my side."

"I can't believe you," I muttered, glaring at his smug face. "If you wanted to sleep in your bed, you should've left me on the couch. It's not that uncomfortable." There's the other one. I was free.

"Bullshit," he argued, his face turned to me, but his gun trained on Dan. "And I had no problems with you sleeping in there with me." His face flushed slightly, and he gave me a boyish grin. "It was nice, actually…"

I smiled back, feeling oddly comforted by our familiar banter, when a loud bang rang out. Time stopped. It was almost as if all the sound in the world had been sucked into a void. Natsu looked down to his abdomen, where red had begun to bloom on his gray t-shirt. His gun began to lower, and he fell to his knees. His eyes met mine again, wide and slightly afraid, before he reigned in his own terror and smiled at me.

"Don't worry, Luce. It's gonna be…" He didn't finish. He fell forward, clutching his stomach. I watched in horror as blood began to pool around him on the floor.

"No!" I screeched, running toward him, not caring if Dan knew I was free. It didn't matter. Natsu was way more important. I had to help him, and fast. I'd heard on a medical show once that stomach wounds were, statistically, the most fatal. I had almost reached him when I heard another bang, and pain exploded in my shoulder. I let loose a scream as I skidded to a stop on my knees.

"Now, now, Lulu. Don't make me kill you, too," Dan chided, clicking his tongue. Anger and disgust rolled through me painfully, and I clenched my fists.

"This is all your fault, you know. If he hadn't met you, he would still be alive. He wouldn't've come here, looking for you, and wouldn't've gotten shot. Though, in the short time we worked together, he did piss me off. Maybe my finger would've slipped anyway."

Rage bubbled up within me, causing me to see red. I glanced down and noticed Natsu's Glock in the ground not but a few inches from my own hand. Letting out a roar of anguish, I grabbed the gun, rolled up onto my feet, and pointed it at Dan. Right between the eyes. It could all be over. I had to make this quick. I'd seen Natsu's back rising and falling faintly, but that wouldn't last for long. He was running out of time.

"What are you going to do, Lulu? Shoot me?" Dan sneered. "You won't. You know you won't, and you know I know you won't. Because you still love me." I flinched. "There's a part of you—a large part, if I know you—that still cares. That still wants to be with me. That still wants to please me." Tears began to stream down my face. "You don't want to do this. You can't do this. You don't have the guts." My arms began to shake. "You're not a killer, Lulu. You still love me, and you know I'm the only one who can love you. No one will ever love you like I do. Come back to me, and we can put this all behind us."

He said that, but he never took his finger off the trigger. I took shaky breaths, trying to hold back my sobs, and began to lower my gun. Dan smirked at me, a dark, evil look, and scoffed, turning his head slightly. His eyes left me, and his finger began to put more pressure on the trigger. A shot rang out, and a body fell. Blood pooled around the head wound, and a horrified sob racked my body. I dropped the gun and fell to my knees, using what little strength I had left to turn Natsu's body over.

Blood was pumping slowly out of the wound in his stomach, but his chest was still rising and falling. He was still breathing. Not caring about propriety, I yanked my shirt over my head, balled it up, and put all my weight on his wound. His entire body shuttered, and he groaned in pain.

"Natsu, Natsu, I'm sorry," I sobbed, lifting up onto my knees to put more pressure on his stomach. "It's gonna be okay. I'm gonna get you help." I moved one hand to feel his pockets, trying to find his phone.

"Man…feeling me up…before…the first date?" he teased, barely opening his eyes. I glared at him as I located his phone, reaching into his pocket to retrieve it. "And I even…got you naked…score…"

I let out a watery chuckle. "You could've at least bought me dinner first," I replied, leveraging myself off the floor again as I pressed the home button on his phone. It was password protected. Damn it. "Natsu, what's your phone passcode?"

"Already…going through…my phone…" he rasped, a small grin playing on his lips. He coughed, splattering blood across his lips. "Never took you…for the crazy…type…"

"This isn't funny!" I snapped, hysteria beginning to set in. "I need to call for help! What's your damn passcode?!"

"Luce," Natsu said seriously, grabbing my hand holding his phone in his own. I clutched his for dear life. "Where's Straight?"

"He's—" my voice cracked. I glanced over at his unmoving form, a fresh wave of nausea hitting me. Natsu's hand tightened on mine. I opened my mouth to explain further, but was interrupted by Natsu coughing. I placed his free hand over his wound, making sure he was applying pressure before moving mine to pull his head up. I cradled it in the crook of my arm, trying desperately to hold on to what little warmth he had left. He was getting cold so fast.

"Luce, I gotta tell you something," Natsu whispered, trying to move his head closer to mine. I leaned down to accommodate him. He took a shallow breath before continuing. "I really…like you. I just wanted you…to know. One more time…before…"

"Don't talk like that!" I yelled, clutching him tighter. "You're gonna be just fine. We were supposed to talk about us when all this was over. Well, it's over, so let's talk about us." He gave another shallow, shuddering breath, and I panicked. "You're gonna walk away from this, and we're going out on a date."

"Where…will we…go…?" he questioned, eyes beginning to dull. I blinked back tears.

"To the movies. We'll go see an action movie, or maybe a horror movie so I can pretend to be scared, just for an excuse to touch you. You'll know that I'm faking, but wrap your arm around me anyway. Then, we'll go back to your apartment, and you'll cook. You'll cook that spaghetti dish you made that first night—the spicy one—with garlic bread, and we'll discuss the movie. We'll talk for a few hours, then you'll walk me to the door. You'll be too nervous, so I'll kiss you goodnight before I leave. How does that sound?" I asked, searching his eyes. A small, wistful smile crawled onto his face.

"Sounds…real nice…Luce. Can't wait," he breathed, eyes sliding shut. His breathing became slower.

"No, no, no, no, no, no," I begged, moving my hand out of his to cup his face. He stopped breathing entirely. I slid him down to the floor, careful of his head, before I moved my hands to his chest. I counted to thirty as I pumped as hard as I could. I didn't care if I broke his ribs.

"You are not dying on me, Natsu Dragneel!" I grunted, plugging his nose and cupping his chin. I smashed my mouth onto his, pushing a lungful of air down his throat. His chest rose as air filled his lungs, and I moved back to begin pumping his chest again. After a few repetitions, I rested my ear against him. Nothing. I had just begun chest compressions again when a stampede of footfalls echoed through the room. The cavalry had arrived.

Too bad they'd arrived too late.

"Save him!" I screamed as Gray burst into the room in full Kevlar, an entire SWAT team on his heels. "He's not breathing. Save him!"

The next few minutes were agony. I was pulled off of Natsu and replaced with EMTs. I kicked and screamed and begged not to be taken away from him as the professionals worked, pumping his chest again and again. Gray wrapped his arms around me tightly as I sobbed, apologizing over and over again, letting him know that this was all my fault. Natsu was gone, and it was all my fault. My cries were cut off abruptly by one sentence, spoken by what I considered to be an angel.

"We have a pulse."

Over the course of the next few hours, I was carted off to the hospital and questioned by multiple police officers. A detective with bright blond hair and a lightening scar across his eye, Laxus Dreyer, handcuffed one of my wrists to my hospital bed and ignored all of my pleas to see Natsu. He's still in surgery, he said. No one can see him yet.

Eventually, a green-haired man who I recognized as Dreyer's partner requested a word with the man. I stared blankly at the wall as I waited for the two men to come back in. My heart sped up as I considered the possibility that Natsu may not have survived. Judging by the cuff around my wrist, I could venture a guess that I was under arrest for shooting Dan. Pain spiked in my heart at the thought. I had killed him. Taken his life. Stolen any possibility of a future. A great, big portion of me was horrified with what I'd done, but there was a little, niggling part of my brain that was relieved. He couldn't hurt anyone else, I'd made sure of that.

Both men walked back into the room. Dreyer caught my eye and I stared up at him hopefully.

"Please, is he okay? Just tell me if Natsu's okay. That's all I ask," I begged, my bottom lip trembling. Dreyer stared at me for a few long moments before sighing, closing his eyes and rubbing them with his thumb and forefinger.

"Yeah, he's gonna be okay. Doc says that it was a close call, but he's gonna pull through." He put up his hand to stop my next inquiry. "No, you can't go and see him. He's not awake yet, and after he wakes up, we're gonna have to question him." Dreyer turned to leave—Detective Justine was obviously taking over babysitting me for him—but he paused at the door.

"You might want to get some rest. You've had a long day, too."

I tried to take his advice over the next couple of days; really, I did. I tossed and turned, most likely annoying the hell out of whichever detective was watching me, but sleep evaded me for the most part. My short naps were fitful, filled with Dan's taunts and Natsu's raspy breathing. I was in the middle of a nightmare, one where Natsu hadn't survived, when the door to my little room was pulled open.

Captain Gildarts Clive stepped into the small space, Detective Droy standing at attention at his entrance. Clive waved him off, suggesting that he go get a cup of coffee. He waited until the door clicked shut before taking a seat next to me.

"How ya holdin' up, kid?" he asked kindly, giving me a warm stare. I swallowed, my throat dry from interrupted sleep.

"About as well as you could expect," I replied quietly. I searched Gildarts' eyes before I asked the same question I'd been asking for days. "How is Natsu?"

"He's awake," Gildarts informed me, letting go a small chuckle. "Been all up in arms, demanding to see you. Just spoke with him, actually."

I stiffened at the sharp edge in his tone. My shoulder was healing up nicely; I'd probably be allowed to leave the hospital today. Then I would most likely be arrested for murder. I pushed that to the back of my mind, relieved that Natsu was doing well enough to give the others hell. Gildarts then asked me to recount what had happened. I told him the entire story, the same as I had a million times by now, leaving nothing out. When I was finished, he studied me for a while, searching my eyes for something. After what felt like an eternity, Gildarts leaned forward and unlocked the cuff around my wrist. I raised a questioning eyebrow at him as I rubbed my bandaged wrist.

"Your story matches that of the witnesses. After careful deliberation, we have decided not to charge you. Dan Straight's death has been ruled involuntary manslaughter, in self-defense."

"What does that mean?" I asked, not quite understanding what was going on. What he going to arrest me or not?

"It means, Miss Heartfilia," Gildarts stated slowly, "that you are free to go." A cheeky grin crossed his face. "I imagine you have other business to attend to." He stood up, offering me his hand. I took it gratefully, allowing him to help me to my feet. "Room 527, right down the hall. He was moved there this morning."

I nodded, not trusting my voice to speak. Before I knew it, I was running down the hall, barely avoiding running into nurses and other patients alike. 524, 525, 526…527! Found it! In my eagerness, I didn't even knock. I tore the door open, rushing into the room and seeing pink hair and bright eyes. He turned from his argument with Gray to smile warmly at me, opening his arms and beckoning me forward. I gave a sob of relief and launched myself into his arms, burying my face into his scarf. How the hell had he even convinced the nurses to let him wear it?

"Missed me, did you?" he chuckled. A breathy laugh escaped me as I squeezed him, feeling him flinch. I loosened my hold, moving to get off of him, but he tightened his arms around me.

"Yeah, yeah I did," I confirmed, moving one hand up to cradle the back of his head. He nuzzled into my shoulder, his own beginning to shake. "I thought I'd lost you."

"Nah," he crooned. "It'll take more than a measly bullet to the stomach to take me out!" he announced, pulling back and jamming a thumb at himself. Out of nowhere, Gray reached out and slapped him on the back of the head.

"You idiot! We did lose you for a second there!" he growled, worry lacing his tone. I gave him an apologetic look, about to let the 'sorry's fall from my lips, but he simply reached out his other hand and caressed my head.

"I wanted to thank you, Lucy," he said, smiling. "Porlyusica said that your CPR is what kept his blood pumping until the EMTs got there and restarted his heart. If it hadn't been for you, he would've been completely dead, instead of mostly dead. You saved his life, Lucy, and for that, we are all eternally grateful."

Tears spilled down my cheeks, and I pulled Gray in for a hug. Tugging on him until he sat down on the hospital bed, I wrapped my arms around both men.

"I'm so sorry, guys!" I cried, cradling them against my shoulders. "This is all my fault! It's my fault Natsu died, and is now in the hospital, and my fault that Gajeel—Gajeel!" I exclaimed, pulling away from both men. Fear shot through me. The last time I'd seen him, he was unconscious on the floor of the apartment. What if…what if Dan killed him? Oh god, he was probably dead because of me.

"Calm down, Lucy!" Gray broke through my panic attack, grabbing my shoulders roughly. "He's okay! He's got a mild concussion, but that's all! Levy's been watching over him the last few days."

I let out a sigh of relief, slumping over. A dam seemed to break inside me, and a wave of fatigue washed over me.

"It's over," Natsu mumbled, cradling me into his arms again. His strong arms supported me, and for the first time in a long time, I shared my burden. "It's finally over."

"Not quite," I said, snuggling up to him. I reached out my hand blindly, feeling Gray's icy one take it. I smiled a little. I glanced up tiredly, taking in the confused expressions on my favorite two men's faces. Sighing, I closed my eyes again and began to explain. "We still have to heal. Healing from trauma is messy, and it's confusing, and it takes work. It'll be a long time, and a lot of heavy lifting, but in time, things will get better. Until then, it won't be over. We can't make everything that's happened magically go away, and it has changed us in major ways, but we can accept and learn to love the people we've become. Only then, only when things are 'okay' again, will this truly be over," I finished, cuddling further into Natsu's arms and tightening my hold on Gray's hand. There was a long, stunned silence before I heard chuckles float through the air.

"Show off," Gray teased, ruffling my hair slightly.

"Man, you should write or something. You're real good with words," Natsu added, resting his head on top of mine. A warm, safe feeling seeped into my very bones and soon enough, I was laughing with them. For a moment, I was completely at ease. I knew this moment wouldn't last forever—it probably wouldn't even last an hour—but for the time being, in our little cocoon, we were safe. We were loved. We were invincible.

And I would cling to those moments for as long as I could.

Okay, guys, so you have x-benihime to thank for this chapter. She updated and finished her fic Heartstung today and damn. It was so good! I loved it! Like, I'm not crying, you're crying, shut up. Anyway, I read the last chapter and then the epilogue and was just inspired. I had to write this all down. Some things happened exactly as I had planned them, some things popped out of nowhere, but all in all I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. I know I'm pretty pleased with it.

There will be at least one more chapter, in way of epilogue, so don't worry. We aren't quite finished just yet! Stay tuned.

Again, as always, I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed since, you know, yesterday. Your encouraging words and continued support are what give me the confidence to post my writing, and I absolutely love hearing what you guys think. Your thoughts, theories, and encouragement never fail to bring a smile to my face.

I have absolutely no idea when I will have the epilogue up (this chapter kinda burned me out, you guys), but I will definitely update as soon as I can.