Perhaps you should think, dear reader, that—now that this story is drawing to a close, now that things are the way they were, the way things should be, have been, and always will be, there is no more to tell. But you're wrong. There is always more to be told, but, sadly, it all depends on the eagerness of the teller as to whether or not the story shall reach its fabled ending.

May Belle never really did leave the Down. Although, she may not be there in whole as a consciousness, she left behind—and if you were to ask around, almost everyone would agree—a bit of a shadow. An imprint, per se, like a warm breeze on a cold day or whisper of hope in the darkest of times. Everyone could feel this. But Fiver felt it most strongly. For days after May Belle left, he felt her presence in the air. That… and something else—like a song that sounded like May Belle, but was entirely different in its own, similar way. Unsure of what it was, he sat one night in the summer air, thinking hard, trying to see a light to his endless questions, but only coming up blank.

The buck shook his head and closed his eyes, the laughter of kittens filling his ears as he gave a sigh. "Shall I ever know if she's alright?" He said this as a kind of question to anyone lending an ear, or giving another thought to a small rabbit such as him. The last thing he expected, though, was a response.

Upon opening his eyes, Fiver felt a new charge, as if something had changed, and it was clearly changing for him.

Sitting a short ways across the Down from him was someone else. Someone he did not recognize. Blinking in disbelief, Fiver realized he was looking at a woman.

She was young with a kind face, but a deep sadness in her eyes, so heart wrenching and grief stricken as she watched the rabbits surround her. No one else seemed to see her, which, at first, Fiver found odd. Of course, their were plenty of things that Fiver could see that no on else could, so why opt now to be surprised?

Then their eyes locked, a kind of wordless summoning for the buck, and she radiated a welcoming smile that drew him nearer to her. Although Fiver sensed no danger, he was still unsure of coming close, and it took him quite a few minutes—more than a rabbit could count—for him to ease in close, finally sitting beside her in complete silence and looking out to the horizon.

After what seemed like an eternity, a thought came to Fiver's mind, and he looked into the woman's eyes mournfully, whispering to a point that anyone would have to strain to hear. "You're her mother, aren't you?"

The woman didn't seem phased at all by his speculation. She just lowered her gaze (Blue eyes! realize Fiver) and nodded, bottom lip quivering. A thick layer of silence lingered, almost to the point of suffocation, until Fiver shook his head and scratched at one of his ears with a back leg.

"Do you know… is she alright?" the buck asked when they'd fallen back into a wretched noiselessness. "Did she… survive?" He flinched upon hearing himself ask.

After yet another bottomless void of a calm stillness, the woman wrinkled her nose, much the way May Belle would, and brushed away a tear. "She did, Fiver, she's gotten so much better."

Fiver gave a sigh of relief, still feeling a static tension in the air as Amanda remained staring into the distance, almost entranced by everything unsaid.

"I'm… I'm sorry that this happened to her," whispered Fiver in remorse. "I never wanted for her to get hurt, and then she fought for me." What he said only began to show what he felt though. In all honesty, he felt so much shame welling up inside of him that it felt like he would explode.

That led to the blonde woman snapping to attention, a fire in her eyes as she gave a look of shock. "Fiver! You're not suggesting this is your fault."

Now it was Fiver's turn not to answer.

Amanda clicked her tongue with a wry smile "I don't blame you for anything, dear," she said, so clear and cutting that Fiver could feel himself shrinking five sizes, knowing that this woman knew more than she'd let on.

Then he straightened out again, knowing that this was no time to melt. He had questions that needed to be answered, and it was now or never.

"And what will become of her when she's well again? I know of what's happened to her brother. Will she…?"

Amanda raised a hand to her heart at the thought of her son, and Fiver could feel similar pangs of empathy, but still, he kept quiet, letting the grieving mother answer in her soft, shaky voice: "She… May Belle won't be s-sent away like Tyler. There have been arrangements for her to go live with my brother out in London."

"London?" asked Fiver, letting that sit in front of him for a stupefied moment. "Where's that?"

Time seemed to go into a tharn state as the words came in a jumble, mixing in with every other misfortune that makes up this world. "Far away."

Fiver's jaw pinched together tight, breath held in until he released it slowly, through his teeth. "I'll never see her again, then?"

He received only another knowing smile, but it came without fanfare. "Why choose now to be pessimistic?"

That earned a short but appreciative grunt from the buck.

But Amanda did not respond to this. She turned her eyes up to the sky, feeling a breeze weave through her honey blonde hair. "As for Tyler… well, Greggy is still trying to track him down." Then she looked back and answered the buck's blank look by adding in, "My brother…" She bit her lip, dropping back into thought before closing her eyes to block off her tears. "I fear that, if they don't find my son soon, he'll be coming to join me." She sniffed. "I just know it."

"How could they have lost him?" wondered a perplexed Fiver aloud, but Amanda only shook her head.

"It's a bit complicated, and I'm not up to explaining it now. I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound rude, dear… I'm sorry." Then she stood up abruptly. "I must be on my way now."

"Where will you go?"

"Oh, to look after May Belle, see to it that she's alright one last time. Then I suppose I'll stick around a little while longer to see what becomes of Tyler." There was another snivel as she whispered, "I suppose, if we find he's… well, that he didn't make it, I'll make my way to where I'm meant to be now. God will reunite us. I know he will."

Fiver abruptly looked up. "Reunite you?"

That led to another tight smile and a dainty nod. "Yes, it's one of those funny little things that the Lord does, Fiver. Keep that in mind."

"I will," he promised.

Then Amanda closed her eyes. "Thank you, Fiver, for everything you've done. May Belle is so much… she's so much happier because of you. You've changed her life, you know."

"And she's changed mine."

The blonde woman nodded once more and smiled, laughing lightly. "Good luck Fiver, with everything to come."

"And you," he countered.

She smiled again. "The Lord be with you." With that, she began to fade, he body mixing in with the colors of the sunrise as she became little molecules of a disassembled whole—something impossible, something that shouldn't be—and blew away.

Fiver sucked in a breath as she dissipated before him, feeling his head pounding and blood surging. "And you."

**

The road was quiet, even a bit sleepy, as a car made it's way down, slowly as if trying to ease it's way over the ice that had formed. From out the right window peered a girl, her face hidden beneath a yellow hat embroidered with a triangle patter, a ruddy expensive gift from her uncle. She looked out over the snow-covered fields, wrinkling her freckled nose as she shivered, squeaking to her friend beside her, "Lucy, would you please turn up the heat, it's freezing."

Lucy laughed from the steering wheel, wearing only a pathetic shawl as an excuse for a coat. "City life made you fragile, is that it?"

She looked over, shoulder-length red hair falling out from beneath that hat as she shook her head fast. "I just can't imagine how you'd be comfortable in such bitter cold."

"Call me crazy, then," sighed Lucy. "You seem to complain an awful lot for what you've been through, especially to a friend you haven't seen for a blasted good four years."

That led to a giggle from both girls, and then a sigh, May Belle once again picking up a sad look, like she was remembering a long forgotten past. Lucy could sense this without even looking, and she, too, sighed. "It's just good to have you back, May Belle. I've missed you. We all have."

"How could I not come back home?"

Lucy shrugged, about to say something like, "Be bloody easy if I were you," but she held her tongue fast, shrinking back into her car seat and not offering an answer.

May Belle made a Hmmph sound in her throat and looked out the window, recognizing where they were… or where they would very soon be, at least. Before she could stop herself, May Belle gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth.

"What?" asked Lucy, looking to her friend in confusion, but it didn't take the dark haired girl long to figure out what was bothering her friend without receiving any answer. Although the two girls had been separated all these years, they were able to keep connection through letters and occasional phone calls, and within a few weeks after May Belle's departure, Lucy knew everything that had happened. And she believed it.

May Belle shook her head, trying to expel her qualms without any uprisings. "No, Lucy, it's… it's nothing."

"Don't treat me like I'm stupid," ordered Lucy, pulling over the car so that she could pay full attention to May Belle. It whined a bit as she hit the breaks, but they obeyed as they always had.

"You should get them checked," commented the girl sitting shotgun, refusing to meet Lucy's glare.

"That's not what we're talking about."

"Are you sure?" countered May Belle from behind innocent blue eyes. Lucy looked into these eyes dangerously, a crease forming between her eyes from constant frowning with a frown so intent that May Belle had to sigh and drop her gaze, head drooping forward. "I'm sorry, Lucy… But I can't do it."

"You can't, can you?"

The girl chewed on her lower lip like it was a stick of cinnamon gum, shutting her eyes and taking deep… deep… relaxing breaths.

"No," she whispered. "It's been too long, Lucy. I'm afraid he'll be gone. Rabbits only live two to three years."

"Well not this rabbit," promised Lucy, kicking the car back to life and urging it forward. "No, this is your rabbit, and of course he's been waiting round for you." She giggled. "Who wouldn't?"

May Belle didn't say another word, which made Lucy a bit nervous, silence always putting her off for a bit jittery. She leaned forward a bit, telling the car to go faster, much to it's discontent. "Kevin'll be excited to see you when we get home," she muttered, trying to change the subject. "You made it just in time for the wedding, him and Trish make a lovely couple, they do."

"Trish?" asked May Belle, glad to have been pulled out of the deep water (Deep water… of God).

"Yeah. They been dating for three years. I never told you?"

"You just told me he was engaged," responded May Belle, turning to the window. "I thought you'd meant Candy."

"No, they broke up not too long after you left."

It dropped back into silence from there, May Belle sourly thinking, It always goes back to that. She offered a bitter smile to no one in particular. We can't talk about anything without something about me leaving coming up.

As the car approached a bend in the road, Lucy reached for her handbag, but hit a pothole and ended up knocking it off the dashboard. "Shit," she murmured, bending down to feel for it along the floor.

"Lucy, I'll get it," the redhead beside her offered, but Lucy continued to search, one hand on the wheel and the car not slowing.

"No, I've almost—"

Then a shriek pierced the heavens as May Belle flinched. "Lucy!!!" And there was just enough time for Lucy Cane to sit up and widen her calf brown eyes, slamming her foot down hard on the break, but finding it to do no good before it came… A truck had sped round the bend, slamming head on into the little car, bashing it in entirely.

Lucy opened her eyes, which had suddenly become heavy, but the burning cold of the snow kept her awake. Red snow. She was bleeding out of a wound in her forehead; she felt the pain there. Nowhere else. Not yet. She was fine, she been knocked out of the car, but she was alive. Then she found the will to pull herself up (which kicked in a whole knew pain in her shoulder) and scream through a volley of tears that had snuck up on her. "May Belle!"

May Belle sat curled up as best she could, knees to her chest and head in her knees. Breathing. Shallowly breathing as she tried to move, but found scraps of metal pinning her in her spot, a few of them piercing her stomach. She was helpless, now, bleeding and crying with no little rabbit to save her. No Fiver here. No Fiver anymore…

A heavy weight on her chest prevented her from breathing as deep as she'd like, along with the merciless, icy panging of whatever it was that had lodged inside of her. Ow, was all she could think, as if this were a paper cut and not her life. Not her death.

And then it came: little voices from outside the car, traveling to her along the ground. "Did you hear that?"

"By Frith I did," came another. "What was that? Perhaps another war between hrududil?"

"Yes, I've heard of those, nasty beasts, they like to head straight on for each other and—oh! What's wrong with Threar?"

Then a smile—a smile—came across May Belle's face as she sat there, caught beneath the wreckage of a car crash and realizing where she was. Watership Down. The car had gone off the road and past the borderline to where the Down started. She was home. She was with her family. She was…

"I'm not dying," the girl finally decided from beneath her blood and one or two broken ribs. The deflated airbag before her stood as witness to her statement. "I won't die, I'm not giving up."

Silence. Sirens were in the distance, but a bit 'o ways away. Too far. Too long. How could they save her? How could she live up to her vow?

"I'm not going to die!" she swore once more. Nobody answered, which left her with only the darkness to sob to.

"Please," she gasped, begging as best she could. "Please, please, please, O Lord, I don't want to die." The weight atop her only seemed to feel heavier, which made the tears even stronger and her heartbeat even faster.

Then just like that, May Belle wasn't alone. As she crouched there, dying beneath the shrapnel of a wrecked car, thinking only of her life and how much it mattered to her, there was a soft nudge at her arm, a nuzzle from a warm, furry body, trying to calm her as she panicked. It whispered to her so calming and understandingly that she hushed, still gasping for air from beneath the pressure, but not longer crying. "F…Fiver?"

"Are you alright?" he asked, all sentimentalities aside. "Help is coming, May Belle, please hold on." Something was different about him. His voice, his touch, and even his presence had a strange vibe to it, like a cold spot that should not be. Never the less, he was here. He was with her.

She sniffed a little more, nuzzling close to her friend with hot tears forming in the back of her eyes. "Thank you so much."

"For what? I want to be here for you."

"No, Fiver. Thank you for… for still being here. For not moving on without me. I'm s-so sorry, Fiver. Right when I need you most, you're here for me. You're the sweetest."

"Thank you for coming back as well," whispered Fiver. "I've missed you. Now quiet, they're here to get you."

And indeed, May Belle could see the flashing lights spilling in from between cracks, and hear voices on the other side. As if on cue, someone called in to where she stay, "Can you hear me? Is anyone alive in there?"

May Belle blinked, taking a second to realize that he meant her. "Yes!" she finally answered back. "Can you get me out?"

Another flourish of voices from the outside world, a lot of what sounded like relief. The tone of her voice showed that she wasn't too badly injured.

"We're going to get you out. Just hold on."

"I'll hold on," May Belle whispered, which led to an encouraging nudge from aside her. At this, she turned her head just slightly, trying to look at Fiver, but it was almost impossible to find anything in the faint light. Finally, after looking hard, she detected them: two round, bright eyes that penetrated the darkness like a sword. Her sword. Her rabbit, the knight in shining armor that had come to save her. Fiver was hers. He always would be.

As the police worked to get the car cracked open without hurting the girl, May Belle closed her eyes, her consciousness shifting and thinning, and her breath growing calmer and steadier. "Why did you do it?" she breathed, and when she got no answer, May Belle smiled gently, asking again. "Why did you risk your life just to come in here for me?"

"Why wouldn't I?" responded the small voice, sounding farther away now, like just another echo in her head.

"I can think of a few good reasons."

There was a slight pause, Fiver hesitating on whether he should say why or not. The two stayed put there, listening to the progress outside for a good few minutes before he suddenly answered. "I have no life to risk anymore, May Belle."

May Belle's eyes popped open, and she flinched something awful, her mouth dropping open as she almost shrieked. "What!?"

Before there was any answer, before Fiver could say anything at all, the veil of darkness fell away and there was sunlight surrounding May Belle. Fiver was gone. She was alone once more. Gasping and crying and fussing up a storm, the workers were trying move her as steadily as possible, but May Belle wasn't up for that.

"Wait… Fiver!" she said urgently as she was pulled out of the car, out of the danger zone and away from where he'd been. When she turned her head to look, though, Fiver was not there. Instead, in his place, was a shimmering, sparkling necklace. One that had not been in the car. One that May Belle hadn't seen for years. It was her mother's necklace. It was her other half.

"I won't leave him!" she was screaming. "Let me down, now! I need to…" another sob, and a crack in her voice. "I need to…"

And then, there it was: a pair of pale white arms wrapping around the girl, sobbing from behind her. She cried, too, turning back and hugging Lucy in return. "I've lost him Lucy," she said as well as she could, her injuries beginning to make her woozy. "I've lost him."

"There is another sky,
Ever serene and fair,
And there is another sunshine,
Though it be darkness there;
Never mind faded forests, Lucy,
Never mind silent fields -
Here is a little forest,
Whose leaf is ever green;
Here is a brighter garden,
Where not a frost has been;
In its unfading flowers
I hear the rabbit hum:
Prithee, my sister,
Onto my Down come!"

The End.

XXX

I don't have too much to say as of now for this. I do believe I was up at 2 in the morning writing this, because when I writing buzz comes you have to follow it, and after extensive, if not obsessive, proofreading and work put into this, I can finally say I've finished my story, and it's no coincidence that it's completed exactly one year from the day it started. Anyways, for the poem at the very end, credits for that goes to Emily Dickinson. I tried ending it a different way, but after it just went on for like pages, I was like, "Okay… no, this is too long" ^_^ Please review, this is one of my stories I'm actually kind of happy with. Okay, thanks to everyone who's stuck around this long and reviewed! I don't think I could've done it with it reviews… Okay, bye!