A/N: Well, there's the end of this one :) Look for #4, "Hannah saw no devil", in coming... I don't know when exactly, but I'll try to make it not too long ;) In the meantime, I need help finding a sort of title for this series, that will make it easier than going "sequel to TPITT, dichotomy, TAIV..." 'cause there's going to be at least 8 stories in this series so... suggestions anyone:)

EPILOGUE - To Move On, or On the eve of a devilish encounter...

After Tilly's funeral, a few days later, the enlarged group gathered back at her home with Ian and sweet little Carlee. The girl may not have been biologically Tilly's, but they could all see so much of their departed sister in her, in what she was raised to become. She had her strength, though at just seven it could only do so much to cover the wound of having lost her mother.

They had received the book from Cole Blaine's store as Ian was told what had happened to Tilly. Looking at the neatly wrapped package, he had to remember it was from Tilly and not from the husband of her killer. And seeing the glimpse of a smile on Carlee's face when it was given to her was all the confirmation he ever needed.

The collective thought as far as Brennan and the group from the home were concerned seemed to be they could neither forgive nor condemn Mara for what she'd done. The worse was to think of the concept of the chain of events.

Tilly had been so frightened that her actions had caused harm to others, and the truth was the harm had been brought on people she hadn't accounted for, like Mara... and this had led to the events which had precipitated her death before her illness had gotten its turn.

As they'd all sat there, Ian had gotten to tell them about what he knew of 'Tilly and her mission.' "She said she knew the past was the past, and for all she knew you could all have forgotten her... But that was never even a factor. She just wanted to find you, to apologize..."

"Never forgot her," Brennan shook her head, and the motion seemed to follow along the line of the others.

"She didn't have to apologize, we would have understood," Leigh spoke an equally true statement.

"At least her message got through in one way," Ian addressed them. They shared a look, kindred now once more.

x

Brennan had gotten her rest at last. She was back on track and glad to be. It hadn't been an easy few months, with the aftermath of the Kinsley case and the hostage situation. This last case had just been one more thing to add to the slow coming road back to 'normal'. She'd hoped to get back on track.

And now it appeared she would get a respite. It came without a word; it was all in a sight - seeing Zack, working. There was something she could see now, not new but old. She could see he seemed his old self again. And to see this, the part which had remained as reminder in the passing months, gone... she felt at peace as well, so much so that she didn't see Booth approach her at first.

"Thank you," she spoke simply. He nodded quietly.

"Come on, we've got a case." She pulled off her lab coat, following him. It never stopped, and neither did they.

x

Some of them HAD stopped, only for one evening, abandoning any thought of work and death. This was not a hard thing for them to do.

"Marshmallow?" Hodgins held out the bag.

"Yes, please," Angela grinned, fishing for a couple.

"Easy there, Grabby," he gave a nod of the head. She gave a smiling frown and retracted her hand, pried around five large marshmallow puffs.

"See, this is good. And you don't have to worry about wild animals," she bumped him lightly.

"Yes, well we'll see... I don't want to come off as a wimp here... I have gone before... Just gun shy going in there after this... with you," he looked at her. She smiled.

"I'm tougher than I look."

"Don't need to tell me." She laughed, and they lay back, staring up at the sky from the lawn outside their home. And as they lay there, and she slipped a marshmallow in his hands, he knew... he would marry her. He smiled.

"What's with the smile?" she asked.

"Nothing..." he carried on.

x

A FEW WEEKS LATER

Hannah Colby stood outside the school, with the other mothers. But looking at them all she just didn't feel like one of them. It was through no fault of theirs - they all loved her - it was her, and she knew. She had sacrificed so much for Sean, and the fact was she wouldn't have it any other way - he was her world.

"Mom!" she suddenly heard, and a smile burst on her face as she saw her eight-year-old son running toward her, the blond hair he'd gotten from her waving about as he ran.

"Hey Big Man," she wrapped her arms around him, kissing the top of his head before they walked off hand in hand. "Did you have a good day?"

"it was okay," he shrugged.

"Just 'okay'? Well, we'll have to do something about that... pizza?"

"From Angelo's?" he brightened.

"From Angelo's," she repeated with a laugh.

It would be their last evening together.

THE END