Walking out of the last store we stopped at on our way home, I noticed someone staring at me. Keeping my head down and facing forward, I walked to the Jeep with my purchases. The man staring at me came up behind me and tapped on my shoulder. I started and turned around to face him.
"Marley," he asked looking me in the eyes. "Wow, I haven't seen you in years. It's me, Watcher. Don't you remember me?"
"I-I-I'm sorry," I stuttered. "I don't remember you. I have been away a very long time." I was stuck. I didn't know anything about my host or the soul that inhabited it last. Marley must be the host's name and this man was obviously a friend. I needed to get of there and fast. "Well, it was nice to see you again. I'm sorry I don't remember you, but I'm sure I'll see you around some time."
"Wait, who are you traveling with? Maybe you could come to my home for dinner tonight."
"Oh, just my partner and some friends, but we really should be getting home. We have a long drive ahead of us, you understand."
"Oh, okay. I would love to meet your partner and your friends though. Will you introduce me?"
"I don't think that's such a good idea." I saw Ian coming up behind this man. Before I knew it, the man was lying on the ground unconscious. "Ian, he wasn't doing anything wrong!"
"He can't notice us, Wanda," he growled. "Let's go." He grabbed my hand and pulled me to the Jeep. The second the door shut, Jared started driving toward the caves. Ian was sitting in the back seat with me and I leaned my head on his shoulder.
"He knew the soul who had this body before me," I whispered to him. "He called me Marley. Ian, I just realized that I know nothing about my host or the soul who came before me. All I've cared about was myself and the fact that I was still here. I know everything there is to know about Melanie because I wanted to. I wanted to know how her life worked and the people she loved. Is it a bad thing that I don't want to know about my host, that I just want to live my life and only my life?"
"Honey, that's not a bad thing at all. You know so much about Mel because you were trying to help her get her life back, but this host hasn't had a life in over five years and wouldn't have much to show you."
We were coming up on the caves as the sun was setting. Once inside, we unloaded our haul and Mel and I took Kai to bed. We were waiting in her room for the boys as Kai fell asleep. I looked over at Mel and realized how incredibly lucky I was to be placed in her body. Without her resilience and strength, w wouldn't have the lives we have now. I wouldn't be married to Ian and be having his baby. My hand traveled to my growing belly. The baby would be here in a matter of months and I couldn't wait. I couldn't wait to see the look on Ian's face the first time he held his child. I sighed audibly and looked at Melanie.
"Do you think I did the right thing," I asked her seriously. "When I woke up in this body and knew Ian had went against my wishes, do you think I did the right thing by staying here?"
"Where is this coming from, Wanda," she looked concerned. "Of course, you did the right thing. We kept you here for selfish reasons, but don't ever think that you haven't done the right thing every single second of every day of your life." She pulled me into her side as Ian and Jared walked into the room.
"Come on, baby," Ian said lifting me from the bed. It still amazed me how strong he was. "Let's get you to bed." I nuzzled my face into his neck and breathed him in like air. When we got back to our room, he gently placed me on the mattress and kissed my forehead, then moved down to kiss my stomach. He brought his guitar over to the bed and started playing for me. The notes traveled through me relaxing me. I ran my hand up and down his back feeling the muscles tighten with each strum of the strings. His voice filled the air with the lyrics of "This Lullaby." He sang until the song was over and placed the guitar back in its place in the corner of the room. Sliding under the sheets, he wrapped himself around me and rested his hand on my belly. With my back to his chest, he buried his face in my hair.
"I love you," I whispered into the open room. "I want you to know that. I want you to know that I would never change anything about any of my lives because every single thing that happened to me over hundreds of years led me here to you, to this moment in your arms."
He turned me around so I was facing him and pressed his lips against mine. "I love you so much it hurts, my Wanderer. For so long, I walked through life thinking the world had ended and I would be right behind my sister being taken as a host, but then you walked into my life. I fought my feelings for you so hard, but I couldn't help it. You are the most beautiful soul I have ever had the pleasure of coming in contact with and if I had to make the decision to keep you here again, I would do it over and over again. You are my life. You bring meaning to my life."
I buried my face in his chest, knowing that life couldn't get any better. I had the love of my life wrapped in my arms and his child growing in my belly. If every night ended like this one, with Ian wrapped around me as he tells me how much he loves me, I would die my last death happily.
A/N: So that was the last chapter. A little short, I know, but hopefully the epilogue makes up for it! :)