A/N: Below

Disclaimer: I don't own FSOG or its Characters

Chapter 17

Ana found herself in her old bedroom, reconciling with her journal. Her fingers traced along the pages of the leaves as if it were shaking hands with an old friend she hasn't seen for years. It had been more than one year yet things have been more dramatic. She was pacing back and forth, pen tapping against the black notebook like the slowing of her heartbeat she found post the most climactic part of the day. She closed her eyes and realized that maybe things will not always be this way, or maybe they will be. She doesn't know.

The recent happenings haven't been normal. They've been turned into a pile of problems seemingly unsolved. Ana believed there's a light at the end of the tunnel and often she thought that light was the hopeful dream that nothing was wrong. But what was the light?

Then she found herself writing.

Dear Diary,

I am very sorry for not being able to write to you. I haven't been that attentive much lately. I guess this is just how it is when things are very overwhelming. Diary, I haven't been fine. The last thing we talked about was how Christian and I were like the sea and the sky. After that came a downward spiral. We found out we were switched at birth, we lost our child, and we almost died because of Jack. Diary, Jack died. He was shot because of defense. Is it bad to feel relieved about somebody's death?

Diary, Is it always going to be darkness? What is the light? Where is the light?

The light is forgiveness.

"What a day, huh?" Harrison started a conversation with Karla while he walked her home. If it were only up to her, she would insist on going home alone. What happened in Elliott's birthday party sent her a wakeup call though. Karla was never the type to be shaken. In fact, she's a strong woman who endured too many trials and tribulations even at such a young age, yet the gunshot just a few hours ago reminded her how life could be so short, and how it could fuck you over a million times.

She decided to let it all out. She chose not to be quiet anymore.

"Harrison?" Her voice was different.

"Yes?"

"Did you ever love me?"

Harrison paused on his tracks and Karla eventually did the same. With all the courage she beheld, Karla raised her head to meet his eyes and they were already wet. He looked anguished and vulnerable at the same time, and he hadn't been like that for years already. Harrison mirrored her thoughts too. Both thought that they would have died.

Karla asked again with unexpected emotions, "Did you ever love the kiosk girl?"

Harrison replied grabbing her hands and this time she didn't push him away, "I loved you, I love you, and I always will. Karla, things haven't been easy. Somewhere in between our story was ruined all because of me. I know it's all my fault and I've been dying to come back to you for so long but I just can't because I was stupid and because I was so broken. I don't expect you to forgive me, Karla. If you never forgive me, I will definitely understand."

There was a long period of silence.

She broke the eyes by clearing her throat, "Wow! Such a long answer for a short question! I just asked if you ever did love me."

Harrison reminisced, "Karla, I remember that day clearly as you do. I would be inside my car while you would be entering the building carrying the bag of food but I still thought you looked the most beautiful then I asked you—no, I demanded you to eat with me and I was drinking that iced soda while we were talking and . . . I love you, Karla. I love you since the day the ice in my drink melted."

Karla's heart melted too and then she decided they've wasted so much time so she just asked him, "Can we go back to getting to know each other once more? Can we go back to the start?"

"I should be the one to ask you that."

"Yes" was her answer.

The light is the space to heal.

To say that he was still in shock was an understatement. Yes, Carrick had faced different life-threatening events especially with his profession as a lawyer but what happened just proved that things are scarier when the ones you truly cared the most do get involved.

Carrick finally let down his anger and pride and acknowledged the fact that he loved Grace to the extent that he was more than willing to die for her. She was the first thing he aimed to protect when Jack emerged. Carrick sighed and finally decided to walk to their bedroom and clear things out with her. But as he did, he saw her pack her bags as if she's almost ready to leave at the moment.

"Grace? Where are you going?"

"Carrick . . ." She didn't need to say a word. Her eyes said so. She was in deep agony. She was in so much pain. She blamed herself for everything, and she might even go crazy if she just let it all in. Carrick understood, more than anybody could.

He did what he thought was fit for her condition: he wrapped his arms around her and there she started to break down. She cried like a baby and Carrick said sorry all over again for being the person who should've been the one by her side, but never did.

Carrick kissed her forehead when he whispered, "I will be waiting. I will be waiting."

The light is the love so pure.

His eyes opened to such whiteness—the kind of whiteness that blinded the eyes. It was the kind of white that needed so much adjustment just to make sure everything was okay. He was sure he was dead since what he saw was the sky of heaven. Elliott looked around and people were all wearing white.

Just like before, his lips uttered the name that was glued to his tongue, "Kate?"

"Elliott? Elliott?" She sounded so relieved and despite Elliott's unclear sight, she still looked so beautiful. He felt her arms wrapped around his neck and he felt the way her breath hit the nape of his neck. He was in heaven but she was a different kind of heaven.

"Are we dead, Kate?" Elliott asked.

She scowled and hit him hard that he moaned in pain, "No you fool! We can't be dead! We can't be dead! I don't wanna be a dead bride!"

Elliott smiled despite the bearable pain she caused. She was so cute and yes, they weren't dead.

Kate changed her mood again when she kissed his cheek and whispered, "Thank you for waking up. Thank you. Thank God!"

"I love you."

"Back at you."

The light is the genesis—the beginning of something so beautiful.

The hospital's waiting area seemed so stressful. Even though Mia was raised in a home where material things were abundant, she still hasn't forgotten that there were still people in need. She looked around and felt so much sympathy. She once read that the word "positive" only becomes negative in hospitals and you can see it in everybody's eyes. She was shaken but on top of that, still worried of Elliott's condition.

To distract herself, she texted some of her friends and there only about two of them so she pressed "back" again and again and that's when the photo of her crush appeared to be her phone's wallpaper . . . actually, a half-naked photo of her crush.

"You have a crush on Ethan Kavanaugh? He looks good shirtless! Damn!" The person who sat next to her said and she almost freaked out.

"Oh yes! Yes! Yes! Look at those abs! Not two, not four, but six! And those biceps that are—" Mia gulped and suddenly turned embarrassed. She was beet red. The person who sat next to her was none other than Ethan himself.

"Hi! I am Ethan and I do have a six pack," he offered his hands for her to shake.

With his cocky grin matched with his blonde dishevelled hair, Mia stuttered, "M-Mia . . . Grey." She took his hand and the electric currents soon turned into an electric shock.

~HH~

The knock on the door interrupted Ana in her writing. It was no other than Christian who looked . . . relieved after everything. He knew he wasn't supposed to be this way but he felt grateful that the two of them were still alive. He felt like it was one giant obstacle before they could catch up a break. He slowly walked to her room and sat right next to her.

"Ana, I never cheated on you and—"

"Shhhh. . . ." she pacified him, gently putting her fingers on the surface of his lips.

Christian grasped her hand and played with it as if it was the first time. Their skins were ignited once more due to the cure of the homesickness they have felt. He held her hand tighter than ever when he asked, "Let me explain?"

Ana nodded.

"I didn't mean what I said, Ana. I love the Ana yesterday, the Ana today, and the Ana tomorrow. I love the Ana who would get mad. I love the Ana who would be happy. I love the Ana would kneel in weakness in front of me. I love the Ana who held her head up high because of strength. I love the Ana who has scars. I love the Ana who is bulletproof.

Ana, what I'm trying to say is that I am in love with every version of you."

She suddenly felt overwhelmed and lucky to have her greatest love with her.

It was her turn.

"Christian, I love you. So much. We both lived in the life of an upper class and we were pretty much given the entire universe but Christian? The only universe I'd be glad to get lost with, is the universe of you. Everything about you is a world I have to venture in."

Then he put the hand—her hand that he was holding to his chest, pressing it until she felt how raw there love was. There was the heat and there was a tear.

She used her free hand to hold his wrist—to run her fingers through the wristband she gave him before.

The light is the universe two soulmates share.

A/N: WOW! I gotta say that was the most emotional I have ever been. You guys are really good. You inspire me everyday. Please do tell me what you think of this chapter. And yes, this is a Valentine's Day special chapter. Lol. I am single though. Don't have a boyfriend. Don't have a date. Still I was glad to be able to write a chapter full of love. Lol.

Thank you!

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